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LIBRARY 


OF  THE 


MASSACHUSETTS 

AGRICULTURAL 

COLLEGE 

SOURCE. ._C^Ue_^e..._-|-_unds. 


The  Garden.] 

LJusK  2'.>,   KtOI 


The  Garden-.] 


[JrsK  -29,  1901. 


Harry  James  Veitcii,  F.L.h^. 


AN 


Illustrated    Weekly   Journal 


OF 


Horticulture   in  all   its   Branches. 


Founded  bv    U\  Robinson   in    1871. 


£^/W  6y  Miss  Jekyll  and  Mr.   E.    T.    Cook. 


VOL.     LIX.— JUNE,     1901. 


LO^DOU^. 

Office:     20,    TAVISTOCK   STREET,   COVENT   GARDEN,  V\/.C, 


Published  by  HUDSON  &  KEARNS,  20,  Tavistock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C,  and  by 
Messrs.  GEO.  NEWNES,  Ltd..  7-12,  Southampton  Street,  Strand. 


The  Carded. J  [.Ti-ne  29,  1901. 


a  It 


V 


.5-7 


PRINTED     BY 

HUDSON     &     KEARNS, 

THE    SOUTHWARK    PRESS, 

83-87,    SOUTHWARK    Street,    S.E. 


The  Gardkn.]  [June  20,  1901. 


TO 


HARRY  JAMES    VEITCH 


THE       FIFTY-NINTH       VOLUME       OF      "THE      GARDEN" 


Is   dedicated. 


THROUGHOUT  the  world,  wherever  horticulture  has  gained  the  afl'ectioiis  of  the  people,  the  name  of  Veitch  is  honoured, 
and  the  subject  of  this  memoir  is  known  for  his  splendid   business  capacity  and  his  untiring  energy  in  promoting  good 
work.       Mr.    Harry    J.    Veitch    was   Iwrn   on   June    29,    1840,    at   Exetei',    and    received    his    education    at    the    Exeter 
Grammai'   School   and    in    Grermany.       He   afterwards   attended   the    course   of   botanical    lectures   given  liy    Dr.   Lindley 
at    the   University    College,    and   gained    an    insight  into    the    woi'king  of   the   seed   department   of   the    business,  which    he   was 
soon  to  manage,  in  the  establishment  of  Messi's.  Vilmorin  at  Paris. 

Mr.  Veitch  commenced  work  in  the  Chelsea  Nui'series  now  nearly  foi'ty-fiAX  years  ago,  when  his  activity  soon  became 
apparent.  When  it  was  determined  to  hold  the  Great  International  Horticultural  Exhibition  in  1866  in  London  he  entered 
with  zest  into  the  work,  forming  one  of  the  general  committee  and  of  many  of  the  sub-committees. 

At  the  continental  horticultural  gatherings  during  the  past  thirty  or  forty  years  Mr.  Veitch  was  a  constant  visitor, 
and  it  is  interesting  to  know  he  was  present  at  the  first  international  exhibition  ever  held  in  Russia,  this  occurring  at  St. 
Petersburg  in  the  spring  of  1869,  when  the  part}' — imong  whom  were  Sir  Joseph  Hooker,  the  late  Di'.  Roliert  Hogg, 
Dr.  Moore,  of  Glasnevin,  and  Mr.  Robert  Wai'iiei' — were  cordially  welcomed  by  the  Czar. 

Through  "the  death  of  his  father  and  elder  brother,  whose  health  failed  in  1867 — the  former  dying  in  September,  1869, 
and  the  latter  in  August,  1870 — Mr.  Veitch  Ijecame  head  of  the  firm  of  James  Veitch  and  §ons,  and  during  this  prosperous 
l^eriod  of  its  history  he  published  two  works  that  have  obtained  a  world-wide  popularity  as  important  contrilnitions  to  the 
subjects  of  Conifers  and  Orchids,  namely,  the  "  Manual  of  Conifei-aj  "  and  the  "  Maiuial  of  Orchids." 

The  Royal  Horticultural  Society  has  ever  received  Mr.  Veitch's  strong  and  constant  support.  He  first  joined  the 
Council  when  the  society  removed  from  South  Kensington,  and  is  still  a  memljei'  of  that  bod}',  adding  to  this  important 
dut}'  his  chairmanship  of  the  Orchid  Committee. 

It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  write  of  Mr.  Veitch's  pereiuiial  interest  in  the  Gardenei's'  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. 
He  has  filled  the  office  of  treasurer  since  1S86,  and  since  the  retirement  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Lee  from  the  jiosition  of 
chairman  of  committee,  Mr.  Veitch  has  filled  that  post  also.  During  that  periorl  the  institution  has  grown  in  influence  and 
strength,  widening,  too,  its  basis  of  operations  through  the  Victorian  Era  and  Good  Samaritan  funds,  lioth  inaugurated  during 
recent  years.     In  addition  to  this  Mr.  Veitch  was  active  in  forming  the  Royal  Gardeners'  Orphan  Fund. 

In  this  brief  memoir  it  is  impossible  to  enumei'ate  the  many  societies  to  which  Mr.  Veitch  lielongs  and  the  philanthropic 
institutions  in  which  he  is  interested ;  but  in  his  beautiful  home  at  East  Burnham,  close  to  the  glorious  Burnham  Beeches, 
he  works  unostentatiously  to  promote  the  welfare  of  his  fellow  men.  Many  are  the  tokens  of  the  esteem  in  M'liich  Mr.  \'eitch 
and  Mrs.  Veitch  are  held  by  those  with  whom  during  a  bus}'  and  happ}'  life  they  have  been  bi-ought  into  contact,  and 
when  their  silver  wedding  was  celebrated  a  few  years  ago  friends  at  home  and  abroad  acknowledged  In-  man}'  beautiful  gifts 
their  joy  that  this  distinguished  horticulturist  and  his  \v'ife  had  been  spared  to  celebrate  so  luipp}'  an   e\'cnt. 


The  Garden. 


[June  JO,  1901 


Vol.  UX.] 


["  TliK  aarr/ju,"  .finii   .','),  'lOIII. 


INDEX 


A. 

Aluitikm  viUfoliuni  in  L',)riiw';x)I,   2;    vexil- 

hiriiim  on  soiitli  wail,  '6 
Acacia  leprusa  ut  Kew,  12ii ;  platypti  ra.  o9  ; 

p.  in  pot  or  border,  72  ;  uropliylla,  yo 
Acilypha  sanderiana,  13U 
Acer  iNegundo  variegata,  27S  ;  sacoharinuni, 

180 
Aciikaiithera  spectabilis  at  Kew,  72 
Aconite,  the  winter,  and  Christmas  R-ose,  7s 
Acrocliniums,  143 
Adonis  amurensis,  201 
JCthionema  grandittorinn,  Ifjo 
Agathsea  cuclestis,  427 
Agave  Peacockii,  117 
Ageratum  conyzoides,  251 
Ahwanac,  Vintuns  Agricultinal,  31 
Almond,  13(j 

Almonds  of  South  London,  the,  2U0 
Alnwick  Castle,  gronping  of  rtowers  at,  444 
"  Alpine  Plants,"  125 
Alyssum  saxatile  fi.-pl.,  344 
Amaryllis,  101,  205;   at  Chelsea,   255,  307; 

aniica,  5  ;  Belladonna,  236 
American  notes,  5S,  357,  446 
Amuri)hophanus  leonensis,  282 
AnHKallis  grandiflora,  343 
Anemone  l)landa,  131  ;  b.,  best  st)il  fnr,  274  ; 

b.  scythinica,  271 ;  coronaria  at  Li  Mortola, 

Italy,   430;    fulgens,   132;   japuhica,  171; 

Poppy,  216;  the,  128  ;  triloba  atroca;ruloa, 

Ancniunes,  alpine,  334 

Annual  flowers,  a  use  for,  377  ;  seeds,  69 

Annuals,  230 ;  hardy,  304,  382 ;  and  half- 
hardy,  127  ;  and  their  effective  use,  129  ; 
some  pretty,  206 

Antburium  andreanura,  343 

Aponogeton  distachyon  flowering  in  winter, 
200 

Apple,  a  new,  201 ;  Adam's  Pearmain,  2o6  ; 
Allington  Pippin,  119  ;  Ashraeads  Kernel, 
105  ;  Baddow  Pippin,  271,  274 ;  Barnack 
Beauty,  159 ;  Beauty  of  Kent,  125  ;  Blen- 
heim Orange,  223  ;  Brabant  Bellefleur, 
107;  Braddick's  Nonpareil,  2S6 ;  Brown- 
lee's  Russet,  286,  344  ;  Christmas  Pearmain, 
5:>,  119  ;  Claygate  Pearmain,  143,  2S6  ; 
Court  Pendu  Plat,  159,  2S6  ;  Cox's  Orange 
in  spring,  2U4  ;  Diamond  Jubilee,  173,  316  ; 
Dnke  of  Devonshire,  224  ;  t'earn's  Pippin, 
224  ;  Gravenstein,  160;  Hubbard's  Pear- 
main, 2S6  ;  King  of  tbs  Pippins,  224  ;  King 
of  Tomkins'  County,  142,  224  ;  Lamb 
Abbey  Pearmain,  239  ;  Lemon  Pippin,  224  ; 
Lord  Burghley,  123,  224  ;  Manchester 
Pippin,  286  ;  Newtown  Pippin,  98,  124 ; 
notes,  102,  214;  Pearson's  Plate,  119;  Rib- 
ston  Pippin,  119  ;  Rosemary  Uusset,  224  ; 
Kuundway  Magnum  Bonum,  286  ;  Royal 
Late  Cooking,  54  ;  Scarlet  Nonpareil,  119, 
173  ;  Sturmer  Pippin,  2a6 ;  the  "  Andrews," 
255  ;  the  Custard,  5  ;  trees,  espalier- 
trained,  296 ;  trees,  pruning,  216 ;  trees, 
standard,  173 

Apples,  286;  an  amateur's  exliibit  of,  275; 
best  for  Britain,  119 ;  cool  storage  for, 
180 ;  grown  in  London,  159  :  late,  223,  346, 
274 ;  on  walls  in  the  North,  37 ;  rational 
storage  for,  267 

Aquilegia  alpina,  147  ;  Amaliai,  147  ;  Berto- 
lini,  147  ;  brevistyla,  168  ;  buergeriana, 
167  ;  canadensis,  168  ;  chrysantha,  168  ; 
caM'ulea,  168;  ecalcarata,  168;  einseliana, 
147;  European,  147  ;  family,  the,  147,  167  ; 
formosa,  1,68;  flabellata,  168;  llavescens, 
16^  ;  fragrans,  168 ;  glandulosa,  167 ;  glauca, 
168;  .lonesi,  168;  Kitaibeli,  147  ;  lactiHora, 
167  ;  leptoceras,  167  ;  longissima,  168,  216 ; 
micrantha,  168;  moorcroftiana,  168 ;  olym- 
pica,  167  ;  Othorus.  147  ;  parviflora,  167  ; 
pubescens,  168  ;  pubiflora,  168  ;  pyrenaica, 
147  ;  saximontana,  168  ;  sibirica,  167  ; 
Skinneri,  168 ;  Stuartii,  445  ;  thalictrifolia, 
147;  truncata,  168:  viscosa,  147 ;  viridiflora, 
167  ;  vulgaris  and  varieties,  147 

A(iuilegias,  Central  Amei'ican,  108  ;  Hima- 
layan, 168  ;  Japanese,  167  ;  North  Ameri- 
can, 168  ;  Siberian  and  Caucasian,  167 

Arabis  albida  fiore-pleno,  368  ;  alpina  H.-pI., 
369  ;  a.  fl.-pl.  Snowdrift,  367  ;  aubrietioides, 
322  ;  white,  a  beautiful  way  of  using,  32S 

Arbutus  Unedo,  59 

Arctotis  aspera,  292 

Armeria  cephalotes,  prupagatiug,  51 


Arolla,  the,  or  Swiss  Stone  Pino,  50 

Aronia  Horibumla,  27s 

Artichokes,  in  ;  (.iloije,33,  382  ;  Veitch's  new 

improved,  122 
Artist's  note-book,  an,  11,  29,  44,  61 
Arum  Palicstinum,  316 
Arums,  yellow,  6 '. 
Asparagus,  283,   340;    beds,    16;» ;    growths, 

protecting,  328  ;  Sprengori  varlc^^MUis,  145 
Aspen,  the  Weeping,  337 
Asiileniums,  the,  318 
Aster  horizuntalis,  196 
Athyrium-Filix-Kijumina,  427  ' 
Aubergines,  culture  of,  182 
Aubrietia  Dr.  Mules,  367,  406 
Aubrietias,  411,  446 
Aucuba  japonica  maculata,  331 
Auricula  Leonora  (alpine),  362 
Auriculas,  and  Primroses,  dnu'ilc  and  ll<<se- 

in-hose,  326  ;  seedling,  115 
Australia,  vegetable  i^roducts  of,  104 
Azalea  amcena,  369  ;  a.  as  a  hardy  shrub,  143  ; 

indica  Paul  Weber,  282 
Azaleas,  210 


Backgrounds  for  show  flowers,  345 

Baden-Baden,  notes  from,  377 

Baker,  Mrs.  J.  K,  323 

Balsams,  320 

Bamboos,  284 ;  a  note  on,  17 ;   in  pots,  71 ; 

the  hardiest,  64  ;  the  flowering  of,  169 
Bambusa  tessellata,  149 
Bananas,  116,  382;  and  Oranges,  the  storage 

of,  370 
Barford  Hill,  298  ;  a  view  from  the  terrace 

at,  299 ;  from  the  south-east,  299 
Barley  competition,  forthcoming,  71 
Barr,  Mr.  Peter,  in  Tasmania,  307  ;  and  Sons, 

ilessrs.,  324 
Bean,  a  good  winter,  46;    French,  Veitch's 

Climbing,  201 ;  Runner,  Painted  Lady,  239 
Beans,  Broad,  360 ;  Butter,  216  ;  Climbing  or 

Kunner,  321;  French,  304;  French,  plant- 
ing, 259  ;  recent,  122  ;  R,unner,  320,  364 
Beauty  spots,  some  notable,  1 ;  in  hedgerows, 

407 
Bedding  plants,  a  simple  grouping  of,  333 
Beds,    flower,    furnishing    in     winter,     72; 

plants  for  small,  219;   raised,  3;35  ;  raised 

Violet,  32 
Beech,  tallest,  in  England,  15,  38 
Beeches,  a  terrace  of  Pollard,  153 
Beet,  planting,  250 
Begonia  Caledonia,  104,  254;  glaucophylla, 

336;   Gloire  de  Lorraine,  56,  120;   culture 

of,  34  ;   bow  to  raise,  55  ;   potting,  250  ;  in 

spring,  275  ;  propagation  of,  80  ;  Gloire  de 

Sceaux, 331 
Begonias,   fibrous-rooted,    101  :    fine-leaved. 

in  France,  368;    foliage  of  the  Rex-Dia- 

dema  section,  417  ;   tuberous,  101,  136,  209 

250 
Belgrove,  61 ;  dwelling  house  at,  62 
Belvoir,  spring  flowers  at,  131 
Berberis  Aquifolium,  136;    (syn.    Malionia) 

ai|uifolium,  331  ;   congestitolia  hakeoides, 

322,    326  ;    dictophylla   (FrancheL),    346  ; 

stenophylla,  397  ;  Thunbergi  over  n^ck,  278; 

vulgaris  purpureis  on  chalky  soils,  278 
Berberises,  small-leaved,  in  gi-oups,  3lli 
Berlin,  private  gardens  in  and  around,  350 
Berry,  the  Logan,  84 
Betula  utilis,  254 
Bignunia  capreolata,   3 ;    Chercre,   3 ;    radi- 

cans,  3  ;  speciosa,  3 
Biguonias,  3 
Birch,  the,  315 
Birds  in  the  orchard,  424 
Blackberry,  the,  as  a  market  fi-uit,  225 
Black  Vine  weevil,  212 
Bladder-nuts,  165 
Blandfordia  nobilis  348 
Blechnum  Spicant,  349 
Bluebells  at  Kew,  310 
Bogie,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  presentatiim  tn,  274 
Bomarea  patacocensis,  254 
Books,  15,    31,   50,    65,  SO,  120,  125,   145,  169, 

192,  288,  296,  331,  338,  446 
Border,  the  herb.  292 
Borders,  herbaceous,  136 ;  jjoor  flowcis  for, 

146 
Borecole  albino.  =^62 


Botanic  Gardens    at  f'ambridge,   109;    and 

Mr.    Lynch,    141  ;    ])Iants  from  the,   159  ; 

Glasgow,  142  ;  Liverpool,  274 
Botanising,  Injudicious,  425 
Botany,  80 
Buugainvillea,  3,  344 
Bouvardia  longiHora,  98 
Bouvardias,  48,  2S4 
l!ox,  the,  in  Britain,  28  ;  edgings,  291 
Boyle,  Mr.  Henry,  70 
Bracken,  3  ;  habit  of  common,  39 
iJiMSsicas,  recent,  122 
r.rasso-Cattleya  nivalis,  362 
B  iar,  tlie  Sweet,  313 
Bridal    Wi-eath    (Francoa    raniosa)    and  F. 

appendiculata,  320 
British  Columbia,  fruit  in,  5 
Broom,  Butcher's,  332 
Browallia  elata,  353 
Browallias,  29 
Brunfelsia  calycina  in  borders  under  glass, 

238 
Brussels  Sprouts,  382  ;  sownig,  216 
Buckthorn,  the  Sea,  81  ;  th*^  variegated,  ('8 
Buddleia,  anew,  68  ;  Columbi;c,  54  ;  Colvillei, 

427 
Bnd^,  the  unfolding  of,  338 
Bullis  at  Lyons  Valley,  165 
Burchellia  capensis,  444 
BurliuL'tnn  decora  var.  picta,  241 
Burvenich,  Frederick,  328 
Butterflies  and  moths,  228 


C. 

Cabbage,  55,  259;  spring,  106 

Cabbages  and  white  butterflies,  442;  early, 
176 

"Cacti,  and  how  to  grow  them,"  120;  in 
their  natural  habitats,  25 

Caladinms,  101 

t'alanthe  Oakwood  Ruby,  00  ;  Veitchi  and 
C.  vestita,  241 

Calceolarias,  herbaceous,  340.  367 

California,  bulbous  plants  in,  455 ;  notes 
from,  75  ;  threatened  destruction  of  big 
trees  in,  222 

Calla  and  Hippeastrum,  216 ;  elHotiana,  351 ; 
Little  Gem,  252 

Callas,  62  ;  (Richardias),  381 ;  summer  treat- 
ment of,  42 

Calystegia  pubescens,  259 

Camellia  blooms,  291 ;  out  of  doors,  a  red 
flowered,  425;  reticulata,  214 

Camellias,  361  ;  for  outdoor  planting,  227  ; 
in  the  open,  70,  90,  105,  123,  141,  176,  177, 
232 ;  outdoor,  125,  269,  324 ;  some  of  the 
newer,  281 

Campanula  balchiniana,  142;  ni  rich  soil, 
200  ;  Hendersoni,  204  ;  mirabilis  not  a 
perennial,  23  ;  the  genus,  276 

Campanulas,  73  ;  the,  353;  the  smaller,  154 

Canada,  emigration  to,  73 

Cannas,  116  ;  for  bedding,  367 

Cannell  and  Sons,  Messrs.  H.,  171  ;  Mr. 
Henry,  36 

Cape  Gooseberry  in  Queensland,  12 ;  Silver 
Tree,  1/6 

Carnation  and  Picolee  Society,  Midland, 
271  ;  Belle  Rose,  349 ;  disease,  216 ;  early- 
flowering  Marguerite,  127  ;  Malmaison 
Princess  May.  272  ;  May,  322;  Mrs.  T.  W. 
Lawson,  179  ;  seed,  sowing,  269  ;  seedlings, 
254 ;  Sweet  Primrose,  54 ;  the  Malmaison 
in  Scotland,  306 ;  Valetta,  271  ;  Winter 
Cheer,  271 

Carnations,  35,  184,  283 ;  in  hanging  baskets, 
20;  judging  iii  America,  288  ;  Lady  Ardi- 
laun,  sport  from,  254;  layering,  364;  Mal- 
maison, 288;  Margaret,  and  the  winter, 
266  ;  the  cultivation  of,  317 

Carpenteria  californica,  63,  427,  443 

Carrots,  230,  304  ;  early,  in  frames,  8 

Carter  and  Co.,  Messrs.  James,  137 

Cassia  corymbosa  in  the  open,  33  ;  c.  for 
south  walls,  3 

Castanopsis  chrysophylla,  41 

Cattleya  Kitty  Lloyd,  54  ;  Lansbergei,  186 ; 
Mendeli  Queen  Alexandra,  362  ;  Miss 
Harris  var.  E  Ashworth,  254  ;  Schrbderas 
heatonensis,  362 

C.iuliflowers,  55,  169,382;  all  (he  year  round, 
195  ;  autumn-sown,  283;  damping,  196 

Celandine,  the  lesser,  186 

Celery,  304,  340 ;  and  Potatoes,  83 


Celtis  sinensis  leaves,  use  of,  189 

Centropogon  lucyanus,  79 

Centenary  of  Royal  Horticnlturid  Society, 
289 

(JerasuB  lauro-Cerasus,  331 

Certificating  old  things,  143 

Cestrum,  3 

Chatin,  M.  G.  A.,  70 

Cbatsworth,  65 

Cherry -houses,  137  ;  the  Mountain,  345  ;  tree 
on  the  table,  257;  Waterer's  dnuble,  39l 

Cherries  and  Plums,  210  ;  in  pots,  41ii ;  the 
promise  of,  445  ;  weeping,  267 

Cheshire  Damson,  the  true,  416 

C'hicory,  360 

Chimonantbus  fragrans,  22,  125,  135,  204 

Chino  Valley,  the,  174 

Chionodo.xa  Luciliic,  132 

Chionoscilla  The  Queen,  256 

Chiswick  Gardens  and  (be  students,  ]92 

Chives,  116 

Chorozeraa  in  garden  in  Ci>rnwall,  3  ;  varinm, 
160 

Christmas  Day,  1900,  4  ;  flowers  in  Kent,  4  ; 
Rose,  a  fine,  174;  Rose  and  winter  Reu- 
nite, 78  ;  Roses,  125  ;  Roses,  the  best.  95 

Chrysanthemum  Caivafs  Sun,  5  ;  inter- 
national show,  5  ;  Miss  Evelyn  Douglas, 
181  ;  ilme.  Felix  Periin,  5  ;  Mrs.  Green- 
field, 158;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Neville,  239;  Mrs. 
Wm.  Filkins,  39 ;  show  at  Paris,  awards 
at,  5  ;  Society,  National,  54  ;  Tuxedo,  f 

Chrysanthemums,  8,  47,  48,  116,  183,  2:54, 
320  ;  Calvats  seedling,  17  ;  Chinese 
way  of  growing,  444;  decorative  kinds, 
151 ;  early  -  flowering  varieties,  230  ; 
Earl  of  Arran.  21!)  ;  for  decoration,  124; 
incurved  and  Japanese,  new,  26  ;  large 
single,  334  ;  new,  70  ;  Pompon  and  Pom- 
pon Anemones,  9,  151 ;  P.  as  decorative 
plants,  265;  plants  in  6-inch  pots,  60; 
preparations  for  the  final  potting,  382; 
prize  for,  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Richards,  104; 
propagating,  &c.,  82  ;  rust,  151  ;  single, 
78;  specimen  plants,  9,  116;  specimen 
trained  plants,  230 ;  spidery,  178  ;  standard, 
116  ;  stopping,  183  ;  the  selection  of  varie- 
ties, 9  ;  the  National  Society's  exhibitions 
for  1901,  292;  treatment  of  new  varieties, 
151  ;  two  Christmas  sorts,  5 

Chysis  lievis.  186 

Cineraria,  381  ;  hybrids,  171 

Cinerarias  at  Farnhara,  311  ;  at  Messrs. 
Carter's,  292  ;  from  Messrs.  Clibran,  257 

Cissus  discolor,  3 

Ciadrastis  tinctoria,  282,  397 

Clematis  calycina,  254  ;  indivisa,  343  ;  raori- 
taua,  garden  doorway  crowned  with,  373  ; 
William  Kenneth,  86  ;  unciuata,  154 

Clematises  Marcel  Moser  and  Nellie  Moser, 
293 

Clerodendron  fallax,  179 

Clianthus  Dampieri,  the  grafting  of,  407,  452; 
puniceus,  292,  347;  in  the  South-west  of 
Scotland,  106;  on  west  wall,  3 

Clibran,  Messrs.  Wm.  and  Son,  419 

Climbers,  284  ;  a  group  of  hardy  ]»erennial, 
290;  and  fruit  trees  against  a  wall,  339; 
in  the  south-west,  2 ;  pergola,  236 

Clivia  miniata  citrina,  348 

Cockscombs,  176 

Cuitogyne  dayana,  320  ;  Veitchi,  186 

Colcbicum  Ritchi,  36 

Colchicums,  191 

Coleus  Mahoni,  55 

Coleuses  from  seed,  216 

Colletia  cruciata,  15,  22 

Collinsia  verna,  128,  329 

Colour  in  new  varieties  of  plants,  405 

Columbines,  147,  148,  167,  168 

Colutea  arborescens,  278 

Composts,  feeding,  56 

Conifers  and  evergreens,  201  ;  as  rain  gauges 
271 ;  hybrid,  143  ;  ornamental,  170 

Conservatory,  the,  58  ;  winter  -  flowering 
plants  for,  302 

Convolvulus  t'neorum,  374 

Coptis,  three  interesting  species  of,  158 

Coralilla,  white,  315 

Cordyline  Guilfoylei,  179 

Cornelian  Cherry,  135 

Cornu,  M.  Maxime,  255 

Cornus  alba  Spajthi,  278  ;  sanguinea,  278 

Correa,  3 

Corydalis  Halleri,  349  ;  Scouleri,  311 

Corylopsis  pauciflora,  2C0  ;  spicata,  135 


INDEX. 


["  The  Oarden,''  Jtntf  ..".),  1901. 


Coi-ylus  Avellana  purpurea,  275 

Cosmos  bipinnalus,  128,  225 

Cotoneaster   buxifolia    aud   Wheeleri,  331  ; 

micropliylla,  331  ;  montana,  121  ;  Sinioiisii, 

27S ;  vulparis  in  Conway,  193 
Cotton  Plant,  the,  05 
Covert,  evei-green.  61 
Cowan's  garden  in  Daffodil  time,  Mr.,  421 
Cragside,  Northumberland,  31 
Cretpers,  planting  of,  302 
Cress,  sowing,  170 

Crimson  Rambler,  autumn  flowering  of,  3 
Crinum  Moorei,  134 
Crispin,  Mr.  George,  174 
Croci  at  Kew,  205 
Crocosmia  aureii  var.  maculata,  1013 ;  n.  nml 

Tritoraas    (syn.     Montbretias),    ytj  ;    iiu- 

perialis,  103 
Crocus  Balanspe,  201  ;   chrysanthus  ctL-nile^- 

cens,   142;    liyeniiilis  var.   Foxi,   30;  l-u- 

perali,  132;  lawn,  a.  322;   Itevlgatus,  bi) ; 

species  and  varieties  of,  174 ;  tommasini- 

anus,  142 
f'rookes,  Sir  William,  ^07 
Crotons  (Codiajums),  otj,  210,  360 
Cruwley,  Mr.  Philip,  sale  of  library,  256 
Crucifers,  early-flowering,  257 
Cucumbers,  100  ;  recent,  122  ;  ridge,  300 
f'ulzean  Castle,  333 
Cumberland,  flowers  in,  12 
Currant,  double-flowering,  443 
Custard  Apple,  the,  5 
Cuscuta  reflexa,  33 
Cyclamen  libanoticum,  35,  235;  flowers  of 

distinct    colour    from    same    corm,    103  ; 

potting,  304 
Cyclamens,  European,  203  ;  Persian,  the  cul- 

turu  of,  375 
Cydonia  japonica,  275 
Cymbidium    eburneo-lowianum,    314 ;   lowi- 

"ano-eburneum  M'oodlands  var.,  205 
Cymbidiums  at  The  Woodlands.  205 
Cypripedium  callosum,  twin-fli>wered,  156  ; 

Ernesto,    105;    flowers    malformed.    270; 

Godefroya;  leucochilnm,  153  ;  Hector  Mac- 

douald,  53  ;  harrisianum,  242  ;  H.  Hanning- 

ton,107:   Lansberge;e,  1S6  ;  latharaianum 

var.  latissimum,  2S2  ;  Lord  Derby  (Sander's 

variety),  105 ;    Mandiic,  262;  T.  W.  Bond, 

var..  122 
Cypripediums,  170  ;  llic,  notes  for  amateurs, 

218 
Cytisus  alljus  niuUillorus,  275;  Ardoini,  165 


Daffodil,  a  curious,  347  ;  Allen's  Beauty,  255, 
21)0  ;  and  his  kith  and  kin,  03  ;  compe- 
tition, 270 

Daffodils,  a  chat  on,  106 ;  at  Far  Korest, 
among  the,  350;  at  Long  Ditton,  291; 
Emperor  atid  Empress  failing,  335  ; 
in  California.  262;  in  Ivy,  220;  incom- 
parables,  353 ;  Leedsi  secLiun,  353 ;  notes 
^yn'new  and  choice,  353  ;  poeticus  group, 
353 ;  special  prizes  for,  100 

Dahlias,  304,  310  ;  Cactus  varieties  of,  234  ; 
climbing,  158;  culture  of,  233;  cuttings, 
taking,  216;  decorative  Cactus  varieties, 
231  ;  fancy  varieties,  234  :  insect  pests  of, 
234 ;  Pompon  varieties,  234 ;  proi»agation 
of,  233  ;  raising  from  seed,  234  ;  show 
vaiieties,  234  ;  single  Cactus  varieties,  234  ; 
single  varieties,  234;  storing  the  roots  in 
winter,  2i4  ;  the  various  groups  of,  233 

Daisies,  the  Shasta,  105 

Dalliere,  M.  Alexis,  -lU 

Daphne  Cneuium,  164  ;  Laureula.  135  ; 
Mazeli,215;  Mezereum,  135;  M.  and  M. 
alba,  278;  odora,  109  ;  o.  at  Kew,  143 

Darwinism,  the  fallacies  of,  205 

Davis,  Mr.  M,  342  ;  Mr.  Michael,  the  late, 
and  the  Manresa  Vine,  345 

Dicdaliicanthus  macrophyllus  at  Kew,  91 

Dean  of  Rochester  and  Mrs.  Hole,  address 
to,  383  ;  the,  325 

Decaisnea  Fargcsii,  345 

December,  1000,  mildness  of,  3'J 

*' Decorative  Flower  Studies,"  335 

Dendrobium,  a  new  hybrid,  35;  Ainsworthi 
Edithic  var.  superba,  198;  A.  intertextum, 
313;  Ashworthic,  :J8;  Chrysanthura,  241; 
flmbriatum  oculatum,  242;  hookerianum, 
252  ;  Kenneth,  313  ;  kingiaimm,  254  ; 
nobile,  377 ;  n.  at  Sydney,  4'i  ;  roeblingi- 
anuni,  105  ;  rubens  grandiflomm,  173  ; 
wigaiiiannm,  121 ;  w.  (Veitch's  variety), 
313  ;  Wigana;,  314  ;  with  512  flowers,  405 

Deutzia  gracilis,  210 

Deutzias,  two  new,  71 ;  new,  407 

Dianthus  Heddewigi,  128  ;  plumarius  Lady 
Dixon,  362 

Dielytra  spectabilis  in  pots,  329 

Dimorphanthus  mandschuricua,  275 

Diospyros  Kaki,  6,  41,  1U2 

Disanthus  cercidifolia,  123 

Dodder,  the  Indian,  33 

Doronicum  Harper  Crewe,  400 

Double  flowers,  production  uf,  219 

Douglas,  Mr.  .rames,  150 

I>over  House,  Roelianipton,  133 

Dractonas,  50 

Dracontium  gigas,  24i 

Duunctt,  Mr.  William  Herbert,  19 


Ealing,  new  park  for,  3U7 

Earls  Court  Exhibition,  gardening  at,  365 

Eehionopsis  Bentii,  117 

Echium  candicans,  345 

Edging,  pink,  117  ;  plants  for,  265,  293  ;   to 

paths,  Ivv  as,  335 
Edgings,  Bux,  291 
Edraianthus  serpyllifolius  at  Nunwick  Hall, 

Cumberland,  406 
Edwardsia  grandifiora,  406  ;   microphylla,  3, 

374 
Egg  Plant,  320 

Eheocarpus  cyaneus  on  sunny  walls,  3 
Eteagnus  macrophylla.  41 
Electric  light,  influence  of,  upuu  vcgetatinn, 

J  23 
Elephantopus  scaber.  251 
Elm.  Winged,  241 

Emigration  prospects.  2  ;  to  Canada,  73 
Epacris  pui'purascens  flore-pleno,  71 
Epacrises,  204 
Epidendruni  clicsianum,   35;   Cluissa,   314; 

C.  superbnm,  254 
Epigica  repeiis,  201 
Eranthennmi  pulchcllum,  71,  37o 
Ercilla  spicata,  3 
Eranthis  hyemalis,  78 
Erica  oarnea,  135 
Erodium  macradenum,  427 
Erythrotiiutn     giganteum     var.     Hartwegii, 

322  ;  Howelli,  :i05 
Eucharis  amazonica,  25,  340  ;  culture,  notes 

cm,  200 
Eulalias,  259 

Euonymus  radicans,  well-berried  twigo  of,  22 
Euonymuses,  275 

Euphorbia  Wulfeni,  propagating,  260 
Evergreens,  grouping,  331 
Exhibition,  a  Rliodudendron,  426  ;   Glasgow 

International,  155 
Exhibitions,    floral,   149  ;    horticultural,   at 

Ghent,  71 ;  on  the  C'ontinent,  120 
Experiments,  cold  storage,  13 


Falkia  repens  CL.),  Ill 

Farmyard,  a  converted,  and  climbing  Roses, 
27 

Fern,  a  climbing,  222;  culture  and  propa- 
gation, 92  ;  fronds,  screen  of,  164  ;  garden 
and  frames,  111 ;  garden,  the,  14,  453 ;  hunt- 
ing, 144  ;  hunter,  equipment  of  the,  144  ; 
the  Hard,  349  ;  the  Hay-scented,  349  ;  the 
Maiden-hair,  222  ;  the  Mountain  Buckler, 
349 

Ferns,  205,  254  ;  British,  selections  and  de- 
scriptions, 81  ;  cool  or  greenhouse,  109 ; 
exotic,  110  ;  hai-dy,  257,  259,  349 ;  stove,  in 
winter,  15  ;  that  rest  in  wintei",  14 

Ficus  repens,  204 

Fig  tree,  outdoor,  not  fruiting,  216  ;  pruning 
and  nailing  back,  304 

Figs,  early,  forcing,  356  ;  early,  in  pots,  152  ; 
in  borders,  152;  in  pots,  7,  356;  late 
forcing,  350 ;  later,  5,  152  ;  potting,  356  ; 
soil  for,  356 ;  top-dressing  of,  350 ;  under 
glass,  304  ;  under  restriction  at  Gunners- 
bury  Park,  266 ;  varieties  for  pot  culture, 
357  ;  watering,  357 

Fish,  Mr.  D.  T.,  305  ;  the  late,  323,  325 

Fisher,  Sons,  aud  Sibray,  Limited,  Messrs., 
379 

Finland,  gardening  in,  125 

Fir,  a  new,  113,  375 

Firs,  winter  planting  of,  202 

Floral  gargoyles,  355 

Flower  beds,  furnishing,  in  winter,  92;  beds 
on  lawn,  planting  group  of,  196  ;  garden, 
the,  45  56  ;  garden,  work  in  the,  7  ;  names, 
09 

Flowers  at  the  Ipswich  spring  show,  291 ; 
Christmas  in  Kent,  32  ;  double,  produc- 
tion of,  219  ;  fragrant,  of  early  summer, 
300  ;  from  Kirkstall,  217 ;  from  tiie  Scilly 
Isles,  174;  from  Winchmore  Hill,  217; 
fringed  and  plumed,  58  ;  growing  American 
wild,  35  ;  hardy  summer,  and  autumn  for 
table  decoration,  227 ;  .Tanuai-y,  in  the 
south  -  west,  102 ;  May,  355 ;  or  *'  no 
flowers,"  273;  planting  of,  382;  the  love 
of,  158;  two  beautiful  spring,  367  ;  winter, 
39 

Forde  Abbey,  o08 

Forsythia  auspensa,  135,  278 

Francoa  ramosa,  ISl ;  r.  and  F.  appendicu- 
lata,  329 

France,  notes  from,  390,  434 

Fremontia  californica.  426 

French  Horticultural  Society  in  London,  445 

Freesia,  a  pink,  374  ;  Armatrongii,  374  ; 
aurea,  293 

Freesias,  48,  300 

Fritillaria  tristia,  328 

Fritillarias,  415 

Fi'ogmore,  71 

Fruit  blossom  in  Scotland,  334  ;  cold  storage 
for,  237  ;  cool,  177,  206,  329,  309 ;  cul- 
ture, hardy,  32 ;  hardy,  for  market,  65 ; 
in  California,  best  varieties  of,  155;  cul- 
ture in  Ceylon,  325  ;  frozen  and  cool 
storage  of,  315  ;    gruwing   in    pota,    176. 


Fruit,  hardy,  210 ;  shcjw  at  the  Crystal  Palace. 
214 ;  the  preservation  of,  256  ;  trees,  an 
amateur's,  359  ;  and  climbers  against  a 
wall,  339;  hardy  bush,  pruning  uf,  100; 
on  open  walls,  protecting,  210;  the  prun- 
ing of,  122  ;  worn-out,  161 

Fruits,  disbudding  of,  260;  hardy.  220,  260; 
hardy,  in  season,  3,  34.  64,  55,  119,  122,  172, 
155,  223,  250,  250:  tropical,  23 

Fuchsia  Riccartoni,  278 

Fuchsias,  229,  254  :  standard,  170 

Fulham  Palace,  trees  at,  445 

Fumigator,  a  new,  3i)o 


G. 

Galanthus  Alleni,  262,  360;  cililicus,  262; 
Ehvesii  and  plicatus,  293;  E.  var.  Whit- 
tallii,  399;  Cassaba,  262;  Ikarijc,  213,  262  ; 
Kilkenny  Giant,  70;  Melvillei  Aurora,  71  ; 
plicatus  Fraseri.  142;  Robin  Hood,  142 

Galax  aphylla,  187  ;  leaves  and  Leucothoe 
sprays,  140 

Galeandra  Bateraani,  282 

Garden,  a  City  rectory,  252  ;  a  -Tamaica,  105, 
437  ;  additions,  336  ;  a  notable,  436;  at  the 
Old  Posting  Inn,  the,  21 ;  corridor,  the, 
55 ;  cropping  a,  ISO  ;  destroyers,  306  ; 
diary,  a,  419;  doorway  crowned  with 
Clematis  montana,  373 ;  flowei'S  from  a 
Suirey,  326;  new,  for  the  Royal  Horticul- 
tural Society,  270,  274,  257,  202  ;  of,  273 ; 
notes  from  an  oblong,  42,  202,  308 ; 
Nymphica,  France,  09  ;  overrun  with  wire- 
woiius,  372  ;  our  cottage,  394  ;  plants,  a 
practical  guide  to,  125  ;  the  Fern.  14 ; 
wild,  planting  young  wood  as,  34 

"  Gardeners'  Chronicle,"  Diamond  .Jubilee  of, 
124 ;  Jubilee  of,  70 ;  Royal  Benevoleut 
Institution,  19,  36,  53,  65,  175.  234.  343  ; 
festh-al  dinner,  383  ;  Royal  Orphan  Fund, 

Gardeners,  women,  300;  young,  scarcity  of, 
306 

"Gardener,  the  British,"  338 

Gardenias,  340 

Gardening  book  for  beginners,  a,  120,  415; 
spring,  121  ;  t-iwn,  13 

Gardens  at  Strafford  House,  Co.  Kildarc, 
203;  Botanic,  at  Cambridge,  1(10;  Chisuick 
anditsstudents,155;  Helds.and  wildsof  the 
Hawaiian  Islands,  207  ;  for  City  children, 
423;  homes  aud,  British,  295;  in  Ireland, 61; 
keepsake,  211;  Kensington,  flowers  in,  293; 
Kew,  255  ;  "Old  and  New,"  106, 145  ;  parks 
and,  Liverpool,  70;  private,  in  and  around 
Berlin,  350;  rock,  50;  St.  Helens.  Co. 
Dublin,  54;  the,  at  Sandringbam,  00  :  the 
Birmingham  Botanical  and  Mr.  Lai  ham, 
205  ;  water,  243 

Garlic,  115 

Garrya  elliptica,  41 

Gean,  or  Double  Wild  Cherry,  205 

Gentiana  Favrati.  125  :  ornata,  249  ;  acaulis. 
422 

Geodorum  dtlitatum,  153 

Geranium  Lowi,  70 

Geraniums,  Ivy-leaved,  229 

Gerbera  Jamesoni,  275 

Ginkgo,  uses  of  the  fruit  of  the,  341 

Gladiolus,  planting,  250  ;  vagaries  of,  in 
Scotland,  333 

Glasgow  International  Exhibition,  lOOl,  5 

Glastonbury  Thorn,  the,  5,  41 

Glass  flowers  of  the  Harvard  Museum,  the, 
201;  houses,  heating  and  ventilation  uf, 
30 

Globe  Artichokes,  33 

Gloriosa  superba,  116.  307 

Glo.xinia,  50  ;  maculata,  :iO 

Gloxinias,  210;  at  Roupell  Park  Nurseries, 
425  ;  potting,  250 

Gomphrena  globosa,  192 

Goodall,  Mr.  George,  140 

Gorse,  or  Whin,  the  common,  332 

Granadilla,  the,  0 

Grape  Chasselas  \'iliert  on  a  south  wall,  142  ; 
West's  St.  Peter's,  107  ;  growing,  errors  in 
350 

Grapes,  Appley  Towers,  156  ;  and  Lady  Hutt, 
73,  139;  early  Muscat,  57;  Lady  Hutt, 
156  ;  late,  57;  outdoor,  in  lOUO,  160 

Grass  under  trees.  271 

Grasses,  hints  for  beginners  in  the  determi- 
nation of,  178 

"Greenhouse  construction,"  335;  Kerns  in 
cool,  169;  fumi-rating,  304;  plants,  137; 
regulation  of  temperature,  270;  shaditi'^, 
270 ;  the  unheated,  157,  279,  430 ;  the 
working,  58  ;  ventilation  <»f,  279 

Greenhouses,  on  typical  cold,  57 

Guiuiera  manicata,  327 


H. 

Habit,  157 

Habrothamnus  corymbosus  as  a  shrub,  3 

Hakea  Laurina,  227 

Hamamelis,  135  ;  arlnu'ea,  4M,  ujii 

Hamniork  under  the  Onks,  :{5n 

Hampstcad  Heath  and  clcttiir  railway,  2, 

Hanley  lloiUciiltrnal  Kcto,  1 40 

Hardeiibcrgia  nionophylla.  91 


Hardy  flowers   at  the  'J'emplc  show,   ;i54  ; 

planU,  mulching  of,  7  :  protection  of,  7 
Hawaiian  Islands,  gardens,  flelds,  and  wilds 

cf  the,  2U7 
Hiumantluis    cinnabarinus    al     Kew,     91  ; 

Fascinator,  230  ;  (^ueen  Alexandra,  252 
Heath  turf,  making,  7 
Heaths,  three  winter-flowering,  94 
Hedge,  a  Lavender,  75;  evergreen,  between 

flower  and  kitchen  gardens,  99 
Heliotrope  on  south  walls,  3 
Hellebores,  96 
Helleborus  niger,  70;    viridus  under  trees, 

370 
Helonias  bullata,  364 
Hepatica    (Anemone)   angulosa   alba,    221 ; 

triloba  alba  pi.,  21H 
Henry,  Dr.  Augustine,  F.L.S.,  130 
Henslow,  Professor,  226 
HeracJeum  mantegazzianum,  14S 
Heredity  of  acquired  characteristics,  91 
Hewell  Grange,  412 
Hidalgoa  Wircklei,  4,  158,  2(t4 
Hippeastruni  avcrniensis,  254  ;  Clovelly,  236  ; 

Lord     Boiiiigton,    236;    Marathon,    234; 

Rialto,  2.=i4 
Hippeastruras  at  Chelsea,  255,  274,  307 :  new, 

254 
Hippopha;  rhamnoides,  275 
Hogarth's  house  at  Chiswick,  purchase  of,  307 
Holly,  a  beautiful,  15  ;  the  common,  332 
Hollyhocks  152,  176 
Holm  Oak,  the,  94 
Honeysuckle,  191  ;  large  Dutch,  312 
Honeysuckles,  105 
Hong  Kong,  botanical  work  at,  417 
Hooker,  Sir  .Toseph,  16 

Horticulture,  a  liall  for,  311,  325;  examina- 
tion in,t>9;    in  a  Scottish  Univei-sily,  .55  : 

in  1000,  1 
Horticultural  Association,  Scottish,  38, 193  ; 

Benefit    and    Provident    Society,    United, 

103,  194  ;  College,  Swanley,  258  ;  directory, 

50  ;  events,  345  ;  hall,  scheme  for,  309 
Horticultural  College  at  Swanley,  the,  452 
Hot  houses,  the  heating  and  ventilation  of, 

358 
Horseradish,  83 
Houses,  cold  plant,  in   winter  and  spring, 

295;   Peach,  later,  82;   early  permanent, 

52 ;  succL--.3i-.li.  253 
Huvea  Celsi,  175 

Huxley,  proposed  niciuorial  to,  328 
Hyacinth,  water,  257 
Hyacinths,  old  pot,  190 
Hj'acinthus  candicans,  planting,  250 
Hybrid  Nymphicas,  origin  of  the,  37 
Hydrangea  altissima,  378;   paniculata,  181, 

301  ;  p.  grandifiora,  278,  36ti ;  scandens  on 

tree  trunks,  3  ;  vestita,  375 
Hydrangeas,  152;  dwarf, 409, 438;  Himalayan. 

375 
Hymenocallis,  74,  156 
Hypericums,  312  ;  American,  162 


I. 

Iberis  sempervirens,  347;  spathulata,  388 

Ightham  Jlote,  in  the  garden  at,  47 

Ilex  Ai|Uifolium,  332 

India's  floral  triluites.  li)4 

Inga  pulcherrima  on  southern  walls,  3 

Insect  friends,  247  ;  pests,  174,  189 

Insecticides,  a  note  upon,  256 

Insects,  injurious,  and  common  farm  pests, 
report  for  year  1900,  296 

Iporaa-a  Batata,  354  ;  Bona-iiox,  354 ;  digi- 
tata,  354  ;  Horsfalliie,  354  ;  Kerberi.  354  ; 
pandurata,  354  ;  Pnrga,  354  ;  purpui-ea, 
354  ;  QuaniocHt,  354  ;  rubro-ctcinlca,  354  ; 
wolcottiana,  354  ;  Woodii,  354 

Tpomieas,  354  ;  in  a  .Jamaica  garden,  372 

Ireland,  Magnolia  conspicua  in,  219;  notes 
from,  40;  Dornden,  248;  Stralfan  House 
Gardens,  203 

Iris  liakeriana  from  Wiuchmore  Hill.  51  ; 
Danfordiie,  flowering  of,  235;  thicocyclus, 
347  ;  paradoxa,  245  ;  persica  purjiurea, 
217;  reticulata,  132.  213;  r.  major,  178, 
190,  220;  r.  m.,  the  raiser  of.  22(t;  rosen- 
bachiana,  144  ;  susiana  and  I.  iberica,  326; 
s.  failing,  367  ;  stylosa,  196  ;  tingitana, 
139,  347;  t..  flowering  of,  90;  t.  in  full 
sun,  70;  t.  in  Portugal,  159  ;  tubcrgeniana 
195;  the  larger  netted,  173;  willniottiana, 
322,  41 1 

Irises,  Flag,  112,  305  ;  groups  of,  9  ;  Oiicocy- 
clus,  growing,  452 

Irish  gardens,  notes  fnun.  M 

Isolepis  gracilis,  204 

Ivies,  small-leaved,  154 

Ivy  !is  an  edging  to  paths,  335  ;  carjicts  and 
margins,  20;  clipping  of,  249;  Daflodils 
amongst,  220 

Ixia  crateroides,  360 

Ixias,  planting  of,  20 


.tamaica  garden,  a,  108,  314,  344.  372  •  in  tho 

Port  Royal  M<»unt»ins,22;i 
.^ipanese   Maples.    350;   trees,  314;    Ireas. 

sale  of  dwarf,  327  ' 


Thr  Garden,"  jime  39,  1901.'\ 


.  INDEX. 


ur. 


.Tasmiiie  liowers,  fertilisation  of,  4 
.liisniinuni  inidittorum,  13B,  284 
•low's  Mallow,  the  single,  lit!) 
■luncs,  Mr.  11.  ,r.,  Lewisliam,  457 
Juniperus  Sabina  tamariscit'olia,  333 


K. 

Kalanchoe  Benti.  lyo  ;  farinacea,  2S2 

Kulmia  glauca,  135 

Kennedya  nigricans,  3 

Kent  water  unsuitable  IVn-  plants,  307 

Keiria  japonica.  125,  l!ll) ;  j.  variegata,  312 

Kew,  Bulletin,  23  ;  Guild,  journal  of  the.  3(i : 

dinner  of  the,  22,  3S7  ;  in  spring-time,  253  ; 

notes,  322,  345 ;  temperate  house  at,  30 ; 

the  greenhouse  at,  142 
Kitchen  garden,  36,  442 
Knipbolia  longicoHis,  97  ;  rufa,  408 
Krelage,  Mr.  .1.  11.,  5 
Kj'llingia  monocephala,  251 


Labelling  of  Roses,  1) 

La  Mortolri,  Italy,  Anemone  coronaria  at, 

43U  :  seeds  from,  23 
Laburnum,  the  New  Zealand,  374 
Lachenalia  Kathleen  Paul,  23(i;  Phyllis  ''aul, 

230 
Lady  Clanmorris,  Rose,  76 
Lady  Warwick  hostel,  the,  178 
Liclia    anceps  Sinmndsii,   38  ;    cinnabarina, 
20,5  ;  harpophylla,  205  ;  jongheana,  217  ;  j. 
Ashworthea;,  254  ;  j.  Kromeri,  236 ;   Mrs. 
-      Gratrix,  362  ;  Pe;-rini,  241 
La;lio-C'attleya,   a    new,   2U5 ;    Bertha,   369 ; 
Cappei,    104  ;    Cybele,    322  ;    digbyano- 
Mendeli,  362  ;    elegans    var.   Mrs.    K.    H. 
Jleasures,  369  ;   Vacuna,  198  ;   warnhami- 
ensis,  173 
Laird's,  Messrs.  E.  B.,  exhibit,  287 
Lantana  Canmra,  251 
Lapageria,  hardiness  of,  19 
Lapagerias  in  the  open,  13 
Lasiandra  macrantha,  3 
Lastrea  cemula,  349  ;   montana  (Oreopteris), 

349 
Latham,  Mr.  W.  B.,  183 
Lathyrus  puhescens,  306,  374 
Laurustinus,  135,  332 
Lavender,  growing,  383  ;  hedge,  a,  78,  335 
Law.  140 

Lawn,  a  Crocus,  322;  boot,  the  "Pattisson," 
364  ;  manuring,  176 ;  the,  and  its  manage- 
ment, 230 
Lawns,  32,  101,  229 
Laxton,  the.  Strawberry,  457 
Lectures  on  crop  cultivation,  425 
Leeks,  83 

Lenten  Roses,  Mr.  Archer-Hind's,  200 
Lepidoptera,  British,  important  sale  of,  214 
Lettuce,  o60  ;  Commodore  Nutt,  106 
Lettuces,  receni,  122 
Leucocrinura  montanum,  408 
Leucojum  vemuni,  238 
Lewisia  Tweediei  374,  408,  426 
Leycesteria  formosa,  312 
Libonia  floribunda,  239 
Ligustrumovalifolium,  332  ;  vnlgare,  332 
Lilacs  and  bullfinches,  444 
Lilies,  36,  114;  &c.,  82;  Arum,  in  a  small 
pond, 236;  A.,  out  of  doors,  52  ;  A., yellow- 
flowered,  139;  at  the  Temple  show,  411 ; 
early-flowering,  441 ;  f rom  .Tapan ,  23 ;  from 
seed,  :M8  ;    in  Kent,  4tl5 ;   notes  on,  46; 
planting  and  potting,  23;    Tiger,  a  jar  of, 
13;   water,  284;  w.,  hybrid,  281 
Lilium  auiatum,  23  ;  Browni,  260,  302  ;  cana- 
dense,    181  ;    c.    at    Rowden    Abbey,   46 ; 
candidum,    10,    114  ;  elegans,  23  ;    gigan- 
teum,  114;  Harrisi,  101  ;  H.  and  L.  longi- 
floruni,    forcing   of,    256  ;    Henryi,    114 ; 
Kellosrgii  (new  species),  3:il ;   longitlorum, 
23  ;  Martagon  and  varieties,  114  ;   nepal- 
ense,  12  ;   Par]-yi,  10  ;   speciosum,  23,  114  ; 
s.  in  Ilowfer,  ISO;   szovitzianum  seedling, 
407  ;  testaceum,  108, 148  ;  t.,  excelsum,  or 
isabellinnm,  114 ;   tigrinum,  23 
Liliums,  152 

Lily  bulbs  from  Japan,  180;   Scarborough, 
:«i,   102,  107;   Tiger,  the,   46,   125;  T.,  or 
Turk's-cap,  114 
Liquid  manures  and  their  apjilication,  270 
Lithospermuni  pnt-puru-cfeiuleum,  340 
Lobelia  Lord  Ardilauii.  KlO 
Lobelias,  herbaceous,  107  :  scarlet,  48,  319 
Loganberry,  the,  4U!) 

Loudon  parks  superintendents'  dinner,  293 
Longworlh  Rambler,  Rose,  445 
Lonkera  fragrantissima,  20 ;  f.  and  L.  Stan- 
dislii.  135;  hildebra"diiina,  101,  347;  large 
Dutch,  312;  pyrenaica,  343;  Standishi,  ioo 
Loniceras,  209 

Low  and  Co.,  Mc  ssrs.  Hugh,  303 
Lucniia  gratissima,  49 
Lupins  in  the  wild  garden,  100  - 
Lycastc  lasiogli.s-i;ni,  38 
Lycinni  liarlru  nni,  312 
Lygodinm  scai-^ens,  Ibi-  linnic  nf,  222 
Lyii.-h,  Mr ,  ai    "Cambridge  Uotanic Gardens, 

141 


m. 

MacKellar,  Mr.,  348 

Mackenzie  and  Moncur,  Limited,  Messrs., 

jUagnolia  conspicua,  343  ;  c.  in  Iieland,  210  ■ 
c,  its  varieties  and  hybrids,  24(1;   fuscata' 
143 
Malaria  and  mosquitoes  in  Hong  Kong,  68 
Mandevilla  suaveolens,  3 
Manettia  bicolor,  123,  343  ;  luteo-rubra,  293 
Manures,  liquid,  and  their  application,  270 
ilaples,  Japanese,  380,  409 
Marguerite-!,  standard,  160 
Marigold,  Marsh,  Ihe,  IGO 
Market,  a  new,  310 
Masdevallia  Alceste,  254  ;  deorsa,  180 
Massing  scarlet  flowers,  196 
Mawson,  Mr.  Thomas  H.,  54 
Maze  at  Hatfield,  the  famous,  211 
Medal  of  honour  presentations,  327 
Meehan,  Mr.  Thomas.  407 
Melanoselinum  decipiens,  242 
Melon  Harrison's  Hardy  Scarlet,  236 
Melons,  137,   ;i81  ;   and  Melon  ho\ises,  214 ; 
early,  112,  250  ;  early,  composts  for,  112  ; 
early,  modes  of  culture,  112;   earlv,   pot 
culture  of,  112  ;  frame,  200,  381  ;  in  fr.inies 
or  pit,  250  ;  in  pots,  200 
Memorial  to  the  Queen,  180 
Jlesembryanthemum  calamiforme,  343 
Mignonette,  304 
Miller,  Mi-.  John,  310 
Millwall,  flowers  for,  383 
Milne,  Mr.,  334 
Miltonia  Roezlii,  repotting  of,  330  ;    vexil- 

laria  gigantea  Rosslyn  var.,  254 
Mimosa  pudica,  251 
Miraulus  Burneti,  446 
Mint,  plantations  of,  320 
Jlistletoe,  254  ;   and  missel  thrush,  33,  118  ; 
at  Oxford,  310 ;    in    the    Oxford    Botanic 
Gardens,  2-20  ;   the  growing  of,  189  ;    varie- 
ties of,  143 
Mitchell,  Mr.  Andrew,  119 
Modecca  senensis,  ISO 
Monstera  deliciosa,  64 
Montbretias,  86,  152 
Moorea  irrorata,  276 
Mount  Usher  in  May,  346 
Mulberry  and  its  leaves,  75 
Musa  paradisaica  at  the  Ghent  show,  347 
Muscari  Heldreichi,  238  :  seedlings,  316 
Myosotis  dissitiflora  on  grassy  banks,  348 


I 


Odontoglossum  ciispum  Countess  of  IJerhy, 
362;  c.  Djmino,  362;  c.  Edward  VII., 
322;  c.  Kranz  Wasei-eel.  329;  c.  i)ui-- 
purascens,  23'J,  255 ;  c.  liueen  Empress, 
198  ;  c.  Quo  Vudis,  282  ;  c.  Raymond  Ciaw- 
shay,  302  ;  c.  Sunsli  ne,  236  ;  Denisonia 
nebula,  254;  (xcellens  var.  Princess  May 
20J;  grande,  241;  Halli  King  Edward 
VII.,  302;  harvengtense,  53;  h.  var. 
Leopoldi,  204;  loocbristiensecoundonense, 
122,  101  ;  I.  rochfcudianum,  121,  161  ; 
ruckerianum  Mrs.  Brooman  White,  265 ; 
triumnlians  Mrs.  Crawshay,  254;  wilcke- 
anuMi  Turnford  Hall  var.,  322 

CdontogloosuniF,  liigh-pricid,  310;  notes  on 
new,  293 

Old  Posting  Inn,  Ihe  g.irilen  at  the,  21 

Olearia  Haasti,  143,  192,  242,  380 

Olmsted,  Mr  Frederick,  33G 

Oncidiuin  lanceannm,  102 

Onions,  autumn-sown,  116;  large,  55,  304; 
spring,  116 

Onychium  japonicum,  293 

"Open-air  Gardening,"  338 

Opuntia  bicolor,  420 

Orange  leaves,  spots  on,  304  ;  Otaheite,  131 

Oranges  and  Bananas,  the  storage  of,  370 

Orchiird.  a  small,  239 

Oi  chid  houses,  work  in  the,  170;  stud-book, 
the,  105 

Orchids,  48,  284,  :S20 ;  at  The  Woodlands. 
205  ;  hybrid,  53,  256  ;  Mr.  J.  Cypher's,  309  ; 
new,  161  ;  notes  on  new,  203 ;  rare,  a  lec- 
ture on,  214;  some  useful,  241;  warm, 
notes  about.  152  ;  work  in  tlie  houses,  nil 

Orobanche  on  Egyptian  Lentil,  200;  spe- 
ciosa,  93 

Orobunches,  426 

Osmanthus  illcifolius,  41 

Oxalis  martiana,  -251 


N. 

Names,  plant,  pronunciation  of,  74 

Nandina  domestica,  berried  sprays  of,  80 

Narcissi,  new  Poet's,  291 ;  the  lesser,  362 
378 

Narcissus  Aftermath,  362  ;  Amber,  362 ; 
Corydon,  302  ;  cyclamineus  major,  2i4  ; 
Day  Star,  302  :  D.  H.  Wemyss  302  ;  Elaine, 
362  ;  Hoop  Petticoat,  244  ;  juncifolins,  291 ; 
Leedsi  amabilis,  374  ;  JIme.  de  Graafl', 
367  ;  pallidns  pra-cox,  22,  -201 ;  poeticus 
above  Montreux,  Lake  of  Geneva,  206 ; 
Poet's,  in  Devon,  328;  Rearguard,  :J62 ; 
.Sea  Bird,  362;  Spencer,  ;j02 ;  the  old 
Pheasant  s-eye,  310  ;  triandrus  calathinus 
and  juncifolius,  291 

National  Rose  Society,  the,  and  its  summer 
.show,  441 

Nectarine,  the,  213 

Nectarines  and  Peaches,  210;  for  pot  cul- 
ture, 74 

Neglected  opportunities,  141 

Neillia  Torreyi,  117 

Nepenthes  mastersiana,  86 

Nerine  undulata,  123 

New  South  Wales,  botanic  gardens  of,  4  ; 
booklets  from,  126  ;  climate  of,  125  ;  the 
timber  resources  of,  125 

Nice,  a  note  from,  1-20  ;  a  November  near,  16 

"Nicholson's  Dictionary  of  Gardening,"  308 

Nicotiana  colossea  variegata,  282  ;  sylvestris, 

Nicotianas,  the,  128 

Nobbs,  Mr.  G.,  presentation  to,  120 

Notes  from  France,  434 

Nursery,  tire  in  a  Derbyshire,  310;    gardens, 

60,  457  ;  g.,  notes  from,  269,  303 
Nuts,  Cob,  102 
Nuttallia  cerasiformis,  136 
Nymphica  Kroebeli,  10;  garden,  ]<'i-;)nce,  90  ; 

stellata  and  otlier  blue  varieties,  74 
Nymphxas,  hylind,  origin  of  the,  37,  130 


O. 

Oaks,  the  hammock  under  the,  350 
Obituary,  70,  119,  140,  213,  234,  265,  308,  323 
341  ;  Brown,  Mr.  N.  E.,  jun.,  36;  Crowley, 
Mr.  Philip,  10  ;  Dodds,  Mr.  William,  16; 
Gordon,  Mr.,  38,  439 
Odontoglossum  Adrians;  cobbiana,  302  ;  A 
era wshayanum,  :J33;  A.  5Irs.  R..bert  Ben- 
sun,  173  ;  A.  .Mrs.  .Sim  .nds,  -ir.l ;  \.  R,  H. 
Measures,  204;  coradinei  Mrs.  (to  H.  (^raw- 
shay,  173 ;  crispum,  a  high-priced  variety 
of,  3S3  ;  c.  Coliklti,  36;J 


Piconia,   single   white,  438;    wittmanniana, 

368 
Pajonies  and  half  standard  Roses,  86  -  tree 

247,  343 
Palms,  184 
Pampas  Grass,  240 
Panicuin  variegatum,  204 
Pansies,  319  ;  from  cuttings,  242  ;  from  Scot- 
land, :i46  ;  new  Tutted,  84 
Pansy  Countess  of  Kintore,  346  ;    Edward 
Mason,   84  ;    Golden  Queen,  84  ;    Immor- 
tality, 84  ;  La  Vierge,  84  ;  Leda,  84  ;  Nellie 
Elding,  84 ;   Niobe,  84  ;   Prometheus,  84  ; 
Thrasher,    84;    Tufted,    Endymion,    327- 
T.,   Pensee  d'Or,   444;    Yellow   King,  84- 
Yellow  Prince,  84 
Papaver  somniferum,  127  ;  Ruporient,  406 
Paradisea  Liliastruni  major,  445 
Parasite,  an  interesting,  93 
Paris  spring  exhibition,  288 
Park,  Hyde,  flowers  in  Park  Lane,  310  ;  new, 

for  Tottenham,  104  ;  fiavenscourt,  293 
Parks    and    gardens,   Edinburgh,    improve- 
ments in,  328  ;  Liverpool,  70  ;  the  Loudon, 
superintendents'  dinner,  292 
Parsley  in  tubs  for  winter  use,  46 
Parsnip  Tender  and  True,  122 
Parsnips,  100 

Part  of  a  garden  of  formal  design,  434 
Passitlora  (luadrangularis,  0 
Passion  Flower,  Edible,  in  Queensland,  12 
Paths  in  outer  garden  spaces,  21  ;  woodland, 

102 
Pea,  a  good  early  (Sutton's  Bountiful), 
328;  crop,  the  drought  and  the,  445- 
Sweet,  the,  128,  206  ;  Sweet,  cultivation 
of  the,  126 
Peach,  a  new,  427  ;  Duchess  of  Cornwall, 
446  ;  houses,  early  permanent,  82  ;  leaves 
scorched,  364;  the  Chinese,  107 
Peaches,  aphis  on  outside,  364  ;  double- 
flowered,  at  Kew,  323;  eaily,  184,  340- 
permanent  trees,  184  ;  pot  trees,  82,  184  ■' 
two  goed,  270  ;  and  Nectarines,  210  ;  for 
pot  culture,  74  ;  outdoors,  spring  treat- 
ment of,  225 
Pear  BeurrS  Ranee,  156  ;  Doyenne  d'Alei^-on. 
150 ;  Due  de  Nemours,  100  ;  Duchesse  de 
Bordeaux,  189  ;  Epine  du  Mas,  189 ;  Jose- 
phine de  Malines,  93,  189  ;  KMi"-ht  s 
Monai-ch,  166  ;  Le  Lectier,  14,  93  124  ■ 
Nouvelle  Fulvie,  93,  172  ;  Ne  Plus  Mem-is' 
189  ;  Olivier  des  Seires,  93,  130,  172  •  Passe 
Crassane,  189  ;  President  Barabe,  32,  93  ; 
tlie  Beuri-^  Rose,  in  America,  140 
Pears,  85,  122,  261;  English  and  .Jamaica, 
103  ;  late,  93,  123,  130,  188  ;  two  good  221  - 
winter,  207  o       ,         . 

Peas,  230,  283,  360;   early,  19;  exhibition 
196;  green,  246;   perennial,  216;    recent! 
122  ;   sowing,  19,  55  ;   Sweet,  260  ;   Si.,  in 
pots,  275;  S.,  all  about,  106;  S.,  in  flower 
in  pots,  327 
Pelargonium  F.   Y.   Easpail  for  beds,  -203  • 
z.,  Fire  Dragon,  276  ;  z..  King  Edward,  -339' 
255 
Pelargoniums,  360  ;  bedding,   35,   101  ;   cul- 
ture of  winter-flowering,  103 ;   Ivy-leaved. 
218;  I.,  on  cottages,  3;  stage,  229;  zonal! 
66  ;  z.,  at  Bickley,  0  ;  z.,  potting,  305 
''cijtstelnoii-'~c;i.-rup]iillus,  2^2 


Pentstemons,  329 

Pergola,  a,  S3 

Pernettyas,  the,  16,  41 

IVrsimmon,  the,  0  ;  in  fruit  in  South  Devon, 

Perplexities,  amateurs',  12 
Pests  at  the  roots  of  plants,  228  ;  insect,  228 
Pliaio-Calanthe  scblbileriana,  173 
Pliaius  tnberculosus,  97 
Plialiiiiopsis,  the,  381 
I'liila.k-li.bns,  209 
Plilnx  Drnmmondi,  128 
Phoiniinm  lenax,  44  ;  t.  out  of  doors,  5 
Physahs  edulis  as  a  dessert  fruit,  6 
Pbjsiantlius  alliens  on  southern  rock  face,  3 
Pine-apple  bracamurensis    Chailotte    Roth- 
schild, 119 
Pine-apples,  116 
Pine  tree,  a  picturesque,  139 
Pink  edging.  117 
Pinks  as  edgings,  338 
Pinus  Cembra,  69  ;  muiicata,  129  ;  pinea,  41, 

Piptanthus  nepalensis,  136 
Pitcairnia  corollina,  ;iO 
Pitcher  Plant,  86 
Pittosporum  revolutum,  200 
Plant,  a  useful,  for  glowing  under  trees,  370  • 
an  uncommon,  90;  hibernation  and  winter 
buds,   27  ;    houses,   arrangement  of,   260 ; 
life,  short  studies  on.  40,  41,  78,  93    12s 
180,  2-26,  257,  3.38,  355,  414 ;  names,  pronun- 
ciation of,  74, 118,  166  ;  portraits,  recent, 
16,  42,  43,  117,   186,   282,  343;    Sensitive, 
the,  251 
Plants,  bedding,  simple  use  of,  107 ;  Briti.sh 
poisonous,  17 ;    colours  in  new  varieties 
of,  405 ;    for    edging    indoors,    204 ;    for 
garden   vases,  325  :    for    small  beds,  21'.l  • 
tor   summer   fliling   of    tubs,    65  ;    from 
Botanic  Gardens,  Dublin,  221 ;  greenhouse 
2.->,   170  ;    hardy,   for    sliady   border,   176 ; 
herbaceous,  36,  240,  284,  361 ;  names  of 
19  ;  new  and  rare,  173,  236,  322,  362   442  ■ 
removing   spring  -  flowering    to   summer 
quarters,    340 ;    standard  flowering    271  • 
succession,  no  ' 

Planting,  184,  382 ;  a  strip  of  wood,  181  •  dry 
place  under  window,  196  ;  flowers    259  ■ 
street,  13  ;  under  trees,  236 
Pleached  alley  and  its  kinds,  the,  219 
Pleasure  grounds,  work  in  the,  7 
Pleione  Lagenaria,  341 
Plum  trees,  cordon,  20 
Plums  and  Cherries,  210 ;  and  their  kinds, 
226  ;  as  cordons,  155  ;  some  good  late,  86  • 
wall,  summer  pruning  of,  332 
Podocarpus  alpina,  340 
Poinsettias,  300 

Poisons,   the  sale   of,  67  ;    Pharmaceutical 
Society  I).    White    and    the   Traders    in 
Poisons  Society,  140 
Polyanthuses,  369;    and  Bunch  Primroses 
I     340  ;  at  Rockville,  Edinburgh  370 
(Polypodies,  the,  4,53 
Polygonum  baldschuanicum,  3 
.Populus  tremula  var.  pendulaj  337 
Poppies,  Sliirley,  440 
Poppy,  Opium,  127 
Pot  drainage,  236 

Potato  Denbigh  Castle,  106 ;  Sweet  3.54 
Potatoes,  230,  283;  about,  1.51;  award  to 
19  ;  and  Celery,  83  ;  early,  -310 ;  in  frames 
?,n  ??5^\'*'   n'oulding  up,  364  ;  planting, 
210,  342.  369  ;  recent,  122 

^"ij^™!"'  *  "'■"'="■  ^-*  '  Buni^li.  The  .Sultan, 
362  ;  flowers,  crimson,  81 ;  Miss  Massey  5 

Primroses  and  Auriculas,  double  and  Hose- 
in-hose,  320  ;  blue,  264  ;  Bunch,  in  Devon- 
shire, 326  ;  double,  20,  340 

Primula,  a  new  hybrid,  291 ;  Allionii  "91  • 
floribunda  grandiflora  Isahellina'  38- 
frondosa  in  Edinburgh,  309  ;  gambleana' 
407 ;  kewensis,  198 ;  megasicfolia  -'6-'' 
270,  298;  obconica,  322;  stellata  at'wem' 
262  ;  verticillata,  01  ;  viscosa  Mrs  J  h' 
Wilson,  3-22  ■     ■ 

Primulas,  381  ;  Chinese,  from  Forest  Hill 
108  ;  from  Chelsea,  173  ;  sowing,  306  ' 

Private  gardens  in  and  around  Berlin,  350 

Privet,  the  common  evergreen,  33-^ 

Prutberoe  and  Jlorris,  Messrs.,'  104 

Pruinnopitys  eleg.ins,  240 

Pruning  of  hsrdy  bush  fruit  trees  liio 

Pruiius  Avium,  208  ;  A.  pendula,  -368  ;  ( 'hams- 
cerasus  pendula,  268 ;  Mahaleb  pendula 
368  ;  miquelliana,  40  ;  Padns  pendula  268  '• 
pendula,  2(i8 ;  Puddum,  268;  proslrata' 
346  ;  serotma  pendula,  268  ;  sinensis  flore- 
pleno  for  greenhouse,  107  ;   triloba,  130  • 

.  t.  fl.-pl..  310 

Psychotria  jasniiniflora,  276 

Ptorio,  130  "P/ft  V-  I  r 

Puschkinias,  272        '^TfO 

Pyrethrum  Jubilee,  445 

Pyrus,  164  ;  aluifolia,  343 

Pyneart,  M.  Ed.,  5 


Queen  Alexandra  and  Gardeners'  Royal  Bene 
volelit  Instil  ulion,  256  ;  Victoria,  53 
Quick  ii-uit  Culture,  "SO 

Quercus  Ilex,  04 


*i 


INDEX. 


L"  the.  Garden,"  June  J9,  1901. 


Kabliits  and  field-mice,  .'>6 

Rainfall  at  The  Gardens,  Shiiiley  Hall,  Dei'by, 

.''il  ;  Tan-y-bwlcli,  a\ 
Eanunculus    Lyalli,    232  ;    W  ater.    a    new 

hybrid,  -2.^0  I 

Kaspberry,  planting  of,   -239 ;    propagation 

of,  239  ;  summer  treatment  of,  239  ;  the, 

23!  I 

Kaspherries,  autuniii-fruiting,  239  ;  summer- 

fruitinj;,  23!) 
Recent  plant  portraits,  ■llj.'i 
Record,  a  floral,  19 
Reinwardtias  in  warm  house,  4 
Removing  spring-flowering  plants  to  summer 

•  iuarters,  34ii 
Restrepia  antennifera,  272 
Rheums,  282 

Rhododendron,    an    early  -  floweriug.    20; 
white,  90;  Aucklandi  var.  F.  D.  Godman, 
322;    campanulatum,  294 ;    ciliatum,  351  ; 
ciliicalyx,  322;  exhibition,  a,  420  ;  Fordii, 
322 ;   fulgens,  337  ;   grande,  200,  236,  342  ; 
niveum,  337 ;    priccox.  68,  277  ;  rubigino- 
sum,  34,^  ;  Shilsoni  in  south-west  counties, 
23S ;  Thomson!,  337 
Rhododendrons,  332,   379;    early -flowering 
Himalayan,  337  ;  Himalayan,  364;  Indian, 
taking  layers  of,  20  ;  in  Hyde  Park,  44n 
Rhodotypus  kerrioides,  164,  374 
Rhubarb,  S3 
Rims  Cotinus  {Venetian  Sumach),  312  ;  vci- 

nicifera,  161 
Ribes  sanguineum,  136 
Rivers'  fruit  trees  York  Gala  Show,  Messrs., 

464 
Riviera  notes,  39,  103,  290,  342,  366;   snow 

on  the,  104  ;  the,  severe  frost  in,  124 
Robinia  neo-mexicana,  444 
Rochford's  nurseries,  Mr. ,  404 
Rock  walk,  planting,  4111 
Rosa   alba,    163  ;    Bengale    Hermosa,    312  ; 
Ecic,  3S7  ;  fedtsehenkoana,   282 ;   hispida, 
408 ;  macrophylla,  292  ;    microphylla  sim- 
plex,   425  ;    Polyantha,    224  ;    rubiguiosa, 
313 ;   rugosa,  312 ;    r.    germanica   Conrad 
Ferdinand   Meyer,  4:)9 ;    Seraphini,  117; 
sinica,  842  ;  s.  anemone,  442  ;  webbiana, 
463 ;  xanthina,  446 
Rosarian's  Year-Book,  the,  51 
Rose  Aimee  Vibert,  164  ;    a  fragrant  semi- 
dimbing,  444  :   a  good  pillar,  444 ;  Anna 
Marie  de   Jlontravel,    285 ;    Billiard    and 
Barre,    294  ;    Bonrsault    Morletti,    442  ; 
Cecile  Brunner,  285  ;  climbing.  Belle  Sie- 
brecht,  294  ;  c. ,  Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria, 
294  •  Cloth  of  Ciold  in  Southern  Australia, 
57  ;'Corallina,  76  ;  Countess  Riza  du  Pare, 
113-  covered  pergola  and  summer  house 
at  Barford  Hill,  300;  Crimson  Rambler, 
113  ;  Dr.  Rouge,  294  ;  E.  Veyrat  Hermanos, 
294  ;   Eugenie  Lamesch,  285  ;   Fanny  Stol- 
werck,  294  ;  Fortune's  \ellow,  260, 343,  426  ; 
Fortune's  Yellow  failing,  204,294;   Gloire 
de  Polyantha,  28.5  ;  growing  under  glass, 
190-    Hybrid  Tea   Killarney,    320;    Iiish 
Beauty,  76  ;  Iiish  Glory,  76 ;  Irish  Modesty, 
76;   J.  B.  M.  Camm,  76;    .Tersey  Beauty, 
444 ;    Lady  Clanmorris,  76 ;    Lady    Mary 
( 'orry,  76 ;  Leonie  Lamesch,  70.  285  ;  Leuch- 
stern,    404 ;    Lfingwoi-th     Rambler,    445 ; 
JIarie  Louise  Poiret,  326  ;  Marie  Robert, 
294 ;    Mme.  .Jules  Siegfried,  '294  ;    Mme. 
Marie  Lavallee,  445 ;  Mme.  Plantier,  164  ; 
Mme.  Ravary,  169 ;  Mrs.  R.  G.  Sharman 
Crawford,    369;   Perle   des  Rouges,    285; 
Petit  Constant,  285  ;  pruning,  186  ;  Queen 
of  Sweden,  76  ;  Reine  Christina  d'Espagne, 
76 ;    show    fixtures,  257  ;    for    1901,    174  ; 
shows,   a  plea   for    spring  and    autumn, 
179  ;    Soleil  d'Or,  404,   409 ;    Souvenir   de 
Gabrielle  Drevet,  13  ;  Souvenir  de  Mme. 
Viennot,  294  ;  the  White  Banksian,  346  ; 
Valentine  Alteimann,  294  ;  W.  A.  Richard- 
son in  cold  pit,  169 ;  wichuriana  rubra,  19 
Koses,    361 ;    a    combination    of.    109 ;    and 
"The    Garden,"    443;    and    St.    George's 
Day,    107 ;    as    pillars,    9 ;     at    a    Mel- 
bourne    show,    201  ;      Banksian,     under 
glass,  158  ;  Christmas,  125  ;  climbing,  some 
of    the    newer,    294  ;    climbing   Tea    and 
Noisettes  on  walls,  9  ;  climbing,  and  con- 
verted farmyard,  27  ;   Cluster  and  single, 
163 ;   cutting,    from    forced  plants,    220 ; 
dwarf  Polyantha,  285 ;  dwarf  Tea,  soil  for 
protection  of,  9 ;  early,  441  ;   for  a  south 
wall,  33;  for  covering  a  trellis,  449;    for 
low  trellises,  285  ;  for  open  spaces,  40  ;  for 
pegging    down,    185  ;   garden,    40  ;   half- 
standard,  and  Piconies,  85  ;  hardy  climb- 
ing, for  verandah,  176 ;  Hybrid  Bourbon, 
76;    Hybrid  Tea,  76;   H.T.,  some  of  the 
newer,  294  ;   in  Ceylon,  268 ;  in  the  wild 
garden,  186;  in  the  woodland,  295;  label- 
ling of,  9;    Lenten,   Mr.   Archer -Hind's, 
200  ;   new,  for  exhibition,  113  ;    old,    of 
merit,  163  ;  one  way  of  training,  10 ;  own- 
root,  157,  263,  268,  '286  ;  own-root,  a  note 
from  America,  317  ;  own-root,  the  merits 
of,  89,  338 ;  planting  of,  152,  236 ;  planting 
hedge  Briars  near  walls,  9  ;  planting  Tea, 
13  ;  Polyantha,  76,  266  ;  pruning,  185,  229  ; 
1  idling   ground    for   spring  planting,  9  ; 
semi-double  flowered,  upon  standards,  392. 


Roses  single,  76 ;  s.  .Scotch,  408  ;  some  new,  of 
1900,  76  ;  standard.  80,  185  ;  summer,  186  ; 
Tea,  76  ;  thinning  on  and  the  new  growths 
of,  ;J92 ;  two  early-flowering  single,  408  ; 
wet  weather,  407 

Roupell  Park  Nurseries,  Gloxinias  at,  426 

Royal  Botanic  Gardens,  Edinburgh,  232; 
Botanic  Society,  patron  of,  436  ;  flowers  in 
the,  311 :  Cornwall  Agricultural  Associa- 
tion, 52 ;  Gardeners  Orphan  Fund,  104, 
316,  323,  348.  361  ;  Gardeners'  Orphan 
Fund,  annual  dinner,  343  ;  Horticultural 
Society,  426;  R.H.S.  r.  Royal  Agricultural 
.Society,  04 

Rubus,  312  ;  australis,  3  ;  nutkieuses,  61 

Ruscus  acnieatus  {Butcher's  Broom),  332; 
androgynus.  3 

Russell  and  Sons,  Messrs.,  142 

Russellia  juncea,  314 


Sale  of  dwarf  .Japanese  Maples,  327 

Salix  daphnites  fa-m,  121 

Sallier's,  M.  J.,  nursei'y,  Neuilly,  near  Paris, 
3()8 

.Salpiglossis,  the,  127,  ;i04 

Salvia  azurea  grandirtora,  33 ;  Heeri,  72 ; 
patens,  239,  269 ;  splendens  grandiflora,  42 

Salvias,  360 ;  autumn  and  winter-flowering. 
12  ;  blue,  196  ;  hardy  blue,  22 

Samtiucus,  312 

Santa  Rosa,  California,  245 

Saraca  indica,  322 

Savoy  Cabbage  I'niversal,  378 

Saunders,  Sir  Edwin,  213 

Saxifraga  apiculata,  180 ;  Boydi  alba,  217  ; 
burseriana,  217  ;  b.  major,  180 ;  pallida, 
387  ;  peltata,  346 ;  Salomoni,  238  ;  scardica, 
217 

Scabiosa  caucasica  and  varieties,  77 

Scarborough  Lily,  36 

Scarlet  Nonpareil  Apple,  119 

Seeuted-leaved  plants  for  summer  beds,  201 

Schizanthus,  tlie,  128  ;  in  pits,  55 

Schneider,  Mr.  G.,  266 

Schomburgkia  Humboldti,  1S6 

School  of  horticulture,  a  successful,  409 

Scilla  bifolia,  217.  221 ;  italica  alba,  326 

Scotland,  notes  from.  99,  232,  306,  333,  375 

Scottish  University,  liorticulture  in  a,  55 

Scott,  Marriott,  Messrs.,  269 

Seakale,  planting,  250 

Season,  mildness  of  the,  41 

Seed  beds,  340  ;  sowing,  82,  184 

Seeds,  annual  flower,  69  ;  sowihg  vegetable, 
2.50 

Selaginellas,  204 

Selection  and  discrimination,  325 

Senecio  magnificus,  38,  433 

Shallots,  115 

Sherwood  Silver  Cup,  the,  176 

Shortia  galacifolia,  291 

Show.  Bishop's  Stortford  summer,  409  ; 
Cornwall  Daftodil  and  spring  flowei-, 
234  ;  educational  flower,  174  ;  flowers  at 
the  Ipswich  spring,  291 ;  of  early-flower- 
ing Chrysanthemums,  140  ;  the  East 
Anglian  Daffodil,  234 

Shrub,  Azalea  amtcna  as  a  hardy,  143 

.Shrubs  and  trees,  hardy,  planting,  for  winter 
and  summer  effect,  277,  312  ;  for  waterside 
planting,  10 

Shrubs,  deciduous  flowering,  380  ;  evergreen, 
170,  249,  380 ;  evergreen,  planting  of,  304  ; 
flowering,  56,  405  ;  flowering,  from  Elstree, 
326 ;  flowering,  of  early  spring,  77  ;  in 
flower  in  May,  208  ;  of  April,  164  ;  spring- 
flowering,  136,  164,  208 

Silver  Tree,  Cape,  seed  of,  198 

Single  (.'hrysanthemums,  78 

Sisyrinchium  striatum,  64 

Skinunia  Foremanni,  374 

Smith  and  Co.,  Messrs.  Richard,  367 

Smoke,  struggles  in,  197 

Snowberry,  the  common,  312 

.Snowdj-op  plicatus  Fraseri,  142 

Snowdrops,  12o  ;  disease,  the,  290  ;  diseased, 
220 ;  in  a  copse,  29.5 ;  new,  262  ;  Robin 
Hood,  142  ;  round  a  tree  trunk,  310 

Solnalia  Lindeni,  362 

SOCIKTIKS— 

Barnsley  Chrysanthemum,  87 

Bath  and  West  and  Southern  Counties,  362 

Beckenham  Horticultural,  67,  88,  175,  235, 

272 
Birmingham  and  District,  272 
liirstall  Gardeners'  Chrysanthemum  and 

Paxton,  234 
Brighton  and  Sussex  Horticultural,  194 
Bristol  Gardeners',  19,  104,  215,  323 
Cardirt'  Gardeners',  88 
Carnation  and  Picotee,  the  Midland,  271 
Croydon,  22,  363 

Dutch  Horticultural  and  Botanical,  811 
Franvaise  d'Horticulture  de  Londres,  52, 

445 
Grassendalc  Horticultural,  234 
Humpstead  Heath  Protection,  106,  220 
.lournal  of  the   Koyal    Horticultural,   88, 

140,  156,  216,  265,  3:iS 
Kidderminster  Horticultural,  288 
Lady  Warwick  Hostel,  52 
Liverpool  Horticultural,  67,  68,  104 


Societies— 
National   Amateur    Gardeners',    272,   363, 
434  ;  Auricula.  19  ;  A.  and  Primula.  193  ; 
(tarnation    and    Picotee,    19,    193,    288; 
Chrysanthemum,  .54,  104,  2.55,  443  ;   C., 
exhibitions  for  1901,  292  ;    Dahlia,  meet- 
ing of,  18,  36,  .52;    d'Horticulture.  '22; 
Rose,  90,  174,  193,  363,  364  ;    R.,  and  its 
summer  show,  441 ;  R.,  and  wet  weather, 
288  ;   R.,  show  of  the,  106  ;   K.,  summer 
show  of  the,  363  ;  Sweet  Pea,  179,  211, 
221,  234,  237,  343  ;  S.  P.,  and  forthcoming 
show,  363  ;  S.  P.,  proposed,  159, 193,  199, 
214 
Northern  French  ('hrysanthemum,  5 
Reading  and  District,  67,  104,  194,  216 
Richmond  and  the  National  Rose  show, 

323 
Royal  Agricultural,  Journal  of  the,  30  ; 
Botanic,  arrangements    of,    343  ;    Cale- 
donian Horticultural,  68,  89,  99, 124.  272  ; 
National  Tulip,  348 
Royal  Horticultural,  18,   22,  88,  89,  124, 
174,  176,  194,  199,  220,  235,  255,  367,  384  ; 
and    its    centenary,    289,    310  ;    special 
general  meeting,    ;305 ;    and  its  recent 
meeting,   104,   309 ;   and  its  work,   106  ; 
and  the  Temple  show,   363  ;    proposed 
new  garden  for,  104,  270,  273,  274,  287, 
■292  ;  scientific  committee  of  the,  140 
Scottish  Horticultural,  99, 120 
Thornton  Heath,  166,  :JS7 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provi- 
dent, 19,  174,  194,  363,  383 
West  Deriiy  Gardeners',  68 
Wimbledon  Gardeners',  88,  219 
Woolton  Gardeners',  167, 193 
Solanum  jasminoides,  12,  388  ;  j.  in  s<>uth- 
west,  3  ;  pensile,  386  ;  Wendlandi,  180  ;  in 
the  open  air,  429 
Solanums,  320 

Soldanella  alpina,  238  ;  a.  pyrolicfolia.  369 
Solomon's    Seal,    346 ;    Mr.    .Tohn    Wood's 

dwarf,  430 
Some  new  Roses  of  1900,  76 
Sophro-t:attleya   George    Hardy  (TylesHeld 

v<nriety),  442 
Sophronitis  rossiteriana,  173 
Sowing  seed,  196 
Spartiura  .iunceum,  278 
Spathoglottis,  284 

Spinach,  320  ;  forced  (The  Carter),  328 
Spira'a  prunifolia  fl.-pl.,  123 
Spirjeas,  312 
Spleenworts,  318 

Spring  flowers  at  Alnwick  Castle,  409 ;  at 
Belvoir,  131 ;  in  Scotland,  376  ;  gardening, 
121 ;  the,  of  1901,  367 
Spruce,  the  Cork,  113,  375 
Spurred  Columbines,  421 
Standard  flowering  plants,  271 
Standard  Roses,  80,  186 
Stanton,  Mr.  George,  70 
Stapelia  nobilis,  282 
Stauntonia  latifolia,  3 
Stechytarpheta  indica,  261 
Stephanotis  floribunda,  340 
Stock  (irace  Dai'ling,  142 
Stocks,    East    Lothian,    82;    in    May,    446; 

summer,  196 
Straffan  House  Gardens,  '203 
Strawberry,  a  new,  427  ;  plants,  blind,  409  ; 
a  valuable  new,  457  ;  Vicomtesse  HSricart 
de  Thury,  339  ;  Tree,  the,  59  ;  The  Laxton, 
442 
Strawberries  and  the  drought,  443  ;  blind 
pot,  438  ;  early,  216,  303,  466 ;  forced,  260, 
320 ;    t.,  in  frames,  278  ;  forcing  of,  36, 
137,   3S3  ;    in   the   North,  mulching,   409 ; 
Royal  Sovereign  and  La  Grosse  Sucr(5e,  201 ; 
protecting,  427 
Strelitzia  Reginjc,  42 
Street  planting,  13  ;  trees,  119 
Studies  in  plant  life,  short,  41 
Stunted  products,  408,  471 
Subterranean  structures,  41 
Summer  fruiting  Raspberries,  239  ;   Roses, 
185  ;  show  of  the  National  Rose  Society. 
441 ;  treatment  of  Raspberry,  239 
Sunflowers,  liybiid,  347 
"  Sutton's  Farmer's  Year-Book, "  120 
Swainsonia  albiflora  on  warm  walls  in  the 

open,  3  ;  McCullocki,  403 
Swanley,  the  Horticultural  College  at,  462  ; 

Canuas  at,  47:f 
Swayne,  Robert  G.,  341 

Sweet  Pea,  the,  128,  '206  ;  Society,  National, 
271 ;  the  cultivation  of  the,  126 ;  the  pro- 
posed National,  159,  237 
Sweet  Peas  for  pots,  162,  276,327  ;  all  about, 

106  ;  insects  on  seedling,  364 
Sweet  Basil,  192 
Symphoricarpus  racemosus,  312 
Synthyris  reniformis,  238  ;  pinnatilida,  291 


T. 

Tacsonia  militaris,  11  ;  mollissima  on  house 

in  south-west,  3 
Tait,  Mr.  Robert,  jun..  90 
Tamarix  kashgarica,  266 
Tan-y-bwlch,  rainfall  at,  51 
Tank,  the  great,  344  ;  and  steps,  a  garden, 

414 


Tarragon, 116 

Taxus  baccata  aurea,  :i32 

Tecoma  Smithi,  25 

Tecophylica  cyanocrocus,  29:i 

Temperature  of  still  and  iiinning  water,  61 

Temple  show,  the,  :i65,  :iS4,  388 ;  date  of, 
343  ;  Lilies  at,  411 

Terrace,  an  angle  of  dry-walled,  355 

Tetramicras,  77 

The  Laxton  Strawberry,  442 

Thibaudia  acuminata,  90 

Thomas,  Mr.  Owen,  362 

Thomson,  Mr.  .John,  32:i,  ;J42 

"  Thompson's  Gardener's  Assistant,"  288 

Thornton  Heath  Society,  156,  387 

Thunbergia  fragrans,  32 

Thunbergias,  344 

Thunias,  284 

Tibouchina  nuicrantha,  79 

Tolmiea  Menziesii,  422 

Toad-Flax,  the  Ivy-leaved,  as  a  wilding,  :161 

Tomato  Chiswick  Peach,  :i61  ;  Earliest  of 
All,  347  ;  Winter  Beauty,  55 

Tomatoes,  45,  210  ;  in  autunui  and  winter.  49lt 

Tottenham,  new  park  for,  104 

Town  gardening,  72 

Trachelium  ctcruleum  from  seed,  -275 

Trade  note,  20 

Tradescantia  virginica  under  glass,  326 

Tree  Strawberry,  the,  59 

Trees  and  shrubs,  ID,  28,  46,  63 ;  at  the 
Temple  show,  384 ;  cleansing  wall,  101  ; 
hardy  planting  for  winter  and  summer 
effect,  277,  312  ;  nailing  wall,  101 ;  orna- 
ental,  :J79;  wall,  360 

Trees,  and  snow,  56 ;  at  Les  Barres,  France, 
370  ;  deciduous,  planting  of,  202  ;  in  Cali- 
fornia, big,  threatened  destruction  of,  222  ; 
planted  out,  304  ;  street.  119,  165 

Tricuspidaria  hexapetala,  421 

Triteleia,  lifting,  ;)64  ;  uniflora,  348 

Tritomas,  replanting,  249 

Tropicolum  tuberosum,  tubers  of,  2f9 

Tropical  fruits,  23 

'Tufted  Pansy  Nellie  Riding,  444;  Miss  Gertie 
Waterer,  444 

Tulip,  a  curious,  373  ;  a  new,  276  ;  Annie 
McGregor,  404  ;  Brunhilde,  :J62 ;  Dr.  Hardy, 
404 ;  Joost  van  Vondel,  370 ;  La  Tulipe 
Noire,  404  ;  Mons.  Treson,  116  ;  Picotee, 
170  ;  Rose  Ciris-de-Lin,  374  ;  Van  Poorto- 
leit,  404  ;  William  III.,  :i62 
Tulipa  acuminata,  20 ;  batalina  sunrise,  404  ; 
gesnerianaTlieFawn,;i6S;  g.  Fairy  Queen, 
368  ;  g.  ixioides,  368  ;  Greigi,  343  ;  ixiodes, 
404  ;  kaufmanniana,  347 ;  Korolkowi  bi- 
color,  262 ;  mauriana,  404  ;  saxatilis,  301 ; 
Schrenkii,  369 ;  Sprengeri,  422 

Tulips,  after  flowering,  340 ;  and  insect  pest, 
:!64  ;  double,  176  ;  in  Ireland,  369  ;  in  Park 
Lane,  Hyde  Park,  328 ;  Parrot,  388 
Turnip  Carter's  Forcing,  377 ;   White  Gem. 

forcing  of,  84 
'Turnips,  161,  260;  recent,  122 


U. 


I'iex  europajus  {common  Gorse  or  Whin),  3:i2 

Ulmus  alata,  241 

United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident 

Society,  19,  174,  194,  363,  383 
Universal  Savoy  Cabbage,  378 
University,  horticulture  in  a  Scottish,  66 


Vallota  purjiurea,  44,  107 
Vandas  at  The  Woodlands,  400 
Vases,  garden,  plants  for,  325 
Vegetables,  forced,  136 ;  general  seed  sow- 
ing, 136 ;  of  recent  introduction,  122 
Veitch,  the  late  Mr.  S.  P.  C,  156 ;  Jlemorial 

Fund",  54 
Venetian  Sumach,  312 
Verbena  Ellen  Willmott,  210 
Veronica  arborea,  220 ;  glauca,  117 ;  hnlkcana, 

;;s7  ;  hnjunliana,  374  ;  linearifolia,  136 
\ihurnuin   plicatum,  113  ;   Tinus,  :!32  ;   T. 

lucidum,  275  ;  T.  I.  at  Fota,  Cork,  271 
Viburnums,  the  best,  466 
Vicomtesse  Hericart  de  Thury  Strawberry, 

339 
Victoria  Medal  of  Honour  in  horticulture, 

200  ;  Memorial  Garden  in  India,  the,  180 
Vine,  a  remarkable,  466 ;  book,  :I64  ;  border, 

niauuring  of,  196 ;   enlture,  outdoor,  410 ; 

leaves  diseased,  :i64  ;  the  Jlauresa.and  the 

late  -Mr.  Michael  Davis,  348  ;  weevil,  the, 

174 
\'ines,  earliest,  -283  ;  early  pot,   66  ;  pei'ma- 

nent  eaj'ly,  5ii  ;   planting,  19,   170  ;   pot, 

forced,  170  ;  white  scale  on,  56 
Viola  Bullion,  ;ilo 
Violas,  new  Tufted,  84 
Violet  culture,   141;    Luxonne,    213;    .Mrs. 

Astor,  2i:i ;  Mrs.  Millet,  213 
Violets,  :155  ;    diseased,  210  ;   double.    127, 

268  ;    propagating,    340  ;    self  •  fertilising, 

:i67  ;  single,'  213  ;  winter-flowering,  274 
Virginian  woods,  the,  13S 
\itis,  the  Purple  and  Red,  91 


The  Garden,"  Jane  :iO,  1001.] 


INDEX. 


XI, 


Walk,  a  flower-bordered  green,  297  ;  a  Honi- 

heani,  423;   a  long  terrace,  63;   a  shady, 

185  ;  a  sunflower,  393 
Wall  copings,  living,  145  ;    gardening,  217, 

208  ;    trees,   360 ;    trees,    cleansing,    101  ; 

trees,  nailing,  101 
Wallflower,  a  good  winter,  421 
Wallflowers,  44,  3S9 ;  in  pots,  90 ;  new  hybrid, 

178 
Wallis,  Mr.  Sowerby.  23 
Ware,  Messrs.  T.  S  ,  Limited,  233 
Warm  house,  Reinwardtias  in  a,  4 
Warwick  Hostel,  Lady,  52 
Wasps,  queen,  275 
,  Water  garden  and  its  surroundings,  300 
Water  gardens,  243 
Water  Lilies,  284  ;   hybrid,  281 ;   in  winter, 

35 
Water,  running  and  still,  temperature  of, 

51 


Waterside  banks,  making  use  of,  313 
Weather  and  the  hoe,  dry,  443  ;  notes   for 

January,  summary  of,  117  ;   summary  of, 

52 
Webb  and  .Sons,  Messrs.,  339 
Weed    killer,    arsenical,    176;    and    "live" 

edgings,  199 
Weeds,  Hong  Kong,  251 
Weeping  Willows,  45 
Weevil,  Black  Vine,  212,  216 
Wentholt,  Mr.  J.  E.,  22 
West  wall,  Clianthus  Dampieri  on,  3    i 
White  Caltbage  Butterflies,  472 
White,  Mr.  John  P..  140 
Wild  Cherry,  double,  or  Gean,  208 
Wild  flowers,  and  children,  471  ;   American, 

60  ;   growing,  35. 
Wild  y:arden.  Lupins  in  the,  100;   planting 

young  wood  a<,    34  ;    plants    for    damp 

places  in  the.  257 
Wilkins,  Mr.  James,  271 
Willow!^,  early,  136;  Weeping,  45 


Window  Gardening  Society,  Milwall,  457 
WiTiter,   buds  and   plant    hibernation,   27  ; 

flowrrs,  39  ;   Sweet,  22,  54  ;  .Sweet,  the,  in 

its  natural  form,  ItiO  ;  the  mild,  IS,  33 
Wireworras,  garden  ovenun  with,  372 
Wistaria  sinensis,  446  ;  the  double,  422 
Wistarias,  standard,  259 
Woad,  prei)aratIon  of,  310 
Wolverhampton  Floral  F6te,  140 
Wood  ashes,  and  pot  plants,  236 ;  as  manure, 

196 
Woodbridge  Horticultural  Society,  457 
Wood  Green  Horticultural  Society,  460 
Woodland,  and  forest,  60,  201;  paths,  102; 

Roses  in  the,  295 
Wood  Leopard  Moth,  the,  189 
Woods,  the  A''irginia,  138 ;  summer  work  in 

the,  413 
Wieaths  and   flowers  at  the   late    Queen's 

funeial,  104 
Wyethia  mollis,  343 
Wythes,  Mr.  George,  V.M.H.,  264 


X. 

Xanthorrhiza  apiifolia,  345 


Yellow  Root,  the,  345 

Yew,  the  Golden,  332  ;  walk,  a,  231 

Yews,  at  Rockingham,  the,   260  ;    diseased 

growth  of,  174  ;  planting,  236 
York,  Floral  Fete,  426 ;  gala,  459 
Yuccas,  35 
Yulan  Tree,  the,  343 


Zephyraiithes    canrlida,    115,   123,    159,   169, 

180,  219 ;  c.  in  Lincolnshire,  141 
Zinnias,  the,  128 


ILLUSTRATED    ARTICLES. 


A. 

Abbott's  Ripton  Hall,  hedge  of  Lavend3r  at, 
78 

Adiantum  Capillus- Veneris  imbricatum.  223 

^Ethionema  grandiflorum,  a  colony  of,  165 

Agapetes  (Thibaudia)  macrantha,  90 

Albino  Borecole,  453 

Anemone  coronaria  at  La  Mortola,  Italy, 
430  ;  in  Mr.  Hanhury's  garden,  near  Venti- 
raiglia,  Italy,  431 ;  sylvestris  on  rock  gar- 
den in  Bath  Botanic  Gardens,  447 

Apple  Adam's  Peaimain,  286  ;  Christmas 
Pearmjfin,  119;  Cox's  Orange  Pippin,  34  ; 
Diamond  Jubilee,  316  ;  Lord  Burghley, 
223;  standard  tree  of,  172;  tree,  Lemon 
Pippin,  in  bloom,  286 

Apple  trees,  old,  with  Roses  commencing  to 
clothe  them,  27  ;  dead,  and  climbing  Roses, 
26 

Aquilegia  ccerulea,  colour  of,  147 

Arch,  a  garden,  climbers  over,  224 

AroUa,  an  old,  59 

Arum  PalsBstinum,  317 

Arundinaria  Simoni,  17 

Asparagus  beetle,  455;  retrofraclus  in  the 
temperate  house,  Cambridge,  111 ;  Spren- 
geri  variegatus,  145 

Aspen,  the  Weeping,  in  flower,  337 

Asplenium  iuci&um,  318 ;  Ruta-mm-aria,  319 

Aster  horizontalis,  196 

Azalea  mollis  Alphonse  Lavall^e,  403 


B. 

Bambusa  tessellata,  149 

Barr's  nursery.  Daffodil  time  in,  324 

Bath  Botanic  Garden,  view  of  rock  garden, 
showing  Euphorbia  characias,  Anemone 
sylvestris,  and  Saxifrages,  447  ;  Eremurus 
pelargoniiflorum  in,  448  ;  part  of  the  north 
side  of  rock  garden,  449 

Beech,  Copper,  in  Dover  House  Gardens, 
133  ;  the  Queen,  15 

Beeches,  terrace  of  Pollarded,  J.53 

Begonia  glaucophylla  at  Kew,  336;  Gloire 
de  Sceaux  in  an  Irish  garden,  331  ;  of  the 
Rex-Diadema  group,  a  handsome,  417 

Belvoir,  in  the  spring  garden  at,  131 

Beetle,  the  Asparagus,  455 

Birches,  Silver,  at  Burnham  Beeches  in  early 
spring,  315 

Borders,  mixed,  with  pink  edging  at  Winch- 
fleld,  117;  mixed,  at  Ightham  Mote,  47 

Borecole  Albino,  453 

Botanic  Gardens,  Birmingham,  rock  garden 
in  the,  183  ;  Cambridge,  the,  109  ;  Opuntia 
bicolor  in,  429  ;  Regent's  Park,  Rhododen- 
drons in,  426 

Broughton  Castle,  double  Pseonies  at,  450 

Browallia  speciosa  major,  29 

Bunch  Primrose  Sultan,  395 


C. 

Calamus,  fruit  of  a,  393 
Calceolarias  and  Cinerarias,  Messrs.  Sutton 
and  Son's  group  of,  at  the  Temple  show, 

400 


Caltha  palustris,  166 

Cambridge  Botanic  Gardens,    in   the,    109 ; 

Opuntia  bicolor  in  the,  420 
Camellia,  semi-double,  Lady  White,  2S0 
Campanula  Allionii,  rooting  system  of,  451  ; 

alpina,  451 ;    pyramidalis   in   the    Isle  of 

Wight,  332 
Cant  and  Son's,  Benjamin,  Messrs.,  nursery, 

Dundee  Rambler  Rose  hedge  In,  432 
Carnation  houses,  one  of  Mr.   Douglas's  at 

Great  Bookham,  150;  Mrs.  T,  W.  Lawson, 

179  ;  Sweet  Primrose,  54 
Carter  and  Co.'s  nursery,  Chinese  Primulas 

in,  137 
Chatsworth,  a  corner  of  the  house,  67  ;  lower 

west  garden,  65  ;  the  famous  conservatory 

at,  66 
Cherry  in    bloom    at    Enville    Hall,    Black 

Tartarian,  397 ;   Waterer's  double,   forced 

into  bloom,  391 
Chrysiinthenuiin,    sincle,     Admiral    Sir    T. 

Symonds,  334  ;  s. ,  Virgin  Queen,  79 
Cineraria,   hybrid,  Lady  Thiselton-Dyer   in 

the  greenhouse  at  Kew,  171 
Cinerarias    in     Messrs.     Webb     and    Sons' 

nursery,  339 
Clematis  raontana  wreathing  a  garden  door, 

373 ;    Princess  of    Wales  at    the  Temple 

show,  366;  William  Kenneth,  87 
Clibran's    nursery,    zonal    Pelargoniums    in 

Messrs.,  420  ;  Lilies  of  the  Valley  in,  420 
Colchicum  autumnale  in  grass,  191 
CoUetia  cruciata,  22 

Conservatory,  the  famous,  at  Chatsworth,  66 
Cosmos  bipinnatus,  white,  229 
Cottage  garden  at  Kioto,  314  ;  "  our,"  394 
Cotton  picking,  95 
Cragside,  Northumberland,  from  the  Downs, 

31 
Crinum  Moorei,  134 
Croci  on  the  Cumberland  Mound  at  Kew, 

205 
Crocuses  in  a  Birmingham  garden,  322 ;  in  a 

London  rectory  garden,  283 
Crooksbury,  the  brick  pergola  at,  83 
Crowsley  Park,  Rheum  officinale  in  the  wild 

garden,  282 
Custard  Apple,  5 
Cyclamen  house,  a  Persian,  at  Reading,  50  ; 

libanoticum,  207 
Cypripedium    G^odefroyje    leucochilum 

(Wigan's    variety),   152  ;    H.   Hannington, 

107  ;  Mandiae,  263 


D. 


Daff'odil,   a  curious,   347  ;    time  in    Messrs. 

Barrs  nursery,  324 
Daffodils  in  an  orchard    in    Mrs.   Kersey's 

garden,  Haywards,  California,  263 
Darwin  Tulips,  440 
Dendrobium  nobile,  43  ;  n.  with  217  flowers, 

377 
Dew-pond  in  the  Island  of  Ascension,  279 
Douglas,  Mr.  James,  V.M.H.,  151 
Dover    House,    from    the    south-east,    132 ; 

front  view,  133 
Dracontium  (Godwinia)  gigas  in  the  Royal 

Gardens,  Kew,  241 


Enville  Hall,  Black  Tartarian  Clierry  in 
bloom  at,  397 

Eremurus  himalaicus  and  white  Pinks,  418 

Erica  mediterranea  alba,  94 

Erodium  pelargoniitlorura  in  Bath  Botanic 
Gardens,  448 

Eucalyptus  globulus  at  Santa  Rosa,  Cali- 
fornia, 245 

Eucharis  amazonica  at  Bessborough,  25 

Euphorbia  characias  in  Bath  Botanic  Gar- 
dens, 447 


Fern,  a  variety  of  our  hardy  Maiden-hair, 

222  ;  screen,  a,  164 
Fernery,  Mr.  C.  T.  Druery's  haidv,  81 
Fish,  Mr.  D.  T.,  the  late,  323 
Flower   of     Odontoglossum    crispum    pitti- 

anum,  439 
Flowers,  simple  grouping  of  summer,  333 
Forde  Abbey,  398  ;  the  large  lake  at,  399 
Forest,  Pine,  at  Les  Barres,  371 
Formal  garden  at  Old  Place,  Lindfleld,  the. 

435 
Foxgloves  and  Poppies  by  waterside,  376 
Freesia  Armstrongii,  374 
Fritillaria  recurva,  415 
Frogmore,  in  the  grounds  at,  71 
Fruit  of  Passiflora  quadr:ingularis,  4  ;    of  a 

Calamus,  393 


G. 

Galanthus  Elwesii  var.  Whittallii,  262 

Galax  aphylla,  187 

Garden  at  Old  Place,  L'ndfleld,  the  formal, 
435  ;  Lady  Algernon  Gordon-Lennox  at 
Broughton  Castle,  double  Pteonies  in  the 
garden  of,  450;  our  cottage,  394;  rock,  in 
the  Bath  Botanic  Gardens,  447,  448,  449  ; 
tank  and  steps,  a,  41 ;  view  of  Mr.  Webley's 
house  and,  4;37 

Gean,  Weeping,  variety  of,  267 

Gentiana  ornata  in  the  Himalayas,  249 

Greenhouse  flowers  in  Messrs.  Smith's  nursery 
at  Worcester,  357 

Group,  Messrs.  R.  B.  Laird's  beautiful,  at 
the  recent  Edinburgh  spring  show,  287 

Guelder  Rose,  group  of  the  Chinese,  113 

Gumbleton,  Mr.  W.  E.,  62 

Gunnera  manicata,  327 

Gunnersbury  House,  Water  Lilies  on  the 
lake  at,  281 


H. 

Hakea  laurina,  shoot  of,  227 
Hardwicke,  a  Hornbeam  walk  at,  423 
Hardy    Flowers,    Messrs.    R.    Wallace    and 

Co.'s  exhibit  of,  402 
Hatfield  House,  the  maze  at,  211 
Heath,  Mediterranean,  a  variety  of  the,  94 
Hedge  of  Dundee  Rambler  Rose,   432  ;    i.f 

Lavender,  78 


Henslow,  M.A.,  the  Rev.  Professor  G.,  226 
Heracleura  mantegazzianum  at  home  in  the 

Abkhasian   Caucasus,   148  ;    in  a    private 

garden  in  Italy,  148 
Hewell  Grange  from  the  north,  412  ;  the  lake 

at,  413 
Hippeastrums  (Amaryllis)  in  Messrs.  Veitch's 

nursery  at  Chelsea,  307 
Hornbeam  walk  at  Hardwicke,  a,  423 
Hydrangea  paniculata  and  H.  p.  grandiflora 

at  Kew,  181  ;  wild,  in  the  Himalaya,  378 


Ightham  Mote,  mixed  borders  and  ruugU 
arches  at,  47 

Indian  Dodder,  33 

Insect  friends,  247  ;  pests,  228 

Ipomsea  rubro-cierulea,  354 

Iris,  Flag,  masses  of,  9 ;  Heldreichi,  225 ; 
paradoxa  var.  Choschab,  248  ;  reticulata  in 
Messrs.  Ware's  nursery  at  Feltham,  233 ; 
tubergeniana,  199;  willmottiana,  411 

Irises,  Flag,  a  group  of,  by  edge  of  wood- 
land, ;i05  ;  a  mixed  group  of  the  beautiful 
German  or  Flag-leaved,  112 

Ivy  gracilis  Hedera  Helix,  154  ;  H.  H.  minima, 
154  ;  H.  H.  pedata, 154 


J. 


Japanese  Maples  in  the  Handsworth  Nur- 
series, 380 


K. 

Kew,  Pinus  muricata  by  the  lake  at,  329 
Kniphofia  longicollis,  96 


La  Mortola,  Italy,  Anemone  coronaria  at, 
430,  431 

Laird's  group  at  Edinburgh,  Messrs.,  287 

Lake,  large,  the,  at  Forde  Abbey,  399 

Latham,  Mr.  W.  B.,  182 

Lavender,  hedge  of,  at  Abbotts  Ripton  Hall, 
Hants,  7S  ;  walk  in  early  summer,  335 

Les  Barres,  Pine  forest  at,  371 

Lewisia  Tweedii,  387 

Lilies  of  the  A^alley  at  Messrs.  Clibran's,  420 

Lilium  Kelloggii,  330;  szovitzianum,  seed- 
ling, 407  ;  testaceum,  108 

Limes,  Pollarded,  a  walk  of,  219 

Lindfleld,  the  formal  garden  at  Old  Place,  435 

Low's  nursery  at  Enfield,  Orchid  house  in, 
303 

Luculia  gratissima,  49 

Lupines  in  Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson's  garden,  100 

Lynch,  Mr.  R.  Irwin,  A.L.S.,  110 


INDEX, 


f"  The  Garilin,"  Jiiiif  :U,  I'.iiil 


m. 

Ma^nulia  conspicua  at  Gilnnersl»UT-y  House, 
343  ;  c.  soulanceana  at  Kew,  ii4n 

Maiden  Bradley,  a  walk  of  .Sunflowers  at. 
392 

Maples,  Japanese,  in  the  Handswortli  Nur- 
series, 3S0 

Maze  at  Hatfield  House  as  seen  from  the 
east  front,  211 

Melon,  a  house  of  Sutton's  Ne  Plus  Ultra, 
214 

Mixed  borders  and  rough  arches  at  Ightham 
Mote,  47 

Mulberry  tree  :  its  leaves  shed  with  the  first 
frost,  75 


N. 

Narcissus  cyclainineus,  'AWl ;  c.  hyl)r'd,  353  : 

corbularia  (monophyllus)  in  Messrs.  Ban- 

and  Sons'   nuisery  at  Long  Ditton,  244  : 

poeticus  on  the  mountain  slopes    above 

Montreux,    Geneva,    206 :  triandrus  caja- 

thinus,  291 

Nectarine  tree  in  a  garden  near  London,  359 

Nicotiana  sylvestris,  a  group  of,  180 

North  side  of  Bath  Botanic  Gardens,  part 

of,  449 
Nursery,  a,  hedge  of  Rose  Dundee  Rambler 

in  iressrs.  Cant's,  432 
Nymphiea  Froebelii  (t'nhAircd  su^rpleinenl ) 


Oak  fence  and  old  Apple  trees  with  Roses 

commencing  to  clothe  them,  27 
Oakwood,  Lupines  in    Mr.   G.  ¥.   ^\ilson's 

garden  at,  lOu 
Odontoglossum  crispum  Franz  Maseree),  320  ; 

c.  pittianum,  439  ;   c.  pnrpurascens,  2.^5  ; 

loochristyense  coundonense,  Uil) ;  1.  roch- 

fordianum,  161 
Old  Place,  Lindfield,  the  formal  t:arden  at, 

436 
Opuntia  bicolor  in  tlie  Caml)i-idgc  Botanic 

Gardens,  4'29 
Orange,  Otaheite,  13U 
Orchid  houses,  one  of  the,  in  Messrs.  Low's 

nursery  at  Enfield,  303 
Orobajiche  speciosa,  93 


P. 

Pfcony  .James  Kelway,  367 

Paionies,  double,  at  Broughton  t'astle,  J52 

Parsley  grown  in  a  tub,  462 

Passifiora  tjuadrangularis,   fiower  spray  of, 

7  ;  fruit  of,  4 
Peach  Stirling  Castle,  271 ;  Waterloo,  270 
Pelargoniums  in  Messrs.  Clibran's  nursery, 

zonal,  420 


Pear  Bergaraotte  d'Esperen,  85  ;  Beurr^ 
Bosc,  outline  of,  146 :  B.  de  Jonghe,  64 ; 
B.  Ranee,  IsS;  Doyeun^  d'Alen?on,  150; 
Easter  Beurre,  251  :  Olivier  de  Sei-res,  173  ; 
the  Avocado,  103 

Pergola,  the  brick,  at  Crooksbury,  83  ;  thickly 
covered  with  climbing  plants,  185 

Pernettya  mucronata  in  fruit,  41 

Peraimmon,  6 

Phaius  tuberculosus,  97 

Pink  edging  to  mixed  borders  at  ^^'i^chneld, 
117 

Pinks  with  Ereuiurus  himalaicus,  white,  418 

Pine  forest  at  Les  Barres,  371 

Finns  Cembra,  5S,  59  ;  a  forest  of,  00  ;  muri- 
cata  by  the  lake  at  Kew,  129 

Pitcher  Plant,  a  specimen,  86 

Poppies  and  Foxgloves  by  waterside,  376 

Poppy,  half-double  white  Opium,  in  rough 
ground,  127 

Populus  treniula  var.  pendula  in  flower,  337 

Primrose  Sultan,  Bunch,  39.S 

Primula,  double  Chinese,  (Jucen  Alexandra, 
138  :  kewensis  at  Kew,  198  ;  stellata  at 
Wem,  252 

Primulas,  Chinese,  at  Reading,  51 ;  in  Messrs. 
Carter  and  Co.'s  nursery,  137 

Prunus  Avium  pendida,  267  :  spinosa  (fl.-pl  ) 
at  Kew,  76  ;  triloba  against  a  wall,  135 

Pyrus  japonica  and  varieties  in  angle  of  dry- 
walled  terrace,  355  ;  jNIalus  floribunda, 
showing  the  beautiful  effect  of  grouping, 
107  ;  spectabilis  as  a  lawn  tree,  209 


Kheum  orticinale  in  the  wild  garden  at 
Crowsley  Park,  282 

Rhododendron  ciliatuni  in  the  Himalayan 
house  at  Kew,  351 :  grande  var.  argen- 
teum,  342  ;  precox  in  the  temperate  house 
at  Kew,  27  ( 

Rhododendrons  at  Uandsworth,  381 ;  green- 
house, at  Handsworth,  380  ;  in  the  Royal 
Botanic  Garden.  Regent's  Park,  426 

Rock  garden  in  the  Birmingham  Botanic 
Gardens,  183  ;  north  side"  of  at  Bath, 
449 ;  part  of  the  famous  in  Messrs. 
Backhouse's  nurseiy  at  York,  168  ;  view 
of,  showing  Euphorbia  characias,  Anemone 
sylvestris,  and  Saxifrages,  447 

Rose  Blairi  No.  2  trained  down,  10  ;  Clotli 
of  Gold  in  "N^ictoria,  Australia,  57  ;  Dun- 
dee Rambler  in  Messrs.  Benjamin  Cant 
and  Son's  nursery,  Colchester,  432  ;  Felicite 
Perp^tue  over  an  iron  pillar,  163  ;  garden 
and  bungalow  in  Ceylon,  258  ;  Jersey 
Beauty  at  the  Temple  show,  383  ;  Mrs. 
J.  Laing,  404  ;  new  Hybrid  Tea  Killarney, 
3-21  ;  Polyantha,  Perle  d'Or,  -285;  P.,  with 
other  climbers  over  a  garden  arch,  224  ; 
Reine  Olga  de  A\'urtemburg  on  a  balloon-  ; 
shaped  trellis,  419 ;  standard.  La  France, 
80 


Rockingham,  the  famous  Yews  at,  261 
Rooting  system  of  I'ampanula  .\llionii,  451 
Roses  and  thatched  farm  building,  28  :  climb- 
ing, and  dead  Apple  trees,  20  ;  commenc- 
ing to  clothe  Oak  fence  and  old   Apple 
trees,  27 
Royal  Sovereign  Strawberry,  456 
Rubus  nutkanus,  61 

Russell  and  Son's  exhibit   at  the    'I'emple 
show,  Messrs.  John,  400 


Sacred  Tree  at  otsu,  314 

Santa  Rosa,  California,  Eucalyptus  globulus, 

245 
Sarracenias,  group  of,  at  the  Tejuple  show 

379 
Saxifrages  on  rock  garden  in  Bath  Botanic 

Gardens,  447 
Sc  .rbonjugh  Lily,  44 
Seedling  Lilium  szovitzianum,  407 
Senecio  magnificus,  38,  433 
Sloe,  double-flowering,  at  Kew,  70 
Smith's  nursery  at   Worcester,   greenhouse 

flowers  in,  357 
Snowdrops  round  tree  trunk,  310 
Solomon's  Seal,  340 
.Spruce,  the  Cork,  foliage,  bark,  and  cone, 

376 
Steps,  garden,  and  tank,  414 
Straffan  House,  Co.  Kildare,  Ireland,  203 
Strawberry  Royal  Sovereign,  460 ;  The  Lax- 
ton,  457 
Sub-tropical  garden,  a,  301 
Sultan.  Bunch  Primrose,  395 
Sunflowers  at  Maiden  Bradley,  a  walk  of,  392 
Sutton  and  Sons,  Calceolarias  and  Cinerarias 

from,  400 
Syon  House  from  the  pai  k,  264  ;  the  lake  at 

264 


T. 

Tac.-onia,  a  new  (T.  militaris),  11 

Tank  and  steps,  garden,  414 

I'emple  show,  Jlessrs.  John  Russell's  exhibit 
at,  4U0:  Messrs.  Sutton's  exhibit  at,  400- 
Messrs.  J.  \'eitch  and  Son's  exhibit  at, 
401 ;  Messrs.  R.  Wallace  and  Co.'s  exhibit 
at,  402 ;  Jlessrs.  Webb  and  Sons'  group  of 
Calceolarias  at  the  recent,  422 

Tetramicra  bicolor  in  Edinburgh  Botanic 
Crardens,  77 

Thatched  farm  building  smothered  with 
Roses,  28 

The  Laxton  Strawberry,  457 

Trees,  old,  Roses  over,  26,  27 

Trellis,  Rose  Reine  Olga  de  Wurtemburg  as 
a  balloon  shaped,  419 

Tulipa  acuminata  (syn.  cornuta),  20  ;  Korol- 
kowi  bicolor,  275 

Tulips,  Darwin,  440 


Vallotta  purpurea,  44 

Veitch  and  Sun's  exhibit  at  the  'I'emple  show, 

Messrs.  James.  401 
Ventimiglia,  Italy,   .\nemone  coronaria  in 

Mr.  Hanbuj-y's  garden  near,  431 
Viburnum  plicatiim,  113 
View  of  Sir.  Webley's  house  and  garden,  437 
"N'iolet  seedling,  354 
Violets,  raised  beds  of,  at  Stralhfteldsaye,  3-' 


Walk,  a  Hornbeam,  at  Hardwicke,  423  ;  a 
shady,  186  ;  of  Pollarded  Limes  in  Mr. 
Kemp's  garden.  Old  Place,  Lindfield,  219  ; 
Sunflower,  at  Maiden  Bradley,  392 ;  Yew, 
at  Hunstanton,  231 

Wall  Rue,  the,  319 

Wallace  and  Co.'s  exhibit  of  hardy  flowers, 
Messrs.  R.,  402 

Ware's  nursery  at  Feltham,  Iris  reticulata 
in,  233 

Water  garden  at  Wisley,  showing  Japan  Iris, 
&c.,  in  flower,  243 

Water  Lilies,  seedling,  in  tubs,  in  M.  Latour- 
•Marliac's  grounds  at  Temple -sur- Lot, 
France,  98  ;  in  tanks  and  tubs  in  JI. 
Latpur-Marliac's  garden,  99  ;  hybrid,  on 
the  lake  at  Gunnersbury  House,  '281 

Waterer's  Double  Cherry,  391 

Waterside  banks,  showing  the  way  to  beau- 
tify them,  313  ;  flower,  a  spring,  160 

Webb  and  Sons  g'oup  of  Calceolarias  at  the 
Temple  show,  422 

Webley's  house  and  garden,  view  of  Mr.,  437 

Weevil,  Black  Vine,  212 

Wem,  Piimula  stellata  at,  262 

Willow,  Babylonian  (Salix  babylonica),winter 

ert'ect  of,  at  Kew,  46 
Winchfleld,  mixed  bordeis  with  Pink  edging 

at,  117 
Wisley,   water  garden    at,   showijig   Japan 

Iris,  Ac,  in  flower,  243 
Wistaria,  standard,  forced,  269 
Wythes,  Mr.  George,  V.M.H.,  265 


Y. 

Yews,  the  famous,  at  Rockingham,  261 
Yulan  Tree,  the,  at  Gunnersbury  House,  343 


Zephyrantlies  Candida,  116 
Zonal    Pelargoniums    in    Jlessrs.    Clibran's 
nursery,  420 


GARDEN. 


r^^    ^= 


M^# n 


No.  1520.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[January  5,  1901. 


HORTICULTURE     IN     1900. 

WITH  the  comiug  of  a  new 
century  our  thoughts  are 
directed  to  the  past  as  well 
as  to  the  future,  which  we 
happily  know  nothing  of — its 
joys,  sorrows,  and  many  disappointments.  As 
far  as  horticulture  is  concerned,  we  can  look 
back  upon  a  century  of  wonderful  progress, 
and  the  century  that  has  now  commenced  will, 
we  hope,  reveal  the  same  onward  march  towards 
spreading  a  love  for  flowers  in  our  midst,  and 
stimulating  an  important  industry  which  con- 
cerns the  welfare  of  our  nation.  Horticulture 
does  not  exist  merely  in  a  sentimental  regard 
for  flowers,  or  beautiful  ways  of  showing  them 
in  the  garden,  but  it  has  its  commercial  aspect 
too,  an  aspect  we  think  that  has  been  to  no 
small  degree  lost  .sight  of,  in  spite  of  foreign 
competition  and  our  insular  position  in  the 
event  of  hostilities  more  serious  than  the  con- 
flicts which,  unfortunately,  marked  the  closing 
days  of  1900.  We  must  live,  and  to  the  farm 
and  garden  we  look  for  wholesome  food,  for 
better  ways  of  cultivation,  and  a  more  agreeable 
choice  of  varieties.  A  year  ago  we  urged  in  a 
series  of  articles  from  many  of  our  readers  the 
importance  of  fruit  culture,  and  in  the  new 
century  this  industry  should  spread  far  and 
wide,  until  the  cry  that  the  land  of  our  isles 
does  not  pay  for  culture  grows  feebler, 
notwithstanding  importations  from  over  the 
seas.  A  good  English  Apple  in  winter  is  almost 
a  luxury,  for  the  reason,  it  is  supposed  not  to 
pay  the  producer,  and  jireserved  fruits  from 
abroad  hold  their  own  eassily,  in  truth,  without 
practically  a  rival  article  at  home  to  enter  into 
competition.  We  have  written  of  this  matter 
in  the  year  that  has  gone,  and  do  not  rest 
assured  that  the  remarkable  fruit  crop  of  last 
autumn  will  bring  any  desired  change  in  our 
old-fashioned  ways  of  both  culture  and  dis- 
posal of  the  harvest- 

The  history  of  the  past  twelve  months  shows 
that  horticulture  in  its  broadest  sense  is  pro- 
gressing. There  have  been  no  sensational 
occurrences,  for  which  we  are  thankful ;  but 
steady  progress,  save  in  the  management  of 
the  fruit  crops  so  bountifully  given  of  late  years. 
Steady,  well-balanced  work  is  a  thousand  times 
ijmore  valuable  than  hysterical  developments,  as 
transient  as  the  leaves  of  a  tree. 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  know  that  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  maintains  its  solid  pur- 
pose of  promoting  horticulture,  and  that  alone. 
A   few   exciting  meetings    have   taken   place. 


without  much  result,  and  we  presume,  as  the 
century  of  this  historic  institution  draws  nearer, 
interest  in  the  way  it  shall  be  celebrated  will 
increase,  without,  we  hope,  any  display  of 
temper  and  needless  bickering  towards  a  body 
of  men  who,  we  feel  sure,  have  only  the  welfare 
of  the  society  which  they  represent  fully  at 
heart.  There  is  a  considerable  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  the  form  the  celebration  shall 
take,  let  us  fervently  hope  nut  in  creating  an 
elaVjorate  hall,  but  in  acquiring  suitable  gardens 
to  further  the  practical  side  of  horticulture,  as 
a  means  of  spreading  a  true  knowledge  of  gar- 
dening matters  throughout  the  land.  A  hall 
will  never  accomplish  that  desired  result  ;  it 
will  become  a  mere  show  place,  a  place  indeed 
to  spend  a  pleasant  day  for  those  who  live 
within  reasonable  distance  of  the  metropolis. 
Anything  in  the  form  of  an  expensive  meeting 
place  for  horticulturists,  a  building  to  comprise 
offices  for  all  the  horticultural  and  benefit 
organisations  in  our  midst,  will  result  in 
bankruptcy,  and  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  lose  its  splendid  individuality. 

There  seems  no  decrease  in  the  number  of 
e.xhibitions  or  of  interest  manifested  in  them, 
and  we  may  partly  attribute  this  to  the  desire 
of  those  responsible  for  their  management  to 
get  out  of  too  much  beaten  tracks.  The 
exhibitions  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society  have  decidedly  increased  in  beauty, 
and  brought  out  the  great  possibilities  of  the 
flower  for  mere  decorations,  apart  from  the 
splendour  of  individual  specimens.  We  hope 
the  society  will  follow  the  line  already  taken 
in  the  future.  The  most  novel  exhibition  was 
thai  of  the  Sweet  Pea,  and  if  it  has  no  other 
effect  than  that  of  getting  varieties  into  some- 
thing like  order  it  will  have  accomplished 
good  work. 

The  sale  of  poisonous  compounds  has  been 
the  subject  of  much  discussion,  and  we  hope 
the  society  founded  to  remove  unnecessary 
restrictions  will  be  successful.  A  Bill  is  to  be 
presented  to  remove  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
legitimate  purchase  of  poisons  needful  to  the 
gardener  and  farmer. 

It  is  a  painful  duty  to  write  of  those  friends 
and  good  workers  for  horticulture  who  have 
"  crossed  the  bar  "  in  the  year  that  has  ended. 
We  record,  when  occasion  unhappily  arises, 
the  names  of  those  who  have  passed  from 
amongst  us,  some  personal  friends,  others  part 
of  the  great  brotherhood  of  gardeners,  some 
the  world  calls  "amateur,"  and,  not  a  few, 
members  of  the  horticultural  trade.  We 
mourn    for    John    Laing,    whose    memory    is 


inseparably  linked  with  the  tuberous  Begonia  ; 
delightful  "  Ben "  Cant,  a  prince  amongst 
rosarians  of  the  past  century,  with  whom  we 
must  associate  Gater,  and  when  writing  of 
those  good  men  who  have  worked  amongst 
the  Roses,  we  must  not  forget  Mr.  T.  B. 
Haywood,  of  Eeigate.  The  Marquis  of  Bute, 
behind  whose  unostentatious  studious  life  was 
a  powerful 'personality,  will  be  remembered  as 
the  originator  of  the  Welsh  vineyards,  and 
others  whose  names  are  associated  with  some 
branch  of  horticulture  are  Mr.  William  Dodds, 
of  Dahlia  fame,  Mr.  E.  J.  Lowe,  the  Fern 
enthusia.st.  Lord  Penzance,  Mr.  G.  J.  Symons, 
the  ardent  meteorologist,  and,  on  the  threshold 
of  Christmas,  Mr.  Philip  Crowley,  a  notice 
of  whose  death  appears  in  the  present  issue, 
whilst  we  join  our  continental  friends  in 
mourning  the  loss  of  such  distinguished 
horticulturists  as  M.  Ed.  Pynaert  and  M.  A. 
de  la  Devansaye. 

Many  other  worthy  men— practical  gardeners 
— have  gone  too,  and,  alas  !  it  is  ever  our 
mournful  duty  to  record  as  the  years  speed  on 
the  names  of  those  to  whom  the  message  has 
come.  But  their  example  remains,  and  it  is  for 
the  younger  generation  to  profit  by  their  good 
work. 


SOME    NOTABLE    BEAUTY 
SPOTS. 

Teavellini:  hither  and  thither  through  this 
wonderful  old  world  of  ours,  now  in  one  and 
now  in  another  quarter  of  the  globe,  the  writer 
has  had  a  somewhat  unusual  ojiportunity  and 
extensive  experience  in  exploring  and  observing 
some  of  the  more  especially  lovely  spots  and 
earthly  paradises,  not  only  within  the  reach  of 
the  average  traveller,  but  within  touch  and 
contact  for  the  most  part  of  ordinary  civilisa- 
tion. I  allude,  in  fact,  in  this  present  treatise, 
not  so  much  to  numberless  places  or  districts, 
of  however  surpassing  beauty,  which  are  either 
days  or  weeks  "  up-country,"  or  inaccessible  to 
the  ordinary  sojourner,  whether  travelling  in 
quest  of  health  or  pleasure,  but  to  those  other 
beauty  spots  which  all  may  visit  and  enjoy,  if 
not  in  one  country  or  climate,  yet  perchance  in 
another,  at  some' time  or  other  in  the  course  of 
their  life. 

The  superb  and  entrancing  beauties  of  the 
far-famed  Vale  of  Cashmere  have  been  so 
widely  and  oft  described  that  I  yield  it  here 
but  a  passing  notice,  paying  a  special  tribute, 
however,  to  the  climate,  which  in  this  region 
is  among  not  the  least  of  its  many  desirable 
features.  I  have  often  thought  that  the  higher 
parts  of  Ceylon's  fair  isle  are  of  a  beauty  and 
transcendent  joy  unsurpassed  elsewhere  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world.  Surely  nothing  can  be 
more  lovely  than  the  entourage  of  the  lake  at 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[January  5,  1901. 


Kandy,  whether  in  the  freshness  of  early  morn, 
or  by  moonlight  under  a  sky  bespangled  with 
stars  that  glitter  like  diamonds  reflected  on  the 
silvery  surface,  and  with  the  water  fringed  all 
round  with  stately  Palms  and  gently  drooping 
growths  of  varied  hue.  Around  Kandy  the 
country  is  one  of  beauty  everywhere,  whether 
you  wend  your  course  to  the  river  to  watch  the 
antics  of  the  elephants  at  their  noontide  bathe, 
or  are  wafted  in  your  rickshaw  right  out  into 
the  "wilds,"  up  hill  and  down  dale  amid 
bowers  of  jilants  and  trees  meeting  from  either 
side,  often  in  an  enduring  embrace,  and 
breathing  out  the  most  subtle  perfumes  and 
health-giving  essences,  or  whether,  maybe,  you 
saunter  forth  to  that  dream  of  loveliness,  the 
Feridenyeh  Gardens,  the  route  to  which  is  one 
perpetual  avenue  of  ever-changing  tropic  fruits, 
flowering  cree|iers,  and  scented  shrubs.  The 
gardens,  or  half-wild  park,  are  a  place  to  revel 
in  at  your  leisure,  and  form  a  perhaps  unicjue 
study  of  well  nigh  every  specimen  of  eastern 
ar.d  troiiic  growth,  though  the  Botanical 
Gardens  at  Singapore  (of  which  more  anon) 
are  of  almost  equal  interest.  Very  wonderful, 
too,  are  the  gorgeous  butterflies  and  other 
winged  insects  ever  to  be  seen  hovering  about 
in  all  parts  of  the  grounds.  Nor  in  this  con- 
nection must  be  omitted  the  flying  fox,  a 
hanclsome  creature  with  the  wings  of  a  bat  and 
the  body  and  head  of  a  fox,  of  which  there  is 
a  large  colony  in  the  further  end  of  the  gardens. 
The  higher  ]iarts  of  Ceylon  at  Newera  Elia 
(pronounced  Neuralia),  for  instance,  are  wider 
and  grander,  but  hardly  to  my  mind  so  beau- 
tiful as  Kandy  and  its  surroundings,  though 
doubtless  the  climate  is  cooler,  and  perhaps  for 
that  reason  more  salubrious. 

A  country  and  atmosphere  of  somewhat  like 
features  is  that  of  the  Nilgiris,  of  which 
Coonoor  and  Cotacamund  —  the  latter  the 
Government  sanatorium — are  two  very  beauti- 
fully situated  places.  The  configuration  of  the 
former  is  very  fine,  and  the  vievi's  from  the 
elevated  portions  into  the  depressed  valleys 
beneath  are  remembrances  never  likely  to  fade 
away.  The  Eucalyptus  has  been  largely  planted 
of  late  years  and  now  forms  whole  forests,  and 
aids  in  rendering  the  Nilgiri  climate  a  most 
beneficial  on".  Of  great  interest  all  round 
Coonoor  are  the  Tea  and  ('ofi'ee  plantations  and 
the  bungalows  of  the  growers.  Indeed,  the 
entire  hillsides  of  this  district  are  closely  culti- 
vated with  these  industries. 

Pa-ssing  to  another  part  of  India,  and  at  a 
still  more  higher  elevation,  I  cpiestion  whether 
the  views  from  Dargiling  and  its  contours  can 
anywhere  be  surpassed.  The  sight  of  Hitchin- 
jimga,  as  seen  exactly  opposite  to  this  hill 
station,  is  a  landscape  view  of  the  most  marvel- 
lous splendour.  A  large  towering  mass  of  snow 
and  ice  immediately  fronting  your  gaze,  at  no 
apparently  great  distance  and  with  no  inter- 
mediate oliject  to  break  the  view,  you  look 
across,  as  it  were,  an  enormous  gulf  to  this 
magnificent  range  witli  its  rugged  peaks  and 
glittering  outlines  bathed  in  a  roseate  glow  of 
the  sun,  or  gleaming,  awe-inspiring,  and 
solemn,  beneath  the  clear,  stern  light  of  the 
majestic  moon.  The  hills  and  valleys  around 
Dargiling  are  magnificent,  and  from  one  point 
at  this  great  height,  where  the  intervening 
configuration  is  less  defined  and  more  shallow, 
you  appear  to  be  looking  right  down  into  the 
plains  and  across  the  whole  continent  of  India. 
P)Ut  we  must  descend  from  our  exalted 
pedestal  and  visit  more  lowly,  though  in 
different  ways,  as  beautiful  spots.  And  while 
in  Asia  and  the  Far  East  the  tropic  beauties  of 
Singapore  must  be  touched  upon.  Were  it  not 
for  the  depressing  and  malarious  climate,  with 
its  almost  diurnal  rains  and  torrential  deluges 


(the  writer  was  kept  a  prisoner  in  Government 
House  for  eight  days  running  with  no  possi- 
bility of  stirring  out),  one  would  suppose  it  just 
such  a  Garden  of  Eden  as  depicted  in  the 
Scriptures.  Unfortunately,  in  addition  there 
are  the  usual  concomitants  of  such  a  climate, 
viz.,  the  myriads  of  insects  and  reptiles  which 
abound  in  every  form.  In  the  beautiful 
tropical  gardens  the  \vriter  had  been  escorting 
a  fair  American,  and  after  exhausting  the 
marvels  of  a  perfect  specimen  of  the  Sealing 
Wax  Palm  (for  all  the  world  like  a  giant  red 
stick  of  this  commodity),  we  were  about  to  wend 
our  way  to  fresh  scenes  and  pastures  new  when 
we  discovered  we  had  been  standing  for  the 
past  five  minutes  exactly  over  a  red  ants'  nest, 
the  creatures  of  which  had  meantime  been 
climbing  up  our  garments  and  were  now 
Ijeginning  to  inform  us  in  no  measured 
terms  of  their  presence.  I  need  hardly  say 
the  rest  of  tliat  day  was  spoiled  for  us  both. 
But  the  beauties  of  the  half-cleared  jungle 
with  its  multitudinous  products  in  the  shape 
of  fruits,  flowers  (including  numerous  varieties 
of  Orchids),  Creepers,  Ferns,  and  many  kinds 
of  Palm,  with,  too,  winged  insects  and  birds  of 
most  gorgeous  brilliancy  and  plumage,  are  a 
delightful  joy  and  a  revelation  indeed  when 
first  beheld.  Before  leaving  Asia  I  must 
hardly  omit  some  parts  of  fairy  Japan. 
Possibly  Kioto  furnishes  as  fair  a  field  as  any  dis- 
trict in  these  lovely  islands  for  positive  beauty 
in  Nature.  Whether  you  traverse  the  wooded 
hill  .slopes,  by  no  means  spoilt  by  picturesque 
temiiles  and  pagodas,  or  meander  across  the 
short  plain  to  the  rapid  and  sparkling  river, 
with  its  numerous  falls  and  delicate  surround- 
ings of  waving  Bamboo,  you  are  equally 
fascinated  and  repaid. 

To  the  wonderful  sights  and  scenery  of 
California,  the  Yosemite  Valley  and  the 
Yellowstone  Park,  is  a  big  leap  and  space,  but 
permits  the  mention  merely  of  these  gigantic 
districts  of  widespread  splendour.  Probably 
our  American  cousins  think  them  unrivalled. 
Truly,  in  their  way,  they  can  hardly  be  sur- 
passed in  magnificence  were  comparison 
invited,  though  I  have  ever  thought  no  one 
district  should  be  compared  with  any  other, 
at  any  rate  in  a  different  country  ;  each  has 
its  own  peculiar  features,  and,  it  may  be 
added,  generally  its  own  special  disadvantage, 
which  may  compensate  or  detract,  as  the  case 
may  be.  The  writer,  therefore,  in  bringing 
these  notes  to  a  close  would  not  desire  for  a 
moment  to  class  any  of  the  before-mentioned 
spots  of  beauty  as  against  our  own  little 
regions  of  fairness  and  charm,  whether  musing 
on  the  sylvan  beauties  of  Kent,  the  hills  and 
dales  of  Devon  and  Somerset,  the  lovely 
clelights  of  the  Severn  and  Wye,  the  placid 
joys  of  the  Lake  District,  or  the  wilder 
splendours  of  the  moor  and  defile  of  the  peak 
and  the  Western  Highlands.  All  are  wonder- 
ful, but  in  this  last-told  category,  alas  !  these 
same  delights  are  tremendously  dependent  on 
what  is  at  best  but  a  somewhat  sorry  and 
capricious  climate.       Z.  Walsoe.we  Hall. 


vided  with  work  by  the  Government  Labour  Bureau 
at  tjuarrying,  railway  construction,  &c. ,  the  ordinary 
wage  being  7s.  per  day.  In  country  districts  there 
is  plenty  of  farm  labour  of  a  kind,  but  there  is  a 
considerable  demand  for  skilled  hands  ;  farmers, 
however,  as  a  rule  do  not  offer  permanent  employ- 
ment, but  only  during  the  busy  seasons.  In  Victoria 
there  is  no  demand  for  mechanics  or  labourers, 
unless  they  are  specially  skilled,  and  bring  a  little 
money  with  them.  In  South  Australia  there  is 
practically  no  demand  for  more  mechanics  in  the 
towns,  but  a  skilled  hand  can  generally  find  employ- 
ment after  looking  about  tor  a  little.  In  country 
districts  there  is  good  employment  for  agricultural 
labourers.  Owing  to  drought  and  scarcil}'  of 
employment  in  Queensland  emigrants,  other  than 
female  servants,  are  not  reeoni  mended  to  go  there 
at  present,  unless  the}'  receive  sssisted  or  nominated 
passages,  or  take  a  little  money  with  them.  Free 
passages  have  recently  been  stopped.  With  regard 
to  Western  Australia,  it  should  be  remembered 
that  the  population  of  the  Colony,  though  it  has 
rapidly  increased,  is  still  small,  and  that  therefore 
the  demand  for  all  kinds  of  laliour  is  necessarily 
limited.  Official  returns  for  the  quarter  ending 
September  30  last  show  that  farm  laliour  is  wanted 
at  Toodj'ay,  Geraldton,  Katanning,  York,  and 
Beverley  ;  that  good  unskilled  labourers  are  wanted 
at  Perth,  Katanning,  York,  and  Beverlej-.  Free 
farms  are  given  to  settlers.  In  Tasmania  the 
labour  market  is,  on  the  whole,  well  supplied 
with  men.  The  last  reports  from  New  Zealand 
show  that  there  was  plenty  of  work  there. 
Farm  labourers  are  in  good  demand  at  the 
present  time.  Persons  are  warned  against  going 
to  South  Africa  at  present  in  search  of  professional 
or  manual  work,  unless  they  have  ample  private 
means  to  meet  the  very  high  cost  of  living.  They 
will  not  as  a  rule  be  allowed  to  proceed  up  country. 
There  are  alread}'  large  numbers  of  persons  in 
South  Africa  at  the  present  time  who  are  out  of 
employment.  Full  information  may  be  obtained 
from  31,  Broadway,  Westminster,  S.W. 


EMIGRATION    PROSPECTS. 

TiiK  January  circulars  of  the  Emigrants'  Informa- 
tion Office  and  the  annual  editions  of  the  penny 
handbooks  show  the  present  prospects  of  emigra- 
tion. Revised  pamphlets  on  Ceylon  and  the  United 
Slates  have  been  issued.  The  notice  boards  are  now 
cxliibited,  and  the  circulars  may  be  obtained,  free  of 
charge,  at  about  000  public  libraries  and  institutions 
througliout  the  country.  In  New  South  Wales  the 
break  up  of  the  drought  last  year  has  nmch  im- 
proved the  prospects  of  all  kinds  of  labour.  But 
there  were  throughout  tlie  j'ear  large  numbers  of 
unemployed   in  Syduey,  many  of  whom  were  pro- 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 


FLOWERING     CLIMBERS 
IN    THE    SOUTH-WEST. 

SOME  months  ago  there  appeared  in  the 
columns  of  The  Gakden  a  series  of  inte- 
resting articles  from  the  pen  of  Mr. 
F.  W.  Burbidge  on  "  Some  of  the  Rarer 
Climbing  Plants."  In  the  course  of  the 
contriljutions  in  question,  the  writer 
expressed  a  wish  that  some  reader  living  on  the 
south  coast  would  draw  attention  to  any  other 
half-hardy  climbers  or  wall  shrubs  that  proved 
amenable  to  open  air  culture  in  that  district. 
From  that  date  until  the  present  time  I  have  care- 
fully read  The  Garde.n,  but  have  failed  to  notice 
any  response  to  this  invitation.  I  therefore  ven- 
ture to  enumerate  a  few  such  plants  that  to  my 
personal  knowledge  grow  in  the  open  in  the. south- 
west, omitting  those  mentioned  in  Mr.  Burhidge"s 
articles.  The  list  is  by  no  means  an  exhaustive 
one,  as  many  half-hardy  shrubs  of  non-scandent 
habit,  not  here  alluded  to,  are  employed  for  cover- 
ing walls  in  this  locality. 

Ahutilon  rexilluriuin. — This  plant,  when  afforiled 
the  protection  of  a  south  wall,  blooms  for  eight 
months  out  of  the  twelve,  bearing  on  slender, 
curving  shoots  its  handsome,  bell-shaped  flowers 
with  their  crimson  sepals,  yellow  petals,  and  pro 
trading  dark  brown  stamens  well  into  the  month 
of  December  should  no  severe  frost  occur.  Florist's 
varieties  of  the  Ahutilon  also  do  well  on  sheltered 
walls,  and  during  the  past  November  I  saw  a  fine 
plant  some  18  feet  in  height  which  was  bearing 
scores  of  large  flowers.  A.  vitifolium,  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Burbidge,  does  not  require  wall  shelter  in 
the  south-west,  where  it  forms  large  pyramids  in 
the  open  that  arc  covered  with  fine  flowers, 
lavender  oi'  white,  in  the  early  sunnuer.  One 
specimen  in  Cornwall  that  I  am  acquainted  with  is 
20  feet  in  height,  and  is  furnished  with  foliage  to 
the  ground  le\'el. 


Janttary  5,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


Bignonia. — B.  radioans  (syn. ,  Tecoma  radicans) 
is  perfectly  hardy,  but,  ooiisidering  the  splendour 
of  its  August  display,  is  surprisingly  neglected  as 
a  wall  climber.  B.  capreolata,  B.  Cherere,  and  B. 
speciosa  also  do  well  in  the  open. 

Bougaiiinllea. — This  fine  climber  cannot  be  con- 
sidered sufficiently  hardy  to  afford  an  effective 
display,  even  in  the  most  sheltered  sites.  I  know 
two  cases,  however,  where  it  has  lived  in  the  open 
for  three  years  and  flowered  sparingly. 

Cassia  corymhosa. — This  plant  is  an  excellent 
subject  for  covering  south  walls,  growing  rapidly 
when  established  and  forming  a  sheet  of  deep 
yellow  in  the  late  summer.  It  retains  its  bloom- 
corymbs  for  a  considerable  time,  often  bearing 
flower  until  December. 

Chorozema. — This  subject  grows  vigorously  in 
the  open  in  certain  gardens  in  south-west  Cornwall, 
where  it  commences  to  flower  early  in  the  spring. 
During  a  visit  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Penzance 
in  the  last  week  of  March,  1900,  the  dinner  table 
was  on  two  occasions  decorated  with  flowering 
sprays  of  the  Chorozema  from  the  open  air.  In 
botanical  dictionaries  the  greatest  height  given  for 
the  Chorozemas  is  4  feet.  In  the  south-west  it 
easily  attains  a  height  of  from  6  feet  to  8  feet. 

Cissus  discolor. — This  plant  has  no  particular 
value  as  a  flowering  climber,  its  blossoms  being  of 
a  greenish  yellow  colour. 

Clianthus  pnidcem.  —  This  brilliant  -  flowered 
climber  presents  the  most  gorgeous  spectacle  when 
in  full  bloom,  its  large  crimson-scarlet  flowers 
being  borne  in  such  profusion  that  the  wall  on 
which  it  grows  is  a  breadth  of  glowing  colour.  It 
grows  to  a  large  size,  and  I  know  a  house  the 
whole  of  whose  western  wall  is  covered  with  it. 

Correa. — Certain  of  the  Correas  are  occasionally 
grown,  mostly  with  wall  protection. 

Edwardsia  microphyUa  (syn. ,  Sophora  tetraptera 
microphylla). — This  succeeds  in  positions  screened 
from  cold  winds,  and  bears  its  racemes  of  bright 
yellow  flowers  in  the  spring. 

Eltt'ocarpibs  cyaneus. — A  native  of  Australia  that 
does  well  on  suimy  walls  in  the  south-west,  pro- 
ducing flower  racemes  in  the  summer. 

Ercilla  spicata  (syn.,  Bridgesia  spicata). — A 
climber  with  self -clinging  habit  similar  to  the  Ivy, 
bearing  dense  racemes  of  minute,  purplish  flowers 
in  the  early  summer.  As  an  ornamental  climber  it 
is  scarcely  worth  growing. 

Habrothavinus  corymhosus,  also  known  as  Ces- 
trum. — A  plant  that  does  not  demand  wall  protec- 
tion in  this  district,  as  in  fairly  sheltered  spots  it 
answers  well  as  a  naturally-grown  shrub.  It  bears 
its  corymbs  of  deep  red,  tubular  flowers  through 
the  late  summer  and  autumn,  and  was  carrying 
bloom  on  December  15. 

Heliotrope. — Although  the  Heliotrope  does  not 
in  these  latitudes  form  the  great  hedges  which  are 
to  be  met  with  in  countries  where  it  is  not  cut 
down  by  the  winter  frosts,  specimens  are  some- 
times to  be  found  which  have  braved  the  weather 
for  many  years  on  southern  walls.  I  know  of  one 
plant  fifteen  years  old  that  shares  such  a  wall  with 
other  tender  climbers.  With  protection  it  passed 
through  the  severe  winter  of  1884-85  without 
material  damage,  and  flowers  well  through  the 
summer  and  autumn. 

Hydrangea  scandens. — A  vigorous  climber  better 
suited  for  draping  a  tall  tree-trunk  than  for  cover- 
ing walls.  The  fertile  blossoms  being  far  more 
numerous  than  the  sterile,  detract  somewhat  from 
the  appearance  of  the  flower-trusses.  At  Mena- 
billy,  in  Cornwall,  it  is  used  on  tree-trunks  with 
excellent  effect,  one  fine  Turkey  Oak  having  its 
bole  covered  to  a  height  of  40  feet  with  this 
Hydrangea,  planted  ten  years  ago. 

Inga  piUcherrima. — This  pretty  Mexican  climber 
proves  well  adapted  for  covering  southern  walls, 
making  good  growth  and  bearing  a  profusion  of 
pendent  scarlet  flowers  in  the  summer.  Its  pinnate, 
imbricated  foliage  is  decidedly  ornamental. 
li  Kennedya  nigrican-t.  — A  trailing  plant  with  rich 
purple  flowers  sometimes  successfully  grown  on 
warm  walls.  Other  species  are  also  met  with  in 
the  open.     All  are  natives  of  Australia. 

La-nandra  macrantha  (syn.,  Pleroma  macran- 
thum). — A  plant  too  tender  to  be  relied  upon  in 
the  open,  eyen  under  the  inost  favourable  circum- 


stances. I  have,  however,  seen  a  specimen  bearing 
its  large,  violet-purple  flowers  that  had  passed 
through  the  winter  with  no  appreciable  damage. 

Mandemlla  ■'maveolens. — Avery  beautiful  climber 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  bearing  large  white,  very 
fragrant  flowers.  It  is  but  seldom  met  with,  even 
in  the  south-west,  but  I  know  four  instances  where  it 
flourishes  and  blooms  freely  annually  on  south  walls. 

Pelargonium  (Ivy-leaved). —This  is  one  of  the 
best  of  flowering  climbers  in  the  south-west.  The 
variety  almost  invariably  made  use  of  is  the 
salmon-pink  Mme.  Crousse,  which,  when  smothered 
in  its  flower-trusses — as  it  is  during  the  whole  of 
the  summer — clothes  walls  with  a  mantle  of  soft 
colour.  Cottages  are  often  covered  to  their  eaves 
with  a  wealth  of  its  blossom,  and  in  one  case  it  has 
reached  a  height  of  over  20  feet  on  a  house  wall. 
Though  plants  would,  doubtless,  be  killed  in  an 
exceptionally  severe  winter,  unless  associated  with 
more  shrubby  subjects,  they  have  passed  through 
the  last  four  practically  unscathed. 

Physiantlms  alheiu. — This  plant  is  a  vigorous 
climber  that  soon  covers  a  large  expanse  of  wall  or 
cliff.  It  produces  a  profusion  of  white  flowers  in 
the  summer,  and  occasionally  perfects  seed-pods. 
These  are  as  large  as  a  cricket  ball,  deeply  cor- 
rugated, and  pointed  at  the  lower  end.  One  plant 
that  had  covered  over  500  square  feet  of  southern 
rock-face  bore  nearly  thirty  of  these  huge  pods, 
which  it  was  unwisely  allowed  to  perfect,  with  the 
result  that  it  died  from  the  strain  on  its  vitality. 

Polygonum  baldfchuanicum. — A  handsome,  hardy 
climber  lately  introduced  into  the  south-west, 
well  known  to  readers  of  The  Gardes  from  illus- 
trations and  notes  that  have  appeared  in  these 
columns  during  the  past  year. 

Bulm.s  awstraiii. — A  curious  Bramble  possessing 
little  or  no  decorative  value,  but  interesting  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  practically  leafless,  the  leaves 
being  reduced  to  midribs,  armed  with  curved 
spines,  and  terminated  by  small  blades  half  an 
inch  in  length  and  one-tenth  of  an  inch  in  width. 
It  grows  rampantly,  but,  I  believe,  has  never 
flowered  in  England. 

Piiscus  androgynu.'i  (syn.,  Semele  androgyna). — 
A  native  of  the  Canary  Islands.  The  cladodes, 
which  pass  for  leaves,  are  considerably  over  a  foot 
in  length,  and  are  furnished  with  from  twelve  to 
twenty  pinnate  sections,  which  are  of  a  brightly 
polished  green.  Its  small,  inconspicuous  flowers 
have  been  borne  in  the  open  in  a  southern  Cornish 
garden. 

Stauntonia  latifolia  (syn.,  Holboellia  latifolia). — 
This  plant  bears  clusters  of  small  greenish  white, 
highly  fragrant  flowers  in  March,  and  often  per- 
fects seed-pods  in  the  autumn.  It  is  a  rapid 
grower,  and  its  leathery  leaves  are  rarely  affected 
by  frost. 

Solanum  jasminoides.  —  This  is  the  flowering 
climber  ^ar  excellence  of  the  south-west,  producing 
its  white  bloom -clusters  for  many  months  in  suc- 
cession. It  is  classed  as  deciduous  in  botanical 
dictionaries,  but  is  rarely  bare  of  leaves,  except 
after  severe  frosts  in  the  early  months  of  the  3'ear. 

Swainsonia  alhiflora. — This  plant  bears  racemes 
of  white,  Pea-like  flowers  during  the  summer,  and 
has  foliage  much  resembling  that  of  the  Galega. 
It  succeeds  and  flowers  freely  on  warm  walls  in 
the  open. 

Tacsonia  moUis-nma.  —  A  plant  whose  native 
habitat  is  Quito,  on  the  Equator.  As,  however, 
the  altitude  of  this  place  is  9,600  feet  above  sea 
level,  its  climate  is  not  what  might  be  expected 
from  its  latitude,  and  this  Tacsonia  grows  ram- 
pantly and  flowers  well  in  the  south-west,  in  one 
instance  having  covered  a  great  portion  of  a  house 
and  having  to  be  severely  pruned  in  consequence. 
The  blossoms  are  pink,  and  have  cj'lindrical  tubes 
from  4  inches  to  5  inches  in  length. 

South  Devon.  S.  W.  Fit2hekbert._ 


BRACKEN    "MISTAKES." 

With  all  deference  to  Mr.  J.  Simpson's  experi- 
ence with  the  Bracken,  I  find  myself  unable 
to  recant  any  of  my  expressions  with  regard  to  it. 
In  the  first  place,  we  certainly  do,  as  he  surmises, 
view  the  plant  from   two  different  aspects,  since 


my  article  was  mainly  devoted  to  the  rarer  varietal 

forms  of  the  species  in  their  capacity  as  decorative 
plants,  while  he  views  it  solely  in  its  normal  form 
as  a  pernicious  weed,  which  must  be  eradicated  in 
favour  of  paj'ing  crops.  Apart,  however,  from  these 
opposite  standpoints,  he  challenges  my  assertion 
that  it  is  difficult  to  tran.splant,  while  practically 
agreeing  to  my  remark  that  it  must  be  done  in  the 
winter  when  dormant.  Here,  again,  naturally  I 
viewed  the  matter  from  the  Fern-hunter's  point  of 
view,  who  when  he  discovers  a  fine  variety  growing 
wild,  which  he  must  do  in  the  growing  season  if  at 
all,  is  baffled  in  its  acquisition  by  the  fact  that  he 
cannot  then  with  any  security  lift  it  and  take  it 
with  him,  and  practically  his  only  plan  is  to  mark 
the  spot  and  get  it  in  the  winter,  or,  which  is  much 
easier  (another  point  Mr.  Simpson  challenges), 
collect  the  spores  and  raise  it  at  home  in  the  way 
I  described.  This  procedure  makes  Mr.  Simpson 
smile,  but  if  he  were  a  Fern-hunter  the  smile  would 
be  one  of  self-satisfaction,  as  this  simple  way  out  of 
the  difficulty,  and  here  I  may  plead,  perhaps,  some 
practical  experience  of  a  nature  not  possessed  by 
j'our  correspondent.  That  the  Bracken  extends 
principally  by  its  spores,  and  that  its  rhizomes  do 
not  extend  so  far  as  described,  would  also,  I  think, 
be  disputed  b}'  mere  observers,  the  case  cited  of  an 
Oak  wood  overrun  since  186S,  as  described  by  Mr. 
Simpson,  and  his  remark  that  "  it  could  not  extend 
by  its  rhizomes  at  such  a  rate,"  makes  me  smile 
in  my  turn,  because  when  once  established  the 
rhizomes  do  undoubtedly  travel  manj'  yards  in  a 
season,  and  it  is  only  because  thej'  become  inter- 
laced into  a  sort  of  network  that  the  fronds  appear 
closelj'  together.  An  instance  is  recorded  by  Mr. 
Newman  of  rhizomes  of  Bracken  penetrating 
15  feet,  i.e.,  5  yards  dee}:),  into  the  soil,  and 
instances  of  wide  gravel  walks  being  subterra- 
neously  jumped,  as  it  were,  are  not  uncommon.  In 
mj'  own  experience  a  variety  planted  inside  a 
fernerj'  burrowed  under  the  foundations  of  a  brick 
wall,  and  came  up  quite  a  j'ard  away  in  a  bank 
outside  ;  and  last  year  at  the  Lakes  I  saw  a  plant 
(a  quite  barren  variety,  by  the  way)  which  in  a 
few  seasons  had  crossed  a  large  garden  from  side 
to  side,  and  thrown  up  fronds  at  intervals  all  the 
way.  The  crested  variety  found  at  Fay  Gate, 
Sussex,  was  on  both  sides  of  the  high  road,  possibly 
indeed  by  scattered  spores,  but  I  am  sure  not 
necessarily'  so,  and  in  any  case  the  Bracken  in  Mr. 
Simpson's  Oak  wood,  if  mainl}' extended  bj' spores, 
would  certainly  not  have  kept  "  an  almost  straight 
line,"  as  spores  &y  far  and  wide.  Hence,  while 
welcoming  Mr.  Simpson's  criticism,  it  is  clear  we 
can  only  agree  to  differ. 

CiiAS.  T.  Druery,  F.L.S.,  V.M.H. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


The     Royal    Gardeners'     Orphan 

Fund.— The  Hon.  W.  F.  D.  Smith,  M.P.,  has 
kindly  consented  to  preside  at  the  next  annual 
festival  of  this  institution,  which  will  take  place 
on  Tuesday,  May  7. 

Fruits  in  season.— The  subject  of  hardy 
fruit  culture  is  now  such  an  important  one  to  both 
professional  and  amateur  gardeners  that  we  are 
sure  our  readers  will  appreciate  a  series  of  articles 
on  "  Fruits  in  Season,"  which  will  appear  in  The 
Gardes  during  1901.  These  notes,  which  will  be 
contributed  by  Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  Royal  Gardens, 
Windsor,  and  illustrated,  will,  we  venture  to  hope, 
prove  of  permanent  value  as  a  record  of  the  best 
varieties  of  hardy  fruits  suitable  for  cultivation  in 
Britain. 

Autumn     flowering    of    Crimson 

Rambler. — We  would  call  the  attention  of 
our  readers  to  several  facts  recently  observed 
relative  to  the  growing  tendency  of  Rose  Crimson 
Rambler  to  produce  a  second  crop  of  flowers  in  the 
autumn.  Towards  the  end  of  October,  1899, 
M.  Edouard  Andre  sent  from  his  garden  at 
Lacroix,  to  M.  Leveque,  at  Ivry,  a  beautiful 
flowering  branch  of  the  above  variety,  at  the  same 
time  asking  the  opinion  of  the  latter  gentleman 
about  it.  il.  Leveque  replied  that  if  the  flowers 
were  the  result  of  a  bud  that  had  remained  dormant 


THE    GAEDEN. 


rjANUARY    5,    1901. 


during  the  spring,  and  developed  in  the  autumn, 
the  matter  would  be  of  no  value  ;  but  if  it  was  a 
case  of  an  autumnal  -  flowering  shoot  having 
developed  upon  another  normal  flowering  one,  then 
great  interest  attached  to  it.  The  autumn- 
flowering  branch  above  referred  to  certainly  comes 
under  the  second  heading.  Two  cuttings  were 
taken  from  the  shoot,  of  which  one  became  well 
established,  but  unfortunately  was  destroyed  in 
the  spring  of  1900  by  a  clumsy  workman.  M.  Andre 
in  his  turn  has  now  received  from  M.  Micheli,  on 
December  2.3,  1900,  four  bunches  of  Crimson 
Rambler  Rose,  gathered  from  the  open,  in  his 
garden  at  Crest,  near  Geneva,  together  with  the 
following  note:  "I  send  to  you,  as  a  curiosity, 
flowering  branches  of  Turner's  Crimson  Rambler 
Rose.  A  large  plant  growing  over  an  arbour  has 
freely  thrown  up  again.  It  bears  from  twenty  to 
thirty  bunches,  which,  thanks  to  the  mildness  of 
the  season,  are  trying  hard  to  flower."  We  have 
heard  of  other  similar  eases,  which  go  to  confirm 
the  opinion  that  it  will  not  be  very  long  before  the 
Rose  Crimson  Rambler  can  rank  as  a  free-flowering 
autumn  variety. — Berne  Horticoh^. 

Chpistriias    Day,   1900. —  A  curious 

Christmas,  truly  !  Thermometer  at  10  a.m.  at  .54°, 
and  like  a  balmy  spring  morning;  in  my  coat  at 
church  a  bunch  of  white,  lemon,  and  orange 
Polyanthus  Primroses,  while  the  first  blossoms  of 


Linum,  to  which  the  species  were  formerly  referred. 
The  best  known  ai-e  R.  trigyna  and  R.  tetragyna, 
the  former  with  small,  smooth,  rather  dark  green 
leaves,  and  bunches  of  blossoms  about  the  size  of 
half-a-crown,  and  of  a  soft  orange-buff  tinting  not 
quite  like  that  of  any  other  flower  I  can  at  the 
moment  recall.  R.  tetrag3'na  has  larger  leaves 
and  primrose-yellow  flowers.  Both  are  extremely 
pretty,  and  flowering  at  this  dull  season  are 
exceedingly  attractive.  Personally  I  prefer  tetra- 
gyna, but  most  of  my  friends  ask  for  trigj'na. 
They  are  natives  of  India,  and  are  easily  propa- 
gated by  cuttings  taken  in  early  spring  (March 
and  April),  and  flower  when  quite  small.  The 
individual  blossoms,  like  most  of  the  flax  tribe  to 
which  the}'  belong,  are  short  lived,  but  they  are  so 
numerous  that  the  plants  continue  in  beauty  for 
several  weeks.  They  like  a  little  more  warmth 
than  an  ordinary  greenhouse  at  this  time  of  year 
say  a  minimum  of  4.5'^  to  .50°  at  night.  There 
is  an  admirable  coloured  plate  of  R.  tetragyna  in 
The  Garden',  vol.  xxxii.,  page  200,  Septembers, 
1887. — Greenwood  Pim. 

Christmas  flowers  in  Kent.— Aconite, 

Winter,  not  fully  expanded  ;  Aubrietia  (?  sp. )  ; 
Borage,  common;  Campanula  muralis;  Cheiranthus 
Marshalli  (?  sp. )  ;  Chrj-santheniums  ;  Colchicum 
Parkinsoni ;  Cornflower,  blue  ;  Crinum  Moorei,  a 
weak  spike,  not  fully  expanded ;  Daphne  blagayana ; 


FRUIT   OF   PAS.SIFEORA    QUADRANRITLARIS    (REDUCED    ONF.-HAEF).       (See  ]M!;e  B.j 


Crocus  Imperati  are  unfolding  in  a  little  glass. 
These  will  be  followed  in  a  day  or  two  by  many 
more.  C.  Sieberi,  too,  is  showing.  Iris  slylosa  is 
sending  up  numerous  flowers,  which  are  cut  while 
tightly  rolled  up  like  cigarettes.  Lenten  Roses 
(Hellebores)  are  opening  fast.  H.  C.  Benary  and 
H.  D.  Moore  have  already  given  us  several  blossoms, 
while  Tea  Roses,  especially  Vicomtesse  de  Cazes, 
have  never  ceased  blooming  since  May.  On  Sunday 
morning  there  was  a  sharp  frost,  producing  nearly 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  ice  on  my  Lily  tank,  but  a 
thaw  set  in  early,  and  its  effects  on  vegetation 
seem  practically  nil,  as  an  old  Heliotrope  under 
a  sheltered  window  is  scarcely  touched.  White 
Passiflora  cajrulea  and  Solanum  jasminoides  have 
only  just  finished  blooming.  Bulbs  of  various 
kinds,  Daffodils,  Snowdrops,  Snowflakes,  ordinary 
Crocuses,  and  many  n)ore  are  pushing  their  noses 
through  the  damp  soil,  hinting  that  spring  is 
approaching,  though  of  late  years  it  is  in  spring 
and  not  winter  that  we  get  tlie  frost  and  snow. — 
G.  P.,  Moiilcs/oion,  CoiiiUy  Diihtiii: 

Reinwardtias.  —  Anyone  possessing  a 
warm  greenhouse  should  make  a  note  of  these 
charming  shrubs,  flowering  as  they  do  with  great 
freedom  in  midwinter,  and  giving  a  note  of  yellow, 
a  scarce  colour  at  tliis  time  of  year  when  the 
Chrys-inthemums  are  over.  Reiiiwardtia  is  a 
small  genus  separated  for  botanical  reasons   from 


Erica  carnea  alba  ;  Furze,  common  ;  Daisy,  common 
garden  white,  double  ;  Helleborus,  red  (?  .sp. )  ; 
lonopsidium  acaule;  IrisHistrio;  Jasmine,  Winter; 
Laurustinus ;  Leucojum  a'stivum  (?  var.  Hernandezi) ; 
Litliospermum  prostratum  ;  Nemesia  strumosa ; 
Niootiana  affinis ;  Pansy,  blue ;  Polyanthus,  yellow ; 
Potentilla,  white  (?  sp.);  Pink,  Diamond;  Prim- 
roses, common,  and  varieties  ;  Pyrethrum  Golden 
Feather ;  Pyrus  japonica  Knap  Hill  Scarlet ;  Roses 
(a  few  Teas)  ;  Schizostj'lis  eoccinea ;  Stock,  double 
white  ;  Valerian,  common  red  ;  Violets  ;  Chryso- 
gonum  virginianum  ;  Reseda  odorata  ;  Reseda  alba. 
— S.  G.  R. ,  The  Mm.i,  Ya/dimj,  Ketil. 

Fertilisation  of  Jasmine  flowers. 

— It  is  remarkalole  that  the  most  simple  things 
are  those  one  knows  the  least  about.  Everyone 
has  seen  the  flowers  of  the  Jasmine,  but  no  one 
knows  exactly  how  their  fertilisation  is  effected. 
Recent  researches,  however,  have  helped  to  throw 
more  light  on  this  interesting  subject.  Upon 
examining  a  flower  of  Jasminum  one  at  once  notices 
that  the  corolla  tube  is  narrow,  and  that  the  anthers 
are  disposed  in  such  a  way  as  to  almost  completely 
close  the  entrance,  leaving  a  passage  between 
themselves  so  small  as  to  be  hardly  apparent. 
The  flowers  also  ar-e  horizontal,  ami  the  pollen 
cannot  fall  upon  the  stigma ;  direct  fertilisation 
is  therefore  not  po.ssible.  It  is  here  that  the  inter- 
vention of  in.sects  becomes  necessary — liut  to  which 


must  we  turn  ?  Many  dipteras  ^nsit  the  flowers  of 
the  Jasmine,  but  their  probosces  are  short,  and 
they  are  not  able  to  gather  the  nectar.  It  is  the 
same  with  bees.  One,  Bombus  hortorum,  in 
certain  cases  and  by  reason  of  the  length  of  its 
proboscis  can  obtain  a  little  of  the  nectar  that  is 
sicreted  at  the  base  of  the  corolla  tube,  but  here 
there  is  another  hindrance.  This  bee,  for  some 
reason  or  other,  is  not  fond  of  Jasmine  flowers, 
and  it  is  only  occasionally  that  it  deigns  to  be 
attracted  by  them.  The  majority  of  the  butterflies 
are  hardly  more  useful  ;  a  beautiful  little  sphinx, 
however,  bearing  the  name  of  Macroglossa  stel- 
latarum  appears  to  accomplish  the  task  con- 
scientiously. From  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  one  sees  it  in 
groups  upon  the  flowers  of  .Tasmine.  So  agile  is  it 
that  it  is  capable  of  visiting  fifty  flowers  a  minute, 
and  rarely  goes  to  the  same  one  twice.  The  pro- 
boscis, 28  millimetres  long,  permits  of  its  reaching 
the  nectar,  but  it  can  only  obtain  this  latter  by 
passing  its  proboscis  through  the  narrow  passage 
between  the  anthers.  Pollen  then  naturally  adheres 
to  it,  and  this  the  obliging  butterfly  will  uncon- 
sciously depose  upon  the  stigma  of  the  same  or 
another  flower. — Le  Janfii'w 

Hidalgoa   Wercklei.— The  so-called 

climbing  Dahlia  is  going  to  be  a  very  useful  outdoor 
rambler.  I  had  a  plant  over  from  America  in 
May,  and  it  has  done  wonderfully  well.  It  covers 
a  large  space  in  a  very  few  M'eeks,  and  the  growth 
is  most  graceful.  It  does  not  seem  a  very  free 
bloomer,  but  perhaps  it  needs  richer  soil  than  I 
give  it  ;  still  as  it  was  it  did  well,  and  a  finer 
scarlet  one  cannot  want.  The  blooms  last  a  good 
fourteen  days,  so  it  is  a  profitable  plant.  Do  you 
know  of  anyone  else  who  has  tried  it  out  of  doors  ? 
I  do  not,  and  should  be  glad  to  hear  of  anyone's 
experiences.  Both  mj'  plants  stand  frost  well. 
We  had  several  in  October,  and  thej'  did  not  do 
any  harm  to  the  Hidalgoa  imtil  they  were  severe 
enough  to  hurt  the  Dahlias. — B.  1).  ^V. 

Botanic   g^ardens    of    New    South 

'Wales.— We  have  received  the  report  for  the 
year  1899  on  the  botanic  gardens  and  Government 
domains  of  New  South  Wales.  In  the  botanic 
gardens,  Sydney,  important  alterations  have  been 
made  in  connection  with  the  plant  houses,  the 
large  palm  house  has  been  practically  re-roofed,  a 
low-roofed  Orchid  house  erected,  and  another  hot- 
house is  in  course  of  construction,  as  well  as  other 
minor  buildings.  The  following  note  on  the 
National  Herbarium  is  interesting  : — "  It  is  obvious 
that  the  year  1899  will  be  a  red-letter  year  in  regard 
to  the  National  Herbarium  of  the  Colony,  and,  I 
trust,  in  regard  to  the  development  of  botanical 
education  in  New  South  Wales.  The  herbarium 
has  now  a  '  habitation  and  a  home,'  and  my  requests 
for  specimens  have  been  A'ery  kindly  received  by 
official  and  non-ottieial  botanists  in  many  parts  of 
the  world.  In  a  very  few  years  I  hope  to  receive 
large  acquisitions  as  the  result  of  my  appeal  made 
under  special  circumstances.  As  regai'ds  exchanges, 
I  offer  as  liberal  a  return  in  Australian  plants  as 
possible,  and  it  will  always  be  mj'  endeavour  to 
make  every  return  in  my  power  to  those  botanists 
who  have  dealt  liberally  with  this  establishment. 
A  botanic  garden  cannot  properly  perform  its 
functions  without  the  support  of  a  rich  herbarium, 
for  a  herbarium  is,  after  all,  onlj'  a  garden  of  dried 
plants.  And  whereas  the  richest  garden  only 
contains  but  a  few  thousand  species  growing  at 
any  one  time,  a  herbarium  may  contain  tens  or 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  species,  all  subserving 
the  grand  object  of  giving  information  and 
developing  the  resources  of  the  Colony."  A  list  of 
the  principal  journeys  made  for  botanical  purposes 
is  given,  which  includes  visits  to  Mount  Kosciusco, 
Blue  Mountains,  .Tervis  Bay,  King's  Table  Land, 
&c.  Lists  are  also  given  of  the  publications  issued 
from  the  botanic  gardens  (comprising  amongst 
others  "Observations  on  the  Eucalypts  of  New 
South  Wales"),  and  of  the  seeds  received  from 
and  despatched  to  other  botanic  gardens.  Wt 
notice  that  six  packets  of  miscellaneous  seed.'' 
were  received  from  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kcw,  an<i 
seeds  of  twenty  .<i|iccios  of  New  South  Wale: 
Eucalypti,  and  S.'i.'l  packets  of  New  South  Wales' 
and  other  seeds  were  sent  there,  , 


JA^fuAR¥  5.  190L] 


THE    GARDEN. 


5 


Fpuit  in  British  Columbia.— We  had 

an  abundant  crop  of  fruit  here  this  year.  Pears 
rotted  by  the  ton,  there  being  no  demand  for  them. 
— G.  A.  Knight,  Mount  Tolviie  Nursery,  Victoria, 
B.C. 

PhOPmium  tenax.— I  can  confirm  Mr. 
Ewbank's  acconnt  of  the  variegated  Phorniium 
(page  428).  I  have  had  it  here  for  at  least  twenty- 
five  years  out  of  doors  and  unprotected,  and  never 
knew    it   seriously   injured. — H.    N.    Ellaoombe, 

BittOH. 

The    Glastonbury    Thorn.-  Mr. 

Burbidge  writes  from  Dublin  on  December  17 : 
"  The  Glastonbury  Hawthorn  is  now  sweet  and 
beautiful  in  bloom  here,  earlier  than  usual  by  two 
or  three  weeks  this  j'ear.  Twelfth-da}'  is  its  right 
time — old  Christmas-day." 

Mr.  J.  H.  Kreiage,  on  his  retirement 
from  the  presidency  of  the  General  Bulb  Cultural 
Society  of  Haarlem,  which  office  he  has  uninter- 
ruptedly held  for  forty  years,  was  presented  by  the 
members  with  a  magnificent  life-.^ize  portrait, 
painted  by  the  renowned  Dutch  artist  Haverman. 
The  society  when  started  in  1860  consisted  of 
nearly  200  members,  but  now  numbers  about 
2,000,  all  interested  in  bulb  culture,  and  twenty- 
eight  local  sections  in  the  bulb  district.  The 
president  elect  is  Mr.  J.  H.  Wentholt. 

Chrysanthemums— two     excellent 

Christmas  sorts. — The  florists'  shops  during 
the  few  days  preceding  the  Christmas  holiday's 
were  bright  with  the  display  made  by  two  excel- 
lent late-flowering  Chrysanthemums.  Unlike  many 
other  sorts  one  now  often  sees,  the  two  varieties 
under  notice  were  very  clean  and  beautifully  fresh. 
Tuxedo  is  a  distinct  sort,  developing  pretty  medium- 
sized  blossoms  of  a  bronzy  orange  shaded  chestnut 
colour.  The  plant  attains  a  height  of  about  5  feet, 
and  may  be  grown  to  produce  quite  a  lot  of  useful 
blossoms.  The  other  variety  is  Mme.  Felix  Perrin, 
which  is  also  known  as  Framfield  Pink.  The  colour, 
as  the  latter  name  denotes,  is  a  rose-pink,  and  a 
very  pleasing  shade  it  is.  In  this  instance,  too, 
the  blooms  are  of  a  useful  size,  a  dozen  lightly 
arranged  in  a  vase  making  a  handsome  display. 
The  plant  is  of  dwarf  habit. — C.  A.  H. 

Glasgow  International  Exhibition 

1901. — In  connection  with  this  great  exhibition, 
which  will  be  opened  this  year  by  their  Royal 
Highnesses  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  a 
flower  show  on  a  big  scale  is  to  be  held  towards 
the  end  of  August,  and  will  be  followed  early  in 
September  by  a  fruit  show,  valuable  prizes  being 
offered  at  both,  so  as  to  ensure  the  support  of  the 
chief  growers.  The  exhibition  authorities  are  to 
communicate  with  foreign  and  colonial  governments 
desirous  of  taking  part  in  special  fruit  shows,  the 
impression  being  that  such  exhibitions  would  be 
appreciated  by  visitors  and  prove  beneficial  to 
exhibitors. 

Amaryllis   auliea.— in  this  species  the 

flowers  are  without  the  regular  shape  common  to 
the  better  class  of  garden  hybrids  which  are  now 
so  generally  grown,  yet  for  all  this  they  are 
decidedly  showy,  and  appear  earlier  than  the  other 
kinds.  It  is  a  free,  bold-growing  plant,  the  flower 
scape  reaches  a  height  of  a  couple  of  feet  or  there- 
abouts. The  flowers  are  of  a  deep  scarlet,  veined 
with  dark  crimson,  but  in  depth  of  colour  and 
other  particulars  there  is  a  certain  amount  of 
individual  variation.  During  the  dull  days  of 
December  its  bright  coloured  flowers  form  an 
attractive  feature  in  the  stove  or  intermediate 
house.  They  remain  fresh,  too.  for  a  longer  period 
than  one  would  expect  them  to  keep.  This 
Amaryllis  was  introduced  from  Rio  de  Janeiro  in 
1819,  so  that  it  cannot  be  regarded  in  any  waj'  as 
a  novelty.  It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  cultivate, 
hence  is  frequently  to  be  met  with  in  gardens 
where  with  very  little  trouble,  except  watering 
(during  the  growing  season,  it  can  be  depended 
''upon  to  flower  year  after  year. — T. 

Physalisedulis  as  a  dessert  fruit. 

— I  noticed  in  the  column  of  garden  notes  in  your 
issue  of  December  1  some  remarks  as  to  the  use 
of  Physalis  edulis  as  a  dessert  fruit.  I  do  not 
know  whether  you  may  be  aware  that  this  is  a 
fruit  largely  grown  at  the  Cape  under  the  name  of 
the  Cape  Gooseberry.     It  is  in  great   request  for 


pies  and  puddings,  but  principally  for  jam-making, 
but  is  never,  I  think,  eaten  in  its  natural  state 
except  by  children  who  help  to  shell  the  fruit  for 
jam -making.  At  any  rate,  it  is  certainly  not 
appreciated  as  a  table  fruit.  The  jam  is  not  onlj' 
a  great  favourite  at  the  Cape — my  native  country — 
but  is  to  be  obtained  in  London,  I  believe,  at  some 
of  the  stores.  I  find  it  generally  liked  by  all  to 
whom  I  have  introduced  it.  Cape  (iooseberry  and 
Quince  are  indeed  our  two  chief  jams.  Hoping 
this  may  be  of  interest  to  you. — A.  M.  East,  in 
Country  Life. 

Primrose  Miss  Massey.— It  may  not 

be  generally  known  that  this  rich,  bright  crimson 
Primrose  originated  in  the  nursery  of  Mr.  H. 
Massey,  Sale,  near  Cheshire,  as  an  accidental 
seminal  sport.  It  can  scarcely  be  termed  a  robust 
grower  in  the  south  ;  perhaps  it  misses  the  cooler 
and  moister  conditions  of  its  home  in  Cheshire. 
I  can  never  induce  it  to  make  the  same  robust 
growth  as  my  seedling  coloured  varieties  do,  and 
with  me — as  I  am  narrating  only  my  experience  of 
the  variety — it  does  not  bloom  nearly  so  freely. 
When  I  can  succeed  in  getting  a  plant  to  grow 
vigorously  it  generally  throws  up  a  scape  having 
three  or  four  blossoms  on  short  pedicles.  Another 
peculiarity  is  that  it  is  practicall}'  sterile  as  far  as 
the  production  of  seeds  is  concerned.  I  did  last 
summer  secure  two  or  three  pods  of  seed,  which 
appears  to  be  unusual,  as  I  am  informed  it  does 
not  produce  them  in  Lancashire  or  Cheshire.  I 
shall  experiment  with  the  seeds  I  have  secured, 
which  are  large  and  plump,  just  to  ascertain  if  it 
will  reproduce  itself  from  seed.  Miss  Massey 
bloomed  in  many  instances  this  autumn,  and  the 
flowers  were  a  very  rich  hue  of  colour.  This 
tendency  to  bloom  in  the  winter  months  suggests 
that  it  would  make  a  valuable  variety  for  cultiva- 
tion in  pots  under  glass,  so  as  to  have  it  in  flower 
at  Christmas  and  through  the  spring  months.  It 
seems  a  waste  of  beauty  and  richness  of  tone  to 
put  forth  its  blossoms  in  the  open,  where  they  are 
liable  to  be  injured  by  storm,  rain,  and  frost.  I 
have  seen  it  grown  in  pots  in  this  maimer,  and 
develop  large  and  brilliant  corollas  on  stout  stems. 
Its  brilliance  of  tint  adapts  it  for  mingling  with 
Sowers  of  softer  colours. — R.  D. 


CONTINENTAL    NOTES. 


The  Northern  French  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
whose  head-quarters  are  at  Lille,  and  which  has 
been  doing  useful  work  in  the  North  of  France 
for  some  few  years,  is  about  to  be  dissolved.  Its 
oflieial  organ,  the  Nord  Horticole,  has  been  dis- 
continued for  several  months,  and  consequently 
French  gardening  literature  loses  a  bright  little 
monthly  periodical  that  we  always  looked  forward 
to  with  no  small  degree  of  interest. 


four  in  all.  At  the  conference  three  days  later  a 
proposal  was  made  to  abolish  second-class  certifi- 
cates altogether. 

Calvat's  Sun  is  unquestionably  the  finest  novelty 
in  new  Chrysanthemums  tliat  appeared  last  year. 
It  is  an  immense  .Japanese  ijicurved  of  a  deep 
rich  golden  yellow,  of  immense  size,  and  equal 
from  an  exhibition  standpoint  to  anything  the 
eminent  raiser  has  ever  yet  produced.  It  will 
probably  be  distributed  in  the  spring. 

Those  English  friends  and  acquaintances  of  llje 
late  M.  Ed.  Pynaert,  the  illustrious  Belgian  horti- 
culturist, who  have  shared  his  hospitality  when 
visiting  Ghent,  as  the  writer  has  done,  may  like  to 
know  that  a  life-like  photogravure  of'  him  is 
included  in  the  current  number  (December)  of  the 
Reriie  de  I' Horticntture  Belye  et  Etranyere. 

Le  Jardiii,  of  Palis,  in  its  last  issue  contains 
four  photographic  views  of  the  International  Chry- 
santhemum Show  held  there  last  month.  One  of 
these  is  an  extensive  view  of  the  exhibits  in  the 
French  section  ;  another  is  a  collective  group  of 
Mr.  Ernest  Calvat's  new  seedlings,  one  of  the  finest 
of  its  kind  ever  set  up  ;  the  third  is  the  very 
extensive  group  staged  in  the  name  of  the  Engli.sh 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society,  and  the  fourth 
is  Mr.  W.  Wells'  exhibit  of  cut  blooms,  six  of  which 
were  awarded  first-class  certificates.  H.  P. 


Contrary  to  the  practice  here  in  England,  all  the 
foreign  Chrysanthemum  societies  publish  an  official 
publication.  The  Paris  Chrysanthemum 
committee  has  its  journal  that  appears  at 
irregular  intervals.  The  French  National 
Chrysanthemum  Society  issues  Le  Chry- 
tantheme.  The  Italian  National  Chrysan- 
themum Society  publishes  its  quarterly 
journal,  entitled  II  Crisanfemo,  and  the 
more  recently  Swiss  National  Chrysan- 
themum Society  has  just  started  issuing 
theirs,  which  bears  the  title  Le  Soleil 
d' Aulomne.  English  societies  might  do 
worse  than  follow  the  example. 

The  next  conference  and  exhibition  of 
the  French  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society  has  been  decided  to  be  held  in 
the  City  of  Bordeaux,  in  November,  1901. 

The  floral  committee  at  the  recent 
Paris  Chrysanthemum  Show  awarded,  on 
October  31  last,  nine  first-class  certifi- 
cates with  felicitations  ;  thirty  -  seven 
first-class  certificates,  and  twenty-eight 
second-class  certificates,  a  total  of  seventy- 


TROPICAL     FRUITS. 

THE      CUSTARD     APPLE. 

THE  Cu.stard  Apple  is  one  of  those 
delicious  tropical  fruits  which,  like 
the  Mango,  Mangosteen,  Durian, 
&c.,  are  known  to  stay-at-home 
folk  only  by  repute,  imported 
samples  being  of  inferior  quality, 
whilst  attempts  to  grow  them  in  this  country 
have  had  only  poor  results.  In  India, 
where  the  Custard  Apple  has  long  been 
naturalised,  and  where  it  is  said  to  be 
"completely  domesticated  in  gardens,"  the 
fruits  are  eaten  with  relish,  and  they  are  so 
abundant  that  "in  times  of  famine  they  have 
literally  proved  the  staff  of  life  to  the  natives 
of  some  parts."  It  forms  a  shrub  or  small 
tree,  not  unlike  a  Peach  tree,  with  smooth, 
leathery,  oblong  leaves,  small  whitish  green 
Magnolia-like  flowers,  and  ovate  fruits  the 
size  of  a  large  Peach.  These  fruits  are  distin- 
guished by  their  tubercled  or  .scale-like 
exterior,  whilst  the  pulp  is  yellowish,  and 
when  ripe  of  the  consistency  and  appearance 
of  ordinary  custard,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to 
raise  a  ripe  fruit  without  its  collapsing.     In 


CUSTARD    APPLE    (KEDtJCEDJ. 


THE    GARDEN. 


[JANUAUV    A,    1901. 


India  they  are  ripe  about  tbe  middle  of  May. 
It  will  be  seen  that  imported  fruits  must 
necessarily  be  gathered  long  before  they  are 
ripe  ;  indeed,  this  is  necessary  in  India,  where 
we  are  told  "  the  fruits  as  brought  to  market 
are  generally  forced  in  straw,  being  gathered 
before  they  are  ripe,  otherwise  they  would 
require  netting  to  protect  them  from  birds, 
squirrels,  &c.  They  grow  in  the  highest 
perfection  in  rocky,  barren,  hot  parts  of  India, 
■where  they  are  propagated  from  seeds  and  are 
of  very  rapid  growth,  coming  into  bearing  in 
two  or  three  years'  time."  Surely  such  a  fruit 
is  worthy  the  attention  of  wealthy  horticul- 
turists in  this  country. 

Indian  tradition  says  that  the  god  Ram  and 
his  wife  Sita  decided  to  each  create  a  fruit 
that  should  excel  all  others.  Ram  produced 
the  Ramphal  (phal  =  fruit),  which  is  known  to 


after  they  are  ripe  if  the  weather  is  favourable. 
They  are  not  palatable  until  "  blotted,"  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Medlar,  when,  however,  they 
are  delicious  to  my  taste,  although  to  others 
they  are  not. 

In  the  warmer  parts  of  these  islands  the 
Persimmon  could  be  grown  on  walls  outside  if 
treated  the  same  as  the  Peach,  whilst  in  orchard 
houses  their  culture  would  be  quite  easy.  At 
Kew  they  fruit  every  year  in  a  sunny  green- 
house, where  they  are  planted  in  rather  gravelly 
soil,  pruned  on  the  short-spur  method,  and 
manurecl  when  growing.  To .  ensure  their 
setting,  a  rabbit's  tail  is  drawn  over  the  flowers 
when  they  are  in  the  right  condition,  which  is 
usually  in  June.  The  ripe  fruits  were  gathered 
this  year  in  November.  The  fruits  are  grown 
on  the  Riviera,  and  are  said  to  realise  as  much 
as  a  franc  each  when  in  good  condition.    Plants 


botanists   as  C.   reticulata'  or  Bullock's-heart,  ;  of  many  varieties  are  to  be  had  from  Italian  or 

French  nurserymen.     The  following  interesting 

account  of  this  tree  is  from  Firminger's 
"  Manual  of  Gardening  for  India,"  an  excellent 
work  to  consult  on  many  kinds  of  tropical  and 
sub-tropical  fruits  : — 

"A  large  tree,  native  of  China,  with  large 
handsome  foliage  ;  suited  only  for  gardens  of 
large  extent  ;  thrives  well,  and  bears  abun- 
dantly in  the  neighbourhood  of  Calcutta.  The 
fruit  ripens  during  the  month  of  August,  and 
is  about  the  size  of  a  large  Apple,  with  t^yin 
Almond-like  stones.  The  rind  is  of  a  rich 
ruddy  crimson  colour,  in  texture  somewhat 
resembling  but  rather  rougher  than  that  of  a 
Peach.  It  has  rather  a  disagreeable  odour  (I). 
In  flavour  it  is  suggestive  of  an  over-ripe  or 
very  mellow  Apple,  with  a  little  of  the  taste  of 
the  Melon.  Though  not  unpalatable,  it  is  a 
fruit  which  few,  perhaps,  would  care  to  partake 
much  of.  A  fine  preserve  is  said  to  be  made 
from  it  by  the  Clninese,  for  which,  indeed,  it 
seems  well  adapted." 

According  to  Dr.  Henry,  the  fruit  of  the 
Persimmon  has  another  use  in  China  ;  it  is  cut 
into  halves  and  put  into  water,  and  the  oil 
thus  obtained  is  used  for  waterproofing^  the 
common  Chinese  umbrellas  and  hats ;  it  is 
known  as  the  "  Yu-shih-tzu." 

Even  if  the  fruits  are  not  considered  delec- 
table to  the  palate  they  cannot  fail  to  please 
the  eye,  and  certainly  there  are  many  less 
ornamental  plants  admitted  into  the  conserva- 
tories of  this  country  than  the  Persimmon. 


and  which  in  India  is  not  considered  palatable 
by  Europeans,  although  it  is  eaten  by  the 
natives.  Sita  did  better,  her  production 
being  the  Sitaphal,  the  Custard  Apple,  or 
A.  squamosa. 

The  two  species  named,  and  two  others,  A. 
Cherimolia  (the  Cherimoya)  and  A.  muricata 
(the  Sour-sop),  are  all  natives  of  South  America 
and  the  West  Indies,  but  they  have  long  been 
naturalised  in  other  tropical  regions.  The 
Cherimoya  has  ovate  fruits,  which  are  much 
esteemed  by  Creoles  and  some  Europeans. 
Fruits  of  this  were  produced  at  Kew  a  year  or 
two  ago,  and  they  were,  to  my  taste,  delicious. 
The  Sour-sop  has  large  green  prickly  fruit  of 
medicinal  value  only. 

It  is  remarkable  that  whilst  in  India  the 
plant  called  Custard  Apple,  and  eaten  with 
relish  by  Europeans,  is  A.  squamosa,  and  A. 
reticulata,  or  Bullock's-heart,  is  not  cared  for 
except  by  natives  ;  whereas  in  the  West  Indies 
A.  reticulata  is  called  Custard  Apple  and  A. 
squamosa  the  Sweet-sop. 

THE    PERSIMMON. 

(DiOfSPYEOS  Kaki.) 

The  Persimmon  is  to  the  .lapanese  and  Chinese 

what  the  Apple  is  to  us.    It  has  been  cultivated 

by  them   for  its  fruits  for  many  generations, 

and   there   are   hundreds   of   named   varieties 

recognised  by  the  fruit  growers  there.     About 

twenty  years  ago  a  selection  of  varieties  was 

introduced  into  the  orchards  of  California  and 

planted  extensively  in  the  belief  that  the  fruits 

woulcl  find  a  ready  market.     But  the  American 

public  would  not  buy  Per.simmons.  In  England 

it  has  been  grown  and  fruited  in  a  few  gardens, 

chiefly  as  a  curiosity  ;  but  where  it  has  suc- 
ceeded it  has  been  greatly  admired,  as  much 

for  the  rich  colours  assumed  by  its  foliage  in 

the  autumn  as  for  the  beautiful  rich  scarlet 

colour   of    its    Peach-like    fruits,    which   are  ,  ...     -v        ■     .  . 

ripened  in  late  autumn   and  hang  for  weeks    which  some  jieople  consider  delicious,  whilst 

others  call  them  unpalatable.  The 
largest  fruited  is  P.  macrocarpa, 
which  I  have  seen  at  Kew  with 
fruits  the  size  of  an  ordinary 
Melon.  The  fruits  of  the  other 
two  are  smaller,  about  the  size  of 
a  swan's  egg.  P.  quadra,ngularis 
is  a  robust  climber,  which  in  a 
stove  will  cover  a  large  area  in  a 
year,  flowering  freely,  the  flowers 
flesh-coloured  with  a  corona  coni- 
po.sed  of  long,  contorted  filaments 
of  a  blue-purple  colour,  and  sug- 
gestive of  a  Sea  Anemone.  It 
fruits  freely,  the  fruits  ripening 
rayiidly  ;  when  rijie  they  are 
yellow-green,  with  a  thick  rind 
PEESiMMO.v.     (Alma  one-third  natural  size  of  fruit  photographed.)        enclosing  a  mass  of  the  most  deli- 


THE   GRANADTLLA. 

(Passifloea  quadeangulaeis.) 
Theee  are  three  .species  of  Passiflorain  gardens 
which  are  so  much  alike  that  either  one  of 
them  is  apt  to  be  called  P.  quadrangularis  or 
P.  alata  or  P.  macrocarpa,  the  Granadilla. 
They  have  angular,  winged  stems,  large  entire 
ovate  leaves,  and  large  egg-shaped  edible  fruits. 


ciously  flavoured  jelly-like  pulp  and  numerous 
small  seeds.  It  may  be  made  into  a  con.serve  of  a 
particularly  plea.sing  (|ualit\'.  Several  crops  of 
fruits  may  be  had  in  one  year.  The  plant  is 
a  native  of  tropical  America,  but  is  now 
cultivated  in  many  tropical  couiitrie.s. 

There  are  two  other  species  of  Passion  Flo\yer 
with  edible  fruits,  namely,  P.  eduli.s,  sometimes 
also  called  the  Granadilla,  which  has  tri-lobed 
leaves  and  smooth  purple  fruits  the  size  of  a 
bantam's  egg,  and  P.  maliformi.s,  the  Golden 
Apple,  which  has  ovate  entire  leaves  and  fruits 
the  .size  of  a  small  Apple.  This  last  is  said  to 
be  much  appreciated  in  .lamaica  :  but  although 
I  have  long  known  it  at  Kew,  where  it  flowers 
annually,  I  have  never  seen  fruits  of  it. 

W.  W. 

[Next  week  we  .shall  have  a  general  article 
ujion  tro]iical  fruits,  "  By  One  who  has  Grown 
Them."— Eds.] 


,:''t^<".'-^i%/i<3S''-' 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

ZONAL     PELARGONIUMS 
AT     BICKLEY. 

No  grower  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums  for 
winter  flowering  has  made  frequenters 
of  the  Drill  Hall  and  other  winter 
shows  or  meetings  so  familiar  with 
the  wondrous  beauty  and  superb,  as 
well  as  varied,  colourings  found  in 
these  flowers  as  has  Mr.  H.  Cannell,  the  veteran 
and  enthusiastic  florist  of  Swanle}'.  A  look  in  at 
the  Swanley  Nnrserj'  during  midwinter,  and  a 
sight  of  the  long  houses  devoted  to  single  and 
double-flowered  varieties,  brings  with  it  a  revela- 
tion of  floral  beauty  that  cannot  be  fitly  described, 
but  needs  to  be  seen.  Not  necessarily  with  less 
skill,  but  with  a  smaller  number  of  plants,  some 
others  do  also  in  the  same  direction,  and  amongst 
gardeners  tew  can  excel  Mrs.  T.  B.  Haj'wood's  able 
grower  at  Woodhatch,  Reigate  (Mr.  C.  J.  Salter), 
who  every  winter  has  a  large  span  house  filled  with 
some  150  plants  in  6-inch  pots,  inclusive  of  the  best 
varieties,  not  less  than  thirty-six  in  number,  and 
includes  in  the  flowers  varied  shades  of  the  most 
exquisite  hues.  Amongst  amateur  growers  of  these 
flowers,  Mr.  H.  M.  Pollett,  of  Fernside,  Bickley, 
I^ent,  takes  a  high  place,  as  he  grows  some  150 
plants  also  yearly,  and  thus  enjoj's  during  the 
winter,  in  a  moderately  warm  span  greenhouse,  a 
mass  of  brilliantly-coloured  flowers,  that  are  so 
warm  in  hue  that  they  seem  to  create  heat  of 
themselves,  so  refreshing  are  thej^  to  look  upon 
when  outside  all  is  bare,  cold,  cheerless,  and 
flowerless.  .Judging  by  the  great  variety  found 
in  the  respective  collections  referred  to,  it  would 
seem  as  if  there  were  none  that  were  not  suitable 
for  winter  blooming,  whether  single  or  double. 
No  doubt  in  winter  the  singles  uuxke  the  greatest 
show,  as  their  fine  bold  petals  give  oft'  colour 
reflection  nnich  more  eff'ectivelj'  than  do  the 
doubles  ;  but  those  latter,  all  the  same,  are 
excellent,  and  tor  cutting  purposes  certainly  ara 
most  satisfactory.  It  cannot  be  too  widely  known 
by  all  growers  of  these  flowers  of  single  form  that 
a  tin}'  drop  of  adhesial  gum  dropped  into  the  eye 
of  each  flower  soon  dries,  and  thus  holds  the  petals 
secure  for  some  time  after  cutting.  Really  we  have 
no  winter-blooming  plants  suitable  for  an  ordinary 
warm  greenhovise  that  give  rich,  or  even  i)ure, 
refined  colouring  so  ett'ectively  as  do  Zonal  Pelar- 
goniums. Amongst  varieties  that  were  in  free 
bloom  at  Bickley  when  recently  seen  were  :  Whites, 
Guinevere,  Mary  Beaton,  Sir  I'erccvale,  and 
Snowstorm.  A  lively  blush  was  Dorothy  Burrows. 
Conspicuous  flowers,  having  pale  margins  and  deeper 
coloured  centres,  were  Mrs.  Simjison,  Mrs.  (iordon 
Ijiudsay,  Beautj'  of  Kent,  an<l  Mrs.  Norman. 
Salmon  and  cerise,  lovely  hues  in  these  flowers, 
were  evidenced  by  Phyllis,  Clarence,  Mr.  Uorr}',  and 
(ieorgo  Reed,  the  latter  having  in  it  a  shade  of 
orange.  Pinks  were  fiertrude,  Mrs.  Brown  Potter, 
Lilacina  Inqiroved,  and  Heliotrope.   Other  beautiful 


January  5,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


FLOWER  SPEAY   OF   PASSIFLOKA   QUADRAjNCDT.AElS 


colours  were  found  in  Olivia,  violet  shaded  cerise  ; 
Senebia,  clear  rose  ;  Coleridge,  red-flaked  white  ; 
Lord  Kitchener,  orange-scarlet  ;  Herrick,  bright 
scarlet;  Charles  Mason,  rich  ditto  ;  John  Milton, 
Mrs.  Cordon,  and  other  scarlets  of  deeper  shades. 
Lilian  Duflf,  Souvenir  de  W.  J.  Miller,  Trilby, 
and  Volcandic  were  brilliant  crimsons.  Mr. 
Tredway,  Iris,  Dr.  E.  Rawson,  and  Mrs.  H.  .T. 
Jones  were  of  rich  purple  or  violet  shades.  Here 
are  named  some  thirty  varieties,  and  it  would  be 
easy  to  find  even  fifty  others  all  as  good  or  nearly 
so,  and  all  as  amenable  to  culture  for  winter 
blooming.  Their  culture  is,  after  all,  simple.  Stout 
young  tips  are  taken  from  oft'  these  flowering 
plants  in  February,  rooted  in  .5-inch  pots  in  sandy 
soil,  and  placed  in  a  little  bottom  heat.  When 
rooted  well  they  are  turned  out  of  the  pots,  each 
plant  being  then  shifted  into  a  small  one  singly, 
the  compost  being  light,  one  half  loam,  the  rest 
leaf  soil  and  sand.  Stood  on  a  shelf  near  the  glass 
growth  soon  ensues,  and  in  a  few  weeks  the  plants 
can  go  into  3-inch  pots,  and  again  shortly  from 
these  into  6-inch  pots,  in  which  they  will  bloom. 
For  this  final  potting  the  compost  should  be  of 
two-thirds  turfy  loam,  the  rest  being  old  hotbed 
manure,  well-decayed  leaf  soil,  a  little  bone-dust, 
and  some  sharp  sand.  In  this  potting  also  the 
soil  should  be  made  quite  firm.  A  week  later,  or 
about  the  second  week  in  June,  the  plants  should 
be  stood  out  of  doors  in  the  sunshine,  and  will  be 
best  on  a  bed  of  ashes,  the  pots  being  partially 
buried  in  it.  Water  must  be  given  as  needed,  and 
the  points  of  the  shoots  occasionally  pinched  out, 
as  also  all  flowering  buds.  In  August  a  little  weak 
liquid  manure  may  be  given  once  or  twice  a  week, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  month  pinching  must  cease. 
The   ilants  should  be  got  into  a  light,  clean,  airy. 


yet  warm  greenhouse,  to 
bloom  at  the  end  of 
September.     A.  Dean. 

MAKING   HEATH 
TURF. 

To  preserve  the  Heather 
around  our  houses,  where 
Nature  has  entrusted  us 
with  it,  seems  to  be  a 
matter  of  importance. 
To  do  this  we  are  con- 
fronted by  no  insur- 
mountable difficulty. 
Where  we  desire  to  pro- 
mote its  natural  growth 
we  have  only  to  reap  it, 
as  it  were,  with  a  hook, 
and  this  every  third  year, 
any  time  between  the 
Ijeginning  of  November 
and  the  end  of  February, 
at  once  removing  from 
the  ground  all  the 
i-'uttings. 

But  where  we  desire  to 
have  a  thick  carpet  of 
the  lovely  blossoms  over 
which  one  can  stroll  at 
leisure,  while  we  uncon- 
sciously delight  in  both 
colour  and  perfume,  we 
must  treat  the  plant 
differently.  In  this  case, 
we  must,  of  course,  herjin 
to  cultivate  it  by  cutting 
it  close  to  the  ground, 
and  not  only  carrying 
ajway  the  severed 
branches,  but  uprooting 
all  the  Gorse,  dying 
(irass,  and  Bracken 
which  may  be  about  its 
roots  ;  in  fact,  we  must 
thoroughly  clean  the  plot 
in  question. 

After  this  we  have  only 
to  have  it  cut  with  either 
scythe  or  reaping  hook, 
both  late  in  November 
and  early  in  March, 
allowing  every  severed  sprig  to  lie  for  all  time 
where  it  has  fallen.  No  sweeping  to  be  allowed, 
but  the  free  use  of  the  roller  should  follow  every 
downpour  until  March. 

To  eradicate  the  Bracken,  a  sharp  long-handled 
spud  should  be  applied  (delightful  outdoor  work 
for  ladies)  to  the  young  shoots  every  spring  time 
for  three  seasons,  after  which  it  will  be  a  thing  of 
the  past.  To  get  the  flowering  Grasses  out  (short 
green  Grass  does  not  matter)  we  must  industriously 
pull  up  their  roots  after  rain,  before  the  reaping, 
and  before  the  roller  is  used.  M.  M.  B. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

FLOWER 


THE 

Work  in   the 


GARDEN. 

Pleasure 


B' 


Flower  Garden  and 
Grounds. 
EYOND  the  necessary  clearing  up,  work 
will  now  be  governed  by  the  weather, 
and  the  careful  gardener  will  suspend 
all  planting  operations  and  prospective 
alterations  of  any  kind  for  fear  of 
being  brought  to  a  standstill  by  sharp 
frosts.  Should,  however,  the  present  mild  weather 
continue  there  will  be  found  many  little  odds  and 
ends  of  work  that  may  be  done  now,  the  doing  of 
which  will  ease  matters  later  on  when  winter 
breaks  and  the  press  of  work  becomes  great.  If 
turf  has  to  be  lifted  and  relaid,  no  more  should  be 
done  at  once  than  can  be  dealt  with  in  a  day,  as 
sudden  change  of  weather  is  only  to  be  expected, 
and  rolled  turf  kept  in  that  state  for  weeks  on  end 
is  not  easily  relaid  and  becomes  much  discoloured. 


New  laid  turf  to  form  edges  to  beds  or  walks 
should  always  be  allowed  to  overlap  a  couple  of 
inches  or  more,  and  this  overlap  should  not  be  cut 
away  until  the  turf  has  settled  well  into  position  ; 
indeed,  the  longer  the  "edging  up"  is  defe'-red 
the  more  satisfactory  will  be  the  result. 

Mulching  Hardy  Plants. 
Any  hardy  plants  that  may  in  the  course  of 
alterations  have  to  be  moved  and  replanted  should 
have  a  heavy  nmlching  after  planting,  so  that  the 
ground  may  not  be  frozen  hard  around  them  ;  but 
it  is  well  to  defer  all  planting  yet  remaining  to  l>e 
done  until  spring,  for  new  roots  will  not  form  now, 
and  inactivity  leads  to  decay. 

Protection. 

Many  plants  not  quite  hardy  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  term  may  be  rendered  safe  from  frost 
by  the  use  of  some  easily  applied  protective 
material,  and  many  quite  hardy  things,  such  as 
Chimonanthus,  Violets,  Christmas  and  Lunten 
Roses,  and  some  Irises,  which  flower  in  winter  or 
early  in  spring,  can  only  preserve  their  flowers  in 
full  beauty  under  some  form  of  protection  from 
bad  weather.  The  Hellebores  should  only  have 
overhead  covering,  for  if  fresh  air  is  entirely 
excluded  the  flowers  come  poor  in  colour  ;  hand- 
lights  set  on  bricks  are  very  good  for  single  clumps, 
but  beds  of  plants  may  be  covered  with  ordinary 
lights  and  mats  or  straw  hurdles.  For  herbaceous 
plants  known  to  have  a  tendency  to  die  out  in 
winter,  I  have  found  nothing  so  good  as  to  heap 
over  the  stools  with  coal  ashes,  forming  quite  a 
pointed  heap.  These  heaps  do  not  get  frozen  hard 
throughout,  and  appear  to  have  a  good  influence 
even  beyond  that  of  mere  protection.  It  is  a 
common  mistake  to  cut  away  some  of  the  leaves  of 
Kniphofias,  or  Tritomas  as  they  were  formerly 
known,  a  worse  thing  could  scarcely  happen  to 
thera.  All  the  leaves  should  be  retained,  and 
before  sharp  frost  occurs  each  plant  or  individual 
crown  should  have  its  leaves  twisted  tightly  in  a 
bunch  and  tied  upright  to  a  stake.  This  preserves 
the  crown  and  the  collar,  though  as  an  extra  pre- 
caution ashes  may  be  put  round  the  latter. 
Where  game  is  plentiful  another  form  of  protection 
is  needed  to  keep  bulbs  safe.  Mj'  way  of  doing 
this  is  to  cut  pieces  of  galvanised  netting  into 
squares  big  enough  to  cover  one  olnnip  each, 
and  to  drop  these  flat  on  the  ground  with  a  peg 
stuck  through  to  hold  them.  This  also  bailies 
rats  and  field  moles.  J.  C.   Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 

FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Figs  in  Pot.s. 
There  is  no  better  time  in  the  year  than  the  early 
part  of  Januar3'  to  start  pot  Figs  for  fruiting  in 
May.  I  am  aware  Figs  can  be  grown  in  a  shorter 
time  than  the  period  noted  above,  but  there  is  no 
gain  in  hard  forcing  ;  indeed,  the  reverse,  as  plants 
brought  on  gently  give  much  finer  fruits,  and 
there  is  better  quality,  and  fewer  losses  through 
premature  ripening.  As  regards  varieties  for  first 
supplies  the  St.  John's  and  Pingo  de  Mel  are 
among  the  best.  I  do  not  mean  the  best  flavoured, 
but  the  kinds  named  force  so  easily'.  But  now 
with  the  new  year  commenced  and  lengthening 
days  those  noted  for  their  good  flavour,  such  as 
Brown  Turkey  and  Bourjassotte  Grise,  force 
well ;  the  earlier  kinds  are  best  for  very  early 
supplies.  At  the  start  avoid  a  high  temperature, 
50°  to  55'-  at  night,  with  a  rise  of  10"^  by  day,  being 
ample.  If  bottom  heat  can  be  aflbrded  pot  plants 
so  much  the  better,  but  it  is  not  essential,  as  fine 
produce  from  permanent  trees  can  be  grown  with- 
out this  aid.  For  our  early  pot  plants  we  plunge 
the  pots  in  beds  of  warm  leaves.  This  moist, 
gentle  heat  just  suits  the  Figs,  and  later  on,  as  the 
fruits  are  swelling  with  large  plants,  there  is  a 
great  saving  of  labour  by  having  the  plants 
plunged.  In  fine  weather  the  trees  should  be 
damped  overhead  daily  with  tepid  water,  but  as 
more  foliage  is  made  more  care  is  needed  in 
syringing.  In  dull  weather  the  leaves  rust  badly. 
Very  little  water  will  be  needed  at  the  roots  for 
the  first  few  weeks,  and  what  is  given  should  be  of 
the  same  temperature  as  the  house. 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[January  5,  1901. 


Succession  Houses — Pruning  and  Planting. 
Of  late  j'ears  the  Fig  lias  become  a  greater 
favourite,  aud  grown  as  a  permanent  tree  it  gives 
a  good  return  without  hard  forcing  or  at  great 
cost.  When  planted  out  there  are  failures  owing 
to  the  cultivator  treating  thein  too  well,  as  some 
of  the  best  Figs  grown  need  severe  root  restriction, 
slow  forcing,  and,  of  course,  witli  a  small  root 
space  ample  feeding.  The  varieties  I  allude  to  as 
needing  the  above  care  are  Negro  Largo,  Nebian 
or  Grosse  Verte,  and  Gourand  Noir.  These  are 
black  varieties,  and  all  need  root  curtailment,  so 
that  in  planting  this  should  be  borne  in  mind. 
On  the  other  baud,  by  the  abore  advice  I  do  not 
mean  starving  the  trees,  as  the  roots,  being  in  a 
small  space,  will  require  more  feeding  at  the  time 
the  trees  are  in  full  bearing.  I  need  not  go  into 
these  latter  details  ;  merely  moisten  the  roots, 
as  now  is  the  time  to  make  good  anj'  defects. 
Root  prune  if  necessary  and  give  new  soil.  Trees 
of  the  above  varieties  with  a  full  root  run  and  that 
have  failed  to  bear  freely  may  have  their  roots 
shortened  before  starting  the  trees  into  growth. 
The  new  soil  added  should  consist  largely  of  old 
mortar  rubble  or  chalk,  burnt  ashes  or  refuse,  and 
good  loam,  the  whole  well  rammed  as  the  work 
proceeds.  I  have  seen  barren  trees  taken  out  of 
position,  the  border  much  reduced,  and  the  trees 
crop  the  next  season.  There  can  be  no  question 
whatever  but  that  the  Brown  Turkej-  is  the  best 
all-round  Fig  grown,  and  in  making  new  quarters 
for  these  fruits  this  variety  should  be  given  first 
place.  Few  exceed  it  in  cropping  qualities,  and  it 
is  of  good  flavour. 

Latek  Figs. 
In  mj'  earlier  note  1  briefl3'  touched  upon  pot 
trees  for  early  supplies,  and  for  very  late  supplies 
also  I  prefer  pot  jjlants,  but  this  is  not  the  season 
to  dwell  upon  the  latter.  At  this  date  the  perma- 
nent trees  for  a  late  summer  supply  should  now 
receive  attention.  All  pruning  should  be  completed 
at  an  early  date,  and  the  house  thoroughly 
cleansed,  aud,  if  possible,  lime-washed.  These 
trees  are  more  subject  to  scale  than  most  fruits, 
and  there  is  no  better  time  to  cleanse  them  than 
when  at  rest.  For  washing  purposes  Gishurst 
Compound,  an  old  but  good  insecticide,  is  most 
useful,  and  if  the  Gishurst  is  well  rubbed  into  the 
joints  with  a  soft  brush  and  allowed  to  remain 
a  short  time  it  softens  the  scale  and  is  more 
readily  removed.  In  pruning  it  is  well  to  cut  out 
a  good  portion  of  old  wood  that  is  somewhat  bare, 
and  doing  this  allows  the  fruiting  branches  more 
room.  With  crowded  branches  the  fruits  will  be 
smaller,  and  there  must  be  free  exposure  of  young 
wood.  At  this  date  it  is  a  good  plan  to  top-dress 
borders,  and  for  this  purpose  a  richer  compost  may 
be  used.  Bonemeal  is  a  good  fertiliser,  a  liberal 
quantity  being  mixed  with  new  soil.  After 
cleaning,  the  houses  should  be  well  ventilated,  and 
trees  on  back  walls  should  not  get  soddened  by 
rain.  Fig  trees  in  glass  cases  or  with  glass  copings, 
especially  the  last-named,  should  be  pruned  later. 
Any  replanting  should  be  done  before  the  sap 
begins  to  flow.  Now  is  a  good  time  to  propagate 
from  eyes  or  pieces  of  last  year's  wood  from  well- 
matured  shoots,  removing  the  lower  eyes  before 
inserting  the  cuttings.  G.  VVvthes. 

Syon  Houne  Gardens,  Brentford. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Tiir,  present  is  a  somewhat  dull  season  for  plants 
under  glass,  as  manj'  things  having  done  their 
service  are  now  at  rest,  or  at  least  in  a  quiescent 
state.  This  is  a  decided  advantage  to  the  oulti 
vator,  as  it  gives  him  breathing  time  so  to  speak. 
The  past  season's  productions  may  be  carefully 
gone  over  and  a  ijalance  struck,  if  I  may  use  the 
term,  in  reference  to  plant  culture.  It  would, 
indeed,  be  an  unique  experience  if  the  past  year, 
upon  being  carefully  scrutinised,  were  without  its 
failures  ;  these  should  be  duly  studied,  and  an 
endeavour  made  in  the  future  to  avoid  such.  Of 
course,  we  may  reduce  these  failures  and  mitigate 
the  effects  of  the  remainder,  but  I  am  not  at  all 
sanguine  that  we  will  experience  the  vicissitudes 
of  the  coming  year  without  having  some  hitches, 
as  there  arc  so  very  many  agents  of  a  more  or  less 


detrimental  character  with  which  the  grower  has 
to  contend,  chief  among  which  are  aphis.  The 
destruction  of  these  forms  a  large  share  of  the 
work  under  glass,  for  thej'  are  a  source  of 
incessant  annoj'ance  to  the  principal.  Advantage 
should  at  this  season  be  taken  to  thoroughh' 
cleanse  all  foliage  plants  ;  there  are  many  chances 
in  favour  of  this  being  done  now,  work  is  not  so 
pressing  as  it  will  be  from  this  month  onward. 
Temperatures  being  reduced,  there  is  less  disposi- 
tion on  the  part  of  insect  life  to  increase  its 
numbers,  and  the  foliage  being  of  a  tough  and 
mature  nature  and  the  almost  entire  absence  of 
young  leaves,  makes  the  process  of  cleaning  more 
easy  and  likewise  more  thorough. 

I  am  not  at  all  in  favour  of  strong  measures  in 
the  use  of  insecticides — in  fact,  we  rarely  use  any- 
thing else  than  soft  soap  and  rain  water.  With 
this  simple  wash  it  is  highlj'  essential  that  ever}' 
portion  of  the  plant  should  be  most  carefully  gone 
over,  and  I  am  of  opinion  that  in  this  lays  the 
chief  factor  in  plant  washing.  In  working  amongst 
the  various  classes  of  plants  it  may  be  an  ad\'an- 
tage,  where  early  propagation  is  anticipated,  to 
place  those  together  which  are  to  be  cut  up  first, 
as  this  will  prevent  the  disarrangement  of  the 
main  body  at  the  time  it  is  decided  to  propagate. 
Dracaenas,  Codiieums,  Aralias,  Pandanus,  &c., 
which  lend  themselves  to  early  propagation,  should 
be  thus  treated. 

Another  factor  that  plays  a  very  prominent  part 
in  plant  culture,  and  which  on  no  account  should 
be  overlooked,  is  that  of  soils  and  pots.  I 
will  presume  the  loam  stack  has  been  replenished 
some  time  ago  ;  if  not,  then  no  time  should  be  lost 
in  having  a  fresh  stock  cut  from  old  pasture  and 
duly  stacked  up,  grass  side  downwards.  A  thin 
layer  of  horse  manure  placed  between  the  turves 
as  they  are  built  will  help  to  enrich  the  soil  and 
assist  in  decaying  the  grassy  surfaces  of  the  turves. 
The  stack  should  be  so  constructed  that  while  it  is 
fully  exposed  to  solar  influences  no  rain  should 
find  its  way  into  the  body  of  it.  A  small  portion 
of  leaf  soil  should  be  duly  passed  through  a  large 
mesh  sieve  and  put  into  an  open  shed.  I  find  in 
this  case  it  is  better  to  use  the  leaf  soil  fresh  from 
the  leaf  heap  as  it  is  required.  A  portion  of  lime 
rubble  should  also  find  its  way  into  the  position 
usually  alloted  this.  Advantage  should  be  taken 
of  bad  weather  to  employ  the  outside  labour  in 
washing  the  necessary  drainage  termed  crocks. 
This,  though  seemingly  a  simple  matter,  must  be 
attended  to  if  the  best  possible  results  are  expected. 
From  these  remarks  it  necessarily  follows  that  the 
flower-iiots  should  be  used  in  a  perfectly  clean 
state,  therefore  all  pots  which  are  empty  at 
present  should  be  thoroughlj'  overhauled,  washed, 
and  stored  away  in  the  pot  shed  in  their  i-espee- 
five  sizes  until  such  time  as  they  are  wanted.  1 
use  chiefly  flower-pots  sold  by  Messrs.  Sanke}',  of 
Nottingham  ;  these  are  light,  well  made,  and 
neat.  Further,  I  find  plants  grow  extremely  well 
in  them.  .1.  F.  McLeod. 

-  Dorer  Mouse  Gardetii,  Roehampfon. 

KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

In  anticipation  of  severe  weather  directions  have 
been  repeatedlj'  given  for  the  protection  of  vege- 
tables likely  to  suffer  from  frost.  Their  succulent 
nature,  consequent  on  the  mildness  of  the  season, 
rentiers  forethought  necessary  in  order  that  the 
best  means  at  our  disposal  maj'  be  employed,  and 
so  avert  bj'  precautionary  measures  the  ill  that 
would  be  wrought  by  an  unfavourable  climate.  In 
the  selection  and  preparation  of  ground  for  early 
crops,  which  should  be  pushed  forward  without 
delay.  Peas  may  have  the  first  place,  and  the  first 
sowing  made  in  a  sheltered  position  as  early  in  the 
year  as  the  state  of  the  soil  will  permit,  remem- 
bering that  unless  the  soil  is  moderately  light  and 
dry  the  operation  is  better  deferred  a  few  days 
longer  ;  cold,  wet  soil  is  undoubtedly  the  cause  "of 
many  failures.  On  the  selection  of  varieties  for 
early  sowing  a  great  deal  depends.  Chelsea  Gem 
and  Carter's  First  Crop  have  been  selected  for  first 
sowing  here  in  the  open  ground,  and  Haibinger  for 
pots  and  frames.  The  first  sowing  at  Frogmore  is 
generally  made  in  narrow  borders  under  a  .^outh 


wall  and  in  front  of  forcing  houses  ;  the  borders 
are  1  foot  wide,  and  are  filled  with  old  potting  soil, 
underneath  which  is  a  layer  of  well  decomposed 
manure.  This  mode  of  early  Pea  culture  has 
invariabl}'  proved  a  success,  the  readiness  with 
which  protection  can  be  given  in  case  of  spring 
frost  being  a  great  consideration.  We  have  .sown 
our  first  lot  of  Chelsea  Gem,  and  hope  to  gather 
about  May  20. 

Kaklv  Carrots  in  Frames. 

To  obtain  early  Carrots,  which  are  generally  in 
great  demand,  it  is  necessary  to  sow  in  pits  where 
a  lasting  bottom  heat  can  be  maintained,  and  no 
time  should  be  lost  in  the  preparation  of  the  bed. 
This  should  be  composed  uf  three  parts  leaves  to 
one  stable  manure,  and  trodden  as  firm  as  possible, 
so  that  no  uneven  sinking  of  the  bed  will  take 
place.  The  soil  should  be  rich  and  light,  and  a 
depth  of  ,S  inches  should  be  given  in  order  to  reduce 
the  necessity  of  fre(|Uent  watering.  After  being 
on  the  bed  a  few  days  the  soil  must  be  made 
moderately  firm,  when  the  seed  may  be  sown  either 
broadcast  or  in  rows  6  inches  apart,  and  covered 
over  lightly  with  fine  sifted  soil,  which  should  be 
in  such  condition  as  to  render  immediate  watering 
unnecessary.  When  the  Carrots  begin  to  show 
they  should  be  sprinkled  with  soft  water,  and  air 
given  on  all  favourable  occasions  to  prevent  the 
young  plants  from  becoming  drawn.  Thin  when 
large  enough  to  2  inches  or  3  inches  apart,  and 
protect  from  frost.  Parisian  Forcing  and  French 
Forcing  are  the  best  varieties  for  verj'  early  work. 

Potatoes  in  Frames  and  is  Pots. 

Ordinary  hotbeds  in  heated  pits  are  best  adapted 
for  the  successful  cultivation  of  earl}'  Potatoes,  the 
sets  of  which  may  be  started  in  shallow  trays  while 
the  preparation  of  the  bed  is  going  on.  Loam  that 
has  been  in  use  in  a  Jlelon  or  Cucumber  house, 
with  the  additioh  of  a  little  spent  manure  from 
the  Mushroom  bed,  will  suit  them  well.  They 
ma}'  be  planted  in  rows  IS  inches  apart  and  1  foot 
between  the  sets.  Sutficient  air  must  at  all  times 
be  given  to  ensure  sturdy  growth,  and  only  short- 
topped  varieties  grown.  Sharpe's  Victor  and 
Veiteh's  Improved  Ashleaf  are  aniongt  the  best 
for  forcing  purposes.  Where  pot  cidture  is  most 
convenient  9-inoh  pots  should  be  used,  and  one  set 
in  each  will  be  sufficient.  The  pots  should  be 
crocked  and  filled  half  full  of  light  rich  soil,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  bone-dust  over  the  crocks.  When 
the  plants  have  advanced  sufiiciently  they  may  be 
earthed  up  to  within  1  inch  of  the  top,  thus 
leaving  enough  room  for  watering.  Avoid  a  close 
atmosphere,  and  give  plenty  of  light.  A  Peach 
house  shelf  or  any  similar  situation  will  suit  them 
admirably,  care  lieing  taken  that  plants  in  exposed 
positions  do  not  sufi'er  from  want  of  water. 

John  Dunn. 

Boj/al  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

Close  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  cuttings  now 
in  course  of  propagation.  .Some  varieties  root  more 
(juickly  than  otheis.  These  should  be  removed 
immediately  they  begin  to  make  young  growth 
into  another  frame  in  the  same  house,  which  can 
be  ventilated  much  more  freely,  and  after  a  few 
days  the  lights  may  be  removed  altogether.  It  is 
most  important  that  the  young  growth  at  this 
stage — and,  indeed,  at  any  other — is  strong  and 
sturdy.  Coddling  should  be  guarded  against ;  and 
I  have  often  pointed  out  tliat  Chrysantheu'uins 
can  hardly  be  grown  too  .strong,  1  care  not  for 
what  purpose  when  flowers  of  the  finest  quality 
are  reijuired,  providing  that  the  strength  is 
gradually  made  up,  which  should  lie  from  the 
conimencenient.  Conscciuently,  abundance  of  air 
must  be  allbrded  them  immediately  they  are 
sulhcienlly  rooted  :  but  at  the  same  time  it  is 
ecjually  bad  to  rush  from  one  extreme  to  the  other, 
and  the  cultivator  must  be  guided  to  a  great 
extent  by  the  influence  of  the  weather  an<l  the 
temperature  in  which  the  plants  are  pla('ed. 
Always  remember  that  light  and  air,  when  under 
glass,  will  play  a  most  important  part  as  to  the 
linal  re.siill.      ICndeaMiur  to  nur.so  along  those  in  a 


January  5,  1901.] 


THE  GARDEN. 


more  backward  condition  as  quickl}'  as  possible  so 
that  the  wliole  of  the  collection  may  be  treated 
under  the  same  conditions  as  soon  as  possible. 

Pompon  and  Pompon  An'ejiones. 
Cuttings  of  these  should  now  be  put  in.  They 
may  be  either  struck  singly  in  25-inch  pots  as 
advised  for  the  larger  flowering  kinds,  or  place 
three  round  the  outside  of  small  3-inch  pots  and 
rooted  in  the  propagating  frame.  Tliese  deserve 
extend,ed  cultivation.  Good  selections,  when  well 
grown,  are  most  beautiful  and  interesting,  and 
for  home  decoration  arc  most  serviceable. 

.Specimbnt  Plants. 
Large  and  highl}'  furnished  plants  of  these, 
unfortunately,  are  seldom  seen  now  ;  nevertheless, 
when  they  are  met  with  under  the  best  conditions, 
either  at  our  exliibitions  or  arranged  at  home  in 
suitable  structures,  there  is  something  noble  and 
grand  about  them.  I  do  not  mean  large,  over- 
trained, flat  plants— carrying,  perhaps,  '200  or  300 
miserable  blooms — there  is  no  beauty  or  culture 
in  such.  Medium-sized  plants,  with  from  bO  to 
100  good  blooms  that  would  not  disgrace  a  stand 
of  cut  flowers,  with  good  bright,  clean,  healthy 
foliage,  and  trained  in  as  natural  a  manner  as 
possible,  are  objects  of  much  beauty,  and  prove 
that  the  producer  of  such  is  a  good  plantsman  and 
deserves  all  the  credit  so  generouslj'  bestowed  on 
him  ;  but  to  obtain  such  results  a  long  season  of 
growth  is  necessary.  No  time  must  be  lost  in 
pushing  these  forward.  Some  growers  prune  back 
and  grow  on  their  old  plants  much  in  the  same 
wa)'  as  show  and  fancy  Pelargoniums  are  treated. 
I  have  practised  this  myself  with  fairlj'  good 
results,  but  I  was  never  able  to  produce  such  high 
quality  blooms  as  from  J'oung  plant.". 

The  Selection  of  Varieties 
is  of  the  utmost  importance,  either  in  the  case  of 
Incurved,  Japanese,  or  Pompons,  as  many  kinds 
are  totally  unfit  for  making  specimen  plants. 
Those  kinds  which  are  naturally  inclined  to  grow 
in  bush  form  are  generally  best  suited  for  this 
purpose.  Select  a  good  range  of  colours,  which  in 
each  case  should  include  a  pure  white,  bright 
3'ellow,  and  a  good  crimson  ;  dull  lilac  shades 
should  be  avoided  as  much  as  possible.  Specimen 
plants  should  alwa3's  show  a  clear  stem  of  about 
6  inches,  especially  when  intended  for  competition, 
whether  this  is  stated  in  the  rules  or 
not.  I  have  seen  many  disputes 
arise  respecting  this,  consequently 
before  pinching  out  the  points  the 
plants  should  attain  a  height  of  from 
6  inches  to  7  inches.  Strong,  vigorous 
plants  from  the  earliest  struck  batch 
should  be  selected  and  grown  on  as 
speedily  as  possible.  Never  allow 
them  to  become  severely  pot-bound,  \^ffff 
but  shift  on  in  a  good  compost  as 
soon  as  read}'.  Fumigate  often  tn  1  / 
rid  them  of  any  insect  pest,  and  dust  i^- 
occasionally  with  sulphur  to  keep 
mildew  at  bay.  E.  Beckett. 

THE  ROSE  GARDEN 
RiDciNG  Ground  eor  Spring 
Planting. 
The  benefits  obtained  from  this  old 
practice  are  not  full}'  recognised  even 
yet.  If  more  of  it  were  done,  espe- 
cially where  it  is  intended  to  plant 
out  small-rooted  cuttings  in  the 
spring  or  stocks  for  budding,  better 
results  would  follow.  It  is  now  a 
good  time  to  perform  the  work,  so 
that  the  land  may  receive  the  benefits 
oE  searching  winds  and  frosts.  Old 
gardeners  will  often  exclaim  that 
ridging  land  is  productive  of  as  much 
benefit  as  a  dressing  of  manure. 
Should  the  land  be  sour  from  over- 
manuring  or  other  causes,  a  dressing 
of  slaked  lime  or  chalk  is  most 
beneficial,  and  there  is  no  better  time 
to  apply  it  than  the  present,  incor- 
porating it  with  the  soil  when  ri(li;ing 
A  safe  quantity  is  about  tiozs.  of  lime 


or  21bs.  of  chalk  per  square  yard.  The  latter  should 
be  broken  up  into  small  lumps.  There  need  be  no 
great  hurry  in  planting  in  the  spring  if  the  land  is 
ridged.  March  is  a  good  month  as  a  rule.  If  Feb- 
ruary planting  be  adopted  for  small  stuff,  severe 
frosts  following  will  almost  force  them  out  of  the 
land.  If  such  plantations  are  compared  to  those 
accomplished  later  the  latter  will  be  found  to  be  the 
best.  When  the  soil  commences  to  become  warm 
in  March  and  April  the  tin}'  new  rootlets  lay  hold 
of  it  at  once.  Some  spent  liotbed  manure  or  peat 
moss  litter  worked  into  the  surface  soil  before 
planting  will  be  found  an  excellent  practice,  and 
one  which  the  small  plants  fully  appreciate. 
Plantations  of  Tea  Roses  made  upon  soil  thus 
ridged,  and  planted  as  late  as  the  middle  of  April, 
have  proved  a  great  success.  Not  only  do  they 
thrive  well,  but  they  give  us  their  blossom  at  an 
intermediate  season,  when  the  established  Roses 
are  just  going  off'  bloom  and  before  the  second  crop 
comes  on. 

Planting  Short  Hedge  Briars  near  Walls. 
I  would  strongly  advise  this  practice  to  obtain 
a  few  glorious  flowers  of  very  choice  Tea  kinds. 
Many  fail  to  grow  the  exquisite  Comtesse  de 
Nadaillacor  tbe  superb  Souvenir  d'Elise  Vardon  in 
the  open  border,  but  by  budding  such  upon  a  well- 
developed  short  Briar  planted  near  a  wall  so  that 
the  Briar  need  not  be  disturbed  a  grand  plant  will 
be  secured.  Of  course  the  border  should  be  well 
prepared  before  planling  the  Briars,  quite  as  much 
so  as  it  one  were  planting  a  cultivated  Rose. 

Soil  for  Peotectinc;  Dwarf  Tea  Roses 
should  now  be  placed  around  the  base  of  the  bushes 
to  a  depth  of  2  inches  or  3  inches.  Then  by  having 
a  supply  of  dry  bracken  Fern,  evergreen  boughs, 
or  dry  straw  at  hand  to  stick  amongst  the  branches 
when  winter  is  upon  us,  the  rosarian  may  rest 
assured  that  his  favourites  will  not  materially 
suffer,  though  the  weather  be  ever  so  severe. 
Standard  Teas  are  more  difficult  to  protect.  I 
think  if  I  had  only  a  few  I  should  heel  them  in 
under  a  north  wall,  unless  the  plants  were  very 
old.  It  is  the  alternate  thawing  and  freezing  that 
plays  such  havoc  with  these  and  other  half-hardy 
subjects.  By  placing  them  under  a  north  wall 
away  from  the  winter's  sun  this  is  to  a  great  extent 
obviated.      If  the  lifting  be  not  practicable,   the 


next  best  plan  is  to  thatch  them  with  dry  straw 
in  the  best  manner  available.  Three  or  four  bent 
over  so  that  their  stems  can  be  tied  together  and 
their  heads  protected  under  one  thatching  has  been 
found  an  admirable  plan.  It  is  certainly  the  best 
way  to  protect  dormant  Tea  buds  when  budded 
upon  Standard  Briars. 

Climbing  Tea  and  Noisettes  on  Walls 
are  best  protected  with  evergreen  boughs  and  mats. 

Roses  Grown  as  Pillars 
or  trained  over  pergolas  or  upon  walls,  if  they 
exhibit  signs  of  debility,  may  be  considerably 
assisted  just  now  by  removing  the  old  worn-out 
soil  beneath  and  around  the  roots,  and  replacing 
this  wilh  good  loam  and  farmyard  manure  in  the 
proportion  of  two  of  the  former  to  one  of  the 
latter.  With  care  the  roots  need  not  be  disturbed 
to  any  great  extent,  for  it  will  not  be  needful  to 
go  immediately  near  them,  as  next  summer  the 
feeders  will  soon  seek  out  the  new  food  given. 
This  opportunity  should  be  taken  of  root-pruning 
any  coarse  roots  th,it  appear  to  be  striking  down 
into  the  cold  subsoil.  Roses  potted  up  in  October 
and  those  repotted  should  now  be  brought  under 
cover  away  from  heavy  rains  and  frosts,  otherwise 
keep  them  as  cool  as  possible  till  January,  when 
they  may  be  pruned. 

Labelling 
should  be  seen  to  during  these  dull  months.  It  is 
very  pleasant  to  know  the  names  of  every  Rose  in 
the  garden.  One  often  observes  the  paper  tally 
which  the  nurseryman  supplied  wilh  the  plant 
flying  about  upon  the  plant  in  the  summer.  The 
"  Acme"  label  is  the  ideal  one  for  Roses.  Where 
a  bed  of  a  kind  is  planted  the  "Acme"  on  short 
legs  are  best.  This  label  has  raised  letters,  and 
is  made  of  metal  which  may  be  kept  bright  by 
rubbing  over  now  and  then  with  glass-paper. 

Philomel. 


GROUPS     OF     IRISES. 

G.^EDEN.s  that  are  not  closely  restricted  in 
space,  are  much  enriched  by  having  flower 
borders  of  which  the  members  of  one  good 
family  of  plants  at  a  time  are  the  main 
occupants.     Of  these,  one  of  the  most  desii-able 


.masses  of  flag  iris. 


10 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  5,  1901. 


is  a  border  of  Irises.  Within  this  one  group 
of  plants  alone,  there  is  a  large  range  of 
beautiful  flowering  things,  whose  compass  of 
blooming  time  covers  many  months  of  the  year, 
and  this^can  be  further  e.xtended  to  autumn  by 
the  intergroupmg  with  it  of  some  other  allied 
class  of  plant,  such  as  the  Lily  family.  Nothing 
could  well  be  better  in  an  important  border 
than  those  two  in  good  quantity,  with  lilieral 
interplanting  of  suitable  foliage. 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS. 

TREES  AND  SHRUBS  WITH  RICH 
FOLIAGE  FOR  WATERSIDE 
PLANTING. 

A  LTHOUGH   for    this   use  there   is  a  wide 
/\  range   of   trees   and   shrubs    to   select 

/  \  from,  there  are  a  few,  1  think,  deserving 
/  \  of  special  mention,  owing  to  their  value 
y  %  in  giving  beautiful  colour  effects  in 
the  autumn.  The  autumn  foliage  of 
these,  if  the  planting  and  grouping  is  done  with 
judgment,  does  much  to  beautify  and  light  up 
the  landscape.  Some  few  of  them  associate  well 
with  other  trees  and  shrubs  for  ornamenting 
the  pleasure  grounds  and  shrubberies,  but  care 
should  be  taken  to  avoid  planting  them  as  single 
specimens,  and  it  is  only  when  they  are  planted 
bj'  the  side  of  running  streams  and  the  margins 
of  lakes  in  fall  sunlight  that  they  are  seen  at 
their  best.  Such  a  position  suits  them  admir- 
ably, and  the  moisture  the  roots  naturally  obtain 
does  not  affect  tke  colouring  of  the  foliage  in  the 
slightest  degree. 

The  list  I  am  about  to  give  is  not  a  long 
one,  and  the  foremost  position  in  it  must  be 
given  to  Berberis  Thunbergi.  This  is  a  dwarf- 
growing  shrub,  with  a  rather  spreading  habit. 
It  flowers  freely  in  the  spring,  the  colour  of  the 
bloom  is  a  reddish  brown,  and  it  is  produced 
throughout  the  whole  length  of  every  particle 
of  the  previous  year's  growth.  As  autumn 
approaches  the  green  leaves  gradually  assume  a 
brilliant  orange-scarlet,  and  when  grown  as  it 
should  be  in  a  mass  the  eifect  is  extremely 
beautiful.  Any  ordinary  soil  suits  this  shrub, 
and  it  is  quite  hardy.  The  Dogwoods  come 
next.  Of  these  there  are  many  varieties,  but 
the  best  for  this  purpose  are  Cornus  mascula, 
C.  sibirica  elegantissima,  and  C.  sibirioa  varie- 
gata.  The  first  is  a  well  known  shrub,  and  is  a 
strong  grower  ;  the  stems  and  the  bark  of  the 
young  wood  turn  a  bronzy  red  in  autumn  ;  the 
foliage  also  becomes  tinged  with  red,  deepening 
in  colour  as  the  autumn  advances.  The  second 
is  a  gem,  for  the  foliage  by  tlie  middle  of  October 
more  nearly  resembles  that  of  a  tricolor  Pelar- 
gonium than  anvthing  else,  being  a  combination  of 
creamy  white,  bronze,  green,  and  red.  The  bark 
of  the  young  wood  also  takes  on  a  rich  warm  luit. 
It  is  a  medium  grower,  and  should  be  planted 
in  good  bold  groups  to  give  full  effect  to  its 
handsomely  coloured  leaves.  The  variegated  Dog- 
wood is  a  very  moderate  grower,  and  is  chiefly 
useful  for  edging  groups  of  C.  mascula,  the  one 
forming  a  pleasant  contrast  to  the  other.  The 
leaves  do  not  change  colour,  but  the  bark  of  the 
young  wood  does,  and  becomes  of  a  purplish  red 
tone.  When  these  Dogwoods  are  grown  simply  for 
the  sake  of  their  fine  masses  of  coloured  foliage  in 
autumn  it  is  a  good  plan  to  cut  them  back  ever}' other 
year,  when  the  stools  will  throw  up  strong  growths 
witli  large  leaves.  '  After  the  leaves  have  fallen  the 
light  colour  of  bark  on  stems  and  twigs  furnishes 
a  pleasing  picture  through  the  winter  monllis. 

Tile  golden  and  silver  Elders  are  the  next  to  be 
mentioned.  Of  the  first  there  are  two  varieties, 
namely,  Samliuous  aurea  nova  and  S.  aurea 
laciniatus.  The  latter  is  a  beautifully  cut-leaved 
form,  but  it  must  have  all  the  sunlight  possible  to 
bring  out  its  rich  golden  colouring.  The  foliage  of 
this  variety  is  not  so  graceful,  but  it  takes  on  a 
good  colour.     A  group  of  from  tliree  to  five  bushes 


presents  a  bright  appearance   when   viewed   from 
a  distance.      Both   of  these  Elders  give   the  best  I 
results  when  pruned  back  annually,  as  the  colouring 
of  the  leaves  is  then  so  much  richer.     The  other 
variety    of     Elder    to    be    named    is    the    silver-  | 
leaved    kind   (S.    foliis  argenteus).     The   habit   of  i 
growth  is  similar  to  that  of   the  others,   but   the  ' 
leaves  are  streaked  with  silver  variegation,  which, 
though  less  showy  than  the  golden  varieties,  is  of 
distinct  value  for  the  waterside. 

The  two  then  calling  for  special  notice  are  the 
golden  and  scarlet  Willows  (Salix  aurea  and  S. 
cardinalis).  The  latter  is,  of  course,  the  brightest 
and  most  highly  coloured,  as  the  bark  becomes 
bright  red  by  the  end  of  autumn,  and  the  colour 
remains  good  throughout  the  winter  months.  The 
golden  Willow  is  very  beautiful  also,  and  clumps 
of  it  and  those  before-named  look  well  planted 
close  to  the  water's  edge.  Any  class  of  soil  will 
suit  these  Willows,  no  matter  how  poor  it  may  be. 
No  shrub  is  more  easily  propagated.  If  grown  in 
groups  they  should  be  cut  back  in  the  earlj'  spring, 
when  the  prunings  provide  an  easy  means  of 
increasing  the  stock.  A.  W.iRD. 

Trent  Park  Garden---,  New  Barnef. 


NOTES     ON     LILIES. 


ROSE   ELAIRT   NO.  2   TRAINED   DOWN. 

ONE    AVAY    OF    TRAINING    A 
ROSK. 

Of  course  in  growing  standard  Roses,  to  ensure 
quality,  it  is  necessary  not  to  omit  the  annual 
pruning  ;  but  to  the  lover  of  the  uncommon  a 
free -growing  Rose,  treated  as  was  the  one 
depicted  in  the  illustration,  will  yield  a  deal  of 
pleasure.  Instead  of  pruning,  each  growth  was 
allowed  to  flourish  and  was  trained  down  to 
the  ground. 

The  Rose  in  question  is  the  blush  pink 
Blairi  No.  i  ;  it  is  very  free  in  growth,  and 
enjoys  full  sunshine.  When  photographed  it 
was  U  feet  high  and  G  feet  in  circumference. 
One  day  during  the  height  of  its  blooming 
.season  over  650  full  blooms  were  counted  upon 
it,  and,  as  may  be  imagined,  the  sight  was  a 
grand  one,  giving  the  impression  of  a  huge 
green  cushion  studded  with  giant  [lins.  It  v\'as 
gi'own  in  a  suburb  of  Torquay. 

W^.  .J.  Roberts. 


LILIUM    CANDIDUM. 

SINCE  I  wrote,  early  in  August,  a  note  on 
the  dilhc  ulty,  if  not  impossibility,  of 
laying  down  a  hard-and-fast  rule  as  to 
the  conditions  re(iuisite  for  obtaining 
the  best  results  from  this  most  desirable 
of  all  the  Lilies,  several  communications 
have  appeared  which  tend  to  support  my  contention. 
In  my  former  note  I  quoted  from  correspondents 
who  had  successfull}'  grown  the  Madonna  Lily 
"on  the  slope  of  a  hot,  dry  garden  in  full  sun- 
shine," "  in  heavy  marsh  land  with  water  very 
near  the  surface,"  and  "in  a  shad}'  position." 
Since  then  instances  have  been  given  where  it  has 
enjoyed  vigorous  health  in  exceptionally  dry  soil  ; 
in  exceptionally  retentive  soil  ;  in  hot,  sandy  soil  ; 
in  deep,  rich  soil  with  copious  supplies  of  water : 
and  in  peat. 

In  most  cases  manure  in  any  form  is  held 
to  be  harmful,  but  in  one  the  plants  were 
watered  during  the  summer  with  liquid  fertiliser 
and  mulched  in  the  winter  with  horse  manure 
with  the  best  results.  "  H."  (page  378)  writes: 
' '  The  great  essential  to  success  is  to  leave  the 
bulbs  alone."  I  imagine  that  no  one  in  whose 
garden  this  peerless  Lily  attained  its  fullest 
perfection  would  endanger  this  happy  consum- 
mation by  disturbing  the  bulbs  as  long  as  they 
showed  no  signs  of  failing  health.  It  is  not, 
however,  these  fortunate  individuals  who  seek 
advice,  but  the  many  who,  do  what  they  will, 
are  unable  to  grow  the  Lily  successfully.  For 
such  to  leave  the  unsatisfactory  bulbs  undis- 
turbed year  after  year  would  be  to  relinquish 
the  attempt  to  compass  ultimate  victor}',  and 
they  can  but  continue  to  try  varied  conditions 
of  soil  and  exposure  in  the  endeavour  to  sur- 
mount their  difficulty.  It  would  be  worth  the 
while  o£  those  whose  Lilies  fall  a  prey  to  the 
disease  to  try  the  experiment  of  procuring  bulbs 
from  some  cottage  garden  in  which  they  have 
flourished  for  uncounted  years,  for  I  have  more 
than  once  related  in  these  columns  my  experi- 
ence of  such  bulbs  blossoming  in  unblemished 
beauty,  while  the  flower-stems  of  a  row  of  over 
a  hundred  imported  bulbs  were  levelled  to  the 
earth  by  the  malady. 

LILIUM  PARRYI 
I  HAVE  read  with  much  interest  Captain  S.  G. 
Reid's  letter  (page  367)  relating  his  successful 
experience  with  the  beautiful  Lilium  Parryi,  a 
Lily  that  I  have  never  been  able  to  establish. 
From  the  account  of  the  behaviour  of  these 
Lilies  they  appear  to  be  firmly  established,  and 
one  would  say  that  their  fortunate  owner  might 
confidently  anticipate  an  even  finer  display  in 
the  coming  summer.  That  such  may  be  the  case 
will  certainly  be  the  hope  of  all  readers  of  Tnt; 
Garden  who  are  lovers  of  Lilies,  and  I  trust 
that  Captain  Reid  will  keep  us  duly  informed 
of  subsequent  developments.  S.  W.  F. 


COLOURED     PLATE 

PLATE    1258. 

NYMPH^A     FROEBELI. 

NYMPH.I<:A  FliOEP.ELl  is  note 
worthy  as  being  the  only  European 
re])resentative  of  the  new  race  of 
hardy  Water  Lilies  that  has  not 
come  from  the  now  famous  Nym- 
]ih:ea  nursery  in  the  south-east  of 
France.  The  honour  of  introducing  it  belongs 
to  M.  Froelicl,  of  Zurich,  who  tells  us  that  he 
raised  it  from  the  .seed  of  N.  alba  rosea 
(N.  Caspary),  the  rose-coloured  Water  Lily  of 
northern  Europe,  It  is  interesting  to  know 
that  of  hundreds — probably  thousands— of 
seedlings  raised  by  M.  Froebel  from  N.  Caspary, 


Supplement  to  "THE  GARDEN," 

January  5,  1901. 


NY^IPm^A    FRCEBELII 


January   5,  1901,] 


THE  GARDEN. 


11 


this  is  the  only  one  that  possessed 
any  distinct  merit.  Would  that 
we  could  persuade  M.  Latour 
Marliac  to  take  us  into  his  con- 
Mdence  and  tell  us  the  oripin  of 
his  beautiful  race  of  NyniphcBas 
that  add  so  much  charm  and 
variety  to  our  gardens !  From  the 
scientific  point  of  view  our  loss  is 
great.  We  indulge  in  speculations 
that  have  hitherto  proved  fruit- 
less, and  cannot  solve  the  problem 
at  issue  how  such  wonderful 
results  have  been  attained.  N. 
Frocbeli  is  similar  to  N.  Caspary 
in  that  it  is  not  a  strong  grower. 
It  increases  but  slowly  compared 
with  most  of  the  French  hybrids, 
and  will  therefore  be  found 

SUITABLE    FOK    TANKS    OR    SMALL 
FOUNTAIN  BASINS   OR  TUBS. 

It  is  not  likely  to  quickly  outgrow 
the  space  allotted   to  it.     It   re- 
quires to  be  grown  for  one  or  two 
more    seasons   before   its   charac- 
teristics in   this    respect   can    be 
exactly  stated,  but  we  should  bo 
inclined  to  place  it  in  a  position 
intermediate  between  the  odorato 
section  and   N.   Laydekeri  rosea. 
Although   in   this   respect  it  re- 
sembles   its    parent,   it    has    not 
inherited     the     characteristic     of 
losing  its  leaves  early  in  the  scnsori 
and  ceasing  to  bloom  by 
the  end  of  July.    N.  Froc- 
beli  continues    to   flower 
until  the  end  of  Septem- 
ber, and  in  a  good  season 
should  begin  in  ^lay. 

As  is  evident  from  the 
illustration, the  flowers  are 
of  medium  size,  very  daik, 
and  of  a  brilliant  colour. 
In  1897,  when  first  intro- 
duced,    M.    Frocbel 
describedit  as  the  "darkest 
of  all  existing  hardy  Water  Lilies." 
doubtful  if  this  description  would  be  true 
now,  but  it  is  certainly  one  of  the  darkest. 
It   rivals  in  this  respect  N.    sanguinea  of 
Marliac  and  N.  Wm.  Falconer,  from  America, 
the  claims  of  the  former  being  fully  estab- 
lished, whilst    those    of    the    latter   need 
further  trial. 

The  raiser's  description  continues  : 
"The  blooms  are  large,  dark  fiery 
carmine  in  colour,  deep  scarlet  in  the 
centre,  and  the  stamens  bright  vermilion 
with  yellow  tips."  The  leaves  are  green. 
Through  the  kindness  of  M.  Froebel  I  was 
able  in  the  summer  of  1899  to  see  this 
variety  growing  in  the  tank  at  Zurich 
along  with  several  of  the  French  hybrids, 
and  it  seemed  worth}'  of  the  claims  made  on 
its  behalf.  J.  F.  H. 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 


TACSONIA     MILITARIS. 

I  HIS  is  a  beautiful  addition  to  green- 
house climbers.  It  was  obtained  by 
Messrs.  F.  Sander  and  Co.  from  a 
garden  in  the  Transvaal,  where  it  is 
said  to  have  been  raised  from  T. 
insignis,  crossed  with  T.  Van  Volxenii. 
Dr.  Masters,  however,  suggests  that  T.  manicata 
was  used  instead  of  T.  Van  Volxemi.  He  says  : 
"  The  floral  details  do  indeed  suggest  an  infu- 
sion of   T.  insignis     .     ,     .     ,     but  we  doubt 


T 


whether  the  other  jiarent  was  T.  Van  yolxemi. 
In  some  respects  it  suggests  T.  manicata."— 
Gardeners'  Chronu-h,  1899,  xxvi.,  484.  What- 
ever its  origin,  and  in  these  days  of  pierfunctory 
plant  breeding  and  indifference  to  correctness 
in  plant  nomenclature  it  is  well  not  to  dogma- 
tise, T.  militaris  is  quite  distinct  from  all 
other  garden  Tacsonias.  It  was  awarded  a 
first-class  certificate  by  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  on  November  20,  last  year,  when 
Messrs.  F.  Sander  and  Co.  exhibited  flowering 
shoots.  It  has  large  three-lobed  serrated  leaves, 
green  and  glabrous  above,  hairy  beneath  ; 
flowers  dependent  on  hairy  stalks  5  inches 
long  ;  tube  short,  smooth,  inflated  at  the  base 
and  subtended  by  three  ovate  leafy  bracts 
li  inches  long  ;  limb  4  inchep  to  5  inches  across. 


A    NEW    TACSONIA 
(T.    .AlILITAKIS. 

(From  a  drawm/j 
by 

II.  G.  Minn.) 


and  composed  of  ten  radiating  segments,  each 
3  inch  wide,  and  coloured  bright  rose-wimson, 
the  outer  ones  green  at  the  back  ;  the  small 
corona  is  purple,  whilst  the  yellow  stamens 
and  three-rayed  stigma  are  as  in  other  Tacsonias. 
The  season  of  flowering  appears  to  be  November, 
a  time  when  the  flowevs  \yill  have  an  excep- 


12 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January   5,  1901 


tional  value.  Tasconias  Ji^i^car  to  have  fallen 
into  neglect.  True,  T.  Van  Volxemi  and  T. 
exoniensis  are  grown  here  and  there,  and  I  have 
lately  .seen  in  a  country  garden  a  niagniticent 
picture  formed  by  a  well  flowered  T.  insigni-s  ; 
but  there  are  other  beautiful  species,  such  as  T. 
ignea,  with  flowers  of  a  flaming  scarlet  colour  ; 
T.  quitensis  with  long  tubed  rose-pink  fragrant 
flowers  ;  T.  manicata,  not  unlike  the  plant  here 
figured,  but  smaller  in  leaf  and  flower,  the 
latter  coloured  bright  crimson.  These  are  all 
plants  for  the  cool  house  or  conservatory,  where 
they  will  grow  and  flower  freely  if  allowed 
plenty  of  light  and  air.  All  Tacsonias  are 
natives  of  tropical  America.  W.  W. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not   responsible  for  the  opinion's 
expressed  by  their  correspondents.  J 

SOLANUM    JASMINOIDES. 

[To   THE   Editor   of    "  The    Garden."] 

SIR,— The  writer  of  the  note  on  the  above 
lovely  flowering  climber  describes  it  as 
being  "almost  equall}'  at  home  out  of 
doors  as  under  glass  in  the  southern 
counties."  This  statement  requires  con- 
siderable amplification,  as  far  as  the 
south-west  is  concerned,  in  which  district  it  may 
be  unhesitatingly  affirmed  that  this  Solanum  is  far 
more  at  home,  in  the  sense  of  displaying  its  natural 
beauties  in  the  highest  perfection,  in  the  open  than 
it  can  ever  be  under  glass,  unless  grown  in  some 
such  lofty  structure  as  the  temperate  house  at 
Kew.  It  is  without  doubt  the  finest  flowering 
climber  of  the  south-west  on  account  of  the 
lengthened  period  through  which  its  flowers  are 
produced,  though  in  brilliance  it  does  not  rival  such 
subjects  as  the  Bignonia,  Clianthus  puniceus,  and 
Cassia  corymbosa.  I  have  known  it  commence  to 
bloom  towards  the  end  of  April  and  continue  to 
bear  flowers  uninterruptedly  until  the  second  week 
of  the  succeeding  February.  At  the  time  I  write 
several  plants  in  this  neighbourhood  are  bearing 
bloom-clusters.  When  planted  in  good  soil  this 
■Solanum  is  an  extremely  rapid  grower,  ascending 
to  a  height  of  from  2.5  feet  to  30  feet  in  two  years. 
"T.  F.  W.'s"  counsel  that  this  climber  should  not 
be  stiffly  tiedin,  but  permitted  to  express  its 
natural  form,  should  be  followed  as  implicitly  in  the 
case  of  plants  grown  in  the  open  as  where  they 
are  cultivated  under  glass,  for  a  specimen  closely 
trained  to  the  wall  compares  most  unfavourably 
with  one  whose  slender,  swaying  shoots,  terminated 
with  white  flower-clusters,  droop  gracefully  down- 
ward, forming  through  the  summer  and  autumn  a 
very  cataract  of  blossom.  In  the  south-west, 
Solanum  jasminoides  is  widely  distributed,  being 
met  with  as  frequently  on  cottage  walla  as  on  those 
of  mansions,  and  in  this  district  requires  no  winter 
protection  eitlicr  in  heavy,  retentive  soils,  or  in 
those  of  a  lighter  nature.  Some  specimens  were 
partially  cut  back  by  the  severe  weather  experienced 
in  the  early  part  of  1895,  but  broke  strongly  in  the 
spring  and  flowered  well  subsequently. 

Soalh  Dei'on.  S.  W.  F. 


AMATEURS'  PERPLEXITIES. 
[To  THE  Editor  or  "  The  Garden."] 
s^iK,— As  a  constant  and  admiring  reader  of  The 
Garden,  and  as  one  of  a  class  which  grows  in 
number  year  by  year,  I  venture  to  address  to  you 
a  suggestion  the  acceptance  of  which  would  vastly 
improve  the  practical  value  and  popularity  of  the 
journal.  Who  I  may  be  matters  not  a  whit,  what 
I  am  matters  a  great  deal.  I  am  one  of  that  huge 
class  of  men  whom  the  ordinary  business  of  life 
compels  to  live  in  London  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  year,  but  I  possess  also  a  small  country 
house  with  a  fairly  spacious  garden.  Of  the  science 
of  gardening  I  have  a  fair  general  knowledge,  and 
for  the  pursuit  of  it  an  unbounded  love,  but  I 
cannot  spare  the  time  for  personal  attention  except 


in  the  months  of  August  and  September,  save  that 
I  snatch  a  tew  days  for  Rose  and  other  planting 
in  late  autumn,  and  a  week  or  so  in  spring.  My 
gardener,  who  comes  one  day  a  week,  is  a  wonderful 
worker,  unsurpassable  at  vegetables,  but  absolutely 
regardless  of  the  flowers,  which  he  is  forbidden  to 
touch.  Hence  come  constantly  recurring  difficul- 
ties. I  should  ask  nothing  better  in  this  world 
than  to  tend  my  flowers  in  person  all  the  year 
round,  with  the  help  of  The  Garden'  and  "  The 
Century  Book  of  Gardening,"  which  I  have  found 
to  be  of  more  practical  value  than  any  other  book 
which  has  come  into  my  hands.  But  the  one  and 
the  other  urge  a  counsel  of  perfection  ;  they  assume 
the  constant  care  which  I  sliould  like  to  give  ;  they 
forget  the  difficulties  interposed  by  the  cursed  need 
of  pence.  May  I  conjure  you  lo  remember  the 
necessities  of  my  class  at  each  season  of  the  year? 
Perhaps  my  meaning  may  be  best  illustrated  by  a 
concrete  exaiiiple.  Last  year,  as  every  year,  I  was 
compelled  to  move  up  to  London  at  the  beginning 
of  October.  I  had  as  nice  a  little  collection  of 
Dahlias,  Begonias,  Gladiolus  gandavensis.  Salvias 
(patens),  and  Tigridias  as  the  heart  of  man  could 
desire  ;  I  knew  that  I  ought  to  wait  till  the  frost 
cut  them,  and  did  my  best  to  store  them,  and  ran 
down  later  and  found  them  still  blconung,  but  took 
them  all  up  this  time.  Tlie  previous  year  I  wns 
compelled  to  take  up  the  Begonias  in  pouring  rain, 
to  dry  them  in  front  of  a  fire  at  a  respeetfid 
distance,  and  then  to  place  them,  leaves  and  all,  on 
a  staging  of  wire  netting  in  a  dark  granary,  and 
the  losses  were  not  very  great.  May  I  pray  you  to 
remember  us  in  the  autumn,  and  also  to  give  us 
hints  from  time  to  lime  upon  the  arrangement  of 
our  gardens  with  a  view  to  good  effects  in  August 
and  September.  Town  Mocse  Migrant. 

[Much  as  we  wish  to  be  of  use  to  our  readers, 
it  is  difficult  to  know  how  to  help  this  querist. 
Had  he  signed  himself  "  Bird,"  instead  of  "  Mouse," 
his  perplexities  would  have  been  minimised,  as 
according  to  popular  belief  he  would  then  have 
had  a  better  chance  of  being  in  two  places  at 
once.  This  appears  to  be  the  root  of  his  difficulty. 
An  occupation  that  ties  the  owner  to  town,  and  a 
gardener  forbidden  to  touch  the  flowers,  are  not 
the  most  favourable  conditions  for  the  flower 
garden's  welfare.  But  we  shall  gladly  keep  in 
mind  the  wants  of  the  many  who  are  in  much  the 
same  position,  and  can  at  least  advise  about  the 
autumn  garden.  For  this  the  most  obvious  materials 
are  Dahlias,  perennial  Sunflowers,  many  of  the 
well-known  bedding  plants,  such  as  Geranium, 
Verbena  (too  much  neglected).  Calceolaria,  Helio- 
trope, Gladiolus,  and  hardy  Fuchsias.  Then  the 
earliest  of  the  Michaelmas  Daisies,  and  the  most 
important  of  the  half  hardy  annuals,  as  French 
and  African  Marigolds,  China  Asters,  Salpiglossis, 
several  of  the  Solanums,  Nicotiana  atfinis  and 
sylvestris.  Maize,  Nasturtiums,  and  late  sown 
Mignonette.  It  would  be  delightful  to  have  the 
autumn  garden  in  two  main  divisions  for  plants  of 
warm  and  of  c^ld  colouring.  A  main  flower  border 
could  be  kept  for  all  the  warm  coloured  (red  and 
yellow)  flowers  in  the  sunniest  place,  while  some 
other  portion,  not  far  off  and  preferably  screened 
from  it,  and  perhaps  best  in  half  shade,  would 
accommodate  plants  of  cool  colouring.  What  a 
grand  cool  planting  one  might  make  with  Helio- 
trope, the  early  Michaelmas  Daisies,  Clematis 
.Jackmani,  and  any  other  of  white  or  lilac  colour- 
ing, clustering  masses  of  Clematis  Flammula 
trained  on  short  spray,  white  Comet  Asters,  some 
good  variety  of  purple  China  Asters,  and  white 
Marguerites  ;  and  with  these,  plentiful  plantings 
of  grey  and  silvery  foliage  of  Santolina,  Lavender, 
Cineraria  marilima,  and  Centaurea  ragusina.  — Eds.  ] 

AUTUMN  AND  WINTER-FLOWERING 
SALVIAS. 
[To  THE  Editor  or  "  The  Garden."] 
Sir, — I  was  much  interested  in  "  H.  P.'s"  note 
rr  Salvia  azureagrandiflora  .syn.  Pitcheri,  and  quite 
agree  with  all  he  says  as  to  its  attractiveness  in  the 
conservatory  during  dull  autumn  months.  At 
this  time  of  the  year  the  Chrysantliemum  is  in 
such  evidence  t'l'it  other  beautiful  flowers  are  apt 


to  be  forgotten,  and,  consequently,  they  do  not 
receive  the  attention  their  merits  Jeserve.  There 
are  several  kinds  of  Salvia  which  flower  during  the 
months  of  November,  December,  and  January,  but 
the  above-mentioned,  I  think,  is  the  most  beautiful 
of  all,  and  probably  the  least  grown.  This  is  to 
be  deplored,  as  its  colour  alone,  which  is  a  lovely 
azure  blue,  as  its  name  suggests,  should  ensure  it 
a  place  in  ever}'  garden.  S.  Betheli,  too,  is  a  very 
old  and  valued  friend  of  the  garden,  and  very 
useful  for  cutting  for  large  glasses.  S.  splendens 
has  been  too  often  mentioned  in  the  page-i  of 
The  Garden  to  need  comment  here,  but  another 
beautiful  kind  very  rarely  met  with  is  S.  Heeri, 
which  is  just  opening  its  flowers  ;  its  colour  is 
scarlet,  and  this,  together  with  the  lateness  of  its 
flowering,  increases  its  value  for  the  conservatory 
and  indoor  decoration,  for  which  it  is  admirably 
adapted.  The  requirements  of  all  these  Salvias  are 
so  easily  met  that  anyone  who  has  tlie  least 
pretension  of  glass  can  grow  them.  H. 


LILIUM    NEPALENSE. 

['I'o  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir,  —  Your  correspondent  "T."  in  a  recent 
number  of  The  Garden  seems  to  find  Lilium 
nepalense  uncertain  as  to  its  length  of  life.  My 
own  bulb  was  bought  four  years  back  and  planted 
in  cool  sandy  peat,  sheltered  by  Rhodoilendrons. 
The  first  year  I  liad  one  bloom,  the  next  three,  and 
this  season  eight.  An.ong  fifty  varieties  of  the  Lily 
famil}',  it  is  quite  one  of  mj'  best  doers.  I  find 
L.  neilgherrense  (which  began  as  a  very  small  bulb) 
steadily  increasing.  L.  wallichianuiu  (growing  in 
sandy  rotten  turf)  and  L.  polj'phyllum  are  both 
doing  well.  Of  course  we  have  a  favourable  climate, 
which  5'our  correspondent  may  lack. 
2^eirton  Ahhot,  Decoii.  (!.  L.  Patky. 


FLOWERS  IN  CUMBERLAND. 

The  Su.mmer-like  Weather. 
[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Gardj*."] 
Sir, --It  may  interest  your  readers  to  know  that 
recently  I  found  two  full-blown  well  developed 
flowers  of  Winter  Aconite  in  my  north  country 
garden.  December  18  is  an  early  date  for  this 
liower  to  be  out,  but  the  mild  season  is  bringing 
everything  in  rather  toj  soon.  There  are  two 
Hepaticas  in  the  garden  with  flowers  upon  them, 
and  Anemone  blanda  alba  is  well  above  ground 
with  buds  ready  to  open.  I  also  cut  several 
blooms  from  Doronicum  Harpur  Crewe.  This  has 
been  in  flower  since  they  began  to  come  out  last 
March.  Arum  Lilies  have  behaved  much  in  the 
same  way  this  j'ear.  I  am  naw  cutting  fine 
spathes  from  plants  which  flowered  from  February' 
to  .Tune  ;  they  were  then  put  outside,  where 
occasional  blossoms  appeared  all  llie  summer  long 
until  they  were  again  taken  ir. 

Cinnlierlaiid.  C.  M. 


EDIBLE  PASSION  FLOWER  AND  C^APE 

GOOSEBERRY  IN  QUEENSLAND. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  note  in  your  late  issues  severirl  references 
to  the  edible  Passion  Flower.  This  is  now  so 
thoroughly  at  home  in  (^)ueensland  as  to  grow  wild 
in  suitable  localities  such  as  wo  call  "scrubs," 
semi-tropical  jungle.  The  Passion  Flower  fruit  is 
one  of  our  favourite  fruits,  is  to  bo  found  in 
all  fruit  shops,  and  is  grown  in  large  quantities. 
During  ihe  early  part  of  the  summer  se.ison  it 
is  largely  exported  to  the  Southern  Australian 
colonies.  It  is  a  great  factor  in  fruit  salads. 
Another  fruit  now  naturalised,  aiul  supplied  to 
the  markets  in  quantity  both  from  wild  and 
cultivated  plants,  is  the  Cape  ( loosebcrry.  a  s|)Rcies 
of  Physalis.  It  is  I  ought  by  the  ton  for  our  jam 
■factories.  The  Tomato  runs  wild,  but  always  goes 
back  to  the  little  round  oiigiiial  lierry.  It  is  a 
favourite  fruit  with  many  housewives  for  jam- 
making.  A  little  Orris  Root  cut  up  with  it 
develops  a  strong  flavour  of  Strawberry.  The 
Strawberry  itself,  for  many  years  considered  only 
as  to  be  grown  with  ditticulty,  is  now  grown  by  the 


January  5,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


13 


acre  in  Southern  Queensland,  and  the  crop  runs 
into  tons.  The  varieties  chiefly  grown  are 
Wollope's  Victoria,  Marguerites,  and  a  local 
variety,  Pinks'  Prolific.  The  originator  of  this 
variety  will  be  remembered  as  a  raiser  of  Potatoe.s 
in  England  many  years  ago.  Pines  may  be  seen 
on  their  way  to  the  markets  and  shipping  wharves 
by  the  dray  load.  Geokge  VVatkins. 

Queen  Street,  Brisbane. 

PLANTING   TEA  ROSES. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — My  raised  beds  of  Tea  Roses  (dwarfs  only) 
have  been  made  in  succession  during  the  last  ten 
years,  and  though  many  kinds,  such  as  Devoniensis 
and  C  de  Nadaillac,  have  been  cut  quite  to  the 
ground  in  severe  winters,  the  only  losses  have  been 
Niphetos,  which  should  scarcel\'  bo  planted  out  of 
doors.  The  beds  are  made  in  September  and 
planted  in  November,  but  they  certainly  sink  here 
for  eighteen  months  or  so.  I  do  not  put  the 
manure  at  the  bottom  and  well  tread  it  down,  but 
mix  it  thoroughly  (see  Dean  Hole's  "  Rose  Book," 
page  101)  with  the  loam,  taking  care  wlien  planting 
to  surround  the  roots  with  loam  so  that  they  do 
not  touch  the  manure  until  they  lind  it  later  for 
themselves.  I  do  not  .spread  the  roots  out  hori- 
zontally, but  plant  them  as  Briars  grow,  naturally, 
and  as  they  have  already  grown  in  the  nurseries. 
If  carefully  watered  they  grow  and  bloom  best  in 
hot  summers.  After  the  next  severe  winter  we 
will  hope  to  compare  notes  with  Mr.  Mol3'neux. 
Surrey.  J.  A.  D. 

ROSE  SOUVENIR    DE   GABRIELLE 

DREVET. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  can  fully  endorse  all  that  j'our  corre- 
spondent Arthur  R.  Goodwin  says  about  this 
beautiful  Rose.  He  will  find  a  note  referring  to  it 
in  The  Garden,  vol.  li.,  page  122.  It  is  another 
proof  that  if  one  would  possess  good  garden  Roses 
reliance  liiust  not  be  absolutely  placed  upon 
varieties  seen  at  exhibitions.  Rarely  is  this  fine 
Rose  met  with  in  a  prize  box,  and,  in  fact,  it  is 
not  even  mentioned  in  the  official  catalogue  of  the 
National  Rose  Society,  and  yet,  as  your  corre- 
spondent well  remarks,  it  is  a  free  grower,  of  I'ood 
form,  and  very  sweet.  I  do  not  go  so  far  as  to 
say  its  flowers  are  equal  to  those  of  Cleopatra,  but 
I  would  not  plant  such  a  miserable  grower  as  the 
latter  whilst  we  have  many  exquisite  Roses  of  the 
type  of  Souvenir  de  Gabrielle  Drevet.  It  is  com- 
paratively an  old  Rose  now,  having  been  intro- 
duced by  the  raiser  of  most  of  our  best  Tea  Roses 
(M.  Guillot)  so  far  back  as  1885.  Your  corres- 
pondent is  rather  hard  on  Comtesse  Riza  du  Pare. 
It  is  one  of  those  Roses  that  should  be  planted  in  a 
mass.  One  must  not  look  too  critically  at  the 
formation  of  its  flowers.  Nevertheless,  I  am  of 
opinion  that  Comtesse  Riza  du  Pare  will  soon  be 
superseded.  Personally,  I  much  prefer  the  exquisite 
China  Rose  Irene  Watts  to  the  latter  variety. 

PhIIjOMEL. 

LAPAGERIAS  IN  THE  OPEN. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— "T.  W.,"  at  the  close  of  his  article  on 
Lapageria  rosea  (page  885),  writes  :  "  It  would  be 
interesting  to  hear  from  readers  who  have  had 
experience  in  the  outdoor  cultivation  of  Lapagorias 
...  if  they  really  grow  sufficiently  well  to  be  of 
value  in  the  garden?"  lam  able  to  answer  this 
question  in  the  affirmative.  I  know  of  numerous 
instances  in  the  south-west  where  Lapagerias  are 
very  decorative  objects  on  north  walls  in  the  open 
during  the  autumnal  months.  In  November,  1899, 
I  forwarded  to  The  Garden  a  flower  spray  of 
L.  rosea,  cut  from  a  plant  growing  at  Gnaton  Hall, 
near  Plympton,  mentioning  at  the  same  time  that 
there  were  many  finer  bloom-trails  hanging  on  the 
same  plant  but  at  too  great  a  height  to  be  accessible 
without  a  ladder.  The  editorial  comment  was 
"  Splendid  in  colour  and  in  all  waj-s."  This  .speci- 
men is  by  no  means  an  anomaly,  as  the  plants  flower 


well  into  the  winter,  and  only 
recently  I  saw  several  still  in 
bloom.  None  but  a  northern 
exposure  is  suitable  for  the  Lapa- 
gerias, as  in  any  other  position 
they  suffer  from  the  eft'ects  of  the 
summer  sun.  In  a  porous  compost 
of  peat  and  loam  freely  mixed 
with  nodules  of  charcoal  and  bits 
of  broken  sandstone,  the}'  grow 
vigorously,  but  as  "  T.  W." 
remarks,  "  thorough  drainage 
should  be  provided."  If  the 
drainage  become.s  choked  the 
plants  soon  show  signs  of  failing 
liealth,  and  eventually  die  unless 
the  matter  be  speedily  rectified. 
The  original  plant  imported  from 
Chili  into  Europe  was,  I  believe, 
found  to  have  been  growing  in 
adhesive  clay,  but  the  employ- 
ment of  such  a  staple  would  be 
fatal  in  this  country.  The  worst 
enemy  of  the  Lapageria,  espe- 
cially in  the  open,  is  the  slug, 
which  is  inordinately  fond  of  the 
thick,  succulent  shoots  that  are 
pushed  up  from  the  ground.  Con- 
stant search  should  be  made  for 
these  in  order  to  locate  them 
before  they  pierce  the  surface, 
when  collars  of  perforated  zinc  or 
lamp  chimneys  placed  over  them 
will  generally  preserve  them  from 
harm.  Should  these  shoots  be 
eaten  ofif,  as  they  inevitably  will 
be  unless  protected,  the  plant  soon 
loses  vitalit}'.  The  southern  coast 
line  is  not  the  only  localitj' 
where  the  Lapageria  succeeds  in 
the  open  air,  as  I  am  informed 
that  it  has  proved  amenable  to  outdoor  cultivation 
as  far  north  as  Wales. 

South  Deron.  S.  W.  F. 


a  .jar  of  tii.er  mmes. 


AMERICAN     NOTES. 


Nottinghamshire,  and  been  in  water  ten  days 
when  this  photograph  was  taken.  They  lasted 
at  least  a  week  longer,  the  smallest  buds  coming 
out  fully.  M.  H.  Mason. 


Cold  Storage  Experiments. 
Cold  Storage  Experiments  at  the  Kansas  Station 
have  resulted  in  the  following  table  showing  the 
temperature  for  preserving  the  dift'erent  products, 
as  well  as  the  packages  in  which  they  should  be 
stored,  and  the  time  they  may  be  expected  to  keep, 
as  follows  : — 

TEMl'KKATUKE   FOK  PRESERVING  DIFFERENT  PRODUCTS. 


Product.  Temp. 

Apples,  summer  . .  38  to  42'^F. 
Apples,  winter     . .  32  to  35 

Pears   33  to  38 

Peaches 36  to  38 

Grapes 38  to  40 

Plimis 38  to  40 

Berries  and  Cherries         40 

Bananas 40 

Lemons,  Oranges  . .  40 

Figs,  Kaisins 40 

Water  Melons  ....  40 

Musli  Melons    ....  40 

Tomatoes  3S  to  42 

Cucumbers    38  to  40 

Celery 36 

Cranberries 34  to  33 

Onions    34  to  40 

Potatoes 36  to  40 

Asparagus,  Caljbage         34 
—  Canadian  Borticn/furi-it 


Package. 
•  Brls.  or  boxes 


Ci'ates    

•  In  sawdust  in. 
boxes 

.  Crates    

.  Quart  boxes    . 
.  Crates  


Boxes 


. .  Crates 


.Boxes. . . 
.Barrels  . 


Time. 

1  to  4  mths 
j  to  S    ,, 

i  to  3    „ 

2  to  4  wks. 

i  to  8  „ 
i  to  4  „ 
I  to  3  ,. 
!tol2  „ 
1  to  12  „ 
!to  12  ,, 
I  to  6  „ 
!  to  3  „ 
!  to  4  „ 
;to3     ,, 


A    JAR    OF    TIGER    LILIES. 

The  Tiger  Lilies  shown  in  the  illustration 
were  gathered  in  a  cottage  garden  in  a  village 
not  far  from  Great  Yarmouth  on  the  8th  of 
August.  They  were  growing  in  a  border  in  a 
mass  about  9  feet  wide  and  20  feet  long.  Many 
of  them  must  have  been  nearly  5  feet  high,  but 
the  length  of  the  stalks  does  not  show  here,  as 
they  had  to  be  cut  down  to  prevent  their  being 
top-heavy  for  the  largest  glass  that  could  be 
found  for  them.     They  had  travelled  to  North 


TOWN    GA_RDENING. 

STREET  PLANTING. 

THERE  are  very  few  towns  in  this  country 
where  at  the  present  time  the  autho- 
rities do  not  try  to  embellish  their 
streets  by  planting  a  few  trees.  This 
is  the  only  phase  of  gardening — if  it 
can  be  designated  as  such — that  manj' 
municipalities  are  able  to  take  in  hand,  and  there- 
fore all  the  more  reason  that  the}'  should  do  it  in 
the  best  possible  manner.  Unfortunately,  trees 
are  oftentimes  planted  in  streets  under  tlio  direc- 
tion of  persons  quite  unacquainted  with  their 
requirements,  and  who  have  no  idea  as  to  the 
suitability  or  otherwise  of  the  species  used.  Even 
when  practical  men  are  responsible  for  this  work 
it  not  unf  requently  happens  that  the  trees  employed 
are  not  the  best  for  the  purpose — sometimes  the 
reverse.  This  can  only  be  accounted  for  b}'  sup- 
posing that,  like  many  more  people,  the  planters 
of  street  trees  have  got  into  a  certain  groove  from 
which  it  is  difficult  for  them  to  deviate.  As  an 
instance,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  at  Cardiff 
several  years  ago,  although  a  great  number  of 
trees  were  planted  in  the  streets  annually, 

NOTHING  BUT  LiMES  WERE  USED. 

Apart  from  the  monotony  of  such  planting,  the 
choice  of  the  species  in  question  was  very  far  from 
being  a  good  one.  The  Lime  possesses  many  quali- 
ties fitted  to  make  it  an  ideal  street  tree — it  is  cheap, 
its  stem  grows  in  tliickness  in  proportion  to  the 
growth  of  its  branches,  and  consequently  the  head 
is  rarely  broken  off  by  the  wind  or  the  stem  damaged 
by  rubbing  against  its  guard,  and.  lastly,  it  requires 
veiy  little  pruning,  all  of  which  qualifications  are 
of  the  greatest  value  in  a  street  tree.  But  set 
against  these  gocd  points  the  habit  it  has  of  losing 
its  leaves  so  early  in  the  season  (this  is  perhaps 
more   marked  in   town    than   in  the   countr}',    for 


14 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  5,  1901. 


I  have  seen  Limes  quite  bare  early  in  August)  and 
the  dirty  unsightly  appearance  of  the  foliage  before 
falling,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that,  notwith- 
standing its  many  recommendations,  the  Lime  is 
not  the  most  suitable  tree  for  street  planting. 
Being  convinced  of  this  fact,  I  have  quite  discarded 
the  Lime  from  my  list  of  street  trees,  and  during 
the  past  ten  years  have  not  planted  more  than 
twenty,  and  then  only  for  special  reasons.  In 
place  of  it  we  have  iised  ten  or  eleven  different 
species  and  varieties  of  trees,  and  have  thus  entirely 
changed  the  monotonous  character  of  our  street 
planting. 

We  find  that  trees  bearing  conspicuous  flowers 
or  fruits  are  not  adapted  for  this  work,  as  the 
town  youths  seem  to  be  under  the  impression  that 
such  things  can  only  be  intended  as  targets  for 
their  stone  throwing,  and  then  householders  who 
suflTcr  in  consequence  from  broken  windows  begin 
to  complain.  For  this  cause  we  have  to  exclude 
many  fine  trees  from  our  list,  such  as  the  Horse 
and  Spanish  Chestnuts,  several  of  the  Pyrus  and 
Prunus,  all  of  which  would  otherwise  be  very 
useful  for  our  purpose.  The  matter  of  cost  also 
considerably  limits  llie  number  of  species  at  our 
disposal,  for  I  make  it  a  point  never  to  pay  more 
than  .3s.  6d.  or  4s.  for  any  kind  of  tree  that  is  to 
be  planted  in  the  street.  The  reason  for  this  is  that 
the  "risk"  is  great — there  are  gas  escapes  to 
contend  with  which  poison  the  soil,  runaway  horses 
invariabl}'  bringing  their  carts  in  contact  with 
the  stems,  and  last,  but  not  least,  is  the  mis- 
chievous, stone  throwing,  pocket-knife-using  town 
youth,  who  has  to  be  reckoned  with  as  a  very 
potent  factor  in  the  destruction  of  trees.  During 
the  last  two  years  in  the  above-mentioned  town 
more  than  100  valuable  young  trees  have  been 
destroyed  b}'  boys,  notwithstanding  rewards 
offered  for  their  detection. 

Pl.A.NTIN(:. 

The  earlier  in  the  season,  street  planting  is  done 
the  better,  as  the  ground  being  loosened  by  the 
planting  takes  up  the  winter  rains,  and  thus 
enables  the  tree  to  stand  a  drought  much  better 
than  when  planted  late,  hence  it  is  advisable  to 
have  this  work  completed  by  the  middle  of 
February.  As  we  use  iron  tree  guards  we  always 
plant  trees  having  clean  stems  about  0  feet  6  inches 
high,  with  a  branching  head  rising  about  another 
3  feet  or  4  feet  higher.  No  streets  are  planted 
having  a  less  width  than  45  feet,  and  then  only 
when  the  houses  have  a  small  garden  in  front  of 
them,  as  our  municipal  authoritj'  believes — and 
rightly — that  streets  should  not  even  be  beautified 
at  the  expense  of  cutting  off'  the  light  and  free 
circulation  of  air  from  any  houses.  The  trees  are 
planted  from  '20  yards  to  22  yards  apart,  and  in 
such  a  manner  that  they  do  not  come  opposite  one 
another  on  the  different  sides  of  the  street. 

Thk  Western  Pl.4ne 
is  one  of  the  best  and  quickest  growing  trees  for 
town  planting,  and  we  have  planted  several 
hundred  during  the  past  few  years.  The  Turkish 
Oak  is  another  favourite,  and  when  clean,  free- 
growing  young  stuff  is  used  the  result  is  that 
strong  self-supporting  stems  crowned  with  large 
and  beautiful  heads  are  soon  developed,  causing 
them  to  be  one  of  the  most  admired  of  all  our 
street  trees.  Unfortunatel}',  for  several  years  past 
it  has  been  very  difficult  to  obtain  this  Oak  ihe 
requisite  size.  The  Scarlet  Oak,  although  having 
larger  and  in  autumn  better  coloured  foliage  than 
the  last,  is  inferior  to  it  as  a  street  tree,  my 
experience  being  that  it  requires  support  for  a 
much  longer  period,  is  more  straggly  in  its  growth, 
and  does  not  assume  a  tree-like  appearance  so 
early  in  life.  Where  much  planting  is  done,  how- 
ever, it  is  well  worth  a  trial.  Maples  make  good 
street  trees,  and  both  the  common  and  variegated 
Sycamores,  as  well  as  several  varieties  of  the 
Norway  Maple,  have  been  grown  in  our  streets 
with  success.  The  Birch,  Elm — especially  the 
Oorni.sh — Ailantus,  and  Beech  are  all  adapted  for 
town  planting,  and  have  been  tried  at  Cardiff  with 
very  satisfactory  results.  Neither  have  we  been 
above  using  the  Black  Poplar  in  one  district  wliere 
the  soil  is  nothing  but  a  heavy  clay  and  in  whicli  no 
other  kind  of  tree  would  grow.     It  does  remark- 


ably well  and  greatly  improves  the  appearance  of 
the  locality  otherwise  quite  bare  of  trees. 

Prunin'c. 

The  pruning  of  street  trees  is  a  much  debated 
subject,  and  the  responsible  authorities  have  often 
been  severely  criticised  by  the  gardening  press  for 
the  manner  in  which  the  London  street  trees  are 
annually  mutilated.  I  remember  one  editor  asserting 
in  connection  with  this  matter,  that  if  a  tree  could 
not  be  allowed  to  develop  its  natural  character 
he  would  rather  not  see  it  grown  in  a  street.  This 
sentiment  is  all  very  well  in  its  way,  but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  trees  are  not  grown  in  streets 
as  they  are  in  parks,  to  develop  into  specimens,  but 
simply  as  a  means  of  ornamenting  the  town.  In 
many  instances  it  would  be  out  of  the  question  to 
allow  trees  to  develop  to  their  natural  size,  and 
under  such  circumstances  it  is  much  better  to  adopt 
a  sensible  style  of  pruning,  to  doing  away  with 
them  altogether.  Besides  this,  there  is  another 
reason  which  makes  it  necessary  to  prune  certain 
kinds  of  trees  when  grown  amidst  such  artificial 
surroundings.  Those  who  grow  the  Plane  know 
how,  when  in  a  young  state,  its  head  grows  out  of 
all  proportion  to  the  thickness  of  its  stem,  and 
how,  (luring  a  storm,  it  is  very  apt  to  break  away 
from  its  support.  Trees  of  this  description  when 
growing  in  a  park  or  garden  are  generally  fastened 
up  by  wires,  but  in  streets  this  is  a  matter  of 
impossibilitv,  and  the  onl3'  means  of  securing  them 
is  by  lying  them  to  sta\'s  on  the  tree  guard,  or  at 
most  to  a  stake  driven  into  the  ground  within  the 
guard.  When  heav3'-headed  trees  break  awa}' 
from  their  stays,  the  continual  rubbing  which  the 
stems  receive  by  being  blown  against  the  guards 
during  a  single  night's  storm  is  sufficient  to  injure 
them  bej'ond  all  recovery.  If  trees  of  this 
character  are  pruned,  such  risks  are  greatlj'  mini- 
mised, and,  although  at  one  time  I  was  against 
cutting  in  the  branches  of  an}'  street  tree,  I  now 
regularly  prune  the  Planes  and  Poplars  every  year, 
with  the  result  that  fewer  are  damaged  than 
formerl}', 

As  soon  as  oui'  trees  get  strong  enough — usually 
six  years  after  planting — the  iron  guards  are  taken 
away  from  them  and  wire  netting  put  around  the 
stems  to  protect  them  from  injury,  and  they  are 
allowed  to  develop  as  naturally  as  circumstances 
will  permit.  The  guards  thus  dispensed  with  when 
repaired  are  equal  to  new,  and  can  be  used  over 
and  over  again,  thereby  doing  away  with  one  of 
the  most  expensive  items  in  connection  with  street 
planting.  W.  W.  P. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

PEAR    LE     LECTIER. 

PROSPECTIVE  planters  would  do  well  to 
note  the  merits  of  this  Pear,  as  we  have 
so  few  really  good  ones  in  December 
and  later.  In  addition  to  its  being  a 
remarkably  handsome  fruit,  its  size 
should  make  it  a  favourite.  I  have 
heard  mere  size  condemned,  but  I  do  not  think 
such  fruits  as  this  need  adverse  conmients,  as  a  good 
looking  Pear  and  something  to  look  at  as  regards 
size  will  always  tell  ;  of  course  we  do  not  want 
fruit  equal  to  the  largest  Pitmaston  Duchesse,  but 
such  Pears  as  Doyenne  du  Cnmice  are  never 
objected  to,  and  Le  Lectier  is  similar  in  size  and 
appearance  to  a  good  Doyenne  du  Comice.  I 
have  grown  this  variety  as  a  cordon,  and  thus 
managed  it  is  remarkably  fertile  ;  it  is  also  a  free 
bearer  in  any  form.  In  cold  exposed  situations  a 
wall  would  be  advisable,  but  in  good  soil  and 
position  it  makes  a  good  bush  or  p3'ramid,  and  gives 
a  good  return.  The  fruits  are  large  and  of  beauti- 
ful shape,  and  have  a  mottled  green  skin  which 
turns  to  yellow  when  full  ripe,  flesh  melting  iiuitc 
free  of  grit,  highlj'  perfumed,  and  very  juicy  with 
first-rate  flavour.  The  tree  makes  vigorous  growth, 
being  of  erect  habit,  and  should  be  given  ample 
.space.  In  the  case  of  cordon  trees  we  have  found  it 
necessary  to  lift  every  three  years,  as  it  grows  so 
freely.  I  note  the  latter  tendency,  as  in  planting 
rich  manures  should  be  avoided.     This  varietj'  is. 


as  its  name  implies,  of  continental  origin,  and  was 
raised  in  France,  but  has  been  grown  for  several 
years  in  this  country  :  it  is  the  result  of  crossing  the 
well-known  Williams'  Bon  Chretien  (a  great 
favourite  for  early  supplies)  with  Bergamotte 
Fortunee,  a  French  variety  liked  for  its  keeping 
properties  ;  but  as  regards  flavour  Le  Lectier  more 
resembles  the  Williams,  but  is  later.  Its  season  is 
given  as  from  December  to  JSIarch,  and  in  the  south 
we  have  had  good  fruits  in  January,  but  I  fear 
most  Pears  are  much  earlier  this  season,  and  there  is 
a  tendency  for  all  varieties  to  ripen  before  their 
usual  time,  which  is  unfortunate,  as  it  will  make 
good  fruit  very  scarce  later  on.  G.  Wythes. 

Syon  House  Gai-dtns,  Brentford. 


THE    FERN    GARDEN. 


FERNS 


M 


TH.\T 
WINTE 


REST     JN 


ANY  beautiful  Ferns  thrive  well  and 
even  make  finer  fronds  when  grown 
in  more  heat  than  they  receive  in 
their  natural  habitats.  This  applies 
to  their  natural  growing  season — that 
is,  during  the  early  spring  and 
summer.  It  must,  however,  be  remembered  that 
there  are  many  which  rest  entirely  during  the 
autumn,  and  if  these  are  kept  in  heat  and  forced 
into  unnatural  growth  they  may  make  a  good 
growth  for  one  season,  but  they  will  have  used 
up  all  the  vitality  which  should  have  remained 
dormant  until  the  season  conies  round  when 
almost  all  things  start  into  new  life.  The  con- 
sequence of  starting  Ferns  prematurelj'  is  that 
they  have  not  fully  matured  the  functions  neces- 
sary to  keep  up  continued  activity,  and  the}'  have 
also  the  disadvantage  of  dull,  dark  days  in  which 
to  prepare  for  another  forced  march,  the  conse- 
cjuence  being  that  the  spring  growth  is  very  weak, 
and  it  is  not  until  late  in  the  season  that  it  becomes 
matured,  and  the  crown  or  heart  of  the  plant  will 
become  graduall}'  weakened  until  life  becomes 
quite  extinct. 

It  is  owing  to  the  disregard  to  the  necessity  of  a 
period  of  rest  that  many  of  our  most  beautiful 
Ferns  are  lost.  It  is  easy  to  prove  the  above 
remarks  by  taking  plants  of  any  of  the  Pteris 
serrulata  varieties.  Place  some  in  a  cool  house 
and  keep  them  dormant,  and  others  in  heat.  Those 
in  heat  will  keep  growing,  and  may  make  some 
fairlj'  good  fronds  ;  but  take  those  which  have 
remained  dormant,  saj',  about  February,  place 
them  in  warmth,  and  the}'  will  soon  start  into 
vigorous  growth  and  overtake  those  that  have  been 
in  heat,  and  which  by  this  time  will  have  very 
weak  crowns.  It  is  not  all  Ferns  which  require 
this  period  of  rest.  Take  the  Aspleniums  ot  the 
bulbiferum  type  ;  these  continue  to  make  satis- 
factory growth  throughout  the  year,  and  it  may 
be  noticed  that  these  develop  only  one  frond  at  a 
time,  or,  rather,  each  frond  is  succeeded  by  another 
instead  of  a  number  being  developed  at  the  same 
period. 

It  is  not  only  those  with  the  tufted  crowns  which 
require  rest,  but  many  with  spreading  rhizomes. 
I  could  give  no  better  example  than  Pteris  scabe- 
rula.  This  beautiful  little  Fern  grows  freely  in  a 
loamy  compost  in  a  cool,  shady  position,  and  in 
the  spring  warmth  will  assist  in  the  development 
of  good  fronds,  and,  while  it  will  not  withstand 
frost,  the  cooler  it  can  be  kept  during  the  winter 
the  better.  The  finest  specimen  I  remendier  was 
grown  in  a  viner}'.  The  heat  given  to  start  tiie 
Vines  in  spring  was  congenial  to  the  Fern,  while 
all  the  light  and  cool  air  in  the  autumn  gave  just 
the  con<litions  essential  to  the  period  of  rest.  It 
may  be  noted  here  that  our  British  Ferns  all 
rciiuire  a  period  of  rest,  and  the  conditions  under 
which  they  grow  in  their  natural  habitats  are 
similar  to  tho,se  suggested  above — that  is,  they 
are  pi-ovidetl  with  shade  by  the  deciduous  trees 
during  the  summei',  and  the  leaves  falling  in  ihe 
aulunui  leave  the  Ferns  expcjscd  tn  the  light  and 
also  pi-uvidc  good  material  for  the  roots  the  fol- 
lowing season. 


January  5,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


1  Iiave  often  heard  it  remarked  that  the  British 
Ferns,  being  quite  hardy,  do  not  require  protec- 
tion in  winter,  but  when  grown  in  pots  or  in  the 
garden  they  are  deprived  of  the  natural  protection 
provided  by  the  surrounding  vegetation,  and  are 
often  in  positions  where  they  start  into  growth 
before  their  natural  period,  and  sutler  from  frosts 
even  in  a  wild  state.  1  have  seen  the  most 
beautiful  Ferns  ruined  for  the  season  by  a  late 
spring  frost,  and  it  is  when  they  begin  to  unfold 
their  new  fronds  that  a  little  protection  is  most 


necessary. 


A.  Hkmsley. 


through  tenderest  pink,  white  and  rosy  pink,  the 
colours  then  reaching  a  soft  scarlet  and  ending 
with  a  dark  blood-red,  reminding  one  of  the  seeds 
of  the  Pomegranate.  The  berries  also  vary  in  size 
from  that  of  young  Peas  to  the  size  of  the  largest 
Cranberry,  and  they  show  another  kind  of  variety 
in  the  way  they  are  set  upon  the  spikes,  some 
densely,  some  more  openly.  Further  variety  is 
shown  by  those  that  have  the  smaller  berries 
standing  stiffly,  while  in  those  with  the  large 
berries  the  weight  of  the  fruit  causes  the  spray  to 
hang  ov?r  in  a  graceful  pendulous  way.     The  fine 


lis 


STOVE    FERNS 
WINTER. 

Those  naturally  requiring  a 
higher  temperature  not  in- 
frequently suffer  through 
giving  too  much  heat  during 

the  dark  days  of  November 

and  December.  The  tempera- 
ture  should    not   fall   much 

below    50°    Fahr. ,    and,    of 

course,   much  depends  upon 

the  condition  of  the  plants. 

If  they  have   made  u   good 

summer    growth    and    have 

well  -  matured   fronds    they 

will    be   all   the    better    for 

being  kept  cool  and  mode- 
rately   dry    until    the    turn 

of  days  when  we  get  brighter 

weather  and  more  sunshine. 

With    regard    to    watering, 

when   the   temperature    has 

to  be  sustained  by  fire-heat, 

more  water  may  be  required 

than    in   the   summer   when 

there  is  shading  and  no  arti- 
ficial heat,  and  it  may  happen 

that   they  get   dry   beneath 

when  they  appear  moist  on 

the  surface.    It  is,  therefore, 

necessary  to  closely  examine 

each  pot,  for,  while  no  sur- 
plus water  should  be  thrown 

about,  the  opposite  extreme 

must  be  avoided.     The  great 

advantage  in  keeping  Ferns 

inactive   while    there    is    so 

little  daylight  is  that   they 

start     away     with     greater 

vigourwhen  brighter  weather 

comes,  for  the  fronds  forced 

into  growth  do  not  mature 
ufHciently  to  strengthen  the 

plant  for  future  growth.      A 

sudden  change  of  tempera- 
ture is  a  thing  to  be  avoided. 

If  the  night  temperature  has 

fallen  low  it  may  do  no  harm 

in  itself,  but  if  the  fires  are 

made  up  and  the  sun  comes 

on    the  house   at    the   same 

time  moisture  will  settle  on 

the  fronds.      To  avoid  this, 

a   little   top   air    should    be 

given   early,   or   as   soon   as 

the   temperature    begins    to 

rise,  for  unless  the  cold  moi.'  - 

ture   is   gradually  dried   oft 

it  will  cause  discoloration  of 

the  fronds.   I  frequently  hear 

of  instances  where  the  fronds 

of     Adiantums     and     other 

tender  Ferns  turn  black,  and 

it  may  generally  be  traced  to  a  sudden  change  of  tem- 
perature.    A  Fern  may  remain  out  in  the  cold  and 

will  not  suffer;  but  take  it  back  suddenly  into  heat 

and  in  a  short  time  the  fronds  will  turn  black. 

A.  Hemsley. 


two  and  three  year  old  wood."— W.  P.  Atkinson, 
Roydl  NnrrniriKH,  Handmrortli ,  ShiJIiKliL 

[There  is  no  doubt  that  this  Holly  is  all  that 
Mr.  Atkinson  claims  for  it.  The  leaves  are  large 
and  deep  green,  and  the  shoots  clustered  wiili 
bold,  rich  red  berries.  It  is  a  noble  kind  for  the 
woodland,  garden,  or  park. — Eds.] 

COLLETIA  C'RUCIATA  (BICTOXIEXSIs). 
Mr.  Beckett,  the  excellent  gardener  to  Lord 
Aldenham,  Aldenha  House,  Elstree,  Herts,  sends 
flowering  shoots  of  this  in- 
teresting plant.  Mr.  Beckett 
writes:  "It  has  bloomed 
here  for  the  last  two  seasons, 
a  rather  unusual  occurrence 
in  this  part  of  the  country  I 
believe." 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

The  Pernettvas. 
Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson  sends  an  important  collection 
of  branches  of  berried  Pernettyas  in  ten  or  a  dozen 
quite    distinct    shades    of    colouring    from   white 


THE  ijueen  heech. 
(Sii2)pageil  to  lie  the  tallest  Beech  in  the  British  Isleg,  height  I'.rifiet.) 

collection  sent  shows  that  nothing  can  be  more 
worthy  of  cultivation  for  garden  beauty  in  winter 
than  these  varieties  of  a  good  hardy  shrub.  The 
texture  of  the  berries  also  shows  a  pleasing 
diversity.  It  is  in  some  cases  like  marble,  and  in 
others  like  delicately  stained  ivory. 


A  BEAUTirnL  Holly. 

"I  am   sending  you   Holly  Marnocki,  which  I 

believe  is  the  finest  berry-bearing  Holly  there  is, 

and  here  every  year  we  have  it  making  racemes  of 

berries  2  feet  and  over  long,  berrjdng  back  into  the 


TALLEST     BEECH 

IN  ENGLAND. 

The  tallest  and  best  single 
Beech  in  England  is  repre- 
sented in  the  accompany- 
ing illustration.  It  stands 
in  Lord  Brownlow's  park 
at  Uxbridge,  which  over- 
looks the  Beech  county, 
Buckinghamshire,  and 
Lord  Rothschild's  park  at 
Tring,  but  is  itself  on  the 
opposite  chalk  range,  on 
the  borders  of  Hertford- 
shire. It  is  known  as  the 
Queen  Beech,  and  is  cal- 
culated to  be  150  feet 
high.  It  is  remarkable, 
not  only  for  its  height  but 
for  its  perfect  shape.  The 
stem  rises  100  feet  without 
a  single  branch,  and  in  the 
form  of  a  perfect  cylinder, 
growing  very  gradually 
less  towards  the  top. 
Other  Beeches  close  by 
reach  an  equal  height,  but 
have  not  such  perfect  and 
symmetrical  trunks.  One 
of  the  finest  "all  round" 
Beech  trees  in  Scotland  is 
at  Newbattle  Alibey,  in 
^Midlothian.  It  is  9.3  feet 
high,  and  'ilh  feet  in  girth 
1  foot  from  the  ground. 
The  branches  .spread  over 
a  circuit  of  3-50  feet. 


BOOKS. 

The  Studio  (Decem- 
ber). —  This  beautiful 
monthly  art  journal  is  for 
December  full  of  interesting 
articles  and  illustrations. 
There  are  six  supplemental 
plates,  and  amongst  miscel- 
laneous articles  is  one  upon 
"  Open  -  air  Museums  fur 
London,''  by  George 
Brochner. 

AVintep  Number  of  the  Studio.— 

This  is  the  most  beautiful  volume  that  has  been  issued 
from  the  office  of  the  Studio.  It  consists  of  modern 
pen  drawings,  European  and  American,  and  .the 
list  of  artists  whose  work  is  reproduced  contains 
the  names  of  R.  Anning  Bell,  Walter  Crane,  E.  T. 
Reed,  F.  Carruthers  Gould,  John  Hassall,  Phil 
May,  Mortimer  Mempes,  Alfred  Parsons,  Bernard 
Partridge,  and  Byam  Shaw.  INo  less  than  fifty-six 
English  artists  are  represented  and  eight  American. 
This  volume  would  make  a  delightful  gift-book.  It 
is  issued  at  5s.  net. 


16 


THE    GARDEN. 


lANL'ARY     0, 


1901 


OBITUARY. 

MR.    WILLIAM    DODDS. 

This  old  Dahlia  grower  and  exhibitor,  who  made 
a  great  reputation  half  a  century  ago  as  a  raiser, 
died  a  short  lime  since  at  Bristol  at  the  advanced, 
age  of  ninetj'-two.  Coming  south  from  Scotland — 
of  which  country  he  was  a  native — in  1847  he  went 
into  the  garden  of  Colonel  Baker,  at  Salisbury,  and 
in  a  short  time  he  became  head  gardener,  occupying 
that  position  for  the  space  of  thirty  years.  Colonel 
Baker  was  a  great  enthusiast  with  the  Dahlia,  and 
at  that  time  it  was  being  rapidly  improved,  and 
Mr.  Dodds  threw  himself  into  the  work  of  raising 
new  varieties  with  considerable  ardour,  and  not  a 
few  of  his  productions  were  put  into  commerce  b}' 
his  old  friend,  the  late  John  Keynes.  As  an 
exhibitor  and  cultivator  he  took  a  high  position. 
Leaving  Salisbury  on  the  death  of  Colonel  Baker, 
he  went  as  head  gardener  at  Ashtou  Court,  Sir 
Grevette  Smythe's  seat  at  Bristol,  where  he 
remained  until  he  went  into  retirement.  Until  his 
infirmities  prevented  him,  he  came  every  year  to 
London  to  act  as  judge  at  the  exhibition  of  the 
National  Dahlia  Society  at  the  Crystal  Palace, 
meeting  there  old  associates  like  Mr.  H.  Eckford, 
who  was  under  Mr.  Dodds  at  Colonel  Baker's  for  a 
time.  Mr.  Dodds  may  be  said  to  have  outlived  his 
contemporaries,  and  men  who  do  that  are  speedily 
forgotten. 

MR.    PHILIP    CROWLEY. 

By  the  death,  after  several  weeks  of  exceedingly 
painful  illness,  of  this  well-known  member,  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  loses  its  long-time  treasurer, 
and  the  fruit  committee  its  greatly  esteemed  and 
endeared  chairman.  Mr.  Crowley  was  singularly 
genial  and  affable  in  disposition,  greatly  devoted 
to  horticulture,  and  especially  to  fruit  culture. 
He  will  be  greatly  missed,  and  his  death  deeply 
regretted.  He  expired  at  his  home,  Waddon 
House,  Croj'don,  on  the  20th  ult. ,  and  was  buried 
in  the  beautiful  rural  churehj'ard  of  Shirley, 
of  which  parish  his  long  esteemed  colleague,  the 
Rev.  W.  Wilks,  secretary  to  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society,  is  the  vicar.  The  pretty  church- 
yard seems  to  be  the  favourite  burying  place  of  the 
wealthy  ones  of  Croydon,  for  it  is  nearly  full  of 
handsome  burial  monuments.  Three  members  of 
the  fruit  committee  represented  that  body,  and 
Messrs.  S.  T.  Wright  and  E.  Reader  represented 
the  permanent  staff.  The  attendance  of  relatives 
and  friends  was  large,  some  twenty-five  carriages 
being  in  the  corlrc/e.  The  grave  was  dressed  with 
Moss,  Ivy,  and  Polyanthus  Narcissi.  Many 
beautiful  wreaths  were  sent,  one  being  from  the 
Gardeners'  Company.  The  service  was  conducted 
by  the  vicar  of  Croydon,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  W. 
Wilks. 

[Tlie  abovii  account,  contributed  Iiy  an  esteemed 
correspondent,  arrived  too  late  for  our  last  numJier 
oiviny  to  early  publication,  due  to  the  Christmas 
holidays.  We  are  grieved  to  hear  of  the  loss  of  so 
ardent  a  horticulturist  as  Mr.  Crouiey.  Men  of 
this  stamp — actirc,  enthusiastic,  and  painstalciny — 
are  difficult  to  replace. — Eds.] 


RECENT    PLANT    PORTRAITS. 

The  Botanical  Afai/azine  tor  December  contains 
portraits  of  Dendrobium  spectabile,  a  native  of 
New  Guinea  and  the  Solomon  Islands,  also  known 
as  D.  tigrinum  and  Latouria  speclabilis,  from  its 
having  been  originally  discovered  by  a  French 
botanist,  Leschenault  de  la  Tour.  The  specimen 
here  figured  was  lent  by  Mr.  Bennett-Poe  in  .January 
of  this  year. 

Adesinia  boronioidcs,  a  native  of  south-eastern 
Patagonia,  a  small  yellow-flowered  leguminose 
shrub  with  brown  markings  round  the  centre  of  the 
flower.  It  is  hardy  at  Kew,  but  has  not  yet 
bloomed  there.  The  specimen  figured  was  sent  by 
Mr.  BuUey,  of  Ness,  in  Cheshire,  who  raised  it 
from  Patagonian  seed. 

Dasylirion  quadrani/ulat um,  a  native  of  Mexico, 
also  known  as  Agave  striata  var.  recurva.     This  is 


a   plant  of    no  beauty  as   to   its   minute   whitish 
flowers.     It  has  fine  grass-like  foliage. 

Matthiola  coroitopifolia,  also  known  as  M.  tristis 
forma,  M.  tristis  var.  bicornis,  Leucojum  monta- 
num,  L.  minus  purpureum,  and  Hesperis  sieula 
coronopifolia.  A  small  branching  perennial  herb 
%vith  ros3' purple  flowers  somewhat  larger  and  more 
ornamental  than  those  of  our  common  night- 
scented  Stock,  and  with  foliage  resembling  that  of 
a  Verbena. 

Passiflora  capsularis,  a  native  of  Brazil,  also 
known  as  P.  rubra,  P.  pubescens,  P.  bilobata,  P. 
lunata,  P.  piligera,  and  P.  foliis  bilobis  ;  an  ex- 
tremely pretty  pale  rose-coloured  Passion  Flower 
requiring  the  temperature  of  a  stove  ;  it  has  curious 
foliage,  closely  resembling  the  extended  wings  of  a 
butterfly. 

The  Recue  de  V Horticulture  Beige  for  December 
contains,  on  a  double  plate,  portraits  of  two  new 
Chrysanthemums,  one  incurved  of  a  curious  dar-k 
purple  shade  of  colour  named  Souvenir  de  Suzanne, 
and  the  other  a  fine  pale  yellow  Japanese  named 
Prince  Hussein  Kamil. 

The  Eecne  Horticole  for  November  16  contains 
a  portrait  of  a  pretty  but  rather  insignificant 
Orchid,  Vanda  cterulesoens  Regneri,  with  bunches 
of  small  pale  blue  flowers  with  a  lip  of  a  deeper 
shade.  The  number  for  December  1  contains  a 
portrait  of  a  large  deep  brown-coloured  Pear  named 
Lieutenant  Poidevin. 

The  eleventh  and  twelfth  parts  of  the  fifteenth 
volume  of  Lindenia,  concluding  the  volumes  of  this 
fine  work,  contain  portraits  of  the  following  eight 
Orchids  :  — 

Liidia  grandis  var.  tenebrosa  sub.  car.  Lindeiti, 
a  large  flowered  and  very  handsome  variety. 

Miltonia  cuneafa,  a  distinct  and  handsome  variety 
with  large  flowers  having  deep  brown  sepals  tipped 
with  yellow  and  a  pure  white  lip. 

Cypripedium  borchgraveanum,  afine  largefiowered 
but  somewhat  dull  coloured  variety. 

Cattleya  gaskelliaua  var.  Reiiie  des  Beiges,  a 
most  beautiful  large  pure  white  flower  with  a  pale 
yellow  throat  and  a  bunch  of  carmine  lines  on 
centre  of  lip. 

CymbidiuTn  Parishi,  a  fine  large  pure  white  flower 
with  yellow  and  brown  markings  about  its  centre. 

Sobralia  xantholeuca  rar.  alba,  a  verj'  handsome 
large  flower  of  the  purest  white  with  a  faint  yellow 
centre. 

Lii'lia  grandis  var.  pdargoniflora,  a  fine  large 
handsome  variety. 

Cattleya  gaskelliana  rar.  amabilis,  a  fine  large 
pure  white  flower  with  pale  j'ellow  throat  and  a  few 
carmine  stripes  on  the  centre  of  lip. 

W.  E.  GUMBLETON. 


A    NOVEMBER    NEAR    NICE. 

What  a  pity  it  is  that  no  November  show  of 
Chrysanthemums  is  ever  enriched  by  the  sight  of 
some  November  flowers  as  they  grow  on  the 
Riviera,  and  what  a  grace  huge  sprays  of  Dahlia 
imperialis  hung  with  hundreds  of  its  drooping 
milky  bells  would  give  !  How  noble  those  great 
branching  panicles  of  scarlet  flowers  are  that  weigh 
down  the  shoots  of  the  Tree  Salvia  frutescens,  and 
how  the  spikes  of  Hibiscus  Manihot,  with  its  black- 
eved  sulphur  blooms,  spire  out,  recalling  with 
added  grace  the  Hollyhock,  so  dear  to  artists  who 
reproduce  the  fleeting  glories  of  a  garden  !  In  these 
days  of  cheap  glass  and  economic  heating,  is  it 
really  impossible  to  reproduce  these  glories  under  a 
northern  sky?  What  a  delight  it  would  be  to  many 
to  enjoy  at  home  such  a  sight  if  only  it  were  once 
realised,  and  I  cannot  but  think  tliat  the  same 
energy  devoted  to  the  Chrysanthemums,  if  care- 
fully directed  in  another  channel,  might  give  a 
new  pleasure  to  those  who  are  satiated  with 
"  Mums." 

At  first  it  seems  as  if  it  were  merely  a  matter  of 
cost  to  reproduce  a  southern  garden  under  northern 
skies.  Such,  however,  is  not  quite  the  case,  for 
owing,  perhaps,  to  too  great  shelter  and  stillness 
of  air  under  glass,  to  say  nothing  of  winter  glooms 
and  dismal  fogs,  there  are  a  good  many  plants  tlial 
grow  too  much  and  flower  not  at  all  or  too  little  to 
give  any  idea  of  their  beauty.    To  all  folk  who  love 


luxuriant  climbers  and  noble  flowering  shrubs  I 
would  sa)',  "Don't  coddle  them  too  much,  give  far 
more  air  than  is  usually  given,  let  them  have  a 
wholesome  clieck  at  times,  either  by  drought,  open 
air  treatment  in  summer,  or  by  confining  their  roots 
in  tubs  or  boxes  ;  they  can  then  be  lifted  or  moved 
about  on  occasion,  so  as  to  keep  the  roots  more  under 
control  and  more  accessible  to  air  in  winter  damps." 
I  cannot  think  gardening  in  England  has  said  its 
final  word,  and  j'et  when  out  on  the  Riviera  in 
November  one  is  constantlj'  saying,  "  Why,  oh  ! 
why,  does  one  never  see  these  glorious  things  in  any 
home  garden '; " 

It  ma}'  be,  of  course,  that  the  absence  of  actinic 
power  in  the  sun's  rays  is  a  stile  "  the  lame  dog 
cannot  get  over,"  but  I  think  that  those  who  know 
best  the  ditticulties  of  gardeners,  both  at  home  and 
abroad,  can  find  means  either  by  artful  hybridisation 
or  cultivation  to  overcome  them,  as  many  other 
dirticulties  have  been  dissipated  in  the  last  genera- 
tion. Climbers,  perhaps,  are  the  most  impossible 
of  all  plants,  both  in  their  beauty  and  their  require- 
ments ;  some,  for  instance,  take  years  to  settle 
down  into  really  free-flowering  habits.  The  other 
day,  visiting  a  neighbour's  villa  garden,  I  saw  a 
Rose — crimson  curtain  of  flower  hanging  from  top- 
most eaves  to  the  very  ground — and  when  I  got 
near  it  was  nothing  new,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the 
old  and  lovely  Bignonia  Cherere,  called  here 
B.  Bueeinatoria,  from  its  trumpet-shaped  blooms  ; 
but  never  before,  in  many  J'ears  acquaintance,  have 
I  seen  such  a  perfect  sheet  of  flower.  On  the  other 
hand,  a  seedling  Tasconia  ignea,  not  (i  inches  high 
last  May,  now  covers  half  a  house  with  its  scarlet 
stars,  and  Mina  lobata,  a  mere  climbing  annual,  is 
now  one  blaze  of  flowering  sprays,  shading  from 
crimson  to  cream,  and  j'et  is  never  seen  growing  as 
a  cool  greenhouse  creeper,  which  is  its  most  suit- 
able place  in  England.  Iponuea  fieifolia  is  so 
glorified  an  edition  of  Convolvulus  major  that  it 
deserves  a  tub  or  pot  inwliich  to  be  plunged  out  in 
summer,  and  then  sheltered  in  winter,  when  it  will 
flower  till  January  comes.  It  needs  plenty  of  room 
to  gro^y,  and  neither  much  pot  room  nor  good 
feeding  for  its  roots.  BougainviUeas  glabra  and 
sanderiana  are  both  admirable  climbers  in  England 
as  here,  but  I  doubt  if  it  is  known  to  most  folk 
that  it  enjoj's  being  placed  out  of  doors  on  a  south 
wall  in  summer,  and  rested  in  a  viner}',  needing 
onl}'  a  rather  dry,  cool  rest  after  Christmas  and  a 
severe  pruning  before  it  starts  to  grow  in  the  spring. 
B.  sanderiana  becomes  such  a  deep,  heavy  shade  of 
lilac  on  these  coasts  that  I  cannot  say  it  is 
beautiful  unless  grown  quite  in  the  shade,  and 
therefore  it  must  flower  more  freely  in  England 
than  those  that  need  the  fullest  exposure  to  sun 
even  here. 

Water  Lilies  are  grown  everywhere  in  tubs  now-a- 
dajs,  so  whj'  may  we  not  utilise  the  same  idea  in  a 
slightl}' different  direction  for  our  climbers,  which  in 
this  way  would  be  cleansed  and  hardened  b}'  summer 
rains  and  summer  suns  before  they  require  the 
warmth  and  shelter  of  glass  to  protect  their  autumn 
flowers  ?  The  autumn  and  winter-flowering  form 
of  Iris  germanica,  which  I  first  saw  in  a  Bordighera 
garden,  is  also  a  plant  worthy  of  a  tub  for  the  winter 
garden  under  glass,  and  in  the  good  eompanj-  of 
the  bright  golden  Linum  trigynum  would  cheer  any- 
one who  seeks  for  bright  colours  and  ilowery 
growths.  For  edging  permanent  borders  under 
glass  there  cannot  be  a  more  enduring  and  beautiful 
flower  than  the  major  or  speciosa  form  of  Iris 
stylosa,  which  can  never  show  its  full  beauty 
without  protection,  and  yet  because  it  exists  and 
flowers  under  protest  out  of  doors  is  miscalled  a 
hardy  flower.  We  are  not  alwa3's  kind  to  our  pets, 
and  we  need  a  little  knowledge  only  too  frequently 
to  enjoy  their  full  beauty.  Happj'  are  those  who 
will  or  can  take  the  trouble  to  gain  it,  assuredly 
they  are  speedily  rewarded. 

Braticolar,  Nice.  E.  H.  WooDAi.L. 


Sip  Joseph  Hooker. —  We  learn  with 
pleasure  that  Sir  J.  Dalton  Hooker  has  just  been 
elected  a  member  of  L'Institut  dc  France  (Acadcmie 
des  Sciences).  This  is  tlie  highest  French  scientific 
distinction  to  which  a  foreigner  can  attain.  The 
eminent  botanist  fills  the  place  of  the  celebrated 
Bunsen. 


January  5,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


17 


A    NOTE    ON    BAMBOOS. 

The  hardy  Bamboos  have  become  ciuite 
established  in  English  gardens.  Over  fifty 
kinds  are  in  cultivation,  but  many  are  so  much 
alike  that  it  is  neces.sary  to  think  only  of  com- 
paratively few  species  and  varieties.  No  hardy 
evergreen  is  so  graceful  and  beautiful  as  the 
Bamboo,  and  it  is  of  freshest  green  in  mid- 
winter v^^hen  all  else  is  for  the  most  part  brown 
and  comfortless.  Deep  rich  soil,  shelter  from 
north  and  east  vpinds,  plenty  of  water  and 
manure  are  essential  to  success.  The  time  to 
plant  is  May,  and  always  give  each  kind  suffi- 
cient space  to  develop.  The  following  twelve 
species  comprise  the  finest  of  the  family,  and 
also  the  hardiest,  a  point  of  much  import- 
ance : — Arundinaria  nitida,  A.  Siiuoni  (see 
illustration),  A.  japonica  (better  known  as 
Bambusa  metake),  A.  Fortunei,  A.  auricoma 
(the  last  two  are  dwarf  in  growth  and  have 
variegated  leafage),  Phyllostachys  boryana, 
P.  Henonis,  B.  viridi-glaucescens  (one  of  the 
most  popular  of  all),  P.  nigra,  P.  Kumasaca, 
and  P.  mitis,  also  the  broad  deep  green-leaved 
Bambusa  palmata: 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

CALVAT'S    SEEDLINGS. 

WHEREVER  one  goes  it  is  impos- 
sible not  to  be  struck  with  the 
very  large  number  of  Chrysan- 
themums that  have  been  raised 
by  the  eminent  Frenchman,  M. 
Ernest  Calvat.  In  the  parks,  at 
the  trade  displays,  on  the  show-boards  of  our 
exhibitions  they  are  to  be  found  without  exception, 
^  and  although  some  persons  thought  last  year  that 
there  was  evidence  of  a  decline  in  the  quality,  yet 
(  there  is  no  doubt  that  those  he  sent  out  last  spring 
L  are  an  improvement  on  those  of  1899,  and  certainly 
~,  his  novelties  for  next  season  contain  several  grand 
•I .  I  additions, 
ijl     They   are  so  well   known  as  a  rule,   or  else  so 


easily  found  in  the  trade  catalogues,  that  lengthy 
verbal  description  may  be  dispensed  with.  During 
the  past  season  I  saw  at  various  places  the 
following  novelties  of  the  past  year  or  two  in 
unusually  attractive  form,  viz. ,  Le  Fakir,  Salome, 
Aliette,  Marie  Charmet,  M.  0.  de  Menlenaire, 
Coppelia,  Mme.  Ph.  Roger,  Marquis  Visconti- 
Venosta,  M.  Dhaugest,  Mme.  C.  Kli^ber,  W.  Wells, 
Mme.  C.  Terrier,  Zephoris,  and  several  others. 

Those  who  are  desirous  of  keeping  up  to  date 
must  not  fail  to  obtain  his  grandest  novelty  for 
1901,  called  Calvat's  Sun,  a  truly  magnificent 
golden  yellow  Japanese  of  great  size.  Others  not 
yet  in  commerce  worth  noting  are  Chais, 
M.  Waldeck  Rousseau,  Brumaire,  Uranie,  Etoile 
du  Nord,  Paolo  Radaelli,  Ije  Jungfrau,  Regina  Roi 
Soleil,  and  Croix  du  Sud. 

It  must,  however,  not  be  forgotten  that  M.  Calvat 
has  to-day  far  more  serious  competitors  in  the 
business  than  when  he  first  became  known  here  in 
England  ten  years  ago,  or  a  little  less.  English 
raisers  of  recent  date,  and  colonial  growers,  too, 
have  entered  the  lists  with  great  credit  to  them- 
selves, and  have  accomplished  work  that  will 
render  M.  Calvat's  task  of  keeping  in  the  front  a 
much  more  difficult  one  than  hitherto.    C.  H.  P. 


BRITISH     POISONOUS    PLANTS. 

By  the  Rev.  Professor  Georoe  Henslow, 
M.A.,  F.L.S. 

(Continued  from  page  ^71.) 

Sorrel  (Rumex  Acetosa),  which  contains 
binoxalate  of  potash,  commonly  known  as  salts 
of  lemon,  is  a  decidedly  injurious  plant  if 
eaten  in  any  quantity.  Thus  children  have 
suffered  from  consuming  too  many  leaves. 

Thymelacese. — The  Spurge  Laurel  (Daphne 
Laureola)  and  the  Mezereon  (D.  Mezereum)  are 
both  poisonous  in  all  parts.  The  fruits  have 
caused  the  majority  of  accidents  with  children. 
The  poison  acts  on  the  nerves  like  Monkshood. 

Euphorbiacese. —  The  Spurges  (Euphorbia) 
are  known  by  the  milky  acrid  juice,  supposed 
to  be  destructive  to  warts.     The  later  is  acrid 


AJlUNpiNABIAs,SlMONI, 


and  poisonous,  and  the  seeds  contain  a  very 
purgative  oil.  A  cultivated  sp.,  E.  Lathyris 
has  a  three-lobed  fruit  resembling  that  of  the 
Nasturtium  (Tropajolum  majus),  which  has 
sometimes  been  used  for  pickling,  but  alMioagh 
the  acid  may  neutralise  the  poison,  it  is 
certainly  inadvisable  to  use  them. 
■  Mercury,  of  which  we  have  two  species 
(Mercurialis  annua  and  M.  perennis),  lias  a 
watery  and  poisonous  juice.  Though  beasts 
refuse  it,  they  have  sometimes  been  ])oisoned 
by  these  plants  being  mixed  with  herbage  and 
fodder.     Drying  destroys  the  poison. 

The  Box  (Buxus  sempervirens)  has  a  disagree- 
able odou»  and  taste.  It  has  poisoned  both 
man  and  animals.  It  has  been  fraudulently 
used  _  instead  of  Hops  in  beer  and  proved 
very  injurious. 

Oak'(Quercus  Robur).— In  spring  time  cattle, 
which  have  been  fed  for  a  long  time  on  dry  food, 
are  allowed  on  the  continent  to  browse  on  the 
young  green  shoots  of  Oaks.  After  some  days 
the  younger  animals  have  suffered  greatly  and 
often  died. 

Coniferas.— Of  the  three  British  coniferous 
trees,  the  Yew,  the  .Juniper,  and  the  Scotch  Fir, 
theYew  is  the  only  onewhich  calls  for  attention. 
The  young  foliage  is  not  so  deleterious  as  the 
older,  as  stated,  for  peasants  feed  their  cattle 
on  the  cuttings  of  hedges,  but  the  older  shoots 
and  leaves  have  often  proved  poisonous  to 
cattle,  and  though  the  .scarlet  cup  surrounding 
the  seedis  perfectly  innocuou.s,  the  latter  has 
often  poisoned  children  who  have  eaten  both 
together. 

Monocotyledons.  Amaryllidaceae.  —  The 
genus  Narcissus  has  at  least  two  very  poisonous 
species,  especially  as  to  their  bulbs,  the  Daffodil 
(N.  Pseudo-Narcissus)  and  the  Poet's  Narcissus 
(N.  Poeticus).  Their  stems  and  leaves  are 
refused  by  cattle.  The  bulbs  are  very  emetic, 
and  the  flowers  dangerous  if  the  petals  be 
chewed. 

^  The  Snowdrop  (Galanthus  nivalis),  and  the 
Snowflake  (Leucojum  vernum)  have  also  bulbs 
which    are    violently    emetic    if 
eaten. 

Dioscoreaceie.— The  Black 
Bryony  (Tamus  communis)  is 
also  a  dangerous  plant,  as  the 
fruit  is  poisonous  and  emetic. 
The  rhizome  was  a  cathartic  drug 
of  quacks,  l;)ut  it  is  a  dangerous 
one. 

Liliace8e._ — C'olchicum  (C.  au- 
tumnale)  is  a  very  poisonous 
plant.  It  only  grows  sparingly 
in  our  fields,  but  in  extraordinary 
r^bundance  in  some  of  the  grassy 
meadows  of  Switzerland.  Even 
the  dried  leaves  in  hay  are 
injurious  if  eaten  in  any  quantity. 
The  poisonous  bulb  has  proved 
fatal  when  eaten  in  mistake  for  an 
Onion. 

Lily  of  the  Valley  (Convallaria 
niajalis)  is  poi.sonous  in  all  its 
parts,  the  flowers  being  most 
dangerous,  as  also  are  the  reil 
berries. 

Paris,  another  Liliaceous  plant 
(P.quadrifolia)is  equally  poisonous 
throughout.  The  black  berries 
have  poisoned  children. 

Bluebell  (Scilla  nutans),  like 
other  species,  including  the  South 
European  Squill  (S.maritima),  are 
dangerous,  the  bulbs  being  very 
acrid. 

Aroide*. — Lords  and  Ladies  or 
the  Cuckoopiut  (Arum  macula- 
tum)  is  poisonous  in  every  part. 


18 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[January  5,  1901. 


The  rhizome  contains  much  starch,  and  has 
been  used  for  its  extraction  under  the  name 
of  Portland  Sago.  The  scarlet  berries  have 
proved  fatal  to  children  in  ten  hours.  The 
cells  abound  with  crystals  of  oxalate  of  lime, 
which  are  said  to  almost  excoriate  the  tongue, 
but  the  berries  appear  to  be  poisonous  as  well. 
Gramineie. —  Darnel  (Lolium  temulentum) 
has  been  reputed  as  poisonous  since  the  time 
of  the  ancients,  for  Virgil  speaks  of  the  "  infe//.r 
Loh'u7n"  It  is  only  the  grain  which  is  dele- 
terious, the  grass  itself  being  used  for  fodder  in 
Malta  and  other  places.  It  is,  therefore,  very 
exceptional  that  animals  have  been  poisoned. 
Although  the  grain  ground  up  with-wheat  and 
baked  has  proved  deleterious,  experiments  with 
the  grain  so  prepared  has  resulted  in  no  harm 
whatever  on  other  occasions.  As  the  grain  has 
been  used  in  former  days  medicinally,  and 
produces  similar  etlects  to  Ergot,  it  seems  just 
possible  that  the  poisonous  principle  may 
prove  to  be  due  to  the  presence  of  this  fungus, 
for  as  yet  Darnel  and  its  variety  L.  linicola, 
occurring  in  fields  of  Flax  are  the  only  poisonous 
grasses  known. 


THE     MILD    AVINTER, 

Plants  in  flower  at  Bryn  Oerog,  near  Llangollen, 
on  Christmas  Day  : 

Koses  Primroses,  single  red 

Christmas  Hoses  Arabis 

DouLle  Ivy-leaved  Geranium  Linum  arboreum 

Stocks,  white  and  purple  Vinca     minor,     blue     and 
Laurustinus  white 

Antirrhinum  Erigeron  philadelphicus 

Pentstemon  Anemones,       double       and 
Berberis,  two  sorts  single 

Daisies,  red,  white,  and  pink  Gypsophila  muralis 

^icotiana  attinis  Sternbergia  lutea 

Jasminum  nuditlornm  Erica  carnea 

Gaillardia  Lithospermum  prostratuni 

Viulas  Hepatica,  double  blue 

Vioiets  Double  Furze 

Hollyhocks  Fragariu  indica 

Chrysanthemums  Auriculas 

Yellow  Alyssum  Carnation 

Kue  Cantei  bury  Bell 

Primroses,  blue  Aubrietia 

,,         double  white  Marigold 

,,         double  red  Alpine  Strawberry 

Plants     in    flower    in     the     open     at   Lofthouse, 
Cockington,  Torquaj',  on  Christmas  Day  ; 

Roses,  including  Niphetos  Pine-apple  Salvia 

Cydonia     japonica,      white  Cosmos,  white,  mauve,  and 

and  red  yellow 

Choisya  teruata  Pansies 

Spirjea  Antony  Waterer  Auriculas 

Fuchsias  Doronicums 

Chrysanthemums   in    great  Scabious 

variety  Pentstemon 

Erigeron  mucronatus  Bhie  Violets  in  variety 

Veronicas  Wliite  Violets  in  variety 

Pittosporum  Iris      styhjsa,      blue      and 
Wallflowers  white 

Aubrietia  Stocks 

Ibetis  Virginian  Stocks 

,,     sempervivens  Blue  Canterbuiy  Bell 

Daisies,  pink  and  led  White  E-cullonia 

Paris    Daisies,    yellow    and  Marguerite  Carnations 

wliite  Gazanias 

Blue  T>olielia  ilarigolds 

Litliospeimum  prostratum  Agathea  ctelestis 

Doulile  Tropjcolum  Migiionette 

Hypericum  musei-Janum  Antirrhinum 

Jasminum  revolutuni  Sapoiiaria 

,,         nuditlornm  Coi'tmilla 

Blue  Vinca  Laurustinus 

Christmas  Roses  Schizostylis  coccinea 

Abutilon,  yellow,   red,   and  Fragaria  indica 

white  ilesembryanthenunns 

Salvia  Pitcheri  Andromeda 

My  mother  adds  :  "  We  had  a  dish  of  Peas  a 
day  or  two  ago,  and  still  have  Peas  in  blossom 
and  in  pod."  Kmily  T.  L.  Edwards. 


SOCIETIES. 

KOYAL     HOKVU'VVVi'lLW.    SOCIETY. 
S('(KN'rtI-'ir  ('oMMrTTKK. 

Present:  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the  chair),  MiLh  ilev.  \\. 
W^ilks,  Mr.  Michael,  Mr.  Veitch.  and  the  Itev.  G.  Henslow, 
lion.  sec. 

Qucrcun  .tesfu'lijJora.^^lv.  Wilks showed  leaveswith  petioles 
and  sessile  acorns  of  this  variety,  and  remarked  upon  its 
rarity  in  the  woods  near  Croydon.  He  had  only  met  with 
two,  hut  very  handsome  trees,  about  10(i  yards  apart,  and 


probably  ir>0  years  old.  He  observed  that  this  form  of  the 
Oak  keeps  its  leaves  longer  than  Q.  pedunculata,  which  is 
the  commoner  of  the  two  varieties.  The  leaves  are  inclined 
to  be  tonientose  below,  giving  a  silvery  appearance.  Sir 
.1.  D.  Hooker,  in  the  "Student's  Flora,"  records  this 
character  as  belonging  to  Q.  intermedia,  a  subspecies  with 
short  petioles  and  peduncles.  Dr.  Masters  remarked  upon 
the  scarcity  of  the  tree  in  Kent,  and  that  it  formerly,  and 
perhaps  still,  grows  at  Brockley. 

Machtra  aarantiaca,  fruit.  — An  unripe  fruit  of  this 
American  tree  was  sent  by  Mr.  James  Vert,  of  The  Gardens, 
Audley  End.  It  is  known  as  the  Osage  Orange,  and  is  a 
native  of  the  Southern  United  States.  It  is  allied  to  the 
Mulberry,  and,  like  that,  has  a  compound  gloljular  fruit. 
The  tree,  being  spinescent,  is  often  kept  dwarf,  and 
employed  as  a  hedge  plant.  The  golden  frutt,  about  the  size 
of  an  Orange,  is  not  edible. 

Frxiit  from  old  Melon  teeii.— Mr.  T.  Sharp,  Westbury,  Wilts, 
describes  his  experience  in  raising  Melons  from  old  seed  as 
giving  better  results  than  from  young  seed.  His  observa- 
tions are  as  follows,  which  entirely  confirm  that  of  previous 
observers  :  '*  In  a  small  Melon  house  I  noticed  two  plants 
which  were  very  vigorous  and  survived  the  tlrst  crop.  They 
produced  a  good  second  crop  of  female  flowers,  but  some- 
what smaller,  as  were  the  male  flowers,  than  usual.  In  the 
same  house  was  a  batch  of  young  plants,  with  good  male 
blossoms.  I  fertilised  the  females  of  the  older  plant  with 
the  pollen  from  the  younger.  The  crop  of  fruit  was  nearly 
double  that  of  the  first.  The  fruits  were  large  and  of  excel- 
lent quality  throughout.  A  year  or  two  afterwaids,  having 
to  supply  ripe  Melons  in  May  and  onwards,  and  having 
noticed  that  plants  from  old  seed  produced  a  less  succulent 
growth  than  did  those  from  young  seed,  for  four  years  I 
raised  ray  plants  from  old  seed,  always  growing  a  few  plants 
from  new  seed.  I  then  fertilised  the  female  flowers  of  the 
older  plants  with  the  pollen  of  the  younger,  which  plants 
were  invariably  the  more  robust.  The  resulting  fruits  were 
more  reliable  in  good  quality,  and  though  the  female  flowers 
had  been  small,  the  fruits  were  large,  weighing  from  31b.  to 
Tib."  Mr.  Henslow  has  given  very  similar  experiences  on 
the  Continent  in  his  "  Origin  of  Floral  Structures,'"  page  247  ; 
M.  F.  Cazzuola,  in  addition,  found  that  Melon  plants  raised 
from  fresh  seeds  bore  a  larger  proportion  of  male  than 
female  flowers ;  while  older  seed  bore  more  female  flowers 
thaii  male. 

Ornithogalum  lacteimi.—Mr,  Veitch  brought  a  beautiful 
spike  of  this  plant  in  full  blossom.  It  was  especially 
interesting  as  having  been  cut  in  South  Africa  from  Table 
Mountain  on  November  27.  It  was  then  put  into  the 
refrigerating  chamber  of  a  ship  on  the  28th,  and  thus  has 
lasted  exactly  three  weeks  in  a  perfectly  fresh  state,  illus- 
trating the  possibilities  of  the  transport  of  cut  blossoms 
from  the  colonies. 

Seakale,  defective.— Mrs.  A.  W^illiaras,  of  Coed-y-ilarn, 
Welshpool,  sent  samples  of  Seakale  ;  they  were  thin,  and 
carried  numerous  buds  on  the  crowns.  This  was  the  result 
of  defective  soil,  described  as  a  stiff  one  and  damp,  imper- 
fect nourishment,  and  neglect  in  removing  the  superfluous 
buds,  instead  of  leaving  only  one  in  which  the  energy  should 
be  concentrated. 

Elm  ttees  at  Bath  dying.— 'Sir.  Milburn,  superintendent  of 
the  Botanical  Gardens,  Victoria  Park,  Bath,  records  the 
dying  of  some  five  Elms  :  "The  trees  were  planted  between 
tifty  and  sixty  years  ago.  They  form  part  of  a  line  which 
still  remain  apparently  healthy.  The  trees  in  question  are 
situated  on  the  base  of  a  sloping  bank  running  east  and 
west.  On  the  south  side  is  a  stone  wall  from  0  feet  to  8  feet 
in  the  foundations.  The  subsoil  is  blue  clay  ;  consequently, 
the  trees  have  root  room  only  one  side.  Moreover,  the  last 
two  or  three  seasons  have  been  very  dry.  In  addition  to  this 
a  destructor  has  been  erected  2U0  yards  ott" ;  also  close  at 
liand  are  the  gasworks.  Matter  is  conveyed  in  the  air  from 
both  these  works,  as  it  is  deposited  in  the  form  of  a  black 
oily  scum  on  the  lake  situated  a  little  north  of  the  Elms. " 
As  Professor  Oliver  showed  in  his  paper  on  "  The  Effects  of 
Urban  b'og  upon  Cultivated  Plants"  (Journal  of  the  lloyal 
Horticultural  Society,  xvi.,  page  1),  the  extremely  poisonous 
nature  of  vapourised  carbonaceous  products  there  would 
seem  to  be  ample  cause  of  injurious  influence  upon  the  trees, 
apart  from  the  want  of  freedom  in  root  production. 

Double  Ci/rlanic'n.-Dr.  Masters  reported  as  follows  upon 
the  specimen  sent  to  the  last  meeting  from  Messrs.  Ker,  of 
Liverpool:  "In  these  flowers  there  were  Ave  sepals,  five 
distinct  petals,  no  stamens,  but  several  rows  of  additional 
petals.     The  ovary  was  normal." 

Plants  from  Cambkidge  Botanic  Gardens. 

Mr.  I.  Lynch  forwarded  the  following  interesting  species, 
for  which  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  passed,  and  to 
the  three  first-named  were  awarded  botanical  certificates  : 
Kleinia  penduia,  with  fleshy  stems  and  scarlet  heads  of 
flowers,  from  Soraaliland  ;  Kalanchoe  marmorata,  another 
fleshy  plant;  and  Nematanthus  longipes  (Gesneriacea;).  A 
few  observations  are  here  added.  The  genus  Kleinia  is  a 
Groundsel  or  Senecio,  with  fleshy  stems;  K.  nerifolia,  the 
"  Barode,"  being  a  native  of  the  Canary  Islands  ;  most  of  the 
species  are  South  African.  K.  penduia  has  a  rod-like  fleshy 
stem,  the  thickness  of  a  pencil,  from  which  a  long  pendulous 
peduncle  arises  at  the  apex.  The  leaves  are  reduced  to 
minute  prickles.  Kalanchoe  belongs  to  the  Crassulaceai,  is 
from  tropical  Africa,  but  has  species  in  Asia  and  Brazil.  It 
has  tubulai",  greenish  white  Hdwers,  nearly  (J  inches  in 
length,  and  fleshy  obovate  leaves. 

/'//v/i/ca  cncoirfcs  (Rhamnaceaj),  called  liruycre  du  Cop,  is 
a  Heath-like  plant,  with  terminal  clusters  of  minute  white 
flowers. 

Lindenhergia  p rand i. /fur ft  (S(.'roi>hularini'a'),  figured  in  the 
i)cin\ier  imxnUeroiUn:  Biiimiinil  Md'iiiziiir,  is  a  genus  with 
yellow  floweis,  and  nearly  allied  to  Mimnlus.  There  are 
eight  species  in  East  Africa,  Arabia,  East  Indies,  and  the 
Malay  Archipelago. 

i\'c)natant/ins  longiprn  has  sub-fleshy  lanceolate  leaves, 
and  long  scarlet  tubular  flowers  iirotruding  from  one  siile 
of  the  calyx.  It  belongs  to  Gesneraceie.  There  are  only 
three  or  four  species,  all  natives  of  Brazil. 


Senecio  vulgaris  x  S.  xqualiduSy  a  remarkable  natural 
hybrid  between  these  two  British  plants,  the  former  being 
the  Groundsel  and  the  latter  naturalised  on  old  walls  at 
Oxford  and  elsewhere.  The  flowers  are  small  (^  inch  from 
tips  of  ray  Horets)  with  the  foHaEe  of  Groundsel.  It  comes 
perfectly  true  from  seed,  and  has  commenced  being  a  weed 
in  the  Cambridge  Botanical  Gai'dens.  It  is  said  to  grow  wild 
with  Us  parents  near  Cork. 

Cardamine  c/icnodouifolia  is  remarkable  for  bearing 
perfect  seed,  both  above  and  below  ground.  Mr.  Lynch 
observes  that  he  has  two  sets  of  plants — one  always  raised 
from  seeds  out  of  the  subterranean  pods,  and  another  set 
always  raised  from  the  other  seeds,  in  order  to  see  wliether 
in  course  of  time  any  modification  of  habit  may  arise  in 
consei|uence  of  growing  always  fiom  seed  produced  in  the 
same  way.  The  white  flowers  are  excessively  minute,  and 
are  fertilised  in  bud,  the  anthers  being  closely  adpretsed  to 
the  globular  stigma,  the  conditions  usually  prevailing  with 
normally  self-fertilising  Crucifers.  The  subterranean  pods 
are  white  and  spindle-shaped,  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
length.  They  contain  one  or  two  seeds,  being  separated  by 
a  delicate  white  membranous  false  dissepiment.  They  are 
attached  to  slender  pedicels,  1  inch  long,  which  turn 
abruptly  downwards  from  their  point  of  insertion  in  the 
stem.     These  are  doubtless  the  result  of  cleistogamous  buds. 

llflianiphora  nutans. — The  flower  consists  of  five  or  four 
sepals,  no  petals,  many  stamens,  the  pistil  having  a  long 
style  and  truncated"  apex,  not  spreading  into  an  umbrella- 
like expansion  as  in  the  allied  genus  Sarracenia.  There  is 
but  one  species,  a  native  of  Venezuela. 

Begonia  vetiosa.—This  is  remarkable  on  account  of  its 
fleshy  leaves  and  large  ^carious  stipules,  both  features  being 
characteristic  of  hot  and  dry  climates. 

Ceropegia  dic/iotvina,  with  tubular  flowers,  the  tips  only 
of  the  corolla  remaining  coherent.  <'.  stapeliceformis  and 
C.  elegans  and  C.  Woodi  all  remarkable  fleshy  climbers,  the 
last  bearing  tubers  and  pendulous.  It  has  been  figured 
from  the  Cambridge  plant  in  the  Botanical  Magazine  of 
Jlarch,  1900. 

Bonplaiuiia gcminiflora(^o\tin\o\na.cesi)  is  remarkable  for 
the  corolla  being  lipped,  two  upper  petals  cohering  above 
the  tube  and  provided  with  a  white  lined  base  as  a  "guide," 
the  three  other  petals  project  forward,  upon  which  the 
snbdeclinate  stamens  rest.  The  long  style  with  three 
spreading  stigmas  projects  a  quarter  of  an  inch  beyond  the 
anthers.     It  is  a  monotypic  genus,  and  a  native  of  Jlexico. 

Nepenthes  VeUlardi,  a  species  of  Pitcher  Plant,  with  small 
pitchers  3  inches  long,  and  remarkable  for  the  white  border 
round  the  incurved  red  margin.  The  lid  is  red,  and  the 
under  side  of  the  leaves  russet  but  smooth. 

NATIONAL    DAHLIA    SOCIETY. 

A  MEETING  of  the  committee  of  this  society  for  the  purpose 
of  arranging  for  the  forthcoming  annual  meeting  was  held  at 
the  Horticultural  Club,  Hotel  \\  indsor,  on  December  18,  the 
president  (Mr.  E.  Mawley)  in  tlie  chair.  Dahlia  growers 
come  long  distances  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  society, 
and  this  tact  may  be  taken  as  a  proof  that  the  interest  in  the 
Dahlia  as  an  exhibition  flower  is  by  no  means  on  the  decline. 
The  usu-dl  preliminaries  having  been  got  thi'ough,  a  draft 
report  wassutjmitted  by  the  secretary,  Mr.  J.  F.Hudson,  il.A., 
the  leadnig  points  in  which  were  the  congratulations  of  the 
committee  upon  the  extent  of  the  last  exhibition  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  the  largest  yet  held  by  the  society,  the 
number  of  entries  having  shown  a  considerable  increase 
upon  those  received  in  former  years,  though  the  season  was 
not  generally  favourable  to  the  production  of  good  blooms. 
Owing  to  the  prolonged  drought  and  heat  of  the  summer, 
the  blooms  of  the  show  and  fancy  varieties  did  not  display 
the  usual  high  quality,  but  the  Cactus  types  by  their  extent 
and  finish  more  than  cojupensated  for  the  falling  off  in  the 
older  forms.  Allusion  was  made  to  the  changes  which  had 
been  introduced  into  last  year's  schedule  of  prizes  as 
having  fully  answered  the  expectations  foiined  of  them,  that 
for  sixty  blooms  of  Cactus  varieties  shown  on  boards  as  in  the 
case  of  the  show  and  fancy  sorts,  with  the  addition  of  foliage, 
an  excellent  display  resulted,  the  competition  being  very 
keen.  Anothei-  class  was  for  twelve  vases  of  < 'actus  blooms 
shown  with  lojig  stems  in  vases  with  appropriate  foliage,  and 
this  was  equally  successful.  hriii'j:ing  highly  attractive 
exhilits.  Owing  to  insnlliriciit  tabic  space  having  been 
alloited,  the  exhibits  were  somewhat  separated,  a  defect 
which  will  be  remedied  on  the  occasion  of  another  exhibiton. 
It  is  proposed  to  extend  the  vase  classes  if  the  funds  of  the 
society  will  admit  of  its  being  done.  Allusion  was  also  maile 
to  the  increased  sizes  found  in  some  of  the  new  varieties  of 
Cactus  Dahlias,  and  a  fear  wasexi)ressed  lest  the  tendency  to 
sizes  shoidd  i-esult  in  coarseness.  The  class  for  six  plants  of 
Cactus  Dahlias  in  pots  brought  but  one  exhibit,  and  that  of 
plants  barely  in  bloom  ;  it  was  thought  a  later  date  would 
produce  better  results.  Seedlings  for  certificates  were 
produced  in  large  numbers,  but  the  arrangements  for  staging 
now  in  force  were  not  of  a  nature  to  display  them  to  the 
best  advantage,  and  some  improvenunt  in  this  respect 
appears  very  necessary.  Adesire  was  expressed  that  a  supple- 
mental seedlingshow.atwliich  tlieconiniittcc  oi  the  National 
Dahlia  Society  would  award  certificates,  should  be  held  in 
connection  witli  one  of  the  nu*etings  of  the  Royal  Horti.- 
cultural  Society  at  the  end  of  September.  Allusion  was 
made  to  the  fund  being  raised  for  the  purpose  of  per- 
petuating the  memory  of  the  late  president  of  the  society, 
Mr.  T.  W.  (iirdlestone,  M.A.,  the  chairman  reporting 
that  nearly  a  sutficient  sum  had  been  obtained  to  enable 
the  committee  to  carry  the  proposal  into  eJfect.  A  scheme 
for  afitliating  Dahlia  societies  had  been  drawn  up,  and  the 
Boston  society  had  already  nuide  application. 

The  ttnancial  statement  furnished  by  the  treasurer  showed 
a  small  balance  in  favour  of  the  society.  This  oflU-ial 
enforced  the  necessity  for  obtaining  suh8i_ribers,  and  also  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  special  |>ri/,c  dohor.s. 

The  list  ol  patrons  and  patronesses  were  passed;  Mr. 
Mawley  was  nominated  for  re-election  as  jjrcsident ;  Mr. 
Hudson  as  secretary,  and  ,Mr.  Wilkins  as  treasurer,  with 
Mr.   H.  Turner  as  auditor.    'I'he  list  of  the  committee  was 


January  5,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


19 


revised  foi*  nomination,  and  under  the  head  of  urranfjeinents 
for  the  coming  season  provision  was  made  for  liolding  the 
annual  exhibition  on  Ki-iday,  September  (i,  the  committee 
favouring  a  one  day  rather  than  a  two  days'  show  ;  this,  of 
course,  subject  to  the  concurrence  of  the  directors  of  the 
Crystal  Palace  at  Sydenham,  and  also  for  an  exhibition  of 
seedlings  during  September  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster, 
if  arrangements  can  be  made  with  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society. 

Annual  Meeting. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  National  Dahlia  Society  will  he 
held,  by  kind  permission  of  the  Horticultural  Club,  at  the 
Hotel  Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  S.W.,  on  Tuesday  next  at 
2  p.m.  Agenda:  Report  of  committee  for  IVIOO;  rtnancial 
statement ;  schedule  for  1901,  and  other  business.  Notice 
has  been  given  that  the  following  change  in  rule  xi.  will  be 
proposed — for  "  compete"  read  "exhibit." 


NATIONAL  CARNATION  AND  PICOTEE  SOCIETY. 

li^NDER  the  presidency  of  ilr.  Martin  R.  Smith,  who  was 
supported  by  a  numl>er  of  leading  growers,  the  annual 
meeting  of  this  flourishing  organisation  was  held  at  the 
Horticultural  Club  on  December  22.  It  is  not  usual  to 
present  a  report,  but  the  secretary  furnishes  one  later  on, 
which  is  published  with  the  schedule  of  jnizes.  The  financial 
statement  showed  that  a  balance  of  H'l'l'.i  lUs.  li)d.  had  Iteen 
brought  over  from  the  previous' year  ;  ainuuil  subscriptions, 
ttc,  had  realised  HHb  19s.,  in  addition  to  a  donation  of  £bO 
from  the  Crystal  Palace  Company.  On  the  other  side,  the 
sum  of  £235  Os.  Gd.  had  been  paid  as  prizes  ;  printing, 
stationery,  &c.,  amounted  to  £0i  3s.  Id.  ;  and,  with  some 
other  payments,  there  remained  a  balance  of  ^177  15s.  Id.  to 
be  carried  over  for  another  year. 

On  the  meeting  prcjcetding  to  elect  officers  and  committee 
for  the  ensuing  year,  Mr.  Martin  R.  Smith  was  re-elected 
president,  Mr.  T.  E.  Hen  wood  treasurer  and  seci-etary,  and 
the  committee  reappointed.  The  schedule  forthe  past  year 
was  adopted  for  1901.  Having  regard  to  its  comprehensive 
character,  it  was  not  wise  and  expedient  to  make  any  addi- 
tions to  it.  On  the  motion  of  Mr.  F.  A.  Wellesley,  it  was 
resolved  that  the  date  of  the  annual  exhibition  should  be 
fixed  for  .Tuly  19,  subject  to  that  date  suiting  the  Crystal 
Palace  authorities,  and  it  was  further  resolved  that  the  date, 
if  decided  upon,  should  on  no  account  be  altered.  A  motion, 
also  by  Mr.  Wellesley,  to  appoint  judges  for  the  premier 
blooms  in  the  various  sections,  was  commended  to  notice  on 
the  ground  that  hitherto  the  judging  of  these  had  been  left 
to  the  last  and  been  dealt  with  in  a  hurried  and  imperfect 
manner.  It  was  resolved  that  special  judges  should  be 
appointed  to  make  the  awards  to  the  premier  blooms,  the 
work  to  be  done  at  the  time  the  other  awai'ds  are  made.  A 
motion  was  made  by  Mr.  S.  A.  West  to  hold  two  exhibitions 
a  year  instead  of  one — one  for  the  earlier  blooming  white 
ground  Carnations  and  Picotees,  the  other  for  the  later 
blooming  fancies  and  yellow  grounds.  In  opposition  to  this 
proposal  it  was  contended  considerable  expense  would  be 
incurred  and  inconvenience  caused  to  exhibitors.  Eventually 
it  was  agreed  that  as  July  19  would  be  a  date  likely  to  ensure 
a  good  display  of  all  sections  of  bloom,  that  only  one  exhi- 
bition he  held  in  1901.  The  committee  appointed  to  revise 
the  yellow  grounds  reported  that  they  recommended  that 
such  varieties  as  Eunomia,  May  Queen,  Mrs.  Willie  Spencer, 
Primrose  Day,  and  Stanley  Wrightson  lie  deleted  from  the 
list  and  added  to  the  fancies,  and  that  the  following  of  Mr. 
M.  R.  Smith's  new  varieties  be  added  to  the  yellow  grounds  : 
Lady  St.  Oswald,  Lanzun,  Daniel  Defoe,  Heliodorus,  Henry 
Falkland,  Edna  May,  Caracea,  Alcinous,  Edeth,  Galatea,  and 
Anchor.  The  report  was  adopted.  A  vote  of  thanks  passed 
to  the  president  brought  the  proceedings  to  a  close. 


and  were  much  appreciated.  Prizes  were  ottered  by  Colonel 
Cary-Batten  for  three  plants  in  flower.  After  keen  com- 
petition the  awards  were:  First,  Mr.  Binfleld ;  second, 
Mr.  McCuUock;  third,  Mr.  Ross. 


NATIONAL  AURICULA  SOCIETY. 

The  annual  general  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at  the 
Horticultural  Club  on  December  22,  Mr.  James  Douglas  in 
the  chair,  there  being  a  good  attendance.  The  secretary 
made  a  statement  in  relation  to  the  show  of  the  past  year 
to  the  effect  that  owing  to  the  variable  weather  which  pre- 
vailed during  the  time  the  plants  were  expanding  their  pips 
they  opened  unkindly,  while  at  the  time  of  the  show  the 
weather  was  very  hot  for  the  season  of  the  year,  and  the 
immature  pips  speedily  collapsed  under  it.  The  financial 
statement  was  satisfactory,  a  substantial  balance  being 
carried  forward  fornext  year.  Sir  John  D.  T.Llewellyn,  Bart., 
war(  re-elected  president,  as  also  were  the  vice-presidents. 
Mr.  James  Douglas  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee in  the  place  of  the  Rev.  H.  H.  D  ombrain  resigned, 
and  the  names  of  Messrs.  A.  R.  Brown  and  E.  L.  Gordes 
were  added  to  the  committee.  Mr.  T.  E.  Henwood  was 
re-elected  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  schedule  of  prizes 
was  passed,  and  it  was  agreed  the  annual  exhibition  should 
be  held  at  the  usual  time  in  April  next.  A  vote  of  thanl;s 
was  passed  to  the  chairman  for  presiding. 


BRISTOL    GARDENERS'    ASSOCIATION. 

A  pnBLic  entertainment  took  the  place  of  the  usual  meeting 
at  St.  John'sParisb  Room,  Redlands,  on  Friday,  December  2S. 
The  chair  was  taken  by  Mr.  G.  Brook,  in  the  absence 
through  military  duties  of  the  president  of  the  association. 
Colonel  H.  Cary-Batten.  An  interesting  programme  was 
efticiently  rendered.  Songs  were  sung  by  the  Misses  L.  Paul 
and  G.  Bishop  and  Mr.  H.  S.  Newbeiy—"  Queen  of  the 
Earth"  by  Miss  Paul  and  "  Jessamy  Town  "  by  Miss  Bishop 
gaining  well-merited  encores,  which  were  kindly  responded 
j  to.  Mr.  H.  W.  Conway  skilfully  played  a  violin  solo,  and 
Mr.  J.  Bishop  a  banjo  solo,  which  also  was  encored.  The 
duties  of  accompanist  were  ably  carried  out  by  Mr.  A.  J. 
Wakefield,  who  gave,  in  addition,  a  piano  solo.  The  last  part 
of  the  entertainment  consisted  of  an  exhibition  of  animated 
photographs.  The  subjects  were  of  varied  character, 
including  "  Ox  Waggons  trekking  across  the  Veldt,"  "Ambu- 
lance Corps  at  work  at  Modder  River,"  "  Return  of  the 
O.I.V.'s  to  London,"  &c.,  all  of  which  proved  entertaining. 


Hardiness  of  Lapagepia.— There  is  no 

doubt  of  the  hardiness  of  Lapageria.  I  have  really 
good  flowers  now  out  (December  29),  but  it  must 
be  grown  on  a  north  wall.^E.,  Biff  on  Vicaratfe, 
Brlsfol. 

Mr.  AVilliam  Herbept   Dunnett,   a 

partner  in  the  well-known  seed  house  of  Messrs. 
James  Carter  and  Co.,  of  High  Holborn,  London, 
died  at  his  residence,  Stourbridge,  Dedham,  Essex, 
on  Saturday,  in  his  74th  year.  Mr.  Dunnett  had 
ceased  to  take  any  active  share  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  London  business  for  many  years. 
He  was  a  large  landowner  in  the  Vale  of 
Dedham.  He  leaves  a  widow,  one  son,  and  two 
daughters. 

Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent  In- 
stitution.— ^The  sixty -second  annual  general 
meeting  of  the  members  and  subscribers  of  the 
above  institution  will  be  held  at  Simpson's,  101, 
Strand,  W.C.,  on  Tuesday,  January  22,  at  3  p.m., 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  report  of  the 
committee  and  the  accounts  of  the  institution — as 
audited — for  the  year  1900,  electing  ofHcers  for 
the  year  1901,  and  for  the  purpose  of  placing 
seventeen  pensioners  on  the  funds. 

United  Horticultural  Benefit  and 

Provident  Society.^A  special  meeting  will 
take  place  at  the  Caledonian  Hotel,  Robert  Street, 
Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  W.C.,  on  Monday, 
Januar}'  14,  at  8  p.m.,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
into  consideration  the  recommendation  of  the 
enmiiiittee,  for  increasing  the  secretary's  salary, 
deciding  the  amount,  and  altering  Rule  8  in 
accordance  with  the  same. 

A  floral  record. — I  had  upon  my  table 
on  Christmas  Day  a  large  bowl  of  Tea  Roses 
grown  out  of  doors,  and  sent  to  me  by  my  friend 
Mr.  George  Winch,  of  Holcombe,  Chatham,  a 
bunch  of  Primroses  gathered  by  Miss  Atkinson 
in  a  wood  near  Haslemere,  and  some  beautiful 
blooms  of  Iris  stylosa  from  my  own  garden. — 
S.  Reynolds  Hole,  Dean  of  Rochester. 

Rosa  wiehuriana  rubra.— This  beauti 

ful  and  surprisingl}' floriferous  Rose,  obtained  by 
MM.  Barbier  freres,  Orleans,  from  seeds  of  R. 
wiehuriana  x  Crimson  Rambler,  will  be  sent  out  by 
them  this  year.  Several  plants  have  been  obtained 
from  this  cross,  bearing  flowers  more  or  less  red  in 
colour  ;  one  only  was  double,  and  of  a  pale  rose, 
this,  however,  did  not  appear  to  flower  freely. 
Seeds  gathered  from  R.  wiehuriana  rubra,  without 
artificial  fertilisation,  have  reproduced  the  variety 
almost  identically.  Amongst  seventy  plants,  not 
one  reverted  to  the  type  of  either  parent,  not  even 
so  far  as  the  foliage  is  concerned  ;  their  flowers  were 
all  of  various  shades  of  red,  not  one  having  pro- 
duced white  blossoms.  The  time  of  flowering  of 
these  ^seedlings,  including  R.  wiehuriana  rubra,  is 
the  same  as  that  of  Crimson  Rambler — rather 
sooner  than  the  R.  wiehuriana  type.  I  described 
them  about  the  middle  of  June,  and  their  flowering 
season  lasted  until  the  end  of  the  month.  This 
beautiful  novelty  will  be  particularly  useful  for 
covering  trellises,  arbours,  or  other  positions  that 
lend  themselves  to  the  use  of  climbing  Roses.  But 
it  is  above  all  suited  for  clothing  isolated  rocks 
upon  slopes.  We  have  already  obtained  surprising 
results  in  this  way  with  Crimson  Rambler,  and  it 
is  a  practice  that  might  be  continued  and  varied 
indefinitely  with  advantage  to  our  parks  and 
gardens.  We  have  already  Rosa  rugosa  and 
hybrids  ;  the  new  introduction  of  Messrs.  Barbier  ; 
the  obtainnients  of  M.  Manda,  United  States  ;  the 
R.  rubiginosa  hybrids,  named  after  Lord  Penzance ; 
all  these  have  enriched  our  gardens  and  furnished 
them  with  valuable  summer  decorative  plants.  It 
only  remains  now  to  obtain  the  Rambler  with  yellow 
flowers — which  has  just  been  announced — and 
above  all  to  make  these  plants  perpetual  flowering. 
We  have  already  seen  flowering  shoots  of  Crimson 
Rambler  in  December,  and  the  time  would  not 
appear  to  be  distant  when  we  shall  have  these 
splendid  crimson  bouquets  almost  all  the  year. — 
Ed.  Axdre,  in  La  Revut  Hortkole. 


ANSWERS 
TO    CORRESPONDENTS. 

RULES  FOR  CORRESPONDENTS. 

Questions  and  Answers.-  '/'A. ■  liiiiuux  hit^'ml  in 
maki'  'I'ilK  <lAl;iiKN  hi'lplnl  tn  ull  mulei-sii-huilcsirrnxalxlaiin', 
no  iiifitlri-  ir/ial  tlif  hiaiK-li  nf  ijardnn'nuj  tnil!ibc,unil  n'iUi  Ihal. 
ohjrrt  in'//  iiiitkf;  a  Hpecmt  feature  of  the  '' Amwet-H  tu  Corre- 
sjjnni/<'nft^'  ridmtin.  All  coimmmicatitmK  nhitulil  he  clearli/ 
ami  r<iiiris,'/fi  written  on  one  xiile  of  the  jiajier  ovlii,  onil 
aililrexsci  til  the  EliITOKS  (i^'TiiH  I',  Wa'iK^  .  :ii.Tiirisliirk  SI  ri'i't 
Ciirnit  Hiin/i'ii  hiiiiiliiii.  Letlrrs  iiii  IiiikI iiisk  xliniilil  l„.  s.-nl 
III  the  PlIil.ISHEli.  The  iiniiie  anil  arldreKs  of  the  seniler  are 
reipnred  in  addition  to  anii  ileKi'f/ nation,  he  'inay  dettire  to  be 
nsed  in.  the  paper.  When  mure  than  one  querii  is  tfent,  each 
nhindd  be  on.  a  mparate  pieee  of  pooer. 


Names  of  plants.- -C.—Myi-sipliylluni  asparagoides. 

E.  M. — Pnssiljlythe  Bignonia  referred  tn  is  li.  Clierere, 

elsewhere  allndeil  to.  The  clear  atmosphere  of  California 
might  account  fur  the  blossoms  being  there  of  a  somewhat 
purer  tint. 

KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

Early  Peas  (V.  C.  B.).— It  is  not  dittlcult  to  understand 
your  desire  to  be  gardenins,  because  the  open  weatlier  does 
conduce  to  that  feeling;  but  you  will  be  wise  to  do  as  the 
cold-blooded  practical  gardener  does,  and  that  is,  to  re- 
member that  we  have  much  the  worst  part  of  the  winter, 
such  as  it  uiay  be,  to  come.  We  cannot  be  said  to  be  free 
from  frosts  until  the  end  of  May,  and  we  have  seen  late 
sharp  frosts  literally  killing  Early  Peas  when  in  full  bloom 
as  late  as  May  20.  If  you  have  a  warm  sunny  border  on 
which  to  get  Peas  earlier  than  can  be  the  case  out  in  the 
open  ground,  get  it  trenched  2  feet  deep  now,  addijig  to 
it,  especially  low  down,  a  good  dressing  of  manure. 
That  will  cause  the  giound  to  be  light  and  porous,  and 
prevent  it  from  becoming  water-saturated.  Then  you  may 
sow  Chelsea  Gem  in  rows  24  inches  apart  at  the  end  of 
January,  protecting  the  seed  froin  mice,  and  later,  when 
the  plants  come  through,  from  birds,  with  the  aid  of  nets  or 
wire  protectors.  In  such  a  position  very  Early  Peas  may 
well  escape  harm  from  late  frosts. 

Aptichokes  (.r.  J.).— You  can  leave  the  tubers  of  what 
is  called  the  Jerusalem  Artichoke— propel  ly  the  tuberous- 
rooted  Sunflower— in  the  gi-ound  all  the  winter  with  safety. 
Frost  does  not  harm  them  so  long  as  they  are  well  buried  in 
the  soil ;  but  if  you  may  be  wanting  tubers  at  any  time 
it  is  wise  to  cover  a  portion  of  the  plot  with  Fern  or 
litter  in  hard  weather.  The  other  Artichoke  so-called  is 
hardy  also.  That  is  the  Chinese  Stachys  tuberifera :  but 
in  this  case  again  it  is  wise  to  cover  up  some  portion  of  the 
roots  with  litter  also  in  midwinter.  Both  descriptions  of 
root  or  tuber  lie  dormant  until  the  end  of  March ;  they 
then  begin  to  grow.  Tubers  of  the  Jei'usaleni  variety  if 
lifted  to  store  for  late  use  keep  best  in  some  daik  place  and 
in  di-y  sand  or  ashes.  Those  of  the  Stachys  tuberifera  being 
i|uite  white  soon  discoloiu-  if  they  are  left  exposed  to  the  air 
but  a  short  time,  and  it  is  best  to  get  these  dug  up  as  they 
are  wanted. 

Award  to  Potatoes  (0.  J.).— It  is  very  seldom  that 
any  variety  of  new  Potato  is  esteemed  to  he  so  good  and  so 
distinct  from  others  as  to  fit  it  to  have  the  award  of  a 
first-class  certificate  from  the  Il(jyal  Horticultural  Society, 
but  several  get  awards  of  merit  yearly.  These  awards, 
however,  simply  indicate  that  the  varieties  aie  of  average 
excellence  and  no  more.  But  one  first-class  certificate  was 
granted  to  a  Potato  in  the  past  year,  and  that  was  a  very 
early  and  remarkably  jood  White  Kidney  of  the  Ashleaf  type 
that  was  quite  delicious  when  cooked  as  early  as  July  10. 
Its  name  is  Denbigh  Castle.  You  had  better  send  about 
twenty  clean  medium-sized  tubers  of  the  best  of  your 
seedlings  to  the  superintendent,  Eoyal  Horticultural  Gardens, 
Chiswiek,  near  London,  who  will  have  them  planted  with 
any  other  seedlings  or  older  varieties  he  may  have  sent  in 
for  the  purpose.  You  must  give  the  seedlings  proper  names. 
Take  advantage  of  open  weather  and  put  seed  in  soon. 

Sow^ing  Peas  (Station).— Whilst  no  special  rule 
governs  Pea  sowing  in  relation  to  iiuantity  of  seed,  it  is  a 
common  practice  to  sow  early  varieties  rather  thicker  than 
later  ones.  The  first  earlies  are  usually  less  robust  than 
the  later  ones,  and  less  branching.  .Still  farther,  they 
are  not  expected  to  give  a  long  succession  of  pods.  If  a 
couple  or  so  of  good  gatherings  be  obtained  from  one 
sowing  that  is  often  regarded  as  satisfactory.  Another 
reason  for  thicker  sowing  is  that  the  ground  is  colder  early, 
and  germination  is  seldom  so  snre  as  it  is  later.  We  fiiid 
that  tor  first  early  sowing  a  pint  of  Peas  will  do  from  70  feet 
to  80  feet  run  of  drill  very  well,  and  for  late  Peas  fully 
100  feet,  and  with  tall  Peas  even  120  feet.  It  is  so  common 
for  Peas  to  be  sown  far  too  thickly,  yet  by  far  the  best  and 
most  continuous  crops  come  from  (iuite  thin  sowings. 

FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Planting  Vines  (SENE.x).—Where  Vines  are  planted 
inside  a  vinery  the  work  may  be  done  at  any  time  during 
the  winter ;  in  all  such  cases  it  is  best  done  early,  as, 
without  doubt,  the  roots  in  fairly  warm  soil  become  active 
so  much  sooner ;  but  on  outside  borders  we  prefer  to  plant 
either  in  November  or  at  the  end  of  February.  When  out- 
side planting  is  done  in  midwinter  there  is  always  the 
possibility  that  the  soil  may  be  too  cold  to  lead  to  root 
action,  and  thus,  whilst  nothing  has  been  gained  by  the  then 
planting,  the  i-oots  may,  so  far  from  becoming  active,  have 
really  suffei-ed.  Certainly  all  newly  planted  Vines  within 
or  without  should  have  a  covering  of  some  3  inches  of  warm 
manure  placed  over  the  ground  after  the  planting  is  com- 
plete. Do  not  purchase  strong  pot  Vines.  Y'ou  should  be 
able  to  obtain  good  planters  in  G-inch  pots  that  have  plenty 


20 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[Januaky  5,  1901. 


of  fibrous  roots,  and  when  turned  out  of  the  pots  and  spread 
open  moderately  have  so  many  points  from  which  root  action 
will  proceed.  You  will  have  to  cut  your  young  Vines  quite 
hard  back  soon  after  they  are  planted  to  cause  them  to 
throw  up  a  stout  rod  from  each. 

Cordon  Plum  trees  (W.  A.).— Wiere,  as  with  you, 
quality  of  fruit  is  of  less  consequence  than  quantity,  it  will 
be  wisest  for  you  to  plant  cordon-trained  cooking  Plum 
trees,  as  these  are,  on  the  whole,  the  most  prolific.  We  should 
advise  for  succession  Eivers'  Early  Prolific,  Czar,  Victoria, 
Pond's  Seedling,  Jlonarch,  and  Archduke,  as  these  give  fine 
fruits.  You  had  better  get  trees  and  plant  at  once.  Do  not 
use  other  than  very  thin  or  old  hotbed  manure,  and  that 
not  too  liberally  as  the  tendency  is  to  cause  coarse  roots  and 
wood  to  be  produced.  Kor  single  cordons  plant  at  15  inches 
apart.  Do  not  force  the  stems  too  near  the  wall  at  the 
base,  as  the  hear  base  of  a  wall  is  too  often  very  dry, 
bricks  being  so  absorbent.  If  you  wish  to  have  a  few  good 
dessert  Plums,  plant  transparent  Gage,  Angelina  Burdett, 
.lelferson,  Braby's  Gage,  and  Coes  Golden  Drop.  If  you 
have  a  long  wall  it  will  be  good  policy  to  plant  a  few  of  these 
choicer  Plums.  Stone  fruits  like  some  old  mortar  refuse, 
wood  ashes,  and  bone  dust  strewn  over  the  soil  as  the 
planting  proceeds.  As  a  rule  Plums  do  best  on  west  aspects. 
You  do  not  give  the  aspect  of  your  wall. 

TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 
An  eaply-floweping-  Rhododendpon.-  It  may 

interest  you  to  see  the  enclosed  bloom  of  Khododendron, 
picked  on  December  25,  and  I  should  be  glad  to  know  the 
name  of  it.  Is  it  R.  arborcum  V  The  plant  always  flowers 
either  in  December  or  January  ;  this  year  and  once  pre- 
viously it  opened  its  first  blooms  in  November.  I  counted 
fifty-three  trusses  on  it  in  full  bloom  a  few  days  ago,  besides 
a  number  of  buds.  As  you  see,  the  truss  is  not  a  large  one, 
but  the  colour  is  effective,  and  the  mild  weather  has  allowed 
the  flowers  to  come  out  undamaged.— A.  Marshall. 

[Cunningham's  Early  Red  is  the  name  of  your  Rhodo- 
dendron, a  hybrid  with  R.  arboreum  as  one  of  the  parents. 
—Eds.] 

Ivy  cappets  and  mapgins  (•!.  t'.).— The  objection 
you  raise  t"  the  carpeting  of  bare  ground  beneath  trees  witli 
Ivy,  that  Hie  undergrowth  would  become  choked  with  leaves, 
is  not  at  all  worthy  of  consideration.  'What  leaves  fall,  if  they 
rest  on  the  Ivy  leaves,  can  be  easily  induced  to  fall  in  out  of 
sight  if  a  long  birch  broom  be  occasionally  run  over  the 
top,  then  the  decaying  tree  leaves  gradually  decompose  and 
become  excellent  plant  food  for  the  Ivy.  If  there  does  seem 
to  be  an  excess  of  leaves,  and  so  much  depends  on  what  the 
overhanging  trees  are,  some  portions  can  be  removed  once 
or  so,  tlien  no  further  trouble  is  given.  Break  up  the 
bare  soil  beneath  the  trees  a  few  inches  deep  ;  then  spread 
over  that  some  3  inches  of  fresh  soil  and  plant  the  Ivy.  The 
work  may  be  done  any  time  during  the  winter  up  to  the  end 
of  llarch.  Good  common  or  Irish  Ivy  does  well  to  make 
carpets  in  this  way,  as  also  broad  edgings  to  shrubberies. 

FLOW^ER    GARDEN. 

Capnations  in  hanging-  baskets  (E.  M.).— We 
are  not  aware  that  anyone  has  tried  to  grow  Carnations 
in  hanging  baskets,  their  upright  habit  of  growth  and 
brittle  nature  being  all  against  them  for  such  a  purpose.  It 
is  also  very  doubtful  if  they  would  grow  in  a  satisfactory 
manner  under  such  conditions,  but,  as  above  stated,  we 
cannot  learn  that  they  have  ever  been  tried  in  this  way. 
We  Have,  however,  seen  them  prettily  used  in  ornamental 
vases,  the  shoots  bangins  over  the  edge. 

Double  Primroses  (Tkaston).— The  difficulty  you 
experience  in  getting  d"ublc  Primroses  to  thrive  well  is  too 
common  in  the  inland  districts,  where  the  summer  air 
becomes  heated  and  dry.  It  is  then  that  thrips  and 
spider  are  bred,  and  these  tiny  insects  prey  upon  the  leaves 
and  make  their  juices  dry,  withering  them  up,  and  leaving 
the  crowns  bare.  We  have  found  after  long  experience  that 
plants  so  defoliated  never  again  produce  strong  crowns  to 
flower  well.  It  is  needful  to  have  the  foliage  well  preserved 
during  the  summer.  That  is  easy  enough  in  humid  districts, 
especially  in  hilly  localities  or  near  the  sea.  Wherever 
grown  also  the  soil  should  be  deep  and  retentive,  as  the 
roots  will  then  go  deep  in  search  of  moisture.  Wherever 
grown  in  dry  districts  the  plants  should  be  liljerally  watered 
over  head  at  night  or  early  in  the  morning,  and  have  sf)me 
fine  or  old  pot  soil  placed  about  them  as  a  mulch.  It  is  not 
often  that  good  clumps  are  seen  in  gardens. 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 

Planting  Ixias  (E.  11.).- It  is  too  late  now  to  plant 
Ixias  for  cjutdcjor  flowering  unless  the  bulbs  have  been 
potted  and  placed  in  a  cold  frame,  in  which  case  their  roots 
will  now  be  active.  Then  they  may  be  planted  in  a  warm, 
sheltered  border,  but  in  so  doing  the  roots  must  not  be  dis- 
turbed. Ixias  as  a  nile  go  to  rest  early,  and  good,  well- 
ripened  bulbs  may  be  obtained  by  September.  They  should 
be  planted  by  the  middle  of  October,  as  at  that  period  the 
soil  still  retains  some  of  the  latent  summer  heat,  and  is  in 
good  condition  for  such  subjects.  The  border  must  be  well 
drained  and  protected  during  severe  frosts  by  a  covering  of 
litter  or  some  other  material ;  if  something  that  will  keep 
off  the  wet,  so  much  the  better.  Ixia  bulbs  are  small,  and 
on  the  shelves  of  shops  or  warehouses  they  quickly  lose  a 
good  deal  of  their  vitality  ;  hence,  if  obtained  from  dealers 
now,  they  would  in  all  probability  Ijc  too  rUliilitated  to 
flower  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  even  if  planti-d  at  oik  c. 

Taking  layeps  of  Indian  Rliododendpons 
(E  M)— The  taking  of  layers  from  Indian  Rhododendrons 
will  not  injure  the  trees  in  the  least,  providing,  of  course, 
that  there  are  liranches  near  enough  to  the  ground  to  be 
layered  without  diaflgnring  the  specimen.  The  shoots 
layered  must  be  cut  with  a  tongue  on  the  principle  adopted 
in  the  case  of  the  Carnation,  and  a  small  stone  inserted  to 
keep  it  open.  Then  the  mutilated  portion  must  be  buried 
at  least  4  inches  below  the  soil,  and  held  fli-mly  in  position 
by  stout  pegs.    The  part  of  the  shoot  that  is  above  ground 


should  be  tied  to  a  stake  to  prevent  it  moving  about  in  any 
way.  Very  sandy  peat  should  be  worked  around  the  buried 
part,  as  it  is  particularly  favourable  to  the  production  of 
roots.  Even  with  all  this  it  will  be  three  years  before  your 
layers  are  sufficiently  rooted  to  be  removed,  so  that  at  best 
it  is  a  slow  process.  For  this  reason  they  are  more  often 
increased  by  seeds,  cuttings,  or  grafting,  but  these  two 
latter  operations  require  various  appliances  and  practical 
knowledge. 


TUI.IPA    ACUMINATA, 


(SYN.    CORNUTA. 


Tulipa  acuminata  (T.).— This,  as  the  illustration 
shows,  is  a  very  tiuaint  kind,  with  long  wiry  segments.  It  is 
more  curious  than  beautiful,  Init  we  plant  a  group  of  it 
because  of  its  curious  shape. 


TRADE    NOTE. 

A  Sui'i-oRT  FOR  Flowers  in  Water. 

AVE  have  received  from  Mr.  Wakefield,  5S,  Hindon  .Street, 
London,  .S.  W.,  a  contrivance  of  tiers  of  rings  of  copper  wire, 
weighted  by  a  cast  iron  base,  which  he  has  patented  under 
the  name  of  "Floral  Aid."  It  is  one  of  the  now  many 
means  of  holding  flowers  in  water  in  position,  and  will  ba 
found  convenient  for  the  purpose. 


GARDENING    APPOINTMENT. 

Mr.  Bartholojiew  Power,  who  for  several  years  has 
worked  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  Windsor,  is  appointed  head 
gardener  to  Their  Highnesses  Prince  and  Princess  Henry  of 
Pless. 


Journals,  (fee,  Rbcbived. 

ViTiton'a  (late  Morton',^)  Agricultural  Almanac.  The 
American  Journal  of  Science.  Bulletin  de  la  SociHe  Fraii- 
caine  des  liosierifites.  Remie  Horticole.  List  of  SerftK 
collected  in  the  year  1900  at  La  Mortola,  near  Venlintiijtio, 
Italy,  he  Jardin.  List  of  Seeds  offered  by  Le  Museum 
d'Histoire  Naturelte,  -57,  Rue  Cuvier,  Patis. 


Catalogues   Received. 

Vegetable,  Fruit,  and  Flower  Seeds. — Messrs.  Alex.  Dickson 
and  Sons,  Limited,  55,  Royal  Avenue,  Belfast,  and  The 
Nurseries,  Newtoumards. 

Farm  Seeds. — Messrs.  Wni.  Clihran  and  Sons,  Manchester 
and  Altrincliani. 

Rose  Catalogue  and  Guide.— JMs-srs.  Benjamin R.  Cant  and 
.ro««.  The  Old  Rose  Gardens,  Colchester. 

Forest  and  Ornamental  Trees,  Shrubs,  &c. — Messrs.  Hoyij 
and  Wood,  Coldstream  and  Duns,  N.B. 

Sutton's  Amateur  Guide  in  Horticulture  for  1901,  and 
Complete  List  of  Garden  Seeds.— jl/fl«fc7'i,-.  SiUtoii  and  Sons, 
Reading. 

Forest  Trees,  Roses,  Fruit  Trees,  &c. — Messrs.  F.  Urquhart 
and  Co..  Spn'ng/ield,  Ness  Walk,  Inverness. 

Chry.saiithcinunis.  -  J/«ft'Hrs.  C.  E.  and  F.  W.  Lilley, 
Liiniteil,  Les  lli'i-lies,  St.  Peter-ia-the-Wood,  Guernsey. 

Competitors'  Guide  and  General  Seed  List. — Messrs.  Dobbie 
and  Co.,  Rothesay,  N.B. 

Seeds  and  Garden  Sundries. — Messrs.  Wm.  Paul  and  Sons, 
Walthani.  Cross,  Uerls. 

General  List  of  Garden  Seeds. — Messrs.  U.  Cannell  and 
Sons,  Sivanley,  Kent. 

Garden  Seeds. — Messrs.  Toogood  and  Sons,  Southampton, 


EDITORIAL.     NOTICES. 

Every  department  of  horticulture  w  repre-nented  in  THE 
Garden,  and  the  Editont  incite  readern  to  send  in  quentions 
relating  to  matters  ujon  which  they  wish  advice  Jrojn  compe- 
tent authorities.  WUh  that  object  they  wish  to  make  the 
*'  Ani<wers  t'>  Correifpondcnts"  colmnn  a  coTittpicuous  feature, 
and  when  queries  are  printed,  they  hope  thattheir  readersvnll 
kindly  give  ewjuirers  the  bewjit  of  their  assistance.  All 
coinntunications  )nust  be  written  clearly  on  one  side  only 
of  the  paper,  and  addressed  to  the  Editors  0/  The  Garden, 
accompa/nied  by  name  and  address  of  the  sender. 


As  regards  photographs,  if  payment  he  desired,  the  Editors 
ash  that  the  p-nce  required  fur  reproductinn  be  plainly  stated. 
It  niuM  be  distinctly  understood  that  only  the  actual  photo- 
grapher or  owner  of  the  copyright  inll  he  treated  with. 


The  Editors  will  iwt  he  responftible  for  the  return  of  artistic 
or  literary  contributions  ivhich  they  may  not  be  able  to  use, 
and  the  receipt  of  a  proof  must  not  be  taken  as  evidence  that 
an  article  is  accepted.  Publication  in  The  Garden  will 
alone  he  recognised  as  a,cceptance. 


Edited  by  MISS    JEKVLL  and  MR.   E.  T.  COOK. 


OJices:  30,  Tavistock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C. 


INDEX. 


Amai-yllis  aulica 

Amateurs'  perplexities 

American  notes 

Answers  to  correspondents 

Apple,  the  Custard  (illustrated)      

Artist's  note-book,  an  (illustrated) 

Autumn  flowering  of  .Crimson  Rambler 

Bamboos,  a  note  on      

Beauty  spots,  some  notable  ...         

Beech  in  England,  tallest  (illustrated)     

Bickley,  zonal  Pelargoniums  at       

Books        

Bracken  "  mistakes" 

British  Columbia,  fruit  in     

British  poisonous  plants        

Calvat's  seedlings  

Christmas  Day,  1900     

Christmas  flowers  in  Kent     

Clirysanthemums  

Chrysanthemums:  Two  excellent  Christmas  sorts 

Correspondence  ... 

tirowley,  ~Mv.  Philip     

Cumberland,  fiowers  in  

Dodds,  Mr.  William      

Editors' table  

Emigration  prospects 

Fern  garden,  the  

Ferns  in  winter,  stove 

Ferns  that  rest  in  winter       

Flower  garden,  tile      

Flowering  climbers  in  the  south-west      

Fruit  garden,  the  

Fruits  in  season 

Fruits,  tropical  (illustrated) 

Gardening  of  the  week 

Glasgow  International  Exliibition,  1901 

Glastonbury  Thorn,  the  

Heath  turf,  making      

Hiilalgoa  Wercklei        

Hooker,  Sir  .Toscph       

Horticulture  in  1900 

Irises,  groups  of  (illustrated)  

.lasmine  flowers,  fertilisation  of      

Krelage,  Mr.  J.  H ■■ 

Lapagerias  in  the  open...  

Lilies,  a  jar  of  Tiger  (illustrated) 

Lilies,  notes  on 

Lilium  candidum  

Lilium  nepalense  

Lilium  Parryi      • 

Miscellaneous     

New  .South  Wales,  botanic  gardens  of      

Nice,  a  November  near  

Notes,  continental        

Notes  of  the  week        

Nymphnja  Froebeli  (coloured  plate)         

Obituary 

Passiflora  quadrangularis  (illustrated)      

Pear  Le  Lcctier  .  

Persimmon,  the  (illustrated) 

Phormium  tenax  

Physalis  edulis  as  a  dessert  fruit     

Plant  portraits,  recent 

Primrose  Miss  Massey —        •■■ 

tjueensland.  Edible  Passion  Flower  and  Cape  Goose- 
berry m        

Reinwardtias      

Rose,  one  way  of  training  a  (illustrated) 

Rose  Souvenir  de  Gabrielle  Drevet 

Roses,  planting  Tea      

Salvias,  autumn  and  winter-flowering      

Societies    

Solanum  jasminoides 

Street  planting  ...        •  

Tacsonia  militaris  (illustrated)        

Town  gardening ■.        -■•        ••■        ■-■      ,■■■ 

Trees  and  shrubs  with  rich  foliage  for  waterside 
planting        

Winter,  the  mild  


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GARDEN. 


No.  ]  521.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[January  12,  1901. 


PATHS  IN  OUTER  GARDEN 
SPACES. 

PATHS  in  pleasure  grounds  that  are 
beyond  the  province  of  the  trimly- 
kept  garden,  and  yet  have  to  be 
somewhat  tamed  from  the  mere 
narrow  track  such  as  serves  for  the 
gamekeeper  on  his  rounds,  admit  of  varied 
treatment.  The  nature  of  the  place  and  the 
requirements  of  those  who  use  the  paths 
will  determine  their  general  nature  and  settle 
whether  they  are  to  be  of  turf  or  of  something 
that  must  be  dry  in  all  weathers.  But  grass  or 
gravel  ai'e  not  the  only  alternatives.  One  kind 
of  path  not  often  seen,  but  always  pleasant, 
and  at  one  time  of  year  distinctly  beautiful, 
can  be  made  of  the  common  Heather  (Calluna 
vulgaris).  We  know  such  a  path  12  feet  wide 
and  some  hundreds  of  feet  long  carpeted  with 
this  native  Heath,  mown  once  a  year,  and  feel- 
ing like  a  thick  piled  carpet  to  the  feet  ;  grey- 
green  in  sunmier,  bronze  -  coloured  in  late 
autumn,  and  in  the  second  and  third  weeks  of 
August  thickly  set  with  short  sprays  of  the 
low-toned  pink  of  the  Heather  bloom.  It  is 
not  so  dry  as  a  gravel  path,  but  a  good  deal 
drier  than  grass,  and  has  a  pleasant  feeling  of 
elasticity  that  is  absent  in  common  turf. 
■  Many  are  the  pleasure  grounds  in  the  south 
of  England  and  Scotland  where  the  soil  is 
sandy  and,  perhaps,  peaty.  Any  such  place 
can  have  these  pleasant  heathy  paths.  We 
have  even  seen  them  on  a  poor  sandy  clay, 
scarcely  good  enough  to  call  loam,  in  Sussex  : 
for  Calluna,  unlike  the  other  Heaths,  will  grow 
willingly  in  clay.  In  the  case  quoted  the  plant 
was  wild  in  the  place. 

In  a  Fir  wood,  the  bare  earth  carpeted  with 
Fir  needles  always  makes  a  suitable  path,  and 
one  that  is  always  dry ;  the  only  thing  to 
correct  is  to  fill  up  any  places  where  the  bare 
roots  rise  up  above  the  path  level.  For  in 
these  informal  paths,  where  we  want  to  look 
about,  and  at  the  trees,  there  should  be  no 
danger  of  being  tripped  up.  The  path,  of 
whatever  nature,  should  be  wide  enough  for 
two  persons — 5  feet  to  6  feet  is  ample  ;  but  it 
should  have  quite  a  different  character  from  a 
garden  path,  in  that  its  edges  are  not  defined  or 
straightened. 

One  may  often  see  in  the  outskirts  of  an 
old  garden  a  dense  wood  of  tall  trees  that  once 
was  only  a  growth  of  shrubbery  size.  The 
walk  was  originally  bordered  by  a  Box  edging, 
and  there  may  have  been  a  strip  of  flowers 
between  it  and  the  slirubs.    Here  and  there 


one  may  still  see  a  yard  or  two  of  straggling 
Box  nearly  2  feet  high.  Of  course,  this  edging 
should  have  been  removed  as  soon  as  the  place 
became  a  wood,  for  after  a  certain  time  its 
original  use  as  a  formal  edging  to  a  trim 
plantation  ceased  to  exist. 

Nothing  is  pleasanter  in  woodland  than 
broad,  grassy '  ways,  well  enough  levelled  to 
ensure  safety  to  an  unheeding  walker.  In 
early  spring,  before  the  grass  has  grown  any 
height,  here  is  the  place  where  Daffodils  can 
best  be  seen  and  enjoyed,  some  in  the  clear 
grass  and  some  running  back  in  wide  drifts 
into  any  side  opening  of  the  wood.  If  the 
grass  is  cut  in  June,  when  the  Daffodil  foliage 
is  ripe,  and  again  early  in  September,  these  two 
mowings  will  suffice  for  the  year. 

In  many  woody  places  where  shade  is  fairly 
thick,  if  there  is  any  grass  it  will  probably  be 
full  of  moss.  No  path-carpet  is  more  beautiful 
than  a  mossy  one  ;  indeed,  where  grass  walks 
from  the  garden  pass  into  woodland,  the  mossy 
character  so  sympathetic  to  the  wood  should 
be  treasured,  and  the  moss  should  not  be 
scratched  out  with  iron  rakes.  Often  in  the 
lawn  proper  a  mixture  of  moss  and  grass  is 
desirable,  though  the  good  gardener  has  pro- 
bably been  taught  that  all  moss  is  hateful.  In 
such  places,  though  it  may  be  well  to  check  it 
by  raking  out  every  four  or  five  years,  it  should 
by  no  means  be  destroyed,  for  in  the  lawn 
spaces  adjoining  trees  or  woodland  the  moss 
is  right  and  harmonious. 

There  are  paths  for  the  garden  and  paths  for 
the  wood.  A  mistaken  zeal  that  would  insist 
on  the  trimness  of  the  straight-edged  garden 
walk  in'  woodland  or  wild  is  just  as  much  mis- 
placed as  if  by  slothful  oversight  an  accumula- 
tion of  dead  leaves  or  other  debris  of  natural 
decay  were  permitted  to  remain  in  the  region 
of  formal  terrace  or  parterre. 


THE    GARDEN    AT    THE    OLD 
POSTING    INN. 

I  HAVE  long  been  a  lover  of  gardens,  and, 
luckily  for  me,  my  taste  in  them  is  catholic.  I 
am  ready  to  see  beauty  in  every  kind — the 
stately  pleasaunce,  the  homely  cottage,  the 
suburban  strip,  all  have  their  different  ways  of 
pleasing.  Lately,  however,  I  have  met  with  a 
new  type,  new  at  least  to  me.  It  is  a  type 
that  will  soon  be  as  extinct  as  the  dodo,  and 
may  therefore  merit  description  for  once. 

The  garden  I  have  in  my  mind's  eye  belongs 
to  an  old  posting-house  that  stands  exactly  as 
it  did  long,  long  years  ago,  when  day  and  night 
the  steaming  coach-horses  drew  up  before  its 
hospitable  doors.  The  same  solid  pieces  of  old 
Oak,    dower-chest,    and    dresser    are    in    the 


dwelling-rooms,  dark  with  age  and  bright  with 
use  and  beeswax.  There  is  still  the  same 
generous  yet  simple  fare,  nearly  all  home- 
made ;  the  same  kind  of  servants,  men  and 
women  who  belong  to  the  place  and  are 
attached  to  it.  A  bright-eyed  serving-maid 
attends  to  you  at  table— blessed  relief  from  the 
usual  discontented  alien  in  rusty  black  and  a 
damp  table-napkin.  Best  of  all,  there  is  the 
fair,  q  uaint  garden  that  smiles  at  you  wth  its 
young-old  face  as  only  a  hostel  garden  can. 

It  will  not  take  us  long  to  wander  through 
the  part  of  the  domain  they  call  the  pleasure 
garden.  There  is  a  lawn  with  "Vews  and 
Weeping  Willows,  a  Walnut  tree,  and  seats 
and  benches.  Here  one  may  .sit  and  dream,  or 
smoke  or  drink  one's  tea.  'The  garden  behind 
the  wall  of  shrubs  is  the  part  I  love  the  best. 

It  is  always  sunny  here.  A  kitchen  garden 
has  to  be  sunny  or  things  would  not  grow  in 
it.  The  flowers  have  found  this  out,  and  come 
in  flocks  to  take  possession  of  every  unoccupied 
corner.  There  is  no  room  for  weeds.  Musk 
and  Violets  meander  among  the  Currant 
bushes,  masses  of  Mignonette  nestle  up  against 
the  Pear  trees,  honey-scented  Candytuft  and 
wallflower-coloured  Marigolds  struggle  for 
existence,  and  find  it  too  among  the  crimson 
Beetroot  plants  and  Scarlet  Runners,  the 
patches  of  Parsley,  and  the  forests  of  Mint, 
Sweet  Savoury,  and  Thyme. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  garden  stands  a 
summer-house.  No  flimsy  structure  made  up 
of  creepers  and  earwigs,  but  a  solid  stone  and 
wooden  arbour,  where  you  may  sit  in  safety 
and  enjoy  the  delicious  scent  that  comes  from 
distant  dykes  of  Celery  or  the  bushes  of  Old 
Man  and  Lavender  that  are  close  at  hand. 
Here  you  may  watch  the  robin,  who,  perfectly 
conscious  of  your  presence,  perches  in  the 
branches  of  the  nearest  Apple  tree  and  sings 
you  his  best  song.  How  mistaken  are  the 
scientists  who  tell  us  birds  only  sing  when 
courting!  What  about  the  robin?  If  they 
are  right,  why  does  robin  sing  so  bravely  in  the 
autumn  days,  when  all  his  family  are  of  age 
and  his  youthful  follies  are  over  ? 

Sometimes  as  you  .sit  in  this  summer-house 
you  perceive  a  new  fragrance  in  the  air — a 
wholesome  bitter  smell.  This  means  they  are 
brewing — "  Twice  one  week  and  once  the 
next."  This  was  the  old  order,  and  it  has  not 
been  changed. 

Now  the  ruddy,  wrinkled-faced  gardener 
comes  by.  His  cheeks  are  like  two  of  his  own 
rosy  Apples  that  have  been  kept  awhile.  He 
has  filled  his  basket  with  good  things  we  shall 
see  presently  on  the  luncheon-table.  A  few 
belated  Peas,  French  Beans  of  course — why 
French  I  sometimes  wonder — Lettuces,  crisp 
and  green.  Kale,  and  the  homely  Cabbage.  I  do 
like  Cabbages,  especinfly  to  look  at,  and  most 
especially  fn  the  early  morning  when  the  dew 
is  on  them.  I  do  not  know  why  Cabbages 
have  such  a  fascinating  fashion  of  retaining 
their  dewdrops  and  raindrops.  You  will  find 
their  much-veined  leaves  sprinkled  over  with 


22 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  12,  1901. 


fcleamins  quicksilver  globules  quite  late  in  the 
day.  when  all  the  rest  of  the  foliage  in  the 
garden  is  dry. 

Let  us  take  to  the  paths  again.  We  are 
out  of  the  land  of  gravel  now.  They  are 
spread  with  crushed  grev  stone,  which  harmo- 
nises well  with  the  neat  borders  of  dark-green 
Box.  What  a  boon  to  see  Bo.x  edgings  once 
more  instead  of  tiles  !  Lifeless  and  character- 
less as  typewriting,  tiles  neither  change  nor 
grow,  and  are  only  fit  for  cemeteries.  Between 
the  Box  edginfif  aiid  the  Gooseberry  bushes  a 
Ion  a,  thick  streak  of  vivid  green  is  showing. 
"What  is  this?"  we  ask  the  gardener. 
"  Parsley,"  is  his  answer,  pausing  for  a  moment 
as  he  digs  up  his  Onions.  Par-sley  seems  every- 
where, in  all  ages  and  stages.  He  says  "  the 
Missus  can  never  have  enough  of  it,"  and  it  is 
slow  growine  stuff,  or,  rather,  slow  in  germi- 
nating. With  a  drop  in  his  voice,  which  is 
meant  apolosetically,  for  he  is  a  gentleman  at 
heart,  as  all  the  gardeners  I  meet  with  are,  he 
asks  us  whether  we  know  what  the  country 
folk  say  about  Parsley—"  that  it  goes  to  the 
devil  and  back  tvnce  liefore  coming  up." 

He  has  much  to  tell  us  about  his  herbs, 
especially  their  medicinal  value.  He  says'  his 
bush  of  Rue  gets  choiiped  to  pieces  to  supply 
the  farm.  "Rue  is  a  powerful  foine  nhysic  ; 
nothing  like  it  for  drenching  heifers,"  which 
cryptic  observation  is  as  great  a  puzzle,  on 
first  hearing,  as  a  "world"  acrostic,  but  its 
meaning  dawns  upon  one  later  on.  We  are 
curious  to  know  where  he  grows  his  Camomile 
plants,  and  ask  him.  Scratching  his  head,  he 
answers  slowly,  "  I  will  not  turn  my  tongue  to 
deceive  you.  ladies,  there  is  ne'er  a  bit  left  in 
the  place.  Years  ago  when  my  good  wife  was 
alive  and  the  children  about  she  would  bile 
the  blooms  to  keep  the  fever  off.  Now  there's 
too  many  doctors  about.  Polks  go  to  them 
for  a  cut  finger— you  pays  your  penny  or 
tuppence  a  week  and  all  your  doctoring  is 
done  for  you— but  the  old  ways  was  best." 

The  farm  is  iust  behind  the  brew-house, 
and  stacks  of  this  year's  hay  add  their  quota 
of  fragrance  to  this  scented  garden.  Going 
back  to  the  house  by  another  way  we  pass  the 
Asparagus  bed,  ahvays  beautiful  ;  long,  level 
rows  of  roving  Scarlet  Runners,  and  the 
jagged  -  leafed  Parsnip.  Carrots  in  their 
autumn  stage  are  nearly  as  beautiful  as 
Asparagus— more  so  in  colour.  I  have  read 
somewhere  that  the  King  of  Siam  when  in 
England  was  so  pleased  with  Carrot-green  that 
he  now  grows  it  himself  for  purely  testhetic 
reasons.  I  have  felt  a  respect  for  this 
potentate  ever  since. 

The  delicious  Marrow-fats  are  over — worse 
luck  !  but  we  make  up  for  it  in  Sweet  Peas. 
These  are  still  in  their  glory,  and  are  nodding 
their  pink,  white,  and  purplish  heads  at  us 
from  their  sun-bathed  sticks  in  the  kitchen 
garden  as  thev  never  will  in  more  distinguished 
quarters.  "We  are  Peas,"  they_  seem  to  say, 
"  then  let  us  be  treated  as  such,  in  spite  of  the 
flowers  we  give  you." 

As  wc  saunter  slowly  on  a  Golden  Codlin 
falls  now  and  then  at  our  feet  with  a  thud,  or 
drops  softly  on  to  the  undergrowth  of  Violas, 
Asters,  Nasturtiums,  and  Mignonette.  Every 
corner  of  the  garden  and  the  odd  bits  of  space 
are  massed  with  Lily  of  the  Valley  leaves, 
which  make  us  think  enviously  of  what  this 
hostel  garden  must  be  in  early  spring.  So  do 
the  Moss  Rose  bu.shes  and  the  clumps  of  blue- 
green  Pink  spilves.  or,  rather,  these  whisper  to 
us  of  the  glories  .Tune  would  lavish  were  we 
here  to  enjoy  them.  Our  onward  path  is 
narrowed  by  the  luxuriance  of  pale  gold  single 
Sunflowers,  clusters  of  pinky  purple  Phlox, 
priinson    Fuchsias,    and    Michaelmas    Daisies 


brown  with  bees.  Stay  !  what  can  this  be 
that  smells  so  passing  sweet  ?  It  is  an  autumn 
Violet  hiding  its  long-stalked  head  mid  many 
leaves.  There  is  one  of  Nature's  mysteries. 
Why  does  one  Violet  smell  as  strong  as  twenty  ? 
Everyone  mu.st  have  noticed  how  the  scent  of 
one  Violet  will  fill  a  room. 

As  we  pass  the  little  Jasmine  and  Clematis- 
covered  gate  on  our  way  out  and  return  to  the 
turf,  the  Weeping  Willows  and  the  Yew  trees, 
our  only  consolation  in  leaving  so  many 
pleasant  things  behind  us  is  the  determination 
to  come  again  next  year  and  see  them  all  once 
more.  E-  A.  B. 


EDITORS'    TABLE, 

COLLETIA   CRUCI.iTA    (SYN.,    BICTONENSE). 

■  Mr.  Burbidge  sends  from  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
Dublin,  sprigs  of  this  spiny-branched  Chilian  shnib, 
which,  owing  to  the  recent  mild  weather,  has 
flowered  freely  in  many  parts.  Reoently  we  also 
received  flowering  branches  from  Aldenham  House 


COLLETIA  CRUCIATA. 

Gardens,  and  made  a  little  drawing  of  one  of  the 
shoots,  whicli,  of  course,  are  much  reduced.  The 
flowers  are  white,  inclined  to  cream  colour,  small, 
and  borne  profusely. 

Winter  Sweet  (Chimonanthus  feagkaks). 

Mr.  Anthony  Waterer,  Knap  Hill  Nursery, 
Woking,  kindly  forwards  us  a  box  of  sprays  of 
the  above  delightful  sweet-scented  winter-flovvering 
shrub,  together  with  the  accompanying  note:  "I 
am  sending  a  tew  flowers  of  Calycanthus  pra^cox, 
which  I  thought  you  might  like  to  see.  It  is 
flowering  finely  this  winter.  I  have  also  the 
yellow  Aconite  and  two  Scilla  sibirica  in  bloon)."' 
Calycanthus  pra?cox  is  a  synonym  of  the  Chimo- 
nanthus. 

Well-berried  Twigs  of  Euonymds  radicans. 
We  receive  from  "A.  C.  B.," North  Devon,  some 
well-berried  twigs  of  Euonymua  radicans,  with  the 
accompanying  remarks  :  "  The  frost  seems  to  have 
no  effect  in  preventing  the  seed  capsules  opening, 
for  the  bush  is  quite  red  with  the  seeds,  whereas 
there  was  hardly  a  glint  a  week  ago.  Bcrberis 
Darwini  is  in'blossom,  but  not  fully  out,  still  it  is 
an  object  of  beauty.  Wc  had  delicious  Mushrooms 
picked  on  the  '  Barrows '  on  which  we  play  golf." 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 

Coloured    plate    of    Nymphaea 

FPOebeli. — W'e  omitted  to  mention  last  week 
that  the  drawing  of  this  Nymphwa  was  made  by 
Mr.  Moon  at  Gravetye. 

The  Kew  Guild. --The  annual  general 
meeting  of  this  association  will  take  place  on  Mon- 
dav.  May'20  (eve  of  the  Temple  show),  at  the 
Holborn  Restaurant,  at  7  p.m.,  to  be  followed  by 
the  annual  dinner  at  7.4.5  p.m.  Members  who 
desire  to  be  present  should  inform  the  secretary, 
Mr.  W.  Watson,  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  before 
May  1.     Tickets,  .is.  each. 

Societe  Nationale  d'Horticulture. 

-We  learn  from  Li-  Jardiii  that  MM.  Salomon  and 
Defresne  have  been  elected  vice-presidents,  MM. 
Georges  Truffault  and  Nomplat  secretaries,  and 
the  following  gentlemen  councillors  of  the  above 
Bocietv  :  —  MM.  Nonin,  Leon  Duval,  Debrie, 
Duvillard,  and  Deny,  the  latter  in  the  place  of 
M.  Defresne. 

Croydon  and  District  Horticul- 
tural Society.— The  annual  general  meeting 
of  members  and  subscribers  will  be  held  in  the 
society's  room  at  the  Sunflower  Hotel,  (ieorge 
Street,  on  Tuesday  evening,  .January  1.5,  at 
8  p.m.,  for  the  election  of  officers  for  the  year, 
and  other  business.  All  interested  in  horticulture 
are  invited  to  attend. — .John  Gregory,  Hon. 
Secretary,  (lO.  Cantri-Jinry  Road,  Croi/iloii. 

Royal   Horticultural  Society.— The 

first  meeting  of  the  committees  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  in  1901  will  be  held,  as  usual,  in 
the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  on 
Tuesday  next,  .January  15.  A  paper  on  "Recent 
Developments  in  the  Treatment  of  Diseases  and 
Insects  Iniurious  to  Orchard  Crops,"  by  Professor 
Beach,  U.S.A.,  will  be  read  at  three  o'clock.  The 
scientific  committee  will  meet  at  4  p.m.  To 
prevent  misunderstanding  it  maj'  be  mentioned 
that  the  committees  of  1900  do  not  vacate  office 
until  the  date  of  the  annual  meeting,  1901,  and  in 
like  manner  all  Fellows'  tickets  of  190(1  are 
available  until  Februarv  12,  1901. 

Mr.  J.  E.  TVentholt  has  been  chosen  to 
succeed  Jlr.  E.  H.  Krelage  as  president  of  the 
Societe  Generale  de  Bulbiculture  de  Haarlem 
(Holland).  We  recently  announced  the  retirement 
of  Mr.  Krelage,  who  had  held  the  post  for  forty 
years.  Members  of  the  society  have  now  decided 
to  present  Mr.  Krelage  with  his  portrait,  painted 
bv  the  Dutch  artist,  Haverman,  together  with  an 
album  containing  the  names  of  the  subscribers, 
who  number  over  1,000. 

Flowers  at  Nice. — Our  numerous  country- 
men who  have  villas  and  gardens  on  the  Riviera 
may  be  glad  to  know  from  on  3  of  tlieir  number,  who 
is  among  our  most  distinguished  amateurs,  that 
the  beautiful  Tecnphylea  cyanocrocus  seems  to  be 
quite  happy  near  Nice.  He  also  praises  Geraniums 
Fratelli  ferrario  (coral  coloured)  and  Paul  Crampel 
(scarlet)  as  excellent  winter  bloomers.  Of  Buddleia 
salicifolia  he  says  :—  "  It  is  the  very  sweetest 
winter  flower  j'et  invented;  I  wonder  why  it  is 
never  in  a  cool  greenhouse." 

Narcissus    pallidus    praecox.  —  We 

have  in  this  garden  already  an  open  bloom  of  this 
charming  Daffodil.  The  bulb  origin.ally  w.as  one  of 
a  batch  of  imported  ones  planted  in  the  grass,  and 
it  flowered  quite  early  in  Januarv  in  1898  and 
1899.  1  then  moved  it  to  a  more  sheltered  position, 
and  last  season  it  opened  on  .Tanuary '27,  apparently 
resenting  removal ;  however,  I  am  glad  to  say  that 
this  year  it  has  increased.  I  hope  it  will  be  useful 
as  a  seed  parent.  —  Lanarth.  Si.    Ktvtriir,  Coruirall. 

Hardy  blue  Salvias.— in  a  note  from 

your  correspondent  "  H.,"  published  in  your  issue 
of  the  .'ith  inst.,  I  was  a  little  surprised  to  see  no 
mention  made  either  of  S.  ringons  or  S.  angusti- 
folia.  Both  have  flowers  of  a  fine  clear  blue  ;  the 
former  a  lavender-blue,  the  latter  a  darker  and 
brighter.  Both  species  have  stood  well  in  the  last 
two  winters  here.  Habit  and  foliage  are  distinct, 
S.  ringens  being  a  dwarf  species,  the  leaves  some- 
what Sage-like  :  S.  angustifolia  from  2  feet  to 
.S  feet  high.  Both  species  should,  I  think,  be  better 
known. — P-  S.  Leonard,  Guildford, 


Januiaky   12',   1901 


THE  GARDEN 


Mp.  SowePby  WalliS,  who  was  for  nearly 
l.liirt}'  years  associated  with  the  late  Mr.  (A.  j. 
Synions,  F.R.S. ,  and  has  since  the  latter's  death 
carried  on  the  British  Rainfall  Organisation,  will 
be  joined  in  tlte  work  liy  Dr.  H.  R.  Mill,  who  has 
resigned  the  lihrarianship  of  the  Royal  ( Jeograpliical 
Societj4  for  that  purpose, 

Hampstead    Heath    and    electric 

tubular  railway.— We  are  pleased  to  know 
that  there  is  decided  opposition  to  the  proposed 
electric  railway  burrowing  under  Hampstead  Heath. 
It  is  surely  quite  possible  to  erect  suitable  stations 
near  tlie  Heath  without  actually  coming  into  contact 
witli  it.  Few  beautiful  natural  open  spaces  are 
left  to  Londoners,  and  even  liistoric  Hampstead  is 
threatened. 

Kew  Bulletin.— The  present  issue  of  the 
"  Kew  Bulletin"  of  miscellaneous  information  is 
devoted  to  a  list  of  seeds  of  hardy  lierbaceous 
plants,  annual  and  perennial,  and  of  trees  and 
shrubs,  which  for  the  most  part  ha\e  ripened  at 
Kew  during  the  year  1900.  These  seeds  are  not  sold 
to  the  general  public,  but  are  available  for  exchange 
witli  colonial,  Indian,  and  foreign  botanic  gardens, 
as  well  as  with  regular  correspondents  of  Kew. 
No  application,  except  from  remote  colonial  pos- 
sessions, can  be  entertained  after  the  end  of 
March. 

Seeds  from  La  Mortola.— Mr.  I'homas 

Hanbury,  F.L.8. ,  La  Mortola,  Ventimiglia,  has 
sent  to  us  his  list  of  seeds  collected  during  the 
past  year  in  his  well-known  garden  in  Italy.  These, 
comprising  no  less  than  1,600  species,  together 
with  young  plants  and  cuttings  of  a  number  of 
succulents,  are  offered  in  exchange  for  any  of  the 
following  desiderata.  Succulents  :  Trees  and  shrubs 
of  extra  tropical  countries,  as  natives  of  South 
Africa,  Australia,  Argentina,  Mexico,  South  and 
North  America,  &c.  Plants  of  the  Mediterranean 
region  :  Proteace*. 

Campanula  mirabilis  not  a  per- 
ennial.— I  fear  I  have  been  obliged  to  abandon 
all  hope  of  Campanula  mirabilis  acting  as  a  peren- 
nial, at  any  rate  in  my  garden.  A  seedling  raised 
by  myself  flowered  this  season  here,  in  its  third 
year,  and  was  very  pretty,  though  smaller  than  I 
expected.  It  is  now,  alas  !  quite  dead,  and  I  foresee 
a  similar  fate  in  store  for  other  seedlings  that  have 
not  yet  flowered. — S.  G.  R.,  Yatdimj,  Kent 


NOTES    ON    LILIES. 

LILIES    FROM   JAPAN. 

PLANTINfi    AND    PoTTIMi:. 


A 


SUITABLE  season  to  plant  or  pot  Lilies 
has  more  than  once  aroused  contro- 
versy, but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
unless  exceptional  conditions  prevail 
it  is  better  when  they  are  simph' 
removed  from  one  part  of  the  garden 
to   carr}'   out    that    operation    in   the 


to   another 
autumn. 

Still,  one  cannot  overlook  the  fact  that  immense 
numbers  of  splendid  bulbs  of  a  few  kinds  that  we 
receive  from  Japan  do  not  reach  here  until  the 
winter  ;  indeed,  the  new  year  is  a  month  or  two 
old  before  some  of  them  arrive,  yet  they  are  so 
firm  and  solid  as  to  yield  most  satisfactory  results 
if  planted  or  potted  then. 

So  erratic  a  crop  is  it  elsewhere  tliat  we  prac- 
tically depend  upon  Japan  for  our  supply  of  Liliura 
auratum,  while  the  huge  quantities  of  L.  speciosum 
received  therefrom  have  made  a  great  difference  in 
the  demand  for  I>utGh  bulbs  of  this  species.  L. 
longifiorum,  too,  which  reaches  here  earlier  than 
the  others,  has  become  a  general  favourite,  either 
for  planting  out,  growing  in  pots,  forcing,  or 
retarding,  though  for  forcing  pxirposes  they  cannot 
1  be  had  in  bloom  nearly  as  early  as  the  Bermuda- 
grown  Harrisi,  but  as  a  set-off  to  this  retarded 
ones  maj'  be  flowered  at  any  season  of  the  year. 

In  dealing  with  these  Japanese  Lily  bulbs  I  will 
first  take  the  case  of 

LiUUM   AURATUM, 
the  bulbs  of  which  in  many  instances  appear  to  me 
inferior  to  those  we  used  to  get  eight  or  ten  years 


ago.  Probably  the  disease  which  gives  a  good 
deal  of  trouble  is  answeraVjle  for  this.  The  variety 
platyphyllum  or  macranthum,  for  these  two  names 
are  u.sed  indiscriminately,  has  particularly  solid 
bulb.s,  with  fewer  and  stouter  scales  than  occurs 
in  the  ordinary  L.  auratum,  while  those  of  the 
two  charming  varieties,  Wittei  or  virginale  and 
rubro-vittatum,  are  generally  smaller,  but  flower 
well. 

With  a  few  individual  exceptions  the  bulbs  of 
Lll.IUM  SPECIOSUM 
from  .Japan  consist  of  three  forms.  First,  the 
variety  Knetzeri,  a  white  flower  with  a  greenish 
stripe  in  the  centre  of  the  petals.  This  is  u.sually 
sold  under  the  name  of  album,  whereas  the  original 
album,  which  can  be  obtained  from  the  Dutcli,  is 
quite  distinct.  The  bulbs  of  the  true  album  are 
l^rownish  red,  in  Krietzeri  they  are  yellowish  ;  the 
leaves  of  this  last  are  long  and  pale  green,  while 
the  flowers  of  album  are  flushed  with  chocolate  on 
the  exterior,  and  are  without  the  greenish  central 
stripe.  The  second  Japanese  variety  to  mention 
is  Melpomene,  the  bulbs  of  which  are  ver^'  deeply 
tinted,  and  show  a  great  tendency  to  divide  up 
into  several  crowns.  The  flowers  of  tliis  are  the 
brightest  coloured  of  all,  with  a  nearly  white 
margin,  which  serves  to  intensify  their  depth  of 
colouring.  The  third  form  from  .Japan  is  much  in 
the  way  of  a  good  type  of  the  old  Dutch  variety 
rubrum,  and  is  often  grown  as  macranthum  and 
rubrum  superbum.  In  the  cases  as  received  the 
bulbs  of  Melpomene  and  macranthum  are  frequently 
mixed,  but  they  may  be  selected  with  a  moderate 
amount  of  confidence,  those  of  Melpomene  being 
deeper  coloured  and  more  divided  up  into  separate 
crowns  than  the  bulb  of  the  other.  Both  are 
usually  sold  in  the  London  auction  rooms  in  cases 
as  recei\ed  from  .Japan  under  the  name  of  L. 
speciosum  rubrum.  While  the  bulk  consists  of 
the  three  forms  above  specified,  individual  varia- 
tions crop  up  amongst  them ;  thus  the  variety 
album  novum  occasionally  appears  with  the  bulbs 
of  Kra'tzeri,  from  which  those  of  album  novum 
cannot  be  distinguished.  The  bright  golden  pollen 
is,  however,  in  the  flowering  stage  a  most  distinc- 
tive feature.  Difl'erent  forms  more  or  less  marked 
occur  also  among  the  coloured  kinds. 

L.    LONOIFLORUM 

goes  to  rest  naturally  and  starts  into  growth 
earlier  than  the  others,  so  that  tlie  larger  importa- 
tions reach  here  before  those  of  L.  auratum  or 
L.  speciosum.  Most  of  those  from  .Japan  consist 
of  a  fine  bold  flowering  type,  known  usually  as 
Wilsoni,  while  the  others  are  divided  between 
giganteum  (that  grand  form  recently  Hgured  in 
The  Garden)  and  Takesima,  in  which  the  base  of 
the  stems  and  exterior  of  the  flower-buds  are 
tinged  with  purple. 

L.    TIOKINUM. 

The  bulbs  of  the  Tiger  Lily  from  .Japan  are 
remarkable  for  their  immense  size  and  corre- 
sponding floral  display.  As  a  rule  they  nearl3'  all 
consist  of  the  variety  Fortunei,  characterised  by 
very  wooUj'  stems  and  flower-buds  and  rather  pale 
tinted  blossoms,  which  in  vigorous  examples  are 
disposed  in  a  large  pyramidal-shaped  head.  I 
recently  measured  several  of  the  bulbs  just  received 
from  .Japan  and  they  exceeded  13  inches  in  cir- 
cumference, a  size  I  never  knew  Kuropean-grown 
ones  to  attain.  This  vai'iet3'  is  rather  later  in 
flowering  than  the  others. 

L.  eleoans 
is  also  sent  here  in  several  varieties,  and  though 
the  bulbs  are  small  they  mostly  travel  well,  but 
as  they  grow  in  an  equally  satisfactory  manner  in 
Holland,  our  supplies  are  cliiefly  obtained  from 
that  source. 

Other  Lilies  of  which  our  stock  is  principally 
kept  up  by  importations  from  Japan  are--L. 
Batemann;e,  which  flowers  well  the  first  season, 
but  quickly  deteriorates  ;  L.  odorum,  frequently 
sold  as  L.  Browni  (a  totally  different  Lily),  and 
occasionally  as  L.  japonicum  Colchesteri.  This  is 
one  of  the  Trumpet  Lilies,  with  cream-coloured 
blossoms  suffused  on  the  exterior  with  purplish 
chocolate.  The  bulbs  travel  badly,  being  so  liable 
to  decay  just  at  tlie  base,  and  though  sound  bulbs 


can  be  depended  upon   for   tlie   first  season   many 
fail  to  grow  afterwards. 

L.  Kraniei-i  comes  regularly  from  -Japan  i-ach 
autumn  ;  .some  flower  the  following  summer,  but 
nearly  all  perish  by  tlie  time  autumn  conies  round 
again.  Its  near  ally -L.  lubellum— seems  more 
robust,  but  does  not  liold  out  much  pr-omise  of 
being  a  satisfactor-y  Lily  in  this  country.  I.. 
Hansoni,  that  pretty  yellow  wax-like  flowei'uf  Ihc 
Martagon  group,  travels  well,  ami  in  maii>  garih-iis 
soon  becomes  established. 

Other  kinds  gi-own  by  the  .la|iaiiesB  and  occa- 
sionally sent  to  this  counti-y  are  L.  Alexandi-ie, 
known  also  as  L.  Ukeynri,  which  is  much  rarer 
than  it  was  a  few  yeai-s  ago  ;  L.  Leichtlini  anil 
L.  Maximowiczi,  of  which  much  the  same  may  lie 
said  ;  with  L.  callosum,  L.  concolor,  L.  c.  Cor-idioii, 
L.  rordifolium,  L.  avenaceuin,  and  L.  niedeoloides. 

T. 


TROPICAL     FRUITS. 

By   One   who   has  Grown   Thk.m. 
T  is  a  common  ojiinion    that   tlie  fruit   of 
the  tropics  is   not   so   good   as   tliat    we 
have  at  home.     This  jitdgmeiit   is  to  be 
received    with    caution.      It    is   suspect, 
owing  to  the  prejudice  with  wliich  we  as 
a    nation   regard    all    that   is   new,   es|)eciall>' 
if  the  novelty  comes  from  abroad.     Whether 
Durian,  Mangosteen,  Pine,  Clierimoya,  Banana, 
Sweet-cup,  Mango,  and  Orange  do  or  do  not 
maintain  so  high  a  level  of  excellence  as  Apple, 
Pear,  Peach,  Strawberry,  Apricot,  Plum, Cherry, 
and  Gooseberry  must  ever  remain  a  matter  of 
individual  taste.  The  writer,  who  has  exclianged 
the  insularity  of  Great  Britain  for  the  insularity 
of  .Jamaica,   and    whose  prejudices    probably 
increase  as  his  outlook  upon  the  world  grows 
smaller,  here  records  that  if  he  had  to  choo.'ic 
one  fruit  it  would  be  the  Orange,  and  that  if 
he  might  have  a  second  it  would  take  a  long- 
season  of  debate  to  decide  between  the  rival 
claims  of  the  Banana  and  the  Apple. 

The  visitor  who  arrive.?  in  Jamaica  in 
November  will  see  piles  of  green-skinned 
Oranges  in  the  market.  Tasting  them  he  finds 
them,  much  to  his  surjirise,  perfectly  sweet. 
The  flavour  is  good,  but  improves  as  day  by 
day  the  green  skm  turns  yellow.  Sweetness  is 
the  distinguishing  characteristic  of  tropical 
fruit.  To  add  sugar  to  a  Ripley  Pine  would  be 
to  gild  refined  gold.  It  would  not  "  bring  out 
the  flavour,''  as  is  said  at  home,  l.iut  would 
make  it  over] loweringly  and  nauseously  sweet. 

Passing  by  bundles  of  Sugar-cane,  familiar 
Bananas,  and  Plantains  winch  as  yet  he  does 
not  distinguish  from  them,  the  attention  of  the 
visitor  to  the  market  is  arrested  by  liroad, 
squat,  green  Fir  -  cones.  These  are  fruits  of 
three  kinds  of  Anonaceie,  Clierimoya,  Sweet-soj.i, 
and  Sow-sop.  Broken  open  they  disclose  an 
inviting  white  custaixl,  which  in  the  case  of 
Clierimoya  and  vSweet-sopisasgood  as  it  looks, 
luscious  and  creamy.  The  strong  scent  of 
Sow-sop  gives  a  warning  to  proceed  with  caution. 
The  flesh  has  a  disagreeable  blankety  substance 
mixed  with  it,  and  the  taste  is  coarse  and 
repellent.  The  juice  squeezed  out  and  used 
alone  is,  however,  excellent,  and  ice  made  with 
it  is  highly  esteemed.  It  is  one  of  the  few 
tropical  fruits  which  demands  stigar.  Later 
on,  about  April,  Custard  Apple  comes  in  :  it 
has  much  the  same  character  as  Sweet-sop,  but  is 
browner  outside.  All  these  Anonaceaj  are  nice 
easy  things  to  eat  clean  to  handle,  a  touch  of 
the  knife  splits  them  in  half,  and  the  bountiful 
supply  of  thick  custard  is  scooiied  out  with  a 
spoon.  C'herimoya,  which  likes  a  cool  locality, 
is  the  first  to  ripen  in  September,  followed  in 
October  by  Sweet-sop  ;  both  are  over  in 
December.     Sow-sop  ripens  at  any  time. 


24: 


THE     (tAKDEN 


I.Iantakv    1-2,    1001. 


Oranges  are  the  gi'eat  stand-by  in  winter, 
and  have  a  long  season  ;  October  to  March  is 
the  best  of  it,  though  some  trees  carry  fruit  all 
through  the  year.  Nothing  is  better  than  the 
common  Jamaica  Orange,  which  is  raised  from 
seed.  The  fastidious  afl'ect  to  prefer  the  Navel 
Orange,  which  is  seedless,  and  it  is  being  grown 
for  the  market.  People  who  like  Tangerines 
may  have  them,  and  of  large  size.  All  the 
Citrus  fruits  do  well.  Limes  produce  abun- 
dantly, and  are  better  and  hardier  than  Lemons, 
which  they  have  almost  entirely  displaced  ; 
they  are  full  of  juice  and  easily  squeezed. 
Shaddocks  look  handsome  and  imposing  on  the 
trees — imposing  in  both  senses,  for  the  best  of 
them  is  bad  to  eat.  Jlore  sought  after  is  the 
smaller  Grape-fruit,  which  has  a  considerable 
vogue  in  America  for  a  curious  reason,  not  to 
be  hinted  at  here.  It  is  a  size  larger  than  an 
Orange,  and  very  juicy  ;  the  way  to  eat  it  is 
to  cut  it  in  half  acro.ss  the  ecjuator,  take  out 
the  core,  tease  up  the  flesh  with  a  fork,  add 
sugar  and  spoon  out  the  juice.  It  leaves  a 
slight  bitter  after-taste.  The  negroes  call  it 
Fibbeny  or  Forbiddeny,  a  corruption  of  For- 
bidden Fruit.  C.'itrons  grow,  but  no  use  is 
made  of  them.  Seville  Oranges,  always  beautiful, 
and  always  laden  with  fruit,  are  equally  neg- 
lected, few  people  caring  to  make  Marmalade. 
Seville  Sweet  is  a  cross,  perpetually  bearing, 
like  its  sour  parent,  and  sufficiently  sweet  to 
induce  some  people  to  eat  it  when  other  fruit 
is  scarce. 

Just  as  Oranges  go  out  Pines  come  in  ;  the 
best  of  these  is  the  Piipley,  .superb  in  quality, 
but  it  is  not  a  favourite  in  the  market  ;  it  is 
meanly  shaped,  and  does  not  bear  a  long  journey 
well  ;  and  so,  as  in  many  cases,  the  market- 
.served  public  has  to  put  up  with  an  inferior 
thing.  Here  is  a  .sign  by  which  a  good  Pine 
may  be  at  once  known — it  must  cut  yellow,  A 
white  Pine  is  a  cowboy,  whose  acrid  virulence 
has  to  be  counteracted  by  sugar.  Of  such 
beware  !  Beware,  too,  of  a  fruit  whose  praises 
have  been  sung  by  those  who  have  little 
experience  of  it — Monstera  deliciosa — delicious 
and  Pine-like  indeed  in  scent,  but  those  black 
threads  in  the  fragrant  flesh  are  flinty  darts 
which  will  stick  in  tongue  and  throat  and 
cause  irritation.  A  tiny  mouthful  and  you  will 
say,  "  I  wish  I  had  more  ;  "  as  much  as  you 
want,  and  it  will  be  "  Never  again."  The  very 
look  of  the  plant  argues  it  unwholesome. 
What  but  treachery  can  you  expect  of  laig 
"  lords  and  ladies  ? '' 

The  Passion  Flowers  ripen  chiefly  in  summer, 
but  Granadillas  are  to  be  had  at  intervals  all 
through  the  year.  As  in  form  so  in  size,  they 
are  best  represented  by  eggs  —  pretty  little 
Love-in-a-mist  by  that  of  the  hedge-sparrow  ; 
Sweet-cups  by  hens'  eggs  ;  Pomme  d'Or  is  a 
turkey's,  and  nothing  could  lay  Granadilla  but 
the  roc,  for  it  is  as  big  as  a  child's  head. 
Granadilla,  on  account  of  its  large  size  and  the 
glassful  of  juicy  Gooseberry-like  pulp  it  gives, 
is  the  most  esteemed:  but  undoubtedly  the 
best  is  Granadita  or  Mountain  Sweet-cup 
(Passiflora  edulis).  It  has  a  refinement  of 
flavour  hard  to  match,  with  just  a  hint  of 
acidity  to  make  it  refreshing.  Though  occa- 
sionally grown  in  England,  it  never  seems  to 
become  popular,  po.s.sibly  becau.se  it  does  not 
properly  ripen.  Its  case  may  be  that  of  the 
Lociuat,  whose  fruit  in  Europe  is  a  poor  thing, 
and  which  here,  in  the  hills  of  Jamaica,  rivals 
the  Grape  in  excellence.  Figs  have  also  a 
ditt'erent  taste  to  any  that  are  to  be  met  with 
in  Italy.  All  good  Figs  are  sweet,  but  these 
are  exceedingly  luscious,  having  the  ta.ste  of 
dried  Figs,  and  only  a  mouthful  in  size  :  they 
give  two  crops  a  year,  but  are  irregular  in  fruit- 
ing.    Loquats  bear  once  only,  about  Christmas. 


The  supvily  of  P'igs,  which  is  very  small,  is 
sujipleniented  by  the  gigantic  crojis  of  the  Star 
Apple  (Chrysfiphyllum  Cainito).  This  attains 
the  dinien.sions  of  a  forest  tree,  and  requires  no 
attention.  The  fruit  resembles  a  small  Orange, 
with  a  smooth  shiny  skin,  purple  in  the  coarser 
variety,  green  in  the  finer  one  ;  cut  transversely 
it  exhibits  the  star  which  gives  its  name.  The 
pulp  is  white  in  the  middle,  turning  towards 
purple  or  green,  according  to  the  soit, as  it  gets 
nearer  the  rind.  The  few  large  black  seeds 
are  no  hindrance  to  the  eating  of  it,  and  the 
only  thing  to  which  exception  may  be  taken  is 
a  curious  .stickiness  or  gumminess  which  clings 
to  the  lip.s.  The  taste  is  exactly  that  of  Fig. 
It  comes  in  about  April,  and  it  is  a  favourite 
device  to  eat  it  with  the  juice  of  Oranges,  which 
are  then  getting  scarce.  The  resulting  mixture 
is  known  as  "  Matrimony.'' 

Pomegranates  grow  quickly,  and  the  fruit  is 
much  better  and  sweeter  than  in  Etirope. 
Never  cut  a  Pomegranate.  Make  just  a  suffi- 
ciently dee] I  incision  in  the  rind  with  a  knife, 
and  then  break  it  open.  The  time  to  appreciate 
it  is  when  you  have  been  working  in  the  sun. 
Far  better  than  to  drink  is  to  step  into  the 
shade  and  crush  the  juicy  pips  between  the 
teeth,  filling  the  mouth  with  the  pleasant- 
tasting  water  and  slowly  swallowing  it. 

The  Papaw  has  been  several  times  mentioned 
in  the.se  columns  lately,  and  it  suffices  to  say 
that  it  is,  as  far  as  taste  goes,  a  poor  kind  of 
Melon,  growing  on  an  upright  tree-stem,  and 
borne  throughout  the  year. 

Jack  (Artocarpus  integrifolia)  is  a  handsome 
tree  nearly  allied  to  Bread-fruit  (A.  incisa).  Its 
immense  fruits,  often  considerably  larger  than 
a  man's  head,  are  produced  ui)on  the  trunk. 
They  are  full  of  lusciously  sweet  crisp  flesh, 
agreeable  to  the  taste,  but  few  people  overcome 
their  dislike  to  the  smell  of  new  leather,  which 
even  the  smallest  piece  difl'uses  powerfully 
through  the  house.  Those  who  do  like  it  are 
very  fond  of  it.  Its  sweetness  makes  it  a 
capital  adjunct  to  curry.  The  Bread-fruit  itself 
may  just  be  mentioned  in  this  connection, 
though  its  place  is  more  properly  with  vege- 
tables. It  is  always  used  before  it  is  ripe,  and 
its  green  dimple-surfaced  cannon  ball  is  thrust 
just  as  it  is  into  the  live  embers  for  about  an 
hour.  It  is  then  peeled  and  cut  into  slices, 
forming  a  palatable  kind  of  bread,  rather  close- 
grained  and  sticky. 

The  Banana  is,  take  it  all  in  all,  the  most 
useful  fruit  we  have,  easy  to  grow,  jirolific  in 
bearing,  with  its  great  bunches  weighing  up  to 
lOOlbs.,  and  always  in  season.  Equally  good 
raw  or  cooked,  it  is  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
the  Apple  of  the  tropics,  with  this  added 
advantage,  that  picked  green  and  thoroughly 
boiled  it  is  a  good  vegetable,  tasting  much  like 
a  floury  Potato.  The  Plantain  is  an  even  better 
fruit,  but  it  is  not  so  easy  to  grow,  except  in 
localities  and  under  conditions  which  exactly 
suit  it. 

How  many  people  who  eat  chutney  have  an 
idea  what  a  ilango  tree  looks  like  1  Do  they 
realise  that  it  is  a  forest  tree  attaining  to  and 
often  even  exceeding  the  stature  of  an  Oak  l  It 
is  evergreen,  with  shining  leaves  exuberant  in 
health.  Originally  introduced  from  India,  it 
has  run  wild  all  over  Jamaica,  and  needs  no 
sort  of  cultivation.  It  gladdens  the  hearts  of 
the  children  from  July  to  October  in  the  hills, 
for  nobody  hinders  them  from  picking  where 
they  will.  Its  bountiful  fruit  )>ours  down  on 
the  mountain  paths  and  lies  there  rotting. 
Passers  by  eat  it,  the  horses  stop  to  bite,  in^'s 
mumble  and  chump,  and  still  it  is  beyond  all 
requirements.  There  are  many  kind.s,  of  which 
East  Indian  and  No.  If  are  accounted  the  best. 
Other  names  are  Hairy,  Black  or  Greengage, 


Flatside  or  Beef,  Parrot,  Cow,  Hog,  ^"am,  and 
Duckanoo,  and  every  district  has  other 
varieties  recognised  as  distinct  liut  unnamciL 
Mangoes  can  never  be  good  far  froni  where 
they  grow  ;  ten  days  is  an  outside  time  to  keep 
even  hanl  kinds.  They  may  be  .sent  to  England, 
and  are  sent,  but  it  is  as  hopeless  to  form  an 
idea  of  the  true  nature  of  a  Mango  from  such 
s]iecimen."  as  from  a  sleepy  Pear  to  apjirehend 
the  flavour  of  a  good  one.  Prevalent  notions 
on  Mangoes  are  that  they  taste  of  turi)entine, 
and  are  almost  impossilile  to  eat  except  in  j'our 
bath.  Some  kinds,  it  is  true,  have  a  resinous 
smell  and  even  a  slightly  resinous  taste  (No.  II 
is  a  case  in  point),  but  by  no  means  all.  As 
for  difficulty  of  eating,  it  is  certainly  unadvis- 
able  to  negotiate  one  far  from  water  ;  smearing 
of  mouth  and  fingers,  and  very  likely  nose, 
would  certainly  take  place,  as  it  would  with  a 
Peach,  a  Pear,  or  an  Orange,  but  on  a  jilate 
nothing  is  easier  to  manage.  In  flavour  they 
difi'er  widely,  suggesting  Plum,  Peach,  Ajiricot, 
but  chiefly  to  those  who  know  them — Mango. 
'W'hen  at  its  best  the  flesh  is  firm,  with  a  good 
deal  of  juice  contained  in  it,  but  the  juice  does 
not  readily  run  out  unless  the  knife  is  very 
blunt.  Mangoes  look  like  Kidney  Potatoes 
with  jackets  of  all  hues  of  green  and  yellow, 
not  infreqirently  blotched  with  red.  The  large 
flattened  seed  occupies  a  considerable  s)iaee, 
reaching  nearly  to  the  edge  of  the  fruit  on  two 
sides,  but  leaving  a  thick  slice  of  "  meat  '  on 
each  of  the  other  two,  each  slice,  except  in  the 
case  of  the  small  black  Mango,  giving  several 
mouthfuls. 

The  Cocoanut  is  .so  well  known  that  it  hardly 
requires  to  be  mentioned.  As  a  fruit  it  is 
chiefly  used  in  a  partially  matured  state,  and  is 
then  called  Water  Cocoanut.  Carts  full  of 
them  crawl  along  the  streets  of  Kingston,  and 
who  will  may  .slake  their  thirst  with  the  cloudy 
water,  probably  the  most  delicious  of  natural 
drinks. 

Melons  do  not  thrive  as  well  as  might  be 
expected,  and  neither  Water  Melons  nor  Musk 
Melons  are  much  seen.  Grapes  are  having 
attention  paid  them,  but  scarcely  repay  it  ; 
crops  are  uncertain  and  the  quality  is  ])oor. 
A  u.seful  little  Apple  is  grown  in  the  hills,  and 
is  doubly  acceptable  from  the  fact  of  having  no 
core. 

Naseberry  (Achras  Sapota)  is  found  in  the 
lowlands,  and  is  much  liked  by  some  jieople. 
The  tree  is  about  the  size  of  an  Orange,  the 
fruit  small  and  round,  brown  in  colour,  and 
when  ripe  is  of  the  consistency  of  a  Medlar, 
with  a  flavour  of  dried  I'igs  and  brown  sugar. 

Guavas  have  run  wild  e\'erywhei'e.  They 
smell  good,  but  raw  are  scarcely  worth  eating, 
and  are  full  of  extraordinarily  hard  small 
seeds,  which  must  be  swallowed.  The  tree 
looks  something  like  a  Quince.  Other  wild 
fruits  are  Lotus  (Byrsonima  coriacea),  a  tree 
bearing  a  profusion  of  small  green  Cherries 
just  good  enough  to  jnck  u|i  and  eat  when  out 
walking,  but  not  worth  bringing  in.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  pretty  brown  spheres 
of  Brunfelsia,  which,  within  a  thick,  soft 
jacket,  enclo.se  a  seedy,  juiceless  centre  of 
rather  agreeable  and  very  sweet  taste,  black- 
berries are  less  good  than  at  home,  ilried,  as 
might  be  expected,  in  a  hot  climate  Not  so 
the  Strawberries,  which  cover  the  hills  where 
moisture  is  abundant.  These  are  not  inferior 
to  Swi.ss  ones.  A  Bilberry  (\'accininni 
meridionale)  also  fruits  ]ilentifully  at  altitudes 
of  ."i,()0()  feet,  and  Cape  Gooseberry  is  found 
rather  lower  down,  ajipearing  to  have  escaped 
from  cultivation.  The  lovely  Hose  yVpple 
(luigenia  .lambos)  is  a  tree  Myrtle  of  large 
stature  with  imnien.se  flowers,  producing  sweet 
fruit  of  the  colour  of  Oak  Ajiplcs  and  a  little 


.Tanttart    12,  1901,] 


THE    GARDEN, 


25 


litrgcr.  It  tastes  of  rose- water.  The  first 
bite  is  guixl,  l)ut  it  is  soon  found  to  be  insipid, 
and  is  not  worth  putting  on  the  table. 
Otaheite  Apple  (Eugenia  nialaccensis)  is  also 
better  to  look  at  than  to  taste. 

Himalayan  Blackberry  (Rulius  racenio.sus), 
on  the  contrary,  a  cultivated  fruit,  is  of  the 
highest  merit,  it  grows  only  in  cool  localities 
(3,000  feet  to  .'),000  feet),  and  its  pluni-c(^loured 
lierries  with  their  delicate  downy  bloom  are  as 
grateful  to  the  palate  as  they  are  inviting  to 
the  eye. 

Another  prolific  bearer  of  the  higher 
mountains  is  the  Tree  Ttjmato  or  Jamaica  i 
Plum  (Cyphomandra  betacea).  The  fruits  i 
look  like  Victoria  Plums,  and  have  that  < 
sharp  little  "  kick  "  which  jiroclaims  them  to  i 
belong  to  the  Solanaceas.  Indoors  they  must 
be  eaten   with  sugar  ;   out  of   doors  thcv  are 


01'  lioalth}'. 
take  tliem 
completely 


KUCilARIS    AMA/.ONICA    AT    UKSSKURUUGll. 


refresliing  to  the  thirsty.  Those  that  lie 
under  the  trees  and  have  become  mellow  are 
the  best. 

Most  of  the  Jamaica  fruits  have  now  been 
mentioned,  but  the  -list  is  not  exhaustive. 
There  are  besides  Tamarind,  Mamniee,  Aver- 
hoas  of  two  kinds.  Cashew,  Genip,  Wanglow, 
and  possibly  yet  more.  Some  are  only  names 
to  the  writer,  who  has  never  seen  them,  and 
describes  only  what  he  knows.  Ending  as  he 
began  with  the  question  of  the  relative  excel- 
lence of  tropical  and  temperate  fruit,  he  will 
conclude  by  .saying  that  he  likes  tropical  be.st, 
jbecause  there  is  more  of  it  and  all  may  enjoy 
^  it.  In  England  fruit  is  the  luxury  of  the  well- 
to-do  ;  in  Jamaica  it  is  the  natural  heritage 
of  the  poor. 

W.  J. 

[Concerning   the   Persimmon,  see  a  note  in 
The  Gakden  of  last  week. — Eds.] 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 

EUCHARIS  AMAZON  ICA. 

ON  taking  charge  of  the  gardens  here 
about  three  and  a  half  3-ear.s  ago,  I 
found    the     Eucharis    (of    which    1 
(inclose  a   photograph)   planted  in  a 
deep  bed  of  soil  in  one  of  the  liouses, 
and   not  looking  at  all   comfortable 
One  of  the  first  things  I  did   wa.s  to 
all    up,    and,    after    washing   the   soil 
oil'    them     and     having    the    foliage 
thoroughly  cleaned,  potted  them  in   rather  large, 
well-crocked   pots,   the   soil    consisting  chiefly    of 
sweet  fibrovis  loam  with  all  the  fine  soil  knocked 
out,  some  charcoal  and  sand   being  added  to  keep 
the  whole  porous.     After  potting  they  were  placed 
on  a  stage  over  the  hot-water  pipes  in   the  stove 
and  in  a  not  very  light  position,  and  were   kept 
moderately   dry   always,    but 
well    damped    overhead    and 
around  the  pots  twice  or  thrice 
a  daj',  according  to  weather, 
&c.     They  began  to  improve 
at   once,    and    are    now   well 
furnished    with    large,    dark, 
healthy   foliage.      They  have 
never  been  repotted,  but  have 
received   .slight   top-dressings 
as    required,    and    have    also 
been  watered  at  intervals  with 
weak  soot-water.      They  have 
generally    flowered     well     at 
different  seasons,   but  are   at 
the  present  time  better  than 
ever,    plenty'    of   long   spikes 
with    the    individual    flowers 
larger  than  usual.     I   believe 
Eiicharis    are     often     riiijied 
by      too     much     interference 
with  the  roots  in  the  way  of 
potting,  and,  more  often  still, 
by  overwatering,  which   prac- 
tically signs  their  death-war- 
rant. J.  G.  Wkston. 
Bc'ilioirjiujh ,  Ireland. 

TECOMA   SMITHI. 

Fob  at  least  two  months  past 
this  charming  plant  has  added 
not  a  little  to  the  beaut}'  and 
brightness  of  the  greenhouse. 
Itssomewhat  large,  pendulous, 
orange  -  coloured  flowers  are 
arranged  in  a  loose  head  at 
the  end  of  the  summer's 
shoots.  Plants  about  18  inches 
or  so  high  are  very  pretty, 
and  look  particularly  well  if 
intermixed  with  such  things 
as  Narcissus,  white  Bouvar- 
dias,  Epacris,  &c.,and  having 
an  undergrowth  of  green, 
furnished  by  Selaginella  in 
pots.  Tecoma  Smithi  is  well 
worth  tne  attention  of  those  interested  in  green- 
house plants,  and  should  not  be  absent  from  the 
smallest  collection.  It  is  not  difficult  of  culture, 
requiring  but  a  cool  house.  Young  plants  may  be 
raised  from  either  seeds  or  cuttings  inserted  in 
early  spring.  When  established  in  larger  pots 
they  should  be  allowed  the  full  benefit  of  the  sun, 
so  that  the  growth  made  may  be  as  strong  and  well 
matured  as  possible.  T.  \V. 

GREENHOUSE    PLANTS. 

Skvekal  most  interesting  lists  of  hardy  plants  in 
"  flower  at  this,  the  most  flowerless  period  of  the 
I  year,   have  been  recently  given   in   Thk  (Jardes. 

and  the  thought  occurred  to  me  that  it  might  not 
!  be  altogether  out  of  place  to  compile  a  short  list 
;  of  the  plants   now    in   bloom    in   my   greenhouse. 

Although  the  lovers  and  cultivators  of  indoor 
!  plants  may  not  be  quite  so   numerous  as  are  those 

devoted  to  the  care  of  hard}'  plants,  there  must 
,  surely  still  be  quite  sufficient  of  such  amongst  your 


readers  to  justify  the  inclusion  of  my  list.  I  mav, 
perhaps,  be  pardoned  for  saying,  with  all  due 
le.-ipect  to,  and  appreciation  of,  hardy  flowers,  thai 
the  indoor  garden  at  this  season  plays,  or  should 
play,  an  important  part  in  beautifying  and  render- 
ing bright  and  interesting  the  practice  of  horticul- 
ture. For  when  practicall}'  everything  (I  speak 
advisedly,  bearing  in  mind  your  correspondents' 
lists,  e.\ceptional  though  they  be)  out  of  doors  i.s 
dormant,  one  naturally  turns  to  the  glass  houses 
for  relief  from  the  monotony  of  leafless  trees  and 
shrubs  and  flowerless  borders.  If  the  indoor 
garden  has  been  well  attended  to,  with  due  fore- 
thought for  the  present  time,  it  is  a  source  of 
pleasure  and,  to  my  mind  at  least,  a  necessity. 
The  following  are  the  most  notewortliy  jjlants  now 
in  flower  in  my  greenhou.se : — Calceolaria  Bur- 
bidgei,  Hibbertia  dentata  (climber),  Epacris  (of 
sorts),  one  or  two  late  Chrysanthemums,  (.Iiinese 
Primulas  and  P.  obconica.  Cyclamen,  Oestrum 
Newelli  and  C.  aurantiacum,  Polygala  oppositicfolia, 
Reinwardtia  trigyna,  Peristrophe  speciosa,  Tecoma 
Smithi,  Narci.ssus  Tazetta,  Tulips,  &c.         T.  W. 


CACTI    IN    THEIR    NATURAL 

HABITATS. 

Probably,  with  the  e.xception  of  absolutel}'  barren 
wastes  like  the  Sahara  desert,  no  country  present.-^ 
a  greater  contrast  to  the  lush  luxuriance  of  our 
native  vegetation  than  parts  of  Northern  Mexico. 
In  the  dry  season  we  find  the  main  rivers  dwindled 
to  easil}'  fordable  streams,  forming  a  mere  thread 
in  their  wide  and  sinuous  channels  as  compared 
with  the  roaring,  turbid,  bank-wide  torrents  which 
sweep  down  them  in  the  wet  season  or  even  inter- 
mittently at  other  times  when  a  storm  manages  to 
burst  among  the  hills.  We  use  the  term 
"manages"  advisedl}',  liecause  not  unfrequently 
during  the  dry  periods  the  sky  maj'  become 
overcast,  heavy  rain-clouds  gather,  and  from  a 
distance  these  clouds  ma}'  be  perceived  to  Ite 
pouring  down  dense  and  streak}'  showers  of  rain 
in  the  upper  air,  which  the  lower-heated  stratum 
absorbs  and  evaporates  long  before  it  reaches  the 
ground.  Naturally  where  the  loftier  hills  inter- 
vene in  such  cases  the  downpour  reaches  the  upper 
ravines,  and  then  is  \'ery  apt  to  trap  the  unwary 
traveller  between  two  fords,  owing  to  the  sudden 
rise  engendered  locally  in  the  rivers.  Otherwise, 
although  the  track  is  seamed  with  deep  rock}' 
"arroyas"  or  tributary  stream  channels,  water  is 
rarely  seen,  and,  if  visible,  is  probably  so  charged 
with  alkali  as  to  be  undrinkable.  The  wayfarer, 
however,  equipped  with  a  bag  of  Oranges  on  one 
side  his  horse,  a  bag  of  hard-boiled  eggs,  and  a  few 
"  tortillas"  or  native  cakes,  made  of  unleavened 
paste  and  finger-marks,  plus,  maybe,  a  bottle  of 
"Mescal'"  or  native  spirits,  can  keep  himself 
going  ver}'  -well  under  the  shade  of  his  broad 
sombrero,  while  his  steed  will  be  contented  with  a 
good  drink  once  or  twice  a  day  when  the  Fates  are 
kind.  In  the  upper  alluvial  deposits — we  cannot 
call  them  plains — of  the  larger  rivers  the  soil  is 
so  fertile  and  the  climate  so  propitious,  in  con- 
junction with  the  sub-terrestial  water  supply 
present  in  such  spots,  that  three  crops  of  Corn  can 
be  won  in  the  }'ear,  and  here  and  there  are  seen 
straggling  orchards  of  Pomegranates,  Oranges, 
sweet  and  sour,  and  huge  Opuntias  grown  for  their 
fruit.  In  these  last  it  is  very  curious  to  note  how 
the  primary  oval,  flat,  pseudo  leaves  of  the  Cactus 
in  course  of  time  become  thick  and  almost 
c}'lindrical,  so  as  to  form  a  substantial  trunk  some 
feet  in  height,  the  joints,  too,  becoming  so 
thickened  as  almost  to  disappear.  These  old 
leaves  if  detached  and  dissected  are  found  to  be 
built  up  of  numerous  separate  la\-ers  of  hard  wood 
involving  very  beautiful  fretwork  designs,  which 
would  appear  capable  of  great  decorative  utility  in 
cabinet  work,  though  we  never  saw  specimens  of 
such. 

The  wild  vegetation  ever}\vlierc  coiisi-sts  mainly 
of  Cacti  of  numerous  species,  the  predoniinani 
one  in  Sonora  being  a  Cereus  (locally  termed 
Pitayo),  which  forms  huge  branches  of  prickU 
ribbed  Cucumber-like  growths  10  feet  to  1:3  feet 
high   and   several   inches   through,   a  dozen  or  so 


26 


THE    GARDEN. 


[jANtTAPvY     12,    1901 


plant.  The  rviggeil  porphj-ritic  niountain  .sides 
gleaming  with  ail  tlie  tints  of  the  rainbow,  literally 
ijristle  wilh  tliese,  thousands  lieing  visible  at  a 
lime,  large  specimens  often  being  seen  projecting 
from  a  mere  crevice  in  the  hot,  baking  rocks 
without  apparently  a  particle  of  soil  pioper  to 
support  them.  Leaving  the  hills  and  entering 
upon  the  prairie-like  plains  which  intersect  them, 
we  shall  find  this  species  dotting  the  surface,  but 
mingled  with  others  of  all  shapes  and  forms,  some 
with  long,  slender  but  alwaj's  spiky  raniitications 
((  la  bramble,  Ijut  infinitely  more  ferocious,  some 
dwarfed  into  little  heaps  of  grey-haired  cannon 
imlls,  coroneted,  perhaps,  with  rings  of  rosy  or 
primrose  flowers.  Next  the  common  Opuntia 
confronts  us  with  a  fine  sliow  of  primrose  blossoms 
on  a  larger  scale,  and  beneath  them  we  ma\'  find 
the  shed  fruits  of  a  previous  crop  rooting  com- 
fortably into  the  hot  sand  as  simple  leaves  would 
do,  and  evidently'  quite  read3'  to  become  plants 
inde))endently  of  the  contained  seed,  since  every 
little  spik}'  knob  is  aji  incipient  bud  even  on  the 
fruit  itself.  Rarely  on  some  steep  acclivity  we 
may  see  a  few  statelj-  specimens  of  the  "  Saguaro" 
or  Cereus  giganteus  -20  feet  or  30  feet  high,  and 
weird  indeed  in  their  grotesqueness  and  indications 
of  immense  age.  Here  and  there  in  the  landscape 
we  perceive  the  lofty  mountains  and  the  prevailing 
lower  hills  looking  like  heaps  of  burnt  road  metal, 
diversified  by  isolated  "mesas"  or  table  lands, 
usually  consisting  of  an  elevated  plateau,  capped 
liy  a  thick  stratum  of  basalt,  the  naked  columns  of 
which  fringe  the  precipitous  clirts  which  form  the 
mesa  boundaries.  On  the  top  are  what  are  called 
the  bad  lands,  flat  reaches  of  pebbles  and  sand, 
sterile  save  for  acres  of  Opuntia  horrida,  which 
clothes  them  as  our  Bracken  does  our  heaths,  but  in 
0  far  more  vicious  fashion.  This  species  is  admir- 
ably named.  It  grows  about  3  feet  high,  each 
plant  having  a  trunk  about  1  foot  in  height, 
surmounted  by  a  roundish  bush  of  ramifications. 
Trunk  and  ramifications  are  all  of  a  light,  glaucous 
green,  and  resemble  a  close,  thick-linked  chain, 
from  every  joint  of  which  projects  a  host  of  long 
2-inch  white   spines,  thick  and  strong  enough  to 


such  Cucumbers,   rarely  branched,  constituting  a    to  the  traveller's  comprehension  and  makes   him 


shift  his  trusty  Winchester  into  handier  propm- 
quitj'.  The  pure  air  and  lovely  scenery,  and, 
aboN'e  all,  the  ever-grotesque  and  singular  vegeta- 
tion constantly  recurring  in  new  forms  speedily, 
however,  distract  his  thoughts  and  form  a  fund  of 
never-to-be-forgotten  memories.  We  may  add 
that  in  the  shady  deep  ravines  Ferns  ai'e  bj'  no 
means  rare,  numerous  species  of  Pelhea,  Nothoch- 
hena,  tiymnogrartima.  Anemia,  Cheilanthes,  and 
Adiantuni  fringing  tlie  rock)'  (Tevices  with  their 
charming  frondage.  C.  T.  D. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 


o 


gll 

penetrate  the  stoutest  boots,  at  the  base  of  which 
.spines  there  lurk  myriads  of  tiny  barbed  thorns, 
which  detach  themselves  when  touched,  and  at 
first  unfelt,  work  their  way  insidiously  into  the 
flesh,  and  are  only  removable  by  tweezers.  A 
better  protected  plant  it  is  impossible  to  conceive, 
and  yet  it  seems  to  frequent  habitats  where  pro- 
tection is  least  required.  Struck  with  a  stick  a 
plant  of  this  species  Hies  into  a  thousand  pieces, 
each  one  ready  to  root  where  it  lies,  and  thus 
convert  its  would-be  destroyer  into  an  e.xtensive 
propagator  instead. 

To  revert  to  the  characteristics  of  the  landscape, 
the  dry  nature  of  the  climate,  the  fact  that 
the  torrential  rains  fall  perpendicularly,  and  the 
existence  over  large  areas  of  thick  limestone 
cappings  to  thicker  alluvial  deposits,  all  lead  to 
very  singular  formations.  As  the  rivers  cut 
down  their  channels,  and  in  so  doing  cut  through 
these  limestone  deposits,  these  latter  then  form 
capstones,  locally  preventing  further  denudation, 
and  eventually  giving  rise  to  the  appearance  of 
lofty  castellated  buildings  with  absolutely  sheer 
walls,  which  follow  the  outline  of  the  cap  exactly, 
forming  bastions,  towers,  and  squared  edifices 
of  inconceivably  artificial  appearance,  though 
entirely  the  unaided  work  of  the  elements.  These 
crop  up  quite  unexpectedly  at  the  turns  and  twists 
of  the  river  valleys,  and  give  a  speciously  romantic 
aspect  to  the  scenery.  The  romance  of  the  district 
is,  however,  far  removed  from  the  chivalrous  ideas 
engciidcieil  by  tliese  .seeming  castles.  Dotteil 
along  the  tracks  are  seen  mysterious  mounds  of 
stones,  sometimes  still  surmounted  by  rude  crosses, 
and  enquiry  of  the  guide  elicits  the  fact  that  these 
indicate  the  localities  of  Apache  raids  and 
massacres,  while  here  and  there  a  ruined  ranch 
will  allord  material  for  gruesome,  hair-elevating 
tales  of  murderous  attack  and  heroic  resistance, 
dating  but  a  few  years  back,  and,  maybe,  con- 
nected with  a  rumour  that  a  few  Ajjache  braves 
have  lecently  escaped  from  their  reservations  to 
the  warpath,  which  brinus  the  horrors  well  home 


NEW     INCUIiYED     AND     .JAPANESE. 

F  the  large  number  of  new  Chrysanthe- 
mums introduceil  annuallj',  man}-  of 
which  are  of  undoubted  merit,  and 
some  of  which  must  be  included  in 
every  collection  when  intended  for 
competition,     many     find    a     great 
difficulty    in     making    a    selection.      I    therefore 
propose  to  give  a  list  of  those  which  I  believe  to 
be  among  the  best  of  the  later  introductions  that 
may  be  of  some  help  to  those  not  in  a  position  to 
inspect   and  judge  for  themselves.     I  am  glad  to 
find  that  English  raisers  are  on  the  increase,  and 
their    introductions    in    many    cases    are    highlj' 
meritorious  ;    among  the  most   prominent   of   the 
former  may   be   mentioned   the  names  of  Messrs. 
Weeks,     .Seward,    N.     Molyneux,     Perkins,     and 
Owen  Bros.     As  usual,  the  .Japanese  section  claims 
the  largest  number  of  new  varieties,  though  several 
fine  and  ver}'  promising  incurved  ones  have  come 
to  light  this  season,  and  I  am  glad  that  such  is  the 
case,    and    unless   some 
new  life  is  infused  into 
this   class — once   so 
popular  —  I    fear    they 
will    not    hold    such   a 
high    position   as    they 
have  hitherto  done,  as 
the  craze  for  something 
new  appears  to  be  more 

and  more  apparent  each 

year;    nevertheless, 

when  presented  in  such 

splendid     condition    as 

they   were   at    the   last 

November  show   of  the 

National  Chrysanthe- 
mum   Society,    to     my 

mind   they   are  equally 

as  attractive  as  the  more 

showy  .Japanese. 

Golden    Gloaming,    a 

most  promising  Japanese 

variety,  with  broad  loose 

florets,    a   pretty    fawn 

and     dull     red    colour, 

should  make  a  fine  and 

telling  exhibition  flower. 

Mrs.     Bagnall     Wylde, 

.Japanese,     somewhat 

after  the  colourand  style 

of    G.    .J.    Warren,    but 

with  broader  petals,  is 

very   promising.      Miss 

Roberts,   .Japanese,  un- 
questionably a  magnifi 

cent    one    that    should 

find   a   place    in    every 

collection  ;  the  colour  is 

a  ver3'  rich  3'ellow,  and 

the  build  of  the  bloom 

is      most      taking     and 

graceful.    The  Princess, 

.Japanese,  a   refined 

flower      with      slightly 

twisted  florets  ;   colour, 

a    beautiful   creamy 

white,    a    fine    novelty. 

Rev.  Douglas,  .Japanese, 

a     well  ■  built     m.assi  ,•« 

flower,  soft  canary   yel- 


low colour,  (iencral  UuUer,  .Japanese  incurved, 
a  magnificent  flower,  very  large  florets  ;  colour, 
light  butt'.  Lily  .Mountford,  .Japanese,  though 
not  quite  new,  is  unciuestionablj-  one  of  the  finest 
that  have  received  awards  this  season.  I  have  .seen 
this  growing  for  two  seasons.  The  habit  of  the 
plant  is  all  one  can  desire.  It  is  said  to  be  a  sport 
from  that  well-known  variety  Mutual  Friend,  but 
the  bloom  is  largei-  and  more  massive.  The  colour 
is  a  lovely  rose.     A  most  desirable  varietj-. 

Master  E.  Seynionr,  .Japanese  incurved,  an 
immen.se  flower,  which  should  make  a  standard 
variety,  belonging  to  the  incurved  type  :  colour, 
chestnut  and  bronzy  gold  of  much  promise.  Earl 
of  Arran,  .Japanese  ;  colour,  light  yellow.  Ion" 
curling  florets.  Charles  Longley,  .Japanese,  a 
beautiful  reflcxed  flower,  will  nuike  a  fine  exhibition 
variety:  colour,  rich  amaranth.  Mrs.  .J.  B.  Bryant, 
.Japanese,  not  quite  new  but  a  grand  variety  ; 
colour,  a  deep  rose  wilh  silvery  reverse.  Miss 
Evelyn  Douglas,  .Japanese;  colour,  rosy  pink,  one 
of  the  most  promising  of  Mr.  Weeks'  introductions, 
a  very  fine  variety.  Scottish  Chief,  .Japanese,  fine 
distinct  pale  yellow  colour  —  a  magnificent 
varietj'.  Mrs.  G.  Miteham,  .Japanese ;  colour,  bright 
pink,  good  and  distinct,  having  very  broad  petals. 
.James  Parker,  .Japanese,  a  fine  creamy  white,  much 
in  the  way  of  Mutual  J^riend,  a  good  exhibition 
variety.  Mrs.  R.  Darby,  .Japanese,  a  fine  deep 
flower  and  one  of  the  best  seen  this  year  ;  colour, 
amaranth,  silverj-  reverse.  He"nr\-  Stowe, 
.Japanese,  a  deeply  built  bloom,  the  flore  s 
incurving,  colour  distinct,  being  pale  lavende  . 
Frank  Hammond,  incurved,  of  the  finest  (jualitv, 
one  of  the  best  introductions  of  late  j-ears  ;  the 
flower  is  of  full  size,  broad  and  well  formed  florets ; 
colour,  yellow  and  bronze,  a  grand  exhibition 
bloom.    Miss  Florence  Southam,  incurved,  a  pretty 


UKAi)  .\rri,io  TKEKs  (  i,oTiii:ii  urni  cmmhim:   liosKs. 


Jan  OAKY   12,   1901  ] 


THE    GAllDEN. 


27 


riower,  pale  yellow  and  striped  with  purple. 
Wallace  E.  Voundeii,  incurved,  promising  colour 
pale  rose  and  buff.  Miss  Nellie  .Southam. 
incurved,  a  tine  varietj'  of  much  promise  ;  colour, 
good  purple.  Bougaiiivillea,  incurved  ;  this 
sliould  make  a  distinct  and  telling  addition  to  this 
class,  good  broad  Horets,  colour,  deep  purple, 
.silver^'  reverse,  very  promising.  Edith  Hnghes, 
incurved,  a  pretty  sport  from  Miss  Foster,  colour, 
white  and  rose.  ICdinhiu-gh, incurved  :  an  Australian 
variety,  a  most  promising  Mower,  colour,  silvery 
and  purple.  J.  M.  de  la  Drome,  incurved,  :i 
letined  bloom,  \'ery  pleasing  colour,  golden  yellow. 
Mrs.  W.  Home,  incurved,  a  fine  bronzy  yellow, 
altogether  a  good  and  promising  addition. 

E.   Bei'KETt. 


SHORT    STUDIES    IN    PLANT 
LIFE. 

Winter  Bins  and  Plant  Hihernatiom. 
Unlike  those  countries  in  the  tropical  regions  ol 
the  world  where  an  abundance  of  moisture  prevails, 
and  there  is  no  need  for  growth  to  cease,  oui 
winters  put  a  stop  to  it ;  and  in  southern  climes 
the  intense  drought  of  the  summer  has  a  similar 
cB'ect.  Under  these  conditions  plants  adopt  variors 
methods  of  hibernation,  thus  in  our  trees  thi 
points  of  growth  are  concealed  beneath  the  bud 
scales,  which  protect  the  delicate  and  undeveloped 
parts  from  frost. 

Herbaceous  perennials  have  underground  struc- 
tures of  various  kinds,  which  botanists  call  rhizomes, 
rootstocks,  corms,  bulbs,  &c.  Biennials,  too,  have 
thick  roots  for  the  storage  of  food,  but  annuals  can 
ordy  depend  upon  their  seeds  for  preserving  the 
life  of  the  race  during  the  resting  seasons. 

It  is  not  my  purpose  to  describe  the  various 
forms  of  these  familiar  things,  but  rather  to  look 
at  the  principle  of  hibernation,  and  consider  some 
jjlants  not  so  generally  known  as  our  bulbous 
garden  plants.  We  will  commence  with  the  winter 
buds  of  our  trees,  &c.,  and  deal  with  subterranean 
structures  on  a  future  occasion. 

If  my  readers  liave  not  yet  done  so  I  would  bid 
them  examine  buds,  especially  just  as  they  begin  to 
burst  in  spring,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  they  are  by 
no  means  all  alike.  Thus  in  the  Horse  Chestnut,  the 
Currant,  and  the  Ash  the  bud-scales  are  simply 
the  basal  part  of  the  leaf-stalk,  for  as  one  in  dis- 
secting it  passes  from  the  short  exterior  scales  to 
the  interior  ones,  they  gradually  elongate  and  pro- 
duce rudimentary  blades  at  the  summi  t,  so  that  a  per- 
fect transition  from  scale  to  a  true  leaf  is  revealed. 

If,  however,  the  buds  of  the  Lime,  Elm,  Oak,  or 
Beech  be  examined,  the  Inid-scales  will  be  found  to 
be  stipules,  and  not  leaf-stalks  at  all.  The  Lilac 
illustrates  the  rare  case  of  the  blade  alone  acting 
as  the  bud  protector. 

Then  the  ways  in  which  the  little  undeveloped 
leaves,  or  leaflets  in  the  case  of  a  compound 
leaf,  are  folded  up  in  the  bud  are  very  curious. 
The  "  vernation,"  as  it  is  called,  a  word  meaning 
"spring  quaiters,''  is  generally  conduplicate — 
that  is  to  say,  the  two  halves  are  folded 
together  like  a  sheet  of  notepaper,  the  upper 
surface  being  within.  We  shall  see  the  signi- 
ficance of  this  when  I  come  to  speak  of  the 
methods  of  unfolding  in  spring.  Various  names 
have  been  given  to  the  different  kinds  of  vernation, 
but  the  point  f  o  be  noticed  is  that  the  object  gained 
is  to  pack  the  leaves  tighfly  within  the  bud-scales, 
and  to  protect  them  from  frost  when  they  escape 
from  the  bud.  The  first  is  acquired  in  several  cases 
by  crumpling  the  blades.  This  is  well  seen  in  the 
Vine,  the  Beech,  and  the  Currant.  In  many  cases 
the  edges  are  iuroUed  ;  the  edges  are  easily  injured 
by  frost,  so  that  we  can  understand  the  use  of  this 
arrangement.  It  is  seen  in  Violets,  the  Apple, 
Elder,  &c. 

,  We  will  now  consider  quite  another  form  of 
'winter  buds.  In  the  arctic  and  in  the  higher  alpine 
regions  few,  if  any,  annuals  of  lower  latitudes  and 
altitudes  occur,  for  snch  as  Poa  annua  become 
perennials  under  the  different  climatic  conditions 
there  prevailing.  But  besides  that  the  flowers 
very  often  fail  to  be  formed  in  some  vdants,  little 
bulbils  or  corms   with  a  vegetative  bud   at  their 


lAK    l-ENIE    AND    OLD    Al'I'LE    'IKKES,    WITH    KOSES    COMMENCING    TO    CLOTHE    THEM. 


summits  taking  their  place.  Thus,  there  is  a 
Saxifrage,  a  genus  of  plants  very  common  on  our 
own  mountains,  Saxifraga  nivalis,  which  produces 
little  rosettes  of  leaves  in  lieu  of  flowers.  These 
are  readily  separated,  and  when  lying  on  the  ground 
strike  root,  and  grow  up  to  new  plants  in  the  follow- 
ing season.  Similarly,  Saxifraga  cernua  produces 
bulbils,  while  Polygonum  viviparum  bears  corms. 

It  is  a  common  thing  to  see  Grasses  on  the  Alps 
witli  minute  green  leaves  proceeding  from  the 
spikelets.  These,  too,  may  be  detached,  or  the 
extra  weight  may  cause  the  entire  panicle  to  lie 
on  the  ground,  when  the  numerous  little  shoots 
would  strike  root. 

Now  let  us  take  a  brief  glance  at  hibernating 
parts  of  a(iuatic  plants.  Our  smallest  flowering 
plant,  the  Duck-weed,  has  no  distinction  between 
stem  and  leaf,  so  botanists  call  the  green  structure 
a  "  thallus,"  like  that  of  a  Lichen  or  Sea- weed.  It 
covers  our  ponds  in  summer,  each  little  thallus 
giving  rise  to  another  from  its  side.  The  cells 
contain  air  so  that  it  floats,  but  in  autumn  it  stores 
up  starch  instead  of  air,  and  now  subsides  to  the 
bottom  of  the  water.  There  it  rests  till  spring 
time,  when  it  begins  to  use  up  its  starch  for  growth, 
air  enters  the  cells,  and  the  thallus  floats  again. 

The  Frog-bit  floats  on  the  surface  also,  but  pro- 
duces runners  like  a  Strawberry,  and  the  little  plants 
formed  at  the  nodes  become  detached,  and  they,  too, 
sink  to  the  bottom  and  hibernate  there  till  spring. 

The  Bladder-wort  (well  known  for  its  little  traps 
to  catch  v,rater  creatures,  so  well  described  bj' 
Darwin)  has  no  roots,  the  leaves  are  finely  dissected 
aiul  spread  out,  but  in  autumn  they  remain 
clustered  over  the  apex,  foiming  a  little  green  ball. 

The  parent  plant  decays,  while  these  balls  become 
detached  and  sink  to  the  bottom,  to  rise  again  in 
the  following  spring  and  grow  into  new  floating, 
rootless  plants. 

Such  are  a  few  only  of  Nature's  methods  of 
preserving,  if  not  the  life  of  the  individual,  that  of 
one  or  more  successors  during  the  period  of  rest  oi- 
of  hibernation.  GEOR(iE  Hex.slow. 


A    CONVERTED     FARMYARD 

AND  CLIMBING  ROSES. 

When  altering  an  old  farmhim.se,  and  turning 
its  .surroundings  into  garden.s  or  jilea.'iure 
grounds,  I  think  a  great  mistake  i.s  often  made 
in  reiuoving  too  many  of  tlir  often  unsightly 


farm  buildings.  It  i.s  wonderful  what  can  l)e 
done,  how  picturesciue  they  can  be  made, 
and  what  a  beautiful  garden  can  Ije  obtained 
in  a  very  few  years  by  judiciously  planting 
suitable  and  strong -growing  climbing  Roses 
and  other  hardy  cliuibers.  Tlie  framework  of 
many  old  farm  buildings  is  very  substantial, 
and  would  last  for  generations.  The  old 
building,  an  illustration  of  which  is  given,  was 
a  short  time  ago  a  great  eyesore — uglj'  stone 
and  brick  and  tarred  weather-boards.  I  had ' 
the  boards  covered  with  rustic  Larch  (loles 
sawn  in  half,  the  roof  thatched  with  Heath, 
and  a  porch  erected  over  the  door  made  of  Oak 
cord-wood.  Irish  Ivies  were  planted  at  the 
sides,  and  at  the  back  and  front  Honeysuckle, 
Hoses,  Ampelopsis,  Clematis  inontana  and 
flammula,  and  the  following  strong-growing 
Hoses  :  Gloire  de  Dijon,  the  Ayrshires,  Heine 
Marie  Henriette,  and  Reve  d'Or.  The  building 
is  now  beautiful  instead  of  ugly,  and  also  comes 
in  very  useful  as  a  potting-shed  and  tool-house. 
Should  there  be  an  old  orchard  with  ancient 
non-bearing  trees,  it  is  a  good  plan,  instead  of 
doing  away  with  them  altogether,  to  use  the 
old  trunks  as  supports  for  climbing  Roses. 
The  boughs  should  be  shortened  and  the  Roses 
allowed  to  climb  up  and  fall  over  the  sprays 
in  as  natural  a  way  as  possible.  There  is 
something  about  old  Apple  trees  that  Roses 
seem  to  like,  and  the  combination  has  in  a 
very  short  time  a  charming  eflect.  I  had 
some  Roses  planted  in  this  way  two  years  ago 
which  have  mounted  to  a  height  of  To  feet  to 
20  feet. 

My  experience  is  that  if  you  wish  to  be 
successful  with  climbing  Roses  you  must  let 
them  grow  freely  and  pretty  much  as  they  like, 
using  the  prnniiig-knife  but  very  little.  Train 
them  carefully,  and  be  sure  and  give  them  a 
plentiful  supply  of  fa-myard  manure  water 
during  the  spring  and  summer  months.  In 
giving  them  manure  water  take  pains  and  make 
certain  that  it  reaches  the  roots.  I  find  a  good 
plan  is  to  first  carefully  remove  the  surface  soil 
round  all  the  trees,  making  a  hollow  holding 
about  i  gallons.  If  the  ground  is  very  dry  1 
go  all  I'ound  and  gi-'e  them  clear  water  first 


•>,s 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Jaxuaky    12,  1901. 


tlieii  go  back  to  the  first  tree  and  give  them 
the  manure,  and  when  1  have  finished  with 
that  some  more  clear  water.  The  same  treat- 
ment aiii)lies  to  many  of  the  H.P.  Roses  if  you 
want  a  really  charming  and  showy  Rose  garden 
and  an-  abundance  ol  bloom  all  the  summer 
and  autumn.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  jirune 
closely.  1  have  dwarf  bush  H.P.  Roses  that 
are  quite  twelve  years  old  ;  they  are  a  mass  of 
blossom  every  year.  I  prune  them  to  bushes 
M  feet  to  4  feet  high.  Xew  growth  every  year 
is  only  a  matter  of  feeding  during  the  spring 
■  and  summer.  The  free  growth  system,  too,  ha.s 
another  great  advantage — you  not  only  get 
many  more  Roses,  but  they  are  scon  in  the 
distance,  and  are  not  hidden  by 
shrubs  and  other  plants. 

E.  Trowkf. 


account  rendered  to  Ambrose  his  son  hy  liis 
Guardian,  of  the  rents  and  profits  for  one  year  to 
Michaehnas  1(HI8,  the  receipt  for  Box  trees  cut 
down  upon  the  Sheep  \Valk  on  the  Hill,  is  £">((.  I 
have  seen  also  an  account  of  the  Mancr,  taken  in 
171-,  in  which  it  is  supposed  that  as  much  had 
heen  cut  down  within  a  few  years  before  as 
amounted  to  £3,(10(1." 

I  forwarded  this  e.\tract  to  tiraf  zu  Solms- 
Laubach,  who  replied  in  an  interesting  letter,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  translation  : — 

"  Many  thanks  for  3'our  information,  which  I 
have  received  with  the  greatest  interest.  It  is 
reall}'  suthcient  in  itself  to  clear  up  the  subject, 
although  it  would  be  interesting  to  find  still  older 
[Hoof.-^.      If,  however,   Uoxwood   was   sold   in    Kios 


TREES    AND 
SHRUBS. 

THE     BOX     IN 


1 


BRITAIN. 

N  conversation  last  year  with 
Graf  zu  Solms-Laubach  he 
made  the  extremel3'  interest- 
ing suggestion  that  the  Box 
and  Yew  trees  of  Box  Hill 
might    probably    be    tlie   re- 

niain.s    of    a    native     forest    which 

originalh'  clothed  the  North  Downs. 

Among  his  arguments  against  their 

being  the  remains  of  a  plantation, 

he  urged   the  great  unlikelihood  of 

such  a  soil  as  that  of  Box  Hill  being 

planted  at  all,  and  the  still  greater 

improbability     of     anyone    hitting 

upon   such   a   combination   as    Box 

and  Yew  for  the  purpose.    He  urged 

that,   since  it  is  probably  the  only 

thing   of    its    kind   in     the    world, 

careful  enquiry  should  be  made  into 

its  history. 

I  have  been  able  to  make  a  few 

superficial  enquiries  to  the  following 

effect,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  tlie 

subject  is  worth  pursuing  by  some- 
one with  leisure  and  other  advan- 
tages, which  I  do  not  possess.     Mr. 

Warner,  of  the  Manuscripts  Depart- 
ment,   has    been    good    enough    to 

search  Domesda}'  Book  for  me,  but 

without    result.       He     makes     the 

suggestion  that  the  old  Court  Rolls 

of   Dorking   be   searched  —  if    they 

can  be  found.     He  further  sent  m"c 

the  following  extract  from  Manning 

and   Bray's   "  History   of   Surrey," 

vol.  i.,  page  560  (1804)  :— 

"  The  Downs,  which  rise  to  a  con- 
siderable height  from  the  opposite 

bank     of     the     jSIole,     are     finely 

chequereii  with  Yew  and  Box  trees 

of  great  antiquity,  and   which  form  a  scene  no  less 
venerable  than  pleasing.     Of  the  larter  of  these,  in 
particular,  there  was  formerlj-  such  abundance  that 
that  part  of  the  Downs  which  is  contiguous  to  the 
stream,  and    within   the  precincts  of  this   Maner, 
hath  always  been  known  by  the  name  of  Box  Hill,  i 
from  whicli  also  is  an  extensive  prospect  into  the  1 
neighbauriiig   counties.       Various    have   been    the 
disquisitions    concerning     the    antiquity    of    this 
plantation  :    which,   however,   for  aught   that  has  [ 
hitherto  appeareil  to  the  contrary,  may  have  been  '■ 
coeval  with    the  soil.     Here   was  formerly  also  a 
Warren  with  its  Lodge  :  in  a  lease  of  which  from 
Sir  Matthew  Brown  to  Thomas  Constable,  dated 
•25  August  l(i(l;>,  the  Tenent  covenants  to  use  his 
best  endeavours  for  preserving  the  Yew,  Box,  and 
all   other    trees   growing   thereupon ;    as    also   to 
deliver,  half-yearly,  an  account  of  what  hath  been 
sold,    to    whom    and   at    h  hat    prices ;    and   in  an 


MA'I'IIIKI)     I''.\I:M      I'.ril.lUM:    S.MOTHKKKII     WI'L'll     IIIISKS. 

tor  t!.")(l,  it  is  clear  that  the  woods  must  hnve  l)een 
ill  existence  in  l.iOO,  at  which  time  there  can 
hardly  have  been  intentional  planting  of  woo<ls  in 
England  [?|. 

"  It  is  much  to  be  desired  that  either  you  lu- 
some  younger  London  botanist  should  write  a  paper 
on  the  woods  of  Dorking,  with  a  map  showing  the 
extent  an<l  distribution  of  the  existing  tracts  of 
Box,  for  one  does  not  know  how  far  these  stretch 
westwards.  It  would  be  a  subject  of  the  greatest 
interest  in  plant  geography,  and  one  which  can 
only  be  worked  out  by  an  Englishman  who  can  go 
over  the  ground  on  foot  and  talk  to  the  various 
landowners.  The  general  distribution  of  the  plant, 
which  in  Europe  is,  broadly  speaking.  Mediter- 
ranean, should  l)e  noticed.  1  no  longer  doubt  that 
IJuxus  belongs  t(]  the  pahcotropical  forms,  which 
have  outlived  the  ice  age.  aiuJ  have  once  more 
penetrated  to  the  nortV\-west — as  Sticta  aurata  tfl 


Brittany ;  Hymenophylluni  tunbridgense,  Isoetes 
Hystrix  to  Guernsey  :  Lagurus  ovata,  Erica 
vagans,  Ac.  (if  these  the  greater  part  of  the 
Mediterranean  things  are,  of  course,  not  pahco- 
tropical, but  Sticta  aurata  and  Hymenophylluni 
may  be  reckoned  in  the  category.  Such  a  work 
would  be  therefore  well  worth  doing,  and  I  must 
say  I  am  surprised  tlial  no  one,  knowing  the 
wonderful  woods  of  Box  Hill  and  their  flora,  which 
must,  of  course,  be  taken  into  account,  should 
have  taken  up  the  subject.  It  is  evident  that  on 
your  side  of  the  Channel  you  hardlv  realise  the 
botanical  marvels  you  possess  in  j'our  woods." 

Looking  further  (|uite  casually  into  Manning  and 
Bray's  "  History,"  I  could  not  help  being  striuk 
by  tlie  occurrence  of  old  personal  names,  such 
.as  Peter  de  Boxstead  'page  001, 
Nicholas  Box  well  (page341),  William 
Box  (vol.  ii.,  page  .i84),  and  at 
vol.  ii. ,  page  (i.i(i,  a  "  Mr.  Boxall  sold 
.lOO  Y'ews  at  three  guineas  each." 
I  These  names  are  strictly  local,  and 
Boxley  in  Kent  and  Boxgrave  in 
Sussex  occur  to  me  as  place  names 
as  I  wiite. 

I  find  in  Messrs.  Hanbury  and 
Marshall's  "Flora  of  Kent,"  page 
310,  under  Buxus  : — 

"Boxley — Raj'  in  Camden  '2&2. 
Mr.  Reeves  doubted  its  being  truly 
indigenous  here ;  but  the  fact  of 
the  village  being  apparently  named 
after  it  is  a  strong  argument  in 
favour  of  its  genuine  wildness.  It 
seems  to  have  been  more  plentiful 
there  formerly  than  at  the  present 
time.     .     .     . 

First  Record  Ki!).").  "  Buxus  I 
find  in  the  notes  of  my  learned 
friend,  Mr.  .Tohn  Aubrev,  that  at 
Boxley  (in  Kent)  there  be  woods  of 
them. — Ray  /.  c." 

In  Mr.  Druce's  "Flora  of  Berk- 
shire,'' page  439,  I  find  the  follow- 
ing note  under  Buxus  : — 

"The  last  remains  of  Boxgrove 
in  Sulham  parish  near  Reading, 
whence  the  country  proliablj'  took 
its  name,  were  grubbed  up  about 
forty  years  ago." — Gough's Camden, 
bV),  1789. 

"  Professor  C.  C.  Babington, 
•lanuarj-  28,  18.53,  sent  a  note  to 
the  Phjtologist  Club  as  follows  : — 
•Mr.  Watson,  in  his  "Cybele,"  ii,, 
30t),  appears  very  much  inclined  to 
consider  the  Box  tree  as  not  origin- 
ally a  native  of  England.  The 
following  extract  from  the  beginning 
of  Asser's  "Life  of  King  Alfred" 
appears  to  show  that  it  was  plentiful 
in  Berkshire  1,(XJ0  years  since.  His 
words  are ; — '  Berrocscire ;  qua'  pagn 
taliter  vocatur  a  '  berroc"  sylva  ubi 
buxus  abundantissimenascitur.'  See 
Phyt.,  iv.  (1S.)3),  873. 

"In     the     edition    of     Camden, 
|iublished    in    HilO,  lit   states   that 
'  Asterius  Mene\'ensis  tlerivcth   the 
name  [of  tlie  county]  from  a  certaine  wood  called 
;  Berroc,  where  grew  good  store  of  Box.* 
'      "  At  Buckland  there  are  some  very  fine  speci- 
mens  of  the  Box,   and    it   is   also   well   grown  at 
Besilsleigh,  Kingston  Bagpuze,  and  at  Park  Place, 
where  Mr.   Stanton   tells   me   it  reproduces  itself 
from  seeds  in  the  woods.     In  Mavor's  '  Agr.  Berks  ' 
it  is  .said  to  grow  near  Wallingfnrd. 

"  The  Box  is  a  po.ssible  native  of  Surrey  at  Box 
Hill,  and  on  the  Chilterns  near  N'elvct  Lawn  and 
near  Dunstable,  Bucks.  In  the  other  bordering 
counties  it  is  certainly  introduced.  " 

It  is  certainly  a  prevalent  idea  that  as  Bucking- 
hamshire is  the  country  of  the  Beech,  so  Berkshire 
is  the  country  of  the  Berroc  or  Box,  but  I  under- 
stand that  there  may  be  philological  objections  to 
it.  If  true,  it  woulil  most  strikingly  confirm  Graf 
zu  .Solum- Laubach's  most  ingenious  idea.  The 
matter  is  certainly  worth  prosecuting,  and  1   print 


.Tant-arv    12,   1901.] 


THK    (JAUDKN. 


29 


these  few  notes  in  the  hope  of  inciting  some  3'oung 
botanist  to  so  attractive  a  task. 

(i.   R.   M.   Murray. 

It  lias  hitlieito  been  considered  doubtful  wliether 
tlio  Box  is  iiuligenous  in  Britain — some  iiotanists  J 
excluding  it,  and  otliers  admitting  it,  more  or  less 
doubtfully,  as  a  native.  Watso  i  does  not  mention 
it  in  "  Topographical  Botan3',"'  and  in  the  "Cybele" 
calls  it  a  "denizen."  Synie  ("  English  Botany,"' 
ed.  3,  viii.  t)4)  considers  that  there  is  "  some  likeli- 
hood of  its  being  truly  native  on  Box  Hill,  Surrey," 
the  only  other  counties  in  whicli  there  is  "  an^' 
possibilit}'  of  its  being  a  genuine  native"  being 
Kent,  Bucks,  and  (iloucester.  My  attention  being 
drawn  to  the  subject  by  a  reference  in  a  letter 
from  Sir  J.  1).  Hooker  as  to 
its  occnrrencc  in  the  last- 
named  count\',  I  have  endea- 
\o\n'ed,wilh  Ihckind  assistance 
of  Mr.  (;.  H.  WoUaston  an<l 
Mr.  J.  W.  White,  to  throw 
some    light   on   the   cjuestion. 

The  Box  wood  to  which  Sir 
Joseph  referred  is  situated 
lietwecn  Wootton -under- Kdge 
anil  .Alderley,  clothing  tlic 
hillside  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance. Although  the  shrub 
Honrishes  luxuriantly  and  pro- 
duces abundance  of  seedlings 
in  the  wood  itself,  it  does  not 
appear  to  have  extended  into 
the  neiglibouring  wooded  hill- 
sides anil  valleys.  There  is 
nothing  here  to  indicate 
whether  it  is  native  or  not, 
except  the  presence  of  some 
Larches,  which,  being  intro- 
duced trees,  would  perhaps 
suggest  a  similar  origin  for 
the  Box.  It  is  shown  as  a 
wood  both  in  the  1-inch  and 
ii  -  inch  ordnance  maps,  the 
fact  that  it  consists  of  Box  not 
being  in  any  way  indicated, 
but  ab>ut  three  miles  away, 
nearly  due  east,  in  a  valle.\' 
which  extends  in  a  north- 
easterly direction  from  Alder- 
ley,  there  is  marked  the  name 
of  Boxwell,  suggesting  that 
some  traces  of  the  Box  might 
be  found  there.  On  visiting 
the  locality  this  proved  to  be 
the  case.  Another  large  wood, 
consisting  exclusively  of  Box, 
occupies  a  similar  position  to 
that  at  Wootton,  and  extends 
for  half  a  mile  or  more  on  the 
steep  side  of  the  valle}'.  It 
was  afterwards  found  that 
this  is  marked  as  "The  Box 
Wood "  in  an  old  ordnance 
map     published     about     tift3' 

years  ago,  as  well  as  in  the  ti-incli  map,  but  this  is 
omitted  in  the  recent  1-inoh  map.  in  which  only 
the  names  "  Boxwell  Court"  and  "  Boxwell  Farm" 
are  to  be  found. 

The  name  thus  being  evidentlj'  connected  with 
the  wood,  a  search  was  made  to  discover,  if  pos- 
sible, how  long  it  had  been  in  use.  The  following 
interesting  account  was  found  in  the  "History  of 
the  County  of  Gloucester,"  by  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Rudge,  published  at  tJloucester  in  the  year  1803  : 
"Boxwell,  anciently  Boxewelle.  The  name  is 
derived  from  a  Box  wood  of  about  sixteen  acres, 
within  a  warren  of  forty  acres,  from  which  rises  a 
plentiful  spring.  This  is  the  most  considerable 
wood  of  the  kind  in  England,  excepting  Box  Hill  in 
Snrrey,  and  from  the  name,  which  has  now  been 
on  record  for  more  than  seven  centuries,  it  must 
have  been  of  long  standing." 

This  appears  to  leave  no  doubt  that  the  Box  is 
indigenous  in  this  valley,  and  there  can  therefore 
be  no  reason  why  it  should  not  also  be  a  native  of 
the  woods  at  Wootton  and  Box  Hill.  Sir  J.  D. 
Hooker,  to  whom  I  have  communicated  the  result 
of   this  investigation,   tells   me   that  it  leaves    no 


doubt  in  his  mind  that  the  plant  is  truly  wild  in 
these  localities,  and  adds  that  Bentham,  whose 
knowledge  of  the  conditions  under  which  British 
plants  are  found  on  the  Continent  was  profound, 
regarded  it  as  a  native. — Ckdrii'  BudCNAi.i..  in 
Thi'  ./oHVHfiJ  of  Botany. 

J.ONICERA    FHA(!l!ANTISSiM..\. 

While  all  of  us  who  are  lovers  of  outdoor  flowers 
naturally  look  forward  to  the  coming  of  spring, 
with  its  bountiful  display  of  blossom  and  bud,  it 
would  be  folly  of  us  to  be  inditt'erent  to  the  claims 
of  plants  which  will  give  us  flowers  in  the  garden 
at  the  season  we  call — perhaps  erroneously — mid- 
winter.   In  sonic  localities,  it  ma\'  be,  these  cannot 


is  supported  by  the  pillar  against  which  this  Honey- 
suckle grows.  Yet  its  flowers  are  now  most 
grateful,  with  their  chaste  colouring  and  their 
delicious  fragrance,  devoid  of  the  surfeit  of  scent 
given  by  some  of  the  genus. 

The  flowers  arc  of  a  delicate  Hliilc,  just  tinged 
with  enough  of  pink  or  rose  when  newly  opened  in 
give  them  additional  licanty  in  our  eyes.  They 
are  about  an  incli  across,  and  are  so  placed  that 
they  get  a  considerable  amount  of  shelter  from  cold 
winds  from  the  old  leaves.  Not  that  they  are 
always  suHiciently  protected  from  the  hazards  of 
the  seasons,  as  some  years  the  flowers  have  been 
destroyed  when  open  by  severe  weather.  Its  ever- 
green habit  is  a  considerable  recommendation  to 
many,  as  it  can  thus  be  employed  where  a  deci- 
duous plant  would  be  less  desirable.  Iteventuallv 
grows  to  some  (i  feet  in  height,  thouch  this  is 
cvccedcil  in  some  favoured  localities.  When  plen- 
lilnl  enough  a  few  flowered  branches  of  Lonicera 
fiagraiitis-^iin  i  inti-odnced  into  a  room  would  please 
by  their  fr.igrancc,  which  has  not  the  excessive 
lioneylikc  odour  exhaled  by  some  of  the  other 
Honeysiicklcs.  Its  ally,  L. 'Standishi,  is  very  like 
it.  It  has  been  well  said  that 
this  Chinese  shrub  is  "one  of 
the  best  fragrant  winter- 
flowering  plants  cultivated." 
S.  Aknott. 


AN     ARTIST'S 
NOTE-BOOK. 

^.KOWALLIAS. 

FOR  many  years 
Browaliia  elata 
(known  .some- 
times as  the  For- 
get-me-Not  of  the 
Andes)  lias  been 
grijwn  as  a  greenhouse 
annual,  but  in  effectiveness 
it  is  now  surjiassed  by  the 
newer  B.  speciosa  major,  a 


be  expected  to  be  so  accommodating,  but 
in  mild  districts  they  are  worth  a  trial. 
Such  a  plant  is  Lonicera  fragrantissinia, 
which  has  come  into  flower  with  me  this 
season  on  December  17,  rather  before  its 
usual  time,  although  it  would  have  been 
earlier  still  had  we  not  had  such  deluges 
of  rain  and  sunless  skies  along  with  a 
mild  winter,  It  would  also  have  been  a 
little  sooner  had  it  had  a  higher  wall 
between  it  and  the  north,  instead  of  a 
low  one  surmounted  by  a  trellis,  which 


liKOWALLlA    SPECIOSA 


(Finiu  a  (fran'iiu;  Ijfj  Mh 


30 


THE    GAllDEN. 


[January   12,  1901. 


native  of  Colombia,  which  is  more  shrubby  in 
fhaiactei-  than  the  older  kind,  being  in  fact  what 
is  commonly  spoken  of  as  a  sub-shrub.  It  can 
be  readily  propagated  by  cuttings,  while  seed 
often  ripens  and  germinates  i|uickly.  We  have 
lieard  a  great  deal  of  its  beautv  in  a  state  of 
nature,  and  as  seed  is  easily  obtainable  it  is 
often  sent  home  by  collectors  in  that  part  of 
the  world.  This  Browallia  forms  a  freely 
branched  bushy  plant  if  stojtped  regularly 
during  its  early  stages.  The  flowers,  which 
are  freely  borne,  have  a  tube  about  an  inch 
long,  with  a  spreading  mouth,  divided  into  five 
segments.  The  colour  is  a  rich  violet-blue, 
with  a  white  throat,  that  is  to  say,  when  first 
expanded,  as  tliey  become  paler  with  a,ge,  and 
singularly  enou,gli  they  also  increase  in  size. 
To  secure  e.xtra  bushy  plants  in  potting  otf  the 
cuttings  three  may  be  put  around  the  edge  of 
a  small  jiot,  and  shifted  on  when  necessary 
without  disturbing  them.  A  mixture  of  loam, 
leaf-mould,  well  decayed  manure,  and  .some 
sand  forms  a  very  suitable  comi)ost  for  this 
Pirowallia,  and  as  the  pots  get  full  of  roots  a 
little  liiiuid  manure  occasionally  is  of  great 
service,  tending  as  it  does  to  prolong  the 
fhjwering  period,  which  is  by  no  means  limited 
to  any  particular  season  of  the  year,  though  it 
.is,  as  a  rule,  during  the  autumn  and  winter  that 
tliebrightcoloured  flowers  are  most  appreciated. 
At  this  period  the  plants  need  the  temperature 
of  an  intermediate  house  to  develop  the  flowers 
properly.  The  Browallia,  though  so  pretty  as 
a  pot  plant,  is  of  little  use  for  cut  blooms,  and 
this  is  perhaps  the  reason  that  it  is  not  more 
grown. 


"IN    A    SMALL    AVAY." 

Notes  fko.m  .vn  Ubloni:  G.vRDiix. --X\'il. 
At  last  the  oblong  has  arrived  at  that  consum- 
mation which  has  been  impending  for  some 
time  past,  but  which  is  none  the  less  something 
of  a  shock  now  that  it  is  accomplished,  finally 
and  definitely,  repletion.  All  the  e.xtra  beds 
that  could  be  made  have  been  made,  and  the 
disposal  of  a  delightful  batch  of  plants,  the 
last  of  three  autumnal  consignments,  has 
reduced  the  available  space  to  that  interesting 
dimension  known,  I  believe,  to  people  of 
education  as  the  n"'-  It  might  be  possible  to 
insert  a  Crocus  or  two,  or  half-a-dozen  Squills, 
ijetween  .some  of  the  perennials,  but  any  larger 
operation  would  necessitate  the  removal  of 
some  already  established  occupants.  1  must 
own  that  all  the  laws  of  garden  beauty  as  laid 
down  for  us  by  the  highest  authorities  have 
been  violated  in  respect  of  my  later  acquisi- 
tions, and  that  where;  1  had  no  room  for  three 
jilauts  I  iiut  in  one,  and  thus  committed  the 
crime  of  "spot,"  but  what  is  the  owner  of  a 
liJO  foot  by  .'jO  foot  oblong  to  do  when 
posses.sed  of  an  amassing  disposition,  a  big 
ijump  of  acquisition,  and  the  inelastic  space 
mentioned  ?  Perhaps  it  may  be  counted  to  me 
f<.ir  an  excuse  that  I  have  at  least  tried  to  keep 
families  together. 

1  wanted  a  variety  of  Campanulas,  both  for 
comparison  and  because,  being  by  compulsion  a 
stay-at-home  individual,  I  saw  no  other  oppor- 
tunity for  becoming  better  acquainted  with 
these  really  "fascinating  flower.s,"  and  only  one 
bed,  a  somewhat  raised,  new,  crescent-shaped 
affair,  under  the  partial  shade  of  an  Apple 
tree,  was  available,  consequently  the  plants 
here  are  all  singles  ;  but,  at  any  rate,  they  are 
all  Campanulas.  C.  Van  Houttei,  planted 
about  a  month  ago,  is  indulging  in  a  crop  of 
)iresumably  third  or  fourth  bloom  already.  I 
like  its  long,  bright  blue,  downward-looking 
bells  very  much.  It  is  more  straight  and 
mottled    than    C   medium    (the    Canterbury 


Bell),  about  the  same  size,  but  narrower 
mouthed  and  more  pointed  of  segment  ;  bluer, 
too,  than  the  blue  form  of  the  biennial.  My 
Canterbury  Bells  are  still  blooming,  by  the 
way,  and  have  been  ever  since  late  .Inly.  We 
resolutely  refu.sed  to  let  them  seed,  and  they 
have  gone  on  unwcariedly  fiowering  in  conse- 
(pience.  Also,  I  have  Pansies  every  whit  as 
big  and  tine  as  their  first  beginnings  of  the 
gorgeous  Trimai'dem  strain.  They,  too,  have 
given  me  work  all  through  the  .season  at 
dispodding,  but  rewarded  it  richly.  These  are 
the  compensations  of  the  small  way,  wherein 
small  operations  like  these  are  interesting  and 
there  is  time  for  them. 

To  return  to  the  Canq)anula  bed,  which  in 
happier,  ('..'/.,  larger,  circumstances  would  be  the 
Bell-flower  garden  ;  it  holds  about  twenty 
divers  kinds.  Of  these  C.  pulla  is  the  smallest, 
C.  macrantha  the  largest,  and  C.  Burghalti 
the  most  charming  to  my  eye  in  colour,  having 
more  pink  and  less  blue  in  its  mauve  c)r  lilac 
than  most  ;  others  in  pos.session  areC.  Hender- 
soni,  C.  Hosti  alba,  C.  persicifolia  (blue  and 
white),  ( '.  turbinata,  C  carpatica  (blue  and 
white,  with  a  reserve  in  pots  in  case  of  disaster), 
V.  nobilis  alba,  C.  garganica,  C.  alliariaefolia, 
C.  nobilis,  and  C.  rhomboidca.  Will  some  one 
who  grows  the  rest  tell  me  of  any  other 
varieties  that  are  irresistible,  and  the  first 
vacancy  shall  invite  them  I 

Already  the  first  spikes  of  the  Bride  Gladiolus 
are  rising  ;  they  must  be  mulched  with  cocoa 
fibre.  Last  year  they  had  a  straw  blanket,  and 
very  untidy  it  looked  ;  this  year  they  are 
established  and  presumably  hardier.  I  am  .so 
disgusted  with  the  clumps  of  Watsonias  and 
Trigridia.s,  which  were  stout  and  sturdy  of  leaf 
but  made  no  attempt  to  tiower,  that  I  shall  let 
them  also  take  their  chance  in  the  o]ien  air 
under  a  thick  fibre  dunct.  The  Fuchsias  are 
standing  in  their  pots,  having  been  disinterred 
from  the  bed  in  which  they  were  plunged  to 
await  the  wholesome  check  of  a  few  chill 
nights  before  going  indoors  to  occupy  a  spare 
empty  room.  They  are  too  large  now  for  their 
old  quarters  under  the  stage  in  the  small  green- 
house. What  roots  they  have  made  !  We 
thought  it  would  be  less  trouble  to  plunge 
their  pots  than  to  plant  them  out,  but  it  cauje 
to  the  same  thing  in  the  end,  for  they  had  to 
be  repotted  and  have  the  long  tresses,  too  good 
to  cut  away,  tucked  in  safely.  I  wish  them  to 
form  specimens,  as  they  are  all  good  .sorts, 
Phenomenals,  A'c,  so  they  could  not  be  drasti- 
cally served. 

The  lawn,  which  suffered  terribly  in  the 
summer  from  the  ill-usage  bestowed  ui)on  it 
by  the  dogs  of  the  family — or,  rather,  the  dogs 
who  form  the  family,  since  they  are  by  far  its 
largest  item  —  has  been  partly  relaid,  well 
Hilled,  dres.sed  with  basic  slag,  and  generally 
comforted.  Personally,  I  am  of  opinion  that 
these  little  minnikin  lavv'ns  give  a  great  deal 
more  trouble  than  they  are  worth— what  with 
incessant  weeding  and  the  perpetual  recon- 
struction which  seems  to  be  incumbent  on 
their  welfare — but  Adam  regards  grass  with 
a  favourable  eye,  as  costing  little  in  proportion 
to  the  remainder  of  the  garden,  and  accommo- 
dating the  shady  and  delectable  seat  whereon 
he  loves,  all  through  the  summer,  to— meditate 
(let  us  have  things  put  as  nicely  as  possible  ; 
the  soft  woi'd  costeth  nothing),  and  so  the 
lawn,  such  as  it  is,  has  been  wired  ott',  and  the 
merry  sport  of  drawing  imaginary  badgers  and 
digging  out  dream  fo.xes  from  around  the 
Apple  trunks  is  at  an  end.  All  the  dogs  can 
jump  the  wire  ;  even  the  terrible  two  months' 
puppy,  destructive  as  a  tornado,  can  climl)  it, 
but  they,  for  some  inscrutable  reason,  never 
attempt  to  do  so  unle.ss  they  see   us   in   the 


garden,  when  they  at  once  join  us  as  if  in  pity 
for  our  dogless  estate.  On  these  occasions, 
however,  there  is  no  digging,  and  the  general 
aspect  of  the  oblong  is,  needless  to  say,  all  the 
better  for  the  want  of  the  lordly  excavations 
that  it  used  to  boast. 

The  A]i|iles  have  been  picked,  for  they  were 
tundiling  and  bruising  themselves,  and  the 
lack  of  their  midtlay  smiles  liedulls  the  trees 
and  gives  one  a  (iremonitory  shiver  of  cheerless 
winter.  LastFeliruary  I  )iersuaded  a  .Mistletoe 
berry  to  begin  growing  on  the  trunk  of  the 
most  worthless  of  the  Apple  trees.  It  went  so 
far  as  to  form  a  tiny  loop  of  stitt'  stalk,  fixed 
at  both  extremities,  in  the  bark,  but  gets  no 
further.  The  stalk  alone  is  green  and  appa 
rently  alive,  .so  that  we  can  hut  ho|ie  that  this 
is  the  ordinary  method  of  .Mistletoe  incep- 
tion, useful  as  an  exercise  of  the  grace  o.f 
patience. 

1  think  I  have  praised  8tokesia  cyanea 
liefore,  Init  it  deserves  another  word.  It  is 
still  fiowering  away  and  looks  as  fresh  as  in 
June,  while  the  fringed,  filamentous,  bright 
lilac-blue.  Aster-shaped  flower  is  a  gay  s]iot  of 
colour,  it  is  neat  and  low  too,  and  spreads 
very  slowly,  a  charming  front-of-the-bordcr 
plant,  and  no  favourite  with  snails  or  slugs. 

Little  graveyard  shrubs  arc  beginning  to  be 
set  up  in  their  little  smug  ugliness  in  jieople's 
window-boxes  and  bulb-beds  all  about.  I  have 
a  jieculiar  distaste  for  the.se  dwarfish  Kuony- 
muses,  Thujas,  and  so  on,  though  I  know  they 
are  general  favourites.  Their  jiresence  seems 
to  me  like  putting  mittens  and  a  Shetland  veil 
on  the  garden  and  making  it  jilay  at  enjoying 
itsslf  out  of  doors  while  it  only  wants  to  be 
tucked  up  and  go  gracefully  and  in  peace  to 
sleep.  A  bare  brown  bed,  to  my  taste,  whets 
the  api^etite  for  spring  beauties  better  than 
tho.se  simulacra  of  growth  and  greenness  out 
of  season.  il.  L.  W. 


HEATING    AND   VENTILATING 

GLASS  HOUSES. 

Mr.  a.  Don.-\ld  M.ii'KENZiE,  of  the  firm  of  Messrs. 
Mackenzie  and  Moncur,  Limited,  Horticultural 
Builders  and  Engineers,  EdiTil:)urgh,  gave  tiie 
following  lecture  on  this  subject  Ijefore  the  Koyal 
Horticultural  (Society  at  tlie  meeting  at  the  Drill 
Hall,  Westminster,  on  December  4.  To  horticul- 
turists in  the  British  Isles  that  are  so  remarkable 
for  their  extremely  variable  temperatures,  this 
subject  is  a  most  important  one,  and  thoroughly 
deserves  the  close  attention  of  fruit  and  plant 
growers.  Since  the  time  when  lirick  flues  were  the 
only  means  of  heating  our  glass  houses  great 
improvements  have  been  uiade,  and  the  above 
system  quite  superseded  b}'  tliat  of  hot- water  pipes. 
Mr.  Mackenzie,  in  speaking  of  the  flow  of  water, 
said  that  although  the  expansion  of  water  takes 
place  in  all  directions,  if  the  fluid  is  in  a  tank  it 
naturally  rises  more  easih'  in  an  upward  direction, 
and  so  brings  about  the  flow.  On  its  return 
through  the  pipes  it  re-enters  the  boiler  at  the 
bottom.  The  lecturer  advised  the  most  suitable 
size  of  hot-water  pipes  as  4  inches  in  diameter.  A 
most  important  point  before  erecting  any  heating 
apparatus  is  to  make  sure  of  the  luimber  of  cubic 
feet  to  be  heated.  For  all  ordinary'  purposes  the 
following  figures  were  given  as  liaving  been  found 
satisfai-tory :  For  every  .S.")  cubii-  feet  of  space 
provide  1  foot  of  4inch  piping,  or  for  a  hothouse 
this  would  be  necessary  to  every  "2.")  cubic  feet. 
Early  vineries,  where  a  regular  temperature  has  to 
be  maintained,  sometimes  <luring  the  coldest 
weather  it  is  advisable  to  have  I  foot  of  i)iping  to 
every  \i  or  I.")  cubic  feet.  In  a  span-roofed  vinery 
eight  rows  of  pipes  would  be  rec|uired  to  ensure 
this.  It  Is  also  an  excellent  thing  in  lofty  liouses 
or  fori-ing  houses  to  have  a  small  pipr  ruiniing 
around  tlie'  roof  so  as  to  ensure  a  regular 
len.perature  througl.iait. 


January   12,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


31 


Mr.  Mackenzie  remarked  that  the  old  saddle 
lioiler  i.s  still  one  of  the  most  .satisfactory,  not- 
withstanding the  varions  more  recent  one.s  intro- 
duced ;  if  the  length  of  piping  to  be  supplied  were, 
liowever,  longer  than  700  feet  he  would  recommend 
the  terminal  saddle,  of  which  there  are  several 
different  good  types.  To  satisfactorily  heat  a 
hothouse  the  boiler  ought  to  be  kept  going  for  at 
least  eight  hours  without  attention.  An  illustration 
of  an  American  boiler,  described  liy  Mr.  Mackenzie 
as  one  that  could  be  depended  upon,  was  given  ;  it 
is  of  cast-iron,  and  made  in  sections.  The  lecturer 
then  referred  to  the  difficulty  often  experienced  in 
obtaining  a  steady  circulation  of  hot  water  from  a 
boiler  when,  as  is  not  infrequently  the  case,  the 
houses  are  scattered,  and,  perhaps,  at  different 
levels.  A  careful  regulation  of  the  valves  was 
mentioned  as  the  way  to  overcome  or  minimise 
this  inconvenience. 

Dealing  with  the  second  subject  of  his  lecture, 
that  of  ventilation,  Mr.  Mackenzie  referred  to  the 
great  value  of  bottom  ventilators,  so  placed  that 
when  air  is  admitted  it  becomes  warmed  b}' contact 
with  the  hot-water  pipes  before  reaching  the  plants. 
Such  ventilators  are  absolutel3'  essential  during 
the  winter  time.  For  the  admittance  of  air  in 
warmer  weather  there  should  be  top  ventilators 
fixed  in  the  roof.  The  method  of  working  should 
be  simple,  and  one  that  would  allow  of  fine 
regulation. 

Mr.  H.  J.  Pearson,  wlio  was  in  the  chair,  made 
a  few  remarks  at  the  conclusion  of  the  lecture, 
which  was  rendered  highlj'  interesting  liy  means  of 
various  diagrams,  upon  the  necessitj'  of  placing 
orders  in  the  hands  of  good   firms,    thus  ensuring 


the  best  material  and  workmanship.  A  cordial 
vote  of  thanks  for  this  excellent  and  interesting 
lecture  was  afterwards  passed  to  Mr.  Mackenzie. 


BOOKS. 


Journal    of    the    Royal    Agpicul- 
tural  Society  of  England.— Part  4  of 

volume  xi.  is  before  us,  being  the  sixty-first  volume 
issued  since  the  first  publication  of  this  journal  in 
l.S.Stl.  It  contains  much  interesting  information 
to  those  engaged  in  horticulture  and  agriculture. 
The  articles  comprise  "  The  Woburn  Pot  Culture 
Station,"  I)}'  J.  Augustus  Voelcker,  lieing  an 
account  of  agricultural  experiments  conducted  b}' 
growing  plants  on  a  small  scale  in  pots  instead  of 
on  plots  of  a  field,  a  system  that  originated  in 
Germany.  "The  British  Egg  Supply"  is  treated 
by  Edward  Brown  in  an  exhaustive  manner.  This 
paper,  which  we  advise  all  interested  to  peruse, 
concludes  thus: — "Poultry  keepers  must  aim  at 
securing  a  profit  of  at  least  .")S.  per  hen  per  annum, 
and,  being  attained,  this  industry  will  become  a 
more  appreciable  factor  to  the  British  agricul- 
turist." "Asparagns  Culture"  is  dealt  with  by 
John  J.  T.  Norfolk,  and  the  agricultural  imple- 
ments at  the  Paris  International  Exhibition,  1900, 
are  described  by  F.  S.  Courtney.  The  arniual 
report  of  the  consulting  liotanist  says  that  during 
the  past  year  2.35  inquiries  have  been  answered  on 
behalf  of  the  members  of  the  society.  Of  these, 
fiftj'-one  dealt  with  diseases  of  plants,  ten  with 
plants  suspected  of  causing  injnrv  to  stock,  thir't\*- 


two  with  weeds,  seven  with  suitable  weeds  for 
laying  down  temporary  or  permanent  pasture,  two 
with  the  composition  of  hay,  and  1")."{  with  the 
purity  and  germination  of  seeds.  Messrs.  Spottis- 
woode  and  Co.,  Limited,  New  Street  Square,  E.(!. 
Price  .'is.  (3d. 

Vinton's  Agricultupal  Almanac.-- 

This,  the  forty-.sixlli  annual  numler,  contains 
much  matter  of  interest  to  landowners  and  farmers. 
A  portrait  of  Earl  Cawdor,  President  of  the 
Ro3al  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  appears, 
and  several  practical  articles  dealing  with  ques- 
tions of  the  land,  amongst  which  may  be  mentioned 
"How  to  Check  the  Rural  Exodus,"  by  A.  1'. 
Matthews;  "A  Source  of  Injury  to  Home-grown 
Timber,"  by  Charles  E.  Curtis;  "(iains  and 
Losses  in  the  Market  (Jarden,"  by  VV.  W.  Clenny. 
A  mass  of  useful  information  as  to  agricultural 
societies,  statistics,  markets,  &c. ,  is  to  be  found  in 
the  latter  portion  of  this  work.  Vinton  and  Co., 
Limited,  Ludgate  Circus,  E.C.     Price  tid. 


CRAGSIDE,    NORTHUMBER- 
LAND. 

C!ea(iside,  the  re.sidence  of  the  late  Lord 
Armstrong,  of  which  we  are  able  to  give  an 
illustration,  has  a  position  and  surroundings  of 
exceptional  natural  beauty.  The  house,  as 
seen  fi'otu  tlie  Downs,  ajjpears  nestled  amidst 
the  magnificent  Pine  woods  which  clothe  the 
hills  beyond  and  tlie  collection  of  choicer 
(Conifers  and  other  trees  on  the  .slojies  lielow. 


Cl;At;SIDE,    SORTHUMEERJ.A.ND,    FROM    THE    DOWNS,    RESIDENX'E    OE    THE    L.iTE    LUIID    ARMSTRONG. 


32 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January   12,  1901 


RAISKl)    IIKDS    Ol'     Vrol.l.TS    AT    S'L'KATIIFIKI.nSA VK. 


As  will  be  seen  from  tlie  illustration,  Conifers 
are  particularly  fine  at  L'ragside,  as,  indeed, 
are  many  hardy  trees  and  shrubs,  notably 
the  Rhododendrons  and  Azaleas;  these  when 
in  full  flower  produce  a  mas'nificent  eti'eci;  in 
early  summer,  being  planted  on  the  hillside, 
and  in  the  autumn  the  result  is  hardly  less 
beautiful  by  reason  of  the  rich  and  varied  tints 
of  the  Azalea  foliage. 


RAISED    VIOLET    BEDS. 

An  idea  that  so  far  as  I  know  is  original,  and 
one  that  might  perhaps  in  many  cases  prove  to 
lie  worthy  of  putting  into  practice,  is  exem- 
plified in  the  illusti-ation  given  of  the  raised 
Violet  beds  in  the  gardens  at  Strathfieldsaye, 
the  residence  of  the  Duke  of  AVellington.  It 
is  stated  that  these  were  so  arranged  that  the 
Violets  might  be  picked  without  stooping  to  the 
ground.  To  others  who  find  the  gathering  of 
Violets  to  be  an  inconvenient  and  somewhat 
tiring  pleasure,  the  method  of  placing  the  plants 
in  raised  beds  may  prove  to  be  worthy  of  con- 
sideration. That  Violets  can  be  successfully 
grown  in  this  manner  is  proved  by  the  satisfac- 
tory results  obtained  at  Strathfieldsaye,  I  should 
imagine.  I  have  not  cultivated  them  thus,  so 
do  not  speak  from  experience,  but  they  would 
enjoy  a  considerable  advantage  over  those 
plants  in  the  open  ground,  particularly  in  cold, 
wet  seasons  If  proper  drainage  were  provided, 
and  this  is  absolutely  essential,  the  soil  around 
their  roots  would  remain  in  a  far  more  genial 
condition  than  could  ijossilily  be  the  case  on 
the  ground  surface.  In  case  of  .sevei'e  frost, 
protection  is  also  easily  afforded  \vhen  the  lieds 
are  raised.  There  are,  no  doubt,  many  who 
will  say  that  such  an  arrangement  is  totally 
unnecessary,  as  Violets  can  be  grown  sufficiently 
well  without  it.  It  may,  however,  be  recom- 
mended, particularly  to  tho.se  who  find  that 
the  pleasure  naturally  associated  witli  the 
gathering  of  these  deliglitful  fiowers  is  some- 
what reduced  by  the  tiring  position  at  present 
inseparable  from  this  operation.        T.  F.  \V. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

( Tlie  Editors  are  not  reKpon--iible  for  the  o/hiikhii 
exp7-e':sed  hy  their  correapondeitt n. ) 

CONCERNING    LAWNS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "Thk  Gardkx."] 

SIR, — The  unprecedented  fact  of  our  lawns 
being  mown  on  the  shortest  day  of  the 
year,  leads  me  to  venture  a  few  remarks 
about  lawns  and  the  attention  which 
they  require.  The  commonest  remark 
made  by  my  visitors  is  "How  beautiful 
your  lawns  are  !  How  luck3'  you  are  to  keep  them 
so  green  '. "  There  is  really  no  luck  at  all  in  the 
matter.  If  our  lawns  are  good,  their  goodness  is 
entirely  due  to  constant  care  and  attention.  Every 
winter  about  this  time,  should  the  weather  be 
open,  they  receive  a  liberal  dressing  of  burnt  ashes, 
."oot,  and  Peiuvian  guano.  This  mixture  is  put  on 
them  on  a  dry  day,  and  immediately  firushed  in 
with  a  broom.  In  April  every  Daisy,  Buttercup, 
and  weed  of  every  kind  is  carefully  extracted  with 
a  kitchen  fork  ;  in  July  they  are  copiously  watered 
with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  ammonia,  and  receive 
a  second  careful  weeding.  With  this  treatment, 
supplemented  by  watering  in  dry  weather,  they 
are  always  green  and  fresh,  and  entirely  tree  from 
weeds.  Should  they  show  a  tendency  to  become 
brown  in  anj'  particular  place,  a  note  is  made  of  it, 
and  in  November  the  turf  is  rolled  back,  the  soil 
removed  to  a  depth  of  18  inches,  and  fresh  soil 
put  in  its  place.  This  saves  a  great  deal  of  labour 
in  watering  during  summer  droughts.  I  do  not 
defend  my  action  in  having  the  lawns  mown  on 
December -21,  as  had  haid  frost  immediately  ensued 
the  grass  might  have  suffered  considerably  ;  but  as 
it  is  the  result  has  been  charnnng,  and  sufficient 
new  growth  has  now  been  made  to  prevent  an}' 
rout  damage,  no  matter  how  severe  the  weather 
may  be  liereaftcr.  Tliere  is  no  greater  garden 
beauty  than  a  green,  well-kept  lawn,  and  this  can 
only  be  had  by  constant  care  and  labour. 

firomiyrore.  H.  M. 


PEAK  PRESIDENT   BAR  A  BE. 

[To   THE    Editor  uv   "The   Gakuen."J 
Sir,— Having  been  fortunate  enough  lu  try  samples 
of  ihis  Urst-class  late  dessert  fear  as  grown  by  Mr. 


Allan,  1  am  fully  in  accord  with  your 
verdict  of  its  qualities  and  appearance  ; 
indeed,  I  consider  that  as  grown  by  Mr. 
Allan  it  is  the  finest  and  best  Pear 
brought  prominently  befoi-e  the  public 
from  obscurity  in  ni}'  recollection.  We 
liave  suthcient  midseason  Pears  of  good 
quality,  but  one  of  such  high  quality, 
ripening  after  the  end  of  November  and 
keeping  so  well,  is  a  treasure  indeed,  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  will  in  the  future 
lie  as  widely  planted  as  its  merits  war- 
rant. I  think  Mr.  Allan  attributes  the 
enlianced  size  of  the  Pear  last  year 
to  the  influence  of  a  stock  on  which  he 
has  not  previouslj'  had  scions  in  bearing, 
and  no  doubt  this  fact  will  not  be  lost 
sight  of  when  working  up  stock  for  dis- 
tribution, the  finding  of  a  suitable, 
nr  the  best,  stock  on  which  to  double- 
graft  many  of  our  best  Pears  being  half 
the  battle  towards  successful  culture. 
I  think  I  may  safely  say  that  this  inter- 
vening stock  is  that  of  a  good  Pear,  which 
i,'rriws  well  on  all  soils  that  will  grow 
1  'rais  at  all.  for  I  have  grown  really  good 
i\hiliition  frnit  of  it  on  a  very  sandy  and 
|)oor  soil.  •!.  0.  Tai.i.ack. 


HARDY    FRUIT   t'l'LTL'HE. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garde.n."'] 
Sir,— I    read    with    great    interest    the 
i        article   on    "Hardy    Emit   Culture"    in 
\our    issue   of    Deeemlier   '29,   page   457. 
""        The    suggestion     made     by     NIr.     Owen 
Thomas  that    the   Boaiil   of    .Agriculture 
might  with  advantage  take  the  matter  in 
hand    is  a    good    one.      There    would    be 
no  lack  of   practical  fruit  growers  who  would  be 
glad    to   give    evidence   before    a    commission    of 
that   board,   when    matters  such   as   land   tenure, 
the    difficulty     of    obtaining     suitable     sites    for 
orchards,    the    high     rents     asked    for    such    by- 
agents  of  landowners,  and  the  proverbial  dish  of 
cold  water   thrown    over   those    who    propose   to 
commence    fruit    growing    might     be    ventilated. 
I    feel    convinced     the     evidence    got     before     a 
commission    would   greatly  alter   the    opinion    of 
those  gentlemen  who  are  interested  in  the  culture 
of  hardy  fruit,  and  who  are  at  a  loss  to  understand 
the  apatliy  and  neglect  shown  by  the  rural  popula- 
tion  in   this   matter.     There   are   many  practical 
fruit  growers  in  this  country  who  would  be  glad  to 
become  tenants  of  a  fruit  farm  if  a  little  kindly 
'  consideration  were  shown  them,  such  as  suitable 
'  sites  offered  at  a  reasonable  price.   Surely  this  should 
.  not  be  made   a    matter  of  £  s.  d.  altogether,  the 
;  better  cultivation  of  the  land  ought  to  be  a  matter 
I  of  common  interest  between  landowner  and  tenant. 
'  Affairs  in  South  Africa  of  late  have  shown  us  the 
wisdom  of  rearing   and  promoting  a  healthy  and 
intelligent  peasantry  on  the   land.     Therefore  let 
u.s  hope  that  the  few   suggestions  made  by  your 
correspondent  may  not  be  in  vain,  but  that  I  hey 
may  lead   to   something  practical   being   done  for 
fruit  growing  generally.  •!•  Charlton 

The  Gardens,  Fariitey  Hi/I,  CortiriiUi'-on-Ti/iir. 

CHRISTMAS  . FLOWERS  IN  KENT. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garde.s.  '] 
Sir,— I  should  be  glad  if  you  could  add  the  three 
undermentioned  flowers  to  my  Christmas  da.\-  list, 
making  forty  species  in  all.  They  were  in  bloom 
then,  but  unfortunately  were  omitted :  -beycesteria 
forniosa,  Berberis  japonica,  and  \'eronica  proslrata. 

Yahliiiii.  Kent.  '  S.  (!.  K. 

T  H  i;  N  B  E  l{(i  1 A  F  Pi  A  ( 1 1!  .\  X  S. 
[To  THE  Editor  ok  "The  (iARiiEN."| 
Sir,— A  recent  reference  to  my  note  onThunbeigia 
tragrans  whicli  appeared  not  long  since  has  li.'d  iiic 
to  look  more  fully  into  the  matter,  and  I  find  in 
"Nicholson's  Dictionary  of  (Tarduning"  mention 
of  two  forms  of  this  species.  The  first,  that  is  the 
typical  T.  tiagrans,  is  described  as  liaving  pure 
while  fratjrant  blossoms,  a  native  of  India,  intro- 


jANar.vRY  12,  1901.' 


THE    GAUDEN. 


:j3 


(luce<I  in  i79<>.  Tliis  was  figured  in  Andrews' 
"  Botaniyts'  Repository,"  \'2'A  ;  Flovftl  Mii<ia::i)u\ 
'^"Ib  ;  and  Loddiges'  "  Hotanieal  Cabinet,"  1013. 
The  second  to  mention  is  Thunbergia  tragrans 
lii^vis,  described  as  not  fragrant.  This  is  said  to 
have  been  figured  in  the  Bolniiiatl  Mayaziney 
tab  1881,  under  the  name  of  T.  fragrans.  From 
this  it  would  appear  that  if  horticulturists  are  in 
error  botanists  also  have  tumbled  into  the  same 
pit.  H.  P. 

THE   MILD   WINTER. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Gakden."] 

Sir, — It  may  be  of  interest  to  you  to  know  that 
on  January  1  I  gathered  flowers  from  the  following 
thirty-two  plants  out  of  doors  in  ni}'  garden  here. 
The  aspect  is  due  north,  oOO  feet  above  sea-level : 


Marigold 
Pansy 

Salvia  splendeiis 
I^anrustinus 
Escalloiiia 
.lapanese  Berlieiis 
Andromeda 
Mignonette 
Godetia 
Silene 

Daisies  (vavinu.s) 
Saponaria 
Sinaria 
Sweet  Sultan 
Violets 
Alontbretias 
M.  ScoTT'  Williams. 
Woolland  House,  itt^ar  B/ai/dfortf,  ]>orsitt. 


Gaillavdia 

Marguerite 

Lavender 

Yellow  .Tasniine 

Oarnations 

Ahelia  riipestris 

Roses  (various) 

Campanula 

Periwinkle 

Primroses  (of  sorts)- 

Donble-flowered  Gorse 

Pyrethrum 

Hypericum  moserlaiium 

Hydrangea 

Hellebores  (various) 

Wallflower 


CASSIA  CORYiMBOSA  IN  THE  OPEN. 

[To  THE  Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

SrR, — "  <;.  W."  writes  on  page  363  of  this  striking 
plant  flowering  against  a  wall  in  South  Devon.  In 
the  month  of  August  a  fine  specimen  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood, possibly  the  one  he  alludes  to,  had 
covered  some  200  square  feet  of  wall  with  a  blaze 
of  golden  yellow.  Through  September  the  dis- 
plaj'  remained  undiminished,  and  even  in  the 
second  week  of  December  the  wall  was  not  entirely 
bereft  of  flowers.  Another  yellow-flowered  shrub 
that  does  well  in  the  sonth-west  is  Sophora 
tetraptera  microphylla.  This,  however,  is  a  spring 
bloomer,  often  flowering  as  early  as  the  middle  of 
April.  S.  W.  F. 

SALVIA    AZUREA    GRANDIFLOEA. 

[To   THE   Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — In  a  note  on  this  handsome  plant  (page  411) 
the  writer  states  that  it  is  not  hardy  in  this, 
country.  As  a  general  rule  this  statement  is  doubt- 
less correct,  but  in  the  south-west,  both  the  subject 
of  this  note,  and  the  still  more  striking  S.  patens, 
may  be  considered  practically  hardy,  since  in 
sheltered  gardens,  where  the  soil  is  not  of  a  very 
retentive  nature,  plants  left  in  the  ground  through 
the  winter  rarely  fail  to  break  into  growth  in  the 
spring.  Even  in  the  unusually  severe  winter  of 
1894-95,  when  the  mercurj'  in  the  grass  ther- 
mometer fell  below  freezing  point  on  sixty-four 
nights  during  the  first  three  months  of  the  latter 
year,  plants  of  both  these  Salvias  were  unharmed 
in  a  certain  garden  that  I  am  acquainted  with. 
S.  splendens  and  S.  coccinea  form  large  bushes 
some  feet  in  height,  and  are  rarely  permanently 
injured  by  frost.  Both  of  the  latter  species  are 
still  bearing  flowers.  S.  W.  F. 

ROSES  FOR  A  SOUTH  WALL. 

[To   THE   Editor  or    "  The    Garden."] 

Sir, — On  page  443  Mr.  Walter  Smyth  gives  the 
names  of  some  Roses  which  he  has  planted  against 
a  south  wall,  and  the  selection  is  a  very  good  one. 
I  am  glad  he  has  included  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison, 
as  I  consider  it  one  of  the  most  useful  Roses  in 
cultivation,  and  certainlj'  the  best  autumn  bloomer, 
though  one  maj'  look  through  a  good  many  collec- 
tions of  Roses  and  not  find  it.  Mr.  Smyth  has 
also  planted  Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria,  and  I  feel 
confident  he  will  be  pleased  with  it.  I  saw  it  in 
good  condition  in  two  gardens  last  autumn,  and 
was  informed  that  it  possesses  a  good  constitution, 


■v^;^ 


and  flowers  freelj'  and  continuou.sly.  If  space 
permits  Mr.  Smyth  should  also  plant  Devoniensis 
and  Climbing  Perlc  des  .lardin.s.  The  former, 
though  an  old  Rose,  surpasses  most  of  the  creamy- 
white  and  flesh-coloured  Teas,  is  a  very  vigorous 
grower,  and  quite  at  home  on  a  south  wall.  Perle 
des  Jardins  is,  I  think,  the  most  reliable  yellow 
climbing  Rose  we  have.  In  some  seasons  the 
flowers  are  quite  golden.  ( .'. 

GLOBE  ARTICHOKES. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Mr.  Wythes'  article  on  this  increasingly 
popular  vegetable  (page  4.")2)  is  opportune,  and 
will,  I  trust,  induce  nian^'  who  have  hitherto 
neglected  it  to  give  it  better  culture.  As  Mr. 
Wythes  points  out,  plants  raised  from  seed  are 
very  uncertain, 
and  those  who 
wish  the  plants 
to  yield  in  the 
shortest  possible 
time  should  plant 
ottsets.  In  man}' 
eases  the  plants 
are  left  in  one 
place  too  long  ; 
c  on  se- 
q  u  entlj' 
the 

heads  '■ 

are 
small 

and  poor  in 
quality.  I  advise 
re  n  e  w  i  n  g  the 
stools  every 
fourth  year  at 
least,  especially 
where  the  soil 
is  light  or  sha'- 
low,  then  if  we  1 
mulched  and 
watered  with 
farmyard  manure 
they  will  produce 
large  succulent 
heads  in  plenty. 
The  plants  are 
often  weakened 
by  leaving  the 
heads  on  them 
til!  they  flower. 
If  not  wanted 
they  should  be 
cut  off  and 
thrown  away 
before  they 
materiall}' 
weaken  the 
plants.  Arti- 
chokes, being 
gross  feeders, 
should  be  planted 
in  rich  ground, 
and  well  watered 
several  times 
during  summer 
with  liquid 
manure.  It  e.xtra 
fine       artichokes 

are  wanted,  a  good-sized  hole  should  be  made  for 
each  plant  and  filled  with  rich  soil 


examination.     The  derivation  of  the  name  Mistle- 
toe has  been  nuu'h  debated,  but  it  is  almost  certain 
that  it  cannot  mean  the  "  dropped  "  plant.   Ancient 
plant  names  arc  always  from  much  .simpler  charac- 
teristics  than    this ;    they    were    given    by   earlier 
races  just  in   the  way   children   now  give  names, 
from    some   feature   obvious  to   first  sight,   touch, 
taste,  or  smell.     The  radical    sense  of  the  Gothic 
word  mist,  clay  or  dung,   is  sticky,  adhesive,  and 
the   same    root   is   found   in   several   Scandinavian 
words  for  glue,  cement,  &c.     There  is  little  doubt 
that  the  Mistletoe   means   the  sticky  or 
birdlime   plant.       No   one   could    handle 
Mistletoe     berries     for     the    first     time 
without    noticing    how    they    stuck    his 
J  fingers  together,  and  they  are  commonly 

f  used    in   the    manufacture    of    Vjirdlime. 

,'  It  is  stated  in  'S'arrell  and  most  standard 

works  en  ornithology  that  missel  tlirush 
is  an  abbreviation   of  Mistletoe    thrush, 
because   the  bird  eats  the  berrie.s.     This 
quite  erroneous  guess  is,  unfortunately, 
stereotyped  in  the  scientific  name  Turdus 
viscivorus,  and  is  an  excellent   instance 
of   a    false   popular   derivation.       Missel 
thrush   means   simply   the  large  thrush, 
from     the     Anglo-Saxon     micel,     great. 
Words   containing    the    .same 
root,      and     illustrating     the 
gradual  .softening  of  the  hard 
consonant,  are  miekle  (common 
in     Shakespeare's      time      for 
great),    mighty,  much,    most, 
and      many     others.       These 
mistaken  et3'moIogies  are  mis- 
chievous when   they  give  rise 
to     statements     founded     on 
names  and  not  facts,  such  as 
that  "the  food   of  this  thrush   consi.sls  chiefly  of 


Mistletoe  berries.' 


Geori:e  Enoleheart. 


INDIAN    dodder. 
(The  Imvfs  are  timm  iiftlic  Imstplanl.) 


THE    INDIAN    DODDER. 

(CUSCUTA    REFLE.XA.) 

All  the  l^odders  are  twining  leafless  parasitic 
plants,  but  rarely  met  with  in  our  gardens. 
Three  or  four  are  natives  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland,  such  as  C.  europaia,  (J.  Trifoli, 
C.  Eiiilinum,  and  C.  epithymuni,  of  which  the 
common  host-plants  are  Nettles  and  Hops, 
Clover,  Flax,  or  other  species  of  Linuni,  and  the 
wild  Thyme  respectively  ;  they  have  wiry, 
looking  sten.s  of  a  light  green,  yellow,  or  pink 
colour,  and  bear  clusters  of  small  white  bell- 
shaped  flowers,  and  they  belong  to  the  natural 
order  of  the  Convolvulaceaj. 

Nicholson  mentions  C.  americana,C.  Hookeri, 
G.  odorata,  and  C.  verrucosa  as  stove  or  hot- 
house kinds  ;  and  C.  australis,  C.  chiliensis, 
C.  monogyna,  and  C.  reflexa  as  being  suited  for 
greenhouse  culture. 

All  the  kinds  may  be  cultivated  by  sowing 
ripe  seeds  with  those  of  their  natural  host- 
plant,  or  by  placing  a  new  host-plant  in  contact 
with  the  rambling  shoots  of  a  Dodder  plant 
already  established.  G.  reflexa  is  easily  grown 
on  plants  of  the  common  zonal  Pelargonium, 
or  on  Gytisus,  Jasmine,  Glematis,  or  common 
Ivy,  on  the   succulent   shoots   of 


_^ _        _ ,  on  tne   succulent   shoots   of   many  other 

^ „„„  .„ir,u  „■„,,  1.^,.  „„...    Where  ground  ^  plants  and  shrubs,  preferring,   however,   as  a 

rs"p{enUful  Tstrongly  adviVr  a  number  of   rule,  deciduous  plants  to  evergreens, 

strong  ofi"sets,  say,  early  in  October,  plunging  them  |  The  Dodders  are  naturally  increased  by 
in  ashes  in  a  frame,  and  planting  them  out  in  April,  means  of  seed,  'which  germinates  in  the  ground 
These  will  yield  good-sized  heads  in  August  and  ,  and  forms  a  pallid  thin  and  wiry  plumule  or 
relieve  the  old  plants,  which  should  not  be  allowed  stem,  which  elongates  and  gyrates  at  its  tip 
to  produce  any  more  heads.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  mj^jj  j^  touches  a  green  shoot  or  leaf  of  its 
go  over  the  stools  in  spring  and  thin  out  the  offsets,  i  futm-g  host-plant.  On  making  contact  the 
seed  should  be  proved  before  j  j^o^i^ie,.   stem  sends   out   green  suckers  called 


Plants  raised  fron.    

being  planted  in  their  permanent  position.         C. 


MISTLETOE  AND   MISSEL  THRUSH. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden.""] 

Sir, — I  fear  that  the  etymologies  of  "  F.  A.  B.'s 
pleasant    article    (page    441)    will    scarcely 


haustoria,  which  are  never  produced  unless 
from  stems  in  touch  with  a  host-|)]ant  or  with 
its  own  shoots,  for  at  times,  like  the  Mistletoe,  it 
is  self-parasitic  ;  once  established  on  its  host 
all  connection  with  the  earth  is  immediately 
bear  i  lost. 


34 


THE    GAKDEN. 


.lANUAllY     12,    1901. 


C.  reflexa  is  a  common  weed  in  India,  grow- 
ing over  scrub  and  low  Inislies,  and  looking 
like  a  mass  of  coarse  hay  at  a  distance.  Dr. 
Hooker  (now  Sir  .1.  I).)  in  his  evergreen 
Himalayan  journals,  mentions  the  beautiful 
Indian  village  of  Tilotho,  near  the  banks  of 
the  Soane  river,  where  he  says  :  "  Dodders 
(Cuscuta)  covered  even  tall  trees  with  a  golden 
web,  and  tlie  Cajiparis  acuminata  was  in  full 
flower  along  the  roadside."  It  is  very  easy  to 
grow  eithei-  in  a  greenhouse  or  cut  of  doors 
during  the  summer  and  autumn  months.  Its 
lowest  thermal  limit  seems  to  be  -t^  of  frost, 
as  it  generally  turns  black  and  dies  whenever 
the  mercury  in  the  thermometer  descends  to 
■21  .  It  is  very  rampant  as  grown  in  the 
open  air  on  Jasminum  revolutum  or  Forsythia 
suspensa,  or,  better  still,  on  the  more  succulent 
.shoots  of  F.  viridissima,  but  it  looks  prettiest 
on  dark  green-leaved  Ivy.  Its  growing  shoots 
dangle  and  twine  about  in  all  directions,  and  in 
lioth  the  case  of  Ivy  and  also  that  of  Pelargo- 
nium they  show  a  preference  for  clasping  the 
petioles  of  the  (for  them)  food-producing  leaves. 
The  flowers  are  pure  white,  shaped  somewhat 
like  those  of  Lily  of  the  \'alley,  but  much 
smaller  and  more  neutricose,  and  they  have  a 
sweetish  jierfume  on  a  sunny  day  or  in  a  warm 


thing  like  6(1  feet  above  sea-level,  an  ?  our  average 
rainfall  is  2.'5j  inches,  certainly  not  the  most 
favourable  conditions  for  successful  fruil  growing, 
sutject  as  we  are  to  all  the  prevailing  fogs  and 
spring  frosts.  Our  soil,  of  which  we  have  a  good 
depth,  resting  on  gravel  (an  excellent  natural 
draining  stratum),  is  composed  of  what  is  com- 
monly understood  abuut  here  as  l>rick-earth,  or 
heavy  marl,  and  therefore  not  the  warmest  of  soils. 
We  gel  fair  sizu  in  our  hardy  fruits,  but  we  do 
not  obtain  the  very  high  and  beautiful  <'olour 
which  is  ohtainable  in  more  favoured  southern 
counties. 

In  the  past,  as  regards  Apples  and  Pears 
especially,  the  bane  of  English  gardens  and 
orchards  lias  been  the  presence  of  too  many 
varieties.  In  the  remarks  I  have  to  make  on  the 
suliject  I  do  not  propose  lo  weary  jour  readers 
with  a  long  and  useless  list  of  varieties,  and  b}' 
the  limitations  which  I  intend  to  exercise  in  this 
respect  I  doubt  not  that  many  excellent  and 
deserving  sorts  will  be  left  out.  This  cannot  be 
helped,  and  I  hope  others  will  make  good  my 
omission.  I  would  much  rather  be  responsible  for 
dwelling  on  the  merits  of  one  realh'  good  sort  than 
I  would  for  mentioning  fifty  indifferent  varieties, 
and  my  proposal  will  be  to  draw  attention  to  the 
most  reliable  and  liest  flavoured  varieties  of  fruits 
as  they  ripen  and  are  in  condition  for  dessert,  in 
the  hope  that  the  list,  when  completed,  ma\'  prove 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES. 


I'l.ANTINl 


\\'( 


\\'ll.li     (iARliKN. 


.M'PI.E   cox"s   OK.VNOK   I'U'PIN.      ( Size  nj  (tri(jl iid! :  Ili'iijlit  Mnrli:' 


.,-/,™.J 


greenhouse.  Our  illu.stration  is  '  from  an 
original  sketch  kindly  made  from  outdoor 
specimens  from  the  Trinity  College  Botanical 
Gardens,  Dublin,  and  it  shows  the  habit 
and  floral  characters  of  the  plant  bettei  than 
any  mere  description  could  do. 

F.  W.  BuREiDoi;. 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

In  writing  about  a  few  of  the  best  varieties  of 
liardy  fruits  in  season  as  they  ripen  in  the  Royal 
(hardens,  I  think  it  is  only  right  that  I  should 
indicate  liriefly  the  relative  conditions  under  which 
they  are  cultivated,  as  regards  soil,  climate,  and 
position,  as  I  am  well  aware  that  some  of  the 
fruits  wliich  succeed  well  in  this  part  of  Berkshire 
would  certainly  not  do  so  well  in  the  midlands  and 
northern  counties.  As  bearing  on  this  point  it 
would  not  only  be  interesting,  but  most  instructive, 
if  my  notes  could  be  briefly  supplemented  by  other 
correspondents  from  different  parts  of  the  kingdom 
as  to  the  varieties  that  succeed  best  in  their 
several  counties.  As  is  generally  known,  the 
Koyal  (iardens  at  Frogmore  are  situated  in  the 
eastern,  or,  more  correctly  speaking,  the  south- 
eastern division  of  Berkshire,  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  the  river  Thames.     (Jar  elevation  is  some- 


useful  to  some  of  your  manj'  amateur  readers 
interested  in  hardy  fruit  culture,  and  also  in  the 
hope  it  maybe  the  means  of  making  many  converts 
to  this  interesting  and  important  industrj'.  On 
the  approach  of  Christmas  good  varieties  of  Apples 
and  Pears  are  considerably  narrowed  down  to  what 
they  have  been  in  the  preceding  months,  and  this 
refers  especially  to  Pears.  The  Apple  being, 
without  doubt,  the  most  important  British  fruit, 
it  is  m3'  pleasure  to  bring  before  j'our  readers  the 
variety  of  what  I  am  sure  I  may  by  universal 
consent  call  the  tiueen  of  dessert  Apples,  namely, 
Cox's  Orange  Pippin.  I  am  aware  that  some  other 
aspirants  to  fame  have  had  the  temerity  of 
challenging  its  position  in  this  respect,  but  there 
is  not  one  that  has  the  ghost  of  a  chance.  It  is 
HiK  dessert  Apple,  certainly  from  the  beginning  of 
October  to  the  middle  of  February,  and  let  me 
advise  all  who  love  a  good  Apple  to  plant  it 
largely. 

It  succeeds  very  well  as  a  standard  or  a  bush 
tree,  (irown  as  a  standard  it  is  best  worked  on 
the  crab,  but  ,ts  a  bush  the  best  results  are  obtained 
from  trees  worked  on  the  Paradise  stock.  With 
us  it  grows  freely  and  fairly  abundantly,  especially 
in  the  bush  form.  To  Mr.  Charles  Turner,  of  the 
Royal  Nursery,  .Slough,  I  believe  belongs  the  credit 
of  introducing  this  superb  Apple. 

livyiU  (j'arddis,  Windsor.  Owen  Thom.a^. 


■' Wii.p  (iARDKN"  (Cornwall)  asks  for  advice  as 
follows  ; — "  I  have  a  young  wood  of  some  fifteen 
years  growth,  mixed  forest  trees,  lieech.  Larch, 
Oak,  Pinus  insignis.  (^'upressus  niacrocarpa,  itc. 
It  is  about  eight  acres  and  nearly  flat;  soil  an 
excellent  deep  loam — never  very  dry — with  good 
outside  '  face  "  to  stop  wind  ;  it  is  on  high  grcinid. 
but  its  '  face '  keeps  it  sheltered  inside.  I  have 
(luring  the  past  seven  jears  gradually  planted  this 
wood  with  a  view  to  a  wild  garden.  It  is  now 
planted  with  Sikkim  Rhoilodendrons,  Bamboos, 
Palms.  A/aleas,  tlowerinji  shrubs,  iti-.  ;  these  are 
more  i-r  less  grouped  in  varieties.  I  now  propose 
to  cut  out  the  forest  trees — leaving  some  of  the 
best  insignis  and  niacrocarpa — and  plant  better 
things  as  background  to  the  shrubs,  such  as  good 
varieties  of  Holly,  Yew,  and  Conifers.  What 
varieties  of  Holly,  Yew,  and  Conifer  do  jou  recom- 
mend ?  Also,  would  you  recommend  me  to  group 
them  in  varieties?  Spruce  do  not  thrive,  and  high 
growing  Conifers  will  feel  the  wind  when  they  get 
above  the  '  face.'" 

[The  original  meaning  and  intention  of  wild 
gardening  being  to  enrich  places  of  wild  growth 
with  such  exotic  plants  as  may  thri\"e  and  look 
right  in  character,  it  seems  desirable  rirst  of  all  to 
keep  the  main  sheltering  growth  as  simple  as 
possible,  using  for  preference  native  trees  and 
bushes  in  large  numbers  of  the  same  kinds,  and 
grouping  them  alone  or  in  very  simple  mixtures  of 
not  more  than  two  or  three  kinds  within  view  at 
one  glance.  We  should,  therefore,  advise  a  distinct 
preponderance  of  some  simple  ihings  like  green 
Knglish  Yew,  green  Holly,  or  the  broad-leaved 
Hodgins  Holly,  but  not  a  number  of  varieties  and 
none  variegated.  If  too  many  kinds  are  used  it 
will  not  be  a  wild  garden  aij  all,  but  a  planted 
shrubbery  of  a  much  more  ordinary  type.  There 
is  nothing  against  using  a  foreign  tree  or  shrub, 
such  as  Cupressus  niacrocarpa,  if  it  be  ])lanted  in 
large  enough  quantity  to  make  it  look  as  if  occupy- 
ing a  stretch  of  land  where  it  is,  at  home  rather 
than  being  on  view  as  a  garden  specimen.  More- 
over, this  good  Cypress  has  many  advantages  in 
itself ;  it  is  a  beautiful  thing,  even  in  a  young  state, 
quick  of  growth,  and  though  tender  in  many  parts 
of  England,  just  suited  to  your  Cornish  climate. 
If  you  have  these  three  Conifers  in  good  quantity — 
Yew,  Pinus  insignis,  and  Cupressus  niacrocarpa — 
we  think  j'ou  will  have  ample,  as  to  numbers  of 
kinds  for  your  space  of  eight  acres  ;  indeed,  they 
will  only  have  just  room  enough,  with  bold  plantings 
of  Holly,  or.  still  better,  of  Evergreen  Oaks,  to  let 
them  show  whaL  they  will  do  for  j'ou  in  wide  simple 
groupings.  A  smaller  tree  that  would  suit  in  all 
ways  is  Tamarisk  ;  this  we  should  advise  you 
to  plant  largely,  especially  near  the  Monterey' 
Cypresses,  which  already  have  a  slight  Tamarisk 
look  of  their  own,  that  would  all  the  better  fit 
them  for  near  companionship.  Junipers — the 
common  kind  always  the  best— would  also  suit 
well  with  such  a  planting,  treating  them  rather  as 
large  bushes  than  as  trees,  though,  given  suitable 
conditions,  they  will  grow  over  'M\  feet  high.  With 
these  good  things  established  in  wide  colonies  upon 
grass,  there  will  be  little  difhculty  in  so  planting 
the  rest  that  you  will  have  a  beautiful  wild  garden, 
but  we  earnestly  advise  3'ou  to  bear  in  mind  that 
the  fewer  and  simpler  tlie  kinds  of  plants  chosen 
the  better  will  be  the  result.  It  is  not  easy  lo 
restrain  oneself  to  a  limited  use  of  the  few  things 
needed.  In  the  wild  garden  more  than  anywhere 
else  is  wanted  the  simple  picture  of  some  one  dis- 
play at  a  time  of  some  beautiful  foreign  plant, 
acclimatised  and  suited  with  an  English  home. 
No  branch  of  gardening  needs  more  knowleilge  of 
plants  or  a  more  careful  exeivise  of  restraint  and 
caution  in  the  matter  of  choice. — Ens.  | 

CUTLTUKE    OF   BEGONIA  GLOIHK    \)V. 
LORRAINE. 

I  Mii'ii  admire  the  illustration  of  Begonia  (iloiru  de 
Lorraine  iuTuE  Garoex  of  December  '29.  I  should 
esteem  it  a  favour  if  you  Will  tell  nie  the  best  wa_\' 
to  grow  it.      1  have  a  plant  of  it  that  I  Ijought  of  a 


January  12,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


35 


nurseryman  last  spring  when  in  full  flower.  It  has 
been  in  a  cool  greenhouse  since  .June,  but  looks 
sickly  and  small.  I  shall  be  glad  of  advice  as  to 
its  culture.— M.  A.  C. 

[To  succeed  with  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  it 
needs  a  temperature  above  that  of  a  cool  green- 
house, and  this  is  probably  the  reason  of  yours 
proving  unsatisfactorj'.  The  usual  method  of  grow- 
ing it  is  this  : — As  the  plants  show  signs  of  exhaus- 
tion after  flowering,  which  will  be  the  case  with 
some  at  this  lime  of  the  year,  they  are  kept  rather 
dryer  at  the  roots,  in  a  structure  with  a  minimum 
temperature  of  .55°.  As  the  days  lengthen  a 
little  additional  heat  is  an  advantage,  and  in  a 
temperature  of  60°  to  70°  the  plants  which  have 
been  previously  shortened  back  will  push  forth 
young  slioots  from  the  base.  It  is  these  shoots 
that  form  the  only  satisfactory  cuttings,  portions 
of  the  flowering  sprays  being  quite  useless  for  the 
purpose.  When  about  3  inches  long  these  young 
shoots  may  be  taken  off  and  inserted  singly  into 
small  pots,  in  a  compost  formed  of  equal  parts  of 
loam,  leaf -mould,  and  silver  sand,  the  whole  being 
passed  through  a  sieve  with  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
mesh — the  only  time  that  a  sieve  should  be  employed 
when  preparing  the  soil.  Then,  in  a  close  pro- 
pagating case,  in,  if  possible,  a  structure  slightly 
warmer  than  that  in  which  they  have  been  grown, 
the  cuttings  will  soon  root,  when  they  must  be  at 
once  inured  to  the  ordinary  atmosphere  of  the 
house.  In  about  a  fortnight  after  they  may  be 
potted  into  3-inoh  pots,  using  equal  parts  of  loam 
and  leaf-mould,  with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of  sand. 
If  kept  in  a  temperature  of  60°  to  V.?"  the  young 
plants  will  grow  quickly,  and  when  large  enough 
may  be  put  into  their  flowering  pots,  a  suitable 
size  being  5  inches  in  diameter.  A  mixture  of  two 
parts  loam  to  one  part  leaf-mould  and  well  decayed 
manure,  with  a  little  sand,  will  suit  the  plants  well 
for  their  final  shift.  In  this  way  good  flowering 
specimens  may  be  obtained  by  the  autumn,  and 
they  will  continue  to  flower  for  months,  but  a  mini- 
mum temperature  of  .55°  is  essential  to  their  well 
doing.  If  an  increase  of  stock  is  not  needed,  the 
old  plants  can  be  grown  on,  in  which  case  they 
must  be  treated  as  above  recommended  till  the 
young  shoots  make  their  appearance,  when  the 
plant  which  has  been  previously  shortened  must 
be  cut  back  to  within  a  few  inches  of  tlie  soil,  of 
course  taking  care  not  to  cut  off  any  promising 
shoots  towards  the  base.  Then,  when  these  shoots 
are  about  an  inch  long,  the  plant  should  be  turned 
out  of  the  pot,  the  greater  portion  of  the  soil 
shaken  off,  and  repotted  in  the  compost  above 
recommended  for  the  final  shift.  If  you  were  to 
treat  yours  in  this  way  it  would  give  satisfaction.] 


GROWING  AMERICAN  WILD  FLOWERS. 

"  Northern'  "  writes  as  follows  from  Northumber- 
land : — "I  shall  be  glad  of  advice  on  the  subject 
of  growing  some  of  the  beautiful  American  wild 
flowers  described  as  inhabitants  of  woods  and 
swamps.  My  idea  is  to  make  an  irregular-shaped 
mound  of  sandy  soil,  sinking  in  the  middle  a  large 
old  iron  bath  7  feet  long  by  4  feet  deep,  to  make  a 
damp,  peaty  spot.  Or  would  large  holes,  filled 
with  suitable  soil  and  surrounded  with  big  stones, 
be  better  ?  I  have  plenty  of  sandstone  and  rirer 
sand.  The  place  is  shaded  from  the  south  and 
west  by  belts  of  trees.  These  wood  plants  seem 
to  be  so  seldom  grown  in  our  English  gardens.  I 
shall  be  grateful  for  any  hints  on  the  subject." 

[The  old  bath  will  be  of  use  as  the  foundation  of 
the  moistest  spot,  but  it  should  be  well  buried 
under  ground,  so  that  no  edges  could  possibly 
show.  A  few  stepping-stones  could  be  placed  over 
portions  of  the  edge  the  better  to  define  the 
swampy  area  ;  not  exactly  all  round  it,  but  so  as 
to  show  the  boundary,  say,  for  two-thirds  of  the 
way,  when  a  stone  or  two  would  be  enough  to 
mark  the  rest.  Within  this,  the  dampest  space, 
^  would  be  the  place  for  the  grand  Cypripedium 
'  spectabile,  Sarracenia  and  Rhexia,  Lobelia  oardi- 
nalis  and  Lilium  superbum,  with  the  moisture- 
loving  Ferns  Onoclea  sensibilis  and  Osmunda  einna- 
momea.  Just  outside  the  dampest  place,  but  still 
in  cool  beds  of  vegetable  soil,  would  come  Monarda 
didyma  (the  Scarlet  Balm),  12  feet  high  and  bril- 


liant in  July  ;  and  for  late  autumn-blooming  of 
about  the  same  height,  Gentiana  Andrewsi  and 
the  graceful  l.iillenia  and  Smilacina  racemosa.  As 
shrubs  and  plants  of  taller  growth,  Kalniia  lati- 
folia,  Rubus  nutkanus,  and  R.  odoratus,  with  the 
bold,  white  plumed  Spiraea  Aruncus  ;  for  a  lovely 
spring  flower  Mertensia  virginica  should  be  planted 
with  a  group  of  Ferns,  because  it  dies  earl}'.  This 
beautiful  plant  may  well  be  associated  with  Tiarella 
cordifolia  and  Uvularia  grandiilora,  also  flowers  of 
earliest  summer.  Gaultheriaprocajmbens,  Mitohella 
repens,  and  Cornus  canadensis  will  give  close 
carpets  of  dainty  shrubby  growths,  and  there 
should  be  spreading  tufts  of  Sanguinaria  cana- 
densis, with  the  Asarums,  whose  leathery  leaves, 
much  like  Cyclamen,  persist  the  whole  year 
through.  One  of  the  loveliest  of  woodland  plants, 
Trillium  grandiflorum,  would  also  come  in  the 
shadier  part  of  this  region,  and  also  the  3'ellow 
long-spurred  Aquilegiacanadense  and  the  beautiful 
blue  Columbine  (A.  ccerulea)  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. Here  also,  best  grouped  among  Ferns,  would 
come  the  other  tall  Lilies  canadense  and  superbum. 
In  rather  drier  and  more  sunny  ground  places 
should  be  found  for  the  creeping  Phlox  divaricata 
and  the  varieties  of  P.  subulata,  and  for  Pent- 
stemon  glaber  and  the  Silkweed  (Asclepias  inear- 
nata),  with  the  shorter-growing,  bright  orange- 
flowered  A.  tuberosa.  Chrysogonum  virginicuni, 
a  low-growing  plant  with  yellow  composite  flowers, 
is  worth  growing  though  not  indispensable,  but 
will  be  content  to  push  its  white  root-runners 
through  the  earth  in  spots  of  secondary  impoit- 
ance,  but  it  has  the  merit  of  a  long  flowering  season 
in  the  late  summer.  Claytonia  virginica  is  a  pretty 
little  plant  of  spring,  but  dies  away  entirely  quite 
early.  Houstonia  is  a  little  gem,  while,  if  there  is 
a  hot,  sunny  spot  in  dr}'  rockwork,  there  should 
be  a  bold  tuft  of  Opuntia  Rafinesqui.  With  these 
North  American  plants  alone,  to  say  nothing  of 
well-known  things  of  taller  growth,  such  as  the 
perennial  Sunflowers,  Golden  Rods,  and  Michaelmas 
Daisies,  a  whole  beautiful  garden,  and  mostly  a 
wood-garden,  may  be  made.] 


[At:  readers  sometimes  ask  questions  of  yeneral 
interest  and  requiring  longer  replies  than  can  he 
given  in  the  usual  column,  we  have  created  this  new 
heading  as  a  means  of  rendering  a.s-  much  assistance 
as  possible.  At  the  same  time,  we  hope  our  replies 
loill  not  deter  any  readers  experienced  in  the  matters 
dealt  with  from  recording  their  hiondedge  also.  — 
Eds.] 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


M 


THE   FLOWER  GARDEN. 

Water  Lilies  in  Winter. 
GST  of  the  new  Water  Lilies  are  quite 
as  hardy  as  the  old  Nymphfea  alba, 
and  where  they  are  established  in 
ponds  of  deep  water,  with  their 
crowns  some  2  feet  below  the  surface, 
they  will  need  no  further  protection  ; 
but  there  are  so  many  people  now  trying  them  in 
a  small  way,  either  in  tubs  or  in  artificial  shallow 
ponds,  that  a  caution  may  be  useful  as  to  not  letting 
these  go  without  protection  long  enough  to  permit 
the  whole  of  the  water  to  become  frozen  through. 
A  few  inches  of  ice  will  be  of  no  moment,  but  when 
severe  frost  sets  in  the  tubs  must  be  covered.  I 
use  a  framework  of  wood  thatched  over  with  straw 
on  each  large  tub,  and  this  was  quite  sufficient  for 
last  winter  ;  but  with  more  severe  weather  I 
should  put  a  few  inches  of  dry  leaves  or  bracken 
over  the  thatch,  and  a  mat  over  all  to  hold  the 
leaves  in  place.  A  very  thick  coating  of  leaves 
would  do  more  harm  than  good,  as  it  would 
probably  become  heated. 

Yuccas. 
These  noble-looking  plants  might  be  more  often 
grown  in  northern  gardens  than  they  are  if  the 
simple  means  of  drawing  the  leaves  upwards  and 
tying  them  fairly  tight,  towards  the  tips,  above 
the  crown  of  the. plants,  were  taken  in  winter  to 
protect  the  hearts  and   younger  foliage  from  snow 


and  wet,  combined  with  frost.  If  the  plants  are 
tall  and  leggy  the  stems  might  also  be  protected 
by  hay-bands  twisted  neatly  round  them. 

Carnations. 
Carnations  being  shallow  rooting,  especially  as 
regards  layers  replanted  this  autumn,  are  often 
partially  thrown  out  of  the  ground  Ijy  each 
rec'urring  frost  of  any  severity,'  so  whenever  a 
thaw  occurs  the  beds  or  groups  should  be  gone 
over  and  the  plants  pressed  well  back  into  the  .soil 
again.  Neglect  of  this  will  lead  to  many  gaps 
that  have  to  be  filled  up  again  in  spring  with 
plants  that  will  not  flower  so  well  nor  so  strongly 
as  those  planted.  Carnations  being  wintered 
under  glass  in  pots  for  spring  planting  must  be 
kept  quite  dry  at  the  root,  for  they  will,  if  standing 
on  ashes  in  a  cold  frame,  absorb  quite  sufficient 
moisture  from  their  surroundings  to  hold  them 
safe  for  the  present. 

Herbaceous  Plants. 
Many  of  these  are  slow  to  root  if  replanted  in 
autumn,  and  the  remarks  as   to  refixing   the  Car- 
nations  are   equally  applicable    to   many  subjects 
grown  in  mixed  borders. 

Bedding  Pelarconiums. 

Earlj'  struck  bedding  Pelargoniums  will  make 
finer  plants  for  bedding  out  if  they  now  have  their 
tops  jjinched  out  so  that  they  may  break  again 
ready  to  form  bushy  plants  a  few  weeks  hence 
after  being  either  potted  or  boxed  off  again. 
When  allowed  to  grow  to  a  single  stem  only  thev 
often  become  leggy  and  awkward  to  deal  with  at 
planting  time.  For  the  present  stock  of  this  sort 
should  be  kept  fairly  dry  at  the  root,  and  no 
attempt  to  start  them  into  growth  should  be  made 
for  a  week  or  two.  J.  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Nail  Gardens,  Derby. 


FRUIT  GARDEN. 

Forcing  Strawberries. 
In  a  few  cases  for  very  early  supplies  forcing  may 
have  commenced  before  this  date,  but  I  do  not 
advise  too  early  forcing  for  several  reasons.  One, 
and  a  strong  one  also,  is  that  in  all  gardening 
matters  the  crop  obtained  is  not  commensurate 
with  the  labour  and  cost  entailed.  Of  course, 
where  cost  is  not  considered,  ni}'  remarks  are  not 
applicable  ;  but  even  then  hard  forcing  should  be 
avoided,  as  the  fruits  lack  quality  grown  thus. 
Nothing  new  can  be  advised  respecting  the  forcing, 
and  I  will  describe  our  own  methods.  .  On  the 
other  hand,  large  quantities  at  one  time  may  not 
be  needed,  so  that  as  regards  numbers  of  plants 
each  case  must  be  considered  on  its  merits.  If  a 
gentle  bottom  heat  can  be  afforded  the  plants  at 
the  start  thus  early  in  the  year  so  much  the 
better.  On  the  other  hand,  many  grow  fine  fruits 
independent  of  bottom  heat  b\-  placing  the  plants 
in  fruit  houses,  such  as  vineries  or  Peach  houses, 
just  being  started.  The  temperature  given  these 
houses  just  suits  the  Straivberr}'.  The  plants  ma}' 
be  placed  on  shelves,  and  in  this  position  they  get 
abundance  of  light.  If  a  Strawberry  house  or  a 
small  pit  can  be  afl:brded  these  plants  so  much  the 
better,  as  here  the  best  treatment  can  be  given. 
The  temperature  should  commence  at  50°  to  55° 
by  night,  the  minimum  in  cold  weather,  with  a 
rise  of  10°  by  day,  and  allow  the  thermometer  to 
run  up  freely  on  bright  days.  Damp  overhead  in 
bright  weather,  and  water  sparingly  with  tepid 
water  till  growth  is  vigorous. 

Preparing  the  Plants. 
Many  growers  are  unable  to  house  large  quanti- 
ties of  plants  under  glass  and  tliey  are  plunged  in 
the  open  or  given  temporary  shelter.  In  the  case 
of  plants  plunged  in  open  beds,  they  are  apt  to  get 
frozen  so  badly  that  at  tlie  time  needed  to  force 
they  cannot  be  handled.  To  avoid  this  it  is  a 
good  plan  for  plants  to  fruit,  say,  in  ilarch  or 
April,  to  house  now  in  cold  frames  or  fruit  houses 
at  rest ;  but  in  the  latter  it  is  not  well  to  let  the 
plants  get  dry  at  the  roots,  or  the  crowns  become 
weakened.  If  placed  in  a  gentle  warmth  to  start, 
leaves  are  good,  as  these  heat  slowly  and  give  off 
a  nice  moisture.  If  manures  are  used  for  bottom 
heat  it  is  not  well  for  the  temperature  to  exceed 


36 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  12,  1901. 


80°.  One  of  the  difficulties  growers  have  to  con- 
tend with  with  forced  Strawberries  is  mildew,  and 
some  plants  are  more  subject  to  this  pest  than 
others.  Prevention  is  better  than  cure,  and  if 
the  plants  are  dressed  with  a  sulphur  solution 
before  they  are  started  they  will  keep  clean.  It  is 
a  good  plan  to  dip  the  leaves,  first  removing  any 
decayed  ones.  I  do  not  advise  top-dressing 
Strawberrj'  plants  before  placing  in  their  forcing 
quarters.  1  fail  to  see  the  necessit}'  of  this,  as  the 
new  soil  added  keeps  wet  and  the  older  soil  and 
roots  are  dry  and  suffer.  Whatever  feeding  is 
needed  can  be  done  later  on  in  tlie  shape  of  liquid 
manures  and  fertilisers.  It  is  well  to  see  that  the 
drainage  is  perfect,  to  get  rid  of  worms  in  the  pots 
by  watering  with  lime-water,  and  to  clear  the  pots 
before  placing  on  sheh'es. 

Varieties,  .\nd  other  Methods  of  Forcing. 

Many  market  growers,  also  amateurs,  get  good 
fruits  by  diverse  methods.  Large  quantities  may 
be  started  by  placing  the  plants  close  together  and 
then  selecting  the  most  advanced  and  placing  in  a 
warm  house  ;  but  up  to  the  time  the  plants  have 
set  their  flowers  hard  forcing  must  be  avoided. 
If  possible  give  a  free  circulation  of  air  on  all 
favourable  occasions.  Strawberries  do  well  with 
onlj'  frame  protection,  providing  a  little  warmth 
can  be  given,  and  if  bottom  heat  can  be  afforded 
so  much  the  better.  Pot  Strawberries  plunged  in 
the  warm  bed  soon  respond  and  ."how  flower 
trusses  ;  but,  of  course,  the  plants  grown  thus  need 
more  time  than  in  modern  houses  or  on  shelves. 
In  mixed  houses  plants  may  be  forced  if  the 
temperature  is  not  too  high.  I  have  seen  excellent 
results  from  plants  cut  out  of  the  soil  with  a  spade, 
with  the  roots  intact,  and  placed  in  boxes  in  front 
of  fruit  houses,  or  the  plants  potted  up  and  put  on 
shelves  or  boards  fixed  over  the  hot-water  pipes — 
a  flow  and  return  pipe  in  frames  will  grow  good 
material.  As  regards  varieties  for  earliness,  our 
best  is  the  Vicomtesse  H.  de  Thury,  not  a  large 
variety,  but  one  of  the  best  flavoured,  and  this  will 
set  in  more  heat  than  most  other  kinds  ;  indeed, 
we  have  grown  it  in  a  moist  Cucumber  house.  For 
later  use,  the  Royal  Sovereign  cannot  be  beaten. 
This  is  now  well  known,  and  does  not  need 
praising  ;  it  is  the  most  useful  of  all. 

G.  Wythes. 

SyoH  ffou«e  Gardens,  Brenfford. 

KITCHEN     GARDEN. 

General  Remarks. 
Havini:  decided  where  the  principal  crops  are  to 
be  grown,  advantage  should  be  taken  of  dry 
mornings  to  wheel  manure  to  the  different  quarters 
in  readiness  for  digging  and  trenching,  which 
should  be  proceeded  with  on  every  favourable 
occasion.  A  good  depth  of  soil  is  necessary  for 
the  successful  cultivation  of  vegetables..  An  effort 
should  be  made  to  trench  as  much  as  possible  each 
season.  Where  the  subsoil  is  cold  it  is  not  desirable 
to  bring  too  much  of  it  to  the  surface,  as  by  so 
doing  the  ground  will  be  rendered  unfit  for  the 
reception  of  small  seeds  for  some  time  to  come. 
The  subsoil  maybe  materially  improved  by  forking 
into  the  bottom  of  each  trench  a  cjuantity  of  old 
lime  rubble,  wood  ashes,  or  any  decayed  vegetable 
matter  that  may  be  available.  During  the  present 
mild  weather  care  must  be  taken  of  the  storage  of 
early  seed  Potatoes,  whicli  should  be  spread  out  as 
thinly  as  po.ssible  to  prevent  untimely  sprouting. 
The  same  remark  applies  to  the  (hiion  loft,  which 
should  be  looked  over  on  wet  days,  throwing  away 
all  rotten  bulbs,  and  putting  on  one  side  for 
immediate  use  those  beginning  to  sprout.  Give 
abundance  of  air  to  Cauliflower  plants  in  frames, 
also  Lettuce  and  Endive.  'I'he  lights  may  be 
removed  on  fine  days,  but  the  plants  must  not  be 
subjected  to  heavy  rain. 

Seed  List. 
As  many  of  the  vegetable  seeds  will  shortly 
be  required,  the  order  should  be  got  ready  and 
despatched  without  delay.  The  improvement  that 
has  taken  place  within  the  last  few  years  amongst 
vegetables  renders  the  trial  of  a  few  novelties 
necessary  in  order  tliat  some  of  the  old  varieties 


may  give  place  to  those  of  recent  introduction, 
and  especially  amongst  Peas.  At  the  same  time 
I  would  advise  no  one  to  rely  on  any  novelty  to 
the  exclusion  of  standard  varieties  without  first 
giving  it  a  trial  in  a  small  way. 

French  Beans. 

Fortnightly  sowings  should  be  made  from  now- 
onward  to  ensure  a  constant  supply.  Seven-inch 
pots  are  the  best  for  the  purpose.  Fill  three-parts 
full  of  rich  soil  and  place  seven  or  eight  Beans  in 
each  pot.  Cover  lightly  with  fine  soil  and  place  in 
a  temperature  of  70°.  When  the  plants  are  a  few 
inches  high  they  ma}'  be  earthed  up,  and  with  a 
liberal  use  of  the  syringe  the  Beans  should  be  ready 
to  gather  within  seven  weeks  from  the  date  of 
sowing.  I  find  Osborn's  Forcing  the  best  variety 
for  this  purpose.  It  takes  up  less  room  than  most 
varieties,  and  if  given  plenty  of  light  and  air  can 
be  grown  without  sticks. 

Cucdmeers. 

If  the  seeds  for  the  early  batch  have  not  already 
been  sown  no  time  should  be  lost  before  they  are. 
The  best  way  is  to  sow  in  small  pots,  using  fine 
sifted  loam  and  leaf-soil  in  equal  quantities.  Plunge 
in  a  brisk  bottom  heat  as  near  the  glass  as  possible, 
and  cover  over  with  pieces  of  glass  until  the  young 
plants  make  their  appearance,  when  of  course  it 
must  be  removed.  As  soon  as  the  plants  are  large 
enough  they  should  be  tied  up  to  a  small  stick  to 
prevent  twisting  about  by  the  syringe,  which  must 
be  used  with  great  care.  A  night  temperature  of 
70°,  and  75°  to  80°  by  day  in  mild  weather  will 
suit  the  young  plants  well.  John  Dunn. 

The  Royal  Kilchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 


Mr.    Henry    Cannell,  the  well  known 

nurseryman  at  Swanley,  lectured  recently  before 
the  Grays  and  Orpington  Gardeners'  Society  upon 
the  benefits  of  vegetarianism,  based  upon  some 
years  practical  experience. 

Obitua.Py. — We  are  very  sorry  to  hear  of  the 
death  of  the  only  son  of  Mr.  N.  E.  Brown,  of  the 
Kew  herbarium,  which  took  place  on  Tuesday  last. 
We  tender  our  sincere  S3'mpath}'  to  Mr.  Brown 
and  family  in  their  trouble. 

Annual  meeting"  of  the   National 

Dahlia  Society.— This  was  held  on  Tues- 
day afternoon  last,  at  the  Horticultural  Club.  Mr. 
Mawley  was  in  the  chair,  and  he  was  supported 
by  Mr.  C.  E.  Wilkins,  treasurer,  and  Mr.  .T.  F. 
Hudson,  hon.  secretary.  We  must,  through  pressure 
upon  our  space,  leave  over  a  full  report  until  next 
week. 

The  Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent 

Institution. — The  committee  have  the  pleasure 
to  announce  that  the  annual  friendly  supper  will 
take  place,  after  the  annual  general  meeting,  on 
Tuesday  evening,  January  "22,  at  Simpson's, 
101,  Strand,  London,  at  (i  p.m.,  when  Alderman 
Robert  Piper,  of  Worthing  (country  member  of 
committee  of  management),  will  preside.  As  the 
accommodation  is  limited,  the  stewards  for  the 
evening,  Messrs.  (Jeorge  Monro,  W.  V.  Baker,  and 
Owen  Thomas,  will  be  greatly  obliged  by  an  early 
intimation  being  sent  to  the  secretary'  from  those 
friends  who  desire  to  be  present  on  the  occasion, 
in  order  that  proper  arrangements  may  be  made. 
The  price  of  the  supper  will  be,  as  usual,  7s.  6d. 
As  previously  announced,  the  annual  meeting  will 
take  place  at  three  o'clock  on  the  same  da}',  Mr. 
Harry  Veitch  in  the  chair.  All  the  voting  papers 
have  been  issued.  Any  subscriber  who  has  not 
received  a  copy  should  communicate  with  the 
secretary,  (George  .1.  Ingram,  17.),  Vietoria  Stree/, 
LotidoH,  S.  W. 
The   Kew  Guild  Journal.— Past  and 

present  members  of  the  Royal  (iardens,  Kew, 
always  welcome  with  pleasure  the  appearance  of 
the  above  publication.  The  eighth  annual  journal 
has  recently  reached  us,  and  proves  to  be  equallj' 
as  interesting,  if  not  more  so,  than  its  predecessors, 
which  is  saying  a  great  deal.  The  Kew  (Juild  is 
an  association  of  all  who  arc,  or  who  have  been  at 
any  time,  emploj'ed  as  gardeners  or  in  any  position 
of  responsibility  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  and  the 
journal   is   the   ofiicial   publication    of   the   guild. 


Until  last  year  the  only  opportunity  afforded  to 
past  and  present  Kewites  of  meeting  each  other 
was  on  the  occasion  of  the  annual  general  meeting, 
held  in  February  of  each  year.  This,  however, 
was  felt  to  be  insufficient,  and  in  February,  1000, 
it  was  decided  to  hold  an  annual  dinner  in  the 
month  of  May.  The  first  of  these  functions  took 
place  at  the  Holborn  Restaurant,  on  May  22  last, 
and  was  an  unqualified  success.  The  frontisjiiece 
of  the  journal  alwaj's  consists  of  the  portrait  of 
some  distinguished  past  or  present  Kewite,  and 
this  year  this  honour  has  fallen  to  Herr  H. 
Wendland,  director  of  the  Royal  Gardens, 
Herrenhausen,  Hanover,  who  left  Kew  in  1849, 
and  is  one  of  the  guild's  most  eminent  foreign 
members.  The  deaths  are  recorded  of  Dr.  G.  R. 
Cundell,  medical  officer  for  the  gardens ;  Mr. 
.James  Phillips,  Allahabad;  Mr.  .J.  M.  (ileeson, 
Madras  ;  Mr.  C.  Brown,  Kennington  Park  ;  and 
Mr.  H.  Walter,  Director  of  the  Royal  Gardens, 
Berlin.  The  report  of  the  debating  society  shows 
that  this  continues  to  do  important  work.  The 
average  attendance  was  41  out  of  a  membership 
of  54.  Five  lectures  were  contributed  bj'  the 
Kew  scientific  staff.  Besides  the  usual  course  of 
lectures  in  systematic,  economic,  and  geographical 
botany,  and  physics  and  chemistrj',  those  working 
in  the  Ro3'al  Gardens  have  the  advantage  of  a 
British  botany  club,  which  does  excellent  work 
during  the  summer  time.  Excursions  are  arranged 
to  various  districts  for  the  purpose  of  collecting 
and  determining  British  plants,  and  usually  under 
the  guidance  of  an  experienced  botanist.  Numerous 
are  the  appointments  recentlj'  made  from  Kew, 
both  to  the  colonies  and  at  home,  and  many  are 
the  interesting  letters  written  home  b}'  those 
in  far  away  lands  and  published  in  the  guild 
journal.  We  hope  again  to  refer  to  some  of  these. 
There  are  still  two  lad}'  gardeners  at  Kew  ;  several 
have  recently  obtained  appointments  from  Kew. 
As  complete  a  list  as  the  editor  has  been  able  to 
obtain  is  given  of  past  Kewites,  and  this  comprises 
names  from  all  parts  of  the  world  ;  the  present 
Kew  staff  is  also  detailed.  Two  excellent  supple- 
mentary illustrations  are  given  of  the  south  wing 
of  the  temperate  house  and  the  Rhododendron 
dell.  It  would  take  us  long  to  even  mention  all 
the  notes  and  letters  most  interesting  to  past  and 
present  Kewites  that  are  to  be  found  between  the 
covers  of  the  "  Kew  Guild  .Journal ; "  suffice  it  to 
say,  that  its  readers  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  who 
caimot  fail  to  enjoy  a  perusal  of  the  contents, 
owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Mr.  W.  Watson,  the 
editor,  whose  time  and  labour  are  freely  expended 
for  the  good  of  the  journal.  He  is  to  be  heartily 
congratulated  upon  the  result. 

ColChiCUm  RitChi.— In  some  notes  sent 
to  The  Garden  some  time  ago  I  did  not  mention 
Colchicum  Ritchi,  a  species  which  I  had  only 
procured  last  autumn  and  had  not  flowered.  It  is 
now  in  bloom,  and  is  a  pretty  little  Meadow 
Saffron,  which  is  none  the  less  attractive  from  its 
producing  its  leaves  with  the  flowers.  The  flowers 
on  ni}'  plant  are  what  may  be  called  rosy  pink,  and 
are  small  beside  those  of  the  Colchicunis  which 
have  preceded  it.  Mr.  Smith,  of  Newrj',  has,  how- 
ever, sent  me  a  plant  with  white  flowers,  slightly 
larger  in  size  than  those  of  the  pink-coloured 
form  I  have  had  here,  and  considerably  more 
pleasing.  This  white  variety  is  quite  a  desirable 
plant.  Mr.  Baker  classes  C.  Ritchi  along  with 
C.  montanum,  but  speaks  of  it  as  "forma  fila- 
nientis  basi  cristatis,"  small  distinction  for  garden 
purposes.  It  reminds  me  greatly  of  C.  hololophum, 
which  I  have  flowered,  but  have  lost.  That  also  is 
classed  with  C.  montanum. — S.  Arnott,  Carselhorii, 
hy  Dii»i/ri<.i,  X.B. 

Scarborough  Lily.  —  I  observe  that  a 
correspondent  refers  to  this  popular  name  for 
Vallota  purpurea,  with  an  expression  of  doubt  as 
to  its  origin.  I  have  a  vague  recollection  of  having 
somewhere  read  of  a  tradition  that  a  f|uantity  of 
bulbs  of  this  plant  were  cast  ashore  from  some 
shipwreck  without  injury  to  their  vitality,  and, 
liavingthus  become  pretty  connnon  in  tlic  vicinity, 
acijuired  tlie  name  of  the  place  which  had  given 
them  hospilalitj'.  Perhaps  some  of  your  readers 
may  be  able  to  throw  further  light  on  this  legend  ; 
Sr  lion  il'rercir  hen  tromlo. — W.  Thompson,  Ipmricli. 


<gtey- 


GARDEN. 


sdsfe^fe: 


-^^=^^^- 


No.  ]  522.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[January  19,  1901. 


ORIGIN    OF    THE     HYBRID 
NYMPH.^AS. 

W\\  have  more  than  once  ex- 
liressed  a  wish  to  know  the 
origin  of  the  beautifnl  hybrid 
Water  Lilies  whicli  have  given 
a  new  and  jiermanent  interest 
to  English  gardens,  and  our  frequent  corre- 
spondent, Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge,  of  the  Trinity 
College  Gardens,  Dublin,  referring  to  what 
".I.  F.  H."  expressed  in  his  note  on  Nyniphaja 
Froebeli  in  The  Garden,  .January  5,  page  11, 
says  "  that  it  would  be  a  most  valuable 
addition  to  our  botanical  and  horticultural 
knowledge  if  M.  Bory  Latour-Marliac  would 
tell  us  in  a  few  words  how  he  raised  his 
beautiful  strain  of  coloured  hardy  Water 
Lilies." 

When  we  consider  the  raw  material  il. 
Marliac  had  ready  to  his  hand  to  work  upon, 
we  think  we  may  guess  pretty  accurately  how 
the  new  hybrid  and  seedling  variations  origi- 
nated. Of  wild  or  native  species  and  vai'ieties 
there  were  Nyniph;ea  candidissima,  the  great 
white  Water  Lily  of  Hampton  Court,  which 
clearly  shows  its  luxuriant  influence  in  all  the 
N.  Marliacea  variations.  There  were  also  rose- 
coloured  and  yellow  kinds,  such  as  N.  Casparyi 
(=  N.  alba  rosea)  from  Sweden  and  N.  odorata 
rosea  from  North  America,  evidence  of  which 
may  be  seen  in  some  of  Marliac's  seedlings. 
N.  tlava,  the  yellow-flowered  Water  Lily  of 
Florida,  seems  to  have  exerted  its  influence  on 
N.  chromatella.  along  with  that  of  N.  candi- 
dissima, and  no  doubt  its  influence  is  seen  in 
N.  pygmaea  Helvola.  The  Leydekeri  forms 
suggest  N.  pygmaia  and  some  rosy  form  as 
having  been  their  j)arents,  and  N.  pygmtea 
Helvola  may  be  X.  pygmaea  crossed  with  N. 
flava. 

If  we  remember  that  all  M.  Marliac's  seed- 
lings fall  natiu-ally  into  three  main  groups, 
Mr.  Burbidge  writes  :  "  1  think  a  sidelight  is 
shed  on  their  probable  parentage.  Thus,  as 
before  assumed,  N.  candidissima,  crossed  with 
N.  flava  and  with  N.  alba  rosea,  seems  to 
account  for  all  the  large  and  vigorous-habited 
Marliacea  group. 

"  N.  Laydekeri,  as  hinted  above,  seems  to 
have  originated  from  N.  pygmiea,  crossed  with 
1^.  alba  rosea,  with  which  last  they  all  agree  in 
becoming  darker  in  tone  or  colour  day  after  | 
day.  Then  we  have  the  white  and  rosc-flowercd 
N.  odorata  group,  easily  recognised  by  their 
peculiarly  dainty  flowers.  The  so-called  N. 
odorata  sulphurea  and  its  larger-flowered  form 


t  are  a  little  anomalous,  there  being  but  little 
evidence  of  N.  odorata  having  exerted  any 
part  in  their  parentage.  They  have  the  habit 
of  N.  Marliacea  chromatella,  but  are  more 
spiky  ]ietalled  and  have  deeper  yellow  flowers. 
They  may  possibly  have  s])rung  from  N. 
flava  or  from  N.  Marliacea  chromatella,  crossed 
back  again  wi"th  polle]i  of  N.  flava.  Their 
vigorous  luxuriance  and  peculiar  Cactus-shaped 

j  flowers  render  them  very  distinct  additions  to 

1  hardy  Nymphieas.  Your  beautiful  coloured 
plate  of  N.  Froebeli  is  very  interesting,  and 
may  stand  as  evidence  of  a  valuable  lesson  on 
])ossible  variations  obtainable  by  mere  seminal 
selection,  for,  as  1  gather,  it  is  merely  one  of  a 
large  number  of  seedlings  from  N.  Casparyi, 
pure  and  simple.  Does  not  its  origin  suggest 
tiuite  a  similar  source  for  M.  ilarliac's  deep 
red  and  crimson  kinds  ?  To  me  it  looks  like  a 
smaller  edition  of  '  Wm.  Falconer,'  and  in 
colour  seems  between  N.  ellisiana  and  N. 
gloriosa.  Jn  any  case  it  is  a  very  lovely 
flower. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that,  now  two  or  three 
distinct  breaks  have  been  .secured  by  M. 
Marliac,  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  rear  seedlings 
in  quantity  and  select  from  them  the  best 
kinds  only  when  they  bloom,  all  of  which 
requires  ample  time  and  space  and  a  genial 
climate.  A  friend  made  a  special  visit  to 
Temple-.sur-Lot  a  year  or  two  ago  in  order  to 
see  M.  ilarliac's  Water  Lilies  and  his  system 
of  cultivation.  Many  of  the  seedlings  are 
grown  separately  in  small   tubs,  so  as   to  be 

,  quite  certain  of  their  identity,  itc,  at  all  times 
and  seasons.  Others  of  the  more  vigorous- 
habited  'kinds  are  grown  in  shallow  cement 
tanks,  pools,  or  basins,  along  with  other 
aquatics.  So  far  as  I  know  but  few,  if  any, 
seedlings  are  raised  in  America  from  American 
sown  seed,  and  thei'e  is  a  wonderful  ilarliacean 
'  look  '  or  appearance  about  some  of  the  so 
called  American  seedling  Water  Lilies." 


APPLES    ON    AVALLS    IN    THE 

NORTH. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  coiintr}'  Apples  may 
be  grown  on  walls  that  are  not  first-rate  grown 
otherwise.  I  am  aware  that  in  many  othei 
places  Apple  trees  give  a  good  return,  but  I  do  not 
advise  them  grown  thus,  as  I  have  observed  that 
there  are  so  few  failures  with  these  fruits  given 
good  culture.  Grown  as  bush  trees  they  are  most 
reliable.  My  note  more  refers  to  the  northern 
part,  (if  the  cnunlrv— Xnrtlnnuberland— and  f-er- 
taiuly  they  are  a  great  success,  as  the  fruits  for 
dessert,  if  given  wall  protection,  colour  so  much 
better,  and,  what  is  still  more  important,  some  of 
the  early  kinds  may  be  gathered  for  dessert  some 


time  in  advance  of  those  given  different  culture. 
The  actual  culture  I  <lo  not  intend  to  dwell  upon, 
and  I  fear  manj'  of  mj'  readers  will  not  think 
Apple  culture  on  walls  a  verj'  important  subject, 
as  with  a  glut  in  the  west  and  southern  parts  of 
the  country  they  may  think  wall  space  could  be 
placed  to  better  account.  I  was  a  few  j'ears  ago 
of  the  same  opinion,  but  since  I  have  seen  the 
splendid  fruits  obtained  from  walls,  and  the 
difference  both  in  appearance  and  quality,  I  am 
sure  in  the  county  named,  and  doubtless  in  others 
also  similar!}'  situated,  there  is  a  great  deal  to 
say  in  favour  of  dessert  varieties  being  grown 
on  walls. 

Of  course  I  do  not  advocate  cooking  kinds,  but 
this  is  done  in  some  districts  for  special  purposes, 
and  in  more  favoured  localities,  such  as  the  West 
of  England,  I  remember  seeing  the  best  lot  of 
Peasgood's  Nonsuch  on  a  wall  I  ever  saw,  and  in 
parts  of  North  and  South  ^Vales  I  have  seen  grand 
fruits  of  the  Ribston  grown  on  east  and  west 
walls.  The  Apples  grown  thus  at  Alnwick  Castle 
do  remarkably  well  and  are  fine  trees,  having  been 
planted  by  Mr.  Harris  I  should  sa}'  from  ten  to 
fifteen  3ears  ago,  and  certainly  the  crops  during 
!  the  past  two  years  have  been  excellent. 

The  first  to  claim  attention  is  the  newer  Lad}' 
Sudeley,  and  grown  on  a  south-west  aspect  the 
fruits  are  very  fine  and  the  colour  superb.  The 
fruits  are  fit  for  table  some  time  in  advance  of  the 
usual  season  from  trees  in  the  open  and  in  the 
North.  Early  Apples  are  a  great  gain  for  dessert, 
and  the  variet}'  named  can  be  gathered  daily  from 
the  trees  and  used.  'I'his  Apple  is  eertainlj'  at 
home  in  the  North  (and  in  Scotland  it  was 
succeeding  well  grown  as  cordons  on  a  west  wall). 
The  trees  at  Alnwick  are  mostly  horizontally 
trained  and  cover  a  good  space.  Grown  thus  they 
produce  in  quantity,  and  are  grown  with  so  little 
attention  in  tlie  way  of  pruning  and  stopping,  as 
most  of  the  fruit  is  produced  on  spurs. 

Duchess  of  Oldenburgh  appears  to  be  a  splendid 
wall  tree,  and  is  prized  for  dessert.  I  am  aware  it 
''  is  classed  as  a  culinary  fruit,  but  many  persons 
like  its  brisk,  refreshing  flavour  in  September, 
!  and  grown  on  a  wall  it  is  very  handsome.  Of 
course,  no  list  of  wall  trees  would  be  complete 
without  Ribston  Pippin  and  Cox's  Orange,  and 
they  are  certainly  worthy  of  a  place  as  wall  trees, 
both  for  their  crop,  colour,  and  size,  and  in  the 
North,  at  least  in  some  cold,  exposed  soils  and 
situations,  Apples  do  not  colour  as  well  as  one 
!  could  wish,  and  this  is  avoided  with  wall  trees. 
I  do  not  advise  growing  Apples  and  omitting  other 
fruits  needing  shelter,  but  where  possible  it  will 
be  found  that  this  mode  of  culture  is  profitable. 
I  think  in  the  North  the  new  AUington  Pippin  will 
make  a  splendid  wall  tree,  as  grown  thus  it  colours 
splendidly,  having  a  beautiful  Peach-like  bloom. 
The  Mother  Apple  is  also  promising,  and  the 
I  Christmas  Pearmain  is  a  beautiful  fruit.  I  need 
I  not  go  into  varieties,  as  so  man\'  would  succeed  on 
walls  and  in  gardens  where  room  to  grow  these 
fruits  is  limited.  Many  could  grow  cordon  trees, 
which  can  often  be  planted  between  other  trees,  as 
they  take  up  so  little  space  if  grown  upright,  and 
give  a  quick  return.  I  do  not  advise  growing 
vcrv  strong  kinds  in  this  way,  as  they  need 
more  room  to  develop,  but,  as  previously  stated, 
there  is  no  lack  of  good  varieties. 

G.  Wythes. 
Syon  Hou-<e  Garilenx,  Brentford. 


88 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January    19,    1901. 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

EPIDENDEUM   CLAESIAX I'M. 

M.  Florent  Claes,  Orchid  grower,  .m,  Rue  des 
Champs,  Brussels,  sent  a  specimen  of  the  above 
bearing  manj'  drooping  racemes  of  small  white 
flowers.     Botanical  certificate. 

L.ELIA  AiSrCEPS  «IMt)Xl)SII. 

The  sepals  and  petals  of  this  charming  flower  are 
pure  white  ;  the  throat  is  beautifully  marked  with 
purple  lines,  and  having  a  band  of  pale  3'ellow 
along  the  base  ;  the  lip  white,  slightly  speckled 
with  faint  purple.  E.'chibited  by  Mr.  H.  F. 
Simoads,  F.R.H.S.,  Woodthorpe,  Southend  Road, 
Beckenham.     Award  of  merit. 


LYOASTE   LA8I0GL0SSUM. 

This  is  a  verj'  distinct  flower  of  good  size.  It 
was  shown  by  llessrs.  B.  S.  Williams  and  Sons, 
Upper  HoUoway,  N.  Tlie  sepals  are  deep  choco- 
late-brown in  colour,  the  upper  petals  3-ellow,  with 
a  faint  tinge  of  green  ;  the  lip  is  marked  with 
orange-red,  and  is  covered  with  soft  hairs.  The 
plant  shown  bore  several  flower-scapes,  two  flowers 
being  fully  open.     Award  of  merit. 

DENDROBIITM  ASHWORTH.E. 

The  flowers  of  this  Dendrobe  are  more  curious 
than  beautiful.  The  sepals  are  pale  greenish 
yellow,  as  also  is  the  lip.  The  two  upper  petals 
are  white,  narrow,  elongated,  and  curled  at  their 
bases,  becoming  towards  the  apex  broader  and 
flat.  A  tuft  of  soft,  long  hairs  is  noticeable 
at  the  junction  of  the  petals  and  flower-stalk. 
From  Mr.  E.  Ashworth,  Harefield  Hall,  Wilm- 
slow.     Award  of  merit. 

CYCLAMEN  LIBANOTICUM. 

This  is  a  new  hardy  species  with  prettily  marked 
leaves  and  prett3'  rosj'  pink  flowers.  These  are  of 
a  good  size  and  well  thrown  up  aljove  the  foliage, 
decidedly  an  acquisition  to  the  hardy  Cyclamen. 
Shown  by  Messrs.  G.  Jackman  and  Son,  Woking 
Nursery,  Woking.     Award  of  merit. 

PRIMULA    FLORIP.UNDA     GRANDI- 
FLORA    ISABELLINA. 

This  new  Primula  should  prove  to  be  a  most  useful 
one  for  the  greenhouse.  Its  habit  and  foliage  are  a 
great  improvement  on  P.  Horibunda.  The  flowers, 
creamj'  white  in  colour,  are  produced  very  freely, 
■and  the  persistent  flowering,  so  valuable  an  adjunct 
of  P.  floribunda,  is  apparentlj'  conserved  in  the 
above.  Exhibited  by  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart., 
Burford  Lodge,  Dorking  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Bain). 
Award  of  merit. 

*»*  All  the  above  were  shown  at  the  ineetiiiK  of  the  Koyal 
Horticultural  Society,  held  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster, 
on  Tuesday  last. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Obituary.  — We  are  grieved  to  hear  of  the 
death  of  Mrs.  (iordon,  wife  of  the  editor  of  the 
Oardi'iiers  A[u(jaz!iii,  after  a  serious  illness  of 
many  months. 

The  tallest  Beech  in  England.— The 

photograph  of  this  "beautiful  tree,  a  reproduction 
from  which  appeared  in  The  f  !ariien'  of  .lanuar}'  5, 
was  taken  by  Mr.  J.  T.  Newman,  of  the  Art 
Studio,  Berkhamsted.  We  are  sorry  that  we 
omitted  to  mention  this  at  the  time  of  its 
appearance. 

^Scottish  Hopticultupal  Associa- 
tion.— The  annual  business  meeting  of  this  asso- 
ciation was  liekl  on  the  !Sth  inst. ,  at  ~>,  St.  Andrew 
Square,  Edinburgh,  Mr.  I).  P.  Laird  presiding. 
The  report  of  the  secretary  (Mr.  R.  Laird)  showed 
continued  success  in  all  departments  of  the  society's 
work.  The  membership  was  nearly  1,0(10,  and  they 
were  one  of  the  leading  horticultural  societies  in 
the  country.  During  UIOO  six  life  members  were 
added  to  the  roll,  as  well  as  129  ordinary  nieinlicrs. 


while  nine  had  been  removed  by  death.  The 
treasurer's  report,  submitted  by  Mr.  W.  M'Kinnon, 
showed  that  the  funds  of  the  society  amounted  to 
£840  Uis.  Both  reports  were  adojjted,  and  a 
cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  awarded  ilr.  Laird  on 
his  retiring  from  secretarial  duties.  The  Duke  of 
Buccleuch  was  re-elected  honorarj-  president  :  Mr. 
Charles  Comfort  was  elected  president  ;  Messrs. 
Thomas  Fortune,  A.  Mackenzie,  George  Wood, 
and  R.  Laird,  vice-presidents;  Mr.  Peter  Lonee, 
(i,  Carlton  Street,  secretary  ;  and  Mr.  M'Kinnon 
treasurer. 

SeneciO  mag-nifleUS.  —  A  newly  intro- 
duced plant  nowadays  has  two  claims  to  the 
attention  of  horticulturists—  first  as  a  useful  or 
ornamental  plant:  and,  secondly,  as  a  breeder  from 
which  good  things  may 
be  obtained  bj'  h3'bri- 
disation.  If  a  plant 
cannot  be  recommended 
for  tiie  former  it  re- 
ceives consideration  in 
the  latter  capacity.  It 
would  be  easy  to  name 
a  long  list  of  specie' 
which  have  proved 
breeders  of  high  class 
garden  ])lants.  although 
they  themselves  were 
inferior.  The  introduc- 
tion from  Austialia  of 
a  distinct  and  horticul- 
turall3'  new  (Groundsel 
(S.  magnificus)  is  the 
latest  example.  In 
itself  of  no  more  decora- 
tive value  than  the 
conmion  Ragwort,  if  as 
much,  it  is  nevertheless 
possessed  of  certain 
peculiarities,  especially 
of  habit  and  foliage  and 
lime  of  flowering  that 
have  already  appealed 
to  the  raisers  of  hybrids, 
and  tlie  prospect  of 
infusing  some  of  these 
characters  into  such  as 
the  garden  Cineraria, 
which  is  of  course  a 
Senecio,  or  the  African 
S.  lilacinus,  or  the  beau- 
tiful but  delicate  S. 
pulcherfrom  Brazil,  has 
given  the  new  comer  an 
interest  which  other- 
wise it  would  not  have. 
Of  the  thousand  or  so 
species  of  Senecio  dis- 
tributed all  over  the 
world,  some  twenty- 
five  are  natives  of  and 
peculiar  to  Australia, 
and  S.  magnificus  is  one 
of  them.  It  is  an  erect, 
glabrous,  and  glaucous 
shrub  H  feet  high, 
freely  branched,  the 
stems  cylindrical  and 
striate,  the  leaves 
spathulate,  coarsely 
toothed,  narrowest  at 
the  base,  3  inches  long,  1  inch  wide,  and  almost 
succulent  in  texture,  'j'he  flowers  are  in  erect  ter- 
minal corymbs  of  from  four  to  a  dozen  heads,  each 
1 A  inches  across,  with  from  eight  to  twelve  ray  florets 
coloured  primrose-yellow,  and  a  disc  of  a  darker 
shade  of  yellow.  They  last  a  week  or  more,  and  the 
plant  continues  to  develop  them  from  earlj'  autumn 
to  midwinter  ;  at  any  rate,  it  has  done  so  at  Kew, 
where  it  is  still  in  flower,  having  been  raised  from 
seeds  re(^ei\ed  two  years  ago  from  Sydney.  It 
is  peremiial,  cuttings  of  it  root  readily,  and  it 
appears  likely  to  be  fruitful  of  seeds. — W.  W. 

Mildness  of  December,  1900.— From 

Essex  Miss  WiUniott  writes  tliat  ."lie  had  in  flower 
on  Christmas-day.  besides  Pyrus  japouica,  .las- 
niinum  nudiflorum,  Chrysanthenuims,  Hellebores, 
Pvoses,  and    all   these    good   things  :    Iris  alata,    [. 


Vartani,  I.  reticulata,  I.  daiifordi*,  I.  bakeriana, 
I.  histrio,  I.  rosenimchiana.  I.  unguicularis  vars. , 
Anemone  hortensis,  Sternbergia  fischeriana,  Galan- 
thus  Elwesi  ochrospeilus,  (i.  E.  unguiculatus, 
G.  E.  Whittalli,  (i.  cilicieus.  Crocus  Sieberi,  C. 
Imperati,  C.  anc3Tensis.  Merendera  sp.,  Fritillaria 
sp.,  Colchicum  Aggrippinum,  C  chionense  (varie- 
gatum).  .Schizostylis  coccinea,  Sarcococca  pruni- 
formis.  Erica  codonodes,  Escallonia  exoniensis. 
Erica  carnoa  alba.  Phlomis,  Kniphofia  Triumph, 
Potentilla  alba.  Wallflower,  Pol3gonum  Posumbi, 
Iberis  seniperflorens.  Narcissus  pallidus  pra-cox. 
and  others. 

A    ne'W    hybrid    Dendrobium.  —  M. 

(ieorges  Mantin  has  been  successful  in  flowering  a 
new  hybrid,  obtained  from  Dendroltium  nobile  and 


SENECIO 
(l-'liiwr 


iM.\i:NIFICtIS    (KNOWEKS    VELI,(IW). 
riu<i  for  t/ii'  jirsi   tiui-;  in   Kiifillnd.) 

1).  Hnihriatum  oculatum.  This  is  the  first  h3d)rid 
Dendrobium  ever  obtained  in  France,  and  is 
uiidoubte<n3*  a  most  \"aluable  acquisition.  In  form 
the  flower  resembles  a  large  Dendroliium  nobile; 
the  petals  and  sepals  are  slightl3'  twisted,  with  a 
tendejicv  to  roll  up,  th?  former  being  veiy  broad  ; 
the  lip  is  less  open  and  more  acuminate  than 
in  Dendrobium  nobile.  With  leference  to  the 
colouring,  this  is  fairly  well  mixed.  The  points 
of  the  segments  are  spotted  with  purple-rose,  tlie 
remaiiuler  being  white,  with  pale  \ellow  at  the 
base  of  and  along  the  central  line.  The  tube  of 
the  lip  is  rather  heavily  marked  with  golden-yellow, 
and  a  liand  of  clear  golden-yellow  encircies  the 
deep  (lurph'-lirown  spot  of  the  disc.  We  propose 
to  name  this  remarkable  hybrid  after  the  raiser, 
Dendrobium       Mantini.  —  l.i  .hinlhi. 


January  19,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


39 


Chpysanthemum    Mrs.   ^Mm. 

Fillcins.— Al  tlie  January  meeting  of  the 
National  Amateur  Gardeners'  Association  a  vase  of 
tills  pretty  spidery  Chr^'santhenium  was  niucli 
admired.  Tlie  plants  from  which  the  flowers  had 
been  gathered  were  lifted  from  the  open  border  in 
early  November,  at  which  period  the  buds  were 
well  set.  Eacli  plant  was  potted  up  into  a  10-inch 
pot,  and  afterwards  placed  in  a  cold  greenhouse, 
where  tliej'  remained  until  the  date  the  flowers 
were  gathered.  Beyond  an  occasional  watering 
and  tlie  removal  of  decaying  foliage,  little  was 
done  other  than  judicious  ventilation  of  the  glass 
structure.  No  disbudding  was  allowed,  and  the 
result  was  seen  in  a  free  display  of  dainty  little 
spraj's  of  blossom.  These  facts  go  to  prove  how 
useful  is  this  pretty  yellow  Chrysanthemum  for 
midwinter  decoration. 

Habit  of  the  eommon  Braeken.— 

I  admit  I  am  surprised  by  the  statement  attri- 
buted to  Mr.  Newman — that  the  rhizomes  of  the 
Bi-acken  penetrate  into  the  ground  15  feet  deep, 
because  the  rhizome  is  not  a  root  but  an  under- 
ground stem,  which,  no  matter  how  good  the  soil 
may  be  underneath,  travels  on  the  surface  just 
under  the  soil.  As  to  the  length  of  the  rhizomes, 
I  apprehend,  l)y  Mr.  Dniery's  statement,  that  he 
means  they  run  j'ards  away  from  the  parent  stool 
before  throwing  up  fronds,  whereas  they  throw  up 
at  sliort  intervals,  often  only  a  few  inches  apart  and 
very  seldom  feet.  As  to  their  crossing  the  broad 
walk  mentioned,  were  the  rhizomes  found  under 
the  walk,  or  were  the  fronds  cleared  off  the  walk 
as  they  pushed  up,  thus  forcing  the  rhizomes 
further  on '!  1  have  seen  that  happen,  but  never 
knew  them  to  cross,  like  a  mole,  till  they  reached 
the  other  side.  I  submit,  also,  that  the  expression 
'•  almost  impossible  to  transplant"  cannot  be  cor- 
rectly applied  to  a  plant  that  can  be  moved  easily 
at  the  right  season.  There  are  numbers  of  garden 
plants  and  shrubs  that  would  die  if  moved  at  an3' 
other  than  the  dormant  season,  but  are  not 
regarded  as  bad  transplanters  on  that  account. — 

J.  .■SiMl'.SON. 

Riviera  notes, — Tlie  season  on  this  coast 
his  been  in  proportion  of  much  the  same  character 
as  in  England,  but  with  this  notable  exception, 
that  while  November  was  unusually  wet  and 
stormy,  December  has  been  a  month  of  brilliant 
sunshine  and  warmth.  Only  two  days  have  been 
wet,  and  one  afternoon  cloudy  ;  all  the  rest  of  the 
thirty-one  days,  i.e.,  twenty-eight  and  a  half,  have 
been  practically  cloudless.  In  consequence,  autumn 
flowers  have  continued  in  great  beauty,  and  grass 
in  places  has  needed  watering  to  prevent  the  sun 
scorching  it,  a  thing  1  do  not  remember  before  in 
December.  The  excessive  heat  of  last  July  and 
August  has  greatly  injured  both  Roses  and 
Carnations,  and  the  liarvest  of  bloom  for  winter 
has  been  diminished  fully  one-half.  Carnations 
are  now  recovering,  but  I  doubt  if  the  Roses  will, 
even  by  next  spring,  have  recovered  fully.  Presi- 
dent Carnot  has  proved  itself  a  real  acquisition  to 
blush  winter-blooming  Roses  for  cutting  purposes, 
and  as  a  decorative  red  garden  Rose  Uriiss  an 
Teplitz  is  a  decided  improvement  on  the  good  old 
climbing  Cramoisi  Sups^rieur.  Spring  bulbs  are 
very  late,  as  no  rain  fell  till  November  to  penetrate 
the  ground,  but  I  saw  one  Cherry  tree  with  one 
side  white  with  blossom  on  January  1,  a  freak  of 
nature  that  is  decidedly  unusual. — E.  H.  Woodall, 
Nin. 

Acacia  platyptera.— The  fact  that  this 

Acacia  flowers  during  the  autumn  months,  whereas 
nearly  all  the  members  of  this  extensive  genus 
bloom  in  the  spring,  is  sufficient  to  distinguish  it 
from  most  of  them,  while  an  additional  feature  is 
furnished  by  the  peculiar  fattened  wing-like  expan- 
sion on  either  side  of  the  stem,  which  is  of  a  bright 
green  colour,  and  fulfils  the  functions  of  leaves,  as 
there  are  none  produced.  It  should  be  propagated 
by  cuttings  of  the  half-ripened  shoots,  put  in  very 
sandj'  peat  during  the  spring  months,  and  the 
plants  so  obtained  should  in  their  earlier  stages  be 
stopped  occasional!}',  otherwise  they  are  apt  to  run 
up  tall  and  thin.  A  mixture  of  peat,  loam,  and 
sand  will  suit  this  well,  and  plants  struck  from 
cuttings  are  so  free  flowering  that  effective  little 
specimens  may  even  be  grown  in  5-inch  pots,  but 


larger  bushes  will  naturally  need  an  increased  size 
of  pot.  The  flowers,  which  are  plentifully  borne, 
are  arranged  in  little  balls  of  the  brightest  yellow. 
This  Acacia  is  a  native  of  the  Swan  River  district 
of  Australia,  from  whence  we  have  obtained  so 
many  good  things. — T. 

Gloxinia  maculata.— The  specific  name 
of  this  would  suggest  a  spotted  flowered  form  of 
Gloxinia,  but  the  name  of  maculata  does  not  refer 
to  the  flowers,  but  to  the  peculiar  spots  on  the 
stout  erect  stems,  which  reach  a  height  of  2  feet 
to  3  feet.  It  also  stands  out  as  one  of  the  few  true 
Gloxinias  that  we  have,  the  numerous  garden 
forms  to  which  this  name  is  generally  applied  being 
now  regarded  as  belonging  to  the  genus  Ligeria. 
This  Gloxinia  forms  a  tuberous  root  from  which 
the  stem  is  pushed  up.  The  lower  portion  is 
clothed  with  heart-shaped  leaves  6  inches  or  so 
across,  plain  green  on  the  upper  surface  and  tinged 
with  purple  below.  The  flowers,  which  are  borne 
on  the  upper  part  of  the  stem,  frequently  for  a 
foot  of  its  length  are  large,  somewhat  Fox-glove 
like,  a.nd  of  a  soft  purplish  lilac  hue.  It  is  now 
seldom  seen,  though  when  in  perfect  condition  it 
forms  a  good  object-lesson  on  the  present  day  weak- 
ness of  running  after  novelties  and  passing  over 
the  merits  of  desirable  old-fashioned  plants,  for 
Gloxinia  maculata  itself  was  introduced  from  New 
Granada  as  long  ago  as  1730. — H.  P. 

Piteairnia  corollina.— Of  the  numerous 

species  of  Piteairnia  in  cultivation  this  is  the  finest 
for  decorative  purposes,  being  useful  alike  as  a 
foliage  and  flowering  plant.  It  was  originally 
introduced,  about  thirty  years  ago,  by  Messrs. 
Linden,  from  New  Granada,  and  flowered  for  the 
first  time  in  Europe  in  1874  in  the  garden  of 
Baron  Rothschild  at  Ferrieres-en-Brie,  near  Paris. 
It  makes  a  mass  of  growths,  each  bearing  several 
leaves  4  feet  to  5  feet  long  and  4  inches  wide.  The 
upper  portion  of  the  leaf  is  ribbed  and  is  sprinkled 
with  short,  horny,  dark-coloured  spines.  The 
lower  portion  narrows  down  to  a  stout  petiole, 
which,  like  the  other  portion,  is  silvery.  The 
flowers  are  borne  in  racemes  H  feet  long  from  the 
centre  of  the  growths,  the  racemes  drooping 
until  they  rest  on  the  soil  among  the  stems. 
Forty  or  fifty  flowers  2  inches  long  are  borne  on 
each  raceme,  and  as  they  are  bright  coral  red  in 
colour  an  efl'ective  display  is  made.  It  may  be 
grown  well  in  a  large  pan  in  a  well-drained 
mixture  of  peat  and  loam,  to  which  a  good  portion 
of  sand  and  charcoal  has  been  added.  The 
temperature  of  a  stove  is  necessary  to  ensure 
success. — D.  K. 

Acacia  Urophylla.— This  species  is  one  of 
a  number  worth  adding  to  the  few  used  for  green- 
house decoration,  and  is  to  be  recommended  for  its 
elegant  habit  and  free-flowering  qualities.  The 
greater  portion  of  cultivated  Acacias  have  yellow 
flowers  of  various  shades,  the  one  under  notice 
being,  perhaps,  the  palest  of  the  group.  In  bud 
the  flowers  are  cream-coloured,  fading  as  the}' 
expand  to  almost  white.  It  belongs  to  the  section 
which  produces  its  flowers  in  small  spherical  heads, 
these  heads  being  borne  along  the  full  length  of  the 
previous  summer's  shoots,  which  often  attain  a 
length  of  2i  feet.  The  false  leaves  are  2  inches  to 
3  inches  long,  and  three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide 
in  the  widest  part.  The  flowering  season  begins  in 
December  and  lasts  throughout  January.  After 
the  flowers  are  over  the  plant  should  be  pruned 
hard  back  to  prevent  its  becoming  unsightlj'  and 
to  encourage  the  production  of  long  arching 
branches  for  the  next  year's  flowering.  When 
grown  in  pots  it  is  greatly  benefited  by  being 
plunged  out  of  doors  for  the  summer  months. 
Planted  in  a  border  as  much  air  as  possible  should 
be  admitted  to  the  house  throughout  summer  and 
autumn,  and  the  plant  must  be  kept  rather  dry 
after  the  end  of  August. — W.  D. 

Winter  flowers.— Owing  to  the  exceptional 
mildness  of  the  season  many  plants  in  nij'  strongly- 
sheltered  garden  are  still  in  flower.  Within  the 
la.st  week  (and  this  is  the  middle  of  "drear 
December")  I  have  found  very  fine  Roses  fully 
half  expanded  on  those  vigorous-growing  varieties 
Caroline  Testout,  Viscounteps  Folkestone,  and 
Bouquet  d'Or,  which  are  among  the  most  valuable 
of  all  my  possessions  for  very  late  bloom.     Flower- 


buds 


formed  on  Clara  Watson  (a  ver}'  beautiful 
hybrid  Tea)  and  its  nearest  neighbour  the  Crimson 
Rambleraresteadfastly  growing,  and  will  probably 
continue  their  development  till  checked  by  the 
sudden  advent  of  frost.  The  naked-flowering 
.Jasmine  (Jasniinum  nudirtorum),  which  lights  up 
with  its  beauty  the  dark  season  intervening 
between  the  last  Rose  and  the  first  Snowdrop,  is 
already  revealing  its  lustrous  golden  flowers.  The 
Auricula  is  exhibiting  unusual  activity  in  the  pro- 
duction of  blooms,  ettbrts  which  I  hope  will  most 
tend  to  weaken  its  vernal  capabilities.  The 
fragrant  Wallflower,  one  of  the  hardiest  of  our 
garden  treasures— though  its  leaves  are  susceptible 
to  frosty  influences — is  also  very  active  at  present 
in  the  formation  of  somewhat  premature  flowers, 
which  even  at  tliis  season  retain  their  exquisite 
fragrance.  Ere  long  the  Chimonanthus,  the 
Anemone-like  Christmas  Rose,  and  the  pendulous 
Snowdrop  will  appear.  The  Gorse,  so  much 
beloved  of  the  great  Linnieus,  is  in  marvellous 
bloom.— David  R.  Wili.iamson,  Man-ie  of  Kirk- 
maiden,  Wii/loimhire,  xV.  B. 

Temperate  house  at  Kew.  —  Con- 
siderable improvements  and  alterations  are  being 
made  in  the  arrangement  of  the  representative 
collections  of  jilaiits  contained  in  the  central  portion 
of  the  above  structure.  All  except  the  very  largest 
specimens  are  being  transplanted,  and  tlie  soil  in 
the  beds  removed  to  a  depth  of  4  feet  or  5  feet,  so 
that  thorough  drainage  may  be  provided,  a  matter 
apparently  neglected  at  the  previous  planting. 
That  the  ultimate  result  will  fully  justify  the 
work  now  in  progress,  so  far  as  a  more  pleasing 
arrangement  of  the  plants  is  concerned,  is  evident 
from  the  aspect  of  those  portions  now  completed, 
and  that  the  addition  of  fresh  soil  will  be  of  the 
greatest  advantage  cannot  be  doubted.  Very 
rarely,  if  ever  before,  has  the  collection  of  the 
temperate  house  plants  been  so  thoroughly  o\-er- 
hauled,  although  for  some  time  past  the}' have  been 
in  need  of  it.  To  those  interested  in  half  hardy 
plants  the  temperate  house  at  Kew  forms  an  object- 
lesson  of  the  greatest  interest  and  importance  ;  its 
scope  has  within  the  last  few  years  been  con- 
siderably extended  by  the  addition  of  the  north 
and  south  wings,  known  respectively  as  the 
Himalayan  and  Mexican  houses.  The  former  is 
practically  a  cold  house  (for  although  fire  heat  is 
available,  it  is  but  rarely  made  use  of),  chiefly 
devoted  to  the  culture  of  half  hardy  Rhododendrons, 
while  the  latter,  the  Mexican  house,  has  an  inter- 
mediate temperature,  and  exemplifies  to  what 
proportions  economic  plants  will  attain  when 
planted  out.  — T.  W. 

Crocus  laevigatUS.  —  Among  our  later- 
flowering  autumn  Croci  we  have  few  more  likely  to 
commend  themselves  to  the  flower-lover  than  this 
exquisite  little  species.  Its  dwarf  and  unobtrusive 
habit  and  the  stoutness  of  texture  in  its  petals 
seem  to  mark  it  out  as  specially  adapted  for  with- 
standing the  vicissitudes  of  our  seasons.  In  this 
part  of  Scotland  at  least  we  have  had  one  of  the 
worst  autumns  known  since  I  settled  down  here 
more  than  sixteen  years  ago,  yet  this  little  Crocus 
is  giving  almost  as  much  pleasure  as  usual,  although 
the  little  sun  and  the  deluges  of  rain  are  most 
unfavourable  to  its  well-being.  It  is  one  of  the 
species  which  need  less  sun  than  others,  and  its 
low  stature  makes  it  less  liable  to  be  affected  by 
strong  winds,  which  mostCroouses  dislike  and  resent 
by  declining  to  open.  As  this  is  being  written  it  is 
a  steady  downpour,  but  more  favourable  days  cause 
C.  Iwvigatus  to  open  fully  in  the  open  without  any 
glass  covering,  although  such  species  as  C.  longi- 
florus,  C.  asturicus,  C.  serotinus,  C.  ochroleucus, 
and  others  would  not  respond  to  the  cool  advances  ■ 
of  the  wan  sunshine.  Its  while,  varying  to  lilac, 
segments,  its  }'ellow  throat,  and  the  purple 
feathering  which  gives  more  beauty  to  its  outer 
segments  all  combine,  with  its  neat  growth,  in 
giving  us  a  flower  sure  to  please  those  who  can 
appreciate  the  Crocus  at  a  time  when  it  is  more 
welcome  than  in  the  more  flower-laden  days  of 
spring. 

Crocus   hyemalis    var.    Foxi.  —  We 

have  so  few  outdoor  flowers  in  December  that  it  is 
a  pleasure  indeed  to  go  out  into  the  garden  and 
find  a  Crocus  or  two  in  bloom.     A  day  or  two  ago, 


46 


"THE    GAUDEN. 


■[Janxtaky   19.  190L 


•when  going  among  my  flowers  on  one  of  the  few 
dry  times  we  have  had,  I  came  across  a  small 
patch  of  Ci'ocus  hyemalis  var.  Foxi  in  a  place 
■where  I  haid  some  seedlings  from  seed  bought  in 
'Italy.  It  was  quite  a  treat  to  come  thus  unex- 
kpfectedly  upon  these  little  flowers,  even  though 
'  there  was  not  enough  suu  to  persuade  them  to 
open.  I  confess  that  I  lost  little  time  in  opening 
the  segments  with  my  fuigers  to  see  that  it  was 
really  this  little  Crocus,  wliose  dark  chocolate, 
almost  black,  anthers  look  so  well  in  association 
with  the  white  of  the  segments  and  the  finely- 
divided  stigmata.  It  is  a  favourite  Crocus  with 
me,  not  only  because  it  blooms  when  there  is 
hardly  anything  else  but  for  its  beauty.  It  cannot 
hope  to  rival  in  size  the  great  flowers  of  tlie  Dutch 
Crocuses,  which,  one  often  thinks,  have  made  it 
difiicult  for  man}'  who  worship  size  in  flowers  to 
appreciate  tlie  more  delicate  loveliness  of  such 
things  as  Fox's  Winter  Crocus.  It  is  certainly 
not  showy,  but  is  very  pleasing,  with  its  white 
segments  with  their  purple  lines  or  graining.  It 
is  rather  difficult  to  understand  wh}'  this  variety 
is  more  easily  obtainable  than  the  typical  form  of 
Maw  and  other  authorities.  I  have  ordered  C. 
hyemalis  several  times,  so  that  I  might  obtain  the 
type,  but  liave  invariable'  got  Fox's  varietj-.  The 
type,  whicli  lias  orange  anthers,  is  said  to  be  very 
abundant  about  Jerusalem,  and  to  be  quite  common 
in  Southern  Palestine,  besides  extending  as  far 
north  as  Damascus.  I  owe  my  first  introduction 
to  Fox's  Crocus  to  a  note  from  ilr.  Burbidge  wliich 
appeared  in  The  G.\kden  a  good  many  years  ago. 
I  grow  it  in  tlie  open,  but  a  cold  frame  is.  perhaps, 
preferable  for  flowers  which  bloom  at  this  season. 
A  sheet  of  glass  overhead  at  the  blooming  time 
will,  however,  be  suflicient  protection  to  it,  if  a 
place  where  it  does  not  get  much  wind  is  chosen. 
Some  grow  it  in  pots,  but  those  who  like  to  grow 
their  flowers  in  the  open  will  enjoj'  it  better  in  the 
garden. — S.  Aknott,  Carselliorn,  December  10. 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 

ROSES  FOR  OPEN  SPACES. 

A   N    enthusiastic    rosarian    is     not    content 
/\  merely  to  plant  for  his  own  enjoyment^ 

/   %         but  will  endeavour  to  assist  his  neigh- 
/      \        hours  by   advice  or  in  other  waj's.     I 
jf  J^     met  with  an  instance  last  summer  tliat 

struck  me  as  being  an  excellent  method 
of  popularising  Roses.  As  is  well  known,  one  of 
our  most  ardent  amateurs,  Mr.  Gurney  Fowler, 
dwells  at  Woodford,  near  Epping  Forest. 
Although  an  enthusiastic  Orchid  grower,  Mr. 
Fowler  evidently  has  a  great  fondness  for  Roses, 
judging  from  the  fine  beds  at  Glebelands,  and  he 
knows  how  to  produce  good  show  blooms  too.  But 
it  was  in  reference  to  a  plot  of  land  adjacent  to 
the  public  road  that  I  wished  to  say  a  word  or 
two.  Here  I  found  some  pretty  beds  of  Tea  Roses, 
and  also  a  very  fine  mass  of  Crimson  Rambler  that 
had  been  pegged  down  with  great  skill.  I  was 
informed  that  Mr.  Fowler  had  caused  all  these 
Roses  to  be  planted  in  this  public  plot,  and  I  could 
not  help  thinking  that  it  was  a  commendable  act 
worthy  of  being  emulated.  How  many  such  plots 
there  are  in  our  suburbs  that  would  be  beautified 
by  beds  of  the  glorious  Tea  and  Monthly  Roses. 
Even  if  one  grows  plenty  of  Roses  in  one's  own 
garden  is  it  pleasant  and  refreshing  to  meet  with 
them  near  the  highways,  and  how  much  more 
would  it  cheer  the  heart  of  the  toilers.  When 
these  plots  come  under  the  charge  of  the  local 
authorities,  that  is,  or  should  be,  sufficient  guarantee 
that  they  will  be  well  cared  for  ;  but  it  needs  the 
advice  of  a  successful  grower  to  ensure  the  planta- 
tions becoming  a  success.  It  is  not  always  the 
fault  of  the  atmospliere  that  Roses  do  not  succeed 
near  large  towns  and  cities.  What  is  wanted  is 
good  soil,  and  if  it  is  not  present  import  it.  A 
cartload  or  two  of  good  maiden  loam  will  achieve 
most  wonderful  results,  especially  when  the 
drainage  is  also  put  right. 

The  large  bed  of  Rose  Crimson  Rambler  must 
have   presented   a  gorgeous   picture  when  in   full 


bloom.  It  is  rarely  one  meets  with  it  pegged 
down  ;  but  it  is  useful  in  so  many  ways  that  one 
is  not  surprised  to  find  it  thus  employed.  The 
new  growths  were  allowed  to  grow  in  their  natural 
manner,  and  were  supported  bj'  their  canes.  These 
gave  the  bed  a  less  formal  appearance,  and  the 
bright  foliage  was  very  welcome  towering  above  so 
much  colour. 

Mr.  Fowler  is  evidently  a  believer  in  pegging 
down  certain  Roses.  He  has  at  Glebelands  a  fine 
bed  each  of  Gustave  Regis,  Alister  Stella  Grey, 
Mme.  Laurette  Messimj',  and  others.  At  the 
time  of  ny  visit  they  had  produced  their  first  crop 
of  blossom,  but  the  new  growths  from  the  base  of 
the  plants  were  suffered  to  grow  upright,  and  thej' 
were  for  the  'most  part  crowned  with  buds  and 
just  about  to  expand.  This  year  doubtless  the 
best  of  this  new  wood  will  replace  some  of  the 
oldest  of  the  pegged-down  growths. 

If  this  hint  may  induce  an}'  rosarian  to  off'er 
some  plants  to  the  local  authorities  for  certain 
conspicuous  sites  I  would  recommend  tliat  such 
be  of  a  free-flowering  character.  AVhat  a  delightful 
feature  would  be  beds  of  Marie  Van  Houtte, 
(i.  Nabonnand,  Grtiss  an  Teplitz,  Viscountess 
Folkestone,  Laurette  Messimy,  Enchantress, 
Caroline  Testout,  Mrs.  John  Laing,  Ann  E. 
Gifibrd,  Yvonne  Gravier,  &o.,  and  they  would, 
perhaps,  induce  many  to  plant  such  Roses  more 
freely  in  their  own  spacious  grounds  or  maybe 
humble  allotment  plot.  Philomel. 


NOTES    FROM    IRELAND. 

The  abnormal  mildness  of  the  winter  we  are  just 
passing  through  is  a  matter  at  once  absorbing  tlie 
attention  and  arousing  the  fears  of  many  horti- 
culturists on  this  side  of  the  ChanneL  Vegetation 
of  all  kinds  is  dangerously  active,  inasmuch  as  a 
severe  or  protracted  spell  of  frost  later  on  would 
be  certainly  more  disastrous  in  its  effects  than 
would  be  the  case  under  ordinary  circumstances. 
The  unusually  heavy  rainfall  of  the  past  season, 
and  the  subsequent  humidity  of  the  atmosphere, 
have  resulted  in  an  undue  amount  of  activitj'  in 
vegetation,  and  it  is  with  some  apprehension  the 
opening  month  of  the  new  century  is  looked 
forward  to  by  gardeners  generally.  In  more  than 
one  garden  visited  by  me  within  the  past  few  days 
the  most  abundant  evidences  of  the  exceptional 
mildness  of  the  season  were  provided.  Outdoor 
fruit  trees,  particularly  Peaches,  are  as  forward  in 
the  state  of  the  buds  as  one  would  expect  to  find 
them  at  the  end  of  February.  Roses,  especiall}' 
Chinas  and  Hybrid  Chinas,  are  in  many  cases  still 
in  full  bloom,  and  in  the  mixed  borders  many  a 
flower  still  lingers  to  tell  us  in  its  sweet,  silent 
way  of  the  glories  of  summer. 

Garden  Rosei. — It  is  pleasing  to  notice  the  rapid 
strides  the  beautiful  semi-wild  Roses  are  making 
in  popular  favour.  In  every  garden  of  taste 
arches,  pillars,  or  pergolas  are  to  be  found  artistic- 
ally draped  with  these  lovely  single,  semi-double, 
or  cluster  Roses.  The  prettiest  sight  I  have  wit- 
nessed for  a  long  time  was  a  large  liedge  of  the  old 
pink  China  or  monthly  Rose  in  full  bloom  on 
Christmas  Day  in  the  gardens  of  Mr.  J.  Hatchell, 
at  Fortfield,  Terenure,  near  Dublin.  These 
gardens  are  in  an  exceptionally  sheltered  posi- 
tion at  the  foot  of  the  Dublin  mountains,  and 
contain  a  variety  of  interesting  plants,  and  on  the 
date  mentioned  Campanulas,  Primroses,  and  man}' 
other  spring  flowers  were  fairly  plentiful  in  the 
open,  the  lawn  being  conspicuous  by  its  sheet  of 
Daisies,  which  were  sufticiently  numerous  to  give 
one  the  idea  of  a  bright  day  in  spring  instead  of 
Christmas  Day. 

Prunu.'!  miqnelliana. — I  was  delighted  to  see  a 
spray  of  this  pretty  flowering  Cherry  in  full  bloom 
the  other  day  with  Mr.  Burbidge,  to  whom  it  liad 
been  sent  by  Mr.  T.  Smith  of  Newry.  The  flowers 
resemble  those  of  the  Weeping  Chinese  Cherry 
(P.  pendula),  opening  pure  white  and  dying  off 
blush  or  pale  pink.  This  novelty  should  become 
popular  in  consequence  of  its  extreme  earliness. 

Mamameli-i  arhorea.  —  This  is  an  exceedingly 
eurious  and  pretty  flowering  shrub  at  present  in 
flower  in  the  College  Gardens.     The  petals  are  of 


a  clear  golden  yellow,  curiously  twisted  and 
crumpled  like  bits  of  gold  wire,  and  the  calyx 
is  of  a  deep  claret  colour,  forming  a  striking 
contrast.  It  is  quite  hardy  and  most  beautiful 
as  a  specimen  bush,  its  myriads  of  golden  snider- 
like  flowers  rendering  it  an  attractive  and  desirable 
subject. 

iJio'ipyriis  Kald. — The  first  ripe  fruit  of  this 
Japanese  novelty  coming  under  my  notice  was 
shown  to  me  the  other  day.  It  grew  in  the 
gardens  of  Dr.  F.  Trouton,  at  Caerleon,  Killriney, 
and  is  possibly  the  first  fruit  produced  in  Ireland. 
In  colour  and  shape  it  closely  resembles  a  Tomato, 
the  base  being  covered  by  a  thick  leathery  four- 
lobed  calyx.  The  fruit  divides  into  four  or  eight 
parts,  each  of  which  contains  a  stone  resembling 
that  of  a  Plum.  Tlie  flavour  is  said  to  be  some- 
wliat  like  that  of  an  Apricot.  I  liave  heard  that 
this  novelty  has  fruited  in  another  garden  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Dublin,  but  I  have  no  proof  of 
the  fact.  It  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  this 
addition  to  our  list  of  fruits  will  ever  pass  the 
stage  of  a  botanical  curiosity. 

Casfaiiopsis  r.hrytoplrylla. — Mr.  (Jumbleton  may 
well  be  proud  of  his  specimen  of  this  eliarming 
golden-leaved  Californian  Chestnut,  which  owes 
its  specific  name  to  the  circumstance  of  tlie  under- 
sides of  the  leaves  being  as  brightly  golden  as  the 
back  of  a  Gymnogranima  frond.  The  burrs  are 
rich  brown  and  resemble  those  of  the  .Spanish 
Chestnut  in  outline.  This  is  certainly  a  most 
desirable  tree,  and  only  requires  to  be  known  to  be 
appreciated. 

Ehaynus  macrophyVa.  —  Amongst  the  large 
climbers  adorning  the  walls  of  I'rinity  College 
Gardens  a  particularly  fine  specimen  of  this 
graceful  shrub  is  noticeable.  Its  flowers  are 
faintly  fragrant  and  are  rather  inconspicuous,  the 
great  attractiveness  of  the  plant  being  its  hand- 
some leaves,  the  under  sides  of  which  are  covered 
with  a  metallic-looking  coating  resembling  quick- 
silver. 

Osmaiithiit  ilicifolius. — This  is  a  very  pretty, 
dense-growing  bush,  and  is  at  present  covered  with 
pure  white  flowers  which  are  deliciously  fragrant. 
It  is  seldom  seen,  but  is  eminently  worthy  of  a 
place  in  every  choice  collection.  I  only  know  of 
two  or  three  specimens  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Dublin. 

Garrya  elliptica. — At  this  season  of  tlie  year 
there  are  few  things  prettier  than  the  tassel  bush. 
It  is  very  popular  as  a  wall  shrub,  and  is  equally 
effective  as  a  specimen  bush  planted  in  the  grass. 
The  finest  specimen  in  Ireland,  and,  according  to 
Nicholson,  the  finest  in  Europe,  is  in  the  College 
Gardens  here.  It  is  20  feet  high  and  30  feet 
through,  and  is  at  present  one  mass  of  pale  green 
pendulous  tassels. 

The  Glanloiilinry  Thorn. — Before  leaving  tliese 
charming  gardens  we  must  mention  this  curious 
Thorn  now  in  full  bloom.  Mr.  Burbidge  informed 
me  that  this  identical  plant  was  brought  from 
Glastonbury,  where  it  had  been  growing  in  the 
verger's  garden.  It  is  certainly  curious  to  see  a 
Hawthorn  tree  in  full  leaf  and  flower  on  Christmas 
Day. 

Pinns  Pinea. — Another  curiosity  of  the  College 
Gardens  is  the  fine  old  stone  Pine,  said  to  be  the 
finest  in  Great  Britain.  This  si^ecimen  was  planted 
in  1810,  and  is  certainly  a  venerable-looking 
representative  of  the  Italian  Pine. 

The  new  century  was  ushered  in  by  briglit 
genial  spring-like  weather,  the  opening  day  being 
more  like  a  bright  sunny  day  in  April  th.an  New 
Year's  Day.  It  is  surely  not  rash  to  hope  that 
this  briglit  beginning  may  be  an  omen  that  tlie 
sunshine  of  prosperity  will  continue  to  shed  its 
beneficient  rays  over  the  pathway  of  horticulture 
in  the  century  now  opened  before"  us.     T.  Shaw. 


THE    MILDNESS    OF    THE 

SEASON. 

The  opening  day  of  the  century  was  note- 
worthy here  in  regard  to  horticulture.  Owing 
to  the'  mild  weather  I  gathered  a  beautiful 
basket  of  hardy  flowers,  containing  fifty-three 
species  and  varieties,  as  follows  :  Achillea   aurea, 


January  19,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


41 


A.  millefolia,  Anemone  blanda,  A.  eoronaria, 
A.  fulgens,  Arabis  albida,  fl.-pl.,  A.  bellidifolia, 
Bellis  perennis,  fl.-pl.,  Borago  officinalis,  Barberis 
Darvviiii,  B  japoniua,  Calendula  officinalis.  Carna- 
tion Mi.ss  Audrey  Campbell,  Cheiranthus  Cheiri 
and  iSutton's  Pliceni.x,  Cliimonanthus  fragi-ans. 
Crocus  Imperati,  Clirysantliemum  indicum  Golden 
(iem,  Florence  Davis,  and  three  other  varieties, 
C.  frutesceas,  C.  frutescens  latifolia,  Daphne 
Mezereum,  Escallonia  punctata,  Erica  carnea, 
E.  carnea  alba,  E.  stricta,  E.  vagans,  Gentiana 
acaulis,  Geum  miniatum,  Helleborus  niger,  H. 
orientalis,  Jasminum  nudiflorum,  Lonicera  t'ragran- 
tissinia,  Leptospermum  scoparium,  Myosotis 
dissitiflora,  Othonna  cheirifolia,  Polyanthus  in 
variet\',  Phlox  amoena,  Roseniarinus  officinalis. 
Rose,  Tea,  Mme.  Lambard,  R.  Crimson  China, 
R.  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  Rhododendron 
nobleanuni,  R.  Jaoksoni,  Spirea  Thunbergi,  Straw- 
berry halt-grown  fruit  of  Vicomtesse  H.  de  Thury, 
Veronica  longifolia  alba,  Viola  odorata,  V.o.  alba, 
V.  o.  flore-pleno,  V.  tricolor  many  varieties, 
Viburnitm  Tinus,  Vinca  minor,  and  Ulex  euro- 
paeus. 

To  the  above  list  Magnolia  grandiflora  might 
almost  be  added  ;  one  flower  on  tne  Castle  walls  is 
very  large,  but  the  sun'heat  is  not  enough  to  open 
it.  The  wild  Honeysuckle  or  Woodbine  shows 
tli3  mildness  of  the  time  more  than  many  of  the 
above.  It  has  made  new  shoots  upwards  of  an 
incli  in  length.  Tiicse  gardens  are  more  favourably 
situated  than  nianj',  being  on  the  south  side  of  a 
hill  which  is  upwards  of  460  feet  above  the  sea 
level,  and  has  a  sharp  fall  of  100  feet  to  200  feet. 
They  also  receive  additional  shelter  from  tall, 
deciduous,  and  evergreen  trees.  Many  tender 
plants  have  been  introduced  from  the  South  of 
Europe  and  other  places  whicli  would  not  succeed 
if  they  were  fully  exposed. 

W.  H.  Divers,  F.R.H.S.,  in  the  Titne.% 
Belvoir  Oastle  Gardens,  Grantham, 


SHORT     STUDIES    IN     PLANT 
LIFE.-II. 

Subterranean  Structures   and  what 
they  are  doinc. 

YouNi;  bulbils  and  cormlets,  unlike  tree-bud.-; 
which  are  nourished  through  the  stem  and 
branches,  are  destined  to  live  an  independent 
life  ;  so  Nature  has  provided  them  with  ;i 
quantity  of  reserve  food  materials,  either  in 
the  swollen  stem,  as  of  corms  and  tubers,  or  in 
the  leaf-scales,  as  of  bulbs. 

As  the  parent  bulbs,  &c.,  decay,  the  young 
ones  have  something  to  do  before  their  leaves 
appear  above  ground.  Or,  suppose  we  had 
■planted  our  Crocuses,  etc.,  in  September,  and, 
perhaps,  not  quite  at  the  proper  depth—  because 
all  such  subterranean  structures  appear  to  affect 
particular  horizons  underground  — then  they 
have  to  make  their  way  down.  This  is  done 
in  two  ways  at  least,  ami  a  Crocus  and  a 
Ciilchicum  will  illustrate  the  two  methods. 

They  first  of  all  make  roots,  which  spread 
out  from  the  base  of  the  corms  or  tubers,  Ac. 
In  the  Crocus  it  will  be  found  that  while  the 
old  corm  has  decayed  the  young  ones  wore 
produced  on  the  top  of  it,  so  that  if  there  were 
no  means  of  pulling  tlicm  down,  in  a  few  year.-- 
they  would  be  out  of  the  ground.  But  one 
root  at  least — in  other  plants  there  are  more — 
is  much  larger  than  the  rest,  whicli  are  slender 
and  act  as  absorbing  roots,  taking  up  watei- 
and  mineral  matters  dissolved  in  it.  The 
larger  sub-fleshy  root  grows  straight  down, 
sometimes  penetrating  the  jiarent  corm,  and 
«oon  shows  a  wrinkled  surface.  This  is  due  to 
a  longitudinal  conti'action,  which  luills  the 
young  corm  down  to  tlie  level  of  the  old  one. 

In  the  Colchicuni,  of  a  plant  of  many  years 
growth  in  one  ]ilacc,  the  new  corm  apjiears  as 
a  bud  at  Ihs  bottom  and  side  of  the  old  one. 
It  develops  into  a  corm  on  the  same  level  ;  but 


if  it  has  been  planted  too  high  the  bud  now 
points  downwards  and  not  horizontally,  so  that 
the  young  corm  finds  itself  a  little  below  the 
level  of  the  parent  corm.  The  same  thing 
occurs  in  the  following  years  until  the  proper 
depth  is  reached. 

We  thus  see  that  the  Colchicum  is  inde- 
pendent of  contractile  roots  required  by  other 
bulbs,  etc.  The  ne.xt  thing  bulbs  have  to  think 
about  before  the  spring  comes  is  to  be  ready 
to  consume  the  reserve  food  materials  upon 
which  they  live  till  leaves  are  produced. 

Now,  it  has  been  noticed  that  some  bulbs,  &c., 
and  seeds  refuse  to  grow  till  after  a  period  of 
rest,  though  the  temperature  may  be  sufliciently 
high.  The  cause  appears  to  be  that  it  has  not 
had  time  to  produce  the  necessary  "  ferments  " 
which  are  required  to  render  the  food  soluble 
and  assimilable.  Some  are  solid,  as  starch, 
cellulose,  ancl  the  nitrogenous  aleurone  grains  ; 
others  are  liquid,  as  oil,  and  even  contain 
kinds  of  sugar  ;   but  they  must  be  changed  in 


in  autumn  and  winter  as  they  de.serve  to  be. 
They  were  brought  to  my  notice  by  Mr.  L.  T 
Davis,  Ogle's  Grove  Nursery,  Hillsborough,  in 
1878,  and  as  I  was  at  that  time  editing  the 
Floral  Magazine  I  was  able  to  give  a  coloured 
illustration  of  some  of  the  most  striking  forms 
Between  1878  and  1882  the  floral  committee  of 
tlie  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society  awarded  no 
less  than  .seven  first-class  certificate.s,  selecting 
the  following  varieties  for  the  purpose  :  P.  alba, 
carnea  nana,  lilacina  macrocarpa,  nigra  major, 
rosea  purpurea,  and  sanguinea.  Mr.  Wilson 
states  truly  that  there  are  "  ten  or  a  dozen  ipiite 
distinct  .shades  of  colouring,  from  white  through 
tenderest  pink,  white  and  rosy  pink,  the  colours 
then  reaching  to  a  .soft  scarlet,  and  ending  with 
a  dark  blood-red,  reminding  one  of  the  .seeds  of 
the  Pomegranate."  Mr.  Wilson  also  calls  atten- 
tion to  the  diflerences  in  the  size  of  the  berries, 
and  also  to  the  variations  in  the  foliage,  par- 
ticulars which  impart  additional  interest  to 
this  useful  group  of  plants. 


PERNETrVA    MUCRONATA    IN    FRCIT. 


character  before  they  can  be  taken  u|).  To  do 
this,  Nature  has  endowed  the  plant  to  secrete 
fernients,  just  as  occur  in  our  own  digestive 
canal  ;  for  we,  too,  consume  these  same  things 
in  our  vegetable  diet. 

The  use  to  plants  of  corms,  etc.,  is  to  tide 
over  winter  or  dry  seasons.  This  is  why  so 
many  are  found  in  South  Africa,  for  there 
these  bulbous  plants  can  lestivate,  while  in  this 
country  they  hibernate.  In  the  hot  deserts 
there  are  some  bulbous  plants,  but  to  resist  the 
intense  heat  of  the  sand  they  make  the  outer 
coat  as  hard  as  wood,  thereby  jireventing 
desiccation  from  the  heat. 

George  Henslow. 


THE      PERNETTYAS. 

Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson  does  well  to  call  attention 
to  the  value  of  the  improved  varieties  of 
Pernettya  introduced  from  Ireland  some  years 
ago,  and  which,  with  few  exceptions,  are  not 
nearly  .so  much  employed  in  garden  decoration 


Some  fifty  or  so  years  ago  ifr.  Davis  com- 
menced his  experiments  with  such  forms  of  the 
Pernettya  as  were  then  in  cultivation,  and  he 
selected  as  his  first  seed  parent  P.  angustifolia, 
a  native  of  China,  a  densely-branched,  narrow- 
leaved  evergreen  shrub,  growing  to  a  height  of 
about  3  feet.  The  fruit  of  this  si)ecies  is  light  pink 
in  colour.  It  is  a  very  effective  subject,  thriving 
well  under  the  shade  of  trees,  biit  in  such  a 
position  does  not,  as  might  be  expected,  flower 
so  freely  as  when  grown  in  the  open.  P. 
mucronata,  the  type,  was  introduced  from  Cape 
Horn  in  1828,  and  bears  reddish-tinted  fruits. 
Regarding  P.  angustifolia,  as  the  hardiest  of 
the  two,  Mr.  Davis  made  this  the  first  seed- 
bearing  parent,  and  found  the  seedlings  from  it 
to  vary  considerably  in  tlie  character  of  the 
foliage  and  colour  of  the  fruit.  This  encouraged 
him  to  take  seed  from  the  best  of  his  seedlings, 
and  from  it  obtained  the  fine  varieties  to  which 
Mr.  Wilson  makes  allusion.  It  is  difliicult  to 
over  ■  estimate  their  value  as  berry- bearing 
plants  in  autumn. 


42 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  19,  1901. 


During  the  past  autumn  there  could  be  seen 
at  Gunnersbury  Park,  Acton,  a  large  bed  of 
these  Pernettyas.  They  had  bloomed  freely, 
and  heaped  up  their  fruits  in  happy  profusion  ; 
indeed,  so  freely  did  some  of  them  fruit  that 
the  branches  were  borne  down  to  the  ground 
by  the  weight  of  the  fruit  clustered  about  them. 
The  plants  made  a  very  free  growth,  and  in 
consequence  became  so  crowded  that  the  beauty 
of  the  individuals  became  lost  in  the  mass.  It 
is  Mr.  Reynolds'  intention  to  make  a  fresh  bed, 
giving  the  plants  more  room,  so  that  the  wealth 
of  fruits  they  produce  might  display  itself. 

The  Pernettyas  develop  their  pure  white 
bell-shaped  blossoms  during  May  and  June, 
and  fertilisation  is  always  complete,  as  dense 
clusters  of  berries  follow.  The  plants  are  not 
fastidious  as  to  soil.  j\lr.  Reynolds  plants  them 
in  good  tibry  loam,  with  which  is  mingled  some 
peat,  and  this  apjiears  to  be  an  ideal  compost.  To 
crowd  the  plants  is  a  mistake,  as  when  they  form 
a  copse-like  growtli  much  of  their  beauty  is  lost. 

Occasionally  Messrs.  W.  Cutbush  and  Son, 
of  the  Highgate  Nurseries,  will  exhibit  during 
November  plants  of  these  Pernettyas  in  pots — 
dwarf,  compact,  and  well  berried,  quite  model 
plants  for  conservatory  decoration  in  winter. 
Under  glass  the  brilliant  fruit  would  not  be 
.subject  to  those  influences  which  in  the  open 
air  so  greatly  tarnish  its  beauty,  and  conse- 
quently their  decorative  value  would  be  so 
much  more  la.sting.  It  would  not  be  necessary 
to  keep  the  plants  permanently  in  pots  :  they 
could  be  planted  out,  and  then  lifted  from  the 
nursery  bed  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  formed,  or 
when  ri].>e.  Young  plants  can  be  obtained  by 
division  or  by  means  of  layers,  and  they  can 
be  planted  out  to  grow  into  size  for  potting. 

R.  Dean. 


INDOOR     GARDEN. 

SALVIA  SPLENDENS  GRANDIELORA. 


E EXTENSIVELY  grown  as  this  improved 
variety  of  Salvia  splendens  is  for  pro- 
^  duoiiig  a  late  quantity  of  bright  blooms 
under  glass,  its  usefulness  for  that 
^  purpose  is  now  assured,  but  regarding 
its  emploj'nient  for  the  embellishment 
of  our  flower  borders  and  shrubberies  I  question 
if  as  3'et  it  has  been  utilised  to  any  great  extent, 
hence  my  penning  this  note,  in  the  hope  that  it 
will  induce  many  to  grow  it  abundantly  as  a  border 
plant,  &c. ,  in  the  coming  season.  Admiring  its 
free-blooming  character  and  brilliancy  of  colouring 
under  glass,  I  thought  it  might  prove  equally 
effective  for  late  autumn  display  in  the  open,  my 
only  fear  being  that  it  would  prove  too  late 
blooming  to  be  at  its  best  ere  frost  out  it  down. 
However,  I  decided  to  give  it  a  trial,  and  have  had 
no  cause  to  regret  having  done  so ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  results  in  all  cases  were  satisfactory. 

Of  the  hundreds  propagated  by  cuttings  and  a 
few  from  seeds  planted  (after  the  usual  hardening 
off)  in  various  positions  all  came  into  bloom  with 
September,  and  remained  so  until  cut  by  frost, 
which  was  unusually  late  in  making  its  appearance 
this  season — towards  the  end  of  November.  The 
intense  scarlet  spikes  produced  the  brightest  effect 
at  that  dull  season  of  anything  on  this  place.  As 
already  stated,  this  Salvia  was  planted  in  various 
positions  and  in  divers  combinations,  as  well  as  in 
groups  by  themselves,  all  being  more  or  less  satis- 
factory, but  the  main  experiment,  where  the  most 
plants  were  employed  and  where  the  most  telling 
effect  was  aimed  at,  was  in  a  "  pocket  "  on  one  of 
our  rocks  in  a  prominent  position  some  distance 
from  and  below  the  house,  and  in  full  view  of  the 
main  windows.  This  pocket  is  planted  with  a 
large  number  of  fine  Azaleas  (Ghent  and  mollis), 
as  much  for  the  autumnal  colouring  of  their  leafage 
as  for  their  beautiful  early  summer  bloom.  To 
produce  continuous  blooming  from  spring  to  latest 
autumn     Lilies,    (iladioli,     Begonias,    and     many 


perennials  are  freely  intermixed  with  the  Azaleas, 
&c. ,  and  in  association  with  these  several  hundreds 
of  this  Salvia  were  put  in,  with  an  occasional  plant 
of  white  Marguerite  introduced  amongst  them. 
The  effect  produced  was  much  admired,  especiall3' 
so  late  in  the  year. 

Personally,  I  was  somewhat  disappointed  with 
the  Marguerite  in  this  arrangement,  the  blooming 
not  being  sufficiently  free,  and  lacking  in  boldness  ; 
too  much  greenery,  probably  accounted  for  by  the 
larder  provided,  for  to  sustain  such  divers  subjects 
in  good  growth  and  flowering  condition  necessitates 
liberal  treatment. 

As  in  this  case  white  bloom  is  essential  in  the 
mixture,  I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  if  any  corre- 
spondents will  kindly  recommend  me  a  white 
flowering  plant  to  replace  the  Marguerite,  say,  any 
early-blooming  Chrjsanthemum,  a  bold,  upstand- 
ing variet}'  in  growth  and  bloom,  and  warranted  to 
withstand  a  copious  rainfall.  J.  R. 

STRELITZIA  REGINvE. 

For  upwards  of  a  century  and  a  quarter  the  Bird 
of  Paradise  Flower,  as  this  plant  is  popularly 
called,  has  been  in  cultivation  in  European  gardens, 
yet  it  is  still  rare.  The  reason  wliy  it  is  not  more 
often  seen  is  difficult  to  conjecture,  for  its  flowers 
are  among  the  most  gorgeous  of  the  many  brilliant 
coloured  ones  peculiar  to  South  African  plants, 
and,  in  addition,  the  foliage  is  decidedlj'  orna- 
mental. It  may  be  grown  either  as  a  pot  or  border 
plant,  but  is  more  at  home  treated  in  the  latter 
manner.  Planted  in  loam}'  soil  in  an  intermediate 
temperature  the  handsome  glaucous-green  leaves 
attain  a  height  of  3i  feet,  the  blades  often  being 
2  feet  long  and  7  inches  wide.  The  flowers, 
like  those  of  man}'  other  members  of  the  N.  0. 
Scitamine;e,  are  curiouslj'  formed.  In  this  case 
they  bear  some  fancied  resemblance  to  a  bird, 
hence  the  popular  name.  They  are  borne  in 
short,  dense,  one  -  sided  spikes  on  long  scapes 
well  above  the  leaves,  and  are  orange  and  dark 
lilue  in  colour,  a  combination  rarely  seen  in  flowers. 
The  individual  blooms  remain  in  good  condition 
for  several  weeks  if  not  placed  in  too  high  a 
temperature,  so  that  a  plant  bearing  several  spikes 
of  flowers  often  lasts  for  two  or  three  months. 
Several  varieties  are  in  cultivation,  the  most 
distinct  being  S.  r.  citrina,  having  lemon-coloured 
perianth  segments  instead  of  orange,  and  S.  r. 
ovata,  with  smaller  oval  leaves.  D.  K. 


SUMMER  TREATMENT   OF  CALLAS. 

Opinions  differ  as  to  the  best  way  of  treating 
Callas  in  summer,  some  advising  planting  them 
out  in  the  open,  and  others  keeping  them  in  pots. 
I  adopted  the  former  plan  for  many  years,  but 
cannot  say  that  the  results  were  quite  satisfactor}'. 
The  plants  grew  vigorously,  but  many  of  the  roots 
were  torn  off  or  injured  during  the  lifting  process 
in  autumn,  no  matter  how  carefully  it  was  per- 
formed, the  result  being  a  severe  check  to  the 
plants.  Moreover,  the  plants  did  not  flower  freely 
till  spring.  Eventually,  however,  I  saw  an  article 
on  Callas  in  The  Garuen  b}'  Mr.  Jenkins,  of 
Hampton,  in  which  he  recommended  keeping  the 
plants  in  pots  all  the  year  round,  and  resting  them 
for  two  months  in  summer  by  laying  them  on  their 
side  and  withholding  water.  I  took  tlie  hint  and 
do  not  regret  it,  as  treated  thus  they  flower  freely 
from  early  autumn  till  spring.  The  plants  are 
repotted  in  August  in  9-inch  pots,  a  little  of  the 
old  soil  being  removed  from  the  roots.  A  large 
number  of  them  can  then  be  accommodated  in  a 
small  space.  When  planted  out  they  make  a  lot  of 
roots,  and  large  pots  are  necessarj'.  (iood  loamy 
soil  three  parts  and  one  part  rotten  maiuu'e  and 
road  grit  or  coarse  sand  forms  a  suitable  compost. 
Callas  require  liberal  feeding  with  liquid  m.anure. 

C 


"IN     A     SMALL,     AVAY." 

Notes   from   an   Obloncj  Garden.— XVIII. 

"  The  greatest  of  all  blessings,"  said  Haydon, 
the  i)ainter,  "  is  to  have  one's  own  way."  To 
which  he  might   have  added,  "  and   to  have  it 


without  paying  for  it. "  This  exquisite  conca- 
tenation of  circumstance  is  of  the  rarest  in  our 
existence  mundane,  therefore  it  is  worth  placing 
on  record  ■  that  it  has  occurred  in  connection 
with  the  Oblong.  For  some  time  past  I  have 
been  wishing  to  raise  the  level  of  the  side 
borders,  but  the  idea  of  the  cost  and  difficulty 
of  getting  loam  up  the  side  of  our  residential 
(mild)  precipice  deterred  me.  On  going  to  see 
my  little  bit  of  hired  reserve  across  the  road, 
where  my  German  Pansies  are  in  a  fresh  and 
spring-like  blow,  exquisitely  un-Novembrian, 
the  other  day,  however,  its  owner  offered  it  to 
me,  not  only  in  tenure  inut  in  entire  possession, 
provided  I  would  take  it  bodily  away.  It  was 
first,  and  from  time  to  time,  a  dumping  ground 
for  jjotting  soil,  leaf-mould,  and  Imrnt  .stutf, 
and  between  whiles  a  hen-run,  wherefroin  it 
may  Ije  deduced  that  in  bulk  it  is  worth 
having.  The  stalwart  development  of  my 
Pansies  speaks  loudly  in  its  favour,  and  I 
rejoice  fervently  to  see  it  spread  some  inches 
thick  over  my  wan  and  shrunken  shady  Ijorder. 
Box  edging  always  seems  to  have  a  certain 
hungry  effect  ujion  the  soil  near  it,  sucking 
and  consuming  it  until  it  sinks  in.  Whether 
it  actually  eats  it  or  uot  I  should  not  like  to 
say,  but  I  am  iiersuaded  in  my  own  mind  that 
there  are  plants  which  do  this.  I'hey  are  those 
which  hide  hollows  round  tlieir  stems  with  big 
spreads  of  leafage. 

There  is  a  gootl  deal  of  advice  floating  about 
which  does  not  prove  a  very  efficient  guide 
when  we  come  to  practicalities.  In  some  paper 
addressed  to  the  unlearned  I  came  across  a 
strong  recommendation  of  ilysotis  Rechsteineri 
as  a  surface  belder  for  bulbs,  and  thought  it 
was  just  the  thing  for  the  centre  bed  in  my 
small  front  plot,  which,  by  the  way,  I  have  had 
gravelled  round  and  converted  into  a  stiff  little 
Dutch  garden,  for  grass  there  seemed  impos- 
sible ;  but  on  further  investigation  I  found 
that  most  of  my  catalogues  did  not  even  men- 
tion the  little  Forget  lue-not,  and  after  much 
searching  it  was  discovered  in  the  Newiy 
pamphlet  at  9d.  a  root.  For  my  little  ;5-feet 
bed  this  works  out  at  between  20s.  and  30s., 
for  which  expenditure  I  could  certainly  find  a 
more  desirable  return.  It  would  buy  two 
dozen  Roses  to  begin  with.  There  are  also  a 
few  persistent  mistakes  which  one  is  always 
meeting,  and  which  are  very  aggravating.  (.)ne 
of  the.se  is  the  misnomer  "  Gruss  na  Teplitz,' 
which  people,  who  really  ought  to  know  better, 
allow  to  take  the  place  of  the  Rose's  projierly- 
conjuncted  name  in  its  native  language.  Cer- 
tainly one  needs  to  be  something  of  a  linguist 
to  tackle  Roses  nowadays  ;  but  then  Press 
readers  are  supposed  to  know  everything.  1 
have  often  been  much  moved  niirthwards  ))>• 
the  strenuous  efforts  of  gardeners  and  nursery- 
men's assistants  when  such  mouthfuls  as 
Mme.  Chedane  Guinoisseau  and  Grossherzogin 
Victoria  Melita  rolled  marvellously  from  their 
overpowered  tongues.  Good  simple  liessie 
lirown,  why  have  we  not  more  like  unto  thee? 
Thou  art  a  Rose  as  fair  as  any  bv  a  Teutonic 
title. 

The  rain  has  been  raining  every  day,  and,  it 
would  seem,  for  many  weeks  |iast.  The  gra\el 
paths  of  the  Oblong  are  ail  greened  over, 
masses  of  soaked  fallen  leaves  are  everywhere, 
and  .sloppy  disorder  reigns  supreme.  It  is 
iini)0ssible  for  anyone  with  the  average  human 
tendency  towards  cold-catching  to  work  out  of 
doors,  so  for  want  of  other  occupation  I  have 
pulled  down  the  back  staging  in  my  little 
greenhou.se  and  am  jnitting  in  some  cliinliing 
Roses  against  the  wall  in  its  place.  The  range 
of  choice  is  so  wide  that  decision  becomes 
difficult.  At  last  I  cast  the  lot,  and  it  fell  on 
I'ink  Pcrle  des  .lardins  mul    Papa  Gdiitici',  and 


January  19,  1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


43 


I  am  also  planting  a  Clianthus  puniceus,  for 
love  of  its  quaint  lobster  claws,  and  because 
no  very  close  neighbour  has  it,  so  it  has  not 
become  hackneyed.  At  present  my  seventeen 
9-incli  pots  of  Chrysanthemums  are  sweetly 
gay.  They  have  been  grown  with  complete 
disregard  to  and  ignorance  of  the  proprieties 
of  bud  securing  and  i)roper  regulations,  but 
have  had  plenty  of  attention  as  to  staking, 
tying,  and  watering.  Since  the  beginning  of 
August  they  have  had  alternate  waterings  with 
a  weak  infusion  of  cow  manure,  and  one  of 
Clay's  fertiliser  ;  they  stood  along  the  side  of 
one  of  the  gravel  paths  in  the  Oblong  in  a 
sheltered  position  until  the  middle  of  October, 
and  since  then  they  have  been  really  pretty  in 
the  greenhouse.  They  are  well  clothed  with 
foliage  quite  down  to  the  pots  and  have  plenty 
of  blossoms — not,  1  suppose,  at  all  what  they 
should  be  from  a  professional  point  of  view, 
but  yet  of  good  size  in  most  cases.  I  got  the 
Japanese  varieties  quite  at  random,  tempted 
by  their  descriptions,  and  this  being  the  first 
year  I  have  tried  Chrysanthemums  for  myself 
(having  previously  bought  a  few  each  autumn) 
1  had  no  knowledge  of  their  little  ways.  But 
I  am  now  convinced  that  they  are  good  utter 
amateurs'  flowers,  and  for  amateur  growing 
need  not  be  surrounded  with  so  many  injunc- 
tions as  are  generally  connected  with  them. 
Of  the  singles  I  tried,  the  pleasure  has  been  a 
good  deal  spoilt  by  the  discovery  that  their 
labels  are  hopelessly  mixed  ;  1  think  this  must 
be  due  to  the  garden  boy,  as  Adam  strenuously 
denies  having  taken  any  interest  in  them.  One 
is  a  splendid  large  flower  of  a  glowing  Indian 
red  or  rosy  terra-cotta,  with  a  broad  and 
beaming  yellow  eye,  about  .3  feet  high,  with 
shorter  shoots  all  bearing  quantities  of  bloom  ; 
this  is  a  real  gem,  and  has  been  much  admired  ; 
it  is  novel  and  striking  and  unique  in  colour. 
Then  there  is  a  very  charming  pinky  white, 
whose  petal  rays  are  just  faintly  turned  back- 
wards at  the  tips  ;  it  has  big  blooms,  and 
flowers  in  solid  clusters.  Then  there  is  a  good 
greeny  white  which  I  think  can  only  be 
Niphetos.  All  the  three  yellows  I  had  are 
poor  little  things  as  flowers  go,  and  evidently 
unsuited  to  be  naturally  grown — even  as  little 
bush  plants  covered  with  bloom  I  do  not  think 
I  should  care  for  them  ;  their  blooms  recall 
Anthemis  tinctoria.  A  pink  is  of  the  same 
character  and  quality.  My  nicest  .Japs  are 
Phcebus,  brilliant  yellow  ;  Ma  Perfection, 
Niveus,  and  Emily  Silsbury,  white  ;  and  G.  C. 
Schwabe  and  Vivand  Morel,  pink.  In  the 
little  house  there  is  a  white  Plumbago  with 
which  I  have  wrestled  unceasingly,  but  which 
has  beaten  me  all  along  the  line  so  far.  I 
"  went  by  the  book  "  and  pruned  it  one  year, 
as  we  are  told  to  do  ;  another  year  I  left  it  to 
itself ;  result  the  same,  a  few  blossoms  in 
November.  I  thought  this  might  be  due  to 
lack  of  sun,  as  it  is  not  in  the  sunniest  part  of 
the  house,  and  trained  some  of  it  along  into 
the  full  glare  ;  these  branches  have  not  flowered 
at  all,  but  some  of  those  in  the  shadiest  corner 
are  doing  so  now.  Of  course  the  cold  snubs  it 
unmercifully  every  year  while  it  still  has  a  few 
buds  unopened  green,  but  I  should  like  to  find 
out  what  want  it  has  unsatisfied. 

I  wish  somebody  would  take  Cosmos  bipin- 
natus  in  hand  and  cause  it  to  have  the  same 
pretty  flowers  it  has  now  with  about  one-fourth 
of  the  present  amount  of  stalk  and  leafage. 

??he  flowers,  when  you  get  them,  are  really 
ascinating,  and  a  bouquet  of  whites  and  the 
peculiarly  pretty  soft  pink  ones  is  charming, 
and  lasts  ever  so  much  longer  than  one  of  the 
single  Dahlias.  A  little  of  the  green,  all 
feathery  and  fresh,  is  also  pretty,  and  the 
la,teness  of  its  flowering  —  mid-October   and 


onwards  —  does  not 
signify  ;  is,  indeed,  a 
virtue  in  these  western 
parts.  But  it  is  too 
greedy  and  ram- 
pageous of  stalk  to  be 
a  general  favourite, 
though  it  has  great 
possibilities.  How 
amiable  are  nursery- 
men as  a  race.  I  do 
not  know  any  folk 
more  obliging  and  less 
contemptuous  of  the 
"small  way."  I 
wished  this  year  to  try 
some  of  the  Narcissi 
bulbs  which,  bought 
by  the  dozen,  mount 
up  in  half-crowns  and 
nice  little  steps  of  easy 
addition  to  a  fair  sum. 
Now  experiments  in 
Oblongs,  as  the  pro- 
prietors of  Oblongs 
probably  all  know  very 
well,  have  not  so  much 
chance  of  success  as 
those  carried  out  in 
gardens  of  wider 
claims ;     I     therefore 

intimated  to  the  vendor  that  I  should 
prefer,  small  as  it  made  me  feel,  to  buy  in 
threes.  Did  he  wither  me  with  a  glance,  as 
I  am  sure  the  butcher  would  have  done  if  I 
had  asked  for  my  mutton  chops  split  in  halves 
or  one  rib  of  beef  at  a  time  1  Or  did  he  suggest, 
with  a  scornful  intonation,  that  I  had  better 
be  content  with  a  few  dozens  of  Von  Sion,  and 
so  on  ?  No,  he  replied  that  he  should  be  most 
happy,  and  took  infinite  pains  to  send  a  vifhole 
regiment  of  neat  little  paper  bags  containing 
humble  trials  of  white  Trumpets  and  Hoop 
Petticoats  and  other  charmers  of  the  elusive 
race.  Association  with  flowers  must  certainly 
be  stimulating  to  the  better  mental  (lualities 
just  as  living  with  the  meat  ma.kes  the  butcher 
fat,  apart  from  the  eating  of  it. 
Bathwick  HalL  Bath.  M.  L.  W. 


DENDROBIUM  NOBILE  AT 

SYDNEY. 

Thinking  it  might  interest  your  readers,  and 
as  an  illustration  of  what  we  can  do  "down 
under,"  I  have  pleasure  in  sending  you  a 
photograph  taken  by  an  amateur  of  a  fine  pot 
of  Dendrobium  nobile.  This  Orchid  came  to 
me  from  Calcutta,  and  under  the  careful  atten- 
tion of  my  gardener,  Mr.  R.  Kennedy,  it 
produced  this  year  no  less  than  173  fine  blooms, 
and  was  grown  entirely  tvithout  artificial  heat 
in  a  cool  glass  house.  1  have  other  East 
Indian  Orchids  flowering  in  the  open  bush- 
house,  of  which  I  could  send  you  photographs 
if  I  thought  they  would  be  acceptable.  I  am 
a  very  appreciative  reader  of  your  admirable 
journal.  James  Inglis. 

Sijdney,  November  13,  1900. 


RECENT    PLANT    PORTRAITS. 

The  eighth  part  of  Icones  selec/ie  horti  Theneiiiis, 
which  concludes  the  first  volume  of  this  work, 
contains  portraits  of  Maytenus  ilieifolia,  with 
foliage  exactly  resembling  that  of  a  Holly,  and 
numerous  small  flowers  produced  in  bunches  all  up 
the  stem  at  the  extremities  of  the  shoots.  It  is  a 
native  of  South  Brazil  and  Uruguay.  Prunus 
Maacki  is  a  native  of  Manchuria. 

Tristania  conferfa,  also  known  as  T.   subverti- 
cillata,    T.    uiacrophylla,  and  Lophostemon   arbo- 


DEjNDROEIUM   nobile.      (From  a  photograph  sent  frmn  Sydneii,  N.S. 


rescens,  is  a  native  of  Nortli  Australia,  Queensland, 
and  New  South  Wales. 

Biirchellia  huhalina,  also  known  as  B.   capensis, 

B.  parviflora,  B.  Kraussi,  B.  capensis  var.  parvi- 
fiora,  Lonieera  bubalina,  and  Cephielis  bubalina,  is 
a  native  of  South-Eastern  Africa,  and  is  figured  on 
plate  2,.339  of  vol.  xlix.  of  the  Botanical  Magazine. 

Lencofhoii  recurva,  or  Andromeda  reciirm,  a 
native  of  North  America,  has  racemes  of  small 
white  tubular  flowers,  and  requires  peat  soil. 

The  second  number  of  the  Revue  Horticole  for 
December  has  a  portrait  of  a  new  and  very  inte- 
resting half-hardj'  hybrid  flowering  shrub  named 
Raphiolepis  Delacouri.  It  has  large  bunches  of 
pretty  rosy  white  flowers.  It  was  obtained  by 
M.  Delacour,  of  Cannes,  by  crossing  Raphiolepis  or 
Pliotinia  indica  with  B.  ovata,  which  is  much 
better  known  in  our  shrubberies,  and  is  almost 
hardy. 

The  first  number  of  vol.  xvi.  of  Liitdenia cont3,ms 
portraits  of  the  following  four  Orchids  : 

Caltleya  Elisahethii'. — A  most  beautiful  variety 
with  deep  rosy  purple  sepals  and  a  beautifully 
fringed  lip  of  a  deeper  shade  of  carmine  tipped 
with  pure  white. 

Odontogloivnmi  crifpuin  var.  auri/ermn. — A  lovely 
pure  white-flowered  variety-,  with  three  out  of  five 
petals  distinctly  spotted  with  gold  and  a  golden- 
veined  lip. 

LiMia-caltleya  Alherti. — A  pretty  pure  white- 
flowered  variety  with  a  lip  distinctly  veined  with 
rose-colour,  very  chaste  and  beautiful. 

Cypripediinn  drap><iamim.  —  An  exceedingl3' 
large-flowered  and  handsome  variety  named  after 
M.  Draps-Dom.  It  is  the  result  of  a  cross  between 
the   Burford   Lodge   variety    of    C.  leeanum    and 

C.  villosum. 

The  first  part  of  the  Rente  Horticole  for  January 
contains  a  portrait  of  Rosa  wicliuriana  rubra,  a 
small  single  flower  of  no  great  merit  or  beauty. 
There  is  also  a  woodcut  of  a  presumably  new 
variety  of  lUicium  named  I.  laurifolium,  found  by 
M.  Andre  in  a  nursery  garden  at  Nice.  He  says 
it  is  a  handsome  free-blooming  shrub  with  bunches 
of  creamy  white  Sowers  in  the  way  of  I.  religiosum, 
but  quite  distinct  from  that  well-known  variety. 

The  January  number  of  the  Rerue  de  V Horticul- 
ture Beige  contains  portraits  of  Senecio  petasites,  a 
handsome  velvety-leaved  shrubby  composite  with 
large  bunches  of  small  j'ellow  flowers,  and  Salvia 
Ing^nieur  Clavenad,  a  ver}'  handsome  form  of  the 
old  S.  spleudens  grandifiora,  bearing  long  spikes  of 
brilliant  scarlet  flower.=. 

The  Botanical  JIagazine  for  January  contains 
portraits  of  Hibiscus  Manihot,  a  native  of  China 


44 


THE    GAKDEN. 


and  Japan,  also  known  as  H.  palmatus,  H.  pagy- 
rii3rus,  H.  pentaphyllus,  H.  pungens,  Baniia 
Manihot,  Ahelmosehus  JIanihot,  Ketnn'a  fol. 
Maniliot,  and  Alcea  fol.  Jianihot.  It  is  a  very 
beautiful  plant,  producing  large  pale  yellow  flowers 
with  a  fine  dark  elaret  centre.  Planted  out  in  the 
border  of  the  Mexican  or  warm  part  of  the  tem- 
perate house  at  Kew  it  made  during  the  three 
summer  months  shoots  9  feet  high,  flowered  for 
two  consecutive  months,  and  ripened  seed. 

Lholfikia  'erlcoidex,  a  native  of  King  George's 
Sound,  also  known  as  L.  seabra  and  L.  hirta.  A 
small  white-flowered  ilyrlaceous  shrub  introduced 
by  seed  from  Australia,  and  flowering  \^  a  cool 
house  when  about  2  feet  high. 

Sarchocliilux  lilaciniis,  native  of  the  Mala3'an 
Peninsula  and  Islands,  also  known  as  Dendrocolla 
amplexicaidis,  ^Erides  amplexicaule,  Orsidiee 
amplexicaulis  and  lilacinus,  and  Thrixspermum 
amplexicaule.  This  is  a  small-flowered  Orcliid 
growing  in  swamps,  with  rosy 
purple  flowers,  which  last  but 
one  day  each. 

Pi/riix  Tianslianica,  a  native 
of  Central  Asia,  also  known  as 
P.  Thianshanica  and  Sorbus 
Tianshanica,  afine  large-llowered 
form  of  Mountain  Ash,  which, 
coming  from  so  different  a 
climate,  is  apparently  as  hardy 
as  the  common  P.  aucuparia. 
It  was  obtained  from  Messrs. 
Transon,  of  Orleans,  and  flowered 
and  fruited  in  the  arboretum  at 
Kew  during  the  summer  of  last 
year.  Allium  ostrowskianum,  a 
native  of  Western  Turkestan,  a 
handsome  Garlic  with  showy, 
bright,  rose  -  coloured  flowers. 
It  flowers  annually  in  the  open 
border  at  Kew  in  the  month  of 
June.  W.  E.  Gumbletom. 


W^ALLFLOAArERS. 

Two  beautiful  Wallflowers  that 
should     be     more     grown     are 
Eastern  Queen,  of  a  good  pink 
colour — a  bed  of  it  looks  just  like  Apple  blossom — 
and  Vulcan,  a  dwarf  plant  with  large  lustrous  crim- 
son velvet  flowers.     Wallflowers  grow  splendidly  if 
sown  as  follows  :    Put  the  seed  out  on  a  saucer, 
pick  out  each  seed  separately  and   sow  them  an 
inch  apart.      It  takes   time  and  patience,   but  it 
saves  all  thinning,  and  the  fat  little  plants  come 
up   as   sturdy   as   well-nursed    babies,    and    never 
deteriorate.       Wallflowers     enjoy    a     good     soil, 
although  they  can  do  without  it. 

Cloiitarf,  biihlin.  M.  A.  C. 


AN    ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK 


VALLOTA 

lAGH 


'URPU 


EACH,  season  varioiLS  notes  on  this 
beiiutiful  bulbous  plant  appear,  but 
it  cannot  be  overpraised  when  the 
beauty  of  its  blo.ssoms  and  its  simple 
cultural  requirements  are  taken  into 
consideration.  This  latter  remark 
applies  to  the  old-fashioned  Vallota  of  our 
gardens,  for  of  late  immense  numbers  have  been 
sent  annually  to  this  country  from  South  Africa, 
and  they  freiiuently  fail  to  become  established 
in  a  .satisfactory  manner.  These  imported 
bulbs  usually  reach  here  in  a  dormant  state  in 
July  or  August,  when  they  should  -be  at  once 
potted  and  kept  cool  and  fairly  dry  during  the 
winter.  Then,  owing  to  the  change  of  .seasons, 
many  of  them  will  ]iush  up  Hower-spikes  about 
the  month  of  May  following.  Some  years 
ago  at  the  Temjile  show  there  were  some  well- 
flowered  examples  of  Vallota.  These  imported 
bulbs  frequently  decay  from  what  ap|)ears  to 
be  an  excess  of  moisture,  however  dry  they 


[Januakv    19.  1901. 


Imported  bulbs  should    when 
received  lie  cleaned  over  and 
potted   in  a  soil  consisting  of 
good  sandy  loam,   which  will 
remain   sweet    antl    fresh    for 
year.s.       'J"he    imts    employed 
should     be     small   and     well 
drained,   as    the   oliject   is   to 
obtain  )jlenty  of  good  healthy 
roots,    and    this   will   not    be 
where     large    pots     are   used. 
The  A'allota  very  much  resents 
being  disturbed  at   the   roots, 
as  many  a  one  has  found  to 
his  cost,  for  if  large  entangled 
mas.=es    are    broken    u)i    and 
re]i()ttcd  it  is 
gene  r a  I  1  y 
done    at    the 
expense     of 
many  blooms. 
A'allotas,  like 
their   near 
lilies,    the 
N  e  r  i  n  e  s  , 
flower    best 
w  hen     the 
liulbs  are   so 
closely 
packed 
together  that 
they     almost 
lift  each  other 
out     of     the 
soil.  Both  the 
foliage  and 
flower -.spikes 
of    these   im- 
ported   bulbs 
are   in    many 
cases  tall  and 
weak.    The 
flowers      of 
these    i  m - 
ported    bulbs 
.show    a    con- 
s  i  d  e  r  a  b  1  e 
variation      in 
colour,  and  to 
a  less  extent  in  the  shape  of  the  flower,  some 
having   much   broader  segments   than  others, 
and  consequently  a  far  rounder  flower  is  the 
result.     Some,  too,  are  very   rich  in   colour  ; 
others    have    rather   a  conspicuous  white  or 
whitish  centre,  while  blossoms   of  a  pink  or 
salmon-pink    tint  often    occur    among    them, 
and  one    occasionally  hears   of   a   pure  white 
variety.     Vallotas  are  easily  raised  from  seed, 
and  if  the  young  ]ilants  are  dibbled  into  a  bed 
of    prepared   soil  and   covered    with  a  frame 
they  will  make  more  progress  than  if  confined 
in  pots  during  their  early  stages.  A.  P. 


may  be  kept.  Perhaps  this  tendency  is  to  a 
certam  extent  generated  by  being  confined  in 
a  close  box:  during  the  journey  to  tliis  country. 


PHORMIUM     TENAX. 

This  handsome  New  Zealand  plant  is  very 
grown  in  the  south-west,  where  in  most 
it  flowers  abundantlj'.  The  variegated 
form  alluded  to  by 
Mr.  Knbank  (page 
4'2S)  is  also  fonnnon 
and  attains  largo 
dimensions,  one 
splendid  specimen 
that  I  know  of, 
which  is  growing 
on  a  sloping  wall, 
producing  leaves 
exceeding  7  feet  in 
length,  while  its 
bore  twcnt\'  during 
a     hcii/ht     of     close 


bloom    spikes,    of   which    it 
the     past    summer,     icachrd 


Irawliack   to  the  variegated 


January    19,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


45 


form,  however,  is  that  in  deep  rich  soil,  where 
it  grows  with  great  luxuriance,  it,  often  par- 
tially and  in  some  cases  almost  entirely,  loses 
its  variegation  after  it  has  assumed  its  fullest 
proportions.  In  the  instance  above  mentioned 
there  is  but  slight  indication  of  variegation 
observable  in  the  foliage,  though  at  the  time  of 
]ilanting  this  variegation  was  most  distinct.  In 
poor  soils  the  variegation  appears  to  be  more 
persistent ;  but  this,  I  think,  is  the  ca.se  with 
most  variegated  plants,  which  retain  their  cha- 
racter best  when  not  too  highly  nourished. 
Soufh  Dei'oii.  S.  W.  F. 


M' 


TREES     AND    SHRUBS. 

WEEPING    WILLOWS. 

ANY  Willows,  especially  those  with 

pendulous    or    weeping  branches, 

have  an  almost 

unique  value  in 

the  garden  land- 

scape.  Among 
our  hardy  trees  there  is, 
jierhaps,  only  the  white 
Birch  that  possesses  their 
peculiar  type  of  elegance  in 
lilce  degree.  Neither  are  the 
grey,  moving  tints  of  the 
White  Willow  and  its  allies, 
when  clothed  with  their  loose 
drapery  of  leafy  growth,  to 
be  exactly  matched  amongst 
our  hardy  trees,  either  native 
or  introduced. 

The  most  characteristic  of 
all  the  Weeping  Willows  is 
Salix  babylonica,  an  example 
of  which  (one  of  several 
growing  on  the  banks  of  the 
lake  at  Kew)  is  here  figured 
in  its  winter  state.  The 
Babylonian  Willow  seems  to 
have  been  grown  in  Britain 
early  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. A  Mr.  Vernon,  a  mer- 
chant at  Aleppo,  grew  the 
first  specimen  at  Twicken- 
ham Park.  This  he  had 
brought  from  the  river 
Euphrates  ;  so,  at  any  rate, 
says  old  Peter  Collinson,  the 
London  draper  and  plant 
lover  who  saw  Mr.  Vei'non's 
tree  in  1748.  The  species 
does  not  ever  appear  to  have 
been  found  in  a  truly  in- 
digenous state.  It  has  for 
centuries  been  cultivated  in 
the  east,  and  is  considered  to 
be  most  likely  a  native  of  China.  The  poet 
Pope,  also  a  resident  at  Twickenham,  was  at  one 
time  credited  with  having  been  the  means  of 
securing  it  for  English  gardens.  He  is  said  to 
have  noticed  that  some  of  the  twigs  of  which 
a  basket  recently  arrived  from  Spain  was  made 
were  alive,  and,  having  had  one  rooted,  it 
turned  out  to  be  Salix  babylonica.  Whatever 
truth  there  may  be  in  these  stories,  it  is  certain 
that  this  Willow  is  still  abundant  about 
Twickenham  and  farther  up  the  Thames, 
where  fine  specimens  add  greatly  to  the  charm 
of  the  river.  It  is  essentially  a  tree  for  the 
water-side,  not  only  in  regard  to  satisfying  its 
love  of  moisture,  but  also  because  its  soft, 
flowing  masses  of  foliage  and  graceful  lines  are 
there  seen  to  the  best  advantage.  Its  narrow, 
pointed  leaves,  averaging  3  inches  to  4  inches 
in  length,  are  bright  green  above  and  of  a 
bluish,  glaucous  tint  beneath.  From  all  the 
forms  of  the  Whjte  Willow  (Salix  alba),  some 


of  which  are  almost  as  pendulous  as  it  is,  Salix 
babylonica  differs  in  the  absence  of  silky  hairs 
beneath  the  leaf.  Nearly  all  the  plants  of  this 
s|iccies  in  cultivation  are  female.  There  is  a 
curious  variety  of  Salix  babylonica  called  S. 
annularis  (or  crispa),  the  leaves  of  which  are 
curled  in  rings  or  spirals.  It  is  only  worth 
growing  as  a  curiositj'. 

Salix  alba — the  British  White  Willow— has 
two  weeping  varieties,  viz.,  S.  cierulea  pendula 
and  S.  vitellina  pendula.  The  common  type 
plant  is  itself  a  beautiful  tree  in  colour  and 
form  ;  in  these  varieties  the  pendulous  character 
of  the  branches  is  more  pronounced.  In  S. 
vitellina  pendula  (a  weeping  form  of  the 
"Golden  Osier")  the  beauty  of  the  tree  in 
winter  is  enhanced  by  the  bright  yellow  twigs 
of  the  preceding  summer. 

Salix  Salomon!  is  probably  a  hybrid  between 
S.  alba  and  S.  babylonica.     It  is  of  sturdier 


cuttings,  and  should  never  lie  grafted  on 
stocks  of  other  species.  They  attain  to  heights 
varying  from  30  feet  to  00  feet,  and,  although 
their  pendulous  haliit  is  so  marked,  they  grow 
in  height  naturally  and  without  tying  up  or 
other  artificial  aid.  Planted  by  water  they 
make  handsome  trees  in  a  very  few  years. 

There  is  a  further  group  of  Weeping  Willows 
which  are  mere  products  of  the  garden,  being 
really  low-growing  or  even  pro.strate  shrubs 
made  into  small  trees  by  grafting  on  standards 
of  stronger  sorts.  Amongst  them  are :  S. 
purpurea  pendula  (the  so-called  "American'' 
Weeping  Willow,  although  exclusively  an  Old 
World  plant)  ;  Scharfenbergensis,  also  a 
variety  of  S.  purpurea  ;  the  Kilmarnock 
Willow,  a  weeping  form  of  the  Goat  Willow  ; 
Zabeli  pendula,  a  variety  of  S.  cassia  ;  and  the 
silver-leaved  form  of  S.  repens.  They  may  be 
left  for  more  detailed-account  in  a  future  paper. 


1 


THE  WINTER    EFFECT  OF    THE    BABYLONIAN    WILLOW    (SALIX    BABYLONICA)    AT    KEW. 


growth  than  the  latter,  and  is  not  so  pendulous 
as  it  or  the  varieties  of  S.  alba  just  mentioned  are. 
The  leaves  are  about  4  inches  long,  blue-green 
beneath,  and  hairy  as  in  S.  alba.  This  is  a  very 
vigorous,  free-growing,  and  hmdsome  Willow. 

Salix  elegantissima  and  S.  blanda  are  two 
Willows  thought  to  be  hybrids  between  S. 
fragilis  (a  British  species)  and  S.  babylonica. 
They  show  the  influence  of  the  British  species 
in  the  broader,  more  glossy  leaves,  in  the  more 
sturdy  habit,  and  in  a  greater  hardiness  than 
S.  babylonica  possesses.  Both  can  be  grown 
on  parts  of  the  Continent,  where  the 
Babylonian  Willow  is  incapable  of  with- 
standing the  winter  cold.  These  two  trees 
naturally  bear  a  good  deal  of  resemblance  to 
each  other,  but  S.  blanda  has  bigger  leaves  and 
a  rather  less  pendulous  habit  th.an  the  other,  and 
is  altogether  a  nearer  approach  to  S.  fragilis, 
S.  elegantissima  tending  towards  S.  babylonica. 

All    these    trees    are     easily    struck    from 


In  any  case  they  have  not  the  importance  of  the 
sorts   described  above,  which  are  the  ones  to 
plant  when  the  object  is  to  enhance  or  add  to 
the  main  features  of  the  garden  or  landscape. 
A)-//orefum,  Kew.  W.  J.  Bean. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

TOMATOES. 

WE  have  no  time  in  the  year  when 
ripe  Tomatoes  are  so  much  appre- 
ciated as  the  spring  and  early 
summer,  and  the  best  waj'  to  have 
Iheni  from  March  onwards  is  by 
sowing  early  in  September  and 
wintering  the  young  plants  in  a  cool  house.  These 
plants  should  now  be  showing  flower  and  readv  for 
their  final  potting  ;  they  may  be  placed  in  10-inch 
pots,  using  turfy  loam  with  a  sprinkling  of  manure, 
and  then  plunged  in  gentle  bottom  heat  to  induce 


46 


THE    GAUDEN. 


[January   19,  1901 


root  action,  giving  sutBcient  air  to  prevent  the 
plants  from  becoming  drawn.  They  succeed  best 
in  a  span  roofed  house,  but  may  be  grown  in  an}' 
lean-to  house  or  pit  wliere  a  hotbed  can  be  made 
up  tor  their  reception.  t4entle  bottom  heat  is  of 
great  importance  when  ripe  Tomatoes  are  required 
early  ;  the  bed  sliould  be  so  made  that  the  first 
truss  of  flower  may  reach  the  bottom  wire  of  the 
trellis,  which  should  not  be  more  tlian  10  inches 
from  the  glass.  The  best  mode  of  training  is  to 
have  single  stems,  pinching  out  side  shoots  as  they 
appear  ;  the  main  stems  should  be  8  inches  apart, 
for  I  am  sure  that  overcrowding  is  often  the  cause 
of  disappointment  in  the  cultivation  of  early 
Tomatoes.  When  the  flowers  are  ready  for  ferti- 
lisation care  should  be  taken  that  the  pollen  from 
the  best  flowers  be  conveyed  to  the  stigmas  of 
others,  which  at  this  early  date  maj'  possess  none 
of  their  own,  bj'  means  of  a  camel's  hair  brush. 
When  a  full  "set"  of  fruit  has  been  secured  an 
ample  suppl}-  of  manure  water  must  be  given  to 
ensure  their  development.  A  temperature  of  5.5" 
at  night  and  (jO°  to  6.3'  by  day,  witli  plenty  of  air, 
will  suit  them  admirably.  Most  gardeners  have 
their  favourite  Tomato,  and  so  have  I,  for  I  have 
not  found  anything  to  equal  Frogmore  Selected  for 
winter  and  spring  fruiting.  J.  U. 

PARSLEY  GROWN  IN  TUBS  FOR 
WINTER  USE. 

TuE  ilUistratiou  shows  a  convenient  way  of  having 
Parslej'  for  winter  use.  It  often  happens  that  the 
outdoor  supply  is  stopped  in  severe  winter  weather, 
and  if  no  frame  or  other  protection  has  been  pro- 
vided the  want  of  Parsley,  so  precious  a  thing  in 
much  fine  cooking,  is  much  felt  in  a  good  kitchen. 
A  small  tub  with  a  capacity  of  nine  gallons,  or 
even  smaller,  if  prepared  with  holes  and  planted 
with  strong  young  plants  in  the  autumn  and 
placed  in  a  greenhouse  or  viner}'  when  cold  weather 
sets  in  will  provide  a  moderate  quantity  of  useful 
Parsley.  Moreover,  when  well  iurnished,  the  tub 
having  the  summer  before  been  painted  a  quiet, 
rather  light  colour  like  that  of  a  Sage  leaf,  it  is  by 
no  means  an  unsightly  object. 


I 


A  GOOD  WINTER   BEAN. 

1  KNOW  of  no  other  Bean  to  equal  Osbornes'  Early 
Forcing  for  winter  use.  Although  the  weather 
of  the  past  few  weeks  has  been  anything  but 
favourable  for  forcing  Beans,  I  have  had  some  nice 
gatherings.  One  great  advantage  derived  from 
growing  this  variety  is  that  it  requires  no  support 
from  stakes,  which  is  a  great  saving  of  labour 
where  Beans  are  forced  in  great  quantity.         H. 


NOTES    ON    LILIES. 


LILIUM    CANADENSE    AT 
ROWDEN    ABBEY. 

BPjING  a  great  admirer  of  the  Lily  family 
generally  I  have  been  much  interested 
in  the  various  notes  which  have 
appeared  in  The  Gardem  concerning 
this  lovely  tribe  of  flowers.  If  I 
may  be  allowed  to  do  so  I  should  like 
to  say  a  few  words  about  Lilium  canadense  as  it 
grows  in  my  own  garden. 

In  18S6  while  staying  with  friends  near  New  York 
I  had  the  good  luck  to  find  this  Lily  growing  wild 
in  a  swamp  near  the  little  town  of  Poughkeepsie. 
I  dug  up  about  a  dozen  bulbs,  and  though  the 
poor  things  were  in  full  bloom  and  many  days 
passed  before  they  were  again  consigned  to  the 
care  of  mother  earth  I  did  not  lose  one  of  them. 

I  planted  them  in  our  ordinary  garden  soil,  whicli 
is  a  fairly  stiff  good  red  loam,  without  peat  or 
an}' other  foreign  material,  and  in  it  the  bulbs  have 
flourished  and  increased  in  a  wonderful  wav. 

At  the  'present  time  in  a  border,  of  which  the 
length  is  04  yards,  there  are  forty -eight  large 
clumps,  which  form  an  imposing  background  to  the 
other  plants  in  the  bed.  These  clumps  measured, 
some  of  them,  2  feet  through  at  the  base,  and  some 


more,  and  when  in  full 
bloom  the  flowers  nearly 
touch  each  other  at  the 
top.  When  at  their  best 
thej'  are  a  lovely  sight, 
and  I  think  nearly  as 
man}'  friends  come  in 
the  summer  to  see  the 
Lilies  as  to  see  the 
Narcissi  in  the  spring. 

As  will  be  seen  from 
the  photograph  the 
border  in  which  the 
Lilies  grow  is  freely 
exposed  to  the  sun, 
and  at  no  time  of  the 
day  is  it  even  in  partial 
shade.  Besides  the 
clumps  already  men- 
tioned there  are  num- 
bers of  large  ones  in 
different  parts  of  the 
American  and  M'ild 
gardens,  all  of  them 
offsprings  of  my  spoils 
of  18813.  Some  bulbs, 
too,  have  found  their 
way  into  the  gardens  of 
friends,  so  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  increase 
has  been  a  very  fair  one. 

I  was  much  pleased 
when  Mr.  Elwes,  of 
Nerine  and  other  fame 
in  the  plant  world,  re- 
marked that  never  any- 
where had  he  seen  such 
fine  specimens  of  the 
Canadian  Lily  as  mine, 
though  when  he  saw 
them  tliey  had  only 
been  established  a  few 
years. 

I  had  only  a  few  of 
the  yellow  variety,  and 
those     after      a     time 
vanished  entirely,  leav- 
ing rubrum  in  sole  pos- 
session  of   the   border.      If   I   remember   rightly, 
L.    c.    flavum    did    not   seem    to   have    quite   the 
same     growth    as     rubrum,    throwing    up     fewer 
flower-stems,  and  appearing  altogether  of  a  much 
less    free    and    robust    nature    than    its    darker- 
coloured  brother.     Will  any  one  kindly  tell  me  if 
this  be  the  case  generally  with  this  Lily  ?     I  may 
as  well  mention  that  the  common  yellow  Marlagon 
Lily  grows  in  the  same  bed  as  canadense  in  even 
greater  profusion.  Edith  A.  Bailey. 

Bou-deii  Ahhei/,  Bromyard. 

[We  much  regret   that   the  photograph  sent  is 
unsuitable  for  reproduction. — Eds.] 


THE 


TIGER  LILY. 

This  Lily,  whose  beauty  in  a  cut  state  is  well 
shown  on  page  13,  has,  apart  from  the  lasting 
property  of  the  blossoms  alluded  to  in  the  accom- 
panying article,  another  desirable  feature  for 
indoor  decoration,  and  that  is  the  flowers  are 
wanting  in  the  heavy  overpowering  smell  common 
to  many  Lilies,  which  prevents  their  being  used 
anywhere  in  a  close  atmosphere.  Besides  this  it 
is  a  thoroughly  good  garden  Lily,  thriving  as  it 
does  in  an  ordinary  mixed  border,  while  the 
colour  of  the  flowers  is  very  distinct  from  that  of 
most  members  of  the  genus,  and  they  are  pro- 
duced, too,  when  the  majority  of  Lilies  are  over. 
Added  to  this,  it  is  one  of  the  cheapest  of  all,  and 
can  be  depended  upon  to  flower  well  the  first 
season  after  planting,  so  that  the  term  recently 
applied  to  it  of  "  the  poor  man's  Lily"  is  particu- 
larly appropriate.  Besides  the  typical  species 
which  was  introduced  from  China  nearly  a  century 
ago,  there  are  some  well-marked  varieties,  notably 
flore-pleno,  which  is  one  of  the  very  few  donble- 
tlowered  Lilies  that  we  have  in  our  gardens.  The 
numerous  petals  of  this  Lily  overlap  each  other  in 
a  regular  manner,  but  whether  it  is  as  prettv  as 
the  single  kinds  is  at  least  an  open  (juestion.     This 


PAKSLEY    GROWN    IN   A   TUE. 

double-flowered  Tiger  Lily  is  largely  grown  in 
Holland,  and  may  be  obtained  at  nearly  as  cheap 
a  rate  as  the  common  kind.  A  distinct  and  orna- 
mental variety  is  splendens  or  Leopoldi,  the  flowers 
of  which  are  particularly  bright.  They  also  exceed 
in  size  those  of  the  ordinary  form,  while  the  dark 
spots  on  the  petals  are  larger  and  fewer  in  number. 
From  the  time  it  first  appears  above  ground  this 
variet}'  may  be  readily  distinguished  from  the 
others,  as  the  stem  is  very  dark  coloured  and 
quite  smooth,  while  in  all  the  rest  it  is  more  or 
less  woolly. 

Another  feature  in  which  the  variety  splendens 
differs  from  the  other  Tiger  Lilies  is  that  it  may 
be  well  grown  in  pots  for  greenhouse  decora- 
tion without  losing  many  of  its  leaves  as  they 
often  do  when  treated  in  this  way.  The  last 
variety  to  mention  is  Fortunei,  of  which  huge 
bulbs  are  sent  to  this  country  every  year  from 
Japan.  The  stem  and  young  leaves  of  this  are  very 
woolly,  and  the  flowers  are  rather  pale,  but  the 
exceedingly  large  bulbs  produce  such  spikes  of 
blossoms  as  we  do  not  see  in  any  other  variety  of 
the  Tiger  Lilv.  H.  P. 


IN  THE  GARDEN  AT   IGHTHAM 
MOTE. 

The  cliai'Miing  old-world  Ightliain  ilote,  the 
residence  of  Mr.  T.  Colyer-Fergu.sson,  possesses 
a  beautiful  garden.  A  glimiise  is  given  of  one 
|iart  of  it  in  the  acconiiianying  illustration. 
We  see  here  the  beauty  of  lui.xeil  border,  grass 
walk,  and  rougli  wood  arches,  iiuite  .simple  and 
delightful,  licing  in  part  covered  with  Roses, 
Cleuuiti.scs,  and  climbers  as  free  and  jirofuse. 
Wall  gardening  is  a  feature,  many  a  Snap- 
dragon, Toidfla.v,  Wallllower,  and  Saxifrage 
having  bi.c  )ine  established  iu  the  chinks. 


January  19,  1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


47 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

Now  that  frosty  weather  has  set  in  the 
supply  of  forced  vegetables,  such  as 
ASPAKAGflS  AND  SeaKALE, 
will  be  of  great  importance,  and  care 
must  be  taken  that  the  beds  from 
whicli  the  roots  are  to  be  lifted  does 
not  become  frost-bound  and  cause  a  break  in  the 
supply.  Such  beds  should  have  a  covering  of  long 
litter,  which  may  be  trenched  into  the  ground  as 
the  roots  are  taken  up.  Where  forced  Asparagus 
is  required  daily,  or  even  three  times  a  week,  it 
becomes  necessary  to  set  a  pit  apart  for  the  purpose, 
preference  being  given  to  one  where  a  little  arti- 
ficial heat  can  be  applied  in  frosty  weather,  and 
where  a  bed  of  leaves  can  be  made  up  to  a  depth  of 
3  feet,  which  will  afford  bottom  heat  enougli  to 
carry  through  three  lots  of  crowns,  providing  a 
little  fresh  horse  droppings  or  other  fermenting 
material  can  be  mixed  with  the  old  bed  each  lime 
fresh  roots  are  introduced.  The  best  roots  for 
forcing  are  those  grown  for  the  purpose  three  years 
old,  and  where  a  piece  of  ground  can  be  set  aside 
for  their  cultivation,  and  plenty  of  lea.ves  to  be 
had,  as  they  are  in  most  country  places.  I  fail  to 
see  why  forced  Asparagus  need  be  looked  upon  as 
an  expensive  luxury.  The  hotbed  on  which  the 
roots  are  to  be  forced  should  have  a  layer  of  rotten 
manure  2  inches  deep, over  which  may  be  sprinkled 


a  little  fine  soil,  and  the  roots  placed  as  close 
together  as  possible,  covering  with  1  inch  of  sifted 
leaf -mould,  and  watering  liberally  at  a  temperature 
of  70°,  so  that  the  soil  may  be  washed  well  amongst 
the  roots.  If  left  for  a  few  days  the  young  shoots 
will  appear,  when  the  whole  surface  of  the  bed  may 
be  covered  with  fine  leaf-soil  to  the  depth  of  4  inches 
with  a  bottom  heat  of  70°.  Asparagus  can  be 
gathered  in  ten  days  from  the  date  of  its  introduc- 
tion to  the  forcing  pit. 

Sea  KALE  Roots 

intended  for  forcing  may  now  be  lifted  and  stored 
in  some  slieltered  corner,  where  they  may  be  kept 
covered  until  required.  Care  should  be  taken  to 
save  as  many  of  the  best  young  rootlets  as  are 
recessary  for  next  season's  plantation.  These 
should  be  6  inches  long,  and  cut  clean  through 
with  a  knife,  the  upper  end  straight,  and  the 
smaller  end  on  an  angle,  and  laid  horizontally  in 
a  trench  on  a  south  border  and  covered  with  9  inches 
of  light  sand}'  soil  until  April,  when  they  will  have 
begun  to  form  crowns,  and  may  be  planted  out  in 
well-prepared  soil  1  foot  apart  and  2  feet  between 
the  rows,  using  an  ordinary  garden  dibber  for  the 
purpose.  Seakale  is  one  of  the  easiest  vegetables 
to  force  provided  it  is  not  subjected  to  too  much 
heat  at  first ;  it  may  be  grown  in  pots  and  boxes  in 
any  dark  chamber  with  a  little  heat,  or  in  under- 
ground pits  provided  with  shutters,  and  where  a 
gentle  bottom  heat  can  be  applied  by  beds  of 
leaves  ;  the  latter  mode  of  forcing  is  best  where 
large    quantities    are    rr(juired,    but    where    only 


an  occasional  dish  is  needed  pots  are  the  most 
convenient. 

Continue  to  plant  Potatoes  in  heated  pits  for 
succession.  The  sets  having  been  advanced  in 
trays  must  be  carefully  handled  in  order  to  save  as 
many  of  the  young  roots  as  possible.  A  sowing  of 
Radishes  may  be  made  between  the  rows.  The 
best  varieties  for  sowing  now  are  the  Earl}'  Scarlet 
Turnip-rooted,  the  White  Turnip-rooted,  and 
Wood's  Early  Frame.  Sow  Lettuce  seed  in  boxes, 
and  place  in  gentle  heat  as  near  the  glass  as 
possible,  and  make  weekly  sowings  of  Mustard  and 
Cress. 

Begad  Beans. 

If  not  already  done,  a  sowing  should  be  made  as 
soon  as  possible  in  a  sheltered  position,  where  the 
soil  has  been  manured  and  well  dug  iu  the  autumn. 
Beans  like  a  heavy  rich  soil,  their  roots  extendin" 
downwards  to  a  considerable  depth.  Early  Long- 
pod  is  one  of  the  best  for  early  sowing,  and  should 
be  sown  in  rows  3  feet  apart  with  C  inches  between 
the  plants  as  a  precaution  against  mice.  The  Beans 
may  be  damped  and  well  sprinkled  with  red  lead 
before  sowing.  Jokn  Donn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Gardens,  Winchor. 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

By  this  time  the  principal  batch  of  cuttings  which 
are  intended  to  furnish  specimen  blooms  next 
autumn  should  be  nicely  rooted  and  fit  to  be 
repotted  into  3-inch  and  3i-inch  pots,  of  course 
keeping  the  weaker  kinds  in  the  smaller  size.     It 


MIXED    BORDERS    AND    ROUGH   ARCHES    AT    IGHTHAM    IHOTE. 


48 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January   19,  1901. 


is  well  to  bear  in  mind  and  worth  mentioning  at 
this  time  that  as  each  stage  of  the  potting  is 
performed  it  is  a  grave  mistake,  for  the  sake  of 
appearance  and  convenience,  to  place  the  whole 
of  the  collection  in  a  given  sized  pot,  regardless 
of  the  variet}'  or  the  strength  of  the  plant  ;  con- 
sequently, the  soil  becomes  sovired,  and  in  the  end, 
instead  of  the  plant  making  the  progress  it  should, 
it  attains  a  sickly  hue,  and  from  which  it  will 
never  ptoperlj'  recover.  Some  varieties  may  be 
wrown  and  flowered  in  quite  two  sizes  larger  than 
others,  owing  to  their  vigorous  constitution,  but  I 
am  perfectly  certain  it  is  far  belter  to  err  on  the 
side  of  too  little  rather  than  too  nmch  pot  room. 
It  is  not  so  nmch  the  amount  of  compost  contained 
in  the  pot,  but  the  attention  as  to  feeding  and 
watering  that  the  plants  receive  which  will  produce 
the  best  results.  Overpotting  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten  means  overwatering.  I  always  maintain  that 
there  are  more  plants  which  are  cultivated  in  pots 
ruined  through  careless  watering  than  from  any 
other  cause  ;  and  this  applies  to  all  kinds  of  plants, 
but  to  none  more  so  than  the  Chrysanthemum. 
Young  men  commencing  gardening  can  hardly 
bestow  too  much  on  the  drainage  and  watering  of 
plants  in  pots. 

Compost. 

A  suitable  mi.vture  for  tliis  potting  should  con- 
sist of  three  parts  light  fiiirous  loam,  which  should 
be  broken  up  finely,  one  part  thoronghly  decayed 
leaf -mould,  one  part  well-spent  Mushroom  bed 
manure  (the  two  latter  should  be  passed  through 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  mesh  sieve),  a  liberal  supply 
of  coarse  silver  sand,  and  a  sprinkling  of  finely- 
powdered  charcoal  and  bone  -  meal  added  ;  the 
whole  should  be  thoroughly  mi.xed  by  turning  at 
least  three  times.  It  should  be  used  in  a  mode- 
rately dry  condition,  the  state  of  which  can  easily 
be  determined  by  squeezing  it  in  the  hand.  If  by 
so  doing  it  has  a  tendency  to  become  pasty  it 
should  not  be  used,  but  spread  out  thinly  in  some 
place  where  it  can  dry  quickly.  The  pots  and 
crocks  should  be  thoroughly  cleansed  before  use, 
and  in  the  case  of  new  pots  give  a  good  soaking 
and  well  dry.  Place  one  large  crock  over  the  hole, 
and  gradually  build  up  in  sizes  until  sufficient  is 
allowed  for  the  water  to  pass  away  freely,  using 
quite  fine  material  for  the  finish,  over  which  place 
a  thin  layer  of  fibre  taken  from  the  loam  heap 
after  rubbing  out  every  particle  of  soil,  thus 
ensuring  the  drainage — if  worms  are  excluded,  as 
they  most  certainly  must  be — being  kept  in  a 
perfect  condition.  Carefully  examine  each  plant 
before  potting,  and  thoroughly  water  if  necessary 
three  or  four  hours  before  potting  the  plant. 
Arrange,  if  possible,  to  carry  out  the  work  in  the 
house  in  which  the  young  plants  are  growing,  thus 
giving  as  little  check  as  possible.  Pot  moderately 
firm  by  using  a  lath  or  properly  made  potting 
stick.  Finish  off'  with  a  little  of  the  finest  of  the 
soil,  and  a  ilusting  of  silver  sand  on  the  surface. 
The  plants  should  be  well  damped  over  with  a  fine 
rooe  watering-pot,  just  sutiiciently  to  settle  the 
surface  soil,  and  for  about  a  week  or  ten  days 
they  will  enjoy  a  position  on  shelves  near  the 
glass  in  a  greenhouse  temperature.  About  the 
third  day  from  the  time  of  potting  thoroughly 
water  through.  The  weakest  plants  should  be  kept 
together  so  that  they  ma3'  be  treated  accordingly, 
as  these  will  require  leas  water  both  at  the  roots 
and  overhead.  Fumigate  occasionally  to  ensure  the 
plants  being  free  of  insect  pests. 

E.  Beckett. 

Aldeiikam  Jloit-'ic  Gardens,  j^tstree,  Hei-ts. 


ORCHIDS. 

When  at  this  time  of  the  year  work  in  the  houses 
is  practicall}'  at  a  standstill,  it  is  advisable  to 
prepare  the  soil  and  other  materials  which  will  be 
required  later  on  for  the  potting  of  Orchids.  To 
ensure  success  in  the  cultivation  of  these  plants  it 
is  necessary  to  use  only  prepared  peat,  that  is  to 
say,  that  this  material  should  be  rendered  fit  for 
the  work  by  having  the  fine  part  extracted  out  of 
it,  the  fibrous  part  only  being  preserved  in  a  roughly 
broken  state,  the  largest  pieces  being  about  the 
size  of  pigeon's  eggs.  When  thus  prepared,  and 
kept  in  a  dry  and  well-ventilated  place  for  a  few 


weeks,  it  is  purified  to  such  an  extent  that  it 
remains  sweet  and  seldom  encourages  any  crypto- 
gamic  growth,  and  when  used  in  that  condition  it 
retains  its  porosity  for  a  long  time,  and  does  not 
decompose  like  unprepared  peat  generally  does. 
Nothing  is  more  damaging  to  Cattleyas,  Cc-clogynes, 
Lycastes,  and  other  Orchids  than  to  have  peat  of  a 
more  or  less  boggy  nature  piled  up  around  their 
pseudo-bulbs.  After  two  or  three  years  of  such 
treatment  the  plants  which  have  been  subjected  to 
it  are  of  very  little  value  and  not  worth  half  as 
much  as  freshly  -  imported  plants,  which,  when 
placed  under  favourable  conditions,  grow  with 
much  greater  vigour.  The  sphagnum  intended  to 
be  used  for  either  surfacing  or  potting  later  on 
must  also  undergo  a  process  of  cleaning,  and  as  it 
is  a  tedious  and  somewhat  lengthj'  operation  it  is 
best  done  while  the  time  can  be  spared.  This 
cleaning  consists  in  picking  out  of  it  all  dead 
leaves,  pieces  of  grass  and  wood,  all  of  which 
through  their  decomposition  have  a  tendency  to 
produce  fungus,  which  must  be  kept  away  by  all 
possible  means.  When  cleaned,  the  sphagnum 
ma^'  easily  remain  in  fresh  and  sweet  condition  if 
kept  in  a  heap  under  cover  and  turned  over  from 
time  to  time.  During  this  dull  season  pots  may 
also  be  washed  and  stored  in  readiness  for  an3- 
emergency  ;  hanging-pans  and  baskets  should  also 
be  provided  with  copper-wire  handles,  and  made 
ready  for  use.  All  these  materials  may,  therefore, 
be  prepared  while  there  is  nothing  requiring  special 
attention  but  the  cleaning  of  the  plants  in  the 
houses.  The  watering  must  at  this  time  of  the 
year  be  done  with  great  moderation,  and  the 
temperature  in  all  the  houses  devoted  to  Orchids 
kept  down  so  as  not  to  stimulate  the  plants  into 
growth  too  early,  and  not  to  encourage  the  pro- 
duction of  insects.  During  the  whole  of  January 
the  temperature  of  the  Indian  house  shoidd  be 
(iO"  to  65°,  that  of  the  Cattleya  house  .58"  to  00", 
and  that  of  the  Odontoglossum  and  Masdevallia 
house  50°  to  55°.  As  regards  Orchid  flowers,  the 
month  of  Jaruiary  is  about  the  least  favoured  of 
the  whole  year,  for,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
stray-flowering  or  of  some  recently  imported  plants 
which  flower  at  any  time  of  the  year,  such  as 
Lycaste  Skinneri,  Epidendrum  Vitellinum,  various 
Oncidiums,  and  Odontoglossums,  there  are  not 
many  in  cultivation  which  may  be  termed  really 
winter-flowering.  Now,  however,  is  the  proper 
time  for  Angnecum  sesquipedale,  Calanthe  Veitchi, 
C.  vestita  and  varieties,  Cypripedium  Charles- 
worthi,  C.  insigne,  C.  spicerianum,  and  the 
numerous  and  beautiful  hybrids  produced  by  the 
crossing  of  these  species  and  by  that  of  their  alreadj' 
cultivated  hybrids.  The  beautiful  Phahenopsis 
schilleriana,  from  Manilla,  also  usually  expands  its 
lovely  blossoms  of  a  particularly  ro.sy  pink  colour, 
and  the  Orchid  houses  are  perfumed  through  the 
delightful  fragrance  of  the  richly  marked  flowers 
of  Zygopetalum  Mackayi,  a  Brazilian  plant  of  easy 
culture,  and  one  which  really  deserves  to  be  grown 
more  extensively  than  it  is  at  present.  IS. 

INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Before  the  rush  of  spring  work  begins,  as  it  will 
very  shortly,  it  is  well  to  put  the  various  structures 
in  thorough  working  order  ;  the  glass  and  wood- 
work to  be  thoroughly  washed  with  strong  soapy 
water,  using  a  little  of  the  preparation  known  as 
soluble  paraffin  ;  the  walls  or  an3'  wall  surface  to 
be  well  coated  with  hot  lime.  I  also  use  neat 
paraffin,  as  it  penetrates  crevices  which  would 
otherwise  be  overlooked.  We  paint  the  interior 
of  glass  houses  annually — greenhouses,  vineries, 
Peach  houses,  &c. ,  one  coat,  while  stoves,  Melon, 
and  Cucumber  houses  receive  two  coats.  This 
keeps  the  woodwork  in  good  repair,  making  the 
houses  last  longer,  besides  giving  a  neat  and  clean 
appearance.  I  would  strongly  urge  the  practice 
of  this  work  in  gardens,  as  the  outlay  is  trivial 
when  done  regularly,  and  any  handy  labourer  could 
profitably  be  employed  at  this  woi'k  in  weather- 
when  outdoor  work  is  at  a  standstill.  The  jiro- 
duction  of  cut  flowers  will  now  be  engaging  the 
attention  of  many,  and  this  is  a  matter  which 
requires  considerable  forethought  and  judgment. 
We  have  nearly  exhausted  our  stock  of  Chrj'san- 


themums,  and  having  no  substitute  which  will  in 
any  wa}'  take  its  place,  we  are  perforce  driven  to 
the  forcing  of  Roman  Hyacinths,  Tulips,  Lily  of 
the  Valley,  Freesias,  Paper-white  Narcissus,  &c. 
The  Roman  Hyacinths  having  been  duly  potted  in 
August  and  September,  little  difficulty  is  expe- 
rienced in  producing  flowers,  a  little  time  in  the 
forcing-house  soon  bringing  them  into  bloom.  The 
same  remarks  apply  to  Narcissus.  It  is  well  to 
remove  all  forced  flowers  when  almost  fully 
developed  to  a  cooler  temperature. 

Freesias 
should  not,  however,  be  put  into  the  forcing 
quarters  until  the  spikes  are  well  advanced,  and 
then  they  should  be  placed  at  the  cooler  end  of  the 
house.  Late  batches  must  be  liberally  fed,  say, 
twice  weekly.  I  find  farnn-ard  liquid  is  the  best 
for  these,  with  plenty  of  air  and  the  sjrirge. 
Azalea  mollis  and  indica  must  also  find  room  in 
the  forcing  quarters.  A.  Deutsche  Perle,  a  choice 
double  white  that  forces  well,  is  largelj'  used  here, 
and  I  know  of  no  Azalea  which  so  well  repays,  as 
it  is  literally  smothered  by  its  own  flowers.  The 
syringe  must  be  kept  going  briskly-  amongst  the 
foliage,  while  this  can  be  done  with  impunity,  or 
our  enemy  the  red  spider  may  nurke  its  unwelcome 
appearance.  Callas  now  pushing  up  their  flower- 
spikes  should  be  encouraged  by  freijucnt  applica- 
tions of  liquid  manure  or  a  dusting  of  pure  guano. 
A  somewhat  moist  atmosphere  is  most  suitable, 
such  as  that  of  a  vinery  or  Peach  house,  which  is 
being  pushed  on.  Cyclamen,  too,  will  now  be 
adding  to  the  flower-basket.  A  good  position  near 
the  glass  with  plentj*  of  air  is  necessary  for  them. 
A  very  slight  dusting  of  Clay's  Fertiliser — saj',  once 
fortnightl^'^is  of  advantage  in  pushing  the  flowers 
well  above  the  foliage. 

BonvARDi.iS 
now  going  over  should  have  less  water  at  the 
roots,  and  be  gradually  prepared  for  a  season  of 
comparative  rest.  The  main  stock  of  Poinsettias 
will  also  be  at  their  best,  when  they  are  to  be  used 
in  a  cut  state.  The  bases  of  the  stems  when  cut 
should  be  put  in  very  hot  water  ;  this  seals  the 
wound  and  prevents  bleeding,  which  so  very  soon 
exhausts  the  flower.  Carnations,  such  as  Mr. 
Leopold  de  Rothscluld,  C.  Winter  Cheer,  C.  Mr.=. 
Moore,  C.  americana,  &c.,  will  in  their  own  cpiarters 
be  making  a  winter  display.  A  night  temperature 
of  5(f,  with  a  rise  to  55'  with  sun  and  the  admis- 
sion of  air  by  ilaj',  ^^■ill  be  found  a  suitable  growing 
temperature.  Pure  guano  and  Clay's  Fertiliser 
alternatelj'  should  be  given,  once  fortnightly,  at 
the  rate  of  a  dessert  spoonful  to  a  (i-inch  pot, 
assuming  the  plant  to  be  in  good  health.  Ferns 
will  also  require  attention.  Fogg^',  dull  weather 
is  apt  to  cause  what  is  known  as  damping,  and  these 
decaying  fronds  must  be  removed. 

CHRVSANTnEMDM.S. 

The  main  bat  h  of  cuttings  should  now  be  put  into 
small  i^ots  to  root,  if  this  has  not  already  been 
done.  Many,  of  course,  have  been  put  in  during 
November  and  the  early  part  of  December,  but, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few,  I  prefer  to  put  in  the 
principal  of  our  stock  at  the  end  of  Dcccnibci'  or 
very  early  in  January.  After  being  ]nit  in  for  a 
few'  days,  thej'  must  he  carefully  looked  to  in  case 
of  damping-otf  setting  in  ;  it  is  well  to  admit  a 
very  slight  amount  of  air,  and  the  lights  should  be 
regularly  dried  if  an  accumulation  of  nuusture 
adheres  to  the  glass,  as  it  readily  does  at  this 
season.  •!■   !''•   .Mi'Lkcid. 

J)ocer  House  Gardens,  Boehaiiijiloii. 


THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
Scarlet  Lobelias. 
The  scarlet  Lobelia  is  a  troublesome  i)lant  in 
many  gardens,  and  when  stock  is  propagated  by 
division  of  the  lifted  plants  canker  of  the  root- 
stalk  is  certain  to  cause  great  losses  through  the 
winter,  these  losses  being  sometimes  so  severe  and 
|)ersistent  that  sufficient  plants  cainiot  be  rai.sed 
from  the  remnant.  Personally,  I  get  over  this 
difficulty  by  raising  a  batch  of  seedlings  annually, 
and  from  these  the  floWers  are  mcu-e  lasting  and 
better  in  every  way,  but  as  this  is  not  the  time  fur 


January  19,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


49 


sowing   seeds   the   matter  may  be   left   now,  and 
attention  turned   to    the  ordinary  stock  of  lifted 
plants.       I   always   found    that   the   only  way  of 
saving  the  plants  after  canker  had  set  in  was  to 
divide  into  single  crowns,  each,  if  possilile,  with  a 
little  root,  jjut  them   in   boxes  of  fresh  soil,  and 
transfer  from  the  cold  frame  to  a  vinery  or  Peach 
house  which  has  been  just  started.     Once  new  root 
action  is  set  up  the  decay  ceases,  and  the  plants 
may  readily  be  hardened  off  again   by  the  end  of 
March,  and  make  good  material  for  earlj'  planting. 
Those  who   maj'    have    tried   the    plants    on    the 
biennial  plan  I  have  found  so  successful  will   now 
have  their  seedlings  big  enough  to  prick  otl'  from 
the    seed    pan    into   bo.xes,    putting    them    about 
2^-  inches  apart,  and  treating  them  for  a  few  weeks 
to  a  little  heat.     I  may  add  that  these  seedlings 
are  quite  as  superior  to  the  divisions  as  a  seedling 
Carnation,  in  its  first  year,  is  to  a  layered  plant  in 
a  garden  where  Carnations   are  difficult  to  grow, 
and  I  feel  sure  that  this  fact  only  wants  knowing 
to  cause  a  revolution  in  the  method  of  treatment 
given  in  almost  all  gardens. 
Stocks. 
Of  all  Stocks,  the  Intermediate  or  East  Lothian 
varieties  are  probably  the  best  for  most  gardens,  as 
they  have  such  a  long  season  of  flowering.    Biennial 
culture  is  generally  recommended,  and  is  the  best 
when  summer  eft'ects  are  desired,  but  plants  grown 
in  this  way  have  lost   their   f  resliness   before   the 
shooting  season — which  plays  such  an   important 
part  in  the  country  house  of  to-day — comes  in,  and 
in   growing  for  the  autumn  alone  I  have  found  it 
best  to  sow  early  in  the  year.     The  method  is  this  : 
A  hotbed  is  made  up,  and  when  the  heat  has  suffi- 
ciently declined  seeds  are  sown  on  about  4  inches 
of  sweet  soil  placed  direct   on  the  hotbed,   or  in 
boxes,  in  which  the  soil  is  shallower.     When  the 
plants  are  big  enough  to  handle  they  are  pricked 
off  in  fresh  soil  on  a  more  recentl}'  made  bed,  and 
here  they  may  remain  till  sufficiently  hardened  for 
planting   out   where    they   are    to    flower.       The 
common  weakness  of  "damping  off"  in  the  earl}' 
stages   may  be  prevented   by  care   in  ventilating 
and  watering,  combined  with  the  use  of  lime  in  the 
soil  ;  the  latter,  too,  is  most  useful  in  regenerating 
the  soil  in  borders  or  beds,  which  may  have  become 
"stock   sick"    through  being   constantly   planted 
with  these  or  with  allied  plants.     The  best  of  the 
East  Lothians,  as   far  as  my  experience  goes,  are 
the  white,  crimson,  and  ro.9e-coloured  forms.     The 
latter  is  new,  and  a  really  robust,  free-flowering 
variety,  but  of  the  new  so-called  scarlet  I  cannot 
speak  so  favourably. 

Propagating. 
The  spring  propagating  season  of  many  tender 
plants  used  in  the  flower  garden  will  soon  be  with 
us,  and  though  I  do  not  advocate  too  much  haste 
in  this  matter  it  may  be  necessary  through  short- 
ness of  stock  to  place  such  things  as  Heliotropes, 
Lobelia  erinus  speciosa.  Marguerites,  &c.,  into  heat, 
where  they  will  soon  make  a  start. 

OnTDOORS. 

Should  the  mild  weather  continue  it  will  be 
advisable  to  take  the  opportunity  of  getting  work 
forward  in  this  department  to  save  a  rush  later  on. 
Live  edgings  of  all  kinds  may  be  planted  ^t  any 
time  during  the  winter  when  the  weather  is  fit.  In 
the  formal  part  of  the  garden  neatness  is  imperative, 
and  all  edging  plants  should  be  kept  trim  and  neat  ; 
this  can  only  be  done  by  keeping  the  more  straggling 
of  the  plants  used  for  this  purpose  within  bounds 
by  lifting  and  replanting.  Where  Box  is  used,  neat- 
ness may  be  gained  by  the  use  of  the  shears  alone, 
but  even  this  would  be  often  seen  in  better  condi- 
tion if  lifted  and  re-set  every  few  years,  as  old 
plantings  are  apt  to  become  gappy  or  yellow  in 
places.  J.  C.  Tallack. 

,-    Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


staking  them.  It  is  well  to  give  a  mulch  of  long 
manure  to  recently-planted  trees,  a  point  often 
overlooked  at  the  planting,  but  should  take  place 
before  severe  frost  reaches  the  roots.  Standard 
trees  should  be  supported,  as,  though  it  is  well  to 
leave  them  for  a  time  to  allow  of  the  ground 
settling,  there  should  be  no  further  delay.  As 
regards  the  pruning  of  newly-planted  trees,  there 
is  a  diversity  of  opinion.  Much  depends  on  the 
size  of  the  trees,  but  under  any  conditions  I  would 
defer  pruning  until  later  on,  say,  early  in  March, 
as  newly-planted  trees  are  later  in  starting  inio 
growth  than  established  ones.  The  pruning  should 
consist  in  merelj'  shortening  the  leader  in  the  case 
of  Apples  and  Peirs,  as  much  may  be  done  to  bring 
the  trees  into  shape  during  growth  by  stopping 
misplaced  shoots.  I  am  aware  it  is  useless  to  leave 
gross  wood  too  long.  There  must  be  some  cutting 
back  to  induce  a  lower 
break,  so  that,  as  I  have 
previously  noted,  much 
depends  upon  the  size 
and  vigour  of  the  trees. 
As  a  rule,  severe  cutting 
back  is  not  needed  when 

the    trees     have     been 

recently  planted. 
Orchard  Trees. 
These  are,  frequently 

left    to    take    care     of 

themselves  after  plant- 
ing.   I  am  not  a  believer 

in    keeping   old,    worn- 
out     trees     that     only 

produce  inferior  fruits, 

and  with  severe  weather 

time  may  be   found    to 

remove  such  trees  and 

prepare   for   new  ones. 

The     same     advice     is 

applicable     to     useless 

trees,  a^  in   many  gar- 
dens there  are  numbers 

of  such  trees,  which  not 

only  rob    the   soil,   but 

also  prevent  crops  grow- 
ing freely.    It  is  useless 

to   plant    new   trees  in 

the    same    position    as 

occupied     by    the     old 

ones,  but  this  is  readil}' 

avoided  by  marking  out 

new      sites      and 

thoroughly      preparing 

the   land   by  trenching 

and  adding  such  mate- 
rials as  the  soil  requires. 

There  is   yet   two   full 

months     in    which     to 

plant,  and  after  a  fairly 

long  experience  I  would 

add   that    it     is    much 

better    to    plant    good 

trees  and  the  best  varie- 
ties.     I  need  not  give 

lists,  as  this  matter  was 

abU"    treated     by    the 

Editors  last  year,  but  I 

would  add  there  is  no 
merit  in  numbers  or  varieties. 


the  hardest  winters  when  away  from  the  wall,  but 
there  is  some  danger  with  shoots  tied  closely  to 
galvanised  wires,  as  the  Ijark  is  afleoted,  so  that  in 
all  cases  I  would  advise  loosening  of  the  fruiting 
wood,  at  the  same  time  having  the  main  branches 
securely  supported  to  prevent  breakage.  There  is 
scarcely  any  pruning  with  these  trees  in  the  winter 
if  due  attention  be  paid  to  cutting  out  useless 
wood  and  wood  just  cleared  of  fruit  as  soon  as  the 
fruits  were  gathered.  Fig  trees  on  walls  in  exposed 
positions  may  now  require  extra  protection.  It  is 
an  easy  matter  to  tie  the  branches  together  and 
cover  with  dry  Bracken  or  straw  and  with  mats 
securely  fastened  to  the  walls  ;  indeed,  in  some 
cases  I  have  taken  the  trees  from  the  wall,  laid 
them  at  the  base,  and  covered  in  very  hard 
weather.  G.   WvTiiiiS. 

Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 


\i 


FEUIT    GAEDEN". 

Treatment  of  Newly-planted  Trees. 

The  weather  up  till  the  end  of  the  year  favoured 
planting,  and  with  a  break  the  cultivator  will  do 
well  to  do  any  work  that  may  be  performed,  such 
newly  ■  planted    trees    protection    and 


as   aivHig 


Kinds  known  to  be 
the  best  are  needed,  and  which  give  as  long  a  season 
as  possible.  It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that 
some  of  the  late  varieties  termed  "cooking" 
Apples  are  not  at  all  bad  for  dessert  if  kept  late  in 
the  spring,  and  such  kinds  as  Lane's  Prince  Albert 
crop  grandly  in  most  places. 

Trees  on  Open  Walls. 
There  is  always  a  fear  that  the  Peach  and  Nec- 
tarine after  a  mild  winter  will  bloom  early  and  the 
fruit  crop  be  poor  in  consequence.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  retard,  which  is  preferable  to  shelter  when 
in  bloom.  During  the  past  month  my  trees — at 
least,  the  fruiting  portion,  the  younger  growths — 
were  all  detached  from  the  wall,  and  will  remain 
so  till  the  blossom  is  nearl}'  expanded.  By  this 
plan  the  new  wood  is  better  in  every  way,  being 
firmer  and  cleaner  by  free  exposure.  In  our  own 
case  I  have  never  observed  any  injury  to  shoots  in 


luculia  grvtissima. 

LUCULIA    GRATISSIMA. 

The  plant  from  which  the  accompanying  photo- 
graph was  taken  has  been  in  its  present  position 
about  eighteen  months.  Previous  to  this  it  was 
grown  in  a  pot,  where  it  made  little  or  no  growth. 
It  is  now  planted  in  a  border  about  2  feet  deep  in 
a  compost  consisting  of  loam,  peat,  and  sand.  The 
temperature  is  kept  as  nearly  as  possible  at  50°, 
and  with  this  amount  of  heat  it  commences  to 
flower  about  the  first  week  in  December.  As  soon 
as  the  buds  are  formed,  generally  in  October,  it 
receives  once  a  week  a  weak  solution  of  liquid 
manure  and  Thomson's  Fertiliser  alternately  (of  the 
latter,  a  teaspoonful  to  a  gallon  of  water).  When 
the  flowering  is  past  it  is  kept  on  the  dry  side 
for  about  two  months  before  starting  into  growth 
again.  In  the  summer  it  is  given  plenty  of  water, 
and  is  also  kept  continually  moist  by  what  it 
receives  from  the  watering  of  other  plants  on  the 


50 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  19,  i9ol. 


stages  near  it.  It  is  ver}'  subject  to  mealy  bug, 
which  must  be  continually  watched  for  and  washed 
off  with  Gishurstitie  as  soon  as  it  appears. 

Ooe  of  the  largest  plants  known  is  now  growing 
at  Firbeck  Hall,  the  property  of  Mr.  S.  Jebb,  a 
few  miles  from  here.  It  is  about  twenty-two  years 
old,  and  rewards  the  care  of  its  gardener  (Mr.  W. 
Egglestone)  by  carrying  from  SOO  to  l.UDO  trusses 
of  bloom  every  year.  It  is  grown  in  an  almost 
cold  house,  and  does  not  blossom  until  January. 

Worl-'iop.  M.  Alderson. 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 

MESSRS.  SUTTON  &  SONS,  EEADINCx. 

A  VISIT  to  the  nursery  of  Messrs.  Sutton 
i.s  always  interesting  and  enjoyable, 
no  matter  at  which  season  of  the 
L  year  it  may  be  paid.  During  the 
^  spring  and  suntmer  time  the  seed- 
trial  grounds,  with  their  myriad 
colours  of  plants' in  il<jwer,  are  the  centre  of 
attraction,  while  during  autumn  and  winter 
many  hours  might  be  profitably  and  iileasurably 
spent  in  the  extensive  seed  wareliouses  and 
offices.  It  is,  however,  to  a  midwinter  visit 
that  we  would  more  particularly  refer  at  the 
]iresent  moment,  where  the  houses  devoted  to 
the  culture  of  Primulas  and  Cyclamen  are 
bright  with  the  many  varied  forms  and  colours 
of  those  winter-flowering  plants  that  Messrs. 
Sutton  have  clone  so  much  to  improve  and 
])opularise. 

For  quite  live  or  six  months  of  the  year— 
from  November  until  April  and  May— are 
Primulas  to  be  S3en  in  flower  in  the  houses  in 
the  nursery  gardens  at  Reading,  and  so  much 
liave  they  'been  improved  in  vigour  of  growth 
and  substance  of  bloom  that  they  appear  to 
pass  through  the  usually  destructive  fogs  of 
the  Thames  valley  untouched  and  unaffected 
by  them. 

When  looking  through  the  Pioyal  Seed 
Establishment  at  Reading  one  is  forcibly 
struck  with  the  extreme  care  that  is 
taken  in  the  selecting  and  testing  of 
the  various  seed.s.  Before  being  sent 
out,  seeds  of  every  description— flower, 
vegetable,  and  farm  seeds— are  tested 
as  to  their  capability  of  germinating 
satisfactorily  ;  and  should  any  be 
found  that  do  not  meet  the  reijuired 
standard  of  efliciency  they  are  dis- 
carded. A  practical  record  is  kept 
annually  of  the  numerous  varieties 
that  are  placed  in  the  market  by 
retaining  a  few  seeds  of  each,  sowing 
them  and  growing  the  seedlings  on  to 
the  flowering  stage.  Many  of  the 
latter  were  noticeable  on  the  occasion 
of  our  recent  visit,  and  proved  by 
their  almost  absolute  uniformity  how 
thorough  and  careful  is  the  selection. 
House  after  house  is  filled  with 
Primulas  in  flower,  producing  .such  a 
jiicture  of  colour  that  is  worth  going 
far  to  see.  That  old  variety,  Sutton's 
Pearl,  which  has  been  in  commerce 
for  over  twenty  years,  and  still  holds 
its  own  as  one  of  the  most  useful 
white  Primulas  for  the  greenhouse 
that  we  have,  on  account  of  its  robust 
habit  and  easy  culture,  was  well  in 
evidence.  Another  excellent  single 
white  is  Sutton's  Royal  White,  whose 
rich  dark  foliage  forms  an  effective 
setting  to  the  pure  ivory- wliite  flowers. 
That  known  by  the  name  of  Reading 
Pink  is  a  charm'ing  variety  ;  the  clainty 
pink  flowers  are  beautifully  fringed, 
and  shoidd  find  a  place  in  every  col- 


lection. An  early  and  very  free  -  blooming  | 
one  is  called  Reading  Scarlet,  a  name  that 
is  well  deserved  by  the  brilliant  scarlet 
blooms.  One  does  not  meet  with  the  blue 
Primula — so  it  .seems  to  us — as  often  as  one 
should  do.  If  the  variety  Reading  Blue, 
now  in  flovv'er  with  Messrs.  Sutton,  were 
to  be  seen  by  those  who  do  not  possess  it,  we 
feel  sure  they  would  quickly  become  its 
admirers.  The  upright  trusses  of  splendid 
flowers  are  of  a  beautiful  blue,  and  it  may  be 
incidentally  mentioned  that  they  are  seen  at 
their  best  in  partial  shade.  In  the  Riviera 
blue  Primulas  are  used  to  a  considerable  extent 
in  the  embellishment  of  the  gardens  there — 
gardens  that  are  in  many  respects  unequalled 
throughout  Europe — and  one  always  finds  them 
placed  in  well-shaded  positions. 

Last  year  Messrs.  Sutton  introduced  a  novelty 
in  blue  Primulas,  under  the  name  of  Cambridge 
Blue,  which  well  describes  the  colour.  The  tint 
is  more  delicate  than  that  of  Reading  Blue 
above  mentioned,  and  pleasingly  associates 
with  it.  Undoubtedly  one  of  the  most  useful 
of  all  the  numerous  Primulas  that  ilessrs. 
Sutton  have  is  Sutton's  Crimson  King.  It 
comes  into  bloom  early  in  the  season,  and 
maintains  a  continuous  display  during  the 
autumn  and  winter  months.  Its  colour  is 
almost  that  of  the  old  Clove  Carnation, 
intensified  by  a  very  dark  band  surrounding 
the  eye. 

Those  who  prefer  the  Fern -leaved  varieties 
would  be  equally  delighted  with  those  Messrs. 
Sutton  have  on  view  ;  some  of  the  best  are 
Improved  White,  with  elegant  pure  M'hite 
flowers  ;  Purity,  white  large  flowers  and  dark 
brown  foliage  ;  Rosy  Queen,  Sutton's  1)1  ae, 
and  Snowdrift.  The  last-named  is  a  beautiful 
l)ure  white  Primula  that  conies  into  flower 
very  early  and  blooms  freely  for  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  season.  Amongst  tlie  doubles 
are  the  Improved  Double  Scarlet,  almost  as  rich 
in  colour  as  Crimson  King  above  mentioned  ; 
Double  Blue,  a  double  form  of  Readina'  Blue  ; 


alba  magnifica,  and  Carnation  Flaked.  These 
latter,  as  the  flowers  mature,  develop  bright 
flakes  and  dots  upon  their  petals,  and  com])rise 
many  lovely  colours.  Sutton's  Giant  Primulas 
in  various  shades  are  too  well  known  to  need 
further  description  here  ;  they  are  indisjien- 
sal)le  in  every  greenhouse.  The  delightful  Star 
Primulas,  that  eventually  develop  into  such 
splendid  plants,  masses  of  flower,  ai'e  not  yet 
at  their  best.  Messrs.  Sutton  have  now  a  blue 
form  of  this,  although  we  believe  it  has  not  y<'t 
been  sent  out. 

The  Cyclamens  uiust  have  one  concluding 
word,  although,  to  do  them  justice,  we  might 
write  about  them  for  long.  Quite  a  strong 
perfume  is  apparent  when  one  enters  the  hon.se 
filled  with  .smaller  flowered  types.  It  would 
seem  that  it  will  not  lie  ver.y  long  before  we 
have  true-scented  Cyclamens  :  at  jireseut  they 
do  not  appear  to  be  definitely  fixed.  The 
Giant  Whites  are  very  fine,  as  also  are  the 
Giant  Rose,  pink,  crimson,  and  other  colour.s. 
Three  varieties,  res|iectively  called  White 
Butterfly,  Saliuuu  Queen,  and  Vulcan  (not 
giant  forms)  are  exceptionally  good.  X'ulcan 
is  the  darkest  coloured  Cyclamen  we  have. 
One  might  dwell  for  long  upon  other  colours, 
shades,  and  forms  that  are  to  lie  seen  amongst 
the  enormous  number  of  plants  grown  for  seed 
by  Messr.s.  Sutton,  but  enough  has  doubtless 
been  said  to  give  some  idea  of  the  varied 
beauty  comprised  in  the  Primulas  and  Cycla- 
mens raised  by  the  famous  Reading  firm.  A 
walk  through  the  offices,  despatch  rooms,  and 
seed  warehouses  serves  but  to  imjiress  ujion  one 
how  careful  and  concise  are  the  working  methods 
practised  throughout  the  establi.shment. 


BOOKS. 

Hopticultupal  Direetopy.— Tliis  useful 

publication  for  tlie  year  lillJl  is  before  us.  No 
gardener  should  be  without  it,  for  it  contains  a 
great  deal  of  information  relating  to  horticulture 


A    PERSIAN   CYCLAMEN    HOUSE   AT   KEADISC, 


January  19,  1901.] 


i'HE    GAllDEN 


that  is  indispensable.  E.'chaustive  lists 
are  given  of  London  and  provincial 
nurserymen  and  seeilsnien,  as  well  as 
of  head  gardener.?  throughout  the  United 
Kingdom.  Plants  having  received  cer- 
tificates and  awards  of  merit  from  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society'  between 
October,  ISWI,  and  yeptember,  UIOO, 
are  described,  and  man_y  useful  garden 
recipes  given,  together  with  other 
general  information.  "Journal  of 
Horticulture"  Office,  1'2,  Mitre  Court 
Chambers,  Fleet  Street,  Jjondon.  K.C. 
Price  Is. 

The  Rosarian's  Year  Book 

for  1901. —  We  liave  received  this 
publication  (edited  bj-  that  veteran 
rosarian.  the  Hev.  Honywood  D'ombrain) 
for  inui.  It  is  dedicated  to  the  Rev. 
b".  R.  Burnside,  of  whom  there  is  an 
e.'coellent  portrait.  The  articles  com- 
prise: "Roses  under  Ulass,"  by  Mr. 
Waltei'  Easlea,  jun.  ;  "  >Some  New- 
Roses  of  1900,"  by  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Pemberton  :  "The  Roses  and  ihe  National 
Rose  Konietv  in  1900;"  "Hybrid  Tea- 
scented  and  China  Koses,"  b\'  Cecil  V>. 
Cant;  "Rose  E.^chibiting,"  by  Mr.  R.  K. 
West;  "Hardiness  of  Tea  Roses,"  by 
Mr.  George  Paul  :  and  "Rose  Weather 
in  1900,"  by  Mr.  Edward  Mawley 


t'HINESE    I'Kmrij.^S    AT   READI.NC^, 


RAINFALL    AT    THE    GARDENS, 
TAN-Y-BW^LCH, 

For  the  YE.iR  1899. 


A'(».  itf  daua 

on  ir'ndi   01 

Date  of 

Total 

Month. 

and  upn-ardy 

lieaotimtfall 

Auitianf. 

for 

It'tIK    ITIJIii- 

in  ^h  lioum. 

tnont/i . 

l(?red. 

inches. 

.latuiary  . . 

.        1!)      . . 

. .     20tll     . . 

.:     2-lS     ..      . 

.     8-98 

P'ebrnary 

. .      1  .S 

..     lltb     .. 

•79     . .      . 

.     4^03 

.Marcli     . . 

..    ]:i    .. 

. .     26th     .  . 

..     1-33     ..      . 

.     2  32 

April 

2:1 

, .       0th     . . 

..     1-10     ..      . 

.     7-14 

May  . .     . . 

. .      10      . . 

. .     1.5tb      . . 

■4S      .  ,      . 

.     3^77 

.Tune 

M 

. .    :JOth     . . 

"77     .  , 

.     327 

.luly  . .     . . 

. .     13     . . 

. .     10th     . . 

■99      .  .      . 

.     275 

August    . . 
September 

11 

. .     29th     . . 

■99 

2^57 

. .    a.-i    . . 

.     l.=.th     . . 

■82     ..      . 

.     rv02 

October  . . 

..    11    .. 

.     29th     . . 

. .     133     ..      . 

.     4^73 

November 

. .    i.s 

. .       7th     . . 

. .     12;.     ,.      . 

.     i-bo 

Deeeniber 

..      14      .. 
184 

.       4th     . . 

■i)8      .  .      . 

53^84 

For  the  Ye..vr  1900. 

.Tanuary  , . 

. .     2li     . . 

0th     . . 

.      113      ..       . 

.     O^SO 

February 

. .    ir.    . . 

9th  (snow 

)     ros    .. 

.      5-35 

Marcli     . . 

. .     12     . . 

10th  (snow 

)         -43     ..      . 

.     102 

April 

. .     10     . . 

11th      .  . 

01     . .      . 

.     3^00 

May..     .. 

..     14     .. 

.     21st      .  . 

.     1^11     ..      . 

.     3^39 

.lune 

. .     2(1     .  , 

.     24th     . . 

■03     ..      . 

.     3^99 

.ruly  . .     . . 

..     17     .. 

.     31st      . . 

■09     ..      . 

.     3^42 

.\ugust    . . 

..      IS      .. 

.     31st      . . 

.     1^08     ..      . 

.       S^O.T 

.'September 

14      .  . 

.     20th     . . 

•00     .  .      . 

.     3-68 

Oetobei-  . . 

. .     20     . . 

.     24th     . . 

.  .     1^09     ..      . 

.     S-04 

November 

. .     Ifl     . . 

.     24th     . . 

•84     ..      . 

.     ,'>^79 

December 

. .    2:^    . . 

21S 

.     27th     . . 

■80     ..      . 

John  Robej 

.     8-14 

01  ^93 
ITS. 

years  that  1900  registered  far  the  largest  fall  and 
is  the  heaviest  of  any  jear  I  can  find  recorded 
here.  Rain  fell  on  20.")  days.  August  was  the 
wettest  month.  The  heaviest  fall  for  24  hours  was 
on  December  30,  when  we  measured  1  •"(i  inches. 
The  next  heaviest  was  1  -'M)  on  August  .'i. 

.J.  C.  Tali.ack. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editor.^  are  not   re.^pon«ihle    for  the  opinions 
exprenxtd  by  their  corre-ipondettt-^. ) 


Little  (Jem,  wliich  naturally  cannot  be  planted  so 
deep  as  the  stronger  growing  kinds.  With  regard 
to  the  yellow  species,  I  have  tried  two  of  them 
in  water  inider  similar  conditions  to  those  in  which 
the  white  thrived,  and  have  been  unsuccessful ; 
but  it  would  be  rather  too  hasty  a  generalisation 
to  infer  from  this  that  such  a  method  mat/  not 
succeed,  though  my  own  belief  is  that  they  all 
require  more  heat  than  the  white,  and  that  they 
do  not  like  their  crowns  to  be  under  water. 
Parkstotie,  Dor.-<ef.  H.  R.  Ducmore. 


RAINFALL  AT  SHIPLEY  HALL 
GARDENS,  DERBY, 

For  THE  Year  190tl. 
Month.  inches. 

January  . .'     3^97 

February       4-02 

March 73 

April       1  2.T 

May 1-83 

.Tune        2'42 

.Tuly 2  72 

August o^SO 

September '87 

October 3-05 

November     3-00 

December      4'59 

33-87 
For  Five  Previous  Years. 

Veur.  incliea. 

189.1 24 -.54 

1890 28^10 

1897 26-79 

1898 23^92 

1899  . .      .  .      27^70 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  totals  for  the  five  pi'evious 


PROPAGATING     ARMERIA 
CEPHALOTHS. 

[To  the  P^ditor  of  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — In  a  recent  number  of  The  Garden 
this  showy  Thrift  has  been  referred  to  as 
being  difficult  of  propagation,  but  I  can 
confidently  state  that  this  is  by  no  means 
the  case.  It  is  only  necessary  to  slip  off 
a  few  of  the  small  shoots  of  which  the 
tuft  consists  (assuming  that  the  plant  is  not  less 
than  three  or  four  years  old),  trim  the  base  of  each 
with  a  sharp  knife,  and  plant  them  about  2  inches 
deep,  giving  them  the  protection  of  a  hand-light  if 
possible.  This  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  but  will 
hasten  the  rooting  process,  which  occiipies  from 
four  to  si.\  weeks,  the  period  of  course  varying 
with  soil,  season,  and  position.  Even  a  double" 
headed  slip  or  cutting  will  root. 

■//«"■"■''■  W.  Tho.mi'son. 

TEMPERATURE  OF  RUNNING  AND 
STILL  WATER. 

[To  the  Editor  ok  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— In  The  Garden  of  December  22.  "  D.  T.  F." 
makes  a  singular  mistake  as  to  the  comparative 
temperature  of  running  water  and  still  water.  He 
says,  in  speaking  of  Richardias  :  "  Planting  in 
running  streams  is  safer,  because  they  are  warmer 
than  lakes,  ponds,  or  fountains.''  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  running  water  will  frequently  fall  considerably 
belon-  32°  Fahr.  without  freezing,  while  still  water 
always  remains  ahon:  that  temperature  under  the 
ice  which  forms  the  surface.  I  have  had  3  inches 
or  4  inches  of  ice  over  Richardias  in  still  water 
without  damaging  their  vitality  if  they  were 
planted  deep  enough  for  the  crowns  to  be  some 
inches  below  the  ice.  Deep  planting  under  water 
is  the  secret  of  success,  and  for  this  reason  I  should 
liesitate   to    recommend   dwarf   varieties,   such    as 


THE  ITALIAN  STONE  PINE  (PINTS 
PINEA). 
[To  the  Editor  or  "The  Garden. ''J 
Sir, —I  was  very  much  pleased  to  see  the  beautiful 
illustration  of  a  characteristic  portion  of  the  Pine 
Forest  near  Ravenna,  Italj-.  in  The  (Garden  of 
December  22,  page  449.  It  is  a  picture  that  will, 
as  1  hope,  draw  attention  to  one  of  the  most 
distinct  and  most  remarkable  of  all  the  European 
Pines  amenable  to  cultivation  in  our  gardens  and 
ornamental  grounds.  There  is  a  specimen  at 
Haniwood,  Dunboyne,  County  Meath.  that  was 
reared  from  Italian  seeds  brought  from  the  gardens 
of  the  Borghese  "\'illa  in  the  « ay  jou  describe  in 
the  note  accompanying  your  illustration.  The 
Stone  Pine  is  by  far  the  finest  specimen  coniferous 
tree  now  existent  in  the  Uni\'ersity  Botanical 
C4ardens  at  Dublin.  This  specimen  is  about 
seventy -five  years  of  age  and  close  upon  .")0  feet 
in  height,  and  its  girth  at  ."i  feet  from  the  ground 
is  close  on  66  feet,  while  the  umbrage  or  spread  of 
its  head  is  35  feet.  When  the  members  of  the 
Royal  Scottish  Arboricultural  Society  visited 
Dublin  in  1897  they  were  much  astonished  to  find 
such  a  good  example  alive  and  healthy  in  what  is 
nowadays  a  veritable  town  garden.  Mr.  Adolphus 
H.  Kent  also  admired  this  tree  when  he  visited 
Ireland  before  the  publication  of  the  second  edition 
of  Veitch's  "Mantial  of  the  Conifera?."  On  pace 
363  of  this  work  the  author  says,  in  relation  to  this 
Pine:  "Certainly  the  most  imposing  yet  seen 
.  .  .  is  standing  in  the  Trinity  College  Botanical 
Gardens,  Dublin  ;  and  there  is  one  at  Powerscourt, 
and  another  at  Charlville,  in  County  Wicklow, 
worth_\'  of  mention."  Wherever  shelter  can  be 
secured,  on  deep,  rich  alluvial  soils  and  in  genial 
localities  near  the  sea,  this  noble  Pine  maj-  be 
planted  with  every  chance  of  permanent  success. 
Groups  of  it  might  also  M-ell  be  tried  within  the 
shelter  of  other  coniferous  woods  and  plantations, 
especially  on  deep,  rich,  and  warm  soils.  It  is 
called  "Stone  Pine"  in  England  from  the  hard 
seed  coats.     In  Itah-  it  is  the  "  Pino  a  Pinocchi  "  : 


■.Yl 


THE    GAEDEN. 


r.lANUARY     lil,    1901.. 


Ill  .Spain  the  -'Pino  real"  or  "Pino  'a  Comer," 
from  the  fact  that  its  large  seeds  are  a  welcome 
article  of  food;  in  France  it  is  the  "Pin  de 
Parasol,"  from  its  umbrella-shaped  head  of  densely- 
arranged  branches.  Artistically  and  economicaliy 
It  IS  one  of  the  best-known  Pines  of  the  ileditei- 
ranean  region  to  which  it  belongs,  and  the  tine  old 
spreading  tree  at  Kew,  aiving  as  it  does  a  fair  idea 
of  Its  hardihood  in  the  Thames  Valley,  ought  to 
encourage  southern  planters  to  give  this  noble  Pine 
a  fair  trial  in  our  gardens.  F.  \V.  BrKp.iiicE. 


ARUM  LILIES  OUT  OF  DOORS. 
fTu  THE  Editor  or  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,—  The  illustration  and  acconipan\ing  article  on 
this  subject  on  page  .-i.-.T  will  probably  have  the 
effect  of  inducing  others  to  ti-v  to 
favourite  flowers  in  tlieir  ponds  and  lakes  From 
what  I  know  of  the  district  in  which  Castle 
Kennedy  lies  and  the  climate  it  has,  1  do  not  think 
there  is  much  danger  of  losing  the  plants  in  winter 
unless,  perhaps,  in  a  season  such  as  that  of  18!)4-,") 
Much,  however,  depends  upon  the  depth  of  water 
over  the  crowns,  which  should  be  sufficient  to 
prevent  these  from  being  frozen.  I  have  tried 
some  experiments  with  these  Arums  in  my  little 
aquatic  plant  pool,  with  the  result  that  I  have 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  in  this  district  the 
crowns  should  be  at  least  a  foot  below  the  surface 
of  the  lowest  water  level  likely  to  occur  in  winter 
Jt  will  one  hopes,  not  be  taken  for  granted  that 
these  Richardias  will  be  liardy  all  over  Scotland 
or  for  that  matter,  all  over  the  south  of  Scotland' 
All  along  the  west  coast  thev  ought  to  do  admir- 
ably. In  some  parts  of  the  east,  near  the  coast, 
they  will  also  be  worth  trying.  In  inland  districts 
Jt  seems  almost  hopeless  to  try  to  grow  these 
Arums  ;  at  least,  without  protection.  I  have  been 
mucli  struck  with  the  way  in  which  the  Arum 
grows  in  the  open  in  some  parts  of  Ireland.  At 
Carton,  for  instance,  it  is  (luite  a  feature  of  the 
pond  in  which  the  best  of  the  ^^'atel■  Lilies  are 
grown.  The  Arums  there  look  much  prettier  than 
in  the  photograph,  because  of  the  informal  way  in 
which  they  are  planted  by  tlic  margin.  At  Canon 
they  seem  to  be  increasing  rapidh',  and  I  think 
that  they  ought  to  do  quite  as  well  in  the  favoured 
grounds  of  the  Earl  of  Stair  at  Castle  Kennedv 
Citr-xlhorii.  hy  Dioiifrie-s,  N.B.         S.  Arvo'tt 


most  eventful  one  for  llie  lioslel,  .is  «i-ll  as  for  the  nation 
It  was  said  tliat  our  whole  future  would  depend  upon  the 
success  of  this  second  year,  and  that  if  we  were  alile  to  train 
our  stndenls  into  good,  practical  workers,  and  then  oliiain 
remunerative  posts  for  them,  there  need  be  no  further  anxiety 
as  to  the  ultimate  place  this  scheme  would  Ik. Id  in  the  sphere 
of  women  s  work  :  another  authority  stated  that  if  the  dilli- 
cully  ot  luarketiiiK  the  produce  could  he  satisfactorily  met 
hat  would  relieve  all  further  an.viety.  I  hope  to  show  in 
the  course  of  the  report  that  we  have  made  some  headway  in 
both  matters,  and  for  this  piu-pose  I  propose  to  take  a  brief 
survey  ot  the  past  year. 

In   its  early  weeks  an  important  steii  was  agreed   upon 
between  r,ady  Warwick  on  the  one  hand  and  the 
Heading  Uollest 


,         ,  ouiicil  of 

on  the  other,  namely,  to  form  a  joint  cimi- 
nuttec  of  mauasement  to  advise  upon  the  educational 
ariangements  between  the  hostel  and  the  collefre 

•Phe  joint  committee,  which  meets  once  a  term,  has  already 
assisted  materially  to  ^vork  out  a  practical  and  satisfactory 
programme  of  education. 

The  appointment  in  .lannary  of  .Mr.  W.  I<rgi,lden    V  K  H  .S 
as    horticultural   instructor  to  the  hostel,   has  'proved  aii 
grow    these  [  uneiinivocal  success;  in  fact,  .Mr.  Iggnlden  has  done  wonders 
liere,  both  as  a  lecturer  and  practical  instructor. 

Ihe  si,\  acres  of  ground  in  Berkeley  Avenue,  which  I  had 
just  taken  when  the  last  report  was  read,  has  proved  a  very 


Ihe  toast  of  tile  English  horticulturists  was  replied  to  by 
Messrs.  Cntbush,  Bevan,  an.l  H.  .1.  .lones.  who  expressed  the 
pleasure  it  gave  them  to  be  able  to  take  part  in  such  an  enjoy- 
able eveuniL'.  .Mr.  Bevan  remarked  how  much  appreciated 
a  biimlar  English  society  would  have  been  in  France  when  it 
was  his  fortune  to  live  there  hefiu'e  the  war.  The  toastof  the 
English  horticultural  press  was  i;iven  bv  .\l.  liuillane,  who 
relerreil  to  its  value  as  a  niertiuni  for  all  those  interested  in 
gardening.  .Mr.  H.  Thomas,  of  Thk  (I.mu.k.n,  replied  in 
r lench. 

■Several  other  toas's  were  proposed  bv  various  Krench 
members,  and  agreeable  music  contributed  by  the  company 
hel]ied  to  pass  awaj  one  of  the  most  successful  annual 
meetings  in  the  history  of  the  society.  Dining  the  evening 
a  jiresentation  was  made  to  .M.  .Schneider  as  an  aiiprecia'ioii 
of  his  valuable  elfints  on  behalf  of  the  society,  which  he  was 
the  means  of  IningiMg  into  existence,  and  has  worked  hard 
for  ever  since.  Several  new  members  were  enrolled  on 
Saturday.     Kurther  inlurmation  will  gladly  be  supplied  to 


anyi 
S.W 

ne  iiite 

■csled  by  .M 

■Schneider, 

17 

Illeid 

K' 

ad.  Fulhan 

A  N  .\  1 

Al. 

MEEIIMi 

111'    IHE 

X 

VnilN 

M 

liMII.I  V 

■SIM  lETV. 

SUMMARY     OF     WEATHER 
NOTES. 

L)i;ce.mbi;r,  I'llJd. 
A  VERY  mild,  wet  month.  Dull  showery  weather 
with  overcast  skies  and  foggy  nights,  prevailed  the 
hrst  three  weeks  :  week  before  Christmas  tine  and 
sunny,  unsettled  later,  with  violent  storms  and 
heavy  rain,  colder  «-itli  hoar  frosts  :  last  week  of 
century  ram  fell  every  day,  witli  siiuallv  cold  winds 
Sun.shine  was  registered  on  fifteen  "days.  Rain 
•01  inches  01-  more  fell  on  twenty-three  days. 
Heaviest  rainfall,  -73  on  the.Sdth.  Frost  registered 
on  y  on  hve  daj-s  Maximum  temperature  in  sun 
hK^  on  the  4th,  ditto  in  shade  M°  on  the  J-^th  • 
minimum,  i","  on  the  2-2nd.  Total  rainfall"  fo^ 
ecember,  19011,  ;i -Ji  inches;  total  rainfall  for 
ecember,  IS  m,l;t>  inches;    average  rainfall  for 

*°^J*"*,  -■*•'"    '"'^hes;     total     rainfall    for    IStm 
-2-.j,  inches  ;    average  rainfall  for  year  (Windsor),' 


SOCIETIES. 


valuable  ad.iunct  to  the  hostel.  It  has  been  planted  with 
about  ...onil  bush  fruit  (red  and  black  furranis,  Gooseberries, 
and  hasphemes),  inn  standard  Plum  and  Damson  trees,  and 
■•J,n(in  StrawI.erry  plants. 

When  I  have  mentioned  the  erection  of  two  large  houses 
inn  feet  long,  which  have  enabled  us  to  grow  Tomatoes  and 
Lhrysanthemums  on  a  large  scale,  I  think  I  shall  have 
completed  the  list  of  developments  which  have  been  carried 
on  this  year. 

The  number  of  students  has  steadily  increased.  The  total 
number  who  have  entered  the  hostels  since  October  1S!)S 
IS  117.  ' 

A  larger  proportion  of  students  take  a\,  horticultural  wink 
therefore  the  facilities  for  a  sound  practical  training  have 
largely  increased,  and,  in  fact,  are  fairly  complete.  Besides 
the  usual  work  of  a  garden,  instruction  in  florist's  work  and 
table  decorations  is  given,  also  growing  large  crops  of 
Jomatoes  {at  onetime  we  were  sending  .iliulbs.  a  week  to 
market),  Chrysanthemums,  other  flowers,  and  vegetables 
When  I  mention  that— irrespective  ot  the  vegetables  used  to 
supply  daily  both  hostels  (th.at  is  for  about  sixty  peoiile)  the 
value  of  which  is  estimated  at  *;34  iss.  Id.-  the  amount  s.>ld 
between  Uctoher  1,  isoti,  and  August  .-(1,  liion,  realised 
.€4!llls.  ISd.,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  substantial  result  has 
already  lieeii  gained  by  our  labours  ;  whilst  the  takings  in 
September  and  October  this  year  of  fi.i,  point  to  steady 
progress  in  this  direction. 

As  it  seems  i|uite  illogical  to  train  students  in  the  growing 
of  produce  without  showing  them  also  how  to  sell  it  a 
marketingdepartment  was  opened  in  February  in  connection 
with  my  larm.  All  surplus  fruit,  vegetables,  poultry,  and 
eggs  have  been  sold,  both  to  private  customers  and  wholesale 
buyers.  The  department  has  grown  steadily,  the  sales  for 
the  Hrst  two  months,  ilarcli  and  April,  amounting  to  »:24, 
and  for  the  last  two,  September  and  October,  to  £77.  The 
initial  outlay  has  of  course  been  heavy,  as  it  has  amounted 
to  €l(iU  between  the  months  of  February  and  October. 
Picking,  packing,  and  despatching  are  all  taught  to  students 
who  have  Hnished  their  regular  course.  Apprentices— not 
necessarily  students— can  he  received  to  study  this  branch 
separately. 

So  far  the  demand  for  students  in  each  branch  has 
exceeded  the  supply,  and  we  have  thus  been  enabled  to  Hnd 
posts  for  all  fully-trained  students  who  rei|ilired  them.  In 
onr  two  years  we  have  started  ten  women  in  careers  both 
reinnnerative  and  useful. 

In  cmiclusion,  1  would  say  that  Ihe  result  of  these  two 
years  work  has  more  than  fnltllled  the  most  .san.oiiiic 
expectations  of  our  founder  and  myself. 


SIICIETE    FRANt'AlSE    D  HOK.TK 'UI.IT  I;  E 
LONDRES. 


HE 


iHloiidii  the  kindness  of  the  Horticultural  club,  the 
annual  general  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  in  the 
club  room,  Windsor  Hotel,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday  after- 
noon,.lannary  S.  Some  twenty  members  attended,  theseverc 
weather  no  doubt  keeping  many  away.  Mr.  Edward 
-Mawley  occupied  the  chair,  and  he  was  supported  by 
-Mr.  ('.  E.  Wilkins,  treasurer,  and  .Mr.  .1.  F.  Hudson' 
honorary  secretary.  The  minutes  of  the  previous  general 
meeting  being  taken  as  read,  the  secretary  read  the  coin- 
mittees  report,  a  muyiie  of  which  »e  gave  last  week 
The  treasurer's  statement  showed  that  had  the  Crystal 
Palace  grant,  with  a  few  special  prizes  owing,  been  paid,  the 
total  income,  inclusive  of  a  balance,  in  the  bank  left  from 
last  year,  would  amount  to  ,tisn  lUs.  .id.,  and  the  total  ex- 
penditure lo  tisi  Lis.  lid.,  thus  showing  a  deticit  of  about 
IBs.  foiisiderable  surprise  was  expressed  that  the  Crystal 
Palace  Company  had  not  paid  their  customary  grant  of 
£.10,  as  many  prizes  still  remain  unpaid.  The  chaiiinan, 
however,  stated  that  as  the  grants  to  the  .Vational  Rose 
and  (.'arnation  Societies  had  been  paid,  no  doubt  their  grant 
would  soon  come  in. 

The  report  and  financial  statement  was  then  uuanimoiisly 
adopted.  The  schedule  rule  committee,  in  preparing  for  the 
ensuing  season,  had  reduced  the  total  jn-i/ciiKmey  offered  by 
some  £20  in  order  that  a  iii.n'e  satisfactory  balance  shee't 
might  be  presented  next  .year.  It  was  also  mentioned  that 
considerable  effort  was  being  made  to  induce  the  Crystal 
Palace  Company  to  approve  of  a  one  day  show  only,  as  the 
expenditure  caused  to  exhibitors  by  a  two  days'  exhibition 
was  not  compensated  for  by  the  small  anicuints  ottered  in 
prizes.  It  was  pointed  out  that  one  day  shows  of  Roses 
and  Carnations  were  held  at  the  Palae'e  and  seemed  t" 
answer  remarkably  well.  I'he  wish  expressed  in  the  report 
that  a  late  exhibition  of  Dahlias,  especially  to  deal  with 
seedlings,  be  again  held,  with  the  approval  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  was  cordially  re-echoed  by  the 
members;  but  complaint  was  made  that  llowers  we're  last 
year  placed  before  the  floral  committee  and  that  of  the 
Dahlia  .Society  which  led  to  some  inconsistencies.  It  was 
agreed  to  avoid  any  such  mistake  in  the  future,  that  the 
Ko,yal  Horticultural  Society  he  invited  to  appoint  a  sub- 
committee from  the  floral  cominiltee  to  act  with  the 
Dahlia  Society's  representatives,  and  thus  to  allow  eer- 
tlHcates  ot  liotli  societies  to  lie  awarded  to  llowers 
jointly. 

It  was  also  asked  that  the  Roval  Horticnitnral  Society 
he  invited  to  publish  the  date  of  the  proposed  Dahlia 
exhibition  in  the  Drill  Hall  in  September  next  in  their 
schedule  of  arrangements  fny  the  \car.  For  several  years 
the  society  has  publish  ,<d  in  the  schedule  a  list  of  the' best 
sixty  Cactus  Dahlias  in  commerce.  Tliis  was  necessitated 
when  so  many  varieties  were  ottered  as  Cactus  Dahlias  that 
were  too  coarse  to  merit  such  a  title.    It  is  now  assumed  that 


inoo. 


LADY  WARWICK    HOSTEL,    IIEAIlLM; 
THiiii)   Annual    Rki'oiit,    Duck.muki 
TllK^thirtl  celebration  of  ••  Founders  Day  "  at  l.ady  Warwick 
Hostel,  Reading,  was  held  on  Saturday,  Dece  n  4,- 1   wl  en 

nnmhe°v"''f'"'-  '•'/  '''''■""^''  ''''""'''  ='t  the  hose  a  la  ge 
mimber  of  visitors  interested  in  agricultural  ed neat  on 
After  inspecting  the  grounds  and  the  dift'ere  it  br  ches  of 
work  carried  on   there,  the  guests  proceeded   t      Readin 

College,  in  the  ball  of  ivbn.i,  ti,.,  ',....i  .       .,         ■'c.uiing 

under 

The  „.,.„„; 

by  reading  the  annual  reporCry'Jii'cli'  ran  as  follows  ■ 

nie  J  ear  which  is  hurrying  rapidly  to  its  close  has  been 


.  carrieo  on  there,  the  guests  proceeded  to  Readin. 
*e,  in  the  hall  of  whh,-h  the  annual  meeting  Was  I  eld" 
n-  the  presidency  ot  the  Right  Hon.  Henry  Chaplin  '\l  P 
,e  Warden.  Miss  Edith  Bradley,  opened  the  pmceedi Vigs 


Tni:  annual  dinner  nf  the  above  society,  held  at  the  Imjieriul  I  "*''  general  public  know  full  well  what  features  c(uistitutc  a 
Restaurant,  Strand,  on  Saturday  last,  Wiisaltemlcd  by  about    '"'"P^''  ''""^''^"^   Dahlia,    and    henceforth    the    lit    will    be 

I  omitted ;  hut  a  caialogne  of  the  best  varieties  in  the 
respective  sections  will  be  issued  as  hitherto.  In  relation 
to  the  condition  imposed  on  societies  desirous  of  alh  iation 
that  they  shall  oH'er  at  least  £10  annually  as  Dahlia  prizes, 
it  was,  after  a  long  discussiim,  agreed  lt>  reduce  the  sum 
mentioned  to  £5  It  was  lio]ied  that  many  provincial 
societies  may  thereby  be  induced  to  attlliate  to  the  National 
Dahlia  Society.  Some  discussion  arose  over  an  amendnicnt 
proposed  tr>  Regulation  11  that  members  only  may  cxhibii 
at  the  society's  shuws^  That  was,  however,  u'ltimatel\ 
agreed  to.  The  present  method  of  exhibiting  seedling 
Dahlias  was    coinmented    upon    and   condcniiicd.     It    was 

however,  resolved  that  the  matter  be  left  to  the  coi ittee 

to  deal  witlr  As  all  admitlcil  that  the  present  plan  was 
nirsatisfactory,  a  proposal  to  omit  Dahlia  foliage,  with 
Cactus  flowers  shown  singly  in  boxes,  was  much  discussed, 
the  ground  of  complaint  being  that  the  foliage  soon  flagged 
and  became  objecticaiable.  I'ltiniately,  because  the  voting 
was  even,  the  motion  lapsed.  It  was  resolved  to  eliminate 
the  epergne  class  from  the  schedule  and  substitute  for  it 
baskets  of  Dahlias,  the  flowers  to  he  in  water,  and  for  which 
the  president  ottered  special  prizes.  Finally  the  schedule, 
with  trifling  amendments,  was  ado|ited.  Mr.  .Mnwlcy. 
-Mr.  Wilkins,  and  Mr.  .1.  F.  Hudson  were  re-elected  to  their 
resiieetive  ortlces.  The  new  members  of  the  committee  are  : 
Messrs.  lirousson,  .\.  Dean,  .1.  Oreeii,  H.  .1.  .lones,  and  the 
Rev.  c,.  G,  Pearse.  That  body  now  numbers  twenty-nine. 
A  cordial  vote  of  thanks  to  the  ehairman,  and  also  to  the 
Horticultural  cliili,  closed  Ihe  procccdinps. 


flfly  members  and  lnends,aud  proved  to  be  a  most  successful 
gathering.  .M.  Louis  Gentil,  superintendent  of  cort'ee  and 
cocoa  estates,  Eiinatorville,  Congo,  now  home  im  leave 
presided,  and  was  siipjiortcd  by  .Messrs.  C.  Harnian  Payne, 
Bevan,  P.  Waierer,  E.  T.  Cook,  Hugh  Pettigrew,  H,  .1.  Cu.lmsh, 
H.  .1.  .lones,  G.  Schneider  (president  of  the  society),  G.  Tivey, 
Otto  Hickle,  Fardell,  Gaskell,  and  many  others. 

.M.  Schneider,  in  opening  tlie  proceedings,  said  how  pleased 
they  were  to  have  -M.  (lentil  with  them  on  the  present 
occasion.  He  had  come  over  expressly  to  join  them  from 
Bclgiinn,  where  he  was  now  enjoying  a  wcll-canicil  rest  from 
bis  arduous  wiu'k  in  tropical  Atrica.  -M.  Sihneidcr  incntii.ned 
that  the  society  was  in  a  Nourishing  condition,  ami  continued 
to  be  of  valuable  assistance  to  young  French  gardeners  in 
enabling  them  to  obtain  situations  in  England.  English 
members  desinins  of  going  abroad  also  are  aided  in  a  similar 
niauncr.  Periodical  meetings  are  held  in  London,  when 
papers  dealing  with  the  various  branches  of  horticulture  are 
read  and  diseu.ssed.  .M,  Schneider  appealed  to  those  present 
to  do  their  utmost  for  the  welfare  of  the  society,  so  that  it 
nnghtcontinue  to  promote  the  interests  of  horticulture  both 
in  France  and  in  England. 

-M.  Louis  Gentil,  in  replying,  said  it  gave  him  great  pleasure 
to  be  once  more  amongst  his  frienils  .and  colleagues  of  the 
society,  of  which  at  one  time  ho  had  the  pleasure  to  be 
secretary.  He  was  glad  to  know  from  .\l.  .Schneider,  whose 
services  for  the  society  were  very  real  and  much  appreciated, 
that  they  still  continued  to  prosper.  Since  leaving  England 
he  had  had  a  valuable  and  varied  experience.  I'or  three 
.U'ais  be  had  lived  in  a  liopieal  country  almost  on  the 
Equator ;  throughout  a  very  trying  time  he  found  that  the 
iinalitiesof  self-control,  patience,  self-reliance,  Ac,  that  such 
a  society  as  theirs  tended  to  promote,  had  stood  him  in  good 
stead. 


l!OV.\L  CORNWALL  .MJUICl'LTIl  RA  1.  .\SSOI'IAT10N  . 
Thk  next  annual  exhibition  in  connection  with  the  above 
association  will  be  held  atlJ'idmin  on  .Iniie  II  and  12. 


a»g>5g^/ '"— ^^^^ 


:^W^' 


GARDEN. 


No.  1523.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[January  :i6,   i901. 


QUEEN    VICTORIA, 
(Died  January  22.) 

WITH  all  England  we  have  waited 
in  sorrowful  suspense,  praying, 
though  scarcely  daring  to  hope, 
that  our  beloved  Queen's  life 
might  yet  awhile  be  spared. 

Now  the  blow  has  fallen,  and  the  country 
mourns,  not  its  Queen  alone,  whose  rule  has 
been  the  longest  and  wisest  of  any  of  Britain's 
sovereigns,  but  the  truest  of  friends,  the 
noblest  and  tenderest  of  women,  who,  in  her 
extreme  age,  has  not  sought  to  spare  herself, 
but  had  added  to  her  daily  anxieties  and  cares 
of  state  severe  voluntary  fatigues  such  as  must 
have  told  heavily  upon  the  strength  of  one 
whose  days  already  numbered  more  than  make 
up  the  allotted  span  of  human  life. 

For  her  example  of  devotion  to  duty,  and 
for  a  pattern  of  womanly  goodness,  we  who 
have  been  born  and  have  lived  many  years  in 
Victoria's  reign  may  well  be  thankful,  for  we 
not  only  treasure  the  remembrance  of  what 
her  reign  has  achieved  for  England,  but  as 
proudly  bear  in  mind  her  numberless  acts  of 
warm  sympathy  and  simple  human  kindness. 

It  seems  only  the  other  day  that  we  heard 
of  the  Queen  sitting  by  the  bedsides  of  her 
wounded  soldiers,  saying  to  each  a  word  of 
sympathy  and  kindness,  and  mourning  the 
many  deaths  of  those  who  had  fallen  in  battle. 
Now  she  has  yielded  up  her  own  life  in  her 
country's  service,  having  borne  up  to  the  last 
and  only  laid  down  her  work  when  the  wearied 
frame  could  no  longer  obey  the  dauntless  spirit. 

So  has  she  given  her  life  for  England,  and 
■died  upon  the  field  of  honour  ;  and  so,  winged 
by  the  loving  prayers  of  her  faithful  people, 
the  brave  and  pure  soul  of  our  great  Queen 
has  returned  to  the  God  who  gave  it. 


GARDENERS'   ROYAL    BENEVO- 
LENT   INSTITUTION. 

As  will  be  seen  from  our  report  of  the  annual 
meeting  of  this  excellent  institution,  the 
committee  "  have  again  the  privilege  of  con- 
gratulating the  members  and  subscribers  on 
the  continued  success  which  has  attended  the 
work  of  the  institution  during  another  year — 
the  last  one  of  the  century."  We  are  thankful 
that  an  institution  promoting  a  work  so 
charitable  and  necessary  is  able  to  increase 
the  sphere  of  its  good  actions  through  the 
liberal  contributions  of  those  interested  in  its 
welfare.    The  annual  meeting,  presided  over 


by  Mr.  Harry  Veitch,  was  better  attended  than 
is  the  rule  at  annual  gatherings  of  this  kind, 
and  this  points  to  a  thoroughly  wholesome 
condition  of  affairs,  showing  that  interest  in  the 
institution  is  sincere.  It  is  interesting  to  know 
that  at  the  commencement  of  the  year  there  were 
179  persons — ninety-eight  men  and  eighty-one 
widows — who  were  receiving  permanent  aid  of 
£20  and  £16  a  year  respectively.  During 
the  year  twenty-one  of  these  pensioners  have 
passed  away — fourteen  men  and  seven  widows. 
Of  the  men  five  left  widows,  whose  circum- 
stances were  of  such  a  nature  as  to  permit  the 
committee  placing  them  at  once  on  the  funds 
at  £16  a  year  in  accordance  with  the  rules. 
Thus  at  the  close  of  the  year  there  were  sixteen 
vacancies,  and  with  the  seventeen  additional 
pensioners  at  the  annual  meeting  and  election, 
held  on  Tuesday,  the  total  number  of  pensioners 
for  life  is  180— the  largest  number  on  the  funds 
of  the  institution  since  it  was  founded.  With 
regard  to  finance, 

"The  conimittee  are  much  gratified  to  be  able 
to  report  that,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  demands 
made  upon  the  benevolent  public  during  the  past 
year,  the  income  of  the  institution  has  been  well 
maintained,  enabling  them  to  continue  and  increase 
their  operations  without  the  anxiety  which  must 
necessarily  occur  with  diminished  funds.  For  this 
happy  result  the  committee  gratefully  offer  their 
sincere  thanks  to  all  the  friends  and  supporters  of 
the  institution  throughout  the  country.  They 
would,  however,  remind  their  friends  of  the 
increased  liabilities  incurred  in  adding  to  the 
number  already  on  the  funds,  but  they  confidently 
appeal  for  continued  effort  on  the  part  of  their 
many  friends  and  supporters,  so  that  the  work 
may  be  in  no  wise  curtailed. 

"  The  Victorian  Era  Fund  is  more  than  ever  a 
source  of  invaluable  assistance  to  unsuccessful 
candidates  —  who  have  been  subscribers  —  whilst 
awaiting  election.  During  the  year  now  closed 
the  sum  of  £99  has  been  distributed  as  follows  : — 
Mrs.  Baxter,  £5;  J.  Gibbons,  £10;  J.  Jefi"eries, 
£10  ;  G.  Marlow,  £10;  W.  Smith,  £10;  G.  Wills, 
£10  :  T.  Kirkbv,  £8  ;  Mrs.  Hackwell,  £8  ;  S.  Mills, 
£8 ;  Mrs.  Wighton,  £8  ;  Bird  Porter,  £7  ;  J. 
Thatcher,  £3  ;  W.  Gould,  £2.  And  the  thankful 
letters  received  from  the  recipients  unmistakably 
show  how  much  the  help  was  required  and  with 
what  gratitude  it  has  been  received. 

"The  Good  Samaritan  Fund — established  in  1899 
for  the  purpose  of  dispensing  temporary  relief  in 
urgent  cases  of  trouble  and  distress — has  enabled 
the  committee  to  grant  gratuities  in  two  cases,  and 
as  the  fund  has  been  augmented  during  the  past 
year  by  £560,  and  although  the  interest  alone  from 
the  fund  is  available,  they  are  hopeful  that  they  may 
have  the  means  at  their  disposal  for  alleviating, 
if  only  temporal}',  many  sad  cases  of  distress 
which  come  before  them.  They  again  earnestly 
oommend  this  fund  to  those  friends  who  are  in  a 
position  to  afford  it  their  practical  sympathy  and 
aid." 

Other  interesting  points  in  last  year's  work 
are  touched  upon  in  our  account  of  Tuesday's 
proceedings.    We  hope  that  the  present  year 


will  show  an  even  greater  outpouring  of  con- 
tributions for  gardeners  and  their  widows  in 
distress  towards  the  close  of  their  lives.  It  is 
a  deserving  charity  in  the  truest  sense,  and 
for  fifty  years — since  1851 — the  Queen  was 
patroness. 


ORCHIDS. 


HYBRID   ORCHIDS. 


T 


HREE  remarkable  Orchids  have  recentlj' 
flowered  in  the  Woodlands'  collection, 
which  are  beautiful,  distinct,  and  par- 
ticularly worthy  of  notice.  They  are 
probably  quite  the  best  in  their  respec- 
tive classes. 

Odontoglossum  harvengtense 
is  a  rare  and  very  beautiful  natural  hybrid  between 
Odontoglossum  crispum  and  0.  triumphans,  the 
variety  under  notice  being  perhaps  the  best  yet 
seen.  The  inflorescence,  size,  and  contour  of  the 
flowers  remind  one  of  a  superior  variety  of  crispura, 
but  the  colouring  is  totally  different.  The  ground 
colour  of  the  flowers  is  a  clear  soft  yellow,  brightest 
and  deepest  on  the  apices  of  the  segments  ;  the 
broad  sepals  each  bear  two  large  bar-like  blotches 
of  deep  chestnut-red.  The  petals  overlap  the 
sepals,  and  only  differ  from  them  in  colour  by 
having  one  instead  of  two  blotches.  The  lip  has 
the  basal  portion  entirely  of  a  soft  creamy  white, 
broken  by  a  deep  yellow  forked  crest,  in  front  of 
which  is  a  large,  nearly  square,  purple-red  blotch  ; 
the  edges  are  minutely  dentated,  and  the  extreme 
point  heavily  convoluted.  The  anther  cap  is  dark 
purple-red,  and  below  on  either  side  of  the  creamy 
white  column  is  a  small  circular  purple-red  spot. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  parents  of  the 
plant,  a  fact  the  more  interesting  as  tormerlj'  this 
natural  hybrid  was  supposed  to  be  between  crispum 
and  luteo-purpureum  var.  sceptrum.  Odonto- 
glossum triumphans  was  said  never  to  occur  with 
crispum,  but  late  importations  have  disproved  this, 
and  collectors  say  that  there  is  one  portion  of  the 
territory  yielding  triumphans  which  merges  into 
the  crispum  district.  Artificial  hybrids  have  also 
been  raised  between  crispum  and  triumphans  and 
given  the  name  of  Odontoglossum  loochristiense, 
and  though  inferior  in  beauty  to  the  present  form 
they  certainly  prove  its  parentage. 

CvpRieEDiUM  Hector  MacDonald. 
Cypripedium  hybrids  at  the  present  da}-  are 
almost  innumerable,  and  additions  are  constantly 
being  recorded,  but  there  is  still  ample  scope  for 
the  hybridist  in  this  genus,  as  the  striking  beauty 
of  this  hybrid  proves.  Exacting  as  Mr.  Measures' 
criterion  is,  this  noble  flower  comes  very  near  to 
the  ideal.  The  parents,  C.  leeauum  giganteum 
crossed  with  C.  hirsutissimum,  must  evidently  have 
been  superb  forms.  Tlie  large-hooded  dorsal  sepal 
is  as  large  as  in  the  parent  leeanum  giganteum, 
and  gains  added  substance  and  colour  from  hirsutis- 
simum. On  either  side  of  the  intensely  purple 
median  line,  extending  from  base  to  apex,  is  an 
area  of  soft  purple  and  white,  the  whole  zoned 
with  a  broad  margin  of  pure  white.  As  in  all  the 
hybrids  of  hirsutissimum  the  outer  portions  of  the 


54 


THE    GAliDEN. 


January 


lyOl. 


petals  are  bright  mauve-purple,  but  in  this  cross 
both  segments  are  very  Ijroad  :  the  finely-shaped 
pouch  is  clouded  purple,  and  the  staniinode  is 
purple,  with  a  central  yellow  blotch.  The  vigour 
of  this  hj'brid  is  shown  in  the  luxuriant  foliage 
and  the  height  and  strength  of  the  flower-spike. 

Cattleya  Kitty  Lloyd 
was  pointed  out  to  me  at  the  Woodlands  as  a  new 
hybrid  derived  from  C.  velutina  hybridised  with 
C.  Rex,  and  now  flowering  for  the  first  time. 
Certainly  its  fitness  for  a  prominent  position,  even 
in  such  a  collection  as  that  of  Mr.  Measures', 
cannot  be  questioned,  and  in  all  probability  its 
full  beauty  will  not  be  developed  until  the  next 
flowering  season.  In  shape  the  blossoms  are  most 
comparable  to  those  of  a  large  form  of  L;elio 
elegans  or  to  those  of  Cattleya  Maroni,  the  hybrid 
between  velutina  and  aurea.  The  broad  labellum 
is  bright  amethyst,  striated  and  margined  with 
white,  slightly  recurved  at  the  apex ;  the  side 
lobes  are  wliite,  tinted  with  purple-rose,  and  fold 
over  the  column,  while  the  tliroat  is  daintily 
lined  with  j'ellow  and  old  gold  and  brown.  In 
striking  contrast  to  the  lip  are  the  sepals  and 
petals  ;  these  are  equal  in  size,  charmingly  undu- 
lated at  the  margins,  and  of  a  soft  chrome-yellow 
tint  approaching  white,  prettily  reticulated  with 
rose-puce  veins,  and  slightly  flushed  on  the  ex- 
tremities and  margins  with  rose. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Mp.  Thomas  H.  Mawson  informs  us 

that  he  now  has  a  London  othce  at  28,  Conduit 
Street,  Regent  Street,  W. ,  in  addition  to  the  Hazel- 
wood  offices  at  Windermere. 

Sisypinehium  striatum.— I  found  this 

plant  in  considerable  numbers  when  I  came  here, 
and,  although  it  has  been  kept  well  within  bounds, 
a  small  stock  is  still  retained,  principally  because 
it  is  one  of  the  few  things  that  will  adapt  itself  to 
any  soil  and  situation.  It  is  an  admirable  plant 
for  any  poor  borders,  and  under  such  circum- 
stances alternate  clumps  of  this  and  Antirrhinums 
make  a  brave  show.  In  stronger  soil  it  is  more 
lasting,  and  will  continue  in  flower  nearly  all 
through  the  summer.  It  is  a  weed  in  the  matter 
of  increase,  seeding  and  springing  up  in  all 
directions. — E.  B. 

National      Chpysanthemum 

Society. — An  adjourned  meeting  of  the  executive 
committee  was  held  on  Monday  last  at  Carr's 
Restaurant,  Strand,  Mr.  T.  Bevan  presiding.  A 
telegram  expressing  sorrow  at  the  illness  of  Her 
Majesty  was  resolved  to  be  sent,  and  a  letter  to 
Lady  Saunders  expressing  the  hope  that  Sir  Edwin, 
the  society's  venerable  president,  might  also  be 
speedily  restored  to  health.  A  letter  of  condolence 
was  also  directed  to  be  forwarded  to  Mr.  George 
Gordon  on  the  occasion  of  his  recent  bereavement, 
Mr.  Gordon's  active  services  in  the  society  being 
well  remembered  and  appreciated.  A  letter  was 
read  from  the  Alexandra  Palace  notifying  that  their 
hall  could  be  let  for  flower  shows.  Final  arrange- 
ments for  the  annual  meeting  were  made, 
recommendations  of  proposed  officials,  suggested 
alterations  of  rules,  &c.  The  election  of  new 
members  closed  the  meeting. 

Veitch  Memopial  Fund.— At  a  meeting 

of  the  trustees  held  on  the  15th  inst.  it  was  decided 
to  place  at  the  disposal  of  the  Glasgow  and  West 
of  Scotland  Horticultural  Society  two  Veitchian 
medals  and  two  prizes  of  £5  each,  to  be  competed 
for  at  the  exhibitions  proposed  to  be  held  by  the 
society  in  connection  with  the  Glasgow  Inter- 
national Exhibition  of  1901.  They  also  decided 
to  place  a  medal  and  £5  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Wolverhampton  Floral  and  Cottage  and  the 
Taunton  Deane  Horticultural  Societies  to  be  com- 
peted for  at  their  respective  summer  shows.  It 
was  further  decided  to  offer  a  large  Veitchian 
silver  medal  to  Mr.  R.  Irwin  Lynch,  A.L.S., 
curator  of  the  Cambridge  Botanic  Garden,  and  to 
Mr.  W.  B.  Latham,  curator  of  the  Birmingham 
Botanic  Garden,  in  recognition  of  the  eminent 
services  rendered  by  them  to  horticulture. 

The  'Wintep  Sweet.— The  first  flowers  of 


the  Winter  Sweet  opened  this  season  at  the  end 
of  November,  and  it  is  still  (January  14)  full  of 
bloom.  Intending  planters  should  endeavour  to 
secure  the  variety  grandiflorus,  as  this  is  greatly 
supeiior  to  the  type,  individual  blooms  being 
nearly  twice  the  size,  the  petals  of  a  much  deeper 
shade  and  of  greater  substance.  It  is,  unfortunately, 
difficult  to  obtain,  and  is  only  to  be  found  in  those 
nurseries  where  flowering  trees  and  shrubs  are  a 
special  feature.  Our  plant  is  probably  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  country  —  it  fills  a  little  over 
300  square  feet  of  wall.  Strong  shoots  are 
annually  tlirown  up  from  the  base,  and  from  these 
I  have  secured  a  fair  amount  of  plants,  a  few 
being  layered  every  year  in  prepared  soil.  They 
have  to  remain  a  couple  of  j'ears  before  removal 
from  the  parent,  the  formation  of  sufficient  roots 
to  enable  the  young  plants  to  shift  for  themselves 
being  a  verj'  slow  process.  Occasional  bushes  in 
shrubberies  are  an  interesting  and  somewhat  novel 
feature.  When  the  flowers  are  in  considerable 
request  (and  I  have  always  found  them  acceptable) 
it  is  advisable  at  the  approach  of  severe  weather 
to  fasten  a  bit  of  titfan3'  or  canvas  to  some  stout 
laths  and  protect  the  plant  with  these,  making  the 
bottom  end  of  the  lath  fast  in  the  ground  and 
securing  the  top  to  the  wall ;  the  duration  of 
flowers  suitable  for  supplying  the  demand  is 
therebj'  considerably  prolonged.  Severe  frost  or 
a  heavy  fall  of  snow  will  destroy  the  flowers. — 
E.  BuKKELL,  CJaremonf,  Surrey, 

Apple  Royal  Late  Cooking.— A  new 

Apple  that  promises  well  is  Royal  Late  Cooking, 
and,  though  it  has  been  grown  for  years  at  the 
Royal  Gardens,  it  is  not  so  well  known  as  its 
merits  deserve.  I  was  strongl)'  impressed  with 
this  fruit  when  staged  before  the  fruit  com- 
mittee of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  early  in 
1896.  It  is  a  delicious  Apple 
when  cooked.  I  am  not 
quite  sure  that  the  term 
late  cooking  is  the  best,  as 
some  ver3'  fine  fruits  kept 
late  were  much  liked  for 
dessert  last  season,  but  that 
is  a  small  matter.  So  far 
I  have  only  seen  bush  trees, 
but  I  find  it  is  equally  good 
grown  as  a  standard.  In 
bush  form  it  is  one  of  the 
best  croppers  in  a  J'oung 
state.  The  fruits  are  greenish 
yellow  and  large,  with  a  plea- 
sant acid  flavour.  It  cer- 
tainly thoroughly  deserved 
the  award  given  it  at  thedate 
noted  above.  Though  there 
are  plenty  of  good  cooking 
Apples  we  have  none  too 
many  late  kinds,  and  those 
that  crop  freely  are  more 
valualile. — G.  W. 

Capnation     Sweet 

PpimPOSe.— Wereceived 
recently  flowers  of  this 
beautiful  new  winter-bloom- 
ing Primrose  from  Messrs. 
H.  and  J.  Elliott,  Court- 
bushes  Nursery,  Hurstpier- 
point,  Surrey,  the  raisers. 
The  accompanying  photo- 
graph shows  its  general 
habit  of  growth  ;  it  is  very 
strong,  and  bears  a  profusion 
of  soft  primrose -coloured, 
sweetly-scented  flowers.  We 
quite  agree  with  the  raisers' 
description  of  it :  "A  mo.st 
charming  variety,  producing 
its  blooms  in  greatabundance 
all  through  the  winter  ;  in 
fact,  all  through  the  j'ear. " 
We  also  received  a  photo- 
graph of  another  good 
variety  (Brightonian),  which 
has  crimson  flowers,  sweet, 
and  produced  freely  in 
winter. 


Buddleia  Columbiae.  For  the  past  eight 
years  I  have  cultivated  in  my  villa  garden  at  (iolfe 
Juan  a  pretty  Buddleia  that  is  covered  with 
numerous  bunches  of  pure  white  flowers  every 
year.  I  have  been  unable  to  discover  it  amongst 
the  150  species  or  synonyms  of  Buddleia  that  are 
published  to-day,  of  which  one  may  rely  upon  lOti 
as  being  distinct  species.  Its  native  country  is 
not  definitely  known.  The  plant  that  I  have 
germinated  amongst  seeds  received  from  different 
regions  of  South  America,  the  locality  not  being 
designated.  To  judge  from  its  habit  of  growth, 
which  recalls  that  of  the  South  Australian  B. 
salvifolia,  a  species  with  greyish  white  flowers 
found  here  and  there  in  the  gardens  on  the 
Mediterranean  coast,  notably  at  Cap  Martin,  near 
Mentone,  it  certainlj'  comes  from  a  temperate 
region.  B.  Columbite — this  shall  be  its  name  if 
the  species  is  nowhere  described — is  a  bushy  shrub, 
with  erect,  slender  branches,  drooping  at  their 
apices,  and  long,  linear,  lanceolate,  acuminate, 
smooth  leaves,  the  upper  surface  pale  green.  The 
terminal  bunches  of  Howers  are  pendant,  like  those 
of  B.  lindleyana  ;  the}'  are  very  long,  and  composed 
of  numerous  flowers,  with  short  green  calyces, 
pointed  sepals,  while  tubular  corollas,  the  lobes 
being  broadl}'  oval.  The  appearance  of  this  shrub 
is  pleasing  and  elegant,  and  produces  an  agreeable 
contrast  with  other  ornaments  of  the  gardens  of 
the  Riviera.  It  has  the  inconvenience,  for  those 
who  pass  the  winter  on  the  Mediterranean  coast, 
of  not  coming  into  flower  until  spring,  when  visitors 
are  prejjaring  to  leave  for  the  north.  But  for 
those  who  stay  longer  B.  Columbi;e  will  offer  the 
charm  of  a  prolonged  flowering  season,  for  its 
bunches  appear  over  a  long  time. — Ed.  A.sdre, 
in  La  Revue  Horticole. 


CARNATIO.N    SWEET    I'RI.MROSE. 


JANUARY    26,    1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


Hoptieultupe  in  a  Scottish  Univer- 
sity.— The  introduction  of  horticulture  into  the 
University  of  8t.  Andrew's  is  a  distinct  innovation. 
In  opening  a  course  of  lectures  on  horticulture 
there  the  other  day,  Dr.  John  H.  Wilson,  the 
lecturer,  pointed  out  that  the  oldest  Scottish 
University  is  jjarticularly  well  suited  as  a  centre 
for  instruction  in  horticulture,  and  expressed  the 
belief  that  before  long  a  fully -equipped  school 
would  be  established  tliere. 

How  to   raise  Begonia  Gloire  de 

Lorraine. —  So  much  is  written  about  the 
difficulty  of  obtaining  cuttings  of  this  suitable  for 
striking,  that  the  proper  way  appears  to  be  entirely 
overlooked.  Every  leaf  will  form  a  plant  if 
treated  in  the  same  way  as  the  Rex  type.  A 
plant  which  will  not  produce  a  single  good  cutting 
can  be  made  the  source  of  twenty  or  thirty  good 
plants  by  striking  the  leaves.  When  good  cuttings 
appear  we  use  them  ;  if  not,  we  use  the  leaves, 
and,  although  these  are  slower  in  producing  good 
plants,  they  have  ample  time  during  the  growing 
season,  and  our  supplj'  of  plants  is  unlimited. 
Surely  this  must  be  well  known  to  growers,  but  I 
have  never  seen  it  mentioned,  nor  do  I  know 
anyone  who  has  attempted  it  except  those  who 
have  seen  it  done  here.  —  Thomas  Fletcher, 
Grappenhall,  Cheshire. 

SehizanthUS  in  pots.— For  early  spring 
flowering  the  diverse  forms  of  the  Sehizanthus 
grown  in  pots  and  given  cool  house  shelter  are 
very  beautiful.  Many  lovers  of  hardy  plants  will 
remember  the  beautiful  group  of  Schizanthus 
Wisetouiensis  staged  at  the  last  Temple  Show. 
The  delicate  shades  of  white,  rose,  and  crimson, 
and  the  well-grown  plants  were  a  special  feature. 
With  even  the  older  forms  there  are  some  beautiful 
things  for  spring  flowering.  I  have  for  many 
years  sown  the  older  S.  pinnatus  forms  for  this 
purpose,  and  with  the  advent  of  Grandiflorus,  a 
larger  form,  there  is  no  lack  of  good  material,  and 
the  plants  are  grown  so  easily  from  seed  sown  in 
■  the  early  autumn.  Grow  the  plants  near  the  glass 
in  cold  or  slightly  heated  frames  or  on  shelves  in 
houses  through  the  winter.  We  sow  in  smitll  pots 
and  grow  on  until  the  plants  need  8-iuch  pots, 
and  from  the  start  grown  as  cool  as  possible. 
There  is  no  gain  in  crowding  the  plants  as  they 
soon  become  drawn.  If  several  seeds  are  sown  the 
seedlings  should  when  large  enough  be  thinned  to 
the  strongest,  not  allowed  to  get  pot-bound,  and 
when  repotting  give  good  soil,  but  pot  firmly  to 
build  up  a  sturdy  growth.  When  in  flower  they 
last  a  long  time. — G.  W.  S. 
Tomato  AVinter  Beauty.— A  couple  of 

seasons  ago  I  noted  the  value  of  this  Tomato  for 
winter  cropping  as  some  very  fine  fruits  were 
shown  at  that  time.  In  April,  1899,  an  award  of 
jnerit  was  given  it  as  a  winter-fruiting  variety, 
and  it  has  proved  wortliy  of  the  award.  It  has 
few  equals  as  regards  winter-cropping.  There  are 
other  kinds  that  are  more  handsome,  the  one  in 
question  not  being  quite  smooth,  but  this  does  not 
detract  from  its  good  quality.  The  flavour  is 
excellent ;  indeed,  equal  to  a  good  summer  Tomato. 
Winter  Beauty  sets  freely  late  in  the  autumn  and 
will  ripen  up  its  fruit  in  winter.  I  do  not  advise 
sowing  too  late  for  winter  supplies.  As  most 
growers  are  aware,  in  our  variable  climate  setting 
is  diflicult  in  midwinter,  but  if  the  fruits  are 
formed  earlier  they  finish  well.  For  first  crops 
early  in  the  year  this  will  prove  an  acquisition,  as 
it  sets  its  fruit  quite  close  to  the  soil,  is  a  dwarf 
grower,  and  soon  ripens  up  the  fruits  that  are 
formed  at  the  base.  — G.  W. 

ColeUS  Mahoni.  — This  is  another  new 
Coleus  from  British  Central  Africa,  the  home  of 
C.  thyrsoideus,  and  for  which  Kevv  is  indebted  to 
Mr.  John  Mahon,  who,  whilst  filling  the  post  of 
Government  forester  in  that  country,  collected  and 
forwarded  to  Kew  a  considerable  number  of  plants 
that  are  likely  to  prove  of  horticultural  merit. 
Although  C.  Mahoni  is  not  as  attractive  in  flower 
colour  as  the  lovely  blue  0.  thjTsoideus,  it  has  a 
better  habit,  and  it  flowers  freely  in  midwinter. 
The  flowers  are  in  erect,  rather  loose  racemes, 
6  inches  or  more  long,  and  they  are  purple  in 
colour.  Probably  the  two  species,  if  crossed,  would 
yield  good  hybrids,  and  we  may  yet  obtain  a  race 


of  Coleuses  as  varied  and  valuable  for  their  floral 
attractions  as  we  already  possess  from  another 
section  of  the  genus  in  leaf  characters.  A  third 
species,  unnamed,  also  from  British  Central  Africa, 
aiid  remarkable  for  the  cobalt  blue  of  its  flowers 
and  the  aromatic  odour  of  its  leaves,  is  also  in 
flower  at  Kew.  These  three  species  may  be  grown 
along  with  Chrysanthemums,  in  summer,  and  like 
them  wintered  in  the  greenhouse,  where  they  will 
Hower  after  the  Chrysanthemums  are  past.— W.  W. 

Apple  Christmas  Pearmain.  —  For 

use  in  midwinter,  few  dessert  Apples  are  superior 
to  the  Christmas  Pearmain,  tlie  variety  named 
above.  Being  of  recent  introduction  it  is  not  so 
well  known  as  it  should  be,  but  it  is  a  most  useful 
fruit,  being  in  season  from  December  to  the  end  of 
February.  New  fruits  should  be  of  good  quality, 
and  this  is  especially  so.  It  is  of  medium  size, 
with  a  dull  scarlet  colour  on  the  sunny  side,  with 
russet  markings,  and,  what  is  so  important  to  small 
growers  or  amateurs,  the  trees  rarely  fail  to  crop  ; 
they  are  also  shapely  and  do  well  in  any  form, 
though  it  is  onlj'  fair  to  say  our  best  fruits  have 
been  secured  from  bush  trees  on  the  Paradise 
stock.  Grown  thus  this  variety  makes  abundance 
of  fruit  spurs  and" fruits  very  quickly  after  planting. 
So  far  I  have  not  seen  a  trace  of  canker  or  disease. 
This  variety  was  sent  out  in  189.5  by  Messrs. 
Bunyard,  and  it  is  a  most  usaful  introduction,  as  it 
succeeds  the  well-known  Cox's  Orange,  the  queen 
of  dessert  Apples. — 6.  Wythes. 


mixed  together  to  the  consistency  of  thick  paint 
an  eeiually  efl'ective  dressing,  but  the  petroleum  is 
nijurious  if  not  thorouglily  mixed.  Whatever  is 
applied  must  be  done  well,  and  a  great  deal  of  the 
success  IS  owing  to  the  cleansing  of  the  Vines  liefore 
the  dressing.  —  Kus.  J 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES. 


A 


PLANTS  FOR  SUMMER  FILLING  OF  TUBS. 
In  reply  to  "  Rose  Beetle,"  tub  No.  2,  with  Giant 
Tobacco  and  Petu(iias,  would  hardly  want  a  third 
kind  of  plant,  though  Heliotrope  might  well  be 
used-as  an  alternative  to  Petunia.  In  addition  to 
this  and  the  others  named,  you  could  have  Cannas, 
with  scarlet  or  dark-coloured  trailing  Nasturtium, 
young  plants  of  Plumbago  capensis  with  Cineraria 
mantinia,  Fuschia  Mme.  Cornellison,  with  red 
or  pink  Verbena.  The  variety  of  Canna  is  so  great 
that  they  might  serve  for  more  than  one  tub. 
Hollyhocks  are  beautiful  in  tubs  where  there  are 
many  to  be  filled,  and  they  can  have  some  relation 
to  architecture.  Dahlia  Fire  King  should  be  a 
good  tub  plant. 

Italian  oil  jars  are  difficult  to  manage  on  account 
of  the  small  diameter  of  the  opening,  but  there  is 
no  reason  why  Datura  Wrighti  should  not  do  well. 
It  would  of  course  need  greenhouse  treatment  in 
winter.  It  would  probably  do  better  in  a  tub. 
Excepting  Cannas,  permanent  tub  plants  are  hand- 
somer than  the  less  important  summer-flowering 
plants.  The  best  (other  than  Orange,  Oleander, 
Myrtle,  and  Pomegranate)  are  Hydrangea  hortensis 
and  Agapanthus,  but  Phormium  tena.x  also  makes 
a  fine  tub  plant. 

WHITE  SCALE  ON  VINES. 

' '  W. "  writes :— "  I  should  be  glad  if  any  reader  of 
The  Garden'  who  may  have  been  troubled  with, 
and  who  has  been  successful  in  exterminating' 
this  pest  from  their  Vines  without  injury  would 
oblige  by  giving  the  details  of  their  method  of 
procedure.  I  have  tried  the  usual  remedies  with 
only  partial  success." 

[You  can  easily  get  rid  of  white  scale  now  the 
Vines  are  at  rest.  We  advise  the  following  ■  — 
First  remove  all  loose  bark  that  is  on  the  rods°and 
that  peels  readily,  then  carefully  scrape  the  joints 
with  a  blunt  knife,  of  course  having  pruned  the 
Vines  before  the  cleaning  process  begins.  After 
the  bark  is  removed,  give  the  canes  a  thoroui^h 
scrubbing— we  mean  the  old  wood— with  warni 
water  and  soft  soap,  to  which  has  been  added  some 
soda,  and  brush  with  a  soft  scrubbing  brush.  When 
dry,  paint  the  Vine  rods  with  the  following  :  Jib.  of 
flowers  of  sulphur,  -}lb.  soft  soap,  and  sufficient 
water  to  mix  and  make  it  into  a  thick  paint.  Apply 
this  to  every  portion  or  crevice  of  the  cane  and 
well  rub  it  into  the  joints.  Failing  the  solution 
advised,  we  have  found  a  wine  glass  full  of  petro- 
leum   |lb.   of  soft   soap,  and   Alb.   of   sulphur,  all  I 


KITCHEN     GARDEN. 

Peas. 
iOOI)  sowing  may  now  be  made  with 
comparative  safety  on  a  well-prepared 
.south  border,  selecting  dwarf  varieties 
for  the  purpose  as  less  likely  to  sulfer 
from  the  effect  of  cold  wind  in  March 
and  April  than  tall  -  growing  sorts. 
Young  Pea  plants  will,  under  certain  circumstances', 
bear  considerable  frost  without  injury,  but  they 
can  ill  withstand  a  cold,  harsh  wind.  As  soon  as 
the  young  plants  are  through  the  ground  give 
protection  from  wind  by  drawing  the  soil  up  as 
high  as  possible  on  each  side  of  the  row.  Stake 
clo.sely  as  soon  as  ready,  introducing  a  few  ever- 
green branches  to  help  protect  the  plants.  Where 
space  and  pots  are  available,  a  sowing  may  now  be 
made  to  produce  Peas  about  April  20.  Eight-inch 
pots  are  quite  large  enough,  and  should  be  half 
filled  with  good  rich  loam,  covering  the  seed  witli 
I  inch  of  the  same  soil.  Nothing  approaching  a 
high  temperature  or  close  atmosphere  must  be 
allowed,  or  failure  is  sure  to  follow.  A  late  Peach 
house  or  similar  cool  quarters  will  suit  them 
admirably.  Weekly  sowings  made  in  pots  from 
now  to  the  end  of  February  should  afford  an 
occasional  dish  of  Peas  from  April  20  until  they 
can  be  gathered  from  those  sown  under  the  shelter 
of  south  walls  a  month  ago.  Harbinger  is  one  of 
the  best  dwarf  varieties  for  pot  culture. 

Cauliflower. 
Sow  seed  of  Cauliflower  in  boxes  or  pans,  and 
place  in  a  house  or  pit  with  a  temperature  of  50°, 
to  follow  as  closely  as  possible  those  sown  in  the 
autumn.  Extra  Early  Forcing  and  Snowball  are 
the  best  for  the  purpose.  As  soon  as  the  young 
plants  have  made  their  first  leaf  they  should  be 
pricked  off  into  boxes  or  pits  according  to  the 
number  required,  using  loam  and  leaf-soil  in  equal 
parts.  Give  all  the  light  possible,  and  air  in 
increasing  quantities,  until  they  are  quite  hardened 
off'  and  ready  to  plant  out  in  the  beginning  of 
April.  A  rich,  deep  soil,  with  an  abundant  supply 
of  water,  and  an  occasional  dressing  of  some  stimu- 
lating manure,  will  enable  them  to  complete  their 
growth  in  the  shortest  time  possible. 

Cabbage. 
The  autumn  plantation  having  grown  to  such  an 
advanced  state  in  consequence  of  the  mild  weather 
would  suffer  severely  in  case  of  sharp  frost.  A 
sowing  should  now  be  made  of  some  approvetl 
early  variety  for  planting  out  as  soon  as  the  time 
comes.  They  should  receive  the  same  treatment 
as  that  advised  for  Cauliflower. 

Large  Onions. 
Where  extra  large  Onions  are  desired,  a  sowinf 
should  be  made  at  once  in  light,  rich  soil,  either  in 
pans  or  boxes,  and  placed  in  a  temperature  of  45'-'. 
Water  gently  after  sowing,  which  should  be  all 
that  is  required  until  the  seeds  germinate,  when 
they  must  be  watered  carefully  to  avoid  damping. 
As  soon  as  the  plants  are  large  enough  prick  off", 
either  singly  into  small  pots  or  into  boxes  3  inches 
apart,  and  keep  as  near  the  glass  as  possible  in  an 
increased  temperature  of  .55'^,  with  a  little  air  night 
and  day.  The  aim  of  the  cultivator  should  be  to 
keep  them  as  sturdy  as  possible.  As  soon  as  strong 
enough  they  may  be  removed  to  a  cold  frame,  and 
kept  rather  close  for  a  few  days,  when  the}-  ma}' 
be  gradually  hardened  oft"  untilVeady  to  plant  out, 
about  May  1,  in  ground  well  trenched  and  manured 
for  the  purpose  in  one  of  the  best  positions  in  the 
garden.  Choose  a  showery  day  for  tlie  purpose  if 
possible,  and  take  care  not  to  break  the  younc 
root  more  than  can  be  avoided.  Plant  in  rows 
15  inches  apart  and   1   foot  from   plant  to  plant. 


56 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[January  26,  1901. 


After  they  have  taken  possession  of  the  soil  they 
should  receive  occasional  di'essings  of  soot  and 
guano,  thrown  broadcast  over  the  bed  and  well 
washed  iu  with  a  watering-pot,  unless  the  weather 
is  showery.  These  dressings  may  be  kept  up  until 
the  end  of  July,  when  they  must  be  discontinued, 
or  many  of  the  bulbs  will  split.  John  Dunx. 
Royal  Kitchen  Garden,    fViiicho)-. 


INDOOE  GAEDEN. 

Croto.xs  (CoDi.i;nM), 

forming  as  they  do  one  of  the  most  serviceable 
of  our  stove  plants,  must  have  attention  now.  I 
advise  the  following  practice  where  smart  table 
plants  are  required.  It  follows  that  plants  which 
have  been  doing  service  in  the  mansion  must  have 
lost  several  of  their  bottom  leaves.  The  bark, 
say,  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  width,  should  be 
removed  round  the  entire  stem,  at  a  point  v.'here 
the  leaves  are  intact.  No  fear  need  be  entertained 
of  the  plant  suffering  from  this  seemingly  cruel 
method,  for  in  about  three  weeks  from  the  date  of 
removal  a  slight  swelling  occurs  on  the  upper 
edge  of  the  wound,  when  a  little  sand  and  leaf 
soil  encased  in  damp  moss  should  be  firmlj'  tied 
round,  from  which  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  so 
roots  are  emitted.  When  it  is  seen  that  sufficient 
roots  aie  attached  the  top  should  be  deftly  cut 
over,  the  moss  carefully  removed,  and  the  rooted 
plant  placed  in  a  small  pot  and  plunged  in  a  good 
bottom  heat,  kept  close,  and  syringed  for  a  few 
days.  This  is  known  as  ringing,  and  I  have 
always  had  the  best  results  from  it.  Should  it  be 
desired  to  increase  the  stock  of  any  variety,  then 
the  stool  nuist  be  retained,  well  shaken  out  when 
root  action  is  a;ctively  resumed,  kept  moderately 
dry  at  the  root,  but  liberally  syringed,  when  side 
growths  will  soon  appear,  which  may  be  rooted  in 
the  ordinarj'  way.  The  finest  sorts  for  exhibiting 
as  table  plants  are  Superbum,  Angustifolium, 
Chelsoni,  Prince  of  Wales,  Countess,  Golden  Ring, 
Rodeokianus,  Aigburth  Gem,  and  Interruptus 
aureus. 

DrACEiNAS. 

These,  from  their  association  with  the  foregoing, 
must  take  next  place  for  general  usefulness,  and 
should  also  be  dealt  with  forthwith.  Here,  how- 
ever, the  notching  and  splitting  of  the  stem  should 
be  practised.  This  done,  damp  moss  and  a  sandy 
mixture  should  be  immediately  tied  round,  the 
foliage  secured  to  a  stick,  and  the  plants  stood 
close  together  at  the  cooler  end  of  the  plant  stove. 
Cyclamens  which  were  sown  in  the  autumn  will 
now  be  sufficiantlj'  forward  to  permit  of  their 
being  placed  in  pans  in  fresh  soil  and  very  liberal 
drainage,  placing  the  seedlings  about  2  inches 
apart ;  a  temperature  of  60"^  by  night  and  6.5°  by 
day  will  be  suitable.  Just  at  present  a  house  in 
which  pot  Vines  are  being  forced  is  an  admirable 
station  for  them.  Liberal  syringings  must  be 
given,  and  should  green  fly  make  its  appearance 
then  they  should  be  removed  to  another  structure 
and  fumigated.  There  is,  however,  little  fear  of 
this  if  suitable  conditions  are  afforded. 

Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine. 
We  have  seen  so  much  of  this  subject  of  late  years, 
and  each  year  in  finer  condition  than  formerly,  that 
in  every  garden  I  hope  there  is  a  good  stock  of 
this  charming  plant ;  the  best  results  in  this  as  in 
many  other  things  are  obtained  by  taking  time  by 
the  forelock.  Propagation  by  leaf  and  cuttings 
should  at  once  be  made  ;  the  former  should  be 
placed  round  the  edges  of  ordinary  seed  pans, 
which  have  been  half  filled  with  drainage,  over 
which  should  be  placed  a  layer  of  moss  ;  sand  and 
cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  will  form  a  suitable  rooting 
medium  ;  insert  the  leaf  stalks  about  half  an  inch, 
and  care  should  be  taken  that  the  leaf  does  not  come 
into  contact  with  the  soil,  as  damping  from  the 
frequent  syringing  is  sure  to  follow,  especially  is 
this  so  at  this  early  date.  The  new  B.  Caledonia 
should  be  similarly  treated ;  this,  however,  has 
not  the  constitution  of  the  older  pink  type,  but  I 
am  of  opinion  it  will  go  in  stamina  as  it  recovers 
from  the  strain  of  severe  propagation.  Seed  of 
Begonias,  double  and  single,  should  also  be  sown. 
A  very  fine  surface  is  required,  and  the  pans  should 


have  the  benefit  of  a  close  propagating  case,  and  a 
sheet  of  glass  should  be  placed  over  each  pan,  as 
this,  besides  retaining  a  genial  and  equable  con- 
dition, prevents  the  inroads  of  insects  which  disturb 
the  surface. 

Zonal  PEi-ARGONiaMS 
having  finished  their  flowering  season  should  be 
cut  over,  a  fresh  stock  put  in,  and  the  stools  if  not 
wanted  thrown  away  ;  the  stage  and  show  sections 
sliould  be  stationed  in  a  house  where  abundance  of 
light  and  air  is  admitted.  An  atmosphere  slightly 
moist  suits  these  subjects  admirably  ;  the  earliest 
cut  back  plants  should  have  made  a  good  start,  and 
may  therefore  be  turned  out,  the  balls  reduced  and 
repotted  in  pots  one  size  larger  than  those  in  use 
last  flowering  season.  Good  tough  fibrous  loam, 
with  a  little  horse  manure,  soot,  and  dissolved 
bones,  forms  a  suitable  compost.  Green  fly  is 
sometimes  troublesome,  but  a  mild  fumigating 
once  fortnightly  will  keep  this  enemy  in  check. 
Gloxinia. 

A  few  of  the  strongest  eorms  should  be  turned 
out  duly  potted  and  started  into  growth  ;  to 
prolong  the  season  of  flowering  as  much  as  possible, 
a  moderately  rich  light  compost  is  needful,  that 
made  up  as  follows  being  in  m3'  opinion  all  that  is 
required  :  Loam,  two  parts  ;  peat,  one  part ;  and 
the  remaining  part  being  made  up  of  Mushroom 
manure,  sand,  and  leaf  soil ;  to  each  bushel  of  this 
add  a  4i-inch  pot  full  of  Clay's  Fertiliser  and  a 
6-inch  pot  full  of  broken  oyster  shells.  Water 
must  be  withheld  until  a  fair  start  is  made,  when 
enough  to  saturate  the  entire  root  and  soil  should 
be  artbrded. 

Boehampton.  J.  F-   McLeod. 

THE  FLOWEK  GARDEN. 


replanted,  as  it  will  be  well  to  wait  until  spring, 
when  living  bits  of  root  that  would  again  grow 
and  become  a  nuisance  may  be  found  and  picked 
out  before  planting  anything  choice. 

Flowering  Shrubs. 

Though  anything  in  the  shape  of  formal  pruning 
of  these  is  to  be  deprecated,  it  often  happens  that 
a  branch  here  and  there  takes  a  lead  that  will  if 
not  checked  throw  the  whole  bush  out  of  balance 
and  weaken  the  flowering  branches.  This  is  a 
good  time  to  look  well  over  the  groups  and  beds, 
removing  all  such  gross  growths  or  portions  of  the 
same.  Hydrangeas  of  the  paniculata  Ij'pe  and  a 
few  other  shrubs  that  enjoy  hard  pruning  should 
be  left  for  a  while  longer  before  using  the  knife  on 
them. 

Feeding  Composts. 

In  beds  and  borders  filled  with  permanent  occu- 
pants, and  kept  clean  with  the  hoe  and  the  rake, 
remove  the  surface  soil  and  leave  nothing  for  the 
surface  roots  to  feed  on.  Provision  should  now  be 
made  to  counteract  tliis  b3'  gathering  togetlier  a  heap 
of  compost  from  the  soil  j'ard,  mixed  with  any  leaf- 
mould  that  can  be  spared  and  which  is  sufficiently 
decayed  to  be  of  use.  This  mixture  may  be  run 
on  to  the  beds  and  borders,  also  among  groups  of 
flowering  shrubs,  where  it  will  encourage  rout 
action  and  good  growth.  Such  mixtures  form  the 
best  kind  of  stimulant  that  can  be  used  as  a 
surface-dressing  outdoors.  J.  C.  T.\llacx. 

.  Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


Trees  and  Snow. 
When  snow  falls  heavily  unaccompanied  by  wind 
it  often  lodges  on  Cedars  and  other  flat-branched 
conifers  in  such  bulk  as  to  strain  them  to  breaking 
point,  unless  means  are  taken  to  relieve  them  of 
some  of  the  weight.  Many  of  the  most  valuable 
conifers  have  brittle  wood,  and  these  at  least 
should  be  relieved  by  shaking  the  branches  with 
long  poles.  I  do  not  advise  this  to  be  done  except 
in  cases  of  a  very  heavy  downfall,  as  a  covering  of 
snow,  if  not  too  heavy,  does  more  good  than  harm 
to  such  things  as  the  Deodars  and  some  others 
which  are  liable  to  be  seared  with  biting  winds 
accompanied  by  frost. 

Rabbits  and  Field  Mice. 

In  snowy  weather  these  pests  often  do  great 
mischief  in  the  way  of  barking  valuable  shrubs  in 
the  pleasure  grounds.  Rabbits  can  only  be  kept 
out  by  netting,  unless  the  grounds  are  protected  by 
a  sunk  fence  of  sufficient  depth  to  prevent  them 
from  jumping  it.  The  netting  should  be  frequently 
looked  over  for  holes  and  kept  in  good  repair. 
Drifting  snow  often  congregates  aljout  the  netting, 
and  forms  a  platform  over  which  the  rabbits  may 
easily  gain  access  to  the  grounds.  This  should  be 
seen  to  after  each  fall,  and  the  snow  thrown  back. 
Field  mice  are  much  given  to  barking  Hollies  and 
allied  shrubs.  They  should  be  dealt  with  in  two 
ways,  viz.,  by  trapping  all  that  can  be  caught  in 
pitfalls  dug  in  their  runs,  which  may  be  easily 
found,  and  by  protecting  the  stems  of  tlie  shrubs. 
For  the  latter  purpose  I  have  found  nothing  so 
practical  and  harmless  as  twisting  round  the  stems 
and  lower  branches  strips  of  ordinary  fish  netting, 
which  may  be  held  in  position  with  a  tie  of  fine 
tar  cord.  The  netting  appears  to  baffle  the  little 
pests  and  saves  the  shrubs. 

Rock  Gardens,  &c. 

One  great  objection  to  the  ordinary  form  of 
rockery,  with  its  numerous  and  often  times  badly 
placed'pockets,  is  that  some  of  the  smaller  and  slower 
growing  occupants  frequently  become  smothered 
by  the  stronger,  until  eventually  the  rock  garden 
becomes  more  of  a  wilderness  than  a  place  for 
choice  plants.  The  present  is  a  good  time  in  which 
to  undertake  the  rooting  out  of  some  of  these  strong 
growing  things,  especially  stoloniferous  plants  and 
those  which  increase  by  wide-spreading  suckers. 
The  pockets  or  stations  should  not  be  immediately 


FRUIT    GARDEN. 

E.ARLY  Pot  Vines. 

There  can  be  no  question  whatever  but  that  pot 
Vines  are  best  for  hard  forcing.  I  am  aware  that 
the}'  do  not  give  such  good  bunches  or  as  large 
berries  as  from  planted  out  canes,  but  for  earliest 
supplies  the  Vines  grown  in  pots  can  be  had  of  fair 
quality,  and  if  well  attended  to  when  tlie  bunches 
are  formed  there  will  be  fair  results.  Vines  started 
in  the  autumn  will  now  need  more  care,  as  with 
colder  nights  it  is  not  wise  to  force  too  hard  ;  if 
this  be  done  the  foliage  will  weaken  and  the  berries 
be  smaller  in  consequence,  60'^  to  0.5°  at  night  will 
suffice,  and  a  rise  of  IU"  by  day  will  maintain 
healthy  growth.  During  the  flowering  period  the 
house  should  be  kept  drier,  but  avoid  overheating 
the  pipes,  and  in  severe  weather  cover  the  glass 
outside  to  avoid  hard  firing,  and  with  small  pits  or 
houses  a  cover  can  be  applied  quickly.  As  soon  as 
the  fruit  is  set  feeding  ma}'  commence,  but  give 
rather  weak  supplies  at  first,  also  in  a  tepid  state, 
and  stop  the  lateral  growth  at  the  first  joint  beyond 
the  bunches.  Stop  rather  close  all  sub-lateral 
growths  as  they  are  made,  as  b}'  so  doing  root 
action  is  increased  and  more  strength  is  accelerated 
to  maintain  the  bunches  and  foliage  on  the  Vines. 
At  the  latter  period  named  the  atmosphere  should 
be  what  is  termed  health}'.  This  will  be  maintained 
by  damping  at  vacant  parts  of  the  house  at  least 
three  times  a  day  and  by  keeping  the  evaporation 
troughs  filled,  and  as  growth  increases  by  placing 
part  liquid  manure  and  part  water  the  moisture 
given  otf  will  keep  down  insect  pests.  Avoid  raidc 
manures,  as  these  destroy  the  foliage. 

Permanent  Early  Vines. 
A  great  deal  depends  upon  when  these  were 
started  as  regards  the  advice  now  given.  For  fruit  to 
follow  the  pot  Vines  the  canes  will  now  be  showing 
the  bunches  freely,  and  will  need  close  attention. 
Avoid  high  temperatures  unless  by  sun  heat;  (he 
latter  is  beneficial,  and  should  be  husbanded  as 
much  as  possible.  A  night  temperature  on  cold 
nights  of  G0°  will  be  ample  till  the  Vines  are  in 
flower,  when  SS'  to  W  more  may  be  given,  and  70" 
to  75''  by  .day  may  be  allowed  by  fire  heat.  Much 
the  same  remarks  are  applicable  as  regards  moisture 
as  given  for  pot  Vines,  but  with  stronger  canes, 
more  foliage,  and  a  larger  root  area,  the  routs  will 
need  more  food  of  a  stronger  nature  ;  for  this  pur- 
pose I  have  found  'J'hoinpson's  Vine  manure  safe 
and  good,  but  there  are  others  ei|ually  so,  and  li(|uid 
manure  in  a  tepid  state  will  be  good  as  soon  as  the 
bunches  are  of  any  size.  When  surface-dressings 
of  any  fertilisers  are  given  these  should  be  raked 


JANUARY    26,    1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


57 


on  the  surface  and  then  well  watered  in,  but  avoid 
puddling  the  border.  Stopping  and  disbudding 
will  now  need  attention.  Strong  shoots  may  be 
stopped  at  one  point  beyond  the  bunch  and  weaker 
ones  given  a  little  more  freedom  ;  any  weak  spray 
growths  or  shoots  not  needed  for  extension  should 
be  stopped  close  home,  and  there  is  no  gain,  indeed, 
the  reverse,  in  leaving  all  the  bunches  that  show 
Hower,  as  this  weakens  the  Vines.  Remove  surplus 
bunches  as  soon  as  it  can  be  seen  which  are  the 
best.  In  the  case  of  bad  setting  varieties  it  is 
safer  to  allow  more  bunches  than  with  others,  such 
as  Harabnrghs. 

Early  Muscat  Grapes. 

I  do  not  advise  hard  forcing  of  these  kinds,  as  to 
do  them  justice  there  must  be  ample  light  and  sun- 
shine at  the  setting  period.    I  am  aware  many  start 


work  is  complete,  the  canes  will  be  benefited  greatly, 
and  there  is  less  harbour  for  insect  pests.  The  canes 
when  pruned  as  advised  should  be  dressed  with 
styptic  as  the  cutting  proceeds.  A  thorough 
cleansing  of  the  house  should  be  undertaken,  walls 
lime-washed,  loose  bark  of  the  Vines  removed  (not 
hard  peeled),  well  watered  with  a  sulphur  and  soft 
soap  solution,  the  borders  top-dressed  with  a  rich 
loam  and  fertiliser,  and  the  house  freely  ventilated, 
merely  keeping  the  hot-water  pipes  from  freezing 
in  severe  weather.  G.  Wythes. 

Syoii  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 


ROSE  CLOTH  OF  GOLD  IN 
SOUTHERN  AUSTRALIA. 

The  Dean  of    Kochester  sends  the  following 


a  house  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  and  the  fruit ;  letter  from  an  Australian  correspondent,  with 

photographs  showing 
a  truly  remarkable 
development  of  this 
grand  Rose  :— 

"Very    Rev.    and 
Dear  Sir, — Ever  since 
my     old     friend     and 
colleague,    the    late 
Ed  ward  Wilson,  repub- 
lished     your      '  Book 
about    Roses '   in    the 
columns  of  t\\&  Anstni- 
Inmtn,     your     works 
have  been  well  known 
in    this    part    of    the 
world,   and   especially 
to  my  wife,  who  is  an 
enthusiastic   and   suc- 
cessful  Rose    grower. 
Knowing  the  interest 
you  take  in  the  Queen 
of    Flowers,    she    has 
asked  me  to  send  you 
a     photograph     of     a 
Cloth  of  Gold,  which 
she  planted  when  we 
Ijought   our   house   in 
1879,      and     is     now 
covered    by    not    less 
than     a     thousand 
blooms,   the    largest 
averaging  5  inches  in 
diameter.     Its  height 
is   23    feet   6   inches  ; 
its  extreme  lateral  ex- 
tension is  4G  feet,  and 
was  .58  feet  before  it 
was   cut    back.      The 
circumference    of  the 
stem  6  inches  from  the 
ground  —  where       it 
ramifies  into  six  great 
branches  —  is    2   feet 
10  inches,  and  the  cir- 
cumference     of      the 
largest    of    these 
branches     is     1     foot 
northerly   and   easterly 
is   exposed  to  the  hot 
winds  which  will  probably  spoil  its  beauty 
next  month,  corresponding   with  the  English 
May.     We    attribute    its    luxuriant    growth, 
in  part,   to   the  fact  that  its  roots  spreading 
undei'  the  verandah  and  house  in  one  direc- 
tion,   find    congenial    food    in    the   lime   and 
di'liris   left    there   by   the    builders,   while   in 
another  direction  they  penetrate  to  the  clay 
subsoil,  and  absorb  a  good  deal  of  the  artificial 
moisture  we  are  obliged  to  bestow  upon  our 
small  lawns  and  flower  beds  during  the  whole 
of  our  very  hot  summer  months. 

"  I  know  Italy  pretty  well,  from  Genoa  and 
Como  down  to  Naples  and  Capri,  but  I  have 
seen  no  Cloth  of  Gold  Roses  there  which  are 


BOSK    CLOTH    OF    HOLD    IN    VICTORIA,    AUSTRALIA. 


will  be  ripe  at  midsummer  ;  in  this  case  the  tempera- 
ture may  now  be  slightly  increased,  55°  to  00"  at 
night  and  10°  higher  by  day,  damping  the  Vines 
overhead  regularly  in  fine  weather.  Should  there 
be  any  doubt  as  to  the  border  being  dry,  give  a 
good  watering  before  the  leaves  develop  with  water 
the  same  temperature  as  the  house.  Disbudding 
should  not  be  delayed,  and  should  the  Vines  break 
too  freely  at  the  top  the  canes  should  be  gently 
lowered  or  bent  down  to  check  the  flow  of  sap. 

Late  Grapes. 
'''■  In  these  houses  there  should  be  no  further  delay 
in  .cutting  the  bunches,  placing  the  latter  in  racks 
or  bottles  on  shelves  and  pruning  the  Vines  at  once. 
A  long  rest  is  essential  to  secure  good  fruit,  and 
though  full  late  to  advise  on  shortening  of  long  spur 
growths,  this  work  must  be  done  when  these  are 
unwieldly.  If  shortened  by  piecemeal,  that  is,  a 
portion  or  a  third  of  the  Vine  each  j-ear  until  the 


7   inches.      It    has   a 
aspect,  and,  therefore. 


capable  of  comparing  with  these  which  flourish 
in  this  country  and  climate,  resembling  as 
these  do,  I  fancy,  those  of  Persia." 


THE  UNHEATED  GREENHOUSE. 

II. — O.N  TvpK.AL  Colli  (jreenhouses. 

The  unheated  greenhouse  may  be  represented  by 
four  distinct  types,  which  can  be  classed  as 
follows  :  1.  The  glass  garden.  2.  The  garden 
corridor.  3.  The  conservatory.  4.  The  ordinary 
span,  or  lean-to  greenhouse.  Under  each  of  these 
heads  a  few  remarks  will  be  necessary. 

The  Glass  Gardex. 

Under  the  somewhat  clumsy  name — for  want  of 
a  better — of  the  glass  garden  it  is  intended  to 
express  the  greenhouse  adapted  for  the  permanent 
planting  of  shrubs  and  climbei's.  It  is,  in  fact,  a 
garden  in  miniature,  covered  by  glass,  but  requiring 
no  interior  furnishing,  as  of  stands  or  stages,  other 
than  the  plants  themselves.  The  laying  out  of  the 
beds,  borders,  and  pathways  must  be  controlled  by 
the  size  of  the  structure  and  the  kind  of  plants,  be 
they  shrubs  or  be  they  alpines,  to  be  grown  on  it  ; 
but  while  the  main  planting  is  permanent,  it  can 
and  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  leave  ample  room 
for  the  introduction  of  suocessional  plants.  This, 
in  outline,  is  the  idea  of  the  glass  garden  ;  and 
while  it  may  be  the  most  ambitious,  it  is,  perhaps, 
also  the  most  delightful  tjpe  of  the  cold  green- 
house. Such  a  house  nia^^  be  of  grand  dimensions — 
an  annexe,  possibly,  of  one  of  the  long  ranges  of 
glass  houses  to  be  found  in  many  a  stately  garden, 
constructed  chiefly  for  the  winter  protection  of 
flowering  shrubs  and  bulbs,  and  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  interest  and  enjo3'ment,  together  with  a 
certain  amount  of  exercise,  to  those  wlio  are 
debarred  from  taking  an  active  share  in  the  more 
vigorous  pursuits  of  healthy  outdoor  English  life. 

It  stands  to  reason,  to  begin  with,  that  the 
construction  as  well  as  the  planting  of  such  a 
winter  garden  requires  both  judgment  and  gcod 
taste,  and  will  give  ample  scope  for  the  exercise  of 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  suitable  subjects.  Here, 
too,  is  a  case  in  point,  where  a  cola  greenhouse 
may  reasonably  be  fitted  wilh  a  single  or  even 
double  flow-and-return  pipe,  as  required  by  the 
size  of  the  building,  in  connection  with  the  main 
boiler,  but  so  furnished  with  valves  as  to  shut  oft' 
all  heat,  except  when  absolutely  needful  to  keep 
out  frost  or  to  put  the  air  in  circulation  to  prevent 
stagnant  damp.  It  is  not  hard  to  pictuie  a  grand 
glass  garden  of  this  kind,  large  enough  to  give  a 
permanent  home  to  the  flowering  Acacias,  Hima- 
layan Rhododendrons,  Boronias,  Correas,  and  the 
like,  which,  though  tender,  live  and  flower  pro- 
fusely out  of  doors  in  sheltered  positions  in  the 
favoured  climate,  for  example,  of  the  Isles  of 
Scilly.  It  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  all 
shrubs  and  plants — and  their  name  is  legion — that 
will  live  happily  in  the  open  air  in  our  southern- 
most counties  are  fit  subjects  to  thrive  well  under 
the  shelter  of  glass,  assisted,  in  the  hardest  weather 
only,  by  just  so  much  artificial  heat  as  will  suffice 
to  prevent  the  thermometer  falling  below  35'^. 
Any  of  us  who  have  had  experience  of  the  difference 
in  well-doing  between  plants  grown  in  jjots  and 
those  which  receive  the  more  generous  treatment 
of  the  greenhouse  border  will  readily  understand 
the  advantages  offered  on  this  point  by  the  glass 
garden.  Such  a  house  should  be  under  the  charge 
of  an  exceptionalh'  intelligent  gardener,  well 
instructed  and  interested  in  the  cultivation  of 
hardy  and  half -hard}'  plants,  who  will  take  a  pride 
in  making  use  of  the  heating  apparatus  as  sparingly 
as  possible.  The  idea,  however,  of  a  coalition 
between  hardy  plants  and  a  glass  shelter  has 
hardly  as  yet  permeated  the  minds  of  any  but 
a  few  garden  enthusiasts  ;  but  this  slur  will  not 
long  be  cast  upon  English  gardens  Kew  has 
taken  the  initiative  in  the  costly  and  splendid  new 
wing  which  has  been  added  within  the  last  two 
years  or  so  to  the  temperate  range  of  glass  houses, 
and  it  is  there  we  must  go  to  learn  what  may  be 
done  on  the  grandest  scale  in  the  glass  garden.  It 
is  true  that  ample  provision  is  there  made  for 
raising  the  temperature,  but  it  is  used  only  in  case 


58 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[January  26,  1901. 


of  need,  and  we  come  upon  frequent  mention  of  the 
"  big  unheated  greenhouse  "  in  notices  of  plants  in 
flower  in  the  gardens.  This  covered-in  garden 
with  its  rare  and  lovely  shrubs  and  exquisite  Lilies 
forms  one  of  the  most  delightful  attractions  of 
Kew,  which  has  so  worthily  earned,  especially  of 
late  years,  the  appreciation  and  gratitude  of  all 
true  garden  lovers. 

But  we  need  not  despair  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
our  winter  garden  must  be  of  very  modest 
character,  and  if  our  wish  is  to  do  without  heating 
at  all,  even  of  the  most  temporary  and  removable 
kind.  So  be  it.  There  is  plent}'  of  material  at 
hand  if  one  chooses  without  trespassing  an  inch 
upon  dubitable  ground,  and  quite  as  much  pleasure 
and  happiness  to  be  gained  in  the  use  ol  it.  I 
remember  well  the  description  of  such  a  winter 
garden  given  in  the  pages  of  The  Gardex  perhaps 
twenty  years  ago.  In  it  there  were  neither  hot- 
water  pipes  nor  heating  of  any  sort  to  get  out  of 
order  and  worry  the  contented  owner,  who  was, 
nevertheless,  under  no  great  concern  for  his  plants 
even  in  the  midst  of  the  hardest  of  black  frosts,  for 
he  took  care  to  grow  only  such  as  could  pass 
through  it  unscathed,  and  who  revelled  in  the 
fairest  of  spring  bulbs  and  early  flowers  long  before 
the  open  garden  could  boast  of  more  than  a  chance 
blossom  here  and  there.  Very  few — more's  the 
pity — have  been  found  to  follow  so  good  a  lead  and 
attain  as  great  a  reward. 

The  Gakde.s  Corridor. 

The  unheated  greenhouse  may  take  on  occasion 
the  form  of  a  glass  corridor,  and  when  this  happens 
to  be  a  lean-to  passage  way  connecting  garden 
structures,  or  outlying  rooms,  it  may  be,  of  a 
dwelling,  it  is  the  place  of  all  others  in  which  to 
grow  specimens  of  the  rarer  flowering  shrubs,  such 
as  Carpenteria  californica,  which  succeed  best  when 
trained  against  a  wall,  and  which  are  all  the  better 
for  having  their  root  room  restricted  by  a  narrow 
border.  Sometimes  a  glass  corridor  may  more 
conveniently  have  a  span  roof,  as,  for  example,  in 
oases  where  there  is  no  carriage-way  to  the  entrance 
of  the  house  and  more  or  less  distance  has  to  be 
crossed  in  bad  weather  before  reaching  shelter.  A 
covered  way,  under  such  circumstances,  though 
not  in  itself  beautiful,  is  a  boon  to  guests,  and 
some  method  of  making  a  simple  glass  passage  of 
the  kind  presentable  at  small  expense  is  no  less  a 
boon  sometimes  to  the  host.  There  are  plenty  of 
hardy  climbers,  like  the  finer  kinds  of  Clematis 
and  Jasmines,  of  Ivy  and  of  Vine,  not  to  speak  of 
Tea  Roses,  which  are  the  glory  of  the  cold  house 
gardener,  to  come  to  our  aid,  while  a  corridor  is  a 
most  fitting  place  for  Agapanthus  or  Crinum 
Moorei,  or  any  such  grand  but  unwieldy  plants, 
which  are  best  grown  in  tubs  or  in  Italian  pottery 
of  the  massive  sort.  The  only  wonder  is,  with  such 
wealth  of  fine  and  easily  grown  plants  of  every 
kind  and  habit  at  command,  that  our  glass  houses 
should,  even  at  this  date,  be  so  indift'erently 
furnished  as  to  variety,  which  the  majority  of 
them  undoubtedly  are. 

But  further  discussion  of  suitable  subjects  for 
cold  greenhouse  treatment  must  be  set  uside  for 
the  present,  and  we  must  turn  to  the  less  ambitious 
types  of  glass  house  to  be  found  in  everybody's 
garden,  which  are  mainly  under  the  personal 
control  of  the  owner,  with  or  without  the  help  of  a 
gardener. 

The  Conservatory. 

There  are  two  forms  of  glass  house  common  to 
the  gardens  of  most  country  homes — the  conserva- 
tory, which  adjoins  the  dwelling,  and  into  which 
one  or  more  of  the  sitting  rooms  generally  open, 
and  the  greenhouse,  which  finds  its  separate  place, 
with  more  or  less  aptitude  for  its  purpose,  in  the 
garden.  Now  "conservatory"  is  a  pretentious 
name,  and  it  might  be  wished  that  one  more  modest 
could  be  coined  to  replace  it ;  but  it  would  seem 
as  it  few  folk  were  alive  to  the  fact  that  conserva- 
tory and  greenhouse  are  not  convertible  terms. 
Yet  the  ditt'erence  between  them  is  plain  and  well 
marked,  a  conservatory  being  a  shelter  where 
plants  in  flower  may  be  shown  and  admired,  while 
the  greenhouse  is  the  home  and,  at  times,  tlie 
hospital  of  plants  in  growth.  Where  only  one  of 
these  exists,  doubtless  there  must  be  some  adapta- 


tion to  circumstances  ;  but  it  can  scarcely  be  too 
nuich  insisted  on  that  the  conservatory  is  not 
intended  to  be  turned  into  a  working  greenhouse, 
as  is  too  often  done.  If  it  must  be,  then  I  venture 
to  urge  that  it  is  better  to  draw  a  curtain  between 
sitting-room  and  the  inevitable  disheveln»ent  of 
the  garden  workshop,  and  to  let  a  cheerful  bay 
window,  a  glass  porch,  or  any  other  convenient 
position  receive  the  plants  we  have  cherished 
when  they  are  ready  to  be  displayed  in  their 
beauty.  The  conservatory  being,  in  fact,  an 
ante-chamber  or  vestibule  to  the  living  rooms  of 
the  house,  should  be,  equallj'  with  these,  always 
in  good  order.  One  of  the  first  considerations, 
therefore,  is  to  keep  it  clean.  This  very  trite 
assertion  may  provide  a  jeer,  but  only  those  who 
have  held  the  reins  of  management  in  their  own 
hands  can  have  any  idea  of  the  way  in  which  dibris 
of  withered  leaves  and  fallen  flowers  accumulate, 
to  say  nothing  of  evil  beasts  in  the  shape  of  slugs 
and  caterpillars,  woodlice  and  centipedes,  which 
stray  in  and  hide  under  stages  and  in  odd  corners  ; 
and  how  important  it  is  to  keep  clear  of  the 
unavoidable  mustiness  which  comes  of  more  or  less 
perpetual  damp.  For  this  reason  it  is  strongly  to 
be  recommended  that  a  conservatory  be  used 
strictly  for  pot  plants,  that  there  should  be  no 
heavy  fixed  stages  and  no  inside  border  for  perma- 
nent planting  of  shrubs  or  climbers,  in  order  that, 
at  short  intervals,  the  house  may  be  emptied  and 
thoroughly  cleaned  and  rearranged.  Stands  or 
stages  should  be  used  mainly  as  aids  in  the  grouping 
of  plants,  and  the  lighter  and  more  unobtrusive 
and  easily  movable  they  are  the  better.  These 
points  are  touched  upon  lightly  here,  for  they  must 
be  reverted  to  later,  and  will  very  likelj-  be 
regarded  as  fads  ;  but  experience  teaches.  Clean- 
liness and  good  order,  with  fresh,  healthy  plants, 
well  grouped  and  not  alwa3'S  in  the  same  stereo- 
typed position,  go  far  to  make  even  a  small 
conservatory  not  only 
the  joy  and  pride  of 
its  owner  but  a  pleasure 
to  all  who  see  it.  A 
conservatory  of  this 
kind,  however,  neces- 
sitates some  sort  of 
separate  and  extra  re- 
source to  act  as  feeder 
to  it,  and  this  may  be 
found  in  cold  frames  or 
pits,  or  in  a  working 
greenhouse,  from 
whence  plants  may  be 
brought,  and  to  which 
tliey  can  be  returned 
when  their  flowering  is 
over. 

The  WoKKi.N(i  Green- 
house. 

The  ordinary  span  or 
lean-to  greenhouse 
usually  finds  its  place 
in  some  corner  of  the 
garden,  and  generally 
is  and  ought  to  be  fur- 
nished with  a  front 
bench  and  some  sort  of 
stage.  The  dampness 
and  a  certain  amount 
of  "undress"  here  is 
not  out  of  place.  One's 
plants  are  in  their  nur- 
sery, or,  it  may  be, 
recruiting;  pans  of 
seedlings  may  stand 
about  ;  Ferns  may  be 
tucked  awa3'  under  the 
stage ;  a  Marcchal  Niel, 
with  its  roots  in  an 
inside  border,  or  anj' 
otherclimbers  one  may 
desire,  can  be  trained 
up  the  rafters  or  on 
the  back  wall ;  and 
pruned  back  plants, 
however  sliabby-look- 
ing,     need      not     liide 


their  diminished  heads.  What  would  be  incon- 
gruous and  unsightly  in  the  conservatory  is  here 
natural  and  right.  There  is  little,  perhaps, 
to  be  said  on  so  well-worn  a  theme  for  the  present ; 
but  certain  points  of  construction,  important  to  be 
considered  in  putting  up  any  of  the  types  of 
unheated  glass  houses  here  spoken  of,  remain  to  be 
suggested.  Only  this  let  me  add.  It  is  the 
working  greenhouse  that  is  the  best  of  all — the 
sanctum  sanctorum  of  the  gardener.  Who  but 
those  who  know  it  can  fathom  the  peace,  the  rest, 
the  depth  of  happiness  to  be  found  within  its 
hallowed  precincts.  What  marvels  of  plant  life 
open  out  there  to  the  patient  observer,  what 
strange  vagaries  of  the  germination  of  seeds,  what 
mysterious  processes  in  the  germination  of  Ferns  ; 
what  rare  loveliness  in  the  silent  building  up,  leaf 
by  leaf,  of  even  the  commonest  plant  ;  what 
exquisite  art  in  the  gradual  laying  on  of  colours 
and  moulding  of  buds  and  flowers.  Aye  !  but 
treasures  such  as  these  are  only  unfolded  to  the 
vision  of  the  devout  lover  who  thinks  no  toil  too 
great  that  will  unlock  the  cabinet  of  Nature's 
secrets ;  whose  hand  is  not  afraid  to  risk  the 
roughness  of  daily  tending  ;  whose  ear  is  awake  to 
whispers  so  low  that  thej-  are  unheeded  by  idle 
passers-by  ;  whose  ej'e  is  quick  to  note  the  changes 
of  an  hour.  Such  reverent  students  learn  to  worship 
while  they  work,  and  to  them,  in  the  uplifting 
symbolism  of  Eastern  speech,  plants  and  flowers 
become,  in  very  truth,  as  "  the  fringes  of  the 
garment  of  God."  K.  L.  1). 


AMERICAN      NOTES. 

Fringed  and  Plumed  Flowers. 

The  recent  tendency  in  the  floral  fashions  seems 
to  be  strongly  towards  extravagant  and  fanciful 
forms.     This  is  no  new  trend,  but  is  merely  accen- 


riNl'S    CKMUKA. 


January  26,  1901.] 


THE     GAKDEN. 


59 


tuateJ  at  present  by  the  appearance  of  distinctly 
attractive  vagaries  of  such  liighly-esteemed  flowers 
as  the  Begonia  and  Cyclamen.  Recent  reference 
has  also  been  made  to  "  Cactus  -  flowered '" 
Geraniums,  and  there  are  numerous  other  fantastic 
and  more  or  less  extravagant  floral  forms  which 
claim  attention. 

The  Cactus  Geranium  and  the  Butterfly  Cyclamen 
liave  already  been  figured  in  these  pages,  and  now 
we  add  to  the  list  with  the  "plumed  Begonia." 
The  picture  is  given  merely  as  a  representation  of 
floral  fact  and  record.  For  our  own  part,  we  see 
but  very  little  merit  in  perpetuating  these  extra- 
vagant monstrosities  which  appeal  to  the  fancy 
merely  from  the  fact  that  they  are  grotesque 
divergencies  from  the  normal  type  of  lesthetic 
simplicity. 

What  cultivation  will  accomplish  in  a  flower 
time  alone  can  tell.  The  Chrysanthemum,  Chinese 
Primrose,  the  Cineraria,  and  indeed  almost  any 
other  of  our  highly  -  cultivated  favourites,  are 
evidence  of  the  wonderful  modification  of  form 
that  the  plastic  material  of  plant  organism  develops 
into  when  under  the  careful  leadership  of  the 
cultivator.  Peculiar  outgrowths  of  the  perianth 
have  been  recorded,  not  only  in  the  Cyclamen 
referred  to,  but  also  in  the  Daffodil,  where  the 
long-tubed  Ajax  type  has  developed  longitudinal 
fringes.  But  none  of  these  forms  have  appealed 
to  the  floral  fancy.  They  are  not  progression  along 
artistic  lines.  They  may  serve  the  curious  for  the 
moment ;  they  do,  indeed,  subserve  the  purposes 
of  the  student  of  plant  phyaiologj' ;  but  beyond 
that,  horticulturally  speaking,  the  sooner  they  are 
lost  sight  of  the  better. — American  Gardeniiig. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 


THE    AROLLA     OR     SWISS     STONE 
PINE    (PINUS    CEMBRA). 

AMONG  the  desolate  height.s  of  our 
great  Alps  ;  in  the  vast  solitudes  of 
these  mountain  regions,  arise  the 
rugged  outlines  of  the  ancient 
L  Arollas.  Their  heads  are  sometimes 
sternly  erect  but  more  often  storm- 
broken  ;  their  branches  some  yet  whole  but 
many  mutilated,  their  trunks  some  bare,  while 
others  are  well-clothed. 

It  is  life  struggling  with  death  ;  it  is  undying 
Nature  striving  and  wrestling  with  the  deadly 
breath  of  the  glacier,  with  cold  and  snow  and 
hoar-frost.  The  Arolla  is  the  pioneer  who 
advances  with  stout  persistence,  only  main- 
taining its  own  existence  by  an  unceasing 
struggle,  while  guarding  that  of  the  thousands 
of  beings  that  it  feeds,  protects,  and  shelters. 
It  is  the  petted  child  of  the  good  genius  of  our 
Alps,  the  beneficent  agent  of  the  spirit  of  the 
mountain  forests.  It  forms  an  advanced  guard, 
or  rather  now,  alas  !  the  forest  rearguard — 
covering  its  retreat.  We  have  with  regret  to 
face  the  fact  that  our  mountain  arboreal 
vegetation  is  drawing  downwards  towards  the 
plain,  descending  to  the  valley — making  a 
backward  move. 

Everywhere  throughout  the  Alps,  as  well  as 
in  all  the  mountains  of  the  civilised  world,  the 
forest  limits  are  lowering,  and  the  importance 
of  the  preservation  of  these  agents  so  beneficent 
to  agriculture  and  to  the  population  of  the 
mountain  foot  is  a  fact  that  is  fully  recognised. 

Thus  it  is  that  Arolla  is  the  stubborn  tighter 
who  resists  and  holds  his  own  in  sjiite  of  frost 
$ind  tempest,  drought  and  torrent,  avalanche 
land  storm-rush  of  stones.  It  holds  its  own, 
giving  a  wholesome  lesson  to  us  men  of  the 
present  day  who  are  none  too  well  equipped 
with  fortitude  and  ))ower  of  endurance. 

Never  can  I  see  these  splendidly  picturesque 
forms  rising  before  my  eyes  without  a 
tremulous  gladness  of  mind.     It  is  the  tree  of 


the  past,  and  to  me  the  voices 
of  the  past  are  well  loved.  I 
hold  in  loving  honour  all  that 
links  these  our  days  of  vulgar 
utility  with  those  earlier  ages  ; 
with  the  great  e]5ochs  of 
splendid  devotion  and  of 
chivalrous  enterprise.  I  love 
the  spirit  of  poetry  that  exhales 
from  the  things  of  old  times  ; 
and  the  Arolla  is  essentially  a 
thing  of  the  past. 

Its  centre  of  origin  must  be 
looked  for  in  the  vast  plains 
of  Siberia,  from  whence  it 
came  to  us  during  the  glacial 
period,  with  many  another  of 
our  alpine  plants  that  origi- 
nated in  North- Western  Asia. 
Once  it  was  the  most  widely 
distributed  of  our  Conifers, 
and  covered  vast  extents  of 
alpine  heights  ,  that  now  are 
desolate.  Now  and  then  in 
old  parchments  and  official 
Acts  one  finds  mention  of 
Arolla  forests  in  regions  now 
absolutely  bare  of  trees.  In 
the  Valiee  des  Bagnes,  for 
instance,  a  tract  of  mountain 
pasture  now  quite  without 
trees  is  still  called  Les  AroUes, 
although  it  is  three  miles 
above  the  outlying  bushes  of 
the  upper  edge  of  wooded  land. 

The  Swiss  Government  is 
replanting  vast  spaces  of  Arolla 
forest,  though  .some  of  the 
cantons  have  .shown  them- 
.selves  remiss  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  thi.s  duty.  Thus 
of  Valais  it  is  difficult  to  ^ 
done,  for  there  a  thick-headed  po];iulation 
cannot  be  made  to  understand  from  the  agri- 
cultural point  of  view  the  advantage  of  a 
protective  barrier  of  forest.  Mrs.  Tyndall  and 
the  Association  for  the  Protection  of  Plants 
have  endeavoured  to  re-atforest  three  hectares 
at  an  altitude  of  2,300  metres  at  Belalp  by  the 
planting  of  Arollas  and  Larches  ;  the  widow  of 
the  great  English  scientist  thus  putting  in 
practice  an  idea  that  her  illustrious  huslaanci 
had  long  had  in  mind.  But  we  had  great 
difliculty  in  securing  the  co-operation  of  the 
people  of  the  country,  though  at  last,  after 
much  opposition  we  succeeded,  and  now  there 
may  be  seen  there  a  thriving  little  forest  of 
Arolla  and  Larch. 

In  the  alpine  botanical  gardens  of  the 
Rambertia  at  the  Rochers  de  Nave,  at  an 
altitude  of  6,700  feet,  and  of  the  Linn;ea  at 
Bourg  St.  Pierre  (5,3.58  feet)  we  have  planted 
a  number  of  Pinus  C'embra  which  are  succeed- 
ing admirably.  On  the  Rochers  de  Naye  it  is 
the  only  experiment  of  tree  planting  that  has 
succeeded  at  so  great  an  elevation,  and  at  the 
Linniea  it  is  the  one  which  is  doing  best, 
seedlings  planted  there  ten  years  ago  being  now 
handsome  young  trees  6  feet  to  7  feet  high. 

The  Arolla  belongs  to  the  most  ancient  of 
the  genus  Pinus;  to  those  that  have  five 
needles  in  one  sheath.  The  cone,  which  takes 
three  yea,rs  to  come  to  maturity,  contains  large 
seeds,  edible,  alas  !  for  man  finds  them  as  good 
as  do  the  rnountain  jackdaws,  the  squirrels, 
and  other  wild  creatures  who  feed  upon  them 
and  enjoy  their  excellent  nutty  flavour. 

In  appearance  the  Arolla  has  not  the  grace 
of  the  Larch,  for  its  form  is  short  and  compact, 
its  stout  trunk  takes  a  waved  or  uneven  line, 
and  its  thick  grey-brown  bark  becomes  covered 
with  many  coloured  lichens.    Its  head  becomes 


in  the  Canton 
get     anything 


AN    OLD    .^RULLA    (P-IXUS    i:E51BI:A). 

gradually  thinned  with  rounded  masses  of 
foliage,  and  its  outline  is  soft  and  round  rather 
than  slender  and  graceful  ;  but  it  has  a  certain 
pride  of  carria,ge  and  a  nobility  of  strength  in 
its  powerful  breadth  of  shoulder. 

I  have  thought  that  some  lines  in  the 
pages  of  The  Garden  might  well  be  devoted 
to  an  account  of  this  ancient  tree,  dying  out 
from  its  own  anticjuity  of  race  and  form, 
shi'inking  on  the  one  hand  from  the  regions  of 
the  desert  above  and  on  the  other  from  the 
invasion  of  young  forests  of  Larch. 

Geneva.  H.  CoRREVON. 


THE    STRAWBERRY    TREE. 

(Arbutus  unedo.) 
I.v  Southern  Europe  and  the  south  and  west  of 
Ireland  Arbutus  unedo  is  very  liandsome  in  many 
British  and  Irish  gardens.  It  is  a  beautiful  ever- 
green shrub,  growing  from  3  feet  to  20  feet  in  height, 
and  just  at  this  season  it  is  covered  with  terminal 
clustered  flowers,  and  the  red  and  ripening  fruits 
of  its  last  year's  blossoming.  It  is  a  very  variable 
shrub,  being  readily  reared  from  seeds,  and  some 
of  the  forms  are  much  more  handsome  in  habit  of 
growth  and  blossoming  than  are  others,  and  there 
are  also  differences  in  the  profusion  or  otherwise  of 
their  fruiting,  of  which  due  note  should  be  taken 
by  intending  planters.  Dense  and  healthy  bushes 
from  3  feet  to  10  feet  in  height  are  just  now  ver}' 
handsome,  heavily  laden,  as  they  are,  with  heavy 
clusters  of  fruit,  of  a  soft  green,  3'ellow,  buff, 
orange,  red,  vermilion,  or  crimson-scarlet  colour, 
that  shine  out  ver}'  cheerfully  from  the  dark  and 
glossy  green  leafage,  though,  unfortunately,  when 
they  are  quite  ripe  they  are  speedilj'  carried  away 
and  eaten  by  the  birds.  Wherever  the  Arbutus 
grows  healthily,  and  fruits  freelj',  we  have  no  other 
evergreen  quite  so  handsome  at  this  dull  season  of 
the  year.  A,  andrachnoides  or  A.  hybrida  is  a 
taller  and  more  robust  growing  kind,  with  larger 
flowers,  but  it  does  not  fruit  so  freelj'  as  does  the 
common   kind.     A,   Andrachne,  from  (Greece,  and 


60 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January   26,   1901. 


A.  procera,  from  North-Western  America  (sj'n. 
A.  Meiiziesi  or  A.  laurifolia),  are  both  very  distinct 
and  handsome  kinds,  not  seen  so  often  as  they 
deserve,  even  in  the  mild  south  and  western 
districts,  in  which  they  might  be  best  expected  to 
do  well.  A.  Croomi  is  a  very  showy  hybrid,  with 
large  cluster.?  of  rosy  pink  flowers.  There  is  also  a 
variety  of  A.  Audrachne,  viz.,  A.  serratifolia, 
which  forms  a  handsome  bush  or  small  tree.  The 
drawback  to  these  evergreen  Strawberry  trees,  as 
a  whole,  is  their  slow  growth  on  most  soils,  and 
they  rarely  thrive  except  in  a  sheltered  and 
moisture-bathed  climate.  At  the  Lakes  of 
Killarnej'  they  seem  quite  at  home,  though  in  all 
probabilitj'  they  were  originally  introduced  there 
at  some  early  period,  of  which  all  i-ecords  now 
appear  to  have  been  lost.  Hehn,  in  his  "  Wander- 
ings of  Plants  and  Animals,"  page  304,  says  that 
the  Arbutu^!  is  "scarcely  ever  seen  further  north 
thanCential  Italy  ;  but  in  Arabia,  as  .Tuba  (quoted 


"  wood  gardens  "  at  Oakwood,  Wisley,  Munstead, 
Harrow  Weald,  and  elsewhere,  and  the  pity  is  there 
are  not  more  of  them  in  suitable  places,  as  many 
beautiful  plants  grow  better  and  are  more  lovely  in 
shady  woods  than  elsewhere.     F.  W.  BrRiiinfiE. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

'plants     in     SIX-INCH     POTS. 

There  is  a  tendency  among  Chrysanthemum 
growers  to  give  more  attention  to  the  culture  of 
plants  in  (i-inch  pots.  A  careful  observer  will  have 
noticed  during  the  last  few  years  that  the  use  of 
plants  in  (i-iuch  pots  for  grouping  has  been  largely 
on  the  increase.  A  few  years  ago,  at  the  October 
exhibition  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
plants  of  the  kind  under  notice  were  freely  used, 
and  each  succeeding  season  there  has  been  an 
increasing  number  of  these  plants  in  use,  not  only 


FOREST    or    riNt'S    f'EMEKA,    ONE    OF    THE   FEW    REMAINS    OF    FORMERLY    MUCH    LARCER   FOREST 


by  Pliny)  exaggeratingly  asserts,  it  attains  a  height 
of  neari3'  100  feet."  In  older  times  the  re<l  fruits 
would  appear  to  have  been  eaten:  but  in  (Jreece 
and  Itah'  to-day  they  are  thought  unwholesome. 
On  the  other  hand,  modern  travellers  have  eaten 
them  without  any  numbing  or  ill  results  as  mixed 
with  wine,  sugar,  and  cinnamon.  The  Arbntus  is 
one  of  the  shrubs  or  small  trees  known  to  Theo- 
phrastus of  Eresus  ( B. C.  374-2.S(i) , and ,  together  with 
the  Bay  Laurel,  the  Pomegranate,  and  the  Myrtle,  is 
one  of  the  earliest  and  best  of  European  exotics 
brought  to  our  northern  gardens. — The  Field. 


AMERICAN    W^ILD    FLO%VERS. 

If  yc-Hir  correspondent  "  Northern""  cinild  get  a 
peep  at  a  recently  published  volume,  "Nature's 
(iarden,""  I  think  it  would  help  materially  in  the 
culture  of  American  wild  plants,  as  their  native 
habitats  are  given — swamp,  wood,  rivei"  bank  or 
prairie,  water  or  rocks,  &c. ,  as  the  case  may  be.  The 
illustrations  are  very  beautiful.    Tliere  are  beautiful 


for  the  semi-early  show,  but  later  ones  also.  It  is 
quite  easy  to  understand  that  plants  in  (j-inch  pots, 
each  one  carrying  one  large  handsome  bloom,  can 
Vie  more  easily  disposed  in  a  group  and  often  with 
better  effect  than  a  plant  grown  in  the  orthodox 
manner — l.i'.,  three  blooms  on  each.  In  most  cases 
bj'  the  newer  method  of  culture  the  ])lants  are 
dwarf  and  sturdj',  two  points  deserving  considera- 
tion, and  eijually  important  to  those  whose  business 
it  is  to  make  eff'ective  displays  in  their  own  glass 
structures  at  home. 

To  most  growers  the  chief  point  in  favour  of 
growing  plants  in  these  small  pots  is  the  compara- 
tively short  season  over  which  the  growing  period 
extends.  The  extreme  limit  of  time  is  from  early 
March  until  November,  many  sorts  being  satisfieil 
with  less  time  than  that  .just  mentioned.  Many 
persons,  loo,  know  the  dithculty  fre(|uently  ex- 
perienced in  olilaiuing  liealthy  stock  during 
November,  December,  and  .lanuary,  at  which 
period  it  is  usual  to  insert  cuttings  fur  plants  to  lie 


grown  in  the  orthodox  manner.  This  dithcultj', 
however,  does  not  meet  the  grower  who  does  not 
want  to  commence  propagation  until  earl}'  in  March. 
As  a  rule  by  the  date  just  mentioned  the  majorit}' 
of  plants  have  regained  their  vigour,  and  arc 
developing  quite  freel}-  nice  healthy  cuttings  with 
which  to  perpetuate  the  different  varieties. 
Numerous  instances  could  be  given  in  which 
enthusiastic  Chrysanthemum  cultivators  make  a 
practice  of  shaking  the  old  stools  out  of  their 
flowering  pots  after  cutting  down  the  plants, 
reducing  the  ball  of  earth  considerably',  and  then 
planting  out  the  different  stocks  in  a  bed  of  suit- 
able soil  on  the  greenhouse  bench  or  raised  beds 
on  either  side  of  low-pitched  glass  structures.  As 
a  means  of  raising  healthy  stock  it  is  difficult  to 
conceive  a  better  method  than  that  just  described. 
In  the  earlier  halt  of  March  begin  with  some  of 
the  very  late- flowering  kinds,  such  as  Mrs.  H. 
Weeks,  Mme.  P..  Cadbury,  Jlary  Molvneux,  Mrs. 
Ewart  Barter,  W".  H.  White- 
house,  Robert  Laird,  Julia 
.Scaramanga  and  its  sport  Mr. 
.1.  T.  Simpson.  The  latter 
part  of  March  is  a  better 
time  for  varieties  of  the 
character  represented  by 
Mutual  Friend  and  its  soft 
yellow  sport  Mme.  Von 
Andre,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Lees  and 
its  straw-j'ellow  sport  Rivers 
H.  Langton,  Australie,Mdlle. 
Marie  Hoste,  Swanley  Giant, 
Florence  Molyneux,  Eva 
Knowles,  C.  W.  Richardson, 
f-ieorge  Towers,  and  Western 
King. 

With  the  approach  of  April 
the  ordinarj'  mid  -  season 
varieties  should  be  taken  in 
hand.  Begin  with  the  later 
mid-season  kinds  first,  follow- 
ing on  later  in  the  month 
with  those  that  have  a  ten- 
denc3'  to  bloom  rather  earlier 
than  the  majority.  ilanj' 
varieties  of  easy  culture  may 
be  propagated  as  late  even  as 
Ma}',  ami  the  first  buds  after- 
wards developing  retained. 
In  this  connection,  Viviand 
Morel  and  its  sports  Charles 
Dav'isand  Lady  Hanham  often 
succeed  beyond  the  grower's 
expectations,  and  develop 
flowers  of  large  size  and 
beautiful  colour. 

Cuttings  inserted  during 
the  period  covered  by  the 
dates  above  mentioned  are 
the  result  of  clean  and  free 
growth.  They  invariably 
root  quickly,  and  if  the 
resulting  plants  are  accorded 
the  same  attention  as  usually 
AREAS.  falls  to  the  lot  of  well-grown 

plants,  free  and  uninter- 
rupted growth  should  chara(^terise  them  all  through 
the  growing  season.  D.  B.  C. 


WOODLAND  AND   FOREST. 


UNDER^^'OOI)    OR    TREES. 

(Covtinucd  from  page  469,  Vol.  LVJII.) 

EvEKi  i  KEEN  Covert. 

TTTE  aliolition  of  tlie  conimcm  under- 
wood ami  its  fro(|iient  cutting  need 
not  ]irevent  us  liaving  a  true  under- 
.^rowtli  (if  native  and  other  evergreen 
Imslies,  Iki.x,  Holly,  and  .Tuinper,  in 
1  ojieu  and  hare  s|in'ts  {i_'\en  if  chalky), 

I'vorgreeii  l^arberry,  the  hirge  I'artridge  I'.erry 
((laultlieria  Sliallon),  auti  our  native  cvergreeii 
Dajiline  Holly  in  sonu'  woods  on  light  soil 
suckers  like  a  weed,  and  little  seedling  ])lants 


January  26,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN. 


61 


from  forest  nurseries  may  be  planted  and  will 
come  right  in  time,  as  will  the  Box  planted  in 
the  same  way.  Rhododendrons  are  often 
planted,  but  as  it  is  the  common  Pontic  kind, 
which  comes  to  woods  in  two  ways — planted 
for  its  own  sake  and  by  killing  the  good  kinds 
grafted  on  it — the  effect  is  often  dull.  If, 
however,  we  take  to  layering  our  brilliant 
kinds  of  hardy  Rhododendron  (a  simple  matter 
enough),  then  we  should  have  such  underwood 
beauty  as  no  garden  might  rival. 

It  is  not  a  necessary  part  of  propagation  to 
put  the  finer  and  hardier  Rhododendrons, 
raised  mostly  from  the  hardy  North  American 
kinds,  on  the  somewhat  tender  Ponticum,  and, 
if  nurseryman  will  not  layer  them  for  us, 
everyone  who  has  a  good  kind  should  layer  it 
for  himself  wherever  the  plant  grows  in  wood 
and  pleasure  ground.  There  are  some  of  the 
best  nurseries  now,  however,  who  have  already 
good  stocks  of  the  finer  kinds  on  their  own 
roots,  and  are  preparing  more.  These,  when 
we  have  them  in  cool 
woods,  would  almo.st 
layer  themselves, 
even  if  we  did  not 
aid  them,  and  give  a 
splendour  of  colour 
in  summer  that  no 
result  of  man's  plant- 
ing could  surpass  in 
effect  with  noble 
sheltering  evergreen 
covert  in  hard  winter 
and  spring  days. 

But  while  it  is  only 
the  few  who  will  as 
yet  succeed  in  refine- 
ments of   this   kind, 
everyone  with  a  wood 
to  plant  or  take  care 
of  should  have  a  place 
in  his   heart   for  our  native 
evergreens— the  most   beau 
tiful  we   shall  ever  have  in 
our    land,    no    matter    how 
many  evergreens  come  across 
the  sea. 

Owing  to  the  jumbled  Way 
of  planting  in  gardens  we  do 
not  often  see  these  in  their 
best  form,  while  in  any  patch 
of  woodland  we  have  good 
chances  of  showing  it.  Few 
who  only  see  our  native  Box 
of  the  chalk  hills  weary  and 
drawn  in  the  garden  shrub- 
bery have  any  idea  of  its  ' 
beauty  massed  on  an  open 
Surrey  hill.  As  an  evergreen 
colony  on  a  hot  and  poor 
blufl'  in  a  wood  it  would  be  fine  in  effect 
and  an  excellent  and  warm  covert.  Happily, 
too,  these  native  evergreens  of  ours  often  love 
our  poorest  and  dryest  soils,  of  which  there  is 
such  a  vast  area  in  the  southern  counties.  On 
chalky  Avastes,  where  no  other  shrub  or  tree 
appears,  we  see  the  despised  (of  garden 
planters)  Juniper  making  its  way  in  large 
colonies,  only  wanting  a  little  encouragement 
and  the  exclusion  of  grazing  creatures  to  form 
sheltering  coverts.  It  grows  taller  and  stronger 
on  the  sandy  hills.  The  Holly,  too,  best  of  all 
evergreens,  loves  the  poor,  stony  ground,  and, 
mixed  with  Juniper,  forms  beautiful  covert. 
As  I  finish  these  notes  in  November  the  Holly 
is  lovely  in  copse,  wood,  and  hedgerow,  laden 
more  than  usual  with  scarlet.  Tall  old  trees 
fiash  against  the  blue  sky  and  flying  clouds, 
the  trees  untouched  by  the  shears, 'often  as  fine 
in  form  as  brilliant  in  colour.  The  Yew  is  in 
one  of  its  true  places  as  a  group  m  the  heart  of  a  ' 


wood.    There  is  one  of  old  Yews  in  the  Long 

Covert  at  Shrubland,  round  which  on  wintry 

days    the    pheasants    gather    like    bees    over 

honey-giving    flowers.      This    n<iblest    of    our 

native   evergreens, 

while  happy  on  soil 

moist    or    rocky 

bank,     also     loves  I 

the     chalky     and 

poor  country,  too,  ,' 

as  we  see  so  many 

of  the  finest  trees 

on  the  dry  hills  of 

Surrey. 

The  Ivy,  if  we 
forget  it,  will  come 
of  itself,  but  it 
would  be  well  in 
the  many  places 
where  the  large  - 
leaved  Ivies  are  in 
the  garden  to  put 


beautiful  though  less  rampant  growth  in   the 

.shade,  when  it  gets  to  the  crest  of  an  old  .lunipcr 
or  other  tree,  it  takes  the  tree  foim,  and  then  is 
as  good  an  evergreen  as  any.  VV.  li. 


/ 


r  ■  -T] 


AN     ARTIST'S 
NOTE-BOOK. 

RUBUS  NUTKANU8. 

,HE  Rubus  family 
is  a  most  charm- 
ing one,  and 
R.  nutkanus  and 
R.  spectabilis  are 
■'  happy  among  the 

natural  vegetation  of  steep 
and    stony    banks.       Those 
who   wish   to   create   |)retty 
efi'eets  should  make  a  note 
of     them     for    planting    in 
rough   places,  especially  by 
woodland  walks  or  in  corners 
more  or  less  shaded  by  large 
trees.      R.   spectabilis    has    flowers   jiroduced 
singly  ;    they   are   large  and   of   a   pur]ile-red 
colour.     It  grows  vigorously,  and   has   stout 
thorny    shoots    and    large   leaves,   which   are 
much  like  those  of  our  native  Braml:>le.     The 
Nootka    Bramble    (see    illustration)    is    of    a 
difl'erent  liabit,  being  dwarfer,  more  bushy,  but 
spreading  freely  into  a  hand.some  mass  of  leaf 
and  flower.     The  leaves  on  plants  in  partial 
shade  are  often  very  large.     The  flowers,  which 
come   in   clusters,  are  pure  white,  and   often 
2  inches  across.  H. 


KUBUS   NUTKANUS. 
(From,  a  drawing  by  H.  G.  Moon.) 

suckers  here  and  there  in  woods,  of  all  things 
the  most  easy  to  increase,  the  young  shoots  even 
pulled  off  wall  or  tree  rapidly  rooting  in  moist 
earth. 

The  Ivy  we  must  class  among  our  noble 
native  evergreens,  for,  after  carpeting  the  wood 
floor   and   clothing   the   tree    stems    with    its 


GARDENS    IN 
IRELAND. 

BELGROVE. 

HEN  Mr.  W. 
E.  Gumble- 
ton   invited 
me    to    go 
and     see 
his    richly 
stocked  and  beautiful  garden 
at  Belgrove  I  took  it  as    a 
very  great   compliment,  for 
I    happened     to     know    of 
many  gardeners  and  others 
who  would  like  to  see  this 
floral    and    botanical    para- 
dise, who,  so  far,  have  never 
done   so.     Belgrove  lies   to 
the  east  of  the  great  land- 
locked  harbour  of   Queens- 
town,    which    most    people 
know  as  theexitand  entrance 
port  for  the  American  mails. 
You  can  get  to  Queenstown 
from  Cork  all    the  way  by 
rail    in    less   than   half    an 
hour,  or  yiiu  can  go  slower 
and    enjoy   the    sceneiy    of 
the  river  Lee  far  more  plea- 
santly if  you  go  down  from 
Passage  by  one  of  the  pas- 
senger  boats   which    ply  to 
and  fro  during  the  day.     At 
Queenstown  terminus  you  can  charter  "a  moun- 
tain schooner,"  as  a  racy  carman — who  wore  a 
wideawake  witha  pheasants  feather  a  la  Teniers 
— called  his  dressy-looking  outside  car.    Afraid 
that   he  would   think   my  friend   and   myself 
"green,''  even  in  the  Emerald  Isle,  I  aii-ed  a 
little  local  kmnvledge,  the  result  of  a  former 


62 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[January  26,  1901. 


visit,  despite  which,  however,  we  paid  him,  as 
I  afterwards  found  out,  something  more  than 
the  legal  fare.  I  believe  it  is  usual  to  grumble 
at  the  extortion  of  Irish  carmen,  but  this  genial 
fellow  was  an  Englishman,  and  his  jilucky 
little  Irish  horse  and  himself  both  did  their 
best  to  make  our  journey  very  pleasant  and 
amusing  as  well.  We  had  a  most  agreeable 
drive  of  four  miles  or  so  of  very  hilly  road  in 
the  pleasant  sunshine  of  a  fresh  August  morn- 
ing. We  went  through  pretty  lanes  of  Black- 
berries and  Brake  Fern,  past  browsing  goats 
and  rosy-faced  children,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
journey  we  found  Mr.  Gumbleton  already 
abroad  amongst  his  flowers. 

The    Dwellino-house    at 
Belgrove 

stands  on  a  grassy  slope  that  runs 
down  to  a  creek  from  the  harbour, 
and  you  obtain  pleasant  glimpses 
of  the  water  here  and  there 
through  the  frees.  A  conservatory 
adjoins  the  house,  to  which,  on 
occasion,  it  forms  a  short  and 
ready  entrance,  and  on  the  sunny 
front  and  at  the  end  is  the  tiower 
garden,  the  kitchen  garden  being 
a  walled-in  enclosure  of  several 
acres  some  distance  above,  and 
out  of  sight  of  the  house  itself. 
As  most  of  our  readers  are  wel  1 
aware,  Belgrove  is  celebrated  for 
its  rare  and  beautiful  plants  and 
trees,  for  a  very  select  and  perfect 
library  of  illustrated  books  on 
botany  and  horticulture,  and  for 
some  choice  works  of  European 
ceramic  ware.  There  is  amongst 
the  plate  an  interesting  cup  or 
IdowI  formed  of  the  lower  part  of 
the  head  of  a  silver  mace  formerly 
used  in  Dublin  on  occasions  when 
Flood  and  Gratton  aind  other 
Statesmen,  before  the  Union, 
made  Parliament  House  ring  with 
their  native  wit  and  eloquence. 
It  may  be  mentioned,  since  plants 
are  our  theme,  seeing  that  the  Rose 
and  the  Thistle  are  embossed  upon 
its  sides  along  with  the  Irish 
Harp  and  Crown,  that  there  is  no 
Shamrock  there,  as  we  now  think 
there  ought  to  be. 

The  conservatory,  as  usual  at  all 
seasons,    was    gay     with     choice 
flowers,  with  Cannas  of  the  large 
or  Orchid  flowered  section,  all  of 
which  were  due  originally  to  the 
contents  of  one  seed  pod  fertilised 
by  Sprenger,  now  some  years  ago, 
when    the    thought    occurred    to 
him    of    emulating   the   work_  of 
M.  Crozy,  of   Lyons,  in  the  im- 
provement   of     these     handsome 
flowers.     Amongst    the   varieties 
in    bloom    at    the    time    of    our 
visit  we  noticed  C.  Britannia  with  large  red 
flowers,   having  broad   gold   edges  ;    this   was 
very  handsome,   as   also   were   Parthenope,  a 
bright  red,  and  Bavaria,  a  large  yellow-flowered 
kind.     One  of  Lemoine's  new  seedlings  of  a 
peculiarly  soft  and  pleasing  ivory  white  tint, 
named  Avalanche,  struck  us  as  being  the  likely 
forerunner  of  a  beautiful  series  of  white  and 
ivory  kinds.     Ville  de  Poitiers   of    Bruant  is 
also  very  distinct  and  handsome. 

Tuberous  rooted  Begonias  and  zonal  Pelar- 
goniums were  represented  by  some  very  beauti- 
ful kinds.  Mr.  Gumbleton  i.s,  and  has  long 
been,  a  connoisseur  of  Begonias,  and  has  done 
much  to   foster   and  popularise  the  taste  for 


these  brilliant  and  useful  flowers.  Apart  from 
the  great  trade  growers,  now  so  numerous,  the 
most  successful  amateur  raiser  of  choice  seed- 
ling forms  to-day  is  the  Rev.  Edwin  Lascelles, 
of  the  Rectory,  Newton  St.  Loe,  near  Bristol, 
and  some  of  his  best  new  kinds  were  in  flower 
in  Mr.  Gumbleton's  collection  at  the  time  of 
my  visit.  Mr.  F.  W.  Sinnock  is  a  sjilendid 
double  scarlet,  ]\Irs.  R.  D.  Hare  a  superb  white 
kind,  and  M.  Jarry  Desloges  is  also  a  tine 
variety,  as  is  also  the  pale  yellow  Conspicua. 
B.  Froebeli  major  was  also  very  bright  and 
ga.y  in  the  greenhouse,  holding  its  own  in 
colour  against  its  neighbours  the  Nerines. 
N.  Carrei,  a  lovely  crimped-edged  blush  variety 


MR.    W.    V,.    OUMBLETON. 


was  blooming  most  profusely.  Some  Jtuberous 
Begonias  are  also  well  grown  outside,  where  we 
saw  the  splendid  double  red  Captain  Hender- 
son, Dorothy  Hardwick,  a  pure  blush  or  rosy 
pink,  and  a  variety  called  Achievement,  a  fine 
and  large  pale  creamy  salmon  flower.  Among 
the  zonal  Pelargoniums,  La  Belle  Alliance 
was  superb  in  form  and  colour,  as  also  was 
Cannell's  Snow.storm,  one  of  the  best  of  the 
white  kind.  Outside,  on  a  little  enclosed  lawn, 
a  series  of  beds  on  grass  were  aglow  with 
colour.  Gerbera  Jamesoni,  the  Barberton 
Daisy  or  Transvaal  Marigold,  was  ojiening  its 
great  scarlet  flowers  to  the  sun,  and  .showing 
itself  to  be  one  of  the  brightest  and  bust  of  all 


dwarf    gro-wing   composites.     Lobelia    Firefly, 
though  darker   and   richer   in   colour,   cannot 
compete  with  Gerbera  for  distant  effect.     The 
hoary-leaved   Lobelia   Lord    Ardilaun  is   also 
very  vivid   and   handsome,  bearing  very   tall 
stout  spikes  of  velvety  crimson  flowers.     In  a 
sheltered  corner  near  a  wall  we  saw  a  healthy 
bush   of     Freylinia    cestroides,    with    narrow 
lance-shaped  leaves  and  loose  racemes  of  yellow 
Cestrum-like  flowers.    A  bed  of  some  of  the 
most  choice  of  Cactus  Dahlias  raised  by  Keynes 
and  others  was  very  gay  with  flowers.    Keyne.s' 
White  is  a  beautiful  variety,  as  also  is  Pro- 
genitor, a  vivid  scarlet  tiower,  and  perhaps  the 
precursor  of  a  new  race  with  trifurcate  tips  to 
their  florets  r'l  la  Hidalgoa.     Mrs. 
J.  J.  Crowe  is  a  good  pale  yellow, 
being  one  of  the  best,  and  really 
more  like  a  Chrysanthemum  than 
a  Dahlia.   Cornucopia  is  a  splendid 
red,   very   distinct   in    form    and 
aspect.   The  Clown,  a  two  coloured 
variety  that  appeals  to  many,  has 
curved  red  florets  with  prominent 
white  tips. 

One  spacious  open  air  bed  in 
this  little  enclosure  was  tilled  with 
the  dift'erent  varieties  of 

Yellow  Arums  or  C.\ll.\s, 

all  very  strong  and  sturdy  in  habit. 
Richardia  Pentlandi,  R.  elliottiana, 
and  one  or  two  others  were  espe- 
cially dwarf  and  vigorous,  and 
the}'  have  most  of  them  alread.y 
flowered  well.  Mr.  Gumbleton 
has  also  a  wonderful  collection  of 
Gazanias  and  of  Arctotis  both 
new  and  old.  These  genera  con- 
s  tain  amongst   them  some   of   the 

most  excjuisite  flowers  that  open 
to  the  bright  sunshine  of  a  warm 
summer's  morning.    How  is  it  that 
one   so    rarely  sees    the  gorgeous 
old  G.  splendens  in  modern  gar- 
dens?    Some  of  these  Gazanias 
at   Belgrove    are    rare   old   kinds 
long   lost  to  gai'dens,  others   are 
new,  and  their  owner  is  very  proud 
of  them.   All  the  Arctotis  species 
come    from    Namaqualand,    and 
the    Gazanias     from    Natal    and 
Maritzburg.      Jlost    of    the   new 
varieties   of    Gazania    have   been 
raised  from  seed  by  M.  Lemoine, 
of    Nancy,  and   by  Herr  Pfitzer, 
of  Stuttgart,  by  skilful  cross  fer- 
tilisation, or  by  hybridisation  of 
the    wild  species.      One    of    the 
plants  of  Arctotis  we  saw  has  since 
bloomed,  and  turns  out  to  be  a 
new  species,  not  known  or  grown 
at  Kew,  where  it  has  been  sent 
recently   for    identification.      Mr. 
Gumbleton's  forte  consists  in  his 
facilities  for  taking  up  the  cultural 
trial  and  critical   examination  of 
any  iiromising  group  of  garden  no\elties.    Just 
at  present,  for  example,  he  has  made  a  collec- 
tion of  Gazanias   and   of  Arctotis,  the   Mari- 
golds of  Namaqualand.     One  kind  raised  from 
imported  seed  is  of  a  deep  orange  colour,  and 
has  been  pronounced  to  be  a  new  sjiccies  by 
the  Kew  authorities,  but  it  is  not  yet  named, 
'rhere  is  also  one  very  promising  large  white- 
flowered   species   of  most  distinct  habit,   and 
this  it  is  expected   will    prove   new   when   it 
flowers.     A  plant  .said  to  be  the  tine  Arctotis 
grandis  (A.  stoechadifolia,  the  lavender-leaved 
^tarigold■)   has   recently  been    obtained    from 
Gel  many,  and   of    this    novelty   seed   is  now 
being  offered  by  a  German  firm.     This  plant 


January  26,  1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


63 


has  large  and  handsome  white  flowers,  and 
j.romises  to  be  a  great  acquisition  to  gardens 
as  an  annual,  since  in  Germany  it  has 
been  raised  from  seed  and  bloomed  the  same 
year.  Here  are  also  beds  of  the  best  species 
of  Asters  and  Heleniums,  including  the 
gorgeous  H.  Bigelowi  with  a  rich  velveteen- 
coloured  boss,  surrounded  by  golden  ray  florets, 
a  very  distinct  and  effective  thing,  and  Lepto- 
syne  gigantea,  flgured  in  the  Botanical  Maga- 
zine, vol.  102,  as  Coreopsis  or  Tuckermannia 
maritima,  bore  great  yellow  Dahlia-like  flowers 
amongst  its  fresh  green  Sonchus-like  foliage. 
To  real  plant  lovers,  however,  perhaps  the 
great  attraction  here  were  beds  containing 
three  very  rare  and  handsome  silvery-leaved 
composite  plants — Helichrysums  -from  Mount 
Kilima'njaro.  Perhaps  the  most  interesting 
was  H.  Gulielmi,  named  in  compliment  to  the 
German  Emperor,  a  sturdy  branching  shrub, 
with  its  candelabra-like  branches,  and  leaves 
covered  with  a  dense  silvery  down.  This  plant 
has  since  bloomed,  and  has  been  illustrated  in 
the  Oardtners'  Chronicle,  and  is,  I  believe,  to 
appear  in  the  coloured  pages  of  the  Botanical 
Magazine. 

H.  afhnis  formosum  and  H.  Newei  are  other 
silver  -  leaved  species  of  similar  aspect  and 
habit ;  the  first-named  is  considered  by  Mr. 
Gumbleton  as  by  far  the  most  distinct  and 
handsome  of  all  the  three  new  kinds.  Onopor- 
don  bracteatum  is  a  very  handsome  silver- 
leaved  Thistle,  its  foliage  forming  a  perfect 
rosette  on  the  surface  of  the  soil.  A  very 
distinct  and  interesting  plant  is  the  Gorse 
Daisy,  Hemizonia  pungens,  its  prickly  branchlets 
thickly  dotted  with  golden  stars.  Here  also 
we  saw  Fugosia  hakiasfolia,  a  blue-flowered 
Convolvulus,  figured  some  time  ago  in  The 
Garden. 

Hazardia  detonsa  is  a  striking  silvery-leaved 
composite  about  2  feet  in  height,  with  yellow 
flowers,  and  here  also  we  noted  a  bed  of 
Incarvillea  Delavayi  and  I.  grandiflora,  both 
,  of  which  have  been  figured  in  The  Garden. 
One  bed  was  edged  with  Bidens  humilis,  a 
dwarf  golden-flowered  composite  easily  reared 
from  seed.  This  plant  has  also  been  sent  to 
Belgrove  under  the  name  of  Cosmea  sulphurea. 
It  is  quite  hardy,  and  comes  up  from  self-sown 
seeds.  Gladiolus  princeps  we  saw  here  in 
flower  for  the  first  time,  and  it  is  a  very  stately 
and  brilliant  thing.  It  was  sent  oui  by  Herr 
Max  Leichtlin,  who  holds  the  original  stock, 
and  it  is  the  supposed  parent  of  an  entirely 
new  race.  Clematis  Stanleyi,  a  sub  shrubby 
species  from  Zoniba,  having  opposite  leaves,  is 
established,  but  has  not  turned  out  as  well  as 
was  expected.  Anchusa  Barrellieri  variegata 
was  pointed  out  as  being  a  very  handsome 
spring-blooming  plant,  its  clear  and  pure  blue 
flowers  contrasting  well  with  the  ivory-white 
variegation  of  the  foliage  at  that  season. 

Around  three  of  the  beds  in  the  enclosed 
flower  garden  hundreds  of  the  rare  old  double 
white-flowered  Colchicum  form  an  edging,  and 
produce  a  fine  efl'ect  when  in  bloom  in  Septem- 
ber or  October.     Beside 

A  Long  Terrace  W.\lk 

in  front  of  the  house  are  fine  collections  of 
Cortaderias  or  Pampas  grasses,  also  Kniphofias 
or  Tritomas,  as  they  used  to  be  called.  Cor- 
taderia.iubata  or  C.  quiloa  of  M.  Andre  grows 
,,  10  feet  to  1-2  feet  high,  and  the  golden  and  silver 
variegated  forms  also  do  well.  The  best  silver- 
leaved  form  is  C  Stenackeri  and  C.  Wesser- 
linghi,  though  not  so  white  is  very  elegant  and 
beautiful.  The  type  plant  or  species  is  very 
variable,  being  tall  or  dwarf,  and  the  plumes 
vary  a  good  deal  in  size  and  colour,  from 
silvery   white   to   soft  fawn    or    rose    colour. 


Among  the  Kniphofias,  K.  columnaris  is  a 
very  distinct  and  beautiful  kind  of  which 
the  whole  stock  is  here.  It  is  a  seedling 
of  Max  Leichtlin's,  and  one  of  the  best. 
Another  noble  variety  is  W.  E.  Gumbleton, 
one  of  Pfitzer's  best  seedlings,  and  K.  multiflora 
is  practically  a  white  form  of  considerable 
rarity  and  beauty.  We  have  said  nothing 
of  an  interesting  grove  of  Bamboos  that  are 
doing  well  here  near  an  old  arched  wall, 
formerly  part  of  a  glazed  conservatory  or 
plant  house.  A  remarkable  and  variable 
series  of  Delieul's  hybrid  Yuccas  are  planted 
near  them,  and  form  a  good  contrast  in  form 
and  colour.  One  specimen  Yucca  we  noted 
here  has  flowered  recently,  and  .seems  a  very 
distinct  and  rare  kind,  with  a  stout  stein  3  feet 
to  4  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  dense  tuft  of 
short  and  stifi'  saw-edged  leaves.  The  old 
flower  spike  was  but  little  longer  than  the 
leaves,  16  inches  to  18  inches  or  so,  and  must 
have  been  very  dense  or  congested  when  covered 
with  its  silvery  bells.  It  is  not  named,  and 
seems  both  distinct  and  rare. 

Beside  the  terrace  walk,  Phrenix  canariensis, 
or  an  allied  species,  has  grown  outside  some 
years,  and  the  great  leaved  Beschorneria 
decosteriana  recently  bore  three  spikes  of 
flowers,  the  tallest  being  6  feet  to  7  feet  high, 
and  its  red  parrot  feather-like  bracts  render  it 
very  showy,  even  before  its  greenish  Agave- 
like drooping  flowers  expand. 

Belgrove,  apart  from  choice  plants  and 
flowers,  is  rich  in 

Trees  and  Shrubs 

of  many  kinds,  and  days  instead  of  hours 
would  be  necessary  in  order  to  give  them 
adequate  study  and  attention.  On  the 
grassy  slope  below  the  terrace  walk  is  a 
noble  specimen  of  an  open  or  branching 
form  of  the  Italian  Hex,  Holm,  or  ever- 
green Oak  (Quercus  Ilex),  the  tree  beloved 
of  Virgil.  It  is  60  feet  high,  and  its  four  great 
main  branches  have  a  very  wide  spread.  It  is 
supposed  to  be  at  least  200  years  old,  and  is 
one  of  the  arboreal  treasures  of  the  place.  There 
is  also  a  fine  example  of  the  dense,  close-headed 
or  cushion -shaped  Ilex  on  another  portion  of 
the  same  lawn  ;  it  is  probably  of  the  same  age, 
though  much  smaller  in  size.  Quite  near  to 
it  is  a  good  oriental  Plane  (Platanus  orientalis) 
with  its  light  green,  deeply  cut  palmate  leaves. 
Above  the  house  on  a  higher  slope  is  a  dense 
specimen  of  the  golden  Chestnut  of  Monterey 
(California).  This  is  Castanopsis  chrysophylla, 
its  leaves  beneath  being  richly  powdered  or 
covered  with  golden  tomentum.  Here  also  we 
saw  one  of  Burbank's  creations,  namely,  the 
Royal  Walnut  (Juglans  hybrida)  with  pale 
green  serrate  leaves.  Ilex  buxifolia,  Juglans 
ailantifolia,  and  Plagianthus  Lyalli,  are  other 
specimens  worth  notice. 

An  outer  wall  of  the  old  kitchen  and  fruit 
garden  is  beautifully  covered  with  graceful 
climbing  plants,  Ampelopsis  Engehnanni 
being  noticeable  and  desirable  from  its  clinging 
habit.  Wistaria  multijuga  also  does  well  here, 
bearing  dangling  racemes  fully  i  feet  long 
when  in  bloom,  its  flowers  having  a  bi-coloured 
appearance  quite  distinct  from  those  of  W. 
chinensis.  It  may  interest  some  readers  to 
know  that  this  Wistaria  is  now  ripening  several 
pods  of  seed,  its  pods  being  similar  to  those  of 
a  kidney  Bean  in  size  and  shape.  Although 
very  rarely  W.  chinensis  fruits  in  British 
gardens,  I  never  heard  of  W.  multijuga  doing 
so  before. 

Tagetes  Lemoni  is  a  shrubby  Marigold,  with 
foliage  not  unlike  that  of  the  Chaste  tree 
(Vitex  Agnus  castus)  in  shape  and  odour. 
On  a  sheltered  wall  here  we  saw  a  new  fruit 


tree  for  the  first  time.  It  conies  from  Southern 
Brazil  and  Uruguay,  its  name  being  Feijoa 
Sellowiana,  a  relative  of  the  Guavas  and  the 
Myrtles.  It  has  glossy  green,  opposite,  ever- 
green foliage,  silvery  white  below,  and  in  habit 
of  growth  reminds  one  of  a  large  leaved  kind 
of  Pittosporum.  It  is  said  to  produce  delici- 
ously  fragrant  fruits  about  the  size  of  Lemons, 
and  the  best  forms  or  varieties  have  no  seeds, 
which  are  such  a  trouVjle  in  the  case  of 
most  myrtaceous  fruits.  Its  flowers  are  borne 
in  the  axils  of  the  leaves  and  are  of  a  peculiar 
shape,  having  cupped  petals  not  unlike  those 
of  Blumenbachia  or  of  some  of  the  Loasas. 
M.  Morel,  of  Lyons,  holds  a  stock  of  this 
novelty.  Like  the  Kaki  fruit  of  Japan,  this 
Feijoa  deserves  a  place  in  a  light  and  sunny 
Peach  house  or  vinery  wall,  even  though  it  may 
be  now  and  then  possible  to  ripen  its  fruits  in 
the  open  air.  This  new  fruiting  shrub  or  small 
tree  was  introduced  into  French  gardens  by  M. 
Edouard  Andre,  the  eminent  garden  architect 
of  Paris,  who  first  fruited  it  in  his  garden  near 
Cannes.  In  the  kitchen  garden  we  also  saw 
the  original  plant  of  Buddleia  Colvilei,  that 
flowered  here  for  the  first  time  in  1891.  It  was, 
I  believe,  first  figured  from  Belgrove  specimens 
in  the  Botanical  Magazine,  as  also  in  the 
Gardeners'  Chronicle,  as  well  as  in  the  Revui 
Horticole  of  Paris.  One  severe  winter  29°  of 
frost  killed  back  all  its  side  or  lateral  branches 
to  the  main  stem,  but  it  recovered,  and  is  now 
a  fine  and  healthy  plant  12  feet  high,  and  quite 
as  much  or  more  wide,  as  it  grows  under  the 
shelter  of  a  high  wall.  Eucryphia  pinnatifida 
also  does  well  here,  being  fresh  and  healthy 
and  fully  6  feet  high  or  more.  The  still  more 
rare  species,  E.  cordata,  is  healthy  and  happy 
here  also.  It  is  a  very  distinct  and  handsome 
shrub,  with  leaves  not  unlike  those  of  a  large 
leaved  evergreen  Oak,  but  perhaps  still  larger 
and  more  glossy.     The 

Beautiful  Carpenteria  Californica 

does  well  here  and  blooms  most  profusely.  As 
seen  at  its  best  it  is  certainly  one  of  the  most 
exquisitely  beautiful  of  all  flowering  shrubs, 
and  growers  should  note  that  there  are  at 
least  two  very  distinct  forms  or  varieties — one 
having  better  shaped  flowers,  and  narrower 
leaves  than  the  other,  and  bein.g,  moreover, 
hardier  and  more  free-flowering.  The  same  is 
true  of  many  other  popular  flowering  shrubs 
and  trees,  such  as  Solanum  crispum  and  S. 
jasminioides  ;  but  perhaps  even  more  so  of  the 
Chinese  Wistaria,  of  which  there  are  many 
distinct  variations,  some  much  more  free  flower- 
ing and  of  better  habit  and  of  more  luxuriant 
growth  than  others.  In  a  cold  frame  we  saw 
what  is  said  and  believed  to  be  the  best  of  all 
the  Honeysuckles  in  cultivation,  viz.,  Lonicera 
G  riffithi,  received  from  that  wonderful  garden  for 
rare  plants  belonging  to  Herr  Max  Leichtlin, 
at  Baden-Baden.  This  last,  together  with 
Thriptomene  Mitchelliana,  from  Southern 
Australia,  and  the  distinct  looking  Veronica 
Lindsayi,  and  hosts  of  other  new,  rare,  and 
doubtfiilly  hardy  shrubs,  still  await  their 
permanent  quarters  in  this  most  remarkable 
collection. 

I  was  invited  to  Belgrove,  amongst  other 
reasons,  to  see  and  admire  the  new  tanks  and 
choice  collections  of  all  the  best  new  Water 
Lilies  or  Nymphieas  recently  made  there. 
Very  fresh  and  flowery  and  delightful  I  found 
them  as  they  opened  their  richly  tinted  blossoms 
to  the  warm  sunshine  of  a  delicious  August 
morning,  and  I  much  regret  that  space  compels 
me  to  postpone  my  copious  notes  on  these  water 
jewels  until  a  more  convenient  season. 

My  impressions  of  Belgrove  will  long  linger 
in  my  mind  as  a  most  pleasant  memory,  fur,  as 


64 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[January  2G,  1901. 


we  have  already  seen,  it  is  in  manjr  ways  a 
most  interesting  place.  Apart  from  its  great 
natural  beauty  and  the  advantages  of  a  usually 
mild  and  genial  climate,  it  is  in  reality  very 
much  more  than  a  southern  garden  full  of 
choice  flowers,  shrubs,  and  trees.  I  have, 
indeed,  sometimes  thought  it  more  than  half  a 
pity  that  the  owner  of  Belgrove  happens  to  be 
a  county  magnate — a  magistrate — and  now-a- 
days  a  busy  landed  proprietor,  because  he  has 
in  him  all  the  energy  and  critical  acumen  and 
botanical  knowledge  necessary  for  a  director  of 
a  first-class  botanical  garden.  But,  after  all, 
we  must  not  repine,  since  this  is  really  what 
Belgrove  is,  a  beautiful  private  botanical 
garden,  well  and  tastefully  stocked  from  all 
parts  of  the  world  with  rare  and  interesting 
vegetation.  More  than  this,  its  genial  director 
knows  his  plants  well,  and  all  about  them  that 
is  worth  knowing,  while  his  critical  and  literary 
instincts  make  themselves  felt  in  the  most 
]iainstaking  accuracy  of  nomenclature. 

A  day  in  the  garden  with  the  master  of 
Belgrove  is  a  notable  experience  not  likely  to 
be  soon  forgotten  by  any  botanist  or  good 
gardener.  But  woebetide  the  chattering 
charlatan  or  those  silly  people  who  tell  one 
they   love    the    flowers    without    taking    the 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

AViTH  respect  to  .January  Pears,  I  give  flrst 
place  to  Beurre  de  .Tonghe.  I  will  not  ijretend 
to  technically  or  minutely  describe  the  fruit, 
and  would  refer  those  wishing  for  fuller 
description  of  this  or  any  other  fruit  referred 
to  in  these  papers  to  "  Hogg's  Fruit  Manual." 
It  is  a  medium-sized  longish  Pear,  of  a  creamy 
yellowish  colour,  freckled  with  russet  .spots. 
The  eye  is  small  and  the  stalk  short.  Its  out- 
ward appearance  may  be  described  by  saying 
that  it  resembles  the  Vicar  of  Winkfield  in 
miniature,  excepting  the  short  stalk.  Dr. 
Hogg  gives  the  colour  of  its  flesh  as  yellowdsh 
white  touched  with  green.  I  should  call  it  a 
pure  white  with  a  slight  suiTusion  of  green. 
The  quality  of  its  flesh  is  buttery  and 
melting,  with  no  trace  of  grittiness,  and  its 
flavour  reminds  one  somewhat  of  Marie 
Louise,  which  it  quite  equals  in  this  respect, 
and  possesses,  in  addition,  a  most  pleasant 
aroma.  We  have  it  growing  on  a  wall  with  a 
south-east  aspect,  as  well  as  in  the  open  on 
pyramids.  Much  finer  fruit  is  obtained  from 
the  trees  growing  against  a  warm  wall  than 
from  those  growing  in  open  quarters,  but 
we  have  equally  as  good  crops  of  moderate- 


PEAR  BEURRE  DE  JONGHE.      (Size  u/orljinal:  Hmjht  Si  indies,  uijth '2  iiii:liex.) 


slightest  trouble  either  to  grow  or  to  under- 
stand them.  All  such  people  would  be  wise  if 
they  left  Belgrove  out  of  their  itinerary.  A 
tour  round  my  garden  with  Mr.  Gumbleton 
reminded  me  of  a  fevv  other  pleasant  tours  I 
have  had  the  iirivilege  of  making  with  others 
who  either  own  or  manage  good  and  interesting 
QoUections.  1  thought  of  the  pleasant  hours 
Mr.  Moore,  of  Glasnevin,  and  myself  once  had 
with  the  late  Professor  Naudin,  of  Antibes,  of 
a  walk  round  Kew  with  Curator  Nicholson,  or 
a  day  in  the  Cambridge  Botanical  Gardens 
with  Lynch,  or  at  Oxford  with  Baker,  or  garden 
hours  with  Canon  Ellacombe,Mr..Iohn  Bennett- 
Poii,  or  with  Mr.  A.  Kingsmill,  or  last  but  by 
no  means  least  with  Mr.  George  F.  Wilson  in 
his  delightful  wood  garden  at  WLsley,  or  in  his 
home  garden  at  Weybridge.  These  and  many, 
many  others  one  might  well  name  are  men 
that  make  a  walk  around  a  good  garden  one  of 
the  most  enjoyable  of  all  intellectual  pleasures. 
It  is  men  of  this  broad-minded  geniality  and 
accurate  knowledge  of  garden  botany  that 
best  show  us  that  a  good  garden  "  is  a  joy  for 
ever  ;"  a  never-failing  source  of  inspiration  and 
refreshment,  both  to  themselves  and  to  their 
horticultural  friends.  F.  W.  Bukbiuge. 


sized  fruit  from  the  open,  and  the  flavour  is 
quite  as  good  as  from  wall  fruit.  Therefore  it 
is  not  necessary  to  have  the  assistance  of  a 
wall  to  grow  this  most  excellent  variety  to 
perfection  as  regards  flavour.  This  Pear  may 
be  had  in  condition  for  dessert  longer  than 
most  Pears,  and  another  important  and  rather 
singular  attribute  it  has,  is  that  it  does  not 
decay  at  the  core  like  the  majority  of  Pears, 
but  symptoms  of  this  flrst  appear  in  blotches 
on  the  surface.  The  tree,  although  a  good 
cropper,  is  not  a  strong  grower.  Le  Lectier  is 
a  recently  introduced  late  Pear  of  great  pro- 
mise. It  received  a  first-class  certificate  from 
the  lioyal  Horticultural  Society  when  exhibited 
at  one  of  their  meetings  a  short  time  ago. 
Attention  was  drawn  to  this  fine  Pear  in  The 
Garden  recently  by  Mr.  Wythes,  and  I  endorse 
all  he  says  of  it.  Owen  Thomas. 


Royal  Horticultural  Society.    The 

next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  lioyal  Hortiiiil- 
lural  Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday  ne.xt,  in  the 
Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  (iate,  Westminster,  from 
1—4  p.m.  A  lecture  on  "Some  of  the  Plants 
Kxhihiteil"  will  be  given  by  the  Rev.  Professor 
G.  Henalow,  M.A.,  &c. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not  re.yMiiailjle  for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  coi-respoixdeiU^. ) 

THE  HARDIEST  BAMBOOS. 

[To   tub   Editor   of    "  The    Garden."] 

SIR, — In  "A  Note  on  Bamboos"  in  The 
(iAEDEX  of  .Januarj'  .">  you  mention  the 
following  twelve  Bamboos  as  the  finest 
of  the  faniil}'  and  also  the  hardiest  : 
Arundinaria  Sinioni,  A.  nitida,  A. 
japonica,  A.  Fortunei,  A.  auriooma, 
Phyllostachys  bor3'ana,  P.  Henonis,  P.  viridi-glau- 
ceseus,  P.  nigra,  P.  mitis,  P.  Kumasasa,  and  Bam- 
busa  palmata.  I  would  add  another  eight  species  of 
undoubted  hardihood.  The\'  have  stood  the  hard 
winterof  1894-95  at  Batsford  Park,  Gloucester,  and 
several  other  places  in  England,  and  rank  amongst 
the  finest  of  the  Bamboo  famil}',  and  would  even 
rival  some  of  the  twelve  mentioned.  Another 
good  point  in  their  favour  is  that  thej'  are  quite 
distinct  and  may  be  recognised  at  a  glance. 
They  are  P.  Quilioi,  P.  marliacea,  P.  flexuosa, 
A.  anceps,  P.  Castillonis,  B.  fastuosa,  P.  sulphurea, 
and  A.  Hindsi.  I  might  also  add  P.  aurea  ancl 
A.  Hindsi  grarainea— two  useful  varieties.  May  is 
the  time  to  plant.  Having  planted  many  thousands 
of  Bamboos  I  can  confidently  say  that  those 
which  are  established  and  in  pots  may  be  planted 
at  any  time  from  May  till  December,  drought  and 
frost  excepted.  Plants  from  the  open  ground  do 
much  better  if  planted  in  the  autumn.  Wheji 
planted  in  the  spring  or  summer  they  invariably 
lose  their  leaves  and  take  a  season  to  recover. 

V.  N.  Gauntlktt. 
Green  Lane  Nin-ieries,  Eedriilli. 


MONSTERA  DELICIOSA. 

[To  THE  Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

Sib, — It  is  a  ])ity  that  "  W.  .J."'  anathematises  this 
edible  fruited  plant  on  insufficient  evidence  on 
|jage  24.  It  is  quite  safe  to  eat,  and  perfectly 
delicious  to  those  who  like  it,  if  rightly  prepared 
for  the  palate  or  the  dessert  table.  It  nuist  be 
thoroughly  ripe,  so  that  its  coat  of  hexagons  falls 
awaj'  with  a  touch,  and  then  the  pulp3'  segments  are 
luscious  and  agreeable,  despite  the  black  threads, 
which  merelj'  represent  the  defunct  stamens  of  the 
llowers.  It  is  the  husks  of  the  outer  coating  only 
that  are  full  of  sharp  and  prickly  raphides,  not  the 
fruit  itself.  I  have  grown  and  eaten  a  good  many 
tropical  fruits  at  home  and  abroad,  and  like  the 
Moustera  as  well  as  many  of  them. 

F.  W.  BrKBincE. 


ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY  v. 

ROYAL  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Why  is  the  distance  so  great  between  these 
two  V  A  good  piece  of  work  would  be  accomplished 
for  tlie  new  century  if  these  could  be  blended  on 
friendly  lines.  One  is  in  want  of  a  new  horti- 
cultural hall  and  the  other  a  new  camping  ground 
near  tl\e  metropolis,  with  a  view  of  being  utilised 
during  the  time  it  was  not  recjuired  for  the 
preparation  of  the  show  and  tlie  show  itself. 
The  Agricultural  and  the  Horticultural  Societies" 
interests  are  so  identical  that,  if  co-opera- 
tion could  be  brought  about  between  the  two, 
both  societies  would  benefit  ;  and  if  it  were 
possible  for  the  (iovernmeut  to  lie  approached  to 
make  the  Royal  Horticultural  Soiiuty  of  Kuglaud 
woithy  of  the  national  importance  it  is  to  this 
country  and  her  colonies,  a  better  opportunity 
could  never  occur.  \\'c  will  imagine  a  magnificent 
hall  in  the  Royal  Agricultural  grounds  filled  with 
exhibits  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  during 
the  sliow  week.  Such  a  building  and  ils  contents 
would  add  lustre  and  attractiveness  to  the  great 
show  itself,  and  many  mcudiers  of  one  society 
would  bc^come  mcmlicrs  of  the  other;  and  there 
is  no  doubt  that  such  a  building  when  not  required 
by  the  Royal  Horticullu'ral  Society  in  the  Agri- 
cultural   ni-ouuds    would    ailil     imrucusclv    lo    the 


January  26,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


65 


attractiveness  and  usefulness  of  the  hundred  and  one 
things  the  grounds  could  be  used  for  ten  months 
out  of  the  twelve.  W.  Horne,  Cliffe, 

Member  of  both  Societies. 
[We   fear   this  amalgamation  would   never   do. 
Horticulture  is  an  important  industry,  and  should 
go  on  in  its  own  way.     The  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  must  stand  alone. — Eds.] 


HAEDY  FKUIT  CULTUKE  FOR 

MARKET. 

[To  THE  Editok  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — This  subject  is  being  perpetually  whipped, 
yet  it  does  seem  as  if  all  the  flogging  given  had 
very  little  good  effect  upon  it.  We  hear  very  little 
indeed  of  material  effort  to  develop  fruit  culture 
on  a  large  scale,  and  it  is  only  by  doing  it  on  a 
large  scale  that  material  effect  can  be  produced 
on  the  national  supply.  The  putting  down  of  100 
acres  with  fruit  may  in  a  few  j'ears  have  a  trifling 
effect,  but  that  effect  maj'  be  more  than  discounted 
b}'  the  increase  of  population  and  wearing  out  of 
orchards  elsewhere.  Were  it  possible  by  any  great 
national  effort  to  put  down  10,000  acres  of  good 
soil  with  fruit  yearly  Some  force  on  the  existing 
fruit  supply  might  be  created,  and  for  the  nation's 
benefit  we  must  remember  that,  extensive  as  the 
present  fruit  acreage  maj'  be,  yet  great  portions 
are  of  little  value  commercially.  Trees  are  of 
inferior  varieties ;  they  are  disease  or  insect  ridden ; 
they  have  been  neglected;  they  are  at  the  best 
barely  cultivated  ;  and  age  is  telling  on  them  every 
day.  Such  fruit  growing,  for  it  is  not  culture, 
has  the  unhappy  effect  of  depreciating  real  fruit 
culture,  because  the  results  are  so  poor,  if  not  in 
quantity  at  least  in  sample  and  in  market  value. 
We  shall  never  have  in  this  country  a  real  supply 
of  hardy  fruit  until  we  adopt  on  a  large  scale 
what  may  be  described  as  garden  culture  and 
methods.  We  do  not  want  fruit  orchards,  but 
gardens,  where  the  trees  on  broad-leaved  Paradise 
and  Quince  stocks,  are  of  the  very  best  varie- 
ties for  the  object  aimed  at,  and  are  placed 
under  the  control  and  management  of  fruit 
growing  experts.  W^e  want  fruit  planting  to  be 
progressive  ;  thus  it  is  better  to  be  putting  down  a 
few  acres  of  ground  every  year 
just  as  means  will  allow,  and 
doing  it  thoroughly,  than  it  is  i 
to  attempt  the  planting  of  a  big 
area  at  one  time  and  doing  it 
indifferently.  When  large 
breadths  of  land  are  planted  at 

once,  the  then  cost  of  properly 

preparing    the    ground    for   the 

purpose    is    too    great     or    the 

work   too    prolonged    to   admit 

of    its    being   well   done.       Yet 

there    is    in    relation    to   hardy 

fruit    culture    few    matters    of 

greater  moment  than    that   the 

soil  should  be  deeply  worked  and 

well  prepared.     Without  doubt 

it  is  a  good  plan  to  trench  where 

this  is  possible.  Failing  that,  then 

the    ground    should    be    deeplv 

dug,    certainly    12    inches,    but 

deeper   if   possible.      It   should 

also   be   heavily  manured,   then 

planted      with     some     strong  ■ 

growing   Potato.      Such   a  crop 

effectually   cleans    the    ground, 

and  in  planting,  moulding,  and 

final    lifting    of    the    crop    the 

soil     is     well     pulverised.       It 

is  then,  in  October  and  Novem- 
ber,   in   splendid    condition   for 

planting.       Where    the    soil    is 

deeply  worked  the  planting  may 

bp  on  the  ground  level.     When 

the  soil  is  less  deep  it  is  wise  to 

plant  shallow,  placing  each  tree 

on   a   slight    mound,  and    after 

planting     giving     each     one     a 

mulch  of  long  manure  over  the 

roots.      When    dwarf    or    bush 

trees   are   planted   at   moderate 


distances  apart,  the  ground  being  further  filled 
with  Currant  and  Gooseberry  bushes.  Raspberry 
canes  and  Strawberries,  it  is  no  matter  for  surprise 
if  very  soon  there  is  fruit  of  the  best  description  to 
gather  and  to  profitably  market.  A.  D. 


BOOKS. 

Joy,  and  other  Poems,  by  Danske  Band 
ridge,  second,  enlarged  edition.  G.  P.  Putman  and 
Sons,  New  York  and  London,  1900.  It  is  rare  among 
the  many  volumes  of  poetry  published  in  modern 
days  to  find  a  volume  of  verse  so  fully  deserving 
praise  and  welcome.  Here  is  true  poetry,  tender, 
dainty,  and  winsome,  at  times  touching  solemn 
depths,  but  for  the  most  part  singing  a  hymn  of 
praise  for  all  that  is  best  and  most  joyful.  The 
work  of  this  sweet-souled  American  singer  will  be 
gladly  read  in  England.  Like  our  own  poets  her 
mind  is  in  close  communion  and  harmony  with 
Nature,  with  the  moods  of  woodland,  the  language 
of  running  water,  the  tricks  and  ways  of  wood- 
sprites,  and  the  sweet  solace  of  flower  beauty. 
English  readers  Will  find  "Joy"  a  most  sympa- 
thetic volume. 


CHATSW^ORTH. 

It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  be  able  to  include  as 
one  of  the  series  of  British  homes  and  gardens 
appearing  from  time  to  time  in  The  Garden 
a  short  account  of  Chatsworth,  "  the  Palace  of 
the  Peak,"  the  home  for  many  years  of  the 
noble  House  of  Cavendish.  Chatsworth,  to 
those  residing  within  the  confines  of  the  Mid- 
land counties,  and  more  especially  to  those 
whose  fortune  it  is  to  work  and  live  in  one 
or  another  of  the  large  manufacturing  towns 
there,  has  a  very  real  meaning.  It  means 
that,  when  the  opportunity  offers,  one  of  the 
most  stately  homes  of  England,  surrounded 
by  pleasure  grounds  perhaps  unequalled  for 
grandeur  and  magni^cence,  and  situated  in  the 
midst   of   charming  sylvan  and   rural   Derby- 


shire scenery,  is  thrown  open  for  the  recreation 
of  the  minds  and  bodies  of  thousands  of  busy 
workers.  That  such  a  privilege  is  not  thought 
lightly  of  need  hardly  be  said,  but  that  it 
should  be  taken  advantage  of  to  such  a  remark- 
able extent  as  is  the  case  .serves  to  bring  home 
to  one  how  great  a  boon  Chatsworth  with  its 
delightful  environments  proves  to  the  Briti.sh 
public  in  the  more  northern  parts  of  the  Mid- 
lands, and  how  indebted  they  are  to  the  kindly 
thought  and  solicitude  of  the  noble  owner  of 
the  Palace  of  the  Peak. 

Chatsworth  is  perhaps  unsurpassed  in  the 
beauty  and  nature  of  its  immediate  sur- 
roundings. It  is  situated  on  .slightly  rising 
ground,  below  which  flows  the  river  Derwent, 
while  clothing  the  hill  above  and  stretching 
away  far  on  either  side  is  an  admirable  setting 
of  woodland,  sombre  and  stately  from  without, 
yet  at  the  proper  season  aglow  with  the  blooms 
of  acres  and  acres  of  Rhododendrons  within. 
The  formal  gardens  around  the  palace  are 
quite  in  character,  and  as  one  nears  the  wood- 
land merge  gradually  into  the  pinetum  and 
arboretum,  which  many  would  vote  to  be  the 
finest  bit  in  Sir  .Josejjh  Paxton's  masterpiece 
of  landscape  gardening.  The  wild  beauty  of 
the  natural  vegetation,  the  wooded  slopes,  the 
luxuriance  to  which  the  many  beautiful  conifers 
have  attained,  and  the  harmonious  arrange- 
ment of  the  latter  are  immediately  brought 
home  to  one.  None  who  have  visited  the 
Chatsworth  pinetum  and  have  contemplated  for 
one  moment  the  wonderful  specimen  of  Scotch 
Fir  that  overhangs  the  small  lake,  the  charming 
old  summer-house  that  looks  across  the  water, 
provided  with  seats  inside  and  on  the  roof 
(this  being  again  surmounted  by  another  roof), 
and  smothered  with  Ivy,  the  varied  trees  and 
shrubs  around,  and  the  sombre  wood  behind, 
can  ever  quite  dispel  the  impression  of  weird 
beauty  and  grandeur  that  such  a  landscape 
creates.  That  portion  of  the  grounds  known  as 
the  rock  garden  is  entirely  different  from  this, 


lower   west   G.iKDEN    AT   CHATSWORTH. 


66 


THE    GARDEN. 


[January  26,  1901. 


as  we  usually  understand  the  term.  At  one  end 
is  the  massive  Wellington  rock,  quite  60  feet 
high,  over  which  sjjlashes  and  falls  continually 
a  stream  of  water  into  the  pool  below.  This 
stream  empties  a  little  lower  down  into  a 
broad  rivulet  that  flows  for  some  distance 
between  banks  clothed  in  many  parts  by 
masses  of  Rhododendrons  and  Azaleas,  while 
in  others  huge  boulders  of  rock  covered  with 
numerous  shrubs  and  creeping  plants  are 
visible.  Delightful  walks  and  rustic  bridges 
respectively  surround  and  span  the  streamlet, 
providing  further  positions  for  both  shade  and 
sun-loving  plants. 

All  must  have  heard  of  the  curious  "  Willow 
tree,"  from  whose  deceptive  branches  many  a 
visitor  has  received  a  wetting.  It  is  a  good 
representation  of  a  Weeping  Willow,  though 
made  of  copper,  and  unfortunate  is  he  or  she 
who,  advised  by  the  attendant,  goes  to  inspect 


A  feature  that  is  particularly  interesting  at  the 
present  time  because  of  its  comparative  absence 
from  gardens  is  displayed  at  C'hatsworth  in 
the  orangery,  and  the  two  old-fashioned  glass 
houses  devoted  to  the  culture  of  the  Citron 
and  the  Camellia.  Such  fruits  from  a  com- 
mercial point  of  view  certainly  do  not 
justify  their  inclusion  in  our  glass  houses,  but 
their  associations  with  an  old  world  form  of 
gardening  make  one  glad  to  see  they  are  not 
discarded  from  places  like  Chatsworth.  The 
Camellia,  too,  is  fast  falling  into  disfavour, 
although  as  a  permanent  conservatory  plant 
few  are  more  worthy  of  culture. 

We  are  fortunate  in  being  able  to  give  as 
one  of  our  illustrations  that  of  the  large  con- 
servatory. This  is,  so  far  as  we  know,  the 
largest  glass  structure  in  any  jirivate  establish- 
ment, with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  the 
temperate  house  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew  ; 


THE  FAMOUS  CONSERVATORY  AT  CHATSWrKTH. 


the  statue  just  beyond,  for  during  that  time 
some  mechanism  that  is  hidden  close  by  is  put 
into  play  and  the  "  V\'illow  tree "  begins  to 
"  weep."  The  Emperor  fountain,  throwing  a 
jet  of  water  to  a  height  of  180  feet,  and  the 
large  cascade  are  unique  in  their  way,  and 
when  on  rare  occasions  these  and  the  numerous 
smaller  fountains  are  at  play  (or  work)  one  is 
reminded  not  a  little  of  a  fete  day  in  the 
famous  water  gardens  of  Versailles.  The  Italian 
garden  and  the  approach  to  it  form  an  e.xcel- 
lent  example  of  formal  gardening,  as  also  do 
the  many  beds  and  borders,  of  designs  and 
shapes  innumerable,  that  are  in  evidence  near 
to  the  palace  itself.  If  any  proof  were  needed 
of  the  great  value  of  ample  lawn  space  in 
formal  gardens,  where  there  is  sufKcient 
space  to  allow  of  it,  the  very  apparent  appro- 
priateness of  the  extensive  green  swards  at 
Chatsworth  would  furnish  a  superabundance. 


this,  however,  is  not  one  building  in  the  same 
sense  as  the  Chatsworth  conservatory.  The 
word  conservatory  here  seems  somewhat  of  a 
misnomer,  for  the  word  is  generally  now  under- 
stood to  signify  a  cool  house  for  the  accom- 
modation of  plants  in  flower.  Very  different 
is  the  one  we  are  considering  ;  its  temperature 
is  that  of  a  stove  or  hothouse,  and  the  aspect 
of  its  vegetation  almost  entirely  tropical. 
Palrns  in  great  variety,  tree  Ferns,  and  other 
e.xotics  from  a  hundred  and  one  different 
climes  vie  with  each  other  in  healthy  luxuriance 
and  produce  an  unique  display,  the  effect  of 
which  can  be  fully  a|)preciated  by  reason  of 
the  excellent  arrangement  of  the  paths  and 
walks.  A  large  central  drive,  easily  accessible 
to  carriages,  enables  one  to  obtain  a  full  view 
of  the  wonderful  banks  of  tropical  vegetation 
on  either  .side ;  from  the  gallery  running 
around  the  upper  part,  of  the  house  one  might 


almost  imagine  one's  self  to  be  looking  down 
upon  a  tropical  forest,  while  the  cross  paths 
and  those  which  follow  the  outline  of  this 
enormous  structure  give  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity of  studying  more  closely  some  of  the 
many  remarkable  ]ilants  there  to  be  seen. 
ilr.  William  Chester,  who  is  now  sui)erinten- 
dent  of  the  Chatsworth  gardens,  for  very  many 
years  previous  to  his  promotion  to  that  im- 
portant post  had  charge  of  the  large  con- 
servatory, and  to  him  is  largely  due  the 
splendid  health  these  often  unsatisfactory 
subjects  still  enjoy. 

Orchids  have  for  long  been  noteworthy  here, 
and  at  the  present  time  Chatsworth  possesses 
one  of  the   finest  collections  in  the   country. 
Some  have  been  introduced  by  collectors  sent 
out   by  former    Dukes   of    Devonshire,   more 
jiarticularly  in  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  when  Sir  .Joseph  Paxton  had  control 
of   the   gardens.      Even   now 
there   are    but    few,   if    any, 
].ilaces  where  Disa  granditlora 
and  others  of  this  genus   are 
better  grown  than  at  CUiats- 
worth.      It   would    fill   many 
columns  of  The  Garden  to 
make  mention  even  of  all  the 
noteworthy    objects     in     the 
grounds   surrounding  the 
palace,  and  as  that  important 
portion  devoted  to  the  culture 
of    fruits,    cut    flowers,    and 
vegetables  has  not   yet  been 
touched  upon,  the  upper  gar- 
den must  now  be  left  for  the 
lower.    This  is  almost  a  mile 
away      from      the      grounds 
proper,  and  quite  close  to  the 
river   Derwent.       It    is   here 
that  one  may  see  the  famous 
Victoria    Regia    Lily  at    its 
best  ;     the   leaves    attain    to 
such  vigour  that  a  man  may 
with  safety  sit  in  a  chair  upon 
them    when    they   are    fully 
grown.     In   addition    to    the 
Queen  of  Water  Lilies,  many 
of    the     smaller     ones    with 
various  coloured    blooms   in- 
crease   the    attractiveness   of 
the  large  s(|uare  house  devoted 
to  their  culture.    Mr.  Chester, 
from    the   numerous    vineries 
and   Peach  houses  under   his 
charge,     produces     excellent 
crops    of   these    fruits,    very 
large  quantities  of  which  are 
lequired.     The  same  may  be 
said    of    vegetables   and    cut 
flowers  ;  the  quarters  devoted 
to   the  former  are   neat   and 
well  cultivated.     For  table  and  hou.se  decora- 
tions the  latter  are  also  mo.st  needful,  and  the 
glass    houses    in    which   they   are   grown   are 
always  taxed  to  their  utmost.     Much  might  be 
said  of   the  herbaceous  borders,  the  annual.s, 
the  hardy  fruit  trees,  ifcc,  but  these  at  Chats- 
worth, as  in  every  well-kept  garden,  are   fully 
appreciated  and  cared   for  in  a  manner  that 
reflects  well  upon  Mr.  C'liester. 

H.  H.  Thomas. 


THE     SALE     OF     POISONS. 

PHOl'OSKll     LKIUSLATION     IPN     THK     Sl'H.lKOT. 

A  MEETING  under  tlio  auspices  cif  Hie  London  I'hiinibcr  of 
Coniuieree  whs  held  reeently  to  further  consider  Hie  Bill 
liaving  for  its  ohject  tlie  anienduient  of  the  Pluirnmey 
Act,  for  eniililin^  traders,  as  well  as  pluirinacists,  to  sell 
poisonous  compounds  wliich  are  iu»t  intended  for  medicinal 
use  or  for  the  pveparatimi  of  niedieine.  Tlie  t:lmir  was 
occupied  liy  Mr.  Thomas  'I'yrei-,  anil  there  was  a  very  large 
atteniiaiiee. 

Lettel-s    from  various  I)urtie3  intel-ested   were  read.     Mr. 


January    i^o,  I'jol.J 


THE    GARDEN. 


67 


OHATSWURTH  :     A    OOKNER    OF   t}UE    HOUSE. 


Alexander  Cross,  M.P.,  of  Messrs.  Alexander  Cross  and  Co., 
Hope  .Street,  Glasgow,  in  a  letter  to  the  secretary,  said  he 
felt  deeply  ihe  importance  of  obtaining  some  amendment  of 
the  Poison  Law.  Whilst,  of  course,  he  was  in  favour  of 
strict  regulations  with  regard  to  the  dispensing  of  poisons 
in  order  that  the  public  should  be  protected  against  the 
errors  of  unskilled  chemists,  he  thought  that  common-sense 
was  opposed  to  a  system  which  prohibited  the  sale  of  articles 
in  original  packages  bearing  clear  designations  and  specific 
instructions  as  to  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  to  he 
used,  even  when  these  packages  contained  poisonous  com- 
pounds. The  present  state  of  the  law  had  undoubtedly  the 
effect  of  limiting  the  sale  of  certain  articles,  and  depriving 
horticultnrists  and  agriculturists  of  benefits  which  the  use 
of  these  articles  were  calculated  to  give  them.  There  was 
no  greater  safety  in  consequence  of  the  present  stringency 
of  the  law  than  there  would  be  if  the  sale  of  poisonous 
compounds  were  allowed.  Many  of  the  purposes  for  which 
poisonous  compounds  were  required  had  developed  in  recent 
times,  which  could  not  have  been  foreseen  when  Parliament 
passed  a  practical  prohibition  against  their  sale. 

Mr.  T.  G.  Dobbs  also  read  several  letters.  One  of  them 
was  from  Mr.  Oavid  Howard,  who  wrote  that,  in  his  opinion, 
the  public  would  be  fully  protected  by  the  propo.sed  Bill. 
The  only  objection  that  could  be  urged  against  it  was  that 
tke  Pharmacy  Acts  had  given  vested  interests  to  pharmacists 
for  the  sale  of  poisons,  but  what  Parliament  would  make  of 
that  contention  it  was  ditlicult  to  foresee. 

Mr.  Bennett  submitted  that  the  conditions  of  commerce 
and  public  requirements  had  greatly  altered  since  the 
Pharmacy  Act  was  passed.  And  a  number  of  things  which 
were  not  even  dreamt  of  in  those  days  were  now  required 
every  day.  Then,  as  to  the  dangers  to  the  public  which  it 
was  feared  would  result  from  the  passing  of  the  Bill,  he 
pointed  out  that  the  manufacturers  provided  safeguards  in 
the  way  of  labelling  packages.  They  would  be  distinctly 
labelled  "Poison,"  and  buyers  would  have  to  sign  the 
register  just  the  same  as  they  did  when  they  went  to  the 
chemist's,  so  that  the  responsibility  of  what  they  sub- 
sequently did  with  poison  would  be  thrown  upon  the 
shoulders  of  consumers.  Mr.  Bennett  concluded  by  moving 
the  following  resolution  :—"  The  Chemical  Trade  Section 
recommend  the  Council  of  the  Chamber  to  actively  support 
in  Parliament  the  proposed  Bill,  to  alter  and  amend  the  law 
relating  to  the  sale  of  poisons  and  poisonous  compounds  for 
agricultural  and  other  trade  purposes.  " 

Mr.  Bowley  seconded  the  resolution.  He  was  of  opinion 
that  legislation  on  a  matter  of  this  kind  was  futile,  as  the 
responsibility  must,  in  the  end,  rest  on  the  user  of  the 
poison.  If  they  continued  to  allow  poison  to  be  interpreted 
in  the  same  spirit  as  had  been  done  in  the  case  of  some  of 
the  preparations  to  which  reference  had  been  made,  the 
public  would  very  soon  be  unable  to  get  anything  of 
ordinary   daily    use   at   any   establishment-  other   than  a 

Mr.  Dobbs,  the  solicitor  in  charge  of  the  Trade  Poisons 
Bill,  stated  he  had  heard  one  plea  throughout  the  speeches 
that  had  been  delivered.  That  was,  "Let  this  Chamber 
view  the  question  from  a  broad,  and  not  fi'om  a  narrow 
standpoint."  If  these  articles  conld  be  sold  in  Scotland 
through  seedsmen  and  other  traders,  why  not  in  England  ? 
If  the  principle  was  wrong  in  inie  place  it  was  wrong  in 
another.  There  was  no  doubt  about  it  that  if  the  vote  of 
England  was  taken,  as  to  whether  or  not  the  Bill  should 
be  passed,  there  woiild   be  a  very  large  majority    in    its 

t favour.  He  held  in  his  hand  replies  from  many  members 
of  Parliament,  who  were  all  in  favour  of  the  Bill.  Mr. 
W.  H  Long,  lately  President  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture, 
after  having  seen  the  Bill,  approved  of  its  provisions. 
Then,  again,  Sir  John  Leng,  who  had  been  held  up  as 
doing  a  lot  for  carbolic  acid  regulations,  approved  of  it, 
and  lastly,  it  had  not  to  be  forgotten  that  the  Privy 
Council,  in  passing  the  carbolic  acid  regulations,  had 
adopted  the  principle  of  the  Bill.  As  a  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, representing  commercial  interests,  and  not  the 
interests  of  one  body,  he  asked  them,  in  the  interests  of 
L 


position    as    at    the  start    of  the 
am  Drysalteries. 


tlie  pul)lii:,  to  support 
tlie  Bill.  The  safety 
o[  the  puhlic  was  not 
protected  by  law,  and 
nevei'  would  he,  liut 
the  Bill  hefore  them 
gave  more  protection 
tliau  the  present  I  egu- 
lations. 

The  Chairman  re- 
marked that  one  of 
the  charges  made 
against  the  chemists 
was  that  for  self- 
interest  they  induced 
the  Privy  Council  to 
pass  certain  restric- 
tions, but  in  fairness 
he  liad  to  point  out 
that  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil, in  niakiny;  the 
recent  order  regard- 
ing carbolic  acid,  was 
moved  to  do  so  by 
the  representatives  of 
coroners  all  over  the 
country.  It  is  only 
fair  to  say  so,  because 
it  raised  the  tone  of 
the  whole  question, 
so  a  vote  was  then 
taken,  when  sixteen 
voted  for  the  resolu- 
tion and  a  similar 
number  against.  The 
chairman  did  not  give 
his  casting  vote, 
and  the  question 
was  left  in  the  same 
meeting. — Oils,   Coloias 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Inverness  Chamber  of  Commerce,  held 
at  Inverness  on  the  Sth  inst.,  the  subjoined  motion  was 
moved  by  Mr.  Donald  Murray  and  seconded  by  Mr.  J.  A. 
Gossip  (Messrs.  Howden  and  Co.,  nurserymen):  "That  the 
Chamber  resolve  to  petition  Parliament  in  favour  of  the 
proposed  Bill  to  alter  and  amend  the  law  relating  to  the 
sale  of  poisons  and  p'^iisonous  compounds  for  agricultural 
and  trade  purposes."    The  motion  was  unanimouslyadopted. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Coal  Tar  Distillers  Association,  held  at 
the  London  Chamber  of  Commerce  on  Tuesday,  the  Sth  inst., 
Mr.  S.  B.  Boulton  presiding,  the  following  resolution,  pro- 
posed by  the  chairman  and  seconded  by  Mr.  C.  D.  T.  Bushell, 
was  carried  unanimously  :  "That  the  draft  Bill  formulated 
by  the  Traders  in  Poisons  Protection  Society,  with  the 
alterations  suggested  and  adopted  by  this  meeting,  receive 
the  support  of  the  Tar  Distillers  Association." 


RIVIERA    NOTES. 

A  Severe  Frost  and  Great  Damage. 
A  SUDDEN'  and  very  severe  frost  has  devastated 
the  gardens  on  this  coast.  On  Saturday  night, 
January  5,  the  sheltered  thermometer  fell  to  27", 
and  in  low  lying  and  damp  positions  to  25".  It 
was  succeeded  by  brilliant  sunshine  each  day  the 
frost  lasted,  and  the  alternations  of  cold  and  heat 
have  wrought  more  ruin  than  I  can  remember. 
At  Nice  there  was  no  warning  whatever,  no  storm, 
no  wind,  nothing  to  account  for  the  sudden  drop 
in  temperature,  and  in  consequence  no  precautions 
were  taken  to  protect  tender  plants  until  the 
damage  was  done.  I  would  advise  all  gardening 
friends 'to  wait  awhile,  for  their  pleasures  would 
be  greatly  marred  by  the  sight  of  so  much  destruc- 
tion to  soft-wooded  plants.  Orange  and  Lemon 
trees  have  not  suffered,  as  there  was  no  wind  nor 
an3'  rain  or  snow  ;  Palms  generally  have  also  proved 
their  extreme  hardiness.  On  the  other  hand,  such 
invaluable  climbers  as  Buddleia  madagascariensis, 
Bignonia  Cherere,  Tacsonia  ignea,  and  exoniensis 
are  killed  to  the  ground  almost  everj'where.  Helio- 
tropes, Streptosolens,  and  (ieraniums  of  all  sorts 
are  reduced  to  pulp ;  Wigandias,  Bananas,  and 
Daturas  hang  in  black  rags  ;  Bougainvilleas,  even 
in  the  most  sheltered  nooks,  will  scarcely  preserve 
a  single  flowering  shoot,  so  that  one  is  tempted  to 
believe  the  peasants,  who  declare  that  so  fatal  and  so 
unexpected  a  frost  has  not  occurred  for  forty  years — 
i.e.,  the  frost  we  speak  of  in  England  as  the  frost 
of  1860. 

There  are  a  few  surprises,  however.  Bignonia 
venusta  is  quite  untouched,  and  its  orange  flowers 
are  opening  as  if  nothing  unusual  had  happened. 
This  has  been  considered  a  very  tender  plant.  I 
saw  a  Poinsettia  still  green  and  untouched  in  one 
sheltered  nook.  I  cannot  think  why  it  should 
have  survived  without  any  apparent  reason  !  The 
white-flowered  Lantana  has  suffered  less  than  the 


red  ;  Kcnncdyas  are  qiiitc  uiilouclieil  and  full  of 
flower,  wliile  the  Hardeiibcrgia  comptoniana  has 
suH'ered  severely.  Senecios  of  all  sorts  have  been 
much  damaged,  and  to  a  casual  visitor  I  think  the 
loss  of  the  common  pink  Ivy-leaved  Geranium 
flower  is  quite  a  thing  to  record  ;  many  a  mile  of 
bare  wall  was  so  lovely  with  its  flowers  a  week  ago, 
and  now  it  is  only  here  ami  there  that  it  is  even 
green.  With  such  lovely  weather  as  we  are  again 
enjoying  the  spring  Anemones  and  Violets  will 
rapidly  come  on,  but  the  damage  to  the  flower 
markets  mu.st  be  untold,  and  Riviera  gardens  will 
not  present  their  best  face  to  visitors  this  season. 

E.  H.  WiiovAhh. 


SOCIETIES. 

READING    AND    DISTRICT    GARDEXER.S'    MUTUAL 
IMPROVEMENT    A.SSOCIATION. 

The  annual  general  meeting  of  this  association  was  held  at 
the  Abbey  Caf (5  on  Monday,  the  7th  inst.,  and,  notwithstanding 
the  very  inclement  weather,  there  was  a  good  attendance. 
The  president,  Mr.  C.  B.  Stevens,  occupied  ihe  chair  for  the 
first  part  of  the  meeting,  vacating  it  later  for  .Mr.  Leonard 
G.  Sutton,  who  was  elected  president  for  11(01.  The  other 
officers  elected  were  :  Chairman,  Jlr.  T.  Neve  ;  vice-chairman, 
Mr.  H.  Wilson ;  treasurer,  Jlr.  F.  Macdonald  ;  librarian, 
Mr.  E.  .7.  i)ore ;  assistant  librarian,  Mr.  ¥.  W.  Exler ; 
auditors,  Messrs.  Badcock  and  A.  Smith  ;  committee,  Messrs. 
A.  \V.  Blake.  F.  Bright,  R.  Chamberlain,  C.  P.  Cretchley, 
D.  Dore,  E.  Fjy,  G.  Hinton,  \V.  Lees,  F.  Lever,  E.  S.  Pigg, 
J.  T.  Powell,  G  Smith.  W.  Smith,  G.  Stanton,  W.  Townsend, 
and  J.  \\'oolford  ;  whilst  Mr.  H.  G.  Cox,  "  Fernlea,"  .Junction 
Road,  Reading,  was  re-elected  honorary  secretary.  Mr. 
D.  Dore  staged  three  splendid  heads  of  Sutton's  Best  of  All 
Savoy.    Two  new  members  were  elected. 


LIVERPOOL  HORTICULTURAL  ASSOCIATION. 
A  MEETING  of  the  above  was  held  on  Saturday  evening  of 
last  week,  Mr.  T.  Foster  in  the  chair.  Messi-s.  T.  White  and 
.James  Beaton  were  the  lecturers  on  the  "Progress  of 
Horticulture  "  and  "The  .lapanese  Chrysanthemum."  Mr. 
White,  who  has  served  the  association  for  many  years  as 
chairman  up  to  recently,  gave  a  resume  of  his  own 
experiences  and  matters  that  had  occurred  during  his 
gardening  career,  extending  over  about  sixty  years.  The 
improvement  in  the  appearance  and  utility  of  glass  houses, 
the  heating,  and  ventilation  were  described.  The  valuable 
additions  to  our  fruits,  vegetables,  and  flowers  through  our 
numerous  collectors  and  raisers  were  given  in  some  detail. 
The  value  of  the  work  of  the  horticultural  press  and  of 
societies  similar  to  their  own  was  undoubtedly  the  means 
of  increasing  the  skill  and  knowledge  of  the  cultivator. 

Mr.  Heaton,  as  chief  prizeman  of  the  leading  class  for 
Chrysanthemums  for  three  years,  gave  an  account  of  how 
to  grow  this  popular  class  of  plants  from  the  cutting  to  the 
show-board.  The  various  details  of  management  were  given 
as  to  watering,  syringing,  preventing  of  insect  pests,  the 
time  of  housing,  giving  ample  ventilation,  and  slight  shading ; 
avoid  sudden  changes  in  the  atmosphere  which  would 
tend  to  minimise  damping.  Liberal  treatment  in  the 
compost  was  recommended,  and  feeding  when  the  pots  had 
become  fairly  fllled  with  roots.  Soot,  sheep  and  horse 
mannre  water  were  advised,  and  Ichthemic  guano  lib.  to 
each  barrowful  of  soil.  The  most  approved  time  for  housing 
was  between  September  23  and  28,  according  to  the  varieties 
and  the  condition  of  the  buds. 

A  discussion  followed  on  both  subjects  by  several  speakei-s, 
after  which  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  the 
lecturers  for  their  practical  advice  and  the  chairman  for 
presiding. 


BECKENHAM  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
On  .January  4,  at  the  Church  House,  before  a  large  meeting, 
Mr.  AV.  Taylor  (gardener  to  Mr.  C.  Bayer,  Tewkesbury  Lodge, 
Forest  Hill,  and  a  much  respected  member  of  the  society) 
read  a  paper  on  "A  Year's  Work  in  a  Vinery."  Mr.  Taylor 
advised  aspau  house  75  feet  by  2-1  feet  with  twodivisions  :  in 
preparing  for  borders,  which  should  be  entirely  inside,  the 
natural  soil  should  be  excavated,  and  the  bottom  and  sides 
concreted,  allowing  3  feet  clear — 6  inches  for  drainage  and 
30  inches  for  the  soil.  The  border  should  be  made  3  feet 
wide,  and  with  a  turf  wall  to  keep  it  in  position,  adding 
1  foot  yearly  ;  compost  to  consist  of  top  spit  of  pasture, 
bones,  and  burnt  ballast.  The  Vines  to  be  planted  i  feet 
6  inches  apart,  and  the  wires  15  inches  from  roof.  The 
lecturer  dealt  at  some  length  with  manuring,  watering, 
syringing,  temperature,  ventilation,  insect  pests,  and  fungoid 
diseases.  A  very  lively  discussion  followed,  in  which  Messrs. 
Webster,  Burge,  Croswell,  Cousens,  and  others  took  part, 
after  which  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  ilr.  Taylor. 
About  1,350  bunches  of  Grapes  are  grown  aunually  at 
Tewkesbury  Lodge  gardens.  About  two  years  ago  Mr. 
Taylor  was  awarded  the  Beckenham  Horticultm-al  Society's 
silver  medal  for  a  collection  of  forty-eight  bunches  exhibited 
at  a  meeting  here,  and  on  the  present  occasion  he  brought 
splendid  examples  of  his  skill. 


WOOLTON  GARDENERS'  SOCIETY' 
The  twelfth  annual  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  on  the 
3rd  inst.,  at  the  Mechanics'  Institute,  Mr.  James  Clarke 
being  voted  to  the  chair.  Mr.  R.  G.  "Waterman,  treasurer 
and  secretary,  read  the  report  and  balance-sheet,  which 
gave  evidence  of  a  good  year's  work.  Special  mention  was 
made  of  three  lectures  as  being  somewhat  out  of  the  groove 


68 


THE     GARDEN. 


rjANUAKY    26,    1901. 


of  practical  gardening,  which  were  by  the  Rev.  J.  F. 
Nicholas,  F.R.G.S,,  un  "Historical  Paris  and  its  Gardens," 
Mr.  Ducket  Cowan  on  "Reminiscences  of  My  Travels 
Collecting  Orchids  in  South  America,"  and  Mr.  R.  W.  Ker, 
K.R.H.S.,  F.A.S.,  on  the  "Sweet  Pea  Conference  and  My 
Russian  Journey."  The  latter  two  were  illustrated  by 
specimens  collected  by  Mr.  Cnwai'  and  with  lime-light  views 
specially  arranged  byMr.  Ker.  The  library  has  received  a 
welcome  addition  from  Mr.  Holbrook  Gaskell,  president  of 
the  society,  which  now  nvnubers  nearly  150  volumes,  making 
it  the  most  complete  of  its  kind  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Liverpool.  Three  members  of  the  society  presented  them- 
selves for  the  examination  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society ;  two  gained  lirst-class  certiticates  and  the  other  a 
third  class. 

The  balance-sheet  shows  a  slight  deficiency  compared  with 
last  year,  there  being  at  present  £1  19s.  Id.  in  favour  of  the 
society.  The  members  sliowed  tlieir  appreciation  of  their 
officers  in  re-electing  them  throughout :  President,  Mr. 
Holbrook  Gaskell ;  treasurer  and  secretary,  Mr.  R.  G. 
Waterman;  librarian,  Mr.  J.  Rae  ;  microscope,  Mr.  H. 
Corlett.  A  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  to  the 
chairman  for  his  services. 


ROYAL  CALEDONIAN  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
The  annual  general  meeting  was  held  at  Dowell's  Rooms, 
Edinburgh,  on  the  9th  insD.,  Mr.  Neil  Fraser,  sen.,  vice-presi- 
dent, in  the  chair.  The  secretary,  in  submitting  the  annual 
report,  said  that  at  the  last  show  there  was  an  increase  in 
cut  flowers.  The  total  entries  at  the  1S99  show  were  '2,06S, 
while  those  of  19(J0  were  2,161.  An  abstract  of  the  funds  of 
the  society  at  November  30,  1900,  showed  the  ordinary 
receipts  at  £1,107,  and  the  ordinary  payments  at  £1,260. 
Mr.  Alexander  Milne  remarked  that  the  members'  subscrip- 
tions were  £100  less  than  formerly,  and  he  thought  some 
means  should  be  adopted  to  increase  the  membership. 

The  chairman  said  that  an  effort  to  increase  members  was 
to  be  made  by  sending  out  circulars  to  persons  interested  in 
gardening  who  were  non-members. 

The  following  are  the  elected  office-bearers :— President, 
Lord  Balfour  of  Burleigh  ;  vice-president,  Viscount  Melville. 
Councillors :  Messrs.  James  Fulton,  Edinburgh ;  James 
"VNTiittock,  Dalkeith  ;  and  D.  W.  Thomson,  Edinburgh. 

It  was  agreed  that  gardeners,  horticultural  employers, 
and  nurserymen  be  admitted  to  membership  on  payment  of 
5s.  annual  subscription. 

"WOOLTON  CHRYSANTHEMUM  SOCIETY. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  above  was  held  on  the  18th  inst., 
at  the  Mechanics'  Institute,  Mr.  J.  Stoney  presiding.  The 
report  and  statement  of  accounts  proved  highly  satisfactory, 
increases  being  shown  in  the  number  and  amount  of  sub- 
scriptions, the  amount  taken  on  the  day  of  the  exhibition, 
the  number  of  entries,  especia'ly  in  the  cottagers'  classes, 
and  the  amount  of  prize  money.  The  balance  on  the  year's 
working  amounted  to  £12  16s.  8d.,  which,  with  the  amount 
brought  forward  (£21  IGs.),  shows  a  balance  in  favour  of  the 
society  "of  £34  12s.  Sd.  An  offer  from  the  treasurer,  Mr. 
Neil  Gossage,  of  a  silver  challenge  cup  to  be  competed  for 
by  cottagers  was  gladly  accepted.  ilr.  J.  G.  Searoyd 
was  re-elected  secretary  and  Mr.  Neil  Gossage  treasurer. 
A  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  to  the  ladies  who 
kindly  adjudicated  in  the  table  decorations  and  to  the 
workers  at  the  show.  A  similar  compliment  was  paid  to  Mr. 
Stoney  for  presiding. 


WEST  DERBY  GARDENERS'  SOCIETY. 

A  MEETING  of  the  above  was  held  in  the  schoolroom  on 
Friday  of  last  week,  when  a  fair  number  of  members 
were  present,  under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr.  W.  Ci'aigie 
Williams.  The  subject  for  consideration  was  Orchids,  and 
was  in  the  capable  hands  of  Mr.  H.  Corlett,  a  member  of 
the  Woolton  Society.  The  table  was  furnished  with  nearly 
forty  distinct  varieties  of  cut  blooms  from  the  Orchid 
houses  at  Woolton  Wood,  and  it  was  chiefly  from  these  that 
some  plain  practical  hints  were  given  in  the  culture,  which 
included  the  important  details  of  potting,  watering,  venti- 
lating, shading,  and  temperature.  The  details  in  culture 
being  of  such  a  diverse  character,  that  could  not  be  entered 
into  in  the  limited  time  at  command,  a  selection  was  made 
from  those  represented,  such  as  Ctelogynes,  Cypripediunis, 
Calanthes,  Ac.  Hints  as  to  prevention  and  cure  of  insect 
pests,  Ac.  were  given.  Throughout  the  evening,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  lecture,  questions  were  freelyasked  and  answered, 
after  which  a  very  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  Mr. 
Corlett  for  his  excellent  and  interesting  lecture,  a  like 
compliment  being  paid  Mr.  Williams  for  presiding. 


LIVERPOOL  HORTICULTURAL  ASSOCIATION. 
The  annual  reunion  of  the  above  was  held  on  Saturday 
last,  under  the  presidency  of  i\Ir.  R.  W.  Ker.  The  company 
numbered  about  130,  amongst  whom  were  Mr.  H.  Herbert, 
superintendent  of  Liverpool  Parks  and  Gardens  ;  Mr.  J. 
Hathaway,  superintendent  Southport  Parks  and  Gardens; 
Mr.  J.  Guttridge,  curator  Liverpool  Botanic  Gardens ;  and 
many  of  the  leading  nurserymen.  The  tables  wei'e  graced 
by  a  number  of  well  grown  plants  by  the  kindness  of  Messrs. 
R.  P.  Ker  and  Sons,  the  whole  of  them  being  admirably 
carried  out  by  a  few  members  of  the  committee.  The 
principal  toast  of  the  evening  was  that  proposed  by  tlie 
chairman  on  horticulture,  in  which  he  gave  a  retrospect  full 
of  interest.  Reference  was  made  to  the  reduced  cost  of 
glass,  to  the  great  strides  in  heating,  and  the  better  forms  of 
ventilating  and  shading.  The  great  strides  in  the  beauty  and 
variety  of  our  glass  houses,  thanks  to  our  intrepid  explorers 
and  hybridisers,  made  the  posititm  of  the  gardener  incom- 
parably better  than  that  of  liis  predecessor.  The  city  of 
Liverpool  was  mentioned  for  its  many  parks,  gardens,  and 
open  spaces,  and  for  the  beautifying  of  the  courts  and 
alleys  of  the  many  hundreds  of  window  boxes  provided  and 
furnished  by  the  corporation.  Mr.  R.  G.  Waterman,  in 
responding,  spoke  of  the  pleasure  and  good  the  higher 
culture  of   plants,   fruits,   flowers,  and    vegetables,   which 


created  a  feeling  of  emulation  in  all  those  who  saw  them. 
In  speaking  of  the  so-called  garden  charities,  the  speaker 
urged  upon  all  that  were  not  already  members  to  beconie 
so,  that  the  proverbial  rainy  day  might  he  provided  for.  To 
show  that  the  Royal  Benevolent  Society  was  far  reaching, 
every  candidate  in  the  neighbourhood  had  been  elected  to 
enjoy  the  privileges  of  a  pensioner.  Reference  was  made  to 
the  chairman's  excellent  work  with  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  in  many  of  its  important  functions,  which  was 
described  as  a  credit  to  the  society  and  an  honour  to  Liver- 
pool. Mr.  T.  Foster,  chaimian  of  the  society,  also  replied, 
chiefly  dwelling  upon  the  influence  for  good  of  their  associa- 
tion and  similar  societies. 


THE     GARDENERS^     ROYAL     BENEVOLENT 
INSTITUTION. 

The  annual  general  meeting  of  this  institution  was  held  on 
Tuesday  last  at  Simpson's  R>-staurant,  Strand,  Mr.  Harry  J. 
Veitch  being  in  the  chair.  There  was  a  good  attendance,  the 
following  amongstothers  being  present ; — Dr.  ifasters,  Messrs. 
Arthur  Sutton,  George  Jlonro,  J.  Rochford,  Owen  Thomas, 
J.  Whalley,  G.  Wythes,  J.  H.  White  (Worcester),  A.  H.  Smee, 
W.  Denning,  J.  Hudson.  Peter  Veitch,  J.  Willard,  R.  Piper, 
H.J.  Cox,  \V.  Roupell,  —  Swift,  W.  Poupart,R.  Dean,  J.  Fraser, 

—  Melady,  W.  loeton,  and  G.  J.  Ingram  (secretary). 

The  minutes  of  the  last  general  meeting  having  been  read 
and  confirmed,  the  chairman  said  how  grieved  they  al!  were 
to  hear  of  the  grave  illness  of  Her  Majesty  the  Queen,  who 
had  been  a  patron  of  the  institution  since  1851.  It  was 
resolved  that  the  fo  lowing  telegram  be  senttoH.R.H  the 
Prince  of  Wales  : — "  The  subscribers  to  the  Gardeners'  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution,  at  the  annual  general  meeting  now 
assembled  for  the  election  of  pensioners,  desire  to  express  the 
deepest  sympathy  with  their  president,  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  and  every  member  of  the  Royal  Family,  in  their  intense 
anxiety  consequent  on  the  most  alarming  illness  of  Her 
Majesty,  who  has  been  patron  of  the  institution  since  1851." 
(Signed)       Veitch,  Chairman. 

The  secretary  then  read  the  annual  report  and  balance 
sheet.  The  chairman  moved  the  adoption  of  the  leport  and 
balance  sheet,  and  proposed  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
committee  for  thfir  labours  during  the  past  year.  H.RH. 
the  Prince  of  Wales  had  become  president  of  their  institu- 
tion, and  T.R.H.  Princess  of  Wales  and  Duchess  of  York 
patronesses. 

The  auxiliaries  were  doing  valuable  woik,  from  Worcester 
£500  had  altogether  been  received,  and  Reading,  the  youngest 
auxiliary,  had  sent  over  £100. 

Dr.  Masters  seconded  the  adoption  of  the  report,  which 
was  carried  unanimously.  The  re-election  of  officers  was 
then  proceeded  with,  and,  excepting  that  the  following 
members  were  placed  on  the  committee  in  place  of  several 
members  retired,  no  change  was  made.  Additions  to  com- 
mittee :— Messrs.  Bailey  Wadds,  Fleming,  F.  W.  Moore,  of 
Glasnevin,  E.  T.  Cook,  and  W.  Barnes.  The  following  were 
placed  on  the  funds  without  election,  as  they  are  in  distressed 
circumstances,  and  have  in  every  way  complied  with  the 
regulations.  Isaac  Clark,  William  Cotton,  William  Craggs, 
John  Eastwood,  Thomas  Gale,  and  Elizabeth  Harris.  The 
votins^  resulted  as  follows: — Agnes  Wright,  7,916;  William 
Smith,  6,299;  Thomas  Tyler,  5,208  (a  life  member  and  ?iof  a 
non-subscriber) ;  George  Wills,  4,975 ;  James  Thatcher,  4,671 ; 
John  Gibbons,  4,604  ;  Cecilia  Kent,  4,228 ;  Elizabeth  Hackwell, 
4,190  ;  William  Tillery.  3,901 ;  Samuel  Mills,  3,937. 

In  consequence  c)f  Samuel  Alorris  not  having  been  placed  on 
the  funds,  James  Finch  witli  3,486,  and  William  Moore  with 
2  003  votes,  were  elected,  they  being  next  in  order  on  the  list. 

Votes  of  thanks  to  the  chairman  and  scrutineers  closed  the 
meeting. 

At  the  friendly  supper  held  afterwards  many  country 
members  were  present  amongst  the  numerous  company. 
Alderman  R.  Piper  was  in  the  chair,  supported  by 
Messrs.  Harry  J.  Veitch,  N.  N.  Sherwood,  Arnold  Moss, 
J.  Harrison  (Leicester),  AV.  Roupell,  Peter  Veitch,  George 
Monro,  H.  Asbee,  H.  J.  Cutbush,  E.  J.  Monro,  G.  Wythes, 
H.  Williams,  J.  H.  White  (Worcester),  J.  Willard,  Peter  Kay, 

—  Sweet,  —  Osman,  R.  Sydenham  (Birmingham).  G.  H. 
Richards,  E.  T.  Cook,  B.  Wynne,  W.  Poupart,  —  Glendenning, 
J.  Hudson,  etc.,  and  G.  J.  Ingram  (secretary). 

The  chairman,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  supper,  had  but  one 
duty  to  perform,  and  that  a  very  sad  one,  simply  to  announce 
ihe  lamented  death  of  the  Queen,  declaring  the  proceedings 
closed. 

A  telegram  was  received  from  Captain  Holford,  in  the 
name  of  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales,  thanking  the  company 
for  their  sympathy,  as  expressed  in  their  telegram  sent  to 
Osbin'ne  in  the  afternoon. 

Summary  f)f  balance  sheet :— The  total  receipts  for  the  past 
year  amounted  to  £4,555  5s.  5d.,  which  together  with 
£3,115  lus.,  amount  on  deposit,  and  a  balance  of  £9S0  14s.  7d., 
tota's  to  £3,651  10s.,  leaving,  after  expenses,  a  balance  of 
£1,028  3s.  3d. 


Malaria  and  mosquitoes  in  Hong* 

Kong.— A  preliminary  report  by  Mr.  J.  C 
Thompson,  M.D.,  M.A.,  regarding  a  research 
into  the  prevalence  of  mosquitoes  and  malaria  in 
the  colony  of  Hong  Kong  and  in  the  new  territory, 
has  recently  been  published.  Valuable  assistance 
has  been  rendered  b}'  Mr.  W.  J.  Tutcher,  assistant 
superintendent  of  the  OovernmeiitBotanic  .Stations. 
Hong  Kong.  Dr.  Thompson,  in  his  report,  saj'S  : 
"  A  fact  of  very  great  importance  has  lieeh  brought 
to  my  notice  by  Mr.  Tutcher.  The  anopliales 
(a  genus  of  mosquitoes)  occasionally  departs  from 
its  usual  habits,  and  may  breed  iu  artificial 
collections  of  water.  With  Mr.  Tutcher  I  recently 
e.xamined  one  of  the  Chinese  flower  nurseries  at 
West  Point,  and  found  in  many  flower  pots  con- 


taining water  the  larva;  of  anophales  and  culex 
abounding  side  by  side  in  the  same  vessels.  I  have 
received  the  assuiance  of  Mr.  Tutclier  that  the 
vessels  containing  the  larvie  were  not  in  a  stagnant 
condition  for  any  reason  connected  with  the  flower- 
producing  industrj',  and  could  equally  well  be  kept 
fresh  ;  and  in  a  neighbouring  garden  which  1  visited 
I  found  as  many  vessels  containingwater,  but  hardly 
anj'  containing  larvne.  The  owner  of  the  garden 
told  me  that  he  frequently  empties  all  dishes  on 
account  of  what  he  called  the  water  mosquitoes. 
It  would  therefore  be  no  hardship  to  insist  on  these 
nurserymen  keeping  their  gardens  in  a  condition 
better  calculated  to  promote  the  public  health." 

The   vapieg'ated    Buekthopn,— 

A  friend  who  has  visited  many  of  our  English 
gardens,  both  large  and  small,  tells  rae  the 
variegated  Rhaninus  is  seldom  seen.  This  is  a 
pity,  as  it  is  certainly  one  of  the  brightest  ever- 
green wall  plants,  and  makes  an  admirable  contrast 
to  the  deep  green  leaves  of  such  things  as  Magnolias 
and  Escallonias,  the  scarlet-flowered  Cydonia,  or 
the  scarlet-berried  Cratiegus.  The  long,  slender 
shoots,  too,  are  very  useful  in  a  cut  state  and 
stand  well.  It  is  of  easy  culture  and  will  flourish 
in  a  poor  soil ;  indeed,  the  variegation  is,  I  think, 
more  pronounced  under  these  conditions.  A  few 
young  shoots  may  be  layered  annually  at  the  base 
of  the  old  plant,  and,  if  the  soil  about  them  is  kept 
moist,  nicely  rooted  stuff  will  soon  be  available. — 
E.  BuRRELL,  Claremont,  Surrey. 

Rhododendron  ppseeox.— The  crossing 

of  R.  ciliatum  with  other  dwarf-growing  species  has 
produced  a  number  of  ver}'  pretty  and  useful 
early-flowering  hybrids.  Of  the  number  the  one 
under  notice  is  possibly  the  best.  It  was  raised 
by  the  late  Mr.  J.  Davies,  of  Ormskirk,  by 
crossing  R.  ciliatum  with  the  rosy  purple  winter- 
flowering  R.  dauricum.  In  general  appearance  it 
does  not  resemble  either  of  its  parents  ver}^  closel3\ 
It  has  the  bushy  habit  of  R.  ciliatum  with  the 
small  leaves  of  the  other  parent,  the  flowers  being 
intermediate  in  size  and  rose  coloured.  Though 
perfectly  hardy  it  needs  protection  while  in  flower, 
its  natural  flowering  period  being  the  end  of 
February.  Grown  for  the  cold  greenhouse  it  is 
very  useful,  as  it  may  be  flowered  several  j'ears  in 
succession  in  the  same  pots,  and  with  slight 
forcing  may  be  had  in  flower  from  Christmas 
onwards.  Several  plants  are  growing  in  borders 
in  a  cold  house  at  Kew,  where  they  flower  with 
great  freedom. — W.  D. 

A  new  Buddleia  (B.  Colombise).— 

In  the  current  number  of  the  Revue  Hordcole  of 
Paris  the  editor,  M.  Andre,  gives  a  description, 
illustrated  by  a  good  woodcut,  of  the  above-named 
shrub,  which  he  has  grown  for  the  last  eight  years 
in  his  garden  at  the  Villa  Colombia  at  Cannes. 
He  has  provisionally  named  it  after  his  villa,  as 
after  long  search  amongst  herbarium  specimens  he 
has  been  as  3^et  unable  to  identify  it  with  any  of 
the  lOG  known  species  of  the  genus.  He  does  not 
know  its  native  countr3'  or  anj'thing  about  its 
origin,  save  that  it  was  a  chance  seedling  that 
came  up  amongst  a  lot  of  seeds  of  the  same  Tamil}- 
received  from  different  parts  of  South  America 
withotit  names  and  sown  together.  He  believes 
it  to  be  only  half-hard}",  as  most  things  from  that 
region  are  in  this  country,  e.xcept  in  some  parts 
of  Devon  or  Cornwall,  and  says  that  it  resembles 
somewhat  the  South  African  variety  known  as 
B.  salvifolia  with  greyish  white  flowers,  which  is 
sometimes  met  with  in  the  gardens  near  Mentone 
and  the  Cap  Martin,  l^^roni  tlie  woodcut  I  should 
sav  that  the  habit  of  the  plant  somewhat  resembles 
that  of  B.  variabilis,  excepting  it  apjtears  to  have 
much  slenderer  stems.  The  individual  flowers  are 
pure  white,  and  seem  in  size  somewhat  larger.  It 
is  a  late  spring  bloomer,  so  is  seldom  seen  in 
flower  by  the  winter  visitors  to  the  Riviera  unless 
they  prolong  their  stay  in  that  beautiful  region  to 
a  later  period  than  they  usually  do.  It  is  to  be 
lioped  that  this  beautiful  new  shrub  may  ere  long 
long  be  introduced  to  our  .southern  gardens,  where 
with  some  protection  it  migiit  survive  ;  it  sh<ndd 
also  be  an  ornament  to  such  fine  conservatories  as 
tlie  North  American  house  at  Kew.  It  will  soon 
be  sent  out  by  Messrs.  Nabonnand,  of  Golfe  Juan, 
Cannes,  Erance. — W.  E.  (iui\niLETON. 


GARDEN. 


d5?l5^^ 


-^2 


No.  I.r24.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[February  :',  1901. 


ANNUAL   FLOWER    SEEDS. 

GOOD  gavdcner.s  are  now  conning 
their  seed  lists  and  making  out 
their  own  lists  of  what  i.s  wanted 
for  the  coming  season.  Many 
annuals,  such  as  Poppies,  Nemo- 
phila,  Limnanthes,  Om])halodes  linifolia,  and 
the  large  annual  Iberis,  with  the  first  batch  of 
Sweet  Peas,  should  have  been  sown  last 
autumn — in  August  and  September  ;  indeed, 
excepting  Sweet  Peas,  scarcely  any  of  these  are 
worth  sowing  in  the  spring.  But  there  still 
will  be  the  bulk  of  the  good  annuals  and 
biennials,  and  the  large  section  of  half-hardy 
annuals  that  are  raised  in  frames,  pricked  out 
when  large  enough  and  jiut  in  place  in  the  last 
days  of  May  or  the  earliest  of  .Tune.  Besides 
their  garden  use,  it  should  be  remembered  that 
many  are  wanted  for  cutting  in  some  quantity, 
so  that  provision  should  be  made  for  sowings 
in  the  reserve  garden  of  Mignonette,  Sweet 
Peas,  Sweet  Sultan,  Scabious,  Stocks,  and 
Asters.  For  this  use  of  the  Stocks  and  Asters 
the  tallest  growing  and  most  branching  kinds 
are  the  best  :  indeed,  observant  gardeners' 
eyes  are  being  opened  to  the  fact  that  these 
are  not  only  the  best  for  cutting  but  also  for 
garden  ornament.  Both  are  plants  whose 
nature  is  to  branch,  and  the  dwarfing  that  has 
so  long  gone  on,  in  response  to  the  false 
demand  for  general  dwarfing  for  bedding  use, 
is  now  so  little  desired  that  seedsmen  will  do 
well  to  reconsider  the  whole  question. 

The  great  and  well-deserved  jiopularity  that 
during  the  last  two  years  has  been  gained  by 
the  handsome  .single  Septen.ber-tiowering  Aster 
of  bold  bushy  growth  (Callistephus  sinen.sis), 
and  by  the  other  bold  Asters  of  the  Comet 
and  Ostrich  Feather  class,  should  show  seed 
growers  that  with  the  great  growth  of  horti- 
cultural interest  people  are  learning  for 
themselves  whn.t  is  beautiful  and  desirable. 
There  can  scarcely  be  a  doubt  that  all  who 
have  seen  these  Asters,  and  have  acquired 
some  knowledge  of  garden  material  and  .some 
power  of  discernment  between  the  better  and 
the  worse,  will  have  the.se  rather  than  the 
dwarfed  forms. 

The  dwarf  ones  are  not  entirely  without 
their  use,  for  they  are  charming  in  tiny  cottage 
gardens,  and  much  liked  by  jioor  jieople,  avIio 
buy  them  in  pots  from  costermongers'  barrows, 
and  these  are  uses  worthy  of  all  respect ;  but 
for  wider  garden  use  the  larger-growing  kinds 
are  by  far  the  best. 
There  are,  unhappily,  always  a  few  iieople 


who  are  ready  to  make  captious  criticism  and 
who  may  be  inclined  to  say  that  we  advocate 
straggling  plants.  We  desire  to  say  most 
emphatically  that  this  is  not  the  case.  We 
desire  to  see  in  gardens  and  to  urge  seed 
growers  to  produce  the  most  beautiful  plants 
in  every  esse.  ■  If  by  nature  the  plant  has  a 
fairly  good  flower  and  a  straggling  habit  it  is 
the  business  of  the  seed  grower  to  select  his 
stock  till  the  habit  has  come  to  just  that  point 
that  is  the  most  beautiful  of  which  the  plant 
is  capable,  but  not  to  go  beyond  this  as  has  so 
often  been  done,  fetill  less,  for  the  sake  of 
having  a  "  novelty ''  to  offer,  to  put  forward 
any  debased  or  uglified  form  of  a  good  plant, 
as  has  lately  been  done  in  the  case  of  the 
Foxglove. 

There  is  a  tendency  to  give  undue  preference 
to  the  dwarfed  forms  of  that  grand  late 
autumn  plant  the  French  Marigold,  whose 
larger  kind  is  of  incompara,ble  beauty  in  such 
mild  seasons  as  the  last  two,  when  in  many 
gardens  it  was  the  finest  thing  to  be  seen  in 
them  throughout  October.  The  dwarfer  kinds, 
so  well  grown  in  Scotland,  also  have  their  uses  ; 
but  it  should  be  lemembered  that  there  are 
plenty  of  other  plants  of  about  the  same 
stature,  including  Tagetes  signata  pumila  and 
Tagetes  Incida  (a  capital  plant  much  too  little 
grown),  also  dwarf  forms  of  Zinnia  elegans  and 
Z.  haiigeana,  whei-eas  there  is  nothing  of  the 
same  late  season  of  French  Marigold  of  its  own 
stature  and  effect.  The  fine  African  Marigold, 
it  should  be  remembered,  is  over  by  the  end  of 
Septenilier. 


FLCWER    NAMES. 

We  must  to  some  extent  hibernate  with  our 
fiowers,  and  the  removal  of  labels,  the  writing 
up  of  garden  note-books,  and  the  perusal  of 
)iiles  of  autumn  catalogues  may  seem  but  thin 
ghosts  and  skeletons  of  gardening,  names 
instead  of  things.  But  we  may  do  a  good  deal 
of  winter  gardening  in  names  ;  they  are  full 
of  association  and  interest,  and  lead  one's 
thoughts  down  many  by-]iaths  of  knowledge, 
or,  it  may  be,  of  ignorance.  Certainly  as  we 
grow  older  we  feel  more  and  more  tlie  impotence 
of  names  Wlien  the  child  of  my  garden  stays 
her  feet  at  some  conspicuous  flower  and  asks, 
■'  Father,  what  is  this  ?  "  my  answer  that  it  is 
Gladiolus  brenchleyensis  or  Phlox  somebody 
or  another  is  by  no  means  the  kind  of  informa- 
tion she  seeks.  Her  young  soul  is  still  near  to 
the  inner  spirit  and  reality  of  things  ;  she 
desires  to  know  what  such  a  beautiful  thing 
may  be  in  itself,  .something  of  its  ultimate 
essence  and  provenance,  not  its  mere  number 
or  ticket.     Perhaps  it  is  a  syniptoiu  of  second 


childhood,  in  a  favourable  sense,  that  as  we 
advance  towards  the  other  exireniity  of  life 
there  grows  upon  us  this  craving  to  penetrate 
below  the  name  or  even  the  outward  form  : — 

"  Flower  in  the  crannied  wall, 

t  iiluck  yon  out  of  the  crannies  : 
Hold  you  hei-e,  root  and  all,  in  my  hand. 
Little  flower;  hut  if  I  could  undeisiand 
\\'hat  yon  are.  root  anrl  all,  and  all  in  all, 
I  should  know  what  r<od  atid  niau  is.*' 

But  there  are  those  who  find  final  satisfac- 
tion in  the  name,  in  the  fitting  of  every  Hower 
into  its  mental  row  and  )iigeon-liole.     To  them 
a  plant  bears  its  soul  on  its  label,  as  a  lob.ster 
carries  its  bones  on  its  back.     An  authority  on 
plant  nomenclature  was  asked  in  my  presence 
by  the  owner  of  a  beautiful  garden  to  supply  the 
name  of  a  fine  outdoor  purple  Ipomwa.   Seeing 
him  for  once  at  fault  I  mischievouslv  suigested 
the  quite  imaginary  name  Iponuea  Veitchii,  on 
the  principle  omin'   iiimiiuni   jiro    Veitchii.      I 
still  see  his  face  as  he  answered,  with  a  solemn 
pause  after  each  word,  "  I — know — no — hardy 
Ipomaia— of  that — name,"  and   lapsed   into   a 
shocked  silence.     To  him  tliat  nameless  Con- 
volvulus  was   a   barren   stalk,  the   Rose  mis- 
named   was   scentless,  the   unlabelled   garden 
infinitely  less  entertaining  than  a  hortns  sicru.':. 
The  ways  of  looking  at  a  flower  are  so  diverse 
that  flower  names  may  mark  off^  not  only  indi- 
viduals but  even  races.     The  name  Love-in-a- 
mist    for    Nigella   pertains,    I    think,   to   the 
delicate   Celtic    imagination,   but    a    common 
name   for    the    same    flower    in    the    eastern 
counties    is    Devil-in-a-bush.      There   is   your 
grosser   Teutonic   luind,  jieopled    with   under- 
ground onblins  and  imrs  instead  of  creatures 
of  sunlight.     In   an    Irish  friiry  tnle  the    Evil 
One  himself  is  less  malign  than  tlv  ordinary 
elf.  the  Rumpelstiltskin  of  the  Cerman  stories. 
Errors,  too,  in  ]ihint  names  mnv  be  grouped 
accordin.s  to  men  and  minds.     The  too-clever- 
hy-half  explanation  of  a  name  is  not  iincommor, 
.■IS  in  the  instance  of  the  .lerusalem  Artichoke. 
Some  inaenious  person  reasoned  that  as  Oira- 
sole  is  Italian  for  Sunflower,  and  this  Artichoke 
is  a  Helianthus,  therefore  ".lerusalem"  must 
be  a  ooiTuption  of  Girasole.   Rut  nufoi-tunately 
the  vegetable  is  never  called  Girasole  in  Italian, 
and  was  grown  and  received  its  name  in  Kngland 
lon.g  before  it  was  introduced  into  Italy  at  al'. 
Jerusalem   means   simply  outlandish,  strange, 
novel.     The  village  name  hereabouts  for  Luiil'- 
wort  is  .lerusalem  Cowslips  :  Phlomis  fruticosa 
is   .Jerusalem   Sage.     An   old   man    who   once 
worked  in  my  garden  called  Scarlet  Runners 
.Terus^dem  Reans,and  remembered  when  Mam/el 
was   called  .Jerusalem   Beet.     The   interesting' 
point  is  that  the  word  is,  no  doubt,  a  survival 
from  days  as  far  back  as  the  Crusades,  when 
Palestine     was    the    representatively    foreign 
country,  just  as  French  or  Frenchified   stood 
for   foreign   in    the   last   century.     The   great 
"erratic  boulders  "  of  stone  alien  to  our  chalk 
country  -which  lie  on  the  ilarlborough  I)owns 
came  from  no  man  knew  where,  and  so  are  to 
this  day  "Sarsens  ''  or  Saracens. 
The  vaguely  sentimental  gardener  is  a  foe  to 


70 


THE     GARDEN. 


rFEBRUARY    2.    1901. 


accuracy  in  names.  "  Winilttower"  conjure.s  up 
flowers  nodding  in  cool  breezes,  which,  l>y  the 
way,  are  a])t  to  be  cooler  than  is  desirable  in 
Anemone  time.  AnemnK,  it  is  true,  is  (ireek 
for  wind,  but  Anemones  one  and  all,  save 
jmhitfllhi,  detest  wind,  and  ati'ect  the  shelter 
of  copse  and  Oliveyard  at  home  and  abroad. 
A  friend  of  mine,  whose  knowledge  on  .such 
questions  is  great,  suggests  that  the  dispersal 
of  the  fluffy  seed  by  the  wind  may  have  given 
the  name  ;  but  in  Greece  the  Anemones  are 
so  vividly  coloured  that  the  bloom  wouhl  take 
precedence  of  the  seed  as  a  characteristic,  and 
I  prefer  to  think  that  Anemone  was  the  U'oorl- 
tfmri'i;  since  nemos  is  Greek  for  a  woodland 
glade.  If  this  is  so,  the  flower's  likings  are 
doubly  emphasised  in  Anemone  iiei/ioroxn. 

Misintei'pretations  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 
are  plentiful,  and  prevail  even  among  those 
who  should  know  better.  Aquilegia  is  a 
common  stumbling  block.  The  first  gardening 
dictionary  I  open  derives  it  "from  aqiii/a,  an 
eagle,  in  reference  to  the  form  of  the  jietals." 
I  once  rather  unkindly  asked  a  guest,  an  Eton 
and  Oxford  man  and  a  somewhat  distinguished 
scholar,  for  an  explanation  of  the  name,  and 
was  delighted  by  the  alacrity  with  which  he 
enlightened  me — "  Oh,  don't  you  know  ? " — and 
exhibited  the  five  little  ea/f/es  clustered  together. 
I  pointed  out  that  he  was  dealing  with  the 
latter  half  of  the  word  as  the  whist  jilayer  in 
"Happy  Thoughts''  dealt  with  his  embarrassing- 
trumps — "threw  them  away  with  the  rubbish 
at  the  end."  Aquilegia,  from  aqua-lego,  means 
the  water-gatherer, and  anyone  who  has  admired 
the  glittering,  diamond  like  globules  in  the 
leaves  after  rain  or  dew  must  own  that  there 
arc  few  apter  names.  It  is  the  Latin- French 
C'ohuiihine,  of  course,  that  describes  the  dove- 
like sepals.  The  resemblance,  especially  in  the 
lightly-built,  clear  blue,  wild  C'olund;)ine  of 
our  Hanip.shire  woods  is  so  striking  as  always 
to  remind  me  of  the  exquisite  Iloman  ^Mosaic 
of  the  drinking  doves  in  the  Palatine  iluseum. 
Both  the  botanical  and  the  ]iopular  name  of 
this  flower  are  excellently  descriptive. 

Why,  in  these  Dattbdil  days,  has  no  one 
corrected  the  spelling  of  "  Campcrnelle  "  .Jon- 
quil ?  Campanella—  plural  "e"— is  Italian  for  a 
little  bell,  and  exactly  the  same  word  as  the 
Latin  (■cmipanula.  Flowers  of  various  colours 
and  forms,  but  having  the  common  feature  of 
an  entire,  more  or  less  bell-shaped  corolla,  are 
in  all  languages  "  bell-ttowers." 

Plants,  many  of  them,  are  vexatious  things 
enough,  but  they  are  not  responsible  for  the 
vexations  connected  with  their  names.  A 
celebrated  whip  of  the  Tedworth  Hunt,  when 
things  had  gone  amiss,  used  afterwards  to  say 
apologetically,  "  I'm  afraid,  sir,  I  swore  inoie 
thnn  I  DiKjht."  Changes  by  edict  of  a  familiar 
name,  such  as  the  impo.ssible  Kniphofla  for 
Tritoma,  have  brought  many  a  mild  spoken 
gardener  into  a  similar  predicament.  In  the 
case  of  a  common  flower  it  is  neither  advisable 
nor  feasible  to  change  the  accepted  name. 
"  Tufted  Pansy "  may  lie  a  more  expressive 
name  than  Viola — though  I  observe  that  many 
of  the  newer  varieties  decline  to  tuft— but  it 
has  not  "  caught  on  "  in  current  speech.  People 
will  not  use  two  new  words  where  one  old  one 
will  .serve,  and  the  old  name  has  had  (juite  too 
long  a  start  to  be  overtaken.  Words  are  rebel- 
lious things.  Louis  XIV.  is  said  to  have  com- 
manded by  royal  proclamation  that  carmssi' 
should  change  its  gender,  but  it  remains 
masculine  to  this  day,  despite  analogy  and  the 
Grand  Monarque. 

Then  there  is  the  difflculty  of  finding  new 
names  for  new  flowers.  Historical,  mytho- 
logical, astronomical,  topical,  fanciful,  all  seem 
used  up.     Personal    names    are  insufficiently 


descrijitive.  "Uriah  Pike ''  scarcely  expresses 
the  fragrance  or  the  colour  of  the  finest  crimson 
Clove  Carnation,  and  even  this  mine  may  be 
worked  out.  When  we  have  exhausted  all 
our  Ladies  Patricia  Plantagenet  and  Mistresses 
.John  Jones  there  will  remain  no  form  of  name 
but  "  Seedling  1001."  This  trouble  commonly 
besets  me  as  a  raiser  of  seedlings.  If  a  good 
name  comes  to  mind  it  is  sure  to  have  been 
anticipated,  and  I  endorse  the  old  Roman's 
malediction,  "  Perish  those  who  said  our  best 
things  before  us  1 "  1  thought  Ariadne  a 
befitting  name  for  a  refined  ivory-white 
Leedsi  Daflbdil,  but  some  one  demonstrated 
that  there  was  already  a  Dutch  jVriadne, 
having  a  "  stout  yellow  trumpet  and  broad 
substantial  perianth  "  features  reminiscent  of  an 
alderman  rather  than  of  the  fair  maid  of  Crete. 
Una  seemed  unajipropriated,  but  it  appears 
that  two  or  three  other  flowers  besides  one  of 
my  Narcissi  have  lately  received  the  name. 
Either  Spenser  has  suddenly  become  fashion- 
able or  the  dearth  of  names  has  sent  florists  to 
all  recesses  of  literature.  An  eminent  firm 
have  named  two  of  their  new  Roses  Una  and 
the  Lion.  Una  is  a  pretty  flower  name,  and 
one  has  heard  of  Tiger  Lilies,  but  what  is  the 
Lion  doing  dan.':  cette  galere  !  Coupled  names 
are  not  necessarily  both  suitable,  for  example, 
P>eauty  and  the  Beast. 

Geoece  En(;leheart. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


Obituary. — We  are  very  sorry  to  hear  of 
the  deatli  of  Mr.  Henrj'  Boyle,  Eller  How,  Amble- 
side, one  of  our  most  valued  correspondents  and 
a  keen  gardener.  —  M.  O.  A.  Chatin,  tlie  dis- 
tinguished French  botanist  died,  we  regret  to  say, 
on  January  t3,  after  a  long  illness. 

New   Chpysanthemums.  —  Mr.  H.  .J. 

.Jones,  of  Ryecroft  Nursery,  Hitlier  (ireen,  Lewis- 
ham,  has  forwarded  to  us  his  excellent  portfolio  of 
new  Chrysanthemums  for  1901.  The  illustrations 
have  been  reproduced  from  photographs,  and  will  be 
very  helpful  to  those  making  a  selection  of  new 
kinds. 

Iris  ting'ita.na. — Many  of  j'our  correspon- 
dents seem  to  tail  to  flower  this  Iris.  I  grow  it  in 
full  sun,  the  soil  con.sisting  of  3  inches  of  gravel 
over  a  clay  bottom  and  9  inches  of  soil  over  the 
gravel;    it  flowers   to  perfection. — L.   Bdckl.\nd, 

Jubilee    of    the     "Gardeneps' 

ChPOnicle." — We  are  pleased  to  see  in  Lk 
Jardiii  an  appreciative  reference  to  the  fact  of  our 
contemporary  having  attained  its  jubilee.  It 
concludes  by  expressing  the  wish  that  the  fifty 
years  to  come  may  be  as  prosperous  as  those  that 
are  passed,  as  well  in  the  interests  of  horticulture 
as  of  tlie  journal  itself. 

Gepanium  Lowi  (op  Lowii).— I  saw 

this  plant,  which  is,  I  believe,  a  native  of  Madeira, 
flowering  freelj'  last  summer  in  a  very  warm  spot 
at  the  foot  of  Snowdon.  It  has  a  curious  rough 
stem  about  1(1  inches  in  length,  and  looks  almost 
like  a  miniature  Palm.  The  flowers  are  a  bright 
pinkish  purple,  and  offsets  are  produced  freely. 
Messrs.  Clibran,  who  supplied  the  plant,  say  it  is 
hardy  in  warm,  dry  situation.s.  It  is,  I  think, 
well  worth  growing.  ~  E.  C.  Bit.xton,  Cni'il  Denr, 
/■lf'llirs-i/-Co('d. 

Liveppool   Papks   and  Gardens.— 

In  the  interesting  address  recently  delivered  by 
Mr.  R.  W.  Ker,  at  the  social  gathering  of  the 
Liverpool  Horticultural  Association,  he  submitted 
some  facts  and  figures  of  the  above  tiiat  show 
Liverpool  is  not  unmindful  of  horticulture.  The 
number  of  open  spaces  under  tlie  mauagemeut  of 
tlie  parks  and  garden  committees  amounts  to  forty- 
five,  and  find  employment  for  17'l  men.  During 
the  season  special  exhibitions  of  Chrysanthemums, 
Begonias,  and  Cannas  are  arranged  at  Lifton  Park 
and  the  Botanic  (hardens,  which   are   visited  hy 


crowds  of  citizens  and  visitors.  Window  hoxes  are 
provided,  furnished,  and  fixed  free  of  cost  during 
the  summer  months,  and  if  placed  end  to  end  would 
reach  l\  miles.  Tubs  containing  liush  trees  (Privet 
principally)  number  ."ilitl,  and  are  placed  at  the 
more  important  positions  in  the  town.  The  com- 
mittee is  formed  by  a  selection  of  the  members  of 
the  city  council,  under  the  indefatigable  chairman- 
ship of  Alderman  .Joseph  Ball,  who  is  ablj'supported 
by  the  large  staff  under  the  control  of  Mr.  H. 
Herbert,  superintendent  of  parks  and  gardens. 

Mp.  GeOPg-e  Stanton.— This  well  known 
horticulturist,  who  for  many  j'ears  has  had  charge 
of  the  gardens  at  Park  Place,  Henley-on-Thames, 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Noble,  is  honoured  by  the 
French  Government  with  the  distinction  of 
Chevalier  du  Merite  Agricole.  We  heartily 
support  this  nomination,  a  fitting  recompense  to 
an  excellent  cultivator  and  a  worthy  man. 
Mr.  Stanton  has  always  shown  the  greatest 
kindness  to  young  French  gardeners,  and  particu- 
larly to  old  boj's  of  the  Versailles  School  of 
Horticulture,  who  come  over  to  England  in  order 
to  perfect  themselves  in  their  professional  studies. 
He  has  employed  man3'  of  them  during  the  last 
twenty  years.  It  is  proposed  b3'  his  juniors  to 
offer  a  'present  to  Mr.  Stanton  as  a  mark  of 
congratulation  and  esteem. — Le  Jnrdiii. 

Galanthus  Kilkenny  Giant.— This  is 

a  curious  Snowdrop  that  I  owe  to  the  kindness  of 
Mr.  .lames  Allen,  who  sent  it  to  me  some  years  ago  ; 
by  way  of  contrast  it  is  planted  near  one  of  exactly 
opposite  habit  of  growth,  appropriately  named 
Tom  Tit.  The  latter  is.  however,  later  than  usual, 
while  its  giant  companion  has  come  before  its 
wonted  time.  It  is  singular  because  of  its  tall 
habit  for  a  form  of  Galanthus  nivalis,  and  it  has, 
moreover,  a  lankiness  about  it  which  reminds  one 
of  a  tall  but  undeveloped  youth.  It  grows  in  some 
years  to  about  a  foot  high,  and  thus  is  a  striking 
contrast  to  Tom  Tit.  which  is  not  half  its  height. 
The  flowers  of  G.  Kilkennj'  (iiant  are  not  large, 
but  are  of  the  true  nivalis  type.  It  was,  I  believe, 
a  selection  of  Mr.  Allen's,  and  is  interesting  as 
showing  one  of  the  extremes  which  Snowdrops 
show  at  rare  intervals  in  the  course  of  reproduction 
from  seeds. — S.  Arnutt,  Carsi thorn  hy  Dumfries, 
N.B. 
Camellias  in  the  open.— I  was  greatly 

interested  recentlj'  on  visiting  St.  Leonard's  Hill, 
Windsor,  the  residence  of  Sir  Francis  Tress  Barry, 
Bart.,  to  see  how  unusually  well  the  Camellia 
grows  there  out  of  doors.  One  sees  bushes  of  this 
plant  in  all  parts  of  the  grounds  ;  in  fact,  the 
garden  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mansion  might  almost 
be  described  as  a  Camellia  garden.  Many  are 
planted  in  the  most  exposed  positions,  and  appear 
to  thrive  equally  as  well  as  those  that  are  sheltered. 
It  was  surprising  to  learn  that  no  protection  what- 
ever is  afforded  these  Camellias  during  the  winter  ; 
not  even  a  mat  is  placed  over  them.  When  one 
considers  that  the  situation  is  high  and  full}' 
exposed  to  the  east,  this  is  all  the  more  remark- 
able. On  January  2."),  the  date  of  my  visit,  one 
bush  was  bearing  (|uite  a  innnber  of  flowers,  anil 
the  others  were  simply  bristling  with  good  sound 
buds.  Sir  Francis  remarked  that  frost  apparentlv 
has  no  injurious  etl'ect  upon  the  buds  uidess  they 
are  well  forward,  and  these  are  so  numerous  thut  a 
good  display  is  always  obtained.  Some  of  these 
Camellia  trees  had  been  out  of  doors  for  the  last 
twelve  or  thirteen  years,  and  were  far  more 
vigorous  and  bearing  more  blossom  buds  than  is 
often  the  case  with  plants  under  glass.  This 
would  seem  to  infallililv  prove  that  the  Camellia  is 
hardier  than  it  is  usually  supposed  to  be.  Sir 
Francis  Barrj'  has  on  several  occasions  exhibited 
at  the  winter  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  Camellia  blooms  cut  from  bushes  in  the 
open,  and  much  interest  has  been  evinced  in  the 
matter.  I  feel  sure  that  if  Mr.  Brown,  the  head 
gardener  at  St.  Leonard's  Hill,  who  is  largely 
responsible  for  the  successful  treatment  of  these 
Camellias,  would  send  a  few  notes  concerning 
them,  they  could  not  fail  to  be  of  interest  to  your 
readers,  very  many  of  whom  are  ])robably  not^ 
aware  that  Camellias  can  be  successfully'  giown 
out  of  doors  in  other  than  the  favoured  soulh- 
westei'n  counties,— T.   V.     fWe  shall  be  pleased 


February  -2,  1901.] 


THE     GAKDEW. 


71 


lij  liBiii-  of  otiier  similar  instances  from  corre- 
spondents. There  seems  to  be  no  reason  why  the 
Camellia  should  not  prove  as  useful  as  the  Azalea 
or  Rhododendron,  as  its  hardiness  can  apparently 
be  no  longer  doubted. — Eds.] 

Horticultural   Exhibitions  at 

Ghent. — The  Royal  Agricultural  and  Botanical 
(Society  of  Uhent  has  just  issued  the  programme 
of  two  exhibitions  for  this  3'ear.  The  first,  for 
Orchids,  exotic  plants,  flowering  shrubs,  and  table 
and  floral  decorations  is  from  April  'IS  to  30  ;  the 
second,  for  Chrj'santhemunis,  fruits.  Orchids,  and 
ornamental  plants,  from  November  10  to  12. — 
M.  FiERENS,  135,  Coupure,  is  the  secretary. 

Frogmore.— The  thoughts  of  the  British 
nation  will  to-day  be  centred  on  quiet,  secluded, 
peaceful  Frogmore,  a  spot  that  will  long  bear  a 
solemn  and  pathetic  significance  to  every  true- 
hearted  Briton,  for  here  is  laid  to  rest  our  beloved 
Queen  beside  the  Consort  whom  she  loved  so 
well,  and  whose  memory  she  ever  held  sacred  1 
Owing  to  the  cherished  memories  and  associations 
attached    to     Frogmore     ({rounds,    their    privacy 


by  our  late  Sovereign,  and  chosen  by  her  as  a  final 
resting-place.    Onr  photograph  is  by  Russell  &  .Sons. 

Forthcoming  Barley  competition. 

—  We  observe  that  the  scliedule  for  tlie  fourth  of 
the  series  of  these  interesting  com  peti  tions  organised 
by  Messrs.  William  Colchester  and  Co.,  the  well- 
known  agricultural  manure  manufacturers  at 
Ipswich,  has  been  issued.  There  are,  in  addition  to 
the  main  prizes,  additional  prizes  allocated  to  each 
separate  county,  and  this  has  been  done  for  the 
first  time  this  year,  so  that  it  will  be  seen  that  even 
if  the  southerlj'  or  northerly  areas  are  not  able  to 
beat  Sutiblk  or  Norfolk,  there  is  a  definite  share  in 
the  prizes  reserved  to  other  counties.  The  compe- 
tition last  November  was  the  largest  yet  held,  and 
we  anticipate  the  popularity'  of  these  competitions 
will  contiiuie  to  grow  as  it  well  deserves  to  do. 

Galanthus  Melvillei  Aurora.— 

Galanthus  Melvillei  major  is  one  of  the  finest  of 
our  Snowdrojjs  of  the  nivalis  section,  although  1 
must  confess  that  I  cannot  grow  it  as  well  as  at 
Dunrobin  Castle,  whence  Mr.  I).  Melville,  the 
gardener,    very   courteously  sent    me    last   year  a 


IN      IIIK    i:Klir\l)S    AT    FRIHiHORE. 


has  ever  been  strictly  guarded.  Here  is  the 
mausoleum  wherein  is  Ijuried  Her  Royal  Highness 
the  late  Duchess  of  Kent,  and  here  is  situated 
Frogmore  House,  the  residence  of  the  late  (Queen's 
mother  also.  The  gardens,  covering  some  forty  or 
fifty  acres,  are  exceedingly  beautiful,  and  contain 
a  number  of  choice  Conifers,  the  majority  of  which 
are  doubly  interesting  from  the  fact  that  they  have 
been  planted  either  by  or  for  members  of  our  own 
Royal  House  and  Royal  personages  from  abroad. 
Amongst  the  numerous  evergreen  and  deciduous 
trees  that  adorn  this  peaceful  demesne,  a  specimen 
of  the  deciduous  Cypress  (Taxodium  distichum)  is 
conspicuously  fine,  and  has  an  added  interest  when 
one  learns  that  this  was  Her  Majesty's  favourite 
tree.      Quite  in  keeping  with   the  associations  of 

\iFrogmore  is  the  natural  old  -  world  gardening 
everywhere  in  evidence  ;  the  several  arbours,  some 

,  covered  with  Ivy,  others  with  Roses  or  Honey- 
suckle, the  beds  and  borders  of  Roses,  Violets, 
Heather  and  other  old-fashioned  flowers  in  which 
(lUieen  Victoria  took  delight,  serve  but  to  accentuate 
the  spirit  of  repose  that  has  ever  prevailed,  and 
always   'vill   ptovail  around  the   spot  held  sacred 


couple  of  fine  bulbs  bearing  flowers.  They  were 
much  handsomer  than  any  flowers  I  had  grown  of 
this  species  before,  which  I  attribute  to  the  soil  at 
Dunrobin  being  more  peaty  and  moister  than  that 
here.  Of  the  same  style  of  flower,  and  possessing 
that  purity  of  colour  which  is  one  of  the  charms  of 
Melvillei  major,  Aurora  comes  earlier  into  flower, 
and  this  is  certainly  a  gain  to  those  who  look 
eagerly  forward  to  the  first  flowers  of  the  year. 
As  regards  its  form,  one  need  only  say  that  Aurora 
is  one  of  Mr.  James  Allen's  own  seedlings,  and  that 
he  selected  it  as  worthy  of  a  distinctive  name.  To 
those  who  know  the  care  taken  by  our  great  Snow- 
drop specialist,  this  is  a  sufficient  warrant  for  the 
quality  of  this  Snowdrop.  It  has,  moreover,  a  good 
constitution. — S.  Ar.vott. 

Two  new  DeutZias.— Within  the  last 
few  years  that  noted  hybridist,  M.  Lemoine,  of 
Nanc3',  has  devoted  much  attention  to  the 
Deutzias,  with  such  a  successful  result  that  bj'  the 
crossing  and  intercrossing  of  those  desirable 
species — D.  gracilis,  1).  discolor  purpura.scens,  and 
D.  parviflora — several  new  and  desirable  kinds 
have    cmxnati'd    from    that   noted   establishment. 


The  first  was  1).  Lemoinei,  sent  out  in  Isll.l. 
This  is  a  delightful  shrnb  for  flowering  under 
glass,  but  it  is  not  always  a  success  when  in  the 
open  ground.  .Since  then  we  have  had  from  the 
same  source  D.  Lemoinei  conipacta,  D.  Jjcmoinei 
Boule  de  Niege,  D.  gracilis  rosea,  D.  gracilis 
venusta,  and  D.  gracilis  campanulata,  and  now  as 
new  plants  for  the  present  year  M.  Lemoine 
announces  two  kinds — D.  gracilis  carminea  and 
D.  kalmiicflora.  The  first-named  is  described  as 
resulting  from  D.  gracilis  crossed  with  I),  discolor 
purpurascens.  In  general  appearance  it  is  more  in 
!  the  way  of  D.  gracilis,  but  the  flowers  are  of  a 
i  soft  rose  colour,  with  the  reverse  of  the  buds 
deep  carmine.  The  branches  arch  like  those 
of  Philadelphus  Lemoinei  with  the  weight  of 
blossoms.  The  second  novelty — I),  kalmia'flora — 
was  obtained  from  D.  discolor  purpurascens  crossed 
with  D.  parviflora.  It  is  described  as  one  of  the 
finest  spring-flowering  shrubs  known,  bearing  as 
it  does  about  the  middle  of  May  large  corymbs  of 
flowers,  in  colour  blush,  edged  with  a  deeper  tint, 
while  the  buds  are  rosy  lake.  The  prominent 
stamens  form  a  crown-like  centre  to  the 
flower,  as  in  certain  Narcissus,  while  the 
flower  itself  is  quite  distinct  from  that 
of  other  Deutzias,  and  reminds  one  of 
the  umbels  of  a  Kalmia. — H.  P. 

Bamboos  in  pots.— Where  house 
decoration,  alike  in  the  waj'  of  plants 
as  well  as  cut  flowers,  is  required,  and 
accommodation  for  Palms,  Dracienas,  &c. , 
is  limited,  an  excellent  substitute  will 
be  found  in  the  hardy  Bamboos.  From 
some  large  clumps  of  B.  Metake  in  low 
lying  parts  of  the  pleasure  grounds  I 
potted  up  some  offsets  about  IS  inches 
high  a  few  seasons  back,  and  they  did  so 
well  and  proved  such  a  decided  acquisi- 
tion for  house  decoration  that  the  idea 
has  been  repeated  as  circumstances 
required,  with  the  result  tliat  we  have  a 
healthy  batch  of  plants,  in  sizes  varying 
from  7  feet  downwards,  that  are  ahvajs 
at  hand  for  different  purposes.  When 
not  required  in  the  house  they  occupy  a 
position  under  a  north  wall,  and  bej'ond 
copious  supplies  of  water  want  no  other 
attention.  At  the  approach  of  sharp 
weather  the  pots  are  put  closer  togethej , 
and  sufficient  Bracken  packed  around 
and  above  then]  to  protect  from  frost. — 

E.   BURRELU 

Epacris     purpurascens 

flore-pleno.  -  This   is   quite  distinct 

from   an}'  other  of  the   numerous   forms 

of  Epacris   bj'  reason  of  its  double  blo.'-- 

soms,   a  feature  rarely  met  with  among 

its   immediate   allies;     indeed,     in     this 

genus  and  that  of  Erica,  with  its  species 

and  varieties  innumerable,  1   only  know 

of    two   with   double   flowers,    viz.,   this 

Epacris  and  a  variety  of  the  common  Ling 

or  Heather  (Erica  or  Calluna  vulgaris). 

Apart  from  the  duplex  character  of  its 

blossoms,  this  dift'ers  from  the  generally  cultivated 

forms   of   Epacris   in    being   altogether   a   stouter 

growing   plant,    whose    long    shojts    are    thicklj' 

clothed  with  leaves,  from   the  axils  of  which  the 

flowers  are  borne  in  great  profusion.     In  a  good 

form    (for   they  vary   somewhat)  the   flowers   are 

very  double,  like  little  white  rosettes,   but  in  the 

bud  state  they  are  slightly  tinged  with  pink.     So 

numerous  are  these   blossoms  that  when   in  good 

condition  the  entire  shoot  is  wreathed   with  them 

for   some   distance.      It   was   first   di.stribuleil    in 

1883,  under  the  name  E.  onosniiefiora  tiure-pleno, 

and  at   that  r-ime  was  thought  likely   t(j  prove  a 

great     acquisition,    but     it     never    attained    the 

popularity  that  was  then  anticipated  for  it.     Still, 

j  for  all  this  it  is  both  prett\'  and  distinct,  and  ailds 

'  variety  where  a  collection   of   Epacris   is   gi..wn. 

Being  of  a  particularly  stout,  succulent  nature  in 

order  to  succeed  in  its   propa^'ation.    the  cufJngs 

must  be  taken  from  the  ueaker  shools. -- 'I'. 

Eranthemum  pulehellum.  -Wc  have 

none  too  man_\'  blue  flowered  plants  of  any  descrqi- 
tion,  let  alone  of  winter-lluwering  ones,  that  need 
only  moderately  warm  house  foi'  their  cultivation. 


n 


THE    GAlll)K^. 


[February    J,   1901. 


Xhe  above-menlioued  is  one  that  possesyes  both 
these  characteristics.  For  several  months  past  it 
has  been  in  Bower  with  me,  and  not  even  3et  have 
its  last  blossoms  appeared.  These,  which  are  of 
a  licli  bright  blue,  usually  first  appear  about 
November,  and  are  continued  in  a  surprising 
manner  right  through  the  winter.  The  leaves, 
loo,  are  rather  prettily  marked  with  grey.  From 
cuttings  inserted  in  Febuiary  or  March  good- 
sized  plants  that  will  bloom  well  may  be  had  by 
the  following  winter.  The3'  take  root  easily  if 
placed  under  a  bell-glafs  in  a  warm  house  in 
light  soil.  A  mild  hotbed  is  of  great  assistance 
in  striking  cuttings  at  this  season  of  the  3'car, 
and  wherever  possible  should  always  be  used. 
The  former  take  root  much  more  cjuickl}',  and  are 
therefore  in  a  position  to  develop  into  better 
plants  than  if  thej'  lingered  some  time  before 
rooting.  As  soon  as  the  cuttings  are  well  rooted 
they  should  be  placed  singly  in  3-inch  pots,  using 
as  a  compost  equal  parts  of  peat,  loam,  and  leaf- 
mould,  with  a  good  sprinkling  of  sand.  Keep  them 
during  the  summer  in  a  warm  house  near  to  the 
glass,  and  pinch  them  so  as  to  induce  a  bush3'  and 
shapel3'  habit  of  growth.  Eranthemum  pul- 
ehelluni  (nervosum)  grows  strongl3',  so  that  at  the 
final  potting  some  of  the  plants  will  be  large 
enough  to  place  into  7-inch  pots,  although  those  of 
t)  inches  diameter  will  probabl3'  be  suitable  for  the 
majority.  Occasional  applications  of  stimulants 
in  some  form  are  of  great  benefit  in  the  autumn. 
E.  pulchellum,  an  East  Indian  plant,  has  been 
known  more  than  100  years,  having  been  introduced 
so  long  ago  as  1796. — T.  F.  W. 

Acacia  platyptera.— Of  the  hundred  or 
more  species  of  Acacia  under  cultivation  this  is 
one  of  the  most  distinct  and  also  one  of  the  most 
useful.  It  is  an  Australian  plant,  and  makes  a 
mass  of  thin  wiry  growths  peculiar  on  account  of 
the  wide  flattened  wings  which  grow  from  two  sides 
of  the  stem.  The  flowers  are  in  small  spherical 
heads,  deep  j'ellow  in  colour,  and  are  produced 
singly,  or  several  together  from  ever\'  joint  on  the 
upper  half  of  the  previous  summer's  wood.  It 
grows  and  flowers  well,  either  as  a  pot  or  border 
plant,  and  thrives  in  a  mixture  of  peat  and  sand.  As 
with  other  Acacias,  pot  plants  are  greatly  benefited 
bj'  being  plunged  out  of  doors  in  summer. — D. 

Acokanthera  spectabilis.  —In  several 

of  the  houses  at  Kew  specimens  of  this  South 
African  plant  are  now  in  flower,  their  fragrance 
quickly  making  their  presence  evident.  Although 
naturally  a  bush,  with  a  little  training  it  may  be 
grown  as  a  roof  plant.  AVith  the  thorough  ripening 
of  the  wood  that  follows  under  this  treatment 
an  increased  quantit3'  of  flowers  is  obtained.  If, 
however,  it  is  planted  in  a  mi.xture  of  peat,  loam, 
and  sand  in  a  warm  greenhouse,  where  it  can 
obtain  plenty  of  light  and  air,  it  blooms  very  satis- 
factorily as  a  bush.  The  leaves  are  oval.  4  inches 
to  .■)  inches  long,  deep  green,  and  leather3'.  The 
flowers  are  pure  white  and  borne  in  dense  clusters 
from  the  axils  of  the  leaves.  Though  individually 
small,  the  large  numbers  produced  together  render 
the  inflorescences  very  conspicuous,  while,  as 
before  stated,  their  presence  may  be  readily 
detected  113'  their  fragrance.  As  a  pot  plant  it  is 
apt  to  liecome  unsightly  ;  otherwise  it  is  u.seful  to 
group  with  others  during  the  six  weeks  it  is  in 
flower.  —  W.  1). 

Salvia  HeePi.— To  those  who  value  large 
specimen  flowering  plants  in  very  early  spring  tlie 
Halvia  under  notice  should  commend  itself.  You 
have  recently  published  several  notes  on  blue 
winter-flowering  Salvias,  and  as  a  scarlet  one  for 
the  present  season  8.  Heeri  is  equallj'  as  deserving 
of  mention.  The  flowers  have  deep  scarlet  corollas, 
and  are  bor'ne  in  loose  terminal  racemes.  W'ell- 
grown  plants  reach  a  height  of  3  feet  to  4  feet  oi- 
more,  and  produce  a  profusion  of  blossoms.  Out- 
lings  taken  in  s))ring,  after  the  flowering  season  is 
over,  will  root  readily.  The  method  of  culture 
that  wc  adopt,  and  which  usually  gives  ver3' 
satisfactor3'  results,  is  to  transfer  the  cuttings, 
when  well  rooted,  into  large  .'i-inch  ])ots,  aiid  in 
tlie  month  of  May  plant  them  out  in  a  wull- 
jirepared  and  sheltered  portion  of  the  garden. 
Salvias  enjoy  a  rich  soil,  so  this  must  be  borne  in 
mind  and  the  ground  well  prepared  and  enriched 


accordinglv'.  If  a  distance  of  3  feet  is  allowed 
between  the  rows,  and  the  plants  are  the  same 
distance  apart  from  each  other,  the  latter  will  be 
able  to  enjoy  to  the  full  all  available  light  and  air, 
inqjortant  factors  in  their  culture.  Should  the 
summer  be  hot  and  dr3',  the  Salvias  will  need 
frequent  waterings,  and  would  be  all  the  better 
for  a  light  mulch.  It  is  important  to  make  sure 
that  the  plants  are  not  in  want  of  water  when 
removed  from  their  pots.  The\'  must  be  well 
watered  before  and  after  planting.  We  usually 
take  them  up  again  for  repotting  towards  the  end 
of  September,  placing  them  in  the  smallest  pots 
that  are  convenient.  Those  of  10  inches  and  1"2 
inches  in  diameter  are  generally  found  to  be  most 
suitable.  Ever3'  care,  of  course,  is  taken  so  as  to 
damage  the  roots  as  little  as  possible  in  repotting. 
Attention  to  this  matter  has  a  deal  to  do  with 
their  speedv*  re-establishment.  A  house  that  is 
kept  warm  and  close  is  the  best  place  for  the 
newl3'-pntted  plants  for  the  first  week  or  so  ;  root 
action  is  greatly  assisted  by  it.  If  these  ap- 
parently minor  matters  are  attended  to  with  care 
but  few  leaves  will  be  lost,  and  very  useful  winter 
flowering  plants  will  have  been  obtained  with  a 
minimum  of  labour. — T.  W. 


TOWN    GARDENING. 

FURNISHING    FLOWER 
BEDS   IN    WINTER. 

ONE  of  the  eyesores  we  have  usuall3'  to 
k  put  up  with  in  going  over  the  garden 
I  at  this  season  is  occasioned  by  the 
I  empt3'  flower  beds,  and  we  are  apt 
to  regard  it  as  simply  one  of  the 
timel3'  reminders  that  the  dullest 
period  of  the  whole  3'ear  has  arrived.  In  many 
instances  there  is  no  necessit3'  that  all  the  beds 
should  be  empty  and  unattractive  even  at  this 
dull  time,  as  it  is  quite  possible  to  have  many  of 
them  furnished  and  made  fairly  presentable.  This 
is,  perhaps,  a  matter  of  very  much  more  importance 
in  a  public  park  than  even  in  a  private  garden,  as 
the  persons  who  liave  to  be  catered  for  in  the 
former  case  are  far  more  numerous  than  in  the 
latter,  and  ma3'  not  be  so  considerate  and  lenient  in 
their  judgment  of  things  as  private  emplo\  ers. 

Of  course  whei-e  bidbs  are  grown  in  beds  it 
would  be  impossible  to  improve  their  appearance  : 
but  then  the  period  of  bareness  is  of  much  shorter 
duration  than  when  the  beds  are  only  used  for 
summer-flowering  plants,  and  their  brilliancy  so 
telling  that  the  short  time  during  which  the3'  are 
bare  and  cheerless  is  hardly'  noticed.  It  is  the 
beds  containing  no  bulbs  that  require  winter 
furnishing,  and  there  are  invariably  many  such  in 
the  majorit3'  of  gardens  and  parks  which,  if  only 
used  for  summer  bedding,  are  empt3'  for  nearly  six 
months  of  the  3'ear.  Some  gardeners  recommend 
filling  up  such  beds  with  small  branches  of  ever- 
greens like  Holly  and  Laurel,  and  by  this  means 
hiding  the  bare  soil  out  of  sight.  A  still  better 
method,  however,  of  attaining  this  end  is  the  old- 
fashioned  one  of  planting  them  with  evergreen 
shrubs  grown  on  in  pots  and  arranged  in  various 
colours  and  sizes  in  the  beds.  This  is  a  plan  I 
have  adopted  for  several  3'ears  past,  and  find  it 
answer  admirabty.  By  mixing  golden,  silver,  and 
green  foliaged  plants  of  different  species  together 
very'  pleasing  eS'ects  are  obtained.  The  best  sub- 
jects for  this  work  are  the  dwarfer  growing  so- 
called  Retinosporas,  such  as 

R.    (IBTUSA    PLUMOS.\, 

with  its  gold  and  silver  forms  R.  ericoides  and 
R.  squarrosa,  the  various  beautifull\'  \'ariegated 
forms  of  P^uonymus  japonicus,  including  !'..  ratlicans, 
several  varieties  of  Cupressus  lawsoniana,  and 
Cry'ptomeria  elegans.  I  have  also  tried  Hollies, 
Aucubas,  and  golden  Privet,  but  with  such  little 
success  that  they  will  be  discontinued  in  the 
future.  The  golden  Privet  would  be  an  exceed- 
ingly good  plant  for  the  purpose  were  it  not  for 
the  fact  that  in  a  3'oung  state  its  leaves  are  appa- 
rentl3'  not  so  persistent  as  when  it  gets  older,  and 
many   of    those   grown    in   jjots    lose   their  leaves 


before  the  new  3'ear.  and  for  this  reason  have  lo  be 
discarded. 

Where  this  st3'le  of  winter  bedding  is  carried  out 
to  any  great  extent  it  is  necessary  to  keep  up  a 
supplj'  of  30ung  shrubs  read3'  to  take  the  places  of 
those  which  either  become  too  large  or  too  shabby 
for  the  purpo.se,  and  hence  it  is  essential  lo  projja- 
gale  a  number  of  shrubs  each  3ear.  We  take 
cuttings  of  the  .shrubs  enumerated  above  about  the 
month  of  July,  and  strike  them  in  pots  plunged  in 
ashes  in  a  cold  fiame.  By  the  end  of  October 
the3'  are  sufficiently  rooted  to  be  potted  into  3-inch 
pots,  and  they  are  again  put  back  into  a  cold 
frame  where  the3'  remain  until  the  spring,  wheji 
the3'  are  put  out  and  plunged  in  the  nursery. 
These  3'oung  shrubs  are  first  used  when  two 
years  old 

FoK  Edcin'c  L.^kok  Bkh.s 

or  filling  up  small  ones,  an'  are  continueil  in  use 
every  winter  afterwards,  until,  as  previousK'  stated, 
tlie3'  get  too  large  or  shabb3'.  I  make  it  a  point 
to  dispense  with  shrubs  for  bedding  purposes  as 
soon  as  the3'  require  an\thing  larger  than  an  8-inch 
pot,  for  the3'  then  become  too  cundjersome  and  are 
not  so  easil3'  moved  about  from  place  to  place  as 
when  in  smaller-sized  pots.  If  the  only  fault 
against  a  pot  shrub  is  its  size,  it  may  possibly'  be 
utilised  to  fill  up  an  odd  corner  in  a  shrubbery 
where  a  blank  has  occurred,  and  thus  serve 
another  term  of  usefulness.  One  great  advantage 
of  having  flower  beds  furnished  with  pot  shrubs  is, 
that  although  they  are  at  all  times  presentable  and 
even  pleasing  in  appearance,  3'et  as  soon  as  it 
is  desirable  they  can  be  dismantled  without  doing 
the  slightest  injury  to  the  occupants,  and  may  be 
forthwith  planted  with  summer  bedding.  How 
difi'erent  with 

Beds  Occui'ied  by  Bclbs, 
which  have  to  be  so  carefully  managed  to  prevent 
irreparable  damage  being  done  when  preparing  for 
this  same  summer  bedding  I  For  this  reason  alone, 
even  if  it  were  possible  for  me  to  plant  all  my  beds 
with  bulbs,  1  should  fill  some  with  shrubs  in 
preference,  so  as  to  do  awa3'  with  the  necessit3',  to 
a  certain  extent,  of  disturbing  choice  bulbs  too 
early  in  the  season,  as  would  otherwise  be  the 
case,  especiall3'  if  the  summer  work  were  taken  in 
hand  at  the  earliest  possible  moment.  By  the 
time  the  beds  that  have  been  tenanted  by  pot 
shrubs  during  the  winter  months  have  all  been 
replanted  and  put  in  order  for  another  season,  th 
bulbs  in  the  remaining  beds — if  intended  for  further 
service — are  in  a  better  condition  to  be  removed  to 
the  nurser3'  for  final  ripening  than  if  disturbed 
earlier. 

Although  the  plants  I  have  previously  mentioned 
as  being  adapted  for  this  kind  of  bedding  are  all 
foliage  shrubs,  3et  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  the 
use  of  earl3'  spring-flowering  shrubs,  which  would 
be  out  of  bloom  by  the  time  the3'  were  removed 
back  to  the  nurser3'.  \A'e  are  growing  on  some 
plants  of  Erica  carnea,  E.  mediterranea,  ami  K. 
codonodes,  with  which  it  is  intended  to  experiment 
in  this  direction  at  the  first  opportunity.  It  lias 
been  urged  b\"  some  gardeners  that  this  method  of 
bedding  is  a  ver3'  costly  one,  entailing,  as  it  does, 
the  continual  expense  of  keeping  up  tlie  necessary' 
stock  of  suitable  shrubs,  as  well  as  the  great 
amount  of  labour  required  in  attending  to  them 
during  the  dry  summer  nionlhs.     This  is 

Quite  .\  Mistake, 

as  the  cost  of  growing  on  the  plants  is  ((uite  a 
trivial  matter,  as  is  also  the  expense  of  attending 
to  it  while  in  the  nursery,  for  the  |ilants  being 
plunged  over  the  rims  of  the  pots  and  growing  in 
compact  beds  can  be  readil3'  and  verv  ([uickly 
watered— every  day  if  need  be — by  a  lad  using  a 
hose-pipe  over  them.  \Vhen  it  is  remembered  that 
for  nearly  six  months  of  the  year  the3'  require  no 
attention  wluile\'er.  and  f-  r  the  remaining  six  bul 
very  little,  il  will  undoubtedly  bo  admitted  that 
taking  everything  into  eonsitleralion  there  are  few 
cheaper  or  more  satisfactory  methods  of  reducing 
the  iiujnbcr  of  empty  flower  beds  in  a  publi<'  park 
or  garden  during  the  winter  months  than  liy  using 
pot  shrubs. 

i'ardiff.  W.  W-  I'li'moUEW. 


February   2,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


73 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

GRAPES   APPLEY  TOWERS   AND 
LADY   HUTT. 

NEW  Grapes  are  not  forthcoming  to  the 
extent  that  new  varieties  of  many 
other  fruits  are,  and  of  tliose  that 
liave  during  recent  years  been  dis- 
tributed few  surpass  in  flavour  and 
general  usefulness  the  best  of  the  old 
varieties.  Those  most  wanted  are  late  keeping 
kinds  possessing  good  Muscat  or  Frontignan  flavour. 
There  are  already  enough  of  handsome  Sweetwater 
and  various  thick-skinned  varieties,  unless  the 
flavour  is  improved,  and  this  appears  to  be  a  defect 
ditticult  to  remedy.  The  subjects  of  this  note 
belong  to  the  latter  sections,  which  without  doubt 
accounts  for  their  not  being  more  generally  grown, 
although  it  has  been  said  that  Appley  Towers  is 
making  headway  to  the  disadvantage  of  Alicante 
for  market  purposes  in  the  Channel  Isles.  .Judging 
from  my  somewhat  limited  experience  of  it  I 
believe  it  would  make  a  good  market  variety, 
possessing  as  it  does  suitable  properties  for  that 
purpose,  but  whether  it  will  displace  Alicante  is 
questionable.  It  has,  however,  both  a  strong  con- 
stitution, and  is  easily  cultivated,  producing  plenty 
of  compact  shouldered  bunches  that  set  their 
berries  freel}'.  The  berries  are  similar  in  appear- 
ance, but  a  little  larger  than  are  those  of  Alicante. 
They  colour  perfectly,  and  carry  a  thick  bloom  ; 
their  skin  is  thick,  but  this  is  apparently  a  failing 
inseparable  from  very  long  keeping  kinds. 

These  two  Grapes,  although  said  to  have  origi- 
nated from  the  same  parents,  do  not  in  any  way 
resemble  each  other,  unless  in  the  fact  that  the}' 
are  alike  strong  growers,  free  croppers,  and  retain 
their  foliage  in  a  healthy  fresh  state  longer  than 
do  most  other  kinds.  The  bunches  of  Lady  Hutt 
are  large  shouldered  and  symmetrical,  and  their 
berries  are  large,  round,  greenish  yellow  in  colour, 
and  set  freely.  It  is  a  good  keeper,  and  possesses 
a  brisk,  pleasant  sugary  flavour,  which  improves 
by  the  bunches  being  kept  upon  the  vine  after  the 
berries  are  ripe.  This  variety  is  certainly  deserving 
of  being  generally  grown  for  private  use,  perhaps 
more  so  than  any  other  white  Grape,  with  the 
e.xoeption  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  its  colour  is  detrimental  to  it.  Did 
it  only  possess  that  of  perfectly  finished  Muscat  of 
Alexandria  it  would  be  a  highly  attractive  and 
grand  exhibition  variety. 

Perhaps  owing  to  the  conditions  under  which  we 
grow  these  Grapes  they  cannot  be  said  to  have  a 
fair  trial.  Canes  of  each  were  procured  when 
they  were  first  distributed,  and  Lady  Hutt  was 
inarched  upon  Foster's  Seedling  and  Appley 
Towers  upon  Madresfield  Court,  in  a  house  chiefly 
devoted  to  Black  Hamburgh  ripe  in  August.  The 
Grapes  in  this  house  are  not  required  late,  and 
consequently  we  have  not  attempted  keeping  either 
Lady  Hutt  or  Appley  Towers  after  the  middle  of 
December,  but  at  that  date  their  appearance  indi- 
cated that  they  would  keep  some  time  longer.  If 
grown  for  late  use  of  course  they  would  not  be 
started  into  growth  so  early  in  the  season  as  they 
now  are.  The  working  of  Appley  Towers  upon 
Madresfield  Court  will  appear  to  those  who  are 
successful  with  the  latter  variety  a  senseless  thing 
to  do,  and  Mr.  Crump  has  very  aptly  compared  it 
to  putting  "  the  beggar  upon  the  gentleman,"  but 
I  am  old  enough  not  to  be  ashamed  to  admit  that 
I  cannot  grow  Madresfield  Court  to  my  satis- 
faction. It  has  been  tried  in  two  houses  under 
various  conditions  of  treatment  said  to  prevent 
the  cracking  of  its  berries,  but  without  complete 
success.  We  have  a  heavy  soil  and  a  low  situation 
by  the  side  of  a  stream  and  surrounded  by  woods. 
Fogs  and  a  moist  atmosphere  are  therefore  very 
iprevalent,  especially  at  night,  and  rightly  or 
wrongly  I  attribute  my  failure  with  Madresfield 
Court  to  these  circumstances.  Amongst  other 
modes  of  treatment  we  tried  that  of  keeping  the 
borders  continuously  wet  during  the  growing  and 
ripening  seasons.  This  I  notice  has  lately  been 
recommended  as  a  remedy,  and  it  does  not  appear 
unreasonable,  although  in  my  case  it  was  of  no  avail. 


The  system  of  drying  the  borders  to  an  extent 
that  causes  wide  fissures  to  appear  all  over  them  I 
did  not  try.  I  have  seen  Madresfield  Court  treated 
in  this  manner  accompanied  with  the  desired  result 
in  so  far  that  it  prevented  cracking  of  the  berries, 
but  they  were  extremely  "  fo.\y  "  in  colour,  and  I 
would  rather  be  without  this  fine  (Jrape  than  have 
it  in  this  condition.  There  is  no  question  about 
the  value  of  this  grand  Grape  when  it  is  grown  as 
Mr.  Fyfe  exhibited  it  at  the  last  Temple  show,  or 
as  Mr.  Roberts  grew  it  both  at  Bolton  Hall  and 
Gunnersbury  Park.  Such  instances  of  success, 
however,  I  think  may  be  taken  as  of  comparatively 
uncommon  occurrence,  otherwise  it  would  be  much 
more  generally  grown  than  it  is  for  early  and  mid- 
season  use.  TlIllMAS  CouMBiiR. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not   responsible   for  the  opinions 
expressed  hy  their  correspondents. ) 


CAMPAN.ULAS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — "  M.  L.  W."  in  your  issue  of  the 
12th  ult.  invites  Campanula  lovers  to 
give  the  names  of  such  Campanulas  not 
mentioned  by  herself  as  are  irresistible. 
Her  garden  she  describes  as  "in  a  small 
way,"  and  if  this  is  to  be  taken  literally  I 
am  afraid  the  hosts  of  the  many  and  one  things 
that  she  has  so  delightfully  chatted  about  will 
have  to  give  way  and  become  "memories"  only, 
if  room  is  to  be  found  for  all  the  Bell-flowers  that 
are  irresistible.  Yet  what  a  delightful  spot  a 
Campanula  garden  would  be,  and  what  a  long  way 
would  I  willingly  go  to  see  it.  Kew  has  many 
Campanulas,  but  I  doubt  if  it  has  a  tithe  of  the 
many  varieties  and  species  that  are  in  existence. 
"Robinson"  has  over  100  kinds,  and  that  far 
from  ends  the  list.  I,  in  "my  small  way,"  have 
several  varieties  or  species  that  I  cannot  find  in 
"  Robinson."  Is  there  in  existence  a  list  of  all  the 
varieties  that  is  anything  like  up  to  date  ?  A  book 
might  well  be  written  on  this  charming  family  ; 
possibly  it  has  already  been  taken  in  hand,  if  so 
I  should  be  glad  to  know  of  it.  Our  nomenclature 
of  plants  is  generally  admitted  to  be  far  from 
satisfactory,  yet  I  doubt  whether  among  the  many 
families  that  an  up-to-date  nurseryman  has  to  keep 
in  stock  there  is  any  one  so  generally  miscalled 
and  wrongly  labelled  as  the  Campanula.  Even 
some  of  the  best  houses  in  the  trade  are  far  from 
blameless  in  this  respect.  There  are  few  thijigs 
more  annoying  to  a  gardener  tlian  to  give  a  fair 
price  (more  often  than  not  a  long  price)  for  some- 
thing reputed  to  be  new,  that  is  then  planted 
carefully,  and  watched  for  some  months,  and  then 
when  the  bloom  comes  to  find  it  but  an  old  friend 
with  a  new  and  false  name.  That  is  annoying, 
but  it  is  nearly  as  bad  when  you  have,  say, 
G.  F.  Wilson  from  one  firm  and  G.  F.  Wilson 
from  another,  to  find  them  distinct,  one  a  border 
plant,  the  other  small  enough  to  be  grown  in  the 
rock  garden.  Campanula  Erinus  does  not  appear  to 
be  in  "Robinson,"  and  last  year  did  well  with  me. 
It  is  a  creeper,  and  is  covered  with  lavender-bUie 
flowers.  Is  it,  I  wonder,  another  name  for 
"  Elatines,"  which  I  have  not  grown,  and  which 
appears  also  to  be  a  creeper?  Then  a  plant  of 
Zoysi  that  flowered  with  me  last  year  seemed  to 
be  similar  to  the  Mont  Cenis  variety,  cenisia  in 
"Robinson."  I  could  give  other  instances  that  must 
be  the  experience  of  man}'  others  beside  myself. 
The  Garden  would  do  a  great  service  to  the 
trade  and  their  general  readers  if  it  could  see  its 
wa}'  to  publish  a  list  of  synon3'ms,if  the  other 
task,  namely,  a  complete  list,  is  asking  too  much. 
I  will  leave  to  some  other  pen  better  qualified  than 
the  writer  to  give  "  M.  L.  W."  her  list. 

Herbert  E.  Molyneux. 
Brantwood,  Balhain,  S.  W. 

[To   THE   Editor   of   "The  Gardes."] 

Sir, — I   read  with  much  interest   "  M.   L.   W.'s" 
delightful  article  (page  30).    She  could  not  possibly 


have  planted  a  more  beautiful  and  interesting 
family  of  plants  than  the  Campanulas,  and 
although  space  is  no  doubt  very  precious  in  "  the 
Oblong,"  it  would  never  have  done  to  have  omitted 
them.  To  an  amateur  the  great  charm  of  the  Bell- 
flowers  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  majority  are  easy 
to  cultivate,  and  are  very  free  blooming  ;  in  fact, 
there  are  very  few  families  of  liardy  plants  which 
give  such  good  results  for  such  a  mininnini  of 
trouble.  "  M.  L.  W."  has  started  with  a  capital 
Selection  ;  she  does  not,  however,  mention  two  of 
my  great  favourites— i.e. ,  C.  garganica  hirsuta  and 
C.  Trachelium  alba  fl.-pl.,  the  double  white  form 
of  the  Nettle-leaved  Bell-flower,  which,  however, 
is  often  called  C.  urticifolia  alba  fl.-pl.  I  do  not 
know  which  name  is  the  correct  one.  C.  garganica 
hirsuta  is  quite  the  best  of  all  the  dwarf  kinds 
grown  here,  generally  commencing  to  bloOm  in 
early  July  and  continuing  to  late  autumn  if  the 
weather  is  mild.  The  double  white  Nettle-leaved 
Bell-flower  does  not  seem  to  be  as  well  known  in 
gardens  as  one  would  expect.  It  grows  about 
3  feet  high,  blooms  most  of  the  summer,  and 
always  gives  a  most  useful  crop  of  bloom  in  Sep- 
tember if  not  allowed  to  suffer  from  drought.  I 
never  really  discovered  its  great  value  until  I  saw 
it  used  for  table  decoration  with  some  spikes  of 
scarlet  Penstemon.  "  M.  L.  W."  mentions  C. 
Hendersoni.  It  is  a  lovely  plant,  but  I  do  not 
think  that  it  is  a  true  perennial.  A  great  ambition 
is  to  succeed  with  C.  AUioni.  I  started  with  a 
good  plant  with  one  rosette,  which  gradually 
increased  itself  by  means  of  a  number  of  suckers 
which  formed  round  the  original  plant ;  indeed, 
some  came  up  quite  a  distance  awa}'.  But,  alas  I 
it  quite  refused  to  bloom,  and  suddenlj'  collapsed 
just  when  it  -was  looking  at  its  best.  I  have  never 
been  able  to  ascertain  the  cause,  and  as  I  was  told 
that  lime  was  its  pet  objection,  I  took  special 
precaution  to  plant  in  soil  which  did  not  contain 
it.  If  any  of  your  readers  have  been  successful 
with  this  plant,  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  of  their 
experience.  Arthue  R.  Goodwix. 

The  Mms,  Kidderminster. 


EMIGRATION    TO    CANADA. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — You  have  been  kind  enough  on  more  than 
one  occasion  to  give  publicitj'  to  letters  from  me 
relating  to  the  inducements  extended  b}'  the 
Dominion  and  Provincial  Governments  of  Canada 
to  persons  who,  from  one  cause  or  another, 
are  contemplating  emigration  from  the  United 
Kingdom. 

I  venture  to  think  that  in  no  part  of  the  world 
can  settlers  obtain  greater  advantages  than  in  the 
Dominion  of  Canada.  In  Manitoba,  the  North- 
West  Territories,  and  parts  of  Ontario  free  grants 
of  160  acres  of  land  are  to  be  bad.  In  Prince 
Edward  Island,  Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick, 
Quebec,  Ontario,  and  British  Columbia,  as  well  as 
in  Manitoba  and  the  North-West  Territories, 
public  lands  can  be  purchased  on  nominal  terms, 
and  in  every  part  of  the  countrj'  improved  farms 
may  be  acquired  at  reasonable  prices  b}'  those  who 
are  possessed  of  a  little  means. 

The  agricultural  industry  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  There  is  a  large  market  locally  for  the 
produce  that  is  raised,  while  the  exports  of  the 
Dominion,  particularl}'  to  Great  Britain,  of  cattle, 
meats,  grains  of  all  kind,  flour,  butter,  cheese,  eggs, 
and  fruit  are  increasing  with  great  rajiidit}'.  It  is 
not  onlj'  in  agriculture,  however,  that  opportunities 
await  the  new  settler.  Canada  has  abundant 
wealth  in  her  forests,  mines,  and  fisheries,  all  of 
which  can  be  more  rapidly  developed  than  at 
present  with  the  advent  of  capital  and  more  people, 
and  the  same  remarks  apply  to  the  important 
manufacturing  industry,  which  is  expanding  so 
satisfactorily.  Both  in  agriculture  and  in  the  other 
directions  mentioned  there  are  excellent  openings 
for  men  with  money,  and  for  labour  of  the  classes 
in  demand.  ■  It  may  be  added  that  taxation  is  light, 
that  the  cost  of  living  is  relatively  cheaper  than  in 
the  United  Kingdom,  that  the  climate  is  healthy 
and  attractive,  and  that  a  man  with  a  family  has 
unusual  facilities  for  the  education  and  starting  in 
life  of  his  children. 


74 


THE    GAUDEN. 


[February  2,  1901. 


Canada  has  room  for  many  niilions  more  than  her 
present  population.  The  occupation  of  the  immense 
areas  of  fertile  land  now  awaiting  cultivation  means 
increased  markets  for  British  productions,  which 
now  receive  a  tariff  preference  of  33^  per  cent,  over 
similar  merchandise  from  other  countries.  At  the 
same  time,  it  would  provide  additional  sources  of 
supply  of  the  many  food  and  other  products  which 
Canada  can  furnish  in  abundance,  and  which  the 
United  Kingdom  is  likely  to  continue  to  import  in 
large  quantities.  It  can  readily  be  understood, 
therefore,  that  the  question  of  immigration  is 
regarded  in  the  Dominion,  and  in  the  colonies 
generally,  as  of  Imperial  as  well  as  of  local 
importance. 

The  Canadian  Government  have  appointed 
agents  in  different  parts  of  the  United  Kingdom, 
from  whom,  as  well  as  from  my  own  department, 
full  particulars  about  Canada  may  be  obtained, 
either  personally  or  by  letter  ;  and  ray  principal 
object  in  once  more  drawing  attention  to  the 
matter  is  to  empliasise  the  importance  to  those 
contemplating  emigration  of  procuring  in  advance 
the  fullest  and  most  reliable  information  available. 

Stkathcona. 

Offices  of  the  High  Commissioner  *'or  Canada, 
17,  Victoria  Street,  London,  S.  W. 


NYMPHyEA  STELLATA  AND  OTHER 
BLUE  VARIETIES. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."]  ' 
8iB, — A  short  time  ago  Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge  asked 
for  information  about  wintering  blue  Nymph;eas, 
and  thus  far  I  have  not  seen  an  answer  to  his 
question,  and  wish  to  make  a  few  remarks  even  at 
this  late  date.  N.  stellata  and  all  blue  Water 
Lilies,  probably  with  the  exception  of  N.  gigantea, 
can  be  grown  out  of  doors  in  England,  and  produce 
seed  freely.  My  experience  with  the  seeding  of 
Nymphseas  is  all  in  favour  of  out  of  door  culture. 
As  to  wintering,  all  blue  and  other  tender 
Nymphseas  can  be  wintered  in  a  dormant  state, 
but  an  erroneous  impression  prevails  with  many 
growers  as  to  wintering  and  the  conditions 
necessary. 

Nymphteas  are  not  all  alike  in  the  matter  of  tuber 
production.  N.  Lotus  (Syncarpus  section)  and  its 
varieties  produce  lateral  growths,  which  in  turn 
produce  tubers  toward  the  end  of  the  season. 
These  under  proper  conditions  ripen  up  and  can  be 
kept  dormant  for  several  months,  but  the  crown  or 
central  growth  will  inevitably  rot  if  an  attempt  is 
made  to  dry  it  off. 

Nymphaia  stellata,  N.  capensis,  and  N.  Zanzi- 
bariensis  (Apocarpus  section)  produce  no  lateral 
growths,  or  very  rarely,  and  to  attempt  to  dry 
off  a  strong  grown  plant  is  certain  death  to  it. 
The  only  way  to  winter  such  plants  is  to  restrict 
leaf  and  root  growth  and  keep  the  plant  in  water 
all  winter  ;  but  this  is  not  always  necessary,  as  in 
some  cases  the  plants  can  be  wintered  where 
they  have  been  grown  during  the  summer  months. 
Large  plants  of  this  section  cannot  be  wintered 
in  a  dormant  state,  save  with  the  exception  of 
N.  gracilis  and  its  hybrids,  N.  Wm.  Stone 
(blue)  and  N.  Mrs.  C.  W.  Ward  ;  but  all  tender 
Nymph;eas  can  be  wintered  in  a  dormant  or 
dry  condition,  including  N.  pulcherrima;  it  is 
necessary  to  select  plants  for  this  special  purpose. 
In  the  case  of  new  or  rare  varieties  it  is  worth 
while  to  provide  space  for  wintering  in  a  semi- 
growing  condition;  but  now  that  the  blue  varieties 
can  be  purchased  at  a  moderate  price  it  is  cheaper 
to  procure  new  tubers  every  season  and  let  the  old 
plants  die,  for  in  most  instances  the  young  plants 
from  tubers  will  give  the  best  results. 

To  secure  tubers  for  wintering  in  a  dry  condition 
special  treatment  is  required  the  preceding  season, 
and  plants  must  be  grown  specially  for  tuber  pro- 
duction, which  is  entirely  different  from  that 
followed  to  produce  specimen  plants  and  flowers. 
In  a  commercial  establishment  where  tliousands  of 
tubers  are  requisite  for  shipment  during  the  season, 
it  would  be  impossible  to  winter  as  many  plants  in 
the  condition  as  referred  to  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge 
(November  3,  page  34'2).  Most  gardeners  can  grow 
whatever  kinds  of  plants  are  required,  either  for 
decorations  or  for  cut  flowers,  or  for  wintering  or 


propagation  ;  this  requires  time,  space,  knowledge 
of  species  and  varieties,  practical  experience,  and 
common-sense.  Experience  will  prove  the  best 
teacher. 

Referring  to  the  ever-blooming  qualities  of 
Nymphaea  pulcherrima,  I  might  sa}'  that  the 
plant  in  question,  referred  to  by  Mr.  Burbidge 
(November  3,  page  342),  is  still  in  flower  under  the 
same  conditions,  the  water  in  the  tank  being  liO" 
at  tliis  season  of  the  year.  The  plant  is  now  in  its 
sixth  j'earof  continuous  growth  and  flower,  showing 
no  signs  of  weakness,  and  the  flowers  are  only  a 
trifle  smaller  than  in  summer. 

Birerfoii,  N.J.,  U.S.A.  W.  Trickek. 

HYMENOCALLIS    MACROPHYLLUAL 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— In  addition  to  "  T.  W.'s  "  notice  in  a  recent 
number  of  The  Garden  about  greenhouse  plants 
flowering  at  the  present  time,  when  flowers  are 
relatively  scarce,  Chrj'santhenium  glories  being 
over  and  bulbs  onlj'  coming  slowly  forward,  I 
would  like  to  add  one  that  seems  to  nie  worthy  of 
notice,  and  is  certainly  of  easy  cultivation.  I  am 
writing  of  Hymenocallis  macrophyllum,  a  plant 
belonging  to  the  family  of  the  Amaryllids,  a  fine 
specimen  of  which  is  before  me  now.  From  a 
round  rosette  of  large,  well-formed  leaves,  the 
fresh  green  and  firm  glossy  look  of  which  is  in 
itself  a  pleasure,  the  strong  tubular  stem  arises 
about  H  feet  in  height,  carrying  an  umbel  of 
about  four  large  white  and  most  curiously  shaped 
flowers.  After  these  have  full}'  developed  the}' 
are  succeeded  by  about  as  many  others  of  smaller 
dimensions,  so  that  the  flowering  period  is 
extended  over  a  considerable  time.  These 
blossoms  are  highly  fragrant  with  a  strong, 
vanilla-like  perfume,  reminding  one  of  that  of 
some  varieties  of  tropical  Orchids.  I  have  found 
Hymenocallis  (.some  species  of  which  are  hardy) 
illustrated  and  described  in  "  Vilmorin's  Garden 
Dictionary "  (German  edition),  but  not  in  any 
British  botanical  work  I  happen  to  possess,  so 
that  I  conclude  it  may  have  another  name  which 
I  am  unacquainted  with.  As  I  have  never  yet, 
seen  it  nor  heard  it  spoken  of  I  think  it  is  but 
little  known,  and  therefore  venture  to  put 
forward  this  little  note  of  recommendation,  hoping 
it  may  prove  of  interest  to  some  of  our  unknown 
gardening  friends  across  the  Channel. 

Vienna.  Mrs.  A.  v.  M.  A. 

PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES  FOR 

POT  CULTURE. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  have  read  with  interest  Mr.  Iggulden's 
note  on  page  382,  and  would  like  to  state  my  expe- 
rience of  most  of  the  sorts  that  he  has  mentioned 
for  pot  culture.  Peach  Amsden  June  I  have  not 
tried,  so  cannot  pass  an  opinion  on  it.  Waterloo 
and  Alexander  as  early  forcing  varieties  are  a 
failure,  though  Alexander  grown  in  the  second 
early  or  late  house  is  very  good.  Early  Louise 
and  Early  Beatrice,  for  early  work,  drop  their 
buds  badly,  and  are  therefore  better  in  a  late 
house,  though  there  are  so  many  better  varieties 
for  a  late  house  that  these  two  can  well  be  dispensed 
with.  Early  Rivers'  is  also  given  to  bud  dropping, 
and  should  be  included  with  the  two  last  named. 
Hale's  Early  succeeds  well  as  a  pot  tree.  Condor 
I  have  not  tried.  Grosse  Mignonne  is-  one  of  the 
best,  never  failing  to  finish  a  good  crop  of  fruit. 
Dr.  Hogg  1  am  trying  this  season  for  early  forcing  ; 
in  a  cool  house  it  is  hard  to  beat  in  colour  and 
flavour.  Crimson  Galande,  in  my  idea,  has  no 
equal  as  a  pot  tree,  setting  heavy  crops,  and 
finishing  the  fruit  large,  well  coloured,  and  richly 
flavoured.  Royal  George  rims  it  very  close  in 
every  respect.  Bellegarde  I  am  trying  this  season 
for  early  work  ;  it  does  well  in  the  late  house. 
Alexandra  Noblesse  with  me  is  rather  shy  in 
bearing,  but  colours  well,  and  the  size  and  flavour 
quite  make  up  for  the  deficiency  in  quantity. 
Goshawk  is  a  splendid  mid-season  variety,  with  me 
always  producing  heavy  crops,  and,  when  well 
thinned,  large  fruit  of  a  pale  creamy  colour,  and 
of    delicious     flavour  ;    no    collection    is    complete 


without  it.  Princess  of  Wales  with  me  is  rather 
shy  bearing  ;  the  fruit  is  large,  colour  cream  well 
flushed  with  red  when  well  finished,  and  the  flavour 
leaves  nothing  to  be  desired.  Lady  Palnierston  is 
a  reliable  sort  providing  it  is  not  over-cropped. 
Gladstone  (which  Mr.  Iggulden  does  not  mention) 
is  a  good  late  variety,  producing  heavy  crops  of 
large  pale-coloured  fruit  of  a  rich  flavour  ;  of  all 
the  late  Peaches  I  should  choose  (iladstone. 

Of  Nectarines,  Early  Rivers'  always  does  well. 
Cardinal  I  have  not  tried.  Pri^coce  de  Croncels  I 
am  well  pleased  with  ;  it  forces  well,  the  fruit  is 
large,  the  flavour  good,  and  ripens  several  days 
before  Early  Rivers'.  Advance  is  a  nice  fruit  if 
well  thinned.  With  me  (Joldoni  is  the  most 
successful  under  pot  culture  ;  it  forces  well,  crops 
heavily,  and  produces  nice  fruit  of  a  splendid  orange 
colour,  and  excellent  flavour.  Stanwick  Elruge  is 
a  good  reliable  sort.  Improved  Downton  forces 
well  ;  good  in  every  respect.  Violette  Hative 
also  forces  well,  and  produces  fruit  of  good  quality. 
Newton  with  me  is  a  failure  as  a  pot  tree.  Hum- 
boldt and  Pine  Apple  both  do  well.  Rivers' 
Orange  is  rather  shy  bearing,  but  its  few  large  and 
richly-flavoured  fruits  cannot  be  dispensed  with.  I 
quite  agree  with  Mr.  Iggulden  with  respect  to 
growing  a  large  number  of  varieties.  A  dozen 
sorts  of  Peaches  and  halt  the  number  of  Nec- 
tarines are  ample,  no  matter  how  large  the  collection 
may  be. 

My  selections  for  pot  culture  would  be-  ■ 
Peaches:  Hale's  Early,  Crim!:on(;alande,  Dr.  Hogg. 
Royal  George,  Alexander,  Grosse  Mignonne,  Belle- 
garde,  Alexandra  Noblesse,  Goshawk,  Gladstone, 
Princess  of  Wales,  and  Walburton  Admirable. 
Nectarines  :  Early  Rivers',  Precoce  de  Croncels, 
Rivers'  Orange,  Goldoni,  Humboldt,  and  Pine 
Apple.  M.  Taylor. 

The  Gardens,  Penhedw,  Nannerch,  Xorth  Wale^. 


PRONUNCIATION   OF  PLANT  NAMES. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Allow  me  to  point  out  that  the  lines  of  your 
"  Colney  Hatch"  correspondent,  published  in  your 
issue  of  December  22,  shows  that  he  himself 
has  something  to  learn.  Gladiolus  cannot  be 
rhymed  with  Euryalus,  because  it  has  in  scansion 
four  short  syllables,  and  should  be  pronounced 
Glad-io-lus,  accenting  the  first  syllable.  Some 
thirty  years  ago  two  disputants  referred  this 
point  to  a  famous  classic,  now  upon  the  episcopal 
bench,  one  contending  that  the  second  syllable  was 
long,  the  other  that  the  third  was.  The  referee 
held  them  both  to  be  wrong,  and  referred  them  to 
a  Latin  dictionary.  The  word,  it  is  almost  need- 
less to  add,  means  a  short  sword.  Similarly 
Ricinus  cannot  he  rhymed  with  "  vice  in  us," 
because  all  these  syllables  are  short.  Your  cor- 
respondent might  have  substituted  "bliss  in  us." 
His  mental  faculties,  however,  were  most  astray 
when  he  wrote  his  last  two  lines,  for  it  is  im- 
possible to  ascertain  the  scansion  of  "edulis" 
from  the  words  "more  or  less.''  In  these  words 
most  people  throw  the  accent  on  the  first  and 
third  ;  in  "  edulis"  the  second  syllable  is  long. 

A.  G.  (J. 
[The  cjuestion  of  pronunciation  of  plant  names 
must  always  be  more  or  less  a  vexed  one,  because 
it  cannot  be  decided  by  one  set  of  rules  alone. 
Our  correspondent  "from  Colney  Hatch,"  as  a 
graduate  of  Cambridge  and  a  careful  student  of 
botanical  etymologj',  we  may  trust  to  be  not  far 
out.  He  cannot  answer  for  himself  as  he  is  now 
in  a  distant  colony,  but  we  know  his  views  on  a 
part  of  the  question  at  least,  and  cordially  agree 
with  them.  They  affect  such  cases  of  pronuncia- 
tion as  that  of  Gladiolus.  This  is  one  of  those 
Latin  plant  names  that  has  come  into  common  use 
and  now  stands  as  the  English  name  of  a  well- 
known  family  of  plants.  The  plant  already  has  an 
English  name — it  has  even  two— and  botliare  good 
and  appropriate  :  Sword  Lily  and  Corn-flag.  But 
no  one  says  Corn-flag  ;  everyone  saya — however 
they  may  pronounce  it — (Gladiolus.  So,  though 
the  word  is  purely  Latin,  it  is  accepted  as  English, 
and  with  its  acceptance  it  has  received  an  equally 
generally  accepted  convenient  English  pronuncia- 
tion.    It  is  perhaps  more  correct  to  put  the  accent 


February  2,  1901,'] 


THE  GAEDEN. 


75 


MULBEKKV   TREE;   ITS   LEAVES   SHED    WITH   TilE  EIKST   ERUST. 


on  t,he  first  sj'Uable,  with  a  long  "a,"  but  a 
sufficiently  long  custom  has  established  the  word 
in  our  English  mouths  with  the  accent  on  the 
second. 

Inscrutable  are  the  laws  that  govern  the  growth 
nf  language,  but  convenience  and  custom  are  as 
potent  factors  as  purity  of  construction.  The 
same  thing  has  happened  in  the  case  of  other  plant 
names.  In  Anemone  we  put  the  accent  on  the 
second  syllable,  though  we  know  that  it  ought  to 
be  on  the  third,  and  Anemone  is  now  good  English. 
Equally  in  the  case  of  Hypericum  we  accent  the 
second  syllable,  whereas  the  accent  properly  belongs 
to  the  penultimate.  In  both  these  names  the 
right  pronunciation  would  sound  slightly  pedantic, 
and  custom  allows  us  to  use  a  pronunciation  more 
convenient  to  our  English  tongues.  The  tendency 
in  English  is  always  to  throw  the  accent  back.  In 
these  cases,  and  in  such  another  as  Aristolochia, 
a  name  originally  Greek  but  accepted  by  our 
masters  in  its  Latinised  form,  we  put  the  accent 
on  the  second  "  o  "  rather  than  on  the  second  "  i," 
with  the  happy  consciousness  that  though  we  are 
magisterially  wrong  we  are  colloquially  right,  just 
as  in  our  grammatical  terminology  we  say  indicative 
and  infinitive,  using  the  convenient  English  rather 
than  the  correct  Latin  quantities. 

We  have  to  steer  a  middle  course  between 
pedantry  on  the  one  hand  and  slip-slop  on  the 
other.  We  think  that  the  unwritten  law  of 
custom,  when  established  for  many  years,  should 
be  generally  accepted,  just  as  we  accept  it  in  our 
conventional  renderings  of  Fuchsia  and  Eschs- 
choltzia.  We  all  say  Fewsha  and  Eskoltcha  with 
quite  an  easy  conscience,  although  we  hold  that 
good  (/ierman  is  quite  as  worthy  of  respect  as 
indifferent  Latin. 

In  the  case  of  botanical  plant  names  that  are 
coming  into  use,  but  that  are  not  yet  quite  familiar, 
by  all  means  let  us  adhere  to  the  original  right 
pronunciation  and  endeavour  to  restrain  debase- 
:meut  or  alteration. 

Another  question  on  the  subject  of  plant  names, 
though  not  connected  with  pronunciation,  often 
comes  before  us.  It  is  the  acceptance  of  names 
that  are  in  themselves  incorrect,  but  that  have 
come  by  use  to  stand  as  the  popular  names  of 
certain  plants.  We  think  the  rule  should  be  to 
accept  the  name  when  there  can  be  no  doubt  what 
is  meant  by  it.     A  word  or  a  name  is  good  when 


it  brings  to  mind  at  once  the  object  indicated. 
Thus,  when  anyone  describes  a  parterre  as  bedded 
with  Geraniums  we  do  not  think  of  Cranesbills, 
but  know  that  he  means  Pelargoniums.  If  he 
speaks  of  a  sunny  bank  gorgeous  with  Nasturtiums 
we  do  not  think  of  Water-cresses,  or  if  of  the 
white  blossom  and  strong  heavy  scent  of  Syringa, 
we  know  he  means  Mock  Orange  and  not  Lilac. 
People  commonlj'  say  Bulrush  when  they  mean 
our  brown  furr3'-headed  friend  the  Giant  Reed- 
mace  (Typha),  whereas  the  name  Bulrush  properly 
belongs  to  the  waving  rush  that  bottoms  chairs 
(Scirpus). 

In  these  and  perhaps  other  such  examples 
it  seems  to  us  right  to  accept  the  word  that 
has  grown  into  use.  We  may  have  come  to 
wrong  conclusions,  and  by  no  means  venture  to 
lay  down  the  law,  or  to  close  our  pages  to  further 
helpful  discussion,  but  we  think  that  the  various 
considerations  we  have  touched  upon  should  be 
allowed  to  influence  the  judgment  of  those  who 
may  like  to  give  us  their  views  on  the  sub- 
ject.— Eds.] 

THE  MULBEREY  AND  ITS  LEAVES. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Gakdex.''] 

Sir, — I  often  admire  the  wise  tree  (Mulberrj'),  and 
put  off  exposing  delicate  plants  until  its  leaves  are 
out,  for  then  one  can  be  certain  no  more  frosts  will 
happen.  I  also  admire  the  way  its  leaves  all  fall 
the  first  frost,  until  which  event  they  remain  on, 
though  other  trees  may  liave  shed  theirs 
Hai/efi,  Kent. 


E.  H. 


NOTES  FROM  CALIFORNIA. 

It  is  the  custom  in  more  than  one  region  of  the 
world  to  speak  of  the  current  weather  as  unusual 
or  phenomenal ;  but  the  weather  records  for  man}' 
years  past  will  bear  me  out  when  I  state  that  tlie 
last  few  seasons  in  California  have  been  excep- 
tional. 

The  winter  of  1899  and  1900  brought  abundant 
rains  to  Northern  California,  but  the  ■  long 
drought  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State  was  not 
broken  until  last  autumn.  Only  one  of  the  most 
perfect  systems  of  irrigation  in  the  world  saved  the 
fruit  growers  of  that  great  region  from  disaster. 


while  those  porlions  wliich  could   not  be  watered 
Buffered  greatly. 

Rains  came  in  early  October  throughout  Cali- 
fornia, and  were  followed  by  liberal  wellings  at 
favourable  intervals.  The  south  was  drenched. 
The  temperature  up  to  the  last  days  of  1900  ruled 
high.  Aided  by  this  and  heavy  fogs,  which  hung 
over  the  great  valleys  of  Northern  California 
almost  continuously  between  storms,  the  frosts 
were  kept  off  and  all  vegetation  given  a  wonderful 
impetus. 

At  Christmas  the  hills  and  valleys  were  heavily 
clothed  with  new  grass,  as  liigh  as  it  often  is  in 
May.  The  leaves  hung  on  all  deciduous  trees  and 
shrubs  until  long  after  the  usual  time,  and  in  many 
instances  new  growth  started.  In  November 
Apple  and  Cherry  trees  here  and  there  were  in  full 
flower,  and  at  one  place  Cherries  were  formed  in 
December.  In  two  warm  belts  the  Oaks  put  out 
new  leaves.  All  over  Santa  Rosa  Bridal  Wreath 
(Spiraeas)  could  be  seen  with  the  coloured  autumn 
leaves  on  shoots  on  which  were  flowers  and  new 
growth,  and  some  Lilacs  were  in  bloom.  The 
llower  gardens  were  a  strange  medley  of  summer, 
autumn,  winter,  and  spring.  Beds  of  Caladiums 
ind  Cannas,  Salvia  splendens,  and  the  tenderest 
Aichsias  and  Geraniums  were  in  proximity  to 
fJosmos,  Chrysanthemums,  Dahlias,  and  Roses ; 
Roman  Hyacinths  and  the  various  Polyanthus 
Narcissi  were  in  flower  in  November  and  waning 
at  Christmastide.  If  one  were  to  judge  by  a  floral 
almanac  they  would  be  puzzled  to  tell  what  season 
it  was. 

For  weeks  Callas  have  been  flowering  freely  out 
of  doors,  and  Dodecatheons  were  in  bloom  on  the 
hills.  For  three  months  a  field  near  my  home  has 
been  orange  with  Eschscholtzias.  The  change 
came  with  the  last  daj's  of  the  year.  We  have 
had  several  sharp  frosts,  with  a  temperature  of 
2i°  Fahr.  The  cold  weather  was  welcome  to  all 
interested  in  agriculture  and  horticulture.  The 
continuance  of  such  warm  weather  would  certainly 
have  brought  fruit  trees  into  flower  so  early  as  to 
expose  them  to  spring  frosts,  while  grain  growers 
felt  the  need  of  weather  which  would  give  more 
hardiness  and  vitalitj'  to  their  grain  crops. 

The  outlook  in  California  is  exceptionally 
favourable.  There  has  been  not  only  an  abundance 
of  rain  but  so  much  working  weather  that  a  large 
area  has  been  seeded  and  is  now  well  established. 
There  is  abundant  moisture  in  the  ground  for  fruit 
trees,  and  the  crop  will  now  depend  on  the  absence 
of  killing  frosts  in  the  spring.  Losses  of  this  sort 
are  being  lessened  j-earlj'  by  the  growers  co- 
operating in  eloseh'  watching  the  temperature  at 
the  critical  time  and  uniting  in  creating  a  dense 
veil  of  smoke  by  the  use  of  burning  straw,  tar,  &c. , 
whenever  the  temperature  approaches  to  danger 
point.  For  several  j'ears  there  was  a  lull  in  fruit 
tree  planting,  but  this  season  will  see  quite  an 
acreage  added. 

Co-operation  among  fruit  growers  in  curing  and 
marketing  their  products  is  receiving  much  atten- 
tion, and  several  great  combinations  have  been 
formed  by  the  producers  on  the  same  lines  as  the 
industrial  trust's.  The  Raisin  combine  controls  the 
market  for  Californian  Raisins.  The  last  and 
greatest  is  the  Prune  combination,  which  controls 
four-fifths  of  the  Californian  Prune  crop,  and 
includes  not  only  the  growers  but  the  corporations 
engaged  in  curing  and  packing  the  Prunes.  By  the 
articles  of  incorporation  of  this  great  fruit  trust 
the  growers  pledge  themselves  to  place  their  entire 
crop  in  the  warehouses  of  the  trust.  There  they 
are  graded  according  to  size  and  qualit}',  and 
put  up  in  uniform  packages.  As  the  Prunes  are 
sold  by  the  association,  each  grower  receives  a 
dividend  in  the  proportion  that  his  crop  bears  to 
the  total. 

From  the  growers'  standpoint  the  advantages  are 
many,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  uniformity  of 
the  product  and  the  greater  facilities  of  so  great  an 
aggregation  of  capital  for  reaching  new  markets 
will  increase  the  consumption.  Other  fruit  growers 
are  taking  measures  to  follow  the  Prune  and 
Raisin  men,  and  it  now  seems  likely  that  in  a  few 
years  each  of  the  fruit  interests  will  be  handled  by 
a  trust.  <  'ARL  PrRDV. 

Santa  Bo^a,  California,  Jainianj  .'. 


76 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February  2,   1901. 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 


SOME   NEW  ROSES  OF  1900 

IN  obedience  to  the  request  of  our  highly- 
esteemed  Editor,  I  last  year  contributed  to 
the  "  Year-Book  "  a  few  notes  on  the  new 
Roses  of  1809.  And  now  he  asks  me  to  do 
the  same  again  !  I  cannot  think  why. 
Surely,  it  is  the  turn  of  someone  else  !  I 
can  lay  no  claim  to  superior  knowledge  of  new 
Roses.  I  have  in  the  past  praised  new  Roses  that 
turned  out  failures,  and  this  year  whenever  I  have 
staged  new  Roses  a  back  seat  has  been  my  lot. 
Doubtless  the  victors  in  the  new  Rose  class  will 
read  this  article,  and  so  let  me  tell  them  that  in 
my  opinion  they  are  the  fit  and  proper  persons  to 
deal  with  the  subject.  Nevertheless,  although  I 
have  a  poor  tale  to  tell,  it  shall  be  told. 

".Some  New  Roses  of  lilOU."  The  season  com- 
menced well.  There  were  several  of  fair  promise 
at  the  Temple  sliow,  but  my  note-book  bears 
testimony  to  the  fact  that  good  new  Roses  of  1!)0(.I 
are  scarce,  no  gold  medal  Roses  having  been  sent 
out  this  year,  so  far  as  my  memory  serx'es. 
Another  thing  to  be  borne  in  mind  is  this  :  only 
new  Roses  of  the  exhibition  section  are  provided 
for  in  the  exhibition  schedules,  and  the  new  Roses 
of  19(10  are  principally  decorative  ones.  Until  we 
have  a  class  for  new  Roses  in  the  decorative  section 
of  the  National  Rose  Society's  schedules,  they  can 
never  be  brought  collectively  before  the  public  in 
the  way  that  is  done  with  the  new  exhibition 
varieties  From  the  published  lists  of  new  Roses 
it  is  quite  clear  that  the  Hybrid  Perpetual — the 
backbone  of  the  exhibition  section— has  had  its 
day.  For  instance,  two  new  catalogues  are  before 
me — the  one  an  Englisli  and  the  other  a  French. 
In  the  former  is  given  "a  selection  of  new  Roses 
of  1899  and  1900."     The  li.st  contains  forty-eight 

varieties,  of   which  only   three   are   Hybrid    Per- 

petuals.     The  French  catalogue  contains  a  list  of 

ninety-eight  new  Roses  of  1900,  only  nine  of  which 

are   Hybrid    Perpetuals  !      No   wonder   that    the 

stands  of  new  Roses  have  this  year  been  weak  and 

uninteresting.    Were  it  not  for " 
Messrs.  A.   Dickson  and  Sons 

there  would  be  no  new  exhibi- 
tion Roses  worth  looking  at. 

As  regards  the  following  list, 

I  hope  j'our  readers  will  clearly 

understand  that   it  is    by   no 

means   exhaustive   or    that  it 

contains  the  best.     I   do    not 

pretend  to  do  more  than  otter 

a  few   remarks  on  those   new 

Roses  that   have  come   under 

my  notice. 

Reine    C'/iristina   d' Esparjne. 

Tea.     (Schwartz.)      This  is  a 

promising  Rose ;  blooms  small ; 

colour,  brilliant  red  ;  suitable, 

if   hardy,    for    the   decorative 

class.    A  plant  in  bloom  was 

exhibited  by  Mr.  Frank  Cant 

at  the  Temple  show.     I  have 

not  seen  it  since. 

(Jneen.     of     Sweden.       Tea. 

(Paul  and  Son.)     Exhibited  at 

the  Temple  .show.     A  seedling 

from  Innocente  Pirola,  crossed 

with    Anna    OUivier ;    colour 

deep   fawn,    after    the    shade 

of  Cleopatra.     It  appeared  to 

be  a  good  varietj'  for  exhibi- 
tion purposes.    (I  am  not  quite 

sure   whether    this   R,ose   has 

been  sent  out;  if  not,  it  can- 
not be  classed  as  one  of  1900. 

At  any  rate,  it  is  a  good  Rose, 

and  I  shall  let  this  note  stand. ) 
/.   B.    I\[.   Camin.      Hyljrid 

Bourbon.     (Paul  and  Son.)    A 

handsome    Picony-like     pink 

Rose--large,  gloliular ;  growth 

vigorous.    It  was  exhibited  by 

this  firm  at  the  Temple  sliow 

both  on  plants  and   in   vases. 


The  following  is  the  raiser's  description  :  — 
"  Growth  very  vigorous,  with  bold,  massive 
foliage ;  blooms  are  of  first-class  size,  circular 
and  high-pointed  ;  colour,  palest  possible  opaque 
salmon-pink  ;  very  double  ;  equally  desirable  for 
garden  and  exhibition  purposes." 

Coralliiia.  Tea.  (W.  Paul  and  Son.)  A .  red 
decorative,  free-flowering  Tea,  blooming  in  clusters ; 
will  probably  be  very  useful  in  the  decorative  sec- 
tion. It  is  said  to  be  an  improved  Papa  '{ontier. 
Has  been  charmingly  exhibited  at  several  exhi- 
bitions this  year,  notably  at  Manchester.  The 
raiser's  description  is  as  follows  : — "  Flowers  deep 
rosy  crimson,  large  petals  ;  specially  beautiful  in 
the  bud  state.  This  is  a  strong-growing  variety, 
which,  combined  with  its  free-blooming  qualities, 
renders  it  one  of  the  most  charming  crimson  Roses 
in  cultivation  for  massing  and  cutting  ;  a  splendid 
autumnal  bloomer.'' 

Leoiile  Lainrsc/i .  Polyantha.  (P.  Lambert.) 
This  appears  to  be  a  charming  decorative  Rose, 
quite  distinct  from  others  of  the  same  class. 
Attractive  because  of  its  bright  colour.  The 
raiser  says: — "Growth  erect  and  vigorous;  the 
blooms  are  of  medium  size,  full,  produced 
singly;  colour,  bright  copper -red,  with  golden 
centre." 

Lady  Ctamnorrls.  Hybrid  Tea.  (A.  Dickson 
and  Sons.)  This  Rose  has  been  well  exhibited  by 
the  raisers  at  several  shows  during  the  past  year 
or  two,  and  is  doubtless  known  to  most  exhibitors. 
It  promises  to  be  a  useful  Rose  in  the  exhibition 
section.  It  is  one  of  those  pale,  flesh-coloured 
Hybrid  Teas  of  which  there  are  now  so  many. 
The  raiser  says  it  "is  a  perfectly  distinct  and 
splendid  Rose,  of  very  robust  growth  and  free- 
branching  habit,  flowering  freely  and  continuously 
throughout  the  season.  The  blooms  are  very  large 
and  of  good  form,  petals  large,  smooth,  and  of 
great  substance  ;  colour,  creamy  white,  with  deli- 
cate salmon  centre,  edge  of  petals  margined  with 
pink;  sweetly  perfumed.'' 

Lady  Mary  Cony.  Tea.  (A.  Dickson  and 
Sons.)  A  beautiful  yellow  Tea  of  the  Mme.  Hoste 
shade,  but  quite  distinct.  I  have  seen  this  variet}' 
staged  on  several  occasions,  and,  from  what  little  I 


know  of  it,  it  will  probably  prove  to  be  the  best 
of  this  year's  introductions.  The  colour  is  all  in 
its  favour,  and  if  onlj'  the  size  is  maintained  it 
will  be  most  useful  among  the  exhibition  Teas.  It 
is  described  by  Messrs.  Dickson  as  follows : — 
"This  is  a  lovely  and  distinct  variety  ;  the  growth 
is  vigorous  and  of  erect,  branching  habit ;  the 
blooms  are  of  good  size,  \'ery  freely  produced, 
and  most  perfectly  formed  ;  colour,  deep  golden- 
yellow." 

Messrs.  A.  Dickson  and  Sons  have  also  sent  out 
this  3'ear  three  of  the  best  of  those  single  Hybrid 
Teas  which  made  their  first  appearance  in  public 
at  the  Crystal  Palace  some  three  j'ears  ago.  To 
the  growers  of  decorative  Roses  the\'  were  most 
attractive  as  staged.  Certainly  tliev  were  a  dis- 
tinct novelty,  but  were  they  hardy,  were  they 
sufficiently  free-flowering  to  admit  of  being  staged 
in  those  huge  market  bunches  which  were  then, 
and  even  now  in  some  cases  arc,  the  fashion 't 
\^'ell  we  know  from  experience  that  some  Irish 
Roses,  doing  well  at  home,  do  not  take  kindly  to 
the  English  climate.  It  now  remains  for  us  to 
prove  these  single  Roses,  and  I  hope  we  shall  see 
them  next  year  in  a  class  for  new  Roses  in  the 
decorative  section  at  the  National  Rose  Society's 
exhibitions.  I  append  the  names  and  descrip- 
tion of  these  three  charming  single  Hybrid  ■ 
Teas:- 

L-ish  Beauty.  "Colour  pure  white,  with  dis- 
tinct and  prominent  bright  golden  anthers,  which 
c:ontrast  perfectly  with  the  colour  of  the  petals. 
Flowers  verj'  large,  often  measuring  ij  inches 
across  ;  borne  in  clusters,  very  free-flowering,  and 
deliciously  fragrant.  Unquestionably  the  finest 
single  Rose  yet  raised." 

Irish  Glory.  "  A  most  striking  Howerof  immense 
size,  produced  in  large  clusters ;  .  .  .  silvery 
pink  .  .  .  sweetly  and  strongly  perfumed,  and 
a  splendid  grower." 

Iriah  Modexty.  "A  very  beautiful  variety; 
colour,  an  exquisite  delicate  coral-pink  ;  suft'used 
from  base  of  petals  with  ecru.  .  .  .  The  blooms 
are  large,  and  verj'  plentifull3'  produced  ;  growth 
vigorous."  —  The  Rev.  Joseimi  Pembertox,  in 
"  The  Rosarian's  Year-Book." 


-FLOWERED    Si.OE    (I'KUNl'S   SI'INdSA    Fl,.  -  IM,.  ) 


February  2,  190].] 


THE   GARDEN. 


77 


SCABIOSA    CAUCASICA    AND 

VARIETIES. 

These  beautiful  plants  deserve  to  have  a  pro- 
miner*  place  in  our  gardens,  owing  to  their 
abundant  flowering  until  late  December,  even  after 
the  thermometer  registers  0°  to  S".  There  is 
hardly  another  kind  of  hardy  perennial  which 
would  make  a  better  show,  either  in  colour  or  appear- 
ance. They  are  most  favourably  seen  when  planted 
together  in  groups.  Their  native  countrj'  is  tlie 
Caucasus,  as  the  specific  name  implies,  and  they 
are  by  no  means  new.  One  reason  why  they  have 
not  been  in  much  favour  is  that  their  cultivation  had 
been  rather  neglected.  The  most  common  variety 
is  of  a  pale  blue  colour,  with  drooping  flower  heads, 
the  stems  being  from  1  foot  to  2  feet  in  height.  It 
is  mainly  owing  to  the  firm  of  Kiihler  a.  Rudel, 
in  Windischleuba,  (Germany,  intercrossing  the 
above  stated  varieties  that  they  have  been  able  to 
produce  such  as  Scabiosa  caueasica  perfecta  and 
S.  c.  finibriata.  In  S.  o.  perfecta  we  have  a  distinct 
improvement  in  stem  as  well  as  in  the  size  of  the 
flower.  The  variety  is  of  rather  robust  habit,  and 
may  be  had  in  various  colours,  viz. ,  lilac,  azure 
blue,  and  dark  violet.  Scabiosa  caueasica  [s  an  off- 
spring of  S.  c.  perfecta,  with  pretty  toothed  flower 
leaves.  There  is  also  a  White  Scabiosa,  which, 
however,  has  not  yet  reached  the  state  of  perfec- 
tion. The  culture  is  very  simple  ;  the}'  succeed  in 
almost  any  kind  of  soil.  Seed  should  be  sown  in 
March  or,  April,  and  if  the  weather  is  favourable 
plants  might  be  had  in  bloom  the  first  year.  The 
better  and  surer  method  of  keeping  the  colours  is 
to  divide  old  roots.  I  am  quite  confident  that  every 
horticulturist  will  find  the"  culture  of  Scabiosa  very 
interesting  and  profitable.  Paul  Gunther. 

Whidifichleulia,  Altenhurg,  Germain/. 


TREES    AND^  SHRUBS. 

FLOWERING     SHRUBS     OF 
EARLY     SPRING. 

HAT  a  strange  chance  it  is  that  one 
of  the  earliest  of  our  flowering 
shrubs,  namely,  the  February- 
blooming  Chimonanthus  fragrans, 
should  produce  the  sweetest- 
smelling  flowers  (the  large  Mag- 
nolia grandiflora  only  excepted)  of  any  hardy 
shrub  or  tree  of  all  the  year.  But  so  it  is,  and  the 
fragrant  little  blooms  of  modest  colouring  are 
truly  welcome  as  the  heralds  of  the  coming  host 
of  spring-flowering  shrubs. 

Probably  the  next  to  bloom  will  be  Andromeda 
floribunda,  a  neat,  dark-leaved  peat  shrub  crowded 
with  white  flower-spikes.  It  has  the  strange  habit 
of  forming  the  flower-bud  in  August ;  bj'  September 
it  looks  so  forward  that  one  thinks  it  must  be 
just  about  to  burst  into  bloom,  but  so  it  remains 
till  it  actually  flowers  towards  the  end  of  March. 
Daphne  Mezereum  is  in  bloom  at  about  the  same 
time,  a  plant  beloved  of  cottage  folk  and  very 
sweet  of  scent.  It  does  best  in  a  strong  loam, 
when  its  close,  strong  growth  and  wealth  of  pink 
bloom  in  earliest  spring,  and  its  crowd  of  scarlet 
berries  later  in  the  year,  give  it  a  double  season  of 
beauty  and  garden  value. 

The  Forsythias  soon  follow  ;  viridissima  as  a 
shapely  upright  bush,  suspensa  as  a  thing  of  bold 
and  free  growth,  whose  long  flower-laden  branches 
have  a  special  charm  so  early  in  the  jear.  For  those 
who  cannot  make  up  their  minds  whether  they 
prefer  the  compact  Forsythia  viridissima  or  the 
loosely -shaped  F.  suspensa,  there  is  a  h3'brid  form 
coming  between  the  two,  named  F.  intermedia.  It 
is  well  to  group  with  the  Forsythias  the  pretty 
Spirfea  Thunbergi.  They  flower  at  the  same  time 
(and  mingle  charmingly.  The  double-flowered 
iJSpirfea  prunifolia  follows  closely,  the  long  sprays, 
that  in  autumn  will  be  almost  scarlet  of  leaf,  being 
thickly  set  with  a  close  array  of  the  little  blooms 
like  small  double  Daisies. 

The  deciduous  Magnolias  are  among  the  most 
important  of  the  spring-blooming  shrubs.  Against 
a  wall  the  lai'ge  white  flowers  of  M.  oonspicua  are 
grand  objects  in  March,  but  it  is  well  to  keep  some 


protecting  material  at  hand, 
for  March  is  often  cruel, 
and  after  hot  sun  in  day- 
time, S°  or  10"  of  frost  at 
night  will  deface  tlie  lovely 
blooms  with  patches  of 
brown  decay.  In  April, 
even  in  the  open  shrubbery, 
M.  stellata,  best  of  early- 
blooming  bushes,  stands 
smothered  with  its  myriads 
of  starry  blossoms  of  purest 
white  before  the  leaves  are 
formed,  soon  to  be  followed 
by  M.  soulangeana,  a  bush 
of  more  important  growth 
and  large  flower,  whose  out- 
side is  tinged  with  red- 
purple. 

April  and  Maj'  are  the 
months  of  Apple  blossom, 
and  not  of  Apple  blossom 
alone,  but  of  the  greater 
number  of  the  beautiful 
flowering  shrubs  that  are 
closelj'  related '  to  those 
many  fruit  trees  —  indeed, 
nearly  all  the  fruit  trees  we 
have— that  are  members  of 
the  great  Rose  tribe. 

Earliest  of  all,  the  Almond 
shows  its  tender  pink  bloom 
against  the  hard  deep  blue 
of  the  skies  of  spring,  and 
with  it  come  the  many 
varieties  of  the  Japanes-e 
Quince  (Pyrus  japonica)  in 
varied  colourings,  from 
purest  white  through  faint 
pink  to  a  full  rosy  scarlet  ; 
these  colourings  passing 
onward  to  the  splendid 
deep  red  of  Waterer's 
Knaphill  Scarlet,  a  variety 
of  the  highest  merit.  We 
have  reason  to  be  thankful 
to  some  of  our  best  nursery- 
men for  their  work  in 
producing   these   capital 

varieties,  though  no  doubt  much  may  yet  be 
done.  The  smaller  but  still  more  abundantly- 
flowered  Pyrus  Maulei  is  also  yielding  beautiful 
varieties,  while  its  splendid  masses  of  orange- 
coloured  fruit  give  it  a  second  season  of  conspicuous 
beauty. 

The  Blackthorn  (Prunus  spinosa)  of  our  hedges  is 
a  delightful  shrub,  and  only  needs  the  added  beauty 
of  the  double  bloom  to  be  one  of  the  best  of  garden 
ornaments,  as  is  clearly  shown  in  the  illustration. 
Lovely  are  the  double  Cherries  and  the  double- 
flowered  Plums,  both  white  and  rose-coloured,  and 
they  are  .delightful  not  only  as  daintj'  bushes  in 
the  garden,  but  also  as  some  of  the  best  of  shrubs 
for  slight  forcing  or  growing  in  the  cool  green- 
house. This  same  thing  may  be  said  for  the  double 
Peaches,  of  which  there  are  now  several  varieties 
of  great  merit.  How  seldom  is  Prunus  triloba  to  be 
seen  in  a  garden,  and  yet  it  is  one  of  the  very  best 
of  early-flowering  shrubs.  It  enjoys  a  place  against 
a  wall,  where  year  after  year  it  becomes  loaded  with 
its  pretty  pink  bloom.  Some  of  the  earliest  of  the 
shrubby  Spira-as,  such  as  S.  Thunbergi  and  the 
double-flowered  S.  prunifolia,  are  also  well  worthy 
of  a  place  against  a  wall,  for  our  summers  are  not 
quite  long  and  hot  enough  to  ripen  the  tips  of  the 
year's  shoots  when  the  bush  stands  in  the  open,  so 
that  the  arching  spray  of  bloom  is  cut  short  a  little 
way  from  its  end,  and  instead  of  finishing  with 
bloom  and  bud  to  the  very  point,  there  is  generallj' 
a  siidden  stop  and  a  bit  of  dead  stick  bej'ond. 

One  of  the  best  known  of  the  flowering  shrubs  of 
this  class  is  the  Japanese  Pyrus  Mains  floribunda, 
now  in  several  varieties,  and  none  is  better  worth 
a  place,  either  at  the  extreme  edge  of  a  shrub  clump 
or  in  some  quiet  detached  spot  upon  grass.  Its  half- 
weeping  habit  is  singularly  graceful,  and  a  well- 
grown  specimen  will  cover  a  large  space,  the 
branches  bending  over  mainly  to  the  ground.  If 
the  space  below  it  is  wanted,  as  may  often  happen 


TtTKAMIOBA    BICOLOK   IN    EDINBUBllH    BOTANIC    HARDEN. 


in  a  small  garden,  bj  gradualh' removing  the  lower 
branches  it  can  be  made  to  take  a  small  tree  form, 
which  acquires  a  high  degree  of  pictorial  value  as  it 
advances  in  age,  while  the  head  can  also  be  shaped 
at  will  by  shortening  the  ends  of  the  branches. 
Two  others  of  the  rosaceous  flowering  shrubs  or 
small  trees  should  not  be  overlooked,  namely,  the 
snowy  Mespilus  (Amelanchier)  and  the  bird  Cherry 
(Prunus  Padus),  beautiful  either  in  shrubbery  or 
thin  woodland. 

Daphne  pontica,  flowering  in  May,  would  be  well 
worth  planting  if  it  were  for  its  fragrance  onlj';- 
but  besides  this  delightful  quality  the  quantity  of 
greenish-tinted  yellow  bloom  and  bright  yellowish 
green  foliage  and  compact  bushy  habit  make  it  one 
of  the  brightest  and  best  of  small  shrubs,  and 
especially  suitable  for  upper  portions  and  frontiers 
of  bold  rocker}'.  In  May  also  we  have  the  earlier 
of  the  Brooms,  the  wild  yellow,  that  for  its  early 
bloom  should  not  be  denied  a  place  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  garden,  and  its  parti}'  crimson  variety 
Cytisus  andreanus,  also  C.  pnecox,  of  tenderest 
buttery-yellow  colour,  forerunner  of  the  rather 
later  white  Broom  of  Portugal  (C.  albus)  and  the 
still  later  Spanish  that  blooms  in  late  summer.     G. 


ORCHIDS. 


TETRAMICRAS. 

THESE  are  among  the  prettiest  of 
small -flowered  Orchids  of  dwarf 
habit.  Cattieya,  LLelia,  Onoidium, 
Odontoglossum,  and  othei-  "  show  " 
genera  have  miniature  representa- 
tives, but  the  flowers  of  Tetraniicra.s 
are  all  small.  At  the  same  time  they  are  long 
lasting,  and  also  beautiful  when  well  grown. 


78 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February   2,  1901. 


Three   species   have  flowered   in  the  Royal 
Botanic    Garden,    Edinburgh.      Noticing   the 
tiniest,  first  mention  must  be  made  of  Tetra- ! 
micra  (or  Leptotes  as  it  is  sometimes  called)  | 
nana,  a  veritable  fairy  plant,  whose  jiink-white 
Islossoras  are  easily  covered  by  a  thimble.     It 
is  not  an  Orchid  that  delights  one  with  impres- ; 
sive  rapid   growths  and  then  displays  a  few  ' 
wretchecl  little  dowers  for  the  trouble  bestowed 
upon  it.    T.  nana  is  a  well-iiroportioned  plant ; 
its  tieshy  terete  leaves  suit  the  liliput  flowers. 
During  late    autumn    a    small   piece   of   this ; 
species     produces     five     or     six 
blossoms  over  a  mossy  lawn  the 
bo'indaries  of  which  are  a  ih  inch 
pot. 

Another  species  entirely^  dif- 
ferent and  less  interesting  is  T. 
montana.  This  dispenses  with 
the  succulent  character  common 
to  most  of  these  plants,  as  the 
stems  and  leaves  are  tough  and 
dry  ;  the  terminal  flowers  are 
white. 

T.  bicolor  flowers  well  every 
year  in  the  warm  Orchid  house, 
where  it  enjoys  plenty  of  water 
and  a  position  near  the  glass. 
It  is  a  uitive  of  Brazil.  The 
photograph  of  this  beautiful 
Orchid  is  half  natural  size,  and 
was  taken  during  j\l  U'ch  last.  The 
sepals  and  petals  are  white,  the 
lip  crimson. 

Edinhiinili.  1).  8.  Fish. 


large  exhibitions  substantial  prizes  are  now 
offered  for  these  in  a  cut  state,  and  when  well 
represented  and  arranged,  as  I  was  pleased  to 
note  they  have  been  during  the  past  two  or 
three   seasons,  they  form   a   pleasing  feature. 


sandy  compost  and  the  pots  well  drained. 
Like  all  other  C'hry.santhemums,  the  plants 
should  receive  no  severe  check  at  any  period 
after  once  a  start  has  been  made  till  the  time 
of  flowering ;  consequently,  repotting  should  l)e 


These   should   always   be   shown    in    suitable  |  carried  out  as  soon  as  the  pots  become  tilled 
vases,  and  not  crowded  on  boards  as  is  some-    with   roots.      At   no  season   must   the   jilants 


times  the  case.  A  single  Chrysanthemum 
.should  have  one  row  of  florets  only  or  the  true 
form  of  the  bloom  is  destroyed,  and  the  centre 
should  be  well  formed  and  of  a  distinct  and 
telling  shade   of   colour.      There  are 


A    LAVENDER    HEDGE. 

It  is  by  no  means  in  every  garden 
that  one  sees  a  hedge  of  Laven- 
der, and  yet  it  is  one  of  the  very 
simplest  and  easiest  things  to 
grow  and  one  of  the  most  delight- 
ful. Not  only  is  the  harvest  of 
its  sweet  blossom  pleasant  in 
many  ways  both  on  the  bush 
and  off,  but  Lavender  is  also 
beautiful  in  its  grey  winter  '';":  -^ 
dress.  It  is  not  a  long  lived  shrub 
—that  _  is  to  say,  it  is  not  long 
lived  in  a  state  of  blooming 
vigour,  for  after  its  fourth  year 
the  flowers  become  smaller  and 
the  bush  tumbles  about  rather 
out  of  shape.  It  is  a  good  plan 
to  have  three  hedges  of  different  i 

ages  about  a  garden  so  that  there 
will^  always  be  one  in  its  fresh  young  vigour. 
It    is^  easily    raised    from   cuttings    under    a 
handlight. 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 

SINGLE    CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

A  FEW  years  ago  the  single  Chrysan- 
themum was  regarded  as  unworthy 
of  cultivation,  but  what  a  marked 
contrast  at  the  iiresent  day,  for 
L  these  are  now  looked  upon  by  many 
as  the  most  useful  secti(m  for 
decoration,  for  beautifying  the  conservatory, 
and  especially  for  use  as  cut  flowers.  When 
well  grown  and  suitable  varieties  are  selected, 
they  are  unquestionably  well  adapted  for  this 
purpose. 

The  newer  introductions  in  many  cases  are 
certainly  a  great  improvement  on  the  older 
ones,  not  only  in  habit  of  growth,  but  also 
in  the  form  of  the  flower  and  the  bright  and 
pleasing  shades  of   colour.     At   many  of  our 


EDGE    OF    LAVENDER   AT   ABBOTS    RIPTON    HALL,    HUNn 
(From  aiihotoijrajih  aent  by  Mrs.  U.  Gilliat.) 

number  of  varieties  now  to  choose  from,  both 
belonging  to  the  large  and  small  flowering 
section,  but  for  many  purposes  the  smaller 
ones  are  most  suitable,  although  some  of  the 
larger  ones  have  much  to  recommend  them. 
Their  cultivation  is  quite  .siniple,  and  they 
are  very  valuable  to  every  gardener  that  has  to 
maintain  a  long  supjily  of  cut  flowers,  either 
for  the  decoration  of  the  dinner  table  or 
arranging  about  the  rooms  in  large  vases,  when 
single  flowers  are  preferred,  as  in  many  cases 
they  are.  The  amateur  that  cares  for  these 
may  easily  produce  them  to  perfection, and  when 
once  taken  up  will  find  their  cultivation  easy. 

Any  time  after  this  date  and  for  the  next 
six  weeks  a  beginning  should  be  made.  Either 
plants  or  cuttings  can  be  purchased  for  a 
reasonable  .sum,  including  even  the  newer 
kinds,  and  where  means  can  be  found  to  propa- 
gate I  should  advise  starting  with  the  latter, 
as  at  this  season  little  trouble  should  be 
experienced  in  rooting  thorn  if  kept  close  for  a 
few  days.  Cuttings  may  either  be  struck  three 
round  the  outside  of  .3-inch  pots  or  singly  in 
2i-inch,   the   latter    for   choice,  using   a   light 


suft'er  for  want  of  moisture  at  the  roots.  Three 
pottings  will  suffice,  viz.,  from  the  cutting  pots 
to  large  3-inch,  following  on  to  6-inch,  and 
finally  the  .stronger  ones  into  !Ji-inch,  and  those 
great    of  weaker  growth  into  8i-inch  sizes. 

In  each  case  the  compost  should 
be  as  advi-sed  for  other  sections, 
of  which  good  fibrous  loam  shoukl 
form  the  staple.  They  should  be 
stopped  twice,  or  even  three  times 
during  the  summer,  and  if  wanted 
for  very  late  use  certainly  three 
times.  After  the  flowering  pots 
are  well  filled  with  roots  copious 
supplies  of  diluted  liquid  farm- 
yard manure  should  begixen,  with 
an  occasional  dose  of  Clay 'sor  some 
other  reliable  artificial  manure. 

Thoroughly  syringe  the  foliage 
during  the  afternoon  on  hot  days, 
and  du.st  the  under  parts  of  the 
leaves  with  flowers  of  sulj)hur'. 
Except  for  staking  and  tying  little 
other  attention  is  needed  until 
the  buds  make  their  apjiearance, 
when  they  will  reipiire  to  lie 
judiciously  disbudded,  as  too 
many  buds  will  prevent  the 
blooms  expanding  properly,  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  must  not  be 
done  too  severely.  Many  of  the 
varieties  lend  themselves  admir- 
ably for  midwinter  decoration. 
We  had  several  plants  in  full 
beauty  on  Christmas  Day  last. 
For  the  guidance  of  those  that  are 
not  well  acquainted  with  the 
varieties  1  ajipend  a  list  of  those 
which  I  know  to  be  distinct  and 
worthy  of  cultivation. 

Daisy,  jiure  white  with  yellow 
centre ;  Dorothy,  long  petals, 
colour  a  delicate  blush,  yellow 
centre  ;  A^irgin  Queen,  pure  white 
(see  illustration)  ;  Kl.sie  Neville, 
a  large  beautiful  form,  long 
petals,  terra-cotta  red;  Florrie,  a 
])leasiug  .shade  of  cerise  -  pink  : 
'■  .lessie    T.   Angus,   jierfect    form, 

clear  rosy  cerise  ;  ilr.  C  Watney, 
good  habit,  clear  bright  red  ;  A'ictoria,  lovely 
shade  of  primrose,  long  drooping  florets  ; 
Admiral  Sir  T.  Symonds,  rich  yellow  ;  Annie 
Heard,  pure  white,  yellow  disc  ;  Charming, 
bright  golden  yellow  ;  Dolly  A'arden,  rose- 
pink  ;  Earlswood  Beauty,  primrose  ;  Framficld 
Beauty,  rich  crim.son  ;  Geor.ge  Hose,  carmine  ; 
Golden  Fleece,  yellow  ;  Harold  Stallard,  terra- 
cotta ;  Kate  WilliauLs,  very  good  rich  yellow  : 
Lady  Churchill,  terra-cotta  ;  Mary  Anderson, 
white  tinged  rose  ;  Miss  Hose,  white  sufl'used 
pink  ;  Mrs.  A.  E.  Stubbs,  clear  white  ;  Mrs. 
D.  B.  Crane,  cerise-pink  ;  Mrs.  Langtry,  rose  : 
Rev.  W.  G.  Remfrey,  deep  crimson  ;  Treasmc, 
very  bright  yellow.  E.  Beckktt. 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON    PLANT 
LIFE.-III. 

The  Winter  Arown-H    and  C'iiiustmas 

ROSK. 

The  Winter  Aconite  (Eranthis  liyemalis)  is  a 
native  of  the  Euro))can  and  Asiatic  mountains. 
Gerarfte  says  in  I  'lOT  :  "  We  have  great  ([uantities 


February  2,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


79 


of  Winter  Wolfe"s-banc  (Aconitum  hyeniale) 
in  our  London  gardens." 

When  the  seed.8  germinate  they  produce  a 
long  thread-lilje  root.  Tlie  tuber  begins  as  a 
tiny  globe  a)ipai'ently  upon  the  }'oi>t  and  not 
on  the  radicle.  As  this  is  anomalous,  I  shall 
be  much  obliged  if  anyone  will  send  me  a  few- 
seeds  to  test  this  point.  The  tuber  continues 
to  enlarge,  and  sends  up  its  flowering  stems 
every  year  with  a  whorl  of  leaves  called  the 
involucre.  It  lias  no  true  corolla,  but  a  golden 
calyx  instead,  the  petals  being  represented  as 
"  nectaries  "  for  secreting  honey,  as  is  also  the 
case  in  the  Hellebores. 

These  show  one  method  by  which  petals  are 
made  out  of  stamens.  The  first  step  is  to 
arrest  the  formation  of  pollen  and  the  partition 
wall  between  the  two  anther-cells.  Thus,  a 
hollow  tube  is  formed  opened  above.  The 
inner  side  is  shorter  than  the  outer,  indicating 
the  commencement  of  a  petal  which  is  com- 
pleted in  a  Buttercup,  in  which  the  back  of 
the  anther  has  grown  out  of  all  proportion  to 
the  front,  on  which  the  minute  "  honey-gland  " 
remains  at  the  base.  Lastly,  in  Ranunculus 
cortuswfolius,  a  large-flowered  Buttercuvi  of 
the  Canaries,  the  gland  has  vanished,  and  the 
petal  is  honeyless.  A  similar  change  from 
anthers  to  nectaries  occurs  in  the  Hellebores. 

Transitions  from  stamens  to  petals  also  occur 
in  Water  Lilies,  but  it  is  worked  out  in  a  dif- 
ferent way,  for  while  the  filament  plays  no  part 
in  the  preceding,  only  remaining  as  a  little  stalk. 


Hellebores  show  how  bracts  may  arise.  Take, 
K.ry.,  our  fetid  Hellebore.  The  leaf  has  a 
divided  blade  on  a  long  petiole.  The  change 
from  a  true  leaf  below  to  a  true  bract  above 
is  seen  in  the  petiole  becoming  shorter  and 
broader,  while  the  segments  of  the  blade 
diminish  till  they  vanish.  The  petiole,  there- 
fore, has  turned  into  the  small  oval-pointed 
bract.  If  we  compare  this  with  a  field  Butter- 
cup we  shall  see  that  the  much-divided  blade 
now  remains  as  the  bract,  but  reduced  in  size 
and  number  of  segments,  while  the  petiole  is 
arrested,  so  that  a  bract  can  be  "  homologous  " 
either  with  a  petiole  or  a  blade  ;  and  in  some 
cases  with  a  stipule,  for  botanists  regard  the 
little  pair  of  bracts  on  the  flower-stalk  of  the 
Pansy  to  be  such.  Geokge  Hen.slow. 


INDOOR     GARDEN. 


CENTROPOGON   LUCYANUS. 

FOR  those  who  are  fond  of  winter  flowering 
plants  this  Centropogon,  whicli  is  a 
hybrid  between  C.  fastuosus  and  Sipho- 
campylus  betulifohus,  can  be  recom- 
mended as  a  most  useful  one  of  this 
class.  Its  flowers  are  produced  over 
several  months  from  November  onwards.  They 
are  tubular,  rosy  carmine  in  colour,  and  freely 
borne  on  short  spurs  along  the  current  year's 
growth.  C.  Luc}anus  was  raised  so  long  ago  as 
18.50   by  a   French   gentleman,    M.    Desponds,    of 


if  the  tops  of  the  old  plants  are  cut  otf  after 
flowering.  They  also  root  readily  under  the 
following  treatment;  Let  the  cuttings  be  8  inches 
or  i  inches  long,  and,  if  possible,  with  a  heel  of 
the  old  wood  attached,  although  this  i.s  not  abso- 
lutely essential.  Place  then  several  in  4i-inoh 
pots  filled  with  a  light  sandy  soil  under  a  bell- 
glass  or  propagating  frame  in  a  warm  house.  Every 
morning  the  interior  of  this  glass  covering  should 
be  removed  and  wiped  quite  dry,  otherwise  the 
moisture  that  has  collected  will  be  very  liable  to 
cause  the  leaves  of  the  cuttings  to  decay  and 
probably  will  also  saturate  the  soil.  This  may 
seem  a  small  precaution,  but  it  is  a  very  necessary 
one. 

When  well  rooted  they  should  be  placed  singly  in 
3-inch  pots  and  taken  out  of  the  propagating  case. 
As  they  have  somewhat  tender  roots  a  light  friable 
soil  is  necessarj',  and  it  must  not  be  made  too 
firm.  A  mixture  of  eijual  proportions  of  rough 
fibrous  loam,  peat,  and  leaf-mould,  with  a  fair 
addition  of  silver  sand,  is  suitable.  Ample  drainage 
is  also  essential. 

If  the  plantlets  are  kept  near  the  glass  their 
growth  will  be  all  the  stronger  and  healthier.  A 
moist  atmosphere  should  be  maintained,  always  on 
sunny  da3's  syringing  the  plants  and  well  damping 
the  floors,  &c. ,  when  the  house  is  closed  in  the 
afternoon.  So  soon  as  the  small  pots  are  well 
filled  with  roots  repot  their  occupants  into  4i-inch 
or  6-inch  pots.  Unless  the  plants  are  exceptionally 
vigorous  I  would  prefer  to  make  use  of  the  former, 
and  tor  this  reason.  As  mentioned  above,  Centro- 
pogon Lucyanus  is  by  no  means  strong  rooting,  and 
if  it  should  happen  that  the  O-ineh  pots  were  not 
well  filled  with  roots,  an  occurrence  not  at  all 
unlikely,  the  soil  would  most  probably  soon  become 
unwholesome  if  very  careful  watering  were  not 
practised. 

During  normal  summer  weather  the  Centro- 
pogon Tna,y  be  grown  in  a  cool  pit,  providing 
that  this  is  closed  early  in  the  afternoon,  so  as  to 
make  the  most  of  the  solar  heat,  and  well 
moistened.  On  the  approach  of  eold  weather 
replace  the  plants  in  the  warm  house,  and  the}' 
will  before  long  begin  to  show  flower.     When  fully 


SlNlJLJi   CHRYSANTHEMUM    VIRUI.N    (.ICEK.S. 
(Slightly  rednmi.) 

(Drawn  hti  Miss[M(fnd  West  from  fioucrs  In  i  e.y»rs.  Wells  a-nd  Co.'-s  ytirstr!/.  Bed/iillJ 


it,  together  with  its  exten.sion  or  "connective" 
between  the  anther-cells,  becomes  the  petal, 
the  anthers  disappearing  from  the  margin. 

The  Christmas  Rose  (Helleborus  niger)  is 
also  figured  by  Gerarde.  It  came  from  Austria. 
He  describes  it  as  bearing  "Rose-fashioned 
flowers  about  Christmas." 


Marseilles.  Amateurs  should  not  find  the  least 
difficulty  in  cultivating  it,  providing  they  are  able 
to  accommodate  it  in  a  warm  house.  By  warm 
house  I  do  not  mean  a  stove,  but  simply  one 
having  an  intermediate  temperature,  say,  60"  at 
night. 


in  bloom  remove  to  tlie  conservatory,  where  the\- 
will  prove  bright  and  cheerful  throughout  the  dull 
months.  T.  W. 

TIBOUCHINA    MACRANTHA. 

I  BELIEVE  I  am  correct  in  giving  the  above  as  the 


Cuttings  will  be  plentifully  produced  in  February    latest  name  under  which  the  plant  referred  to  is 


80 


THE    GAliDEN. 


[February  2.  1901. 


known  ;  most  of  j'our  readers  will  remember  it  and 
probablj' still  call  it  Pleroniamapranthnm.  Lasiandra 
is  another  synon_ym.  Mj'  object,  bowever,  is  to 
bring  to  the  attention  of  those  to  whom  it  is  not 
known  this  valuable  greenhouse  climbing  plant. 
No  one  possessing  a  cool  house  should  be  without 
it.  It  blooms  throughout  the  greater  part  of  the 
year,  even  during  winter.  The  large  richl3'  coloured 
blossoms  of  a  deep  violet-purple  colour  are  very 
freely  produced,  although  they  do  not  remain  fresh 
for  so  long  a  time  as  could  be  desired.  On  the  roof 
of  a  light  cool  house  it  makes  a  brave  show.  It 
usually  succeeds  best  when  planted  out,  as 
indeed  do  nearly  all  climbers  ;  when  grown  in  a 
pot  its  growth  is  not  so  free  and  vigorous. 

During  the  winter  time  less  water  is  naturally 
required  than  in  the  summer,  for  growth  is  less 
active.  It  is  ver\-  necessary  to  provide  ample 
drainage  for  Tibouchina  macrantha,  as  plent}'  of 
water  is  required  in  the  growing  season  ;  the  want  of 
effective  and  sufficient  drainage  is  often  the  cause  of 
failure  to  suocessfuUj'  cultivate  greenhouse  climbing 
plants.  The  soil  cannot  obviously  be  examined 
and  the  crooks  readjusted  if  necessary  as  with  pot 
plants,  so  that  it  behoves  one  to  attend  to  this 
important  matter  at  planting  time.  The  subject 
of  this  note  may  be  increased  by  inserting  cuttings 
in  summer  of  wood  that  is  partiallj'  ripened,  placing 
them  in  sandy  soil  under  a  bell-glass  in  a  warm 
house.  '  T.  W.  F. 


PROPAGATING  BEGONIA  GLOIRE  DE 
LORRAINE. 

I  uFTKN  hear  of  people  failing  to  get  suthcient 
cuttings  of  this  beautiful  plant.  I  think  this  ma3' 
be  caused  by  not  cutting  the  old  plants  sufficiently 
■well  back.  I  have  never  experienced  any  difficulty 
in  getting  plenty  of  cuttings  and  to  spare.  As  soon 
as  the  old  plants  have  done  floweri]ig  they  are  cut 
down  to  within  1  inch  or  2  inches  of  the  soil,  put  into 
a  stove  temperature,  and  kept  constantly  sj'ringed. 
They  soon  throw  up  plenty  of  cuttings  from  below 
the  surface  of  the  soil.  In  propagating,  three  or  four 
cuttings  are  put  iuto  a  .3-inch  pot  and  placed  in 
the  propagating  pit  or  on  a  back  shelf  in  the  Melon 
house,  where  they  never  fail  to  root.  Thej'  are 
also  easiljf  propagated  from  leaves.  For  this  mode 
of  propagation  medium -sized  leaves  are  selected 
and  inserted  thicklj'  in  a  slanting  position  in  pans. 
A  good  compost  is  peat,  leaf-soil,  and  sand  in  equal 
proportions.  Tliej'  are  given  the  same  treatment 
as  the  cuttings.  A  batch  of  cuttings  rooted  in  the 
month  of  June  for  flowering  in  3-inch  pots  make 
charming  little  plants  for  dotting  about  a  large 
dinner  table.  They  are  also  well  adapted  for 
growing  in  small  hanging  baskets,  and  look  ver}' 
effective  when  hung  round  the  conservator^'  alter- 
nately with  Asparagus  Sprengeri.  H. 


BOOKS. 


Quick  Fruit  Culture.*— "  In  this  volume 

is  included  the  whole  of  'Pruning  and  Training' 
in  a  revised  form,  but  the  form  of  the  book  has 
been  recast,  and  there  have  been  added  directions 
on  root  culture,  lists  of  the  best  and  most  useful 
varieties  to  grow,  information  on  the  subject  of 
diseases  and  insects  that  attack  fruit  trees,  and 
much  general  information.  Fruit  culture  is  a  far 
simpler  matter  than  many  people  imagine,  and  the 
attempt  is  made  here  to  show  what  the  quickest 
and  easiest  metliods  are,  and  how  to  carr3'  them 
out  with  the  least  trouble  and  in  the  most  successful 
manner."  This  is  an  extract  from  the  author's 
introductory  chapter,  and  serves  well  to  give  a 
general  idea  of  the  scope  of  this  new  book  on  fruit 
culture.  iVIr.  Simpson  is  strongly  opposed  to  the 
method  of  training  fruit  trees  into  artificial  shapes, 
and  the  close  pruning  thereby  necessitated.  We 
are  entirely  in  sympathy  with  the  author  in  his 
remarks  upon  the  evils  which  result  from  the 
careless  and  too  severe  use  of  the  pruning-knife, 
but  we  think  that  his  condemnation  of  such  fancy- 


*  "Quiuk  Fruit  Culture."  By  J.  Simpson.    Messrs.  Pawson 
and  Brailsford,  High  Street,  Sheffield. 


shaped  trees  as  the  pendulous  pyramid,  chandelier 
pyramid,  balloon,  vase,  &c. ,  is  somewhat  super- 
fluous, for  to  what  extent  are  these  now  cultivated 
in  Britain  '!  The  author  further  says  ;  "  One  reason 
commonly  given  for  the  pyramid,  columnar,  &c., 
shapes  is  that  they  occupy  less  room,  but  as  small 
trees  bear  a  proportionately  small  quantit}'  of 
fruit,  and  as  the  practice  is  to  plant  two  or  three 
trees  in  place  of  one  large  one,  such  a  plea  has  no 
force."  We  venture,  however,  to  think  that  the 
amateur  gardener  (for  whom  the  book  is  chieflj' 
designed)  is  not  altogether  sorry  that  he  is  able  to 
obtain  small  trees,  for  very  often  he  can  plant  one 
small  one  where  a  large  one  would  be  useless. 
These,  however,  are  but  small  matters.  There  is 
much  in  Mr.  Simpson's  book  that  will  repay  careful 
reading.  Chapters  are  given  dealing  with  all  hardy 
fruits  grown  in  our  gardens,  as  well  as  upon  the 
Vine,  Orange,  Fig,  Banana,  &c.  Root-pruning  is 
treated  separately',  although,  as  the  author  points 
out,  the  "natural,  or  extension  system,"  obviates 
this  to  a  great  extent.  "Quick  Fruit  Culture" 
will  be  found  both  interesting  and  useful  to 
gardeners. 

Botany.t— This  is  one  of  the  "  Self-Educator 
Series,"  edited  by  John  Adams,  M.A.,  B  Sc,  and 
the  author  is  R.  S.  Wishart,  M.A.     It  is  intended 


STANDARD    ROSE   LA   FRANC'Ji. 

(Two  years  old.) 
to  guide  and  assist  the  isolated  student  in  his 
work.  Emphasis  is  laid  on  the  necessitj'  of  the 
young  botanist  commencing  his  labours  in  the  field 
with  living  specimens  before  proceeding  to  labora- 
tory work.  "  The  illustrations  are  simple  diagrams 
and  drawings  of  such  objects  as  students  may 
reasonably  be  expected  to  find  for  themselves." 
This  is  of  great  advantage  to  the  student,  for  ho 
naturally  is  more  interested  in  things  that  ho  is 
able  to  examine  himself,  and  therefore  studies  them 
more  thoroughly.  The  chapter  on  plant  life, 
manners,  and  morals  is  particularly  instructive. 
Clear  directions  are  given  to  enable  the  student  to 
prove  for  himself  the  matters  dealt  with,  such,  for 
instance,  as  development  of  chlorophyll,  formation 
of  starch,  localisation  of  starch,  root  pressure, 
respiration,  &c.  The  second  part  of  the  book  is 
devoted  to  the  classification  of  plants.  Fifty 
natural  orders  are  described.  We  do  not  care  for 
the  manner  (on  page  185,  diagram  of  I'arnassia 
palustris)  of  indicating  the  various  parts  of  the 
flower  by  means  of  dotted  lines  running  into  the 
latter,  for  a  novice  would  find  a  difficulty  in 
locating  either  the  pistil,  the  stamens,  or  glands. 
The  plan  of  a  "classification  tree"  is  given  at  the 
beginning  of  the  book,  but  we  doubt  if  its  object 


1  "liotaiiy,"     By  R.  S.  Wisliart,  M.A.      Messrs.  Hodder 
and  Stnuglitun,  27,  Paternoster  Kow,  London.    Price  2s.  Od. 


would  not  have  been  better  served  Ijy  tabulated 
lists.  To  all  interested  in  the  study  of  plant  life  we 
can  certainlj'  recommend  Mr.  Wishart's  "Botany,'' 
for  it  is  one  of  the  most  instructive  and  clearly 
written  manuals  on  the  subject  we  have  recently 
seen. 

Books  and  publications  received. 

—  "Strand  Magazine,"  "  Sundaj'  Strand,"  and 
"  Wide  World  Magazine,"  all  for  February  ;  also 
"Gardens  Old  and  New,"  price  £2  2s.,  from 
Messrs.  Newnes  and  Co.,  Southampton  Street, 
Strand,  London. 


STANDARD    ROSES. 

A  HEALTHY  and  shapely  standard  Rose  of  a  free- 
floAV'ering  variety  is  an  object  of  much  beauty  in 
the  garden.  The  illustration  is  reproduced  from  a 
photograph  of  a  two  year  old  tree  of  I.,a  France, 
one  of  the  best  Roses  to  grow  in  standard  form. 
Considerable  discrimination  and  knowledge  of 
Roses  are  necessary  in  order  to  obtain  the  best 
results  from  standard-grown  specimens. 

The  stiff,  somewhat  moderate  growing  kinds,  like 
Etienne  Levet,  Baroness  Rothschild,  and  Merveille 
de  L3'on,  never  make  handsome  standards,  and  it 
is  through  the  too  tree  use  of  such  kinds  that  a 
certain  amount  of  odium  has  become  attached  to 
this  type.  If  these  moderate  growers  are  wanted 
they  should  be  obtained  on  short  briars.  To  my 
mind  one  standard  well  isolated  is  a  perfect 
picture  :  a  row,  suitably  placed,  is  also  an  attrac- 
tive feature  in  the  garden,  but  a  l)ed  of  standards 
I  do  not  admire. 

For  single  specimens  I  should  select  the  many 
splendid  so-called  climbing.  Tea,  and  Noisette 
Roses,  which  naturally  make  a  beautiful  drooping 
head.  For  lines  of  standards  the  La  France  tribe 
are  all  good,  so  also  are  many  of  the  Hj'brid  Teas 
like  Camoens,  Griiss  an  Teplitz,  Marquise  de 
Salisbur3',  Caroline  Testout,  &c.  The  exquisite 
Chinas,  too,  make  beautiful  objects  as  standards 
as  they  inidoubtedlj'  do  as  bushes.  The  free- 
growing  Teas — Marie  Van  Houtte,  iSInie.  Lambard, 
Anna  Ollivier,  Enchantress,  Gustave  Regis,  &c. — 
make  noble  standards  if  good,  healthy  stocks  are 
budded  with  them. 

There  is  an  idea  that  the  briar  should  bo  thick 
and  old.  This  is  a  mistake.  Take  the  happy 
medium  and  one  can  obtain  the  greatest  success. 
Given  plenty  of  fibrous  roots  and  a  congenial, 
well-tilled  soil,  a  three  year  old  briar  will  make 
the  most  headwaj'  and  ultimately  develop  into  a 
splendid  specimen  if  the  head  is  kept  free  in  the 
centre  from  small  twiggj' growths.  When  planting 
or  replanting  standard  Roses  it  pa\'s  to  give  them 
a  peck  or  so  of  good  prepared  compost,  consisting 
of  old  pot  soil,  loam,  charcoal,  and  a  little  bone- 
meal.  It  is  also  necessary  to  well  drain  the  soil. 
Roses  revel  in  good  heavy  cla.ye_y  soil,  but  it 
must  not  be  water-logged.  Soil  in  which  the 
Blackberry  and  Oak  are  luxuriant  will  grow  Roses 
to  perfection.  Phtlomel. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

Berried  Si'RAVs  of  Nandina  domestica. 

We  receive  from  Mr.  John  Church,  from  Pan 
(Basses- Pyrennces,  France)  some  well-berried 
spra3's  of  Nandina  domestica,  very  beautiful  in 
colouring  both  of  leaf  and  berry,  with  the  accom- 
panying note:  "In  a  paper  upon  the  Nandina 
which  appeared  in  The  (Jarden  some  time  ago  no 
mention  was  made  of  the  berries.  I  should  like  to 
know  if  the  shrub  has  ever  to  your  knowledge 
(lowered  and  borne  berries  in  England  or  Ireland '/ 
I  have  a  large  number  of  these  shrubs  and  they 
form  a  \'er3'  attractive  feature  in  m3'  ganlen,  being 
covered  with  bright  scarlet  berries  from  November 
to  May.  The  foliage  is  also  beautiful  an<l  varied 
in  colour,  some  of  the  shrubs  having  green  leaves, 
others  bronze,  while  on  some  the  foliage  is  bright 
crimson.  The  liirds  never  touch  the  berries.  The 
shrub  was  introduced  into  Pan  about  twent3'  3'ears 
ago,  and  does  reniarkaljly  well  in  this  climate." 

Canon  EUacombc,  of  Bitton  N'icarage,  near 
Bristol,  also  writes  :  "I  consider  Nandina  one  of 


February  2,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


81 


my  most  beautiful  shrubs.  It 
flowers  regularly  with  me  both 
against  a  wall  and  in  the  open, 
but  i'  very  seldom  forms  berries. 
I  do  not  suppose  I  have  had  more 
than  a  dozen  red  ones  ever  since  I 
have  grown  it,  and  I  have  not 
succeeded  in  rearing  plants  from 
the  seeds  ;  but  cuttings  strike 
without  difficulty,  only  they  take 
their  time." 

Crimson  Primrose  Flowers. 

Mr.  P.  D.  Williams  sends  from 
Cornwall  a  charming  bunch  of  a 
large  crimson  Primrose,  both 
flowers  and  leaves  of  that  strong 
full  growth  that  is  not  generally 
seen  till  April. 

Iris  bakeri.ina  from  Winoii- 

MORE  Htm.. 
Mr.  Perry  sends  from  his  hardy 
plant  farm,  at  Winchmore  Hill, 
London,  flowers  of  this  delightful 
Iris,  which  the  sender  remarks  is 
"without  doubt  the  finest  of  the 
I.  reticulata  section,  and  one  of 
the  first  to  open.  Owing  to  the 
mild  weather  a  great  many  bulbs 
are  showing  flower."  The  colour- 
ing of  I.  bakeriana  is  a  strong 
purple,  with  beautifull}'  marked 
falls  and  delicious  violet-like  per- 
fume. 

The  Sea  Buckthorn. 

Mr.  John  Matheson,  Addington, 
Winslow,  Bucks,  sends  a  boxful 
of  twigs  of  the  beautiful  native 
Sea  Buckthorn  (Hippophjt  rhani- 
noides),  "to  show  how  well  it 
fruits  in  this  part  of  the  country. 
We  have  a  few  big  bushes  of  it 
covered  like  the  bits  sent."  This  shrub  is  worth 
massing  by  pond  or  lake  side  for  the  sake  of  its 
rich  abundance  of  orange  berries. 


ME.  C.  T.  DKDERY'S  HARDY  FERNERY. 


THE    FERN    GARDEN. 


BRITISH   FERNS.— SELECTIONS   AND 
DESCRIPTIONS. 

IT  is  really  astonishing  how  few  people  even 
amongst  plant  lovers  are  aware  that  in  our 
British   Ferns   and  their  varieties  we  have 
something   absolutely  unique  in  the  world 
and     unparalleled    anywhere     outside     our 
little  group  of  islands,  despite  the  fact  that 
elsewhere   in   many   places    Ferns    are    far    more 
abuudant  and  species  far  and  awa}'  more  numerous. 
No  collection   can  be  made  of  anj'  other  class  of 
plants  without  some  aid  from  outside  ;   either  the 
plants   themselves   are    originally    exotic    or    the 
varieties  are  due  to  culture  abroad  as  well  as  here, 
but  with  our  British  Ferns  not  onlj"  have  we  many 
hundreds  of  lovely  and  diverse  forms,  every  one  of 
which  is  of  home  origin,  either  as  a  wild  find  or 
derived  therefrom  in  this  country,  but  in  no  other 
part  of  the  world  has  a  tithe  of   such   diversity 
been  found  to  e.xist,  even  in  those  places  which  are 
infinitely  better  endowed  with  raw  material  than 
we  are.     Whether  this  singular  fact   is  due  to  a 
greater  capacity  for  sporting  in  our  native  species 
owing  to  climatic  or  other  conditions,  or  whether  it 
"is  due  to  the  fact  that   here  alone  we  have  had  a 
J  persistent  coterie  of  Fern  hunters  engaged  for  half 
a   century  in  this  peculiar  cult,   we  cannot  with 
certaintj'   say,  but,    from    some    little    experience 
abroad,  we  incline  to  the  latter  belief.     Anyway, 
the  fact  remains  that  we  have  such  a  wealth  of 
beautiful  native  Ferns  at  our  disposal,  and  that, 
on  the  principle  perhaps  that  a  prophet   has   no 
honour  in  his  own  countrj',  we  practically  ignore 
the  gift   it  constitutes  at  the  hand  of  bejieficent 


Nature.     The   most   peculiar   feature    perhaps    is 
that  a  love  for  Ferns  is  so  general  that  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  gardens  display  these  self-same 
species   in   their    shady    corners,    but    almost    in- 
variably  in    their   common    forms,   while   the   far 
more   l:)eautiful    varieties   are,    as   we   have    said, 
io-nored.     In  cool   or  cold   conservatories  we  also 
fiiid  specimens  to  which  the  same  remark  applies, 
yet   we    venture   to   think   that   a   glance  at   our 
frontispiece,  which   represents  by  the  unflattering 
aid  of  photography  a  conservatory  devoted  entirely 
to  the  Ferns  we  are  championing  (with  the  single 
exception  of  a  chance  exotic  in  the  background, 
Woodwardia  radicans),  should  suffice  to  convince 
anyone  that  they  are  worthy  to  rank  amongst  the 
very  elite  of  decorative  foliage  plants.     Then,  too, 
they   are   essentially  fitted  to   be  the  pets  of  all 
classes  ;  their  perfectly  hardy  nature  precludes  the 
necessity  of  any  heating  in  the  winter  ;  they  do  not 
rank  as  expensive  plants  to  procure  ;  and,  finally, 
with   a   little    attention   to   their   needs   they  are 
practically  everlasting.     Their  diversity  of  size  as 
well    as    form    fits   them,    too,    for   all   grades   of 
accommodation.     Given  ample  space,  examples  of 
the  grandest  may  be  grown,   eclipsing  the  finest 
exotics  in  delicacy  of   cutting  or   eccentricity  of 
design,    while    on    the    other   hand,    if    space   be 
limited,  100  dwarfs  can  be  accommodated  withm 
a  few  square  yards.     In  the  Midlands,  where  the 
British  varieties  are  mainly  appreciated,  in  many 
a  window  we  may  see  lovely  specimens  of  frilled 
or   tasselled   Hart's-tongues  and  crested  forms  of 
other    species   to   which   none    of    the    elsewhere 
popular    window     plants     can     possibly     be     ad- 
vantageously  compared.      We    ourselves,    in    the 
early   days  of   our   enthusiasm,  devoted   a   north 
basement   window   to    a    small    collection,  which 
evidently  constituted  a  source  of  wonderment  to 
the  passers-by,  and  eventually  quite  converted  a 
local  nurseryman    to    the  cult.     Since  that  time, 
by    the   effoks  of  the  late  Colonel  A.    M.   .Tones, 
E.   .J.   Lowe,  and    Mr.   Carbonell,   Kew   has   been 
enriched  with  a  grand  representative  collection  of 


varieties  more  than  a  decade  since,  and  yet  we 
may  walk  all  London  through,  and  for  the  matter 
of  that,  all  Britain  through  as  well,  and,  save  in 
the  Midlands,  hardly  find  a  sign  of  their  existence. 
We  yield  to  no  one  an  admiration  of  the  lovely 
exotic  Ferns  which  have  been  introduced,  but  we 
submit  that  it  is.  a  ridiculous  state  of  things  that 
a  charming  thing  found  abroad  is  eagerly  snatched 
up  by  the  trade,  while  an  eciiially  fine  thing  found 
in  our  native  Fern  haunts  is  absolutely  ignored, 
except  by  the  coterie  of  enthusiasts.  Half  a 
century  ago,  in  the  fifties,  the  merit  of  our  British 
Ferns  found  popular  acknowledgment,  and  for  a 
time  there  was  a  "craze;"  unfortunately,  how- 
i  ever,  the  trade,  as  is  evidenced  clearly  by  con- 
temporary catalogues,  put  a  great  lot  of  rubbish 
on  the  markets,  i.e.,  irregular  and  unsymmetrical 
curiosities,  their  very  defects  enhancing  their 
prices  in  many  cases.  The  result  inevitably  was 
a  revulsion  of  taste,  from  which,  from  that  day  to 
this,  the  Ferns  have  sufi'ered.  Since  then,  hov.-ever, 
'  the  types  have  been  more  and  more  refined.  The 
abundance  of  good  things  found  led  to  stricter  and 
\  stricter  selections,  until  at  last  we  are  able  to  put 
forward  a  list  compiled  on  proper  lines  in  full 
i  confidence  that  no  one  who  starts  a  collection 
'  using  it  as  his  or  her  guide,  will  eventually  regret 
i  the  trouble  taken  or  will  feel  anything  but 
gratitude  to  us  for  our  recommendation. 

Our  native  British  Feins  have  immensely 
advanced  and  improved.  At  the  outset  of  the 
past  century  Ferns  generally  were  an  enigma  to 
the  biologist,  and  their  varietal  capacity  only 
known  to  a  minute  extent,  contemporary  books 
alluding  vaguely  to  a  few  monstrosities  which 
might  certainly  be  reckoned  on  the  fingers.  In 
the  middle  of  the  century  "varieties"  became  the 
study  of  the  pioneers,  and  some  scores  of  fine  forms 
had  been  found  and  many  more  good  and  bad  had 
been  raised.  Since  then  a  comparative  handful 
of  Fern  lovers  have  sustained  the  cult  and  praeti- 
'  callv  reformed  it  :  the  result  is  this  list,  and 
another  result,  we  hope,  will  be  a  fuller  appreeia- 


82 


THE    GARDEN. 


February    2,  1901 


tion  in  the  present  century  of  the  outcome  of  their 
labours. 

[The  British  Pteridological  Societ}'  (President, 
Mr.  Charles  T.  Druery,  F.L.S.,  V.M.H.),  having 
determined  to  celebrate  the  termination  of  the 
century  by  a  properly  authorised  list  of  the  finest 
varieties  then  extant,  have  appointed  a  committee 
to  that  end,  with  Jlr.  Druery  as  compiler  and 
editor  of  the  list  in  question.  This  being  now 
complete,  and  associated  with  introductory  matter 
relative  to  the  habitat  and  culture  of  each  species, 
we  think  our  readers  will  be  pleased  to  benefit  by 
it,  and  have  consequently  arranged  for  its  pub- 
lication in  a  serial  form  in  our  columns,  prior  to 
its  issue  as  a  complete  volume  later  on.  AH  lists 
so  far  issued  have  been  by  individuals,  hence  this 
one  is  unique,  as  the  outcome  of  the  united  ex- 
perience of  a  body  of  practical  Fern  growers,  Fern 
hunters,  and  connoisseurs,  headed  by  one  who  for 
more  than  twenty  years  has  made  British  Ferns 
and  their  varieties  his  special  study. — Eds.] 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

DECORATIVE  kinds,  intended  either  for 
I  earl}'  mid-season  or  late  flowering, 
k  may  now  be  propagated.  Though 
I  those  especially  for  midwinter  bloom- 
ing can  be  struck  as  late  as  the  end 
of  March,  and  will  then  make  capital 
plants  in  small  pots,  better  results  will  follow  if 
ihe  cuttings  are  rooted  in  February.  These  may 
either  be  struck  singly  in  -ii-inch  pots  or  placed 
five  round  the  outside  of  a  large  .3-inch  pot,  and 
little  difficulty  should  be  found  in  striking  them  at 
this  season.  Any  intermediate  house  which  is 
being  kept  close  will  suffice.  After  about  a  fort- 
night they  should  be  fit  to  remove  to  a  cooler  and 
more  airy  structure.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
value  of  the  Chrysanthemum  for  all  kinds  of 
decorations,  either  as  plants  or  for  supplying  cut 
Howers,  will  increase,  for  beautiful  as  many 
uf  the  large  specimen  blooms  are  when  seen  at 
their  best,  they  are  for  many  purposes  far  less 
unique  than  the  light  medium-sized  blooms.  Con- 
sequentlj',  I  would  advise  all  those  that  have 
not  taken  the  decorative  varieties  seriously  in 
hand  to  give  them  an  extended  trial.  Many  of  the 
best  large  flowering  varieties  of  the  .Japanese 
section,  if  properly  treated,  adapt  themselves 
admirably  for  such  purposes,  but  those  generally 
catalogued  under  the  heading  of  decorative  kinds 
are  preferable.  I  am  glad  to  notice  that  this 
section  is  being 'annually  added  to,  many  of  the 
varieties  being  of  sterling  merit.  At  the  same 
time,  there  is  yet  plenty  of  room  for  further 
improvement,  especially  among  the  very  late  kinds. 
Valuable  as  the  Chrysanthemum  is  during  October 
and  November,  it  is  infinitely  more  so  during 
December  and  .January,  and  I  hope  to  see  in  the 
near  future  more  varieties  that  are  naturally 
adapted  for  blooming  at  this  season.  I  know  of 
nothing  to  equal  the  Chrysanthemum  for  giving 
cut  flowers  during  the  winter  ;  if  only  for  their 
lasting  properties  they  are  worthy  of  the  labour 
bestowed  upon  them. 

Mme.  Desgrange  and  its  sports  when  well 
grown  for  early  flowering  in  pots  are  unequalled, 
and  often  prove  invaluable  for  supplying  flowers 
after  earlj'  frosts.  These  reijuire  greater  care  in 
cultivation  than  many  other  early  varieties,  and 
from  this  date  should  be  grown  on  without  a  check. 
I  would  advise  rooting  them  singly  in  'ii-inch  pots, 
and  finally  flower  in  .S-inch  pots.  I  have  always 
found  them  do  better  in  a  slightly  lighter  and  more 
porous  compost  than  is  generally  advised  for  other 
kinds. 

Specimen  Blooms  in  (i-iNOH  Pots. 

Many  varieties,  Irath  incurved  and  Japanese, 
respond  well  to  this  treatment.  Some  of  the  best 
blooms  I  saw  last  season  were  grown  upon  plants 
in  this  size  pot.  (iood  healthy  cuttings  should  be 
selected  any  time  within  the  next  three  weeks, 
and  rooted  in  the  ordinary  way,  choosing  especi- 
all}'  those   varieties  which   are   most   persistent  in 


showing  flower  buds  prematurely,  such  as  Viviand 
Morel  and  sports,  Vicountess  Hambledon,  &c.  If 
good,  free  root  cuttings  can  be  obtained  now,  much 
less  trouble  will  be  experienced  in  this  respect. 
The  plants  should  be  stopped  when  about  6  inches 
in  height.  One  shoot  only  allowed  to  a  plant,  and 
secure  the  first  or  second  bud,  according  to  the 
variety.  In  addition  to  the  kinds  mentioned  above, 
the  following  may  be  added  :  Oceana,  Australie, 
Ella  Curtis,  Mme.  Carnot  and  sports.  Pride  of 
Madford,  Mons.  Chetion  de  Leche,  Mutual  Friend, 
and  Western  King,  Japanese  ;  and  Austin  Cannell, 
Miss  Violet  Foster,  Refulgens,  .Jeanne  d'Aro, 
Duchess  of  Fife,  Mme.  Ferlat,  Chrysautheme 
Bruant,  and  Mrs.  R.  C.  Kingston,  incurved. 

E.  Beckett. 
A/di'iiham  Houf-e  (Jardens,  Wxlree,  Herln. 


THE  FLOWEE  GARDEN. 

Seed  Sowing. 

TuBERors  Begonias  required  to  flower  in  the  open 
the  same  year  as  sown  can  hardly  be  got  in  too 
early.  The  seed  should  be  sown  now  and  placed 
in  stove  heat,  standing  the  seed  pans  or  pots  near 
the  glass,  but  shading  the  soil  with  paper  or 
darkened  squares  of  glass.  With  regard  to  the 
soil  used,  I  have  found  that  much  greater  progress 
has  been  made  by  the  young  plants  when  the  seed 
has  been  sown  in  a  mixture  of  thoroughly  decom- 
posed leaf-mould  and  sand  than  has  been  made  by 
seedlings  raised  in  a  mixture  containing  a  big 
proportion  of  loam,  and  I  would  suggest  that  leaf- 
mould  free  from  fungoid  spores  should  form  at 
least  two-thirds  of  the  bulk.  Begonia  seeds,  being 
very  fine,  should  be  sown  on  the  surface  of  rather 
finely  screened  soil  and  not  covered  in  any  way. 
Watering  should  take  the  form  of  spraying  unless 
careful  immersion  of  the  pots — taking  care  not  to 
float  the  seeds — is  substituted. 

East  Lotiiian  Stoi'ks. 
Should  the  hotbed,  the  making  of  which  I  wrote 
about  a  few  weeks  back,  have  now  become  nicely 
warm.  Stock  seeds  may  be  sown  on  it  either  in  soil 
placed  directly  on  the  surface  of  the  bed  or  in 
bo.xes  of  soil  made  up  in  the  usual  way  for  seeds. 
Of  course  they  will  want  covering  with  an  ordinary 
garden  frame,  and  when  the  seeds  have  germinated 
there  must  be  careful  attention  to  ventilation. 

Propagating. 
Where  stock  is  short  among  any  of  these  sub- 
jects, a  few  store  pots  of  which  are  struck  in  the 
autumn,  propagation  must  commence  as  soon  as 
the  new-made  growth  is  ready.  Among  these 
plants  are  Alternantheras,  Jjobelias,  Verbena, 
Coleus,  and  the  general  run  of  soft-wooded  plants 
used  for  bedding,  and  which  are  usually  propagated 
from  cuttings.  A  late  start  sometimes  leads  to 
the  use  of  the  old  stock  stools  to  make  up  shortage, 
and  these  are  generally  unsatisfactory. 

OnTDOOKS. 

As  early  in  February  as  the  weather  becomes  fit 
and  the  soil  dry  enough  for  working  planting  of 
such  things  as  Ranunculus  and  Anemones  should 
be  done.  For  both  these  plants,  and  for  Ranun- 
culus especially,  a  rich  soil  is  desirable,  and  it  is 
only  in  such  soil  that  fine  flowers  are  produced. 
The  best  way  of  enriching  soil  for  these  is  to  dig 
in  a  good  quantity  of  cow  manure,  and  it  is  not 
too  late  to  do  this  now,  though  for  preference  I 
should  get  such  work  completed  in  the  autunni. 
No  other  kind  of  manure  is  so  suitable  for  the 
Ranunculus.  Plant  the  tubers,  claw  downwards, 
about  '2in.  deep.  If  the  soil  is  very  heavy,  a  little 
sand  should  be  put  under  the  tubers,  and  the 
covering  soil  should  also  lie  lightened  with  sand 
Anemones  may  be  planted  a  little  deeper,  but  the 
general  treatment  should  be  about  the  same  with 
both  these  delightful  spring  flowers. 

Lilies,  &c. 
Many  bulbs  which  do  not  come  to  hand  early 
enough  to  be  planted  in  the  autumn  are  often 
much  enervated  through  storing  till  fit  weather 
for  planting  comes.  This  is,  of  course,  quite 
unavoidable  in  time  of  frost,  but  not  a  day  should 
be   lost    if    the    chance    cornea    for  planting    for 


storage,  even  of  the  best  kind,  injures  more  than 
does  the  weather  when  once  the  bulbs  are  planted, 
and  it  is  easy  to  protect  the  young  growths  later 
on.  In  the  meanwhile,  while  waiting  for  weather 
the  bulbs  should  lie  laid  out  singly  in  a  cool  but 
dry  store  room.  In  planting  Lilies  note  should  be 
taken  as  to  their  requirements  in  the  way  of  soil, 
for  though  man}-  will  do  fairly  well  in  most  soils 
for  a  time  there  is  hardly  another  class  of  plant 
so  fastidious,  speaking  generall}-.  Alstromerias, 
which  are  often  regarded  as  rather  tender,  lose  this 
trait  it  planted  some  7  inches  or  S  inches  deep,  and 
this  should  be  borne  in  mind  when  planting.  In  a 
similar  way  Eucomis  punctata  maybe  grown  in  the 
open  almost  anywhere  if  planted  deep,  though  it  is 
but  rarely  seen  in  gardens.  J.  C  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. 

Early  Peaches — Pot  Trees. 

Of  late  years  more  attention  has  been  paid  to  the 
pot  culture  of  the  Peach.  Nectarine,  and  other  fruits, 
and  there  is  great  gain  by  forcing  pot  trees,  as 
they  may  be  brought  on  more  rapidly  than  perma- 
nent trees.  As  regards  varieties,  the  Cardinal 
Nectarine,  sent  out  a  few  seasons  ago  by  Messrs. 
Rivers',  is  a  splendid  forcer,  and  gives  fine  fruits  of 
good  quality.  This  variety,  started  the  early  part 
of  December,  will  now  be  in  full  bloom,  and  1  have 
noticed  that  early  Peaches  or  Nectarines  in  good 
condition  always  carry  far  too  much  blossom. 
With  pot  trees  I  would  advise  thinning  and  earl}' 
disbudding  ;  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  remove  blossom 
where  at  all  thick  or  misplaced.  This  gives  those 
left  more  strength.  During  bright  sunny  days  it 
will  be  necessary  about  midda}'  to  fertilise  the 
bloom,  and  a  small  camel's  hair  brush  or  a  rabbit's 
tail  lightl}'  passed  over  the  flowers  to  distribute 
the  pollen  will  do  good.  Tliough  overhead 
syringing  must  cease  at  this  period  I  do  not  advise 
a  dry  or  too  warm  atmosphere.  On  bright  days 
the  paths  and  walls  of  the  house  should  be  damped 
over.  Up  to  this  date  the  trees  have  not  required 
much  moisture,  but  when  the  fruits  are  set  more 
will  be  required  ;  also  damping  overhead  twice 
daily  in  bright  weather.  The  water  used  should 
not  be  colder  than  the  temperature  of  the  house. 
The  ventilation  should  now  be  more  liberal — of 
course,  climatic  conditions  always  being  taken  into 
account.  The  temperatures  may  range  from  o.')°  to 
00°  at  night  in  mild  weather,  witli  10°  more  by  day, 
and  a  liberal  addition  from  sun  heat. 

Early  Permanent  Houses. 
Fruit  trees  in  this  house,  started  at  the  end  of 
the  }  ear,  will  now  he  swelling  ;  syringing  overhead 
will  be  needful  twice  a  day  to  assist  the  trees. 
Moisture  should  be  freely  distributed  over  floors, 
paths,  and  walls  to  create  a  sweet  growing  atmos- 
phere. The  border  should  be  sufficiently  moist.  -If 
at  all  dry  water  thoroughly  with  tepid  water,  as  a 
dry  root  run  means  bud  dropping  at  this  time  of 
year.  If  there  are  outside  borders  protect  them 
with  some  warm,  dry  material.  I  do  not  advise 
decayed  manures,  as  this  cools  ra|)idly  and  retains 
the  moisture,  making  the  borders  cold  and 
soddened.  Fresh  leaves  covered  with  corrugated 
zinc  sheets  throw  off  excessive  moisture  and  form  a 
good  covering.  A  little  more  warmth  may  now  be 
given  to  trees  that  are  showing  the  colour  of  the 
flowers,  but  avoid  high  night  temperatures.  A 
temperature  of  all'  at  night  in  cold  weather  is 
ample,  indeed  a  few  degrees  lower  in  modern 
houses  will  suffice,  as  liy  maintaining  tlie  lower 
temperatiu'e  now  the  bloom  M'ill  be  stronger.  The 
same  remarks  as  advised  for  jjot  trees  apply  to 
removal  of  buds  and  misplaced  flowers  ;  but  a  few 
of  the  early  American  Peaches,  such  as  Alexander 
and  others,  are  addicted  to  casting  their  buds. 
This  should  be  borne  in  mind  when  thinning.  So 
f.ar  we  have  had  no  troulilc  with  the  carl}'  Necta- 
rines— I  mean  the  Newer  Cardinal  and  Early 
Rivers'.  These  force  well  if  not  given  strong  heat 
at  the  start. 

Later  Houses. 

There  shoulil  bo  no  delay  in  getting  the  cleansing 
and  retying  of  trees  finished  in  the  succession  and 
latest    kouse.      As    these    trees   are    often    badly 


February  2,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


83 


attacked  by  insect  pests  now  is  a  good  time  to 
thoroughly  cleanse  them.  Black  fly  is  a  trouble- 
some pest,  and  if  not  destroyed  cripples  the 
growths  so  badly  that  the  next  season's  crop  is 
much  affected.  Vacant  parts  of  the  house  must  be 
thoroughly  overhauled,  using  a  fresh  lime-wash 
with  a  liberal  portion  of  sulphur  for  the  walls,  and 
washing  the  older  wood  with  carbolic,  soft  soap  and 
water  with  a  soft  brush,  then  painting  over  with 
(Jishurst  and  some  sulphur.  The  trees  are  earlier 
than  usual,  owing  to  the  mild  winter,  so  that  early 
cleansing  is  neces.sary,  even  in  the  latest  house. 
Any  additions  to  borders  should  also  be  under- 
taken. Top-dressings  also  are  needed  with  trees 
that  crop  freely,  and  for  this  purpose  richer 
materials  may  be  employed,  using  bone-meal 
freely.  Houses  for  latest  cropping  should  have 
all  the  ventilation  possible,  but  avoid  saturating  the 
borders.  Heavy  rain.s  or  snow  should  be  guarded 
against.  With  latest  trees  that  need  retarding  it 
may  be  well  to  cover  the  glass  with  mats  during 
bright  sunshine  to  prevent  a  high  temperature,  but 
a  great  deal  depends  upon  the  situation  of  the 
house  and  the  varieties  grown.  <i.  Wythes. 

Si/on  House  Gardens,  Bren/J'ord. 

KITCHEN     GARDEN. 

Potatoes  a.vd  Celery. 
Potatoes  growing  freely  in  pits  must  not  be 
allowed  to  become  drawn  through  lack  of  air,  and 
further  plantations  may  be  made  to  secure  an 
unbroken  supply  through  April  and  May.  The 
same  remarks  apply  to  Carrots,  the  first  sowing  of 
which  will  now  require  careful  attention  to  keep 
the  young  plants  sturd}'.  Make  a  sowing  for 
succession  in  the  same  way  as  advised  for  the  first 
pit.     Celery  may  be  sown  in  bo,ves  and  placed  in 


the  forcing  pit  in  order  to  supply  heads  as  early  in 
the  season  as  possible.  The  young  plants  should 
be  potted  singly  into  3-inch  pots,  in  a  compost  of 
rich  loam  and  leaf-soil  in  equal  quantities,  and 
placed  in  a  heated  pit  near  the  glass,  where  they 
may  be  kept  close  for  a  few  days  until  they  begin 
to  make  fresh  growth.  Give  air  in  increasing 
quantities  until  the  plants  are  hardened  oft'  and 
ready  to  plant  out  in  well-prepared  trenches  by 
the  end  of  April  ;  protection  on  cold  nights  will  be 
necessary.  If  grown  without  a  check  and  never 
allowed  to  become  dry  they  will  be  less  likely  to 
run  to  seed.  Veitch's  Early  Rose  and  Superb 
White  are  good  varieties  for  early  sowing. 
Lekks. 

Where  large  well  blanched  Leeks  are  required 
early  in  the  season  no  time  must  be  lost  in  sowing 
seeds  of  some  approved  variety.  They  should 
receive  the  same  treatment  as  that  advised  for 
Onions  in  last  week's  calendar  until  ready  for 
planting,  when  a  well-prepared  trench  should  be 
in  readiness  for  them  the  first  week  in  May. 
Make  this  18  inches  deep,  and  fill  to  within 
9  inches  of  the  top  with  well-decayed  farmyard 
manure,  make  firm,  and  cover  with  4  inches  of 
soil.  Place  the  'plantlets  1  foot  apart  and  3  inches 
deep.  If  intended  for  exhibition,  strong  brown 
paper  collars  should  be  drawn  o\'er  them  soon 
after  they  are  planted,  around  the  bottom  of  which 
must  be  placecl  a  little  soil.  When  the  heart  of 
the  plant  has  grown  above  the  collar  it  must  be 
raised  and  earth  drawn  round  the  base  until  the 
required  length  of  blanched  stem  has  been  secured. 
Give  liberal  supplies  of  liquid  manure  later.  The 
Lyon  is  one  of  the  best  Leeks  for  this  purpose. 
HoKSE-KADISn. 

The  present  is  a  good  time  to  make  a  plantation 


of  Horse-radish  ;  this  delights  in  a  deep  rich  soil 
and  a  rather  moist  situation.  The  ground  should 
be  trenched  and  a  layer  of  manure  placed  under- 
neath. One  should  endeavour  to  obtain  large 
roots  before  they  are  old  enough  to  become  hard. 
There  are  numerous  methods  of  cultivation,  but 
where  only  a  limited  supply  is  required  the  quickest 
and  best  way  is  to  grow  from  young  side  shoots, 
G  inches  to  9  inches  long,  planted  in  rows  2A  feet 
apart  and  1  foot  from  plant  to  plant,  using  a 
crowbar  or  long  dibber  for  the  purpose. 

RUUBARB. 

Make  fresh  plantations,  which  to  be  of  best 
quality  should  lie  transplanted  every  four  years  in 
ground  well  trenched  and  heavily  manured.  A 
light  situation  suits  it  best,  but  it  may  be  grown 
with  a  fair  amount  of  success  between  rows  of 
fruit  trees  or  in  any  remote  corner  of  the  garden, 
so  long  as  it  is  given  a  liberal  quantity  of  manure. 
When  planting  roots  to  grow  for  forcing  the}'  may 
be  placed  3  feet  apart  each  wa)',  but  for  permanent 
beds  they  must  be  in  rows  5  feet  apart  and  4  feet 
from  plant  to  plant  ;  nothing  should  be  pulled 
from  the  young  plants  the  first  season,  as  by  so 
doing  the  strength  of  the  root  will  be  impaired  and 
the  crop  for  the  second  j'ear  reduced  accordingly. 

.TuUN    DONN. 

Tioi/al  Kilchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 


A   PERGOLA. 

The  pergola — a  way  of  gardening  that  is  bor- 
rowed from  Italy — is  j  ust  as  suitable  for  English 
pleasure  grounds,  where  a  leafy  and  flowering 
shade  over  a  garden  walk  is  very  pleasant  in 
the  heat  of  summer.    The  best  class  of  pergola 


THE  BUICK  FERGOLA  AX  CROOKSBFRY. 


84 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February  2,  1901. 


is  made  with  solid  piers  of  brick  or  stone, 
with  stout  oak  beams  across.  Many  are  the 
climbing  plants  that  can  be  grown  upon  these 
structures— Roses,  .Jasmine,  Virginia  Creeper, 
Clematis,  Aristolochia,  and  Wistaria  —  but 
nothing  is  lietter  than  the  Grape  Vine,  which, 
after  all,  is  about  the  handsomest  climbing 
plant  we  have. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 


FORCING    TURNIP    WHITE 
GEM. 

YOUN(i  sweet  Turnips  are  always  valued 
in  the  spring,  and  no  matter  how  care- 
fully old  roots  are  kept,  towards  the 
end  of  April  they  commence  to  grow 
out  and  lose  flavour.  It  is  only  of 
recent  j-ears  that  forced  roots  have 
found  favour  on  the  Continent.  There  is  a  large 
trade  with  these  early-forced  roots,  and  a  stump- 
rooted  variety  called  tlie  Paris  Market  is  a  great 
favourite.  Ifind  that  the  longer  root— the  White 
Gem— is  much  better.  This  is  oblong  in  shape, 
tlie  quickest  to  grow  1  have  tried,  and  is  of 
delicious  flavour  ;  indeed,  by  sowing  in  a  frame 
with  a  eentle  bottom-heat,  good  roots  may  be  had 
in  less  tlian  two  months.  Some  of  the  older  varie- 
ties do  not  force  well.  Seeds  sown  in  heat  produce 
plants  that  run  and  do  not  bulb  freely,  but  the 
White  Gem  is  free  from  the  evil  referred  to.  Of 
course,  no  matter  what  vegetables  are  forced, 
there  must  be  ample  ventilation  during  growth, 
plenty  of  moisture,  and  good  soil  to  encourage 
rapid  growth.  Such  kinds  as  White  Gem,  that 
have  a  long,  thick,  Radish-Uke  growth,  remain 
sound  for  a  longer  time  than  the  flatter  roots,  which 
soon  age  and  become  hard  and  flavourless.       W. 


AMATEURS'  PERPLEXITIES. 

THE  LOGAN    BERRY. 

I  SHOULD  be  very  grateful  for  any  information  you 
can  give  me  on  the  subject  of  Logan  Berry  bushes. 
Are  thej'  best  grown  in  a  bushy  form  by  cutting 
back  the  shoots,  or  is  it  better  to  allow  the  shoots 
to  grow  their  natural  length  and  train  them  to 
stakes  ?— F.  .J.  S. 

[We  are  not  at  all  surprised  at  your  question,  as 
this  fruit  is  not  much  known.  You  write  of 
bushes,  but  the  Logan  Berry  assumes  a  straggling 
growth  not  at  all  compact  or  bush-like.  These 
fruits  were  described  a  few  weeks  ago  in  The 
Garden'.  When  grown  as  bushes  cut  out  the  old 
growths  after  fruiting  in  much  the  same  way  as 
Raspberries  are  treated,  and  then  loosely  tie  up 
the  new  growths.  On  the  latter^  appear  next 
season's  fruit.  We  think  the  best  way  to  grow 
these  fruits  is  to  let  the  new  growths  have  ample 
fi-eedom  without  much  cutting  back.  The  best 
fruits  are  obtained  from  plants  on  a  north  wall ; 
the  shoots  are  tied  or  nailed  in  their  full  length, 
cutting  out  the  old  fruiting  ones  as  soon  as  the 
crop  is  cleared.  The  plants  make  a  very  free 
growth  from  the  base  each  year,  and  should  not 
be  much  shortened.  If  tied  to  stakes,  allow 
fi  feet  growths  from  the  base.  You  may  thin  out 
weak  growths,  but  in  all  cases  give  ample  room, 
as  the  frviits  being  of  an  acid  nature  need  free 
exposure. — Kns.] 

COVERING  THE  SOIL  ABOUT  SHRUBS 
AND  PERENNIALS. 

"  R.  D.''  sends  the  following  (juestion  ;— "  There  is 
a  bit  of  ground  at  the  end  of  my  mixed  border,  at 
right  angles  to  it,  and  separated  by  a  gravel  path. 
When  I  took  the  house  it  was  just  a  nondescript 
untidy  place,  with  a  few  meaningless  and  ill-grown 
Laurels  here  and  there.  We  cleared  away  the  few 
bad  shrubs,  and  at  one  side  put  a  row  of  Ribes 
sanguinea.  "towards  the  path  is  a  thick  row  (in 
clumps)   of  Crown  Imperials,  and  in  front  lots  of 


Tulips,  Narcissi,  &c. ,  for  about  3  feet  wide.  The 
whole  bit  of  ground  is  3*2  feet  wide  and  .55  feet 
long.  There  are  three  big  Fir  trees  of  sorts,  two 
little  slim  ones,  and  one  little  Walnut  on  the 
ground.  The  soil  is  clay,  very  wet  and  standing 
in  water  in  winter,  very  hard  and  dry  in  summer. 
I  want  to  see  no  earth  if  possible.  What  grass 
seed  can  I  sow  that  will  grow,  or  what  can  I  put 
that  will  make  a  carpet  all  over '!  I  have  planted 
good  groups  of  Foxglove  and  Honesty,  some 
Solomon's  Seal  and  St.  John's-wort,  quantities  of 
bulbs  are  in,  and  also  Primrose  plants,  but  I  want 
it  to  look  green,  and  in  summer  when  bulbs,  &c., 
are  over  to  hide  the  hard  yellow  earth.  I  fear 
Bracken  would  not  grow,  and  in  any  ease,  in  spite 
of  the  arguments  that  have  been  going  on  on  the 
subject,  I  still  do  not  understand  what  would  he 
the  best  way  to  plant  it  or  sow  it.  Do  you  think 
it  would  grow?  I  love  the  look  of  it  in  summer. 
I  sowed  a  lot  of  Sheep's  Fescue  Grass  seed  early 
last  autumn,  but  very  little  has  come  up.  You 
see  it  is  more  or  less  shaded  by  the  trees  and  gets 
the  drip,  and  yet  in  summer,  when  we  onlj'  have 
light  showers,  rain  hardl}'  falls  on  the  ground  part, 
so  it  gets  hard  and  dry.  It  looked  very  nice  when 
the  bulbs  were  out,  and  this  year  I  hope  the  Fox- 
gloves, &c. ,  will  do,  but  what  after?  So  far  I 
have  not  been  able  to  manure  it  or  do  much  to  it, 
as  all  we  had  has  been  used  for  borders  and  beds, 
I  should  be  verj'  grateful  for  advice." 

[It  was  a  mistake  to  sow  the  tine  Fescue  Grasses 
in  a  rather  shaded  place  on  a  clay  soil.  They 
belong  to  open  sandy  or  peaty  places.  An  ordinary 
mixture  of  meadow  or  the  green  lawn  grasses 
would  have  been  better.  Bracken  is  not  easy  to 
establish  unless  you  can  get  it  in  large  deep  sods ; 
but  the  best  thing  would  be  to  plant  the  good 
hardy  Male  Fern,  partly  grouped  and  partly  singls, 
so  as  more  or  less  to  cover  the  ground  when  the 
bulbs  are  over.  A  good  nuiloh  of  rotten  leaves 
renewed  yearly  would  both  help  the  bulbs  and 
keep  the  ground  from  hardening  in  drought.  Some 
bushes  of  Guelder  Rose  would  look  well  grouped 
behind  and  among  the  Ribes.  St.  John's-wort  is 
much  too  robbing  a  plant  to  have  among  bulbs. 
Its  place  is  in  dry  banks  where  there  is  nothing 
else  for  it  to  kill,  or  near  trees  so  well  established 
that  they  cannot  be  hurt.  The  little  Walnut  had 
better  be  moved  while  it  is  small,  unless  you  wish  to 
look  forward  to  i  t  for  filling  the  whole  space.  — Eds.  ] 

NEW  TUFTED  PANSIES  (VIOLAS). 

I.v  reply  to  "  S.  S.  R.,"  many  good  new  tufted 
Pansies  are  introduced  each  season.  The  exhi- 
bition of  tufted  Pansies  in  sprays,  each 
containing  at  least  half  a  dozen  flowers,  appeared 
at  one  time  bkely  to  become  popular,  but, 
owing  to  the  tedious  process  of  wiring  each 
flower,  this  method  was  abandoned.  It  hardlj' 
seems  possible  that  within  less  than  ten  years 
so  much  progress  with  these  flowers  can  be 
recorded.  The  charge  is  made  by  some  of  the 
older  florists,  who  have  given  but  scant  attention 
to  the  tufted  Pansies  in  the  last  decade,  that  the 
varieties  of  recent  origin  are  poor,  the  plants  of 
bad  growth,  and  the  flowers  of  poor  substance.  It 
maj'  be  safely  said  that  modern  raisers  are  raising 
plants  of  almost  perfect  habit,  with  large  flowers 
in  abundance  borne  on  stout,  erect  footstalks  well 
above  the  foliage.  Good  self  colours  are  in  the 
ascendant,  and,  as  the  majority  of  the  newer 
varieties  are  rayless,  their  effect  when  massed  in 
beds  and  borders  by  themselves  is  distinctly  better 
than  in  the  case  of  those  of  the  rayed  type, 
however  neatly  pencilled.  A  few  sorts  deserving 
special  note  at  this  season  when  the  spring 
planting  is  already  demanding  consideration  are 
subjoined  :  — 

Nellie  liidiny. — A  large,  refined,  rich  golden- 
3'ellow  self  of  good  form  and  subatanoe,  stout, 
erect  footstalks,  dwarf  growth.  In  the  early 
spring  and  late  autumn  the  flowers  are  faintly 
rayed,  but  in  the  summer  season  this  pencilling 
disappears. 

Edii'ard  Mamii. — Another  very  largo  flower  of 
circular  shape,  of  the  purest  white,  with  an 
eft'ective  yellow  eye,  and  raylesa.  A  pi'omising 
white  self,  of  excellent  habit. 


yiobe. — Although  introduced  in  ISSHI,  little  has 
been  heard  of  this  superb  white  self.  It  is  a  pure 
white,  rayless  flower,  with  a  neat,  yellow  eye,  and 
medium  size.     The  growth  is  perfect. 

La  Vierije.  —  A  lovely  pure  white  circular 
flower  with  an  orange  eye.  It  is  rayless,  and  the 
plants  are  of  good  habit. 

Yclloir  Prince. — This  is  an  advance  on  those  of 
a  yellow  colour,  being  a  rich  canar}'  yellow  flower 
of  large  size,  neatl}'  and  faintl}'  rayed.  The  habit 
is  dwarf  and  compact. 

Yellow  KiiKj. — As  a  bedding  sort  this  new 
variety'  is  a  decided  acquisition.  It  is  a  rich 
3'ellow  flower,  with  a  deeper  coloured  lower  petal, 
and  is  also  rayless.  It  flowers  as  freely  as 
Devonshire  Cream,  and  makes  (he  same  good 
growth. 

Thrasher. — A  very  large  flower,  of  a  distinct 
shade  of  deep  heliotrope  blue,  and  a  great  improve- 
ment upon  a  variet}'  named  Ophelia.  Each  flower 
is  developed  upon  a  long,  stout  footstalk,  standing 
out  well  above  the  foliage. 

Golden  (Jneen.  —  Another  large,  handsome, 
neatly-rayed,  rich  golden-yellow  variety  of  good 
habit.     This  is  also  of  strong  growth. 

Prometheus. — This  is  probably  one  of  the  largest 
of  the  tufted  Pansies,  developing  immense  circular 
flowers  of  a  golden-yellow  colour,  heavily  rayed. 
When  the  plants  attain  goodly  proportions  their 
effect  when  freely  flowered  is  very  telling. 

Immortalile.  — This  new  kind  has  given  us  flowers 
of  a  pale  lilac-lavender  shade  of  colour  similar  to 
those  of  Florizel,  but  much  larger,  also  faint!}' 
rayed. 

Leda. — Those  who  care  for  margined  flowers  will 
appreciate  this  variety.  The  flowers  are  prettily 
margined  with  pale  china  blue  on  a  white  ground. 
The  habit  of  growth,  too,  is  all  that  can  be 
desired. 

The  foregoing  sorts  will  give  some  idea  of  the 
beautiful  varieties  now  being  distributed.  If 
planted  in  open  weather  before  the  middle  of 
JIarch  the}'  should  flower  well. 


NOTES    FROM    IRISH 
GARDENS. 

ST.   HELEN'S,    CO,   DUBLIN. 

ON  the  occasion  of  a  former  visit  to 
St.  Helen's,  the  property  of  Mr. 
•J.  G.  Nutting,  at  Booterstown, 
Dublin,  the  place  was  in  a  state  of 
transition.  It  had  not  long  been 
acquired  by  its  present  owner  from 
the  representatives  of  the  late  Viscount  Gough, 
and  extensive  improvements  were  in  progress, 
involving  great  changes  in  the  mansion  and  its 
surroundings.  A  second  visit,  at  the  end  of  last 
summer,  showed  many  of  these  completed,  although 
others  were  still  on  hand.  The  sea  oi-  garden  front 
of  St.  Helen's  has  a  magnificent  view  over  Dublin 
Baj',  one  of  the  most  beautiful  prospects  in  the 
kingdom.  Descending  the  terrace  in  front,  we  are 
in  the  Italian  garden,  one  which  has  been  wisely 
retained  almost  unaltered  as  in  keeping  with  the 
character  of  the  building,  and  a  good  example  ot 
the  best  gardens  of  its  kind.  There  is  about  it  a 
simplicity  and  boldness  often  wanting  in  these 
Italian  gardens,  and  the  effect  is  corresjDondingly 
good,  so  that  even  those  wedded  to  the  infornuil 
garden  are  constrained  to  admit  its  beauties.  The 
beds  are  comparatively  few,  and  man}'  are  filled 
with  permanent  material,  such  as  small  .shrubs, 
which  not  only  lessen  labour,  but  give  the  garden  a 
better  appearance.  Others  are  tilled  with  bedding 
plants,  so  that  eacli  season  may  give  the  variety 
and  effect  needed  in  such  a  position.  At  the  lower 
end  of  the  Italian  garden  there  is  a  border  of  good 
herbaceous  plants,  including  a  number  of  l<^lag 
Irises,  whicli  look  well  against  the  terrace  wall. 
A  pretty  little  park  stretches  beyond,  and  it  is  in 
contemplation,  I  believe,  to  convert  an  old  gravel 
pit,  at  present  rather  a  mar  to  the  view,  into  a 
more  picturestpie  feature. 

The  approach   to  the  main   front,   like  a  large 
proportion  of  ihe  estate,  is  finely   timbered   with 


February   2,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


85 


old  trees  of  great  beauty.  Near  the  house  a  great 
improvement  has  been  effected  by  the  formation  of 
a  pretty  little  lake,  fed  by  a  sti'eani  which  Hows 
through  the  demesne,  and  is  spanned  b3'  a  rustic 
bri('^e,  a  cascade  adding  to  the  interest  of  this 
feature  of  St.  Helen's.  The  margin  of  the  lakelet 
has  Pampas  Grass,  Gunneras,  and  .Japanese  Irises 
to  add  to  the  appearance  of  its  irregular  outline. 

When  I  first  saw  the  walled  garden  I  thought  it 
(|uaint  in  the  extreme,  reminding  one  of  some  of 
the  old  gardens  figured  in  the  works  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  It  lies  oi  a  steep  slope,  and 
it  had  across  it  a  range  of  old  houses,  antiquated 
from  the  point  of  view  of  a  plant  grower,  but 
delightful  to  the  lover  of  the  quaint.  Unfortu- 
nately, these  were  in  a  state  of  deca}',  so  tliat  they 
liad  to  be  cleared  away.  Modern  structures  at 
the  bottom  of  the  garden  have  taken  their  place, 
and  the  Vines  and  other  things  in  these  promise 
well. 

As  cut  flowers  are  much  required,  the  vegetables 
have  been  sent  further  afield,  and  this  garden 
devoted  mainly  to  growing  the  former.  In  tlie 
borders,  which  are  of  good  width,  one  saw  Asters, 
Helianthuses,  Delphiniums,  Phloxes,  Pyrethrums, 
and  Roses,  with  a  number  of  tlie  most  useful  hardy 
flowers  of  other  genera.  The  idea  is  to  have  a 
constant  supply  so  long  as  the  seasons  will  permit. 
To  this  end  annuals  and  biennials  are  freel}'  intro- 
duced. To  lessen  the  pressure  on  the  borders 
many  useful  plants  for  cutting  are  grown  in  beds 
in  quantity,  and  the  less  useful  for  cutting,  but 
pleasing  alpine  flowers  are  used  to  fill  various 
nooks  in  the  rockwork  terrace  whicli  now  bisects 
the  garden  in  lieu  of  the  old  greenhouses. 

In  a  place  like  St.  Helen's  it  is  difficult  to  wed 
the  old  to  the  new  without  a  jarring  effect.  There 
was,  liowever,  and  there  still  is,  an  opportunit}' 
of  doing  good  work  of  this  kind  here,  so  as  to  make 
the  place  suitable  for  the  needs  of  the  present 
without  destroying  the  best  of  its  old  features. 
This  is  likely  to  be  attained  by  a  continuance  of 
the  course  which  lias  been  begun.  A  few  years 
should  make  the  demesne  one  of  the  most  desirable 
in  the  vicinity  of  Dublin,  where  there  are  so  many 
gardens  of  great  beauty.  S.  Arnott. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


CHINESE    P^EONIES  -AND    HALF 
STANDARD    ROSES. 

NOW  that  so  many  beautiful  tints  pre- 
vail among  Chinese  Pfeonies  these  will 
surely  be  extensively  planted,  and 
what  better  arrangement  could  there 
be  than  to  plant  in  beds  or  borders 
in  association  with  half  standard 
Roses.  The  soil  that  grows  the  latter  to  per- 
fection will  also  suit  the  Paionies,  and  the  partial 
shade  the  Roses  afford  is  also  of  much  benefit 
to  them.  Pffionies  should  be  planted  where  they 
can  remain  undisturbed,  so  that  the  mingling 
with  Roses  would  not  be  detrimental  in  any 
way,  for  the  latter,  even  if  it  be  found  neces- 
sary to  replant  every  three  or  four  years,  could  be 
readily  removed  and  replanted.  Pfeonies  take 
some  two  or  three  years  to  become  established, 
therefore  the  bed  or  border,  bj'  having  Roses  inter- 
spersed which  would  blossom  the  first  j'ear,  would 
not  be  an  eyesore  during  that  time.  Then  what  a 
delightful  bed  of  coloured  foliage  we  should  have 
by  mingling  the  two  subjects  !  Nothing  in  the 
herbaceous  way  produces  such  a  charm  in  its 
tender  foliage  as  do  Chinese  Paeonies,  and  everyone 
is  aware  of  the  beautiful  tints  of  the  foliage  which 
prevail  in  the  vast  Rose  tribe  when  in  their  young 
;  state.  I  would  advise  bastard-trenching  the  land 
'  previous  to  planting,  and  a  liberal  amount  of 
decaj'ed  farmyard  manure  should  be  incorporated 
with  the  bottom  layer  of  soil.  Cover  the  crown 
of  the  Pteony  clump  with  4  inches  of  soil,  and  the 
roots  of  the  Roses  should  be  about  (i  inches  below 
the  surface.  If  the  Roses  are  disposed  from  3  feet 
to  4:  feet  apart  this  would  allow  ample  space  for  a 
clump  of  Piffonies  to  be  planted  alternately. 


Piconies  often  promise  well  in  May,  but  somehow 
they  drop  their  buds.  Whilst  this  nury  sometimes 
be  due  to  spring  frosts,  more  often  it  is  traceable 
to  the  drought  during  July  and  August,  when  the 
plant  is  forming  the  crowns  for  next  season.  To 
avoid  injury  from  this  cause,  c6pious  waterings 
should  take  place  during  these  two  months  if  very 
dry,  and  the  watering  would  also  benefit  the  Roses. 
The  best  time  to  plant  Paionies  is  in  .September  or 
October,  but  thej'  maj'  be  planted  up  to  February 
should  frost  not  hinder.  If  the  weather  be  dry  at 
the  time  of  planting  do  not  fail  to  aftbrd  water  to 
the  Piwonies,  but  dipping  the  roots  of  the  Roses 
into  thin  mud  would  suffice  in  their  case  unless  the 
dry  time  was  of  very  long  duration.  P. 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

I  MKNTioNELi  ill  a  foniier  letter  that  the  vaiie- 
ties  of  dessert  Pears  were  considerably  narrowed 
down  after  Uhristmas.  ITp  tf)  that  time  we 
have  any  numlier  of  excellent  varieties  to 
select  from,  most  of  them  good  in  quality  and 
flavour,  and  no.  scarcity  of  good  sorts  should 
lie  experienced  in  any  well-managed  garden. 
But  the  case  is  very  difl'erent  from  Christmas 
to  Easter.  This  is  the  time  of  scarcity  and 
high  prices  in  native  or  other  high  quality  and 
good-flavoured  Pears,  and,  moreover,  this  is 
the  season  in  which   British  Pears  have  been 


may  be  had  in  condition  for  dessert  through 
the  greater  part  of  the  month  of  .January. 
Here  I  would  for  a  moment  draw  attention  to 
a  diminutive,  little-known  .Januai-y  Pear,  native 
of  America  -Dana's  Hovey.  To  those  readers  of 
The  Oaeokn  who  love  fruit  first  and  loreiiiost 
for  its  flavour  (and  I  am  sure  they  are  the 
majority),  1  would  say,  do  not  be  without  this 
little  gem.  The  fruit  is  certainly  very  small, 
but  so  sweet  and  delicious  ;  in  my  opinion, 
it  is  the  sweetest  of  all  Pears.  What  a 
field  opens  out  with, this  variety  to  our  hybri- 
disers  of  fruit.  Get  the  flavour  of  this,  for 
in.stance,  into  Easter  Beurre,  Ne  Plus  Meuris, 
or  any  other  of  our  hardy  prolific  late  i^ars  ! 
Here  it  is  grown  in  the  open  as  a  jiyramid,  and 
never  tails  to  bear  a  fair  cro]i.  The  growth  of 
the  tree  is  diminutive,  and  conse(|Uently  they 
may  l)e  planted  rather  closely  together,  not  more 
than  5  feet  apart  for  young  trees  just  lironglit 
in  from  the  nursery.  They  could  with  advan- 
tage be  replanted  wider  apai't  in  the  course  of 
three  or  four  years.  The  variety  is  ripe  from 
Chri-stnias  to  the  end  of  .January. 

Bergamotte  d'Esperen  is  one  of  the  nio.st 
reliable  bearing  late  Pears  we  have.  It  succeeds 
well  as  a  standard  or  bush  in  the  open,  and  in 
most  seasons  is  of  excellent  flavour.  As  with 
all  late  Pears,  the  fruits  should  be  allowed  to 


['EAR    IJKRO.VMOTTK    D  ESPEKBX. 
(Si^f-'  ofiiriifinai:  Heiijht  i';\  aicJu's,  wuUli  2!,-  nic/ics.) 


beaten  all  along  the  line  by  imported  fruits. 
I  do  not  think  that  the  question  of  the  growth 
and  supply  of  late  home  -  grown  Pears  for 
market  and  home  consumption  has  ever  received 
the  serious  consideration  it  demands  from 
British  gardeners  or  growers  for  market,  yet 
it  is  the  time  of  all  the  year  when  fresh  fruit 
is  the  most  scarce  and  when  it  commands  the 
most  remunerative  prices.  Surely  the  subject 
is  an  important  one,  and  one  well  worthy  the 
attention  of  fruit  growers,  and  is  one  also,  I 
think,  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society,  as  the 
only  national  society  representing  this  aspect 
of  the  nation's  food  supply,  should  take  in 
hand,  giving  the  lead  to  those  who  are  anxious 
to  follow,  and  leading  them  to  sure  and  suc- 
cessful results. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  my  last  paper 
I  made  a  strong  point  of  recommending  Beurre 
de  Jonghe  as  one  of  the  best  Christmas  Pears 
we  have.  I  mention  it  again  to  emphasise  the 
fact.  Winter  Nelis,  like  good  wine,  needs  no 
recommendation.  It  is  still,  and  always  will 
be,  one  of  the  very  best  Christmas  Pears.  It 
needs  a  wall  with  south  aspect  to  bring  it  to 
perfection,  Init  when  grown  as  a  pyramid  or 
standard  in  the  open  on  the  Quince  stock,  as  it 
may  certainly  be  done  in  this  part,  the  fruit 


hang  on  the  tree  as  long  as  possible.  How 
frequently  is  the  mistake  made  of  gathering 
late  Pears  before  they  are  in  a  tit  condition  for 
harvesting  on  the  plea  that  if  there  is  a  strong- 
wind  the  fruit  will  be  blown  down  and  spoilt ! 
Far  better  be  spoilt  in  this  way  than  to  incur 
the  e-xpense  and  trouble  of  collecting  and 
harvesting  the  fruit  before  it  is  ripe,  and  then 
to  have  to  throw  it  away  as  shrivelled  and 
useless.  Let  me  impress  upon  all  fruit 
growers  the  importance  of  allowing  late  Pears 
to  hang  on  the  trees  until  quite  late,  even  if 
nets  have  to  be  suspended  under  the  trees  to 
receive  those  fruits  which  may  accidentally 
fall. 

I  will  conclude  this  paper  by  dramng  atten- 
tion to  a  comparatively  new  late  Pear  of  much 
promise  and  great  excellence,  namely,  Dr. 
.Joubert.  It  is  now  in  season,  and  with  careful 
handling  will  last  throughout  the  greater  part 
of  the  month.  In  size  it  is  equal  to  Doyenne 
du  Cornice,  and  not  unlike  it  in  shape,  colour, 
and  appearance.  In  quality  it  is  melting  and 
juicy,  without  the  faintest  trace  of  gi-it,  which 
is  so  objectionable  in  most  of  our  late  Pears. 
Its  flavour  is  sweet  and  pleasant.  The  tree  is 
a  vigorous  grow-er,  a  good  croiqier  in  the  open 
ground  as  a  pyramid,  and  when   grown  on  a 


86 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February  2,  1901. 


wall  it  attains  a  large  size,  some  .samples  weigh- 
ing close  on  a  pound,  but  its  flavour  is  not 
improved  by  the  assistance  of  a  wall,  neither 
does  the  fruit  then  last  in  season  so  long. 


HOME    GOOD    LATE    PLUMS. 

There  are  some  few  Plums  remarkable  for  their 
good  flavour  and  keeping  properties.  These 
deserve  to  be  more  generall3'  recognised,  and 
especially  in  private  gardens.  Often  in  seasons 
like  the  past  there  is  a  glut  for  a  few  weeks  and 
then  a  great  scarcity.  This,  however,  should  not 
be,  seeing  how  many  kinds  there  are  to  select  from. 
Good  fruit  may  be  had  from  open  walls  fur  four 
months.  It  is  worth j'  of  note  that  late  kinds  of 
Plums  are  not  influenced  by  climatic  conditions  in 
the  way  that  are  late  Peaches  and  many  kinds 
of  Pears.  In  proof  of  this  I  may  say  that  in  our 
garden  I  have  never  found  late  Plums  affected  b\- 
cold  wet  autumns  as  other  fruits  are.  Again, 
with  us  many  kinds  of  Pears  are,  comparatively 
speaking,  devoid  of  flavour,  but  Plums  are  not-so. 
These  are  points  that  should  induce  those  who  are 
in  cold  or  low  Ij'ing  situations  to  plant  tlicse  more 
freely. 

I  am  convinced  that  there  is  more  flavour  in 
Coe's  Golden  Drop  Plum  tliau  in  any  late  Peach, 
and  few  things  are  more  handsome  than  a  good 
dish  of  these  Plums.  The  past  abundant  season 
should  have  taught  man}'  cultivators  one  great 
lesson,  namely,  the  keeping  powers  of  these  late 
kind.s.  Nothing  can  lie  more  discouraging  than  to 
see  good  fruit  perish  bj'  rapid  decaj',  as  is  the  case 
with  many  soft  kinds,  liut  not  so  with  the  late 
varieties.  I  ha\e  found  that  some  kinds  will  keep 
three  times  as  long  as  others,  a  matter  of  consider- 
able impurtance,  either  from  a  n^arket  or  private 
grower's  point  of  view,  often  onlj-  a  week  makes 
considerable  difference  in  the  price.  This  should 
induce  growers  to  study  the  best  varieties.  I  have 
been  making  notes  regarding  many  kinds,  and 
more  especially  the  late  ones,  in  which  I  include 
those  that  ripen  at  the  end  of  September  and 
October.  Out  of  many  I  will  name  a  few  that  are 
remarkable  for  tlieir  keeping  and  high  flavour. 
Golden  Transparent  Gage  deserves  to  be  much 
more  widely  grown.  It  is  as  a  late  (Tage  what 
McLaughlin's  is  as  an  early  kind,  and  nothing  can 
l)e  more  delicious  in  flavour  than  good  fruit  when 
well  ripened  and  highlj'  coloured.  Last  year  we 
had  a  fine  crop  from  trees  growing  on  a  west  wall 
in  a  narrow  raised  border.  Grown  in  this  waj',  all 
tendency  to  a  too  vigorous  growth  is  checked  ; 
from  the  middle  of  September  to  October  '24  there 
were  good  fruits,  and,  although  we  had  plent}'  of 
late  Peaches,  the  Gages  were  preserved. 

Transparent  Gage  and  (iuthrie's  Late  Green  were 
fine  during  the  latter  half  of  September  and  the 
first  half  of  October.  These  were  grown  on  the 
same  wall  as  Golden  Transparent,  and  although 
somewhat  larger  they  did  not  equal  it  in  flavour. 
These  trees  are  growing  against  stone  walls,  but  I 
find  that  to  obtain  the  best  results  from  Reine 
Claude  de  Bavay,  a  brick  wall  and  a  warmer  site  are 
necessary  if  the  finest  flavour  is  to  be  had.  This 
is  also  a  .strong  grower,  and  re(|uires  pinching  in 
a  green  state  rather  than  pruning,  (iood  as  these 
(Jages  are  the  most  prominent  position  must  he 
given  to  Golden  Drop,  all  points  considered,  for 
in  this  we  have  si/.e,  flavour,  and  appearance,  witli 
long  keeping  properties.  This  variety  is  so  well 
known  that  description  is  needless.  I  may  say  that 
with  us  this  season  the  fruit  is  especially  fine  and 
well  coloured  from  trees  growing  against  a  liriok 
wall  facing  east.  Some  may  tliink  by  growing  this 
on  a  north  aspect  the  fruits  would  be  liad  later  ; 
we,  however,  do  not  find  this  so  from  a  tree  growing 
on'  a  north  wall ;  it  crops  well,  but  the  fruit  is 
never  so  good  in  colour  as  on  west  and  east  walls. 

Ickworth  Impcratrice  stands  alone  as  a  Ijlue  late 
kind  for  flavour:  no  other  can  equal  it.  It  should 
liavea  position  given  it  on  a  west  wall.  In  a  warm 
locality  it  makes  a  good  bush  tree.  Some  think  it 
a  poor  grower,  but  this  is  not  so  with  us.  It  is 
only  by  allowing  the  fruits  to  liang  late  that  the 
finest  flavour  is  developed  ;  when  gatiiered  tliuy  are 
iiuich  improved  by  being  placed  in  a  warm  position 
for  a  tew  days.     It  is  when  these  highly  flavoured 


kinds  are  so  ripe  as  to 
partially  shrivel  that 
the}'  are  at  their  best. 
It  may  be  asked  how 
this  can  be  done  on  open 
walls,  when  the  ravages 
of  birds  and  insects 
have  to  be  contended 
witli.  These  may  be 
overcome  by  protecting 
the  fruit  with  close 
netting.  Cooking  kinds 
are  often  needed,  and 
although  the  above 
kinds  are  unsurpassable 
for  this  purpose  for 
flavour,  some  other 
kinds  break  down  when 
cooked  more  readily, 
and  amongst  them 
Monarch  must  be 
named.  This  is  a  fine 
late  kind  ;  with  us  it 
grows  strongly  in  a 
young  state,  but  this  is 
now  modified,  as  in  1890 
it  bore  an  enormous 
crop.  Other  good  cook- 
ing kinds  are  Autumn 
Compote,  Belle  de  Sep- 
tembre,  and  Grand 
Duke ;    these     are     all 

worthy  of  being  grown  to  keep  up  a  late  supply. 
Many  small  growers  may  profitably  try  growing 
Plums  in  pots,  plunging  them  in  the  open  in  summer, 
as  they  adapt  themselves  well  to  this  mode  of 
culture.  J.  Crooi;:. 


NEPENTHES    MASTERSIANA. 

The  plant  represented  in  our  illustration  is  a 
rather  good  specimen  from  the  collection  of 
choice  stove  plants  in  the  i)ossession  of  Miss 
Lavers,  of  Upton  Leigh,  Torquay,  ilr.  Lee, 
the  head  gardener,  who  specially  supervises 
the  Orchid  and  kindred  houses,  states  that  this 
plant  was  grown  in  the  general  stovehouse, 
suspended  from  the  roof  in  a  teak  basket  filled 
with  peat  and  siihagnuni,  and  generously 
watered.  He  usually  prunes  it  with  care  at 
about  Christmas,  and  rebasketsit  in  the  spring. 
As  most  growers  of  these  plants  are  aware, 
their  carnivorous  habits  necessitate  an  occa- 
sional emptying  of  the  ijitchers,  because  their 
accumulated  masses  of  putrid  insects  tend  to 
vitiate  the  air  and  render  the  Orchid  house 
anything  but  pleasant  to  the  olfactory  nerves. 
Always  interesting  as  these  plants  are,  the  one 
depicted  is  specially  so  on  account  of  the 
various  stages  of  development  its  "  pitchers  '' 
show.  W.  .1.  Roberts. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

CEOCOSMIA  AUREA  AND  TKITONIAS 

(SYN.  MONTBKETIAS). 

ONTBRETIA  CROCOSMI.^FLORA 
and  tlie  series  of  plants  derived  from 
it  form  a  very  interesting  botaincal 
group,  not  simpl}'  from  tlie  point  of 
view  of  tlie  gardener,  who  knows  the 
many  uses  of  these  beautiful  plants, 
l>ut  also  from  the  naturalist's  point  of  view. 

It  is  generally  admitted  by  all  that  hybrids  are, 
as  a  rule,  either  absolutel}'  barren,  or  at  most  pro- 
duce descendants  as  lacking  in  nundjer  as  they  are 
also  in  vigour  and  in  reproductive  qualities.  No\\' 
Montbrelia  crocosmiieflora  is  a  hybrid,  and  by  no 
means  an  ordinary  liybrid,  for  it  is  one  of  the  very 
small  groups  of  bigeneric  hylirids,  its  two  parents 
ranking  as  species  of  different  genera,  and  yet  it 
has  given  birtli  to  a  long  line  of  vigorous  and 
fertile  plants  which  are  almost   indispensable   for 


M" 


PECIJIEN    "rrrClIEK"    rL.iNT    (NEfE.VTHES    .MASTERSIANA). 


the  ornamentation  of  gardens,  and  whose  use  as 
cut  flowers  is  quite  unsurpassed. 

It  is  more  than  fifty  jears  since  the  family  of 
IridciC  was  enriched  b_v  the  introduction  of  Tritonia 
aurea,  whose  name  was  changed  some  j'ears  after 
by  Planchon  to  Crocosmia  aurea,  because  he  found 
that  all  the  characteristics  of  this  species  were 
absolutel}'  distinct  from  those  of  the  old  Tritonia 
crocata  or  Ixia  crocata  and  other  allied  species. 
Though  greatly  praised  at  its  first  introduction, 
this  plant  was,  however,  not  veryextensively  grown, 
and  one  only  met  with  itin  the  gardens  of  amateurs, 
who  were  more  enthusiastic  over  rare  and  interesting 
species  than  over  popular  flowers,  which  could 
be  planted  in  orderly  masses  of  bright  colours, 
producing  a  great  liut  somewhat  vulgar  eff'ect. 

From  a  small  round  corm  springs  a  little  tuft  of 
long  narrow  leaves,  from  the  centre  of  which  rises 
a  flower  spike  '2  feet  or  3  feet  high,  slightlj'  branched, 
and  decked  with  large  regular  blossoms, with  six 
orange-coloured  segments,  the  individual  flowers 
opening  successively.  As  soon  as  the  fertilisation 
is  complete,  the  fruit  develops  into  a  bright  reddish 
brown  globular  capsule,  which  looks  like  a  berry, 
but  contains  three  large  reddish  purple  fleshy  seeds. 
The  corm  sends  out  very  long  underground  stolons, 
which,  if  the  plant  is  left  undisturbed,  produce  new 
corms,  often  at  considerable  distance  from  the 
parent.     A  light  soil  is  best  for  Crocosmia  aurea. 

The  introduction  of  Montbretia  Pottsi  is  of  more 
recent  date,  hardly  exceeding  twenty-five  j'ears. 
Although  the  flowers  of  this  species  are  much  less 
beautiful,  it  nevertheless  rapidly  became  popular, 
and  was  extensively  cultivated,  the  reason  being 
that  though  the  individual  Howers  are  smaller  and 
less  regular  and  showv,  there  are  far  more  of  them 
on  each  bloom-spike,  and  the  plant  is  hardier,  less 
e.xaeting  as  regards  soil  and  cultivation,  and  much 
more  vigorous.  Each  corm  sends  out  quantities  of 
short  stolons,  which  shoot  up  all  round  it,  so  that 
at  the  end  of  the  season  }'ou  liave  a  clump  instead 
of  a  single  plant.  The  flowers  are  irregular,  and 
opposite  each  other  on  the  spike  :  the  three 
stamens  are  placed  parallel  to  one  another  abo\'c 
the  style,  and  the  fruit  consists  of  a  dry  capsule, 
with  three  many-seeded  compartments,  the  lilt.e 
seeds  being  dry  and  grey. 

The  crossing  of  these  two  species — effected  by 
M.  Lemoine,  of  Nancy  —  produced  Montbretia 
crocosmiivflora,  which  he  put  into  commerce  in  tlic 
year  1!SS2.  It  is  needless  to  sing  its  piaises,  for 
everyone  knows  its  orange-red  flowers,  with  six 
segments,  twice  as  long  as  those  of  Montlii'i^tia 
Potlsi,.  and  opening  successively  all  along  the  tall 
spikes  with  their  numerous  branches.  Kveryune 
knows,  too,  its  wonderful  \'ig()in',  the  ease  of  its 
cultivation,  and  the  rapidity  with  which  it  increases, 


February  -2,  1901.' 


THE    GARDEN. 


87 


so  that  it  is  by  no  means  surprising  that  it  is  found 
in  every  garden  on  the  Continent,  and  is  absent 
from  but  few  in  England. 

This  bigeneric  hybrid  bears  seed  naturally  ;  but 
as  these  produce  plants  almost  identical  with  the 
pare  .t,  it  is  not  of  much  interest  to  raise  seedlings. 
Very  great  interest  may,  on  the  other  hand,  be 
olitained  by  raising  plants  fi'oni  seeds  of  M.  crocos- 
mi.eflora,  artificially  fertilised  with  pollen  of  one  or 
other  of  its  parents.  This  was  done  from  the  very 
first  bj'  M.  Lemoine,  and  the  result  has  proved 
most  satisfactory,  and  certain  different  charac- 
teristics have  been  produced  in  these  new  forms, 
which  it  has  been  found  possible  to  fix,  to  modify, 
and  to  improve  by  cross-breeding.  We  must  limit 
ourselves  to  a  chronological  list  of  varieties  of 
Montbretia  successivelj'  sent  out  from  Nancy,  at 
the  same  time  remarking  that  several  of  them  have 
since  been  discarded  from  our  list  as  being  inferior 
to  our  later  acquisitions. 

In  1883  we  sent  out  M.  elegans  (since  discarded), 
a  dwarf  plant  with  bright  orange-yellow  flowers. 

In  1884  came  M.  aurea,  chrome-yellow,  and 
M.  pyramidalis,  apricot  (ooth  discarded). 

In  188;")  appeared  M.  Bouquet  Parfait  (discarded), 
large  scarlet  and  yellow  flowers  ;  M.  Gerbe  d'Or 
(discarded),  golden-yellow  trumpet-shaped  flowers  ; 
and  M.  Etoile  de  Feu,  with  large  open  flowers, 
which  is  still  one  of  the  best  of  the  bright  red 
varieties. 

Tliese  were  followed  in  1880  by  M.  Phare  (dis- 
carded), like  M.  crocosniia;flora,  but  somewhat 
more  erect ;  M.  Solfaterre  (discarded),  pale  yellow  ; 
and  M.  Pottsi  grandiflora,  which  would  have  been 
more  appropriately  named  M.  Pottsi  discolor. 

In  1887  M.  Drap  d'Or,  with  large  golden-yellow 
flowers  ;  M.  Eldorado,  a  very  dwarf  plant,  with 
flowers  of  the  colour  of  yellow  ochre  ;  M.  Incendie 
(discarded),  small  bright  red  flowers. 

In  1888  M.  Rayon  d'Or  (discarded),  yellow  with 
large  segments ;  M.  Talisman  (discarded),  small 
orange  flowers ;  M.  Transeendant,  orange  and 
yellow. 

In  1889  M.  Pluie  d'Or  (discarded),  golden-yellow  ; 
M.  .Soleil  Couchant,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of 
all  the  yellows ;  M.  Tigridie  (discarded),  yellow 
ochre  colour,  spotted  at  the  base. 

In  1890  M.  Aurore,  beautiful  golden-yellow 
'flowers. 

In  1891  M.  Etineelant,  briglit  red:  M.  Feu 
d'Artifioe,  magnificent  spikes  of  orange  and  yellow, 
a  beautiful  plant,  well  fitted  for  the  centre  of  a 
group. 

In  1892  M.  Auricule,  ochre  colour,  with  decided 
brown  markings  at  the  base  ;  M.  Fantaisie,  very 
erect,  scarlet  and  yellow  ;  M.  flore-pleno,  double 
flowers,  yellow  ochre  coloured  ;  M.  Fleuve  .Jaune, 
of  the  clearest  sulphur  colour. 

I  break  off  the  chronological  list  of  varieties  here 
because  from  this  date  certain  new  constituents 
have  had  a  share  in  the  production  of  Mont- 
bretias,  for  during  the  last  few  years  two  varieties 
of  Crocosmias,  previously  unknown,  haA'e  been 
introduced. 

Crocosmia  aurea  maculata  was  received  from 
South  Africa  through  the  agency  of  Mr.  James 
O'Brien,  V.M.H.  It  is  distinguished  from  the 
type  by  its  much  larger  flowers,  by  the  more 
regular  and  symmetrical  arrangement  of  its 
segments,  and,  above  all,  by  the  existence  of  very 
curious  brown  spots  situated  at  the  base  of  the 
perianth. 

A  short  time  afterwards  Herr  Max  Leichtlin, 
of  Baden-Baden,  sent  out  a  giant  variety  of 
Crocosmia  aurea,  to  which  we  gave  the  name  of 
C.  aurea  imperialis.  The  spikes  are  twice  as  high 
as  those  of  the  type,  and  the  flowers  and  the 
segments  twice  the  size.  Its  colour  is  of  a  magni- 
ficent and  brilliant  orange-yellow.  Herr  Max 
Leichtlin  is  said  to  have  obtained  it  by  selection 
from  several  successive  generations  of  seedlii^gs. 
It  is  certain,  however,  that  this  plant  does  not 
come  true  from  seed. 

The  crossing  of  these  two  new  species  with  our 
Montbretias  iias  given  us  several  magnificent 
varieties,  but,  unfortunately,  a  large  number  of  our 
seedlings,  and  by  no  means  the  least  beautiful  of 
them  were  attacked  by  a  disease  very  common  in 
beds  of  C.  imperialis,  and,  though  with  great  regret, 


we  have  felt  obliged  to  destroy  a  number  of  varieties 
of  really  very  striking  beauty  in  order  that  none 
liut  entirely  disease-proof  ones  might  find  their  way 
into  commerce. 

Having  thus  explained  the  advent  of  fresh  and 
distinct  Crocosmia  influence,  we  re.sume  our 
chronological  list. 

In  1894  the  following  varieties  appeared  : — 
Arc-en-ciel,  magnificent  orange  flowers  spotted  with 
brown,  still  a  very  rare  sort :  Eclatant  (superior  to 
Etineelant  and  Volcan),  with  spikes  more  than 
4  feet  high,  and  orange-red  flowers. 

In  189.5  Lustre,  a  very  vigorous  variety,  with 
erect  flowers  of  j'ellow  ochre  colour ;  Turban, 
yellow  freely  spotted  with  black. 

In  1897  Couronne  d'Or,  maroon  and  yellow ; 
Martagon,  yellow  and  orange,  with  very  curiously 
shaped  segments,  reflected  like  the  Martagon  Lily  ; 
Oriflamme,  scarlet  with  a  golden  centre  ;  Brilliant, 
the  most  brilliant  of  the  scarlets,  superior  to  Etoile 
de  Feu  ;  Congo,  golden  yellow  ;  Diadcme,  yellow 
spotted  with  maroon  ;  Profusion,  orange  and  brick 
red. 

In  1898  Distinction,  yellow  edged  with  orange  ; 
Globe  d'Or,  double  golden  yellow  flowers  ;  Tete 
Couronnee,  very  large  orange-yellow  flowers  with  a 
large  black  ring  in  the  centre. 

In  1899  Aureole,  a  curiovus  plant,  having  golden- 
3'ellow  flowers,  with  a  large  centre  of  pale  straw 
colour,  edged  with  a  broad  chestnut-coloured 
border :  Messidor,  pale  Najjles  yellow  passing 
through  straw  colour,  and  almost  white. 

This  list  does  not  pretend  to  include  all  the 
A'arieties  of  Montbretia  tliat  liave  been  put  into 
commerce,  for  many  raisers  (for  example,  M.  Leonard 
Lille,  of  Lyons ;  Herr  Pfitzer,  of  Stuttgart ; 
M.  Walker,  of  Bougival  ;  Messrs.  Gerbeaux  and 
Crousse,  of  Nancy)  have  raised  very  interesting 
varieties.  It  is  of  interest  more  from  an  historical 
point  of  view  than  from  that  of  its  practical  use  to 
amateurs  ;  indeed,  its  chief  oliject  is  to  show  the 
progress  made  from  year  to  year  with  this  particular 
family  of  plants. 

To  those  who  wish  to  plant  extensively  for  the 
jjurpose  of  either  forming  beds  or  securing  abun- 
dance of  cut  flowers,  I  should  recommend  the 
following  as  being  vigorous,  easy  of  cultivation 
and  of  increase,  and  producing  an  abundant 
succession  of  flowers  : — Etoile  de  Feu,  Eldorado, 
Transcendent,  Soleil  Couchant,  Feu  d'Artifice, 
Auricule,  Fantaisie,  Fleuve  Jaune,  and  Volcan. 

But  for  those  who  desire  to  collect  into  their 
gardens  beautiful  plants  which  are  not  to  be  found 
everywhere  I  should  recommed  Aurore,  Flore  Pleno, 
Turban,  Martagon,  Oriflamme,  Brilliant,  (41obe 
d'Or,  Tete  Couronnee,  Aureole,  and  Messidor,  but 
not  forgetting  Crocosmia  aurea  maculata  and 
C.   avirea  imperialis. 

The  culture  of  Montbretias  is  of  the  simplest. 
They  delight  in  light 
and  sandy  soils  exposed 
to  the  sun,  but  they 
also  do  very  well  in 
heavy  and  clay  land. 
The  dry  corms  may  be 
planted  in  March  or 
April,  or  they  may  pre- 
ferably be  started  in 
frames,  and  planted 
out  when  partly  grown. 
During  the  flowering 
season,  which  lasts  from 
July  to  September,  the3- 
should  be  watered  in 
case  of  drought.  After 
the  flowering  is  over 
they  may  be  left  in  the 
open  air  if  they  are 
covered  with  a  layer 
of  drv  leaves,  at  least 
in  climates  like  ours  at 
Nancy,  where  the 
winters  are  often  very 
severe.  We  prefer, 
however,  to  take  up 
the  corms  in  autumn, 
storing  them  in  layers 
during  the  winter  in 
sand,  or    in  any   other 


material  holding  a  little  moisture,  to  protect  them 
against  frost  or  heat.  They  must  not  lie  allowed 
to  become  quite  dry,  as  in  that  case  the  nndtitudc 
of  offsets  v\hich  suirouTir]  each  <:orm  are  in  danger 
of  being  entirely  dried  up,  and  the  increase  of  the 
plants  is  very  much  hindered.  In  the  case  of  (!. 
maculata  ajid  C.  imperialis,  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  store  them  in  flat  layers,  as  the  "stolons, 
which  in  their  case  are  much  longer  and  fewer 
in  number,  are  more  easily  destroyed,  and  the 
corms  themselves  sometimes  refuse  to  start. 

The  disease  which  I  have  already  mentioned  as 
occurring  amongst  my  seedlings  has  also  been 
remarked  by  others.  Whilst  the  plants  are  in  full 
and  vigorous  growth  a  few  of  the  leaves  suddenly 
turn  yellow  and  dry  up.  'I'hen  the  flower  spike 
does  the  same,  and  the  plant  is  rapidly  destroyed. 
If  j'ou  cut  the  corm  in  halves  you  see  that  most  of 
the  woody  fibres  have  turned  black.  It  is  necessary 
to  at  once  discard  and  burn  all  the  affected  corms, 
and  only  to  keep  those  which  are  absolutely  free 
from  the  disease.  Moreover,  we  advise  that  whilst 
the  corms  are  out  of  the  ground  the3'  should  be 
dipped  two  or  three  times  during  the  winter  in 
some  Bouillie  Bordelaise.  It  is  a  precaution  which 
has  rendered  us  the  greatest  service.  Another 
precaution  consists  in  not  planting  Montbretias  for 
several  years  in  the  same  soil  or  place  where  the 
disease  has  existed. 

[By  M.  Emile  Lemoine.  Reproduced  by  per- 
mission from  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society's 
Journal  of  1900-1 

CLEMATIS    WILLIAM    KENNETH. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Clematis 
tribe  ;  it  belongs  to  the  hmuginosa  group  and  has 
large  lavender  flowers.  It  was  a  beautiful  picture 
last  year  on  my  house  (see  illustration).- 

Haiifs.  A.  R. 


SOCIETIES. 


BAKNSLEY  CH-RYSANTHEMUM  SOCIETY. 
Thk  fourteenth  annual  meeting  of  members  of  this  society 
took  place  on  Monday,  January  21,  when  there  was  a  large 
attendance,  ilr.  W.  Uobinson  presiding.  Mr.  W.  B.  Armitage, 
the  energetic  secretary,  produced  a  very  satisfactory  report 
and  balance-sheet,  the  latter  showing  a  profit  of  £3  10s.  Sd. 
upon  the  last,  year's  working,  thus  swelling  the  reserve 
fund  to  *;2f)  10s.  Id.  It  was  pointed  out  that  expenses 
which  were  thought  unnecessary  had  been  avoided  this  year, 
enabling  the  society  to  give  better  prizes,  in  all  amounting 
to  nearly  tlOO.  The  entries  were  not  so  nxmierous  as 
on  former  occasions,  being  only  17G,  as  against  217  in  1899, 
but  it  was  generally  admitted  that  the  specimens  sent  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  for  competition  in  the  group  and 
vase  classes,  which  offered,  besides  good  prize  money,  the 
National  Society's  certiticate,  were  of  a  higher  standard. 
The  gift  of  a  twelve  guinea  challenge  cup,  presented  by 
four  gentlemen  fur  local  competition,  w^as  considered  higJily 


('LEM.\TIS    WILLIAM    KEXXETH. 


8S 


THE    GARDEN 


[February   2,  1901 


encumayiinir  Lu  jxrowers  in  the  liicality.  It  is  inteiuled  to  iisk 
Messrs.  .r.  P.  Leaclheater,  Tranby  Ciuft,  aiifl  Mr.  TiinningtfUi, 
Caldestoiie,  Liverpool,  last  year's  judges,  to  adjudicate  at 
■the  forthcoming  show,  which  is  fixed  fur  November  14  and  In. 

IIOYAL  HORTKUL'irKAL  SOCIETY. 
The  very  limited  display  of  rtowers  at  the  Drill  Hall  on 
Tuesday  last  was  hardly  to  be  wondered  at,  especially  con- 
sidering the  sharp  frost  experienced  the  same  niorninff. 
Probably  manyintendintj  exhibitors  were  deterred  by  reason 
of  this. 

The  Primulas  imm  ilessrs.  f'anuell  and  Sons  and  .T.  R.  Box, 
and  the  collection  of  Apples  from  the  former  were 
particularly  meritorious. 

Orchid  Committke. 
Sir  Frederick  ^Vipran,  Bart,  Clare  Lawn.  East  Sheen 
(Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  Younp;),  arranged  the  only  exten- 
sive exhibit  before  this  committee.  PhaUenopsis  schilleriana 
was  very  well  represented,  and  P.  amabilis  also.  Ltclia 
anceps  and  its  varieties  L.  a.  Williamsi,  L.  a.  alba,  and  L.  a. 
sanderiana  were  included.  L.  a.  alba  is  faintly  tinged  with 
pale  greenish  yellow  in  the  throat,  L.  a.  Williamsi  is  more 
robust,  and  the  throat  is  marked  with  purple  lines.  Cattleya 
choc<iensis  aU»a,  Phahenopsis  granditlora  aurea,  with  lar-.'e 
pure  white  flowers  except  for  a  tinge  yf  yellow  in  the  lip, 
Liclia  anceps  Hilli,  the  lip  prettily  tinged  with  pale  purple, 
Zygo-eolax  wiganiauns  (Z.  intermedium  x  C.  jugususl, 
Odontoglossum  Harryano-crispum,  Cypripedium  godsefli- 
anum,  a  fine  flower  of  C.  insigne  (Harefleld  Hall  variety), 
the  dorsal  sepal  heavily  blotched  with  purplish-brown  on 
a  pale  yellow  ground,  margined  with  white,  Phaius 
simulansC?)  were  also  included,  and  Phahenopsis  schilleriana 
vescalis  created  a  good  deal  of  interest  as  being  the  only 
white  variety  of  P.  schilleriana,  and  we  believe  the  only 
plant  of  this  variety  in  cultivation.  A  silver  Flora  medal 
was  awarded  to  this  most  interesting  group. 

An  Orchid  sent  from  Kew  cieated  a  great  deal  of  interest. 
Mr.  Rolfe  described  it  as  Phaius  tubeieulosus,  and  sent  the 
following  remarks  concerning  it  :  "  It  is  a  terrestrial  species 
identical  with  the  original  Limodorum  tuberculosum  of 
Thouars.  It  has  been  recently  introduced  by  Mr.  Warpur, 
of  Madagascar.  The  epiphytal  species  known  in  gardens 
under  the  above  name,  and  figured  in  several  works,  is  not 
the  original  plant,  and  I  have  renamed  it  Phaius  sinnilans 
in  allusion  to  the  remarkable  lesemblance  wh.ich  its  flowers 
liear  to  those  of  the  original  species.  "  The  specimen  sent 
from  Kew  was  much  more  vigorous  than  the  plant  labelled 
P.  tubercnlosus  in  the  collection  of  Sir  Frederick  Wigan, 
although  this,  for  P.  tubercnlosus,  was  supposed  to  be  very 
tine.  Several  Orchid  experts  were  of  opinion  that  the  plant 
sent  from  Kew  was  a  natural  hybrid  between  P.  tubercnlosus 
and  P.  HumblotI,  both  natives  of  Madagascar. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  ('o.  sent  Cypripedium  Prewetti  (a 
hybrid  of  which  C.  leeanum  is  one  parent,  the  other  not 
being  known)  and  a  white  variety  of  Cattleya  Triance. 

Captain  C.  C.  Hurst,  Burbage  Grove,  Hinckley,  exhibited 
a  collection  of  hybrid  Cypripediums.  C.  grovesiannra 
Dakinii,  of  a  rich  yeUowish  biown  ;  C.  Adrastus  Dakinii, 
having  a  beautiful  dorsal  sepal,  deep  purple,  shading  into 
white  near  the  margin  ;  C.  Adrastus  burbagense,  a  striking 
flower,  distinct  and  pleasing,  the  dorsal  sepal  is  heavily  and 
clearly  spotted  with  purple,  were  srime  of  the  best. 

Mr.  De  B.  Crawshay  exhibited  Odontoglossum  Rossi  Ray- 
mond Crawshay  and  O.  R.  Lionel  Crawshay,  both  exceedingly 
fine  varieties.  Two  forms  of  Odontoglossum  crispum,  a 
dark  form  of  Laslia  anceps,  and  Odontoglossum  HallJo 
crispum  aureum  were  also  exhibited  by  Mr  De  B.  Crawshay. 
Tlie  latter  failed  to  obtain  an  award  by  one  vote  only.  The 
Mowers  are  very  symmetiical,  the  pale  yellow  ground  being 
blotched  and  marked  with  chocolate-brown.  The  fringe 
below  the  column  distinctive  of  0.  Halli  was  well  marked. 

Mr.  H.  A.  Tracy,  Orchid  Nursery,  Twickenham,  showed 
Lycaste  Balla;  superba,  a  hybrid  between  L.  Skinneri  and 
L.  plana  measuresiana,  a  fine  flower,  the  tdour  best  described 
perha])a  as  dull  rose-crimson.  Cypripedinni  Mary  Beatrice, 
C.  bellatulum  x  C.  Goeneri  niagnificum,  was  sent  by  iMr. 
Walter  Cobb,  Dulcote,  Tunbridge  Wells.  The  plant  was 
carrying  one  flower  fully  open  and  a  bud.  This  ()btained  an 
award  of  merit  at  the  Temple  Show  last  year.  It  is  a  hand- 
some flower,  beautifully  lined  and  spotted  on  a  dull  crimson 
ground. 

Mr.  J.  Forster  Alcock,  Northchurch,  Herts  (gardener, 
Mr.  Foster),  exhibited  a  hybi-id  Cypripedinni  between  C. 
harrisianuni  superljum  and  C.  Charlesworthi. 

Mr.  E.  De  Quincey,  Oakwood,  Cbislehnrst  (gardener,  Jlr. 
G  P..  Lees),  sent  Odontoglossum  londesbouroughiana. 

Me.ssrs.  Heath  and  Son,  Orchid  growers  and  impoiters, 
Cheltenham,  ari'anged  a  group,  chiefly  consisting  of 
i>endrobes  and  Cypripediums.  D.  Edith:c  (Chamberlain 
variety),  D.  splendidissimnra  leeanum,  D.  amesal  x  cassiope, 
and  0.  P.ensonic  ;•.  cassiope  were  included. 
Fruit  Committee. 
Messrs.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley,  Kent,  exhibited  a 
collection  of  sixty  dishes  i»f  Apples,  comprising  many  fine 
and  highly-coU  ured  fruits  in  good  condition.  Bismarck, 
Blenheim  Orange,  Chelmsford  Wonder,  King  of  the  Pippins, 
Gooseberry  Apple,  burd  Derby,  Small  s  Admirable,  and  Lane's 
Prince  Albert  were  some  of  the  best  amongst  this  meritorious 
and  interesting  collection.     Silver  Knightian  medal, 

A  seedling  Apple,  Bertha,  the  result  of  a  cross  between 
Cox's  Orange  Pippin  and  Cornish  Aromatic,  was  shown  by 
Captain  Oarstaiis,  Welford  Park,  Newliury  (gardener,  Mr.  C. 
Ross),  but  no  award  was  made. 

Miss  Breton,  Korest  End,  Sandhurst,  Berks  (gardener, 
;\Ir.  Robert  Handley),  sent  a  collection  of  Yams  (Dioscorea 
Batatas)-     Yote  of  thanks. 

Messrs.  H.  ('annell  and  Sons  sent  a  collection  of  splendidly 
grown  Onions  in  the  following  varieties:  Ailsa  Craig, 
Cranston's  E.vcelsior,  and  Reading  Improved  Cocoanut,  and 
were  deservedly  awarded  a  cultural  commendation. 
Fi.oKAi,  Committee. 
The  chief  features  before  this  committee  were  the  fine 
strains  of  Prinmla  sinensis,  of  which  there  were  two  toMei^ 


tions  on  a  ralher  larize  .«cale  The  mure  extensive  group  was 
that  Ironi  Mr.  John  R.  Box,  of  West  Wickham  and  Croydon. 
The  plants  were  well  grown  and  carried  large  heads  of 
bloom,  in  which  the  size  of  the  flowers  individually  spoke 
well  of  the  strain,  and  equally  of  the  culture.  King  of  the 
Blues;  Princess  Mary,  white;  Emperor,  carmine-red; 
White  Perfection,  an  especially  good  thing  and  vigorous  of 
habit  ;  (Jueen  Alexandra,  a  model  white  kind ;  The  (Jueen, 
with  a  flush  of  pink  amid  the  whiteness  of  its  flowers  ;  and 
Lady  Dyke,  one  of  the  stellate  forms,  appeared  to  us  the 
cream  of  this  lot,  which  occupied  almost  a  table  alone.  A 
silver  Banksian  medal  was  awarded.  A  group  tliat  came 
from  Messrs.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley,  was  chiefly  made  up 
of  the  pyramidal  forms,  the  well-grown  plants  being  in  good 
character  for  the  occasion.  Pi-incess  Eva,  white  ;  Fern  Leaf 
Lady ;  Miss  Irene,  of  reddish  hue  ;  and  Lady  E.  Dyke  were 
all  good.  In  this  lot  tlie  plants  were  in  less  numbers  and 
varieties,  the  groups  well  displaying  the  perpetual  flowering 
and  their  values  as  decorative  subjects.  There  were  some 
semi-double  forms,  but  these  were  not  as  meritorious  in 
their  way  as  the  purely  single  kinds.  Silver  Banksian  medal. 
Messrs.  James  A'eitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelsea,  had  a 
nice  array  of  their  hybrid  Rliododendrons,  among  which  were 
Exquisite,  yellow;  Cloth  of  Gold,  rich  yellow;  Aphradite, 
white;  Minerva,  golden  orange;  multicolor,  Mrs.  Heal  ;  and 
Nuraa,  rich  carmine-red,  were  very  noticeable  ;  the  same 
Arm  contributing  a  fine  batch  of  Coleus  thyrsoideus  ;i 
notable  species  from  Central  Africa,  having  thyrsoid  racemes 
of  rtowers  of  a  singularly  bright  and  lovely  rich  blue.  Not 
only  does  this  rani:  among  the  finest  of  blue  flowered  plants 
in  wintertime,  it  is  also  a  free  and  profuse  bloomer,  and  a 
plant,  therefore,  .l)oth  by  its  size,  easiness  of  culture,  and 
floriferousness  that  should  be  largely  grown  at  this  season 
of  the  year.  Silver  Banksian  medal  was  awarded  this  capital 
lot  of  plants. 

Mr.  T.  S.  Ware,  Feltham,  sent  a  pretty  lot  of  the  earliest 
flowers  of  the  year,  including  the  ever-flowering  Prinmla 
Forbesi,  with  lilac  blossoms  in  great  numbers  ;  P.  floribunda, 
and  the  very  pale  primrose-coloured  kind  P.  f.  Isabellina, 
which  is  a  capital  companion  to  the  original ;  Gaultheria 
procumbens,  with  scai'let  fruit,  showing  its  value  at 
this  time  ;  the  silver-grey  rosettes  of  Saxifraga  longifolia, 
and  the  ruddy  leaves  of  Galax  aphylla  are  all  interesting 
now.  Irises,  naturally,  were  to  the  front.  I.  stylosa  ami 
alba,  I.  persica  purpurea,  I.  hakeriana,  a  most  charming 
kind  ;  the  yellow  I.  Danfoidirc  dwarfest  of  all  ;  and  in 
reverse  order,  as  one  of  the  boldest  and  vigorous,  is  I. 
Heldreichi,  a  plant  for  everyone  who  gardens  at  this  season 
of  the  year.  Its  colour  or  its  varied  Imes  and  the  breadth  of 
its  flowers  are  each  in  turn  attractive  and  full  of  interest. 
Some  of  the  large  Elwesiau  Snowdrops,  the  pretty 
Anemone  blanda  alba,  the  golden  cups  of  Eranthis,  all 
tended  to  one  end— viz.,  to  attract  and  interest  not  a  few. 
Curiously  enough,  a  flowering  plant  of  Scabiosa  caucasica 
was  shown  with  four  blooms,  which  is  remarkable  at  this 
time  of  year.  Some  good  pots  of  Cyrtanthus  iutermedius 
were  also  shown.     Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Another  lot  of  early  flowers  came  from  the  ilessrs.  Ban-, 
Covent  Garden.  There  were  noticealde  many  kinds  of  Lenten 
Roses,  some  twenty  odd  varieties  of  these  being  shown,  of 
which  Dr.  Hogg,  lich  plum  ;  lutescens,  greenish  yellow  : 
Afghan  Prince,  dark,  and  Olympicus,  purple,  were  the 
more  distinct.  Charming  pots  of  Crocus,  particularly 
good  being  tomassinianus,  and  for  this  kind  very  large 
blooms,  also  Colchicum  libanotum,  with  lilac  flowers, 
many  pots  of  Snowdrops,  the  while  and  sulphur,  &c.  ;  Hoop 
Petticoat  Narcissus,  and  a  variety  of  bowls,  in  which  the 
Roman  Hyacinths  were  growing  among  stones.  Thus  treated 
these  plants  suggest  considerable  usefulness,  particularly  as 
room  or  table  ornaments  of  a  good  type.  A  few  sprays  of 
the  winter  Heliotrope  Petasitps  fragrans  were  also  shown. 

Messrs.  .Tackman  and  Son,  Woking,  sent  a  small  group  of 
hardy  things  in  flower,  such  as  Hyacinthus  azureus,  a  charm- 
ing lot  in  a  pan  ;  Narcissus  calathinu?  ;  Iris  sindjareusis, 
with  smoky  blue  flowers  and  large  foliage;  I.  bakeriana- 
I.  reticulata  the  flue  typical  form  of  this  plant ;  Daphne 
Blagayana,  with  white  heads  of  fragrant  rtowers  and 
Cyclamen  libanoticum— a  capital  plant  for  winter  work. 
These,  with  Fieesias  and  some  Narcissus  in  pots  and  a  flue 
blush  tree  Picouy,  made  a  pleasing  display. 

The  most  modest  of  the  hardy  plant  exhibits  was  that 
from  Messrs.  Wallace,  of  Colchester,  and  consisted  entirely 
of  early  Irises,  such  as  I.  hakeiiana,  Danfordiie  (yellow), 
Heldreichi  (very  flue),  and  a  species  as  yet  unnamed,  very 
distinct,  however,  in  the  richly  coloured  stem  supporting  the 
flower,  and  charming  withal. 

Mr.  .T.  D.  Lambert,  Moor  Hall.  Oookham  (gardener, 
Mr.  J.  Fulford),  set  up  a  capital  lot  of  Cyclamen  persicutn, 
in  red  and  white  principally.  The  plants  for  so  early  a  date 
were  extremely  well  done,  tlie  flowers  of  good  size,  and  the 
plants  generally  large  and  well-flowered.  Silver  iianksian 
medal. 

A  flower  of  a  new  Passiflora,  called  Basing  Park  Hybrid, 
came  from  -Mr.  W.  Smythe.  Rasing  Park,  Alton,  Hants,  but 
was  scarcely  i"  a  condition  to  form  any  ophiion  either  of  its 
merit  or  distinctness. 

The  Rkv.  Professor  Henslow's  Dksionstration. 
Yisitors  to  the  customary  lecture  at  the  Onll  Hall  were 
cm  Tuesday  afternoon  last  interested  liy  bearing  one  of 
those  pleasing  semi-scientiflt^  yet  comparatively  elementary 
interesting  addresses  which  Mr.  Henslow  too  seldom  gives 
here.  Mr.  Beriuett-Pde  presided.  The  lecturer  had  made  a 
considerable  selecticn  of  plants  and  flowers  on  which  to 
found  his  discourse,  and  flrst  amongst  these  there  came 
under  notice  Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons'  beautiful  Java  hybrid 
Rhododendrons.  The  flrst  specie-  was  introduced  here 
from  Sumatra,  and  these  East  Indian  plants  differed  widely 
from  the  American  family.  'I'he  original  species  was  named 
jasminiflorum.  The  next  species  came  from  .lava,  and  the 
two  were  intercrossed  by  .Mr.  Yeitch,  of  Exeter  These 
produced  a  yellow  variety,  and  soon  after  a  beautiful  pure 
white  was  evolved.  Then  the  race  was  taken  in  hand  by 
Mr,  IFeal  at  the  Clielsea  Nursery,  and  the  product  was  tht- 
f^ingiilaily  beautiful  iind  varied  varieties  now  o|i  show.    Of 


these  a  lengthy  jiedigree  was  given  that  would  have  great 
interest  f(U-  hybridists  and  little  for  the  g  neral  readei , 
Several  interesting  instances  were  given  of  the  prepotency 
of  one  parent  over  another,  in  one  Ciise  especially  the  male 
being  so  prepotent  that  the  product  showed  no  trace  of 
female  influence.  'I'here  was  exhibited  a  very  fine  new 
hybrid,  the  truss  and  flowers  large  and  bi'itrht  yeUow  in 
c<tlour,  which  has  lieen  appropriately  named  by  Messrs. 
Yeitch,  Edward  YII.  Tbis  was  the  product  of  an  entirely 
new  cross  of  two  (juite  genuine  species.  The  little  yelbnv 
Aconite  next  came  undei-  notice.  It  was  said  to  be  of  tin- 
lowest  scale  of  plants  botanically  in  existence.  It  could  not 
lie  said  to  have  developed  any  coiolla,  its  petals  really  being 
its  calyx,  hut  golden  yellow.  It  was  also  deficient  in 
stamens  and  pistils.  Hellebores  were  used  for  illustration 
in  great  variety  as  furnished  by  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons. 
These,  on  the  other  hand,  had  many  stamens,  and  at  their 
bases  what  may  be  described  as  honey  pots,  to  get  at  which 
ihc  bees  were  attracted.  Petals  were  elaborated  l)y  Nature 
out  of  stamens  principally,  ami  the  whole  organs  showed 
graduation  in  development.  In  one  case  petals  were  evolved 
out  of  filaments.  Some  hybrids  of  the  Christmas  Rose 
shown  were  interesting  as  exhibiting  variety,  produced  by 
crossing;  but  the  colouration  so  fai'  was  not  of  striking  or 
atti'active  character  ;  but  in  a  botanical  sense  these  crosses 
were  very  interesting.  A  new  Snowdrop  from  Smyrna 
named  Whitleyi  was  closely  allied  to  Elwesi,  winch  it 
much  resembled.  It  was  very  early.  Many  other  remarks 
were  made. 

KIDDERMINSTER. 
The  local  horticultural  society  starts  the  century  with 
renewed  vitality,  and  a  wise  change  in  its  habitat.  Its 
afl'airs  appear  to  be  in  the  hands  of  energetic  young  men 
with  heads  screwed  on  the  right  way,  and  its  membership  is 
intelligent,  enthusiastic,  and  increasing.  On  the  very  first 
night  of  meeting  in  the  new  ([uarters  thirty-two  candidates 
were  proposed  and  admitted  as  members.  ^Ir.  Ciump,  an 
expert  in  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  who  came  from  Madrestleld 
Court  to  give  the  first  lecture  in  the  new  meeting  place, 
wjis  lewarded  l)y  a  large  aud'ence.  He  had  before  him  men 
fully  capable  of  profiting  by  his  experience,  and  to  whom 
his  words  were  most  valuable.  In  the  course  of  his 
address  he  briefiy  touched  upon  a  point  which  affects 
consumers  and  producers  alike— the  dirticulty  of  profitably 
disposing  of  the  fiuit  produced  when  Nature  is  in  a  lavish. 
mood.  There  is  great  need  of  co-operation  and  organisation 
among  the  growers  of  a  district  for  this  pui'pose.  It  is  a 
grim  paradox  that  we  should  be  paying  hundrr  ds  oi 
thousands  to  foreigners  for  fruit  at  the  very  time  when  fruit 
eijually  as  good  is  rotting  in  our  own  orcharos  because  it 
does  not  pay  to  gather  it. 


BECKENHAM  HORTICI^LTUBAL  SOCIETY 

At  the  Church  House  on  January  25  Mr.  Thornt'  n.  F.R.H.S., 
in  the  chair,  a  paper  was  read  by  Mr.  H.  .1.  Chapman, 
gardener  to  M)'.  K.  J.  .\teasures.  Camberwell,  on  Cypripe- 
diums. In  openinir  the  meeting  the  chairman  said  he  could 
u(.t  refrain  f II >m  alluding  to  the  great  loss  the  nation  had 
sustained  in  the  death  of  Her  Majesty  the  i^ieen.  who 
adorned  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  as  its  patroness. 
He  also  mentioned  what  tremendous  strides  horticulture 
had  taken  during  her  most  trlorious  reign.  The  lecturer 
then  gave  the  history,  formation  of  the  fiower.  natural 
habitat,  and  cultivation  of  the  Lady's  Slippei*.  Mr.  Chapman 
had  previously  arranged  a  very  handsome  collection  of 
coloured  plates,  which  were  of  great  assistance.  Several 
iiuestions  were  asked  and  ably  answered,  after  which  a  vote 
of  1  hanks  was  passed  to  the  lecturer.  Mr.  George  Day, 
gardener  to  Mr.  Simonds,  brought  cut  blooms  of  Orchids 
in  variety.    These  were  greatly  admired. 

CARDIFF  GARDENERS'  ASSOCIATION. 
A  MEETING  took  place  on  Tuesday.  Jaiuiary  22,  Mr.  V.  (i. 
Treseder,  F.R.H.S.,  in  the  chair.  Mr.  .1.  J.  tJraham 
delivered  a  lecture,  entitled  "The  Chrysanthemum  in  isit!)- 
lOOO.  The  lecturer  dealt  chiefly  with  the  Japanese  section 
upon  growing,  exhibiting,  and  staging.  A  slight  allusion 
was  nuule  towards  the  single  varieties  for  decorative 
purposes.  A  'engthy  discussion  followeil  concerning  this 
popular  flower.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Graham 
brought  the  proceedings  to  a  close. 

WIMBLEDON  (iARDKNERS'  SOCIETY. 
The  monthly  meetingof  this  society  was  held  on  Monday,  in 
St.  tieorgesHall,  Mr.  \V.  Thomson  presiding.  The  numl)er 
of  members  is  still  increasing,  and  has  reached  seventy-three. 
The  paper  f(M-  the  evening  was  upon  "Carnations."  and 
was  contributed  by  Mr.  McLeod.  of  Dover  H<uise,  Uoe- 
hanipton,  one  whose  success  in  cultivating  these  plants  is 
snrticiont  to  ensure  a  s<mnd  practical  paper.  Dealing  flrst 
with  ihe  Malniaison  varieties,  and  speaking  of  the  several 
attempts  made  at  Dover  House  to  obtain  a  healthy  stock,  one 
or  two  different  trials  were  made  with  p'anls  obtained  from  a 
distance,  and  which  were  received  in  nmst  cases  with  no 
apparent  signs  of  fungus,  but  it  invariably  soon  appeared 
and  the  Slock  would  again  be  burned.  These  failures  were 
much  discussed  amongst  many  gardeners  at  the  time,  and 
suggested  remedies  also  failed,  Imt  close  observation  as  to 
time  of  its  appearing  and  the  state  of  the  plants  and 
atniuspheie  led  to  the  aiivocation  of  drier  snrrouudhigs, 
fully  justifled  by  the  fine  plants  exhibited  by  Mr.  McLeod  at 
Kichminul  a  few  years  ago.  The  layering,  potting,  and 
L-eneral  treatment  were  fully  dealt  with.  The  use  of  XL  All 
Yaporiser  to  assist  in  keeping  them  clean  was  very  strongly 
recommended.  The  cultivation  of  the  b(u-der  and  winter- 
flowering  varieties  was  fully  dealt  with,  useful  cultural 
details  being  given  in  each  case.  A  list  of  about  flfty  of 
the  varieties  which  weri;  moat  ."uccessful  at  Dover  House 
was  given.  A  slight  discussion  followed,  and  vtites  of  thanks 
to  the  chainnan  and  lecturer,  who  promised  to  nivy  aimther 
|>aper„brought  the  uu-cting  to  a  close, 


GARDEN, 


^^^!S!fe 


T^SS'^^^"^?? 


No.  ]:V25.— Vol.  LIX.] 


THE     MERITS    OF    OWN- 
ROOF     ROSES 

WE  express  no  opinion  Durselves 
as  to  the  merits  of  own -root 
Roses,  but  it  is  an  excellent 
subject  for  discussion  in  our 
pages.  It  is  an  interesting 
question  as  to  whether  own-root  or  grafted  or 
budded  plants  are  the  most  satisfactory,  and 
the  following  notes  from  one  of  our  leading 
rosarians  deserve  attention.  We  hope  other 
rosarians  will  express  their  opinions  too. 

"If  one  approaches  this  subject  fairly  much 
can  be  urged  in  favour  of  Roses  upon  their 
own  roots,  although  the  extensive  cultivation 
of  the  seedling  and  cutting  Briar  as  stocks  has 
somewhat  modified  the  arguments  of  the  '  own- 
root  '  advocates. 

"The  points  in  favour  of  own-root  Roses  as 
against  budded  plants  may  be  summed  up  as 
follows  :  (1)  A  longer  life  and  a  greater  resist- 
ance to  sharp  weather  ;  (2)  No  alien  suckers  ; 
(3)  More  successional  shoots  during  summer 
and  autumn  ;  (4)  Suitable  for  all  soils  where 
Roses  will  grow  at  all. 

"  I  am  convinced  that  if  properly  planted  at 
the  most  favourable  time  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  own-root  Roses  to  wear  out.  Are  there  not 
masses  of  the  common  monthly  Roses  growing 
in  the  gardens  of  Great  Britain  to-day  that  are 
the  picture  of  health  and  improve  in  vigour 
with  age?  Well,  these  are  all  on  their  own 
roots,  for  I  never  yet  heard  of  any  one  budding 
the  common  monthly  Rose.  Look  again  at  the 
acres  of  that  grand  old  Rose,  General  Jacque- 
minot, grown  exclusively  for  market !  Why, 
one  can  tell  to  a  plant  those  that  are  budded 
and  those  that  are  from  cuttings  !  Indeed, 
many  of  the  large  market  growers  will  have 
none  other  than  own-root  stock  of  this  Rose  on 
their  place.  Do  we  not  see  the  same  beneficial 
result  with  the  old  blush  Moss  Rose,  likewise 
grown  by  the  acre,  every  bush  being  doubtless 
upon  its  own  roots  ?  I  think  this  is  sufficient 
argument  in  favor  of  having  all  garden  Roses 
upon  their  own  roots.  In  referring  to  garden 
Roses  I  have  in  mind  more  especially  the 
beautiful  Ramblers,  the  Austrian  and  Penzance 
Bxiars,  the  Mosses,  the  Damasks,  the  Month- 
lies, the  Rugosa.s,  the  Gallicas,  the  Albas,  the 
Cabbage  Roses,  the  Hybrid  Chinese,  and  the 
many  delightful  species.  All  these  are,  as  it 
were,  fixtures,  and  they  can  all  be  easily  raised 
from  cuttings  or  layers. 

"  Now  I  do  not  know  a  single  exhibitor  who 
is  in  favour  of  own-root  Roses,  and  for  this 


[February  9,  1901. 


purpose  ]ilants  upon  some  stock  are  certainly 
desirable,  although  I  have  cut  good  show  blooms 
from  tiny  own-root  plants  barely  ten  months 
old.  If  the  Manetti  stock  or  Briar  cutting 
stock  be  carefully  prepared,  and  all  eyes  save 
two  or  three  at  top  removed,  Roses  will  flourish 
on  them  for  many  years.  But  I  would  like  to 
ask  those  who  are  unfriendly  to  own-roots. 
Have  they  ever  taken  up  their  budded  plants 
after  they  have  been  planted  two  or  three 
years?  If  so,  have  they  not  found  a  large 
num.ber  with  quantities  of  roots  emanating 
from  the  Rose  itself  at  the  junction  of  stock 
and  scion  ?  Many  good  gardeners  even,  cut 
away  the  old  worn-out  Manetti  stock,  and 
replant  the  bush  that  in  future  will  be  sup- 
liorted  by  roots  of  its  own.  Therefore,  before 
these  exhibitors  condemn  own-root  plants  they 
should  be  sure  that  some  of  their  particular 
plants  are  not  getting  most  support  from  roots 
of  their  own.     The  author  of  '  The  Book  of  the 


summer.  I  have  seen  own-root  plants,  the 
cuttings  of  which  were  taken  from  forced 
plants  early  in  March,  make  larger  specimens 
in  one  season  grown  under  glass  than  a  grafted 
plant  would  make  under  the  same  conditions. 
In  my  opinion,  all  Roses  on  own-roots  should 
either  be  |)lanted  in  October,  or  the  work 
deferred  until  March  and  April  for  outdoor 
plants,  and  May  and  June  for  pot  grown  ones. 
They  should  also  be  given  a  liberal  supply  of 
good  potting  bench  compost,  to  enable  their 
fine  roots  to  start  away  unchecked.  I  would 
urge  planters  to  exercise  patience,  and  they 
will  be  rewarded  in  the  near  future. 

"As  regards  there  being  no  alien  suckers 
from  own-root  plants,  is  not  that  something  to 
be  thankful  for?  If  it  be  true  that  own -root 
Roses  are  suitable  for  all  soils  where  Roses 
will  grow  at  ail,  surely  that  again  is  a  strong 
point  in  their  favour.  Many  cannot  grow  the 
seedling  Briar,  others  find  the  Manetti  unsuit- 
Rose '  says,  at  page  137  :  '  It  is  a  fact  that  i  able,  but  I  believe  that  own-root  Roses  may  be 
Roses  on  their  own  roots  do  not  grow  so  well  j  adapted  to  any  soil  by  employing  reasonable 
or  flower  so  well  as  those  which  are  budded  on  methods  in  preparing  the  latter, 
stronger  rooting  stocks.'  Has  he  ever  tried  I  "  The  advocates  of  own  -  root  Roses  often 
them  ?  I  have  seen  Captain  Christy,  Baroness  :  remind  us  that  a  severe  winter  would  tell 
Rothschild,  Dr.  Andry,  Ulrich  Brunner,  and ;  considerably  in  their  favour,  but  I  do  not 
Roses  of  that  type  throw  up  quite  as  strong  |  attach  much  importance  to  that  contention, 
wood  as  any  that  were  budded  ;  and  as  to  not   We   have  the   means  of  earthing  up  budded 

Roses,  which  practically  ensures  them  against 
total  destruction  ;  but  should  we  neglect  to 
earth  up,  then  I  imagine  the  '  own  roots ' 
would  score." 


flowering  so  well,  if  he  means  that  they  do  not 
blossom  so  simultaneously  he  is  right,  but,  as 
I  said  before,  it  is  the  almost  unceasing  pro- 
duction of  new  growths  from  the  base  of  the 
plants  that  make  these  own-roots  so  valuable. 
I  was  reading  somewhere  about  an  experiment 
made  with  that  lovely  shaped  Rose  Coupe 
d'Hebe.  A  budded  specimen  was  planted,  and 
one  own-root  planted  against  a  wall.  In  a  few 
years  the  own-root  plant  had  covered  the  wall, 
whereas  the  budded  specimen  was  gradually 
dwindling  away.  We  in  this  country  scarcely 
understand  own -root  Roses.  Doubtless  a 
valued  correspondent  of  The  Garden,  Mr.  A. 
Herrington,  will  tell  us  something  about  them 
in  America,  for  our  American  friends  have 
entirely  eclipsed  us  in  growing  own-root  Roses 
under  glass.  Mr.  Herrington  gave  some  useful 
hints  upon  this  subject  in  The  Gakden  of 
March  'JV,  1897,  and  his  more  extensive  expe- 
riences would  be  welcome. 

"The  extra  expense  in  the  production  of 
own-root  Roses  is  against  their  freer  use.  Many 
choice  kinds  must  be  struck  under  gla.ss,  and 
consequently  grown  in  pots.  But  if  the  latter 
are  planted  out  in  May  and  June  I  can  assure 
all  who  are  anxious  to  try  a  few  that  they  vrill 
be  surprised  at  the  growth   made  during  the 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 


Royal   Hoptieultupal  Society.— The 

next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  will  take  place  on  Tuesday 
next,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate, 
S. W.  The  various  committees  will  assemble  at 
noon,  as  usual,  and  at  three  o'clock  the  annual 
general  meeting  of  the  soeiet}'  will  be  held  at  the 
societv's  offices,  117,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster, 
S.W. " 

Examination  in  Hoptieulture.— The 

Royal  Horticultural  Societj'  proposes  to  hold  its 
annual  examination  in  the  principles  and  practice 
of  horticulture  on  Wednesday,  April  24.  Candi- 
dates wishing  to  sit  for  the  examination  should  make 
application  during  February  lo  the  Secretary. 
Roj'al  Horticultural  Society.  117,  Victoria  Street, 
Westminster. 

Royal    Caledonian    Hopticultural 

Society.  —  The  secretary,  Mr.  P.  Murraj- 
Thompson,  informs  us  that  he  is  again  issuing 
associates'  tickets,  which  entitle  gardeners  and 
certain  others,  on  payment  of  2s.  6d. ,  to  be  enrolled 
as  associates  and  to  receive  a  season  ticket  admit- 
ting to  both  of  the  societN^'s  shows  to  be  held 
during  the  current  j'ear.  The  number  of  gardeners 
who  avail  themselves  of  the  half-crown  ticket   is 


90 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[February   9,    1901. 


yet  comparatively  small.  Now  a  new  inducement 
is  to  be  tried,  viz.,  allowing  gardeners  to  become 
members,  with  a  voice  in  the  management  of  the 
society,  at  an  annual  payment  of  ;is.  It  is  hoped 
that  this  will  have  the  effect  of  largely  increasing 
interest  in  this  old  societj'. 

National  Rose  Society.  —With  the  kind 

permission  of  the  treasurer  and  benchers  of  the 
Inner  Temple,  the  metropolitan  exhibition  of  the 
National  Rose  Society  will  be  held  this  year  in  tlie 
Inner  Temple  Gardens  instead  of  at  the  Crystal 
Palace.  The  exact  dale  of  the  show  in  July  is 
not  yet  definitely  arranged.— Edwako  Mawi,ey, 
Hon.  Sec. 

The  Gardens,  Sandringham.— Many 

illustrations  are  given  in  the  special  memorial 
number  of  The  Ladies''  Field  of  tlie  gardens  at 
Sandringham.  Sandringham  is  not  merely  in- 
teresting as  the  Norfolk  home  of  our  King  and 
Queen,  but  possesses  gardens  of  nuich  charm,  and, 
needless  to  say,  tliejf  are  splendidly  maintained. 

Calanthe    Oakwood    Ruby.— In   our 

description  of  tljis  beautiful  Calanthe,  shown  at 
the  Drill  Hall  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  on  January  '29,  we  omitted  to  state  that  it 
was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Norman  C.  Cookson,  Oakwood, 
Wylam,  whose  head  gardener  is  Mr.  William 
Murray. 

Camellias  in  the  open.— Camellias  grow 

and  flourish  here  outside  unless  frost  nips  the 
buds.  My  trees  have  been  out  for  years,  and 
grow  very  well. — C.  M.,  Diiiiiiiiigwe/l,  Millo/n, 
Cumberland. 

Camellias   in   the   open. —  The  finest 

double  white  Camellia  I  have  ever  seen  was  grown 
in  an  old  cart  shed,  open  in  front,  with  a  glass 
roof.  From  this  I  have  known  seventy  dozen 
picked  perfect  blooms  cut  in  one  season.  The 
shed  was  used  for  carts,  and  the  Camellia  tree  was 
the  favourite  roosting  place  for  the  fowls.  Tliis 
tree  was  neglected,  allowed  to  become  a  njass  of 
scale,  and  was  cut  down  some  years  ago  bj'  the 
farmer  in  whose  shed  it  grew.  We  have  planted 
them  out,  and  for  a  time  they  did  fairly  well,  but 
they  would  not  stand  a  severe  winter  here,  in 
addition  to  the  fact  tliat  rain  spoilt  the  flowers 
sufficiently  to  make  them  not  worth  cutting.  One 
of  our  neighbours  planted  out  several  which  had 
grown  too  large  for  his  houses,  and  the  result  was 
the  same.  If  they  are  to  be  planted  out  in  this 
climate  they  require  overhead  protection  ;  the  frost 
alone  does  not  appear  to  damage  either  trees  or 
flowers,  provided  they  are  kept  moderately  dry 
in  the  winter. — Thcmas  Fleti'ukb,  Grappenhall, 
Oheshii  e, 

Mr.  Robert  Tait,  jun.— In  the  February 
issue  of  The  Entomoloijist  there  is  an  interesting 
article  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Robert  Tait,  jun.  (of 
the  firm  of  Messrs.  Dickson,  Brown,  and  Tait, 
Manchester)  upon  forcing  Agrotis  Ashworthii. 
Mr.  Tait,  who  is  an  ardent  entomologist,  thus 
opens  his  observations:  "After  failing  for  two 
years  in  succession  I  have  again  been  successful  in 
forcing  Agrotis  Ashworthii,  and  have  been  able  to 
get  the  perfect  insect  to  emerge  in  exactly  nine 
weeks  from  the  hatching  of  the  ova." 

Flowering  of  Iris  tingitana.— Your 

correspondent,  who  mentions  on  page  70  that  he 
can  flower  Iris  tingitana  without  difficulty,  does 
not  give  sufficient  clue  to  the  general  gardening 
public  to  indicate  the  part  of  the  world  from  wliich 
he  writes.  I  have  always  taken  much  interest  in 
the  flowering  of  this  bulb,  which  is  perfectly 
hardy  with  me  in  Cheshire,  and  increases  fast ;  but 
in  twenty  years  I  have  only  had  one  flower  on  it, 
though  i  have  tried  every  kind  of  soil.  I  have 
attributed  the  failure  to  want  of  hot  sun.  Perliap3 
the  climate  of  Camperdown  may  be  especially 
sunny,  but  I  liave  exhausted  my  usual  means  of 
trying  to  find  the  place,  viz.,  the  "Official  Postal 
(iuide"  and  "  Bradshaw,"  and  fail  to  find  that 
Camperdown  lias  eitlier  a  post-olHce  or  a  railway 
station  in  the  United  Kingdom,  and  I  tlierefore 
cannot  discover  what  county  it  is  in.  If  it  is  the 
place  near  Dundee  from  which  a  Scotcli  nobleman 
takes  his  title  I  should  be  lost  in  wonder.— C.  W.  I). 

An  early-flowering  white  Rhodo 

dendron. — One  of   your   correspondents  lately 
enquired  about   a   wliite   flowered   Rhododendron 


which  bloomed  in  January.  She  may  possibly 
mean  one  we  have  had  over  twenty  years  in  this 
garden  flowering  at  the  present  time  and  called 
JIundulum.  It  originally  came  from  a  nursery 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  is  not  uncommon  round 
here.  A  few  days  ago  I  brought  in  some  buds 
showing  colour,  and  tliey  have  fully  opened  in 
water  in  tlie  house  :  but  there  were  several  heads 
of  bloom  quite  out  in  the  bush,  and  I  merely 
gathered  the  others  for  safety  against  frost,  which 
almost  invariably  comes  to  spoil  the  flowers  at 
blooming  time.  In  mild  seasons  this  variety'  is 
quite  lovel}',  and  is  covered  with  large  heads  of 
blossoms  of  the  palest  pink,  which  seem  quite 
white  when  fullj'  out. — Clar.\  Myers,  Diiiiiiiiii/- 
ipell,  iiilloin,  Ciiinhevland.  [The  llower-truss  kindly' 
sent  with  this  interesting  letter  fully  bears  out 
our  correspondent's  description. — Ens.] 

Thibaudia    acuminata.    Thougli  now 

relegated  to  the  genus 
Cavendishia,  but  with 
the  same  specific  name, 
this  plant  is  far  better 
known  under  the  cog- 
nomen of  Thibaudia, 
which  it  has  held  since 
its  introduction  in 
1868,  but  not  uninter- 
ruptedly, for  another 
of  its  s3'non3'ms  occa- 
sionall}'  applied  is 
Proclesia acuminata.  It 
is  a  loose  -  growing 
shrub,  clothed  with 
dark  green  leathery 
leaves,  pointed  oblong 
in  shape,  and  about  a 
couple  of  inches  long. 
In  their  young  state 
they  are  more  or  les« 
flushed  with  pink.  The 
vaccinium-like  flowers, 
which  are  borne  in 
clusters  at  the  points 
of  the  shoots,  are 
tubular  in  shape,  about 
li  inches  long,  and  in 
colour  bright  red  tipped 
with  greenish  white. 
Like  those  of  many  of 
their  allies,  the  blos- 
soms are  of  a  thick 
wax-like  texture,  and 
present  the  appearance 
of  being  varnished. 
Before  opening  the 
flowers  are  enclosed  by 
large  reddish  bracts, 
which  remain  for  some 
little  time  before  they 
drop.  In  this  country 
they  are  not  sufficiently 
bright  in  colour  to  be 
very  conspicuous,  but 
in  its  South  American 
home  (the  mountainous 
districts  of  Colombia 
and  Ecuador)  the  plant 
owes  a  good  deal  of  its 
beauty  to  them. — T. 

An  uncommon 

plant. — The  species  figured  is  very  uncommon  in 
gardens^  although  it  was  introduced  as  long  ago  as 
18.51  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  of  Chelsea,  by 
whom  it  was  shown  at  the  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  on  January  lo  last  ;  its 
flowers  are  (juite  waxy,  ribbed,  and  creamy  white 
veined  with  red. — T. 

Persimmon   in   fruit   in  South 

Devon. — On  a  southern  wall,  in  a  sheltered 
South  Devon  garden,  interesting  for  the  number 
of  rare  plants,  shrubs,  and  trees  that  it  contains, 
a  Persinmion  has  borne  and  ripened  fruit  in  the 
open  during  the  past  season.  I  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  tasting  a  fruit  a  few  days  since  and 
found  it  ripe  and  palatable,  and  certainly,  to  my 
mind,  superior  to  a  Medlar  in  flavoui'.  The  fruit 
was  about  3  inches  in  diameter  an<l  of  a  dull  red 
colour.     In  the  same  garden  a  small  tree  held  to 


be  Acacia  dealbata  was  in  flower  in  the  open,  but 

I  fancy  that  in  this  case,  as  in  others  i[i  the  south- 
west, A.  affinis  is  grown  as  A.  dealbata.  At.  the 
same  time  I  was  shown  a  curious  freak  of  Nature 
which  had  oieurred  in  a  bed  of  Princess  of  Wales 
Violet,  namely,  a  flower  stem  which  at  two-thirds 
of  its  height  divided  into  two  portions,  each  being 
terminated  by  a  perfect  bloom. — S.  W.  F. 

■Wallflowers  in  pots.— Pots  of  well- 
grown  Wallflower  plants  look  as  well  as  small 
sin'ulis,  and  last  tiir'tughout  tlie  winter  and  spring. 
If  more  plants  are  potted  than  are  wanted  for 
immediate  use,  so  that  the  pots  can  be  changed 
ever}'  week  or  two,  they  will  make  handsome 
plants  for  the  dwelling-house.  It  is  as  pot  plants 
tor  the  window  balcony  when  the  summer  flowers 
are  taken  out  tliat  I  especially  value  them,  and  they 
last  till  the  summer  flowers  are  put  in  again.  The 
plants  must  be  the  same  year's  seeillings,  and  should 


ACAl'KTKS    (THIllAfDIA)    MAI'KANTHA. 


have  been  pricked  out  and  had  the  tops  pinched 
out  in  the  summer  to  make  them  dwarf  and  bushy. 
(4reat  care  is  necessary  in  the  potting,  as  little 
earth  being  shaken  off  the  roots  as  jiossible  ;  after 
being  potted  keej)  well  watered  for  a  few  daj's. 
One  or  more  small  sticks  should  be  put  to  each 
plant  to  keep  the  wind  from  loosening  the  roots  by 
twisting  it.  If  great  care  is  not  exercised  in  all 
these  particulars  the  plants  will  droop  a  great  deal 
for  a  week  or  two  after  being  potted,  with  the 
result  that  the  lower  leaves  will  tiuii  yellow  and 
fall  off,  thus  leaving  bare  steins  instead  of  leafy 
ones.  It  is  best  to  pot  them  in  clamp  weather  for 
this  reason.  The  jilanls  should  not  be  more  than  a 
foot  above  the  top  of  the  pots,  unless  they  are 
proportionately  bushy,  as  they  grow  a  good  deal 
taller  when  they  are  coming  into  bloom. — Aloku 

PHT'l'.S. 


February  9,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN 


91 


The  purple  and  red  Vitis.— For  rich 

colouring  few  plants  are  superior  to  the  Vitis, 
of  which  V.  purpurea  and  V.  Coigneti.f  are 
among  the  best  of  the  section.  The  older  one, 
V.  purpurea,  is  so  well  known  that  I  need  not 
describe  it  at  length,  as  many  grow  it  under  the 
name  of  the  Claret  Vine,  this  name  being  common 
on  iccount  of  its  rich  colouring.  It  is  a  very 
liandsome  climber,  and  a  beautiful  object  if  not 
cramped  or  neglected.  Last  summer  in  the  soutliern 
part  of  the  country  I  saw  this  variety  in  an  open 
garden  supported  by  a  few  poles  and  growing  in 
a  natural  way.  It  was  used  as  a  dividing  screen 
between  two  gardens,  and  answered  the  purpose 
thoroughly.  The  Japanese  species,  V.  Coignetiaj, 
is  also  very  beautiful  in  the  autumn,  having  scarlet 
foliage,  and  though  a  less  robust  grower  than  the 
older  form  is  very  beautiful.  Tliis  grows  freely 
once  it  has  got  a  good  start,  and  the  colour  is 
([uite  distinct.  For  low  buildings,  fences,  or  walls 
the  coloured  vines  are  most  suitable,  and  give 
shades  of  colour  in  the  autumn  that  are  much 
liked,  but  at  any  season  when  in  growth  the  two 
kinds  named  make  charming  plants  for  the  purpose 
named  above. — G.  VV.  S. 
Hapdenbepg-ia  monophylla.  —  Many 

of  the  New  Holland  plants  so  popular  about  the 
middle  of  last  century  are  now  almost  lost  to 
cultivation,  and  many  of  those  which  remain  are 
not  generally  grown,  although  they  are  quite  as 
beautiful,  and  in  some,  cases  more  so,  than  a  con- 
siderable number  of  our  greenhouse  favourites  of 
to-day.  The  subject  of  this  note  is  a  very  pretty 
and  show3f  flowering  plant,  and  grows  far  more 
quickly  than  some  of  the  best  of  the  Australian 
plants.  It  is  a  dwarf  climber  suitable  for  growing 
against  a  short  pillar  or  on  a  stake.  It  makes  a 
number  of  wiry  branches,  which  in  a  single  season 
grow  between  3  feet  and  4  feet  high.  The  leaves 
are  about  4  inches  long,  ovate,  and,  unlike  the 
stronger -growing  species  H.  comptoniana,  are 
simple.  The  flowers,  small  and  rosy  purple,  are 
borne,  thirty  to  fifty  together,  in  graceful  racemes 
from  the  axil  of  each  leaf.  A  variety  having 
white  flowers  bears  longer  racemes  than  the  type, 
and  is  a  charming  plant.  Another  variety  having 
rose-coloured  flowers  is  also  worth  growing.  The 
latter  resembles  very  closely  a  plant  figured  in  the 
"Botanical  Register,'' xvi.,  t.  13.30,  as  Kennedya 
monophylla  var.  longiracemosa  in  1830.  CMven 
sandy  peat  to  grow  in,  plenty  of  fresh  air,  and  a 
minimum  temperature  of  35°  Fahr. ,  good  flowering 
plants  can  be  raised  in  eighteen  months  from  seeds. 

Dsedalacanthus  macpophyllus  at 

Kew. — Several  groups  of  this  pretty  Acanthad 
arranged  with  Begonias  and  other  foliage  plants 
in  the  T.  Range  at  Kew  are  a  good  illustration 
of  its  usefulness  as  a  decorative  plant  for  the  stove 
or  intermediate  house  in  midwinter.  It  has  been 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  Malay  Peninsula — 
usually  in  forests — its  head-quarters  being  Burma. 
As  grown  at  Kew  it  makes  plants  H  feet  to  2  feet 
high,  with  several  strong  growths.  The  flowers 
are  in  dense  spikes  from  each  leaf  axil  at  the 
base  to  the  apex  of  the  shoot,  the  lower  spikes 
being  8  inches  or  9  inches  long,  gradually  becoming 
smaller,  and  terminating  with  a  few  flowers  at  the 
end  of  the  growth,  the  whole  of  the  spikes  making 
up  a  large,  upiight,  loose  panicle.  Individually, 
the  flowers  are  pale  violet,  IJ  inches  long,  with  a 
long  thin  tube.  Cuttings  rooted  in  March  and 
kept  growing  throughout  summer  in  a  cool  airy 
house  make  better  plants  and  produce  more  flowers 
than  those  rooted  later  and  pushed  on  in  a  close 
warm  atmosphere.  In  conjunction  with  D.  nervosus, 
better  known  perhaps  under  the  name  of  Eranthe- 
mum  nervosum,  a  nice  variation  in  colour  is  made 
to  the  various  shades  of  red,  yellow,  and  white, 
common  to  the  conservatory  in  midwinter. — W.  D. 
Ppimula  vePtieillata.— This  is  a  charm- 
ing Primula  for  the  greenhouse  in  winter.  It  bears 
flowers  of  a  beautiful  yellow,  borne  in  whorls  or 
scapes  15  inches  or  so  high.  The  delicate  clear 
yellow  of  the  flower  and  the  silvery  tone  of  the 
l:oliage  associate  verj'  pleasingly  ;  the  latter,  more 
particularly  underneath,  is  covered  with  a  white 
meal}'  powder.  P.  verticillata  is  an  Abyssinian 
plant,  having  been  introduced  from  there  in  1870. 
It  is  preferably  raised  from  seed  sown  in  February 


in  pans  filled  with  finely-sifted  sandy  soil.  Place 
these  in  a  moderately  warm  house,  cover  with 
glass,  and  shade  from  the  sun.  When  the  seed- 
lings are  sufficiently  large  to  handle,  the  best 
method  of  procedure  is  to  transfer  three  of  them 
into  a  3-inch  or  4i-inch  pot,  according  to  their 
sl/.e.  Allow  them  to  remain  in  the  same  tem- 
perature until  fairly  well  rooted.  Then  throughout 
the  summer  quite  cool  treatment  sliould  be  afforded. 
There  is  perhaps  no  other  greenhouse  plant  re- 
quiring more  careful  attention  with  respect  to 
watering  than  does  P.  verticillata.  If  an  excess 
is  given,  the  delicate  leaves  soon  turn  yellow  and 
fall,  thereby  greatly  di.sfiguring  the  appearance  of 
the  plants.  The  foliage  should  be  carefully  lifted 
up  when  water  is  given,  so  that  it  may  not  be 
damaged.  All  flowers  that  show  during  summer 
and  autumn  should  be  pinched  off',  thereby  en- 
suring the  production  of  vigorous  flower  scapes 
later.  When  these  are  pushing  up  an  occasional 
application  of  Clay's  Fertilizer  dissolved  in  water 
is  advantageous.  These  pretty  plants  when  they 
are  in  full  flower  are  always  much  admired  in 
the  greenhouse  during  winter  and  early  spring. — 
T.  F.  W. 
Hsemanthus  cinnabarinus  atKew^. 

— This  is  one  of  the  most  eft'ective  plants  at  the 
present  time  indoors  at  Kew,  and  it  furnishes  a 
striking  example  of  the  superiority  of  the  planting- 
out  S3'stem  over  the  pot  system  of  culture  for 
many  plants.  The  subject  of  this  note  is  planted 
out  on  the  rootery  in  the  Nepenthes  hou.se,  having 
for  companions  Calatheas,  Marantas,  and  kindred 
plants.  In  the  light,  well  drained  soil  in  which 
it  is  planted  it  has  quickly  made  a  large  mass 
with  eighteen  growths,  from  six  of  which  strong 
flower  spikes  are  borne.  The  scapes  are  about 
li  feet  high,  and  are  terminated  with  large  umbels 
of  scarlet  flowers.  The  leaves  are  long  and  arching, 
the  upper  half  4  inches  to  6  inches  wide,  narrow- 
ing somewhat  abruptly  to  a  long  slender  petiole. 
Although  H^manthuses  are  usually  given  a  rather 
long  and  dry  resting  period  in  a  fairly  low  tempera- 
ture, the  plant  under  notice  growing  in  the  warm 
moist  atmosphere  of  the  Nepenthes  house  appears 
perfectly  happy,  being  probably  reminded  of  its 
home  climate  of  West  Tropical  Africa. 


HEREDITY    OF    ACQUIRED 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

It  may  appear  rather  late  in  the  day  to  revive 
a  topic  which  was  treated  in  The  G.\rden  of 
September  1,  but  the  fact  that  a  recent  attack  of 
bronchitis,  while  it  deprived  me  of  my  outdoor  occu- 
pations and  of  opportunities  for  personal  observa- 
tion of  plant  life,  has  left  more  leisure  for  reading 
and  mental  digestion,  a  process  most  necessary  to 
the  reader  who  would  make  use  of  the  researches 
and  discoveries  of  others.  If  a  man  of  only  ordinary 
intelligence  may  without  presumption  venture  to 
agree  or  disagree  with  the  theories  enunciated 
by  such  intellectual  giants  as  Darwin,  Hiixlej', 
Wallace,  VVeissmann,  and  the  like,  I  do  most 
emphatically  dissent,  in  company  with  the  writer 
of  the  article  in  The  Garden'  of  September  1 
(Professor  Henslow),  from  Dr.  Weissniann's  denial 
of  the  heredity  of  acquired  characteristics. 

The  position  of  the  scientist  must  always  be  one 
of  refusal  to  recognise  anj'  conjectural  but  unproved 
cause  for  existing  phenomena  where  certain  other 
causes,  whose  existence  has  been  proved  beyond 
doubt,  supply  suflficient  reason  for  the  existence  of 
such  phenonien.a  ;  and  until  some  new  phenomena 
can  be  produced,  for  which  it  is  impossible  to 
account  under  the  accepted  principles  of  causation, 
they  decline  to  search  for  further  causes,  accepting 
as  an  axiom  that  Nature  does  not  as  a  rule 
multiply  means  for  attaining  the  one  and  self-same 
objeot. 

This — in  plain  and  unscientific  language — is,  if  I 
mistake  not,  the  position  with  regard  to  the  origin 
of  species  taken  up  by  Dr.  W^allace,  who  I  believe 
considers  that  the  doctrine  of  accidental  variation, 
combined  with  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  covers 
the  whole  field,  and  is  sufficient  alone  to  account 
for  every  variety  of  species  in  the  animal  and 
vegetable   world,    and   who    would   therefore    not 


admit  of  the  existence  of  any  other  origin  until  the 
necessity  for  it  can  be  demonstrated. 

This  also  I  imagine  was  the  position  taken  up  by 
Huxley,  and  in  a  less  degree  and  in  a  modified  way 
by  Darwin  also,  but  Weissmann  always  appears  to 
me  to  go  beyond  these  in  definite  negation.  The 
scientist  can  have  no  J'ai-oiiri/e  doctrine.  He  must 
accept  that  for  which  he  finds  overwhelming 
evidence,  and  at  the  same  time  he  must  be  pre- 
pared to  give  up  the  most  universally  accepted 
axiom  of  science  if  an  accumulation  of  facts  newly 
brought  to  light  prove  it  be  no  longer  (enable,  but 
the  ordinarj'  and  unscientific  observer  of  Nature 
is  under  no  such  obligations  ;  he  may  have  a  pet 
theory,  a  favourite  doctrine. 

Thus,  if  there  is  a  doctrine  to  which  I  cling,  and 
which  I  should  grieve  to  see  disproved,  it  is  that 
which  Professor  Henslow  supports  in  his  interesting 
article  of  September  1— viz.,  "The  Heredity  of 
Acquired  Characteristics."  The  more  jealous  one 
is,  however,  for  one's  favourite  doctrine,  the  more 
careful  one  must  become  as  to  the  arguments  by 
which  it  may  be  supported,  and  thus  it  happens 
that  in  default  of  an  opponent  whose  function  it 
would  be  to  detect  any  weak  link  in  the  chain  of 
argument,  one  has  perforce  to  become  "  Devil's 
Advocate"  oneself  and  tr}'  to  see  what  may  be 
said  wjainxl  one's  own  orthodox  theory'.  In  execu- 
tion of  this  function  I  found  several  of  Professor 
Henslow's  illustrations  faulty- -at  least  to  my  own 
mind — as  arguments  against  Weissmann,  and  these 
I  will  proceed  to  point  out. 

If  the  instances  quoted  are  such  as  can  only  he 
due  to  acquired  characteristics  which  have  become 
hereditary,  and  cannot  conceivably  be  attributed 
to  accidental  variation,  fixed  b\-  natural  or  artifical 
selection  for  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  then,  and 
then  onl}',  do  they  become  valuable  for  proving  by 
the  inductive  method  the  doctrine  which  we  desire 
to  prove. 

Now,  in  the  case  he  quotes  of  aquatic  plants 
nearly  allied  to  terrestrial  ones  of  the  same  genus 
I  make  the  following  suggestion  :  Supposing  that 
one  of  a  million  seeds  of  a  terrestrial  Ranunculus 
— cast  on  the  A\'atcr  l)y  the  sunnner  breeze — 
which  by  accidental  variation  produces  a  plant 
with  finely  dissected  leaves  under  the  water,  this 
plant,  and  this  alone  out  of  the  million,  finds  itself 
adapted  to  its  new  position,  and  of  its  numerous 
descendants  a  certain  number—  and  an  increasing 
one,  as  in  each  generation  the  peculiarity  becomes 
more  fixed — inherit  this  peculiaritj'  of  formation, 
while  all  those  which  b^'  reason  of  adhering  to  the 
type  were  less  adapted  to  their  novel  position 
have  died  out  by  degrees.  Now,  surely  such  a 
hypothesis  is  perfectly  concelvahh,  and  therefore, 
as  an  argument  against  Weissmann,  Professor 
Henslow's  reference  to  these  plants  does  not  seem 
to  satisfy  that  which  he  lays  down  as  an  axiom  of 
the  inductive  method  of  reasoning — viz.,  that  it 
should  be  such  as  make  any  "alternative  hypo- 
thesis actually  unthinkable." 

That  which  maj'  explain  the  method  b}'  which 
Ranunculus  plants  have  so  adapted  themselves  as 
to  give  rise  to  acjuatic  species  ma}'  equally  be 
accountable  for  similar  changes  which  have  taken 
place  amongst  plants  of  other  genera  which  had 
given  rise  to  aquatic  species  still  closelj'  allied  to 
them,  and  though  if  the  theory  of  acquired  charac- 
teristics had  already  been  proved  by  other  means, 
it  might  become  matter  for  argument  whether 
these  peculiarities  of  the  aquatic  plants  were  not 
attributable  to  that  rather  than  accidental  varia- 
tion, I  do  not  see  that  in  defaidt  of  such  being  the 
case  the}-  can  be  cited  for  the  purpose  of  inductive 
evidence. 

The  hypothesis  that  these  and  all  such  pecu- 
liarities in  the  development  of  new  species  are  due 
onl}'  to  accidental  variation  becomes  much  more 
conceivable  the  more  one  realises  with  Wallace 
the  enormous  extent  to  which  these  variations 
daily  occur  in  Nature,  and  the  small  propoition 
which  ever  come  to  our  notice,  from  the  fact  that 
the  vast  majority  of  such  variations  produce  indi- 
viduals /t.«  instead  of  mori:  adapted  to  the  pro- 
visions accorded  them  by  Nature,  and  therefore 
simply  die  out  at  once  like  a  three-legged  chicken 
or  a  two-headed  calf. 

Again,  in    the   case   of   the   many  more  or  less 


'Q2 


THE    GARDEN 


[February   9,  1901. 


succulent  plants  of  different  families  which  inhabit 
waterless  tracts  of  desert,  may  not  the  first 
ancestor  of  the  present  day  Opuntia  or  Euphorbia 
which  approximated  at  all  to  the  present  t\'pe, 
have  been  one,  which  occurring  by  accidental 
variation  happened  to  have  its  cells  containing 
moisture  unusually  developed,  and  that  thus  when 
all  its  relations  died  through  a  sudden  or  gradual 
change  in  the  climate,  it  alone  survived  to  per- 
petuate its  own  fortunate  peculiarity? 

Thus,  again,  is  it  not  conceivable  that  all  the 
Sterculias  of  Australia  may  have  succumbed  to  a 
drought  of  unprecedented  severity,  except  one 
fortunate  individual,  which,  by  what  we  call  a 
"freak  of  Nature,"  had  an  enlargement  near  its 
base,  where  water  had  accumulated  during  the 
wet  season,  which  served  to  maintain  it  througli  the 
drought  when  all  its  less  fortunate  relations  died  V 
The  wonderful  adaptability  under  Nature's  laws 
of  the  individual  plant  to  its  conditions  and  environ- 
ment is,  of  course,  beyond  dispute,  but  what  we 
want  is  definite  proof  that  the  peculiarities  thus 
assumed  b\'  the  individual  for  its  own  preservation 
are  actually  transmitted  to  its  descendants. 

The  other  examples  cited  by  Professor  Henslow, 
at  any  rate,  suggest  more  legitimate  arguments 
in  support  of  our  behalf.  AVhile  accidental  varia- 
tion and  artificial  selection  are  s\itticient  to  account 
for  the  existence  of  our  large-rooted  biennial  culi- 
nary vegetables,  the  case  he  alludes  to,  of  tlie 
hiir/th  of  root  It  Radishes,  &e. ,  seems  to  present 
possibilities  for  obtaining  absolute  and  incontro- 
vertible evidence  on  this  much-vexed  question. 

If  it  can  be  proved  (a)  that  these  plants  by  their 
natural  adaptabilitj'  to  the  conditions  under  which 
they  are  grown,  do,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  rjtiicrally, 
or  at  least  fn-qiifntly,  increase  the  length  of  their 
root  in  dry  and  light  soil — which  seems  probable 
enough  in  view  of  tlie  greater  depth  from  which 
they  must  seek  moisture — and  (h)  that  the  seedlings 
from  such  long-rooted  plants  do,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  in  any  large  proportion  exhibit  a  tendenej'  to 
follow  the  habit  of  their  parents  in  this  respect, 
even  though  themselves  transferred  to  damp  or 
holding  soil,  then  the  fact  will  supply  the  very 
best  evidence  that  I  have  ever  seen  put  forward 
of  the  heredity  of  characteristics  acquired  through 
external  conditions  and  environments. 

Meanwhile,  whether  in  this  or  any  other  field 
of  experiment,  in  either  the  animal  or  vegetable 
world,  any  careful  observer  who  can  produce  fresh 
and  conclusive  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this  hypo- 
thesis will  be  doing  untold  service,  not  only  to 
the  academic  student  of  biology,  but  still  more  to 
the  earnest  humanitarian,  whose  hopes  for  the 
regeneration  of  his  own  species  are  bound  up  in 
this  doctrine,  and  who  trusts  that,  whereas  at 
present,  the  criminal  begets  criminals,  the  drunkard 
begets  drunkards,  and  intellectual  ignorance  and 
moral  weakness  or  turpitude  beget  their  like,  a 
time  may  come  in  the  far  future  when  the  phj'sical, 
mental,  and  moral  training  of  the  young — not  the 
School  Board  education  of  to-daj' — may  result  in 
young  men  and  J'oung  women  arriving  at  an  age 
when  they  enter  into  matrimony  with  a  ' '  menx  saiia 
ill  corpore  -smio,"  with  tlieir  acquired  characteristics 
— physical,  mental,  and  moral— sufficiently  estab- 
lished to  be  transmitted  to  posterity,  in  increasing 
ratio  of  geometrical  progression  from  generation  to 
generation  through  long  davs  to  come.  ...  A 
dream  indeed,  but  whv  should  it  not  come  to 
pass?  "  H.  R.  D. 


THE    FERN    GARDEN. 

FERN     CULTURE     AND 
PROPACxATION. 

IN    the   culture   of   Ferns,    as   with   all   other 
plants,    the    nearer   we   can   approach    the 


plants,  the  nearer  we  can 
conditions  under  which  they  grow  wild  and 
luxuriantly  the  greater  will  be  our  succe.ss 
and  the  fewer  our  disappointments.  In 
the  introductory  matter  relative  to  each 
species  we  have  indicated  their  special  habitats, 
likes,  and  dislikes,  and   therefore  here  we  need 


onl}'  briefly  refer  to  general  principles.  Ferns  are 
survivors  from  a  period  when  the  earth  was  doubt- 
less warmer,  cloudier,  and  damper  than  now ; 
our  coal  formations  have  been  bequeathed  to  us  by 
Ferns  and  their  kin,  and  undoubtedly  we  are 
indebted  to  the  same  source  for  all  our  present 
wealth  of  trees  and  flowering  plants.  Hence, 
although  many  species  in  tropical  and  sub-tropical 
climes  have  adapted  themselves  to  hot  and  even 
dry  positions,  the  great  majority  still  ati'ect  situa- 
tions away  from  hot  sunshine  and  risk  of  con- 
tinuous drought,  and  naturally,  in  a  comparativelj' 
moist  climate  like  Britain,  the  species  native 
thereto  have  been  evolved  to  fit  it.  Consequently, 
it  is  in  woods,  shad}'  lanes,  and  secluded  glens  that 
we  find  our  Ferns  at  their  best.  Thus,  the  first 
thing  is  to  avoid  an  excess  of  sunshine.  The  next 
thing  is  to  avoid  wind,  not  merely  on  account  of 
the  drying  nature  of  some  winds,  but  far  more 
because  the  friction  set  up  between  the  fronds  is 
bound  to  seriously  damage  them,  especially  when 
we  are  dealing  with  some  of  our  finest  cut  varieties. 
Thirdl}',  drought  must  be  avoided  at  the  roots, 
and  the  more  humid  the  air  the  finer  the  develop- 
ment. On  the  other  Jiand,  the  more  light  we  can 
give  the  better,  since  light  is  with  Ferns,  as  with 
all  vegetation,  al)Solutely  necessary  ;  and  as  regards 
drought,  drainage,  as  we  have  repeatedly  stated 
elsewhere,  must  be  attended  to,  as  a  stagnant  soil 
means  disease  and  death  to  the  Ferns  implanted 
therein.  These  are  the  fundamental  principles  of 
success,  and  now  to  other  considerations. 

First  and  foremost,  we  strongly  advocaJ;e  single 
crown  culture  as  far  as  possible,  that  is,  keep- 
ing a  Fern  to  one  centre  of  growth,  and  not 
permitting  it  to  form  a  crowd  by  means  of  its 
offsets.  The  shuttlecock  section  of  Ferns,  or  those 
which  send  up  their  fronds  in  a  circle  round  a 
central  core,  are  very  apt  to  develop  j'oung  plants 
from  the  bases  of  the  fronds  outside  the  circle, 
and  these  if  left  alone  speedily  assume  adult  size, 
and  in  so  doing  jostle  their  parents,  mix  up  their 
fronds  together,  battle  for  existence  underground 
with  their  roots,  and,  as  a  result,  all  the  individuals 
to  a  certain  extent  are  dwarfed,  while  the  con- 
sequent crowding  of  the  fronds  detracts  from  their 
beauty  and  grace.  A  single  crown  kept  so  bj' 
persistent  removal  of  such  youngsters  will  have 
fronds  double  the  size,  and  with  their  varietal 
characters  doubly  enhanced,  so  that  a  magnificent 
symmetrical  circle  of  heavily-tasselled  4  feet 
fronds  replaces  an  unsightly  2  feet  clump  of 
greatly  inferior  character.  With  many  Ferns  this 
eliminating  process  eventually  results  in  a  non- 
production  of  further  offsets,  but  in  others  the 
central  crown  itself  splits  gradually  into  two,  and 
in  this  case  it  is  necessary  to  wait  until  they  get 
quite  independent,  when  they  can  be  divided  with 
the  aid  of  a  knife  and  gentle  pressure.  Ferns 
with  creeping  roots,  such  as  the  Polypodies,  are 
obviously  not  open  to  such  treatment,  but  the 
simple  fact  that  they  travel  prevents  that  struggle 
for  existence  at  the  roots,  and  all  that  is  needful 
is  to  plant  them  in  pans  instead  of  pots  and  so 
facilitate  their  rambles  and  help  their  develop- 
ment. 

Propagation. 
Obviously  a  simple  means  of  propagation  exists 
in  these  offsets  we  have  alluded  to.  Each  one,  if 
carefully  detached,  will  be  found  to  have  its  own 
little  bunch  of  roots,  and  all  that  is  needed  is  to 
plant  them  in  good  compost  and  leave  them  alone 
to  establish  themselves,  and  so  with  the  larger 
established  crowns.  Many  varieties,  especiall}'  of 
the  Shield  Ferns  (Polystichum),  bear  bulbils  or 
little  plants  on  the  fronds,  and  these  only  require 
layering  to  take  root.  The  best  plan  is  to  sever 
the  frond  and  peg  it  down  entire  until  the  young- 
sters make  a  start ;  they  can  then  be  lifted  and 
cut  apart  for  separate  potting  or  planting.  Ferns 
with  creeping  root-stocks  are  easily  propagated  by 
simply  cutting  into  pieces,  each  piece  consisting 
of  a  growing  tip,  a  frond,  and  its  respeclive  bunch 
of  roots.  Finally,  pieces  of  old  crowns,  carefully 
cleansed  from  all  (lead  portions  and  inserted  in  soil 
under  glass,  will  often  develop  young  plants  from 
latent  bulbils.  The  old  bases  of  flart's-tongue 
fronds  do  this  freely,  each  piece  producing  a 
clump  of  youngsters. 


Sporks. 
Undoubtedly,  however,  the  propagation  of  Ferns 
through  their  spores  is  the  most  interesting  way 
of   all.     Apart   from   the  immense  number  which 
can  so  be  obtained,  certainly  at  some  sacrifice  of 
time,  there  is  alwaj's  the  chance  when  dealing  with 
varietal  spores  of  getting  something  new  and  so 
contributing  to  the  advance  of  the  cult.    The  chief 
thing  here  is  to  start  well  b\'  only  sowing  good 
things.     For  the   beginner   the  Lad}'   Fern,   Male 
Fern,   and   Hart's-tongue  are   perhaps  the  easiest 
to   raise,  though  the  Bracken  (P.   aquilina),   if   a 
good    tasselled   or  other  variet\'   be   sown,  is    the 
cjuickest  to  reward  the  sower  with  typical  plants. 
Starting,  then,  with    an}'  one    of   these,  we  shall 
find  in  the  early  autumn,  at  the  back  of  the  fronds, 
patches  or  lines   of    brownish  powder,   containing 
the     spores.      Cut    off    a    piece    of    a    frond     so 
furnished  and  lay  it  on  glazed  paper  in  a   warm 
room,  and  in  a  few  hours  we  shall  find   the  paper 
apparently    stained   brown    in    similarly     shaped 
patches.      This    brown  stain   is  really  the   spores 
themselves,    which     have    been    shed     from     the 
capsules,  and    if  we  scrape  a   tiny  pinch   off  and 
put  it  under  a  microscope  we  shall  find  an  incal- 
culable   number    present,    possibly   a    million   or 
so,   and  therefore  quite  enough  for  a  beginner  to 
start  with.     We  have  now  the  material ;   the  next 
thing    is    to   deal  with  it   so    as   to    transform    it 
into  Ferns.     Experts  do  this  in  various  ways,  but 
our    practice   is   as   follows :      We   take   a    small 
■2i-inch    pot    or   shallow    pan,    with    a    hole    for 
drainage,  and  nearly  fill   this  with  ordinary  Fern 
compost,  first  putting  in  some  crocks  covered  with 
a  little  moss  to  admit  of  drainage,  and  on  the  top 
of  this  compost  we  sprinkle  some  little  lumps  of 
loam.      We  now  take  a  kettle  of  boiling  water, 
and,  placing  a  piece  of  paper  on  the  soil  to  prevent 
washing  up,  saturate  it  repeatedly  until  the  water 
flows  out  scalding  hot  at  the  bottom.     The  soil  is 
now  sterilised,  all  spores  of  fungi  or  moss,  or  eggs 
of  insects  are  killed,  and  the  coming  Fern  spores 
have  a  fair  field  to  start  with.     When  the  pot  is 
cold  scatter  a  tiny  pinch  of  the  spores  evenly  and 
as  thinly  as  possible  over  the  soil,  recollecting  that 
even  this  tiny  pinch  must  inevitably  mean  far  more 
Ferns  than  are  wanted.      Cover  with   a   piece  of 
glass,  after  putting  on  a  numbered  label  agreeing 
with  the  register  which  }ou  ought  to   'ceep,  place 
the  pot  in  a  Wardian  case  or  somewhere  where  it 
will  not  dry  out  or  get  worms  into  it,  and  leave  it 
severely  alone.     We  usually  do  several  such  pots 
at  a  time  and  bed  them  in  fresh  cocoanut  fibre  in  a 
box   or   larger  pan,  covering   the  whole   with  one 
sheet  of  glass.     This  much  simplifies  matters  and 
obviates   risk   of    drought,    as    the    fibre    can    be 
moistened    from    time   to   time    in    case    of    need 
without  meddling  with  the  pots.     In  a  few  M'eeks 
in  the  growing  season  a  faint  tinge  of  green  will 
pervade  the  surface,  and  this  will  eventuall}'  grow 
into  a  mass  of  little  green  scales,  which  are  what 
are  called  the  "  prothalli  "  or  first  stages  of  Fern 
life.     If  not  too  thickly  sown  these  will  grow  to  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  across,  and   liy   that  time  pro- 
bably  little  fronds  will  be  pushing  up  here  and 
there   amongst  them,   by  which   lime  the  sowing 
may   be   chronicled   as    successful.       If    they   are 
crowded,  or  previously  if  the  sowing  has  been  too 
thick    and  the  scales  are  cramped,  a  larger   pan 
should  be  prepared  as  before  and  sterilised  with 
boiling  water,  and  into  this  little  patches  may  be 
pricked   an   inch   apart.       After   the  plants    have 
appeared  it  is  simpi}'  a  question  of  nioro  and  more 
room,  /.'.,  pricking  out  again  and  again  until  they 
become  individual  established  plants.     Meanwhile 
the  beginner  will  very  likely  have  been  puzzled  by 
the  appearance  of  wrong  Ferns,   I.e.,  Ferns  other 
than  his  register  justifies  the  existence  of,  which 
is   explained    by    the    fact    that    Fern   spores   are 
carried  some  distance  and  settle  on  other  Ferns, 
so     that     in     sowing,    however     carefully,    these 
alien  spores  get  sown   too.     Meanwhile,  the   time 
for    discoveries    has    arrived,    as    the    distinctive 
characters  show  themselves,  anil  these  should  be 
pricked  out  and  kept  separate,  while  -  and  this  is 
important— inferior   or   <iefective   ones   should    be 
ruthlessly  thrown  away.     No  selective  cultivator 
is  worth  his  salt  whose  heart  is  too  tender  in  this 
respect ;  he  must  be  a  perfect  Herod,  and  massacre 


k 


February  9,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


93 


ihe  innocents  remorselessly  if  lie  aims  at  a  good 
lollection.  Some  time  since  we  saw  a  once  choice 
collection  in  the  Lake  District,  whose  owner  had 
died,  after  leaving  a  number  of  such  innocents  in 
his  garden  to  see  what  they  might  turn  out. 
Result,  a  wilderness  of  mongrels,  which  had  com- 
pletely choked  out  the  good  ones.  Moral :  If  a 
Fern  is  defective  in  its  first  four  or  five  fronds — 
Verdict ;  Dustheap.  C.  T.  Drcery. 


OROBANCHE    SPECIOSA. 

An  Interestino  Parasite. 
Though  the  flowers  of  this  interesting  plant 
are  of  quiet  colours,  they  are  gorgeous  com- 
pared with  other  hardy  species  of  its  parasitic 
family.  The  best  specimen  I  have  grown  was 
3  feet  8  inches  high,  coming  into  bloom  at 
G  inches  high,  and  bearing  sixty-five  flowers  in 
long  succession.  That  plant,  however,  was 
fortunate  in  having  a  Bean  all  to  itself  as  its 
entertainer. 

The  flowers,  of  creamy  tints,  and  more  or 
less  streaked  with  dullisla  violet,  are  arranged 
in  tiers  or  "  flats "  of  four  or  five,  with  occa- 
sional stragglers  between. 

When  the  flowers  have  all  turned  to  many 
shades  of  brown,  and  the  stems  are  fallen  flat, 
the  plants  may  be  stored  for  seed.  This  is  very 
minute,  and  will  not  be  shed  till  the  pods  are 
dried. 

To  ensure  the  growth  of  this  interesting 
parasite,  1  have  found  it  best  to  grow  three  oi 
four  Beans  in  a  7-inch  pot,  and  when  they  are 
two  or  three  leaves  high,  and  their  roots  well 
round  the  pot,  to  sow  the  Orobanche  .seed 
pretty  thicldyover  the  .surface,  keeping  it  damp. 

Before  the  Beans  are  pot  bound,  I  plant  them 
out  with  the  ball  of  soil  unbroken.  Bean 
roots  under  such  circumstances,  being  not 
difficult  to  meet  with,  not  far  to  seek,  a  com- 
pany of  Orobanche  heads  will  appear  during 
.luly.  Any  Bean,  however,  if  allowed  to  get 
into  flower  before  the  Orobanche  is  sown,  is 
liable  to  obtain  .such  a  start  as  to  fill,  if  not 
ripen,  its  pods  before  the  parasite  can  mature 
itself,  and  so  both  host  and  guest  perish 
together. 

An  Orobanche  seed  expands  itself  in  a 
delicate  "prospecting  "  root,  and  when  no  Bean 
fibre  is  within  range  the  little  organism 
dies  away.  Otherwise,  it  develops  a  sort  of 
excrescence  upon  the  root  attacked,  and 
becomes  the  swollen  base  of  an  Orobanche 
stem,  where  also  there  are  a  few  discontented 
terrestrial  fibres  that  soon  stop  short.; 

Francis  D.  Horner. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

LATE     PEARS 

1"^HERE  are  few  Pears  after  Christmas  is 
over.  Growers  know  how  these  fruits 
differ  in  diverse  soils,  and  though  success 
may  come  with  earlier  kinds,  there  is  a 
scarcity  at  this  season.  Take  the  well- 
known  Beurre  Ranee.  This  variety  is 
not  at  all  satisfactory  here.  In  many  gardens  it  bears 
well,  but  in  others  the  fruits  do  not  ripen  as  well 
as  one  could  wish,  and  crack  badl}'  in  some  soils. 
Recently  half  a  dozen  varieties  were  staged  at  the 
Royal  Horticultural  iSocicty's  meeting,  and  Beurre 
Rauce  was  among  the  number,  but  compared  to 
others  it  was  poor.  This  shows  that  soils  cause 
great  difference  of  quality  and  cropping.  The 
following  varieties  are  our  most  useful  Pears  for 
the  winter  supply,  and  one  or  two  are  not  so  much 
grown  as  their  merits  deserve. 

President  B.^rkabe. 
This  Pear  is  not  much  known,  but  it  is  a  favourite 
in  the  eastern  counties,  as  Mr.  Allan,  of  (lunton 


Park,  Norwich,  has  shown  it  well  on  several 
occasions.  No  kind  can  compare  with  it  at  this 
season.  So  far  it  has  cropped  freely  on  cordon  trees, 
and  promises  well  in  bush  and  pyramid  form.  It 
ripens  well,  being  less  gritty  than  so  many  late 
Pears.  I  do  not  know  its  origin,  but  the  name 
suggests  that  it  comes  from  the  continent.  It  was 
one  of  the  few  new  Pears  that  came  to  the  front 
when  prizes  were  given  for  flavour  by  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society.  I  have  given  it  first  place 
on  my  list  as  a  winter  Pear  ;  the  fruits  are  above 
medium  size,  and  last  year  kept  good  well  into 
February. 

NOUVELLE    FuLViE. 

Few  Pears  are  better  than  Nouvelle  Fulvie  for 
use  from  .January  and  later.  I  am  awaie  that  in 
certain  soils  lliey  ripen  earlier  than  one  could  wish 
at  this  season.  Tliis  variety  was  staged  well  quite 
ripe  in  December,  but  the  fruits  were  from  a  warm 
wall.  (Jnr  fruits  from  pyramid  trees  are  just 
ready  ;  this  shows  the  value  of  growing  late  Pears 
in  ditferent  positions.  Nouvelle  Fulvie  has  been 
nearly  forty  \  ears  in  commerce,  and  even  now  is 
not  much  grown.  I  am  not  surprised,  as  it  will 
never  find  favour  with  exhibitors  as  far  as  its 
appcaiancc  goes  ;  its  shape  is  irregular,  and  some 


grows  fairly  well  in  different  parts  of  the  country, 
and  on  the  (,|uince  stock  it  fruits  freely. 

Le  Lectier 
is  a  very  fine  winter  Pear.  It  has  been  recently 
described  in  T:iE  (Jarden  ;  it  is  a  valuable  winter 
variety,  a  constant  bearer,  and  the  fruits  are  of 
first-rate  quality,  its  season  being  from  .January  to 
March. 

Olivier  ues  Skrres. 

This  olil  but  delicious  Pear  comes  next  on  the 
list.  Though  not  a  large  fruit,  it  is  one  that  we 
cannot  afford  to  ignore.  The  fruits  are  sweet, 
melting,  and  have  a  I'ich  vinous  flavour  whicli 
many  kinds  lack  at  this  late  period.  The  fruits 
are  somewhat  diflerent  from  those  of  other  kinds, 
being  rounder  ;  indeed,  more  like  Apples  in  shape, 
the  skin  much  nisseted,  and  no  matter  in  what 
form  it  is  grown  it  appears  to  crop  well  Our  best 
fruits  are  produced  upon  cordon  trees.  These, 
freelj'  thinned,  give  finer  fruit,  though  it  is  only 
fair  10  add  the  longest  keepers  are  from  bush  and 
pyramid  trees. 

There  are  other  kinds,  such  as  Easier  Beurn-, 
Beurre  Ranee,  ami  Bergamotte  d'Esperen,  but, 
though  late  they  do  not  give  a  prolitaWe  relurji. 


(iROHAXrHE  SPECIOSA. 


may  teim  it  rough,  but  it  is  a  delicious  fruit  when 
in  season,  and  the  latter  point  is  the  one  most 
deserving  of  notice — we  have  so  few  good 
Pears  in  midwinter.  Our  best  fruits,  as  regards 
size,  are  grown  on  a  west  wall,  but  our  latest  are 
from  pyramid  trees  in  the  open.  The  latter, 
gathered  as  late  as  possible,  keep  well  into 
February  when  given  cool  storage. 

.Josephike  de  Malines 
is  a  later  fruit  than  the  one  noted  above,  but  even 
this  Pear,  which  is  supposed  to  be  in  season  from 
now  until  April,  was  shown  in  fine  condition  by 
Messrs.  Veitch,  Limited,  Chelsea,  at  the  early 
Januar}'  meeting  of  theRo3'al  Horticultural  Society. 
The  fruits  in  question  were  from  bush  trees  iji  the 
open.  This  season — indeed,  the  last  three  seasons, 
owing  to  the  hot  summers — Pears  of  all  kinds 
have  ripened  much  earlier  than  usual.  This  will, 
I  fear,  cause  scarcity  amongst  the  late  kinds  in  a 
few  weeks'  time.  I  need  not  describe  this  old 
variet3'.  Though  it  has  been  about  seventy  .years 
before  the  public,  it  has  only  now  received  a  first- 
class  certificate.  It  certainlj'  deserved  that  award, 
and  it  ma}'  probably  bring  its  good  qualities  before 
growers   who  need  late  fruits.     This  variety  also 


Some  that  crop  well  ripen  up  badly,  no  matter  liuw 
well  grown,   but,   as  I  have  previously  noted,   in 
some  soils  and  situations  varieties  that  fail  else- 
where are  excellent.  6.  Wytiies. 
Si/oit  Howie  Garden-'^,  Brenlford. 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON    PLANT 
LIFE.-  IV. 

The  Daffodil  and  his  Kith   and  Kin. 

Lent  Lilies  and  their  kind  have  come  greatly 
to  the  fore  during  the  latter  half  of  the  last 
century,  and  under  the  skilful  cultivation  of 
Leeds,  Barr,  Englelieart,  and  many  others  thev 
have  exhibited  remarkable  capabilities,  which 
one  would  not  have  previously  expected. 

The  existing  Daflbdils  may  be  grouped  as 
fi-llows.  Starting  from  our  o>vn  wild  species 
they  are  (1)  variations  in  the  size  of  the  flowers  ; 
(2)  variations  in  their  form  :  and  (3)  in  their 
colour.s.  Then  (4)  there  are  varieties  of 
"  doubles "  ;  and  lastly,  (."))  the  results  of 
hybridisation  and  crossing. 


94 


THE    GARDEN. 


TFebruary   9,  1901. 


First,  with  regard  to  size,  "gigantism"  and 
"  nanism  "  have  atiected  the  Datfodil.  So  that 
while  the  largest  grow  to  3  feet  in  height,  the 
smallest  has  a  stalk  of  i  inches  or  3  inches  and 
a  minute  flower.  Hence  four  in  the  series  are 
called  maximus,  major,  minor,  and  minimus, 
like  brothers  at  a  public  school. 

With  regard  to  the  forms  of  the  perianth,  a 
good  deal  of  variety  exists  in  the  wild  state, 
in  some  places  much  more  than  others,  as  to 
the  length  of  the  corona  and  the  character  of 
its  margin.  Thus  the  Tenby  Daffodil  (Narcissus 
Ps.-Nar.  var.  obvallaris)  has  a  large  trumpet 
and  a  broad  recurved  rim. 

Thirdly,  with  regard  to  colour  ;  normally  the 
perianth  is  paler  than  the  corona,  and  even  in 
the  wild  state  many  gradations  exist  till  nearly 
or  quite  white  forms  have  been  found.  In  fact, 
the  Rev.  C  Wolley  Dod  has  noticed  some 
dozen  or  more  points  of  difference  in  forms  and 
colours  among  variations  of  the  wild  Daffodil. 

Next,  as  to  doubling.  This  assumes  various 
forms.  Dr.  Masters  groups  them  under  at  least 
four  distinct  types.  The  earliest  known,  at 
least  as  figured  by  Lobelius  and  Gerarde  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  consists  of  a  mass  of  narrow 
oointed  petals,  on  the  plan  of  the  A'ariety 
;ystettensis,  but  scarcely  in  radial  rows  like  a 
^ose,  as  the  perianth  leaves  are  in  that  form. 
rhey  more  nearly  resemble  "  Rip  Van  Winkle  " 
[Gardeners  Chronicle,  1885,  February  21,  page 
240).  In  these  there  is  no  corona  ;  but  in 
others  this  is  split  up  and  multiplied  with  the 
perianth  ;  hence  the  contrast  in  colour  giving 
the  names  "gold  and  .silver,"  "  butter  and  eggs," 
ifec.  Id  these  two  kinds  it  would  seem  that  all 
traces  of  stamens  and  pistil  are  gone,  the  process 
being  precisely  the  same  as ,  in  the  double 
Snowdrop.  If  tlie  swollen  end  of  the  stalk  be 
dissected  it  will  be  found  that  the  fibro-vascular 
cords,  of  which  in  a  normal  flower  there  would 
be  as  many  as  there  are  parts,  are  continually 
branching,  and  if  they  do  so  in  a  radial  direction, 
when  they  reach  the  .surface  each  becomes 
clothed  with  a  perianth  leaf.     Such'igives  rise 


to  eystettensis  ;  if  they  branch  irregularly  then 
"  Rip  Van  Winkle  "  results. 

In  another  kind  of  doubling  the  formation  of 
stamens  is  begun,  but  interrupted,  so  that  with 
the  multiplication  of  parts  anthers  can  be 
detected  on  petaloid  filaments,  &c. 

What  has  been  called  the  true  wild  double 
Daffodil  has  retained  the  perianth  and  trumpet 
in  a  normal  condition,  but  the  cup  is  full  of 
petals,  partly  staminate,  &c.  (figured  by 
blasters,  Gardeni'rs  Chronicle  February  21, 
188.5,  page  241). 

Lastly,  as  to  hybridisation.  This  would 
recjuire  a  volume,  but  as  Nature  has  given  us 
varieties  so  has  she  supplied  hybrids.  Our 
Incomparabilis  and  its  progeny  were  first 
begun  by  naturally  crossing  the  Daffodil  with 
the  Poet's  Narcissus ;  and  having  commenced 
the  work  and  shown  us  what  to  do,  our 
hybridists  have  been  doing  it  with  the  well 
known  marvellous  results. 

George  Henslow. 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS. 


THREE 


WINTER  -  FLOWERING 
HEATHS. 


ONE  might  wholly  change  the  aspect 
of  our  gardens  in  winter  by  the 
bold  artistic  use  of  several  of  the 
Heaths  ■  of  Europe,  which  often 
bloom  at  dawn- of- spring,  and  in 
mild  winters,  cover  the  ground 
with  colour  as  pretty  as  any  of  the  flowers  of 
summer.  The  first  of  these  is  the  Portuguese 
E.  codonodes,  a  most  delicate,  beautiful  shrub, 
in  our  country  flowering  from  December,  and 
a  great  aid  in  southern  and  mild  districts.  It 
is  more  delicate  in  colour  than  the  true  Heath 
with  its  little  bright  buds,  and  is  a  very 
charming  .shrub.  Secondly,  E.  mediterranea 
hybrida,  which  is  probably  a  cross  between  the 
alpine  fore.st  Heath,  E.   carnea,  and  either  the 


A    VARIETY    OF    THE    M  KDITERRANEAN    HEATH    (ERICA    MEUITKURANEA    Al.IlA). 


true  Heath  or  the  Mediterranean  Heath.     It 
is  quite  a  new   and   most   jirecious  thing  for 
gardens  generally,  and  sometimes  flowers  from 
the  beginning  of  December  far  into  the  spring, 
a  most  delicate  colour.    Lastly,  our  old  friend 
E.  carnea,  which   has  long   ]uoved  its  value, 
though  it  is  not  often  used  in  the  most  ett'ective         i 
and  artistic  ways.      The  best  form  of  this  is  a         1 
very  bright,  vigorous  plant,  which  is  always  in         ' 
bloom   at  the  very  dawn   of  s|iring  after  the 
hardest  winters,  and  in  mild  winters  very  often 
in  showy  flower. 

It  is  needless  to  say  more  of  the  value  of 
plants  more  precious  perhaps  than  those  of 
any  country,  hardy,  easily  increased,  and 
useful  in  every  garden. 

THE    HOLM     OAK. 

(QuEEfus  Ilkx.) 

Of  all  the  evergreen  trees  that  are  hardy  in 
the  home  counties  it  is  diflicult  to  mention  one 
of  greater  beauty  than  a  well-grown  specimen 
of  Quercus  Ilex.  In  the  colder  midland  and 
northern  counties  no  doubt  it  is  too  tender  to 
thrive  well  ;  and  even  at  Kew,  where  there  are 
a  number  of  really  fine  specimens,  it  has  been 
known  to  lose  its  foliage  in  a  very  hard  winter. 
Still,  that  was  merely  a  temporary  loss,  and 
they  have  never  experienced  any  ]ierinanent 
injury.  Even  in  the  bleakest  and  most  open 
positions  the  species  is  absolutely  hardy.  The 
iDiggest  trees  have  trunks  about  a  yard  in 
diameter.  The  leaves  of  the  Holm  Oak  are 
rather  like  those  of  the  Olive,  although  of  a 
darker  and  more  lustrous  green,  and  have  a 
greyish  felt  beneath.  They  are  borne  very 
abundantly,  and  the  branches  form  heavy, 
luxuriant,  but  still  graceful  masses  of  foliage, 
which  in  tlie  midwinter  days  are  admirable 
not  only  for  their  own  beauty  but  al.so  for  the 
suggestion  of  warmth  and  shelter  they  give. 

The  Holm  Oak  is  a  variable  tree  in  such 
minor  matters  as  the  shafie  and  .size  of  the 
leaf  and  in  the  erector  more  or  less  pendulous 
character  of  the  growth.  The 
varieties  with  the  largest 
leaves  are  latifolia  and 
macrophylla,  where  they 
measure  2  inches  or  .so  in 
diametei',  those  of  var.  lati- 
folia lieing  the  shorter  and 
more  roumled.  In  the  variety 
Fordi  they  are  much  smaller 
and  narrower  but  of  a  par- 
ticularly intense  and  glossy 
green,  making  this  one  of  the 
most  distinct  and  hand.some 
forms.  The  variety  diversi- 
folia  is  a  curious  cut-leaved 
kind  with  scarcely  two  leaves 
of  the  same  outline,  but  it 
does  not  possess  the  charm 
of  the  ordinary  form.  'I'here 
does  not  appear  to  be  a 
named  variety  of  ])endulous 
iiabit,  but  sjieciniens  difl'cr 
greatly  in  regard  to  this 
character.  Some  of  the 
younger  trees  at  Kcw  are  of 
almost  a  weejiing  style  of 
growth,  wliilst  in  others  the 
branches  are  stifl'  and  more 
or  less  erect.  In  trees  of 
full  size  the  same  diflcrences 
are  discernible, althimgli  not 
to  such  .111  extent,  because 
the  liranches  always  become 
more  or  li'ss  pendulous  or 
arching. 

Old   trees    of   the     Holm 
Oak  produce  fertile  Acorns 


February  i),  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


95 


in  good  quantity,  especially 
after  a  hot  ripening  summer, 
and  these  furnish  the  best 
means  of  propagation.  It  is 
not  a  tree  that  bears  dis- 
turbance at  the  root  well, 
especially  if  this  is  done  at 
an  improper  time.  ily  ex- 
l)erience  of  it  is  that  a 
showery  week  in  May  is  the  ^  | 
best  time  for  transplanting— 
that  is,  not  until  signs  of 
renewed  growth  are  appa- 
rent. To  shift  a  plant  that 
has  long  been  growing  in  one 
l)osition  now,  with  all  the 
biting  east  winds  of  an  Eng- 
lish spring  to  come,  is  to  sign 
its  death  warrant.  I  remember 
a  few  years  ago  removing  a 
specimen  to  fill  up  a  gap  in 
an  avenue,  in  the  middle  of 
April,  but  it  was  dead  in  a 
couple  of  months.  But 
although  it  was  mid  -  June 
another  was  put  in  its  place, 
which  by  that  time  had  young 
shoots  an  inch  or  two  long  , 
this  drooped  a  little  for  a  few 
days,  but  with  a  little  atten- 
tion in  the  matter  of  watering 
it  speedily  recovered  and  is 
now  a  tine  healthy  young 
tree. 

This  Oak  is  one  that  (in 
this  country  at  least)  requires 
liruning  when  grown  in  an 
isolated  position  — that  is,  of 
course,  if  tall  trees  with  well- 
formed  trunks  are  desired. 
Unless  it  is  drawn  up  by 
other  trees  around  it,  it  seems 
naturally  to  form  a  large  spreading  bush, 
broader  than  it  is  high,  and  consisting  of  a 
crowd  of  stems  in  place  of  one  clearly  defined 
trunk.  Such  specimens  may  be  desirable  in 
certain  positions,  but  they  have  not  the  beauty 
and  stateliness  of  the  taller  ones,  whose  massive 
crowns  are  supported  by  a  thick  shapely  trunk. 
To  obtain  trees  of  that  type  it  is  necessary  first  to 
obtain  a  single  leader  and  to  remove  other  rival 
leaders  should  they  appear.  If  the  tree  shows 
a  tendency  to  grow  unduly  in  breadth  instead 
of  in  height,  the  side  branches  may  be  shortened 
and  the  lower  ones  removed.  But  the  chief 
thing  is  to  maintain  a  single,  well-defined, 
leading  shoot  until  the  tree  is  of  sufficient 
height  to  be  left  to  itself. 

Quercus  Ilex  is  abundant  on  some  of  the 
hills  and  lower  slopes  of  the  mountains  of 
Southern  Europe,  especially  in  Italy.  In  books 
relating  to  that  country  it  is  the  tree  (or  one 
of  the  trees)  usually  alluded  to  as  the  "  Ilex." 

W.  J.  Bean. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


THE     COTTON     PLANT. 

IT  is  but  seldom  that  one  sees  the  Cotton 
Plant  (Gossypium  barbadense)  made 
use  of  for  decorative  purposes,  yet  it 
might  often  with  advantage  be  so 
employed.  One  cannot  describe  it 
as  beautiful,  nor  perhaps  as  generally 
useful,  but  it  is  both  quaint  and  interest- 
ing. When  the  ripe  capsules  burst,  the 
numerous  seeds,  covered  with  a  white  fluffy 
substance  (the  cotton)  are  exposed.  With 
careful  watering,  so  as  to  preserve  the  foliage 
of  the  plants,  these  may  remain  in  the  stove 


COTTON    PICKISa. 

or  intermediate  house  for  many  weeks  together. 
Gossypium  barbadense  is  easily  raised  from 
seed,  if  this  in  early  spring  is  sown  in  light 
soil  in  a  warm,  moist  house.  The  culture  is 
quite  simple.  As  the  plantlets  increase  in 
vigour,  remove  them  to  larger  pots,  using  a 
light,  rich  soil  for  a  compost.  For  the  final 
potting  6-inch  or  8-inch  pots  will  usually  be 
found  to  be  large  enough,  and  a  warm,  moist 
atmosphere  is  essential  throughout.  Those 
who  have  not  yet  essayed  the  culture  of  the 
Cotton  Plant,  and  perhaps  have  never  seen  it 
growing,  should  obtain  a  few  seeds  and  make 
the  experiment.  It  will  be  found  both  inte- 
resting and  instructive.  The  flowers  of  G. 
barbadense  are  yellow,  with  a  purple  spot  at 
the  base  of  each  petal.  The  species  in  ques- 
tion, yielding  a  large  proportion  of  the  cotton 
of  commerce,  is  a  native  of  the  Barbadoes, 
whence  it  was  introduced  in  1759. 

In  the  Southern  States  of  America  all  the 
lower  basin  of  the  Mississippi  is  well  suited  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  Cotton  Plant,  and  this 
seems  also  to  suit  the  Southern  negroes,  who 
now  work  fairly  industriously  at  it  and  obtain 
good  wages.  It  is  light  work,  in  which  the 
whole  family  can  join,  from  the  small  children 
to  the  aged  grandparents,  especially  at  picking- 
time.  Then  they  earn  from  1  idols,  to  2dols. 
a  day,  working  their  own  hours,  singing  plan- 
tation songs,  and  generally  enjoying  themselves. 
Our  illustration  shows  such  a  scene  and  the 
appearance  of  the  bursting  Cotton-pods.  The 
whole  cultivation  of  Cotton  is  a  beautiful  and 
charming  sight  to  the  lover  of  Nature. 

In  summer  the  plants  on  the  Sea  Islands, 
where  the  finest  Cotton  is  raised,  grow  from 
5  feet  to  10  feet  high,  and  are  covered  with 
yellow  flowers.  In  August  the  gathering  of 
the  crop   begins,  and  goes  on   until   the  first 


frosts.  Then  the 
sun,  and  later  the 
of  a  Cotton-gin. 
long  and  regular 
easily  separated, 
staple  is,  the  more 
out  and  the  lower 


pods  are  laid  to  dry  in  the 
seeds  are  got  out  by  the  use 
The  Sea  Island  Cotton  is  so 
in  staple  that  the  seeds  are 

The  shorter  and  worse  the 
difficult  it  is  to  get  the  seeds 
is  the  price  per  pound. 

T.  H.  H. 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 

THE  BEST  CHRIST-MAS  ROSES. 

Can  you  give  me  some  information  about  Helle- 
borua  niger?  I  am  acquainted  with  their  requisites 
as  regards  cultivation,  but  would  like  to  know  the 
relative  qualities  of  the  following : — Maximus, 
angustifolia,  St.  Brigid,  Riverstoni,  and  Apple 
Blossom.  Is  the  pink  tinge  of  Riverstoni  and  Apple 
Blossom  maintained  when  the  plants  are  grown 
under  glass,  and  are  they  as  large  as  Maximus?  I 
intend  growing  them  under  glass  in  prepared  beds 
with  handlights. — H. ,  Leicea. 

[These  winter  blooming  evergreen  plants  are  so 
valuable  for  supplying  abundance  of  cut  flowers 
during  the  dull  season  that  we  do  not  wonder  that 
our  correspondent  is  anxious  to  learn  something  of 
their  differences  in  habit  and  time  of  flowering. 
By  growing  five  or  six  of  the  best  kinds  it  is 
possible  to  have  pure  white  flowers  from  the  end 
of  October  until  the  end  of  February.  So  far,  we 
have  never  seen  these  plants  do  really  well  as 
grown  permanently  under  glass,  either  in  cold 
greenhouse  or  in  frames,  but  a  good  gardener  grew 
them  splendidly  for  years  in  raised  turf  pits,  in  a 
half  shady  exposure,  the  shade  being  thrown  from 
some  tall  trees,  20  yards  or  30  yards  awa\-  from 
11  a.m.  until  ai3Out'3..30  p.m.  everyday.  These 
pits  were  filled  with  fully  3  feet  of  good  loam  and 
peat,  with  leaf-mould  and  nodules  of  old  red  sand- 
stone, in  which  the  plants  thrived  amazingh',  each 
clump  being  from  2  feet  to  3  feet  across,  and  pro- 


96 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[February  9,  1901. 


ducing  hundreds  of  flowers.  About  October,  when 
the  autumn  rains  began,  the  plants  were  looked 
over,  and  all  dead  leaves,  &c.,  removed.  A  sprink- 
ling of  old  wood  ashes  and  sand  was  shaken  over 
the  crowns  as  a  deterrent  to  slugs  and  snails,  and 
then  lights  were  placed  on  the  pits,  these  being 
closed  entirely  onls'  during  very  wet  or  frost}' 
weather,  so  as  to  draw  up  and  protect  the  blooms. 
The  treatment  the  plants  received  was  indeed 
precisely  that  of  the  Violet  pits  alongside  those 
containing  the  Christmas  Roses. 

The  main  thing  in  Hellebore  culture  is  to 
prepare  the  ground  well.  A  north-western  or  a 
sheltered  north-eastern  border  suits  them  equally 
well,  but  it  should  be  trenched  at  least  3  feet  deep, 
taking  care  not  to  bury  the  upper  soil,  and  plenty 
uf  well  rotten  stable  manuie  or  cowyard  manuie 
should  be  worked  in,  after  which  plant  strong 
divided  pieces  or  3'oung  plants  at  a  distance  of 
.S  feet  to  4  feet  apart  each  way.  They  look  thin  at 
first,  but  soon  spread  and  carpet  the  border  with 
healthy  foliage.  It  is  as  well  to  so  plant  thoni  that 
frames  or  handlights  can  be  dropped  over  them 
just  before  the  flower  buds  appear  in  the  autumn. 
We  have  also  seen  Christmas  Roses  well  grown 
outside  in  wooden  tubs  and  boxes,  these  being 
lifted  into  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory  to 
flower.  As  to  kinds,  the  best  are  the  following, 
which  dlfl'er  in  size  and  habit,  colour,  and  especially 
in  the  time  of  flowernig. 

H.  niger  inaximii«  (=  H.  altifolius). — The 
largest  of  all,  and  one  of  the  earliest  and  best  to 
bloom.  It  is  also  hardy  and  of  vigorous  constitu- 
tion.    It  succeeds  in  nearly  all  deep  rich  soils,  and 


*■  .4  j-k 


KNII'llullA    I.ONClc. 
i iirawn  fit  Kew  l>>f  //.  f.'.  Moan,  Janrffiri/  .'/,  rml.^ 


should  be  one  of  the  first  tried  in  new  places  or 
under  new  conditions,  as  if  it  does  not  succeed 
there  is  but  a  slight  chance  of  the  others  doing  so. 
Plant  '2  feet  high,  and  strong  clumps  are  2  feet  to 
.5  feet  across.  Flowers  3  inches  to  ."i  inches  in 
diameter,  white  or  soft  rose,  purple  behind  ;  two 
to  three  flowers  are  borne  on  a  stout  purple  dotted 
scape  1.1  inches  to  IS  inches  in  height.  Flowers 
from  October  to  .lanuary. 

//.  II.  aiKja^tifotins. — This  is  a  narrow-leavetl 
slender  habited  form,  growing  rather  tall,  say, 
Hi  inches,  and  bearing  a  profusion  of  shapely  pure 
white  flowers.  The  late  Miss  Frances  .1.  Hope,  of 
Wardie  Lodge,  Edinburgh,  used  to  grow  this  kiml 
in  a  long  narrow  or  frieze-like  bed  on  the  grass, 
where  it  formed  a  distinct  feature  all  the  year. 

//.  n.  St.  Briyiil  (=  H.  n.  .luvernis).  -An  Irish 
form,  superbly  grown  in  the  old  entdosed  garden  at 
Sutton  House,  Howth,  Count}'  Dublin,  by  the  late 
Mrs.  Lawrenson,  better  known  as  "  St.  Brigid," 
and  for  her  strain  of  Crown  Anemones,  now 
iMiiversally  grown  in  most  good  gardens.  It  has 
pale  green  leaves,  scarcely  at  all  serrated,  and  both 
flower  stalks  and  leaf  stalks  are  of  a  pale  apple 
green,  and  not  dotted  with  red  as  in  most  other 
kinds.  Flowers  large,  e.^quisitely  pure  white,  cup- 
shaped,  and  very  freely  produced.  It  is  not  so 
hardy  as  Maximus,  Riverstoni,  and  Mme.  rour(,ade, 
but  one  of  the  best  as  well  grown. 

//.  )i.  major  (oi  Bath). — This  is  one  of  the  best 
of  all  the  kinds,  and  much  grown  near  Bath  and 
elsewhere  for  the  supply  of  cut  flowers  for  market 
during  winter.  It  yields  a  good  supply  of  bloom 
from  the  end  uf  November  until  the  end  of  January 
or  even  later.  It  is  simply  a  strong  growing  form 
of  the  common  H.  niger,  and  is  a  favourite  with 
nurserymen  and  market  growers,  which  is  no  bad 
indication  of  its  merits  as  a  good  garden  plant. 

H.  n.    Ricer-iloni. — This   plant   originated   in   a 
County  Tipperary  garden,  Riverston,  near  Nenagh. 
when   Mr.  John  Bennett-Poi?  resided   there   sonic 
}'ears  ago,  and   set  such  an  excellent  example  to 
all  other  amateur  gardeners  in  Ireland,  as  he  now 
does  in  Kngland.   It  is  a  tall,  strong  growing  plant, 
producing  an  abundant  supply  of  flowers  on   tall 
stout   apple   green   stalks.      The    leaf 
stalks,  however,  are  dotted  with   red 
or  purple,  as  in  N.  maximus,  but  not 
so  densely.     It  is  very  likely  to  have 
been   a    seedling   from    St.    Brigid    or 
N.    maxin>us,   as  it  seems  to  combine 
the  good  qualities  of  both  these  varie- 
ties.    Flowers  large,  pure  white,  and 
of  elegant  form  and   good    substance. 
N.    maximus,   N    Riverstoni,   and    N. 
major  Bath  are,   I   believe,   the  three 
hardiest   and    best   of    all    Christmas 
Roses. 

H.  II.  carina  (or  Apple  Blossom). ~- 
This  plant  is  tall  growintr,  with  dark 
stems  and  leaves  ;  it  is  of  erect  habit, 
the  petioles  heavily  dotted  or  sl\aded 
with  purple-brown.  The  flowers  are 
borne  on  tall  stalks,  and  are  3  inches 
to  4  inches  across,  but  the  segments 
are  narrow,  standing  wide  apart. 
They  are  of  good  sul)stance,  howex'cr, 
and  at  their  best  the  rosy  buds  and 
pale  flesh-tinted  flowers  are  very  beau- 
tiful. There  is  nothing  else  quite 
like  it,  and  the  plant  deserves  e\'ery 
attention. 

//.  II.  Mnu:  Foiirraile.  — This  is  of 
French  or  Belgian  origin,  aiul  a  fine 
plant,  very  hardy  and  free  flowering, 
and  its  white  flowers,  though  not  so 
large  as  those  of  some  others,  are 
beautifully  cupped  and  of  good  sub- 
stance. Strong  clumps,  covered  with 
a  frame  or  handlight,  go  on  flowering 
from  Christmas  until  the  eiul  of 
February,  and  it  cannot  well  \<o  left 
out  of  a  good  collection.  The  "  Brock- 
hurst"  or  Manchester  variety  of  H. 
niger  also  liears  puie  white  flowers  in 
.abundance,  rescndiling  those  of  St. 
15rigi<l,  but  not  so  elegantly  cupped  in 
form.^  It  is  largely  grown  in  market  and 
nursery   gardens  aroui;d    Maiuhester, 


February  9,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


97 


and  should  not  be  ignored.  The  leaf  and  flower  stalks 
are  both  of  a  pale  self  or  apple  green  colour,  but  the 
leaflets  are  more  coarsely  serrated  than  are  those 
of  St.  Brigid's  form.  Now  and  then  some  distinct 
and  useful  forms  may  be  selected  from  Austrian 
importations  of  H.  niger,  and  considerable  variety 
results  when  seedlings  are  raised.  Everyone  who 
makes  a  speciality  of  the  Christmas  Rose  should 
cross-fertilise  the"  best  flowers  on  a  few  plants, 
and  make  a  sowing  of  seed  every  year.  When 
the  seed  is  sown,  aa  soon  as  it  is  ripe,  say,  in 
.Tune,  the  seedlings  appear  above  ground  the 
following  March  or  April.  The  young  plants 
grow  freely  and  flower  from  the  third  to  the 
Kflh  year  from  seed.  These  seedling  plants  are 
most  luxuriant,  and  yield  a  greater  proportion  of 
large  and  well  sliaped  blooms  than  as  a  rule  do 
divided  plants,  and  by  making  annual  sowings  a 
good  stock  of  plants  is  more  certainly  kept  up 
than  by  any  other  method.  It  is  worth  noting  that 
these  flowers,  though  freely  visited  by  bees  and 
flies,  rarely  seed  well  unles-s  cross-fertilised  with 
pollen  from  other  individual  plants  or  varieties. 
It  is  best  to  get  pollen -bearing  flowers  from  a 
friend's  garden  at  a  distance  as  the  late  St.  Brigid 
always  used  to  do.  —Eds.] 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 


PHAIUS    rUBhRCULOSUS. 

^HE    most    beautiful    and    iiitcrestin, 
Orchid  at  the  meet- 
ing   of   the    Royal 
Horticultural    So- 
ciety last  week  was 
a   plant   in   flower 
of    the    true   Phaius   tuber- 
culosus,  as  described  by  Petit 
Thouars   in    1822,    but   only 
lately  introduced  into  culti- 
vation  by   M.    Warpur,   the 
Madagascar    collector. 
Although  it  closely  resembles 
the  plant  hitherto  described, 
figured,  and  cultivated  under 
this  name,  there  is  a  very 
marked    difference    between 
the   two,  which  cultivators 
will  not  be  slow  to  recognise, 
namely,  their  behaviour  under  cultivation.   Few 
who  have  essayed  the  cultivation  of  the  spurious 
P.  tuberculosus  have  succeeded   with   it,  and 
it   has   received   in    consequence    a   very   bad 
character,  in  spite  of  the  great  beauty  of  its 
flowers.     As  a  breeder,  however,  it  has  proved 
e.TCeptionally  valuable,   the  hybrids  P.  Cook- 
soni,  P.  Martha;,  and  P.  Normani  having  been 
obtained  from  it.      Mr.  Rolfe  has  discovered 
the  blunder  made  by  Reichenbach  and  others 
in    identifying    the    plant    introduced    about 
twenty  years  ago  with   P.  tuberculosus.      He 
.says  :  "  The  epiphytal  species  known  in  gardens 
under  the  above  name,  and  figured  in  several 
works,  is  not  the  original  plant,  and  I  have 
renamed  it  Phaius  simulans,  in  allusion  to  the 
remarkable  resemblance  which  its  flowers  bear 
to  those  of  the  original  species."  P.  tuberculosus 
was  provisionally  named  P.  Warpuri  in  compli- 
ment to  its  introducer,  M.  Warpur,  who  holds 
the  entire  stock  of  it,  with  the  exception  of 
three  plants  which  he   presented   to  Kew  in 
return  for  services  rendered.     When  the  plants 
came  over  in  the  autumn  of  1899  they  were 
small,  shrivelled,  and  in  bad  health,  but  grown 
under    conditions    suitable    for    Dendrobiuin 
nobile  they  have  developed  into  strong  speci- 
mens, and  many  are  now  flowering.     The  habit 
of  the  plant  is  not  unlike  that  of  P.  Humbloti, 
the  pseudo-bulbs  being  conical,  about  1  inch 
long,   closely  aggregated   and   sheathed   when 
young  by  the  folding  bases  of  the  lanceolate, 
pliate  leaves,  which  are  from  6  inches  to  12 


^^/#, 


inches  long.  The  scape  is  erect,  2  feet  high, 
and  it  bears  from  si.x  to  ten  flowers,  each  nearly 
:i  inches  across  ;  the  sejjals  and  [letals  jture 
white  ;  the  large  shell-like  labelkiin  coloured 
brown -pur]  lie,  mottled  with  bright  golden- 
yellow  ;  the  front  lobe  paler,  and  beaiing  three 
fleshy  yellow  ridges,  forming  the  disc  ;  behind 
this  there  arj  numerous  silky  hairs  of  ame- 
thystine hue.  There  is  little  or  no  ditt'erence 
between  the  flowers  of  this  ajid  P.  simulans  as 
represented  in  the  Bntunlcdl  Mii(/ii:.itie,  t.  7:j(i7 
(189.3),  but  the  two  are  easily  seiiarated  by  their 
pseudo-bulbs,  which  in  P.  simulans  arc  stem- 
like.  From  what  I  know  of  the  new  intro- 
duction it  is  likely  to  prove  a  most  valuable 
winter-flowering  Orchid,  as  it  is  easily  culti- 
vated, free  flowering,  and  certainly  one  of  the 
most  beautiful — "decidedly  the  most  beautiful 
species  of  the  noble  genus  Phaius,  which  is, 

jierhaps,  all 
|ioints  c  o  n  - 
sidered,  one  of 
the  most  strik 
i  n  g  of  the 
order." 

KNIPHOFIA 
L  0  X  G  I  - 
COLLIS. 

This  is  one  of 
the  many  ex- 
cellent garden 
jilants  that  wo 
owe  to  the 
enterprise  of 


PH.-IIUS    Tl'BKKCt'LOSUS. 

( Draii'ii  at  Keif  Of/  H.  G.  Mvon, 
Jant'arif  'I,  I'lUl.) 


98 


THE    GAllDEN. 


[February    9,  1901. 


Herr  Max  Leichtlin.  He 
obtained  it  from  Natal,  and 
in  distributing  it,  in  1894, 
lie  described  it  as  a  probably 
hardy  species,  with  tall 
spikes  of  yellow  flowers,  pro- 
duced late  in  the  year.  It 
flowered  first  with  him  at 
Baden-Baden  in  1893,  when 
it  was  named  and  described 
by  Mr.  Baker.  It  flowered 
next  with  Mr.  Gumbleton 
at  Queenstown  in  February, 
1897,  when  a  drawing  of  it 
was  made  and  published  in 
the  Biitiini cal  Jlai/dMne, 
t.  7623.  At  Kew  it  was  first 
tried  in  the  open,  where  it 
grew  freely  and  pushed  up 
stout  flower-scapes,  too  late, 
however,  to  escape  destruc- 
tion from  cold.  The  follow- 
ing year  the  plants  were 
lifted  and  taken  into  the 
temperate  house  to  flower, 
when  its  merits  were  fully 
revealed.  It  is  now  repre- 
sented in  the  Himalayan 
section  of  that  house  by 
several  large  clumps,  which 
for  the  last  month  or  so 
have  been  a  great  attraction, 
and  will  probably  continue 
such  for  at  least  another 
month. 

Imagine  a  Kniphofla  with 
all  the  vigour  of  growth  and 
leaf  characters  of  K.  aloides 
(Uvaria),  which,  in  a  house 
where  it  receives  slight  pro- 
tection, bears  tall  stout 
scapes  of  clear  canary- 
yellow  flowers  (not  green-yellow,  as  shown 
in  the  Botanical  Magazine),  and  which  is 
at  its  best  in  midwinter  for  at  least  two 
months.  It  might  be  grown  out  of  doors 
all  summer  and  brought  into  a  conservatory 
in  October  to  flower.  In  the  favoured  counties, 
such  as  South  Devon  and  Cornwall,  it  would 
no  doubt  be  perfectly  happy  in  the  open  air. 
Mr.  Veitch  might  do  worse  than  devote  a  big 
border  to  a  few  hundreds  of  it  in  his  Exeter 
nursery.  Its  only  need  is  protection  from  frost 
whilst  it  is  in  flower  ;  this  afforded,  it  proves 
itself  one  of  the  best  of  the  Kniphofias. 

W.  W. 


SEKllLINCi    WATER    LILIES    IN'    TUBS    IN    M.    LATOuK-MAULIAG  S    liRUUNUS    AT    TE.M  PLE-SUK  LUT,    FKAMT. 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES. 

NEWTOWN   PIPPIN  APPLE8. 

Will  you  kindly  tell  ine  the  name  of  some  reliable 
American  firm  from  whom  1  could  import  some 
Newtown  Pippin  Apple  trees,  as  I  wish  to  try  the 
experiment  of  growing  them  in  my  garden.  If  you 
know  of  others  who  have  done  this,  I  should  be 
greatly  obliged  if  you  could  tell  me  what  their 
e.Kperience  has  been.  E.  K.  Heaton. 

I  You  can  get  the  trees  from  the  States.  Such 
lirms  as  Messrs.  Henderson,  3.5,  Courtland  Street, 
New  York,  or  from  Messrs.  Bassett  and  Son,  New 
Jersey ;  but  we  do  not  advise  your  doing  so,  as  even 
in  some  parts  of  the  States  the  famous  Newtown 
Pippin  is  not  a  success.  Doubtless  much  depends 
upon  the  soil.  Take  our  own  country,  for  instance, 
and  see  how  well  a  few  kinds  of  Apples  do  succeed 
in  a  certain  locality,  but  which  fail  in  others. 
Again,  look  at  the  Kent  Apples  in  comparison  to 
those  of  Northumberland.  Soil  and  situation  tell 
greatly  in  the  culture  of  fruit.  The  Newtown 
Pippin  has  been  grown  in  this  country  for  years, 
but  with  only  partial  success.  Most  of  our  leading 
fruit  tree  growers  and  nurseiymen  have  given  it  a 
fair  trial,   but  do   not   recommend   it   for  general 


culture.  Some  of  the  American  kii.ds  do  better, 
such  as  the  excellent  Mother  Apple  and  King  of 
Tompkins'  County.  Doubtless  you  could  obtain 
trees  from  the  leading  fruit  nurserymen  here 
without  sending  to  America.  The  Newtown  is 
useless  in  most  private  gardens  :  it  grows  freely, 
but  bears  no  fruit. — Eds.  I 


BOUVARDIA  LONGIFLOPA. 

Can  you  give  me  a  few  lines  of  advice V  1  have  a 
large  stock  of  this,  which  I  got  after  seeing  it  in 
flower  in  the  midsummer  of  1899.  I  grew  it  all 
last  year,  and  never  had  a  flower.  It  was  in  a  cold 
greenhouse  all  the  summer,  and  I  gave  it  a  little 
more  warmth  in  autumn.  Just  before  Christmas 
I  dried  the  plants  off,  pruned  them  nioderatelj', 
and  began  to  water  again.  I  am  anxious  to  have 
better  success  this  year,  as  it  is  a  beautiful  thing. 
The  flowers  are  (juite  3  inches  long  and  1  inch 
across  ;  the  leaves  light  glossy  green.         Rufns. 

[There  is  no  doubt  that  your  Bouvardia  is 
Humboldti  corymbiflora,  which  needs  somewliat 
different  treatment  from  the  ordinary  garden 
varieties.  As  your  plants  have  been  pruned  Iiack, 
they  should  be  placed  in  a  good  light  position  in  a 
warm  greenhouse,  and  encouraged  to  start  into 
growth  by  an  occasional  syringing  overhead.  Tlien, 
wlien  the  young  shoots  are  about  half  an  inch  long 
the  plants  should  bo  repotted,  if  in  good  condition, 
using  pots  a  size  larger  than  before.  Two-thirds 
loam  to  one-third  leaf-mould,  and  a  liberal  dash  of 
sand,  will  form  a  ver}'  suitable  compost,  though 
should  the  loam  be  of  a  heavy  nature  a  little  more 
leaf-mould  will  be  required.  In  potting  remove 
all  the  old  soil  that  you  can  without  distressing 
the  roots.  After  potting  keep  fairly  close  for  ten 
da\s  or  so,  till  the  roots  take  possession  of  the  new 
soil ;  meanwhile  the  syringe  may  be  lilicrally  used. 
A  good  light  position  and  plenty  of  air  is  then 
necessary  for  the  plants,  the  object  being  to 
encourage  sturdy  growth  and  promote  the  forma- 
tion of  flower  buds.  They  do  not  need  shading  ; 
indeed,  by  the  middle  of  .June  they  may  lie  stood 


out  of  doors,  when  the  earliest  will  sojn  commence 
to  show  their  buds.  As  the  pots  get  full  of  roots 
weak  liquid  manure  every  ten  days  or  so  is  a  great 
help,  for  this  Bouvardia  needs  liberal  feeding.  As 
it  is  the  stout  stems  that  produce  those  flue  heads 
ot  flowers,  the  plants  should  not  be  stopped  after 
April,  If  they  are  placed  out  of  doors  in  the 
summer  they  must  be  taken  under  glass  before  the 
flowers  expand,  as  heavy  rains  at  that  period  are 
apt  to  mar  their  purity.  Planted  out  in  the 
summer  it  will  grow  and  flower  well,  but  is  more 
aflFected  by  lifting  than  the  other  kinds  are. 
Cuttings  should  be  taken  in  .January  or  l''ebruar\', 
and  grown  on  as  above  detailed,  taking  particular 
care  in  the  stopping.  Plants  so  obtained,  grown 
in  ;">-inch  pots,  and  carrying  from  four  to  six 
principal  shoots,  will  form  eft'eetive  little  specimens 
for  the  embellishment  of  the  greenhouse.  For 
these  li(piid  manure  should  be  applied  regularly 
during  their  development. — Ens. J 

E  V  E  R  G  KEEN      H  E 1 )  ( i  E      B  i:  T  \\  \\  E  N 
FLOWER  AND  KITCHEN  GARDENS. 

In  reply  to  "  M.  D.,"  no  green  hedge  is  so  good  as 
one  of  common'  Englisli  Yew.  It  is  rather  slow 
growing  for  the  first  four  years,  but  fairly  fast 
after  that.  It  can  be  safely  planted  3  feet  li  inches 
liigh  in  thoroughly  well-prepared  groinid.  In  your 
light  soil  we  should  not  advise  planting  Yew  so 
late  in  the  season,  although  it  is  not  impossible. 
September  is  the  best  time  to  plant  this  tree — 
any  time  in  the  month  after  tliere  has  been  rain. 
The  next  best  alternatives  are  Thuj'a  Lobl)i  and 
Cupressus  lawsnniana.  The  former  is  the  better, 
but  the  latter  the  cheaper  and  quicker.  Connnon 
Laurel,  or  the  broad  -  leaved  kind,  or  Portugal 
Laurel,  would  make  a  t;reen  hedge  quicker  than 
any  of  tlic  foregoing.  Holly  is  excellent,  but  very 
slow  to  move  for  the  first  five  years.  The  good 
preparation  you  have  in  conlemplatioji  and  the 
after  watering  will  be  greatly  to  the  advantage  of 
the  hedge,  but  we  do  not  advise  the  use  of  any 


FEBRtTARY    9,    1901.] 


THE     GARDEN. 


99 


sewage,  or  even  soapy  water,  for  the  first  three 
months  after  planting.  The  roots  must  get  hold 
and  begin  to  grow  before  they  can  take  advantage 
of  any  nianiirial  waterings.  But  clear  water  in 
any  dry  weather  and  a  surface  mulch  will  be 
desirable. 


MONS.  B.  LATOUR-MARLIAC'S 
NYMPH^EA  GARDEN,  FRANCE. 

The  accompanying  illustrations  we  feel  sure 
will  interest  those  of  our  readers  who  admire 
the  beautiful  hybrid  Nymph;eas  raised  by  this 
successful  French  liybridLst.  We  liave  given 
on  more  than  one  occasion  details  of  his  work, 
and  an  account  of  this  from  M.  Latour-Marliac's 
pen  was  published  in  The  (Jarden  of  Decem- 
ber i3,  189.3,  page  hS'^,  from  whence  we  take 
the  following  particulars,  which  throw  some 
light  on  the  parentage  of  more  than  one 
hybrid  : 

"About  the  year  1879.1  ■commenced  the 
work  in  earnest  by  crossing  the  finest-types  of 
hardy  and  tropical  Nymphieas  which  I  had  in 
cultivation  here.  These  early  attempts  were 
at  first  negative  in  their  results,  but  soon 
afterwards  I  scored  an  unexpected  success  in 
obtaining  a  hybrid  with  deep  red  tlowors,  the 
see  I  parent  of  which  was  Nympliwa  pygmiea 
alba,  fei'tilised  with  pollen  from  the  fiowers  of 
N.  rubra  mdica.  Unfortunately,  and  to  my 
great  disappointment,  this  magnificent  speci- 
men proved  hopeles.sly  barren,  and  from  it  I 
obtained  neither  .seeds  nor  offsets,  so  that,  after 
having  tried  in  vain  to  reproduce  it,  I  gave  up 
the  task  and  turned  my  attention  in  another 
direction. 

"  In  order  to  obtain  plants  of  a  really  orna- 
mental character,  I  considered  that  it  was 
especially  necesssary  that  I  should  make  it  a 
point  not  to  employ  as  seed  parents  any  sub- 
jects except  such  as  were  very  free  fiowering, 
and  by  rigorously  adhering 
to  this  principle,  I  succeeded, 
little  by  little,  by  means  of 
numerous  sowings  and  strict 
selections,  in  raising  types 
which  were  in  every  way 
improved  in  the  form  and 
other  characteristics  of  their 
flowers.  It  was  thus  that 
one  of  these  new  sulijects 
(N.  alba)  fertilised  with  the 
pollen  from  the  American 
species,  N.  flava,  produced 
N.  Marliacea  chromatella, 
which  has  achieved  such  a 
high  reputation.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  I  obtained  the 
hybrid  N.odorata  suli)hurea 
from  a  similar  crossing  of 
N.  odorata  alba  with  N.  flava, 
and  the  last-named  species 
has  also  been  the  pollen 
parent  of  N.  pygmiea 
Helvola. 

"About  the  same  time 
two  species  bearing  a  high 
character  made  their  first 
appearance  in  gardens,  viz., 
N.  sph;erocarp;i,  a  native  of 
Sweden,  and  the  elegant 
N.  odorata  rubra,  found  at 
Cape  Cod,  in  North  America. 
The  sparse  -  ilowering  cha- 
racter of  N.  sphairocari)a  (a 
diminutive  possible  sire  by 
the  side  of  my  first-raised 
hybrid,  which  might  well  be 
proud  of  being  the  offspring 
of  N.  rubra  indica)  deter- 
mined  me   to   reject   it  for 


liybridising  purposes,  and  I  gave  all  my  atten- 
tion to  the  fascinating  American  species,  N. 
odorata  rubra,  which,  employed  as  the  pollen 
parent,  with  my  choicest  siiecimen  of  N.  alba 
as  .seed  parent,  rewarded  me  with  the  sweet 
N.  Marliacea  rosea  and  N.  ^Marliacea  carnea. 
N.  odorata  rubra  was  subsequently  the  parent 
of  the  beautiful  N.  odorata  exquLsita,  the 
colour  of  which  is  pink  approaching  to  carmine. 
As  the  last-raised  specimen  of  this  first  grouji 
of  my  hardy  hybrid  Nympha^as,  I  must  men- 
tion the  remarkable  N.  Marliacea  albida,  the 
flowers  of  which  have  not  yet  been  surpassed 
in  size  by  those  of  any  other  Nymph;ea. 

"  In  the  year  1889  the  Universal  Exhibition 
was  held  at  Paris,  and  my  small  collection  of 
the  above-named  hybrids  timidly  took  the 
road  to  the  metropolis,  to  .see  if  pjossibly  they 
might  attract  some  notice  from  amateurs  in  the 
midst  of  the  plant  -  wonders  there.  Their 
graceful  elegance,  however, -was  appreciated, 
and  they  came  back  radiant  with  the  distinc- 
tion of  a  first  prize.  What  a  change  has  taken 
place  since  then  !  And  with  how  much  more 
assurance  would  that  first  collection  have  made 
the  journey  to  Paris  if  they  had  undertaken  it 
in  company  with  the  splendid  generation  which 
has  since  made  its  appearance  !  " 

Since  these  words  were  written  we  know 
how  many, beautiful  hybrid;  of  rich  and  varied 
colouring  have  been  raised. 


NOTES    FROM    SCOTLAND. 

The  gardening  season  has  not  yet  commenced, 
though  Nature  herself  has  never  called  a  halt  nor 
done  more  than  checked  the  growth  of  much  hardy 
vegetation,  Roses,  Carnations,  Daisies,  Polyanthus, 
Violets,  and  such  like  having  continued  all  through 
winter  producing  flowers,  and  in  vegetables  such 
a  tender  subject  as  the  Lettuce  having  been  tit  in 
condition  to  use   right    from    the    open.       Shrubs 


have  been  peculiarly  floriferous,  some  perhaps  not 
beneficially  so,  as  in  the  case  of  Rosemary  and 
Escallonia  macrantha,  which  cannot  be  so  fine  at 
the  period  they  ought  to  flower.  In  the  case  of 
Arbutus  Unedo.  A.  Cioomii,  A.  anguslifolia. 
Rhododendron  dahuricum,  Laurustinus,  Garrya, 
Lonicera  fragrantissinia,  and  .Tasminum  nudiflorum 
it  is  a  decided  advantage  to  have  them  in  the  dead 
of  winter,  inasmuch  as  they  are  really  in  fine  con- 
dition, nor  could  we  expect  them  anj'  better  nearer 
spring  time. 

Royal  Caledonian  HoRTicuLTrKAL  Society. 

The  only  matter  of  importance  before  the  annual 
meeting  was  the  decadence  in  membership  and  the 
best  method  of  checking  its  advance,  loll  members 
less  having  been  noted  in  19(10.  Two  or  three 
years  ago.  a  ver3'  low-priced  subscription  was 
placed  before  gardeners,  but  it  does  not  seem  to 
liave  produced  any  good  effect,  as  the  meeting 
came  to  the  conclusion  to  revert  to  the  original  one. 
For  nearly  a  centur}'  this  society  has  done  splendid 
work  for  practical  horticulture.  It  was  unable  for 
want  of  means  to  secure  and  carry  on  an  "experi- 
mental" garden  as  its  promoters  intended,  but  as 
a  fosterer  of  high -class  gardening  there  is  no  room 
to  doubt  the  high  position  it  has  occupied  ever 
since  its  commencement,  and  the  corresponding 
influence  for  good  it  has  exerted  on  gardening 
throughout  the  thiee  kingdoms. 

The   Scottish    Horticultural  Associatiu.v. 

There  has  been  an  important  change  in  the 
personnel  of  the  management  of  this  thriving 
societ3',  Mr.  Robert  Laird  having  retired  from  the 
secretaryship,  which  was  handed  to  him  by  his 
brother,  Mr.  D.  P.  Laird,  some  years  ago.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  the  wonderful  success  which  has 
attended  this  association  of  Scottish  gardtners, 
and  especially  so  as  regards  the  Chr3'santhemum 
shows,  which  in  a  few  years  after  their  inception 
came  to  be  recognised  as  among  the  most  important 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  has  been  due  to  a  ver\' 
large  extent  to  these  two,  so  far  the  onlj'  secre- 
taries the  association  has  had.  Thej'  have  also 
been  fortunate  in  obtaining  papers  of  a  high  class 


WATER   lilies    IN    TANKS    AND    TUES    I.N    M.   L.ATOUK-JIARLI.iC  S    c;ARPEN'. 


100 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[February  9,  1901. 


for  the  meetings  which  are 
held  monthly,  and  which  at 
first  formed  the  original  pro- 
gramme of  the  association. 
On  Mr.  Peter  Lonie  has 
devolved  the  duties  up  till 
now  discharged  bj'  one  or  other 
of  the  above-named  gentlemen, 
ilr.  Louie  was  for  long  gar- 
dener and  general  manager  of 
the  Marchmont  Estate  in  Ber- 
wickshire, and,  in  addition  to 
the  experience  resulting  from 
a  long  period  spent  in  the 
pursuit  of  his  calling,  lie  has 
always  taken  a  great  and 
practical  interest  in  kindred 
subjects  such  as  meteorology, 
and  for  many  years  lias  been 
one  of  the  best  known  members 
of  the  Berwickshire  Natura- 
list's Club.  Under  the  pilotage 
of  Mr.  Lonie  we  niaj'  therefore 
conclude  that  the  iScottish 
Horticultural  Association  will 
have  fair  and  prosperous  sail- 
ing. The  past  ytar,  it  may  be 
added,  was  one  of  the  best  in 
the  history  of  the  association. 
It  cannot,  however,  be  expected 
that  it  can  progress  with  leaps 
and  bounds  as  it  has  done  in 
the  past,  .since  now  it  has 
reached  a  high  water  mark. 
B. 


LUPINES     IN     THE 

AVILD     GARDEN. 

The     Lupines    ropre.sented 
in   the  illustration  arc  tree 
Lupines,  mostly  wliite  and 
yellow,  and  in  tlie  beautiful 
garden  of  Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson 
at  Oakwood.     Mr.  Wilson  kindly  writes  to  us 
about  them  as  follows  :  "  The  Lupines  ^row  in 
a  field  which  wc  took  into  Oakwood  Garden, 
in  wliich  we  made  wide  ditches,  at  the  sides  of 
which  we  grow  Iris  K;Bm|iferi,  tlie  field  being 
of  good  soil.     The  soil  dug  out  of  the  ditches 
and    thrown    u\>     on    banks    was     used     i^or 
lierbaceous    plant.s.     It   is   on    there   that   the 
Lupines  grow  and  seed  themselves  about." 


LUPINES    IN    MR.    (1.    F.     WILSON  S    C.IUUICN    .Vl"    U.\KWOtlll. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


KITCHEN     GARDEN. 

PUSH  forward  all  digging  and  trenching 
as  rapidly  as  possible,  so  that  by  the 
end   of   the  month   the  principal  plots 
will  recpiire  little  more  than  their  final 
preparation  for  the  reception  of  seeds. 
The    open    winter    through    which   we 
are  pa.ssing  is  favourable  to  the  preparation  of  light 
soil,  but  where  the  land  is  heavy  a  great  deal  of 
work  still  remains  to  be  done. 

PaKSNII'S. 

(iround  intended  for  Parsnips  having  been 
deeply  trenched  and  manured  in  the  autumn 
should  be  forked  over  as  soon  as  dry  enough  to  be 
trodden  and  allowed  to  remain  rough  until  towards 
the  end  of  the  month,  when  a  sowing  maj'  be  made 
in  drills  IH  inclies  apart  and  2  inches  deep  for 
general  use.  Where  extra  fine  roots  are  desired 
holes  should  be  made  with  a  crowbar  2  feet  apart 
and  not  less  than  '2  feet  deep  and  (i  inches  wide  at 
the  surface,  to  be  filled  with  fiuely-sifted  soil  and 
well-decayed  farmyard  manure,  with  the  addition 
of  a  little  road  sand.  Press  moderately  firm,  and 
sow  a  few  seeds  in  each  hole,  covering  lightly  with 
the  same  soil.  Thin  as  soon  as  large  enough, 
leaving  the  best  plant,  and  one  as  near  the  middle 
of   tlie    hole  as   possible.      Little   after   attention 


will  bo  necessary  other  than  hoeing  and  keeping 
clean.  The  best  varieties  for  this  purpose  arc 
Maltese  and  Sutton's  Tender  ami  True. 

Parsley 
may  be  sown  now  on  a  border  with  an  eastern 
aspect  in  drills  \5  inches  apart  and  1  inch  deep. 
Cover  with  finely -sifted  soil  to  assist  germination, 
which  generally  takes  in  from  four  to  five  weeks. 
As  soon  as  the  plants  are  large  enough  the}'  may 
be  thinned  to  9  inches  apart ;  this  will  give  much 
better  returns  than  if  the  seedlings  arc  allowed  to 
remain  in  the  rows  as  they  come  up.  An  occasional 
dusting  with  soot  will  increase  the  vigour  an<l 
improve  the  colour  of  the  plants,  which,  in  con- 
sideration of  the  important  place  the}'  occupy  in 
the  daily  vegetable  supply,  should  receive  more 
liberal  treatment  than  they  generall}'  do. 

Cdcumbers. 
If  seeds  were  sown  as  advised  early  in  .January 
the  young  plants  will  be  almost  ready  to  put  out, 
previous  to  which  the  house  should  be  thoroughly 
cleaned,  the  brickwork  whitewashed  with  hot 
lime,  and  sufficient  sulphur  burned  to  destroy  any 
insect  pests  that  the  brush  may  have  failed  to 
reach.  When  the  hotbed  is  in  and  mounds  of  soil 
placed  4  feet  apart  and  allowed  to  remain  long 
enough  to  become  warmed  through,  the  j'oung 
plants  may  be  put  out  and  carefully  staked  until 
they  reach  the  trellis.  The  temperature  of  the 
soil  must  be  noted,  and  a  few  holes  bored  in  each 
mound  to  allow  the  escape  of  rank  steam  before 
90°  are  registered.  A  light,  rich  soil  and  an 
abundance  of  atmospheric  moisture  are  necessary 
for  the  successful  cultivation  of  Cucumbers.  The 
soil  may  be  composed  of  three  parts  turfy  loam 
and  one  part  rough  leaf  soil  for  the  spring  months, 
and  as  time  advances  the  leaf  soil  may  give  way 
to  well-decomposed  farmyard  manure.  Frecjuent 
top-dre.ssing3of  the  same  soil  will  greatly  assist  the 
development  of  the  fruit,  and  an  occasional 
dusting  of  soot  will  improve  their  <'olour.  Moisture 
must    never    be    allowed    to    become    deficient,    or 


stunted  growth  and  insect  pests  arc  sure  to  follow, 
and  it  is  of  great  importance  that  the  foliage 
should  be  fully  exposed  to  the  light  and  not 
allowed  to  become  crowded  one  week  and  the 
next  thinned  to  such  an  extent  that  the  plants 
receive  a  check.  Light  shading  may  be  given 
with  advantage  on  very  briglit  days.  The  admit- 
tance of  air  will  greatly  depend  on  external 
conditions,  and  must  never  be  given  with  the  idea 
of  reducing  the  temperature  of  a  house.  In  the 
spring  very  little  will  be  reijuired  if  the  atmosphere 
is  kept  in  a  moist  condition.  AVhen  the  plants 
begin  to  develop  their  fruits  a  liberal  supply  of 
water  must  be  given  and  weekly  applications  of 
weak  liquid  manure.  Do  not  exhaust  the  plants 
by  excessive  cropping  or  leave  deformed  fruits 
hanging  to  spoil  the  appearance  of  the  crop. 
Syringe  twice  daily  in  bright  weather,  and  shut 
the  house  up  as  earlj'  in  the  day  as  can  be  done 
with  safety.  A  night  temperature  of  71)°  with  a 
rise  to  To'  by  day  in  dull  weather,  and  8(t°  or  !ll)° 
in  bright  sunshine  will  suit  them  well.  Sutton's 
Kvery  Da}'  is  the  best  variety  for  exhibition,  and 
Dickson's  All  the  Year  Round  for  growing  in  flat 
pits.  John  Dunn. 

lioi/aJ  Kitchen  Garden.':,  JVinthoi: 


FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Pruning  Hardy  Bdsh  Fruit  Treks. 

I  TiirxK  few  trees  more  profitable  than  thedwarf 
or  bush  Apple  on  the  Paradise  stock  and  the  Pear 
on  the  (,),uince,  though  it  is  onlj'  right  to  add  that 
a  few  kinds  are  not  trustworthy,  needing  iloulilc 
grafting,  and  some  Pears  do  better  on  the  Pear 
stock.  If  the  trees  are  well  established  we 
always  prune  in  the  summer,  then  there  is  now 
little  pruning  to  be  done.  By  summer  pruning  it 
must  not  be  thought  we  cut  hard  back,  we  merely 
leave  a  few  eyes  or  buds ;  it  is  more  in  the 
nature  of  thinning  out.  Light  is  thus  admitted  to 
the  fruit,  colouring  tin-  same  and  also  ripening  the 
wt)od  that  is  retained  for  next  season.      I'lici'e  will 


February  9,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


101 


now  be  some  shortening  baclt  of  a  few  weak  spray 
growths  and  main  shoots,  and  as  regards  the  latter 
a  great  deal  depends  upon  the  strength  of  the  trees, 
the  variety,  and  the  space  at  command.  Any 
growths  overlooked,  such  as  cross  shoots,  should 
now  be  cut  out,  and  always  endeavour  to  keep  the 
trees  open  in  the  centre. 

Cleansing  Wall  Trees. 
This  is  an  important  matter  at  this  season  and  is 
at  times  overlooked,  with  the  result  in  the  growing 
season  there  is  much  trouble  with  insect  pests. 
Now  is  a  good  time  to  syringe  old  walls,  first 
detaching  the  trees,  and  in  the  case  of  the  Peach 
or  Nectarine  or  others  with  weak  wood  tie  the 
branches  in  bundles  and  give  them  support  to  keep 
free  from  the  wall.  Then  thoroughly  satvirate  the 
latter  with  insecticide.  I  find  the  well-known 
Gishurst  compound  still  one  of  the  best  for  this 
purpose,  and  as  a  winter  dressing  for  the  trees  for 
scale  it  is  excellent.  In  a  few  gardens  I  have  seen 
the  trees  were  infested  with  mealy  bug  even  on 
open  walls,  and  cold  does  not  appear  to  exterminate 
the  pest.  Here  I  would  advise  washing  with 
Bentley's  soluble  petroleum,  doing  the  work  in  dry 
weather.  Scale  is  equally  difficult  to  get  rid  of 
unless  all  portions  of  the  bark  are  well  covered  by 
the  dressing  given,  and  with  badly  infested  trees  I 
would  advise,  firstly,  to  clean  the  walla  as  noted, 
then  paint  the  trees  (that  is,  all  the  old  wood) 
after  syringing,  and  to  make  the  paint  adhere 
firmly,  I  have  mixed  a  small  portion  of  lime  and 
sulphur  with  the  Gishurst,  when  the  latter  has 
been  made  soluble.  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  are 
subject  to  the  attacks  of  black  aphis,  and  this  is  more 
common  with  old  walls  or  those  with  wide  copings, 
and  when  the  foliage  is  tender  remedies  cannot  be 
applied  sufficiently  strong  to  kill  the  pest  Without 
injury  to  foliage. 

Nailing  Wall  Trees. 

This  work  so  far  has  been  done  under  favourable 
conditions  as  regards  weather.  I  notice  in  a  few 
cases  the  buds  of  the  Apricot  are  beginning  to 
swell  on  south  walls,  so  that  all  nailing  should  be 
brought  to  a  close  as  early  as  possible,  and  where 
protection  is  given  it  will  be  well  to  prepare  the 
material  for  placing  in  position.  We  leave  our 
Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  both  as  regards  pruning 
and  nailing  as  late  as  possible,  as  the  longer  the 
wood  is  away  from  the  wall  the  better  the  bloom  ; 
but  I  e.'iplained  this  in  an  earlier  calendar.  On  the 
other  hand  there  is  little  pruning  to  do  as  regards 
Peach  trees  if  the  old  fruiting  wood  and  spray 
growth  was  removed  in  the  autumn  so  that  nailing 
can  be  deferred  till  the  last  moment.  Cherries 
bloom  early,  and  should  be  finished  at  an  earl3' 
date  ;  in  some  gardens  these  trees  die  back  badly, 
and  it  is  necessary  to  closely  examine  and  cut  away 
decaying  portions  and  often  rearrange  the  whole 
tree.  Another  important  point  with  these  fruits  is  to 
keep  the  spurs  as  close  to  the  wall  as  possible  ;  now 
is  a  suitable  time  to  shorten  back  or  reduce  the 
number,  but  in  the  case  of  fan-trained  trees,  and 
if  these  are  not  crowded,  lay  in  young  growths 
freel}'.  All  ties  to  main  branches  should  be 
sufficiently  loose  to  allow  of  expansion  without 
cutting  ;  tarred  twine  is  often  used,  and  it  causes 
the  trees  to  gum  badly  if  at  all  tight.  Now  is  a 
suitable  time  to  remove  exhausted  soil  close  to  the 
wall,  and  replace  with  rich  top-dressings. 

G.  Wythes. 

Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 

THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Lawns. 
A  well-kept  lawn  is  acknowledged  to  be  one  of 
the  principal  features  of  an  English  garden,  and  it 
deserves  greater  attention  than  it  usually  has. 
Weeds  will  appear  in  the  grass,  and  unless  they  are 
promptly  stopped  patchiness  instead  of  smooth  and 
velvety  turf  is  the  result.  Weeding  with  forks 
made  specially  for  the  purpose  is  the  best  method 
of  cleaning,  but  as  the  spring  advances  less  labour 
can  be  spared  for  this  work,  and  it  generally 
happens  that  a  great  portion  of  the  affected  area 
goes  untoiTched  except  for  a  few  spasmodic  efforts. 
Now  is  the  time  to  begin,  and  the  work  should  be 
carried  out  systematical!}'.     Boys  or   women  are 


I 


well  suited  for  this  work,  and  to  assist  in  the 
thoroughness  of  the  operation  they  should  be 
provided  with  a  line  which  can  be  stretched  across 
the  lawn  to  form  a  boundary  beyond  which  the}' 
should  not  wander  at  each  crossinL'.  Four  feet  is 
a  convenient  width  for  each  worker  to  cover  at  a 
time,  and  the  line  should  be  moved  forward  to  this 
distance  as  each  course  is  finished.  Where,  owing 
to  poverty  of  the  soil  through  constant  mowing  and 
sweeping.  Daisies  are  too  numerous  to  be  dealt  with 
by  weeding,  a  good  surface  dressing  of  manure  and 
fine  soil  should  be  put  on,  and  the  grass  allowed  to 
grow  without  mowing  for  a  few  months  ;  the  longer 
it  is  left  unmown  the  more  perfect  will  be  the 
remedy.  The  grass  growth  chokes  out  the  Daisies, 
and  ultimately  a  good  grass  bottom  is  again 
formed.  All  lawns  should  have  periodical  dressings 
of  manure  in  some  form  or  other  to  recuperate 
them.  If  artificial  manures  are  used  (I  do  not 
recommend  them)  they  should  be  got  on  early,  so 
that  they  may  be  washed  in  before  drying  winds 
and  hot  sunshine  cause  them  to  burn  the  grass. 
Natural  manures  are  far  safer.  In  places  where  the 
grass  is  thin  a  dressing  of  basic  slag  will  encourage 
the  finer  grasses  and  clover  ;  it  should  be  in  the 
form  of  the  very  finest  possible  powder,  and  should 
not  be  used  in  conjunction  with  anj'  manure  con- 
taining ammonia.  Roll  the  lawn  on  all  available 
occasions  whenever  the  weather  allows. 

Bedding  Pelargoniums. 

Where  the  staging  arrangements  of  the  houses 
available  for  working  on  I  he  stock  or  bedding  plants 
are  good,  the  .system  of  potting  ott'  the  latter  singly 
in  small  pots  is  the  most  satisfactory,  and  this 
shoidd  now  be  carried  out,  dealing  first  with  the 
strong  growing  green  leaved  forms  and  then  the 
weaker  variegated  ones.  In  some  cases,  however, 
pots  are  not  so  satisfactory  as  boxes,  and  this  is 
especially  the  case  where  the  only  houses  at  disposal 
are  big  vineries  and  fruit  houses  without  stagings. 

All  gardeners  know  the  difficulty  of  getting 
bedding  Pelargoniums  out  with  a  good  lot  of  roots 
attached  to  a  ball  of  soil  when  the  boxes  have  been 
crocked  in  the  usual  way.  This  difficulty  disappears 
when  a  thick  layer  of  half-decayed  leaves  or  a 
similar  layer  of  Mushroom  bed  manure  is  used  in 
lieu  of  crocks,  for  the  plants  root  well  in  this  and 
ma\'  be  lifted  out  in  excellent  condition  when 
bedding  time  comes.  The  boxes  should  have 
bottoms  made  with  narrow  pieces  of  wood  placed 
well  apart  instead  of  the  ordinary  bottom  with  a 
few  holes  bored  through  it.  Give  the  plants,  after 
boxing  or  potting,  a  little  extra  warmth  such  as 
may  be  found  in  a  vinery  recently  started. 

J.  C.  Tallaok. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Caladiums. 

These  when  well  grown  are  amongst  the  most 
serviceable  subjects  where  house  decoration  is 
carried  out.  The  eorms  being  duly  shaken  out  of 
the  sand  and  cocoanut  fibre,  may  be  cut  into 
portions  to  meet  the  local  requirements  ;  no  fear 
need  be  entertained  of  anj'  failure  from  this  treat- 
ment if  the  after  conditions  are  attended  to,  i.e., 
rubbing  the  wounds  well  over  with  ground  char- 
coal, and  exposing  the  corras  so  treated  for  a  whole 
day  to  the  sun.  Small  pots  and  a  compost  of 
peat,  leaf-soil,  and  sand  in  equal  parts  should  be 
used  ;  a  propagating  case  should  where  practicable 
be  requisitioned.  C.  Louis  A.  Van  Houtte,  C. 
Cardinale,  C.  Marcfuis  of  Camden,  C.  Gaston 
Chandon,  C.  Duke  of  York,  C.  Pantia  Ralli, 
C.  Major  Joicey,  C.  Mrs.  McLeod,  C.  Northcote, 
C.  Lord  Derby,  and  C.  Sir  Julian  Goldsmid  are 
the  best  for  general  purposes. 

TuEEROnS-ROOTED  Begonias. 
The  tubers  must  now  be  looked  over  and  the 
double  varieties  started,  as  these  take  longer  to 
produce  flower  than  the  single  forms  ;  use  shallow 
seed  boxes,  with  a  layer  of  sifted  leaf-soil  and  sand 
in  the  bottom  in  which  the  tubers  should  be  placed, 
slightly  pressing  them  down  as  the  work  proceeds  ; 
leaf-soil  to  be  fairly  daiiip  when  used,  no  water 
should  be  given,  but  a  temperature  moderatel}- 
moist  is  decidedlj'  favourable. 


Fibrous-rooted  Beoonia.s. 
Cuttings  where  increa.^ed  stock  and  shapely 
plants  are  required  must  not  be  overlooked,  as 
these  strike  readily  ;  the  present  time  shouhl  be 
seized  upon  to  augment  the  existing  batch. 
Begonias  of  the  ornamental  leaved  type,  of  which 
B.  Arthur  Mallet  may  be  instanced,  should  be 
similarly  treated  ;  these  if  struck  now  and  pushed 
on  soon  become  useful  sized  plants,  which  are  most 
serviceable  on  account  of  the  rich  velvety  tone  of 
colouring  in  the  foliage.  13.  M.  Hardy  comes 
next  to  B.  Arthur  Mallet  in  point  of  merit,  and 
even  stands  the  season  better.  Other  varieties  of 
good  habit  and  character  are  B.  Naomi  Mallet, 
B.  Lucy  Closon,  B.  Marie  Louise,  and  B.  Decora. 

Amaryllis. 
These  showy  subjects  are  always  admired,  and 
particularly  so  when  in  flower  in  the  early 
spring  months  ;  a  few  bulbs  in  pots  should  be 
put  into  heat.  Where  there  is  a  good  number  a 
dozen  or  more  may  be  placed  in  at  a  time  ;  if  in 
want  of  fresh  soil  the  necessary  move  should  be 
given  now ;  rough  fibrous  loam  will  form  the 
principal  element  in  the  soil  used,  while  a  part  of 
leaf  soil  or  spent  Mushroom  manure  and  sand  will 
comprise  the  remainder  ;  a  liberal  dusting  of  dis- 
solved bones  and  soot  should  be  added  at  the  rate 
of  an  8n-inch  pot  to  a  barrowful  of  soil,  Moderately 
firm  potting  is  recommended. 

LiLiu.M  Harrisi. 

The  stock  of  this  being  well  started,  a  night 
temperature  of  .50"  to  5.5'^,  with  a  rise  to  6.j"  by 
day  should  be  given.  The  syringe  also  plays  an 
important  part  here,  and  the  growths  must  be 
liberally  sprayed  over  several  times  dailj'.  Late 
stock  of  the  well  known  L.  longiflorum  giganteum 
will  also  be  pushing  ahead,  and  conditions  similar 
to  the  foregoing  should  be  afforded,  save  only  that 
a  temperature  ranging  5°  lower  should  be  "aimed 
at.  Liliums  of  the  lancifoliura  type  must  be  at 
once  put  into  pots,  as  they  are  apt  to  shrivel  if 
kept  too  long  out  of  soil ;  that  as  recommended 
for  Lilium  Harrisi  should  be  used  and  the  pots 
plunged  in  ashes  in  a  cold  frame  ;  a  slight  sprink- 
ling of  the  plunging  material  should  be  placed 
over  the  surface  of  the  pot,  nut  no  water  must  at 
present  be  given.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Boehampton. 


ORCHIDS. 

WoRii  IN  THE  Houses. 

With  the  lengthening  daj's  a  new  life  seems 
apparent  in  most  plants,  and  Orchids  are  no 
exception  to  the  general  rule,  3'et  it  would  be  too 
risky  to  act  simply  on  the  assumption  of  a  per- 
manency of  open,  growing  weather  because  we 
have  been  and  are  now  passing  through  a  period 
of  comparatively  warm  and  genial  weather. 
Watering  must  still  be  done  with  the  greatest  care, 
and  the  water  used  with  moderation.  There  are  a 
few  plants  which  benefit  by  being  repotted  very 
earl}'  in  the  season,  unless  they  have  been  attended 
to  late  in  the  autumn.  These  are  the  ^Erides, 
Saccolabiums,  and  Vandas,  all  plants  with  a  woody 
stem  of  a  peculiar  nature,  and  which,  as  a  rule,  we 
find  in  much  more  luxuriant  condition  on  the 
continent  than  we  see  them  in  our  English  collec- 
tions. There  they  are  invariably  repotted  either 
in  October  or  at  this  time  of  the  year,  and  the 
reason  for  doing  so,  given  by  an  eminent  and  most 
successful  French  grower  of  these  neglected  plants, 
is  perfectly  reasonable.  He  says  that  the  advan- 
tages derived  from  the  benefits  accruing  to  the 
plants  through  their  repotting  being  done  at  the 
time  stated  are  of  sufficient  interest  to  attract  the 
attention  of  all  growers  and  lovers  of  these  beau- 
tiful plants,  which  bloom  at  a  season  when  flowers 
are  not  over  plentiful  in  the  Orchid  houses.  He 
states  that,  through  the  operation  being  done 
during  the  cool  weather  there  is  ver}'  seldom 
indeed  any  loss  of  leaves,  whereas  it  is  usual  for 
several  pairs  of  the  basal  leaves  to  turn  }ellow  and 
fall  off  when  this  work  is  done  during  the  summer, 
and  when  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  keep  the 
atmosphere  constantly  moist,  for  one  must  not  lose 
sight  of  the  fact  that  plants  such  as  these,  which 
are  not  provided  with    pseudo   bulbs,    are  easily 


102 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[February  9,  1901. 


harmed  by  disturbance  caused  to  their  roots  b}' 
repotting,  and  it  is  necessary  to  counterbalance  the 
same  by  placing  or  keeping  the  plants  for  some 
time  after  the  operation  in  a  comparatively  cool, 
moist,  and  close  atmosphere.  Whether  the  same 
treatment  would  produce  the  same  results  in  our 
climate  one  cannot  say  for  certain,  and  without 
giving  it  a  fair  trial  ;  but  whoever  has  had  the 
good  fortune  to  see  the  Comte  de  Germiny's  plants 
at  Gouville,  those  of  the  Due  de  Massa  at  Frau- 
couviUe,  of  the  late  Due  d'Ayen  at  Champlatreux, 
of  the  late  Comte  de  Nadaillac  at  Passy,  of  the 
late  Mme.  Fould  at  Saint  (Jermains,  of  M.  Lebat- 
teux  at  he  Mans,  and  even  in  the  ver}'  midst 
of  Paris  the  superb  plants  under  the  care  of 
M.  Opoix  at  the  .Tardin  du  Luxembourg,  where 
Vandas  are  in  flower  all  the  year  round,  must 
recognise  and  admit  the  fact  that  when  grown  in 
such  a  way  .Erides,  Saccolabiums,  and  Vandas 
are  well  deserving  the  attention  of  our  growers 
and  amateurs.  Rightly  or  wrongly,  our  French 
coiifri'Ti't  attribute  their  success  to  their  mode  of 
culture.     Plants  of 

Oncidium  lanceanum, 
which  have  grown  luxuriantly  and  have  well  filled 
their  baskets  with  roots  may  also  now  be  repotted 
in  a  light  mixture  of  two  parts  sphagnum  and  one 
part  fibrous  peat,  but  care  should  be  taken  to  give 
them  but  little  fresh  food  at  a  time.  These  plants 
do  best  in  a  moist  position  in  the  Indian  house. 

Phalfenopsis  schilleriana  and  stuartiana  are  now 
beginning  to  bloom,  and  their  roots  should  be  kept 
constantly  moist.  It  is  also  advisable  to  see  that 
a  few  plants  which,  as  a  rule,  are  somewhat  deli- 
cate or  difficult  to  keep  through  the  winter  are 
placed  close  to  the  light,  and  this  applies  specially 
to  Odontoglossum  Phal^nopsis,  0.  niveum,  0. 
blandum,  and  0.  vexillarium.  There  is  now,  or 
there  should  be,  in  the  cool  house  a  quantity  of 
plants  showing  flower  spikes,  special  attention  is 
therefore  required  to  prevent  the  irreparable 
damages  which  may  be  caused  by  insects  of  all 
sorts,  but  principally  by  slugs  and  snails,  which 
must  be  carefuU}'  watched.  Many  are  the  methods 
employed  and  recommended  for  the  destruction  of 
these  pests.  One  of  the  best  means  of  trapping 
them  consists  in  placing  among  the  plants  showing 
flower  a  few  Adiantum  cuneatum  with  young 
fronds,  and  wetting  them  overhead  in  the  evening  ; 
the  slugs  will  not  fail  to  make  these  plants  their 
headquarters  for  the  night,  when  they  can  be 
caught  and  destroyed.  The  temperature  in  the 
Indian  house  should  be  di"  to  68°,  that  of 
the  Cattleya  house  .58"  to  65°,  and  that  of  the 
Odontoglossum  and  Masdevallia  house  .5(1"  to  55". 

S. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The.  Editors  are  vol  respon.nhle  for  the  opinions 
expre-i^ed  by  their  correspondents. ) 


JANUARY     FLOWERS     IN 
THE     SOUTH-WEST. 

[To   THE   Editor  or    "  The    Garden."] 

SIPv, — In  spite  of  wintry  skies  and  drench- 
ing rain-storms,  varied  by  a  few  days' 
frost  and  comparatively  heavy  snowfall, 
that  disappeared  as  if  by  magic,  a  few 
expanded  blossoms  are  even  now  to  be 
found  in  tlie  open.  In  Mr.  T.  H.  Archer- 
Hind's  garden  at  Coombefishacre  in  mid- January 
the  Winter  Aconite  was  lighting  up  a  grey  after- 
noon with  its  blooms  of  bright  gold,  the  petals,  in 
the  absence  of  the  sun,  curving  inward  and  giving 
the  flowers  a  globular  shape.  Anemone  apennina 
had  expanded  the  first  of  its  blossoms,  and  a  few 
flowers  of  A.  coronaria  showed  here  and  there, 
but  A.  blanda,  which  in  varied  tints  formerly 
brightened  the  early  days  of  the  year,  has  unfortu- 
nately been  destroyed  by  moles.  The  Arabis  was 
commencing  its  season  of  prodigal  blossoming, 
and  Colchicum  libanoticuni,  as  well  as  another 
species  procured  under  the  name  of  C.  decaiane- 
anum,  but  evidently  wrongl}-  christened,  were  in 


flower.  Of  the  Crocuses,  C.  aureus,  C.  Imperati, 
C.  Korolkowi,  and  C.  Sieberi  were  blooming,  and 
Clematis  calycina  (or  balearica)  was  starring  a  wall 
with  its  greenish  white,  purple-spotted  flowers. 
The  charming  little  Diamond  Cress  (lonopsidium 
acaule)  was  covering  a  breadth  of  border  with  a 
mantle  of  its  closelj'-set,  tiny  flowers,  violet  and 
white  in  tint.  In  some  gardens  this  lovely  annual 
propagates  itself  freely  from  self-sown  seed,  and 
year  after  j'ear  presents  a  delightful  picture  from 
early  in  .January  through  the  spring  months,  being 
apparently,  at  least  in  the  garden  alluded  to, 
indifterent  to  frost  and  snow.  In  some  soils  and 
localities,  however,  it  does  not  renew  itself  spon- 
taneously, but  its  merits  well  repay  the  little 
trouble  of  seed-sowing.  The  attractive  bulbous 
Irises,  I.  bakeriana  and  I.  histrioides  were  in 
flower,  as  well  as  I.  persica  purpurea,  a  form  that 
for  beauty  does  not  compare  with  I.  persica,  while 
I.  stylosa  and  I.  stylosa  alba  were  both,  in  full 
bloom.  The  general  collection  of  Lenten  Roses, 
which  Mr.  Archer-Hind  has  for  many  years  been 
crossing  with  great  success,  having  obtained  many 
beautifully  spotted  forms,  had  expanded  their  first 
blooms,  but  will  not  attain  the  zenith  of  their 
display  for  another  fortnight  or  three  weeks. 
Some,  notably  one  bearing  a  rather  small,  purplish 
flower  had,  however,  been  in  bloom  since  Christmas. 
A  coloured  plate  of  Lenten  Roses  from  Mr.  Archer- 
Hind's  garden  appeared  in  the  number  of  The 
Garden  for  June  4,  vol.  liii. ,  but  the  pure  white 
form,  which  is  grown  at  Coombefishacre  in  great 
perfection,  is  not  included  in  the  plate.  -Gentiana 
acaulis  showed  a  stray  bloom  or  two,  and  Narcissus 
minimus  was  also  in  flower,  as  were  Polygala 
chama'buxus  and  its  more  ornamental  variety 
P.  e.  purpurea.  Scilla  sibirica  was  bearing  the 
first  of  its  blue  bloom-spikes,  and  Sternbergia 
Fletcheri  was  in  flower,  while  on  lawns  and  grassy 
slopes  the  Snowdrops  were  perfecting  their  white 
bells.  The  Periwinkles,  though  not  in  profuse 
flower,  were  all  bearing  bloom,  a  large  plant  of 
Vinca  acutiloba,  trailing  over  a  wall  above  the 
water,  holding  a  couple  of  dozen  or  so  of  its  grey- 
white  flowers.  A  bush  of  the  delightfully  per- 
fumed Lonicera  fragrantissima,  growing  in  an  angle 
of  the  walls,  bore  its  leafless  shoots  studded  with 
odorous  white  flowers,  and  the  great  specimens  of 
Fjrica  codonodes,  6  feet  and  more  in  height,  were 
becoming  whiter  with  blossom  with  each  succeeding 
week.  Cryptomeria  elegans  in  its  bronzed,  winter 
foliage  formed  a  conspicuous  object  on  the  lawn. 

S.   W.   F. 

APPLE  NOTES. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir, — I  notice  a  disposition  among  nurserymen  to 
substitute  the  New  Northern  (4reening  for  the  old 
one  in  their  lists  and  recommendations.  As  far  as 
my  experience  extends  I  think  this  is  a  great 
mistake.  I  have  now  had  three  years  to  test  the 
New  Northern  Greening,  and  have  found  it  to  be 
riot  at  all  a  good  keeping  Apple.  As  I  write 
(January  22)  I  have  not  a  single  one  sound  out  of 
the  entire  crop.  The  other,  on  the  contrary',  with 
similar  keeping  treatment,  is  in  perfect  condition 
as  regards  soundness,  and  will  not  have  come  to 
full  colour  and  ripeness  for  another  month.  It 
always  keeps  with  me  till  the  end  of  June  and 
very  frequently  till  the  end  of  Julj'.  I  am  inclined 
to  think  very  highly  of  an  Apple  I  got  from  Mr. 
Merryweather  called  Clarke's  Seedling.  In  appear- 
ance it  much  resembles  New  Northern  Greening, 
though  it  is  richer  in  colour,  both  in  its  golden- 
yellow  ground  or  large  crimson  flush.  It  is  in 
splendid  condition,  not  a  speck  upon  it,  and  I 
should  say  would  keep  well  into  March. 

Cox's  Orange  Pippin  deserves,  no  doubt,  all  that 
Mr.  Thomas  says  about  it  in  a  good  climate,  but  it 
is  evidently  a  delicate  variety.  With  me,  though 
in  the  warmest  part  of  my  garden,  it  bears  sparsely, 
and  the  fruit  is  small  and  not  particularly  well 
shaped.  (jolden  Pippin  quite  beats  it  here. 
Although  planted  in  a  bad  position,  it  bears  regu- 
larly and  abundantly  fruit  half  as  large  again 
as  Cox's  Orange  Pippin,  and  in  the  estimation  of 
several  Apple  fanciers,  to  whose  palates  I  have 
submitted  the   two  varieties,   quite  equal   to  it. 


I  therefore  think   that  those  who  have  cold,  wet 
climates  would  do  well  to  cultivate  (Jolden  Pippin. 
I  have  about  as  bad  a  climate  as  most  people. 
County  Caraii.  ]).  K. 

DIOSPYROS    KAKI. 

[To    THE    F^DITOR   OF    "  ThE    GaRDEX."] 

Sir, — A  short  time  ago  I  should  have  agreed  with 
Mr.  T.  Shaw  when  he  writes  about  Dio.spyros 
Kaki — "It  is  extremelj'  doubtful  whether  this 
addition  to  our  list  of  fruits  will  ever  pass  the 
stage  of  a  botanical  curiosit}' " — but  I  am  of  rather 
a  difl'erent  opinion  now  after  spending  a  winter  in 
Italy.  I  was  told  there  that  it  had  come  largely 
into  esteem  during  the  last  three  or  four  years,  and 
whereas  it  had  been  neglected  for  a  long  time  it 
now  holds  a  very  good  place  as  an  article  of  com- 
merce in  the  fruiterers"  shops.  Certainly  it  is  sohl 
in  large  quantitj',  and  at  Florence,  Milan,  Rome, 
and  other  places  it  is  commonlj'  to  be  seen. 

Mrs.  Ross,  of  Poggio  (4herardo,  near  Florence, 
who  seems  to  have  an  exeeptionall}'  good  know- 
ledge of  this  sort  of  thing,  recommends  Kaki 
Giboushiu  beyond  all  others,  and  in  accordance 
with  her  advice  I  got  three  or  four  bushes  at  a 
nursery  garden  in  Milan  which  are  now  doing  quite 
well  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. 

Canon  Ellacombe  has  grown  Diospyros  Kaki  for 
more  than  twenty  years  in  (Gloucestershire,  and 
often  gets  fruit  from  it. 

1  rather  expect  that  its  excellence,  at  an^'  rate 
for  jell}'  and  such  like  purposes,  is  comparatively 
unknown,  and  that  the  demand  for  it  will  increase, 
perhaps  suddenly,  as  was  the  casein  Italy,  as  soon 
as  its  virtues  are  found  out.  H.    Kwbank. 

.SV.  John's,  Hyde,  Isle  of  Wiyhl. 


WOODLAND  PATHS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden.") 

Sir, —Your  recent  article  on  woodland  paths  sug- 
gested many  pretty  variations  of  the  same  idea. 
I  nave  had  one  in  use  some  years  across  a  Rose  bed 
to  enable  me  to  reach  all  the  Roses.  It  is  very 
simply  formed  and  highl}'  satisfactory.  A  few 
inches  of  ground  were  removed  and  the  space 
filled  up  with  cinders  ;  these  were  gradually 
covered  with  loose  stones,  carried  there  when 
picked  off"  the  beds  :  then  a  small  mossj'  Saxifrage, 
very  bright  green  and  compact  in  growth  was 
planted  at  each  outer  edge  of  the  irregular  path. 
This  has  now  covered  the  whole  path,  and  bears 
the  necessary  treadijig  well.  Throughout  the 
winter  it  keeps  greener  than  the  lawn,  and  in  earl}' 
spring  shows  a  lot  of  bright  red  in  the  young 
shoots  before  the  while  flowers  appear.  It  has 
been  so  pleasant  that  I  have  bordered  many  Rose 
beds  the  same  way,  hoping  to  have  the  walks  that 
run  between  them  similarlj'  grown.  R.  M.  S. 


THE  SCARBOROITGH  LILY. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— I  see  that  the  origin  of  the  name  of  Scar- 
borough Lily  is  not  as  well  known  as  I  had  sup- 
posed, I  therefore  send  a  few  lines  of  explanation. 
This  fine  Lily  was  grown  in  many  a  sailor's  <'Ottagc 
window  in  Scarborough  long  before  it  was  known 
elsewhere.  I  remember  well  when  a  boy,  some- 
where in  the  early  fifties  of  the  past  century,  that 
a  Manchester  man  visited  our  greenhouses  and  saw 
this  now  well  known  Lily  in  full  flower.  He  was 
so  astonished  at  it  that  he  asked  me  to  take  him 
down  into  the  old  town  and  sliow  him  where  they 
grew,  and  he  bought  every  bulb  that  the  fisher 
folk  would  sell  him,  offering  them  Is.  6d.  to  2s.  6d. 
for  each  bulb,  much  to  my  astonishment,  who,  boy- 
like, thought  that  a  flower  common  at  home  must 
be  common  elsewhere. 

The  story  goes  that  long  ago  a  Dutch  ship 
returning  from  the  Gape  foundered  in  a  storm  off' 
the  Dogger  IJank,  where  the  Yorkshire  fishermen, 
then  as  now,  resort  to  catch  cod  and  other  fish.  A 
Scarborough  smack  rescued  .some  of  the  crew,  and 
brought  them  ashore  and  took  care  of  them.  One 
of  the  men  had  a  bulb  of  this  Lily  in  his  jackel 
pocket ;  he  had  intended  to  give  it  to  his  wife  in 
Holland,   but  in  gratitude  for   the    kindness   he 


February    9,   1901. 


THE    GAEDEN. 


103 


received  at  the  fisherman's  hands,  gave  the  bulb  to 
his  wife  as  the  onlj'  tiling  he  had  to  offer.  In  due 
time  the  bulb  grew  and  llowered,  and  in  after  years 
as  it  multiplied  friends  were  given  oHsets,  till  the 
plant  was  quite  common  throughout  the  town  when 
the  railroad  first  brought  the  multitude  to  the 
.seaside.  There  were  no  great  importations  of  this 
Lil}'  from  the  Cape  till,  I  think,  much  later,  so 
that  the  bulb  was  as  much  a  speciality  of  the  town 
in  those  days  as  the  Guernsey  hi\y  was  in  Guernsey. 
.  Hence  the  name  of  Scarborough  Lilj',  which  I  as  a 
■Scarborougli  man  hope  may  never  be  forgotten. 

E.    H.    AVOODALT,. 

CROCOSiMIA  IMPERIALIS. 

[To   THE   Editor  of   "The   Garden."] 

SiK, — Allow  me  to  call  the  attention  of  j'our 
correspondent  "  T.  C.  W.''  to  the  great  superiority 
of  C.  imperialis  over  the  species  that  he  enquires 
about,  viz.,  C.  aurea.  The  newer  kind,  that  is, 
C  imperialis,  has  been  known  for  ten  or  a  dozen 
years,  and  during  the  last  half  of  that  time  it  has 
become  very  popular,  which  fact  is  not  at  all  to 
be  wondered  at,  for  it  is  a  delightful  plant. 
Though  regarded  by  botanists  as  a  variety  of 
C.  aurea,  its  distinctive  features  are  very  marked, 
for  it  is  in  every  way  a  much  larger  and  finer 
thing.  The  branching  spikes  reach  a  height  of 
3  feet  or  more,  wliile  the  individual  blooms  are  on 
strong  plants  fully  3  inches  across,  of  a  brilliant 
reddish  orange  on  the  outside  and  lighter  within. 
As  the  flowers  have  rather  a  drooping  tendency, 
the  rich  coloured  exterior  is  more  in  evidence 
than  the  inside  of  the  flower.  Where  tiiere  is  a 
narrow  border  along  the  front  of  a  hothouse  many 
South  African  bulbs  will  flourish  therein,  and 
among  the  many  will  be  included  this  Crocosnna. 
When  the  flowers  develop  in  a  sunny  spot  their 
colouring  is  more  vivid  than  if  at  all  shaded,  hence 
if  grown  in  pots  for  greenhouse  decoration  they 
should  be  left  out  of  doors  till  the  flowers  are  just 
on  the  point  of  expanding,  as  they  are  then  more 
richly  coloured  than  if  grown  altogether  under 
glass.  C.  imperialis  does  not  increase  nearly  as 
rapidly  as  C.  aurea,  and  on  this  account  and  its 
undoubted  merit  it  still  realises  a  pretty  good 
price.  The  corms,  which  are  about  the  size  of  a 
medium  Crocus,  push  out  but  few  stotoniferous 
stems  compared  with  the  other,  but  they  often 
travel  some  distance  before  rushing  up  above 
ground.  If  in  pots  these  shoots  frequently  take 
a  circular  direction,  and  continue  in  this  manner 
till  they  make  their  appearance  at  the  edge  of  the 
pot.      "   T. 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 

CULTURE    OF    WINTER-FLOWERING 

PELARGONIUMS. 

A    S  your  able  correspondent,  Mr.   A,   Dean, 
/\  writes,    there    is    perhaps    no    flower 

/   %         more  suitable  for  winter  use  than  the 
/      \        Pelargonium,  both  for  the  greenhouse 
J[  ^     and  for  table  decoration.     It  may  be 

interesting  to  your  readers  to  know 
that  two  year  old  plants  are  by  far  the  best  for 
obtaining  a  large  qirantity  of  flowers,  at  the  same 
time  their  quality  being  also  quite  as  good  as  the 
blossoms  of  younger  plants.  The  most  successful 
method  of  culture  to  mj'  mind  is  the  following  : 
As  soon  as  the  cuttings  are  taken,  which  should 
be  about  the  second  or  third  week  in  February ,  the 
plants  must  be  gradually  allowed  to  dry,  say,  for 
about  three  weeks,  and  then  pruned  rather  hard. 
Place  them  in  a  buoyant  atmosphere,  and  frequently 
syringe  if  about  60",  and  keep  rather  dry  at  the 
roots,  when  they  will  break  into  growth.  Then 
shake  the  old  soil  away,  cut  off"  the  large  roots, 
and  put  them  into  4j-inch  pots,  giving  them  the 
same  temperature  as  before.  If  treated  like  this 
they  will  be  found  to  soon  fill  the  pot,  when  they 
will  require  a  move  into  8-inch  pots — these  will  be 
none  too  large  if  the  plants  are  successfully  grown 
— thecompost  required  being  some  good  fibrous  loam 
with  plenty  of  leaf-soil  and  coarse  sand  together. 


with  a  good  sprirdilingof  bone-meal.  After  potting 
they  should  be  jjlaced  in  a  frame  and  kept 
moderately  warm  until  root  action  begins  ;  then 
gradually  move  them  to  an  abundance  of  air,  and 
eventually  place  them  out  of  doorS  entii'ely,  and 
protect  from  heavy  rain.  Give  plenty  of  water 
with  just  a  little  stimulant,  and  pinch  the  shoot 
until  August.  The  plants  may  be  allowed  to 
flower  from  October  until  the  middle  of  February. 
I  think  if  any  of  your  readers  have  not  grown 
them  the  second  j'ear  they  would  be  more  than 
satisfied  with  the  result  of  an  attempt. 

Trill!/.  E-  G- 


ENGLISH     AND     JAMAICA 
PEARS. 

The  AvofADu  Pear. 

The  vvford  Pear  brings  up  old  associations. 
First,  to  take  them  in  seasonal  order,  of 
poor  S^veetwater  Pears  stoned  or  mercilessly 
tliwacked  down  with  stick  from  the  tree  by 
the  dairy  cottage,  shared  with  wasps,  who  bit 
round,  deep  pits  in  the  necks  of  the  ripest. 
Then  of  Williams,  whose  name  had  not  then 
been  so  curtly  contracted,  held  more  sacred  as 
being  within  the  four-walled  enclosure  of  the 
kitchen  garden.  No  venturing  to  pick  off  the 
tree  here,  but  the  chance  of  an  occasional 
windfall  and  a  modest  shake  to  help  matters 
when  the  wind  had  not  been  considerate,  that 


red.  It  is  borne  on  a  tree  whicli  in  old  age 
reaches  the  stature  of  the  Ash.  Ijountifully  it 
yields  its  Pears,  and  hangs  them  out  to  liungry 
men,  cats,  dogs,  and  pigs  between  ]\Iichaelmas 
and  Christnia.s.  Taking  a  knife  and  running  it 
down  the  long  way,  it  meets  the  central  round 
seed,  which  occupies  a  large  space,  so  tliat  the 
Melon-like  sections  are  but  some  half-inch  deep 
in  Hesh.  My  father  used  to  .speak  of  Ijuttery 
Pears.  Here  is  butter  indeed,  yellow  at  the 
centre,  taking  a  greener  tinge  as  it  comes  to 
the  rind.  Lay  your  fork  transversely  to  the 
section,  press  it  till  it  meets  the  rind,  and 
flake  off  a  sufficiently  small  mouthful.  Fresh 
butter  is  it,  or,  rather,  fresh  solidifying  cream, 
slightly  flavoured  witli  Walnut  when  the  fresli 
Nut  lends  itself  to  easy  peeling,  perhaps  with 
a  hint,  too,  of  Asjiaragus.  Excellent  with  salt, 
it  may  by  the  luxurious  be  deemed  better 
accompanied  by  vinegar  and  oil,  yet  too  oily  in 
itself  to  demand  the  latter.  Perhaps  its  richest 
flavour  is  discerned  when  eaten  with  bread  and 
honey.  Truly  a  vegetable  or  fruit,  for  one 
knows  not  which  to  call  it,  fit  for  the  gods  ! 
Jamaica.  W.  J. 


THE    AVOCADO    PEAR. 
(Reduced  to  about  half  natural  size.) 

was  allowable  to  boy  morality.  But  the  great 
Marie  Louise  was  a  thing  entirely  taboo,  pro- 
bably because  it  was  picked,  as  such  Pears  are, 
before  it  was  ready  to  eat.  We  in  .Jamaica 
have  the  word  which  expresses  that  condition  ; 
we  say  "  full."  It  is  that  state  in  which  good 
Apples  and  Pears  are  picked.  Only  Quarren- 
dens  and  Sweetwaters  are  left  on  the  trees  for 
boys  and  wasps.  Choice  specimens  of  Marie 
Louise  used  to  ripen  in  the  sacred  precincts  of 
my  father's  room.  From  there  they  found 
their  way  to  the  dinner  table,  where  they  were, 
I  regret  to  say,  for  the  most  part  peeled.  Now 
the  best  and  highest  aroma  of  this  Pear  of 
Pears  lies  in  the  skin,  as  you  will  find  if,  after 
eating  your  Pear,  you  proceed  to  eat  the  curls 
of  peel  in  your  plate.  The  other  Pears  of  my 
youth  were  Swan's-egg,  where  you  get  the 
whole  flavour — and  very  fine  flavour,  too — 
because  you  must  eat  the  skin,  for  if  you  cut 
it  off  there  is  nothing  left  ;  and  some  late 
rough-skinned  variety,  I  think  a  Beurre. 

Now  I  live  in  a  land  wdiere  English  Pears 
are  not.  But  we  have  a  Pear,  too— Avocado 
Pear,  corrupted  to  Alligator,  so  books  call 
it  ;  Persea  gratissima  its  botanical  designation. 
We  simply  say  "Pear,"  having  no  other.  In 
size  and  shape  it  is  like  the  Duchesse  of  old 
days,  perhaps  a  little  bigger,  of  two  colours 
externally,  the  one  green,  the  other  a  chocolate- 


RIVIERA   NOTES. 

There  are  now  so  many  early-flowering  bulbous 
Irises  to  be  found  in  nurserymen's  catalogues  that 
I  hope  some  one  who  has  tried  to 
grow  them  all  will  give  his  or  her 
opinion  of  their  value.  Here  Iris 
alata  decidedly  comes  first  in  every 
way  for  beauty,  size,  colour,  and 
freedom  ;  but  I  never  saw  it,  per- 
sonally, in  beauty  out  of  doors  in 
England,  so  I  dare  not  say  if  it  is 
really  to  be  depended  on  in  a  mode- 
rately hard  winter.  Has  any  one 
persuaded  the  pretty  little  yellow 
Iris  DanfordiiB  to  flower  a  second 
time,  I  wonder  ?  As  yet  I  have  not 
grown  it  at  Nice.  Or  the  very  pretty 
I.  rosenbachiana,  which  is  pretty 
certain  to  do  well. 

An   Iris   that   charms  me  greatly, 
and    is    not    much    known,    is    Iris 
Varlani.   One  hears  often  of  I.  Histrio 
and  I.  histrioides,  neither  of  which, 
in  my  judgment,  are  half  so  dainty, 
tor  the  pale  clear  silvery  blue  of  I. 
Vartani  recalls  the  first  pale  blue  of 
Forget-me-not,    while   the   muddled, 
spotted,  uncertain  tone  of  I.  Histrio  and  histrioides 
can  never  make  them  really  popular  like  the  deep- 
coloured  I.  reticulata,  which  comes  later  no  doubt, 
but  is   so  delightful  in   an   English  spring.      Iris 
sindjarensis   and   Iris    assyriaca    are    different    in 
name.     I  do  not  know  if  they  are  really  distinct, 
all  that  I  can  say  is  that  here  the  bulbs  flowering 
under  the  two  names  are  identical,  and  being  more 
in  the  style  of  I.   alata,  with  bold  recurving  leaves 
and  good-sized   flowers,    are  a  ver}'  welcome  suc- 
cession to  the  earliest  flowering  alata.     The  colour, 
too,  a  pale  silvery  grej',  is  very  welcome  in  this 
brilliant  climate. 

Tecophyltea  cyanocrocus  has  enjoyed  the  daily 
blaze  of  sun  ;  what  a  splendid  gentian  blue  its 
expanded  petals  are  !  If  only  it  withstands  the 
summer  heat  and  drought  it  should  do  well,  but 
many  small  bulbs  have  been  entirely  burnt  up  by 
last  July's  fierce  suns,  and  both  Tulipa  saxatilis 
and  T.  kaufmanniana  were  destroyed  when  planted 
too  near  the  surface,  though  in  moister  and  shadier 
soil  they  have  done  well  and  will  soon  flower  again, 
lllicium  laurifolium,  whioli  I  see  M.  Andre 
recommends,  is  a  straggling  evergreen  shrub, 
redeemed  by  its  white  flowers,  which  appear  in 
December,  and  make  it  an  addition  to  Riviera 
gardens.  Its  flowers  were  scarcely  injured  by  that 
sharp  frost  of  a  fortnight  ago,  for  I  saw  a  tall  bush 
in  good  flower  on  the  north  side  of  a  villa  the 
other  day  and  made  a  note  of  its  good  behaviour. 
It  should  be  quite  hardy  in  Devonshire  and 
Cornwall,  at  any  rate. 


104 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Fekkuary  9,   1901. 


Cassia  toraentosa  is  bright  again,  with  its  yellow 
corj'mbs  :  this  is  certainly  a  winter-flowering 
shrub  of  great  value,  equal  in  beauty  here  to  C. 
corynibosa,  and,  unlike  it,  flo\vering  in  winter.  An 
old' plant,  it  must  have  dropped  out  of  cultivation 
in  England  when  the  Chrvsanthenium  took  the 
world  by  storm.  Its  pretty  sprays  of  blossom  are 
short-lived  in  water,  but  the  buds  come  out  for  a 
day  or  two.  E.  H.  Woopall. 


of   Mr.    Herbert  J. 

i.   each.       -As  is  well 

Danes   Inn,  .Strand, 


The  Drill  Hall  Meetings.— At  a  request 

of  some  of  the  Fellows,  the  council  have  arranged 
to  send  (in  the  week  preceding  it)  a  reminder  of 
every  show  to  any  Fellow  who  will  send  to  the 
Ro3'al  Horticultural  Society's  office,  117,  Victoria 
Street,  S.W.,  twenty-four  halfpenny  post  cards 
fully  addressed  to  himself  or  to  whomsoever  he 
wishes  the  reminder  sent. 

New  Gardens  for  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society. — The  selection  of  a  suitable 
site  for  the  new  gardens  of  the  society  in  celebra- 
tion of  its  centenary  is  still  occupying  the  attention 
of  the  council. 

Begonia  Caledonia.^During  the  year 
UKJU  only  one  first-class  certificate  was  awarded  by 
the  council  of  the  Royal  Caledonian  Horticultural 
Society,  and  that  to  the  above  Begonia,  a  white 
sport  from  the  well-known  B.  (iloire  de  Lorraine 
exhibited  by  the  raiser,  Mr.  .lohn  Forbes,  Hawick, 
Scotland. 

Messrs.  Protheroe  and  Morris,  (i7, 

Cheapside,  E.C,  send  us  their  register  of  nurseries, 
market  gardens,  farms,  florists'  and  seed  busi- 
nesses, and  partnerships  to  be  let  or  sold.  These 
comprise  businesses  in  London,  all  parts  of  the 
provinces,  and  abroad. 

Snow  on  the  Riviera.— Considerable 
damage  has  been  done  by  the  recent  heavy  fall 
of  snow  in  the  gardens  and  Orange  and  Olive 
groves  of  the  French  Riviera.  Many  of  the  Olive 
trees  are  said  to  be  ruined,  and  the  Orange  crop 
has  suffered  severely.  It  is  to  be  feared  that 
many  of  the  tropical  garden  plants  are  injured  also. 

National    Chrysanthemum 

Society.— The  ne.xt  annual  outing  of  the  above 
society  will  be  to  the  estate  of  Mr.  A.  Tate, 
Leatherhead,  Surrey,  probablv  in  July  next. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Richards  has  offered  a  special 
first  prize  of  £1(\  for  six  vases  of  incurved 
Chrysanthemums  shown  on  long  stems  at  the 
November  exhibition  of  the  National  Chrysanthe- 
mum Societ}'. 

India's  floral  tributes. —Messrs.  .James 
Carter,  High  Holborn,  had  the  privilege  of 
supplying  to  Windsor  last  week,  amongst  others, 
wreaths  from  the  following  Indian  princes  :  His 
Highness  the  Nawab  Sahib  of  .Joonagad,  His 
Highness  Maharaja  Bhavsingjee  Thakore  Sahib  of 
Bhavnagar,  His  Highness  Sultan  Mohamad  Shah 
Sultan  Aga  Khan,  K.C.I.E.,  His  Highness  the 
Thakore  Sahib  of  Morvi,  G.C.I. E.,  His  Highness 
the  Maharaja  of  Kolhapur,  and  from  the  Presidency 
of  Bombay. 

A  new  park  for  Tottenham.  -At  the 

next  meeting  of  the  Tottenham  District  Council  a 
contract  will  be  signed  for  llie  purchase  of  a  new 
public  recreation  ground.  The  site  selected  is  part 
of  the  estate  known  as  "Downhills,"  and  consists 
of  a  mansion,  its  grounds,  and  three  large  fields. 
The  whole  comprises  nearly  80  acres,  and  although 
a  good  deal  of  neighbouring  land  has  been  sold  for 
£1,000  an  acre,  the  price  to  be  paid  for  the  new 
park  is  hut  £S00  an  acre,  of  which,  by  the  way,  it 
is  not  at  present  known  how  much  the  County 
Council  will  sid)scribe. 

The     Royal     Gardeners'    Orphan 

Fund. — The  annual  general  meeting  of  the 
subscriViers  to  this  fund  will  be  held  at  the  Essex 
Hall,  Essex  Street,  Strand,  London,  W.C.,  on 
Friday  next,  February  lo,  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  the  report  of  the  committee  and  state- 
ment of  accounts  for  the  past  j'ear  ;  to  elect 
officers  for  the  ensuing  year ;  to  elect  twelve 
children  to  the  benefits  of  the  fund ;  and  to 
transact  such  other  business  as  may  arise.  The 
chair  will  be  taken  at  3  p.m.,  and  the  poll  will 
close  at  4.30  p.m.  At  6  p.m.  the  annual  friendly 
dinner  will  take  place  at  Carr's  Restaurant,  '2G8, 


Strand,  under  the   presidency 
Cutbush.      The  tickets  are  .">! 
known  Mr.    Brian   Wynne,   S, 
j  London,  is  the  secretary. 

■Wreaths  and  flowers  at  the  late 

Queen's  funeral.— Surely  never  before  has 
such  a  display  of  floral  emblems  been  seen  together 
as  were  sent  to  AVindsor  on  the  occasion  of  the 
funeral  of  Her  late  Majesty  <>)ueen  Victoria.  I  )uring 
the  latter  half  of  the  past  week  large  numbers  arrived 
by  almost  every  train.  The  Albert  Memorial 
Chapel  was  filled  chiefly  with  those  sent  from  royal 
personages,  the  neighljouring  cloisters  were  also 
completel3'  full,  and  even  then  many  hundreds 
were  unavoidably  left  out  in  the  open  under  the 
shelter  of  St.  (George's  Chapel.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  attempt  to  describe  them,  so 
numerous  were  they  and  varied  in  colour,  form, 
and  design.  They  were  sent  from  the  humblest  as 
well  as  from  the  highest  of  Her  late  Majesty's 
subjects.  One,  however,  amongst  these  beautiful 
tokens  of  love  and  sympathy  appealed  to  us  as 
being  especially  touching.  It  was  the  represen- 
tation of  a  harp  with  broken  strings,  m.ade  chiefly 
of  yellow  Mimosa,  and  sent  by  a  Welsh  subject, 
with  an  appropriate  note  written  in  the  Welsh 
language.  But  whatever  their  design,  how  much 
or  how  little  was  their  value,  or  from  whom  they 
came,  they  all  were  one  in  that  they  served  as  a 
testimony  of  the  love  and  respect  borne  to  our  late 
Sovereign  by  her  mourning  subjects. 

Vegetable  products  of  Australia. 

— Australia  oft'ers  a  wide  field  of  work  for  those 
experienced  in  the  industrial  utilisation  of  <'egctable 
products.  Although  the  practical  value  of  economic 
botany  remains  imperfectly  understood  throughout 
the  Commonwealth,  there  are  not  wanting  indica- 
tions of  its  approaching  recognition  as  a  new  and 
valuable  source  of  national  wealth.  Recently,  in 
New  South  Wales,  Mr.  R.  T.  Baker,  the  curator 
and  economic  botanist  of  the  Sydney  Technological 
Museum,  appeared  as  a  witness  before  a  Royal 
Commission  appointed  to  enquire  into  the  condition 
of  the  western  lands  of  the  State.  In  the  course  of 
his  examination  he  produced  samples  of  eucalyptus 
oil  in  various  stages,  extracted  from  trees  in  the 
eastern  portions  of  New  South  Wales,  and  stated 
that  the  colony  now  produces  eucalyptus  oil  of 
the  highest  quality,  fully  equal  to  the  best  in  the 
market.  He  said  that  a  large  amount  of  research 
has  lately  been  made  in  connection  with  the  flora 
of  that  part  of  the  parent  State,  with  very  valuable 
results.  For  instan  e,  myrticolorin,  a  new  dyeing 
material,  has  been  obtained  from  the  leaves  of  the 
red  stringy  bark,  in  addition  to  the  valuable  oil 
extracted  from  the  same  source.  Out  of  trees  and 
shrubs  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  vState,  Mr. 
Baker  has,  with  the  assistance  of  his  staff',  extracted 
camphor,  perfumes  (such  as  otto  of  roses,  ionone, 
and  cinnamon),  dyes,  peppermint,  and  cajuput — 
oils  which  ought  now  to  be  pushed  on  the  market. 
New  South  Wales  can  also  compete  against  India 
and  Bulgaria  with  its  geraniol  extract.  Mr. 
Baker's  evidence  went  to  show  that  the  vegetable 
products  of  the  western,  or  dry  countr3',  in  New- 
South  Wales  po.ssess  an  economic  vaUie  not 
inferior  to  those  of  the  eastern  or  coastal  districts. 
It  may  be  mentioned  that  there  are  in  the  west,  as 
in  the  east,  many  millions  of  eucalyptus  trees  of 
various  kinds,  the  trees  and  shrubs  from  which 
oils,  resins,  dyes,  tans,  and  other  products  can  be 
obtained  being  .several  hundred  in  number. — 
Naturt. 

Lselio-Cattleya  Cappei.— A  good  plant 

of  this  remarkable  hylirid  was  sold  recently  at 
Messrs.  Protheroe  and  Morris's  sale  rooms.  The 
Howers  were  larger  and  of  better  colour  than  those 
on  the  plant  shown  at  one  of  the  Royal  Horticul- 
tural .Society's  meetings  last  j'ear,  when  a  certificate 
of  merit  was  awarded  to  it.  It  is  no  exaggeration 
to  say  that  it  is  by  far  the  most  distinct  hybrid  j'et 
obtained  in  that  section,  and  if  the  parentage  can 
be  depended  upon,  certainly  this  newcomer  ought 
to  take  rank  amongst  hybrid  Orchids,  having  for 
parentage  La-lia  cinnabarina  and  Cattleja  gigas 
sanderiaiia.  It  has  been  described  in  the  Orchid 
Hevieir  for  February,  1899,  by  Mr.  Rolfe,  who 
says: — "The  sepals  and  petals  are  over  2  inches 
long,  and  clear  light  yellow  in  colour,  while  the  lip 


is  trilobed,  much  crisped,  and  with  the  front  lobe 
and  tips  of  the  side  lobes  of  a  prettj'  light  rosy 
purple  shade,  the  remainder,  incluiling  the  throat, 
being  yellow.  It  has  obviously  not  yet  reached  its 
full  development,  in  fact,  it  promises  to  be  one  of 
the  best  of  the  Liclia  cirnialiar'ina  hybrids.  Like 
most  of  the  liybriils  from  the  latter  it  has  a  good 
constitution,  each  bulli  showing  a  maiked  advance 
on  its  predecessor,  and  we  shall  hope  to  hear  of  it 
again  at  its  next  time  of  flowering.  "  Our  Orchid 
authority  was  quite  right  in  his  expectations,  as 
the  plant  offered  for  sale  by  Mr.  H.  A.  Tracy,  of 
Amyand  Park  Nurseries,  Twickenham,  was  far 
better  than  the  one  described  last  year.  Like  all 
the  hybrids  from  La'Iia  cinnabarina,  this  flowers 
at  a  time  of  the  year  when  Orchid  blossom  is  scarce. 
This  particular  specitnen  had  five  i^lossoms  on  one 
spike,  and  were  remarkable  for  their  size,  form, 
and  the  beautiful  rich  orange  colour  of  their 
sepals  and  petals,  and  also  for  their  splendid 
triloVied  serrated  lip  of  a  bright  and  particularly 
warm  crimson  tint. 


SOCIETIES. 


LIVEHPOOL  HltRTUTLTlKAL  ASSOCIATION. 
Thk  annual  nieetinL'  of  this  society  was  held  on  Saturday, 
January  20,  ^Mr.  T.  Kuster  presiding.  The  secretary  read 
the  report,  which  proved  of  a  most  satisfactory  character  ; 
the  two  shows  of  the  year  fully  sustained  the  character  for 
finished  productions  in  all  sections.  The  numher  of  sub- 
scriLiers  and  visitors  amounted  to  S.liW.  The  thanks  of  the 
society  were  tendered  to  donors  of  special  prizes  and  to  the 
lecturers. 

The  statement  of  accounts  shows  prize  money  at  the 
spring  and  autumn  shows  of  £~'2  17s.  and  £145  l(js.  Gd.  ;  cash 
taken  at  doors  .tl.r.i  19s.  3d.  The  general  account  includes 
a  balance  from  last  year  of  £92  2s.  Id,,  subscriptions 
.t:34S  5s.  Sd.,  other  sources  £15  3s.  2d.,  making  a  total  of 
£455  10s.  lid.  The  expenses  include  excess  of  payments  for 
spring;  and  autumn  exhibitions  £220  13s.,  salaries  and 
general  expenses  £S4  Os.  lid.,  leaving  a  balance  to  the  good 
of  the  society  of  £15U  Ss..  or  a  gain  on  the  year's  working  of 
£5S  3s.  lid.  A  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  to  the 
officers  for  their  services  during  the  past  year.  It  was 
resolved  that  the  usual  donation  of  £3  he  sent  to  the 
Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent  Society  and  £2  to  the 
Gardeners'  Koyal  Orphan  Fund. 

At  the  election  of  officers  the  Lord  Mayor  of  Liverpool 
was  re-elected  president,  the  following  being  re-elected  U* 
their  respective  positions  :  Mr.  \V.  V.  Rogers,  hon.  treasurer  ; 
Mr.  G.  Blackmore,  sub-treasurer;  Mr.  H.  Sadler,  secretary. 
Victoria  Street,  Liverpool  ;  and  Mr.  R.  G.  Waterman,  auditor. 


READING  GARDENERS'  SOCIETY. 
The  fortnightly  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  in  the 
club-room,  Old  Abliey  Restaurant,  on  ilonday,  .January  2i>. 
and  was  well  attended.  Mr.  Leonard  G.  Sutton,  the  presi- 
dent, occupied  the  chair,  and  in  opening  the  meeting  voiced 
the  feelings  of  each  of  the  members  present  by  referring  to 
the  great  loss  the  country  had  sustained  by  the  death  of  her 
beloved  Queen. 

The  subject  which  liad  been  arranged  for  the  evening  was 
"Garden  Roses,"  by  Mr.  G.  Gordon,  V.il.H  .  but  owing  to 
the  sad  bereavement  Mr.  Gordon  had  sustained,  this  lecture 
was  postponed  and  the  evening  devoted  to  imiu-omplu 
speaking  on  the  following :— Tomatoes  :  Mr.  C.  P.  Crutchley. 
The  Honey's  Gardens,  Twyford.  Melons  :  Mr.  \V.  Barnes. 
Bearwood  Gardens.  RaspbeiTies  :  Mr.  Moody,  Reading. 
Potatoes  for  early  use  :  Mr.  H.  Wilson,  The  Gardens,  Lower 
Redlands,  Reading.  Zinnias ;  Mr.  E,  Fry,  The  Gardens, 
Greenlauds,  Reading.  Freesias  :  ilr.  R.  Chamberlain,  Cress- 
ingham  Gardens.  A  great  many  questions  were  asked,  and 
an  interesting  discussion  followed  each  suliject,  in  which  the 
following  took  part  :  Messrs.  Wicks,  Exler,  Ager  A\'.  Smith. 
Neve,  Pigg,  Tufnail,  E.  .1.  Dore.  Townsend,  Lever.  Farey, 
Butcher,  Hinton,  <!.  Smith,  Turner,  and  D.  Dore.  Fxhibits 
were  staged  by  Mr.  W.  Townsend,  Sainlliurst  Lnilge,  con- 
sisting of  SpiriL'ii  Louis  van  llmittc.  Dt-utzia  Lenioinei, 
Staphylea  colchica,  Liliunia  ttoriimnda.  and  twenty-six  varie- 
ties of  llclk'liorus,  whilst  Mr.  E.  S.  Pigg,  of  Samoa  Gardens, 
Keiidiick  Ituad,  staged  a  small  but  welMlowered  plant  of 
lle^iniiiii  ciniic  de  boriaine  struck  from  a  leaf,  the  Howers 
and  fnliauc  being  larger  than  those  struck  frttni  cuttings.  A 
vote  ni  thanks  was  inforded  to  each  of  tlie  exliibitors.  Two 
new  nieinbers  were  elected.     • 


lilUSToL  AND  DISTRICT  GARDENERS'  MUTliAI. 
IMPROVEMENT  ASSOCI.VTION. 
Thk  fortnightly  meeting  of  tliis  society  was  held  at  St.  .b»hn  s 
Parish  Room  on  '^rimrsdny,  Januaiy  31,  .Mr.  A.  J.  Hancoi'k 
presiding  over  a  good  attendance.  The  lecture  was  given  by 
Mr.  A.  Jlnore-Sara,  of  Stoke  llishop,  on  "  Leaves,"  Willi  the 
aid  of  diacrams,  as  well  as  mnny  green  and  dried  specimens, 
he  was  able  to  make  the  sulijecL  at  once  interesting  ami 
instructive,  lie  dealt  in  very  clear  detail  with  the  many 
and  varied  forms  of  leaves,  their  arrangement,  the  leaf  veins 
leaf  appendages,  method  of  water  secretion,  and  the  action 
of  cbloropbyli.  Mr.  Ah>ore-Sara's  lecture  was  much  apj>re- 
ciated,  he  being  heartily  thanked  for  it.  Prizes  for  two 
foliage  plants  suitable  for  table  decoration  were  secured  h\ 
Messrs.  SntUui,  Shaddick,  and  Price.  Certiticatea  of  merit 
went  to  Mr.  White  for  Dendrobiura  nobile  and  to  Mr.  Quick 
for  [.adia  anceps. 


^^t. 


GARDEN. 


-:^«^= 


No.  1526.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[February  16,  1901. 


THE  ROYAL  HORTICUL- 
TURAL SOCIETY  AND 
ITS  WORK. 

OXCE  again  it  is  a  pleasurable  duty 
L  to  congratulate  the  president  and 
I  the  council  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  upon  another 
year  of  splendid  work,  and  a 
happy  ending  to  the  nineteenth  century.  A 
new  epoch  is  ushered  in  with  an  increasing 
membership,  a  well-stocked  exeheiiuer,  and 
enthusiastic  supporters,  who  are  interested 
solely  in  horticulture,  with  no  desires  to  stray 
from  the  path  so  clearly  indicated  by  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  as  the  wise  course 
to  follow,  without  hindrance  from  association 
with  kindred  organisations.  Horticulture  and 
that  alone,  in  its  broadest  sense,  will  support 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  and  gather 
into  its  fold,  not  merely  those  who  follow  this 
industry  for  a  livelihood,  but  the  thousands 
of  "  amateurs "  who  love  their  gardens,  and 
gain  through  their  membership  with  the  society 
a  greater  knowledge  of  flowers,  fruits,  and 
vegetables. 

The  report  is  pleasant  reading  to  those  who 
knew  the  society  in  less  prosperous  days,  and 
horticulturists  owe  a  heavy  debt  of  gratitude 
to  those  who  at  a  critical  moment  in  its  history 
saved  the  breaking  ship  from  annihilation, 
and  were  pleased  to  give  financial  assistance 
to  bring  affairs  into  a  satisfactory  condition. 

We  have  published  this  report  with  few 
omissions.  It  is  a  breezy  and  healthy  record 
of  the  year's  work,  and,  as  truly  said,  "  marks 
an  era  in  the  history  of  the  society."  The  new 
charter— the  third  granted  since  the  founda- 
tion of  the  society—came  into  force  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year,  and  the  bye-laws  were 
adopted  in  July,  the  proposals  of  the  council 
for  voting  by  proxy  being  carried  almost 
unanimously;  and  the  past  year,  too,  will  be 
remembered  for  the  meetings  to  promote  more 
thoroughly  the  practical  work  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  by  creating  new  gardens 
in  a  less  crowded  neighbourhood  than  Chiswick, 
where  serious  horticulture,  at  least,  trials  of 
flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables  are  impossible. 
It  is  unfair  to  criticise  new  productions  when 
grown  under  unsatisfactory  conditions. 

Although  no  definite  results  were  attained 
in  the  meetings  about  the  new  gardens,  it  is 
pleasant  to  know  "the  selection  of  a  suitable 
site"  is  still  occupying  the  attention  of  the  coun- 
.cil  as,  a  fitting  way  to  celebrate  the  centenary. 


We  believe  thoroughly  in  the  proposed 
new  garden,  wherever  it  is,  as  a  training 
ground  for  would-be  gardeners  or  horticul- 
turists, and  as  ensuring  independent  trials  of 
flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables.  A  big  hall  is 
unnecessary.  The  present  home  of  the  society 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  is  not  elaborate, 
but  nothing  much  more  expensive  than  this 
is  required,  if  only  the  position  is  central  and 
with  pleasant  surroundings. 

The  report  draws  attention  to  the  need  of 
supporting  the  fruit  show  of  autumn,  and  this 
year  a  greater  efibrt  will  be  necessary,  as  the 
Crystal  Palace  Company  is  compelled  to  reduce 
its  contribution  to  the  fund  by  £.'J0. 

We  hope  this  exhibition,  which  is  an  annual 
reminder  of  the  great  possibilities  of  fruit 
culture  in  the  British  Isles,  will  not  cease  to 
exist  through  lack  of  support. 

There  was  a  somewhat  free  distribution  of 
certificates,  "  awards  of  merit,"  and  medals, 
amounting  to  1,012,  first-class  certificates 
numbering  68,  and  awards  of  merit  30.3,  not  an 
unreasonable  list ;  but  if  awards  are  to  be  given 
to  things  we  have  known  and  appreciated 
since  childhood  days  the  list  will  develop 
inordinately.  A  certificate  or  an  award  of 
merit  should  never  be  given  to  anything  so 
well  known  that  it  has  become  a  familiar 
object  in  orchard  and  garden. 

"  The  .Journal  "  is  a  source  of  great  strength 
to  the  society.  This  grows  in  importance,  and 
is  admirably  edited  by  the  secretary,  the 
Rev.  W.  Wilks.  It  contains  records  of  the 
meetings,  and  also  the  valuable  papers  read 
by  various  men  eminent  in  the  world  of  science 
and  horticulture.  And  again  we  must  praise 
Mr.  Wilks  for  the  pleasant  balance  to  the  good 
of  £1,639  14s.  9d.  on  the  work  of  the  past  year, 
with  an  increase  in  income  of  £597  6s.,  and  in 
membership  of  447,  surely  a  record  that  shows 
a  keen  and  growing  interest,  not  merely  in  the 
society  itself,  but  in  horticulture  in  general. 

The  meeting  on  Tuesday  last,  presided  over 
by  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  the  president, 
was  interesting  and  well  attended,  and  is  duly 
reported  in  the  present  issue. 


NOTES    OF    THE   WEEK. 


The  Orchid  Stud  Book.— Captain  Hurst, 

Burbage,  Hinckley,  wishes  to  thank  all  those 
correspondents  who  have  kindly  favoured  him 
with  replies  to  his  enquiries,  and  much  regrets 
that  he  has  not  time  to  reply  to  all  individually. 
As  a  result  of  the  many  valuable  suggestions 
received,  he  has  decided  to  considerablv  enlarge 


the  scope  of  the  work,  which  will  now  include  : 
(1)  The  first  name  and  reference  of  all  recorded 
crosses,  regardless  of  their  aesthetic  merits,  with 
references  to  figures  and  short  description  ;  (2) 
Selected  varieties  of  above  which  have  been 
figured  in  various  works,  with  references  and 
short  description  :  (3)  The  parent  species  and 
varieties  of  above,  with  selected  figures  and  short 
description. 

Camellias  in  the  open.— A  great  mis- 
take is  made  by  most  people  on  the  subject  of  the 
hardiness  of  Camellias.  Although  in  stitt',  cold  soil 
they  will  not  flourish,  they  are  as  hardy  in  light 
soil  as  the  Common  Laurel — in  fact,  rather  more 
so  ;  but,  flowering  as  they  do  in  the  winter,  the 
flowers  and  half-opened  buds  are  very  apt  to  be 
disfigured,  if  not  absolutely  spoiled,  by  night  frosts, 
and  even  Vjy  dew.  The  injury  done  is  more 
observable  in  the  white  or  pale  colours,  and  there- 
fore where  no  protection  can  be  given  the  darker 
shades  of  red  are  the  more  suitable.  If  the  white 
or  delicately  coloured  ones  are  used  they  should 
be  planted  on  the  north  side  of  a  house  or  high 
wall  and  within  a  few  feet  of  it,  when  it  is  very 
easy  to  give  sufficient  protection  as  soon  as  they  are 
in  bloom  to  prevent  damage,  and  make  the  flowers 
individually  serviceable  for  cutting  and  using  in 
bouquets,  by  hanging  a  garden  light  (of  which  most 
people  have  plenty  that  are  not  in  use  in  winter), 
or  by  stretching  canvas  over  them.  They  are 
largely  grown  in  gardens  in  the  county  of  Dorset, 
and  I  can  generally  pick  a  fair  number  of  un- 
blemished blooms  in  my  own  garden  throughout 
the  winter,  and  even  in  the  severest  frosts. — 
H.  R.  DuGMORE,  ParkMone,  Domet. 

Apple  Ashmead's  Kernel.— It  is  not 

often  we  hear  anything  about  this  old  Gloucester- 
shire Apple,  but,  although  old,  it  is  still  one  of  the 
best  small  dessert  varieties  we  have  for  late  use.  It 
is  not  so  good  in  flavour  as  Cox's  Orange  Pippin, 
but  after  Cox's  are  used  Ashmead's  Kernel  is  most 
welcome,  having  a  brisk,  crisp,  sugary  flavour,  and 
keeps  well  until  the  end  of  March.  The  tree  is  of 
rather  slender  growth,  and  does  not  bear  so  early 
as  some  varieties,  but  is  well  worth  waiting  for. 
There  is  a  new  variety  sent  out  under  the  name  of 
Ashmead's  Kernel  Improved.  Should  this  be  the 
case,  it  should  be  in  ever3'  collection  of  Apples. — 
W.  0.,  Fota. 

The  Shasta  Daisies. — When  one  thinks 

of  the  number  of  Marguerites  of  various  kinds 
which  are  available  for  our  gardens  one  wonders 
if  there  is  still  room  for  more.  Yet  it  is  evident 
that  many  of  the  recent  new  flowers  raised  from 
Chrysanthemum  maximum  are  valuable  plants, 
both  for  garden  decoration  and  for  use  as  cut 
blooms.  The  forms  with  laciniated  petals  are 
very  ornamental  and  much  more  graceful  than  the 
old  stiff  ones.  One  learns,  however,  from  Mr. 
Luther  Burbank's  new  supplement  to  his  "New 
Creations,"  that  we  are  to  have  a  new  race  of 
claimants  for  our  favour  in  the  shape  of  what  he 
calls  Shasta  Daisies.  Only  one  of  the  new  race 
is  to  be  sent  out  at  present,  but  the  engra\'ings, 
apparentlj'  from  photographs,  give  one  a  favour- 
able impression  of  this  new  plant.  The  new  race 
is  said  to  be  the  product  of  hybridising  the 
American  and  European  species  ot  Chrysanthemum 
with  the  Japanese  C.  nipponicum.  There  is 
certainly  about  the  plant  as  shown  a  considerable 
reminder  of  the  graceful  Japanese  plant,  with  less 
of  the  stiffness  which  we  are  apt  to  associate  with 


106 


THE    GARDEN 


[February  16,  1901. 


our  C.  maximum.  It  is  a  plant  whieh  1  shall 
certainh'  try  to  obtain.  Mr.  Burbank  makes  a 
notewnrthy  announcement  in  introducing  the 
Shasta  Dais}',  for  he  says  that  many  new  and 
graceful  forms  have  lately  appeared  among  the 
Shasta  Daisies,  and  that  "well-marked  colours  are 
now  appearing  in  a  flower  which  was  never  before 
seen  except  in  white."  One  waits  with  some 
curiosity  a  description  of  these  new  colours  and  of 
the  first  appearance  of  these.  Is  it  not  possible 
that  there  may  be  some  of  the  "blood"  of 
Pyrethruni  roseum  in  these ':  The  prospect  of 
flowers  of  the  colours  of  our  modern  Pyrethrums 
on  plants  of  the  habit  and  blooming  at  the  time  of 
the  Ox-eye  Daisies  is  rather  a  fascinating  one. 
Will  it  ever  be  realised?  There  seems  to  be  no 
reason  why  it  should  not.  — S.   Arnott. 

The  Market  Gardeneps',  Nupsery- 
men,  and  Farmeps'  Association  and 

her  late  Majesty  the  Queen.  The  following 
resolution  was  unanimousl}'  adopted  at  a  meeting 
of  this  association  held  on  the  .5th  inst.  :  "The 
Alarket  (xardeners".  Nurserymen,  and  Farmers' 
Association  in  meeting  assembled  do  most  respect- 
fully tender  to  His  Majesty  the  King  the  heartfelt 
sympathy  of  the  members  of  the  association  in  the 
irreparable  loss  sustained  \>y  His  Majesty  and  the 
Royal  Famil}',  in  common  with  the  whole  Kmpire, 
in  the  universally  lamented  death  of  Her  Majesty 
Queen  Victoria,  and  do  most  humbly  proffer  to 
His  Majesty  the  King  on  his  accession  unfeigned 
congratulations  and  assurances  of  their  profound 
loyalty  and  devotion  to  his  person  and  throne." 

AH  about  Sweet  Peas.— This  is  the  title 
of  a  brochure  written  by  ilr.  Robert  Sydenham, 
of  Tenby  Street,  Birminghan).  Those  who  are 
beginning  to  grow  Sweet  Peas  or  wish  to  know 
all  the  finest  varieties,  new  and  old,  should  write 
for  it,  as  they  will  find  everything  the}'  wish  to 
know  about  the  culture  and  selection  of  this 
beautiful  flower  fully  explained. 

Denbigh  Castle  Potato.— It  is  easy  to 

understand  why  this  Potato  is  little  known,  because 
it  is  only  now  being  put  into  commerce.  It  was 
one  of  the  first  early  kidneys  grown  for  trial  at 
Chiswick  with  so  many  others  last  summer,  and 
proved  when  lifted  to  be  such  a  good  cropper, 
and  when  cooked  so  delicious  and  so  much  Ijetter 
than  the  average  of  early  kidneys,  that  the  fruit 
and  vegetable  committee  at-Chiswick  unanimously 
granted  it  the  unusual  award  of  a  first-class  certi- 
ficate. The  variety  was  sent  to  the  gardens  by 
Messrs.  C.  Sharpe  and  Co.,  Sleaford,  by  whom  I 
observe  it  is  now  being  offered.  The  variety  has 
in  it  something  of  the  old  Walnut-leaf  Kidney, 
and  very  much  of  its  crisp  nutty  flavour.  If 
everywhere  it  shows  the  same  character  seen  in 
earliness,  cropping,  and  cooking  as  seen  at  Chiswick 
it  should  prove  to  be  a  great  gain  to  early 
Potatoes. — A.  Dean. 

The  Hampstead  Heath  Protection 

Society. — We  have  received  the  annual  report 
of  this  society  from  the  honorary  secretaries,  Mr. 
H.  F.  Pooley  and  Miss  Emily  Field.  This  society 
is  accomplishing  excellent  work,  as  the  following 
remarks  will  show,  and  we  hope  the  London 
County  Council  will  recognise  the  efforts  being 
made  to  preserve  the  natural  beauty  of  the 
Heath  ; — "The  committee  have  called  the  Council's 
attention  to  the  cast-iron  drinking-fountains  lately 
placed  on  tlie  Heath,  and  suggested  that  any 
fountains  placed  in  future  on  the  Heath  should 
be  of  rough  stone  or  some  suitable  material, 
and  more  in  harmony  with  the  character  of  the 
surroundings.  They  have  also  given  careful 
attention  to  the  question  of  the  bare  state  of  the 
hanks  of  some  of  the  ponds  on  the  Heath,  and  have 
suggested  to  the  London  County  Council,  as  a 
beginning,  some  practical  steps  which  might  be 
taken  for  restoring  the  natural  aspect  of  the  banks 
of  the  Leg  of  Mutton  Pond.  At  the  same  time 
they  .suggested  the  removal  of  several  Laburnums 
which  had  been  planted  under  the  Scotch  Firs  at 
the  end  of  tlie  Spaniards'  Road.  A  sub-committee 
have  reported  to  the  committee  on  the  subject  of 
the  deep  ruts  near  the  Flagstaff',  and  their  recom- 
mendations have  been  sent  to  the  London  County 
Council.  The  committee  have  corresponded  with 
the  New    River  Company,  who  have   acceded    to 


their  request  that  the  banks  of  the  newly  enlarged 
reservoir  on  the  summit  of  the  Heath  should  be 
planted  with  suitalile  trees  and  shrubs.  The  surplus 
left  from  the  purchase  of  (iolder's  Hill  having  been 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Metropolitan  Public 
Gardens  Association  as  the  nucleus  of  a  fund  for 
some  further  extension  of  Hampstead  Heath,  it  was 
suggested  by  Mr.  B.  Holmes,  their  secretary,  that 
it  might  be  ultimately  possible  to  bu}'  Telegraph 
Hill  for  the  public,  should  it  at  any  time  be  for  sale. 
The  Hampstead  Heath  Protection  Society  com- 
mittee warmly  approved  of  this,  and  passed  a 
resolution — which  was  sent  to  the  (Iolder's  Hill 
trustees  and  to  the  Metropolitan  Public  (iardens 
Association — to  the  effect  that  the  society  would 
cordially  support  any  such  scheme.  The  committee 
are  watching  with  much  anxiety  the  proceedings  of 
the  promoters  of  the  proposed  extension  of  the 
Charing  Cross,  Euston,  and  Hampstead  Railway  in 
the  direction  of  Oolders  (Jreen  and  Hendun.  They 
are  in  communication  on  this  subject  with  the 
Commons  Preservation  Society,  the  Metropolitan 
Public  Gardens  Association,  and  the  Hampstead 
Borough  Council,  with  a  view  of  co-operating  in 
opposition  to  any  features  of  the  scheme  which 
would  be  injurious  to  the  Heath.  They  deprecate 
any  tunnelling  under  the  Heath,  and  the  erection 
of  any  station  which  would  in  any  way  encroach  or 
infringe  upon  it."  The  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of 
Mansfield  is  patron  in  place  of  the  late  Duke  of 
Westminster;  Mr.  Brodie  Hoare,  M.P. ,  has  been 
re  elected  president,  and  Sir  Spencer  Maryon 
Wilson  and  Mr.  S.  Par.sons,  jun..  ex-superintendent 
of  the  New  York  parks,  have  liecome  honorary 
members. 

The  National  Rose  Society's  Show. 

— Rosarians  will  be  interested  in  knowing  that  this 
great  summer  show  of  Roses  will  not  take  place 
this  year  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  but  in  the  gardens 
of  the  Inner  Temple  This  departure  will,  we 
hope,  be  for  the  good  of  so  excellent  a  society  as 
the  National  Rose  Society. 

"Gardens  Old  and  New."— We  draw 

the  attention  of  our  readers  to  the  supplement 
given  with  the  present  issue  concerning  this 
important  work,  which  forms  part  of  the  valuable 
Country  Lift  Library  now  being  added  to  by 
several  excellent  and  trustworthy  horticultural 
books.  We  shall  review  "  Gardens  Old  and  New  " 
shortly  :  but  all  who  love  the  gardens  of  England 
shouki  add  this  work  to  their  library  at  once. 

Lobelia  LoPd  Apdilaun.— In  his  charm- 
ing account  of  some  of  the  treasures  of  Mr.  W.  E. 
Gumbleton's  famous  garden  at  Belgrove,  Mr.  Bur- 
bidge  incidentally  mentions  and  praises  this  hand- 
some Lobelia.  It  is  well  worth  noting  by  those 
who  like  the  brilliant  Lobelias  of  the  type  of  L. 
fulgens.  Its  velvety  flowers  are  of  a  rich  crimson 
and  are  on  stout  bold  stalks,  so  that  it  makes  a 
very  effective  plant.  The  most  peculiar  feature 
about  it  is,  however,  the  hoary  appearance  of  the 
leaves  ;  this  gives  the  plant  quite  a  distinct  look 
compared  with  the  other  Lobelias  of  the  same 
class.  I  believe  this  Lobelia  is  one  of  those  raised 
by  Mr.  A.  Campbell,  the  skilful  gardener  to  Lord 
Ardilaun,  at  St.  Anne's,  Clontarf,  Dublin.  I  saw 
a  bed  of  it  there  and  admired  its  fine  appearance, 
although  it  had  to  hold  its  own  with  another 
better  known  variety  also  raised  by  Mr.  Campbell, 
which  has  earned  golden  opinions  under  the 
appropriate  name  of  Firefly.  — A. 

Clianthus  puniceus  in  the  south- 
west of  Scotland.- In  The  Garden  of 
December  '22  there  is  an  interesting  reference  in 
a  letter  from  Mr.  A.  Allison,  of  New  Zealand,  to  a 
plant  of  Clianthus  puniceus,  raised  from  seeds 
sent  by  him,  flowering  on  a  wall  at  Dumfries  out 
of  doors.  I  believe  that  this  plant,  which  lived 
and  flowered  for  a  number  of  years,  succumbed  to 
a  hard  winter  a  few  years  ago.  1  had  hoped  to  have 
an  opportunity  of  ascertaining  a  few  particulars 
about  it,  but  have  not  yet  been  able  to  do  so.  It 
was  grown  on  a  sunny  wall,  and  was  protected  with 
mats  in  winter.  It  was  an  object  of  much  interest 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  I  hope  that  the  infor- 
mation that  it  was  ilead  received  some  time  ago  ma} 
be  erroneous.  I  fear  not,  however.  I  am  not  avvare 
of  another  plant  in  the  open  in  the  same  district, 
but  I  know  of  gardens  in  the  south-west  of  Scot- 


land where  it  ought  with  a  little  care  in  winter  to 
become  a  brilliant  feature  of  a  sunny  wall.  It  is 
far  more  striking  when  feen  out  of  doors  than  in  a 
conservator}',  where  one  can  never  see  it  to  the 
same  advantage  as  in  the  open.  1  have  never 
tried  it  here,  Imt  it  is  one  of  the  many  striking 
plants  one  would  like  to  grow  were  more  space 
available. — S.  Arnott,  Car-^ffhorn,  hy  Dinttfrit^, 
X.B. 

A  chat  on    Daffodils.    A  booklet  with 

the  above  title  has  been  published  under  the- 
auspices  of  the  Horticultural  Association  of  New 
Soi;th  Wales,  and  is  really  a  collection  of  Mr. 
Peter  Barr's  interesting  remarks  on  Dafl'odils  made 
by  him  during  his  recent  visit  to  Australia.  The 
association,  realising  the  importance  and  value  of 
Mr.  Peter  Barr's  chats  on  Daffodils,  decided  to 
rescue  them  from  forgetfulness,  and  approached 
him  for  permission  to  reprint  the  same  for  circula- 
tion amongst  its  members  as  a  souvenir  of  Mr. 
Barr's  visit.  The  committee  has  decided  to  otter 
copies  to  all  the  horticultural  societies  of  Australia, 
New  Zealand,  and  the  general  public.  Any  profits 
accruing  from  this  brochure  will  be  spent  in  adding, 
to  the  existing  library  of  the  Sydney  Gardeners' 
Association,  which  is  open  to  members  of  all 
kindred  societies  throughout  Australasia. 

Lettuce   Commodope   Nutt.— At  this 

time  of  year,  when  the  autumn-sown  Lettuce  for 
early  spring  suppl}-  is  damping  off  wholesale,  any 
kind  that  can  be  grown  (juickly  to  maintain  a  some- 
what scanty  suppl}'  will  be  valuable.  In  our  own 
case  damp  is  more  fatal  to  the  autumn-sown  plants, 
than  frost.  Against  the  latter  one  can  protect,  but 
excessive  damp  is  fatal.  Last  season  we  foinid 
Commodore  Nutt  Lettuce  our  earliest  to  mature. 
Seedlings  sown  in  boxes  early  in  January  and 
grown  under  glass  gave  compact  heads  early  in 
April  ;  it  is  a  small  variety  but  remarkably  sweet. 
Planted  in  boxes  a  few  inches  apart  it  turns  in 
rapidly,  and  its  compact  habit,  for  it  may  be  termed 
all  heart,  makes  it  more  useful.  I  am  aware  there- 
are  much  larger  forcing  varieties,  such  as  Golden 
Queen,  a  very  fine  Lettuce,  and  excellent  to  follow 
the  one  named  above,  but  as  many  readers  of  Thk 
Garden  are  aware  the  scarcity  exists  usually  in 
April  or  early  May,  and  even  a  few  days  gain  is 
important.  For  frame  purposes  this  variety  is 
especially  good  ;  I  have  grown  it  in  pots,  but  prefer 
boxes  or  shallow  frames  ;  if  in  boxes  a  little  warmth 
at  the  start  is  Ijeneficial. — W. 

Spping"  Cabbage.— Owing  to  the  aiild- 
ness  of  the  season  we  had  a  very  good  supply 
of  spring  Cabbage  the  latter  part  of  January. 
Readers  may  ask  what  would  you  do  for  a  spring 
supply '/  In  repl}',  we  always  plant  the  autumn- 
sown  Cabbage  in  three  batches  ;  the  earliest  is  not  a 
large  planting,  whilst  the  second  and  third  are 
planted  in  thousands  to  hundreds  of  the  earlier 
one.  In  certain  seasons  there  is  a  chance  of  the 
plants  running,  this  contingency,  we  expect,  but  so 
far,  by  planting  Sutton's  Flower  of  Spring,  we  have 
had  no  cause  to  complain  of  bolting.  The  plants 
turn  in  very  early  in  a  mild  season — now  the  latter 
is  an  advantage  with  a  later  supply  to  fall  back 
upon.  Of  course,  should  severe  weather  set  in, 
such  early  Cabbage  nuiy  get  injured  ;  to  avoid  this, 
we  lift  those  with  hard,  compact  hearts,  and  place 
under  cover,  and  they  are  much  liked  at  table.  I 
am  aware  there  is  no  lack  of  green  vegetables,  but 
early  Cabbages  have  such  a  distinct  flavour  that  they 
are  always  appreciated,  and  the  above  being  a  small 
variety,  with  few  outer  leaves,  a  number  of  plants 
may  be  grown  in  a  small  space.  Ellanis'  is  also 
reliable  for  early  supplies  if  a  good  stock  is 
secured,  but  Flower  of  Spring  is  an  earlier  variety. 
— (J.  W. 

Cpocosmia  aupea  vap.  maculata. 

Whilst  the  type  of  this  extremely  decorative  South 
African  ])lant  has  been  in  cultivation  for  over  half 
a  century,  it  was  not  until  the  year  188S  that  this 
handsome  variety  was  shown  at  one  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society's  meetings  by  Mr.  .lames 
O'Brien,  with  the  information  that  it  probably 
came  from  Algoa  Ba}-.  .\lthough  frequently  grown 
as  a  greenhouse  plant  for  inside  decoration,  it  is 
also  a  desirable  subject  for  outdoor  cultivation, 
and  may  with  safety  be  left  out  all  the  winter  in 
the  warmer  parts  of  the  country.     In  the  event  <if 


February  IG,  1901.] 


THE    GAllDEN, 


107 


frost  protect  the   plants  with   a   few  dry  leaves 
In  the  colder  districts  the  corms  may  be  lifted  and 
potted  up  for  the  winter,  placing  them  in  a  frame 
for  shelter,   but  not  attempting  to  dry  them  ofi. 
Planted  in  groups  in  sheltered  sunny  positions  in 
a  li'dit  loamy  soil,  the  bright  orange-yellow  flowers 
are  very  effective,  being  borne  in  great  profusion 
and  lasting  in  full  lieauty  for  three  or  four  months. 
The  flowers  are  about  '2  inches  in  diameter,  and 
home    on    stems   over   2   feet   in    height.       C.    a. 
maculata  only  ditlers  from  the  type  in  being  more  i 
robust  in  growth  and  taller,  while  the  three  inner  I 
segments  of  the  somewhat  larger  dowers  have  a 
blotch  of  red-brown  colour  near  the  base.     It  is  | 
also  known  by  the  name  of  Tritonia.— W.  Irving. 

Apple  Bpabant  Bellefleup.-Ava,riety 

which  received  an  award  of  merit  at  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  was  ' 
Brabant  Bellefleur,  an  Apple  not  often  staged  in 
such  e.vcellent  condition  as  on  the  occasion  referred 
to.  Like  other  old  or  well-known  varieties,  it  is 
not  a  favourite  in  all  gardens  ;  indeed,  only  a  few 
seasons  ago  I  saw  a  well  known  grower  rooting  up 
this  variety  to  plant  others  that  did  better  as 
regards  regular  cropping.  It  was  rather  strange 
that  an  Apple  which  was  sent  toChiswick  Gardens 
many  years  ago,  and  which  no  doubt  fruited 
in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society^s  gardens  for 
the  first  time,  should  be  recognised  after  so  long 
a  time.  This  Apple  is  also  known  under  the 
name  of  Glory  of  Flanders.  It  is  a  handsome 
fruit,  large,  and  a  greenish  yellow,  changing  to  a 
bright  yellow  when  ripe.  It  is  often  seen  at  shows 
on  account  of  its  size,  and  makes  a  telling  dish  in 
a  collection.  It  is  valuable  as  a  good  keeping 
variety,  being  in  season  from  December  until 
April ;  indeed,  to  show  its  good  keeping  properties 
I  have  seen  it  on  several  occasions 
staged  at  the  Temple  show  late  in 
May.— G.  W.  S. 
The  Chinese  Peach  (Prunus 

davidiana).— The  Howers  of  this  tree 
are  always  welcome  as  being  one  of 
the  very  earliest  harbingers  of  spring. 
Along  with  the  Asiatic  Witch  Hazels 
(Hamamelis),  they  were  this  year 
showing  colour  before  January  was 
past.  Like  other  very  early  plants, 
however,  this  Peach  is  not  so  fine  when 
it  is  prematurely  forced  into  bloom  by 
mild  January  weather  as  when  hard 
frosts  after  Christmas  keep  it  back  till 
about  mid-February.  Then  the  whole  of  the 
seeds  burst  simultaneously,  and  have  a  charming 
effect  if  the  trees  have  a  background  of  Holly  or 
Evergreen  Oak.  There  are  two  varieties  of  the 
species  —  known  as  "rubra"  and  "alba."  The 
former  has  lovely  rose-tinted  blossoms,  but  I  think 
on  the  whole  the  pure  white  "  alba"  is  preferable. 
It  seems  to  flower  more  freely,  and  produces  each 
year  long  erect  shoots,  which  will  soon  be  wreathed 
from  top  to  bottom  with  flowers.  This  white 
variety,  indeed,  very  frequently  has  a  marked 
tendency  to  a  fastigiate  form  of  growth — like  a 
small  Lombaidy  Poplar.  The  species  was  origin- 
ally sent  to  Europe  by  the  Abbe  David,  the 
French  missionary  in  China.  It  is  said  to  be  a 
very  common  tree  in  the  vicinity  of  Pekin.  — 
W.  J.  Bean. 

GishUPStine. — From  the  Belmont  Works, 
Battersea,  S.  W. ,  Price's  Patent  Candle  Company, 
have  come  several  tins  of  this  excellent  com- 
pound, which  is  so  useful  to  all  engaged  in 
gardening. 

Ppunus  sinensis  flope-pleno.- 

Though  differences  of  opinion  may  prevail  as  to 
the  correct  specific  name  of  this  Prunus  (for  it  is 
known  as  japonica  as  well  as  sinensis),  there  can 
be  no  question  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  desirable 
little  shrubs  that  we  have  for  the  greenhouse  in 
the  early  year.  It  is  readily  forced,  and  the 
slender  shoots,  closely  packed  with  comparatively 
large  showy  blossoms,  form  an  attractive  feature, 
and  the  plant  itself  remains  bright  for  a  longer 
period  than  many  forced  shrubs,  as  a  succession  is 
often  maintained  for  some  time.  There  are  two 
forms — one  in  which  the  flowers  are  pure  white, 
and  in  the  other  pink,  which,  however,  pales  after 
expansion.    The  tjpioal  kind,  with  single  blossoms, 


is  not,  as  far  as  I  know,  in  cultivation.  This 
member  of  the  Plum  family  may  be  grown  in  pots, 
and  in  this  way  it  can  be  kept  in  health  for  years 
if  needed.  Immediately  after  flowering  the  branches 
should  be  pruned  back  to  within  a  couple  of  inches 
of  the  base,  and  the  plant  be  encouraged  to  make 
good  vigorous  shoots,  which,  when  well  ripened  by 
full  exposure  to  the  sun  as  the  summer  advances, 
can  be  depended  upon  to  flower  well.  In  obtaining 
plants  see  that  they  are  on  their  own  roots,  as  they 
are  often  met  with  grafted  or  budded  on  to  the 
Sloe,  which  mode  of  increase  is  never  satisfactory. 
Suckers  are  always  a  source  of  trouble,  and  decay 
often  sets  in  at  the  point  of  union.  It  can  be 
readily  increased  by  layers,  while  cuttings  of  the 
young  shoots  produced  under  glass  strike  root  fairly 
well  if  put  in  a  close  propagating  case. — H.  P. 

Cyppipedium    H.    Hanning'ton   (C. 

VILLOSUM  X  C.  F.iSciNATOR). — This  is  a  new  and 
remarkable  hybrid.  C.  fascinator,  the  male 
parent,  is  itself  a  hybrid  raised   between  spiceria- 


CVPBIPEDIUM     H.     HANNINGTOV. 
(About  one-third  natural  size.) 

num  magnificum  and  hirsutissimum,  and  the 
brilliant  colours  of  the  cross  now  under  notice  are 
evidently  obtained  from  the  pollen  parent,  while 
the  other  parent  gives  size  and  that  rich  glossy 
appearance  peculiar  to  villosum.  The  dorsal  sepal 
is  wonderfully  coloured,  exactly  2j  inches  across, 
the  outline  being  boldly  waved  and  nearly 
orbicular ;  a  deep  median  line  of  dark  crimson 
maroon  extends  from  base  to  apex,  on  either  side  of 
which  is  an  area  of  soft  rose-lake,  relieved  by 
deeper  veining  and  spotting.  The  base  is  a  soft 
Apple  green  tinted  with  yellow  and  nearly  covered 
with  innumerable  pin-like  sepia  spots:  the  whole 
segment  is  circumscribed  by  a  broad  zone  of  the 
purest  white.  The  petals  have  their  upper  margins 
strongly  undulated.  Each  has  the  dark  central 
line  seen  in  all  primary  hybrids  obtained  from 
C.  villosum.  Their  colours  may  be  described  as  an 
enlarged  repetition  of  those  on  the  lower  part  of 
the  dorsal,  several  soft  brown  markings  taking  the 
place  of  the  sepia  spots.  At  their  apices  they  shade 
into  light  yellowish  green.  The  large  boldly-shaped 
pouch  is  of  a  delicate  brown  toned  with  yellow  and 
green,  entirely  so  on  the  under  surface,  with  faint 
red-brown  striations  on  the  front  ;  the  interior  is 
thickly  dotted  with  crimson-red  on  a  light  ground  ; 


the  staminode  is  faintly  tinged  with  pink,  and  has 
a  yellow  boss.  This  has  just  flowered  in  the 
collection  of  Mr.  R.  H.  Measures,  The  Woodlands, 
Streatham. 

Gpape  ^Vest's   St.  Petep's.— Why  is 

this  Grape  not  more  often  seen '!  Though,  proljably, 
rather  too  small  in  bunch  and  berry  for  market,  it 
is  unsurpassed  for  private  use  from  October  to 
January.  It  comes  in  when  the  Hambuighs  arc 
finished  and  before  Lady  Downe's  is  ready  for  uhc, 
and  is  much  better  flavoured  than  either  Gros 
Maroc,  Alicante,  or  GrosColmar.  With  care  it  may 
be  kept  until  the  end  of  January.  It  is  a  vigorous 
grower,  sets  its  fruit  freely,  and  invariably  colours 
well,  the  flavour  being  almost  equal  to  that  of  the 
Black  Hamburgh,  which  it  much  reseml>les  in 
appearance.  It  requires  a  warm  vinery  and  liberal 
treatment.  West's  St.  Peter's  is  one  of  the  many 
varieties  of  Grapes  that  have  been  almost  elbowed 
out  of  cultivation  by  larger,  more  showy,  but 
poorer  flavoured  sorts. — C 

Hepbaceous  Lobelias.    A  considerable 

correspondence  has  been  carried  on  in  3our  columns 
during  the  past  few  years  on  the  sul>ject  of  winter 
iug  these  handsome  plants,  a  subject  brieliy  alluded 
to  by  Mr.  .J.  C.  Tallack  in  his  "Flower  Garden" 
notes  on  page  48.     There  is  no  doubt   but  that  in 
some  soils  and  situations  it  seems   impossible;    to 
keep  them  in  health  in  the  open,  while  in  others 
they   pass   through   the  severest   winteis  without 
injury,    though   totally   unprotected.     I   have  ex- 
perienced both  of  these  fortunes  :   the  first  in  light 
soil  in  an  exceptionally  sheltered  and  warm  site, 
perhaps  the  most  favoured  in  this  respect  of  any 
on    the    mainland    of    England,    where   the   only 
method  of  preserving  the  stock  was  that  of  lifting, 
dividing,    and   bringing   the   plants    under    glass, 
referred    to    by    Mr.    Tallack,    while 
the  second  occurred  in   heavy,  reten- 
tive loam  in  close  proximitj'  to  water, 
where  the  plants,  after  being  divided 
in  October,  passed  through  the  winters, 
the  exceptionally  severe  one  of  lS94-9.!> 
amongst  them,  in  perfect  health  with- 
out  the   slightest  protection.      Other 
instances   have    been    cited    of    these 
Lobelias    enjoying    robust    health   in 
heavy,  damp   soil,    in    cold  localities, 
,  though  unprotected  during  the  winter, 

and  there  seems  to  be  but  little  doubt 
that  it  is  under  these  conditions  that 
they  best  retain  their  health.  This,  I 
am  glad  to  see,  is  recognised  in  the  answer  to  a  corre- 
spondent enquiring  as  to  the  best  plants  foraswampy 
spot  (page  35),  Lobelia  cardinalis  being  included 
amongst  those  recommended.  I  mav  mention  that 
I  have  grown  varieties  of  Lobelia  fulgens  and 
L.  syphilitica  as  well  as  the  true  L.  cardinalis, 
and  all  have  proved  equally  hardy  under  similar 
conditions.  Where,  however,  it  is  found  im- 
practicable to  keep  these  plants  in  good  health 
through  the  winter  in  the  open  ground,  the  advice 
given  by  Mr.  Tallack  to  raise  from  seed  should 
most  certainly  be  followed. — S.  AV.  F. 

Roses  and  St.  Geopge's  Day.— Mr. 

Francis  George  Heath,  Underwood,  Kew  Gardens, 
Surrey,  writes  : — "Will  you  kindly  permit  me,  on 
behalf  of  the  committee  of  the  Society  of  St.  George, 
to  express  the  hope  that  Rose  growers  generally  will 
endeavour  to  provide  for  the  large  demand  which 
it  is  hoped  and  believed  will  be  made  on  the  forth- 
coming St.  George's  Day— April  23— for  red  and 
white  Roses.  Our  honorary  secretary,  Mr.  Howard 
Ruff,  241,  Shaftesbury  Avenue,  Bloomsbury,  would 
be  pleased  to  give  any  information  to  applicants  as 
to  the  patriotic  objects  of  the  society." 

Vallota  pUPpUPea.— Although,  as  men 
tioned  in  the  note  accompanying  the  excellent 
drawing  of  this  handsome  flower  which  appeared 
on  page  44,  large  numbers  are  now  imported  into 
this  country  from  the  Cape,  it  is  doubtful  if  such 
fine  specimens  are  as  general  at  the  present  time 
as  in  bygone  years.  Cottagers  used  sometimes 
to  grow  the  "Scarborough  Lily"  with  marked 
success,  and  the  finest  plant  I  have  ever  seen  as 
regards  vigour  and  size  of  scapes  had  its  home  in  a 
cottage  window.  Many  of  the  losses  alluded  to  in 
the  note  may,  I  fancy,  be  attributed  to  the  bulb 
mite.     I    was   unfortunate   enough    to   lose 


col- 


108 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February   16,  1901. 


flowers  in  the  district 
referred  to,  and  dovibt- 
less  those  bulbs  pro- 
ducing blooms  differing 
in  tint  and  form  from 
the  type  are  collected 
elsewhere.  There  maj' 
be  a  fixed  pink  form, 
but  I  have  always 
attributed  this  tint  to 
weakness  in  the  plant. 
A  bulb  bearing  flowers 
of  a  normal  colour 
when  lifted  from  its 
native  bank  produced 
faintly  hued  blooms  on 
its  first  flowering  in 
England,  but  after- 
wards reverted  to  its 
rightful  tint.  In  the 
same  way  it  usually 
takes  the  bulbs  some 
little  time  to  accustom 
themselves  to  the 
change  of  seasons. 
The  earliest  to  flower 
of  those  that  I  Ijrought 
home  blossomed  in 
March  and  others  in 
April  and  May,  but 
before  long  all  accom- 
modated themselves  to 
the  climatic  conditions. 

— S.    W.    FiTZHERBERT. 


LILIUM    TES- 
TACEUTVI. 


LIMUM    TESTArEUM    P.Y    W0ODL.\ND    PATH, 


lection  through  this  pest,  though  ^\hether  it  was 
identical  with  the  Eucharis  bulb  mite  or  no  I  am  | 
unable  to  say.  The  advice  piven  that  sajidy  soil 
should  be  used  in  potting  Vallotas  is  worthy  of 
attention,  and  should,  [  tliink,  be  followed  in  the 
case  of  most  Cape  bullis.  In  one  region  in  wliich 
they  grow  in  thousan<ls  and  where  I  have  met 
with  them,  they  are  chiefly  found  by  the  verges 
of  small  rivers  running  in  deep  kloofs  from  a  range 
of  mountains  to  the  seven  miles  distant  sea.  Here 
the  low  banks  and  spits  on  which  they  grow  are  ' 
formed  chiefly  of  the  gritty  detritus  washed  down 
from  the  higher  levels,  and  the  plants,  as  there  is 
no  regular  rainy  season,  arc  covered  with  feet  of 
foaming  water  after  heavy  rains.  One  such  flood 
took  place  in  the  month  of  February  while  the 
plants  were  in  bloom,  Vjut  they  appeared  none  the 
worse  for  their  two  days'  immersion  a  fortnight 
later.     I  found  no  variation  in  colour  or  shape  of 


LiLiE.s  are  plants  of 
so  stately  a  character 
that  it  is  strange 
how  seldom  they  are 
used  in  the  mass  to 
make  large  effects  in 
the  garden  landscape. 
It  is  true  that  where 
the  White  Lily  does 
well  and  increases 
fast,  some  such  use 
is  made  of  it,  and  we 
see  it  in  noble 
clumps  and  lines. 
Also  the  Auratum 
Lily,  now  so  cheap 
and  easy  to  obtain, 
is  being  more  often 
used ;  but  others 
quite  as  willing  to 
grow  are  compara- 
tively neglected. 
Among  these  is  the 
beautiful  L.  testa- 
ceuni  or  excelsum,  a 
tali  free- growing 
turncayi  of  a  warm 
nankeen  colour  that 
is  easy  to  establish  in  any  good  loam.  The 
illustration  shows  its  importance  when  grown 
in  a  handsome  mass. 


A     JAMAICA     GARDEN. 

(  Colli  hmeA  from    Vol.   LVI 1 1.,  jirKje    ',',7.) 

Sei'Temher  Notes. 

It  is  a  sunny  morning  in  mid-September,  and  I 
write  under  the  shade  of  the  Seaforthia  Palm 
just  below  the  garden  tank.  The  outflowing  water 
drops  some  3  feet  into  a  natural  basin,  which  it  has 
scooped  out  by  its  own  weight  and  scour.  It  sounds 
a  deep,  lulling  note,  or  rather  blend  of  notes,  which 
rises  a  little  and  then  falls  a  little  in  indeterminate 
cadence.  You  try  in  vain  to  fix  the  pitch  at  any 
moment.     It  is  more  elusive  than  that  of  human 


speech.  The  basin  gives  but  an  instant's  pause, 
and  away  runs  the  rill  in  its  usual  hurrj-  and  flurry. 
In  front  of  me  are  rough  stone  steps,  rising,  not 
straight,  but  in  the  arc  of  a  wide  circle  to  the  tank, 
broafl  and  roomy,  as  becomes  a  way  calculated  for 
Ledhu  and  two  watering  cans  :  apt,  however,  to  be 
inv.Tded  liy  neighbouring  growths  and  bold  usurpers 
of  the  middle  of  the  track,  and  so  much  improved 
by  Nature's  planting  that  obstructions  are  left  till 
passage  becomes  impossible.  Then  a  clean  sweep 
is  made,  and,  such  is  the  inconstant  nature  of  man, 
one  rejoices  at  its  appearance  now  that  it  is  cleared, 
to  rejoice  again  when  intrusive  seedlings  take 
possession  of  those  tempting  pieces  of  territory 
which  cracks  between  stones  attbrd.  Between  rill 
and  steps  is  a  small  space  of  lU  square  j'ards,  kept 
always  boggy  and  brilliant  with  Lobelia  cardinalis, 
which  is  seldom  out  of  flower.  Ixora  stricta 
towards  the  tank  wall  carries  out  the  scheme  in 
red,  which  is  contitiued  on  the  other  side  of  the 
steps  by  bronze-leaved  red  Cannas.  A  Pandanus, 
whose  well  poised  leaves  are  broadh'  edged  with 
white,  the  combination  recalling  the  best  colouring 
of  variegated  Holly,  is  particularly  hand.some  in 
conjunction  with  the  stonework  just  here.  Over  it 
is  the  Pomegranate  with  bursting  fruit,  inviting  to 
thirsty  boys  on  such  a  morning  as  this.  The  boggy 
corner  is  carpeted  with  Panicum  variegatum. 
Nothing  can  be  prettier  with  the  Lobelia  and 
Ixora.  The  latter,  which  is  very  slow  in  growth, 
is  still  an  open  bush,  not  the  close,  compact  shrub 
it  will  one  daj'  become,  and  the  grass  climbs 
lovingly  up  it.  There  are  alwa}'s  a  few  self-sown 
Coreopsis,  a  plant  which  likes  a  wet  place — the 
wetter  the  better—and  behind  and  over  all  is  an 
imposing  group  of  White  (iinger  (Hedychiuni 
coronarium),  every  spike  in  flower  in  autunni, 
though  most  of  the  year  we  have  to  be  content 
with  leaves  alone.  In  such  a  spot  Ferns  are,  of 
course,  in  profusion,  and  Selaginella  makes  a  curly 
undergrowth.  Callas,  too,  are  such  fine  things 
that  they  can  scarceh'  be  neglected  in  so  suitable  a 
place,  and  tliey  are  massed  so  as  to  answer  across 
the  basin  to  the  Ginger. 

Looking  in  this  direction,  which  is  uphill  towards 
the  house,  the  winding  grass  path  leads  under  a 
Robinia,  a  well  grown  tree  with  three  stems  branch- 
ing low.  It  is  in  fullest  leaf  just  now  and  very 
handsome.  Behind  it,  makes  itself  well  felt,  that 
commonest  of  shrubs  Hibiscus  rosa-sinensis,  the 
old  single  red,  henceforth  to  be  designated  by  its 
local  name  of  Shoeblack,  so  called  because  its  flower 
freshly  plucked  and  rubbed  upon  them  is  used  to 
polish  boots.  It  is  usually  relegated  to  hedges, 
but  so  grand  a  thing  deserves  a  betterposition,  and 
here  it  is,  close  to  the  tank,  in  a  post  of  honour. 
Under  it  is  a  bold  breadth  of  Rockbush  (Begonia 
ricinifolia).  Of  all  thi.s  splendid  familv  this  is, 
perhaps,  the  best  garden  plant.  It  serves  the  same 
purpose  as  Megasea,  being  slightlj'  larger  and  more 
upstanding.  Associated  with  masonry  it  is  perfect, 
with  its  boldly  sculptured  leaves,  and  in  winter  it 
is  covered  with  putfs  of  ]3ale  pink  lilossom,  in 
proportion  such  as  London  Pride  would  bear  if  it 
had  the  same  sized  leaf. 

From  where  I  stand  another  group  of  Begonia  is 
prominent.  I  have  never  been  able  to  ascertain  its 
name,  but  alwa^is  think  of  it  in  my  mind  as 
Dielytra,  which  in  flower  it  greatly  resembles.  It 
is  always  in  full  bloom,  anil  plants  last  several 
years  without  wearing  out.  An  occasional  cutting 
out  of  old  stalks  and  shortening  in  of  old  wood  is 
all  that  is  required.  Behind  this  I  see  Exca'caria 
bicolor,  a  neat  liille  shrub,  faint  rellex  of  the 
glorious  Star  Apple,  which  it  resembles  somewhat 
in  appearance — the  boys  call  it  Tar  Apple  plant — 
only  the  imder  side  of  its  leaf  is  red.  It  is  well 
placed  here  on  steep  ground,  so  that  j'ou  can  stand 
below  and  look  up  at  it.  Above  is  a  wall,  built 
with  a  few  large  stones  and  earth  for  all  mortar, 
thickly  set  with  an  Aloe — known  as  Single  Bible, 
corruption  of  Senipervivum,  a  name  given  in  error 
— whose  tall  j'ellow  spikes,  like  a  branched  Tritoma 
attract  the  humming  birds.  The  further  corner  of 
the  wall  carries  an  old-esiablished  clump  of  Crinum 
cariba'um.  Usually  it  throws  down  its  head,  but 
to-day  a  fine  umbel  stands  erect  and  cries  "  Don't 
forget  me  ;  remember,  I  am  the  oldest  inhabitant 
of    the   garden,     ^'ou    found    me   here    when   you 


February  16,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


109 


came."  Robiniaand  Shoeblack  hide  out  the  house, 
but  Just  over  the  slope  of  the  kitchen  root  I  catch 
sight  o£  thn  t  Seville  Orange  which  is  always  planted 
near  a  dwelling  for  the  cleansing  of  floors  and  the 
washing  of  dirtj'  hands.  When  a  mason's  day's 
work  is  over  he  knocks  off  some  Seville  Oranges, 
breaks  them  in  half  and  rubs  his  hands  with  them. 
This  is  that  very  Orange,  which  looks  so  small  under 
the  Cotton  trees  (Eriodendron  anfraotuosum,  the 
Ceiba  of  Kingsley's  "  At  Last ").  Throwing  back 
my  neck  to  dislocation  point  I  get  a  glimpse  of 
their  tops. 

The  piece  of  ground  I  have  been  describing,  from 
the  boggy  Lobelia  patch  at  my  feet  to  the  stems  of 
the  Cotton  trees,  is  a  narrow  strip  all  taken  in 
with  one  position  of  tlie  head  and  without  conscioiTS 
shifting  of  the  eyes.  The  storj'  seems  long  in 
telling,  and  yet  it  is  by  no  means  a  full  recital.  I 
see  scores  of  things  left  out,  and  some  very  im- 
portant things  too.  Not  a  word  of  the  wide  breadth 
of  Moriea  iridioides,  the  large-flowered  variety  of 
which  is  such  a  feature  under  the  Robinia,  with 
its  beautiful  pure  pale  flowers.  Nothing  of  that 
Marica  whose  praises  were  so  lately  sounded,  and 
there  are  its  fine  leaves,  though  this  is  not  flowering 
day. 

in  the  same  sweep  of  eyesight  are  L3'coris 
japonica,  a  Lily  whose  sumptuous  hue  of  red  is  all 
its  own,  at  least  I  never  met  its  match  ;  pretty, 
modest  green  and  white  Caladiums,  the  only  ones 
admitted  here  ;  Begonias  of  many  other  kinds, 
notably  B.  metallica,  whose  leaves,  with  their  well 
marked  veins  take  on  unexpected  lustre  in  the  sun- 
shine, and  B.  rubra,  which  flashes  from  several 
points  far  awaj'.  Neat  little  Rivina  humilis,  too,  at 
my  very  feet,  so  daint}'  in  blossom  and  berrj',  one 
of  those  wild  plants  which  is  never  a  weed  ; 
Mother-of-thousands  (Saxifraga  sarmentosa)  ;  the 
dear  old  favourite  Ivy-leaved  Toad-flax  (Linaria 
Cymbalaria),  as  much  at  home  on  mj'  tank  steps 
as  on  English  walls ;  Olea  fragrans,  to  use  its 
time-honoured  name,  though  we  should  say 
Osmanthus,  smelling  like  Grape  Hj'acinth 
(Muscari),  only  sweeter  ;  the  graceful  native  Lily 
Zeph3ranthes  tubispatha,  so  much  more  refined 
than  its  floppy,  pink  brother  Z,  carinata,  which 
with  us  does  duty  (garden,  not  medical)  for  Col- 
ohicum  ;  well  grown  Balsams,  no  thanks  to 
the  grower,  but  all  to  the  soil  and  climate,  blood- 
red  and  pink  ;  Rose  Mr.  Henry  Bennett,  shell- 
like and  lovely  ;  Jlexican  Firebush,  otherwise 
known  as  Annual  Poinsettia  (Euphorbia  hetero- 
phylla),. Jamaica  Forget-me-not  (Browalliademissa), 
and  that  most  perfect  of  all  Forget-me-Nots,  our 
own  home  water  one,  which  spreads  itself  uninvited 
but  not  unappreciated  in  all  sorts  of  damp  corners. 
I  see,  too,  that  grand  scarlet  Salvia  "Bonfire," 
which  does  best  in  siich  a  position  as  it  occupies 
close  to  me  across  the  rill,  under  the  half  shade  of 
a  pretty  wild  shrub,  French  Cotton  or  Chinese 
Cotton  (Gomphocarpus  f ruticosus).  It  bears  bunches 
of  drooping  white  flowers,  followed  by  great  swollen 
bladders,  which  burst  and  set  free  the  Cotton 
winged  seeds.  Its  leaves,  which  are  like  Willow, 
mitigate,  but  do  not  exclude  sun.  A  tendency  to 
be  devoured  by  aphis  seems  to  indicate  that  it 
would  not  be  a  desirable  occupant  of  greenhouse 
space. 

Horse-radish  Trej;. 
Further  on  and  liigher  up,  over  steps  which  ri.se 
to  the  Square  (harden,  are  trees  of  lioringa  ptery- 
gosperma  deserving  more  than  a  passing  word.  In 
design  the  leaves  match  those  of  Thalictrum 
adiantifolium  growing  just  below.  Indeed,  if  the 
name  "  Maidenhair  Tree"  had  not  been  already 
appropriated  by  Salisbviria,  it  would  seem-exactly 
the  right  designation.  Its  creamy  white  flowers 
profusely  borne  perfume  the  air  as  with  fresh  burnt 
incense.  From  the  wood  is  extracted  a  blue  dye, 
the  root  is  used  as  Horse-radish,  which  gives  the 
English  name  Horse-radish  Tree,  and  the  seeds 
supply  that  oil  of  Ben  known  to  watchmakers.  It 
makes  such  rapid  growth  that  I  out  it  down  at 
least  once  a  j'ear  to  bring  leaves  and  flowers  nearer 
to  eyes  and  nose.  One  of  those  I  am  looking  at  is 
the  patriarch  of  his  race,  an  old  wild  or  rather  run 
wild  occupant  of  the  ground  when  it  was  "in 
ruinate,"  as  the  phrase  goes.  It  was  cut  low  a  few 
months  ago,  and  is   now   12  feet  high,  garlanded 


with  Black-eyed  Susan-  (Thunbergia  alata),  but 
this  particular  Susan  is  all  primrose,  with  eye,  if 
anything,  a  little  lighter  than  the  rest  of  her  face. 
The  list  is  not  exhausted,  for  I  see  a  striking 
mass  of  brilliantly  yellow  Croton,  burning  trails 
of  Tropajolum  lobbianum,  silver  bushes  of  Dusty 
Miller  (Cineraria  maritima),  and  yet  there  is 
more.  I  have  turned  by  this  time  quarter  face 
to  the  left,  and  I  want  rather  to  give  an  idea 
of  the  picture  right  in  front  of  me  just  over  the 
tank,  the  next  section  to  the  Lobelia-Shoeblack 
one,  not  in  detail,  but  in  its  boldest  features. 
Twenty  yards  distant  and  several  feet  above  me 
is  a  background  of  low  outbuildings,  masked  for 
half  its  length  by  a  pergola.  The  eye  flies  to  a 
large  bunch  of  Plumbago  capensis  in  front  of  the 
bathroom  door.  Some  distance  downhill  are  two 
far-spreading  W.  A.  Richardson  Roses ;  boughs 
of  one  of  them  dip  into  the  tank  below,  which  is 
my  point  of  observation.  I  just  catch  sight  of  a 
blue  Water  Lily  (Nympha;a  zanzibarensis),  and  then 
all  is  Rose  and  Plumbago.  Now  bear  in  mind  that 
these  are  always  in  bloom,  and  the  colour  of  the 
rest  of  the  picture  is  in  some  measure  determined. 
White  there  must  certainly  be,  nothing  more  suit- 
able and  durable  than  Petunia  and  Vinca,  no  trail- 
ing Periwinkle  this,  but  the  upstanding  V.  rosea 
alba.  It  is  the  whitest  thing  in  the  garden,  and 
makes  everything  else  look  yellow.  More  white 
will  be  supplied  by  a  Beaumontia,  which  is  covering  [ 
the  pergola,  whose  flowering  is  awaited  with  eager 
expectation. 

Below  the  Beaumontia  is  a  steeply  sloping 
bank,  which  varies  from  time  to  time  in  its 
furnishing.  It  begins  with  pale  salmon-pink' 
Geranium,  Lavender,  and  Dusty  Miller.  That  was 
satisfactory.  ^  At  another  time  it  was  "Sunny 
South "  Zinnia,  satisfactory  too,  but  fleeting. 
Sometimes  a  short,  sharp  note  of  piercing  African 
Marigold  is  tried  and  is  a  success.  A  Rosemary 
just  opposite  the  tank  Rose  was  one  of  those 
unfortunate  blunders  the  inexperienced  make.  I 
expected  to  have  an  expanse  of  delightful,  quiet 
colour  at  the  right  hand  bottom  corner  of  my 
picture.  It  is  well  enough  in  the  slanting  lights 
early  and  late,  but  with  a  high  sun,  just  the  time 
one  seeks  the  shady  spot  under  the  Palm,  it  looks 
shabby  and  rusty,  and  yet  it  must  stay,  for  it 
forms  a  perfect  foreground  to  another  picture  seen 
from  higher  up  the  hill.  You  look  into  the  head 
of  the  Rosemary,  dancing  water  behind  it  ;  then 
rising  successively  one  of  the   Richardson   Roses, 


the  Shoeblack,  and  at  one  corner  of  the  terrace  on 
which  the  hou.se  stands,  the  corner  that  is  of  the 
Aloe  wall,  gorgeous  Barbados  Pride  (Cicsalpinia 
pulcherrima)  with  the  Moringas  on  the  left.— W.  .1. 


A   COMBINATION    OF   ROSES. 

A  MOST  interesting  bed  of  single  and  semi-double 
Roses  could  be  formed  by  planting  together  Bardou 
Job,  R.  Pissardi,  and  R.  setigera,  the  more  so  as, 
being  late-flowering,  one  would  obtain  a  mas.'i  of 
bloom  just  as  the  other  single  Roses  are  waning. 
Perhaps  the  best  arrangement  would  be  to  plant 
several  plants  of  Bardou  .Job  in  the  centre  of  the 
bed  and  induce  them  to  grow  in  columnar  form 
by  securing  the  growths  to  short  stakes.  This  is 
probably  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  single 
Roses,  and  at  present  it  is  not  surpassed  in  richness 
of  colour,  the  charming  foliage  helping  not  a  little 
to  add  beauty  to  the  variety.  Around  this  clump 
of  Bardou  Job  a  few  of  the  very  constant-flowering 
R.  Pissardi  should  be  massed.  It  has  fine  trusses 
of  pure  white,  Musk-scented  flowers,  and  little 
flesh-pink  buds  intermingled.  To  surround  this  I 
would  recommend  the  Prairie  Rose,  R.  setigera,  or 
R.  rubrifolia  of  some  ;  its  flowers  are  rich  pink  in 
colour,  shading  to  blush,  and  produced  in  clusters. 
The  growth  is  decidedly  rambling,  but  this  could 
be  pegged  around  the  bed,  and  also  some  growths 
allowed  to  run  among  the  other  two.  When 
the  whole  were  in  bloom  a  very  prett3'  eff'ect 
would  be  produced,  and,  of  course,  interest  would 
be  maintained  by  the  two  first-named,  as  they 
continue  flowering  for  several  weeks.  P. 


OUR    BOTANIC    GARDENS. 


CAMBRIDGE. 

CAMBRIDGE  i.s  fortunate  in  its 
Botanic  Gardens,  and  the  Botanic 
Gardens  are  fortunate  in  their 
curator.  Such  is  the  conclusion 
one  arrives  at  after  a  visit  to  them 
and  a  walk  around  the  interesting 
and  instructive  collections  of  hardy  and  tender 
plants  which  they  possess.  Cambridge  Botanic 
Gardens  exist  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  supjily- 
ing  the  University  with  material  for  scientitic 


IN    THE    CAMBRIDGE    BOTANIC    GARDENS. 


110 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[[February   l6,  190l, 


research.  They  are,  however,  subject  to  certain 
regulations,  thrown  open  to  the  public  on  week 
days,  and  during  the  summer  months  are  very 
popular  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  University 
town  as  a  place  of  recreation.  The  number  of 
seedling  plants  in  various  stages  of  growth, 
and  other  specimens  supplied  to  the  students 
almost  every  day  during  term-time  is  enor- 
mous, amounting  .sometimes  to  considerably 
more  than  1,000.  When  one  remembers  that 
the  numerous  natural  orders  of  flowering  plants. 
Ferns,  mosses,  A-c,  that  it  is  necessary  should 
be  as  representative  as  possible,  have  to  be 
maintained  and  the  careful  cultivation  that 
such  a  varied  collection  of  plants  entails  ;  when 
one  thinks  also  of  the  large  number  of  flowers 
that  are  required  for  purposes  of  examination 
in  the  laboratory,  together  with  the  necessity 
of  always  having  the  grounds  bright,  varied, 
and  of  neat  appearance  in  consideration  of  the 
public  visitors,  it  is  evident  that  the  duties  of 
curator,  for  nearly  twenty-two  years 
most  ably  carried  out  by  Mr.  E.  Irwin 
Lynch,  are  no  sinecure. 

The  history  of  the  Botanic  Garden.s, 
which  ifr.  Lynch  was  good  enough  to 
summarise,  is  of  unusual  interest.  It  was 
in  1696  that  the  proposition  was  first  made 
to  establish  a  physic  garden  in  connection 
with  the  University,  and  the  ground  was 
cherefore  selected.  From  then  until  1760, 
however,  nothing  more  was  done  in  the 
matter.  In  the  latter  year  £1,600  Avas 
spent  in  the  purchase  of  five  acres  of 
ground,  where  had  formerly  stood  the 
monastery  of  the  Avistin  Friars.  In  1847 
about  thirty-eight  acres  of  land  were 
obtained  on  the  south  side  of  the  town, 
open  to  the  country  and  more  suitable 
for  plant  cultivation.  To  this  new 
ground  the  collections  of  pilfints  were 
transferred,  and  about  thirteen  years  ago 
the  handsome  corridor  and  plant  houses 
were  erected.  These  are  most  conveniently 
arranged ;  each  glass  house  set  apart  for 
the  cultivation  of  a  certain  class  of  plants 
is  built  at  right  angles  to  the  corridor, 
with  which  it  is  connected,  and  leading 
from  the  corridor  on  the  o]5posite  side  are 
the  propagating  houses,  potting  sheds, 
offices,  laboratory,  &c. 

Most  persons  interested  in  general  gai- 
dening  could  not  fail  to  notice  one  feature 
in  the  Cambridge  Botanii'  Gardens,  and 
if  we  were  asked  to  mention  any  particular 
way  in  which  these  gardens  have  rendered 
a  service  to  general  horticulture  we 
would  unhesitatingly  jioint  to  this  special 
feature.  We  refer  to  the  valuable  infor- 
mation that  has  here  been  gained  with 
reference  to  the  hardiness  of  many  flowering 
plants  before  supposed  to  be  half-hardy  or 
tender.  It  was  quite  surprising  to  see  many 
such  out  of  doors  that  one  usually  meets 
with  in  glass  houses.  To  mention  but  a 
few  of  the  most  noteworthy,  Olea  europea  (the 
Olive  Tree),  thriving  well,  has  been  outside 
all  the  year  round  for  the  last  ten  years  ; 
Thunbergia  natalensis,  Photinia  serrulata, 
Eupatorium  fragrans,  which  flowers  quite 
freely  ;  Coronilla  glauca  will  here  withstand  a 
moderately  severe  winter  :  a  Myrtle  bush, 
Heimia  grandiflora,  bearing  large  yellow 
flowers,  has  been  outside  since  18H7  :  (Jhloro- 
phytum  elatum  variegatum,  so  much  used  now 
in  the  embellishment  of  our  flower-beds  in 
summer,  is  here  (|uite  hardy.  Erythrina  Cristo 
galli  (the  Coral  Ti'ee)  has  lieen  out  many  years, 
and  other  examples  might  be  cited. 

These,  it  is  perhaps  Imt  right  to  say,  were  not 
in  expo.sed  positions,  but  on  a  border  nt  the 
foot  of  a  wall,  from  which,  of  course,  a  certain 


amount  of  protection  would  be  derived.  That  seen)  being  then  at  their  best  give  an  additional 
they  should  be  thriving  so  remarkably  well  ,  graceful  beauty.  The  bog  garden,  too.  i.s  full  of 
out  of  doors  here  is,  however,  worthy  of  note.  !  interest,  as  much  from  its  position  and  design 
The  New  Zealand  Veronicas  are  exceptionally  as  from  the  plants  it  contains.  It  is  in  a 
fine  at  Cambridge,  Capparisspinosa  flowers  well, '  sheltered  nook  quite  close  to  the  lake,  and 
and  Ribes  speciosum,  a  very  showy  species  ; .  almost  surrounded  by  sloping  banks,  where 
Amicia  zygomeris,  figured  and  described  in  The  j  many  Ferns  and  some  herbaceous  plants  find  a 
G.\EDEN  of  December  1,  1900  :  Senecio  com-  congenial  home  ;  the  centre  of  the  bog  garden 
pacta,  a  shrubby  Senecio  ;  S.  niveus,  a  South  j  is  really  a  tiny  lake,  wherein  are  mounds  of 
African  species  ;  a  leafless  form  of  Rubus  aus-  i  land  or  islets,  and  these  form  an  ideal  spot  for 
tralis,  having  pretty  white  spines  ;  Pentstemon  many  water-loving  plants.  The  herbaceous 
Menziesi,  .shrubby  ;  Veronica  cupressoides,  I  plants  are  not  arranged  in  the  manner  usual 
bearing  a  striking  resemblance  to  Cupressus  j  in  botanic  gardens,  i.e.,  in  narrow,  oblontr,  and 
foliage  ;  those  fine  Torch  Lilies,  Kniphofia ,  unsightly  beds,  but  the  latter  are  of  various 
caulescens  and  K.  Tucki,  and  Cotoneaster  forms,  simply  units  in  a  de.sign.  In  this 
horizontalis,  particularly  fine,  with  bluish  I  arrangement,  however,  botanical  sequence  is 
tinted  leaves,  are  just  a  few  other  noteworthy  i  adhered  to,  and  'Sir.  Lynch  does  nrit  find  that 
hardy  plants  in  the  Cambridge  collection.  I  study   is    in    any    way   impeded,   and   from  a 

Thladianthadubia,  so  well  shown  at  the  Drill  garden  point  of  view  the  ettect  is  certainly 
Hall,  Westminster,  last  year  by  Messrs.  Veitch,  more  pleasing.  Considerable  additions  have 
of  Chelsea,  thrives   well  upon  an   iron   fence    been  made  during  recent  years  to  the  collections 

of  hardy  trees  and  shrubs,  with  the  result 
that  during  spring,  when  the  majority  of 
these  are  in  flower,  the  gardens  are  addi- 
tionally attractive.  The  rock  garden, 
too,  contains  many  most  interesting  little 
plants,  though  we  cannot  do  more  than 
mention  just  a  few  of  them.  The 
yellow  flowers  of  Biscutella  hevigata 
(with  pretty  light  green  leaves)  were 
nearly  over  in  November ;  lonopsidium 
acaule  had  still  a  few  flowers  open  ; 
Bupleurum  fruticosum  had  flowered  well  ; 
Dianthus  Knappi  was  evident ;  the  Rock 
Roses  were  flowering  a  .second  time  ; 
Alyssum  spinosum,  that  is  well  named  :  the 
rare  Acantholimon  venustum,  and  Cottm- 
easter  rupestris. 

In  the  glass  houses  there  is  much  to 
instruct  and  interest  both  student  and 
visitor  ;  the  tempeiate  house,  around  the 
pillars  of  which,  as  shown  in  our  illus- 
tration. Asparagus  retrofractus  forms  an 
elegant  covering,  has  Dahlia  imperialis  in 
flower,  a  fine  specimen  of  Todea  barbara 
and  other  cool  house  Ferns,  as  well  as  an 
excellent  collection  of  tender  Conifers. 
Hildagoa  Wercklei,  illustrated  in  Tiik 
Gaeden  of  Octolier  6,  lOOO,  was  in  flower 
in  another  house,  and  the  stove  contains 
amongst  other  plants  well  worthy  of  note 
the  remarkable  Begonia  venosa,  Pentas 
carnea,  Monstera  deliciosa,  Wormia  Bur- 
bidgei,  Hoya  carnosa,  etc.  In  the  two 
houses  filled  with  Cacti  we  noticed 
Kleinia  arborescens,  a  curious  plant  that 
grows  in  winter  only,  while  in  the  Ferneries 
and  Orchid  houses  one  might  spend  a  deal 
of  time  profitably  and  pleasantly  in  exa- 
mination of  the  splendid  collections  there, 
near  Mr.  Lynch's  house,  and  for  the  last  two  We  cannot  close  without  a  word  in  appre- 
or  three  moiiths  of  the  year  its  numerous  ovate  elation  of  Mr.  R.  Irwin  Lynch,  who  has  for 
fruits,  scarlet-crim.son  iii  colour,  are  very  bright  so  long  had  charge  of  the  Cambridge  Botanic 
and  picturesque.  Hardy  Cacti  are  very  sue-  Gardens,  and  has  done  so  much  to  imjirove 
cessfuUy  cultivated  in  the  Cambridge  Botanic  them.  Mr.  Lynch  had  an  excellent  training 
Gardens  ;  they  are  simply  protected  by  means  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  where  _he  worked 
of  .sashes  during  very  severe  or  very  wet  for  over  twelve  years  previous  to  IS, !l,  the  year 
weather,  heavy  rains  even  doing  more  harm  to  of  his  appointment  to  Cambridge, 
them  than  cold.  Several  Opuntias  have  Mr.  Lynch  has  done  good  work  at 
flowered   here,   and   there    is   a   fine   ma.ss   of   Cambridge    in   practical   and   scientific   horti- 


MK.    R     IRWIN    I.VNCII,    A.L.S. 


O.  Engelmanni,  this  ha\ing  flowered  last  year 
for  the  first  time,  although  it  was  planted  in 
l«9.").  Opuntia  glauca,  O.  arborescens.  Agave 
utaheiisi.s,and  EcheveriaPurpu.si  are  all  at  home 
out  of  doors,  and  Gerbera  .lamesoni,  growing 
with  them,  is  a  picture  of  healthy  luxuriance. 

Around  the  lake  there  are  many  charming 
lieeps   to  be   obtained,   in    which    during   the 


culture,  as  well 
rent  literature. 
"The  Evolution 
in  "The  .lournal 


as  m  contributing  to  cur- 
'i'he  scholarly  lecture  on 
of  Plants,"  which  apjieared 
of    the  Royal   Horticultural 


Society,"  and  was  read  before  tliis  society  last 
year,  is  his  latest  important  literary  ettbrt. 
Mr.  Lynch  is  an  associate  of  the  Linnean 
Society,    a    corresponding     member    of     the 


winter   time  the    brightly   coloured   stems   of  Imiierial  Horticultural  Society  of  Russia,  and 

Dogwood  and    Willows  play  no   unimportant  was  recently  awarded  a  large  Veitchiaii  medal 

part,  whilst  in  spring  and  summer  the  clumps  for    eminent    .services    rendered     by    him    to 

of  Bamboos  (of  the  finest  we  lemember  to  have  horticulture. 


February  16,  1901,] 


THE  GARDEN. 


Ill 


THE     FERN     GARDEN 


FEKN  GARDEN  AND  FRAMES. 

THE  natural  habitats  of  most  Ferns  being 
broken,  sloping,  and  more  or  less  rocky 
ground,  or  the  chinks  and  crevices  in 
rooks,  stone  dykes,  and  old  walls,  it  is 
as  well,  so  far  as  may  be  possible,  to 
imitate  these  conditions  under  culture, 
and  to  instal  each  species  as  nearly  as  maj'  be  in 
similar  situations  to  those  it  occupies  in  a  wild 
state.  As  these  are  indicated  in  each  case  here- 
after in  connection  with  the  species,  we  need  not 
specify  them  here,  but  merely  point  out  the 
principles  which  should  guide  us  in  constructing 
rockeries,  &c. ,  for  their  accommodation. 

With  few  exceptions,  despite  their  need  of  water, 
Ferns  grow  in  situations  whicli  are  so  far  drained 
that  uo  stagnancy  occurs,  and  this  must  be  borne 
in  mind.  To  start  a  rockery,  therefore,  the  soil  of 
the  site,  if  of  a  cla3'ey  nature,  should  be  thoroughly 
opened  up,  and  a  liberal  supply  of  old  brick  rubbish 
piled  thereon  as  a  foundation.  Upon  this  a  heap 
of  leaf-mould  and  garden  soil,  about  half  and  half,  [ 
can  be  jjlaced  until  the  mound  is  nearly  a  foot  higher 
than  is  re([uired  to  admit  of  subsequent  settle- 
ment, with  a  slope  to  the  north  or  north-east,  and,  j 
if  possible,  under  the  shelter  of  a  wall  facing  north 
or  trees  on  the  south  side  sufficiently  far  away  to 
prevent  their  roots  monopolising  the  rockery.  The 
mound  being  in  shape,  we  may  now  proceed  to  face 
it  with  rude  lumps  of  rock,  the  more  porous  the 
better,  or,  in  default  of  rocks,  with  masses  of 
shapeless  brick  waste,  known  as  burrs,  knocking  all 
square  corners  oti'  with  a  hammer  if  the  bricks  be 


too  much  in  evidence.  In  arranging  these  lumps, 
begin  at  the  borders  of  tlie  mound,  digging  out  a 
station  for  each  with  a  trowel,  and  seeing  that  it 
beds  itself  firmly  on  its  own  centre  of  gravity, 
otherwise  a  frosty  spell  at  even  the  settlement  of 
the  mound  will  lead  to  unwelcome  disturbance 
after  the  Ferns  are  inserted.  Use  most  of  the 
largest  burrs  or  rocks  for  the  corner  portions,  and 
carefully  avoid  any  formal  arrangement.  As  we 
proceed  upwards  we  must  leave  space  for  the  Ferns 
to  be  planted  in,  and  arrange  some  of  the  remaining 
large  pieces  irregularly  about  to  form  somewhat 
overhanging  shelters  for  such  Ferns  as  the  Holly 
Fern  and  Parsley  Fern,  which  much  like  to  grow 
out  of  stations  so  protected.  The  rockery  com- 
pleted as  regards  construction,  give  it  a  thorough 
drenching,  and  let  it  settle  down  for  a  day  or  two. 
Then  when  the  soil  has  become  workable — i.e.,  not 
sticky  with  wet — plant  the  Ferns  carefully  in  the 
space  left  for  them,  digging  out  a  spacious  hole 
and  spreading  their  roots  close'to  or  even  under 
the  burrs,  which  may  be  raised  up  for  the  purpose  ; 
the  roots  when  outspread  can  have  a  trowelful  or 
two  of  compost  thrown  over  them,  so  that  when 
the  burr  is  let  down  into  its  place  its  possible 
roughness  does  no  harm.  In  the  small  chinks  the 
.Spleenworts  will  be  at  home,  and  in  the  larger 
stations  the  other  species  must  be  arranged  with 
due  regard  to  size.  Ferns  requiring  special  soils 
should  have  stations  dug  out  and  filled  accord- 
ingly. 

Osmunda  regalis,  being  a  bog  Fern,  must  have 
a  peaty  station  near  the  bottom  of  the  ro'.i'-  ery ; 
L.  montana,  a  yellow  loamy  one,  half-wa3'  up,  and 
so  on,  while  lime-loving  Ferns,  such  as  the  Lime- 
stone   Polypody   and    L.    rigida,    should    have    a 


spadeful   of   old    morcar 


ASPARAGUS    KETRUl'KAOTUS    IN    THE    TEMPERATE    HOUSE,    CAMBRIDGE. 


mixed  with  the  soil  in 
these  stations.  ]j\ 
attending  to  these 
little  points  a 
much  more  comprehen- 
sive selection  can  be 
grown  successfully  tlian 
if  one  and  the  same 
compost,  irrespective  of 
likes  and  dislikes,  be 
used  for  all.  The  early 
spring  is  tlie  best  time 
of  all  for  starting  a 
rockery,  but  in  point 
of  fact  it  can  be  made 
at  any  season,  provided 
care  be  taken  to  pre- 
vent drought  killing  the 
plants  before  they  are 
properly  established. 
For  Ferns  with  travel- 
ling rootstocks,  like  the 
Polypodies,  a  fair 
space  must  be  left,  and 
in  any  case  it  is  very 
unwise  to  fill  the 
rockery  at  the  outset 
with  closely  planted 
Ferns.  If  they 
thrive  they  will 
speedily  enough  be 
shouldering  one  another 
for  room,  to  the  great 
detriment  of  their  in- 
dividual beauty,  hence 
it  is  well  to  plant  widely 
apart,  and  so  defer  this 
evil  as  long  as  possible. 
One  other  point  is  the 
advisability  of  planting 
single  crowns  instead  of 
clumps.  If  you  have 
clumps  of  several 
crowns,  pull  or  cut 
them  all  apart,  and 
either  plant  them  sepa- 
rately or  give  all  but 
one  away.  The  fronds 
and  general  develop- 
ment of  a  single  crown 
Fern  always  far  and 
awaj'  excel  those  of  a 
member  of  a  crowd. 


Frames. 
For  many  of  the  medium  growing  species,  such 
as  the  Blechnums,  Polypodies,  Spleenworts,  and 
Hart's-tongues,  frame  culture  permits  the  formation 
of  very  charming  groups  where  each  species  is  kept 
to  itself,  and  as  the  glass  prevents  much  of  that 
weather  damage  which  is  unavoidable  in  the  open, 
such  frames  can  be  utilised  for  small  growing 
delicate  varieties  of  the  larger  species  as  well.  As 
regards  the  frames  theni.selves,  any  ordinary  form 
with  a  sliding  light  suffices,  but  one  'iA  feet  high 
at  back  by  2  feet  or  18  inches  in  front,  according  to 
depth,  answers  all  purposes.  A  station  drained  as 
above,  and  provided  with  soil  suitable  to  the 
species  intended  to  be  grown,  must  be  made  the 
size  of  the  frame,  which  is  then  simply  set  on,  with 
the  light  sloping  to  the  north  or  north-east,  and 
here  again  it  is  well  if  the  midday  or  early  after- 
noon sun  be  warded  ofi'  by  a  wall  or  trees.  If  not, 
a  movable  blind  is  requisite.  When  the  frame  is 
well  protected  from  the  sun,  the  sides  of  it  may  be 
profitably  utilised  by  nailing  0-inch  slips  of  wood  at 
an  angle  of  4.5''  along  them  so  as  to  form  troughs,  or, 
better  still,  a  few  galvanised  iron  brackets  screwed 
on  at  the  same  angle  will  support  (i-inch  ridge 
slates  used  for  roofs  to  form  imperishable  troughs  of 
the  same  size.  These  Ijeing  drained  and  filled  with 
good  soil  are  extremely  handy  for  young  seedlings, 
and  take  up  practically  no  room.  The  plant- 
ing of  these  frames  is  a  simple  matter,  and  if 
desired  pots  can  be  sunk  in  the  soil  as  well, 
though  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  roots 
are  very  apt  to  penetrate  the  soil  and  get 
broken  off  if  the  pots  be  shifted.  Also,  bear  in 
mind  the  warning  about  close  planting ;  it  is  not 
a  jungle  which  is  wanted,  but  rows  of  pretty  plants 
with  unhindered  development  of  these  individual 
variations.  C.  T.  Druery. 


FALKIA      REPENS     (L,.). 

On  the  "kopjes''  of  South  Africa,  in  the  cracks  of 
rocks  fully  facing  the  sun,  in  Cape  Colony,  Natal, 
and  the  Transvaal,  is  a  very  small  plant  that  shines 
out  in    the  sunlight  and  brightens  the  landscape 
with   its   little   ros}-  bells.     It  is   a  curious  little 
Convolvulus,    with     tightly    compacted    tufts    of 
greyish  foliage,   and  the  appearance  of  an  alpine 
plant.     Some  time  ago  I  had  seen  this  plant  dried, 
and  had  always  wished  to  possess  it.     It  is  figured 
in  the  Botanical  Magazine    (t.  SSSS),  but  I   have 
never  seen  it   represented   elsewhere.     I  did   not 
even  know  that  it  was   in   cultivation  (although 
Paxton  describes  it  as  having  been  introduced  in 
1774)  or  concluded  that  it  had  been  lost.     I  was 
just  considering  whether  I  could   not  procure   it 
from    some  English   friends    at   the    Cape,    when 
passing    through     the    cold    greenhouse    of     the 
Botanical  Gardens  at  Leipzig  I  found  my  plant ; 
one  specinen  only  it  is  true,  but  in  a  grand  state  of 
prosperity.     The  director  was  good  enough  to  let 
me  have  a  division,  ai^d  conveying  it  carefullj'  to 
Geneva   I   consigned   my   treasure   to   the  special 
care  of   my  head   gardener.      He   carried  out  his 
trust  so  fully  that  the  following  3'ear  it  flowered 
well,  and  now  our  garden   possesses  quite  a  fair 
stock.     Falkia  repens  is  a  little  known  plant.     Is 
this  because  it  is  of  insignificant  appearance?     By 
no  means.     It  is  a  charming  thing  of  tufted  habit 
like  the  little  flowery  Pincushions  that  one  sees  in 
the  high  Alps.     To  look  at  it  no  one  would  think 
it  was  an  African  plant ;  all  who  have  seen  it  take 
it  for  a  new  alpine.     It  is  a  herbaceous  plant  not 
more    than   2   inches    high,    leaves   small,    ovate- 
cordate,    entire  ;    stalks   short,   creeping :    flowers 
comparatively  large,  the  size  of  a  thimble  ;  corolla 
bell-shaped,  open,  rose  colour  marbled  with  white, 
very  pale  in  the  throat.     It  is  a  plant  of  delicate 
and  beautiful  appearance,  and  the   abundance  of 
the  flowers   on    the   tuft   has    a   charming   effect. 
Falkia  repens  is  hard}'  in  the  southern  parts  of 
France  and  of  England,  though  scarcely' at  Geneva, 
where  we  have  to  consider  it  a  plant  for  a  cold 
greenhouse  or  a  frame.     We  have,  however,  suc- 
ceeded with   a  few  roots  that  were  left   out  last 
winter  in  a  sheltered  place.     It  should  have  a  hot, 
sunny  position,  and  light  sweet  soil.    It  is  increased 
by  cuttings  taken  in  April  and  August. — Henry 

CORREVOX. 


112 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February  16.  1901. 


AN   ARTIST'S   NOTE- 
BOOK. 


FLAG-LEAVED    IRISES. 

WHAT  would  our  gardens 
lie  without  the  many 
kinds  of  the  Flag- 
leaved  Irises?  Though 
the  month  of  .June, 
when  they  are  /  in 
bloom,  is  the  most  flowery  one  of  the 
year,  we  could  not  aflord  to  be  with- 
out them.  From  the  common  blue, 
the  earliest  to  flower  and  always 
welcome,  through  the  beautiful  pro- 
cession of  the  grey-white  Florentine, 
the  stately  pallida,  and  then  the  main 
host  of  bronze  and  yellow,  purple  and 
white,  they  are  a  daily  joy  to  the 
lover  of  good  flowers,  while  to  the 
colour  student  they  provide  some  of 
the  most  instructive  of  living  lessons, 
and  to  the  more  mature  artist  an 
unending  delight  and  source  of  in- 
spiration. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


EARLY    MELONS. 

FOR  very  early  supplies  the 
best  forcing  house  should  be 
at  command,  as  it  is  useless 
to  plant  in  any  house  or  pil 
where  top  and  bottom  heat 
are  insufficient  to  maintain 
growth.  I  have  been  obliged  at  times  to 
get  early  fruits  at  all  hazards,  and  have 
obtained  fair  results  from  pot  culture, 
as  by  this  method  the  plants  in  their 
early  stages  can  be  given  more  warmth 
when  placed  over  hot-water  pipes,  and 
nuich  time  is  saved.  There  is  no  gain 
at  all  by  sowing  too  early  and  then 
allowing  the  plants  to  starve  in  the  seed 
pots.  Sfuch  better  sow  at  this  date,  or 
at  any  time  during  the  next  month,  and 
grow  tlieni  on  without  a  check.  Seed 
sown  now  —  middle  of  February  —  will 
give  ripe  fruit  at  the  end  of  May,  and  if 
succession  crops  are  needed  I  would 
advise  sowing  ever}'  three  weeks  from 
now  until  August.  Pot  Melons  do  well 
in  Pine  stoves,  and  as  there  are  so  few 
Pines  now  grown  in  private  gardens 
space  may  be  afforded  for  a  crop  of 
Melons.  I  have  also  grown  good 
crops  along  the  front  of  other  houses. 
Wherever  grown  remember  that  heat  and 
atmospheric  moisture  are  essential,  as 
dryness  tends  to  red  spider  and  decay. 
I  lia\'e  also  grown  a  fair  crop  on  the 
back  portion  of  a  Cucumber  pit,  the 
latter  crop  being  over  or  not  needed  at 
the  time  the  Melons  were  finishing.  In 
all  cases  at  this  early  season  I  would 
advise  growing  a  variety  that  matures 
early  with  a  ihin  skin,  and  I  think  the 
scarlet  He.sh  the  earliest,  though  there  are 
some  good  white  ones  usually  so. 

Pot  Culturk 
may  suit  many  who  do  not  possess  a 
Melon  house  proper,  and  I  will  briefly 
describe  cultural  details.  We  sow  a 
couple  of  seeds  in  3-inch  pots  in  fairl_v 
good  soil,  place  on  warm  pipes  to 
germinate,  but  give  water  sparingly 
uatil  the  plants  are  well  above  the  soil. 
Grow  them  near  the  light.  Of  course 
those  who  have  well-heated  beds  near 
tlie  glass  will  plunge  the  seed  pots,  but 
this  is  a  small  matter.  If  the  house  is 
lieirig  used  the  seedhugs  may   be   potted 


.V    MIXED   C4R0UP   or  THE   BEAUTIFUL   GERMAN'   OR  FLAG-LEAVED 
IRISF.S. 

(Ffjiii  ti  painiinj  h.i  M''^'<  0.  M.  stanlrii.) 


on  into  •iAinch  or  li-inch  pots,  according 
to  the  strength  of  the  plants,  but  it  is 
well  to  get  the  fruiting  pots  in  position. 
Tlie  size  depends  upon  the  variety  and 
number  of  fruits  to  be  cut.  I  have 
grown  plants  in  inverted  Seakale  pots  for 
a  large  crop,  and  in  Ki-inch  or  18-inch 
for  a  small  one,  say,  two  or  three  fruits 
on  a  plant.  Of  course  'iO-inch  pots  may 
be  used,  but  with  such  large  pots  plants 
cannot  be  grown  on  shelves.  Another 
point  is  whether  the  plants  can  be  given 
bottom  heat.  Many  who  grow  Melons 
will,  indeed,  have  to  rely  upon  manures 
as  the  heating  agencj',  and  of  the  latter 
I  would  advi.se  a  liberal  quantit}'  of  fresh 
leaves,  as  the  heat  is  more  lasting  and 
not  so  violent.  If  the  heating  materials 
are  mixed  it  is  well  to  have  the  same 
in  a  large  heap  for,  say,  a  fortnight 
before  placing  in  position,  as  if  this  is 
done  the  materials  can  be  put  much 
closer  together  than  in  a  fresh  state.  It 
p  also  advisable  to  use  manures  not  too 
lar  advanced,  but  still  not  too  loose  or 
strawy,  and  the  wliole  made  as  firm  as 
possible  when  placed  in  the  bed.  If 
there  are  hot-water  pipes  place  some 
thick  sods  of  freshly-cut  turf,  or  even 
some  bricks  or  tiles,  directly  over  them, 
liefore  placing  the  pots  in  position,  and, 
of  course,  grown  thus  little  plunging 
material  will  be  needed  to  maintain  a 
regular  temperature. 

Composts 
are  most  important  in  pot  culture  ;  if 
too  light  the  results  are  not  satisfac- 
tory. Large  masses  of  soil  are  not 
needed  for  Melons  at  anj'  stage  if  there 
is  no  lack  of  food  when  the  plants  have 
formed  their  fruits.  Even  with  pot 
culture  whatever  sized  pot  is  used  I 
would  at  the  start  allow  for  later  top- 
dressings,  and  if  onl}'  16-inch  or  IS-inch 
pots  are  used  put  a  good  thickness  of 
turf  round,  and  fill  in  with  a  richer 
compost  as  growth  is  made.  Avoid  over 
rich  soils.  Melons  succeed  best  in  a 
holding  soil ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
am  not  an  advocate  for  starving  the 
plants,  as  some  advise  planting  in  poor 
soil,  but  if  at  all  poor  it  is  well  to  add 
bone-meal  or  old  fine  mortar  rubble  if  of 
a  clayey  nature.  A  good  soil  will  pro- 
mote better  growth,  and  in  pots  there 
is  no  fear  of  grossness.  For  beds  heavier 
soil  may  be  used,  but  even  tlien  it  is 
well  to  add  additional  materials  to  pro- 
mote quick  growth.  With  plants  having 
more  root-run  rank  manure  will  tend  to 
non-setting,  so  that  by  the  term  addi- 
tional I  mean  aids  to  lighten  or  improve 
that  advised  for  pots.  These  will 
give  short -fruited  wood,  and  cause  early 
maturit}'.  A  good  plan  with  Melons 
in  beds  is  to  place  half  the  soil  at  the 
start,  say  a  barrow  load  to  tlu'ee  plants, 
and  give  the  remainder  later  on  by  top- 
dressing.  In  all  cases  the  plants  shoulil 
be  well  up  to  the  light,  and  tlie  soil 
in  beds  or  pots  made  firm.  Let  tlie 
planting  be  done  when  the  compost  is 
well  warmed  through,  and  at  planting  do 
not  burj'  deeply. 

Modes  of  Culturk. 
No  matter  how  grown  the  Melon 
delights  in  a  brisk  temperature  at  the 
start — (io"'  at  night  will  sutlicr.  and  10^' 
higher  by  day — with  ample  atmos|iheric 
moisture.  Ventilation  shouhl  be  spar- 
ingly applied  until  the  growth  is  rotiust ; 
but,  unlike  the  Cucumber,  the  Melon  is 
benefited  by  having  a  little  fresh  air 
in  favourable  weather.  Always  avoid 
cold  draughts,  and  close  early.  Another 
point  is  to  give  tepid  water  when 
required,  to  keep  the  stems  of  the  |ilaiits 
dry,  anil  to  maniue  as  soon  as  a  goncl  set 


FEBRtrARY    16,    1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


113 


is  jeoured.  It  is  also  well  to  set  the  (ii-st  friiils  that 
form,  and  to  get  as  many  as  are  required  set  at  the 
same  time  or  as  near  as  possible.  If  only  one  is  set 
this  takes  the  lead,  anil  others  fail  to  swell,  turn 


Another  beautiful  feature  of  tliis  Fir  is  its 
silvery  foliage,  which  is  said  to  surpass  even 
that  of  Picea  pungens  glauea  in  beauty.  The 
loaves  are  about  Ij-  inches  long,  and  arranged 


yellow,  and  are  useless.  When  the  plants  reach  I  j,|  ^j^g  ordinary  Silver  Fir  fashion,  that  i.s,  in 
the  first  wire  they  push  out  laterals.  _  Uiese  wUl  ^^^^  crowded,  opposite  rows.  The  jilant  pro- 
bably does  not  as  yet  exist  in  a  living  state  in 
this  country  ;  but  specimens  showing  a  leafy 
branch  and  the  curious  and  beautiful  corky 
bark  hive  recently  been  received  from  Herr  H. 
Henkel,  of  Darmstadt,  who  has  succeeded  in 
importing  and  establishing  in  his  nursery  this 
promising  acquisition. 

With  regard  to  the  identity  and  relation- 
ship of  this  Abies,  it  appears  to  be  a  silver- 
leaved  variety  of  the  true  Abies  lasiocarpa 
(of  Hooker),  which  is  also  known  as  A  sub- 
alpina.  This  is  a  rare  pilant  in  Eurojiean 
pineta,  the  Fir  commonly  known  in  gardens 
as  A.  lasiocarpa  (which  is  one  of  our  most 
popular  and  ornamental  conifers),  being  A. 
lowiana.  Properly,  therefore,  this  new  tree 
from  Arizona  should  be  called  AV>ies  lasiocariia 


show  fruit,  and  the  points  should  lie  pinched 
out  and  the  shoots  stopped  at  lire  second  joint 
above  the  fruit ;  the  flowers  must  be  fertilised 
in  all  cases.  Excellent  Melons  may  be  produced 
grown  either  as  single  or  double  cordons  if 
space  is  limited,  and  grown  thus  a  smaller 
((uantity  of  soil  will  suffice,  as  it  is  an  easy  matter 
to  have  three  crops  of  fruit  in  a  season  in  the 
same  house.  (i.  Wvthes. 

Si/oii  HoH^c  Gardens,  Brciil/uni. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 

VIBURNUM    PLICATUM. 


leautiful   in 
when    well 


THIS  Viburnum  is  very 
the  open  ground,  as 
established  it  forms  a 
somewhat  spreading, 
flat  -  headed  bush 
clothed  with  distinctly 
plaited  foliage,  while  the  globular 
masses  of  ivory-white  flowers  are 
borne  for  -2  feet  or  more  along 
the  shoots.  Planting  a  small 
bed  with  a  few  specimens  of  the 
plaited-leaved  Snowball  Tree  is 
perhaps  the  best  way  to  display 
its  charms.  It  is  not  at  all  of  an 
aggressive  nature,  hence  it  can 
be  associated  with  the  smaller 
growing  shrubs  if  desired.  This 
Viburnum,  too,  will  flower  most 
])rofusely  treated  as  a  wall  shrub, 
but  it  is  more  suited  for  a  low 
than  a  high  wall.  When  grown 
in  this  way  very  little  pruning 
will  be  needed,  otherwise  it  pre- 
sents a  stitt'  and  formal  appear- 
ance and  the  display  of  blossom 
is  not  equal  to  that  produced  by 
a  plant  which,  after  it  has 
covered  the  space  assigned  to  it, 
is  to  a  great  extent  allowed  to 
grow  at  will.  This  Viburnum 
can  be  increased  by  cuttings  of 
the  half  -  ripened  shoots  taken 
during  the  summer  and  inserted 
in  a  frame,  or  it  may  be  layered, 
and  in  this  case  the  low,  some- 
what spreading  branches  are  very 
convenient  for  the  purpose.  It 
is  also'  suitable  for  pot  cul- 
ture under  glass  ;   with  ordinary 

care   and    attention   it    will    produce    flowers  I  var.  arizoniea.     We  hope   soon    to  iigure  this 
abundantly,  and  these  remain  in  beauty,  a  long   new  Fir. 
time.  I  ^ 


and  also  provide  the  dwelling  with  an  abundance 
of  beautiful  flowers,  but  the  day  is  far  distant  wlien 
the  superb,  stately  exhibition  llower  will  cease  to 
]>e  a  favourite. 

One  is  compelled  to  asU  whether  nolliing  can  be 
j  done  towards  the  production  of  higlily  coloured 
I  novelties.  We  want  good  dark  crimson  Roses  of  a 
free-tlowering,  vigorous  haliit  of  growth.  It  is 
sui'prising  how  the  medium  ur  I'osc-coloured  tints 
i  have  gone  out  of  favour.  I  rcjiieniber  the  time 
j  when  John  Hopper,  Jules  Xlargoltin,  and  Victor 
Verdier  were  dearly  prized,  but  now  the  public 
want  either  brilliant  crimsons,  very  dark,  pure 
whites,  or  rich  yellows.  However,  it  is  not  my 
intention  to  dwell  upon  what  suits  the  popular 
taste  so  much  as  what  an  exhibitor  of  Roses 
reciuires.  The  Vjeginner  in  exhiljiting  can  do  well 
without  any  novelties.  He  will  find  ample  varietj' 
among  the  old-established  kinds.  It  is  the  more 
pretentious  exhibitor  who  welcomes  good  novel- 
ties. He  knows  how  difficult  it  is  to  make  up  his 
thirty -six,  sixty,  or  seventy-two  singles  upon  any 
given  day,  though  he  may  grow  his  thousands. 
Looking  back  a  few  years  one  is  reminded  of  the 
glorious  decade  in  the   history  of  the   Rose   that 


OROUi'    or    THK   CHINESE    (U'KLDKK    KOSE    (VIBURNCM    PI.trATI'M.) 


A  NEW  FIK— THE  COKK  SPRUCE. 
(Abies  apjzoniua  var.  argentea.) 
Although  called  a  "  Spruce,"  this  new  conifer 
is  really  a  Silver  Fir.  It  has  recently  been 
discovered  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Purpus  in  Arizona,  al 
altitudes  of  8,(J00  feet  to  11,000  feet,  and  in  a 
region  where  severe  snowstorms  occur  as  early 
in  the  season  as  October.  There  is  every 
likelihood,  therefore,  of  its  being  pjerfectly 
hardy  in  Britain. 

Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  feature  of 
the  tree  is  its  bark.  This  is  of  a  creamy 
white  or  greyish  colour,  and  of  a  corky 
nature.  It  begins  to  show  this  corky  cha- 
racter in  a  noticeable  degree  when  the  plant 
is  about  4  feet  high,  and,  of  course,  it  becomes 
more  marked  as  the  tree  gets  older  and  bigger. 


THE     ROSE     GARDEN. 

NEW    ROSES    FOE    EXHIBITION. 

A  MORE   accurate    opiinon    can   be    formed 
of  certain  new  Roses  when  they  have 
becLi    ititroduccd     some    four    or    five 
years   than   can   pci-^sibly    l)e   tlie  case 
k,       with  a  brief  trial  of  one  year  ;  there- 
fore, in  reviewing  the  novelties   intro- 
duced since  1896,  I  can  safely  reconmiend   to  the 
exhibitor  the  varieties  enumerated  in  this  article. 
It  goes  without  saying  that  if  some  fort}'  or  more 
novelties  in  Roses  are  introduced  each  year  only 
the  really  good  ones  remain.     Anyone  who  follows 
1  Rose   culture    closely   cannot   fail    to    notice    the 
growing  popularity  of  decorative  varieties,   Roses 
tliat    Ijlossom    abundantly    early    and    late,    that 
I  brighten  the  garden  for  many  weeks  in  tl\e  year, 


from  IStiO  to  llSti!!  gave  us  the  majoritj'  of  our  best 
dark  or  medium  red  sliow  Roses,  such,  for  instance, 
as  Charles  Lefebvre,  Alfred  Colomb,  Fisher  Holmes, 
Beauty  of  Waltham,  Dr.  Andry,  Duke  of  Welling- 
ton, Horace  Vernet,  Maurice  Bernardin,  Pierre 
Nottiiig.  Prince  C.  de  Rohan,  Xavier  Olibo,  C'omte 
de  Raimbaml,  Duke  of  Edinburgh,  Louis  Van 
Houtte,  Mme.  Victor  Verdier,  Marie  Baumann, 
&c.  Would  that  we  had  sucli  another  decade 
commencing  %vith  this  first  j'earof  tlie  newcenturj'. 
I  do  not  see  that  it  is  at  all  unreasonable  to  expect 
brilliant  colours  such  as  A^ictor  Hugo,  Xavier 
Olibo,  or  Harrison  Weir  with  the  vigorous  growth 
of  an  Ulrich  Brunner  or  a  Mrs.  John  Laing. 

Without  a  doubt,  two  of  the  finest  novelties  of 
the  last  five  j'ears  are  Mrs.  Edward  Mawley  and 
White  Jlaman  Cochet.  The  former  is  a  grand 
Rose.  I  thought  I  had  seen  nothing  more  beautiful 
than  the  box  of  this  variet}'  which  was  staged  at 
Salisbury  last  June.  It  is  likely  to  prove  a  great 
acquisition.  The  flower  is  so  heavy  as  to  need 
the  support  of  a  small  stick.  Knowiug  what  a 
splendid  Rose  Manian  Cochet  is,  the  white  form 


114 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Fkbruary  16,  1901. 


needs  no  commendation  from  nie.  It  is  magnifi- 
cent, and  as  valuable  as  the  white  sport  of  Catherine 
Mermet  proved  to  be.  Tennyson  is  another  grand 
Rose,  splendid  in  form  and  substance.  It  is  a 
variety  likely  to  prove  of  inestimable  value  to  the 
e.vhibitor,  as  it  has  such  peculiarly  lasting  quali- 
ties. Bessie  Brown  was  rather  disappointing  last 
summer,  the  Howers  being  sadly  marred  bj'  Ihrip, 
&c.  But,  in  spite  of  this,  it  is  a  Rose  of  splendid 
form,  high-centred  and  massive,  and  from  its 
growth  1  should  say  it  is  related  to  Viscountess 
Folkestone.  It  is  rather  ungrateful  of  us  to  find 
fault  with  the  poor  growth  of  Lady  Mary  Fitz- 
william,  when  we  reflect  how  much  we  are  indebted 
to  this  Rose  and  its  offspring  for  many  modern 
\arieties,  but  if  we  can  break  away  from  this  type 
we  shall  be  doing  a  good  work  and  raise  the 
popular  Hybrid  Tea  class  to  yet  higher  estimation. 

Mrs.  Cocker  is  a  first-rate  Hybrid  Perpetual  of 
a  lovely  soft  pink  colour  and  beautiful  high-centred 
form,  also  sweetly  fragrant.  I  admire  this  Rose 
because  it  is  so  good  as  a  "cut-back."  Too  many 
of  our  show  Roses  are  "  best  as  maidens."  This 
ma3'  be  all  very  well  for  the  ardent  e.xhibitor  who 
does  not  object  to  his  garden  being  marred  with 
plots  of  budded  stocks,  but  those  ro.sarians  who 
love  an  exhibition  flower  not  merely  to  win  prizes 
with  naturally  prefer  a  Rose  that  can  claim  more 
than  an  annual  existence.  Ulster  is  a  fine  Rose  in 
its  way,  but  I  cannot  say  much  for  its  growth.  I 
am  inclined  to  think  that  Papa  Lambert  will 
supplant  it.  The  latter  is  a  grand  Rose,  fine 
high  centre,  and  as  fragrant  as  Marie  Baumann. 
Although  this  kind  is  not  vigorous,  yet  it  is 
stronger  in  growth  than  Ulster.  Antoine  Rivoire 
is  becoming  much  appreciated,  and  it  well  deserves 
it.  In  its  form  it  is  a  break  from  the  high-centred 
flowers.  These  flat.  Camellia-shaped  Roses  are  not 
to  be  despised,  providing  the  outline  is  regular. 
Mme.  Jules  Grolez  was  splendidly  shown  at  (Salis- 
bury. It  is  a  very  neat  flower  of  a  very  clear  and 
pleasing  silvery  rose  colour,  decidedly  distinct 
from  Mrs.  VV.  J.  Grant,  though  somewhat  resem- 
bling it.  Mme.  Cadeau-Ramey  is,  perhaps,  one  of 
the  finest  of  the  newer  Hybrid  Teas  ;  the  exquisite 
form  and  tints  are  alwa3's  attractive.  I  was  much 
pleased  with  one  of  last  year's  novelties,  viz., 
M.  Bunel.  It  has  the  pretty  imbricated  form  of 
A.  K.  Williams,  with  colours  rosy  peach,  yellow, 
and'  rose  predominating.  Mme.  Eugenie  Boidlet 
was  well  shown  at  Richmond,  the  warm  salmon- 
rose  tint  and  yellow  shading  giving  this  variety  a 
decided  individuality.  M.  Ada  Carmody  is  one  of 
those  sterling  novelties  that  are  bound  to  become 
popular.  Whilst  resembling  Mme.  de  Watteville 
in  some  respects,  there  is  a  closer  resemblance  to 
Cleopatra  in  its  form,  but  it  is  a  far  better 
grower.  Souvenir  de  Mme.  E.  Cauvin  is  very 
promising,  .somewhat  of  the  style  of  Mme.  Cadeau- 
Ramey.  If  it  is  not  too  double  to  expand  well  in 
a  dull  season  it  will  be  a  really  good  Rose  for  all 
purposes.  Empress  Alexandra  of  Russia  is  a 
wonderful  colour,  qviite  a  distinct  variety  among 
the  Teas. 

Dark  red  Roses  appear  out  of  place  in  a  box  of 
Teas,  even  though  they  be  of  this  class,  but  bronzy 
red  like  the  last  -  named,  reddish  brown,  terra- 
cotta, madder,  and  such  like  tints  serve  to  accen- 
tuate the  paler  hues.  Mrs.  F.  VV.  Sandford,  a 
pale  lilush  sport  of  Mrs.  J.  Laing,  is  turning  out 
to  be  a  good  acquisition,  as  was  to  be  expected 
from  such  a  source.  Its  one  fault  is  want  of 
fulness,  but  I  saw  a  really'  magnificent  bloom  of  it 
at  the  Crystal  Palace.  Waltham  Standard  is 
entitled  to  rank  as  a  standard  of  form,  for  it  has 
this  to  perfection,  and  its  petals  are  very  stout  ; 
it  is  a  Ptose  most  valuable  to  the  exhibitor.  Urd's 
Rover,  described  as  a  climber,  is  apt  to  be  over- 
looked, as  one  does  not  usually  grow  climbers  for 
show  purposes  ;  but  it  is  really  not  a  rampant 
climber,  perhaps  more  a  pillar  Rose  than  a  climber. 
Its  brilliant  crimson  blossoms  are  fine  in  shape  and 
have  good  stiff  petals.  Tom  Wood  is  yet  another 
good  novelty  of  exquisite  form,  cherry  -  red  in 
colour,  with  a  whitish  shading  at  times.  It  is  very 
distinct,  of  good  habit,  and  valuable  to  exhibitors. 
I  certainly  expect  great  things  from  Tjiberty, 
perhaps  not  as  a  show  Rose,  although  for  this 
purpo.se  it  will  be  a  lovely  front-row  flower,  and  its 


form  and  colour  are  perfect.  Lawrence  Allen  is  a 
pink  Rose,  a  colour  that  our  collection  is  surfeited 
with,  yet  it  will  remain,  not  oidy  bj'  reason  of  its 
form,  but  also  for  its  beautiful  fragrance.  .1.  B.  M. 
Camm  appears  most  promising.  I  cainiot  say  what 
this  Rose  is  like  outdoors,  but,  judging  from  those 
exhibited  last  spring,  it  will  prove  to  be  a  useful 
variety.  Grand  Duehesse  Anastasie  is  quite  a  dis- 
tinct Tea  Rose,  having  fine  stiff' petals  of  a  salmon- 
pink  colour.  Beaute  Lyonnaise  is  purely  a  show 
Rose.  Now  and  then  a  bloom  is  seen  of  almost 
snowy  purity,  and  it  has  fine  deep  petals  ;  but  it 
is  one  of  those  Roses  that  I  would  not  find  a  place 
for  in  the  garden  save  for  the  exhibition.  Rev. 
Alan  Cheales  will  be  useful  at  times  for  show,  but 
it  is  perhaps  more  a  garden  than  a  show  varietj'  ; 
certainl}'  it  is  very  attractive,  and  doubtless  related 
to  John  Hopper.  Killarnej',  when  cut  just  at  the 
right  time  on  a  cool  day,  is  an  exquisite  show 
bloom.  It  is,  however,  too  thin  to  be  relied  upon  ; 
for  the  garden  there  is  no  more  lovel}'  variety 
grown.  Ferdinand  .lamin  (H.  T. )  seems  likely  to 
become  a  good  front-row  show  bloom,  and  Ferdi- 
nand Batel  (H.T. )  will  perhaps  be  useful  for  the 
same  purpose.  The  orange  shading  at  the  bases  of 
the  petals  of  this  latter  Rose  is  sometimes  very 
intense.  Jeanne  Forgeot  and  Josephine  Dauphin 
are  two  good  novelties,  but  the  growth  of  the  first- 
named  is  not  vigorous.  Rosari.\n. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


OLLA  PODRIDA. 

ROSE  COUNTESS  RIZA  DU  PARC  — 
With  regard  to  this  P>,ose  I  may  say 
that  I  have  discarded  it  for  a  good 
many  years.  It  is  true  that  its  colour 
^  is  taking  and  that  its  habit  is  vigorous, 
but  it  has  a  very  unpleasant  wa}'  of 
producing  cleft  flowers  ;  consequently  to  an  exhi- 
bitor it  is  useless,  and,  although  it  may  be 
tolerated  as  a  garden  Rose,  I  think  there  are 
others  without  its  defects  which  are  quite  as  good 
in  colour.  It  was  brought  out  in  1870,  and  it 
must  be  nearly  twenty  years  since  it  had  a  place 
in  my  small  Rose  garden. 

Roue  Ci-inison  Ramhler. — I  see  that  one  of  your 
correspondents  speaks  of  this  Rose  as  occupying  a 
place  on  the  wall  of  bis  house.  I  think  he  has 
made  a  mistake  in  planting  it  there,  for  I  believe 
that  the  experience  of  most  people  is  that  in  such 
a  situation  it  suffers  from  red  spider. 

Although  I  took  no  part  in  the  notices  about 

Lilies, 

I  have  probably  grown  them  longer  than  an}'  of 
your  correspondents ;  of  course,  not  in  large 
quantities,  but  still  in  a  considerable  number  of 
varieties.  I  remember  visiting  Messrs.  Veitch  and 
Sons'  nurseries  not  long  after  the  introduction  of 
Lilium  speciosum,  and  carried  a  bulb  of  it  to  my 
home  at  Bray,  near  Dublin,  and  if  I  am  not 
mistaken  I  was  the  first  to  flower  it  in  Ireland. 
I  cultivated  it  in  my  little  back  garden  in 
Ramsgate,  which  was  about  the  size  of  a  table- 
cloth, and  carried  it  from  thence  with  me  to  Deal, 
so  that  I  can  at  least  show  my  continued  interest 
in  this  beautiful  tribe.  My  facilities  for  growing 
them  at  Deal  were  very  limited.  It  was  not  until 
I  came  to  my  present  home,  thirty-two  years  ago, 
that  I  was  able  to  grow  them  to  my  own  satis- 
faction. There  are  a  few  kinds  which  never  fail 
to  succeed,  while  with  many  of  them  it  is  just 
uncertain  whether  they  will  grow  or  not.  I  am 
not  at  all  sure  that  the  dry  seasons  we  have  had 
lately  are  favourable  to  the  growth  of  Lilies.  One 
cannot  always  be  watering  everything,  and  I 
think  that  in  such  seasons  many  sorts,  if  they  do 
not  absolutely  perish,  lose  a  great  deal  of  their 
vigour  of  constitution  by  the  continuance  of 
drought.  There  are  some  species  which  I  grow 
both  in  pots  and  in  the  open  air,  and  I  may  at 
once  say  that  some  of  those  which  come  from 
Burmah  and  otiier  places  in  the  Eastern  Hemi- 
sphere seem  to  me  almost  impossible  to  grow,  even 
in  pots  ;  they  do  very  well  for  a  year  or  so,  and 


then,  when  you  proceed  to  repot  them,  in  the 
second  or  third  year  \'ou  find  that  the}'  perish. 
I  can  do  nothing  with  such  kinds  as  L.  neilgher- 
rense  and  L.  nepalense,  and  I  am  afraid  I  must 
add  L.  Lowi,  which  seems  to  tje  very  short  li\'ed. 
Although  they  are  very  beautiful  I  fear  that  I  must 
discontinuetheattempt  togrow  them.  It  maybe  that 
where  their  wants  can  be  more  carefully  attended 
to  than  with  me  they  might  do  better.  Leaving 
then  these  on  one  side  I  will  just  mention  those 
with  which  I  think  I  have  suceeded.  The  soil  of 
mj'  garden  is  light,  but  when  I  plant  any  clumps 
of  Lilies  I  still  further  lighten  it  by  the  addition 
of  leaf-mould  or  peat. 

Lilinnt  caii'/idnm. — There  is  certainl}'  no  more 
favourite  Lily  than  this.  It  has  always  Ijeen  a 
favourite  with  the  cottagers,  and  I  could  point  to 
numerous  places  even  in  this  parish — where  soil  and 
situation  are  most  diverse  in  character — where  it 
succeeds  admirably,  and  I  have  a  large  clump  of 
it  in  my  own  garden  which  threw  up  last  year 
twentj'-seven  stems,  many  of  them  carrying  from 
five  to  seven  flowers  each,  and  yet  we  find 
continual  complaints  from  persons  who  are  unable 
to  grow  it.  Whj'  then  does  it  succeed  so  well 
with  me  and  others  in  this  neighbourhood '?  To 
this  I  can  give  no  reply  ;  neither  I  nor  my  neigh- 
bours ever  seem  to  disturb  thein.  Though  one 
might  think  that  a  clump  the  size  I  have  indicated 
would  exhaust  the  soil,  it  does  not  seem  to  do  so. 
It  is  no  doubt  a  very  beautiful  flower,  but  its 
odour  is  too  strong  for  a  room,  and,  indeed,  for 
some  persons  it  is  oppressive.  I  remember  once 
seeing  a  large  centrepiece  for  a  dinner  table  where 
it  was  largel}'  used,  and  I  could  not  but  pity  those 
ladies  who  had  to  endure  it.  Why  it  should  be  so 
capricious  in  its  likings  or  dislikings  I  do  not 
know,  but  the  fact  remains  for  all  that. 

Liliiim  /ev/acemn,  e.vct/tinii,  or  iiahel/iiiiint. — 
Taking  it  all  in  all  I  think  that  this  is  the  most 
satisfactory  Lily  that  I  grow.  It  is  said  to  be  a 
garden  hybrid  of  L.  candidum,  and  is  certainly  of 
a  most  vigorous  constitution.  M}'  clumps  of  it 
grow  from  ;'i  feet  to  7  feet  high,  thej'  always  flower 
well,  and  are  altogether  very  satisfactory. 

Lilimn  Henri/i. — This,  one  of  the  newest  intro- 
ductions from  North  China,  is  certainly  one  of  the 
best  Lilies  that  we  have.  It  has,  I  think,  been 
properly  described  as  an  orange-yellow  speciosum. 
My  clump  of  it  increases  yearly  ;  last  year  one  of 
the  stems  was  lietween  7  feat  and  8  feet  high. 

LUinin  sperio-^iim  is  another  species  on  which  I 
can  depend.  The  highest  coloured,  and  I  think 
the  most  vigorous,  is  L.  speciosum  Melpomene, 
raised  in  Ameiica.  On  the  other  hand,  L.  auratum 
is  one  of  the  most  unsatisfactory  Lilies  in  exist- 
ence. Of  course,  I  can  only  speak  for  general 
cultivation,  as  there  are  some  few  places  where 
it  will  do  well ;  but  it  has  a  habit  after  the 
first  year  or  so  of  breaking  off  into  tiny  bulbs 
which  do  not  seem  to  be  of  any  use.  The  L 
platyphyllum  variety  is  more  vigorous  and  lasting, 
but  I  am  not  quite  sure  whether  it  will  be  as 
permanent  as  one  wishes.  I  received  a  couple  of 
years  ago  from  Messrs.  Wallace,  of  Colchester,  a 
very  beautiful  Lily  which  he  believed  to  be  a 
natural  hybrid  between  L.  speciosum  and  L. 
auratum.  It  seemed  to  partake  of  both  parents; 
the  bulb  was  more  like  that  of  speciosum  than 
that  of  auratum  ;  it  bloomed  the  second  year  after 
I  had  it,  but  did  not  make  its  appearance  in  the 
third  year.  On  examining  the  pot  in  which  it  was 
planted  I  found  that  it  had  carried  out  the 
traditions  of  its  auratum  parent,  and  I  .saw  no 
more  of  it. 

The  old  Tii/ir  or  Tiirt'>:  Cap  Li/i/,  \vhich  we  see 
in  so  many  cottage  gardens,  are  bulbs  which  can 
be  relied  on,  and  the  improved  kinds,  Fortune!  and 
splendens,  seem  to  be  cjuite  as  vigorous  as  the 
older  ones. 

Jjilimn.  MitHai/oii  and  tlie  varieties  L.  dalmati- 
cum  and  L.  album  have  been  rather  capricious 
with  me,  especially  the  hitter.  The  fine.'^t  clumps 
of  album  I  ever  saw  were  in  the  garden  of  my  late 
friend,  the  Rev.  F.  Tymons,  in  DruuK'nndra, 
County  Dublin,  Irelai-.d. 

Lilium  (/iqaiileiiiii  I  once  grew,  but  after  flowering 
it  vanished,  and  as  J  found  on  cncjulry  that  this 
was  very  mu{!li  Its  habit   I  abaiidoned  Its  culture. 


February  16,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


115 


There  are  then,  in  truth 
well  in  all  situations. 


very  few  Lilies  which 


Seedlino  Auriculas. 
Lovers  of  florist  flowers  are  encouraged  hy  some 
writers  to  direct  their  attention  to  this  subject. 
Well,  during  a  long  life  I  have  esteemed  the 
Auricula  as  a  special  favourite,  although  I  have 
never  attempted  to  raise  a  seedling.  I  have, 
however,  watched  those  who  have  been  engaged 
in  it,  and  I  cannot  second  the  advice  which  fias 
been  given,  for  how  very  few  have  during  the  last 
twenty  years  been  added  to  our  varieties,  and, 
supposing  you  do  get  a  fine  gre}'  edged  or  green 
edged  flower  you  cannot  propagate  it  as  j'ou  would 
wish  ;  you  must  wait  until  it  throws  out  offsets, 
and  these  are  most  precarious.  1  have  had  a  plant 
of  Traill's  Prince  of  Greens  which  for  , 
five  years  never  gave  me  one,  and  George) 
Lightbody  very  rarelj'  gratified  me  with 
an  offset.  Traill's  Beauty,  it  is  true,  is 
very  prolific,  but  then  it  is  not  a  first- 
rate  flower.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
Colonel  Champneys,  but  neither  of  these 
varieties  will  find 
favour  with  a  critical 
connoisseur,  and  at 
the  present  day  when 
so  much  more  atten- 
tion is  paid  to  what  is 
decorative  I  do  not 
think  many  will  be 
tempted  to  enter  on 
so  unpromising  a  field. 
H.  H.  ]). 


lo  I  Plata,  meaning  silver,  on  account  of  the  pro- 
t'nsion  of  its  wliite  V^lossonis  on  the  .shore.  1 
have  had  .seventy  Mowers  exjianded  at  once  on 
a  small  patch  of  the  plant  at  JSpottbrtli.'' 

Now,  here  is  a  plant  for  the  million.  It 
grows  so  vigorou.sly  that  it  literally  killed  a 
box  edging  growing  within  a  foot  of  it.  It  is 
as  easily  manipulated  as  Shallots,  it  is  ever- 
green and  pleasing  to  the  eye  when  not  in 
flower,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  the  sunmier 
it  flowers  as  freely  as  Daisies.  It  .seeds,  too, 
with  freedom,  and  the  seeds  form  plants  as 
quickly  as  if  they  were  of  Onions.  Better 
than  Box  as  an  edging,  excellent  as  a  carpet- 
plant,  and  always  beautiful,  surely  such  a  plant 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

SrRiNc  f)Mo.s's. 


N 


Zephyranthes 
Candida. 

The  claims  of  this 
plant  have  been 
urged  in  the  pages 
of  The  G.4RDEN  for 
at  least  ten  years. 
A  coloured  plate  of 
it  was  published  in 
vol.  xxxvii.  (1890), 
and  1  wrote  about 
it  then  as  follows  : 
"This  differs  from 
all  other  Zephyran- 
thes in  cultivation 
in  its  hardiness  and 
easy  management  in 
a  .sunny  border  out 
of  doors,  where  it 
flourishes  and  mul- 
tiplies rapidly.  A 
moist  border  on  the 
south  side  of  a  house 
is  almost  filled  with 
it.  The  soil  is  ordi- 
nary loam,  and  in 
two  years  a  single 
row  of  bulbs  planted 
4  inches  apart  have 
become  crowded 
tufts,  the  leaves 
completely  hiding 
the  soil.  This  bor- 
der is  as  gay  with  the 

flowers  of  the  Zephyranthes  in  autumn  as  any  :  should  be  in  every  nurseryman's  catalogue  ; 
border  of  Crocuses  is  in  spring.  On  very  sunny  '  and  yet  I  doubt  if  fifty  bulbs  of  it  could  be 
days  the  flowers  open  quite  flat  and  glisten  like  '  found  anywhere  except  at  Kew.  I  am  afraid 
snow.     Another  character  which  distinguishes   to  say  how  abundant  it  is  there  !  W.  W. 

it  is  that  of  evergreen  foliage.     Severe  frost  

does  not  injure  it."  Dean  Herbert  recognised 
its  hardiness  and  value  when  he  wrote  :  "This 
plant,  conspicuous  by  its  fleshy,  semi-cylin- 
drical, and  Rush-like  leaves,  which  resist  the 
frost  of  our  usual  winters,  has  ripened  its  seeds 
with  me  after  snow  has  lain  upon  them  for 
three  weeks.  The  banks  of  the  great  river  in 
Buenos  Ayres  are  so  covered  with  it  that  the 
river  is  understood  to  have  been   named   La 


/.El'llVKANTHES  CANDIDA.      ( Fiom  a  drau\ini  III  H.  G.  Mnnn.J 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


Tulip  Mo.ns.  Treso.x. 

Mr.  F.  Bull,  Curator  of  the  Southport  and 
Churchtown  Botanic  Gardens  and  Museum,  kindly 
sends  a  bulb  of  this  beautiful  yellow  Tulip  bearijig 
three  perfect  flowers.     This  is  unusual. 


O    better   mode   of   cultivation    can    be 
adopted    than     the    sowing     of     the 
principal      Onion     crop     on     ground 
recently    occupied     by     Celery.      In 
consequence  of  its  having  been  heavily 
manured  for  Celery,  and  moved  to  a 
considerable  depth    twice    within    the   j'ear,  little 
preparation  will  be  necessary  beyond  forking  and 
levelling,  which  should  be  taken  in  hand  as  soon 
as   the   weather   and    the    state    of    the   soil   will 
permit.     A  dressing  of  soot  should  be  given,  and 
care   taken   to    break 
the    soil   as  finely  as 
possible  with  the  fork. 
^        When    the    bed    has 
•''        become     suthcieiitly 
.    dry   it  may  be  made 
firm   by  treading  and 
1  e  V  e  1 1  e  d    w  i  t  h    a 
wooden  rake.    It  will 
then  be  ready  for  the 
drills,    which    should 
be    made     14     inches 
apart  and  1  inch  deep. 
Afterwards  sow  thinly 
and  cover  in  with  the 
feet  from   both  sides. 
The    rows   may    then 
be   trodden   carefully 
along   and    raked 
lightly  to  give  the  bed 
a    neat    appearance. 
As  soon  as  the  young 
plants   are    large 
enough  they    may  be 
thinned    to    2   inches 
apart,    and    when    a 
good    crop   is  certain 
the  bed   may  be  gone 
over    again    and 
thinned    to   4    inches 
apart,    little    further 
.    attention  being  neces- 
sary  except   a  slight 
dusting    of     artificial 
manure    occasionally. 
The  best  varieties  for 
late  keeping  are  Dept- 
ford  and  .James'  Keep- 
ing, and  for  early  use 
nothing  is  better  than 
the     Reading     Onion 
nml    Veiteh's     Main- 
crop. 

AUTtTMN-  SOWN 

Onions 

should  be  planted  out 

as    soon    as    possible, 

as  they  come  into  use 

at  a  time  when  those 

of  the  previous  season 

are  either  used  up  or 

have    grown    out    to 

such  an  extent  as  to 

render  them  of  little 

value.     Select  a   rich 

piece  of  ground  in  an 

open    po.sition    and 

plant  in  rows  14iiichos  apart  and   9  inches  from 

plant  to  plant.   When  they  have  taken  possession  of 

the  soil  an  occasional  dusting  of  soot  will  greatly 

assist  them  to  complete  their  growth.     Remove  all 

weeds  from  the  rows,  and  if  the  remaining  plants 

have  become  loose  through   the  removal  of  those 

for  the   fresh   plantation,  they  may    be    earefulh- 

trodden  on  each  side  of  the  row  and  the  Dutch 

hoe  run  through  them  to  loosen  the  surface  at  the 

first  favourable  opportunity. 

Sn.tLLoTS  AND  Garlii; 
.should  be  planted  at  once.    Choose  light,  ricli  soil, 
and    after   forking   it   over   and   preparing  as  for 
Onions,  these  may  be  planted  in  drills  1  foot  apart, 
•2  inches  deep,  and  9  inches  from  plant   to  plant. 


116 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[February  16,  1901, 


Press  the  bulbs  into  the  bottom  of  the  drill  and 
cover  by  drawing  soil  over  them  with  a  hoe  or 
iron  rake.  No  further  attention  will  be  necessary 
until  the  weeds  begin  to  grow,  when  the  Dutch 
hoe  must  be  \ised. 

CllIVKS 

may  be  parted  and  planted  out  in  rows  1  foot 
apart  or  used  as  an  edging  to  some  other  crop. 
Light,  rich  soil  suits  these  plants  best,  and  a  dress- 
ing of  decayed  Mushroom  manure  will  be  of  great 
assistance  to  them.  Tarragon  is  early  on  the 
move,  and  fresh  plantations  should  be  made  as 
soon  as  possible.  It  requires  a  free,  light  soil  and 
a  warm  situatinji,  and  should  be  planted  18  inches 
apart  each  way.  .John"  Drx.s'. 

Royal  Kilchi'ii  OanlKii",    Wimlxor. 

CHRYSANTHEiMUMS. 

If  all  has  gone  well  with  the  earliest  batch  of 
cuttings  by  this  date,  they  will  have  been  repotted 
into  3-inch  pots  :  and  if  not  already  removed  from 
their  nursery  quarters,  no  time  should  be  lost  in 
doing  so.  For  choice  I  would  advise  a  bricli  pit, 
Svhere  just  sufficient  artificial  heat  can  be  afforded 
in  severe  weather,  but  at  tlie  same  time  strictly 
avoid  fire-heat  as  mucli  as  possible,  as  the  slightest 
forcing  into  growth  at  this  season  is  much  against 
the  welfare  of  the  plants  hereafter.  Arrange 
them  on  a  bed  of  finely  sifted  cinder  ashes  as  near 
the  glass  as  possible.  Do  not  overcrowd,  but  allow 
sufficient  room  between  the  plants  for  the  air  to 
circulate  freelj',  so  that  each  can  be  examined  for 
water,  &c. 

Give  air  freely  as  often  as  the  weather  will 
permit,  and  when  possible  leave  the  lights  tilted 
until  the  last  thing  in  the  evening,  or  even  all 
night,  but  admit  air  in  the  opposite  direction  when 
the  weather-vane  indicates  the  wind  to  be  north 
or  east.  The  plants  should  be  sprinkled  overhead 
with  the  sj'ringe  morning  and  afternoon  on  bright 
days,  using  tepid  water.  Watering  at  the  roots 
must  be  performed  with  care.  Do  not  water  in  the 
morning,  on  tlie  chance  of  the  soil  becoming  dry 
before  the  next  day.  Far  better  look  them  over 
twice  daily,  and  when  any  is  given  fill  up  the  pot 
twice.  Much  better  to  err  on  the  side  of  keeping 
the  soil  moderately'  dry  than  too  wet,  especially 
so  before  the  pots  become  well  filled  with  roots. 
Fumigate  ever_y  ten  days  with  XL  All  Vaporiser, 
and  dust  the  foliage  occasionally  with  black 
sulphur.  In  tlie  case  of  heated  pits  not  being  at 
command  cold  frames  will  suffice,  but  arrange 
them  in  a  south  aspect,  and  sufficient  care  must 
be  taken  to  ward  oft'  sudden  attacks  of  frost. 

For  some  time  yet  the  frames  should  have  long 
litter  or  some  other  frost-proof  material  placed 
around  them,  the  lights  thoroughly  covered  at 
night,  and  avoid  syringing  the  foliage  for  at  least 
another  month. 

Specimen  Plant.s. 

Every  encouragement  must  be  given  these  to 
grow  away  freely,  and  tliey  may  still  be  retained 
on  the  greenhouse  shelves  as  near  the  light  and 
ventilation  as  possible.  Shift  on  as  the  pots  become 
filled  with  roots,  and  pinch  out  the  points  of  the 
shoots  after  every  third  joint  is  made  until  the 
necessary  number  of  shoots  is  obtainable.  The 
earlier  this  can  be  accomplished  the  better  will  be 
the  quality  of  the  flowers  next  autumn.  Train  out 
the  young  shoots  as  they  become  long  enough. 
This  must  lie  done  with  exceeding  care  or  the 
growths  will  break  away  at  the  base.  .Some 
varieties,  such  as  the  Rundle  type,  are  most  per- 
sistent in  sliowing  flower-buds  when  struck  early. 
This  neeil  not  worr}'  the  cultivator  if  these  are 
kept  picked  out  as  fast  as  they  appear.  In  due 
course  they  will  give  way,  break  into  free  growth, 
and  make  fine  plants.  Do  not  attempt  over- 
training, e\"en  from  the  first,  but  endeavour  to 
allow  the  plants  to  assume  as  natural  a  habit  as 
possible  consistent  with  a  trained  plant. 

Standards. 
Though  not  so  largely  grown  as  at  one  time, 
these  are  of  much  service  for  decorative  purposes, 
more  especially  the  Pompon  section.  I  am  afraid 
the  over-training  which  these  received  at  the  liands 
of  many  helped  to  bring  them  inlii  bad  repute,  and 


I  must  admit  that  when  the  .shoots  and  flowers  are 
severely'  tied  down  to  a  wire  frame,  as  far  too 
often  used  to  be  the  case,  they  present  a  crippled 
and  artificial  appearance  which  should  not  be 
encouraged.  As  with  dwarf  trained  plants  so  with 
these,  an  early  growth  is  necessary,  and  providing 
it  is  not  unduly  drawn  they  should  be  run  up  to 
the  desired  height  as  speedily  as  possible,  when 
the  points  should  be  pinched  out.  Thirty  to  forty 
leads  to  each  plant  will  be  ample,  only  just 
sufficient  training  to  enable  the  heads  to  be  shaped 
being  indulged  in.  Choose  those  varieties — both 
large-flowering  and  Pompon — with  a  natural  ten- 
dency to  stand  erect  when  in  flower,  for  the  less 
support  these  receive  at  that  time  the  more  pleasing 
will  they  be  grown  in  this  way.  For  conservatory 
decoration  these  lend  themselves  admirably, 
arrange  them  so  that  they  rise  from  a  carpet 
of  Ferns,  dwarf  Palms,  and  other  suitable  foliage 
plants.  E.  BeiMvETT. 

Aldenham  Honxe  Gardens,  Ehtree,  Hertf. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Exotic  Ferns. 

This  month  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  without 
the  necessary  seasonable  work  being  done  to  these 
indispensable  subjects,  of  which  Adiantums  are 
the  most  useful ;  they  should  first  receive  atten- 
tion. Adiantums  require  a  moderately  rich  soil, 
that  composed  of  two  parts  fibrous  loam  to  one  of 
peat,  with  a  portion  of  sand  and  leaf-soil  added, 
according  to  the  texture  of  loam,  and  liberal 
drainage  ;  a  dusting  of  dissolved  bones  and  soot 
adds  the  necessary  enriching  element.  Moderately 
firm  potting  should  be  practised,  and  unless  it  is 
intended  to  grow  them  into  larger  sized  plants 
than  heretofore  the  balls  of  soil  should  be  reduced 
to  the  required  dimensions  ;  where  quantities  of 
Ferns  in  small  pots  are  required,  it  is  well  to  chop 
up  into  small  pieces  several  of  the  larger  ]ilants, 
and  these  when  duly  started  make  very  useful 
stock  for  furnishing.  Adiantum  cuneatuni  may  be 
put  in  the  fore-front  without  fear  of  contradiction. 
Next,  I  should  unhesitatingly  put  A.  Pacotti,  then 
A.  Flemingi,  A.  gracillimum,  A.  amabile,  A. 
curvatum,  and  A.  Farleyense  :  this  latter  variety 
is  somewhat  difficult  to  successfully  grow,  but 
when  seen  in  good  form  it  has  undoubtedly  a 
distinct  appearance.  My  best  experience  with  this 
has  been  by  singling  out  the  crowns,  putting  them 
singly  into  small  pots  in  a  mixture  of  dried  cow 
manure  and  loam,  with  as  much  sand  and  mortar 
rubble  as  will  keep  the  whole  open  ;  water  until 
fairly  started  should  be  sparingly  given.  Next  to 
the  Adiantum  in  point  of  usefulness  I  should  put 
the  Pteris  family  ;  these,  without  making  excep- 
tions, are  mostly  all  useful,  and  though  catalogued  as 
greenhouse  subjects,  a  start  in  the  warmer  quarters, 
especially  when  newly  potted,  is  most  beneficial. 

Cannas. 
These  being  cut  into  convenient  pieces  should 
be  potted  up  and  stood  in  comfortable  quarters  ; 
a  rich,  somewhat  porous  compost  should  be  given 
and  pressed  well  home  about  the  roots,  and 
water  withheld  until  root  action  is  apparent. 
Cuttings  of  Pandanus  Veitciii  nnist  now  also  be 
put  in  ;  these  develop  at  the  bases  of  old  plants, 
and  should  be  pulled  ofi",  neatlj' dressed,  and  placed 
round  the  edges  of  small  pots  filled  with  leaf-soil, 
peat,  and  sand,  placed  in  a  propagating  case  :  a 
batch  of  (iardenias,  and  also  of  Ixoras,  should  find 
a  place  in  the  (|uarters  for  rooting  cuttings. 

•  il/IRIOSA    Siri'EKllA. 

A  few  pots,  according  to  re(iuirenients,  nia^'  now 
be  made  up  :  loam,  peat,  and  sand  are  the  three 
essentials  here;  the  corms — if  I  may  use  the  term 
--should  be  laid  about  l.V  inches  under  the  surface, 
and  water  must  not  upon  any  condition  be  given 
until  growth  shows  through  ;  moisture  in  the 
atmosphere,  however,  they  should  have. 

I  start  Calla  elliotiana  in  a  stove  temperature, 
and  always  have  the  best  possible  results  ;  a  rich 
soil  is  given  when  once  fairl}'  started  ;  a  good 
position  near  the  glass  should  be  afforded  it. 

The  pans  in  which  Achimencs  and  Tydeas  have 
been  growing  being  usually  required   for  seed  sow- 


ing, the  corms  should  be  shaken  out  and  stowed 
awaj'  in  drj'  sand  until  the  time  again  conies  round 
when  they  are  ref|uireil.  No  stove  collection  is 
complete  without  the  Alocasias,  their  beautifully 
marked  leaves  being  always  admired.  In  potting 
these,  rough  pieces  of  peat  and  loam,  with  abun- 
dance of  charcoal,  must  be  used,  and  the  majority 
of  them  being  surface  rooting  the  receptacles  used 
must  be  filled  to  a  little  more  than  half  their  depth 
with  clean  drainage,  over  which  is  a  thick  layer  of 
moss.  A.  thibautiana,  A.  A'eilchi,  A.  sanderiana, 
A.  intermedia,  A.  Chelsoni,  and  A.  watsoniana  are 
the  best  known  to  me.  The  flower  spikes  of  Clivias 
will  now  be  .showing,  and  any  cleaning  of  foliage 
or  pots  necessary  should  at  once  be  done,  and  the 
plants  placed  in  the  positions  in  which  they  are  to 
flower.  The  old  form  C.  miniata  has  had  to  give 
place  to  the  finer  forms  now  before  the  public. 

Part  of  the  stock  of  Ficus  elastica  should  be  pro- 
pagated. I  find  that  splitting  the  stem  the  desired 
length,  and  placing  sand  and  moss  against  it,  is  the 
most  expeditious  mode  of  rooting,  for  if  given  stove 
temperature,  and  the  moss  kept  well  moistened, 
about  three  weeks  will  find  the  tops  ready  for 
removal  to  small  pots.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Docer  House  Gardens,  Roehampton. 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

Pine  Apples. 
These  fruits  are  now  grown  in  so  few  gaidens, 
owing  to  the  large  importations  from  abroad, 
that  little  cultural  advice  will  be  needed,  but  it 
is  well  to  remember  that  imported  fruits  can- 
not compare  with  our  hothouse  specimens,  and 
I  trust  that  home-grown  Pines  will  still  find  a 
place  in  our  large  gardens.  Now  is  a  good  time 
to  give  the  stock  of  plants  more  attention  in  both 
the  fruiting  and  succession  houses  ;  during  the 
winter  these  plants  have  been  kept  quiet  and 
given  a  lower  temperature,  but  with  lengthening 
days  and  more  sun  heat  growth  will  be  more 
vigorous.  The  stiongest  plants  of  the  Queen 
section  in  their  fruiting  pots  ina3'  now  be  treated 
more  liberally  ;  indeed,  it  is  well  to  go  through  the 
stock  and  select  plants  likely  to  show  fruit  in  a 
short  time.  If  this  is  done,  these  m.ij'  occupy  a 
separate  pit,  and  it  will  then  be  easier  to  give 
them  a  higher  temperature  and  keep  the  house 
moister  in  bright  weather.  Far  better  start  a  few 
of  the  strongest  plants  thus  than  have  a  glut  of 
fruit  later  on,  as  is  often  the  case  when  all  are  left 
to  come  in  later.  There  can  be  no  c|uestion  as  to 
the  value  of  the  Queen  variety  for  early  supplies. 
This  ripens  up  more  quicklj-  than  others.  The 
temperature  for  fruiting  plants  may  now  be  from 
80°  to  85"  by  day  and  10"  lower  at  night,  or  a  few 
degrees  less  both  day  and  night  in  cold  weather. 
Overhead  syriiigings  might  be  given  sparinglj'  till 
the  Pines  are  set.  It  is  not  desirable  to  have  tlie 
axils  of  the  leaves  full  of  water  at  this  .season. 
As  soon  as  the  plants  are  showing  fruit  assistance 
may  be  afforded  in  the  waj'  of  fertilisers,  but  it  is 
well  to  proceed  cautioush'  anil  not  to  water  or 
manure  too  freely  at  the  start. 

Succession  Plant.s. 
These  may  be  potted  and  a  little  more  warmth 
given  when  the  work  is  completed.  Avoid  over- 
potting  ;  indeed,  should  any  of  the  plants  be  at  all 
weakly,  rejiot  in  the  same  size  or  even  smaller 
pots,  placing  them  at  the  warmest  end  of  the 
house  for  a  time.  I^lie  compost  should  be  pre- 
pared some  little  time  in  advance  of  potting  to  get 
warmed  through,  and  should  consist  of  three  part.s 
good  turfy  loam  and  some  peat  in  rough  pieces: 
to  this  ma}'  be  adtled  a  small  ])ortion  of  decayed 
manure  and  some  bone-meal  if  the  plants  are 
strong  and  healthy.  Pot  firmly,  give  ]jlciily  of 
drainage,  use  ilcan  pots,  and  allow  more  warmlh 
in  the  bed  and  house  to  encourage  new  growth. 
Water  s])aringly  for  a  time,  but  niainlain  a  moi...t, 
growing  atmosphere  in  all  parts  of  the  house  ; 
keep  the  evaporating  troughs  filled,  and  allow  the 
temperature  to  rise  freely  by  sun  heat,  closing 
early  to  save  hard  firing  during  the  day. 

Bananas. 
Like   Pine   Apples,   we   keep  fruiting  plants  of 
Bananas   as   cpiiet   as   possibli'    during  tlie  winter 


February  16,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


117 


inontlis,  but  now  more  liberal  treatment  may  be 
atforded.  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  but  that 
pot  plants  are  more  easily  managed  than  those 
planted  out.  As  regards  the  latter,  if  at  all  large, 
it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  prevent  their  fruiting  in 
winter,  and  I  note  winter  fruiters  are  never  so 
good.  With  bottom  heat  there  is  less  trouble,  but 
1  find  pot  plants  push  up  more  freely.  The  tem- 
perature for  Musa  C'aveiidishi  during  the  winter 
has  not  often  exceeded  60°  at  night,  a  few  degrees 
lower  in  cold  weather,  and  65°  by  day.  This  may 
now  be  increased  and  tepid  liquid  manure  given, 
also  rich  top-dressings  as  soon  as  the  fruit  appears. 
The  plants  delight  in  atmospheric  moisture,  but 
avoid  excessive  syringing  overhead,  as  this  is  apt 
to  decaj'  the  centre  of  the  plant.  Syringe  from 
underneath  the  leaves.  Succession  plants  should 
now  be  potted  on  or  planted  out ;  pot  firmly,  using 
a  rich  compost,  and  give  good  drainage.  Suckers 
should  be  detached  from  fruiting  plants,  but  the 
work  must  be  done  carefully  so  as  not  to  rob  the 
parent  plant  of  its  roots.  The  suckers  will  soon 
form  new  roots  if  a  little  bottom  heat  can  be 
afforded.  G.  VA'vthes. 

Syon  Houte  Gardens,  Brentford. 


RECENT    PLANT     PORTRAITS. 

The  .June  number  of  the  Botanical  Maijazine  con- 
tains portraits  of  the  following  five  plants  :  — 

Aijave  Peacockii. — A  native  of  Central  Mexico. 
It  is  a  handsome  green-flowered  species  which 
bloomed  for  the  first  time  at  Kew  in  1899,  pro- 
ducing a  flower-spike  14i  feet  high. 


Neillia  Torreyi. — A  native  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, also  known  under  the  synonyms  of  N. 
malvacea,  N.  nionogyna,  Spinua  monogyna,  8. 
opulifolia,  S.  pauciflora,  Physocarpus  Torreyi, 
Opulaster  malvacea,  and  Epicostorus  montanus. 
A  free-blooming  hard}'  shrub  producing  dense 
clusters  of  pure  white  flowers  with  red  stamens, 
resembling  those  of  the  Hawthorn. 

Vfronlca  (//aura. — A  native  of  (Jreece,  also  known 
as  V.  gneca  and  V.  amcena.  Apretty  little  species 
found  in  the  sandy  fields  of  Attica  with  small  blue 
flowers,  which  change  to  purple  before  they  fade. 

Ech'dnopsii:  Beiitii.  —  A  native  of  Southern 
Arabia.  A  plant  of  merely  botanical  interest 
with  small  red  flowers,  requiring  the  temperature 
of  a  warm  house.  Collected  by  the  late  Rev.  T. 
Bent. 

ii'osa  Serap/iini. — A  native  of  Italy.  It  is  also 
known  as  R.  apennina,  R.  cretica,  R.  glutinosn-, 
R.  graveolens,  and  R.  parvifolia.  A  pretty  little 
dwarf  Rose  of  peculiar  habit,  with  small,  deep 
rose-coloured,  single  flowers.  It  is  also  found  in 
Corsica,  Sardinia,  and  Sicil}-. 
to  R.  agrestis. 

The   first    number   of   the 
February   has  a  portrait   of 

Orchid,  Lielia  ijrandls  tenehroxa,  which  in  a  wild 
state  is  found  growing  on  the  branches  of  trees. 

The  Berne  de  V  fiortirnltnre  Beige  has  portraits 
of  Kennedya  aiidomariensifi,  an  exceedingly  bright 
and  pretty  little  greenhouse  plant  from  New 
Holland,  with  deep  rose  -  coloured.  Pea-shaped 
flowers,  and  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  the  now 
well-known  and  most  profuse  winter- blooming 
ornament  of  our  warm  greenhouses  raised   by  M. 


Lemoine,   of  Nancy.     It  is  a    hybrid  between  P.. 
socolrana  and  B.  Dregei.         W.  E.  OrMBi.KTOX. 


It  is  closely  allied 

Rente   Horticole   for 
a    pretty   epiphytal 


SUMMARY     OF     \V  E  A  T  H  E  R 
NOTES    FOR    JANUARY. 

A  VERY  unsettled  and  rather  dry  month.  The 
new  centurj'  commenced  with  ">"  of  frost  and 
seasonable  weather,  frosty  nights,  and  fogs;  wintry 
second  week  and  2(1"  of  frost  ;  sudden  thaw  on 
the  loth,  followed  by  a  very  dull,  gloomy 
period,  with  dense  fogs  and  raw  cold  atmosphere. 
Another  cold  snap  of  frost  for  three  days,  ending 
on  the  1.5th  with  a  rapid  thaw,  and  dull,  showery, 
and  stormy  week  followed.  Fair  and  milder  later  : 
very  stormy  on  the  '26th.  The  last  week  was  fine 
and  sunny,  with  hoar  frosts  and  showers  of  hail 
and  snow.  The  mean  temperature  for  the  montli 
was  about  the  average.  Sunshine  was  i-egistereil 
on  sixteen  da^'s ;  rain  or  snow  fell  on  nineteen 
days,  and  frost  occurred  on  eighteen  days.  The 
maximum  temperature  in  the  sun  was  (ill"  on  the 
10th  ;  ditto,  shade,  ."il'-'  on  the  21st.  Minimum, 
12'-'  on  the  ,Sth. 


Total  rainfall,  .Taiuiary,  1001 
,,  ,.    ■     l:10() 

Average  ,,       (Wiiuisor)... 

Windsor. 


IHChAH. 

117 

:i-OS 

1-7.'. 

Owen  Thomas 


PINK    EDGINGS. 

The    accompanying     illustration     sliows     the 
beauty  of  tlie  mixed  border  when  it  is  mar- 


JIIXED   BORPERS    WITH   PINK    EDUIXG   AT    WINXHrjELD, 


118 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February   16,  1901. 


gined  with  Pinks  and  the  walk  is  of  grass. 
Any  hard  edging  in  this  instance  would  have 
spoilt  the  picture,  and  those  who  contemplate 
alterations  now  in  the  margin  or  actual  for- 
mation of  the  border  should  remember  the 
importance  of  mas.sing  together  good  things, 
with  a  careful  sequence  of  colouring.  Of 
all  flowering  plants  the  Pink  is  among  the 
most  satisfactory  ;  its  drifts  of  blossom  appear 
ill  June,  and  in  the  winter  we  get  the  full 
value  of  the  silvery  foliage,  which  is  almost  as 
]irecious  as  the  blossom  of  summer.  The  old 
fringed  white  kind  has  almost  gone  out  of 
cultivation,  but  I  prefer  it  to  the  big-bloomed 
kinds,  such  as  Mrs.  Sinkins.  T. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

PRONUNCIATION     OF 
PLANT     NAMES, 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — With  all  proper  respect  for  the 
editorial  opinion,  I  \'enture  to  dissent 
tioni  it  on  tlie  one  point  of  the  right  pro- 
luniciation  of  C41adiolus.  This  word  does 
not  stand  quite  on  all  fours  with  your 
other  examples.  It  is  scarcely  correct  to 
sa}'  that  it  has  received  "a  generally  accepted  con- 
venient English  pronunciation,"  my  own  experience 
lieing  that  quite  as  man\'  people  put  the  accent  on 
tlie  thiid  sj'Uable  as  on  the  second,  while  a  few 
accent  the  first.  Uniformitj'  is  desirable,  and  if 
the  original  Latin  pronunciation  coincides  "with 
wliat  you  rightly  observe  is  the  English  usage  of 
tlmiwing  the  accent  as  far  back  as  possible,  we 
sliall  do  well  to  retain  it.  Now  wo  have  satis- 
factory proof  how  the  Romans  pronounced  words 
(if  several  short  syllables  like  Gladiolus,  containing 
"■  i  "  before  another  vowel.  Amongst  others,  abiete 
and  pariete,  ablatives  of  ahies,  a  Fir  tree,  and 
/larie.i,  a  partition  wall,  are  pronounced  bj' 
^'^irgil — and  his  was  assuredly  the  current  pro- 
nunciation— as  trisyllables,  abyete,  paryete.  The 
"i"  was  consonanted,  as  grammarians  saj',  the 
"ie"  being  sounded  as  "ye,"  as  oin'  yea,  and  the 
accent  laid  on  the  "a."  Similarly  Gladiolus  was 
(iladyohts,  the  "a"  being  accented  and  the  "io" 
pronounced  as  one  .sjdlable,  like  "yo"  in  our 
yondei-.  I  entirely  agree  with  you  that  where  the 
Latin  or  (Jreek  accentuation  rims  altogether 
counter  to  English  habit,  as  in  your  instance 
Aristolochia,  the  English  may  rightly  prevail. 
Indeed,  siich  words  as  orator  and  senator  teach 
that  the  native  tongue  cannot  be  denied  ;  but  in  the 
instance  of  Gladiolus  there  is  no  such  opposition, 
and  I  am  but  upholding  your  own  principle. 
When  we  throw  the  stress  of  the  voice  back  to  the 
"a"  we  are  .speaking  as  Romans  spoke  and  as 
Englishmen  speak.  Georoe  Enoleheart. 


Sir, — Horace,  in  his  "  Ars  Poetica,"  v.  71,  rightly 
teljs  us  that  usage  and  fashion  can  and  will  make 
any  change  they  please  in  language. 
"Si  volet  usus, 
Quem  penes  arhitrium  est,  ct  jus  et  norma  loquendi," 

and  we  know  this  to  be  true  linth  as  to  the 
meaning  and  the  spelling  and  the  pronouncing  of 
words.  However,  I  hope  and  belie\'e  tliat  fashion 
will  never  sancticm  such  a  pedantic  pronunciatiou 
as  Gladjolus  for  tlie  time-!\onoured  four-syllable 
word  (Gladiolus.  Your  coirespondent  divides  tlie 
word  into  tlirec — glad-io-lus — intending,  I  suppose, 
to  pronounce  the  "  io  "  as  "yo"  in  yokel.  Well, 
this  pronunciation  may  jiossibly  be  classical ;  we 
know  too  little  aliout  the  sounds  of  Latin  in  the 
Augustan  age.  It  is  true  tliat  wfirds,  .such  as 
arinte  from  m-iei,  abiete  from  aliie'i,  consisting  of 
four  short  syllables  in  prose,  are  made  by  Virgil 
to  do  duty  as  dactyl  trisyllables  in  \'erse.  Still,  it 
seems  better  to  me  to  accept  the  ti-aditions  of 
Latin  teaching  and  to  pronounce  Latin  words  as 
they  have  always  been  pronounced  b}'  most 
sclnjlars  from  l^^nglish  jiublic  sf-liools  at  Oxford  and 
Cambridge,      In    my    university   davs — now  more 


than  half  a  century  ago — I  think  that  nine  out  of 
ten  scholars  would  have  said  Gladiolus  (anil 
rliodiola,  modiolus,  &c. )  rather  than  <4hidjolus,  &c,, 
wliicli  must  either  be  pronounced  as  a  word  of 
tliree  .syllables,  or  the  fii-st  three  sjdlables  must  be 
made  into  a  dactyl,  for  three  consecutive  syllables 
cannot  be  pronounced  without  consciously  or 
unconsciously  accenting  one  of  them.  We  cou- 
.-itantly  meet  both  in  botanical  and  in  classical  Latin 
witli  wcjrds  of  four  short  sj'Uables,  and  in  pro- 
nouncing these  the  accent  almost  without  exception 
falls  on  the  ante-penultima — or  last  .syllable  but 
two — for  example,  neniophila,  polygala,  and  such 
good  classical  words  as  Caligula,  patilnilus,  phaseo- 
lus,  and  Cilicia.  In  these  words  rules  of  jirosody 
must  yield  to  exigencies  of  pronunciation,  other- 
wise what  are  we  to  do  when  five  short  .syllables 
come  together  as  in  JIacedonia,  or  six  as  in 
Jlesopotamia  ?  But  I  endorse  your  view  that 
however  A''irgil  and  Cicero  might  lia\e  pronounced 
Gladiolus,  which  we  do  not  know,  (Tladiolus, 
accenting  the  "  i,"  has  been  sanctioned  liy  long 
usage  amongst  educated  people  in  England.  If  Me 
are  to  prefer  prosody'  to  usage,  how  about  such 
words  as  orator,  senator,  origin,  &c.  ?  And  whj% 
except  from  usage,  and  because  the  words  came 
into  English  not  directly  from  Latin  but  through 
French,  are  we  to  neglect  the  Latin  pronunciation 
whilst  we  adopt  the  Latin  spelling  ?  Your  illus- 
tration of  the  subject  by  English  usage  in  plant 
names  such  as  Anemone  and  Hypericum  is  mucli  to 
the  point,  and  I  may  add  another  common  name, 
Veronica,  which  is  obviously  only  another  way  of 
spelling  the  old  Greek  name  Berenice.  In  these 
names  we  have  the  accent  on  the  ante-penultima. 
This  is  the  general  rule  in  English  if  three  or  more 
short  syllables  come  at  the  end  of  anj'  word,  and  if 
the  word  is  lengthened  we  transfer  the  accent 
accordingly,  as  botanj',  botanical,  philosophy, 
philosophical,  and  so  on  ad  infinitum. 

I  intend  to  protest  to  the  last,  as  I  \\a,\e  already 
done  many  times,  against  Glad-io-lus  wlienever  I 
hear  it.  Of  the  two  I  should  prefer  (iladiiilus,  and 
it  is  more  likely  to  become  sanctioned  by  use  than 
tlie  other.  To  sum  up,  if  it  is  argued  that 
<  iladiolus  and  the  other  words  I  have  mentioned 
with  it  (including  petiolus,  a  small  stalk,  an  old 
Latin  word),  ought  to  be  of  three  syllaliles,  I 
only  say  that  it  is  contrary  to  the  usage  of 
educated  English  ;  but  if  the3'  are  allowed  to  be 
four  short  syllables,  why  is  the  rule  of  pronuncia- 
tion to  differ  from  that  of  other  Latin  or  English 
words  of  four  syllables,  especially  diminutives  in 
"  ulus,"  as  calyculus,  pediculus,  manipulus, 
acidulus,  puerulus,  and  others  ?  How  do  the  advo- 
vates  of  (Jladiohis  pronounce  Antiochus,  Calliope, 
Antiope,  &c.  ?  The  reason  for  pronouncing  the  "  i  " 
short  applies  a  fortiori  to  these  words.    C.  W.  D. 

MISTLETOE  AND  MISSEL  THRUSH. 

[To  THE  tEditor  or   "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  read  with  much  interest  Mr.  Engleheart's 
able  and  good-natured  criticisms  on  the  etymology 
of  the  word  Mistletoe.  He  might,  perhaps,  like  to 
know  my  authority  for  the  reading  I  suggested. 
It  is  Dr.  Brewer,  in  his  "  Dictionary  of  Phrase  and 
Fable."  As  a  rule  Dr.  Brewer  is  to  be  depended 
on.  I  must  say,  however,  that  Mr.  Engleheart's 
derivation  commends  itself  greatly  from  its  simpli- 
city, but  one  would  regret  to  sever  the  long-existing 
association  between  the  plant  and  the  bird.  This 
is  what  the  Rev.  F.  0.  Morris  says  about  the 
missel  or  Mistletoe  thrush  in  his  "  Historj'  of 
British  Birds,"  vol.  v.,  page  .39.  "This  species 
was  imagined  by  the  ancients  to  have  a  peculiar 
fondness  for  the  berries  of  the  Mistletoe,  of  which, 
indeed,  it  was  supposed,  according  to  the  old  pro- 
verb Tiirdiix  malnrii  nild,  to  be  a  sort  of  foster- 
parent."  He,  of  course,  dismisses  the  idea  that 
the  bird  feeds  entirely  on  Mistletoe  berries.  The 
missel  thrush  is  also  very  partial  to  the  berries  of 
the  Ivy,  Holly,  Y'ew,  Juniper,  and  other  trees. 
We  have  just  been  proving  the  truth  of  tliis  for 
ourselves.  Encouraged  by  the  mild  weather,  a 
missel  thrush  close  to  our  domain  began  singing 
on  December  14,  and  sang  on  all  through  the 
December  storms  till  the  cold  snap  of  .Januarv 
silenced  hie  merry  tune.     Well  had  he  earned  bis 


other  name  of  "storm-cock."  .A  goodly  bunch  of 
Mistletoe  had  been  hung  among  the  branches  of 
our  best  Apple  tree,  in  the  hope  of  enticing  him  to 
it,  liut  our  beguilenients  were  in  vain  ;  there  was 
far  too  bountiful  a  supply  of  other  berries  about. 
He  was  saucj',  like  the  tits,  this  generous  year, 
who  turn  up  their  beaks  at  suet,  and  are  not  to  be 
coaxed  with  the  Cocoanut.  I  think  myself  that 
Mistletoe  berries  are  often  deposited  on  the  bark 
of  trees  in  another  way,  much  more  efficacious  than 
mere  droppings.  Tlie  metliod  shall  be  described 
in  the  words  of  a  writei  whose  name  I  do  not  know, 
but  who  is  apparently  a  close  oliserver.  Speaking 
of  the  Mistletoe  plant  and  of  birds  and  their  agency, 
ho  says  :  — "  These  devour  the  berries  eagerly,  the 
missel  thrush  especially,  which,  after  eating  the 
pulp,  rubs  its  beak  against  the  liranclies  to  rid  itself 
of  seeds,  and  thus  effects  their  lodgment  in  the 
tree."  This  idea  has  a  ring  of  truth  about  it ;  one 
can  almost  see  the  bird  doing  his  dainty  work,  and 
bird  lovers  may  join  hands  wilh  plant  lovers  and 
etymologists  in  enjoying  the  possible  result — a 
Mistletoe  bough.  '  F.  A.  B. 


STKEET  TREES. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  (;aruen."J 
Sir, — There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  between 
the  admirer  and  planter  of  trees  in  town  streets 
and  the  dwellers,  especially  shopkeepers  in  such 
streets,  there  is  not  infrequently  much  difference  of 
opinion.  So  much  depends  on  whether  the  streets 
are  narrow  or  wide,  and  of  what  uses  the  houses 
on  either  side  are  put ;  but  in  the  majority  of 
towns  stieets  are  narrow,  and  houses  are  close  to 
the  side  footpaths.  Trees  in  such  cases  are  at  once 
much  out  of  place  and  a  nuisance.  In  such  streets  all 
possible  light  and  air  are  needed,  and  any  obstacles 
to  the  admission  of  these  elements  or  to  ordinary 
locomotion  are  objectionable.  In  the  autumn  the 
falling  leaves  are  offensive,  diity,  and  unhealthy. 
Where  trees  are  so  found  the  heads  have  to  be 
practically  maltreated  annually  to  keep  them  in 
check,  and  we  may  see  for  montlis  in  niauy  even  of 
London  suburbs,  where  trees  have  been  injudiciously 
planted,  in  defiance  of  the  fact  that  there  was  not 
space  to  enalile  the  stem  to  natural)}'  de\'elop,  what 
can  only  be  described  as  tree  .scarecrows,  so  ugly  and 
disreputable  in  appearance  are  they.  Surely  there 
can  be  found  no  ieslhetic  reasons  for  having  trees 
in  such  places,  because  all  beauty,  even  were  it 
possible  under  any  circumstances,  is  destroyed. 
In  very  many  cases  we  s:;e  trees  planted  in  resi- 
dential roads  where  houses  are  set  back  some 
20  feet  to  30  feet  from  the  pathway,  but  in  nearly' 
all  these  cases  trees  and  shrubs  have  been  planted  in 
their  forecourts,  too  often  far  too  thickly,  and  the 
planting  of  others  some  .5  feet  or  (i  feet  from  these 
simply  aggravate  the  tliiekness  and  does  no  good, 
adding  nothing  to  beauty.  Where  streets  or  roads 
are  very  wide,  say  from  45  feet  to  .50  feet,  and  there 
are  broad  footways,  trees  here  and  there  may  not  be 
out  of  place  ;  but  whilst  if  planted  on  the  margin 
of  the  streets  the\'  obstruct  veliicular  traltic,  if 
planted  on  the  margin  of  the  footways,  which  are 
habitually  paved  or  asphalted,  the  roots  are 
unfortunately  placed  out  of  reach  of  air  and 
moisture,  and  it  is  no  matter  for  wonder  if  the 
foliage  decays  and  falls  so  early  in  the  autumn.  It 
is  really  marvellous,  remembering  liow  all  top 
moisture  is  prevented  from  sinking  into  the  soil 
through  paving  and  granite  roads,  and  also  the  in- 
numerable drains,  sewers,  pipes,  &c.  tliat  run  under 
the  roads,  paths,  &c. ,  that  trees  exist  as  they  do. 
To  have  street  trees  in  full  beauty,  and  where  they 
can  be  really  utilised  for  shade  and  enjoyment, 
streets  shoukl  be  (iO  feet  wide  at  least,  a  double 
line  of  trees  may  then  bo  planted  down  the  centre 
of  the  street,  the  rows  12  feet  apart,  and  beneath 
them  a  pleasant  gravelled  promenade,  through 
which  rain  could  freely  percolate,  that  would 
constitute  a  delightful  walk  and  furnish  no  annoy- 
ance to  residents  ;  that  would  allow  roadway's  some 
24  feet  wide  on  either  side,  and  accommodate 
enormous  traffic  as  that  on  each  side  would  bo  all 
going  one  way.  But  where  may  we  hope  to  find 
streets  between  kerbs  t!0  feet  wide  '.'  Certainly  not 
in  ordinary  towns.  Of  the  various  town  trees 
the  Oriental  Plane  seems  to  be  the  most  suitable. 


February  16,  1901/ 


THE     GARDEN. 


119 


Some  kilids  tliat  have  been  ))lanted  have  proved  to 
be  lamentable  failures.  Whatever  ti'ee.s  may  be 
planted  Ihcy  should  be  such  as  would  bear  hard 
topping  about  every  three  years,  and  the  topping 
should  lie  done  iji  jiareh  as  the  stem.s  then  soon 
produce  new  shoots.  I  tind  generallj'  topping  con- 
sists in  cutting  every  summer  shoot  hard  oil  in 
November,  leaving  the  trees  very  ugly  for  some 
five  months.  A.  1). 

PINK     APPLE     BRACAMOKENSIS 
ClHARLOTTE   ROTHSCHILD. 

[To   THK    Editor    of    "  Thk   Oardkn.  "J 

Sir, — Mr.  Beale's  remarks  about  the  fine  Pine  Apple 
bracamoiensis,  figured  on  page  443,  are  interesting 
to  me,  and   his  belief   that  it  is  little  known   by 
English    Pine   growers   is    well  founded.      It  is  a 
question  if  the  variety  is  in  commerce  in  England. 
The   fruit   exhibited   at   the  Crystal  Palace  show 
was  a  remarkabl_v  fine  one,  deep  orange  in  colour, 
and  perfectly  sound.     Some  very  large  varieties. 
Lady  Beatrice  Lambton,  for  e.vaniple,  are  disposed 
to  decay  at  their  base  before  their  top  is  perfectly 
ripe,  but  bracamorensis  does  not  appear  subject  to 
this  defect.     Mr.  Beale  did  not  refer  to  Havour — a 
very  important  point  in  anj'  fruit.     A  new  Pine 
Apple  is  a  comparative  rarit}',  and  this  tine  variety 
would  liave  been  greatly  appreciated   some  years 
ago,  when  the  Pine  was  more  grown  than  it  is  now, 
although  new  kinds  have  not  made  much  headway 
against  The  tjueeu  and  Smooth   Cayenne.     (Char- 
lotte Rothschild,  for  instance,  was  distributed  with 
much    promise,    but   has    never   been    extensively 
grown.     The  first  time  I  saw  it  fruiting   was  at 
Duporth,  Cornwall,  some  thirty  years  ago.     It  is  a 
good  kind  for  winter  use,  keeping  well  after  it  is 
ripe,  and  of  good  flavour  even  in  the  dull  season. 
It  compares  favourably  with   Smooth  Cayenne   in 
these  respects.     The  reason  of  its  not  being  more 
grown  may,  perhaps,  be  rightly  attributed  to  the 
spiny   character  of   its   leaves,  together  with  the 
opinion  that  it  is  not  so  easily  grown  as  some  kinds 
are.       There    need    be    no    difficulty   about    this, 
however.       We    grow    it    and    Smooth    Cayenne 
together  under  identical  circumstances,  and  each 
succeed   equally   well.      If   we   have   to   complain 
about  either  it  must  be  Smooth  Caj'enne,  for  we 
have  occasionally  found  amongst  its  fruits  a  black- 
hearted  one — a  defect  that   we  have  at   no    time 
experienced   with   C.    Rothschild   or   The   Queen. 
Charlotte  Rothschild  does  not  appear  to  be  gr  jwn 
abroad    for   exportation,    but   doubtless  it  would 
succeed  there  equally  as  well  as  Smooth  Ca3'enne, 
which  is  much   cultivated   for   that   purpose.      A 
gentleman  (a  member  of  an  American  Pine  Apple 
Plantation  Company)  who  called  here  last  year  in 
order  to  see  our  mode  of  growing  the  Pine  Apple, 
said  that  he  had  not  even  heard  of  C.  Rothschild, 
and  remarked  that  its  spiny  nature  would  prevent 
it  from  becoming  as  popular  as  Smooth   Cayenne 
had,  however  well  it  might  succeed. 

Thomas  Coomker. 
The  Hendre  Garden-i,  Momnouth. 


dessert  Apple  this  variety  for  flavour  is  to  bo 
preferred  to  any  other  I  know.  The  ((uality 
nf  its  flesh  is  moderately  soft,  juicy,  an(l  of  a 
creamy  colour,  and  the  flavour  is  decidedly 
refreshing  and  deliciously  sweet.  It  is  of 
liandsome  ajipearance  and  meditnn  size  ;  on  the 
sunny  side  it  is  deep  red  in  colour  with  tiny 
white  spots,  and  shading  down  to  gold  on  the 
opposite  side.  Truly  a  beautiful  and  in- 
valuable Apple  for  this  late  season.  The  tree 
possesses  a  strong  constitution,  bears  regularly 
and  abundantly — .so  abundantly  indeed  that  in 
most  seasons  half  the  fruit  has  to  be  thinned 
ofi-. 

Pearson's  Plate  is  a  comparatively  little 
known  Apjile,  but  should  be  included  in  every 
collection,  however  limited,  as  one  of  the  best 
flavoured  late  Apples  we  have.  It  has  only 
one  fault  (if  fault  it  lie),  it  is  rather  small ;  not 
unlike  King  of  the  Pi|ipins  in  shape,  outline, 
and  eye,  but  smaller  and  of  a  darker  russetty 
colour. 

Allington  Pippin.  — A  comjiaratively  new 
introduction  and  no  doubt  a  variety  of  sterling 
merit,  one  of  the  most  delicately  beautiful 
Apples  we  have,  a  fine  and  abundant  cropper, 
and  a  variety  that  comes  into  bearing  earlier 


dessert  varieties  the  newer,  but  now  general!}' 
popular,  James  (irieve,  might  with  much  accept- 
ance be  added.  This  is  equally  as  free  bearing  as 
Worcester  Pearmain,  of  much  superior  quality, 
distinct  from  it  in  colour,  being  beautifully  mottled 
with  red  upon  a  yellow  ground,  and  con'tinues  in 
season  from  early  in  October  until  Christmas.  A 
plant  grafted  upon  the  English  Paradi.se  stock  was 
sent  here  for  trial  twelve  years  ago.  It  fruited  the 
second  year  after,  and  has  ijontinued  to  bear  a  full 
crop  every  year  since,  so  that  at  present  the  tree, 
instead  of  exhibiting  an  upright  habit  of  growth 
as  of  younger  trees,  has  all  the  outer  branches  of 
pendulous  form.  As  a  bush,  cordon,  or  espalier 
trained  it  has  proved  one  of  the  best  Apples  in 
cultivation. 

To  the  cooking  sorts  for  mid-season  use  Stone's 
Apple,  or  Loddington  Seedling  cannot  be  passed  by, 
as  it  possesses  all  the  necessary  qualities  required 
in  a  first-class  fruit.  The  habit  of  the  tree  is  not 
favourable  to  the  formation  of  a  handsome  pyramid, 
but  foi'  a  standard  or  bush  it  can,  by  checking  any 
straggling  disposed  shoots  in  their  early  stages,  be 
induced  to  form  very  shapely  and  fruitful  trees. 

Among  the  late  dessert  Apples  Court  PenduPhU 
and  Duke  of  Devonshire  are  too  small  to  be  of 
much  value,  even  in  private  establishments,  while 
Sturmer  Pippin  I  have  never  in  any  season  found 
to  be  worthy  of  cultivation.     Good  substitutes  for 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

Among  the  best  varieties  of  dessert  Apjiles 
for  the  winter  season  are  the  following  : 
Ribston  Pippin.— As  a  Christmas  and  January 
Apple  this  is  one  of  the  oldest,  most  popular, 
and  best  known,  and  still  deserves  all  the 
good  things  said  of  it  in  the  past  ;  it  is  in 
season  from  October  to  the  end  of  -January. 
As  regards  flavour  it  is  second  only  to  Cox's 
Orange  Pippin.  Unfortunately,  the  tree  is  not 
a  strong  gi-ower,  neither  is  tlie  variety  suited 
for  an  orchard,  except  in  favourable  and  warm 
localities.  Worked  on  the  Paradise  stock  it 
succeeds  well  as  a  bush  or  pyramid,  but 
any  one  wishing  to  grow  fruit  for  exhibition 
purposes  should  plant  single  or  double  cordon 
trees  against  a  wall  with  a  west  aspect.  No 
garden  should  be  without  a  few  trees  of  this 
fine  old  sort. 

Scarlet  Nonpareil.— As  a  February  and  March 


APPLE   CHRISTMAS    PEARMAIN. 
iSizi'  of  nriginal:  Height  3',  inches,  width  :i  iiirhex.) 


than  any  1  know,  but  its  ttavoui-  as  grown  here 
is  only  second  rate.  Its  season  is  from  October 
to  the  middle  of  .January.  Another  introduc- 
tion of  recent  years,  Christmas  Pearmain,  is  a 
welcome  addition  to  our  winter  dessert  Apples. 
A  true  Pearmain  in  outline  and  appearance, 
not  unlike  Adams'  Pearmain,  but  larger  and 
finer.  The  tree  is  a  good  grower  and  a  most 
abundant  bearer,  The  flavour  is  good,  and  it 
is  one  of  themost  handsome  Apples  in  our.fruit 
room  at  the  present  time.  This  should  prove 
a  splendid  market  Apple.       Owen  Thomas. 

BEST  APPLES  FOR  BRITAIN. 

After  several  years'  acquaintance  with  the  variety 
Mr.  Gladstone,  I  consider  it  the  best  early  variety. 
Like  most  early  sorts  it  will  not  keep  long  when 
ripe,  but  it  crops  freely  and  regularly  ;  the  fruit  is 
of  high  colour,  and  in  my  opinion  unsurpassed  for 
quality  in  its  season.  Beauty  of  Bath  surely  merits 
a  place  in  the  early  section,  for,  althoutrh  somewhat 
later  than  Irish  Peach  in  ripening,  it  has  the  great 
advantage  over  that  variety,  in  the  north  at  least, 
of  being  a  more  healthy  grower  and  less  subject  to 
fungoid  diseases,  which  often  disfigure  the  fruit  of 
the  latter,  while  it  will  keep  in  good  condition 
double  the  length  of  time  when  ripe,  either  upon 
the  tree  or  when  gathered.      To  the  mid-season 


these  would  be  Fearn's  Pippin,  Scarlet  Nonpareil, 
and  Reinette  du  Canada.  The  first-named  is 
rather  small,  but  high  colour,  good  shape,  and  long 
keeping  qualities  atone  for  this.  Galloway  Pippin 
woidd  worthily  augment  the  list  of  late  cooking 
sorts,  as  this  in  many  northern  gardens  is  the 
rival  of  Wellington  and  Bramley's  Seedling,  and. 
speaking  for  this  place  and  district,  I  can,  after 
twenty  years  experience,  confidently  recommend 
it  as  superior  to  both,  and  it  possesses  the  advan- 
tage of  being  useful  for  dessert  from  Januarj'  to 
April.  James  Day. 

•    Galloivay  House,  GarUestowii ,  Wigtownshire. 

[This  note  has  unavoidably  been  held  over  for 
some  time. — Eds.] 


Obituapy.^We  are  very  sorry  to  hear  of 
the  death  of  Mr.  Andrew  Mitchell,  partner  in  the 
well-known  firm  of  Messrs.  Dobbie  and  Co., 
Rothesay.  Mr.  Mitchell  died  suddenly  of  internal 
haemorrhage. 

Sppingr  number  of  "The  Garden." 

—Our  issue  for  February  23  (next  week)  will  be 
devoted  especially  to  spring  flowers,  and  many 
practical  articles  have  been  contributed  to  it. 
Mr.  Divers,  head  gardener  to  the  Duke  of  Rutland, 
Belvoir  Castle,  writes  of  spring  gardening,  while 
views  of  Dover  House,  the  residence  of  J.  P.  Morgan, 
Esq. ,  RoehamptoD.  will  appear,  besides  the  ordinarj- 


120 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[Febkuaky    16,   1901. 


pictures  of  the  journal.  Illustrations  of  Pinus 
muricata,  Poppies  in  the  woodland,  Otaheite  Orange, 
a  new  Gentian,  Messrs.  J.  Carter  and  Co. 's  Chinese 
Primula  house,  &c. ,  and  articles  by  Mr.  R.  Irwin 
Lynch,  of  Cambridge  Botanic  Gardens  ;  Mr  W.  J. 
Bean,  of  the  arboretum,  Kew  ;  Mr.  Crump,  of 
Madresfield  Court  Gardens  ;  Mr.  Beckett,  Mr. 
Fyfe,  Mr.  Wythes,  and  many  others. 

Cacti  and  how  to  grow  them.— This 

is  a  useful  little  treatise  upon  Cacti,  by  that  well- 
known  grower  Mr.  Wni.  C.  G.  Ludford,  Fern  Lea, 
Four  Oaks,  Sutton  ColdBekl,  near  Birmingham. 
It  is  illustrated,  and  the  price  is  6d. 

Sutton's    Farmeps'  Year    Book.- 

This  annual  has  been  published  continuous!}'  since 
the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  its 
appearance  is  always  welcomed  by  agriculturists. 
A  most  interesting  feature  is  noticeable  in  the 
present  issue,  viz.,  reduced  representations,  in 
natural  colours,  of  many  grasses  indispensable 
to  the  production  of  good  pastures.  An  excellent 
calendar,  records  of  remarkable  crops,  and  much 
other  useful  matter  is  given. 

Scottish  Horticultural  Associa- 
tion.— Will  you  allow  me  to  point  out  an  error 
in  your  report  of  the  above  association.  M3' 
brother,  D.  P.  Laird,  was  the  first  treasurer  of 
the  Scottish  Horticultural  Association,  and  Mr. 
Alex.  Milne  the  first  secretary.  I  succeeded  Mr. 
R.  B.  Ferguson  ten  years  ago,  and  I  think  it  is 
right  these  gentlemen  should  get  a  share  of  the 
credit  of  the  success  of  this  association.  The 
secretarial  duties  had  increased  so  much  that  for 
business  reasons  I  had,  reluetantl}',  to  resign. — 
Robert  Laird.  Edinhuryh. 

A  reminiscence.— The  following  passage 
occurs  in  a  letter  written  by  the  late  Queen  to 
King  Louis  Phillipe,  dated  Osborne,  August  17, 
1846  :  "  The  Potato  disease  is  unfortunately  again 
appearing,  and  will  be  worse  than  it  was  last 
year." 

A  gardening  book  for  beginners — 

A  beginners  book  about  gardening,  comprehensive 
and  with  diagrams  and  full-page  illustrations,  will 
shortly  be  published  from  this  office.  It  has  been 
written  at  the  request  of  many  would-be  gardeners 
by  Mr.  Cook,  joint  editor  of  The  Garden,  and  its 
price  will  be  10s.  6d.  nett.  A  preface  has  been 
written  by  Miss  .lekyll. 

Presentation  to  Mr.  G.  Nobbs.-The 

head  gardener  at  Osborne,  Mr.  (i.  Nobbs,  was 
recently  the  recipient  of  a  valuable  scarf-pin  from 
His  Majesty  King  Edward  in  appreciation  of  his 
services  lately  rendered. 

Snowdrops. — The  first  Snowdrop  was  rather 
later  with  me  than  usual  this  year.  I  have  always 
had  them  in  bloom  in  the  first  week  in  January, 
but  this  year  none  made  their  appearance  before 
the  11th.  With  me  G.  Elwesi  generally  beats 
G.  nivalis  by  a  week  or  ten  days,  perhaps  because 
it  has  the  better  position.  G.  plicatus  varies  a 
good  deal,  but  is  always  a  good  month  later  than 
either  of  the  above.  It  has  not  yet  bloomed, 
neither  has  the  newer  Ikarife,  well  shown  at  the 
Drill  Hall  lately.  This  seems  to  be  a  mid-season 
variety.  Some  bulbs  planted  in  the  early  autumn 
are  only  just  breaking  through.  I  find  that  the 
damper  and  cooler  the  soil,  the  better  suited  is  it 
to  these  favourites  ;  in  fact,  they  die  in  the  hotter 
portions  of  my  garden.  — H.  E.  M. 

Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine.— I  was 

much  pleased  with  your  fine  illustration  of  the 
Gloire  de  Lorraine  Begonia,  and  greatly  interested 
in  the  accompanying  data  concerning  its  origin  and 
dissemination,  and  especially  with  your  careful 
advice  as  to  its  culture.  The  plant  has  created 
much  interest  among  florists  here  of  late.  Its 
surprisingly  floriferous  habit  and  bright  showy 
colour  makes  it  very  saleable  and  valuable  to  the 
plant  seller,  who  can  get  good  prices  for  it.  I 
know  of  nothing  more  attractive  to  the  average 
buyer,  and  it  proves  of  great  commercial  value. 
All  honour  to  M.  Lemoine,  the  fortunate  hybridiser 
of  this  comparatively  new  Howering  plant.  It  is 
still  quite  new  on  this  side,  and  unknown  to  many 
florists  I  think,  though  brought  over  some  two  or 
three  years  since.  But  its  glory  will  not  remain 
hidden.  Of  course,  more  green  foliage  interspersed 
between  the  flowering  sprays  would  give  it  added 


beauty  in  the  eyes  of  many  people.  But  in  this 
case  Nature  prefers  to  make  a  crown  of  bloom,  and 
treats  the  plant  as  of  secondary  consideration  to 
the  display.  And  who  will  care  to  quarrel  with 
her  in  all  these  charming  and  varying  moods 'r  It 
may  be  said  that  M.  Lemoine  was  an  important 
factor  in  this  little  creation,  and  hence  the  freak 
in  habit,  as  we  may  please  to  call  it.  And  }'et 
Nature  is  alwavs  the  presiding  genius,  and  what- 
ever happens  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  is  by  her 
august  permission.  Let  us  continue  to  admire  this 
new  Begonia,  as  we  do  and  shall  more  and  more  as 
its  qualities  become  better  known.  I  trust  it  may 
prove  well  adapted  to  the  window-shelf,  as  florists 
now  predict. — H.  Hkndhicks,  Xcif  York. 

Iris  tingitana. — We  do  not  wonder  that 
"C.  W.  D."  (page  90)  searched  through  "  Brad- 
shaw"  and  the  "Official  Postal  (iuide"  in  vain 
for  Camperdown,  the  home  of  our  correspondent 
with  whom  Iris  tingitana  flowers  so  well.  This 
gentleman  lives  in  Australia,  a  fact  we  omitted  to 
state  at  the  time,  and  which  omission  we  are 
afraid  has  caused  "  C.  W.  T>."  much  trouble  and 
fruitless  search. 

A  Note  from  Nice. — A  correspondent  of 
The  Garden  kindly  writes  us  :  "I  have  seen  no 
notice  in  the  English  papers  of  the  wreath  sent 
from  Nice  by  the  English  colony  to  the  Queen's 
funeral.  It  was  of  such  exceptional  beauty  that 
even  in  the  multitude  of  them  it  deserved  notice 
by  connoisseurs.  Mme.  Duluc-Alphonse  Karr's 
successor  made  it,  and  it  was  a  labour  of  love  for 
her.  One  half  of  the  wreath  was  of  Lilies  of  the 
Valley,  the  other  had  a  ground  of  Parma  A'iolets 
with  Cypripedium  insigne  blooms  grouped  on  it 
(all  of  the  yellow-ground  type).  A  magnificent 
cluster  of  Cattleya  aurea  headed  the  broad  ribbon 
that  crossed  the  circle  with  a  knot.  I  should  think 
Cattleya  aurea  in  quantity  was  unknown  at  this 
season  till  it  was  found  how  well  it  grew  under 
glass  on  the ,  Riviera.  I  do  not  know  how  the 
extraordinary  accounts  of  snow  on  this  coast  got 
into  the  paper.  There  was  heavy  snow  at  Mar- 
seilles, and  the  Olives  in  the  Rhone  valley  may 
have  suffered,  but  there  has  been  nothing  that  I 
have  heard  of  anywhere  between  Toulon  and 
Genoa,  save  that  the  frost  there  was  very  intense 
for  a  few  days.  It  is  still  bright  and  keen  here, 
but  no  frost  to  do  any  damage  to  the  newlj' 
pushing  shoots." 

Mr.  Reginald  Turner,  the  son  of  Mr. 

Harry  Turner,  of  the  Royal  Nurseries,  Slough,  has 
joined  the  Imperial  Yeomanry,  and,  we  believe, 
sails  shortly  for  South  Africa. 

Exhibitions  on  the  Continent.— Two 

large  exhibitions  will  this  year  be  held  bj'  the 
Royal  Horticultural  and  Agricultural  Society  of 
Antwerp,  the  one  from  April  13  to  15,  the  other 
from  November  16  to  18.  The  secretary's  address 
is  9,  Rue  de  I'Hopital,  Anvers.  The  next  spring 
show  of  the  National  Horticultural  Societj'  of 
France  will  open  on  Wednesday,  Maj'  29,  and 
close  on  Monday,  .June  3. 


SOCIETIES. 


BECKENHAM  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
On  the  1st  inst.  Mr.  Cogger  read  a  paper  on  ■'Crotoiis" 
before  the  members,  dealing  with  his  subject  from  the  cutting 
to  the  exhibition  specimen.  It  would  seem  that  heat  and 
moisture  are  the  most  important  factors  in  their  culture. 
To  obtain  high-coloured  foliage  only  a  slight  shading  should 
be  used  in  hot  weather. 


The 


SHERBORNE   GARDENERS'    SOCIETY, 
Address  on  Growing  from  Skeds:. 
monthly    meeting   of    the    Sherborne    and     District 


Gardeners'  Society  was  held  on  Thursday  week,  when  there 
was  a  large  attendance,  presided  over  by  Mr.  J.  Dean.  Mr. 
Crook,  gardener  at  Forde  Abbey,  delivered  an  address  on 
"  Seeds,"  in  which  he  urged  the  advisability  of  plants  being 
grown  from  seeds  in  preference  to  cuttings  or  other  artitlcial 
methods  of  propagation.  Still  in  seed  growing  the  natural 
environment  of  the  plant,  the  proper  preparation  of  the 
land,  and  the  sowing  of  the  seed  at  a  depth  and  under 
conditions  which  suited  it,  must  be  regarded.  Plants  which 
were  imported  into  this  country  would  nut  and  could  not 
seed  because  they  were  separated  frnm  those  conditions 
under  which  they  grow  naturally  ;  whilst  in  other  cases  the 
failure  to  germinate  arose  from  improper  sowing  or 
from  improper  keeping  of  the  seed.  Every  tree,  plant,  and 
other  product—an  Oak,  an  Ash,  a  forest  tree,  an  Apple,  a 


bedding  plant  of  any  kind— was,  he  claimed,  .itronger  when 
grown  from  seed  than  when  propagated  from  cuttings  or  in 
any  other  manner.  He  did  not  ask  the  member.s  of  that 
society  to  grow  fiom  seeds  where  their  employers  desired 
the  propagation  of  any  particular  plant  or  plants  from 
cuttings ;  but  he  said  that  while  plants  might  be  advan- 
tageously reproduced  from  cuttiuLi^  under  certain  circum- 
stances, they  could  for  purposes  nt  general  out  of  door 
display  be  grown  far  more  effectively  and  cheaply,  and  the 
plants  would  possess  greater  vigour  if  they  were  raised  from 
seed.  Herbaceous  plants  propagated  by  means  of  cuttings 
or  grafting  or  other  artificial  process  were,  for  e.vample, 
never  so  vigorous  or  so  satisfactory  in  their  growth  over 
long  periods  as  they  were  when  raised  fr<mi  seeds,  (^ood 
seeas  involved  a  certain  cost  in  production,  and  must  be 
paid  for  accordingly.  Low-priced  seeds,  speaking  generally, 
were  never  prohtable,  and  the  purchase  i>f  them  was  a  penny 
wise  and  pound  foolish  policy.  The  president  expressed  the 
obligations  of  the  society  to  Mr.  ('muk  for  his  practical 
address,  and,  referring  to  what  he  bad  advanced,  said  that 
he  (Mr.  Dean)  <iuite  agreed  that  good  seeds  must  be 
proportionately  paid  for.  Cheap  seeds  were  dear  at  a  gift. 
Mr.  Crook  answered  several  questions  which  were  put  to 
him.  On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Bishop,  seconded  hy  Mr. 
Phillpott,  he  was  accorded  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  for 
his  address. 

WIMBLEDON  GARDENERS'    IMPROVEMENT   SOCIETY. 

Thk  monthly  meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  on 
Monday,  the  4th  inst..  when  a  paper  was  read  by  Mr. 
D.  Sheanan  on  "  The  Kuchsia."  This  was  a  tlower  which, 
although  easily  grown,  still  reijuired  care  and  skill  to 
produce  good  examples  for  exhibition  and  for  decorative 
purposes.  A  good  plant  could  be  grown  from  cuttings 
inseited  in  early  spring,  as  at  that  time  in  a  moist  heat 
young  growing  shoots  rooted  so  very  easily,  and  could  be 
grown  on  (luickly  into  useful  plants,  but  to  obtain  large 
plants  for  exhibition  it  was  best  to  have  cuttings  struck  in 
Septemlier,  and  keep  them  steadily  moving  during  the 
winter  in  a  temperature  which  did  not  fall  below  50°,  and  as 
soon  as  days  lengthened  out  in  .January  to  move  them  into 
larger  pots  and  increase  the  temperature,  so  as  to  get 
plenty  of  growth  early  in  the  year,  as  later  on  there  was, 
especially  with  free-flowering  varieties,  a  tendency  to  flower, 
which  thus  checked  the  growth.  A  compost  of  turfy  loam, 
leaf  soil,  well  decomposed  horse  or  cow  manure,  three  parts 
of  loam  to  one  each  of  the  latter,  with  sufficient  sand  to 
keep  the  whole  ponms,  would  be  found  to  be  a  suitable  one 
for  them,  using  it  in  a  smaller  state  for  first  pottings  and 
rougher  for  the  latter ;  S-inch  and  ICr-inch  pots  would  be 
large  enough  for  the  plants  the  first  seast>n  ;  an  addition  of 
bone-meal  to  the  soil  for  the  last  potting  would  be  of  a  great 
assistance  to  them.  They  must  be  kept  free  from  insect 
pests  by  the  use  of  fumigators  or  one  of  the  many  approved 
insecticides. 

A  discussion  followed,  Mr.  Laker,  of  Belvedere  Gardens, 
who  brought  a  handful  of  nice  flowering  shoots  of  Fuchsia 
Lord  Beaconstleld,  speaking  of  their  usefulness  as  climbers, 
and  also  the  low  temperature  in  which  the  flowers  produced 
had  been  grown.  They  were  very  much  admired.  The  value 
of  the  plants  as  standards  to  stand  out  above  dwarf  plants 
in  flower  beds  was  dwelt  upon  by  Mr.  Nash.  Other  members 
also  spoke  of  the  uses  to  which  they  could  he  put,  and  agreed 
that  the  paper  was  a  very  useful  one. 

Thesecimd  paper  was  "  Some  Experiences  of  an  Amateur, 
by  Mr.  Brown,  and  was  written  in  a  very  humorous 
manner,  dealing  with  the  different  efforts  made  by  the 
writer  during  several  years  to  grow  garden  produce,  both 
flower  and  vegetable,  in  a  suburban  garden  or  rather  in 
several  gardens,  and,  judging  from  the  excellent  results  as 
shown  by  the  number  of  prizes  obtained  at  several  shows, 
including  a  first  at  the  Aquarium  for  Chrysanthemums, 
his  observations  had  taught  him  that  good  judging  did  not 
award  prizes  to  the  largest  of  things,  especially  in  vegetables, 
but  ((uality,  neatness  in  setting  up  dishes,  Ac,  were 
points  which  were  necassary  to  success  after  growing  one's 
produce. 

A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  given  to  both  readers  of  the 
papers,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  Mr.  Brown  in  carrying  out  his 
hobbies  was  commented  on  as  an  encouragement  to  both 
amateur  and  professional,  that  in  striving  to  attain  success  in 
horticulture  one  must  persevere  earnestly,  and  a  very 
succesful  evening  was  brought  to  a  close  with  thanks  tn  the 
chairman  for  presiding. 

LIVERPOOL  HORTICULTURAL  ASSOCIATION. 
A  MEETING  of  this  socicty  was  held  on  the  Dth  inst.,  Mr. 
T.  Foster  in  the  chair.  In  introducing  Mr.  B.  Ashton,  of 
Lathom  Hall  Gardens,  reference  was  made  to  the  leading 
position  gained  by  the  lecturer  at  many  of  the  more  im- 
pcjrtant  vegetalile  cxh'bitions.  The  cultural  notes  embraced 
those  kinds  wbicli  were  in  season  from  July  to  autumn. 
Advice  was  given  for  liberal  preparation,  and  where  the 
ground  needed  trenching  the  wcu'k  to  be  done  in  October  or 
November.  Plenty  of  space  was  recummended  for  all  crops, 
which  were  to  be  kept  clean,  so  that  the  plants  might  grow 
strongly.  All  roots  should  be  washed  scrupulously  clean, 
using  for  Potatoes  a  little  soft  soap  and  a  sponge,  giving 
them  a  final  dip  in  clean  water.  It  was  advised  that 
Cucumbers  should  not  lie  included  in  classes  for  eight  kinds 
or  under,  and  Tomatoes  for  six  kinds  and  under,  as  they  were 
not  what  could  be  termed  vegetables  in  the  same  manner  as 
those  grown  expressly  as  vegetables.  Details  of  staging  were 
fully  considered  ;  plenty  of  time  was  retiuisite  for  staging, 
so  that  the  specimens  might  be  in  the  best  possible  condition 
to  meet  the  keen  eyes  of  the  judges.  A  discussion  followed, 
in  which  Messrs.  R.  E.  Waterman,  .1.  Stoney.  Rainford, 
J.  Mercer,  R.  Pinnington,  and  the  chairman  took  part,  and 
although  the  allotted  time  was  passed,  the  procecding.s  had 
to  be  closed  before  all  that  wished  could  take  part.  A 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to  Mr.  Asliton  for  what 
thechairman  described  asan  admirably  practical  paper.  The 
thanks  of  the  meeting  to  the  chairman  concluded  the 
business. 


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No.  1527.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[FElillUARY    -iS,    1901. 


SPRING  GARDENING. 

NOW  that  spring  flowers  are  almost 
with  us  it  is  pleasant  to  look  back 
and  think  of  some  of  the  best  of 
the  spring  garden  effects  that  have 
lieen  seen  in  past  years.  Among 
them  one  stands  out  in  honourable  distinction 
above  all  others,  the  spring  garden  at  Bel  voir,  in 
the  days  of  its  creator,  Mr.  Ingram.  Here  was  a 
gardener  of  the  highest  class  who  loved  simple 
flowers  and  possessed  the  divine  gift,  culti- 
vated to  a  condition  of  high  development  by 
liis  own  unwearied  industry,  of  recognising 
what  was  most  beautiful  among  hardy  flowers, 
and  of  using  the  knowledge  he  had  gained  to 
the  best  advantage.  Here  was  a  born  artist 
who  had  shirked  no  one  of  those  steps  in  the 
ladder  of  learning  that  had  enabled  him  to 
rise  above  his  fellows  and  develop  so  worthily 
the  aptitude  that  was  his  by  nature.  The  gift 
alone  could  not  have  done  it.  Many  a  man 
who  has  such  a  natural  advantage  neglects  it, 
or,  puft'ed  up  with  the  knowledge  of  its  po.s- 
session,  is  unwilling  to  face  the  hard  work,  or 
maybe  degree  of  drudgery  that  may  be  needful 
to  bring  it  to  its  fruitful  strength. 

It  was  not  so  with  Mr.  Ingram.  He  worked 
hard  and  thought  well  and  read  copiously,  and, 
a  gardener  all  round  of  the  highest  calibre, 
made  himself  a  name  that  will  endure  in  the 
annals  of  horticulture  by  his  consummate  use 
of  spring  flowers  in  the  gardens  of  Belvoir 
(.'astle. 

The  site  was  in  his  favour.  The  great  house 
stands  on  a  kind  of  acropolis  of  sharply  rising 
lull  in  a  nearly  flat  country.  The  hill  itself  is 
wooded,  and  the  pleasure  ground  is  on  steep 
slopes,  with  groves  and  groups  and  single  trees 
of  fine  growth,  while  at  its  base  is  park  and 
pasture  land  and  wood-fringed  lake. 

The  sheltered  and  partly  shaded  slopes  were 
the  home  of  the  spring  flowers.  Here  were 
banks,  some  steep,  some  easy,  according  to 
the  degree  of  the  declivity  and  well-formed 
clumps  of  shrubs  and  flowers,  with  pleasant 
bounding  lines  and  broad  grassy  spaces 
between.  And  in  April  here  were  spring 
flowers  used  with  the  masterly  hand  that  had 
learnt  how  to  marshal  its  tens  of  thousands 
with  unerring  judgment.  Great  though  the 
amount,  of  material  was,  it  was  so  well 
ordered  and  disposed  that  it  never  conveyed 
a  suspicion  of  arrogant  display  by  force  of 
numbers,  but  just  told  of  a  bold  free  use  of 
the  best  early  flowers. 
There  are  those  who.  will  tell  you  with  pride 


of  so  many  hundred  thousand  of  bulbs 
bought ;  here  there  was  no  such  thought,  but 
only  the  desire  of  so  adorning  certain  informal 
spaces  in  one  region  of  a  large  garden  that  it 
should  give  the  best  impression  of  the  beauty 
of  spring  flowers.  Flowers  lavishly  used  if 
you  will,  but  with  the  right  free  kind  of 
spending  of  the  Primrose  of  the  Hazel  copse  or 
the  Blue  Bell  of  the  wooded  chase. 

To  see  this  good  garden  was  a  neM'  and  wide 
lesson  in  the  use  of  spring  flowers  They  were 
planted  for  the  mo.st  part  in  masses  of  a  kind 
together,  but  in  masses  of  well-shaped  diversity. 
Primrose,  Polyanthus,  Daftbdil,  Doronicum, 
Squills,  Anemones,  Tulips,  Hyacinths,  Wall- 
flowers, Arabis,  Iberis,  Aubrietia,  and  Ceras- 
tium  were  there,  and  many  oth2rs  besides  ;  all 
plants  well  known,  but  seen  in  the  most 
fitting  way  as  to  grouping  and  placing  and 
environment. 

Mr.  Ingram  was  one  of  the  first  to  use 
largely  the  broad-leaved  Saxifrages  (Megasea), 
soon  finding  out  that  their  large  solid  foliage 
was  of  special  value  in  the  considerable  spaces 
that  he  had  to  deal  with  ;  indeed,  it  was  this 
cultivated  power  of  perceiving  what  was  the 
right  plant  for  the  right  use,  added  to  a  critical 
discernment  of  the  ].)lants  that  would  best  suit 
each  other's  company,  that  made  him  the 
garden  artist  that  he  was. 

All  who  knew  him  or  who  saw  that  good 
garden  will  revere  his  memory  for  the  good 
work  he  did  among  the  spring  flowers,  and 
feel  pleased  that  this  work  is  continued  by 
his  successor,  Mr.  Divers,  who  kindly  con- 
tributes to  our  present  issue  a  most  interesting 
article  about  the  use  of  spring  flowers  in  the 
English  garden. 


THK  LILY  CONFERENCE  OF 
THE  ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

Many  of  our  readers  will  learn  with  pleasure 
that  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  intends 
to  hold  a  conference  on  Lilies  on  July  16. 

Lilies,  although  they  are  amongst  the  most 
important  garden  plants,  are  not  half  as  much 
grown  as  they  should  be.  Amateurs,  other 
than  the  careful  and  studious  few,  do  not 
know  as  much  about  them  as  would  certainly 
be  good  for  their  gardens,  and  this  conference, 
with  its  attendant  discussions  and  reports  and 
the  lively  correspondence  in  the  horticultural 
press  to  which  it  is  sure  to  give  rise,  should 
prove  a  wholesome  stimulus  to  Lily  growing. 

We  hope  that  both  amateur  and  trade 
growers  will  bring  abundant  material  to  the 
Chiswick  Garden  on  the  date  named  to  illus- 


trate the  discussions  and  to  illuminate  the 
flower-loving  public.  There  is  still  time  to 
prepare  a  good  many  Lilies  for  growing  in 
pots  for  exhibition.  The  conference  itself 
will  be  of  extreme  interest,  and  many  practical 
papers  wdl  be  read  by  the  leading  authorities 
upon  the  subject. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

COTON'EASTKR    MONTAN.A. 

■'  I  send  you  berry-laden  branches  of  this  liaiid 
some  small  tree,  which  I  received  some  jears  aoo 
under  the  above  name.  In  appearance  it  scarcety 
differs  at  all  from  C.  frigida,  but  the  most  curious 
and  valuable  feature  is  that  while  the  birds  had 
stripped  all  the  trees  of  C.  frigida  bare  of  berries 
quite  two  months  ago,  ihev  leave  this  severelv 
alone.  My  big  bush  is  about  ),=)ft.  hiuh,  bv  rather 
more  across  the  head,  and  is  so  situated  as  to  be 
seen  from  a  long  way  off,  and  is  quite  a  brilliant 
object  in  the  landscape.  I  know  nothing  of  its 
origin,  but  the  fact  that  the  seedlings  do  not  all 
come  true  rather  points  to  some  hybrid  origin."  - 
T.  Smith,  Xeicry. 

[Several  twigs  were  sent  of  this  splendid  Colon- 
easier,  the  red  berries  in  large,  heavy,  and  most 
ornamental  clusters— an  extremely  handsome  kind. 
— Kds.  ] 


SaLIX    DAPH.VITES   FOi.M. 

"I  send  branches  of  this  most  distinct  serai- 
weeping  Willow.  ,Just  now  it  has  quite  a  cheerful 
appearance,  and  the  effect  in  the  sunlight  is  precisely 
that  of  a  budding  Almond,  and  as  you  will  see  the 
pink  tinge  showing  through  the  catkins  rather 
helps  the  delusion.  I  have  found  that  it  is  an 
excellent  town  tree,  and  should  be  largely  planted." 
— T.  Smith,  Newri/. 

[A  very  beautiful  Willow,  with  graceful  rich 
brown  stems  and  charming  silvery  catkins.— Ens.  J 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

ODONTOGLOSSUM    LOOCHRISTIENSE 
ROCHFOBDIANl\M. 

This  is  a  lovely  flower.  The  sepals  and  petals 
are  large,  having  a  ground  colour  of  clear  yellow, 
the  petals  shading  into  white  towards  the  centre. 
They  are  pleasingly  and  evenly  blotched  with 
chocolate  red.  The  lip  is  white,  with  a  large 
central  blotch  of  the  above  colour.  This  charming 
variety  was  shown  by  Mr.  Thomas  Rochford, 
Turnford  Hall  Nurseries,  Broxbourne,  Herts. 
First-class  certificate. 


DENDROBIUM  WIG  AN  IAN  UM. 

This  beautiful  new  h3'brid  Deudrobe  was  obtained 
from  1>.  Hildebrandti  x  D.  nobile.  It  has  much 
the  form  of  D.  nobile  ;  the  petals  and  sepals  are 
twisted  and  almost  white,  deepening  into  pink  at 
the  ends  ;  the  lip  has  a  broad,  flat  margin  of  a  pale 
sulphur  colour,  while  the  interior  is  j'ellow, 
slightl}'  marked  with  chocolate-red.  Exhibittd 
b3'  Sir  Frederick  Wigan,  Bart.,  Clare  Lawn,  East 
Sheen  (Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young).  A«aid 
of  merit. 


122 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February   23,   1901. 


ODONTOGLOSSUM    LOOCHRISTIENSE 
CONDONENSE. 

This  is  a  noteworthj'  introduction.  The  petals  and 
sepals  are  acuminate,  and  have  wrinkled  edges  ; 
they  are  pale  yellow,  the  colour  becoming  lighter 
towards  the  centre.  Small  blotches  of  light 
chocolate  red  mark  the  sepals  and  petals,  and  also 
the  lip.  The  margins  of  this  are  paler  than  the 
centre,  just  the  reverse  of  the  colouring  of  sepals 
and  petals.  Exhibited  by  Mr.  G.  Singer,  Condon 
Court,  Coventry  (gardener,  Mr.  J.  Collier).  Award 
of  merit. 


G.  Wythes. 


CYPRIPEDIUM  T.   W.  BOND,  LONDON 
COURT  VAK. 

A  VEBV  handsome  flower,  with  long,  slightly 
drooping  petals  :  these  are  rosy  lilac  at  their 
apices,  and  heavily  spotted  with  erinison-brown, 
dorsal  sepal  beautiful!}'  lined  with  crimson-green  : 
au  improved  variety  of  C.  T.  W.  Bond.  Exhibited 
by  Mr.  G.  Singer,  of  Condon  Court,  Coventry 
(gardener,  Mr.  .J.  Collier).     Award  of  merit. 

PTERIS  CRETICA  ALBO-LINEATA 
ALEXANDRA. 

This,  as  its  varietal  names  indicate,  is  one  of  the 
white-striped  forms  of  P.  cretiea,  to  which  is  now 
added  a  certain  crested  eharafiter  in  the  upper  and 
larger  fronds.  Doubtless  some  age  is  needi'd  to 
further  develop  its  main  features.  The  plant, 
exhibited  by  Mr.  H.  B.  May,  Edmonton,  oblained 
an  award  of  merit. 

'.t*  All  the  above  were  exhibited  befure  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society,  at  the  Drill  Hall.  Westminster,  on  Tnesiiay, 
February  12. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

THE    PRUNING    OF    FRUIT 


A 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 


VEGETABLES   OF    RFCENT 
INTRODUCriO.N. 

IT  is  difficult  to  raise  new  types  or  improve 
upon  older  ones  at  the  present  day,  because 
of  late  years  more  interest  has  been  taken  in 
vegetable  culture,  with  also  increased  im- 
provement. I  am  aware  many  may  question 
the  latter  assertion  as  regards  Potatoes,  as 
only  recently  1  met  a  gentleman  who  went  as  far 
aa  to  state  we  had  degenerated  greatly,  as  it  was 
difficult  to  get  a  Potato  now  equal  in  quality  to 
the  old  Regent  or  Victoria.  Although  this  is  of 
excellent  quality,  the  disease  was  so  disastrous 
during  the  last  two  years  I  grew  the  Victoria  (in 
1870)  that  the  crop  absolutely  did  not  pay  for 
the  seed  and  labour  in  planting.  Vegetables 
deteriorate  quickly  if  special  care  be  not  taken 
with  the  seed-stocks.  This  applies  more  to  the 
Brassicas  and  Peas  than  to  root  crops.  As  I 
have  briefly  hinted  above,  we  have  nothing  of 
recent  introduction  distinctly  new  ;  at  least,  not 
yet  in  commerce,  but  only  recently  I  noticed  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  there 
was  an  exhibit  of  the  Dioscorea,  or  Yam,  so  well 
known  in  China,  and  bj'  some  this  was  thought  to 
be  a  new  vegetable,  but  I  well  remember  these 
roots  being  recommended  for  our  gardens  as  likely 
to  supersede  the  Potato  when  the  latter  were  badly 
diseased. 

Peas. — Few,  if  any,  vegetables  have  made  more 
progress  of  late  years.  I  take  the  Royal  Horticul- 
tural Society's  awards  as  my  guide,  as  I  have  seen 
the  kinds  on  trial.  There  is,  however,  no  doubt 
that  the  same  trials  have  been  going  on  in  various 
parts  of  the  country  by  our  large  growers,  and  in 
due  course  the  good  kinds  will  come  to  the  front. 
Much  improvement  has  taken  place  in  this  vege- 
table, as  by  blending  the  Marrow  with  other  early 
kinds  we  now  have  a  hardier  race  of  early  sorts. 
This  is  a  great  gain  in  heavy  soils,  as  years  ago  to 
sow  a  Marrow  type  too  early  was  to  court  failure. 
There  is  also  great  gain  in  habit  and  dwarfness 
compared  with  the  old  Daniel  O'Rourke.  With 
English  Wonder,  Chelsea  Gem,  or  William   Hurst 


there   is  an   immense  gain,  and  the  same  thing  1  it  is  of  good  table  quality  and  a  smoother  root 

follows  in  the  later  kinds.     Of  new  early  Peas,  the  |  than  the  old  type. 

new  Acme  will,  I;  think,  prove  a  valuable  standard 

variety.     This   I   have   grown,  so  am   enabled    to 

write  more  fully  on  its  merits.     It  was  raised  by 

cro.ssing  Veitch's   Early   with   Stratagem,  and    is 

certainly  worth  a  leading  place,  as  it  bears  freely, 

being  remarkably  early  and  of  first-rate  quality. 

The  Pea  of  the  season,  however,  is  Edwin  Beckett, 

a    mid-season    Marrow    of    splendid    quality.     It 

received  the  society's  highest  award  after  a  trial 

in   anything   Ijut  a   favourable  season.     This  was 

raised    by  that  splendid   cultivator  of   vegetables 

after  whom  it  was  named  ;  it  is  4  feet  high,  sturdy, 

and  bears  an  abundance  of  pods  and  wrinkled  seed 

of  a  deep  green  colour.     This  new  Pea  was  figured 

in  The  Garden,  September  1,  1900,  page  17-4,  so  I 

need  not  describe  it  at  greater  length.     Another 

very  fine  new  variety  is  Sutton's  Ideal,  an  early 

Pea   I  saw   on    trial   last   season,    and   producing 

larger  pods  than  Acme  or  English  Wonder.     It  is 

of  splendid  table  quality,  only  a  little  over  2  feet 

in  neight,  and  is  a  fine  Pea  for  first  crop,  being  of 

a  robust  growth  not   easily   aff'ecled    by  climatic 

changes.     Of  other  kinds  that  have    been   longer 

before   the   public,    my   best   selection    would    be 

Gradus   and    Daisy,    both   standard    early    kinds, 

which  will  find  more  favour  as  their  good  qualities 

become  known. 

Potatoes  must  have  the  next  place  to  Peas. 
Although  there  is  much  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
their  good  qualities,  one  must  not  forget  that  soils 
differ  greatly.  Those  given  awards  in  August 
were  only  equal  to  Early  Puritan,  an  old  variety, 
and  not  always  good  in  M-et,  lieavy  soils,  and  the 
Beauty  of  Hebron  also  received  a  similar  award. 
Denbigh  Castle,  an  early  kidney,  white-fieshed 
kind,  received  the  only  first-class  certificate  in 
early  July.  This  may  be  termed  a  white-fleshed 
Sharpe's  Victor,  and"  is  a  splendid  tuber,  free- 
cropping,  and  with  short  haulm.  Ninety-fold  also 
received  an  award  at  the  date  referred  to  above. 
This  is  a  splendid  addition  to  the  early  varieties,  a 
remarkably  heavy  cropper  free  from  disease,  and 
with  a  robust  haulm  ;  a  fine  variety  in  holding 
soils.  A  new  tuber.  Sir  .John  Llewellyn,  a 
kidney  also  given  an  award,  was  a  very  heavj' 
cropper  ;  a  handsome  mid-season  Potato  of  great 
merit. 

Beans.  —  A  distinct  new  race  is  the  Climbing 
French  Bean.  Though  the  earliest  introduction  of 
this  type  was  sent  out  ten  years  ago,  several  good 
additions  have  been  made  since  then,  sucli  as  the 
Excelsior  and  Earliest  of  All,  and  in  the  dwarf 
section  such  kinds  at  Veitch's  Progress  and  Early 
Favourite  appear  to  meet  with  much  favour. 
Amongst  the 

Bkassicas  are  some  splendid  novelties.  The 
new  sprouting  winter  Kale  is  well  worth  noting. 
Of  Cabbage  we  have  the  new  St.  Martin.  The 
newer  Arctic  Kales  are  remarkably  hardy,  and 
those  who  need  late  Savo3's  should  give  the  New 
Year  variety  a  trial.  It  remained  sound  last  year 
until  the  end  of  April  in  Northumberland. 

Cucumbers.  —  Lord    Roberts,    raised    bj'    Mr. 
Mortimer,  is  a  very  valuable  addition,  and  in  the 
Salads  such  new  and  good  things  as  the  Winter- 
leaved  Lettuce  are  most  valuable  to  gardeners  who 
need  winter  salads. 

T0MATOE.S  are  numerous  already,  but  there  can 
be  no  question  as  to  the  value  of  the  new  Ohiswick 
Peach,  a  beautiful  fruit,  which  all  who  like  Toma- 
toes as  a  salad  in  a  raw  state  should  grow.  The 
new 

Tender  and  True  Parsnip  is  a  root  of  splendid 
quality,  large,  well  flavoured,  and  doubtless  tlio 
finest  Parsnip  in  existence.  Messrs.  Dobbie,  of 
Rothesay,  last  autumn  showed  some  interesting 
new  crosses  of 

Turnips,  which  will  doubtless  find  favour,  as 
there  are  none  too  many  good  hardy  garden  varie- 
ties. The  new  forcing  Turnip  Carter's  Early, 
given  an  award  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
is  a  splendid  acquisition  ;  it  is  a  long  root,  most 
valuable  for  sowing  under  glass,  and  is  also 
specially  good  in  dry  soils,  as  it  is  not  so  readily 
aftected  by  heat  and  drought. 

Veitch's  New  Improved  Artichoke,  a  lone; 
root,  also  introduced  this  season,  pron)ise3  well,  as 


TREES 

things   considered   there   is   no    better 
month  than  February  for  the  pruning 
of   fruit    trees   and    bushes,    and    the 
sooner   it  can   be   done,  providing  all 
danger  from  hard   frosts  is  gone,   the 
better.     If  the  pruning  be  done  earlier 
in   the   winter   there   is   always   the  danger   that 
frosts   may   come,    and    then  an  inch   or  more  of 
wood  immediately  behind  the  cut  will  be  killed, 
and  this  will  have  to  be  removed  later.     Unless, 
therefore,  one  has  so  manj'  trees  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  get  the  pruning  done  all  at  once,  it  is  best 
to  defer  the  operation  until  February.     If,  however, 
one  must  prune  earlier  operate  only  on  the  best 
ripened  wood. 

For  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums,  as  bushes  or 
standards,  prune  away  all  wood  which  crosses  or 
tends  to  choke  up  the  centre  of  the  tree,  and 
remove  anj'  lateral  growths  not  reiiuired  to  fill  up 
blank  spaces,  cutting  back  to  half  an  inch  or  so  of 
the  base  if  fruiting  spurs  are  required,  but  these 
must  not  be  left  too  thickly.  If  they  have  reached 
this  state  remove  half,  cutting  back  to  a  live  bud. 
Shorten  the  new  growth  of  the  leading  branches 
from  a  quarter  to  two-thirds,  according  to  its 
strength,  the  less  and  weaker  the  growth  the 
harder  the  pruning.  Remove  all  dead  wood  and 
worn-out  fruiting  spurs. 

Wall-trained  trees  of  matured  growth  will 
require  little  more  than  the  removal  of  all  new 
growth  not  required  for  nailing  in  to  take  the 
place  of  worn-out  wood  or  to  fill  up  gaps.  .Shorten 
by  about  ;-!  inches  any  new  wood  retained.  Peaches 
bear  their  fruit  on  the  new  wood,  and  as  much  of 
this  as  convenient  must  be  kept,  just  cutting  oft' 
about  "2  inches  and  nailing  in  the  shoots  not  less 
than  (i  inches  apart  at  the  extremities.  Cherries 
merely  recjuire  the  superfluous  wood  taken  away  so 
as  to  keep  a  good  shape,  but  do  not  shorten  at  all. 
Cut  away,  if  this  has  not  previously  been  done, 
all  old  Raspberry-  canes,  and  shorten  those  left  by 
from  2  feet  to  4  feet,  according  to  the  growths. 

Black  Currants  must  be  pruned  so  as  to  retain  as 
much  vigorous  new  wood  as  possible,  as  it  is  here 
that  the  finest  fruit  is  produced.  Remove  all  old 
wood  and  do  not  be  alarmed  if  this  reduces  the 
bush  to  but  four  or  five  young  branches,  as  the  tree 
will  be  the  better  for  it.  Do  not  shorten  the 
strongest  of  the  new  wood  retained ;  cut  to 
an  outward  eye  about  4  inches  down,  when 
pruning  is  necessary.  Red  and  White  Currants 
bear  their  fruit  on  spurs  on  the  old  wood,  so  all 
new  lateral  growths  must  be  pruned  to  within  half 
an  inch  or  so  of  the  stem,  the  strongest  end  shoots 
being  retained  and  shortened  by  almost  two-thirds. 
Let  the  centre  be  open  and  do  not  get  too  many 
branches  on  a  bush,  the  more  there  are  the 
thinner  and  smaller  the  fruit.  Prune  Gooseberries 
to  a  cup-shaped  bush,  the  l)ranches  radiating  from 
the  centre.  Cut  away  all  lateral  growths  to  within 
two  eyes  of  the  stem,  and  shorten  the  leading 
branches  by  :i  inches,  cutting  to  an  inside  eye. 
Leave  some  new  wood  to  fill  up  gaps,  and  these 
will  bear  the  coming  season. 
Sii/toii.  Percy  Longhurst. 

HARDY  FRUITS  IN  SEASON. 
The  reflection  is  not  a  pleasant  one,  nor  the 
admission  flattei'ing,  as  regards  tlic  enterjirise 
and  initiative  of  English  horticulturist.s,  wlien 
it  can  be  said  tliat  most  of  our  liest  varieties  of 
Pears  have  originated  and  have  been  intro- 
duced from  the  continent.  That  this  is 
a  fact  is  undeniable,  and  it  is  also  beyond 
doubt  that  our  friends  across  the  water  are 
still  alive  to  the  imptirtant  fact  that  great 
possibilities  in  the  direction  uf  improving  the 


February   -23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN, 


123 


quality  and  flavour  of  the  Pear,  especially  late 
varieties,  in  the  future,  is  receivinjj  their 
serious  and  practical  consideration.  This  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  one  tirni  alone  is 
now  ottering  the  following  new  varieties  of  late 
Pears.  To  those  of  your  readers  who  are  inte- 
rested in  the  subject,  and  would  care  to  try  these 
new  varieties— as  I  proiwse  to  do — the  names 
are  as  follows,  and  they  may  be  procured 
through  any  of  our  English  nurserymen  :— 
Admiral  C4ervais,  ripe  December  to  March  ; 
Belle  de  Lesquin,  November  to  January  ; 
Bergamotte  Nanot,  November  to  February  ; 
De  la  Forestrie,  January  to  February ;  Directeur 
Tisserand,  December  to  January  ;  Directeur 
Varenne,  February  to  Jilarch  ;  Dorset,  February 
to  March ;  Fredrick  Baudry,  December  to 
February  ;  Griveau,  December  to  February  ; 
Lincoln  Coreless,  December  to  March  ;  Mme. 
Levavasseur,  March  to  ilay  ;  ^Ministre  Vigor, 
January  to  February  ;  IN  otarie  Lepin,  March 
to  May  ;  P.  Barry,  April  to  May  ,  President 
Casimir  Perier,  December  to  January  ; 
Senateur  Belle,  March  to  May  ;  Souvenir  de 
Jules  Guindor,  March  to  JIay. 

I  do  not  suppose  for  a  moment  that  half  the 
above  are  any  improvement  on  many  of  the 
good  varieties  we  already  possess,  but  on  the 
chance  of  securing  even  one  new  superb  variety 
a  trial  of  the  whole  is  justifiable  and  to  be 
recommended.  As  maiden  trees  can  be  bought 
for  about  one  shilling  each,  even  if  the  whole 
prove  a  failure  the  sacrifice  is  not  great. 

As  regards  the  successful  growth  of  late 
Pears  in  the  British  Isles,  I  do  not  lose  sight  of 
the  fact  that  we  British  gardeners  are  handi- 
capped, and  in  some  parts  heavily  handi- 
capped, with  respect  to  favourable  climatic 
conditions  as  compared  to  France  and  the 
Channel  Islands,  still  I  firmly  believe  that  we 
have  it  in  our  power  to  considerably  improve 
upon  old  methods  of  culture  by  the  light  of 
observation  and  experience  in  the  past.  This 
I  will  endeavour  to  demonstrate  in  a  future 
note.  I  have  digressed  considerably  from  the 
heading  of  this  paper,  and  for  the  sake  of  con- 
sistency will  mention  one  of  the  best  seasonable 
Pears  we  have,  namely,  Easter  Beurre.  It  is 
too  well  known  to  need  any  description.  In 
ordering  trees  from  the  nursery  purchasers 
should  insist  upon  having  trees  double  grafted 
on  the  Quince  stock.  The  best  results  are 
obtained  here  from  tr^es  trained  as  espaliers. 
Windso):  Owen  Thomas. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Apple    Lord    Bupghley.  —  This    Apple 

does  uot  succeed  equally  well  on  all  soils,  and  that 
no  doubt  accounts  for  its  not  being  so  generally 
cultivated  as  it  deserves  to  be.  Last  year  seems 
to  have  been  favourable  to  this  variety,  as  1  have 
noticed  good  specimens  of  it  at  various  places 
during  the  past  autumn  and  winter.  It  is  an 
excellent  keeping  dessert  fruit,  with  a  crisp, 
juicy  flesh,  and  is  of  excellent  flavour.  When 
grown  in  an  exposed  position  the  fruits  colour 
splendidly,  and  they  also  attain  to  a  good  size. 
VVhere  the  soil  suits,  the  tree  is  very  productive 
aud  grows  vigorously.  On  a  cold,  damp  soil  it 
becomes  a  prey  to  canker,  and  bears  but  sparsely. — 
A.  Ward,  Trent  Park-  Gardeim,  Bariitt. 

Spipsea    prunifolia    fl.-pl.  -  This  is 

possibly  the  prettiest  of  the  several  species  of 
Spiraea  suitable  for  forcing,  and  as  it  forces  well 
and  is  easily  grown  it  will  most  likely  be  exten- 
sively used  in  the  near  future.  Plants  for  forcing 
should  be  speciallj'  grown  for  the  purpose,  the 
object  being  to  obtain  fairly  loose  plants  with 
numerous  long,  well  ripened  branches.  This  is 
best  done  by  layering  fairly  large  branches  or  by 
severing  large  suckers  from  an  old  plant.     When 


the  layers  are  well  rooted,  or  the  suckers  taken  off, 
they  should  be  planted  in  a  sunny  po.sition  in  rich 
soil.  All  weak,  useless  wood  should  be  removed 
during  summer,  strong  flowering  wood  only  being 
retained.  By  potting  plants  up  in  September  they 
maybe  brought  on  by  gentle  forcing  to  flower  from 
the  middle  of  .Januarj'  onwards.  As  the  flowers 
are  pure  white  and  produced  from  every  bud  on 
branches  2  feet  to  'A  feet  long,  some  idea  may  be 
gathered  of  its  usefulness  and  beauty.  The  light 
and  graceful  habit  of  the  wliole  plant  adapts  it 
admirably  for  grouping  with  a  great  variety  of 
other  plants.  If,  after  the  flowers  are  over,  the 
plants  are  placed  in  a  cold  house,  manured,  and  stood 
out  of  doors  in  summer,  they  can  be  used  again 
the  following  winter. — W.  Dallimore,  Kfjc. 

Nerine  undulata.— I  was  very  pleased  to 
see  this  graceful  species  of  Nerine  so  well  illus- 
trated recently  in  The  Garden.  Those — and 
they  are  many — who  regard  size  as  the  only  object 
to  be  aimed  at  will  feel  little  interest  in  this 
modest  kind,  yet  it  cannot  be  dispensed  with 
where  a  collection  of  Nerine  is  -grown.  In  N. 
undulata  the  flower  segments  are,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  illustration,  reduced  to  extremely  narrow 
proportions,  so  much  so  that  a  cluster  of  bloom 
has  a  particularly  light  and  elegant  appearance, 
which  is  heightened  by  the  wavy  character  of  the 
petals.  The  colour  is  white,  flushed  more  or  less 
with  pink,  according  to  the  conditions  under  which 
it  has  been  grown,  as  well  as  the  length  of  time 
that  the  flowers  have  been  expanded.  It  is  of  eas}' 
culture,  and  can  with  ordinary  greenhouse  treat- 
ment be  depended  upon  to  flower  well  every  year. 
In  addition  to  all  this,  there  is  still  one  more 
desirable  feature,  viz.,  that  with  the  exception 
of  the  hybrid  variety  Manselli,  it  is  the  latest 
to  bloom  of  all  the  Nerines.  Both  of  these  may 
frequently  be  had  in  flower  at  the  end  of  the  old 
year  or  in  the  early  daj'S  of  the  new.  The  specific 
name  at  the  head  of  this  note  is  that  under  which 
it  occurs  in  the  Kew  list,  but  it  is  quite  as  often 
met  with  bearing  the  name  of  orispa.  Like  all  the 
other  members  of  tlie  genus  it  is  a  native  of  South 
Africa.— H.  P. 

Manettia    bicolop.  —  It    is   at    least 

questionable  if  any  other  climber  can  compare 
with  this  in  the  length  of  its  flowering  time ;  indeed, 
under  favourable  conditions,  it  blooms  more  or  less 
all  the  year  round.  Introduced  from  the  Organ 
Mountains  of  Brazil  over  half  a  century  ago,  it  is 
not  nearly  so  much  grown  as  one  might  expect, 
though  within  the  last  five  or  six  years,  it  has 
certainly  become  more  popular.  Being  of  quick 
freely  branched,  though  slender  habit  of  growth, 
combined  with  its  continuous  flowering  qualities, 
there  are  many  purposes  for  which  it  is  available, 
as  it  can  be  employed  for  furnishing  a  pillar  or  end 
of  a  glass  structure,  while  as  a  roof  or  rafter  plant 
it  does  not  obstruct  the  light  to  anything  like  the 
same  extent  as  strong  growing  large-leaved  subjects. 
Grown  in  pots  and  given  a  few  sticks  to  twine 
around  it  will  flower  well  and  form  neat  little 
specimens  for  the  embellishment  of  the  inter- 
mediate house,  which  structure  is  necessary  to 
induce  it  to  bloom  during  the  winter,  though  in 
the  summer  it  will  do  well  in  the  greenhouse,  and, 
indeed,  out  of  doors.  Under  these  last-named 
conditions  it  has  been  for  two  or  three  years  verj' 
attractive  in  Hyde  Park  when  associated  with 
other  plants.  Where  button-hole  flowers  are 
needed  all  the  year  round  it  is  exceedingly  useful, 
as  the  small  tubular-shaped  blossoms,  in  colour 
scarlet,  tipped  with  yellow,  stand  well  when  used 
for  the  purpose,  and  present  as  refined  an  appear- 
ance as  their  near  allies  the  Bouvardias.  Cuttings 
inserted  in  the  spring  strike  root  readily,  and  the 
plants  grow  away  freely  in  ordinary  potting 
compost.  In  the  United  States,  where  all  climbers 
are  Vines,  this  is  the  Manettia  Vine,  and  as  such 
it  is  a  very  popular  plant. — T. 

Late  Pears. — It  would  be  well  to  make  a 
note  of  the  two  Pears  mentioned  on  page  64,  with 
the  view  to  include  them  in  future  planting,  as 
anything  of  good  quality  ripening  in  .laouarj'  is 
exceptionally  valuable.  I  am  afraid  there  is  always 
an  inclination  to  plant  too  man}'  late  October  and 
November  Pears,  simply  because  there  are  so  many 
first-class  varieties  at  their  best  about  that  time, 


with  the  result  that  we  have  a  glut  of  fruit  during 
those  months  and  practically  empt}'  shelves  from 
the  middle  of  December  onward,  just  when  high- 
class  fruit  is  most  wanted.  Several  late  Pears  are 
not  a  success  on  our  soil  ;  Winter  Nelis  and  Olivier 
des  Serres  crack  badly,  whilst  Bergamotte  d'Esperen 
and  Beurre  Ranee  never  ripen  satisfactorily.  I 
hope  to  try  Beurri'  de  .longhe  and  Le  Lectier  in 
their  place.  At  present  Glou  Morceau  and 
Josephine  de  Malines  are  decidedly  our  best  late 
Pears,  and  the  first-named  is  exceptionally  good. 
I  note  that  Messrs.  Bunyard  give  its  season  in  Kent 
as  November  and  December  when  grown  on  a  north- 
west wall ;  it  does  not  start  ripening  until  just 
before  Christmas,  and  very  good  samples  are  still 
to  hand  (February  4). — K.  Bcrrell. 

Influence    of   eleetric   light    upon 

vegetation. — M.  Roller  writes  from  Geneva 
that  a  remarkable  example  of  the  influence  of 
electric  light  upon  vegetation  has  been  apparent 
this  winter  in  several  parts  of  the  town.  The 
Plane  trees  on  the  public  promenades,  whose 
branches  were  illuminated  by  arc  lamps,  kept  their 
leaves  green  long  after  the  other  branches  were 
bare.  On  .January  1  one  couUl  still  see  these  green 
leaves  on  the  trees  that  only  frost  has  deprived 
of  their  beautiful  covering. — Renit  Horticole. 

Zephypanthes  Candida.— I  am  afraid 

"  W.  W.'s"  enthusiastic  account  (page  ll.i)  of  this 
plant  will  lead  many  to  disappointment.  It  is 
not  "a  plant  for  the  million,''  for  it  is  most 
capricious.  I  have  never  succeeded  with  it,  and 
though  I  have  seen  it  in  a  few  places  as  flourishing 
as  in  "  W.  W.'s"  description,  I  have  seen  more 
failures  than  successes.  Why  will  not  your  corre- 
spondents say  where  they  write  from  ?  Many  of 
the  notices  of  plants  are  useless  without  knowing 
the  locality  in  which  they  are  growing.  We  may 
easily  guess  "  W.  W.'s"  locality,  but  it  is  uot  so 
with  all  your  correspondents. — H.  Ellacombe, 
Bilfon  Vicarage,  Briitol. — ["  W.  W."  resides  at 
Kew.— Eds.] 

LonicePa  Standishi.— This  Honeysuckle 
is  one  of  our  earliest  and  best  of  the  hardy  flower- 
ing shrubs,  and,  thanks  to  a  mild,  open  winter, 
the  plants  have  produced  an  abundance  of  smallish, 
but  extremely  pleasing,  highly  -  scented,  white 
flowers.  It  goes  without  saying  that  all  hardy 
sweet-scented  flowers  are  appreciated,  and  the 
very  early  ones  are  especially  welcome  as  the 
harbingers  of  spring  and  the  wealth  of  better 
things  following  in  rapid  succession.  By  a  judi- 
cious selection  of  hardy  flowering  shrubs,  including 
those  introduced  during  the  past  century,  we  have 
such  an  abundance  of  floral  wealth  tliat  we  can 
positively  ring  the  changes  the  whole  year  through, 
especially  in  mild  winters  like  the  present.  There 
are  several  scented  varieties  of  these  hardy  early- 
flowered  Loniceras,  but  I  consider  Standishi  to 
be  the  best.  Ligustrifolia  is,  in  my  opinion, 
synonymous  with  Standishi.  The  latter  was  intro- 
duced from  China  about  the  year  1866,  and  is  not 
so  well  known  as  it  deserves  to  be.  It  is  such  a 
pleasant  surprise  to  the  owners  of  gardens  when 
taking  their  daily  walking  exercise  to  unexpectedly 
come  across  a  Lonicera  Standishi  bush  in  full  flower 
and  perfume  that  the  temptation  to  personally 
appropriate  a  few  sprays  there  and  then  is  irre- 
sistible to  most  people. — W.  Crujip. 

Camellias  in  the  open.— I  have  seen 

the  very  fine  collection  of  Camellias  growing  in  the 
gardens  of  Glen  E3're,  Northampton,  many  times 
in  the  spring,  and  seldom  found  any  blooming  so 
early  as  to  suSi'er  from  frost.  Invariably  the  finest 
bloom  on  them  has  been  found  in  April,  as  that 
seems  to  be  their  period  of  natural  flowering. 
Many  of  the  specimens  there  are  \-ery  large  and 
.stand  out  quite  exposed  :  a  few  others  are  beneath 
trees  or  on  walls,  but  still  very  looselv  grown,  and 
bloom  with  marvellous  profusion.  The  soil  is  of 
a  black  peaty  nature,  in  which  Rhododendrons 
grow  with  great  robustness.  There  are  many 
gardens  in  which  Camellias  would  do  well.  No 
doubt  thev  like  a  little  shade  in  hot  weather,  but 
the  more  lihoroughly  the  summer  shoots  are  ripened 
without  doubt  the  finer  and  more  profuse  the 
bloom. — D. 

Disanthus    eepcidifolia.  —  A    special 

interest  belongs  to  this  shrub  as   being  one  of  the 


124 


THE     GAKDEN. 


[February  -2:3,  1901. 


Japanese     representatives    of    the    Witch     Hazel 
family,  which  in  recent  years  has  become  popular 
through   the   quaint    beaut}'    of    several    sorts   of 
Hamamelis.     This  Disanthus  (the  only  member  of 
the  genus)  is  as  yet  a  very  rare  plant  in   Europe. 
Ifwasfir.^t  introduced   by  Professor  Sargent  from 
Japan  by  means  of  seeds  he  obtained  there  eight  or 
nine  years   ago.       Subsequently  it  was  offered  in 
M.  Lemoine's  catalogue.     It  would  be  interesting 
to  know  how  it  has  succeeded  in  Europe.      It  does 
not  appear  to  possess  as  much  beauty  in  regard  to 
flowers  as  its  allies  the  Witch  Hazels,  its  blossoms 
being  dark  purple,  the  petals  narrow  and  pointed. 
They  are  produced  in   October   (like  those  of  the 
Virginian  Witch  Hazel),  and  are  curiously  arranged 
in  pairs,  each  pair  being  set  closely   back  to  back 
at  the  top  of  a  short  slender  stalk.      As  a  shrub 
with  beautiful  autumn  tints,  however,  it  promises 
much  should  it  prove  to  be  hardy  in  Britain.     In 
Japan  the  leaves  before  they  fall  turn  a  rich  wine- 
red  or  red  and  orange.     A  small  plant  I  saw  a  few 
years   ago   in   November   had   only  two   or   three 
leaves  on,  but  these  were  of  very  rich  claret  colour, 
and  not  inferior  in  autumnal  beautj'  to  any  other 
tree  or  shrub   at   that   time.      The  leaves  have  a 
curious  and  striking  resemblance  to  those  of  Cercis 
chinensis  (the  Asiatic  representative  of  the  Judas 
tree),  hence  the  specific  name.      This  Disanthus, 
according    to    Sargent,    who     figures     and    fully 
describes  it  in   his  "Forest   Flora  of   Japan,"    is 
"  not  rare  in  the  Kisogawa  Valley  in  Nakasendo, 
Central  Hondo."      It  occurs  in  thickets  sometimes 
a  quarter  of  an  acre  in  extent,  so  there  ought  to 
be  no   ditficulty  in   obtaining   it   in   abundance  if 
necessary.      It  is  a  slirub  S  feet  to  10  feet  high. — 
W.  J.  Bean. 

Pear  Le  LeCtieP. — I  fully  endorse  Mr. 
Wythes'  recent  remarks  on  the  merits  of  this  late- 
keeping  Pear.  I  think  it  was  in  1897  that  I  first 
saw  it.  It  was  growing  in  cordon  form  in  an 
e.\posed  position  in  the  late  Mr.  Newton's  garden 
at  Hillside,  Newark,  and,  although  the  soil  was 
very  strong  and  retentive,  the  tree  was  verj' 
healthy  and  carried  an  excellent  crop  of  fruit. 
Many  Pears,  though  succeeding  well  enough  on  a 
warm  wall,  are  utterly  worthless  when  grown  in 
the  open  and  in  cold  soil.  I  consider  LeLectier  a 
worthy  addition  to  late  sorts,  and  would  advise 
amateurs  to  plant  it  ;  it  is  of  large  size,  of  very 
rich  flavour,  and  will  keep  until  March  in  a  cool 
fruit  room.  Reference  was  recently  made  to 
President  Barrabe,  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  one 
of  the  richest  of  January  Pears,  and  indispensable 
even  in  the  smallest  collection.  .Judging  from  the 
fact  that  it  ripened  thoroughly  in  Norfolk  both 
in  a  wet  and  fine  autumn,  I  should  sa}'  it  may 
safely  be  planted  in  midland  and  northern  gardens. 
If  placed  in  a  fruit  room  facing  north  it  would,  I 
think,  keep  sound  until  the  end  of  January. — J. 
Crawford. 
The  severe  frost  in  the  Riviera.— 

I  have  read  Mr.  Woodall's  letter  in  The  G.arden 
of  Januai'y  26  with  the  greatest  interest,  and  feel 
tempted  to  compare  my  experience  in  a  fairly 
sheltered  garden  with  his.  In  spite  of  the  severe 
frost,  I  had  the  temerity  to  keep  two  taps  open, 
as  usual,  the  whole  time,  and  it  would  be  inte- 
resting to  know  how  far  water  fortifies  plants 
against  cold.  It  is  true  the  water  fell  in  the  one 
case  into  a  covered  grotto  piotected  by  Palms,  and 
in  the  other  case  down  a  covered  channel,  dis- 
appearing mysteriously  and  only  showing  its 
beneficial  effect  in  the  luxurious  growth  of  a 
Tacsonia  ignea  and  a  Lotus  peliorhynchus  on  the 
terrace  below.  The  Tacsonia,  alas !  looks  past 
reviving,  but  the  Lotu.s  still  has  some  promising 
green  shoots  under  a  mass  of  silvery  grey  desola- 
tion On  a  still  lower  terrace  is  a  well  grown 
Hakea  eucalj'ptoides,  which  has  flowered  pro- 
fusely the  whole  time  and  only  shown  signs  of 
the  frost  in  a  few  yellow  and  slightly  shrivfUed 
young  leaves.  Of  the  Reinwardlia  irigynum,  those 
planted  in  the  walls  resisted  the  cold  the  best,  and 
one  plant  blossomed  aga'n  soon  after.  Iris  stylosa. 
Narcissus,  single  AHolets,  Roman  Hj'aoinths,  and 
the  Hakea,  with  a  very  few  Roses,  were  at  one 
lime  our  only  flowers.  Now  that  the  Almond  and 
Acacia  ovata  ai'e  in  bloom  the  garden  lo'iks  a 
liltle  more  cheerful,   but  one   misses   the  brilliant 


Bignonia  capenfis,  now  for  the  most  part  a  mass 
of  brown,  wrinkled  leaves,  and  the  wealth  of  Ivy- 
leaved  Geraniums,  of  which  Charles  Turner  has 
proved  hardier  than  the  common  pink  one,  and 
with  us  has  always  been  the  stronger  winter 
bloomer.  The  Ephedra  has  not  suffered  at  all, 
and  is  apparently  hardier  than  the  Muhlenbeckia. 
The  fate  of  a  fine  plant  of  Passiflora  princeps. 
though  protected  with  straw,  still  hangs  in  the 
balance.  Surely  we  may  hope  for  a  little  com- 
pensation later  on,  when  the  Roses  recover  from 
the  bracing  they  have  had,  and  show  us  how  good 
it  was  for  their  constitutions.  General  Schablokin 
and  Prince  Eugene  are  having  a  disgracefully  long 
holiday,  and  seem  in  no  hurry  to  reti'ieve  their 
characters  as  first-rate  winter  Roses  ;  on  the  other 
hand,  Marie  Van  Houtte  has  behaved  in  the  most 
exemplary  manner.  We  hear  a  rumour  that  Men- 
tone  has  suffered  wonderfully  little  from  this  frost 
and  that  the  Heliotrope  is  still  in  full  flower.  This 
hardly  seems  possible,  and  it  would  be  interesting 
if  someone  with  a  good  garden  there  would  record 
their  experiences. — H.  L.,  A/av<io. 

Royal  Horticultural   Society.- The 

next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  this  society  will 
be  held  on  Tuesday  next,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  (iate,  Westminster,  1 — 4  p.m.  A 
lecture  on  "  The  Making  andUnmaking  of  Flowers" 
will  be  given  by  the  Rev.  Professor  G.  Henslow, 
M.A. ,  at  three  o'clock. 

Apple  Newtown  Pippin.— Your  corre- 
spondent Mr.  E.  K.  Heatou,  having  asked  for 
information  respecting  the  cultivation  of  the  above- 
named  Apple  in  this  countrj',  I  gladly  comply  with 
his  request,  and  beg  to  furnish  him  with  the 
following  particulars  respecting  my  own  expe- 
riences of  it.  A  few  years  ago,  when  living  in 
South  Herefordshire,  I  had  two  trees  of  the 
variety,  the  one  a  bush  tree  and  the  other  trained 
diagonally  on  a  high  south  wall.  The  bush  tree 
would  not  fruit  at  all,  but  in  some  seasons  I 
managed  to  get  a  fair  sprinkling  of  fruit  on  the 
wall  tree,  but  never  at  any  time  did  it  carry  a  full 
crop.  I  never  could  induce  the  fruits  to  swell  to  an}' 
size  ;  they  were,  at  the  best,  no  larger  than  a  medium  - 
sized  Cellini  Pippin,  and  grass-green  in  colour  in 
spite  of  the  abundance  of  sunshine  which  they 
were  subjected  to  in  such  a  position,  and  the  fact 
that  the  roots  were  highly  fed.  I  allowed  the 
fruit  to  hang  as  late  as  possible  on  the  tree  with 
the  view  of  developing  flavour,  but  even  then 
could  never  obtain  specimens  that  would  compare 
with  the  imported  product  as  seen  in  fruiterers' 
windows.  Such  being  the  case,  and  the  fact  of  our 
having  so  many  good  home-grown  Apples  in  season 
at  that  time,  ultimately  led  me  to  abandon  the 
further  cultivation  of  the  Newtown  Pippin.  If 
after  reading  this  note,  and  the  information  pre- 
viously afforded  by  the  Editor,  Mr.  Heaton  should 
still  wish  to  make  a  trial  of  Newtown  Pippin,  I 
would  advise  him  to  give  it  a  position  on  a  wall 
facing  south  or  south-west,  and  to  plant  a  few 
cordon  trees,  in  addition  to  one  or  two  trained 
diagonally.  He  would  no  doubt  be  able  to  obtain 
the  trees  from  any  nurseryman  who  makes  the 
growing  of  fruit  trees  a  specialit}'. — A.  Ward, 
Trent  Park  Gardens,  Baniel. 

Diamond  Jubilee  of  the  "  Gar- 
deners' Chronicle."— We  apologise  to  our 
excellent  contemporary,  the  Gardeners'  Chronicle, 
for  describing  their  recent  celebration  as  the 
Jubilee,  and  not  Diamond  Jubilee.  We  must 
blame  Le  Jardin,  but  should  have  known  better 
ourselves. 

Royal    Caledonian    Horticultural 

Society. — The  schedule  of  prizes  of  this  society 
just  to  hand  presents  few  changes.  There  is,  how- 
ever, one  of  importance  in  the  class  for  a  decorated 
dessert  table,  exhibitors  having  the  option  of 
employing  plants  and  flowers  conjointly  or  sepa- 
rately, as  they  choose.  The  fruit  and  the  decora- 
tions are  to  be  judged  separatelj',  on  their  merits  ; 
and,  further,  the  use  of  Orchids  is  proliibited,  so 
that  those  whose  strong  point  is  fruit  will  have  a 
straight  decision  on  that,  and  as  well  a  better 
chance  of  success  in  the  floral  scheme.  In  the 
nurserymen's  section  the  most  popular  class  is  that 
for  a  collection  of  herbaceous  flowers  cut.  The 
small  meetings  which  were  tried  as  an  experiment 


last  year  are  discontinued,  the  results  having  been 
on  tlie  whole  disappointing.  The  spring  show  is 
fixed  for  April  3  and  4,  and  that  of  autumn  for 
September  11  and  12. 

Chrysanthemums  for  decorations. 

— The  annual    meeting  of  the  National  Chrysan- 
themum Societ}'  was  noticeable  for  more  than  one 
remarkable   utterance.       The    chairman   was    Mr. 
Charles  E.  Shea,  who  in  past  years  staged  magnifi- 
cent  first  prize   blooms   in  the   principal    classes. 
Mr.  Shea  mentioned  at  the  meeting  that  the  lime 
had  arrived  when  the  society  should  give  increased 
attention  to  the  culture  of  plants  for  decorations. 
Such  remarks  were  very  timely.      Those   persons 
who  have  been   in  the  past  responsible  for  exhi- 
bitions  appear  to  have   been   very   short-sighted, 
their  sole  aim  being  to  make  the  various  types  of 
the  flower  as  large  as  possible.     By  these  means 
cultural  excellence  was  undoubtedly  encouraged, 
but,  after  all,  this  is  but  one  aspect  of  the  question. 
During  recent  j'ears  an  attempt  has  been  made  to 
illustrate  the  practical  uses  to  which  these  mon- 
strous  blossoms   may   be  put.     The  vase  class  at 
the  great  autumn  festival  of  the  National  Chrysan- 
themum Society  is  now  generally  regarded  as  the 
chief  contest  of  the  season.     Each  vase  is  arranged 
with  five  large  flowers,  which,  when  set  up  with 
care,   are  very  decorative.      There  are,   however, 
comparatively  few  occasions  when  such  an  arrange- 
ment would  be  required  ;  only  for  the  bolder  and 
more  striking  effects  can  they  be  regarded   with 
favour.     In  the  course  of  the  development  of  the 
Chrysanthemum — and  these  remarks   apply   more 
especially  to  those  of  Japanese  origin — many  lovely 
flowers  have  been  discarded  simply  because  they 
were  not  sutiicientl}'  large.     A  variety   to  remain 
popular  must  possess  blooms  of  either  great  depth 
or  breadth,  or  these  two  qualities  combined,  and 
as  only  a  limited  number  of  the  sorts  introduced 
each  season  reach  this  ideal,  it  is  easy   to  under- 
stand what  a  large  number  of  varieties  fall  out  of 
cultivation  each  year.     In  this  way   many  of  the 
most  delightful  sorts  have  been  lost  to  cultivation. 
The  American  florists  are  distinctly  ahead  of  their 
English  brethren.     They  have  seen  all  along  that 
the   practical    value   of    the    Chrysanthemum    for 
decorative  uses  is  the  only  aspect  worthy  of  con- 
sideiation  ;  hence  we  see  that  their  competitions 
are  for  classes  with  this  object  in  view.     If  only 
our  English  Chr}'santhemum  specialists  would  give 
this  type  of  the  flower  more  attention,  we  should 
soon  find  their  displays  even  more  interesting  than 
they  are  now.     Let   the  trade  make  a  few   repre- 
sentations of  this  kind  and  this  would  soon  induce 
those  responsible  for  the  framing  of  schedules  of 
prizes  to  remodel  their  displaj's.     Table   decora- 
tions,  epergnes,    hand   baskets,    and    manj'   other 
means  are  taken  to  illustrate  the  decorative  value 
of  the  Chr3'santhemum  at  the  leading  shows,  and 
up  to  a  point  they  are  successful.     A  more  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  matter,  however,  is  necessary 
if    the   best  results   are  to  be  achieved.      Classes 
should  be  provided  in  which  vases  and  bowls  and 
other  receptacles  in  frequent  use  in  indoor  decora- 
tions should  be  arranged  %\'ith  one  or  more  sorts. 
What  a  splendid  competition  could  be  got  together 
by   the   provision    jf    classes,    say,    for    tlie    best 
crimson,  best  j'ellow,  white,  bronze,  and  any  other 
colours   that   one  could  easily  suggest,   and   these 
arranged  in  individual  classes.     In   this  way  the 
merits   of    the   respective   sorts   in    the    diH'erent 
colours  would  be  realised  in  a  competition  of  lhi.s 
kind,  and,  as  a  consequence,  an  impetus  would  be 
given    to   the   cultivation    of    the    freely-flowered 
sorts.     By  all  means  encourage  the  prochiction   of 
blooms  of  extra  excellence,  as  represented  by  the 
present  system  of  culture  for  exhibition,   but   do 
not  let   this   aspect   of    the  fjuestion    iindulv  pre- 
ponderate.    There  is  room  for  a  representation  of 
all  types,  the  popular  Japanese  sorts,  of  course, 
receiving  more  attention,   but   let  the  decorative 
Chrysanthennini    play    an    important   part   at    all 
future  sljows.      The  October  show  of  the  Nationid 
Chrysanthemum  Society   promises   a   diversion  in 
this    direction,   this    being    the    thin    edge    of    the 
wedge.       Competitions    for    naturally-grown —/.k.  , 
without    disbudding —Itunches   of    eai'ly-flowering 
('hrysanllieniums  in  (lill'rrcnt  colours  arc  provided 
ill  the  new  schedule  of  ]iiizcs.      C.  A.  II. 


Februaky   23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


iz.) 


ChPiStmaS  Roses. — Notwitlistanding  the 
persicitent  advocacy  of  tiie  claim  of  these  charming 
winter  llowers  to  be  always  remenjbered  that  has 
appeared  in  The  Garden'  pages,  they  are  still  by  no 
means  common  in  the  majority  of  gardens.  This 
is  unfortunate,  for  besides  being  easily  grown  and 
flowering  at  a  season  when  few  other  outdoor 
things  are  available,  they  possess  the  merit  of 
flourishing  in  a  jjosition  by  no  means  adapted  to 
the  majority  of  llowers,  viz.,  under  a  north  wall. 
A  practical  proof  of  their  value  was  to  hand  this 
season  when  an  enquiry  was  made  about  a  fortnight 
before  Christmas  if  sufhcient  flowers  would  be 
available  for  a  large  cross  (i  feet  in  height  and  of 
proportionate  breadtli.  No  forcing  had  been  pr.ac- 
tised  to  secure  white  flowers,  nor  did  the  Camellias 
show  sign  of  furnisliing  a  sufficient  supply,  so  I 
decided  to  fall  back  on  the  Christmas  Roses. 
A  temporary  frame  of  pieces  of  quartering  boards 
and  old  lights  was  quickly  made  and  placed  over 
some  two  dozen  clumps  that  were  planted  on  a 
north  border  in  1898,  and  from  these  we  were  able 
to  pick  fifteen  dozen  blooms,  pure  in  shade,  large, 
and  of  good  substance.  With  a  little  bit  of  foliage 
between  each  bloom  they  had  from  a  distance  a 
pleasing  starry  look,  and  the  yellow  stamens  gave 
just  a  slight  tinge  of  colour. 

Outdoor  Camellias.— In  answer  to  the 
editorial  query  respecting  the  above,  we  have  had 
some  outside  for  many  years,  but  they  can  hardly  be 
pronounced  a  success.  They  produce  plentj'  of  bud, 
which  swells  up  well  and  expands  freely,  but  in 
nine  seasons  out  of  ten  very  few  perfect  blooms  are 
to  be  seen  ;  they  are  nipped  by  frost,  cold  winds,  or 
rain.  This  was  prevented  one  season  by  a  temporary 
awiiing  of  scrim  canvas,  but  having  plenty  of 
bloom  under  glass  I  did  not  repeat  the  protection. 
Not  the  slighlest  injury  to  either  wood  or 
foliage  is  apparent,  even  in  the  most  severe 
winters.  The  varieties  are  Alba  plena  and 
.Jelfersoni.  —  E.  BuRiiEi.i,,  Clare inoiit . 

The  Tiger  Lily. —  This  handsome  and 
accommodating  Lily,  referred  to  bj'  "  H.  P."  on 
page  46,  is  invahiaille  in  the  garden  on  account  of 
the  lateness  of  its  blossoming  period,  it  being  the 
last  of  all  the  Lilies  to  bloom,  and  is  often  in  full 
beauty  in  the  month  of  September.  Occasionally 
a  bulb  of  some  earlier  flowering  species  will  throw 
lip  a  belated  flower-spike  that  attains  perfection 
even  alter  the  Tiger  Lilies  have  shed  their  last 
petals.  Thus  I  have  had  a  bulb  of  L.  chaleedonicum, 
one  of  a  large  clump,  produce  its  solitary  head  of 
rich  vermilion  bloom  in  mid-October,  but  such  an 
occurrence  is  merely  the  e.xception  that  proves  the 
rale.  In  my  e.xperience^  L.  tigrinum  Fortunei 
e.'jcels  all  other  forms  for  decorative  effect,  although 
the  individual  flowers  are  a  trifle  paler  in  tint,  and 
p.irhaps  not  of  quite  such  large  dimensions  as  tho.se 
of  the  variety  known  as  L.  t.  splendens.  I  have 
grown  L.  t.  Fortunei  with  stems  over  7  feet  in 
height,  bearing  quantities  of  softly  tinted,  orange- 
pink  flowers,  other  varieties  never  having  attained 
such  commanding  stature  or  borne  blooms  in  such 
numbers.  Another  point  in  favour  of  L.  tigrinum 
is  the  ease  with  which  it  may  be  propagated  from 
the  bulbils  borne  at  the  axils  of  the  leaves.  If 
these  are  collected  and  planted,  either  in  prepared 
soil  in  the  open  ground  or  in  seed-pans,  a  garden 
may  soon  be  stocked  with  Tiger  Lilies. — S.  W.  F. 

Gardening'  in  Finland.  -Mr.  Hammar- 

berg  writes  from  Finland:  "After  leaving  Kew  I 
spent  two  and  a  half  years  in  various  places  on  the 
Continent  before  coming  to  be  municipal  gardener 
here  in  Abo,  a  town  of  36,000  inhabitants,  con- 
taining park  and  gardens  of  considerable  size.  In 
the  north  we  have  the  greatest  difficulty  in  growing, 
many  things  which  thrive  in  England.  In  summer 
we  can  get  some  of  the  effects  obtainable  in  England, 
but  this  locality  is  a  favoured  one.  Last  year  I 
adopted  the  English  style  of  bedding,  and  the 
people  were  exceedingly  pleased.  Fruit  trees  are 
limited  both  in  number  and  kind,  those  that  thrive 
best  being  of  Russian  or  Scandinavian  origin,  but 
we  can  also  grow  some  English  bush  fruits." — Kew 
Oaihl  Journal. 

The    timber    resources    of    New 

South  "Wales. — Few  countries  have  such  a 
wealth  of  timber  as  New  South  Wales  possesses. 
Its  woods   are  as   varied    as   they  are  valuable, 


ranging  from  tlie  Ironbarks,  unsurpassed  fur  work 
requiring  hardness  and  durability,  to  the  kinds 
suitable  for  the  most  delicate  specimens  of  the 
cabinet-maker's  art.  It  must  be  confessed,  how- 
ever, that  some  varieties  of  timber  trees,  at  one 
time  very  plentiful,  and  which,  had  they  received 
attention  at  the  hands  of  tlie  State,  would  be 
plentiful  still,  are  now  hard  to  find  in  any  dis- 
trict to  which  there  is  easy  access.  But  this  is 
the  common  experience  of  new  countries,  where 
the  pioneers,  wliether  settlers  or  timber-getters, 
cut  down  indiscriminately',  giving  no  thought  to 
anytliing  Itut  their  immediate  requirements. 

New  South  Wales.— We  have  received  a 
series  of  interesting  booklets  from  the  Agent- 
General  for  New  South  Wales,  9,  Victoria  Street, 
W. ,  wliich  deal  witli  the  climate,  agricultural, 
timber,  and  mining  resources  of  tlie  colon}'. 

Climate   of   New   South   Wales.— 

From  the  standpoint  of  healtli,  it  is  fortunate  for 
this  country  that  di'3'ness  is  one  of  its  character- 
istics ;  otherwise,  instead  of  being  the  abode  of 
health,  the  interior  of  the  colony  would,  with 
abundant  rains,  have  become  an  impenetrable 
jungle,  the  lurking-place  of  those  malarial  fevers 
wliich  devastate  so  many  fair  regions  of  the  Old 
World  and  America.  New  South  Wales  may, 
therefore,  be  compared  favourably  with  any  part 
of  the  world,  and,  taking  into  consideration  tl\e 
comparatively  low  latitudes  in  which  it  is  situated, 
it  offers  a  most  remarkable  variety  of  temperate 
climates.  From  Kiandra,  on  the  highest  part  of 
the  (ireat  Dividing  Range,  to  Bourke,  on  the  great 
interior  plain,  the  climate  may  be  compared  with 
that  of  the  region  of  Europe  extending  from 
Edinburgh  to  Messina,  but  more  generally  resem- 
bling that  of  southern  France  and  Italy.  It  may, 
therefore,  be  regarded  as  peculiarly  fitted  for  the 
habitation  of  people  of  European  race,  embracing, 
as  it  does,  within  its  limits,  the  climatic  conditions 
under  which  the  most  advanced  races  of  the  world 
have  prospered. 

Beauty  of  Kent  Apple.    VViiiist  many 

persons  seem  to  be  fascinated  by  the  rich  colouring 
and  handsome  appearance  of  many  imported 
Apples,  they  are  apt  to  overlook  some  of  our 
own  long-tried  and  first-class  varieties,  simply 
because  they  are  not  grown  in  quantity  or  seen 
in  such  bulk  as  these  American-grown  Apples. 
One  such  is  the  handsome  Beauty  of  Kent,  which 
is  so  well  named.  At  the  last  Drill  Hall  meeting, 
held  in  January,  Mr.  Woodward  brought  up  from 
Barliam  Court,  Maidstone,  some  forty  to  fifty 
really  noble  fruits,  gathered  from  a  large  old  tree. 
Had  they  been  presented  as  a  new  Apple  they 
would  no  doubt  have  received  a  first-class  cer- 
tificate. Many  new  Apples  quite  inferior  have 
not  nearly  the  same  claim  to  such  honour  as  this 
fine  variety  has.  The  fruits  are  particularly  nice 
for  dessert,  though  large,  and  cook  capitally.  It 
is  a  good  cropper  and  one  of  our  best  late  Apples. 
—A.  D. 

Kerria  Japonica. — How  seldom  one  comes 
across  the  single-flowered  Kerria,  presumably  the 
type  of  this  Japanese  flowering  shrub.  The  double 
variety  locally  known  as  Jews'  Mallow  is  an  old 
favourite,  especially  in  cottage  gardens  in  Devon- 
shire, but  the  single  variety  I  have  never  seen 
outside  a  nursery  and  Kew.  To  my  mind  it  is 
greatly  to  be  preferred,  as  it  is  hardier  than  the 
double  variet}',  and  does  not  need  the  protection  of 
a  wall ;  in  fact,  is  better  without  it.  I  find,  too,  it 
needs  little  pruning  beyond  cutting  out  the  growth 
which  occasionally  becomes  too  twiggy. — H.  E.  M. 

Acacia  leprosa  at  Kew^.— A  number  of 

the  most  beautiful  flowering  species  of  Acacia  are 
only  seen  at  their  best  when  planted  in  a  border 
where  they  can  have  a  good  root  run.  Under  such 
a  condition,  long,  manj'-branched  shoots  are  made, 
on  which  countless  numbers  of  flowers  are  borne. 
The  subject  of  this  note  comes  under  this  section. 
As  a  pot  plant  it  flowers  fairly  well,  but  no  idea 
can  be  gathered  from  that  of  the  fine  specimen  it 
makes  when  planted  out.  Although  by  continued 
pruning  it  can  be  formed  into  a  fairly  good  bush,  it 
is  seen  at  its  best  trained  to  a  tall  pillar,  the  main 
branches  only  being  secured,  the  secondary  ones 
being  allowed  to  hang  in  as  natural  a  manner  as 
possible.     The  flowering  period  is  during  February 


and  March,  the  flowers  being  borne  in  small 
spherical  lieads,  bright  yellow  in  colour.  The 
leaves  are  very  pretty,  being  linear,  4  inches  or 
.5  inches  long,  and  pale  green.  After  the  flowers 
are  over  the  branches  should  be  spurred  back  to 
within  a  few  eyes  of  the  main  stems,  and  the  plant 
kept  well  syringed  until  new  growths  are  formed. 
These,  if  given  plenty  of  light  and  air,  will  during 
summer  grow  to  a  length  of  3  feet,  and  will  have 
numerous  side  growths,  all  of  which  will  produce 
flowers.  It  is  an  Australian  plant,  and  thrives  in 
equal  parts  of  sandy  peat  and  loam.  A  plant 
20  feet  high  flowers  well  every  spring  in  the 
temperate  house  at  Kew. — D. 

Chimonanthus   fragrans.— This  deli 

ciously  sweet-seenlud  old  slaub  has  been  in  full 
flower  for  the  past  month.  It  covers  a  large  wall 
space  on  the  sunny  side  of  my  cottage,  and  wlien  the 
windows  are  opened  the  rooms  are  filled  with  its 
fragrance.  A  few  sprays  placed  in  water  will  (ill  a 
large  room  with  perfume.  This  Japanese  Allspice  is 
perfectly  hardy,  but  the  protection  of  a  sunny  wall 
ripens  the  wood  better  and  preserves  the  yellowish 
flowers,  which,  if  exposed  to  severe  weather, 
would  destroy  the  rich  perfume.  The  plant  is 
deciduous  and  has  a  peculiarly  quaint  appearance, 
having  an  abundance  of  flowers  and  no  signs 
of  a  leaf.  Curiously,  also,  seed-pods  with  ripe 
fruits  of  last  year  are  still  hanging  on  the  bush. 
A  judicious  thinning  of  spray  and  old  flowering 
growths  sliould  be  given  as  soon  as  flowers  are 
over,  and  long,  new  growths  trained  in  for  exten- 
sion, and  the  breast-wood  growths  spurred  in  to  two 
buds,  as  the  flowers  for  next  year  come  on  the  new 
growths  that  start  from  the  spurs.  A  judicious 
thinning  of  these  new  growths  in  the  form  of 
summer  pruning  is  beneficial,  so  as  to  concentrate 
all  the  energies  of  the  tree  upon  forming  long 
shoots,  which,  if  exposed  to  the  air,  will  become 
furnished  with  long  trails  of  flowers.  The  Chinese 
variety,  C.  grandiflorus,  has  larger  and  paler 
flowers,  but  it  is  not  so  free  or  so  sweetly  scented 
as  C.  fragrans.— W.  Cedmp,  Madresfield  Courl. 


BOOKS. 

Alpine  Plants.* — An  experience  ranging 
over  many  years  in  the  management  of  the  large 
collection  of  alpine  plants  in  the  nurseries  of 
Messrs.  Backhouse,  of  York,  enables  Mr.  Clarke 
to  speak  with  authority  on  the  subject  of  their 
cultivation.  To  those  who  already  grow  the 
oharming  plants  of  the  Alps,  but  find  a  difficulty 
in  the  ease  of  some  individuals,  this  handy  little 
book  is  likely  to  be  of  much  use.  It  does  not 
attempt  to  deal  with  the  whole  subject,  but  only 
with  some  of  the  less  common  and  rather  difficult 
alpines,  special  attention  being  given  to  the 
Gentians,  Primulas,  and  Lithospermums.  Some 
lists  of  plants  at  the  end  will  be  found  very  useful. 
The  book  is  unusally  free  from  errors  in  the 
spelling  of  botanical  names,  though  we  should  have 
preferred  to  see  .Ethionemacoridifolium  instead  of 
"  cordifoiium,"  and  Onosma  tauricum  rather  than 
"taurica."  There  are  nine  illustrations  from 
photographs  of  typical  alpine  plants  and  the 
positions  they  require. 

A  Practical   Guide  to  Garden 

Plants.!' — This  is  an  important  addition  to 
already  existing  books  of  reference  in  horticulture. 
Every  page  (and  thej'  number  1,169)  is  full  of  the 
most  modern  and  accurate  information  of  just  the 
kind  that  is  most  helpful.  The  scope  of  the  book 
is  best  described  by  its  own  sub-title  :  "  Containing 
descriptions  of  the  hardiest  and  most  beautiful 
annuals  and  biennials,  hardy  herbaceous  and 
bulbous  perennials,  hard}'  water  and  bog  plants, 
flowering  and  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs.  Conifers, 
hardy  Ferns,  hardy  Bamboos,  and  other  ornamental 
grasses,  also  the  best  kinds  of  fruits  and  vegetables 
that  may  be  grown  in  the  open  air  in  the  British 
Islands,  with  full  and  practical  instructions  as  to 


*  "Alpine  Plants,"  By  W.  A.  Clarke,  F.K.H.S.  L.  Upcott 
Gill,  London  and  New  York.     1901. 

t  "  A  Practical  Guide  to  Garden  Plants."  By  John 
Weathers,  F.R.H.S.  Longmans,  trreen,  anc3  Co.,  London, 
New  York,  and  Bombay.    1901. 


126 


THE    GAUDEN. 


[February  23,  1901. 


culture  and  propagation."  The  book  begins,  as  we 
think  such  a  book  always  should,  with  a  glossary 
of  terms,  not  oiil}'  descriptive,  but  rather  fulh' 
illustrated.  Next  come  chapters  on  the  life  history 
of  plants,  propagation,  soils,  and  manures,  followed 
bj'  lists  of  hardy  plants  for  various  uses.  The  next 
and  main  feature  of  the  book  takes  garden  plants 
by  their  natural  orders.  This  plan  is  perhaps  less 
convenient  than  a  descriptive  alphabetical  list,  in 
that  the  index  has  first  to  be  searched  ;  but  it  is 
undoubtedly  more  scientific,  and  gives  the  book  a 
more  serious  character  ;  also  where  families  of 
plants  are  described,  as  in  this  ease,  in  pleasant, 
easj-  language  not  over  botanical,  that  relation- 
ship bet^reen  their  members  that  is  so  extremely 
interesting  is  easily  grasped  and  learnt.  In  short, 
it  becomes  a  book  of  popular  as  well  as  scientific 
instruction  instead  of  a  plant  dictionar}"  onl3'. 
The  latter  part  deals  with  Conifers,  Ferns,  fruit, 
and  vegetables,  and  their  culture.  The  book 
appears  to  be  remarkably  free  from  errors,  though 
in  a  volume  of  its  capa  ity  some  must  necessarily 
creep  in.  For  instance,  we  see  the  flowering  season 
of  Clematis  paniculata  given  as  from  July  to 
September,  whereas  it  is,  certainly  in  England,  an 
October  flower.  We  also  think  that  Claytonia 
perfoliata,  instead  of  appearing  as  a  garden  plant, 
if  described  at  all,  should  have  been  denounced  as 
a  most  troublesome  and  insidious  weed.  The  title 
page  announces  KiS  illustrations  ;  these  are,  for  the 
most  part,  small  outline  diagrams  illustrating  the 
terms  in  the  glossary,  and  of  methods  of  grafting 
and  training.  In  so  bulky  a  volume  it  would,  of 
course,  be  easy  to  find  here  and  there  certain  small 
matters  for  ciiticism,  but  they  scarcely  affect  the 
great  usefulness  of  tlie  book,  which  we  heartily 
commend. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

CULTIVATION    OF    THE 
SWEET   PEA. 


F 


^  EW  annual  garden  flowers  have  attained 
such  a  world-wide  reputation  during 
recent  3'ears  as  the  Sweet  Pea,  and  at 
the  present  day  it  unquestionably  ranks 
as  one  of  the  most  popular  of  summer 
flowers.  It  is  cultivated  more  or  less 
in  nearly  every  flower  garden,  and  we  owe  much 
to  those  that  have  taken  it  in  hand,  and  by  much 
care  and  thought  113'  way  of  hybridisation  have 
introduced  to  the  public  the  many  beautiful 
varieties  we  now  possess.  Foremost  among  these 
may  be  mentioned  the  name  of  that  veteran  raiser 
and  grower  Mr.  H.  Eckford,  of  Weni,  and  may  he 
be  spared  many  more  j'ears  to  further  the  good 
work  in  which  he  has  laboured  so  long. 

Delightful  and  effective  as  Sweet  Peas  alwa3's 
are  in  the  open  garden,  they  are  equally,  if  not 
more  so,  when  used  for  cutting,  and  when  taste  is 
displaj'ed  in  arranging  the  colours  few  things,  not 
even  the  most  choice  Orchids,  can  surpass  them, 
either  when  arranged  in  suitable  vases  or  for  the 
embellishment  of  tlie  dinner  table.  Owing  to  their 
long  wiry  foot-stalks  they  can  be  used  with  little 
trouble.  The  show  held  last  year  at  the  Cr3'stal 
Palace  to  celebrate  the  bicentenary  of  the  Sweet 
Pea  will  long  be  remembered  by  those  who  were 
privileged  to  see  it.  I  think  I  am  right  in  saying 
there  were  over  100  exhibitors,  and  the  number  of 
vases  exceeded  4,000  ;  but,  unfortunately,  owing 
to  the  extreme  heat  on  the  dates  of  the  exhibition, 
and  for  some  days  preceding  it,  the  flowers  did 
not  remain  fresh  as  long  as  was  hoped  for.  If  the 
sooietj'  was  able  to  accomplish  its  principal  object — 
viz. ,  to  catalogue  nearly  every  known  variety,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  select  and  bring  before  the 
general  public  all  the  best  and  most  distinct  kinds — 
an  important  step  will  have  been  gained,  for  many 
of  the  so-called  varieties,  even  to  experts,  can  only 
be  distinguished  by  their  names,  and  many  others 
are  too  much  alike  to  be  grown  in  the  same  col- 
lection. 

For  some  years  past  I  have  given  much  attention 
to  the  cultivation  and  selection  of  the  tall  varieties, 


and  to  the  horticultural  Press  I  am  much  indebted 
for  valuable  information  which  from  time  to  time 
has  appeared.  The  old  method  of  merely  sowing 
a  short  row  of  mixed  seed  in  some  out  of  the  way 
part  of  the  garden  is,  I  am  pleased  to  sa3',  little 
practised  now.  There  is  no  reason  whatever  why 
anyone  who  prefers  to  do  so  should  not  grow  them 
as  a  mixture— and  well  the3'  look  in  this  way — but 
I  would  alwa3'S  advise  purchasing  separate  colours 
and  making  the  mixture  oneself,  as  by  so  doing  a 
good  range  of  colours  is  assured.  A  much  belter 
effect,  however,  is  produced  when  each  variety  is 
grown  separately  either  in  rows  or  in  chimps. 
When  required  for  exhibition  purposes  it  is  abso- 
lute!}' necessar}'  to  do  so  if  the  cultivator'.s  aim 
is  to  win  the  chief  prizes. 

Preparation  of  the  Groind. 
Deep  cultivation  is  of  the  utmost  importance, 
and  during  the  winter  months  the  ground  should 
be  thoroughly  trenched.  Apply  a  good  dressing 
of  farmyard  manure.  We  grew  ours  last  season  in 
three  different  parts  of  the  garden,  and  in  each 
case  the  ground  was  trenched  at  least  3  feet,  and 
the  bottom  spit  brought  to  the  surface.  We  have 
grown  Sweet  Peas  on  one  piece  of  ground  for  the 
past  ten  seasons,  and  some  of  our  finest  blooms 
were  picked  from  here  last  year.  I  merely  mention 
this  to  prove  that  it  is  not  at  all  necessary  to 
change  the  ground  annually  as  some  suggest,  but 
when  the  same  site  is  used  year  after  year  thorough 
applications  of  manure  and  deep  cultivation  of  the 
soil  must  be  practised.  The  ground  after  trenching 
should  be  left  rough  and  lumpy.  About  the  end 
of  March  give  a  good  dressing  of  soot  and  wood 
ashes,  and  in  the  case  of  stiff'  land  add  old  mortar 
rubble  and  road  sand.  Fork  over  the  ground 
during  the  first  week  in  April  to  the  depth  of 
about  9  inches,  when  all  will  be  ready  for  receiving 
the  plants. 

Sowing  the  Seed. 

I  never  advise  sowing  the  seed  in  the  open,  as 
the  little  trouble  incurred  by  raising  seedlings  in 
pots  will  more  than  repay  in  the  long  run.  They  are 
practically  safe  against  the  ravages  of  rats,  mice, 
birds,  &c.  A  suitable  compost  for  sowing  them  in 
is  two  parts  light  loam,  one  part  leaf  soil,  and  one 
part  old  Mushroom  bed  manure,  with  a  sufficient 
amount  of  road  sand  to  keep  it  porous,  adding  a 
(i-inch  potful  of  bone-meal  to  e\'ery  three  bushels 
of  the  mixture.  Clean,  moderatel}'  drained  3inch 
pots  should  be  used,  and  the  soil  pressed  in 
fairly  firm.  Fill  about  three  parts  full,  and  over 
which  sow  the  seed,  about  seven  Peas  to  each 
pot,  selecting  good  plump  seed.  Cover  with  soil, 
thoroughlj'  water  in,  and  place  under  glass  in  a 
cool  house,  pit,  or  frame,  but  avoid  forcing  at  any 
time.  It  might  be  well  to  mention  here  that  it  is 
always  a  good  plan  to  place  a  tastily-baited  mouse- 
trap in  close  proximity  to  the  seed,  for  should 
mice  be  about  they  will  quickly  discover  it  and  in 
a  short  time  do  a  considerable  amount  of  damage. 
The  time  of  sowing  will,  of  course,  greatly  depend 
on  the  time  that  they  are  required,  but  it  is 
always  well  to  make  two  or  three  sowings  at 
various  dates.  I  find  on  referring  to  my  diary 
our  dates  last  year  were  March  7,  14,  and  21, 
and  all  were  planted  by  April  18.  The  plants 
should  be  thoroughly  hardened,  and  when  about 
.S  inches  in  height  thin  out  and  plant  five 
at  each  station.  For  choice  I  always  prefer 
planting  them  in  clumps  at  a  distance  of  4  feet 
apart,  and  we  grow  them  in  three  lines,  which 
produces  a  charming  effect.  A  little  finel3'-sifted 
cinder  ash  should  be  placed  about  the  plants. 
This  will  prevent  them  being  damaged  b}'  slugs. 
The  staking  should  be  done  at  the  time  of  planting, 
using  ordinary  Pea  sticks  7  feet  to  8  feet  in  length. 

Little  other  attention  will  be  required  except 
regulating  the  growths  for  a  time  and  thoroughlj' 
water  in  dry,  hot  weather.  Syringe  during  the 
early  evening  on  bright  days.  In  showery  weather 
apply  a  sprinkling  of  some  reliable  artificial  manure 
about  every  ten  days  or  so.  Once  a  week  in  early 
morning  give  a  slight  application  of  soot,  which 
will  assist  in  giving  colour  to  the  flowers  and 
foliage,  and  at  the  time  of  flowering  frecjuenl  doses 
of  diluted  farmyard  manure  water  should  bo  given. 
If  wanted  for  exhibition  ten  days  before  the  date 


ever}'  open  flower  should  be  picked  off,  and  to 
prolong  their  beaut}-  no  seed  vessels  should  be 
allowed  to  form.  In  hot,  bright  weather,  such  as 
we  experienced  last  season,  shade  with  light  canvas, 
and  thoroughly  mulch  the  ground  with  long  stable 
litter. 

Selecting  the  Blooms  for  Exhibition. 

Fresh  fullj'-developed  spikes  should  be  chosen 
with  not  less  than  three  flowers  on  each.  Place 
them  in  water  imniediatel3'  the3'  are  picked,  and 
if  possible  conve3'  them  to  the  exhibition  in  water 
in  suitable  travelling  cases.  Whether  in  small  or 
large  collections  have  each  variety  as  distinct  as 
possible,  and  each  shade  well  represented. 

Staging  the   Flowers. 

I  prefer  neat  green  earthenware  vases  to  any- 
thing else.  Suitable  foliage,  grasses,  or  (-lypsophila 
paniculata  are  generall}'  allowed  to  be  used,  but 
trequentl3',  in  my  opinion,  are  eniplo3ed  too 
freel3',  especially  the  Gypsophila.  A  simple  and 
pleasing  wa}'  is  first  to  place  sufficient  very  fine 
grass  of  a  dark  colour  to  form  a  groundwork  for 
the  flowers  to  rest  upon,  after  which  the  spikes 
should  be  arranged  as  gracefully  as  possible,  using 
one  at  the  time.  By  so  doing  each  individual 
bloom  can  be  distinctly  seen. 

Varieties. 

I  append  what  I  believe  to  be  fifty  of  the  finest 
varieties  in  cultivation,  and,  in  addition,  a  few 
novelties  which  I  noted  last  year.  Each  promises 
to  be  distinct  and  worthy  of  cultivation. 

irA//£'.— Sadie  Burpee  :  Vncloubtedly  the  best  wliite,  with 
a  splendid  habit,  and  very  tioriferous.  Emily  Henderson  : 
Distinct,  and  nearly  equal  in  merit  to  tlie  atjove.  Blanclie 
Burpee  :  Another  grand  variety,  flowers  very  large  and 
well  formed. 

CrtJ/iAon.— Salopian  :  Too  much  can  hardly  be  said  of  this 
excellent  variety,  the  best  of  this  section.  Cardinal :  Large 
handsome  flower. 

Maroon. — Othello;  Good  robust  habit,  very  deeply  coloured 
flower.  Duke  of  Clarence :  Large  deep  claret.  Stanley  :  A 
large  handsome  flower  of  good  substance. 

Orange. — Lady  ilarie  Currie  :  A  very  pleasing  orange-pink 
colour,  and  a  great  favourite.  Chancellor  :  Bright  orange 
standards  of  an  intense  colour,  with  splendid  form  and 
substance.  Countess  of  Powis  :  This  variety  is  uneiiualled 
for  colour  and  finish ;  a  splendid  glowing  orange  self. 
Gorgeous  :  A  grand  colour,  standards  orange,  wings  deeper. 

Pink. —Hon.  F.  Bouverie  :  A  beautiful  coral-pink  of  good 
substance.  Royal  Robe  :  A  lovely  delicate  pink.  Prima 
Donna :  Very  large  flower,  soft  pink  colour,  and  free 
flowering.  Countess  of  Lathoni :  .-V  splendid  pink  of  good 
substance  and  long  stems.  Duchess  of  Westminster:  Apricot 
flushed  pink  flowers. 

Bfirrf. ~Counte&s  Cadogan  :  A  very  distinct  flower,  the 
standards  being  a  shining  violet,  and  the  wing  sky  blue  ;  a 
desirable  addition.  Navy  Blue  :  A  very  dark  true  blue,  the 
most  distinct  of  this  section.  Emily  Eckford  :  .\  well-built 
superb  flower,  and  a  distinct  mauve-blue. 

J/rtwre.— Duke  of  Westminster  :  This  charming  variety  is 
iplite  distinct  from  any  other,  with  a  very  vigorous  habit, 
particularly  free  flowering,  and  one  of  the  very  best. 
Fascination  :  A  grand  variety,  admired  by  all  for  its 
pleasing  form  and  colour. 

L'7ac.— Lady  Skelmersdale  :  .A  very  distinct  bright  rosy 
lilac.  Colonist :  .\  vigorous  grower,  with  long-stemmed  soft 
lilac  flowers. 

Blus/i.—^irs.  Fitzgerald  :  A  robust  grower,  producing  soft 
cream  and  rose  flowers  on  long  stalks.  Duchess  of  Sulher- 
land  :  A  charming  variety,  with  pearly  white  suH'used  pink 
flowers. 

Creamy  (jniands  tinted — Crown  .Tewel  :  .-V  very  profuse 
bloomer,  the  standards  being  pale  tiiLted  with  rose,  and  the 
wings  creamy.  Lemon  tjueen  :  A  very  large  flower,  with 
lemon-pink  standards  and  white  wings. 

Larniffer. — Lady  (frisel  Hamilton  :  I'ndoubtedly  the  best 
lavender  we  have,  being  wonderfvilly  free  flowei-ing  and  very 
large.  Lady  Nina  Balfour :  .\  pleasing  colour,  delicate 
mauve,  shaded  with  a  peculiar  grey,  and  very  much 
admii-ed.  Countess  of  Radnor  :  A  lovely  rt^»wer ;  colour 
lavender. 

Purple. ~PiiTp]e  Prince  :  A  very  flne  and  ilistinct  variety, 
with  deep  maroou  standards  and  piuple  wings ;  very 
striking.  Monarch  :  Large  flower,  something  like  the  above, 
except  that  the  wings  are  a  rich  deep  blue. 

Pink  and  U'liitc.—Vnke  of  York  :  Rosy  pink  standards, 
wings  prinnose,  tinted  white.  Empress  of  India  :  Large 
flowers  similar  in  colour  to  above. 

/io«e.— Lord  Kenyon  :  .\  distinct  grand  addition,  rose- 
mageuta,  almost  a  self,  with  long  stems :  very  ert'ective. 
^Irs.  Dugdale  :  A  beautiful  rose,  shaded  with  primrose, 
well-formed  large  flowers.  Prince  of  VVales ;  This  is  a  very 
flue  variety,  being  extremely  free  flowering  and  a  splendid 
bright  rose  colour.  Royal  Robe  :  \cry  large  flower,  with 
deep  rosy  pink  standards  and  pale  pink  wings  ;  very  apt  to 
sport,  livid  :  Another  rosy  iiink  of  flue  form.  Her  .Majesty  : 
A  rosy  pink  self,  with  a  showy  distinct  habit. 

.S't/ !';)(■.•.•.-  America  :  A  most  beautiful  scarlet  striped 
variety,  pcih;i]is  tlie  best  of  this  colour.  Aurora  :  A  pretty 
wliite,  .splashed  with  orange-salmon.  Mrs.  .T.  (Iiamberlain  : 
A  splendid  flower  of  flne  form,  white,  flaked  with  bright 
rose.    Duchess  of  York  :  A  pleasing  shade  of  white,  striped 


February   23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


127 


pinkish  purple.  Senator  :  A  large  flower,  striped  chocolate 
oil  a  ci'eumy  [ground. 

Scaiiiit. — Prince  Edward  of  York  ;  I  cannot  speak  too 
highly  of  this  handsome  addition,  being  an  ininicnse  flower, 
with  scarlet  standards  and  wings  of  the  deepest  rose. 

Pale  Yiilluw  and  P/imrose. — Queen  Victoria:  A  very 
handsome  prnnrose-yellow  flower.  Primrose  :  Quite  distinct, 
the  flower  being  a  perfect  pale  primrose.  Captain  Clarke  ; 
Although  a  rather  old  variety  it  is  a  very  pleasing  one,  but 
rather  diflicult  to  describe ;  white  ground,  lightly  striped 
with  pale  rose  and  lavender. 

■The  1901  Novelties. 

Miss  VVillmott :  Undoubtedly  the  finest  novelty  that  has 
appeared  for  some  time  ;  very  much  in  the  way  of  Gorgeous, 
being  a  splendid  shade  of  orange,  but  much  larger.  Coccinea  : 
Quite  a  distinct  b  eak,  with  beautiful  cerise  coloured  flowers. 
The  Hon  ilrs.  E.  Kenyon  :  An  immense  flower,  deeper  in 
colour  than  any  other  primrose.  George  Gordon  :  liright 
crimson  standards  and  rosy  purple  wings,  a  striking  variety. 
Lady  M.  Ormsby-Gore  :  Elowers  produced  on  long  stems, 
pale  butf  colour,  overspread  with  a  delightful  pink. 

E.  Beckett 

Alchnhwm  Hoiist  Oardeiv^,  Elsti-ee,  Herts. 


will   not   be   required.     My  practice— and  results  rebuilt  to   the    top  of  tlie  frame  with  leaves  and 

have  proved  it  to  be  sound — has  been  to  place  a  stable  litter.       Nowhere  have  I  seen  better  Violets 

liberal   quantity    of    sifted   loam    and    leaf-mould  than   in    East   Anglia,   and   at   both    Ipswich    and 

amongst  the  plants  at  the  end  of  February  for  the  Norwich  Chrysanthemum  shows  prizes  are  oficred 


runners  to  root  into,  and  to  peg  the  runners  into  it 
with  small  wooden  or  wire  pegs,  they  then  become 
well  rooted  by  planting  out  time — the  end  of  April. 
When  the  runners  are  left  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves they  often  fail  to  root  in  the  frame  and 
make  but  slow  progress  when  planted  out. 
Opinions  differ  as  to  which  position  is  best  for 
Violets  during  summer.  Mr.  Crook,  I  believe, 
grows  his  in  a  fairly  open  sunny  part  of  the 
garden,  and  this,  doubtless,  in  part  accounts  for 
their  withstanding  drought  so  well,  but  grown 
thus  they  require  more  frequent  waterings  and 
syringings  in  order  to  keep  them  free  from  red 
spider  than  when  grown  in  partial  shade.  Last 
autumn  I  saw  a  fine  lot  of  plants  growing  in  loamy 
soil  between  rows  of  Apple  trees  in  an  orchard  at 
Gunton  Park,  the  partial  shade  apparently  suiting 
them  well.  I  find  that  Violets  delight  in  a  loamy 
compost,  containing  a  large  percentage  of  leaf- 
mould  and  grit.  An  old  gardener  in  Essex  who 
probably  grew  the  finest  Neapolitans  in  the 
county — by  the  waj'  how  few  now  grow  this,  the 


OPIUM   POPPY  (PAPAVER 
SOMNIFERUM), 

The  large  garden  Poppy  is  one  of  the  oldest  as 
well  as  the  most  important  of  the  larger 
annuals.  It  varies  in  colour 
from  pure  white  through  many 
pretty  shades  of  pink  and  rose 
and  almost  scarlet  colouring 
to  purple,  some  of  the  rosy  tints 
inclining  to  salmon  colour  being 
especially  beautiful.  The  flower 
is  also  various  in  form,  in  some 
cases  the  doubling  taking  the 
shape  of  a  multitude  of  narrow 
strap -shaped  petals,  while  in 
others  they  are  broader.  Some 
also  have  wide  guard  petals, 
and  the  middle  of  the  flower, 
whether  of  petals  broad  or 
narrow,  not  too  tightly  filled. 
This  we  think  the  most  beautiful 
and  decorative  form.  We  con- 
sider that  seed  growers  are 
inclined  to  err  on  the  side  of 
over-fulness.  When  the  flower 
has  a  tight,  round,  mop-headed 
shape  it  loses  the  quality  of 
gracefulness  and  that  play  of 
light  and  shade  within  the 
flower  that  give  it  so  high  a 
value  to  the  more  discerning 
critic,  who  )jrizes  the  best  foi-ms 
of  beauty  above  mere  bulk. 

Often  in  the  outer  regions  of 
a  garden  there  is  a  roughish 
place  that  is  without  any  special 
feature,  and  where  no  attempt 
has  been  made  towards  any 
ornamental  planting.  Even  if 
the  place  is  overgrown  with  grass  and  weeds,aiid 
it  is  not  desired  to  keep  it  cleanly  cultivated,  _,      .  .    ^ 

a  few    gashes   through  the   growth    here  and    drives  for  mixing  witli  the  soil 


for  Violets,  and  the  competition  is  usually  very 
spirited.  I  think  every  Chrysanthemum  society 
should  offer  prizes  for  Violets.         J.  Crawiord. 


HARDY  AND  HALF-HARDY 

ANNUALS. 

This  interesting  and  Ijeautiful  family  is  of  value 
for  the  flower  garden,  borders,  and  shrubberies  ; 
many,  too,  when  well  grown  iu  pots,  make  striking 
features  for  greenhouse  and  conservatory  decora- 
tions. Yet  it  can  hardly  be  said  they  receive  the 
attention  their  merits  deserve,  cojisidering  the 
brilliant  and  lasting  effect  that  can  be  produced 
when  massed  in  groups  of  one  or  more  colours,  of 
which  there  are  now  a  wonderful  variety.  Some, 
too,  are  remarkably  well  adapted  for  cutting,  for 
wliich  there  is  a  constant  and  ever-increasing 
demand.  Sowing  seed  in  boxes,  pans,  or  pots  is  a 
very  convenient  form  of  raising  the  seedlings,  the 
advantage  gained  being  that  of  easy  removal  to  or 


IIAI.I-IMlUltLE    \N  IllTE    OPIUSI     POPrv    IN    ROU<m    (JROUN'D. 


most  fragrant  of  Violets,  well— used  to  save  all  the 
gritty    sweepings   of   pleasure   ground  walks    and 


there  with  a  heavy  hoe  or  mattock,  and  a  little 
Poppy  seed  sprinkled,  may  result  in  a  garden 
picture  of  a  high  degree  of  beauty. 


I  consider  the  first  week  in  May  a  good  time  to 
plant  out  Violets.  They  should  be  planted  suffi- 
ciently far  apart  to  allow  of  a  free  circulation  of 
air  amongst  them,  and  screened  from  the  wind  by 
small  evergreen  branches  till  established.  They 
DOUBLE     VIOLETS  '  ^'^''"'''  *'^'^"  '^^  mulched  with  old  Mushroom  bed 

v»J-iii.iei.  .material,    rigorously    syringed   with   clear    water 

1 IIESE  have  done  well  in  most  gardens  lliis  winter,  j  twice  a  week  by  means  of  a  hose  or  garden  engine, 
though  where  airing,  removing  decaying  leaves,  and  j  and  with  weak  sulphur  water  once  a  fortnight 


stirring  the  surface  of  the  soil  to  admit  air  liave 
not  been  carefully  attended  to  many  blanks 
amongst  the  plants  will  doubtless  have  occurred, 
owing  to  the  prevalence  of  damp  weather.  Mr. 
Crook,  of  Forde  Abbey,  recently  informed  me 
tliat  never  h.ad  his  Violets  done  better  than  this 
wiuter,  and  as  the  garden  at  Forde  Ab''ey  occupies 
a  low  damp  position  the  excellency  of  Mr.  Crook's 
Violets  proves  that  the  treatment  they  have 
received  has  been  of  the  right  kind.  The  runners 
must  now  have  attention,  but  where  cuttings  are 
preferred,  and  these  were  inserted  in  fine  leafy 
soil  in  boxes  or  in  a  frame  in  the  autumn,  lunners 


Some  like  to  keep  the  plants  to  a  single  crown, 
tliough  I  have  never  done  so.  I  remember,  how- 
ever, once  seeing  a  grand  lot  of  plants  at  Blickling, 
most  of  which  had  single  crowns,  Mr.  Oclee,  the 
gardener  there,  telling  me  they  were  raised  from 
cuttings,  and  that  plants  from  cuttings  did  not  as  a 
rule  form  more  than  one  or  two  crowns.  Few  now 
give  Violets  bottom  heat,  but  in  my  opinion 
the  only  means  of  ensuring  a  good  supply  of 
Neapolitans  througliout  December  and  .lanuary  is 
the  employment  of  mild  bottom  In-at.  A  good 
deep  bed  of  leaves  is  best,  and  the  linings  should 
Ije  talten  down  once  or  twice  during  winter  and 


from  protection,  as  deemed  necessary,  commencing 
with  the  less  progressive  varieties  about  tlie  middle 
of  February,  and  continuing  with  those  of  quicker 
growth  up  to  the  end  of  April.  A  light  rich  com- 
post is  used,  care  being  taken  not  to  sow  too 
thickly  or  cover  the  seeds  too  deeply.  Care  is  also 
necessary  in  watering. 

The  Salpiglossis  is  a  beautiful  annual,  growing 
about  3  feet  in  height,  with  very  slender  stems, 
bearing  flowers  of  the  most  pleasina  shades, 
numerous  and  varied  in  colour,  well  adapted  for 
cutting  ;  for  dinner-table  or  room  decoration  few 
are  more  beautiful  or  more  easily  cultivated. 
Sow  seeds  in  a  cool  greenhouse  or  frame,  trans- 
planting to  the  open  ground,  where,  too,  the  seeds 
mav  be  sown  with  success.  Self-sown  seeds  often 
niRke  fine  plants  for  transplanting  in  eaily  spring. 

Tlie  E.iRi.Y-FI.OWEKI.VU  MAROnERlTF.  Carnatio.n 
is  easily  raised  from  seed.  One  often  wonders 
why,  seeing  the  lieauty  and  u.sefulness  of  this 
charming  flower,  that  it  is  so  seldom  grown  in 
quantities,  though  hearing  flowers  equal  to  many 
named  varieties.  Seeds  may  be  sown  (luring 
February  in  heat,  and  when  larj.'eenough  to  handle 
the  seedlings  pricked  off  and  planted  out  earl3'  iu 


128 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[Fbbruarv    23.  1901. 


June,  ordinary  garden  soil  being  all  that  is  neces- 
sary. If  planted  in  the  reserve  garden  for  cutting, 
have  frames  to  place  over  them  for  protection,  thus 
considerably  prolonging  the  flowering  season,  which 
may  be,  generally  speaking,  about  six  months ;  they 
grow  18  inches  in  height. 

DiAXTHCs  Heddewiiji  is  a  very  decorative  hardy 
bed  or  border  plant,  growing  from  9  inches  to 
12  inches,  and  of  easy  culture.  By  sowing  seeds 
during  March  in  gentle  heat,  and  transplanting  in 
May,  flowers  appear  from  July  to  the  end  of 
October  ;  they  are  of  sing'ular  beauty,  with  a  great 
variety  of  shades.  The  new  Salmon  Queen  claims 
special  notice,  but  all  are  rich  and  varied  in 
colour,  ranging  from  white  to  crimson,  pink,  and 
maroon,  blotched  and  fringed,  double  and  single  — 
the  single  fringed,  perhaps,  being  the  most 
beautiful.  Intermixed  with  the  Marguerite 
Carnation  in  beds  or  borders  a  charming  etfect  is 
produced. 

CoLLiNSiA  VERNA. — This  hardy  annual  is  well 
worthy  of  cultivation,  flowering  at  a  season  when 
aimuals  are  not  plentiful  ;  it  is  of  a  compact 
sturdy  growth,  about  1  foot  in  height,  and  bears 
flowers  of  long  duration  and  beauty — white  and 
blue— the  lower  lip  being  of  the  latter  colour.  For 
breakfast  and  luncheon  table  this  is  much  admired, 
changes,  if  ever  so  simple,  being  much  appreciated. 
This  season  I  am  growing  it  in  pots  as  well  as  in 
beds.     Seed  should  be  sown  early  in  September. 

The  Sweet  Pea  is  a  popular  climbing  annual. 
The  varieties  are  numerous  and  their  cultivation 
well  understood.  With  regard  to  colours,  I  was 
.satisfied  last  season  with  growing  twelve  distinct 
kinds.  It  is  difficult  sometimes  to  find  a  suitable 
place  in  close  proximity  to  the  dwelling  where  the 
perfume  from  this  popular  favourite,  as  well  as  the 
variety  of  colour,  caii  be  fully  appreciated.  To 
overcome  this  difficulty  tubs  were  introduced 
measuring  2  feet  in  diameter  and  1.5  inches  deep, 
a  distinct  kind  being  planted  in  each,  the  plants 
having  previously  been  raised  in  heat.  Light 
feathery  stakes  "were  inserted  all  over,  from  9  feet 
to  10  feet  in  height.  The  plants  flowered  during 
July,  August,  September,  and  October  without 
intermission,  eacli  forming  a  distinct  mass  of 
colour.  No  stakes  were  to  be  seen,  no  seed  pods 
allowed  to  form,  nor  flowers  cut.  Being  liberally 
fed,  the  result  was  very  satisfactorj'. 

The  ScHiZANTiins  and  its  varieties  are  charming 
half-hardy  annuals.  Sow  seed  in  the  autumn — 
say,  September  —  in  small  pots  in  a  cold  frame, 
growing  them  in  a  cool  greenhouse  during  the 
winter.  They  flower  during  April  and  May.  Its 
free-flowering,  light,  and  graceful  growth  (when 
well  grown  in  (i-inch  or  7-inch  pots)  is  much 
admired  :  equally  well  adapted  for  the  borders  and 
shrubberies.  Sow  seed  during  April  or  May  for 
summer  and  aAituinn  flowering. 

The  Zinnias,  with  their  richlj'-coloured  flowers, 
are  much  admired  for  borders  or  beds.  For  cutting, 
too,  their  usefulness  is  ofttimes  appreciated,  and 
they  delight  in  liberal  treatment.  Care  is  neces- 
sary not  to  sow  the  seeds  too  early,  thereby 
avoiding  checks  in  growth,  which  sometimes  pro- 
duce decay  in  the  stems  and  causes  disappointment 
by  forming  blanks  whenever  planted  ;  but  by 
sowing  at  the  end  of  April,  and  planting  out  in 
June,  good  results  can  be  attained.  The  plant 
grows  from  9  inches  to  over  2  feet  in  height. 

Phlox  DRUMiuoNDi. — When  well  grown  this  is 
amongst  the  most  benutiful  of  half-hardy  animals, 
the  large-flowering  improved  varieties  being  most 
striking.  If  not  sown  too  early,  and  what  I  may 
term  coddled,  the  various  plants  will  produce 
an  admirable  effect  in  Vjeds  or  borders,  or  as  an 
undergrowth  for  the  Fuchsia  and  Heliotrope  as 
standards.  Seeds  should  be  sown  about  the  middle 
of  March,  the  seedlings  pricked  out  under  slight 
protection  and  planted  out  at  the  end  of  May.  It 
grows  about  1'2  inches  in  height. 

Cosmos  btpixnatus. — The  flowers  and  foliage  of 
this  annual  are  much  sought  after,  being  light  and 
well  adapted  for  decorative  purposes  ;  where 
tracing  on  dinner-tables  is  practised  this  forms  a 
fitting  subject,  having  light  feathery  foliage,  with 
flowers  of  the  single  Dahlia  type,  yet  lighter  in 
substance  ;  colours,  pink,  white,  rose,  and  j'ellow. 
It  is  of  easy  culture,  growing  about  3  feet.     Sow 


seed  in  March,  and  plant  out  the  seedlings  at  the 
end  of  May. 

The  Nicotianas,  or  Giant  Tokaccus,  in  the 
manufactured  state  can  claim  many  admirers,  and 
worthy,  too,  are  they  of  admiration  under  good 
cultivation.  The  noble  leaves  and  fragrant 
flowers,  borne  on  erect  and  branching  stems  of 
over  6  feet  in  height,  give  them  a  bold  appearance, 
worthy  of  a  place  in  every  garden.  Sylvestris,  of 
recent  introduction,  when  planted  in  fairlj'  shel- 
tered positions,  and  laden  with  its  white  tubular 
flowers  over  the  large  green  leaves,  is  Aery  beau- 
tiful. Sow  seeds  in  February  in  a  warm  house, 
prick  oft'  the  seedlings  when  large  enough  to 
handle,  and  pot  them  into  4inoh  pots;  they  make 
nice  plants  for  planting  in  .Tune. 

Lockuige  Park  Gardens.  Wm.  Fvfe. 


SHORT  STUDIES  ON  PLANT 
LIFE.-V. 

The  Anemone. 

Wind  flowers  or  Anemones,  so  called  from  the 
Latin  word  animosus  ("  windy  '),  as  the  wind 
soon  blows  the  flower  to  pieces,  according  to 
Pliny,  are  appropriate  for  consideration  in 
March. 

They  form,  together  with  Meadow  Bue, 
Pheasant's  Eye,  Mouse-tail,  and  two  foreign 
genera,  a  tribe  of  the  family  Ranunculaceas, 
only  differing  from  Buttercups  in  having  a 
pendulous  ovule  instead  of  one  attached  to  the 
base  of  the  carpel. 

We  have  two  species,  the  Pasque  flower  and 
Wood  Anemone.  Both  have  a  calyx,  white  or 
coloured.  The  former  approaches  Clematis 
in  having  a  feathery  style  to  the  fruit  or  achene, 
the  latter  to  Buttercups  in  having  none. 

The  flower  of  Anemone  is  also  characterised 
by  having  three  leaves  in  a  whorl  on  the  flower 
stalk,  which  may  be  reduced  to  three  In'acts, 
constituting  an  involucre,  as  in  Hepatioas, 
where  it  is  sometimes  erroneously  taken  for  a 
calyx,  and  the  coloured  calyx  for  a  corolla. 
This  species,  as  well  as  the  Poppy  Anemone 
(A.  ooronaria),  were  introduced  about  S.-iO  years 
ago  from  the  continent. 

We  have  seen  how  anthers  can  be  con- 
verted into  honey  pots  in  the  Winter  Aconite 
and  Hellebores,  and  thence  into  petals  as  of 
the    Buttercup.      But    in   the    Pasque   flower 


(A.  Pulsatilla)  the  outer  rows  of  stamens  are 
modified  into  club-shaped  bodies,  the  anther 
forming  a  "  head, "  which  then  secretes  honey. 
The  Wood  Anemone  apjiears  to  secrete  no 
honey  at  all  :  but  many  insects  come  for  the 
pollen  and  have  been  observed  to  fly  from 
flower  to  flower,  thrusting  the  proboscis  into 
the  floral  receptacle,  between  the  sepals  and 
carpels,  tapping  it  for  juice,  wherewith  to 
moisten  the  pollen,  which  they  collect  at  the 
same  time. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  this  process  was 
the  original  cause  of  the  formation  of  honey 
glands,  inasmuch  as  they  are  only  found  just 
where  the  proboscis  will  find  it,  i.e.,  all  round 
the  flower,  if  it  be  regular,  and  visited  from 
any  direction  ;  but  in  all  irregular  flowers, 
which  are  situated  close  to  the  axis,  so  that 
they  can  only  be  approached  from  one  side,  the 
honey  is  to  be  procured  also,  only  from  the 
single  source,  ju.st  where  the  insect's  tongue  or 
proboscis  will  reach  it,  as  may  be  easily  seen 
in  Larkspur,  Monk's-hood,  and  Dead  Nettle. 

The  Poppy  Anemone  is  remarkable  for  its 
great  variation  in  colour  even  when  wild.  Thus 
in  Palestine  it  varies  from  white,  i-ose,  or  pink 
to  scarlet,  and  from  blue,  red-purple,  to  dee]) 
purple.  In  Malta,  on  limestone,  it  is  always  of 
a  bluish-purple  colour.  Under  cultivation  it 
has  become  very  double  by  petals  replacing  the 
stamens  and  carpels. 

It  will  be  as  well  to  remember  that  Anemones, 
like  all  members  of  the  Buttercup  family,  are 
more  or  less  poisonous  ;  the  least  so  is  the 
Water  Crowfoot,  upon  which  cattle  used  to 
feed  in  the  ^Midlands  :  the  most  so  is  the  deadly 
Aconite,  which  has  poisoned  many  families, 
through  their  eating  the  root,  which  is  conind 
"and  dark  culdured  in  the  Aconite  instead  of 
that  of  Horse-Badish,  which  is  ci/Iiiulriral 
and  27a7e  coloured. — Geoeije  Henslow. 


GENTIANA     FAVRATI 

(RITTENER). 

Upon  the  flowery  slopes  of  the  Gemini  and 
thvoiighout  the  rocky  pastures  of  the  limestone 
Alps,  which  extend  from  the  uplands  of  Mordes 
along  the  foot  of  the  chain  of  those  of  the 
Bernese  Oberland  to  as  far  as  Belalp  ;  on  the 


IIENTIANA    VEKNA. 


BAVARICA. 


i:.    F.WKATI. 


February  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


129 


slopes  of  the  Valais  side  as 
well  as  on  those  that  face 
the  Canton  of  Berne,  but 
especially  in  the  group  of 
the  Muveran(Vaudois  Alps), 
is  found  a  Gentian  which  i-j 
not  G.  verna,  still  less  is  it 
G.  bavarica  or  G.  brachy- 
phylla.  This  plant  puzzled 
me  for  many  years  ;  I  was 
(luite  unable  to  identify  it. 
It  has  to  be  cultivated  in 
quite  a  different  way  to 
G.  verna  or  G.  brachyphylla, 
and,  above  all,  to  G.  bava- 
rica ;  its  way  of  growth  is 
also  dissimilar. 

AyoungVaudois  botanist, 
M.  Rittener,  published  in 
189.')  a  very  interesting  note 
upon  the  subject  in  the 
Bulletin  de  la  Socield  Vau- 
doise  des  Sciences  JVaturelles 
(xxii.,  189.")).  He  considers 
this  Gentian  to  be  a  hybrid 
between  G.  verna  and  G. 
bavarica,  and  named  it 
Gentiana  Favrati.  The  name 
of  Favrat  i.s  that  of  one 
of  our  most  distinguished 
Vaudois  botanists  ;  the  one 
who  is  the  best  acquainted 
with  the  flora  of  the  Canton 
of  Vaud.  The  plant  is  thus 
described  :  Height,  about 
4  centimetres  (-2  inches) ; 
stalk  very  short,  scarcely 
visible  when  in  bloom  ; 
leaves  small,  coriaceous, 
shining,  oval,  and  nearly 
orbicular,  forming  a  rosette ; 
corolla  of  an  intense  blue, 
lobes  sub-orbicular  or  slightly  rhomboidal, ' 
slightly  wider  than  long. 

From  the  garden  point  of  view  this  plant  is 
much  more  floriferous  than  G.  verna  ;  the  blue  | 
colour  of  the  flower  is  more  intense,  and  the  , 
foliage  forms  larger  and  more  compact  tufts. ' 
It  is  easier  to  cultivate,  and  it  readily  makes 
itself  at  home  in  dry,  sunny  places. 

It   never   seeds  in  a    garden,  and    must  be  [ 
increased  bj^  division  of  tlie  tufts,  which,  fortu- 1 
nately,  is  not  difficult.     I  have  never  been  in 
the  pastures  where  it  grows  wild  in  the  autumn, 
therefore  I  am  unable  to  say  whether  it  bears 
seed  in  a  wild  state.  Henry  Coeeevon. 


I'l.vL^S    .Ml'KICAT.\    BY    THK    LAK  K    AT    KEW. 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS. 


A 


PICTURESQUE 
TREE. 


PINE 


(PiNUS    MURICATA.) 

SOMETHING  in  the  appearance  of  the 
tree  here  illustrated  strikes  one  as 
being  essentially  .lapanese.    Were  it 
not  so  large — it  is  about  the  height 
of    a    tali     man  —  it     might     pass 
very  well  for  one  of  those  dwarfed, 
distorted  conifers  in  gorgeous  pots  which  have 
lately    been    imported    so    abundantly    from 
Japan  to  Great  Britain.     Yet  it  is  a  Californian 
Pine  (Pinus  muricata),  and  has  grown  for  many  j 
years  on  a  little  knoll  by  the  side  of  the  lake  [ 
at  Kew,  where  artists  and  photographers  innu-  j 
merable  have  exercised  their  skill  in  portraying  i 
it.     It  is  one  of  a  group  of  some  half-dozen 
trees   that  represent   the  species  in  the   Kew 
pinetum  ;    but  it  is  the  only  one  so  curiously  j 
fvnd  jiicturesiiuely  stunted.      Rfill,  there   are 


others  in  the  gardens  showing  a  similar  ten- 
dency to  grow  horizontallyrather  than  in  height. 

Pinus  muricata,  however,  is  not  one  of  the 
taller  Pines.  Hartweg,  who  introduced  it  to 
England  in  1846,  found  it  in  California,  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Monterey  and  elsewhere, 
reaching  a  height  of  from  20  feet  to  30  feet. 
.Jeffrey,  when  collecting  for  the  Oregon  Asso- 
ciation in  the  early  fifties,  found  it  farther  to 
the  north  on  the  Siskiyou  Mountains,  40  feet 
in  height.  It  has  dark  green  leaves  4  inches 
or  .)  inches  long,  and  produced  in  pairs.  The 
cones  are  ik  inches  to  3  inches  long,  nearly 
always  more  developed  on  one  side  than  the 
other  ;  they  are  borne  usually  in  a  cluster  of 
four  or  five,  or  more,  circling  the  branches. 
On  some  of  the  trees  at  Kew  there  are  cones 
still  clinging  to  branches  that  must  be  upwards 
of  a  dozen  ^years  old.  Then  the  scales  never 
seem  to  separate  naturally  and  allow  the  seeds 
to  fall.  To  get  seeds  one  has  to  use  a  chi.sel  or 
hatchet.  A  similar  case  is  afforded  by  the 
Australian  Bank.sias,  the  cones  of  which  are 
said  to  release  the  seeds  only  after  a  bush  fire 
has  destroyed  the  parent  plants.  If  I  remember 
rightly,  the  same  explanation  has  been  offered 
in  regard  to  the  cones  of  Pinu.s  muricata,  that 
is,  it  is  a  provision  to  perpetuate  the  species  in 
regions  where  forest  fires  occur.  So  far  as  I 
know,  this  is  mere  conjecture,  but  it  would  be 
interesting  to  have  the  views  of  some  Califor- 
nian readers  of  The  Garden  who  may  know 
and  have  studied  this  Pine  on  its  native  hills. 

There  is  one  other  matter  of  interest  con- 
nected with  lliis  Pine  which  I  believe  is  not 
generally  known.  It  is  one  of  the  best  species 
for  planting  in  positions  fully  exposed  to  sea 
winds  in  the  south  and  south-western  parts  of 
tlie   country.      A  few   years   ago  I   reniember 


having  a  specimen  sent  for  a  name  (I  forget  the 
precise  locality,  but  I  believe  from  the  Scilly 
or  Channel  Islands),  with  the  information  that 
it  succeeded  even  better  than  P.  insignis  did 
in  the  same  neighbourhood,  and  P.  insignis  is 
known  to  be  one  of  the  most  useful  of  seaside 
evergreen  trees. 
Kew.  W.  J.  Bean. 


HARDY    FLOWERS. 

ANNUALS     AND    THEIR 
EFFECTIVE     USE. 

WE  ha\-e  arrived  at  the  time  when 
readers  of  The  (iAKDEX  are  anti- 
cipating the  joys  and  pleasures  of 
the  summer's  profusion  of  flowers, 
and  manj'  no  doubt  have  alread}'  - 
conimenced  seriously  to  consider 
the  form  and  arrangement  of  the  coming  season's 
beds  and  borders,  thinking  out  fresh  effects. 

Under  the  category  of  hard}'  flowers  I  intend 
confining  m>'self  more  particularly  to  annuals  and 
half-hardy  annuals  and  perennials  that  adapt 
themselves  to  being  grown  as  annuals — of  \\-hich 
we  have  so  many — as  these  are  the  best  subjects 
for  creating  fresh  display's  every  }'ear. 

B3'  a  generous  and  unstinted  use  of  annuals,  and 
certain  perennials  it  is  easy  to  alter  the  whole 
tone  and  give  an  entirely  different  complexion  to 
the  garden  summer  after  summer,  gaining  novelty 
and  freshness  which  never  fail  to  enhance  its 
pleasures.  Not  onlv  in  detail  is  it  possible  to 
avoid  repetition,  but  with  little  trouble  these 
plants  afford  facilities  inexhaustive  for  the  annual 
reformation  of  the  whole  outline  of  the  flow&r 
garden. 

To  be  effective,  as  every  lover  of  these  flowers 
knows,  it  is  essential  to  use  them  more  or  less 
freely   in    masses   and   to   exercise   care    and   dis- 


130 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[February   23,  1901. 


crimination  in  the  grouping  of  colours.  Often  an 
effect  is  marred  b3'  the  introduction  of  a  colour  ' 
entirely  out  of  harmony  with  the  rest,  and  a 
border  spoiled  by  the  want  of  care  In  arranging 
the  different  tints  and  shades,  but  by  a  little  study  i 
and  observation  a  knowledge  of  colour  eft'eets  is 
soon  acquired. 

A  pretty  effect,  admired  by  everyone  who  saw 
it,  was  obtained  here  last  year  on  a  bank  facing 
the  west — over  150  feet  long  and  30  feet  wide— by 
planting  blue  Convolvulus,  blue  Sweet  Pea,  a  blue 
metallicdeaved  Trop:eohini,  the  violet-noloured 
Maurandia,  tall  Antirrhinums,  blue  Verbena, 
Dahlia  Rising  Una,  and  Tagetes  signata  pumila. 
No  design  was  carried  out.  Hazel  sticks  to 
support  the  climbers  were  placed  in  the  ground 
cone-shaped,  but  not  trim.  Some  of  these  cone- 
shaped  supports  were  high,  others  short ;  some 
were  wide  at  the  base,  others  narrow,  and  none 
were  very  close  together.  Plants  of  the  Dahlia 
Early  Sunrise,  a  splendid  early-flowering  red 
dwarf  variety,  were  planted  about  in  groups  of 
threes  and  fours,  the  Antirrhinum  and  blue  Ver- 
bena in  groups  of  ten  or  twelve,  while  the  rest  of 
the  intervening  ground  was  completely  carpeted 
with  the  little  Hghl-leaved  Tagetes.  By  the 
middle  of  June  the  ground  was  hidden  and  the 
stakes  nearly  covered,  and  during  the  succeeding 
months   right  into  November  it  was  exceedingly 


Eutooa  viscida,  with  the  closely  allied  Phacelia 
campanularia,  the  Commeline,  the  Pimpernel, 
the  blue  Phlox  Drummondi,  A'erbena,  Catananche, 
and  Heliotrope  will  supply  the  medium  heights, 
with  the  dark  blue  dwarf  Lobelia  for  groundwork. 
The  Commeline  and  Catananche  are  perennials, 
but  if  sown  early  in  heat  will  flower  in  July  ;  the 
Commeline,  in  truth,  in  April. 

A  long  border  beside  a  terrace  walk,  which  is 
more  frequented  in  the  evening  than  at  any  other 
time  of  the  day,  last  summer 
was  full  of  bright  flowers, 
will  this  summer  be  filled 
solely  with  sweet-scented  ami 
evening  flowers,  such  as  the 
Tobacco  Plants,  Evening  Prim- 
roses, Stocks,  the  evening 
sw'eet-scented  Stock,  Marvel 
of  Peru,  Mignonette,  Helio- 
trope, &c. ,  with  the  endeavour, 
'  as  far  as  possible,  to  keep 
the  heavy  fragrances  from 
clashing  with  the  more  delicate 
odours. 


Chinese  Asters,  will  flower  in  August  and  continue 
into  November. 

Pentstemons  treated  as  annuals  and  planted  in 
■groups  or  masses  are  very  efi'ective.  I'hey  come 
into  flower  early  and  last  long  if  sown  in  heat. 
It  is  possible  now  to  procure  the  seed  in  difl'erent 
shades  of  colour,  which  is  a  great  acquisition. 

Salpiglossis,  Helichrysums,  and  .Scabious  are 
always  far  more  effective  when  grouped  in  bold 
masses,    but   care    is    needful   to  keep  the   strong 


bright  and  beautiful.  In  August  and  September 
fresh  etfect  w^as  given  it  by  the  Tropseolum,  after 
covering  its  supports,  shooting  out  its  long  strong 
growths,  covered  with  bluish  foliage,  in  all 
directions    through    the    yellow    flowers    of     the 

To  attain  this  thousands  of  Tagetes  plants  were 
necessary,  but  they  were  raised  in  a  cold  frame  in 
March,  while  all  the  others  were  raised  as  easily, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Trop?eolum  and  the 
Dahlia,  which  were  from  cuttings  inserted  in  the 
spring.  Another  border  with  Mina  lobata  and 
sulphur-coloured  Sweet  Pea  with  groundwork  of 
light  blue  Lobelia  was  very  pretty. 

Yellow,  especially  in  the  months  of  August  and  | 
September,  is  such  a  predominating  colour  in  most 
gardens  that  a  border  composed  entirely  of  blue 
flowers— the  rarest  of  colours  during  these  months 

is  always  refreshing  and  attractive,  and  it  is  my 

intention  this  year  to  devote  a  border  to  flowers 
as  near  akin  to  this  colour  as  possible.  I  have 
already  poles  fairly  well  covered  with  Clematis 
Jackmani,  which,  in  conjunction  with  tall  Lark- 
spurs, perennial  Delphiniums,  blue  Salpiglossis, 
and  blue  Sweet  Peas  will  give  the  desired  irregu- 
larity in  height  to  the  border,  while  the  dwarf 
perennial  Delphinium  King  of  the  Blues— the 
finest  blue  of  the  autumn  treated  as  an  annual— 


•msB^ 


■^ 


OTAHEITK    ORANGK. 


f  Friiin  a  di-aifiwi  by  jV/.s-g  Ma  ml  \\'p.^t.) 


Last  year  a  lied  of  Lavatera  rosea  .splendens  was 
so  admired  that  this  year  I  am  going  to  fill  two 
6-feet  borders,  running  on  either  side  of  a  long 
walk,  ^v'ith  this  alone.  If  sown  in  Marcli  in  the 
open  ground  it  will  be  in  llower  by  May,  and 
will  continue  flowering  until  the  frost  stops  it,  by 
which  time  it  will  have  attained  a  height  of  4  feet 
or  5  feet.  This  is  undoubtedlj-  one  of  the  finest  of 
flowers. 

Another  splendid  annual  for  employing  by  itself 
in  beds  or  borders  is  Callistephus  sinensis,  which, 
if  sown  in  frames  and  treated  like  the  ordinary 


coliiurs  together  and  the  weak  colours  together. 
Beds  of  Phlox  Drummondi  never  fail  to  elicit 
admiration,  but  here  again  it  is  necessary  to 
separate  the  colours  and  also  the  eyed  from  the 
selfs.  Sown  in  cold  frames  in  March  they  come 
into  flower  very  early. 

The  Corsican  Daisj'  (Erigeron  mucronatus)  is 
another  fine  subject  for  bedding  by  itself.  If 
sown  in  heat  in  tlie  early  months  it  will  flower  by 
July. 

East  Lothian  Stocks  in  designs  in  the  more 
formal  ganlcn  are  excellent,  and  are  preferi'ed  to 


February  23,  1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


131 


(ieraiiiiinis  or  any  otliei-  of  that  class  of  becldera  for 
many  obvious  reasons,  but  white  should  be  used 
only  in  the  smaller  beds,  as  large  dashes  of  that 
colour  are  not  pleasing.  To  be  really  successful 
with  them  it  is  necessary  to  sow  in  heat  in 
December,  prick  into  boxes,  and  when  large 
enough  put  into  pots  singly,  and  plant  out  in 
April,  when  they  will  come  into  full  flower  by 
the  beginning  of  June,  lasting  until  the  end  of  the 
season. 

Last  year  a  novel  and  very  pleasing  effect  was 
obtained  113^  planting  the  blue  Lobelia  singly  here 
and  there  at  the  foot  of  terrace  walls  and  in  the 
crevices  of  stone  steps.  This  year  I  am  going  to 
plant  the  small  single-flowered  Petunia  in  the 
same  waj',  and  also  in  the  grass  at  the  foot  of 
the  walls  in  the  rosary.  Phlo.'c  Drummondi  might 
be  used  in  the  same  way  another  year. 

For  the  last  two  or  three  years  I  have  grown 
the  collection  of  Sweet  Peas  in  short  rows  with 
green  turf  paths  between  them,  though  each 
season  in  difterent  parts  of  the  garden.  This  year, 
to  have  a  complete  change,  I 
am  growing  them  in  clumps  or 
circles  4  feet  through  cut  out 
of  the  grass  turf.  This  ce .  • 
tainly  entailed  a  little  extra 
labour  in  returfing,  but  nothing 
in  comparison  to  the  result  of 
the  change  that  will  accrue 
from  it. 

Even  in  the  wild,  undressed 
parts  of  the  pleasure  grounds 
the  hardy  flowers  huve  their 
places.  If  in  the  winter  several 
portions  of  the  ground  have 
the  turf  on  them  reversed 
sufBciently  deep  to  bring  some 
of  the  less  fibrous  soil  to  the 
surface,  it  is  possible  by  March 
or  April  to  have,  by  roughly' 
raking,  a  good  bed  on  which 
to  sow  the  seed  of  iShirlej- 
Poppies.  A  week  or  so  and 
the  ground  is  green,  and  from 
June  until  September  it  be- 
comes a  continuous  sheet  of 
O'llour.  Tills  is  the  best  way 
of  growing  Poppies,  for  in  the 
border  they  are  but  a  flash  in 
the  pan,  but  grown  as  described 
thej'  are  always  beautiful,  for 
as  one  plant  flowers  and  suc- 
cumbs another  pushes  up  and 
takes  its  place.  In  this  kind 
of  gardening  the  great  thing 
is  to  avoid  formality  and  to 
have  outlying  groups  leading 
up  to  the  masses. 

The  blue  annual  Larkspur 
gives  a  fine  elTect  used  similarlj-, 
for  Larkspurs  are  always  finer 
when  sown  where  thi^y  are  to 
bloom  than  when  sown  in 
boxes  or  frames  and  afterwards 
planted  out. 

There  are  numbers  of  annuals 
that  lend  themselves  to  this  mode  of  wild  garden- 
ing that  with  little  expense  give  charming  returns. 

S/.  Fayan.t.  Hugh  A.  Petticrkw. 


sinensis.  Whatever  its  origin,  it  is  a  useful 
garden  ])laiit,  which  the  Ijulgian  nur.serymen 
have  turned  to  some  account.  I  know  several 
nurseries  in  Ghent  where  it  is  grown  in 
thousands  yearly  for  the  French  and  English 
markets,  and  it  is  surprising  to  see  the  freedom 
with  which  it  grow.s,  flowers,  and  fruits  there 
in  that  magical  Belgian  leaf-mould.  The  plants 
are  grafted,  grown  qtiickly  in  a  stove  tempera- 
ture, stopjied  often  enough  to  make  them  busliy, 
checked  when  in  ilower  to  make  them  set  for 
fruits,  and  finished  in  a  moist  heat  .and  sun- 
shine. I  have  never  seen  them  grown  anything 
like  as  well  in  this  country,  and  I  doubt  if  it 
is  worth  our  while  so  long  as  we  can  purchase 
these  beautiful  fruit-laden  little  bushes  from 
Belgium  at  about  half-a-eruwn  each.  The  fruits 
hang  on  the  plants  for  at  least  si-x  months, 
retaining  their  bright  colour  to  the  last.  They 
are   not  good  to   eat,  but  then  th(!y  are   not 


by  the  freish  tints  of  the  grass  and  the  e.xpanding 
foliage  on  bush  and  tree,  the  sweet  singing  of 
the  birds,  and  the  increasing  light  and  warmth 
of  the  sun,  all  of  which  comljine  to  give  that 
joyous  feeling  which  is  ever  a.ssociated  in  our 
minds  with  spring.  While  the  stibjects  men- 
tioned below  are  perfectly  hardy  the  situation 
of  the  garden  in  regard  to  shelter  makes  a 
great  difference  in  the  degree  of  success 
obtained,  and  the  most  favourable  .situation 
Xjossible  shoidd  be  given  to  them  in  the  matter 
of  shelter  from  cold  winds  and  full  ex po.su re  to 
the  .sun,  thus  making  it  more  suitable  for  the 
flowers  and  more  pleasant  for  those  who  wish 
to  see  them.     Fir.st  1  will  mention 

Anemone  bl.\nd.\, 
chieily  becau.se  it  is  generally  the  first  of  all  to 
commence  flowering  ;  even  before  the  Aconites 
come  we  have  always  a  few  flowers  open.     It  is 
not  so  largely  grown  as  it  de.serves  to  be.    f)ne 


IN    THE    Sl'KINc;    i;,\KUEN    Xi    liEI.VOIK. 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 


grown  to  be  eaten,  but  to  be  looked  at.  A 
group  of  them  in  a  conservatory  always  gives 
pleasure  W.  W. 

[This  Orange  has  been  seldom,  /l/nstrated,  and 
the  accoiitpanyinq  re2n~e,sentation  of  it  may 
therefore  interest  our  readers. — Eds.] 


OTAHEITE    ORANGE.        spring  flowers  AT  belvoir. 


HE  little  pot  Orange  trees  that  are 
sold  for  decoration,  especially  in  the 
Christmas  season,  are  imported  from 
Belgium  chiefly,  along  with  Azaleas, 
Camellias,  ifcc,  under  the  name  of 
Otaheite  Orange.  How  they  got  that 
name  need  not  concern  us  here,  but  I  cannot 
find  any  proof  that  the  plant  is  a  native  of  the 
island  of  Otaheite  or  Tahite.  It  may  be  a 
Chinese  form  of  the  common  Orange,  Citrus 
aurantiitm  ;    indeed,   I  have  seen  it  called  (]. 


A  LEARNED  professor  has  lately  described 
flowers  as  the  "stars  of  the  earth."  This  may 
be  applied  with  especial  force  to  spring  flowers, 
which  come  after  the  dark  days  of  winter.  \ 
Spring  flowers  may  be  grown  by  everyone  who 
has  a  small  garden,  and  they  are  in  some 
respects  more  to  be  desired  thait  rare  hot- 
house flowers,  from  none  of  which  do  we  get 
the  variety  of  delicate  tints  and  abundance  of 
bloom  given  by  these  hardy  plants.  Their 
charms  are  no  doubt  enhanced  at  this  season 


finds  a  few  odd  plants  in  gardens  where  hardy 
flowers  are  appreciated,  but  to  see  its  full  beauty 
it  should  be  grown  in  a  large  mass.  It  seeds 
abundantly,  and  here  probably  is  one  of  the 
reasons  it  is  not  more  extensively  grown,  as 
the  seedlings,  unfortunately,  vary  in  colour 
from  white  and  lilac  to  dark  purple.  I  have 
now  a  row  of  it  saved  carefully  from  one 
flower  which  shows  all  these  variations  dis- 
tinctly. The  best  colour  I  consider  is  the  dark 
purple,  almost  the  same  as  seen  in  the  Bussian 
Violet.  To  keep  this  or  any  other  shade  true 
all  seedlings  must  be  destroyed,  and  another 
most  important  point  is  to  lift  the  old  roots 
every  second  year  as  soon  as  the  foliage  turns 
yellow.  Dry  them  thoroughly,  then  break  them 
in  pieces  about  the  size  of  Filberts,  and  replant 
the  first  week  in  August.  Like  most  of  the 
Ranunculacea-'  this  Anemone  likes  a  rich,  moist 
soil,  but  the  manitre  should  be  dug  in  so  that 


132 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February  23,  1901. 


the  roots  do  not  come  into  contact  with  it 
when  planting,  and  not  more  than  i  inches 
of  soil  must  be  put  over  them.  Herr  ilax 
Leichtlin  has  taken  great  pains  in  collecting 
several  distinct  forms  of  this  plant,  which  all 
flower  somewhat  later  than  the  type.  The 
best  of  those  which  have  come  under  my 
notice  is  the  one  which  gained  a  first-class 
certificate  at  tli '  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society's 
meeting  in  April,  1899,  under  the  name  of 
Cypriana.  It  is  bright  blue  outside  and  white 
inside.  When  seen  in  an  half-expanded  stage 
it  is  a  perfect  gem,  but  unfortunately  it  does 
not  come  true  from  seed.  Closely  following 
the  above  is  i 

.  Anemone  flil(;ens,  i 

the  first  flowers  of  which  opened  this  season  on  ' 
December  2.'3,  and  on  .January  1  I  gathered  a 
nice  bunch.  It  is  not  always  so 
early,  but  its  bright  scarlet  flowers 
are  welcome  whenever  they  come. 
The  cultural  directions  given 
above  for  A.  blanda  apply  to  this 
species  also  in  every  respect.  If 
left  in  the  ground  longer  than 
two  years  both  are  subject  to  a 
fungus  which  destroys  the  roots. 
This  also  varies  in  colour  from 
seed,  though  not  to  such  a  great 
extent,  but  I  do  not  find  it 
growing  from  self-sown  seed  like 
A.  blanda.  It  can  be  increased 
very  rapidly  by  division.  From 
1  square  yard  in  1894  I  have  this 
season  large  beds  Uicasuring  one 
hundred  square  yards,  in  addi- 
tion to  a  broad  row  414  feet  in 
length. 

Crocus  Imper.\ti. 
This  flowers  at  the  same  time 
as  Anemone  blanda  when  it  gets 
thoroughly  established,  and  may 
be  left  undisturbed  for  many  years. 
It  likes  a  rich,  moist  soil,  in  whicli 
it  increases  rapidly  both  by  divi- 
sion and  by  self-sown  seed.  It 
looks  best  in  good-sized  masses,and 
makes  a  beautiful  combination 
as  a  groundwork  to  Galanthus 
Elwesi,  the  latter  being  planted  in 
good-sized  clumps  ;  or  growing  in 
ma.sses  in  a  ground  woi'k  of  Winter 
Aconite  it  looks  like  amethysts 
in  a  setting  of  gold  when  expanded 
by  the  sun. 

Chionodoxa  LuuilijE. 
To  see  this  plant  in  full  beauty 
it  should  remain  for  several  years 
without    being   moved  ;    like   the 
above  also  it  enjoys  a  rich,  moist 
soil.  Although  one  of  our  prettiest 
spring     flowers,    it     requires     no 
.special  -attention,  and   reproduces   itself   very 
freely  by  self-sown    seeds  and  by  ofisets.     It 
should  be  grown  in  a  large  mass.     Narcissus 
minor   and    N.  obvallaris    may   be    dotted    in 
irregular  ]iatches  in  the  .same  bed. 

Iris  eetiuulata 
is  not  so  easily  raised  in  quantity  as  the 
above,  and  is  n)ore  fleeting  in  its  floral  beauty. 
This  must  still  be  allowed  a  place  in  the 
spring  garden.  Its  flowers  are  often  com- 
pared to  Orchids,  and  good-sized  patches 
growing  in  a  carpet  of  Winter  Aconite  look 
very  pretty,  and  need  not  be  disturbed  for 
many  years,  as  it  flowers  well  in  a  thick  mass. 
^  The  above,  with  Winter  Aconites,  Scilla 
sibirica,  l-'usclikinia  scilloides.  Crocuses,  Nar- 
cissi, and  Snowdrops  are  the  earliest  of  the 
spring  flowers  that  we  grow  in  large  quantities, 
and  are  mentioned  together  here  because  they 


are  not  suitable  for  spring  bedding  in  the 
ordinary  sense  of  the  term,  chiefly  because 
they  thrive  better  if  left  for  two,  and  in  some 
instances  many,  .sea-sons  without  removal, 
hence  the  beds  cannot  be  filled  with  summer 
occupants.  Another  rea.son  is  they  .should  all 
be  planted  by  the  first  week  in  August.  The 
best  way,  therefore,  is  to  give  them  a  bed  to 
themselves  in  a  suitable  position  where  it  does 
not  form  any  part  of  a  geometrical  arrange- 
ment. They  can  then  remain  undisturbed, 
and  a  few  annuals  may  be  grown  thinly  over 
the  beds  during  the  summer :  but  nothing 
must  be  allowed  to  get  into  a  thick  mass  if 
this  system  is  followed.  Sun  and  air  are 
necessary  to  the  well-being  of  the  roots,  even 
after  the  tops  have  died  away. 

Space  forbids  me  treating  of  spring  bedding 


DOVER    nul'SK    KKOiM    TUK    SOl'TH-EAS'r. 

fully,  and  I  will  only  mention  .some  of  the 
most  useful  plants,  with  a  few  hints  on  their 
culture  afterwards. 

UsEKUi,  Plants  for  Si'RiN(i  Bejuunc^. 
Aubrietia  grieca  (blue),  A.  g.  Leiclitlini, 
A.  g.  variegata,  A.  Henderson!,  Arabis  albida, 
A.  a.  variegata,  Auricula  (aljnno  varieties), 
Carex  riparia  variegata.  Crown  Imperial 
(variegated).  Daisies  (double  white  and  pink), 
D.  Rob  Roy  (scarlet),  Doronicum  austriacum, 
D.  plantagineum  excelsum,  Erica  carnea, 
Golden  Feather,  Heuchera  hispida  syn. 
Richardsoni,  Hemerooallis  fulva  variegata, 
Helleborus  fcetidus,  Holcus  mollis  variegata. 
Iris  f(utidissima  (the  Gladwin)  variegata, 
Myosotis  dissitiflora,  !M.  d.  alba,  M.  alpestris 
Queen  Victoria,  Phalaris  arundinacea  varie- 
gata. Phlox  annena,  P.  divaricata,  P.  subulata, 
V.  s.  Nelsoni,  P.   s.   Newry  Seedling,  Polyan- 


thuses   (yellow,     white,     and     coloured),     P. 
Gilbert's  Harbinger,  Primrose  Wilson's  Blue, 
Primula   ciliata   superba,  Saxifraga  cordifolia 
jmrpurea,    S.    ])urpurascens,    S.    ligulata,    S. 
Camposi  ( Wallacei),  S.  muscoides  atropurpurea, 
S.hypnoides,  Symphytum  orticinale  variegatum, 
Stipa   glauca,    Violas  Ardwell   Gem,  Admira- 
tion, Bullion,  Countess  of  Kintore,  Blue  King, 
Broom  of  the  Cowdenknowes,  Cliveden  Purple, 
Croft  House  (white).  Cloth  of  Gold,  Duchess 
of    Fife,   Duchess   of   Sutherland,   Robin.son's 
Standard,  Skylark,  Double  Violet  Lady  Hume 
Campbell,  Single  Violet  Russian,  Vinca  major 
variegata.  Wallflowers  Belvoir  Castle  (yellow), 
Veitch's    (dark    red),    Salmon    Queen,     Ruby 
Gem,     Sutton's     Phtenix,     and     the     Double 
German. 
The  above  form  the  bulk  of  the  plants  used 
here.     Several  of  them  have  only 
lately  been  added  to  the  list,  and 
others  are  on    trial.      In   a  short 
article  it  is  impossible  to  go  into 
the  arrangements  of  the  above  ;  it 
must  suffice  to    state    that    large 
quantities   of    Tulips,   Hyacinths, 
and   other    bulbs    are   dotted 
amongst  them  to  relieve  the  flat 
appearance  and  give  grace,  light- 
ness, and  variety  of  colour.     The 
tallest    of   the   above  -  mentioned 
plants    are    chiefly    used    as    dot 
plants  for  the  same  purpose. 

A  Few  Cultural  Hints 
may  be  useful.  Aubrietias  do  not 
come  true  from  seed  (many  inferior 
forms  of  A.  Leichtlini  have  been 
distributed  in  this  way),  they 
must  therefore  be  increased  by 
division  of  the  plants  in  March  ; 
the  variegated  form  must  not  be 
broken  up  so  small  as  the  others. 
Arabis  maj'  be  divided  as  late 
as  .June,  and,  with  attention  in 
watering  occasionally,  will  make 
good  plants  for  the  autumn. 
Daisies  are  now  raised  from  seed 
sown  in  May  under  gla.ss,  and 
transplanted,  as  soon  as  large 
enough,  to  the  borders  in  the 
reserve  ground.  The  old  stock 
which  we  used  to  increase  by 
division  has  almost  disappeared 
during  the  last  three  years  owing 
to  attacks  of  a  minute  fungus. 
Erica  carnea  (Irish  Heath)  is  not 
so  particular  in  regard  to  soil  as 
many  of  its  near  relations,  and 
will    bear    moving    to   and    from 

, ^-  J      the    beds    annually   if    carefully 

tended  afterwards.  Myosotis  dis- 
sitiflora is  raised  from  seed  sown  on 
a  north  bonier  in  .June  and  trans- 
|)lantetl  to  a  south  border  when  large  enough  ; 
also  by  cuttings  put  in  the  ojien  ground  in 
shovv'ery  weather  about  the  end  of  August. 
M.  alpestiis  Queen  Victoria  is  raised  from  seed 
only,  and  soon  reverts  to  the  ty])e  if  not  care- 
fully selected.  Phlox  divaricata  should  be 
grown  in  the  reserve  garden  for  two  years  in 
rich  soil  before  using  it  in  the  beds.  Rabbits 
and  slugs  are  very  fond  of  it.  Polyanthuses 
(yellow,  white,  and  coloured)  are  raised  from 
seed  s(5wn  in  heat  early  in  the  seison  and 
transplanted  to  a  north  border  afterwards. 
Violas  are  increased  by  division  from  .March 
to  the  middle  of  .luno  (the  earliest  make 
the  best  plants)  and  by  cuttings  put  in  a 
c<ild  frame  in  October,  'i'hey  reipiire  a  north 
border  in  the  summer,  and  the  flowers  must 
be  jiickcd  oft"  occasionallv.  Double  Violet 
T^ady  Hume  CanipViell  is  always  nuich   a|i])re- 


February  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


1:33 


c:iated,  and  is  perfectly  hardy  liere  ;  we  plant 
out  about  2,000  plants  every  autumn.  It  is 
increased  by  divi.sion  of  the  plants  when  the 
beds  are  cleared  in  the  spring.  Wallflowers 
are  raised  from  seed  sown  the  first  week  in 
June  and  transplanted  two  or  three  time.s 
afterwards.  Sutton's  Phoenix  is  sown  the  first 
week  in  May,  and  flowers  all  through  the 
autumn  and  winter  if  the  weather  is  mild. 

W.  H.  Divers. 
Belvoir  Castle  Gdixlens,  Grantham. 


BRITISH      HOMES      AND 
GARDENS. 

Dover  House,   Roeh.\mpton. 

One  might  travel  far  before  finding  so  much  to 
interest  and  instruct  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
twenty-five  acres  or  so  covered  by  the  gardens 
around  Dover  House,  the  residence  of  .J.  P. 
Morgan,  Esq.  Lovers  of  almost  every  branch 
of  gardening  would  find  their  particular 
favourites  in  evidence,  and,  better  still,  all  are 
treated  alike,  that  is  to  say.  they  receive  the  best 
of  all  that  experience  and  careful  culture  can 
give.  Thus  it  is,  no  doubt,  that  one  isimpres.sed 
by  the  fact  that  horticulture  is  here  thoroughly 
and  earnestly  practised,  an  impression  that  is 
more  than  fully  borne  out  by  the  examples  of 
cultural  skill  that  are  apparent  in  every 
department,  but  of  these  more  anon. 

Dover  House  is  situated  amidst  pleasing  and 
favourable  surroundings,  commanding  as  it 
does  on  the  one  side  a  view  over  a  portion  of 
the  Thames  Valley  to  Harrow-on-the-Hill 
beyond,  and  on  the  west  overlooking  Putney 
Heath  and  Wimbledon  Common,  with  the 
Surrey  hills  in  the  far  distance  ;  it  may  well 
Vie  described  as  out  of  London  and  yet  in  sight 
of  and  in  close  touch  with  the  metropolis. 
The  famous  old  trees  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  house  are,  of  their  respective  sorts,  some 
of  the  finest  we  have  seen.  The  gigantic 
Copper  Beech,  for  instance,  shown  in  one  of  our 


illustrations  (underneath 
which,  for  many  yards 
around  the  base  of  its 
trunk,  is  a  beautiful  ever- 
green carpet  of  trailing 
Ivy)  is  generally  con- 
ceded by  our  best  autho- 
rities to  be  the  most  per- 
fect example  of  this 
ornamental  tree  in  the 
British  Isles.  Near  by 
a  splendid  specimen  of 
Allan  thusglandulosa(the 
Tree  of  Heaven),  that 
must  be  at  least  60  feet 
high,  is  conspicuous, 
while  Catalpa  bigno- 
nioides  and  a  remarkable 
curiously  shaped  tree  of 
Cercis  siliquastrum  (the 
.Judas  tree),  both  of 
which,  like  the  Allan  thus, 
flower  very  freely,  are 
represented  by  specimens 
whose  equals  in  age  and 
vigour  are  rarely  seen. 
On  the  northern  side  of 
the  house  there  are 
several  "  Turkey  Oaks," 
whose  spreading  sym- 
metrical giant  branches 
are  now  unhidden  by 
their  foliage,  and  their 
magnificent  proportions 
fully  exposed  :  they  are, 
indeed,  unique  speci- 
mens. A  curious  old  tree 
of  the  Cork  Oak(Quercus 
Suber)  is  very  pic- 
turesque, although  it  has 
ceased  to  live  for  some 
time  ;  it  is  now  proposed 
to  cover  it  with  the 
strongest  growing  climb- 
ing Koses,  some  varieties 
that^were  planted  there 


DOVER    HOUSE — FROST    VIEW. 


idlTER    BEECH    IN    DOVER   IlOUSfJ  GARDENS. 
(Coiuideri'd  to  he  the  Jinest  Sfee.urien  in  thin  covntrij.) 

a  year  or  so  ago  were  not  able  to  withstand  the 
north-eastern  winds  to  which  this  position  is 
exposed. 

Since  Dover  House  estate  came  into  the 
possession  of  Mr.  .J.  P.  Morgan  great  improve- 
ments and  alterations  have  been  carried  out 
under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  .J.  F.  McLeod,  the 
well-known  head  gardener  and  steward.  The 
aspect  of  the  pleasure  grounds  and  flower 
garden  is  entirely  changed,  with  the  exception 
of  course  that  the  fine  trees  above  mentioned 
remain  untouched.  All  the  old  shrubberies, 
but  a  small  one  near  to  the  house,  have  been 
entirely  replanted  ;  beds  and  borders  of  pleasing 
designs,  and  filled  for  the  most  part  with  hardy 
flowering  shrubs,  now  compass  the  walk  that 
encircles  the  grounds.  It  was  not  our  good 
fortune  to  see  these  in  the  spring  and  early 
summer  months,  yet  one  can  well  imagine  the 
charming  effect  they  must  produce,  more  par- 
ticularly as  bulbs  of  various  sorts  are  planted 
in  every  bed  This  is  an  excellent  method  of 
furnishing  the  bare  surfaces  of  the  latter,  fov  it 
also  gives  an  extended  season  of  flowers  ;  it  is 
more  than  probable  that  in  Dover  House 
gardens  there  will  be  flowers  open  from 
February  until  September  in  one  or  another 
of  the  beds  there,  commencing  with  the  earliest 
bulbs  and  closing  with  the  giant  panicled 
Hydrangea,  H.  paniculata  granditiora.  Mr. 
McLeod  has  made  quite  a  feature  of  this  most 
useful  plant  in  his  careful  rearrangement  of 
the  flower  garden  ;  it  is  present  in  the  form  of 
botli  dwarf  bushes  and  standards.  Genista 
andreanus,  Veitch'snew  Double  Cherry,  Lilacs, 
deciduous    Magnolias,   Laburnums,    and    the 


134 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[February  -23,  1901. 


lovely  Berberis  Thunbergi  (the  latter  in  some 
instances  made  use  of  as  a  sub-shrub  under- 
neath taller  plants  of  the  others  mentioned) 
are  a  few  eomprised  in  the  representative 
collection  of  hardy  flowering  shrubs  in  Dover 
House  gardens. 

Wise  forethought  is  apparent  in  the  method 
here    practised    of    planting    the    herbaceous 
border  ;  each  sort  is  grouped  together,  as  is 
now  happily   more   generally   practised   than 
formerly,  and  provision  is  made  to  ensure,  as 
far  as  is  possible  in  the  space  at  command,  an 
unbroken  border  of  plants  in  flower.  Everyone 
knows  the  disappointment  so  often  attaching  , 
to  a  herbaceous   border  in  consequence  of  its 
partially  bare  and  untidy  appearance  through- 
out some  portion  of  the  summer  time.     ilr. 
McLeod  would  be  doing  a  favour  if  he  would 
be  good  enough  to  write  a  few  notes  upon  this  i 
important  and    interesting  subject,  for   there ! 
are  now  very  few  possessing  a  garden  who  have 
not  their  herbaceous  border,  that  such  could  [ 
not  fail  to  be  instructive  and  helpful.   Garden- 1 
ing  is  here  carried  on  under  somewhat  difficult 
natural  conditions,  partioularlj^  so  far  as  the  soil ' 
is  concerned.     This  is  very  poor  and  shallow,  a  ' 
fact  that  makes  one  wonder  at  the  success  with  I 
which   Mr.    McLeod   cultivates   hardy   plants. 
One  learns  the  secret  when  this  good  gardener 
tells  how  he  treated  the  Rose  beds,  for  this 
is  but  an   example   of   how  the   others   fared 
also.     For  many  years  the  Roses  did  not  grow 
at  all  satisfactorily,  so  they  were  all  taken  up, 
the  soil  removed  to  the  depth  of  3  feet,  and 
replaced  with  freshly  cut,  well  manured  turfy 
loam.     On  such  poor  soil  as  has  to  be  dealt 
with   at  lloebampton   this   is  really  the  only 
satisfactory  plan   to   follow,   and   in   the   end ' 
proves  to  be  the  cheapest. 

One  might  write  much  more  of  these 
interesting  grounds,  for  no  mention  has  yet  | 
been  made  of  the  rockery,  the  fine  old  wall 
whereon  flourish  splendid  specimens  of 
Magnolia  giandiflora,  the  Bay  tree,  and  other 
plants,  but  it  is  not  jiossilile,  for  we  must  dwell 


for  a  moment  upon  the  glasshouses  and  their 
occupants. 

It  may  be  somewhat  superfluous  to  make 
mention  of  them,  for  Mr.  McLeod,  if  not  known 
as  one  of  the  most  successful  cultivators  of 
tender  plants  of  the  day,  is  not  known  at  all, 
and  that  assuredly  is  not  the  case.  The  stove 
contains  perfect  examples  of  Crotons,  Drac;enas, 
Aralias,  and  other  hothouse  plants  most  useful 
for  decorative  purposes.  The  majority  of  the 
two  former  are  raised  annually  by  rooting  the 
tops  of  the  previous  year's  plants,  so  that  one 
sees  none  of  those  unsightly  bare  -  stemmed 
specimens  often  met  with  which  are  not  worthy 
to  represent  the  plants  whose  names  they 
bear.  But  few  gardens  possess  a  better  collec- 
tion of  Caladiums  than  that  at  Dover  House  ; 
all  the  best  novelties  are  cultivated,  and 
although  the  tiny  leaves  are  only  just  making 
their  appearance,  one  can  well  imagine  them 
when  in  full  beauty,  knowing  the  careful  , 
attention  they  will  receive.  The  merits  of  j 
Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  are  thoroughly 
appreciated,  large  quantities  of  it  being  annually 
raised  from  leaf  cuttings.  Calla  elliotiana  is 
extensively  grown  also,  and  is  found  to  be  more 
generally  satisfactory  than  R.  Pentlandi.  The  i 
Malmaison  Carnations  that  Mr.  McLeod  often 
exhibits  so  finely  at  the  Richmond  summer 
show  are  apparently  in  the  best  of  health, 
and  at  this  time  of  the  year  one  could  not  say 
anything  that  would  more  surely  predict  a 
successful  flowering  season.  The  houses  devoted  I 
to  the  forcing  of  Peaches,  Grapes,  Figs,-  &c., 
give  evidence  of  the  best  attention,  so  apparent 
everywhere.  Fruits  of  the  last-named  are 
already  well  advanced,  so  that  the  second  crop 
will  probably  ripen  well.  Mr.  McLeod  does 
not  find  any  difficulty  in  securing  a  good  second  ; 
cro]j  of  Figs,  although  we  know  that  in  some 
gardens  a  difficulty  is  experienced  in  getting 
these  to  develop  and  ripen  satisfactorily. 
Doubtless  the  early  start  has  much  to  do  \ 
with  the  successful  results.  In  addition  to 
the  numerous  fan-trained  trees  of  Peach  and 


Nectarine  under  glass,  the  earliest  of  which  are 
now  in  flower,  one  house  contains  several  bush 
Nectarine  trees  planted  out  in  a  raised  bed 
along  the  centre.  It  will  be  interesting  to  know 
if  these  prove  to  be  of  permanent  value,  as  ^[r. 
McLeod  hopes  they  will. 

The  hardy  fruit  trees  are  worth  going  far  to 
sec  ;  they  are  simply  bristling  with  fruit  buds, 
and  are  object-lessons  in  training  and  pruning. 
Several  years  ago  the  majority  of  them,  or 
rather  all  in  need  of  it,  were  root-jiruned  and 
lifted,  and  to  this  practice  is  attributed  their 
present  splendid  bearing  condition.  Should 
any  show  signs  of  gross  growth  or  unfruitful- 
ness,  the  remedy  is  always  sought  in  first 
setting  the  roots  to  rights,  for  an  improvement 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  tree  will  then  most 
surely  follow.  As  we  mentioned  at  the  com- 
mencement of  our  notes,  the  work  in  all  the 
departments  of  Dover  House  gardens  has  the 
stamp  of  having  been  performed  in  a  thorough 
and  earnest  manner,  and  we  are  sure,  were 
testimony  to  the  undoubted  capabilities  of 
ilr.  McLeod  necessary,  nothing  could  be  more 
convincing  than  the  way  in  which  his  duties 
are  performed,  which  is  after  all  tlie  only  true 
criterion. 


I'KINIIM    MOOKKl. 


INDOOR     GARDEN. 

CRINUM     MOOREI. 

SEVERAL  of  the  Crinunis,  noble  though 
they  are  when  in  flower,  cannot  be 
depended  upon  to  bloom  ever}'  year,  but 
this  by  no  means  applies  to  Crinuni 
Moorei,  which  flowers  with  as  much 
certainty  as  ihe  blue  Agapanthus,  and 
with  the  same  treatment.  It  is  grown  in  many 
gardens,  and  is  greatly  valued  where  a  display  of 
flowers  has  to  be  maintained  at  all  seasons,  for  "this 
Criiunu  as  a  rule  blooms  towards  the  end  of  the 
sunnucr  and  in  early  autumn,  at  which  time  nu\ny 
of  ihe  occupauLs  of  the  greenhouse  or  consei'vatoi'y 
are  on  the  wane,  and  the  shaft  like  spiUes  of  this 
Crinum,  each  crowned  with  an  umbel  of 
beautiful  blossoms,  form  then  an  attrac- 
tive feature.  The  flowers  when  first 
e.xpanded  are  pure  white,  becoming 
slightly  flushed  before  they  drop.  As 
will  be  seen  bj'  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration a  succession  is  kept  up  from  one 
umbel  for  a  considerable  time.  Where 
convenience  e.\ists  for  planting  out  in 
the  greenhouse  or  conservatory  do  so,  as 
it  succeeds  perfectly  with  suvli  treat- 
ment, which  may  be  seen  in  the  temperate 
house  at  Kew.  Still,  in  the  maj(n'ity  of 
gardens  this  cannot  be  done,  and  the  best 
way  of  treating  it  after  its  earlier  stages 
are  ]>ast  is  to  grow  it  in  tubs,  for  it 
(juicUl}'  increases  by  offsets,  and  the  roots 
are  so  vigorous  as  to  frequently  burst  the 
]]ots.  A  compost  consisting  of  t\yo-thirds 
loam  and  the  remaining  third  nuule  up  of 
manure,  leaf-mould,  and  sand  will  suit 
this  Crinuni  well.  Briefly  its  cultivation 
may  be  summed  up  in  keeping  quite  dry 
in  a  structure  from  wlienee  frost  is  just 
exeluded  from  October  to  March,  when  it 
must  Ije  watered,  and  will  ipiiekl}'  start 
into  growth.  As  the  nolile  head  of  foliage 
develops  give  occasional  tlotes  of  litpiid 
manure.  Soon  after  midsummer  many  of 
thj  plants  will  show  signs  of  going  to 
rest,  when  less  wate.  may  be  given. 
l>irei-tl\'  the  llower  stems  a[)pearau  aiupe 
siqiply  of  moisture  must  be  miintained, 
as  tlie  spike  develops  quiekl}-,  and  needs 
a  eonsiderable  amount  of  iKjurishnient. 
When  the  tlowering  season  is  over  they 
may  be  stood  under  a  south  wall  or  in 
some  similar  position,  in  onler  to 
thoroughly  ripen  the  bulbs,  removing  ihem 
ituler  cover  when  autumn  frosts  set  in. 


February  -2:^,  1901,] 


THE  GARDEN. 


135 


All  these  remarks  apply,  of 
course,  to  districts  where  it  is 
too  tender  for  the  open  ground, 
but  in  the  favoured  parts  of 
England  and  Ireland  it  may 
be  planted  out  with  safety. 
In  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
Glasnevin,  where  hardy  Cri- 
nums  are  so  well  grown,  this 
species  is  one  of  the  most 
satisfactory.  The  bays  around 
the  Palm  House  at  Kew  are 
just  the  place  for  such  sub- 
jects, as  they  can  be  readily 
protected,  and  in  addition 
benefit  by  the  heat  of  the 
structure.  These  bold  masses 
of  differentCrinums  there  form 
one  of  the  most  attractive 
features  of  the  garden  during 
their  blooming  period. 

Crinum  Moorei  is  a  native 
of  Natal,  from  whence  it  was 
introduced  over  a  generation 
ago.  Treated  at  first  as  a 
stove  plant,  it  did  not  show 
its  true  form  until  grown 
under  cooler  conditions.  The 
different  individuals  of  this 
Crinum  are  not  all  of  equal 
merit,  as  the  flowers  of  some 
are  superior  to  others,  while 
in  a  few  instances  the  leaves 
are  retained  till  the  flowering 
period  in  a  much  fresher  state 
than  occurs  in  the  majority. 
I  have  noted  this  latter  fea-  •*■ 

ture  for  several  seasons,  the 
same  plants  showing  this 
peculiarity    year   after    year. 

There  is  one  well  marked  variety — variegatum — 
in  which  the  leaves  are  freely  striped  with  creamy 
yellow,  and  in  the  spring  and  early  summer,  while 
the  foliage  is  still  fresh,  it  is  very  attractive.  The 
blossoms  do  not  differ  from  those  of  the  type.  This 
just  mentioned  variety  is  not  at  all  a  common 
plant.  No  mention  of  Crinum  Moorei  would  be 
complete  without  directing  attention  to  a  hybrid 
obtained  by  fertilising  the  flowers  of  both  the  rosy 
and  white  forms  of  Crinum  capense  with  the 
pollen  of  C.  Moorei.  This  was  effected  by  Mr. 
Powell,  of  Southborough,  Tunbridge  Wells,  and 
the  progeny  has  under  the  name  of  C.  Powelli 
proved  to  be  a  grand  hardy  Crinum,  and  is  now  a 
very  general  favourite.  A  considerable  amount  of 
variation  exists  in  the  case  of  C.  Powelli,  for  what 
is  usuallj'  regarded  as  the  type  has  light  rose 
coloured  flowers,  then  there  is  a  pure  white  variety 
(alba),  and  one  with  rich  rose  flowers  usually  known 
as  rubra.  A  deep  soil  is  necessary  for  thfe  huge 
club-shaped  bulbs  of  C.  Powelli,  and  owing  to  the 
brittle  nature  of  their  long  leaves  a  sheltered  spot 
must  be  chosen  for  them.  H.   P. 


PKUNUS    TRILOBA    AGAIXST    A    WALL. 


Spring-floNA/ering  Shrubs. 

[Notes  from  Cahbridcje.] 

PERHAPS  there  is  no  brighter  time  than 
about   the   end    of   the   spring   season, 


when  double  and  single  Thorns,  Lilacs, 
and  Laburnums  miite  with  certain 
other  kinds  to  produce  their  masses  of 
colour  ;  but  there  is  never  a  day,  even 
in  winter,  if  weather  permits,  when  there  is  not 
some  beautiful  or  interesting  shrub  in  flower.  It 
may  not  be  uninteresting  to  pass  in  review  some  of 
the  shrubs  which  brighten  the  winter,  and  antici- 
pate, as  it  were,  "the  green  lap  of  new  come 
spring."  Nothing  exceeds  in  value  the  well  known 
Jasminum  NnDiFLORUM,  the  brave  golden  flowers 
of  which  are  conspicuous  at  least  from  November 
to  March.  In  earliest  January,  and  lasting  until 
March,  we  have  the  sweet-scented 

Chimon'anthus  fragrans,  its  flowers,  too,  of 
considerable  beauty.  In  the  Cambridge  Botanic 
Oarden  we  have  a  form  of  very  pale  colour,  hardly 
■deeper  than  the  grey  bark  of  the  twigs,  but  still, 


it  must  be  said,  very  attractive.  There  is  a  small 
flowered  variety  called  luleus,  with  deep  yellow 
flowers  rather  later  in  appearance  than  the  others. 
There  is  also  the  favourite  variety  grandiflorus, 
with  large  deeply  coloured  flowers,  and  which,  it 
one  be  selected,  is  the  most  desirable  for  ornament.  | 
As  winter-flowering  plants,  it  is  not  easy  to  omit  a 
reference  to  the  species  of 

Hamamelis.  Of  the  older,  H.  virginica,  the 
Wych  Hazel,  of  medicinal  repute,  and  in  Virginia 
yielding  an  edible  seed,  we  have  a  fine  shrub,  and 
during  midwinter,  from  early  December  to  Feb- 
ruary, it  never  fails  to  produce  myriads  of  its  tiny 
yellowish  brown  flowers.  Of  more  showy  character 
and  deserving  to  be  remembered  are  the  Japanese 
kinds,  H.  arborea  and  H.  zuccariniana.  It  will  be 
interesting  to  learn  by  experience  what  value  the 
new  species  (H.  mollis)  is  for  our  gardens.  It  is  in 
the  hands  of  Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  and 
is  said  to  have  the  largest  leaves  and  the  brightest 
yellow  flowers  of  any  in  the  genus.  Winter-flowering 
shrubs  do  not  seem  very  scarce,  for  in  the  early  days 
j  of  the  year,  and  lasting  on  into  March,  we  have 
!  on  the  walls 

1       LOSICERA    FRAIIRANTISSIMA  and    L.    Staxdishi. 

I  They  are  much  alike,  but  different,  both  with  pure 

white    and    very    fragrant    flowers,    which    quite 

wreathe  the  bare  shoots.    With  slight  protection — 

and  especiall}'  it  must  be  in  mild  localities — 

Veronica  linf.arifolia  is  useful ;  it  produces  a 
succession  of  white  blossom,  conveniently  arranged 
on  twigs  for  cutting.  To  leave  now  the  earliest 
days  of  the  j'ear, 

Daphne  Laukeola,  1).  phillipiana,  the  common 
Hazel,  with  its  pretty  red  styles  ("iarrya  elliptica 
-usually  recorded  much  latter — and  Gorse  maybe 
mentioned  as  flowering  on  January  5  two  years 
ago.     About  the  middle  of  the  month  the 

Cornelian  Cherry  (Cornus  Mas)  begins  to  open 
its  tiny  yellow  flowers  ;  small  as  they  are,  they 
produce  through  their  number  a  very  bright  effect, 
which  lasts  for  some  weeks,  and  they  are  succeeded 
later  on  by  quantities  of  red  ornamental  fruits, 
which  make  an  excellent  jam,  said  to  be  of 
medicinal  value.  The  tree  is  still  planted  for  its 
fruit  in  some  parts  of  the  continent.  One  of  the 
most  valuable  of  early-flowering  shrubs  is  the 

Laukdstinus  ;  near  Cambridge,  on  a  wall,  I  have 
seen  it  fully  in  flower  early  in  December.     Usually 


in  the  garden  it  tries  to  open  about  the  middle  of 
January,  and,  according  to  the  weather,  it  may  be 
in  full  bloom  from  about  the  end  of  the  month. 
Unfortunately,  it  is  killed  by  very  low  temperatures, 
as  might  be  expected  from  its  South  European 
origin.  There  are  several  varieties,  and  one  often 
meets  with  Viburnum  Tinus  var.  luciduni  from  the 
Atlas  in  Devon  and  Cornwall. 

About  the  end  of  the  month  we  have  one  of  the 
prettiest  and  largest  flowering  of  the  Heaths, 

Erica  carne.\,  valuable  in  a  district  of  chalky 
soil,  and  apparently  the  Heath  that  can  best  endure 
a  soil  of  that  description.  The  shrubs  of  January 
ma}',  of  course,  usually  count  for  February,  but  to 
the  latter  month  others  especiallj'  belong  the 
Cowslip  scented 

CoRYLOPSis  spicata,  with  flowers  of  pale  yellow 
and  bracts  of  the  same  colour,  appearing  before  the 
leaves  ;  it  produces  a  charming  monotone  effect,  and 
is  very  attractive  on  account  of  its  singular  appear- 
ance. It  belongs  to  the  Wych  Hazels,  but  the 
flowers  are  on  pendulous  racemes.  This  should  be 
mentioned  for  the  latter  part  of  the  month.  In 
many  gardens  the  white  and  red  varieties  of 

Daphnk  Mezereum  are  early  in  evidence,  and 
later  the  flowers  are  succeeded  by  very  showy  red 
fruits.  At  this  early  season  such  a  small  floriferous 
shrub  never  fails  to  attract  attention.  The  whole 
plant  probably  is  poisonous,  and  the  bark  is  used 
in  medicine  as  a  stimulating  irritant. 

Kalmia  gl.\uca,  a  very  pretty  plant,  though 
not  so  showy  as  K.  latifolia,  I  have  noted  in  flower 
during  this  month,  and  Kerria  japonica  succeeds 
sometimes  in  producing  a  few  blossoms. 

Early  spring  in  Cambridge  is  not  of  the  gentle 
nature  we  are  apt  to  associate  with  the  season. 
The  town  lies  quite  close  to  the  extreme  southerly 
corner  of  the  great  Fen  land  country  which  extends 
unbroken  to  the  Wash,  distant  due  north  about 
forty-five  miles.  The  Botanic  Garden  is  about 
.36  feet  to  40  feet  or  41  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea  ;  there  are  no  very  high  hills  towards  the  east, 
and  easterly  winds  are  troublesome.  In  spite  of 
this,  however,  the  shrubs,  fortunate  probably  in 
possessing  a  cold  sap  instead  of  warm  blood,  begin 
to  flower  in  variety  as  March  comes  in. 

Fobsythia  suspensa  makes  a  shower  of  gold  on 
the  side  of  a  wall,  and  in  the  open  nothing  could 
be  more  effective.     F.  Fortune!  is  the  same  thing, 


136 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[February   2S,  1901. 


but  F.  viridissinia  is  quite  different,  with  stiffly 
erect  branches  and  of  value  in  its  own  way.  One 
of  the  most  useful  of  spring-flowering  shrubs  is  the 
evergreen, 

Berbekis    AQUiFOLinM,    for   not   only   are    the 

flowers  attractive,    but  the  evergreen  dark  green 

leaves,  tending  to  bronze  and  even  sometimes  red 

<    in  colour,   are  distinctly  handsome. 

rtV^^  ***«'''   "''  Andromeda 'FLORiBrxDA,   is   note- 

>  worthy  on   account  of   its  freely  produced  white 

flowers.     Even  in  this   beautiful  season  what  can 

be  more  charming  than  the  pink 

Aljiond,  which  scarcely  flinches  when  planted 
in  the  worst  of  windy  corners.  Kothing  could  be 
more  charming  than  the  single  variety,  but  the 
double  is  not  perhaps  so  frequently  planted  as  it 
should  be.  A  fine  mass  of  another  species, 
Amj'gdalus  nana,  is  a  choice  possession  of  the  Cam- 
bridge garden.  The  flowers  are  like  those  of  the 
Almond,  hut  the  tree  reaches  only  from  -2  feet  to 
:?  feet  in  height,  extending  in  all  directions  by  new 
growth  from  below  ground.  It  stands  in  danger 
of  restriction  by  scythe  and  machine,  but  a  few 
stones  readily  afford  the  required  protection,  and 
seem  also  to  suit  the  plant.  Several  of  the  allied 
cenus  Prunus  come  forward  this  month,  and  what 
more  beautiful,  for  instance,  than 

Prunus  triloba,  one  of  the  most  lovely  subjects 
for  the  shelter  of  a  wall.  Prunus  sinensis  fl.-pl. 
also  on  a  wall  is  hardly  less  delightful,  and  nothing 
can  surpass  it  for  the  purity  of  its  white  flowers. 
Other  kinds  include  the  red-leaved  P.  Pissardi, 
which  is  said  to  be  much  improved  by  cutting 
back  in  order  to  have  strong  shoots,  and 
P.  divaricata,  which  perhaps  more  properly  belongs 
to  April.  Another  of  the  order  is  the  well-known 
Cydonia  japonica,  of  which  we  have  the  pure  white, 
the  common  deep  scarlet,  and  a  pink,  all  of  which 
last  in  flower  for  a  long  time.  Yet  one  more  ally 
must  be  pointed  out,  viz. ,  Spinea  Thunbergi,  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  species.  One  of  the 
prettiest  of  tree  effects,  late  in  the  month,  is 
produced  by  the  drooping  pale  yellow  flowei's  of 

Acer  sa<;oharinuji,  which  appear  before  the 
leaves.      Well  known  in  most  gardens  is 

Rises  sangui.n'Eum,  the  so-called  flowering 
Currant.  The  deep  rose  of  the  ordinary  form  is 
prettier  than  the  pale  pink,  and  preferable  to  the 
double  red.  Much  more  uncommon  is  the  Fuchsia- 
flowered  Gooseberry,  which,  however,  requires  a 
wall.  The  pendulous  crimson  flowers  are  e.xceed- 
infly  attractive,  and  they  are  so  Fuchsia-like  that  a 
very  good  authority  has  made  a  mistake  at  first  sight. 

Pii'TANTHUS  NEPALENSis,  the  so-called  evergreen 
Laburnum,  has  pro\ed  hardy  for  many  years  with 
wall  protection,  and  its  large  golden  flowers,  com- 
bined with  dark  green  leaves,  are  of  pleasing  effect, 
though  not  so  fine  as  those  of  the  Laburnum  proper. 

N1TTTAI-.LIA  CERASIFORMIS  is  decidedly  one  of  the 
prettiest  and  most  interesting  of  March  shrubs, 
continuing  to  flower  also  in  April.  It  is  of  good 
habit,  and  produces  a  large  quantity  of  dull  white 
flowers  in  drooping  racemes.  The  fruits,  too,  are 
pretty,  not  unlike  those  of  a  small  Plum,  of  reddish 
yellow  colour,  with  a  Plum-like  bloom.  It  must 
be  noted  that  the  flowers  are  liable  to  be  di'ccious, 
and  so,  therefore,  the  se.xes  must  be  planted 
together,  though  I  have  obtained  fruit  by  sticking 
branches  of  the  male  flowers  among  those  of  the 
female  shrub.  Individuals  with  the  sexes  united 
may  be  found,  but  it  is  not,  I  think,  usually  the 
case.     Not  at  all  to  be  despised  are  a  few  of  the 

Early  Willows,  especially  Salix  Caprea,  the 
Oreat  Sallow,  which  bears  large  golden-yellow 
male  catkins  and  silver-gre}'  female  ones.  It  is  a 
useful  species,  able  to  supply  a  bark  good  lor 
tanning,  which  contains  also  an  effective  substitute 
for  quinine.  This  Willow  is  sometimes  called 
Palm,  and  is  used  in  the  religious  ceremonies  of 
Palm  Sunday. 

Cambridrje.  R.  Ikwin  Lynch. 

(  To  he  continued.  J 


Dp.  Augustine   Henry,   F.L.S.,   the 

eminent  traveller  and  botanist  who  has  done  so 
much  good  work  in  China,  from  where  he  has  sent 
home  specimens  of  great  value  both  botanicallj' and 
norticulturally,  is  returning  to  England  on  leave. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Herbaceous  Borders. 

NOW  that  the  weather  is  again  mild  all 
planting  of  herbaceous  plants  should 
be  brought  to  a  conclusion.  Autumn 
planting  is  undoubtedly  the  best  for 
most  of  these  when  dealing  with 
divisions  from  home-grown  plants, 
but  when  one  has  only  the  small  pieces  it  is  best  to 
wait  until  spring,  and  to  extend  special  care  to 
such  plants  after  they  are  planted.  In  planting 
one  has  to  be  governed  more  by  one's  surroundings 
than  by  any  hard-and-fast  rules.  A  system  of 
grouping  in  which  colour  and  contour  are  wisely 
managed  is  undoubtedly  the  most  effective  where 
the  borders  are  broad  enough  to  admit  of  this 
treatment ;  but  attempts  to  carry  out  these  ideas 
on  the  usual  rather  narrow  herbaceous  borders  of 
gardens  will  certainly  result  in  something  like 
failure.  In  such  borders  there  must  be  some 
approach  to  order,  and  this  can  only  be  produceil 
by  the  old-fashioned  plan  of  putting  the  tall 
growers  at  the  back  and  graduating  the  rest 
towards  the  front.  This  never  results  actually  in 
the  flat  surface  of  which  one  reads,  for  even  indi- 
vidual plants  of  the  same  species  vary  somewhat  in 
height,  and  this  irregularity  is  quite  sufficient  to 
break  up  the  flatness  and  to  produce  a  good  effect. 
I  do  not  approve  of  the  dot-plant  system,  but  of  a 
modified  system  of  grouping  that  does  not  entail 
absolute  regularity  or  repetition  ;  I  certainly  do 
not  like  to  have  tall  plants  brought  too  near  the 
walks. 

Subjects  to  Plant. 

The  hardiness  and  perennial  character  of  most 
border  plants  lead  to  some  amount  of  neglect  in 
the  matter  of  keeping  up  to  dale  with  the  newer 
and  improved  \-arieties,  as  one  has  to  clear  out  the 
old  to  make  room  for  t;he  new.  The  enterprise  of 
some  nurserymen  who  have  made  a  speciality  of 
improving  and  selecting  the  most  valued  occupants 
of  the  hardy  flower  garden  deserves  encourage- 
ment ;  a  good  plant  takes  no  more  room  than  a 
poor  one,  and  the  improvement  among  such  things 
as  Pieonies,  Phloxes,  Gaillardias,  Delphiniums, 
Pyrethrums,  Michaelmas  Daisies,  &c. ,  during  the 
last  decade  has  been  great,  and  consequently  the 
enthusiastic  grower  will  always  be  on  the  look  out 
for  such  plants,  and  will  make  room  for  them  in 
some  wa}'  or  other. 

Time  of  Flowering. 
In  many  gardens  it  is  necessary  to  cater  more 
especially  for  a  certain  season,  and  in  planting 
this  should  be  borne  in  mind,  and  the  principal 
borders,  or  that  portion  most  under  the  eye,  should 
be  filled  with  plants  that  flower  in  the  required 
season.  The  old  objection  to  mixed  borders,  thal_ 
they  always  contained  some  plants  out  of  flower, 
may  be  avoided  in  this  way  far  better  than  by 
filling  up  the  blanks  with  weedy  annuals.  Here  I 
have  arranged  the  principal  borders  for  autumn- 
flowering  plants  only,  and  all  the  spring  and  early 
summer-flowering  subjects  have  beeu  relegated  to 
borders  by  themselves.  This  has  pro\-ed  much 
more  satisfactory  than  the  usual  mixed  style. 
Seeds  of  many  things  will  now  require  sowing 
under  glass.  For  late  flowering  few  plants  are 
better  than  the  Pentstemous  for  effect,  and  there 
are  many  good  strains  of  seed  on  tlie  market.  The 
only  objection  to  seedlings  is  that  one  cannot 
depend  on  the  colours  blending  quite  well.  Pent- 
stemon  seedlings  are  slow  growing  at  first,  and 
there  should  be  no  delay  in  sowing  now.  Antir- 
rhinums, too,  require  to  be  sown  early.  These 
come  true  to  colour,  and  are  wonderfully  free- 
flowering,  the  same  plants  blooming  all  the 
autumn  and  quite  up  to  the  time  of  frost.  They 
may  be  had  of  almost  any  height,  and  are  therefore 
suitable  for  many  purposes.  Lobelia  for  edging 
purposes  may  be  sown  now,  but  it  is  necessary  to 
obtain  a  good  strain  of  seeds  or  somewhat  weedy 
phuits  will  result ;  the  better  way  is  to  grow 
plants  from  cuttings.  J.  C.  Tallack. 

tihipley  HoUl  Gardevi,  Derby. 


KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Forced  Vegetables. 
Keep  up  a  constant  supply  of  forced  vegetables 
during  the  spring  months  by  making  weeklj- 
sowings  of  French  Beans,  either  in  pots  or  heated 
pits,  and  bj'  the  introduction  of  Asparagus  and 
Seakale  roots  to  the  forcing  pits.  All  of  these 
choice  vegetables  can  be  produced  in  much  less 
time  now  than  during  the  dull  winter  months. 
Cover  up  Rhubarb  in  the  open  garden  with  long 
litter,  placing  a  few  bent  stakes  over  the  crowns 
to  keep  the  coverijig  material  from  pressing  too 
hard  on  the  young  shoots.  Continue  to  plant. 
Sharpe's  Victor  Potato  in  heated  pits,  and  make 
further  sowings  of  Early  Horn  Carrots  in  cold 
frames,  to  come  into  use  in  advance  of  those  about 
to  be  sown  on  a  south  border,  which  should  be 
done  on  the  first  favourable  opportunity.  For 
early  Carrots  it  is  essential  that  the  soil  be  of  a 
light  sandy  nature.  They  ma^  be  sown  in  drills 
8  inches  apart  and  1  inch  deep,  and  covered  with 
finely  sifted  soil  from  the  potting  shed  ;  a  harrow- 
ful  of  fine  soil  will  cover  a  good-sized  border,  and 
may  be  scattered  with  the  hand  from  a  basket. 
This  covering  of  fine  soil  will  greatly  assist  germi- 
nation, and  repay  the  cultivator  for  any  extra 
labour.  As  soon  as  the  plants  ai'e  large  enough 
they  may  be  thinned  out  to  '.i  inches  apart,  after 
which  they  will  re(|uire  little  further  attention 
than  hoeing  and  keeping  clean.  Early  Paris 
Market,  the  root  of  M'hich  is  almost  round,  and 
Early  French  Horn  are  good  varieties  for  the  first 
sowing. 

General  Seed  Sowing. 

Another  sowing  of  earlj'  I'eas  may  be  made  for 
succession  in  a  sheltered  position.  Tall  growing 
varieties  should  uot  be  used  for  another  fortnight, 
when  the}'  will  be  less  likely  to  surt'er  from  rough 
wind.  Good  varieties  for  this  sowing  are  Sutton's 
Early  Giant,  'lit  feet ;  ilay  (^Uieen,  '2  feet ;  Chelsea 
Gem,  lo  inches  ;  and  Veitch's  Acme,  2A  feet.  The 
last-named  variety  is  of  recent  inlrotluction,  and 
comes  to  maturity  ver}'  early.  Sow  wide  enough 
to  allow  a  row  of  Victoria  Spinach  between  each 
row  of  Peas.  It  will  conjc  into  use  early,  and 
may  be  cleared  off'  the  ground  before  the  Peas  are 
ready  to  gather.  Lettuce  sown  in  Septeinlier  and 
protected  during  the  winter  should  now  he  planted 
out  on  a  warm  south  border,  or  in  double  rows 
under  a  Peach  wall  where  the  soil  has  been  prepared 
for  them,  and  sowines  made  in  boxes  of  Sutton's 
Manmioth  White  Cos,  Early  Paris  Market,  Veitch's 
Perfect  Gem,  and  Tom  Thumb,  all  of  wliicli  should 
be  placed  in  gentle  heat  until  they  germinate, 
when  they  must  be  removed  to  cool  quarters  10 
keep  the  young  plants  from  becoming  drawn.  Sow 
Celery,  Cauliflower,  and  Cabbage  in  the  same  way; 
also  Brussels  Sprouts  for  planting  out  in  May  to 
produce  Sprouts  in  September.  A  good  sowing  of 
Broad  Beans  may  be  made  in  the  open  garden  as 
soon  as  the  soil  is  dry  enough.  They  may  either 
be  sown  as  drills  Ih  inches  deep  or  planted  in 
double  rows  with  an  ordinary  garden  diljber. 
Broad  Windsor  and  Veitch's  Long  Pod  should  be 
planted  3  feet  between  the  rows.  They  are  well 
known  varieties,  and  the  quality  all  that  can  be 
desired.  John  Dunn. 

Boi/n/  KUcheii  (,'iirdiiis,   )]'iiid'<oi: 


INDOOR    GARDEN 

Tuberous  Begonias. 

The  seedlings  will  now  be  in  a  fit  state  to  handle, 
and  should  be  pricked  off  thiidy  in  seed  pans.  A 
light,  finely-sifted  soil,  with  a  liberal  proportion  of 
peat,  must  be  used,  and  the  drainage  should  lie 
properly  laid  ;  slight  shading  against  strong  sun 
will  be  an  advantage  in  giving  the  tiny  seedlings 
a  fair  start.  Just  give  enough  tepid  water  tlu'ough 
a  fine  rose  to  settle  the  surface  soil,  and  very  light 
sprayings  through  a  syringe  are  essential. 

The  flowering  season  of  Clivias  approaching,  the 
foliage  must  be  properly  sponged,  and  where  any 
stray  leaves  are  in  evidence  they  should  lie  care- 
fully tied  up;  frei[uent  applications  of  farmyard 
liquid  manure,  as  the  flower  spikes  are  developing, 
should  be  given.  Zonal  Pelargonium  cuttings 
should  be  potted  up  into  3inch  and  4;^-incli  pots, 


February  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


1:J7 


using  rough  fibrous  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand,  and 
to  each  barrowful  of  this  should  be  added  a  ti-inch 
potful  of  Tlionison's  manure.  Moderately  firm 
potting  is  advised. 

Azaleas  which  have  been  forced  and  their  flowers 
picked  oft'  should   be  put  into  a   somewhat  brisk 
temperature  and  the  .syringe  freely  used  to  induce 
fresh  growth  to  break  away;  and  Cienistas,  having 
flowered,   to  be  treated  similarly.     The  Coleus  is 
still  grown  in  many  gardens,  and  the  present  is  a 
good  time  to  put  a  batch  of  cuttings  into  snuiU 
pots,    which,    when    rooted,    should    be   put   into 
44-inch  pots,  fairly  rich  soil,  with  a  dash  of  Clay's 
Fertiliser  added,  and  full  exposure  to  the  sun  will 
have   the   effect   of   producing   the   desired    high- 
colouring,  without  which  a  Coleus  is  notiiing  more 
than  a  weed.      Aralias  are   plants  seldom  seen  in 
good  condition  in  private  establishments,  and  this 
is  partly  due  to  the  fact  that  they  rarely  receive 
the  necessary  attention.     Grafting  I   have  found 
the  best  method  for  producing  high-class  plants, 
and  for  this  purpose  no  better  stock  than  Aralia 
filicifolia  can  be  used,  though  I  have  been  success- 
ful   with  Panax    Victoriie  and    Aralia   Chabrieri ; 
still   I  prefer  the  former.      The   union  should  be 
made  as  near  the  surface  of  the  soil  as  jiossible. 
Greenhouse  Plants. 
The  latest  batch  of  Freesias  having  made  about 
3  inches  of  growth   may  have  the  usual  support 
given,  viz.,   a  few  pieces  of   an  old  birch  broom 
placed  round  the  sides  of  the  pot,   and  a  shred  of 
matting   put   round    the  whole   to  keep   them    in 
place  ;  give  weak  liquid  manure  as  before  advised  ; 
syringe  the  plants  frequently.     Those  which  have 
already    flowered    should    be    liberally    fed     that 
the  best  possible  bulbs  may  be  prepared  for  the 
autumn  ;    full  exposure  to  sun  is  also  beneficial. 
Continue  to  supply  the  flowering-house  with  plants 
from  the  forcing  quarters.     Lily  of  the  Valley,  so 
ver}'  much  in  favour  in  any   winter,  is  doublj'  so 
this  year,  and  liberal  quantities  should  be  pushed 
on  to  meet  the  demand.    If  the  best  Berlin  Crowns 
have  been  secured,  little  dithculty   beyond  a  moist 
high    temperature    in    darkened    quarters    is   ex- 
perienced.      Azaleas    indica   and    Mollis   are   also 
invaluable  in  filling  the  basket,  the  extreme  range 
of  colour   in    the    latter   make   them    greatly   ap- 
preciated ;   the  bases  of  the  petals  will  require  to 
be  well  sprayed  with  floral  cement  or  they  soon 
fall   away.     Lilacs,    too,   must    be   produced,   and 
though  not  so  satisfactory  or  profitable  as  the  two 
former,  are  admired   and  welcomed  on  account  of 
their  delicious  scent.     Genistas  must  not  be  over- 
looked,  nor   should  the  common  yellow  Daffodil. 
Many   of    the   Narcissus   family   lend    themselves 
freely  to  forcing,  and  are  excellent  subjects  to  deal 
with  when  flowers  have  to  be  sent  some  distance. 
Roman   and   Italian    Hyacinths    will    also    be   in 
flower  and  last  a  long  time  when  placed  in  a  cool 
house.     Callas  still  sending  up  their  spathes  should 
be   encouraged  by   stimulants.      Farmyard   liquid 
manure,   where  this  can  be  had,  is   the  best,  and 
should   be   given,   say,   twice   weekly.     The  later 
batches  of  Cyclamens  will,  under  the  influence  of 
spring  sun,  be  looking  quite  gay,  as  also  will  the 
earlier  plants  of   Cineraria,   and    should    be   kept 
quite   cool.     A   fumigation   once   fortnightly  will 
keep  the  latter  free  from  aphis.      .J.  F.  Ml'Leud. 
Dooer  Hou^e  Gardens,  RoehamptorL 


to  get  the  rank  heat  and  steam  exhausted  before 
planting.  The  bed  should  be  made  firm  to  retain 
warmth  as  long  as  possible,  and  place  the  soil  in 
position  for  the  plants  a  few  days  in  advance  of 
planting.  A  good  sound  loam  tliat  has  been 
stacked  for  a  few  months  is  best,  and  only  half  the 
soil  should  be  given  at  the  start,  the  remainder 
being  supplied  in  top-dressings  as  growth  is  made. 


plants  are  usually  grown  in  4.\-inch  pots,  and  these 
soon  dry  in  bright  weather.  When  the  plants  have 
sufticientfruits  set  lii|uid  manures  should  be  givenin 
a  tepid  condition,  and  at  the  start  give  them  rather 
weak,  increasing  the  strength  as  the  fruits  attain 
size.  At  this  stage  the  temperature  may  be 
increased — say  an  advance  of  10"  to  I")"  by  day  and 
half  that  quantity  by  night — with  a  liberal  rise  by 


Avoid  soil  in  a  wet  state,  and  if  the  plants  are  at    sun  heat.     Close  early  in  the  day  to  husband  sun 


all  weak  when  planting  use  a  little  tine  soil  near 
the  roots.  The  temperature  for  Melons  should  be 
liberal,  Ofi"  at  night  10"  higher  by  day,  with  a  free 
use  of  sun  heat.  Ventilate  sparingly  during  bright 
sunshine,  avoid  cold  draughts,  and  maintain  ample 
atmospheric  moisture. 

Cherry  Houses. 

Many  gardens  have  not  space  for  Cherries,  but 
few  fruit  trees  are  more  valuable,  as  they  come  in 
advance  of  other  kinds  when  there  are  few  choice 
fruits  to  select  from.  Trees  can  be  forced  in  pots 
with  great  success  where  a  house  cannot  be  wholly 
devoted  to  the  trees,  but  of  course  it  is  necessary 
to  have  trees  specially  prepared  with  a  good  ball 
of  roots.  Trees  potted  up  now  and  merely  given 
cool  house  protection  for  a  time  will  make  good 
forcing  material  for  another  year.  Few  trees  are 
more  impatient  of  heat  than  the  Cherry.  At  the 
start  there  must  be  no  hurrying  ;  indeed,  what  is 
termed  the  natural  treatment  must  be  adopted  as 
far  as  possible,  as  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that 
the  Cherry  in  the  open  is  often  in  bloom  when  the 
weather  is  cold,  and  though  there  is  less  fear  of 
injury  by  a  liberal  temperature  by  sun  heat,  there 
should  be  free  ventilation  when  the  thermometer 
is  at  .50"  to  5o".  Do  not  allow  more  than  50"  by 
fire-heat  until  the  fruits  are  set.  The  night  tem- 
perature at  the  start  sliould  not  exceed  40",  and  a 
few  degrees  lower  when  the  nights  are  cold.  Aphis 
is  one  of  the  worst  pests  these  fruits  have  to  contend 
with,  so  that  it  is  advisable  to  fumigate  freely 
before  the  flowers  expand.  Also  take  care  that 
the  roots  do  not  need  moisture.  Trees  in  pots 
dry  quickly,  and  those  on  back  walls  in  bloom 
should  be  fertilised  during  bright  sunshine. 

Forcing  Strawberries. 

Plants  started  early  in  the  year,  as  previously 
advised,  will  now  be  in  full  bloom,  and  will  need 
more  attention  in  the  sliape  of  a  drier  atmosphere 
and  more  ventilation  in  liright  weather.  The 
plants  should  be  gone  over  daily,  the  flowers  being 
fertilised  during  bright  sunshine  about  noon,  and 
in  the  case  of  plants  carrying  a  lot  of  bloom  remove 
a  portion  of  the  weakest  flowers  to  give  those  left 


heat,  and  cover  the  glass  of  low  pits  at  night  to 
avoid  hard  firing.  Another  lot  of  plants  should  be 
brought  on  for  succession,  following  out  the  cultural 
details  advi.sed  earlier.  Plants  will  force  more 
quickly  now  than  in  December,  and  to  keep  up  a 
regular  supply  place  a  certain  number  in  the  forcing 
houses  every  three  weeks  in  the  ([uantilies  needed. 

(1.    W'lTHES. 

Sj/oii  Houtie  Garden-i,  Bi-entford. 


NURSERY 

MESSRS 


GARDENS. 

CARTER 


M 


JAMES 
AND    CO. 

ANY  of  those  whose  business  or  pleasure 
it  is  to  be  associated  with  the  pro- 
duction of  winter-flowering  plants  in 
the  near  neighbourhood  of  London 
are  very  often  heard  to  complain  of 
the  great  disadvantages  under  which 
their  work  is  practised.  To  a  great  extent,  no 
doubt,  such  is  true,  and  knowing  this  we  were  all 
the  more  agreeably  surprised  to  see  in  the  Forest 
Hill  Nurseries  of  Messrs.  .James  Carter  and  Co.,  of 
High  Holborn,  plants  so  robust  and  flowers  so 
finely  coloured  as  is  the  case  with  the  Primulas 
there  on  view.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  they 
were,  however,  not  quite  at  their  best ;  for  as  the 
Primulas  are  here  grown  solely  for  producing  seed, 
it  is  the  object  of  Messrs.  Carter's  cultivators  to 
have  their  plants  in  flower  as  late  as  possible,  and 
the  reason  for  this  is  evident.  Flowers  produced 
during  the  months  of  February  and  March  would 
naturally  be  more  robust  than  those  opening  in 
.Januarj',  pollen  would  be  more  abundant,  and 
longer  and  sunnier  days  are  then  reasonably 
expected  :  with  these  advantages,  an  increase  in 
the  quality  and  quantity  of  seed  is  obtained.  The 
strains  of  Messrs.  Carter's  Primulas  give  evidence 
of  most  careful  selection,  and  the  beauty  of  forn: 
and  colour  now  obtained  fully  reward  the  care  and 
labour  that  have  been  bestowed  upon  them. 

Before  referring  to  the  many  proved  varieties  of 


reater  strength  and  assist  swelling.     Early  forced  !  sterling  merit  that  are  noticeable  in  tlie  houses  at 


FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Melons. 

Now  is  a  suitable  time  to  start  an  early  crop  of 
these  fruits,  as  there  is  no  gain  whatever  in  too  early 
sowing  and  then  allowing  the  plants  to  remain  a 
long  time  in  the  seed  pots.  Seed  sown  now  in  a 
brisk  heat  and  the  soil  watered  sparingly  until 
the  plants  are  well  above  the  soil  will  give  better- 
results,  and  the  plants  will  be  strong  enough  to 
go  out  in  the  middle  of  March.  At  that  date  witlj 
lengthening  days  and  more  sun  heat  growth  will  br 
rapid.  I  need  not  enter  into  minute  details  with 
regard  to  raising  the  plants.  This  is  very  simple, 
but  I  would  add  that  from  the  time  the  seedlings 
are  above  the  soil  grow  them  as  near  the  light  as 
possible.  The  beds  should  be  prepared  if  bottom 
)>eat  is  obtained  from  manures,  as   it  is  necessary 


CHIJIESE    PRIMULAS    IN    MESSRS.    CARTER   AND    CO.'S    NURSERY. 


138 


THE    GAEDEN 


[February   23,  1901. 


Forest  Hill,  we  would  first  draw  attention  to  two 
splendid  new  Primulas  that  Messrs.  Carter  hope 
soon  to  send  out  :  they  are  named  respectively 
King  Edward  A'll.  and  Queen  Alexandra.  Of  the 
latter  we  are  able  to  give  an  illustration.  This  is 
a  charming  double  flower,  pure  white  in  colour, 
and  although  the  plant  is  of  a  robust  habit  of 
growth,  the  leaves  are  not  so  vigorous  as  to  hide 
the  beauty  of  the  fJowers  in  the  least.  It  is  the 
result  of  several  years'  hybridising  and  selecting 
from  Carter's  Snowfiake,  and  is  perhaps  the  purest 
double  white  Primnla  yet  raised.  We  feel  sure 
this  will  become  a  general  favourite  when  once 
horticulturists  have  had  an  opportunity  of  proving 
its  merits.  Primula  King  Edward  VII.  has  large 
white  flowers  of  the  Bouquet  strain,  which  are 
beautifully  frilled.  It  is  an  exceptionally  good 
grower,  and  the  heads  of  flower  are  well  thrown 
above  the  foliage  on  strong  stems.  It  is  the  result 
of  a  cross  between  Improved  Elaine  and  Carter's 
Bouquet. 

Princess  May,  also  known  as  Carter's  Pink,  is 
one  of  the  most  dainty  of  pink  Primulas,  and 
undoubtedlv  one  of  the  prettiest  of  Messrs.  Garter's 


DOUBLE    I'HI.NESE    PRIMUL.A    QUEEN    ALEXANDR.4 


Standard  varieties.  The  flowers  are  a  distinct  and 
true  pink,  and  are  borne  in  fine  large  trusses. 
Holborn  Ruby,  a  Fern-leaved  variety,  in  colour  a 
brilliant  crimson-rose,  is  very  conspicuous,  some- 
what similar,  though  much  deeper  in  colour,  to 
Carter's  Piose — one  of  the  very  best  in  Messrs. 
Carter's  collection.  The  flower  trusses,  as  well  as 
the  individual  flowers  of  this  latter,  in  colour  a 
lilac-rose,  are  exceptionally'  fine,  and  no  greenhouse 
can  well  afford  to  be  without  it.  In  our  photo- 
graph, showing  just  a  portion  of  one  of  the  houses, 
two  varieties  are  represented,  Rose  Queen  and  The 
Queen.  The  former  is  a  particularly  free-flowering 
sort,  bearing  blush-pink  blooms.  The  Queen,  or 
Carter's  White  Queen,  to  give  it  the  correct  name, 
has  one  noteworthy  characteristic  which  renders  it 
of  great  value — it  flowers  throughout  a  very  long 
season  :  the  blossoms  are  a  dainty  delicate  white, 
and  contrast  pleasingly  with  the  pale  green  Fern- 
like foliage. 

Elaine  Improved  has  finer  flowers  and  is  of  a 
better  habit  than  Elaine  :  in  fact,  it  may  be  said 
to  be  very  well  and  correctly  named.  To  those 
who  have  long  known  Elaine  as  one  of  the  best 
all-round  single  white  Primulas,  Klaine  Improved 
will  need  no  recommendation.  In  one  of  the  houses 
devoted  to  Primulas  we  were  much  impressed  with 
one  particular  variety.  It  caught  the  eye  at  once 
upon  entering,  and  upon  closer  examination  proved 
that  the  first  good  impressions  formed  of  it  were 
quite  justified.  We  refer  to  Lilac  (^)neen.  It  i« 
certainly  one  of  the  most  distinct  double  Piiiiiulas 
cultivated  at  the  Forest  Hill  Nurseries,  although 
tu  some,  perhaps,  the  colour  would  not  appeal.      It 


is,  however,  a  valuable  point  gained  when  a  variety 
of  Primula  is  produced  that  is  so  striking  in  colour 
as  to  at  once  make  itself  evident.  There  are  now 
so  many  of  these  flowers  that  ha\'e  no  distinctive 
feature  about  them  at  all.  The  colour  of  Lilac 
Queen  is  perhaps  best  described  as  lilac-purple  ;  it 
is  very  free  flowering,  conspicuously  so,  and  the 
flowers  are  very  serviceable  in  a  cut  state.  Imogene 
is  worthy  of  note  as  a  pretty  pink,  free  blooming. 
Fern-leaved  sort ;  while  one  that  has  the  provisional 
name  of  Carnation  Striped,  a  double  flower,  pale 
brick-red  in  colour,  will  probably  become  a  favourite 
with  those  who  care  for  this  colour. 

In  Vermilion  Messrs.  Carter  have  a  sterling 
variety.  To  us,  however,  vermilion  seems  some- 
what of  a  misnomer,  for  we  should  sa}'  the  colour 
is  more  correctly  described  as  a  rich  crimson. 
Whatever  doubt  there  may  be  as  to  its  exactly 
correct  colour  (and  shades  of  colour  are  most 
difficult  to  define,  scarcely  two  persons  giving  them 
alike),  there  is  none  as  to  its  claim  to  be  one  of  the 
best  of  the  single  Primulas.  It  is,  apparently,  a 
very  popular  one  also,  to  judge  from  the  quantity 
of  plants  that  Messrs.  Carter  cultivate  of  it. 
We  might,  did  space 
admit,  and  it  doubtless 
would  interest  many 
of  our  readers  who 
grow  these  deliglitful 
winterand  early  spring 
flowering  plants,  men- 
tion several  other 
varieties  of  Primulas 
that  Messrs.  Carter 
have  proved  to  be 
worthy  of  culture  by 
repeated  tests  _  and 
trials  ;  but  those  who 
wish  for  further  infor- 
mation should  consult 
the  exhaustive  lists  of 
flower  seeds  that 
Messrs.  Carter  publish 
annually.  In  them  will 
be  found  the  most  ap- 
proved varieties  of 
Primulas,  Cinerarias, 
Cyclamen,  &;c. ,  seeds 
of  which,  together 
with  those  of  hardy 
flowers,  fruits,  and 
vegetables  innumer- 
able may  be  obtained. 
Messrs.  Carter  make  a 
speciality  of  packets  of 
mixed  seeds  of  Primulas,  i!tc. ,  an  entirely  delightful 
method  of  distribution,  and  to  those  who  do  not 
care  to  have  named  varieties  most  useful  and 
satisfactory. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

THE     VIRGINIA    WOODS 

A  DISTINCTIVE  appearance  of  the  woods  in 

/\  this  part  of  the  United  States  is  due  to 

/   %  the    very   large    size    and    the    many 

/      ^       different  species  of  forest  trees  which 

J^  \_      they  possess,  as  well  as  the  luxuriant 

growth  of  shrubs  and  small  trees  with 

conspicuous  flowers  which  form  their  undergrowth. 

Add  to  this  the  prevalence  of  wild  drapes,  Virginia 

Creeper,  Smilax,  Bittersweet,  and   other   climbers 

that  embrace   the  trunks  of   the    lofty  trees    and 

turn  small  ones  into  bowers  and  canopies,  and  the 

carpets  of  wild  flowers,  such  as  Violets  in  many 

species,  sheets  of  blue  Mertensia  virginica,  .slopes 

covered  with  Blood   Root,   Dicentras,   Anemones, 

Hepaticas,  and  many  other  nurselings  of  the  spring, 

and  one  can  get  some  idea  of  the  beauty  of  our 

forest  without  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  see  them. 

In  this  article  I  design  rather  to  give  a  sketch  of 

our  woodlauds  than  to  describe  an}'  particular  class 

of  plants. 

'rUe  unity  which  many  landscaf)c  ar-tists  admii'c 
au  much  does  not  exist  for  us,  yet  Nature  knows 
how  to  produce  harmony  out  of  variety.  Thus  in 
a  bit  of  woodland  only  a  few  acres  in  extent  njav 


be  found  Oaks  in  several  species.  Hickories,  Black 
Walnuts,  and  grand  Tulip  trees,  with  straight 
columnar  trunks  towering  above  the  Oaks,  and  an 
undergrowth  of  manj'  flowering  shrubs,  and 
Brambles,  Viburnums.  Amelanchiers,  Elders, 
Thorns,  Red-buds,  and  Cornels,  all  tangled 
together  with  wild  Roses,  Raspberry  and  Black- 
berrj'  Vines,  and  interlaced  with  Virginia  Creeper 
and  wild  (irape,  which  often  leaving  the  low 
growth  aspire  to  reach  the  tops  of  the  tallest  trees, 
from  which  they  depend  in  veritable  chains,  or 
curtain  the  inner  recesses  of  the  woods,  adding 
another  element  of  nij'sterious  grace  to  the  secluded 
scene. 

The  only  eveigreen  indigenous  to  the  woods  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Rose  Brake  is  the  Red  Cedar 
(.luniperus  virginiana).  Sonje  ten  miles  away  on 
the  Martinusburg  Road  we  find  a  different  "soil, 
where  slate  takes  the  place  of  limestone,  and  here 
two  specimens  of  Pine  trees  flourish,  but  in  the 
woods  of  which  I  speak  the  Red  Cedar,  a  tree 
seldom  over  30  feet  in  height,  is  very  common. 

Few  trees  assume  so  many  shapes  or  such  diverse 
colouring  as  does  the  Red  Cedar.  In  youth  it  is 
often  beautifnl  and  in  old  age  picturesque,  but, 
much  as  I  love  it,  I  cannot  claim  for  it  that  it 
fulfils  the  chief  mission  in  life  of  an  evergreen, 
which  is  to  look  cheerful  in  winter.  I  sj'mpathise 
with  the  Cedar  for  looking  as  I  so  often  feel  on 
dark  lowering  wintry  days,  dull  and  sombre,  but 
I  could  wish  that  it  were  of  as  brave  and  verdant 
an  aspect  throughout  the  gloomj'  season  as  are 
some  of  the  Pines  and  Spruces. 

However,  such  as  they  are,  these  trees  are  a 
common  feature  of  our  woodlands,  growing  under 
the  shade  of  the  majestic  Oaks  and  Tulip  trees  and 
springing  up  in  clefts  of  huge  limestone  rocks. 
They  clothe  the  picturesque  clifi's  of  the  Potomac 
wherever  they  can  get  a  foolhold,  forming  an 
efl'ective  background  for  bright  flowered  deciduous 
shrubs. 

Late  in  April  or  earl}'  in  May,  according  to  the 
season,  our  woods  are  at  their  best.  Their  beauty 
at  this  time  consists  in  the  soft  tender  mist  of 
green  that  envelopes  the  forest  trees  in  conti'ast  to 
tlie  rich  rosj'  red  and  cream}'  wliite  of  the  fringe  of 
the  Red-bud  and  large  flowering  Dogwoods  that 
form  their  borders.  In  a  patch  of  open  woodland 
not  far  from  Rose  Brake  the  ground  is  thickly 
carpeted  with  Mertensia  virginica,  shading  from 
light  to  pure  blue,  with  buds  of  a  charming  shade 
of  pink,  and  it  is  one  of  our  spring  pleasures  to 
drive  to  this  enhancing  spot  on  a  bright  morning 
in  May  to  enjoy  the  feast  of  delicate  colours.  The 
masses  of  Mertensia  seem  to  '.'eflect  the  new- washed 
blue  of  the  sky,  and  the  tender  shades  of  rose  and 
warm  white  of  the  Red-bud  and  Dogwood  blossoms 
that  surround  the  shallow  basin,  with  the  soft  new 
greens  of  the  taller  trees,  make  up  an  exquisite 
picture,  to  which  the  wood  sparrows,  hidden  in  the 
bush,  seem  to  give  fitting  expression  in  bursts  of 
rapturous  song. 

On  one  such  occasion  I  remember  how  I  longed 
for  a  camera,  though  no  camera  could  do  justice  to 
the  colour  effects  of  the  scene.  Totsie,  my  little 
girl  of  three,  dressed  in  simple  wliite  frock  and  sun 
bonnet,  sat  on  a  stump  in  the  middle  of  a  small 
clearing,  her  little  feet  on  a  clump  of  the  Mertensia 
blossoms,  and  her  lap  full  of  a  medley  of  wild 
flowers.  Her  eyes,  with  an  expression  of  childish 
wonder  and  delight,  were  raised  to  a  Dogwood  tree, 
from  which  a  cardinal  grosbeak  was  whistling  his 
best  and  wildest.  Her  presence  just  there  seemed 
to  give  the  needed  human  touch  to  complete  the 
picture,  but,  alas  !  I  had  no  camera. 

In  many  of  our  woods  and  wooded  hillsides  the 
groups  and  masses  of  dark  red  t'edars  form  just  the 
right  background  for  the  gay  blossoms  of  those 
boon  companions,  Red-lrad  and  Dogwood,  which 
are  never  more  effective  than  when  thus  displayed. 
I  recall  several  localities  where  the  Cedars  grow 
among  and  at  the  feet  of  huge  grey  boulders  of 
limestone  rock  interspersed  with  Shad  bushes. 
Cornels,  and  Red-burls,  wliere  the  beauty  of  the 
picture  is  still  further  enlianced  by  the  delicate 
wild  flowers,  such  as  the  common  red  (Columbine, 
the  Virginian  .Savifragc,  and  the  colonies  of 
\'iolets  and  Rue  Ancmiuies,  springing  fri>ni  tl|e 
crevices  iii  the  gaunl  old  mcks. 


February  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


139 


I  have  taken  the  hint  from  Nature  at  Rose 
Brake,  where  in  a  wild  part  of  the  grove  we  have 
a  rooky  ledge  covered  with  Cedars.  By  transplanting 
some  Red-buds  and  Dogwoods  to  Cedar  Ledge,  as 
we  call  it,  and  covering  some  of  the  rocks  with 
Ferns  and  wild  flowers,  we  have  transported  a  bit 
of  real  woodland  scenery  to  the  home  grounds. 

Both  of  these  flowering  trees  transplant  very 
easily  when  small,  and  none  of  our  rare  exotics  are 
more  beautiful  in  their  season  of  bloom.  This 
article  is  already  too  long,  but  I  should  like  at 
some  future  time  to  endeavour  to  picture  another 
woodland  scene  that  we  think  worth  a  long  drive 
to  enjoy.  Danske  DANORiDciK. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The.  Editors  are  not  responnible  for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents. ) 


surprising  as  these  remarks  are,  and  may  appear 
uncalled  for,  I  beg  to  ask  your  correspondent, 
Mr,  F.  W.  Burbidge,  if  he  will  state  his  reasons 
for  this  remark  in  The  Gakpen  of  January  !fl: 
"So  far  as  I  know  but  few,  if  any,  seedlings  are 
raised  in  America  from  American-sown  seed,  and 
there  is  a  wonderful  Marliacean  '  look '  or  ap- 
pearance about  some  of  the  so-called  American 
seedling  Water  Lilies."  Does  Mr.  Burbidge  dare 
to  malign  such  a  firm  as  Henry  A.  Dreer  ?  I 
challenge  him  to  prove  that  these  Nymph^as  are 
not  what  they  are  claimed  to  be.  They  are  not 
so-called  American,  but  what  they  are  described. 
Will  Mr.  Burbidge  give  a  just  reason  for  such  a 
startling  statement  or  withdraw  what  he  has  said  ? 
Such  statements  throw  discredit  on  the  well-known 
firm  who  have  distributed  American  hybrid  hardy 
Nymphieas.  Wm.  Trioker, 

Manager  Aquatic  Department. 
Rirerton,  X.J.,  U.S.A. 


ORIGIN     OF     HYBRI  D 
NYMPHyEAS. 

[To  the   Editor  of   "The  Garden. "] 

SIR, — The  introduction  of  Nymphfea  Fnebeli 
has  awakened  new   interest  in   the  cul- 
tivation of  aquatic  plants,  and  comment 
has  been  made  in  the  columns  of   The 
C4ardem  as  to  the  origin  of  the  highly- 
coloured   Nymphiieas   of   M.    B.    Latour- 
Marliac.      Cultivators  have   speculated  as   to  the 
ditferent  species  and  varieties  of  N}'mph;eas  that 
were  at  his  command  before  he  effected  anything 
startling,  but  nothing  has  been  told  or  revealed  to 
shed  a  ray  of  light  on  this  perplexing  question. 
Yet   as   the  seasons   come  and   go    new    varieties 
periodically  made  their  appearance,  and  the  list  of 
new  high-coloured  hardy  Nymphajas  grows  larger. 
Otto  Froebel  makes  no  claim  to  cross-fertilisation. 
His  N3'mpha?a   is   a   selection   from  a  number  of 
seedlings  of  N.  Casparyi.     This  species  produces 
seed   freely    in   the   United   States   as   well  as  in 
Europe,  though   b3'    no  means   so   plentifully,   as 
this  Nymphasa  is  not  well  adapted  to  this  climate, 
and   we   never   expect   to   see   such  quantities  of 
seedlings  and  so  varied  in  colour  as  we  saw  in  the 
Royal  Tottenham  Nurseries,  Dedunsvaart,  Holland, 
during    the    past    season.       This    variation    may 
possibly  be  due  to  the  proximity  of  other  Nym- 
phjeas,    and     cross-fertilisation     may    have    been 
effected    by    insects,    as    it    was    stated   that   no 
artificial  pollination  had  been  attempted.     M.  B. 
Latour-Marliac's  productions  are  undoubtedly  the 
result  of  carefully  selected  species  and  varieties,  dis- 
tinct tj'pes,  and  artificially  cross-fertilised.    During 
the  past  decade   Nympha;a   culture   has   received 
great   attention   in  the  United  States,  and   many 
striking  novelties  have  been  added  to  the  list  of 
native  hardy  varieties  as  well  as  to  the  long  list 
of  tender  Nj'mphmas.     No  better  field  for  opera- 
tion exists  than  the  United  States,  where  all  sorts 
of    aquatic    plants   are   grown    out    of    doors    in 
summer,  and  the  hardy  Nymphseas  commence  to 
flower  in  April,  being  succeeded  by  tender  varieties 
which_  continue  until  the   end   of    October.     The 
aquatic  gardens  of  Henry  A.  Dreer  have  a  world- 
wide reputation,  and  during  the  past  few   years 
have   been   visited  by  representative   men  of  the 
trade,  horticulturists,  and  others  from  the  United 
Kingdom  of   Great  Britain   and  Ireland,   France, 
Germany,     Holland,      Belgium,      New      Zealand, 
Hawaiian  Islands,  and  Japan.    Many  new  varieties 
have   been   disseminated   from    this   nursery,    and 
several    have   received    the    distinguishing   marks 
of  superiority  and  distinction  bj'  the  Massachusetts 
Horticultural  vSociety,  one  seedling  being  awarded 
the  society's  silver  medal.     The  firm  of  Henry  A. 
Dreer  makes  a  speciality  of  Nympha;a  culture,  and 
large   shipments    are  annually   made    to   Europe. 
The   firm    is   accredited   the   highest  standing  in 
England,  Belgium,  Holland,  and  Germany,  as  well 
as   the   United   States,    and   all   leading   firms  in 
Europe  and  on  the  continent  can  attest  to  these 
remarks.      No   other   firm    in   the    United   vStates 
has   offered  for  sale  hybrid   hardy  N3'mph8eas   of 
American     origin,    such    as    N.     Wm.     Falconer, 
N.    Wm.   Doogue,   N.    James   B^vdon,  ifcc.     Yet, 


PEAR    OLIVIER    DES    SERRES. 

[To   THE   Editor    of   "The   Garden."] 

Sir, —I  fully  agree  witli  all  Mr.  Wythes  has  to 
say  with  regard  to  this  Pear  (page  93).  I,  too, 
have  always  found  it  an  abundant  cropper,  so 
much  so  that  it  is  necessary  to  thin  the  fruits 
freely  whilst  J'oung  if  fine  specimens  are  desired. 
Like  Bergamotte  d'Esperen,  it  must  not  be  gathered 
until  late  in  the  season  (a  few  degrees  of  frost  not 
being  harmful),  and  then  it  should  be  stored  in  a 
cool  place  and  brought  forward  to  ripen  as  re- 
quired. Its  chief  characteristic  as  far  as  appearance 
goes  is,  as  Mr.  Wythes  points  out,  the  dark  brown 
russetty  skin,  which,  combined  with  the  size  and 
symmetry  of  the  fruits,  renders  well-grown 
examples  very  handsome.  A.   Ward. 

LATE  PEARS. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  quite  agree  with  the  article  in  The  Garden 
(February  9)  as  to  the  merits  of  President  Barrabe 
and  Olivier  ties  Serres,  of  which  I  send  you  a  photo- 
graph half  size.  We  are  using  this  Pear  now  in 
fine  condition.  I  have  also  Mme.  Millet,  which 
is  not  worth  growing.  We  have  still  Beurre 
Ranee,  but  it  has  not  borne  well  this  season. 

James  Thorpe. 
Coddington  Hall,  Newark-oii-Trent. 

IRIS  TINGITANA. 

[To  the  Editor  or   "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — My  experience  of  Iris  tingitana  in  Scotland 
is  not  so  long  as  that  of  your  correspondent 
"C.  W.  D."  in  his  garden;  so  far  as  it  goes  it 
corroborates  his.  I.  tingitana  flowered  with  me 
the  first  year  after  planting  in  my  garden.  It 
also  bloomed  in  1888,  which  I  attribute  to  the 
long  spell  of  warm,  dry  weather  in  the  previous 
year.  Since  that  time  it  has  made  no  attempt  to 
flower.  Without  knowing  positively  the  locality 
whence  j'our  other  correspondent  wrote  I  may 
say,  however,  that  I  have  found  that  plants  which 
require  ripening  ofi'  in  summer,  with  less  rainfall 
than  we  have  on  the  west  of  Scotland,  frequentlj' 
do  better  in  the  east,  even  if  in  a  higher  latitude. 
Thus  I  should  not  be  altogether  surprised  to  hear 
that  I.  tingitana  flowered  near  Dundee,  although 
I  should  hardly  expect  it  to.  Perhaps  your  corre- 
spondent who  speaks  of  it  doing  so  well  will 
favour  us  with  some  guidance  as  to  the  county  in 
which  this  Iris  flowers,  and  will  also  kindly  say  if 
the  plants  have  been  long  in  their  present  place  V 
Carsethom,  by  Damfriex,  N.B.         S.  Arnott. 


GRAPES    LADY  HUTT  AND   APPLEY 
TOWERS. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Mr.  Coomber  (page  73)  has  ineidentallj' 
introduced  a  remark  of  mine,  made  some  time  ago, 
in  reference  to  the  grafting  of  the  above  Grapes  on 
to  the  Madresfield  Court  variety  as  being  tanta- 
mount to  "putting  the  beggar  on  to  the  gentle- 
man."    I  do  not  yet  sec  anv  reason  f''  fllter  that 


opinion,  as  I  fail  to  see  the  utility  of  m  doing,  or 
what  we  hope  to  gain  by  thus  producing  what 
everyone  admits  to  be  inferior  quality  Grapes. 
Indeed,  grafting  and  inarching  experiments  are 
rather  to  be  deprecated  generally,  for  even  in  the 
case  of  testing  a  new  variety  the  influences  of 
stock  and  scion  are  so  subtle  and  erratic  that  a 
correct  result  is  not  obtained  in  that  way.  We 
have  personally  tried  a  good  many  experiments 
respecting  this  influence  of  stock  and  scion.  Some- 
times we  have  fancied  what  we  thought  to  be 
distinct  advantages,  but  when  the  supposed  gains 
have  been  again  submitted  to  another  unbia.ssed 
trial  and  more  complete  ordeal  our  fond  illusions 
have  been  exploded  —  consequently,  disappoint- 
ment. We  are,  therefore,  forced  '  back  to  the 
conclusion  that  by  our  own  experience,  as  well  as 
by  all  the  available  information  of  others,  neither 
of  our  high-class  quality  Grapes  are  positively  or 
permanently  improved  by  any  help  of  grafting  on 
to  any  foster  parents.  Neither  are  any  of  our 
second-class  (irapes  one  whit  the  better,  or  any 
single  advantage  gained,  by  any  system  of  grafting 
on  to  foster  parents  as  compared  with  those  self- 
same varieties  when  thoroughly  well  grown  on 
their  own  roots  independently.  Now  we  had  con- 
cluded that  this  bogey  of  cracking  of  berries  of 
Madresfield  Court  had  been  well  and  truly  laid 
lorg  ago.  Nevertheless,  it  appears  necessary  to 
repeat  that  this  cracking  is  entirely  atmospheric, 
and  I  hope  Mr.  Coomber  will  kindly  test  this 
and  report  the  result  in  The  Garden  columns. 
Treat  as  other  vineries  up  to  the  time  when 
you  expect  to  see  the  first  signs  of  colouring, 
both  as  to  atmospheric  and  border  moisture, 
now  begin  to  gradually  keep  the  atmosphere  of  the 
vinery  more  and  more  buoyant  by  keeping  artificial 
heat  in  the  pipes  night  and  day  (least,  of  cour.se, 
when  the  sun  shines  full  on  the  vinery),  regulate 
the  amount  of  ventilation  accordinglj',  but  never 
quite  close  the  ventilators,  and  preserve  a  good 
brisk  temperature  of,  say  60°  at  night,  which  will 
thus  keep  the  inner  atmosphere  moving,  damping 
down  floors  not  to  be  entirely  withheld,  but  regulate 
according  to  the  amount  of  dry  sun  heat  and  the 
amount  of  moisture  in  the  outer  air  judiciously 
admitted.  Pearly  forced  Madresfields  hardly  ever 
crack,  but  chiefly  those  mid-season  ones — growers 
are  far  too  loth  to  supply  a  little  artificial 
warmth,  so  as  to  prevent  that  heavily-charged 
cold,  stagnant,  and  fatal  atmospheric  moisture,  the 
real  cause  of  the  mischief.  We  have  advised  this 
to  many,  and  where  applied  with  intelligence  has 
proved  a  sure  remedy  and  brought  many  grateful 
thanks. 

Madresfield.  W.  Crpmp. 

YELLOW-FLOWERED  ARUM  LILIES. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— If  "D.  T.  F."  (page  444)  will  turn  to  the 
number  of  The  Garden  for  March  31,  page  246, 
he  will  find  a  communication  from  that  valued 
correspondent,  Mr.  John  Roberts,  Tan-y-bwlch, 
North  \Vales,  detailing  the  behaviour  of  "a  group 
of  Bichardia  Pentlandi,  which  was  planted  out  in 
a  moist  spot,  but  the  experiment  did  not  prove 
sufficiently  satisfactory' to  recommend  further  trial. 
It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  referred 
to  the  behaviour  of  Richardia  Pentlandi  out  of 
doors  during  the  summer,  and  not  to  its  frost- 
resisting  qualities,  and  that  as  it  failed  in  such  a 
favoured  district  there  is  little  hope  for  it  else- 
where. 

That  these  yellow-flowered  Arum  Lilies  have 
proved  a  great  source  of  disappointment  to  many 
cannot  be  denied,  and  this  is,  I  think,  principally 
due  to  the  fact  that  by  nearly  all  writers  and  in 
many  nurserymen's  catalogues  they  are  spoken  of 
as  a  counterpart  of  the  common  Arum  Lily,  but 
with  golden  blossoms,  whereas  they  differ  in  several 
well-marked  particulars.  In  the  first  place  they, 
as  a  rule,  flower  naturall3'  during  the  sprint;  and 
sumaier  months,  after  which  they  go  gradually  to 
rest,  and  pass  that  period  in  a  quite  dormant  state. 
Then  they  start  freely  into  growth,  develop  their 
leaves,  and  then  flower.  Both  Richardia  elliottiana 
and  R.  Pentlandi  form  tubers  like  those  of  a 
Caladium,  whereas  the  Arum  Lily,  even  when  rest- 


140 


THE    GARDEN. 


[February  23,  190] 


iug,  aud  that  takes  place  in  early  summer,  is  never 
quite  dormant.  In  comparing  the  relative  hardi- 
ness of  these  Richardias,  the  fact  seems  to  be 
generally  overlooked  that  the  Arum  Lily  itself  is 
a  native  of  Cape  L.olony,  where  in  many  places, 
even  in  the  southern  portion,  it  is  a  veritable  weed, 
almost  choking  up  ditches  and  small  water-courses. 
The  yellow-spathed  forms,  on  the  other  hand,  occur 
naturally  much  farther  north  (in  the  Transvaal 
district  or  thereabouts),  so  that  as  a  matter  of 
course  they  need  more  heat  for  their  successful 
culture  :  indeed,  the  tubers  develop  much  more 
quickly  if  given  the  temperature  of  an  intermediate 
house,"  or  even  a  stove,  during  their  period  of 
o-rowth.  while  the  blossoms,  of  course,  remain 
fresh  longer  if  removed  to  the  greenhouse  as  they 
develop.  My  experience  is  that  R.  elliottiana  is 
more  robust  in  constitution  than  the  other,  and,  if 
they  all  go  to  rest  at  the  same  time,  the  tubers  of 
this  start  into  growth  earlier  than  those  of  R. 
Pcntlandi.  Concerning  the  common  Richardia 
jethiopica,  it  may  be  pointed  out  that  one  of  its 
popular  names,  viz.,  the  Lily  of  the 
complete  misnomer,  as  it  only 
Southern  Africa. 


Nile,   is   a 
occurs   wild   in 
H.  P. 


LAW. 


VHARMACEUTICAL  SOCIETY  v.  WHITE 
AND  THE  TRADERS  IN  POISONS 
SOCIETY. 

In-  the  Court  of  Appeal  on  \A'ednesday  and  Friday 
(February  13  and  lo),  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  and 
Lords  Justices  Collins  and  Romer  finally  decided 
(we  understand  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  do  not 
intend  to  carry  the  matter  to  the  House  of  Lords) 
the  above  important  case.  Our  readers  know  the 
oefinning  of  the  matter,  as  we  have  kept  this 
question  in  view  since  it  first  became  a  subject  of 
so  great  importance.  The  Pharmaceutical  Society 
then  appealed  to  the  Divisional  Court  of  King's 
Bench,  wliere  two  judges— Mr.  Justice  Grantham 
and  iir.  Justice  Channell— held  that  Sir  Richard 
Harrington  was  right  in  his  decision,  but  they  gave 
the  Pharmaceutical  Society  leave  to  appeal.  The 
last  case  was  a  second  appeal  by  the  Pharma- 
ceutical Society  against  a  decision  given  in  the 
Divisional  Court  of  King's  Bench.  The  Master 
of  the  Rolls  and  two  Lords  Justices  unanimously 
held  that  both  Courts  below  were  right  in  their 
respective  decisions,  and  the  appeal  was  accordingly 
dismissed  with  costs,  Mr.  White's  counsel,  Mr. 
Cavanagh,  and  Mr.  Orr  not  being  so  much  as 
called  upon. 

Our  readers  will  observe  from  the  foregoing 
that  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  in  this  hotly- 
contested  case  has  received  a  crushing  blow  in 
their  fight  for  a  monopoly  which  the  Pharmacy 
Act  of  1808  conferred  on  chemists,  viz.,  the  sole 
right  to  retail  any  compound  containing  a  scheduled 
poison.  .        . 

Reverting  to  the  question  of  monopoly,  it  will 
be  seen  that  by  this  uew  decision  the  florist  and 
seedsman  have  less  to  fear  from  the  chemist  than 
was  formerly  the  case.  Still,  however,  the  ques- 
tion of  monopoly  undoubtedly  remains,  though  in 
a  less  accentuated  form.  The  restrictions  to  trade 
still  exist,  because  the  seedsman  to  be  on  the  safe 
side  must  follow  the  course  of  Mr.  White's  dealing 
and  only  sell  the  article,  whether  it  be  weed-kiUer, 
insect  destroyer,  or  sheep-dip  as  an  agent,  and  not 
as  a  principal.  Of  course,  the  law  of  the  matter 
as  it  stands  is  an  absurdity.  But  this  is  in  the 
course  of  being  changed.  We  have  often  called 
attention  in  our  columns  to  the  good  work  done 
by  the  Traders  in  Poisons  for  Technical  or  Trade 
Purposes  Protection  Society,  of  which  society 
Mr.  Dobbs,  who  has  so  skilfully  conducted 
Mr.  White's  case,  is  the  secretary.  This  society 
is  fighting  tl-e  Pharmaceutical  Society  in  every 
possible  way. 

Mr.  Dobbs  informs  us  he  will  gladly  give  any  of 
our  readers  who  send  him  a  post-card  full  particu- 
lars of  his  society.  All  traders  should  support  the 
Traders  in  Poisons,  &c..  Society,  of  T),  Clement's 
Inn,   London,  in   its   endeavour   to  pass   "A  Bill 


intituled  an  Act  to  alter  and  amend  the  law 
relating  to  the  Sale  of  Poisons  and  Poisonous 
Compounds  for  agricultural  and  other  trade  pur- 
poses'"  bj-  every  means  in  their  power  and  witliin 
the  scope  of  their  purses.  Those  traders  inte- 
rested who  are  not  already  supporting  the  society 
are  invited  by  the  committee  to  become  subscribers, 
and  thus  enable  the  society  to  push  on  more 
rapidly  the  good  work  already  so  well  in  hand. 
Annual  subscriptions,  os.  ;  donations,  lUs.  and 
upwards. 

Obituary.— MP.    George  Goodall.— 

For  a  number  of  years  (ieorge  Goodall  had  been 
associated  with  Mr.  John  Downie,  and  previously 
with  Messrs.  Downie  and  Laird,  and  was  well 
known  as  a  florist  and  as  a  judge  of  ilorists  flowers 
throughout  the  east  of  Scotland.  He  died  at 
Beechill  Nursery  on  the  13th  inst. ,  at  the 
ripe  age  of  seventy-eight,  a  good  type  of  the 
man  with  whom  floriculture  in  every  respect 
agreed.  For  verj'  manj-  years  he  was  the  late 
John  Downie's  right-hand  man  in  the  raising  and 
cultivating  of  Pentstemons,  Phloxes,  Hollyhocks, 
&c.  In  private  life  he  was  much  respected,  and 
possessed  a  fund  of  quiet. humour  of  the  kind 
known  among  Scotsmen  as  "  pawkiness." 

Scientific  committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society.— We  are  pleased 

to  see  that  this  committee  is  waking  up  thoroughly, 
and  a  report  we  have  received  contains  many 
useful  notes,  some  of  which  wc  reprint.  Among 
the  latest  additions  we  are  pleased  to  find  our 
contributor  Mr.  G.  S.  Saunders,  who  possesses  an 
extensive  knowledge  of  insect  life.  He  is  a  quiet 
worker  in  the  scientific  world,  and  his  assistance 
upon  the  committee  will  be  of  immense  value. 

Mr.  John  P.  White,  the  Pyghtle  Works, 
Bedford,  sends  us  illustrations  of  garden  seats  in 
nian3'  varied  and  beautiful  designs.  That  known 
by  the  name  of  the  "Pyghtle,"  which  combines 
three  garden  seats  in  one,  so  as  to  almost  form 
a  semi-circle,  is  particularly  picturesque.  The 
garden  shelters,  so  useful  for  placing  on  tennis 
courts,  boAA'ling  greens,  &c.  are  also  illustrated. 

Early-flowering'  Chrysanthemum 

show.— A  novel  exhibition  of  early-flowering 
Chrysanthemums,  organised  by  Mr.  William 
Sydenham,  Tamworth,  will  be  held  in  the  Town 
Hall  on  Saturday,  September  28.  All  takings 
over  bare  expenses  will  be  given  to  the  Tamworth 
Church  Lads'  Brigade  Funds.  No  entry  fees  will 
be  charged,  but  10  per  cent,  will  be  deducted 
from  prize  monej'  towards  expenses. 

Societe  Francaise  des  Rosieristes. 

— The  fifth  congress  of  this  society  will  take  place 
at  Nice,  on  Tuesday,  April  !l,  in  the  large  hall  of 
the  Palais  de  I'Agriculture.  This  congress,  which 
is  organised  with  the  co-operation  of  the  Horti- 
cultural Society  of  Nice  and  the  Alpes  ilaritimes, 
will  be  presided  over  by  M.  Viger,  late  Minister 
of  Agriculture  and  President  of  the  Societe 
Nationale  d'Horticulture  de  France. 

Galax    leaves    and    Leucothoe 

sprays.— Mr.  Harlan  P.  Kelsey,  Highland's 
Nursery,  Kawana,  North  Carolina,  sends  us  illus- 
trations of  several  methods  of  employing  the  above 
for  house  decorations.  They  are  most  suitable  for 
arranging  in  vases,  and  for  use  in  wreaths,  crosses, 
&c.  The  brilliant  colouring  in  (ialax  leaves,  bright 
green  and  rich  bronze,  their  unique  shape  and  long 
wiry  stems,  make  them  exceedingly  popular  in 
America  with  florists.  Nearly  30,000,(100  were  used 
last  year  in  the  States.  Brilliant  deep  green  sprays 
of  the  Leucothoe  are  obtainable,  and  abroad  it  is 
one  of  the  most  graceful  of  evergreens. 

AVolverhampton  Floral  Fete. —  The 

thirteenth  annual  exhibition  will  be  held  this  year 
on  July  9,  10,  and  11.  All  entries  close  July  2. 
The  secretary  is  Mr.  W.  E.  Barnett,  Snow  Hill, 
Wolverhampton. 

Hanley  Horticultural  Fete  will  take 

place  on  July  3  and  +  in  Hanley  Park.  Entries 
for  plants  close  June  28,  and  for  cut  flowers,  fruit, 
and  vegetables  on  Jul\'  1.  Mr.  J.  Kent,  Hanley 
Park,  Hanley,  is  the  horticultural  secretary. 

Kidderminster   Horticultural 

Society.— There  is  every  probability  that  this 
will  become  an  important  lilidland  society.     Fresh 


vigour  is  being  infused  into  the  management  of  it, 
members  are  joining  in  considerable  numbers, 
representing  all  classes,  and  the  institution  of  a 
series  of  monthh'  lectures  is  proving  very  attractive. 
The  meetings  of  the  society  are  held  at  the  Work- 
men's Club  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  there  are 
not  a  few  enthusiastic  amateur  gardeners  among 
the  working  njen.  On  the  13th  inst.  Mr.  Richard 
Dean  delivered,  on  the  invitation  of  the  committee, 
a  lecture  on  the  Datiodil,  before  a  large  audience, 
the  Mayor  occupying  the  chair.  After  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  hist(-)r3'  and  development  of  the  flower, 
and  its  rapid  growth  in  the  popular  estimation 
during  the  last  thirt}'  years,  the  lecturer  proceeded 
to  illustrate  the  characteristics  of  the  different 
tj'pes  and  sections  by  means  of  living  flowers, 
which  were  handed  round  for  inspection.  Cultural 
details  were  largely  <lwelt  upon  and  special  points 
enforced  as  to  preparation  of  the  bed,  this  method 
of  culture  being  recommended  in  preference  to 
patches  in  the  flower  beds  and  borilers,  which  have 
an  unsightly  appearance  when  the  foliage  begins  to 
decay.  Attention  was  called  to  drainage  where 
required,  to  the  nature  and  preparation  of  the  soil, 
the  importance  of  early  planting,  and  where 
necessary  earlj'  lifting,  and  many  useful  cultural 
hints  were  thrown  out.  The  decorative  uses  of  the 
Daffodil  were  dwelt  upon,  and  information  was 
given  as  to  its  culture  as  a  great  uommercial 
industry.  Considerable  surprise  was  manifested  at 
the  details  given  by  the  lecturer,  showing  the 
extent  to  which  in  some  parts  of  the  country  the 
Dattbdil  is  grown,  both  for  the  sale  of  the  blooms 
and  also  of  the  dry  bulbs.  The  method  of  forcing 
or  hastening  into  bloom  was  demonstrated,  and  the 
culture  for  early  bloom  in  pots  advocated.  Some 
ornamental  bowls  of  Daffodils  grown  in  Cocoa-nut 
fibre  were  sent  bj'Mr.  R.  Sydenham,  of  Birmingham, 
and  these  afforded  opportunity  to  demonstrate 
how  the  Daffodil,  and  especially  the  varieties  of 
the  Polyanthus  Narcissus,  can  be  grown  indoor.s. 
On  the  motion  of  the  Rev.  (4.  F.  Eyre,  a  hearty 
vote  of  thanks  was  given  to  the  lecturer,  and  a 
similar  compliment  was  paid  to  the  Mayor  for 
presiding.  In  returning  thanks,  his  worship  alluded 
to  the  excellent  work  such  societies  were  capable 
of  performing,  and  he  expressed  the  pleasure  he 
had  derived  from  taking  part  in  the  proceedings. 
The  next  monthlj'  lecture  will  be  by  Mr.  H.  J. 
Jones  on  the  Chrysanthemum. 


BOOKS    RECEIVED. 

"Wide  World  Jlagazine,"  "The  Captain,  and  "Tlie 
Sunday  Strand, '  February  numhei^,  from  >Iessrs.  (lecrge 
Newnes  and  Co.,  Southampton  Street.  Strand,  London. 

The  February  number  of  'The  Studio"  is  deliglitful. 
Tlie  first  article  is  entitled  "  Coloured  Elchings  in  France." 
by  Gahiiel  Jlourey,  with  a  series  of  interestins  illustrations, 
alid  a  reproduction  in  colours  of  a  coloured  etching  by 
Steiulein,  entitled  "La  Blanchisseuse."  "Mr.  Oeorge 
Frampton,  A.K  A.,  and  His  Work  for  the  Glasgow  Art 
Gallery "  has  six  illustrations,  and  there  are  many  other 
features.  The  present  issue  is  the  commencement  of  a  new 
volume  (the  twenty-second). 

TRADE    NOTE. 

^IK.  C.  E.  Wkst,  RorNUllAV,  Lkkus. 
We  liave  received  a  liooklet  from  5Ir.  West  giving  des- 
criptions of  his  garden  sundries.  Everything  that  one  can 
thiiil;  of  as  being  necessary  for  use  in  a  garden  is  provided. 
Insecticides  of  all  kinds,  fertilisers,  ivol'ine  labels,  metal 
labels.  Hyacinth  and  Carnation  supports.  Orchid  and  Fern 
baskets  are  but  a  few  of  them. 


GARDENING     APPOINTMENTS. 

JIK.  H.  BAltias,  for  tlic  past  two  years  head  gardener  at 
Coedriglan  Park,  Cardiff,  has  been  appointed  to  the  same 
jiosition  to  lli-s.  .Tenner,  Wenvoe  Castle,  near  Cardill',  taking 
up  his  duties  on  March  1.  . 

Mil.  Oii.BKiri'  Kkbr,  son  of  Mr.  Alex.  Kerr,  Kalcmoutli 
Nurseries,  has  been  appointed  to  the  responsilile  post  ol 
head  gardener  to  Hon.  Mrs.  liaillie  Hamilton,  at  Langton 
Hotise,  Duns. 


Notice  to  Correspondents.    We 

should  be  oljliged  if  those  who  occasionally  send 
notes  or  articles  would  be  so  good  as  to  put  their 
full  name  and  address  on  the  manuscript  itself. 
If  it  is  on  an  accompanying  letter  the  two  often 
get  separated.  It  is  also  specially  requested  that 
ni  cases  where  payment  is  desired  it  should  be 
clearly  stated  at  the  time  the  MS.  is  sent. 


GARDEN. 


«^ 


^^5^S 


-^^!S>=^^^PS^ 


No.  1528.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[March  2,  1901. 


NEGLECIED     OPPORTUNI 
TIES. 

NOTHING  in  gardening  is  much 
more  satisfactory  than  to  make 
use  of  beautiful  vegetation  in  a 
vai-iety  of  ingenious  ways  in  order 
to  make  waste  places  profitable, 
and  to  clothe  what  is  unsightly  with  a  mantle 
of  beauty. 

There  is  scarcely  a  garden  in  existence 
where  some  such  opportunities  do  not  occur, 
while  many  gardens  and  spaces  near  houses 
simply  abound  in  waste  or  ugly  corners  that 
cry  aloud  for  the  exercise  of  just  that  little 
amount  of  thought  and  trouble  that  may 
convert  them  into  places  of  beauty  and  delight. 
Now  that  orders  for  flower  seeds  are  being 
sent  out,  it  may  be  well  to  note  a  few  plants 
that  may  be  grown  quickly,  and  may  serve 
during  the  coming  summer  to  do  the  temporary 
work  that  may  later  be  done  more  thoroughly 
with  permanent  plants.  A  great  deal  can  be 
done  with  ornamental  Gourds  alone.  All  they 
want  is  a  space  of  rather  rich  earth  to  root  in, 
when  they  can  be  trained  on  a  hedge  bank,  on 
low  walls,  on  the  roofs  of  low  buildings  or 
faggot  stacks.  There  seems  to  be  Gourds  of 
all  shapes  and  ff)r  all  purposes,  from  the 
great  orange  Potiron  for  heavy  work  to  the 
little  toy  kinds,  the  size  of  an  Orange,  for 
training  on  light  supports  ;  Gourds  round  and 
long,  bottle  Gourds,  and  serpentine  Gourds, 
and  the  useful  as  well  as  beautiful  Vegetable 
Jlarrow.  If  one  had  to  live  for  a  year  in  a 
house  where  there  was  no  garden,  but  only  the 
shapeless  heaps  of  an  old  gravel  pit  or  mounds 
of  builders'  rubbish,  how  beautiful  it  ccjuld  be 
made  by  late  summer,  with  here  and  there  a 
good  hole  prepared,  and  with  clever  arrange- 
ments of  sticks  and  stakes  ;  with  Gourds  great 
and  small,  and  Japanese  Hop  and  Major  Con- 
volvulus and  Runner  Bean  on  poles  festooned 
from  pole  to  pole,  and  Cobtea  scandens,  a  plant 
that  in  one  season  will  make  prodigious  growth  ; 
and  best  of  all  with  Nasturtiums  of  the  old 
trailing  kind,  including  the  Canary  Creeper. 

Then  for  poor  banks  in  hottest  sunshine 
there  are  the  annual  Iberises,  Silene  and 
Saponaria,  the  blue  Stonecrop,  and  the  gor- 
geous Portulacca.  An  unsightly  heap  of 
garden  rubbish  is  a  ]>aradise  for  Gourds  both 
to  grow  in  and  to  ramble  over.  Globe  Arti- 
chokes or  Cardoons  sown  in  such  a  place  are 
grand  plants  of  noblest  foliage  by  the  end  of 
the  summer.  Kitchen  yards,  so  often  dull  and 
dismal,  can  be  brightened  by  plants  grown  in 


any  old  box  or  packing  case,  perhaps  sawn  in 
half  and  filled  with  Stocks  or  Asters,  or  any 
other  half  hardy  annuals,  or  .sown  with  Mig- 
nonette or  planted  with  a  few  Geraniums. 

There  is  a  plant  for  every  place,  and  every 
kind  of  circumstance,  save  only  where  the  air 
is  poisoned  by  chemical  fumes. 

We  advise  our  readers  to  walk  round  their 
home  domains  now  before  the  rush  of  the 
many  interests  that  the  later  season  brings, 
and  search  out  their  ugly  places  and  invent 
ways  of  redeeming  them.  Wonders  can  be 
done  with  the  free-growing  Roses  alone,  and 
with  Clematis  montana  and  all  the  other  good 
rambling  things,  and  meanwhile  much  ugliness 
may  be  alleviated  by  the  use  of  the  far 
clambering  and  free  trailing  annuals. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


Violet  culture.— A  seasonable 

note. — To  obtain  strong  plants  for  autumn  and 
early  winter  flowering  the  plants  should  be  propa- 
gated at  once.     Select  healthy  plants,  and  pull  off 
all  side  growths.    To  most  of  these  a  few  new  roots 
will  be  attached.    Pot  them  singly  into  3-inch  pots 
in  a  nii.xture  consisting  of  two  parts  leaf-soil,  one 
of  cocoanut  fibre  refuse,  and  one  of  loam.      Water 
well,  and  plunge  them  in  the  fibre  in  a  cold  frame 
as   near   the   glass   as   possible.      Keep  close   and 
shaded  for  about  a  fortnight ;  after  that  admit  air 
on  all  favourable  occasions,  and  gradually  harden 
them  oft' ready  for  planting  out.     The  position  for 
their  summer  quarters  should   be  slightly  shaded 
during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day.     Dig  up  the 
ground   deeply,   and   work  in  a  quantity  of  wood 
ashes,  road  grit,  and  spent  Mushroom  manure  near 
the  surface.     About  the  middle  of  May  is  a  good 
time  to  plant ;  the  bed  should  be  made  firm  before 
planting.     The  pots  will  be  found  full  of  roots,  and 
should  not  be  disturbed  more  than  is  necessary. 
Water  them   well  in,  and    keep   the   hoe    moving 
among  them  during  the  ne.xt  few  weeks.      They 
should  then  be  mulched  with  stable  manure,  not 
too  fresh,  and  during  hot  weather  be  well  syringed 
in  the  afternoon.     This  will  keep  down  red  spider, 
and  must  not  be  neglected.     The  mulching  mate- 
rials must  be  constantly  stirred  with  the  hoe,  all 
side  shoots  be  picked  off,  and  every  endcMvuur  be 
made  to  keep  the  plants  to  one  crown.     The  cause 
of  the  failure  to  obtain  Violets  dnring   the  winter 
through  the  plants  damping  and  other  evils  can  be 
traced  in  most  cases  to  the  want  of  proper  attention 
during  the  hot  summer  months.    For  early  supplies 
the  plants  should  be  in  the  frames  by  the  end  of 
August,  and  for  later  pickings  not  later  than  the 
middle  of  September.     Too  late  planting  sliould  be 
avoided,  and   is  a  source   of   failure  to  get  early 
and  abundant  pickings.     Another  cause  of  failure 
is   excessive   coddling   after    the    plants    are    put 
into  the  frames.     The  lights  should  never  be  put 
on  until  frosty  nights  make  their  appearance,  with 
the  exception  of  very  heavy  rains,  and  then  they 
should   be  tilted  at  the   back  to  allow  of  a  free 
circulation    of    air.       During    the   winter,    on    all 
favourable  occasions,   the  lights  should   be  taken 


off;  and  at  night,  during  hard  weather,  a  little 
air  may  be  left  on,  unless  the  frost  is  unusually 
severe.  Stir  the  surface  occasionally,  keep  runners 
and  dead  leaves  picked  off,  and  apply  Clay's 
Fertilizer  once  a  fortnight  or  liquid  manure,  and 
there  will  be  flowers  in  abundance.  — M.  Taylor 
Peiiherlw,  NortJi  \ra!t.'<. 


Camellias  in  the  open.    In  The  g.^rden 

of  February  Iti  I  was  glad  to  see  your  correspon- 
dent, Mr.  Dugmore,  advocating  the  plajiting  of 
Camellias  in  the  open.  It  seems  generally  recog- 
nised that  these  plants  or  shrubs  are  perfectly 
hardy.  As  your  correspondent  remarked  in  his- 
note  they  are  even  hardier  than  the  common 
Laurel.  I  have  myself  seen  the  latter  seriously 
mjured  by  severe  frosts  when  the  Camellia  has 
escaped  unscathed.  Some  years  ago  many  fine, 
and  at  one  time  valuable,  specimens  were  .sold  for 
a  few  shillings,  and  some  even  destroyed  as  they 
were  not  considered  worthy  of  house  room.  If 
these  had  been  planted  out  in  suitable  positions 
and  soil  they  would  now  be  embellishing  many  a 
garden  with  their  bright  and  persistent  foliage. 
A  few  miles  from  here  are  some  fine  examples 
which  have  stood  many  severe  winters  uninjured. 
They  were  originally  under  glass  protection,' being 
then  trained  to  the  back  wall.  When  the  protec- 
tion was  removed  the  Camellias  were  allowed  to 
remain  in  their  position  unprotected.  They  have 
now  grown  outwards  from  the  wall  into  fine 
specimen   bushes,    and   in    most   seasons   quite    a 

respectable   lot   of   good    Mowers   is   secured. .J. 

Easter,  No-ife//  Priory  Gankii.f. 

Zephypanthes  eandida.-Having  read 

"  W.  W.'s"  description   of  Zephyranthes  Candida 
and  Canon  Ellacombe's  remarks,   nnght  I  give  my 
experience  of  this  charming  little  bulbous  plant  in 
Lnicolnshire  ?     About  six  years  ago  a  friend  gave 
me  a  dozen   bulbs.     Thinking  them  tender  I  had 
them  potted  and  kept  in   a  cold  frame  during  the 
winter.     In    the  summer  they  were  stood   out  in 
the  sun,  still  in  their  pots,   but  never  a  flower  or 
bud.     They  increased  enormously.      I  had  dozens 
of  bulbs,  they  were  subdivided  and  repotted  each 
year,  still  no  flowers.       Last  spring  I,  myself,  took 
some  out  of  the   pots,  pulled  them   apart   (for  the 
little  bulbs  got  matted  together),   and  just  stuck 
them  into  a  loose  gravel  and  sandy  path  under  the 
south   wall   of   a    greenhouse.       In    August   they 
began  to  flower,  and  continued  to  do  so  for  weeks, 
their   lovely  glistening  white   Crocus-like   flowers 
lying  wide  open  in  the  sun.      However,  they  did 
not  look  very  tidy  in  the  path,  so  in  the  autumn  I 
had   them  all  up   again,   and   had  a  small   border 
made  under  the  greenhouse,  and   thickly   planted 
with  Crinums  and  BKlladonna  Lilies  at  "the  back, 
and    quantities   of   the  Zephyranthes  Candida  all 
amongst  and  in  front  of  them.      I  now  await  the 
result  with  much  anxiety  and  curiosity,  and  trust 
the  Zephyranthes  will  do  as  well  in  the  carefully 
made  border  as  they  did  in  the  somewhat  rough 
gravel  path  which  it  supersedes. — Mrs.  Portmax- 
Dalton.  FUlinyham  Cwtlt,  Lincoln. 

The  CambPidg-e  Botanic  Gapdens 

and  Mp.  Lynch.  — Mr.  Burbidge,  of  the 
Trinity  College  Gardens,  Dublin,  writes  :  "  Kindly 
allow  me  one  word  of  friendly  appreciation  of  the 
illustrated  notice  you  gave  (on  pages  109-110)  of 
the  Cambridge  Botanical  Gardens,  its  genial  and 
enthusiastic  curator,  Mr.  Lynch,  and  its  rich  and 
varied  botanical  treasures.  I  have  known  Mr. 
Lynch  ever  since  our  old  student  days  at  Kew,  and 


142 


TJIE    GARDEN 


I^Iauch    2,  1901. 


it  is  ever  a  great  privilege  and  pleasure  to  see  the 
countless  phases  of  vegetation  in  the  Cambridge 
Garden,  wherein  so  many  rarities  have  flowered  for 
the  first  time  during  the  past  twenty  years  or 
more.  To  be  at  Cambridge  in  the  time  of  Apple 
blossom  and  early  nightingales  is  a  da}'  to  be 
remembered  and  marked  with  a  white  stone.  The 
late  Mrs.  Lawrenson  ('St.  Brigid')  once  spent  a 
da}' amongst  the  Irises  at  (Jreat  Slieltord  and  in 
the  Cambridge  Botanical  (hardens,  and  she  often 
recurred  to  that  as  having  been  one  of  the  happiest 
of  days  she  ever  spent  in  a  garden. 

Apple  King  of  Tomkins  County.— 

This  Apple,  which  was  introduced  from  America, 
is  excellent  for  dessert  at  this  season.  Mr.  Allan 
grows  it  at  Gunton,  and  considers  it  quite  as  good, 
if  not  a  little  better,  than  Blenheim  Orange,  which 
is  .saying  a  good  deal  for  il.  With  care  it  will  keep 
till  April.  It  is  of  large  size,  conical  in  shape,  the 
flesh  being  soft  and  of  very  rich  flavour.  I  do  not 
consider  it  suitable  for  cold  soils  or  districts,  though 
it  did  well  with  me  as  a  horizontal  cordon  on  the 
Paradise  stock  in  a  sunn}'  position  in  a  garden  in 
South  Notts.  It  succeeds  as  a  standard  in  warm, 
well-drained  soils,  and  well  deserves  the  attention 
of  growers  of  choice  dessert  Apples  for  market. — 
J.  Crawford. 
Galanthus  Robin  Hood — Among  the 

Snowdrops  in  flower  here  in  the  first  week  in 
February  none  are  more  beautiful  than  this  hybrid, 
raised  by  Mr.  James  Allen.  I  am  not  quite 
certain  what  is  its  precise  parentage,  but  from  the 
folding  back  of  a  part  of  the  leaf  it  has  probably 
one  of  the  plicatus  forms  as  one  of  its  parents. 
It  came  to  me  in  flower  last  year,  and  looked  as  if 
it  would  be  a  great  acquisition  to  my  collection, 
but  one  could  not  judge  of  it  properly  except  with 
regard  to  its  size  and  form.  Now,  however,  that 
it  is  seen  growing  in  the  garden  and  in  flower,  one 
can  realise  its  beauty.  It  is  of  perfect  form  and  of 
great  substance,  and  is  borne  upon  a  stout,  firm 
stalk,  which  holds  it  well  up.  These  beauties  are 
conjoined  to  another  charm  in  the  shape  of  broad, 
handsome  leaves.  It  is  a  really  superb  Snowdrop, 
and  one  whose  bold  bearing  is  not  inaptly 
associated  with  the  name  of  the  famous  freebooter 
of  Sherwood  and  Barnsdale.  One  dare  not,  how- 
ever, go  too  far  in  faying  that  the  name  is  other- 
wise appropriate. — S.  Akxott,  Carsethorn,  by 
Dumfries,  N.B. 

Messps.  Russell  and  Son,  Rich- 
mond.— Tlie  name  of  Messrs.  Russell  is  so 
intimately  associated  with  hardy  evergreen  and 
flowering  shrubs,  cultivated  in  large  quantities  in 
their  various  nurseries  around  P^ichmond  and  in 
Essex,  that  we  will  not  at  this  season  of  the  year 
say  much  about  them,  as  we  hope  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  referring  to  them  at  a  later  and  more 
appropriate  period.  It  is,  however,  most  interesting 
just  now  to  see  in  the  propagating  houses  at  Rich- 
mond and  Isleworth  the  tens  of  thousands  of 
cuttings  of  various  hardy  plants,  such  as  Ivies, 
Hollies,  Osmanthus,  Euonymus,  Euryas,  Aiicubas, 
&c.  Plants  of  these  various  shrubs  are  appai'ent 
in  many  sizes  from  cuttings  recently  inserted  to 
well-grown  specimens  in  the  nursery  grounds. 
Messrs.  Russell  have  one  of  the  most  complete 
collections  of  Ivies  in  the  country,  the  individual 
species  and  varieties  giving  a  wonderful  range  of 
form  and  colour.  Some  raised  there  have  not  yet 
been  sent  out,  while  others  again  are  old  favourites. 
We  will  not  now  attempt  a  description  of  any  of 
them,  leaving  that  to  a  future  occasion,  when 
they  may  be  seen  under  more  favourable  condi- 
tions. It  was  in  the  Richmond  nurseries  that  the 
great  decorative  value  of  the  Aucuba  as  a  pot 
plant  was  first  recognised,  and  many  are  now 
familiar  with  the  groups  of  finely -berried  plants 
that  Messrs.  Russell  have  often  exhibited  at  the 
Drill  Hall.  A  new  variety  with  beautiful  scarlet 
berries  and  finely  variegated  foliage  has  recently 
been  raised  in  these  nurseries  and  is  sure  to 
become  popular  as  soon  as  distributed.  In  the 
glass  houses  there  is  much  of  interest,  Aralias, 
Codiifiums  (Crotons),  and  Dracaenas  are  now  being 
propagated  in  large  quantities.  The  first-men- 
tioned are  decorative  plants  of  great  value,  not 
nearly  sufficiently  grown  as  their  merits  deserve. 
Such  varieties  aa  Veitchi,  V.  gracilliraa,  Chabrieri, 


elegantissima,  and  filicifolia  make  charming  pot 
plants  for  the  stove.  Perhaps  the  reason  they  are 
not  more  largely  grown  is  because  of  the  (litticuUy 
experienced  in  propagating  them.  Messrs.  Russell 
graft  their  plants  chiefly  upon  Aralia  Hlicifolia. 
The  Oleander  (Nerium  oleander),  another  plant 
whose  merits  are  not  fully  appreciated,  is  largel}' 
grown  in  I  he  liichmond  nurseries.  Palms  of  many 
varieties  and  other  stove  plants  too  numerous  to 
mention  fill  several  houses  and  are  fast  developing 
into  useful  specimens. 

Glasgow    Botanic     Gardens.  —  We 

understand  that  the  parks  committee  recommend, 
with  a  view  to  securing  greater  unity  of  manage- 
ment in  the  work  of  the  department  as  a  whole, 
that  the  duties  of  Mr.  James  Whitton,  the  super- 
intendent of  parks,  should  be  extended  to  the 
Botanic  (hardens,  which  are  at  present  under  the 
charge  of  Mr.  Daniel  Dewar.  curatoi. 

Grape  Chasselas  Vibert.— This  makes 

an  excellent  outdoor  Grape.  I  have  seen  it  in 
excellent  character  on  a  south  wall  in  the  gardens 
of  (Junnersbury  Ho\ise,  and  Mr.  .James  Hudson 
speaks  very  highly  of  it.  In  bunch  and  berry  it 
resembles  the  prolific  Sweetwater.  It  is  hardy 
and  prolific,  and  makes  a  good  pot  Vine.  It  is 
recommended  for  a  cool  vinery.  The  leaves  in 
decay  do  not  take  on  the  warm  tints  of  some 
varieties  as  they  die  yellow.  —  R.  D. 

Campanula   balchiniana.~Why  this 

charming  variegated  hardy  Campanula  is  not  more 
grown  surprises  me  greatly.  Its  white  and  pale 
green  variegation  is  delightful  just  now,  and  yet 
delicate  as  il  is  no  charge  can  be  brought  against  it 
as  being  "miff'y. "  I  have  a  plant  of  it  at  the  present 
moment  in  a  pot  in  my  cold  greenhouse,  and  the 
soil  in  the  pot  has  been  frozen  hard  on  three  or  four 
occasions,  but  not  the  slightest  harm  has  resulted. 
In  a  warm  greenhouse  it  makes  a  delightful  subject 
as  an  edging  to  plant  stands,  and  it  is  also  a  very 
pretty  basket  plant.  It  is  a  sport  from  a  hybrid 
raised  between  C.  isophylla  alba  and  C.  fragilis. — 
R.  I). 

Stock  Grace  Darling.— One  of  the  very 
best  of  the  white  annual  Stocks  I  have  grown  is 
named  Grace  Darling.  It  is  said  to  be  an  improved 
form  of  the  Giant  Perfection,  the  Perfection  Stock 
being  probably  the  very  best  strain  of  annual 
summer  Stocks  grown  in  this  country.  Most 
gardeners  grow  the  well-known  Princess  Alice,  a 
finely  formed  pure  white  Stock  that  is  remarkably 
free,  and  throws  up  plentiful  spikes  of  clear  white 
double  blossoms  of  the  finest  form.  Last  season  I 
grew  Grace  Darling  by  the  side  of  it,  and  I  am 
bound  to  admit  the  last-named  gave  the  finest 
blossoms,  while  it  is  the  equal  to  Pi'incess  Alice  in  all 
other  respects.  It  is  a  very  free  branching  Stock, 
in  growth  it  forms  a  perfect  pyramid,  from  18  inches 
to  24  inches  in  height,  according  to  the  richness  of 
the  soil  in  which  the  plants  are  grown.  It  is  so 
free  branching  that  a  well  grown  specimen  will 
form  eight  or  ten  side  spikes  about  12  inches  long, 
a7id  if  these  are  cut  lateral  spikes  are  put  forth. 
This  Stock  is  worthy  of  being  looked  after. — R.  D. 

Galanthus   plicatus   Fraseri.— it  is 

not  everywhere  that  the  noble  (ialanthus  plioatus, 
the  Crimean  Snowdrop,  is  long  enough  lived  to  give 
satisfaction  to  its  owner,  though  this  can  hardly 
account  for  its  sudden  collapse  and  disappearance, 
for  which  the  Snowdrop  disease  which  attacks 
other  species  does  not  seem  absolutely  responsible. 
Thus  one  is  glad  to  find  that  hybrids  between  the 
Crimean  Snowdrop  and  other  species  are  not  so 
liable  to  die  off'.  Possibly  all  may  not  have  reason 
to  think  so  highly  of  the  Snowdrop  known  as 
G.  plioatus  Fraseri  as  I  have,  but  I  speak  of  plants 
as  I  find  them,  and  here  it  gives  much  satisfaction 
and  increases  freely  enough  as  well.  I  am  always 
inclined  to  set  this  Snowdrop  down  as  a  hybrid 
between  plicatus  and  another  species,  such  as 
Elwesi,  but  I  have  never  been  able  to  ascertain  its 
precise  origin.  Its  leaves,  however,  are  cjuite 
plicate,  and  it  is  apparently  very  near  the  ordinary 
plioatus  in  its  character.  It  proves  much  more 
enduring  in  this  garden  than  any  other  form  of 
plicatus,  which  is  very  short  lived  with  me. — 
S.  Arnott,  Dumfries. 

Crocus  chrysanthus  caerulescens. 

— A  set  of  the  varieties  of  Crocus  chrysanthus  is 


very  interesting,  and  forms  a  delightful  feature  in  a 
garden  in  the  earliest  months  of  the  year.  In 
several  shades  of  yellow,  the  greater  number  of  the 
varieties  are  very  attractive  in  -January  and  Fel)- 
ruary.  The  most  distinct,  however,  is  the  one 
under  notice,  a  small  clump  of  which  is  charming 
as  this  is  written.  The  flowers  are  white,  with  the 
outer  segments  prettily  marked  on  the  exterior 
with  blue  feathering.  I  have  it  labelled  as  C.  c. 
albidus,  under  which  name  I  received  il  from 
Messrs.  Barr  and  Son.  but  it  is  undoubtedly  the 
variel}  cierulescens  of  Maw,  and  not  his  ulbidus, 
which  is  pure  white  with  a  yellow  base.  It  forms 
a  fine  companion  to  the  other  forms  of  chrysanthus, 
and  whether  open  or  closed  is  appreciated  among 
others. — S.  A. 

Crocus  tommasinianus.— 1  am  pleased 

to  see  your  appreciative  notice  of  this  little  Crocus 
in  your  report  of  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
ctltural  Society,  on  page  8  of  The  (Iarden  of  Feb- 
ruary IC.  With  every  word  of  what  you  say  1 
entirely  agree,  even  with  the  remark  regarding  the 
variety  atro-purpureus,  which,  as  you  say,  hardly 
warrants  such  a  strong  definition.  As  a  garden 
flower  this  beautiful  little  Crocus  ought  assuredly 
to  take  a  high  place  when  better  known.  It  is, 
though  small,  stout  in  its  habit,  and  stands  the 
weather  of  an  early  period  of  the  year  with  a 
minimum  of  distress.  Even  when  not  open  to  the 
sun  it  is  pretty  with  the  peculiarly  attractive 
"  graining  "  shown  by  its  flowers.  It  is  now  com- 
paratively cheap,  and  may,  therefore,  be  planted 
more  freely  than  many  other  Crocus  species.  The 
two  varieties  which  have  been  selected  for  naming 
are  hardly  distinct  enough  for  this,  and  the  differ- 
ences are  not  such  as  to  commend  themselves  to 
most  people.  C.  tommasinianus  is  a  free  .seeder 
here,  and  also  increases  fairly  rapidly  by  means 
of  off'sets.  It  is  also  one  of  the  species  whose 
hardiness  with  me  is  beyond  a  shadow  of 
doubt.  It  is  in  bloom  with  me  as  this  is  written 
(February  18),  and  has  been  for  several  days, 
and  this,  too,  in  the  open  and  without  any 
covering  or  protection  of  any  kind.  It  seems, 
however,  to  be  less  ready  to  open  with  a  little 
sunshine  than  some  of  the  other  early-flowering 
species. — M.  B. 

The   greenhouse   at   Kew.  —  At  the 

present  time  the  greenhouse  at  Kew  is  very 
attractive,  a  great  variety  of  plants  Vjeing  in  full 
flower,  the  whole  being  arranged  in  a  number  of 
most  beautiful  groups.  While  forced  plants  are 
much  in  evidence,  greenhouse  plants  proper  are 
not  neglected,  several  very  nice  groups  of  hard- 
wooded  plants  being  staged.  Of  tlie  latter,  Epacris 
in  great  variety,  Boronias,  Acacias,  and  Chorozemas 
are  prominent,  while  other  Australian  subjects 
such  as  Eriostemons,  Grevilleas,  &c. ,  are  repre- 
sented by  nice  plants.  A  few  of  the  most  striking 
groups  are  made  up  as  follows  : — Narcissus,  Golden 
Spur,  and  Velthemia  viridifolia,  with  an  under- 
growth of  a  pretty  red  flowered  form  of  Pri  nulla 
obconica  ;  seedling  forms  of  Rhododendron  sinense, 
showing  a  variety  of  colours  intermixed  with 
Prunus  japonica  fi. -pi.  ;  the  graceful  stellala  form 
of  Primula  sinensis,  with  an  undergrowth  of  Due 
Van  Thol  Tulip,  bordered  with  large  flowered 
purple  Crocuses,  makes  a  pretty  group,  while 
another  very  pleasing  combination  is  made  b\' 
crimson  and  white  forms  of  Primula  sinensis.  The 
same  Primula  with  dot  plants  of  Hippeastrum 
is  pretty,  as  also  is  a  group  of  Prunus  pseudo- 
cerasus,  Pyrus  floribunda,  and  Spiriea  Van  Houttei. 
Deutzia  gracilis,  with  an  undergrowth  of  .scarlet 
and  yellow  Tulips  is  very  bright,  as  also  is  a  large 
mass  of  Coleus  thvrsoideus.  Several  large  groups 
of  Cinerarias  are  extremely  showy,  particularly 
one  composed  of  blue  forms  bordered  with  while 
Crocuses.  Primula  kewensis  is  represented  by  a 
number  of  strong  well-flowered  plants,  while  other 
subjects  that  help  to  make  the  house  cheerful 
are  Hyacinths,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  Cyclamen, 
Cestrum  elegans.  Begonias,  double  white  Primulas, 
Lilacs,  Staphyleas,  and  various  other  things.  On 
the  roof  a  few  blossoms  are  open  of  Clianthua 
punioeus,  the  large  Pea-shaped  flowers  being 
very  attractive.  Altogether  a  most  pleasing 
effect  is  produced,  which  is  much  appreciated  by 
visitors. 


I 

J 


March   -2,  19Ql. 


THlL    GAUUEN. 


143 


Azalea  amcena  as  a  hardy  shrub.— 

A  good  deal  of   what  has  recently  been  so  justly 
said  in   TiiK   Gakdun    in    recommendation  of  the 
common  Camellia  j:iponica  as  a   hardy  evergreen 
shrub  may  be  applied  with  equal  force  to  this  well- 
known  Azalea — well  known,   that  is,  as  a  green- 
house plant.     It  would  be  difficult  to  point  to  an 
evergreen  shrub  of  its  size  either  more  beautiful  in 
flower  or  more  pleasing  and  distinct  in  habit  and 
foliage.      At    Kew,    in    open    and    fully   exposed 
positions,  it  has  withstood  perfectly  all  the  hardest 
frosts  we  have  experienced  during  the  last  eight  or 
ten   years.     Even   the   bitter  weather  of  January 
and   February,    189o,    scarcely  affected   groups  of 
this  Azalea.     Out  of  doors  the  plants  show  seveial 
improvements   on    those   cultivated   in  the  green- 
liouse :    the   habit   is  sturdier  and  the   branching 
more  picturesque,  the  branches  growing  in  some- 
what horizontal  tiers,  and  the  leaves  are  smaller 
and  of  a  more  brilliant  green.      The  flowers,   too, 
besides    being    quite   as  (or   more)   abundant   are 
certainl3'  of   a   brighter   and   richer   rosy   purple, 
losing  much  of  the  "  blue  "  tinge  that  makes  them 
objectionable  to  some  eyes  when  grown  in  heat. 
Specimens  that  have   been  grown  indoors  may  be 
planted  out  as  soon  as  spring  frosts  are  over,  but 
they  require  some  years  to  thoroughly  acclimatise 
themselves  to  outdoor  conditions.     If  it  be  decided 
to  plant  this   Azalea   in   quantity  it  is  better  to 
obtain  plants  that  have  been  grown  outside  from 
the  beginning.     Where  a  permanently  dwarf  ever- 
green  shrub  is   needed,  nothing   could   be   better 
tlian   this.      To  raise  a  stock    cuttings  should  be 
taken  in  summer  as  soon  as  the  wood  is  firm  and 
dibbled   in   sandy    peat.       Put   in   a    propagating 
frame   with   a   mild  bottom  heat  they  soon  root. 
The  young  plants  may  be  planted  out  in   a  cold 
frame  for  one  season,  or  in  a  place  where  protection 
CDuld    be   given   should   the   first   winter   prove  a 
severe  one  ;  but  after  the  second  summer  out  of 
doors   no   further  protection   is  required. — W.   .J. 

BiAN. 

Varieties  of  Mistletoe.— Mr.  Barbidge 

sent  several  varieties  from  the  Botanical  (iardens 
of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  with  the  following 
observations,  to  a  recent  meeting  of  the  scientific 
committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  :  "  I 
beg  to  send  five  varieties  of  Viscum  album,  all,  as 
I  think  you  will  see,  slightly  different  in  habit, 
size  of  leaf,  etc.,  as  also  in  earliness  or  time  of 
flowering.  You  will  observe  that  in  all  cases  but 
one  the  male  plants  have  larger  leaves  than  the 
females.  Another  point  is  peculiar  about  Visenm 
and  its  time  of  flowering,  viz.,  the  males  in  all 
cases  flower  a  week  or  more  earlier,  or  before  the 
females,  as  is  also  the  case  in  Aucuba  japonica  and 
some  other  dicecious  plants.  The  male  Viscum  has 
foliage  of  a  brighter  green,  while  the  females  have 
leaves  of  a  deeper  and  more  sombre  or  sap-green 
colour.  Amongst  the  female  or  fruiting  plants  of 
Viscum  there  is  also  considerable  difference  in  size, 
colour,  and  time  of  ripening  of  the  berries,  as  there 
is  also  in  the  time  of  opening  of  the  male  flowers, 
some  individuals  being  weeks  earlier  in  bloom  than 
are  others.  The  male  Viscum  has  often  in  its  30ung 
state  on  young  Apple  trees,  or  on  the  Mountain 
Ash,  enormous  leaves,  but  tliese  become  smaller  as 
they  begin  to  flower.  The  host  plant,  soil,  aspect, 
&c.,  may  affect  the  plants,  but  there  is  also  a 
considerable  range  of  seminal  or  inherent  variation. 
Note  the  beautifully  regular  dichotomous  growth 
of  the  branches,  all  the  twigs  lying  in  the  same 
plane,  and  the  half  twist  in  the  leaf  at  the  base." 

Hybrid  Conifers. — Dr.  Masters  presented 
a  paper  on  this  subject  to  a  recent  meeting  of  the 
scientific  committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  in  which  he  remarked  on  the  rarity  of 
hybrid  Conifers  in  Nature  in  spite  of  the  profusion 
of  pollen  that  is  formed.  This  rarity  he  attributed 
to  the  fact  that,  in  the  Old  World  at  least,  the 
forests  consist  mainly  of  one  species.  Allusion 
was  then  made  to  the  various  hj'brids  in  the  genus 
Pinus  described  by  Beck,  Wettstein,  and  others, 
and  to  the  so-called  hybrid  between  Juniperus 
nana  and  J.  communis,  in  reference  to  which  the 
speaker  showed  specimens  of  both  forms  taken 
from  the  same  bush.  Biota  meldensis,  a  supposed 
hybrid,  is  only  a  transitory  stage  of  Thuia  orien- 
talis.     The  only  two  artificially  produced  hybrids 


known  to  the  speaker  are  one  raised  by  M.  Crou.x 
between  Abies  Pinsapo  and  A.  nordmanniana,  and 
another  raised  by  the  late  Henry  de  Vilmorin 
between  Abies  cephalonica  and  A.  Pinsapo. 
Specimens  of  these  hj'brids,  by  the  courtesy  of 
M.  Croux  and  of  M.  P.  de  Vilmorin,  were  shown. 
M.  de  Vilmorin's  hybrid  Abies  liad  produced  cones, 
two  of  wliich  were  exhibited,  together  with  those 
of  the  parent  plants.  Last  year  a  single  fertile 
seed  was  obtained,  whose  progress  will  be  watched 
with  interest.  Details  relating  to  the  external 
features  and  internal  anatomj'  of  these  hybrids  are 
given  at  length  in  the  paper,  which  will  prohablj' 
be  published  in  the  Journal  of  the  society. 
Specimens  of  the  foliage,  and  of  the  cones  of  the 
parent  plants  and  of  the  hj'brids,  were  shown  in 
illustration  of  the  speaker's  remarks. 

Daphne  odora  at  Kew.— The  fragrant 

flowers  of  this  plant  make  it  well  worth  growing 
for  that  reason  alone.  It  is  known  under 
the  two  names  D.  indiea  and  D.  odora,  the  latter 
being  the  correct  one.  It  is  a  native  of  Japan,  and 
has  been  in  cultivation  for  many  years,  but  really 
good  plants  are  scarce.  The  reason  whj'  large 
specimens  are  not  often  seen  is  owing  to  its  difficult 
cultivation.  In  many  cases  this  difficulty  may  be 
traced  to  two  things,  viz. ,  grafting  on  an  unsuit- 
able stock,  and  keeping  the  plants  in  too  high  a 
temperature.  Although  difficult  to  root  from 
cuttings,  it  can  be  done,  and  better  plants  are 
obtained  than  bj'  grafting.  When  grafting  is 
resorted  to,  an  evergreen  species  such  as  X).  Laureola 
or  D.  pontica  should  be  used,  not  as  is  often  the 
case  the  deciduous  D.  Mezereum.  The  scions  may 
be  grafted  on  to  either  the  root  or  stem  of  the 
stock,  the  operation  being  performed  in  spring. 
After  young  plants  have  been  removed  from  the 
propagating  house  they  should  be  grown  in  a  cool, 
airy  house,  a  temperature  such  as  is  usually  given 
to  Camellias  or  Himalayan  Rhododendrons  being 
suitable.  Either  pot  or  border  culture  may  be 
tried,  a  suitable  compost  to  use  being  two  parts 
loam  to  one  of  peat  and  one  of  sand.  As  it  is  a 
very  floriferous  subject,  it  is  advisable  to  remove 
all  flower  heads  as  thej'  appear  while  the  plants 
are  J'oung  and  the  foundation  of  the  future  speci- 
men is  being  laid.  The  flowers  are  in  dense  heads 
from  the  apices  of  the  branches.  They  are  whitish 
in  colour  with  a  reddish  purple  reverse.  A  variety 
known  as  D.  o.  alba  has  pure  white  flowers. 
Another  variety  occasionally  met  with  has  varie- 
gated leaves  and  whitish  flowers.  It  is,  however, 
inferior  in  merit  to  the  type.  The  flowering  period 
extends  from  the  end  of  November  to  the  end  of 
March.- W.  D. 

Certifleating    old     things.— I    judge 

from  the  observations  niade  on  this  subject  in  your 
notice  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  and  its 
work,  that  j'ou  regard  unfavourably  the  granting 
of  awards  to  old  though  most  meritorious  things  by 
the  committees.  It  is  worthy  of  note  this  year, 
in  relation  to  the  instructions  to  the  committee, 
published  in  the  society's  arrangements  for  the 
year,  that  the  granting  of  awards  to  superior 
products  hitherto  overlooked  or  ignored  is  advised 
by  the  council.  If  it  is  sometimes  asked,  "  Why 
honour  a  thing  so  long  known  as  good?"  it  often 
happens  that  surprise  is  expressed  that  so  good  a 
thing  never  has  been  so  honoured.  Certainly  such 
awards  may  well  be  regarded  as  indications  as  to 
what  to  grow  as  good.  But  whatever  may  be  the 
opinion  on  this  matter  at  least  the  stock  of  such 
good  old  things  must  soon  be  used  up,  and  the 
grievance,  if  it  be  sucli,  soon  exhausted. — D. 

AcrOCliniumS.— A  gardener  said  the  other 
day  that  hardy  annuals  are  going  out  of  fashion, 
which  is  probably  true  to  some  extent,  as  of  late 
years  subjects  of  a  more  permanent  and  show}' 
character  have  taken  their  place.  Still,  many  of 
them  have  their  uses  ;  they  are  quick  in  growth 
and  bloom,  and  some  of  them  will  flourish  in  spots 
where  scarcely  anything  else  would  flower.  I  have 
seen  the  common  Virginian  Stock  in  full  bloom  in 
small,  close  gardens,  surrounded  by  high  buildings 
in  the  most  congested  parts  of  the  east  of  London, 
and  where  it  was  regarded  as  a  precious  floral 
visitant,  far  too  valuable  to  be  termed  common. 
One  of  the  most  useful  of  hardy  annuals  is  the 
Australian  Acroclinium  roseum.      There  is  just  a 


touch  of  tenderness  in  its  constitution  to  justify 
its  being  termed  half  hardy  ;  in  southern  gardens, 
where  the  soil  is  fairly  light,  seeds  which  are  of  a 
light  and  flufly  character  can  be  sown  in  the  open 
at  the  end  of  April  and  in  May  with  a  certainty  of 
getting  good  results.  Those  who  hesitate  to  sow 
in  the  open  can  do  so  earlier  in  the  year  in  boxes 
or  pots,  placing  them  in  a  cold  frame,  and  planting 
out  in  the  open  in  May.  A  warm,  sunny  position 
suits  the  Acroclinium  best,  but  the  ground  should 
be  fairly  light,  and  also  rich  in  order  to  do  justice 
to  the  plants.  Thick  sowing  in  poor  soil  should 
be  avoided.  Some  sow  in  pots  in  August  and 
September,  and  keep  them  protected  from  frost 
during  winter.  In  this  way  the  plants  will  bloom  in 
March  and  April,  and  prove  very  useful  for  house 
decoration  ;  it  is  also  an  acceptable  market  subject 
so  treated.  A.  roseum,  the  type,  was  first  dis- 
tributed about  18.50,  when  it  was  regarded  as  a 
greenhouse  plant,  until  its  requirements  were 
better  understood.  The  while  \-ariety  appeared 
about  tlie  same  time  or  soon  after,  and  then  later 
canje  the  double  forms  of  each,  the  Acroclinium, 
like  many  other  flowers,  developing  the  double 
character  under  cultiA-ation.  The  double  forms 
are  not  sterile,  as  they  produce  seeds,  but  not 
more  than  50  per  cent,  of  them  can  be  expected 
to  produce  plants  wliich  will  show  the  double 
character.  The  Acroclinium  comes  into  the  some- 
what limited  group  of  Everlastings.  In  order  to 
preserve  the  blossoms  for  future  use  the  flowers 
should  be  cut  just  after  they  begin  to  expand,  and 
if  with  long  stems,  the  stems  should  be  tied 
together,  and  the  bunch  hung  with  the  flower 
heads  downwards  in  a  dry,  cool  place  until  required 
for  use  ;  by  this  treatment  the  flower  stems  stiften, 
and  they  can  then  be  utilised  in  an  erect  position 
in  decorations. — R.  Dkan. 

Magnolia  fuseata.— This  small  flowered 
Magnolia,  although  insignificant  in  appearance, 
should  find  a  place  in  all  large  conservatories  for 
the  sake  of  its  delightful  perfume,  at  once  so 
powerful  and  pleasing.  It  is  doubtful  if  any 
flower  has  a  stronger  scent,  for  only  one  or  two 
blooms  can  be  detected  a  dozen  yards  from  the 
house  with  the  sashes  open  and  the  wind  in  the 
right  direction.  It  is  of  slow  growth  in  pots,  but 
moves  awaj'  at  a  good  pace  when  it  can  be  planted 
in  a  border.  I  noticed  lately  that  an  old  plant  on 
a  back  wall  we  had  to  cut  back  last  spring  had 
made  over  2  feet  of  growth  since  that  time.  The 
variety  is  a  native  of  China,  and  seems  to  have 
been  introduced  about  1780. — E.  Bueeell. 

Apple    Claygate  Pearmain.— I  was 

very  pleased  to  see  this  good  variety  given  an 
award  of  merit  recently  by  the  fruit  committee  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  It  may  appear 
somewhat  strange  to  those  who  have  grown  this 
varietj'  for  many  3'ears  that  its  merits  ha\e  not 
been  noticed  earlier.  It  is  a  local  Apple,  as  it 
originated  at  Claygate,  and  in  that  district  few 
fruits  are  superior  to  it  in  its  season  for  the  dessert 
from  Christmas  to  March  ;  indeed,  with  cool 
storage,  and  allowing  the  fruits  to  remain  as  late 
on  the  trees  as  possible,  I  have  kept  fruits  well 
into  April.  In  flavour  the  Claj'gate  resembles  the 
Ribston  Pippin,  and  will  thrive  where  the  Ribston 
fails ;  it  is  a  great  favourite  in  the  west  and 
southern  parts  of  the  country,  and  the  fruits 
exhibited  were  certainly  among  the  best  staged  as 
regards  flavour,  which  was  excellent.  This  cannot 
be  called  a  handsome  fruit,  its  dull  green  and 
3'ellow  colour  is  not  striking,  but  the  tree  grows 
well,  is  hardy,  and  bears  abundantly  on  tlie  para- 
dise. It  is  not  a  strong  grower,  and  should  find  a 
place  in  all  gardens. — G.  Wythes. 

Olearia  Haasti. — It  is  now  about  twenty 
years  since  this  New  Zealand  shrub  appeared  in 
cultivation  in  this  country.  It  appears  to  have 
been  first  introduced  by  Messrs.  Veitch,  of  Exeter, 
and  was  originally  grown  in  the  nursery  tliere  as 
Eurybia  parviflora.  Since  then  it  has  become  a 
fairly  well  known  plant,  but  even  now  is  not 
planted  so  abundantly  as  it  deserves  to  be.  In  the 
south  of  England  it  maj'  be  termed  perfectlj' 
hard}',  for  although  it  was  killed  back  to  the 
ground  in  the  early  part  of  189.5  it  sprung  up 
freely  during  the  following  sun^mer.  In  any  case 
it  suffered  no  worse  than  did  our  native  Gorse  and 


144 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[AfARCn   2,  1901. 


Broom  during  the  same  period,  [t  is  an  evergreen 
of  comparatively  dwarf  and  compact  growth.  In 
ver^'  many  gardens  it  is  the  evergreens  tliat  show 
least  variety  and  interest.  The  most  popular 
evergreen  shrubs  at  present  used — the  common 
and  Portugal  Laurels,  Rhododendron  ponticum, 
and  such  like — are  often  either  too  large  for  the 
positions  they  have  to  occupy  or  they  have  to  be 
cut  back  so  closelj'  as  to  lose  all  their  native  grace 
and  become  mere  meaningless  banks  of  greenery. 
For  replacing  such  shrubs,  to  some  extent  Olearia 
Haasti  is  to  be  recommended.  A  slow-growing 
plant  of  neat,  close  habit,  it  has  to  be  many  3'ears 
old  before  it  gets  too  tall  for  any  position,  even  if 
never  pruned  at  all.  The  leaves  are  about  the 
same  size  and  shape  as  those  of  the  Myrtle,  but 
they  are  of  a  dull  grej'ish  green  above  and  covered 
beneath  with  a  white  or  pale  brownish  wool.  It 
flowers  in  late  summer  and  earl3'  autumn,  bearing 
its  composite  heads  of  flowers  in  terminal  corymbs 
I3  inches  to  3  inches  across.  The  ray  florets  are 
about  five  in  number  and  white.  This  shrub, 
which  belongs  to  the  same  natural  order  as  the 
Dais}'  and  Sunflower,  is  a  native  of  the  Middle 
Island,  New  Zealand,  at  altitudes  of  4,000  feet  to 
4,500  feet.  It  is  named  in  honour  of  Mr.  Julius 
Haast.— W.  .J.  Be.vn. 

Iris  POSenbachiana.— It  must  be  grati- 
fying to  Sir  Michael  Foster,  M.P. ,  who  has  done 
so  much  to  advance  tlie  cultivation  of  the  bulbous 
Irises,  to  see  the  more  frequent  references  to  these 
lovely  flowers  in  the  horticultural  press.  His  book 
on  these  plants,  issued  by  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Societ}',  is  of  the  highest  value  and  interest  to  those 
who  care  for  the  flowers  of  which  he  speaks  so  well. 
A  fresh  perusal  of  this  publication  makes  one  appre- 
ciate, even  more  than  before,  the  work  done  by  its 
eminent  author  in  his  garden.  Among  the  other 
bulbous  Irises  of  which  he  tells,  none  are  more 
worthy  of  the  care  they  need  than  the  subject  of 
these  notes.  It  may  not  possess  the  precise  charms 
of  some  of  the  other  species,  but  its  best  forms — 
for  it  is  very  variable — are  equal  to  any  in  their 
exquisite  combinations  of  colours.  I  observe  that 
Sir  M.  Foster  dwells  at  justifiable  length  upon  this 
beauty  of  colouring,  and  that  he  says  that  he  could, 
he  thinks,  by  selection  easily  make  a  list  of  "some- 
thing like  a  hundred  named  varieties."  This  very 
colour  variation  makes  the  plant  more  interesting, 
and  one  might  plant  it  more  largely,  with  the  sure 
prospect  of  being  recompensed  by  the  variety  as 
well  as  the  beiuty  of  the  resulting  flowers.  Not 
that  all  the  flowers  are  charming,  for  to  speak 
frankly  there  are  some  whose  colouring  does  not 
appeal  to  some  tastes.  Yet  this  is  compensated 
for  by  the  exceeding  beauty  of  other  plants.  It 
is  impossible  to  give  an  idea  of  these  varieties  with 
their  oombination  of  crimson,  of  purple,  of  white, 
of  gold,  and  these  in  varied  shades.  One  needs  to 
see  the  plants  for  oneself  to  appreciate  properly 
the  difficult}'— nay,  the  impossibility — of  depicting 
them  with  the  pen.  Iris  rosenbachiana  is  of 
exceedingly  dwarf  habit,  the  flowers  being  sessile 
in  the  centre  of  the  tuft  of  leaves.  Although  the 
size  of  the  flowers  varies  considerably,  all  are  large 
for  the  height  of  the  plant,  which  is  only  a  few 
inches  above  the  soil.  As  a  plant  for  the  rock 
garden  it  has  no  superior  in  its  genus,  and  it  draws 
much  admiration  from  all  who  see  it  in  bloom  at  its 
season  of  March  with  us  in  the  north— late  February 
in  more  southern  gardens.  Later  though  it  is  than 
some  other  bulbous  Irises,  it  is  yet  too  early  for  its 
own  sake  in  our  gardens.  This  arises  from  the 
liability  of  its  leaves  to  injury  from  late  frosts,  and 
the  consequent  weakening  and  destruction  of  the 
bulbs.  Its  thick,  rather  fleshy  leaves  appear  to 
suS'er  more  from  these  late  frosts  than  many  other 
Irises  that  I  have  grown,  except,  perhaps,  l"  pales- 
tina.  Both  ai-e  hardy,  so  far  as  regards  their  bulbs, 
but  the  injury  sustained  by  their  leaves  is  more 
than  they  can  stand.  For  several  years  I  had 
perfect  confidence  in  its  ability  to  withstand  the 
trials  of  our  springs  in  my  garden,  but  a  succession 
of  late  frosts  taught  one  the  bitter  and  unwelcome 
lesson  that  it  is  not  to  be  relied  upon.  It  is 
interesting  to  find  that  Sir  M.  Foster's  experiences 
in  his  garden  far  to  the  south  of  this  are  practically 
the  same.  So,  also,  one  has  had  much  the  same 
experience  as  regards  soil  and  position.     A  light, 


rather  peaty  soil  suits  I.  rosenbachiana  with  me. 
With  a  sunny,  sheltered  position  and  some  covering 
at  night  when  in  bloom  and  until  tlie  leaves  ripen 
or  all  danger  from  frost  is  past,  this  exquisite  Iris 
will  give  much  gratification.  One  may  also  agree 
with  a  remark  made  that  it  is  not  one  which  should 
be  removed  frequently.  Should  it  be  doing  well, 
the  maxim  to  "  leave  well  alone"  is  worth  following. 
— S.  Aknott. 


THE    FEF^N    GARDEN. 

FERN     HUNTING. 

IN  view  of  the  immense  number  of  varietal 
forms  which  our  British  species  have 
assumed,  and  the  fact  that  a  very  large 
proportion,  numbering  among  them  many 
of  the  finest,  have  originated  in  a  wild 
state  and  been  found  b}'  persons  who 
have  devoted  their  leisure  to  close  inspection  of 
the  Ferns  they  have  come  across,  or  in  rarer  cases, 
altogether  accidentall}',  we  may  well  devote  a 
short  chapter  to  the  consideration  of  this  singular 
capacity  for  variation  and  the  circumstances  under 
which  such  sports  are  found.  .Judging  Iw  the 
results  of  Fern  hunting  in  the  British  Isles  as 
contrasted  with  the  relative  paucity  of  foreign 
finds,  it  would  prima  facie  appear  that  there 
must  be  a  special  something  in  the  soil,  climate, 
or  general  environment  which  leads  to  greater 
sportiveness,  but  as  against  this  theory  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  in  no  other  country  has 
there  sprung  up  a  special  taste  for  variety  hunting, 
which,  as  here,  has  led  to  a  considerable  number 
of  both  sexes  assiduously  searching  for  new  ones 
after  having  been  inspired  by  xlistinct  finds  with 
that  faith  which  is  the  best  encoura'gement  to 
perseverance.  On  the  average  many  thousands 
of  normal  Ferns  must  pass  beneath  the  scrutiu}' 
of  the  hunter  or  huntress  (for  ladies  have  been 
particularly  fortunate)  before  a  distinct  sport 
presents  itself,  and  obviously  the  first  step 
necessary  for  a  beginner  is  to  acquire  a  thorough 
acquaintance  with  the  normal  forms,  so  that  any 
departure  is  instantly  noted  and  followed  up  by 
closer  inspection.  It  very  frequently  happens  that 
in  a  dense  clump  of  rank-growing  normals  the 
merest  tip  of  a  frond  or  fronds  indicates  the 
presence  therein  of  a  variet}',  and  it  may  even 
occur  that  one  species  may  assume  a  varietal  form 
closely  resembling  a  difl'erent  species  of  another 
shape  and  thus  battle  the  eye.  Thus  we  have 
found  two  forms  of  Athyriuni  (Lady  Fern),  one 
which  we  named  A.  F. -f.  oreopteroides,  so  closely 
did  it  imitate  the  mountain  Lastrea  (L.  oreopteris 
or  montana)  which  grew  in  conjunction,  and  the 
other  we  took  at  a  first  glance  for  Lastrea 
dilatata,  the  fronds  being  quite  triangular  (A. 
F.-f.  deltoideum),  especiall}'  as  L.  dilatata  was 
abundant  in  the  same  spot.  The  texture  alone 
determined  the  second  look,  which  discriminated 
them  as  marked  varieties.  Both  these  would  in- 
fallibly have  been  overlooked  had  not  experience 
educated  the  eye  to  relatively  minute  diff'erences. 

Another  point  with  reference  to  the  greater 
number  of  British  finds  is  that  in  many  countries 
it  is  not  so  easy  to  hunt  as  here  :  the  poking  and 
prying  and  intrusion  into  the  out-of-the-way  nooks 
and  corners  which  are  liable  to  harbour  good 
things,  are  all,  it  may  be,  attended  with  danger 
by  harbouring  bad  ones,  and  we  ourselves  have 
still  a  vivid  recollection  of  a  fine  rattlesnake  in 
Mexico  which  turned  up  just  beneath  a  lovely 
patch  of  Nothochlipnas  and  Cheilanthes.  Even 
here  (in  Ireland)  we  once  let  ourselves  drop  down 
the  face  of  a  rock  to  inspect  a  mass  of  Hymeno- 
phyllum,  only  to  find  a  wasp's  nest  as  big  as  one's 
head  within  six  inches  of  our  nose.  Fortunately, 
by  standing  perfectly  still,  the  disturbed  swarm, 
after  a  chorus  of  buzzing,  obviouslj'  took  us  for  a 
fallen  rock  and  permited  us  to  glide  gradually 
away  unmolested.  The  main  point,  however,  is 
that  the  explorer  abroad  is  usually  a  general 
botanist  on  the  look-out  only  for  new  species, 
and  a  general  glance  .satisfying  him  as  to  the 
species,  he  pas.ses  on  and  does  not  pursue  the 
individual  investigation  necessary   to   the   variety 


hunter  pure  and  simple.  When,  however,  a  man 
with  an  eye  for  varieties  goes  abroad,  as  did  the 
late  Mr.  S.  Brown,  to  the  Azores,  very  fine 
varieties  crop  up,  as  fur  example  Woodwanlia 
radicans  crislata,  two  grand  cre.sted  varieties  of 
L.  dilatata  and  Asp.  Hemionitis  mullifidum  and 
cristatum,  a  form  of  which  we  ourselves  also  found 
recentl}'  when  there,  plus  a  finely  creste<l  Pteris  , 

aquilina.  In  the  L'nited  States  Ferns  are  so 
popular  that  a  special  "Fern  Bulletin"  is  issued 
quarterly  and  a  Fern  chapter  is  instituted  for  the 
encouragement  of  research.  Here,  again,  ([uite 
recently  varieties  have  been  found,  and  we  are 
Ihe  happj'  possessor  of  Phegopteris  hexagunoptera 
truncata,  lilce  a  huge  Beech  Fern,  with  all  tips 
squaredand  thorned,and  Dennstaedtia  punctiloliula 
cristata,  prettily  tasseiled,  sent  us  by  Mr.  W.  H. 
Maxon  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  while  fronds 
of  a  nicely  crested  Ath}'rium  were  sent  us  not 
long  since  by  a  lady  there.  These  facts  point  to 
our  mind  to  the  conclusion  that  wherever  Ferns 
are  plentiful  it  onl}'  needs  proper  hunting  to  find 
varieties,  and  the  keener  and  more  persistent  the 
hunter  the  more  there  will  be  found.  Mr.  J.  Moly, 
for  instance,  resident  in  Dorset,  discovered  in  the 
course  of  years  no  less  than  (iOd  distinct  varieties, 
numbering  among  them  man}-  of  our  finest,  mainly 
within  the  district,  and  Dr.  Wills,  his  neighbour 
at  Chard,  fovmd  a  very  large  number  in  addition. 
We  cite  these  facts  at  length  because  thej'  con- 
stitute an  encouragement  to  anj'one  enjoying 
opportunities  of  search  in  ferny  districts.  In  tlie 
large  majority  of  instances  the  "finds"  are  either 
solitar}'  plants  or  clumps  originating  presumably 
from  an  originally  single  sport,  though  now  and 
again,  as  might  be  expected,  seedlings  have  estab- 
lished themselves  near  by,  so  that  further  search 
is  rewarded  by  further  specimens.  Very  rarely 
colonies,  as  it  T\ere,  are  found  as  in  our  own  case 
of  Asp.  ad.  nigrum  caudatum,  where  many  yards 
of  a  scone  dyke  contained  no  other  form  but 
hundreds  of  this.  A  most  remarkable  case  was 
recently  brought  before  us,  where,  in  Cornwall,  three 
distinct  finds  of  three  distinct  species  were  found 
in  one  clump  in  a  wood,  a  tasseiled  Male  Fern,  a 
forky  Shield  Fern,  and  a  splendid  bipinnale  form 
of  the  common  Polypody — a  rare  case  indeed  and 
probably  unique.     The 

Equipmknt  of  the  Fern  Hunter 
is  of  the  simplest ;  some  carry  a  tin  vasculum, 
which  is  so  far  good  that  it  protects  the 
fronds  from  injury ;  it,  however,  has  the  dis- 
advantage when  one  is  clambering  over  the  rough 
and  precipitous  ground  so  dear  to  Ferns  of 
swinging  round  and  getting  in  the  way,  and 
personal!}'  we  abjure  anything  liut  a  strong  trowel, 
a  stout  hooked  stick,  a  cloth  bag  like  a  fish  basket, 
which  can  be  rolled  up,  a  pocketful  of  old  news- 
papers, and  some  string.  A  "find'^  discovered, 
we  dig  it  up  carefully  by  the  roots,  separate  it 
from  any  associated  common  ones,  wrap  some  moss 
or  old  fronds  round  the  roots,  envelop  it  in  a  sheet 
of  paper,  slip  it  into  the  bag,  and  sling  this  behind 
us  by  a  string  over  our  shoulders.  At  the  first 
opportunity  we  dip  the  roots  in  water,  and 
when  we  reach  our  temporary  haven  at  the  end  of 
the  day  we  instal  it  in  a  box  with  a  good  supply 
of  fresh  wet  moss,  and  place  this  in  a  cool  shady 
place.  The  Fern  is  then  good  for  a  fortnight  or 
more,  until  finally  installed  at  home.  Puzzles,  of 
course,  crop  up  in  such  expeditions;  "finds'' 
sometimes  occur  in  awkwaid  places,  are  seen 
at  the  top  of  a  higli  wall  far  out  of  reach,  or  in 
hedges  where  the  tree  roots  almost  recjuire  d}na-  ; 
mite  to  liberate  the  Fern,  or,  as  in  one  of  our 
experiences,  it  may  be  so  huge  as  to  need  two 
men  and  a  horse  and  cart  for  dislodgment  and 
conveyance,  or,  finally,  as  in  the  case  of  that 
beautiful  l''ern  P.  v.  l*i-estoni,  it  may  be  seated  so 
deep  in  a  rock  cliink  tliat  the  finder  had  to  roll  the 
rock  itself  acroi5s  country  and  actually  grow  the  i 
Fern  out  of  its  hermitage  at  home.  We,  however,  " 
only  know  of  one  case  which  battled  the  enthusiast,  ■ 
a  charming  Lady  Fern,  growing  in  a  deep  drain,  , 
in  the  mouth  of  which,  at  the  liase  of  a  nuissive  ' 
stone  d}'ke,  the  merest  tips  of  the  frcmds  had 
reached  tlie  light  with  the  roots  under  the  dyke 
and  on  the  inaccessible  other  side  of  it.  We 
nearly  suffered  such  a  catastrophe  ourselves  once, 


March 


1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


145 


tiiiding  a  beautifully  crested  L.  dilatata  in  a  close 
preserve  bristling  with  threats  of  prosecution  of 
Fern  rol)bers.  Here,  however,  the  Fern  itself 
saved  the  situation  by  bearing  ripe  spores,  and 
thus,  though  left  practically  intact,  eventually 
decked  our  fernery  with  true  progeny. 

However,  we  have  now  said  enough,  we  think, 
to  show  that  Fern  hunting  is  not  without  its 
adventures  as  well  as  its  rewards,  and  with  the 
final  remark  that  the  occurrence  of  varieties  is  too 
wayward  and  capricious  to  permit  as  yet  any  definite 
information  to  be  given  as  regards  the  likeliest 
places,  we  will  simply  conclude  by  recommending 


little  plants.  They  soon  spread  over  the  entire 
top  and  now  form  a  solid  and  compact  convex 
coping  which  protects  it  from  the  weather,  and 
along  which  the  curious  little  bunches  of  flowers 
rise  at  intervals,  each  on  its  own  Heshj'  stalk. 

I  well  remember  how  my  old  friend  Miss 
Marianne  North,  whose  memorj'  can  never  fade 
from  the  hearts  of  those  who  knew  her,  and  who 
was  always  pleased  with  anj'  new  use  for  Nature's 
treasures,  was  delighted  with  the  living  copings, 
and — not  liaving  herself  a  supjily  handy — asked 
me  to  send  her  a  hamper  of  House-leeks.  This  I 
did  at  our  next  interchange  of  plants,  for  in  the 


ASPARAdUS    Sl'RENOEUI    V ARlE(;ATUf. 


our  readers  to  try  their  hand  the  first  opportunit}^ 
and  expressing  the  hope  that  success  may  inoculate 
them  with  that  lasting  and  incurable  disease  known 
as  the  "  Fern  fever." 

Chas.  T.  Druery,  F.L.S.,  V.M.H. 


M 


MISCELUVNEOUS. 

LIVING    WALL     COPINGS. 

■  ANY  walls,  whether  built  for  purposes 
of  boundary  or  as  retaining  walls 
to  hold  up  the  ground  behind  them, 
as  in  terraces,  would  be  much  im- 
proved in  appearaiiee  and  sometimes 
in  durability  bj'  the  use  of  Nature's 
own  living  copings. 

Of  these  nothing  that  [  have  e\'er  tried  is  nearlj' 
so  effective  as  the  common  House-leek,  which  costs 
nothing,  is  easily  procurable,  propagates  itself 
freely,  is  established  with  the  minimum  of  trouble, 
and,  lastl}',  never  re(iuires  renewal,  as  it  lasts 
practically  for  j'ears. 

When  in  a  few  years  it  has  completely  covered 
the  top  of  a  wall  from  edge  to  edge  with  its  little 
rosettes  closely  packed  together,  the  effect  is  very 
ornamental  as  well  as  curious,  and  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  understand  why  the  ingenuity  of  gardeners  has 
generally  failed  to  make  this  use  of  it. 

1  have  myself  a  dwarf  retaining  wall,  about 
1(10  feet  long,  of  dark  brown  ironstone,  on  which 
man}'  years  ago  I  planted  a  line  of  these  fascinating 


spirit  of  a  true  gardener  she  found  as  much  plea- 
sure in  giving  away  specimens  from  her  Himalayan 
and  other  collections  as  in  receiving  others  which 
she  did  not  possess. 

In  the  case  of  dwarf  retaining  walls,  where  the 
earth  behind  is  level  with  the  top  of  them,  there 
are  of  course  many  plants  which  form  a  very 
pretty  and  ornamental  covering  or  coping,  giving 
variety  in  colour  and  form  both  by  their  foliage 
and  flowers,  and  relieving  the  bare  look  of  the 
straight  and  level  top  of  the  wall.  It  is  strange 
that  they  are  so  little  used  for  this  purpose, 
especially  in  terraced  gardens  on  hillsides. 

For  this  use  several  of  the  small  Campanulas, 
Saxifrages,  yellow  Alyssum,  Phlox  setacea,  Sedums, 
Ac:ena,  Thymus  Serpj'Uum,  Arenaria  montana, 
Lithospermum  prostratum,  Aubrie'tia  (especially 
Henderson!  and  Jjeiohtlini),  and  the  smaller  Vincas 
are  particularly  useful,  and  when  intermixed  and 
planted  in  the  soil  behind  the  wall  they  soon 
spread  over  the  top,  and  in  some  cases  hang  over 
the  face  and  thus  relieve  the  eye  with  the  variety 
of  their  blue,  purple,  pink,  yellow,  and  white 
flowers. 

In  the  case  of  dry  walls  built  of  rough  stone 
many  of  these  may  also  be  planted  in  the  inter- 
stices of  the  face  of  the  wall,  and  clothe  it  almost 
as  effectually  as  Ivy,  without  destroj'ing  any 
adjacent  flower  border  with  their  roots,  as  is 
the  pernicious  habit  of  that  greed\-  plant.  But 
as  a  coping  for  a  dry  wall  of  loose  stones,  none 
nf  these  has  the  economic  value  of  the  common 
House-leek,  which  binds  together  the  toji  layer  of 


stones,  so  that  without  cement  or  mortar  they 
withstand  the  trying  tests  of  time  and  tempest. 

For  the  benefit  of  any  who  may  wish  to  try  my 
system  I  may  add  that  the  nietliod  I  have  found 
best  by  experience  is  to  mix  cow  manure  and  cl.ay 
in  nearly  equal  proportions,  moistened  sufhcierjlly 
for  use,  and  to  lay  this  on  thickly  over  the  whole 
surface  of  the  top  of  the  wall  in  a  more  or  less 
convex  form — that  is,  from  2  inches  to  '.i  inches 
thick  in  the  middle,  rounded  off  to  less  than  1  inch 
at  each  edge.  VVliile  this  is  still  moist  and  soft, 
the  rosettes  of  Sempervivum  should  be  pressed 
into  tlie  prepared  clay  in  a  straight  line  along  the 
middle  of  the  wall,  and  it  will  be  found  that  in  a 
very  few  years  they  have  so  spread  as  to  cover  the 
whole  and  leave  no  space  for  noxious  weeds  to  find 
a  foothold. 

Of  course  the  process  can  be  hastened  by  making 
a  triple  line  of  plants,  or  covering  the  whole  width 
with  individual  plants,  if  an  unlimited  supply  is  at 
hand,  but  where  this  is  not  so  the  single  line  will 
soon  spread  and  answer  the  purpose  for  wliich  it  is 
intended. 

Parhtone,  Dorset.  H.  R.  D. 


ASPARAGUS    SPRENGERI 

VARIEGATUS. 

Asparagus  Speengeei  is  one  of  the  most 
ornamental  of  its  family,  and  tlie  variety 
variegatus  is  welcome  too.  This  is  far  less 
known  than  the  type,  and  the  illustration  of  it 
should  interest  our  readers.  Grown  in  jiots  or 
in  suspended  baskets  both  these  Asjjaraguses 
are  very  ornamental,  the  luxuriant  sprays 
hanging  over  gracefully.  A.  fSprengeri  is  a 
native  of  Natal.  It  was  introduced  in  1890 
by  Messrs.  Damman  and  Co.,  of  San  Giovanni 
a  Teduccio,  near  Naples,  through  their  col- 
lector, Herr  Sprenger,  after  wliom  the  plant 
was  named  by  the  late  Dr.  Von  Eegel,  director 
of  the  St.  Petersburg  Botanic  Gardens.  In 
habit  it  approaches  A.  sarmentosus  and  A. 
fulcatus,  but  has  flatter  leaves  or  rather  phyl- 
loclades.  The  small  white  flowers  are  pro- 
duced in  great  profusion  and  emit  a  pleasant 
perfume,  and  are  followed  by  bright  colotu'ed 
berries. 


BOOKS. 

Gardens  Old  and  New.*— It  was  well 

known  how  rich  \\as  our  land  in  country  lionses  of 
good  types,  both  large  and  small,  but  until  these 
pictures  of  house  and  garden  were  brought  together 
it  was  not  possible  to  judge  of  the  degree  of  preva- 
lence of  certain  styles.  In  this  beautiful  folio  we 
have  it  all  clearly  displayed.  The  castle,  embattled 
and  closely  moated ;  the  moated  but  otherwise 
almost  unfortified  manor,  whose  garden  has  grown 
through  the  peaceful  centuries  beyond  the  pro- 
tecting fosse  ;  and  the  many  homelike  houses  of 
Tudor  times,  showing  the  use  of  Oak  timbering  as 
structure  and  ornament  in  one  :  and  also  the 
endurance  of  good  English  Oak  as  a  building 
material — for  much  of  this  timber,  except  for  a 
thin  skin  of  surface  deca}-,  is  as  sound  to-day  as 
when  it  was  erected  three  centuries  and  more  ago. 
Then  the  great  Palladian  buildings,  with  their 
attendant  gardens  of  Italian  design,  showing  the 
gardens  ever  widening,  as  a  reaction  from  the 
restrictions  of  the  older  da3'S  when  everything  had 
need  to  be  enclosed  for  defence.  All  this  one  can 
read  from  these  pictuies,  and  much  besides  of 
varied  interest  and  of  endless  detail  of  garden 
practice.  The  large  amount  of  simple  topiary 
%vork  in  Yew  and  Box  still  existing  in  the  greater 
number  of  the  old  gardens  shows  how  the  practice 
(a  heritage  from  ancient  Rome,  transmitted  through 
the  garden  designs  of  Italy  and  France)  prevailed 
through  all  the  styles,  whether  Tudor.  .Jacobean- 


*  "Gairlens  Old  and  New."  Cuuntiii  Life  Jllvxlrated, 
20,  Tavistock  Street,  Ci>vent  Ganieii,  and  George  Xewnes, 
London,  1001.    Price  £■>  2s. 


146 


THE     GARDEN. 


[March  2,  1901. 


French,  Palladian,  or  Dutch.  The  book  is  a 
remarkable  example  of  the  success  that  can  be 
obtained  by  the  most  skilful  reproduction  of  a 
large  series  of  photographs,  most  of  them  bj'  one 
who  is  a  true  artist.  No  better  gift  book  could 
well  be  imagined. 


THE   FRUIT  GARDEN. 

THE  BEURRE   BOSC  PEAR 
IN   AMERICA. 

ON  page  .307  of  the  last  volume  of 
The  Garden,  in  the  article  on 
"Stewing  Pears,''  is  the  following 
reference  to  our  celelirated  Bosc 
Pear,  which  1  cannot  let  pass 
without  protest :  "  Beurre  Bosc, 
a  common  market  Pear,  the  fruits  being  long, 
russet,  and  of  good  size,  but  of  very  poor 
quality  when  ripe."  This  estimate  of  quality 
is  so  greatly  at  variance  with  every  record  we 
have  in  America  that  I  am  wholly  unable  to 
account  for  its  veracity.  We  regard  the  Bosc 
as  one  of  our  finest  Pears  of  its  season,  and 
this  is  the  very  first  word  of  dissent  that  has 
ever  come  to  my  notice.  All  poniological 
authorities  agree  upon  the  high  character  of 
this  grand  Pear.  Downing  gives  it  "  unquali- 
fied praise."  "  Always  perfect,  melting,  but- 
tery, rich,  and  delicious,"  he  says.  The 
American  Poniological  Society  rates  it  among 
the  best,  and  showers  it  with  stars  all 
throughout  the  American  States.  Thus  when 
1  find  it  listed  among  ''  stewing  Pears,"  as 
this  writer  has  it,  I  am  utterly  ))uzzled  to 
frame  any  details  that  could  .justly  lead  to 
such  a  conclusion.  Could  he  have  mistaken 
the  fruit  ?  His  brief  description  of  its  ai)pear- 
anoe  would  seem  to  dispel  that  notion.  Under 
what  conditions  were  his  specimens  gi'own  ? 
And  by  what  standard  does  he  .judge  of 
quality  ?  Questions  like  these  seem  to  shower 
around  me  in  menacing  rapacity  as  I  read  his 
statement. 

Why,  in  this  country  we  cannot  get  enough 
of  the  Bosc  to  .stew,  and  I  do  not  believe  any- 
body has  ever  tried  to  stew  it.  They  usually 
cost  from  .■>  cents  to  10  cents  apiece  on  the 
fruit  stands,  and  would  thus  make  a  pretty 
e.xpensive  stew  at  that  price.  Perhaps,  indeed, 
the  Bosc  is  a  very  poor  Pear  when  xteired.  If 
this  is  what  the  writer  means,  my  cpiarrel  is 
ended,  because  I  have  no  knowledge  of  that 
condition.  But  to  eat  as  Nature  hands  it  to 
us,  give  me  the  Bosc  every  time  in  its  season. 

I  present  herewith  a  true  outline  of  an 
average  specimen  grown  in  my  garden, 
tliinking  it  may  be  of  interest  to  readers  of 
The  Garden. 

The  Bosc  is  a  Belgian  Pear,  having  origi- 
nated with  Dr.  A'an  Mons,  that  noted  pomolo- 
gist  of  Belgium,  who  was,  perhaps,  the  greatest 
authority  on  Pears  known  t(j  history.  It  was 
produced  in  1807,  but  was  not  disseminated 
until  .some  years  later.  The  great  fruit  man  is 
said  to  have  regarded  it  as  one  of  his  choicest 
and  most  valuable  ])roductions.  The  tyjje  is 
distinct,  and  unlike  others  of  the  Pear  family. 
In  .shape  and  size  it  is  without  a  rival.  What 
an  ideal  pyriform,  and  how  hand.some  it  is. 
This  form  is  so  marked  and  so  firmly  fi.xed  that 
any  deviation  in  a  single  specimen  must  be 
regarded  as  a  deformity  and  the  result  of 
unnatural  conditions.  It  is  also  uniformly 
large,  smooth,  and  regular.  The  skin  is 
thickly  overlaid  with  russet,  and  there  is  no 
hint  of  deception,  no  appeal  to  the  eye  by 
glowing  colour  to  deceive  the  palate,  even 
when  fruit  is  thoroughly  ri])e  and  ready  for 
eating.     In  fact,  thei-e  is  not  a  single  deceptive 


fibre  in  the  Bosc  Pear.  If  this  be  against  it  in 
the  pulilic  markets  where  "  all  is  gold  that 
glitters  and  things  are  not  what  they  seem, "  so 
much  the  worse  for  the  market  and  the 
deluded  consumers. 

The  Garden  writer  speaks  of  it  as  a 
"  common  market  Pear."  If  he  means  that 
the  English  markets  are  well  supplied  with  the 
variety  it  is  more  than  we  can  say  here.  The 
fact  is,  it  is  always  scarce  in  our  markets,  for, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  most  of  our  lai'ge 
growers  are  either  unfamiliar  with  it  or  not 
fully  impressed  with  its  true  value  :  but  it  will 
always  be  found  in  the  garden  of  the  intelligent 
amateur,  who  rarely  spares  any  for  the  market. 
The  tree  is  healthy  and  productive,  though  not 
an  early  bearer,  which  doubtless  accounts  in 
some  measure  for  its  scarcity  in  the  average 
orchard  here,  where  early  crops  and  cjuick 
returns  are  allowed  t<.i  overshadow  every  other 
feature  to  the  steady  deterioration  of  markets 
and  taste.  The  wood  is  strong,  dark-coloured, 
and  handsome,  and  the  habit  of  the  tree  is 
excellent.  It  bears  regularly,  and  the  fruit  is 
uniformly  large,  smooth,  and  free  from  knots 
or  blemish  of  any  kind  ;  nor  is  it  subject  to 
scab,  crack,  or  mildews  Upon  the  Quince  stock 
it  requires  double  working  for  best  results. 

It  will  be  seen 
that  compared 
with  Downing's 
typical  outline 
my  fruit  is  some- 
what broader  at 
the  base  and 
more  like  the 
shape  given  by 
Thomas,  which 
is,  I  think,  the 
more  accurate 
outline  as  we 
now  have  it.  The 
flesh  is  firm,  rich, 
melting,  slightly 
l)erfumed,  and 
delicious,  being 
devoid  of  any 
strong  pecu- 
liarity which  re- 
([uires  an  edu- 
cated palate  to 
appreciate.  It 
is  also  a  .good 
keeper. 

Aside  from 
this  startling 
estimate  of  the 
Bosc  Pear,  the  ai'ticle  alluded  to  contains  many 
suggestions  of  value  and  imiiortance  on  the 
subject  of  stewing  Pears.  There  does  seem  to 
be  a  transformation  in  texture  and  flavour 
gained  \)y  this  culinary  jirocess  which,  though 
not  easily  explained,  enables  us  to  utilise  fruit 
that  would  otherwise  be  nearly  worthless.  In 
fact,  certain  varieties  named  can  scarcely  be 
eaten  at  all  in  the  uncooked  state — Vicar  of 
Winkfield,  for  instance  ;  smooth  and  fine  as  it 
grow.s,  I  have  never  found  it  fit  to  eat  raw 
though  ripened  under  the  best  conditions. 
And  yet  it  seems  to  me  that  fruit  wholly 
immature  cannot  well  be  entirely  wholesome 
in  any  form  ;  it  should  be  at  least  nearly  or 
i|uite  grown,  and  the  use  of  matured  fi'uit  before 
the  softening  or  mellowing  i)rocess  has  begun, 
will,  I  think,  give  us  the  best  results.  But,  of 
course.  Dame  Nature  knows  best  how  to  serve 
her  luscious  fruits,  and  the  Pear,  as  it  conies 
from  the  tree  ripened  and  mellowed  while  wait- 
ing our  good  pleasure,  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 
We  can  well  trust  her  to  complete  her  work. 

The  Anjou  is  another  autumn  Pear  that  is 
regarded  as  of  great  value  in  this  country,  and 


OUTLINE     OK     EEUEKE     T.OSC 
PEAR,    TO    SHOW    FORM.       RE- 
DUCED   ABOUT    ONK-HALF. 


I  was  glad  to  see  it  so  highly  commended  Viy 
your  corre.-^pondent,  ]\Ir.  Coomber,  on  page  4:^7. 
While  it  is  grown  more  larijely  than  the  Bosc, 
and  is  coming  into  market  in  fair  suii])l.v  of 
late  years,  it  is  still  unknown  to  many  gardens 
here.  Like  the  Bo.sc,  it  is  not  endowed  with 
brilliant  exterior,  and  thus  fails  to  catch  the 
popular  e.ye  :  but  to  the  initiated,  its  smooth 
and  chubby  green  skin  sjieaks  modestly  and 
eloquently  of  the  sprightly  and  luscious 
interior.  Our  lamented  .Marshall  !'.  Wilder, 
founder  and  president  of  our  American  Pomo- 
logical  Society,  said,  if  compelled  to  select  any 
single  variety  which  he  preferred  to  all  other 
Pears  it  would  be  the  Anjou.  It  is  filled  with 
.juice  of  a  vinou.s,  sprightly  flavour,  and 
agreeably  aromatic.  "  Large,  regulaily  ovate, 
greenish  yellow,  with  occasional  ]iatches  of 
russet,"  that  fairly  describes  it  in  this  countr.y 
as  well.  The  stem  is  very  short,  thick,  and 
fleshy,  set  in  a  moderate  cavity  ;  calyx  small, 
open  and  stitt'  in  a  contracted  basin.  It  is 
especially  valuable  for  its  long-keejiing  quali- 
ties, and  a  most  luscious  and  refreshing  fruit 
under  any  conditions.  The  tree  is  vigorous 
and  reliable  and  very  productive.  It  is  an 
upright  grower,  with  thick  shoot.s,  and  it  is 
easily  distinguished  from  other  sorts  by  its 
light  green  bark  and  general  habit— a  French 
Pear,  I  think,  and  one  of  general  merit, 
deserving  wide  cultivation.  W.  HENnnicKS. 
Ki)ii/.tt(/i/.,  jYi'ir  Tor/,-,  I'.S.A. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

FLOWERS     FOR     POOR 
BORDERS. 

BORDERS  are  occasionally  found  in  old- 
world  gardens  that  were  planted  years 
ago  with  deciduous  and  evergreen 
shrubs  and  trees  of  small  growth  that 
at  the  present  time  monopolise  almost 
all  the  availaljle  space.  Thej*  are 
often  somewhat  rare  and  (when  they  have  been 
judiciously  treated)  e.xcellent  specimens,  in  which 
case  any  removals  are  decidedly  objected  to  :  at 
the  same  time  a  suggestion  is  often  made  that 
what  space  is  available  should  be  made  bright  with 
flowers.  This  is  by  no  means  the  easj'  matter  it 
may  appear  to  those  who  make  such  suggestions, 
for  shrubs  long  established  are  gross  feeders,  and 
the  ground  in  their  vicinity  is  naturally  verj'  poor. 
I  have  a  border  of  this  character  some  (id  yards  by 
4  3'ards  partiallj'  filled  with  specimens  of  Chion- 
anthus  virginicus.  Asimina  triloha,  deciduous  Mag- 
nolias, with  rare  Hollies,  Buxus  balearica,  Candle- 
berry  Myrtles,  &c.,  with  the  largest  Fterocarya 
caucasica  in  England  some  'JO  yards  away,  a 
combination  that  draws  ever}'  ounce  of  goodness 
from  the  border,  for  of  all  hungry  and  persistent 
feeders  the  I'terocarya  is  easily  first.  1  will  name 
a  few  flowers  that  M'ill  do  fairly  well  under  these 
conditions,  and  if  any  reader  of  The  (!akdk.\  can 
suggest  others  I  shall  be  much  obliged.  Antir- 
rhinums are  about  the  best,  and  varieties  of 
vigorous  habit — those  w-hich  under  generous  treat- 
ment will  throw  their  spikes  toa  considerable  height 
—  sliould  be  selected.  Sisyrinchium  striatum  is  a 
capital  plant,  and  it  shows  to  great  advantage 
against  clumps  of  dark-IUnvercd  Antirrhinuiu. 
Anthemis  tinctoria  grows  and  flowers  well  at 
about  lialf  the  height  it  attains  in  good  soil. 
Clumps  of  Montbretias  associated  with  occasional 
plants  of  (Jypsophylla  are  also  an  interesting 
feature.  Some  of  the  Liiiaiias,  asalpina,  dalinati('a, 
repens,  and  Linnm  narbonense  also  do  very  fairly. 
CIdnliliiiil.  ¥..  BllKRELI.. 

CACTUS  DAHLIAS. 

The  last  season  was  a  good  one  for  Cactus  Didilias. 
My  plants  produi'cd  an  cnnriiHuis  i|iianlity  of 
llowers,  being  covered  with  bloom   until   well  into 


March  2,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


147 


November.  Among  new  varielie.s,  Mrs.  J.  .J. 
OrovvB  stands  pre-eminent.  Tlie  flowers  are  deli- 
cate sulpluir  yellow,  and  of  the  true  Cactus  shape, 
almost  resembling  a  clirj'santhemum  :  it  also  has 
the  merit  of  being  free-flowering  and  of  excellent 
habit.  Innovation  is  the  newest  of  the  bicoloured 
Cactus,  following  in  the  wake  of  Araohne  and 
Clown,  and,  although  smaller  than  either  of  these, 
is  a  pretty  and  suitable  little  flower  for  vase 
decoration,  and  attractive  in  the  bunch.  What  a 
pity  Araehne  hangs  it  head  so  badly,  otherwise 
no  more  distinct  Cactus  Dahlia  exists,  either  for 
colouring  or  for  shape.  It  has  a  little  tricl;  of 
sporting  from  its  normal  colours  of  red  and  white 
to  a  pure  red,  but  this  does  not  detract  greatly 
from  its  value  in  nn^  estimation. 

The  bicoloured  Cactus  varieties  are  slow  in 
making  their  appearance,  but  one  hopes  for 
beautiful  things  in  this  way,  and  there  is  no 
reason  wh3'  we  should  not  in  the  near  future  see 
as  exquisite  combinations  of  colour  in  the  Cactus 
section  as  are  to  be  found  in  the  old  fancy  Dahlias. 

Green's  White,  introduced  last  year,  is  undoubt- 
edly the  best  white  Cactus  up  to  date,  although  it 
is  not  such  an  enormous  advance  on  the  useful 
JSIrs.  Peart  as  one  might  expect.  Its  principal 
merit  is  its  free-flowering  habit  and  long  season  of 
bloom  (it  opened  with  me  before  any  other  Dahlia). 
A  valuable  point  also  about  it  is  the  stiff  nature 
of  the  flower-stalks.  Of  Red  Rover  I  cannot  speak 
too  highly  :  it  is  a  flower  of  noble  dimensions, 
brilliant  colouring,  and  perfect  shape,  and  it  has 
a  great  future  as  a  border  plant,  being  covered 
with  huge  flowers  well  above  the  foliage,  and 
'showing  conspicuously  in  the  distance.  Of  older 
border  varieties  Magnificent  and  Standard  Bearer 
should  both  be  largely  used  ;  the  colours  are  good, 
and  the  plants  simply  a  mass  of  well-displaj'ed 
blossom. 

Of  the  popular  dark-flowered  section  I  find 
Ebony  to  be  the  most  useful  when  well  grown. 
Uncle  Tom  is  a  flower  of  splendid  shape  and 
colour,  but  not  so  free  or  so  large  as  Ebony. 

Of  other  Cactus  Dahlias  favourites  of  mine  are 
Charles  Woodbridge  (purple-red),  Marj'  Service 
(heliotrope-bufi'),  Britannia  (creamy  butf,  of  unique 
shape).  Bertha  Mawley  (bright  cherry  red — what  a 
pity  we  cannot  get  this  colour  in  the  newer  shapes), 
and  I  may  mention  that  a  bloom  of  the  Clown 
(brick  red  and  white)  is  alwaj's  attractive  in  a 
mixed  bunch.  What  one  particularly  likes  about 
the  Cactus  Dahlia  is  that  improved  varieties  are 
always  being  added.  Certain  other  flowers  have 
arrived  at  a  pitch  of  perfection  which  it  seems 
florists  despair  of  improving  upon,  but  ever^' 
season  shows  a  distinct  advance  in  Cactus  Dahlias. 
A  friend  said  one  day  that  he  preferred  the  old 
double  show  Dahlia  to  the  Cactus  varieties, 
because  he  liked  old-fashioned  flowers.  What  a 
pity  that  such  false  sentiment  should  exist.  To 
the  well-trained  e^'e  surely  there  can  be  no  com- 
parison between  the  old  globular  forms  and  the 
flowers  of  the  newer  Cactus  Dahlia. 

Bye.  F.  H.  E. 

■     THE  AQUILEGIA  FAillLY. 

[To  THE  Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  am  desirous  of  forming  a  complete  collection 
of  every  known  species  and  variety  of  Aquilegia. 
With  this  end  in  view,  I  have  obtained  from  various 
sources  the  following  seeds  : 


Aquilegia  alpina 

,,  ,,      superha 

,,  ,,     atroctLTuIea 

.    ,,        artica  =  formosa 
,,        bicolor  llore-pleno 

=  sibirica  var. 
,,        bicolor  flore-pleno 

rubra 
,,         californica  =  trun- 

cata 
,,  ,,         hybrida 

,,         canadensis 
,,         cuerulea 
,,  ,,        lutea 

,,        ehrysantha 
,,  ,,  grandi- 

fluia  alba 

and  various  mixed  packets  of  hybrids  from  Mr. 
R)bertson,  Aberdeen,  Mr.  Bath,  of  Wisbech,  &c. 
Will  you  kindly  give  me  a  full  description' of  each 


Aquilegia  caryuphylloides, 
ttore-pleno 
Durandi,     flore- 
pleno 
,,         glandulosa 

,,  vera 

,,         Munstead     White 

=  vulgaris  var. 
,,         uivea    grandirtora 

=  vulgaris 
,,        spectabilis 
,,        Stuarti 
,,         Skinneri 

A^eitch's  hybrids 
,,        servaneana,      fol. 
variegata 


of  the  above,  describ- 
ing habit,  colour  of 
flowers,  <fcc. ,  and  also 
give  me  a  list  of  all  the 
known  species  and 
varieties  of  Aquilegias 
not  named  in  the  above 
list,  with  a  descrip- 
tion, if  possible,  and 
where  I  shall  be  alile 
to  obtain  seeds  or 
plants?  Is  there  any 
book  dealing  specially 
with  Aquilegias  'i 
W.  C.  G.  Ludford. 

THiiColumbine  family, 
which  is  found  scat- 
tered over  the  whole 
of  the  norl  h  temperate 
zone,  is  an  important 
one,  both  as  regards 
the  number  of  species 
comprised  in  it  and 
the  charming  growth 
of  the  individual.  They 
form  one  of  the  most 
attractive  features  of 
the  garden  during  the 
late  spring  and  summer 
months,  having  quite 
a  distinct  character  of 
their  own.  According 
to  the  Kew  Index  the 
genus  consists  of  some 
six  ty-fivespecies, many 
of  which  are  very  rare 
or  have  not  3'et  been 
introduced  to  cultiva- 
tion in  this  country.  [ 
In  the  following 
descriptive  list  the 
species  are  arranged  ^ 
according  to  the  geo- 
graphical distribution 
of  the  family. 
European   Aquile- 

GI.4S 

A .  alp ina.  —  The 
Alpine  Columbine  is 
one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful of  the  whole 
genus.  The  true  plant 
is  not  common  in  gar- 
dens,   as   forms  of  A. 

vulgaris  often  do  duty  for  it.  It  is  a  slender  growing 
perennial,  with  stems  about  1  foot  high,  bearing 
two  to  three  flowers,  which  are  usually  of  a  bright 
lilac-blue  or  rarely  white.  The  sepals  are  H  inches 
long,  and  more  than  half  as  broad.  The  petals  are 
half  as  long  as  the  sepals,  and  often  tipped  with 
white.  The  short,  stout  spurs  are  more  or  less 
incurved,  and  about  as  long  as  the  lamina  of  the 
petal.    A  native  of  the  mountains  of  Central  Europe. 

A.  Amaliw. — Near  A.  vulgaris,  but  less  robust, 
with  slender,  pubescent  stems  ;  sepals  whitish  or 
lilac  tinted,  half  an  inch  long  ;  petals  paler  ;  spurs 
shorter  than  lamina  of  petal,  stout,  and  a  little 
thickened  at  the  tip.  Native  of  the  Alpine  region 
of  the  Thessalian  Olympus. 

A.  Bertoloiii. — Slender,  with  pubescent  stems 
1  foot  high,  two  to  three  flowered  ;  flowers  bright 
blue  ;  very  close  to  A.  pyrenaica,  but  the  sepals, 
which  are  oblong  and  1  inch  in  length,  are  not  so 
broad  and  more  acute  than  in  the  above  species. 
A.  Reuteri  and  A.  pyrenaica  var.  decipiens  are 
synou3'ms  of  this  plant.  Native  of  the  Alpine 
region  of  Eastern  France  and  Northern  Italy. 

A.  einxeliana  (A.  Bauhini). — Of  slender  habit, 
6  inches  to  12  inches  high,  branching  :  flowers 
several,  borne  on  long  peduncles  ;  sepals  bright 
lilac,  half  an  inch  long  ;  petals  as  long  as  sepals, 
pale  blue  or  white  ;  spur  slender,  nearly  straight, 
not  swollen  at  the  tip.  On  limestone  in  Switzerland 
and  Central  Europe. 

^4.  Kitaiheli. — A  distinct  plant,  intermediate  in 
character,  between  A.  Bertoloni  and  A.  einseliana. 
Native  of  Austria. 
A.  Olhoiiit. — Very  close  to  A,  Amalia^ ;   sepals  I 


A   COLONY    OF    AQUILEillA   CIKRULEA. 


Native  of 


and  petals  blue,  with  a  green  margin, 
the  mountains  of  Peloponesus. 

A. pyrenaica. — ThePyrenean  Columbine  is  dwarf, 
with  a  slender  pubescent  stem,  varying  from  a  few 
inches  to  1  foot  in  height :  flowers  one  to  three  on 
a  stem  ;  sepals  bright  blue,  ovate,  1  inch  long ; 
petals  half  as  long  as  sepals,  rounded  at  the  top  ; 
spur  slender,  nearly  straight,  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  long,  slightly  knobbed  at  the  tip.  Native  of 
the  Pyrenees  to  the  exclusion  of  true  A.  alpina. 

.-1.  thaliclrijoUa. — Slender,  with  very  distinct 
foliage,  reminding  one  of  a  Thalictrum  :  sepals 
oblong,  bright  blac-blue,  half  an  inch  long  ;  petals 
about  as  long  as  the  sepals,  rounded  at  the  top  ; 
very  like  A.  einseliana  in  flower,  but  the  foliage  is 
quite  distinct.  Native  of  the  calcareous  rocks  of 
the  Tyrol.  , 

A.  ritrota. — Slender  pubescent  stem,  1  foot  high, 
three  to  five  flowered  ;  sepals  oblong,  blue-lilac  ; 
petals  as  long  as  sepals  ;  spur  short  and  stout, 
incurved  with  a  knob  at  the  end ;  very  near  vulgaris, 
to  which  it  has  been  referred  by  some  authorities. 
Native  of  south-eastern  France. 

A.  nthjaria. — The  common  Columbine  varies  from 
H  feet  to  2  feet  in  height,  the  many-flowered  stems 
being  finely  pubescent  towards  the  top  of  the 
plant.  Tlie  colour  of  the  flowers  is  generally  bright 
lilac  or  light  or  dark  purple,  sometimes  white  ; 
sepals  ovate,  1  inch  long,  half  as  broad  ;  petals 
nearly  as  long  as  sepals,  rounded  at  the  apex  ; 
spur  stout,  much  incurved,  with  a  knob  at  the 
end.  Forms  of  this  species  occur  throughout 
Europe,  also  extending  into  Siberia.  The  following 
are   some  of   the  varieties  :    Var.  atratu  (A.  nigri- 


14S 


THE     GAEDEK. 


[MAUCTf   .-,    16t/l. 


cans). — A  form  with  small  dark  purple  flowers. 
Central  Europe.  Var.  Bernanli. — Tall,  three  to 
seven  flo\pered ;  slender  spur  of  petal  not  more  than 
half  as  long  as  lamina.  Corsica.  Var.  nirea. — A 
form  with  white  flowers.  ]'ar.  paraplcsia. — With 
large  dark  violet  flowers.  Transylvanian  Alps. 
Var.  plat y.iepaia. — The  sepals  of  this  form  are 
shorter  and  more  obtuse  than  in  the  type. 
Var.  Steriihergi  (A.  haenkeana). — A  dwarf  alpine 
form  with  small  leaf  divisions  and  bright  lilac- 
purple  flowers,  larger  than  in  tlie  type.  Central 
Europe.  Tar.  ■^uha/pina.  — With  the" foliage  of  the 
type  and  flowers  of  Sternbergi.  Pyrenees  and 
mountains  of  Central  France.  ]'ar.  tramilranica. — 
Similar  to  A.  Sternbergi,  except  that  the  wlule 
plant  is  glabrous.  Flowers  bright  blue.  Tran- 
sj'lvanian  Alps. 

(  To  he  contimied. ) 


Heracleum  mantegazzianum. 

In  the  year  1892  two  botanists  living  at 
Florence— Mr.  iS^.  Levier,  a  doctor  of  medicine, 
of  Swiss  birtli,  and  ]\Ir.  Sommier,  a  French 
amateur  —  explored  the  Central  Caucasus, 
traversing  the  range  from  Koutais  to  Batal- 
pachinsk.  The  aim  of  their  travels  was  a 
botanical  exploration,  and  it  resulted  in  the 
discovery  of  a  good  number  of  species  new  to 
science.  Several  of  these  were  of  horticultural 
interest,  and  we  have  grown  them  in  the  Jardin 
Alpin  d'Acclimatation,  viz.  : — 

Audrosace  raddeana  Potentilla  foliosa 

Anemone  alpina  var.  aurea  ,,  Levieri 


Autlierais  macroglossa 
Artemisia  sericea 
Astragalus  Sonimieri 
Carlina  longicanlis 
Chanixmelon  lupestre 
'  oiydalis  glareosa 
Echinops  raddeanus 
Geum  latifulinm 
Oiiaphaliuni  caucasiciim 
Heracleum  t'reynii 

,  mantegazzianum 

,,  caueasicum 

,,  glabratum 

,,  pachyrrhizum 

Hypericum  Sommieri 
.Turinea  pnniila 
Omphalodes  Lojkce 
Potentilla  adjarica 

A  considerable  number  of  species  have  not 
been  determined  or  described,  as  they  were 
collected  in  the  form  of  seed  only.  The  seeds 
have  been  sown  in  the  .Jardin  Alpin  dAcclima- 
tation  at  Geneva,  and  later  will  be  cultivated 
in  the  garden  of  La  Linnaja  at  Bourg  St. 
i-'ierie,  where  there  is  a  space  of  rock  garden 


,,  Sommieri 

,,  svanetica 

Ranunculus  abchasicus 
,,  ginekubolus 

,,  Sommieri 

Rosa  svanetica 
Sa.\ifi*aga  caucasica 
,,         coreifolia 
,,         purpurascens 
,,         scleropoda 
Scabiosa  eorrevoniana 
.Senecio  conipes 

,,       platyphylloides 
,,       primuUefolius 
Silene  kubanensis 
,,      subuniflora 
Vincetoxicum  scandens,  etc. 


specially  reserved  for 
the  plants  of  the  Cau- 
casus. Many  of  them 
have  done  very  well, 
but  none  has  produced 
such  an  effect  as  the 
soon- to -be -renowned 
Heracleum  mantegaz- 
zianum (Sommier  and 
Levier),  on  account 
of  its  gigantic  propor- 
tions and  its  monu- 
mental aspect.  This 
plant  in  our  (.ieneva 
garden,  or,  rather,  in 
its  auxiliary  depart- 
ment at  Lancy  (for  it 
is  too  large  to  find 
space  at  Plainpalais), 
has  given  superb  re- 
sulls.  It  is  certainly 
the  largest  species  of 
its  genus,  and  one  of 
the  finest  plants  for 
an  isolated  position. 
Our  plants  are  grown 
from  seed  collected 
in  the  Caucasus  on 
the  banks  of  the 
Sekon,  in  Abkhasia. 
They  were  sown  in  the 
spring  of  1893  and 
did  not  vegetate  till 
1894,  but  already  in 
1896  we  obtained  in 
our  garden  at  Lancy 
a  specimen  whose 
stem  was  8  feet  high 
and  whose  umbel  had 
a  diameter  of  4  feet, 
the  leaves  being  3  feet 
long  from  the  base  of 
the  petiole  to  the  tip 
of  the  leaf. 
According     to    Dr. 


WERACLEUM    MASTEli A7.ZIANUM    IN    A    PRIVATE  GARDEN    IN    ITALY. 


Levier,  to  whom  we  sent  a  portion  of  the 
umbel,  the  plant  must  have  borne  some- 
thing like  10,000  flowers.  It  supplied  us 
with  the  seed  which  we  were  able  to  dis- 
tribute to  the  trade  and  to  amateurs,  and 
also  to  its  discoverers,  JNIessrs.  Levier  and 
Sommier,  who  grew  it  at  Florence  and  at 
Bormio.     In    the  latter  place   it   assumed    an 


altered  character,  for,  instead  of  having  very 
large  leaves  and  a  tall  stem  bearing  a  single 
umbel,  the  stem  was  shorter  and  divided  from 
the  base  with  a  much  greater  number  of 
umbels. 

The  description  of  this  remarkable  plant  has 
appeared  in  the  Nuore  Gionuih'  Botanico 
Itnliaiio,  vol.  ii.,  Aiiril,  189."),  where  it  is  stated 
to  be  the  giant  of  an  already  very  large  race, 
and  also  one  of  the  handsomest  of  its  genus. 
Its  cultivation  is  an  easy  matter.  It  likes 
deep,  rich  soil  that  is  cool  and  damp.  It  is 
only  in  these  conditions  that  it  will  attain  its 
greatest  size,  but  even  in  those  that  arc  less 
favoui-able  it  will  do  fairly  well.  We  have 
observed  that  the  finest  plants  are  tho.se 
whose  roots  have  not  been  in  any  way  cut 
or  mutilated,  and  especially  whose  tap-root  is 
uninjured.  It  is  best  to  avoid  transplantation  ; 
the  finest  plants  are  those  that  are  self-sown. 
Henry  Correvon. 


HEKArr.KU.M    .MANTI';i!AZZIANi;m    AT    HOME    IN    THH    AUKHASIAN    <'AIirASUS. 


NOTES     ON     LILIES. 

LILIUM     TESTACEUM. 

ADELICHTFUL  Lily  is  this  and  seen 
at  its  best  when  grouiicd  in  the 
manner  .so  well  jiortrayed  recently 
(p.  108)  in  The  C!  auden!  Apart  from 
its  beauty,  the  fact  that  it  succeeds 
so  well  in  most  gardens  is  another 
great  point  in  its  favour,  for  no  s]iecial  care  and 
attention  are  needed.  Thanks  to  the  various 
horticultnial  )iiiblicrttions,lintinorei)articularly 
to  TliK  (lAiiDEN,  the  cultural  rei|iiireineiits  of 


Makcu   2,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


140 


tlie  ditf'oi'ent  Lilies  are  luucli  better  understood 
than  they  formerly  were,  such  knowledge 
having  created  a  considerable  demand  tor 
what  may  be  regarded  as  good  kinds  ;  indeed, 
1  have  been  assured  by  dealers  in  these  subjects 
that  the  demand  for  this  Lily  since  the  recent 
publication  of  the  analysis  in  The  Garden 
has  been  very  great.  When  in  bloom  there  is  no 
other  Lily  with  which  this  can  be  confounded, 
the  colour  of  the  flower  being  a  peculiar  yet 
remarkably  jileasing  shade  of  nankeen  or  buif, 
acainst  which  the  bright  coloured  anthers  stand 
out  very  consiiicuously.  Beside  the  specific  | 
name  of  testaceum,  it  is  .sometimes  known  ' 
as  Isabellinuui  and  excelsum.  When  in  good 
condition  this  latter  name  is  not  at  all  an 
inappropriate  one,  for  though  this  Lily,_as  with 
all  the  rest,  varies  according  to  situation  and 
otlier  jiarticulars,  it  will  run  uji 
to  a  height  of  (i  feet  or  7  feet. 
These  tall  stems,  though  sufK- 
ciently  stout  to  carry  the  large 
head  of  blossoms,  are  not  at  all 
stiff,  swaying  as  they  do  with  a 
gentle  breeze.  The  leaves  are,  as 
a  rule,  maintained  until  the 
flowering  season  is  over,  and  on 
this  account  it  is  well  adapted 
for  growing  in  pots,  while  as  . 
the  blossoms  are  pleasantly  and 
not  at  all  powerfully  scented  it 
can  be  used  for  decorations  in 
confined  places,  where  some  Lilies 
would  on  this  account  be  in- 
admissible. Though  generally 
regarded  as  a  hybrid  between 
L.  candidum  and  L.  chalcedoni- 
cum,  the  origin  and  early  history 
of  this  Lily  seems  to  be  doubtful. 
In  a  publication  leoently  brought 
under  my  notice,  viz.,  "  Mono- 
graphic Historique  et  Litteraire 
>des  Lis,  par  Fr.  de  Cannart 
d'Hamale,"  published  at  Malines, 
liSTO,  the  writer  says  this  Lily 
was  first  discovered  by  M.  T.  Ad 
Haage,  jun.,  of  Erfurt,  among  a 
large  consignment  of  bulbs  of 
L.  Martagon  that  he  had  received  -. 

from  Holland   in  1836.     It  was 
introduced  into  Belgium  by  „ 

M.  L.  Van   Houtte,  of    Ghent, 
who    received     a    boxful    from 
M.  Von  Weissenborn,  of  Erfurt, 
in  exchange  for  some  Fuchsias  in  1840  or  1841 
It   passed   from   Belgium   into   England,   anc 
flowered  for  the  first  time  here  in  1842  with 
Messrs.    Rollisson,    of     Tooting,    being    then 
figured    by    Dr.    Lindley    in    the     Botanical 
Register.     The  writer  goes  on  to  suggest  that 
this  Lily  may  have  been    in    the  first   place 
received  from  .Japan,  and  if  originally  of  hybrid 
origin  puts  forward  as  the  supposed  parents  a 
white   Lily,  fertilised   by  pollen   of    L.  pom- 
ponium.     Though  the  above  was  written  over 
thirty  years  ago,  we  know  practically  nothing 
more  of  the  early  history  of  this  Lily  than  we 
did  then.  T. 


are  18  inches  long  and  ;3i  inches  to  4  inches 
wide,  tapering  from  the  middle  to  a  fine 
point.  The  upper  surface  is  of  a  deep  lustrous 
green,  whilst  the  lower  one  is  tinged  with  a 
<;lauco\is  hue.     At  one  time   \  was  inclined  to 


AN    ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK. 

BAMBUSA    TESSELLATA, 

THERE  are  two  hardy  Bamboos  that 
stand  out  conspicuously  from  all 
the  rest  because  of  the  size  of  their 
leaves.  They  are  the  species  here 
figured  —  Bambusa  tessellata  and 
B.  palmata  —  both  of  which  have 
leaves  much  larger  than  those  of  any  other 
hardy  species.      In   B.   tessellata  the  largest 


(|uite  so  large  as  B.  tessellata  nor  so  tapering, 
its  stems  are  taller  (•")  feet  to  7  feet),  the  habit  is 
more  erect,  and  the  lon;;itudinal  veins  of  the 
leaf  are  more  prominent.  'I'here  is  a  mass  of 
]i.  tessellata  in  the  Hamboo  garden  at  Kew 
just  now  at  its  best — as  green  and  luxuriant  as 
it  was  last  August.  The  plant  measures  aVjout 
12  feet  across,  and  the  main  Vjulk  of  its  .stems 
and  loaves  is  about  3  feet  high,  forming  a  dense 
mass,  the  outer  stems  of  which  arch  outwards 
to  the  ground  ;  but  rising  out  of  this  mass  are 
some  of  last  year's  sjjiky  growths,  bearing  one 
or  two  leave.s,  and  these  add  infinitely  to  the 
grace  and  distinction  of  the  ]ilant. 

In  many  gardens  this  Bamboo  used 
to  be  (and  may  now  be)  known  as 
Bambusa  or  Arundo  Ragamowski.  This 
ast  name  is  the  one  under  which  it 
was  known  in  English  gardens  more 
than  fifty  years  ago."  It  was  probably 
the  first  of  the  hardy  Asiatic  Bamboos 
introduced.  Thanks  mainly  to  Mr. 
Freeman  -  Mitford's  "  The  Bamboo 
Garden,"  the  nomenclature  of  the  hardy 
Bamboos,  both  in  trade  and  private 
establishments,  is  much  more  satisfac- 
tory than  it  was  five  years 
ago.  W.  .1.  Be,\n. 

Arljoretiiiii,   Keiu. 


FLORAL  EXHIBI- 
TIONS. 


BAUliUSA    T£SSEI,L.WA. 
(Fron  a  drau'ii}r!  maffi  at  !\cw  by  U.  G.  Moon.) 


consider  B.  palmata  the  best  of  the  large-leaved 
Bamboos,  but  now  I  would  give  the  palm  to 
B. .tessellata.  B.  palmata  is  a  fine  Bamboo, 
but  it  scarcely  has  the  graceful  character  of 
the  present   species.     Its    leaves  are  neither 


In"  view  of  the  near  approach 
of  the  season  when  horticul- 
tural societies  usually  arrange 
the  prize  list.=i  for  summer 
e.xhibilions,  it  may  be  appro- 
priate to  invite  attention  to 
one  or  two  suggestions  which 
may  perhaps  be  regarded  as 
improvements  on  past  arrange- 
ments. Having  visited  many 
floral  displays,  almost  to  weari- 
ness through  their  uniformitj', 
1  cannot  call  to  mind  having 
seen  any  competition  for  col- 
lections of  dried  flowers  and 
grasses.  As  these  are  alwa3s 
welcome  for  home  decoration, 
a  stimulus  to  their  production 
and  artistic  arrangement  could 
very  readilj'  be  given  b}'  the 
introduction  of  classes  for 
them  at  the  flower  shows, 
which  at  the  same  time  would 
be  a  means  of  extending  the 
knowledge  of  the  varieties 
best  suited  to  their  use. 

In  the  cut  flower  classes 
there  is  a  tendenc3'  amongst 
committees  to  pay  exclusive 
attention  to  flowers  having 
size,  form,  and  colour,  as  if 
these  were  the  only  points 
of  attraction.  Whatever  the 
cause  may  be,  the  result  is 
that  many  flowers,  not  only 
pleasing  to  the  eye,  but  per- 
forming also  another  equally 
important  service,  do  not 
receive  at  the  hands  of  the 
exhibition  fraternity  the  re- 
cognition they  deserve.  Take, 
for  instance,  the  queen  of 
flowers  —  the  Rose.  Some 
varieties  have  all  the  charm 
of  form  and  colour,  but  are 
scentless,  while  others,  equally 
fine,  reward  their  patrons 
with  delightful  perfume,  yet  the  show  prize 
lists  take  no  note  of  the  superior  merits  of  the 
latter.  Flowers  yielding  perfume  have  a  distinct 
and  just  claim  for  recognition  in  classes  speci- 
ally   allotted     to    them        A    similar    distinction 


150 


THE  GARDEN. 


[Maucii   2,  1901. 


might  with  advantage  be  given  to  plants  beariiig 
perfumed  foliage.  This  section  requires  further 
development,  and  is  capable  of  rendering  much 
useful  service,  although  hybridisers  paj'  it  scant 
attention. 

Another  point  to  notice  is  the  present  uu- 
satisfactor3'  method  of  displaying  cut  blooms, 
iiany  iiowers,  although  beautiful  in  themselves, 
seem  bereft  of  much  of  their  charm  by  being  staged 
minus  their  own  foliage.  As  exhibitors  generally 
limit  the  number  of  Howers  allowed  to  develop  on 
the  growing  plant,  tliere  is  no  reason  why  a 
niinimuni  quantity  of  stalk  and  foliage  should  be 
displa3'ed  on  the  show  table. 

In  the  case  of  the  Rose,  a  change  iu  the  character 
of  llie  class  may  be  requisite.  Probably  if  more 
encouragement  were  given  to  the  display  of  growing 
plants,  the  case  ^vould  be  partially  met,  and  with 
the  certainty  tliat  many  unprolific  varieties  would 
be  discarded.  In  amateurs'  exhibitions,  and  where 
such  is  practicable,  a  class  might  be  arranged  tor 
a  collection  of  plants  of  one  species  only,  including 
■  both  garden  and  wild  varieties.  This  idea  if 
carried  out  would,  of  course,  be  educational,  as 
persons  who  are  not  advanced  gardeners  would  at 
least  be  able  to  ol:)serve  for  themselves  that  the 
natural  and  peculiar  local  conditions  under  which 
the  wild  varieties  thrive  furnish  a  clue  in  man}' 
instances  to  the  treatment,  soil,  and  position  best 
adapted  to  garden  varieties  of  tlie  same  race. 

W.  H.  Wharton. 
Woodland  Areiiic;,  Crem, 


WORKERS     AMONGST     THE 
FLOW^ERS. 

Mi;.  JAMES  DOUGLAS,  V.M.H. 

ACCEDE  v^itli   pleasure  tf)  the  wish  of 

my   old   friend,   James   Douglas,   to  be 

his   l)rief    biographer   in    tliat   line    of 

liis    life   whieli   is   in   touch    with   The 

Garden   series   of    "  Worlcers  Amongst 

the  Flowers." 

He  could,  1  linovv,  have  written  it  himself, 

and  with  that  glow  of  colour,  life,  and  fresh- 


ness that  may  easily  be  wanting  under  the  more 
distant  form  of  "  the  indirect  narration,"  which 
gives  only  a  sort  of  "  hortus  .s/ccw,s"  vie\v  of  a 
friend,  wherein,  innocently  speaking,  he  is  "  cut 
and  dried.'' 

James  Douglas  has  had  the  double  advantage 
of  being,  both  by  natural  taste  and  training, 
ae(|uainted  with  the  ways  of  plant  life.  At 
the  age  of  twelve  that  love  became  uncon- 
trollable, and  there  was  but  a  snudl  village 
front  garden  in  \vhich  to  indulge  it,  a  veritable 
;r.s  iinr/Hsta  doini.  However,  with  a  near 
relative  at  Hendersyke  Park,  Kelso,  he  sa\v  a 
good  deal  of  garden  work,  and  chose  as  his 
first  love  in  plants  the  Pansy  and  the  Pink. 
The  classical  Auricula  was  also  an  early 
favourite  ;  such  a  winsome  flower  tliat  it  has 
been  both  first  and  last  with  some  good  old 
Horists,  and  1  think  will  have  to  stay  with  us 
both  so  long  as  hand  and  eye  can  work. 

James  Douglas  was  intended  for  a  school- 
master, but  being  confessedly  self-willed,  said 
he  would  not,  and  hence  in  lufil  was  sent  to 
Mr.  H.  Tait's  nursery  in  Kelso.  There,  a  daily 
walk  both  ways,  imposed  a  day  of  fourteen 
hours  from  home,  for  a  period  of  three  years. 
At  Kel^o  there  was  a  collection  of  edged 
Auriculas,  at  ^Ir.  James  Tait's,  of  Edenside. 
Here  my  friend  was  smitten  with  devout  love 
for  that  fair  flower,  and  from  associations  there 
he  brought  the  happy  name  of  "  Edenside  "  to 
his  own  grounds  at  Great  Bookham. 

From  Edenside  of  the  North,  he  went  to 
Newtondon,  under  an  old-time  gardenei",  Mr. 
William  Thorn,  where  were  grown  Hcillyhocks, 
l)ahlias,  Pioses,  Pinks,  Carnations,  Pans'ies,  and 
other  plants  — all  well  done. 

For  the  sake  of  learning  more,  Mr.  Douglas 
went  to  The  Raith,  near  Kirkcaldy,  and  there 
met  with  Mr.  John  Laing,  who  had  then 
begun  a  good  work  in  cross-fertilisation  at 
Dysart,  the  seat  of  Lord  Rosslyn.  Mr.  Douglas 
longed  to  attempt  similar  work,  but  ilr.  Laing 
left,  and  started  the  London  branch  of  Downie 


U.NE    0]'    MH.    1)(]1j(;[,ASS    CAJi.NATION    HOl.'SKS    AT    CllKAT    l!OOKIJ.\JI, 


!  and  Laird,  with  Mr.  Laing  as  partner.     After 
three    years    win-k    at    Busbridge    Hall,    Mr. 
Dougla.s,   in    1.8(i3,   became   head   gardener   t<i 
Mr.  Francis  Whitbourn,  of  Lo.xt'ord   Hall,  up 
j  to  the  time  of  that  gentleman's  death,  iiilsss  : 
j  after  that  he  remained  other  nine  years  in  Mr.s. 
Whitbourn's  .service,  a  grand  total  of  thirty- 
four  years.      Here  it  was  that  1  first  knew  Mr. 
Douglas,  who  was  afterwards  with   the   same 
family  at  Great  Gearies,  and  enjoyed  the  same 
never-failing  kindness  through  all  that  tract  of 
time.     Some  few  years  before  the  end  of  it,  he 
had  bought  a  few  acres  of  good  land,  and  built 
I  himself  a  hou.se  :  but  finding  it  impo.s.sible  to 
I  do    justice    to     lioth    places,    he    reluctantly 
resigned  Great  Gearies. 

It  barely  needs  a  word  of  mine  to  testify  to 
the  all  round  skill  of  Mr.  Douglas  in  horti- 
culture, illustrated  by  leading  prizes  in  the 
high  class  fruits,  such  as  Pine  Api)les,  Grape.s, 
and  Peaches  ;  and  among  plants,  Orchids, 
greenhouse  plants,  Hyacinths,  Narcissus,  and 
such  like. 

Again,  it  needs  not  my  testimony  to  the 
trustworthiness  of  his  ])ractical  writings  iu  the 
horticultural  jiress,  a  work  long  .sustained  and 
wrought  in  many  branches. 

I  am  thinking  for  the  moment  of  his  luqiers 
on  Orchids,  to  which  in  my  earlier  years  witli 
those  wondrous  plants  1  was  much  indebted. 
He  has  also  published,  in  book  form,  a  treatise 
on  the  cultivation  of  "  Hardy  Florist  Flowcr.s,'' 
and  on  the  "  Carnation  and  Picotee,'' combining 
with  a  sufficiency  of  cultural  instructions,  the 
recognised  standard  of  classical  properties  in 
each  of  the  old  round  in  the  floral  loves  of  old 
time  ttorist.s. 

Jlr.  Douglas  is  a  rare  instance  of  a  head 
gardener  on  a  large  .scale  who  would  take  to, 
and  persevere  in,  or  be  granted  an  opportunity 
with  almost  forgotten  florist  flowers.  In  the 
Auriculas  he  has  done  long  and  good  and 
patient  service  ;  and  from  seedlings  of  his  own 
raising  has  produced  flowers  able  to  compete 
successfully  with  such  as  remain 
with  us  of  the  best  varieties  of 
bygone  years.  . 

But  in  the  Auricula — it  is  the 
same  with  all  of  us  who  grow  it 
— much  more  is  possible  and 
stiU  remain.s  to  lie  done.  The 
golden  i-ule  that  "no  man  should 
hoe  his  own  Turnips,"  lest  he 
leave  them  too  thick  iu  the  row.s, 
is  very  applicable  to  the  raiser 
of  .seedling  florist  flowers.  He 
can  scarcely  be  too  strict  with 
them. 

So,  too,  in  the  Carnation  anil 
Picotee,  Mr.  Douglas  has  done 
valiantly,  as  in  the  Auricula. 
May  I,  however,  lie  pardoned  if 
I  ,say,  as  an  old  florist,  of  a  strict 
old  .school,  in  wliich,  alas  !  so 
many  of  the  "old  boys"  are  taken 
from  amongst  us,  that  I  have 
seen,  among  Carnations  and 
Picotces  of  a  newer  school, 
things  that  would  have  horritied 
our  elder.s. 

I  said  to  a  wholesale  grower 
of  these  po|iular  types— not  Mr. 
I  )ouglas  —  "  Why  these  mops  ; 
These  crowded,  ilistorted,  con- 
fused, and  'strajipy'  jietals  f 
Surely  such  are  not  good 
form  !  "  "Well,"  he  replied, 
"  you  see  we  go  iu  for  colour 
mainly.''  So  the  old  order 
cliangetli  !        It     n.sed      to     be, 

ijil     i/iiin/     f'nr/ll   mill    rn/iillix    H'lH 

riiine. 


March  2,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


151 


Mr.  l^onglas  also  grew  for  a  wliile  the  Florist 
Tulip,  i.e.,  of  the  types  shown  by  members  of 
the  Uoyal  National  Tulip  Society.  But  I 
think  from  his  not  having  at  liberty  the  means 
for  higli  finish  of  these  highly  .susce[itible 
flowers,  lie  would  wisely  rather  not  do  a  thing 
at  all  than  not  do  it  well. 

It  was  during  a  railway  journey  with  some 
northern  fiorists  that  Mr.  Douglas,  in  1876, 
started  the  idea  of  a  southern  section  in  the 
National  Auricula  and  in  the  National  Carna- 
tion and  Picotee  Societies,  which  have  thriven 
so  fairly,  and  now  ,so  surpass  the  northern 
sections,  in  number  of  their  members,  and 
cousecjuently  in  the  quantity  of  dust  and  ashes 
laid  up  at  their  bankers. 

At  first  we  had  hoped  to  join  mutually  in 
bringing  flowers  to  either  show,  but  only  in 
very  few  years  could  e.Ktrenies  meet.  For  the 
Ivoyal  Auricula  cannot  be  succes.sfuUy  hurried 
on  at  all,  nor  can  the  florist  Carnation  be 
drawn  out  with  credit  to  it.  Neither  can 
the  Tulip— of  higher  rank  and  propertie.s 
than  the  ill-fated  "toy  "sorts,  grown  only 
to  be  forced,  and  potted,  and  soap-boxed, 
and  cut  and  thrown  away  —  be  played 
with. 

These  florist  attributes  may  be  some- 
times tiresome,  but  they  command 
respect. 

Francis  D.  Horner,  V.M.H. 

Burton- in- Lonsdale. 


to  arrest  it,  for  it  is  now  moat  active,  making  its 
reappearance  again  during  autumn.  Kspeciallj' 
after  the  plaut.s  have  been  houserl  a  free  circula- 
tion of  air  should  always  be  maintained,  a.s  a  close, 
stagnant  atmosphere  ia  most  favourable  to  its 
development,  ll;  ia  surprising  with  what  rapidity 
it  spreads  when  allowed  to  go  unchecked.  At  the 
present  lime  1  know  of  two  collections  which  are 
badly  infested,  and  if  ours  were  in  the  same 
condition  I  should  not  hesitate  to  burn  the  whole 
lot  and  make  another  start  with  a  health}'  batch, 
taking  care  to  keep  them  well  awa}'  from  the 
structure  in  which  the  aftected  ones  had  been 
growing.  This  can  be  done  at  the  present  season, 
but,  of  course,  it  is  out  of  the  question  after  the 
growth  is  completed  in  autumn. 

Dec^orative  Kinds, 
which  have    been    rooted    several    in  3-inch  pots, 
should  now  be  potted  off  singlj'  into  SA-inch  pots, 
using    the   same    kind  of    compost  aa  advised  for 
other    kinda  in  the  same  stage.        A    cold    frame 


pots,  pot  on  into  3-inch,  and  finally  into  their 
flowering  pots.  These  should  be  stopped  three 
times  and  disl)ud(led,  as  advised  for  the  larger 
plants,  and  these  are  particularly  well  suited  for 
conservatory  and  house  decoration.  Choose  tlio.se 
varieties  with  a  natural  tendency  to  stand  erect 
when  in  flower.  Elise  Dordan  is  a  Hrst-rate  kind 
for  this  mode  of  treatment.  K.  Beckett. 

Aldcnhaiii  HdiiKc.  (larihnx,  El.^lrip,  Hert'i. 


GARDENING    OF    THE 
WEEK. 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

Treatment  or  New  Varieties. 

NEW  and  scarce  kinds  ordered 
from  tlie  various  nurserymen 
as  rooted  plants  will  shortly 
be  in  the  hands  of  the  culti- 
vator, and  these  will  for  a  time 
require  careful  treatment.  As 
a  rule  the  plants  are  sent  out  without  pots 
or  soil,  for  the  convenience  of  packing  and 
eaa}'  transit,  tienerally  speaking,  the  3'oung 
plants  have  been  propagated  and  subjected 
to  a  strong  heat,  consequently  they  muat 
be  tenderly  nursed  for  a  time,  until  new 
roots  are  made  and  the  planta  become 
tlioroughly  established.  These  should  be 
unpacked  in  a  warm  potting  shed  or  house. 
Pot  into  well-drained  3-inch  pots,  using  a 
light  sandy  compost,  and  place  in  a  tempera- 
ture of  about  5.1°  and  keep  close  for  a  few 
ilays.  Damp  over  head  often,  and  never 
allow  the  foliage  to  Hag  if  possible, 
(iradually  introduce  to  more  light  and 
air,  when  in  a  short  time  these  will  be  in 
a  tit  state  to  arrange  with  the  general  codec 
tion.  Examine  the  new  comers  minutely  for  any 
trace  of  the  dreaded 

Post. 

Man}'  a  clean,  healthy  collection  has  been  ruined 
by  new  introductions.  Should  the  slightest  trace 
be  discovered,  pick  off'  ever}'  affected  leaf  and 
burn  it.  Isolate  the  plants  from  all  others,  and 
syringe  with  paraffin  and  water  in  a  tepid  state 
every  ten  days.  This  should  be  thoroughly 
mixed,  and  used  at  the  rate  of  a  wine  glass  of 
paraffin  to  four  gallons  of  soft  water.  One 
syringeful  should  be  discharged  vigorously  into 
the  vessel  containing  the  mixture,  and  the  next 
sprayed  over  and  about  the  foliage.  This  will 
ensure  it   becoming   thoroughly  mixed. 

In  my  opinion,  paraifin  is  i^he  best  and  surest 
remedy  yet  discovered  for  eradicating  this  dreaded 
fungus,  and  I  venture  to  say  if  this  is  persistently 
used  rust,  if  not  entirely  stamped  out,  will  be 
held  in  check,  so  that  little  damage  will  result. 
It  is  at  this  season  that  means  should    be   taken 


JIK.    ,7AMES    DOUULAS,    V.M.H. 

will  now  suffice  for  those  which  should  be  kept 
close  for  a  short  time  until  the  plants  recover 
from  the  slight  check  they  must  necessarily  receive. 
If  for  any  reason  this  section  has  not  been  pro- 
pagated there  is  yet  time  tor  so  doing,  though 
such  good  results  can  hardly  be  expected  as  when 
the  cuttings  are  rooted  in  February,  especially 
when  large  bush  plants  are  required.  When 
striking  at  this  season  the  cuttings  should  be 
inserted  singly  in  24-inch  pots,  and  every  facility 
afforded  them  to  strike  and  grow  away  freely. 

Pompon  and  Pom  con  Axejiones 
ought  now  to  be  ready  for  repotting  into  3-inch 
pots,  and  when  they  have  reached  the  height  of 
about  4  inches  the  points  should  be  picked  out, 
which  is  best  done  about  a  week  or  ten  days  after 
potting.  This  section  makes  useful  and  attrac- 
tive little  plants  when  grown  and  flowered  in 
ti-inch  pots,  especially  when  suitable  varieties  are 
selected  for  the  purpose.  March  is  the  best  time 
for  striking  the  cuttings.     (Strike  singly  in  2i-inch 


KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

The  wintry  weather  of  the  past  fortnight  will 
have  considerably  delayed  many  operations  in 
this  department,  and  left  much  ground  work 
untouched.  Advantage  ahould  be  taken  of  such 
weather  to  push  forward  all  preparatory  work, 
such  as  sharpening  a  plentiful  supply  of  Pea 
sticks  in  readiness  for  future  requirements,  looking 
over  Carrot  stores.  Unions,  &c.,  so  that  when  the 
frost  has  gone  none  of  this  kind  of  work  will 
remain  to  be  done. 

About  Potatoes. 
Potato  .sets  may  be  laid  out  singly  in  a 
cold  shed  where  the  frost  is  merely  excluded  ; 
here  the  tubers  will  keep  firm,  and  what 
little  growth  they  do  make  will  be  sturdy. 
The  sets  for  early  planting  are  much  better 
advanced  in  this  way  than  in  heat,  aa  they 
receive  no  check  when  placed  in  the  ground, 
the  aim  at  all  times  being  to  obtain  a  few 
new  Potatoes  from  the  open  ground  as  early 
in  the  season  as  possible.  A  few  ma}'  now 
be  planted  at  the  foot  of  a  south  wall  or 
in  a  sheltered  border,  where  protection  can 
be  given  in  case  of  spring  frost.  No  manure 
will  be  necessary,  but  the  soil  must  be  light 
and  open  ;  if  wet  and  cold,  a  .spit  may  be 
taken  out  and  replaced  by  some  old  potting 
soil,  road  scrapings,  &c.,  with  a  sprinkling 
of  wood  ashes.  In  this  way  the  time  of 
lifting  may  be  hastened  by  eight  or  ten 
days.  In  gardens  situated  in  low-lying, 
damp  districts  the  planting  of  large  quanti- 
ties ahould  be  deferred  till  April,  as  by 
so  doing  the  ill  effecta  of  frost  are  avoided 
and  good  results  obtained.  The  distance 
between  the  sets  must  depend  on  the  habit 
of  the  variety  planted  and  the  richness  of 
the  soil.  For  Ashleaf  varietiea  S  inches  will 
be  sufficient  for  the  first  planting,  but  for 
strong  growing  kinds  12  inches  or  14  inches 
will  be  found  to  give  better  results.  For 
the  first  planting  Veitch's  Improved  Ash- 
leaf, Sharp's  Victor,  and  White  Beauty  of 
Hebron  are  good  trustworthy  sorts.  As  soon 
as  the  young  shoots  make  their  appearance 
they  nuist  be  carefully  protiected  from  frost 
and  cold  wind  by  sprinkling  long  litter  or 
Fern  over  them  at  night. 
TuRNirs. 
The  first  sowing  of  Turnips  should  be 
made  (as  soon  as  the  state  of  the  soil  will 
permit)  on  a  south  border  or  other  sheltered 
position  where  the  soil  is  of  a  light  sandy 
nature.  Stiff,  retentive  soil  is  unsuitabfe 
for  the  cultivation  of  well-flavoured  Turnips. 
No  matter  what  the  variety  may  be,  it  not  only 
reduces  the  quality  of  the  bulb  but  renders  it  more 
likely  to  run  to  seed  than  if  sown  on  a  light  rich 
soil,  where  it  can  be  grown  without  a  check. 
Seed  may  be  sown  in  drills  9  inches  apart  and 
1  inch  deep,  and  covered  lightly  with  the  feet  from 
each  side,  and  a  wooden  rake  passed  over  the 
border  to  give  it  a  neat  ajjpearance.  Early  Snow- 
ball is  a  good  kind  for  the  early  sowing  in  the 
open  ;  it  is  slow  to  run  to  seed,  the  flesh  is  sweet 
and  tender,  and  the  bulb  is  of  fine  shape. 
Sprinkle  frequently  with  soot  and  lime  as  soon  as 
the  young  plants  appear  above  the  ground  or  the 
birds  may  clear  the  crop  in  a  few  days.  As  soon 
as  sufficiently  advanced  the  seedlings  ma}'  be 
thinned  to  (i  inches  apart,  and  the  hoe  run  through 
the  drills  to  keep  them  free  from  weeds.  A  sowing 
of  Early  Milan  may  be  made  in  a  cold  frame,  to 
come  into  use  in  advance  of  those  above  mentioned  ; 
they  may  be  sown  broadcast  and  thinned  to  4  inches 
apart.     Avoid  sharp  changes  in  the  temperature  by 


152 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[March  2,  1901. 


giving  plent}'  of  air  at  all  times,  and  never  allow 
the  bed  to  become  dry  or  failure  is  sure  to  follow. 
Dry  soil  i.s  one  of  the  most  fertile  causes  of  running 
to  seed,  and  must  be  avoided.  -T.   IH'XN. 

I'oyal  Kitchm  G'lrden-:,    Wliiijfor. 

THK    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

HoLLVHOCKS. 

Named  varieties  of  Holl3'hocks  worked  up  from 
offsets  liave  been  so  much  subject  to  the  ( )range 
fungus— a  practically  incurable  disease— of  late 
years  that  their  cultivation  has  been  entirelj-  given 
up  in  many  gardens.  Personally  I  do  not  regret 
the  loss  of  tliese  named  varieties,  which  were 
generallv  chosen  because  so  double,  as  seedlings 
raised  aiid  treated  as  biennials  are  far  less  subject 
to  disease,  and  may  be  depended  on  almost  with 
certainty  to  give  a  good  display,  even  though 
thev  niay  lose  a  few  of  their  lower  leaves. 
Seedlings,  too,  come  almost  true  to  colour.  The 
present°is  a  good  time  to  plant  in  their  permanent 
positions  such  seedlings  as  have  been  raised  from 
seed  sown  outdoors  in  the  early  part  of  last 
summer.  The  soil  should  be  rich  and  well  dug, 
then  the  spikes  will  be  tall  and  strong. 
Roses. 
The  proper  lime  to  plant  Roses  is,  without 
doubt,  November  :  but  spring  planting  may  also 
be  successfully  carried  out  provided  a  little  extra 
care  in  the  matter  of  watering  and  mulchmg  is 
taken.  The  results  then  will  be  almost  as  good. 
For  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  however,  no  time  should 
now  be  lost,  as  most  of  these  flower  in  June  and 
have  no  second  flowering  season,  so  it  is  necessary 
to  establish  them  early.  Teas  wintered  in  pots  or 
bought  in  from  a  nursery  should  be  reserved  for 
planting  in  April,  so  that  they  may  escape  the 
cutting  winds  of  March,  which  often  destroy 
precocious  shoots  which  spring  from  the  bases  of 
the  plants,  and  which  shoots,  if  preserved,  would 
make  good  and  strong  flowering  growths.  A  good 
rich  root  run  should  be  provided  for  all  Roses,  and 
the  soil  in  planting  should  be  trodden  firmly  around 
the  roots,  which  should  also  be  buried  somewhat 
deeply,  so  that  the  collar  of  each  plant  is  well 
below"  the  soil.  This  induces  the  real  Rose  plant 
to  root  and  to  become  independent  of  the  slock  on 
which  it  is  budded. 

MUNTERETI.VS. 

Probably  these  useful  bulbous  plants  would  be 
more  often  seen  in  good  condition  if  they  were  not 
quite  so  hardy,  for  then  we  should  be  inclined  to 
lift  and  store  them  like  Gladioli,  the  tufts  of 
growth  would  never  become  congested,  and  better 
dower  spikes  would  be  more  often  seen.  Owing 
to  the  smallness  of  the  corms  and  their  absolute 
unrest,  storing  safely  is  not  easily  done,  but  we 
may  at  least  lift  the  clumps  annually,  select  the 
strongest  corms,  and  replant  them  in  fairly  rich 
sandy  soil.  The  first  break  of  winter  is  the  best 
time  to  carry  out  this  lifting  and  replanting. 
Continental  growers  have  been  improving  these 
plants  of  late  years,  and  have  raised  many  with 
large  and  well-coloured  flowers  ;  they  have  also 
improved  the  size  of  the  spikes,  so  that  one 
should  not  now  be  content  with  the  old  M.  Pottsi 
and  M.  crocosmiieflora  only.  A  recent  article  in 
The  Garden  may  be  read  with  a  view  of  choosing 
the  best  forms,  and  will  prove  interesting  to  those 
who  wish  to  see  what  has  been  done  in  the  way 
of  improvements  within  the  past  twenty  years. 

J.  C.  Tai.i.ack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardeim,  Derby. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

HYDRANliEAS. 

Hvdrancea    HORTENST.S    and    H.    Thomas 


Hogg 


having  been  wintered  till  now  in  a  cold  frame 
should  be  introduced  to  more  comfortable  quarters 
with  a  view  to  their  being  forced.  Make  the  plants 
and  pots  neat  by  removing  decayed  leaves  from 
the  former  and  scrubbing  the  latter  ;  if  the  plants 
were  properly  prepared  last  season  they  will  soon 
show  flower  ;  a  little  farmyard  liquid  manure  with 
a  dash  of  soot  alternately  with  Clay's  Fertilizer 
should  then  be  used.  Hydrangea  pauieulata  grandi- 
flora  having  also  lieen  standing  in  the  open  gruniul 


should  be  shortened  back  to  within  2  inches  of  the 
old  wood  and  straightway  put  into  a  vinery  or 
Peach  house  that  is  started".  The  growths,  as  they 
appear  and  when  sutticiently  large  to  enable  one  to 
see  which  are  the  best  placed  and  strongest, 
should  be  thinned  out  to,  say,  five — if  the  stool  is 
a  strong  one — to  a  (i-inch  pot,  stand  near  the  glass, 
and  as  this  and  all  other  Hydrangeas  are  subject 
to  green  fly  fumigating  once  fortnightly  should  be 
practised. 

LiLlU-MS. 

Both  L.  Harrisi  and  L.  e.ximium  having  made 
satisfactory  growth  should  have  a  neat  green- 
painted  stick  placed  to  each  and  the  growth 
secured  thereto  ;  green  fly  is  also  troublesome,  and 
should  lie  kept  in  check  by  the  simple  method 
advised  in  this  calendar  ;  heat  and  moisture,  with 
plentj'  of  light,  are  most  essential.  Gardenias 
and  Ixoras  now  rooted,  and  up  till  now  located  in 
the  propagating  case,  may  be  turned  out  and 
potted  up  singly  into  small  pots  ;  peat,  loam,  leaf- 
soil,  and  sand  in  equal  parts  sliould  be  employed, 
and  when  potted,  and  space  will  permit,  thej' 
should  be  returned  to  their  former  quarters,  where, 
with  bottom  heat  and  moist  conditions  generally, 
they  will  soon  make  a  start,  when,  if  the  position 
is  required,  thej'  may  the  sooner  be  taken  out, 
stood  near  the  glass,  and  when  3  inches  of  top 
growth  is  made  they  should  have  the  mere  top 
removed.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  (jardenii,  Roehnmplon. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Early  Figs  in  Pots. 
The  earliest  forced  trees  during  the  past  few 
weeks  have  not  made  much  progress.  With  pot 
trees  there  is  often  too  much  fruit  left  at  the  start, 
but  this  is  not  wise.  It  is  much  better  to  have  a 
smaller  number  of  good  fruits  than  a  lot  of  small 
ones.  This  latter  remark  applies  to  such  kinds  as 
the  St.  .John's  and  Pingo  de  Mel,  for  these  two 
varieties  force  more  freely  than  older  kinds.  At 
this  stage,  pot  trees  started  in  December  will  now 
need  food  freely  in  the  shape  of  fertilisers  or 
liquid  manure.  At  no  time  should  the  trees  suffer 
for  want  of  water,  and  this  is  more  needful  now 
with  fruits  approacliing  maturity  than  at  any  other 
season,  as  if  at  all  dry  the  fruits  drop  badly. 
Less  syringing  will  suffice  as  the  fruits  approach 
maturity,  but  the  house  should  be  kept  moist,  the 
floors,  &c. ,  being  damped  twice  daily.  The  second 
growths  must  be  kept  closely  stopped  at  three  or 
four  joints  above  the  fruits,  and  any  weak  spray 
growth  be  rubbed  oft'.  Temperatures  may  be  more 
liberal  in  the  day  during  sun-heat,  but  60'  or 
a  few  degrees  more  at  night  are  high  enough.  As 
soon  as  the  fruits  are  cleared  the  trees  shoulil  have 
a  good  top-dressing,  and  will  then  perfect  the  new 
wood  made. 

Figs  in  Borders. 
My  sncoejsion  crop  to  follow  pot  trees  are  pro- 
duced on  old-  trees 
at  the  back  of  early 
vineries.  I  get  some 
very  good  fruit  at 
the  upper  portion  of 
the  house,  but  the 
Vines  are  not 
allowed  to  grow  too 
close  to  them.  Old 
trees  forced  yearly 
fruit  freely  treated 
thus.  There  can  be 
no  question  but  that 
Brown  Turkey  is  the 
most  valuable  and 
most  reliable,  but 
there  must  be  no 
crowding  of  wood, 
and  close  stopping 
is  essential.  Abun- 
dance of  moisture  is 
needed  by  trees  liear- 
ing  a  full  crop,  with 
occasional  supplies 
of  food  a.s  advised 
above  for  pot  trees. 
There  is  iioditliculty 


whatever  in  securing  t« o  crops  from  trees  on  ba<li 
walls,  as  whilst  the  first  crop  is  maturing,  if  close 
stopping  is  attended  to,  the  second  crop  is  forming. 
Should  the  trees  be  at  all  gross,  omit  giving  manures 
and  give  more  ventilation  and  less  moisture.  The 
temperature  for  early  A'ines  will  .suit  the  Fig. 
Should  rust  attack  the  foliage,  as  is  sometimes  the 
case,  do  not  syringe  overhead  for  a  time  ;  keep  the 
house  cooler  and  avoid  draughts,  and  it  may  be 
necessary  to  slightly  shade  tlie  trees  for  a  short 
time.  Scale  also  is  a  troublesome  pest,  but  this 
should  be  kept  clear  of  the  trees  by  thorough 
winter  cleansing  when  the  growth  is  at  rest. 

Later  Trees. 
These,  started  early  in  the  spring,  will  produce 
fine  fruits  in  the  summer  if  not  forced  too  hard. 
Any  pruning  and  cleansing  should  lie  done  before 
the  trees  are  trained,  and  in  the  case  of  permanent 
trees  it  is  well  to  dispose  the  branches  thinly  so 
that  the  fruits  are  not  crowded.  Any  root-pruning 
or  top-dressing  should  be  done  at  this  dale.  The 
former  is  a  necessitj'  wilh  trees  growing  very 
strongly  and  giving  few  fruits.  Fill  in  near  the 
roots  with  a  compost  speciallj'  prepared,  such  as 
good  loam  with  a  liberal  proportion  of  old  mortar 
rubble  and  wood  ashes,  the  soil  being  well  rammed 
as  it  is  placed  in  position.  In  no  case  shoutd 
manures  be  employed,  as  food  is  best  given  in  a 
liquid  state  or  as  a  top-dressing  when  tlie  trees  are 
perfecting  their  fruits.  Now  is  a  good  time  to 
propagate  young  stock  from  eyes  or  buds,  the  same 
as  is  adopted  for  Vines  from  well-matured  wood. 
It  is  surprising  how  quickly  good  trees  may  be 
grown  from  eyes  struck  in  March,  ai  advised 
above.  G.  WvTiiES. 


ORCHIDS. 


NOTES    ABOUT    WARM 
ORCHIDS. 

4  MONGST    these    are    the    Zygopetalums, 

/%  BoUea,  Batemannia,  Pe.scatorea,  Hunt- 

/  %  Icya,  Promenanx,  and   VVarsoewiczella. 

/      \        Of  the  Zj'gopetalunis  the  most  beauti- 

/         %       ful     are     Z.      Patini,     Z.      meleagris, 

Z.  daj'ana,  Z.  klabochorum,  Z.  Wallisi, 

Z.  Burti,  and    Z.    Burti    Pitt's   variety,  which    is 

superb.       The    cultivation   of    Zygopetalums    was 

at   one   time   difficult,    but    now,    owing    to  their 

requirements  being  better  understood,  they  grow 

and   flower   freel}'  in   most   collections.      Bolleas, 

Batemannias,  and   Pescatoreas   revel  in  a   warm, 

humid  atmosphere,  the  temperature  ranging  from 

60°  to  b.')"^  by  night  and  TO'-''  by  day  during  winter 

by  fire-heat,  and  b.i'^  to  70"  by  night  and  70"  to 

75*  by  day   during  spring,  summer,  and  autumn, 

the  tempeiature  rising   consideralily  above    these 

figures  by  sun-heat.     The  plants,  thougli  lovers  of 

light,  should  1  e  we  1 
shaded  from  the  rays 
ut  llic  .-,aii  al  all 
times,  for,  if  allowed 
to  shine  direct  upon 
the  foliage  for  Init 
,1  sliort  time  only, 
t  will  cause  the 
leaves  to  turn  yellow 
and  give  the  plants 
an  unlieaUliy  appear- 
ance. Tlie  plants 
sliouUl  occupy  a  posi- 
tion near  the  glass, 
]ierfectl\'  free  from 
ilraught  of  any  kind. 
.\ir  should  be  care- 
fully admitted  lo  the 
house  by  the  lower 
ventilators  on  all 
I'avourablcoccasions. 
A  little  air  may  be 
admitted  by  the  top 
ventilators  on  excep- 
t  ion  ally  hot  and 
■itill  days  during 
summer. 


coiiErKov.i-:  i.niii'c.i'iiiirM  wican's  \'akiktv  (KEiircKhi. 


1 


March  2,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


D.J 


During  sumim-'V  and  when  growing  freely  an 
abundance  of  wafer  should  be  applied  to  the  roots, 
and  even  during  winter  as  soon  as  tlie  compost  is 
becoming  dry.  Tjightly  spray  the  plants  overhead 
morning  and  afternoon  during  summer  ;  at  other 
seasons  once  on  bright  days  will  be  sufficient. 
During  winter  the  practice  should  be  discontinued. 

Repotting  of  the  plants  may  take  place  at  any 
time  of  the  year  providing  they  are  in  the  right 
stage,  that  is,  when  the  young  growths  are  a  tew 
inches  long  and  emitting  new  roots  from  their 
bases.  Raise  the  plants  a  little  above  the  rim  of 
the  pot  and  place  very  little  material  about  their 
roots.  Peat  and  sphagnum  moss  in  equal  propor- 
tions form  the  most  suitable  compost. 

Propagation  is  easily 
effected  when  the  young 
growths  are  a  few  inches  long 
and  emitting  new  roots  from 
their  bases.  The  rhizome 
should  be  severed,  and  the 
young  growths  taken  there- 
from and  placed  singly  in  pots. 
The  back  growths  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  pots 
undisturbed,  which  will  in 
time  produce  other  young 
growths. 

F.  W.  Thurgood. 

Rox/<lyn  Gardens, 

Stamford  Hill,  N. 


hybrids    between   V.    bellatuUnn    and   C.    niveiuii. 
These  would  include  C.  Oodfroya'  leucochilum. 

Shortly  after  this  period  plants  that  had  been 
artificially  fertilised  between  the  aliove-named 
species,  and  proved  to  be  identical  with  C.  God- 
fro3'a',  flowered  in  different  trade  and  private  estab- 
lishments. At  the  Temple  show  in  18i)7  Mr. 
Statter  showed  a  plant  under  the  name  of  C. 
conco-bellatulum,  which  was  also  stated  to  have 
been  artificially  raised.  This  struck  me  at  the 
time  as  being  remarkably  like  the  yellow  ground 
forms,  one  of  which  had  been  previouslj'  certifi- 
cated as  C.  (iodefroya?  leucochilum  aureum.  I 
have  since  had  opportunities  of  compari.son,  and 
I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  bnt  that  the  yellow 


C  Y  P  E  I  P  E  D  lU  M 
GODEFKOYtE  LEU- 
COCHILUM. 

The  native  habitat  of  this 
natural  hybrid  has  never  been 
clearly  divulged,  but  there  is 
no  doubt  that  it  is  to  be  found 
in  quantities  and  in  some 
out-of-the-way  station,  as 
proved  by  the  unfavourable 
condition  in  which  the  plants 
reach  this  country.  I  have 
seen  several  importations,  all 
of  which  have  come  through 
private  sources,  but  in  all  the 
importations  only  a  small 
percentage  of  plants  have  had 
sufficient  life  to  induce  them 
to  grow.  This  being  the  case, 
C.  G.  leucochilum  has  always 
been  a  scarce  and  much- 
sought  -  after  plant.  The 
better  forms  are  highlj' 
prized,  and  considered  by 
many  better  than  any  of  this 
section  of  Cypripediums.  C.  G. 
leucochilum  was  originally 
imported,  and  the  first  im- 
portation was  purchased  by 
the  enthusiastic  Cypripedium 
amateurs,  IVIr.  Measures,  of 
Camberwell,  and  Mr.  R.  H. 
Measures,  Streatham,  in  1890. 
The  plants  were  divided  be- 
tween them.  On  August  28, 
1891,  the  former  exhibited  at 
the  Drill  Hall  one  of  the 
plants  from  this  importation 
under  the  name  of  C.  leuco- 
chilum, which  was  then  con- 
sidered a  natural  hybrid  between  C.  (TodefroyiP 
and  G.  bellatulum.  A  few  months  after  this  I 
took  charge  of  Mr.  Measures'  collection,  and  was 
much  struck  by  the  distinctive  features  among 
this  batch  of  plants.  As  these  grew  stronger  and 
flowered  there  were  C.  bellatidum,  C.  niveum,  C. 
conoolor,  and  typical  varieties  of  C.  (iodfroya;,  as 
well  as  the  white  lipped  kinds  now  known  as  C. 
Godfroyii?  leucochilum.  I  was  so  struck  by  the 
intermediate  characteristics  of  the  different  forms 
that  when  Mr.  R.  A.  Rolfe  called  one  day  I  drew 
his  attention  to  the  possibility  of  natural  hybrids. 
He,  like  most  botanists,  was  for  a  long  time 
undecided,  but  he  ultimately  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  white  ground  forms  were  natural 


of  merit,  (hi  May  l-l,  \H<A't,  C.  G.  leu(^ochiluni 
was  exhibited  and  received  a  first-class  certificate. 
This  is  by  far  the  finest  variety  that  we  have  liad. 
The  three  above  mentioned  came  in  llie  original 
importation,  and  were  exhibited  by  Mr.  R.  I. 
Measures.  Particulars  of  these  will  1)6  found  in 
The  Garden  report  of  plants  certificated  at  the 
meetings. 

Another  remarkable  kind  is  figured  in  The 
Gardes,  vol.  liii.,  page  39— C.  G.  1.  godseftianum. 
In  the  note  accompanying  this  it  is  remarked  that 
a  fiower  was  included  in  an  Orchid  bouquet  pre- 
sented to  the  (^lueen  at  the  .Jubilee,  and,  further, 
that  the  writer  was  in  a  position  to  state  that  the 
owner  would  not  accept  £l,'JfJO  for  the  plant. 

The  subject  of  the  accom- 
panying illustration,  C.  G.  1. 
Wigan's  variety,  was  exhi- 
bited at  the  Drill  Hall  on 
June  o  last.  As  represented 
the  flower  is  three-quarters 
natural  size,  and  is  one  of 
the  most  distinct  and  pretty 
forius  we  have  seen.  The 
dorsal  sepal  is  white,  with 
some  indistinct  network  of 
purple  in  the  centre.  This  is 
reflected  through  from  the 
purple  suffusion  at  the  back. 
The  petals  are  white,  thickly 
spotted  through  the  central 
and  basal  areas  with  purple  ; 
the  lip  white,  with  numerous 
miniature  spots  ;  the  column 
white,  with  a  distinct  blotch 
of  green  in  the  centre  of  the 
disc.  The  finely-grown  plant 
carried  three  flowers  and  two 
buds,  and  came  from  the  col- 
lection of  Sir  F.  Wigan,  Clare 
Lawn,  East  Sheen  (gardener, 
Mr.  W.  H.  Young).  I  find 
that  this  section  does  best 
when  potted  in  a  compost  of 
bi'oken  tufa  stone  or  lime 
rubble,  to  which  may  be  added 
a  little  turfy  loam.  The 
plants  like  a  position  close  to 
the  roof-glass  and  also  the 
temperature  of  the  inter- 
mediate house.  Water  freely 
while  in  active  growth.  Only 
sufficient  will  be  required  to 
maintain  a  plump  condition 
of  the  leaves  during  the  rest- 
ing season. 

H.  .J.  Chapman. 


TERRACE  OF  POLLARD  BEECHES. 

ground  varieties  found  among  the  imported  plants 
have  their  origin  in  C.  ooncolor  and  C.  bellatulum. 
These  latter  do  not  possess  the  longer  flower-stalk 
that  is  found  in  the  white  ground  kinds.  The 
tassellation  on  the  foliage  is  also  lighter  above, 
the  leaves  not  so  thick  in  substance,  and  they  have 
not  so  much  purple  on  the  under  sides.  They 
form  a  most  interesting  and  beautiful  addition  to 
this  section,  and  possess  better  constitutions  than 
is  the  case  generally  with  the  C.  niveum  and  C. 
bellatulum  group.  Several  remarkable  forms  have 
been  placed  before  the  Orchid  committee  and  have 
received  recognition.  C.  Godefroya"  leucochilum 
Cambridge  Lodge  variety  and  C.  G.  1.  aureum  were 
exhibited  on  August  14,  1894,  and  received  awards 


A  Terrace  of  Pollard 

Beeches. 

Flower  -  oaeni.shed  ter- 
races are  always  beautiful 
in  gardens,  but  in  large 
places  where  flowers  are 
many  it  is  restful  to  the 
mind  and  eye  to  pass  into 
spaces  of  ordered  greenery 
alone.  Many  are  the  ways 
in  wliich  these  may  be 
designed  and  disposed,  but 
one  of  the  most  unusual 
is  that  whicli  has  been  employed  in  the 
garden  of  an  old  Tudor  house  in  Sussex, 
where  a  line  of  Beeches,  planted  close  to  the 
foot  of  a  wall,  show  bare  stems  to  nearly  the 
height  of  the  wall  and  then  are  clipped  into 
rounded  heads. 


HONG    KONG    NOTES. 

Gi;odoriiin  dilHatum. — A  native  collector  found 
this  plant  in  Hong  Kong  for  the  first  time  in  1896, 
at  an  altitude  of  upwards  of  1,'2(J0  feet.  In  the 
following  year  I  was  successful  in  collecting  it 
in  an  entirely  different  localitj',  at  about  the  same 


154 


THE    GAllDEN. 


[March  2,  ]90l. 


altitude.  In  the  middle  of  last  July  I  found  it 
again  (one  plant  only)  in  still  another  district, 
but  at  almost  sea-level.  The  flowers  of  the  speci- 
mens found  by  the  Chinaman  in  ISiW  were  white, 
with  the  e.\-ception  of  a  small  tinge  of  yellow  on 
tlie  lip,  and  when  I  was  home  in  1808  Mr.  Kolfe 
informed  me  that  he  could  not  distinguish  any 
difference  between  the  Hong  Kong  specimens  and 
those  from  Ceylon.  The  plants  found  in  hs!)7  had 
light  purple  flowers,  but  in  no  other  wa3'  differed 
from  the  t3'pe.  The  specimen  discovered  recently 
was  considerably  larger  than  any  of  those  found 
hitherto,  and  had  white  flowers.  The  two  scapes 
which  it  bore  were  upwards  of  '20  inches  in  height, 
and  were  carrying  about  two  dozen  flowers  each. 
Roxburgh,  in  "Flora  Indies,"  volume  iii.,  page 
469,  gives  a  good  description  of  the  plant,  under 
the  name  of  Liniodoruni  reeurvuni.  He  mentions 
the  length  of  the  scape  to  be  about  6  inches,  so 
that  a  plant  with  a  scape  '20  inches  in  length  must 
be  an  exceptionallj'  strong  one.  The  leaves  ai'e 
from  a  inches  to  24  inches  long,  plicated,  and 
somewhat  like  those  of   Phaius  grandifolius,  and 

proceed 
from  a 
tube  rous 
rootstock. 
The  scapes 
which  are 
decurved, 
are  pro- 
duced from 
the  side  of 
the  root- 
stock  when 
the  leaves 
are  about 
half  deve- 
loped. 
After  the 
plant  has 
matured 
its  growth 
the  leaves 
die  down. 
Chinatis  miciiiata. — So 
far  as  I  have  been  able 
to  discover,  this  plant 
is  found  in  one  locality 
onlj'  in  Hong  Kong,  and 
that  is  in  the  south-east 
part  of  the  island.  It 
was  found  and  named  b3' 
Champion  about  fifty 
years  ago,  and  I  can  find 
no  record  of  anyone  hav- 
ing found  it  in  the  island 
since,  until  I  came  across 
it  last  July.  This  appears 
rather  strange  as  it  was 
rather  plentiful  in  this 
particular  locality,  and 
when  in  flower  is  a  most 
conspicuous  object.  It 
has  been  frequentlj'  met 
with  on  the  mainland  bj- 
Mr.  Ford  and  other  col- 
lectors. I  first  noticed 
(iRAciLis  iiKDERA  HELIX,  it  alongside  the  road 
trailing  over  bushes,  but 
I  subsequently  saw  fine  specimens  which  had 
made  their  way  to  the  tops  of  trees  ?•()  feet 
or  41.1  feet  high.  The  leaves  vary  from  pinnate 
with  five  segments  to  bipinnate  (or  five  times 
ternate)  with  fifteen  segments.  The  segments 
are  ovate-lanceolate,  acuminate,  the  apex  ending 
in  a  small,  stiff  hook  (hence  the  name,  I  presume), 
glabrous  on  the  upper  and  glaucous  on  the  under 
sides,  and  about  2  inches  long  in  the  Hong  Kong 
specimens.  The  panicles  are  produced  in  the  axils 
of  the  upper  leaves  for  some  2  feet  or  3  feet  along 
the  stem,  the  whole  forming  a  magnificent  wreath 
of  bloom.  The  flowers  are  white  and  are  in- 
dividually about  U  inches  across  and 'powerfully 
scented.  '  W.  J.  TiJiriiER. 

Botanic  Gardens,  Honu  Koiii/. 


*,*  Secretaries  of  societUs  are  invited  to  xend  iwlen  of  iiimt- 
iiujs,  exhihitims,  and  fa.-thcoming  events  We  shall  welcome 
ulso'nolices  oftjnrdeniivj  appointments. 


SMALL-LEAVED    IVIES. 

The  common  Ivy  when  growing  in  an  exposed 
l)osition  will  often  aciiuire  a  rich  bronzy  hue 
during  winter,  but  in  this  respect  individual 
plants  vary  a  good  deal,  the  snialler-leaved 
forms  being  as  a  rule  the  richest  in  colour. 

The  most  marked  in  this  respect,  and  one 
that  from  its  neat,  prettily-lobed  leaves  is  well 
suited  for  use  in  making  up  button-holes, 
sprays,  &c.,  is  the  variety  atroi>urpurea,  whose 
distinctive  character  is  far  more  marked  in 
winter  than  in  summer.  Hedera  Helix 
minima,  shown  in  one  of  the  accompanying 
illustrations,  mu.st  not  be  confounded  with 
H.  H.  conglomerata,  though  at  a  certain  stage 
of  growth  there  is  .some  similarity.  A  three 
year  old  specimen  difl'ers  from  the  freer  con- 
glomerata form  in  that  it  grows  more  fiat  both 
as  regards  the  twigs  and  the  leaves  on  the  twigs. 
It  has  more  shining  foliage  of  a  deeper  and 
more  sombre  green,  with  pleasing  clouded  tints, 
and  further,  as  the  name  would  suggest,  it  is  a 
smaller  plant  in  all  its  parts.  It  is  a  lovely 
creeper  for  positions  on  the  rockery,  and  is  one 
of  the  best  surface  plants,  as  through  it  bulbs 
may  spear  their  growth  and  flowers  without 
injury.  Hedera  Helix  pedata  and  H.  H. 
gracilis,  both  charming  varieties  of  the  small- 
leaved  Ivies,  should  be  in  every  collection. 
Those  interested  in  these  valuable  evergreen 
climbers  sliould  not  fail  to  visit  the  Chiswick 
gardens  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  for 
there  may  be  found  a  most  representative 
collection. 

The  uses  to  which  Ivy  may  be  put  are 
innumerable,  and  with  the  many  beautiful 
varieties  that  are  now  to  be  obtained  their 
sjihere  of  usefulness  has  considerably  extended, 
I  believe  one  of  the  most  picturesque  methods 
of  growing  Ivy  is  to  allow  it  to  clamber  over 
tree  stumps  placed  here  and  there  in  suitable 
parts  of  the  garden.  Ivy  banks  also  are  very 
charming,  and  for  carpeting  the  bare  ground 
beneath  the  spreading  branches  of  large  trees 
nothing  could  l')e  more  suitable.  For  the  latter 
purpose  the  shoots  should  be  pegged  down  and 
kept  in  position  so  that  they  may  take  root. 
Suitable  varieties  for  this  purpose  are  H.  den- 
tata,  H.  rifigneriana,  rhomVioidea,  obovata, 
hamalaica,  pedata,  palmata,  lobata,  A'c. 

T.  W. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not  responsible  for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents. ) 


THE   SMALLER   CAMPANULAS. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

SIR, — I  am  glad  to  see  that  we  seem  likely 
to  get  a  symposium  on  the  Campanulas. 
I  am  mistaken  if  it  will  not  prove  a  more 
fruitful  one  than  that  upon  Lilies.  Unlike 
the  latter,  our  climate  suits  most  of  the 
Bell-flowers  well  enough.  A  fairl3'  com- 
plete botanical  as  well  as  garden  list  is  doubtless 
to  be  desired,  but  I  am  indisposed  to  think  that 
many  known  species  or  varieties  of  any  great 
beauty  are  absent  from  the  leading  catalogues.  A 
word  or  two  on  some  of  the  least  common. 

In  reply  to  Mr.  Molyneux,  Campanula  Erinus,  as 
I  have  it,  is  more  like  a  ver3'  small  C.  muralis 
or  portenschlagiana,  and  is  far  removed  from  C 
Elatines.  The  latter  I  also  have  somewhere  ;  it 
more  nearl3'  approaches  C.  garganica.  J  write  by 
reference  to  broad  garden  characteristics,  and  not 
to  mere  botanical  ditl'erences.  A  list  of  aynon3'ms 
would  be  useful,  but  reallj'  the  Campanulas  are 
not  at  all,  as  far  as  I  know,  in  any  such  confusion 
as  are  the  Saxifragas,  Sempervivunis,  Sedums, 
Asters,  and  other  genera  ;  and,  given  that  we  can 
identify  the  plant   intended,  I  am  of   those   who 


care  little  to  be  alwaj's 
amassing  evidence  as  to 
which  species  or  varielv 
has  the  pi'ior  right  to  a 
certain  name.  Custom, 
when  established,  may 
fairly  enough  be  held 
to  settle  such  questions 
of  nomenclature  as  well 
as  of  pronunciation.  If 
anv  pains  could,  alwa3'S 
and  conclusivel3'  deter- 
mine such  rights,  abso- 
lutel3'  and  authorita- 
tivel3',  it  would  be 
diflerent,  for  precision 
has  much  scientific 
value. 

We  now  all  of  us 
know  pretty  well  the 
two  completel3'  diverse 
forms  passing  under  the 
name  "G.  F.  Wilson" 
described  by  Mr.  Moly- 
neux. I  fancy  neither 
has  any  other  name,  and 
certainly  they  must 
have  had  a  distinct 
origin  as  regards  one 
parent.  My  surmise 
would  be  that  C.  pulla 
being    present    in    each 


.    MINIMA  (SO.METlMfS 
■Al.l.EI)    MINIATA.) 

(there    seems    no    other 


common  element)  explains  both  its  two  (onlj'V) 
children  getting  named  similarh'.  Mr.  (i.  K. 
Wilson  might  help  to  make  this  clear.  I  should 
like  to  know  if  trvie  C.  alpina  is  to  be  seen  or 
procured  now  in  this  countrv.  I  have  been  without 
it  for  years.  I  fear  that  it,  like  C.  mirabilis,  is 
only  biennial.  C.  Hendcrsoni  I  have  often  lost, 
but  I  cannot  determine  if  it  be  certainl3'  al.so 
biennial.  C.  alpina  is  quite  charming,  and  one  of 
the  miniatures.  The  ditficult  C.  Zo3'sii  is  markedlj' 
a  chalk  lover.  It  lived  here  nicel3'  for  several 
years  in  a  most  unproiuising  home  upon  aPulhamite 
rockery.  There,  I  think,  was  the  secret  of  its 
success,  viz.,  meagre  sustenance.  The  distinctive 
form  of  its  flower  has  been  well  indicated  as  that 
of  an  Armstrong  gun.  C.  ccinsia  is  cpiite  diflerent. 
I  have  often  flowered  it  in  a  soil  half  at  least  of 
stones,  but  it  is  difficult  and  easily  lost.  Miss 
Willmott  I  think  it  was  who  told  me  she  has  had  a 
plant  of  it  with  fort3'-two  blooms  during  the  last 
year  or  two. 

Beautiful  but  not  generally  easy,  though  one  has 
bloomed  them  from  time  to  time,  are  C.  Allioni. 
C.  tridentata,  and  its  variety  C.  trid.  var.  Saxi- 
fraga.  The  first-named  certainly'  likes  to  run  riot 
among  loose  stones,  and 
is  a  tremendous  rooter. 
C.  barbata  is  easily 
grown,  perennial  and 
remarkably  charming, 
yet  it  is  rarely  seen. 
All  the  foregoing,  ex- 
cept C.  mirabilis  and 
Hendersoni,  are  small. 
To  these  small  species 
I  whoUv  give  the  palm 
for  beauty.  Coarse  ones 
like  urtica^folia  and 
Trachelium  ma3'  be  use- 
ful wild  garden  plants, 
but  are  in  a  completely 
different  categor3'  from 
the  alpine  gems.  To 
these  latter  must  be 
added  C.  turbinata. 
The  plant  and  the  flower 
are  both  dwarf  and  neat 
and  not  to  lie  con- 
founded with  the  big 
C  carpatica,  which  is, 
however,  grand  (for 
border  or  big  rock  gar- 
den) in  its  own  larger 
way.  The  two  last- 
named  species  seem  to 
have  crossed  f  rcel3',  and 
the  children  are  a  rabble  ii.   ii.  I'EData. 


March  2,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDKN. 


155 


of  all  heights  and  habits,  but  true  C.  turbinata 
should  alone  be  had  for  the  small  and  choice 
rockery.  I  hope  and  believe  I  have  raised  an 
albino  from  it,  but  a  cruel  doubt  has  been 
implanted  in  mj'  mind  on  the  question,  which 
waits  solution  in  the  coming  season.  Any 
named  thus  far  are  completel}'  hardy  as  regards 
colcl.  So  much  cannot  he  said  for  the  Italian 
Bell-flowers  isophj'lla,  fragilis,  and  elatines.  (Am 
I  right  that  the  latter  is  Italian?)  These  worry 
through  the  winter,  however,  in  protected  spots 
down  soutli.  The  little  C.  Raineri  and  my  C. 
Raineri  hybrida  (nobodjhas  ever  to  mj'  knowledge 
even  claimed  to  have  solved  the  latter's  origin)  are 
surpassed  by  none,  to  my  tliinking,  among  small 
alpine  forms.  In  the  same  class  are  the  well  known 
dark  flowered  C.  puUa,  the  excellent  slate-blue 
flowered,  late  blooming  hybrid  Profusion  (.Jenkins), 
the  well  known  portenschlagiana  (=  muralis  when 
small  and  —  bavarica  when  big),  and  the  beautiful 
little  species  C.  waldsteiniana  and  C.  Tonnnassini. 
I  have  had  three  very  distinct  plants  (all  deli- 
cately beautiful)  under  the  names  of  C.  puniila  and 
pusilla,  and  if  the  distinctions  in  this  group  are 
fairly  well  settled  I  would  fain  be  helped  to  know 
them.  The  broader  or  larger  habited  sorts  I  leave 
to  others  to  list.  To  my  thinking  some  few  are 
too  coarse  to  be  acceptable,  and  the  best  are  C.  Van 
Houttei  from  China,  C.  Burghalti,  perhaps  but  a 
refined  form  of  the  last,  C.  nobilis  (with  chocolate 
coloured  flowers),  and  C.  punctata,  said  to  be  the 
white-flowered  varietj'  of  the  same. 

Guildfurd.  H.  Seij'e  Leonard. 

[We  "shall  publish  shortly  exhaustive  articles 
upon  the  dwarf  Campanulas. — Eds.  | 


CHISWICK    GARDENS    AND    ITS 

STUDENTS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Those  Fellows  of  the  Rojal  Horticultural 
Society  who  carefully  read  the  report  of  the 
council  recently  issued  cannot  fail  to  have  noticed 
that  a  very  prominent  position  is  given  in  that 
document  to  the  advantages  presented  at  Chiswick 
to  students  in  horticulture,  and  the  progress  made 
by  them  there.  Judging  by  the  statements  made 
in  the  paragraph  devotetl  to  this  subject,  it  would 
seem  as  if  the  students  were  more  advanced  in 
botanical  knowledge  than  in  that  of  practical 
horticulture,  for  out  of  the  large  number  referred 
to  only  two  have  taken  positions  in  private 
gardens,  and  it  is  chiefl}'  in  such  gardens  they 
may  be  expected  to  need  and  to  apply  real  gardening 
knowledge.  Now,  whatever  may  be  the  special 
or  individual  aims  of  students  at  Chiswick,  and  it 
would  seem  as  if  few  cared  to  enter  the  ranks  of 
practical  gardeners,  it  is  evident  that  a  roj'al 
society,  established  especially  to  promote  the 
interests  of  practical  horticulture,  and  which  so 
evidently  regards  as  a  part  of  its  duty  the  training 
of  youths  in  horticulture,  should,  in  undertaking 
work  of  such  importance  and  responsibility,  have 
at  its  disposal  fitting  means  and  appliances  for 
such  work.  That  being  so,  I  ask — Does  Chiswick 
or  can  Chiswick  be  made  in  any  way  capable  of 
offering  such  educational  and  training  facilities 
to  youths  anxious  to  acquire  a  reasonable  know- 
ledge of  gardening,  such  as  a  royal  society  should 
be  in  a  position  to  furnish  ? 

I  am  fully  aware  that  whatever  shortcoming 
may  be  found  it  is  not  due  to  the  able  superin- 
tendent, Mr.  Wright,  who  is  essentially  a  practical 
gardener.  He  does  his  best  with  the  material  at 
his  disposal,  and  it  is  easj'  to  understand  in  reading 
the  paragraph  in  the  report  referred  to  that  the 
words  in  italics,  "Must  all  be  workers,"  as  applied 
to  students,  is  from  his  pen,  as  it  is  quite  im- 
possible for  any  man,  however  able,  to  train  a 
body  of  students .  in  horticultural  work  unless 
they  submit  thoroughly  to  his  requirements,  and 
not  only  ready  in  theory,  but  work  freely  in 
practice.  But  is  it  possible  that  the  council  can 
be  satisfied  with  its  Chiswick  Gardens  as  a  training 
school  of  horticulture  ?  Can  it  be  content  to  go  on 
receiving  students  at  such  a  place  as  Chiswick  is  ? 
Its  growing  population  is  yearly  rendering  it 
less  and  less  fitted  to  be  a  training  garden  ;  its 
glass  houses  are  of  an  antiquated  and  semi-tumble- 


down character  :  some  of  them  indeed  are  too 
worthless  to  repair.  Scarcely  any  of  these  houses 
are  fitted  to  display  high-class  culture  in  plants  or 
fruits,  and  the  entire  gardens  are  for  the  purpose 
named  inferior  to  many  second-rate  private 
gardens,  whilst  a  very  long  wa3-  below  the 
standard  of  suitability  found  in  the  best  private 
gardens.  Some  not  too  wise  persons  wish  to  see 
flower,  vegetable,  and  fruit  growing  trials  dispensed 
with  at  Chiswick  ;  yet  these  very  trials,  especially 
of  flowers  and  vegetables,  furnish  to  the  students 
almost  their  only  opportunity  to  obtain  practical 
knowle<lge  in  relation  to  these  various  products. 
No  doubt  tlie  grave  need  for  some  more  fitting 
garden  as  a  school  of  horticulture  was  present  in  the 
minds  of  the  council  a  year  since  when  that  body 
proposed  to  find  a  new  site  for  a  garden  ;  but  we 
seem  now  no  nearer  the  provision  of  such  abso- 
lutelj'  essential  requirement,  the  council  having, 
it  is  feared,  permitted  itself  to  be  diverted  from 
what  is  an  imperative  duty  by  some  rather  over- 
bearing and  most  unwise  advisers.  It  never 
seems  to  have  occurred  to  these  people  that  the 
society  has  a  great  need  for  a  proper  school 
of  horticulture  for  its  numerous  students.  We 
need  for  gardening  what  botany  has  in  Kew, 
and  agriculture  has  in  Wye  College  and  its  training 
farm.  Why,  then,  does  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  council  allow  this  most  important  matter 
to  be  hung  up,  or,  as  expressed  in  the  report,  be 
"  occupying  attention  ? "  Surely  it  is  time  some- 
thing of  a  far  more  conclusive  nature  was  decided. 
If  the  council  determines  to  do  as  some  of  its 
advisers  so  unwisely  desire,  to  remain  at  Chiswick 
for  the  remainder  of  the  lease — some  twenty  years 
— then  must  it  at  once  expend  £5,000  in  a  thorough 
reconstruction  of  its  glass  alone,  with  the  result 
that  when  the  lease  expires  the  society  loses 
everything.  A  thousand  times  better  to  purchase 
ground  for  itself,  to  build  on  it  for  itself,  to  make 
in  the  open  country  a  real  garden  training 
school,  where  students  are  remote  from  town 
attractions  and  distractions,  and  thus  show  that 
it  realises  its  responsibilities,  not  only  to  the 
students,  but  to  horticulture  generally. 

A  Fellow. 
[We  agree  entirely  with  this  practical  letter 
from  a  fellow  of  the  societj',  whom  we  know  to 
be  a  horticulturist  of  ripe  experience.  We  are 
hopeful,  however,  that  the  council  of  the  societ}', 
or  anj'  meeting  called  together  to  give  effect  to 
the  way  in  which  the  centenary  shall  be 
celebrated,  will  never  consent  to  retain  Chiswick 
and  relinquish  the  excellent  proposals  to  create  a 
ne%v  garden  for  the  sake  of  a  big  hall.  If  the 
hall  for  horticulture  is  decided  upon  the  society 
enters  upon  another  era  of  fallen  fortunes.  We 
give  credit  to  the  societj-  for  having  profited  from 
past  experiences. — Eds.] 


PLUMS  AS  CORDONS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — In  a  recent  issue  of  The  Garden,  the  Editor, 
in  replj'ing  to  a  correspondent's  query,  gives  a  short 
list  of  culinary  Plums  suitable  for  growing  as 
cordons,  which,  if  but  a  limited  number  of  varieties 
were  required,  would  be  difficult  to  beat.  My  object 
in  writing  is,  however,  to  supplement  the  Editor's 
list  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  wish  for  a 
greater  number  to  select  from,  and  I  therefore 
propose  the  addition  of  the  following  six  varieties  : 
— Sultan,  Archduke,  Belgian  Purple,  Prince  Engle- 
bert,  Primate,  and  Coe's  Late  Bed.  The  first-named 
is  an  improvement  on  Prince  of  Wales,  the  fruit 
being  large,  round,  and  red  in  colour,  ripening 
about  the  middle  of  August.  The  next  is  a  large 
black  Plum,  which  matures  the  first  week  in 
October.  Both  this  and  the  first-named  are  first- 
rate,  and  very  prolific  when  grown  in  cordon  form. 
Belgian  Purple  is  a  large-sized  fruit,  deep  purple  in 
colour,  and  ripens  about  the  middle  of  August. 
Prince  Englebert  is  also  a  large-sized  deep  purplish 
coloured  fruit,  which  ripens  the  end  of  August, 
and  later  according  to  locality.  Primate  is  another 
large  new  sort,  of  a  purplish-red  colour.  This  is  a 
late  ripening  kind,  and  will  hang  well  into  October. 
The  last  on  the  list    is  by   no  means  a  new  one, 


but  is,  nevertheless,  one  of  tlie  best  late  varieties 
we  possess.  Its  fruits  are  round  and  medium  sized, 
bright  or  reddish-purple  in  colour,  and  the  flavour 
decidedly  good.  It  crops  most  freely  when 
grown  as  a  cordon,  the  trees  producing  an  alnui^ 
dance  of  spurs  freely  set  with  fruit  Ijuds.  I  have 
frequently  had  fruit  hanging  in  good  condition  well 
into  the  mouth  of  November.  Of  dea.sert  kinds, 
Boulouf,  Comte  d'Althuis  Gage,  Coe's  <iolden 
Drop,  .Jefferson,  Denniston's  Superb,  Bryan.ston 
(Jreengage,  Early  and  Late  Tran.sparent  Gages, 
Purple  Gage  or  Reine  Claude  Violette,  Rein« 
Claude  Je  Bavay,  Greengage,  and  (iulhrie's  Late 
Green  are  twelve  that  succeed  well  as  cordons. 

The  best  way  to  form  cordons  is  to  purchase 
maiden  trees,  and  plant  them  from  18  inches  to 
'24  inches  apart  against  a  wall,  and  cut  them  liack 
to  a  sound  bud  to  within  1  foot  or  so  of  the  ground 
line.  The  first  season  these  young  trees  make  good 
strong  growths,  the  best  situated  of  which,  or 
one  on  each,  should  be  trained  up  the  face  of  the 
wall  to  form  the  future  stems;  pinch  all  otliers 
back  to  four  buds.  At  the  end  of  the  growing 
season  cut  back  the  leader  to  a  point  where  the 
wood  is  well  ripened,  and  shorten  back  if  necessary 
any  pieces  of  wood  on  the  spurs  that  may  be 
projecting  too  far  from  the  wall.  The  following 
season  train  up  the  leading  shoot  and  stop  all  other 
growths  to  form  spurs  with  as  before,  and  prune 
the  leader  in  the  autumn  as  already  advised.  After 
this,  pinching,  or  summer  pruning,  must  have 
strict  attention,  to  keep  the  trees  well  furnished 
with  fruiting  spurs,  and  if  this  isdeferied  until  the 
end  of  July  or  thereabouts  it  will  prevent  a  great 
quantity  of  secondarj'  growths  being  made.  Before 
concluding,  one  other  important  matter  in  con- 
nection with  the  successful  cultivation  of  the  Plum 
as  a  cordon  must  be  mentioned,  and  that  is  the 
necessity  for  lifting  the  roots  of  trees  the  second 
year  after  planting  to  bring  them  into  a  fruitful 
condition.  The  trees  may  be  trained  with  two 
stems  to  each,  in  the  form  of  the  letter  U,  if  desired, 
but  according  to  my  experience  single-stemmed 
trees  give  far  the  best  results. 

Trent  Park  Gardens.  A.  W. 

STREET    TREES. 

[To  THE  Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

SiK, — I  was  much  interested  in  reading  the  remarks 
by  j'our  correspondent  "  A.  D."  on  planting  trees 
in  streets.  As  a  resident  in  one  of  the  south-west 
suburbs,  where  many  of  the  streets  are  planted  with 
trees,  I  can  fully  endorse  all  that  he  saj's.  The 
suburbs  are  not  ideal  places  to  live  in  at  any  time, 
and  I  often  think  of  the  saying  that  "  God  made 
the  countrj',  man  made  the  towns,  and  the  devil 
made  the  suburbs."  However  that  may  be,  the 
streets  are  not  improved  by  planting  forest  trees  in 
them,  and  not  only  are  thej'  planted  in  the  streets 
but  also  in  the  small  gardens  of  the  houses.  In 
the  garden  that  joins  mine  at  the  Ijack  of  mj-  liouse 
(fortunately  to  the  north)  are  a  row  of  Lombardy 
Poplars,  planted  close  to  the  party  wall.  This 
draws  all  the  nourishment  out  of  my  border,  which 
is  under  the  wall,  so  that  the  task  of  trying  to  grow 
plants  in  a  suburban  back  yard — called  a  garden  by 
courtesj' — which  is  never  a  very  easy  one,  is  ren- 
dered still  more  difficult.  If  there  is  one  thing 
more  certain  than  another  it  is  that  a  house  cannot 
be  thoroughly  wholesome  to  live  in  that  has  not 
plenty  of  light  and  fresh  air.  Most  of  the  roads 
near  this  are  planted  with  Lime  trees  on  both  sides 
at  the  edge  of  the  footpaths,  and  are  so  near  to  the 
houses  that  the  branches  would  touch  them  if  they 
were  not  cut.  The  street  lamps  being  planted  in 
the  same  line  as  the  trees  are  hardlj-  of  any  use 
when  the  latter  are  in  leaf,  so  with  the  street  trees 
in  front,  and  a  row  of  Poplars  at  the  back,  as  many 
houses  have,  what  chance  is  there  for  air  and  light? 
However,  the  ordinarj'  suburban  resident,  like 
Gallio  of  old,  "Cares  for  none  of  these  things,'' and 
never  pulls  up  the  blinds  above  half-way,  and  has 
a  dwarf  blind  below  it,  or  else  covers  the  whole 
window  with  a  muslin  curtain,  so  that  the  microbes 
that  cannot  endure  light  and  air  "  have  a  high  old 
time."  Trees,  when  allowed  to  grow  naturally,  are 
among  the  most  beautiful  things  on  this  fair  earth, 
but   what   can   be   said   of   them    when    they   are  . 


156 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[March   2,  1901. 


planted  in  positions  in  which  they  could  not  grow 
properly  even  if  they  had  room,  which  they  have 
not,  and  so  have  to  be  cut  and  clipped  until  they 
entirely  lose  their  natural  form.  As  "A.  D." 
justly  "says,  it  is  marvellous  that  "trees  exist  as 
they'do,"  and  I  always  pity  them  as  I  do  a  bird  in 
a  cage.  The  County  Council  authorities  seem 
possessed  with  the  idea  that  every  young  tree  on 
our  '  onimons  should  grow  in  a  pyramidal  form, 
and  trim  them  aecotdingly.  When  will  such  per- 
sons learn  to  leave  Nature  alone  unless  it  lie  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  interfere?  It  is,  of  course, 
hopeless  to  wish  that  our  commons  should  be  left 
in  their  natural  beauty,  as  in  this  athletic  age  level 
open  spaces  are  so  much  wanted  near  London  for 
cricket,  football,  &c.  One  feels  sorry,  but  one 
cannot  really  wish  it  to  be  otherwise,  as  under  the 
altered  circumstances  so  much  healthy  pleasure  is 
given  to  so  many  persons.  But  though  the  ground 
must  be  levelled,  and  the  furze  bushes  removed, 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  trees  should  be  disfigured. 
IVandsirort/i.  '  (i.  S.  Saundeks. 


GRAPES  APPLEY  TOWERS  AND  LADY 
HUTT. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Gakden."] 
giK^ — My  thanks  are  due  to  Mr.  Crump  for  his 
courteous  reference  to  my  remarks  about  these 
Grapes,  and  also  for  his  advice  respecting  the 
culture  of  the  variety  Madresfield  Court.  The 
cultural  treatment  recommended  has,  as  Mr. 
Crump  alludes  to,  been  repeatedly  advised,  and 
is  really  that  usually  followed  to  prevent  moisture 
condensing.  It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  we 
should  not  have  given  up  growing  such  an  ex- 
cellent Grape  as  Madresfield  Court  undoubtedly 
is  when  in  good  condition  without  first  giving 
attention  to  this  practice,  especially  as  pointed 
out  in  my  notes,  our  position  is  atmospherically 
moist,  and  to  this  I  attribute  our  failure.  We 
all  know  that  under  certain  conditions  a  moist 
atmosphere  will  cause  some  fruits  to  split,  and 
this  Grape,  as  evidenced  by  the  many  enquiries 
that  Mr.  Crump  gets  respecting  means  to  evade 
it,  appears  to  be  remarkably  sensitive  in  this 
respect;  so  sensitive  is  it  in  fact  that  it  is  a 
question  if  external  atmospheric  conditions  are 
not  in  themselves,  in  some  cases,  sufficient  to 
promote  cracking  of  the  berries.  This,  too,  in 
defiance,  as  it  were,  of  reasonable  inside  treat- 
ment. If  this  is  not  so,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  our  management  showed  either  ignorance  or 
carelessness.       The   atmospheric    conditions    vary 


as  much  with  regard  to  moisture  as  to  tempera- 
ture, and  often  so  narrow  is  the  margin  between 
cultural  success  and  failure,  that  I  venture  to 
express  the  opinion  in  reference  to  the  splitting 
of  Madresfield  Court  Grape,  that  it  is  possible, 
owing  to  altered  conditions,  for  the  treatment 
proved  to  be  successful  in  some  cases  and  failure 
in  others.  Thos.  Coomber. 

The  Hendre  Gardens. 


PRONUNCIATION   OF  PLANT  NAMES. 

We  have  received  two  more  communications 
from  scholarly  correspondents  both  well  able  to 
handle  the  subject  of  the  pronunciation  of  plant 
names,  especially  with  reference  to  that  of 
Gladiolus.  We  thank  our  correspondents  for 
taking  up  the  subject  in  so  full  and  interesting  a 
manner,  but  we  think  that  the  discussion  has  gone 
beyond  the  scope  of  a  horticultural  journal,  and 
enters  too  deeply  into  regions  of  etymology.  Had 
we  been  less  pressed  for  space  we  should  gladly 
have  printed  these  letters,  for  which  we  offer  our 
thanks.  But  as  we  have  on  hand  a  large  quantity  of 
purely  horticultural  matter  we  feel  bound  to  give 
the  space  to  that  in  preference  to  the  other. — Eds. 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

I  Pear  Knight's  Monarch.— In  including  this 
superb  Pear,  which  is  of  erratic  behaviour,  in 
my  list  of  January  and  February  fiuits,  I  know 
that  I  am  treading  on  tender  ground,  as  many 
growers  have  discarded  this  variety  on  account 
of  the  difficulty  experienced  in  the  latter 
stages  of  its  growth  by  reason  of  the  fruit 
falling  before  it  is  properly  developed  and 
matured.  That  this  is  a  practical  and  real 
grievance  1  know,  and  a  grievance  for  which 
a  successful  remedy  has  not  yet  been  found  ; 
but  the  variety  when  properly  matured  and 
ripened  is  so  exceedingly  rich  and  sweet  in 
flavour  that  any  extra  care  and  labour  ex- 
pended on  its  culture  is  more  than  compen- 
sated, and  its  inclusion  in  the  most  select 
list  justified.  Generally  speaking  the  variety 
succeeds  best  as  a  pyramid  or  bush  in  the 
open  in  the  south  ;  but  here  I  must  say  our 
best  results  have  been  obtained  from  trees 
planted  against  a  west  wall.  The  fair  amount 
of  success  we  have  obtained  with  this  splendid 
late  Pear  I  attribute  to  the  fact  of  the  copious 


waterings  and  liberal  mulching  with  short 
litter  the  trees  receive  during  the  hot  and  dry 
summer  months,  as  well  as  to  the  judicious 
thinning  of  the  fruit.  Even  with  all  the  special 
precautions  one  may  take  a  few  fruits  will 
drop  prematurely  ;  but  these  if  received  in  a 
net  jireviously  hung  at  the  base  of  the  tree  for 
the  purpose  of  receiving  an,y  fruit  which  may 
fall,  generally  ripen  well,  and  are  in  due  time 
available  for  dessert.  In  this  way  this  variety 
gives  a  succession  of  ripe  fruit  for  certainly  a 
matter  of  six  weeks  or  two  months.  Great 
care  and  judgment  are  required  in  harvesting 
the  fruits,  as  none  must  be  gathered  before 
they  are  actually  ready  to  drop  from  the  tree, 
hence  the  necessity  for  providing  a  net  to  receive 
any  that  may  fall.  It  is  best  grown  on  the 
Pear  stock,  and  while  the  trees  are  young,  root 
pruning  must  be  resorted  to  every  two  or  three 
years  for  the  first  ten  years,  after  this,  continued 
moderate  cropping  will  obviate,  as  a  rule,  any 
tendency  to  over  luxuriance. 

Doyenne  dAleni^on. — To  my  mind  this  is  the 
hardiest,  most  prolific,  and  useful  of  all  late 
Pears.  It  succeeds  well  as  a  bush  or  jiyramid 
in  the  open  quarter,  and  even  as  a  standard  in 
the  orchard  it  gives  excellent  returns.  It  can 
be  had  in  season  from  the  end  of  January  to  the 
end  of  March.  It  is  one  of  those  varieties  of 
late  Pears  the  flavour  of  which  is  much  im- 
proved by  being  subjected  to  a  brisk  moist 
heat  for  about  twelve  hours  (such  as  prevails 
in  a  Cucumber  house  or  Pine  pit)  before  being 
served  for  dessert.  The  variety  is  of  so  free 
bearing  a  nature  that  to  obtain  fruits  of  good 
size  and  quality  free  thinning  is  necessary.  It 
is  best  grown  on  the  Quince  stock  for  the 
garden  and  on  the  Pear  stock  for  the  orchard. 

Beurre  Ranee  is  one  of  the  oldest,  best 
known,  and  largest  of  winter  Pears.  This  year  we 
have  had  fruits  weighing  nearly  lib.  each.  It 
requires  a  south  or  south-west  wall  to  bring  it 
to  perfection,  and  is  in  season  from  February 
to  the  middle  of  April.  When  well  grown  and 
fully  ripe  it  is  one  of  the  most  luscious  and 
refreshing  Pears  I  know,  having  a  flavour  of  its 
own,  quite  unlike  any  other  ;  the  only  fault 
that  can  be  found  with  it  is  that  the  flesh  is  of 
a  rather  rough  texture,  and  that  its  fruit 
occasionally  cracks,  but  this  only  occurs  on  half 
starved  and  badly  cultivated  trees.  In  order- 
ing trees  from  a  nursery,  double  gratted  ones 
should  be  asked  for.  Owen  Thom.\s. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


pear  doyenne  d'ALENCON.      (Shown  on  TiieKday  Uul  at  the  ine.ethuj  oftlie  Jl.H.S.     Two-thinls  nalitral  size). 


Twin-floweked  Cypripedii'm  Callosum. 
We  have  received  a  very  fine  twin-flowered  spike 
of  this  Cyripedium  from  Messrs.  Th3nie  and  Paton, 
The  Nurseries.  Meric  Moor,  Downfield,  near 
Dundee.  This  is  ujiusiuil,  and  may  inlerest  our 
Orchid  enthusiasts. 


Kidderminster   Horticultural 

Society.  — In  onr  nule  last  week  referring  to 
this  important  Midland  society,  it  was  stated  that 
Mr.  H.  J.  Joncii  would  give  tlie  next  monthly 
lecture.  This  is  not  so  ;  Mr.  W.  F  Cooling,  Bath, 
will  be  the  lecturer  on  March  18,  and  his  sulqect, 
"The  Best  Roses  for  Bedding  and  Borders,  anil 
How  to  Grow  Tlicm." 

The   late   Mrs.   P.   C.   Veitch.-The 

funeral  of  the  late  Mrs.  Vcitili  of  Exeter,  who 
died  suddenly  the  previous  Tuesday,  took  place 
oji  Monday  last,  in  the  presence  of  many  relatives, 
friends,  and  employes  of  the  firm. 

Thornton     Heath     and      District 
Horticultural   Society.    It  is  giatifying 

to  announce  the  foiiuation  c)f  lliis  society,  whose 
ohject  is  furtheriiig  the  interests  of  gardening  and 
gardeneis.  Mr.  J.  P.  H.  Bcwsher,  Leighton 
House,  iS",  Parchniore  Road,  Thornton  Heath,  is 
the  secretary. 


GARDEN. 


^ 


r5<y= 


No.  ]52!)._V0L.  LIX.] 


[March  9,  1901. 


MORE  ABOUT  OWN  ROOT 
ROSES. 


M 


^  R.  MAWLEY,  honorary  secretary  of 
the  National  Rose  Society,  sends 
the  following  notes  concerning 
this  important  question  :  "  I 
cannot  think  that  the  writer  of 
the  article  on  'The  Merits  of  Own  Root  Roses,' 
which  appeared  on  page  89  of  a  recent  issue  of 
Thk  Garden,  really  considers  that  method 
of  growing  Roses  superior  to  all  others.  His 
defence  of  it  appears  to  me  feeble  and  half- 
liearted.  Probably  he  did  not  wish  to  be  too 
hard  on  the  man  who  '  buds,'  and  for  this 
reason  has  not  brought  forward  in  the  first 
instance  his  most  telling  arguments  in  favour 
of  the  proposal. 

"  He  begins  by  promising  own  root  Roses  a 
long  life.  This  must,  of  course,  mean  after 
they  are  once  firmly  established,  because  I 
have  always  understood  that  the  infant 
mortality  among  Rose  cutting's  is  something 
too  awful  to  contemplate,  particularly  if  all 
classes  of  Roses  be  included,  viz.,  the  rampant, 
the  vigorous,  the  robust,  the  moderate,  and 
the  dwarf  growers.  Own  root  plants  may  be 
longer  lived  than  budded  ones,  but  surely 
Roses  budded  on  the  Briar  are  for  all  practical 
purposes  sufKciently  lasting,  especially  when 
we  consider  that  most  of  the  existing  varieties 
will  be  out  of  date  in,  say,  from  ten  to  twenty 
years'  time.  I  have  now  in  my  own  garden  a 
good  many  budded  dwarf  plants  that  are  five 
and  twenty  years  old,  and  yet  to  all  appearance 
seem  capable  of  living  another  quarter  of  a 
century. 

"  In  the  article  in  question  the  comparison 
instituted  between  the  growth  made  by  a 
single  budded  plant  of  Coupe  d'Hebe  and  that 
made  by  another  single  plant  of  the  same 
variety  on  its  own  roots  strikes  me  as  scarcely 
fair.  Nor,  again,  is  it  much  to  the  point  to 
instance  Mr.  A.  Herrington's  successes  with 
own  root  Roses  under  glass  in  America.  For 
instance,  what  splendid  blooms,  and  no  doubt 
with  equally  long  stems,  could  not  we 
Britishers  accomplish,  were  we  only  blessed 
with  America's  winter  sunshine  ! 

"  There  is,  however,  one  remark  with  which 
all  practical  rosarians  will  agree,  and  that  is 
where  the  writer  says  :  '  I  would  urge  all 
planters  to  exercise  patience.'  For  it  is  this 
remark  which  strikes  at  the  root  of  the  whole 
question.  It  is  quite  true  that  a  limited 
number  of  varieties  will  grow  equally  as  well 
>ou  their  own  roots  as  on  the  Briar,  and  some. 


I  dare  say,  even  better — with  patience.  But, 
unfortunately,  the  past  century  has  deprived 
us  in  a  very  great  measure  of  that  grand  virtue 
of  patience  possessed  in  such  a  high  degree  by 
our  forefathers.  The  modern  Rose  grower,  sad 
to  relate,  appears  to  reason  somewhat  after  this 
hasty  fashion  :  '  Whatever  is  the  use  of  my 
spending  extra  time,  trouble,  and  expense  in 
trying  to  grow  Roses  from  cuttings,  when  I 
can  obtain  with  greater  certainty,  more  quickly, 
and,  as  a  rule,  better  plants  by  budding  ;  or 
when  I  can  at  a  moderate  cost  purchase  splendid 
plants  of  any  variety  1  choose  to  name  ready 
made  from  the  Rose  nurseries.'  '  No,'  he 
would  add,  '  life  is  not  long  enough  for  such 
fads.' 

"  Many  attempts  have  been  made  from  time 
to  time  to  revive  the  cultivation  of  Roses  on 
their  own  roots,  but  with  limited  and  fleeting 
success.  The  fact  is,  that  method  of  culture 
died  a  natural  death  about  sixty  years  ago, 
when  Thomas  Rivers  introduced  the  Manetti 
stock  into  this  country — a  stock  now  greatly 
superseded  by  our  own  native  Briars. 

"  As  regards  the  great  majority  of  Roses,  the 
only  real  advantage  that  own  root  Roses 
possess  over  the  budded  ones  rests,  in  my 
opinion,  in  the  fact  that  when  the  former  do 
produce  suckers,  the  suckers  are  those  of  the 
Rose  and  not  of  the  Briar  stock.  But  as  the 
writer  of  the  article  implies,  even  this  single 
disadvantage  is  reduced  to  a  minimum  if  the 
stocks  '  be  carefully  prepared  and  all  eyes 
save  two  or  three  at  the  top  removed.' " 


HABIT. 

Habit  in  plants  is  like  manner  in  peojile.  It 
is  that  indefinable  something  which  is  inherent 
in  individuals  and  which  can  never  be  acquired, 
for  imitation  of  manner  leads  only  to  man- 
nerism. Some  of  this  manner  of  plants  has 
passed  into  proverbs,  and  is  a  commonplace  of 
literary  illustration.  There  is  the  vaunting 
self-sufficiency  of  the  Tulip,  the  modesty  of  the 
Violet,  the  treachery  of  the  Rose  with  its 
alluring  flower  and  concealed  thorns,  and  so 
on.  Poets  and  morilists  are  always  using 
these  figures.  Of  the  three  here  quoted  at 
random  only  the  first  can  be  strictly  said  to 
refer  to  manner.  The  modest  person  may  be 
so  retiring  as  to  seem  dull,  if  not  cold  ;  the 
treacherous  one  may  be  outwardly  delightful ; 
only  the  conceited  one  wears  his  conceit  upon 
his  sleeve. 

So,  contracting  our  field  to  that  which 
relates  more  exclusively  to  that  manner 
of  growth  of  each  plant  which  constitutes 
habit,  let  us  first  review  our  Carnation  bed. 
Truth  to  tell,  there  is  not  one  plant  among 
them  whose  habit  is  impeccable.    They  have 


all  that  awkward  slouch,  comment  upon  which 
was  the  torment  of  our  youth.  All  want  the 
help  of  -sticks  to  keep  them  upright,  but  how 
much  more  attractive  some  are  than  others. 
Here  is  one  with  comparatively  short  joints, 
holding  itself  as  well  as  a  Carnation  can  hold 
itself  ;  here  is  another  with  a  bare  length  of 
stem  near  the  root,  and  above  a  weak,  spindly, 
mean  stalk  not  eqiial  to  the  burden  of  the 
flowers.  And  it  is  not  a  matter  of  cultivation. 
New  plants  raised  from  the  stout  variety  will 
be  stout  ;  new  kinds  from  the  spindly  kind 
spindly.  What  ditferences  again  in  the  ranks 
of  the  many-headed  Primroses  !  How  limply 
and  inefficiently  some  hold  themselves,  how 
sturdily  and  strongly  others  !  The  cultured 
eye  picks  out,  too,  different  forms  of  leaf, 
straight  flatness  in  one,  an  indication  to  crimped 
curliness  in  another. 

Among  Roses,  what  is  it  that  makes  Marechal 
Niel  fall  just  short  of  jjerfection?  Clean  of 
leaf,  charming  in  colour,  perfect  in  scent,  what 
does  it  lack?— the  ability  to  hold  up  its  head. 
This  is  why  it  is  so  much  better  grown  as  a 
rafter  climber  than  in  any  other  way.  Have 
we  not  all  sufl'ered  from  its  topsy-turviness 
when  putting  it  into  water  ?  With  some  trouble 
it  is  got  in  and  made  to  look  up,  when  suddenly 
down  bob  the  heads  upon  the  table  and  up  fly 
dripping  stalks  into  the  air.  Compare  with  it 
that  really  noble  Rose  Cloth  of  Gold.  What  a 
magnificent  stiffness,  what  length  of  spray, 
what  independence  of  character,  hov?  splendid 
it  looks  in  every  position  ! 

It  is  one  of  the  great  plea.sures  of  gardening 
to  encourage  a  good  habit  in  plants  to  mark 
the  sometimes  small  differences  which  they 
exhibit,  and  by  selection  mould  them  according 
to  our  individual  fancy.  Unhappily  this  very 
power  of  moulding  has  led  to  abuse,  and  some 
abnormal  form  has  been  seized  upon,  developed, 
and  exaggerated.  The  plant  has  been  made  to 
acquire  the  habit  of  something  else,  and 
pleasant  winning  manner  has  been  degraded 
to  impertinent,  irritating  mannerism.  To 
render  a  diffuse  habit  more  compact  is  some- 
times an  advantage  ;  to  further  contract  it  by 
dwarfing  is  a  mistake.  To  add  petals  to  a 
Geranium  may  enhance  its  attractiveness  ;  to 
double  it  into  an  unmeaning  shapeless  ball  is 
to  produce  a  monstrosity. 

In  the  training  of  plants  great  attention 
should  be  paid  to  habit.  Nature  must  be 
seconded  and  helped,  not  thwarted.  A  Deodar 
has  been  seen  in  a  villa  garden  with  its  head 
tied  stiffly  to  a  stick.  The  proprietor  was 
resolved  that  his  Deodar's  head  at  least  should 
not  nod.  The  writer,  if  he  had  a  villa  garden, 
would  not  have  a  Deodar  at  all,  but,  if  he  did, 
it  should  grow  as  Nature  intended  ;  neither 
would  he  train  his  bushes  with  the  shears  so 
as  to  render  Bay  almost  undistinguishable  from 
Portugal  Laurel.  His  few  shrubs,  carefully 
chosen,  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  display 
to  the  best  advantage  the  beauty  that  each 
possesses.  He  would  sometimes,  in  the  words 
of  the  great  Augustan  poet,  marry  a  climber  to 


158 


THE   GARDEN. 


[Makch  9,  1901. 


some  other  living  mate,  but  so  as  not  to  destroy 
the  character  of  either.  That  at  least  would  be 
his  aim,  and  his  motto  ;  "  Study  the  habits  of 
your  plant,  and  let  it  show  itself  to  the  best 
advantage."  ^^'  ■  ■'■ 


THE    LOVE    OF    FLOWERS. 

Among  all  the  many  branches  of  study  \yhich 
Nature  affords  for  man's  delectation,  it  is 
difficult  to  find  one  which  is  at  once  so  full 
of  marvel  and  beauty,  and  at  the  same  time  so 
open  to  enjoyment  by  unscientific  minds,  as 
that  of  floriculture.  In  the  first  place,  plants 
of  all  kinds  are  devoid  of  those  difficulties 
which  present  themselves  to  the  students  of 
the  animal  or  insect  kingdoms  in  their  living 
forms.  A  garden,  a  frame  or  two,  or  a  small 
conservatory  will  accommodate  a  far  greater 
collection  than  anyone  can  exhaustively  study 
without  any  of  tho.se  accompanying  fears  of 
escapes  or  "difficulties  of  maintenance  which 
would  certainly  be  a  source  of  anxiety  if  an 
equal  number  of  animals  or  insects  were  in 
question.  Plants  are  passive  subjects,  and, 
given  the  comparatively  simple  conditions  of 
suitable  temperature,  soil,  and  humidity,  they 
pass  through  their  life  cycles  with  a  minimum 
of  trouble  to  the  investigator,  and  at  the  same 
time  afford  far  more  opportunities  for  a  deeper 
and  more  intimate  study  than  can  their  more 
active  competitors  in  other  realms  of  life.  We 
do  not  for  one  moment  pretend  that  they  are 
more  marvellous  or  more  beautiful — that  is  a 
different  matter  altogether  ;  but  we  contend 
that  their  marvels  and  their  beauty  can  be  more 
easily  appreciated,  and  it  is  precisely  for  that 
reason  that  floriculture  and  the  love  for  flowers 
have  scores  of  devotees  for  every  one  who  con- 
fines himself  or  herself  to  the  innumerable 
branches  of  zoology  or  entomology.  For  the 
same  reason  the  love  of  flowers  undoubtedly 
antedates  all  other  natural  cults.  In  their 
native  beauty  they  appeal  so  eloquently  to  the 
mind  that  from  time  immemoiial  the  poet  has 
used  them  for  his  choicest  .similes. 

If  we  stroll  out  into  the  country  in  the 
spring-time,  while  we  catch  but  transient 
glimp.ses  of  birds,  and  but  rarely  view  the 
wary  animal  life  existent  around  us,  however 
abundant  it  may  be,  no  eye  can  miss  the 
glowing  beauty  of  the  early  flowers  with  which 
the  earth  is  here  and  there  literally  clad.  There 
the  Primro.ses  lie  in  glittering  constellations 
amid  their  crinkled  foliage,  and  yonder  the 
nodding  Scillas  form  a  miniature  heaven  in  the 
bosom  of  the  woods  starred,  it  may  be,  with 
the  early  Daffodils.  Everywhere  the  redun- 
dant loveliness  forces  itself  upon  us,  and  the 
toddling  child  spontaneously  feels  the  charm 
and  loves  to  gather  the  beautiful  blossoms  for 
itself.  Small  wonder,  then,  that  as  our  know- 
ledge grows  and  we  begin  to  learn  that  beneath 
that  wild  beauty  there  lie  all  the  marvels  of 
intimate  relationship  'twixt  bee  and  bloom,  and 
the  myriad  wonderful  contrivances  which  are 
correlated  to  secure  the  perpetuation  of  the 
species  of  which  this  resplendent  glow  rejire- 
sents,  as  it  were,  the  honeymoon,  so  many 
of  us  become  ardent  flower-lovers  our.selves 
and  make  our  gardens  the  sanctuaries  of  our 
special  favourites.  Still  less  is  the  wonder 
as  we  learn  how  these  comparatively  humble 
wild  flowers  can  repay  us  for  special  study 
and  care  by  expanding  into  finer  and  finer 
types,  until  the  simple  five-petalled  Kose 
becomes  the  Queen  of  all  Flowers  in  a 
thousand  varied  types  and  tints  and  habits, 
while  a  mere  weed  like  the  wild  Chry- 
santhemum, a  common  Daisy  to  outward 
seeming,  brought  from  far  distant  lands, 
may,    under   culture,  form  the   raison  d'etre 


for  a  hundred  big  societies  all  over  the  world, 
and  flood  our  gardens  and  conservatories  with 
a  myriad  transcendent  blooms  at  once  gigantic 
and  lovely  and  of  extremely  diverse  and  dis- 
tinctive character. 

In  these  happy  later  days  of  ours,  when  the 
whole  globe  has  been  brought  into  such  close 
relations  that  the  plants  of  all  the  world  are 
practically  at  our  call,  the  danger  lies  really  in 
the  direction  of  a  surfeit,  so  abundant  is  the 
suiijily  of  flowers  competing  for  a  share  of  our 
afl'ections.  But,  as  against  this,  we  should 
rank  that  elevation  of  taste  in  both  judges  and 
public  who  utilise  this  abundance  of  material 
in  order  to  raise  the  standard  of  selection  and 
perfection.  Another  danger  lies  in  the  direc- 
tion of  ignoring  too  much  the  simpler  types  of 
beautv  such  as  survive  in  many  cases  in  the 
wild  flowers  alone.  Undoubtedly  many  flowers 
have  been  so  elaborated  as  to  lose  all  trace  of 
that  primary  simplicity  which  is  often  the 
essence  of  their  charm.  Artificiality  has 
superseded  Nature  wherever  the  natural  habit 
of  growth  is  utterly  sacrificed  to  produce  one 
or  two  huge  blooms  where  Nature  would  have 
yielded  scores  of  prettier  though  smaller  ones. 
Fortunately,  however,  the  large  majority  of 
flowers  contrive  to  baffle  these  attempts  at 
unnatural  concentration  and  to  retain  their 
beauty  despite  their  development  into  larger 
types. 

Charles  T-  Deueey,  F.L.S.,  V.M.H. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 

Hidalgoa  Wereklei.— This  is  a  novelty 
wliich  is  sure  to  create  considerable  interest  in  the 
future.  Very  little  appears  to  be  known  of  the 
plant  beyond  the  fact  that  it  is  described  as  a 
climbing  Dahlia,  and  as  such  it  is  safe  to  predict 
a  keen  demand  as  soon  as  it  is  ready  for  distri- 
bution. This  plant  should  prove  a  welcome 
addition  to  our  not  too  long  list  of  sumnier- 
Howering  climbers,  for  it  is  suitable  for  covering 
arches,  trellis-work,  and  bare  and  unsightly 
walls.  Like  other  Dahlias,  it  is  of  quick  growth, 
developing  prettily-cut,  small,  palmate  leaves, 
and  bright,  orange-scarlet  blossoms,  similar  in 
form  to  the  ordinary  single  Dahlia.  A  batch  of 
plants  was  shown  to  us  a  few  days  since  at 
Ryecroft  Nursery  b3'  Mr.  Jones.  Its  easy  culture 
and  quick  growth,  together  with  the  brilliance  of  its 
display,  stamp  it  as  one  of  the  most  promising  plants 
of  its  kind  introduced  tor  many  j'ears. — C.  A.  H. 

Chpysanthemum  Mrs.  Gpeenfield. 

—  From  among  the  plethora  of  new  and  choice 
.Japanese  Chrysanthemums  this  plant  stands  out 
distinctly.  It  has  been  a  matter  of  some  sttrprise 
that  this  handsome  sort  was  not  awarded  a  first- 
class  certificate  on  the  only  occasion  when  it  was 
exhibited  last  autumn.  It  is  said  that  it  was 
regarded  by  some  as  being  too  much  like  Phccbus. 
Time  will  prove  that  a  great  mistake  was  made. 
Next  season  will  see  the  blooms  of  this  plant 
quite  eclipsing  the  variety  previously  mentioned. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  colour  is  a  rich  Buttercup 
yellow,  midway  between  R.  Hooper  Pearson  and 
Phicbus,  and  its  florets  are  longer  and  broader 
than  the  last-named.  It  is  not  a  plant  of  difhcult 
culture,  and,  judging  by  young  plants  already  to 
hand,  it  possesses  a  good  constitution  and  vigorous 
root  action. — C.  A.  H. 

Glasgow  International  Exhibi- 
tion.—  The  executive  of  the  above  invite  foreign 
nations,  states,  and  dependencies  of  Great  Britain, 
and  all  whom  it  may  concern,  to  furnish  displays 
of  their  fruit  products  at  the  Fruit  and  Vegetable 
Show,  to  be  held  within  the  exhibition  grounds,  on 
Wednesday  and  Thursday,  September  4  and  .5,  1901. 
The  grand  autumn  show  for  pot  plants  and  cut 
flowers  will  be  held  on  August  28  and  29.  Both 
this  and  the  fruit  show  are  organised  in  association 
with  the  Glasgow  and  West  of  Scotland  Horti- 
cultural Society.     Arrangements  have  been  made 


with  the  Scottish  Colrl  Storage  and  lee  Company, 
Limited,  for  the  reception  of  exhibits  that  may 
require  storage  of  this  kind.  Further  particulars 
may  be  obtained  of  the  secretary,  Hugh  A. 
Mackie,  C.A.,  o.'i.  Bath  Street.  (Jlasgow. 

Best  varieties  of  fruit  in  California 

—  From  the  Agricultural  lOxpeiiniciit  Station  of  the 
LTniversity  of  C'alilornia  we  luwe  received  several 
interesting  booklets  on  various  subjects.  We  find 
therein  that  Duchesse  d'Angouleme  is  found  to  be 
one  of  the  best  Pears,  while  Epine  Dumas,  Duuhesse 
d'Orleans,  and  P.  Barr\-  also  bear  well.  Epine 
Dumas  is  considered  to  be  the  best  flavoured  Pear 
in  the  orchard.  In  recent  years  some  of  the  best 
European  table  Grapes  at  tlie  above  station  have 
been  Bowood  Muscat,  Black  Morocco,  Emperor, 
Gros  Colmar,  and  Napoleon.  This  vineyard  has 
seldom  been  injured  by  frost.  One  of  the  worst 
cases  occurred  on  May  20,  1891),  when  eighteen 
varieties,  newly  planted  that  year,  chiefly 
Americans,  were  frozen  so  that  they  did  not  start 
again.  The  crop  of  European  Grapes  was  prac- 
tically destroyed  that  season.  The  Logan  Berry 
throve  exceedingly,  and  has  been  widely  distributed 
from  here. 

The  Banksian  Roses  under  glass. 

— What  a  charming  Rose  the  yellow  Banksian  is 
for  conservatory  planting.  It  should  be  given  a 
conspicuous  position,  such  as  a  wall,  pillar,  or 
arching  the  main  walk.  So  rapid  a  grower  needs 
much  space  to  allow  of  its  full  beauty  being  seen, 
and  especially  should  it  be  allowed  to  grow  in  its 
own  way.  The  white  Banksian,  too,  is  to  some 
even  more  precious,  owing  to  its  powerful  Violet- 
like  fragrance,  but  colour,  especially  yellow  or 
golden,  always  claims  more  adherents  than  other 
points  of  excellence.  Doubtless  the  baking  the 
growths  received  last  summer  is  responsible  for  the 
more  than  usually  free  blossoming  this  season. 
There  never  need  be  any  fear,  however,  as  to  these 
two  beautiful  Roses  failing  to  flower  when  grown 
indoors  if  attention  be  afforded  them  immediately 
after  flowering.  This  would  consist  in  cutting  out 
the  extra  vigorous  sappy  growths  and  removing  a 
few  others  where  too  crowded.  New  wood  of  a 
wiry  nature  must  be  encouraged,  but  on  no  account 
prune  back  hard  as  one  would  a  MarO'chal  Niel, 
or  there  will  be  no  flowers.  These  Banksian 
Roses  flower  upon  the  tiniest  growths  imaginable, 
so  that  it  is  necessary  not  to  overcrowd  the  growths. 
Where  planted  out  under  glass  it  is  as  well  to 
fork  up  the  border  about  the  base  of  the  plant, 
say  2  feet  away.  I  prefer  to  remove  some  of 
the  soil  and  replace  it  with  well-decayed  cow 
manure  and  a  handful  of  wood  ashes  :  then  cover 
over  with  soil,  give  a  good  soaking  of  water  at 
intervals,  and  during  the  summer  months  the 
syringe  must  be  freely  used  to  keep  down  red 
spider.  — P. 

Three  interesting  Coptis  species. 

— Among  other  interesting  plants  now  flowering  i]i 
the  rock  garden  at  Keware  three  species  belonging 
to  the  above  genus.  They  are  all  dwarf-tufted 
perennials,  preferring  a  moist  and  rather  shady 
position  for  their  full  development.  Though  not 
belonging  to  the  showy  section  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  there  is  something  attractive  about  their 
white  star-like  flowers,  which,  added  to  their 
earliness,  entitles  them  to  a  place  in  the  spring 
garden.  C.  occidentalis  is  a  North  American 
species,  found  growing  in  mountain  woods.  Like 
the  following  species  it  is  an  evergreen  perennial, 
with  trifoliolate  leaves  on  long  petioles.  The 
flowers  are  white,  and  borne  three  to  four  together 
on  leafless  stems,  4  inches  to  (i  inches  high.  G. 
orientalis  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  above,  but 
has  the  leaflets  more  deeplj'  sub-divided,  while 
the  flowers  have  a  chocolate-brown  centre.  The 
stem  also,  which  bears  three  to  tive  flowers,  is 
coloured  a  rich  chocolate.  C.  brachypetala, 
like  C.  orientalis,  is  a  native  of  Japan,  but, 
unlike  the  other  two,  it  is  not  evergreen.  The 
leaflets  are  deeply  sub-divided,  while  the  flowers 
are  pure  ivory  white  in  colour.  Probably  the 
best  known  member  of  this  goiius  is  Gold  Thread 
(C.  trifolia),  a  native  of  peat  boas  and  swamps  in 
the  colder  parts  of  the  northern  liemisphore.  This, 
however,  is  a  later  flowering  species,  not  blooming 
till  April  or  May.— W.  Ikvino. 


March  9,  1901.] 


TltK    (JAliDEK. 


15S 


Zephypanthes  Candida.-  1  have  read 

with  interest  "  W.  W.'s  "account  of  the  above 
plant,  and  quite  agree  with  all  that  he  has  to 
sa3'  about  it.  We  have  it  planted  here  in  front  of 
a  range  ot  houses  facing  south,  and  with  it  we 
have  the  beautiful  Belladonna  Lily  ;  and  how  well 
they  go  together,  for  when  the  foliage  of  the 
Belladonna  dies  down  and  sends  up  its  noble 
flowers  far  above  the  Zephyranthes,  the  lovely 
green  foliage  and  white  star-like  flowers  of  the 
latter  form  a  most  effective  and  lasting  floral 
carpet,  and,  as  "  W.  W.  "  says,  it  does  indeed 
increase  verj'  rapidly.  We  use  the  little  white 
flowers  nii.xed  with  Myosotis  palustris  for  house 
decoration,  and  in  this  way  they  are  very  pretty 
and  last  fairly  well.  I  notice  that  Canon  EUacombe 
takes  a  ver3'  different  view  of  this  pretty  little 
flower  (page  123),  but  he  does  not  say  where  he 
has  planted  it,  whether  in  a  dry  or  a  damp  place. 
Perhaps  he  has  not  well  watered  it  during  the 
summer.  If  this  is  the  case  one  can  hardly  wonder 
at  its  failure.  If  Canon  EUacombe  plants  his  bulbs 
in  a  southern  aspect  in  ordinary  garden  soil  and 
sees  that  they  have  occasional  watering  in  the 
summer  I  cannot  but  think  he  will  have  good 
results,  and  eventually  give  a  verj'  different 
account  of  this  beautiful  little  Lil3'. — .Jo:iN  H. 
ClEALf.,  Milton  Court  Gardens,  Dorking. 

The  proposed  National  Sweet  Pea 

Society. — A  meeting  will  be  held  at  Winchester 
House,  Old  Broad  Street,  E.C,  Room  21,  on 
Tuesday  next,  at  5.30  p.m.,  with  the  view  of 
forming  a  National  Sweet  Pea  Societj'.  The  chair 
will  be  taken  by  Mr.  N.  Sherwood.  Anj'one  inte- 
rested but  unable  to  attend  should  communicate 
with  the  hon.  sec.  (pro  tern.),  C.  E.  Wilkins, 
19,  Lyndhurst  Road,  London,  S.E. 

"  I  have  received  a  circular  signed  by  Charles  E. 
Wilkins  advising  me  that  a  meeting  will  be  held 
in  the  City  on  Tuesday  ne.vt,  with  a  view  of 
forming  a  National  Sweet  Pea  Society,  and  the 
reason  assigned  for  this  course  is  '  that  the 
labours  of  the  bicentenary  committee  should  not 
be  lost.'  What  is  meant  by  this?  Tliere  is  no 
fear  whatever  of  the  labours  of  the  bicentenary 
committee  being  lost.  At  the  present  time  the 
e.xecutive  committee  are  putting  through  the  Press 
a  full  report  of  the  proceedings  of  the  celebration, 
and  thus  a  permanent  record  of  them  will  be 
handed  down.  The  e.xecutive  committee  having 
published  its  report  will  then  lay  it  before  the 
general  committee,  and  that  body  will  have  to 
.determine  whether  the  committee  shall  be  con- 
tinued in  some  permanent  form  or  whether  it  shall 
dissolve.  Seeing,  therefore,  that  the  bicentenary 
committee  has  not  yet  completed  its  labours,  it 
seems  premature  to  propose  to  form  a  National 
Sweet  Pea  Society  while  this  truly  National  com- 
mittee is  still  in  existence  and  quite  capable  of 
taking  care  that  its  labours  are  not  lost. — Richard 
Dean,  Hon.  Sec.  to  t!ie  Sweet  Pea  Bicentenary 
Celebration.'' 

Apple  Barnacle  Beauty.— This  showy 

Apple  was  staged  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  by  the  Messrs.  Brown,  of 
Peterborough,  and  its  splendid  colour  was  much 
admired,  whilst  the  fruits  were  of  good  quality,  too. 
This  variety  received  an  award  as  a  market  Apple 
a  short  time  ago,  and  doubtless  it  will  prove  in- 
valuable for  this  purpose,  bat  I  feel  sure  it  will  not 
be  despised  by  private  growers  when  its  good 
qualities  are  better  known.  We  have  very  few 
good  looking  Apples  at  this  date,  equal  at  any  rate 
in  appearance  to  Barnack  Beauty.  It  cannot  in 
any  way  be  compared  to  Cox's  Orange — but  how 
many  private  growers  have  Cox's  Orange  in  March '! 
— and  a  few  dishes  of  the  above  would  be  welcome, 
as  it  keeps  sound  well  into  the  spring.  If  I 
mistake  not  this  variety  was  raised  by  the  late 
Mr.  Gilbert,  of  Burghley,  and  he  showed  some 
beautiful  fruits  of  it  at  the  Apple  Congress  at 
Chiswick  in  1SS3.— G.  Wvtiies. 

Apples  grown  in  London.- The  Apples 

grown  in  what  may  be  termed  the  Metropolitan 
area,  staged  by  Mr.  W.  Roupell  at  a  recent  meeting 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Societj',  were  most 
interesting.  The  exhibit  proved  that  these  fruits 
will  thrive  in  a  smoke-laden  atmosphere ;  indeed,  not 
only  thrive,  but  colour  well  also.     Mr.   Roupell's 


garden  may  be  placed  in  a  favoured  spot  to  others, 
but  quite  recently  I  saw  an  old  Blenheim  Orange 
tree  that  gave  fine  fruits  ;  it  was  on  a  lawn  and  far 
nearer  Charing  Cross  than  Mr.  Roupell's  garden. 
Doubtless  there  are  other  instances  of  successful 
culture,  and  in  my  opinion  much  ot  the  success  is 
due  to  the  trees  being  deciduous,  as  losing  the 
foliage  early  in  the  autumn  the  wood  is  cleansed 
by  winter  rains  and  frosts,  and  they  are  able  to 
hold  their  own.  Mr.  Roupell  has  on  many 
occasions  staged  verj'  good  fruits  and  received 
awards.  The  fruit  of  Cox's  Orange  Pippin  were 
excellent.  We  have  seen  larger,  but  not  better  in 
colour  or  quality.  Another  variety  staged  was  the 
Melon  Apple.  This  is  highly  thought  of  by  the 
grower  as  one  of  the  best  town  garden  Apples,  and 
one  that  fruits  well  in  most  seasons  ;  the  fruits  were 
large,  handsome,  and  of  good  quality. — G.  W. 

Apple  Court  Pendu  Plat. —This 

valuable  dessert  Apple  was  one  of  the  features  of  a 
recent  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
not  .so  much  with  regard  to  quantities  of  fruit 
exhibited,  but  those  sent  illustrated  the  value 
of  this  variet3'  for  late  use.  As  a  dessert  Apple  il 
is  most  valuable  on  account  of  its  lateness,  though  I 
do  not  think  large  dessert  Apples  are  good  keepers  ; 
neither  are  thej'  needed  for  the  table.  Fruits  of 
the  size  of  Cox's  Orange  are  large  enough  for 
dessert.  This  is  a  distinct  fruit,  being  of  a  flatter 
build  than  many,  with  a  very  firm  flesh,  and  is  of 
excellent  flavour.  With  cool  storage  there  is 
no  difficulty  in  keeping  it  well  into  May,  its 
season  beginning  in  December.  Few  varieties 
bloom  so  late,  and  on  that  account  the  fruits 
are  often  more  plentiful,  as  earlier  kinds  suffer 
from  late  frost.  It  is  one  of  the  best  dwarf  or  bush 
kinds,  as  it  is  of  compact  growth,  which  makes  it 
more  valuable  where  space  is  limited.  In  different 
parts  of  the  country  it  is  known  under  various 
names,  but  it  varies  little  in  size  or  shape,  and  is 
readily  known  by  its  peculiar  stalk  and  somewhat 
flat  form.— G.  W. 

Iris  tingitana  in  Portugal.— In  The 

Garden  of  February  9,  I  observe  that  your  cor- 
respondent "  C.  W.  D."  finds  a  difficulty  in 
flowering  Iris  tingitana.  Here  it  does  admirably, 
the  bulbs  sometimes  attaining  a  large  size,  nearly 
as  large  as  one's  fist.  I  grow  this  plant  in  a  well- 
drained,  sandy  loam,  in  a  raised  bed  exposed  to 
full  sun,  so  that  the  bulbs  may  become  perfectly 
ripened  in  summer.  The  plants  also  do  well  and 
flower  in  pots  ;  these  to  be  kept  dry  on  a  shelf  in 
summer.  Here  the  Iris  flowers  from  January  to 
ilarch.  I  have  raised  a  quantity  of  plants  from 
seed. — Baron  de  Souteelinho,  Oporto,  Portugal. 

V7.  A.  Richardson  Rose  in  a  cold 

pit. — This  charming  Rose  has  one  great  defect, 
as  many  individuals  are  only  too  familiar  with, 
and  that  is  the  want  of  colour  in  its  buds.  It  is 
strange  that  in  some  gardens  it  can  always  be 
seen  with  that  intense  orange  yellow  we  know  so 
well,  whereas  in  others  the  colour,  or  want  of  it, 
is  deplorable.  Now  I  have  never  found  these 
pale-coloured,  flowers  during  the  early  months  of 
the  year.  Is  this  owing  to  less  sunlight  or  the 
artificial  heat?  In  ni3'  opinion  it  is  the  former 
circumstance,  for  in  almost  a  cold  house  this  Rose 
has  produced  buds  of  perfect  colour  and  form. 
Now  I  would  advise  anyone  to  grow  a  few  plants 
in  a  cold  pit.  But  how  can  this  be  accomplished 
with  a  climbing  Rose?  My  answer  is,  by  using 
plants  having  long  rods.  Any  nurseryman  would 
supply  plants  in  8-inch  pots  with  growths  some 
6  feet  to  8  feet  long.  Place  such  plants  in  the  pit 
and  bring  down  the  growths  so  that  they  are 
secured  in  a  horizontal  position  trained  upon  some 
bamboo  canes,  and  quantities  of  useful  coat  flowers 
will  be  obtainable  during  April  and  May.  In 
many  gardens  cold  pits  are  always  available  early 
in  the  spring,  and,  if  not,  a  temporary  structure 
formed  with  turfs  or  boards — having,  of  course, 
glass  lights  on  top — would  suffice.  These  plants 
when  received  should  be  top-dressed.  Remove  an 
inch  or  two  of  the  surface  soil.  Sprinkle  a  little 
Ichthemic  guano  on,  and  then  replace  the  soil 
removed  with  some  loam  and  well-rotted  manure 
in  equal  parts.  When  the  growths  are  about 
1  inch  in  length  the  plants  must  receive  a  good 
soaking  with  water,  and  after  this  keep  the  soil 


neither  too  wet  nor  too  dry.  It  would  be  advisable 
to  phnige  the  pots  in  coal  ashes  up  to  the  rim.  A 
little  air  should  also  be  left  on  at  night,  and  a 
liljeral  amount  given  by  day.  If  this  be  done 
regularly  the  young  growth  will  become  so  inured 
to  it  that  no  mildew  should  be  seen.  After  flowering 
cut  the  plants  down  to  within  three  or  four  eyes  of 
the  top  of  the  pot,  and  place  the  plants  in  a  vinery 
or  stove  where  they  can  receive  plenty  of  heat  and 
moislure.  When  the  new  growths  have  grown 
an  inch  or  two  the  plants  should  be  repotted  ; 
they  will  then  by  October  make  rods  from 
8  feet  to  10  feet  long,  and  will  be  serviceable 
for  another  year  or  two  if  similarly  treated  each 
season. — P. 

Plants  from  the  Botanic  Gardens, 

Cambridge.— Mr.  R.  Irwin  Lynch  contributed 
the  following  interesting  plants  and  notes,  for  which 
a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was   recorded,   to  a 
recent  meeting  of  the  scientific  committee  of  the 
Roj'al  Horticultural  Society:  Iris  histrioides — This 
species  is  not   recorded  in   Sir  M.   Foster's  book, 
and  is  probably  of  more  recent  introduction.     Iris 
stylosa — A  narrow  form  of  this  species,  Mr.  Elwes 
observed,    was   introduced   b}'  him   in    1874   as   I. 
cretensis,   allied   to   I.    unguicularis,  exhibited  by 
Mr.  Bowles.     Galanthus  Erithr* — Not  mentioned 
by    Mr.    Baker.       Hyacinthus    ciliatus    (azureus). 
Narcissus  Trimon — Sir  M.  Foster's  h3'brid,  between 
N.  triandrus  and  N,  monophyllus  :  it  is  the  earliest 
of  all  in  flowering   this  year  ;    the  preceding  are 
flowering  out  of  doors.     Cyrtanthus  lutescens  was 
also   exhibited.     Urceocharis    Clibrani — This   is   a 
bigener  between  Eucharis  grandiflora  a,nd   Urceo- 
lina  pendula.     Dioscorea  sativa — This  bears  tubers 
(one   of   which    was    sent)    at    every   joint   for   a 
length  of  40  feet ;  the  tuber,  which  was  globular, 
would  send  out  a  shoot  3  feet  or  4  feet  or  more 
in   length   if   kept  indoors.      Kola   acuminata — A 
flowering  shoot  of  this  tree  which  bears  the  Kola 
nut ;  the  calyx  is  orange  coloured,  the  corolla  is 
wanting,  and  the  leaves  are  dimorphic,  like  that  of 
the  fig,  &c.     Aloe  sp.  nov. — This  is  said  to  agree 
with   specimens  collected    in   Somaliland  :    it  was 
taken  to  the  Natural  Histor3'  Museum  for  identifi- 
cation.     Heterotonia  lobelioides — The   bird   plant 
of  Mexico  :  the  flower  is  remarkable  for  the  recep- 
tacular  tube  extending  as  a  beak  in  front,  carrying 
two  small  sepals  at  the  extremity,  and  the  tubular 
corolla  adherent  to  it  throughout.     Cornus  Mas — 
Flowering  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  Januar3', 
even  on  to  March.     Hamamelis  virginiana — Wych 
Hazel ;  the  nut  is  eaten  in  Virginia,  and  is  regarded 
as  a  valuable  medicine  there.     Hardenbergia  comp- 
toniana  —  A  very  prett3'  climber  for  a  greenhouse. 
Siphooampylos   laneeolatus  —  A   quite    uncommon 
plant.       Distiacanthus    scarlatinus  —  A    brilliant 
bromeliad.      Crocus   Iniperati,    Chr3'santhus,    and 
Sieberi  —  Winter- flowering   species,    now    nearly 
over. 

Rose  Mme.  Ravary  (H.  T).  — This 

excellent  golden-yellow  Rose  promises  to  be  of 
much  usefulness,  not  merel3'  for  bedding,  but  also 
in  the  forcing  house.  The  flower  is  not  very 
double — in  fact,  little  more  than  semi-double,  but 
the  exquisite  rich  golden-yellow  buds,  borne  on 
such  fine  stiff  stems,  will  make  it  a  popular 
fivourite.  I  sincerely  hope  Mons.  Pernet-Ducher 
and  other  hybridists  will  continue  to  give  us  this 
type  of  Rose  in  all  the  beautiful  tints  of  3ellow, 
such  as  sulphur,  lemon,  orange,  gamboge,  &c.  If 
it  were  possible,  as  seems  likely,  that  a  strain  of 
dwarf  3ellow  Roses  could  be  evolved  from  those 
which  are  extra  vigorous,  and  which  now  predomi- 
nate, they  would  be  a  real  gain  to  our  gardens. 
The  few  good  3'ellow3  found  among  the  dwarf  Teas 
are,  unfortunateh',  not  hard3',  at  least  several  of 
them,  such  as  Perle  des  Jardins,  Souvenir  de  Mme. 
Levet,  &c.  On  the  other  hand,  I  believe  these 
Hybrid  Teas  to  be  almost  hardy,  although  there  is 
a  disposition  on  the  part  of  some  individuals  to 
deny  it.  Such  Roses  as  Mme.  Cadeau  Ramey, 
Clara  Watson,  Gustave  Regis,  and  Antoine  Rivoire 
appear  to  have  passed  through  the  recent  ordeal 
unharmed.  I  am  not  sure  what  the3-  would  do 
when  subjected  to  two  or  three  zero  frosts,  but 
then  even  many  of  our  boasted  hardy  Hybrid 
Perpetuals  suffered  almost  as  much  as  the  Teas 
during  the  severe  weather  of  a  few  years  ago. — P. 


160 


THE    GARDEK. 


[March  9,  190i. 


Acalypha    sanderiana.  —  For   giving 

colour  lo  the  stove  at  any  time  of  3'ear  this  plant 
has  few  equals,  and  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be 
propagated  and  grown  makes  it  a  grand  plant  for 
amateurs.  The  spikes  are  crimson  and  drooping, 
and  offen  attain  a  great  length.  As  soon  as  they 
are  past  their  best  they  should  be  removed,  and 
new  ones  will  soon  develop  in  llieir  places.  Cuttings 
may  be  put  in  at  any  time  during  spring  and 
summer,  but  February  and  March  are  the  best 
months.  Insert  them  either  singly  in  2i-inch  po^s, 
or  several  together  in  3-inch  pots.  In  any  case, 
light  sandy  loam  should  be  used,  and  the  pots  kept 
close  in  the  propagating  pit.  When  rooted  pot  on, 
using  a  compost  consisting  of  fibrous  loam,  leaf- 
mould,  well-decayed  manure,  and  a  little  silver 
sand.  Useful  specimens  can  be  grown  in  6-inch 
pots,  but  where  large  ones  are  wanted  10-inch  or 
larger  must  be  emplo3'ed,  taking  care  that  the 
drainage  is  good.  The  plants  soon  suffer  if  allowed 
to  get  di-y,  the  roots  being  very  fleshy.  Weak 
liquid  manure  twice  a  week,  when  the  pots  are 
full  of  roots,  will  help  to  keep  them  in  health. 
The  red  spider  is  very  partial  to  this  Acalypha, 
and  attacks  the  undersides  of  the  leaves.  Syringing 
the  plants  regularly  will  check  it,  but  stop  syringing 
as  soon  as  flowering  begins,  when  the  leaves  should 
be  sponged  with  clean  water,  or,  if  there  is  any 
sign  of  the  pest,  a  solution  of  some  good  insecticide. 
Gishurst  compound  is  good,  and  may  be  used  at 
the  rate  of  2oz.  to  a  gallon  of  water. — F.  B.  Brice, 
Ooathur.i',  Bridywafer. 

Apple  Gravenstein.  —  It  seems  a  pity 

that  fruits  of  inferior  equality  are  often  planted  to 
the  exclusion  of  others  that  are  so  much  better. 
This  is  especially  the  case  with  Apples.  We  have 
none  too  many  good  second  early  Apples,  and  so 
before  the  end  of  the  planting  season  I  should  like 
to  draw  attention  to  the  merits  of  Gravenstein, 
which  is  in  splendid  condition  from  the  end  of 
September  until  the  middle  of  November  ;  indeed, 
during  that  time  it  is  not  easy  to  find  a  better 
Apple,  combining,  as  it  does,  size,  good  appear- 
ance (it  is  an  ideal  exhibition  fruit),  and  excellent 
quality.  After  praising  it  very  highly.  Dr.  Hogg 
says  of  it :  "  This  beautiful  and  excellent  Apple  is 
comparatively  but  little  known,  otherwise  it 
would  be  now  generally  cultivated."  I  have  had 
no  experience  with  it  in  bush,  pyramid,  or  espalier 
form,  but  old  standards  give  yearly  a  fair  crop. — 

E.  BURRELL. 

Pear  Due  de  Nemours.— This  is  a  com- 
paratively little  known  Pear,  of  large  size,  and 
excellent  quality.  It  ripens  from  the  end  of 
November  onwards  and  through  part  of  December, 
often  filling  a  gap  between  the  mid-season  and  late 
fruits.  It  is  a  handsome  Pear,  a  pale  yellow  skin 
throughout,  which  is  covered  with  brown  or  russet 
spots.  A  very  taking  fruit  on  the  show  table,  and 
much  ap2)reciated  for  dessert.  From  the  size  of 
the  one  or  two  trees  that  I  have  seen  the  variety 
must  have  been  in  the  country  over  fifty  years. 
My  solitary  tree  is,  unfortunately,  on  a  north-east 
aspect,  where  the  flowers  are  invariably  badly  out 
by  late  frosts.  The  best  samples  I  have  seen  came 
from  Pain's  Hill,  where  the  tree  is  growing  in  a 
low-lying  old-world  kitchen  garden. — L. 

Outdoor  Grapes  in  1900.— The  season 

of  1900  was  a  very  good  one  for  outdoor  Grapes 
From  an  old  Sweetwater  that  covers  about  300 
square  feet  of  wall  we  had  a  little  over  three 
bushels  of  very  fair  fruit,  many  of  the  bunches 
weighing  over  lib.  Much  has  been  written  as  to 
the  advisability  or  not  of  a  more  extensive  culture 
of  outdoor  Grapes,  and  the  truth  seems  to  lie 
between  the  two  extremes.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
they  are  practically  valueless  in  places  where  there 
is  sufficient  glass  to  give  a  regular  supply,  but  in 
the  cottage  and  villa  garden  they  furnish  a  change 
as  fruit  diet  and  make  excellent  wine.  As  a  little 
extra  attention  is  necessary  to  produce  the  best 
results,  the  following  cultural  notes  may  be  inte- 
resting :  Allow  about  2  feet  between  the  branches, 
which  can  be  secured  to  the  wall  with  stout  tan 
twine.  In  pruning  cut  away  all  small  weakly 
growth,  and  cut  back  the  stronger  shoots  to  one 
or  two  eyes.  Loosen  the  branches  Irom  the  wall 
some  time  during  the  winter,  and  run  the  hand 
along  them  to  remove  loose  bark  and   insects.     If 


red  spider  shows  itself  with  the  advent  of  warm 

weather,  give  a  heavy  syringing  with  a  solution  of 
soft  soap  and  paraffin.  Disbud  and  stop  shoots 
and  laterals,  as  in  the  case  of  indoor  vines.  All 
berries  may  remain  on  bundles  that  are  to  be  used 
in  wine  making,  but  those  required  should  be 
thinned  if  lime  permits.  Net  a  little  before  the 
fruit  begins  to  ripen  to  prevent  birds  taking  the 
fruit.  Keep  a  sharp  look  out  for  mildew,  and  dust 
with  sulphur  if  it  makes  its  appearance.  I  should 
say  Sweetwater  is  the  best  all-round  outdoor  Grape. 
Mr.  Will  Tayler  grows  a  variety  known  as  Reine 
Olga  very  well  on  his  house  at  Hampton,  but  I 
have  not  as  yet  been  able  to  ripen  it  satisfactorily 
here.  I  shall  try  it  this  season  with  considerably 
more  room  between  the  shoots.  —  E.  Burrell, 
C/aremonl,  Surrey. 

Chorozema  Varium.— The  Australian 
Flora  is  very  rich  in  leguminous  plants  suitable 
for  greenhouse  culture  in  this  country,  and  among 
the  man}'  genera  Chorozema  is  conspicuous  on 
account  of  its  general  usefulness  and  beauty.  The 
species  under  notice  has  been  in  cultivation  for 
nearly  a  centurj',  but  like  many  other  good  old 
things  it  is  not  now  grown  to  such  an  extent  as  its 
good  qualities  warrant.  In  habit  it  forms  a  loose 
bush,  with  long,  thin  branches  .sparingly  clothed 
with  Holl3'-like  leaves,  the  largest  of  which  are 
barel}'  2  inches  long.  The  flowers  are  small  and 
bright  red,  with  a  yellow  blotch  at  the  base  of  the 
upper  petal.  They  are  borne  in  long,  loose, 
terminal  racemes,  both  from  the  main  branches 
and  all  side  branches.  The  flowering  season  is 
midwinter,  and  the  plants  keep  in  good  condition 
for  quite  three  months.  After  flowering  the  plants 
should  be  cut  back  and  kept  close  until  growth 
recommences,  after  which  they  should  be  given 
as  much  light  and  air  as  possible  tliroughout 
summer  and  autumn.  At  Kew  a  fine  plant  4  feet 
high  and  3  feet  through  has  been  in  full  flower  in 
the  greenhouse  since  Christmas,  and  bids  fair  to 
keep  in  good  condition  for  several  weeks  to  come. 
Sandy  peat  and  firm  potting  are  the  necessary 
items  towards  its  successful  cultivation,  and  the 
stock  may  be  increased  either  by  means  of  seeds  or 
cuttings.  C.  Chandleri  and  C.  lawrenceanum  are 
synonyms  of  this  plant. — W.  Dallimore. 

Hamamelis    artaorea.  —  This  quaintly 

flowered  but  attractive  shrub  is  now  in  full  bloom, 
and  presents  a  striking  appearance  with  even  the 
smallest  shoots  thickl}'  set  and  its  curious  blos- 
soms, the  narrow  petals  of  which  look  like  rolls  of 
ribbon  before  they  expand,  while  when  fully  open 
the}'  have  the  appearance  of 
twisted  strips  of  gold  leaf 
about  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  in  length,  each  flower 
being  composed  of  four  petals, 
which  contrast  pleasingly 
with  the  crimson  sepals.  This 
Hamamelis,  which  goes  by 
the  name  of  the  Japanese 
Witch  Hazel,  grows  in  its 
native  country  to  a  height  of 
20  feet  and  is  perfectly  hardy, 
while  its  flowers  possess  the 
desirable  quality  of  enduring 
from  10'^'  to  15°  of  frost 
without  injury.  Though  in- 
troduced into  this  country 
nearly  forty  years  ago  the 
shrub  is  still  rare  in  gardens, 
owing  to  the  difficulty  ex- 
perienced in  propagating  it. 
It  is  a  desirable  addition  to 
our  few  winter  -  flowering 
shrubs,  and  is  worthily  used 
in  the  Royal  Gardens  at 
Kew. 

The  "Winter  Sweet. 

— Mr.  E.  Burrell's  note  on 
this  delightfully  fragrant 
winter-blooming  shrub  leads 
me  to  draw  attention  to  the 
infinitely  more  decorative 
eflect  produced  by  it  when 
grown  in  the  open  ground  in 
its  natural  form  than  when 
trained    against   a   wall. 


Doubtless  in  the  colder  districts  of  this  country  wall 
protection  is  a  necessity,  but  in  the  south-west  it  is, 
happily,  needless,  and  many  are  the  fine  specimens 
that  may  be  found  growing  on  lawns  and  in  open 
spaces  of  the  gardens.  Again  and  again,  in  notes 
eulogising  its  gift  of  perfume,  its  ornamental 
qualities  are  depreciated,  and  it  must  be  admitted 
that  when  trained  to  a  wall  its  pale  yellow  flowers 
are  inconspicuous,  but  when  grown  in  bush  form  in 
the  open,  and  backed  by  evergreens,  the  blossoms 
that  thickly  stud  its  leafless  shoots  are  thrown  into 
high  relief  by  their  dark  setting,  and  present  an 
attractive  if  not  a  striking  picture.  Within  the 
past  few  days  I  have  seen  a  bushy  shrub,  about 
8  feet  in  height  and  as  much  in  diameter,  growing 
in  such  a  situation,  and  was  much  struck  with  its 
unpretentious  beauty.  This  shrub  was  the  ordinary 
form  of  Chimonanthus  fragrans,  but  the  same 
garden  contained  a  specimen  of  the  variety  grandi- 
florus,  which,  originally  planted  against  a  wall, 
had  formed  a  small,  bushy  tree  some  1.5  feet  in 
height  that  overtopped  the  coping-stones  by  many 
feet.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  fragrance  emitted 
by  flowers  of  the  variety  grandiflorns  is  inferior  to 
that  given  off  by  blossoms  of  the  type,  but  I  failed 
to  detect  any  difference  in  the  ociour  of  the  two 
from  the  plucked  blooms,  while  in  both  cases  the 
perfume  could  be  appreciated  in  the  still  air  at  a 
distance  of  several  feet.  The  first  flowers  of  the 
Winter  Sweet  usually  expand  a  fortnight  or  so 
before  Christmas,  and  blooms  retain  their  beauty 
and  freshness  through  the  whole  of  January  and 
well  into  February.  The  frost  had  seared  the 
foliage  of  large  shrubs  of  Aloysia  citriodora,  the 
so-called  Scented  Verbena,  and  Ceanolhus  Gloire 
de  Versailles  growing  hard  by  the  specimen  first 
referred  to  in  this  note,  but  its  blossoms  remained 
uninjured.  In  the  depth  of  winter  odorous  shrubs, 
such  as  the  Chimonanthus,  Lonicera  fragrantissima, 
and  L.  Standishi  are  particularh'  valuable,  not 
only  for  their  scent  in  the  open  air,  but  for  the 
flower-sprays  they  afford  for  perfuming  the  living 
rooms  of  the  house. — S.  W.  Fitzilereert. 

Standard    Marguerites.— Few  plants 

give  us  such  a  long  season  of  flowers  as  does  the 
Marguerite.  We  have  it  in  the  greenhouse  during 
dull  winter  months,  when  flowers  of  any  kind  are 
welcome,  and  it  is  again  in  evidence  in  window- 
boxes  in  early  summer.  When  grown  as  a  standard 
it  is  nearly  always  at  its  best  in  the  autunni,  and 
it  may  often  be  seen  untouched  by  frost  at  the  end 
of  November.  To  form  standards  rooted  cuttings 
should  be  potted  up  now  in  some  good  rich  soil, 


ODONTOCJLOSSUM    LOOl'IIRISTYENSE  COUNnONENSE. 


March  9,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


161 


and  be  grown  in  an  intermediate  temperature. 
They  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  pot-bound 
until  they  have  reached  the  required  heigjit,  or 
flowers  will  appear  prematurely,  thus  rendering 
them  useless  for  standards.  They  are  extremely 
well  adapted  to  this  treatment.  Last  year  we  had 
some  grand  specimens  measuring  5  feet  across,  and, 
clothed  with  their  beautiful  white  and  yellow 
blossoms,  they  make  charming  plants  for  tlie 
centre  of  a  bed,  and  look  equally  as  well  if  given 
a  prominent  position  in  the  herbaceous  border. — 
K.  H. 
Rhus    vepnieifera.— A    note    from 

Hong'  Kong^. — My  head  man,  of  course  a  China- 
man,  a  few  days  ago  made  his  appearance  with 
his  head  about  twice  its  normal  size,  and  with  his 
face  and  neck  of  a  very  beautiful  pink  shade  in 
addition.     On  enquiring  of  him  the  reason  for  this 
sudden  change  in  his  appearance,  he  replied  tliat 
he   had    just  bought  a  new  pillow  from   Canton. 
This  did  not  enlighten  me  much  on  the  subject,  so 
I  asked  him  what  the  pillow  had  to  do  with  it. 
To  this  enquiry  he  said  that  he  had  slept  on  it  tlie 
previous  night.     I  told  him  that  I  understood  that 
pillows  were  generally  used  for  that  purpose,  but 
that  I  failed  to  see   the  connection  between   the 
pillow  and  his  enlarged   features.       In    reply   he 
volunteered   the  statement  that   the   change   had 
been    brought    about    by   the    material   used    for 
varnishing   the  pillow.     I  then  enquired   for   the 
Chinese  name  of  the  varnish,  and  on  receiving  that 
information  I  had  no  hesitation  in  coming  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  man's  pillow  had  been  covered 
with  Chinese  lacquer  obtained  from  Rhus  vernici- 
fera.     I   was  still  surprised  that  he  should  have 
used  such  a  pillow,  and  asked    hijn  if  he  did  not 
know  the  poisonous  nature  of  the  lacquer,  to  which 
he  replied  that  he  was  fully  aware  of  its  qualities 
and  of  the   way  it  affected   people.      On    remon- 
strating with  him  for  using  it  he  answered  me  in 
the   most   philosophical  way  imaginable,   that  he 
did   not   mind,  that   the  eiJects   only  lasted   two 
or  three  days,  and  what  were  two  or  three  days' 
suft'ering   and    inconvenience   compared   with    the 
possession  of  a  fine  lacquered  pillow,  which  reminds 
one  of  the  schoolboy  who  played  truant  and  received 
a  thrashing    from  the  master  the  next   day,  and 
who,    on   being   chaflfed   by    his   mates,    replied : 
"  What  is  a  five  minutes'  thrashing  compared  with 
an  afternoon's  pleasure ? "     Perhaps  it  will  be  just 
as  well  to  mention  that  a  Chinese  pillow  is  a  very 
different  thing  from  the  European  article.     It  is 
merely  an  oblong  block   of  wood,  and   an  empty 
cigar  box  makes  a  first-rate  pillow  for  a  Chinaman. 
— W.  J.  TnTCHEK,  Botanic  Garden«,  Hong  Kong. 


NEW    ORCHIDS. 

ODONTOGLOSSUM  LOOCHRISTYENSE 
ROCHFORDIANUM. 

A  NOTE  of  mine  was  published  in  Thk 
Garden'  some  three  years  ago  respect- 
ing a  plant  which  was  sold  in  Messrs. 
Protheroe  and  Morris's  rooms,  the 
characteristics  of  which  led  me  to 
think  that  it  was  undoubtedly  a 
natural  hybrid  between  Odontoglossum  crispum 
and  0.  triumphans.  In  every  respect  the  plant 
then  referred  to  appeared  to  be  a  glorified 
0.  excellens  with  the  lip  of  0.  crispum  instead 
of  the  usual  0.  Pescatorei.  This  note  was 
severely  criticised,  and  I  was  told  how  utterly 
impossible  it  was  for  such  a  cross  to  take  place, 
the  plants  growing  so  many  miles  apart.  Since 
that  time  garden  hybrids  have  been  raised  on  the 
continent  from  the  intercrossing  of  these  very 
species,  with  the  result  that  proved  the  suggestion 
of  the  existence  of  natural  hybrids  to  have  been  a 
perfectly  correct  one.  Since  the  first  plant 
exhibited  by  Mr.  W.  Thompson,  of  Stone,  Stafford- 
shire, as  0.  loochristyense  "  Canary  Bird,"  on 
November  21,  1899,  many  fine  varieties  have  been 
exhibited  and  received  awards  at  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society's  meetings.  Every  one  of  them, 
as  far  as  my  memory  goes,  have  appeared  among 
importations  of  0.   crispum,    proving,  if  proof  be 


necessary,  that  these  species  grow 

together  in  some  localities.    About 

twenty   years   ago    my   lamented 

friend,  the  late  David  Burk,  who 

had     then      just     returned    from 

collecting      Odontoglossums      for 

Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  assured 

me   that    in   some    localities    tlie 

different  species  grew  intermixed, 

and  the  only  reason  he  could  give 

me  when  I  suggested  a  possibility 

of  natural  hybrids  was  that   the 

various    species   flowered    at 

different  seasons  of  the  year,  and 

it  was,   therefore,   impossible  for 

insect  cross-fertilisation  to  occur. 

There   can  be   no   doubt   that   in 

their  native  habitats,  as  well  a.s 

under  artificial  culture,  the  plants 

from   some   cause    flower    out   of 

season,    and    no     doubt    provide 

opportunities  which  result  in  the 

production  of  natural  hybrids. 
One   of   the   finest   varieties  of 

0.    loochristyense     I    have    seen 

was  exhibited  at  the  Royal  Hor- 
ticultural   Society's    meeting    on 

February  12,  and  forms  the  sub- 
ject of  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration. 0.  1.  rochfordianum 
is  a  remarkable  kind,  the  flowers 
34  inches  in  diameter  and  the 
ground  colour  of  the  sepals 
golden  yellow,  becoming  lighter 
at  the  base.  In  the  central  area 
of  each  there  is  a  large  chocolate- 
brown  blotch,  the  basal  area  being  thickly 
spotted  and  marbled  with  the  same  colour.  The 
outer  edges  of  the  petals  have  many  irregular 
profusions,  the  apical  half  and  outer  margins 
golden  yellow,  the  central  and  basal  area  white 
covered  with  numerous  choeolate-brown  mark- 
ings. The  front  lobe  and  outer  margins  of  the 
lip  are  white,  with  a  faint  shade  of  yellow  in 
front  of  the  deep  brown  spot  in  the  centre,  yellow 
at  the  base,  the  crest  lined  and  spotted  with  deep 
brown.  The  general  characteristics  of  the  lip  are 
those  of  0.  crispum.  It  received  a  first-class 
certificate  from  the  Orchid  committee.  Exhibited 
by  Mr.  T.  Rochford,  Turnford  Hall,  Broxbourne, 
by  whom  it  was  imported. 

O.  L.  COUNDONENSE. 
The  flower  of  this  differs  in  shape  and  lacks  the 
substance  and  markings  of  the  last-named  kind  ; 
it  carried  an  enormous  spike  of  flowers  and  buds. 
The  flower  is  4  inches  in  diameter  ;  the  sepals 
deep  yellow,  with  three  regular  blotches  of  choco- 
late-brown ;  the  petals  lighter  than  the  sepals, 
much  crested  on  the  margins  with  large  brown 
spots  in  the  central  area,  and  numerous  smaller 
ones  at  the  base.  The  lip  is  flatter  than  in  the 
last-mentioned  kind,  white  on  the  front  and  outer 
margins,  yellow  on  the  disc  with  a  large  blotch  of 
brown  in  the  centre,  and  some  smaller  ones  on  the 
disc.  On  the  upper  margins  there  are  numerous 
miniature  brown  spots  and  lines  of  the  same  colour 
at  the  base.  It  is  a  desirable  addition,  and 
received  an  award  of  merit  from  the  Orchid  com- 
mittee. The  plant  came  from  Mr.  G.  Singer, 
Coundon  Court,  Coventry. — H.  J.  Chapman. 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES, 


WORN-OUT  FRUIT  TREES. 
Please  advise  me  as  to  the  best  mode  of  treat- 
ing my  fruit  trees?  I  have  a  large  number 
of  old  Pear  trees  (pyramids)  in  my  garden ; 
they  bore  good  crops  of  fruit  last  year,  and  have 
abundance  of  fruit  buds  now  ;  they  were  much 
covered  with  lichen,  and  the  branches  green.  I 
have  had  them  washed  and  painted  from  stem  to 
bud  with  a  mixture  of  lime  and  sulphur  ;  but  last 
j'ear  the  fruit  of  several  of  these  trees  was  of 
little  use,  and  greatly  disfigured  by  black  round 
patches   which   formed   on   the   skin   and    spread 


ODONTOGLOSSUM    LdOCHRISTVENSK    RorHFOKllIAN  UM . 


inwards  and  caused  them  to  rot — not  ordinary 
decay  ;  some  of  these  would  decay  in  three  or  four 
patches  on  one  fruit.  Easter  Beurre,  Beurre 
Bachelier,  Nouvelle  Eulvie,  and  Olivier  des 
Serres  being  particularly  badly  affected.  Is  this 
the  "  Pear  Fungus  ?  "  Should  the  trees  be  sprayed 
with  some  solution  in  the  spring,  and  if  so,  what 
is  the  best  preparation  to  use,  and  what  strength 
should  it  be?  Will  more  than  one  spraying  be 
required  ?  I  may  add  I  have  spread  a  quantity  of 
wood  ashes  round  the  tree,  and  given  them  a  good 
dressing  of  manure.  B. 

[We  fear  the  trees  descri  bed  are  past  recovery , 
and  not  worth  the  labour   bestowed   upon  them. 
We   admit  every  one  is  anxious  to  keep  trees  as 
long  as  possible,  but  there  is  no  advantage  in  doing 
so   if  beyond  chance   of  restoration.     We  do  not 
say  that  old  trees   cannot   be  made  fruitful.     So 
much  depends  upon  the  soil  and  condition  of  the 
roots,  and  evidently  in  this  case  there  is  something 
wrong  in  addition  to  the  trees  being  old.  Although 
they  bore  good  crops,  we  presume   the  fruit  was 
inferior  and  small.     Spraying  will  not   help  this, 
and  we  think  the  roots  are  at  fault,  and  that  the 
land  is  in  need  of  drainage,  the  roots  having  pro- 
bably gone  down  into  the  clay  or  wet  land.     This 
would  cause  the  decay  or  black  patches,  and  we 
have  come  to  this  conclusion,  as  you  say  your  trees 
were  well  dressed  and  showed  plenty  of  fruit  buds. 
It  is  when  the  trees  are  perfecting  their  fruits  that 
the  mischief    is  caused.     In   the  case  of  younger 
trees  these  would  be  good   remedies,  such  as  root 
pruning,  lifting,  and  draining.     We  presume  that 
3'our  trees  are  too  old  for  this  remedy  to  be  carried 
out  with  any  degree  of   success.     We  have  seen 
large  trees  treated  thus    by  spreading   the  work 
over  three  years,  and  draining  the  land  at  the  same 
time  ;  but  this  entails  considerable  labour.     Such 
kind  as  Easter   Beurre   often   fail,  and   the  same 
remark   applies   to   Nouvelle   Fulvie,  which   likes 
a  warm,   well  drained  soil.     On   the  other  hand, 
Beurre  Bachelier  is  not  a  poor  grower,  but  it  is  not 
a  valuable  variety,  the  fruit  is  of  poor  quality,  but 
this  tree  failing  proves  there  is  something  wrong 
at  the  roots.     The  presence  of  lichen  also  points  to 
exees.sive   dampness,    either   of    site    or   deficient 
drainage.     You  have  done  your  best  to  counteract 
the  evil  referred  to  by  using  lime  and  sulphur,  but 
this  only  partially  affects  the  growth  of  the  trees. 
You  ask  if  further  spraying  would  be  beneficial. 
We  tliink  not,  but  as  you  wish  for  the  name  of  a 
good  wash  we  do  not  think  the  Bordeaux  mixture 
can  be  beaten.    This  consists  of  sulphate  of  copper, 


162 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  9,  1901. 


10  ounces  of  which  should  be  dissolved  in  a  little 
boiling  water.  To  this  add  5  gallon.s  of  water,  and 
slake  ti  ounces  of  lime  in  water.  When  cool  pour 
it  into  the  solution  of  copper,  and  stir  all  well 
together.  Be  careful  not  to  exceed  thequantitj-  of 
sulphate,  but  use  it  rather  weaker  than  otherwise 
for  tender  foliage.  We  have  great  faith  in  J'oung 
trees  in  preference  to  old  ones,  and  would  advise 
replanting  as  it  is  not  late.  Thoroughly  prepare 
the  soil,  and  especiall}'  if  j-ou  plant  where  older 
trees  formerly  stood,  but  this  should  be  avoided  if 
possible.  In  planting  new  trees,  drain  thoroughly, 
and  in  your  case  it  would  be  advisable  to  place  a 
good  quantit3'  of  anything  porous,  or  that  drains 
thoroughly,  such  as  old  brick  rubble,  burnt  ballast, 
limestone,  or  chalk,  and  to  give  new  soil  for  the 
roots  of  the  young  trees. — Eds.] 

COB    NUTS. 

Could  you  give  an  article  in  your  paper  describing 
the  treatment  and  management  of  Cob  Nuts  ?  I 
have  the  last  four  years'  volumes  of  The  Garden 
(three  years'  bound),  and  on  referring  to  them  find 
tlic  treatment  of  Nuts  scarcel}'  mejitioned.  I  have 
here  about  half  an  acre  planted  with  Cob  Nuts, 
some  si.x  or  seven  years  old  ;  they  have  been 
neglected  bj'  the  previous  tenant.  I  iaave  removed 
the  numerous  suckers  that  crowded  the  bushes. 
There  is  an  abundance  of  catkins  and  female  buds 
on  the  bushes. 

Pembary  Court,  Kent.  B.  Addy'. 

[We  are  pleased  to  give  you  a  few  cultural 
details  about  L,ob  Nuts,  and,  though  the  culture 
is  simple,  if  the  trees  are  neglected  they  soon  run 
wild  and  bear  irregular  crops,  whereas  given 
attention  they  are  most  profitable  and  rarely  fail 
to  bear  well. 

The  Cob  Nut  is  splendidly  grown  in  Kent,  and 
is  one  of  the  best  paying  crops  where  there  is 
systematic  culture.  The  best  results  we  have  seen 
were  from  trees  closely  pruned,  and  if  you  could 
see  some  trees  grown  thus  in  your  district  you 
would  more  clearly  understand  what  is  meant  by 
close  pruning.  You  say  your  trees  have  produced 
a  lot  of  suckers,  and  you  have  done  well  to  remove 
them,  but  you  do  not  tell  us  what  shape  your  trees 
are — if  on  single  stems  or  otherwise.  We  will 
take  the  former  first.  Proceed  cautiously  at  first, 
as  the  trees  if  severel}'  pruned  now  would  throw 
up  a  forest  of  suckers.  This  must  be  avoided. 
Thin  out  cross  branches  and  allow  more  light  to 
the  centre  of  the  trees,  and  you  could  shorten  back 
very  long  shoots.  Then  next  j'ear  prune  more 
freely,  as  during  the  ensuing  season  the  trees  will 
make  spur  growths  from  these  spurs.  Next  year 
you  will  get  fruit  and  be  able  to  shape  the  trees. 
This  relates  to  closely  pruned  Cobs  on  the  Kentish 
system.  Where  trees  are  grown  from  the  start— we 
mean  close  pruned — they  assume  the  form  of  a 
bush  Apple,  but  with,  say,  a  dozen  branches  or 
leaders.  These  are  not  allowed  to  make  side  or 
lateral  growth,  but  close  pruned,  and  they  form  a 
forest  of  spurs  all  up  the  branches.  From  these 
catkins  show  freelj',  and  the  fruits  are  produced  in 
quantities.  From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
trees  are  on  a  short  leg  or  stem  with  nine  to  twelve 
main  shoots  or  branches  radiating  from  the  stem 
at  a  certain  distance  from  the  soil.  The  exact 
distance  is  immaterial  as  regards  length  of  stem, 
but  there  is  a  gain  in  having  sutBcient  stem  to 
allow  of  the  land  being  kept  free  of  weeds  and 
food  to  be  given  in  the  shape  of  surface-dressings. 
The  head  of  the  bush  or  tree  is  thus  in  the  form  of 
a  basin,  the  centre  being  taken  out  and  thus  kept 
open,  and  the  side  growths  closely  pruned.  In 
many  Nut  orchards  the  trees  are  far  enough  apart 
to  allow  ample  sun  and  light  tq  reach  the  growths, 
and  in  others  small  crops  are  grown  between  tlie 
rows  of  trees,  mostly  Strawberries.  The  land  is 
well  manured,  also  the  surface-soil  under  the  trees, 
no  sucker  growth  being  allowed.  We  now  come 
to  trees  given  what  may  be  termed  ordinary  cul- 
ture. In  many  cases  the  trees  have  a  number  of 
leaders  or  stems,  and  even  then  it  is  well  to  keep 
quite  clear  of  sucker  growth.  In  some  instances 
it  may  be  necessary  to  get  new  leaders,  cutting 
away  older  ones,  but  it  is  surprising  how  freely 
the  old  growths  yield  if  hard  pruned  so  as  to  form 


spurs  and  the  branches  are  not  crowded.  A  good 
cultivator  once  told  us  he  alwa3's  allowed  a  liew 
shoot  here  and  there  to  mature  and  cut  out  an  old 
one.  He  found  that  this  checked  sucker  growth, 
and  he  got  finer  produce  from  the  newer  wood 
when  topped.  JIany  bushes  are  allowed  to  grow 
as  they  please,  but  the  Nut  produces  so  much 
wood  and  sucker  growth  that  there  mujt  be  a 
certain  amount  of  light  to  obtain  regular  crops. 
Never  attempt  close  pruning  in  the  case  of  trees 
that  have  run  wild  for  years,  or  this  would  end  in 
failure  again.  Some  kinds  are  not  suitable  :  for 
instance,  the  true  Kent  Filbert  will  not  stand  the 
same  treatment  as  the  Kentish  Cob.  Some  of  the 
Filberts  and  Cobs  also  do  not  produce  catkins 
freely  (male),  and  it  is  necessary  to  plant  those 
that  do  so  in  close  proximity.  This  latter  remark 
does  not  apply  to  the  Kentish  Cob,  as  few  kinds 
bear  better  under  various  ways  of  culture.  This 
variety  will  even  succeed  well  in  verj'  poor  soil 
where  other  fruit  trees  would  have  failed.  The 
same  remark  applies  to  the  Cosford  variety,  a 
roundish  Nut  with  a  ver\'  thin  shell ;  it  bears 
freel3'  as  a  standard  or  bush,  with  a  stem  or  leg. 
Plant  trees  from  layers,  as  these  are  more  fruitful 
and  less  subject  to  sucker  growth.  Trees  raised 
from  seed  are  not  alwaj'S  trustworthy.  Some 
kinds  make  handsome  standard  trees — that  is,  if  a 
good  length  of  clear  stem  is  allowed,  say,  .5  feet  to 
6  feet.  These  trees  are  most  useful  in  gardens 
where  only  a  few  can  be  grown  or  by  the  side 
of  walks,  as,  pruned  yearly,  they  make  handsome 
specimens.  Webb's  Prize  Cob  makes  a  fine  garden 
tree  grown  thus,  also  the  Kentish  Cob  advised 
above  and  the  Cosford  variet}'.  Such  trees  are 
grown  so  readily  and  at  such  a  small  cost  that 
we  are  surprised  they  are  so  seldom  seen  in  our 
gardens.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Nut  trie  left  to 
chance  soon  grows  anyhow. — Eds.] 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


SWEET     PEAS     FOR    POTS. 

SWEET  Peas  are  much  more  amenable  to 
pot  culture  than  might  generally  be 
supposed,  and  give  very  little  trouble, 
while  they  keep  up  a  bright  displaj'  for 
a  considerable  period,  and  may  be  grown 
in  pots  by  those  who  have  little  or  no 
convenience  for  growing  them  in  the  garden. 
Varieties  are  now  so  numerous  that  it  is  difficult 
in  making  a  selection  to  include  all  that  are  worthy 
of  recommendation,  but  for  those  who  would  like  to 
confine  themselves  to  a  dozen  varieties  the  follow- 
ing will  be  found  to  be  a  good  selection,  viz.  :  Sadie 
Burpee,  white  ;  Lovelj',  pale  flesh  pink  ;  Oriental, 
orange  scarlet ;  Stanley,  deep  purple  maroon  ; 
Mars,  bright  scarlet ;  Earliest  of  All,  rose  standard 
light  wings ;  Queen  Victoria,  primrose  ;  Lady 
Grisel  Hamilton,  pale  blue  or  mauve  ;  Gorgeous, 
scarlet  with  a  salmon  shade  ;  SIrae.  Carnot,  deep 
blue  ;  Princess  May,  soft  mauve  ;  Triumph,  rose 
pink,  shaded  white ;  and  Duchess  of  York, 
white  ground  standard  shaded  with  pink.  The 
seeds  may  be  sown  any  time  till  the  end  of 
February,  about  seven  or  eight  in  a  5-ineh  pot. 
Good  loam  with  a  liberal  addition  of  manure  may 
be  used,  and  it  should  be  pressed  moderately 
firm.  The  seeds  should  be  well  covered  with  the 
soil.  After  sowing  the  pots  may  be  placed  in  any 
light  open  position  in  a  frame  or  cool  greenhouse  ; 
care  must  be  taken  that  there  are  no  mice  about. 
After  the  seeds  begin  to  germinate,  light  and  air, 
with  a  moderate  supply  of  water,  is  all  tliat  is 
needed  until  the  seedlings  require  some  support. 
A  few  short  twigs  may  be  used  at  first,  and  these 
will  hold  them  up  until  they  begin  to  make  tendrils, 
and  as  they  advance  a  few  tall  sticks  and  twine 
placed  around  will  hold  them  up  well.  If  they 
are  inclined  to  become  too  tall  they  may  be  stopped 
and  this  will  not  delay  Howering  more  than  a  few 
days.  After  they  are  well  advanced  they  niaj'  be 
potted  on  into  S-inch  pots,  and  after  they  begin  to 
show  Howers,  manure  may  be  used  freely.  Care 
must  be  taken  that  the  plants  do  not  gel  too  dry  or 
the  buds  will  drop. 


The  above  is  the  most  simple  method  of  growing 
Sweet  Peas  in  pots,  but  they  ma}'  also  be  grown 
singly.  Sow  early  and  pot  off  the  seedlings  as  soon 
as  ready,  and  stop  from  time  to  time  until  they 
have  formed  bushy  plants.  They  may  be  tied  up 
to  a  single  stick  and  will  flower  well  when  about 
IS  inches  or  2  feet  high.  Six-inch  pots  are  large 
enough  for  single  plants,  and  really  effective 
specimens  can  be  grown  in  them. 

A.  Hemslev. 


TREES  AND   SHRUBS. 

AMERICAN    HYPERICUMS. 

THE  beautiful  family  of  Cistine:e,  or  Rock 
Roses,    which  adorns  so  man}'  English 
gardens,    has    few    representatives     in 
America    of     sufficient     showiuess     for 
ornamental   planting.      Of   Cistuses  we 
have  none  at  all,  and  of  Helianthemums 
verv   few   and   not    especiallj'    attractive   species, 
though  the  Canadian  Frost  Plant  (Helianthemum 
canadense)  is  a  prettj'  little  shrub. 

We  have,  however,  in  the  allied  family  of 
Hypericinea;  some  beautiful  plants,  very  valualjle 
for  rock  gardens  and  shrubberies.  Hypericums,  or 
St.  John's-worts,  are  found  in  the  United  States  in 
about  thirty  species.  I  do  not  propose  to  describe 
many  of  them,  but  only  a  few  of  the  prettiest  and 
most  desirable  for  garden  purposes. 

Man}'  of  our  finest  St.  John's-worts  are  scarcely 
known  to  gardeners,  and  are  hard  to  procure.  Our 
nurserymen  offer  but  a  limited  number,  and  do  not 
seem  to  appreciate  the  value  of  these  plants,  which 
offer  a  most  interesting  field  to  the  cultivator.  I 
have  collected  a  few  kinds  not  often  seen  in 
gardens,  and  hope  that  they  will  ere  long  become 
as  popular  as  they  deserve  to  be.  Hypericum 
moserianum,  a  hybrid  from  two  European  species, 
H.  patulura  and  H.  calycinum,  is  very  largely 
advertised  by  dealers  in  this  country,  while  beau- 
tiful native  species  such  as  H.  pyramidatum  are 
neglected. 

Hypericums  ma}-  be  broadly  divided  into  herba- 
ceous and  shrubby  kinds.  It  is  true  that  a  few 
species  are  annuals,  but  these  are  not  important  as 
garden  plants.  Of  the  shrubby  kinds,  Hypericum 
aureum  is  one  of  the  most  common  as  well  as  one 
of  the  showiest.  It  is  a  southern  species  found  in 
Georgia  and  on  the  banks  of  streams  in  some  other 
Southern  States,  and  is  one  of  the  handsomest 
plants  in  the  family.  The  flowers,  which  are 
mostly  single  instead  of  clustered,  are  '2  inches 
broad  and  of  a  remarkable  brilliance.  They  are 
bright  orange-yellow.  The  leaves,  too,  which  are 
thick,  oblong  with  a  narrow  base,  and  glaucous 
beneath,  are  larger  than  those  of  any  other  species. 
Hypericum  aureum,  which,  like  most  of  its  class, 
seems  perfectly  hardy  in  the  north,  forms  a  com- 
pact small  shrub,  not  often  exceeding  4  feet  in 
height  and  6  feet  in  circumference.  It  is  very 
likely  that  such  a  beautiful  shrub  has  not  escaped 
the  notice  of  English  planters,  yet  it  is  a  rather 
recent  discovery  in  America.  It  begins  to  bloom 
in  August  and  continues  to  bear  its  showy  flowers, 
set  in  their  broad  lustrous  foliage,  until  October. 

Kalm's  St.  John's-wort  (Hypericum  kalmianum) 
is  described  as  a  rare  species,  except  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Niagara  Falls  and  on  wet  sandy  soil 
in  Illinois.  It  is  also  sparingly  found  on  rocks  in 
the  North- Western  States.  It  is  offered  by  many 
dealers,  and  is  much  used  in  landscape  planting. 
As  it  grows  in  our  shrubberies  it  forms  a  pretty, 
compact  little  bush  between  2  feet  and  'A  feet  in 
height,  very  leafy,  the  leaves  small  and  narrow, 
with  still  smaller  ones  clustered  in  the  axils.  The 
bright  yellow  flowers  in  terminal  cymes  are  often 
an  inch  across.  It  is  a  cheerful  sunny  little  plant, 
very  useful  for  the  shrubbery  or  roekwork  in  late 
summer. 

Hypericum  prolificum,  the  shrubby  St.  .lohn's- 
wort,  is  quite  a  common  species  in  the  Eastern 
States,  and  is  as  ornamental  as  H.  kalmianum,  for 
although  the  flowers  are  not  quite  so  large  they  are 
more  abundant  in  crowded,  compound,  terminal 
cymes.  It  makes  a  much-hranching,  broad-headed 
little  bush  about  H  feet  in  height,  and  blooms  at  the 


I 


March  9,  1901.] 


THE   GxlRDEN. 


163 


same  time  as  H.  kalmianum.  Groups  of  these 
St.  John's-worts  make  gay  little  pictures  in  the 
shrubbery,  especially  if  they  have  a  back- 
ground of  larger  shrubs,  with  rich  dark  green 
foliage. 

Hypericum  densifloruni,  which  inhabits  Pine 
barrens  from  New  Jersey  to  Florida  and  west  as 
far  as  Texas,  resembles  H.  prolificum  in  some 
respects,  but  makes  a  large  bush,  sometimes  U  feet 
in  height,  and  is  even  more  densel3'  leafy,  and  with 
more  crowded  blossoms  on  the  terminal  cj'mes. 
Hypericum  pyramidatum,  also  called  H.  Ascyron, 
the  Giant  St.  John's-wort,  is  a  herbaceous  species, 
almost  evergreen  in  the  south.  It  is  found  in  the 
north-west,  and  also  from  Canada  to  New  .Jersey, 
and  forms  a  large  erect  plant  G  feet  in  height  in 
suitable  soil.  The  leaves,  which  are  sessile, 
clasping,  and  ovate  oblong,  are  from  '2  inches  to 
5  inches  in  length.  The  blossoms  are  very  showy, 
bright  yellow  in  terminal  cj'mes,  the  individual 
Howers  2  inches  broad.  This  is  a  beautiful  plant 
for  the  centre  of  a  group  of  St.  John's-worts,  and 
as  it  is  found  in  Northern  Europe  and  Asia  I 
suppose  it  is  well  known  to  readers  of  The 
Garden. 

Much  less  common  is  the  Creeping  St.  John's- 
wort  (Hypericum  adpressum),  found  in  many  of  our 
Eastern  States.  This  is  a  very  pretty  little  plant 
about  1  foot  high,  with  its  stem  "erect  or  ascending 
from  a  perennial  creeping  or  decumbent  base."  It 
has  clusters  of  bright  yellow  flowers,  which  are  one- 
half  to  two-thirds  of  an  inch  across.  As  it  spreads 
quite  rapidly,  it  will  soon  form  a  low  dense  carpet 
of  bright  green  foliage  covered  with  its  gay  little 
flowers. 

A  group  of  shrubby  Hypericums  with  H. 
adpressum  covering  the  spaces  between  them, 
and  also  serving  as  a  low  border,  is  very  effective. 
It  is  pretty  for  rockwork.  I  am  covering  a  rocky 
bank  with  this  species  in  a  wild  part  of  the  grove, 
where  it  is  much  shaded  by  overhanging  branches 
of  trees.  Hypericums  will  thrive  better  than  most 
shrubs  on  dry  soil  and  in  shade,  and  the  heat  and 
drought  of  our  summers  do  not  seem  to  injure 
them.  As  H.  adpressum  spreads  by  underground 
stolons  a  small  piece  of  root  will  soon  make  a  dense 
mass  4  feet  or  5  feet  across. 

The  chief  peculiarity  of  H.  galioides  is  the 
pointed,  oblique  petals  of  its  flowers,  which  are 
small  but  showy  in  long  racemes,  instead  of 
flattish  cymes,  as  is  the  usual  habit  of  the 
inflorescence  of  St.  John's-worts.  This  pretty 
Hypericum  is  herbaceous,  with  woody  base,  and 
is  found  in  low  grounds  in  our  Eastern  and 
Southern  States. 

Hypericum  opacum  is  a  southern  plant  found  in 
South  Carolina  and  west  as  far  as  Tennessee.  It 
has  erect,  slender  stems  from  1  foot  to  4  feet  in 
height,  covered  with  bright  red  exfoliating  bark. 
It  is  corymbosely  branched  towards  the  summit. 
The  leaves  are  sessile,  linearly  oblong,  obtuse, 
punctate  with  crowded  dots  1  inch  long  and  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  broad.  The  bright  yellow  flowers 
are  in  nearly  naked  divaricate  cymes,  and  are  not 
quite  half  an  inch  in  diameter.  Then  there  is  a 
charming  little  species  called  Hypericum  Buckleyi, 
which  is  quite  rare,  and  was  discovered  b3'  Pro- 
fessor Buckley  many  years  ago  in  the  mountains 
of  the  Carolinas.  It  is  a  wide-branched  plant  with 
slender  stems  from  8  inches  to  10  inches  long,  and 
has,  like  the  preceding  species,  reddish  exfoliating 
bark.  The  leaves  are  oblong-ovate,  from  1  inch 
to  2^  inches  long,  and  gradually  narrowed  at  the 


The  flowers,  with  bright  yellow  petals,  are 
solitary  and  terminal  on  slender  flower-stalks. 
They  are  about  1  inch  wide.  This  Hypericum  is 
liardy  in  Massachusetts,  and  flowers  earlier  than 
most  of  the  family.  It  is  a  small,  easily-grown 
shrub,  with  showy  flowers. 

Hypericums  can  be  easily  raised  from  seed  and 
grow  freely  in  almost  any  soil  or  position.  All 
are  remarkably  neat  and  clean-looking  plants,  and 
flower  for  a  long  time  when  few  other  shrubs  are 
in  bloom. 

I  think  I  have  described  all  the  most  conspicuous 
species  of  the  American  St.  John's-worts.  A  few 
others  are  interesting  for  marked  peculiarities, 
such  as  H.    maculatum,   whose  leaves   and  flower 


petals  are  covered  with  black  dots,  and  H.  vir- 
gatum,  whose  little  flowers  are  a  queer  copper 
colour  ;  but  I  have,  I  hope,  said  enough  to  awaken 
the  interest  of  plant  lovers  in  some  of  our  less  well- 
known  Hypericums,  which  might  be  improved  by 
cultivation  and  hybridisation  into  very  beautiful 
and  valuable  garden  flowers. 

DansivE  Dandridge. 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 


SINGLE 


F 


CLUSTER    AND 
ROSES. 

EW  gardens  contain  even  a  tolerably 
good  collection  of  these  Roses.  Al- 
though the 
beautiful 
Hybrid 
Perpetual, 
Tea,  and  Noisette 
Roses  are  so  gener- 
ally cultivated, 
there  is  yet  room 
for  a  representa- 
tive collection.  In  a 
collection  last  sum- 
mer I  noted  the  fol- 
lowing : — The  Blush 
China,  bright  pink, 
singularly  beautiful ; 
Harrisoni,  with  its 
fine  golden  yellow 
flowers,  most  telling 
in  a  mass  either  upon 
the  plant  or  in  a  vase, 
and  Brennus  (belong- 
ing to  the  Hybrid 
China  section),  bril- 
liant crimson  in 
colour,  reminds  one 
of  that  charming 
H.P.  Marie  Baumann, 
a  really  fine  pillar 
Rose.  Rampant,  pale 
pink,  has  neat  little 
blooms  freely  pro- 
duced in  clusters  ; 
and  Red  Damask  is 
very  showy,  semi- 
double,  reddish 
crimson.  Village 
Maid  resembles  York 
and  Lancaster,  except 
that  the  stripes  are 
much  darker  ;  Dun- 
dee Rambler,  blush 
white,  well  represents 
the  Ayrshire  type  of 
Rose  ;  and  Fellen- 
berg,  with  clusters  of 
rosy  red  blossoms,  is 
a  most  charming 
variety.  Mme.  Plan- 
tier  bears  pure  white 
blooms  in  large  clus- 
ters, and  is  suitable  for  pillars,  but  is,  perhaps, 
better  described  as  a  bush.  Microphylla,  the 
single  white  form  of  the  curious  prickly  hipped 
Indian  Rose,  is  pretty ;  likewiseRuga,  oneof  the 
Ayrshire  section  of  a  pale  flesh  colour  and  very 
fragrant 

Felicite-Perpetue  is  well  known,  and  Vivid, 
crimson,  is  a  capital  pillar  Rose.  Waltham 
Climber  No.  1,  with  rose-coloured  blossoms,  is 
a  free,  bright  kind  ;  and  Sweet  Briar  Lady 
Penzance  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  new  Sweet 
Briars,  the  colour  copper,  with  a  peculiar 
metallic  lustre  and  bright  yellow  at  the  base 
of  each  petal.  This  is  a  very' good  season  of 
the  year  to  plant  these.  Rosaeian. 


NOTES    FROM    SCOTLAND. 

Old  liosKS  of  Merit. 
Rosa  a/ha. — Perhaps  on  account  of  its  lieing  the 
commonest  of  all  Roses  this  species  has  sufl'ered  an 
unmerited  neglect,  and,  as  a  consequence,  it  ha.s 
been  permitted  to  die  out  of  gardens,  or  where 
still  present  it  gets  not  tlie  slightest  attention. 
Most  often  it  is  found  in  company  with  rough 
shrubs  unpruned  and  untended,  while  as  one  of 
the  loveliest  of  white  Roses  it  repays  thoughtful 
care  as  well  as  any.  It  is,  moreover,  absolutely 
hardy,  and  therefore  well  fitted  for  garden  culture 
in  the  very  coldest  localities,  while  the  fact  that  it 
still  retains  the  designation  of  the  .lacobite  Rose  in 
the  north  of  Scotland  is  proof  that  it  has  been 
cultivated  there  for  a  very  long  period.  The 
double  R.  alba  is  also  very  common,  one  finding  it 
almost  ever3'where  in  cottage  gardens  in  assoeia- 


ROSE    FEI.ICITE-PERPETUE    OVER   AN    IRON    PILLAR. 


tion  with  Maiden's  Blush.  Both  are  interesting 
Roses,  the  first  competing  with  the  all  but  single 
alba  as  the  milk-white  Rose  of  York.  Maiden's 
Blush  was  considered  identical  with  the  Rosa 
incarnata  of  Parkinson  and  of  Rea,  but  whether 
the  variety  grown  now  is  that  or  one  of  the  later 
Roses  which  bore  that  name  it  is  impossible  to 
say.  B3'  many  it  is  considered  the  most  beautiful 
of  the  section,  but,  given  equal  attention,  I  think 
the  original  alba  has  better  claims  to  that  honour- 
able position.  They  are  very  long-lived  Roses, 
and  I  am  acquainted  with  examples  a  eentur3'  to  a 
century  and  a  half  or  more  of  age.  The  rule  is 
that  these  antiquated  specimens  have  been  neglected 
and  considered  of  no  value  as  garden  plants  ;  but 
they  are  so  easily  rejuvenated  by  the  simple  process 


164 


THE    GABDEN. 


[March   9,  1901. 


of  cutting  over  at  about  6  inches  above  the  ground 
and  by  liberal  application  of  manure  for  a  few 
3'ears  forked  into  the  surface  above  the  roots  thai 
no  one  having  exhausted  specimens  with  great 
wood}'  stems  need  harbour  an}'  doubts  as  to  the 
result  of  this  treatment.  The  double  alba  grows 
at  a  great  rate  and  requires  an  annual  excision  ol 
superfluous  .shoots  at  this  season,  at  the  same  time 
shortening  those  that  are  left  to  about  two-thirds 
of  their  length.  The  other  two  grow  with  less 
vigour,  and  pruning  must  be  modified  to  suit  their 
1  equirements. 

Ai/nee  Vibert. — This  fine  Rose  does  not,  unfortu- 
nately, succeed  everj'where  in  the  north,  in  the 
colder  districts  being  not  infrequently  cut  down 
in  more  than  usually  severe  winters.  It  is  one  of 
the  earliest  raised  Noisettes,  and  if  a  true  Noisette 
ought  to  be  the  result  of  a  cross  between  the  China 
and  the  JIusk  Rose,  and  consequently  somewhat 
tender  in  constitution  :  but  it  has  plainly  also  an 
aflinity  to  Rosa  sempervireus,  as  indicated  by  its 
foliage  and  also  by  the  shape  of  the  flowers,  which 
closely  approximate  to  those  of  Queen  of  the 
Belgians.  It  is  to  be  found  trained  to  walls  and 
ou  trellises,  and  grown  as  well  as  a  pillar  Rose,, 
but  it  also  succeeds  perfectly  as  a  bush  without 
the  aid  of  any  support.  At  its  best  it  produces 
annuall}'  two  crops  of  flowers — the  first  on  the 
previous  year's  growths,  and  the  latter  on  the 
current  year's  shoots,  when  enormous  trusses  are 
often  developed.  Pruning  consists  in  removing  at 
this  season  any  exhausted  shoots  kept  from  last 
year,  and  as  far  as  possible  leaving  nothing  but 
strong  young  growths  which  are  cut  back  to  hard 
ripened  wood.  After  the  earlier  bloom  is  over  it 
will  be  found  convenient  to  cut  away  a  portion  of 
the  exhausted  wood  in  order  to  secure  to  the 
strong  shoots  in  course  of  production  a  full  share 
of  light  and  air.  With  slight  dressings  of  manure 
I  have  found  this  treatment  to  suit  this  Rose. 

ilme.  Plantur. — This  variety  is  very  floriferous, 
sweet,  and  fairly  hardy,  but  it  is  not  so  much 
cultivated  as  it  was  about  thirty  3'ears  ago  or  more, 
when  with  its  near  relations  Coupe  d'H^be,  Charles 
Lawson,  and  Paul  Rioaut  it  was  well  known.  It 
may  be  trained  as  a  pillar  Rose,  but  does  perfectly 
as  a  bush  provided  the  numerous  shoots  it  annually 
produces  are  somewhat  closely  pruned  every  year. 

Soiirenir  de  la  Malmaiaon  is  another  old  Rose 
for  which  a  place  on  a  warm  wall  was  found  in 
most  gardens.  It  well  deserves  the  position,  its 
great  flat,  odorous  blooms  of  the  clearest  pink 
fading  oft'  to  white,  exceeding  in  beauty  the  Mal- 
maison  Carnation  of  the  same  name.  One  mistake 
fallen  into  in  bygone  time  should,  however,  be 
guarded  against — the  practice  I  mean  of  trying  to 
extend  the  shoots  on  a  high  wall,  for  which  the 
habit  of  this  variety  is  not  fitted.  It  is  much 
better  to  plant  at  the  base  of  a  wall,  prune  pretty 
hard,  and  allow  at  least  a  portion  of  the  shoots  to 
grow  out  without  attempting  to  fasten  them  back 
to  the  wall.  The  Rose  also  does  well  in  fine  seasons 
grown  in  bush  form  in  the  open,  but  on  the  whole 
the  most  exquisite  blooms  are  those  cultivated  in 
the  old  wa}'.  It  may  be  added  that  it  is  one  of 
those  varieties  to  whom  high  living  is  essential  to 
beauty  of  complexion.  B. 


SCREEN    OF    FERN    FRONDS. 

The  collection  of  wpecimen  Fern  fronds, 
pressing  them,  and  forming  them  into  a  screen 
for  the  dwelling  i.s  a  very  interesting  hobby. 
The  screen  of  which  I  enclose  a  photograph 
was  made  liy  me.  I  collected  the  specimens 
from  various  gardens,  and  they  number  eighty- 
five.  The  screen  is  made  in  four  folds,  and  of 
course  the  fronds  are  yjlaced  on  both  sides,  so 
that  the  screen  may  be  frequently  turned. 
Some  regard  must,  of  course,  be  paid  to  this 
arrangement,  as  the  size  and  shape  of  the 
fronds  are  very  diverse.  Each  specimen  is 
labelled  correctly,  thus  making  the  whole 
collection  a  useful  study  to  lovers  of  Ferns. 
Partially  matured  fronds  should  be  selected 
and  carefully  placed  between  sheets  of  white 
lalotting-paper,   then   well    pressed  foi'   a   few 


A   FERN   SUKEEN. 


weeks.  Clear  gum  should  be  used  in  fixing 
the  specimens  on  the  surface  of  the  screen. — 
H.  T.  Martin,  Stonehigh  Ahhey  Gardens. 

[We  think  the  screen  covered  witli  Fern 
fronds  a  desirable  object  for  a  library,  study, 
or  work-room,  especially  where  the  owner  has 
horticultural  tastes.  Nothing  is  more  difficult, 
to  those  who  know  something  of  the  l:>etter 
aspects  of  room  decoration,  than  to  reconcile 
such  a  collection  of  natural  objects,  however 
beautiful  in  themselves,  with  a  pleasant  scheme 
of  loom  furnishing.  But  where  such  a  screen 
will  not  clash  with  what  is  in  the  room  it  will 
serve  as  a  convenient  form  of  reference,  and  be 
helpful  in  making  the  eye  familiar  with  the 
different  forms  of  fronds.  We  think  that 
unless  the  leaves  of  the  screen  are  to  be  pro- 
tected by  glass,  that  mei'ely  fixing  with  gum 
will  not  be  enough.  Such  pieces  of  furniture 
have  to  be  frequently  dusted  and  handled,  and 
the  fronds  and  paper  ground  would  at  least 
need  the  protection  of  a  coat  of  varnish  over 
two  coats  of  clear  size.—  Eds.] 


Spring-flowering    Shrubs. 

(  CoHtinued  from  paye  IJfi. ) 
Shkubs  of  Ai'RIL. 

IN  April  we  have  such  a  wealth  of  flowering 
shrubs  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  mention 
all  the  kinds,  and  allowance,  therefore,  must 
be  made  for  omissions.  C.ydonia  japonioa 
was  mentioned  for  last  month,  and,  perhaps, 
it  was  possible  only  because  of  its  flowering 
on  a  wall.  Early  this  month  in  the  open  we  have 
the  quite  distinct  and  valuable  variety  Maulei, 
which  differs  at  a  glance  in  the  orange  shade  of 
its  flowers.  Ribes  aureum  is  one  of  the  brightest 
of  its  class,  and  is  indispensable.  A  form 
known  as  the  Utah  Currant  produces  an  edible 
fruit,  but  it  is  quite  insipid.  Also  an  invaluable 
shrub  is  Ribes  gordonianum,  a  hybrid  between 
R.  sanguineuni  and  R.  aureum,  with  flowei'S  com- 
bining the  colours  of  the  two  species.  Berberis 
stenophylla,  a  hybrid  between  B.  empetrifolia 
and  15.  Darwini,  is  far  superior  to  either  parent, 
and  is  much  hardier  than  the  latter.  It  is 
not  only  the  best  of  its  race,  but  also  one  of 
the  best  of  all  flowering  shrubs.  B.  dulcis  is  one 
of  the  prettier  species,  and  B.  Darwini  is  a  fine 
shrub  where  it  does  well.     In  Cambridge  it  has  a 


starved  appearance,  and  needs  a  milder  climate  or 
more  shelter.     Some  species  of  the  beautiful  genus 

Pykus  commence  to  flower  this  month,  and  I 
have  a  note  of  the  very  pretty  P.  floribunda 
Halleana  as  flowering  on  the  13th.  It  is  more 
richly  coloured  with  red  than  floribunda  itself. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  month  P.  spectabilis  is  in 
full  beauty,  and  valuable  for  flower  as  well  as  fruit 
is  the  Siberian  Crab.  P.  salicifolia  is  charming 
with  its  mass  of  white  flowers,  and  is  afterwards 
very  pretty  and  distinct  on  account  of  its  silver 
leaves.  Magnificent  among  spring  flowers  are  the 
varieties  of  Magnolia  conspicua,  and  one  I  admire 
especially  is  the  pure  white.  Unfortunatelj',  spring 
frosts  are  liable  to  damage  the  blossoms,  and  the 
shelter  of  a  wall  is  valuable.  For  a  low  wall  I 
find  M.  stellata  ver}'  suitable,  and  the  compara- 
tively small  but  still  large  flowers  are  exceedinglj' 
charming.  Among  the  Ericacea-,  Andromeda  poli- 
folia,  a  British  species,  is  very  attractive,  with 
pinkish-purple  drooping  flowers.  Amj'gdalus  incana 
is  a  pretty  dwarf  Almond,  about  '1  feet  high,  with 
red  solitary  flowers.  The  British  species  of  Pruuus, 
the  Sloe,  the  Bullace,  and  Wild  Plum,  which  adorn 
our  hedges,  are  also  beautiful  in  the  garden,  and  a 
double  variety  of  the  first  is  well  worth  cultiva- 
tion, as  indeed  are  all  the  double  Rosacea'.  One 
of  the  most  beautiful  is  the  Double  Chinese  Cherry 
(Cerasus  serrulata),  the  flowers  of  which  are  rose 
tinted.  In  the  Cambridge  Botanic  Gardens  an  old 
tree  arches  over  one  of  the  green  lanes  of  short 
grass,  which  here  and  there  traverse  the  shrub- 
beries, and  in  this  case,  with  a  view  beyond,  the 
effect  is  charming.  Very  beautiful  in  habit  and 
pretty  in  flower  is  Cerasus  pendula,  which  is  said 
to  be  in  great  favour  with  the  .Japanese.  \\'ith 
the  double  Chinese  Cherry  should  have  been  men- 
tioned the  new  forms  of  Cerasus  pseudo-Cerasus 
introduced  by  Mr.  James  H.  Veitch ;  this  is  another 
beautiful  species,  also  a  native  of  China  and  Japan. 
A  useful  sturdy  and  beautiful  shrub  is 

Rhodotvi'US  IvEKRIoides,  with  large  pure  white 
flowers,  succeeiled  later  by  black  attractive  fruit. 
Exochorda  grandiflora,  sometimes  called  Spirjea, 
may  be  regarded  as  a  noble  ally,  distinguished  by 
its  large  white  flowers  :  it  comes  from  China,  and 
E.  Alberti  is  a  somewhat  similar,  but,  I  think, 
inferior  plant  from  Persia.  Ncviusia  alabamensis 
shows  little  relationship  with  the  two  genera  just 
mentioned  ;  the  flowers  are  without  petals  ;  it  is  a 
curious  and  interesting  shrub.  Crataegus  O.xycantha 
properl}'  belongs  to  May,  but  it  is  interesting  to 
note  that  an  early  white  variety  beautifies  this 
month. 

Daphne  Cnedrum  is  a  small  species,  but  charm- 


Makch   9,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


165 


ing  with  its  pink  flowers.  It  is  suitable  for  the 
edging  of  a  bed,  but  apparently  does  not  like  a 
a  chalky  soil. 

Cytisus  Ardoini  is  a  very  pretty  yellow  flowered 
and  choice  species  of  the  Maritime  Alps.  The 
white  Broom  (Cytisus  albus)  is  a  well  known 
graceful  ally,  necessary  in  all  shrubberies.     The 

Bladder-nuts  are  probably  not  all  worth  grow- 
ing, but  Staphylea  colchica  has  very  pretty  white 
flowers,  and  is  good  for  forcing.  The  kind  most 
often  seen  is  S.  pinnata,  which  is  known  as  St. 
Anthony's  Nut.     Of  several 

Honeysuckles,  using  the  word  in  a  broad  sense, 
two  only  of  this  month  are  worth  mention. 
Lonicera  involucrata  is  more  curious  than  beautiful, 
with  yellow  corollas  tinged  with  red,  and  reddish 
bracts.  A  distinctly  good  plant  is  L.  tatarica, 
very  charming  in  its  fresh  pale  green  leaves  and 
profusion  of  pale  pink  or  white  or  even  red  flowers. 
It  is  well  worth  raising  from  seed,  as  I  noted  once 
in  Sir  Michael  Foster's  garden,  where  a  group,  so 
obtained,  I  believe,  was  very  attractive. 

Cambridge.  R.  Irwin  Lynch. 

(To  be  continued.) 


iETHIONEMA   GRANDIFLORUM. 

Allied  to  tlie  Iberises,  and  .sharing  with  them 
the  merit  of  being  some  of  the  best  of  the  neat- 
growing  plants  for  the  rock  garden,  these 
pretty  things  from  Syria,  Asia  Minor,  and 
Southern  Europe  differ  from  them  mainly  in 
the  colour  of  their  leaves  and  flowers.  For 
Iberise.s,  at  any  rate  the  best  known  perennial 
kinds  that  are  the  more  important  garden 
plants  of  their  family,  have  dark  green  leaves 
and  dead  white  flowers,  while  the  best  yEthio- 
nemas  have  pink  flowers  and  bluish  leaves. 
In  the  tenderer  Iberises  gibraltarica  and 
tenoreana  there  is  a  tinge  of  colour  inclining  to 
pink  or  purple,  and  in  some  of  the  annuals  a 
heavy  pink  and  purplish-crimson  colouring, 
but  in  the  most  important  of  each  class  the 
distinction  of  colour  is  clearly  apparent.  The 
illustration  shows  the  best  of  the  ^thionemas, 
viz.,  M.  grandiflorum,  a  plant 
that  is  rather  more  bushy  than 
its  brethren,  and  has  flowers 
of  clear  rosy  pink  colouring. 
Light  soils  are  generally  recom- 
mended for  them,  but  they 
certainly  do  well  in  chalky 
ground. 


reddish,  very  deep  and  loose,  and  yet  in  places 
holding  moisture  well. 

In  the  autumn  of  1890,  encouraged  by  the 
gratifying  results  with  Liliums  and  some 
other  bulbs,  1  planted  largely  of  all  of  the 
native  Californian  bulbs,  together  with  a  tine 
assortment  of  Narcissus  and  Hyacinths. 
Planting  was  done  in  November  and  early 
December,  while  some  lots  were  put  in  in 
.lanuary. 

The  winter  of  1899  and  1900  was  an  unusually 
warm,  open  one,  and  flowers  appeared  much 
earlier  than  in  1899.  For  instance,  I  had 
Hyacinths  in  perfection  on  May  30,  1899,  while 
the  same  bulb  would  be  at  its  best  about 
April  5,  1900.  There  was  less  diflerence  in  later 
blooming  bulbs.  I  have  for  years  experimented 
largely  with  the  Pacific  Coast  Erythroniums. 
Last  summer  I  only  lacked  E.  montanum  to 
make  my  set  complete,  and  each  variety  was  in 
several  situations.  I  will  refer  to  a  few  oidy. 
E.  grandiflorum  is  usually  found  at  rather  high 
altitudes  in  Oregon,  Washington,  and  British 
Columbia,  say,  from  3,000  feet  to  8,000  feet. 
In  cultivation  I  have  found  it  apt  to  start  pre- 
maturely, make  scant  foliage,  and  throw  up  a 
flower  stem  which  would  barely  exceed  its 
leaves,  whereas  it  naturally  grows  to  2  feet 
high,  with  glorious  yellow  flowers  as  rich  as  a 
yellow  Daffodil.  In  the  hopes  of  finding  some 
strain  which  would  do  better  I  secured  .500 
or  more  each  from  five  widely  removed 
locations  and  gave  them  parallel' treatment. 
No  two  behaved  alike,  but  the  best,  a  lot  from 
a  low  altitude,  did  all  I  could  ask.  The  leaves 
were  well  developed,  good  scapes  towards  a 
foot  high  produced  the  flowers  splendidly,  and 
all  before  the  other  ff)ur  were  even  through 
the  ground.  I  have  an  idea  that  the  higher 
mountain  forms  would,  if  kept  in  the  ground 
a  few  years  or  if  grown  from  seed,  gradually 
get  over  their  bad  habit. 

As  I  have  pointed  out  before  in  The  Garden 
the    Dog's-tooth   Violet  of  the   E.   revolutum 


bulbs    were 
is  very  di.s- 
flower 


each 


group— ?'.«.,  vars.  Watsoni,  .Tohn.soni,  prajcox, 
and  the  type— naturally  grow  in  rather  heavy 
cold  soil,  but  I  had  an  unexjiected  test  of 
the  fact.  For  one  lot  of  E.  .Tohn.soni  and 
E.  revolutum  I  selected  a  .sjiot  under  an  yVlder 
tree,  -which  was  heavy,  and  I  knew  got  rather 
wet.  Heavy  rains  came  on,  and  this  spot  was 
.so  saturated  that  for  a  few  weeks  a  man  would 
have  .sunk  in  over  liis  shoes  in  crossing  it. 
The  Erythroniums  did  admirably.  I'he  flowers 
were  very  fine,  and  very  heavy 
formed.  Erythronium  Hartwegi 
tinct  in  having  a  sessile  umbel, 
appearing  to  be  borne  on  a  long  separate  scajje, 
and  in  being  bulbiferous.  The  flowers  are 
creamy  shading  to  yellow,  and  it  is  a  native 
of  the  foothill  regions  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  a 
decidedly  hot,  arid  belt,  where  it  grows  under 
low  rather  .scant  brush  on  shelving  rocky 
ledges.  Environment  has  given  it  resisting 
qualities  to  heat  and  dryness  which  no  other 
Erythronium  possesses.  Beds  planted  in  the 
autumn  of  1898  in  deep,  loo.se,  dry  .soil  were  last 
spring  masses  of  liloom,  while  they  had  so 
increased  by  off'-setting  that  the  ground  could 
be^  scarcely  seen  for  tlie  leaves.  In  England 
this  variety  would  doubtless  do  best  on  rock- 
work.  With  the  Erythronium  montanum  I 
have  unfortunately  failed.  It  is  a  sub-alpine 
growing  on  the  high  mountains  of  Oregon  and 
Washington.  According  to  those  who  hav^ 
seen  it  at  home  it  grows  in  clumps  of  grass  in 
a  light  soil  rich  in  mould,  and  its  pure  white 
flowers  of  great  size  are  surpassingly  beautiful. 
The  summer  in  these  regions  is  very  short,  and 
it  is  often  August  or  early  September  before  it 
flowers,  and  even  at  that  season  frosts  are 
frequent.  A  few  weeks  later  they  are  again 
covered  by  a  blanket  of  snow.  The  high 
mountain  form  of  E.  grandiflorum  grows  near 
it.  In  cultivation  it  behaves  exactly  opposite. 
While  E.  grandiflorum  rushes  into  a  premature 
growth,  E.  montanum  does  not  note  the 
awakening  life  about  it,  and  when  the  other 


BULBS   AT    LYONS 
VALLEY. 

In  an  article  in  The  Garden 
in  1899  I  referred  to  my  work 
in  this  valley  ;  some  of  my 
experiences  in  1900  may  be  of 
interest  to  your  readers.  At 
the  danger  of  repetition  I  will 
state  that  Lyons  Valley  is  a 
little  vale  in  the  coast  range 
of  Northern  California,  about 
thirty  miles  from  the  Pacific 
Ocean  in  an  air  line.  A  recent 
survey  would  make  its  altitude 
about  3,000  feet.  My  garden 
was  cleared  from  Oak  timber, 
faces  north-east,  and  in  winter, 
when  the  sun  is  low  in  the 
south,  gets  little  heat.  In  the 
centre  of  the  garden  a  fine 
spring  breaks  out  and  the 
luxuriant  vegetation  it 
stimulated  has  given  a  depth 
of  soil  rich  in  leaf-mould  about 
it,  which  is  always  moist. 
There  is  a  great  variety  of  soils, 
but     the     prevailing    one     is 


COLONY    or    JCTHIONEMA    GRANDIFLORUM. 


166 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[Makch   9,   190  1 


Erythroniunis  have  flowered  and  gone  it  still 
waits  for  its  accustomed  season  of  growth. 

I  had  a  full  set  of  Californian  Fritillarias  in 
flower,  and  results  averaged  well.  A  bed  of 
F.  lanceolata  flowered  beautifully,  and  showed 
great  variation.  Botanists  describe  and  name 
a  number  of  varieties  of  this,  but  from  this 
bed,  all  from  a  limited  locality,  forms  answer- 
ing to  each  of  these  varieties  could  have  been 
selected.  The  beautiful  F.  pluriflora  naturally 
grows  in  a  very  deep  sticky  clay  at  a  depth  of 
12  inches  to  l.i  inches,  where  it  is  often  quite 
wet  in  the  winter.  I  have  found  it  a  very 
pleasant  plant  to  grow,  as  almost  any  garden 
soil,  not  rich  in  manure,  suits  it.  The  same  is 
true  of  F.  biflora,  and  to  a  less  degree  of 
F.  liliacea  and  F.  agrestris,  the  other  two 
Californian  Fritillarias  of  the  same  habit.  A 
novelty  of  the  past  year  was  a  pure  white 
F.  pluriflora.  A  large  variety  of  Cypripedium 
montanum  gave  divided  re- 
.sults  ;  the  best  where  the 
soil  retained  moisture,  and 
nothing  at  all  in  dryer  por- 
tions. I  find  that  they  root 
but  little  the  first  season, 
but  were  making  good  root 
the  second  autumn. 

Leucocrinum  montanum  is 
a  Lilaceous  plant  with  grassy 
leaves  and  a  fibrous  root. 
The  flowers  are  borne  singly 
on  slender  scapes,  and  are 
paper  white  and  quite  pretty. 
It  is  a  native  of  arid  lands 
of  the  Great  Basin,  where 
it  grows  in  sandy  soils. 
Plants  of  it  put  in  very  loose 
dry  soils  in  my  garden  in 
1898  have  continued  to 
increase  and  have  flowered 
beautifully  both  season.s. 

Trillium  sessile  var.  call 
fornicum  grew  naturally  in 
Lyons  Valley  and  grows  to 
perfection  in  portions  of  my 
garden ;  1899  brought  a  form 
of  it  from  Southern  Oregon, 
■which  I  believe  will  be  a 
marked  improvement  on  the 
type.  In  this  variety  the 
petals  are  broader  and  pure 
white.  In  the  type  they  are 
purple  at  the  base. 

Brodiseas  generally  do  well 
in  any  loose  soil,  and  a  loose 
well-drained  soil  with  con- 
siderable vegetable  matter 
in  it  is  essential  to  .success 
with  B.  coccinea  and  B. 
volubilis,  but  my  experience 
of  last  year  tends  to  show 
that  several  species  as  B. 
pedunculari.s,  B.  Howelli  var. 
lilacina,  B.  lactea  var.  lilacina, 
and  a  handsome  new  form 
of  B.  Douglasi  must  have 
a  good  deal  of  moisture  to  do 
their  best.  A  bed  of  B. 
peduncularis  was  so  .situated 
that  the  water  from  the  spring  kept  it  saturated 
until  after  flowering  time.  This  bed  was  a  great 
succes.s.  I  have  never  seen  B.  volubilis  grown 
more  beautifully  than  in  a  large  bed  of  mine. 
The  bed  was  in  very  porous  soil  on  a  steep 
incline,  and  was  a  ])erfect  tangle  of  twisted 
stems  and  heads  of  pink  flower.s.  A  novelty  in 
1900  was  a  lemon-coloured  Brodiaja  coccinea  ; 
it  was  very  pretty.  It  was  a  sport  growing 
naturally  on  a  single  hillside.  Evidently  it 
comes  true  from  seed,  as  all  the  bulbs  on  the 
little  hjll  bore  lemon-coloured  flowers. 


The  genus  Camassia  is  much  richer  in  varia- 
tions than  is  popularly  supposed.  It  grows 
from  Central  California  into  British  Columbia, 
and  from  the  immediate  Pacific  Coast  to  each  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  a  region  over  a  thousand 
miles  square.  Early  botanists  had  one  species, 
C.  Fraseri,  later  C.  esculenta  was  described  ; 
from  it  C.  Leichtlini  was  separated  ;  still  later 
C.  Cusicki  and  C.  Howelli  were  separated 
from  these,  making  five  described  .species.     I 


very  fine.  The  lifting  rather  emphasised  the 
flowering  qualities  of  L.  Humboldti  var. 
magnificum,  for  they  flowered  nearly  a.s  well  as 
the  year  before,  and  bulbs  of  all  sizes  gave 
fully  80  per  cent,  of  Ijloom. 

Lilium  Kellogi,  a  new  Lily  which  1  discovered 
in  Northern  California,  behaved  well  its  first 
year.  I  planted  the  bulbs  in  rather  well  drained 
soil,  and  nearly  all  of  the  mature  bulbs 
flowered.  Lilium  Kellogi  has  an  ovate  bulb 
of  about  the  size  and  shape  of  Lilium  colum- 
bianum,  the  leaves  are  nearly  all  in  whorls,  the 
flowers  (one  to  three)  are  of  a  pinkish  white 
closely  dotted  with  purple,  and  with  a  distinct 
spicy  fragrance.  The  segments  are  closely 
revolute.  (Full  de.scription  and  illustration  are 
in  the  press  of  the  Californian  Academy  of 
Sciences.)  Cael  Purdy. 


AN    ARTIST'S 

THE 


NOTE-BOOK. 


have  been  securing  bulbs  from  many  localities 
and  find  great  variation.  A  dozen  species 
could  be  created  on  as  good  lines  as  the  known 
ones,  but  the  mere  botanical  interest  is  less  than 
the  fact  that  from  a  garden  standpoint  there 
are  much  better  forms  than  those  in  general 
cultivation. 

My  mountain  garden  is  peculiar  in  its  adap- 
tation to  Lilium.s.  In  the  autumn  of  1899  I  was 
compelled  to  lift  the  greater  part  of  my  Lily 
bulbs,  which,  of  course,  naturally  lessened  the 
quantity  of  bloom   in    1900.     Still    they  were 


MARSH  MARIGOLD. 

(Caltha  palusteis.) 
HOSE  who  are  con.sidering  what  are 
the  worthiest  plants  for  a  bog  garden 
should  remember  that  we  have  in 
our  wild  Mar.sh  Mangold  one  of 
the  best  and  brightest  of  bog  plants. 
Its  home  is  in  daniji  meadows  and 
waterside  places, 
but  its  favourite 
haunts  of  all, 
where  its  lus- 
cious clumps  are 
most  luxuriant 
and  its  flowers 
largest  and 
deepest  of 
colour,  are  in 
valley  bottoms 
of  black  soil, 
which  is  almost 
mud,  and  black 
pools  of  actual 
mud  among 
Alders  and  Wil- 
lows. There  are 
double  kinds 
that  are  desir- 
able in  the  bog 
or  cool  ground 
garden,  but 
where  plants  of 
someimportance 
of  aspect  are 
desired  the 
native  plant  is 
the  handsomest. 
The  Calthas 
s  h  o  u  1  d  b  e 
planted  in  every 
bog  garden  or 
by  waterside. 
They  are  ]iar- 
ticularly  attrac- 
tive in  the 
little  bog  garden 
at  Kew,  where  several  varieties  of  the  native 
marsh  Marigold  are  grown,  such  as  monstrnsa 
plena,  with  its  double  yellow  flowers,  and  imi- 
puraseens.     C.  Ie[ilii.sepala  has  white  flowers. 


(From  a  drawing  hy  M.  <.'. 


PYRUS   MALUS   FLORIBUNDA. 

Theiie  are  numerous  sjiecies  of  Pyrus  flower- 
ing at  the  end  of  April  and  the  beginning  of 
May,  but  of  them  all,  none,  perhai)s,  appeals  to 
the  lover  of  hardy  trees  and  shrubs  so  strongly 


1 


March   9,  1901.] 


THE    GAllDEN. 


167 


as  this  shrubby  species.  A  bush  growing 
8  feet  or  10  feet  high,  it  is  of  spreading  habit, 
and  sends  out  in  every  direction  its  long, 
graceful  branches — now  transformed  into  wands 
of  beautiful  rosy  blossoms.  And  it  not  only 
flowers  with  remarkable  profusion,  but  with 
unfailing  regularity.  On  the  whole  it  may 
safely  be  said  that  no  shrub  is  better  worthy 
of  cultivation.  In  the  typical  form  the  flowers 
are  of  a  pale  rose  when  fully  e.xpanded,  but  in 
the  bud  state  of  a  deeper,  richer  hue.  It  is 
when  the  plants  have  half  their  flowers 
expanded  and  half  yet  in  liud  that  its  greatest 
beauty  becomes  apparent,  the  one  shade  con- 
trasting with  and  increasing  the  effect  of  the 
other.  _  The  variety  known  as  atrosanguinea  is 
becoming  very  popular  ;  its  flowers  are  of  a 
richer  rose  than  those  of  the  type,  especially 
when  fully  open. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 


THE    AQUILEGIA    FAMILY 

{Continued  from  page  14" ■) 
Siberian"   and  Caijcasiax. 
Aquilegia     glandulosa. — The    Altaian    Colum- 
bine is   deservedly   one  of   the  favourites  of  this 
family.    It  is  from  1  foot  to  I5  feet  high,  with  two  or 


three  flowers  on  its  pubescent  stem  ;  sepals  ovate, 
bright  lilac-blue,  U  inches  long  ;  petals  lilac-blue, 
half  as  long  as  the  sepals,  rounded  at  the  tip  ;  spur 
quarter  of  an  inch  to  one-third  of  an  inch  long, 
stout,  and  much  incurved.  Altai  Mountains  and 
other  districts  of  Central  Siberia.  A.  ij.  rar. 
jncnnda  has  flowers  smaller  than  the  type,  with 
the  lamina  of  the  petal  white  and  more  truncate 
at  the  tip. 

A.  lactiflora. — Rather  slender  with  thin  leaves, 
which  are  glabrous  on  both  .surfaces  ;  sepal.s  nearly 
white,  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long  ;  petals  half 
as  long  as  the  sepals  ;  .spur  one-third  of  an  inch 
long,  slender,  and  nearly  straight.  Altai  Range 
in  South  Central  Siberia. 

A.  leptoceras  (A.  brachycerus). — Stems  1  foot 
high,  with  several  flowers,  nearly  glabrous  through- 
out ;  sepals  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,  bright 
lilac-blue ;  petals  half  as  long  as  sepals,  tipped 
with  yellow  ;  stamens  protruding  beyond  lamina 
of  petals ;  spur  slender,  slightly  curved,  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  long.  This  species  resembles 
A.  canadensis  in  the  cutting  of  the  leaves.  Eastern 
Siberia. 

A.  olympica  (A.  vulgaris  v.  eaucasica,  A.  witt- 
manniana). — Very  near  A.  vulgaris,  of  which  it 
may  be  a  fine  form.  Flowers  several  on  a  stem, 
large,  light  claret  or  bright  lilac-purple,  with  white 
petals ;  sepals  IJ  inches  long ;  spur  as  long  as 
lamina  of  petal,  curved.  A.  blanda  can  scarcely 
be  separated  from  this  species.  Caucasus  and 
mountains  of  Armenia. 


A.  pjarviflora.  —  Slender  and  glabrous.  The 
leaves  have  the  upper  surface  green,  while  the 
lower  side  is  glaucous  or  white.  The  flowers  are 
the  smallest  in  the  genus,  blue-lilac  or  white  ; 
spur  short,  stout,  and  incurved.     Eastern  Siberia. 

A.  aihirica  (Siberian  Columbine). — Close  to  A. 
vulgaris,  differing  in  the  broader,  more  obtuse 
sepals,  longer  and  more  slender  spur  and  glabrous 
carpels.  The  leaves  are  slightly  glaucous  on  the 
upper  surface,  and  more  so  on  the  under  side ; 
sepals  1:1  inches  long,  bright  lilac-blue  or  pale 
claret ;  petals  halt  as  long  as  sepals,  often  white  ; 
spur  stout,  incurved,  three-quarters  of  an  inch 
long.  Eastern  Siberia.  A.  bicolor,  A.  garnieriana, 
and  A.  speciosa  are  all  forms  of  this  species,  also 
A.  spectabilis,  with  bright  lilac  flowers  and  yellow 
tipped  petals. 

A.  viridiflora  (Green-flowered  Columbine). — A 
curious  plant  with  slender,  pubescent  stems  ;  sepals 
oblong,  greenish,  half  an  inch  long  ;  petals  as  broad 
as  long,  green  ;  spur  slender,  straight,  nearly  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  long  ;  stamens  exserted  beyond 
the  lamina  of  the  petals.     Eastern  Siberia. 

A.  vulgaris  var.  Karelini. — Similar  to  the  type, 
with  more  membraneous  leaves,  which  have  nar- 
rower, deeper,  terminal  lobes.     Alatan  Mountains. 

Japanese  Aquilegias. 
A.  huergeriana  (A.  atropurpurea). — Not  so  stout 
as  A.  vulgaris.  Stems  five  or  six-flowered  ;  sepals 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,  spreading,  3'ellow, 
tinged  with  claret-purple  ;  petals  truncate  at  the 
tip,  pale  primrose-yellow  ;  spur  slender,  erect,  and 


4    SPRI.N'Ci    PIOTUUE  :    PYRUS    MAWTS   rr,ORIBUNp.\,    SHOWING    THE    KEAFTIFrr,    KFKKCT    OF   GROUPING. 


168 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  9,  1901. 


nearly   straight,   three-quarters   of   an   inch   long, 
coloured  the  same  as  the  sepals. 

.4.  fiahellata. — A  verj'  distinct  species,  its  neai-est 
ally  iseing  A.  sibiriea,  from  which  it  is  readily 
distinguished  by  its  large,  flabellate  bracts  and 
short  spur  ;  stem  glabrous,  with  glaucous  leaves  ; 
flowers  Ijright  lilac  or  pale  purple,  and  sometimes 
white  ;  sepals  1  inch  long  ;  petals  half  as  long  as 
sepals,  often  white  in  the  lilac-flowered  forms  ; 
spur  short,  incurved,  and  slender  to%vards  the  tip. 
Japan  and  Sachalin  Isles. 

Himalayan-  Aijuileiuas.  '■' 

A.  frayrait-i  (A.  vulgaris  var.  pyrenaica). — Stem 
slender,  H  feet  to  2  feet  high,  pubescent  above  ; 
flowers   white   or    pale    purple,    fragrant  :    sepals 
ovate,  H  inches  long  :  petals  half 
as  long  as  sepals  ;    spur   slender, 
curved,  three-quarters  of  an  incli 
long,  with  a   slight   knob   at  the 
tip.       Temperate    region    of     the 
Western  Himalayas. 

A.  glaiKa  (Glaucous  Columbine). 
—The  flowers  of  this  species  are 
white  and  fragrant,  sometimes 
tinted  with  claret ;  sepals  1  inch 
long:  petals  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  long ;  spur  straight,  nearly 
half  an  inch  in  length.  Temperate 
region  of  the  Western  Himalayas. 
A.  nivalis  is  a  dwarf  one-flowered 
alpine  variety,  with  pale  blue 
sepals  and  dark  blue  petals.  From 
Kashmir. 

A.  moorci-of liana  (A.  kanorien- 
sis).— Similar  to  A.  vulgaris  in 
growth,  many-flowered,  pubescent 
from  the  base  upward.  The  leaves 
of  this  species  are  very  glaucous, 
while  the  flowers  are  white,  tinted 
with  lilac  :  sepals  reflexing,  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  long ;  spur 
nearly  straight,  slender,  as  long 
as  the  petal  lamina,  and  with  a 
slight  knob  at  the  tip.  Temperate 
region  of  Western  Himalaya. 

A.  puliiflora  is  1  foot  to  2  feet 
high,  with  pubescent  stems  and 
glabrous  leaves,  green  above, 
slightly  glaucous  beneath  :  sepals 
not  reflexing,  half  an  inch  to  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  long,  pale 
bhie  or  claret  ;  spur  stout,  in- 
curved, quarter  ot  an  inch  long. 
Western  half  of  Himalayas  up  to 
10,000  feet.  Var.  mussoriensis  is 
a  form  with  more  lanceolate  sepals. 

North  American  Aqitileoias.    . 

^4. /i)-f  1-1*7 )//().— A  slender  species, 
with  five  or  six  flowers  on  a  stem, 
blue-lilac  sepals,  yellow  petals  and 
blue  spurs,  which  are  stout,  in- 
curved, and  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
lonf,  with  a  knob  at  the  end. 
Rocky  Mountains  of  British  North 
America. 

A.    canadetms.— The    Canadian 
.  Columbinehas  a  d  wixrf  and  spread- 
ing habit.     Sepals  lanceolate,  red, 
tinted    with    yellow ;    petals   yel- 
lowish ;     spurs    three-quarters    of 
an    inch    long,      nearly    straight, 
thickened   towards   the   top,   with   a  knob  at  the 
end,    l)riglit   red   in    colour ;    stamens    protrud'Jig 
bevond   the  lamina  of  petals.      On   rocky   gi-ound 
in  Canada  to  Manitoba  and  south  to  Florida. 

A.  <:hri/!<  tntlia. — The  (iolden  Columbine  is  one 
of  the  most  sliowy  and  useful  plants  of  the  whole 
genus;  stems  tall,  and  many  flowered,  with  lobes 
of  leaves  narrower  than  in  A.  vulgaris ;  sepals 
oblont',  spreading,  primrose-yellow,  tinted  witli 
claret"  at  the  tip,  I  inch  long;  petals  deeper 
yellow,  shorter  llian  the  sepals,  nearly  as  broad 
as  long ;  spur  straight,  slender,  and  divergent, 
J  .inches  long;  near  the  following,  but  differs  in 
its  yellow  ifo-fvers  and  mncli  smaller  sepals  (A. 
leptoceras  var.  c.hrysantha).  Eastern  Mexico  to 
Arizona. 


A.  crernha. — The  Rocky  Mountain  Columbine 
occupies  a  leading  position  amongst  the  members 
of  this  family.  It  is  a  charming  plant,  growing 
about  i  feet  high  and  bearing  several  flowers  on 
each  stem.  Sepals  usually  whitish,  sometimes 
more  or  less  tinted  with  blue,  li  inches  long  and 
half  as  broad,  reflexing  when  the  flower  is  fully 
e!(J)anded  ;  petals  half  as  long  as  sepals,  white  ; 
spur  very  slender  and  straight,  lA  inches  to 
2  inches  long.  Subalpine  region  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  along  streamlets.  Var.  albiflora  is 
the  westward  form  found  in  the  Californian  Sierra 
Nevada.         ' 

A.  ecdlcarata. — A  nearly  spurless  form,  li  feet 
to  2  feet  high,  with  fragrant  white  or  rose-coloured 
flowers.     South-west  Colorado. 


THE  FAMOUS  ROCK   GARDEN   IN   MESSRS.    BACKHOUSES 
AT  YORK.     (From  "Alpine.  Plants") 

A.  flave'scen,'!  (A.  canadensis  .var.  aurea).  — This 
has  the  general  habit  of  A.  canadensis  or  is  rather 
taller.  The  leaves  are  slightly  glaucous  beneath  ; 
sepals  lanceolate,  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long, 
lemon  yellow,  slightly  tinged  willi  red  on  the 
back  ;  petals  paler,  truncate  at  the  apex  ;  spur 
shorter  than  in  A.  canadensis,  yellow,  slightl3' 
incurved  with  a  knob  at  the  end.  Along  streams 
in  the  subalpine  zone  of  the  Rooky  Mountains  of 
British  Columbia,  Utah,  &c. 

^4.  furmom  (A.  arctioa,  A.  canadensis  var. 
formosa). — The  habit  of  this  species  is  more 
spreading  than  tliat  of  A.  canadensis,  with 
glabrous  stems  and  glaucous  leaves  ;  .sepals  liright 
red,  1  inch  long,  pubescent  with  a  green  tip  ; 
petals  yellow,  half  as  long  as  sepaks  ;  spurs  three- 


quarters  of  an  inch  long,  slender,  and  knobbed  at 
the  top  ;  stamens  twice  as  long  as  the  lamina  of 
the  petals.     Alaska  to  California. 

A.Joititi. — A  tufted  ca'spitose  plant  with  stems 
hardly  surpassing  the  leaves  1  inch  or  2  inches 
high,  and  blue  flowers.  North-western  Wyoming, 
&c. 

.4.  loiKjii-iima. — An  autumn-flowering  species, 
with  pale  yellow  flowers  and  filiform  spurs 
4  inches  to  6  inches  long.  In  ravines  of  South- 
west Texas. 

A.  iiiiciuvllia.  —  A  slender  glandular  viscid 
perennial,  with  small  yellow  flowers  ;  petals 
truncate  or  nearlj'  so  ;  with  a  short  straight  or 
curved  spui-.     San  .Juan  River,  &c. 

.4.  piihcxrrns. — Near  A.  chrysantha,  of  which  it 
niaj'  be  a  variet}',  with  sulphur- 
yellow  flowers  and  shorter  spurs. 
California. 

,4.  sa.iimovtana.  —  Scarcely  a 
span  high,  with  slender  stems  and 
similar  flowers  to  A.  brevistyla, 
but  the  carpels  are  glabrou.s. 

.4.  Iriiiirala  (A.  californica  and 
A.  .eximia). — A  spreading  plant 
with  deep  red  or  scarlet  flowers. 
The  lamina  of  the  petal  is  trun- 
cate with  a  3'ellow  margin.  Cali- 
fornia. 

Central  American  Aquilegias. 

A.  SIdimeri  (A.  mexicana).  — 
Skinner's  Columbine  has  the 
general  habit  of  A.  canadensis, 
the  lobes  of  the  leaves  being 
broadl}'  rounded  and  glaucous 
beneath  ;  sepals  green,  lanceolate, 
1  inch  long;  petals  greenish, 
truncate,  half  as  long  as  the  sepals ; 
.spur  bright  red,  slender,  lA  inches 
long.  The  head  of  the  stamens 
protrudes  nearly  1  inch  beyond 
the  lamina  of  the  petals.  Moun- 
tains of  (iuatemala. 

Owing    to    the     freedom     with 
which  the  dift'erent   species   cross 
in    cultivation,    there    are    many 
hybrids    and   strains,    chiefly   the 
result  of  hj'bridisation  amongst  a 
few    of    the    better   species,    such 
as   A.    cicrulea,    A.     chrj'sanlha, 
A.    glandulosa,    A.    vulgaris,    A. 
canadensis,    and   others.      It  is  a 
difficult  matter  to  keep  the  species 
pure    owing    to     this     fact,    and 
cannot   be    accomplished    without 
having    resource   to    isolation    or 
other  means.      The  following  are 
a  few  of  the  better  known  hybrids 
and  forms; — A.    bicolor   fl.-pl.,   a 
form  of   A.   sibiriea,   with  double 
white  and  blue  flowers;  A.  bicolor 
rubra,  with  red  flowers  ;  A.  alpina 
superba,  blue  and   white  ;  A.  cali- 
fornica  h^'brida,    with   red   spurs 
and  yellow  mouth  ;   A.  carj'ophyl- 
loides    fl.-pl.,    a   form   of   A.   vul- 
garis, with  striped  double  flowers  ; 
A.     cierulea,    hybrida     varies    in 
colour  from  blue  to  creamy  white  ; 
A.    ccvrulea    lutea     is    a    yellow- 
flowered     distinct     variety  ;      A 
chrysantha   graudiflora  alba    is   a 
dwarf   form    with   white  flowers ;    A.   chrysantha 
graiuliflora  lutea,  large  light  yellow  ;   A.  Durandi, 
double  ;   A.   hybrida  is  a  .synonym  of  A.   crorulea 
hybrida  ;  A.   Jaeschkani  is  a  fine  hybrid  between 
chrysantha  and  Skinncri,  with  yellow  flowers  aiul 
red  spurs;  A.  Munstead  White  equals  A.  vulgaris 
graudiflora  alia,  a  very  fine  pure  while  form  ;  A. 
nivea,    greenish   white;    A.    n.    graudiflora.    semi- 
double  white;  A.  spectabilis,  a  form  of  A.  sibiriea 
from  Amurland,  with   bright  lilac  flowers,  tipped 
at    the    mouth    with    yellow  ;    A.    Stuarti,    blue 
with    white    petal     lamina  ;     A.     verv.encana,    a 
form  of  A.  vulgaris,  with  the  foliage  mottled  with 
yellow. 

There  seems  to  be  no  limit  to  the  number  of 
forms  of  this  useful  and  charming  family,  most  of 


March   9,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN. 


169 


them  of  very  free  habit  and  flourishing  in  any 
good  garden  soil,  although  preferring  a  heavy 
loam. 

Kew.  W.  Irving. 


BOOKS. 

Alpine  Plants.  —  We  reviewed  in  TiiK 
(tARDKX  of  Februarj'  2.S  a  little  book  upon  alpine 
plants  by  Mr.  Clarke,  of  Messrs.  Backhouse  anil 
Son's  nursery  at  York.  The  accompanying  illus- 
tration is  the  frontispiece,  and  shows  part  of  the 
famous  rock  garden  in  Messrs.  Backhouse's  nursery, 
about  which  we  shall  write  shortly  at  greater 
length  than  is  possible  now. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


THE    FLOWERING    OF    BAMBOOS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — In  the  issue  of  TheGarden  for  .June  IG 
of  last  year  (page  435)  "  S.  W.  .F. "  men- 
lions  the  flowering  of  Bambusa  Simoni 
striata  at  Abbotsburj',  Dorsetshire,  and 
comments  on  the  flowering  of  Bamboos 
as  follows: — "  It  has  been  asserted  that 
with  regard  to  the  flowering  of  Bamboos,  the 
whole  species  blossoms  simultaneously,  and  not 
isolated  examples,  and  that  subsequent  to  flowering 
the  clumps  die."  In  the  following  week's  issue,  at 
page  456,  corroboration  of  this  is  given  by  quoting 
an  extract  from  the  Westminster  Gazette,  based  on 
some  remarks  in  the  annual  report  of  H.B.  M. 
Consul,  Pakhoi.  I  take  the  following  remarks, 
in  connection  with  the  subject,  from  Munro's 
"  Monograph  of  the  Bambusaceie."  In  regard  to 
Bambusa  arundinacea  the  author  says: — "Bam- 
busa arundinacea  takes  a  long  time  in  coming  to 
the  flowering  stage.  Dr.  Hooker  is  of  epinion  that 
this  Bamboo  does  not  flower  at  an}'  particular  age, 
but  at  any  period  when  full  grown,  and  the 
circumstances  of  the  season  are  favourable  to  its 
flowering."  Of  other  species  the  following  interest- 
ing information  is  given  : — "  The  late  Sir  W. 
Sleeman  stated,  as  a  fact  observed  by  himself,  that 
in  1836  all  the  large  Bamboos  in  the  Deyrah,  Shoon 
which  had  been  the  principal  feature  of  beauty 
in  the  valle}'  for  the  last  twenty-five  years,  ran 
to  seed  and  died."  "  Dr.  Wallich  mentions  that  a 
celebrated  grove  of  Bamboos  which  surrounded 
the  city  of  Rampoxe,  in  Rohilcund,  blossomed 
universally  in  1S24,  and  every  stem  died,  and  he 
was  informed  that  the  same  event  happened  forty 
years  previously."  "Mr.  Spilsbury  states  that  all 
the  Bamboos  between  Jubbulpore  and  Mundlah 
seeded  in  1839,  and  died  shortly  afterwards. 
Melocanna  bambusoides  flowered  generally  in 
Tipperah,  Rungpore,  Arracan,  and  Chittagong  in 
1863-66,  and  died  immediately  afterwards."  "  Dr. 
Anderson,  superintendent  of  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
Calcutta,  states  that  in  1857  and  1858  many  of  the 
Bamboos  near  Calcutta  and  on  Parasnath  flowered 
and  seeded,  biit  in  no  case  that  he  was  aware  of 
did  a  general  death  of  the  Bamboos  follow.  So 
far  as  he  observed  only  the  flowering  shoots  died, 
and  their  place  was  taken  by  young  shoots  spring- 
ing from  the  roots,  but  during  the  flowering  and 
seeding  the  foliage  almost  entirely  disappeared. 
He  adds  :  Bambusa  gigantea  at  Calcutta  flowered 
for  the  first  time  after  thirty  years  in  1861,  and 
remained  alive  although  the  plants  were  weakened. " 
"  Arundinaria  hookeriaua,  Munro,"  Dr.  Hooker 
says,  "after  maturing  its  seeds  and  giving  oft' 
suckers  from  the  root,  the  parent  plant  dies  " 
"Bambusa  flexuosa,  Munro,  Osbeck  during  his 
travels  in  China  in  1751,  mentions  that  it  is  said  to 
to  flower  once  in  sixty  years."  Munro  says  of 
I>eudrocalamus  striotus,  Nees,  that  it  flowers 
frequently,  if  not  every  year,  and  does  not  die 
down  after  flowering.  Roxburgh  states,  accordin^ 
to  Munro,  that  he  never  saw  Bambusa  Balcooa 
more  than  once  in  flower,  and  Humboldt,  according 
to  the  same  authority,  "  Mons  Mutis  herborised 
for  twenty  years  in  the  countrj'  where  Bambusa 
guadua  formed  marshy  forests,  several  leagues 
broad,  without  being   able  to  procure  a  flower" 


Munro  also  says:  "  Some  of  the  Arundinaria  which 
die  down  every  year,  and  springing  up  again,  flower 
annually." 

From  "Hooker's  Flora  of  British  India," 
vol.  vii.,  I  take  the  following: — "Arundinaria 
walkeriana,  Munro  ;  probably  flowers  frequently." 
"Arundinaria  wightiana,  Nees  ;  flowers  annually." 
"Arundinaria  racemosa,  Munro;  flowers  rarely, 
and  only  in  the  higher  elevations,  6,000  feet  to 
1'2, 000  feet.''  "Arundinaria  gritfithiana,  Munro; 
only  once  seen  in  flower."  "  Bambusa  Tulda, 
Roxb  ;  flowers  gregariously,  and  in  single 
clumps."  "  Bambusa  arundinacea.  Wind  ;  flowers 
gregariously  and  in  small  clumps." 

Hance,  in  his  supplement  to  the  "  Flora  Hong- 
kongensis,"  at  page  49,  has  the  following  remarks 
on  the  flowering  of  Dendrocalamus  latiflorus, 
Munro  : — "This  fine  species,  the  '  Great  Bamboo' 
of  the  Chinese,  which  has  culms  about  40  feet 
high,  instead  of  7  feet — as  stated  by  Munro — 
flowers,  farente  Jove,  annually  without  dying 
down  or  being  apparently  weakened."  On  the  same 
page,  he  says  of  Bambusa  flexuosa,  Munro: — "A 
curious  and  distinct  species,  forming  dense  clumps, 
apparently  flowering  less  regularly  than  Dendroca- 
lamus latiflorus,  but  also  not  dying  afterwards." 

As  regards  the  flowering  of  Bambusa  tuldoides, 
Munro,  I  can  say  from  personal  observations  that 
it  has  flowered  ainiuallj'  in  Hong  Kong  for  the  last 
six  or  seven  j'ears  without  dying  subsequently, 
and  also  that  clumps  of  apparently  the  same  age 
do  not  flower  simultaneously.  This  species  flowers 
from  March  onwards,  and  at  the  time  of  writing 
(the  beginning  of  August)  many  clumps  of  it  are  in 
flower.  It  becomes  considerably  weakened  by 
flowering,  and  loses  many  leaves,  but  ultimately 
recovers.  Schizostachyum  dumetorum,  Munro 
(Bambusa  dumetorum,  Hance),  also  flowers 
annually  without  dyiqg  down.  Phyllostachys 
bambusoides  and  an  Arundinaria  I  obtained  in 
flower  in  1897,  but  I  have  not  seen  them  in  flower 
since.  I  know,  however,  that  they  did  not  die 
after  flowering.  Although  it  is  an  undoubted  fact 
that  many  Bamboos  die  immediately  after  flowering, 
it  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  remarks  that 
many  others  do  not.  The  popular  notion  that  all 
Bamboos  die  subsequently  to  flowering  has  probably 
arisen  from  observations  made  in  India,  where 
large  forests  of  Bamboos  exist.  Each  Bamboo 
forest  is  composed  principally  (probably)  of  one 
species,  and  if  that  particidar  species  dies  after 
flowering  it  does  not  require  much  stretching  of 
the  imagination  to  come  to  the  conclusion,  when  a 
whole  forest  disappears,  that  all  Bamboos  die  after 
flowering.  W.  .J.  Tctcher. 

Botanic  Gardens,  Hon;/  Kong. 

ZEPHYRANTHES  CANDIDA. 

[To   THE  Editor  of    "  The    Garden."] 

Sir, — Canon  EUacombe  is  severe,  unkind  almost, 
in  his  criticism  of  this  plant,  for  which,  on  the 
strength  of  its  good  behaviour  at  Kew  in  a  varietj' 
of  seasons  for  the  last  ten  years  I  claimed  the 
favour  of  "the  million."  He  has  found  it  most 
capricious — a  failure  I  gather — and  so  have  others, 
he  says.  But  how  much  does  this  prove  against 
the  merits  of  the  plant  ?  Once  upon  a  time 
Liliums  were  most  capricious,  failures  in  fact,  at 
Kew  ;  now  they  are  one  of  the  great  attractions  of 
the  garden.  This  is  true  also  of  Roses,  Bamboos, 
and  other  plants  that  now  present  no  difficulties, 
but  were  considered  "  capricious."  Begonia 
Gloire  de  Lorraine,  a  perfect  weed  in  gardens 
to-day,  and  essentially  a  plant  for  the  million,  was 
voted  worthless  when  first  sent  out,  because  no  one 
could  grow  it.  I  only  wish  to  show  that  no  culti- 
vator is  justified  in  condemning  a  plant  for  general 
cultivation  because  it  behaves  badly  with  him. 
Of  course  we  should  be  equally  careful  not  to 
claim  favour  for  a  plant  on  insufficient  grounds. 
With  regard  to  the  Zephyr  flower,  however,  the 
test  has  been  long  enough,  and  there  has  been  no 
"conjuring"'  at  Kew  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  plant 
has  done  all  itself.  I  feel  certain  that  at  Bitton  it 
would  behave  at  least  as  well  as  it  does  at  Kew. 
I  hope  Mr.  EUacombe  will  try  again.  I  wonder  if 
he  could  help  us  with  the  Gentianella  ((i.  acaulis), 
which  is  an  utter  failure  at  Kew  ''  '""    W. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

Caulikloweks. 

RIOMOV'E  I  he  lights  from  autumn -sown 
(Jauliflowers  on  every  favourable 
morning  and  replace  them  at  niglit, 
so  that  Ijy  the  end  of  the  month  they 
will  be  quite  hardened  and  ready  for 
planting  out  in  some  enriched  and 
sheltered  part  of  the  garden.  Nothing  is  gained 
by  putting  these  plants  out  before  the  weather 
is  mild  and  settled  ;  they  are  better  kept  in  the 
pols  another  week  than  allowed  to  suH'er  from 
cold  winds.  The  young  plants  raised  from  seeds 
sown  five  weeks  ago  will  be  ready  for  pricking  out 
in  a  cold  frame  in  good  rich  soil,  where  they  will 
make  rapid  progress  and  form  a  close  succession  to 
those  sown  in  the  autumn.  A  sowing  of  Early 
London  Snowball  and  Magum  Bonum  should  be 
made  on  a  sheltered  border,  so  that  there  may  be 
no  break  in  the  supply  from  the  time  the  first  heads 
are  cut  from  the  autumn-sown  plants,  until 
Walcheren  and  Veitch's  Autumn  Giant,  sown 
a  fortnight  later,  bring  the  season  to  a  close. 
Root  crops  still  in  the  ground  should  be  lifted  at 
once  and  placed  in  clumps  behind  a  north  wall, 
where  they  will  keep  much  longer  and  in  better 
condition  than  if  stored  in  sheds  in  the  ordinary 
wa3'.  Sifted  ashes  may  be  used  to  keep  the  air 
from  shrivelling  the  roots  of  Parsnips,  Carrots, 
Salsafy,  and  Scorzonera,  and  ii  the  ground  is  care- 
fully dug  after  the  removal  of  these  crops  no 
further  preparation  will  be  necessary  for  a  plan- 
tation of  any  of  the  Brassicas.  Celery  ma}'  also  be 
lifted  and  stored  behind  a  north  wall,  where  it 
will  keep  for  a  considerable  time  if  carefuU}' handled 
and  placed  in  an  upright  position  :  the  ground  thus 
cleared  maj'  be  used  for  the  main  crop  of  Onions, 
as  advised  a  fortnight  ago. 

Asi'aragus  Beds 
that  were  top-dressed  at  the  beginning  of  the 
winter  will  now  require  attention.  If  any  unde- 
cayed  manure  still  remains  on  the  surface  it  should 
be  removed  before  covering  the  beds  with  soil,  or 
the  young  shoots  coming  in  contact  with  it  will  be 
spoiled  ;  when  digging  the  alleys  the  beds  may 
be  covered  lightly  with  fine  soil  to  prevent  the  sun 
an<l  wind  from  unduly  drying  tlie  surface  dressing. 
If  it  is  intended  to  plant  a  row  of  Cauliflowers  in 
the  alleys  a  good  dressing  of  rough  manure  may  be 
dug  into  the  ground,  which  will  not  onh-  assist  the 
Cauliflower  but  will  help  to  prepare  the  soil  for 
surface  dressing  the  following  season.  Whatever 
crop  is  to  be  planted  between  the  beds  should  be 
an  early  one,  so  that  it  Avillbeoft'the  ground  before 
the  Asparagus  has  grown  tall  enough  to  deprive  it 
of  light  and  air,  or  it  will  simpi}'  mean  the  ruin  of 
whatever  is  planted.  Where  Asparagus  is  forced 
in  large  quantities  preparation  should  be  made  at 
once  for  sowing  seeds  where  the  plants  are  intended 
to  grow,  until  required  for  the  forcing  pits  in  three 
years'  time.  The  ground  should  be  trenched  and 
heavily  manured,  and  if  of  a  retentive  nature  should 
have  a  good  dressing  of  road  sand  or  grit  of  any 
kind  to  keep  the  ground  open  ;  the  seeds  should  be 
sown  in  drills  15  inches  apart,  placing  three  seeds 
in  clumps  1  foot  apart  in  the  row.  When  the 
young  plants  have  advanced  sutficiently  to  enable 
one  to  distinguish  the  strongest  they  maj'  be  thinned 
out  to  one,  and  kept  free  from  weeds  ;  in  the  winter 
when  the  ground  has  been  cleared  of  all  dead  stems 
it  may  have  a  top-dressing  of  leaf  soil  from  the 
forcing  pits.  .John  Dunn. 

Rot/al  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 

INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Cool  or  Greenhouse  Ferns. 
W^iTii  the  advent  of  spring  signs  are  apparent  in 
this  interesting  family  that  root  action  has  started, 
and,  if  the  necessary  work  to  be  done  here  has  not 
yet  been  commenced,  no  time  should  now  be  lost. 
Many  will  require  repotting,  and  others  will  simply 
need  the  surface  soil  cai-efuUy  pricked  over  and  a 
little  fresh  compost  added.  The  majority  in  this 
section  require  a  light  porous  soil  to  grow  in,  but 


170 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  9,  1901. 


in  the  case  of  some  of  the  Aspleniums  a  dusting  of 
dissolved  bones  may  profitabl}'  be  used.  Davallias 
and  Nephrolepis  growing  in  baskets  should  be 
carefully  gone  over,  and  where  necessary  have  the 
rhizomes  pegged  down  to  the  surface  again,  and 
if  fresh  baskets  or  pans  are  being  made  up  plenty 
of  drainage  must  be  aflforded.  The  present  is  also 
the  safest  season  in  which  to  transplant  tree  Ferns 
which  have  overgrown  their  quarters  or  are  being 
removed  for  any  other  reason.  Bouvardias  sliould 
be  cut  back,  the  stems  carefully  washed,  and  the 
pots  stood  in  a  house  where  suHicient  lieat  is 
maintained  as  will  induce  a  fresh  start  to  be  made. 
No  water  at  the  roots,  unless  when  exceptionally 
dry,  should  be  given,  but  the  spraj'  of  the  syringe 
is  decidedly  beneficial.  As  soon  as  a  few  inches 
of  growth  are  made  a  batch  of  cuttings  should 
be  put  in,  as  I  think  it  a  wise  plan  to  be  always 
working  up  j'oung  stock  of  this  and  many  other 
such  useful  subjects,  provided,  of  course,  accom- 
modation be  as'ailable.  Repotting  Amarj'llis 
where  necessary  must  now  be  attended  to,  a 
compost  of  two  parts  loam,  one  leaf -soil,  one-half 
of  sand,  and  the  same  amount  of  fresh  horse 
manure,  adding  a  dust  of  Thomson's  manure  and 
soot ;  liberal  drainage,  clean  pots,  and  firm  potting 
are  essentials.  A  position  in  a  low  house  or  pit 
near  the  glass,  the  pots  plunged  to  the  rims  in 
leaves,  is  to  be  preferred.  Water  should  not  be 
given  for  a  few  days,  but  when  this  does  take 
place  let  it  be  thorough. 

Greenhousk  Plants. 
Seasonable  work  here  presses,  and  attention 
thereto  is  directed.  To  most  greenhouse  plants  a 
change  into  fresh  pots  and  soil  is  recommended, 
soil  suitable  to  the  various  subjects  being  duly 
studied  and,  so  far  as  possible,  afforded.  The 
collection  is  too  numerous  to  admit  of  each  being 
separately  dealt  with  here.  The  cutting  back  of 
many  into  something  approaching  shapeliness  will 
be  a  matter  which  will  present  itself  to  the  grower. 
Such  things  as  Abutilons  require  this  treatment, 
as  also  do  Brugmansia  (Datura),  Citrus,  Plumbago, 
Myrtus,  &c.  Plants  growing  on  the  roof,  such  as 
Passiflora,  Clematis,  Tacsonia,  Acacia,  Clianthus, 
&c. ,  being  duly  thinned  out,  should  have  the  main 
leaders  neatly  but  not  tightly  secured  to  the  wire 
trellis.  Cuttings,  wherever  obtainable  and  desired, 
should  be  put  into  heat  and  pushed  on  that  young 
stock  be  forthcoming.  Nerines  now  making  satis- 
factory growth  should  be  stimulated  by  the  appli- 
cation of  some  reliable  invigorator,  such  as  Clay's, 
Davis',  or  Standen's  manure.  Any  of  these,  if 
given  with  discretion  and  in  moderation,  have  a  good 
effect  on  the  growth  of  this  popular  plant.  Vallota 
purpurea  is  somewhat  similar  in  its  requirements. 
Bulbs  introduced  from  the  nursery  in  a  drj'  state 
should  upon  arrival  be  immediately  placed  in  their 
pots,  and  stood  in  a  frame  plunged  in  ashes  up  to  the 
rims,  and  no  water  given.  Little  is  now  heard  of  the 
so-called  Eucharis  mite.  I  presume  gardeners  under- 
stand how  to  battle  with  it,  or  has  it  died  a  natural 
death  ?  Little  may  at  present  be  dpne  to  existing 
stock  unless  it  is  desired  to  increase  the  number  of 
pots,  when  the  shaking  out  of  old  and  young  bulbs 
and  repotting  in  their  respective  sizes  is  recom- 
mended. I  believe  the  placing  of  three  good-sized 
bulbs  in  a  6-inch  pot  is  a  method  that  finds 
favour  with  many  growers.  The  foliage  should  at 
all  times  be  kept  scrupulously  clean. 

J.   F.   McLeod. 
Doner  House  Gardens,  Roehampton. 


FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Forced  Pot  Vines. 

The  berries  of  Vines  forced  for  first  supplies  will 
now  be  swelling  freely  and  will  need  abundant 
supplies  of  nourishment ;  indeed,  at  this  stage  jiot 
Vines  fre([uently  receive  a  check,  and  the  berries 
in  such  cases  do  not  swell  evenly.  Want  of 
moisture  either  at  the  roots  or  in  the  atmosphere 
will  arrest  growth.  With  regard  to  feeding,  much 
depends  upon  the  state  of  the  roots,  which  should 
now  be  \'igorous,  and  working  freely  in  the  top- 
dressings  given  a  short  time  ago.  If  the  latter  be 
spent,  more  should  be  given  in  the  shape  of  turfy 
loam,  bone-meal,  and  decayed  manure.     There  are 


also  some  excellent  quick-acting  fertilisers,  such  as 
superphosphates,  but  these  need  care  in  applica- 
tion, as  overdoses  are  more  disastrous  than  none 
at  all.  To  encourage  surface  roots,  place  some 
newh'-cut  turf  about  3  inches  thick  over  the  rims  of 
the  pots,  and  this  then  forms  a  basin  over  the  roots, 
allowing  more  rich  top-dressings.  If  the  turf  be 
kept  well  saturated  with  liquid  manure  the  roots 
soon  lay  hold  of  it,  and  there  are  few  aids  more 
trustworthy  than  liquid  manure  applied  frequentl}', 
as  it  is  safe  and  eifective.  Weak  liquid  manure 
ma}'  also  be  placed  in  the  evaporating  pans.  This 
will  keep  red  spider  at  bay.  The  lateral  growths 
below  the  fruit  need  close  stopping,  but  it  is  well 
to  give  those  beyond  the  bunches  more  freedom  as 
they  assist  the  latter  in  swelling.  The  tempera- 
tures may  now  be  liberal — 70°  to  80°  during  bright 
weather,  with  more  ventilation,  closing  early 
before  the  sun  leaves  the  house,  allowing  the 
thermometer  to  run  up  freely,  and  maintaining  a 
moist,  gromng  atmosphere.  The  night  tempera- 
ture ma}'  range  from  65"  to  71)"  in  mild  weather, 
but  avoid  dryness  or  overheating,  and  to  save  hard 
firing  cover  the  glass  at  night  in  severe  weather. 

Planting  Vines. 
When  ripened  canes  are  planted — that  is,  young 
Vines  grown  last  year  for  the  purpose — this  is  a 
good  time  for  the  work.  For  outside  planting,  of 
course,  there  is  no  hurry,  and  in  this  case  stronger 
Vines  are  needed.  Few  Vines,  however,  are  planted 
outside  now  ;  still,  in  some  places  where  plants  are 
grown,  better  results  are  secured  with  outside 
borders  if  the  latter  are  elevated  and  well  drained. 
No  matter  how  planted,  whether  inside  or  out, 
the  old  mass  of  roots  should  be  well  shaken  out  or 
separated  from  the  soil.  This  is  rather  difficult 
and  needs  care  in  handling,  but  is  more  readily 
done  if  the  plants  are  turned  out  of  the  pots  and 
the  mass  soaked  in  water  for  a  time  previous  to 
the  planting.  Any  broken  roots  should  be  shortened 
back,  and  avoid  deep  planting.  Spread  out  the 
fibrous  roots  to  their  full  extent,  covering  with 
fine  soil,  and  making  firm  with  the  hand.  The 
borders  should  be  made  some  time  in  advance  to 
allow  of  settling,  and  outside  ones  covered  to 
throw  otf  heavy  rains.  Of  course,  only  a  portion 
of  the  border  is  made  at  the  start,  as  it  is  better 
to  add  to  as  growth  is  made,  but  use  turfy  loam 
freely  and  drain  thoroughl}'.  Avoid  rank  manures. 
It  is  not  safe  at  this  period  to  shorten  back  planting 
canes,  as  they  bleed  badlj'  ;  the  eyes  or  buds 
should  be  rubbed  out  to  the  distance  required, 
and  with  Vines  planted  inside  should  make  their 
growth  close  to  the  soil,  as  then  a  strong  and  more 
shapely  growth  will  be  secured.  After  planting 
outside  Vines,  cover  the  border  with  litter  or 
some  material  that  will  prevent  its  becoming 
soddened.  (i.  Wythbs. 

Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 

ORCHIDS. 

Work  in  the  Houses. 

At  this  season  certain  species  already  show  signs 
of  activitj',  and  as  one  notices  the  somewhat  rapid 
growth  made  from  the  base  by  certain  deciduous 
and  semi-evergreen  Dendrobiums,  and  also  by  such 
deciduous  species  as  Pleione  and  Thunia,  that 
growth  should  be  encouraged  by  damping  the 
walls  and  walks  on  bright  sunny  days  and  keeping 
the  house  close.  A  hot  treatment  is,  however,  a 
great  mistake  and  usually  produces  the  most  serious 
results  ;  it  is  at  present  harmful  in  the  extreme, 
for  a  rapid  vegetation  cannot  at  this  time  of  the 
year  be  maintained  unless  by  the  stimulus  of  the 
hot-water  pipes,  and  the  growth  produced  under 
such  conditions  is  naturally  weak  and  of  little  use. 
If  one  wishes  to  attain  the  object  in  view,  whicn 
consists  in  having  strong  plants  capable  of  pro- 
ducing their  flowers,  without  at  the  same  time 
exhausting  themselves,  the  activity  of  the  vegeta- 
tion must  be  gradual,  and  each  plant  must  be  grown 
as  hardily  as  its  constitution  will  allow.  In  well- 
organised  cultures  the  ventilation  of  the  houses  is 
a  subject  which  receives  the  most  serious  con- 
sideration ;  and  it  is  right  that  it  should  be  so,  as 
the  giving  of  air  is  a  most  important  point.  It  is 
indispensable  to   good  cultivation  to  prevent  the 


atmosphere  of  an  Orchid  house  from  becoming 
"  stuffy,"  and  to  that  effect  proper  ventilation  must 
be  afl'orded,  and,  while  the  raising  of  the  tempera- 
ture b}-  the  sun  is  beneficial  to  the  plants  which 
are  slowly  recovering  from  their  season  of  rest, 
one  must  be  careful  not  to  attempt  on  a  sunless 
day  to  keep  up  the  temperature  by  means  of  fire 
heat.  In  the  intermediate  or  Mexican  house 
there  is  not  much  work  to  do  yet,  and  it  is  a  goorl 
plan  to  see  that  all  the  plants  are  clean.  In 
cleaning  and  replacing  the  plants  it  is  well  to  put 
to  the  light,  and  in  the  warmest  part  of  the  house, 
such  species  as  La;lia  purpurata,  Cattleya  crispa, 
and  a  few  others  which  have  already  started  into 
growth,  whereas  Cattleya  Skinneri,  and  such 
others  which  are  still  quietly  resting,  should  be 
placed  in  the  coolest  and  dryest  part  of  the  house. 
The  intermediate  house  is  also  a  very  suitable  place 
for  the  majority  of 

CypRU'EUIUIIS. 

Such  species  as  C.  philippinense,  rothschildianum, 
Stonei,  and  sanderianum  and  their  varieties,  as 
well  as  those  belonging  to  the  Selenipedium  group, 
prefer  the  East  Indian  house.  These,  however, 
may  be,  and  are  occasionally,  grown  successfully 
though  slowly,  and  perhaps  not  quite  so  luxu- 
riantly in  the  intermediate  house.  The  repotting 
of  all  the  Cypripediums  which  have  done  flowering 
should  not  be  delayed  any  longer.  A  very  good 
compost  suitable  to  all  Cypripediums,  except  those 
belonging  to  the  niveum-concolor  section,  consists 
in  a  mixture  of  two  parts  roughlj'  broken  peat,  one 
part  chopped  sphagnum,  a  little  fibrous  loam, 
broken  charcoal,  and  mortar  rubbish  forming  a 
very  good  fourth  part.  The  potting  should  be 
made  moderately  firm,  and  special  care  should  be 
taken  in  doing  this  operation  that  the  crowns  of 
the  plants  are  not  buried  below  the  surface  of  the 
soil  but  kept  well  above  it — in  fact,  level  with  the 
rim  of  the  pot. 

Cypripedium  bellatulum,  concolor,  Godefroyie, 
niveum,  Regnieri,  and  tonkinense  thrive  best 
when  grown  in  soil  of  a  chalky  nature.  If  this  is 
not  ready  at  hand,  a  good  substitute  may  be 
formed  by  mixing,  in  equal  proportions,  stift"  yellow 
loam  and  limestone  broken  in  small  lumps,  v.arj'ing 
in  size  according  to  that  of  the  plants  and  of  the 
pots  to  be  used.  The  principal  work  at  this  season 
is  to  be  found  in  the  cool  house,  where  all  the 
Odontoglossums  which  have  done  flowering  should 
at  once  be  examined  and  repotted  if  they  require 
it ;  if  the  soil  in  the  pots  is  still  sweet  and  good 
they  need  only  be  top-dressed.  S. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Ornamental  Conifers. 
Where  these  are  used  in  the  pleasure  grounds  as 
specimen  plants  means  must  be  taken  to  keep  them 
in  health  and  vigour.  Young  trees  are  frequentlj' 
planted  and  do  well  for  a  few  3'ears,  only  to  lose 
their  bottom  branches  eventually  and  be  cut  away 
before  they  really  reach  specimen  size.  When  one 
examines  the  ground  which  has  been  covered  and 
occupied  by  such  trees,  a  reason  for  the  partial 
failure  becomes  apparent  as  the  soil  is  poor  and 
absolutely  dry,  very  hard,  and  hungr.y  looking. 
Before  this  bad  condition  is  arrived  at,  new  and 
rich  soil  should  be  placed  within  reach  of  the  roots, 
the  surface  soil  being  broken  up  and  removed  to 
make  room  for  the  new,  which  acts  beneficially  in 
two  ways — first,  as  providing  food  ;  and,  second,  as 
allowing  access  to  rain.  Manj'  fine  old  specimen 
trees  have  been  restored  in  this  way,  anil  young 
ones  which  show  signs  of  want  of  vigour  in  the 
lower  branches  should  be  treated  in  time.  There 
are  soils  and  situations  in  which  Conifers  do  not 
succeed,  but  failure  from  this  cause  is  shown  in  the 
tops  of  the  trees  and  not  in  the  lowei'  branches.  1 
think  it  may  be  fairly  said  of  trees  which  are 
carrying  a  good  top  growth,  but  which  have  lost 
their  lower  branches  all  round,  that  they  have  been 
starved  into  this  condition. 

Evergreen  Shrubs. 
Though  I  do  not  advocate  anything  like  formal 
shaping  of  evergreens  by  the  aid  of  the  knife  or 
shears,  it  is  necessary  to  look  over  banks  of  shrubs 


March  9,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


171 


and  single  specimens  once  a  year,  cutting  back  a 
few  branches  here  and  there  which  are  inclined 
to  upset  the  balance  of  the  shrub.  During  tlienext 
few  weeks  is  tlie  best  time  for  tliis  work,  as  back 
buds  will  push  freely  soon  and  hide  the  ett'ecta  of 
the  knife.  Some  of  the  variegated  Hollies,  and 
notably  that  fine  variety  the  Milkmaid,  are  apt  to 
produce  growths  with  fully  green  leaves.  These 
should  be  removed  each  3'ear,  for  if  allowed  to 
remain  they  promote  the  production  of  still  more 
green-leaved  shoots. 

ANEMOXE    JAPOiNICA. 

In  some  soils,  and  especially  in  those  of  a  heavy 
nature,  the  varieties  of  Anemone  japonica  grows 
strongly  and  well  if  left  alone,  but  in  others  they 
require  frequent  feeding.  Most  gardeners  know  how 
this  plant  resents  being  transplanted,  and  refuses  to 
do  well  for  a  year  afterwards.  An  excellent  nietliod 
of  treating  the  clumps  or  lines  of  this  plant  is  to 
cut  away  half  the  bulk  each  year,  excavating  a 
hole  where  the  half  that  has  been  removed  grew 
and  filling  up  with  richly  manured  soil.  Into  this 
new  soil  strong  crowns  are  pushed,  and  these  form 
the  plant  for  the  succeeding  year  when  the  other 
half  of  the  plant  is  taken  away  and  the  process 
repeated.  This  has  been  the  method  with  a  long 
row  of  this  Anemone  for  twenty  years  past,  and  in 
a  soil  not  naturally  well  suited  to  it,  but  the  dis- 
play of  flowers  from  the  young  crowns  each  3'ear  is 
magnificent.  Even  in  dry  seasons  there  is  no  sign  of 
distress  and  the  plants  go  on  producing  wonderful 
blossoms  on  the  strongest  of  stems  all  tire  autumn. 

General  Work. 

Dahlias,  of  -which  stock  is  short,  should  be  put 
into  heat  near  the  glass  for  the  production  of  sturdy 
cuttings,  which  may  be  taken  off  with  a  heel  to  each 
and  struck  in  a  propagating  case  or  handlight. 
Sweet  Peas  may  be  sown  at  any  time  now  while 
the  weather  is  fit.  Sow  the  seeds  2  inches  deep  in 
rows  or  rings,  taking  care  that  they  are  not  raised 
above  the  surrounding  ground,  and  that  there  shall 
be  no  difficulties  as  to  watering  in  dry  weather. 
Last  autumn  gave  an  object-lesson  in  the  need  for 
an  ample  water  supply.  An  abnormally  wet 
August  was  followed  by  such  a  display  of  second 
crop  Sweet  Peas  as  has  rarely  been  seen.  Yellow 
Crocuses  will  need  some  protection  from  the 
sparrows.  This  may  be  provided  by 
stretching  black  cotton  fairlj'  tight  just 
above  the  blossoms. 

J.  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


C.  kewensi.s  wa.s  obtained  by  cros.sing  C- 
cruentus  with  good  garden  form.s.  By  this 
cros.s  a  very  fine  and  di.stinct  break  occurred, 
the  plants  having  tlie  varied  and  bright  colours 
of  the  garden  forms  with  the  larger  and  more 
gracefitl  habit  of  the  species.  Well  grown 
plants  attain  a  height  of  4  feet,  and  produce 
inflorescences  3  feet  across,  the  individual 
heads  being  1  inch  in  diameter.  It  comes  true 
from  seeds. 

C.  Lady  Thi.selton-Dyer  is  a  charming  plant, 
and  originated  by  crossing  C.  Heritieri  with 
Kew  Blue.  It  has  much  the  habit  of  the 
species,  especially  in  the  small  whitish  leaves, 
the  heads  of  flowers  being  much  nearer  those 
of  the  other  parent.  It  grows  Ij  feet  to  2  feet 
high,  has  large  spreading  inflorescences,  with 
individual  flower-heads  li  inches  across.  The 
ray  florets  are  whitish  at  the  base,  with  an 
outer  margin  of  pale  blue.  It  was  exhibited 
at  the  Drill  Hall  for  the  first  time  in  1900. 
So  far  it  has  been  propagated  by  means  of 
cuttings. 

A  group  very  similar  in  many  re.spects  to 
C.  kewensis  is  that  known  as  C.  stellata.  It 
was  raised  by  Messrs.  Sutton,  of  Reading, 
C.  cruentus  and  multiflorus  being  said  to  be 
the  parents.  The  plants  grow  to  about  the 
same  size  as  kewensLs,  are  light  and  graceful 
when  in  flower,  not  very  well  clothed  with 
leave.s,  and  the  flowers  are  rather  deficient  in 
bright  shades  of  colour.  Can  be  raised  from 
seeds. 

A  Cambridge  hybrid  of  considerable  merit 
has  been  named  C.  cantabridgensis  ;  it  is  of 
dwarf,  compact  habit,  flowers  freely  for  several 
months  in  succession,  and  produces  large, 
bright  reddish  heads  of  flowers.  It  is  a  very 
useful  plant. 

C.  Moorei,  a  dwarf,  compact  hybrid  with  a 
good  deal  of  the  Heritieri  habit  and  bright 
reddish  purple  flowers,  is  a  very  attractive 
plant.  It  was  named  after  Mr.  Moore,  of 
Glasnevin,  at  which  place  it  is  said  to  have 
originated. 


A  very  pretty  hybrid  was  raised  a  few  years 
ago  by  Mr.  Bennett-roii  ljy  crossing  Heritieri 
with  a  garden  form.  It  grows  1 1  feet  to  2  feet 
high,  makes  a  dense  busli,  and'  is  very  flori- 
ferous.  The  ray  florets  are  wliite,  sometimes 
faintly  tinged  at  the  ends  with  pink,  the  disk 
florets  purple.  It  is  unnamed,  save  for  the 
distinction  Bennett-Poe's  Hybrid. 

The  last  three,  together  with  C.  Lady 
Thiselton-Dyer,  are  grown  from  cuttings, 
which  should  be  taken  from  the  ba.ses  of  the 
plants  in  May  and  .June.  They  root  i[uiekly 
in  sandy  soil  in  a  clo.se  case,  and  should  after- 
wards be  treated  as  other  Cinerarias,  giving 
rich  soil,  a  cool,  UKjist  bottomed  frame  in 
summer,  and  a  light  airy  house  in  winter. 

The  steUata  and  kewensis  groups  may  be 
raised  from  seeds  any  time  up  to  the  end  of 
July.  They  must  be  kept  growing  quickly, 
and  for  large  specimens  given  IJ-inch  or  10-inch 
pots.  By  liberal  treatment  large  quantities 
of  flowers  are  obtained,  which  are  invaluable 
for  decorative  work  in  pots  or  for  catting. 

W.  Dallimore. 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 


MESSRS.  H    CANNELL  AND 
SONS,  SWANLEY. 

A   LL   who   have   travelled   by   the   Chatham 

/%  and  Dover  Railway  from   Victoria  to 

/    %         Maidstone  cannot  have  failed  to  notice 

Z__A        the  nurserj'  grounds  of  Messrs.  Cannell 

j[         \_     and  Sons,  both  at  Swanley  and  E3'ns- 

ford  ;  indeed,  if  this  journe3'  is  made 

during  the  summer  time,  a  lasting  impression  of 

the    "  Home   of    Flowers,"    as    Mr.    Cannell    has 

appropriately  named  his  nursery  grounds,  cannot 

but  be  carried  aw.a3',  for  acres  and  acres  of  ground 

are  then  ablaze  with  the  flowers  of  brightly-coloured 

annuals  and  perennials.    There  is  alwa3's  something 

to  interest  one  at  Swanley  and  Eynsford  whenever 

the   visit   may    be   paid,    for,    besides    the    hardy 

flowers,  a  large  acreage  is  devoted  to  the  culture 


CINERARIA    HYBRIDS. 

During  the  last  few  years  a  distinct 
change  has  taken  place  in  the  garden 
Cineraria,  due  mainly  to  the  crossing 
of  Senecio  (Cineraria)  cruentus, 
Heritieri,  and  multiflorus  \vith  each 
other  and  with  good  strains  of  the  \. 
well  known  garden  forms.  By  this 
crossing,  -together  with  several  years' 
selection  of  the  best  forms,  a  number 
of  fixed  types  have  been  produced, 
the  majority  of  which  are  superior 
in  many  respects  to  the  older  strains. 
The  work  has  been  effected  to  a  great 
extent  at  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew; 
by  Mr.  Lynch,  of  the  Cambridge 
Botanic  Gardens ;  Messrs.  Sutton 
and  Sons,  Messrs.  Veitch,  Mr.  Ben- 
nett-Poe,  Mr.  W.  J.  .James,  and 
various  others  have  also  helped. 

Of  the  hybrids  and  selected  forms 
produced  at  Kew,  those  known  as 
Kew  Blue,  kewensis,  and  Lady 
Thiselton-Dyer  are  the  best.  The 
first  of  the  three  is  a  selected  blue 
of  a  very  rich  shade.  The  plant 
grows  from  li  feet  to  2  feet  high, 
and  is  very  floriferous.  It  is  of  com- 
pact habit,  and  comes  true  from  seed. 


UROnP   OF  HYBRID   CINERARIA   LADY   THISELTON-DVER   I.\   THE   CJREEXHOUSE   AT   KEW. 


172 


TH£    GAilDEi^. 


[March  9,  1901. 


of  all  sorts  of  fruit  trees,  hardy  shrubs,  and  farm 
produce  also.  In  midwinter  the  zonal  Pelar- 
goniums, for  which  Mr.  Cannell  has  done  so  much 
good  work,  and  in  which  he  has  effected  so  great 
an  improvement,  are  worth  going  far  to  see.  All 
are  familiar  with  the  fine  exhibits  of  these  winter- 
flowering  plants  sent  from  the  Swanley  nurseries 
to  the  Drill  Hall  and  the  Royal  Aquarium  on  the 
occasion  of  the  shows  held  there.  Now,  of  course, 
the  beauty  of  the  zonals  is  over  for  the  present, 
and  interest  is  centred  upon  the  spring-flowering 
Primulas,  Cyclamen,  and  Cinerarias.  Many  houses 
are  filled  by  these  both  at  Swanlej-  and  Eynsford, 
and  their  vigorous  and  healthy  appearance  bears 
good  testimony  to  the  suitability'  of  the  neighbour- 
hood for  purposes  of  culture. 

Messrs.  Cannell  have  done  much  to  improve  the 
Chinese  Primulas,  more  particularly  the  single 
forms,  aiid  they  have  also  been  successful  in 
obtaining  several  beautiful  varieties  of  the  Star 
Primulas  that  are  now  coming  so  much  to  the  fore. 
That  there  is  a  great  deal  to  be  said  for  them  one 
cannot  doubt,  as  for  general  decorative  purposes 
they  are  far  more  useful  than  are  the  majoritj'  of 
the  Chinese  forms.  They  bloom  more  freely,  are 
of  much  better  habit,  and  they  remain  in  flower 
over  a  long  period.  Many,  however,  prefer  the 
Chinese  Primulas,  because  of  the  wonderful  variety 
of  colours  in  the  flowers  they  produce,  colours  that 
the  Star  Primulas  are  yet  far  from  possessing.  It 
is,  however,  most  probable  that  in  the  near  future 
we  shall  be  able  to  obtain  the  latter  in  much 
greater  variety  than  is  now  the  case.  Messrs. 
Cannell  already  have  several  kinds  of  quite  distinct 
and  pleasing  colours,  yet  with  all  the  good  charac- 
teristics of  Primula  Stella ta  ;  when  one  compares, 
for  instance,  Lady  Emily  Dyke,  an  old  form  of  this 
type,  with  Mrs.  H.  Cannell,  one  can  see  at  once 
what  strides  have  been  made.  The  latter  is  one  of 
the  best  white  Star  Primulas  :  it  is  of  a  soft  pure 
white,  the  flowers  are  larger  and  of  better  quality, 
and  more  lasting  than  are  those  of  Lady  Dyke,  yet 
they  are  produced  in  equal  profusion.  Miss  Irene, 
a  new  variety,  has  beautiful  rose-coloured  blossoms, 
and  will  certainly  before  long  rank  as  one  of  the 
most  popular  of  the  coloured  forms  of  P.  stellata. 
Salmon  Beauty,  whose  colour  is  well  described  by 
its  name,  is  a  very  pretty  flower,  and  gains  in 
attraction  by  reason  of  its  fine  dark  foliage.  This 
also  is  a  recent  addition  to  the  Star  Primulas,  and 
one  that  may  be  heartily  welcomed,  for  the  habit 
of  the  plant  and  the  uncommon  colour  of  its  flowers 
form  a  very  distinct  and  pleasing  combination. 
Red  Lady  and  Pink  Lady  are  other  novelties  of 
the  stellata  type,  and  their  colour  is  sufhciently 
indicated  by  the  names  they  bear.  During  the  last 
few  years  Mr.  Harrj'  Cannell,  jun.,  has  devoted  a 
deal  of  lime  to  the  crossing  of  Primula  sinensis  and 
P.  stellata,  and  in  the  collection  of  seedlings  now 
in  flower  it  is  not  diflicult  to  discern  several 
varieties  with  the  characteristics  of  both  parents 
that  have  undoubtedly  come  to  stay.  The  whites 
are  very  fine,  the  colour  and  substance  of  the  flowers 
being  a  great  improvement  upon  those  of  the  older 
forms  of  P.  stellata.  Two  of  the  best  are  Venus 
and  Eucharis  ;  these  have  distinct,  dark  coloured 
foliage,  and  the  blooms  remain  in  good  condition 
for  a  considerable  time. 

Amongst  the  Chinese  Primulas  we  were  pleased 
to  see  Cannell's  Pink  well  in  evidence,  for  it  is  a 
splendid  flower,  of  good  size,  and  a  lovely  pink  in 
colour.  Dr.  Nansen  has  blooms  of  a  rich  deep  red, 
and  although  it  has  not  yet  been  sent  out,  Messrs. 
Cannell  hope  soon  to  have  sufficient  seed  to  enable 
them  to  distribute  it.  Lovely  is  a  giant  Pink, 
whose  appearance  is  much  improved  by  the  dark, 
handsome  foliage  ;  while  Emperor  Improved  pro- 
vides as  good  a  flower  as  one  could  wish  to  have  of 
its  colour,  which  is  perhaps  best  described  as  a 
deep  salmon-rose.  This  variety  is  one  of  the  freest 
flowering  that  Messrs.  Cannell  have.  Queen  of 
the  Pinks  is  of  a  somewhat  pale  shade,  and  My 
Favourite  bears  deep,  blush-pink  flowers,  not  so 
large  as  are  those  of  Cannell's  Pink.  The  Queen, 
a  variety  that  is  practically  white,  yet  perhaps 
more  correctly  described  as  slightly  tinged  with 
blush,  has  a  peculiar  characteristic,  which  is  also 
an  advantage.  The  habit  of  the  plant  is  so  compact 
that  the  latter  is  invariably  better  the  second  year 


than  the  first,  and  is 
then  not  at  all 
unsightly,  as  most 
Primulas  would  be. 
Swanley  Giant  is  a  very 
fine  rose-purple,  of 
vigorous  habit,  and  in- 
dispensable to  all  who 
are  fond  of  this  colour. 
Of  the  Fern-leaf  varie- 
ties White  Perfection  is 
one  of  the  best  and 
most  useful  ;  it  bears 
splendid  flower  trusses 
of  pure  white.  The 
blue  Primulas  are  not 
neglected  at  Swanlej', 
for  besides  Swanley 
Blue,  and  one  or  two 
other  singles  of  this 
colour,  we  noticed  one 
that  at  present  has  but 
the  name  of  Semi- 
double  Blue,  a  compact 
growing  sort  of  a  very  - 
good  shade  of  blue. 

Eynsford  Yellow,  ob- 
tained bj'  continued 
hybridisation  between 
oculated  ones  and 
Swanley  White,  we 
thought  to  be  parti- 
cularly worthy  of  note. 
The  ground  colour  of 
the  flower  is  white, 
while  the  eye  is  quite 
large  and  yellow  ;  there 
is  a  slight  tinge  of 
green  yet  remaining, 
but  this  will  doubtless 
before  long  be  entirely 
eliminated.  We  unfor- 
tunately have  not  the 
space  at  disposal  to 
individually  refer  to 
the  Cyclamens,  nor  to 
the  splendid  Cinerarias 
that  in  a  few  weeks 
will  be  a  blaze  of 
colour,  and  will  be 
worth  a  long  journey 
to  see.  Mr.  Caimell, 
sen.,  was  good  enough 

to  show  to  us  the  nursery  grounds  at  Eynsford, 
where  Mr.  Robert  Cannell  attends  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  fruit  trees  and  the  production  of  hardy  flower 
seeds,  for  the  supply  of  which  the  "Home  of 
Flowers"  is  so  well  known.  The  occupants  of 
this  ground  are,  however,  practically  at  rest,  so 
nothing  shall  now  be  said  about  them  ;  rather  would 
we  wait  for  an  opportunity  of  seeing  them  at  their 
best  at  a  more  favourable  season  of  the  year. 


ISiT- 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

By  their  intrinsic  merits  many  fruits  have 
forced  themselves  into  public  favour,  and  are 
known  far  and  wide  as  popular  and  familiar 
friends.  Thus  amongst  Grapes  we  liave  the 
Black  Hamburgh,  Madresfield  Court,  Foster's 
Seedling,  and  Buckland  Sweetwater  as  the 
best  of  summer  Grapes,  the  White  Muscat 
for  autumn  and  early  winter,  and  for  later  use 
the  Black  Alicante,  Gros  Colmar,  and  Lady 
Downe's. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  summer  and 
autumn  Pears,  such  as  the  Jargonelle, 
Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey,  Marie  Louise,  Thom- 
son's, and  Doyenne  du  Comice,  all  of  which 
are  well  known  and  recognised  as  the  best 
varieties  in  their  respective  seasons.  This  is 
not  so  with  regard  to  late  winter  Pears  ;  no 
variety  that  I  know  of  ever  succeeded  in 
forcing  its  way  into  public  favour  as  particularly 
distinct  and  better  than  any  other.  This  is 
not  because  such  do  not  exist,  but  is   owing 


STANDARD    TRKE    OF    LORD    BURLEIOH    AI'PT,F. 


to  the  apathy  of  growers  in  not  giving  the 
public  the  opportunity  of  becoming  familiar 
with  our  best  English  -  grown  winter  Pears; 
such  a  Pear  is  Nouvelle  Fulvie.  This  I  con- 
sider to  be  the  Doyenne  du  Comice  of  late 
winter  varieties.  The  fruit  is  of  pyriform 
shape,  greenish  yellow  in  colour,  and  of 
moderate  size,  and  as  regards  quality  and 
flavour  for  this  late  season  it  is,  in  my  opinion, 
the  best  of  all  Pears.  We  have  now  (March  4) 
a  few  still  ripe,  and  the  most  critical  con- 
noisseur could  not  desire  a  sweeter  or  more 
molting  fruit  ;  it  is  far  and  away  better 
flavoured  than  any  foreign  Pear  on  the  market 
at  the  present  time.  Here  it  grows  well  and 
fruits  freely  as  a  bush  and  jiyramid  in  the 
open  quarter  and  even  as  a  standard  in  the 
orchard.  The  few  fruits  that  we  have  now  left 
were  so  grown.  This  hardiness,  freedom  of 
growth,  and  cropping  make  the  variety  very 
valuable,  as  it  may  be  grown  successfully  in 
the  humblest  cottage  garden. 

Olivier  de  Serres  is  considered  by  many  the 
best  Pear  for  March,  but  is,  1  think,  so  far  as 
(luality  and  flavour  are  concerned,  not  equal  by 
some  points  to  Nouvelle  Fulvie.  Like  the 
latter,  it  is  a  most  accommodating  variety 
with  regard  to  the  conditions  of  growth.  It 
succeeds  well  as  a  bush,  pyramid,  or  a  standard 
in  the  orchard.  It  is  a  handsome  Pear,  and 
well  worthy  of  extended  cultivation.  Care 
must  be  taken  not  to  gather  the  fruits  top 
soon  :   even  a  few  degrees  of   frost  will  not 


March  9,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


m 


hurt  them  while  on  the  tree.  As  this  variety 
sets  very  freely,  timely  thinning  of  the  fruit 
must  be  attended  to. 

Windsor:  Owen  Thomas. 


STANDARD    APPLE    TEEES: 

A  GOOD  specimen  of  a  standard  Apple  tree  is 
shown  in  the  illustration  on  page  172.  It  is 
one  in  an  orchard  of  700  or  800  similar  trees 
plnnted  about  eight  years  ago.  This  tree 
shows  well  the  shape  and  form  of  the  main 
branches,  so  disposed  that  each  has  plenty  of 
light  and  air.  The  one  illustrated,  as  well  as 
all  others  in  the  orchard,  is  upon  the  Crab 
stock,  and  they  are,  as  may  be  seen,  planted  on 
grass  land.  They  are  now  well  established, 
and  bear  fairly  heavy  crops  of  fruit  annually. 

An  important  point  to  be  observed  in  the 
treatment  of  standard  trees  on  grass  land  is  to 
cut  away  the  grass  for  a  distance  of  2  feet  or 
3  feet  from  around  the  base  of  the  tree.  A 
surprising  difference  is  noticeable  between 
trees  so  treated  and  those  around  which  the 
grass  is  allowed  to  grow  quite  to  the  stems. 
It  is  obvious  that  by  following  this  latter 
method  the  grass  itself  must  withdraw  a 
certain  amount  of  nourishment  from  the  soil 
and  that  also  where  the  principal  feeding  roots 
of  the  trees  are  to  be  found.  Especially  during 
dry,  hot  weather  is  this  proceeding  harmful, 
for  moisture  that  otherwise  would  be  absorbed 
and  is  probably  badly  needed  by  the  roots  of 
the  fruit  trees  is  appropriated  by  the  grass 
roots.  One  cannot  mulch  satisfactorily  either. 
The  manure  applied,  instead  of  benefiting  the 
Apple  trees,  simply  has  the  effect  of  making 
the  grass  grow  all  the  more  strongly,  thereby 
enabling  its  roots  to  do  greater  harm  even 
than  before.  With,  however,  the  ground  clear 
for  a  distance  of  2  feet  or  3  feet,  one  can  give 
a  good  covering  of  manure,  knowing  well  that 
the  fruits  alone  will  receive  the  full  benefit  of 
it.  The  soil  is  also  kept  moist  by  such  a 
covering,  thereby  enabling  the  roots  to  better 
support  the  growing  tree  during  the  summer 
months. 

In  the  orchard  in  question  the  trees  are 
planted  16  feet  apart  in  the  rows,  and  the  rows 
are  32  feet  wide.  This  is  an  excellent  method, 
for  the  object  is,  when  the  tree  shall  have 


become  almost  fully  grown,  to  remove  every 
other  one  in  the  rows,  thus  finally  leaving  each 
tree  an  equal  distance  (32  feet)  apart.  One 
has  the  advantage  of  an  additional  amount  of 
fruit  over  a  period  of  twenty  years  or  so,  and 
the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  valuable 
space  is  utilised.  It  is  probable  that  the 
majority  of  the  trees  will  have  to  be  destroyed 
when  the  time  comes  for  removing  them, 
unless  it  can  be  arranged  to  move  a  few  every 
year  over  a  number  of  years,  that  is,  if  they 
were  worth  the  trouble  and  expense  that  the 
work  of  transplanting  large  trees  entails.  A 
great  deal  would,  of  course,  depend  upon  the 
condition  of  the  latter  at  tlie  time,  some  there 
might  be  not  worth  removing  owing  to  disease, 
stunted  growth,  bad  bearing  qualities,  &c. 
The  tree  in  the  accompanying  photograph 
is  of  the  variety  Lord  Burleigh,  a  splendid 
Apple  for  growing  as  a  standard.  Others 
suitable  for  this  purpose  are  Christmas  Pear- 
main,  Dutch  Mignonne,  Rosemary  Russet, 
The  Queen,  Duke  of  Devonshire,  Golden  Spire, 
Scarlet  Russet,  Margil,  and  Eearn's  Pippin. 

T.  W.  F. 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 


PHAIO-CALANTHE  SCHRODERIANA. 

This  charming  hybrid,  the  result  of  a  cross  between 
Calanthe  Barou  Schroder  and  Phaius  Wallichii,  has 
sepals  and  petals  of  a  pale  sulphur  colour,  slightly 
suffused  and  streaked  at  the  base  with  pale  crimson, 
and  the  lip  is  of  a  fine  deep  crimson.  Exhibited 
by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Son,  Limited,  Chelsea. 
Award  of  merit. 


SOPHRONITIS    ROSSITERIANA. 

A  LOVELY  flower,  of  an  exquisite  shade  of  pale 
orange.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  almost  of  exactly 
the  same  shade  ;  the  latter  are  broad,  and  the  lip 
is  small.  This  is  a  variety  of  the  well  known 
Sophronitis  grandiflora.  Exhibited  by  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  Bart.,  Burtord  Lodge,  Dorking  (Orchid 
grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  White).     First-class  certificate. 


L^ELIO-CATTLEYA  WARNHAMIENSIS. 

This  beautiful  hybrid  between  Lfelia  cinnabarina 
and  Cattleya  Triana?  Normanii  has  sepals  of    an 


PEAR  OLIVIER   DE   SERRES    (TWO-THIRDS    NATURAL  SIZE). 


apricot  colour,  while  the  petals  are  of  a  lovely 
soft  purple-apricot  tint,  the  lip  being  of  velvety 
crimson,  and  the  throat  almost  the  colour  of  the 
sepals.  It  received  an  award  of  merit  about  a 
year  ago.  Exhibited  by  Mr.  C.  .1.  Lucas,  Warn- 
ham  Court,  Horsham  (gardener,  Mr.  (!.  Duncan). 
First-class  certificate. 

ODONTOGLOSSUM    CORADINEI    :\IRS. 
DE  B.   CRAWSHAY. 

The  sepals  and  petals  of  this  somewhat  sombre- 
looking  variety  have  a  pale  yellow  ground  colour, 
which  is  heavily  blotched  with  choeolate-red.  The 
raceme  shown  was  evidently  from  a  vigorous  plant, 
for  it  carried  no  less  than  eleven  flowers  and  buds. 
Exhibited  by  Mr.  .J.  S.  Moss,  Winter.shiH,  Bishops 
Wallham  (gardener,  Mr.  C.  Kench).  Award  of 
merit. 

DENDROBIUM   RUBENS   GRANDI- 
FLORUM. 

The  flowers  of  this  hybrid  are  of  a  beautiful  shade 
of  colour.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  tinted  with 
deep  rose-purple  ;  the  lip  has  a  pale  sulphur  ring 
around  its  purple  centre  ;  the  extreme  edge  of  the 
lip  is  also  tinged  with  rose.  This  hybrid  is  the 
result  of  a  cross  between  D.  splendidissimum 
grandiilornm  and  D.  nobile  nobilius.  Exhibited 
by  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  Burford  Lodge, 
Dorking  (Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  White). 
Award  of  merit. 


ODONTOGLOSSUM  ADRIANS   MRS. 
ROBERT  BENSON. 

This  is  a  very  handsome  variety,  the  sulphur- 
yellow  petals  and  sepals  being  heavily  spotted  with 
chocolate-red.  It  is  a  natural  hj'brid  between  0. 
crispum  and  0.  hunnewellianum.  The  flower  is  of 
splendid  form  ;  the  sepals  and  petals  with  crinkled 
edges  are  very  symmetrical.  Exhibited  by  Captain 
Holford,  Westonbirt,  Tetbury  (gardener,  Mr. 
Chapman). 

APPLE  DIAitOND  .JUBILEE. 

This  is  a  new  culinary  Apple  of  handsome  appear- 
ance, broadly  conical  in  shape,  with  the  eye  deeply 
set.  The  colour  is  3'ellowish  green,  with  the 
exception  of  the  sunn}'  side  being  tinged  with 
light  red.  The  fruit  committee  considered  this 
variety  to  be  so  excellent  that  an  award  of  merit 
was  voted  to  it.  Exhibited  by  Mr.  A.  .1.  Thomas, 
Rodworsham,  Sittingbourne. 


APPLE  SCARLET  NONPAREIL. 
Another  old  and  well-tried  variety,  one  of  the 
best  and  most  hardy  winter  Apples  in  cultivation, 
broadly  ovate  in  shape,  reminding  one  somewhat 
of  Cox's  Orange  Pippin  ;  the  stalk  is  very  thick 
and  short,  and  the  fruit  is  well  coloured.  Exhi- 
bited by  Earl  Beauchamp,  Madresfield  Court 
Gardens  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Crump).  Award  of 
merit. 

-^*  All  tlie  atiove  were  sliown  before  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday, 
February  26. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


"The  Larcer  Netted  Iris." 
Messrs.  Kelwa}'  and  Son,  Langport,  Somerset, 
have  kindly  sent  blooms  of  this  charming  early 
spring  flowering  Iris,  I.  reticulata  major.  It  is  a 
flower  of  exquisite  colouring,  violet-blue,  marked 
with  white  and  gold,  and,  moreover,  sweetly 
scented.  I.  r.  major  is  an  improved  form,  much 
larger  than  the  type  and  a  stronger  grower.  Messrs. 
Kelway  write  that  this  beautiful  Iris  is  now  in  full 
flower  in  the  open  borders  at  Langport. 


Primulas  from  Chelsea. 
We   have  received  from  Messrs.    .James  Veitch 
and  Sons,  Limited,  Ro3'al  Exotic  Nurserj',  Chelsea, 
a  collection  of  Chinese  Primula  blooms.     These  are 


174 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  9,  1901, 


so  distinct  and  of  such  lovely  shades  of  colour 
that  we  give  a  description  of  each  variety, 
fiigantic  Rose  is  well  named,  the  flowers  are  very 
large,  the  prettily  notched  petals  soft  rose,  the  eye 
being  syniraetrical  and  of  a  good  yellow.  Double 
Salmon  is  a  most  pleasing  tint,  salmon  slightly 
tinged  at  the  edges  with  rosy  purple.  JIauve  is 
one  of  the  deepest  of  its  kind  we  have  yet  seen, 
the  exquisite  colouring  reminds  one  of  that  in  the 
lip  of  a  Cattleya.  Fringed  White  is  a  somewhat 
flat  bloom,  whose  petals  are  beautifully  fringed, 
and  of  a  pure  white  colour.  Double  Crimson  and 
Chelsea  Crimson  are  both  good  colours,  true 
crimsons.  Chelsea  Rose  is  a  smaller  counterpart  of 
Gigantic  Rose,  but  that  the  edges  of  the  petals  are 
more  deeply  fringed.  The  stellata  hybrids — i.e., 
those  obtained  between  the  Star  Primulas  and  the 
Chinese  varieties — also  comprise  many  beautiful 
flowers,  showing  well  the  great  improvement  that 
has  been  made  upon  the  original  P.  stellata  within 
the  last  few  years. 

A  Fine  Christmas  Rose. 
Mr.  Elwes  sends  from  Gloucestershire  some 
blooms  of  a  very  fine  Christmas  Rose,  with  stalks 
16  inches  in  length.  A  letter  accompanying  the 
flower  says  that  it  was  grown  from  Mr.  Max 
Leichtlin's  seed.  Mr.  Elwes  thinks  tlie  more 
highly  of  these  seedlings  as  his  soil  is  too  light  for 
the  general  well-being  of  Helleborus  niger. 


ROSE    SHO^V  FIXTURES  IN  1901. 

June  1-2  (Wed.).— York. t 
,,     26  (Wed.).— Richmond  (Surrey)  (N.R.S.) 
,,     29  (Sat.). — Canterbury  and  Windsor. 
July    2  (Tues.).— Drill   Hall  (R.H.S.)  and  South- 
ampton.* 
,,       ;?  (Wed.).-Hanlev.* 
,,       4  (Thurs.). -Temple  Gardens  (N.R.S.) 
,,       9  (Tues.). — (iloucester,  Harrow  and  Wolver- 
hampton.+ 
„     10  (Wed.).— Worthing. 
,,     11  (Thurs.).— Bath,      Brentwood,       Elthani, 

Helensburgh,  and  Woodbridge. 
,,     17  (AVed.).— Ulverston  (N.R.S.)  and  Cardiff'.* 
,,     IS  (Thurs.).  — Halifax. 
,,     20  (Sat. ).— Newton  Mearns. 
,.     23  (Tues.).— Tibshelf. 

*  Shows  lasting  two  days, 
t  Shows  lasting  three  days. 
The  above  are  the  only  fixtures  definitely 
arranged  that  have  as  yet  reached  me.  I  shall 
be  glad  to  receive  the  dates  of  other  Rose  Shows — 
or  Horticultural  Exhibitions  wliere  Roses  form  a 
leading  feature — for  insertion  in  future  lists. — 
Enw.iRD  Mawlev,  Ro.iehank,  Bei-kliainiltd,  Hurts. 


INSECT   PESTS. 

THE    VINE    WEEVIL. 

REFERENCES  are  not  frecjuently  made 
to  this  enemy  of  the  Vine,  and  it 
niaj'  be  concluded  that  its  attacks  are 
not  \evy  common.  When  in  niaturcfl 
condition  this  beetle  is  about  three- 
eighths  of  an  inch  in  length,  has  six 
legs,  and  is  almost  black  in  colour.  It  has  invaded 
at  the  present  time  a  house  of  young  Vines  here, 
aiul  I  have  on  one  previous  occasion  had  experience 
■with  it,  but  in  both  instances  its  attacks  were 
slight.  Judging  from  its  behaviour,  however,  I 
(-■an  imagine  that  if  it  was  present  in  great  numbers, 
for  it  is  a  virulent  little  creature,  it  might  soon  do 
much  mischief,  unless  effectual  measures  were 
adopted  to  prevent  it.  When  in  a  fully  developed 
or  perfect  insect  state,  it  feeds  upon  the  leaves 
and  the  stalks  of  young  bunches  of  (irapes,  and  as 
it  does  this  at  night,  secluding  itself  during  the 
day  upon  the  surface  of  the  border  or  in  crevices 
in  the  walls,  its  presence  might  be  easily  overlooked 
by  any  one  unac(|uainted  with  it  or  its  habits,  and 
the  injury  it  inflicted  attributed  to  the  cockroach 
or  the  cricket.  The  larvte  develope  in  the  soil, 
and  remain  several  weeks.     When  numerous  much 


injury  is  done  by  feeding  upon  the  roots  of  the 
Vines.  Whilst  in  this  grub  state  it  i«  difficult  to 
thoroughly  battle  with  it  without  damaging  the 
roots,  although  the  matured  insects  are  more  easily 
dealt  with,  an<l  in  our  case,  the  Vines  being  young, 
we  simply  search  for  them  bj'  the  aid  of  a  lamp, 
and  find  no  difficulty,  as  they  remain  quiet,  in 
picking  them  from  the  leaves.  In  vineries  possessed 
of  matured  Vines,  or  in  cases  where  weevils  are 
ver_y  numerous,  this  would  not  be  so  readily  done, 
but  by  stretching  sheets  of  tiffanj'  over  the  borders 
and  sharply  tapping  the  canes,  the  insects  are 
caused  to  fall,  and  can  be  easily  captured.  Tliey 
may  also  be  prevented  from  ascending  the  Vines  by 
placing  a  band  of  cloth  smeared  with  sticky  grease 
round  the  bases  of  the  latter. 

The  Heiidre  Gardem.  Thos.   Cogimbek. 


United  Hortieultupal  Benefit  and 

Provident  Society.— The  annual  meeting 
of  the  above  society  will  be  held  at  the  Caledo- 
nian Hotel,  Robert  Street,  Adelphi  Terrace, 
Strand,  W.C,  on  Monday  evening  next,  at  eight 
o'clock.     Mr.  W.  Pioupell  will  preside. 

Educational  Flower  Show.— In  The 

U'oman'.i  AgricultiinU  Timeii  details  are  given  of  a 
new  exhibition  to  be  held  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on 
August  16  and  17,  in  connection  with  the  One  and 
All  Industrial  Flower  Show.  The  idea  embodied 
in  the  proposal  is  to  organise  an  annual  reunion  of 
all  the  friends  interested  in  agricultural  and  horti- 
cultural education.  The  Countess  of  Warwick  will 
offer  a  handsome  trophy  to  be  competed  for  by 
students  for  the  honour  of  the  class  or  institution 
with  which  they  are  connected. 

Flowers   from    the   Scilly   Isles-- 

The  flower  farms  of  the  Scilly  Isles  are  nbw  in  full 
beauty,  and,  despite  storms  and  wet  weather, 
appear  likely  to  yield  an  abundant  harvest  of 
blooms.  No  less  than  twenty-seven  tons  of  flowers 
were  shipped  from  the  islands'  shores  on  Tuesdaj' 
last,  and  as  each  package  weighs  only  a  f  i5w  pounds, 
some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  enormous  bulk 
these  figures  represent.  The  steamship  was  late  in 
arriving  at  Penzance,  where  the  huge  floral  con- 
signment was  smartly  taken  in  hand  by  the  Great 
Western  Railway  officials,  and  early  in  the  evening 
a  special  express  train  containing  nothing  but 
flowers  was  speeding  its  way  to  the  London, 
midland,  and  northern  markets. 

Society     for     the    Protection      of 

Birds  (Winners  of  the  Essays)  — It  may  interest 
your  readers  to  know  the  result  of  the  prize  essay 
competition  of  the  Society  for  the  Protection  of 
Birds,  which  j'ou  were  kind  enough  to  announce  in 
the  columns  of  your  journal  in  November  last. 
Over  100  essays  were  sent  in.  The  first  prize  (£10) 
has  been  awarded  to  Mr.  J.  J.  Baldwin  Young,  of 
Shetileld  :  the  second  (£3)  to  Miss  H.  M.  Capper, 
of  Liverpool,  and  an  award  of  two  guineas  pre- 
sented to  Mr.  E.  Hancock,  of  Southani.  Rugby,  for 
the  excellent  paper  sent  in  bj'  him.—  Makharetta 
L.  Lemon.  ./,  Ilaiiorer  Sqiiar/',  Loiidaii,   II'. 

The  Chino  Valley,  Southern  Call 

fornia.— The  climate  of  the  Chino  Valley,  while 
adapted  to  the  successful  culture  of  a  very  great 
number  of  species  of  trees  and  plants,  is  suDject  to 
occasional  frosts,  wind  storms,  and  very  hot 
periods.  Commencing  .June  9,  1896,  and  lasting 
for  twelve  days,  the  thermometer  ranged  from 
91)"  to  110"  ;  commencing  July  7  and  lasting 
fourteen  days,  90"  to  101"  ;  there  were  in  all  nine- 
teen days  in  July  when  the  range  was  as  above. 
In  August  there  were  twenty-two  days  wlien  the 
thermometer  ranged  from  90"  to  97"  during  the 
warmest  part  of  the  day.  The  average  daily 
variation  for  the  entire  season  was  .'?"  higher  than 
for  any  like  period  since  the  establishment  of  the 
station.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  there  had 
been  but  H^7S  inches  of  rain  during  the  preceding 
winter,  there  were  excellent  crops  of  all  kinds. 
All  sorts  of  fruit  trees  made  a  good  growth. 
During  the  season  of  189r).9(i  there  were  2.3  inches 
of  rain,  which  left  considerable  moistuie  in  the 
soil  when  the  following  rainy  season  set  in. 
During  the  winter  of  1S96-97  there  were  no  severe 
frosts,  Citrus  fruits  and  tender  plants  being  almost 
free  from  damage.     The  summer  of   1.S97   was  not 


excessively  warm,  there  being  but  few  days  when 
the  thermometer  reached  lO't".  Dvu'ing  the  month 
of  .-Vugust,  1S98,  the  thermometer  ranged  during 
the  warmest  part  of  the  daj'  from  91'-'  to  108"  for 
twent3'-four  consecutive  days.  This  protracted 
warm  weather  following  two  dry  winters  caused  a 
great  deal  of  fruit  to  be  undersized  and  poorly 
matured.  Late  varieties  of  Plums  were  sun-burned, 
and  late  Peaches  were  tough  except  where  water 
was  plentiful.  Pears  suffered  to  some  extent,  and 
Apples  were  badlj'  injured,  the  bark  in  many  cases 
showing  signs  of  sunburn.  On  February  6,  1899, 
the  thermometer  fell  to  22°,  and  considerable 
damage  was  done  to  Citrus  fruits.  Lemon  trees 
were  in  some  districts  killed  back  to  the  large 
limbs.  Extremely  warm  daj's  during  the  winter 
months  seemed  to  have  hastened  the  opening  of 
buds  on  most  varieties  of  Peach  and  Plum  trees. 
The  eff'ect  was  very  marked  on  the  European 
varieties  of  Plums  and  Prunes. 

National  Rose  Society.— The  honorary 

secretaries  have  much  pleasure  in  announcing 
that  Her  Majesty  Queen  Alexandra  has  consented 
to  continue  to  be  the  patroness  of  the  society,  a 
post  which  she  had  for  many  years  held  as  Princess 
of  Wales. 

Diseased  growth  of  Yews.— Mr.  J.  W. 

Odell  exliibited  nefore  the  scientific  committee  of 
the  Roj'al  Horticultural  Society  recently  diseased 
specimens  of  Yews,  and  observed  that  Y'ew  trees  in 
his  district  (N.W.  Middlesex)  are  very  much  dis- 
figured by  the  formation  of  cone-like  galls.  These 
are  due  to  the  gall  fly  Cecidomya  taxi  (Inchbald). 
The  specimens  were  from  several  trees.  On  the 
young  trees  the  gall  seems  to  be  more  persistent 
than  on  the  older  trees.  On  the  former  the  leaves 
forming  the  cones  appear  to  recurve  after  the  pupai 
escape,  assuming  a  rosette  appearance,  and  beyond 
the  arresting  ot  the  growth  of  the  shoots  aff'ected 
no  great  harm  seems  to  be  done.  On  the  older  trees 
the  cones  and  rosettes  drop  off'  rather  freel3',  and 
this  often  gives  a  shabb3'  look  to  the  tree  as  the 
shoots  die  back  and  decay.  Dr.  Masters  observed 
that  these  galls  are  commoner  upon  the  golden- 
leaved  varieties  of  Yew. 

Honour  for  a  Bristol  man.— At  the 

annual  meeting  of  the  Incorporated  Society  of 
Heating  and  Ventilating  Engineers,  held  on 
Tuesday  last  at  the  Holborn  Restaurant,  London, 
Mr.  George  Crispin,  of  the  fiim  of  Messrs.  .James 
Crispin  (F. R.H.S.)  and  Sons,  horticultural  engi- 
neers, of  Bristol,  was  unanimously  elected  to 
the  vacant  seat  on  the  council  of  the  society. 
The  council  is  composed  of  the  most  eminent 
heating  and  ventilating  specialists  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  and  Mr.  Crispin  is  to  be  congratulated 
on  such  high  honour. 

Royal    Horticultural   Society.    The 

next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday  next, 
March  12,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate, 
Westminster,!  to  4  p.m.  A  lectureon  "Cliniliers 
for  Pergolas,  Verandahs,  and  Walls,"  will  be  given 
by  Mr.  (i.  Davison  at  three  o'clock. 

Species  and  varieties  of  Crocus.— 

Mr.  E.  A.  Bowles  exhibited  before  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  scientific  connnittee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  the  following  interesting 
series  of  Croci :  The  type  forms  and  albino 
varieties  of  C.  letieulatus,  pure  white,  except  for  a 
line  or  two  of  greyish  blue  at  tlie  base  of  the 
segments  and  extending  down  the  perianth  tube. 
(For  some  years  I  could  not  identify  this  variety 
with  certainty,  until  one  bulb  in  1899  reverted  to 
a  striped  form  identical  with  the  C.  retic.  v. 
albicans  of  Herbert,  figured  in  "  Bot.  Reg.," 
volume  xxxiii.,  16  (17),  figure  2).  2,  C.  Jmperati. — 
Pure  white  internally,  externally  pale  bufi', 
almost  white,  and  richly  feathered  with  deep 
purple  on  the  outer  segments.  The  seedlings 
raised  from  this  form  produce  the  typical  Imperati, 
with  diph^'llous,  proper  spathe.  .'1,  versicolor  — A 
form  often  confounded  witli  Imperati  and  known 
as  Imp.  V.  albidus.  The  inner  segments  distinctly 
show  the  feathering  so  characteristic  of  versicolor, 
the  form  of  Maw's,  plate  xvi.,  figure  1,  d.  I  have 
wild  forms,  collected  near  Mentone.  which  very 
nearly  approaeli  this,  and,  like  this,  have  a 
ligulate    inner   proper   spathe.      4,  C.   biflorus   v. 


March  9,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


175 


Weldeni. — A  pure  white  form,  sold  as  Weldeni  v. 
niveus  and  dalmaticus  niveus.  C.  candidus. — 
Typical  forms,  white  grained  with  blue  externally, 
and  the  new  yellow  variety  clear  orange  grained 
externally  with  purple.  A  very  lloriferous  and 
beautiful  form.  C.  cyprins. — A  small  blue  species 
with  rich  purple  bases  to  the  segments  on  the 
outer  surfaces.  The  only  species  that  has  scarlet 
filaments.  It,  unfortunately,  appears  to  have  a 
delicate  constitution  in  cultivation.  C.  corsicus. — 
Proper  spathe  monophj'llous.  0.  minimus. — 
Proper  spathe  diphyllous  ;  both  natives  of  Corsica, 
the  former  in  mountainous  regions,  the  latter  in 
lower  ground.  C.  reticulatus  v.  niicranthus. — A 
small-flowered  form,  much  deeper  lilac  internall3'. 
."),  Seedling  varieties  of  Crocus  chrysanthus, 
approaching  most  nearly  to  the  v.  cterulescens. 
It  is  the  first  year  of  flowering,  and  this  perhaps 
accounts  for  the  small  blossoms.  Two  of  these, 
internally,  pure  wliite  with  a  bright  orange  throat ; 
the  outer  surface  of  the  outer  segments  are  suffused 
with  a  rich  crimson-purple  with  the  exception  of  a 
narrow  marginal  band  of  a  pale  cream  colour. 
The  other  has  the  outer  segments  sulphur-yellow, 
slightly  paler  on  the  inner  surface,  and  grained 
with  dull  purple  down  the  centre  on  the  outer 
surface.  The  black  spot  at  the  base  of  the  barbs 
of  the  anthers,  so  characteristic  of  C.  chrj'santhus, 
is  present  in  this  form  and  one  of  the  former,  but 
absent  in  the  third  specimen. 

Double  Tulips,— At  a  recent  meeting  of 
the  Ro3'al  Horticultural  Society  Mr.  Houston 
exhibited  and  commented  upon  an  early  double 
Tulip,  pointing  out  that  the  filaments  of  the 
stamens  became  petals  (as  in  the  Water  Lily), 
and  that  from  his  experience  a  drj'  poor  soil 
appeared  to  be  conducive  to  the  process  of 
doubling.  Stock  seed,  for  instance,  gave  90  per 
cent,  of  doubles  under  those  conditions.  On  the 
other  hand,  Mr.  Wilks  observed  that  Papaver 
Rbieas  became  double  in  a  rich  garden  border,  but 
rarel3',  if  ever,  so  in  the  wild  state.  Professor 
Boulger  remarked  that  he  had  found  Ranunculus 
acris  and  Geum  rivale  double  in  moist  places ; 
Cardamine  pratcnsis  has  also  occurred  double  in 
similar  situations.  Mr.  Douglas's  experience  was 
that  Carnations  raised  in  pots  gave  many  more 
doubles  than  when  in  the  open  border,  only  10  to 
1'2  per  cent,  being  single.  This  would  seem  to  agree 
with  Mr.  Houston's  experience.  Mr.  Henslow  drew 
attention  to  the  fact  that  it  was  long  ago  asserted 
by  Mr.  William  Masters  that  a  suspension  of  vitality 
must  take  place  before  a  flower  is  formed,  whether 
single  or  double  ;  that  mere  vegetative  vigour  is 
not  the  cause  of  doubling,  but  that  when  once  the 
doubling  has  been  developed  and,  as  Mr.  Masters 
said,  "is  constitutional  or  in  the  blood,"  then 
abundant  food  will  favour  the  development  of 
double  flowers.  Mr.  Masters  gives  the  following 
instance  in  the  case  of  Balsams  : — "One  year  we 
did  not  pot  off'  from  the  seed  pots  for  many  weeks 
after  they  were  read_y.  I'hey  were,  in  fact,  starved 
before  being  transplanted,  and  only  produced  single 
flowers.  I  treated  them  liberally,  and  they  then 
bore  flowers  as  double  as  could  be  wished."  Mr. 
<i.  Dufheld  some  years  ago  produced  double  Lapa- 
gerias,  and  remarked  that  both  a  white  and  a  red- 
flowering  plant,  growing  side  by  side,  bore  double 
flowers  in  the  same  year,  and  remarked  that  it 
seemed  curious,  as  the  plants  were  by  no  means 
remarkable  for  vigour.  This,  however,  was  appa- 
rently the  cause.  Mr.  Laxton  has  also  observed 
with  regard  to  double  Peas; — "I  am  of  opinio)! 
that  a  check  during  the  growth  of  the  plant,  either 
from  drought,  frost,  or  even  injury  to  the  stem, 
may  produce  it.  Hitherto  all  the  double-flowered 
forms  have  been  produced  later  in  the  season,  just 
as  late  or  second  blossoms  of  Apples  and  Pears  are 
frequently  semi-double,  while  the  early  flowers  of 
zonal  Pelargoniums  have  often  from  six  to  ten 
petals."  From  Gosbell's  observations  double- 
flowered  Stocks  can  be  raised  from  seed  of  single- 
flowered,  up  to  90  per  cent.,  if  the  smaller  and 
abnormallj'  formed  seeds  are  selected.  Other 
testimony  of  a  similar  kind  might  be  c^uoted  in 
corroboration. 

The  Sherwood  Silver  Cup.— This  cup, 

value  £10  10s. ,  is  given  annually  by  Mr.   N".   N. 
Sherwood,  '7.M.H.,   to  some  meritorious  exhibit 


brought  before  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
and  Mr.  Sherwood  leaves  it  to  the  council  to 
determine  the  kind  of  exhibit  it  is  to  be  offered 
for.  This  year,  at  the  Temple  Show,  it  is  offered 
for  the  best  collection  of  Orchids  shown  by  an 
amateur,  the  space  not  to  exceed  100  square  feet. 
Those  who  intend  to  compete  must  send  in  notice 
not  less  than  eight  days  before  tlie  competition  to 
the  secretary,  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  117, 
Victoria  Street,  S.W.  The  Temple  Show  takes 
place  on  May  "22  next  and  two  following  da3'S. 


SOCIETIES. 

ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Professor  HensloWs  Lecture,  February  :*(;. 

Professor  Henslow  had  quite  a  hnge  audience  to  address 
wn  "Making  and  Unmaking  of  Floweis,"  a  subject  which 
admitted  of  verydiverse  treatment.  Prior  to  the  lectnre  the 
large  nnmber  of  fifty-seven  new  Fellows  were  dnly  elected. 
The  lecturer  said  that  the  display  in  the  hall  showed 
remarkable  variety  in  Hower  promotion.  It  was  once  held 
that  all  flowers  were  as  originated,  but  that  fallacy  was  now 
exploded  and  the  principle  of  evolution  accepted.  It  was 
very  difficult  to  trace  geologically  the  history  of  plants,  but 
possibly  a  tiny  club  moss,  a  drawing  uf  which  was  shown, 
might  be  regarded  as  an  example  of  primeval  vegetation. 
This  had  no  flowers,  but  mere  clusters  of  spores  as  its 
means  of  propagation.  Next  came  th:it  section  of  vegeta- 
tion as  found  in  Yews,  Junipers,  and  Firs.  Drawings  of  the 
(lowers  of  these  on  a  magnified  scale  were  shown  to  evidence 
their  somewhat  crude  methods  of  fertilisation.  Other  plants 
were  referred  to  foi-  the  same  object.  The  question  was 
when  and  how  did  Nature  clothe  flowers  with  their  now 
ordinary  attributes.  There  was  in  the  Juniper  a  fore- 
shadowing of  this  process,  which  was  technically  described. 
Drawings  of  difterent  forms  of  ovules  were  shown,  showing 
the  petals  in  process  of  development.  They  could  not  find 
any  real  link  in  the  long  chain  of  evolution,  but  in  the 
Australian  Casnarina  there  was  some  evidence  of  such 
existing.  Another  affinity  was  found  in  the  Sweetgale  of 
our  own  mountains. 

An  Anemone  showed  the  calyx  in  a  highly  floriferous  form, 
hut  there  was  no  real  corolla.  Neither  had  the  Christmas 
Rose  such,  though  there  were  huney  tubes.  Buttercups 
gave  a  clue,  the  bottom  petals  being  developed  fnun  honey 
pots,  the  irritation  caused  by  insects  in  extracting  the  honey 
possibly  being  the  primary  cause,  and  in  this  way  the 
evolntionaiy  theory  w as  evidenced.  In  the  Water  Lily  there 
was  evidence  of  the  development  of  anthers  into  petals. 
The  parts  of  flowers  were  metamorphosed  leaves,  not  that 
they  were  leaves,  hut  they  might  have  been  had  not  they 
been  in  the  process  of  nature  converted  into  floweis.  Leaf 
examples  as  drawings  were  shown  of  Laurel,  Sycamore, 
Privet,  &c.,  showing  how  their  placing  on  lateral  and  on 
vertical  stems  varied.  In  some  Monocotyledons  the  leaves 
were  arranged  in  treijies,  like  whorls,  and  in  others  one  over 
the  other,  as  sliown  in  various  illustrations  of  branches.  The 
Stork's-bill  apparently  had  formerly  ten  stamens,  now  it 
bad  but  five.  In  a  Primrose  the  stamens  are  just  in  front  of 
the  petals,  which  was  not  a  common  feature,  and  there  were 
others  that  it  seemed  as  if  Nature  had  suppressed.  In  a 
Wallflower  there  were  certain  features  which  rendered 
fertilisation  by  insects  easy.  They  first  came  for  pollen,  there 
was  then  no  honey  ;  but  the  insects  thrust  their  trunks  into 
the  stalks  of  the  flowers  after  moisture,  to  assist  in  solidifying 
the  pollen,  anothersetup  in  itation,  which  ultimately  resulted 
in  the  creation  of  honey.  In  the  Columbine  was  found  a 
floral  example  where  the  spui-red  form  reverted  to  a 
spnriess  variety  having  no  honey  but  when  irritated  by 
insects.  The  spur  redeveloped  all  of  what  are  termed  by 
Iwtanists  irregular  flowers,  emanated  from  regular  ones. 
All  the  leguminosa;  family  had  iriegular  flowers,  but  seemed 
to  have  descended  from  a  regular  flower  like  the  Rose. 
Insect  action  had  caused  this  irregularity.  The  Dead 
Nettle  was  another  example,  so  also  the  Snapdragon  and 
the  Salvia.  Botanists  will  not  admit  that  in  flower 
development  anything  is  done  in  advance  of  need,  but  that 
as  insects  operate  in  flowers  so  have  developments  resulted 
to  meet  their  requirements.  The  lecturer  gave  towards  the 
close  various  ilhistrations  of  flowers  that  have  undergone 
more  or  less  the  process  of  "unmaking."  Amongst  others 
he  referred  to  the  seed  or  female  flowers  of  the  Violet,  pro- 
duced in  summer  in  great  abundance,  and  seeding  freely, 
whilst  the  true  petalled  flowers  produced  no  seed.  The 
lecture  throughout  was  of  a  highly  technical  nature.  It  was 
abundantly  illustrated  with  drawings  of  embryo  and  other 
flowers  and  useful  features.  The  lecturer  was  heartily 
thanked. 


THE     GARDENERS'     ROYAL     BENEVOLENT 

INSTITUTION. 

(Berkshire,   Reading,   and  District   Auxiliary). 

The  flrst  annual  meeting  in  connection  with  the  above 
auxiliary,  which  was  held  on  Friday  evening.  March  1,  in 
the  Gardeners'  Club  Room,  Old  Abbey  Restaurant,  Reading, 
proved  a  very  successful  one.  The  president.  Mr.  C.  E. 
Keyser,  occupied  the  chair,  and  was  supported  by  the 
treasurer,  Mr.  Arthur  W.  Sutt^  n,  Mr.  Jlarlin  H.  F.  Sutton, 
and  by  Mr.  Harry  Veitch  (treasurer  of  the  parent  society), 
Mr.  Owen  Thomas  of  the  Royal  Gardens,  Fro^more,  and  Mr. 
G.  J.  Ingram  (secretary),  as  a  deputation  from  the  London 
committee.  There  were  also  present  many  of  the  leading 
gardeners  in  the  neighbourhood,  including  ilessrs.  Stanton 
(Henley),  Neve  (Sindlesham),  Woolford  (Wokefleld),  C.  Ross 
(Welford,  Newbury),  Gait  (Aldermaston),  Pope  (War^rave), 


Kitt(VVa8ing),  Wright  (Bucklebury),  Thatcher  (Mortimer), 
Gosling  (Goring).  Barnes,  'J'egg  (liearwood\  Townseiid 
(Wellington),  Fulffud  (CcokhanO,  Lees  (Enrley),  ()s\,ui\i 
(Three  MileCioss),  Wise  (Blackwater).  Tubb,  Profit  (Minlcy, 
Karnborough).  Fry,  Exier,  Wilson,  G.  Smith,  Bennett,  Lever, 
Pigg,  Jlinton,  Moody,  Hawkine,  the  hon,  see,  (H.  (i.  Coxj,  »Vc. 

After  the  an-  nal  lepi^nt  and  balance-sheet  had  been  read 
and  adopted,  Mr.  Veitch  congratulated  the  members  on  the 
great  success  that  had  attended  their  efforts  during  the  past 
sixteen  months,  enabling  them  to  raise  since  the  formation 
of  the  auxiliary  over  £180,  and  in  hopeful  terms  spoke  of  the 
bright  futuie  there  appeared  to  he  in  store  for  the  Heading 
luanch.  Tlie  election  of  ftttlcei'S  wms  proceeded  with,  and 
Mr.  C.  E.  Keyser  was  unanimously  re-elected  president  for 
the  second  year,  with  Mr.  A.  W.  Sutton  as  hon.  treasurer 
and  Mr.  H.  G.  Cox  hon.  secretary.  With  the  exception  of 
Uuee  or  four  members  who  had  left  the  district,  tlie  com- 
mittee were  re-elected,  with  the  addition  of  ilessrs.  Barnes, 
Macdonald,  Nichols,  E.  S.  Pigg,  Harris,  Tubb,  Hatton,  and 
Gibson. 

A  very  warm  discussion  ensued  during  the  meeting  as  to 
the  privileges  granted  by  tlie  institution  to  life  memljcis 
and  "fifteen  yeais'  subscribers,"  and  to  the  necessity  theie 
was  of  suppori  ing  the  paient  institution  by  annual  subscrip- 
tiuns,  one  speaker  pointing  out  that  there  was  in  the  future, 
say  fifteen  or  twenty  year&'  time,  a  piobabilily  that  if  life 
members  were  made  at  the  present  rate  fur  anoiher  few  years 
the  institution  woul  i  not  be  able  to  meet  its  liabilities. 
Messrs.  Veitch,  Thomas,  and  Ingram  made  some  very  inte- 
lesting  rtmarks  on  the  subject,  directing  particular  atten- 
ti(,n  to  the  fact  that  the  institution  was  a  benevolent  and 
not  a  benefit  society,  and  each  thanked  the  menjbers  for 
bringing  such  an  imitoitant  matter  liefore  them.  A  vote  of 
thanks  :o  the  deputation  and  to  the  chair  brought  to  a  close 
a  meeting  described  by  the  deputat  on  as  one  of  the  best 
represen'.ative  meetings  ever  held  in  connection  with  the 
institution. 

Report  of  the  Committee. 

In  presenting  their  first  report,  the  committee  of  the 
Beikshire,  Reading,  and  District  Auxiliary  of  the  Gardeners' 
Royal  Benevolent  Institution  have  much  satisfaction  in 
being  able  to  congratulate  the  members  and  subscribers  on 
the  success  that  has  attended  the  work  of  the  auxiliary 
during  the  flrst  sixteen  months  of  its  existence. 

The  inauguration  meeting  was  held  in  the  Abbey  Hall, 
Reading,  by  kind  j)ermission  of  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons,  on 
May  16,  lh99,  and  was  largely  attended.  Mr.  Arthur  W, 
Sutton,  V.M.H.,  occupied  the  chair.  The  meeting  was 
addressed  by  Messrs.  H.  J.  Veitch,  Owen  Thomas,  V.M.H., 
and  G.  J.  Ingram,  the  deputation  from  the  general  committee 
of  the  parent  institution,  and  also  by  Messrs.  C  E.  Keyser, 
C.  B.  Stevens,  L.  G.  Sutton,  &c. 

As  the  balance-sheet  will  show,  the  auxiliary  has  raised 
during  the  peii<>d  it  has  been  in  existence  aliio  16s.  6!d.  Of 
tliis  sum,  i.Wo  19s.  has  t)een  remitted  to  the  parent  society, 
leaving  a  balance,  after  allowing  for  woiking  expenses,  of 
£23  lis.  Id.  Of  this  balance,  £21  will  be  devoted  during  the 
current  year  to  assisting  four  more  members  of  the  auxiliary 
to  become  life  members  of  the  parent  institution.  It  is 
most  gratifying  for  the  committee  to  be  able  to  report  that 
of  the  total  amount  raised  by  the  auxiliary  (£135  16s.  6.'.d.) 
so  large  a  proportion  as  £112  14s.  (Ud.  may  be  considered  as 
entirely  additional  support  to  the  institution,  consisting  of 
donations  and  subscriptions  which  would  not  have  reached 
the  parent  association  had  it  not  been  for  the  formation  of 
our  local  auxiliary. 

The  committee  beg  to  tender  their  sincere  thanks  to  the 
deputation  which  attended  the  inauguration  meeting,  and  to 
all  friends  who  have  helped  to  make  the  auxiliary  a  success. 

The  balance-sheet  from  September  1, 1S09,  to  December  31, 
1900,  shows  a  balance  of  £23  lis.  Id.,  the  sum  of  £103  19s. 
having  been  remitted  to  the  parent  society.-  Signed,  on 
behalf  of  the  committee.  Arthur  W.  Sutton,  Honorary 
Treasurer  ;  H,  G.  Cox,  Honorary  Secretai-y. 


BECKENHAM  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

On  Februaiy  22  a  paper  on  "Vegetables  for  Exhibition" 
was  read  by  Mr.  Edwin  Beckett,  gardener  to  Lord  Aldenham 
(winner  of  two  gold  medals,  1897  and  1S99,  from  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  for  vegetables  ;  and  winner  of  the 
Sherwood  silver  cup,  1399). 

Mr.  Beckett  attributes  a  great  deal  of  his  success  to  deep 
trenching,  advising  the  ground  to  be  broken  upat  leasts  feet, 
bringing  the  bottom  soil  to  the  surface,  to  which  should  Ite 
added  a  good  dressing  of  farmyard  manure.  Seed  sowing, 
thinning,  hoeing,  watering,  and  preparing  the  specimens  lor 
the  show  table  were  dealt  with  in  a  masterly  way.  At  tlie 
close  the  lectuier  was  accorded  a  very  hearty  vote  uf  thanks. 

LIVERPOOL    HORTICULTURAL    ASSOCIATION. 

A  highly  interesting  and  instructive  lecture  was  delivered 
by  Mr.  R.  W.  Ker,  on  Saturday  last,  on  the  "Sweet  Pea 
Conference  "  and  "  My  Russian  Journey,"  each  subject  being 
beautifully  illustrated  by  a  large  number  of  excellent  lime- 
light views,  those  in  connection  with  the  conference  being 
shown  througli  the  kindness  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
Gaideners  Magazine.  Mr.  Ker  introduced  his  subject  \v1th 
a  brief  historical  account  of  the  Sweet  Pea,  its  growth  in 
popular  favour,  culminating  in  the  magnificent  display 
at  the  Crystal  Palace,  which,  the  lecturer  stated,  suipassed 
the  expectations  of  the  executive  ;  the  various  forms  of 
staining  were  noted,  with  a  lecommendation  that  the  most 
approved  foliage  for  interspersing  with  the  blooms  was  its 
own,  sparingly  used.  In  addition  to  the  many  views  of  the 
various  exhibits,  photographs  uf  many  of  the  workers  were 
thrown  on  the  screen,  including  that  of  Mr.  G.  Gordon, 
chairman  of  the  committee,  and  Mr.  Eckford,  who  had 
proved  himself  the  leading  authority  by  his  many  beautiful 
introductions. 

The  continental  journey  included  visits  to  St.  Petersburg. 
Moscow,  Potsdam,  and  Berlin,  the  great  horticultural  show 
at  which  Messrs.  Ker  officiated  as  adjudicators  received 
unstinted  praise  with  regard  to  the  exhibits  and  the  finished 


176 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  9,  1901. 


style  of  staging.  Roses  in  pots  were  a  great  feature,  from 
2  feet  to  4  feet  across  witli  fine  blooms  and  in  the  pink  of 
perfection  ;  other  plants  included  Palras.  Cj'clamens,  Lily 
of  the  Valley,  Lilium  Harrisi,  Rhododendrons,  Lilacs. 
Orchids,  &c-.  all  in  ciuantity  and  grand  in  <iuality. 

The  cordial  reception  tendered  to  visitors  from  England 
Avas  much  appreciated,  the  review  of  an  army  of  20,000, 
the  visits  to  the  various  palaces,  the  customs  of  the  people, 
itc.  The  views,  which  were  well  shown,  added  greatly  to  the 
interest  of  the  lecture.  At  the  conclusion  ]\Lr.  T.  Foster, 
chairman  of  the  committee,  who  presided,  tendered  to  the 
lecturer  the  cordial  thanks  of  the  meeting  for  the  admirable 
lecture  aud  interesting  details. 


BRISTOL  AND  DISTRICT   GARDENERS"  ASSOCIATION. 

The  fortnightly  meeting  of  the  above  society  was  held  at  St. 
John's  Parish  Room,  Redland,  on  Thursday.  February  28, 
Mr.  G.  Brook  presiding. 

The  paper  was  providf  d  by  JMr.  McMillan,  of  StokeBishop, 
on  the  "  Management  of  Wall  Trees,"  it  being  the  essay 
which  secured  the  first  prize  in  a  competition  for  prizes 
offered  by  Mr.  \V.  A.  Garaway  to  under  gardeners.  Mr. 
McMillan  dealt  with  the  subject  in  a  manner  that  won  the 
commendation  of  his  audience,  treating  in  his  paper  the 
culture  of  the  Peach,  Nectarine.  Apricot,  Fig,  Plum,  Cherry. 
Pear,  Apple,  &c.,  giving  in  each  case  his  opinion  as  to 
planting,  training,  di'^hudding,  pruning,  and  the  treatment 
of  insect  pests.  A  good  discussion  followed  and  the  cordial 
thanks  of  the  meeting  were  voted  him.  Prizes  offered  for 
two  pots  of  Narcissus  were  secured  by  Messrs.  Price, 
McCuUoch,  aud  Lewis.  Certificates  of  merit  were  awarded 
Messrs.  Krampton  (Primula).  White  (P  atyclinis  glumacea), 
and  Murrell  (collection  of  Orchid  blooms). 


TO 


ANSWERS 
CORRESPONDENTS. 


FLO^VER  OARDEN. 
Hollyhocks  (S.  s,  T.)— If  you  could  obtain  some  strong 
plants  iruni  a  sowing  made  last  summer  and  would  put 
them  out  into  good  deep,  well-manured  soil,  you  should 
then  have  them  to  l>loom  well  towards  the  autumn.  If  you 
sow  seed  at  once,  and 
can  raise  it  quickly  into 
plants  in  warmth,  grow 
the  seedlings  on  in 
single  pots  or  in  boxes, 
plant  them  thinly  in  a 
frame  until  the  middle 

of  May,  and  then  plant  r^         j        IL^/''     /^  / 

them  out,  you  sliould  be  ^        £,  ^0WI  ( 

able  to  get  some  to 
flower  late  in  the 
autumn.    The    simplest  lf'j//f///yif^f 

way  to  get  Hollyhocks  '     '' 

to  bloom  strong  in  the 
summer  is  to  sow  seed 


in  .shallow  pans  or  boxes 
in  May,  standing  them  in 
a  frame  c)r  gp  eeuhouse,  or 
in  a  warm  place  outdoors, 
where  they  can  be  shaded 
for  a  time.  You  will 
then  have  plenty  of  strong 
plants  to  put  out  in 
August,  and  these  will 
carry  fine  spikes  the 
following  year.  You  can 
purchase  seed  in  colours 
or  mixed. 

Tulip  Picotee 
(R.  T.).— This  is  certainly 
one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of  all  the  taller  Tulips,  its 
rtowers  white,  with  pink 
edge. 

Hardy  plants  fop 
shady  bopder  (S.  S.). 
— Columbines,  Solomon's 
Seal,  Daffodils,  Pi-imroses, 
Auriculas,  ilimulus.  Iris 
sibirica,  I.  ochroleuca, 
nearly  all  Lilies,  hardy 
Ferns,  Doronicums, 
Michaelmas  Daisies, 
Pyrethrum  uliginosum,  Monarda,  Tritonia,  and  heibaceous 
Spirfoas.  Against  the  wall,  Rubus  deticiosus,  Guelder  Rose, 
and  Clematis  montana.  It  is  presumed  that  there  is  no 
Ivy  or  other  2:rnuiulrniil)ingcliniberalready  against  the  wall. 
Cockscombs  (Otherne).— These  once  highly-favoured 
pot  plants  seem  to  be  but  little  in  favour  now,  although  it 
is  easy  to  get  mixed  strains  which  contain  several  quite 
distinct  colours.  Probably  the  great  improvement  seen  in 
the  feathery  Celosia  plants  allied  to  the  Cockscomb  and 
raised  from"  seed  in  the  same  way,  and  which  are  so  very 
ranch  more  beautiful  in  every  respect,  has  done  mucli  to 
destroy  the  old  fondness  for  the  Cockscomb.  Very  rtne  as 
the  combs  often  are,  they  are  yet  very  solid,  formal,  and 
hard  in  appearance,  whereas  the  branching,  feathery  Celosias 
are  singularly  pleasing  and  graceful.  Cockscomb  seed  may 
be  sown  now  quite  thinly  on  fine,  sandy  soil  and  just  buri«d 


TULIP    I'ICOTEK. 


in  pots  5  inches  across,  aud  be  stood  in  warmth  to  assist 
good  germination.  So  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  2  inches  in 
height  they  shuuld  be  lifted  and  be  put  singly  into  very 
small  pots,  where  they  may  remain  until  incipient  combs 
are  formed.  Then  they  may  be  shifted  into  larger  pots,  the 
plants  being  kept  well  down  to  make  them  dwarf. 

Camellias  in  the  open  (Casselus).— We  are  not 
surprised  to  learn  that  you  feel  interest  in  this  subject,  for 
it  is  one  that  merits  much  consideration.  AVe  do  not  advise 
planting  Camellias  on  stiff  soils,  and  where  there  is  a  fairly 
porous  loam  it  is  well  to  add  a  proportion  of  one-third  peat 
soil  before  planting  ;  but  there  are  myriads  of  places  where 
Conifers,  Rhododendrons,  Azaleas,  Kalmias,  and  many  utlier 
things  do  well,  where  Camellias,  if  planted  as  ordinary 
shrubs,  will  thrive.  Their  positions  should  not  be  wind 
swept,  but  be  rather  sheltered  by  trees  and  other  shrubs, 
yet  not  be  too  much  exposed  to  glaring  hot  sunshine  in 
summer.  Still,  ample  light  and  air  is  needed  to  enable  the 
summer  shoots  to  thoroughly  ripen  and  develop  bloom-buds ; 
but  too  often,  and  no  doubt  it  was  so  in  the  case  to  which 
you  refer,  plants  that  have  been  kept  in  pots  several  years, 
and  have  become  root-bound,  possibly  also  somewhat  stunted 
in  growth,  are  planted  out,  and  it  is  no  matter  of  surprise  if 
these  take  several  years  to  pull  round  and  become  sturdy 
shrubs.  To  treat  Camellias  for  outdoor  planting  properly, 
plants  should  be  kept  from  heat  whilst  quite  young,  be 
seasoned  in  a  cold  greenhouse  for  the  winter,  then  be  planted 
outdoors  about  the  middle  of  May  just  as  the  new  shoots  are 
being  made,  because  those  will  cause  the  roots  to  be  active 
also.  Then  tliere  is  no  stagnation.  It  is  heneflcial  in 
planting  to  add  to  the  soil  just  a  little  of  old  hotbed  Jiianure 
and  some  well-decayed  leaf-soil.  Once  plants  are  well  rooted, 
they  light  their  own  battles  bravely.  Few  shrubs  are  hardier, 
and  as  outdoors  the  summer  growths  are  not  maile  until  the 
frost  season  is  over,  no  harm  is  done  to  the  tender  shouts. 

Hapdy  climbing-  Roses  fop  vepandah 
(E.  i\l.  D.)— For  your  exposed  verandah  we  should  advise 
you  to  plant  Aglaia,  Flora,  aud  F(!'licit6-Perpetue.  They 
are  rapid  growers,  quite  hardy,  and  would  make  a  lovely 
trio.  If  you  desire  a  crimson  kind,  although  not  so  vigorous 
as  those  named,  either  of  the  following  could  be  planted 
to  cover  the  lower  part  of  the  verandah,  namely,  Vivid, 
Fulgens,  or  Cheshunt  Hybrid.  Wistaria  sinensis  would  be 
^  capital  climber  for  this  verandah,  as  would  Periplocagrseca 
and  the  double  pink  ]iramble,  especially  as  you  already 
possess  Honeysuckle,  Clematis,  and  Jasmine. 

TREES    AND    SHRUBS.     , 

Cape  Silvep  Tpee  (A.  M.)— The  plant  enquired  about 
is  the  Cape  Silver  Tree,  botanically  known  as  Leucadendron 
argenteum,  which  forms  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  trees 
natives  of  the  southern  portion  of  Africa.  As  they  do  not 
lose  any  of  their  silvery  colour  when  dried  they  are  fre- 
quently brought  home  by  visitors  to  that  part  of  the  world  ; 
indeed,  these  leaves  with  flowers  of  some  everlastings  form 
quite  an  article  of  export  from  the  Cape,  and  in  the  florists 
shops  of  London  they  may  be  often  seen  employed  in  the 
formation  of  wreaths,  crosses,  &c.  This  Leucadendron  was 
first  introduced  over  two  centuries  ago,  viz.,  in  1093,  but 
outside  of  a  botanic  garden  it  is  very  rarely  seen,  and  we  do 
not  know  of  any  nursery  where  you  could  obtain  it.  There 
is  a  good  specimen  (or  was  quite  recently)  planted  out  in 
the  Cactus  house  at  Kew.  The  Leucadendron  needs,  of 
course,  a  greenhouse  temperature,  but  its  cultural  require- 
ments are  more  exacting  than  many  other  plants  in  the 
same  structure.  A  light,  airy  position,  such  as  is  necessary 
for  Cape  Heaths,  will  suit  it  well,  and  it  needs  good  drainage, 
a  compost  consisting  principally  of  sandy  peat,  and  careful 
watering,  particularly  observing  that  the  soil  is  not  allowed 
to  get  too  dry.  In  order  to  induce  the  leaves  to  assume 
their  brightest  tint  the  plant  needs  full  exposure  to  the  sun 
(it  can  be  plunged  out  in  the  summer),  but  even  then  the 
leaves,  though  very  striking,  are  less  dazzling  than  those 
produced  under  the  brilliant  South  African  sky. 

INDOOR  GARDEN, 
Standapd  Fuchsias  (Heston).  —  To  get  rapid 
growing  j)l;iTits  obtain  tops  or  shoots  from  plants  that  have 
been  wintncd  in  ;i  greenhouse  and  break  freely  early  in  the 
year.  When  these  shoots  are  3  inches  long  and  are  takt-n  off 
with  a  little  lieel  attached,  are  set  thickly  into  pots  filled 
with  sandy  soil,  then  stood  in  good  warmth,  rooting  aud 
growth  soon  follows.  Later  put  singly  into  small  pots  and 
grow  on.  Kept  in  warmth  tliey  send  up  straight  stems. 
Side  shoots  should  be  pinched  to  about  three  leave.s.  When 
the  leading  shoot  or  point  of  each  plant  throws  flowei-s 
pinch  it  there,  and  cause  a  fresh  leader  to  break,  and  tlien 
continue  treating  the  plant  until  it  reaches  a  height  of 
3^1  feet.  Then  it  may  be  pinched  and  encouraged  to  throw 
three  or  four  shoots  at  the  top.  These  shoots  again  pinched 
or  shoi'tened  back  will  cause  others  to  break,  and  then  a 
got)d  heat]  is  formed  with  a  stout  stem  to  support  it  in  two 
years.  These  standard  Fuchsias  are  very  ornamental  if 
sunk  in  their  pots  up  to  the  rims  in  beds  or  in  turf, 
especially  where  they  are  sheltered  from  they  wind. 

KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

Eaply  Cabbag'es  (Osman).— If  you  had  one  or  more 
of  some  tiuite  small  early  Cabbage,  such  as  Ellam's  or 
Flower  of  Spring,  put  out  into  good  ground  some  1-1  inches 
apart  and  early  in  September,  you  should  have  heads 
turning  in  now  and  fit  to  cut.  As  it  is,  your  stock  of  a  late 
Cabbage  will  probably,  because  they  run  large,  not  heart 
in  tit  for  cutting  until  May.  Such  a  variety  we  should 
certainly  allow  to  remain  on  the  ground  after  the  heads  are 
cut,  because  you  would  obtain  from  it  for  some  eight  or 
more  months  after  a  great  crop  of  Sprouts  that  would  be 
very  useful.  In  the  case  of  the  smaller  headed  varieties 
that  turn  in  so  early  it  is  best  on  the  whole  to  pull  them  up 
as  the  cutting  proceeds.  The  ground  is  then  clear  and 
ready  to  receive  a  succeeding  summer  crop. 

SowinfT  Cress  (A.  M.  S.).— There  is  only  a  slight 
difference  in   the  time  between  Mustard  and  Cress  if  the 


seeds  are  sown  on  the  surface  of  the  soil,  not  covered.  Many 
cover  with  soil;  this  is  not  needed.  Tklerely  make  surface 
smooth  and  firm  and  cover  the  seed  after  sowing  with  sheets 
of  paper.  If  the  Cress  is  covered  and  the  Mustard  exposed, 
both  will  be  in  together,  or  you  may  cover  with  glass  instead 
of  paper  sheets.  Many  fail  with  Cress  owing  to  the  seeds 
being  covered  too  deeply  with  soil.  If  the  seeds  are  merely 
pressed  in  the  soil,  that  is  sufficient.  All  the  Tomatoes  you 
name  are  considered  smooth  varieties,  Perfection  being  the 
best  in  that  respect,  but  even  smooth  kinds  are  a  little 
ribbed  at  times  with  diverse  culture,  especially  if  you  feed 
too  much. 


FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Fpuit  g'powring"  in  pots  (William  Cuxmngham).— 
We  fear  unless  you  have  had  some  previous  experience  of 
pot  fruit  trees  you  will  not  have  great  success.  Vou  do  not 
tell  us  how  you  intend  to  grow  them,  if  with  any  protection. 
Trees  with  glass  protection  would  give  a  greater  choice  of 
varieties  You  say  "  in  the  open  air,"  but  as  regards  the 
Vine  this  is  difficult  unless  it  is  grown  against  a  wall  for 
warmth,  as  in  your  county  the  fruit  would  fail  to  ripen 
thoroughly  unles  you  gave  some  protection.  The  Messi-s. 
Rivers  of  Sawbridgeworth  grow  the  Grape  Vine  and  other 
fruits  specially  for  pots,  but  they  give  some  assistance 
during  growth.  The  White  Muscadine  is  one  of  the  best 
for  open  air  culture;  another  also,  called  Chasselas  Vibert, 
is  very  good  ;  the  best  blacks  are  Esperione  or  the  Black 
Cluster  aud  Camay  Noir,  the  latter  a  smaller  berry,  and 
this  is  the  variety  grown  so  largely  in  Lord  Bute's  vineyards 
at  Carditt".  Cherries,  again,  need  a  little  care ;  they  set 
badly  in  pots  if  neglected.  Here  there  is  no  lack  of  variety, 
Early  Rivers,  Archduke,  Royal  Duke,  Bigarreau  Napolean, 
Erogmore  Bigarreau,  and  Black  Tartarian  are  all  good.  Of 
Apples,  Bijou  is  a  good  pot  fruit,  also  Bismarck.  Pears  are 
plentiful,  such  kinds  as  Conference,  Jean  Van  Geert, 
Princess,  and  Louise  Bonne  of  .Jersey  are  good  in  pots  ;  and 
such  Plums  as  Early  Prolific,  Transparent  Gage,  Jefferson, 
and  Golden  Drop  are  the  best. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

Manuping"  Lawn  (Barunkj=s  R.  K.)  —  From  the 
descrijition  yon  so  lucidly  give  of  the  soil  and  climate  of 
your  Bohemian  locale,  we  should  assume  that  grass,  as  lawn 
base,  would  need  very  little  artificial  dressing.  Here  in 
England  it  is  needful,  except  where  the  soil  is  very  thin  and 
poor,  to  be  chary  of  employing  too  much  dressing  lest  not 
only  coarseness  of  texture  in  the  grasses  hut  too  abundant 
growth  results.  Very  much,  of  course,  with  us  depends  on 
the  quality  of  soil  and  nature  of  season,  whetlier  very 
dry  or  otherwise.  With  us  also  the  favourite  applications 
to  lawns  needing  renovation  are  soot,  given  liberally  twice 
or  thiice  in  the  winter,  to  well  wash  in,  and  basic  slag 
applied  at  the  rate  of  6cwt.  per  acre,  dressed  over  in 
the  late  autumn.  An  addition  of  4cwt.  of  sulphate  of 
ammonia  in  the  spring,  April  or  May,  proves  to  be  a  remark- 
able stimulus  to  fulluw  with.  If  you  dress  your  lawn  with 
burnt  ashes  these  should  first  be  run  through  a  screen  to 
remove  all  coarse  matter.  To  each  barrow-load  of  ashes 
add  half  a  bushel  of  soot  and  one  pint  or  pound  of  Peruvian 
guano,  if  employed  to  dress  one  rod  ^A  yards  stiuare  ;  but  if 
made  to  dress  two  rods  then  add  one  jiound  more  of  guano. 
It  would  have  been  better  to  employ  such  a  dressing  earlier 
lest  the  coarser  material  interfere  with  the  mowing. 
Pt)ssibly  it  would  be  best  now  to  use  the  soot  and  guano 
only.  If  so,  employ  lOcwt.  of  soot  and  2cwt.  of  guano,  or 
say  Ticwt.  of  the  latter  if  used  alone  per  acre.  You  seem 
to  have  made  a  good  selection  of  grasses,  but  so  much 
depends  on  tlie  i[uahty  of  the  soil  and  general  climate. 
We  echo  your  encomium  of  the  beauty  of  a  nice  oft-mown 
lawn  ;  without  doubt  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  features 
of  any  pleasure  or  flower  garden. 

Apsenieal  weed  Rillep  (T.  T.  Hesbiry).  —  The 
arsenical  compound  you  enquire  for  that  is  sold  for  the 
de-truction  of  weeds  on  garden  walks  is  known  as  Weed 
Killer.  If  you  will  turn  to  the  advertisement  pages  of  TiiK 
Gakhen  you  will  find  mention  of  this  weed  killer  and  where 
it  can  be  obtained.  It  is  really  cheap,  as  a  small  quantity 
may  be  mixed  with  so  many  gallons  of  water.  The  Weed 
Killer  is  a  patent  poison,  and  can  be  purchased  only  from 
registered  chemists  or  their  acknowledged  agents.  It  is 
sold  in  metal  drums  of  one  gallon  bulks  upwards.  The 
mixing  may  be  done  in  a  watering  can  kept  specially  for 
the  purpose.  This  slKnild  have  a  rose  head  or  spreader. 
Tlie  greatest  care  must  be  exercised  in  using  it  to  keep  it 
from  touching  Grass,  Box,  or  other  line  edgings.  If  you 
purchase,  full  particulars  will  be  enclosed. 


QUESTION. 

Name   of  secpetapy   of  society.—"*'.  G.  H." 

would  be  obliged  if  anyone  would  sive  information  respect- 
ing the  "Parkinson  Society  of  Lovers  of  Hardy  Flowers,"  and 
name  of  secretary,  if  the  society  is  still  in  existence. 


Catalogues  Received. 

Farm  Seeds.— -V^ssrs.  Toojoml  and  SoiiJi,  Soitt/iamnton  ; 
Messrs.  Kent  and  Bri/don.  Darhnrjion  ;  Messra.  K.  P.  Dixmi, 
•Stvrf  Mtrchants,  Hull;  Mettiirs.  Dicksons,  Roi/al  Scfid 
]\'arehomes,  Cftestcr  :  Messrs.  Cooper,  Taber,  and  Co.,  00-92, 
South wnrk  Strett,  S.JH. 

Fruit  Trees.— .i/(S«rs.  W.  Home  and  Soiis,  Perry  Hill, 
Cliffe,  Rochester. 

Seeds  and  Plants.— /J 'yo/z-c  pi^re  etjih,  Lyon. 

Trees  and  Hardy  Plants.— it/ r.  'Fred.  W.  Kehcy,  l'>", 
Br-'odway,  Xeiv  York. 

Ohrysaulbeniums.  — .1/,U.  Vilmonn-Andrieux.  Parin. 

Florists'  Novelties.  —  J/(?«sr«.  Kathan  Smith  and  Son, 
Adrian,  Mich.,  U.S.A. 

Vegetable  and  Flower  Se«ds.— .Vr.  Richard  Dean,  Rane- 
lagh  Road,  Ealing,  W. 


GARDEN. 


-y^'- 


^^ife^^: 


No.  1530.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[March  16,  1901. 


COLD 


STORAGE 
FRUIT. 


FOR 


A  WELL-KNOWN  fruit  grower  writes  us 
/\  as  follows  about  a  question  which 

I \        must  interest  gardeners  and  market 

/  %  growers  concerned  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  Apples  : — 

"  The  principles  involved  in  the  storage  of 
fruit  for  long  keeping  in  a  very  low  tempera- 
ture do  not  seem  to  have  had  a  good  trial  in 
this  country.  It  may  be  that  fruit  stored  in  a 
very  low  temperature  in  the  same  way  that 
meat  or  roots  can  be  treated  would  lose  all  its 
natural  flavour.  We  believe  the  time  will 
come  when  we  shall  be  able  to  preserve 
Strawberries,  Cherries,  Plums,  Pears,  Apples, 
Peaches,  and  similar  home-grown  fruits  with 
their  flavour  unimpaired  all  the  year  round, 
and  even  after  several  years  of  such  storing. 
What  a  boon  would  that  be  to  those  fruit 
growers  who  complain  so  much  of  the  excess 
and  consequent  waste  of  fruit  when  there  is 
too  much  on  the  one  hand  and  scarcity  on  the 
other,  and  how  this  means  of  preserving  fruit 
would  affect  market  prices  ! 

"  Much  has  been  accomplished  through  the 
agency  of  cold  storage,  and  what  may  be 
possible  in  the  way  of  fruit  remains  to  be 
seen.  So  far,  in  relation  to  our  home  fruit 
produce,  the  greatest  strides  have  been  made 
in  prolonging  the  keeping  season  of  Apples, 
Pears,  and  Grapes.  Through  the  agency  of 
heat  much  fruit  production  has  been  accele- 
rated, but  with  respect  to  retardation  little 
has  been  accomplished.  We  have  long  been 
familiar  with  the  practice  of  cutting  late- 
keeping  Grapes  and  hanging  the  bunches  in 
bottles  filled  with  water  in  a  dry  room  in 
which  an  equable  but  not  a  cold  temperature 
prevails.  Through  this  agency  late  keepers 
have  been  retained  in  good  condition  until  the 
end  of  May,  by  which  time  new  forced  Grapes 
are  ready,  and  thus  the  supply  was  endless. 
It  was  the  boast  of  one  of  our  old  gardeners, 
who  has  long  since  passed  away,  that  with 
forced  Black  Hamburgh  to  begin  with,  and 
Lady  Downe's  to  finish  with,  he  was  never 
without  good  Grapes  for  his  employer's  table. 
It  is'not,  therefore,  unfair  to  conclude  that  in 
relation  to  cold  storage  Grapes  hardly  come 
within  the  range  of  that  method  of  preserving 
fruit.  The  keeping  of  soft  fruits  over  a  limited 
period  in  at  all  desirable  condition  has  not  yet 
proved  possible  ;  they  are  far  too  perishable. 
The  greatest  success  has  resulted  with  Apples 
and  Pears,  yet  there  is  no  proof — at  home,  at 


least — that  these  fruits  repay  for  cold,  by 
which  is  meant  frozen,  storage.  It  is  very 
doubtful  indeed  whether  any  of  these  will 
resist  for  any  considerable  time  a  temperature 
below  40°  and  yet  retain  their  natural  quality. 
So  far  all  efforts  to  preserve  them  well  late 
into  the  season  have  been  directed  to  keeping 
them  in  an  equable  yet  not  necessarily  very 
cold  temperature,  and  especially  in  one  that  is 
partially  humid,  as  a  dry  atmosphere  is  so 
absorbent  of  the  fruit  juices,  and  through  such 
absorption  causes  shrivelling  of  the  skins,  a 
common  feature  in  late-kept  fruits.  No  con- 
siderable trade  grower  of  Apples  and  Pears 
has  shown  us  better  how  to  keep  these  fruits 
late  and  sound  than  has  Mr.  George  Bunyard, 
for  the  fruits  that  are  occasionally  exhibited 
by  him  from  Maidstone  are  second  to  none  in 
solidity,  freshness,  and  general  excellence.  He 
makes  no  special  effort  to  provide  a  low  tem- 
perature. His  reed-thatched  fruit  house  is 
rather  constructed  to  provide  an  even  tempera- 
ture, so  that  the  fruits  are  not  one  day  in  a 
cold  air  of  30"  or  a  few  days  later  in  an 
atmosphere  20°  warmer  and  suffused  in  per- 
spiration. The  maintenance  of  an  equal 
temperature  is  of  the  very  highest  importance. 
There  the  room  floor  is  of  soil,  so  that  a  certain 
amount  of  humidity  can  always  emanate  from 
it,  and  when  that  is  found  insufKcient  then 
the  floor  is  occasionally  sprinkled  with  water 
to  supply  that  moisture  in  the  air  so  essential 
for  the  long  keeping  of  the  fruits.  But,  even 
with  these  conditions  furnished,  one  must 
remember  that  fruit  to  keep  well  must  be  well 
grown  or  ripened  on  the  trees  before  it  is 
gathered.  Those  are  conditions  found  at  Maid- 
stone, and  thus  it  is  that  fruit  from  that  source 
is  kept  so  late  and  in  such  splendid  condition. 

"  Turning  to  a  private  garden  where  fruit  is 
largely  grown — and  I  may  mention  Madresfield 
Court,  where  Mr.  Crump  is  the  well-known 
gardener— here,  too,  excellent  culture  is  pro- 
vided and  the  fruits  allowed  to  hang  on  the 
trees  and  finish  perfectly.  But  the  fruit  store 
was  formerly  on  the  ground  level  and  in  the 
customary  range  of  outbuildings,  backing  along 
a  range  of  glass  houses.  Here  for  a  time  fruit 
kept  fairly  well,  but  with  every  possible  care 
would  shrivel  later.  To  find  a  remedy  a  cellar 
store  was  dug  out  beneath  this  fruit  room  to  a 
depth  of  some  7  feet.  This  was  filled  up  with 
shelves,  as  in  the  room  above,  and  fruit  placed 
out  in  the  same  way.  But  the  result  has 
been  altogether  advantageous,  for  here,  with 
a  temperature  that  is  singularly  equable,  and 
if  not  humid,  not  dry,  both  Apples  and  Pears 


have  kept  remarkably  well,  the  fruits  being 
sound,  plump,  and  rich  in  flavour.  Is  it 
possible  with  home-grown  fruits  to  get  beyond 
cool  storage  of  this  description  ?  What  is  the 
experience  of  other  growers  or  dealers?  It 
would  be  interesting  to  know  this.  Practically 
the  matter  resolves  itself  into  this  que.stion  : 
'  What  is  the  lowest  temperature  home-grown 
fruits  will  endure  without  losing  natural  flavour 
and  table  excellence  ? '  " 


CAMELLIAS    IN    THE    OPEN. 

In  reply  to  your  correspondent  "T.  F.,"  in 
The  Garden  of  February  2,  I  am  sending  you 
a  few  notes  on  the  above  subject.  We  planted 
our  two  first  Camellias  out  of  doors  in  April, 
1881— one  a  plant  of  Conspicua  and  the  other 
a  pink  Kanunculus-flowered  variety.  They 
were  planted  close  to  the  mansion,  sheltered 
from  the  north  and  east,  have  never  failed  to 
produce  a  fine  crop  of  flowers  each  spring,  and 
are  now  about  8  feet  high  and  as  much  through. 
Finding  these  two  doing  so  well  without  any 
protection,  we  planted  out  ten  more  in  1883, 
and  have  planted  more  or  less  each  spring, 
until  at  the  present  time  we  have,  large  and 
small,  one  hundred  and  seventy-three  plants 
out  of  doors,  and  all  doing  well  ;  some  sixty  of 
them  are  standing  right  out  in  the  open  on  the 
grass,  in  the  centre  of  flower  beds,  or  anywhere 
else  where  we  have  wanted  one,  independent 
of  aspect.  1  myself  am  perfectly  satisfied  that 
the  Camellia  is  quite  hardy  :  at  all  events,  it 
has  proved  to  be  so  here,  for  while  during 
some  winters  we  have  had  Portugal  and 
common  Laurels  cut  rather  severely  with  the 
frost,  not  a  leaf  of  the  Camellia  has  been  hurt 
in  the  least. 

As  regards  treatment  ;  we  have  a  very  heavy 
subsoil,  it  is  a  clay,  with  a  slight  mixture  of 
red  sand  in  it.  In  preparing  positions  for  the 
plants  we  throw  out  all  the  soil  to  a  depth 
of  2  feet,  and  clear  about  half  the  worst  away 
and  replace  with  good  leaf-mould  (of  which  we 
have  an  unlimited  supply),  which  is  well  mixed 
with  the  remaining  half  of  natural  soil  before 
fllling  into  the  holes.  I  have  never  used  any 
manure  in  planting,  but  I  occasionally  mulch 
with  old  spent  ilushroom  bed  manure  in  the 
autumn.  There  is  one  thing  I  endeavour  to 
do  if  possible,  i.e.,  keep  the  plants  I  wish  to 
plant  out  in  the  spring  in  a  cool  place  during 
tiie  previous  winter,  so  as  to  prevent  their 
making  any  growth  until  I  plant  them  out  in 
April,  which  I  find  is  the  best  month  to  plant. 
Alter  planting  they  are  damped  over  with  a 
fine  rose  or  a  syringe  most  evenings  for  a 
month  or  six  weeks,  according  to  the  weather. 
After  this  they  are  left  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves, or  at  all  events  they  only  receive  the 
same  attention  as  that  bestowed  on  the  rest  of 
the  shrubs  about  the  lawn,  and  they  do  equally 
well  with  the  best  of  them,  as  their  vigorous 
foliage  and  general  healthy  appearance  testify. 


178 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[MiVRCH  16,  1901. 


I  must  not  omit  to  say  that  several  single 
and  semi-double  varieties  have  regularly  for 
the  past  eight  years  ripened  a  good  many  seed 
pods,  and  that  we  have  now  several  seedlings 
of  our  own  raising  2  feet  6  inches  high,  and  as 
much  through,  which  flower  well  each  si>ring, 
and  about  600  smaller  seedlings  that  have  not 
flowered  yet. 

I  will  just  mention  a  tew  of  the  varieties 
that  we  grow  successfully  outside  :  —  Alba 
Plena,  Countess  of  Orkney,  Lavinia  Maggi, 
Jubilee,  Eclipse,  Chandleri,  C.  Elegans,  Mme. 
Lebois,  Tricolor  Nana,  Augustina  Superba, 
Imbricata,  Eeine  des  Fleurs,  Finibriata  Alba, 
and  others,  besides  a  lot  of  beautiful  single 
varieties.  Robert  Brown. 

The  Gardens,  St.  Leonard's  Bill,  tVhidsor. 

[We  think  these  notes  of  Mr.  Brown,  who 
cultivates  Camellias  with  such  marked  success 
in  the  fully  exposed  gardens  of  Sir  Francis 
Tress  Barry,  Bart.,  will  greatly  interest  our 
readers. — Eds.] 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

SPIDERY    CHEYSANTHEMUMS. 

RECENT  enquiries  disclose  the  fact  that 
there  has  been  a  much  keener  demand 
for  Chrysantlieraunis  of  a  spiderj' 
kind,  and  those  also  which  are  known 
^  as  thread-petalled  varieties,  than  has 
been  the  case  hitherto.  This  only 
goes  to  prove  that  growers  of  the  Chrysan- 
themum are  becoming  less  narrow  in  their  ideas, 
and  are  finding  out  at  last  what  a  number  of 
beautiful  little  flowers  have  been  excluded  from 
their  selections  in  the  past.  Much  may  be  attri- 
buted to  the  wiser  policy  of  the  National  Chry- 
santhemum Societj'  in  having  created  competitions 
for  exhibits  of  these  charming  flowers.  Last  season 
the  display  was  remarkably  good,  and  was  also 
most  convincing  in  proving  the  decorative  value  of 
these  later  kinds.  Jlost  of  the  better  known  sorts 
come  into  blossom  when  the  glut  of  big  blooms  is 
over,  and  as  they  are  more  valuable  in  consequence 
they  deserve  to  be  largely  grown  for  December 
displays.  The  decorative  exhibits  at  the  mid- 
winter show  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society  last  j'ear  were  made  up  chiefly  of  these 
smaller  flowers,  and  very  beautiful,  indeed,  were 
most  of  them.  There  is  a  good  range  of  colours 
represented  by  those  at  present  in  cultivation, 
although  flowers  of  a  yellow  colour  predominate. 
However,  what  one  may  lose  in  regard  to  colour, 
ample  compensation  is  gained  b3'  the  curious  form 
of  the  majority.  The  increased  interest  evinced 
in  this  type  of  flower  here  referred  to  leads  one  to 
hope  that  plants  having  more  practical  value  will 
be  those  more  eagerly  sought  after.  Cuttings 
inserted  in  spring  root  quickly,  and  if  the  plants 
be  pinched  back  two  or  three  times  during  the 
growing  season  good  bushy  little  plants  are 
developed.  The  question  of  bud  selection,  which 
is  so  perplexing  to  the  inexperienced,  may  be 
almost  ignored  in  this  case,  as  the  plants  should 
always  be  flowered  from  terminal  buds,  which  onlj' 
need  a  little  thinning  out  to  ensure  pleasing  little 
dainty  flowers  ultimately  developing.      D.  B.  C. 


HINTS  FOR  BEGINNERS  IN 
THE  DETERMINATION  OF 
GRASSES. 

The  average  botanical  amateur  is  apt  to  fight  shy 
of  the  grasses,  as  a  family  either  too  poor  in 
interest  or  too  full  of  technical  difficulties  to 
warrant  his  spending  lime  upon  them.  Neverthe- 
less, grasses  are  well  worth  the  student's  attention, 
if  for  no  other  reasons  than  the  immense  value  they 
are  to  mankind  and  their  wide  distribution  in  the 
earth  ;  and  when  once  he  comes  under  the  spell  of 
their  fascination  he  will  find  in  their  study  a 
variety  of   structure   and   a   beauty  of   form  and 


texture  that  will  be  as  a  new  world  to  him.  The 
technical  ditticulties  are  far  less  than  most  beginners 
suppose,  and  if  one  has  good  eyesight  he  need 
experience  no  serious  trouble  in  the  determination 
of  his  collections,  except  in  the  case  of  a  very  few 
genera,  like  Panicum,  for  instance,  about  which 
even  experts  find  cause  for  disagreements.  It  is 
true,  the  smallness  of  the  flower-parts  in  many 
species  makes  discrimination  and  care  parti- 
cularly needful,  but  this  very  fact  increases  the 
disciplinary  value  of  their  study,  and  adds  zest  to 
the  hunt. 

The  following  suggestions  to  beginners  in  the 
determination  of  grasses  are  ofl'ered  by  the  writer 
with  a  lively  recollection  of  his  own  first  futile 
attempts,  which  were  finally  directed  into  easier 
channels  by  a  kind  friend  whose  method  was  about 
as  follows  :  Buy  at  any  store  where  botanical 
supplies  are  kept  a  small  double  lens  of  eight  or 
ten  diameter  power,  with  adjustable  focus,  set 
upon  a  tripod.  At  the  same  place  get  two  dissect- 
ing needles  with  long  handles  ;  or,  instead  of  these 
latter,  you  can,  by  sinking  an  ordinary  needle 
in  the  end  of  a  wooden  penholder,  provide  yourself 
with  a  good  enougli  substitute.  One  needle  should 
be  sharp  and  the  other  blunt  tor  holding  the  object 
in  place.  Then,  with  a  child's  common  slate  (which, 
being  black,  is  restful  to  the  eye,  besides  throwing 
the  object  examined  into  strong  relief)  for  an 
operating  table,  you  are  ready  for  the  fray. 

Grasses,  unlike  carices,  are  in  best  condition  for 
working  up  when  they  are  in  flower,  and  if  collected 
then  you  may  use  your  pleasure  about  studying 
them  at  once  or  laying  them  aside  until  a  more 
convenient  time,  as,  tor  instance,  winter  time. 
When  ready  to  examine  the  specimen,  break  olf  a 
spikelet  or  two,  and  lay  them  on  the  slate  under 
the  field  of  the  tripod  lens  ;  then  applying  your 
eye  to  the  lens,  and  with  a  dissecting  needle  in  each 
hand  to  mano-uvre  the  spikelet,  j'ou  will  have  little 
difficulty  in  dividing  part  from  part  and  noting 
thoroughly  all  the  characteristics.  A  pocket  lens 
will,  of  course,  be  the  readiest  means  of  examining 
other  characters  than  those  of  the  flowers. — C.  F. 
Saunders,  in  The  Plant  World. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


Iris  reticulata   major.      At  a  recent 

meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  different 
opinions  were  expressed  by  hardy  plant  specialists  as 
to  the  above  plant,  said  by  some  to  be  a  comparatively 
recent  introduction.  If  this  be  so,  it  will  not  be 
too  much  to  ask  that  the  raiser  or  introducer  make 
a  definite  statement  in  the  matter,  so  that 
once  and  for  all  the  question  may  be  settled.  A 
charming  pan  of  it  in  flower  was  shown,  and  quite 
a  poor  flower— a  solitary  one,  and  rather  old — being 
placed  by  its  side  as  representing  I.  reticulata  (type). 
Quite  naturally  the  one  was  vastlj'  superior  to  the 
other,  and  without  knowledge  of  either  plant  the 
difference  was  marked.  My  contention,  however, 
is  that  the  interior  kind  in  no  sense  represented 
the  fine  plant  long  ago  distributed  as  I.  reticulata, 
and  in  the  circumstances  I  regarded  it  unfair  to 
label  it  thus,  though  I  fully  believe  it  was  so 
named  in  perfect  good  faith.  I  am  not  now 
raising  a  question  as  to  the  varieties  of  I.  reticulata, 
or  of  the  superiority  of  one  over  the  other,  tor  I 
know  at  least  three  grades  of,  say,  typical  reticulata, 
that  tor  present  purposes  maj'  be  styled  minor, 
major,  and  maxima,  so  widely  dift'erent  are  they. 
These  kinds,  too,  are  quite  distinct  from  such  as 
purpurea,  Krelagei,  coerulea,  &c. ,  which  I  name 
to  save  confusion.  I  shall  therefore  be  much 
obliged  it  anyone  can  say  with  absolute  authority 
who  is  the  raiser  of  the  plant  bearing  the  above 
name,  together  with  the  date  of  its  introduction  to 
commerce. — E.  H.  Jenkins,  Hampton  Hill. 

Hovea  Celsi. — in  the  days  when  hard- 
wooded  specimen  plants  were  very  popular  this 
was  regarded  as  a  good  test  of  the  cultivator's 
skill,  but  it  is  now  very  seldom  seen,  and  in 
common  with  many  subjects  onee  generallj'  met 
with  may  be  sought  for  in  vain  in  most  gardens. 
The  hard  wooded  plants  that  still  hold  their  own 
are  limited  to  those  that  will  yield  a  good  display 


of  flowers  in  pots  5  inches  or  6  inches  in  diameter, 
and  this  cannot  be  said  of  the  Hovea  in  question, 
though  as  a  good  sized  .specimen  it  was  very  orna- 
mental. This  Hovea  is  of  rather  a  loose  habit 
of  growth,  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  the 
Chorozemas,  while  the  slender  shoots  are  clothed 
with  ovate  deep  green  leaves,  and  studded  tor  some 
distance  with  dense  clusters  of  rich  purplish  blue, 
Pea-shaped  blossoms,  wdiich  from  their  distinct 
tint  at  once  attract  attention.  Though  generally 
known  under  the  above  name,  it  is  by  the  latest 
botanical  authorities  referred  to  H.  elliptica.  Like 
man}'  of  its  immediate  allies  it  needs  a  soil 
principally  composed  of  good  sandy  peat,  careful 
attention  in  the  matter  of  water,  and  a  glass 
structure,  where  an  airy  buoyant  atmosphere  is 
maintained.  This  Hovea  is  not  at  all  easy  to 
strike  from  cuttings,  hence  it  used  to  be  sometimes 
grown  from  seed,  but  from  whiohever  method  the 
plants  are  obtained  they  must  be  freely  pinched 
during  their  earlier  stages,  in  order  to  laj'  the 
foundation  of  a  good  bushy  specimen. — H.  P. 

New  hybrid  Wallflowers  (Cheiranihus 

hj'bridus  and  kewensis). — Until  receutlj'  Wall- 
flowers of  use  tor  conservator}'  decoration  were 
limited  to  the  double  forms  of  Cheiranthus  Cheiri, 
for  although  the  Canarj'  Island  species  C.  mutabilis 
requires  protection  in  winter,  and  flowers  from  late 
autumn  until  early  spring,  its  flowers  are  not  suf- 
ficiently showy  to  warrant  extensive  cultivation. 
The  bushy  habit,  however,  together  with  its  tree- 
flowering  qualities,  resulted  in  its  being  taken  in 
hand  for  improvement,  and  the  two  plants  above 
mentioned  are  so  far  the  results  ;  both  have  been 
raised  at  Kew.  The  first  cross  was  made  in  May, 
1897,  C.  mutabilis  being  used  as  the  seed  bearer,  a 
j'ellow  form  of  C.  Cheiri  supplying  the  pollen. 
This  cross  resulted  in  C.  hybridus,  which  flowered 
for  the  first  time  in  January,  1898.  In  general 
appearance  it  closely  resembles  the  female  parent, 
but  is  more  compact  and  sturdy.  The  leaves  are 
similar  in  shape  and  serration  to  those  of  C. 
mutabilis,  but  longer  and  almost  as  wide  again. 
The  racemes  are  thin  and  slightlj'  pendidous, 
longer  than  in  C.  mutabilis,  mth  larger  flowers. 
The  flowers  are  over  half  an  inch  across,  yellow 
when  they  first  expand,  marked  with  brown  on 
the  lower  halt  ;  as  the}'  age  they  turn  to  light 
purple.  A  slight  fragrance  is  discernible  in  the 
flowers  of  the  male  parent.  The  second  hybrid, 
C.  kewensis,  has  arisen  through  the  crossing  of 
C.  hybridus  with  a  blood  red  form  of  C.  Cheiri. 
It  has  the  bushy  habit  of  C.  mutabilis,  with  the 
stiu'diness  of  the  male  parent.  The  cross  was 
effected  in  May,  1S90,  and  flowers  opened  in 
January,  1000.  The  leaves  are  7  inches  long, 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  wide,  and  have  much  the 
shape  of  those  of  C.  mutabilis,  with  .slightly 
serrated  margins.  The  racemes  are  upright  and 
sturdy,  but  not  so  stiff' as  in  C.  Cheiri.  The  flowers 
are  1  inch  across,  brown  in  the  bud  stage,  with  a 
purple  calyx.  When  expanded  they  are  brownish 
orange  inside,  reddish  brown  outside,  the  whole 
flower  turning  to  pale  purple  with  age.  They  are 
very  fragrant.  So  tar  both  plants  have  to  be 
increased  from  cuttings,  for  although  a  single  seed 
was  obtained  b}'  crossing  the  first  hybrid  with  a 
garden  form,  no  seeds  have  been  produced  cither 
from  the  use  of  their  own  pollen  crossing  with 
each  other  or  with  C.  mutabilis.  Both  plants 
have  been  flowering  at  Kew  since  November,  and 
will  continue  tor  several  weeks  yet.  The  original 
plant  of  C.  kewensis  is  in  the  Cape  house  ;  it  is 
U  feet  high,  '2  feet  through,  and  is  smothered  with 
flowers. 

The    Lady    Warwick     Hostel, 

Reading".— An  interesting  meeting  took  place 
in  the  packing  department  of  the  Countess  of 
Warwick's  Horticultural  Scheme  tor  Women,  on 
Wednesday,  ilarch  0,  w'hen  Mr.  E.  0.  Orceniug, 
the  managing  director  of  the  Agricultural  and 
Horticultural  Association,  delivered  an  address 
on  the  marketing  of  agriculturail  produce.  The 
Countess  of  Warwick  presided,  and  there  was  a 
large  attendance  of  friends  and  students.  Mr. 
Greening,  who  is  one  of  the  apostles  of  the 
co-operative  movement,  kept  this  principle  to  the 
tore  during  the  course  of  his  address,  which 
commenced  with  a  sketch  of  the  rise  and  progress 


March  16,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


179 


of  the  movement  in  Lancashire,  and  its  subsequent 
development ;  then  proceeded  to  apply  the  prin- 
ciple to  the  distribution  of  garden  and  agricultural 
produce,  impressing  upon  liis  audience  that  all 
which  was  grown  for  market  must  be  of  the  best, 
that  grading  and  pacliing  should  be  carefully  done, 
and  their  goods  be  put  upon  the  market  in  the 
most  attractive  manner.  The  matter  which  was 
no  doubt  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  the  founder, 
Lady  Warwick,  and  the  warden.  Miss  Edith 
Bradley,  was  no  doubt  how  and  where  can  the 
produce  of  the  hostel  be  disposed  of  to  the  best 
advantage,  a  subject  that  will,  no  doubt,  receive 
due  attention  as  the  amount  of  produce  grows 
larger.  It  may  not  be  generally  known  that  tlie 
Lady  Warwick  Hostel  was  founded  about  three 
years  ago  in  the  interest  of  women,  so  that  they 
might  gain  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  lighter 
branches  of  agriculture,  and  open  up  to  tlieni  a 
profession  by  which  they  could  obtain  a  livelihood. 
By  the  term  "lighter  branches  of  agriculture,"  is 
understood  the  culture  of  the  garden,  with  its 
many  collateral  branches,  such  as  fruit  farming, 
the  growing  of  Mushrooms,  Tomatoes,  Howers, 
vegetables,  and  otlier  things,  on  market  garden 
lines,  poultry  rearing,  bee  keeping,  general  dairy 
works,  butter  and  cheese  making,  &c.     To  this  end 


as  for  board  and  residence,  and  the  visitor  cannot 
fail  to  be  struck  with  their  bright  and  happy 
faces  and  healthy  appearance.  The  students  are 
daughters  of  professional  men,  over  the  age  of 
sixteen,  and  they  are  here  to  become  ((ualified  as 
gardeners  in  private  places  and  public  institutions, 
in  private  houses  as  floral  decorators,  in  Hower 
shops,  and  various  other  ways  in  which  their 
knowledge  can  be  utilised.  The  minimum  period 
of  training  is  two  years,  though  a  longer  time  is 
strenuously  advocated.  The  horti('ultural  instructor 
is  Mr.  W.  Iggulden,  F.R.H.S.-R.  I). 

A  plea  for  spring  and  autumn  Rose 

shows.  —  If  it  be  admitted  that  the  primary 
object  of  an  exhibition  is  to  encourage  tlie  cultiva- 
tion of  the  particular  flower  for  which  the  exhibi- 
tion is  held,  then  surely  something  niight  be  done 
to  popularise  the  cultivation  of  pot  Roses  by 
holding  exliibitions  of  them.  Tlie  pot  Rose  is  such 
a  noble  plant  for  the  greenliouse  that  it  seems 
almost  incredible  that  there  are  no  recognised 
Rose  shows  during  the  spring  and  autumn.  It  is 
true  there  are  the  fortnightly  meetings  at  the 
Drill  Hall,  and  the  trade  growers  are  not  slow  to 
avail  themselves  of  such  opportunities  to  display 
what  they  grow  :  but  cannot  some  society,  and 
preferably'  the   National   Rose  Society,   otfer  such 


a  space  of  ground  was  secured  on  a  slope  falling  I  prizes  as  will  induce  amateurs  and  the  growers  of 

away  from  an  elevation  on  the  south-west  side  of  '  Roses  for  market  to  compete  for  them  ?     I  allude 

Reading,    and   a   mansion    or    two    contiguous   as  ' 

homes  for  students.     There  are  about  12  acres  of 

ground,  the  largest  portion  comprising  the  warden's 

fruit   farm   and   farmstead,    while   on   the    higher 

ground  are  two  houses,  each  100  feet  long,  for  fruit 

and   vegetable   growing,    some   plant   and   forcing 

houses,  a  commodious  potting  shed,  &c.    At  present 

there  are  some  sixty  students  ;  properly  qualified 

experts  have  charge  of  the  various  departments, 

and  the  students  are  intelligently  instructed,  while 

they   themselves    perform    much    of    the    manual 

labour.     There  are,  of  course,  tuition  fees,  as  well 


CARNATION   MRS.    T.    W. 


now  more  especially  to  the  early  spring.      There 
seems  to  be  a  great  falling  oft' in  the  culture  of  pot 
Roses  for  exhibition,  but  surely  no  plant  so  well 
shows  what  skilled  culture  can  accomplish.     Com- 
petition   should   also   be  invited    for   vases  of  out 
Roses  with  long  stems  and  artistic  displays  of  the 
same.       If   the   market   grower    can   produce    the 
splendid  flowers   he  does  under  glass,   surely  the 
amateur  can  do  the  same,  and  liberal  prizes  would 
induce  a  keen  competition.      There  are  numbers  of 
residents  near  large  cities   who  would  be  glad  to 
devote  a  house  or  two  to   Roses  as  they  now  do  to 
Orchids  if  they  could  be 
convinced  of  success,  and 
a    good    Rose    show    in 
spring,    when    so    many 
people  are  in  town,  would 
help  on  this  good  work 
considerably.       Then    in 
the  autumn  what  grand 
Rose    shows    would    be 
possible.     I  have  a  vivid 
recollection     of     the 
splendid  groups  of  Roses 
set  up  at  the  Drill  Hall 
on    September    15    last. 
It  was  a  pity  that  such  a 
display  should  have  been 
seen   by   so    few   of   the 
public.      In   my  opinion 
if     the     National     Rose 
Society  held  an  autumnal 
exhibition  at  the  Crystal 
Palace    or     some     other 
favourite   resort    the 
public    would    patronise 
it ;   and  not  only  so,  but 
would   feel  assured  that 
a   good  work  was  being 
done  in  encouraging  the 
cultivation  of  the  many 
beautiful  autumnal  kinds 
that    make  our   gardens 
as  gay  as  in  summer. — 
Philomki,. 

Carnation  IVIrs. 
T.  W^.   Lawson.  — 

This  variety  of  Carnation 
created  considerable  in- 
terest when  shown  late 
last  year  at  a  meeting  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  and  given  an 
award  of  merit;  by  the 
floral  committee.  It  is 
much  grown  in  the 
United  States,  and  the 
ilower  is  conspicuously 
brilliant  in  colouring,  a 
LAWSON.  bright  cerise-pink,  whilst 


its  form  is  full  and  perfectly  double.  The  plant 
is  of  dwarf  growth,  and  flowers  with  great  freedom. 
Messrs.  H.  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park,  Enfield, 
showed  this  sterling  novelty,  and  we  are  pleased 
to  be  able  to  give  a  photograph  representing  a 
flower. 

A  National  Sweet  Pea   Society.  - 

With  reference  to  a  communication  made  by  Mr. 
Richard  Dean,  which  appeared  in  your  issue  of 
the  !lth  inst.,  concerning  an  invitation  to  him  to 
attend  a  meeting  in  the  Citv  on  the  12th  inst., 
with  a  view  to  forming  a  National  Sweet  Pea 
Society,  I  beg  to  submit  correspondence  I  had  with 
that  gentleman  on  the  subject.  Before  any  steps 
were  taken  to  convene  the  meeting  this  corre- 
spondence was  considered  by  the  gentleman  with 
and  for  whom  I  am  acting  in  this  matter,  and 
in  view  of  Mr.  Dean's  reply  of  February  20, 
comment  by  me  on  his  published  remarks  is 
needless.— Cn.\Kt.Es  E.  WirjvtNs,  /.'/,  Li/iidhiirxt 
Road,  S.E. 

Mr.  Charles  E.  Wilkins's  letter  to  Mr.  Dean 
is  as  follows  :  — "  I  have  been  approacherl  with  the 
view  of  assisting  in  the  formation  of  a  Sweet  Pea 
society  ;  Imt  before  doing  anything  either  one  way 
or  the  other,  shall  be  glad  to  know  if  it  is  your 
intention  to  form  a  society,  or  run  a  show  on 
siinilar  lines  to  the  one  held  last  year,  as  I  am  of 
opinion  that  there  is  not  room  for  two  societies, 
and  do  not  wish  to  interfere  with  any  project  you 

may  have  in  hand."     And  Mr.   Dean's  reply  is  : 

"  I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  Sweet  Pea  society  to 
be  formed  in  London,  or  of  any  Sweet  Pea  show 
to  be  held  in  the  metropolitan  district.  There  is 
to  be  a  large  show  in  Boston  during  July,  which 
I  am  to  judge." 

Copdyline    Guilfoylei.    This    plant   is 

undoubtedly  one  of  the  best  of  the  Cordylines. 
It  has  been  classed  among  the  greenhouse  species, 
but  my  experience  is  that  the  plant  requires  a  stove 
to  cultivate  it  to  perfection,  (iiven  cool  treatment 
throughout,  the  true  colouring  of  its  leaves  is  not 
brought  out,  although  I  have  found  that  it  will 
withstand  a  stay  in  the  conservatory  for  a  few 
weeks  in  midsummer  if  the  plants  are  vigorous  and 
healthy.  Cordyline  Guilfoylei  has  recurved  leaves 
12  inches  or  1,5  inches  long  and  H  inches  wide  in 
the  centre.  Each  leaf  is  beautifully  striped  with 
green,  yellow,  and  red,  and  tapers  off  to  a  point. 
The  best  results  are  obtained  bv  keeping  the  plants 
in  rather  small  pots,  and  feeding  them  regularlj' 
throughout  the  growing  season.  ^Weekly  applica- 
tions of  farmyard  manure,  water,  and  an  occa- 
sional sprinkling  on  the  surface  with  Clay's 
fertilizer  will  be  highly  beneficial. — H.  T.  Martin, 
Stovi'hhjh  Ahhey  Oardevs,  Keiiilworth. 

Clepodendpon  fallax.  —  Among   Clero- 

dendrons  of  a  shrubby  character  this  ranks  as  one 
of,  if  not,  the  best.  It  has  large  cordate  ovate 
leaves  of  a  deep  green  colour,  and  the  flowers  are 
bright  scarlet,  borne  on  erect  racemes  thrown 
well  up  above  the  foliage.  Propagation  is  readily 
effected  by  cuttings  taken  from  old  plants  in  early 
spring,  and  inserted  in  light  sandy  soil.  If  plunged 
in  the  propagating  beds,  roots  will  quickly  be 
emitted,  when  they  should  be  carefully  potted  off, 
taking  care  not  to  injure  the  tender  roots  in  the 
operation.  Small  pots  should  be  utilised,  and  keep 
the  J'oung  plants  on  a  shelf  near  the  roof  glass  in 
a  pit  or  stove.  Raising  from  seed  is  sometimes 
practised,  but  the  process  is  slow,  for  the  seed 
takes  a  long  time  to  germinate,  and  very  often 
decays  in  the  soil.  Young  healthy  plants  will 
flower  the  first  year  from  the  cutting,  and  will 
tend  to  brighten  up  the  front  stages  of  the  stove 
during  late  summer  and  autumn.  Old  plants 
should  now  be  taken  from  their  winter  quarters 
where  thev  were  placed  to  rest,  and  partially 
shaken  out  and  repotted  in  a  compost  consisting  of 
equal  parts  fibrous  loam,  peat,  leaf -soil,  and  decom- 
posed cow  manure,  with  sharp  sand  and  nodules  of 
charcoal  added.  As  the  plants  advance  in  growth 
an  occasional  application  of  liquid  manure  should 
be  given,  and  a  fortnightly  application  of  artificial 
manure  mav  also  be  given  with  great  benefit. 
Small  plants  in  3-inch  pots  are  admirably  adapted 
for  use  on  the  dinner  table  in  the  autumn  months  ; 
they  may  be  turned  out  of  their  pots  and  the  soil 
mossed  over. — H.  T.  Mahtik. 


180 


THE    GAltDElN. 


[March  16,  1901. 


The  Victoria  Memorial  Garden  in 

India.  —  It  is  pleasant  to  know  from  Itidiaii 
Gariliiiiiii/  that  a  desire  has  been  expressed  to  have 
a  beautiful  garden  as  part  memorial  to  the  late 
revered  Queen.  Here  are  some  extracts  from  the 
journal  mentioned  :  "  From  the  proceedings  of  the 
great  meeting  Iield  at  the  Calcutta  Town  Hall  on 
Februar}-  (i,  we  gather  that  the  memorial  is  to 
take  the"  shape  of  a  hall  ;  it  is  proposed  to  lay  out 
the  grounds  as  a  public  garden.  It  is  in  this  latter 
connection  that  we  desire  to  offer  a  few  remarks. 
The  plot  of  ground  referred  to  is,  in  our  opinion, 
much  too  small  for  the  purposes  of  a  public  garden. 
A  garden  intended  to  commemorate  the  reign  of 
the  great  Queen-Empress  should  be  on  a  scale  of 
magnificence  commensurate  with  the  object  in 
view,  and  this  can  scarcely  be  done  in  the  circum- 
scribed space  referred  to  above.  From  all  we  can 
gather,  the  subscriptions  towards  the  Victoria 
Memorial  will  not  fall  far  short  of  .50  lakhs  of 
rupees,  equal  to,  say,  £312,500.  With  such  a 
large  sum  at  their  disposal,  the  committee  of  the 
Memorial  Fund  should  not  only  be  able  to  erect  a 
magnificent  edifice,  but  lay  out  a  beautiful  garden. 
When  designs  are  invited  for  the  hall,  the  oppor- 
tunity should  be  taken  of  calling  for  designs  for 
the  garden  as  welt.  This  matter  should  be  made 
known  in  England,  where  landscape  gardeners  of 
great  ability  are  to  be  found  who  would  be  glad  to 
furnish  designs.  Thus  the  garden  would  be  in 
keeping  with  the  hall.  No  expense  should  be 
spared  to  stock  the  garden  with  the  choicest 
plants,  statuary,  fountains,  ornamental  tanks, 
plant  houses,  and  all  that  goes  to  make  a  beautiful 
garden,  which  should  be  placed  in  charge  of  a 
thoi-oughlj'  qualified  European  gardener.  It 
should,  we  consider,  be  a  flower  garden  in  the 
fullest  sense  of  the  term,  and,  above  all  things,  no 
club  should  be  allowed  to  monopolise  any  part  of 
it.  It  should  be  the  peoples'  garden,  a  source  of 
pleasure  to  the  citizens  of  Calcutta  in  particular, 
and  of  India  in  general  all  the  year  round.  There 
.should  be  glass  houses  on  a  liberal  scale,  and  a 
conservatory  that  should  contain  the  choicest 
exotics  of  the  tropical  and  sub-tropical  world, 
grown  to  the  greatest  perfection.  It  will  be  most 
convenientl}'  placed,  and  it  properly  laid  out 
should  prove  a  veritable  haven  of  rest  for  the 
overworked  citizens  of  this  great  commercial 
town." 

Memorial  to  the  Queen.— At  a  time 

when  many  great  and  costly  schemes  are  being 
discussed  to  commemorate  the  glorious  reign  of 
our  late  Queen,  may  I  venture  to  put  forward  a 
plea  on  behalf  of  the  innumerable  country  parishes 
which,  from  the  force  of  circumstances,  will  be 
unable  to  do  more  than  contribute  their  humble 
offerings  towards  some  central  fund,  and  yet  would 
gladly  welcome  any  plans  by  which  her  memory 
could  be  prsserved  in  some  tangible  form  in  their 
own  locality.  May  I  therefore  suggest  the 
following  very  simple  scheme  by  which  every 
parish  in  the  United  Kingdom,  however  poor,  may 
become  possessed  of  such  a  memorial.  It  is  as 
follows  :  That  a  mural  brass  or  bronze  tablet,  of 
uniform  design,  should  be  placed  in  every  church, 
upon  which  might  be  engraved  some  or  all  of  the 
following :  (aj  An  outline  bust  of  the  Queen, 
with  the  dates  of  the  birth,  accession,  and  death  of 
her  late  Majesty,  (hj  The  Imperial  crown  and 
arms  of  Great  Britain,  (c)  The  whole  to  be 
surrounded  with  a  border  of  Roses,  Thistles,  and 
Shamrock,  fd)  Tennyson's  words,  "  She  wrought 
her  people  lasting  good."  Should  such  a  simple 
scheme  commend  itself  to  general  approbation  the 
details  would  be  a  matterfor  further  consideration. 
— B.  G.  HosKYKs,  Canon  of  Truro. 

Zephyranthes   Candida. —  I  am  very 

sorry  that  "  W.  W."  (page  160)  should  consider 
me  either  severe  or  unkind  ;  I  could  not  be  either 
with  him.  He  bold  his  experience  and  I  told  mine, 
and  in  doing  so  we  were  both  in  the  right.  I  have 
tried  the  plant  in  so  many  places  that  I  am  sure 
further  trial  is  useless.  But  what  is  meant  by  "  a 
plant  for  the  million  ? "  My  test  of  such  a  plant 
would  be  that  the  million  get  it  as  fast  as  they  can, 
grow  it  once,  and  go  on  growing  it.  Zephyranthes 
will  not  stand  that  test.  It  was  introduced  more 
than  seventy  years  ago,  and  then  was  said  to  be 


perfectly  hardy,  easy  of  growth,  and  most 
beautiful.  Yet  in  how  verj'  few  gardens  is  it 
now  seen  ;  and  the  reason  is  that  in  so  many  cases 
the  plant  will  only  live  a  few  years  and  gradually 
dwindles  away.  It  does  succeed  in  some  places, 
and  I  envy  the  gardeners  of  such  places,  but  it 
steadilj'  refuses  to  do  with  me.  As  to  Gentiana 
acaulis,  I  have  almost  the  same  tale  to  tell.  1 
have  tried  it  in  all  sorts  of  positions,  and  it  lives 
with  me  and  that  is  all.  I  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  will  not  do  on  a  limej'  soil,  and  am 
confirmed  in  that  by  the  splendour  of  the  plants  at 
Wislej'  Last  year  I  tried  to  find  out  the  secret  in 
Switzerland,  and  I  noticed  that  the  plants  growing 
in  the  short  grass  were  always  far  more  flourishing 
than  those  growing  on  bare  spots.  Perhaps  it 
might  be  worth  while  to  try  dibbling  them  into 
the  lawn. — Henry  N.  Ellacombe,  Billon,  March  9. 
"  I  think  no  one  need  fear  success  with  this 
if  planted  in  a  suitable  place.  In  front  of  our  pits 
facing  south,  viz..  Melon,  intermediate,  and  cool 
pits,  I  have  a  row  of  Belladonna  Lilies  in  a  border 
not  more  than  8  inches  wide,  and  immediately  in 
frontof  these  I  have  Zephyranthes  Candida  flourish- 
ing splendidly  with  the  Belladonna  Lilies.  A  few 
years  ago  I  had  some  bulbs  of  Z.  Candida  and  Z. 
Atamasco  (pink  form),  which  I  established  in  two 
pots.  The  following  }'ear  I  planted  them  in  the 
above  position,  making  a  row  30  feet  long. 
Zephyranthes  Atamasco,  although  planted  at  the 
warmest  end,  has  gradually  dwindled  and  died 
out,  while  Z.  Candida  has  flowered  and  increased 
splendidl}'.  I  mention  the  interior  conditions  of 
these  pits  because  the  growth  of  the  Belladonna 
Lilies  is  conspicuously  influenced  by  the  interior 
temperatures,  causing  the  Lilies  to  give  a  long 
succession  of  flowers.  I  may  mention  also  that 
Sternbergia  lutea  with  me  in  a  similar  position 
flowers  splendidly. — James  R.  Hall,  Foa;  Warren 
Gardens,  Cohham,  Surrey." 

Lily  bulbs  from  Japan.— Though  the 

season  is  so  far  advanced,  numbers  of  Lily  bulbs 
still  reach  this  country  in  good  condition  from 
Japan,  and  at  the  auction  sale  on  March  6  con- 
siderable numbers  were  quickly  disposed  of.  Very 
few  of  the  bulbs  show  any  signs  of  growth,  unless 
it  be  the  pushing  out  of  a  few  roots  into  the  clay 
within  which  each  bulb  is  hermetically  sealed. 
This  covering  of  clay  tends  to  keep  the  bulbs  firm 
and  plump,  and  if  potted  or  planted  at  once  thej' 
commence  to  root  in  a  few  daj's.  Though  most 
kinds  among  these  later  importations  can  be 
depended  upon  to  flower  in  a  perfectly  satisfactory 
manner  if  attended  to  soon  after  being  unpacked, 
they  quickly  suffer  if  exposed  to  the  air,  hence 
they  should  be  got  into  their  permanent  quarters 
as  soon  as  possible.  The  practice  of  retarding 
bulbs  for  late  flowering  has  led  to  an  increased 
derrand  for  those  varieties  that  have  proved 
amenable  to  this  mode  of  treatment,  and  some — 
particularly  the  varieties  of  L.  speciosum — realise 
much  higher  prices  than  they  did  formerly.  It  is, 
however,  more  than  probable  that  an  increased 
demand  for  any  particular  form  will  be  met  bj' 
larger  importations  another  season,  as  the 
•Japanese  cultivators  of  Lily  bulbs  have  many 
times  shown  us  that  they  possess  true  business 
enterprise. — T. 

Lilium  speciosum  in  flo'wer.— Flower- 
ing as  this  Lily  does  naturally  in  August  and 
September,  it  would  have  been  considered,  even 
two  or  three  years  ago,  a  remarkable  feat  to  have 
a  display  of  its  attractive  blossoms  a,t  this  season, 
but  now  such  large  quantities  of  bulbs  are  retarded 
by  means  of  refrigerators  that  considerable 
numbers  may  be  seen  in  the  better  class  florists 
shops  of  London,  where  they  attract  much  atten- 
tion by  reason  of  their  uncommon  appearance. 
Both  the  coloured  kinds — roseum  and  rubrum — as 
well  as  the  white  (Kra3tzeri)  are  amenable  to  this 
treatmenlr.  For  the  decoration  of  large  vases,  and 
similar  purposes  in  a  cut  state,  they  are  very 
valuable,  as  if  taken  when  the  first  two  or  three 
flowers  only  are  expanded  the  remaining  buds  will 
open  beautifully  in  water  and  continue  for  some 
time.  Lilium  longiflorum,  too,  is  largely  treated  in 
the  same  manner,  not  the  variety  Harrisi  alone, 
which  we  have  been  accustomed  to  see  for  some 
years  in  limited  numbers  during  the  spring  months, 


the  produce  of  bulbs  imported  from  Bermuda,  but 
also  large  quantities  of  the  .Japanese  form,  which 
in  the  normal  course  of  things  would  have  flowered 
last  summer,  but  have  been  kept  over  till  now. 
With  the  many  radical  changes  in  the  flowering 
season  of  different  plants,  brought  about  both  by 
forcing  and  retarding,  the  old  lines  of  demarcation 
between  the  seasons  are  now  completely  broken 
down. — H.  P. 

Saxifraga  apiculata.— Any  plant  that 

struggles  to  tlower  well  in  the  open  in  midwinter 
is  of  some  value.  S.  apiculata  has  been  blooming 
well,  the  pale  3'ellow  blossoms  appearing  now  in 
considerable  profusion.  By  reason  of  its  fine  habit 
of  growth  the  plant  should  be  largely  grown,  for 
we  have  not  manj'  quite  free  hardy  kinds  that 
attempt  even  to  flower  in  midwinter.  The  plant 
is  so  easily  grown  and  increased  by  division  that 
anj'one  ma}'  deal  with  it  successfully.  Like  others 
of  similar  growth,  e.g.,  S.  sancta,  the  above  well 
repays  frequent  division  of  the  tufts.  This  should 
be  carried  out  about  this  season  of  the  j'ear,  though 
preferabl}'  in  moist  weather.  In  replanting  spread 
out  the  tufts  so  that  in  time  a  mass  3  feet  across 
or  more  is  secured.  This  is  not  impossible,  at  least 
as  suggested  here,  though  it  is  impossible  if  you 
wait  for  any  single  tuft  to  develop  to  this  size, 
because  the  central  parts  will  almost  invariably 
scorch  and  burn  long  before.  But  if  when  ordering 
plants  half  a  dozen  of  such  a  kind  are  secured,  and 
planted  6  inches  apart,  the  whole  will  soon  make  a 
beautiful  mass. — E.  .Je.nki.n.s. 

Saxifragaburserianamajop.— There 

is  not  the  least  doubt  as  to  the  superiority  of  this 
plant  over  the  well-known  typical  sort.  Both 
kinds  are  now  in  flower  with  me  side  by  side, 
though  the  older  plant  flowers  slightly  earlier. 
The  typical  S.  burseriana  produces  its  blossoms  on 
shorter  petioles,  and,  while  crimson-scarlet  in  bud, 
possess  this  striking  shade  in  a  lesser  degree  in 
the  petioles  than  the  variety  major.  The  above 
plant  well  deserves  the  varietal  distinction,  for 
not  only  are  the  solitary  rosettes  of  leaves  larger 
and  decidedly  more  silver}',  but  the  stems  or 
petioles  look  like  attaining  nearly  3  inches  high, 
and  this  cjuite  in  the  open  in  pots  that  are  not  even 
plunged.  This  latter  point  will  interest  Mr.  Selfe 
Leonard,  I  think,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  this 
true  major  kind,  the  plant  I  received  less  than  a 
year  ago  now  giving  promise  of  a  score  of  blossoms 
that  in  size  approach  some  of  the  white  Ranunculi. 
The  plant  is  indeed  a  fine  one,  and  though  I  have 
only  one  example  of  it,  I  have  a  vivid  recollection 
of  a  huge  frameful  that  I  saw  in  Mr.  Leonard's 
garden  last  year.  Thousands  of  flowers  were  open, 
and  Mr.  Leonard  may  justly  be  proud  of  so  fine 
a  stock.  My  plant  last  j'ear  carried  about  six 
or  eight  flowers,  so  that  not  only  is  there  much 
progress  to  report,  but  a  great  increase  of  flowers 
too.  It  is  my  firm  opinion  that  many  cultivators 
do  not  give  these  alpine  gems  the  freedom  thej'  so 
much  appreciate  and  of  course  attain  in  their 
mountain  home. — E.  Jenkins. 

Cool  storage  for  Apples.— This  point 

came  up  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society's  fruit  committee,  and  it  is  most 
important  to  growers,  as  our  supply  fails  woefully 
after  March.  Much  depends  upon  storage.  Some 
excellent  fruits  of  various  kinds  were  sent  by  Mr. 
Crump  from  the  Madresfield  Court  Gardens. 
Remarks  were  made  as  to  their  excellent  condition, 
and  Mr.  Crump  kindly  sent  some  details,  stating 
that  originally  his  fruit  did  not  keep  well  in  the 
usual  kind  of  store  above  ground,  and  he  made  a 
cellar  or  underground  room,  and  in  that  the  fruits 
kept  splendidly.  The  fruits  staged  were  verj' 
sound,  whereas  in  most  places  some  of  them 
would  have  been  past.  When  in  Gloucestershire 
I  had  a  similar  experience  with  a  glut  of  fruit. 
I  placed  quantities  in  a  disused  ice  house,  and 
the  fruit  was  much  better  than  in  a  dry  store,  less 
decayed,  no  shrivelling,  and  much  later.  There 
is  no  doubt  whatever  but  that  modern  fruit 
rooms  are  too  dry — they  lack  moisture— the  dry 
shelves  absorb  moisture,  and  cause  shrivelling 
and  loss  of  flavour ;  indeed,  I  have  seen  large 
heaps  of  Apples  keep  better  in  a  cellar  than 
when  stored  thinly  on  shelves  in  modern  fruit 
rooms, — G.  Wythes. 


March   16,  1901. J 


THE    GARDEN. 


181 


Fpaneoa  ramosa.— Anyone  wlio  has  a 
greenhouse  shouh)  not  be  without  a  good  batch 
of  the  "Bridal  Wreath."  The  long  racemes  of 
white  flowers  are  just  appearing,  and  when  used 
amongst  other  plants  they  have  a  pleasing  effect. 
It  is  also  very  useful  for  cutting,  and  lends  itself 
readily  to  all  kinds  of  decoration.  I  find  it  most 
satisfactory  if  propagated  in  the  spring  from  seed, 
which  should  be  sown  in  a  pan  in  a  light  compost 
and  placed  in  a  warm  house.  A  great  deal  of  care 
and  attention  is  necessary  during  germination. 
When  the  seedlings  are  large  enough  to  handle 
they  should  be  pricked  out  into  other  pans  and 
kept  in  the  same  temperature  till  they  require 
another  move.  They  may  then  be  potted  into 
3-inch  pots  and  placed  in  a  cooler  house  ;  5-inch 
pots  are  a  convenient  size  in  which  to  flower  them. 
At  this  stage  they  may  be  placed  in  cold  frames, 
there  to  remain  until  very  severe  frost  necessitates 
their  removal  indoors.  If  propagation  from  seed 
fails  and  cuttings  are  available,  these  will  readily 
strike  in  the  propagating  pit. — E.  H. 

Chrysanthemum      Miss      Evelyn 

Doug'las.  —  Foremost  among  the  Japanese 
novelties  of  the  past  season  is  a  superb  seedling 
raised  by  Mr.  H.  Weeks,  of  Thrumpton  Hall,  and 
named  as  above.  It  is  the  best  of  this  raiser's 
introductions  of  1900,  and  will  do  much  to  main- 
tain the  high  position  attained  in  recent  years  by 
this  fortunate  grower.  The  colour  is  a  pleasing 
shade  of  rose,  with  a  silvery  reverse  to  the  fairly 
long,  twisted,  and  slightly  curled  florets.  These 
build  up  a  large  deep  flower  of  good  form  and  sub- 
stance. The  National  Chrysanthemum  Society 
floral  committee  awarded  this  novelty  a  first-class 
certificate,  and,  judging  by  the  plants  now  being 
distributed,  there  should  be  no  difficulty  in 
representing  flowers  at  their  best  in  the  autumn. — 
D.  B.  C. 

Lilium  canadense.— The  note  on  Lilium 
canadense  at  Rowden  Abbey  is  particularly  in- 
teresting as  showing  that  the  successful  culture  of 
this  so-called  Swamp  Lil}',  in  an  open  and  shadeless 
border  of  ordinary  garden  soil,  consisting  in  this 
case  of  "  stitf,  red  loam,"  is  attainable.  The  soil 
in  Herefordshire  is,  I  fancy,  as  a  whole,  deep  and 
good,  while  the  climate,  in  common  with  that  of 
other  western  and  south-western  counties,  is  rather 
moist  than  otherwise,  but  the  change  from  the 
American  swamp   in    which   the   owner   collected 


her  bulbs  to  the  ordinarj'  soil  of  the  open  border 
would,  one  imagines,  provide  ample  cause  for  a 
subsequent  loss  of  vigour  in  most  instances,  instead 
of  which,  that  the  vitality  of  the  hmlbs  evidently 
suffered  no  check  is  proved  by  the  extraordinary 
increase  they  have  made  during  the  past  si.xteen 
years  ;  forty-eight  large  clumps  in  the  border,  as 
well  as  many  other  large  ones  in  different  parts  of 
the  American  and  wild  gardens  and  gifts  to  less 
fortunate  friends,  being  spoken  of  by  the  writer. 
The  complete  success  attained  in  this  instance 
points  the  moral  often  inculcated  in  these  columns, 
namely,  that  the  lack  of  soil  and  conditions  held 
to  be  indispensable  to  the  well-being  of  certain 
subjects  should  not  deter  experimental  planting. 
All  observant  plant-lovers  will  be  able  to  call  to 
mind  fairly  numerous  instances  where,  under 
circumstances  apparently  the  most  adverse,  robust 
health  was  manifested,  and  this  case  in  point 
demonstrates  that,  because  this  Lily,  from  its 
native  habitat,  has  earned  the  title  of  Swamp 
Lily,  its  successful  culture  need  not  be  despaired 
of  by  those  who  have  nothing  better  to  afford  the 
bulbs  than  the  ordinary  border,  even  although 
such  success  must  be  regarded  as  a  possibility 
rather  than  a  probability.  Where  a  damp,  porous 
compost  in  partial  shade  is  available,  such  con- 
ditions are  eminently  suited  for  the  culture  of  the 
Swamp  Lilies,  but  experiments  may  be  made  with 
good  results  in  other  soils  and  surroundings.  The 
finest  specimens  of  Lilium  pardalinum  -  another 
Swamp  Lily — that  I  ever  grew  were  planted  in  the 
ordinary  soil  of  heavy  red  loam,  only  slightly 
modified  by  an  addition  of  leaf-mould.  One 
example  exceeded  a  height  of  7  feet  and  bore 
more  than  six  dozen  flowers,  while  others  were 
not  much  inferior,  whereas  in  the  damp  bed  of 
peat,  leaf-mould,  and  fibrous  loam,  although  ex- 
hibiting perfect  health,  these  Lilies  never  attained 
such  dimensions.  L.  canadense  behaved  fairly 
well  in  the  ordinary  soil,  but  better  in  the  peat 
bed,  and  L  superbum  failed  in  every  site  but  the 
latter.  L.  pardalinum  increased  somewhat,  but 
never  to  the  extent  mentioned  by  j'our  cor- 
respondent in  the  case  of  L.  canadense,  while 
with  that  Lily  the  increases  were  more  than 
counterbalanced  by  failures,  and  L.  superbum 
had  to  be  frequently  replenished  by  new  pur- 
chases. The  lifting  of  the  dozen  Lily  bulbs,  which 
eventually  multiplied  so  prodigiously  in  the  Here- 


fordshire garden,  at  a  time  when  they  were  in  full 
flower,  was,  doubtless,  calculated  to  impair  their 
vigour,  but  the  interval  bctueen  their  being  lifted 
and  replanted  was  evidently  a  short  one,  since  tlie 
writer  measures  it  by  days,  and  it  is  a  question  if 
some  of  tlie  failures  in  the  culture  of  the  Swamp 
Lilies  are  not  in  a  measure  due  to  the  length  of 
time  that  purchased  bulbs  are-out  of  the  ground 
before  being  planted. — S.  W.  F. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 

HYDRANGEA    PANICULATA. 

CERTAINLY  this  i.s  the  most  .striking 
of  the  few  hardy  shrubs  flowering 
in  the  autumn,  and  this  applies 
more  especially  to  the  variety 
hortensis  (or  grandiflora).  There 
is  a  large  bed  containing  both  the 
variety  and  the  type  in  the  Arboretum  at 
Kew,  and  they  make,  when  in  full  flower,  a 
very  conspicuous  and  striking  mass.  In  the 
variety  hortensis  (or  grandiflora)  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  flowers  have  become  sterile— as 
so  frequently  happens  ivith  the  members  of 
this  genus  when  brought  under  cultivation— 
and  this  change,  although  it  makes  the 
racemes  somewhat  heavy  in  appearance,  at  the 
same  time  renders  them  much  more  showy 
than  the  type  with  its  normal  proportion 
of  sterile  and  perfect  flowers.  The  racemes 
are  immense  pyramidal  mas.ses,  the  largest  of 
which  measure  more  than  li  feet  in  length  by 
1  foot  in  width.  The  flowers  last  long  in 
good  condition  ;  at  first  they  are  wiiite,  after- 
wards pinkish,  and  even  when  they  have 
turned  brown  with  age  they  are  not  without 
beauty.  In  order  to  produce  racemes  of  the 
largest  possible  size  the  plants  are  cut  back  in 
early  spring,  and  after  the  young  growths  are 
a  few  inches  long,  from  si.x  to  twelve  (or  more, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  shrub)  of  the 
stoutest  are  selected  and  the  rest  removed. 
The  plants  should  be  given  a  good  mulching 
in  the  early  summer  and  watered  whenever 
necessary,  the  aim  being  to  get  the 
.shoots  as  strong  as  possible.  Towards 
,j^  flowering  time  they  will  need  the 
ft  ,  support  of  a  stake.     After  all,  .such 

■£_.-iB  masses  of  flower  are  something  in  the 
■'^■'V  vyay  of  monstrosities,  like  the  e.xhibi- 
tion  Chrysanthemum,  and  many  may 
prefer  the  smaller,  more  elegant,  but 
still  striking  racemes  produced  by 
unpruned,  more  naturally  grown 
plants. 


A    BED    OF    HYDRANGEA    I'A.SIC'Cl.ATA    AND    II.    I'.    (JRANDIFLOR.i    \T    KEW. 


AMATEURS'   PERPLEXI- 
TIES. 

PLANTING  A  STEIP  OF  WOOD. 

"  Roseeeetle"  writes  : — "I  have  lately 
thrown  a  small  strip  of  wood  into  the 
garden  by  pulling  down  part  of  the 
boundary  wall,  and  shall  be  greatly 
obliged  if  jou  will  give  me  some  advice 
as  to  how  to  make  it  as  attractive  as 
possible.  I  am  having  holes  prepared 
lor  suitable  plants.  It  is  bounded  on 
two  sides  h^  a  small  river  and  on  the 
third  b^'  a  ditch  ;  this  and  the  river 
usually  overflow  in  winter  and  in 
summer  drv  up  almost  altogether.  The 
soil  has  never  been  dug,  and  is  hard, 
like  clay,  and  full  of  roots.  The  natural 
soil  of  the  garden  is  very  good.  The 
trees  are  mostly  Hawthorns,  but  there 
are  several  Beeches,  a  few  Oaks,  and  a 
little  grove  of  wild  Cherry  trees  at  one 
end.  I  should  very  much  like  to  grow 
some  Lilies,  Japan  Anemones,  &c. .  and 
thought    of    digging   good    large    holes 


182 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[March  16.  1901. 


2  feet  or  3  feet  deep  and  filling  these  up  during 
the  summer  with  manure,  refuse,  and  good  soil. 
In  one  rather  shady  place  there  is  a  little  mound  ; 
what  could  I  plant  to  trail  over  it  and  hang  down?" 

[For  the  chief  planting  we  advise  Leucojuni 
festivum,  DaB'odils,  and  Solomon's  Seal  ;  also 
hardy  Ferns,  including  Hart's-tongue.  Other 
plants  likely  to  do  Veil  would  be  Iris  fintidissima, 
the  common  Columbines,  and  Woodrutt'.  Of  Lilies 
the  most  suitable  would  be  the  Martagon  and  its 
white  variety.  For  trailing  over  the  mound.  Ivy, 
Periwinkles,  or  Moneywort.  Ivy  is  charming  with 
Snowdrops  coming  through  it.  Snowdrops  would 
also  probably  do  well  planted  in  quantity.  If  a 
large  effect  is  desired,  Pol^'gonum  Sieboldi  should 
be  used,  or  if  a  group  of  flowering  shrubs,  Guelder 
Rose,  or,  still  better,  its  original  native  form,  the 
Water  Elder  (Viburnum  Opulus).  In  planting 
such  a  place  we  think  it  well  to  maintain  a 
different  character  to  that  of  the  garden,  by  the 
use  of  plants  that  are  either  handsome  natives  or 


at  the  root  is  also  fatal,  as  this  checks  growth. 
When  the  plants  are  in  bloom  it  may  be  necessarj-  to 
cease  syringing  overhead  i'or  a  time  until  the  fruits 
are  set,  also  to  mulch  the  plants  or  top-dress  with 
manure  to  retain  moisture  and  promote  surface 
rooting.  We  now  come  to  open-air  culture,  and 
planting  out  should  be  done  early  in  .lune,  a 
slight  covering  being  aflbrded  on  cold  nights  at 
first.  (4row  in  richly-manured  land  2  feet  apart, 
and  place  supports  to  the  plants  as  needed.  For 
planting  out,  sow  the  seed  in  April  under  glass, 
and  pot  on  as  advised.  Sown  too  early,  or  given  a 
check,  the  plants  do  not  grow  away  freely.  In 
dry  weather  ihe  plants  will  need  plenty  of  water, 
also  food,  and  it  is  advantageous  to  water  over- 
head in  the  evening  after  hot  sunshine.  The 
plants  do  well  against  a  wall  or  trellis,  and  if 
large  fruits  be  desired  thin  to  two  or  three  of  the 
strongest,  allow  free  growth,  and  support  the 
fruits  when  formed.  The  best  way  of  cooking  is 
as    follows    (pot    culture   is   usually   followed   for 


might  be  wild.     Nearly  all  those  named  are  of  this  i  ornamental   purposes   only) :    The   fruits    ma3'  be 
nature.     Two  feet  would  be  deep  enough  for  the  I  cut  in  halves,  the  soft  or  seedy  part  scooped  |  out. 


prepared   holes,  and  we  should  not   advise 
making  the  soil  too  rich. — Eds.] 


CULTUKE  OF  AUBEEGINES. 

I  SHALL  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  kindly 
give  directions  in  The  Garden  for  the 
culture  of  Egg  Plants  (Aubergine).  Also 
say  how  they  are  used  at  table,  and  if  all, 
scarlet,  white,  and  purple,  are  eatable.  I 
and  three  or  four  friends  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood are  intending  to  grow  them  for 
the  first  time  this  year. 

Southmhh-iter.  Aubergi.ve. 

[We  are  pleased  to  give  you  some  infor- 
mation about  these  interesting  plants,  espe- 
cially their  culture,  and  a  few  ways  of  cook- 
ing them  ;     but   as   regards   the   latter   our 
knowledge  is  somewhat  restricted,  as  the  Egg 
Plant  is  not  a  favourite  in  this  country,  and 
its  cooking  is  not  so  well  understood  as  on 
the  continent,  where  it  is  a  favourite  and 
much    grown     for    food.       In    France    the 
Aubergine   is    grown  in    the   open,   also   in 
Italy,  and  in  the  United  States  it  is  becoming 
a  great   favourite.      With    regard   to   their 
edible  qualities,  it  is  merely  a  question  of 
outside   or   skin    covering   that   makes    tlie 
distinction.      They    also     vary    greatly    in 
shape — there  are  round   fruits,  egg-shaped, 
and     long    Cucumber-like    ones,    the   Long 
White,    the   Long   Pui-ple,    and    others    in 
variety  ;  but  from  close  observation  I  think 
the  New  York  Purple  the  largest  and   best 
of   the    dark-coloured     fruits.       The   Black 
Pekin,    a    Chinese   variety,   is   also   a    very 
distinct  fruit,  and  one  well  worth  growing  ; 
indeed,  we  think  anyone  who  grows  these 
plants  will  find   more  interest   in   growing 
.he    various    sorts,    such    as    the    .Scarlet, 
the     Black,     and     other     kinds.       Some    of    the 
jmaller  fruiters  are   very  ornamental,  and   speci- 
ally suitable  for  pot  culture.     Culture  is  simple, 
but    of   course   not    being   hardy    the    plants   are 
best  raised  in  heat.     As  regards  the  date  of  sowing, 
so  much  depends  upon  the  grower's  convenience 
to    raise    the    plants.      Seed    sown    in    a    frame 
or   gentle   heat    in    March    or    April    will    make 
good  fruiting  plants  by  the  late  summer  months. 
Seed  may  be  sown  in  pans  or  pots  in  a  temperature 
of  00",  and  when  the  seedlings  are  large  enough  to 
handle  prick   them   off  singly  into  small  pots,  or 
three  in  a  pot,   at  the  sides,  replacing  in  a  warm 
frame   or   house    when   new  roots   are   made.      If 
intended  to  plant  out,  transfer  to  cold  frames  in 
May  and  gradually  harden  off.      If  for  fruiting  in 
pots,   move   into    8-inch   pots,   or    larger   if    three 
plants   are    together,    or,    say,    6-inch     for    single 
plants  ;  grow  them  near  the  glass,  and  give  food 
freely  in  the  way  of  liquid   manure  as  the  plants 
increase   in    size.       During    growth     their    worst 
enemy  is  red  spider,  and  this   shows   that    ample 
moisture     or    syringing     of     plaiits     is     needful. 
Thoroughly  wet  the  under  sides  of  the  leaves,  as 
that  is  the  portion  most  quickly  affected.     Dryness 


CO 


MR.    W.    B.    LATHAiM. 
i-aior  of  the  Birminfffiam  Botanic  Gftrtirns.) 


then  the  space  filled  in  with  chopped  meat,  and 
the  whole  stewed  in  gravj-  or  done  in  a  slow  oven, 
the  fruits  being  tied  together  before  cooking,  and 
when  cooked  served  very  hot.  The  fruit  may  also 
be  cut  in  quarters  and  fried  in  boiling  fat  until 
brown  and  served  with  rich  gravy.  Another  way 
is  to  stuff  with  veal  stufilng  and  bake  in  the  oven 
in  plenty  of  hot  fat.  They  may  also  be  sliced  and 
used  in  .=oups  or  stews,  or  cooked  whole  in  a  young 
state  and  then  served  with  mincemeat,  or  boiled 
like  Marrows  and  served  with  white  sauce. — Eds.] 


W^ORKERS     AMONGST 
FLOAVERS. 


THE 


MR.  W.  B.  LATHAM. 

It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  include  in  our  series 
of  "Workers  Amongst  the  Flowers"  Mr.  W.  B. 
Latham,  curator  of  the  Botanic  Garden.s,  Bir- 
mingham. Mr.  Latham  has  laboured  Inng  and 
earnestly  in  horticulture  ;  his  influence  for  gond 
in  this  direction  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bir- 


mingham has  been, and  still  is,  very  considerable. 
Many  are  the  choice  hybrids  of  Ferns,  Orchids, 
and  other  plants  which  Mr.  Latham  has  raised 
in  the  Edgbaston  Botanic  Gardens.  With  refer- 
ence to  the  latter,  over  whose  welfare  Mr. 
Latham  has  presided  for  the  past  thirty-five 
years,  only  those  who  have  periodically  visited 
them  can  form  an  idea  of  the  many  ways  in 
which  they  have  been  improved.  At  our 
request  Mr.  Latham  has  kindly  supplied  details 
of  his  noteworthy  career,  and  has  done  this 
in  so  interesting  a  way  that  we  cannot  do 
better  than  let  these  notes  take  the  form  of  a 
personal  narrative. 

"At  an  early  period  of  my  life  I  commenced 
work  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  William  McNiel, 
Wandsworth  Common.  Mrs.  JlcNiel  was  a 
great  lover  of  gardening,  with  a  good  know- 
ledge of  hardy  herbaceous  plants,  and  culti- 
vated a  choice  collection  of  them.  I  left  here 
after  three  and  a-half  years'  .service,  and  was 
then  apprenticed  to  the  late  Mr.  Robert 
Neal,  of  the  old  Wandsworth  Common 
nurseries,  which  at  that  time  contained 
a  large  collection  of  hardy  trees,  shrubs, 
Roses,  herbaceous,  and  alpine  plants.  I 
remained  here  a  little  over  three  years, 
during  which  time  I  took  up  the  study 
of  British  plants.  With  an  old  school- 
fellow, the  late  Mr.  C.  Wilford,  I  often 
took  long  rambles,  and  together  we  col- 
lected a  large  number  of  plants  found  in 
that  part  of  Surrey.  With  a  desire  for 
change  and  a  wider  field  for  improve- 
ment I  went  to  Kew  and  saw  Mr.  J. 
Smith,  the  then  curator  of  the  Royal 
Gardens,  and  some  two  or  three  months 
(after  I  succeeded  in  obtaining  employ- 
ment there.  1  left  Kew,  then  under  the 
direction  of  the  late  Sir  W.  Hooker,  in 
18.-)7.  I  had  a  great  desire  to  study  under 
the  late  Sir  .Joseph  Pa,>:ton,  then  at 
Chatsworth,  and  soon  succeeded  in 
obtaining  a  situation  in  the  gardens 
there.  At  Chatsworth  I  found  a  large 
collection  of  Orchids,  embracing  noble 
specimens  of  Phal;enop.sis,  Dendrobiums, 
grand  masses  of  Cielogyne  cristata  on 
blocks  of  wood,  Cattleyas,  Saccolabiums, 
.Erides,  Pleiones,  and  many  others. 
There  was  a  fine  plant  of  Amherstia 
nobilis,  and  the  Victoria  Regia  was  in 
tlie  highest  state  of  perfection.  The 
noble  conservatory,  with  its  wonderful 
collection  of  rare,  tropical,  and  sub- 
tropical plants,  e.xcited  my  admiration. 
Outside  the  gardens  and  grounds  of 
Chatsworth  I  found  on  the  hills  and  in 
the  dales  of  Derbyshire  ample  occujiation  for 
the  study  of  British  plants,  and  added  to  my 
collection  many  not  previously  met  with. 

"  Having  a  wish  for  experience  in  continental 
horticulture,  I  mentioned  the  subject  to  Sir 
.Joseph  Paxton,  who  readily  consented  to  write 
to  Professor  Decaisne,  then  director  of  the 
.Jardin  des  Plantes,  Paris,  and  some  few  months 
after  Sir  .Joseph  received  an  intimation  from 
the  professor  that  there  was  an  opening,  and 
that  I  could  go  at  once  to  l^aris.  A  few-  days 
after  I  was  at  the  .Jardin  des  Plantes  with  a 
letter  of  introduction  from  Sir  Jo.seph  to 
M.  Neumann,  the  then  curator,  who  at  once 
placed  me  under  the  direction  of  the  late 
M.  Houllett,  who.se  courtesy  and  kindness  is 
to  this  day  gratefully  remembered.  At  this 
establishment  a  large  collection  of  plants  was 
cultivated,  both  out  of  doors  and  under  glass. 
I  saw  here  for  the  first  time  Tjaiiageria  alba 
(then  the  only  plant  in  Kurojie)  ;  1  also  saw 
Paulownia  imperialis  in  Hower  for  the  first 
time.     I  was  also  very  interested  in  the  large 


March   16,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


183 


collection  of  grasses  grown  here.  Many  faci- 
lities were  given  to  young  gardeners  to  attend 
lectures,  and  to  visit  the  large  Peach  and  Nec- 
tarine growing  establishments  outside  Paris, 
where,  by  the  payment  of  one  franc  each,  the 
vhef  des  ndtwvx  gave  them  instructions  in 
pruning,  training,  kc.  I  remained  some 
months  at  the  .Jardin  des  Plantes,  during 
which  time  I  visited  some  of  the  best  gardens 
and  nurseries  for  miles  round  Paris.  On 
returning  to  London  I  obtained  employment 
in  Messrs.  Parker  and  Williams'  nurseries  at 
Holloway,  and  after  six  months  in  the  iiilant 
department  went  as  head  gardener  to  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Perkins,  Birtley  Hall,  Chester- 
le-Street,  Durham,  where  I  remained  eight 
years,  having  charge  of  one  of  the  iinest  collec- 
tions of  Orchids  in  the  North  of  England,  and 
a  large  collection  of  exotic  Ferns,  greenhouse 
and  stove  plants. 

"  On  the  retirement  in  December,  1867,  of  Mr. 
Catlin,  curator  of  the  Birmingham  Botanical 
and  Horticultural  Society's  garden,  I  was 
selected  from  about  200  candidates  to  succeed 
him.  At  this  time  the  collection  of  plants 
was  somewhat  limited  for  a  good  botanical 
garden  which  had  existed  for  thirty-seven 
years,  and  of  trees  and  shrubs  there  were  the 
remains  of  a  fine  collection,  planted  when  the 
gardens  were  first  made,  for  the  formation 
of  a  large  archery  ground  I  received  instruc- 
tions from  the  committee  of  the  garden  to 
destroy  one  of  the  best,  if  not  the  best,  collec- 
tion of  Crataegus  and  other  rosaceous  trees 
and  shrubs  in  the  United  Kingdom.  The 
collection  of  plants  was  quickly  increased. 
The  glass  accommodation  was  added  to  by  the 
erection  of  two  houses  for  the  culture  of  plants, 
and  subsequently  the  large  handsome  conser- 
vatory was.  built.  The  absolute  necessity  for 
still  further  glass  structures  led  to  a  special 
appeal  for  additional  funds,  and  in  a  short 
time  nearly  £4,000  were  received.  In  July, 
188.5,  a  large  portion  of  the  old  structure  was 
pulled  down  and  an  extensive  block  of  new 
glass  houses  built. 

"  We  have  now  in  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
Birmingham,  a  large  collectien  of  Orchids,  a 
good  collection  of  stove  and  greenhouse  plants, 
including  some  fine  specimens  of  Camellias,  a 
large  collection  of  Ferns,  some  good  samples 
of  tree  Ferns,  and  a  good  collection  of 
herbaceous  and  alpine  iilants.  A  large  rock 
garden  was  made  and  planted  about  six  years 
ago,  and  is  now  a  most  interesting  feature  in 
the  gardens  throughout  the  year. 

"  In  1862  I  raised  Dicksonia  lathamiana, 
Moore,  a  hybrid  between  the  St.  Helena  D. 
arborescens  and  the  Australian  D.  antarctica  ; 
the  original  plant  is  now  a  grand  specimen. 
The  late  Mr.  T.  Moore,  on  examining  specimens 
of  this  hybrid,  told  me  he  had  not  up  to  that 
time  thought  much  of  hybrid  Ferns,  but  he 
now  must  change  his  opinion.  I  have  since 
raised  seedlings  of  this  Fern.  Another  hybrid 
tree  Fern  rai-sed  by  me  about  1 870  is  between 
the  Mexican  Cyathea  insignis  and  the  Norfolk 
Island  Alsophila  excelsa.  I  have  not  been 
able  to  raise  this  hyljrid  from  spores.  The 
original  is  now  a  splendid  plant.  Gymno- 
gramma  Lathamise,  Moore,  is  another  hybrid 
raised  by  me  some  twenty  years  ago,  and  is 
between  Gymnograrama  decoinposita  and  G. 
schizophylla-  Cypripedium  lathamianum,  a 
hybrid  between  C.  spicerianum  and  C.  vil- 
losum,  and  Cypripedium  deedmanianum,  a 
hybrid  between  C.  spicerianum  and  C.  cham- 
berlainianum,  were  also  raised  by  me." 

We  may  also  add  that  Mr.  W.  B.  Latham 
was  recently  awarded  a  large  Veitchian  medal 
for  eminent  services  rendered  to  horticulture. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Orchid  committee  of 


TUE    ROCK    OARDK.N    IX    THE    BIKMl.NGHAM    BOTANIC    UARDE.SS. 


the  Royal  rlorncultural  Society,  has  been 
chairman  of  the  Birmingham  and  Midland 
Counties  Fruit  and  Horticultural  Society  for 
the  last  twenty-six  years,  and  also  of  the 
Birmingham  and  Midland  Counties  Gardeners' 
Association  since  its  formation  fifteen  years 
ago. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

FROM  the  middle  until  the  end  of  the 
present  month  the  whole  of  the  earliest 
struck  cuttings  should  be  fit  for  re- 
potting into  5-inch  or  6-inoh  pots.  The 
compost  should,  if  possible,  be  prepared 
a  week  or  ten  days  before  using,  four 
parts  good  fibrous  loam,  which  has  been  cut  from 
an  old  pasture  the  previous  autumn,  and  a  sixth 
part  of  brushed  charcoal  or  wood  ashes.  To  every 
2  bushels  add  1  gallon  of  bone-meal,  half  a  gallon 
of  Clay's  Fertilizer,  and  sufficient  road  sand  and 
old  mortar  rubble  —  which  should  be  passed 
through  a  quarter  of  an  inch  mesh  sieve — to  enable 
the  water  to  percolate  and  pass  away  freely. 
Much  will  depend  on  the  nature  of  the  loam  as  to 
the  amount  required.  The  whole  should  be  well 
mixed,  so  that  eacli  ingredient  is  thoroughly  incor- 
porated, and  if  turned  at  intervals,  say  about  every 
other  day,  all  the  better.  In  no  case  should  the 
soil  be  used  in  a  wet  condition,  or,  owing  to  the 
plants  requiring  to  be  firmly  potted,  it  will  unques- 
tionably (especially  when  the  loam  has  a  tendency 
to  be  heavy)  go  together  in  a  pasty  condition,  thus 
hindering  free  root-action,  and  many  of  the  plants 
will  in  all  probability  become  over  watered.  This 
will  cause  a  severe  check,  from  which  they  never 
properly  recover. 

Some  of  the  varieties  which  naturally  have  a 
weak  constitution  should  have  a  specially  prepared 
mixture  and  more  careful  treatment  than  the 
general  collection.  Add  a  little  thorouglily  decayed 
leaf-soil  and  old  Mushroom  bed  manure,  passing 
through  a  quarter  of  an  inch  sieve  ;  also  some 
crocks,  finely  broken  up,  and  some  coarse  silver 
sand.  The  weaker  growing  kinds  should  be  kept 
together  while  under  glass,  and  at  all  times  be 
kept  in  pots,  one  if  not  two  sizes  smaller  than  the 


more  robust  ones,  over-potting  and  watering  being 
fatal  to  them  at  all  stages  of  their  growth.     Clean 
pots   and   crocks   should   be   in   readiness,  and   in 
every    case    careful    drainage    is    of    the    utmost 
importance.     It  is  not  so  much  the  quantity  used, 
but  the  way  it  is  placed  and  built  up  in  the  pots, 
and  yet  how  seldom  do  we  see  this  rule  properly 
observed.     There  is  no  reason   whatever  why  the 
drainage    should    not    be    as    perfect    when     the 
Chrysanthemum  has  finished  flowering  as   it  was 
the  day  it  was  potted,  providing  it  was  well  done 
and  worms  are  excluded.     One  large  crock  should 
be  placed  over  the  hole  of  the  pot  in  an  inverted 
position,  gradually  building  up  with  smaller  sizes, 
the  top  layer  being  quite  fine.    On  this  place  a  thin 
coating  of  fibre  taken  from   the  loam  heap,  from 
which  should  be  taken  every  particle  of  soil,  so  as 
to  ensure  the  soil  not  interfering  with  a  free  water- 
course.     Pot  firmly,  place  a  small  stake  to  each 
plant  before  leaving  the  potting-shed,  and  return 
to   the   cold   frames.       The    plants    should    enjoy 
plenty   of   room,  and   be   sprinkled  two   or  three 
times  during  the  Aa.y  to  prevent  flagging,  but  not 
watered   through   for  three   or   four   days.      This 
should  be  thoroughly  done  by  filling  up  the  pots  at 
least  three  times  to  ensure  ever}-  part  of  the  soil 
becoming  moistened  when   the  plants   are  ready. 
Very   much   will   depend   on    the    nature    of    the 
weather.       In     hot,    drving     weather     they    will 
probably  require   it  about   the  third   day,   but  if 
dull   and  rainj'  possibly  not  for  a  week.      After 
this  every  plant  must  be  thoroughly  tested  before 
watering  ;    examine  them  twice  daily,  and   never 
give  any  until  the  plant  is  quite  read\'  to  receive 
it.     Syringe  twice  dailj',  morning  and  early  after- 
noon ;  air  freely,  and  in  genial  weather  remove  the 
lights  entirely  ;  avoid  coddling  the  plants  in  every 
way,  but   always  make   provision  against   sudden 
attacks  of  frost,  from  which  we  are  not  safe  for 
some  time  to  come,  as  well-grown  plants  are  easil}' 
damaged. 

Stopping. 
Nip  out  the  points  of  the  shoots  of  many  varieties 
to  ensure  flowers  at  their  best  from  the  beginning 
to  the  middle  of  November.  Especiallj'  does  this 
apply  to  the  later  flowering  Japanese,  and  this  is 
best  performed  from  the  middle  of  the  present 
month  to  the  middle  of  April.  No  hard  and  fast 
rule  can  possibly  be  laid  down  as  to  the  exact  date 
to  perform  this,  as  we  are  much  at  the  mere}' 
of  the  season,  and  that  a  very  variable  one  ;   con- 


184 


THE     GARDEN. 


[March  16,  1901. 


sequently,  this  should  be  done  at  different  dates, 
and  mark  the  results.  The  whole  of  the  Queen 
family  should  be  stopped  from  the  middle  to  the 
end  of  March  ;  also  Ducliess  of  Fife,  Mme.  Ferlat, 
C.  B.  AA'ithnell,  Mrs.  C.  L.  Egan,  and  Lady  Isabel 
among  the  incurved  ;  and  International,  Chats- 
worth,  fSimplicily,  Le  (irand  Dragon,  and  Ella 
Curtis,  the  .Japanese.  The  Mme.  Carnot  family  are 
best  stopped  about  the  end  of  the  first  week  in 
April.  Fumigate  the  plants  when  in  a  dry  state 
every  ten  days.  E.  Beckett. 

Alrhnlmm  House  Gardens,  Ehtree,  Htrl'i. 


INDOOR  GAllDEN. 

Caknatioxs. 

AtiTUMX-rooted  stock  of  the  perpetual  flowering 
type  lill  now  growing  in  3-inch  pots  should  have 
a  move  into  large  4^V-inch  and  (i-inch  pots,  accord- 
ing to  the  strength  of  the  individual  plants  ;  that 
useful  variety  Mrs.  Leopold  de  Rothschild  (sj'n. 
lime.  Therese  Franco)  revels  in  an  abundant  root 
run,  and  6-inch  pots  should  be  given,  the  less 
robust  C.  Winter  Cheer  will  do  well  in  44-inch 
pots  ;  C.  Americana,  a  bright  scarlet  variety  of 
e.\ceptionally  good  constitution,  will  also  require 
liberal  room  to  bring  out  its  best  character.  A  rich 
turfy  loam  from  an  old  pasture,  well  broken  with 
the  hand,  will  form  the  staple,  while  the  addition 
of  leaf  soil.  Mushroom  manure,  and  sand  should 
be  added  to  aid  in  keeping  the  whole  in  a  porous 
state,  and  it  is  advisable  at  this  stage  to  add  a 
permanent  tonic  in  the  shape  of  dissolved  bones 
or  Thomson's  manure.  A  neat  pointed  stick 
should  be  placed  in  each  pot,  and  the  centre  of  the 
plant  attached  thereto,  as  nothing  tends  to  weaken 
the  latter  so  much  as  when  not  properly  secured  ; 
if  inclined  to  grow  tall  without  the  necessary  grass 
near  the  base  the  tops  should  be  picked  out.  The 
present  is  a  good  time  should  the  stock  require 
replenishing  to  propagate  afresh  ;  pipings  put  in 
rather  thickly  round  the  edge  of  4i-inch  pots  and 
plunged  in  a  bed  of  manure  in  a  frame,  and  the 
foliage  kept  moist,  will  readily  take  root,  and  if 
pushed  ahead  will  make  useful  sized  plants  for 
next  winter's  flowering. 

The  Malmaison,  after  a  winter  of  semi-rest,  is 
now  sending  up  its  flower  spikes  rapidly,  and  the3' 
should  have  every  attention  given  them.  When 
tying  up  the  flower  stems  the  sticks  ought  to  be 
examined,  and  if  the  least  faulty  replaced  bj'  sound 
ones  ;  side  growths  appearing  should  be  reduced 
in  number  ;  a  dry  atmosphere  and  abundance  of  air 
must  still  be  maintained. 

Palms. 

These,  in  common  with  other  indoor  plants, 
require  attention,  and  while  in  no  way  fastidious  as 
to  the  date  they  are  repotted,  the  present  may  be 
taken  as  a  suitable  season  in  which  to  undertake 
this  work.  Aproper  quantity  of  soilshould  first  be 
prepared,  which,  if  made  up  of  the  following,  will 
suit  the  class  of  Palms  usually  found  in  private 
establishments  :  Fibrous  loam  two  parts,  one  leaf 
soil,  half  part  sand  (silver),  and  the  remaining 
portion  made  up  equally  of  ground  charcoal  and 
oyster  shell ;  to  this  should  be  added  a  6-inch 
potful  of  Cla3''s  Fertilizer  ;  a  liitle  peat  must  also 
be  incorporated,  the  whole  well  mixed  several 
times  before  using  ;  clean  pots,  liberal  drainage, 
and  firm  potting  are  essential.  A  thorough 
cleansing  of  the  foliage  should  follow.  The  syringe 
must  be  carefully  used  in  dealing  with  the  more 
delicate  t3'pes,  viz.,  Cocos  weddeliana,  Geonoma 
Gracilis,  &c.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Boehampton. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Early  Peaches — Pot  Trees. 

Some  six  weeks  ago  I  touched  upon  fruit  trees 
grown  in  pots  for  first  supplies,  and  since  that 
date  the  fruits  will  have  made  considerable  pro- 
gress, though  at  this  date  they  may  seem  sta- 
tionary. VVhilst  they  are  swelling  the  trees  will 
need  close  attention.  Of  course  with  the  Peach 
the  Nectarine  is  included,  as  the  treatment  for 
both  is  identical ;  indeed,  the  latter  fruit,  if  any- 
thing, is  forced  more  readily  than  the  Peach,  since 


such  kinds  as  Early  Rivers'  and  the  Cardinal  have 
been  introduced,  two  splendid  pot  varieties  and 
good  forcers.  With  pot  trees  the  chief  points  of 
culture  are  feeding  and  moisture.  Of  course 
stopping  also  should  be  included,  but  the  pot 
trees  do  not  make  gross  growths.  If  the}'  are 
carr^'ing  a  good  crop  at  the  same  time  it  is  well  to 
reduce  weak  wood,  to  give  light  and  sun  to  the 
fruits,  and  pinch  lateral  growths,  regulating  those 
needed  for  next  season's  wood  at  the  base  of  the 
fruiting  wood.  Fertilisers  or  liquid  manure  in  a 
tepid  state  may  now  be  given  freely,  and  to  trees 
that  are  well  laden  with  fruit  appl}'  a  rich  mulch. 
With  more  sun  heat  and  longer  daj's  pot  trees  full 
of  roots  dr}'  quicklj',  and  the  fruits  suffer  if  at  all 
neglected.  Abundance  of  moisture  should  be  the 
rule,  damping  floors  and  bare  places  several  times 
dail3',  and  well  moistening  the  trees  at  least  twice 
a  day  from  all  parts  of  the  liouse  to  keep  them 
clean.  Close  early  before  the  sun  declines  to 
allow  the  temperature  to  rise  freely.  Avoid  high 
night  temperatures  ;  the  latter  cause  weak  growth 
and  insect  pests. 

Early  Permanent  Trees. 

With  regard  to  temperatures  and  feeding  much 
the  same  remarks  are  applicable  as  advised  for 
pot  trees,  but  doubtless  this  house  will  be  a  little 
later,  and  thus  form  a'  succession  to  the  earliest. 
The  fruits  will  now  be  swelling  awa}'  freely  with 
increased  simshine  and  brighter  weather,  but  even 
now  I  do  not  advise  hard  forcing  :  it  is  alwaj's 
best  with  cold  north-easters  or  frosty  nights  to 
see  the  thermometer  a  few  degrees  lower  than 
otherwise.  Both  the  Peach  and  Nectarine  soon 
fail  when  forced  too  hard,  and  though  sun  heat  is 
not  so  much  taken  into  account,  as  it  is  well  to 
close  early  to  raise  the  temperature,  some  practice 
is  necessary  to  maintain  the  same  at  other  times  at 
the  proper  standard.  With  trees  just  approaching 
the  stoning  period  the  night  temperature  in  mild 
weather  may  be  60°,  and  5°  to  10"  higher  bj'  day, 
and  any  disbudding  needed  should  be  attended  to, 
as  now  it  can  easily  be  seen  what  wood  is  mis- 
placed. Foreright  shoots  that  are  strong  should 
be  cut  back  hard,  and  the  side  shoots  on  wood  not 
carrying  fruit  stopped  close.  These  will  then  form 
spurs  and  give  good  fruit  next  year.  The  shoots 
at  the  base  of  the  fruiting  wood  should  be  trained 
in,  placing  them  in  the  most  favourable  position  to 
gain  strength.  "Ventilate  freely  in  mild,  fine 
weather ;  remove  badly  placed  fruits,  and  water  the 
borders  with  liquid  manure  or  fertilisers  in  a  tepid 
state.  Keep  a  sharp  look  out  for  aphis,  and  take 
measures  at  once  to  kill  the  pest  when  seen. 
S3'ringe  freely  after  fumigating. 

G.  Wythes. 

Syon  House  Ga7-dens,  Brentford. 


KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

Seed  Sowing. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a  time  when  seed  sowing 
will  form  a  very  important  part  of  the  work  in 
the  kitchen  garden,  and  those  who,  through  the 
changeable  weather,  have  not  been  able  to  proceed 
with  the  final  working  of  the  soil  should  lose  no 
time  in  doing  so.  We  ma}'  talk  of  good  and  bad 
seasons,  but  the  grand  secret  tnidoubtedl}'  lies  in 
the  proper  preparation  of  the  soil,  which  should 
be  in  such  condition  at  the  time  of  sowing  as  to 
crumble  under  the  foot.  On  this  the  future  success 
of  the  crop  greatl3'  depends,  and  the  operation  of 
seed  sowing  would  be  better  put  off  even  for 
another  fortnight  than  performed  when  the  ground 
is  in  an  unfit  state. 

The  first  to  claim  attention,  if  not  already  sown, 
should  be  the  main  crop  of  Parsnips  and  Onions. 
A  sowing  of  Leeks  should  also  be  made  in  drills 
1  foot  apart  for  the  principal  plantation  in  May  or 
June.  Leeks  can  be  grown  with  a  fair  amount 
of  success  in  almost  any  situation,  providing  the 
ground  is  in  good  condition  ;  30,000  are  grown 
annually  at  Frogmore,  and  the  majority  of  them 
on  borders  under  fruit  trees.  When  planting  out 
they  should  be  allowed  1  foot  between  the  plants 
each  wa3',  and  a  liberal  supply  of  water  given  if 
the  weather  is  dry.  The  principal  sowing  of 
Brussels  Sprouts  should  now  be  made,   as  they 


recjuire  a  long  season  to  come  to  maturitj';  also 
Earl}'  Vienna  Savo}',  Earl3'  and  Maincrop  Cabbage, 
Cauliflowers,  and  Veitch's  Self-protecting  Autumn 
Broccoli,  which,  under  favourable  conditions,  will 
give  a  suppl3'  of  excellent  white  heads  for  a  con- 
siderable time,  thus  filling  up  a  gap  between 
Autumn  Giant  Cauliflower  and  Snow's  Winter 
Broccoli.  The  general  sowing  of  Broccoli  seed 
must  depend  to  a  certain  extent  on  the  time  the 
ground  for  their  cultivation  will  be  available.  The 
autumn  and  winter  varieties,  if  sown  in  the  open 
border,  can  scarcely  be  got  read3'  too  soon  or  the 
ground  on  which  the3'  are  to  be  grown  made  too 
rich  ;  but  for  plants  intended  to  stand  the  winter 
and  produce  heads  during  the  spring  months  a 
different  treatment  is  required.  To  plant  this 
section  in  rich  soil  full  of  manure  is  a  mistake, 
because  the  conditions  are  such  as  to  render  the 
plants  so  succulent  that  they  become  an  easy  victim 
to  the  first  sharp  frost.  These  should  be  grown  as 
sturd3'  as  possible,  and  to  this  end  they  should  be 
sown  on  rather  poor  ground,  and  planted  in  an 
open  situation  where  the  soil  is  not  too  strong. 
Broccoli  plants  have  stood  the  winter  remarkably 
well  here,  and  this  I  attribute  to  planting  with- 
out an3'  manure  on  the  ground  recentl}'  occupied 
b3'  Strawberries,  which  were  hoed  off  in  July.  I  am 
of  opinion  that  if  more  consideratijn  were  given  to 
the  selection  of  ground  for  this  section  of  Broccoli, 
such  severe  losses  as  are  experienced  would  be 
considerabl}'  reduced.  A  plantation  of  Potatoes 
may  be  made  on  a  south  border,  but  no  large 
quantity  should  be  put  in  for  another  week  ;  it 
only  increases  the  labour  in  covering  without 
sutiicientl}'  repaying  the  cultivator  for  his  trouble. 
Now  is  a  good  time  to  make  fresh  plantations  of 
herbs.  Thyme  may  be  planted  1  foot  apart  on 
light  soil.  Sage  requires  a  little  more  space.  Sorrel 
should  be  planted  18  inches  apart.  Chervil  is 
alwa3's  in  demand,  and  frequent  sowings  should  be 
made  from  now  onwards  in  rows  1  foot  apart. 
Mint  should  be  planted  singly  with  a  dibber  as 
soon  as  the  3'oung  shoots  are  large  enough  for 
cuttings.  Plant  in  rows  1  foot  apart  and  10  inches 
between  the  plants.  Sweet  Basil,  the  most  tender 
of  herbs,  should  be  sown  now  in  heat  for  trans- 
planting in  Ma3'.  Marjoram  ma}'  be  sown  and 
treated  in  the  same  way.  John  Dcnn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Planting. 

Violas,  struck  too  late  in  the  autumn  of  last  }'ear 
to  permit  of  their  being  planted  before  winter  set 
in,  should  now  be  planted  as  soon  as  possible. 
They  enjo}'  a  cool,  rich  soil  and  partial  shade,  but 
it  is  not  always  possible  to  give  them  the  one  or 
the  other,  so  it  is  best  to  plant  early  that  they 
may  be  well  rooted  before  drying  weather  sets  in. 
These  plants  are  often  used  as  carpet  plants  for 
more  tender  things  that  have  to  be  kept  indoors 
until  all  fear  of  frost  is  over,  and  it  is  a  common 
mistake  to  see  all  the  planting  put  off  till  this 
time.  Of  course,  where  the  same  beds  are  used 
for  spring  and  summer  flowers,  the  latter  cannot 
be  put  out  until  the  former  are  cleared  oft',  and 
this  is  an  unavoidable  difficulty,  but  where  spring- 
flowering  plants  do  not  occupy  the  beds,  all  hardy 
plants  should  be  planted  early. 

Bedding  Calceolarias,  too,  are  prone  to  die  just 
when  at  the  zenith  of  their  beauty,  and  my  expe- 
rience is  that  this  is  largely  due  to  late  planting, 
the  roots  never  gaining  a  grasp  of  the  soil  as  they 
should  do  before  the  summer  comes.  The  common 
method  of  planting  these  out  under  frames  in  rich 
soil  at  this  time  of  the  year,  to  be  transferred  later 
to  their  flowering  quarters,  is  bad.  They  lift  with 
good  balls  of  soil,  and  apparently  go  on  well  until 
that  soil  is  exhausted,  and  then  utterly  collapse. 
Far  belter  is  it  to  take  them  direct  from  the 
cutting  frame  and  plant  them  during  the  first  mild 
weather  that  occurs  in  March.  These  Calceolarias, 
though  not  entirely  hardy,  are  much  more  so  than 
Geraniums,  and  their  close-growing  form  is  such 
that  they  may  readil}'  be  protected  by  inverting  a 
flower-pot  over  each  plant,  and,  if  need  be,  a 
covering  of  tiffany  or  some  light  protecting  material 
over  all.     Pentstemons  raised  in  auli\nin  from  cut- 


March   16,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


185 


tings  sometimes  suffer  from  "black  spot,"  which 
appears  ou  stem  and  leaf  during  summer.  This  is 
partly  constitutional,  but  may  be  greatly  lessened 
by  early  planting,  and  one  should  not  hesitate  to 
plant  now,  even  though  the  cuttings  have  made 
but  little  root.  These  plants  are  not  harmed  by 
spring  frosts. 

Rose  Prpnino. 
In  the  southern  part  of  the  country  Roses  of 
the  Hybrid  Perpetual  (so-called)  section  may  be 
pruned,  these  being  slower  to  break  under  the 
influence  of  mild  weather  than  are  the  Teas.  For 
fine  flowers,  cut  back  fairly  hard  and  thin  out  all 
wood  at  all  undersized,  for  the  bushes  always 
thicken  more  than  necessary,  and  small  wood  only 
helps  to  crowd  the  rest. 

Indoor  Work. 

The  working  up  of  stock  among  tender  things 
for  the  flower  garden  should  go  on  apace,  so  that 
the  young  plants  may  be  of  good  size  by  the  time 
they  are  wanted  for  planting.  The  few  weeks  in  a 
higher  temperature,  which  I  recommended  some 
time  ago  for  herbaceous  Lobelias,  will  have  had 
the  good  effect  of  starting  both  root  and  top- 
growth.  They  should  now  be  brought  out  from 
the  warm  house  and  gradually  hardened.  In  their 
turn  the  zonal  Geraniums  should  follow  suit,  but 
not  so  rapidly,  as  they  are  more  tender  ;  still,  the 
earlier  they  are  hardened  in  season  the  better  they 
will  transplant  later.  Autumn-struck  cuttings  of 
such  things  as  Abutilons  and  other  shrubby  plants 
that  may  be  used  as  "  dot"  plants  in  beds  must  be 
potted  off' singly  and  treated  well  that  they  may 
grow  into  nice  specimens.  Look  through  seeds  in 
stock,  and  sow  those  tender  annuals  which  do  not 
make  very  rapid  progress,  but  leave  the  quicker- 
growing  ones,  such  as  Marigolds,  Zinnias,  and 
Phlox  Drummondi,  which  suffer  through  too  early 
raising,  to  be  sown  next  month. 

J.  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  QardemH,  Derhy. 


A    SHADY    W^ALK, 

Walks  that  are  in  complete  shade  are  an 
esisential  for  summer  comfort  in  every  garden. 
The  one  now  illustrated  is  a  per- 
gola, the  shade  of  whose  climb- 
ing plants  is  made  heavier  by 
that  of  the  surrounding  trees  and 
shrubs.  The  presence  of  these 
auxiliaries  is  not  perhaps  very 
good  for  the  actual  climbing 
plants  on  the  wooden  structure, 
but  they  combine  to  make  a 
pretty  and  pleasant  shady  way. 


i.e.,  their  growths  should  not  be  shortened. 
Where  laterals  are  strong  and  numerous  they  may 
be  shortened  ijack  a  little,  and  each  year  one  or 
more  of  the  oldest  growths  are  best  cut  clean  out, 
not  only  to  pmvide  more  light  and  air  to  those 
remaining,  but  also  to  make  tlie  plant  throw  ont 
new  growth  from  the  base,  and  thus  keep  it 
vigorous  and  healthy.  But  on  no  account  tip 
the  growths  to  alter  the  character  of  the  plant. 
The  semi-drooping  branches,  like  the  hedge  Roses, 
never  appear  so  beautiful  as  when  retained  in  their 
natural  style  of  growth  and  laden  with  trusses 
of  blossom.  With  the  many  beautiful  climbing 
Teas  and  Noisettes  July  is  the  time  to  do  any 
pruning  necessary.  Now,  all  that  should  be 
needful  is  to  cut  out  dead  wood,  shorten  laterals 
to  2  inches  or  3  inches,  and  remove  one  or  more 
of  the  superabundant  growths  of  the  greatest  age. 
The  fine  long  growths  made  last  summer  will 
give  the  best  blossom,  and  should  be  preserved 
even  if  some  three  or  four  of  the  older  growths  are 
discarded. 

Newly  planted  climbing  Roses  should  always  be 
pruned  back  quite  half  their  length  the  first  season, 
and  even  as  far  back  as  18  inches  would  be  all  the 
better  for  the  future  of  the  plant.  By  adopting 
this  plan  the  ba.sal  ej'es  are  compelled  to  break, 
and  thus  the  foundation  is  laid  for  a  well-furnished 
specimen  instead  of  one  lanky  and  bare. 

Rambling  Roses  on  pillars  and  chains  are  all 
pruned  after  flowering  or  any  time  between  .July 
and  September.  The  work  now  necessary  is  to 
remove  dead  wood,  if  any,  and  retie  the  growths 
to  well-secured  stakes. 

Roses  eok  Pegging  Down 
must   have    their    growths    retained    the   desired 
length,  but  do  not  bend  them  over  until  April. 

In  pruning  the  Hybrid  Perpetual,  Hybrid  Tea, 
and  Tea-scented  it  should  be  clearly  understood 
whether  exhibition  flowers  are  required  or  merelj' 
for  the  garden.  One  cannot  have  exactly  qualitj' 
and  quantit3'  as  well.  If  the  plants  are  grown 
for  show,  the  hard  ripened  wood  of  the  previous 
year  should  be  looked  after,  and  all  the  weakly 
and  old  growth  cut  out. 

Strong  growers  may  have  their  growths  retained 


from  12  inches  to  18  inches  in  length.  Prune 
moderate  growers  to  the  best  plump  eye,  high  or 
low,  and  weak  growers,  such  as  Xavier  Olibo,  cut 
back  to  two  or  three  eyes. 

Where  a  profusion  of  blossom  is  desired,  the  old 
woiid  should  still  be  cut  away  to  a  great  extent, 
that  is,  wood  more  than  three  years  old  ;  but  the 
last  summer's  growths  are  very  slightly  shortened. 
Where  much  cut  bloom  is  needed  with  long  stems, 
a  separate  set  of  plants  should  be  grown  for  this. 
It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  we  can  gather 
great  bunches  of  blossom  from  our  plants,  some  of 
them  with  1  foot  to  1^  feet  of  growth,  without 
seriously  undermining  the  vigour  of  such  plants, 
and  if  we  would  see  bold  masses  of  Roses  develop 
into  fine  bushes,  the  knife  should  be  spared  as 
much  as  possible  at  all  times. 

Three  points  should  be  kept  in  view  in  dealing 
with  Roses  for  garden  decoration,  and  they  are  : 
Plenty  of  space  between  the  plants,  a  free  thinning 
of  the  centre  of  the  bush  or  standard,  and  very 
sparsely  pruning  the  best  and  youngest  growths. 

By  pruning  to  an  outward-looking  eye  we 
encourage  this  widening  of  the  plants,  and  if 
needful  with  stiff  growers  it  may  be  still  further 
assisted  by  inserting  some  firm  pegs  in  the  ground 
and  slightly  spreading  out  the  shoots  and  attaching 
them  thereto. 

Standard  Roses 
of  the  free-growing  kinds,  such  as  W.  A.  Pvichard- 
son,  require  verj'  little  pruning  provided  the}'  have 
escaped  injury  by  frost.  If  their  growths  bend 
over  umbrella  fashion  they  appear  more  picturesque 
when  laden  with  blossom,  and  are  very  beautiful 
objects  when  well  grown  and  secured  firmly  to  a 
good  stake.  Crimson  Rambler,  Aimee  Vibert, 
and  others  on  standards,  pendulous  with  blossom- 
laden  growths,  are  objects  of  much  beauty,  and 
this  can  oidy  be  secured  by  very  sparse  pruning. 

Su.MMER  Roses 
of   the  moss   tribe,   the  Cabbage  Roses,   Gallicas, 
Maiden's  Blush,  and  such  like  are  generallj'  over- 
pruned,  and  nuich  of  their  beauty  lost. 

New  growths  should  be  encouraged  in  ever}'  way, 
and  these  only  very  slightly  pruned,  but  some  of 
the  old  wood  must  be  cut  clean  out  each  year. 


ROSE   GARDEN. 


PRUNING    ROSES. 

IN  districts  where  there  is  im- 
munitj'  from  spring  frosts 
pruning  should  not  be  delayed 
a  day.  I  would  prune  in  Feb- 
ruary were  I  sure  ihat  the 
plants  would  escape  injury 
from  May  frost.  I  do  not  like  to 
prune  when  growths  are  very  for- 
ward, for  not  only  do  they  "bleed," 
and  consequently  cause  a  weakening 
of  the  plant,  but  some  of  the  best 
eyes  are  lost  if  one  prunes  back  to 
dormant  eyes,  as  sliould  be  done. 

I  am  firmly  convinced  that  prun- 
ing has  been  overdone  in  the  past. 
Insufficient  attention  has  been  paid 
to  the  character  of  the  Rose  pruned 
and  the  kind  of  wood  removed. 

Now,  all  the  Rambler  tribe,  the 
Ayrshires,  the  Evergreen  Roses, 
Penzance  Briars,  Austrian  Briars, 
single  Roses  of  climbing  or  vigorous 
habit,  Scotch  Roses,  and  Macartney 
Roses  should  not  be  pruned  at  all. 


a    pergola   TUICKL'i'    COVERED    WITH    CLIMBING    PLANTS — A    SHADY    W.-iLK    IN    SUJIMER. 


186 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[March  9,  1901. 


Roses  in  the  Wild  Gardes 
will  need  attention.  Do  not  allow  them  to  become 
a  thicket  of  growth.  With  the  secateurs  remove 
some  of  the  centre  shoots  and  allow  the  others  to 
tumble  away  as  they  like,  and,  of  course,  entirely 
without  pruning. 

I  would  not  advise  the  pruning  of  Tea  and 
Noisette  Roses  of  the  dwarf  section  before  the 
first  week  in  April.  They  will  probably  be  ver3' 
forward,  but  experience  teaches  the  uselessness  of 
pruning  prior  to  this  date.  Philohei,. 


NICOTIANA    SYLVESTRIS. 

The  accompanying  illitstration  shows  a  group 
of  this  now  well-known  Tobacco,  N.  sylvestris, 
which  has  in  a  large  measure  taken  the  place 
of  N.  .attinis  in  English  gardens.  N.^  sylvestris 
is  a  handsome  plant,  as  the  illustration  shows, 
and  is  especially  imposing  when  thus  grouped. 
It  is  quite  unlike  N.  attinis.  The  flowers  are 
produced  with  great  freedom,  are  tubular  in 
form,   very  fragrant,  and  pure  white,  and  do 


Clij/.iU  lievii. — The  smooth-lipped  Chysis  is  an 
ornamental  species,  with  medium-sized  flowers  of 
a  bright  shade  of  orange,  with  a  white  lip 
distinctly  spotted  and  striped  with  carmine..  It 
comes  from  Mexico. 

Cijpripedium  lanxheryta.—K  very  handsome, 
rich  dark  red  hybrid  form,  the  result  of  a  cross 
between  C.  bellatuluni  and  C.  Boxalli.  The  slipper 
is  comparatively  small  and  the  foliage  marbled. 

Schombmykia  HmnhokUi.  —  An  exceedingly 
beautiful  as' well  as  rare  and  little-known  species, 
with  handsome  spikes  of  white  and  lilac  flowers 
with  a  deep  carmine  tube  and  lip. 

The  March  number  of  Reriii'  de  rhorliailliire 
Be/ye  has  a  fine  double  plate  of  the  well-known 
Solamim  Wendlandi,  perhaps  the  handsomest 
member  of  its  family.  It  requires  plenty  of  room 
and  a  warm  temperature,  such  as  that  of  the 
tropical  Nympha;a  house  at  Kew,  to  enable  it  to 
be  seen  in  its  full  beauty. 

The  first  number  of'  the  Btriie  Horlkolt  for 
March  also  contains  a  portrait  of  the  same 
handsome  iSolanura,  which,  however,  by  no  means 
does  such  adequate  justice  to  the  beauty  of  the 
plant  as  the  Belgian  representation. 


curious  dull  red  bracts  round  tlie  pedicels,  uniting 
each  flower  with  the  main  stem.  It  bloomed  in  a 
hothouse  in  August,  1900. 

Kalaiichoi/  Beii/i. — A  native  of  Southern  Arabia. 
A  rather  pretty  member  of  the  Crassula  family, 
with  bunches  of  pure  white  flowers  and  pink  buds. 

MasiUra//ki  deor.-'a.  —A  native  of  Xew  Grenada. 
A  very  remarkalile  species,  difl'ering  from  all 
others  liy  its  strictly  pendulous  habit,  resembling 
that  of  Cattleya  citrina.  It  was  first  bloomed  in 
cultivation  by  Mr.  Moore  at  (;lasnevin  Botanic 
Gardens.  W.  E.  (Utmbleton. 


A    GROUP    or    NICOTIANA   SYLVESTRIS. 


not  close  up  in  the  daytime,  but  remain 
expanded  in  the  hottest  sunshine.  This  is,  of 
course,  a  point  of  much  importance.  The 
flowers  of  N.  affinis  collapse  in  the  sun,  and 
only  revive  when  the  cool  evening  air  fans 
them  into  life  and  gives  them  the  power  again 
of  distilling  their  sweet  perfume.  As  this  is 
the  time  for  sowing  N.  sylvestris  seed  in  gentle 
heat  under  glass  this  note  may  induce  those 
who  have  not  tried  it  to  do  so  this  year. 


RECENT    PLANT     PORTRAITS. 

Tub  second  part  of  the  sixteenth  volume  of 
Lindenia  contains  portraits  of  the  following  four 
Orchids  ; — 

Cattleya  Lansbergei. — A  most  beautiful  flower, 
the  result  of  a  cross  fertilisation  effected  between 
C.  aurea  and  C.  labiata.  The  petals  and  sepals 
are  of  a  pale  rose  colour  with  a  large  fringed  lip  of 
a  deep  rosy  purple  outside  and  an  almost  white 
centre,  exquisitely  shaded  and  veined. 


The  March  number  of  the  Botanical  Magazine 
contains  portraits  of  the  following  five  plants  :  — 

Hymeriocallis  .^cizoslejihana. — A  native  of  Brazil. 
A  distinct  but  not  very  ornamental  member  of 
this  family,  nearly  allied  to  H.  tubiHora  or 
Pancratum  guianense.  Its  flowers  are  pure  white 
and  also  fragrant. 

Modecca  ■■ieneii.iix.  —  A  native  of  Mozambique  and 
Delagoa  Bay.  It  is  also  known  under  the 
synonym  of  Clemanthus  senensis.  This  is  a 
member  of  a  genus  of  tropical  African,  Asiatic, 
and  Australian  plants,  containing  nearly  forty 
known  species,  but  almost  all  of  tliem  unknown  in 
cultivation,  only  one  of  them  having  been  hitherto 
figured  in  any  English  horticultural  work,  the 
M.  lobata  in  Botanical  Register  on  plate  433.  All 
are  unisexual  climbers.  The  flowers  are  tubular 
:  and  pendulous,  of  a  greenish  white  colour  outside 
and  pure  white  within.     They  are  also  fragrant. 

Ciidogyne    Veilchi. — A   native    of   New    Guinea. 

I  This  is' a  very  distinct  but  by  no  means  specially 

beautiful   member  of  a  family  of  which  nearly  a 

hundred  specimens  are  known.     It  produces  long, 

'  pendulous   racemes   of    pure   white    flowers   with 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON    PLANT 
LIFE.-VI. 

The  Lesser  Celandine. 

The  Lesser  Celandine  is  not  particular  where 
it  grows  ;  sometimes  it  may  be  seen  in  thou- 
sands out  in  the  open  fields,  yellowing  them  in 
anticipation  of  its  brother  Buttercups  ;  for  it 
IS  a  Buttercap,  but  its  golden  flowers  have 
several  instead  of  five  jjetals.  Somehow  it  has 
forgotten  how  tri  make  any  use  of  its 
flowers,  for  it  rarely  sets  seed  now, 
yet  it  has  the  little  honey-pot  at  the 
bottom  of  each  petal,  from  which 
insects  may  suck  sweet  nectar,  who 
then  bustling  about  scatter  the  jiollen 
from  one  flower  on  to  another  to 
secui-e  "  cross-fertilisation,"  according 
to  Nature's  way  of  doing  things. 
The  reason  is  that  it  multiplies 
itself  by  means  of  little  buds  below 
ground,  which  are  given  oft'  by  the 
stem,  each  bud  being  provided  with 
a  club-shaped  root  full  of  starch 
and  other  good  things  wherewith  to 
live  upon  when  it  gets  detached  from 
the  parent  plant,  and  so  can  grow  up 
into  a  new  one,  for  many  plants 
which  increase  under t/rotmd,  fail  to 
seed  nboiie  it,  inasmuch  as  the  pollen 
is  arrested  in  its  formation  and  so  is 
ineffectual,  as  in  the  Horseradish  and 
the  Saftron  Crocus. 

It   has,  however,  another    way   of 

producing   progeny.      If   the   Lesser 

Celandine  happen  to  grow  in  a  dam]i, 

shady  i)lace  it  may  Ijear  no  flowers 

at  all.     It  then  makes  little  pill-like 

balls     in     the    "axils"    or     corners 

between   the   base  of   the   leaf-stalk 

and  stem.     These  have  no  particular 

structure,  but  when  the  plant  decays 

they  fall  out  and  develop  roots  below 

with  a  bud  above  and  grow  up  into 

a  new  plant ;    so  that  this  plant  can, 

under  ditt'erent  conditions,   multiply 

in  three  ditt'erent  ways.     In  Southern 

Europe,  Malta,  &c.,  it  grows  into  a  much  finer 

plant   than  in  England,   having  larger  leaves 

and  flowers,  almost  e(iual  to  those  of  the  Marsh 

Marigold,  so  that  botanists  have  called  it  the 

variety  calthiefolius. 

Now,  what  is  its  history  I  The  leaf  is  rounded 
and  smooth,  quite  unlike  the  divided,  hairy 
leaf  of  a  true  Buttercup.  The  form  suggests 
that  of  the  Marsh-loving  Cii/t/ia,  or  that  of  the 
aquatic  Frogbit  ;  or,  again,  even  of  a  \\'ater 
Lily  in  miniature.  If  we  cut  up  its  stem  and 
leaf-stalk  we  find  air-chambers,  .so  characteristic 
of  all  water-plants.  If  we  examine  its  leaves 
with  a  microscope  we  find  the  i)repnnderance 
of  breathing  pores,  called  "  stomates,"  to  be  on 
the  upper  surface,  as  is  the  case  with  the 
floating  leaves  generally.  If  w^e  let  the  seed.s 
grow  we  find  they  ]iosscss  only  one  seed-leaf, 
instead  of  two  as  in  ]5uttorcu]is  and  the 
familiar  Mustard  and  Cress,  when  we  eat  them. 
What  do  all  these  things  mean  I  That  we 
must  infer  that  this  Celandine's  ancestor  was 


March  16,  1901.  J 


THE    GAEDEN. 


187 


ail  aquatic  plant,  having  descended  from  some 
lost  ancestral  Buttercup  which  took  to  the 
water,  and  the  above-mentioned  features  are 
the  effects  of  living  a  submerged  life,  with  only 
the  I'ounded  leaf-blade  floating  on  the  surface, 
while  the  flowers  doubtless  rose  up  into  the 
air.  Many  year,s  ago,  however,  it  got  tired  of 
living  in  the  water  and  became  a  land  plant. 
Again  it  fitted  itself  for  a  new  life  by  producing 
breathing  pores  in  the  underside  of  the  leaves, 
as  is  usually  the  case  with  land  plants.  Force 
of  habit,  however,  made  it  retain  the  above- 
mentioned  aquatic  features,  which  thus  betray 
its  former  mode  of  life. 

Geoeke  Henslow. 


AN    ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK. 


GALAX    APHYLLA. 

A  PLEASING  plant  is  this,  and  one  of 
the  manygood  things  that  have  come 
to  our  gardens  from  North  America. 
It  de.serves  a  front  place,  for  it  has 
something  to  show  all  the  year.  The 
thin  strong  leathery  leaves  all  rise 
from  the  root  on  stalks  of  so  wiry  a  character 
that  on  handling  them  they  remind  one  of 
those  of  Epimedium  pinnatum.  After  the 
graceful  white  flower-spikes,  wh^ch  appear  in 
late  summer,  are  over,  the  leaves 
become  sjiotted  and  mottled  with 
a  fine  red  colour,  which  spreads 
until,  in  late  autumn  and  early 
winter,  some  leaves  become 
wholly  red,  while  nearly  all  are 
prettily  coloured.  This  excellent 
jjlant  likes  a  shady  or  half  shady 
place  in  damp  peat,  or  a  light 
vegetable  soil  of  sandy  leaf- 
mould. 


against  a  south  wall  ;  but  for  a  conservatory 
east,  west,  or  even  north,  should  be  chosen 
rather  than  a  southern  aspect,  which  is  generally 
far  too  scorching  in  spring  anil  summer  for  the 
well-being  of  plants  in  flower,  though  necessarily 
colder  in  winter.  It  has  happened  to  me  to  enter 
into  possession  of  a  conservatory  so  badly  planned 
at  the  outset,  though  intended  to  be  imposing, 
and  such  a  veritable  sun-trap,  that  it  was  hopeless 
to  try  to  keep  it  well  arranged  with  fresh -looking 
foliage  or  flower.  Ultimately  it  was  turned  into 
an  aljode  for  Cacti  and  succulent  plants — for  which 
it  was  passably  well  adapted — much  to  the  amuse- 
ment of  friends,  who,  nevertheless,  were  often 
much  interested  by  an  inspection  of  what  they 
were  pleased  to  call  my  "prickly  oddities."  For 
strictly  decorative  purposes,  therefore,  a  north 
aspect  may  be  not  without  its  advantages.  Other- 
wise it  is  to  be  avoided,  as  it  can  onlv  be  used 
successfully  for  certain  shade-loving  plants,  of 
which  Lapageria  may  be  given  as  a  notable 
example. 

iSite  and  aspect  being  chosen,  the  special  needs 
of  the  unheated  greenhouse  must  be  considered. 
These  are  dryness,  ventilation,  and  shading. 

Dryness. 
It  may  seem  absurd  to  insist  upon  dryness  as  an 
essential  point  in  a  plant  house,  which,  from  its 
very  purpose,  must  be  more  or  less  damp  ;  but 
there  is  always  a  point  when  a  blessing  may 
become  a  curse,  and  of  all  worries  and  annoyances 
in  a  cold  greenhouse  there  are  none  greater  than 
drip.     The  evil  is  not  so  urgent  in  summer,  though 


even  then  tlicre  are  bulbs  put  aside  to  ripen,  or 
succulent  plants  on  no  account  to  be  over-watered, 
which  the  drip  is  sure  to  visit  in  preference  to  the 
moisture-loving  plant  a  foot  or  two  distant ;  but  in 
winter,  when  heavy  rain  is  often  speedily  followed 
by  hard  frost,  to  have  pot  plants  soaked  with  water 
and  then  frozen  is  simple  ruin,  and  means  many  a 
heart-break.  It  is  by  no  means  a  very  easy 
matter  to  avoid  this  trouble,  and  carpenters 
inexperienced  in  horticultural  building  have 
sometimes  to  be  employed,  especially  in  the 
country,  and  they  are  apt  to  make  mistakes.  It 
is  probably  safer  to  put  all  such  work  into  the 
hands  of  some  well-known  and  established  flrm, 
but  it  is  a  very  general  practice  in  these  days  to 
obtain  woodwork  and  glass  all  ready  to  put 
together  and  to  do  the  fitting  on  the  spot  with 
such  assistance  as  is  at  hand.  When  this  is  done 
care  should  be  taken  to  insist  on  well-seasoned 
wood,  the  lack  of  which  is  a  fruitful  source  of 
mischief.  Forewarned  is  forearmed,  and  a  few 
hints  to  those  who  have  to  overlook  an  inexpert 
workman  or  to  do  the  fitting  themselves  may  be 
helpful.  The  slope  of  the  roof,  the  quality  and 
lap  of  the  glass,  and  the  shooting  to  carry  off  the 
surplus  rainfall  are  all  matters  of  moment  which 
cannot  be  provided  for  at  haphazard  with 
impunity.  It  is  an  axiom  well  understood  bj' 
gardeners,  but  not  so  well  by  amateurs,  that  a 
plant  house  should  be  no  higher  than  is  actually 
necessary  for  the  plants  grown  in  it,  allowing,  of 
course,  comfortable  head  room  for  the  cultivator. 
In  other  words,  the  plants  should  be  as  near  the 
light  as  possible,  a  lofty  house  in  most 
cases  being  positively  detrimental  to 
them.  On  the  other  hand,  a  low- 
pitched  house  will,  as  gardeners  say, 
"keep  the  moistui'e  down,"  which  means 
a  damp-laden  atmosphere.  Now  this 
IS  just  what  is  wanted  in  some  cases — 
e.g.,  in  a  Cucumber  pit — where  strong 
heat  and  heavy  moisture  are  essential 
factors  in  successful  culture  ;  but  in  an 
unheated  house  moist  air,  which  in 
winter  is  liable  to  be  stagnant  and  must 


THE      UNHEATED 
GREENHOUSE.-III. 

Some  Hints   ox  Construction. 

Too  often  it  happens  that  we  are 
the  victims  of  circumstance  and 
have  to  make  the  best  of  what 
falls  to  our  lot,  but  when  we  can 
be  the  architects  of  our  own  for- 
tunes in  greenhouse  matters  it  is 
well  to  know  beforehand  exactly 
what  we  want.  Without  pretend- 
ing to  enter  into  details,  which 
must  be  regulated  by  individual 
cases,  let  nie  crave  permission  to 
set  down  a  few  points  i/f  construc- 
tion of  special  importance  to  the 
well-doing  of  the  unheated  green- 
house which  have  come  under  my 
own  notice. 

To  begin  with,  a  few  words  on 

Aspect, 
which,  though  ihey  may  apply 
equally  -Hell  to  all  plant  houses, 
may  not  be  out  of  place  here.  It 
is  an  accepted  fact  that  a  span 
house,  wherever  it  is  possible,  is 
far  and  away  the  best  form  of  glass 
structure  for  the  successful  culture 
of  plants.  It  is  warmer  and  lighter, 
and  in  it  a  genial  atmosphere  can 
be  more  easily  maintained.  An 
open  position,  away  from  high  walls 
and  trees,  should  be  chosen  for  its 
site,  with  a  run,  by  preference,  from 
east  to  west,  which,  on  the  whole, 
gives  the  best  results.  A  lean-to 
house,  especially  when  wanted  for 
early-flowering  shrubs  or  bulbs, 
should     be     placed,     if     possible, 


GALAX    APHYLLA. 


(From  a  drawing  hy  U.  G.  .Muon.) 


188 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March   16,  1901. 


be  chill,  is  exactly  what  we  have  to 
avoid.  To  put  it  more  accurately,  we 
must  have  it  in  our  power  to  regulate 
the  degree  of  atmospheric  damp,  suppl}'- 
ing  moisture  when  required  in  hot,  drj' 
weather,  but  keeping  mostly  on  the 
side  of  moderate  dr3'ness  both  in  summer 
and  winter.  Where  the  roof  is  steep, 
however,  hot  !^:uushine  will  cause  a  rapid 
upward  current,  which  dries  the  air  so 
thorouglily  liiiit  plants  will  quickly 
droop,  and  unless  constantly  refreshed 
they  will  soon  hang  out  signals  of 
supreme  distress  in  the  waj'  of  blight. 
Not  only  so,  but  a  steep  roof  takes  more 
glass  and  presents  a  greater  surface  to 
frost.  A  happy  mean  must  therefore 
be  struck,  and  it  lies  between  the  two 
extremes  of  2.5"  and  3,'j''^  or  at  most  40°, 
with  tlie  proviso  that  the  house  be  kept 
as  low  as  it  reasonably  can  be  in  accord- 
ance with  its  proposed  purpose,  whether 
it  be  for  dwarf-growing  alpines  or 
flowering  shruljs  or  Roses.  For  a  small 
house  '20  feet  by  12  feet,  a  good  average 
slope  would  be  37°,  for  if  the  width  be 
narrow  a  higher  pitch  is  required  to  give 
standing  room  ;  but  in  planning  a  house 
it  is  much  better  to  allow  for  as  much 
breadth  as  possible,  as  it  will  be  found 
more  convenient  in  ever3'  wa}'. 

Careful  glazing  is  a  point  in  chief  for 
the  prevention  of  drip.  Glass  of  21oz. 
quality  slioukl  alwa^'s  be  used,  to  save 
breakage  amongst  other  reasons,  and 
a  good  average  size  for  the  panes  is 
22  inches  by  1-1  inches.  It  has  been 
lately  pleaded  in  a  monthly  serial  of 
highly  artistic  authorit\-,  that  green- 
houses should  be  built  "  as  of  old,  with 
small  sheets  of  glass  laid  thickly  over- 
lapping, and  more  proof  against  scorching  and 
freezing  than  the  neat,  big-sheeted,  modern  kinds," 
and  from  an  artistic  point  of  view  this  advice 
cannot  be  gainsaid.  There  is  truth,  too,  in  the 
argument  that  thick  overlapping  may  give  more 
shade  in  summer  and  greater  protection  in  winter, 
though  it  does  not  counterbalance  other  disadvan- 
tages ;  but  greenhouses,  unhappily,  are  not 
picturesque,  and  we  must  be  content  meanwhile 
with  tlie  practical  side  of  the  question.  So  let  the 
gardener  court  all  the  liglit  that  is  .so  essential  a 
factor  in  the  well-being  of  the  plants.  An  overlap 
of  half  an  inch  ia  (piite  enough.  When  it  is 
broader  green  mould  collects,  which  is  not  even 
picturesque  in  its  ugliness,  while  in  hard  frosts  the 
moisture  which  lodges  becomes  frozen  and  very 
often  cracks  the  glass.  Smoothly  ground  edges  to 
fit  closel}'  without  any  lap  are  sometimes  recom- 
mended, but  the  panes  are  liable  to  slip  and 
occasion  needless  trouble.  In  any  case  this  plan 
is  better  left  unattempted  by  unskilled  hands. 
As  a  hint  to  an  inexperienced  glazier  and  to  ensure 
a  water-tight  roof,  the  squares  sliould  be  well 
bedded  in  putty,  which  must  be  neatly  trimmed 
off  within  and  without— no  outside  putty  being 
required — and  it  is  well  to  use,  besides,  four  brass 
tacks  to  keep  each  pane  in  place.  If  these  small 
details  are  not  overlooked  and  the  woodwork 
kept  at  all  times  thoroughly  well  painted  inside 
and  out,  there  ought  to  be  no  fear  of  annoyance 
from  drip.  An  excellent  method  adopted  by  a 
thoroughly  practical  horticultural  architect  is 
slightly  to  round  oft'  the  lower  edge  of  each  pane 
of  glass,  which  attracts  the  wet  to  the  middle 
point  and  greatly  lessens  the  risk  of  drip. 

It  is  no  less  important  to  avoid  ground  damp, 
and  good  brick  or  concrete  paths  in  a  working 
greenhouse  are  a  great  boon.  In  a  conservatory 
opening  out  of  rooms  a  flooring  of  tiles  that 
are  non-porous  is  very  desirable.  Flags  are 
commonly  used  for  this  purpose,  especially  in 
the  country,  and  perhaps  look  better,  but  they 
"  hold  the  wet,"  and  if  quite  plain  tiles  are  chosen 
there  need  be  nothing  to  oftend  the  eye,  while  the 
gain  is  great.  In  hot  weather  the  floor  can  be 
sprinkled  several  times  a  day,  and  the  moisture 
will  quickly  find  its  way  into  the  air  and  leave  no 
puddles  behind  it.     Borders  are  not  to  be  recom- 


I'E.iR    BEURRE    RANCE.       (SVilhlljl  reduced.) 


mended,  as  has  been  said  before,  or  any  kind  of 
planting  out  in  a  conservatory,  especially  in  a 
small  one,  partly,  though  not  wholly,  on  account 
of  ground  damp,  but  this  must  be  a  matter  for 
individual  taste  to  decide. 

Delightful  as  it  is  to  look  out  upon  a  garden 
picture  of  bright  flowers  close  at  hand  when  all 
beyond  is  shrouded  in  fog  or  iron-bound  in  frost, 
it  must  be  granted  that  a  good  deal  of  damp,  very 
undesirable  but  easily  communicated  to  a  sitting- 
room,  is  a  not  infrequent  sequence  of  the  privilege, 
especially  when  the  conservator}'  is  unheated. 
It  can  be  mitigated,  however,  if  not  altogether 
avoided,  overhead  by  the  thoroughly  sufficient 
system  of  glazing  that  has  been  hsre  recommended 
for  the  prevention  of  drip,  and  under  foot  by  a 
floor  tiled  throughout,  which  effectually  precludes 
the  rising  of  moisture  from  the  ground. 

Shooting. 

An  abundant  supply  of  rain  water  close  at  hand 
is  important,  no  less  for  the  convenience  of  the 
cultivator  than  for  the  welfare  of  his  plants,  and 
no  working  greenhouse  should  be  built  without  a 
tank  of  some  sort  to  hold  the  rainfall  from  the 
roof  and  proper  gutters  to  convej'  it  into  the  right 
receptacle.  The  waste  of  water  in  this  land  of 
ours  is  enormous,  and  it  is  a  suljject  which  calls 
for  much  more  serious  consideration  bj'  experts 
than  has  hitherto  been  given  to  it.  In  a  small 
way — C.J/.,  from  the  roofs  of  glass  houses  in  private 
gardens — much  good,  pure  water  is  allowed  to  run 
away  for  want  of  proper  shooting,  soaking  into 
the  ground,  where  it  makes  a  swamp  and  doing 
harm  where  it  should  be  an  unmixed  good.  A 
well  cemented  covei-cd  tank  below  the  ground 
level  with  a  pump  is  perhaps  the  most  convenient 
form  of  reservoir,  as  its  holding  capacity  may  be 
as  great,  in  reason,  as  space  and  circumstance  will 
permit,  and  certainly  greater  than  that  of  any 
cistern  than  can  be  placed  in  the  greenhouse  itself. 
An  open  tank  possesses  this  advantage,  however, 
that  the  water  it  contains  is  tempered  and  never 
so  cold  as  that  which  is  drawn  from  below  ;  but  it 
takes  up  room,  and,  unless  very  well  planned,  is 
ugly.  For  some  positions  a  barrel  half-hidden  by 
Ivy  answers  ver^'  well,  and  may  be  made  a  pretty 
feature  ;  but,  in  truth,  standing  water  in  an  open 


tank  is  better  outside  than  within  an  unheated 
greenhouse,  so  long  as  there  is  a  supply  close  at 
hand.  The  shooting  in  most  general  use  is  3-inch 
"  half-round  "  iron  guttering,  held  up  by  brackets  ; 
but  3-inch  "three-quarter  round"  spouting  is 
better  for  heavy  rainfall,  as  it  is  a  great  nuisance 
to  have  an  overflow  running  down  the  glass  and 
finding  its  way  into  the  greenhouse  instead  of  into 
the  tank.  In  fixing  the  gutters  a  fall  of  from 
3  inches  to  4  inches  should  be  allowed  in  a  length 
of  .50  feet. 

Before  passing  on  to  other  conditions  of  tempera- 
ture dependent  on  ventilation  and  shading,  it  may 
be  well  to  suggest  here  that  much  vexation  and 
trouble  will,  generally  speaking,  be  saved  if  the 
plan  of  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory  be  made  on 
the  simplest  lines.  As  far  as  mv  experience  goes 
most  round  or  octagonal  houses  with  a  lantei'n- 
shaped  addition  at  the  top  are  less  adapted  to 
answer  the  needs  of  the  average  amateur,  as  they 
are  of  the  professional  gardener,  than  the  more 
usual  straight-lined  forms,  which  also  have  the 
advantage  of  being  less  costly. 

One  more  item.  It  is  becoming  more  and  more 
the  custom  to  add  coloured  glass  in  some  shape  or 
form  to  plant  houses.  Sometimes  it  is  intended 
as  an  endiellishment,  sometimes  as  a  screen  fron. 
too  neighbouring  houses.  Be  that  as  it  nuvy,  it 
can  scarcely  be  too  forcilily  stated  that  the  plant 
grower  who  is  content  with  plain,  clear  panes  will 
find  himself  the  happier  man  in  the  long  run. 
The  question  of  taste  is  another  matter.  Here  we 
are  only  concerned  with  the  best  methods  of 
growing  plants  under  certain  conditions  and 
enjoying  them  to  the  utmost,  and,  though  I  admit 
that  it  may  be  prejudice,  yet  my  earnest  advice  to 
anyone  who  has  it  in  his  mind  to  build  a  green- 
house is  to  eschew  all  and  every  sort  of  sinined 
glass  in  its  construction.  K.  L.  I). 


HARDY  FRUITS  IN  SEASON. 

WiTir  rclcrcncc  to  late  I'eurs,  tlic  liclief  wus 
gcnorul  lit  one  time,  and  is  more  or  less  so 
still  amongst  gardeners,  that  to  grow  late 
vai'ieties  of  Pears  successfully  the  assistance 
of  expensively    built   walls   was    an    absolute 


March   16,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


189 


necessity.  If  the  few  notes  1  have  had  the 
opportunity  of  writing  for  The  Garden  on 
this  subject  will  haw  done  nothing  more  than 
help  to  dispel  tlii.s  erroneous  impression,  1 
hope  some  slight  service  to  future  jilanters  and 
to  the  public  will  have  been  atibrded.  All  the 
varieties  I  have  mentioned  up  to  now,  with  the 
exception  of  Winter  Nelis,  Beurre  Ranee,  and, 
in  a  (lualified  degree.  Knight's  Monarch,  may 
be  successfully  grown  in  the  open  quarter  of 
the  garden,  and  a  few  also  as  standards  in  the 
orchard.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  recall  the 
names  of  the  varieties  already  mentioned  a,s 
succeeding  well  under  the.se  ordinary  condi- 
tions as  bushes  or  pyramids  :  Beurre  de 
.Tonghe,  Le  Lectier,  Bergamotte  d'Esperen, 
Dana's  Hovey,  Doctor  Joubert,  Easter  Reurrfc, 
and  Doyenne  d'Alen^on,  the  latter,  and  also 
Bergamotte  d'Esperen,  succeeding  well  as 
standards  in  the  orchard. 

Pear  Passe  Crassane. — As  a  variety  ripe  in 
March  this  is  indispensable,  and  should  be 
included  in  every  collection.  It  succeeds  well 
as  a  bush  or  pyramid,  or  even  as  a  standard  in 
the  orchard,  provided  the  ground  it  grows  on 
is  well  drained  and  the  position  is  fully  e.\posed 
to  the  sun.  When  well  grown  it  is  a  hand- 
some fruit  of  good  size,  and  the  flavour  is 
very  rich,  sweet,  and  decidedly  aromatic.  In 
cool  seasons,  and  under  neglected  conditions 
of  culture,  the  fruit  is  inclined  to  be  rather 
gritty,  but  with  generous  treatment  and  an 
ordinarily  bright  sunshiny  season  the  variety 
does  well  here  even  as  an  orchard  tree. 

Ne  Plus  Meuris. — I  am  decidedly  of  opinion 
that  there  are  two  distinct  varieties  of  this 
Pear  in  cultivation,  one  most  excellent  as 
regards  quality,  flavour,  and  fruitfulness,  the 
other  with  more  or  less  a  gritty  tissue,  simply 
a  worthless  fraud.  As  an  orchard  Pear  this 
variety  is  one  of  the  most  fruitful  and  satis- 
factory sort  we  have,  and,  like  Doyenne 
d'Alencon,  it  is  much  improved  in  flavour  by 
being  subjected  to  artificial  heat  for  a  few 
hours  before  it  is  wanted  for  dessert.  Intending 
planters  of  this  Pear  should  be  careful  when 
ordering  trees  to  stipulate  that  the  true  sort  is 
supplied  to  them. 

Duchesse  de  Bordeau.x.  —  Although  this 
variety  has  received  the  first-class  certificate 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  I  must  say 
that  with  us  it  has  been  a  disappointment 
and  a  complete  failure  as  regards  quality  and 
flavour.  It  will  keep  any  length  of  time,  but 
instead  of  ripening  up  mellow  and  sweet  it 
shrivels  and  dries  most  disappointingly.  The 
same  remarks  apply  to  Anna  Nelis,  which 
from  its  many  points  of  resemblance  must  I 
think  be  one  of  the  parents  of  the  above. 

Josephine  de  Malines. — This  superb  variety 
is  so  well  known  and  so  generally  grown  that 
it  need  only  be  mentioned  as  one  of  the  most 
hardy,  prolific,  and  deliciously  flavoured  late 
Pears  we  have.  It  succeeds  well  in  the  open, 
and  is  best  grown  on  the  Quince  stock. 

Epine  du  Mas.  —  This  is  a  very  distinct, 
pretty,  prolific,  and  moderately  sized  late  Pear, 
and  succeeds  well  as  a  bush  or  standard  in  the 
open.  It  is  usually  ripe  early  in  January. 
Flesh  white,  melting,  juicy,  and  sweet,  but 
without  any  distinct  flavour. 

Windsor.  Owen  Thomas. 


P 


Use  of  Celtis  sinensis   leaves.— A 

short  time  ago  a  gentleman  sent  me  two  or  three 
leaves  of  a  tree  which  he  said  were  used  at  Wenchow 
in  a  green  state  for  polishing  pewter,  and  asked 
rae  for  the  botanical  name  of  the  tree.  The  leaves 
appeared  to  be  those  of  a  Celtis,  and  I  have  little 
hesitation  in  saying  that  they  were  those  of  Celtia 
sinensis.  — W.  J.  TuTCHER,  Botanic  Gardens,  Hong 
Kony. 


INSECT_PESTS. 

THE    WOOD    LEOPARD 
MOTH. 

(Zkuzeka  .-KscfJ.!.) 

ERHAPS  nowhere  in  the  British  Isles  is 

the  Wood  Leopard  Moth  so  abundant, 

or  are   its   ravages   on   so   e.xtensive  a 

scale,    as    in    the    London    parks   and 

gardens.       Its   attacks   are   principally 

confined  to  the  Elm,  .Spanish  and  Horse 

Cliestniit,  Mountain  Ash,  Beam  Tree,  Thorn,  and 

Poplar  ;  but  it  is  a  strange  fact  that  although   the 

specific  name  applies  to  the  Horse  Chestnut,  few  if 

any  observers   have  reported   its  attacks  on   that 

tree,   while  several  have  drawn   attention   to  the 

omission. 

In  Greenwich  Park,  the  reverse  is,  however,  the 
case,  for  the  depredations  of  the  caterpillar  of  this 
moth  are  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the  wood 
of  the  Spanish  Chestnut,  the  Elm  coming  second, 
and  various  species  of  P yrus  and  Cratiegus  following. 
It  is  the  upper  half  of  each  tree  that  is  usually 
attacked,  rarely  the  main  stem  or  heavier  branches, 
and  when  one  tree  falls  a  victim,  numerous  others 
in  close  proximitj'  are  affected  ;  indeed,  in  one 
instance  that  came  under  my  notice,  almost  every 
Chestnut  tree  in  a  long  avenue  had  fallen  a  prey  to 
the  depredations  of  the  caterpillar  of  this  beautiful 
and  formidable  moth.  Rarely,  however,  have  I 
known  healthy  trees  to  be  attacked,  but  usually 
such  as  are  in  a  declining  condition,  whether  from 
age,  unsuitable  soil,  or  atmospheric  impurities,  the 
latter  frequently  around  London.  The  tunnelling 
of  the  caterpillar  soon  causes  a  collapse  of  the 
woody  tissue,  and  often  so  weakens  the  branch  or 
stem  that  it  readily  snaps  across  in  windy  weather, 
but  this  is  particularly  the  case  with  standard 
Thorns,  or  the  Beam  and  Apple  trees  when  in  a 
young  state.  Often  the  presence  of  the  caterpillar 
in  these  latter  trees  may  be  readily  detected  by 
reason  of  the  curious  swollen  or  thickened  appear- 
ance of  the  stem  or  branch  at  the  points  of  attack  ; 
indeed,  some  of  the  Mountain  Ash  and  Thorns  have 
an  unnatural  and  unsightly  appearance  owing  to 
these  gouty  growths. 

The  life-history  of  the  Wood  Leopard  Moth  is 
interesting,  but  has  rarely,  from  the  difficulty  of 
making  observations,  been  told  in  its  entirety.  In 
early  summer  the  yellowish-coloured  eggs  are  laid 
singly  in  a  hole  or  crevice  of  the  bark,  the  larva;, 
which  require  three  seasons  to  attain  perfection, 
eating  their  way  during  the  first  season  into  the 
soft  wood  immediately  beneath  the  bark,  when 
they  are  only  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  length. 
The  second  season  the  caterpillar  has  attained  to 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  length,  while  in  the 
third  year,  when  full  maturity  is  arrived  at,  the 
length  is  fully  Ij  inches.  A  dirty  or  greenish- 
3'ellow  would  best  describe  the  colour  of  the  eater- 
pillar,  the  body  being  indistinctly  dotted  with 
black,  while  the  head  and  tail  are  of  a  conspicuous 
jet  black.  The  jaws  of  the  caterpillar  are  more 
powerful  than  those  of  any  other  native  species,  as 
will  be  readily  inferred  from  the  beautifully  cut 
tunnels  in  the  stems  and  branches  of  the  Thorn  and 
Chestnut,  even  when  the  wood  of  these  trees  has 
become  almost  petrified  through  age  or  disease. 
They  do  not  avoid  the  hardest  wood,  but  would 
seem  to  tunnel  quite  indifferent  to  the  texture  of 
the  timber  through  which  they  pass.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  the  size  of  tunnel  made  by  the  cater- 
pillar at  the  various  stages  of  growth,  that  of  the 
first  year  being  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter, 
that  of  the  second  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  and  that 
of  the  third  frequently  half  an  inch. 

When  about  to  enter  on  the  chrysalis  state,  the 
caterpillar  either  betakes  itself  to  the  extreme  end 
or  near  the  entrance  of  the  tunnel,  where  it  forms 
an  outer  covering  by  neatly  lining  the  tunnel  with 
small  pieces  of  Chestnut  leaves,  and  a  cocoon  by 
partly  utilising  the  inner  bark  of  the  tree,  the 
latter  forming  a  case  so  strong  that  it  can  only  be 
torn  with  considerable  difficulty.  Usually,  the 
extreme  end  of  a  short  gallery  is  used  for  hiberna- 
tion, rarely  a  cavity  near  the  entrance,  which  is 
I  proved  by  the  fact  that  I  have  many  examples  of 


the  former  and  few  of  the  latter.  Occasionally 
.several  chrysalids  are  found  end  to  eiid  in  the  same 
tunnel.  From  these  the  perfect  moths  emerge  the 
following  spriiig.  As  far  as  my  ob.servations 
extend,  it  would  appear  that  the  caterpillar  does 
not  generally  enter  tlie  chrysalis  state  till  February 
or  March,  as  I  have  found  numbers  of  these  in  all 
stages  of  growth  moving  about  in  the  galleries  as 
late  as  the  end  of  .lanuary. 

As  is  well  known  to  entomologists,  the  Wood 
Leopard  Moth  is  one  of  our  largest  and  most 
beautiful  species,  the  delicate  colouring  of  the 
wings  and  striping  of  the  body  rendering  it 
particularly  distinct  and  handsome. 

When  fully  expanded  the  wings  are  'ij  inches 
across,  and  the  Ijody  about  IJ  inches  long.  The 
wings  are  white,  with  yellowish-brown  veins,  a 
row  of  conspicuous  bluish  rounded  spots  running 
between  every  two,  while  the  head  ami  thorax  are 
covered  with  a  thick  while  pile,  and  the  abdomen 
with  a  black  down,  fringed  with  white  at  each 
joint.  The  moth  flies  during  the  evening  and 
night,  and  usually  frequents  open  portions  of  the 
woodland  or  fields  and  gardens  that  are  surrounded 
by  trees.  Its  lifetime  does  not  appear  to  exceed 
two  months. 

It  may  seem  hard  to  suggest  the  destruction  of 
so  beautiful  a  moth,  but  the  amount  of  damage 
committed  to  timber  by  the  caterpillar  will  be 
found  sufficient  reason  for  waging  a  war  of  exter- 
mination. To  cope  with  the  ravages  is,  however, 
by  no  means  an  easy  task,  unle-^s  in  the  case  of 
small  trees  that  are  readily  accessible  for  exami- 
nation, for,  as  before  stated,  the  tunnelling  is 
usually  engaged  in  at  a  considerable  height  from  I  lie 
ground,  and  near  the  branch  tips,  wheie  n-medies 
are  difficult  of  application.  In  the  case  of  small 
trees,  such  as  the  Thorn  and  various  species  of 
Pyrus,  where  the  entrance  holes  are  readily 
detected,  I  have  found  the  following  methods  fairly 
satisfactorj' : 

1.  With  a  piece  of  unctuous  clay  form  a  cup- 
shaped  receptacle  around  the  aperture,  and  fill  this 
with  gas  tar.  The  tar,  following  the  cour.se  of  the 
tunnel,  generally  kills  or  expels  the  caterpillar. 

2.  Insert  a  piece  of  c3-anide  of  potassium  into 
the  entrance  hole,  and  plug  with  claj'  or  wax  to 
prevent  the  fumes  escaping. 

3.  Plug  the  holes  with  a  mixture  of  soot,  lime, 
and  cow  manure,  the  two  former  in  about  half  the 
bulk  of  the  latter. 

4.  A  piece  of  pliable  wire  inserted  into  the  hole 
has  been  successfully  used  in  killing  or  dislodging 
the  caterpillar. 

Where  a  number  of  trees  are  attacked,  and  the 
top  branches  dying  in  consequence,  pruning  off  and 
burning  the  dead  wood  will  result  in  the  death  of 
large  numbers  of  the  caterpillar,  and  prevent  the 
spread  of  these  by  doing  away  with  the  diseased  or 
decaying  wood,  in  which  they  seem  to  delight  to 
form  their  galleries.  As  the  caterpillars  rarel}' 
attack  the  stems  of  large  trees,  this  method  of 
coping  with  the  evil  will  be  found  both  simple  and 
satisfactory.  A.  D.  Webstek. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

THE    GROWING    OF    MISTLETOE. 


I 


N  many  parts  of  England  Mistletoe  is  found 

growing  in  the  woodlands  on  Lime,  Sycamore, 

Poplar,  and  other  forest  trees,  but  few  have 

seen   it   on    Oak.     These   growths   are  only 

found  in  the  southern  and  midland  counties  ; 

in  the  far  north  it  is  never  found  in  a  wild 

state.     Many  tree  lovers,  however,  are  desirous  of 

having  this  curious  parasite,  and  the  difficulty  has 

been    overcome    b}'   inoculation.      As   the   proper 

season  is  fast  approaching  when  the  operation  can 

be  most  successfully  performed  a  few  %vords  on  the 

subject  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

One  tree  in  a  north  country  garden  where  some 
observations  were  made  bears  both  the  male  and 
female  growth.  This  specimen  is  about  twenty 
years  old.  The  Apple  tree  on  which  it  grows 
is  stunted  somewhat,  but  shows  no  sign  of  decay- 
It  still  bears  fruit  but  sparingh-.  It  is  in  good 
soil  in  a  flower   border,    well  dug  and  manured. 


190 


THE    GARDEN. 


[MiUiCH    Ifi,  1901 


Other  growths  in  the  same  grounds  are  on  Apple, 
Thorn,  Peach,  &c.  ;  some  eight  or  nine  are  fairly 
established.  In  no  case  has  the  bark  been  slit 
and  the  seed  of  the  Mistletoe  inserted  and  bound 
up,  as  some  growers  advocate.  In  one,  however, 
the  bark  has  Ijeen  scraped  and  all  the  cork  bark 
removed  from  tlie  spot  chosen  for  inoculation. 

The  usual  method  of  all  other  of  these  growths 
is  as  follows  :  The  seed  is  ripe  in  late  April  or  early 
May  ;  a  fine  berry  is  selected  and  a  branch  near 
the  trunk  of  the  tree  is  chosen,  laut  it  is  important 
that  this  branch  should  be  young.  The  bark  should 
be,  if  possible,  of  two  years'  growth.  The  operator 
squeezes  the  berry  and  ])resses  it  on  to  the  branch. 
The  seed  (there  is  only  one  in  each  berry) 
is  lying  in  its  own  sticky  pulp,  which  glues  it 
firmly  to  the  bark  and  the  air  soon  hardens  it  into 
a  compact  mass.  Birds  are  great  enemies  at  this 
stage,  being  very  fond  of  the  berries.  It  is 
probably  through  them  instrumentally  that  wild 
Mistletoe  is  grafted.  The  seed  may,  however,  be 
saved  by  inoculating  on  the  under  side  of  the 
branch,  where  alighting  birds  cannot  see  it. 

Mistletoe  has  a  curious  waj'  of  growing,  and 
requires  many  graftings  and  mucli  patience.  It 
seems  to  lie  dormant  for  man}'  months,  but  the 
gradual  evolution  goes  on  unseen.  The  seed  does 
not  send  its  root  into  the  bark  but  waits  for  the 
new  layer  of  bark  to  enclose  it,  and  so  finds  the 
necessarj'  sap  for  its  nourishment.  Eacli  year  the 
finger-like  root  or  sucker  is,  bj'  reason  of  each  fresh 
layer  of  bark,  sunk  deeper  and  deeper,  and  a  tree 
cut  down  and  sawn  through  has  a  most  curious 
appearance,  being  apparently  bored  into  by  the 
many  suckers  of  the  parasite.  This  is,  however, 
only  to  be  observed  after  many  years' growth.  At 
the  end  of  the  first  year  from  inoculation,  if 
successful,  a  tiny  green  leaf  stem  is  seen  on  the 
spot  operated  on  if  carefully  e-xamined,  13'ing  close 
to  the  bark  ;  this  shows  the  germination  of  the 
ovule  or  seed,  which  now  finds  the  sap  needed  tor 
its  nourishment  in  the  surrounding  new  bark. 
The  slem  develops  slowl}',  and  some  months  later 
two  tiny  leaves  appear  and  the  plant  may  then  be 
said  to  have  made  its  start  in  life. 

Many  are  tlie  failures  of  the  amateur,  but  many 
trials  on  various  parts  of  the  various  trees  and 
much  patience  usually  herald  success,  and  Mistle- 
toe growing  is  extremely  interesting  work.  The 
graft  (or  inoculation)  seems  to  require  plentj'  of  air, 
sun,  and  rain,  as  it  has  little  else  to  nourish  it  in 
the  earlier  stages.  Makth. 


AMERICAN    NOTES. 

ROSE  GROWING  UNDER  GLASS. 

A.s  Rose  growing  under  glass  is  a  great  feature  of 
American  gardening,  and  successfully  pursued,  the 
following  extract  from  American  Gardening  should 
interest  our  readers  : — 

The  first  thing  to  consider  is  a  suitable  house, 
as  it  is  useless  to  expect  good  Roses  without  such 
a  house.  I  consider  tlie  regular  so-called  three- 
quarter  span  house,  running  east  and  west,  long 
span  to  the  south,  the  best. 

Soil. 

Probably  one  of  the  most  important  items  in 
Rose  growing  is  soil.  While  it  is  a  fact  that  good 
Roses  have  been  grown  in  all  kinds  of  soil,  varying 
from  light  to  stiff  clay,  all  are  agreed  tliat  a 
moderately  stiff  loam  from  an  old  pasture  is  the 
best. 

Cut  the  sod  3  inclies  or  4  inches  thick  and  heap 
in  a  convenient  place.  The  soil  may  be  put  up  in 
the  autumn  or  spring  before  the  season  for  planting. 
It  should  be  turned  a  number  of  times  before  using 
so  as  to  rot  and  be  made  fine.  Put  about  one- 
fourth  well  rotted  manure  (cow  manure  preferred) 
to  three-fourthi-  soil.  You  may  also  add  about  one 
part  pure  bone  dust  to  fifty  parts  of  soil.  All 
should  be  thoroughly  mixed  before  wheeling  into 
the  house. 

PljANTIN(J. 

Having  a  suitable  house  and  well  prepared  soil 
you  may  begin  planting  about  the  1st  of  June. 
The  earlier  after   this  date   the  better,  though  I 


have  seen  good  Roses  that  were  planted  as  late  as 
August. 

If  you  have  first  quality  glass  that  will  not  burn 
the  foliage,  no  shading  will  be  required  ;  otherwise, 
a  very  light  shading  on  the  glass  during  the  hottest 
weather  is  preferred. 

The  benches  should  be  about  4  inches  deep  with 
ample  drainage.  These  should  be  filled  so  as  to 
have  4  inches  or  4-i  inches  of  soil  after  it  is  settled. 
Mark  the  rows  with  a  line  lengthwise  tlie  benches 
and  check  across  with  a  straight-edge,  and  you  arc 
ready  for  planting.  The  distance  apart  will  depend 
on  the  variety  of  Rose.  About  12  inches  by 
14  inches  or  l.'i  inches  is  proper  for  such  varieties 
as  Bride  and  Bridesmaid. 

Procure  only  strong,  healthy  plants  that  have 
been  kept  growing  without  check  from  the  time 
they  were  potted  from  the  propagating  bed.  See 
that  the  ball  with  roots  is  not  dry  and  hard  when 
planting.  It  is  well  to  give  plants  a  thorough 
watering  a  few  hours  before  planting,  as  they  will 
then  be  in  the  right  condition.  Plant  carefully  a 
little  deeper  than  they  were  in  the  pots,  making  the 
soil  firm  about  each  plant.  Give  them  a  thorough 
watering,  and  keep  them  growing  right  along, 
keeping  all  buds  pinched  off  as  soon  as  they  appear, 
until  the  plants  are  strong  enough  to  give  good 
flowers. 

Keep  your  plants  tied  in  position  during  the 
entire  season.  It  is  well  to  go  over  them  once  a 
week,  tying  in  any  branches  that  may  need  it,  and 
at  the  same  time  pick  off  any  dead  or  diseased 
leaves.  Also  stir  the  surface  of  the  soil  lightly — 
not  more  than  half  an  inch.  This  will  kill  all  weed 
and  grass  seeds  that  may  be  starting.  Some 
growers  object  to  disturbing  the  soil  at  all,  but  I 
am  convinced  that  it  is  beneficial,  if  done  lightly. 
In  any  case,  no  weeds  or  grass  must  be  allowed  to 
become  established. 

Keep  the  house  scrupulously  clean — the  walks 
and  under  the  benches  as  well.  All  dead  leaves 
should  be  burned  instead  of  thrown  into  some 
corner  to  breed  disease. 

Man}'  growers  mulch  their  plants,  and  if  you  can 
give  careful  attention  to  watering  it  is  a  good 
thing.  If  the  plants  are  set  early,  you  may  put  on 
a  light  mulch,  consisting  of  three  or  four  parts  of 
well  rotted  cow  manure  to  one  part  of  soil  in 
August  or  September,  and  again  in  January  or 
February. 

After  the  short  and  often  dark  days  of  December 
and  January,  you  may  give  liquid  manure  regularly 
every  ten  days  or  two  weeks  it  plants  are  growing 
vigorously.  Take  care  that  the  liquid  is  not  too 
strong. 

Watering. 
Water  properly  applied  is  a  verj'  essential 
feature  in  Rose  growing.  Examine  benches  care- 
fully every  day,  giving  water  just  where  needed. 
Water  thoroughly  so  as  to  wet  soil  to  the  bottom  ; 
then  give  time  to  drj'  out,  as  it  will  not  do  to 
allow  the  soil  to  become  sodden. 

Syringe  the  plants  several  times  a  day  during 
hot  weather.  They  will  need  it  oftener  if  there  is 
no  shading  on  the  glass.  The  walks  should  be  wet 
at  the  same  time  to  keep  down  the  temperature. 
This  sj'ringing  is  not  only  useful  in  keeping  a  moist 
and  cooler  atmosphere,  but  it  is  the  only  way  to 
prevent  "  red  spider." 

Ventilation'. 

This  is  another  important  feature,  as  the  health 
and  ability  of  the  plants  to  withstand  insects  and 
disease  (such  as  mildew)  are  largely  dependent  on 
the  way  the  ventilators  are  handled.  Our  vents 
are  never  closed  day  or  night  during  the  sunnner 
months,  except  when  it  is  raining — even  then  the 
side  vents  are  left  open.  When  we  have  cooler 
nights  and  the  temperature  runs  below  (ifl"^  outside, 
it  is  well  to  start  a  little  fire,  but  leave  vents  open 
a  few  inches.  Give  plenty  of  ventilation  whenever 
the  weather  will  permit.  Mildew  is  more  likely  to 
attack  plants  which  have  been  kept  too  olose  than 
those  which  get  an  abundance  of  fresh  air,  even  if 
a  little  draught  should  happen  to  strike  them. 

Open  your  ventilators  a  little  in  the  morning  as 
soon  as  the  sun  raises  the  temperature  a  few 
degrees  above  the  normal  night  temperature.  As 
the  sun  warms  the    house  more  raise   your  vents 


higher,  until  at  noon  you  have  on  all  the  air  the 
plants  will  stand.  Reverse  this  in  the  afternoon, 
lowering  \our  ventilators  graduallj'  until  the}' 
are  finally  closed.  Start  fires  early  enough  so  that 
the  temperature  will  fall  gradually  to  the  point  at 
which  it  is  to  be  kept  through  the  night. 

Insects  and  Diseases. 

Red  spider  and  aphis  (green  fl\')  should  never 
be  allowed  to  gain  a  foothold.  Kreiiucnt  syring- 
ing on  all  bright  days  will  keep  down  red  spider, 
if  well  done.  The  spray  should  be  given  an 
upward  shoot,  so  as  to  hit  the  underside  of  the 
leaves.  Aphis  is  prevented  by  fumigating  regularly 
with  tobacco  in  some  form.  It  seldom  makes  its 
appearance  with  us  until  cold  weather  sets  in,  as 
the  heavy  syringing  keeps  it  off. 

Tobacco  stems  should  not  be  used  for  fumigating 
after  you  commence  cutting  the  flowers,  as  it  will 
injure  the  buds,  no  matter  how  carefulh'  done. 
Probably  the  best  method  is  to  evaporate  a  con- 
centrated tobacco  extract.  Whatever  method  is 
used,  the  house  should  be  fumigated  regularly  once 
a  week. 

The  Rose  bug  is  not  often  heard  of  now.  Hand 
picking  is  the  only  remedy.  Thrips  are  sometimes 
troublesome,  causing  ill-formed  buds,  especially  on 
American  Beauty.  Hard  fumigating  will  eventually 
dislodge  them. 

There  is  no  need  to  have  mildew.  It  seldom 
attacks  thrifty  plants  if  proper  attention  is  given 
to  ventilation.  For  a  preventive  it  is  well  to  paint 
one  or  two  of  the  heating  pipes  with  sulphur  mixed 
with  a  little  lime  to  make  it  stick.  If  it  should 
make  its  appearance  before  firing  begins,  dust  the 
affected  plants  with  flowers  of  sulphur. 

Black  spot  will  not  give  trouble  if  watering  and 
syringing  are  done  early  enough  mi  the  day  to  give 
the  foliage  time  to  dry  before  night,  and  if  firing 
is  commenced  as  soon  as  you  have  cool  nights. 

SCPPOKTS. 

No  one  would  think  of  growing  Roses  now  with- 
out proper  supports.  These  should  be  placed  in 
position  as  soon  as  the  plants  begin  to  grow. 

The  best  support  is  furnished  with  about  No.  9 
galvanized  wire  stakes.  Run  No.  18  galvanized 
wire  over  each  row  of  plants  about  8^  feet  above 
the  top  of  the  bench,  stretching  it  tight  and  securing 
it  well  to  cross  pieces  placed  at  the  ends  of  the 
benches.  Place  a  4-foot  wire  stake  for  each  plant, 
and  secure  it  to  the  overhead  wire.  This  will  hold 
the  stakes  steady.  Tie  the  growths  to  these  stakes 
all  through  the  season,  but  do  not  bunch  like  a 
stalk  of  celery  ready  to  blanch.  Give  each  shoot 
its  proper  place,  so  that  the  plants  may  have  the 
full  benefit  of  the  sun  and  air.  Some  growers  use 
wire  rings,  slipping  them  up  as  the  growth  goes 
higher,  but  I  do  not  deem  these  advisable,  as  they 
bunch  the  plants  too  much. 

Propagation. 

Propagation  is  usually  commenced  \n  January, 
and  may  be  continued  until  you  have  taken  all  the 
cuttings  yon  will  require,  though  it  should  all  be 
done  before  the  warmer  weather  sets  in,  while  you 
can  keep  the  temperature  under  your  control. 

Select  only  strong,  healthy  wood,  cutting  to  two 
eyes  or  more  according  to  the  wood.  Insert  these 
in  fresh  sand  in  a  bench,  so  that  }'ou  can  give  a 
little  bottom  heat,  and  keep  the  temperature  over- 
head as  near  oo"  as  possible,  shading  lightly.  A 
close  atmosphere  is  to  be  avoided. 

As  soon  as  the  cuttings  make  roots  half  an  inch  or 
less,  pot  off  carefully  into  2-inch  or  2i-inch  pots. 
Do  not  allow  them  to  become  pot-bound,  but  shift 
along  into  larger  pots  as  needed,  and  keep  growing 
right  along. 

Varieties. 

Bride  (white)  and  Bridesmaid  (pink)  are  perhaps 
the  most  popular  Roses  for  winter  flowering,  and 
give  the  most  satisfaction.  These  may  be  grown 
in  the  same  house  with  entire  success  in  a  tempera- 
ture of  ."if)'-'  to  oS*-'  with  a  rising  temperature  of 
10'''  to  \'i"  in  sunlight. 

Wooton  (red),  President  Carnot  (flesh),  Mrs. 
Morgan  (rose  pink),  and  others  niav  also  be  grown 
in  the  sanje  house  with  Bride  and  Bridesmai<l  with 
fair  success,  but  I  would  not  advise  growing  more 
than  two  or  three  varieties  in  the  .same  house.    That 


March  16,  1901.] 


nm  gauden. 


isi 


grand  Rose,  American  Beauty,  requires  a  slightly 
higher  temperature  anJ  special  treatment.  Meteor, 
another  beautiful  Rose,  must  have  a  separate  house, 
with  a  night  temperature  of  65'-'  or  70''^. 

In  growing  a  house  of  mixed  Roses,  it  is  necessary 
to  select  such  varieties  as  do  well  in  the  same 
temperature,  as  an  even  temperature  must  be 
maintained,  not  allowing  it  to  run  too  high  one 
night  and  too  low  the  next. 

In  closing  I  would  say  it  is  not  so  ditticult  to 
grow  Roses  under  glass  if  careful  attention  is  given 
to  the  small  details.  Tkall  Pkice. 


COLCHICUMS. 

There  are  many  bulbs  that  can  be  planted  in 
grassy  places  to  flower  in  spring  and  early 
summer,  but  for  autumn  the  Colchicums,  with 
the  exception  of  some  Cyclamens  and  a  few 
Crocuses,  have  the  field  nearly  to  themselves. 
They  are  natives  of  cool  grassy  land,  and  will 
do  in  any  soil  that  is  not  too  dry.  They  are 
much  best  in  grass,  but  if  they  are  grown  as 
flower  garden  plants  they  should  be  arranged 
to  rise  through  some  green  thing  that  will  both 
take  oft'  the  naked  look  of  the  leafless  flowers 
and  also  serve  to  support  them.  The  patch  of 
flowers,  if  not  in  any  way  held  up,  is  sure  to 
be  disfigured  by  the  falling  over  of  some  of  the 
blooms,  the  long  tube  being  too  weak  to  stand 
without  support. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The.  Editors  are  not  7'espo)t>iihle  for  the  opinions 
exp^^efiied  by  their  co7-7'espoiidents.  ) 


LONICERA     HILDEBKANDIANA. 

[To  THE  Editok  or  "The  Gardes."] 
IR, — You  may  congratulate  me  if  you  like 
on  a  great  piece  of  success  ;  at  any  rate, 
I  congratulate  myself.  The  case  is  this. 
As  j'ou  may  perhaps  remember,  this 
superb  Honeysuckle  blossomed  with  me 
last  summer,  and  I  was  very  much 
surprised  at  the  glorious  exhibition  it  made  after 
a  residence  in  the  open  border  of  only  a  few  weeks. 


[T 

S' 


Its  happiness  was  due  to  the  extraordinary  heat 
which  it  met  with  against  a  western  wall,  and  the 
level  rays  of  the  sun  suited  it  to  the  last  degree. 
All  was  easy  and  all  went  well  with  it  after 
blossoming  till  the  summer  had  passed  away,  and 
the  cold  days  and  colder  nights  of  autumn  had 
again  come  upon  us.  Then  I  was  landed  in  a  diffi- 
culty which  I  esteemed  to  be  very  great.  No  plant 
can  ever  be  at  the  very  height  of  prosperity  which 
year  by  year  is  dug  up  and  then  planted  again  ;  it 
may  simulate  a  kind  of  success  of  which  it  feels 
itself  capable,  but  it  is  a  poor  business  after  all 
when  you  put  it  beside  a  full,  natural,  and  unre- 
stricted growth  without  let  or  hindrance.  So  that 
the  alternative — and  a  ver}'  serious  one  it  was  in  my 
eyes — came  to  this  :  Was  it  wise  to  leave  this 
denizen  of  the  tropics  exposed  to  all  the  rigours 
and  severity  of  an  English  winter,  or  must  it  be 
better  to  put  up  year  by  year  with  a  kind  of  tenta- 
tive effort  on  its  part  and  to  imagine  the  rest  ? 
There  was  a  good  deal  to  be  said  for  either  sup- 
position, and  the  worst  part  of  exposing  it  to  any 
risk  was  the  fact  that  if  lost  I  might  never  be 
able  to  get  hold  of  it  again,  and  assuredly  under 
any  circumstances  I  should  miss  a  five  year  old 
plant  which  had  done  so  well  in  my  hands.  But  I 
could  not  help  thinking,  perhaps  it  may  surprise  us 
all,  as  other  things  have  done,  by  pulling  through 
the  hard  months  of  the  year,  and  if  it  were  to 
do  so,  its  value  would  be  immeasurably  increased 
and  a  grand  sight  would  follow.  Visions  of  tropical 
beauty  floated  before  one's  eyes,  and  a  representation 
of  Burmah  in  the  open  air  was  extremely  attractive. 
So  after  verj-  finely  drawn  consultations,  and  after 
pros  and  cons  had  been  discussed  on  either  side,  it 
was  decided  at  last  that  the  most  adventurous 
course  of  the  two  should  be  taken,  and  we  would 
hope  for  the  best. 

When  once  this  had  been  settled — though  not 
without  much  misgiving  about  it  —  the  next 
thing  was  to  find  out  the  verj'  best  measures 
that  could  be  taken  by  which  the  safety  of  the 
Honeysuckle  could  be  secured.  Some  persons  even 
recommended  that  after  the  fashion  of  a  railvva}' 
carriage  it  should  have  a  hot  bottle  at  night,  and  very 
curious  and  far-fetched  ideas  came  to  the  rescue  in 
our  need,  but  it  soon  settled  down  to  this  :  I  had 
a  sort  of  cupboard  or  sentry-box  constructed  over  the 
plant,  of  which  the  front  door  was  easily  removable 
in  fine  weather,  so  that  light  and  air  might  be 
given. 


COLCHICDJI    AUTDMNALE    IN    GK.4SS. 


In  this  way  it  was  hoped  that  the  severity  of  a 
hard  frost  might  be  checked,  and  it  was  easy 
enough  to  shut  the  door  and  to  fill  up  the  cupboard 
with  bracken  or  liay  if  the  worst  should  como  to 
the  worst.  At  any  rate,  our  ingenuity  went  no 
farther  than  the  above,  and  the  rest  depended  on 
the  amount  of  constant  care  lliat  our  treasure 
would  be  found  to  receive.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I 
do  not  think  it  has  once  been  left  in  llie  lurch.  My 
gardener  has  taken  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  it, 
and  the  first  two  minutes  of  his  morning  work  (it 
required  no  more)  and  the  last  at  night  were 
expended  upon  it.  I  confess  that  the  Honeysuckle 
has  given  me  off  and  on  a  rather  anxious  time.  When 
the  stars  were  glittering  overhead  and  the  window 
pane  was  significant  of  frost,  I  felt  that  I  should 
have  a  far  better  chance  of  sleeping  well  if  I  knew 
that  my  Burmese  visitor  was  in  safetj',  and  once  or 
twice  I  unlocked  bars  and  bolts  and  made  an  excursion 
into  the  garden  to  look  after  it  myself.  All  was  quite 
right,  and  I  sometimes  found  in  the  morning  that  3° 
or  4°  of  frost  had  been  endured  without  the  slightest 
harm  ;  the  thermometer  could  be  trusted  about 
that.  It  may  seem  a  long  story  about  nothing  to 
anyone  who  reads  these  lines,  but  if  so  that  person 
does  not  care  much  about  flowers. 

My  Honeysuckle  has  been  quite  a  joke  against 
me  in  Ryde  through  the  winter  months,  and  I  am 
quite  free  to  confess  that  when  the  question  came, 
as  it  often  did,  "How  is  your  Honeysuckle  getting 
on?''  I  thought  it  was  almost  as  natural,  though 
not  quite  on  the  same  level,  with  "  I  hope  your 
children  are  quite  well,"  and  I  answered  it  seriously. 
But  now  all  danger  is  over.  It  is  true  that  there 
are  many  slips  between  the  cup  and  the  lip,  and  the 
Ides  of  March  have  not  come,  but  I  can  take  things 
very  quietly  now.  Ai  the  present  moment  it 
is  raining  fast,  and  if  we  do  have  a  few  snaps  of 
frost  before  next  midsummer  day  I  have  a  firm 
confidence  that  Lonicera  Hildebrandiana  will  not 
be  deterred  by  them  in  the  least,  but  will  go  c.n 
swimmingly  ;  indeed,  I  should  very  much  like  to 
know,  though  I  have  no  intention  whatever  of 
putting  it  myself  to  the  test,  how  many  degiees  of 
cold  this  plant  can  endure  with  impunity.  1  fancy 
that  they  wotdd  be  a  great  many  more  than  perhaps 
one  would  have  suspected,  and  as  for  exticme  heat 
there  is  no  limit  to  it  at  all. 

One  curious  thing  about  my  adventure  with 
Liphicera  Hildebrandiana  is  this:  the  wall  that 
I. as  ^tood  it  in  such  good  stead  is  precisely  the 
same  western  wall  that  a  few  years 
ago  brought  death  and  destruction  to 
the  finest  Freniontia  californica  that 
was  to  be  found  in  this  country — at 
least,  Mr.  Noble,  of  Ascot,  said  that  a 
short  time  before  it  came  so  completely 
to  grief.  It  was  one  morning  in  full 
vigour  and  doing  well,  and  it  was  smitten 
down  to  the  ground  b}'  sunstroke  before 
the  evening  of  the  next  day.  Not  only 
has  Freniontia  californica  met  with  a  sad 
fate  in  this  very  hot  situation,  but 
several  fine  Magnolias  have  signified  that 
it  was  past  their  endurance,  and  a  very 
nice  specimen  of  Fabiana  imbricata  is 
soon  frizzled  up  and  becomes  quite  brown 
tmless  it  is  shielded  from  the  glow.  But 
now  it  turns  out  that  this  baking  western 
wall  can  be  of  great  use  after  all.  It 
is  smitten  by  the  fierce  rays  of  the  sun, 
and  I  can  hardlj'  keep  my  hand  upon  it 
at  all  at  the  hot  season  of  the  \-ear. 
But  this  is  life  and  health  and  strength 
for  a  Honeysuckle  from  Burmali  ;  it 
thrives  under  such  circunislanccs  with 
delight,  and  the  very  thing  which  had 
been  a  drawback  in  most  other  cases  is 
now  a  clear  gain.  It  teaches  one  to  look 
on  everj'thing  from  two  sides,  and  I  think 
that  the  American  writer  and  cheery 
optimist,  Emerson,  if  he  had  seen  it 
would  have  said,  "This  is  just  what  I 
always  tell  you  does  take  place,"  and 
his  paradoxical  but  most  significant 
expression  if  it  be  understood  aright, 
"the  good  of  evil,"  has  here  a  most 
forcible  illustration.  My  western  wall, 
which  has  positively  barred  any  chance 


192 


THE    GAUDKN. 


[March   10,  1901. 


of  success  for  a  great  many  3-ears,  puts  success  into 
my  hands  a*  last  beyond  my  wildest  dream. 


St.  Johii'.i,  Ri/de,  Ish-  of 


H.  EWBANK. 

Wight,  February  :.'7. 


OLE  ARIA   HAASTI. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "The  G,4Rden-."] 
Sir,— I  was  very  pleased  to  read  the  appreciative 
note  about  this  beautiful  shrub  by  Mr.  W.  .J.  Bean 
in  the  last  number  of  The  G.vrde.v,  and  it  may  be 
of  interest  to  some  of  your  readers  to  know  that  it 
is  quite  hardy  here  (Forfarshire),  near  the  sea, 
although  it  is  frequently  cut  down  inland.  I  had 
a  good  many  bushes  planted  in  a  very  exposed 
garden  in  the  autumn  of  1893,  and  have  not  lost 
any  of  them.  Here  it  stands  the  cold  cutting  east 
and  south-east  winds  from  the  North  Sea  much 
better  than  Portugal  Laurel,  which  is  browned  and 
disfigured  every  spring  on  the  exposed  side. 

I  have  also"  had  0.  macrodonta  and  0.  Gunni 
growing  here  for  several  years  ;  the  former  is  the 
more  vigorous  shrub,  and  has  very  beautiful  foliage  ; 
the  latter  I  have  seen  with  the  tips  of  the  branches 
scorched  by  cold  winds.  It  has  a  neat  habit  and 
dark  coloured  leaves. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  that  0.  Haasti  resents 
peat  in  the  soil.  In  the  most  sheltered  part  of  my 
garden  there  is  a  peaty  tendency,  and  there  the 
bushes  are  less  vigorous,  but  perhaps  some  reader 
with  more  experience  will  correct  or  confirm  this 
impression.  The  soil  here  is  a  warm  sandy  loam 
on  gravel  sub-soil,  and  seems  to  suit  those  shrubs 
without  any  special  preparation.  I  know  of  one 
plant  in  a  neighbouring  garden  that  is  at  least 
twelve  years  old.  One  does  not  see  it  in  full  beauty 
every  year,  but  in  the  seasons  when  it  does  flower 
well  the  whole  bush  is  a  mass  of  white,  and  the 
dead  flower  stems  should  be  left  on  as  a  protection 
in  the  winter  to  the  young  shoots. 

A  single  plant  keeps  well  clothed  to  the  base, 
and  one  of  mine  which  suffered  badly  from  wind 
during  the  winter  of  1893— just  after  planting— 
and  was  very  bare  near  the  ground  is  now  nicely 
furnished  with  green  to  the  base. 

The  inland  plants  I  have  known  cut  down  badly 
in  winter  were  in  districts  where  the  white  frosts 
are  very  severe — and  in  one  instance  the  soil  was 
half  peat— I  would  like  to  see  it  tried  in  a  drier 
even  if  a  colder  climate.  Hares  seem  to  be  partial 
to  it.  William  Low. 

Tighnamitirn,  Monifieth,  jV.  5. 

CHISWICK    GARDENS    AND    THE 

STUDENTS. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  letter  of 
"  A  Fellow,"  which  appeared  in  your  issue  of  the 
■2nd  inst.,  and  especially  the  editorial  note  thereto 
appended,  will  meet  with  the  warm  approval  of 
the  large  majority  of  the  Fellows  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society.  It  is  certainly  not  too  much 
to  say  that  if  a  hall  were  to  be  erected  as  a  mode 
of  celebrating  the  centenary  of  the  society  in  lieu 
of  the  establishment  of  the  proposed  new  gardens, 
a  very  serious  blow  would  be  struck  at  the  welfare 
and  prestige  of  the  society.  It  is  clear  that  both 
objects  cannot  be  undertaken  at  the  same  time. 
The  adoption  of  the  one  must  of  necessity  retard 
the  other  for  a  very  considerable  period,  and  as  to 
which  has  the  more  pressing  claim  there  can  be  no 
possible  question.  "  A  Fellow"  indicates  some  of 
the  points  in  which  the  present  Chiswick  gardens 
are  lamentably  deficient,  and  it  is  no  exaggeration 
to  say  that  as  a  centre  for  the  conduct  of  trust- 
worthy horticultural  trials  Chiswick  has  already 
practically  ceased  to  have  any  true  value. 

A  new  hall  would  truly  afford  room  for  further 
addition  to  the  already  too  great  reduplication  of 
the  contents  in  the  great  trade  exhibits,  and,  per- 
haps also,  for  a  few  more  visitors  during  the 
brief  London  season,  but  these  are  the  trade  and 
social  aspects  of  horticulture,  and  surely  do  not 
exhaust  the  purposes  for  which  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  exists.  In  fact,  we  have  in  the 
present  contest  a  revival  of  the  old  issue  of  social 
rersut  purely  horticultural  aims,  and  with  the 
experience  of    South    Kensington  before  us   there 


ought  to  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  course  which  the 
society  should  pursue.  As  the  nuitter  stands,  the 
Council  is  under  the  direct  mandate  of  the  Fellows 
to  regard  the  new  gardens  as  the  chosen  object  of 
the  centenary  celebration,  and  the  only  function  ol 
the  Council  under  present  conditions  is  to  use  our 
diligence  in  selecting  a  suitable  site,  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Fellows  of  the  society, 
mally  expressed  in  general  meeting       ^ 


to  be  for- 
"RUSTICUS. 


INDOOR 


G 


GARDEN. 

GLOBOSA. 


GOMPHRENA 

OMPHRENAS,  or  Globe  Amaranths, 
are    exceedingly    pretty   greenhouse 
plants,   the  most  useful  of  which  are 
G.  globosa  and  its  numerous   varie- 
ties.    The  beautiful  compact  flower 
heads  are  at   their   best    about   the 
month   of    August,   and   remain    for   a   very    long 
time  in  full  beauty  :    in  fact,  so  lasting  are   they 
that   they  may  be   cut   and   placed   in  the  house 
before    they   are    fully   developed,    and    used    in 
the    way    that     are     our     so  ■  called     everlasting 
flowers,  the  Helichrysums  ;   but  for  late  summer 
conservatory  or  greenhouse   decoration,  neat   and 
shapely   plants   of    the    Globe    Amaranth,    about 
18  inches  or  '2  feet  in  height  are  dithcult  to  surpass 
for  general  usefulness.     The  several  varieties  are 
mostly   named    according    to   the   colour    of    the 
individual   flower   heads,    for    instance,    we   have 
purpurea,  alba,   carnea,  &c.  ;    nana,   bearing   dark 
red   flowers,   and  growing  hardly  above  6  inches 
high,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting.     A  point  that 
should  commend  Gomphrena  globosa  to  everyone 
is  the   ease  with  wliich   it   may  be  cultivated,  and 
also  the   small   amount   of    labour  and   attention 
involved.     The  present  is  the  most  suitable  season 
to    sow   seed    from    which     the    (ilobe   Amaranth 
should    be  raised.     Place   the  pans   in  which    the 
seed   is  sown  in  a  warm  house  or  pit,  and  shade 
from  the  sun.     When  the  seedlings  appear,  give 
them  a  position  on  a  shelf  quite  near  to  the  glass, 
and  shade   them  only  in   the  hottest  part  of  the 
day.      When  one  can  conveniently  handle  the  tiny 
plants   they   should    be   placed    singly  into   sinall 
pots,  and  so  soon  as  they  are  nicely  rooted  it  is 
well  to  give  them   a  cooler  temperature,  such  for 
instance   as    that    provided    by   a    warm    frame. 
Jiatourage,  Iham-tii^gtow-iiiticikly  -bjLxlQsiug_-the 
frame  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  using  the  syringe 
freely  at  the  same  time  to  render  the  atmosphere 
sufficiently  moist.     In  due  time  the  flower  heads 
will  begin  to  form,  and  then  is  the  moment  for  the 
final  potting.     I  have  seldom  used  pols  larger  than 
■Ih  inches   in   diameter,  and  find  that  very  satis- 
factory plants  can  be  grown  in  them.     When  later 
it  becomes  necessary  to  give  a  slight  top-dressing 
of  Clay's  or  Standen's  fertilizer  they  derive  all  the 
more  benefit  from  such  an  application  than  if  they 
were  in  larger  pots.     After  the  removal  into  the 
4J,-inch  pots,  cooler  treatment  should   be  allowed, 
tliat  is  to  say,  so  soon  as  the  plants  are  well  rooted 
into  the  new  compost.  T.  F.  W. 


will  have  gi-own  again,  especially  if  assisted,  as  the 
plants  should  be,  by  being  plunged  in  a  hot  bed. 
Care  should  be  taken  that  tlie  shoots  are  not 
pinched  back  too  hard  or  they  will  have  a  great 
difficulty  in  breaking  into  growth  again.  Unless  a 
fair  quantity  of  plants  are  cultivated,  the  first 
portion  would  not  have  time  lo  recuperate  before  a 
second  pinching,  with  the  result  tliat  they  would 
soon  be  crippled  and  useless.  A  dry,  warm,  and 
buoyant  temperature  is  most  essential  to  the 
successful  winter  culture  of  Basil,  for  the  least 
excess  of  moisture  in  the  house  will  cause  them  to 
decay,  so  lender  are  they  and  susceiitible  to  damp- 
ness." Early  and  plentiful  sowing,  moderate  pinch- 
ing—only possible  where  plants  are  plentiful— a 
hot  beil'  to  assist  growth,  and  a  dr\  and  warm 
atmosphere  are  the  most  important  points  to  bear 
in  mind  when  attempting  the  culture  of  Sweet 
Basil.  T.   W. 


BOOKS. 


SWEET    BASIL. 

In  many  gardens  a  constant  supply  of  this  sweet 
and  interesting  herb  is  an  important  matter, 
for  although  with  careful  attention  such  may  be 
maintained,  it  is  a  very  expensive  article  to 
purchase  in  midwinter.  Unless  treated  properly. 
Sweet  Basil  will  damp  off  wholesale  if  a  few  damp 
foggy  days  are  experienced.  We  have  found  it  to 
succeed  far  better  in  ti-inch  pots  than  in  boxes,  as 
was  formerly  our  method  of  culture.  The  seed  is 
sown  in  September  in  pans  filled  with  light  soil, 
and  barely  covered  over.  When  the  seedlings  are 
ready  for  removal  place  a  dozen  or  so  in  a  (i-inch 
pot,  filling  as  many  of  these  as  are  required.  It  is 
important  to  keep  them  near  to  the  glass  or  they 
will  become  weak  and  unable  to  satisfactorily  with- 
stand the  bad  weather  later.  A  most  imjiortant 
point  is  to  raise  a  good  number  of  plants,  and  for 
this  reason  one-third  of  the  number  should  be 
picked  over  first,so  that  by  the  time  the  remaining 
two-thirds  have   been   gone  over  the  first    portion 


The   Queensland    Flora.'  — We   have 

received  Parts  I.  and  11.  of  this  important  contri- 
bution to  the  flora  of  Queensland,  to  be  completed 
in  six  parts.  To  everyone  interested  in  the  flora 
of  the  world,  that  dealing  specially  with  Queens- 
land, the  home  of  many  beautiful  plants,  must 
prove  interesting.  The  work  when  completed  will 
contain  full  descriptions  of  indigenous  and  natu- 
ralised plants,  their  distribution,  local  and 
aboriginal  names,  properties,  uses,  &c. ,  and  the 
plates  illustrate  some  of  the  rarer  species.  The 
introduction  to  the  work  consists  of  a  most  valu- 
able "outlines  of  botany,  with  special  reference  to 
local  floras,"  and  there  is  a  useful  glossary  of  terms. 
The  descriptions  are  strictly  botanical ;  indeed, 
the  book  reudnds  one  of  Hooker's  valuable  "  Flora 
of  the  British  Isles"  in  its  general  features. 

Highways  and  By-ways  in  East 

Anglia.!- This  is  a  delightful  book,  pleasantly 
written,  and  freely  illustrated.  We  care  more  for 
the  letterpress  than  the  frequently  crude  and 
unsatisfactory  sketches,  but  a  faulty  illustration 
here  and  there  cannot  hopelessly  spoil  a  work  so 
full  of  racy  humour,  vivid  pen  pictures  of  a 
beautiful  eountrv.  and  revealing  a  true  knowledge 
of  the  flowers  of'field  and  waterside.  The  author's 
description  of  Flalford  Mill,  East  Bergholt,  the 
famous  mill  painted  by  Constable,  shows  his  warm 
appreciation  of  restful  scenery.  "Before  me 
are"  the  open  levels  of  the  Stour  Valley,  a  wide 
plain  of  pleasant  pasture  land,  where  cattle  are 
grazing  amid  whispering  sedges  and  gleaming 
Willows.  As  I  cross  the  rustic  wooden  bridge 
which  spans  the  river  a  little  way  below  the  mill, 
I  hear  the  rushing  of  water  over  a  weir,  and 
following  the  footpath  by  the  riverside  I  soon 
come  to  the  lock-gates.  A  few  steps  further  and 
the  mill  itself  comes  in  sight  on  the  opposite  bank 
of  the  stream.  It  has  altered  little  since  Constable 
painted  it  nearly  a  hundred  years  ago,  but  the 
trees  which  then  gave  it  a  sylvan  setting  almost 
hide  it  now,  and  to  see  it  clearly  I  have  to  cross 
the  river  again.  But  the  old  wooden  lock  is  quite 
unchanged,  and  so,  too,  is  the  towing-path,  which 
was  one  of  the  artist's  favourite  haunts.  Giant 
Burdocks,  pink  Hemp  Agrimony,  dingy  Pigwort, 
and  large-leaved  Comfrey  grow  close  beside  it,  and 
it  is  fragrant  of  Water  Mint  and  Almond-scented 
Meadowsweet.  A  more  peaceful  scene  one  cannot 
imagine.  Not  a  jarring  sound  breaks  the  spell  of 
its  quiet  beauty.  The  stream  Hows  silently  until 
it  falls  over  the  weir,  and  even  then  its  voice  is  as 
soothing  as  part  of  a  summer  breeze  among  summer 
leaves.  Now  and  again  a  rat  rustles  in  the  sedges 
or  a  fish  makes  a  faint  splash  as  it  rises  to  the 
surface  of  the  mill-pool.  Brilliant-hued  dragon- 
flies  Hash  like  living  gems  above  the  bright  green 
water-weeds,  beautiful  as  the  flickering  sun-gleams 
which  steal  through  the  Willows  to  the  stream. 
A   lad  who  came   dow^n    to  the  river  to  fish   has 

«  "The  tjueenslnnd  I'luia."  B.v  V.  Mnnson  Bailey,  I'.L.S. 
Publialied  under  the  auUiurity  of  the  (.JucenslaiiU  liovern- 

nicnt  hy  Messrs.  Om-doii  and  Gotch,  Ifi,  .St.  Brido  Street, 
London.  E.G.,  at  the  price  ot. 'is.  each  part. 

j  "  Highways  and  liy-ways  in  EastAnslia.  By  »  dlinni  A. 

Dntt.  with  illustrations  liy  .losepli  Peiuiell.  Piitilislied  liy 
Miicniilliiu  and  I'o,.  l.c.niN.n      I'liue  Os. 


March  16,  1901.1 


THE    GARDEN. 


193 


fallen  asleep  on  the  bank,  where  he  was  half  con- 
cealed by  mauve-flowered  Water  Mints.  His  rod 
has  fallen  from  his  hand,  and  its  line  is  entangled 
with  a  patch  of  stout-stemmed  Hemlock  in  the 
stream.  His  stillness  reminds  me  that  Constable, 
while  painting  here  one  day,  sat  so  still  that  a 
field-mouse  crept  into  his  coat  pocket."  The  book 
is  well  bound  and  printed. 


Golden  Centenary  Dwarf  French 

Bean. — In  your  "Answers  to  Correspondents" 
column,  March  2,  in  reply  to  "C.  J.,"  you  write  : 
"  Tlie  Bean  you  refer  to  as  the  Golden  Centenary' 
Dwarf  French  Bean  is  no  doubt  the  well-known 
Dwarf  Butter  Bean  Mont  d"Or."  This  is  not 
correct,  as  the  Centenary  is  quite  a  new  and 
distinct  variety. — John  Wood,  Pvnrlfh. 

Cotoneaster  vulgaris  in  Conway. 

I  have  much  pleasure  in  recording  a  find  of  the 
above,  in  the  vicinity  of  Conway,  last  month 
(February),  thus  extending  the  district  named  for 
it,  viz.,  "  the  Great  Orme's  Head." — J.  K. 

National    Auricula   and    Primula 

Society. — The  twenty-fifth  animal  exhibition  of 
tlie  southern  section  of  this  society  will  be  held  in 
the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  on  Tuesdaj',  April  23. 

National  Carnation    and   Picotee 

Society. — Theexhiliitionof  the  southern  section 
of  the  above  society  will  take  place  at  the  Crystal 
Palace,  Sydenham,  on  Fridaj',  July  19.  The 
directors  of  the  Crystal  Palace  have  promised  £50 
to  the  funds  of  the  society  and  free  passes  to 
members. 

National     Rose     Society  —   Show^ 

Fixtures. — June  12  (Wednesday),  Colchester  ; 
July  3  (Wednesday),  Croydon  ;  July  4  (Thursday), 
Norwich  ;  July  10  (Wednesday),  Great  Stam- 
bridge  ;  July  13  (Saturday),  Manchester. — Edw.ard 
Mawley,  Bo.-iehaiil;  Berkhamxted,  Herts. 

Cyclamen  flowers  of  distinct  colour 

from  same  COrm. — We  have  received  flowers 
of  the  ordinary  Persian  Cyclamen  which  show 
an  interesting  sport.  Tl\e  flowers,  a  pure  white 
and  a  bright  carmine-rose,  have  been  kindlj'  sent 
by  Mr.  Thomson,  Cally  Gardens,  and  we  advise 
the  sender  to  take  care  of  it.  There  are  so  many 
beautiful  Persian  C3'clamens,  however,  that  for 
anj'thing  to  be  better  than  existing  varieties  it 
must  possess  almost  abnormal  excellence. 

Scottish  Horticultural  Associa- 
tion.— The  usual  monthly  meeting  was  held  on 
the  evening  of  March  ,5,  at  .3,  St.  Andrew  Square, 
Edinburgh  ;  Mr.  Clrarles  Comfort  presided,  and 
there  was  a  large  attendance.  A  paper  on  "The 
Root  Management  of  Fruit  Trees"  was  contributed 
by  Mr.  N.  Temple,  Carron  House,  and  read  bj'  the 
secretary,  in  the  absence  of  the  author  through 
illness.  There  were  some  good  exhibits,  which 
included  two  very  fine  Orchids  from  Mr.  Wood, 
gardener  to  Mr.  .James  Buchanan,  of  Oswald 
House,  and  a  nnmber  of  excellent  blooms  of 
Rhododendron  Countess  of  Haddington,  bj'  Mr.  A. 
Johnston,  Hay  Lodge,  Trinity.  The  usual  votes 
of  thanks  were  accorded  at  the  end  of  the  meeting. 

United  Horticultural  Benefit  and 
Provident     Institution.  —  The     annual 

meeting  of  this  excellent  institution  (of  which 
a  report  is  given  in  another  column)  was  held  on 
Monday  last,  and  the  society  (to  quote  the  report) 
continues  in  a  sound  and  flourishing  condition. 
Eighty-three  members  joined  during  the  year  ;  the 
membership  now  stands  at  851.  The  committee 
appeal  earnestly  to  all  gardeners  to  take  a  practical 
interest  in  the  society,  so  that  its  scope  may  be 
increased.  All  particulars  relating  to  the  benefits 
and  advantages  accruing  from  membership  may  be 
obtained  from  the  secretary,  Mr.  W.  Collins, 
9,  Martindale  Road,  Balhani,  and  all  young 
gardeners  that  are  not  members  should  com- 
municate with  him. 

Woolton    Gardeners'  Society.  —  A 

meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at  the  Mechanics' 
Institute  on  March  7.  Mr.  R.  Todd  presided  over 
a  good  attendance.  The  chairman,  in  introducing 
Mr.  R.  Orrett,  of  West  Derby,  who  had  selected 
the  important  subject  of  manures,  referred  to  the 
importance  of    farmers   and   gardeners    having  a 


practical  knowledge  of  this  department  of  his 
vocation.  The  lecturer,  in  addition  to  a  clear  and 
lucid  description  of  many  of  the  more  important 
kinds  in  general  use,  had  a  number  of  specimens, 
which  helped  the  members  to  form  a  clear  and 
closer  knowledge  of  the  various  kinds.  Questions 
were  invited,  to  which  a  number  of  replies  were 
given,  adding  many  details  and  instructions  in 
connection  with  form  and  season  of  using.  At  the 
conclusion  a  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered 
to  Mr.  Orrett  for  his  valuable  and  practical  hints 
in  this  feature  of  gardening  and  farming. 

Messrs.  Mackenzie  and  Moncur, 

Liimited. — The  exhaustive  guide  issued  by  this 
well  known  firm  of  heating  and  ventilating  engi- 
neers, of  Edinburgh,  (Jlasgow,  and  London,  contains 
interesting  illustrations  of  houses  erected  by  Messrs. 
Mackenzie  and  Moncur  in  many  different  gardens. 
Included,  for  instance,  is  the  Palm  house  in  the 
Royal  Gardens,  Windsor  ;  a  block  of  plant  houses  at 
Sandringham;  the  splendid  north  wing  added  to  the 
temperate  house  in  the  Royal  (iardens,  Kew  ;  the 
range  of  plant  houses  in  the  Royal  Botanic  (hardens, 
pjdinburgh,  &o.  ;  erections  at  Falkland  Park,  South 
Norwood  ;  Elveden  Hall,  Suffolk  ;  Linton  Park, 
Kent :  Waterpark,  County  Clare,  and  numerous 
other  well  known  gardens  and  parks  tliroughout 
Britain,  and  also  on  the  Continent.  Even  in 
Sweden  Messrs.  Mackenzie  and  Moncur  have 
erected  glass  houses.  An  illustration  is  given  of  a 
range  in  the  gardens  at  Kongelf,  Sweden.  Designs 
of  window  conservatories,  wall  copings,  span  and 
lean-to  frames,  and  also  of  everj'thing  pertaining 
to  the  heating  of  glass  houses  and  rooms  are  con- 
tained in  the  guide,  and  are  well  worth  perusal  by 
all  interested. 

Proposed     National    Sweet     Pea 

Society. — A  meeting  was  held  on  Tuesday 
afternoon,  at  Winchester  House,  Old  Broad  Street, 
to  consider  the  question  of  establishing  a  society  to 
continue  the  work  of  the  committee  that  was 
inaugurated  last  year  to  celebrate  the  bicentenarj' 
of  the  introduction  of  the  Sweet  Pea  into  Great 
Britain.  In  the  absence  of  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood, 
the  chair  was  taken  by  Mr.  Percy  Waterer,  who 
opened  the  proceedings  by  reading  letters  from 
Messrs.  R.  Dean  and  H.  J.  Wright  to  Mr.  Sher- 
wood, and  the  receipt  of  which  accounted  for  the 
latter  gentleman's  absence  from  the  meeting.  The 
chairman  then  called  upon  Mr.  C.  E.  Wilkins,  hon. 
secretary  pro  tern.,  to  read  the  correspondence 
between  Mr.  R.  Dean  and  himself  relative  to  the 
meeting,  and  also  the  numerous  letters  from 
various  sources  in  favour,  and  otherwise,  of  the 
proposal.  These  included  some  of  the  most 
influential  people  in  the  horticultural  world.  Mr. 
Scrutton  then  proposed  "  That  in  the  opinion  of 
this  meeting  it  is  desirable  to  form  a  National 
Sweet  Pea  Society."  This  was  seconded  by  Mr. 
Sankey,  and  carried  with  only  one  active  dissen- 
tient, though  some  half  dozen  persons  refrained 
from  voting.  Mr.  S.  B.  Dicks  moved,  and  it  was 
seconded,  that  the  promoters  of  the  present  scheme, 
Messrs.  P.  Waterer  and  C.  E.  Wilkins,  be  deputed 
to  confer  with  the  executive  committee  of  the 
bicentenary  celebration  with  a  view  to  securing 
their  co-operation  in  the  movement.  Mr.  Wilkins 
explained  that  Mr.  George  Gordon,  V.M.H.,  had 
assured  him  that  the  deputation  would  be  received 
by  the  executive  committee  at  a  meeting  to  be  held 
on  Monday  afternoon  next.  Mr.  H.  J.  Wright 
proposed  "  That  this  meeting  be  adjourned  until 
Tuesday,  iMarch  26,  in  order  that  the  question  of 
a  Sweet  Pea  Society  may  be  considered  in  all  its 
bearings."  Mr.  R.  Sydenham,  Birmingham, 
seconded  the  motion,  and  it  was  carried  unani- 
mously. This  will  give  ample  time  for  the  con- 
ference, and  should  ensure  an  amicable  working 
agreement,  without  which  the  greatest  good  cannot 
possibly  be  done.  Mr.  C.  E.  Wilkins,  19,  Lynd- 
hurst  Road,  S.E. ,  will  furnish  any  information 
relative  to  the  meeting  to  be  held  at  Winchester 
House  on  the  26th  inst. ,  when  it  is  hoped  that 
Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood  will  take  the  ch.air. 


TO     CORRESPONDENTS. 

Correspondents  ape    urgently   requested    in    all 
cases  where  the  wgll-doing  or  otherwise  of  some 


plant  is  described  to  name  the  locality  from  which 
they  write. 

We  often  receive  letters  which,  it  is  true,  give 
the  post  town  of  the  writer,  but  unless  it  is  some 
well  known  place  we  have  difficulty  in  identifying 
the  county  or  district.  We  shall  be  much  obliged 
if  correspondents  will  save  us  the  troulile  of  a 
sometimes  difhcult  search. 

It  is  also  of  much  help  to  others  if  cultural  notes 
or  personal  experience  in  the  particular  soil  or 
locality  is  given  with  the  notice  of  the  plant.  —Ens. 


SOCIETIES. 


THE  NATIONAL  CARNATION  AND  PIC(»TEE  SOCIETY' 

(Southern  Sectiun). 

Report  for  thk  Year  l90ii. 

The  committee  much  rcfiret  tu  report  the  loss  of  an  un- 
usually large  number  of  members  by  death,  many  also  have 
withdrawn  from  the  society,  a  fact  probably  to  V>e  accounted 
for  by  the  many  appeals  made  upon  the  public  during  the 
year.  The  accession  of  new  members  has,  however,  been 
most  encouraging,  forty-three  having  joined  during  louri, 
and  several  already  for  1901. 

A  copy  of  the  "Carnation  Manual"  (the  best  and  most  useful 
work  on  the  culture  of  the  Carnation)  is  given  by  the  society 
to  all  members  on  their  accession,  and  a  packet  of  I'arnation 
seed  from  the  unrivalled  collection  of  the  president  is  also 
presented  to  all  subscribers  of  10s.  and  upwai'ds. 

Your  committee  gratefully  acknowledge  that  the  success 
attained  liy  the  society  is  in  a  very  great  measure  due  to  the 
untiring  interest,  devotion,  and  liberality  bestowed  upon  it 
by  the  president,  and  they  feel  that  they  would  be  failing  in 
their  duty  did  they  not  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing 
their  great  indebtedness  to  him. 

The  schedule  for  1001  remains  as  last  year,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  prizes  being  added  to  the  cla.ss  for  table 
decoration.  The  committee  hope  and  believe  that  the  very 
liberallistof  prizes  now  offered,  the  classirtcation  of  which 
has  been  arranged  to  suit  all  classes  of  growers,  will  secure 
for  the  society  an  increased  patronage  and  support. 

The  committee  desire  to  call  special  attention  to  the 
classes  for  undressed  flowers  to  be  shown  with  a  sprig  of 
foliage  only  and  without  cards.  These  flowers  can  now  be 
staged  either  in  boxes,  glasses,  or  bottles  at  the  option  of 
the  exhibitor. 

The  committee  particularly  desire  to  call  the  attention 
of  members  to  the  report  of  Mr.  H.  H.  Cousins  and  Mr. 
E.  Chariington  upon  the  result  of  the  experiments  carried 
(in  at  Wye  College,  and  to  these  gentlemen  and  also  Mr. 
A.  D.  Hall,  and  the  staft'  of  the  college,  they  desire  to 
express  their  great  oljligation.  This  report  should  prove  of 
very  great  interest  to  the  members,  and  will  doubtless  be 
greatly  appreciated. 

Scmie  dissatisfaction  has  been  expressed  by  members  of 
the  society  at  the  responsibility  taken  by  the  committee  in 
altering  tlie  date  of  the  society's  show  to  meet  the  supposed 
exigencies  of  the  season.  The  committee  have  given  the 
matter  their  fullest  consideration,  and  have  decided  that  in 
future  the  date  of  the  show  shall  be  a  fixture,  and  will  not 
b3  altered. 

The  committee  desire  to  tender  their  best  thanks  to  the 
manager  of  the  Crystal  Palace  Company  and  to  its  staff  for 
the  able  and  courteous  assistance  rendered.  Their  best 
thanks  are  also  due  to  the  Rev.  H.  Honywood  D'Ombrain 
and  the  members  of  the  Horticultural  Club  for  the  use  of 
their  rooms  at  the  Hotel  ^yindsor,  at  which  the  meetings 
of  the  society  are  held. 

THE  NATIONAL  AURICULA  AND  PRIMCLA  SOCIETY 
(Southern  Section). 
Annual  Report  for  Y'ear  1900. 
The  committee  regret  the  loss  to  the  society  of  several 
members  by  death  and  withdrawal,  but  are  pleased  to  state 
there  has  been  an  accession  of  thirteen  new  members  during 
the  year.  The  committee  again  appeal  to  members  to  do 
their  best  to  induce  others  to  join,  and  wish  to  point  to  the 
fact  that  the  honorary  secretary  will  gladly  send  reports  to 
any  member  who  may  wish  for  extra  copies  to  send  to  friends 
who  may  be  likely  to  join  the  society,  and  there  must  be 
many  who  would  gladly  do  so  if  the  advantages  of  member- 
ship were  but  placed  before  them. 

The  twenty-fourth  annual  exhibition  of  the  society  took 
place  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Victoria  Street,  West- 
minster, on  Tuesday,  April  i-f,  1900,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Koyal  Horticultural  Society,  the  two  exhibitions  combined 
making  a  very  beautiful  display. 

The  committee  desire  to  tender  to  the  Rev.  H.  Honywood 
D'Ombrain  and  the  members  of  the  Horticultural  Club  their 
best  thanks  for  the  use  of  the  club  room  for  their  meetings 
during  the  season  ;  tu  the  council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  the  committee  beg  to  tender  their  deep  gratitude 
for  the  liberal  donation  of  .£10  to  the  funds  of  the  society, 
and  tickets  of  admission  to  the  exhibition  ;  and  to  the  Rev. 
W.  Wilks  and  ilr.  Wright  for  the  admirable  arrangements 
made  for  holding  the  exhibition. 

The  committee  beg  to  call  the  attention  of  members  to 
the  two  classes  in  the  schedule  for  those  who  have  never 
won  a  prize  at  any  of  the  society's  exhibitions-. 

The  committee,  in  recognition  of  the  generous  treatment 
so  long  received  from  the  council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  have  deemed  it  expedient  to  become  affiliated  to 
that  society,  and  believe  by  their  action  they  are  serving 
the  best  interest  of  the  National  Auricula  and  Primula 
Society. 

Mr.  James   Douglas   of   Great    Bookham,  Surrey,  again 


194 


THE     GAKDEN. 


[March  16,  1901. 


most  generously  offers  to  supply  members  with  a  packet  of 
Alpine  Auricula  seed  saved  from  best  exhibition  varieties 
to  such  as  will  utulertake  to  sow  the  seed  themselves  and 
cultivate  the  plaiits ;  and  on  condition  that  they  apply  for 
the  se^id  in  writing  to  Mr.  T.  E.  Heiiwood  before  June  1. 

TNTTED    HORTILTLTrRAL    BENEFIT    AND 
PROVIOENT    SOCIETY.    . 

Thk  aiuMial  meeting  of  this  society  took  place  on  Monday 
last  at  the  Cnledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand. 
Mr.  W.  Ruupell  was  in  tlie  chair,  and  there  were  also 
present  Messrs.  W.  Taylor,  W.  P.  Ihompson,  J.  Hudson, 
AVinter.  Summer,  Humphreys,  Wheeler.  Harding,  A'c. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  having  been  read  and 
confirmed,  the  secretary  read  the  annual  report  and  halance- 
sheet,  which  follow  : 

The  committee  have  great  pleasure  in  presenting  the 
animal  report  and  balance-sheet  for  the  year  ending 
January  14,  1901,  and  stating  that  the  society  continues  in 
a  sound  and  Honrishing  condition.  Eighty-tliree  members 
joined  during  the  year,  nineteen  lapsetl.  and  four  died. 
The  membership  now  stands  at  S.'^l  (January  14,  many  have 
since  joined).  The  amount  of  subscriptions  paid  by  members 
to  the  benefit  fund,  including  arreare,  was  tl,:i46  14s.  8d. 
The  sick  pay  account  was  £:i(tl  3s..  thei'c  being  a  great 
amount  of  sickness  during  the  early  part  ()f  the  year.  This 
is  covered  by  deductions  of  8s.  lud.  and  .'is.  lOd.  respec- 
tively in  the  two  scales.  The  balance  in  this  fund 
(including  €1,203  Os.  lOd.  in  lapsed  members"  account)  is 
now  i;l3.37l  Os.  8d.  The  benevolent  fund  has  assisted 
several  members  during  the  year,  the  amount  paid  out 
being  €82,  leaving  a  balance  <if  €3,403  l.^s.  Three  members 
have  been  assisted  from  the  convalescent  fund,  ,€G  lUs. 
being  paid  out.  Mr.  Sherwood  and  Mrs.  Campbell  gave 
£5  .'is.  each  to  this  fund.  There  is  now  a  balance  of 
€428  12.'^-  lid.  The  manjigement  expenses  are  somewhat 
heavier  than  usual,  the  secretary  being  paid  up  to  date, 
which  has  not  hitherto  been  done ;  .'t,000  reports  were 
printed  and  distributed.  It  was  also  the  qninqennial  year 
for  valuation,  the  actuary's  fee  being  €12  12s.  Balance  in 
hand,  £G5  4s.  3d.  The  annual  dinner  was  again  a  success ; 
ilr.  G.  Munro  made  an  able  chairman.  The  society's 
accounts  weie  audited  by  Messrs  O.  Dixon,  W.  Gunner, 
and  T.  H.  Puzey,  and  found  correct.  The  committee  grate- 
fully acknowledge  the  assistance  received  from  the  horti- 
cultural Press,  and  trust  always  to  receive  its  cordial 
support. 

The  chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  report,  said 
that  the  society  was  fortunate  in  having  good  business  men 
on  its  committee,  for  its  working  was  so  intricate  :  it  was 
really  a  combination  of  several  societies.  He  said  they 
were  greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  John  Wright  for  his  earnest 
endeavours  on  their  behalf  in  past  years.  Members  should 
he  prond  of  the  fact  that  their  society  was  established  by 
working  gardeners,  and  was  carried  on  and  chiefly  sup- 
ported .by  them. 

Mr.  J.  Hudson  seconded  the  adoption  of  the  report,  which 
was  cariied  unanimously. 

After  some  discussion  as  to  the  number  of  reports  to  be 
printed,  it  was  resolved  by  thirteen  votes  to  eleven  that 
.'»,000  be  piinted  instead  of  3,000,  as  was  at  first  suggested. 
The  best  method  of  distributing  these  was  discussed.  The 
chairman  said  he  would  take  100,  and  he  hoped  each 
member  would  also  distribute  as  many  as  possible. 

The  committee,  on  the  proposition  of  Mr.  Hudson,  were 
elected  en  hloc.  A'otes  of  thanks  to  the  treasurer,  Mr.  J. 
Hudson,  and  the  trustees,  and  the  re-election  of  the  secre- 
tary, together  with  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  chairman,  and 
to  Mrs.  Collins  for  so  ably  assisting  Mr.  W.  Collins,  brought 
the  meeting  to  a  close. 

BRIGHTON  AND  SUSSEX  HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 
List  of  Lectures  nut  thk  Year  1901-2. 
The  meetings  of  the  society,  of  which  ]\Ir.  J.  Thorpe,  53, 
Ship  Street,  Brighton,  is  the  secretary,  will  take  place  at 
the  Imperial  Hotel,  Queen's  Road,  Brighton,  at  7  p.m.,  on  the 
following  dates,  when  lectures  will  be  given,  and  compe- 
titions for  prizes  held,  at  which  all  members  and  subscribers 
are  entitled  to  be  present :— March  21,  Mr.  W.  Tay'or,  "A 
Year's  Work  in  the  Vinery  ;  "  April  IS,  Mr.  Edwin  Beckett, 
"Culture  of  Veiretables;"  May  Hi,  Mr.  H.  Elliott,  "Carna- 
tions, their  Culture,  (tc.  ;"  July  18,  Extraordinary  Meeting- 
Talk  over  Spring  Show;  August  lf>,  Mr.  F,  W.  E.  Shrivell, 
"  Further  Experiments  on  Fruit  and  Vegetables,  with 
Chemical  Manures  ;■■  September  10,  Mr.  J.  Cheal,  "Hardy 
Fruit  Culture  ;"  October  17,  Mr.  R.  Dean,  "  Town 
Gardening;  '  November 21,  Mr.  T.  W.  Sanders,  "Soils,  their 
Chemical  Composition,  tfec.  ;"  February  20,  1902,  Mr.  H.  J. 
Jones,  "  Talk  about  Chrysanthemums."  List  of  shows,  1901 : 
April  10  and  17,  spring  show,  at  the  Royal  Pavilion ; 
August  27  and  28,  sujumer  show,  at  the  Royal  Pavilion  ; 
Noverabw  12  and  13,  Chrysanthemum  show,  at  the  Royal 
Pavilion.     Annual  meeting,  January  16,  1902. 


READING    GARDENERS'    ASSOCIATION. 

"Begonia  Culture." 
This  was  the  subject  of  an  exceedingly  practical  paper  read 
by  Mr.  F.  Lever,  The  Gardens,  Hillside,  Reading,  before  the 
members  of  the  Reading  and  District  Gardeners'  Mutual 
Improvement  Association  at  their  last  meeting.  The  presi- 
dent, Mr.  Leonard  G.  Sutton,  occupied  the  chair,  and  there 
was  a  large  attendance.  Mi'.  Lever  dealt  very  fully  with 
the  subject  under  the  following  headings : — Seed,  soil 
preparing  for  sowing,  sowing,  treatment,  shading,  air, 
pricking  off  the  seedlings,  potting,  planting  out,  labelling, 
lifting,  seedlings  for  pot  culture,  starting  old  tubers,  tubers 
for  planting  out  in  beds,  flbrous-rooting  for  bedding,  division 
of  roots,  preparing  the  beds,  propagating  double  tuberous 
varieties  from  cuttings,  seed  saving  and  fertilisation,  storing 
tubers,  winter-flowering  Begonias,  Rex  varieties,  insects. 
And  rust.    A  very  interesting  discussion  followed,  in  vi'hich 


Messrs.  L.  G.  Sutton,  Hinton.  Bright,  Wilson.  Frj-,  Wicks, 
Neve,  Townserid,  Harris,  Macdonald,  Cretchley,  Pigg,  G. 
Smith.  Alexander,  and  Barnes  took  part.  A  feature  of  the 
meeting  was  the  numerous  exhibits  staged  by  the  following 
members: -Mr.  F.  Lever,  ('alia  elliottiana,  Odontoglossum 
crispniu.  Begonia  mauicata.  Rex  Begonias  from  seed  ;  Mr. 
A.  F.  Bailey,  The  Gardens,  Leopold  Lodge,  batch  of  Primula 
stellata  in  small  pots ;  Mr.  H.  House.  The  Gardens.  Oakfield, 
Lachenalias  and  Narcissus  cyclamineus;  Mr.  E.  S.  Pigg.  The 
Gardens.  Samoa,  Orchids  ;  Mr.  F.  Fry.  Ill e  Gardens,  Green- 
lands,  Alfriston  and  Newton  Wonder  Apples  (splendid 
samples  for  the  time  of  year);  Mr.  H.  Wilson,  The  Gardens, 
Lower  Redlands,  Begonia  hydrocotylifolia ;  Mr.  W.  Townsend, 
The  Gardens,  Sandhui-st  Lodge,  blooms  of  Hegonia  mauicata ; 
and  :Mr.  F.  Bright,  The  Gardens.  Whiteknights,  .some 
wonderfully-grown  Lachenalia  Nelsoni.  The  former  four 
exhibitors  entered  for  the  society's  certificate  of  cultural 
merit,  and  the  judge's  awards  were  to  Mr.  F.  Lever  for  his 
Odontoglossum  and  to  Mr.  F.  Bailey  for  his  beautiful  batch 
of  Star  Primulas.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  to 
the  lecturer  and  to  the  exhibitors.  A  warm  discussion  took 
place  with  regard  to  the  electing  of  a  lady  gardener  as  an 
"  ordinary  "  member  of  the  association,  but  being  put  to  the 
vote  00  per  cent,  voted  in  favour  of  the  lady  lieing  elected  as 
an  crdiuary  member. 

ROYAL    HOUTICITLTURAL    SOCIETY. 
Orchid   Committee. 

Present  :  Messrs.  Harry  J.  Veitch  (chairman).  J.  G. 
Fowler,  De  B.  Crawshay,  H.  M.  Pollett,  H.  Ballantine,  A. 
Sander,  W.  H.  Young.  H.  Little,  F.  Sander,  J.  Wilson  Potter, 
T.  W.  Bond,  E.  Hill.  N.  F.  Bilney,  H.  T.  Pitt,  Frank  A. 
Rehder,  James  Douglas,  Jeremiah  Coleman,  and  H.  J. 
Chapman. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,*Bush  Hill  Park,  Enfield,  sent  a 
group  of  Orchids,  which  included  many  splendid  Den- 
drobiunis,  Cattleya  Triana;  aurantiaca  (a  fine  flower),  many 
excellent  varieties  of  Dendrobium  wardianum.  Ladio-Cattleya 
Hon.  Mrs.  Astor,  having  a  well-coloured  lip ;  Dendrobium 
roeblingianum  (D.  Ruckeri  x  D.  nobile),  plants  of  D.  nolule 
and  D.  u.  Amesiu,  found  growing  wild  together;  D.  rubens 
grandiflorum,  Angrrecum  citratum,  Cattleya  Schrodenc 
splendens,  deliciously  scented  ;  and  C.  Trian;^  fulgens,  a 
finely  coloured  flower.  The  Dendrolies  were  splendidly 
flowered,  one  plant  of  D.  wardianum  carrying  no  Jess  than 
forty-two  flowers.  Odontoglossum  Hallo -harrvanuni,  a 
natural  hybrid,  was  also  shown  by  :Messrs.  Low.  Silver 
Flora  medal. 

Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelse^i,  arranged 
an  extensive  and  representative  group  of  Orchids.  Included 
were  La:lio-Cattleya  callistoglossa  igneseens  (a  beautiful 
hybrid  between  Cattleya  Warsccwiczii  and  Ltcliapurpurata), 
L.-C.  igneseens,  L.-C.  Clonia,  with  soft  mauve-culoured 
petals,  lighter  coloured  sepals,  and  a  crimson-purple  lip; 
Cypripedium  Clymena,  C.  Euryades,  L.-C.  ^lyra,  a  flower  iif 
clear  yellow,  except  for  a  slight  tinge  of  red  in  the  lip  ;  it  is 
the  result  of  a  cross  between  Liclia  flava  and  Cattleya 
Trianfc.  There  were  several  plants  shown,  all  bearing 
different  coloured  flowers,  although  all  were  obtanied  from 
seed  from  the  same  cross.  Phahf  nopsis  Mrs.  H.  J.  Veitch,  a 
hybrid  between  P.  luddema' niana  and  P.  JIannii ;  Den- 
drobium flndlayanum,  Epideudrum  Clarissa,  and  many  other 
interesting  plants  were  also  included,  notably  Cymbidium 
eburneo-lowianum.  Messrs.  Veitch  were  awarded  a  silvei'- 
gilt  Flora  medal. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  the  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt.  showed 
a  small  group  of  the  white  variety  of  Ccelogyne  cristata  and 
C.  c.  lemoniana.     Vote  of  thanks. 

H.  T.  Pitt,  Esq.,  Rosslyu,  Stamford  Hill,  exhibited  a  group 
of  Orchids,  conspicuous  among  which  were  L;clia  harpo- 
phylla,  Odontoglossum  ruckerianum,  Ccelogyne  Sanderx, 
Phaius  Cooksoni,  several  Miltonias,  Ac.     Silver  Flora  medal. 

Mr.  James  Cypher,  Orchid  grower.  Cheltenham,  showed  a 
group  of  Orch'ds,  which  included  several  Denurobes  of  very 
flue  shades  of  colour.  Dendiobium  nobile  nobilius  was 
splendidly  represented,  as  were  also  D.  airo-violacea,  D. 
splendidissimum  giganteum,  D.  Cybele,  anj  others.  Silver 
Flora  medal. 

From  Mrs.  Haywood,  Woodhatch  Lodge,  Reigate  (gar- 
dener, Mr.  C.  J.  Salter),  came  a  small  group  of  Dendmliiums. 
many  of  which  were  very  fine  indeed,  such  as  D.  splendi- 
dissimum rubens,  D.  s.  pallens,  D.  s.  purpnreum,  D.  pic- 
turatnm,  and  D.  Editha^  superba.    Silver  Banksian  medal. 

R.  G.  Thwaites,  Esq.,  Streatham,  S.W.  (gardener,  Mr. 
J.  M.  Black),  showed  a  small  group  of  Orchids,  comprising 
Dendrobium  Kenneth,  D.  cheltenharaense,  D.  Wiganijc,  and 
several  Cattleyas  and  Odontoglossums,  all  exceedingly  well- 
flowered  plants.    Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Jeremiah  Colman,  Esq.,  Gatton  Park,  Reigate  (gardener, 
Mr.  W.  B.  Bound),  exhibited  a  collection  of  Orchids  con- 
taining several  very  interesting  plants.  Lrelio -Cattleya 
Captain  Percy  Scott  (L.  elegans  grandifiora  x  C.  labiata 
flammea).  a  flower  of  soft  rose  cohniring,  with  a  crimson 
velvety  lip  ;  La?lia  jonghenna  crispa,  bearing  thirteen 
flowers;  Dendrobium  nobile  ballianum,  the  lip  of  this  being 
faint  rose  and  sulphur-yellow  ;  L.  anceps  Stella.  L.  a.  schrd- 
deriana,  lVtc.    A  silver  Banksian  medal  was  awarded. 

M.  H.  Claes,  Orchid  importer,  55,  Rue  des  Champs, 
Etterbeek,  Brussels,  exhibited  a  group  of  Odontoglossums, 
amongst  which  were  0.  wilckeanura,  O.  nobilior,  O.  Adriamc, 
0.  loochristyense,  and  0.  etterbeckense,  a  natural  hybrid 
between  0.  andersonianum  and  0.  hunnewellianum.  Vote 
of  thanks. 

W^  Thompson,  Esq.,  Walton  Grange,  Staff'ordshire,  sent 
Dendrobium  Stevens'  var.,  Odontoglossum  andersonianum 
var.  delicata,  0.  Adrianre  var.  Lord  Roberta,  and  0.  excellens 
nobilior,  which  were  all  splendidly  grown  plants  and  flne 
varieties  also.     Silver  Flora  medal. 

Mr.  Hardy,  Tyntesfleld,  Ashton-on-Mersey  (gardener,  Mr. 
T.  Stafford),  exhibited  Dendrobium  Cybele  nobilius,  Cattleya 
Triana;,  &c. 

Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  sent  a  small  group  of  Orchids, 
in  which  was  staged  a  lovely  raceme  of  Odontoglossum 
coronarium  var.  rainiatum  ;  Odontoglossum    ruckerianum^ 


O.  andersonianum  Dorman's  var..  and  Lielio  -  Cattleya 
Gsyaua,  a  hybrid  between  L.  cinnaharina  and  Cattleya 
guttata  Leopoldii,  were  others.     Vote  of  thanks. 

A  splendid  plant  of  Cymbidium  eburneo-lowianuu)  was 
shown  by  Captain  Holford,  Westoubirt,  Tetbury  (gardener, 
Mr.  A.  Chapman). 

P.  L.  Hudson,  Esq.,  Pampisford.  Cambridge  (gardener, 
Mr.  T.  Kirkpatrick),  sent  a  plant  of  Cattleya  Triame  Bella. 

A  botanical  certificate  was  awarded  to  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence, 
Burford  Lodge,  Dorking  (Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  White), 
for  Liparis  tricallosa. 

FuiiT  Committkk. 

Present:  Messrs.  Geoige  Buuvard  (chairman),  Henry 
Esling,  George  Keif,  J.  Cheal,  J.  Willard,  F.  W.  Bates, 
S.  Mortimer.  Alexander  Dean.  C.  Herrin,  E.  Beckett, 
J.  Wright.  H.  Markha?u,  W.  Poupart,  James  H.  ^'eitch, 
W.  Iggulden,  A.  Ward,  G.  Norman,  ¥.  Smith.  F.  T.  Lane, 
A.  H.  Pearson,  H.  Somers  Rivers,  .).  Jaques,  and  Rev.  W. 
Wilks. 

Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  So!is,  Limited,  Chelsea,  arranged 
a  magniticent  collection  of  hardy  fruit,  consisting  chiefly  of 
Apples.  The  specimens  were  of  fine  colour,  in  very  good  con- 
dition, anil  of  good  size  also.  Lord  Derby,  Flower  of  Kent. 
Duke  of  Beaufort,  Beauty  of  Kent,  Newton  Wonder,  Golden 
Noble,  Striped  BeauHn,  Melon  Apple.  Hormead's  Pearmain, 
Sandringhara.  AUington  Pippin  ;  Bellissime  d'hiver,  Catillac, 
Verulam,  and  Mariette  de  Millepieds  (Pears)  are  just  a  few 
of  the  best  fruits.  Such  a  display  of  hardy  fruit  as  this 
is  of  great  practical  value,  and  should  do  miich  to  convince 
those  who  are  sceptical  as  to  the  possibilities  of  hardy  fruit 
culture  under  ordinary  conditions  in  Britain.  A  gold  medal 
was  deservedly  awarded  for  this  representative  exhibit. 

Mr.  A.  J.  Thomas,  Sittingbourne,  exhibited  a  very  good 
collection  of  Apples,  comprising  many  splendid  samples. 
Some  particularly  well  represented  were  Royal  Jubilee, 
Striped  Beaufln,  Chelmsford  Wonder,  Gloria  Mundi,  Annie 
Elizabeth,  The  Queen,  Cox's  Orange  Pippin,  and  Stewart's 
Prince  Arthur.     A  silver  Knightiau  medal  was  awarded. 

Messrs.  James  Veitch  were  given  an  award  of  merit  for 
Apple  Lamb  Abbey  Pearmain,  an  old,  somewhat  small,  thcjugh 
valuable  late  keeping  dessert  variety  of  excellent  flavour. 

Fi.oRAL  Committee. 

Present :  Mr.  W.  Marshall  (chairman),  and  Messrs.  Charles 
E.  Shea,  H.  B.  May,  R.  Dean,  \V.  P.  Thomson.  Rev.  R.  Wilson, 
C.J.  Salter,  Charles  Jeffries,  R.  C.  Notcutt,  J.  W.  Barr, 
J.  D.  Pawle,  Herbert  J.  Cutbush,  E.  H.  Jenkins,  William  J. 
James,  Charles  Black,  George  Paul,  George  Nicholson, 
E.  T.  Cook,  and  John  Jennings. 

The  meeting  on  this  occasion  was  a  very  full  one,  and  quite 
representative  in  character,  yet  in  spite  of  this  no  award  was 
made  to  any  novelty  coming  before  this  committee.  The 
groups  staged,  however,  in  many  instances  were  of  high  merit. 

Messrs.  \^'.  Paul  and  Son,  Waltham  Cross,  showed  a  noble 
group  of  forced  shrubs.  Not  only  was  this  an  extensive 
exliibit,  but  the  quality  of  the  material  shown  was  in  every 
way  good.  Here  we  noted  such  useful  things  as  Forsythia 
suspensa,  yellow  with  blossom  ;  Prunus  triloba,  in  the  pink 
of  condition,  each  plant  carrying  lialf-a-dozen  sprays  2  feet 
long;  Magnolia  stellata  and  M.  conspicua,  the  double-flowered 
Almonds,  Carnation-fiowereil  Peach,  very  showy  ;  the  fragrant 
Staphylea,  single  and  double;  Kerria  japonica,  the  pretty 
Corylopsis  paucifolia,  Xauthoceras  soriti  folia;  mention  of  these 
will  give  soiue  idea  of  the  variety  contained  in  this  beautiful 
display.  Then  in  front  were  arranged  a  variety  of  Clematis 
in  rtower.     A  silver-gilt  Flora  medal  was  awarded. 

Another  group  of  forced  plants  came  from  Messrs.  R.  and 
G.  Cuthbert,  Southgate.  In  this,  the  varieties  of  Azalea 
mollis  were  very  beautiful.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  name 
all  the  kinds,  which,  indeed,  were  of  the  best  thronghtput. 
but  such  as  Lutea  major,  M.  Koster,  W.  E.  Gundileton,  Dr- 
Leon  Vigne's  (golden),  Peter  Koster  (orange),  and  Admirable 
(rich  orange),  were  among  the  best.  Lilacs  were  in  abundance, 
both  single  and  d(julde  kinds,  and  bearing  heavy  trusses, 
while  many  others,  as  the  Guelder  Rose,  Laburnums,  Ac. 
were  placed  as  standards  here  and  there.  Silver  Banksian 
medal. 

Another  exhibit,  and  this  a  most  extensive  one,  was  an 
array  of  Tulips  in  pots,  from  ilessrs.  William  Cutbush  and 
Sons,  Highgate.  Only  siugle-fiowered  ones  were  shown, 
and  here;  too,  the  plants  contained  only  the  ttnest  kinds.  Of 
the  Tulips  alone  an  entire  table  was  filled,  and  the  varieties, 
usually  arranged  in  lines  of  four,  or,  perhaps,  double  lines  of 
this  nundjer,  were  well  set  up  to  bring  out  the  separate 
qualities  of  each.  The  exhibit  was  indeed  a  very  fine  one. 
Silver-gilt  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Chelsea,  set  up  a  pretty  batch  of 
Cinerarias  called  Kew  Blue.  These  are  <.if  the  Polyantha 
strain,  and  with  some  variation  fu  colour,  hence  probably  the 
name.  The  plants  are  certainly  of  a  good  compact  habit,  and 
in  a  large  conservatory,  drawing-room,  corridor,  or  such 
like  would  prove  a  most  striking  feature.  The  plants  were 
flnely  grown,  and  earned  good  heads  of  blossom.  Messrs. 
Veitch  likewise  showed  large  plants  of  Amygdalus  davidiana 
alba,  the  examples  Ijeiug  from  7  feet  to  s  feet  higli,  and  each 
twig  hjaded  with  the  pretty  white  flowers.  It  is  one  of  the 
earliest  of  open  air  shrubs  to  flower. 

Messrs.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley,  also  had  Cinerarias 
that  if  their  leafage  could  have  been  taken  away  woidd  have 
given  the  appearance  of  some  of  the  Alichaelmas  Daisies  of 
early  autumn  ;  the  white  kinds  and  the  palest  blue  shades 
especially  favoured  this  view.  (.)thers,  however,  could  not 
by  any  stretch  of  imagination  be  placed  in  this  category, 
one  called  Corapacta,  fur  instance,  being  of  red  hue  and  a 
vigorous  grower. 

Messrs.  Laing  and  Sons,  Forest  Hill,  set  up  a  charming 
group  of  small  and  serviceable  table  plants,  in  whicli 
Acacias,  Arums,  Indian  Azaleas,  Begonias,  Authuriums, 
small  Palms,  and  bushes  of  Azalea  mollis  were  the  chief 
things. 

From  Canterbury,  Jfr.  George  Mount  brought  just  a  few 
of  those  Roses  he  giows  so  well,  and,  as  usual,  these  were 
greatly  admired.  The  blooms,  too,  cut  with  flne  stems, 
were  all  one  needs  (or  the  time  of  year,  and  the  kinds 


March  16,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


195 


sliown,  as  on  former  occasions,  were  Mrs.  John  Lairig  (pink), 
Oaptain  Haywarcl  (crimson),  and  La  France,  the  last  by  no 
means  the  best  forcing  Rose  for  March  anywhere  near 
Lonaon ;  but  while  Mr.  Mount  does  grow  and  tlower  these 
Roses  so  admiralily,  we  may  be  pardoned  if  we  say  that  we 
think  he  certainly  does  not  improve  his  blooms,  but  very 
much  the  rever.-^c  when  he  resorts  to  the  flower  girl's  notion 
(if  the  streets  and  shnps  liy  laying  back  the  petals  of  such  a 
Rose  as  Captain  [layward  as  flat  as  a  board.  The  variety  is 
uf  such  a  tine  cupped  form  that  we  can  only  look  upon  this 
bit  of  dressing  as  a  thing  (luite  unnecessary.  Silver  Banksian 
medal. 

Another  feature  of  the  meeting  was  the  handsome  grtuips 
of  Cyclamens,  of  which  there  were  two,  that  from  Mr.  John 
May,  St.  Margarets,  near  Twickenham,  being  a  superb  lot  of 
plants.  Not  only  were  the  colours  represented  of  the  very 
tlnest  order,  they  were  very  decided,  and  free  from  stain  or 
marking  of  any  kind.  Where  a  rich  crimson  base  existed 
it  was  clear  and  well  defined,  the  pure  white  segments 
rising  up  above  with  rare  substance.  There  were  exceedingly 
pure  whites,  rose  shades,  and  pink,  and  white  with  crimson 
base,  very  bold  and  striking,  a  really  superb  array  that  it 
was  difficult  to  excel.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  tine 
colours  that  charmed  so  many  visitors  on  Tuesday  last. 
Rich  and  superb  in  colour,  tlie  plants  were  excellently 
grown.     Silver  Flora  medal. 

Tlie  other  group  came  from  the  Church  Road  Nursery 
Co.,  Hanwell,  and  here,  too,  the  plants  were  very  tine,  the 
pure  whites  being  beautiful  with  flowers  of  large  size. 
There  were,  perhaps,  about  100  plants  in  each  lot,  and  the 
whites  in  this  latter  group  constituted  an  important  third, 
.so  to  speak.     Silver  Banksian  medal. 

From  Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  Old  Nurseries,  Cbeshunt, 
came  some  frilly-tlowered  pots  of  Lachenalias,  such  as 
aurea  chrysantha.  Nelsoni,  and  lutea,  Begonia  fuchsioides, 
more  brilliant  in  colour  than  is  usually  seen,  and  the  fine 
flowering  Cerasus  J.  H.  Veitch,  a  mass  of  bloom  in  pots. 

Messrs.  Peed  and  Sons,  Lower  Norwood,  had  a  group 
uf  Palms,  Acacias,  Azaleas,  Staphyleas,  Deutzia  Lemoinei, 
Dendrobium  nobile,  and  other  plants. 

Then  came  the  hardy  things,  always  a  most  varied  and 
interesting  lot  at  this  time  of  year.  In  this  way  Messrs. 
Ware,  Feltham,  had  Hepaticas  in  charming  variety,  various 
Saxifragas,  sucli  as  burseriana  in  quantity,  tlie  varieties  of 
oppositifolia,  of  wliich  pyrenaica  is  the  best,  S.  apiculata, 
S.  sancta  being  all  noticeable  in  ttower.  Megasea  Sti'achleyi, 
just  well  in  truss,  is  also  good.  The  exquisite  Soldanella 
alpina,  the  pure  white  form  of  Scilla  bifolia.  Iris  stylosa 
alba,  I.  timbriata,  and  a  few  forced  Daffodils  in  pots, 
Sir  Watkin,  Victoria,  (.Jueen  of  Spain,  Pallidns  precox,  and 
others.    Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Considerable  interest,  too,  centred  in  a  group  from 
ilessrs.  Wallace,  of  Colchester,  who  set  up  a  really  tine  lot 
of  things,  some  of  the  best  being  Fritillaria  pluriflora, 
Scilla  sibirica  alba,  very  fine ;  Iris  persica,  I.  orchioides, 
I.  tubergeniana,  a  pretty  novelty  with  yellow  flowers  ;  and 
1.  Fauri,  a  species  very  rare  if  not  new,  and  which  we  may 
again  refer  to.  Puschkinia  scilloides  was  good,  as  also 
Hepaticas,  Winter  Aconites,  Iris  stylosa,  Muscarias,  etc. 
Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  Jackman  and  Son,  Woking,  also  had  a  nice 
assortment.  Here  the  old  double  yellow  Wallflower  was 
seen,  Adonis  amurensis.  Narcissus  cyclaminens  major, 
Saxifraga  burseriana,  Chionodoxa  Alleni,  Cyclamen  repan- 
dum,  Androsace  carnea,  very  pretty  ;  A.  pyrenaica,  <S:c. 
Tree  Preonies  in  variety,  and  a  line  lot  of  Puschkinia  liba- 
notica  beautiful  in  full  bloom. 

Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons,  Covent  Garden,  had  one  of 
their  pretty  displays,  of  which  the  chief  were  some  leading 
Narcissus,  such  as  Horstteldi,  obvallaris,  ornatus,  telamonius 
plenus.  Sir  Watkin,  Mr.  W.  Ware,  a  tine  bicolor,  and  others. 
Then,  too,  we  noted  the  pretty  Corbularias  in  some  three 
forms,  the  double  form  of  Narcissus  cernuus.  Iris  persica, 
Heldrechi,  I.  reticulata,  Chionodoxas,  and  some  finely-grown 
Freesias,  Leichtlini  major,  and  refracta  alba  being  shown. 
There  was  also  a  nice  lot  of  (.'rocus  in  several  kinds,  and 
several  Anemones  in  tlower. 

Jlr.  Charles  E.  Shea  had  some  well-grown  plants  of 
Primula  obconica,  the  flowers  of  good  size,  and  borne  on 
long  stems,  while  from  Captain  Holford  came  some  half 
dozen  sorts  of  Hippeastrums,  chiefly  light  kinds,  and  from 
the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  that  new  hybrid  Primula 
kewensis,  wliich  is  a  natural  hybrid  between  P.  floribunda 
and  P.  verticillata,  the  hybrid  in  many  ways  altogether 
surpassing  the  parents,  not  only  in  freedom,  l>ut  in  the 
ol3viously  good  habit.  It  is,  indeed,  a  remarkable  plant, 
perhaps  the  tinest  decorative  plant  in  Primulacoi  that  has 
seen  the  liglit  since  P.  sinensis  was  introduced.  Its  value  at 
present  can  scarcely  be  estimated. 

There  were  also  some  pretty  Lachenalias  from  Mr.  A. 
Chandler,  Haselmere,  but  the  plants  showed  no  improve- 
ment upon  existing  types. 

Professor  Henslow's  Lecture. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  expectation  of  the  Fellows 
in  relation  to  the  hearing  of  Mr.  Davison's  promised  paper 
on  pergola  climbers,  witli  respect  to  which,  because  of  that 
gentleman's  illness,  there  was  disappointment,  in  any  case 
there  was  a  good  muster  to  hear  one  more  of  those  charming 
sermons  on  plants  with  which  Professor  Henslow  invariably 
gives,  and  which  the  reverend  gentleman  did  so  on  this 
occation  literally  at  a  moment's  notice.  After  thirty  new 
Fellows  had  been  elected,  with  a  well-furnished  table  of 
plants  before  him  for  illustration.  Professor  Henslow  com- 
menced with  a  refei  ence  to  Iris  persica  as  being  the  first 
plant  figured  in  the  Botanical  Magazine,  and  yet  which 
remained  unaltered.  How  many  plants  had  changed  since 
their  introduction  here,  the  fine  collections  in  the  hall  tliat 
day  evidenced.  The  Cyclamen  was  referred  to  as  illustrative 
of  the  remarkable  development  in  certain  flowers,  and 
especially  so  were  the  most  brilliant  crimsons  seen  in 
Mr.  May's  superb  collection.  Daffodils  again  show  they  had 
altered  from  their  evident  original— the  wild  variety.  From 
that  had  come  the  diminutive  minimus  and  maximus,  arjd 
myriads  of  other  beautiful  varieties.     Apparently  against 


elaborate  breeding  and  culture  there  had  lieen  a  sort  of 
protest  raised  by  Cyclamen,  Daffodils,  Primulas,  and 
Begonias,  in  efforts  made  to  produce  fringed  forms.  This 
was  evidcTiced,  too,  in  some  Cyclamen  leaves,  in  which  the 
tlhro-vascular  bundles  had  liecome  attached,  and  fringed 
flowers  seemed  to  be  the  product  of  similar  features. 
Examples  were  often  seen  in  the  fasciatirjii  of  Asparagus 
stems,  also  in  Cockscombs  and  Cabbage  leaves  ;  indeed,  in 
one  case,  an  entire  breadth  of  Cal)bage  had  these  vascular 
bundles  on  the  leaves. 

Professor  Henslow  then  dealt  withPrimulacea,  mentioning 
that  most  Himalayan  and  alpine  species  were  mealy,  and 
this  excretion  doulitless  answered  useful  natural  purposes. 
In  Britain  the  only  similar  varieties  were  P.  scotica  and 
P.  farinosa,  the  latter  being  cliiefly  found  in  Yorkshire. 
Types  were,  however,  found  in  many  climates  even  so  far 
south  as  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  an  example  of  which  was 
shown.  Alpine  plants  in  this  country  often  grew  to  greater 
height  than  they  did  on  the  Alps.  There  were  some, 
however,  which  remained  green,  the  cause  of  which 
was  explained.  Groups  of  forced  shrubs  and  trees, 
especially  of  the  wide  Prunus  family,  were  dealt  with. 
Species  of  the  genus  were  found  abundantly  all  over  the 
northern  hemisphere.  The  progeny  derived  from  original 
species  was  extensive.  The  Damson,  Apricot,  Peach,  and 
Almond  were  all  of  the  genus  hailing  from  the  East. 
Peaches,  Nectarines,  and  Almonds  were  so  far  practically 
identical  that  seeds  of  one  would  often  produce  the  other. 
The  family  gave  us  some  of  the  earliest  flowering  and  most 
beautiful  of  trees.  The  fruits  of  the  common  Laurel,  one  of 
the  Prunus  allies,  were  harmless,  but  the  leaves  are 
poisonous,  although  far  less  so  than  is  the  case  in  tlie 
south  of  Europe.  Cases  had  been  heard  of  cattle  eating 
Laurel  and  dying.  Tlie  lecturer's  own  experience  when 
residing  at  Ealing  was  that  his  cows  broke  a  fence 
to  get  at  Laurels,  and  fairly  ate  up  every  leaf  without 
suffering  the  least  harm.  The  old  Kerria  japonica  was 
introduced  to  show  how  it  differed  from  the  true  single 
variety,  which  was  also  shown,  and  was  a  great  novelty. 
He  welcomed  it  as  a  sort  of  natural  protest  against  the 
common  tendency  on  the  part  of  flowers  to  double,  so  many 
of  which,  lumpy  Dahlias  for  instance,  lost  all  grace  and 
beauty  when  so  evolved. 

Professor  Henslow  thought  the  prevalent  taste  was 
strongly  in  favour  of  nnn-e  single  or  natural  flowers.  The 
Cineraria,  an  example  of  the  stellata  type,  being  sliown,  was 
originally  branching,  and  had  flowers  produced  freely  on 
long  stems.  These  were  elegant ;  but  the  florists'  Cinerarias, 
even  though  having  huge  round  flowers,  were  dwarf,  dumpy, 
and  devoid  of  grace.  They  needed  the  production  of  richer 
colours  on  these  tall  branching  plants  to  have  a  charming 
strain.  Some  flowers  of  Angra'cum  sescpiipedale,  a  beautiful 
white  Orchid,  with  exceeding  long  spurs,  were  shown,  and  it 
was  stated  that  it  was  long  before  the  moth  which  had  a 
trunk  sufficiently  long  to  probe  tliese  spurs  was  discovered, 
but  entomologists  were  now  familiar  with  it.  The  flnal 
illustration  was  found  in  forced  plants  of  the  purple 
Broom,  Cytisus  purpurens.  Professor  Henslow  mentioned 
that  once  a  Mr.  Adam  grafted  this  species  on  to  the 
common  Laburnum.  The  tiist  shoot  died,  but  one  Ijroke 
from  the  base  of  the  union  with  the  stock,  and  that  pro- 
duced, not  only  purple  and  yellow  flowers,  but  brick-red 
ones  also.  Hence  the  variety  now  commonly  known  as 
Cytisus  Adami. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 


CAULIFLOWERS   ALL   THE 
YEAR    ROUND, 

WHILE  this  heading  may  seem 
rather  presumptuous,  it  is  not 
so  impossible  of  accomplishment 
as  would  at  first  appear,  for  I 
propose  to  include  with  the 
Cauliflower  the  form  of  Brassica 
oleraeea,  generally  known  in  gardens  as  Broccoli  ; 
but  for  this  purpose  they  may  well  be  treated  under 
the  more  popular  heading  of  Cauliflowers,  the  only 
designation  known  to  the  majorit}'  of  persons  out 
side  a  garden,  for  all  Broccoli  are  Cauliflowers  to 
most  people.  Having  been  tolerably  successful 
in  growing  and  maintaining  a  fairly  continuous 
succession  for  the  past  few  years,  I  will  endeavour 
to  give  details  of  the  practice  that  produced  these 
results  and  the  varieties  used.  The  comparative 
mildness  of  recent  winters  has  assisted  greatlj' 
towards  the  results  attained.  A  few  days  cold 
with  10°  to  15°  of  frost,  if  some  protection  can  be 
given,  is  not  of  sufficient  duration  to  aftect  the 
supply  for  many  days.  In  seasons,  however,  when 
weeks  together  are  more  or  less  severe,  and  15°  to 
■20°  of  frost  frequently  occur,  it  is  scarcely  possible 
to  keep  up  a  regular  and  constant  supply,  although 
much  may  be  done  where  frames  and  pits  can  be 
had  in  which  to  replant  those  commencing  to  form 
heads.  When  mid-season  and  late  varieties  are 
killed  off  entirely,  as  sometimes  happens  in 
protracted  winters,  a  break  in  the  supply  is 
unavoidable.  This,  however,  is  seldom  the  case 
where  the  partial   lifting  and   "heeling   over"  is 


practised  in  late  autumn,  a  precaution  that  has 
often  been  advocated  in  the  columns  of  Thk 
Garukn.  At  the  present  time.  Cauliflower  plants 
raised  from  seeds  sown  in  August  last,  and  that 
have  been  wintered  in  cold  frames,  will,  if  kept 
well  exposed  and  hardened  ott',  be  soon  in  condition, 
with  favourable  weather,  for  planting  out  in  a 
sheltered  and  well-manured  quarter  of  the  garden. 
Where  seeds  of  the  small  heading  varieties  of  the 
Snowball  type  were  sown  in  .January  and  potted 
ott'singl}',  these  will  be  in  a  similar  condition,  and 
if  planted  out  IS  inches  apart  on  a  warm  Vjorder 
will  produce  capital  little  Cauliflowers  before  the 
autunm-raised  plants  that  will  follow  closely. 

When  first  planted  out  both  should  be  protected 
with  bell  glasses  or  hand-lights  if  these  are  avail- 
able, otherwise  6-inch  pots  may  be  used,  and  one 
may  be  inverted  over  each  plant  on  cold  nights  or 
any  time  when  the  weather  is  unfavourable  for  the 
first  few  weeks  after  planting.  From  these 
Cauliflowers  should  be  ready  to  cut  early  in  June. 
For  succession  seeds  should  now  be  sown  in  boxes, 
using  Early  London,  Early  Erfurt,  P^clipse,  Early 
Giant,  and  Autunni  (Slant,  to  be  pricked  off'  in 
other  boxes  or  on  sheltered  borders  as  soon  as  they 
are  large  enough  to  handle.  Another  sowing  of 
the  same  varieties  should  also  be  made  at  the  same 
time  in  the  open  ground.  Towards  the  end  of 
March  or  early  in  April  the  first  general  sowing  of 
those  to  produce  a  supply  through  the  succeeding 
autumn,  winter,  and  intervening  months  to  June 
must  be  made  in  an  open  position  outside,  in 
shallow  drills  9  inches  apart.  The  varieties  for 
this  purpose  should  comprise  the  following  : 
Veitch's  Autumn  Giant,  Veitch's  Self-Protecting 
Autumn,  Sutton's  Autumn-Protecting,  Winter 
Mammoth,  Snow's  Winter  White,  Sutton's  Superb 
Early  White,  Veitch's  Main  Crop,  Leamington, 
Late  Queen,  Veitch's  Model,  and  Methven's  June. 
Leamington  is  an  exceedingly  good  and  reliable 
main  crop  variety,  and  should  be  grown  in 
quantity.  This  and  the  three  last-mentioned 
latest  varieties  should  also  be  sown  in  quantity 
about  the  middle  of  Maj',  as  from  this  sowing  the 
plants  will  be  more  serviceable  than  earlier-sown 
ones,  as  it  is  not  advisable  to  plant  out  early  for 
the  plants  to  become  extra  strong. 

As  the  plants  to  be  put  out  shortly  will  be  for 
the  production  of  heads  in  the  middle  of  summer, 
the  ground  for  their  reception  should  be  trenched 
two  spits  in  depth  at  least,  and  a  good  dressing  of 
decaj'ed  manure  incorporated,  more  especially  in 
the  top  spit.  After  the  ground  has  settled  the 
plants  should  be  set  out  lH  inches  apart  in  rows 
.2  feet  wide,  and  if  a  shallow  drill  be  drawn  out  to 
plant  in  it  will  afford  a  little  protection.  A  quick 
growth  being  desirable,  a  slight  dressing  of 
sulphate  of  ammonia  is  beneficial  when  the  plants 
are  well  established,  to  be  watered  in  if  the 
weather  is  drj'.  These  plants  will  give  a  supply- 
in  .June  and  .July,  and  similar  varieties,  Early 
London  and  Dwarf  Erfurt,  sown  now  in  boxes  or 
outside  will  give  a  succession.  To  follow  these 
will  come  on  the  early-sown  Eclipse,  Early  Giant, 
and  the  well-known  Autumn  Giant.  The  first- 
named  is  an  invaluable  variety,  turning  in  before 
the  other  two,  and  Early  Giant  is  an  early  form  of 
the  Autumn  Giant,  with  veiy  close,  well-formed 
heads.  They  should  receive  similar  treatment  and 
manuring  as  the  foregoing,  but  be  given  a  space  of 
2  feet  6  inches  to  3  feet  between  the  rows  and 
from  plant  to  plant.  With  these  a  good  batch  of 
Veitch's  Self-Protecting  and  Sutton's  Autumn- 
Protecting,  two  extremelj'  useful  varieties,  should 
be  planted  to  succeed  the  Autumn  Giant.  The 
latter  will  continue  the  supply  till  October  or 
later,  while  the  other  two  will  carry  on  the  supply 
to  Christmas,  and  sometimes  beyond. 

All  the  latest  plants  to  furnish  heads  from 
January  to  .June  should  be  given  ample  space  for 
development,  and  the  ground  must  be  made  firm 
but  not  rich.  They  must  be  planted  direct  from 
the  seed  bed  to  their  permanent  quarters.  Those 
I  have  found  satisfactorj'  are  Winter  Mammoth, 
Snow's  ^^'i^ter  White,  Superb  Early  White, 
Veitch's  Main  Crop,  Leamington,  Late  Queen, 
Veitch's  Model,  and  Slethven's  June.  The  latest 
varieties  have  been  somewhat  improved  of  late 
years,  and  by  a  rigorous  selection  I  have  myself 


196 


THE  GAUDEN. 


[March  16,  1901. 


saved  seeds  that  produce  good  beads  in  June  equal 
in  texture  to  Autumn  Giant  Cauliflower.  The 
most  difficult  and  uncertain  months  in  which  to 
ensure  a  supply  are  those  of  December,  Januarj', 
and  Februarj'.  The  method  often  adopted  of 
carefully  lifting,  as  soon  as  the  smallest  head  is 
discernible,  and  planting  them  in  cold  pits  or  in 
batches  outside  close  together  that  they  may 
receive  protection  with  bracken  or  other  light 
strawy  material  when  frosty,  answers  well.  I 
still  advise  the  sowing  of  Cauliflower  seed  in 
August  where  means  exist  for  the  protection  of 
the  plants  through  the  winter  months,  and  prefer 
the  Januarj'  sowing  of  such  small  varieties  as 
Early  Forcing  and  others  of  the  Snowball  type  to 
serve  as  a  supplementary  supply  rather  than  to 
depend  entirely  upon  them  for  the  first  summer 
Cauliflowers.  As  these  can  be  grown  to  produce 
heads  with  tolerable  certainty  early  in  June  they 
will  be  easily  closely  followed  by  the  latest 
varieties  of  Broccoli,  which  without  much  difficulty 
may  now  be  supplied  to  quite  the  middle  of  the 
same  month.  C.   Herein. 


TO 


ANSWERS 
CORRESPONDENTS. 


RULES  FOR  CORRESPONDENTS. 

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Names  of    fpuit   and    plants.— r.    Heywood.- 

Dendrobiuni  speciosum. T.  5.— Kentish  Pippin. if.  W 

—Next  week. 


KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

Exhibition  Peas  (S.  A.  B.).— P^rom  a  purely  edible 
point  of  view,  we  do  not  care  for  large  poddeii  Peas,  as  the 
Peas  in  them  usually  run  too  large  for  our  taste.  But  there 
are  some  Peas,  such  as  Alderman,  0  feet,  a  grand  show  variety, 
Sharpe's  Queen,  Gladstone,  Autocrat,  and  some  others  that 
never  give  broad,  thick  pods,  but  long,  tapering,  handsome 
ones,  in  which  the  Peas  are  thickly  placed,  and  without  being 
large  are  green,  sweet,  and  of  the  highest  flavour.  Such  Peas 
always  are  found  in  green  pods,  and  most  judges  now  give 
the  preference  to  dark  colour  in  pod  and  Pea  as  indicating 
excellence.  A  good  show  Pea  should  when  filled  contain  from 
nine  to  ten  Peas.  The  pod  should  also  open  freely  in  shelling, 
as  when  such  is  not  the  case  much  additional  trouble  is 
entailed  on  the  sheller  with  these  varieties.  All  the  same, 
the  ground  should  be  prepared  by  deep  trenching  and  ample 
manuring,  and  the  seed  should  be  (jtiite  thinly  sown  to  give 
the  plants  ample  room  for  roots  and  stems. 

Cauliflo^vePS  damping- (Amateur). —We  have  had 
much  experience  of  the  tendency  on  the  part  of  small  seedling 
Caulitluwer  plants  to  damp  off  when  raised  in  the  spring  in  a 
cool  house  or  frame.  Our  practice  so  soon  as  evidence  of 
such  damping  was  seen  was  to  withhold  water  and  gently 
dust  witl)  sulphur.  Damping  is  a  furm  of  fungoid  attack, 
but  it  is  only  found  where  predisposing  causes  exist.  Thus  it 
is  so  very  helpful  when  seed  of  the  Snowball  type  is  sown  in 
pans  or  shallow  lioxes  under  glass  to  have  just  a  little  warmth 
to  assist  growth,  as  the  seedlings  then  soon  get  out  of  the 
tender  or  infantile  stage  ;  but  when  well  above  the  soil  rather 
allow  it  to  become  dry  than  moist,  as  that  helps  to  harden 
the  stems,  and  when  two  or  three  rough  leaves  have  developed 
then  all  danger  is  past,  but  even  then  water  sparingly  for  a 
week  longer.  You  may  sow  seed  again  at  once,  and  with 
more  light  and  wainith  soon  have  strong  young  plants  to  put 
out  into  the  open  ground. 

FLO^VER    GARDEN. 
Massing   scarlet  flowers  (S.  E.  C).  —  We    had 

hoped  that  the  desiie  for  big  masses  of  rich-coloured  flower 
beds  in  the  summer  was  dying  out;  but  evidently  some 
persons  still  like  them.  Generally  the  most  massive  show 
is  got  from  some  zonal  Pelargoniums,  such  as  Vesuvius, 
George  Potter,  Brighton  Gem,  or  Stella,  but  the.-»e  plants 
often  when  nuich  rain  comes  cease  to  flower  well  and  become 
too  leafy.  Scarlet  large-flowered  single  Begonias  give  a 
striking  mass  of  colour  in  the  late  summer  and  the  autumn. 
But  the  most  perfect  scarlet  flower  bedding  plant  we  know 
of,  especially  when  strong  plants  are  put  out  thinly  on  a 
base  of  some  silvery  plant  as  a  carpet,  is  the  doul>le 
Begonia  La  Fayette.  This  is  a  veritable  garden  gem  for 
giving  colour.  Scarlet  Verbenas  also  make  a  very  dense 
body  of  colour  and  bloom  for  a  long  time. 

Blue  Salvias  (S.  T.  G.).— You  will  have  no  difficulty 
in  getting  up  a  stock  of  these  beautiful  flowers  if  you  will 
purchase  a  packet  of  seed  from  some  reliable  aeedsman. 
Ask  for  Salvia  patens.     Once  yon  have  plants,  the  roots 


being  tuberous,  Hke  those  of  the  Dahlia,  can  easily  be 
preserved  through  the  winter  if  lifted,  partially  dried,  then 
stored  in  a  cool  place  in  dry  ashes  or  sand  till  the  spring. 
When  they  then  start  into  growth,  some  vf  the  shoots  may 
lie  cut  off  and  rooted  as  cuttings.  The  roots  vriU  also 
bear  careful  division  tlien.  There  is  no  reason  why  in  the 
autumn  of  each  year  you  should  not  save  some  seed  yourself. 
All  depends  on  whether  the  flowers  are  visited  by  bees  or 
other  large  insects,  as  it  seems  to  Vie  through  their  agency 
alone  that  flowers  are  fertilised.  We  have  found,  where 
several  or  many  plants  are  grown,  the  insects  are  relatively 
far  more  numerous  than  they  are  when  only  one  or  two 
plants  are  grown.  There  is  a  white  variety  of  Salvia  patens, 
which  is  also  very  pleasing. 

Planting-  dry  place  under  window  (K.  F., 
Lawrence  Park,  New  York).— (1)  The  dry  place  under  the 
overhanging  window  could  be  planted  with  Stonecrops  or 
Opuntias,  as  you  suggest.  If  it  were  in  the  South  of  England 
we  should  probably  plant  the  Sweet  or  Lemon-scented 
Verbena  (Aloysia  citriodora)  which,  with  occasional 
watering,  does  excellently  in  such  a  place  with  a  little 
protection  in  winter,  or  you  might  plant  some  free  climber, 
such  as  Japan  Honeysuckle,  outside  and  hang  and  train 
it  over  horizontal  sticks  or  wire  netting  a  few  inches  above 
tlie  ground.  Another  good  way  of  treating  such  a  space  is  to 
pave  or  gravel  it,  and  place  pot  or  tub  plants  there  for  the 
summer  ;  but  this  would,  of  course,  entail  watering.  (2)  For 
the  space  in  the  angle  between  porch  and  house  wall  you 
could  not  do  better  than  plant  Guelder  Rose  (Viburnum 
Opulus).  If  desired  it  can  be  partly  trained  against  the 
house,  and  if  it  throws  a  flowering  branch  over  the  porch  we 
think  no  one  will  complain.  In  England  the  double-flowered 
green-leaved  Kerria  japoniea  seems  to  be  more  hardy  and 
free  growing  than  the  single,  and  is  also  a  capital  plant  for 
such  a  place  ;  or  there  may  be  room  for  both  Guelder  Rose 
and  a  Kerria,  and  they  would  make  a  pretty  mixture. 

Planting  group  of  flow^er  beds  on  lawn.— 
Bed  9.— A  backbone  of  five  tall  Cannas,  and  twelve  others 
on  each  side  of  lesser  growth,  planted  opposite  the  spaces 
of  the  middle  row.  This  will  fill  the  bed.  Beds  4  and  5.— 
In  each  four  red-leaved  Castor  Oil  (Ricinus)  in  the  middle 
space,  planted  three  in  a  triangle  and  one  onward  towards 
the  point,  with  a  filling  of  orange  African  Marigold.  Beds  2 
and  7.— Orange  Zinnia,  edged  with  yellow  dwarf  Nastur- 
tium. Beds  1,  3,  6,  and  8.— In  each  one  Nicotlana  sylvestris, 
edged  with  Heliotrope  or  purple  Verbena.  This  would  give 
the  main  planting  with  beds  in  a  good  harmony  of  warm 
colour,  with  a  contrast  in  the  four  round  beds  at  the  angles. 


ASTER   HORIZONTALIS, 


If  a  complete  harmony  is  preferred,  beds  1,  3,  6,  and  8  could 
be  all  tall  French  Marigold.  We  do  not  advise  the  Lantanas 
in  your  case. 

Aster  horizontalis  (M.).— This  is  a  charming  variety, 
witli  small  pretty  reddish  flowers,  and  is  very  vigorous. 

Iris  stylosa  (R.  M.),— April  is  the  best  time  to 
replant.  No  doubt  the  plants  require  dividing  by  now. 
They  should  be  in  rather  poor  soil,  or  they  go  too  strongly 
to  leaf.  Your  quesiion  about  outdoor  Camellias  will  I;e 
answered  shortly. 

Seed  sow^lng  (Amateur).— It  is  not  possible  to  write 
a  garden  calendar  that  would  suit  everyone's  case  ;  but 
generally  a  proper  calendar  does,  and  if  it  fails  to  meet  all, 
at  least  it  has  the  special  merit  of  giving  often  much-needed 
reminders  that  are  very  useful.  No  hard  and  fast  rule  with 
reference  to  seed  sowing  can  be  laid  down.  If  a  season 
be  open  and  mild,  seeds  may  be  sown  with  safety  earlier 
than  if  it  be  wet  or  cold,  as  it  is  most  unusual  to  sow  seeds 
when  the  soil  is  in  an  unfit  state.  Also,  rules  which  apply 
to  the  south  rarely  apply  to  the  north,  where  the  season  is 
usually  from  two  to  three  weeks  later.  Study  the  garden 
calendar  by  all  means,  and  then  if  you  also  study  your 
garden  conditions  you  can  hardly  go  wrong.  Of  course  you 
may  sow  many  seeds  under  glass  without  consideration  as  to 
external  conditions,  especially  if  you  have  some  warmth. 

Old  pot  Hyacinths  (Jason). —  All  ordinary  spring 
bulbs  are  so  cheap  that  it  is  hardly  worth  taking  the  trouble 
to  plant  out  exhausted  pot  bulbs,  bat  still  you  may  do  so  if 
you  wish.  Do  it  so  soon  as  the  flowers  are  over  and  before 
the  leaves  wither,  planting  out  the  ball  of  soil  from  the  pots 
without  breaking  them  ;  but  for  outduor  purposes  you  must 
have  the  bulbs  fully  2  inches  under  the  soil.  You  must  also 
mark  with  a  label  or  piece  of  stick  each  spot  where  bulbs  are 
planted,  that  they  be  not  injured  in  any  way.  It  is  well  to 
plant  three  of  a  colour  in  clumps.  We  have  seen  Hyacinth 
bulbs  thus  planted  continuing  to  bloom  each  spring  for  many 
years,  but  it  is  well  l>efore  planting  to  dig  the  soil  deeply  for 
them, and  to  add  a  little  well-decayed  manure  and  some  sand. 
A  few  shillings  spent  on  common  bedding  Hyacinths  and 
planted  in  this  way  in  the  autumn  are  always  well  repaid. 

Summer  Stocks  (Constance).— The  terms  ten-week 
and  pyramidal  applied  to  summer  Stocks  relate  to  form  of 
growth  or  habit  rather  than  to  anything  else.  If  you  want 
Stocks  to  furnish  you  with  plenty  of  nice  cuttings,  shoots,  or 
branches,  then  grow  giant  ten-weeks,  as  these  are  capital  for 
the  purpose  ;  they  run  from  18  inches  to  24  inches  in  height, 
and  are  rather  loose  growing.  The  pyramidal  Stocks  are 
more  dwarf  and  compact  habited.  Still  these  will  later  in 
the  season  throw  out  side  shoots  that  are  good  for  cuttings 
also.     There  is  in  these  sections  no  apprecialde  difference  as 


todoublenessof  fiowers.  The  strains  are  largely  uf  continental 
growth,  and  the  growers  produce  them  chiefly  in  pots,  as  that 
mode  of  culture  seemstotend  to  the  production  of  the  greater 
percentage  uf  double  flowers.  Certainly  it  is  best  to  sow  the 
seed  under  glass,  if  even  in  a  cold  frame  or  greenhouse, 
putting  the  plants  out  whereto  bloom  when  they  are  4  inches 
in  height ;  but  we  have  fo\ind  plants  to  do  well  and  flower 
freely,  though  late,  if  sown  in  the  open  gi'ound. 

Lonicera  Standishl  (Eve).— Both  this  and  L.  frag- 
rantissima  will  flower  better  for  rather  close  pruning  after 
they  have  made  their  summer  growth,  whether  on  a  wall  or 
in  the  open.  If  on  a  wall,  they  should  be  fastened  in  rather  . 
closely.  Fir  boughs  are  a  better  covering  than  a  mat,  as  ' 
they  allow  air  to  circulate  and  do  not  confine  the  damp: 
but  in  a  rather  long  and  fairly  severe  frost,  such  as  we  have 
had  lately,  the  flowers  that  would  have  been  on  the  bushes 
would  be  likely  to  be  injured. 

FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Manuring:  Vine  border  (W.  R.).— Vou  would  do 
your  Vines  service  that  have  their  loots  in  an  outside  border 
if  you  would  lay  over  the  border  a  thin  coating  of  short  fresli 
stable  droppings  at  once,  as  the  food  in  such  would  wash  in 
and  help  to  stimulate  root  action.  The  dressing,  however, 
should  not  exceed  '2  inches  in  thickness,  so  as  not  to  exclude 
the  warmth  from  the  sun's  rays,  which  is  now  so  needful  to 
help  warm  the  soil  ;  but  after  good  growth  has  been  made 
on  the  Vine,  just  very  lightly— that  is,  but  3  inches  deep- 
point  in  the  manure  with  a  fork,  then,  early  in  July,  give  a 
second  dressing  of  animal  manure  rather  thicker  than  was 
the  first  one.  If  before  adding  this  dressing  you  would  give 
a  dressing  of  soot  that  would  do  much  good  also.  No  doubt 
a  dressing  of  superphosphate  or  bone  flour,  3  ounces  to  the 
square  yard,  given  now  would  be  very  helpful  also. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 
Cropping-  a  garden  (G.  W.  Kknt.)— Dealing  with 
your  last  question  first,  do  ncjt  pinch  out  the  points  of  your 
Chrysanthemum  tips  when  you  make  cuttings  of  them. 
They  should  not  exceed  from  3  inches  to  4  inches  in  length. 
As  to  cropping  your  garden,  keep  the  stiffer  ground  for 
Broad  Beans,  Runners,  Parsnips,  late  Potatoes,  and  autumn 
Giant  Caulifiowers,  each  to  be  sown  and  planted  in  due 
season— Broad  Beans  and  Parsnips  now,  the  others  later. 
On  the  higher  portions,  where  the  soil  is  dryer,  sow  early 
Peas,   such  as  W.  Hurst,  Chelsea  Gem,  Prince  of   Wales, 

and  Senator  to  come 
on  in  succession  ;  and 
plant  Ashleaf  Kidney, 
Beauty  rjf  Hebron,  or 
Puiitan  Potatoes.  For 
a  main  crop  Potato  to 
cover  other  of  the 
ground  plant  Windsor 
Castle  and  Challenger. 
You  may  also  sow  at 
once  both  Nantes  and 
M  a  r  m  a  d  u  k  e  Carrot 
-  seed.  Turnip  -  rooted 
Beet,  any  ordinary 
Globe  or  Spanish 
Onion,  Early  Milan 
Turnip,  Radish, 
Lettuce,  White  and  Red  Cabbage,  Brussels  Sprouts,  and 
other  hardy  winter  green  seeds,  in  small  patches.  Sow 
top-rooting  Beets  a  month  later;  get  Cabbage  plants  and 
put  out  on  medium  soil.  It  is  not  possilile  to  indicate  the 
exact  best  positions  for  each  crop  ;  so  much  depends  un  the 
condition  of  the  soil,  and  that  should  have  been  worked 
deep.  If  it  be  only  shallow  dug,  then  no  description  of  crop 
will  long  hold  out  in  hot,  dry  weather,  especially  as  your 
ground  lies  on  a  slope  to  the  south  and  you  cannot  water. 
Crop  rotation  comes  quite  naturalty,  for  'f  you  sow  or  plant 
crops  now,  you  will  find  Winter  Greens,  Cauliflower,  Broccoli, 
Brussels  Sprouts,  Spinach,  Turnips,  Celery,  autumn  Onions, 
and  many  other  things  will  follow  as  crops  in  due  course, 
and  thus  keep  the  ground  well  employed.  Still  your 
manuring  is  not  of  the  best.  Do  not  apply  nitrate  of  soda 
until  crops  have  made  some  growth,  then  sprinkle  it  on  and 
hoe  it  well  in. 

AVood  aslies  as  manure  (Aitccy).- You  may 
apply  wood  aslu-s  to  ;j;arden  soil  at  any  time.  It  is  a  useful 
potash  manure,  uiul  liecomes  solultle  slowly.  It  is  a  common 
rule  to  apply  at  the  rate  of  a  bushel  per  2  rods  of  ground 
when  it  is  dug  to  receive  any  crop.  Kor  Vine  or  Peach 
borders  it  may  be  applied  far  more  libei-ally.  As  to  a  lime 
dressing  it  is  best  when  ground  is  vacant  to  apply  that  in 
the  winter.  We  prefer  to  put  down  a  bushel  of  fresh  or 
unslaked  lime  in  heaps  to  every  2  rods  of  ground  and  to 
thinly  cover  each  heap  with  soil.  It  soon  slakes,  then  it 
should,  with  the  soil,  be  equally  spread  about  and  dug  in. 
Dustings  of  slaked  lime  are  useful  in  the  spring  to  kill  slugs, 
and  soon  after  may  be  hoed  in  amongst  the  crops. 


Journals,  &c.,  Received. 
A  merican  Journal  of  Science.  United  States  Department 
of  Agricnltii  re.  Circu  'ar  on  (rra.'is  and  Forage  J'lant 
inrenttgation.  The  fiardeners'  Amgnzine  of  India.  Bulletin 
dc  la  SociHe  NicrlandniNe  d'llortiriilfure.  Ihdletin  de  la 
Soeii^te  Fraiieaise  des  linsieristes.  Jiej'ort  of  Anricnlttiral 
Experiment  Sfntiun  of  the  l'nirer.'<ity  uf  California.  Tranif- 
ar'ions  of  the  EmjUsh  .1  rhoriciilliiral  Sueiefy'.  Bulletin  de  la 
Sorii-tr  Natiima/e  d' Acrlimatatinii  de  France,  \atnrt'  Study 
Bulletins,  Cfnirersity  of  California. 

Catallkutes  Received. 

Trees  and  Shrubs,  Alpine  and  Perennial  Plants.— <Vr.  T. 
Smith,  Daisy  Hill  Nursery,  Xewry. 

Hardy  Border  Plants,  A'c.—jWr.  Amos  Perry,  Winchmore 
Bill,  N. 

Flower  Seeds.— //0(n.s  Vlewej,  Quedlinburg,  Prussia. 


GARDEN. 


;^i:feferf^ 


No.  1531.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[March  23,  1901. 


SIMPLE  USE  OF  BEDDING 
PLANTS. 

VERY  soon  the  time  will  be  at  hand 
for  flower  gardeners  to  look  over 
their  stocks  of  bedding  material 
and  consider  what  will  make  desir- 
able combinations.  In  the  case  of 
the  important  parterres  there  is  usually  some 
general  scheme  that  is  more  or  less  held  to 
from  year  to  year,  and  this  is,  of  course,  the 
wisest  plan,  for  in  such  a  case  the  gardener 
knows  what  to  prepare.  It  is  much  better  to 
have  one  settled  scheme  such  as  best  suits  the 
bedded  space  itself,  and  in  the  best  way  accords 
with  its  environment,  than  to  hunt  about  from 
year  to  year  for  a  variation  for  variety's  sake 
only. 

More  than  half  the  bedded  gardens  are  spoilt 
by  the  use  of  too  many  colours  in  one  scheme. 
If  variety  in  the  treatment  of  the  garden  is 
really  desired,  let  it  be  an  intelligent  variety, 
and  not  the  mere  muddle  that  is  so  common 
and  so  disastrous  to  good  effect.  A  thoughtful 
and  intelligent  variation  in  a  settled  scheme 
can  no  doubt  be  arranged,  or,  better  still,  two 
or  three  well-thought-out  schemes  in  different 
ranges  of  colouring,  subject  only  to  slight 
alteration.  Thus,  there  miglit  be  a  red  scheme, 
a  yellow  scheme,  and  one  of  purple  and  white. 
The  main  material  for  the  red  scheme  would 
be  Oannas,  Gladiolus,  Geranium,  Fuchsia, 
Begonia,  Verbena,  Lobelia  cardinalis,  and 
Phlox  Drummoudi  ;  of  the  yellow  and  orange. 
Calceolaria,  Yellow  Plume,  Celosia,  Zinnia, 
Yellow  Canna,  Tagetes  of  many  kinds.  Yellow 
Paris  Daisy,  and  Nasturtium  ;  of  the  purple 
and  white.  Clematis,  Verbena,  White  Petunia, 
Heliotrope,  Ageratum,  China  Aster,  Ostrich 
Feather,  Nicotiana  sylvestris  and  N.  affinis, 
Bouvardia  Humboldti,  White  Paris  Daisy, 
Solanum  Warsewiczi,  Cineraria  maritima,  and 
Centaurea  candidissima.  Any  other  material 
of  the  right  colour  could  be  worked  into  either 
of  these  schemes. 

The  great  thing  in  this  a?  in  all  other 
gardening  is  to  work  to  some  definite  plan  or 
intention.  If  a  gardener,  as  often  happens 
when  he  takes  up  a  new  situation  in  the  winter 
or  spring,  is  confronted  with  a  quantity  of 
various  bedding-stuff,  he  had  better  try  in  his 
first  year  for  the  very  simplest  arrangements, 
supplementing  them  where  he  foresees  a  deficit 
with  some  of  the  many  grand  half-hardy 
annuals  named  above,  which  are  in  any  case 
among  the  best  plants  for  summer  bedding. 
There  are  sure  to  be  many  by-places,   and. 


perhaps,  a  large  mixed  border,  where  he  can  use 
to  the  best  advantage  much  of  the  remainder 
of  the  material  prepared  by  his  predecessor,  or 
by  a  clever  arrangement  he  could  plant  it 
perhaps  in  some  important  kitchen  garden 
border  so  that  it  would  make  a  fine  show  of 
itself.  Thus  he  would  not  only  use  it  to 
advantage,  but  would  avoid  spoiling  the 
parterre  by  crowding  into  it  a  quantity  of 
irrelevant  material  simply  because  he  had  got 
it  and  it  must  be  put  somewhere. 


STRUGGLES    IN    SMOKE. 

It  was  with  sad  eyes  that  we  first  beheld  the 
seeiie  of  confiict,  fresh  as  we  were  from  the  Roses 
and  Carnations  of  the  South.  Could  anything 
ever  be  expected  to  grow  in  that  smokj'  strip  of 
ground  except  the  blaok-stemmed  Elder  and  Lilac 
bushes  which  were  straggling  untidily  over  it  ? 
Everything  one  touched  was  black,  and  how  strong 
it  all  smelt  of  smoke  and  the  mingled  fumes  of 
fried  fish  and  burnt  shoe  leather  from  the  small 
shops  that  backeil  on  to  it !  The  garden  was  in 
the  North  of  England,  close  under  cathedral 
towers,  at  the  very  edge  of  a  wind-swept  hill,  the 
ground  falling  away  so  suddenly  below  it  that  tlie 
tops  of  the  chimneys  of  the  cit}'  beneath  were  just 
at  the  proper  level  to  pour  their  smoke  right 
into  it. 

When  the  wind  blew  from  the  south  the  thick 
clouds  of  smoke  from  the  foundry  and  factory 
ohimne3's  made  it  impossible  to  see  across  the 
garden.  Then  we  had  to  set  to  work.  The  Elders 
soon  became  a  thing  of  the  past,  the  Lilacs  were 
cut  back,  and  cartfuls  of  manure  arrived.  But 
many  a  tragedy  had  to  be  enacted  in  the  death  of 
seeds  and  plants  before  we  discovered  what  kind 
of  vegetation  would  condescend  to  put  up  with 
the  little  we  had  to  offer,  for  the  chief  bed  was  a 
high  bank  facing  north  and  the  other  a  narrow 
one  under  the  house  and  south  walls,  from  which 
creepers  sucked  up  all  the  nourishment.  The 
soil,  too,  was  wretched,  principally  consisting  of 
soot  and  dust  and  lying  very  close  to  the  rock. 
But  there  were  some  flowers — and  how  grateful  we 
were  to  them — who  not  only  made  the  best  of 
these  circumstances,  but  seemed  to  revel  in  their 
surroundings.  Of  these  Tiger  Lilies  were  those 
that  seemed  to  love  us  best.  They  grew  and  they 
spread  and  they  triumphed,  till  at  times  the 
garden  glowed  with  an  orange  glory.  Their 
cousins  the  White  Lilies  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  us,  although  Lilium  auratum  was  often 
magnificent.  Naturally,  bulbs  were  the  most 
satisfactory  things,  and  Crocus,  Narcissus,  and 
Tulip  times  were  joyful,  but  soot-covered  Snow- 
drops were  not  inspiring.  We  felt  rich  when  the 
Lilies  of  the  Valley  were  in  bloom,  and  we  could 
afford  to  give  quite  large  bunches  away  ;  and  we 
revelled  in  the  carpets  of  Woodruff  and  White 
Periwinkle,  from  which  sprang  great  clumps  of 
the  yellow  Trollius  and  the  silvery  stars  of 
Astrantia.  Auriculas,  Double  Daisies,  Violas,  and 
Pansies  did  their  best  to  make  up  to  us  for  the 
lack  of  Violets  and  Mignonette. 

The  common  Primrose  seeded  itself  about,  but 
its  flowers  were  microscopic,  and  showed  oft'  the 
smut    too   plainly.      A  great   deal   of   solid  satis- 


faction was  got  out  of  Christmas  Rose.  The  twelve 
clumps  always  did  well,  and,  the  texture  of  their 
petals  being  thick,  it  res))onded  to  the  vigorous 
soap  and  water  scrubbing  they  required  before 
appearing  indoors.  Few  bedding  plants  really 
an.swered.  Geraniums  alwaj's  went  to  leaf,  but 
the  wild  Geraniums  pratense  and  sanguineuni 
were  a  great  success.  Various  Irises,  and  later 
on  Campanulas,  Monkshood,  Canterbury  Bells, 
Geums,  Lychnis,  and  masses  of  Epilobium  angusti- 
folium  made  things  bright.  Delphiniums  were 
comically  dwarf  in  habit. 

A  small  plant  of  the  giant  Heraoleum  was  one 
spring  introduced  into  the  place,  and  soon  became 
a  presence  that  made  itself  felt  not  only  with  us 
but  throughout  the  city,  so  rapidly  did  it  increase 
by  seed.  As  no  English  garden  is  worlhj'  of  the 
name  unless  it  produces  Roses,  we  were  thankful 
to  possess  three  bushes  of  the  sweetest  scented  of 
them  all,'  the  old  pink  Cabbage  Rose.  White 
Cluster  Roses  flowered  well  on  the  walls,  and 
Gloire  de  Dijon,  too,  but  the  latter  was  ver3' 
scrubby  about  the  leaves.  The  most  troublesome 
weeds  were  Chickweed  and  a  horrid  little  wild 
Balsam  (Impatiens  parviflora),  which  seeded  itself 
everywhere ;  one  year  Claytonia  perfoliata  suddenl3- 
appeared  and  remained  to  settle.  But  in  the 
south  border  we  had  also  to  contend  with 
Marigolds.  Oh  !  those  Marigolds,  nothing  would 
stop  their  growing,  not  even  pulling  them  up  and 
throwing  them  into  the  rubbish  heap.  The}' 
quieklj' adapted  themselves  to  their  new  surround- 
ings, twisted  themselves  up  to  the  light,  and 
continued  to  flower.  They,  with  Larkspurs  and 
Cornflowers,  managed  to  get  that  south  bed  all  to 
themselves,  in  spite  of  all  we  could  do,  and  were 
riotouslj'  happy. 

Next  to  the  smoke  our  worst  enemies  were  cats. 
By  common  consent  the  place  became  the  approved 
reception  room  for  their  nightly  revels.  They 
swarmed  from  the  surrounding  cottages  to  fight 
round  the  plants  by  night  and  curl  themselves  up 
in  them  to  sleep  by  day.  Then  peacocks  came  to 
the  neighbourhood.  Peacocks  with  roving  instincts, 
lovers  of  other  peoj^le's  gardens,  with  no  fear  of 
brandished  pitchforks,  making  one's  soul  shudder 
as  they  trampled  down  some  tender  seedling  with 
their  heavy  claws,  pecking  off  neatly  each  flower 
that  lay  in  their  path.  The  gardener,  too,  who 
occasionally  visiteil  the  garden  to  train  creepers 
was  something  of  an  enemy,  for  shears  in  hand  on 
the  top  of  a  high  ladder  he  coidddo  much  mischief, 
notwithstanding  injunctions  to  the  contrary  and 
incessant  sentry  duty  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder. 
In  spite  of  him  both  yellow  and  white  Jasmines 
have  been  glorious  these  last  summers.  The 
latter  is  the  large  kind,  with  crimson  backs  to  the 
petals.  The  outhouse  roof  has  been  like  snow 
with  it.  Large  bowlsful  decorated  the  drawing- 
room,  and  it  was  given  away  in  quantities. 
Perhaps  the  greatest  triumph  the  garden  received 
was  the  year  the  Major  Convolvuluses  were  so 
wonderful,  climbing  high  up  the  wall  and  hanging 
in  festoons  over  the  iron  railings  of  the  steep  flight 
of  steps  leading  out  from  the  house.  Nobody'  was 
able  to  enjoy  breakfast  before  they  had  done 
honour  to  the  Morning  Glories,  and  one  guest 
happened  fortunately  to  be  a  poet,  so  tlieir  charms 
were  immortalised  in  a  beautiful  poem. 

Another  triumph  was  the  fruiting  of  the 
Almond  tree.  To  eat  our  own  green  Almonds  was 
a  great  joj'.     The  happj'  autumn  when  the  small 


1 98 


THE     GARDEN. 


[March  23.  1901. 


Pear  tree  rewarded  us  with  a  heavy  crop  of  fruit  is 
nice  to  think  of,  and  how  one  of  its  Pears  was 
such  an  enormous  size  that  it  required  a  dish  all  to 
itself,  and  graced  a  dinner  partj'  of  twenty-four 
people,  each  of  whom  was  allowed  to  taste  a  small 
piece  of  its  perfections. 

How  we  loved  and  toiled  in  that  smoky  little 
garden,  and  how  its  inmates  returned  our  love, 
for  when  the  time  came  for  us  to  leave  it  the 
greater  number  of  them  refused  to  live  there 
without  us,  choosing  rather  to  die  straight  off. 
The  past  winter  had  been  an  unusually  severe  one, 
so  that  also  may  have  had  something  to  do  with 
it.  W.  J.  V. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


As  flowers  will  soon  be  coming  on  in  private 
gardens  and  nurseries,  we  wish  to  remind  our 
readers  that  we  shall  be  glad  to  receive  anj'  flowers 
that  may  be  of  interest,  either  for  their  own  merit 
or  from  not  being  quite  common.  — Eds. 


Chinese  Primulas  fkobj  Forest  Hill. 

Messrs.  John  Laing  and  Sons,  Forest  Hill 
Nurseries,  S.E. ,  have  sent  to  us  some  blooms  of 
their  well-known  strains  of  Primulas,  remarkable 
both  tor  their  form  and  colouring.  The  stellata 
hj'brids  comprise  shapely  flowers,  varying  in  colour 
from  pure  white  to  crimson.  Laing's  Gigantic 
Red,  White,  and  Rose  are  splendid  flowers  of  tlieir 
class,  as  are  also  the  double  flowers  in  crimson, 
pink,  salmon,  and  other  colours. 


Seed  of  Cape  Silver-tree. 

A  correspondent  ("  R.  L.")  sends  a  seed  of  the 
Cape  Silver-tree  (Leucadendronargenteum)  to  show 
the  pretty  quadruple  feathery  appendage.  A  note 
accompanying  it  says:  "It  might  interest  j'our 
correspondent,  'A.  M. ,'  who  enquired  about  the 
Cape  Silver-tree,  to  hear  that  I  succeeded  in 
growing  a  little  plant  of  it  from  a  seed  brought  to 
me  by  a  friend  from  the  Cape.  I  planted  it  in 
sandy  loam  last  November  and  placed  it  in  my 
cool  greenhouse,  where  it  grew  into  a  little  bushy 
plant,  when  unluckily  a  white  grub  attacked  its 


roots  and  killed  it.  The  leaves  were  covered  with 
silvery  down,  with  a  speck  of  bright  scarlet  at  the 
tip  of  each." 


NEW   AND    RARE    PLANTS. 


ODONTOGLOSSUM  CEISPUM   QUEEN 
EMPRESS. 

This  splendid  variety  of  0.  crispum  has  large 
flowers  of  fine  symmetry,  the  sepals  are  deep 
blush  pink,  the  white  notched  petals  being  deli- 
cately marked  and  veined  with  the  same  colour. 
Ten  flowers  were  on  the  raceme  exhibited  by 
W.  Thompson,  Esq.,  Walton  Grange,  StaSordshire 
(gardener,  Mr.  W.  Stevens).  First  -  class  cer- 
tificate. 


CYPEIPEDIUM    ERNESTO. 

A  FLOWER  of  fine  colouring.  The  dorsal  sepal, 
except  for  a  fairly  broad  margin  of  white,  is  a 
bright  chocolate-brown  ;  between  the  white  and 
the  predominating  colour  is  a  band  of  pale  purple. 
The  petals  and  the  lip  are  almost  of  the  same 
colour  as  the  dorsa!  sepal.  Exhibited  by  F.  A. 
Rebder,  Esq.,  Gipsy  Hill  (gardener,  Mr.  J.  Norris). 
Award  of  merit. 


L^LIO-CATTLEYA    VACUNA. 

This  is  a  dainty  flower  of  a  distinct  and  pleasing 
colour  ;  the  sepals  and  petals  are  pale  yellow  and 
the  lip  a  deep  crimson.  This  hybrid  was  obtained 
between  Cattleya  guttata  and  Lajlia  ciunabarina. 
Exhibited  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited, 
Chelsea.     Award  of  merit. 


CYPRIPEDIU.M    LOED    DERBY 
(SANDER'S    VARIETY). 

This  new  Cypripedium  was  obtained  from  C. 
rothschildianum  x  C.  superbiens.  The  flowers 
are  very  large,  the  dorsal  sepal  beautifully  lined 
with  purple-brown  upon  a  ground  colour  of  green, 
the  petals  spotted   withj  purple-brown  also  ;     the 


THE   NEW   HYBRID   PRIMULA    (P.    KEWENSIS)   NOW   IN   FLOWER  AT   KEW. 


DENDROBIUM  ROEBLINGIANUM. 

This  is  a  distinct  and  pretty  addition  to  the 
hybrid  Dendrobiums.  It  was  raised  in  Messrs. 
Pitcher  and  Manda's  nurser)'.  Short  Hills,  New 
Jersey,  U.S.A.,  from  the  intercrossing  of  D  robile 
and  1).  Ruckeri,  a  species  from  the  Philippines, 
which  was  fairly  plentiful  some  years  ago,  but 
seems  to  have  become  almost  extinct.  The  hybrid 
first  flowered  in  1S93.  Some  of  the  plants  have 
since  been  distributed  in  this  country.  The 
plant  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Thwaites, 
Chessington,  Christchurch  Road,  Streathani,  on 
the  l'2th  inst. ,  and  received  an  award  of  merit 
from  the  Orchid  committee  of  the  Rojal  Horti- 
cultural Society.  The  flowers  are  H  inches  in 
diameter,  the  sepals  rather  longer  than  the  petals, 
white  at  the  base,  sufi'used  with  light  rose  on  the 
upper  halves,  slightly  incurved,  whilst  the  petals 
are  white,  tipped  with  rose,  the  lip  reflexed  in  front 
white,  becoming  suft'used  with  yellow  around  the 
disc.  The  latter  is  white,  lined  with  rosj'  purple 
at  the  sides,  the  centre  suft'used  with  brownish 
purple,  covered  with  white  downj'  hairs.  At  the 
back  of  the  disc  there  is  an  area  of  white.  It 
should  prove  a  useful  plant  for  hybridisation. — 
H.  J.  Chapman. 


IRIS    TUBERGENIANA. 

This  is  a  most  interesting  species  of  the  I.  orchioides 
section,  with  greenish  yellow  flowers  and  a  dark 
spot  as  the  blade  is  approached.  The  leafage  is 
good  and  distinct,  the  blades  ovate  and  also 
acuminate  at  the  tip,  while  the  margin  is  strongly 
lined  with  silver.  A  beautiful  ))an  of  it  was 
recently  shown  by  Miss  Williuott  at  a  meeting  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and  given  an 
award  of  merit.    Messrs.  Wallace  and  Co.  exhibited 


lip  is  of  a  dull  red  colour.  The  e.xtremely  hand- 
some foliage  of  this  Cypripede  adds  considerably 
to  its  value  and  attractiveness.  The  leaves  are 
large,  of  a  good  deep  green,  nicely  mottled  with 
darker  green.  Exhibited  by  Messrs.  F.  Sander 
and  Co.,  St.  Albans.     First-class  certificate. 


DENDROBIUM  AINSWORTHI  EDITHCE   ( 
VAR.  SUPERBA. 

Another  worthy  addition  to  the  Dendrobiums. 
The  flowers  of  this  one  are  large,  of  loose  habit, 
and  finely  coloured.  The  petals,  sepals,  and  lip 
are  edged  with  deep  rose-purple,  the  predominating 
colour  being  of  a  paler  shade  ;  the  lip  is  of  a  soft, 
velvety  crimson.  D.  aureum  and  I),  n.  nobilius 
were  the  parents  of  this  novelt}'.  Exhibited  by 
Mrs.  Haywood,  Woodhatch  Lodge,  Reigate  (gar- 
dener, Mr.  C.  J.  Salter).     Award  of  merit. 


PRIMULA    KEWENSIS. 

A  GROUP  of  this  new  hybrid  Primula  in  No.  4 
greenhouse  at  Kew  shows  well  what  a  beautiful 
flower  it  is,  and  one  that  will  doubtless  before 
long  be  universally  grown  in  gardens  :  its  golden 
blossoms  are  very  distinct  from  those  of  most  of 
the  occupants  of  the  same  structure.  It  furnishes 
another  illustration  of  the  fact  that  sometimes 
hybrids  may  be  obtained  of  a  more  robust  con- 
stitution than  either  of  their  parents,  for  neither 
the  Himalayan  P.  floribunda  nor  the  Arabian 
P.  verticillata,  from  which  P.  kewensis  has  been 
obtained,  can  equal  it  in  vigour.  It  belongs  to 
the  whorled  section  of  Primulas,  that  is  to  say,  as 
the  stems  lengthen,  whorl  after  whorl  of  flowers 
develop,  so  that  its  season  of  blooming  extends 
over  a  lengthened  period.  There  is  also  the 
possibilit}'  that  with  this  break  away  hybrids 
between  this  section  of  Primulas  and  the  forms 
of  P.  sinensis  may  some  daj'  become  an  accom- 
plished fact.  Primula  kewensis  received  a  first- 
class  certificate  from  the  floral  committee  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  last  spring,  when  it 
was  greatly  admired,  and  now  the  experience  of 
another  season  has  shown  that  the  certificate  was 
worthily  bestowed,  for  it  has  this  year  made  many 
friends,  both  at  Kew  and  when  exhibited  at  the 
Drill  Hall  on  the  12th  inst. 


March  23,  1901.] 


THE    GAllDEN. 


199 


IKIS  TUBEKGENIANA. 

(Shown  by  Messrs.  Wallace  and  Co.  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Royal 

Horticultural  Soaieti/.) 


at  the  last  meeting,  and  our  illustration  represents 
one  of  the  best  plants  in  their  group. 

*^^*  All  the  abuve  were  exhibited  at  a  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  on 
the  12th  Inst. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


The  sing^le  Jew's  Mallow.— This,  the 

typical  Kerria  japonioa,  is,  as  mentioned  by 
"H.  E.  M."  (page  125),  far  less  common  than 
the  double  form.  Still,  though  not  common,  it  is 
to  be  found  in  other  places  besides  Kew  and 
nursery  gardens,  and  I  know  of  specimens  in 
gardens  in  my  own  particular  neighbourhood. 
Kerria  japonioa  flore-pleno  is  a  general  favourite 
with  cottagers,  and  not  without  reason,  for  it 
produces  its  bright  orange  flowers  in  great  pro- 
fusion and  is  an  almost  continuous  bloomer,  flower- 
ing in  mild  seasons  in  the  south-west  as  late  as 
December,  while  its  earliest  flowers  are  even  now 
expanded,  as  are  the  first  blooms  of  the  type, 
whose  single  blossoms  are  far  more  acceptable  to 
the  artistic  eye  than  the  double  flowers  of  the 
popular  favourite.  While  writing  of  the  Kerrias, 
mention  may  be  made  of  the  beautiful  Rhodotypos 
kerrioides,  sometimes  known  as  the  white  Kerria, 
whose  large,  single  white  flowers  are  particularly 
attractive  in  the  month   of  April. — S.  W.  Fnz- 

HERBERT. 

Daphne  odora.— I  notice  that  "W.  D." 

on  page  143  speaks  of  this  Daphne  as  being  synony- 
mous with  D.  indica.  In  Nicholson's  "  Dictionary 
of  Gardening"'  the  two  are  given  as  distinct,  the 
dates  of  introduction  being  D.  odora  1771  and 
D.  indica  1800.  If  they  are  one  and  the  same 
plant,  I  think  D.  indica  is  the  more  general  appel- 
lation. In  the  south-west,  the  so-called  D.  indica 
is  sometimes  successfully  grown  in  the  open,  a 
purplish  crimson  form  being  the  most  common. 
This  colour  is  not  alluded  to  by  "  W.  D.,"  but  it  is 
probably  the  D.  odora  of  Nicholson,  the  colour  of 
which  is  given  as  purple.     I  know  of  a  large  plant 


of  this,  some  feet  in  height,  whose 
blossoms  scented  the  garden  in  which  it 
grew  in  the  month  of  January,  and  I 
have  also  met  with  the  white,  pink 
tinged  (mentioned  by  "  W.  D."  as  the 
type),  the  pure  white,  and  the  varie- 
gated forms  growing  in  the  open. — 
S.  W.  F. 

Iris    reticulata    major.  — 

Mr.  E.  H.  Jenkins's  note  (page  178),  on 
the  form  of  Iris  reticulata,  known  as 
Major,  raises  a  question  that  has  before 
been  ventilated  in  these  columns, 
namely,  whether  any  distinct  Major 
variety  exists?  That  considerable  varia- 
tion in  size  is  exhibited  by  the  type  will 
be  admitted  by  those  who  have  grown 
or  have  had  opportunities  of  inspecting 
these  flowers  in  quantity.  Mr.  Jenkins 
writes  that  he  knows  three  grades  of 
typical  Iris  reticulata  that  maj'  be  st3'led 
minor,  major,  and  maxima.  A  year  ago 
I  wrote:  "Certainly  flowers  of  the 
form  designated  major  are  no  larger 
than  those  of  many  bulbs  held  to  be 
merely  typical,  though  some  of  the 
latter  produce  flowers  of  such  small  size 
as  to  well  merit  the  distinctive  appella- 
tion of  minor."  This  e.Kpression  of 
opinion  was  subsequently  criticised, 
and  it  was  suggested  that  m3f  failure  to 
appreciate  the  increase  in  size  ex'hibited 
by  the  Major  variety  was  due  to  un- 
familiarity  with  that  form.  At  that 
time  my  impression  was  unsupported 
by  proof,  but  this  year  1  have  compared 
flowers  from  bulbs  procured  two  seasons 
ago  as  Iris  reticulata  major  with  those 
of  a  fine  form  of  the  type  which  has 
flourished  in  a  garden  that  I  know  of 
for  many  years,  with  the  result  that 
the  blossoms  of  the  latter  proved  to  be 
equal  in  size  to  those  of  the  Major 
variety.  It  is,  of  course,  possible 
that  the  type  was  sent  instead  of  the  Major 
variety  when  the  latter  was  ordered,  but,  sup- 
posing the  consignment  to  have  been  true  to 
name,  the  flowers  showed  no  increase  in  size  over 
those  of  bulbs  that  had  no  pretensions  to  be  any- 
thing more  than  the  type.  My  present  presump- 
tion, based  upon  such  evidence  as  I  have  been  able 
to  gather,  is  that  certain  forms  of  the  typical  Iris 
reticulata  bear  flowers  as  large  as  those  of  the 
variety  styled  Major,  though  it  is  quite  possible 
that  I  may  not  have  hitherto  met  with  exception- 
ally fine  examples  of  the  latter,  and  I  therefore 
most  thoroughly  concur  with  Mr.  E.  H.  Jenkins's 
expressed  wish  that  some  authoritative  statement 
should  be  made  as  to  the  raising  and  introduction 
of  this  variety.  I  may  mention  that  among  the 
numbers  I  have  found  growing  wild  in  their  native 
habitat  none  deserved  any  other  epithet  than 
minor,  being  far  inferior  in  size  to  the  blossoms 
referred  to  as  borne  by  certain  forms  of  the  type. 
— S.  W.  F. 

"Weed-killers  and  "live"  edgings. 

— Every  tiller  of  the  soil  recognises  the  necessity 
for  the  destruction  of  weeds  upon  those  portions 
of  the  garden  that  are  cropped  with  either  fruits, 
vegetables,  or  flowers,  as  the  more  weeds  there  are 
the  poorer  in  proportion  will  be  the  several  legiti- 
mate products  of  the  land.  Their  extirpation  in 
these  cases  is  effected  by  hoeing  or  hand-weeding, 
as  may  be  considered  the  better  system.  On  hard, 
gravel  walks,  however,  where  hoeing,  except  on 
rare  occasions,  is  impossible  and  hand-weeding  is  a 
slow  and  laborious  practice,  the  destruction  of 
weeds  becomes  more  difficult.  The  general  appear- 
ance demands  their  removal,  and  the  readiest 
means  is  by  the  aid  of  weed-killers.  These  are 
always  procurable  in  barrels,  but  there  is,  to  my 
mind,  a  distinct  disadvantage  in  this  plan,  as  the 
greater  the  quantity  procured  the  longer  it  will 
last,  and  the  chances  of  mishap  are  considerably 
increased.  For  this  reason  I  would  suggest  the 
purchase  of  compounded  weed-killers  in  limited 
quantities  ;  sufficient,  in  fact,  for  immediate  use. 
Thus  danger  from  storage  is  obviated.  It  involves 
slightly  increased  cost  and  a  little  more  trouble, 


but  these  are  easily  balanced  by  the  absolute  peace 
of  mind  that  is  ensured.  I  have  found,  however, 
that  economy  and  satisfaction  invariably  accrue 
from  the  use  of  home-made  mixture,  and  personal 
experience  and  the  observation  of  the  work  of 
others  prove  that  sulphuric  acid  (oil  of  vitriol),  at 
the  rate  of  one  gallon  to  twenty  gallons  of  water, 
soft  if  possible,  is  the  most  efficacious.  The 
twenty -one  gallons  are  sufficient  to  dress  100  square 
yards  of  walk  surface,  which  will  be  brightened 
by  the  application,  and  will,  as  a  rule,  remain  clean 
throughout  the  entire  season.  The  sulphuric  acid 
is  procurable  in  any  quantities,  and  in  bulk  is 
obtainable  from  any  gasworks  for  about  10s.  per 
carboy  of  ten  gallons.  The  surface  for  dressing  is 
first  measured,  and  then  the  requisite  amount  is 
procured,  diluted,  and  applied.  Needless  to  say, 
gloves  must  be  worn  and  the  solution  kept  from 
clothes  and  boots  or  disaster  will  certainly  ensue. 
The  greatest  difficulty  that  has  presented  itself 
lies  in  the  preservation  of  "  live"  edgings.  These 
are  present  in  practically  all  gardens,  and  the 
exerci.se  of  even  the  utmost  care  does  not  always 
ensure  absolute  safety.  Of  course,  it  will  be  said 
that  too  much  is  applied,  but  this  I  should  doubt, 
and  rather  ascribe  the  trouble  to  the  inevitable 
accident.  It  is  most  regrettable  to  have  patches 
of  dead  Box  in  what  is  otherwise  a  perfect  edging, 
and  I  would  like  to  ask  readers  of  The  Garden  if 
they  can  recommend  any  mixture  which,  while 
killing  the  weeds,  will  ieave  the  Box  or  other 
plant  unscathed,  even  under  actual  contact?  — 
H.  J.  Wright. 
Special  prizes  for   Daffodils.  -  At 

the  Royal  Horticultural  Society's  meeting  to  be 
held  on  April  9  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham 
Gate,  special  prizes  will  be  offered  for  Daffodils, 
open  to  amateurs  and  gentlemen's  gardeners  only. 
First  prize,  a  £7  7s.  silver  cup,  presented  to  the 
society  by  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons  ;  second  prize. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  silver  Flora  medal. 
The  exhibit  must  be  a  group  of  Daffodil  blossoms 
(Polyanthus  varieties  excluded),  including  some  of 
each  section,  Magni,  Medii,  and  Parvi-Coronati, 
and  must  contain  at  least  fifty  varieties  distinct, 
of  thirty  of  which  at  least  three  blooms  each  must 
be  shown.  Not  more  than  nine  blooms  of  any  one 
variety  may  be  put  up.  To  be  staged  in  bottles, 
vases,  or  tubes  not  exceeding  3  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  top  (inside  measurement),  and  all  the  stems 
must  touch  the  water.  Quality  of  flower  will  count 
more  than  quantitj',  and  correct  naming  and  taste- 
ful arrangement  will  be  duly  considered.  Any 
foliage  may  be  used,  Daffodil  or  otherwise.  No 
prize  will  be  awarded  unless  there  are  two  com- 
petitors at  least. 

Proposed    National     Sweet     Pea 

Society.  —  Under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr. 
George  Gordon,  V.  M.  H.,  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Sweet  Pea  Bicentenary  celebra- 
tion held  a  meeting  at  the  Hotel  Windsor 
on  Tuesday  afternoon.  The  publication  of  the 
complete  report  was  first  dealt  with,  and  tenders 
having  been  received  and  discussed,  that  of  Mr. 
W.  Etherington,  Central  Printing  Works,  Wands- 
worth, was  accepted.  The  work  will  be  put  in 
hand  immediately.  The  question  as  to  the  desir- 
ability of  forming  a  National  Sweet  Pea  Society 
was  unanimously  decided  in  the  affirmative.  A 
deputation  from  the  meeting  held  at  Winchester 
House  last  week  was  received  with  a  view  to 
collaboration,  and  the  promoters  were  invited  to 
attend  a  public  meeting  to  be  held  on  Tuesday 
next,  at  2.30  p.m.,  at  the  Hotel  Windsor,  "Victoria 
Street,  when  the  matter  will  be  fully  discussed  and 
a  society  duly  constituted.  The  promoters  of  the 
City  meeting  decided  to  abandon  their  scheme  in 
favour  of  that  of  the  committee,  who  trust  that 
the  meeting  will  be  a  thoroughly  representative 
one. 

'  Royal  Horticultural  Society.— At  a 

general  meeting  of  the  Roj'al  Horticultural  Society 
held  on  Tuesday,  the  r2th  inst. ,  thirty-two  new 
Fellows  were  elected — making  a  total  of  two-  ■ 
hundred  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  year—, 
amongst  them  being  the  Duchess  of  Somerset, 
Viscountess  Baring,  Sir  William  Preece,  K.C.B. , 
F.R.S.,  Lady  Hylton,  Hon.  H.  A.  Lawrence,  and 
Surgeon-Major  Caldwell,  M.D. 


200 


THE     GAEDEN. 


[March  23,  1901. 


Campanula    balehiniana.— This 

beautiful  variegated  h3'brid  appears  to  be  but  little 
known,  and  apparently  it  is  not  nearly  so  well 
appreciated  as  its  merits  demand.  I  have  at  the 
present  time  a  plant  growing  in  a  pot  in  a  cold 
house,  the  soil  about  which  has  been  frozen  hard 
on  several  occasions,  but  it  has  come  unharmed 
through  them  all,  and  now,  in  a  position  in  which 
it  has  plenty  of  light  and  such  sunshine  as  has  been 
sparingly  afforded  of  late,  the  silvery  variegation 
is  perfect  and  delightful,  with  dashes  of  pink  colour 
at  the  points  of  the  shoots.  I  am  growing  it  in 
rich  soil  ;  I  think  we  are  too  apt  to  starve  our 
Campanulas  of  this  type  when  grown  in  pots. — 
R.  Dean. 
Victoria     Medal    of    Honour    in 

Horticulture. — The  Victoria  Medal  of  Honour 
in  Horticulture  was  established  in  the  3'eav  1S97 
with  the  assent  of  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty  the 
late  Queen  Victoria,  in  commemoration  of  the 
Golden  Jubilee  of  her  reign,  and  the  limit  of  sixty 
Victoria  medallists  at  any  one  time  was  fixed  to 
record  that  event.  It  has  now  seemed  good  to 
the  president  and  council  to  issue  a  minute  and 
order  of  council  that  the  number  of  Victoria 
medallists  shall  be  increased  to  sixtj'-three  as  a 
record  for  all  j'ears  to  come  of  the  sixty-three 
years  of  her  late  Majesty's  glorious  reign,  and 
that  such  number  should  never  hereafter  be  added 
to  or  increased.  There  having  been  one  vacancy 
in  the  original  number  at  the  time  of  Her  Majestj''s 
death,  the  president  and  council,  acting  on  the 
above  minute  and  order  have  made  the  following 
appointments  to  the  list  of  Victoria  medallists, 
viz.;  Miss  Eleanor  A.  Ornierod,  LL. D. ,  &c.  ;  Sir 
George  King,  K. C.E.I. ,  M.B.,  F.R.H.S.,  F.L.S., 
&c.  ;  Mr.  George  Norman,  F.R.H.S.  ;  and  Mr. 
James  Sweet,  F.R.H.S. 
Notes  on  Eucharis  culture.— Eucharis 

amazoniea  is  one  of  those  few  plants  that  either 
thrive  wonderfully  well  or  will  not  succeed  at  all. 
With  one  person  it  may  grow  almost  as  a  weed, 
while  his  neighbour  cannot  by  an}'  means  persuade 
it  to  grow  satisfactorily.  I  think  that  an  unhealthy 
stock  of  bulbs  in  the  first  place  often  has  much  to 
do  with  this,  and  I  am  also  of  opinion  tliat  a  very 
high  temperature  is  not  altogether  beneficial.  Some 
of  the  best  plants  of  Eucharis  amazoniea  that  I 
remember  to  have  seen  were  in  the  nursery  of 
Mr.  Robert  Featherstone,  Kirkstall,  Leeds.  They 
were  in  10-inch  and  12-inch  pots,  and  the  very 
picture  of  vigorous  health,  3'et  the  house  in  which 
they  were  growing — just  a  low  span-roof  such  as  is 
common  in  nurseries — was  hy  no  means  of  a  stove 
temperature.  The  latter  was  that  usually  asso- 
ciated with  the  term  intermediate  house,  where 
the  night  temperature  would  be  60°  or  65°.  In 
addition  to  the  moderate  heat,  Mr.  Featherstone 
attributes  his  success  in  the  cultivation  of  this 
somewhat  capricious  plant  to  perfect  drainage,  a 
rough  sandy  soil,  very  careful  watering,  and  when 
the  plants  are  established  the  judicious  use  of 
stimulants.  When  the  pots  are  well  filled  with 
roots  the  plants  never  receive  really  clear  water, 
for  a  certain  amount  of  Standen's  or  Clay's  Ferti- 
lizer is  dissolved  in  the  water  of  the  tanks.  A 
regular  and  mild  stimulant  is  thus  daily  supplied. 
That  the  plants  appreciate  this  is  well  evidenced 
by  the  number  of  flowers  they  produce,  and  the 
vigour  and  substance  of  them.  Not  only  once  a 
year  but  several  times  do  they  bear  their  valuable 
blossom.  A  short  time  ago  in  one  of  our  best 
known  gardens  I  noticed  Eucharis  amazoniea 
growing  under  most  peculiar  conditions,  and  which 
I  think  is  worth  recording.  These  particular 
plants  were  planted  out  underneath  the  stage  of  a 
hot  house ;  a  small  brick  wall  had  been  built 
alongside  the  pathway  in  order  to  support  a  small 
bed  of  soil.  Needless  to  say,  the  latter  must  be 
thoroughly  well  drained,  and  the  soil  be  composed 
of  rough  pieces  of  turf  and  peat,  with  plenty  of  sand 
incorporated.  The  plants  are  placed  as  near  to 
the  wall  as  possible,  so  that  thej'  have  all  the 
light  available  ;  many  of  the  leaves,  however,  are 
still  completely  underneath  the  stage.  Much 
doubt  was  expressed  at  the  time  of  planting  as  to 
whether  there  was  much  probability  of  success 
attending  this  experiment,  but  as  the  Eucharises 
have  been  in  their  present  quarters  for  more  than 


a  year,  and  have  grown  and  are  now  flowering 
well,  the}'  may  be  said  to  have  proved  perfectly 
satisfactory.  The  leaves  have  kept  a  beautiful  dark 
green,  thus  proving  how  necessary  is  a  shady 
position  to  the  well-being  of  these  plants.  If 
Eucharis  can  be  grown  in  this  usuall}'  wasted  part 
of  a  hot  house,  and  there  now  seems  no  reason  to 
doubt  it,  such  a  practice  is  worth  extending,  for, 
in  addition  to  utilising  valuable  space,  a  gathering 
of  choice  and  valuable  flowers  may  be  had.  One 
would  think  that  the  drip  from  plants  on  the  stage 
above  would  have  caused  the  soil  underneath  to 
become  sour  and  water-logged,  but  ample  drainage 
being  provided  and  careful  watering  practised  such 
does  not  seem  to  be  the  case.  The  close  proximity 
of  the  hot-water  pipes,  which  are  under  the  stage, 
no  doubt  helps  considerably  to  keep  the  soil  in  a 
wholesome  condition.  If  the  Eucharis  will  succeed 
under  what  one  would,  I  think,  rightly  term 
adverse  conditions,  there  are  doubtless  other 
plants  that  would  do  the  same  ;  in  fact,  in  the 
garden  above  mentioned,  Clivia  miniata  has 
recently  been  planted  in  a  similar  position,  and 
will,  so  far  as  one  can  at  present  judge,  do 
equally  as  well  as  Eucharis  amazoniea  has  done. — 
T.  W. 

Rhododendron  grande.— This  Rhodo- 
dendron is  one  of  the  first  to  flower  of  all  the 
species  natives  of  the  Himalayan  region.  It 
cannot  be  recommended  for  small  houses,  being  of 
quite  tree-like  habit,  but  where  space  exists  for  ios 
development  there  is  no  finer  species  than  this. 
The  plant  is  stout  and  sturdy,  and  the  ascending 
brinches  comparatively  few  in  number,  hence 
there  is  ample  space  for  the  development  of  the 
massive  leaves,  which  render  a  well-grown  speci- 
men of  this  species  a  striking  object  even  when 
out  of  bloom.  These  leaves,  which  are  arranged 
principally  in  a  whorl-like  manner 'towards  the 
points  of  the  shoots,  are  1  foot  or  more  in  length, 
dark  green  on  the  upper  surface,  and  silvery 
underneath.  This  latter  feature  has  led  to  the 
specific  name  of  argenteum  being  bestowed  upon 
it ;  indeed,  it  is  used  quite  as  frequently  as  that 
of  grande.  The  flowers,  which  are  borne  in  a 
large,  densely-packed  truss,  surrounded  with  its 
collar-like  arrangement  of  leaves,  are  bell-shaped, 
of  a  rosy  tint  when  first  expanded,  but  become 
almost  white  with  age,  except  a  few  purple  spots 
inside  at  the  base.  This  Rhododendron  is  one  of 
the  tenderest  of  the  Himalayan  kinds,  so  that  it 
can  only  be  grown  out  of  doors  in  the  favoured 
districts  of  the  country.  In  his  Himalayan 
journals  Sir  J.  D.  Hooker  speaks  thus  of  the 
Rhododendron  in  question:  "In  the  same  woods 
(at  a  height  of  8,000  feet  or  more  on  the  Sinchul 
Mountain)  the  scarlet  Rhododendron  (R.  arboreum) 
is  very  scarce,  and  is  outvied  by  the  great  R. 
argenteum,  which  grows  as  a  tree  40  feet  high,  with 
magnificent  leaves  12  inches  to  15  inches  long, 
deep  green,  wrinkled  above  and  silvery  below, 
while  the  flowers  are  as  large  as  those  of  R. 
Dalhousise,  and  grow  more  in  a  cluster.  I  know 
nothing  of  the  kind  that  exceeds  in  beauty  the 
flowering  branch  of  R.  argenteum,  with  its  wide 
spreading  foliage  and  glorious  mass  of  flowers. — 
H.  P. 

Aponog'eton  distachyon  (Cape 
Pond-weed)   flowering"  in  winter.— 

What  a  strange  winter  this  has  been.  At  Christmas 
my  Aponogeton  was  blossoming  through  the  sheet 
of  ioe  which  covered  my  little  pond,  and  I  have 
been  able  to  gather  buds  of  Anemones  all  through 
the  winter  ;  they  opened  delightfully  in  the  room. 
— R.  L. ,  border  of  Surrey/  and  Sussex. 

Mr.  Archer-Hind's  Lenten  Roses. 

— For  the  last  day  or  two  I  have  been  delighting 
in  the  contemplation  at  every  convenient  oppor- 
tunity of  the  most  beautiful  lot  of  Lenten  Roses 
I  have  ever  seen.  They  are  from  Mr.  Archer- 
Hind's  garden  at  Coombe  Fishacre  House,  and 
one  is  inclined  to  envy  their  possessor  the  posses- 
sion of  the  thousand  of  plants  he  grows.  This  is 
rather  ungrateful,  however,  after  being  the  recipient 
of  a  boxful  of  these  exquisite  blooms,  which  came 
all  the  way  from  Devonshire  as  fresh  and  oharm- 
ingly  beautiful  as  if  they  were  newly  cut.  The 
variety  of  colour  and  of  tint  is  surprising,  although 
many   a  time   I   have   had   blooms  considered  of 


superior  quality  sent  to  me  for  an  opinion  of  their 
worth.  Mr.  Archer-Hind  seems  to  have  succeeded 
in  raising  seedlings  which,  as  a  whole,  are  much 
above  tiie  average,  unless  we  are  to  conclude  that 
the  balmy  air  and  the  general  climatic  influences 
of  Devonshire  have  been  partly  at  the  root  of 
their  exceptional  charm.  I  hardly  know  which  t 
to  admire  most,  although  1  prefer  some  whose  rosy  . 
tinting  is  so  chaste  and  pleasing.  There  is  one 
exceptionally  beautiful  spotted  one,  whose  contour 
and  marking  make  a  perfect  combination.  Such 
flowers  make  one  come  to  the  conclusion  that  one's 
own  swans  are  but  geese  after  all,  and  that  one's 
own  Lenten  Roses,  pretty  though  they  are,  are 
poor  compared  to  them.  — S.  Arnott. 

Orobanche  on  Egyptian  Lentil.— I 

thought  it  might  interest  you  to  see  the  enclosed 
pliotograph  of  Orobanche,  which  grows  wild  here  in 
great  profusion  on  the  ordinary  Eg}'ptian  Lentil. 
Some  of  the  spikes  were  nearly  2  feet  6  inches 
high,  and  of  lovely  shades  of  colour.  I  have  raised 
this  parasite  in  England  on  the  ordinary  Broad 
Bean,  but  have  obtained  nothing  to  equal  those 
growing  wild  here. — F.  Formby  Back,  Luxor, 
Egypt. —  [\JnioTtnna.te\y,  the  photograph  was  too 
poor  for  reproduction,  but  we  heartily  thank  our 
correspondent  for  sending  it,  and  wish  we  could 
have  made  use  of  it. — Eds.] 

Corylopsis  paueiflora.— This  delightful 

little  shrub  is  the  most  showy  of  the  several  species 
cultivated  in  gardens,  its  leafless  shoots  in  early 
spring  being  smothered  with  pretty  pendulous 
catkins.  It  is  a  native  of  Japan,  and  though  it 
has  been  known  for  many  years  only  within  the 
last  five  has  it  found  its  way  into  general  cultiva- 
tion. When  fully  grown  it  makes  a  dense  bush, 
with  graceful  branches  6  feet  high  with  a  similar 
diameter.  The  leaves  are  small,  thin  in  texture, 
prettily  tinted  when  young,  and  again  in  autumn. 
The  flowers  are  primrose-yellow  in  colour  and 
fragrant.  Tliey  are  arranged  from  two  to  four 
together  in  drooping  catkins  from  every  node  on 
the  previous  season's  wood.  Though  it  is  quite 
hardy  in  other  respects  the  flowers  are  easily 
damaged  by  frost.  It  is  well  worth  growing  in  pots 
and  using  for  conservatory  decoration.  A  plant 
is  growing  in  a  border  of  loam  in  the  Himalayan 
house  at  Kew,  and  appears  perfectly  happy  under 
the  treatment,  flowering  profusely  every  spring; 
at  present  it  is  a  mass  of  buds  and  flowers. — W. 
Dalijmore. 

Pittosporum  revolutum.— Very  few  of 

the  numerous  species  of  Pittosporum  can  be  called 
good  flowering  subjects,  for  although  in  some  cases 
flowers  are  very  freely  produced  they  are,  except 
in  three  or  four  instances,  insignificant  in  size  and 
colour.  The  plant  under  notice  is  one  of  the 
showiest  of  the  genus.  It  was  introduced  from 
New  South  Wales  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  and  was 
cultivated  in  gardens  upwards  of  a'century  ago. 
It  forms  a  straggling  bush  about  3  feet  in  height, 
with  somewhat  leathery,  ovate  leaves,  the  under 
surface  of  which,  together  with  the  bark  on  the 
younger  parts  of  the  stems,  is  covered  with  a  brown 
tomentum.  The  flowers  are  yellow,  tubular,  a 
third  of  an  inch  long,  and  freely  produced,  either 
singly  or  several  together,  in  short  racemes  from 
the  axils  of  the  leaves  or  in  nodding  terminal 
racemes.  As  the  axils  on  the  upper  portion  of 
each  stem  are  close  together,  the  ends  of  the 
shoots  form  large  inflorescences.  It  is  an  easily- 
managed  plant,  requiring  sandy  peat  and  loam, 
with  protection  from  frost.  It  has  been  flowering 
for  several  weeks  in  the  temperate  house  at  Kew. 
— W.  Dallimore. 
The  Almonds  of  South  London.— 

Dwellers  in  the  southern  suburbs  of  the  metropolis 
have  many  blessings,  and  amongst  the  chief  must 
be  classed  the  freedom  with  which  Almonds  have 
been  planted.  Just  now  we  are  revelling  in  a 
wealth  of  beautiful  blossom.  A  week  ago  the  buds 
were  plump,  but  had  not  burst.  Friday's  rain, 
though  cold,  seemed  to  exercise  a  magical  effect, 
for  on  Saturday  there  was  a  glow  of  colour,  and  a 
day  or  two  later  we  were  amidst  the  freshest 
beauty.  We  have  many  trees,  but  could  find 
appreciation  for  thousands  more,  for,  in  London  at 
any  rate,  there  is  no  early-flowering  tree  that  can 
match  the  Almond  for  beauty. — H.  J.  W. 


March  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


201 


Seented  leaved  plants  for  summep 

beds. — Two  or  three  beds  may  alwaj's  be  devoted 
to  plants  with  scented  leaves  in  any  summer 
bedding  arrangements,  with  just  a  few  flowering 
plants  as  Heliotropes  mixed  with  them  to  give  a 
bit  of  colour.  Apart  from  the  interest  caused  by 
the  different  types  of  foliage  and  the  perfumes 
emitted,  the  majority  are  valuable  in  a  out  state  as 
an  accompaniment  to  nosegays  of  flowers.  For 
large  beds,  in  addition  to  Heliotropes,  a  few  Lemon- 
scented  Aloysias  and  Eucal3'ptus  may  be  used  as 
specimens.  Seed  of  the  Eucalyptus  should  be  sown 
early  in  the  year  and  grown  along  quickly  in 
warmth  until  hardening  off  time  to  secure  good 
plants.  Scented-leaved  Pelargoniums  in  varietj' 
may  form  the  groundwork  of  the  beds  ;  sorts  like 
dentieulatuni,  fernajfolium  (one  of  the  best),  radula 
major,  the  large  and  small  -  leaved  Peppermint- 
scented  Lady  Plymouth,  Little  Gem,  and  others. 
The  vigorous-growing  kinds  such  as  radula  and 
toraentosum  should  be  sparingly  planted.  All, 
however,  can  be  allowed  plentj'  of  room  to  develop. 
Lady  Plymouth  will  supply  silvery  foliage  for  the 
centre  of  the  beds,  and  towards  the  edge  clumps 
of  Manglesii,  which  is  also  slightly  scented,  can  he 
alternated  with  Little  Gem. — E.  Burrell. 

CPOeUS  BalansSB— This  charming  little 
deep  orange-yellow  Crocus  is  at  present  in  bloom 
with  me,  and  draws  to  itself  much  admiring 
attention,  even  though  there  are  many  rivals  to  our 
affections  in  the  other  Crocus  species  as  well  as 
among  the  great  Dutch  Crocuses,  which  have 
certainly  a  good  claim  to  our  admiration  also.  I 
am  not  so  fortunate  as  to  possess  two  of  the  varieties 
of  C.  Balansse  which  are  in  the  collection  of  Mr. 
E.  A.  Bowles,  the  only  form  I  have  being  that  with 
the  brown  outside,  while  Mr.  Bowles  has  a  plain 
form  and  also  one  feathered  with  orange.  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  flowers  of  these  varieties  last 
year.  The  form  I  have  here  is  more  easily  obtained 
from  the  bulb  dealers,  and  is  pretty  enough  to 
please  even  the  most  fastidious.  When  closed  it 
may  be  called  a  dusky  beauty,  with  its  ruddy 
brown  exterior,  lightened  up,  however,  by  streaks 
of  orange  at  the  tips.  When  it  is  open  this  is  not 
visible,  and  one  only  sees  then  the  glowing  orange 
of  the  interior. — S.  Arnott. 

Napcissus    pallidus  -  ppsecox.  —  My 

first  flower  of  this  charming  Daffodil  came  into  full 
beauty  on  February  26,  about  a  fortnight  after  the 
tiny  little  N.  minimus.  The  greater  number  of  my 
plants  had,  however,  still  to  open  when  this  was 
written  (March  4).  Jt  takes  nothing  from,  but 
rather  adds  to,  the  value  of  this  beautiful  Pyrenean 
Daffodil  that  it  is  variable  in  its  time  of  flowering 
as  well  as  in  its  form  and  shades  of  colour.  All  are 
beautiful,  however,  and  all  worth  growing  in  gardens 
where  this  species  will  thrive.  As  illustrating  how 
difficult  it  is  to  be  positive  about  the  conditions  any 
plant  requires,  I  may  mention  that  this  first  flower 
is  one  on  a  clump  which  is  growing  in  a  place  such 
as  we  are  sometimes  recommended  to  avoid,  i.e., 
a  sunny  and  warm  position.  It  faces  almost  due 
south,  and  gets  all  the  sun  that  is  going.  In  our 
northern  gardens,  at  least,  it  is  a  mistake  to  plant 
the  white  or  sulphur  Narcissi  in  the  shade. — 
S.  Arnott. 
Roses  at  a  Melbourne  show.— It  is 

interesting  to  learn  from  the  "Austral  Culturist" 
that  the  following  Roses  created  interest  at  an 
exhibition  :  —  Be»ne  Brown  (Hybrid  Tea).  —  A 
beautiful  Rose.  The  petals  are  smooth,  shell- 
shaped,  making  a  perfectly  formed  bloom  of  great 
substance.  The  colour  is  creamy  white,  with  sug- 
gestion of  pink  on  the  base  of  the  bloom.  A  great 
point  in  its  favour  is  its  delicious  perfume.  3Ir.s. 
Edward  Mawley  (Tea). — The  blooms  are  large,  of 
great  substance,  beautifully  formed,  with  long 
pointed  centre,  from  which  the  petals  reflex. 
Colour,  a  salmon  shade  of  pink.  Very  sweet 
scented.  Simrixe  (Tea). — This  Rose  was  awarded 
the  gold  medal  of  the  National  Rose  Society  as 
the  best  new  Tea  exhibited  at  the  Rose  show  held 
at  the  Crystal  Palace,  England,  in  1899.  The 
colourings  are  very  pretty  ;  the  outer  petals  have  a 
tinge  of  carmine,  shading  to  fawn  and  salmon 
towards  the  centre,  changing  to  yellow  with  age. 
A  sweet  scented  and  free  blooming  variety.  Meta 
(Tea). — A  very   sweet  scented  variety.      Colour, 


crushed  strawberry,  suffused  with  saffron  and 
coppery  j'ellow.  The  buds  are  long  and  pointed. 
This  is  a  charming  variety  for  decorative  purposes. 
KiUarney  (Hybrid  Tea). — This  a  charming  decora- 
tive Rose.  Colour,  flesh,  suffused  with  pale  pink, 
shaded  to  white.  The  buds  are  long  and  pointed, 
flowers  large.     A  very  free  blooming  variety. 

Veiteh's  climbing'  French  Bean.— 

In  forcing  French  Beans  a  great  ditliculty  is,  as  a 
rule,  the  lack  of  space  in  which  to  grow  the  plants. 
It  may  not  have  occurred  to  some  people  that  a 
crop  of  the  above  variety  can  be  had  off  the  back 
wall  of  a  vinery.  For  this  purpose  seed  should  be 
sown  in  small  pots  or  boxes,  and  the  seedlings  trans- 
planted when  about  1  foot  high,  or  they  may  be 
grown  permanently  in  large  pots  or  boxes,  strings 
being  placed  for  them  to  climb  up.  This  is  a  very 
productive  Bean,  and  it  sets  its  pods  indoors  equally 
as  well  as  the  ordinary  French  Bean,  and  the  fact 
of  its  climbing  habit  renders  the  crop  of  longer 
duration.  I  should  have  mentioned  that  the}' 
ought  to  be  planted  at  the  time  of  starting  the 
vinery. — E.  H. 

Stpawbepries  Royal  Sovereign 
and  La  Grosse  Sueree.— It  is  a  question 

whether  anyone  could  find  two  better  Strawberries 
for  forcing  than  the  above.  We  gathered  our  first 
fruits  of  Royal  Sovereign  on  the  8th  of  February, 
and  they  were  very  fair  samples  for  so  early  in  the 
season.  This  should  be  a  strong  point  in  favour  of 
this  variety  for  very  early  forcing.  I  prefer  it  to 
Vicomtesse  H.  de  Thury,  in  that  its  flowers  are 
more  vigorous  and  thrown  well  above  the  foliage, 
which  greatly  facilitates  setting.  La  Grosse  Sucri^e 
is  a  grand  companion  to  Royal  Sovereign,  but  not 
such  a  good  setter,  and  consequently  should  not  be 
forced  quite  so  early.  The  fruit  is  deeper  in  colour, 
and  is  often  asked  for  indoors  in  preference.  One 
often  hears  of  the  failure  to  force  La  Grosse  Sucr^e 
successfully.  I  think  this  may  be  due  to  the  stock 
being  worn  out.  I  have  known  change  of  stock 
bring  about  desirable  results. — E.  Harbiss. 

Adonis  amurensis.— The  fact  that  this 

comparatively  new  Adonis  was  honoured  with  an 
award  of  merit  at  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  on  February  26  ought  to  draw 
some  attention  to  its  usefulness  in  the  garden  at  so 
early  a  period  of  the  year.  Not  that  one  can 
always  estimate  the  proper  time  of  flowering  from 
the  dates  at  which  plants  are  shown  at  the  Drill 
Hall,  as  can  readily  be  seen  from  the  reports  in  your 
columns  of  the  plants  on  view.  Many  of  these  must 
be  grown  under  glass,  and  cannot  thus  afford  a  true 
criterion  of  their  flowering  timein  the  open.  I  flowered 
Adonis  amurensis  in  the  open  border  on  February  28, 
although  this  is  not  an  abnormally  early  year,  and 
my  garden,  though  in  a  mild  district,  is  pretty  far 
north.  It  is  thus  worthy  of  remark  that  this 
Adonis  blooms  so  early,  and  that  it  is  worth 
growing,  although  considerably  interior  to  a  good 
Adonis  vernalis.  I  have  at  the  present  time  no 
other  plant  of  its  character  in  bloom,  so  can 
the  better  appreciate  its  yellow  fiowers  and 
pretty  finely  cut  foliage.  By  the  way,  does 
anyone  know  anythingabout  the  other  colours  men- 
tioned in  Nicholson's  invaluable  "Dictionary  of 
Gardening  ? "  It  is  rather  tantalising  to  read  of  this 
Adonis  as  "golden-yellow,  white,  rose-coloured, 
or  bright  red,  striped,"  and  to  be  able  onlj'  to  get 
hold  of  the  yellow  variety,  acceptable  tliough  that 
is.  From  the  price  at  which  A.  amurensis  was 
offered  last  autumn,  I  imagine  that  it  has  been 
imported  on  a  large  scale,  so  one  iiopes  that  it  maj' 
turn  out  that  some  one  has  these  other  varieties, 
which  ought  to  be  well  sought  after. — S.  Abnott, 
Carsethorn,  by  Dumfries,  N.  B. 

A.  new  Apple. — One  of  the  most  interesting 
exhibits  the  fruit  committee  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Societ}'  had  before  them  recently  was  a  new 
cooking  Apple,  the  Diamond  .Jubilee,  doubtless 
named  in  honour  of  her  late  Majesty's  Jubilee, 
and  from  the  samples  placed  before  the  committee 
the  fruits  deserve  the  name.  It  is  considered  a 
cooking  kind,  but  it  may  be  regarded  as  a  dessert 
variety  also,  though  full  large  as  regards  size.  At 
first  it  was  thought  to  be  Alfriston,  but  it  was 
totally  different  in  flavour,  though  not  unlike  it  in 
appearance.  This  new  fruit  was  raised  by  Mr.  A. 
J.    Thomas,    Sittingbourne,    Kent,    who    has    on 


previous  occasions  shown  some  remarkable  collec- 
tions of  hardy  fruits,  and  who  is  much  interested 
in  their  culture.  We  heartily  second  his  efforts  in 
this  direction,  and  we  are  pleased  he  has  given  us 
such  a  good  late  keeping  Apple.  We  have  none 
too  many,  and  this  variety  also  crops  well,  and  will 
become  much  liked  when  better  known.  It  appears 
to  do  well  in  any  form,  and  on  the  Paradise  stock 
will  doubtless  prove  very  profitable. 


WOODLAND   AND   FOREST. 

WHEN    TO    PLANT. 

SPRING  V.  autumn  planting  has  been 
a  much-di.scu.ssed  question,  but  there 
is  not  so  much  in  it  as  some  imagine. 
Vou  may  plant  most  things  succe.ss- 
fully  at  either  .season  under  suitable 
conditions  of  weather,  but  autumn  is 
undoubtedly  the  best  season  of  the  two,  and 
by  autumn  is  here  meant  August,  September, 
and  October,  and  not  November  and  December. 
Take  almost  any  book,  up  to  a  few  years 
ago,  on  forestry  or  planting,  and  you  will  find 
instructions  to  begin  planting  when  the  work 
ought  to  be  finished.  Autumn  planting  is 
particularly  applicable  to 

Conifers  and  Evergreens, 
with  which  a  year  is  frequently  gained  in 
growth.  That  is  not  of  much  consequence  in 
planting  a  few  shrubs  on  a  limited  scale,  but  it 
means  much  in  a  plantation  of  timber  trees,  in 
which  a  year's  growth  lost  may  mean  thousands 
of  cubic  feet  on  the  ultimate  crop,  and  when 
every  foot  may  mean  a  shilling  or  more.  If  you 
plant  in  autumn  early  enough  the  chances  are 
that  the  ground  will  be  getting  moister  instead 
of  drier,  as  in  spring,  and  the  sun  less  powerful, 
while  the  roots  of  trees  have  still  time  to 
recover  from  removal  and  get  a  hold  of  the 
soil.  This  means  a  good  start  the  following 
season  and  a  fair  growth.  By  autumn  planting 
you  begin  with  the  tree  when  it  has  just 
finished  its  annual  growth,  and  it  recovers 
itself  sufficiently  to  go  on  without  much  check 
the  following  season  In  spring,  especially 
where  the  rainfall  is  light,  the  transplanted 
tree  barely  moves,  and  often  dies.  I  am  here 
speaking  of  trees  without  balls  of  soil  to  their 
roots.  Where  thousands  of  forest  trees  have 
to  be  got  in,  the  roots  are  free  and  often  few, 
especially  when  the  trees  come  from  a  public 
nursery.  August  may  be  thought  too  early  to 
move  trees,  but  any  of  the  Firs  that  have 
plumped  their  terminal  buds  may  be  removed 
with  pei'fect  safety  then.  Larch  is  an  excep- 
tion, as  its  shoots  are  generally  soft  till  late  in 
autumn,  but  it  is  not  reckoned  among  ever- 
green Firs.  The  only  objection  to  early  autumn 
is  drought  and  a  too  dry  soil,  but  as  a  rule  the 
latter  is  moist  enough  for  planting  operations. 
Far  more  depends  on  the  way  the  plants  are 
got  up  and  got  in  than  on  their  chances  after. 
No  wonder  there  are  so  many  failures  in 
planting,  but  they  need  not  e.xceed  5  per  cent., 
though  .'iO  per  cent,  is  common,  and  no  wonder. 
One  dry  day,  on  an  estate  that  I  visited  in 
spring,  [  came  on  a  squad  of  planters  at  their 
midday  meal.  Young  trees  from  a  nursery, 
probably  long  out  of  the  ground  before  arrival, 
were  lying  exposed  upon  the  ground,  and 
numbers  were  laid  out  on  the  rows  by  boys 
before  the  men,  presumably  to  expedite  the 
work,  all  bleaching  in  the  sun  and  wind — 
killed  before  they  were  got  in.  Delay  and 
exposure  in  planting  evergreen  Firs  is  one  of 
the  chief  causes  of  failure.  The  tender  roots 
are  frizzled  up  and  nothing  but  a  few  bare 
prongs  left,  which  must  produce  fresh  rootlets 
Isefore  the  tree  is  safe,   but  if  the  weather 


202 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  2S,  1901. 


should  turn  out  dry  and  the  notch  system  of 
planting  is   adopted,  the   chances  are   that   a 
large  proportion  of  the  trees  will  be  dead  by 
midsummer.    Whenever  the  leaves  of  a  Scotch 
or  any  other  Fir  become  brown  or  even  a  pale 
green   colour,   and    the    shoots  have    a    soft, 
leathery   feel,   the    plant   is    done    for.      The 
experienced  eye  can  tell  trees  of  this  descrip- 
tion as  far  off  as  it  can  see  them.     Given  trees, 
however,   that   have   been    got   up    from    the 
nursery  carefully,  sent  oif  quickly,  packed  with 
their  roots  covered  while  moist,  and  delivered 
to  the  planter  in  good  condition,  nearly  every 
tree  should  grow.     But  if  the  weather  is  at  all 
dry  the  roots  should  be  puddled  in  planting, 
and  that  may  be  done  with  little  trouble  with 
hundreds   of    thousands   of   trees.      A   water- 
barrel  cart   should  attend  planters,  and  with 
that  a  thick  treacly  puddle  can  be  made  at  any 
spot  in  \yhich  the  roots  of  thousands  of  trees 
can  be  dipped  in  a  few  hours.     This  soaks  and 
refreshes  the  roots,  which  -^^all  remain  wet  till 
they  are  planted  if  the  workmen  do  not  attempt 
to  carry  too  many  at  one  time.     There  should 
always   be   one    man   with   a  squad   of  piece 
planters,  who  does  nothing  else  but  look  on  to 
see  that  the  work  is  properly  executed. 
Putting  the  Plants  In.— Tools. 
The  practice  of  digging  pits  18  inches  wide 
by   1    foot    deep    weeks     before    planting    is 
neither  more  nor  less  than   a   pure  waste   of 
time.     Whoever  saw  a  young  forest  tree  of 
the  usual  planting  size  from   a   nursery   that 
required  a  big  hole?     Is   it   understood   how 
much  thousands  of  such  pits  cost  to  dig  out  in 
soft,  let  alone  hard,  ground  ?     In  some  cases 
that  I  have  known,  the  price  of  pitting  alone 
would  have  paid  for  the  trees  and  planting. 
Pit  and  plant  at  the  same  time,  assuming  that 
the  surface  is  clear,  and  use  the  narrow  handy 
planting  spade.     This  tool  has  a  curved  blade 
like    a    draining    spade,    is    12    inches    long, 
ol  inches  in  breadth  at  the  top,  and  tapers  to 
3|  inches  at  the  point.     It  is  more  like  a  big 
garden  trowel  than  a  spade,  and  is  the  tool  the 
planter  likes.     He  gets  quickly  into  the  ground 
with  it,  and  it  makes  a  slit  or  a  hole  just  big 
enough  to  admit  the  roots  of  the  tree  and  can 
be  used  like  a  dibber  to  wedge  it  up.     I  am 
surprised  to  find  this  tool  so  little  known.    The 
common  garden  spade  is  generally  used,  but  it 
is  far  too  broad  in  the  blade  for  planting  forest 
trees  and  nearly  doubles  the  work.     I  notice  in 
the  tool  lists  of  the  great  forest  tree  nurserymen 
that  they  have  every  tool  illustrated  but  the 
planter's  spade. 

In  planting,  the  hole  should  be  taken  out  as 
planting  goes  on.  A  man  may  go  before  the 
planter  and  dig  the  holes  for  the  sake  of  expe- 
dition, but  they  should  not  be  dug  long  enough 
before  to  let  the  soil  turned  up  get  dry.  The 
hole  should  be  just  the  shape,  depth,  and  width 
of  the  spade,  and  go  straight  down.  Into  this 
hole  the  roots  are  dropped  straight  and  wedged 
up  firmly  to  one  side.  The  spreading  out  of 
the  root  theory  of  planting  forest  trees  is 
nonsense.  Such  trees  never  have  any  roots  to 
spread,  and  often  barely  enough  to  fix  them. 
But,  whatever  roots  they  may  have,  let  their 
toes  hang  straight  down  as  far  as  they  will  go 
without  burying  the  collar,  and  so  be  out  of 
the  reach  of  drought  and  frost.  Get  a  tap-root 
position  for  the  root  at  first  if  you  can,  and  in  a 
couple  of  years  the  roots  will  right  themselves. 
Where  autumn  planting  cannot  be  carried 
out,  spring  planting  is  far  preferable  to  plant- 
ing in  winter.  March,  April,  and  May  are  the 
best  months  in  my  experience,  and  I  have  gone 
on  to  June  1.^  with  Corsican  Firs  and  lost 
hardly  any.  The  danger  of  spring  planting  is 
dry  weather,  a  bright  sun,  and  keen  east  winds. 
I  have  seen  spots  in  the  eastern  counties  where 


I  would  not  plant  extensively  in  spring  on 
any  consideration.  The  rainfall  is  so  light  and 
the  soil  so  dry  that  failure  is  almost  certain. 
It  surprises  one,  from  the  wetter  parts  of 
England,  to  hear  the  complaints  about  drought 
in  some  parts  of  the  eastern  counties,  but  when 
one  considers  that  between  the  maximum  and 
minimum  annual  rainfall  of  the  British  Islands 
there  is  a  difference  of  60  inches,  it  is  evident 
that  the  effects  upon  both  trees  and  plants 
must  be  of  a  corresponding  nature. 
Winter  Planting. 
Planting  any  of  the  Firs  in  midwinter 
means  a  much  larger  proportion  of  failures 
than  happens  at  any  other  season.  The  reason 
of  this  is  that  the  young  trees  suffer  from 
exposure  in  lifting  in  the  first  instance,  and 
after  they  are  put  into  the  soil  they  are  very 
much  in  the  same  position  as  cuttings,  for  the 
mutilated  roots  are  paralysed  by  cold  till  the 
temperature  of  the  soil  rises  late  in  spring. 
Plants  with  evergreen  and  more  or  less  active 
foliage  cannot  stand  it,  and  they  die  or  are 
crippled  for  years. 

Deciduous  Trees. 
Forest  trees  that  shed  their  leaves  annually 
are  more  easily  dealt  with.  Autumn  is,  how- 
ever, the  best  season  for  planting  these  also, 
and,  provided  the  young  wood  is  hard,  the 
transplanting  may  be  begun  without  fear 
whether  the  leaves  are  on  or  off.  It  is  certain, 
also,  that  early  autumn-planted  trees  produce 
most  growth  the  following  season— that  is  to 
say,  time  is  gained.  Leafless  young  hardwoods 
will,  however,  endure  winter  planting  pretty 
well,  provided  the  roots  are  not  long  exposed 
between  the  getting  up  and  the  planting. 
What  goes  on  in  nursery  lifting,  however,  is 
sometimes  inexcusable.  One  day  when  going 
into  the  packing-yard  of  a  large  nursery  I  saw 
thousands  of  young  trees  (on  order)  lying 
about,  tied  in  bundles  of  hundreds,  exposed 
to  all  weathers.  How  long  they  had  been 
there  and  out  of  the  ground  I  did  not  enquire, 
but  every  day  out  of  the  soil,  unprotected, 
means  failure.  I  cannot  too  much  impress 
upon  inexperienced  hands  the  importance  of  a 
quick  transfer  from  the  nursery  to  the  woods. 
It  is  here  where  the  value  of  the  well-managed 
home  nursery  comes  in,  because  the  planter 
can  begin  and  leave  off  work  just  according  to 
the  weather,  and  need  never  have  a  greater 
number  of  plants  out  of  the  ground  than  he 
can  put  in  in  one  day. 

The  objections  to  spring  planting  would  be 
less  if  these  precautions  were  always  taken. 
After  all,  when  a  plant  is  put  into  the  ground 
at  the  beginning  of  the  growing  season  it  must 
either  begin  to  grow  or  to  die,  but,  given  a  soil 
in  a  moderately  moist  state  and  a  plant  with  a 
fair  proportion  of  fibrous  roots  not  long 
exposed,  few  trees  should  fail.  It  is  the  first 
few  weeks  after  planting  when  there  is  most 
danger.  The  roots  begin  to  heel  as  soon  as 
they  are  transplanted,  and  will  then  endure 
considerable  drought  and  keen  winds.  In 
spring  it  is  the  rapid  evaporation  from  the 
leaves  of  Firs  and  evergreens  that  tries  them, 
and  if  the  roots  do  not  come  quickly  to  their 
aid  they  die,  but  deciduous  trees  do  not  suffer 
to  the  same  extent,  because  they  have  no  leaves 
when  planted,  and  only  begin  to  grow  when 
the  roots  come  into  action.  J.  Simpson. 


"IN     A     SMALL     AVAY." 

Notes  from  an  Oblong  Garden.— XVIII. 

As  a  kind  of  miniature  trial  result  the  record 
of  my  Crocus  pans  may  have  some  interest. 
They  all  succeeded  except  the  one  of  C.  sul- 
phureus  aureus,  the  leaves  of  which  came  up 


1 
oddly  twisted  or  cork-screwed  at  the  points, 
which  I  imagine  is  not  their  normal  condition. 
The  buds  appear  to  be  healthy,  but  will  not 
be  fully  developed  until  after  those  of  0. 
aureus'  common  jjrogeny  of  the  garden,  the 
gay  Dutch  yellows,  whereas  they  ought,  all 
things  considered,  to  be  well  in  advance.  The 
reason  for  the  appearance  presented  by  the 
leaves  is  not  easy  to  find,  for  this  pan  was  not 
exposed  to  any  conditions  of  cold.  Arc,  that 
were  not  fully  shared  by  others,  which  were 
not  so  affected. 

My  first  spring  pan  to  bloom  was,  of  course, 
that   of   C.  Imperati,   which   opened   its   first 
flower  on  January  2.     It  showed  its  variability 
even   where   so   small  a  number   of   bulbs  as 
twenty-five  (the  number  planted  in  each  pan 
of  Crocuses)  was  concerned,  for  some  of  the 
blossoms    had    deep    purple   featherings    and 
stripes  on  their  chamois-hued  outsides,  while 
others  were  only  faintly  tinted  with  lilac  lines, 
and  others  again  were  plainly  buft"  without.  The 
contrast  of  the  rich  lilac  of  the  interiors  and 
the  buff  exteriors  is   very  charming,  and  the 
whole  flower  is  a  slender  graceful  thing.     All 
these  Crocuses  responded  most  eagerly  to  the 
warmth  of  the  rooms  when  brought  in  from 
the  cold  greenhouses,  opening  and  expanding 
their    buds    with    almost    magical    rapidity. 
When  first  the  pan  of  C.  ancyrensis,  next  after 
C.    Imperati,    came    in   it   wore   a  somewhat 
hopeless  aspect,  for  the  weather  just  then  — 
January  7 — was   very  cold,  dull,  and   snowy, 
and  the  little  yellow  buds  looked  nipped  and 
wrinkled,  and  seemed  shuddering  with   chill. 
But  in  one  hour — no   more — they  were  open, 
and  quite  gay  and  happy.     Nor  did  the  change 
to  a  more  genial  temperature  cause  them,  or 
any  of  the  others,  to  go  off  quickly  ;  they  all 
closed  up  at  night  and  took  life  temperately 
and   with    moderation,  lasting  a   wonderfully 
long  time  for  such  delicate  blossoms.     Espe- 
cially was  this  the  case  with  C.  Sieberi,  which 
of  all  those  I  have  tried  I  like  the  best,  and 
which  is  surely  the  very  perfection  of  a  bulb 
for  pan  culture.    The  brilliant  blue-lilac  flowers 
with  their  glorious   orange-vermilion   stigmas 
are,  though  small,  extremely  showy,  while  each 
little  bulb  bore  from  five  to  seven  blooms,  and 
their  flowering  lasted  altogether  for  nearly  six 
weeks.    First  there  was  one  gay  crop  of  bloom, 
then  a  short  jieriod  of  comparative  shabbiness 
— perhaps  a  week — during  which  I  picked  off 
all  the  fading  flowers,  and  then  a  second  burst 
of  gaiety  and  colour.     Twenty-five  bulbs  of  C. 
Sieberi  at  about  4s.  per  hundred  cannot  be 
said  to  be  an  expensive  luxury,  and  they  will 
certainly  outlast  and  outdo  many  other  bulbs 
costing  five  times  as  much  in  proportion.     C. 
tommasinianus,  which   is   an   absurdly   cheap 
Crocus  listed  in  the  Newry  book  at  2s.  6d.  per 
hundred,  was  the  wind  up  firework  of  my  dis- 
play, and  although  it  is  less  well  suited  to  pan 
culture   than  the   dwarfer   and   sturdy  Croci, 
like  ancyrensis  and  Sieberi,  it  was  exceedingly 
charming  and  lasted  very  well  on  the  table  in 
the  sunny  window  where  all  the  spring  bulbs 
are  brought  from  the  cold  greenhouse.     It  is 
more  of  a  Colchicum  in  looks  than  a  Crocus, 
except  for  its  purely  Crocus-like  leaves,  and 
has  the  delicate  white  flower  stems  which  are 
so   dainty   in   the   Colchicums,   and   yet   give 
them   rather   a    weird   look,  as   of   something 
exotic,  fragile,  and  apart  from  ordinary  vegeta- 
tion.     Next   year    I    shall    add    many   more 
varieties  to  my  pan  Crocus  collection,  although 
I  fear  neither  purse  nor  space  will  enable  the 
(unintentional)  pun  to  become  a  verity,  in  view 
of  the  great  number  of  this  delightful  family 
catalogued  by  si)ecialists.     The  culture  of  the 
more  out  of  the  way  small  bulbs  in  pans  seems 
to  me  more  delightful  the  more  I  see  of  it,  and 


March   2,3,  1901 


THE    GAEDEN. 


203 


STRAFFAN    HOUSE,  CO.   KILDARE,  IRELAND  (FKOM    THE    BANK    Ol'    THE    I.IEFEY) 


it  offers  possibilities  to  people  who  have  little 
or  no  convenience  for  gardening  which  it  is  a 
pity  should  be  so  universally  overlooked.  I 
should  like  to  provide  all  the  enthusiasts  who 
are  perforce  obliged  to  spend  their  energies  on 
window  boxes,  which  are  so  trying  and  unsatis- 
factory in  many  ways,  with  fifty  pans  or  so,  in 
or  out  of  a  cold  frame,  for  a  change,  and  see 
how  they  enjoyed  themselves.  I  always  feel 
most  deeply  for  the  poor  London  folk  who, 
as  may  be  seen  by  their  back  window  efforts, 
visible  from  the  train  as  one  canters  down  by 
the  London,  Tilbury,  and  Southend  line,  and  in 
other  similar  districts,  do  really  take  pains  to 
get  a  few  flowers,  but  have  no  notion  how  to 
set  about  it  beyond  the  stereotyped  Geranium 
and  Fuchsia  perhaps  served  out,  in  a  kindly 
effort  of  philanthropy,  to  them  by  the  well- 
meaning  promoters  of  a  parish  flower  show.  Of 
course  the  unfortunate  circumstances  preclude 
their  doing  much  even  with  better  material  if 
they  had  it,  but  when  I  see  these  poor  plants 
in  fish  tins  and  so  on,  I  remember  vividly  how 
in  my  own  green  London  youth  I  tried  to  get 
roots  of  Daisies  and  Pansies  off  the  "  all-a- 
growing"  man's  barrow  to  go  on  with  their 
boasted  process  in  pots  on  my  own  window- 
sill,  and  how  resolutely  they  refused  to  oblige 
me.  We  had  smoky,  grimy  evergreens  in  boxes 
on  some  leads  at  the  back  of  our  terrible  tall 
London  house,  but  although  I  was  the  only 
person  in  the  house  who  took  the  least  interest 
in  them,  interference  with  them  was  strictly 
prohibited.    Perhaps  one  gardens  with  all  the 


year   when  the  house 


more  fervour  in  after 
life  for  an  earlier  en- 
forced abstinence,  but 
it  is  sad  to  think  of 
all  the  spoilt  gar- 
deners who  will  live 
their  whole  lives  out 
without  one  chance  of 
expansion. 

Although  this  has 
not  been  ahard  winter 
it  has  been  a  very  try- 
ing one  in  the  great 
want  of  sunshine  we 
have  experienced. 
Our  local  paper  in- 
forms us  that  there 
were  eighteen  days 
during  January  in 
which  his  majesty 
showed  a  cheerful 
countenance  ;  but  I 
should  have  said  that 
eighteen  hours  during 
the  month  would 
have  been  a  liberal 
computation  of  the 
beams  actually  en- 
joyed. Withal,  we 
have  had  rain  to  a 
most  depressing  ex- 
tent, and  damp,  dull, 
soppy  days  one  after 
another,  and  it  has 
been  cold,  fusty,  and 
mildewy  in  the  little 
greenhouse.  In  spite 
of  all  these  evil  con- 
ditions, things  there 
are  in  good  heart. 
The  pots  of  Primula 
verticil  lata  (the 
Abyssinian  Prim- 
rose), though  it  is 
supposed  to  beawarm 
greenhouse  plant, 
look  much  better 
than  they  did  last 
was  warmed  ;   none  of 


the  under  leaves  have  rotted  or  turned  yellow, 
as  they  used  to  do  in  a  very  trying  way,  and 
the  plants  look  thoroughly  healthy,  though 
they  will  not  flower  so  early  as  under  warmer 
circumstances.  This  charming  clear  yellow 
Primula- Primrose-Polyanthus— it  is  a  mixture 
of  all  three  to  speak  most  unscientifically— 
with  its  powder-white  leaves  and  fainr  but 
penetrating  Cowslip  scent,  is  my  dear  old 
favourite,  and  every  year  after  it  flowers  1 
divide  each  plant  into  two  or  more,  and  have 
some  to  keep  and  some  to  give  away. 

I  see  "  S.  W.  F."  in  The  Garden,  page  102, 
speaks  of  Anemone  apennina  already  in  bloom. 
This  makes  me  sad,  as  my  A.  apennina  is  not 
even  showing  one  curled  claw  of  leaf  yet,  and 
I  begin  to  think  of  field  mice,  though  whether 
they  would  eat  up  the  pretty  blue  Anemone  as 
they  do  the  pretty  blue  Squills  I  do  not  know. 
Surely  never  was  a  gardener  so  plagued  as  I 
by  small  beasts  of  sorts  —  the  country  vole 
and  the  town  sparrow,  the  exotic  American 
bug  and  slimy  indigenous  slug,  the  rural  blue 
tit,  and  the  bold  city  jackdaw,  all  alike  make 
this  miserable  little  Oblong  their  rendezvous  ; 
the  only  two  creatures  that  hardly  ever  seem 
to  meet  here  are  the  thrush  and  the  snail  !^ 

Adam  has  netted  the  Carnations  and  Pinks, 
and  is  preparing  to  use  up  another  reel  of 
black  cotton  about  the  Crocuses,  weary  work 
and  annual  task,  but  we  should  have  none  of 
either  were  it  omitted.  As  a  reward  for  some 
lately  rendered  services  in  this  and  otherwise 


he  has  claimed  a  little  waste  corner  whereon 
to  exercise  his  one  ambition  in  the  gardening 
line,  and  the  only  bit  of  horticulture  that  stirs 
his  sympathies — the  growth  of  a  Vegetable 
Marrow  !  Positively  the  only  r/reen  Eden  in 
which  I  can  imagine  Adam  content  is  that 
which  would  be  designated  across  the  Atlantic 
a  squash-patch  !  M.  L.  W. 


IRISH    HOMES    AND    GARDENS. 

Straffan  House  Gardens,  Co.  Kildaee. 

Stkaffan  House  stands  on  the  banks  of  the 
river  Liffey,  as  it  meanders  through  the  deep 
and  fertile  alluvium  in  the  great  plain  of 
Kildare.  The  distance  from  Dublin  is  some- 
thing under  twenty  miles  ;  the  railway  station 
at  Strafi'an  is  about  two  miles  from  the  demesne, 
and  the  most  notable  landmark  on  the  road 
thence  is  the  fine  stone  bridge  of  three  arches 
that  spans  the  river  a  few  hundred  ya,rds 
below  the  mansion.  To  stand  on  this  bridge 
on  a  bright  winter's  morning,  and  to  look  up 
the  stream,  as  it  is  fringed  on  both  sides  with 
crimson  Dogwood  and  with  red  or  cardinal 
and  gold-barked  Osiers,  is  to  look  upon  the 
best  object-lesson  as  to  winter  colouring  in 
the  landscape  that  I  know  of  anywhere.  As 
the  sun  gleams  out  from  behind  a  grey  cloud 
the  flash  of  soft  pure  colouring  is  quite 
prismatic  or  rainbow-like  as  seen  in  contrast 
with  the  olive  green  water,  and  as  surrounded 
by  the  greens  and  greys  and  browns  of  the 
usual  park  scenery. 

Strafi'an  is  situated  in  a  very  land  of  good 
gardens  ;  Carton,  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of 
Leinster,  being  only  a  few  miles  away,  and 
there  are  Lyons,  Lucan,  and  other  fine  old 
places  in  the  more  immediate  vicinity.  As  a 
garden,  that  at  Straffan  has  long  been  famous, 
not  only  for  its  verdure  and  its  fairest  flowers, 
but  for  its  fertile  fruit  and  vegetable  gardens 
as  well.  At  the  present  moment  the  clouds  or 
sheets  and  masses  of  Snowdrops  under  the 
lawn  trees  are  a  great  attraction,  being  just  at 
their  best  and  most  beautiful.  Originally 
planted  under  one  or  two  of  the  Lime  trees  on 
the  lawn,  they  have  spread  all  about  the 
place  and  over  on  the  island  formed  by  a  bent 
arm  of  the  river  in  front  of  the  house.  The 
Snowdrops,  the  Winter  Aconites,  and  the 
Daffodils  alike  grow  very  luxuriantly  at 
Strafi'an,  and,  moreover,  seed  freely,  and  so  the 
stock  is  increasing  rapidly,  and  can  thus  be 
transferred  to  suitable  localities  in  the  island 
and  outlying  portions  of  the  place.  The  great 
masses  of  Snowdrops  now  in  bloom  are  common 
single,  but  even  these  vary  considerably  m 
size,  height,  and  habit,  and  also  in  being  earlier 
or  later  to  bloom.  Many  years  ago  the  late 
Lord  Clarina,  when  at  the  war  in  the  Crimea, 
brought  home  some  Snowdrop  roots,  amongst 
which  was  a  large  and  bold  late  -  flowering 
variety  of  Galanthus  nivalis,  now  known  as 
G.  n.  grandis.  This  is  very  beautiful  as  seen 
here,  being  even  more  luxuriant  and  taller  and 
larger  than  the  ordinary  type.  G.  Elwesii, 
G.  Scharloki,  G.  plicatus,  G.  Cassaba, 
G.  Ikariae,  and  other  species  and  forms  are 
also  grown,  but  as  I  have  said  the  broad  and 
general  effect  of  the  masses  now  blooming 
under  the  lawn  trees  is  given  by  the  common 
kind. 

The  house  itself  is  somewhat  like  a  modern 
French  house,  being  painted  white  with  a 
mansard  roof,  flanked  at  one  end  by  a 
picturesque  campanile-like  water  tower.  It  is 
well  elevated  on  a  terrace  which  overlooks  an 
old-fashioned  box-edged  parterre,  and  there  is 
a  lovely  peep  down  the  river  to  the  great  lime- 
stone bridge,  and  beyond  to  the  grassy  slopes 


204 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March   23,  1901 


of  the  bill  at  Lyons,  one  of  the  few  elevations 
in  the  vicinity. 

Like  all  i^ood  and  satisfying  gardens  this  one 
has  been  long  making,  and  there  has  been  no 
cessation  of  well-directed  endeavour.  It  is 
enjoyable  every  day  in  the  year,  and  go  when 
one  may  there  is  always  something  of  interest 
to  see  either  outside  or  in  the  well-stocked 
greenhouses  and  stoves.  Not  only  are  hardy 
flowers  and  alpines  grown,  but  Violets,  Carna- 
tions, Lily  of  the  Valley,  and  Mignonette  you 
will  find  at  Straffan  all  the  year  round.  The 
summer  bedding  is  also  very  rich  and  beautiful ; 
tuberous  Begonias,  Fuchsias,  Heliotropes, 
Verbenas,  Violas,  and  many  other  sweet  or 
effective  plants  being  tastefully  used.  Helio- 
tropes as  pyramids  or  standards,  Arundo  Donax 
Eulalia  japonica  of  sorts,  Aralias,  Fuchsias,  and 
other  tail  plants  being  well  placed  help  to  do 
away  with  that  stiff  and  formal  flatness  which 
detracts  so  much  fro)n  many  sunnner  flower 
gardens.  A  little  bit  of  wall  S  feet  liigh  or  so 
near  Mr.  Bedford's  house  is  an  object-lesson  on 
wall  gardening,  being  studded  as  it  is  with 
fifty  or  more  rare  and  beautiful  species  of  alpine 
or  rock  plants,  with  a  dense  line  of  the  great 
Straifan  Snowdrop  (G.  n.  grandis)  below. 
There  is  scarcely  a  day  in  the  year  when  one 
or  other  of  these  tiny  wall  flowers  are  not  in 
bloom.  Thegardener's  houseitself  is  embowered 
in  Japan  Honeysuckle,  Roses,  and  Clematis  ; 
amongst  these  the  scarlet  blossomed  Flame 
Flower  (Tropieolum  speciosum)  clings,  climbs, 
and  dangles  all  through  the  summer  and 
autumn  in  a  very  pretty  way. 

F.  W.  BUEBIDGE. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not   responsible   for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents.) 


HIDALGOA    WERCKLEI. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — This  climbing  member  of  the  Dahlia 
family,  alluded  to  on  page  158,  bids  fair 
to  be  a  thoroughly  good  garden  plant, 
and  one  that  will  in  all  probability  be 
widely  distributed  during  the  coming 
season.  Last  summer  it  formed  an 
attractive  feature  in  the  temparate  bouse  at  Kevv 
for  some  time  ;  its  rapid  climbing  growth,  prettih' 
divided  leaA'es,  and  bright  orange-scarlet  blossoms, 
like  single  Dahlias,  at  once  arrested  attention. 
It  was  first  discovered  by  Mr.  Carlo  Werckle  in 
1898,  in  the  mountainous  regions  of  Costa  Rica, 
and  passed  into  the  possession  of  Jlr.  J.  L.  Childs, 
nurseryman,  Floral  Park,  New  York,  being  dis- 
tributed under  the  name  of  Childsia  Wercklei,  or 
Treasure  Vine.  In  the  States  it  has  already 
become  popular,  and  is  now  disposed  of  at  a 
cheap  rate.  It  is  readily  propagated  by  cuttings 
of  the  young  growing  shoots.  When  one  considers 
the  development  of  the  Dahlia  from  comparatively 
small  beginnings  the  question  suggests  itself 
whether  the  introduction  of  this  Hidalgoa  may 
not  have  far-reaching  results.  T. 


the  proper  course  to  take,  but  still  the  demand  is 
larger  than  the  supply.  Cox's  Orange  Pippin  is 
none  too  trustworthy,  as  at  times  the  crop  is  thin. 
As  regards  its  keeping  properties  there  is  no 
question — given  the  cool  storage  adopted  by  Mr. 
\Vilks.  It  is  also  a  good  plan  to  let  tiie  fruit  hang 
late  on  the  trees.  Also  grow  this  varietj'  in  diverse 
forms,  so  that  if  some  fail  others  bear.  The  late 
Mr.  Anthony  Waterer  used  to  always  keep  this 
Apple  well  until  the  end  of  Maj'.  This  shows  its 
value  for  late  dessert.  G.  Wythes. 

Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 


CAMPANULA    HENDERSON!. 

[To   THE   Editor    of   "The   Garden."] 

Sir, — Pending  your  promised  articles  on  the  dwarf 
Campanulas,  I  shall  only  at  present  remark  that 
Campanula  Hendersoni  is  not  a  biennial,  though 
it  does  succeed  in  getting  lost  in  some  gardens  in  a 
j'ear  or  two.  I  had  a  plant  here  for  nine  or  ten 
years.  It  became  quite  hard  and  woody  at  the 
base,  but  continued  to  bloom  annualh'.  I  think, 
however,  that  it  objects  to  removal  when  it  has 
reached  anj'  size,  and  that  the  periodical  border 
renovations  are  not  quite  to  its  mind.  It  does  not 
increase  at  the  root  with  me.  S.  Arnott. 

Carsethorn,  by  Dumfries,  N.B. 


CHIMONANTHUS    FRAGRANS. 

[To    the    Editor    of    "  The    Garden."] 

Sir, — There  would  appear  to  be  some  confusion  in 
the  nomenclature  of  the  large  flowered  forms  of  the 
Winter  Sweet,  for  I  notice  that  Mr.  Crump,  on 
page  125,  says  of  grandiflorus  "that  although 
larger  than  the  type,  it  is  paler  in  colour  and  not 
so  free-flowering."  The  form  we  have  here  that 
has  been  called  grandiflorus,  has,  on  the  contrary, 
large  flowers  of  a  much  deeper  shade  than  the  type, 
and  is  quite  as  free.  It  seems  that  there  must  be 
two  distinct  forms.  We  have  to-day  (Februai-y  25) 
lifted  the  la3'ers  put  down  in  the  autumn  of  1898, 
and  found  them  well-rooted  plants. 

Claremont,  Esher,  Surrey.  E.   Burrell. 


COX'S  ORANGE  APPLE  IN  SPRING. 

[To  THE  Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — This,  the  queen  of  dessert  Apples,  has  been 
frequently'  written  about  in  The  Garden,  so  that 
it  may  seem  out  of  place  to  again  refer  to  it ;  but 
many  readers  do  not  know  its  value  for  dessert. 
The  present  note  is  to  point  out  the  advantages  of 
Cox's  Orange  for  dessert  at  this  season,  and  this 
was  fully  demonstrated  by  the  splendid  dish  of 
fruit  shown  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  by  its  worthy  secretary,  the 
Rev.  W.  Wilks.  Mr.  Wilks  recommends  this 
variety  for  keeping,  and  when  it  can  be  kept  so  do 
I  ;  but  owing  to  its  splendid  quality  the  fruits 
\'ery   soon   disappear.       To   plant    more    trees    is 


ROSE  FORTUNE'S  YELLOW  FAILING. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — In  a  large  span-roofed  house  here  is  a  For- 
tune's Yellow  Rose  planted  out,  and  almost  covering 
the  entire  roof.  It  flowers  most  profusely;  in  fact, 
thousands  of  blooms  are  cut  from  it  annuallj' ;  the 
blooms  are  well  developed,  and  are  an  excellent 
colour,  but,  unfortunately,  just  as  the  flower  buds 
are  opening  many  of  the  young  leaves  drop,  and 
give  tlie  tree  a  naked  appearance  when  in  flower  : 
this  happens  annually.  W'ould  any  rosarian  kindly 
inform  nie  through  the  medium  of  The  Garden  if 
such  is  a  natural  failing  of  this  particular  Rose  ?  I 
quite  understand  when  the  Rose  begins  to  shoot 
out  the  old  leaves  dropping  off,  as  in  the  case  of 
most  Teas  or  Noisettes,  but  this  second  shedding 
of  leaves  seems  a  m}'ster}'.  I  may  say  the  Rose  is 
slightly  forced,  and  I  never  allow  any  bottom 
ventilators  to  be  opened  after  starting  into  growth, 
neither  is  the  border  allowed  to  get  dry. 

CricheJ,  Wimborne.  P.  Isherwood. 


drainage,  firm  potting  in  peat  and  sand,  clean  pots, 
and  careful  watering.  At  no  time  should  the  soil 
about  them  become  dr}',  but  water  should  be  with- 
held for  a  week  or  two  after  the  flowers  have  faded. 
A  thorough  ripening  of  the  current  season's  wood 
is  essential,  and  this  is  best  brought  about  by 
placing  the  plants  on  an  ash  bed  in  a  fairly  sunny 
situation  for  the  summer  months. 

The  roots  of  the  Epacris  are  quite  hair-like,  and 
easily  killed  by  careless  watering.  The  cultivator 
should  practice  the  old  method  adopted  by  hard- 
wooded  plant  growers  of  testing  each  plant  by 
weight.  A  little  thoughtful  practice  will  soon 
make  them  proficient  in  the  art. 

The  uses  to  which  the  flowers  may  be  put  are 
varied — as  sprays  for  the  adornment  of  ladies' 
head-dress  the}'  are  useful,  also  as  coal  flowers, 
or  for  vases. 

Unlike  many  of  our  new  popular  flowering  plants, 
the  Epacris  if  properly  attended  to  will  produce  an 
abundance  of  flowers  year  after  year.  Healthy 
young  plants  m%\  now  be  purchased  for  a  reason- 
able sum,  hence  it  is  unnecessarj'  to  propagate  from 
cuttings,  for  the  process,  although  interesting,  is 
slow. 

Any  plants  requiring  potting  should  be  attended 
to  just  as  new  growth  commences  after  flowering. 
Keep  them  for  a  few  %veeks  in  a  warm  greenhouse, 
and  syringe  them  twice  daily  until  the  growths  are 
an  inch  or  two  in  length,  when  they  should  be 
removed  to  a  cold  house  before  being  placed  in  the 
open.  H.  T.  Martin. 

Stoneleiijh  Abbey  Gardens,  Keiiilworlh. 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 


EPACRISES. 

NOT  so  much  grown  as  formerly  are  these 
greenhouse  shrubs;  the  reason  for  this 
is  hard  to  define,  for  their  flowers  are 
most  useful  for  cutting  or  for  the  con- 
servatory during  the  winter  months. 
The  habit  of  growth  and  the  colour  and 
form  of  the  flowers  of  the  various  species  and 
varieties  are  very  different.  Some  are  of  erect 
growth,  whilst  others  are  drooping.  The  iirst- 
named  section  require  annual  pruning  immediately 
after  flowering,  but  those  of  a  scandent  habit  should 
not  be  severely  pruned,  merely  thinning  out  the 
weak  shoots  after  flowering.  Golden  rules  to 
observe  in  the  cultivation  of  Epacrises  are  efficient 


PLANTS  FOR  EDGING  INDOORS. 

In  arranging  plants  for  effect,  either  in  the  con- 
servatory, exhibition  tent,  or  for  other  decorative 
work,  a  good  edging  adds  considerablj'  to  the 
appearance,  and  there  are  many  suitable  plants 
which  may  be  grown  with  little  trouble. 

Eiccs  repens 
is  one  of  the  most  serviceable.  Propagated  from 
the  young  shoots  in  spring,  about  a  dozen  cuttings 
may  be  put  in  each  pot  (4-inch  pots  being  a 
useful  size).  Soon  after  they  are  rooted  they 
may  be  stopped  once,  grown  on  in  the  stove,  and 
if  placed  on  a  shelf  where  the  shoots  can  hang 
down  the  pots  will  soon  be  covered  with  bright 
fresli  green  foliage.  The  length  of  the  pendant 
shoots  can  be  regulated  by  stopping  as  required. 
Ficus  radicans  variegatus  maj'  be  treated  in  the 
same  way,  but  is  rather  slow  unless  grown  in  a 
high  temperature,  quite  different  to  the  ordinary 
F.  radicans,  which  grows  very  rapidly,  and  where 
long  drooping  shoots  are  wanted  for  baskets  it  may 
be  recommended  in  preference  to  repens. 

Isolepis  gracilis 
hardly  requires  any  recommendation,  but  to  have 
it  in  good  condition  the  stock  should  be  divided 
periodically,  potted  in  good  rich  loam,  grown  fully 
exposed  to  the  sun,  and  with  careful  attention  to 
watering  it  will  grow  freely,  but  it  does  not 
succeed  under  the  shade  of  other  plants. 

P^VNICUM    VARIEGATUM. 

This  pretty  variegated  glass  maj'  be  grown  in 
a  shady  position,  and  the  wliite  variety  will  be 
more  distinct.  The  same  plants  do  not  last  in  good 
condition  for  a  long  time,  but  it  is  easily  propagated 
from  cuttings,  which  may  be  put  in  at  any  season 
of  the  year.  Several  cuttings  put  in  and  grown  on 
in  the  same  pots  soon  make  useful  material ;  they 
may  require  stopping  once  or  twice.  This  may  be 
used  for  any  ordinary  decorations,  except  in  very 
cold  weather,  and  it  is  only  in  the  stove  that  it  can 
be  kept  through  the  winter. 

Selaginellas. 
There  are  several  of  these  which  may  be  recom- 
mended. S.  kraussiana  and  its  j'ellow  varietj'  is 
most  in  demand.  S.  serpens  is  a  compact  neat- 
growing  varietj',  which  soon  covers  the  pots. 
S.  apus,  a  dense,  compact  variety,  is  useful  for 
some  purposes.  AH  of  the  Selaginellas  should  be 
grown  fully  exposed  to  the  light ;  a  slight  shading 
niay  be  necessarj'  during  the  sunnner,  but  it  is  sur- 
prising bow  much  exposure  these  apparently  shade- 
loving  plants  will  withstand  if  grafiually  inured. 


March  2:1  l9oi.'l 


THE    GARDEN. 


•2o."i 


Feens. 
Of  these,  Davallia  dissecta  and  others  of  similar 
growth  are  useful,  especially  when  raised  from 
spores.  Grown  on  freely  the  rhizomes  soon  spread 
over  the  surface  of  tlie  pots,  and  seedlings  make 
compact  well-furnished  plants.  They  should  be 
grown  on  a  shelf,  where  the  rhizomes  can  spread 
over  and  develop  fronds  without  being  damaged. 

A.  Hemsley. 


CROCI    AT    KEW^. 

The  Croci  are  the  first  harbingers  of  spring, 
at  least  to  make  dashes  of  colour  in  borders, 
woodlands,  and  upon  such  slopes  as  represented 
in  the  illustration,  which  shows  the  Croci  on 
the  Cumberland  ilound  at  Kew.  Soon  the 
Daffodils  will  open  in  profusion,  followed  by 
Tulips,  the  blue  Scillas,  and  many  other  flowers 
as  happy  in  grass  as  in  the  border.  Flower 
gardening  in  grass  is  delightfully  expressed  at 
Kew  from  Snowdrop  time  until  the  Colchicums 
have  faded  in  late  autumn. 


N 


ORCHIDS. 


OW  in  flower  with  Mr.  Measures,  The 
Woodlands,  Streatham,  are  the  fol- 
lowing Orchids  : — 

Cattleya    PEKCIVALIANA    X    LiELIO- 

Cattleya  elegans. 
The  daintily-shaped  flowers  of  this 
new  L^lio-Cattleya  are  very  attractive,  not  so  much 
from  their  size,  perhaps,  which  hardly  compares  with 
that  of  hybrids  from  such  parents  as  Cattleya 
Warscewiczi,  Lselia  purpurata,  &c. ,  but  on  account 
of  the  faultless  shape  and  the  clearly-defined 
colouring.  The  soft  lilac-rose  sepals  and  petals 
are  uniform  in  colour  and  almost  so  in  size,  the 
petals  being  only  slightly  broader  than  the  sepals. 


The  labellum  is  strongly  suggestive  of  hseVio- 
Cattleya  elegans,  especially  in  the  well-developed 
side  lobes,  which,  being  broad,  crimped,  and 
fluted,  are  of  an  intense  magenta-purple,  shot 
with  a  deep  crimson  glow,  slightly  paler  on 
the  extreme  margins.  The  front  IoIm  of  the  lip  is 
deeply  emarginate.  The  throat  exhibits  a  soft 
blend  of  orange,  crimson,  yellow,  and  magenta, 
shading  to  rose-white  ;  allogetlier  a  most  exquisite 
hybrid. 

LiMhlA     HARPOPIIYLl.A      X      CaTTLEYA     BICOLOR 
MEASDRESIANA. 

This  is  a  beautiful  hybrid  ;  the  flowers  are  not 
large,  but  size  is  not  missed  where  colouring,  as 
in  this  hybrid,  is  so  vivid.  In  some  inexpressible 
manner  the  bicolor  parent  has  intensified  and 
rendered  more  beautiful  the  colour  of  harpophylla, 
at  the  same  time  increasing  the  dimensions.  Both 
sepals  and  petals  are  of  a  brilliant  orange-yellow, 
the  two  lower  sepals  being  just  a  shade  lighter  at 
the  lower  portion.  In  contrast  to  them  is  the 
heavily-convoluted  lip  of  deepest  crimson-red, 
shaded  with  purple,  the  colour  extending  into  the 
throat,  but  leaving  a  thin  central  line  of  light 
yellow.  The  side  lobes  are  orange-3'ellow  on  the 
interior,  but  on  their  outer  surfaces  mucii  lighter, 
and  the  tips  are  lightly  flushed  with  lilac. 

L^LiA  cinnabarina   X   Cattleya  Menuelii. 

Lielia  cinnabarina,  in  the  colour  and  shape  of  its 
flowers,  is  closely  akin  to  Lajlia  harpophylla, 
differing  from  that  species  chiefly  in  the  greater 
number  of  flowers  carried  on  a  spike  and  their 
larger  size  and  darker  colour.  Both  species  have 
been  extensively  u.sed  by  the  hybridist,  and  in  the 
hybrid  under  mention  the  advantages  of  Lselia 
cinnabarina  are  well  shown.  The  flowers  excel  in 
size  and  beauty  those  of  any  other  cross  derived 
either  from  harpophj'lla  or  cinnabarina,  due  to  the 
careful  selection  of  the  two  parents.  The  sepals 
and  petals  are  deep  cinnabar  red,  with  a  flush  of 
a  yellowish  shade  towards  the  margin.  The  lip  is 
deep  crimson-purple,  dashed  with  port  wine  purple 
in   the   centre,  and  has  the  margins  arranged  in 


CROCI   ON   THE   CUMBERLAND   MOUND   AT   KEW. 


heavy  folds  and  undulations,  a  character  obtained 
from  L.  cinnabarina.  The  side  lobes  arc  bright 
crimson-purple,  relieving  by  their  lighter  shade 
the  lurid  colouring  of  the  laliellum. 

Both  this  and  the  two  preceding  hybrids  are 
flowering  for  the  first  time  in  Mr.  'Measures' 
collection. 

CymBIDIUM  LOWIAXO-EBURNEUM    WllOllLANDS  VAK 

Hybrids  from  Cymbidiuni  eburneum  crossed 
with  C.  lowianum  and  lowianum  crossed  with 
eburneum  have  been  known  for  some  time  ;  in  fact, 
a  first  class  certificate  has  been  awarded  to  each 
hybrid  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  .Society— a 
proof  of  their  sterling  beauty.  Several  plants 
have  at  difl'erent  times  been  exhibited,  but  as  yet 
none  have  equalled  the  present  splendid  form. 
Though  flowering  for  the  first  time,  the  flowers 
are  exactly  6J  inches  across,  and  in  colour  surpass 
all  the  forms  yet  known.  The  broad,  fleshy  sepals 
and  petals  are  of  a  clear  ivory  white,  daintily 
shaded,  chiefly  on  the  margins,  with  a  soft  cream- 
yellow  tint,  while  the  upper  sepal  is  faintly  lined 
with  green.  The  lip  is  particularly  bright  in 
colour,  very  large,  and  more  elongated  than  is 
general.  The  base,  the  greater  portion  of  the 
erect  side  lobes,  and  the  basal  and  central  parts 
of  the  front  lobes  are  pure  white.  Except  for  an 
outer  margin  of  pure  white,  the  remainder  of  the 
lip  is  of  a  vivid  velvet-like  crimson-purple,  forming 
a  broad  irregular  band,  and  extending  to  the  front 
edges  of  the  side  lobes.  Through  the  centre  of 
the  front  lobe  is  a  narrow  line  of  the  same  colour, 
meeting  the  yellow,  raised,  bifid  crest,  which,  with 
the  under  surface  of  the  column,  is  slightly  spotted 
and  streaked  with  red.  The  rest  of  the  column  is 
white,  shaded  with  yellow  on  the  upper  portion. 
The  flower  spike  is  longer  than  in  any  other  known 
hybrid  Cymbidiuni. 

Cymbidiums  at  The  Woodlands. 
Few  Orchids  yield  better  decorative  effects  than 
Cymbidiums  lowianum  and  eburneum,  but  seldom 
are  they  placed  so  as  to  reveal  their  true  value  in 
this  respect.     The  grand  speci- 
mens ex  hibited  by  Sir  Frederick 
Wigan,  Bart. ,  at  the  last  Temple 
Show  probably  attracted  more 
attention  than  any  other  plants 
in  the  exhibition,  but  the  stag- 
ing of  the  group  was  eminently 
suited   to   their  habit  and  in- 
florescence.    These  were  all  C. 
lowianum. 

At  The  Woodlands  two 
houses  are  devoted  to  these 
plants,  and  a  few  daj's  ago  the 
eburneum  house  presented  a 
perfect  picture  from  the  pro- 
fusion of  flowers  added  to  the 
luxuriance  and  deep  glossy 
green  of  the  foliage.  The  house 
is  composed  largely  of  rock- 
work,  built  in  bold  curves  and 
irregular  lines.  In  the  pockets 
are  immense  specimens  of  C. 
eburneum  —  grand  plants  — 
proving  from  the  number,  size, 
and  substance  of  the  flowers 
how  well  the  situation  suits 
them.  In  the  aggregate  con- 
siderably over  100  blossoms, un- 
rivalled for  size  and  whiteness, 
must  have  been  open.  Single- 
flowered  racemes  were  the 
exception,  and  the  individual 
blooms  far  excelled  in  dimen- 
sions those  usuallj'  seen  on 
C.  eburneum.  Their  perfume  is 
delicious.  Varieties  of  C. 
eburneum  are  not  very  com- 
mon, but  one  form  attracted 
the  writer'  attention.  The 
sepals  and  petals  were  pure 
ivorj'-white,  and  the  lip  bore 
a  marginal  row  of  light  rose- 
purple  spots,  placed  at  almost 
regular  distances,  while  the 
crest  was  deep  orange-yellow. 


206 


THE    GAEDEN. 


r March   23,  1901 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 


THE    SWEET    PEA 


M 


■  ANY  3-ears'  experience  in  the  growth 
of  Sweet  Peas  convinces  me  that 
more  than  half  of  their  checks  and 
failures  in  culture  have  arisen  through 
the  mistakes  of  growers  in  treating 
or  making  the  Sweet  Peas  tender 
plants.  The  orthodox  recipe  for  this  is — sow 
the  seed  in  heat  under  glass  in  February  or 
March,  and  prick  ofl'  into  boxes  or  pots  of  threes 
or  fives.  When  fairly  up  stimulate  growth  in  a 
temperature  of  4.5°  or  more,  and  when  sufDciently 
large  and  the  weather  is  fairly  genial  plant  out. 
I  am  willing  to  confess  that  not  a  few  fine  Sweet 
Peas  have  been  grown  on  these  lines,  though 
perhaps  more  have  been  crippled  and  many  lost 
through  our  first  making  the  plants  abnormally 
tender,  then  subjecting  them  to  unnatural  treat- 
ment, and  finalh'  exposing  our  artificially  made 
tender  plants  to  the  capricious  alternations  of 
temperature  of  our  late  springs.  The  present 
system  cannot  help  making  the  seedlings  and 
young  plants   abnormally  liable   to   injury.     Sow 


Another  and  some  might  say  a  better  mode  of 
raising  and  forwarding  sweet  and  ediljle  Peas 
without  risk  of  future  injury  to  their  roots  is  the 
following  :  Cut  anj'  number  of  fibrous  turves  likely 
to  be  wanted,  2  feet  long  is  the  handiest  length, 
and  3  inches  or  4  inches  wide  and  2  inches  thick 
or  deep.  Then  with  a  sharp-pointed  triangular- 
shaped  trowel  or  strong  knife  remove  the  earth  at 
least  an  inch  deep  as  the  turves  are  laid  on  their 
green  backs  on  the  potting  shed  or  strong  board. 
Then  remove  these  readil3'  portable  pieces  or 
turves  on  trays  with  as  little  injury  as  possible  to 
the  frame,  pit,  orchard  house,  Hoor,  or  wherever 
the  Peas  are  to  be  fostered.  Pack  them  more  or 
less  close,  as  Pea  space  or  room  allows.  They 
must  not  overlap,  but  the  edges  of  the  turves  may 
press  against  each  other,  though  it  is  better  still 
when  1  inch  or  2  inches  or  even  a  turf  space  can 
be  left  between  each  two.  Anyhow,  lay  the  turves 
level  and  firm  on  their  green  backs.  If  at  all  dry 
or  poor  give  a  good  soaking  of  water,  or,  better 
still,  house  slops  or  yard  sewerage.  Sow  the 
Sweet  Peas  thinly  along  the  tiny  drills  in  the 
centre  of  the  turf,  and  cover  the  seed  with  an 
inch  or  two  of  soil,  consisting  of  the  loam 
removed. 

Sweet  Peas  under  glass   can   hardly  do   better 


PHEASANT'S-EYE    narcissus    (N.     POETICUS)    ox    THE    MOUNTAIN    SLOPES    ABOVE    MONTREUX,    GENEVA. 
( Frmn  a  photograph  kindly  sent  by  Mrs.  A'ewman,  Hashmere.) 


any  seeds  in  1"  more  heat  than  is  needful  for 
healthy  germination  and  this  must  follow.  It  is 
therefore  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  render 
plants  unnaturally  tender,  but  experience  proves 
that  it  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  problems  growers 
have  to  contend  with  to  restore  the  plants'  natural 
hardiness.  So  difficult  is  this  that  it  is  seldom 
or  never  done.  It  may  be  added  that  the  modes 
in  general  use  for  hardening  off  Sweet  Peas  and 
other  plants  before  final  planting  out  in  the  open 
air  are  often  rough  and  ready.  More  or  less 
suddenly  a  warm  coddling  regime  is  exchanged 
for  full  exposure  to  the  erratic  changes  of  our 
spring  climate  with  a  minimum  of  protection,  and 
these  seriously  check  and  cripple  growth,  as  ail 
experienced  growers  liave  found  out  to  their  cost. 
Then  as  to  the  roots  of  Sweet  Peas,  the  le.ss 
they  are  disturbed  by  potting  and  transplanting 
the  better. 

I  have  long  found  that  there  are  but  two  safe 
modes  of  protecting  top  growth  among  sweet  and 
edible  Peas  with  a  minimum  of  future  root  injury 
and  disturbance.  Sow  from  three  to  five  Sweet 
Peas  in  small  pots,  and  when  the  seedlings  are 
sufficiently  large,  plant  them  out  bodily  without 
root  division  or  disturbance,  pressing  the  fine  soil 
firmly  against  the  root  balls. 


than  with  this  pot  and  turf  nurturing.  The 
secret  of  success  consists  in  the  fact  that  from 
first  to  last  the  roots  are  hardly  disturbed,  never 
destro3'ed.  All  the  finest  roots  penetrating 
through  and  overlapping  the  turves  are  trans- 
ferred bodily  to  the  soil,  and  the  masses  are 
planted  intact  in  the  genial,  warm  soil,  with 
a  minimum  of  root  disturbance.  By  thus  planting 
the  seed-beds,  or  through  carefully  transferring 
each  strip  of  turf  full  and  overflowing  with  roots, 
we  reduce  checks  to  growth  to  a  minimum.  But 
still  the  grower  has  to  face  his  final  and  his  most 
serious  risk  of  injury  from  the  transfer  of  his 
Sweet  Peas  from  under  glass  into  the  open  air. 

The  loss  of  vigour  and  of  time,  the  checks  as 
they  are  mostly  called,  are  well  nigh  universal. 
No  doubt  more  might  often  be  done  to  prepare 
Sweet  Peas  and  other  plants  to  pass  with  greater 
safety  from  the  inside  or  under  glass  to  withstand 
the  sudden  changes  of  our  early  spring  days 
and  nights.  Is  the  grower  or  the  Sweet  Pea 
one  atom  the  richer,  the  stronger,  the  earlier, 
through  all  these  elaborate  efforts  to  convert  a 
hardy  annual  into  a  lender  one  ?  Neither  are 
benefited  one  jot.  All  the  coddling,  nine  seasons 
out  of  ten,  as  our  wayward  Mays  go,  with  the 
jaevitable  cold  wayes  of  frost  between  tlie  15th  and 


25th  or  thereabouts,  retards  rather  than  advances 
the  blooming  of  our  Sweet  Peas. 

Sow  the  Peas  in  the  open  air  in  succession  from 
October  to  .lune,  the  latter  not  seldom  adding 
Sweet  Peas  to  the  charms  of  a  green  Clirislmas, 
and  we  may  also  anticipate  the  ordinary  period  of 
blooming  by  a  month.  Without  our  nursing  it  ' 
into  tenderness  under  glass  the  Sweet  Pea  is  far  | 
hardier  than  we  can  ever  make  it  afterwards.  It 
is  eas3'  to  enervate  and  weaken  either  Sweet  Peas, 
or  other  plants,  or  ourselves,  through  excess  of 
heat  or  coddling,  and  is  alwa3's  a  dilficult.  not  seldom 
an  impossible  task  to  restore  normal  stamina  and 
natural  constitutional  vigour  and  vitalit3'  either  to 
plants  or  animals.  The  labour  and  trouble  involved 
in  our  present  methods  of  Sweet  Pea  culture  are  very 
considerable  and  the  results  often  disappointijig. 

We  may  get  rid  of  all  the  extra  work  as  well  as 
the  failures  b3'  treating  the  Sweet  Pea  as  a  liardx- 
annual,  and  sowing  the  whole  of  them  in  the  open 
air  at  the  most  convenient  seasons  in  succession 
from  October  to  .Tune.  In  m3'  anxiet3'  to  do 
justice  to  present  methods  of  raising  Sweet  Peas, 
I  find  this  article  has  grown  so  long  that  a  few- 
notes  on  the  best  modes  of  growing,  and  especially 
staking  and  training,  Sweet  Peas  had  better  be 
left  for  a  future  occasion.  I).  T.  Fish. 


NARCISSUS    POETICUS  ABOVE    MON- 
TREUX,  LAKE  OF  GENEVA. 

The  profusion  in  which  these  grow  must  be 
seen  to  be  believed,  and  when  the  sunset  light 
begins  to  tint  them,  and  the  landscape  nmnd 
shines  out  clear  and  soft,  with  the  rugged  rock 
of  the  Dent  de  .Jaman  towering  up  in  the 
background,  it  is  a  sight  that  can  never  be 
forgotten.  Here  and  there  are  chalets  for 
cattle  in  summer,  now  closed,  but  surrounded 
with  Clierry  trees  in  fitll  blossom  and  great 
clumps  of  Jlyosotis  sylvatica,  such  as  we  grow 
in  our  gardens.  Amongst  the  Narcissus  are 
Orchids  and  other  flowers,  but  there  seems 
hardly  room  for  the  grass,  and  Narcissus  was 
being  mown  all  round  the  hotel  to  feed  the 
horses.  N. 

[The  N.  poeticus  in  these  pastures  is  not 
only  abundant  but  extremely  various,  for  some 
flowers  may  be  found  as  large  and  wide 
petalled  as  the  best  forms  of  Ornatus,  while 
others  are  as  small  as  the  little  Verbanensis  of 
North  Italy,  and  many  have  two  flowers  on  one 
stem. — EDi3.] 

SOME    PRETTY    ANNUALS. 

One  of  the  oldest  of  hardy  annuals  is  the  Adonis- 
flower  or  Pheasant's  -  eye  of  catalogues,  which 
produces  its  deep  crimson,  flal-.petalled  flowers  in 
June  and  Julv'  ;  it  is  of  dwarfish  growth  and 
decidedly  attractive.  A.  autumnalis,  the  Red 
Morocco,  has  blossoms  of  an  intense  blood-red 
colour,  with  a  black  centre.  This  is  an  improved 
British  plant,  while  the  former  is  an  exotic.  The 
annual  varieties  of  this  genus  are  more  show3'  than 
the  perennial  species. 

We  use  the  Ageratums  much  more  as  annuals 
than  as  perennials,  for  the  seeds  can  be  sown  in 
spring,  the  plants  put  out  for  the  summer,  and 
then  generally  thrown  awa3'  when  their  period  of 
floral  service  is  over.  A.  conspicuum,  a  white- 
flowered  form,  finds  a  place  in  some  catalogues, 
as  also  A.  Lasseauxi,  rose-coloured  ;  but  the  dwarf 
varieties  of  A.  mexicum  are  decidedl3'  the  most 
popular.  There  are  several  of  varying  blue  shades, 
such  as  Ada  Bowman,  Blue  Perfection,  one  of  the 
newest,  and  said  to  be  a  great  improvement  upon 
all  others  ;  Imperial  Dwarf,  Little  Dorrit  and  its 
white  counterpai't  ;  luteum,  pale  3eUow  ;  and 
Swanle3'  Bllie.  Seeds  sown  in  warmtli  in  spring 
soon  produce  plants  which  simply  need  to  be 
grown  on  and  planted  in  the  open  after  being 
liardened  oil. 

The  annual  forms  of  Agrostemma  (Rose  of 
Heaven)  are  slender  types,  and  not  much  grown 
now.  A.  Coeli-rosa  is  rose-coloured.  There  is  an 
almost  white  variet3'  and  one  named  fimbriata  or 


Makch  23,   1901. J 


THE;,,  GARDEN. 


207 


nana,  in  which  case  the  corollas  have  fringed  edges. 
The  seeds  can  be  sown  in  the  open  ground  in 
patches  in  April. 

The  Alonsoas  are  not  nearly  so  much  grown  as 
formerlj',  but  thej'  deserve  more  attention  tlian 
they  receive.  They  can  be  occasionally  met  with 
at  the  Birmingham  Botanical  Gardens,  for  instance, 
cultivated  in  pots  for  greenhouse  decoration,  and 
there  they  are  very  eft'ective.  •  A.  albiflora,  white, 
should  be  grown  tor  house  decoration,  as  it  supplies 
bloom  through  the  autumn  and  winter.  A.  lini- 
folia  is  also  known  as  Roezli  ;  it  produces  very 
showy  scarlet  blossoms.  So  does  one  known  as 
grandiflora,  a  probable  seminal  variety.  One  of 
the  most  popular  is  A.  Warscewiezi,  which  has 
the  most  brilliant  scarlet  blossoms,  and  there  is  a 
bush}'  variety  of  it  known  as  compacta.  It  is  the 
general  practice  to  treat  the  plants 
as  biennials  and  increase  the  stock 
by  means  of  cuttings  taken  in  early 
spring  and  rooted  in  heat,  or  seed- 
lings can  be  raised  from  seeds  sown 
in  March. 

The  Sweet  Alyssum  (A.  mari- 
tin.um),  of  a  vevy  dwarf  and  com- 
pact free  blooming  character,  is 
much  more  useful  than  showy, 
growing  rapidly,  and  coming  into 
bloom  verj'  quickly  ;  in  fact,  it  has 
been  known  to  shed  its  seeds  and 
reproduce  itself  twice  in  a  season, 
thus  actually  yielding  three  crops 
of  bloom  frorh  an  original  sowing  : 
compactum  Little  Gem  and  White 
Carpet  are  also  varieties  of  almost 
prostrate  growth.  Amaranthus  is 
a  somewhat  large  group  of  annuals, 
and  comprises  :  Caudatus  (Love- 
lies-bleeding), cruentus  (Prince's 
Feather)  ;  bicolor  and  its  varie- 
gated varieties;  melancholieus 
ruber,  the  well  known  copper- 
coloured  leaved  bedding  plants ; 
salicifolius,  one  of  the  liandsomest, 
and  tricolor  with  its  numerous 
varieties.  All  the  foregoing  can 
be  raised  from  seeds  sown  in 
warmth  in  early  spring,  the  plants 
grown  on  and  prepared  for  plant- 
ing out  at  the  end  of  May  or  early 
in  June.  They  are  fine  weather 
plants,  and  should  be  planted  in 
fairly  light  rich  soil  in  an  open 
sunny  position,  where  they  can  be 
seen  to  the  best  advantage.  Some 
of  the  best,  such  as  salicifolius  and 
the  fine  varieties  of  tricolor,  make 
excellent  subjects  for  pot  culture. 

Ammobium  alatum,  a  New  Hol- 
land Everlasting,  has  produced  a 
lai'ge  -  flowered  form  known  as 
grandiiJorum,  and  they  are  seen  to 
the  best  advantage  when  treated  as 
biennials,  the  seeds  sown  in  Sep- 
tember, and  the  plants  wintered  in 
a  cool  greenhouse.  Both  are  white 
flowered,  and  they  are  easy  of 
culture. 

The   genus  Anagallis  supplies   a 
few  very  pretty  annuals,  the  large- 
flowered      grandiflora       supplying 
most  of  them,  such  as  coccinea,   scarlet  :  ccerulea, 
blue  ;    Eugenie,  light  blue  and  white  ;    Napoleon 
III. , blue;  lilacina, lilac;  andcarnea,  flesh-coloured. 
The  seeds  of  these  can  be  sown  in  a  sunny  spot  in 
spring  where  they  are  to  bloom,  and  if  the  soil  be 
good  these  gaudy  Pimpernels  will  be  found  quite 
attractive  ;  the  showiest  are  the  blue  and  scarlet 
varieties. 

Anchusa  affinis  and  A.  capensis  are  the  only  two 
annual  forms  generally  grown  ;  they  are  both  blue- 
flowered,  quite  dwarf  in  growth,  free  and  pretty. 
The  seeds  should  be  sown  in  sandy  soil  in  spring, 
and  raised  in  warmth.  '  R.  Dean. 

[As  this  is  the  time  for  sowing  annuals  out  of 
doors  these  notes  are  opportune.  There  is  a  rich 
storehouse  of  good  things  in  this  race,  and  it  is  sur- 
prising that  the  finest  kinds  are  not  more  grown,  as 
they  are  easilj'  raised  and  are  very  effective. — Eds.] 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 

CYCLAMEN    LIBANOTICUM. 

HARDY  (,'yclaniens  are  deservedly  a 
liopular  class  of  plants,  coming 
into  flower  at  a  time  when  few 
other  thing.s  are  in  bloom.  There- 
fore an  addition  to  the  spring 
flowering  section,  in  the  above 
plant,  will  be  warmly  welcomed,  e.specially  a.s 
it  is  .so  distinct  and  good. 

C.  libanoticum  was  introduced  into  this 
country  in  the  year  1899,  having  been  found 
with  C.  ibericum  and  C.  persicum  in  the  valleys 
of    the    Lebanon,  at    an    elevation    of    from 


Messrs.  .Jackman  and  Son,  at  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society's  meeting  in  the  second  week 
in  Febi'uary.  There  is  no  doubt  as  to  its 
hardine.ss,  but  it  should  always  be  planted 
where  it  will  receive  a  certain  amount  of 
.shade.  W.  Trvinc. 

T/ic  Roi/iiJ  (Tii)-flenf!,  A'etv. 


CYCLAMEX   LIBAKOTICUM. 
(From  a  draiving  by  H.  G.  Moon.) 

■2,600  feet  to  4,500  feet.  The  rocky  ground  is 
of  a  chalky  nature,  and  the  pla.nts  are  always 
found  in  shade,  amongst  tlje  roots  of  shrubs 
and  trees.  The  corms  are  large  and  scaly,  and 
the  large-shaped  leaves,  which  have  entire 
margins,  are  marked  with  a  silver  zone  on  the 
up])er  surface,  the  under  surface  being  dark 
violet.  The  flowers  are  large  for  a  hardy 
Cyclamen,  having  refiexed  segments  nearly  an 
inch  in  length,  and  about  one-third  of  an  inch 
in  width.  They  are  sweetly  scented,  bright  pale 
rose  in  colour,  with  a  carmine  blotch  at  the 
base.  Judging  from  its  behaviour  so  far,  it 
appears  to  be  very  free  in  habit,  producing  ati 
abundance  of  bloom  in  February  and  ilarch. 
The  specimen  here  illustrated  was  shown  by 


FOREIGN    NOTES. 

Gardens,  Fields,  and  Wii.ds  or  the  Hawaiian 

Islands. 
The  tran.s-Pacific  tourist  who  spends  only  a  few 
hours  at  Honolulu,  while  a  steamer  is  discharging 
and  receiving  passengers  and  cargo,  can  get  little 
idea  of  the  fertility  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 
Approaching  Honolulu  one  sees  the  blue  outlines 
of  extinct  volcanoes,  and,  drawing  nearer,  the  sun 
reveals  barren  mountains  of  crumbling  lava,  with 
occasional  patches  or  fissures  of  vegetation.  It  is 
not  until  one  actually  travels  among  these  volcanic 
masses  that  any  conception  of  the  marvellous 
fertility  of  the  valleys  which  intersect  them  is  had. 
Formerl}',  many  of  these  mountains  were  covered 
with  timber,  chiefly  Sandalwood,  the  sale  of  which 
formed  a  source  of  revenue  to  the  kings  of  the 
islands  until  it  became  exhausted.  The  Bureau  of 
Agriculture  is  now  making  efforts  to  replant  them. 
Certain  varieties  of 
Eucalyptus  and  Acacia 
have  been  found  most 
successful.  The  Alga- 
roba,  which  was  in- 
troduced about  thirt}' 
years  ago,  is  of  great 
value  for  planting  on 
arid  lands,  and  on  Oahu 
we  find  more  of  this 
tree  than  of  all  others 
combined.  Its  delicate 
pinnate  foliage  is 
always  green,  and  in 
periods  of  extreme 
drought  furnishes 
excellent  fodder  for 
cattle  and  horses,  while 
its  sweet  seed  -  pods, 
which  resemble  wax- 
podded  string  Beans, 
and  have  the  flavour 
of  St.  John's  Bread, 
maj'  be  ground,  and 
the  Flour  made  into 
wholesome  Bread  for 
man. 

The  best  shade  tree 
in  the  vicinitj'  of 
Honolulu  is  the 
monkey  pod,  Albizzia  bicolor,  a  tree  of  very 
dense  and  spreading  habit  and  bearing  beautiful 
purplish  lilac  flowers,  which  remind  one  of  giant 
Sweet  Sultans.  The  Tamarind  thrives  here,  attain- 
ing a  greater  height  than  the  monkey  pod,  and 
although  the  foliage  is  much  finer,  it  is  dense  and 
gives  ample  shade.  Splendid  specimens  of  Banj'an 
are  also  met  with,  one  of  the  best  being  in  the 
grounds  of  the  late  Princess  Kaiulani,  and  nearlj' 
overgrowing  her  beautiful  residence. 

There  are  several  trees  bearing  remarkabU' 
showy  flowers  ;  among  them  C:esalpinia  regia 
becomes  when  in  bloom  a  mass  of  flaming  scarlet ; 
Ca>salpinia  sepiaria  bears  large  deep  ^-ellow 
blossoms,  and  Cassia  fistula,  commonly  called 
Golden  Shower,  bears  enormous  golden  yellow 
flower  clusters.  The  seed  pods  of  these  trees  are 
usually  from  15  inches  to  18  inches  in  length. 

The  Roj'al  Palm,  Oreodoxa  regia,  is  emploj-ed  to 
line  avenues.  It  grows  about  two-thirds  as  high 
as  the  Cocoa-nut,  the  trunk  being  perfectly  per- 
pendicular, while  that  of  the  Cocoa-nut  is  alwa3-s 
bent.  The  Date  Palm  is  similarlj'  used,  and  affords 
more  shade  ;  an  objection  to  it  is  the  fact  that  the 
fruit  when  ripe  drops  freely  and  litters  the  road- 
ways. A  tree  photographed  near  Honolulu  had 
eight  clusters  of  fruit,  each  of  which  would  have 
filled  a  half  bushel  measure  or  more.  The  Dates 
are  of  fair  quality,  but  as  the  climate  suits  them, 
the  finest  sorts  should  be  introduced. 


208 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March   2?),   1901. 


Caryota  urens,  known  as  the  Wine  or  Fish-tail 
Palm,  i3  extensively  emploj'eJ  for  landscape  decora- 
tion. The  specimens  seen  are  usuallj' about  30  feet 
in  height,  generally  bearing  two  or  more  bunches 
of  fruit.  The  erect,  bipinnate  leaves  of  this  Palm 
are  of  light  and  graceful  appearance,  and  form  a 
pleasing  contrast  with  the  heavier  foliage  of  other 
tall  sorts.  More  than  1.50  varieties  of  Palms  are 
now  grown  on  the  islands. 

The  little  Otaheite  Orange,  which  is  now  seen 
here  in  pots  in  florists'  windows,  attains  in  Oahu  a 
height  of  40  feet,  and  bears  abundantly.  Notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  citrous  fruits  luxuriate  on  the 
islands,  more  than  5,000  dollars'  worth  of  Lemons 
and  Oranges  areannually  imported  from  California. 
Delicious  Figs,  much  superior  to  those  sold  in 
California,  are  sold  by  native  children  on  the  road- 
sides at  5  cents  a  dozen.  Bananas  may  be  grown 
on  all  the  islands.  In  the  vicinity  of  Hilo  they  do 
particularly  well,  and  there  irrigation  is  unneces- 
sary. Unfortunately,  the  varieties  grown  are  not 
the  best  for  market  or  export.  The  magnificent 
yellow  Bananas  which  are  brought  to  Boston  from 
(iolden  Vale  and  other  plantations  in  .Jamaica  are 
much  superior.  The  best  .Jamaica  variety  of  Musa 
sapientum  should  replace  the  small  il.  Cavendishi 
now  grown.  The  islands  would  then  be  able  to 
supply  cities  west  of  Chicago  with  such  fruit  as  is 
received  on  the  east  coast  from  the  West  Indies, 
the  distance  by  sea  being  about  the  same. 

Cocoa-nuts  may  be  grown  on  any  of  the  islands 
near  the  coast.  They  receive  little  attention, 
however.  The  only  extensive  grove  seen  was  near 
Waikiki  in  Oahu. 

Guavas  grow  wild  in  all  the  islands,  from  the 
sea  level  to  an  altitude  of  about  3,000  feet.  They 
are  chiefly  useful  for  preserves.  The  ground  Cherry 
is  found  in  abundance  within  the  same  limits,  and 
at  about  2,000  feet  a  red  Raspberry  (Rubus 
Hawaiiensis),  of  rather  insipid  flavour,  bears  pro- 
fusely. Strawberries  and  Raspberries  have  been 
introduced,  and  yield  fruit  the  year  round  at 
from  -2,000  feet  to  3,000  feet  elevation. 

The  Papaw  (Carica  Papaya)  is  a  very  singular 
fruit,  borne  on  a  tree  somewhat  resembling  the 
Castor-oil  Plant.  The  fruit  is  very  rich  in  Sugar, 
and  is  used  to  feed  chickens  and  pigs.  It  contains 
a  milky  juice,  which  has  the  property  of  rendering 
tough  meat  or  fish  quite  tender.  Sometimes  a 
piece  of  the  fruit  is  boiled  with  tough  chickens, 
making  them  tender  and  easily  digested.  Fresh 
meats  and  fish  are  similarly  improved  by  being 
wrapped  in  the  leaves  of  the  Papaw  for  a  few 
hours,  and  the  natives  make  this  a  practice.  The 
leaves  of  Drac;tna  lutea,  which  is  indigenous,  take 
the  place  of  wrapping-paper  in  the  markets.  In 
broiling  fish  the  natives  invariably  place  it  between 
two  of  these  leaves  for  the  pleasant  flavour  which 
they  impart.  Formerly  the  natives  made  a  distilled 
liquor  from  the  roots  of  this  l)raca;na  ;  of  recent 
years  its  manufacture  has  been  prohibited  by  law, 
and  the  natives  who  were  addicted  to  its  use  now 
take  gin  instead,  with  which  it  was  almost  identical 
in  flavour  and  appearance. 

The  success  of  the  Sugar  planter  has  been 
detrimental  to  the  development  of  other  lines  of 
agricultural  industry.  One  finds  on  the  islands 
Century  Plants  with  leaves  from  8  feet  to  10  feet 
in  height,  yei  the  Sisal  Plant,  which  is  a  variety  of 
the  Century  Plant,  is  not  grown.  Cocoa,  Olives, 
Mangos,  Limes,  Lemons,  Oranges,  Figs,  and  finer 
Grapes  should  become  profitable  crops  for  mountain 
slopes  and  other  lands  not  adapted  to  Sugar  culti- 
vation. Progress  in  this  direction  can  hardly  be 
made,  however,  until  better  varieties  of  these  fruits 
shall  have  been  introduced.  Most  of  the  improved 
sorts  needed  could  be  obtained  in  Jamaica.  When 
it  is  learned,  however,  that  the  Sugar  plantations 
have  yielded  as  high  as  60  tons  of  cane  per  acre, 
giving  when  crushed  12  tons  of  Sugar,  or  more  than 
double  the  average  crop  on  the  West  Indies,  and 
making  possible  annual  dividends  of  from  .50  to  75 
percent.,  it  is  not  surprising  that  other  branches 
of  agriculture  have  been  overlooked. 

The  most  productive  Sugar  plantations  of  Oahu 
are  reclaimed  arid  lands  composed  chiefly  of 
pulverised  lava,  which  were  more  or  less  occupied 
with  Opuntia  truncata.  Dense  masses  of  this 
Cactus  are  to  be  met  with,  each  mass  extending 


over  several  acres  and  attaining  a  height  of  from 
12  feet  to  IS  feet.  The  Opunlias  on  the  dry  lands 
and  the  Tree  Ferns  in  the  moist  regions  have  been 
valuable  agents  in  the  formation  of  loam  deposits. 

On  the  beaches  of  Oahu  the  loose  sands  are 
frequently  covered  with  the  Ivy-like  foliage  and 
brilliant  rosy  red  blossoms  of  Ipomtca  Turpethum  ; 
a  little  farther  back  may  be  seen  Argemone  grandi- 
flora,  Ipomo'a  Batatas,  and  I.  insularis,  the  last 
having  beautiful  light  blue  flowers  of  large  size. 

Lantana  hybrida  and  Acacia  arabica  have  become 
troublesome,  weedy  shrubs.  Hundreds  of  acres  are 
invested  with  these  pests  ;  the  vast  crater  of  the 
extinct  volcano.  Punch  Bowl,  overlooking  Honolulu, 
is  completely'  overrun  by  them. 

Many  beautiful  wild  shrubs  are  to  be  seen  on 
the  mountain  slopes  or  in  protected  valleys,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  Sesbania  tomentosa, 
Gossypium  tomentosum,  Hisbiscus  arnottianus, 
H.  tiliaceus,  and  H.  youngianus. 

An  enterprising  Greek  fruit  dealer,  named 
Camarinus,  introduced  the  Smooth  Cayenne 
Pineapple,  intending  to  grow  it  for  export.  He 
sold  his  first  crop  in  Honolulu  for  75  cents  each. 
He  enlarged  his  plantation,  and  in  addition  to 
supplying  the  home  market  now  does  a  profitable 
export  business. 

The  food  of  the  natives  from  their  earliest  history 
has  consisted  chiefly  of  fish  and  poi.  Pol  is  made 
from  the  root  and  lower  part  of  the  stem  of  the 
Caladium  esculentum,  or  Taro,  which  is  boiled  for 
half  an  hour,  then  placed  in  a  wooden  trough,  and 
pounded  to  a  fine  paste  with  a  stone  pestle.  It  is 
interesting  to  watch  the  operation  of  poi-pounding. 
The  operator  holds  the  pestle  in  one  hand,  while 
the  other  is  immersed  in  a  pail  of  water  at  his  side. 
After  each  stroke  the  base  of  the  pestle  is  slapped 
with  the  wet  hand,  the  moisture  thus  applied 
preventing  the  poi  from  sticking  to  it.  'Poi  is  of 
bluish  appearance,  and  tastes  somewhat  like  Apple 
sauce,  although  devoid  of  sweetness.  The  natives 
prefer  it  when  somewhat  fermented.  Taro  is  a 
profitable  crop,  yielding  usually  about  300  dollars 
an  acre.     It  reijuires  partially  submerged  land. 

Large  tracts  of  swamp  land  to  the  south  of 
Honolulu  have  been  improved  by  the  Chinese,  and 
are  now  flourishing  Rice  fields  ;  while  the  deeper 
mud  holes  have  been  planted  with  the  pink  Lotus, 
Nelumbium  speciosum,  the  thick  starchy  roots  of 
which  they  eat. 

The  vegetables  found  in  the  markets  are  mostly 
grown  by  the  Chinese,  and  there  are  ofl'ered  Soja 
Beans,  Chinese  Cabbages  (which,  by  the  way,  is  a 
vegetable  that  should  be  grown  in  the  States),  and 
oriental  Cucumbers  and  Gourds,  side  by  side  with 
almost  all  the  vegetables  found  in  markets  here, 
for  even  Potatoes  and  Corn  may  be  grown  at  from 
2,000  feet  to  3,000  feet  above  the  sea.  Four-Kfths 
of  the  arable  land  of  the  islands  is  situated  on 
Hawaii,  and  this  island,  when  encircled  by  the 
railway  now  in  progress  of  building,  and  its  harbour 
at  Hilo  improved,  cannot  fail  to  become  of  great 
importance. 

Its  lofty  volcanoes  pierce  the  clouds,  causing 
ample  rainfall,  and  producing  the  most  luxuriant 
vegetation.  In  the  Olaa  district,  famous  for  its 
fine  Coffee,  are  found  Tree  Ferns  from  30  feet  to 
40  feet  in  height,  with  fronds  15  feet  in  length, 
and  5  feet  broad.  In  fact,  the  Tree  Ferns  have 
made  the  Coffee  land,  which  is  rich  Fern  peat ;  the 
planter  in  clearing  it  usually  saves  their  trunks  to 
form  sidewalks  and  paths.  The  roadsides  of  the 
Olaa  district  are  often  lined  with  beautiful  varieties 
of  Coleus  and  Brugmansia,  which  have  become 
wild. 

Nephrolepis  exaltata  and  several  varieties  of 
Davallia  and  (ileichenia  form  most  of  the  under- 
growth in  the  district  between  Hilo  and  Kilauea, 
while  the  forest  comprises  Pandanus  utilis,  varie- 
ties of  Alsophila,  Cibotium,  and  Dicksouia.  Where 
trees  occur  they  are  usuallj' invested  with  Asplenium 
nitidum,  Smilax  Sandwicensis  or  Freycinetia 
arborea,  the  last  quickly  choking  them  and  causing 
their  decay.  A  tree  covered  with  Freycinetia  is, 
however,  a  most  beautiful  object,  the  green  foliage 
and  crimson  bracts  being  very  striking  in  appear- 
ance. 

Higher  up  there  are  vast  forests  of  tlie  beautiful 
crimson-flowered   Lehua   trees  (Metrosideros  poly- 


morpha).  Olaa  should  become  a  centre  for  the 
raising  of  Easter  Lily  bulbs.  The  even  climate, 
with  its  copious  rainfall  and  a  soil  composed  of 
Fern  peat  overlying  porous  lava,  and  affording  the 
most  ample  natural  drainage,  gives  most  favourable 
conditions  for  their  growth.  Then  as  the  seasons 
are  practically  obliterated  here,  the  cultivator  may 
plant   and  arrange  for  a  crop  of  mature  bulbs  in  ( 

any  month  of  the 'year  he  may  desire.  There 
would  not  be  as  much  danger  of  bliglit  here  as  in 
Bernuida.  A  trial  lot  has  already  been  planted, 
and  most  encouraging  reports  of  their  success  have 
been  received. 

As  already  stated,  many  handsome  varieties  of 
Hibiscus  are  indigenous  to  the  islands,  and  among 
the  most  beautiful  features  of  Honolulu  are  its 
magnificent  hedges  of  Hibiscus  Rosa  sinensis. 
Another  beautiful  hedge  plant  is  the  Phyllanthus 
tricolor.  Imagine  one  of  the  beautiful  privet 
hedges  in  Newport  suddenly  changed  to  a  rosy 
lilac  colour,  and  some  idea  of  the  beauty  of  a 
Phyllanthus  hedge  may  be  had. 

A  very  effective  lawn  bush  is  the  so-called  yellow 
Oleander  (Thevetia  nereifolia),  with  clear  yellow 
trumpet-shaped  flowers.  The  pink  Oleander  here 
attains  a  height  of  30  feet,  and  produces  flowers  as 
large  as  hybrid  Roses. 

Flowers  are  seldom  made  into  bouquets,  as  in 
the  States  ;  the  natives  string  them  in  wreaths  or 
leis,  which  are  worn  around  the  hat,  over  the 
shoulders,  or  about  the  waist.  Carnations,  3'ellow 
ginger,  Plumeria  bicolor,  the  scarlet  seeds  of  the 
Screw  Pine,  and  the  crimson  Lehua  blossoms  are 
thus  employed.  Among  the  natives  a  beautiful 
custom  exists  which  it  is  hoped  will  not  soon  die 
out.  When  a  person  is  about  to  make  a  journey, 
friends  bring  and  present  each  two  leis,  both  of 
which  are  accepted  and  worn  until  the  train  or 
boat  starts,  when  one  is  returned  with  the  last 
"aloha"  (farewell)  to  the  giver,  and  the  other 
retained,  thus  providing  a  souvenir  for  each. — 
John  K.  M.  L.  Farquihr,  in  "Transactions  of 
the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society."' 


Spring-flowering    Shrubs. 

(Continued  from  jM'je  166.) 
Shrubs  ik  Flower  i.nt  May. 

IF  in  April  we  liad  a  wealth  of  variet}',  in  May 
it  is  almost  bewildering,  and  it  is  difficult 
to  make  a  selection.  During  the  first  few 
days  we  have  the  early  flowers  of  the 
Double  Wild  Cherry  or  Gean  (Prunus 
Avium),  and  this  is  one  of  the  glories  of 
the  Cambridge  Botanic  Gardens.  Nothing,  indeed, 
could  surpass  its  profusion  of  beautifully  double 
pure  white  flowers.  All  our  rosaceous  fruit  trees 
are  beautiful,  and  there  is  nothing  more  charming 
perhaps  than  the  blossom  of  an  Apple  tree.  I 
have  just  now  in  mind  a  tree  of  natural  growth 
the  lower  branches  of  which  bend  low  and  make  a 
delightful  harmony  of  colour  with  the  red  and 
pink  of  the  flowers  and  the  screen  of  the  long  grass. 
The  double  and  single  Hawthorns  have  already 
been  alluded  to,  but  to  realise  their  beauty  they 
must  be  seen.  Among  the  species,  Cratiegus 
glandulosa,  C.  Crus-galli,  the  Cockspur  Thorn,  C. 
Azarolus,  the  Italian  Medlar,  and  C.  tanacetifolia 
may  be  mentioned,  though  none  equal  the  Haw- 
tliorn  of  Britain  in  its  numerous  varieties.  C. 
tanacetifolia  is  a  very  distinct  tree  with  white 
flowers  and  large  yellow  fruit.  Early  in  May  we 
have  the  white  Rosa  sericea,  interesting  for  its 
four-pelalled  flowers.  On  a  wall  Ceanothus 
veitchianus  is  interesting  and  pretty,  with  nume- 
rous dense  clusters  of  bright  blue  flowers.  Xantho- 
ceras  sorbifolia,  with  nearly  white  flowers,  blooms 
freely  on  a  wall,  but  apart  from  its  pretty  foliage 
it  is,  I  think,  much  over-rated.  This  cainiot  be 
said  of  the  Syringas,  greatly  valued  as  they  are. 
The  finest  of  all  are  no  doubt  the  single  and  iloiible 
varieties  of  the  conunon  S.  vulgaris,  which  have 
been  raised  by  M.  Lemoine,  who,  indeed,  has  done 
much  to  provide  our  shrubberies  with  improved 
forms,  in  this  and  other  genera.  All  the  first-class 
nurser\'mcn  grow  a  gootl  selection,  anil  some — like 
Mr.  Jannock,  of  Dersingham — make  a  speciality  of 


March   23;  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


209 


PYRUS   SPECTABILIS    AS    A    LAWN    TREE. 


the  best  kinds  for  forcing  and  retarding.  A  ver}' 
fine  kind  I  have  is  C.  chinensis,  a  h3'brid  between 
S.  vulgaris  and  S.  persica.  It  forms  a  round  shrub 
of  denser  habit  than  S.  vulgaris,  but  much  stiifer 
and  better  shaped  than  S.  persica.  One  of  the 
most  distinct  is  the  Himalayan  S.  Emodi,  but  it 
is,  perhaps,  not  suffieientlj' fine,  compared  with  the 
varieties  of  S.  vulgaris,  for  general  culture.  The 
Laburnum  comes  with  the  Lilacs,  and  there  is, 
perhaps,  nothing  of  the  same  colour  to  equal  the 
masses  of  golden  flowers.  One  of  the  most  inte- 
resting of  the  ornamental  shrubs  is  the  graft 
hybrid  between  the  Laburnum  and  Cytisus  pur- 
pureus,  known  as  Cytisus  Adami.  It  bears  three 
kinds  of  flowers,  which  represent  Laburnum, 
Cytisus  purpureus,  and  the  hybrid  between  them. 
This  is  an  extraordinary  kind,  and  its  origin  has 
been  proved  by  Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons  in 
conjunction  with  the  late  Mr.  Romanes,  so  well 
known  in  seientifie  circles.  The  Horse  Chestnut 
is  familiar  to  all  Londoners  through  the  long 
avenues  of  it  at  Hampton  Court,  and  either  in  its 
single  or  double  varieties  it  is  one  of  the  most  mag- 
nificeut  of  trees.  Pavia  macrostachya,  however, 
is  a  very  fine  shrub,  stoloniferous  in  habit,  and 
bearing  long  spikes  of  white  flowers.  Pavia  flava 
and  P.  rubra,  with  flowers  of  colour  indicated  by 
the  name,  are  of  much  value  as  small  trees  in  the 
garden. 

Coming  to  Deutzia  and  Philadelphus,  we  are 
reminded  again  of  the  great  work  done  for  shrubs 
by  Lemoine,  who  has  raised  hybrids  which  surpass 
the  parents.  All  of  them  are  comparatively  recent. 
Deutzia  gracilis  and  D.  scabra  and  D.  scabra  fl.-pl. 
are  small  shrubs  not  to  be  neglected.     The  genus 

Philadelphus  is  out  of  our  season  except  for  the 
old  Mock  Orange  P.  coronaria,  which,  though  a  fine 
shrub,  is  not  one  of  the  best.  In  earlj'  Jlay  Prunus 
sinensis  fl.-pl.,  already  mentioned   as  on  a  wall,  is 


exceedingly  beautiful  in 
the  open.  In  direct  con- 
trast to  any  of  the  fore- 
going is  Asimina  triloba, 
the  North  American 
Papaw,  which  has 
sombre  flowers  of  brown 
colour.  The  tree  at 
Cambridge  no  doubt  is 
the  finest  of  its  kind  in 
the  country.  Also  a  very 
fine  tree,  finer  than  any 
other  I  can  hear  of,  is 
Cercis  Siliquastrum,  the 
Judas  tree.  It  is  very 
effective,  with  multi- 
tudes of  rosy  flowers, 
produced  on  wood  of 
almost  all  ages.  Not 
far  from  this  grows  Mes- 
pilus  iSmithi,  a  small 
tree  with  beautiful 
green  leaves,  upon  whicli 
apparentlj'  are  dotted  a 
great  number  of  large 
white  flowers.  Cytisus 
andreanus  is  one  of  the 
most  popular  of  com- 
parative!}' recent  intro- 
ductions. It  is  a  rich 
maroon  -  coloured  form 
of  the  common  Broom, 
found  in  Normandy  a 
few'  years  ago.  C3'tisus 
precox,  an  indispen- 
sable ally  of  the  last, 
with  innumerable 
flowers  of  pale  yellow, 
borne  on  gracefully 
slender  twigs,  is  a 
hybrid  between  C.  pur- 
gans and  C.  albus.  I  do 
not  find  the  origin  of 
this  plant  on  record, 
but  I  have  heard  that  it 
originated  with 
Wheeler,  of  Warmin- 
ster, whose  nursery,  of 
a  past  da}',  must  have 
been  exceedingly  rich 
ood  plants  that  have  been 


from    the  number  of 
grown  there. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  month  Rubus  nutkanus, 
well  represented  in  The  C4akden  of  January  26,  is 
in  beauty.  Spirtea  van  houtteana,  also  white,  is 
one  of  the  best  of  its  genus  and  valuable  for 
forcing.  Solanum  crispiim  is  the  interesting  old 
Potato  tree,  more  familiar  in  Devon  and  Cornwall 
than  elsewhere,  and  here  requiring  a  wall.  Of  the 
Jasminums,  .1.  fruticans  is  one  of  the  good  kinds, 
valuable  in  the  south  of  Europe,  where  it  is  native, 
for  its  flowers,  which  yield  perfume.  Coronilla 
Emerus,  brought  from  near  Interlaken,  proves 
very  useful  as  a  flowering  shrub  by  a  stream 
below  trees. 

June  is  the  month  of  Roses,  and  they  can 
scarcely  be  referred  to  ;  but  the  single  Rosa 
polyantha  has  been  specially  handsome  in  its  great 
arching  wreaths  of  flowers,  and  so  fine  a  subject  as 
Rosa  rugosa  must  be  mentioned  as  flowering  in 
May.  Those  who  have  visited  Wisley  Wood,  the 
charming  garden  belonging  to  Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson, 
may  remember  what  fine  hedges  it  makes. 

One  of  the  best  of  the  Spiraeas  is  S.  prunifolia 
fl.-pl.,  long  a  favourite  in  gardens,  but  of  which  no 
one  appears  to  have  seen  the  single  kind.  Visitors 
to  China  and  Japan  might  do  well  to  enquire  for  it. 

Two  of  the  native  Honeysuckles  (Lonicera  Capri- 
folium  and  L.  Xylosteum)  come  into  flower  this 
month,  and  the  former  is  a  good  garden  plant, 
allied  to  the  common  Woodbine.  Beautiful  rela- 
tions are  the  Cliinese  and  Japanese  species  of  Dier- 
villa,  a  genus  better  known  as  Weigela.  D.  rosea 
is  a  good  shrub  from  China,  and  D.  grandiflora,  a 
native  of  .Japan,  in  several  varieties,  from  white  to 
red,  is  one  of  the  best  shrubs  in  any  garden. 
Viburnum  plicatum  is  a  handsome  Guelder  Rose. 
The  common  Guelder  Rose  (Viburnum  Opulus)  is 
also  good,  and  on  the  whole  unsurpassed.     In  the 


Fens,  where  the  fertile  form  is  native,  quantities 
of  scarlet  fruit  are  produced.  V.  ox3'coccus,  I 
notice,  is  referred  to  this  species,  but  in  the  Cam- 
bridge Botanic  Gardens  it  is  a  larger  plant,  with 
the  fruit  yellow  on  the  shady  side.  Buddleia 
globosa  is  a  fine  shrub,  with  golden  flower-head.s. 
It  is,  unfortunately,  rather  tender,  but  against  a 
shed  wheie  it  can  be  protected  it  is  almost  as  good 
as  in  Devon  or  Cornwall.  In  that  part  of  the 
country  Fabiana  imbricata,  a  solanaceous  plant, 
with  white  Heath-like  flowers,  is  very  gracefuland 
pretty.  In  Camliridge  it  is  a  success  against 
a  wall,  and  is  killed  only  at  long  intervals. 
Hydrangea  hortensis  is  very  fine  in  mild  parts  of 
the  country,  but  is  hardly  suitable  for  cold  dis- 
tricts. Wistaria  chinensis  is,  perhaps,  the  last  of 
great  beauty  that  can  be  mentioned,  and  it  is 
almost  too  well  known  to  need  description. 

Pyrua  spectabilis  now  illustrated  was  referred  to 
in  my  last  notes. 

In  conclusion,  it  should  be  mentioned  that  most 
of  the  foregoing  have  been  alluded  to  once  onlj', 
according  to  the  earliest  time  of  coming  into 
flower,  and  many,  of  course,  last  in  bloom  until 
some  considerable  time  after.  In  most  cases  the 
year  1896  has  been  taken  as  a  guide. 

R.  Irwin  Lyn'ch. 

Botanic  Garden':,  Camhrii/ye. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Tuberous  Begonias. 

F^  EW  bedding  plants  are  brighter  or  more 
effective  than  tuberous  Begonias,  and 
4  they  are  especially  valuable  in  a  wet 
3'ear,  when  Geraniums  become  much 
washed,  as  rain  only  seems  to  intensify 
their  colours  and  add  to  their  flori- 
ferousness.  For  bedding  purposes  I  consider  it  a 
mistake  to  select  flowers  of  very  high  quality. 
The  more  necessary  points  are  brightness  of 
colour,  an  erect  habit,  and  flower  stems  long 
enough  to  come  well  above  the  leaves.  The 
selection  of  plants  of  this  type  takes  time,  but 
should  be  persisted  in  until  sufficient  stock  is 
acquired.  Now  and  then  one  finds  a  Begonia 
tuber  that  appears  to  divide  itself  naturall}'  into 
small  off'sets,  and  when  this  habit  is  combined  with 
other  good  qualities  there  is  little  trouble  in 
keeping  up  a  stock.  Some  j'ears  ago  I  selected  a 
plant  of  this  type,  and  in  a  few  years'  time  had 
several  thousands  of  it,  and  while  I  held  the 
stock  it  never  showed  signs  of  deterioration,  as 
many  tuberous  Begonias  will  do.  The  present  is  a 
good  time  to  start  the  tubers.  If  increase  of  stock 
is  necessary  it  will  be  found  that  many  tubers  may 
be  divided.  After  division  the  cut  surfaces  should 
be  dressed  with  lime  or  charcoal  and  put  on  one 
side  to  dry  for  a  day.  For  planting  out  I  prefer 
to  start  and  grow  the  tubers  in  boxes,  as  they  then 
seem  to  grow  better  when  moved  to  the  beds  than 
they  do  when  turned  out  of  pots.  An  inch  or  so 
of  Mushroom  bed  manure  on  the  bottom  of  the 
boxes  encourages  root  action,  and  the  tubers 
should  be  planted  at  a  sufficient  distance  apart  to 
avoid  crowding.  Any  sandy  soil  will  do  for  them. 
To  begin  with,  little  water  must  be  given,  and 
they  will  be  grateful  for  a  little  heat  until  it  is 
safe  to  put  them  in  a  cold  frame.  As  the  Begonia 
is  easily  injured  by  frost  and  is  best  planted  before 
it  has  made  much  top  growth,  I  prefer  a  late 
start,  as  it  will  still  have  about  nine  weeks  in  which 
to  make  growth  before  it  can  be  safelj'  planted. 
Cannas. 
Tufts  of  the  hardiest  and  freest-flowering  Cannas 
should  be  divided,  potted  up  singly,  and  started 
in  gentle  heat.  These,  like  the  I5egonias,  should 
not  be  hurried  into  growth,  as  they  have  ample 
time  and  are  best  planted  before  the  pots  are 
crammed  with  roots.  Cannas  are  noble  subjects 
when  really  well  grown,  and  to  this  end  the  beds  or 
plots  for  them  must  be  thoroughly  well  manured. 
Flowering  Shrubs. 
Among  these  there  are  some  that  may  require 
pruning,  not  only  to  keep  them  shapely  but  also 


210 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[Maech   l'3,  1901 


to  develop  strong  fioweriDg  growths.  Take,  for 
instance,  Hj'clrani»ea  paniculata.  Allowed  to  grow 
in  bush  form  and  unpruned  its  flower  heads  get 
less  and  less,  until  they  have  dwindled  to  quite  a 
small  size  and  the  majority  of  the  shoots  become 
flowerless.  On  the  other  hand,  plants  out  hard 
back  yearly  and  reduced  to  a  few  shoots  give 
enormous  panicles.  Again,  most  of  the  Brooms 
and  some  of  the  Gorses  die  out  if  left  unpruned 
for  many  years.  These,  too,  should  be  cut  to  the 
ground  before  their  stems  get  big,  and  this  hard 
cutting  will  rejuvenate  them  if  not  left  until  the 
shrubs  are  very  old.  J.  C.  TALL.iCK. 

Shipley  Hail  Gardens,  Derby. 


FEUIT  GAEDEN. 
Protecting  Fruit  Treks  ox  Open  Walls. 
There  is  no  question  whatever  but  that  diverse 
methods  of  culture  have  produced  excellent  crops 
of  fruit,  and,  as  regards  protection  of  trees,  I  have 
seen  trees  not  given  anj'  protection  whatever  bear 
finer  crops  than  those  given  every  attention.  A 
great  deal  depends  upon  the  locality  and  position 
of  the  garden  ;  on  the  other  hand,  I  aiu  noc  in 
favour  of  coddling  the  trees,  if  the  term  can  be 
applied,  and  do  not  recommend  thick  woollen 
covers  that  exclude  light  and  sun.  With  glass 
copings  much  covering  is  not  necessary,  but  here 
again  I  am  adverse  to  fixed  glass  copings.  I  had  a 
long  wall  once  covered  with  a  fixed  3-feet  coping 
and  none  too  much  labour,  and  I  never  had  so 
much  red  spider  to  contend  with  in  my  life,  and 
the  trees  were  anything  but  healthy.  At  Syon 
we  use  Bamboo  poles  fixed  from  the  top  of  the 
wall  and  3  feet  from  the  base.  This  allows  free 
access  to  the  trees.  Over  these  are  stretched 
double  square  mesli,  closely  woven  nets.  Apricots 
are  the  first  to  need  protection,  and  these  trees 
should  now  be  covered,  as  they  are  usually  pinned 
and  nailed  or  tied  earlier  in  the  season. 

Peaches  and  Nect-akines. 
Our  trees  up  till  now  have  not  been  placed  in 
position  ;  quite  late  enough  I  am  aware  many 
readers  will  say,  but  I  leave  the  fruiting  shoots — 
that  is,  last  year's  wood — as  long  as  possible  before 
nailing  in.  I  strongly  recommend  late  tying  or 
nailing  of  these  trees,  and  not  protecting  till  the 
flowers  show  colour  freely.  Very  little  pruning 
will  be  needed  with  trees  gone  over  after  the  fruit 
was  gathered,  as  then  the  old  fruiting  wood  was 
taken  out,  leaving  space  for  the  new.  With  the 
Peach  and  Nectarine  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
much  may  be  done  by  disbudding  when  the  fruits 
are  set.  As  regards  protection  the  same  advice 
holds  good  as  given  for  Apricots  above. 

Cherries  and  Pi^ums. 

In  many  gardens  it  is  necessary  on  open  walls  to 
cover  both  Cherries  and  Plums,  not  so  much  from 
frost  as  from  birds.  The  latter  are  particularly 
fond  of  the  Cherry.  The  Cherry,  though  it 
blossoms  early,  if  covered  too  much  often  loses  the 
fruits,  and  the  ti'ees  are  so  soon  infested  with 
aphis.  To  obtain  as  much  warmth  from  the  wall 
as  possible  it  is  well  to  keep  the  trees  spurred  in 
close.  Another  point  worth  noting  is  that  cold 
east  winds  are  bad  for  these  fruits,  so  that  if  some 
slight  protection  is  given  the  effects  of  the  wind 
are  minimised. 

Other  Hardy  Fruit. 

Raspberry  canes  should  be  pruned,  tied,  and 
the  quarters  made  neat.  Three  canes,  if  strong, 
is  ample  at  one  stool,  and  autumn  fruiting  varieties 
may  now  be  cut  down,  mulching  both  kinds,  if 
food  can  be  spared,  with  a  good  dressing  of  decayed 
manure.  Nuts  and  Filberts  should  now  have  been 
pruned,  suckers  removed,  and,  in  the  case  of  young 
trees,  the  growths  should  be  shaped,  thinning  out 
those  not  required  for  leaders  and  shortening 
others  left.  Such  fruits  as  the  Logan  and  Black- 
berry should  have  weak  growths  cut  out,  strong 
canes  shortened  and  secured  to  their  supports, 
the  culture  being  somewhat  similar  to  Raspberries. 
Too  many  fruiting  canes  should  not  be  left  at  a 
stool,  the  tops  shortened  of  the  fruiting  canes,  and 
any  recently  planted  should  get  a  good  mulch  of 
manure.  G.   Wythes. 

Syon  House  Gardeihs,  Brentford. 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 

Crotons. 
These  having  been  "ringed"  and  treated  as 
directed  in  a  former  note,  may  now  be  severed 
from  the  plant  and  left  to  look  after  themselves. 
Small  pots  corresponding  to  the  amount  of  root 
mass  should  be  chosen,  and  as  so  much  care  has 
hitherto  been  taken  to  ensure  success  nothing  to 
frustrate  that  object  should  be  allowed.  Clean 
pots,  abundant  clean  drainage,  and  a  light  soil  of 
a  sandy  nature,  which  has  been  previously  well 
warmed  through,  must  be  afforded.  As  the  plants 
are  placed  in  the  pots  two  neat  sticks  must  be  put 
in  at  either  side  with  a  piece  of  rattia  to  keep  the 
foliage  in  an  erect  position,  as  at  this  stage  leaves 
if  not  attended  to  get  bruised  and  unshapely  ; 
besides  it  economises  space  in  the  propagating 
quarters,  a  point  in  itself  not  to  be  ignored.  The 
foliage  should  previous  to  potting  be  well  sponged 
over  with  soft  rain  water  ;  this  may  not  seem 
necessary,  but  it  opens  the  pores  and  enables  the 
leaves  to  inhale  sustenance  from  the  atmosphere 
at  a  time  when  root  action  is  partly  inactive. 
Dracenas  should  be  similarly  treated. 

Gloxinias. 
The  main  batch  may  be  transferred  to  their 
flowering  pots,  and  a  compost  of  good  loam  in  two 
parts,  peat  one  part,  and  the  remaining  part  made 
up  in  equal  quantities  of  sand  and  leaf-soil  afforded. 
A  dash  of  soot  and  dissolved  bones  is  of  advan- 
tage, especially  if  the  loam  is  not  of  the  very  best 
quality.  Stand  in  a  warm  house  in  a  position 
near  the  light,  but  do  not  water  at  the  root  for 
quite  a  week  after  potting.  Seedlings  will  as 
they  grow  require  plenty  of  room  to  expand,  and 
as  soon  as  large  enough  should  be  put  into  2^-inch 
pots  in  a  light  soil.  The  same  remarks  apply  to 
Begonias.  These  will  also  be  forging  ahead,  for 
after  they  are  once  handled  it  is  surprising  how 
soon  this  subject  develops  into  a  plant.  Plenty 
of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  and  a  fairly  high 
temperature  are  most  essential. 

Deutzia  gracilis. 
As  this  well-known  subject  comes  into  the 
houses  from  the  cold  frames  it  is  well  to  repot 
any  that  are  in  need  of  this,  as  it  is  not  advisable 
to  disturb  the  roots  when  once  the  plants  have  fairly 
started  into  growth.  A  rich  compost  of  a  friable 
nature  must  here  be  aimed  at,  and  as  the  plants 
are  likely  to  go  on  for  more  than  one  season 
without  again  being  disturbed  drainage  should  be 
liberal  and  carefully  laid.  Those  whicli  have  been 
forced  should  have  the  old  wood  cut  out  back  to 
the  base  shoot,  which,  if  encouraged,  will  make  a 
growth  of  from  \i>  feet  to  2  feet  in  the  coming 
season,  and  it  is  these  that  are  useful  when 
cutting  time  comes  round  again. 

Azaleas. 

Remove  all  exhausted  flowers  from  these  as  the}' 
come  out  of  the  flowering  quarters  and  well 
wash  the  foliage.  Soil  should  be  kept  in  readiness, 
and  as  each  batch  is  dealt  with  they  should  be 
potted  up  as  they  are  put  into  the  growing 
quarters,  which  in  most  private  gardens  are  Peach 
houses  and  vineries.  Sow  a  little  seed  of  Cocks- 
comb, White  Egg  Plant,  Celosia,  Balsam,  Globe 
Amaranth,  and  Solanum.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Moehampton. 

KITCHEN  GARDEN. 

Cucumber  Plants. 

In  the  early  house  these  will  now  be  in  full  bearing, 
and  should  receive  a  liberal  supply  of  weak  liquid 
manure  at  a  temperature  of  70"  ;  there  is  no  danger 
of  applying  this  stimulant  too  often,  providing  the 
plants  are  growing  freelj'  and  the  manure  is  not 
too  strong.  Frequent  top-dressings  will  also  be 
necessary  to  keep  the  plants  in  a  growing  state. 
The  compost  for  top-dressing  may  consist  of  loam 
and  stable  manure  in  equal  parts,  and  should  be 
mixed  a  few  days  before  being  used.  It  is  better  to 
top-dress  frequently  than  to  cover  up  the  young 
roots  deeply  at  one  time  ;  remove  all  old  leaves  to 
make  room  for  young  growth,  which  should  be  tied 
in  and  pinched  at  the  second  joint  past  the  young 
fruit,  the  leading  shoots  being  allowed  to   run  to 


the  top  of  the  trellis  without  stopping.  Give  a 
night  temperature  of  75",  with  an  increase  of  1.5" 
by  day  with  sun  heat ;  sow  seeds  of  some  approved 
variety  for  succession  ;  nothing  is  better  than  All 
the  Year  Round  for  flat  pits  in  summer,  and  Every 
Day  for  growing  in  houses. 

Tomatoes  i 

in  the  early  house  will  have  set  sufficient  fruits  by 
this  time,  and  should  have  abundance  of  manure 
water  to  hasten  their  development.  Keep  a  night 
temperature  of  Go"  and  shut  the  house  up  early, 
allowing  the  temperature  to  rise  to  SO"  bj'  sun  heat 
after  closing  time.  Pinch  out  all  side  shoots,  and 
keep  the  bunches  of  fruit  tied  up  to  the  trellis  to 
save  unduly  bending  the  stems.  Pot  on  succession 
plants  and  confine  them  to  single  stems,  where 
they  will  have  plenty  of  light  and  air.  Pot  on 
j'oung  seedlings  as  soon  as  read}',  and  keep  near  the 
glass  in  a  cool  pit  for  planting  outside  in  May. 
Remove  the  covering  from  Globe  Artichokes,  and 
make  new  plantations  where  necessary  in  well- 
prepared  soil  .)  feet  from  plant  to  plant.  Side 
shoots  are  preferable  to  seedlings,  there  being 
greater  certainty  of  having  only  the  best  variety. 
A  plantation  of 

E.ARLY  Potatoes 
may  now  be  made  with  comparative  safety  where 
the  ground  has  been  enriched  for  the  previous  crop. 
No  manure  will  be  necessary,  but  on  the  other 
hand,  if  it  is  of  a  poor  nature,  a  dressing  of  stable 
manure  will  greatly  benefit  the  crop,  especially 
early  varieties,  which  are  generally  of!'  the  ground 
before  disease  makes  its  appearance.  The  culti- 
vator must  be  guided  as  to  distance  apart  by  the 
habit  of  the  varieties  chosen  for  planting ;  Veitch's 
Improved,  Ashleaf,  Sharpe's  Victor,  Sutton's 
Regent,  and  English  Beauty  are  very  reliable  sorts, 
and  may  be  planted  in  rows  2  feet  apart.  Give 
abundance  of  air  to  Potatoes  in  heated  pits,  so 
tliat  they  may  not  become  drawn,  and  see  that  they 
do  not  suft'er  from  want  of  water.  Radishes  may 
now  be  sown  in  some  sheltered  corner  of  the  garden, 
where  they  can  be  protected  from  birds  and  cold 
weather  by  a  covering  of  long  litter.  Wood's  Early 
Frame,  Extra  Early  Olive,  and  Red  and  White 
Turnip  Radish  are  the  best  for  sowing  now.  A 
sowing  of  Lettuce  may  also  be  made  in  the  open. 
Early  Paris  Mai-ket  is  one  of  the  best  to  come  into 
use  early.  Veitch's  Perfect  Gem  and  Sutton's 
Jlammoth  White  Cos  are  also  good  varieties  for 
sowing  now.  John  Dunn. 

Eoyal  Kitchen  Gardens,   Windsor. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 


PLANTING    POTATOES. 

BY  about  the  middle  of  this  mouth  (March), 
if  the  ground  has  become  dry  enough 
to  bear  walking  upon,  which  is  some- 
what doubtful  if  the  present  weather 
continues  much  longer,  planting  of 
seed  Potatoes  should  be  commenced. 
Early  planting,  as  in  December,  January,  or 
February,  is  not  advisable  as  there  is  always  the 
risk  of  damage  from  frosts,  and  the  crop  will  be 
no  earlier  than  if  sown  in  March,  providing  the 
ground  be  well  manured,  deeply  dug,  and  care 
taken.  If  the  ground  has  been  thrown  up  in  ridges 
during  the  winter,  as  it  should  be  if  at  all  possible, 
the  easiest  way  of  planting  is  to  place  the  Potatoes 
at  the  proper  distances  apart  in  tlie  furrows  and 
then  split  the  ridges  with  a  spade  and  throw  the 
earth  into  the  furi'ows.  This  ensures  loose  ground 
around  the  seed,  without  which  a  heavy  crop 
cannot  be  looked  for. 

If,  however,  the  ground  has  been  simply  dug 
over,  trenched,  or  bastard-trenched,  not  simply 
turned  over  one  spade  deep,  the  usual  plan  is  to 
open  a  shallow  trench  about  (i  inches  deep,  lay  the 
Potatoes  in  it,  and  fill  the  trench  up  again,  or 
else  to  dibble  the  seed  in  about  the  same  depth. 
In  the  latter  case,  should  the  soil  lie  stiff'  and 
heavy,  tliere  is  the  chance  that  the  Potatoes  may 
become  rotten  through  the  retention  of  water  in 
tlie  hole.  If,  however,  the  soil  bo  fairly  light  and 
well  drained,  this  plan  may  be  followed.     A  better 


March  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


211 


method  than  either  is  to  take  out  a  shallow  trench, 
say,  4  inches  to  6  inches  deep,  and  then  dibble  in 
the  seed  along  the  centre  of  it.  The  ridges  on 
either  side  give  protection  from  the  frost  and 
render  the  earthing  up  more  easy.  If  a  handful  of 
the  ashes  of  burnt  vegetable  refuse  or  vifood  ashes, 
if  it  can  be  spared,  be  scattered  over  the  Potatoes 
at  the  time  of  sowing,  the  crop  will  not  only  be 
increased  in  quantity,  and  the  chance  of  disease 
reduced  to  a  minimum,  but  the  quality  of  the 
Potatoes  will  be  greatly  improved,  the  ashes 
appearing  to  make  them  floury.  The  best  sorts 
for  early  planting  are  the  Beauty  of  Hebron  and 
Early  Rose,  but  endeavour  to  obtain  English-grown 
seed  of  the  latter  variety,  as  there  is  a  great  deal 
imported  from  Germany,  which  is  inferior  to  the 
home-grown  kind. 
Sutton,  Sui-rey.  Pekcy  Lo.nghurst. 


► 


THE   FAMOUS   MAZE   AT 
HATFIELD. 

The  maze  at  Hatfield  is  formed  of  common 
Yew  hedges,  with  slightly  slanting  sides,  flat 
on  the  top,  and  kept  in  shape  by  annual  clip- 
ping in  the  month  of  March  or  April.  It  is 
oblong  in  shape,  58  yards  by  36  yards,  and 
hedges  6  feet  to  6  feet  6  inches  between, 
measuring  from  centre  to  centre,  which  allows 
about  3  feet  diameter  of  hedges  at  base,  and 
the  same  width  for  paths.  With  the  exception 
of  the  greater  part  of  the  outer  hedge,  it  was 
replanted  in  the  year  1892  in  as  careful  a  way 
as  possible.  The  old  hedges  were  grubbed  up 
and  burned,  the  ground  trenched  2  feet  deep, 
and  drained  from  2  feet  to  3  feet  6  inches  deep. 


New  loam  to  the  depth  of  1  foot  was  added 
to  the  whole  surface.  Before  putting  on  the 
loam  the  ground  was  well  prepared,  and  made 
highest  in  the  centre  of  the  plot,  with  a  fall  to 
the  sides,  so  that  water  cannot  remain  on  any 
part  of  the  surface.  The  young  trees  were 
25  feet  high  when  planted,  and  have  succeeded 
well. 

They  now  form  complete  hedges  about 
6  feet  high,  with  6  inches  more  to  grow  before 
they  reach  the  desired  height.  From  the  time 
they  were  established  annual  clipping  of  the 
tops  has  been  carried  on  in  the  case  of  the 
stronger  trees  so  as  to  encourage  a  dense 
bottom  growth. 

The  old  hedges  that  were  done  away  with 
were  planted  in  the  early  part  of  last  century, 
their  unsatisfactory  state  being  brought  about 
by  poor,  wet,  stagnant  ground  in  a  low  situa- 
tion, much  lower  than  the  surrounding  ground 
generally,  and  made,  so  I  should  say,  from 
taking  out  clay  for  brick-making  at  some 
earlier  period — perhaps  when  Hatfield  House 
was  built,  now  nearly  300  years  ago,  or  before 
that  date.  My  reason  for  thinking  so  is 
that  when  digging  the  drains,  and  at  other 
times  when  excavating  in  that  part,  I  have 
found  the  ground  permeated  with  ballast.  The 
maze  is  situated  about  100  yards  due  east  of 
Hatfield  House.  Agricultural  drain  pipes 
4  inches  in  diameter  were  used  for  draining, 
and  covered  to  the  depth  of  9  inches  with  brick 
rubble,  and  6-inch  pipes  were  used  for  the 
main  drain.  G.  Noeman. 

The  Gardens,  Hatfield  House,  Herts. 


KEEPSAKE    GARDENS. 

Resides  Remembrance  Gardens,  into  which 
tears  have  fallen,  and  Friendship  Gardens, 
where  every  flower  has  been  a  gift,  there  is 
yet  another  kind  of  garden  whose  annals  are 
still  unwritten.  We  may  call  them  Keepsake 
Gardens.  In  one  sense  these,  too,  are  gardens 
of  friend.ship  and  remembrance  ;  but  they  are 
something  more.  They  have  a  human  interest 
beyond  and  above  the  outward  seeming,  and 
in  time  they  make  a  kind  of  log  or  picture- 
book,  which  always  grows  and  grows,  keeping 
a  record  of  the  scenes,  the  places,  and  the 
people  we  have  met.  They  are  gardens  within 
a  garden,  and  gather  by  slow  degrees,  as  scrap 
and  log-books  should,  to  be  of  any  value. 

There  is  no  way  of  explaining  so  good  as 
walking  round  one's  own  garden  and  seeing 
what  is  there.  Here  is  a  bank  devoted  entirely 
to  Periwinkles.  I  cannot  give  the  botanical 
names,  but  there  are  three  kinds  of  them. 
One  has  a  large  wide  open  blossom  of  that 
azure  sea-and-sky  tint  we  call  blue  ;  the  leaves 
are  large,  of  a  dark  and  glossy  green.  Another 
is  much  more  of  a  creeper,  and  the  flowers  and 
leaves  a  great  deal  smaller.  Lastly,  there  is  a 
white  Periwinkle,  the  rarest,  if  not  the  jirettiest 
of  all.  Nothing  but  a  bank  of  Periwinkles — 
such  a  common  little  flower,  but  how  much 
more  to  me  ! 

They  all  came  from  a  Thames  valley  garden, 
gathered  three  decades  ago.  Whether  their 
ancestors  survive  or  not,  these,  their  descend- 
ants, must  have  forgetten  all  about  them  by 
this  time,  or  that  they  ever  lived  in  a  wider 


THE    MAZE    AT    HATFIELD    HOUSE,    AS   SEE.N    FROM    THE    EAST   FKONT. 


212 


THE   GARDEN. 


[March  23,  1901. 


place,  where  they  could  hear  the  pleasant  river 
rushins?  by.  Everything  has  changed  since 
then,  except  the  flowers.  They  open  their 
iDlue  eyes  year  by  year,  just  as  they  used  to  do 
in  the  Home  Garden  so  many  years  ago,  and 
each  one  still  holds  the  same  surprising  treasure 
within  its  cup— a  tiny  fairy  broom,  for  little 
fingers  to  find.  These  are  keepsake  flowers 
that  cannot  be  had  for  buying. 

Every  one  of  our  great  blue  Corn-bottles 
is  a  keepsake  flower  too,  though  they  are  not 
the  gifts  of  friends,  unless  the  gardener  at  the 
hostel  to  which  his  garden  belongs  (vill  let  me 
call  him  so.  This  is  a  seaside  garden,  and 
must  be  a  hundred  years  older  than  the  house 
at  least,  for  the  trees  tell  us  so,  and  they  cannot 
mislead.  The  garden  runs  out  right  on  to  the 
common  by  the  sea,  but  there  are  shrubs  to 
shelter  from  the  wind,  and  in  June  you  can 
hardly  smell  the  salt  in  the  air  because  of  the 
sweetness  of  Pinks,  Roses,  and  Lavender. 
When  our  Corn-bottles  bloom  we  are  conscious 
of  more  than  Corn-bottles  ;  they  recall  the  fresh 
sea  smell  and  the  scent  of  countless  flowers. 

Our  Forget-me-nots  are  mostly  from  some 
much-loved  and  once-frequented  river  bank, 
but  have  been  supplemented  so  often  thatwe 
cannot  be  certain  whether  any  of  the  first 
family  are  left,  but  we  hope  so.  It  is  strange 
so  many  keepsake  flowers  are  blue,  but  not  so 
strange  perhaps  when  one  remembers  that  blue 
is  the  colour  that  tells  of  faith  and  fidelity. 
Another  corner  of  our  garden  belongs  to  the 
Fritillary,  strangest  and  most  quaintly  kirtled 
of  all  the  flowers  of  the  field. 

This  is  a  Remembrance  Garden.  Memory 
brings  back  the  day  when  the  frail  things  were 
unpacked.  They  came  lying  ever  so  comfort- 
ably in  cool  green  grass  at  the  bottom  of  a 
rude  rush  basket,  just  as  they  were  found  in 
the  low-lying  Oxford  meadows.  I  am  afraid 
they  were  moved  at  a  wrong  time,  but  there  is 
no  accounting  for  the  vagaries  of  flowers  ;  they 
put  up  with  it  contentedly,  and  soon  settled 
down  in  their  new  home. 

"  That  which  is  firm  doth  flit  and  fall  away, 
And  that  is  flitting  doth  abide  and  stay." 

All  we  possess  of  rock  garden  plants  are  keep- 
sakes— never  a  one  was  bought.  There  are 
Sedums  and  Saxifrages,  and  many  things  I 
hope  to  get  named  by  and  bye.  "  One  gathers 
where  another  has  strewed"  sometimes,  and 
the  lovely  rockery  to  which  I  owe  mine  was  an 
inheritance,  not  a  creation,  of  the  owner,  so 
that  he  hardly  knew  the  value  of  his  treasures. 
The  giving  of  my  share  was  quite  unstudied. 
This  was  the  way  of  it.  A  saunter  round  a 
rocky  garden  on  a  sunny  afternoon  in  June. 
Here  a  little,  there  a  little,  is  gathered  and 
given,  just  to  see  how  many  kinds  there  are, 
"not  to  plant — you  must  do  that  when  the 
autumn  comes."  Not  even  a  basket  to  hold 
them — it  is  only  a  handful,  but  they  are  all 
taken  home  and  planted  then  and  there  ;  many 
a  little  rootlet  has  come  by  happy  chance,  and, 
wind  and  weather  being  kind,  they  one  and  all 
seize  promptly  on  the  ground  and  grow.  It  is 
the  most  delightful  system  I  know  of,  these 
chance  haphazard  plantings,  and  it  is  seldom 
that  success  is  wanting  to  the  brave. 

It  was  just  after  the  same  fashion  my  Dart- 
mouth garden  grew,  and  the  white  Stonecrop 
from  Berryhead  (our  Stonecrop  was  all  yellow), 
and  the  Hops  from  a  dell  in  a  Warwickshire 
garden  (where  the  gardener  said,  "  No  use 
trying  to  move  them,  lady  ").  Most  Hop-bines 
talk  to  us  of  the  Kentish  Hop-fields  and  the 
heaped-up  oast-house,  but  ours  only  remind 
us  of  old  friends,  which  after  all  is  best.  It  is, 
indeed,  clear  to  me  that  very  little  pieces  of 
plants  move  the  best,  otherwise  there  would 
be  no  accounting  for  our  great  good  luck  with 


them  ;  nor  do  they  mind  being  kept  in  tumblers 
for  a  time,  or  even  soused  in  water-jugs,  or 
anything  that  comes  first.  They  flourish  where 
the  big  bought  plants  die  down,  and  have  after 
all  to  return  to  small  things,  like  scholars  who 
have  been  brought  too  forward  in  their  lessons 
and  are  put  back  to  the  beginning.  Last,  and 
newest  of  all,  is  the  little  plot  we  call  the 
"  Miners'  Garden,"  for  which  the  working  folk 
in  a  far  north  mining  village  are  responsible. 
Miners  are  like  sailors  in  the  way  they  love 
their  gardens.  There  is  this  much  in  common 
between  the  men  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in 
ships  and  those  who  "occupy  their  business" 
in  the  depths  of  the  earth  ;  to  neither  of  them 
is  given  the  daily  sight  of  the  fair  hillside,  the 
fragrance  of  the  hayfield,  the  sweet  breath  of 
the  cowslip -scented  air,  and  thus  it  is  our 
sailors  and  miners  learn  to  love  what  they 
have  not  so  much  more  than  what  they  have, 
as  is  the  way  of  human  life,  be  it  high  or  lo\y. 
iliners  certainly  make  capital  gardeners.  It  is 
pleasant  to  see  them  enjoying  the  few  daylight 
hours  they  get,  each  busy  with  his  own  small 
garden  patch.  From  some  of  these,  beside  the 
cottage  doors,  were  culled  the  plants  now 
growing  in  our  "  Miners'  Garden."  Quaintly 
enough,  one  of  the  prettiest  was  itself^  a 
"  keepsake  flower  "  brought  by  a  miner's  wife 
from  her  own  far  distant  home.  It  was  a 
variegated  Arabis,  the  only  one  to  be  seen 
anywhere  else  in  the  village,  so  she  was  justly 
proud  of  it. 

I  must  not  write  much  more  about  the 
Keepsake  Gardens,  only  just  a  line  about  the 
Ferns,  which  always  have  so  many  tales  to  tell 
of  adventures  in  autumn  holidays  and  quests 
on  moor  and  mountain,  and  a  passing  peep 
must  be  given  to  the  herb  border,  so  much 
enriched  of  late  by  gifts  from  an  "  Unknown 
Friend." 

This  is  how  the  garden  grows.  Mary's,  with 
her  "  silver  bells  and  cockle  shells,"  could  not 
be  fuller.  As  one's  pen  runs  on,  and  thoughts 
come  thick  and  fast,  it  is  plain  that  there  is  no 
part  of  my  garden,  nor  of  any  cared-for,  lived- 
in  garden,  that  can  be  empty  of  keepsakes  and 
memories.  Gardens  have,  in  fact,  an  inner 
life,  as  a  body  has  a  soul,  and  it  is  made  up  of 
the  loves  and  fancies  and  hopes  and  recollec- 
tions of  a  lifetime.  As  the  life  is  more  than 
meat,  and  the  body  than  raiment,  so  is  this 
spiritual  part  of  our  gardens  the  most  precious. 
It  is  invisible,  but  undying,  and  to  each  one  it 
is  different,  even  as  our  own  souls  differ.  These 
thoughts  are  hard  to  frame  and  phrase,  but 
some  there  are  who  will  understand,  and  for 
such  these  words  are  written.  F.  A.  B. 


GARDEN    DESTROYERS. 


BLACK    VINE     WEEVIL 

YOUR  correspondent,  Mr.  T.  Cooniber,  in 
The  Garden  of  March  9,  draws  atten- 
tion to  the  black  vine  weevil  (Otio- 
rhj'nchus  sulcatus),  which,  as  he  very 
truly  says,  is  "an  enemy  of  the  vine." 
As  this  is  the  time  of  j'sar  when  this 
insect  is  very  destructive,  both  as  a  grub  and  also 
as  a  weevil,  J  thought  it  would  not  be  inappropriate 
to  give  a  figure  of  this  insect.  As  the  weevil  is 
seldom,  if  ever,  seen  during  the  day  manj'  persons 
whose  plants  suffer  much  from  its  attacks  are 
quite  ignorant  as  to  the  identity  of  the  culprit, 
and  have  no  idea  what  the  insect  looks  like.  As  a 
weevil  it  attacks  the  foliage  and  shoots  of  various 
plants  besides  Vines,  such  as  Ferns,  Roses,  Peaches, 
&c. ,  hiding  during  the  day  so  cleverly  that  it  is 
very  difficult  to  find  them.  I  was  slaying  once 
with  a  relative  who  had  two  Vines  in  a  small 
greenhouse. 


One  morning  the  gardener  showed  me  two 
shoots  of  one  of  the  Vines  which  he  had  picked 
up  in  the  house,  and  could  not  make  out  what 
could  have  broken  them  off,  as  no  cats  or  birds 
had  access  to  the  house  during  the  night.  I  at 
once  suggested  that  this  beetle  was  the  offender, 
and  told  him  to  look  under  anything  where  it 
could  have  hidden,  but  the  search  proved 
unsuccessful.  The  Vines  were  planted  in  the 
border  outside  the  house,  and  were  led  inside 
through  a  hole  in  the  brickwork,  the  space  between 
the  stem  and  the  sides  of  the  hole  being  filled  with 
straw,  which  1  asked  the  gardener  to  remove, 
and  on  carefully  looking  over  it  two  of  these 
weevils  were  found,  to  the  great  delight  of  the 
searcher,  who  was  fast  losing  faith  in  my  views. 
The  best  time  tor  looking  for  the  weevils  is,  as 
Mr.  Coomber  does,  at  night,  but  it  is  safer  to  put 
a  white  cloth  under  the  plant  in  the  course  of  the 
day,  so  that  if  the  beetles  fall  off,  as  they  will 
often  do  when  a  bright  light  is  thrown  upon  them, 
they  may  easily  be  found.  On  any  alarm  they 
fold  their  limbs" together  and  drop  to  the  ground, 
where  they  remain  perfectly  still  for  sonje  time 
as  if  dead.  Giving  the  plant  a  smart  shake  or 
jarring  tap  will  often  bring  them  down. 

In  the  case  of  plants  in  pots  it  is  better  to  lay 
them  on  their  sides,  so  that  it  the  insects  fall  they 
should  not  drop  on  to  the  earth  in  the  pot  and  so 
be  lost.  Small  bundles  of  dry  moss  or  hay  tied 
to  the  stems  of  the  plants  or  laid  on  the  soil  in  pots 
will  provide  excellent  hiding  places  for  the  weevils. 
They  should  be  examined  every  morning  over  a 
sheet  of  paper  and  the  insects  picked  out.  The 
grubs  are  even  more  destructive  than  the  beetles, 
as  they  feed  on  the  roots  of  many  kinds  of  plants. 
Among   their   chief   favourites   are   Vines,   Ferns, 

Cyclamens, 
T"  Primulas, 

Sedums, 
Strawberries, 
Gooseberries, 
Raspberries, 
and  Currants. 
It  is  useless 
to  use  any 
insecticide 
that  would 
kill  them,  as 
this  would 
also  prove 
fatal  to  the 
plants.  In- 
secticides lose 
so  much  of  their  virtue  in  passing  through  the 
soil  that  they  would  not  affect  the  insects  until 
the  soil  was  absolutely  saturated  with  them, 
which  would  be  injurious  to  the  plants,  so  that 
the  only  way  of  dealing  with  them  is  b}'  picking 
them  out  from  among  the  roots.  In  outdoor  culture 
the  ground  under  tho  bushes  in  May  or  June  may 
with  advantage  be  dressed  with  lime,  soot,  sand, 
fine  ashes,  or  sawdust  soaked  in  paraffin  oil  or 
gas  lime  ;  these  dressings  will  prevent  the  weevils 
from  hiding  in  the  soil  or  from  getting  to  the  roots 
to  lay  their  eggs.  They  may  be  caught  by  shaking 
the  Raspberrj'  canes  over  an  open  umbrella  or  a 
piece  of  newly-tarred  or  painted  canvas  stretched 
over  a  light  frame  after  dark. 

There  are  two  other  species  belonging  to  this 
genus  that  have  just  the  same  habits  and  mode  of 
life  as  the  black  vine  weevil,  the  clay-coloured 
weevil  (0.  picipes)  and  the  red-legged  weevil  (0. 
tenebricosus).  The  former  is  often  found  under 
exactly  the  same  circumstances  as  the  black  vine 
weevil,  but  it  is  of  a  light  brown  colour,  and  not 
more  than  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  length.  The 
red-legged  weevil  is  considerably  larger  than  either 
of  the  other  species,  and  is  not  so  common  ;  it 
more  usually  attacks  plants  grown  out  of  doors. 
The  black  vine  weevil,  of  which  a  figure  is  given, 
is  black,  with  small  brownish  tufts  of  short  brown 
hairs  sprinkled  over  the  wing  cases,  and  is  nearly 
halt  an  inch  in  length.  The  grubs  are  of  a  dirty 
white  colour,  with  reddish  brown  heads,  and  are 
fleshy,  much  wrinkled,  and  sparingly  covered  with 
stiff  brownish  hairs.  The  grubs  of  the  other 
species  are  so  like  them  that  it  is  very  difticult  to 
distinguish   them  apart.      The   females   lay   their 


BLACK   VINE   WEEVIL. 

-Z.  Black  Vim  Weevil.    2.  Grub  nat.  size. 
^.  Grub  enlarged,    h.  Chrysalis,  enlarged. 


March   23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


213 


eggs  early  in  the  summer,  and  the  grubs  are 
hatched  in  August,  and  feed  on  the  roots  of  plants 
until  the  spring,  when  they  become  chrysalides, 
soon  after  which  the  beetles  may  be  found,  the 
time  varying  very  much  according  to  the  tempera- 
ture. In  greenhouses  they  may  be  found  much 
earlier  than  out  of  doors.  G.  S.  S. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


THE     NECTARINE. 


iT 


HE  Nectarine  requires  much  the  same 
treatment  as  tiie  Peach  as  regards 
planting,  soil,  position,  training,  dis- 
budding, feeding,  troubles  from  insect 
pests,  and  forcing  of  fruits  under  glass, 
so   that   it   will   be   seen   there   is    not 

note   other   than    varieties    and   special 


auch   to 
details. 

Planting  is  best  done  from  October  to  Christmas, 
the  earlier  the  better,  and  in  our  variable  climate 
the  best  possible  position  should  be  given  to  the 
trees,  as  many  beginners  who  have  succeeded  with 
the  Peach  have  failed  with  the  Nectarine,  as  the 
latter  in  a  wet  summer  have  not  matured  the 
fruit  when  grown  at  all  thick  and  disbudding  has 
been  overlooked.  One  of  the  great  troubles  with 
this  fruit  is  that  in  heavy  wet  soils  the  skin  of 
the  fruit  cracks  before  ripening,  with  the  result 
the  fruits  decay  and  are  useless.  This  points  out 
the  great  need  of  ample  drainage  in  the  soil  at 
planting.  Now,  some  soils  such  as  are  on  gravel, 
need  no  drainage  whatever ;  indeed,  in  the  latter  the 
trees  from  June  to  September  often  suffer  from 
want  of  moisture  at  the  roots,  as  both  the  Peach  and 
Nectarine  need  ample  moisture  at  the  time  named, 
as  they  are  perfecting  their  fruits,  making  or 
building  up  the  fruiting  wood  for  another  season, 
and  there  is  a  great  demand  upon  the  trees  at  the 
season  named.  In  heavy  soils  the  trees  suffer  most 
at  other  periods  of  the  year  not  named,  hence  the 
need  of  drainage.  In  all  cases  the  roots  of  these 
fruits  should  be  near  the  surface.  By  this  I  mean 
should  be  within  a  foot  or  less,  the  nearer  the 
better  if  well  supplied  with  food.  The  best  results 
in  these  trees  are  secured  by  feeding  in  the  way  of 
liberal  top-dressings  during  growth  to  support  the 
small  fibrous  roots.  This  feeding  prevents  the  large 
thicker  roots  going  too  deep  in  search  of  food.  If 
the  Peach  or  Nectarine  roots  are  too  deep  there  is  a 
tendency  to  gross  wood  and  an  absence  of  good 
fruiting  wood.  The  buds  drop  and  the  fruit  crop 
is  nil ;  indeed,  many  excellent  Peach  growers  resort 
to  lifting  their  trees  every  third  or  fourth  year 
to  keep  them  free  of  gross  wood  and  to  have  the 
roots  nearer  the  surface.  This  points  out  the 
necessity  of  careful  planting  and  preparation  of 
soils  more  with  regard  to  the  Nectarine  than  to  the 
Peach.  The  Nectarine  is  later  in  ripening,  more 
subject  to  cracking  or  splitting,  and  it  is  more 
important  to  have  the  roots  near  the  surface  and 
to  give  sufficient  food  and  moisture  to  keep  them 
active. 

Advice  as  to  foods  may  not  be  out  of  place,  as 
begirmers  are  often  at  a  loss  to  understand  the 
terms  employed,  and  so  far  I  have  found  no  food 
superior  to  liquid  manure  from  stables,  used  in 
moderation.  I  am  aware  this  is  not  always  obtain- 
able and  a  good  substitute  is  cow  manure  used  as  a 
top-dressing  from  May  to  August.  This,  well  watered 
in  twice  a  week  in  dry  weather,  will  build  up 
healthy  foliage  and  fruit.  Another  good  food  is  a 
light  dressing  of  nitrates  once  a  fortnight,  well 
watered  in,  and  bone-meal,  say  one  quarter  to  three 
parts  of  soil,  used  as  a  surface  dressing  early  in  the 
year. 

There  are  other  foods  that  may  be  used  to 
advantage,  but  far  better  apply  them  in  moderation 
and  more  frequently  internally  than  in  large 
quantities.  It  is  always  a  safe  plan  to  thoroughly 
soak  the  borders  when  giving  artificial  fertilisers, 
and  with  trees  growing  at  all  gross  do  not  feed 
but  lift  early  in  the  autumn.  The  middle  of 
October  is  a  good  time,  and  cut  the  strong 
roots,  replanting  nearer  the  surface,  using  those 
materials  in  the  soil  that  are  conducive  to  healthy 


growth.  Stable  manures  are  not  needed.  These 
trees  in  soil  prepared  as  advised  are  much  better 
without  gross  feeders,  as  at  all  times  there  is  a 
tendency  to  the  production  of  too  much  wood. 
Food  is  best  given  from  the  surface,  as  the  trees 
need  it,  that  is,  when  they  are  a  good  size  and 
bearing  freely.  I  would  much  rather  give  decayed 
stable  manure  in  the  form  of  a  mulch  in  the  summer, 
but  even  then  it  needs  some  care,  as  it  is  not  wise 
to  bury  the  roots  to  prevent  the  sun's  rays  warmin" 
the  surface  soil.  It  is  far  better  to  mulch  twice  or 
even  three  times  from  the  end  of  May  until  Sep- 
tember, than  give  one  heavy  dressing  at  the  earlier 
period  noted.  In  my  own  case  we  use  any  light 
material  as  a  mulch,  such  as  spent  Mushroom  soil, 
and  rely  on  food  in  the  way  of  liquids  as  advised 
above,  and  young  trees  the  first  two  years  will 
not  require  much  food  but  ample  moisture. 

Varieties. 
Some  fruit  catalogues  give  the  names  of  two 
dozen  kinds.  A  few  of  these  stand  out  so  con- 
spicuously that  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  their 
merits.  The  well-known  Sawbridgeworth  firm  of 
fruit  growers,  who  have  given  us  so  many  beautiful 
fruits,  both  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  have  recently 
given  us  a  good  kind  in  their  Early  Rivers'.  This 
is  an  immense  gain  to  growers  who  have  no  glass, 
as  it  is  ripe  a  fortnight  earlier  than  the  earliest  of 
the  older  kinds,  and,  in  addition  to  earliness,  is  a 
beautiful  large  fruit  of  splendid  quality,  colour,  and 
shape,  and  no  one  need  hesitate  to  plant  it  for  first 
supplies.  Next  to  this  comes  Lord  Napier,  doubt- 
less the  best  general  Nectarine  under  cultivation, 
as  it  ripens  well  where  others  fail,  but  even  this 
needs  good  culture,  especially  in  a  wet  season,  and 
a  south  wall.  Elruge  is  a  hardy  fruit  and  of  good 
quality,  but  a  smaller  sort  than  Lord  Napier  ;  and 
other  kinds  are  Humboldt,  a  large  yellow-fleshed 
variety,  a  little  later  than  Napier,  and  not  such  a 
good  grower.  For  later  use  Pine-apple,  also 
yellow-fleshed,  is  good  ;  indeed,  I  prefer  this  to 
Humboldt,  but  it  is  later.  In  favourable  soils 
and  localities  such  kinds  as  Spencer,  a  beautiful 
rich  large  late  variety,  and  Newton,  also  very  late, 
could  well  be  added,  the  above  being  trustworthy. 
For  glass  none  are  superior  to  Cardinal,  a  beautiful 
early  fruit,  and  a  new  introduction.  This  is  followed 
by  the  Early  Rivers'  and  Lord  Napier,  and  the  two 
cannot  be  excelled  for  later  supplies.  Any  of  those 
noted  above,  such  as  Humboldt,  Pine  -  apple, 
Newton,  and  Spencer  are  excellent ;  for  mid-season 
under  glass,  Pitmaston  Orange,  Elruge,  and  Dryden 
are  good,  but  these  do  not  approach  Napier  in  size, 
and  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  have  successions  of  the 
last-named,  as  small  Nectarines  are  not  profitable. 
Such  kinds  as  advised  above  are  good. 

G.  Wythes. 


RIVIERA    NOTES. 

Gcdanthus  Ikariw  has  been  so  fine  here  I  wonder 
more  mention  of  it  has  not  been  made.  Its  broad, 
rich  green  leaves  and  splendid  bells,  with  well- 
shaped  petals,  give  it  quite  a  character  of  its  own. 
It  is  late  flowering  and  apparently  very  freely 
increased,  altogether  a  very  valuable  addition  to 
Snowdrops. 

Violet  il/r.s.  Astor. — This  promises  to  displace  all 
other  varieties  of  the  Parma  Violet.  It  is  much 
hardier  than  any  other,  and  is  free  in  growth. 
With  its  huge  double  rosettes  of  deep  lilac  flowers 
it  at  once  attracts  the  eye,  and  on  nearer  approach 
delights  the  nose.  It  is  among  Neapolitan  Violets 
what  Princess  of  Wales  is  among  the  single  Purple 
Violets.  It  can  easily  be  distinguished  when  not 
in  flower  by  the  marked  purple  colouring  of  the 
back  of  the  leaf.  It  needs  the  runners  checking  to 
develop  its  finest  qualities,  but  it  will  flower  freely 
even  when  neglected. 

Violet  Mme.  Millet  is  another  variety  but  little 
known  or  grown  I  fancy.  It  is  of  very  great 
beauty  and  unique  in  its  red-mauve  colouring. 
Unfortunately,  it  is  as  tender  as  Mrs.  Astor  is 
hardy,  and  its  habit  is  of  the  most  straggling. 
Still,  when  grown  in  rich  light  soil,  properly 
pinched  in  summer  and  protected  in  winter,  it  is 
the    most    beautiful    and    very    sweetest    of    all 


Neapolitan  Violets,  so  that  it  is  a  variety  all  true 
amateurs  should  grow  if  they  have  a  favourable 
soil  and  position. 

Of  sinrjle  Violets  there  is  nothing  that  can  touch 
Princess  of  Wales  so  far.  La  France,  which  has 
been  so  much  vaunted,  is  a  little  dwarfer  growing, 
but  not  so  fine  or  quite  so  large.  In  any  case,  the 
difference  is  not  enough  to  make  it  worth  growing 
when  one  already  possesses  Princess  of  Wales. 

Violet  Lvxonne. — This  Violet  has  so  many  names 
that  it  is  difficult  to  say  under  which  it  is  most 
known.  It  is  very  free  and  rich,  being  purple  in 
colour,  quite  the  best  Violet  for  spring  bedding. 
Not  very  tall  in  stalk  and  very  abundant  and  long- 
lasting  in  bloom,  it  makes  a  solid  sheet  of  rich 
purple,  which  lasts  for  a  long  time.  It  begins  to 
flower  in  autumn  on  the  Riviera,  and  continues  all 
through  the  winter.  The  leaves  are  dwarf  and  the 
habit  excellent.  Its  fault  is  that  it  is  much  less  sweet 
than  other  Violets,  but  its  beauty  is  undeniable  in 
the  open  garden.  Last  year  I  obtained  as  many 
varieties  as  I  could  to  test  them,  and  those  I  have 
mentioned  seem  to  me  by  far  the  most  desirable. 
A  new  white,  sweeter  and  larger  than  Conite 
Brazza,  is  still  a  want,  and  a  white  Princess  of 
Wales  would  indeed  be  welcome,  as  would  a  large 
pale  grey  Neapolitan  to  match  Mrs.  Astor. 

Iris  reticulata. — It  is  a  curious  fact  that  this 
Iris  seems  quite  independent  of  climatic  influences 
so  far  as  earliness  is  concerned.  For  many  years  I 
found  that  I.  reticulata  opened  its  first  bud  on 
March  4,  and  to  my  surprise  these  bulbs  trans- 
planted to  the  Riviera  have  refused  to  change  their 
habits,  and  have  both  last  year  and  this  spring 
opened  their  blooms  first  on  that  same  date.  Its 
vigour  and  size  are  greatly  increased  by  the 
change,  so  that  I  notice  friends  call  it  the  major 
form  nowadays,  which  makes  it  still  more  curious 
that  its  date  of  flowering  should  remain  unchanged. 

Nice.  E.  H.    WOODALL. 


OBITUARY. 


SIR    EDWIN    SAUNDERS. 

The  death  of  Sir  Edwin  Saunders,  at  his  resi- 
dence. Fair  Lawn,  Wimbledon  Common,  on  the 
15th  inst. ,  at  the  great  age  of  87,  has  deprived 
the  National  Chrysanthemum  Societ}'  of  its  greatly 
revered  president,  to  which  office  he  was  elected  in 
1891  on  the  resignation  of  Lord  Brooke.  He  had 
been  a  member  of  the  society  for  some  years 
previously,  and  took  a  great  interest  in  its  work. 
His  gardener  (Mr.  A.  Newell)  grew  Chrysanthe- 
mums with  great  success  at  Fair  Lawn,  and  was  a 
frequent  exhibitor  at  the  society's  shows  at  the 
Royal  Aquarium,  as  well  as  at  local  exhibitions 
held  at  Wimbledon,  Roehanipton,  and  elsewhere. 
Up  to  within  the  last  two  years  the  late  president 
made  a  point  of  attending  the  exhibitions  of  the 
society,  but  increasing  infirmities  prevented  his 
attendance  since.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  the  society,  and  wished  to  be  informed  as 
fully  as  possible  as  to  its  proceedings.  Every  3'ear 
he  gave  a  valuable  president's  prize  in  one  of  the 
leading  classes,  which  always  brought  a  keen 
competition. 

Sir  Edwin  was  also  for  many  years  a  vice- 
president  and  warm  supporter  of  the  Wimbledon 
Horticultural  Societ}'.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest 
Fellows  of  the  Ro3'al  Botanic  Society,  and  for 
nearly  thirty  years  a  member  of  the  council.  His 
charming  garden  at  Fair  Lawn  was  the  creation  of 
Sir  Edwin.  Miss  Braddon  has  said,  in  one  of  her 
novels,  that  the  greatest  happiness  is  derived  from 
a  garden  which  is  one's  awn  creation,  and  this  was 
the  experience  of  the  owner  of  Fair  Lawn.  He 
purchased  the  present  site  in  1851.  At  that  time 
it  was  a  rough  piece  of  land  covered  with  scrubby 
trees  ;  the  best  of  these  were  retained,  and  the 
remainder  cleared  away.  A  plan  of  the  ground 
was  drawn  by  the  late  Mr.  R.  Marnock,  according 
to  instructions  received  from  Sir  Edwin,  and  Mr. 
Marnock  also  designed  the  mansion,  the  style  of 
architecture  being  a  combination  of  the  Greek  and 
Italian.  For  a  number  of  years  Sir  Edwin  attended 
the  late  Queen  Victoria  in  the  capacity  of  surgeon- 


214 


THE    GAUDEN. 


[March  23,  1901. 


dentist,  and  he  was  greatlj'  esteemed  by  Her 
Majest}-.  Hewas  knighted  in  1S83.  Lady  Saunders 
survives  him,  but  there  is  no  family.  He  was 
buried  at  the  Putney  Vale  Cemetery  on  Wednesday 
last. 


Crystal   Palaee   Fruit    Show.— The 

prize  schedule  for  this  show  will  be  issued  in  a 
week  or  ten  days  by  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Sooiet3',  and  will  contain  an  authoritative  list  of 
dessert  and  cooking  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums, 
post  free  one  penn_v.  Donations  towards  the 
prize  fund  will  be  gratefully  received  by  the 
society. — [We  hope  all  interested  in  fruit  grow- 
ing in  the  British  Isles  will  come  forward  and  help 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  as  much  as  possible 
in  continuing  this  most  interesting  and  important 
fixture. — Ed.s.] 

Important    sale   of  British    Lepi 

doptera.  —  Mr.  J.  C.  Stevens  will  sell  by 
auction,  at  his  great  rooms,  ,38,  King  Street, 
Covent  Garden,  on  Tuesday  next,  the  collection  of 
British  Lepidoptera  formed  by  P.  W.  Abbott,  Esq. , 
of  Edgbaston,  comprising  long  series,  in  fine 
condition,  and  uniformly  set,  of  most  of  the 
British  species,  including  some  particularly  choice 
varieties  and  aberrations,  together  with  the 
cabinets  in  which  thej'  are  contained  ;  also  Palie- 
arctic  Lepidoptera  and  other  insects,  &c. 

Proposed  National  Pea  Society.— 

The  adjourned  meeting,  to  be  held  next  Tuesday 
at  Winchester  House,  E.G.,  has  been  abandoned, 
as  the  Bicentenary  Committee  are  calling  a  meeting 
for  2.30  on  the  same  day  at  the  Hotel  Windsor, 
Victoria  Street,  S.W.,  to  form  a  National  Sweet 
Pea  Society. 

Mr.  F.  W.  Cooling,  of  Bath,  gave  a  most 
interesting  lecture  upon  "  Roses  and  How  to  Grow 
Them,"  before  the  Kidderminster  Horticultural 
Society  recently,  of  which  a  lengthy  account 
appears  in  our  present  number. 

Horticultural  Club.- The  usual  dinner 
and  conversazione  took  place  on  Tuesday  evening 
last ;  amongst  those  present  were  the  Rev.  W. 
Wilks,  the  Rev.  F.  R.  Burnside,  Messrs.  James 
H.  Veitch,  H.  G.  Rivers,  S.  A.  de  Graaff,  George 
Bunyard,  R.  Wilson  Ker,  Selfe  Leonard,  and  the 
secretary.  A  very  exhaustive  address  on  "  The 
Principles  and  Practice  of  Wild  Gardening  "  was 
given  by  Mr.  H.  Selfe  Leonard,  but  as  the  paper 
will  appear,  we  believe,  in  the  proceedings  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society,  it  will  be  unnecessar}' 
to  give  any  abstract  of  it.  The  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  in 
a  few  happy  words,  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr. 
Selfe  Leonard,  which  was  gracefully  acknowledged 
by  him. 

A  lecture    on    rare  Orchids.— The 

next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday  next, 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster, 
at  1 — 5  p.m.  A  lecture  on  "Inconspicuous  and 
Rarety  Cultivated  Orchids"  will  be  given  by  Mr. 
W.  H.  White,  A.R.H.S.,  at  three  o'clock. 

Apple  Notes. — I  am  sorry  to  see  that 
"D.  K.,"  County  Clare,  has  to  complain  of  the 
new  Northern  Greening  not  keeping  well  with 
him.  I  always  looked  upon  it  as  ranking  next  to 
Wellington  in  this  respect,  and  have  frequently 
had  it  in  fine  condition  from  the  middle  of  March 
to  the  end  of  April.  I  can  fully  endorse  all  that 
"  D.  K."  has  to  say  in  favour  of  the  old  or  original 
Northern  Greening.  It  is  a  first-rate  late  keeping 
cooking  Apple,  and  those  who  prefer  a  rather  acid 
fruit  for  eating  would  not  object  to  it  for  dessert 
iu  March  and  April.  This  variety,  I  fancy,  grew 
very  extensively,  and  in  seasons  when  Wellington 
and  Alfriston  were  scarce  it  proved  of  the  greatest 
service  in  prolonging  the  kitchen  supply  until  late 
in  the  season. — A.  VV. 

Narcissus  cyclamineus    major.— 

The  quaintly  pretty  little  Narcissus  cyclamineus 
major  has  many  admirers  when  it  comes  into  bloom, 
but  one  fears  that  it  has  acquired  a  comparatively 
unsatisfactory  reputation  because  of  the  difticully 
some  have  in  establishing  it  in  their  gardens.  I 
am,  and  have  been  for  a  few  years  now,  the  happy 
possessor  of  it  in  au  established  condition,  although 
it  is  only  now  showing  increase  by  offsets,  and  I 
think  that  a  few  similar  instances  would  lead  to 


its  more  extended  cultivation.  I  would  not  like  to 
be  bold  enough  to  aver  that  the  soil  is  the  main 
element,  because  I  lost  a  number  of  bulbs  before  I 
was  eventually  able  to  say  "Eureka.'"  I  imagine, 
however,  that  soil  and  moisture  combined  have  a 
great  deal  to  do  in  securing  success.  A  Daffodil 
grower,  who  could  give  me  many  points  and  win 
easily,  cannot  succeed  in  establishing  it  perma- 
nently, and  raises  it  regularly  from  seed.  Of 
course,  it  is  better  if  one  can  persuade  it  to  grow 
and  bloom  freely  without  thai  trouble,  and  the 
garden  to  which  I  refer  is  much  heavier  in  its 
character  than  mine.  I  think  that  N.  cyclamineus 
major  likes  a  sandj'  peat  soil,  but  to  be  in  such  a 
position  that  it  never  suffers  from  absolute  dryness. 
After  several  failures  in  the  same  soil,  but  in  a 
dryer  position,  I  finally  succeeded  in  a  low  flat  at 
the  base  of  a  rockerj',  where  the  Daffodil  receives 
all  the  surplus  water  from  the  rockery,  which  is 
rather  freely  watered  in  dry  weather  in  spring  and 
summer.  Bj'  wa3-  of  further  experiment,  I  have 
made  a  small  planting  of  new  bulbs  on  the  rock- 
work  surrounding  a  small  tank  for  aquatics,  and 
where  the  roots  of  N.  cyclamineus  will  have  free 
access  to  the  water,  which  soaks  into  the  soil 
between  the  cement  margin  and  the  stones  which 
shield  the  cement  froni  view.  These  plants  are 
appearing,  but  it  will  be  another  season  before  I 
can  saj'  whether  I  have  to  write  the  experiment 
down  under  the  heading  of  failures  or  of  successes. 
— 8.  Aknott,  Cariefhorn,  by  Diimfriefi,  N.B. 

Camellia  reticulata.— Few  plants  are 

more  showj'  when  in  flower  than  this,  yet  except 
in  a  few  establishments  good  plants  are  never 
seen,  the  many  varieties  of  C.  japonica  being 
almost  exclusively  grown.  Although  the  flowers 
when  cut  cannot  be  used  for  such  a  variety  of 
purposes  as  those  of  C.  japonica  it  is  an  infinitely 
better  decorative  plant,  the  habit  beinglooser  and 
the  flowers  larger  and  not  so  symmetrical  in  outline. 
It  is  a  native  of  Hong  Kong,  and  has  been  in 
cultivation  for  close  on  a  century,  the  form  with 
semi-double  flowers  having  been  figured  as  long 
ago  as  1827.  The  typical  plant  was  discovered  by 
Captain  Champion  about  1845  in  the  woods  in 
Hong  Kong  'The  leaves  of  this  species  are  longer 
and  not  so  glossy  as  those  of  C.  japonica,  while 
the  flowers  of  the  cultivated  form  are  semi-double, 
nearly  (i  inches  across,  bright  rose  in  colour,  with  a 
central  mass  of  yellow  stamens.  The  petals  are 
broad  and  undulated,  giving  the  whole  flower  the 
appearance  of  a  semi-double  Tree  Pa;ony.  During 
the  last  few  years  a  revival  of  interest  appears  to 
have  taken  place  among  horticulturists  in  this 
plant,  a  number  of  firms  now  propagating  it  largely. 
In  the  temperate  house  at  Kew  a  pyramidal  plant 
15  feet  high  is  now  a  mass  of  flowers.— W. 
Dallimobe. 


MELONS     AND     MELON 
HOUSES. 

HOW  diverse  is  the  treatment  given  to 
Melons  generally  in  houses  now  as 
compared  with  the  old  practice  of 
keeping  the  plants  in  perpetual 
humidity,  the  floor  always  quite 
wet,  and  the  roots  running  ia  a 
bed  of  great  depth  and  width,  largely  composed  of 
manure.  If  now  we  turn  into  a  garden  where 
Melons  are  grown  on  modern  lines — and  especially 
in  great  quantity  for  market  sale,  or,  not  less 
important,  for  seed  production — there  is  no  lavish 
use  of  water,  the  atmosphere  is  but  moderately 
moist,  and  the  root  area  is  so  limited  as  to  evoke 
great  surprise  from  ihose  who  have  so  far  grown 
Melons  only  on  the  old  methods. 

The  accompanying  illustration  represents  a  small 
section  of  a  modern  Melon  house.  It  shows  admir- 
ably how  soil  borders  or  beds  are  constituted.  In 
this  case  the  stage  is  of  the  ordinary  open  or  trellis 
form.  The  bed  of  soil  is  placed  close  to  the  outer 
wall,  and,  being  about  20  inches  to  24  inches  wide, 
a  board  6  inches  deep  is  fixed  upright  at  that  width 
from  the  wall  all  down  the  stage.  In  filling  in  the 
bed  or  trough  thus  formed,  the  coarser  or  turfy 
portion  of  the  soil  is  placed  in  the  bottom  ;  then 


it  is  filled  up  quite  firmlj'  with  a  compost  that  has 
been  well  mixed,  but  not  sifted,  of  sweet,  turfy 
loam  (three-fourths),  the  rest  being  well-decaj'ed 
stable  manure,  with  some  bone-dust  and  soot 
added.  When  the  trough  is  filled  there  i:,  a  depth 
of  some  7  inches  to  8  inches  of  soil  in  the  centre, 
and  that  is  ample  to  sustain  the  plants  whilst 
carrying  a  proper  crop  of  fine  fruits.  In  cases 
where  the  staging  is  closely  constructed,  such  as 
of  soil  or  of  brickwork,  &c.,  the  soil  bed  for  Melons 
is  formed  of  a  movable  trough.  This  is  composed 
of  a  floor  of  stout,  open,  wood  trellis  20  inches 
wide,  to  the  sides  of  which  are  fixed  stout  boards 
from  7  inches  to  8  inches  in  depth.  This  is  fixed 
on  wooden  bearers  just  over  the  side  or  bottom- 
heating  hot-water  pipes,  and  is  then  filled  with  soil 
as  before.  The  great  value  of  this  method  of  soil- 
bed  making  is  that  after  each  crop  has  been 
matured  and  the  plants  and  soil  removed,  the 
troughs  can  be  thoroughly  cleansed  and  white- 
washed to  render  them  fungus-proof.  Eelworni  is 
also  in  that  waj'  fully  combated.  This  form  of 
bed-making  is  as  suitable  for  span  houses  as  for 
those  of  lean-to  form,  but  generall}'  the  span  form 
is  best  for  Melon  culture,  as  then  a  house  may  be 
entirely  so  utilised,  or.  if  preferred,  one  side  may 
be  of  Melons,  the  other  of  Cucumbers,  both  these 
plants  being  treated  alike.     Without  doubt,  where 


A   HOUSE   OF    .MELON   SUTTON  S   NE   PLUS   ULTRA. 

houses  of  ."span  form  are  built  low  and  have  a  centre 
path  sunk  at  least  2  feet  below  the  ground  level, 
there  is  much  less  exposure  to  the  colder  atmo- 
sphere than  is  the  case  where  houses  are  erected 
fully  on  the  level.  The  market  grower  prefers  the 
former,  because  they  need  a  less  expenditure  of 
fuel  to  heat  them.  The  gardener,  for  appearance 
sake,  and  especially  the  professional  horticultural 
builder,  prefers  the  latter.  It  is  so  widelj'  held 
that  side  air  be  given,  that  nothing  is  more  common 
in  builders'  erections  than  to  find  swing-sashes  for 
that  purpose  amplj'  provided.  The  market  grower 
has  no  side  sashes  to  open.  Usuall}',  indeed,  he 
has  none  whatever,  or,  at  the  most,  some  widely- 
placed  wooden  slides  set  in  the  low  side  walls  of 
the  houses.  Melons  and  Cucumbers  need  very 
little  of  such  ventilation,  and  what  they  need  can 
be  usually  furnislicd  b3'  top  ventilators.  Houses 
of  span  form  should  be  about  12  feet  wide  outside, 
and  have  over  the  centre  alleys  a  height  of  about 
7  feet.  The  width  inside  of  about  II  feet  affords, 
after  deducting  an  alley  of  24  inches  wide,  stages 
or  beds  of  4A  feet  wide.  Of  this  space,  however, 
only  one-half  at  least  is  needed  for  soil,  the  rest 
being,  whilst  the  plants  put  out  for  permanent 
fruiting  are  young,  used  for  other  purposes.  But 
the  width  of  bed  is  requisite  to  enable  the  plants 
to  have  ample  growth  room,  and,  if  they  be  put 


March  23,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


215 


I 


out,  as  nian3'  growers  do,  at  18  inches  to  20  inches 
apart  on  the  soil-bed,  each  phint  carrying  at  least 
three  stout  main  stems  with  side  breaks,  they  carry 
from  six  to  seven  fine  fruits.  The  most  deliciously 
flavoured,  finest,  and  most  perfectly  finished 
Melons  I  have  ever  seen  have  been  grown  in  this 
waj' :  The  plants  raised  from  seed  sown  at  the  rate 
of  twelve  in  a  5-inch  pot  are,  so  soon  as  well  up, 
shifted  singly  into  3-inch  pots,  and  within  a  week 
from  then  are  planted  out  into  the  soil-beds  if 
read}'.  Growth  is  surprisingly  fast,  and  the  general 
results  are  far  better  than  is  the  case  when  the 
plants  are  kept  in  3-inch  pots  till  they  are  strong. 
There  is,  too,  far  less  gunnriing  than  is  not  infre- 
quent when  plants  are  kept  too  lojig  in  the  pots. 
When  Jlelon  culture  in  any  one  place  runs  to 
many  houses,  almost  thousands  of  plants,  and 
quite  a  vast  quantity  of  fruit,  naturally  such  wide 
culture  furnishes  experience  very  diverse  from  that 
which  gardens  alone  can  furnish.  The  variety 
shown  in  the  house  illustrated  is  Sutton's  Ne 
Plus  Ultra.  A.  Dean. 


SOCIETIES. 


KIDDERMINSTER  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Me.  F.  W.  Cooling,  F.R.H.S.,  of  Bath,  deMvered  an  illus- 
trated lecture  in  the  Town  Hall,  Kidderminster,  on  \\'ednes- 
day,  to  a  lar^e  attendand'e  of  the  members  of  the  society  and 
of  those  interested  in  the  cultivation  of  Roses  and  other 
flowers,  on  "  The  best  Roses  for  bedding  and  borders,  and 
how  to  grow  them."  The  chair  was  taken  by  the  Mayor 
(Alderman  P.  Adam),  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  M.  Tonikinson, 
and  there  was  an  attendance  of  over  4.50  people. 

Mr.  Cooling  commenced  his  remarks  by  saying  that  he 
received  with  very  great  pleasure  the  invitation  of  the  com- 
mittee of  the  society  to  read  a  paper  on  Ruses.  The  National 
Rose  Society's  offer  of  prizes  for  so-called   garden  Roses 
fifteen  years  ago   brought    to  the    front    many    beautiful 
varieties  of  old-fashioned  Roses  that  had  never  been  seen 
before  on  exhibition  tables,  and  in  many  Rose  gardens  had 
been  almost  forgotten.     The  many  summer  flowering  Roses, 
the  Austrian  Biiars,  and  other  single  and  semi-double  kinds, 
came  liuite  as  a  revelation  to  some  of  the  younger  Rose 
growers.     It  was  the  great  interest  these  exhibits  created 
amongst  real  lovers  of  Roses  that  brought  about  the  desire 
to  have  a  less  formal  arrangement  of  Ruses  in  the  gardens. 
Another  factor  was  the  increased  cultivation  of  Tea  Roses, 
and  the  introduction  of  many  distinct  varieties  suitable  for 
garden  decoration.    The  demand  for  garden  decorative  Roses 
had  induced  raisers  and  hybridists  to  pay  greater  attentio]i 
to  the  introductiin  of  a  race  of  Roses  that  possessed  merits 
other  than  being  merely  exhibition  sorts,  and  the  result  had 
been  the  introduction  of  many  decorative  varieties.     He  did 
not  disparage  nor  discourage  the  growth  of  Roses  for  exhi- 
bition, for  the  growth  of  more  decorative  and  easily  grown 
varieties  would  improve  the  style  and  increase  the  interest 
taken  by  the  large  body  of  rusarians  who  did  not  exhibit. 
The  desiderata  of  a  bedding  Rose  were  a  continuous  and  free 
bloom,  compact  and  bushy  habit,  hardiness,  good  folinge, 
and  clear  colour,  and  varieties  that  should  improve  each 
year  with  careful  pruning  and  ordinary  attention  without 
replanting.     There  were  many  such  varieties.     La  France 
was  one  of  the  best,  although  a  little  tall  in  growth,  therefore 
it  should  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  other  Ruses  -  it  was  well- 
known,  and  was  a  real  autumnal  bloomer.     Although  in  i  ro- 
duced  thirly-two  years  ago,  there  was  no  Rose  like  it,  being 
one  of  the  finest  all  i-ound  sorts  that  they  had.     Its  counter- 
part   Augustine   Guinoisseau,    almost    white,  was    equally 
free  in  flowering,  but  a  little  tall  in  habit.     The  finest  of  all 
common  varieties  for  massing  was  the  Marquise  of  Salis- 
bury, which  combined  rich,  bright  velvety  scarlet-crimson 
cohnir,   and  prolific  growth,   flowering  from  almost  every 
shoot  and  well  into  the  autumn— an  ideal  bedding  scarlet 
Rose.     Other  varieties  were  named,  and  the  lecturer  said  it 
was  amongst  the  Chinas  that  they  found  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  bedding  Ruses,  commencing  to  flower  first,   and 
remaining  in  bloom  till  the  last.     Amongst  the  Tea-scented 
Roses  there  was  quite  a  selection  of  hardy  bedding  plants, 
and  it  was  from  those  they  got  the  lighter  colours.     Hybrid 
perpetuals  must  not  be  forgotten,  for  many  of  them  were 
entitled  to  he  called   pei'petuals,   while    many   were    rot. 
Then  there  was  another  group  of  Roses  for  bedding— the 
Polyanthas.  They  were  chiefiy  dwarf -growing,  free-blooming 
Roses,  closely  allied  to  the  Chinas.     After  speaking  of  good 
shapes  for  the  beds,  the  lecturer  dealt  with  the  making  of 
them.     For  new  beds  no  better  soil  could  be  had  than  the 
top  spit  from  a  meadow  with  the  grass  in  it.     It  should  be 
used  with  one-sixth  or  one-tenth  its  bulk  of  good  old  stable 
or  cow  manure  and  some  sharp  sand- such  as  the  grit  which 
washed  down  a  country  road  after  a  storm— a  bushel  to  a 
load  of  compost.     The  beds  should  not  be  too  wide,  so  that 
they  could  be  got  at  easily  from  both  sides.      He  strongly 
recommended  raised  beds  ;  the  appearance  was  better  when 
the  plants  were  in  bloum  ;  they  were  better  drained,   and 
cuuld  mure  easily  be  prntected.   As  to  distance  in  planting  the 
short  stocky  growing  varieties  should  be  about  12  inches  to 
16  inches  apart,  and  others  IS  inches  to  21  inches.     Pjuning 
should  be  very  moderate— old  and  worn-out  wood  and  very 
tlun  gruwth  removed,  but  the  new  growth  only  shortened. 
Dealing  with  the  question  of  Roses  tor  borders,  he  had  greater 
latitude.  All  varieties  of  pillai-  and  climbing  Roses  might  be 
tied  and  trained  to  Larch  or  Fir  Pules,  or  over  arches  of  wood 
or  iron.   In  front  of  the  tall  specimens  should  be  shorter  and 
more  compact  varieties  from  .0  feet  to  B  feet  high,  with  here 


and  there  a  huge  bush  of  various  kiuds,  and  in  the  open 
sjiaces  masses  of  Tea  and  Hybrid  Tea  Roses,  On  such  a 
border  there  would  be  a  great  wealth  of  liloom,  and  with 
judicious  selection  it  would  be  a  source  of  pleasure  from 
.June  till  November.  He  strongly  urged  the  advantage  c,f 
a  mixed  border  of  Roses  in  every  garden  of  any  pretension. 
In  almost  all  gardens  there  were  nooks  and  odd  places  in 
which  some  of  the  hardy  climbing  Roses  might  be  planted, 
with  effects  which  would  often  surpiise  the  owners.  The 
lecturer  named  many  of  the  most  suitable  varieties  for  arches, 
pillars,  and  borders,  and  said  pruning  with  all  pillar  Roses 
required  a  little  care,  and  should  be  done  after  the  flowering 
season  was  over.  That  might  seem  strange,  but  it  was  not 
generally  grasped  that  all  the  Roses  he  had  been  describing, 
even  the  climbing  Teas,  flowered  from  the  growth  they  made 
the  preceding  year,  and,  therefore,  to  encourage  growth  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  year  was  to  ensure  flowers  for  the 
following  season.  Thus  after  the  flowering  was  the  time  to 
look  over  the  plants,  cut  out  all  old  and  used  up  wood,  and 
train  in  the  young  shoots  to  encourage  them  to  grow,  mulch 
round  the  roots,  and  give  liquid  manure  if  available.  Mr. 
Cooling  gave  some  details  as  to  Roses  suitable  for  hedges, 
arches,  pillars,  and  bowers,  mentioning  F^licit^-Perp^tue— a 
sort  of  rapid  growth,  and  flowered  in  large  clusters  with 
bright  green  foliage,  which  was  almost  evergi-een  —  and 
Himalaica,  which  sometimes  grew  10  feet  to  16  feet  in  a 
season  Bennett's  Seedling  was  admirably  adapted  for 
arches,  and  at  the  flowering  season  was  one  mass  of  bloom — a 
veritable  fountain  of  Roses.  He  afterwards  dealt  with  those 
kinds  of  Roses  suitable  for  the  ordinary  garden,  in  various 
positions,  of  which  Austrian  Briars  were  charming  varieties, 
and  a  sort  so  distinct  that  a  place  should  always  be  found  for 
one  or  two.  In  many  gardens  hedges  of  Roses  might  be  used 
to  advantage— in  small  ones  to  divide  the  flower  garden  or 
lawn  from  the  kitchen  garden,  and  in  large  gardens  to  enclose 
the  lawn  or  to  encircle  tlie  Rose  beds  or  Rose  garden.  A 
number  of  photographic  views  were  shown,  indicating  those 
Roses  which  might  be  grown  to  perfection  against  walls,  and 
which  form  amid  a  wealth  of  bloom  and  foliage  a  beautiful 
sight  to  behold. 

At  the  close  of  Mr.  Cooling's  lecture,  which  seemed  to  deal 
more  particularly  with  Rose  growing  from  the  professional 
rather  than  the  amateur  gardener's  standpoint,  questions 
were  invited,  and  Mr.  F.  Hobbs  suggested  the  advisability  of 
Rose  growers  joining  the  National  Rose  Society.  A  number 
of  questions  were  promptly  answered  by  the  lecturer,  and  on 
the  motion  of  Mr.  E.  J.  Morton,  seconded  by  Mr.  Bass,  the 
thanks  of  the  meeting  were  passed  to  Mr.  Cooling  for  his 
address,  while  a  similarcomplimeut  to  the  Mayor  for  presiding 
was  adopted  on  the  proposition  of  Mr.  Linecar,  joint  hon. 
secretary  to  the  society,  seconded  by  Alderman  Hepworth. 
The  views  by  which  the  lecture  was  illustrated  and  made 
more  interesting,  were  worked  by  Mr.  R.  B.  Grove,  who  also 
was  thanked  for  his  useful  services. 

The  committee  are  greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  H.  E.  Molyueux, 
the  Royal  Meteorological  Society,  and  Jlessrs.  Cassell  and  Co. 
for  supplying  the  slides,  and  to  Mr.  Edward  Mawley  and 
Mr.  R.  Foley  Hobbs  (Worcester)  for  their  kind  assistance 
and  encouragement. 


Paul  and  Sons,  Mr.  Bennet,  Mr.  Dickson,  and  Mr. 


READING  AND  DIS'TRICT  GARDENERS'  ASSOCIATION. 
Thk  last  meeting  of  the  above  association  was  attended  by  a 
very  large  number  of  members.  Mr.  T.  Neve  (chairman) 
presided.  The  subject  for  the  evening  was:  "Peach  and 
Nectarine  Culture  :  New  and  Old  Methods  Contrasted.  "  This 
was  introduced  in  a  very  practical  and  racy  manner  by  ilr. 
W.  Iggulden,  of  Fi-ome,  the  following  being  a  few  of  the 
points  raised  :— Style  of  houses :  Lean-to,  three-<iuarter  span, 
and  span-roofed— advantages  and  disadvantages  in  each  ; 
preference  given  to  rather  high  span-roofed  houses,  with 
either  single  or  double  cross  trellises,  planting  trees  back  to 
back  in  the  latter  instance.  Borders ;  Where  natural  con- 
ditions are  unfavourable,  excavations  and  completely  drained 
and  remade  borders  are  necessary,  but  market  growers  have 
the  advantage  in  this  respect,  in  that  they  select  positions 
that  only  requi'-e  trenching  and  slight  additions  made  to  the 
ordinary  soil.  Trees:  Maidens  y.  trained  trees — the  advan- 
tage being  all  in  favour  of  the  former.  Maidens  are  the 
quickest  to  attain  to  a  heavily  productive  state,  and  develop 
into  the  finest  as  well  as  most  lasting  trees.  The  lecturer 
mentioned  having  planted  a  number  of  maidens  under  glass 
in  March,  1809.  Fifteen  months  later  each  were  being 
cleared  of  from  two  dozen  to  four  dozen  first-sized  fruit, 
fetching  the  highest  market  prices.  An  interesting  discus- 
sion followed  upon  the  points  already  named,  also  upon 
pruning,  clearing  trees  uf  insects,  varieties,  bud  dropping, 
&c.,  the  members  pointing  out  that  there  was  a  great  dif- 
ference in  the  position  of  the  market  gardener  and  private 
growei-,  and  therefore  the  culture  to  a  great  extent  must  be 
different.  Those  taking  part  were  Messrs.  Neve,  Lees,  Bright, 
Powell,  Baines,  Baskett,  Fry.  Stanton,  'Townsend,  Wilson, 
Cretchley,  Exler,  Moody,  and  Lever.  The  exhibits  were  not 
so  numerous,  but  of  excellent  qualiiy.  Mr.  W.  G.  Pigg,  of 
Treveroli,  Maidenhead,  entered  two  beautiful  Orchids  for 
the  association's  certificate,  and  both  gained  the  judge's 
favour  :  they  were  Cymbidium  lowianum  and  Lycaste 
Skinneii.  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Park  Place  Gardens,  staged  some 
lovely  spiays  of  .\sparagus  Sprengeri ;  and  ill:  J.  Pound,  of 
'The  Gardens,  The  Warren,  Caversham,  some  splendid 
specimens  of  the  blue  Pearmain  .ipple.  A  hearty  vote  of 
thanks  to  Jlr.  Iggulden  brought  the  meeting  to  a  close.  Six 
new  members  were  elected. 

WI4IBLED0N  GARDENERS'  SOCIETY. 
THK  last  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  on  Monday, 
the  4th  inst.,  and  there  was  a  capital  attendance.  There 
were  two  papers  for  reading,  one  by  Mr.  C.  Gibsoj], 
Morden  Park,  Mitcham,  on  the  "Cultivation  of  the  Rose,  " 
and  one  by  Mr.  A.  Newell  (gardener  to  the  late  Sir  E. 
Saunders,  Fair  Lawn,  Wimbledon  Common)  on  "Floral 
Decorations."  Mr.  G.  Thomson  was  in  the  chair,  and  opened 
the  proceedings  by  calling  upon  3Ir.  Gibson  for  his  paper. 

Briefly  referring  tu  the  great  antiquity  of  the  Ruse,  the 
work  of  the  French  raisers,  and  our  own  florists,  for  instance. 


Messrs. 
Prince. 

The  cultivation  of  the  different  sections  was  ably  dealt 
with  ;  the  dilterent  varieties  and  their  characters  must  be 
studied  rather  than  by  laying  down  any  general  rule.  With 
regard  to  the  general  pruning  of  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals, 
thinning  out  the  old  wood  or  very  weak  growth,  and  pruning 
weakest  growth  hard,  leaving  the  stronger  growths  rather 
longer  for  Hue  flowers.  Where  i|uantities  are  required 
rather  than  quality,  it  will  not  do  to  be  so  severe  with  the 
pruning,  and  it  is  generally  advisable  to  leave  pruning  until 
near  the  end  of  .March  or  early  in  April,  as  there  is  not  so 
much  danger  from  late  .spring  frosts,  and  by  then  any  damage 
done  to  wood  in  the  winter  can  be  better  seen. 

The  propagation  by  seeds,  cuttings,  budding,  and  grafting 
were  dealt  with  ;  also  layering  and  the  most  suitable  soil. 
Planting  was  best  done  when  there  was  still  some  warmth 
in  the  ground,  early  in  autumn. 

Attention  to  cleanliness,  keeping  out  of  suckers,  the 
destruction  of  the  maggot,  and  the  keeping  of  mildew  in 
check  by  plentiful  use  of  sulphur,  disbudding,  the  care  of 
the  blooms  when  wanted  for  show,  the  early  gathering  to 
keep  them  fresh,  were  all  touched  upon,  and  a  selection  of 
varieties  given  for  useful  purposes,  a  copy  of  the  National 
Rose  Society's  catalogue  having  been  kindly  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  the  members  by  the  honorary  secretary  of  the 
National  Rose  Society. 

There  was  very  little  discussion  considering  the  popular 
subject.  A  desire  for  more  information  upon  pot  culture 
was  met  by  a  promise  of  a  paper  at  some  future  date. 

M]-.  Newell  referred  to  the  marked  contrast  in  the  way 
in  which  flowers  were  used  for  decorative  purposes  now  and 
some  years  ago,  when  wreaths  and  bouquets  were  packed 
closely  with  flowers,  and,  he  might  say,  looked  almost  as  if 
shears  were  used  to  level  them  oft'.  Now  in  everything 
lightness  and  harmony  in  colours  were  the  great  desiderata. 
He  gave  a  few  hints  as  to  what  was  necessary  for  use  in 
ciit  flower  work,  as  different  lengths  of  wire,  binding  wire, 
wire  scissors,  and  a  fine  spray.  He  preferred  clay  and 
sand  to  place  in  baskets  to  hold  moisture,  and  also  to  keep 
flowers  steady,  and  urged  the  use  of  suitable  foliage,  espe- 
cially in  covering  the  sides  of  a  basket  for  exhibition.  A  few 
hints  were  given  as  to  the  decoration  of  a  dwelling-house. 
Use  bold  vases  of  such  flowers  as  large  Chrysanthemums 
orPa30nies,  with  suitable  foliage  in  a  front  hall,  a  place 
where  a  first  impression  could  be  given,  bearing  in  mind  the 
prevailing  colour  of  the  surroundings.  The  use  of  good 
plants  of  Crotons  or  Palms,  with  flowering  plants  in  drawing- 
rooms,  the  way  to  All  a  fireplace,  and  directions  as  to 
dinner  table  decomtions.  The  best  eft'ects  were  obtained 
by  the  use  of  coloured  glass,  green  he  preferred,  and  the 
use  of  sprays  of  Smilax,  Jasmine,  and  Asparagus,  with  a  few 
nice  flowers.  In  using  two  colours  he  always  preferred  to 
use  the  darker  ones  for  the  ground. 

A  few  questions  were  asked,  and  votes  of  thanks  given  to 
the  readers  of  the  papers  and  to  the  chairman  for  his 
services  during  the  session,  which  was  considered  to  have 
been  a  very  successful  one,  and  hopes  were  expressed  that 
it  would  be  possible  to  arrange  for  another  similar  course 
for  the  next  winter  season. 


BRISTOL    GARDENERS'    ASSOCIATION. 

The  fortnightly  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  on 
Thursday,  the  14th  inst.,  at  St.  .lohns  Parish  Room,  Red- 
land,  Mr.  G.  Brook  presiding.  The  lecture  for  the  evening 
was  on  "The  Fuchsia,"  being  given  by  Mr.  J.  Julian,  of 
Cardiff,  and  hon.  secretary  of  the  Cardiff  Gardeners'  Associa- 
tion. Claiming  for  Fuchsias  at  the  outset  an  elegance  that 
marked  them  out  for  decoration,  he  gave  a  short  history  of 
their  introduction  into  this  country  about  17SS.  He  also 
gave  details  of  the  cultivation  from  the  time  of  putting  in 
cuttings  until  the  specimens  reached  a  height  of  C  feet,  and 
a  diameter  in  proportion.  The  best  time  for  prupagatiug 
he  gave  as  February,  the  cuttings  when  rooted  to  be 
continually  repotted  until  pots  Itl  inches  in  diameter  were 
reached.  The  compost  he  recommended  was  loam,  leaf- 
mould,  and  manure,  with  an  addition  of  silver  sand.  He 
also  gave  instructions  as  to  pinching,  training,  feeding,  the 
kind  of  structure  best  suited  to  the  culture  of  Fuchsias,  and 
method  of  dealing  with  insect  pests.  Mr.  Julian  s  lecture 
was  much  appreciated,  and  he  was  heartily  thanked  on  the 
motion  of  the  chairman.  Prizes  for  three  Hyacinths  were 
awarded  to  Messrs.  Price  and  Leaves.  For  three  Tea  Roses  : 
First,  the  Lord  ilayor,  C.  Colthurst  Godwin,  Esq.  (gardener, 
Mr.  McCulluch);  second,  Mr  Barrow.  Certificates  of  merit 
went  to  W.  A.  F.  Powell,  Esq.  (gardener,  Mr.  Raikes)  and 
Mr.  T.  Clark,  each  for  a  Cyclamen  :  Lady  Cave  (gardener, 
Mr.  E.  Poole)  for  Begonia  :  W.  M  Wills,  Esq.  (gardener,  Mr. 
Framptuu)  fur  Cineraria  stellata  ;  and  Mr.  Price  for  Lycaste 
Skinneri. 


ANSWERS 
TO    CORRESPONDENTS. 


Names  of  plants,— ^4.  T'.  M.  (Coltness).  —  The 
specimeus  sent  were  far  too  poor  to  name  with  absolute 
certainty,  but  as  far  as  we  can  make  out  they  are  as  follows ; — 
1,  Asparagus  pluinosus  nanus  ;  2,  Davallia  mooreana  ;  3  may 
be  a  Culeus  ;  4,  Dracaena  marginata  ;  5,  Begonia  Kex  var.  ; 
0,  Hoya  carnosa;  7,  Medinilla  niasniflca;  S,  Lomatia 
illicifolia ;  9,  Riiellia  Portellai :  10,  Rondeletia  (Kogiera) 
gratissima;  11,  Goiiiophlebiuni  subauriculatum.- — G.   C.~ 

Cornelian  Cherry  (Cornus   Mas). Rev.  R.   J/.— The  true 

Galanthus    nivalis    latifolius. il'.    H.    Eeary. — A    veiy 

brightly-coloured   variety  of  Cattleya  Trianse. H.   M. — 

Pittosporum  tenuifolium. 

Names  of  fpuit.— .F.  G.  (Wolverton).— l,  Barchard's 

Seedling;   2,  Fearn's  Pippin. E.  S.   (Cowes).— The  fruit 

you  sent  is  Claygate  Pearmain,  not  Golden  Pearmain. 


216 


THE    GARDEN. 


fMARCH   23,  1901. 


FLO^VER    GARDEN. 

Verbena  Ellen  "Willmott  (F.  S.  A.)  —You  can  get 
this  at  any  sood  nui-sery,  such  as  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons, 
of  Reading;  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  of  Chelsea;  Cannell,  oi 
Swanley ;  H.  J.  Jones,  Ryecroft  Nursery,  Hither  Green, 
Lewisham  ;  Barr  and  Sons.  King  Street,  Covent  Garden,  &c. 

Capnation  disease  (Mrs.  Meade).— The  leaves  are 
badly  affected  with  what  gardeners  term  "spot."  It  is  a 
fungoid  disease  caused  by  a  damp  atmosphere,  and  in  the 
case  of  the  plant  sent  this  has  been  aggravated  by  the 
plants  having  rather  too  much  water  at  the  roots.  We  advise 
careful  attention  to  watering.  The  frame  lights  should  be 
pulled  off  whenever  the  weather  is  flne  ;  go  over  the  plants, 
cut  off  all  the  diseased  leaves,  and  stir  the  soil  up  a  little  on 
the  surface.  The  plants  would  do  better  if  they  were 
potted  more  firmly  ;  the  soil  in  the  pot  sent  is  too  loose  for 
Carnations.  The  plants  will  grow  out  of  the  disease  as  the 
season  advances.  All  they  require  is  a  dry  atmosphere  and 
plenty  of  air  night  and  day. 

Violets  diseased.  (Mrs.  Meade).— Your  plants  are 
suffering  in  the  same  way.  As  much  as  Carnations  they 
suffer  from  a  close  atmosphere  and  from  damp.  The  same 
treatment  will  give  the  same  satisfactory  results.  The 
weather  latelv  has  been  very  wet. 

Taking-  "Dahlia  cutting's  (W.  W.).— Yes,  Jadoo 
fibre  would  do  very  well.  It  is  a  soft,  spongy  material, 
thoroughly  well  adapted  for  this  purpose.  By  all  means  try 
it,  and  we  advise  you  to  use  it  alone. 

Nymphsea  i^nea  (N.  R.).— We  should  certainly 
plant  this  kind  in  your  rock  pool.  A  very  good  kind  for  the 
pool,  too,  is  the  pretty  small-flowered  and  growing  N. 
pygmrea  Helvola. 

Aquilegia  long-issima  (E.  Horder).— The  species 
mentioned,  A.  longissima,  is  unfortunately  not  in  cultivation 
in  this  country  to  our  knowledge.  Seeds  were  collected  in 
Mexico,  and  plants  raised  and  grown  at  the  Botanic  Garden, 
Harvard  University,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.S.A.,  in  1883,  but 
was  entirely  lost  again  in  188G.  Owing  to  its  habitat  being 
dithcult  to  reach  it  may  be  some  time  before  a  further 
supply  of  seed  is  obtained. 

Perennial  Peas  (C.  J.). — You  may  obtain  seeds  of  all 
the  best  known  species  or  varieties  of  what  are  commonly 
known  as  Everlasting  Peas  from  any  good  seed  firm.  The 
best  known  species  are  Lathynis  grandiflorus,  the  earliest 
carrying  large  red  twin  flowers ;  Lathyrus  rotundiflorus,  which 
carries  in  great  profusion  flowers  in  clusters  or  racemes  and 
of  a  reddish  carmine  hue  ;  and  Lathyrus  latifolius.  The  best 
kinds  are  white,  flesh,  red,  and  crimson.  Plants  of  most 
of  these  forms  may  be  purchased  in  pots  also.  Seeds  may 
be  sown  in  very  small  clumps  where  the  plants  are  needed 
to  grow.  If  no  supports  in  the  shape  of  tree  stems  or  trellis 
work  be  provided,  then  in  all  cases  use  ordinary  Pea  sticks. 
All  forms  are  charming  summer  flowers. 

Poppy  Anemones  (Laura  G.)-You  should  either 
sow  your  seed  of  Puppy  Anemone  in  shallow  pans  or  boxes, 
standing  them  in  a  frame  or  greenhouse,  or  else  undei'  hand- 
lights  outdoors.  We  prefer  the  latter  method,  sowing  the 
seed  thinly.  If  you  sow  thus,  prepare  a  piece  of  ground  by 
forking  it  well,  burying  into  it  some  leaf-soil  and  old  hot-bed 
manure,  making  the  surface  very  flne,  then  strewing  over 
it  a  (piantity  of  sharp  white  sand.  Put  your  seed  into 
a  large  basin  and  mix  with  it  twice  its  bulk  of  sand,  well 
rubbing  it  up  to  disintegrate  it,  then  place  the  hand-lights 
on  the  prepared  gruund  to  mark  the  spaces  to  be  sown,  and 
draw  shallow  drills  2  inches  apart  in  these  spaces.  Sow  the 
seeds  thinly  and  evenly,  cover  up  with  soil,  water,  and 
place  the  lights  over,  then  shade  in  sunshine.  When  the 
plants  are  well  up  remove  the  hand-lights.  The  plants  can 
be  lifted  and  be  dibbled  out  where  to  flower  at  any  time 
during  the  summer  as  may  be  convenient,  and  they  will 
bloom  finely  the  following  spring. 

Diseased  Violets  (M.  W.) — Your  Violets  have  been 
attacked  liy  a  fungus,  with  the  name  of  which  we  are  not 
familiar,  and  that  is  of  little  consequence.  So  far,  it  is  to 
be  feared  that  your  stock  may  not  do  to  propagate  from 
another  year,  but  in  any  case  you  may  smother  the  plants 
with  sulphur  and  shut  the  frame  close  down  for  a  few  days, 
late)-,  when  the  weather  is  finer,  washing  the  plants  by  an 
overhead  watering.  You  can  follow  that  with  a  free  dusting 
of  soot  between  the  plants,  then  top-dress,  after  removing 
all  the  worst  of  the  leaves,  with  an  inch  thickness  of  flne 
soil.  In  that  case  you  may  secure  quite  new  clean  leaves 
and  runners,  but  there  is  uncertainty.  If  you  cannot  get 
plants  from  a  clean  source  next  autumn,  in  any  case  dust 
with  sulphur  once  or  twice  early  in  the  winter,  as  that  may 
check  the  fungus  in  such  case. 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 

Coleuses  fpom  seed  (Stalrans).— Unless  Coleuses 
are  wanted  for  bedding— the  worst  possible  use  to  put  them 
to— it  is  not  at  all  woi-th  your  while  to  trouble  about 
wintering  these  very  tender  plants,  for  they  need  a  moderate 
warmth  to  keep  them  alive.  You  can  purchase  for  a  small 
sum  a  packet  of  seed,  which  may  be  sown  in  5-inch  pots 
filled  with  sandy  soil  or  in  a  pan  stood  in  a  warm  part  of 
the  greenhouse  and  covered  up  with  glass.  Seedling  plants 
are  very  varied,  and  every  one  has  beautiful  leafage. 
Some  may  be  purchased  to  grow  bushy,  others  allowed  to 
grow  tall  and  to  bloom,  and  although  the  flowers  are  not 
large,  yet  the  spikes  are  particularly  pretty.  We  like  these 
plants  grown  in  this  way  in  the  greenhouse  or  in  rooms  in 
the  summer  vei'y  much.  Some  seed  stocks  have  vei-y 
beautiful  leafage.  I^'lowering  plants  also  give  seed  ^'ery 
freely. 

Muscari  seedling's  (Ndrth  Cray).— The  seedlings 
should  be  left  in  the  pan  till  they  have  lost  their  leaves, 
when  they  may  be  planted  out  where  they  are  to  remain. 
'Iliey  willprobablv  be  flowering  plants  at  two  years  old. 

Calla  and  Hippeastpum  (C.  E.  Fi.ETCHEiO.-It  is 
difficult  to  suggest  any  reason  for  your  Callas  dying  off  after 
the  manner  of  the  enclosed  leaf,  which,  however,  appears  to 
be  unusually  thin  in  texture,  hence  we  can  only  suggest  that 
the  plants  may  have  been  kept  too  olose,  thereby  resulting 
in  very  soft  foliage,  which  has  suft'ered  by  exposure  to  the 


sun.  This,  however,  is  but  conjecture,  for  much  the  same 
efi'ect* would  be  produced  if  the  plants  had  been  given  water 
from  a  newly  painted  structure,  or  an  excess  of  some  of  the 
powerful  manures  now  so  much  used  would  cause  the  leaves 
to  burn  up  as  in  the  one  sent.  We  fear  that  little  can  now 
be  done  in  your  case,  but  should  advise  you  to  turn  your 
pl.-'.nts  out  of  doors  in  a  sunny  spot,  when  all  danger  from 
fiTjst  is  over,  and  allow  them  to  rest  till  July  before 
repotting.  Then  keep  out  of  doors  till  the  autumn  frosts, 
and  in  every  way  encourage  as  sturdy  a  growth  as  possible 
liy  placing  thera  in  a  light  airy  structure  when  necessary  to 
remove  under  glass.  The  injury  to  the  leaves  and  flower 
spikes  of  your  Hippeastrums  is  caused  by  the  bulb  mite, 
which  attacks  thera  while  still  within  the  bulb,  and  the 
wounded  portions  enlarge  as  the  leaves  or  stem  develop. 
Various  reasons  have  been  put  forward  to  account  for  tlie 
greater  frequency  with  which  this  pest  is  now  met  with 
than  it  was  formerly,  and  many  recipes  have  been  suggested 
in  order  to  destroy  it,  but  being  buried  in  the  fleshy  matter 
of  the  bulb,  it  is  safe  against  most  insecticides,  unless  they 
are  sufllciently  powerful  to  injure  the  bulb  itself.  The  best 
way  to  combat  tlie  mite  in  the  case  of  the  Amaryllis  is  to 
keep  the  plants  in  as  healthy  and  well  rooted  a  state  as 
possible.  Too  moist  a  spot  while  resting,  or  an  excess  of 
water  during  the  early  part  of  the  year,  just  as  the  bulbs  are 
starting  into  growth,  is  particularly  favourable  to  the 
increase  of  this  pest.  We  should  advise  you  to  rest  your 
hullis  in  a  light  airy  spot  in  order  to  consolidate  the  texture 
of  the  bulbs  as  much  as  possible  ;  then  aliout  Christmas,  or 
early  in  the  new  year,  before  they  start,  shake  them  (luite 
clear  of  the  old  soil,  remove  every  item  of  decay,  and  repot 
in  a  mixture  of  good  yellow  loam,  leaf-mould,  well-decayed 
maimre,  and  sand.  After  this  give  very  little  water  till  the 
roots  are  again  active. 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

Outdoop  Fig-  tpee  not  fpuiting-  (Hants).— We 
fear  from  the  description  you  give  of  your  Turkey  Fig  on 
the  garden  wall  that  you  have  not  only  allowed  it  far  too 
much  root  room  but  have  encouraged  it  to  run  too  wild. 
When  Fig  trees  are  grown  simply  to  produce  wood  and 
leafage  for  wall  covering  they  may  have  all  possible  root 
run,  but  when  fruit  is  desired  then  their  roots  should  be 
severely  limited  in  root  run.  It  is  not  too  late  now  to  have 
a  trench  cut  2  feet  wide  and  as  deep,  or  if  needful  to  get  at 
the  roots,  even  S  feet  deep  and  3  feet  from  the  tree  stem. 
Such  a  drastic  root  pruning  will  give  the  tree  a  great  check, 
limit  the  wood  growth,  and  cause  fruit  to  be  formed. 
Fill  in  the  side  of  the  trench  nearest  the  tree  with  old 
mortar  rubble,  wood  ashes,  and  soil,  tilling  up  the  remainder 
with  the  soil  thrown  out.  Top-dress  the  8  feet  border  left 
witli  half-decayed  manure,  as  the  aim  then  should  be  to 
cause  the  formation  of  plenty  of  young  roots  near  the 
surface  and  close  home. 

Early  Strawbeppies  (0.  J.  P.).— Unless  a  Straw- 
berry planted  tul)  be  stood  in  a  greenhouse  we  do  not  see 
how  the  plants  can  produce  ripe  fruit  earlier  than  they  will 
out  on  a  waria  border.  Most  certainly  the  fruits  from  the 
bordei'  will  be  far  rtner  and  much  more  abundant.  If  you 
really  want  to  accelerate  some  Strawberry  plants  fruiting, 
and  have  none  m  pots  specially  prepared  for  fruiting  under 
glass*  then  your  best  course  is  to  place  a  wooden  frame  in  a 
warm  position.  Put  into  it  VZ  inches  thickness  of  short 
stable  manure  and  well  tread  it  down.  On  to  that  put  as 
thick  together  as  you  can  stand  them  Strawberry  plants 
lifted  with  a  spade  or  fork  from  the  open  ground,  then  All  in 
tlrmly  about  them  with  flne  soil.  Watei-  them,  then  shut 
close  up.  You  should  in  that  way  obtain  fruits  a  fortnight 
earlier  than  outdoors.  The  plants  should  be  those  that  have 
fruited  once  previously. 

Pruning-  Apple  trees  (R.  T.  H.).— Certainly  prune 
your  Apple  trees  now  rather  than  wait  until  the  autumn, 
it  is  late,  of  course,  hut  it  would  be  very  unwise  to  allow 
them  to  grow  throughout  the  summer  ;  the  shoots  made 
would  be  weak  and  useless,  and  would  need  severe  pruning 
later,  which  is  not  usually  beneficial. 

Black  Vine  Weevil  (James  Brown).— The  grubs 
you  sent  are  not  those  of  one  of  the  Chafers,  but  of  one  of 
the  Weevils.  See  the  article  on  the  Black  Vine  Weevil  in 
this  week's  Oarhen. 


KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

Sowing  Bpussels  Sppouts(AKTHUU)-— Wedonot 
think  anything  is  gained  by  sowing  seeds  of  Brussels  Sprouts 
earlier  than  is  possible  outdoors,  as  plants  put  out  early  in 
the  summer,  and  especially  in  rich  garden  soil,  grow  very 
gross,  produce  large,  coarse  Sprouts,  and  are.  when  very 
hard  weather  comes,  liable  to  be  killed  wholesale.  If  you 
will  sow  seed  now  or  within  a  week  or  so  in  shallow  drills 
10  inches  apart  out  in  the  open  ground,  covering  over  the 
plot  sown  with  Hsh-netting.  raised  by  the  aid  of  sticks  a 
few  inches  from  the  soil,  you  will  have  in  that  way  plenty  of 
strong  plants  to  put  out  towards  the  end  of  .Tune  and  that 
is,  as  a  rule,  soon  enough  to  obtain  stout  stems  -1  feet  in 
height  that  will  produce  good  hard  Sprouts  for  gathering  at 
the  end  of  November  and  all  through  the  winter.  When 
the  plants  get  strong  tread  the  soil  ttrmly.  It  is  good  for  the 
stems  anri  hardens  them. 

Buttep  Beans  (S.  E.  C.).— It  is  much  to  be  regretted 
that  so  little  of  a  practical  nature  seems  to  be  known  of 
these  golden-hued  Beans.  You  can  choose  between  Runners 
and  Dwarfs.  When  a  few  years  since  a  trial  of  these  Beans, 
including  all  the  best  continental  varieties  from  whence 
most  of  them  come,  took  place  in  the  gardens  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  at  Chiswick,  the  two  best  climbers 
there  growing  (5  feet  in  height  were  Mont  dOr  and 
Hungarian.  The  best  of  the  dwarfs  was  also  named  Mont 
d'Or.  The  pod.s  when  ready  for  cooking  are  i[uite  yellow  and 
thick.  They  are  stringless  and  need  when  cooked  to  have 
their  stems  and  points  only  cut  ciflf,  then  be  boiled  whole, 
being  served  up  with  gravy  or  melted  butter.  So  presented 
they  form  a  delicious  dish.  We  wonder  that  these  Beans 
are  not  widely  grown.    The  end  of  May  is  the  time  to  sow. 


QUESTION. 

Shpubs  fop  tubs  that  will  beap  ellpping- 
op  tpainin^  into  shape.— A  correspondent  asks  for 
names  of  a  variety  of  evergreen  shrubs  for  the  above  treat- 
ment, and  wishes  to  know  whether  there  are  others  likely 
to  be  tractable  in  Westmoreland  besides  Box,  Yew,  Holly, 
Euonynms,  Ci-yptomerias,  Laurustiinis,  Bay,  Portugal  Laurel, 
and  Veronica  Traversi  ? 

GARDENING     APPOINTMENT. 

Mr.  Charlks  Hewitt,  late  gardener  to  Mr.  Shannon, 
Tudor  Hill,  Sutton  Coldfield,  has  been  engaged  to  take 
charge  of  the  garden  and  Cactus  houses  of  Mr.  W,  C.  G. 
Ludford,  F.R.H.S. 


Catalogues  Received. 

Agricultural  Seeds  —  Kerd  Brothers,  Market  Sijttare, 
Peruith. 

Hardy  Plants. — Mesurs.  T.  S.  M'are,  Limited,  Hah  Farm 
Nur(,eiies,  FtUtham,  Mid'llcsex. 

Orchids  — Mesars.  Ckarleaworth  and  Co.,  Heaton,  Bradford, 
1  orks. 

Lawn  Mowers. — Messrs.  John  Crowley  and  Co,,  Limited, 
Meadow  Hall  Iron  Wurks,  near  Sltpffield. 

Hardy  Perennial,  Alpine,  and  Rockwork  Plants. — Mr. 
J.  H.  M  ond,  Wooiirille,  Kirkftall,  Lee<Jn. 

Hardy  Plants,  Novelties  in  Bamboos,  Water  Lilies,  A'c  — 
Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons,  Ktivj  Street,  Covent  Garden,  H'.C. 

Water  Lilies  and  Aquatics.— iV^.  Henrt/  A.  Drter,  71lt, 
CUeMunt  Street ,  Philadelphiu,  U.S.A. 


FORTHCOMING      EVENTS. 

March  20. -Royal    Horticultural    Society's    meeting,    Orill 

Hall,  Westminster. 
April  10.— East  Anglian  Daffodil  Society's  spring  show. 
,,      11  and  V2. — Annual  show  of  the  Cornwall  Daffodil  and 

Spring  Flower  Society. 


EDITORIAL      NOTICES. 

Every  department  of  horticulture  in  rei/reaented  in  Thk 
Garden,  and  the  Editors  invite  readers  to  xend  in  questions 
relating  to  matters  upon  which  they  wish  advice  Jrom  compe- 
tent authorities.  With  that  object  they  wish  to  make  the 
*'  Aiiswers  to  Correspondents"  column  a  conspicuous  J'eature. 
and  when  queries  are  printed,  they  hufje  that  their  readei  s  will 
kindly  give  enquirers  the  Oen'-fit  of  their  assistance.  All 
communications  mitst  he  wrdten  cleaily  on  one  xide  only 
of  the  paper,  and  addressed  to  the  EuiToiiS  of  Thk  (iARPKN, 
accompanied  by  name  anii  addrest  of  the  sendei . 


As  re  lards  photo-iraphs,  if  paijment  be  desired,  the  Editors 
ask  that  the  pnce  required  for  reproduetivn  be  plainly  stated. 
It  must  be  distinctly  understood  that  only  the  actual  phot"- 
grapher  or  owner  of  the  copyright  will  be  treated  with. 

The  Editors  welcome  photographs,  articles,  and  nole^,  but 
they  will  not  be  responsible  for  their  safe  leturn.  All  teason- 
able  care,  however^  will  be  taken,  and  where  stamps  are 
enclosed,  they  will  endeavour  to  return  non-accepted  con- 
tributions. 


The  Editors  will  not  be  responsible  for  the  retuniof  artistic 
or  literary  contributions  which  they  may  not  be  able  to  use, 
and  the  receipt  of  a  proof  mitst  not  be  taken  as  evidence  that 
an  article  is  accepted.  FuJUlcation  in  Thk  Gakdkn  wUl 
alone  be  recognised  as  acce  dance. 


Edited   by    MISS    JEKYLL   and   MR     E.  T.    COOK. 


Offices:  SO,  Taoistock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C. 


I N  D  K  X. 

Page 

Adonis  amureusis        201 

Annuals,  some  pretty 20t> 

Artist's  note-book,  an  (illustrated)          207 

Bean  Veitch's  Climbing  French     201 

Bedding  plants,  simple  use  of        197 

Correspondence           204 

Croci  at  Kew  (illustrated) 205 

Cyclamen  libanoticuiu          2u7 

Destroyers,  garden  (illustrated) 212 

Edging  indoors,  plants  for 2))4 

Editors'  table 19S 

Epacrises 204 

Gardening  of  the  week         209 

Gardens,  keepsake       2U 

Hattleld,  the  famous  maze  at  (illustrated)        211 

Hawaiian  Islands,  gardens,  tlelda,  and  wilds  of          ...  207 

"  In  a  small  way  "                            2U2 

Narcissus  poeticus  above  Montrenx  (illustrateil)       ...  2(.K) 

Notes  of  the  week       199 

Orchids 20r> 

Pea,  the  Sweet 200 

Plants,  new  and  rare  (illustrated) 198 

Potatoes,  planting       2lo 

Shrubs,  spring-dowering      208 

Societies 21f> 

Stralfan  House  Gardens,  Ireland  (illustrated) 20a 

Struggles  in  smoke      197 

Weevil,  the  black  Vine         ...  212 

Woodland  and  forest 201 


GARDEN. 


4MS# 


-yfS?=^^^PSP 


No.  1532.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[March  30,  1901. 


\ 


WALL     GARDENING. 


S' 


0  remarkable  has  been  the  growth  of 
interest  in  garden  matters  of  late 
years,  and  so  happily  is  it  the  case 
that  this  wholesome  growth  is 
steadily  increasing,  that  ways  of  gar- 
dening scarcely  thought  of  twenty  years  ago 
are  .now  being  eagerly  taken  up.  The  better 
knowledge  of  many  'of  the  beautiful  flowers 
of  the  Alps  has  shown  that— though  some  are 
plants  for  our  garden  borders,  and  a  still 
greater  number  will  suit  our  rock  gardens — 
there  are  many,  and  among  them  some  of 
the  most  beautiful,  that  are  plants  whose 
right  home  in  England  is  an  actual  wall. 

We  have  not,  except  in  a  few  favoured 
gardens,  such  natural  walls  as  many  alpines 
have  the  benefit  of  at  home,  but  most  gardens 
have  some  kind  of  walls,  while  many  have 
retaining  walls  of  unmortared  stone,  what  are 
known  as  dry  walls.  Now  we  have  come  to 
see  how  valuable  these  places  are,  for  there  are 
a  good  number  of  the  mountain  plants  that 
can  only  be  successfully  grown  in  an  actual 
wall,  where  their  roots  ramble  back  into  the 
coo]  stony  depths,  and  the  heads  are  in  full 
sunlight. 

There  are  also  numbers  of  gardens  that 
have  steep  turf  slopes,  that  are  not  beautiful  in 
themselves,  and  that  could  without  much  diffi- 
culty be  altered  into  just  the  kind  of  rough 
walls  that  would  be  the  very  place  for  many 
of  the  beautiful  mountain  plants. 

Thick  old  walls,  already  mossed  and  weedy, 
are  a  paradise  for  many  a  lovely  alpine,  and  it 
is  pleasant  work  to  take  a  small  narrow-bladed 
pick  and  rake  out  the  weeds  and  rubbish  from 
the  joints,  while  retaining  as  much  of  the  moss 
as  possible,  and  to  consider  what  pretty  plants 
may  best  go  there  instead,  beginning  with  the 
best  known  wall  plants.  Wallflower,  Snap- 
dragon, Valerian,  and  small  Pinks.  Then,  as 
knowledge  increases,  and  with  it  the  inevitable 
quick-growing  interest  that  this  most  attractive 
form  of  gardening  so  soon  awakens,  other  plants 
will  be  used,  and  the  many  delights  of  wall 
gardening  will  become  more  widely  appreciated. 
Indeed,  it  is  a  wonder  that  it  is  not  already  more 
practised,  for  even  the  wild  wall  growths  are 
beautiful,  and  when  one  sees  the  small  wall 
Ferns  and  the  yellow  Corydalis  and  the  dainty 
little  Ivy-leaved  Toad-flax  growing  contentedly, 
with  no  more  nutriment  than  they  can  derive 
from  the  decaying  mortar,  one  gets  some  idea 
of  the  little  that  wall  plants  want,  and  of  the 
much  they  can  give. 


Walls  are  beautified  quickly  with  the  growth 
of  plants  when  the  seeds  are  sown  with  reason- 
able care  and  the  right  kinds  are  chosen.  A 
wall  of  living  beauty  is  possible  before  the 
mixed  border  has  become  established,  or  in 
gardens  where  no  rock  garden  is  possible,  many 
beautiful  alpines  that  love  to  send  their  roots 
into  the  crevices  are  quite  as  happy  here,  even 
more  so,  than  elsewhere. 


OW^N  ROOT  ROSES-A  NOTE 
FROM   AMERICA. 

In  connection  with  the  editorial  article  on 
Roses,  February  9,  I  should  like  to  give  my 
experience  on  "  Roses  on  their  own  roots."  It 
is  not  extensive,  but  so  far  as  it  goes  it  is  in 
their  favour.  Our  people  prefer  a  large  number 
of  one  variety.  We  have  been  growing  Magna 
Charta  and  Ulrich  Brunner  only.  As  there 
was  in  prospect  for  this  winter  a  need  for 
more  Roses  than  we  were  prepared  for,  we  had 
to  buy  some  plants  of  Magna  Charta  (grafted 
stock).  They  were  two  year  (1)  old  plants,  our 
importation,  but  have  not  made  an  equal 
showing  with  our  last  winter's  cuttings.  For 
some  reason  they  do  not  root  so  freely  nor 
break  so  low  down.  Our  plan  with  "  Maguas  " 
has  been  to  place  the  plants  after  blooming  in 
good  light  in  some  reserve  house,  say,  a  cold 
Peach  house,  until  danger  of  frost  is  past,  and 
then  plant  them  out  for  the  summer.  They 
are  potted  up  in  October  with  all  the  stems 
left  on,  and  ripened  in  some  cold  house  or 
sunny  pit,  and  not  pruned  until  just  before 
forcing  commences.  We  cut  our  stems  long, 
so  we  have  to  take  any  wood  we  can  get  for 
cuttings,  mostly  blind  wood,  but  they  do  well. 
Another  thing  in  favour  of  our  plan  of  planting 
out  for  the  summer  is  that  plants  on  their  own 
roots  do  much  better  than  when  grafted  on 
budded  stock.  Stock  of  the  last-named  were 
not  worth  taking  up  last  autumn.  There  seems 
to  be  an  idea,  I  hardly  can  say  with  any 
foundation  for  it.  that  Roses  on  their  own 
roots  lose  vigour  with  age,  and  must  be  renewed 
with  a  fresh  importation  every  few  years,  but 
even  so  it  would  not  be  a  serious  matter.  I 
am  glad  to  add  some  names  to  my  list,  and 
would  like  to  know  whether  any  of  your  corre- 
spondents have  tried  Mrs.  Sharman  Crawford 
on  its  own  roots.  T.  D.  Hatfield. 

Wellesley,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 

[We  hope  Mr.  Hatfield's  question  will  be 
answered  by  Rose  growers  in  this  country. — 
Eds.1 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

Flowers  from   Winchmobe   Hill. 

Mr.  Amos  Perry,  Hardy  Plant  Nursery,  Winch- 
more  Hill,  near  London,  sends  two  delightful 
spring  flowers.  One  is  Iris  persioa  puipurea,  a 
flower  of  beautiful  colouring,  soft  lilac-purple, 
very  charming  in  a  clear  light,  and  quite  distinct 


from  its  parents.  The  other  is  the  pure  white 
variety  of  Scilla  bifolia,  a  flower  as  precious  as 
anything  in  the  garden  at  present,  making  white 
patches  in  the  rock  garden  and  places  where  the 
early  bulbs  are  planted.  It  is  one  of  those  good 
things  to  have  near  the  house  or  to  grow  in  pots 
in  the  cold  or  cool  greenhouse. 


Flowers  from  Kirkstall. 
Mr.  J.  H.  Wood,  Hardy  Plant  Club,  Woodville, 
Kirkstall,  Leeds,  sends  the  following  March  flowers 
for  our  table  and  the  following  notes  : 

Saxifraga  bursekiana. 
One  of  our  most  valuable  March-flowering  rock 
plants,  and  is  now  in  full  bloom.  Where  it  can 
be  well  grown  it  will  repay  the  grower  tenfold  for 
all  trouble  by  its  crowds  of  pretty  frilled,  cup- 
shaped  flowers  borne  on  brilliant  red  stems,  as  a 
plant  of  only  IJ  inches  diameter  will  often  bear 
fifteen  or  twenty  blooms  and  seem  in  no  way 
exhausted.  S.  burseriana  thrives  in  a  half  shady 
situation  awaj'  from  drip,  likes  good  drainage  and 
moderate  moisture.  The  same  applies  to  its  other 
forms,  S.  b.  major  and  S.  b.  speciusa. 

Saxifraga  Boydi  alba. 

This  beautiful  species,  in  the  way  of  S.  burseriana 
and  flowering  at  the  same  time,  possesses  a  distinct 
charm  of  its  own.  Its  much  larger  foliage,  some- 
times faintly  encrusted,  and  ohorter  flower  stems, 
surmounted  by  three  buds  flowering  in  succession, 
make  it  easily  distinguishable  from  rS.  burseriana. 
The  flowers,  too,  although  quite  as  broad,  are  not 
frilled,  and  are  flat  rather  than  cup-shaped  Both 
are  undoubtedly  gems,  but  Boydi  alba  has  more 
the  appearance  of  a  set  jewel,  with  its  large  flowers 
lying  close  to  the  foliage.  It  seems  to  grow 
stronger  than  and  under  the  same  conditions  as 
L.  burseriana. 

Saxifraga  scardiga. 

This  has  been  in  bloom  some  time.  A  really 
good  and  bright  yellow,  it  should  be  valued  for 
its  earliness.  If  planted  under  the  shelter  of  a 
rock  with  a  southern  aspect,  where  it  will  be  free 
from  excessive  winter  wet,  it  is  sure  to  thrive 
satisfactorily.  It  flowers  from  February  well  into 
March,  when  its  place  is  taken  up  by  S.  sancta 
and  S.  apiculata. 

Other  Notable  Plants  in  Bloom 
just  now  are  Triteleia  uniflora  (Spring  Starflower), 
Primula  rosea  grandiflora.  Anemone  blanda, 
Sisyrinchium  grandiflorum,  Erica  carnea  and  its 
white  form.  Narcissus  minimus,  N.  cyelamineus, 
Lenten  Roses,  Iris  reticulata,  Dondia  epipactis, 
and  others  of  more  or  less  merit. 

L.iXIA  jongheana. 
We  receive  from  Mr.  Burbidge,  from  the  Trinity 
College  Botanical  Gardens,  Dublin,  a  flower  of  this 
uncommon  Orchid,  with  these  words:  "It  was 
described  by  Professor  H.  G.  Reichenbach  in  1872, 
but  was  rare  in  gardens  until  Sander  had  a  strong 
importation  last  year.  It  is  not  by  any  means 
'  the  fairest  flower  that  blows,'  but  it  is  very 
pure  and  beautiful  in  its  own  way.  The  flower 
sent  was  grown  bj'  Mr.  Bedford  at  the  Straffan 
Gardens,  the  plant  bearing  four  flowers  on  two 
spikes  or  scapes.  Note  the  segments  all  in  one 
plane ;  they  are  borne  obliquely  on  the  short 
scapes."  The  flower  is  6i  inches  across,  both 
sepals  and  upper  petals  are  of  the  same  full  mauve 


218 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  30,  1901. 


colour  ;  the  petals  are  very  slightly  waved  at  the 
edges.  The  lip  is  beautifully  fringed,  and  is  edged 
with  the  same  bright  mauve  colour  ;  the  middle 
lobe  is  lengthened,  and  is  white  as  to  its  middle 
space  and  ornamented  with  several  rows  of  deep 
yellow  fringed  plates  or  ridges  that  run  into  the 
throat. 


Daphne  Mazeli. 
A  flowering  spray  of  the  sweet-scented  Daphne 
Mazeli  comes  from  Mr.  Dugraore,  Parkstone, 
Dorset.  This  very  desirable  plant  may  be  described 
as  a  hardier  form  of  Daphne  indica,  which  it  much 
resembles.  An  excellent  plant  for  the  South  of 
England.  Mr.  Dugmore  says  that  he  has  grown 
it  for  thirty  years,  and  has  never  had  a  plant 
killed  by  frost.  It  grows  from  3  feet  to  4  feet 
high,  and  spreads  as  much  as  6  feet  or  7  feet. 
Every  shoot  ends  with  the  crowded  heads  of 
flowers,  and  the  sweet  scent  carries  from  30  yards 
to  40  yards.  Peat,  gravel,  and  leaf-mould  is  the 
soil  it  prefers.  The  foliage  is  best  in  half  shade, 
but  it  flowers  most  freely  in  full  sun.  The  more 
the  flowers  are  cut  the  more  compact  the  bush 
becomes. 


SOME    MARCH    FLOW^ER 

ARRANGEMENTS. 

Out-of-door  flowers  are  not  exactly  plentiful 
during  March,  especially  when  a  biting  north-east 
wind  is  retarding  all  growth  ;  but  some  lovely 
forerunners  of  spring  are  now  in  bloom,  and  a 
few  of  them  will  go  a  long  way  if  they  are  arranged 
with  plenty  of  foliage  that  brings  out  the  quality 
of  each  colour.  The  following  combination  will 
be  found  effective  : — 1.  Erica  carnea  and  sprigs  of 
Andromeda  calyculata.  The  latter  is  now  of  a 
purplish-brown  colour,  very  low  in  tone,  but 
beautiful  with  the  peculiar  pink  of  the  heath. 
2.  Snowdrops,  or  Leuoojum  vernum  and  Scilla 
prajcox,  with  foliage  of  Achillea  umbellata  and 
Euonymus  radicans.  These  make  a  lovely  frosty 
harmony  of  blue  and  silver,  especially  eS'ective  as 
a  table  decoration.  3.  Iris  reticulata  and  Lavender  ; 
the  two  spiky  upright  growths  look  very  well 
together.  4.  Anemone  fulgens  and  leaf-sprays  of 
common  white  Ling. 

The  greenhouse,  of  course,  affords  a  great  choice 
just  now,  but  the  following  are  particularly  pretty 
combinations  :  —  1.  Hyacinth  Norma  and  long 
sprays  of  deep  pink  fibrous-rooted  Begonia.  2. 
Blue  Cineraria  and  Primula  cashmeriaua.  Pick 
off  the  leaves  of  the  Cineraria  and  use  Azara 
microphylla  instead,  or  if  silvery  foliage  is  pre- 
ferred. Cineraria  maritima.  J.  C.  C. 


ORCHIDS. 


THE 


is  confined  to  a 
monsoon    region 


CYPRIPEDIUMS 

(Lady's  Slippers.) 
Notes  for  Amateurs. 

WE  have  no  more  varied  and  easily 
cultivated  class  of  Orchids  than 
the  cool  and  intermediate  house 
Cypripediums  of  the  eastern 
section.  The  geograpliical  dis- 
tribution of  the  various  species 
limited  space  within  the  Indian 
where  they  sometimes  follow 
mountainous  chains,  on  which  the  species  occur 
in  groups  of  twos  or  threes,  or  are  isolated 
at  great  distances  from  each  other.  Others  are 
confined  to  islands  or  groups  of  islands.  In  the 
former  case  they  usually  occur  at  considerable 
elevation,  where  the  rainfall  is  copious  and 
frequent  and  the  dry  seasons  are  of  short  duration. 
On  these  elevated  situations  they  are  found  growing 
chiefly  on  the  ledges,  and  in  crevices  of  limestone 
rocks,  and  in  similar  positions  where  there  is  a 
small  accumulation  of  decayed  vegetable  matter, 
generally  in  the  shelter  of  overhanging  trees. 

The  kinds  that  are  confined  to  islands  grow  at  a 
much    lower  elevation.       These    naturally   require 


higher  temperatures  than  the  mountain  species.  It 
is  therefore  to  the  cool-growing  section  that  the 
beginner's  attention  is  directed.  The  majority  of 
these  lend  themselves  readily  to  artificial  condi- 
tions, and,  with  a  few  exceptions,  the  cool-growing 
kinds,  not  only  retain  their  normal  vigour,  but  the 
cultural  effect  is  apparent  by  increased  size,  sub- 
stance, and  more  highly-coloured  markings  of  the 
foliage.  The  flowers  also  are,  in  raanj'  cases, 
larger,  and  the  usual  one-flowered  scape  occa- 
sionally becomes  twin-flowered.  This  no  doubt 
is  caused  by  the  more  liberal  and  regular  treatment 
that  can  be  afforded  the  plants  when  cultivated  in 
our  glass  houses. 

The  intermediate  house  section  requires  a  tem- 
perature of  55°.  The  following  species  and  hybrids 
will  be  found  suitable  :  C.  barbatum,  C.  callosum, 
C.  bellatulura,  C.  venustum,  C.  exul,  C.  Charles- 
worthi,  C.  niveum,  C.  concolor,  and  the  natural 
hybrid  C.  Godfroyte,  C.  Druryi,  C.  hirsutissimum, 
C.  spiceriauum,  and  the  hybrids  that  have  been 
derived  from  the  intercrossing  of  the  above-men- 
tioned species,  also  those  derived  from  the  influence 
of  one  of  the  hot  or  the  cool  house  section. 

The  potting  material  required  differs  according 
to  the  locality.  In  districts  where  the  atmosphere 
is  pure  and  free  from  the  poisonous  gases  such  as 
prevail  during  the  winter  months  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  large  towns,  the  compost  may  be  two  parts 
fibrous  peat  to  one  of  sphagnum  moss.  To  this 
may  be  added'  a  liberal  sprinkling  of  fibrous  loam 
and  sufficient  rough  sand  or  finely  broken  crock  to 
retain  an  open  and  porous  condition.  In  town  dis- 
tricts the  use  of  loam  must  be  avoided.  C.  bella- 
tulum  and  its  allies  may  be  potted  only  in  lime 
rubble,  or  the  latter  mixed  with  fibrous  peat.  The 
plants  should  also  have  a  light  position  close  to  the 
roof  glass.  The  pots  used  should  be  drained  to 
two-thirds  their  depth  with  clean  broken  crocks, 
and  only  be  sufficiently  large  to  contain  them  com- 
fortably. After  the  plants  have  been  put  in  posi- 
tion the  potting  compost  may  be  pressed  mode- 
rately firm  about  the  roots,  mounding  slightly 
towards  the  centre,  and  finishing  with  the  base  of 
the  plant  just  below  the  rim  of  the  pot.  After 
potting,  water  thoroughly  with  soft  rain  water, 
which  should  be  poured  through  a  moderately 
coarse  rose  on  the  can.  Rain  water  is  most  neces- 
sary, as  when  hard  water  is  used  it  soon  kills  the 
moss,  which  quickly  turns  sour,  and,  decay  thus 
commenced,  quickly  spreads  into  the  remaining 
portions  of  the  compost.  Water  must  be  carefully 
given  until  the  roots  get  hold  of  the  new  compost, 
then  more  liberal  conditions  may  be  afforded. 
Damp  down  the  floors  and  staging  twice  a  day  in 
winter,  when  the  temperature  is  normal.  When 
the  temperature  is  low,  owing  to  unfavourable 
conditions  outside,  the  atmosphere  must  not  be 
too  moist.  During  the  hotter  months  of  the  year 
charge  the  house  heavily  with  atmospheric  mois- 
ture, which  may  be  easily  provided  by  frequent 
dampings.  The  house  may  also  be  freely  venti- 
lated when  the  temperature  has  advanced  above 
60°.  In  ventilating  take  care  to  avoid  direct 
draughts,  and  give  careful  shading  in  bright 
weather. 

The  cool  house  Cypripediums  require  a  tempera- 
ture of  about  50°,  and  their  requirements  may  be 
provided  by  anyone  in  the  possession  of  a  green- 
house where  the  above-mentioned  temperature 
can  be  maintained  in  cold  weather.  The  potting 
compost  is  the  same  as  advised  for  the  intermediate 
house  section.  The  cool-growing  kinds  are  perhaps 
the  most  useful  of  the  whole  of  the  Cypripediums  ; 
they  bloom  when  other  flowers  are  scarce,  i.e., 
during  the  winter  months,  from  the  end  of  October 
to  the  beginning  of  April.  Their  varied  charac- 
teristics, combined  with  good  substance  and  lasting 
qualities,  render  them  useful  for  market  and  to  use 
as  cut  flowers.  Plants  may  in  most  cases  be  pro- 
cured for  a  modest  outlay  of  a  few  shillings.  One 
of  the  best  is  Cypripedium  insigne,  a  species  which 
was  until  recently  regarded  as  almost  too  common 
to  grow ;  but  since  Orchids  have  become  more 
popular  for  cutting  it  has  proved  one  of  the  most 
useful  kinds  for  the  purpose.  So  much  is  it  valued 
that  one  of  the  largest  market  growers  says  that 
even  in  the  glut  of  the  season  last  winter  he  could 
easily  procure  3d.  each  for  the  flowers,  and  after 


the  New  Year  they  realised  much  higher  prices. 
Later  importations  of  C.  insigne  have  yielded  some 
wonderful  varieties,  among  them  many  of  dark 
colours  and  heavily  spotted  forms  of  large  propor- 
tions, others  delicately  tinted  with  green  and 
yellow.  Several  among  them,  though  purchased 
for  a  few  shillings,  have  proved  of  most  priceless 
value,  as  much  as  150  guineas  having  been  paid  for 
small  plants  in  some  instances.  "This  illustrates 
the  desirability  of  procuring  imported  plants.  One 
could  quote  several  instances  in  which  the  buyer 
of  a  single  plant,  for  the  modest  outlay  of  less 
than  half-a-crown,  has  obtained  a  form  of  great 
value.  The  importations  of  this  species  generally 
arrive  in  the  early  spring. 

Other  species,  such  as  C.  villosum  and  C.  Boxalli, 
require  a  liberal  supply  of  moisture  throughout  the 
year,  but  during  the  months  from  March  to  October 
an  abundance  of  moisture  also  at  the  roots.  They 
may  in  each  case  be  kept  a  little  drier  at  the  roots 
for  a  few  weeks  after  the  flowers  have  been 
removed.  The  repotting  of  the  cool  section 
should  be  done  in  early  spring. 

The  best  waj'  to  increase  the  stock  is  by  division. 
If  three  or  more  growths,  with  foliage,  are  foi  med 
successively  on  the  rhizome,  the  two  front  ones 
may  be  parted  by  carefully  cutting  through  the 
rhizome  between  the  second  and  third  ;  carefuUj' 
remove  these  with  as  much  root  as  possible,  leaving 
the  old  growth  untouched.  These  back  growths 
generally  break  freely,  and  in  a  short  time  make 
good  plants.  The  part  removed  may  be  potted  up 
in  the  usual  way.  The  best  period  at  which  to 
divide  Cypripediums  is  when  the  new  roots  are 
being  emitted  from  the  base  of  the  young  or  last- 
made  growth.  When  divisions  are  made  of  plants 
in  this  condition  with  due  encouragement  the}' 
quickly  re-establish  themselves  in  their  new 
quarters.  Freshly  potted  plants,  especially  where 
divisions  have  been  made,  should  be  carefully 
shaded  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun. 

H.  J.  C. 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 


IVY-LEAVED   PELARGONIUMS 


P 


ELARGONIUM  peltatum  is  the  true  Ivy 
Geranium,  and,  in  addition  to  the  leaves 
closely  resembling  the  Ivj',  thej'  also 
have  the  same  peculiar  scent  in  the 
leaves,  and  are  also  of  a  climbing  habit, 
though  by  stopping  and  tj'ing  them  out 
they  may  be  grown  as  bushes,  and  produce  more 
bloom  than  when  trained  as  climbers.  There  are 
now  many  beautiful  double  varieties  closelj'  resem- 
bling the  true  type  in  habit,  and  also  many  of 
hybrid  origin,  of  which  Achievement  is  one  of  the 
most  distinct.  It  has  leaves  intermediate  between 
P.  zonale  and  the  above,  and  the  flowers,  which 
are  produced  in  large  trusses,  are  of  a  beautiful 
soft  rosy  pink,  a  tint  peculiar  to  this  class  of 
Pelargoniums.  Mrs.  J.  G.  Day,  crimson-scarlet, 
very  bright,  distinct  in  habit.  Among  others  of 
recent  introduction  the  following  are  worthy  of 
note  :  Baden  Powell,  large  flowers  of  a  soft  helio- 
trope, with  a  blush  shade  ;  Leopard,  mauve,  with 
a  deep  crimson  shading,  and  distinctly  spotted 
with  deep  crimson  ;  Mrs.  H.  J.  Jones,  a  sport  from 
Souvenir  de  Charles  Turner.  The  peculiarity  of 
this  variety  is  that  all  the  petals  are  deeply 
laciniated,  giving  it  almost  the  appearance  of  an 
Indian  Pink.  And  I  may  here  refer  to  a  beautiful 
new  variety  not  yet  in  commerce.  Queen  Alexandra 
is  of  dwarf  habit,  with  rather  woolly  leaves  ;  the 
large  semi-double  flowers  are  of  a  soft  flesh  pink, 
with  a  shading  of  mauve,  and  regularly  spotted 
with  deep  carmine-red,  a  very  distinct  and  pleasing 
colour. 

This  promises  to  be  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  distinct  of  all  this  race  of  Pelargoniums.  In 
growing  the  Ivy-leaved  section  they  require  more 
warmth  when  starting  them  in  the  spring,  and 
require  care  to  keep  them  free  from  insect  pests. 
Green  fly  is  troublesome,  but  if  the  plants  be 
cleansed  to  start  with,  and  kept  regularly  syringed, 
these  pests  will  not  give  much  trouble.  The  plants 
should    be    potted    firmly   in    rather   a   light,   rich 


March  30,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


219 


WALK    OF    POl.LAKDED    LIMES    IN    MK.     KEMPS    GARDEN,    OLD    PLACE,    LINDlIJiLLj. 


compost,  and  receive  good  drainage.  They  should 
be  fullj'  exposed  to  the  sun,  except  when  they  are 
in  full  flower,  when  a  little  shading  will  be  bene- 
ficial. Liquid  or  artificial  manure  may  be  used 
regularly  after  they  begin  to  flower,  and  if  kept 
growing  freel}'  the}'  will  keep  up  a  bright  display 
throughout  the  season.  A.  Heimsley. 


THE    PLEACHED    ALLEY    AND 
ITS    KINDS. 

The  pleasant  walk  of  pollarded  Limes  shown 
in  the  illustration  is  not  exactly  a  pleached 
alley  in  the  older  sense,  in  that  the  branches 
of  the  trees  are  not  "  curiously  interwoven  " 
(ir  tied  in  to  an  internal  scaffolding  of  laths 
to  form  an  arched  tunnel.  But  in  some  ways 
the  more  open  arrangement,  whether  the  trees 
are,  as  in  this  case,  kept  clipped  in  to  a  double 
wall,  above  the  height  to  which  the  stem  is 
left  bare,  or  whether  they  are  allowed  to  meet 
overhead  ;  for  there  is  shade  from  sun  nearly 
all  day,  and  no  impediment  to  the  movement 
of  cool  air  ;  while  each  opening,  bounded  on 
either  side  by  the  upright  stems,  and  by 
greenery  of  leaf  and  grass  at  top  and  bottom, 
l)leasantly  frames  the  quickly  changing  sequence 
of  bright  garden  pictures. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Zephypanthes  eandida.— I  have  read 

the  remarks  made  upon  this  charming  flower  with 
the  greatest  interest — an  interest  deepened  by  the 
fact  that  I  am  one  of  the  many  unfortunate  ones 
who  are,  so  far,  beaten  with  it,  although  I  still 
retain  hopes  of  being  able  to  grow  it.  What  makes 
my  disappointment  the  greater  is  that  I  have 
succeeded  in  keeping  it  several  times  long  enough 
to  make  me  think  that  it  had  become  established, 
only  to  be  rudely  awakened  from  my  pleasure  by 
finding  that  it  had  once  more  disappeared.  I  had 
until  last  autumn  a  promising  clump  at  the  base 
of  a  south  rockery,  where  it  had  been  for  three 
seasons   apparentlj-  doing  well.     Last  autumn  it 


failed  to  bloom,  and  I  And  that  the  bulbs  have  all 
rotted  off  near  the  neck  and  have  made  no  root 
growth.  I  feel,  therefore,  that  I  must  once  again 
write  it  a  failure.  I  am  in  doubt  whether  the 
excessive  damp  and  wet  of  last  summer  and  autumn 
had  not  something  to  do  with  the  loss,  or  whether 
this  Zephyranthes  does  not  need  a  carpet  of  some 
surface  rooting  plant  to  «ecure  it  from  the  weather. 
I  expect  some  of  the  failures  we  hear  of  result  from 
procuring  the  bulbs  too  late  in  the  season,  but,  of 
course,  this  would  not  account  for  mj'  last  dis- 
appointment. I  fear  Zephyranthes  Candida  will 
never  be  a  plant  for  the  many,  but  it  is  so  e.x- 
ceedingly  beautiful  that  it  is  worth  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  to  succeed  in  establishing  it.  Possibl}'  this 
might  be  more  easily  done  from  seeds,  though  I 
fear  these  are  not  procurable  in  the  ordinary  trade 
quarters.  I  hope  the  remarks  made  may  be  the 
means  of  inducing  others  to  try  what  they  can  do 
with  this  beautiful  autumn  flower.  It  they  fail 
they  will  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
others  fare  no  better,  although  that  is  poor  comfort 
indeed.  If  they  succeed,  they  will  be  more  that 
gratified  with  the  result  in  the  possession  of  one 
of  our  most  charming  bulbous  plants. — S.  Aknott, 
Carfethorn,  hy  Dumfries,  N.B. 

Plants  for  small  beds.  —Flower  gardens 
of  intricate  design,  with  tiny  beds  edged  with  box 
and  separated  by  narrow  paths,  still  exist  in  many 
places,  and  how  to  plant  these  small  beds  is  often 
a  matter  for  serious  consideration.  Large  beds 
isolated  on  turf  one  can  deal  with  easily  ;  they  can 
be  filled  respectively  with  one  family,  either  in 
hardy  or  tender  plants  as  may  be  required,  but 
small  beds  in  a  regular  pattern,  crowded  closely 
together,  are  not  so  easily  managed.  If  hardy 
flowers  are  wanted,  Violas  will  rank  among  the 
best.  Select  good  free  sorts  in  different  shades  of 
colour,  and  if  the  soil  is  at  all  light  take  some  of 
it  before  planting  and  replace  with  a  compost  con- 
sisting of  two  parts  rather  stifi'  road  scrapings  and 
one  of  cow  manure.  Mulch  after  planting,  and 
the  Violas,  with  attention  in  the  way  of  removal 
of  seed  pods,  will  flower  right  through  the  season. 
Scarlet  Lobelias  or  small  specimen  Fuchsias  ma}' 
be  used  at  intervals,  but  very  sparingly  ;  in  some 
cases  only  one  may  be  required  for  each  bed. 
Ageratum  imperial  dwarf  was  recently  voted  a 
grand  dwarf  bedding  plant ;  in  its  particular  shade 


of    both    Mme. 


it  can  be  specially  recommended 
for  hot,  dry  situations,  where 
facilities  for  watering  are  not  of 
the  best.  Agath;ea  cu4estis  is 
another  of  the  blue  shades  of 
ditl'erent  habit ;  its  small  Mar- 
guerite -  like  flowers  are  very 
pretty  and  efl'eetivu  when  con- 
trasted with  some  silver-foliaged 
plants.  Several  of  the  fibrous 
Begonias  are  very  suitable  and 
re(|uire  nothing  with  them,  the 
pink  flowers  showing  to  splendid 
advantage  against  the  deep 
bronze  foliage.  Gazania  splen- 
dens  was  in  great  request  some 
years  ago,  and  is  a  handsome 
llower,  but  its  place  has  been 
tilled  by  dwarf  Marigold  Legion 
'if  Honour.  There  is  no  better 
plant  in  its  particular  shade 
I  ban  this,  alike  for  free  flower- 
ing and  endurance.  Tropteoluni 
fiall  of  Fire  is  a  trailer  with 
brightcrimson  flowers  and  is  very 
free.  In  Pelaigoniums  perhaps 
two  of  the  best  for  small  beds 
are  West  Brighton  Gem  and 
Manglesi,  and  in  annuals  two 
useful  things  are  Portu  lacas 
and  Petunia  nana  compacta. — 
E.  BiiRKELL,  Clarfinont. 

Chpysanthemum 
Earl    of   Appan.  —  This 

huperb  .Japanese  Chr3'santhe- 
mum  is  a  flower  of  much  beauty, 
and  is  a  pleasant  break  away 
from  the  many  coarse  blooms  of 
recent  3'ears.  It  is  said  to  repre- 
sent the  beauty  and  refinement 
Von  Andre  and  Edith  Tabor, 
which  are  well  known  exhibition  varieties.  The 
flowers  are  very  large,  wir.h  long,  graceful, 
drooping  florets  of  good  width,  curling,  and 
slightly  incurving  at  the  ends.  The  colour  is 
a  bright  canary  yellow,  and  the  flower  may  be 
considered  a  distinct  acquisition.  The  Royal 
Horticultural  Society's  floral  committee  granted 
this  novelty  an  award  of  merit  last  autumn. — 
D.  B.  Crane. 
Magnolia  conspicua  in  Ipeland.— 

Mr.  H.  Clements,  Killadoon,  Celbridge,  Ireland, 
kindlj'  sends  a  photograph  of  a  Magnolia  growing 
on  his  house.  It  comes  in  bloom  early  in  April, 
aiid  is  generallj'  completelj'  covered  with  flowers. 
The  tree  is  upwards  of  40  feet  high.  The  photo- 
graph was  taken  last  year. 

Ppoduetion    of    double    floweps. — 

Mr.  Douglas  contributed  the  following  additional 
observations  on  this  subject  to  a  recent  meeting  of 
the  scientific  committee  of  the  Roj'al  Horticultural 
Society.  He  said  : — "  I  can  speak  of  the  Carnation 
and  Picotee  only  from  my  own  experience,  and 
from  what  I  have  seen  of  the  garden  or  German 
Stock.  I  have  worked  upon  the  Carnation  over 
thirty'  years,  raising  a  considerable  number 
annually,  always  saving  the  seed  from  the  best 
double  flowers  and  the  very  best  varieties  in 
the  various  classes.  Taking  the  average  of  seasons 
I  get  5  per  cent,  double  flowers  as  good  as  the 
parents,  12  per  cent,  single  flowers,  of  every  shade 
of  colour  favoured  by  the  Carnation.  This  would 
leave  83  per  cent,  of  double  flowers,  but  in  no 
respect  equal  in  form  to  the  parents.  The  finest 
lot  of  choice  varieties  I  ever  had  was  in  a  hot,  dry 
season.  The  plants  were  well  supplied  with  water, 
and  many  one-year-old  plants  produced  upwards 
of  200  blooms  each.  I  remember  discussing  the 
production  of  Stock  seed  some  ten  j'ears  ago  with 
Mr.  John  Ward,  then,  as  now,  a  market  grower 
at  Leytonstone  in  Esse.x.  Speaking  from  his  own 
experience,  lie  informed  me  that  he  alwaj's  ob- 
tained the  largest  percentages  of  double-flowered 
Stocks  when  he  saved  the  seed  from  plants  grown 
in  pots.  Subsequentl}'  I  was  being  shown  over  a 
large  establishment  in  Germany,  where  enormous 
quantities  of  seed  were  saved,  and  I  found  that  all 
the  best  ten-week  Stock  seed  was  saved  in  Ger- 
many exactly  as  Mr,  Ward  saved  his  seed  in  Essex, 


220 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March   30,  1901. 


Thousands  of  llower  pots  about  5  inches  or  6  inches 
in  diameter  were  arranged  on  a  wooden  staging 
full3-  exposed  to  the  open  air,  and  I  was  also 
informed  that  it  \\'as  necessary  to  grow  the  plants 
in  this  way  to  make  sure  of  the  seed  producing  a 
large  percentage  of  double  flowers.  The  Poppy 
has  a  greater  tendenc}'  to  produce  double  flowers 
than  any  other  plant  known  to  me,  and  certainl}' 
the  tendenc}'  is  greater  in  rather  exhausted  soil, 
as  can  easily  be  proved  bj'  allowing  a  bed  to  sow 
itself  from  the  previous  year's  bloom,  anrl  the 
plants  to  flower  on  the  same  ground  without 
making  an  addition  of  soil  or  manure  to  the 
bed.' 

Snowdrops  diseased.~Dr.  w.  g.  Smith 

sent  the  following  report  to  the  recent  meeting  of 
the  scientific  committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  upon  specimens  submitted  to  him;  —  "I 
regard  the  Snowdrops  sent  from  last  meeting  of 
the  scientific  committee  as  attacked  b.y  the  Botrytis 
stage  of  the  fungus  Sclerotinia  galanthi.  This  was 
described  and  figured  by  Worthington  (4.  Smith 
Gardenem'  Chronicle,  1889)  ;  George  Massee 
describes  it  in  the  '  Kew  Bulletin,'  No.  124,  and 
in  his  latest  text-book  of  plant  diseases.  There  is 
no  need  for  me  to  submit  a  formal  report,  the 
name  and  above  references  should  be  enough  to 
mention  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society's 
Journal  report.  I  found  the  Botrj'tis  form  of 
spore  working  its  way  up  the  green  parts  of  plants 
sent  :  now  these  are  a  shapeless  mass  with  the 
Sclerotium  stage  present  in  numbers.  As  a 
remedy,  I  can  suggest  nothing  Isetter  than  the 
measures  mentioned  about  a  year  ago  in  a  report 
to  the  committee  on  DalTodils  attacked  by  the  same 
disease." 

Cutting  Roses  from  forced  plants. 

— It  may  not  be  amiss  at  this  season  of  the  \'ear  to 
remind  those  who  despatch  cut  Roses  long  distances, 
or  even  who  use  them  for  house  and  table  decora- 
tion, to  be  careful  to  place  the  blooms  in  vessels  of 
water  a  few  hours  before  they  are  required.  The 
usual  practice  is  to  cut  all  flowers  that  are 
developed  before  10  a.m.  in  the  daj",  and  set  them 
in  jars  of  water  in  cupboards  in  a  cool  room  or 
store  house  until  the  following  morning.  By  this 
time  they  have  drawn  up  a  quantitj'  of  water, 
and  are  thus  fit  to  stand  the  heat  of  a  room  much 
better.  Whether  the  flowers  are  required  or  not 
they  should  be  cut  from  the  plant  wlien  almost 
full,  as  this  helps  on  the  second  flowering  consider- 
ably. Should  cuttings  be  required  for  i.nsertion, 
the  growths  with  the  developed  bloom  are  the 
most  satisfactory. — P. 

Daffodils  in  Ivy. ^Carpets  of  Ivy  are  now 
often  found  in  pleasure  grounds,  furnishing  spaces 
under  trees  that  were  formerly  absolutely  bare, 
but  one  does  not  see  the  greenery  as  a  rule  relieved 
by  a  bit  of  colour.  The  idea  occurred  to  me  some 
years  ago,  when  work  of  the  above  description  had 
to  be  taken  in  hand  and  was  the  more  necessary 
because  the  greater  part  of  our  sixty  acres  of 
pleasure  ground  is  a  mass  of  green  undergrowth 
of  Laurel  and  Rhododendron.  Lebanon  Cedars 
and  evergreen  Oaks  are  the  worst  offenders  in  the 
matter,  t"ne  ground  beneath  being  so  very  dry 
owing  to  the  dense  foliage,  and  if  flowers  are  to 
appear  above  the  Ivy  the  soil  must  be  broken  up 
at  least  0  inches  and  receive  a  thorough  soaking 
before  operations  are  commenced.  Daffodils  of 
vigorous  habit  that  throw  the  flowers  well  up  as 
Princeps  in  the  trumpets  and  Barri  conspiouus  ;in 
the  chalice  cup  section,  are  best  for  the  purpose, 
and  the  small-leaved,  low-growing  Ivy  should  be 
used  ;  a  very  vigorous  Iv3'  is  apt  to  smother  the 
flowers.  —  E.  Bi;i;re1jL. 

Hampstead  Heath  Protection 

Society. — This  society  held  its  fourth  annual 
general  meeting  on  Tuesday,  the  lOth  inst.  Lord 
Mansfield,  patron,  in  the  chair.  After  the  usual 
business  was  completed.  Sir  Richard  Temple, 
K.C.S.I.,  moved:  "That  this  society  are  of 
opinion  that  an}'  tunnelling  under  Hampstead 
Heath,  or  within  its  boundaries,  for  the  purposes 
of  the  proposed  tube  railway  extension  constitutes 
a  present  risk,  and  will  involve  grave  danger  in 
the  future  to  the  natural  aspect  and  rural  charm  of 
the  Heath,  which  are  an  invaluable  inheritance  for 
all  Londoners,  and  should  be  preserved  inviolate." 


Sir  R.  Temple  pointed  out  that  in  the  American 
towns  these  electric  railways  were  accompanied  bj' 
the  development  of  the  suburbs  as  places  of  amuse- 
ment, with  big  restaurants  and  saloons  of  manj' 
kinds.  In  this  way  the  promoters  recovered  their 
expenses.  In  short,  said  Sir  Richard,  "Their 
object  is  to  Vauxhall  Hampstead  Heath.  "  The 
resolution  was  carried  unanimously.  A  general 
discussion  on  points  concerning  the  Heath  followed. 
Mr.  W.  Field,  A.R.W.G.,  regretted  the  continual 
trimming  and  lopping  of  the  trees  on  the  Heath, 
and  mentioned  as  a  contrast  the  noble  sweep  to  the 
ground  of  the  trees  in  Kin  ^A'ood.  Mr.  J.  S.  Lister 
mentioned  that  the  bare  banks  of  the  Leg  of  Mutton 
Pond  were  being  planted  with  native  shrubs  and 
grass,  by  order  of  the  London  County  Council,  and 
he  hoped  that  some  worn  spots  on  the  Heath  would 
have  Furze  planted  on  them.  A  proposed  ride 
round  the  edge  of  the  Heath  was  discussed,  and  the 
following  resolution  was  carried  unanimousl}'  : — 
"That  this  meeting  of  the  Hampstead  Heath 
Protection  Society  urge  the  London  County  Council 
to  reject  an}'  proposal  for  constructing  any  further 
horse  ride  on  Hampstead  Heath."  In  replying  to 
the  vote  of  thanks  to  the  chairman,  Lord  Mansfield 
said  that  the  more  protests  they  made  in  these 
matters  the  more  tliey  were  likelj'  to  win,  and 
whatever  anj'one  else  did,  the\'  should  go  on 
opposing  the  electric  railway.  For  their  own  sake 
and  for  London  they  could  not  do  too  much  to 
protect  the  greatest  blessing  Londoners  possessed 
— Hampstead  Heath. 

The  R.H.S.  Fruit  Show.— I   have  the 

Royal  Horticultural  Society's  circular  referring 
to  the  need  there  is  for  increased  outside  sub- 
scription to  help  maintain  the  Great  National 
Harciy  Fruit  Show  to  be  held  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
in  October  next.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  jne  to  help 
that  cause  in  a  small  wa}',  and  I  would  very  gladl}' 
give  more  if  there  were  proportionate  encourage- 
ment given,  which  has  not  hitherto  been  oft'ered  to 
those  who  can  only  compete  in  the  small  collections 
and  single-dish  classes,  as  onlj'  two  prizes  are  in 
most  cases  given  in  these  divisions,  which  is 
anything  but  creditable  to  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  which  poses  as  the  head  and  representative 
of  all  horticultural  societies  in  the  United  Kingdom. 
For  some  years  I  have  given  close  attention 
to  these  single-dish  classes,  and  found  in  many 
cases  that  the  number  of  dishes  in  one  variet}'  ran 
to  two  dozen  and  upwards,  which  of  itself  was 
sufficient  to  warrant  that  more  than  two  prizes 
should  be  given.  The  competitor,  too,  who  can 
take  the  premier  of  twenty-four  dishes  has  the  full 
privilege  of  entering  in  ever}'  single-dish  class,  and, 
as  happened  last  show,  carried  oft'  over  fift}'  of 
these  prizes.  The  big  grower  is  enabled  to  do  this 
owing  to  the  extent  of  his  resources,  and  perhaps 
climatic  advantage,  which  one  in  ever}'  ten  has 
not,  so  it  goes  without  saying  that  there  should  be 
more  than  three  prizes  offered  in  the  single-disli 
classes.  The  expense  of  going  to  the  show  is  as 
much  to  the  one  exhibitor  as  the  other,  and  if  the 
single-dish  competitor  does  get  a  prize  it  far  from 
compensates  for  the  two  journej's.  It  maj'  be 
argued  that  the  show  does  not  profess  to  meet 
these  expenses  with  prizes,  and  that  it  is  good  for 
gardeners  to  meet  in  friendly  rivalry  and  inter- 
change ideas  that  may  in  time  lead  to  a  more 
correct  knowledge  of  what  they  have  on  hand. 
Doubtless  the  object  and  aim  of  the  show  is  to 
benefit  gardeners  and  all  connected  with  gardening, 
yet  the  society  should  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact 
that  it  is  under  an  obligation  to  those  wlio  make 
the  show  with  their  exhibits.  Ever}'  reasonable 
inducement  should  be  offered,  not  only  to  maintain 
what  they  have  hitherto  done,  but  extend  it  in  the 
future.  I  myself  am  interested  in  fruit  culture 
and  fruit  shows,  and  am  therefore  desirous  to  see 
no  falling  off'  in  these  great  gatherings  at  the 
Crystal  Palace. — Andrew  Kemp,  ConlhnrtI  Oar- 
f/eri-s-,  Horsham. 

The  new  edition  of  "  Thompson's 
Gardener's   Assistant."  —  The  (iresham 

Publishing  Company  informs  us  that  the  third 
volume  of  the  new  edition  of  "  Thompson's 
Gardener's  Assistant,"  which  is  coming  out  under 
the  editorship  of  Mr.  'William  Watson,  Kew,  and 
which  has  been  considerably  delayed  in  publication. 


will  be  ready  next  month.  The  delay  that  has 
taken  place,  ilr.  Watson  explains,  has  really 
arisen  from  the  effort  to  have  the  work  thoroughl}' 
up  to  date,  to  secure  which  the  final  revision  of 
certain  important  articles  was  postponed  until  the 
last  moment,  when,  unfortunately,  it  was  found 
impossible  to  get  these  articles  put  through  with 
sufficient  expedition  owing  to  the  illness  of  some 
of  the  contributors.  The  necessity  of  waiting  for 
certain  plants  to  be  in  condition  for  illustration 
has  also  caused  delay.  The  editor  does  not  an- 
ticipate that  similar  delays  will  occur  in  the  case 
of  the  remaining  volumes. 

Veronica    arborea.— Mr.    Lindsay, 

Murrayfield.  exhibited  recently  before  the  Edin- 
burgh Botanical  Society,  flowering  sprays  of  the 
shrubby  Veronica  arborea,  said  to  be  the  first 
produced  in  this  country. — B. 

Iris     reticulata     major.    -  Herr  Max 

Leichtlin  introduced  this  about  ten  or  twelve  years 
ago,  whether  from  his  collector  in  the  Caucasus 
district  or  a  garden  development  I  do  not  recollect, 
but  I  bought  a  few  as  soon  as  they  were  oB'ered, 
and  these  produced  flowers  fully  twice  the  size  of 
the  type — I  mean  as  to  the  mass  of  the  flower,  not 
the  dimensions.  My  first  bulbs  soon  died  out  from 
the  fatal  ink  mildew,  which  takes  on  an  average 
two-thirds  of  m\'  stock  of  I.  reticulata  every  \'ear. 
What  I  have  had  since  as  var.  major  have  not  been 
nearly  as  large  comparatively.  It  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  in  man}'  species  what  is  called  var. 
major  is  merely  a  matter  of  selection,  often  picked 
out  in  the  same  spot  as  the  type.  I  may  instance 
among  other  species,  Anthericum  liliastrum,  St. 
Bruno's  fjily,  which  grows  together  with  the  type, 
and  every  intermediate  size  in  the  Vallce  de  Lys, 
near  Lachon,  where  I  have  seen  and  selected  them 
in  flower.  (_)f  course,  extremes  may  be  made  to 
show  a  great  difl'erence.  For  those  who  have  the 
happiness  to  be  unacquainted  with  what  I  call  "  ink 
mildew"  I  may  say  that  it  first  appears  just  like 
stains  of  ink  on  the  tunic  of  the  bulb,  then  it  eats 
holes  into  the  bulb,  and  by  the  end  of  the  season 
only  the  tunic  remains  filled  with  dry  black  dust. 
New  soil  and  a  hitherto  untainted  corner  of  the 
garden  may  escape  this  contagious  pest  for  a  time, 
but  the  species  is  discovered  sooner  or  later.  The 
mildew  is  well  known  to  science,  and  I  believe  is 
confined  to  Iris  reticulata  and  its  clnselv  allied 
forms.— C.  W.  1).,  Cheshire. 

I  have  not  seen  any  reference  to  the  size  of  the 
bulb  in  the  remarks  on  this  subject.  I  know  from 
experience  that  if  I  plant  very  large  bulbs  in  the 
soil  and  situation  best  suited  to  them  I  have  much 
larger  flowers,  on  longer  stems,  than  those  produced 
by  an  average  or  small  bulb.  I  have  grown  Iris 
reticulata  in  thousands  for  years,  and  have  failed 
to  procure  the  major  variety. — South  Hants. 

The  raiser   of  Iris   reticulata 

major. — In  reply  to  Jlr.  Jenkins"  question  on 
page  ITS,  I  may  state  that  the  late  Rev.  J.  (i. 
Nelson  of  Aldborough  was  the  raiser  of  this 
variet}'.  The  typical  plant  is  well  figured  in 
the  Bolaii.ical  Mac/azine,  and  in  1SV2  was  dis- 
tributed in  quantity  b}'  Dr.  Von  Regel.  I. 
leticulata  major  is  distinct  from  the  type,  larger, 
more  robust  in  growth,  the  flowers  fuller,  and  by 
the  flat  arrangement  of  the  falls  presenting  a 
larger  surface  of  colour.  "  Aspasia"  (violet-blue) 
and  "Melusine"  (sky-blue)  are  also  desirable 
varieties,  The  sub-species  I.  r.  Krelagei  comes 
from  the  Caucasus,  and  is  not  so  much  esteemed  on 
account  of  its  dull  purple-coloured  flowers,  though 
among  seedlings  very  beautiful  and  liright  shades 
may  occur.  —  Max  Lkichti.in,  Bmh  ii-llaileii. 

Mistletoe   in    the  Oxford  Botanic 

Gardens.— Enquiries  having  been  nuide  as  to 
the  origin  of  the  numerous  plants  and  varieties  of 
Viscum  album  now  on  various  trees  in  these 
gardens,  the  following  observations  have  liecii 
received  from  Mr.  T.  E.  Jeiferies,  Oxfiu-d,  liy  tin- 
scientific  committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  :  — "  I  understood  from  the  late  jNlr.  W.  H. 
Baxter  that  his  father  established  the  plant  on 
Apple  trees  growing  in  a  slip  of  grouiul  outside 
the  garden  western  boundary  wall  many  years  ago. 
Now  it  is  met  with  in,  or  adjacent  to,  the  gardens 
on  perhaps  a  greater  number  of  dift'crent  kinds  of 
trees   than   could   be   seen  in  a  similar  area  any- 


March  30,    1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


221 


where,  and  probably  the  diversity  of  their  forms 
is  equally  exceptional.  On  fresh  specimens  the 
fruits  vary  considerably  in  size,  the  largest 
fruited  plants  being  rendered  tar  more  striking 
lis  regards  theii-  whiteness,  or,  as  may  be  said, 
their  effective  translucent  appearance,  more 
especially  where  they  aggregate  in  clusters  and 
become  distinguished  bj'  being  so  prolific."  Mr. 
Burbidge  records  the  fact  of  Viscum  growing  on 
the  following  trees  in  the  Oxford  Botanic  Gardens : — 
"  Ostrya  vulgaris,  Horse  Chestnut,  Pavia  flava. 
Lime,  Maple,  Hawthorn,  Apple,  AVillow,  Beech, 
and  Viburnum  sp. ,  but  very  weakly  on  the  last 
two.  Outside  the  gardens  it  grows  on  two 
Poplars." 

Plants     from     Botanic     Gardens, 

Dublin. — The  following  interesting  plants,  &c., 
were  sent  bj'  Mr.  Burbidge  to  a  recent  meeting  of 
the  scientific  committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  with  the  following  remarks: — "  1.  Here- 
with I  send  two  or  three  sheets  of  Birch  bark 
paper,  from  Betula  utilis,  D.  Don  (  =  Bhjopattra, 
Wall).  It  is  written  that  paper  was  first  invented 
and  made  by  the  Chinese  ;  but  I  suppose  the  Birch 
trees  of  both  East  and  Wfest  (vide  Longfellow's 
poem  of  '  Hiawatha'),  to  say  nothing  of  the  wasps, 
made  paper  long  before  even  the  Chinese  !  Note 
how  sensitive  it  is  to  heat  and  moisture.  It  is 
difficult  to  prevent  its  becoming  a  natural  scroll. 
Was  it  the  origin  of  all  scrolls  of  bark,  and  after- 
wards of  animal  skins,  used  as  a  writing  surface  or 
paper  ?  We  have  three  trees,  the  largest  20  feet 
high,  and  we  value  them  very  highly,  not  only  for 
their  silver-stemmed  beauty,  especially  during 
winter,  but  especially  because  they  were  born  and 
raised  here  from  seeds,  which  Sir  J.  D.  Hooker, 
K.C.S.I.,  &c.,  sent  to  the  gardens  eighteen  j'cars 
ago.  In  the  same  packet  came  seeds  of  the  Hima- 
layan Bird  Cherry,  Prunus  (Padus)  cornutus,  with 
its  old  bronze-coloured  bark,  now  25  feet  high,  and 
it  flowers  and  fruits  freely  every  year.  2  Flowers 
of  the  old  greenhouse  plant,  Ganarina  campanulata, 
of  the  Canary  Island  (1696),  ride  'Botanical 
Magazine,'  t.  444.  'A.  Salvinia  natans.  As  to 
this,  note  its  waterproof  coating  of  short  hairs, 
which  carries  down  an  air  film  if  the  plant  be 
temporarily  submerged  ;  note  also  its  lifeboat-like 
habit  of  '  righting '  itself  when  placed  into  a  vessel 
of  water.  Like  '  Duckweed  '  (Lemna),  AzoUa,  and 
other,  aquatics,  it  robs  all  submerged  plants  of 
light,  &c. ,  by  its  (and  their)  habit  of  forming  a 
dense  green  mosaic  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 
AzoUa  kills  or  crowds  out  Lemna  minor  here  in 
sheltered  open-air  tanks.  4.  Acacia  sphterocephala 
(?  =  A.  cornigera),  '  Buffalo-horn  Acacia,'  rayrmeco- 
philous  (cide  Belt,  T. ,  'Naturalist  in  Nicaragua,' 
Svo,  London,  1874).  Note  the  big  hollow  spines, 
in  which  ants  live ;  and  also  the  yellow  waxy 
secretion  and  exudation  at  tips  or  apices  of  young 
leaflets.  I  do  not  think  this  substance  has  received 
any  chemical  study.  This  '  ant-manna '  seems  to 
be  of  no  actual  or  direct  service  or  relief  to  the 
Acacia,  as  are  some  secretions ;  the  resinous 
secretions  that  at  times  close  the  absorptive  and 
secretive  glands  on  the  leaves  of  the  Rosa  alpina 
for  example.  In  an}'  case  it  would  be  a  step 
forward  to  know  exactly  what  this  yellow  wax- 
like leaf  product  really  is.  5.  An  Indian  'Dodder,' 
growing  on  Ivj'  in  cool  greenhouse  here,  Cusouta 
retlexa.  Hooker,  in  '  Himalayan  Journals,'  Minerva 
Library,  1891  edition,  page  27,  says: — 'Dodders 
(Cuscuta)  covered  even  tall  trees  with  a  golden 
web.'  This  species  is  so  rampant  that  it  might 
have  been  one  of  them.  It  will  grow  on  Ivy, 
Pelargonium,  Cotoneaster,  Calceolaria,  Carex, 
Jasmine,  Forsythia,  Cytisus,  Fuchsia  —  indeed, 
nothing  seems  to  come  amiss,  and  it  is  even  self- 
parasitic  (like  the  Mistletoe),  this  phase  of  its  life 
histor}'  having  been  discovered  by  Dr.  Henry  H. 
Dixon  of  the  Physiological  Laboratory,  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  a  few  years  ago,  and  described  in 
the  '  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,'  as 
also  in  '  Notes  from  the  Botanical  School  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,'  No.  4,  January,  1901,  chapter 
xvii.,  page  146.  The  plant  flowers  freely  late  in 
summer  or  autumn,  the  flowers  being  white,  and 
not  unlike  a  small  Lily  of  the  Valley  (Convallaria) 
bells,  having  a  honey-like  perfume,  which  is  very 
attractive  to  flies  of  manj'  kinds.     Azolla  filacu- 


loides,  on  water  in  muddy  outdoor  tanks  here,  is 
now  a  lovely  copper-red  colour.  I  see  Hooker 
(loc.  cit.  supra),  page  25.5,  mentions  Lake  Cat- 
superri,  altitude  7,150  feet,  bordered  by  a  broad 
marsh  of  bog  moss,  in  which  was  abundance  of 
Azolla,  colouring  the  waters  red." 

Hepatica     (Anemone)     ang'ulosa 

alba. — The  Hepatioas  are  such  charming  spring 
flowers  that  no  apology  seems  needed  to  crave 
space  for  a  reference  to  this  lovely  but  scarce 
varietj'  of  the  large-flowered  Anemone  or  Hepatica 
angulosa.  It  is  as  yet  too  expensive  for  purchasing 
in  quantity,  but  even  from  a  solitary  plant  in 
bloom  one  can  readily  picture  what  would  be  the 
eff'eet  produced  by  a  dozen  or  two  of  large  size, 
and  giving  freely  their  large,  white,  flat  blossoms. 
I  owe  this  plant  to  Herr  Max  Leichtlin,  although 
it  is  obtainable  in  the  trade  in  this  country  with 
some  little  trouble  and  some  uncertainty  of  the 
supply  being  forwarded  when  it  is  wanted.  It 
appears,  so  far  as  I  have  grown  it,  to  flower  as 
freely  as  the  typical  blue  angulosa.  In  some 
gardens  A.  angulosa  blooms  very  sparsely,  although 
in  others  it  covers  itself  with  flowers.  There  are. 
really,  two  forms  of  angulosa,  one  which  is  of 
rather  running  habit,  and  another  which  is  less 
inclined  to  straj'.  The  latter  is  the  freer  bloomer. 
I  think  the  white  form  here  is  of  the  same 
character,  and  it  is  very  pretty.  —  S.  Arnott, 
Car^etliorn^  inj  Dumfries^  N.  B. 

A  Sweet  Pea  Society.— Are  flower  lovers 
losing  their  heads,  or  why  is  it  that  so  many  now 
seem  mad  to  create  a  sjjecial  society  for  apparently 
every  flower  that  grows  ?  Have  we  not  of  this 
speeialistic  kind  Chrysanthemum,  Rose,  Dahlia, 
Carnation,  and  Auricula  societies?  And  now  it  is 
proposed  to  create  yet  another  for  the  worship  of 
the  Sweet  Pea.  For  much  as  these  various  flower 
fanciers  may  object  to  be  classed  as  fetish  wor- 
shippers, yet  what  else  are  they ''.  To  be  a  lover 
of  all  flowers  and  a  true  horticulturist  is  good,  but 
to  have  no  sovil  above  one  flower  onl}',  and  of  that 
to  make  it  a  god  and  to  fall  down  and  worship  it, 
is  mere  folly.  What  can  a  society  do  to  elevate 
or  to  improve  or  to  extend  the  culture  of  the 
Sweet  Pea?  All  the  societies  in  the  world  cannot 
accomplish  one-half  so  much  as  Mr.  Eekford  has 
done  to  develop  and  improve  this  charming  garden 
flower,  and  our  seedsmen  have  made  his  beautiful 
varieties  known  in  every  garden  almost  all  the 
world  over.  The  Sweet  Pea  can  never  be  regarded 
as  an  exhibition  flower  in  the  .same  sense  as  the 
Chrysanthemum  is,  as  in  a  large  or  small  building 
for  that  matter  the  flowers  lose  that  fresh  pure 
beauty  seen  in  the  garden.  What  nonsense  it 
all  is,  especially  in  relation  to  so  trifling  a 
member  of  our  great  floral  family  as  is  a  mere 
hardy  annual.  Have  these  great  enthusiasts  no 
concern  for  flower  lovers'  pockets?  Already  the 
demands  on  one's  pecuniary  resources  are  far  too 
numerous  from  similar  societies.  Then  where 
will  it  all  end  ?  No  sooner  is  a  Sweet  Pea 
Society  formed  than  some  other  flower  will  be 
found  to  which  a  new  society  must  be  dedicated. 
And  next  we  shall  have  Grape,  Apple,  Pear, 
Gooseberry,  Pea.  Potato,  Tomato,  and  other 
products  made  objects  of  special  worship.  Well 
may  horticulturists  wish  to  see  this  frenzy  checked. 
We  shall  do  far  wiser  if  we  cultivate  and  beautifj' 
our  gardens  more  and  bother  over  societies  less. — 
A.  Dean. 

If  the  suggested  society,  unfortunately,  be 
formed  specially  to  promote  Sweet  Pea  interests, 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  its  energies  will  not  be  con- 
centrated solely  upon  mere  exhibition  displays, 
pretty  as  they  are.  or  that  much  useful  time 
and  labour  will  be  wasted  in  classification,  in  which 
the  general  public  take  no  interest  at  all,  but  that 
its  efforts  will  be  devoted,  first  to  giving  the  Sweet 
Pea-loving  public  (which  includes  almost  every- 
body), not  only  information  as  to  which  are  the 
ver3'  best  of  their  respective  colour  groups,  but 
also  as  to  the  very  best  way  of  growing  them.  A 
capital  cultural  object-lesson  would  be  found  in  a 
clump  of,  say.  fifteen  seeds  sown  in  a  9-inch 
circle,  and  one  of  six  seeds  in  a  similar  area,  and 
in  soil  of  tlie  same  depth  and  quality  ;  then  in 
each  case  counting  tlie  number  of  flowers  produced, 
the  height  and  general   character   of   the   plants. 


their  endurance,  and,  not  least,  the  average  size 
of  the  flowers.  Tho.se  who  sow  thinly  know  of  its 
great  value  so  well.  Still,  no  matter  how  many 
sermons  on  the  importance  of  thin  sowing  may  be 
preached,  the  average  grower  will  persist  in  sowing 
far  too  thickly.  Then  another  test  would  be  fur- 
nished by  sowiiig  clumps  of  the  same  number  of 
seeds  in  ordinary  shallow-dug  .soil,  and  in  soil  that 
had  been  prepared  by  trenching  and  giving  low 
down  ample  dressings  of  manure.  Here,  again, 
tests  of  flower  production,  size  of  blooms,  and 
general  endurance  would  be  most  interesting  and 
educational.  We  want  to  see  Sweet  Peas  far  more 
popular  than  is  yet  the  case,  but  we  also  want 
to  see  the  culture  much  improved,  as  also  the 
selection  of  varieties  grown.  When  Sweet  Peas 
are  grown,  certainly  it  is  better  to  have  the  very 
best. — HoRTCS. 

Two  g'OOd  Pears.— 1  was  very  pleased  to 
read  Mr.  Owen  Thomas'  excellent  note  on  page 
172  about  two  of  our  Vjest  winter  Pears,  Nouvelle 
Fulvie  and  Olivier  de  Serres.  Such  notes  are  of 
great  value  to  those  who  need  late  Pears  and  do 
not  want  to  plant  manj'  varieties.  With  us 
Nouvelle  Fulvie  is  a  great  favourite,  and  I 
thoroughly  agree  with  Mr.  Thomas  as  to  its 
quality,  and  though  not  a  handsome  fruit,  it  is 
most  valuable.  I  was  much  amused  at  one  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society's  shows,  held  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  to  hear  a  conversation  about  the 
foolishness  of  staging  such  Pears  as  Nouvelle 
Fulvie,  Pitmaston  Duchesse  being  referred  to  as 
"something  like  exhibition  stuff'."  I  am  glad  the 
society  recognises  the  later  varieties.  What  are 
more  valuable  at  this  season  when  there  are  so 
few  good  fruits  at  command  ?  I  believe  Nouvelle 
Fulvie  is  not  a  success  in  some  places.  Here  it  is 
excellent  as  a  pyramid  cordon  or  wall  tree,  but,  as 
advised  on  page  172,  the  fruit  must  be  left  very 
late  on  the  trees.  I  also  think  it  is  superior  to 
Olivier  de  Serres,  but  the  last-named  is  the  later 
fruit  of  the  two,  but  with  me  the  tree  does  not 
crop  so  freely.  There  can  be  no  question  whatever 
as  to  the  value  of  these  two  varieties  when  given 
a  well-drained  soil.  -(i.  Wythes,  Syon  House 
Gardenf:,  Breiiljbrd. 

Scilla  bifolia.— This  little  squill  is  so  early 
and  so  beautiful  that  it  ought  to  have  a  little  more 
recognition  at  the  hands  of  those  who  desire  to 
have  their  gardens  bright  from  the  dawn  to  the 
close  of  the  year.  Although  its  individual  flowers 
are  small,  the  best  forms  produce  a  good  many 
flowers  in  a  raceme,  and  the  combined  eft'ect  of  a 
clump  or  mass  is  very  satisfying  indeed.  Then, 
without  saying  much  about  the  variations  in  the 
blue  colour  of  the  type  plant  and  its  nearly  allied 
forms,  we  have  also  the  varieties  of  different 
colours,  which,  properl}'  used,  will  add  much  to 
the  enjoj'ment  of  their  possessor  and  his  friends. 
The  ivor}'  white  blooms  of  S.  bifolia  alba  are  very 
pretty  indeed,  and  when  plentiful  enough  maj'  well 
be  associated  with  the  others  in  large  groups  on 
the  grass  or  in  the  border,  besides  giving  a  charm 
to  the  rock  garden  at  an  early  season.  vSome 
improvement  in  size  may  well  be  looked  for,  and 
that  friend  of  bulb  lovers,  Mr.  James  Allen,  has 
done  a  little  to  help  us  in  this  respect.  Un- 
fortunately, it  is  not  a  free  seeder  in  most  gardens, 
so  that  anj'  advance  is  likely  to  be  slow.  Nor 
should  we  despise  the  flesh  coloured  form  called 
S.  bifolia  carnea,  which  often  passes  muster 
for  the  varietj'  rubra.  It  is  pleasing  with  its  rosy 
tinted  little  flowers,  and  I  alwaj's  look  for  its 
appearance  with  interest.  One  cannot  say,  how- 
ever, that  it  can  take  as  high  a  place  in  our  favour 
as  the  pink  S.  bifolia  rubra,  even  if  we  eliminate 
the  fact  of  its  comparative  scarcity  from  our. 
minds,  and  make  our  estimate  depend  solelj'  upon 
its  intrinsic  merit  as  a  garden  flower.  A  few 
flowers  haA-e  just  opened.  They  remind  one,  more- 
over, if  reminder  were  needed,  which  is  not  the 
case,  of  the  kindness  of  a  great  hardj'  flower 
gardener  who  sent  the  first  bulbs  to  me.  They 
are  thus  doubl}'  prized.  Their  prettj-  star-like 
blossoms  look  quite  beautiful  in  the  sun  on  an 
exceptionally  fine  March  day.  Not  that  one 
has  not  had  a  pink  Scilla  bifolia  for  da3-s,  or 
rather  weeks,  for  Pink  Beauty  has  been  in 
flower  for  two  or  three  weeks.     It   is  one  of  the- 


222 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[March  30,  1901. 


"creations,"  as  Mr.  Burbank  would  say,  of  that 
wonderful  garden  at  Shepton  Mallet  whence  have 
come  so  many  lovely  Snowdrops  and  otlier  bulbous 
flowers.  The  ordinarj' — a  misnomer  this — bifolia 
rubra  is  a  sh}'  seeder  also,  so  that  the  production 
of  the  loveh'  Pink  Beauty  is  a  victory  in  more 
ways  than  one.  —  8.  Arnott.  CarspJhnru,  liy 
Dnmfrief,  N.B. 


THE    FERN    GARDEN. 

THE    MAIDEN-HAIR    FERN. 

IN  this  solitarj'  hardj'  member  of  a  lai'ge  family 
we  have  as  it  were  a  warm-blooded  e.xotic 
which  can  only  tolerate  our  climate  under 
specially  favourable  circumstances,  in  point 
of  fact  it  is  far  more  tender  than  man}'  exelu- 
sively  e.xotic  Adiantums,  for  the  gold-dusted 
A.  Williamsii,  which  so  much  resembles  it  in  make, 
survives  where  Capillus  veneris  perishes,  as  also 
do  A.  chiliense,  assimile,  formosuni,  &c.,  the  moral 
of  which  introduction  is  that  if  we  want  to  find 
this  Fern  we  must  search  our  warmer  coasts,  where 
the  Gulf  stream  baffles  .Jack  Frost  persistentl3',  and 
if,  when  we  have  it,  we  want  to  retain  it,  we  must 
keep  it  warm  in  the  winter.  It  is  entirely  distinct 
from  any  other  of  our  native  Ferns,  the  fronds 
being  out  up  into  distinctly  stalked  fan-shaped 
divisions  with  slightly  cut  edges,  and  the  spores 
wrapped  up  in  short  marginal  lines  in  the  rolled 
back  edges  of  the  pinnules.  Its  habitat  is  the 
cliffs  and  rocks  of  the  sea  shore,  which  gives  the 
cine  to  the  soil  it  needs  for  its  thin  creeping  rhizome 
to  penetrate  and  permit  it  to  establish  itself 
properly,  i.e.,  an  open  rubbly  compost  of  vegetable 
mould  and  loam.  Despite  its  comparative  raritj'  it 
has  not  been  chary  in  giving  us  improved  editions 
of  itself  even  (ditioiu  de  luxe,  since  Cornubiense, 
the  plumose  form,  has  dared  to  make  a  bold  and 
fairly  successful  bid  as  a  rival  to  that  Queen  of 
Adiantums,  A.  Farleyense ;  so  far,  however,  it 
has  failed  to  yield  a  crested  form,  unless  that 
mysterious  Fern  A.  luddemannianum  belong  to  the 
species. 

Name.       Localitii.     Finder  nr  raider.  Descrlpti-on. 

Admn-abile  E.  .J.  Lowe  (r)      Veiy  larse  form. 

Cornubiense    Hayle      Trevetliick  Plumose";\la  Farley- 

(1S6S)  ense.      A  splendid 

foriD. 
Daphnites         ..  E..r.  Lowe(r)     Brectfronds.crowded 

larg;e    pinn.i?,  very 

distinct,  sometimes 

proliferousonedses. 

Footii  Co.  Clare    Fool  Very  large  pinnules. 

Grande  ..  ,.  ,, 

Imbricatum      . .  E.  J.  Lowe  (r)      A    dwarf    imiiricatt 

dense  form,  some- 
thing  lilie  Cornubi- 
ense, proliferous  on 
sites  of  sori. 
Magniflcuni    Co.  Clare  . .  A  foliose  variety. 

C.   T.   Druery. 


of  the  exotics  they  are  now  so  largely  called  upon 
to  cultivate  in  an  alien  climate.  I  trust,  therefore, 
that  the  following  notes  nia\'  prove  of  some  little 
interest  to  the  readers  of  The  Garden. 

The  Fern  under  notice,  Lygodium  scandens.  is  a 
beautiful  object  in  our  greenhouses  when  well 
grown,  but  I  fear  it  is  too  often  seen  as  a  sickly, 
stunted  thing,  bearing  but  a  faint  resemblance  to 
the  plants  I  have  seen  in  the  wilds  of  Malabar, 
where  it  is  a  veritable  "  thing  of  beauty.'' 

In  South  India,  at  an  ele\'ationof  from3,UUU  feet 
to  3,500  feet,  the  plant  is  found  in  abundance, 
growing  in  great  entangled  masses  in  the  marshy 
borders  of  "paddy"  or  rice  fields.  Its  climbing 
inclination  is,  of  course,  undoubted,  and  to  gratify 
this  Nature  has  provided  shrubs  of  various  kinds 
which  grow  on  these  marshy  border  lands,  and 
which  the  climbing  Fern  is  not  slow  to  take  advan- 
tage of.  If  the  natural  foliage  of  these  shrubs 
be  frequentlj'  put  out  of  evidence  altogether  a 
substitute  is  provided  in  the  masses  of  entangled 
Lj'godium  fronds,  producing  an  effect  strikingly 
beautiful  and  difficult  to  describe.  Fancy  a  rice 
field  clothed  with  its  indescribable  green,  sur- 
rounded by  a  belt  of  evergreen  shrubs,  a  large 
proportion  of  which,  draped  with   festoons  of  the 


THE  HOME  OF  LYGODIUM  SCAXDENS. 

A  Cli.mbixg  Feen. 
In  the  artificial  cultivation  of  any  exotic  I  venture 
to  think  that  to  obtain  the  greatest  success  it  is 
essential  that  we  should,  at  least,  have  some 
knowledge  of  the  conditions  under  which  the 
particular  plant  is  found  growing  naturally,  and 
that  we  cannot  be  greatly  in  error  in  striving  to 
reproduce  those  conditions  as  closely  as  possible  in 
(lur  efforts  to  develop  its  highest  natural  beauty. 

It  is  not  often  that  written  cultural  directions 
exactly  coincide  with  the  conditions  under  which 
a  given  plant  is  found  to  flourish  in  its  native 
clime,  whilst  they  are  not  infreijuently  diametri- 
cally opposed  to  them,  bringing  about  disastrous 
results. 

In  the  case  of  Ferns,  how  often  does  one  see 
glass  houses  crammed  with  plants  from  all  parts 
of  the  world  cultivated  under  the  same  conditions 
with  regard  to  soil,  temperature,  moisture,  and 
shade,  at  total  variance  with  the  requirements  of, 
it  may  be,  one-half  of  them. 

I  believe  it  is  a  most  important  circumstance 
in  the  education  of  young  gardeners,  and  one  too 
often  lost  sight  of,  that  they  should,  as  far  as 
possible,  be  instructed   as  to  the  natural  habitats 


the  dry  season  is  very  great,  so  that  I  imagine  the 
plant  under  cultivation  in  this  countrj'  would  do 
better  under  somewhat  restful  conditions  during 
part  of  the  year,  and  without  being  subjected  to 
quite  so  much  heat  as  is  frequently  afforded  it. 
As  to  training,  I  have,  rightly  or  wrongly,  a  horror 
of  all  such  contrivances  as  wire  balloons,  &c.  A 
few  well-chosen  spra3's  of  Beeeh,  or  such  like, 
stuck  into  the  pots  would  show  the  vagrant  fronds 
to  greater  advantage.  J.  IjOwrie. 


'li  ■ 


A    VARIETY    OF    OUR    HARDY    MAIDENHAIR    FER.V 
(ADIANTUM    CAPILLUS    VENERIS    IMBRICATUM). 

fertile  and  barren  fronds  of  the  Lj'godium  scan- 
dens, and  these  belts  sometimes  extending  to 
acres,  and  you  have,  I  think,  before  5'our  mind's 
eye  a  Fern  picture  worth  seeing. 

I  shall  never  forget  my  first  introduction  to  this 
plant  as  I  have  been  trying  to  picture  it  in  its 
natural  home.  I  had  seen  it  and  tried  to  grow  it 
in  England  many  a  time  previously  with  but 
miserable  results,  but  now  the  plant  was  before  me 
in  Nature's  guise,  and  what  a  diff'erence  I  The 
distinction  between  my  system  of  cultivation  in 
England  and  that  of  Nature  in  India  was  at  once 
apparent  and  soon  grasped. 

I  have  already  stated  the  elevation  at  which  the 
plant  is  found  in  abundance  in  South  India;  it  is 
frequently  found  at  lower  elevations,  but  hardl_y 
ever  at  a  higher  range.  It  is  subject  to  an  annual 
rainfall  of  some  1.30  inches  during  the  south-west 
monsoon  between  the  months  of  .June  and  Sep- 
tember. With  the  exception  of  a  few  showers  the 
rest  of  the  year  is  dry,  but  the  Lygodiinii  does  not 
suffer  on  that  account,  from  the  fact  that  its  roots 
are  always  in  ground  containing  abundance  of 
moisture,  and  its  fronds  are  refreshed  during  the 
long  rainless  season  by  the  heavy  mists  which  hang 
over  the  land  at  night  and  during  the  early  hours 
of  the  morning.     The  range  of  temperature  during 


AMERICAN      NOTES. 

The  Threatened  Destruction  of  the  Bic 
Trees  of  California. 
Before  the  glacial  period  the  genus  of  big  trees 
called  Sequoia  flourished  widely  in  the  temperate 
zones  of  three  continents.  There  were  mau\' 
species,  and  Europe,  Asia,  and  America  had  each 
its  share  ;  but  when  the  ice  fields  moved  down 
out  of  the  north  the  luxuriant  vegetation  declined, 
and  with  it  these  multitudes  of  trees.  One  after 
another  the  different  kinds  gave  way,  their  remains 
became  buried,  and  when  the  ice  receded  just  two 
species,  the  Big  Tree  and  Redwood,  survived. 
Both  grew  in  California,  each  separate  from  the 
other,  and  each  occupying,  in  comparison  with  its 
former  area,  a  mere  island  of  space.  As  we  know 
them  now,  the  Redwood  (Sequoia  sempervirens) 
lives  only  in  a  narrow  strip  of  the  Coast  Range, 
10  miles  to  30  miles  wide,  extending  from  just 
within  the  southern  border  of  Oregon  to  the  bay 
of  Monterej-,  while  the  Big  Tree  (Setjuoia  wash- 
ingtoniana)  is  found  only  in  small  groves  scattered 
along  the  west  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
mountains,  from  the  middle  fork  of  the  American 
river  to  the  head  of  Deer  Creek,  a  distance  of 
260  miles.  The  utmost  search  reveals  but  ten 
main  groups,  and  the  total  number  of  sizeable 
trees  in  these  groups  must  be  limited  to  figures  in 
the  thousands.  It  is,  moreover,  the  plain  truth 
that  all  the  specimens  which  are  remarkable  for 
their  size  do  not  exceed  500.  The  Big  Trees  are 
unique  in  the  world — the  grandest,  the  largest, 
the  oldest,  the  most  majestic,  graceful  of  all  trees 
— and,  if  it  were  not  enough  to  be  all  this,  they 
are  among  the  scarcest  of  known  species,  and  have 
the  extreme  scientific  value  of  being  the  oldest 
living  representatives  of  a  former  geologic  age. 
It  is  a  tree  which  has  come  down  to  us  through 
the  vicissitudes  of  many  centuries  solely  because 
of  its  superb  qualifications.  Its  bark  is  often 
2  feet  thick  and  almost  non-combustible.  The 
oldest  specimens  felled  are  still  sound  at  the  heart, 
and  fungus  is  an  enenij'  unknown  to  it.  Yet  with 
all  these  means  of  maintenance  the  Big  Trees  have 
apparently  not  increased  their  range  since  the 
glacial  epoch.  1  hey  have  only  just  managed  to 
hold  their  own  on  the  little  strip  of  country  where 
the  climate  is  locallj'  favourable. 

At  the  present  time  the  only  grove  thoroughly 
safe  from  destruction  is  the  Mariposa,  and  this  is 
far  from  being  the  most  interesting.  Most  of  the 
other  groves  are  either  in  process  of,  or  in  danger  of, 
being  logged.  The  very  finest  of  all,  the  Calaveras 
Grove,  with  the  biggest  and  tallest  trees,  the  most 
uncontaminated  surroundings,  and  practically  all 
the  literary  and  scientific  associations  of  the 
species  connected  with  it,  has  been  purchaseil 
recently  by  a  lumberman,  who  came  into  full 
possession  April  1,  1900.  The  Sequoia  and  (ieneral 
Grant  National  Parks,  which  are  supposed  to 
embrace  and  give  securitj'  to  a  large  part  of  the 
I'emaining  Big  Trees,  are  eaten  into  by  a  sawmill 
each  and  by  private  lumber  claims  amounting  to 
1,172  acres.  The  rest  of  the  scanty  patches  of 
Big  Trees  are  in  a  fair  way  to  disappear — in 
Calaveras,  Tuloumne,  Fresno,  and  Tulare  counties 
the}'  are  now  disappearing — by  the  axe.  In  brief, 
the  majority  of  the  Big  'trees  of  California, 
certainly  the  best  of  them,  are  owned  by  peo])le 
who  have  every  right,  and  in  many  cases  every 
intention,  to  cut  them  into  lumber. 

The  lumbering  of  the  Big  Tree  is  destructive  lo 
a  most  unusual  degree.  In  the  first  place,  the 
enormous  size  and  weight  of  the  trees  necessarily 
entails  very  considerable  breakage  when  one  of  them 
falls.     Such  a  tree  strikes  the  ground  with  a  force 


March   30,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


223 


of  many  hundreds  or  even  thousands  of  tons,  so  that 
even  slight  inequalities  are  suthcient  to  smash  the 
the  brittle  truuU  at  its  upper  extremity  into 
almost  useless  fragments.  The  loss  from  this 
eause  is  very  great,  but  it  is  only  one  of  the 
sources  of  waste.  The  great  diameter  of  the  logs, 
and,  ill  spite  of  the  lightness  of  the  wood,  their 
enormous  weight,  makes  it  impossible  to  handle 
many  of  them  without  breaking  them  up.  For 
this  purpose  gunpowder  is  the  most  available 
means.  The  fragments  of  logs  blown  apart  in  this 
way  are  not  only  often  of  wasteful  shapes,  but 
unless  very  nice  judgment  is  exercised  in  preparing 
the  blast,  a  great  deal  of  the  wood  itself  is 
scattered  in  useless  splinters.  This  waste,  added 
as  it  is  to  the  other  sources  of  loss  already 
mentioned,  makes  a  total  probably  often  consider- 
ably in  excess  of  half  the  total  volume  of  the 
standing  tree  ;  and  this  is  only  one  side  of  the 
matter.  —  The  Biil/eiiii  of  Aijricnlture. 


IN     THE     PORT     ROYAL 

MOUNTAINS,    JAMAICA. 

Hkke  winter  is  but  a  name.  The  temperature 
ranges  for  the  most  part  between  70"  and  80". 
At  this  elevation  ("2,000  feet)  no  house  has  a  fire- 
place, and  we  live  day  and  night  with  open  win- 
dows. Seasons  of  unusually  vigorous  growth  follow 
the  spring  and  autumn  rains,  but  a  catalogue  of 
names  of  plants  in  flower  would  hardly  change 
from  January  to  December.  In  "A  Jamaica 
grows  Garden"  a  general  idea  has  been  given  of  what 
with  me.  I  now  propose  to  write  of  just  those  things 
which  are  peculiar  to  special  times  of  the  year. 

First  must  stand  the  Poinsettia — six  months 
green  and  six  months  red,  as  the  saying  runs.  In 
September  it  begins  to  blush,  putting  out  narrow 
strips  of  new  leaves  faintly  pink,  increasing  in 
length,  width,  and  colour  through  October,  and  in 
November  bright  with  exceeding  great  glory. 
The  usual  single  comes  first,  followed  about 
Christmas  by  the  still  more  gorgeous  double, 
which  has  been  already  figured  in  The  Garden. 
In  Jlarch  the  brilliancy  of  the  Poinsettias  is 
passing,  or  past,  and  they  resume  their  garments 
of  sober  green.  "The  place  looks  so  different, 
what  have  you  done  to  it?''  asked,  one  day  in 
winter,  a  friend  who  was  accustomed  to  see  it  only 
in  summer.  "Done?  Nothing;  it's  the  Poin- 
settias." They  are  chiefly  massed  down  below  the 
house,  but  a  single  one  stands  fronting  it  on  the 
ver\'  edge  of  Bushatahl  precipice.  It  just  allows 
the  river  to  show  here,  and  its  red  head  looks  so 
well  against  the  far-off  background  of  indeterminate 
green,  where  theeyefirst  strikes  down  into  the  valley 
half  a  mile  away.  It  is  one  brilliant  spot  of  colour 
in  a  landscape  of  quiet  green.  I  always  rejoice  in 
the  lucky  chance  which  placed  it  so  happily. 

In  combination  with  Poinsettia  that  finest  of 
Sunflowers  Tithonia  diversifolia  is  lavishly  used. 
It  overtops  it  in  height,  and  bears  a  wealth  of 
small  (5-inoh  to  6-inch)  flowers,  swaying  on  stalks' 
of  diflBrent  lengths.  Most  Sunflowers  may  be 
described  as  effective,  but  coarse.  This  one  is 
graceful,  canes  lightly  poised,  leaves  prettily  cut. 
It  throws  up  a  forest  of  canes,  and  is  a  thing  of 
such  furious  and  rampant  growth  that  I  am  reluc- 
tantly compelled  to  send  it,  out  of  the  garden 
proper,  into  the  adjacent  shrubbery.  It  makes  its 
value  felt  up  to  any  reasonable  distance,  say  300 
or  400  yards.  A  troublesome  thing  to  keep  in 
order.  Wet  presses  down  the  slender  heads  of  the 
longest  canes,  which  reach  to  18  feet  or  20  feet. 
Wind  throws  them  over.  The  cutlass  is  in  con- 
stant request  to  lop  what  falls  on  other  shrubs  and 
plants.  It  smells  of  honey,  exactly  like  Buddleia, 
and  its  orange  flowers  make  AUamanda  look 
primrose  colour.  Tithonia  is  at  its  best  in 
November  and  December.  Lilium  trigynum  is 
another  winter  plant.  It  is  massed  all  together  on 
a  bank  above  the  house,  and  is  in  beauty  for  some 
weeks  each  side  of  Christmas.  For  the  rest  of  the 
year  it  does  not  give  a  single  flower.  The  colour 
is  a  good,  full,  pure  yellow.  It  is  a  neat  little 
l>ush,  increasing  very  quickly  by  running  suckers 
from  the  root. 

November  1. — The  three  young  pussies  came  as 


usual,  asking  to  be  taken  their  morning  walk.  Not 
only  is  it  a  pleasure  to  comply  with  their  request, 
but  it  is  also  expedient.  After  their  walk  they  lie 
down  contentedly  in  the  semi-shade  of  a  Ijush,  but 
if  kept  waiting  they  gambol  and  romp,  heedless  of 
young  plants,  seeds,  and  cuttings.  So  away  we 
go  down  the  hill  at  eight  o'clock  this  lovely 
November  morning,  the  sun  shining,  birds  singing, 
temperature  73"  ;  past  the  small  pond  at  the 
bottom  with  its  dozen  or  so  of  white  Water  Lilies 
and  two  or  three  blue  ones  ;  past  some  Eucharis 
clumps  in  a  swampy  place,  as  swampy  as  can  be 
managed  on  this  well-drained  level,  where  soil  is 
limestone  pounded  to  a  fine  gravel,  under  the  shade 
of  trees  ;  past  a  Monstera  deliciosa  with  leaves 
that  look  like  a  sampler  of  button-holes,  and  of 
wliose  fruit  beware,  for  it  roughs  tongue  and  throat 
with  minute  flinty  darts  hidden  in  the  tempting 
Pine-like  flesh  ;  past  a  lovely  group  of  wild  Begonia 
nitida,  and  we  stand  under  "Dripping  Rook," 
before  a  patch  of  Sanseviera  zeylauica,  which  is 
what  we  have  come  to  see.  This  has  a  stiff', 
leathery,  tough,  dark  green  leaf,  prettily  mottled. 
Young  leaves  are  light  green,  and  the  mottling 
almost  white.  The  whole  thing  is  rather  like 
Aspidistra  lurida  variegata.  Last  year  it  flowered 
for  the  first  time,  and  this  3'ear  there  are  several 
spikes,  studded  thick  with  tattered  flowers  recalling 
Honej'suckle,  satin  in  texture,  and  glittering  where 
the  petals  turn  over  and  catch  the  light,  milk- 
white  tinged  with  green.  Of  plants  familiar  to  me 
most  like  Butterfly  Orchis  (Habenaria  bifolia). 
This  should  be  a  desirable  pot  plant  for  people 
who  cannot  afibrd  much  change.  Nothing  hurts  it 
except  sun,  and  its  stiffness,  which  is  by  no  means 
ungraceful,  promises  well  for  withstanding  the 
hot  dry  air  of  rooms.  I  should  think  it  would  be 
tolerant  of  reasonably  low  temperatures  ;  I  have 
seen  it  at  4,000  feet,  where  the  night  reading  may 
be  perhaps  50".  From  its  behaviour  here  I  should 
say  it  might  very  likely  not  flower.  It  seems  to 
want  well  establishing,  is  even  then  shy,  and  only 
flowers  once  a  year — October  to  November.  It 
looks  equally  happy  in  the  driest  places  I  can  find, 
and  with  its  roots  soaking  in  water,  so  it  would  be 
hard  to  hurt  by  over-watering  or  under-watering. 
The  leaves  are  few  but  well  set  up,  and  they  show 
tlieir  backs  where  the  mottling  is  strongest — a 
plant,  above  all  things,  easy  to  sponge.  Who  that 
loves  his  poor  struggling  charges  in  London  or  other 
great  towns  has  not  spent  weary  hours  sponging  his 
Aspidistras,  supporting  the  leaves  on  flattened  hand, 
and,  in  spite  of  care,  often  slitting  a  tender  young 


one  still  curly,  to  say  nothing  of  damage  to  .shirt- 
cuffs.     Stiff'  Sanseviera  would  be  an  easy  job. 

The  October  rains  have  not  been  heavy,  and 
there  are  still  sprays  of  Coralilla  (Porana  panicu- 
lata)  to  be  had.  .Just  what  I  want,  cats  ;  and 
then  oft'  we  go  up  to  the  house,  I  winding  up  the 
Fernery  path,  the  kittens  taking  short  cuts  and 
scrambling  up  the  rocks.  The  walk  done,  each 
one  goes  contentedly  to  his  own  chosen  spot,  there 
to  wait  till  midday  and  breakfast.  So  there  is  a 
season  of  rest  to  look  round  undisturbed.  First 
let  me  note  Jasminum  pubescens  at  the  front  door, 
growing  up  and  through  a  Seville  Orange.  Though 
deficient  in  scent  it  is  to  the  eye  most  pleasing  of 
all  its  tribe,  with  long  sprays  thickly  set  with 
bunches  of  starry  blossoms.  I  have  counted  the 
rays  in  these  stars  over  and  over  again  and  find 
that  seven  is  the  commonest  nundjer,  eight  common, 
nine  and  six  both  rare.  The  impression  upon  the  eye, 
from  the  close  crowding  of  tlie  stars,  is  of  an  infinite 
number  of  rays.  A  beautiful  and  distinguished 
plant,  equally  satisfactory  as  shrub,  or,  as  here,  half 
climbing.  It  carries  a  few  flowers  at  most  times  of 
the  3'ear,  but  from  now  to  January  it  is  at  its  best. 
The  Orange  is  in  fruit — it  always  is.  That  is  the 
advantage  of  Seville  over  the  Sweet  Orange,  which 
seldom  keeps  its  fruit  into  the  summer  months. 

Shoeblacks  (Hibiscus  Rosa  sinensis)  are  in  great 
beauty.  There  are  several  varieties  of  this  grand 
shrub.  A  large  single  salmon-Vniff  with  claret  eye 
claims  attention,  and  the  immense  double  red  is 
always  a  wonder,  but  none  gives  me  more  satis- 
faction than  the  old  single  red,  whose  perfect 
colour  is  perhaps  due  to  the  semi-transparency  of 
the  tissue  of  the  petals.  The  bushes  are  about 
12  feet  high,  and  every  flower  is  displayed  to 
advantage  owing  to  the  open,  uncrowded  growth. 
As  I  stand  between  one  of  these  Shoeblacks  and  a 
Poinsettia  I  see  that  the  coloured  leaf  of  the  latter 
looks  opaque  and  therefore  less  refined.  I  pick  one 
and  bring  it  up  to  the  Hibiscus  flower.  Now  I  see 
what  it  is.  The  leaf  is  a  uniform  surface,  distemper 
laid  on  by  the  workman  ;  the  flower  is  the  finished 
picture  of  the  artist.  As  a  display  of  colour  the 
Poinsettia  bush  is,  of  course,  incomparably 
brighter.  W.  J. 


HARDY    FRUITS     IN    SEASON. 

Late  Apples. 
Blenheim  Oranue. — Although  not  generally 
admitted    to    be  a  dessert  variety,  i  should 


LORD  BtJRGHLEY  APPLE,      (About  two-thirds  natural  sine.) 


224 


THE  GAEDEN. 


[March   30,  1901 


myself  vote  for  its  inclusion  in  the  choicest 
collection  of  dessert  fruit.  In  size,  colour,  and 
apfiearance,  when  well  grown,  it  is  unsurpassed 
by  any  otlier  Apple  in  its  season.  It  is  ripe 
from  L'hristnias  to  May,  and  if  not  of  the  best 
flavour  it  is  certainly  most  refreshing,  juicy, 
and  sweet,  infinitely  more  so  in  this  respect 
than  are  the  majority  of  the  dry  and  tasteless 
imjjorted  Apples  on  which  so  much  English 
money  is  unnecessai-ily  frittered  away.  As  an 
orchard  tree,  it  will  in  time  form  a  specimen 
of  the  dimen.sions  of  a  forest  veteran,  and  I 
have  known  many  grand  old  trees  give  a 
return  of  fifty  bushels  and  ujiwards  of  fine 
fruit  every  year.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  few 
Apples  will  realise  a  better  piice  in  the  market 
than  a  good  sample  of  Blenheim  Orange.  To 
those  unacquainted  with  certain  characteristics 
of  this  variety  I  ought  to  say  that  as  an  orchard 
tree  it  is  a  long  time  coming  into  bearing  after 


red  on  the  sunny  side,  shading  to  creamy 
gold  on  the  opposite  side,  and  in  shape  it  is 
not  unlike  the  old  Hawthornden.  The  texture 
of  its  Hesh  is  fairly  soft,  brisk,  and  juicy,  and 
the  flavour  excellent.  It  is  in  season  from 
February  to  ilay.  The  tree  is  a  compact  grower 
and  an  abundant  bearer. 

Lord  Burghley. — This  is  distinctly  a  valu- 
able late  Apple,  more  especially  for  very  late 
use,  say  through  A])ril  and  May.  In  appear- 
ance it  is  handsome,  of  medium  size  ;  in  this 
i'es)iect,  and  also  in  colour,  it  is  almost  a  replica 
of  Worcester  Pearmain.  The  flesh  is  of  a 
yellowish  colour,  veiy  juicy,  and  most  sweet. 
The  variety  succeeds  well  as  a  standard  in  the 
orchard,  and  as  a  late  dessert  Apple  of  good 
([uality,  appearance,  and  flavour  this  is  certainly 
one  of  the  best. 

King  of  the  Pippins. — Indispensable  in  the 
smallest  collection,  one  of  the  most  handsome 


Let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  late  varieties  of 
.\pples  miist  be  allowed  to  hang  on  the  trees  as 
late  in  the  autumn  as  possible. 

Wiiiihor.  Owen  Thom.vs. 


A    I'dLVANTFrA    ROSE    WrrH    OTUEK   CLIMBERS    OVER    A    GARDEN    AKCll. 


planting— often  six  or  seven  yeai's — but  this 
time  maybe  considerably  hastened  by  judicious 
root  and  branch  pruning.  The  tree  is  a  strong 
grower,  and  for  the  first  ten  years  root  pruning 
should  be  resorted  to  every  three  years.  The 
branches  it  makes  are  long  and  spreading ,  these 
must  not  be  shortened,  but  allowed  full  scope 
for  development,  pruning  only  the  lateral 
growths  of  these  branches,  thereby  inducing 
them  to  make  abundance  of  fruiting  buds  all 
up  the  latter.  When  grown  on  the  dwarfing 
or  Paradise  stock  as  a  bush  or  pyramid  it 
fruits  in  a  much  shorter  time,  and  for  the 
ordinary  garden  this,  no  doubt,  is  the  best  way 
of  growing  this  very  fine  Apple.  1  have  speci- 
mens of  many  excellent  varieties  of  late  Apples 
now  before  me-  all  in  good  condition  for  dessert 
—  and  it  is  difficult  to  make  a  selection  from 
them.  I  will  mention  a  few,  and  will  give  the 
first  position  to 
Fearn's  Pippin,  which  is  of  medium  size,  dark 


of  Apples,  an  abundant  bearer,  of  good  quality, 
pleasant  flavour,  and  with  careful  harvesting 
can  be  had  in  good  condition  for  dessert  from 
December    to   May  or   even    longer. 

Lemon  Pippin. —  So  named  because  of  its 
resemblance  in  .size  and  colour  to  the  Lemon, 
is  very  hardy,  a  moderate  grower,  and  a  good 
cropper.  The  flesh  is  greenish  white  in  colour, 
rather  soft  in  texture,  and  of  a  pleasant 
aromatic  flavour  ;  it  will  keep  well  until  June. 

Rosemary  Russet. — This  variety  is  ditlicult 
to  surpass  for  late  dessert  purposes.  The  tree 
is  hardy,  an  abundant  and  sure  bearer,  the 
fruit  of  good  flavour,  and  keeps  well  until  the 
middle  of  April. 

Duke  of  Devonshire. — One  of  the  latest,  best 
cropping,  hardiest  sorts  we  have,  not  so  hand- 
some in  appearance  as  some,  liut  withal  a 
desirable  variety  to  grow. 

King  of  Tomkins  County. — One  of  the  latest 
dessert  varieties,  excellent  in  every  way. 


THE     ROSE     GARDEN 

ROSA    POLYANTHA. 

FOR  certain  pur])oses  this  is  one  of  the 
most  useful  of  the  wild  Roses.     It 
is   a   wide-spreading   bush    of    very 
graceful   and  luxuriant  growth,  its 
stems  arching  out  in  every  direction 
from  the  centre,  and  the  whole  ulti- 
mately forming  a  great  mass  8  feet  or  so  high 
and   much   more    through.      The  flowers    are 
amongst  the  smallest  of  all  Roses,  but  are  pro- 
duced very  numerously  in   abundant  clusters. 
When  well  in  flower  a  jilant 
becomes  simply  a  fountain  of 
white  blossom.    It  is  a  quick 
and  luxuriant  grower  and  is 
admirable  for  clothing  steep 
banks.    If  these  are  not  very 
...  _       high  the  plants  may  be  placed 

.♦f  at  the  top,  whence  the  shoots 
will  hang  down  and  soon  hide 
the  bank  with  a  charming 
curtain,  which  is  especially 
beautiful  in  June  when  this 
Pose  is  white  with  flower. 
There  are  numerous  varie- 
ties and  hylirids  that  lielong 
to  the  multitlora  group.  They 
show  their  relation.ship  to  the 
type  in  the  dense  clusters  of 
small  flowers,  but  more  ]iarti- 
cularly  in  the  more  or  less 
fringed  stipules.  One  of  the 
most  noteworthy  of  these 
varieties  or  hybrids  is  Crim- 
son Ramliler.  Everyone,  I 
suppose,  knows  this  Rose 
now,  no  plant  of  recent  intro- 
duction having  more  quickly 
reached  so  prominent  a  place. 
It  was  introduced  from  Japan 
(of  which  country,  as  well  as 
China,  the  type  also  is  a 
native)  and  was  at  first  known 
as  "Engineer  Rose,"  but  it 
was  not  until  it  came  into 
the  hands  of  Mr.  Turner,  of 
Slough,  and  was  given  the 
pleasanter  name  it  now  bears 
that  it  obtained  more  than 
very  local  notice.  The  Daw- 
son Rose  is  a  beautiful  cross 
between  R.  multitlora  and  the 
H.P.  General  Jaeipieminot.  Its  Howers  arc  a 
soft  rose  colour  and  semi-double,  so  much  like 
those  of  Crimson  Rambler  in  size  and  form  as 
to  suggest  that  the  latter  may  be  a  cross 
between  R.  multitlora  and  some  fine  deeji 
crimson  H.P.  B. 


IRIS    HELDREICHI. 

This  i-emarkably  beautiful  Iris  has  been  much 
in  evidence  this  year,  and  we  cannot  see  too 
much  of  a  flower  so  charming  in  colour  and 
so  distinct  in  all  ways.  The  accompanying 
drawing  was  made  from  Howers  in  Messrs. 
Barr  and  Son's  nursery  at  Long  Ditton,  but  it 
was  first  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Wallace  and 
Co.,  of  Colchester,  at  the  last  February  meeting 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  IIHIO, 
when  it  received  a  tirst-class  certificate.  Then 
it  was  named  I.  stenoiihylla.  It  is  regarded 
as    very    closely   allied    to    1.    persica.      We 


Makch   30,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


mentioned  in  our  account  of  it  last  year 
(page  202)  that  "no  species  can  be  compared 
with  it  except  in  size,  and  this  is  I.  alata, 
but  it  is  even  more  refined.  The  new-comer  is 
without  the  rough  outline  of  I.  alata,  nor  does 
it  possess  the  very  broad  Ijlade  to  the  fall  of 
the  latter.  Bat  in  one  feature  it  does  suggest 
I.  alata,  and  this  is  the  way  in 
which  the  claw  from  the  lower 
side  embraces  the  style,  only 
that  in  the  new-comer  it  is  more 
uniform  and  definite,  unite  over- 
lapping the  entire  upper  surface 
of  thestyle  bythe  extended  wings 
that  meet  on  the  central  surface. 
The  azure-blue,  pur]ile-shaded 
colours  are  very  pleasing.  This 
Iris  will  become  one  of  the  most 
notable  of  the  early  bulbous 
group."  This  species  is  a  native 
of  Asia  Minor,  and  is  as  pretty 
as  I.  persica. 


this  county  (Bucks)  assured  nie  he  could  readily 
obtain  (id.  per  pound  for  these  fruits  (retail)  when 
put  up  in  one  pound  punnets,  and  the  demand 
exceeded  the  supply.  This  grower  had  utilised  a 
piece  of  rough,  stony  ground,  but  naturally  rather 
moist,  adjoining  his  market,  garden,  the  variety  he 
was  growing   being  a  good   form   of  tlie  common 


^ 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


THE     BLACKBERRY    AS     A 
MARKET    FRUIT. 

DURING  the  past  few  years  the  delicious 
fruits   of   the   Blackberr}'   have    im- 
doubtedlj'    gained    in    popular 
esteem,    as   the   numbers   that   have 
been    seen   in    the    markets   of    the 
metropolis      and     large      provincial 
towns,    especially    during    last    autumn,     amply 
testify.     The  supply,  which  apparently  was  faiily 
good,    especially    that   of   last   year, 
when    the  berries  were  generally  so 
plentiful  in  a  wild  state,  did  not  seem 
in  any  way  to  exceed  the  demand, 
which   is   no   doubt  steadily  on  the 
increase,     ii  this  supply  is  to  remain 
generally   dependent   only   on   those  ^ 

fruits   supplied   by   Nature   without  *;, 

cultivation,  there  is  the  possibility 
that  the  requirements  may  exceed 
the  supply. 

Another     consideration     is,     that 
cultivation    produces   a    larger    and 
more   luscious    berry,    for    which    a 
higher  price  is  obtained,   if  the  one 
case  I  am  able  to  quote  maj'  be  taken 
as  a  representative  example.     Under 
these  circumstances,   it  seems   there 
maj'  be  an  opening  in  this  direction 
for  their  profilable  cultivation,  especiall}'  where  land 
is  obtainable  at  cheap  rates,  or  such  as  is  otherwise 
almost  worthless  for  either  garden  or  farm  crops, 
but  would  answer  well  for  this  purpose.     As  there 
must    be   much   of   this   class   about   the   country 
within  easy  reach  of  good  markets,  it  might  prove 
a  protitable  investment  if  owners  started  in  a  small 
way,  experimentally,  with  a  view  to  testing  the 
possibility  of  further  extending  their  cultivation  if 
proved   to   be   a   profitable   venture.      Seeing   the 
prolific  crop  of  berries  produced  in  a  wild  state, 
even  where  the  land  is  decidedly  poor  and  com- 
paratively worthless  for  other  subjects,  it  is  only 
reasonable   to   expect  that  with  a   little  cultural 
attention  a  largely  increased  crop  may  result.    The 
American  varieties,  of  which  the  berries  are  very 
tine,  do  not  seem  to  adapt  themselves  kindly  to 
the  climatic  conditions  of  this  country,  and  can 
be  depended  upon  only  when  the  summers  are,  for 
England,  of  the  hottest  character.     Therefore  it  is 
doubtful  if  much  assistance  is  to  be  derived  from 
intercrossing  these  with  oirr  native  species.    Among 
our  wild  plants  there  is  a  considerable  diversity 
both  in  the  character  of  the  growth  and  the  size  of 
the  fruits. 

A  selection  made  of  the  most  promising  when  in 
fruit  should  be  marked  for  removal  at  the  proper 
time,  securing  sufficient  to  form  a  fair  experimental 
test.     A  short  time  since  a  small  market  grower  in 


IKIS    HELDREICHI. 

{From  a  drawing  made  by  Miss  Alice  West  in  Messrs.  Barr'i 
nursery  at  Long  Ditton.^Floivers  slightly  reduced.) 


Blackberry,  wdiich  he  had  selected  from  seedlings 
and  increased  by  layering,  simply  pegging  the 
points  of  the  long  canes  into  the  soil. 

When  these  had  become  well  rooted,  they  were 
taken  off  and  planted  elsewhere.  The  cultural 
details  are  simple,  and  consist  merely  of  cutting 
away  the  old  fruiting  canes,  giving  the  new  ones 
the  support  of  a  stout  li-feet  stake,  to  which  three 
or  four  are  loosely  tied  once,  t':wards  the  top,  and 
the  points  allowed  to  bend  over  naturally  to  the 
ground.  The  canes  made  in  tliis  way  attain  a 
length  of  12  feet  to  \'->  feet  or  more,  and  the  points 
are  pegged  to  the  ground.  In  winter  the  surface 
of  the  ground  may  Ije  slightly  stirred  and  a  surface 
dressing  of  rotten  manure  be  applied.  The  fruits 
may  be  used  in  many  ways,  and  make  a  delicious 
jam  or  jelly,  which  by  some  is  preferred  to  that 
made  from  choicer  fruits.  C.  Hbrrin. 

PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES      . 
OUTDOORS. 

SpRiNr;  Treatme.nt. 

Mpch  of  the  success  or  failure  with  these  fruits, 
as  with  many  others,  depends  upon  the  vigilance 
and  care  bestowed  upon  them  in  April  and  May. 
The  purpose  of  this  article  is  to  poiut  out  some  of 
their  needs,  and  also  some  of  the  dangers  to  which 
they  are  subject. 

The  first  thing  to   be  thought  of  is  protection 
from  frost.      It  is  rather  unsatisfaetor}' 
work,    and    sometimes    in    a   long    cold 
spring  becomes  very  irksome  ;  but  there 
are  very  few  seasons  in  which  it  is  not 
necessary  to  some  extent,  uidess  the  trees 
are   in   a    very  warm    position   and   dry 
neighbourhood.      When  the  trees  are  in 
bloom  licpiid  manuring  is  beneficial  and 
assists  the  setting  of   the  fruit.      Many 
people  seem  to  think   the  trees  need  no 
help  in  this  way  until  the  fruit  gets  a 
fair    size,    but    a    beginning    cannot    be 
made   too   early   if    the    trees   give  promise   of   a 
heavy   crop.      The    leaves    of    Peaches   and   Nec- 
tarines   begin   to  come    out   while    the    bloom  is 
still  on,  and  then  one  of  their  greatest  enemies  has 
to  be  looked  out  for,  viz. ,  the  aphis,  the  species  in 
this  case  being,  not  a  green  flj',  but  a  brown  one, 
its  full  title  being  Aphis  pruni.     The  eggs  of  this 
aphis  often  hatch  during  a  few  warm  da\  s  in  April, 
and  the  flies  or  insects  do  great  mischief,  as  they 
are  able  to  spoil  the  young  and  tender  shoots  which 
are  breaking  out  often  just  where  30U  want  bare 
spaces   on   the   wall   filled   up   or   worn-out  wood 
replaced.     Sometimes  Bean  sticks  are  kept  in  front 
of  the  trees  all  April,  so  that  the  presence  of  the 
aphis  is  not  noticed  until  the  damage  is  done,  when 
numbers  of  little  \'ellow  leaves  are  seen  lying  on 
the  ground  below.     Where  the  trees  have  not  been 
kept  clean  the  previous  autumn  they  are  specially 
liable  to  this  early  visitation.     There  should  Ije  no 
delay  in  giving  them  a  syringing  with  soft  soap 
and  quassia  chips  or  paraffin  naphthalin  emulsion, 
which  should  be  repeated  after  a  week  or  a  fort- 
night, as  during  that  time  another  lot  of  eggs  may 
have  hatched. 

If  the  fruit  sets  very  thickly  it  should  have  its 
first  thinning  by  the  middle  of  Maj',  or  even  before, 
so  as  to  let  the  trees  waste  as  little  of  their  energies 
as  possible  on  useless  fruits.  All  badly  placed 
fruits,  such  as  those  between  the  branches  and  the 
wall,  or  in  the  clefts,  should  be  taken  ofi'  at  this 
first  thinning,  and  all  bunches  of  twos  and  threes 
reduced  to  single  fruits.  The  fruits  should  be 
taken  off  with  a  slight  twist,  so  as  to  avoid  the 
risk  of  pulling  pieces  of  bark  off  with  them.  By 
the  latter  part  of  May,  in  an  early  season,  or  the 
lieginning  of  .June  in  a  late  one,  the  final  thinning 
of  the  fruit  maj  be  undertaken,  the  largest  fruits, 
of  course,  being  left  for  ripening.  On  all  shoots 
of  average  size,  if  qualitj'  is  preferred  to  quantit3', 
not  more  than  one  fruit  should  be  left,  onlj-  the 
strongest  shoots  being  allowed  to  bear  two.  On 
verj'  strong  growing  trees  a  few  extra  ones  maj'  be 
left,  especially  if  the  trees  are  going  to  be  well  fed 
during  the  summer. 

Some  growers  prefer  leaving  the  final  thinning 
of  the  fruit  until  the  critical   time  of  stoning  is 


226 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[March  30,  1901. 


passed,  so  that  then  it  may  be  seen  what  fruits 
will  remain  on  the  tree  till  maturity.  This  makes 
a  severe  tax  on  the  tree,  which  is  unnecessary,  for, 
if  the  tree  is  properlj'  nourished,  very  few  fruits 
indeed  fall  oft'  during  the  stoning  period.  An 
operation  which  should  be  begun  as  soon  as  it  can 
be  determined  which  of  the  shoots  will  lengthen 
out  and  which  will  only  form  short  fruiting  spurs, 
is  that  kjiown  as  disbudding  ;  this  consists  in 
rubbing  off  with  the  thumb  and  finger  all  the 
shoots  which  will  not  be  wanted,  and  it  is  usual  in 
the  case  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines  to  rub  oil'  all 
on  the  previous  season's  shoots  except  two — the 
one  at  the  base  of  the  shoot  and  the  one  at  the 
extremity — to  draw  up  the  sap  for  the  fruit. 

In  the  autumn  the  branch  may  be  cut  back  to 
the  basal  shoot  or  nut,  according  to  the  space  at 
disposal.  This  disbudding  should  not  be  done  all 
at  one  time,  as  such  a  large  nvimber  of  wounds  may 
cause  an  evaporation  of  sap,  which  will  give  a 
check  to  the  tree  and  weaken  its  growth,  producing 
unhealthiness  and  the  evils  which  follow  in 
its  train.  The  extent  to  which  disbudding 
is  done  must  depend  upon  the  amount  of 
wall  it  is  desired  to  cover,  and  great  care 
and  foresight  must  be  exercised,  so  that  in 
the  autumn  there  may  be  shoots  ready  to 
fill  in  blank  spaces  and  lake  the  place  of 
worn-out  wood.  In  addition  to  disbudding, 
any  shoots  which  seem  likely  to  grow  rank 
should  be  pinched  back,  as  thej-  are  a  drain 
upon  the  trees  and  seldom  produce  fruit. 

To  sum  up,  it  may  be  said  that  proper 
thinning  and  disbudding,  combined  with 
cleanliness  and  proper  feeding,  constitute 
the  whole  art  of  growing  these  luscious 
fruits.  They  are  not  fruits  which  can  be 
well  left  to  themselves,  but  they  repay  the 
care  bestowed  upon  them,  as  one  or  the 
other  is  held  by  most  people  to  be  the  king 
of  fruits,  and  there  are  none  which  are  more 
appreciated  by  one's  friends. 

ALdEE  Petts. 


WORKERS    AMONGST    THE 
FLOW^ERS. 


PEOFESSOE 
M.A.. 


G.    HENSLOW, 
F.L.S. 


THE  EEV.  PEOFESSOE 
GEOEGE  HENSLOW, 
M.A.,F.L.S.,F.G.S.,  F.E.H.S., 
V.M.H.,  (fee,  is  the  younger 
son  of  the  late  Eev.  J.  S. 
Henslow,  M.A.,  F.L.S.,  Pro- 
fessor of  Botany  in  the  University  of 
Cambridge,  and  brother-in-law  to  Sir 
J.  D.  Hooker,  late  Director  of  the  Eoyal 
Gardens,  Kew.  He  was  born  at  Cam- 
bridge in  1835,  and  was  educated  first 
under  the  Rev.  E.  Daniel,  of  Sawston, 
Cambs.,  then,  from  1847  to  1854,  at 
King  Edward  VI  's  Grammar  School, 
Bury  St.  Edmunds,  under  the  Eev.  J.  W. 
Donaldson,  D.D.,  of  great  reputation  as  a 
Greek  scholar.  On  leaving  school  in  1854  he 
entered  Christ's  College,  Cambridge,  of  which 
he  was  a  scholar  and  medallist,  and  in  1858-59 
he  took  honours  in  three  triposes — mathe- 
matics, divinity,  and  natural  sciences — being 
recorded  as  "distinguished  in  botany,  geology, 
and  mineralogy."  He  graduated  as  B.A.  in 
1859,  and  subsequently  as  M.A.  Whilst  a 
resident  B.A.  at  Christ's  College  Mr.  Henslow 
gave  his  first  course  of  lectures  on  botany. 

In  1855  he  spent  several  weeks  in  Jersey  and 
studied  the  flora,  contributing  his  first  botanical 
paper  to  the  Phytologist  on  the  chiracteristic 
plants  of  the  Channel  Islands.  In  the  following 
year  he  went  for  a  botanical  tour  under  the 
auspices  of  Dr.  (now  Sir)  J.  D.  Hooker  through 
Switzerland,  during  which  he  collected  a  large 
series  of  plants.     In  1861  he  was  elected  head 


master  of  the  Endowed  Grammar  School  of 
Hampton  Lucy,  Warwickshire,  founded  in  the 
reign  of  Charles  II.,  where  botany  was  made  a 
regular  subject  in  the  school,  itenioving  to 
London  in  1865,  ilr.  Henslow  took  an  old- 
established  grammar  school.  He  was  also 
elected  lecturer  on  botany  to  St.  Bartholomew's 
Medical  School,  a  post  Jie  held  till  1890. 
Another  apjjointment  which  he  held  was  that  of 
afternoon  lecturer  at  the  Eoyal  Institution.  For 
several  years  during  his  residence  in  London 
he  was  a  popular  lecturer  on  botany  at  the 
Birkbeck  School  of  Science  and  Art,  giving 
also  many  courses  of  lectures  on  botany,  geology, 
physiography,  and  elementary  astronomy  in 
schools  and  colleges  in  and  around  London, 
including  the  late  Mr.  Walter  Wren's  establish- 
ment for  the  Indian  Civil  Service.  Mr.  Hen.slow 
now  holds  the  professorship  of  botany  to  the 


THE   REV.    PROFESSOR  O.    HENSLOW,    M.A. 

Eoyal  Horticultural  Society.  His  e.\perience 
as  a  lecturer  at  the  provincial  philosophical 
and  scientific  institutions  is  very  large,  and 
few  men  have  been  more  widely  esteemed. 

He  was  president  of  the  West  London 
Scientific  Association,  and  has  been  that  of 
the  Ealing  Natural  Science  and  Microscopical 
Society  since  1882. 

He  has  been  secretary  to  the  scientific  com- 
mittee of  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society  since 
1879,  as  well  as  for  several  years  demonstrator 
on  botany  at  the  fortnightly  meetings. 

Besides  his  extensive  labours  in  the  field  of 
education,  the  contributions  which  Mr.  Henslow 
has  made  to  botanical  literature  are  of  the 
highest  importance.  The  Tnins'icfions  and 
Jourmil  of  the  Linmen  Society  bears  witness 
to  his  assiduity  in  many  original  investigations, 
among  which  may  be  specially  mentioned  his 
papers  on  "  Fhyllotaxis,"  and  his  experimental 


researches  on  the  transpiration  and  assimilation  ; 
of  plants,  as  well  as  those  on  their  jiower  of  1 
absorption.  For  these  researches  he  received  a  I 
grant  of  £100  from  the  itoyal  Society.  ■ 

As  a  writer  on  educational  subjects  to  the 
leading  magazines  of  the  day,  and  by  his 
numerous  published  works  and  articles  on 
botany.  Professor  Henslow  has  made  his  name 
widely  known.  The  titles  of  his  published 
writings  would  alone  fill  a  large  list.  Space  will 
only  allow  us  to  mention  .some  of  the  jirincipal 
works  and  manuals  of  which  Professor  Henslow 
is  the  author.  He  wrote  the  volume  on  "  The 
Origin  of  Floral  Structures  through  Insects  and 
Other  Agencies,"  and  "  The  Origin  of  Plant 
Structures,"  two  of  the  International  Scientific 
Series,  and  is  also  the  author  of  the  following 
works,  published  by  E.  Stanford,  viz.  : — 
"Botany  for  Begin ner.s,"  and  "Floral  Dis- 
sections," also  "How  to  Study  Wild 
Flowers  (E.  T.  S.)."  These  form  intro- 
ductions to  the  study  of  botany  which 
have  rarely  been  equalled  in  excellence  of 
design  and  treatment.  Twenty-five  of 
the  principal  articles  on  botany  in  the 
"  Encycloptedia  Britanniea  "  are  from  his 
prolific  pen.  He  was  also  the  Actorian 
prize  essayist  in  1872,  the  subject  being 
"  The  Theory  of  Evolution  of  Living 
Things,"  published  as  "Evolution  and 
Religion." 

His  latest  work  is  "Medical  Works 
of  the  Fourteenth  Century,"  transcribed 
from  j\ISS.,  with  an  introduction  and 
notes  by  Professor  W.  W.  Skeat.  He  is 
also  the  author  of  several  theological 
works. 


SHORT  STUDIES  ON  PLANT 
LIFE.-VII. 

Plums  and  theie  Kixd.s. 
The  genus  Prunus  includes  all  kinds  of 
"  stone-fruits,"  popularly  so  called  ;  for 
not  only  is  the  Blackthorn  or  Sloe,  Plums 
and  Damsons,  but  the  Almond,  Apricot, 
Cherries,  and  the  Common  and  Portugal 
Laurels  are  members.  It  is  a  genus  of 
the  northern  hemisphere,  and  is  re]ire- 
sented  by  species  pretty  well  all  round 
the  world,  and  even  in  tru])ical  regions  of 
Asia  and  America.  Various  species  have 
long  been  cultivated.  Pliny,  writing  in 
the  first  century,  says  twelve  kinds  were 
grown  in  his  day,  as  well  as  the  Almond, 
Peach,  and  perhaps  the  Nectarine.  The 
pr.-ecocicaor  early  Plum  was  perhaps  the 
Apricot,  originally  called  " Apricock,"  the 
Damascene  Plum  introduced  into  Italy 
before  the  first  century  from  Syria.  His 
wild  Plum  appears  to  have  been  P.  insi- 
titia,  our  BuUace,  found  by  Sir  J.  D.  Hooker 
in  the  Kashmir  ^fountains  from  5,000  feet  to 
7,000  feet. 

Every  country  where  sjtccies  of  Prunus  grow 
wild  appears  to  have  supplied  .some  for  culti- 
vation. Our  Sloe  (J\  communis)  has  given 
rise  to  P.  domestica,  the  wild  Plum,  P.  Cerasus 
is  the  wild  or  Dwarf  Cherry  and  origin  of  the 
Morello,  Duke  and  Kentish  Cherries,  according 
to  Hooker,  while  I'.  Avium  has  given  us 
Geans,  Hearts  and  I'igaroons.  Similarly,  in 
America,  though  Euro|iean  kinds  were  first 
grown  ;  from  1 840  to  1 850,  races  were  established 
from  native  wild  species,  but  since  that  date 
some  thirty  hybrids  have  been  obtained  by 
crossing  American  forms  with  the  Japanese 
Plum. 

The  Almond,  Apricot,  and  Blackthorn  are 
the  earliest  of  fiowering  trees,  and  when  we 
study  the  physiology  we  find  that  the  stamens 


March  3n.  1901. 


THE    GAKDEN. 


227 


'V,^ 


1 


and  pistil  either  mature  together,  as  is  the 
case  with  P.  domestica,  Avium,  and  Cerasus, 
or  the  pistil  is  in  advance  of  the  stamens,  as  in 
the  Sloe  and  P.  Padus,  the  Bird  Cherry.  This 
ajipears  to  be  a  consequence  of  the  lower 
temperature  of  the  early  flowering  season  ; 
since  it  is  a  rule  with  conspicuous  blossoms  of 
summer  flowering  plants  that  the  stamens 
mature  their  i)ollen 
before  the  stigmas 
are  ready  to  receive  it. 

Like  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Kose 
family,  the  flower 
stalk  plays  an  im- 
portant part  in  the 
structure  of  the 
flower.  The  termina- 
tion called  the  floral 
receptacle  ceases  to 
grow  below  the  soli- 
tary carpel,  but  con- 
tinues to  do  so  in 
the  circumference,  so 
that  it  first  appears 
as  a  ring.  This  gra- 
dually rises  into  a 
cup-shaped  structure, 
and  carries  the 
sepals,  petals,  and 
stamens  on  the  rim. 
The  carpel  then 
remains  at  the 
bottom  like  an  egg 
in.  an  egg  cup.  As 
the  fruit  swells  it 
gradually  fills  the 
cup,  and  tears  it  away 
from  the  base,  so  that 
the  latter  finally  falls 
off,  leaving  the  fruit 
free. 

The  purpose  of  this 
"  receptacular  tube," 
as  this  cup-like  struc- 
ture is  called,  is  for 
secreting  honey.  In 
the  Raspberry  it 
forms  a  little  trough 
around  the  base  of 
the  pistil.  In  the 
Rose  it  makes  the 
"hip,"  but  it  has  lost 
its  honey  -  secreting 
property. 

Besides  various 
varieties  the  Almond 
is  remarkable  for 
sporting,  for  it  gives 
rise    to    the    Peach, 

and  then  the  Peach  sported  into  a  Nectarine. 
Both  kinds  of  fruit  are  sometimes  borne  on 
the  same  tree,  or  a  single  fruit  may  be  in 
part  a  Peach  Avith  a  rough  skin,  the  other 
part  having  the  smooth  skin  of  a  Nectarine. 
The  stones  and  kernels  of  either  may  give 
rise  to  either  a  Peach  or  a  Nectarine. 

George  Henslow. 


24  inches  in  diameter,  their  colour  brilliant 
scarlet  bristling  with  long  golden  styles.  It 
was  pointed  out  as  the  Sea  Urchin  plant.  Like 
most  of  the  Australian  Pjoteads  to  which  this 
plant  belongs,  and  which  hail  from  the  sunny, 
sandy  regions  of  the  we.st  side  of  that  conti- 
nent, it  IS  difficult  to  flower  in  this  country, 
although  easy  enough  to  grow  in  a  greenhouse. 
I  have  seen  it  healthy  and  ha|ipy  as  a  shrub  in 
the  open  air  in  South  Cornwall,  but  it  does  not 
flower  there.  Another  name  for  it  is  H.  euca- 
lyptoides.  There  are  about  a  hundred  species 
of  Hakea  scattered  over  Australia,  but  so  far 
as  I  know  this  is  by  far  the  most  showy  of 
them.  The  genus  is  closely  related  to 
Grevillea.  W.  W. 


which  they  are  starting.  Unlike  many  other 
shrubs,  Ihey  seem  to  have  the  advantage  of  being 
exempt  from  the  destructive  attention  of  rabbits  ; 
perhaps  when  snow  is  on  the  ground  the\'  might  be 
barked,  but  1  do  not  remember  to  have  noticed  it. 
Apart  from  the  iiuestion  of  varieties  it  maybe  well 
to  draw  attention  to  the  fact  that  only  strong 
healthy  plants  sliould  be  turned  out,  for  sickly 
specimens  from  a  conoervatory  or  greenhouse  are 
very  slow  indeed  to  make  a  start,  and  will  remain 
sometimes  for  an  astonishing  numlier  of  years  in 
almost  the  same  pitiable    state.      Grafted    plants 


SIIUUT    UF    IIAKEA    L.irRlNA.I 

(From  a  drawing  by  H.  G.   Mooii.) 


AN    ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK. 


HAKEA    LAURINA. 

WHERE  the  conditions  favour  this 
plant  it  is  a  gorgeous  shrub 
when  in  flower.  In  some  of 
the  gardens  of  the  Riviera — 
Mr.  Hanbury's  at  Jlentone,  for 
instance — it  grows  sturdily  and  flowers  freely.  I 
saw  it  there  in  all  its  glory  in  October,  1889,  a 
shrub  10  feet  high,  covered  with  balls  of  flowers 


and  start  late  into  growth,  such,  tor  instance,  as 
Chandler!  elegans  or  Auenionteflora  ;  the  varieties 
with  broad  roundish  leaves  appear  to  grow  in  more 
robust  fashion  than  those  having  narrow  pointed 
ones  with  a  serrated  edge,  though  the  latter  will 
make  sometimes  very  compaet  bushes.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  the  sorts  with  dark  red  flowers  are  hardier 
than  those  with  pink.  The  old  double  white  seems 
to  stand  the  cold  well  enough,  but  it  hides  its 
flowers  rather  too  much  among  the  foliage  to  make 
any  effective  display  of  them,  though  in  this  way 
they  are  often  secured  from  frost  or  bad  weather 
and  made  serviceable  for  cutting.  To  train  against 
a  trellis  or  wall  Doncklaarii  is  very  good,  and  next 
to  reticulata  one  of  the  most  beautiful  when  well 
grown,  blooming  so  freely. 

Camellias  appear  to  grow  in  almost  any  aspect, 
but  are  naturally  sun  lovers,  and  though  preferring 
peat  they  will  do  in  most  other  soils,  provided  that 
there  is  no  lime  present.  The  points  of  the  young 
roots  are  very  sensitive  to  drought,  so  should  be 
protected  until  well  established,  by  light  mulching 
or  a  surrounding  growth,  from  the  risk  of  being 
withered  up  by  a  fierce  sun  striking  the  ground  in 


should  be  avoided  ;  if  seedlings  are  not  obtainable 
cuttings  generally  can  be  struck  without  much 
difiiculty.— C.  S.  B.,  }Ve-it  Sumex. 


HARDY  SUMMER  AND  AUTUMN  FLOWERS 
FOR   TABLE   DECORATION. 

"H.  H." — It  is  not  clear  whether  the  enquirer 
means  dinner-table  decoration  onl3'  or  anj'  table 
where  flowers  are  stood  ;  but  as  the  more  compre- 
hensive answer  will  be  useful  to  the  larger  number 
of  readers  we  give  it  to  include  large  ornamental 
flowers  for  cutting,  as  well  as  the  smaller,  that  may 
better  suit  dinner-tables  of  moderate  size.  After 
Daffodils  and  Tulips,  which  can  searcelj'  be  called 
summer  flowers,  come  Oriental  Poppies.  Many 
people  think  that  these  splendid  flowers  will  not 
live  in  water,  but  it  is  only  because  they  do  not 
know  how  to  treat  them.  They  have  a  milky  juice 
that  soon  hardens  over  the  cut  and  prevents  them 
from  drawing  up  the  water,  so  the  moment  before 
putting  them  in  water  they  should  be  fresh  cut  and 
the  stalks  a  little  slit  up,  then  if  the}'  are  put  at 
once  into  water  they  last  as  well  as  anything.    The 


228 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[March  30.  1901. 


great  blooms  of  tree  Pa?onies  are  generally  too 
precious  to  cut,  but  the  old  English  garden  Pjeony, 
the  double  form  of  P.  ofificioalis,  is  a  grand  flower 
for  room  ornament.  Following  these  will  be  the 
many  beautiful  varieties  of  Pajonia  albiflora  or 
Chinese  Pajonies  and  autumn-sown  Sweet  Peas. 
Alstriinierias  are  some  of  the  most  durable  of 
summer  flowers.  Others  of  the  most  useful  are 
Coreopsis  lanceolata,  Spiriea  venusta,  many  beau- 
tiful Flag  Irises,  the  fine  white  Daisy  ChrN'santhe- 
mum  maximum.  Delphiniums,  Gladiolus  Colvillei 
the  Bride,  tiladiolus  gandavensis  hybrids,  and 
G.  brenchleyensis  will  soon  follow.  Some  of  the 
best  of  the  larger  plants  for  cutting  are  the 
Eryngiums,  E.  oliverianum,  the  tall  blue  Sea  Holly, 
and  E.  giganteum  the  .Silver  Thistle,  also  Echinops 
the  Globe  Thistle  :  Achillea  The  Pearl  can  also  be 
cut  long,  and  the  white  Galega.  In  middle  and 
late  summer  there  are  Lilies,  the  best  for  cutting 
being  the  white  Lily  (L.  candidum),  Tiger  Lily, 
Orange  Lily,  L.  speciosum,  and  L.  longiflorum. 
Towards  autumn  come  the  perennial  Sunflowers, 
beginning  with  Helianthus  rigidus,  a  succession 
of  good  cutting  flowers  being  kept  up  by  H.  deca- 
petalus,  the  tall  Miss  Mellish,  and  H.  laetiflorus. 
By  this  time  (August  and  September)  there  will  be 
Dahlias  in  quantity,  and  then  Michaelmas  Daisies. 
These  are  tlie  best  things  for  tall  decorations.  For 
smaller  there  are  Lily  of  the  Valley,  Poses  of  ever}' 
kind,  Mignonette,  Sweet  Sultan,  bunched-flowered 
Polj'anthus  Primi-oses,  late  Dutch  Honeysuckle, 
Lilacs,  Cornflowers,  Pansies,  Pinks,  and  Carnations. 


GARDEN      DESTROYERS. 


INSECT     PESTS. 

T  is  impossible  to  give  directions  for  destroying 
all  the  various  kinds  of  injurious  insects  in 
even  two  articles,  but  the  information  given 
will  enable  anyone  to  deal  with  the  pests  most 
frequently  met  with  ;  in  order  to  do  this,  and 
to  prevent  repetition,  certain  insects  are 
grouped  together. 

Perhaps  the  group  that  should  be  considered  firsi 
is  that  of  the 

Butterflies  and  Moths. 
In  themselves  they  are  perfectly  harmless,  but 
their  caterpillars  are  all  more  or  less  destructive  to 
vegetation.  They  usually  feed  on  the  leaves,  but 
some  feed  on  the  roots,  others  in  the  stems,  in 
flower  buds,  and  in  fruit,  though  several  kinds  feed 
on  the  foliage  of  plants  :  still,  comparatively  few 
appear  in  sufficient  numbers  as  to  be  really  injurious 
in  gardens.  Certain  kinds  spin  a  number  of  the 
leaves  together  on  which  they  feed.  When  any  of 
these  nests  are  found  the  best  way  is  to  cut  them 
out,  holding  a  basket  or  box  under  the  nest,  as 
many  of  the  inmates  will  drop  out  when  disturbed 
and  will  otherwise  escape.  If  they  are  on  trees  thai 
are  not  bearing  fruit,  they  should  be  syringed  with 
a  solution  of  paraffin  emulsion  or  the  now  popular 
Paris  green.  These  solutions  must  be  applied  with 
some  force,  so  as  to  break  the  webs,  which  are 
generally  of  strong  silk.  Caterpillars  that  feed 
openl}'  on  the  leaves,  supposing  always  that  there 
are  no  fruit  or  leaves  to  be  thought  of  as  food,  may 
be  killed  by  spraying  the  plants  with  one  of  the 
above-mentioned  materials.  Caterpillars  that  twist 
up  leaves,  or  oidy  join  one  or  two  together,  like 
those  that  .so  often  attack  Roses,  may  be  killed 
by  pinching  them  between  the  finger  and  thumb, 
taking  care  that  they  do  not  drop  out  before  the 
pressure  is  applied.  It  is  perhaps  safer  to  cut  the 
leaves  oft'  into  a  basket  held  underneath  them. 
Some  caterpillars  bore  into  the  stems  and  branches 
of  fruit  trees.  A  very  common  one,  that  of  the 
Wood  Leopard  Moth,  is  about  Ij^  inches  in  length 
when  full  grown,  which  is  not  until  three  years  have 
elapsed  from  hatching  ;  it  is  of  a  buft'  colour,  the 
head  and  the  first  joint  of  the  body  are  nearly  black, 
and  there  are  several  black  dots,  each  bearing  a 
hair  on  each  joint  of  the  body.  These  caterpillars 
live  entirely  in  the  stems  or  branches  of  fruit  trees  ; 
their  presence  may  generally  be  detected  by  finding 
a  small  mass  of  particles  of  wood  like  sawdust 
on  the  tree,  and  a  certain  amount  of   sap  oozing 


from  it.  On  looking  a  little  closer  a  hole  will  be 
found,  which  is  the  entrance  to  the  burrow  ;  by 
passing  a  sharp  wire  up  the  hole  it  maj'  be  possible 
to  stab  the  caterpillar.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  the 
insect  may  be  stifled  by  stuffing  the  hole  full  of  tow 
steeped  in  tar  or  paraffin  oil,  or  it  may  be  filled 
with  tobacco  water  or  paraffin  oil  by  means  of  a 
small  syringe  with  a  fine  nozzle,  which  may  be 
obtained  of  any  chemist.  As  soon  as  the  .syringe 
is  withdrawn  the  mouth  of  the  burrow  must  be  ' 
closed  with  a  plug  of  clay,  or  the  branch  may  be 
cut  oft'  some  2  inches  or  3  inches  below  the  hole  ;  it 
should  then  be  split  open  and  the  caterpillar  killed. 
The  branches  of  Currant  bushes  are  sometimes 
infested  in  much  the  same  way  by  the  caterpillars 
of  one  of  the  clear-winged  moths.  If  a  branch 
suddenly  withers  it  should  be  e.xamined,  and  cut 
ott'  below  where  there  is  any  sign  of  withering. 
Certain  caterpillars  that  attack  fruit  are  difficult 
to  deal  with.  The  fruit  that  is  attacked  .should  be 
gathered  if  possible  as  soon  as  the  attack  is  noticed, 
or  if  it  falls  it  should  be  picked  up  at  once,  the 
object  being  to  kill  the  insect  before  it  has  had 
time  to  leave  the  fruit.  It  is  useless  to  try  and 
save  the  latter,  and  it  is  well  to  dig  the  ground 
under  such  trees  in  the  winter,  turning  the  surface 
soil  well  underneath,  so  as  to  bury  deeply  any 
chrysalides  that  may  have  been  formed  near  the 
surface.  The  grubs  of  certain  sawflies  greatly 
resemble  caterpillars,  for  instance,  those  that  attack 
Gooseberry  bushes  ;  others,  the  Pear  slug  worm,  as 
an  example,  more  resemble  a  slug  than  anything 
else.     One  or  more  species  feed  on  the  leaves    ^f 


WIREVVOKMS. 


/  and  2.  Agnates  Hneaius. 
■'>  and  a.  Agriotes  sputator. 
9.  Wireworiii,  magnified. 


3  and  It.  Ag  n.       obt^curim. 
'  and  S.   Wirewomi^.  nat.  size. 
10  and  11.  Chrysalis. 


Roses,  and  nearly  all  make  their  chrysalides  in  the 
ground  under  the  plants  on  which  they  have  fed. 
The  most  certain  way  to  prevent  a  recurrence  of 
the  attack  is  to  remove  the  soil  which  contains 
them  to  the  depth  of  3  inches,  and  burn  or  bury  it 
deeply,  and  replace  with  fresh  soil  that  is  uneon- 
taminated.  The  grubs  may  be  killed  b}'  spraying 
the  plants  with  paraffin  emulsion  or  Paris  green, 
but  these  remedies  cannot  be  used  if  there  be  a 
crop  of  fruit  on  the  bushes  and  trees.  Dusting  the 
leaves  with  powdered  lime,  soot,  or  even  fine  road 
dust  is  very  useful. 

Pksts  at  the  Roots  of  Plasts. 

The  roots  of  plants  often  suft'er  greatly  from  the 
attacks  of  various  caterpillars  and  grubs.  The 
pests  are  very  difficult  to  destroy,  as  insecticides 
become  much  weakened  in  passing  through  the  soil 
—which  acts  as  a  kind  of  filter — as  to  have  little 
effect  upon  the  things  they  are  intended  todestro}'. 
Among  the  commonest  of  these  are  the  wireworms, 
smooth  round  grubs,  from  J,  inch  to  1  inch  in  length, 
of  yellowish  colour,  and  not  unlike  a  short  piece  of 
copper  wire.  They  are  hatched  from  tlie  eggs  laid 
by  the  common  skipjack,  or  click  lieetles,  long, 
narrow  beetles  of  a  dusky  brown  or  grey  colour, 
which  may  often  be  seen  on  the  (lowers  of  weeds, 
jjarticularly  Cow  Parsley.  In  gardens  wireworms 
are  especially  destructive  to  Carnations  and  Pinks. 

The  grubs  of  the  daddy-longlegs,  or  crane  Hy, 
are  akso  very  common  and  very  destructive.  When 
full  grown  they  are  rather  more    than    1    inch   in 


length ,  and  almost  as  thick  as  a  quill  pen  ;  they  have 
no  legs,  and  are  of  a  brownish  grey  colour.  Then 
there  are  certain  creatures  i^alled  millipedes,  or 
thousand  legs,  which  are  not  insects,  but  they  are 
very  injurious  to  the  roots  of  plants,  and  also  to  ripe 
Strawljerries.  Some  of  these  millipedes  are  about 
an  inch  in  length  and  about  one-tenth  of  an  inch 
in  width  ;  they  are  of  a  _lark  brown  colour  and  very 
horny  ;  when  touched  they  will  often  curl  them- 
selves into  a  ring.  A  smaller  kind  is  whitish,  with 
a  row  of  bright  red  spots  down  eacli  side.  The  best 
way  of  dealing  with  these  root-feeding  pests  is,  if  a 
plant  seems  to  flag  without  any  visible  reason,  to 
turn  up  the  ground  near  the  roots  and  tr}'  and  find 
the  pests,  or  the}'  maj'  be  trapped  b\'  burj-ing  slices 
of  Mangolds,  Turnips,  Carrots,  or  Potatoes  about 
an  inch  below  the  surface  near  the  plants  ;  a  small 
wooden  skewer  should  be  stuck  into  each  so  as  to 
show  where  it  is  buried,  or  tiles,  slates,  bricks, 
pieces  of  board  or  turf  should  be  laid  about  for  the 
insects  to  hide  under,  which  they  will  often  do. 
Both  kinds  of  traps  should  be  examined  every 
morning. 

Some  grubs  cannot,  however,  be  caught  in  these 
traps,  for  instance,  those  of  the  cockchafer,  which 
are  large,  white,  fleshj'  grubs,  nearly  2  inches 
in  length  when  full  grown  ;  they  lie  usually  in  a 
somewhat  curled  position,  the  tail,  which  is  the 
thickest  part  of  the  body,  is  usually  of  a  dull  bluish 
colour,  and  is  turned  under  the  bod}',  which  is  much 
wrinkled.  The  grub  has  three  pairs  of  longish  thin 
legs  near  the  head.  The  only  practical  way  of 
destroying  these  insects  is  by  turning  them  up  out 
of  the  ground  with  a  spud  or  some  similar  tool. 

G.  S.  Saunders. 
(  To  he  continued. ) 


COSMOS     BIPINNATUS. 

This  autumn-Howering  half-bardy  anntial  has 
quickly  gained  favour  since  it  lias  rather  lately 
been  brought  forward.  Its  weakest  point  for 
English  gardens  is  that  its  natural  .season  of 
flowering  (October)  is  too  late,  and  it  is  only 
in  a  year  like  the  last,  when  the  late  autumn  i.s 
unusually  mild,  that  it  has  a  chance  of  bloom- 
ing before  being  destroyed  by  frost.  But  a 
correspondent,  writing  during  the  past  summer, 
advised  sowing  in  February  in  slight  heat, 
transplanting  to  a  cold  frame  when  2  inches 
high,  and  planting  in  Ajiril  in  a  simny  place, 
when  it  could  lie  had  in  bloom  by  August. 

The  white  kind  is  the  best,  and  though  the 
plant  grows  tall — 7  feet  to  8  feet — the  finely 
divided  foliage,  of  a  wholesome,  full  green 
colour,  is  graceful  and  pleasant  to  the  eye. 
The  flowers  are  valuable  for  cutting,  lasting 
well  in  water  and  making  good  and  retined- 
looking  room  decorations.  ,J. 

In  a  note  on  hardy  and  half-hardy  annuals 
that  appeared  a  short  while  back  this  hand- 
some subject  was  alluded  to.  .  Its  delicate, 
Nigella-like  foliage,  and  its  large  and  shajiely 
single  flowers,  the  most  beautiful  form  of 
which  is  the  pure  white,  render  it  deservedly 
a  favourite.  Care  should,  however,  be  taken 
that  it  is  not  afforded  too  deep  and  rich  a  root- 
run,  or  it  will  far  exceed  the  height  of  .3  feet 
given  in  the  article,  and  will  be  iiroportionately 
later  in  coining  into  bloom.  Where  seed  has 
been  sown  in  the  open  in  rich  deep  soil  I  have 
known  the  plants  exceed  the  height  of  li  feet 
and  fail  to  expand  their  first  blooms  before 
November.  Treated  in  this  manner  the  Cosmos 
is,  naturally,  valueless  for  garden  decoration, 
since  gales  and  frost  generally  sujiervene  before 
that  date  ;  where,  on  the  other  hand,  good- 
sized  seedlings  are  planted  out  at  the  end  of 
May,  as  recommended  in  the  note  in  (piestion, 
in  soil  that  does  not  encourage  growth  at  the 
expense  of  floriferousness,  the  ]ilaiits  com|ilete 
their  flowering  before  the  atmospheric  con- 
ditions interfere  with  their  display. 

S.  W.  FiTZIlKRBKRT. 


March  30,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


229 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Hardy  Fruits. 

FIGS  are  not  safe  in  many  parts  of  the 
country  without  protection,  and  various 
modes  are  adopted  to  preserve  the  new 
wood,  as  on  tliis  is  borne  the  crop.  At 
this  date  it  will  be  well,  weather  per- 
mitting, to  uncover  partially  if  a  heavy 
covering  was  given  in  the  autumn,  as  the  increased 
warmth  from  the  sun  will  cause  the  sap  to  rise, 
and  later  on  the  trees  may  be  fully  exposed.  With 
trees  sto])ped  during  growtli  very  little  pruning 
will  nOM'  be  required  ;  at  the  same  time,  I  have 
often  obserA'ed  A'cry  cjld  trees  are  much  too 
thick,  finer  frnits  would  be  secured  by  thinning 
out  old  and  training  in  young  wood."  Sucker 
growths  should  not  be  allowed  unless  a  few  of 
the  best  are  needed  to  replace  old  branches. 
Hardy  Vines  on  walls  should  now  receive  atten- 
tion ;  the  best  results  are  obtained  when  new 
shoots  are  trained  in  occasionally.  Of  course, 
with  very  old  Vines  on  Ijuildings,  where  the 
well-known  spur  system  of  culture  has  been 
followed  for  many  years,  my  remarks  are  not 
applicable  ;  but  even  here  the  plant  is  greatly 
benefited  if  new  wood  can  be  obtained,  and  often 
an  old  shoot  maj'  be  cut  out,  tacking  in  a  young 
growth  in  its  place.  A^ery  often,  too,  many  spurs 
are  left ;  these,  when  thickly  placed,  produce  a 
thicket  of  weak  wood  and  small  bunches.  Now  is  a 
good  time  to  reduce  old  spur  growths  that  are 
weak  or  far  from  the  wall,  and  cut  back  to  a  J'oung 
growth  or  even  within  an  inch  of  the  base  ;  the 
cut  back  part  will  next  season  produce  a  new  bud, 
and  later  on  fruit.  The  present  time  is  also 
good  in  which  to  top-dress  the  trees,  using  a 
rich  fertiliser,  such  as  bone-meal  or  other  quick 
acting  agent.  Young  Vines  should  now  be 
planted,  and  if  in  pots  the  roots  should  be  care- 
fully disentangled  and  spread  out  and  some  fine 
compost  used  at  the  planting  for  the  small  fibrous 
roots. 

Strawberries  planted  last  autumn  in  prepared 
land  will  not  rec^uire  food,  but  the  surface  soil  may 
be  lightly  hoed  over  (not  dug),  and  previous  to  the 
hoeing,  if  the  soil  is  at  all  light,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  trench  round  each  plant,  thoroughly  firming 
tlie  same,  as  there  is  a  tendency  with  newly-planted 


Strawberries  to  leave  the  soil.  Older  quarters  are 
cleansed  liy  what  is  termed  skinning — that  is,  the 
soil  is  lightly  turned  over,  and  if  given  manure  tliis 
is  turned  in — the  quarters  made  clean  for  the 
annual  cropping.  This  time  of  year  is  favourable 
for  planting  in  heavy  cold  soils  if  laj'ers  were 
secured  last  season  and  wintered  close  together 
in  I'eadiness  for  spring  planting.  We  are  at 
the  present  date  planting  new  quarters  of  the 
St.  Josephs  ;  this  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  newer 
perjjetual  types,  and  is  very  useful  for  autunni 
supplies.  Those  ■\\ho  grow  the  Alpines  should 
have  sown  seed  ei'c  this,  but  it  is  not  too  late 
if  sown  at  once  under  glass  ;  the  last  year's 
fruiting  plants  will  also  give  good  planting 
material  if  tlie  runner  growtlis  are  detached  and 
])lanted  straightway  in  good  land  well  enriched 
with  nuinure.  (i.   Wytiiks. 

Si/oii  House  Gardeii.i,  BreDlford. 

INDOOR    GARDEN 

Fuchsias. 
Such  protection  as  these  have  been  given  during 
winter  will  have  made  its  influence  felt,  and 
growth  will  be  on  the  move,  and  this  is  the  best 
time  to  deal  with  the  root  mass.  If  plants  arc 
intended  to  be  grown  into  larger  sizes  then  a 
partial  disturbance  must  onlj'  be  made,  the  removal 
of  some  of  the  outer  soil  in  the  ball  being  all  that 
is  necessary  ;  but  if  it  is  intended  to  simply 
reinstate  the  plants  then  the  ball  must  be  con- 
siderably reduced  to  permit  of  their  going  into 
the  same  sized  pots  and  to  allow  for  the  addition 
of  fresh  soil.  The  seasonable  pruning  should 
also  be  done  now  that  the  plant  is  in  the  work- 
man's hands  in  the  potting  quarters,  unless  for 
some  particular  pui'pose,  such  as  for  exhibition,  &c. 
I  am  not  in  favour  of  the  stifllj'  ti-ained  plants  we 
sometimes  see,  as  it  is  simply  robbing  the  subject 
of  a  grace  which  it  naturally  inherits,  and  the 
more  we  take  this  into  account  M'hcn  dealing  with 
this  charming  greenhouse  plant  the  more  effective 
will  be  the  picture  ;  a  rich  loamj'  soil  with  suitable 
drainage  is  recommended,  and  moderately  firm 
potting  must  be  practised. 

IVY-LEAVED    GERANIUMS. 

The  many  uses  to  which  these  can  be  put  render 
them  most  desirable  plants  in  the  flower  garden 
as  well  as  in  the  greenhouse  ;  unlike  the  zonals,  to 
get  the  very  best  results,  thej'  should  not  be  too 
frequently  potted,  nor  given  a  rich  compost  when 


WHITE    CO.SMOS    BIPINKATUS. 


this  has  to  lie  done.  I  have  found  that  once  in 
every  two  years  is  quite  often  enough  to  repot  ; 
but  of  course  liberal  stimulants  are  plentifvdly 
given  the  second  year.  Clay's  Fertilize)'  I  liave 
found  an  excellent  tonic,  and  when  apjjlied  as  a 
surface  dressing  well  mixed  witii  fine  soil  the  efleet 
was  marvellous.  'I'lierc  are  now  many  fine  varieties 
in  the  market,  but  in  my  opinion  none  of  them  is 
finer  or  more  free-flowering  than  Souvenir  de 
Charles  Turnei- :  this  is  po.ssessed  of  a  charmingly 
brigjit  colour,  and  when  seen  on  a  suitable  surface, 
siK-li  as  the  trellis  work  in  tlie  cori-idoi-.  the  sight  is 
one  to  commend  this  \'ariety  to  any  one. 

Staiie  Pelauooniims. 

The  necessarj'  pinching  having  been  attended  to 
up  till  now,  the  growths  may,  if  the  plants  are  not 
to  be  kept  back  for  a  certain  purpose,  be  alhnved 
to  grow  oji  for  flower.  Tlie  ])ots  being  now  well 
charged  with  roots  a  little  feeding  shouUl  be  given; 
here  again  I  reconunend  Clay's  P^ertilizer  and  farm- 
yard manure  alternately ;  the  latter,  if  given  too 
frequently,  is  apt  to  cause  a  too  soft  growth  and  a 
consequent  lack  of  flower.  A  sharp  look-out  nuist 
always  be  kept  for  green  fly,  and  to  those  who  may 
have  missed  seeing  my  advice  in  a  previous  calendar, 
fumigating  once  fortnightly  must  be  done,  as  this 
is  the  only  way  to  ensiu'e  thorough  cleanliness.  As 
many  hard-wooded  greenhouse  plants  are  now 
ajjproaching  their  flowering  season,  a  little  feeding 
will  be  of  considerable  advantage,  not  only  in 
assisting  the  plant  through  the  flowering  season, 
when  a  great  strain  is  put  upon  its  energies,  but 
will  also  assist  in  developing  fresh  growth,  and  thus 
prepare  them  for  their  annual  repotting. 

.J.  F.  McLkod. 

Dover  Hcn-ie  Gardevs,  jRoehamptoii. 

THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Roses. 
The  more  tender  Roses  may  now  be  pruned,  leaving 
the  true  Teas  until  the  last.  No  set  rule  need  be 
followed  in  pruning  these,  the  best  guide  being  the 
condition  in  which  the  winter  has  left  the  wood 
made  last  year.  With  some  of  the  most  tender 
varieties  the  wood  gets  frost-bitten,  and  though 
such  wood  may  not  be  entirely  killed  it  is  always 
best  to  cut  below  it,  for  strong  growths  and  good 
flowers  will  be  produced  from  the  basal  buds. 
Where  quantity  of  flowers  is  the  main  object  rather 
than  quality,  as  will  be  the  case  with  most  garden 
Roses,  and  the  wood  shows  no  sign  of  injuiy,  it  is 
best  to  cut  back  onlj'  to  the  upper- 
most dormant  bud  in  order  to  get 
as  man}'  breaks  as  possible.  Climb- 
ing Hybrid  Teas  and  Noisettes 
should  only  have  the  weak  wood 
cut  out,  laying  in  all  strong  growths 
to  as  great  a  length  as  possible, 
as  it  is  from  these  growths  that  the 
best  flowers  will  come.  When 
pruning  is  finished  the  beds  should 
be  well  mulched  with  short  manure. 

Lawns. 
The  time  for  the  mo^^■ing  machine 
is  fast  approaching,  but  before  it 
has  been  brought  into  use  the  laivns 
and  verges  should  be  i,ye\\  brushed 
over,  removing  worm-casts  and  any 
stones  which  have  found  their  way 
on  to  the  grass  as  they  do  in  snowy 
weather,  after  which  a  good  rolling 
should  be  given  and  all  coarse 
patches  of  grass  gone  over  with  a 
good  scythe,  for  they  prevent  the 
machine  from  doing  good  work. 
Continue  weeding  operations  on  all 
possible  occasions.  If  the  la\vn 
mowers  have  not  yet  been  over- 
hauled and  put  into  good  order, 
this  should  be  done  at  once,  for  a 
breakdown  in  the  spring  or  summer 
is  quite  a  calamity.  Where  one  or 
other  of  the  poisonous  weed  killers 
are  in  use,  a  favourable  time  should 
be  taken  for  application.  If  possible 
this  should  be  done  in  weather  that 
promises  to  be  fine,  but   while  the 


230 


THE  gaedp:k. 


[March  30   1901. 


gravel  is  still  moist  from  previous  rains.  All 
.gravel  should  soon  be  laid  so  tliat  it  may  liiiid  Nvell 
before  the  di-y  season  liegins. 

ANNU.-iLS. 

Tender  ajumals  that  were  sown  early  should  lie 
pricked  off  in  good  soil  under  cover  of  a  frame  or 
turf  pit,  so  that  they  maj'  be  lifted  with  plenty  of 
soil  when  they  are  planted  out.  Pricking  off  in 
fresh  soil  is  a  good  antidote  to  the  "  damping  off" 
which  is  so  prevalent  with  some  things  while  they 
are  in  the  seed  pans  or  boxes.  Those  annuals  for 
which  I  recommended  delay  in  sowing  some  weeks 
ago  may  now  be  sown.  If  intehded  to  be  planted 
out  direct  from  the  seed  bed  they  should  be  sown 
thinl}',  but  it  always  pays  to  prick  off  all  these 
things  under  cover  at  least  once. 

J.  C.  TajX-\ck. 

Shipley  Hall  Garden-^,  Derby. 


C  H  R  Y  S  A  N  T  H  E  M  U  M  S . 

E.iRLY  FlOWERIXG    VARIETIES. 

These  are  quickly  becoming  popular,  and  this 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  as  they  are  invaluable 
for  supplying  large  cjuantities  of  cut  flowers  and 
for  brightening  up  the  beds  and  borders  during 
late  summer  and  early  autumn,  and  few  things 
give  better  returns  for  the  small  amount  of  labour 
expended  on  them.  The  old  plants  maj'  now  be 
divided,  potted  into  small  pots,  and  rooted  in  cold 
frames.  If  kept  close  for  a  few  days  little 
difficulty  will  be  found  in  starting  them  into 
growth.  Use  a  light  .sandy  compost,  and  pot 
firnd}'.  As  soon  as  the}'  are  well  rooted,  remove 
them  to  a  sheltered  position  where  some  slight 
protection  can  be  afforded  if  necessary,  but  these 
are  hardier  when  treated  in  this  way  than  the 
varieties  grown  for  pot  culture.  The  plants  shovild 
be  ready  for  planting  out  earlj'  in  May.  The  beds 
and  borders  in  which  the\'are  to  be  planted  should 
now  be  prepared,  receiving  a  thorough  dressing  of 
farmyard  manure,  and  the  ground  deeply  dug,  or, 
better  still,  trenched.  A  well-formed  collection 
properlj'  arranged  on  a  sheltered  border  in  three 
or  more  rows  will  make  a  most  effective  displaj', 
and  when  possible  should  be  grown  in  this  way, 
and  for  brightening  up  the  shrubbery  borders  they 
are  also  most  useful  when  grouped  together  in 
separate  varieties — the  larger  the  groups  can  be 
made  the  better  will  be  the  effect  produced.  On 
poor  shallow  soils  the  ground  should  be  deeply 
broken  up  and  enriched  with  good  manure.  Except 
keeping  the  plants  well  supplied  with  moisture  at 
the  roots  in  hot  dry  weather,  and  staking  in  due 
course,  little  other  attention  is  required.  Many  of 
the  small  flowered  kinds  of  good  habit  make 
splendid  material  for  replenishing  the  flower  beds 
towards  autunm,  when  some  of  the  earlier  summer 
flowering  plants  are  past  their  best,  and  at  the 
same  time  make  an  agreeable  change.  Young 
plants  should  be  planted  out  in  May  on  a  well- 
prepared  piece  of  spare  ground,  either  in  the 
kitchen  garden  or  any  open  out  of  the  wa}'  place 
at  a  distance  of  18  inches  apart.  The  shoots  should 
l)e  stopped  once  to  ensure  good  bushy  growth,  and 
when  required  they  may  be  carefully  lifted  and 
replanted  with  good  balls  of  earth.  Give  a  thorough 
soaking  and  syringe  overhead  for  a  few  days,  and 
in  very  bright  weather  a  slight  shading  of  tiffany 
(luring  the  middle  of  the  day  for  a  week  or  so  will 
be  beneficial.  In  eold  districts,  in  case  of  severe 
frosts,  a  slight  covering  should  be  arranged  over 
them  when  in  flower,  the  smallest  protection  gene- 
rally sufficing  to  keep  them  safely. 

Specimen  Trained  Plants 
ought  now  to  be  making  headway  and  should  be 
ready  for  potting  on  into  7-inch  or  8-inch  pots, 
using  a  richer  compost  for  this  move.  The 
plants  should  be  removed  from  any  heated 
structure  to  the  cold  frames.  Stop  and  train  out 
the*  young  shoots  as  required,  and  encourage  in 
every  pnssi'ole  way  a  fine  sturdy  growth,  keeping 
in  mind  that  the  sooner  the  desired  number  of 
shoots  is  obtained  the  better  will  be  the  quality 
of  the  flowers.  As  I  luive  before  pointed  out,  good 
blooms  and  health\'  foliage  should  be  secured  rather 
than    large    unsightly    plants    bearing    enormous 


quantities  of  miserable  flowers,  and  late  stopped 
plants  will  never  produce  these. 

The  main  batch  of  plants  cultivated  for  fine 
flowers  that  have  been  potted  on  into  .i-inch 
or  6-inch  pots  will  now  require  close  attention 
dail}'.  Too  much  air  can  liardly  be  given  after 
they  have  got  over  the  slight  check  from  being 
repotted,  except  when  cold  easterlj'  or  north- 
easterly winds  prevail,  and  then  the  lights  should 
be  tilted  as  mucli  as  possible  the  other  way,  but  on 
warm  balmy  da3's  remove  the  lights  entirelj',  and 
leave  oft'  until  last  thing  at  night,  and  whenever 
safe  to  do  so  leave  the  lights  blocked  up  all  night 

Great  care  should  be  exercised  in  watering. 
Look  over  the  collection  twice  daily  and  see  that 
the  plants  do  not  become  crowded  together.  Dust 
the  points  every  ten  days  with  tobacco  powder  in 
the  evening  and  syringe  off  the  following  morning, 
and  apply  black  sulphur  immediately  any  sign  of 
mildew  makes  its  appearance.  E.  Beckett. 

Alfleiiham  Hoti.se  Gardens,  Ehtree,  Herts. 


KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

Carrots. 
The  main  crop  of  these  should  be  sown  as  earlj' 
in  April  as  the  state  of  the  ground  will  permit. 
The  soil  best  suited  for  their  successful  cultivation 
is  a  deep  sandy  loam,  rich  enough  to  produce  the 
crop  without  the  addition  of  any  manure,  which, 
unless  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  causes 
the  roots  to  become  forked,  producing  side  shoots, 
and  reducing  the  value  of  the  crop.  It  is  essential 
that  the  soil  should  be  in  such  a  state  as  to  allow 
the  roots  to  penetrate  to  their  full  length  without 
interruption  ;  if  the  soil  is  eold  and  heav}',  sowing 
should  be  put  off  for  a  week  longer.  Carrots  can 
hardly  be  covered  too  lightly,  half  an  inch  of  fine  soil 
is  quite  enough,  and  for  ordinary  use  they  may  be 
sown  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  but  if  exhibition  roots 
are  desired,  more  room  must  be  given  between  the 
rows,  and  as  soon  as  the  young  plants  are  large 
enough  to  liandle  they  may  be  thinned  to  6  inches 
or  9  inches  apart  ;  frequent  dustings  of  soot  will 
improve  the  crop  and  help  to  ward  oft'  the  attacks 
of  wire  worm.  Light  hoeing  between  the  drills  to 
keep  the  crop  free  from  weeds  will  be  all  that  is 
necessary  for  the  remainder  of  the  season.  James' 
Intermediate,  Veitch's  Model,  and  Matchless  are 
good  varieties  for  this  sowing,  and  monthly  sowings 
of  Sutton's  Earlj-  Gem  from  now  till  July  will 
produce  a  supply  of  young  Carrots  for  bunching  to 
the  end  of  the  season. 

Peas. 

A  good  sowing  should  be  made  now  to  give 
supplies  from  the  middle  of  June  onward.  Gradus, 
a  splendid  early  Marrow  variety,  should  under 
ordinary  circumstances  be  ready  to  gather  in  ten 
weeks  from  the  time  of  sowing,  and  may  be  closely 
followed  by  Sutton's  Magnum  Bonum  and  Peerless 
Marrowfat.  Veitch's  Main  Crop,  an  excellent 
variety  for  succession,  should  be  sown  somewhat 
thinly,  owing  to  its  free  branching  habit;  this,  with 
others  mentioned  above,  may  be  sown  in  rows  4  feet 
apart.  Criterion,  Duke  of  Albany,  and  Chelsonian, 
all  of  which  are  of  exceptional  merit,  should  be 
sown  in  rows  6  feet  apart,  or  even  more  if  con- 
venient, for  nothing  is  more  detrimental  to  a  crop 
of  Peas  than  crowding  them  closely  together. 
Stake  Peas  sown  earl}'  in  Januarj',  and  protect  from 
cold  winds  by  placing  Spruce  or  other  evergreen 
branches  along  the  rows.  If  sparrows  are  trouble- 
some, white  thread  may  be  extended  along  the 
rows,  and  frequent  light  dustings  with  soot  and 
lime  given  to  make  the  foliage  as  unpalatable  to 
them  as  possible. 

Potatoes. 

The  planting  of  second  Early  and  JIain  Crop 
varieties  may  be  proceeded  with  whenever  the 
weather  and  the  state  of  the  soil  permit.  If  the 
ground  is  already  dvig  and  of  a  faiilv  open  nature, 
sets  may  be  inserted  in  holes  made  by  a  blunt 
pointed  Potato  dibber,  care  being  taken  that  the 
holes  are  as  near  the  same  depth  as  possil)le,  so 
that  the  crop  may  come  up  regularly  ;  allow  space 
enough  between  the  rows  for  the  full  development 
of  the  foliage.  Wind.sor  Castle  is  one  of  the  l)est 
varieties  for  planting  at  this  season  ;  Kerr's 
Cigarette  is  also  a  splendid  sort,  with  erect  medium 


sized  foliage.  Snowdrop,  White  Beaut}-  of  Hebron, 
and  Clarke's  Main  Crop  are  well  worthy  of  a  place 
in  every  garden,  and  should  have  a  width  of 
.30  inches  between  the  rows.  Lettuces  sown  in 
boxes  earlv  in  the  season  \\\\\  now  be  ready  for 
pricking  off  under  a  south  wall,  where  they  sliould 
remain  until  ready  for  use ;  handle  the  plants 
carefully  to  avoid  breaking  their  leaves,  anil  do 
not  expose  the  roots  to  cold  drying  winds.  A 
sowing  may  now  be  made  on  a  soutii  border  of 
Mammoth  White  Cos,  Brown  Cos,  Early  Paris 
Market  (which  comes  to  maturity  very  early),  and 
Perfect  Gem.  John  Ditnn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Garden.^,  Windsor. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


THE     LAWN    AND    ITS 
MANAGEMENT. 

FEW  gardens  are  without  grass  of  some 
kind.  To  call  this  "  grass  ''  in  all  cases 
a  lawn  is  incorrect.  Many  lawns  are 
patches  of  bad  turf,  but  everyone 
appreciates  the  close,  deep  green 
"  velvet  pile  "  that  good  seed  and  good 
management  will  give.     In 

Formiii;/  a  new  lanMi  the  ground  must  be  care- 
fully prepared.  An  open,  level  piece  is  preferable, 
but  where  this  is  not  obtainable  the  soil  must  be 
removed  from  the  liighest  to  the  lowest  parts  until 
the  surface  is  quite  level.  If  the  ground  is  wet 
and  retentive,  drain-pipes  3  inches  in  diameter 
should  be  laid  in  2i  feet  deep,  each  row  of  pipes 
being  12  feet  apart.  These  will  carry  oft'  the 
surface-water.  The  pipes  must  have  a  gentle  fall, 
and  be  connected  with  a  cross  main  drain  with  a 
safe  outlet. 

The  ground  must  be  well  dug  to  a  depth  of 
18  inches  or  2  feet,  and,  if  poor,  enriched  with 
well -decayed  farmyard  manure.  Digging  com- 
pleted, tread  and  rake  the  surface,  finally  well 
rolling  it  to  make  it  firm.  Wliere  the  natural  soil 
is  not  of  sufficient  depth,  more  must  be  added, 
and  it  should  be  wheeled,  not  "carted,"  on  to  the 
plot,  as  the  cart-wheels  make  hard  ruts,  and  where 
the  soil  subsides  an  uneven  surface  is  left.  Planks 
should  be  laid  down  for  wheeling  on.  The  surface- 
soil  to  a  depth  of  3  inches  or  4  inches  should  be  of 
a  rather  fine  character,  as  the  seed  germinates 
more  cpiiokly  and  the  grass  gets  a  better  start  in 
such  a  medium  than  in  one  of  an  opposite  nature. 
The  quickest,  and  probably  the  best,  means  of 
securing  a  good  lawn  is  by  covering  the  plot  with 
grass  sods,  but  unless  they  are  of  first-rate  quality 
the  more  common  method  of  sowing  lawn  grass 
seed  should  be  resorted  to.  The  sods  may  be  laid 
down  any  time  during  fine  weather  fron)  October 
to  April ;  if  laid  later,  they  are  apt  to  suft'er  from 
drought  during  a  dry  spring.  From  U-  inches  to 
2  inches  is  a  good  thickness  for  the  turves,  and 
they  should  be  laid  close  together,  and  afterwards 
well  rolled  at  intervals  throughout  the  winter — 
preferably  after  copious  rains.  If  all  goes  well, 
the  grass  will  commence  to  grow  freely  in  April, 
at  which  time  the  surface  should  be  well  swept 
with  a  stift'  broom  in  order  to  remove  all  stones 
and  rubbish,  which,  if  allowed  to  remain,  would 
cause  injui-y  to  the  mowing-machine  or  scythe. 

Manaijement. — Allow  the  grass  a  little  grace 
before  mowing  it  for  the  first  time  to  encourage 
root-action,  and,  if  the  spring  be  hot  and  dry,  once 
a  fortnight  will  be  sufficient  to  mow  during  April 
and  May.  If  possible,  the  lawn  should  be  rolled 
every  time  it  is  mown  during  the  first  summer._  If 
grass  seed  is  sown,  obtain  it  from  a  reliable  firm, 
because  some  samples  contain  a  large  percentage  of 
plantain  and  other  rubbish.  April  and  September 
are  the  best  months  for  sowing,  and  the  (piantity 
of  seed  required  is  from  half  a  pound  to  one  pound 
to  the  rod,  or  from  three  buslu'ls  to  six  bushels  to 
the  acre.  Well  tread  or  roll  the  surface,  and  sow 
the  seed  ((uiokly  broadcast,  aflcrwanls  covering  it 
with  fine  soil  and  again  rolling.  As  challiiiches 
and  small  birds  are  fond  of  grass  sceils,  it  will  lie 
advisable  to  give  it  protection  until  the  plants 
make  their  appearance.     Covering  the  ground  with 


March  30,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


231 


bushy  Pea-rods  answers  well.  When  the  grass  is 
in  active  growth,  give  a  moderate  dressing  of  an 
improved  fertiliser  whilst  the  ground  is  moist  with 
rain. 

When  the  grass  has  grown  3  inches  or  4  inches 
high,  cut  and  roll  it.  Lawns  that  soon  sutler 
from  hot  sun,  owing  to  the  soil  being  shallow  or 
sandy,  should  receive  a  liberal  dressing  of  hne 
soil  and  artificial  manure  annually.  xMix  the 
manure  with  the  soil  and  spread  it  evenly  over 
the  surface,  about  half  an  inch  thick,  in  Januarj' 
or  early  in  February.  Rain  will  then  wash  in  the 
manure  and  most  of  the  soil,  and  if  the  grass  is 
well  swept  and  rolled  early  in  April,  previous  to 
mowing,  its  density  will  be  increased  and  the 
quality  improved.  Where  the  soil  is  fairly  deep 
and  good,  the  turf  will  remain  in  good  condition 
for  an  indefinite  period  if  well  attended  to,  but  on 
shallow,  hungry  soil  it  wears  out  in  time,' even  if 
top-dressed  annually.  The  only  course  then  open 
is  to  remove  the  soil  to  a  depth  of  at  least 
12  inches,  replace  it  with  the  best  soil  procurable, 
and,  after  levelling  and  rolling,  either  turf  it  over 
or  sow  it  with  the  finest  lawn  mixture.  When 
good  soil  and  seed  are  used,  few  Daisies,  Plantain, 
and  other  weeds  occur.  Grass  seeds  can  hardly 
be  sown  too  thickly  for  making  new  or  renovating 
old  lawns.  For  light  or  shallow  soil  it  is  always 
advisable  to  mix  a  fair  qiiantity  of  clover  with  the 
grass  seed,  as,  being  of  dense  growth,  it  prevents 
the  surface-soil  from  becoming  parched. 

Weeds. — Daisies  and  other  weeds  should  be 
eradicated.  Bentle}''s  lawn  sand,  if  applied 
according   to   printed   directions   sent   with    each 


bag  or  tin,  is  a  potent  destroyer  of  them.  Daisies 
may  also  be  dug  up  with  an  old  knife.  Previous 
to  commencing  this  operation,  stretch  two  garden 
lines  across  the  lawn  3  feet  apart,  then  woi-k 
between  them  ;  fill  up  the  holes  that  the  Daisies 
are  taken  from  with  fine  soil,  which  should  be 
beaten  firmly  into  them.  The  Ijare  ])laees  will 
then  soon  be  covered  with  grass.  If  Daisies  are 
numerous,  dig  them  up  earlj'  in  April,  and 
after  the  holes  have  been  filled  up  a  slight 
dressing  of  artificial  manure  and  fine  soil  should 
be  given. 

Mowing  is  an  operation  that  requires  consider- 
able judgment.  As  a  rule,  early  April  is  the  best 
time  to  begin,  and  if  the  grass  is  dense  and  vigorous 
it  may  be  mown  once  a  week.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  thin  and  weak,  once  in  ten  days  or  a  fortnight 
will  be  often  enough.  If  possible,  always  mow 
the  grass  when  dry,  for  if  mown  when  wet  it  never 
looks  well,  besides  which  wet  grass  clogs  and  strains 
the  machine.  For  lawns  of  large  extent  horse  or 
pony  machines  are  necessary,  but  leather  boots 
must  be  placed  on  the  animal's  feet  to  prevent 
them  from  cutting  into  the  turf.  For  small  lawns 
use  hand  machines.  Before  commencing  to  mow 
in  spring  the  edges  of  tlie  lawn  should  be  well 
rolled,  and  an  inch  cut  off  them  with  an  edging 
knife. 

Lawns  are  frequentl}'  neglected  during  winter  ; 
consequently  worm-casts  become  numerous,  and 
the  turf  gets  coarse.  The  grass  should  be  swept 
and  well  rolled  in  fine  weather  at  least  once  a 
month  throughout  the  winter.  This  will  keep  it 
not  only  in  a  healthy  but  also  a  presentable  con- 


dition. Where  practicable  a  good  supply  of  water 
should  be  laid  on  in  close  proximity  to  the  lawn, 
in  order  that  it  ma}'  be  well  watered  in  dry  weathei' 
by  means  of  a  hose.  A  verdant  lawn  is  Ijeautiful 
and  restful,  and  may  be  made  to  remain  so  by 
employing  a  little  cheap  labour  each  j'ear,  and  by 
giving  an  annual  dressing  with  fine  soil  and  an 
approved  fertiliser. 

NorfoW.  J.   (;. 


A    YEW    AVALK. 

No  evergreen  plays  .so  iin])ortatit  a  part  in 
English  gardens  as  does  the  Yew,  whethei- 
clipped  into  a  hedge  or  growing  at  will 
untouched  by  the  .shears.  There  is  something 
about  this  truly  English  tree,  one  of  our  few 
native  evergreens,  that  harmonises  delightfully 
with  our  garden  landscapes.  Our  grass  lawns 
look  all  the  smoother  and  our  flowers  look  all 
the  brighter  for  its  nearness,  while  its  close 
growth  makes  comforting  .shelter  from  biting 
winds,  shielding  tender  vegetation  almost  as 
well  as  a  solid  wall  of  brick  or  stone. 

Where  flowers  are  in  plenty  there  is  nothing 
pleasanter  or  more  refreshing  to  mind  and  eye 
than  a  Yew-bordered  grass  walk  leading  from 
one  garden  scene  to  another.  The  eye  is  relieved 
after  contemplating  one  bright  picture,  and 
the  restful  transit  along  the  quiet  green  way 
prepares  it  in  the  best  possible  manner  for  the 
enjoyment  of  the  next.  ' 


YEW    \V'.iLK    .4T    HUNSTANTON. 


232 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[March   30,  1901. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not   respmisihle   for  the  ■opinion'! 
expressed  hy  their  correspondents. ) 

RANUNCULUS     LYALLI. 

fTo  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden.'"] 

SIR, — I  have  addressed  vou  alreadj'  more 
than  once  regarding  this  handsome  New 
Zealand  plant,  but  as  I  visited  a  locality 
in  which  it  grows,  about  a  couple  of 
months  ago,  1  thought  that  perhaps  on 
account  of  wliat  I  saw  might  interest 
some  of  your  readers. 

During  the  last  week  in  November  I  visited  the 
head  of  Lake  Wakatipu,  a  large  lake  some  sixty 
miles  long  and  1,000  feet  above  sea-level,  lying  at 
the  base  of  ilie  Southern  Alps.  One  day  I  climbed 
a  spur  of  Jlount  Earnslaw,  a  noble  mountain  whose 
summit  is  covered  with  perpetual  snow  and  in 
whose  bosom  lies  a  fine  glacier.  The  lower  part 
of  the  mountain  spur  is  clothed  with  lovely  Birch 
forest,  or  Beech,  as  it  should  properly  be  called, 
and  after  passing  through  this  I  emerged  into  the 
open,  where  grew  a  few  Veronicas  and  Draeo- 
phyllums  amongst  the  small  stone  slides  and  at 
the  edges  of  the  large  patches  of  tussock  grass.  I 
crossed  the  rock}-  ridge  below,  on  which  were 
some  patches  of  snow,  and  on  the  other  side,  below 
the  ridge,  found  a  grassy  sloping  plateau  which 
had  been  recentlv  under  heavy  snow,  as  the  grass 
was  all  flattened.  Here  at  intervals  I  found  a 
good  manj'  plants  of  Ranunculus  Lj'alli  scattered 
amongst  the  grass,  some  just  pushing  their 
curlecbup  leaves  through  the  soil,  others  further 
advanced.  Many  of  them  were  just  underneath 
where  a  stone  projected  from  the  ground.  All 
about  were  large  fields  of  snow,  and  in  the  neigh- 
Ijourhood  of  these  the  ground  was  still  frozen  so 
hard  that  ni3'  walking-stick  struck  as  on  a  paving- 
stone.  The  rest  of  the  ground  was  very  wet,  but 
not  boggy,  and  the  soil  was  a  dark  peaty  loam. 
The  altitude  where  the  P^aniinoulus  grew  was 
about  .3,000  feet. 

A  day  or  two  later  I  went  up  the  valley  of  the 
Roiiteburn,  where  a  track  leads  to  a  saddle  which 
may  be  crossed  in  summer  to  the  west  coast. 
There  was  too  nutch  snow  to  permit  our  gaining 
the  summit  of  the  pass,  but  we  reached  Lake 
Harris,  a  mountain  tarn  lying  at  the  foot  of  the 
final  ascent  to  the  saddle.  The  greater  part  of  the 
lake  was  covered  with  ice.  On  the  wa3-  thither, 
some  time  after  we  had  passed  the  bush  line,  we 
passed  up  part  of  the  vallej'  where  it  opened  out 
into  what  might  be  called  a  mountain  meadow, 
sloping  gentlj'  towards  the  stream.  Here  grew 
many  Veronicas  (chietly  Hectori),  Dracoplij'llums, 
Olearia  moschata,  two  or  three  species  of  Celmesia, 
and  here  and  there  at  least  two  species  of  Ourisia, 
one  bearing  large  trusses-  of  white  flowers.  At  one 
point  in  this  meadow,  where  a  tributary  stream 
had  cut  a  cleft  in  the  peaty  soil,  some  6  feet  or 
S  feet  deep  and  perhaps  double  that  width,  there 
grew  several  plants  of  the  Ranunculus,  one  of 
which  bore  six  or  eight  stems  in  full  flower,  the 
others  showed  no  sign  of  throwing  up  flower  stems. 
The}'  all  grew  about  half-way  down  the  steep  bank 
of  the  cleft.  The  one  in  flower  was  probably  early 
because  of  its  sheltered  position  and  sunny  aspect. 
At  another  place  lower  down  the  valley  a  large 
number  of  Ranunculus  grew  in  a  scattered  open 
clump  above  the  stream,  nearly  all  of  them  bearing 
many-budded  flower  stems  just  coming  into  flower, 
with  the  more  forward  buds  showing  the  white  of 
the  bur.sting  petals,  but  none  actually  opened. 
All  we  saw  in  this  valley  were  much  further 
advanced  than  those  I  had  seen  on  Mount 
Earnslaw.  Everything  I  saw  confirmed  what  I 
had  already  written  to  you  that  this  plaiii  likes 
a  moist  peaty  soil  with  good  drainage,  ^ut  iN^'on 
the  moisture  and  the  drainage  it  will  "row  in  ayiy 
garden  soil.  It  should  thrive  in  England  in  aiio^ 
rock  garden  where  these  requirements,  with  \ 
good  depth  of  soil,  could  be  suKpljed.  As  to  itH 
hardiness  tliere  can  be  no  douljt  when  it  is  borni^ 
in  mind  that  I  saw  it  pushing  t^irough  the  groun,-'l 
at  the  end  of  November  (whic?,  corresponds  to  tl'f 
English  May),  within  a  few  yards  of  frost-bou  Jd 


earth,  a  condition  in  which  the  soil  in  which  it  was 
growing  must  have  been  a  very  short  time  before. 

Unfortunately,  it  is  very  ditBcult  to  grow  from 
seed,  as  the  seed  does  not  keep  well,  and  generally, 
even  when  fresh,  takes  a  long  time  to  germinate. 
A  local  nurseryman  told  me  lie  got  the  best  results 
b}'  sowing  it  on  sphagnum.  The  seed  will,  how- 
ever, sometimes  grow  after  having  been  sown  a 
year  or  more.  The  plant  has  another  drawback — 
it  is  an  uncertain  flowerer.  Even  in  its  native 
mountains  in  some  years  there  will  be  abundance 
of  blossoms  and  in  others  very  little,  but  its  hand- 
some leaves  are  always  striking. 

Dunedrin,  X.Z.       '  A.  Bathcitk. 

CAMELLIAS  IN  THE  OPEN. 
[To  THE  Editor  OE  "The  Garden."] 
Sir, — The  numerous  interesting  notes  from  various 
southern  counties  that  have  lately  appeared  in  these 
columns  respecting  the  hardiness  of  the  Camellia 
must  at  least  have  assured  readers  of  its  value  as 
an  evergreen,  independently  of  its  worth  as  a 
flowering  subject,  for,  as  has  been  stated  by  certain 
correspondents,  its  foliage  withstands  the  eff'ects  of 
frost  far  better  than  does  that  of  the  Portugal 
Laurel  or  the  common  Laurel,  while  I  have  seen  the 
leafage  of  Rhododendron  ponticum  badly  cut  when 
that  of  a  Camellia  hard  by  was  uninjured.  It  must 
be  admitted  that  the  blossoms,  some  of  which  ex- 
pand as  early  as  the  shortest  daj'  of  the  year  in  the 
south-west,  are  liable  to  injury  by  frosts  and  heavy 
rains,  but  the  blooming  period  is  so  extended,  some 
plants  bearing  flowers  well  into  -June,  and  suc- 
cessional  flowers  are  produced  in  such  profusion, 
that  with  the  cessation  of  frost  and  storms  the 
bushes  are  soon  again  bright  with  unblemished 
blossoms.  Although,  as  has  been  already  pointed 
out.  Camellias  succeed  in  the  open  in  many  of  the 
southern  counties,  and  I  remember  some  years  back 
seeing  some  remarkabh'  fine  specimens  in  the  open 
air  at  Battle  Abbey,  the  luxuriance  of  growth  exhi- 
bited bj'  these  plants  along  the  southern  coast  line 
of  Cornwall  is,  I  fancy,  peculiar  to  that  locality. 
There,  as  the  head  gardener  of  an  estate  notable 
for  its  splendid  collection  of  Himalaj'an  Rhodo- 
dendrons, remarked  to  me,  Camellias  grow  like 
Willows.  Great  bushes,  maiiy  feet  in  height 
and  diameter,  stand  upon  open  lawns,  for  here 
tliey  do  not  appear  to  need  the  partial  shade 
in  hot  weather  advocated  b}'  one  writer,  with 
splendid  spraj's  which  assume  a  pendant  character 
under  the  weight  of  blossom  that  thej'  bear,  one 
little  shoot  often  carrj'ing  a  dozen  or  more 
blooms,  presenting  delightful  pictures  when  they 
reach  the  zenith  of  their  displa}',  which  generally 
occurs  in  the  month  of  March  or  in  the  early 
days  of  April,  for  man}-  weeks  from  which  time 
the  ground  around  the  bushes  is  deepl}'  strewn 
with  scattered  petals,  crimson,  pink,  and  white. 
Numberless  varieties  are  grown,  bvit  perhaps  there 
are  none  that  exceed  in  beauty  Camellia  reticulata, 
with  its  great  semi -double  blossoms  of  soft  rose, 
sometimes  (i  inches  in  diameter. 

Deron.  S.  W.  Fitzherbert. 

COOL    STORAGE    OF    APPLES. 

|To  the  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir,  —  Undoubtedly  this  is  a  verj'  important 
question  in  connection  with  most  fruits,  and 
especially  with  the  Apple.  In  your  leading  article 
in  The  Garden,  March  1(3,  reference  is  made  to 
the  keeping  of  these  b}'  two  eminent  growers, 
and  their  methods  are  very  similar.  During  the 
greater  portion  of  my  life  I  have  been  more  or  less 
connected  with  Apple  culture.  I  remember  as  far 
back  as  1S60  that  my  father  purchased  many  late 
kinds  from  Farley  House  during  February  and 
March,  and,  taking  the  fruits  to  a  leading  fruiterer 
in  Bath,  obtained  a  good  price,  some  fruits  of 
Ribston  Pippin  realising  quite  as  much  as  is 
now  given  for  Newtown  Pippins.  They  were 
well  grown  on  young  standard  and  bush  trees, 
gathered  very  late,  and  stored  in  an  old  tower  in 
the  bottom  portion,  the  floor  being  soil.  This 
tower  was  of  rough  stone  and  had  very  thick  walls, 
consequently  .away  from  light  and  air.  with  a  ver\' 
even    temperature.       When    the    fruits   came    out 


of  this  tower  they  were  as  firm  as  when  put  in, 
and  well  I  remember  enjoying  fruits  of  the  old 
Nonpareil  well  into  the  spring.  Ever  since  that 
time  I  have  been  observing  the  keeping  qualities 
of  Apples  in  various  structures,  and  I  say'  that 
manv  of  the  fruit  stores  at  the  present  time  in  use 
are  practically  useless,  and  the  sooner  they  are  ' 
abolished  the  better,  and  those  constructed  on  the 
principles  of  Mr.  Crump's  put  in  their  place.  The 
fruit  room  usualh-  has  every  appliance  but  the  ( 
one  needed  to  keep  fruit  fresh  and  plump  well  into 
the  spring.  About  two  years  ago,  in  August,  I 
was  on  a  visit  to  a  garden  of  renown  in  Devonshire, 
nearCrediton.  The  chief  of  that  place  is  renowned 
for  his  good  Apples.  There  is  an  Apple  store  under 
ground,  formerly  a  large  watei-  storage  for  the 
supplj'  of  the  mansion,  but  fell  into  disuse  through 
the  water  being  obtained  from  another  source. 
Steps  were  made  down  into  it  and  shelves  put  to 
place  the  fruit  upon.  On  asking  particulars 
regarding  the  keeping  I  was  told  that  good  .sound 
fruit  was  kept  there  most  seasons  until  the  new 
crop  came,  and  that  the  flavour  did  not  suB'er  in 
the  same  way  as  fruits  stored  in  a  fluctuating 
temperature.  This  one  can  understand,  seeing  that 
it  is  only  reasonable  to  suppose  that  when  the 
fruits  change  so  rapidlj'  the  flavour  must  also  in 
some  degree.  In  our  own  garden  last  3'ear  I  stored 
from  seven  bushels  to  eight  bushels  of  Sturmer 
Pippin  in  an  old  air-tight  case  and  did  not  expo.se 
them  till  the  earl}'  jiart  of  March,  when  they  were 
as  fresh  as  when  put  in.  Until  more  attention  be 
paid  to  the  storage  and  kinds  grown  we  must  pay 
a  large  amount  to  foreigners  for  fruit.  A  large 
portion  of  this  trade  should  be  kept  in  our  own 
country.  .J.  Crook. 


NOTES     FROM     SCOTLAND. 

Royal  Botank'  (Jardexs,  Edinburgh. 

A  VISIT  paid  recently  to  these  well-known  public 
gardens  showed  many  changes  to  have  been  made 
during  the  dull  months  of  the  year.  More  altera- 
tions have  been  effected  in  the  Arboretum,  where 
large  Hollies  are  now  grouped  at  wide  distances 
apart,  and  broad  walks  have  been  extended  to  the 
north  of  Inverleith  House.  Here  also  a  large  mass 
of  standard  Forsythias  coming  into  bloom  promises 
to  be  ver\'  effective,  and  a  bed  of  the  hybrid  Rhodo- 
dendron precox  was  very  pretty.  The  new  Rose 
garden  has  been  considerablj'  enlarged,  and  in  the 
Botanical  Garden  a  border  has  been  laid  out  and 
planted  with  rare  or  uncommon  shrubs.  A  pleasing 
and  novel  feature  is  apparent  in  the  wide  breadths 
of  spring  flowering  bulbs  planted  in  the'old  gardens. 
Moreover,  changes  in  the  rock  garden  have  pro- 
gressed, and  a  lot  of  new  planting  has  been  done. 
Here  a  group  of  Rosa  wichuriana  planted  last  \'ear 
has  completely  covered  the  ground,  and  the  wall 
of  a  sunk  pit  furnished  at  the  same  time  with 
Ramondias  show  these  in  luxuriant  health.  Among 
the  plants  in  flower  are  such  good  things  as  Saxi- 
fruga  Boydi,  S.  B.  alba,  S.  burseriana,  S.  B.  multi- 
flora,  S.  apiculata,  S.  sancta,  S.  Elizabetha,  S. 
rocheliana,  and  S.  imbricata.  Shortia  uniflora 
and  Morisia  hypogaja  are  other  prett}'  alpines  now 
in  flower. 

In  the  glass  department  there  is  a  notable 
addition  of  five  new  structures  in  one  block.  One 
of  these  is  fitted  up  as  a  hot  house  propagating 
pit,  another  is  devoted  to  foliage  plants,  a  third 
planted  with  uncommon  flowering  shrubs,  while  a 
fourth  is  used  for  the  cultivation  of  Kaiatoax. 
Dyckia,  Tillandsia,  (<uznuinnia,  Bromelia,  and 
other  Bromeliads.  The  several  Genera  are 
arranged  in  separate  groups,  planted  in  raised 
borders  of  soil,  pieces  of  stone  being  ett'ectively 
intermixed.  Various  climbing  plants  are  trained 
to  the  roof.  The  largest  structure,  a  Nepenthes 
house,  SI  feet  by  IS  feet,  is  already  furnished  with 
quantities  of  Nepenthes,  many  of  which  are 
suspended  from  the  roof,  and  many  more  planted 
out  along  with  other  hot  house  plants  in  raised 
borders;  among  the  latter  Musa  coccinea  displays 
its  bright  crimson  bi-acts.  It  is  interesting  to 
recall  the  interesting  fact  that  Musa  Sapientum 
flowered  for  the  first  time  in  177S,  in  the  Old 
Botanic  Garden.      In   the  succuleut   house  Agave 


March   30,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


238 


attenuata  is  now  flowering  very  finely.  Colville's 
single  Camellia  was  noted  as  a  lovel}' white  variety 
well  worth  enltivating.  There  is  in  the  Orchid 
house  a  good  <lisplay  of  Cattleya  Trianai,  Cypripe- 
diums,  Odontoglossunis,  &c.  Though  there  still 
remains  much  to  do  before  the  improvements 
initiated  some  years  ago  can  be  finished,  the  work 
is  now  so  well  forward  as  to  show  that  the  com- 
|)leted  gardens  will  be  of  the  greatest  vahie  to 
gardeners  as  well  as  to  others  not  so  strongly 
imbued  with  the  horticultural  spirit.  H. 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 

MESSRS.   T.   S.  WARE,    LTD. 

F  a  pure  countr3'  atmosphere  influences  the 
growth  of  plants  and  their  seed-bearing 
capacities  —  and  it  most  certainly  does  so 
very  considerably — then  the  plants  and  seed 
produced  on  the  Hale  Farm  Nurseries  of 
Messrs.  Ware,  at  Feltham,  Middlesex, 
should  be  of  the  best,  both  as  regards  quajitity 
and  quality,  for  the  extensive  acreage  devoted  to 
the  culture  of  hardy  herbaceous  and  alpine  plants, 
fruit  trees,  &c. ,  Iving  in  a  sheltered  nook  of  the 


early  in  the  year  a  sheltered  situation  is  beneficial. 
Iris  fimbriata,  one  of  the  best  half-hardy  Irises, 
has  beautiful  sky-blue  Howeis,  fringed  and  veined 
with  white. 

The  Hepaticas  are  just  now  amongst  the  most 
showy  of  the  plants  in  flower  at  Feltham,  and  very 
charming  they  are,  H.  angulosa  (bearing  large  clear 
blue  blooms),  H.  triloba  (syn.  Anemone  Hepatica) 
in  its  several  varieties,  ccerulea,  allja,  variabilis. 
V.  alba,  and  v.  violacea  all  sufliciently  self- 
descriptive.  Many  of  the  tiny  Saxifragas  are  now 
in  full  beauty,  notablj'  !S.  burseriana,  S.  b.  majoi-, 
S.  opposita-folia  and  its  varieties  alba  and  pyre- 
naica,  8.  apicnlata.  .S.  sancta.  ite.  .Scilla  sibirica, 
and  the  lovely  white  form  of  this  S.  s.  alba ; 
Soldanella  alpina.  bearing  deep  purple-coloured, 
bell-shaped  flowers,  beautiiull3'  fringed  :  many  fine 
varieties  of  forced  Daffodils,  quaint  Dog  Violets 
(Erythroniums),  Winter  Aconites,  Chionodoxas, 
Fritillarias.  Primula  Forbesi,  a  pretty  little  plant 
that  has  been  in  flower  the  whole  winter  in  a  cool 
house,  are  a  few  of  the  man}'  interesting  little 
plants  now  at  their  very  best.  The  beds  and 
borders  devoted  to  the  culture  of  Narcissi  are  just 
beginning  to  look  bright,  and  in  a  few  weeks'  time 
will  be  alone  well  woi'th  a  visit.  Mention  of  the 
herbaceous  plants,  fruit  trees,  and  hardy  flowering 


THE    NETTED    IKIS     I.    KETICULAT.V     IN    MESSRS.     WARK  S    SUKSEBY    AT    FELTHAM. 


Thames  Valley,  between  Feltham  and  Sunbury,  is 
eminently  suited  to  the  well-being  of  the  above. 
The  herbaceous  borders  offer  but  little  attraction 
to  the  visitor  at  this  early  season,  interest  now 
being  chiefly  centred  in  the  charming  little  alpines 
and  the  numerous  greenhouse  flowering  plants. 
That  the  alpine  plants  would  prove  to  be  of  great 
interest  one  might  well  have  supposed  from  the 
delightful  exhibits  sent  by  Messrs.  Ware  to  the 
Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  on  several  recent  occa- 
sions. Iris  reticulata  planted  out  in  a  low  glass 
house  is  particularly  happy  (see  accompanying 
illustration),  and  now  in  full  flower.  This  is 
indisputably  one  of  the  most  charming,  and  also 
most  popular,  of  spring  Irises,  and  doiibtless  the 
latter  fact  is  chiefly  due  to  its  easy  culture,  for  it 
is  perhaps  more  easily  grown  than  any.  Iris 
stylosa,  I.  s.  alba,  and  Iris  fimbriata  are  others 
that  are  thought  highly  of  at  the  Hale  Farm 
Nurseries.  Iris  stylosa  is  a  lovely  winter-flowering 
species,  having  light  blue  flowers  with  yellow 
blotches,  produced  in  abundance  so  early  as 
•January.  I.  stylosa  alba,  a  pure  white  variet}', 
flowering  at  the  same  time  as  the  type,  has  been 
honoured  with  a  first-class  certificate  by  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  and  better  evidence  of  its 
value  could  not  be  wished  for.  This  Iris  is  per- 
fectly hardy,  but  as  the  flowers  are  produced  so 


shrubs  may  well  be  left  until  the  season  when 
these  will  be  in  a  condition  to  warrant  description. 
Messrs.  Ware  have  latelj'  considerably  extended 
their  gla.ss  accommodation,  and  are  largely  increas- 
ing their  stock  of  tender  plants.  TheTreeCarnations, 
now  universally  recognised  as  valuable  winter- 
flowering  plants,  have  a  large  house  to  themselves, 
and  prominent  amongst  them  is  a  variety  called 
Irraa ;  in  colour  it  is  a  deep  rose,  finely  striped  with 
delicate  rose,  and,  to  judge  from  its  present  appear- 
ance at  the  end  of  a  dull  winter,  it  is  one  of  the 
best  of  the  so-called  perpetual  flowering  Carnations. 
Thousands  of  Chrysanthemum  cuttings  are  struck 
— not,  however,  for  the  purpose  of  producing  exhi- 
bition blooms,  as  the\'  are  disposed  of  long  before 
then.  Several  houses  are  filled  with  Marguerites 
in  variety,  strong  deep  green  foliaged  plants,  that 
promise  well  for  a  successful  flowering  season. 
Although  the  yellow  one  is  not  so  popular  as  the 
white,  to  judge  from  the  quantity  of  each  here 
cultivated,  it  is  apparently  in  good  demand,  and 
the  time  will  come,  no  doubt,  when  white  and 
yellow  Marguerites  will  be  used  together  almost 
invariably.  Border  Auriculas  are  evidently 
favourites  with  the  patrons  of  Messrs.  Ware,  for 
many  hundreds  of  them  are  grown,  and  will  in  a 
few  weeks  time  be  in  full  blossom.  We  have  only 
been  able  to   mention  a  few  of  the   man)'   choice 


hardy  and  tender  plants  that  Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware 
have  in  their  nurseries  :  but  the  mention  of  those 
few  must  i)C  taken  as  indit-ating  the  pi'cHcnce  of 
many  others  L-qually  as  interesting  and  delightful. 


THE     FLOWER    GARDEN. 

THE  VARIOUS  GROUPS 
OF   DAHLL^S. 

THERK  are  many  groups  of  Dahlias,  as 
the  following  selection  of  varieties 
will  show,  but  probably  the  Cactus 
kinds  are  more  thought  of  than  any 
other,  their  strangely  picturesque  form, 
brilliant  and  varied  colouring,  and  use- 
fulness for  cutting,  bringing  them  into  greater 
prominence  than  the  more  formal  "show,''  or  so- 
called  "decorative"  kinds.  Each  year  manj' 
beautiful  additions  are  made  to  the  Cactus  Dahlias, 
and  gradually  an  unpardonaljle  blenn'sh  in  their 
character  is  being  removed.  The  flowers  of  many 
handsome  varieties  hide  themselves  amongst  the 
leaves  as  if  loth  to  appear  in  full  sunshine.  Of 
course,  the  effect  of  the  plant  is  that  of  leaf  with 
a  glimmering  of  colour  from  the  half-hidden 
flowers.  Raisers  must  try  and  remedy  this  defect. 
Cu/tnre. — Dahlias  delight  in  rich  deep  soil — 
inclined  to  be  heavy  rather  than  light — and  ample 
drainage  is  essential,  because  frequent  waterings 
are  necessary  during  drought.  Never  plant  in 
positions  overhung  by  tall  trees,  or  spindly  growth 
and  few  flowers  will  be  the  result.  Get  the  plants 
out  immediately  all  fear  from  frost  is  over,  but  the 
end  of  May  will  be  quite  early  enough,  or  even  the 
first  part  of  .June  in  cold  places.  The  young 
succulent  growths  of  the  Dahlia  quickly  suffer 
from  low  temperature,  and  as  the  month  of  Maj' 
is  sometimes  very  treacherous  the  )'oung  plants 
should  be  given  slight  protection  at  night.  Spring- 
rooted  (young)  plants  are  preferable  to  old  roots. 
When  the  plants  are  thoroughlj'  established  in 
their  permanent  quarters  a  stout  stake  should  be 
driven  into  the  ground  a  little  distance  from  the 
main  stem  :  this  must  be  securelj'  tied  with  strong 
tar  twine,  and  four  or  five  thinner  stakes  placed 
round  each  plant.  Carefully  tie  out  the  flower- 
producing  branches.  Keep  the  centre  of  the  plants 
well  thinned  out  so  as  not  to  impede  light  and  air, 
so  important  in  the  production  of  shapely  flowers. 
If  the  latter  are  required  for  exhibition  limit  each 
shoot  to  one  flower,  all  the  others,  of  course,  being 
removed  in  the  early  stages  of  development. 
Dahlias  must  not  be  crowded,  .5  feet  apart  each 
way  being  not  too  much  for  kinds  of  vigorous 
growth.  It  is  more  satisfactory  to  give  a  few 
plants  proper  room  to  develop  than  to  grow  double 
the  number  on  a  space  sufficiently  large  for  half 
the  number.  In  very  dry  seasons  a  mulching  of 
decayed  manure  is  advisable  to  prevent  moisture 
in  the  soil  escaping  too  quickly.  When  the  flower- 
buds  are  formed  applications  of  liquid  manure  are 
beneficial. 

Propagation,. — Of  the  several  ways  of  raising 
Dahlias  only  two  are  practised  on  anything  like  a 
large  scale.  These  are  (1)  by  cuttings,  and  (2)  by 
seed.  In  order  to  raise  plants  from  cuttings  take 
the  old  roots  in  spring,  generally  about  the  middle 
or  end  of  February,  and  plant  them  in  pots  or 
boxes,  or  on  a  bed  of  ordinary  soil  on  a  shelf  near 
the  glass,  in  a  temperature  of  about  60".  After 
planting  give  a  good  watering  and  occasional 
dampings  until  growth  begins.  When  the  shoots 
are  a  few  inches  long  take  them  off  as  near  the 
roots  as  possible  and  insert  each  one  in  the  centre 
of  a  small  'ii-inch  pot,  after  which  remove  to  a 
hot-bed  or  a  close  case  with  bottom  heat.  Plunge 
the  pots  to  the  rim,  water  overhead,  keep  the 
lights  close,  and  protect  from  the  sun  by  mats, 
tifiany,  &c.,  rolled  over  the  glass.  When  rooted 
through,  which  will  occur  in  a  fortnight's  time, 
they  should  be  taken  to  cooler  quarters  and  grown 
on  in  larger  pots.  Before  planting  time  the  plants 
should  be  thoroughly  hardened  off.  Stand  them  in 
a  cold  frame,  and  a  week  or  so  before  planting  time 
remove  the  lights  altogether. 


234 


THE   GARDEN. 


[March  30,  1901 


RaUing  from  .Seerf.— Dahlias  are  raised  readily 
from  seed  sown  in  February  or  March  in  a  brisk 
heat.  ^Vhen  of  sulBcient  size  the  seedlings  should 
be  planted  in  small  pols  and  treated  in  exactly  the 
same  way  as  recommended  for  the  rooted  cuttings. 

Imect  PesA<.— Dahlias  have  their  enemies,  and 
earwigs  are  among  the  most  troublesome.  They 
may,  however,  be  kept  under  b\-  placing  a  little 
moss  or  hay  in  .S-incli  Hower-pols"  and  inverted  on 
the  tops  of  the  main  stakes.  The  pots  should 
be  examined  every  morning  and  the  earwigs 
destro3'ed. 

Storitir/  /he  h'oot-^  in  )IV;,/«-)-.  — Il  is  unusual  to 
lift  the  plants  Xintil  the  growths  have  been  des- 
troyed by  frost— usually  in  November— then  out 
the  stems  down  to  within  ')  inches  or  6  inches  from 
the  soil,  lift  the  roots  carefully  and  shake  the  soil 
away.  When  the  roots  are  di'y,  each  variety 
should  be  properly  labelled  and  placed  in  a  warm, 
dry,  airy  place,  such  as  a  shelf  in  a  potting-shed, 
greenhouse  floor,  &c. 

^  Cactiix  Varietie-i. — The  following  are  beautiful 
Cactus  Dahlias  :  Alfred  A'asey,  flowers  orange- 
yellow,  touched  with  light  salmon,  very  free  ; 
Austin  Cannell,  reddish  mauve,  touched  with 
crimson  near  the  base  of  the  long  narrow  petals  : 
Brema,  pink,  with  a  delicate  peach  centre : 
Britannia,  pale  .salmon-pink,  flushed  with  apricot— 
the  florets  are  long,  narrow,  and  incurve  beauti- 
fully ;  Cannell's  Gem,  bright  orange  -  scarlet  : 
C'iiarles^Woodbridge,  intense  crimson,  tipped  and 
suflfused  with  purple  ;  Countess  of  Lonsdale,  deli- 
cate salniGu-pink,  tipped  and  suS'used  with  apricot : 
Crimson  King,  rich  crimson,  touched  with  scarlet 
near  the  tips  ;  Cycle,  bright  ruby-red,  tipped  with 
carmine  :  Dr.  Jameson,  brilliant  erinjson,  suffused 
with  warm  purple  ;  Exquisite,  light  orange,  dis- 
tinct and  very  free  ;  Falka,  carmine,  suffused  with 
crimson  ;  Fusilier,  orange-scarlel,  suffused  with 
coral-pink  ;  General  French,  bright  terra-cotta  or 
orange-red  ;  Glorio.sa,  rich  scarlet  ;  Green's  Vic- 
tory, glowing  scarlet,  touclied  with  crimson : 
Henry  Ayres,  deep  crimson,  tipped  with  purple  : 
lona,  terra-cotta  passing  to  orange  :  Island  Queen, 
lilac,  suffused  with  mauve ;  J.  K.  Frewer,  ver- 
milion ;  John  H.  Roach,  rich  yellow :  Juarezii, 
crimson-scarlet  ;  .J.  W.  Wilkinson,  crimson  or 
ruby-red,  tipped  with  rose  ;  Keyne's  White,  white  ; 
King  of  Siam,  purple,  touched  with  crimson- 
maroon,  very  free  ;  Leonora,  rich  rose,  suffused 
ancl  tipped  with  jjale  pink  :  Lord  Roberts,  cream- 
white,  with  a  deeper  centre  ;  Lyric,  bright  scarlet ; 
Magnificent,  soft  salmon-pink,  shaded  with  apricot ; 
Mary  Service,  exciuisite  shade  of  heliotrope,  the 
basal  portion  of  the  petals  \'ellow ;  Matchless, 
maroon,  touched  with  purple;  Miss  A.  Nightin- 
gale, terra-cotta  and  yellow  ;  Miss  Finch,  carmine- 
rose,  shaded  with  crimson  ;  Mrs.  B.  Barker,  purple 
passing  to  a  lighter  shade  ;  Mrs.  H.  Cannell,  rich 
scarlet  shaded  with  amber  ;  Mrs.  John  Goddard, 
glowing  crimson  ;  Mrs.  J.  J.  Crowe,  rich  yellow  ; 
Profusion,  ros3'  purple  self,  very  free  flowering  ; 
Progenitor,  rich  scarlet,  suff'used  with  purple, 
petals  broad  and  forked  at  the  tips  ;  Ranji,  deep 
\;elvety  maroon,  petals  long  and  narrow  ;  Robert 
Cannell,  rosy  carmine  ;  Rosina,  bright  rosy  red, 
with  paler  shadings  ;  Ruby,  ruby  red,  tipped  and 
shaded  with  carmine  ;  Starfish,  orange-scarlet,  a 
superb  flower  for  form  ;  Stella,  rich  scarlet,  suffused 
with  crimson,  very  free  flowering  :  Tillie,  salmon, 
tinged  with  rosy  mauve ;  William  Cuthbertson, 
bright  scarlet,  touched  with  carmine,  very  free. 

Decoratii-f.  Cactiii  Varietiei. —BsiTon  Schroder, 
purple  ;  Constance,  white,  free  flowering  ;  Grand 
Due  Alexis,  large,  white ;  Henry  Patrick,  pure 
white  ;  Miss  Jane  Basham,  orange,  touched  with 
salmon-pink  ;  Orange  Glare  of  the  Garden,  rich 
oriinge-red,  unusually  free  flowering;  Rayon  d'Or, 
bright  orange,  the  centre  of  each  petal  striped  with 
white  ;  Salisbury  White,  pure  white,  verjr  florife- 
rous.     These  are  not  of  the  true  Cactus  type. 

Pompon  Varieties. — Alwine,  pink,  touched  with 
heliotrope  ;  Annie  Holton,  crimson,  tipped  with 
white  ;  Arthur  West,  crimson  ;  Bacchus,  brilliant 
scarlet  ;  Ceres,  pale  primrose-yellow ;  Claribel, 
pale  pink,  edged  and  suffused  with  rosy  purple  ; 
Dagniar,  deep  maroon,  shaded  crimson  ;  Darkness, 
maroon  ;  Dr.  Jim,  very  pale  purple,  edged  with  a 
deeper  shade  ;  Doris,  rich  rose,  flushed  with  purple  ; 


Fairy  Tales,  clear  primrose-yellow  ;  Fashion,  rich 
orange;  Ganymede,  arabsr-yellow.  tinted  lilac; 
George  Brinckman,  pure  white  ;  Hilda,  rosy 
purple,  edged  with  cream-white  :  Iris,  yellow, 
flushed  with  pale  salmon  ;  Katie  Parnliam,  light 
purple,  shaded  and  edged  with  rosy  purple  ;  Little 
Sweetheart,  scarlet,  slightly  edged  with  white ; 
Mars,  very  bright  scarlet  ;  Midniglit  Sun,  crimson- 
maroon  ;  Model,  light  pink,  suHused  and  edged 
with  deeper  shadings  ;  Nemesis,  maroon  ;  Nerissa, 
rose-pink,  faintly  suffused  with  white  ;  0|jal, 
lenion-vellow,  edged  with  white  ;  Phccbe,  rich 
golden  orange,  suffused  with  scarlet  ;  Red  Indian, 
scarlet ;  Sunn3'  Daybreak,  pale  apricot,  tipped  ancl 
flushed  with  red  ;  Thalia,  deep  lilac,  with  a  white 
centre  ;  Whisper,  rich  yellow,  edged  and  suff'used 
with  gold.  The  beginner  should  get  White  Aster, 
snow  white,  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  all  Dahlias 
for  cutting  and  for  the  garden,  and  Zeilina,  deep 
crimson,  almost  maroon.  The  Pompon  is  quite  an 
old  world  group,  and  most  useful  for  cutting. 

Siixjle  Cachm  Varieties. — Althea,  deep  crimson  ; 
Brenda,  chrome-yellow,  twisted  petals  ;  Fair  Maid, 
delicate  pink,  passing  to  a  deeper  tint  ;  Guy  Man- 
nering,  cream-white,  with  a  paler  centre  ;  Maid  of 
Bute,  rose-pink,  distinct  ancl  showy  ;  Meg  Merri- 
lies,  rich  yellow  ;  and  Queen  Mary,  pure  white. 
These  are  very  pretty  flowers  for  cutting. 

Single  Varietie-i. — Charles  Parrot,  deep  maroon, 
margined  with  crimson-scarlet  ;  Cleopatra,  rich 
crimson ;  Columbine,  rose-pink,  touched  with 
orange  near  the  centre  :  I)ais3'.  rosy  crimson, 
variegated  with  white ;  Demon,  deep  maroon ; 
Duke  of  Vork,  Origlit  orange  scarlet,  with  a  yellow 
circle  round  the  disc  ;  Eric,  rich  .scarlet  suffused 
with  rose  towards  the  tips  ;  Flame,  rich  orange- 
3'ellow,  striped  and  splashed  with  scarlet  ;  Folly, 
pink,  tipped  and  shaded  with  rose  :  Girlie,  cream, 
margined  with  red  ;  Goldenlocks,  bright  yellow  ; 
Gulielma,  white,  edged  with  yellow  ;  Leslie  Seale, 
pink,  with  a  distinct  crimson  band  near  the  yellow- 
disc  :  Nellie  Nicholson,  white  edged  witli  rosy 
red  :  Puck,  orange  or  bronze-yellow,  with  a 
crimson  ring  round  the  disc  ;  Shamrock,  crimson- 
maroon,  tipped  with  rose  ;  Trilby,  velvety  crimson, 
distiiictl3'  tipped  with  pink  ;  '\''eronica,  scarlet, 
tipped  with  amber  ;  White  Queen,  pure  wliite. 

Shniv  Varie/iex. — Arthur  Rawlings,  deep  crimson  ; 
Cherub,  deep  amVier ;  Chieftain,  purplish  lilac; 
Daniel  Cornish,  red,  suffused  with  orange  ;  Duchess 
of  York,  lemon-yellow,  tipped  with  salmon-pink  ; 
Empress,  lilac-purple,  splashed  with  crimson  ; 
Florence  Tranter,  blush-white  tipped  with  rosy 
purple ;  Gracchus,  orange-yellow  ;  Gwendoline, 
bright  crimson ;  Harbinger,  lilac-piuk  ;  Harry 
Keith,  ros3'  purple  ;  .James  Cocker,  purple  ;  J.  T. 
West,  3'ellow,  edged  with  purple  ;  Marjorie,  bronz3" 
yellow,  flushed  and  edged  with  pale  purple  ;  Mrs. 
Gladstone,  pale  blush  ;  W.  H.  \"\'illiams,  brilliant 
scarlet. 

Fancy  Varieties.  —  Comedian,  orange-yellow, 
speckled  with  crimson  and  edged  with  'white; 
Frank  Pearce,  clear  rose,  splashed  with  crimson- 
scarlet  ;  Frederic  Smith,  lilac,  striped  with  purple  ; 
George  Barnes,  rosy  lilac,  streaked  with  crimson  ; 
Golden  Fleece,  yellow,  speckled  with  crimson  ; 
Gold  Medal,  rich  canar3'  yellow,  striped  and 
splashed  with  red  ;  Heather  Bell,  crimson,  tipped 
with  white ;  Matthew  Campbell,  apricot-vellow, 
striped  with  crimson  ;  Novelty,  blush  white, 
streaked  witli  rose-pink  ;  Peacock,  purplish  maroon, 
edged  with  white  ;  and  Watchman,  yellow,  speckled 
and  striped  with  crimson. 


Obituary.— We  regret  to  hear  of  the  death 
of  M.  Alexis  Dalliere,  a  well  -  known  Belgian 
horticulturist,  on  March  17,  after  a  short  illness. 
The  funeral  took  place  on  Thursday,  March  21. 

Cornwall     Daffodil     and     Spring 

Floiver  ShO'W  will  take  place  on  Thursday 
and  Friday,  April  II  and  12  next.  The  Hon.  John 
Boscowen,  Tregye,  Perranwell,  is  the  honorar\' 
secretary. 

The  Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent 

Institution.— His  Jl&jesty  the  King  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  eontinue  his  patronage  of 
this  institution.  We  may  remind  our  readers  that 
the  sixty-second  festival  dinner  in  aid  of  the  funds 


of  this  institution  will  take  place  on  May  22, 
the  first  da3'  of  the  Temple  show,  when  Lord 
Llangattock  will  preside.  The  secretary  will  gladly 
receive  the  names  of  any  gentlemen  who  would 
kindly  act  as  stewards,  or  who  would  like  to  attend 
the  dinner.  Mr.  (Jeorge  Ingram  is  the  secretary, 
n.'i.  Victoria  Street.  Loiidnn.  S.W. 

The  East  Anglian  Daffodil  Show 

will  take  place  in  Easier  week  —  Wednesday, 
April  10— in  the  Corn  Exchange,  Ipswich.  The 
net  proceeds  of  the  show  will  be  given  to  the  Kasl 
Sufl'olk  and  Ipswich  Hospital.  The  hon.  secretaries 
are  Mr.  .lohn  Andrews  and  Mr.  A.  E.  Stiibbs,  (i. 
Princes  Street.  Ipswich. 

A  National  Sweet   Pea  Society. 

At  a  well-attended  public  meeting  of  persons 
interested  in  the  cultivation  and  exhibition  of  the 
Sweet  Pea,  held  at  the  Hotel  Windsor  on  the  2()th 
inst. ,  Mr.  George  Gordon,  ■\'.  M.H.,  presiding,  it 
was  unanimously  resolved,  on  the  recommendation 
of  the  general  committee  of  the  Sweet  Pea  Bieen- 
tenar3'  Celebration,  to  then  and  there  form  a 
National  Sweet  Pea  Societ3-  ;  and  an  executive 
committee  I'epresentative  of  all  classes  of  horticul- 
turists was  formed  to  prepare  rules,  nominate 
vice-presidents,  &c.,  and  draw  up  a  draft  schedule 
of  prizes  to  be  offered  at  an  exhibition  to  be  held 
during  the  coming  summer.  Mr.  George  Gordon, 
V.M.H. ,  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  executive 
committee  ;  Mr.  N.  Sherwood,  treasurer  ;  and  Mr. 
R.  Dean,  secretar3'  pi-o  tern.  In  order  that  no  time 
should  be  lost  in  perfecting  the  organisation,  the 
executive  committee  will  meet  at  once,  and  push 
on  the  work  without  loss  of  time.  A  considerable 
number  of  names  were  handed  in  as  members,  and 
the  minimum  subscription  was  fixed  at  os.  per 
annum.  Communications  respecting  the  newly- 
formed  Sweet  Pea  Society  may  be  addressed  in 
Mr.  R.  Dean,  V.M.H. .  42."  Ranelagh  Road,  Ealing. 

Birstall    Chrysanthemum    and 

PaxtOn  Society.— The  annual  dinner  of  this 
society  was  held  on  Wednesday  at  the  Black  Bull 
Hotel,  Birstall,  and  was  a  most  successful  gathering, 
not  0UI3'  in  point  of  numbers — as  the  attendance 
was  unprecedented  in  the  histor3'  of  the  society  — 
but  in  regard  to  the  spirit  of  intense  enthusiasm 
which  characterised  the  proceedings  from  begin- 
ning to  end.  The  tables  were  profusel\-  decorated 
with  plants  and  flowers  of  every  description, 
which,  together  with  the  button-holes  worn  by  all 
present,  produced  a  charming  effect.  Mr.  J.  Spurr 
Hodgson  (a  hard  working  member  of  the  societx' 
and  a  past  president)  occupied  the  chair  at  the 
after  proceedings.  An  e.^cellent  toast  list  had 
been  arranged  and  was  admirably  carried  out,  and 
the  tone  of  the  speeches,  lioth  of  members  of  the 
societ3-  and  the  visitors,  was  highly  favourable. 
It  was  stated  by  one  of  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee that  the  society  were  intending  during  the 
coming  season  to  arrange  a  series  of  lantern 
lectures,  &c. ,  on  various  subjects  of  horticulture, 
and  a  suggestion  was  also  tlirown  out  that  the 
societ3f  should  offer  prizes  to  school  children  for 
making  boucfuets,  as  it  would  be  a  means  of  getting 
the  children  to  take  an  interest  in  the  society  and 
in  all  matters  pertaining  to  horticulture.  The 
toast  list  was  interspersed  with  vocal  contributions 
b3'  a  glee  party,  who  rendered  several  glees,  &c. , 
in  an  acceptable  manner,  and  the  conipan3'  broke 
up  at  eleven  o'clock,  after  having  thoroughly 
enjoyed  themselves. 


SOCIETIES. 


GKASSENDALE  HORTICULTrRAL  SOCIETY. 
The  animal  fixture  was  held  in  the  parisli  room  6n 
March  23,  in  splemlid  weather  that  should  have  induced  a 
much  larger  attendance.  The  exhihits  seemed  hardly  ao 
numerous  as  usual  ;  the  hullis  and  f(^)rced  plants  were  well 
up  to  the  mark,  and  AuinrylUs  and  Cyclamen  were  excellent. 
Mr.  \\.  Evans,  gardener  to  JMrs.  Lockett,  secured  llrsts  for 
twelve  Hyacinths  with  good  spikes,  Charles  Dickens.  Von 
■Schiller,  and  aiha  maxima  heing  Hue ;  for  three  varieties  of 
Hyacinths,  one  greenhouse  Rluidodeudron,  Lily  of  the 
Valley,  three  Spir.'cas,  and  four  ]iots  of  herlmceous  jilants. 
Mr.  K.  C.  Keightley,  gardener  to  ilrs.  Duncan,  led  with  six 
pots  of  Narcissi  (well  hloomed).  six  pots  of  single  Tulips, 
six  pots  of  douhlea,  one  .stove  plant  (Clerodeudrun  halfour- 
ianuni),  one  Azalea,  and  two  Palms.  Mr.  T.  Johnson,  gar- 
dener to  Mrs.  Q.  \V.  Moss,  won  foi'  Amaryllis  with  grand 
varieties. 


March  30,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


2S5 


For  two  Orchids,  Mr.  C.  Duke,  gardener  to  F.  R,  Cross, 
Esq  ,  scored  with  Dendrobium  nobile  andLycaste  Harrisonie. 
Mr.  J.  Heaton,  gardener  to  E.  P.  Houston,  Etq.,  M.P.,  had 
the  best  Orchid  in  Dendrobium  thyrsitiorum  (five  table 
plants)  and  one  bouquet.  Mr.  T.  Ankers  won  for  tliree 
Azaleas,  four  Cyclamens  (very  fine),  and  one  hardy  Azalea. 
Mr.  \V.  Leadbeater,  gardener  to  .T.  Davey,  Esq.,  scored  for  a 
single  Palm  (Kentia  fosteriana),  and  Mr.  P.  McKivitt  for  two 
pots  of  Callas.  Messrs.  E.  Evans  and  T.  Johnson,  chairman 
a»id  secretary,  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  their  successful 
efforts. 


BECKENHAM    HOUTICULTUEAL    SOCIETY. 

Leotcke  on  Eosks  by  Mk.  Mount  of  Canterbuky. 
Mr.  Mount,  who  for  many  years  has  so  successfully 
grown  Eoses,  and  has  secured  the  Eoyal  Horticultural 
Society's  gold  medal  at  the  Temple  Show  on  three  separate 
occasions,  addressed  the  members  on  "  Eoses  under  glass," 
as  grown  at  Canterbury.  The  lecturer  explained  pruning  as 
best  for  different  varieties,  the  temperature  to  be  50°  to  5.^°, 
with  an  increase  with  sun.  Soil,  two  parts  loam,  one 
manure,  one  sand  and  wood-ash,  never  using  pots  larger 
than  8-inch.  Feeding  commenced  when  shoots  6  inches 
long  with  sheep  manure  and  soot  in  solution,  with  an 
occasional  dose  of  some  artificial  manure.  The  best  sorts 
for  cutting  were  Mrs.  John  Laing,  La  France,  Captain 
Hayward,  Mme.  Montet,  Catherine;  Mermet,  Bride,  Brides- 
maid, Anna  Olivier,  Niphetos,  Catherine  Testout,  Mrs. 
S.  Crawford,  and  one  of  promise  named  Liberty.  The 
lecturer  brought  splendid  cut  blooms  of  most  of  the  above 
sorts,  and  a  very  fine  pot  plant  of  Mrs.  John  Laing.  A 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  M  r.  Mount  brought  to  a  close  a 
very  pleasant  and  profitable  evening. 


ROYAL  HOETICULTUEAL  SOCIETY. 
Orchid  Committee. 
Present  :  Messrs.  H.  J.  Veitch  (chairman),  James  O'Brien, 
De  B.  Crawshay,  E.  Brooman  'White,  H.  M.  PoUett,  James 
Douglas,  E.  Hill,  T.  Eouquet,  H.  Ballantine,  H.  Little, 
Walter  Cobb,  Frank  A.  Eehder,  H.  J.  Chapman,  W.  H. 
Young,  F.  J.  Thorne,  H.  T.  Pitt,  and  Jules  Hye  Debrom. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park  Nurseries, 
Enfleld,  arranged  a  pleasing  group  of  Orchids,  including 
many  fine  Dendrobiums,  of  which  It.  fimbriatum  oculatum, 
D.  brymerianum  giganteum,  several  line  forms  of  D.  wardi- 
anura  and  D.  nobile,  D.  barbatulum,  bearing  racemes  of 
medium-sized  white  flowers,  and  D.  crassinode  alba  were  con- 
spicuous. Cypripedium  rothschildianum,  CattleyaSchroderse, 
and  Liclia  jongheana  were  also  finely  represented.  Silver 
Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Eoyal  Exotic 
Nurseries,  Chelsea,  exhibited  an  attractive  group  of  Orchids, 
comprising  several  plants  of  that  beautiful  hybrid  Ladio- 
Cattleya,  L.-C.  Pallas,  Epideiidrum  Clarissa,  Dendrobium 
Sosius,  a  fine  dark-coloured  form  ;  ChysisSedeni,  a  charming 
flower  obtained  from  a  cross  between  C.  Limrainghei  and  C. 
bractescens,  Dendrobium  Wardiano  -  japonicum  albidum, 
Lielio-Oattleya  x  Myra,  and  others,  notably  the  hybrid  Cym- 
bidium  C.  eburneo-lowianum.    Silver  Flora  medal. 

Messrs.  F.  Sander  and  Co.,  St.  Albans,  sent  a  very  fine 
Odontoglossum  excellens,  var.  0.  loochristiense,  and  a  hybrid 
between  0.  crispum  and  0.  triumphans,  O.  crispum  Sun- 
shine, and  Dendrobium  nobile-wardianum.  A  new  Phaius 
a  secondary  hybrid  between  P.  Marthas  and  P.  sanderianus, 
was  also  included  in  this  exhibit. 

H.  F.  Simonds,  Esq.,  Woodthorpe,  Beckenham  (gardener, 
Mr.  0.  E.  Day),  exhibited  several  well-grown  plants  of 
Dendrobium  formosum  giganteum,  to  which  a  cultural 
commendation  was  awarded. 

E.  J.  Measures,  Esq.,  Ladymead,  Sussex  (gardener,  Mr. 
VV.  ■n^atson),  showed  Cypripedium  Zeus,  a  large  and  hand- 
some flower  (callosum  x  ciliolare).  Odontoglossum  crispum 
Bella  was  sent  by  Mr.  John  "Weathers,  Silverhall  Nursery, 
Isleworth. 

H.  M.  Pollett,  Esq.,  Fernside,  Bickley,  Kent  (gardener, 
Mr.  F.  Fry),  showed  a  pseudo-bulb  of  Dendrobium  wardi- 
anum  grandiflorum,  bearing  numerous  flowers. 

Walter  Cobb,  Esq.,  Tuubridge  Wells,  sent  Odontoglossum 
triumphans  dulcitense  and  0.  crispum  Elamii,  both  very 
striking  flowers.  D,  0.  Drewett,  Esq.,  Willow  Wood,  Riding 
Mill  Hill-on-Tyne  (gardener,  Mr.  E.  Etty),  exhibited  Cypri- 
pedium Juno  and  C.  Eobert  Etty.  Lfelia  jongheana  Keelingte 
was  shown  by  A.  G.  Keeling,  Esq.,  Cottonley,  Bringley, 
York.  Cattleya  TriansB  Empress  of  India  was  sent  by  John 
Bradshaw,  Esq.,  The  Grange,  Southgate  (gardener,  Mr.  G. 
Whitelegge),  and  also  Cattleya  Trianse  Mafeking,  both  flowers 
of  lovely  colouring. 

M.  Jules  Hye,  Ghent,  showed  Lselio-Cattleya  Myra  var. 
Etoile  d'Or,  a  beautiful  clear  yellow  in  colour,  with  slight 
orange  markings  on  the  lip.  A.  H.  Smee,  Esq.,  The  Grange, 
Carshalton,  Surrey  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  E.  Humphreys),  exhi- 
bited Lffilio-Cattleya  Pallas,  the  two  flowers  borne  on  the 
raceme  showing  a  remarkable  difference  of  colouring. 

M.  Jules  Hye,  Ghent,  was  awarded  a  silver-gilt  Flora 
medal  fora  plant  of  Odontoglossum  Souvenir  Franz  Maseral, 
bearing  a  raceme  of  remarkably  beautiful  flowers.  There 
were  no  less  than  thirteen  flowers  on  the  raceme.  The  ground 
colour  is  dull  white,  although  not  much  of  this  is  visible 
owing  to  the  numerous  blotches  and  markings  of  crimson 
brown  over  the  petals  and  sepals.  This  has  previously 
received  a  flrst-class  certificate. 

Sir  F.  Wigan,  Bart.,  Clare  Lawn,  East  Sheen  (Orchid 
grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young),  showed  Lfelio-Cattleya  digbyano- 
Trianse  (C.  Trianas  x  L.  digbyana).  and  Cattleya  Cecilia  Louis 
Chalon  (C.  lawrenceana  x  Triana;),  two  beautiful  hybrids. 
Odontoglossum  liliaflorum,  a  quaint  flower  with  crinkled 
petals  and  sepals,  white  except  for  purple  markings  in  the 
centre  of  the  flower,  was  sent  by  Dr.  T.  Pritchard  Davies,  Kent 
County  Asylum,  Maidstone  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Keylock). 
M.  Lucien  Linden,  Brussels,  exhibited  Phalasnopsis  grandi- 
flora  Borneensis  rosea  and  P.  g.  B.  citrata. 

W.  Thompson,  Esq.,  Walton  Grange,  Stone,  Staffordshire 
(gardener.Mr.  W.  Stevens),  sent  aflne  plant  of  Odontoglossum 


Victoria  Regina.  This  is  a  lovely  variety,  the  ground  colour 
of  a  bluish  tinge,  spotted  with  chocolate  -  red.  Cultural 
commendation. 

Dendrobium  Ainsworthi  var.  Vigil  was  shown  in  splendid 
form  by  Mrs.  Haywood,  Woodhatch  Lodge,  Eeigate  (gai-dener, 
Mr.  C.  J.  Salter),  as  also  was  Dendrobium  splendidissimum 
var.  Mrs.  Haywood. 

A  most  interesting  collection  of  inconspicuous  Orchids 
was  exhibited  by  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.  ;  included  were 
Vanda  cccrulescens,  various  JIasdevallias,  Eestrepia 
antennifera,  Dendrobium  barbatulum,  Spiranthes  pauro- 
glossum,  Dendrobium  subclausura,  Cjclogyne  sparsa. 

Fruit  Committee. 

Present :  Messrs.  George  Bunyard  (chairman),  Henry 
Esling,  James  Cheal,  W.  Bates,  S.  Mortimer,  A.  Dean, 
George  Keif,  Charles  Herrin,  James  H.  Veitch,  William 
Fyfe,  E.  Beckett,  G.  Eeynolds,  A.  Ward,  George  Wytbes, 
H.  Balderson,  O.  Norman,  J.  Willard,  W.  Farr,  and  Eev.  W. 
Wilks. 

Pear  Easter  Beurr^  was  well  shown  by  the  Earl  of  Ilchester, 
Holland  House,  Kensington  (gardener,  Mr.  C.  Dixon). 
Cultural  commendation. 

Lord  Wantage,  Wantage  House,  Berks  (gardener,  Mr. 
William  Fyfe),  sent  a  pale  yellow  conical  Apple  for  a  name. 
A  seedling  Apple  was  shown  by  Mr.  H.  Kempshall,  The 
Gardens,  Lamport  Hall,  Northampton,  but  no  award  was 
made.  Apple  Litamein  Pippin  or  Milk  Apple,  was  shown  by 
John  Watkins,  Esq.,  Withington,  Hereford. 
Floral  Committee. 

Present :  W.  Marshall,  Esq.,  in  the  chair,  and  Messrs. 
H.  B.  May,  H.  S.  Leonard,  C.  T.  Druery,  R.  Dean,  E. 
Molyneux,  H.  J.  Jones,  J.  F.  McLeod,  J.  Hudson,  J. 
Jennings,  W.  Howe,  C.  Jeffries,  C.  E.  Fielder,  J.  Eraser,  C. 
Dixon,  C.  J.  Salter,  C.  E.  Shea,  H.  J.  Cutbush,  R.  C.  Notcutt, 
G.  Gordon,  C.  E.  Pearson,  W.  Wilson  Ker,  W.  P.  Thomson, 
E.  H.  Jenkins,  W.  J.  James,  H.  Turner,  G.  Paul,  Rev.  F. 
Page-Roberts,  and  E.  H.  Krelage  (visitor). 

Having  regard  to  the  bitterness  of  the  weather  on  Monday 
and  Tuesday,  the  meeting  was  a  very  full  one,  and,  strange 
to  relate,  though  many  things  came  long  distances,  no  sign 
of  being  overtaken  by  the  frost  was  visible  in  the  plants 
shown.  Doubtless  one  of  the  most  striliing  groups  was  that 
of  Hippeastruras  from  Captain  Holford,  Westonbirt, 
Gloucestershire  (Mr.  A.  Chapman,  gardener).  The  col- 
lection occupied  one  entire  table,  and  displayed  some 
of  the  Hnestof  this  flue  race  of  plants.  Among  the  scarlet 
and  crimson-scarlet  shades  we  noted  Titiens,  Keith,  Rubens, 
Hecla,  Eobin  (crimson,  very  fine),  Apollo,  The  Sultan  (veiy 
dark,  almost  dusky,  crimson).  Lord  Dalhousie  (very  fine), 
Vesuvius,  Gertrude,  Sir  T.  Moore,  Mephistopheles  (not  so 
dark  as  usually  painted),  Pendita  (very  dark  crimson),  *c., 
while  among  the  lighter  forms  Princess  Xenio,  Armorel, 
Cupid,  Marvel,  and  Snowflake,  the  last  the  whitest  of  all, 
were  all  excellent.  Then,  apart  from  these,  were  many  fine 
seedlings,  some  of  great  promise.  Needless  to  say,  the 
culture  was  excellent,  as  befits  a  group  of  plants  from  a 
collection  well  nigh  unique.  Silver-gilt  Flora  medal  was 
awarded. 

A  very  meritorious  group  of  flowering  shrubs  came  from 
Mr.  John  EusseU,  Richmond,  in  which  Azaleas  of  the  Mollis 
section  formed  a  groundwork  in  many  beautiful  shades,  the 
plants  full  of  bloom  and  well  grown.  Other  plants  included 
Laburnums,  Mains  floiibunda.  Lilacs  in  variety.  Wistarias 
(very  beautiful),  Prunus  triloba.  Rhododendrons,  Guelder 
Eoses,  Forsythia,  &c.  In  all  a  beautiful  assembly  of 
splendid  plants.    Silver-gilt  Flora  medal. 

Messrs.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley,  had  a  pretty  group  of 
cut  flowers  of  Primula  obconica  Rose  Queen,  the  flowers 
large  and  generally  uniform  in  colour.  Silver  Banksian 
medal. 

The  St.  George's  Nursery  Company,  Hanwell,  set  up  a 
large  array  of  their  fine  strain  of  Cyclamen  persicum,  some 
200  fine  plants  in  grand  bloom  being  staged.  Particularly 
good  were  the  whites,  the  flowers  finely  shaped  and  well 
developed,  a  remark,  indeed,  that  may  be  applied  with 
equal  force  to  all.  A  large  batch,  too,  of  the  fringed-leaved 
strain  were  set  up  alongside  the  rest,  the  whole  making  a 
formidable  display,  in  several  distinct  colours.  Silver  Flora 
medal  was  awarded 

From  Highgate  Messrs.  William  Cutbush  and  Sons 
brought  a  large  group  of  Hyacinths  in  pots,  of  the 
fine  strain  of  these  fiowers  that  we  have  seen  hitherto 
from  the  same  firm.  The  best  kinds  shown  were 
Yellow  Hammer,  a  charming  yellow ;  Jaynes,  pink ; 
Leviathan,  white  ;  Schotel,  blue  ;  Grand  Maitre,  deep  blue  ; 
Le  Grandesse,  white  ;  .Anna,  white,  very  fine  bell ;  General 
Havelock,  blue  ;  and  I'Innocence,  white.  The  same  firm  had 
huge  baskets,  2  feet  across,  of  Hepaticas  in  blue  and  pink, 
also  a  good  pan  of  double  blue.    Silver  Flora  medal. 

Sweet  Violets  were  prettily  shown  by  Mr.  I.  House, 
Westbui'y-on-Trym,  Bristol.  Such  kinds  as  La  France, 
Princess  of  Wales,  Luxonne,  Lady  Hume  Campbell,  White 
Czar,  Sulphurea,  Cannell's,  blue  and  white,  being  all  shown  to 
advantage,  together  with  Princess  Sumonte,  white  and  lilac 
with  blue  lines.  This  is  a  very  pleasing  novelty  and  very 
fragrant.    Bronze  Banksian  medal. 

M.  L.  Linden  (Brussels)  sent  a  group  of  hybrid  Hsemanthus, 
displaying  considerable  variety  in  colour  and  form,  a  marked 
feature  of  all  being  the  accompanying  leafage.  Some  of  the 
kindsare  already  noted  and  the  remainder  includeH.Diadenia, 
rose  salmon,  and  H.  mirabilis,  in  its  varying  phases  of  light 
and  deep  salmon  and  pink,  as  also  broad  and  narrow 
segments  to  the  flowers  individually.  All  the  kinds  have 
large  umbels  of  bloom  and  are  most  attractive  as  they  must 
also  be  most  profuse  in  flowering.    Silver  Flora  medal. 

Mr.  John  Odell,  Hillingdon,  had  a  group  of  Cyclamen 
representing  Carter's  Perfection  strain,  the  plants  nicely 
flowered  but  not  of  large  size. 

Messrs.  Peed  and  Son,  West  Norwood,  had  a  group  of 
Azaleas,  Lilacs,  Guelder  Roses,  and  other  forcing  shrubs  ; 
and  Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons  a  group  of  Cineraria  polyantha 
craenta,  for  which  a  silver  Banksian  medal  was  awarded.  A 
light-coloured  sport  from  Violet  Marie  Louise  was  sent 
by  Mr.  Roberts,  Tan-y-bwloh. 


A  nice  group  of  forced  shrubs  came  from  Mr  B  H 
Williams,  Upper  Holloway;  Azaleas,  Pyruses,  Acers,  Sniraja 
confusa.  Lilacs,  Staphylea,  &c.,  being  the  chief  items. 
Surer  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Sons,  the  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt,  had  a 
few  beautiful  Roses  in  pots,  most  charnihig  among  them  all 
being  Lady  Battersea,  a  lovely  and  fragi  ant  Rose  of  a  cherry 
carmine  tone.  Its  exquisite  form  and  colour  brought  crowds 
of  admirers  during  the  day.  Blooms  of  Catherine  Mermet, 
too,  were  superb,  and  around  these  were  pans  of  choice 
Saxifragas  and  other  alpines,  as  for  example,  Sisyrincbium 
grandiflorum  album,  &c. 

Hardy  plants,  too,  were  very  flue,  one  of  the  mostiniportant 
being  a  group  from  Messrs.  Wallace  and  Co.,  Colchester 
which  included  many  beautiful  things,  Fritillaria  pudica 
F.  aurea.  Anemone  blanda,  Puschkinia  .scilloides,  the  lovely 
Chionodoxas,  Scilla  sibirica  alba,  Narcissus  Bulhocodiiim, 
Galanthus  Whitalli,  Iris  persica,  and  I.  stylosa  speciosa 
being  among  a  numerous  array  of  beautiful  plants.  It  was 
not  merely  the  plants  in  this  group,  but  the  delightful  and 
intelligent  get  up  generally  that  caught  the  eye  ni  once  and 
bade  the  visitor  stay  ;  indeed,  the  plants  were  very  charming 
and  refreshing,  and  shown  in  this  way  are  ei|ually  valuable 
from  an  educational  standpoint.  A  lovely  lot  of  Lacbenalia 
Nelsoni  in  a  setting  of  purple-leaved  Acers  were  also  shown 
by  the  Jfessrs.  Wallace,  who  obtained  a  silver  Flora  medal 
for  their  group. 

Messrs.  George  Jackman  and  Sons,  Woking,  had  a  nice 
variety  of  hardy  things,  Adonis  amurensis,  several  Primulas, 
and  Androsace  carnea,  very  pretty  ;  Tree  Pasonies,  Polygala 
chamajbuxus,  blue  Primroses,  Saxifragas  in  variety,  and  a 
variety  of  forced  Daffodils,  Trumpet  kinds  in  pots.  Silvei 
Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Feltham,  Middlesex,  had  a  large  exhibit 
of  alpines  and  Daffodils,  among  the  former  such  as  Saxifraga 
burseriana,  S.  oppositifolia,  in  white  and  purple  ;  S.  Boydii 
alba,  the  pretty  Soldanella,  and  Shortia,  Anemone  vernalis, 
with  its  silken  flowers  ;  pink,  white,  and  blue  Hepaticas, 
several  Primroses  of  the  acaulis  section,  Iris  iberica,  a  fine 
Hower  ;  a  large  bank  of  sweet  Violets  in  pots  of  all  the  best 
kmds,  and  a  choice  assortment  of  Daffodils,  such  as  Empress, 
Sir  Watkin,  Michael  Foster,  Glory  of  Leyden,  Queen  of  Spain, 
Stella  maxima,  bicolor  Ada  Brooke,  a  refined  flower ;  C.  J. 
Backhouse,  and  others.  There  were  many  beautiful  and 
Interesting  plants  in  this  large  and  varied  group.  Silver  Flora 
medal. 

Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons  also  had  a  good  varied  gr-oup  of 
-Anemones,  Chionodoxas,  Galanthus,  Irises,  Crocus,  and  other 
such  things  of  early  spring,  while  a  larger  array  of  ihe  choicer 
Daffodils  filled  up  much  space  ;  many  of  these  bad  suffered 
considerably  from  packing,  and  the  stems  weie  too  greatly 
reduced  in  length  to  display  the  variety  to  advantage.  Such 
good  .lorts  as  Gwyther  maximus.  Empress,  (.'.  J.  Backhouse, 
Golden  Spur,  Duchess  of  Westminster,  Henrv  Irving,  Mrs 
Langtiy,  and  others  were  in  some  quantity."  Silver  Floi'a 
medal  was  awarded. 

From  Mr.  J.  Silsbury,  Clarendou  Lodge,  Isle  of  Wight,  came 
the  spathe  of  that  remarkable  aroid,  Godwinia  gigas,  of 
wliich  so  flue  an  example  recently  came  from  Kew,  the 
present  example,  being  cut,  failed  to  arouse  quite  the  interest 
as  the  former  specimen. 

The  Lecture 

was  on  "Inconspicuous  and  Rarely  Cultivated  Orchid.s 
which  was  by  Mr.  W.  H.  White,  Orchid  grower  to  Sir 
Trevor  Lawrence,  the  president.  Prior  to  the  reading  of 
the  lecture,  no  less  than  forty-two  new  Fellows  wei  e  elected. 
The  audience  was  not  so  large  as  usual,  the  subject  perhaps 
being  somewhat  technical.  Still,  coming  from  such  a  source, 
it  might  have  been  expected  that  Orchidists  would  have 
been  plentiful  rathei-  than  being  conspicuously  absent,  with 
but  one  or  two  exceptions.  The  audience  enjoyed  the  advan- 
tage of  listening  to  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Mr.  \\'hite,  who 
was  present,  suffering  from  a  sore  throat.  A  large  basket  of 
the  small  and  curious  species  specially  described  added 
interest  to  the  gathering.  The  President  said  that  the 
entire  credit  of  the  paper  was  Mr.  White's,  who  had  com- 
posed it.  Orchid  culture  had  very  widely  extended  of  late 
years  without  doubt,  but  the  general  disposition  was  to 
grow  chiefly  the  large-flowered  and  showy  varieties,  espe- 
cially those  which  so  plentifully  furnished  flowers  for 
cutting.  But  there  were  many  that  to  an  Orchid  lover 
were,  if  small  and  comparatively  inconspicuous,  yet  exceed- 
ingly curious  and  beautiful.  Orchids  seemed  to  resemble 
human  beings  in  so  soon  finding  out  and  showing  whether 
they  were  well  cared  for  or  not.  Still,  cultivation  generally 
was  easy,  whilst  the  best  of  care  was  essential.  Very  many 
inconspicuous  species  or  varieties  had  been  introduced  on 
clumps  of  the  larger  forms,  and  these  were  now  getting 
attention  and  appreciation.  Many  of  the  showier  forms 
had  allied  to  them  others  that  were  possibly  regarded 
as  but  botanical  curiosities  If  an  Orchid  lover  makes 
a  selection,  he  commonly  omits  Stanhopeas,  Sacco- 
labiums,  Cirrhopetalums,  and  others  not  showy,  yet  all 
these  are  of  exceeding  beauty  in  their  respective  cha- 
racters. Collectors  would  greatly  add  to  the  scientific 
interest  of  their  collections  if  they  would  include  the 
smallest  flowered  forms,  although  those  may  not  have  much 
pecuniary  or  trade  value.  The  genus  Cirrhopelalum  had 
many  forms  or  species.  So  also  had  the  Saccolabiums, 
although  their  flowers  were  comparatively  inconspicuous, 
yet  many  were  exceedingly  beautiful.  Of  the  former  there 
were  some  fifty  known  species.  Many  of  the  fiowers 
resembled  Chinese  faces  and  wagging  chins.  One  form 
resembled  the  head  of  the  Medusa,  and  was  so  named.  In 
some  the  colouring  was  rich  and  fully  blotched  yellow, 
although  the  flowers  were  small.  Some  examples  of  the 
rarely  cultivated  forms  were  mentioned,  such  as  Cirrhopeta- 
lum  compactum,  known  as  the  "  Windmill "  Orchid.  These 
interesting  species  were  best  grown  in  pans  or  baskets, 
using  plenty  of  charcoal,  peat,'  and  sphagnum.  General 
outlines  of  culture  were  described,  these  being  .also  appli- 
cable to  the  genus  Bulbophyllum.  These  latter  came  from  a 
vast  area  of  the  tropical  w^orld,  especially  from  the  East 
Indies  and  itadagascar.     B.  formosum  was  of  the  deciduous 


230 


THE    GARDEN. 


[March  30,   1901. 


Bection,  also  B.  sanderiana,  and  a  few  others  specially 
worthy  of  cultivation.  Many  of  these  in  their  tlowers 
showed  material  sensitiveness.  One  remarkable  species  was 
Meglaclinum  Bufa.  Of  this  Dr.  Ludley  wrote  the  followins 
remarkable  description  ;— 

"Let  us  imagine  a  green  snake  to  be  pressed  Hat  like  a 
dried  flower,  another  to  have  a  row  of  toads  or  such  speckled 
reptiles  drawn  up  along  the  middle  in  single  tile,  their  backs 
set  up,  their  forelegs  sprawling  right  aiid  left,  and  their 
mouths  well  open  with  a  large  purple  tongue  wagging  about 
convulsively,  and  a  pretty  considerable  approach  will  be 
gained  to  an  idea  of  this  strange  plant,  which  if  Pythagoras 
had  but  known  of  would  have  rendered  all  arguments  about 
the  transmigration  of  souls  superfluous."  \\1iat  wonder  if 
many  would  like  to  see  that  remarkable  variety.  Terrestrial 
Orchids  were  noticed,  and  special  reference  made  to  many  of 
them.  In  South  Africa  were  many  Disas  that  had  not  yet 
been  sent  home,  because  probably  not  regarded  as  worthy  of 
cultivation  ;  also  ^Erides,  Calantbes,  -Saccolabinms,  and  many 
others,  of  which  it  was  hoped  after  the  war  was  over  that 
those  species  would  find  their  way  into  Europe.  Those 
would  then  in  time  materially  help  to  enrich  home  collec- 
tions, llr.  Hayman,  German  consul  to  the  States  of 
Colombia,  had  proved  to  be  a  valuable  collector,  and 
possessed  a  truly  wonderful  knowledge  of  Orchids.  In  some 
respects  in  Orchid  culture  all  had  advanced,  in  some  few 
others  we  had  somewhat  retrograded.  In  conclusion,  Sir 
Trevor  showed  a  tiny  plant,  3  inches  in  height,  of  Pleuro- 
thallis,  with  quite  minute  flowers.  One  magnified  eight 
times,  then  painted  in  colours  on  board,  showed  really  a 
very  pretty  crimson  flower  indeed.  A  cordial  vote  of  thanks 
was  given  to  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  and  to  Mr.  White  for  bis 
talented  lecture. 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

ODONTOGLOSSUM  CRISPUM 
PURPUEASCENS. 

The  raceme  of  this  variety  bore  ten  flowers  of 
most  lovely  colouring.  The  sepals  and  petals  have 
a  ground  colour  of  bluish  white,  upon  each  of  the 
sepals  are  masses  of  crimson-chocolate  dots,  while 
the  petals  are  more  sparingly  marked.  E.\hibited 
by  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  Burford  Lodge, 
Dorking  (Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  White).  First- 
class  certificate. 


LMLIA  JONGHEANA  KROMERI. 

A  BEACTiruL  variety  of  L.  Jongheana.  The  flower 
is  of  good  size,  and  of  a  deep  rosy  purple  colour 
throughout  the  petals,  sepals,  and  upper  portion 
of  the  lip.  The  edge  of  this  is  fringed,  while  the 
throat  is  of  a  clear  orange-yellow,  and  has  several 
longitudinal  ridges  very  marked.  Exhibited  by 
M.  Ed.  Kromer,  Boraima  Nursery,  Bandon  Hill, 
Croydon.     Eirst-class  certificate. 


ODONTOGLOSSUM  CRISPUM 

SUNSHINE. 

This  is  a  distinct  and  lovely  variety  of  0.  crispum. 
The  petals  and  sepals  are  of  a  most  delicate  pale 
yellow,  the  colour  deepening  towards  the  margins. 
The  column  and  the  lip  are  blotched  with  chocolate- 
red.  Exhibited  by  Messrs.  F.  Sander  and  Co. ,  St. 
Albans.     Award  of  merit. 


RHODODENDRON  GRANDE. 
Though  by  no  means  a  novelty,  this  is  one  of  the 
boldest  and  showiest  of  the  Sikkim  species,  where 
the  plant  attains  to  .30  feet  high  or  more.  The 
huge  trusses  of  white  tubular  flowers  have  a  very 
majestic  bearing  that  at  once  attracts  attention. 
Some  half-dozen  of  the  giant  heads  were  shown  by 
Mr.  F.  D.  Godnian,  South  Lodge,  Horsham  (gar- 
dener, Mr.  Moody).     First-class  certificate. 


HvEMANTHUS    FASCINATOR. 

It  is  one  of  the  features  of  this  hybrid  that  the 
foliage  precedes  the  umbel  of  flowers,  the  latter 
being  of  great  size  and  of  reddish  carmine,  with  a 
suspicion  of  orange  in  the  red.  Unlike  some  other 
hybrids  which  are  green-leaved,  this  on  the  reverse 
side  possesses  a  distinctly  red  rachis  or  midrib. 
From  Messrs.  Linden,  Brussels.  First  -  class 
certificate. 


LACHENALIA  KATHLEEN  PAUL. 

This  is  also  a  golden  flower  in  the  main,  but  the 
base  of  the  corolla  is  heavily  laden  with  red. 
From  Mr.  Moore,  Glasnevin.     Award  of  merit. 


HIPPEASTRUM  CLOVELLY. 

A  VERY  fine  form,  the  colour  white  and  rose 
veined  with  white  and  white  central  bars.  From 
Captain  Holford,  Westonbirt.     Award  of  merit. 


HIPPEASTRUM  LORD  BORINGTON. 

A  SPLENDID  dark  crimson  self  from  which  all 
suspicion  of  the  green  base  has  been  deleted. 
This  is  a  grand  flower.  From  Captain  Holford, 
Westonbirt  (gardener,  Mr.  Chapman).  Award  of 
merit. 

*,,*  All  the  above  were  exhibited  at  a  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  on 
the  26th  inst. 


TO 


ANSWERS 
CORRESPONDENTS. 


LACHENALIA   PHYLLIS    PAUL. 

This  is  of  a  golden-amber  colour,  with  very  long, 
drooping  flowers,  and  a  reddish  summit  to  the 
inflorescence.  From  Mr.  F.  Moore,  Glasnevin. 
Award  of  merit. 


Wood  ashes  and  pot  plants  (Rector).  Wood 
ashes  when  from  hard  wood  contain  a  good  percentage  of 
potash  and  are  excellent  for  hard-wooded  plants  in  pots,  such 
as  Camellias,  Azaleas,  Roses,  or  others  of  similar  character, 
in  which  hard  wood  forms  an  important  element ;  but 
for  soft-wooded  plants,  such  as  Begonias,  Petunias,  Gera- 
niums, and  others  of  quick  growing  nature  nitrogenous 
manures  are  more  desirable,  as  these  quickly  dissolve, 
whereas  potash  does  so  slowly,  and  is  better  suited  for 
permanent  plants.  It  is  a  valuable  manure  for  fruit  trees 
and  Vines  in  or  out  of  pots.  For  hard-wooded  plants  add  a 
pint  of  the  ashes  to  a  gallon  of  soil,  for  soft-wooded  plants 
half  a  pint,  and  use  well-decayed  stable  or  cow  manure, 
with  occasional  waterings  of  li(inid  manure  later.  The 
wood  ashes  should  so  soon  as  made  be  placed  in  the  dry,  as 
if  exposed  to  weather  and  rain  the  manurial  properties  of 
the  ashes  soon  waste.  You  will  find  half  a  pint  of  fresh  soot 
added  to  the  gallon  of  soil  most  helpful.  The  leaf  enclosed 
is  of  one  of  the  small  leaved  Trifoliums.  but  which  of  these 
is  the  true  Shamrock  has  never  been  definitely  ascertained. 

Planting  Yews,  &e.  (H.  D.  R.).  (l)  September,  after 
good  i-ain,  is  the  best  time  to  plant  Yews.  (2)  There  is  no  best 
time  to  move  old  Laurustinus  ;  they  are  not  likely  to  recover 
from  any  removal  unless  they  are  in  strong  soil,  and  can  be 
moved  bodily  with  a  large  unbroken  ball  about  21  feet  cube. 
(3)  All  planting  in  such  a  border  is  likely  to  harm  the  Pear 
trees  if  it  involves  digging,  but  you  might  sow  Aquilegia, 
Mimulus,  and  Meconopsis  canibrica  faiily  near  the  trees.  In 
front  and  in  thespaces  furthest  from  the  fruit  trees  you  could 
plant  Solomon's  Seal,  .lapan  Anemone,  Lilies,  hardy  Ferns, 
and  the  herbaceous  Spiraeas,  and  for  smaller  things  Primroses, 
Auriculas,  and  Pansies.  (4)  A  useful  size  of  garden  roller  is 
22  inches  by  22  inches  or  24  inches  by  24  inches,  costing  about 
£3  3s.  or  £4  4s.  respectively.  The  handiest  kind  has  the  edges 
rounded  so  that  they  do  not  cut  into  grass  when  turiu'ng,  and 
are  divided  in  the  middle.  We  know  nothing  about  cheap 
rollers,  and  should  doubt  their  being  worth  buying.  If  the 
price  is  too  much  you  might  hear  of  a  second-hand  one. 

Pot  dpalnag'e  (S.  T.)— Few  things  are  more  liable  to 
cause  failure  in  the  culture  of  plants  in  pots  than  an 
absence  of  proper  drainage.  On  the  other  hand,  some 
persons  employ  drainage  far  too  liberally,  using  up  much 
room  in  the  pot  that  might  be  filled  with  soil.  Take  care  in 
the  first  place  that  your  old  pots  are  washed  clean  in  hot 
soda  water.  Next  see  that  your  potting  soil  is  of  a  good 
fibrous  nature,  having  in  it  some  well-decayed  manure  and 
sharp  sand  ;  that  makes  a  good  compost.  Then  in  potting 
place  over  the  hole  in  the  bottom  a  piece  of  potsherd  about 
the  size  of  a  penny  piece,  not  necessary  setting  close  down. 
On  that  put  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  depth  of  small 
broken  potsherd,  and  on  that  a  few  pieces  of  the  turfier 
poi-tions  of  the  soil  to  keep  the  fine  soil  from  washing  into 
the  drainage.  If  you  follow  these  diiections  you  cannot  do 
wrong.  When  plants  in  pots  are  stood  outdoors  they  should 
be  on  some  hard  substance  to  prevent  worms  getting  in 
to  them  through  the  drainage. 

Pepgola  climbeps  (W.  M.  D.)— Where  the  supports 
of  a  pergola  are  of  rustic  wood  resembling  tree  stems  there 
is  no  incongruity  in  their  appearance,  even  if  imperfectly 
covered  with  climbers.  But  as  a  Hagged  pergola  should  con- 
stitute a  dry  and  pleasing  winter  promenade  it  seems  so 
much  preferable  that  the  supports,  especially  where  of 
solid  In-ickwork,  should  be  covered  with  something  dense, 
such  as  Ivies,  Cratajgus  Lelandi,  or  other  plants  that  wear  a 
cheerful  leafy  aspect.  Evergreen  Roses  do  moderately  well 
also,  especially  if  strong  climbers,  as  these  can  ramble 
over  the  broad  roof  in  semi-wild  form,  whereas  climbing 
Roses  when  severely  trained  seem  very  stiff  and  formal. 
Vn-ginian  climbers  well  clothe  supports  in  the  summer,  but 
are  hardly  beautiful  in  the  winter,  still  we  have  few  good 
evergreen  hardy  climbers.  For  summer  purposes  there 
is  a  profusion  of  good  things  in  Obmatises,  Honeysuckles, 
Wistarias,  Cobeas,  Eccremocarpus,  Aristolochias,  Passifloras, 
Chimonanthus,  *c.,  with  some  bright  things  of  annual 
character. 

Planting  undep  tPees  (E.  B.  .1.).— (1)  It  is  always 
difiicult  to  make  a  good  job  of.  planting  under  or  among 
other  trees,  hut  we  should  advise  a  thorough  preparation 
of  the  ground  and  a  bold  planting  of  English  Yews,  one  of 


the  few  shrubs  or  trees  that  do  ivell  in  the  shade  of  others. 
A  few  Guelder  Roses  might  be  planted  with  them  ■  they  are 
very  hardy  and  long  sultering.  For  the  Yews  holes  U  feet 
across  and  2  feet  deep  should  be  made  ready  and  manure 
worked  in  so  that  the  roots  will  reach  it  when  they  have 
made  a  little  growth.  A  mulch  of  manure  is  also  advisable 
Plant  in  September  after  the  first  good  autumn  rain  and 
make  sure  that  the  young  trees  do  not  suffer  from  drought  at 
any  rate,  until  they  are  so  well  established  that  they  can 
take  care  of  themselves.  (2)  You  will  And  all  the  most 
important  garden  shrubs  described  and  many  of  them  well 
illustrated  in  the  latest  edition  of  Robinson's  "  English 
Flower  Garden  "  (John  Murray). 

Apum  Lilies  in  a  small  pond  (G.  w.)— They  do 
well  if  planted  the  end  of  May  in  from  IS  inches  to  2  feet  of 
water  in  a  sunny  place  ;  if  the  water  is  shallower  they  are 
likely  to  be  damaged  by  frost. 

Amapyllls  Belladonna  (A.  W.,  Dorset).— The  buds 
you  send  are  the  result  of  badly  -  matured  or  ripened 
growth  last  year,  which  had  not  the  strength  to  throw  out 
the  blooms  formed.  If  the  growth  is  this  year  well  finished 
there  is  no  reason  why  bloom  should  not  follow  in  due  time 
but  much  depends  on  soil  and  climate,  as  well  as  the  condi- 
tions under  which  the  bulbs  are  grown.  Planting  on  the 
surface  and  banking  up  the  bed  or  bank  is  an  excellent  plan 
and  brings  more  bloom. 

Planting-  Roses  (Mrs,  J.).— You  may  plant  Roses  of 
all  descriptions  safely  to  the  end  of  April  if  ordinary  care  be 
taken.  If  the  plants  be  climbers  you  can  obtain  those  in 
pots,  but  they  will  need  to  have  the  balls  of  soil  well 
loosened  and  the  roots  laid  out  thinly  in  the  process  of 
planting.  In  ordering  Roses  that  are  lifted  from  the  ground 
request  that  the  roots  be  packed  in  damp  Fern  or  straw 
before  sending  them  off.  If  the  roots  are  found  to  be  moist 
and  plump  when  they  come  to  hand  plant  at  once.  If  quite 
dry  soak  in  a  pond  of  water  for  an  hour  before  planting. 
Take  care  to  have  the  ground  ready  for  planting  in  good 
time.  Do  not  put  fresh  manure  in  immeaiate  contact 
with  the  plants,  but  put  some  well  down  and  also  on  the  top 
after  soil  has  been  put  about  the  roots.  Avoid  planting  too 
deep.  Such  late  planting  necessitates  in  all  cases  hard 
cutting  back  of  the  plants,  but  the  resultant  growths  stimu- 
late strong  root  action,  which  is  desirable. 


QUESTION. 

Happison's  Hapdy  Scaplet  Melon.—What  has 

become  of  Harrison's  Hardy  Scarlet  Melon  (see  The  Garden 
September  2,  1899)?  If  sent  out,  under  what  name  and 
where  can  it  be  obtained  ?— F.  A.  KEBBEI,. 


GARDENINQ    APPOINTMENTS. 

Mr.  J.  P.  Kendall,  head  gardener,  late  in  charge  of  the 
Culver's  Park  and  Gardens,  Carshalton,  Surrey,  has  been 
appointed  head  gardener,  with  charge  of  plantations  and 
roads,  to  the  Right  Honourable  Lord  Auiburst,  of  Hackney 
Didliugton  Hall,  Brandon,  Norfolk. 

Mr.  James  Smith,  head  gardener  for  the  past  three  years 
to  Colonel  J.  H.  Wilkinson,  at  Elmburst  Hall,  Lichfleld,  has 
been  appointed  head  gardener  to  the  same  gentleman  at 
Ashfurlong  Hall,  Sutton  Coldfleld,  Warwickshire. 


INDEX. 


Amateurs'  perplexities         

American  notes "" 

Apples,  cool  storage  of         "* 

Artist's  note-book,  an  (illustrated)         ...        ,.. 
Blackberry  as  a  market  fruit         ..         .''        ... 

Botanic  Gardens,  Dublin,  plants  from    ... 

Camellias  for  outdoor  planting     "' 

Camellias  in  the  open ,..        [[[        []\ 

Correspondence  ].]        '"        \[[ 

Cosmos  bipinnatus  (illustrated) '.        ..'. 

Cypripediums,  the      ,,        .,.        ".'        [[] 

Dahlias,  the  various  groups  of      ...        .'"        '" 

Editors'  table 

Fern,  the  Maiden-hair  (illustrated)         ...        ...        ... 

Flower  arrangements,  some  March         !        ..'. 

Flower  garden,  the '"        "' 

Fruits  in  season,  hardy  (illustrated)       ...        .'.'.       ..'. 

Gardening  of  the  week         ..,"        ..'. 

Hakea  laurina  (illustrated) "        ,.',        "' 

Hardy  summer  and  autumn  flowers  for  table  decoration 
Henslow,  the  Rev.  Professor  George  (illustrated)      ... 

Hepatica  (Anemone)  angulosa  alba         

Insect  pests  (illustrated)      

Iris  Heldreichi  (illustrated) "        .'.'        ..'. 

Jamaica,  in  the  Port  Royal  Mountains "'. 

Lawn  and  its  maimgeiuent,  the    .". 

Lygodium  scandens,  the  home  of ,, 

Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited  

Miscellaneous ," 

Notes  of  the  week      *'* 

Nursery  gardens         [.        ..'.        '.'.[ 

Peaches  and  Nectarines  out  of  doors      ]        '.'. 

Pears,  two  good  .[ 

Pelargoniums,  Ivy-leaved 

Plant  life,  short  studies  on .'. 

Pleached  alley  and  its  kinds,  the  (illustrated).!!        !!! 

Ranunculus  Lyalli      

Rosa  polyantha  (illustrated)         !!!        !!! 

Roses,  own-root— a  note  from  America 

Scilla  bifolia     

Scotland,  notes  from 

Societies 

Society,  a  Sweet  Pea 

Walk,  a  Yew  (illustrated) !!!        !!! 

Wall  gardening [ 

Workers  amongst  the  Howers  (illustrated)       ...        !!! 


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22a 


^^tL. 


(^^^- 


GARDEN 


r<5'= 


^^^^^^ 


No.  1533.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[April  6,  1901. 


IS    IT    WORTH    WHILE  ? 

WE  see,  with  a  feeling  of  doubt 
as  to  its  need  or  wisdom,  the 
announcement  of  the  forma- 
tion of  a  National  Sweet  Pea 
Society.  Are  we  to  expect 
also  a  National  Mignonette  Society,  a  National 
Marigold  Society,  a  National  Mimulus  Society, 
a  National  Sweet  Sultan  Society,  and  so  un 
through  all  the  throng  of  capital  annuals  that 
are  necessary  to  our  gardens  ? 

There  are  already  only  too  many  beautiful 
varieties, of  Sweet  Pea  ;  there  is,  moreover,  a 
simplicity  in  the  nature  of  the  plant,  a  frank- 
ness of  general  character,  an  absence  of  sug- 
gestion in  the  way  of  possible  much  further 
development  on  good  lmei<,  that  seems  to  put 
the  plant  out  of  the  rank  of  those  that  can 
give  enough  in  return  to  warrant  the  creation 
and  endowment  of  a  whole  special  organisa- 
tion. Already  nearly  all  that  is  to  be  done  for 
the  Sweef  Pea  has  been  accomplished  by  Mr. 
Eckford  and  others,  to  whom  all  who  love  their 
gardens  must  gladly  render  grateful  acknow- 
ledgment. One  scarcely  sees  what  more  there 
is  to  do.  The  increase  of  dimensions  that  we 
now  have  has  brought  these  lovely  flowers  up 
to  the  limit  of  size  that  is  desirable.  No  one 
could  wish  to  see  a  Sweet  Pea  3  inches  across 
on  a  stalk  1  yard  long.  Lovely  colourings 
also,  thanks  to  Mr.  Eckford,  are  already  in 
plenty,  and  within  a  few  years,  when  a  yellow 
flower  of  good  colour  and  form  has  been 
acquired,  there  would  seem  nothing  more  to 
do  ;  this  Mr.  Eckford,  or  some  follower  working 
on  varieties  that  he  has  originally  raised,  will 
probably  do  without  a  National  iSociety.  The 
only  thing  now  wanted  is  to  weed  out  from  the 
much  too  long  list  of  varieties  many  of  those 
that  are  less  good  in  shape  and  colour,  and  to 
let  no  flower  stand  in  the  first  class  that  has 
the  upper  petals  folded  over,  or  otherwise  tlian 
well  shaped  and  well  displayed.  This  is  a 
quality  of  the  very  first  importance  in  a  Sweet 
Pea,  and  some  of  us  who  have  recently  bought 
much-vaunted  novelties  (which  shall  be  name- 
less) at  high  prices  have  been  grievously  disap- 
pointed to  find  when  they  bloomed  flowers 
with  pointed  tops  and  curled-over  petals. 

Another  thing  is  against  the  Sweet  Pea  as  a 
subject  for  a  National  Society.  A  National 
Society  means  not  only  members  and  officers 
and  subscribers  and  meetings,  but  it  also  means 
flowers  on  a  show-board.  And  the  delicious 
Sweet  Pea  dislikes  being  brought  a  journey  in 
the  hottest  days  of  summer  to  be  put  in  a  glass 


on  a  show-table.  It  is  a  bad  traveller.  The 
large  show  of  Sweet  Peas  that  was  brought 
together  last  year  was  not  in  good  condition 
on  the  board.  All  who  cut  Sweet  Peas  for 
house  decoration  know  that  they  never  look 
well  the  day  they  are  put  in  water.  The 
next  day  they  will  have  recovered,  especially 
if  they  are  cut  with  the  whole  spray.  Another 
thing  that  makes  them  bad  show  flowers  is 
that  their  clear,  tender,  and  extremely  varied 
colouring  wants  to  be  displayed  on  a  very 
carefully  prepared  ground.  No  positive 
colour  can  come  near  them  without  disaster  ; 
indeed,  to  show  them  well  they  should  be 
divided  into  two  colour  sections  and  shown 
on  two  grounds — the  warm  whites,  pinks, 
yellows,  rosy  and  red  colours  on  a  cool  grey 
ground,  and  the  cold  whites,  blues,  and  lilacs 
on  a  warm  ground,  that  may  be  described  as 
of  a  colour  somewhere  between  cream  and 
khaki  much  diluted. 

No  words  can  be  too  strong  in  condemnation 
of  the  dwarf  races,  that  are  only  a  debasement 
of  beautiful  and  graceful  form.  A  Svi^eet  Pea 
is  a  climbing  plant,  and  it  has  climbed  into 
and  twined  round  our  hearts,  and  we  do  not 
want  to  see  its  character  debased  and  destroyed 
by  any  new  shape  that  is  quite  foreign  to  its 
nature.  There  will  never  be  a  wholesome 
demand  for  these  wretched  dwarfs.  We 
earnestly  hope  that  seed  merchants  will  see 
the  wisdom  of  oft'ering  for  sale  restricted 
collections  of  what  are  determined  to  be  the 
best  of  the  kinds.  If  this  were  clone,  and  the 
kinds  were  always  clearly  described  as  to 
colour  and  general  habit,  not  merely  by  a 
name  —  such  as  "  Mrs.  Gladstone  "  —  only, 
amateurs  would  buy  with  much  more  confi- 
dence. We  know,  as  a  fact,  that  they  com- 
plain of  the  long  lists,  and  we  have  also  heard 
complaints  on  the  score  of  a  flower  of  bad 
shape  much  vaunted  as  a  "  novelty  surpassing 
everything  hitherto  produced,"  only  because  it 
was  a  shade  larger. 

In  the  matter  of  judging  the  merits  of  cut 
blooms  there  is  nothing  that  could  not  be  done 
at  a  couple  of  the  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society.  There  is,  of  course,  no  reason 
why  a  number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  should 
not  constitute  themselves  into  a  club  to  discuss 
the  merits  of  the  Sweet  Pea,  or  anything  else  ; 
but  when  there  is  already  a  highly  experienced 
body  whose  working  organisation  could  deal 
with  the  subject  with  hardly  perceptible  extra 
efibrt,  and  when  so  much  of  more  practical 
work  in  horticulture  cries  aloud  to  be  done  we 
ask  ourselves — is  it  worth  while  1 


COLD   STORAGE   FOR   FRUIT. 

Having  read  in  The  Gaeden  for  March  16 
the  article  on  "  Cold  Storage  for  Fruit,"  and 
seeing  that  you  invite  growers  wlio  have  had 
experience  on  the  subject  to  say  what  their 
experience  has  been,  I  may  say  that  for  more 
than  twelve  years  we  have  been  using  as  a 
store  room  for  Apples,  Pears,  &c.,  a  room— or, 
as  some  would  call  it,  a  cellar — which  is 
entirely  below  the  .surface  of  the  ground  ;  it  is 
8  feet  deep,  with  sides  and  arched  roof  of 
stone.  During  winter  the  temperature  is  40°, 
and  during  the  warmest  days  of  summer  about 
50°.  We  find  this  place  all  that  one  could  wish 
for  this  purpose.  I  was  induced  to  try  it  for 
storing  through  having  often  found  amongst 
growing  vegetables,  &c..  Apples  and  Pears 
which  had  fallen  from  the  trees,  and  were 
sound  and  fit  for  use,  when  the  same  varieties 
which  had  been  carefully  gathered  and  stored 
in  an  ordinary  above  ground  fruit  room  had  been 
disposed  of,  because  of  their  season,  when  stored 
in  this  manner,  being  over.  Seeing  that  these 
fallen  and,  to  a  certain  extent,  bruised  fruit 
kept  better  where  it  was  wet  and  cold  than  the 
sound  ones  did  where  it  was  dry  and  somewhat 
warmer,  I  began  to  think  that  there  was  some- 
thing radically  wrong  in  our  method  of  storing, 
and  fortunately  having  this  underground  place 
at  my  disposal  I  determined  to  give  it  a  trial, 
and  am  glad  that  I  did  so.  Since  we  began  to 
use  it  we  have,  for  five  years  in  succession,  had 
cooking  Apples  all  the  year  round  without  a 
break.  Keswick  Codlin  and  Lord  Sufiield  are 
fit  for  use  until  the  end  of  November,  Nelson's 
and  Pott's  Seedling  to  the  end  of  .January,  and 
a  few  varieties  whose  names  I  am  not  quite  cer- 
tain of  keep  up  the  supply  until  the  beginning 
of  April,  when  we  usually  begin  to  use  Welling- 
tons, which  are  often  good  to  the  end  of  May  ; 
then  Warner's  Seedling  is  used  until  the 
new  Keswick  is  ready.  The  latest  dessert 
Apple  we  have  is  Ribston  Pippin,  which  is 
good  well  into  April.  As  you  will  see,  a  very 
few  sorts  of  cooking  Apples  keep  up  a  continual 
supply.  Last  season  our  crop  of  late  Apples 
was  a  very  light  one,  consequently  we  have  not 
enough  of  each  sort  to  be  able  to  keep  them  as 
long  as  we  often  have  done. 

With  regard  to  Warner's  Seedling,  it  is  the 
best  Apple  for  keeping  that  I  have  seen.  I 
am  sending  you  some  which  were  gathered 
from  the  tree  in  October,  1899.  Had  your 
article  apjjeared  two  or  three  weeks  earlier  we 
should  have  sent  you  some  which  were  not  so 
much  shrivelled.  Owing  to  a  light  crop,  we  have 
been  using  the  best  of  those  which  were  left 
over  from  last  year.  We  are  also  sending  some 
of  last  year's  gathering  to  compare  with  them, 
and  some  Wellingtons  and  Ribstons. 

G.  Firth. 

The  Gardens,  Woodlands,  Mirfield. 

[Mr.  Firth  sends  many  fruits  of  good  quality, 
and  well  preserved.  Ribston  Pippin  still  pre- 
served much  of  its  good  quality,  and  Warner's 
Seedling  and  Wellington  were  both  satisfactory. 


238 


THE    GARDEN. 


[April   6,  1901. 


We  have  received  many  communications  about 
this  important  question,  but  through  the  Easter 
holidays  upsetting  the  usual  routine  we  are 
compelled  to  leave  over  the  remainder  until 
next  week. — Eds.1 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


Pinks. — The  vahie  of  Pinks  as  an  edging  for 
hardy  plant  borders  was  recently  advocated,  and 
a  charming  illustration  showed  their  effectiveness 
in  such  positions.  I  should  like  to  add  to  the 
note  that  two  of  the  best  for  the  purpose  are  the 
old  pheasant-eyed  and  Albino,  the  latter  a  com- 
parativel}'  new  and  very  lovely  flower.  It  is  non- 
splitting,  very  pure  colour,  and  with  smooth-edged 
petals.  An  extremely  effective  bed  may  be  made 
by  associating  this  with  clumps  of  the  double 
(jeum  coccineum.  In  the  case  of  long  borders 
where  an  edging  is  considered  necessary,  I  should 
not  advocate  confining  the  same  to  one  particular 
flower,  but  rather  split  it  into  sections,  with  foliage 
that  would  hold  good  throughout  the  year,  but 
representing  different  flowering  periods,  the  blue 
Gentian,  Veronica  incana,  Saxifraga  umbrosa, 
several  of  the  Sedums,  and  the  old  double  white 
Chamomile  are  a  few  examples  of  useful  front  edge 
plants. — E.  BtiRKELL. 

Cyclamen    libanoticum.  —  This  fine 

Cyclamen,  so  well  figured  in  The  Garden  of 
ilareh  23,  is  so  bold  and  effective  in  its  way  that 
one  may  be  pardoned  for  referring  to  it  again,  even 
after  the  valued  note  by  Mr.  Irving  which  accom- 
panied the  drawing.  I  desire  to  advise  those  who 
secure  it  to  plant  it  not  only  in  a  shaded  position, 
as  recommended  b\'  Mr.  Irving,  but  also  in  one 
perfectly  sheltered  from  wind  in  winter.  The  large 
leaves  get  twisted  and  blown  about  in  high  winds, 
with  the  result  that  they  are  occasionally  broken 
off,  to  the  detriment,  not  only  of  the  appearance, 
but  also  of  the  future  well-being  of  this  truly 
handsome  hardy  Sowbread.  C.  libanoticum  is  well 
worth  a  place  in  anj'  garden. — S.  A. 

Leueojum    vernum,    Miss    Hope's 

variety. — Those  of  us  M'ho  admire  the  .Spring 
Snowflake  are  glad  to  be  able  to  prolong  our  season 
of  pleasure  as  long  as  possible.  To  others  of  similar 
tastes  I  would  recommend,  with  this  view  of 
lengthening  their  Snowflake  season,  the  pretty 
little  form  called  "  L.  carpaticuni.  Miss  Hope's 
variet}'."  As  the  name  "carpaticnm"  is  rather 
confused  in  its  application,  I  am  disposed  to  drop 
its  use  and  to  name  this  Snowflake  simply  "  L. 
vernum.  Miss  Hope's  variety.''  While  all  my  other 
spring  Snowflakes  are  either  altogether  past  or  are 
getting  shabby,  this  little  form  is  hardly  at  its 
best.  It  has  smaller  flowers  than  any  other  spring 
Leueojum  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  and  has 
dark  green  markings,  which  contrast  prettily  with 
the  pure  white  ground  colour.  The  leaves  are 
narrower  than  the  other  forms  and  of  a  deeper 
green.  So  far  as  I  know,  this  Snowflake  is  not  yet 
in  the  bulb  trade,  and  I  know  nothing  of  its 
history,  save  that  it  came  to  me  from  a  friend,  who 
got  it  from  that  once  well-known  garden  which 
belonged  to  one  who  did  so  much  in  her  day  to 
promote  the  love  for  hardy  flowers.  One  likes  to 
have  some  flower  associated  with  the  name  of  Miss 
Hope. — S.  Arxott. 
Soldanella  alpina.  — It  is  not  given   to 

everyone  of  us  to  see  Soldanella  alpina  among  its 
native  snows,  or  to  see  it  piercing  through  its 
envelopment,  as  has  been  described  to  us  in  some 
such  words  as  the  following,  which  appeared  in 
Science  Gosnp  in  Ueeemher,  ISO."? :  "I  know  of  no 
prettier  sight  than  the  purple  bells  of  Soldanella 
alpina  standing  in  the  centre  of  the  little  hole 
which  the  stem  has  made  for  itself  in  the  snow. 
The  heat  that  it  gives  out  in  transpiration  is 
enough  to  melt  these  little  holes  in  the  already 
half-melted  snow  above  it,  and  through  which  the 
flower  stalk  then  emerges,  bearing  one,  two,  or 
three  fringed  bells,  developing  still  out  of  the 
nutriment  stored  up  in  the  last  year's  leathery 
leaves.  The  flowers  are  over  in  a  few  days,  almost 
before  the  snow  is  gone."  If  we  cannot  at  that 
time  venture  to  see  it  in  its  alpine  home,  we  can  at 


least  hope  to  enjoj'  it  in  our  gardens,  even  if  it 
should  not  have  the  added  charm  given  by  the 
surrounding  snow.  It  is  at  present  very  beautiful 
in  my  garden,  where  I  have  now  grown  this  alpine 
Moonwort  for  a  good  many  years.  Its  beautifully- 
fringed  bells  are  most  pleasing,  and  cause  those 
who  have  not  seen  it  before  to  express  their 
admiration  of  its  daintj-  beaut}'.  It  is,  unfortu- 
nately, pretty  well  known  that  Soldanella  alpina  is 
not  a  free  bloomer  in  our  rock  gardens.  There  is, 
however,  in  connection  with  its  flowering  a  secret, 
which  is  very  simple  in  its  waj',  but  is  also  worth 
knowing — that  is,  that  in  gardens  where  it  does 
not  bloom  well  it  should  have  a  piece  of  glass  sup- 
ported overhead  from  the  beginning  of  October 
until  it  comes  into  flower.  I  do  not  lay  claim  to 
the  discovery  of  this  treatment,  as  1  read  it  some 
years  ago  in  an  old  horticultural  periodical,  and 
found  it  worth  practising.  As  a  proof  of  its  efficacy 
one  may  mention  that  Soldanella  alpina  has  only 
flowered  with  me  after  winters  in  which  it  was  thus 
protected,  but  has  never  bloomed  when,  through 
forgetfulness  or  other  cause,  it  was  neglected.  I 
grow  it  here  in  a  low  position  in  peat,  leaf-mould, 
and  sand. — S.  Aknott,  Carsethorn,  by  Dumfries. 

Synthypis  peniformis.— This  charming 

little  plant,  which  is  closely  allied  to  the  Wulfenia, 
is  now  pushing  up  its  racemes  of  pretty  blue  flowers 
in  abundance.  It  is  almost  an  evergreen,  its  reni- 
form  coriaceous  leaves  being  persistent  during  the 
winter  in  sheltered  positions.  Planted  in  nearly 
all  sand,  in  a  rather  damp,  half-shaded  position,  it 
will  form  one  of  the  gems  of  the  spring  garden. 
The  flowers  are  borne  on  leafy  scapes,  which 
develop  to  a  length  of  from  6  inches  to  9  inches. 
It  is  a  native  of  the  Western  States  of  North 
America,  being  found  in  the  mountains  near  the 
Grand  Rapids  of  the  Columbia  River  and  other 
places  from  Oregon  to  Northern  California. 
Another  species  in  cultivation  which  I  have  not 
seen  in  flower  is  S.  pinnatifida,  a  very  distinct 
plant  with  decompound  leaves,  short  woolly  scape, 
and  congested  heads  of  whitish  flowers,  from  the 
Rocky  Mountains. — W.  Irving. 

SaxifPaga  Salomoni.— This  verydistinct 
hybrid,  between  S.  burseriana  and  S.  rocheliana, 
is  now  in  full  flower  in  the  open.  It  is  of  compact 
habit  and  free  growth,  with  tufted  foliage  nearer 
to  the  former  parent.  The  flowers  are  more  like 
those  of  S.  rocheliana,  and  are  borne  three  or  four 
together  on  pubescent  stems  about  2  inches  in 
length.  The  whole  of  the  stem  and  buds  are 
suffused  with  pink,  which  shows  off  well  against 
the  glaucous  foliage.  It  is  a  distinct  acquisition, 
and  so  far  does  not  show  any  tendencj'  to  decaj', 
such  as  S.  burseriana.  The  hybrid  was  raised  and 
sent  out  by  Herr  Sunderniann,  Lindan,  Bavaria. — 
W.  Irving. 

Floweping of  Ipis  Danfopdiae.  — "Has 

anyone  persuaded  the  pretty  little  Iris  Danfordife 
to  flower  a  second  time,  I  wonder?"  asked  Mr. 
E.  H.  Woodall  in  The  Garden,  pase  103.  The 
question  has  not  met  with  an  answer,  so  possibly  I 
ought  to  deem  myself  fortunate  in  having  brought 
it  safely  through  a  third  season  in  North  Notts. 
Two  flowers,  it  is  true,  do  not  go  far  towards 
enlivening  a  spring  garden,  especially  as  the 
sparrows  promptly  picked  them  to  bits  ;  but  the 
fa^t  remains  that  the  bulbs  are  still  growing  and 
have  made  many  offsets,  which  I  hope  will  have 
reached  the  flowering  stage  bj'  next  year.  Except 
for  an  inclination  to  form  numerous  bulbils  instead 
of  devoting  its  energy  to  bulbs  of  flowering  size,  I 
have  not  found  I.  Danfordiie  less  thrifty  than  I. 
bakeriana  and  I.  histrioides  obtained  at  the  same 
time,  and  growing  beside  it.  On  the  other  hand, 
I  cannot  keep  I.  histrio,  it  comes  up  too  early  to 
thrive  without  protection.  A  patch  of  from  150 
to  200  I.  reticulata  (the  produce  of  .some  score  or 
so  of  seeds)  growing  hard  bj'  has  been  very  bright, 
and  taken  the  winds  of  March  with  as  much  com- 
posure as  Daffodils.  Whether  the  type  or  major  I 
cannot  say.  I  am  told  that  major  is  no  better. 
The  correspondence  on  this  subject  of  size  has 
become  somewhat  amusing.  The  fact  that  a  large 
flowering  variety  exists  is  not  denied,  only  it  must 
not  be  called  major.  It  reminds  me  of  Pmich's 
Colwell  Hatchney  correspondent,  who,  after  a 
careful  study  of  Cryptograms,  came  to  the  conclu- 


sion that  the  works  of  the  immortal  Bard  were  not 
written  bj^  Shakespeare,  but  "  bj-  somebod}'  else  of 
the  same  name  !  "  In  conclusion,  I  should  ad\nse 
Mr.  Woodall  (who  I  hope  may  recollect  me)  to  try 
again.  Has  he  started  with  sound  bulbs  and 
planted  earl}',  or  was  the  soil  of  Scarborough  too 
heavy  ? — James  Snow  Whall,  Work-inp. 
Rhododendpon    Shilsoni.— The    mild 

climate  of  the  south-west  counties  of  England  and 
Wales  enables  horticulturists  to  employ  a  large 
number  of  plants  for  outdoor  effect  that  cultivators 
further  north  are  forced  to  grow  under  glass.  Of 
these  plants  the  Himalaj-an  Rhododendrons  are 
worth}'  of  flrst  place,  and  in  many  gardens  a 
speciality  is  made  of  them.  The  garden  of  Mr. 
H.  Shilson  is  considered  to  be  one  of  the  richesl 
in  species  and  hybrids,  an.l  the  subject  of  this 
note,  which  has  been  named  after  its  raiser,  is  one 
of  the  gems  of  the  collection.  It  was  raised 
through  the  crossing  of  R.  barbatum  and  Thomson!, 
and  in  some  respects  is  intermediate  between  the 
two,  though  an  improvement  on  both.  It  makes 
a  very  large  bush  10  feet  or  12  feet  or  more  high, 
with  leaves  very  similar  in  colour  and  size  to  those 
of  Thomsoni,  but  slightly  longer  and  not  so  blunt. 
The  inflorescence  has  taken  the  form  of  the  com- 
pact truss  of  barbatum,  with  the  thick  fleshy 
texture  and  som«  of  the  size  of  Thomsoni  flowers. 
The  colour  is  a  deep  rich  blood  red,  very  like  that 
of  the  last-named  parent.  In  the  fine  collection 
exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall  a  year  ago  from  the 
garden  of  Mr.  H.  Shilson,  the  subject  of  this  note 
was  represented  by  a  number  of  handsome  trusses, 
which  caused  more  attention  than  any  of  the  other 
fifty  or  so  species  and  varieties  shown.  At  Kew  a 
plant  12  feet  high  may  be  seen  in  flower  in  the 
Himalayan  house. — W.  Dallimore. 

Bpunfelsia  ealyeina.— The  advantages 

gained  by  growing  tender  plants  in  borders  instead 
of  pots  under  glass  are  well  illustrated  in  the  case 
of  this  plant,  though  when  cultivated  in  pots  it 
flowers  very  freely,  it  rarely  makes  a  good  shapel}' 
plant,  the  growth  being  stunted  and  leaves  scarce. 
Under  the  more  generous  treatment  of  border 
culture  growth  is  much  more  active,  and  by  a  little 
attention  to  tying,  shapely,  leafy  bushes  are 
quickly  made.  At  the  same  time  flowers  are 
produced,  if  anything,  more  abundantly  than 
when  growing  in  pots.  At  Kew  several  plants 
about  1  foot  high  were  planted  in  a  border  in  the 
Mexican  house  four  years  ago,  where  they  have 
now  attained  a  height  of  3  feet  and  with  a  similar 
diameter.  At  present  they  are  smothered  with 
pretty  purple  flowers  2  inches  across.  The  plant, 
though  a  very  old  introduction,  having  been  sent 
from  Brazil  upwards  of  fifty  years  ago,  is  rarel}' 
seen  in  cultivation  on  account  of  its  habit,  often 
being  discarded  for  others  inferior  in  flowering 
qualities  but  more  free  growing.  If  those  people 
who  have  given  it  a  trial  under  pot  culture  and 
have  failed  would  try  planting  it  in  a  well-drained 
border  of  peat  and  loam  in  an  intermediate  tem- 
perature they  would  be  almost  certain  of  obtaining 
good  results.  If  a  large  number  of  these  so-called 
bad  doing  plants  were  but  planted  out  astonishing 
results  might  be  confidently  expected  in  a  very 
short  time. — W.  Dallimore. 

Muscapi  Heldpeichi.  —  This  pretty 
Grape  Hyacinth  is  the  earliest  of  the  true  Muscaris 
to  bloom  here,  although  only  a  few  days  elapse 
between  its  coming  into  full  flower  and  the  blossom- 
ing of  others  of  this  pretty  genus.  Other  kinds  are 
sometimes  offered  under  this  name,  but  it  is  so 
distinct  that  it  is  difficult  to  understand  how  any 
one  can  make  a  mistake  about  it.  The  broad  white 
margin  round  the  mouth  of  the  flowers  would 
distinguish  it  fairly  well  from  others,  apart  from 
the  precise  shade  of  blue  and  its  general  appear- 
ance, which,  after  all,  serves  better  to  distinguish 
some  plants  than  can  be  readily  done  by  any 
written  description,  however  careful  or  minute. 
To  see  it  in  full  beauty  it  ought  to  have  a  rather 
heavy  soil.  It  grows  freely  enough  in  light  soil, 
though  in  this  it  gives  smaller  and  less  effective 
spikes  and  flowers.  Like  others  of  the  geniis,  as 
a  rule,  it  increases  rapidl}',  and  soon  becomes 
quite  plentiful  enough,  although  the  finer  white 
forms  of  M.  botr}'oides  do  not  increase  so  rapidly 
as  one  would  like  to  see. — W. 


April  6,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


239 


Chrysanthemum    Mrs.    J,    C. 

Neville, — it  has  been  the  custom  for  some  time 
past  to  associate  Japanese  Chrysanthemums  of  large 
size  with  coarseness,  and  this  opinion  has  often 
been  quite  justified.  In  the  case  under  notice  the 
flowers  are  most  probably  some  of  the  largest  in 
cultivation,  yet  without  the  coarseness  which  is 
usually  attributed  to  blooms  of  phenomenal  dimen- 
sions. It  is  no  e.xaggeration  to  say  that  flowers 
measuring  from  10  inches  to  12  inches  in  diameter 
were  frequently  in  evidence  last  season,  and  they 
were  always  greatly  admired.  The  florets  are  very 
long,  of  great  breadth,  and  remarkable  substance. 
They  also  curl  and  twist  pleasingly,  and  are  notched 
at  the  ends,  the  flowers  are  of  the  purest  white,  with 
the  faintest  tinge  of  green  in  the  centre.  That 
there  is  a  great  future  before  this  variety  there  is 
little  reason  to  doubt,  and  next  season's  displays 
will  be  enhanced  by  its  inclusion  in  grower's 
selections. — D.  B.  Crane. 

Salvia  patens.— I  do  not  think  that  this 
blue  Sage  is  grown  so  extensively  as  it  should  be. 
Either  associated  with  other  plants  or  when  grown 
in  clumps  it  always  demands  attention.  In  the 
latter  case,  if  the  clumps  are  planted  at  intervals 
of  a  few  yards  in  a  mixed  border  the  effect  is  very 
striking.  It  also  makes  a  good  back  row  plant  in 
a  narrow  border,  and  the  effect  is  greatly  enhanced 
if  fronted  along  with  a  row  of  scarlet  Pelargoniums. 
It  is  propagated  easily  from  seed  or  cuttings,  but 
I  think  the  latter  method  is  most  satisfactorj'  pro- 
viding cuttings  are  available.  If  seed  propagation 
is  resorted  to  it  may  be  treated  as  an  annual. 
After  flowering  the  tuberous  roots  should  be  lifted 
and  placed  in  a  cold  frame  and  covered  with  light 
soil,  where  they  should  remain  undisturbed  until 
the  spring.  At  this  time  plenty  of  young  growths 
will  be  found.  When  large  enough  they  should  be 
planted  thickly  in  6-inch  pots  and  placed  in  the 
propagating  pit.  As  soon  as  they  are  rooted  they 
may  be  potted  into  3-inch  pots  and  grown  in  a 
warm  house.  When  about  6  inches  high,  stop 
them  to  encourage  side  growths,  and  after  this 
stage  their  treatment  will  be  identical  with  that  of 
other  bedding  subjects  —E.  Harkiss. 

Libonia  flOPibunda.— As  a  spring-flower- 
ing plant  for  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory  the 
Libonia  commends  itself  to  the  most  casual 
observer.  It  has  been  giving  us  its  pretty 
tubular  scarlet  and  yellow  lowers  for  the  past  two 
months,  and  is  now  a  subject  not  to  be  despised. 
This  is  a  plant  which  commends  itself  especially  to 
the  amateur,  as  its  requirements  are  so  easily 
understood.  When  flowering  is  over  it  will  corri- 
menee  to  make  new  growths,  which  should  be 
taken  off' and  inserted  thickly  in  pots,  and  placed 
in  a  warm,  moist  house,  and  shaded  from  bright 
sun.  They  will  soon  be  found  to  have  rooted,  and 
should  be  then  potted  into  2i-inch  pots.  When 
about  4  inches  high,  pinch  the'shoots  to  induce  a 
bushy  habit.  Their  next  and  final  shift  should  be 
into  5-incli  pots.  They  will  then  require  to  be 
gradually  hardened  off,  and  eventually  placed  out- 
doors to  receive  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  as  it  is 
essential  that  the  wood  be  thoroughly  ripe  before 
the  flowering  season  arrives.  Old  plants  out  back 
and  repotted  will  make  larger  and  more  shovify 
plants. — E.  H.4.RKISS. 

Apple   Lamb  Abbey  Pearmain.— 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
on  March  12,  an  award  of  merit  was  made  to  this 
dessert  Apple,  and  the  record  shows  there  were 
sixteen  votes  for  and  seven  against  the  award.  It 
is  reassuring  to  know  there  are  seven  competent 
men  on  the  frnit  committee  with  the  courage  to 
vote  against  an  Apple  of  very  doubtful  value  for 
general  cultivation.  Mr.  George  Bunyard,  the 
chairman  of  the  fruit  committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  does  not  even  name  it  in 
his  catalogue,  and  he  can  always  be  relied  upon  to 
catalogue  an  Apple  it  is  desirable  should  be  culti- 
vated. We  have  it  on  the  authority  of  one  of  the 
leading  fruit  cultivators  in  the  Midland  districts 
that  ' '  most  nurserymen  threw  this  Apple  out  of 
their  collections  thirty  or  forty  years  ago  ;  it  is  a 
bad  grower,  a  poor  cropper,  and  very  small."  This 
at  once  accounts  for  its  absence  from  Mr.  Bunyard's 
catalogue.  Hogg,  in  his  "Fruit  Manual,"  and 
Scott,  in  his  "  Orchardist,"  both  write  of  it  as  a 


healthy  tree,  a  free  grower,  and  a  good  bearer,  but 
it  may  be  assumed  their  knowledge  of  the  variety 
was  only  second-hand,  and  taken  on  trust.  Here 
is  an  Apple  raised  in  1804  from  a  pip  of  an 
imported  Newtown  Pippin  actually  receiving  an 
award  after  it  had  .been  in  cultivation  nearly  a 
century.  Honour  to  the  dissentient  seven  ! — 
E.  W. 

Painted  Lady  Runnep  Bean.    This 

is  one  of  the  varieties  of  the  Scarlet  Runner  Bean, 
and  it  is  said  b}'  those  in  the  seed  trade  qualified 
to  speak  that  it  is  "  running  out,"  to  use  a  phrase 
common  in  seed  establishments  ;  it  means  that  the 
type  is  deteriorating  or  running  back  to  an  inferior 
form.  It  is  one  of  several  forms  of  the  Scarlet 
Runner,  and  its  blossoms,  half  red  and  half  white, 
are  very  pretty,  and  contrast  well  with  the  red 
flowers  of  the  common  Scarlet  Runner.  A  row  of 
either,  and  especially  the  Painted  Lady,  is  a  very 
pretty  floral  picture  in  a  cottage  garden,  and  the 
plant  is  also  valuable  as  providing  a  wholesome 
and  much  appreciated  adjunct  to  the  dinner  table. 
Messrs.  Cooper,  Taber  and  Co.,  seedsmen,  of 
Southwark  Street,  have  selected  what  they  term 
their  Revenhall  Giant  Painted  Lady,  and  they 
claim  for  it  that  it  is  of  a  more  robust  growth  and 
more  prolific,  at  the  same  time  producing  larger 
pods,  while  it  is  quite  as  early.  It  is  curious  to 
note  that  the  seeds  in  common  with  the  flowers 
change  ;  in  a  dry  state  they  are  of  a  lighter  ground, 
and  the  markings  on  the  Beans  lighter  in  tint. — 
R.  D. 
Zonal  Pelargonium  King  Edward. 

— When  I  was  at  Swanley  a  few  days  ago  Mr. 
Cannell  pointed  out  a  dwarf  growing  zonal 
Pelargonium  named  King  Edward,  which  sported 
from  the  strong  growing  Henry  Jacoby.  The 
colour  of  the  flowers  follows  the  last-named,  but 
the  habit  is  that  of  West  Brighton  Gem.  The 
curious  thing  about  it  is  the  coloured  stem. 
This  was  a  characteristic  of  Golden  Cerise  Unique, 
which  was  one  of  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Pollock,  the 
first  Golden  tricolor,  and  it  is  thought  by  some 
growers  that  the  inherent  weakness  illustrated  in 
the  multi-coloured  stems  was  transferred  to  the 
leafage.  The  mystery  is  where  did  the  colouration 
in  the  stems  of  a  sport  from  Henry  Jacoby,  in 
which  there  are  no  signs  of  weakness,  originate? 
-H.  J.  W. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

THE    RASPBERRY. 

THE  Raspberry  grows  wild  in  moist  and 
shad3'  places  in  many  parts  of  England. 
Its  home  life  reveals  its  requirements  as 
to  soil  and  situation.  It  succeeds  best 
in  a  deep  and  moist  soil.  In  poor  shallow 
soil  its  surface  roots  suffer  from  insuf- 
ficient moisture  and  nourishment.  If  the  ground 
upon  which  it  is  intended  to  cultivate  Raspberries 
is  light  and  rather  poor,  improve  it  by  digging  in 
decayed  leaves  or  other  refuse  from  the  vegetable 
garden,  and  also  manure  if  available.  A  good 
mulch  early  in  spring  for  a  short  distance  around 
the  canes  is  of  great  benefit.  The  numerous  fibrous 
surface  roots  are  kept  cool  and  protected  from  the 
drying  effects  of  the  hot  sun,  while  they  are 
benefited  by  the  mulch. 

Planting. — The  best  time  for  this  is  when  the 
leaves  are  falling  in  autumn,  namely,  in  the  month 
of  October.  Raspberries  are  usually  trained  to 
horizontal  wires  fixed  between  upright  poles. 
These  espaliers  (for  such  are  formed  by  the  poles 
and  wires)  should  be  5  feet  apart,  and  each  plant 
about  2  feet  from  its  neighbour.  If  autumn 
planting  is  impossible  postpone  the  work  until  the 
month  of  March.  This  is  preferable  to  planting  in 
midwinter,  when  the  soil  is  cold  and  wet,  although 
such  good  progress  cannot  be  expected  from  spring- 
planted  canes  as  from  those  put  in  during  October. 
The  latter  have  an  opportunity  of  becoming  estab- 
lished before  winter,  and  are  then  ready  to  start 
well  in  spring.  Raspberry  canes  may  also  be 
trained  to  single  stakes,  placed  in  rows  5  feet  apart, 
with  a  distance  of  3  feet  between  each  stake  in 
the  row. 


The  shoots,  or  "canes"  as  they  are  generally 
called,  of  the  Raspberry  arc  produced  every  year 
either  from  a  perennial  (i.e.,  living  for  several 
years)  root-stock,  or  from  the  roots.  In  the  latter 
case  they  are  termed  suckers.  It  is  not  advisable 
to  keep  the  root-stockn  of  Raspberries  more  than 
six  or  eight  years  ;  but  replant  with  younger  canes, 
as  from  these  finer  fruit  is  obtained  in  greater 
abundance.  The  canes  that  develop  one  .season 
produce  fruit  the  next ;  thus  while  the  canes  of 
the  past  year  are  bearing  fruits,  others  are  develop- 
ing to  provide  the  following  summer's  crop.  It 
will  thus  be  apparent  that  the  cultivator  should 
endeavour  to  produce  as  many  firm  healthy  canes 
every  year  as  can  be  comfortably  found  room  for. 
When  the  fruit  is  gatliered  the  canes  upon  which 
it  was  borne  should  be  removed,  for  the}'  are  of  no 
further  value.  Out  them  off'  at  their  base  and 
draw  them  downwards  to  avoid  injuring  the 
remaining  ones.  If  the  Raspberries  are  grown 
against  stakes  not  more  than  six  or  eight  new  canes 
must  be  allowed  to  remain  annually.  When  trained 
against  horizontal  wires  leave  a  space  of  several 
inches  between  each  cane.  Those  shoots  not 
required  for  fruiting  the  following  year  should  be 
removed  early  in  the  season,  soon  after  they  make 
their  appearance.  The  whole  vigour  of  the  plant 
ma3'  then  be  concentrated  in  developing  only  the 
necessary  growths. 

Summer  Treatment. — This  consists  in  destroying 
weeds  by  means  of  hoeing  the  ground,  covering  the 
surface  of  the  latter  with  manure,  and  allowing  no 
more  than  the  necessary  number  of  canes  to 
remain.  When  the  fruits  are  swelling,  if  the 
weather  is  at  all  drj',  a  good  watering  will  prove 
helpful.  As  above  mentioned,  after  the  fruits  are 
gathered  cut  away  the  old  canes  so  that  the 
younger  wood  may  not  be  interfered  with.  In  the 
autumn  shorten  back  the  strongest  canes  of  those 
that  are  to  bear  next  3'ear's  crop  of  fruit  to  about 
0  feet,  less  vigorous  ones  to,  say,  4  feet,  and  the 
remainder  to  about  3  feet.  Such  a  method  prevents 
overcrowding. 

Propagation. — The  most  convenient  method  of 
increasing  the  Raspberrj'  is  bj'  means  of  suckers, 
which,  as  already  mentioned,  are  produced  from 
the  roots.  The  strongest  of  these  should  be  care- 
fully detached  and  planted  in  good  soil  in  the 
autumn,  and  eventuall}'  trained  either  to  stakes  or 
wires.  When  planting  cut  down  the  shoot  to 
within  10  inches  or  12  inches  of  the  soil.  This 
will  bring  about  the  production  of  stronger  canes 
the  following  year  than  would  be  the  case  if  the 
primal-}'  shoot  were  left  unpruned.  Offsets  from 
the  root-stock  may  also  be  used  for  propagating. 
These  must  be  carefully  removed  from  the  estab- 
lished plants  so  as  to  disturb  them  as  little  as 
possible.  Root  suckers  are  often  produced  at  some 
distance  away  from  the  parent  plant,  and  so  can 
be  detached  without  fear  of  injuring  the  latter. 

Autumn-fruiting  Pa^pherrien. — Raspberry  bushes 
may  also  be  had  in  fruit  in  the  autumn.  The 
plants,  however,  require  different  treatment  to  the 
summer-fruiting  kinds.  The  fruit  is  borne  upon 
the  current  year's  growth  and  not  upon  canes  made 
during  the  previous  year.  The  proper  way  is  to 
cut  down  the  canes  in  the  month  of  February  to 
within  a  few  inches  of  the  ground,  and  shoots  will 
then  push  from  them  vigorously.  These  must  have 
a  liberal  amount  of  sun  and  air  so  as  to  become 
well  developed  before  the  end  of  summer.  The 
canes  should  therefore  not  be  quite  so  close  together 
as  the  summer-fruiting  ones.  Water  liberallj-  if 
the  weather  is  dry,  and  also  give  manure  water  to 
assist  fruit  development.  The  following  varieties 
are  suitable  for  autumn  fruiting  :  Belle  de  Fontenay, 
large,  red  ;  Noire  d'Antomne,  large,  ver}'  dark  ; 
October  Red,  bright  red  ;  October  Yellow,  medium 
sized,  yellow. 

Summer-fruiting  Ba-spherries. — Superlative,  large 
red,  producing  heavj'  crops  of  fruit  ;  Hornet,  a 
fine  large  red  variet}' ;  Baumforth's  Seedling,  an 
excellent  variety,  red.  T. 


A  SMALL  ORCHARD. 

The  usefulness  of  a  small  orchard  when  judiciously 
planted  and  well  managed  can  scarcely  be  over- 
estimated, and  every  country  house  should  possess 


240 


THE     GARDEN. 


[April  6,  1901. 


MAGNOLIA   CONSPICUA   SOULANGEANA   AT   KKW. 


one.  To  those  who  have  families  a  small  orchard 
is  indeed  a  boon,  and  if  planted  with  early,  mid- 
season,  and  late  varieties  of  Apples  and  Pears  the 
happy  owner  is  enabled  to  supply  his  children  with 
delicious  Apple  puddings  and  pies  for  eight  months 
in  the  3'ear.  Moreover,  in  plentiful  seasons  there 
are  always  more  Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums  than 
can  be  used  at  home,  and  these  if  carefully  picked 
and  packed  can  be  proiitably  disposed  of  at  the 
nearest  town.  Then  a  small  orchard  can  be  tilled 
with  the  spade  at  small  cost,  and  vegetables  and 
choice  small  fruits,  such  as  Strawberries,  Goose- 
berries, and  Black  Currants,  may  be  grown  between 
the  rows  of  fruit  trees  for  several  years,  and  thus 
the  usefulness  of  the  orchard  is  increased.  In 
small  gardens  even  space  can  generally  be  found  for 
a  small  orcliard,  whereas  a  large  one  is  quite  out  of 
the  cjuestion.  Of  course  its  utility  will  largely 
depend  upon  the  varieties  of  fruits  grown  in  it  and 
the  kind  of  stocks  they  are  worked  on.  Apple 
trees  should  be  in  bush  form  and  be  grafted  on  the 
Paradise  stock,  and  Pears  on  the  Quince,  as  then 
they  commence  bearing  fruit  the  first  year  after 
planting,  which  is  a  great  advantage.  When 
Apples  are  grafted  on  the  Crab  many  years  often 
elapse  before  the}'  commence  to  fruit.  It  is  also 
necessary,  in  order  to  realise  the  full  usefulness  of 
a  small  orchard,  that  only  a  small  number  of  early 
Apples  be  planted,  as  these  will  not  keep  long.  A 
fair  number  of  mid-season  sorts  may  be  allowed, 
but  at  least  one-half  the  number  of  Apple  trees 
should  consist  of  late-keeping  sorts,  as  they  are  the 
most  useful  in  every  way.  Of  Pears  a  fair  number 
of  trees  of  .Swan's  Egg,  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey, 
and  Doyenne  du  Comice  may  be  planted  ;  but 
stewing  Pears  are  the  most  useful,  and  they  will 
keep  until  May.  Few  fruit  preparations  are  more 
delicious  than  a  dish  of  Catillac,  Vicar  of  Wink- 
field,  or  Suffolk  Orange,  and  children  enjoj-  the 
wholesome  meal.  The  best  way  to  stew  them  is  to 
peel  and  put  them  into  an  earthen  jar  in  a  syrup, 
seal  the  jar,  and  place  them  in  a  steady  oven  until 
soft  and  brown. 

As  already  stated,  small  fruits  and  small  vege- 
tables may  be  grown  between  the  fruit  trees  for 
several  yeai's,  and  what  is  more  useful  in  the  house- 
hold than  Strawberries,  Gooseberries,  and  Currants, 
or  a  good  supplj'  of  wholesome  vegetables.      The 


best  trees  to  plant  round  an  orchard  for  shelter  are 
Damsons,  Bullaces,  and  Nuts.  Plant  a  Filbert  or 
Cobnut  between  evsry  Damson  and  Bullaee,  and  in 
two  years  there  will  be  a  perfect  hedge.  Bullaces 
and  Damsons  being  very  hardy  invariably  bear 
good  crops  of  fruit,  and  they  make  delicious 
puddings  and  pies  ;  and  Wine  Nuts  are  quite  as 
useful,  too.  J.  C.  N. 


TREES   AND   SHRUBS. 

MAGNOLIA     CONSPICUA  —  ITS 
VARIETIES  AND  HYBRIDS. 


characteristic  growth  of  the 
tii-st-nanied,  with  the  colour- 
ing of  the  two  combined,  the 
]iearly  white  of  the  segments 
being  dashed  with  purple  on 
the  outside.  Although  we 
miss  the  delightful  snowy 
beauty  of  the  Yulan,  Souhm- 
geana  is  welcome  for  its  dis- 
tinct colouring  and  the  im- 
portant fact  that  it  blooms 
later,  when  frosts  are  less 
prevalent.  M.  s.  nigra  has 
very  dark  flowers. 

M.Lenne  is  another  hybrid 
of  great  beauty,  and  it  is  in- 
teresting to  know  that  it 
can  claim  about  the  same 
parentage  as  the  kiud  illus- 
trated, but  in  place  of  the 
species  il.  obovata  discolor 
was  instrumehtal  in  its  pro- 
duction. This  is  one  of  the 
most  handsome  of  all  early- 
flowering  Magnolias,  with 
large  purple  flowers,  richer  in 
colour  on  the  outside  of  the 
florets  than  inside,  and  first 
appearing  in  late  spring. 
Other  hybrids  have  appeared, 
such  as  Alexandriana,  spec- 
tabilis,  but  those  more  fully 
described  are  the  best. 
.a  M.   obovata    is    a   distinct 

.Japanese  species,  more 
.shrubby  than  M.  soulangeana 
and  its  hybrids  and  not  more 
than  10  feet  in  height ;  but  it  is  a  pleasing 
Magnolia,  blooming  in  early  .summer,  when  its 
flowers  are  ajjpreciated  ;  they  are  pure  white, 
save  for  a  staining  of  purple  on  the  outside  of 
the  segments,  and  not  so  large  as  those  of 
M.  conspicua.  There  is  a  variety  of  this  named 
discolor  or  jjurpurea,  of  which  the  flowers  are 
almost  entirely  purple,  and  their  dark  colouring 
is  very  unusual.  V. 


M' 


CONSPICUA,  known  popularly  as 
the  Yulan  and  the  Lily  Tree,  is  a 
beautiful  flowering  tree  of  spring, 
its  brown  branches  and  shoots 
supporting  big  waxy  white  gob- 
lets, opening  out  wide  in  the 
sunshine,  and  remaining  jjure  and  fresh  for 
many  days  when  frosts  keep  away.  A  nipping 
frost  browns  the  segments,  and  for  this  reason, 
although  the  tree  is  perfectly  hardy,  shelter  is 
desirable  from  cold  winds.  Grouped  on  the 
woodland  edge  or  in  some  sheltered  corner,  its 
flowers  are  more  eft'ective,  and  they  are  so 
beautiful  that  one  likes  to  cut  them  for  the 
house,  to  fill  big  bowls,  or  to  use  Water  Lily 
fashion  in  water  in  table  decorations.  Many 
noble  specimens  of  this  Magnolia  exist  in 
English  gardens,  and  of  considerable  height, 
some  20  feet  ;  and  even  without  its  flowers  it 
possesses  some  beauty,  from  the  fresh  green 
colouring  of  the  obovate  leaves.  M.  conspicua 
was  introduced  from  China  in  17i)!J,  and  will 
succeed  in  ordinary  soils.  A  group  is  enjoyable, 
such  an  one  as  shown  in  the  illustration. 

The  Magnolia  illustrated  is  Soulangeana,  a 
hybrid  which  occurred  quite  by  accident  at 
Fromont,  near  Paris,  in  the  garden  of  Chevalier 
Soulange-Bodin,  after  whom  it  is  named.  Its 
parentage  is  M.  conspicua  and  M.  obovata,  and 
is    evident   in    the    ofl^spring,    which   has   the 


PODOCARPUS  ALPINA. 

This  little  coniferous  shrub  is  of  especial  interest 
as  being  the  only  member  of  the  Natural  Order 
coming  from  Tasmania  that  is  hardy  in  the  average 
climate  of  Britain.  Some  of  the  Ph3'llocladus,  also 
Tasmanian,  may  be  grown  out  of  doors  in  Cornwall, 
but  they  are  far  from  being  as  hardy  as  this  Podo- 
carpus,  which  stood  without  injur}-  the  frosts  of 
February,  189.5,  when  the  inercurj'  fell  nearly  to 
zero.  It  is  a  dwarf  semi-prostrate  evergreen,  not 
growing  more  than  about  '2  feet  high,  liut  spreading 
twice  or  thrice  as  much  in  diameter.  It  has  narrow 
leaves  less  than  half  an  inch  long,  of  a  very  dark 
green  above,  and  marked  beneath  with  two  glaucous 
lines.  Thej'  are  crowded  very  closelj'  on  the  slender 
branches,  which  gives  the  whole  plant  a  dense  leafy 
character,  and  makes  it  one  of  the  most  distinct 
evergreens  of  its  class.  The  plant  has,  when 
bruised,  a  half  resinous,  half  aromatic  odour.  It 
may  be  used  for  clothing  banks,  or,  in  common 
with  other  dwarf  evergreens,  for  planting  on 
rockeries  to  relieve  their  winter  bareness.  As  its 
name  implies,  it  is  a  mountainous  plant,  there- 
fore not  out  of  place  among  alpines.  It  is 
found  at  altitudes  of  3,.500  feet  to  4,000  feet  in 
Tasmania. 


PRUMNOPITYS  ELEGANS. 

To  those  in  search  of  dwarf,  rather  slow-growing 
evergreens,  this  Chilian  conifer  may  be  worth 
noticing.  It  is  nearly  related  to  the  ^'ews,  but 
is  of  slighter,  more  graceful  growth.  The  leaf  is 
under  1  inch  in  length,  less  than  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  wide,  and  Yew-like,  being  \'ery  dark  green 
above  and  with  two  coinparalixel}'  broad  blue- 
white  lines  beneath.    The  plant  has  in  this  country 


April   6,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


241 


hitherto  remained  a  shrub,  of  rather  close  habit 
in  the  main,  but  rendered  graceful  by  the  younger 
branches  and  shoots  standing  away  from  tlie  older 
portions.  Messrs.  Veitch  (whose  collector,  Pear.se, 
introduced  it  in  1860)  state  that  it  attains  a  height 
of  40  feet  to  50  feet  on  its  native  mountains.  In 
the  report  on  the  conifer  conference  the  largest 
specimen  whose  measurements  are  recorded  is  in 
Lord  Ducie's  garden  at  Tortworth,  and  was,  ten 
years  ago,  17  feet  high.  At  Kew,  in  a  fairly 
sheltered  spot,  it  has  proved  to  be  perfectly  hardy, 
and  specimens  there  of  neat  pyramidal  habit  are 
about  10  feet  high.  It  would  be  worth  growing 
on  lawns  or  in  places  where  shrubs  of  somewhat 
formal  outline,  such  as  the  Irish  Yew,  are  desired. 
It  stands  pruning  well,  and  by  maintaining  a 
leading  shoot  soon  acquires  a  pyramidal  form. 
The  fruit  I  have  not  seen,  but  it  is  described  as 
resembling,  in  form  and  size,  a  white  Grape,  but 
consists  of  a  hard  stone  surrounded  by  soft  edible 
pulp.     It  can  be  increased  by  means  of  cuttings. 

ULMUS  ALATA  (WINGED  ELM). 

During  the  winter  season  few  deciduous  trees  are 
more  striking  than  this  American  species  of  film, 
which  is  known  in  the  United  States  as  the 
"  Whahoo."  Its  younger  branches  are  furnished 
with  curious,  ridge-like  excrescences  of  corky  bark, 
which  give  to  the  tree  a  peculiarlj'  distinct  aspect 
even  at  a  considerable  distance,  and  which,  of 
course,  is  most  noticeable  whilst  the  tree  is  in  its 
leafless  state,  as  at  the  present  season.  This 
remarkable  formation  of  the  bark  is  characteristic 
of  other  Elms.  The  younger  branches  of  our  native 
Elm  often  show  it  to  a  certain  degree  ;  it  is,  how- 
ever, more  noticeable  in  the  variety  suberosa — 
known  as  the  "Cork-barked  Elm."  But  even  in 
that  variety  the  peculiarity  is  by  no  means  so 
developed  as  in  this  American  species.  It  is  a 
tree  of  medium  size,  its  branches  having  a  strong 
tendency  to  take  a  horizontal  rather  than  an 
upward  direction  of  growth  ;  but  this  adds  to  its 
picturesqueness.  It  occurs  in  the  south-eastern 
United  States,  and  was  introduced  in  1820. 

W.  J.  Beax. 
The  Arboretum,  Royal  Gardens,  Kew. 


DRACONTIUM     GIGAS.* 

A  WONDERFUL  plant,  handsome  in  foliage, 
with  large,  lurid,  grotesque,  odoriferous  flowers, 
but  still  lacking  the  attributes  of  a  good  plant 
for  the  garden,  and  therefore  finding  no  favour 
except  in  botanical  collections.  "I  leave  such 
plants  to  Kew,"  was  the  remark  of  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Koyal  Horticultural  Society  on 
seeing  an  example  of  it  at  a  recent  meeting. 
And  yet  there  is  much  that  is  beautiful  in  this 
plant.  It  resembles  in  many  ways  an  Amor- 
phophallus,  having  a  tuber  8  inches  in  diameter 
and  6lb.  in  weight,  from  which  springs  annually 
a  single  leaf,  the  erect  stalk  of  which  is  8  feet 
high,  "  with  a  metallic  lustre  and  mottled  sur- 
face resembling  a  snake  standing  erect."  This 
supports  a  blade,  which  spreads  umbrella-like 
equally  in  all  directions,  4  feet  across,  and  is 
divided  into  numerous  pinnatified  segments. 
The  leaf  lasts  about  nine  months  and  then 
fades,  and  if  the  tuber  is  strong  enough  it  is 
immediately  succeeded  by  the  inflorescence. 
The  stalk  of  this  is  marked  like  the  leaf-stalk 
and  is  1  foot  long.  The  spathe  is  nearly  2  feet 
long  by  5  inches  in  diameter,  almost  leather- 
like in  texture,  wrinkled  and  deep  claret-purple 
colour,  yellowish  about  the  base.  Inside  is  the 
spadix,  4  inches  long  and  covered  with  flowers. 
The  spathe  of  the  plant  figured  attained  full 
size  three  weeks  ago,  and  it  is  still  perfect. 
Those  people  who  object  to  peculiar,  pene- 
trating odours  may  not  like  that  emitted  by 
this  plant  whilst  the  flowers  proper  (small 
fleshy  bodies  clustering  about  the  spadix)  are 
open.     It  is  novi^  in  bloom  at  Kew. 

*  This  note  has  been  unavoidably  lield  over  for  about  a 
month. 


The  species  is  a  native  of  Nicaragua,  where 
it  was  discovered  by  Dr.  Seemann  in  1869, 
growing  among  brushwood  near  rivulets.  _  It 
was  first  flowered  in  Europe  by  Mr.  William 
Bull  in  his  nursery  at  Chelsea  in  1873.     It  was 


then  known  as  Godwinia  gigas. 


W.  W. 


SOME     USEFUL     ORCHIDS. 

0Do>'TOGL0ssnM  Grandk. 

GENERALLY  accorded  a  rather  higher 
temperature  than  Odontoglossums 
in  general,  and  as  a  consequence  its 
blooms  are  produced  in  August  and 
September.  There  are  generally 
plenty  of  other  flowers  available  at 
this  season,  so  that  the  beautiful  Orchid  blooms 
do  not  receive  the  admiration  that  would  be 
accorded  them  did  they  put  in  an  appearance  when 
competition  was  less  keen.  By  growing  some  of 
the  plants  rather  cooler  than  others,  the  blossoniing 
period  may  easil3'be  retarded,  and  flowers  obtained 
quite  easily  until  the  end  of  October,  when  they 
i-etain  their  beauty  longer  and  are  much  more 
appreciated.  Last  year  our  first  plant  did  not 
bloom  until  October  7,  in  spite  of  the  hot  weather 
we  experienced  during  September.  After  flowering 
a  partial  rest  is  beneficial,  and  plants  should  be 
repotted  at  the  end  of  February  or  beginning  of 
March. 

Dendrobium  Ghrysanthum. 
One  of  those  easily  grown  accommodating 
Orchids  which  every  grower,  however  humble, 
should  possess.  It  never  fails  to  flower  when 
treated  at  all  fairly, 
ma  J'  be  had  in  bloom 
for  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  year,  and 
often  produces  as  many 
as  forty  or  fift}'  flowers 
on  one  of  its  pendulous 
stems.  The  flowers  are 
produced  in  little  clus- 
ters of  three  or  four, 
which  taken  off'  j  ust  as 
they  aremakeoharming 
little  buttonholes,  and 
last  for  two  or  three 
days  in  water.  The 
best  time  to  repot  is 
directly  the  flowers 
fade,  as  the  growths  of 
the  plants  generallj' 
push  up  with  the  ad- 
vent ot  the  blossoms. 

Calantiie    Vettchi 

AND    C.    VeSTITA, 

with  their  beautiful 
varieties,  are  perhaps 
the  most  useful  of  all 
autumn  -  flowering 
Orchids  for  table  or 
house  decoration,  as 
they  produce  racemes 
from  1  foot  to  3  feet 
long,  and  frequently 
bear  as  many  as  twenty 
flowers  on  each.  They 
are  both  deciduous 
species,  and  should 
have  small  seedling 
Ferns  pricked  in  among 
the  pseudo-bulbs  before 
flowering  if  plants  are 
wanted  for  decorative 
purposes,  otherwise 
their  bare  appearance 
is  rather  an  eyesore. 
Being  terrestrial,  they 
require  a  heavier  com- 
post than  the  gene- 
rality of  Orchids,  and 
this  is  furnished  by  a 
mixture  of  good  sandy 
fibrous  loam,  leaf- 
raould,    and     decayed 


cow  manure.  They  must  be  well  watered  when 
growing,  and  a  decided  period  of  rest  given  when 
the  flowering  .season  is  over,  with  a  thorough  shake 
out  and  repot  in  March  or  April. 

BURLINGTONIA    IJECOKA    VAB.    PICTA. 

The  rosy  red  and  purple  flowers  of  this  Orchid 
make  a  charming  addition  to  the  warm  house 
section.  It  is  a  native  of  Brazil,  and,  like  B. 
decora,  likes  plenty  of  heat  and  moisture,  which 
may  be  lessened  when  the  plants  are  resting,  but 
not  too  greatly  or  too  .suddenly,  as  plants  once 
allowed  to  shrivel  rarely  do  well  afterwards.  This 
variety  forms  a  very  pretty  little  plant  on  a  block 
of  charred  wood,  a  raft,  or  small  basket,  and 
should  never  have  much  compost  over  its  roots. 
White  scale  should  be  constantly  sought  for  and 
exterminated. 

Pleione  Lagenaria 
is  quite  one  of  the  most  attractive  little  Orchids 
of  all  that  bloom  in  autumn,  and  were  it  only 
furnished  with  leaves  during  its  flowering  season 
it  would  take  even  higher  rank.  Unfortunately, 
the  plant  is  deciduous,  and  is  entirely  leafless  at 
blossoming  time,  so  that  it  becomes  necessary  to 
hide  its  bare  appearance  by  inserting  tiny  Ferns, 
fresh  sphagnum  moss,  or  Selaginella  between  its 
curious  little  bulbs.  Selaginella  kraussiana  or  S. 
k.  aurea  is  perhaps  the  best  thing  to  use  for  this 
purpose,  as  if  lifted  with  a  fair  amount  of  soil  it 
doesnot  flag,  and  soon  formsa  prett.y  green  carpeting 
for  the  choice  blossoms.  As  soon  as  flowers  fade 
the  Selaginella  should  be  removed  or  it  will 
impede  the  progress  of  the  young  growths  that  are 
pushing  up,  and  also  form  a  refuge  for  the  tiny 
slugs,  which  are  very  partial  to  the  Pleiones  tender 
shoots.     It  is  a  native  of  the  mountains  of  India, 


DRACONTIUM  i((GODWINA)    GIGAS    IN    THE   RIVAL    GAEDINS,    KEW. 


242 


THE    GAEDEN. 


'Ai'RiL   6,   1901. 


and  rejoices  in  the  popular  name  of  Indian  Crocus. 
It  should  be  grown  in  shallow  pans,  repotted 
every  year,  and  well  rested  when  the  growths  are 
mature,  watering  again  when  tlower-spikes  start 
springing  up. 

LjiLI.i  Pekrini 
is  an  October-blooming  Orchid  of  great  value  and 
beauty-  There  are  two  distinct  kinds  of  L.  Perrini, 
one  with  long  pseudo-bulbs  and  leaves,  the  other 
with  both  short  and  stout.  I  think  as  a  rule  the 
taller  growing  one  flowers  earlier  than  the  shorter 
one,  which  with  us  comes  in  about  the  middle  of 
November,  while  the  other  produces  its  blooms  in 
October,  one  of  my  plants  at  that  time  bearing 
eight  blooms  on  three  flower-scapes.  The  flowers 
are  large  and  showy,  o  inches  to  6  inches  across, 
of  a  light  magenta-rose  colour,  with  a  rich  crimson 
lip.  The  flowers  last  about  a  fortnight  under 
normal  conditions,  but  we  find  a  heavy  fog  finishes 
them  off  at  once.  Grow  in  the  Cattleya  house,  and 
treat  in  a  similar  way  to  C.  Trian*.  percivaliana, 
&c. ,  to  which  it  bears  a  strong  resemblance. 

Cypripedium  harrisianu.m. 
No  one  fails  to  admire  this  bold,  handsome 
flower,  glittering  in  the  sunshine  as  though  freshly 
varnished,  and  as  it  blooms  freely  and  often  during 
the  dullest  months  of  the  year,  it  is  well  worthy  of 
cultivation.  One  plant,  I  note  by  the  label  which 
bears  the  dates  of  its  previous  blossomings,  has 
produced  flowers  at  five  different  seasons  in  les'; 
than  three  j'ears,  which,  including  its  present 
display,  gives  an  average  blooming  time  of  twice  a 
vear.  This  same  plant  frequently  prodiices  two 
flowers  on  a  stem,  though  one  is  the  normal 
number,  and  they  remain  on  the  plant  for  some 
three  weeks  in  good  condition.  It  is  a  hybrid 
between  C.  barbatum  and  C.  villosum,  both  of 
which  are  strongly  represented  in  their  offspring. 

DeNDROEIUM    FIMBRIATU-M    OCnLATDM. 

Although  this  is  a  spring-blooming  plant — and 
ours  annually  produce  hundreds  of  their  exceedingly 
beautiful  fringed  blossoms  at  that  season — yet  we 
never  fail  to  get  a  few  racemes  of  its  rich  orangi 
flowers  with  their  deep  purplish  spot  during  the 
autumn  months,  when,  although  somewhat  smaller 
than  those  produced  in  spring,  yet  are  thej'  very 
acceptable.  Unfortunately,  it  requires  too  much 
head  room  for  a  small  collection  of  Orchids,  other- 
wise it  is  of  very  easy  culture,  only  requiring 
repotting  once  in  about  three  years,  and  a  good 
rest  induced  by  the  gradual  withholding  of  water 
and  a  lowering  of  temperature  during  the  wintei- 
months.  I  remember  how  a  buttonhole  I  wore  of 
these  flowers  puzzled  several  gardening  friends 
whom  I  met  at  the  November  Chrysanthemum 
show  at  the  Aquarium  a  few  years  ago,  as  they 
had  never  heard  of  its  blooming  at  that  season 
before.  Unfortunately,  the  blossoms  are  not  verj' 
long-lived,  ten  days  to  a  fortnight  being  about  the 
length  of  their  existence.  E.  J.  Castle. 

Strathmore  Road,  Croydon. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(Tlie  Editom  are  not   re.ijjon.iiUe   for   the  opinion  i 
expressed  by  their  correspondents.  J 

OLEARIA   HAASTI. 

[To  THE   Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — One  feels  pleased  to  see  what  has 
already  been  said  in  the  TiiE  Garden 
about  this  beautiful  shrub  and  its  hardi- 
ness in  Scotland.  Growers  on  the  east 
of  Scotland  have,  in  some  things,  the 
advantage  of  those  in  the  south-west, 
who  have  sometimes  to  contend  with  an  excess  of 
moisture — not  the  best  thing  for  some  shrubs.  We, 
however,  have  little  difficulty  in  growing  the 
valuable  Olearia  Haasti,  and  it  seldom  sufiers  to 
any  extent  when  not  exposed  to  cold  draughts  of 
wind.  I  do  not,  however,  find  that  it  dislikes  a 
peaty  soil,  and  its  less  vigorous  growth  there  is 
sometimes  an  advantage,  as  it  is  not  everyone  who 
can  give  it  such  a  place  as  it  occupies,  sa.v,  in 
such  charming  spots  as  Fota,  where  it  is  quite  a 


tree.  I  think  it  flowers  more  freely  and  is  more 
satisfactory  with  us  when  rather  starved,  and  in 
such  conditions  never  fails  to  bloom  here  in  a 
most  profuse  manner.  It  is  considerablj'  hardier 
than  either  0.  stellulata  or  0.  macrodonta  in  this 
part  of  Scotland.  Its  flowering  time  makes  it  x'er}' 
valuable,  as  we  have  nothing  else  like  it  at  that 
season.  S.  Arxott. 

Canethorn,  by  Dniiifriei,  X.B. 


MELANOSELINUM  DECIPIENS. 

[To  THE  Editor  ok   "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Can  you  kindly  tell  me  through  3'our  columns 
if  Melanoselinum  decipiens  is  the  correct  name  for 
a  plant  which  I  have,  and  if  so  of  what  part  of  the 
world  it  is  a  native?  The  name  was  given  me  by 
a  gentleman  in  whose  garden  I  saw  it  growing, 
but  I  cannot  find  it  in  Nicholson,  nor  did  Mr. 
Peter  Barr,  to  whom  I  showed  it  when  he  was 
here,  know  it.  j\Iy  specimen  is  about  3  feet 
0  inches  high,  and  it  grows  to  about  twice  the 
height.  It  has  a  stout  stem,  from  the  summit  of 
which  springs  a  crown  of  handsome  pinnate  leaves 
over  4  feet  long,  which  grow  horizontally  for  a 
short  distance,  then  cjroop  towards  the  ground, 
which  the  tips  almost  touch.  The  lea\'es  are  not 
unlike  those  of  Aralia  spinosa  in  form,  but  are 
much  larger  in  proportion  to  its  height  than  those 
of  any  specimen  of  that  plant  which  I  have  e\'er 
seen.  The  individual  leaflets  are  finely  serrated, 
of  a  light  green,  and  smooth  on  the  surface.  Each 
leaf  has  a  sort  of  sheath  at  its  base,  from  which 
the  new  leaves  spring,  growing  alternatel}'  in 
different  directions,  and  as  each  new  leaf  comes 
an  old  one  turns  yellow  and  drops.  The  flower  is 
of  a  dirty  purple  colour,  and  when  it  seeds  it 
apparently  dies,  at  least,  tliat  is  what"  happened 
in  the  case  of  one  in  the  garden  of  a  neighbour  of 
mine.  It  must  take  a  good  many  3'ears  to  come  to 
maturity,  as  I  have  had  mine  for  several  years.  I 
have  never  seen  it  flower,  but  have  had  a  casual 
view  of  a  truss  or  part  of  a  truss  of  bloom.  I  did 
not  have  an  opportunity  of  examining  it,  but  from 
what  I  saw  of  it  the  individual  flowers  were  small, 
and  though  the  truss  was  not  flat,  I  fancy  it  must 
belong  to  the  Umbelliteraj.  The  flower  seemed  to 
be  not  unlike  that  of  Ligusticum  latifolia,  but  as 
that  plant  is  a  native  of  the  islands  lying  south  of 
New  Zealand,  it  may  not  be  known  to  you. 

Dmiedin,  X.Z.  A.  Bathgate. 

[Melanoselinum  is  reduced  by  Bentham  to  the 
genus  Thapsia.  under  which  you  will  find  the  plant 
in  question  described  in  "Nicholson's  Garden 
Dictionary."  It  is  a  native  of  Madeira.  There 
is  a  figure  and  full  occount  of  it  in  the  "  Botanical 
Magazine,"  t.  5,670,  under  the  name  of  Thapsia 
decipiens.  It  exudes  when  cut  a  fragrant  resin 
that  smells  like  turpentine. — J.  G.  Baker.] 


PANSIES    FROM   CUTTINGS. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "The  Gakden."] 

Sir, — Will  you  please  tell  me  how  to  get  Pansies 

or  Violas  from  cuttings,  as  I  am  desirous  of  raising 

a  stock  in  this  way.  V.  C.  T. 

[For  spring  planting  strike  the  cuttings  in 
Septemljer  and  early  October,  and  much  later 
when  the  weather  is  suitable.  Their  propagation 
may  even  be  done  all  through  a  mild  winter,  and 
instances  could  be  given  where  large  numbers  of 
cuttings  were  inserted  in  October,  November,  and 
December,  and  again  in  Feburary  and  early  March, 
with  satisfactory  results.  In  the  case  of  cuttings 
for  spring  planting  the  cutting-bed  should  be  made 
up  in  the  warmer  aspeets  of  the  garden,  as  full 
advantage  must  be  taken  of  the  genial  influences  of 
the  sun  in  the  dull  months  of  the  year.  Choose 
therefore,  if  it  be  possible,  a  spot  facing  south  or 
south-west,  and  place  around  the  cutting-bed  a 
rough  framework  of  8-inch  or  10-inch  boards  as  a 
protection  against  strong  winds,  which  are  more 
troublesome  than  frosts. 

Prepare  the  cutting-bed  as  follows  : — Dig  deeply 
the  ordinary  soil  of  the  garden,  break  it  up  well, 
and  then  to  the  depth  of  6  inches  to  8  inches  spread 
over  it  a  compost  made  up  of  equal  parts  of  loam, 
leaf-mould,  and  spent  Mushroom-bed  material.  Add 
to  the  foregoing  another  equal  part  of  coarse  silver 


sand  or  clean  road  grit,  and  thoroughly  mix  the 
preparation,  then  pass  the  heap  through  a  sieve 
with  a  half-inch  mesh,  after  which  it  should  be 
spread  evenl}'  and  carefully  over  the  allotted  area 
The  levelling  of  the  surface  is  an  important  matter, 
and  should  be  carried  out  with  the  utmost  care. 
Make  the  soil  fairly  firm  by  the  aid  of  boards  or 
the  back  of  a  spade,  and  an  hour  or  two  before  the 
cuttings  are  to  be  inserted  thoroughly'  water  the 
cutting-bed  with  a  fine-rosed  can,  and  there  is 
none  to  equal  the  "Haw's  patent,"  which  distri- 
butes the  water  finely  and  evenl}'  without  running 
away  or  causing  channels  to  develop  on  the  surface 
of  the  soil.  The  numerous  holes  in  the  rose  are  so 
fine  that  the  water  is  emitted  in  a  fine  spray-like 
manner  ;  also  refresh  the  cuttings  in  the  evenings 
of  hot  days.  Select  as  cuttings  shoots  of  recent 
growth,  not  coarse  and  hollow  stems,  and  they 
should  be  2  inches  to  3  inches  long.  Remove  the 
two  lower  leaves,  and  cut  the  cutting-stem  straight 
across  immediately  below  a  joint  with  a  sharp 
knife.  If  when  removing  the  cuttings  from  the 
old  stools  any  of  them  can  be  detached  with  small 
roots  adhering  so  much  the  better. 

Deal  with  one  varietj'  at  a  time,  making  the 
required  number  of  cuttings  of  each  kind,  and 
inserting  these  before  proceeding  with  another. 
Insert  the  cuttings  in  rows,  first  placing  at  the 
head  of  the  row  the  label  with  the  name  of  the 
variety  and  the  date  of  propagation.  A  narrow 
and  straight  strip  of  wood  should  be  had  in  readi- 
ness, this  answering  the  purpose  of  keeping  the 
rows  straight  and  regular,  and  thus  economises 
space  and  prevents  confusion.  Dibble  the  cuttings 
in  2  inches  apart  in  the  rows,  pressing  the  soil 
firmly  at  their  base,  in  this  way  avoiding  "hang- 
ing," which  usually  results  in  the  cuttings  dying  ; 
therefore  it  should  be  repeated,  and  make  the  soil 
firm  at  the  base  of  the  cuttings  if  you  wish  to 
succeed.  There  should  be  a  distance  of  2A  inches 
to  3  inches  between  the  rows,  according  to  the 
variet}'.  When  the  whole  of  the  cuttings  are 
finished  with  give  them  a  good  watering,  again 
using  the  fine-rosed  can.  The  autumn  propagated 
cuttings  will  naturalh-  be  ratlier  longer  than  those 
put  in  during  spring,  but  in  most  instances  they 
will  be  suti5cientl.y  rooted  to  carry  the  young 
plants  through  the  winter  with  little  risk  of 
failure. 

Some  may  express  surprise  that  the  use  of  cold 
frames  for  propagating  has  been  condemned,  but 
as  the  Pansies,  the  Tufted  Pansies  (Violas)  more 
particularly,  are  perfectly  hardy  it  is  a  mistake 
to  coddle  them  in  frames.  One  may  sometimes 
obtain  all  the  cuttings  required  without  cutting 
back  the  plants  or  interfering  with  their  free  dis- 
play in  the  summer  and  autumn  months.  From 
time  to  time,  as  opportunity  offers,  detach  young 
growths  from  the  crowns  of  the  plants.  If  these 
are  removed  with  care  they  will  not  interfere  with 
the  continuous  blooming  of  the  plants  in  the  flower 
border.  This  operation  maj'  be  repeated  at  intervals 
until  a  sufficient  quantity  of  cuttings  of  each  kind 
has  been  inserted.  Those  with  limited  space,  as 
in  the  case  of  many  suburban  gardens,  may  raise 
a  small  batch  of  plants  in  wooden  boxes  some 
3  inches  to  4  inches  deep,  or  in  pots  of  suitable  size. 
They  must,  however,  be  placed  in  a  cool  position 
during  the  summer  propagation,  or  stood  under 
a  south  or  south-west  wall  in  the  autumn  and 
winter  months. — Eds.] 


PLANTING   POTATOES. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Your  correspondent  Mr.  Longhurst  in  his 
note  on  the  above  subject  mentions  that  if  Potatoes 
be  planted  with  the  aid  of  a  dibble  in  close  soil  the 
hole  may  retain  water  should  heavy  rain  fall,  and 
thus  cause  the  tubers  to  decay.  I  ha\'e  not  had 
such  an  experience,  although  I  grew  Potatoes 
largely  in  very  stiff  soil  for  man.y  years.  But 
when  he  adWses  throwing  out  a  trench  from  4  inches 
to  6  inches  deep,  then  planting  the  tubers  in  the 
bottom  of  the  trenches  by  dibbling  holes  deep 
enough  to  bury  the  tubers,  he  seems  to  have  over- 
looked his  former  caution.  If  there  is  danger  that 
I  ubers  planted  in  dibbled  holes  on  the  flat  would 
decay   with   wet,   how   much   niore  likely  is  the) 


April  6,  1901.J 


THE    GARDEN, 


243 


evil  to  be  intensified  by  dibbling  holes  at  the 
bottom  of  a  trench  that  might  itself  become  filled 
with  water  under  heavy  rains.  Planting  depends 
on  many  things,  but  especially  on  the  condition  of 
the  soil.  First,  early  Kidneys,  such  as  Ashleafs, 
put  on  to  a  warm  border  are  best  planted  in  rows 
as  the  digging  of  the  ground  proceeds.  It  is  a 
good  plan  to  have  in  planting  for  these  a  compost 
of  leaf  soil,  old  pot  soil,  wood  ashes,  and  soot,  and 
give  a  liberal  dressing  in  each  trench  before  tilling 
in.  For  strong  growers  and  main  croppers  it  is  a 
good  plan  to  throw  up  the  ground  with  the  aid  of 
long  steel  forks  into  sharp  ridges  3  feet  apart. 
Then  in  March  to  lay  a  dressing  of  half -decayed 
stable  manure  along  the  furrows,  to  dig  that  in 
deep,  well  breaking  the  soil,  and  then  in  April  to 
draw  shallow  drills  along  each  furrow  with  a  hoe, 
to  plant  the  well-sprouted  sets  carefuUj'  15  inches 
apart,  then  to  give  a  dressing  of  compost  such  as 
I  have  described,  and  to  fork  in  and  cover  up  from 
the  pulverised  ridges.  After  the  tops  are  well 
through  the  breadth  between  the  rows  should  be 
forked  over,  then  the  soil  is  in  capital  condition 
for  moulding  up.  Before  that  is  done  a  thin 
dressing  of  kainit  salts  may  be  given  with 
advantage.  A.  D. 


TVATER    GARDENS. 

As  April  and  early  May  are  the  best  times 
to  plant  the  hybrid  and  other  Nymphieas,  the 
subject  of  water  gai-dens  is  interesting,  and 
the  present  article  is  a  prelude  to  several 
which  we  hope  shortly  to  publish,  not  merely 


about  the  flowers  for  the  water  surface,  but 
those  to  plant  by  the  margins  of  streams  and 
lakes.  In  The  Garden  of  February  13,  181J7, 
page  113,  is  published  an  article  of  great 
interest  and  importance  from  the  pen  of  one 
who  ^  has  striven,  with  conspicuou.s  success, 
to  bring  home  to  the  lovers  of  English  gardens 
the  beauty  of  water  gardens.  We  cannot  do 
better  than  quote  some  of  the  remarks  there 
made : — 

"Perhaps  the  mo.st  beautiful  of  all  water 
gardens  are  the  river  and  stream  gardens,  as 
their  form  is  so  much  better  than  anything 
we  can  make  and  the  vegetation  is  often  rich, 
even  without  care.  With  a  little  care  we  can 
make  it  much  more  so,  and  in  our  river-seamed 
land  there  are  so  many  charming  sites  which 
will  come  well  to  help  the  garden  or  lawn 
picture. 

"  The  stems  of  Reeds  and  tall  grasses  in 
winter  are  very  good  in  colour,  and  should 
always  be  allowed  to  stand  through  the  winter 
and  not  be  cut  down  in  the  old  tidy  way  that 
all  gardeners  used  to  practise,  sweeping  away 
the  stems  in  autumn  and  leaving  the  surface 
as  bare  and  ugly  as  that  round  a  besieged 
town.  The  same  applies  to  the  stems  of  all 
waterside  and  big  herbaceous  plants,  stems  of 
plants  in  groups  often  giving  beautiful  brown 
colours  in  many  fine  shades.  Those  who  know 
the  plants  can  in  this  way  identify  them  in 
winter  as  well  as  in  summer — a  great  gain  in 


changing  one's  plantings  and  in  increasing  or 
giving  away  ])lants.  Moreover,  the  change  to 
all  these  lovely  browns  and  greys  is  a  distinct 
gain  as  a  lesson  in  colour  to  all  who  care  for 
good  colour,  and  also  in  enabling  us  to  get 
more  beautiful  contrasts  and  effects  in  our 
winter  gardens. 

"The  water-margin  offers  to  lovers  of  hardy 
flowers  a  site  easily  made  into  a  fair  garden. 
Hitherto  we  have  used  in  such  places  aquatic 
plants  only,  and  of  these  usually  a  very  meagre 
selection  ;  while  the  improvement  of  the  water- 
side will  be  most  readily  effected  by  planting 
the  banks  near  with  vigorous  hardy  flowers, 
as  many  of  the  finest  plants,  from  Irises  to 
Globe  Flowers,  thrive  in  moist  soil  often  near 
water.  Bank  plants  have  this  advantage  over 
water  plants  that  we  can  fix  their  position, 
whereas  water  plants  spread  too  much,  and 
some  one  kind  often  over-runs  its  neighbour.s. 
The  repeating  of  a  favourite  plant  at  intervals 
would  mar  all  ;  groups  of  free  hardy  things 
would  be  best  ;  Day  Lilies,  Meadow  Sweets, 
Phloxes,  which  love  moisture  ;  Irises,  mainly 
the  beardless  kinds,  which  love  wet  places,  and 
all  the  German  Irises  ;  Gunnera,  American 
swamp  Lilies  in  peaty  soil,  the  rosy  Loosestrife, 
Golden  Rods,  Starworts,  the  Compass  plants, 
Monkshoods,  giant  Knotworts,  the  stouter 
kinds  of  Yarrow  and  ^loon  Daisy,  the  common 
Lupine— these  are  some  of  many  ty|ies  of  hardy 
flowers  which  would  grow  freely  near  the  water- 


IN    THE    WATKK    (JARDEN    AT    WISLEY,    SHOWINf:    .I.4PAX    IRIS    AND    OTHER    PLANTS    IN    FLOWER. 


244 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[.\piUL   G,  1901. 


side.  With  these  hardy  phmts,  too,  a  variety 
of  the  nobler  hardy  Ferns,  such  as  the  Eoyal 
Ferns  and  Feather  Ferns,  woukl  also  associate 
well. 

"  Water  plants  of  northern  and  temperate 
regions,  associated  with  our  native  plants,  add 
much  beauty  to  a  garden.  If  the  soil  be  rich, 
we  usually  see  the  same  monotonous  vegetation 
all  round  the  margin  of  the  water,  and  where 
the  bottom  is  of  gravel  there  is  often  little 
vegetation,  only  an  unbroken,  ugly  line  of 
washed  earth.  A  group  of  Water  Lily  is 
beautiful,  but  Water  Lilies  lose  their  charm 
when  they  spread  over  the  whole  of  a  piece  of 
water,  and  waterfowl  cannot  make 
their  way  through  them.  The  Yellow 
Water  Lily  (Nuphar  lutea),  though  less 
beautiful,  is  well  worthy  of  a  place, 
and  so  is  the  large  N.  advena  (a  native 
of  America),  which  pushes  its  leaves 
boldly  above  the  water.  The  Ameri- 
can White  Water  Lilies  (Nympha»a 
odorata  and  N.  tuberosa)  are  hardy 


dower,  and,  taking  them  to  the  bank,  eats  them 
at  its  lei.sure,  leaving  the  petals  there.  But 
when  the  plants  are  small,  the  attacks  of  the 
common  moorhen  and  other  waterfowl  may 
mean  all  the  difference  between  life  and  death 
to  a  Water  Lily.  Perhaps,  therefore,  the  first 
thing  to  be  done  in  establishing  these  plants 
is  to  put  them  in  a 
place  (some  small 
pond)  apart  from  the 
rougher  waterside 
plants,  and  especially 
where  they  will 
be     safe     from     the 


and  beautiful,  and  of  recent  years  much 
interest  has  been  aroused  in  the  hybrid 
hardy  Water  Lilies  raised  by  M.  Latour- 
Marliac,  who  has  added  the  large  and  noble 
forms  and  the  lovely  colour  of  the  Eastern 
Water  Lilies  to  the  garden  waters  of  northern 
countries.  The  splendid  beauty  of  these  plants 
should  lead  people  to  think  of  true  and  artistic 
ways  of  adorning  garden  waters.  Our  own 
poor  Water  Lily  was  always  neglected  and 
rarely  effective,  except  in  a  wild  state  ;  but 
when  people  see  that  they  may  have  in  Britain 
the  soft  yellow  and  rose  and  red  flowers  of  the 
tropical  Water  Lilies  throughout  summer  and 
autumn,  they  take  some  interest  in  water 
gardens,  and  even  the  wretched  duck  ponds 
which  disfigure  so  many  country  seats  will 
begin  at  last  to  have  a  reason  to  be.  The 
change  should  be  the  means  of  leading  us  to 
think  more  of  the  many  noble  flowers  and 
fine-leaved  yilants  of  the  waterside,  apart  from 
Water  Lilies.  The  new  hybrid  kinds  continue 
blooming  long  after  our  native  kind  has  ceased, 
and  from  the  middle  of  May  to  nearly  the  end 
of  October  flowers  are  abundant. 

"  Many  water  plants  will  grow  almost  any- 
where and  bid  defiance  to  game  or  rats,  but 
the  new  Water  Lilies,  which  for  a  long  time 
will  be  rare,  are  worth  looking  after,  as  they 
will  not  show  half  their  beauty  if  they  are 
subjected  to  the  attacks  of  certain  water 
animals.  They  may,  indeed,  when  young  be 
easily  exterminated  by  them,  and  even  Avhen 
old  and  established  the  common  water  rat  will 
often  disfigure  and  destroy  the  flowers.  The 
water  rat  attacks  the  succulent  parts  of  the 


destructive  to  everything  else,  that  it  is  essen- 
tial to  destroy  it  at  the  same  time,  as  it  often 
abounds  near  water.  Certain  rare  Water  Lilies 
should  be  grown  in  places  apart  where  we 
expect  to  get  the  be.st  results  from  young 
plants.  When  these  become  plentiful  they 
may  be  put  anywhere  and  take  their  chance. 
Thus  there  should  be  two  divisions  of  the 
water  garden,  and,  considering  the  great  beauty 
which  these  Water  Lilies  give  us  and  the  little 
care  they  require,  they  are  well  worth  this 
attention.  Once  established  nothing  gives  a 
better  result  and  finer  or  longer  bloom  without 
care  or  protection  of  any  kind.  But  what  we 
wish  to  emphasise  is,  that,  apart  from  waters 
fed  by  natural  streams,  it  is  desirable  and  often 
easy  to  have  a  little  water  nursery  to  keep 
Water  Lilies  in — a  small  pond  in  any  place  not 
frequented  by  water  animals  which  are  not 
fond  of  being  away  from  streams  or  lakes. 
Even  in  a  large  foimtain  basin  the  plants 
would  get  strength  because  free  from  attacks 
at  first." 


NAKCISSUS  COREULAMA    (MONOPHVLLUS) 
BARR   AND    SONs'    NCRSEEY  AT    LONG 
(From  a  drawing  hil  H.  G.  Moon.) 


attacks  of  the  water  rat  and  other  creatures 
which  cannot  be  kejit  out  of  ponds  fed  by 
streamlets.  By  these  and  river  banks  or  liack- 
waters  water  rats  often  take  a  lot  of  killing  to 
keep  them  down,  and  guns,  trajis,  ferrets,  or 
any  other  means  must  be  used.  The  common 
brown  i-at  is  not,  we  think,  so  U,\\A  of  these 
flowers    as    the    true  water  rat,  but   it   is  so 


ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 

HOOP  PETTICOAT  NAECLSSUS. 

LL  the  varieties  of  the  Hoop  Petti- 
coat Narcissus,  as  the  N.  corbu- 
aria  group  is  familiarly  called, 
always  excite  interest,  and  not 
infrequently  admiration  also,  when 
seen  in  large  numbers  and  in 
good  condition.  This  is  doubt- 
less due  to  their  very  pretty 
outline,  and  which  even  among 
the  Daffodils  is  well  nigh  unique. 
Their  dwarf,  even  miniature, 
growth  is  an  item  that  not  in- 
frequently suggests  pot  culture 
as  the  best  means  of  growing 
them,  and  in  this  way  these 
kinds  are  often  seen  to  advan- 
tage, which,  in  other  words, 
implies  that  you  get  the  entire 
plant,  foliage  and  all  ;  indeed, 
without  the  yiretty  Kush  -  like 
leafage,  half  the  beauty  of  the 
plant  is  gone.  The  showiest 
kind  for  pots  is  no  doubt  the 
rich  yellow  N.  corbularia,  also 
called  corbularia  conspicua,  the 
yellow  tone  being  very  rich  and 
full.  Large  bulbs  of  this  kind 
produce  quite  a  number  of 
flowers,  so  that  half-a-dozen 
in  each  pot  would  make  quite 
a  display.  For  early  work  under 
glass  this  does  not  receive  the 
attention  its  merits  deserve,  and 
being  one  of  the  cheapest  sorts 
should  only  be  an  additional 
point  in  its  favour. 

The  white  Hoop  Petticoat, 
N.  monophyllus,  is  certainly 
among  the  most  chaste  of 
winter  blossoms  in  the  ojien 
ground,  and,  though  a  good  i)ot 
plant,  one's  present  knowledge 
of  it  will  not  |iermit  of  its  being 
(ilaced  on  a  par  with  the  first, 
either  for  freedom  or  general 
dccorativeness.  As  a  "button-hole"  flower  it 
is  cjuite  uni(iue.  This  kind  is  best  grown  in  a 
dam]!,  yet  sunny,  colony  in  peat,  leaf-soil,  loam, 
and  sand  in  equal  ]iarts.  Freciuently  im])orted 
roots  take  a  long  time  to  start  into  growth,  in 
which  respect  it  is]ieculiar.  The  hu'ge  suljihur 
kind,  C.  citrinus,  is  the  largest  of  ail,  and 
pos.sesses  a  freedom  of  its  own,  yet  not  so  pro- 


IN    MESSRS. 
DITTON. 


April  6,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


246 


fusely  free  as  the  first-named.  It  is  pretty 
as  a  variety,  very  distinct,  and  easily  culti- 
vated. The  other  members  of  this  little  set 
are  C.  tennifolius  and  C.  nivalis,  both  having 
yellow  fiovs^ers,  which  appear  quite  early. 

Generally  and  broadly  in  ctiltivation  all  the 
kinds  may  be  regarded  as  moisture-loving, 
though  the  white  kind  may  be  so  in  a  much 
less  degree.  In  any  case,  however,  the  degree 
of  wetness  should  be  controlled  by  circum- 
stances, and  where  applied  it  may  be  given 
during  the  rooting  and  growing  periods.  A 
very  pretty  carpet  of  these  in  variety  could  be 
arranged  amid  tufts  of  the  Daphne  cneorum 
or  similar  plants,  while  the  old  yellow  would 
appear  to  advantage  on  a  moist  grassy  slope. 
In  colonies  on  the  rockery  here  and  there  one 
ever  expects  to  find  such  things,  and  in  such 
places  if  need  be  a  special  treatment  can 
always  be  meted  out  to  them.  Once  estab- 
lished, I  would  strongly  advise  that  no 
extended  drying  period  be  given  to  the  white 
kind,  for  this  one  at  least  appears  much 
opposed  to  it.  E.  Jenkins. 


SANTA    ROSA,    CALIFORNIA. 

The  Mexicans  who  founded  the  hacienda  or 
station  of  Santa  Rosa,  on  the  site  of  the 
present  American  town,  only  thought  to 
honour  a  patron  saint  in  the  title  they  gave 
it,  but  of  late  years  no  one  who  visits  the 
place  in  April  or  May  will  deny  the  propriety 


of  the  name  Santa  Rosa  or  its  Americanised 
form  City  of  Roses  by  which  it  is  almost  as 
widely  known  as  by  its  musical  Spanish 
cognomen. 

As  a  flower  grower's  paradise  Santa  Rosa 
is  exceptionally  well  located.  Two  streams 
pouring  from  the  mountains  to  the  east 
deployed  upon  a  plain  deep  with  a  black  soil 
and  left  a  deep  coating  of  alluvium  upon  its 
already  rich  surface.  Only  sixteen  miles  to 
the  west  lies  the  Pacific,  and  a  low  range  of 
hills  breaks  the  cold  westerly  winds,  while  it 
oti'ers  no  barrier  to  the  fog  banks  which  roll 
over  them  from  the  ocean  frequently  at  all 
seasons.  These,  aided  by  other  fogs  which  are 
blown  up  the  broad  valley  which  extends 
south  to  San  Francisco  Bay,  temper  the  heat 
and  give  much  moisture  during  the  rainless 
summer,  and  during  ordinary  winters  so  ward 
otf  frosts  that  such  tender  plants  as  Callas, 
Fuchsias,  Geraniums,  and  Heliotrope  pass 
through  unhurt,  and  in  summer  grow  in  the 
utmost  profusion.  Oranges  thrive  and  are 
loaded  yearly,  and  a  great  variety  of  half-hardy 
trees  and  shrubs  do  well.  As  to  Roses,  and 
the  very  best  of  Roses,  mostly  evergreen  Teas 
and  Hybrid  Teas  are  in  every  garden,  climb- 
ing on  every  veranda,  covering  fences,  and 
forming  hedges  here  and  there.  They  flower 
in  wonderful  profusion  in  their  first  spring 
bloom,  and  continue  into  November,  and 
sparsely  all  the  winter  in  some  seasons.  They 
are  commoner  than  the  most  ordinary  flowers 


in  most  towns,  and  such  bushes  !  Cloth  of 
Gold,  .30  feet  or  40  feet  long  on  trees  ;  Duchess 
de  Brabant,  1')  feet  in  diameter  ;  Lamar(jue 
covering  large  verandas,  and  many  others  in 
like  proportions.  Our  Californian  people  are 
not  as  a  rule  good  floriculturists.  They  have 
occu))ied  themselves  too  Vjusily  with  the 
development  of  the  resources  of  land  which 
fifty  years  ago  was  a  wilderness  or  cattle  range 
as  the  case  might  be,  and  their  skill  has  been 
developed  on  lines  of  orchard  and  vineyard 
rather  than  in  coaxing  the  beauty  out  of 
plants.  Here  at  Santa  Rosa,  however,  perhaps 
stimulated  by  a  desire  to  make  the  place  a 
city  of  Roses  in  fact  as  well  as  name,  they  have 
really  learned  to  care  for  them  properly. 

In  street  trees  Santa  Rosa  is  also  rich.  In 
Northern  California  there  has  been  an  evolu- 
tion in  the  class  of  trees  planted  for  shade. 
The  earlier  settlers  in  the  rural  regions  were 
largely  from  the  southern  and  south-western 
states,  and  had  a  traditional  regard  for  the 
Black  Locust.  For  years  it  was  practically 
the  only  tree  planted  for  .shade.  Many  of  the 
trees  planted  between  18.30  and  1870  still 
stand,  now  of  the  largest  proportion.  In 
winter  their  black  branches  and  many  dark 
persistent  pods  are  not  beautiful,  but  when 
they  become  great  masses  of  light  green,  and 
a  little  later,  when  their  long  white  racemes  of 
papilionaceous  flowers  almost  conceal  the 
foliage  and  their  fragrance  perfumes  the  entire 
neighbourhood,   there  is  .something  very  like 


THE  AVENUE   OF   EUCALYPTUS   GLOBULUS   (TREES  FULLY    I20  FEET   HIGH)   AT   SANTA   ROSA,    C.iLIFORNLi. 


246 


TttE    GARDEN. 


[April  6,   1901. 


full  compensation  for  their  winter  ugliness. 
The  native  Oaks  about  Santa  Rosa  do  not 
reach  the  grand  proportions  of  those  in  the 
valleys  of  ilendocina  and  the  lake  counties  a 
little  to  the  north  ;  but,  nevertheless,  the  many 
specimens  of  Quercus  lobata  in  and  about  the 
town  are  very  beautiful,  with  much  of  the 
weeping  habit  which  is  one  of  the  chiefest 
charms  of  our  "  Valley  Oak,"  as  it  is  oftenest 
called.  Some  very  pretty  specimens  of 
"  Black  Live  Oak  "  (Q.  aquifolia)  are  also  to  be 
.seen  about  the  valley.  These,  with  an  ample 
growth  of  several  species  of  Willow's,  of  Box 
Elder  (Negundo  californica),  of  Oregon  Maple 
(Acer  macrophylluni),  and  of  Alder  (Alnus 
oregana),  which  mark  the  line  where  the  two 
streams  wind  through  the  town,  are  Nature's 
contribution  to  the  beauty  of  the  place. 
Following  close  upon  the  Black  Locust  in  the 
succession  of  shade  trees  in  Northern  Califor- 
nia, came  various  importations  from  Australia, 
Eucalyptus  and  Acacias.  From  1870  on  for 
years  the  papers  were  full  of  eulogies  of  the 
genus  for  fuel,  for  wind-breaks,  and  for  shade. 
All  over  California  they  were  largely  planted, 
often  by  the  acre,  for  fuel.  Some  of  these  old 
growers  are  striking  features  on  the  hills  west 
of  the  Santa  Rosa  Valley,  which  are  otherwise 
treeless.  Eucalyptus  globulus  was  planted  on 
both  sides  of  a  broad  avenue  in  Santa  Rosa, 
and  the  trees,  now  fully  ]  -20  feet  high,  with  their 
smooth  brown  trunks  almost  as  perfect 
columns  as  the  great  Conifers,  make  a  noble 
corridor,  whose  beauty  the  accompanying 
photograph  may  help  your  readers  to 
appreciate. 

Acacia  mollissima,  a  round-headed  tree  with 
finely  pinnated  foliage,  was  a  favourite  in  the 
seventies,  and  deserved  to  be,  but  the  belief 
that  it  was  a  nursery  for  certain  injurious 
scale  in.sects  caused  many  a  beautiful  specimen 
to  be  sacrificed.  In  the  warm  days  late  in 
February  they  are  glories  of  golden  bloom,  as 
lovely  in  leaf  and  Hower  as  a  tree  well  could  be. 
Two  coniferous  trees  native  of  the  Califor- 
nian  coast  were  great  favourites  about  the  time 
the  Eucalypti  were  so  widely  planted,  Cupres- 
sus  macrocarpa  (the  Monterey  Cypress)  and 
rinus  in.signis  (the  Monterey  Pine),  both  natives 
of  the  maritime  region  near  the  old  Spanish 
town  of  Monterey.  As  a  hedge  tree  or  a  lawn 
tree,  always  shaved  into  some  outlandish 
shape,  the  Cypress  was  and  is  to  be  seen 
everywhere.  The  Pines  escaped  the  tree 
barber,  and  now  .some  noble  specimens  are 
to  be  met  with  about  Santa  Rosa,  along  with 
some  equally  beautiful  Monterey  Cypressus, 
which  were  so  happy  as  to  escape  the  too 
areful  gardener's  cli]ipers. 

The  next  era  in  tree  planting  brought  the 
Elms,  Maples,  and  Walnuts.  A  form  of  the 
.soft  .shell  English  Walnut  of  local  origin  is 
liecoming  a  favourite,  and  is  known  as  the 
"  Santa  Rosa  Shell."  It  grows  rapidly,  and  at 
an  early  age  bears  an  excellent  nut  in  good 
quantity.  They  are  also  being  planted  largely 
in  orchard  form. 

Of  all  of  the  succession  of  shade  trees  I  have 
mentioned,  the  best  suited  to  local  conditions 
would  seem  to  be  the  Oregon  Maple  (Acer 
macrophylluni),  a  native  of  the  surrounding 
niountains.  The  rich  moist  soil  exactly  suits 
its  requirements,  and  .some  of  the  avenues 
planted  with  it  are  very  fine.  Som°  magnifi- 
cent single  specimens  are  also  to  be  seen  by 
the  country  roadsides  hereabouts. 

Dracienas  and  two  Palms  (Chamierops 
excelsa  and  Pritchardia  filifera)  are  also  used 
for  street  jilanting  in  jiortions  of  the  town,  and 
where,  as  is  often  the  case,  fences  and  hedges 
are  dispensed  with,  the  park-like  cfiect  is  very 
pleasing. 


Phcenix  canariensis,  in  very  handsome 
form,  is  quite  common  in  the  town.  At  this 
season  the  deciduous  Magnolias  are  in  flower 
and  very  beautiful,  while  M.  grandifiora  in  fine 
trees  adorns  nearly  every  garden.  The  San 
Francisco  dealers  have  for  many  years  imported 
various  ,Ia]:ianese  shrubs  and  plants.  Very 
many  of  these  have,  'probably  from  the 
imported  stocks  .suffering  from  the  long  voyage, 
done  indifl'erently.  Two,  however,  both  fruit- 
ing, have  won  a  permanent  jilace  in  the 
Californian  garden.  The  various  .Japanese 
Persimmons  are  very  common.  Last  autumn  I 
saw  many  trees  hereabouts  loaded  down  to  the 
breaking  point  with  these  large  beautiful 
fruits.  The  Loquat  succeeds  everywhere  as  an 
ornamental  tree,  but,  as  a  rule,  fruits  i)oorly. 
At  Mr.  Luther  Burbank's  Sebastopol  grounds, 
seven  miles  from  here,  I  saw  a  tree  last 
spring  perfectly  loaded.  It  is  pulpy  with 
a  large  stone,  and  looks  much  like  a  Crab 
Apple.  Mr.  Charles  Shinn  tells  me  that  they 
are  quite  a  profitable  market  crop  in  a  small 
way  at  Niles. 

Araucaria  excelsa  can  hardly  be  hardy  here, 
for,  although  common  in  San  Francisco,  I  have 
seen  none,  but  A.  imbricata  and  Bidwelli  do 
excellently.  A  tree  of  the  latter  on  Mi:  Bur- 
bank's  grounds  is  especially  fine. 

Having  said  so  much  of  trees,  I  can  scarcel}' 
even  mention  the  large  variety  of  others,  excejit 
to  say  that  a  catalogue  of  the  natives  of  all 
countries,  Avhich  could  be  found  somewhere 
within  this  place,  would  be  astonishingly  large  ; 
the  same  thing  may  be  said  of  shrubs". 

The  list  of  flowering  plants  would  hardly  be 
as  creditable,  for,  as  I  have  said  before,  few 
Californians  are  floriculturists.  Thej'  are  apt 
to  patronise  the  enterprising  nurseryman  Avho 
has  ransacked  the  earth  for  trees  and  shrubs 
when  their  grounds  are  laid  out,  and  as  for 
good  Roses,  the  traditions  of  the  place  demand 
them  ;  hut  in  the  flower  garden,  which  requires 
constant  thought,  there  is  not  the  variety  nor 
quality  that  many  a  less  favoured  European 
village  would  .show,  yet  what  there  is  is  in  the 
profusion  that  might  be  expected  :  but  of  this 
in  some  future  letter.  Carl  Puedy. 

Santa  Bom,  California.,  Fehruari/ JO,  lOUl. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

GREEN     PEAS. 

THE  number  of  persons  who  do  not 
appreciate  the  Green  Pea  when  it  has 
been  well  grown  nnist  be  very  limited, 
for  in  it  the}'  find  a  food  t;hat  is  at 
once  peculiarly  pleasing  to  the  palate 
and  highly  nutritiou.s.  True,  there  are 
those  who  are  debarred  from  partaking  of  this 
dish,  simply  because  of  the  percentage  of  nitrogen 
contained,  but,  as  a  rule,  the  action  ot  Green  Peas 
upon  the  system  is  entirely  beneficial.  What 
wonder  then  that  the  crop  is  regarded  as  ot  primary 
importance,  and  that  considerable  thought  and 
care  are  expended  in  its  production  !  Peas  are, 
therefore,  represented  in  every  garden,  as  well  as 
being  grown  for  market  in  hundreds  of  fields 
throughout  the  countr}'. 

Notwithstanding  the  innnen.se  production,  the 
supply  is  seldom  equal  to  the  demand,  e.xeept, 
perliaps,  for  about  a  week  in  the  height  of  the 
season.  Early  and  late  Peas  are  fre<|uently  at  a 
discount,  and  yet  that  they  can  be  produced  is 
proved  by  the  splendid  results  that  are  attained  to 
in  some  gardens.  It  would  be  absurd  in  these 
notes  to  treat  of  the  very  early  crops,  as  these 
have  long  been  sown  in  pots  or  boxes  under  glass 
for  future  transplantation,  or  on  warm,  sheltered 
borders  out  of  doors  where  pods  coiue  to  maturity 
slightly  later  than  tliose  sown  indoors  and  sub- 
sequently planted.       Now  is  the  time  to  .sot  about 


the  cultivation  of  the  main  and  late  crops,  over 
which  it  would  hardly  be  possible  to  expend  too 
much  attention. 

The  first  consideration  must  be  the  soil.  It  is 
futile  to  expect  to  get  wholly  satisfaetorj'  results 
ixnless  the  looting  medium  is  stocked  with  food 
and  is  in  perfect  mechanical  condition.  As  far  as 
the  latter  is  concerned,  trenching,  if  the  sub-soil 
is  sufficiently  good  to  allow  ot  it,  is  the  best 
means  ;  failing  this,  mock  trenching  should  be 
resorted  to,  as  this,  while  materially  deepening 
the  ground,  leaves  the  strata  in  their  original 
positions.  The  surface  should  be  left  even  and 
free  from  lumps. 

In  the  process  of  working  comes  the  manuring, 
and  excellent  as  are  chemical  manures  for  all  crops 
they  ought  not  to  be  exclusively  relied  upon  for 
Peas  and  Beans.  Let  the  dressing  of  natural 
manure  be  a  generous  one,  and  if  it  is  considered 
that  a  little  more  food  would  be  advantageous, 
apply  a  mixture  of  phosphatic  and  potassic  elements 
in  the  drills  at  the  time  of  sowing  ;  nitrogenous 
foods  are  verj'  necessary,  but  being  more  fleeting 
in  their  nature,  are  better  applied  at  a  later  date, 
when  in  fact  the  plants  are  well  through  the 
ground.  The  deeper  the  soil  is  worked,  and  the 
heavier,  within  reason,  it  is  manured  the  longer, 
other  things  being  equal,  the  plants  will  remain 
productive. 

The  errors  that  are  made  in  Pea  culture  are  not 
generaHy  in  relation  to  the  preparation  of  the 
ground,  but  in  the  distance  apart  at  which  the 
plants  remain  in  the  rows,  and  the  space  between 
the  rows.  It  should  always  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  Pea  will  branch  if  it  is  allowed  room 
to  do  so,  and  that  light  and  air  mvist  have  un- 
restricted access  to  the  plants  from  the  point  of 
emergence  from  the  soil  to  their  extreme  tips. 
In  relation  to  the  distance  from  row  to  row  a 
safe  rule  to  adopt  is  to  allow  double  the  known 
height  of  the  variety  ;  the  intervening  space  can 
be  judiciously  cropped  so  as  to  prevent  waste  of 
ground,  .and  at  the  same  time  give  the  Peas 
everj'  chance.  In  regard  to  space  from  plant  to 
plant,  we  must  again  be  governed  by  the  variety, 
iiut  there  are  few  that  ought  to  be  closer  than 
4  inches,  and  the  majority  should  be  half  as  much 
more.  B3'  these  means  a  stout,  succulent  basal 
growth  is  formed,  through  which  food  can  pass 
freelj'  to  the  plant  above.  Thus  we  ensure  not 
necessarily  an  increased  luunber  of  pods,  but  these 
are  of  larger  size,  and  the  Peas  within  them  are 
infinitely  superior  in  flavour  to  those  grown  on 
plants  that  are  close  together  botii  in  and  between 
the  rows.  In  finishing  ott'  the  grornid  prior  to 
drawing  the  drills,  there  should  be  a  slight  fall 
towards  the  position  of  the  rows. 

When  the  plants  have  made  (i  inehes  of  growth 
above  the  ground,  and  have  been  properly  thinned, 
staking  should  receive  attention,  as  this  operation 
has  a  material  eft'ect  upon  after  results.  The  slick.-; 
shimld  have  side  branches,  and  be  so  placed  as  to 
interlace  and  form  a  perfect  support  for  the  plants. 
If  the  ground  round  the  plants  has  become  firm, 
loosen  it  with  a  pointed  stick,  and  apply  an 
ounce  or  so  of  nitrate  of  soda  to  lii  yards  length 
of  row. 

During  the  whole  period  of  growth  the  surface 
should  be  kept  as  loose  and  dust}'  as  possible,  and 
dressings  of  soot  at  fairly  frequent  intervals  will 
have  a  markedly  beneficial  effect  upon  the  quality 
and  colour  of  the  Peas.  If  a  dusty  surtaee  is 
maintained  above  a  deep  root  run  the  plants  will 
continue  cropping  over  a  much  longer  period  in 
droughty  weather  than  when  the  ground  is  allowed 
to  crack  and  the  nuiisture,  carrying  with  it  the 
food,  is  allowed  to  escape  into  the  atmosphere  and 
become  wasted. 

In  respect  of  prolonged  productiveness,  how- 
ever, it  is  foviud  that  the  ingathering  has  the  most 
effect.  If  the  pods  are  gathered  inniiediatelj' they 
reach  maturity  the  plants  continue  bearing.  II, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  pods  are  permitted  to 
remain,  and  ripening  commences,  the  nutriment 
gathered  up  by  the  roots  passes  to  the  develop- 
ment and  the  perfecting  of  the  seeds,  aiul  is  thus 
diverted  from  the  half  developed  puds  and  later 
flowers.  Experience  teaches  that  close  picking  i  f 
pods,  as  with  the    flowers   of  Sweet   Peas,   has  a, 


Apkil  6,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


247 


remarkable   effect    upon    the   prolongation   of   the 
period  of  profitable  bearing. 

There  is  one  other  thing  which  must  have  the 
most  careful  consideration,  and  that  is  the  question 
of  varieties.  Of  new  comers,  the  best  I  have  seen 
is  Edwin  Beckett,  which  is  hardy,  early,  and  a 
very  heavy  cropper.  The  pods  are  large,  hand- 
some, and  the  Peas  of  great  size  and  excellent 
flavour  and  colour.  It  attains  to  a  height  of  about 
4  feet  (i  inches.  This  should  be  given  a  trial. 
Varieties  that  have  proved  their  calibre  are 
Sutton's  May  Queen,  Chelsea  Gem,  Danby  Strata- 
gem, Prolific  Marrow,  Eckford's  Rex,  Carter's 
Michaelmas,  and,  lastly,  Veitch's  Autocrat.  The 
latter  is  a  grand  late  Pea,  and  though  it  has  not 
the  same  e.xcellence  of  flavour  that  is  common  to 
those  previously  named,  its  lateness  makes  it 
absolutely  indispensable  to  the  well  ■  furnished 
vegetable  garden.  H.  J.  Wright. 


INSECT    FRIENDS. 

Various  insects  are  of  the  greatest  service  possible 
to  the  horticulturist -in  fact,  without  their  assist- 
ance it  would  be  almost  useless  to  try  to  cultivate 
plants  at  all.  These  insects  belong  to  several 
orders,  perhaps  those  that  could  least  be  spared 
being  the  ichneumon  flies  and  their  near  relatives  ; 
these  insects  usually  lay  their  eggs  in  the  bodies 
of  caterpillars,  grubs,  and  aphides,  but  some 
species  deposit  their  eggs  in  chrysalides  and  in  the 
eggs.  These  insects,  though  called  ichneumon 
flies,  do  not  in  any  way  belong  to  the  order  of 
flies  proper,  which  are  two-winged  insects,  but 
they  are  classed  in  the  same  order  as  the  saw 
flies,  ants,  bees,  and  wasps,  and,  like  them, 
have  four  wings.  They  are  nearly  all  slender  in 
form,  and  have  long  legs — the  upper  pair  of  wings 
being  considerably  larger  than  the  lower  pair — 
whilst  the  end  of  the  body  in  the  females  is 
furnished  with  a  long  pointed  organ,  known  as  an 
ovipositor.  In  some  species  this  organ  is  of  great 
length,  being  longer  than  the  rest  of  the  insect, 
and  enables  the  possessor  to  reach  its  victim, 
which  may  be  a  wood-boring  grub,  or  so  placed 
that  it  would  be  inaccessible  to  the  insect  other- 
wise. In  other  species  it  is  quite  short,  and  may 
be  entirely  hidden  in  the  body  of  the  insect  when 
not  in  use.  The  ichneumon  flies  do  not  try  to 
kill  their  victims  by  piercing  them  with  their 
ovipositors,  their  only  desire  is  to  lay  their  eggs 
within  them  ;  as  soon  as  the  grubs  are  hatched, 
they  begin  to  feed  on  the  juices  of  their  host. 
Caterpillars  attacked  by  these  parasites  live  and 
feed  for  some  time,  and  have  been  known  to 
become  chrysalides,  but  this  effort  on  their  part  is 
generally  more  than  they  ean  manage.  Several  of 
the  smaller  species  attack  various  kinds  of  aphides. 
One  may  often  see  on  plants  a  large  brown  aphis 
with  a  swollen  rounded  body — the  result  of  infes- 
tation by  one  of  these  parasitic  insects  ;  the  latter 
vary  much  in  size,  from  insects  somewhat  larger 
than  those  shown  in  the  figure  to  others  about  the 
size  of  a  midge.  They  are  generally  black-brown 
or  some  dull  colour,  though  some  have  a  bright 
band  across  the  body. 

The  Hoverer  flies  (Syrphus  pyrastri  and  other 
species)  are  very  common,  and  may  often  be  seen 
hovering,  apparently  motionless  in  the  sunshine, 
near  trees  or  basking  on  leaves  with  their  wings 
outspread.  Their  grubs  are  most  voracious,  and 
feed  entirely  on  aphides.  They  are  quite  blind, 
though,  having  neither  eyes  nor  legs,  they  manage 


llOVERER  FLIES. 

i.  Scan^t  halteata.    k.  Scceva  pyrastri    7.  Sect'i^aribenii. 
:?  and  ;'.  Grubs.    3  and  Ij.  Cltrysalides. 

to  kill  an  enormous  number  of  aphides.  They 
cling  on  to  the  leaf  or  stem  on  which  they  are  bj' 
means  of  certain  tubercles  near  the  end  of  their 
bodies  ;  raising  their  heads  and  the  first  few  joints 
of  their  bodies,  they  strike  about  until  they  toucli 
an  aphis,  when  the)'  immediately  seize  it,  hold  it 
up  in  the  air,  and  suck  the  contents  of  its  body 
completely  out,  which  is  only  the  work  of  a  minute 
and  a-half.  They  then  turn  their  heads  on  one 
side,  drop  the  emptj'  skin,  and  at  once  search  for 
another  aphis.  These  grubs  are  about  half  an  inch 
long,  the  widest  part  being  at  the  tail,  and 
gradually'  taper  to  the  head.  Their  mouths  are 
furnished  with  a  double  hook,  with  which  thej' 
secure  their  prey  ;  they  are  of  a  greenish  or 
yellowish  colour,  the  chrysalides  being  pear-shaped 
and  of  a  brownish  colour.  They  are  formed  on 
the  stems  where  the  grubs  have  fed. 

The  Lace-winged  or  fiolden-eyed  fly  (Chrysopa 
perla),  though  not  so  common  as  the  lady-birds,  is 

No.  7. 


what  like  those  of  the  lady-bird  in  shape,  being, 
when  full  grown,  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in 
length,  and  of  a  dirty  white  or  pale  brown  colour, 
with  brownish  or  orange  spots.  There  is  a  row 
of  tufts  of  hair  on  either  side  of  the  body  ;  the 
grubs  of  some  species  cover  themselves  with  the 
dead  bodies  of  their  prey,  or  with  bits  of  lichen. 
Their  chrysalides  are  small  white  cocoons,  about 
the  size  of  a  small  flea. 

Lady-birds  (Coccinella  septempunctata  and  C. 
bi-punotata).  The  grubs  of  these  insects  are  most 
useful  in  destroying  aphides.  The  parent  insects 
are  too  well  known  to  require  any  description,  as 
everyone  is  familiar  with  the  seven-spotted  and 
the  two-spotted  lady-birds  ;  the  grubs  are  known 
in  hop  gardens  as  "  Niggers.''  They  are  flattish, 
of  a  leaden  grey  colour,  and  ornamented  with 
black  and  yellow  spots  ;  the  grubs  of  both  species 
are  very  much  alike,  but  those  of  the  two-spotted 
species  are  considerably  smaller  than  those  of  the 

No.  6. 


ICHNEUMO"   FLIES. 


THE    L.iCE-WINGED    FLY. 

1.  The  Lace-wiiir/ed  Fly.  -2.  The  Eygs. 

J  and  U.  The  Grubs.  0  and  6.  The  Chrysalis. 

by  no  means  unusual,  and  their  grubs,  as  well  as 
those  of  some  nearly  allied  species,  destroy  an 
enormous  number  of  aphides.  'The  parent  insects 
have  small  slender  bodies,  and  two  pairs  of  large 
pale  green  gauze-like  wings,  which  measure  about 
ItV  inches  from  tip  to  tip  when  open.  The  eyes 
are  prominent,  and  of  a  very  brilliant  golden 
colour.  Notwithstanding  the  size  of  their  wings, 
these  insects  fly  very  slowly  and  in  a  fluttering 
manner,  so  that  they  are  an  easy  prey  to  their 
enemies.  They  are  protected,  however,  to  some 
e.ttent  by  having  the  power  of  emitting  a  most 
disgusting  smell  when  touched  ;  the  eggs  are  very 
beautiful  and  curious,  and  are  often  mis- 
taken for  fungi  or  the  seed-vessel  of  a  Moss, 
as  each  is  perched  on  the  top  of  a  long 
stalk  sometimes  1  inch  in  length.  These 
eggs  are  laid  in  a  cluster  of  a  dozen  or  so 
together.  The  female,  when  about  to  lay  an 
egg,  probably  touches  the  leaf  or  stem  with 
the  end  of  her  body,  and,  e.xuding  some 
sticky  substance,  raises  the  end  of  her  body 
in  the  air,  and  so  draws  out  a  fine  thread, 
which  soon  dries,  and  on  the  top  of  which 
an  egg  is  placed.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
object  of  this  peculiarity  in  the  position  of 
the  eggs  is  to  prevent  injury  when  amongst 
a  crowd  of  aphides.     The  grubs  are  some- 


L.IDV-EIRDS. 


1  and.  2.  Eggs  (natural  size  and  laagnijied). 
S  and  k.  Grub 


8  and  5. 

9  and  fi. 


Tivo-spotted  Lady-bird  and  Chrysalis. 
Seven-spotted  Lady-bird  and  Chrysalis. 


other,  being  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
length.  It  is  unfortunate  that  when  destroying 
aphides  on  a  plant  by  means  of  an  insecticide  it  is 
impossible  to  help  killing  useful  insects  at  the 
same  time,  but  if  noticed  they  should  always  be 
removed  before  a  plant  is  syringed.  It  is  a  pity 
that  all  the  friends  of  the  gardener  are  not  as  well 
known  as  the  pretty  lady- bird,  which  every  child 
is  taught  not  to  crush,  but  to  preserve  because  it 
is  not  harmful.  There  is  a  sad  want  of  knowledge 
of  the  friends  and  foes  of  the  gardener.  Every- 
thing that  is  an  insect  is  considered  an  enemy  and 
treated  accordingly,  with  the  result  that  many 
things  are  exterminated  which  are  actually  of 
great  benefit  to  our  crops.  We  hope  that  these 
few  notes  about  the  friends  will  do  much  towards 
promoting  a  better  knowledge.  The  excellent 
illustrations  which  accompany  these  articles  are 
reproduced  by  permission  from  the  leaflets  issued 
by  the  Board  of  Agriculture  and  from  "Curtis' 
Farm  Insects,"  published  by  Gurney  and  .Jackson. 

G.  S.  Saunders. 


INDOOR     GARDEN. 

TREE    P.EONIES. 

WITHIN  the  last  decade  Tree 
Pffionies  have  become  more 
popular  than  they  were  pre- 
viously, and  beside  the  numbers 
that  are  propagated  in  this 
country  we  now  receive  large 
importations  from  .Japan,  some  delightful  varieties 
being  included  amongst  them.  They  were  first 
sent  about  a  dozen  years  ago,  and  at  that  time  high 
prices  were  realised  at  the  London  auction  rooms. 
This  apparently  acted  as  a  stimulus,  for  much 
greater  numbers  followed  in  after  years,  and  conse- 
quently they  ean  now  be  purchased  at  a  consider- 
ably cheaper  rate  than  was  formerly  the  case. 
These  Pajonies,  as  a  rule,  travel  well,  the  roots  being 
tightlj'  packed  in  Moss,  while  the  tops  are  allowed 
sufficient  space  for  a  free  circulation  of  air  around 
them,  this   being   assisted  by  holes  bored  in  the 


248 


THE  GARDEN. 


[April  6,  1901. 


boxes  opposite  these  air  spaces.  A  great  draw- 
back in  connection  with  these  Moutan  P:eonies  is 
that  they  are  all  grafted  on  to  the  roots  of  some 
vigorous  growing  kind,  whose  suckers  are  a  most 
intolerable  nuisance,  even  if  ever3'  bud  is  removed 
previous  to  planting.  In  the  catalogue  of  a  leading 
.Japanese  nurser}'  firm  fifty  varieties  of  Pieony 
Moutan  are  there  announced,  the  range  in  colour 
being  pretty  considerable.  Among  the  many  im- 
ported plants  that  have  come  under  ni}'  notice  are 
several  in  which  the  flowers  are  white,  or  nearly  so, 
one  in  particular  bearing  a  huge  single  blossom, 
with  petals  of  a  dazzling  satiny  whiteness,  some- 
what like  that  which  occurs  in  the  flowers  of 
Romneya  Coulteri.  It  is  a  striking  kind,  though 
the  double  or  semi-double  varieties  are  admired  by 
the  majority. 

Apart  from  their  beauty  out  of  doors.  Tree 
Pa?ouies  are  well  suited  for  flowering  under  glass  in 
the  spring,  at  which  time  their  large  showy 
blossoms  form  a  most  attractive  feature,  which 
appeals  not  only  from  its  own  intrinsic  beauty, 
but  also  from  the  fact  that  it  is  so  distinct  from 
any  other  class  of  plants  employed  for  the  em- 
bellishment of  the  greenhouse  at  that  season. 
These  Pieonies  should  by  no  means  be  forced  in  the 
ordinary  acceptance  of  the  term,  but  brought  on  in 
a  good  light  position  in  a  greenhouse  temperature, 
as  in  this  way  their  usual  flowering  season  out  of 
doors  is  anticipated  by  some  weeks.  From  the 
stout  deep  descending  nature  of  their. roots  they 
need  comparatively  large  pots  and  good  loamy  soil, 
lightened  to  the  necessar}'  extent  by  well-decayed 
manure  and  sand,  while  during  the  growing  season 
liquid  manure  occasionally  is  of  great  service. 
Those  plants  that  have  flowered  under  glass  will 
need  great  eare  afterwards,  for  the  delicate  leaves 
are  susceptible  to  injury,  hence  it  will  be  necessary 
to  protect  them  until  all  danger  from  frosts  is  over, 
at  the  same  time  plenty  of  light  and  air  must  be 
given  in  order  to  encourage  sturdy  growth.  In 
potting  these  P:eonies  care  should  be  taken  to 
completely  cover  the  point  of  union,  and  a  good 
stake  put  to  each  in  order  to  save  them  from 
snapping  off',  which  grafted  plants  are  liable  to  do 
if  they  are  at  all  roughly  handled.  This  precaution 
is  doubly  necessary  when  they  are  planted  out  of 
doors.  If  grown  in  pots,  providing  the  soil  is  of  a 
lasting  nature  and  in  good  condition,  these  Pteonies 
will  not  need  repotting  for  some  years,  though 
occasional  doses  of  stimulating  manure  will  be  of 
great  service. 

In  planting  Tree  P;T?onies  out  of  doors  give  a  good 
deep  loamy  soil  that  is  not  parched  up  at  any  time, 
and  yet  is  by  no  means  water-logged,  for  thorough 
drainage  is  absolutely  necessary.  Position,  too,  is 
of  very  great  importance,  particularly  in  the 
southern  counties,  where  late  spring  frosts  are 
often  experienced  after  the  tender  leaves  of  the 
Pa;ony  are  sufficiently  developed  to  be  quickly 
crippled.  A  fairly  exposed  position  in  a  good  open 
spot,  where  the  growth  will  be  thoroughly  ripened, 
is  more  favourable  to  these  Pajonies  than  a  warm 
sheltered  nook,  as  in  such  a  place  they  start  into 
leaf  much  earlier.  For  this  reason  better  examples 
are  to  be  found  in  the  north  than  in  the  south, 
except  in  the  more  favoured  districts,  where,  pro- 
viding the  soil  is  suitable,  and  the  spot  not  too 
much  shaded,  they  may  be  planted  with  perfect 
confidence.  H.  P. 


IRIS    PARADOXA    VAR. 
CHOSCHAB. 

All  who  grow  Iri.se.s  and  favour  that  peculiarly 
attractive  little  group  of  Oncocylus  or  Cu.shiou 
Irises,  will  look  upon  I.  paradoxa  as  one  of  the 
most  strange  and  at  the  same  time  most  de.sir- 
able  of  its  class.  It  is  now  nearly  a  century 
since  it  first  became  known  to  European 
botanists,  but  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
to-day  it  is  quite  as  rare  in  cultivation  as  it 
was  fifty  year.s  ago.  This  no  doubt  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  only  very  small  quantities 
of  it,  and  that  at  long  intervals,  have  from 
time  to  time  been  sent  home  from  its  native 
habitats.    Since  the  Russian  botanist  Steven 


first  described  it  in  vol.  v.  of  the 
"  Memoires  de  la  Societe  Imperiale  des 
Naturalistes  de  Moscou,"  it  has  been 
noticed  by  a  good  many  subsei[tient 
authors,  and  coloured  plates  of  this  Iris 
have  been  published  in  the  Gnrteniioi-a, 
The  G.\eden",  and  the  liotnniad  Jlar/a- 
:ine.  All  the  descriptions,  as  well  as 
the  figures,  represent  the  flowers  with 
purple  -  coloured  standards,  so  that  it 
may  be  assumed  that  no  other  varieties 
be.sides  the  originally  described  purple- 
coloured  one  were  known  to  the  many 
botanists  who  notice  it  in  their  works. 
Steven  described  his  plant  from  a  speci- 
men collected  in  ancient  Iberia,  which 
lies  south-east  of  the  Caucasus,  but  he 
does  not  give  any  fixed  locality.  Later 
it  has  beenreported  from  nearSchemacha 
and  Elisabethpol  in  the  same  country  : 
also  from  the  district  Talych  in  south- 
eastern Trans-Caucasia,  besides  a  few 
more  places  in  the  same  region.  Further 
to  the  south-west  a  new  variety  was  dis- 
covered in  1899  which  has  the  standards  1 
coloured  white,  delicately  though  dis-  k, 
tinctly  veined  with  lilac-violet.  Attrac-  ^ 
tive  as  the  purple-coloured  variety  is,  it  N. 

must  give  way  in  point  of  beauty  to  the 
white-flowered  companion  form  here 
illustrated.  The  Messrs.  Van  Tulsergen, 
of  Haarlem,  Holland,  who  obtained  this 
surprisingly  beautiful  new  Iris  through 
the  collector  they  sent  out  in  1899  to 
north-west  Persia  and  eastern  Armenia, 
first  flowered  it  in  their  nursery  in  May, 
1900,  and  many  hundreds  of  the  lovely 
flowers  were  sometimes  open  at  the  same 
time,  specimens  continuing  to  come  into  bloom 
long  after  others  had  already  entirely  faded.  The 
accompanying  illustration  shows  the  habit  of 
the  plant,  flower,  and  bud  to  advantage,  but  it 
cannot,  of  course,  give  an  idea  of  the  charming 
combination  of  colours  displayed  in  the  velvety 
black  horizontally  spreading  lip,  with  its  quaint 
transverse  red  marking  and  the  milky- white 
lilac-veined  standards,  which  when  unfolding 
look  like  the  wings  of  some  strange  butterfly. 
The  varietal  name  Clioschab  has  been  given 
to  it  from  the  village  near  which  it  was  collected 
in  the  hilLs,  and  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
original  purple  coloured  forms. 

Haarlem,  Holland.  .John  Hoog. 

[Mr.  .J.  _G.  Baker  says  of  this  Iris  :  "  I. 
paradoxa  is  the  only  species  of  the  Cushion 
Iris  that  has  those  small  tongue-shaped  outer 
perianth  segments  (falls).  In  all  the  others 
they  ?.re  large  and  obovate.  There  is  an  excel- 
lent figure  in  the  Botanical  Magazine  t.  7081 
with  lilac  standards." — Eds.] 


NOTES     FROM     IRISH 
GARDENS. 

DORNDEN,    DUBLIN. 

DORNDEN  is  a  name  not  unfamiliar  to 
the  readers  of  The  Garden.  Not  so 
very  long  ago  a  photograph,  from  the 
camera  of  Mr.  Greenwood  Pirn,  ap- 
peared in  these  columns,  showing  the 
lovely  Iris  walk,  which  has  also  more 
than  once  been  fitly  spoken  of  bj'  the  competent 
pen  of  Mr.  Burbidge,  through  whose  good  oifices  I 
first  had  the  pleasure  of  visiting  this  beautiful 
ga,rden.  It  is  not  to  be  ranked  with  the  greater 
gardens  round  the  Irish  metropolis  ;  it  is,  howevei', 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  best  kept  of  those 
of  smaller  size.  The  situation  of  Dornden  is  not 
one  which  lends  itself  to  the  picturesque  effects 
obtainable  from  grounds  of  varied  contour.     It  is 


IKIS   PAK.\DOX.\    VAK.    CHOSCHAB. 

on  almost  a  dead  level,  so  that  it  is  principally  of 
interest  as  showing  what  good  gardening  can  do  to 
give  beauty  and  interest  to  such  a  place. 

Unfortunately,  Mrs.  Burroughes,  for  long  a  most 
devoted  gardener  and  lover  of  flowers  and  plants, 
is  now  so  much  advanced  in  j'ears  that  she  cannot 
fully  enjoy  her  garden,  and  is  onh'  in  it  occasionally, 
so  that  it  is  well  that  her  gardener,  Mr.  (Jeraicl 
Carroll,  takes  so  keen  an  interest  in  it  that  there 
is  the  same  attention  to  the  work  of  the  garden  as 
if  his  employer  were  visiting  it  daily  and  able  to 
supervise  it  constantl}'. 

One  need  say  little  about  the  Iris  path,  which 
has  already  been  written  of  by  an  abler  pen  than 
mine.  It  is  verj'  beautiful  indeed,  though  when  I 
last  saw  Dornden  these  flowers  were  out  of  bloom. 
It  did  not  require  a  great  effort  of  the  imagination 
to  recall  it  as  one  saw  it  on  a  former  occasion, 
when  the  fresh  green  grass  of  the  pathway  harmo- 
nised so  beautifuU}'  with  the  fine  leaves  of  the 
Flag  Irises,  whose  lovely  blooms  were  reared  above 
them.  It  was  a  sight  not  readily  forgotten,  and 
made  one  appreciate  the  beauty  of  such  a  combi- 
nation. This  pathway  is  in  the  kitchen  garden, 
and  an  extension  of  the  grass  walk  has  on  either 
side  a  number  of  Narcissi,  of  which  many  are 
grown  at  Dornden,  and  grown  well,  too,  as  one 
may  judge  from  the  luxuriant  leaves  which  still 
remained.  Mr.  Carroll  is  not  only  a  keen,  hut 
also  a  successful  exhibitor  at  the  Dublin  shows, 
and  the  kitchen  garden  contains,  in  addition  to  the 
capitally  grown  fruit  trees  and  vegetables,  a 
number  of  good  herbaceous  plants  for  competition 
and  for  decoration.  Particularly  worth}'  of  men- 
tion is  Senecio  pnlcher,  whicli  is  here  finer  than  I 
had  ever  seen  it.  It  may  be  that  the  stock  is  finer 
in  quality  than  is  generally  met  with,  or  it  nuiy 
be  due  to  the  soil  or  cultivation.  The  plants  were 
vigorous  and  the  blooms  large  and  finelv  coloured. 
Capitally  grown  also  was  the  Willow  (.ientian 
(G.  asclepiadea),  which  was  just  of  the  size  one 
likes  to  see  ;  vigorous  without  being  coar.se.  A 
plant  one  does  not  too  often  meet  with  was  the  old 
double  Siberian  Lai'kspur,  which  does  well  at 
Dornden,  though  I  know  of  one  Scottish  garden 
where  it  is  more  vigorous.  Among  the  other 
plants  which  I  observed  in  capital  condition  were 


April  6,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


249 


Rudbeckia  specioaa  and  Lobelia  syphilitica.  Other 
useful  plants  were  plentiful,  among  them  Galtonia 
oandicans,  Gypsophila  paniculata,  perennial  Sun- 
Howers,  Montbretias,  and  Anemone  japonica  in 
several  varieties.  Large  clumps  of  Tigridias, 
planted  in  the  open  for  five  years  and  left  undis- 
turbed, made  one  somewhat  envious  of  the  climate 
of  this  district. 

Beyond  the  Icitchen  garden  there  is  a  pretty  bit 
of  shrubbery,  which  looks  attractive  in  its  setting 
of  green  turf.  The  most  conspicuous  thing  here 
was  Choisya  ternata,  which  does  very  well  about 
Dublin.  The  fine  bushes  at  Dornden  were  capital 
e.tamples  of  the  shrub  at  its  best. 

The  glass  department  is  not  large,  though  quite 
equal  to  the  wants  of  the  establishment  and  in 
proportion  to  the  place.  A  fine  crop  of  Tomatoes 
was  in  one  of  the  liouses,  and  in  the  conservatory 
the  usual  flowering  plants  were  supplemented  by 
Streptosolen  Jamesoni  on  the  back  wall  and  on 
the  roof.  As  a  climber  for  conservatory  decoration 
this  plant  ought  to  be  more  grown.  Its  orange- 
coloured  flowers  are  shown  to  far  more  advantage 
than  in  the  dwarfer  plants  generally  seen. 

The  flower  garden  is  not  large.  A  number  of 
beds  are  cut  in  the  lawn  around  the  house,  and 
these  are  partly  occupied  with  herbaceous  plants, 
annuals,  and  bedding  flowers,  Mr.  Carroll's  object 
being  to  have  as  long  a  season  of  bloom  as  possible. 
The  herbaceous  plants  are  prettily  planted  in  an 
informal  way,  and  are  very  well  grown.  The 
climbers  on  the  walls  are  carefuUj'  trained,  and 
add  greatly  to  the  impression  given  by  this  bright 
little  garden. 

The  writer's  first  visit  was  paid  in  the  com- 
pany of  a  gardener  of  taste  and  of  long  and 
varied  experience.  On  leaving  it  he  said  to  me 
again  and  again  :  "  It  is  a  gem  ;  it  is  a  gem."  In 
a  land  of  good  gardens  it  was  high  praise,  but  it 
was  merited,  and  a  second  visit  gave  no  reason  to 
modify  one's  agreement  with  the  sentiment. 
Small  as  is  the  garden  at 
Dornden  compared  with  many 
of  its  neighbours,  it  bears  upon 
it  the  impress  of  good  work 
well  and  faithfully  done. 

S.  Arnott. 


above  species  may  be  successfully  grown  in  a 
partly  shaded,  damp,  peaty  bog. 

W.  Irving. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


FLOWER    GARDEN. 

HERBACEOUS  plants  which  have  to  be 
protected  during  the  winter  with  a 
covering  of  ashes  or  some  similar 
material  round  their  crowns  should 
now  have  this  protection  removed.  It 
is  unwise  to  dig  ashes  into  the  borders, 
far  better  take  them  right  away,  as  they  are  im- 
poverishing in  all  cases,  and  almost  poisonous  to 
some  plants  when  their  roots  come  into  contact 
with  them. 

Replanting  Tritomas. 

This  is  an  excellent  time  in  which  to  divide  and 
replant  these.  Even  if  there  is  no  need  to  part 
them  for  actual  increase  of  stock,  it  should  be  done 
every  three  or  four  years,  so  that  the  chimps  may 
be  relieved  of  some  of  the  weaker  growths  which 
help  to  choke  the  stronger  flowering  crowns.  In 
very  rich  soil  they  will  go  on  for  many  years  with- 
out disturbance,  but  this  is  not  the  case  unless 
special  preparation  has  been  given.  When  the 
plants  are  lifted  take  the  opportunity  of  thoroughly 
enriching  the  soil  bj'  digging  in  plenty  of  well- 
mellowed  manure,  and  increase  the  depth  of  good 
soil  if  possible.  Plant  with  the  crowns  well  below 
the  surface  level,  this  in  itself  being  a  great  pro- 
tection in  sharp  winters,  and  do  not  heap  the  soil 
round  them  higher  than  the  surrounding  level,  for 
they  enjoy  all  the  moisture  they  can  get.  It  is  far 
better  to  form  the  soil  into  a  kind  of  basin  round 
the  plants  than  to  have  it  on  a  mound. 


Pampas  Grass. 
This  is  also  the  best  time  to  move,  divide,  or 
replant  Pampas  Grass.  It,  too,  has  a  habit  of 
becoming  congested,  and  from  the  saw-like  nature 
of  its  blades  it  is  difficult  to  keep  it  free  from 
perennial  weeds.  Roots  of  the  large-flowered 
white  Convolvulus  becon\e  incorporated  in  the 
clumps  and  strangle  the  growth,  and  nothing  .short 
of  lifting  the  clumps,  and  tracing  out  the  roots  of 
the  weed  is  of  any  avail.  When  the  Pampas  is 
moved  at  this  time  of  the  year  it  takes  no  harm 
whatever,  though  at  any  other  season  it  will 
scarcely  re-establish  itself.  Clumps  too  big  to  lift, 
and  which  have  got  into  bad  condition,  may  be,  to 
a  certain  extent,  rejuvenated  by  setting  fire  to  the 
whole  mass  and  burning  it  to  the  ground.  Strong 
growths  will  soon  push  up  again,  and  these  will 
throw  up  better  plumes. 

IVY. 

Ivy  growing  on  walls  should  be  clipped  every 
year,  cutting  away  all  leaves  and  projecting 
growths.  When  treated  in  this  way  it  looks  rather 
shabby  for  a  week  or  two,  but  new  growth  soon 
appears,  and  the  fresh  crop  of  leaves  will  be  all  the 
better  for  the  relief,  and  room  obtained  for  them. 
This  annual  clipping  is  also  a  means  of  assisting 
the  clinging  aerial  roots,  for  it  relieves  them  of 
much  weight,  and  walls  are  not  so  likelj'  to  be 
stripped  in  high  winds.  Early  in  April  is  the  best 
time  for  clipping  Ivy. 

Evergreen  Shrubs. 

The  verj'  best  time  for  planting  evergreen  shrubs 
for  garden  ornament  is  now.  Some  object  to  spring 
planting  on  the  plea  that  the  shrubs  take  more 
water  during  the  summer,  but  even  if  they  do  so 
they  certainly  grow  away  more  freely  under  good 
attention  when  planted,  while  the  roots  are  active. 
This  is  especially  the  case  with  Hollies,  quite  big 
bushes   of    which    may   be   planted   now   without 


GENTIANA 

ORNATA. 

The  illustration  here  given 
represents  one  of  the  nume- 
rous species  of  Himalayan 
Gentians  at  home  in  its 
native  habitat  in  the  higher 
regions  of  the  eastern  and 
central  Himalaya,  where  it 
is  found  at  an  elevation  of 
11,000  feet  to  15,000  feet.  It 
is  a  beautiful  large  form  of 
the  variable  G.  ornata,  which 
is  figured  in  the  Botanical 
Magazine,  tab.  6,514,  with 
trailing  stems,  small  linear 
glabrous  leaves,  and  tubular 
flowers  of  a  beautiful  pale 
blue.  The  form  shown  here, 
however,  is  more  compact  in 
habit,  with  larger  funnel- 
shaped  flowers  of  the  same 
colour,  borne  singly  on  short 
leafy  stems.  It  is  decidedly 
an  excellent  variety  of  the 
species,  and  would  be  a  great 
acquisition  to  an  already 
large  but  favourite  family. 

The  cultivation  of  many 
of  the  Gentians  from  the 
higher  altitudes  is  attended 
with  many  difficulties,  miss- 
ing as  they  do  the  pure 
atmosphere  and  covering  of 
snow  during  the  winter 
mouths.      The   type   of  the 


GENTIANA    ornata   IN    THE   HIMALAYAS. 


250 


tiite  GAiit)EN. 


[Apiul  6,  1901. 


harm   if   they  are   well   looked   after   during   the 
summer. 

Gladiolus  and  Hyaci.nthos  uandicans. 

Bulbs  of  these  maj'  now  be  planted  among 
herbaceous  plants  or  elsewhere  wherever  they  will 
make  a  good  autumn  display.  Plant  the  bulbs 
4  inches  deep,  putting  under  each  a  little  sand, 
e.tcept  where  the  soil  is  naturally  sandy,  as  this 
assists  the  young  roots  to  develop  and  strengthen 
before  entering  the  heavier  soil.  I  can  strongly 
recommend  the  stronger  varieties  of  Gladiolus  to 
all  intending  planters,  the  plants  being  generally 
healthy  and  the  flowers  fine.  .J.  C.   Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


KITCHEN  GAEDEN. 
Beet. 

In  order  to  have  a  supply  of  Beet  for  salad  in 
early  summer,  a  sowing  should  be  made  at  once 
in  a  sheltered  part  of  the  garden  where  the  soil  is 
light  and  rich.  The  Egyptian  Turnip  rooted  is  an 
excellent  variety  for  this  purpose,  coming  into  use 
early,  and  is  of  fine  quality.  Sow  thinly  in  rows 
1  foot  apart  and  cover  lightly  with  fine  soil.  As 
soen  as  the  plants  are  large  enough,  thej'  maj'  be 
thinned  to  6  inches  from  plant  to  plant,  and  the 
soil  between  the  rows  frequentlj'  stirred  with  a 
hoe  to  keep  the  crop  free  from  weeds  and  hasten 
their  development,  so  that  j'oung  Beet  may  be 
ready  for  use  before  last  year's  crop  is  quite  used 
up.  The  general  sowing  of  Beet  may  be  made 
early  in  the  month  of  May  if  the  weather  is 
favourable,  but  excellent  crops  ma^'  be  had  from 
sowings  made  as  late  as  June.  The  soil  should  be 
trenched  or  deeply  dug  and  well  broken  with  the 
digging  fork,  so  that  no  hard  lumps  may  come  in 
contact  with  the  roots  in  their  downward  course  ; 
the  rows  may  be  16  inches  apart  for  this  sowing, 
and  the  young  plants  be  thinned  to  9  inches 
between  the  plants  as  soon  as  they  are  large 
enough.  Varieties  that  produce  even-sized  roots 
of  good  colour  are  Blood-red  and  Pragnell's  Ex- 
hibition. Last  season's  roots  in  store  should  have 
frequent  attention  to  remove  young  growth,  and 
cover  closely  to  keep  the  air  from  drying  them,  so 
that  they  may  be  preserved  until  the  young  roots 
are  fit  for  use. 

Sea-Kale 
roots  laid  in  the  ground  in  early  winter  will  now 
be  ready  for  planting,  and  should  be  attended  to  as 
early  in  the  month  as  possible.  If  the  ground  on 
which  they  are  to  be  grown  was  trenched  early  in 
the  season,  no  further  preparation  will  be  necessary 
beyond  a  deep  stirring  with  the  digging  fork.  It 
is  of  great  importance  that  the  soil  should  be  of  an 
open  nature,  not  only  for  the  production  of  this 
season's  crop,  but  in  order  that  the  3'oung  roots 
which  are  to  form  the  foundation  of  next  season's 
crop  may  be  as  large  and  clean  as  possible.  The 
cuttings  may  be  planted  in  rows  'i  feet  apart  and 
1  foot  from  plant  to  plant,  with  an  ordinary  dibber, 
covering  the  root  to  the  depth  of  2  inches.  If  the 
latest  batch  is  to  be  grown  in  the  beds,  they  should 
be  covered  up  as  soon  as  the  crowns  are  seen  to  be 
moving.  Eight  inches  of  leaf-mould  will  make  an 
excellent  covering  for  the  crop,  and  after  the  Kale 
has  been  cut  the  tops  of  the  crowns  may  be  cut 
of}'  with  an  ordinarj'  spade  to  the  depth  of  2  inches 
and  left  in  their  present  quarters,  where  they  will 
make  good  crowns  for  forcing  next  season. 

Sowing  'Vegetable  Seeds. 
Celery  sown  early  will  now  require  pricking  off 
singly  into  3-inoh  pots,  where  they  may  be  allowed 
to  remain  until  planting  out  early  in  May.  The 
young  plants  must  be  kept  close  for  a  few  days 
after  removal  from  the  seed  pan  and  never  allowed 
to  become  dry,  which  is,  in  my  opinion,  the  most 
fertile  cause  of  their  running  to  seed.  Leeks  and 
Onions  will  also  require  attention.  The  seedlings 
may  be  pricked  off  into  small  pots  and  treated  in 
the  same  way  until  ready  for  planting  out  in  May. 
Mushroom  beds  should  be  made  up  to  produce  a 
supply  in  June  and  July.  The  best  place  for  these 
beds  is  an  open  shed  with  a  northern  aspect,  the 
front  of  which  can  be  covered  up  with  mats  to 
prevent  evaporation.  The  depth  of  the  bed  in 
open  sheds  at  this  season  should  be  1.5  inches,  so 


that  it  may  retain  the  heat  a  sufficient  time  to 
allow  the  spawu  to  run.  Cover  up  with  straw  as 
soon  as  the  soil  has  been  placed  on  the  surface  of 
the  bed,  so  that  the  natural  heat  may  be  retained 
as  long  as  possible.  Collect  further  quantities  of 
horse  manure  so  that  beds  ma}'  be  made  up 
behind  a  north  wall  to  supplj-  a  few  buttons 
during  the  very  hot  weather  generally  experienced 
by  the  end  of  July  and  August.  John  Dunn. 
Royal  Kitchen  Gardeiis,  Windsor. 


INDOOR  GAEDEN. 

Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine. 
The  main  batch  of  this  popular  plant  now  rooted 
should  be  put  singly  into  small  pots.  It  is  sur- 
prising how  soon  this  Begonia,  in  common  with 
other  varieties,  becomes  a  plant  when  pushed  on 
in  its  earlier  stages.  A  loose  fine  soil  must  here  be 
used,  and  drainage  corresponding  to  the  size  of  the 
pot  added  ;  the  soil  must  not,  however,  be  pressed 
too  firmlj'  about  the  roots,  and  assuming  the  soil 
to  be  neither  too  wet  nor  too  dry,  water  at  the 
root  is  not  advised  just  for  a  few  days  ;  the  pots 
should,  however,  be  stood  in  a  propagating  case 
for  at  least  a  fortnight  until  root  action  is  fairly 
established,  when  they  may  be  taken  to  a  position 
near  the  glass  where  shading  can  be  supplied,  but 
a  brisk  stove  temperature  must  still  be  kept  up. 
B.  Gloire  de  Sceaux  will  require  similar  treatment, 
as  also  will  the  ornamental-foliaged  varieties, 
though  here  of  course  a  slightly  rougher  mixture 
may  be  used  in  potting,  and  the  advantages  of 
close  quarters,  while  of  considerable  benefit  to  all 
j'oung  stock,  is  here  not  quite  so  necessary,  3-inch 
pots  for  the  smaller  stock  and  4i-inch  for  the 
larger  ones  will  be  the  two  sizes  most  suitable. 

Tuberous  Section. 

Spring-sewn  seedlings  at  present  in  pans  and 
boxes  should  again  be  in  a  condition  to  be 
dealt  with.  I  find  it  a  good  plan  to  adopt  to 
shift  the  young  seedlings  as  they  require  the 
increased  room  until  it  is  safe  to  place  them  in  a 
cold  frame,  or,  better  still,  a  frame  with  a  hot- 
water  pipe  in  it  ;  a  bed  can  here  be  made  up,  the 
stock  planted  out,  and  thus  grown  throughout  the 
season  until  the  flowering  season  comes  round, 
when  the  worst  may  be  weeded  out  and  thus 
allow  far  more  room  to  the  better  ones,  for  no 
matter  how  carefully  the  seed  may  be  saved  there 
are  bound  to  be  forms  appear  which  in  the  present 
day  are  by  no  means  satisfaetor}'.  The  Begonia 
being  au  accommodating  subject  can  be  put  into  a 
pot  at  any  time  during  the  season  so  long  as  care 
is  taken  to  lift  the  roots  with  a  certain  amount  of 
soil  adhering. 

Amaryllis. 

Presuming  the  spike  to  be  well  advanced  and 
the  foliage  stout,  the  proper  feeding  of  these  sub- 
jects should  be  taken  in  hand.  Farmyard  liquid 
is  the  best  where  this  can  be  obtained  ;  failing 
this  some  cow  manure  soaked  for  twenty-four 
hours,  with  a  dash  of  soot  added,  makes  a  verj' 
safe  and  efficacious  stimulant ;  secure  any  foliage 
which  may  have  become  loose,  and  make  the 
approaching  display  as  attractive  as  possible. 

Gloxinias. 

The  earliest  sown  batch  will  have,  under 
favovirable  conditions,  made  sufficient  headway  to 
permit  of  their  being  potted  singly  ;  2i-inch  pots 
are  the  kind  recommended,  and  soil  of  a  light 
porous  character  must  be  used  ;  little  water  will 
also  be  necessary,  but  a  humid,  somewhat 
close,  atmosphere  is  advised.  Older  plants  will 
require  more  individual  room  as  they  develop ; 
stand  the  plants  quite  clear  of  each  other,  so  that 
the  syringe  may  be  allowed  to  work  amongst  the 
leaves.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  Hoii.ie  Gardeiui,  Roehamplon. 

FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Earlv  Melons. 
If  sown  as  advised  some  six  weeks  ago,  the  plants 
will  now  be  making  good  progress.  To  secure  an 
early  set  it  is  advisable  to  take  the  first  fruits  that 
form,  and  if  the  lateral  growths  have  not  been 
stopped  it  is  well  to  do  this.     We  find  with   very 


early  plants  it  is  advisable  to  plant  somewhat 
closer,  and  get,  say,  two  or  three  fruits,  the  first 
that  show,  rather  than  wait  longer  to  secure  more. 
As  most  growers  are  aware,  if  a  single  fruit  is  set 
this  takes  the  lead,  with  the  result  that  later 
fruits  are  useless.  This  shows  the  importance  of 
setting  several  fruits  as  nearly  as  possible  at  the 
same  time.  A  temperature  of  70°  to  7.5''  by  day 
must  be  maintained,  allowing  the  thermometer  to 
run  up  freely  by  sun  heat.  During  the  flowering 
period  the  plants  should  be  kept  a  little  drier, 
the  house  also,  and  as  soon  as  sufficient  fruits  are 
secured  give  weak  liquid  manure  occasionally  in  a 
tepid  state  ;  maintain  a  moist  atmosphere,  close  the 
house  early,  and  ventilate  carefully  in  cold  weather, 
the  night  temperature  being  10°  lower  than  by 
da}-.  Stop  the  growths  one  or  two  joints  beyond 
the  fruit  and  top-dress  with  good  loam  and  some 
bone-meal. 

Melons  in  Frames  or  Pits. 
The  culture  of  Melons  at  the  present  day  is  less 
difficult  than  formerly,  as  with  modern  glass 
erections  more  regular  temperatures  can  be  main- 
tained and  much  better  results  secured.  On  the 
other  hand,  even  now  various  shifts  have  to  be 
made,  and  my  advice  more  concerns  those  who 
have  not  the  best  advantages,  and  now  is  a  good 
time  to  sow  for  summer  fruiting.  All  cannot  give 
bottom  heat,  but  though  helpful,  it  is  not  essential 
if  care  is  taken  in  watering  and  oulj'  enough  soil 
given  to  start  the  plants.  Many  good  Melons  have 
been  grown  in  ordinary  manure  frames,  that  is, 
frames  placed  on  large  heaps  of  prepared  manure, 
but  grown  thus,  and  especially  earlj'  in  the  season, 
it  is  necessarj'  to  keep  up  the  linings  with  freshly- 
added  manure  to  maintain  sufficient  warmth.  I 
will  not  dwell  at  length  on  the  latter  mode  of 
culture,  as  many  can  grow  in  pits  or  heated 
frames,  and  here  two  crops  in  a  season  ma}'  be 
secured  ;  but  it  often  happens  that  the  frames  or 
pit  can  only  be  spared  for  at  times,  say,  from 
Maj'  to  the  end  of  August  or  early  in  September, 
and  now  is  a  good  time  to  sow  for  frame  or  pit 
culture.  Sow  two  seeds  in  small  pots,  place  in  a 
warm  temperature,  and  as  soon  as  the  plants  are 
through  the  soil  give  tepid  water  when  required, 
and  thin  to  the  strongest  plant  and  grow  near  the 
light  in  a  temperature  of  70°.  Prepare  the  bed 
at  the  same  time  and  the  soil  will  then  be  in 
condition  for  planting.  If  onlj'  frame  culture  can 
be  given,  strong  plants  should  be  grown,  and 
planting  out  in  May  will  be  quite  early  enough. 

Forced  Strawberries. 

April  and  May  are  the  best  months  for  forced 
Strawberries,  and  much  better  results  are  obtained 
when  the  plants  are  given  what  is  termed  slow 
treatment  at  first.  As  is  well  known,  the  Straw- 
berry grown  naturally  flowers  in  a  low  temperature, 
and  this  must  be  borne  in  mind.  Too  much 
heat  in  the  early  stages  causes  man}'  failures.  The 
temperature  given  for  vines  just  starting  suits 
Strawberries  ;  grown  thus  the  flower  trusses  are 
much  stronger.  (:)ive  ample  moisture  by  damping 
overhead  with  tepid  water.  G.  Wythes. 

Syon  Hon-ie  Gardens,  Brentford. 


HARDY    FRUITS    IN    SEASON. 

The  list  of  the  best  varieties  of  late  Pears  in 
season  from  Christmas  to  Easter  has  now 
been  practically  exhausted.  After  Easter  I 
am  afraid  it  is  hopeless  to  look  for  Pears  of 
good  quality  being  grown  and  preserved  in 
this  country,  at  any  rate  under  the  old  system 
of  preservation.  What  the  new  system  of  cold 
storage  may  effect  in  jirolonging  the  season  in 
which  the  Pear  may  be  had  in  condition  for 
dessert  remains  to  be  seen.  The  principle  of 
lengthening  the  time  in  which  it  is  possiole  to 
keep  ripe  fruit  from  decay  by  subjecting  it  to 
a  low  temperature  by  artificial  appliances  has 
been  successfully  demonstrated  by  those 
interested  in  the  importation  of  foreign  fruit 
into  this  country,  but  this  is  no  new  discovery. 
The  same  principle  has  been  applied  on  a 
limited  scale  by  resourceful  gardeners  for  at 


April   6,  1901. 


THE    GAKDEN. 


251 


least  thirty  years  to  my  knowledge.  To  meet 
certain  emergencies  in  tliis  way  of  garden 
parties  and  other  festive  functions,  on  which 
occasions  it  is  imperative  that  a  liberal  supply 
of  the  choicest  and  best  of  fruit  must  be  had 
in  variety  and  abundance,  I  have  often  had 
recourse  to  the  friendly  assistance  of  ice  wells. 
By  placing  the  following  soft  and  perishable 
fruits  —  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Melons,  Figs, 
Strawberries,  and  Pines — in  boxes  on  the  bare 
ice,  where  the  temperature  in  summer  would 
range  from  3.5°  to  40°,  I  have  succeeded  in 
keeping  them,  as  regard.s  appearances,  in 
perfect  condition  for  upwards  of  a  fortniglit 
longer  than  could  possibly  have  been  done  in 
the  usual  way  in  tlie  ordinary  fruit  room.  On 
those  occasions  fruit,  apart  from  its  value  as 
a  dessert,  is  largely  called  into  requisition  in 
virtue  of  its  decorative  importance  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  dining  table. 

As  regards  this  latter  attribute,  I  must  say 
that  the  ice  well  proved  to  be  an  excellent 
friend  in  need,  for  it  would  have  been 
impossible  to  have  liad  the  abundant  supply 
provided  without  its  aid  on  certain  occasions. 


shown  what  can  be  done  in  this  way  in 
preserving  Apples  by  their  wonderful  exhibit 
of  perfectly  preserved  fruit  in  great  variety  on 
several  occasions  at  the  Temple  show  towards 
the  end  of  May.  Messrs.  Veitch  and  Bunyard 
have  built  their  cool  fruit  rooms  above  ground 
and  encased  them  with  a  thick  covering  of 
Heather.  Here  we  had  a  cool  fruit  room 
built  underneath  our  Pear  room  two  years  ago, 
and  it  has  answered  admirably.  The  tempera- 
ture never  falls  below  40°  in  the  coldest 
and  seldom  rises  above  60°  in  the  hottest 
weather,  thereby  securing  such  an  equable 
temperature  and  freedom  from  evaporation 
as  would  be  impossible  in  an  ordinary  fruit 
room. 

Before  closing  my  list  of  winter  dessert 
Pears  I  would  mention  two  more  which  I 
think  are  worth  growing.  One  is  President 
Barrabe.  This  is  a  medium-sized  Pear,  of 
splendid  flavour,  succeeding  well  as  a  bush  or 
pyramid.  The  other  is  Zephirin  Gregoire, 
which  bears  freely  as  a  pyramid,  and  is  best 
grown  on  the  Quince  stock.  It  has  a  rich  and 
highly  aromatic   flavour.     Vicar  of  Winktield 


PEAR  EASTER  EEURRE.    ( Half  natural  sue. ) 


But  at  what  a  sacrifice  as  regarded  quality 
and  flavour  !  Both  had  practically  disappeared 
as  if  in  silent  protest  against  the  wanton 
presumption  of  man  in  interfering  with  the 
jaws  of  Nature.  Natural  decay  can  be  arrested 
in  this  way  for  a  time,  no  doubt,  and  as  far  as 
the  process  assists  in  helping  to  supply  the 
myriads  of  our  working  population  with  a 
greater  abundance  and  variety  of  fruit,  even 
without  its  natural  quality  and  flavour  (as 
long  as  it  is  wholesome),  the  practice  may  be 
acclaimed  a  boon  and  a  benefit,  but  in  no 
other  respect.  It  is  a  sacrilege  to  apply  the 
principleto  the  best  of  English-grown  fruit. 

It  is  different  as  regards  specially  built  cool 
fruit  rooms.  It  is  not  the  extreme  cold  here 
which  is  called  into  requisition  to  retard 
rnaturity,  but  rather  the  arresting  of  evapora- 
tion by  the  equability  of  the  temperature  for  a 
long  period  of  time,  say,  from  the  time  the 
fruit  is  gathered  until  it  is  ripe.  I  am  of 
opinion  that  much  may  be  done  on  this 
principle.  Indeed,  this  has  already  been 
demonstrated  by  Messrs.  Veitch,  Bunyard,  and 
Crump.      Messrs.    Bunyard    especially    have 


stands  first  in  my  opinion  as  a  stewing  Pear, 
and  in  a  favourable  season  it  is  not  to  be 
despised  for  dessert.  This  is  certainly  one  of 
the  most  prolific  Pears  we  have  ;  the  tree 
succeeds  best  on  the  Quince,  and  the  fruit 
may  be  had  in  season  from  November  to 
March.  Easter  Beurre,  although  a  good 
dessert  Pear,  is  also  excellent  for  stewing,  and 
for  this  purpose  is  much  liked  here. 

Wirndsot:  Owen  Thomas. 


HONG    KONG    W^EEDS. 

Weeds  are  just  as  troublesome  in  tropical 
countries  as  they  are  in  more  temperate  ones  ; 
in  fact,  I  think  it  would  be  more  correct  to  say 
that  they  are  more  troublesome,  as  they  grow 
much  more  quickly  in  the  tropics  than 
elsewhere. 

Oxalis  martiaTKi  is  an  exceedingly  obnoxious 
one.  It  is  included  in  the  list  of  tender 
exotic  plants  grown  at  Kew,  and  if  that 
establishment  should  run  out  of  it  at  any  time 
(which  I  do  not  think  is  likely)  I  can  safely 


say  that  Hong  Kong  is  not  likely  to  be  without 
it  for  many  years  to  come.  It  is  not  a  native, 
but  an  introduction  ;  nevertheless,  from  the 
persistency  with  which  it  forces  itself  uiion 
one's  attention,  in  spite  of  the  continuous 
rebufi's  and  harassing  treatment  it  receives, 
one  is  almost  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
is  the  legitimate  owner  of  the  soil.  Having  a 
bulbous  rhizome  it  is  a  most  difficult  subject 
to  deal  with,  and  the  rapidity  with  which  it 
propagates  itself  l>y  division  is  amazing.  It  is 
particularly  fond  of  a  rich  soil,  but  if  it 
cannot  get  that  it  will  put  uii  with  any  other 
kind  and  accommodate  itself  to  circumstances. 
It  is  a  native  of  the  Mascarene  Islands,  but  is 
now  naturalised  in  many  tropical  countries. 
It  is  a  pity  it  did  not  stay  at  home,  as  it  was 
certainly  iiot  wanted  in  Hong  Kong. 

Ki/llingia,  vionocefihnki.  —  This  plant  is 
another  troublesome  garden  weed,  liut,  having 
a  creeping  rhizome,  it  is  more  easily  dealt  with 
than  the  Oxalis.  It  is  a  genuine  native,  but 
widely  diffused  over  the  tropics.  It  also 
thrives  best  in  a  rich  soil,  but  in  a  poor  one  it 
does  far  too  well  to  suit  people  who  have 
gardens.  It  belongs  to  the  natural  order 
Cyperaceae. 

Lantana,  Camam.—Wa,sts  lands  are  scxjn 
overrun  by  this  species  of  Lantana.  It  is  a 
very  pretty  thing  in  flower,  which  means  that 
it  is  always  pretty,  as  it  is  in  flower  from  one 
year's  end  to  another.  The  colour  of  the 
flower  varies  from  pure  white  to  deep  red.  It 
seeds  freely,  and  in  this  way  propagates 
rapidly.  Like  the  Oxalis,  it  is  not  a  native  of 
Hong  Kong  but  of  tropical  America. 

Ageratum  crmi/zoideK. — While  the  Lantana 
confines  itself  principally  to  low  levels,  this 
plant  abounds  from  the  sea  up  1,600  feet  or 
1,700  feet.  It  especially  delights  in  making  its 
home  on  rubbish  heaps  and  suchlike  places. 
It  grows  about  2  feet  high,  and  is  an  annual, 
although  at  first  it  looks  as  if  it  were  a 
perennial,  as  there  is  always  any  quantity  of 
it  in  flower.  It  is  grown  for  summer  bedding 
at  home,  but  rigidly  excluded  from  gardens 
here.     Tropical  America  b.  its  home. 

Stechytarphetn  indiai  is  not  mentioned  in 
Hance's  Supplement  (to  the  Flora  Hong 
Kongensis),  published  in  1872,  yet  it  is  so 
extremely  common  now  that  it  would  be  one 
of  the  first  plants  a  collector  would  come 
across.  It  is  found  abundantly  on  roadsides 
and  other  waste  places,  and  grows  about  3  feet 
high.  The  flowers  are  produced  in  terminal 
spikes  several  inches  long,  and,  although  the 
individual  flowers  are  small,  many  of  them 
together  make  a  good  show.  There  are  three 
varieties,  one  with  dark  blue  flowers  and 
wrinkled  leaves,  a  second  with  light  blue 
flowers  and  smooth  leaves,  and  a  third  with 
white  flowers.  The  dark  blue  variety  is  by  far 
the  most  common,  and  the  light  blue  one  next, 
whilst  the  white  vai-iety  is  extremely  rare. 

Elephantoims  scaber  i.s  a  very  troublesome 
weed  on  lawns  and  grass  banks  unless  kept 
under  control,  and  may  be  likened  to  the 
Daisy  in  this  respect.  Its  leaves  are  mostly 
radical,  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  rosette,  and 
from  2  inches  to  4  inches  long.  The  root  stock 
is  thick,  and,  as  it  is  a  perennial,  care  has  to 
be  taken  that  none  of  it  is  left  behind  when 
the  process  of  weeding  is  going  on.  It  seeds 
freely,  and,  like  all  such  weeds,  should  be 
dealt  with  before  coming  into  flower. 

Mimosa  jnuUca  (the  Sensitive  Plant)  Hance 
does  not  mention  in  his  Supplement,  and 
as  it  is  now  one  of  the  commonest  plants 
to  be  met  with  on  waste  places,  it  shows  how 
rapidly  some  plants  propagate  when  they  meet 
with  a  suitable  environment.  Commonly 
known  as  the  Sensitive  Plant,  it  is  always  a 


252 


THE    GARDEN. 


TApril  6,    1901. 


.source  of  interest  to  people  at  home.  When 
I  was  at  Kew  it  was  a  plant  more  often  asked 
for  by  visitors  than  any  other,  except,  of 
course,  when  the  Daily  ^[aU  or  some  other 
London  newspaper  had  been  given  a  descrip- 
tion of  some  plant  quite  unknown  to  science. 
If  it  is  a  plant  still  enquired  for  there,  I  would 
■suggest  that  the  present  Kewites  should  recom- 
mend the  ([uestioners  to  come  to  Hong  Kong, 
where  they  would  be  allowed  to  take  home  as 
many  plants  of  it  as  they  could  possibly  wish 
for.  A  big  mass  of  it  in  flower  looks  very 
pretty,  but  is  not  to  be  desired  near  a  garden. 

VV.  .1.  TUTCHEE. 

Botanic  Gardens^  Hong  Kowi. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

C.4LLA  Little  Oem. 
There  appears  to  be  some  difficulty  iu  the 
successful  cultivation  of  this  charming  little  green- 
house plant.  This  is  unfortunate,  for  to  my  mind 
it  is  far  better  for  cutting  than  the  older  form, 
Calla  *thiopica.  It  adapts  itself  admirably  for 
arranging  in  all  kinds  of  vases,  and  iew  things  can 
surpass  it  for  wreath  making,  &c.  One  distinct 
advantage  is,  that  it  is  a  much  purer  white  than  i 
any  other  form  I  am  acquainted  with.  Ever  since  j 
this  was  first  introduced  we  have  grown  it  largely. 
AVhen  properly  treated  it  will  flower  over  a  long 
season,  ranging  from  Christmas  to  the  end  of  April. 
It  is  naturally  a  weak  grower,  and  therefore 
requires  more  liberal  treatment  than  the  commoner 
varieties.  It  is  very  persistent  in  throwing  up 
offsets,  which  should  be  removed  as  they  appear. 
Immediately  the  plants  have  done  flowering  they 
should  be  rested  for  about  two  months,  after  which 
they  should  be  thoroughly  shaken  out,  and  the 
strongest  crowns  potted  singly  into  4i-inch  pots, 
in  which  they  should  flower  and  start  into  growth 
at  once,  a  cold  frame  suiting  them  admirably.  The 
weaker  pieces  should  be  potted  into  3-inch  pots, 
and  if  gently  brought  along  will  produce  pretty 
little  spathes  about  March.  A  suitable  compost 
will  consist  of  three  parts  good  fibrous  loam,  one 
part  thoroughly  decayed  leaf-soil,  adding  a  little 
finely  broken  charcoal  and  some  coarse  silver  sand. 
About  t.ie  first  week  in  October  the  plants  should 
be  introduced  to  a  greenhouse  temperature,  when 
they  shculd  be  resurfaced  with  fibrous  loam  and 


decayed  cow  manure  in  equal  proportions.  A  shelf 
near  the  glass  will  suit  them  to  perfection.  They 
should  be  kept  thoroughly  well  supplied  with 
water,  as  everj'one  knows  the  Calla  is  a  moisture- 
loving  plant,  and  every  third  watering  a  dose  of 
liquid  manure  should  be  given.  The  plants  will  force 
quite  readily,  and  may  easily  be  had  in  flower  by 
midwinter.  If  placed  near  the  glass  they  will  grow 
strongly  and  flower  profusely  in  a  temperature 
from  60"  to  65°.  The  great  secret  of  success  is 
strong  crowns,  the  pots  thoroughly  filled  with 
roots,  and,  as  before  stated,  the  suckers  taken 
away  as  fast  as  they  appear.  Green  fly  have  a 
particular  Uking  for  Callas,  but  of  course  can 
easily  be  kept  at  bay  with  the  well-known  remedies. 
I  am  sending  a  few  blooms  for  your  table  to  bear 
out  my  remarks.  E.  Beckett 

Aldenham  House  Oardenx,  Ehtrte,  Hertx. 

[Very  charming  flowers,  quite  white,  and  most 
useful  for  cutting. — Eds.] 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 

PRIMULA     STELLATA     (STAR 
PRIMULAS)     AT     WEM. 

I^HE  veteran  Henry  Eekford,  of  Wem,  is 
finding  that  old  age  brings  no  abatement 
of  that  strong  desire  he  has  exhibited 
during  the  past  half  century  to 
improve  the  flowers  he  cultivates  as 
especial  favourites.  A  contemporary 
and  life-long  friend  of  the  venerable  Dahlia  raiser 
— WiUiam  Dodds,  recently  deceased  at  a  very 
advanced  age  —  -was  at  work  growing  and 
improving  the  Dahlia  in  the  early  fifties,  and  for 
years  after.  He  also  took  in  hand  the  zonal  and 
nosegaj'  types  of  Pelargonium  at  a  lime  when  they 
were  becoming  increasingly  popular,  and  did  good 
work  with  them.  Then,  when  the  late  Charles  J. 
Perry  ceased  to  be  the  foremost  Verbena  raiser  of 
the  day,  Mr.  Eekford  made  Coleshill  famous  for 
the  fine  varieties  he  raised  and  distributed.  On 
becoming  gardener  at  Sandywell  Park,  Cheltenham, 
the  residence  of  the  late  Dr.  Sankey,  who  fifty 
years  ago  was  raising  Verbenas  at  Hanwell, 
Middlesex,  he  continued  his  labours  as  an  improver 
of  various  florists'  flowers,  and  on  removing  with 
Dr.  Sankey  to  Boreatton,  Salop,  he  commenced 
the  great  work  of  his  life— that  of  improving  the 
Sweet  Pea,  and  the  culinary  type  also.     Eekford 


and  his  Sweet  Peas  are  known  in  all  lands  where 
their  cultivation  can  be  carried  on.  At  Wem. 
Salop,  where  he  has  been  in  business  for  several 
years,  he  has  added  considerably  to  the  list  of 
varieties  of  Sweet  Peas,  and  lately  he  has  been  turn- 
ing his  attention  to  the  Chinese  Primrose,  and  espe- 
ciallj'  to  that  section  known  as  the  Star  Primulas. 

The  illustration  which  accompanies  this  shows 
one  side  of  a  house  occupied  by  some  200  plants, 
principally  in  +A-inch  pots,  ever}'  one  of  them  a 
large  pyramid  of  striking  flowers.  The  fact  that 
the  plants  stand  close  together  on  the  stage  prevents 
the  individuality  of  each  from  being  displayed,  and 
also  their  true  pyramidal  habit  and  wonderful 
floriferousness.  Two  characteristics  strike  the 
beholder,  one  is  the  fine  form  and  stoutness  of  the 
smooth-edged  corollas,  and  the  richness  of  the 
rosy  and  rosy  magenta  tints  found  among  them, 
while  there  is  also  to  be  noted  a  considerable 
range  of  colours  from  pure  white  to  the  deep 
crimson  of  the  old  Chiswick  red.  Novelty  of  colour 
is  certainly  one  of  the  features  of  this  strain, 
and  Mr.  Eekford  is  not  without  hope  that  he  is  on 
the  way  to  new  shades  of  blue— better  shades  of 
this  colour  than  are  seen  in  the  large-flowered, 
fringed  type.  There  are  several  with  small  semi- 
double  and  fully  double  flowers,  and  Mr.  Eekford 
is  of  opinion  these  will  produce  fertile  seeds.  One 
double  form  conies  ver}'  near  to  the  old  infertile 
double  white,  but  with  a  possibility  of  producing 
seeds.  What  excellent  table  and  room  plants  these 
Star  Primulas  make,  with  their  symmetrical  pyra- 
mids of  blossom  I  Mr.  Eekford  has  cross-bred  to 
some  purpose,  and  he  can  be  congratulated  upon 
having  taken  a  strong  lead  in  developing  the 
possibilities  of  Primula  stellata. 

Equally  successful  has  Mr.  Eekford  been  in 
cross-fertilising  the  more  advanced  types  of  the 
Chinese  Primrose,  and  some  of  the  pink,  rose,  and 
salmon  shades  are  verj'  attractive. 

In  the  open  ground  the  Sweet  Peas  sown  in 
November  for  early  blooms  are  already  through  the 
soil,  and  the  visitor  notices  that  Mr.  Eekford  sows 
much  more  thinly  in  the  lines  than  is  usual!}'  the 
case.  The  thinly  sown  seeds  produce  plants  of  a 
much  greater  branching  habit  than  those  sown 
thickly.  And  of  the  selected  seedlings  of  last  year, 
something  like  a  thousand  trials  have  recently 
been  sown.  It  will  presently  prove  a  formidable 
task  to  go  through  these  and  select  the  few  that 
show  advances  in  some  particulai-s  for  naming.  A 
visit  to  Wem  in  August  next  M'ill  amply  repay  the 
trouble  of  a  long  journey.  The  possibilities  of  the 
development  of  Sweet  Peas  in  new  and  novel 
directions  as  a  result  of  intelligent  cross-fertilisa- 
tion appear  illimitable.  R.  Dean". 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 


HtEMANTHUS  queen  ALEXANDRA. 

A  CHARMING  addition  to  this  race,  the  colour  from 
full  salmon-pink  to  pale  pink,  the  segments  broad 
and  well  formed.     From  M.   L.    Linden,  Brussels. 


PEIMUl.A    stellata    (STAR    PRIMULAS)    AT   WEM. 


TULIPA  KOROLKOWI  BICOLOR. 

A  LOVELY  little  species  from  Turkestan,  the 
buds  of  a  yellow  and  buff  tone,  and  the  flowers 
when  expanded  exhibiting  a  blotch  of  true  scarlet 
on  each  segment.  This  charming  novelty  came 
from  Messrs.  Wallace  and  Co.,  Colchester.  Award 
of  merit,  R.H.  S. 

PRIMULA  MEGAS.EF0L1A. 

An  entirely  new  and  quite  distinct  species  from 
the  Himalayas  at  very  considerable  elevation. 
The  foliage'  is  shaped  somewhat  after  the  P. 
costusoides  section,  but  widely  dift'erent  from  this 
in  the  bronzy  tone  that  suffuses  it.  The  colour  is 
best  described  as  a  warm  rose-lilac,  the  same  being 
rendered  conspicuous  by  the  orange-coloured 
corona,  the  same  shade  extending  to  the  throat. 
The  species  is  evidently  very  free,  as  a  succes- 
sion of  spikes  were  showing  on  the  plants 
exhibited.  It  is  quite  an  acquisition  to  the 
Primrose  group.  From  Miss  Willmott,  Warley 
Place.     Award  of  merit,  R.H. 8. 


GARDEN. 


No.  1534.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[April  13,  1901. 


KEW    IN    SPRING    TIME. 

IN  April  the  Royal  Gardens  assume  their 
spring  robes,  and  with  mild  and  sunny 
days,  bed,  border,  and  woodland  will 
show  a  thousand  flowers  dancing  in  the 
breeze.  No  season  of  the  year  is  more 
enjoyable  at  Kew  than  the  time  of  the  DaJfodil 
and  Scilla,  and  of  late  years  flower  gardening 
in  the  grass  there  has  extended  in  the  right 
way,  with  a  true  appreciation  of  the  things 
suitable  for  the  purpose. 

A  sweet  sense  of  repose  steals  over  one 
immediately  the  principal  gate  is  entered 
from  the  quaint  Kew  Green,  with  its  ]ileasant 
reminiscences  of  royal  days,  perpetuated  still 
in  Cambridge  Lodge  by  the  church,  and  no 
matter  whether  the  path  in  front  of  the  visitor 
is  followed  to  lead  to  the  principal  walk  and 
the  pond,  or  a  sharp  turn  is  taken  to  the  left, 
flowers  are  scattered  everywhere,  in  the  grass 
and  in  the  formal  bed,  by  the  shrubbery 
margin  and  plant  house  border. 

The  air  is  loaded  with  the  fragrance  of 
flowers,  and  yet  this  is  a  botanic  garden,  where 
a  few  years  ago  botanical  science  was  made  to 
frighten  the  seeker  after  knowledge  by  its  ugly 
manifestation,  a  garden  of  big  labels  and  rigid 
rows,  and  spotty  planting.  But  the  director 
is  a  botanist  and  gardener  too.  With  his 
assistants  he  has  gradually  transformed  the 
gardens  into  a  place  where  it  is  possible  to 
ensure  thorough  enjoyment  without  irritation 
from  harsh  ways  of  planting.  This  year  the 
season  has  been  unkind.  Cold  winds  and 
sharp  frosts  have  bidden  the  flowers  keep 
within  their  calyces,  and  at  the  time  of  writing 
only  the  early  Dafibdils  are  open  on  the 
Cumberland  Mound,  but  throughout  March 
Chionodoxas,  Scillas,  Snowdrops,  and  Crocuses 
made  masses  of  colour. 

When  the  opening  buds  proclaim  the  birth 
of  spring,  Kew  is  indeed  a  pleasant  place  in 
which  to  hide  from  the  world  outside  ;  the 
birds  sing  blithely  in  the  shrubberies  and  tree 
tops,  the  water-fowl  call  shrilly  across  pond 
and  lake,  and  some  splash  of  colour,  maybe 
from  bed  of  Dafibdil  or  early  Tulip,  breaks  in 
upon  a  sea  of  tender  green.  It  is  the  joyous 
time  of  spring,  and  the  gardens  are  never 
clothed  in  sweeter  dress  than  at  this  season, 
when  in  woodland,  rock  garden,  and  border  a 
thousand  expanding  flowers  tell  of  the  winter 
that  is  past.  In  the  wilderness  or  woodland 
flowers  are  permitted  to  roam  in  their  own 
way,  without  any  of  the  conventional  restric- 
tions of  modern  gardening. 


Those  who  wish  to  enjoy  flowers  in  the  grass 
on  their  own  estates  will  gain  much  information 
from  Kew  during  the  late  April  days  and 
through  the  month  of  May.  When  entering 
the  gardens  from  the  village  green  entrance,  a 
beautiful  stretch  of  blossom  amongst  the  grass 
is  at  once  seen,  flowers  dappling  the  surface  a." 
if  in  their  high  mountain  meadows,  naturally 
placed  and  happily  unlike  the  crowded  mixtures 
in  many  parks  and  private  domains.  Wild 
gardening  is  not  the  flower  bed  oi'  border  gone 
mad  ;  it  is  a  simple  and  beautiful  phase  of 
natural  planting,  copying  the  ways  of  Nature 
iierself,  who  paints  the  brookside  with  Marsh 
Marigolds,  and  dapples  the  mead  with  Cowslips. 

Well  we  remember  some  late  April  days 
spent  in  a  Sussex  garden  where  grass  gardening 
has  found  true  expression.  Blue  Wind-flowers 
formed  sweet  artless  groups  near  the  trees,  and 
away  in  the  meadows  were  clouds  of  Narcissi, 
Star,  Poet's,  and  others,  thinly  planted,  and 
through  becoming  naturalised,  forming  thenr- 
selves  into  quite  simple  groups,  winding  maybe 
through  .some  lowland  stretch,  and  gleaming 
silvery  white  in  the  clear  spring  evening.  This, 
of  course,  is  away  in  the  pure  country  air,  but 
in  this  botanic  garden,  in  which  gardening  is 
taught  by  the  flowers  lavishly  bestrewn  over 
the  grounds,  many  good  efi'ects  are  the  result 
of  the  grass  gardening.  Kew,  it  must  be  re- 
membered, is  as  flat  as  the  proveil'ial  pancake, 
and  does  not  provide  the  same  opportunities 
as  hillside  meadows  and  lowlands.  Masses  of 
the  Poet's  Narcissus  are  spread  over  the  wilder- 
ness, thousands  of  white  flowers  beautifying 
the  fringe  of  woodland,  and  collected  around 
groups  of  trees,  sometimes  the  Chili  Pine  or 
monkey  puzzle  for  the  sake  of  the  rich  contrast 
in  colour,  or  the  Campernelle  makes  sheets  of 
rich  yellow,  while  on  the  grassy  mound  near 
the  Cumberland  Gate  flowers  are  seen  covering 
the  sides  from  the  time  of  the  Snowdrop  until 
the  Japan  Primrose  and  true  flowers  of  summer 
open  out  in  the  shade  of  trees  at  the  foot. 

When  the  time  of  Bluebells  is  with  us,  it  is 
worth  a  journey  of  many  miles  to  travel  to 
Kewand  stroll  through  the  grounds  surrounding 
the  Queen's  Cottage,  which  her  late  Majesty 
graciously  allowed  to  form  part  of  the  old 
gardens.  This  is  a  sanctuary  of  bird  and 
flower  life,  and  may  it  for  all  ages  preserve 
its  wild  and  natural  beauty.  A  path  winds 
through  the  secluded  woodland,  and  when  the 
Bluebells  are  in  blossom  a  vision  of  flowers  is 
revealed  within  a  few  miles  of  the  metropolis— a 
woodland  surfaced  with  blue.  The  writer  will 
ever  remember  a  May  afternoon  last  year.  The 


sun  glinted  through  the  trees,  .scoring  the 
flowers  with  light,  and  the  misty  covering  of 
softest  blue  faded  away  in  the  distance,  where 
woodland  meets  the  open  greenwood  path 
beyond  the  new  enclosure.  This  is  a  spot  to 
escape  from  the  surrounding  suburbs,  a  trans- 
lation from  the  town  to  the  sweetness  of  a 
secluded  country,  where  one  may  enjoy  sylvan 
scenes  and  flower-scented  jjaths. 

Kew  is  a  beautiful  garden,  we  repeat,  not  at 
one  season,  but  at  all  times. 


OW^N    ROOT    ROSES. 

An  absence  of  two  months  will,  I  trust,  be 
suiflcient  excuse  for  this  belated  reply  to  a 
courteous  request  for  more  information  about 
own  root  Hoses  appearing  in  The  Gaeden  of 
February  9,  as  I  have  only  now  read  the  article 
in  question,  also  thit  subsequently  written  by 
Mr.  E.  Mawley  and  appearing  in  the  issue  of 
March  9. 

If,  as  ilr.  Mawley  thinks,  the  writer  of  the 
article  on  page  89  does  make  a  somewhat  feeble 
presentation  of  his  case,  this  may  possibly  arise 
from  lack  of  actual  experience,  but  I  am  afraid 
Mr.  Mawley,  as  so  many  others,  regards  growing 
own  root  Roses  as  a  fad. 

A  point  I  wish  to  emphasise,  and  upon  which 
further  experimenting  has  taught  me  more 
since  last  I  wrote  on  the  subject,  is  that  one 
must  adapt  culture  to  the  altered  character  of 
the  plant.  An  own  root  Rose  does  not  require 
a  soil  such  as  is  absolutely  essential  for  .suc- 
cessful Rose  growth  upon  Briar  roots,  more 
especially  is  this  true  of  the  Tea  and  Monthly 
Roses,  and  it  is  this  attempting  to  grow  own 
root  Roses  in  an  adverse  medium  with  the  slow 
resultant  growth  that  has  given  rise  to  the 
belief  they  are  hard  to  establish  and  slow 
growing.  My  recent  experience  is  in  conjunc- 
tion with  and  conflrmatory  of  this.  1  have 
been  experimenting  with  Tea  Roses  in  a 
garden  where  every  winter  the  temperature  falls 
to  IS"-'  below  zero.  Some  varieties  of  Tea  Roses 
d&sired  could  only  be  secured  by  importing 
plants  from  Europe,  and  these  were  budded 
low  on  the  Briar.  Now,  we  could  not  if  we 
would  provide  such  a  soil  as  the  Briar  needs, 
and  the  sequel  proved  most  instructive.  These 
budded  plants,  varieties  such  as  Hon.  Edith 
Giftbrd,  Mme.  Lambard,  Anna  Olivier.  Marie 
d'Orleans,  Etoile  de  Lyon,  G.  Nabonnand,  itc, 
flowered  well  in  June  before  the  days  of  extreme 
heat,  but  later,  in  s))ite  of  mulching  and  water- 
ing, when  the  ground  became  thoroughly  heated, 
they  made  a  stunted  mildewed  growth  and  gave 
no  autumnal  bloom  worthy  of  mention.  It  was 
my  intention  from  the  first  to  raise  from  these 
own  root  plants  as  .soon  as  possible,  and  now 
we  have  them  as  well. 

For  the  past  two  summers  we  have  had  a 
striking  object-lesson,  the  own  root  plants 
growing  healthily  and  flowering  freely  from 
Tune  to  November,  in   a  light   hot  soil  that  is 


254 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[April  1.3,  1901. 


paralysing  to  the  same  Roses  upon  Briar  roots. 
A  protection  of  Oak  leaves  suffices  for  such 
plants,  even  in  our  severe  winters,  and  if  we  cut 
them  to  within  2  inches  of  the  ground  each 
spring  they  are  like  a  strong  perennial,  vigorous 
in  subsequent  growth  and  profuse  in  continuous 
bloom. 

This  only  confirms  on  a  larger  scale  what  I 
had  before  observed  and  wrote  upon  in  English 
experience.  A  few  weeks  back  in  your  county 
of  Susses  I  saw  some  of  the  largest  plants  of 
Mme.  Hoste  and  other  Tea  Roses  growing  in  a 
3  feet  wide  border  along  the  open  portion  of  a 
railway  station  platform,  and  I  know  the  life 
history  of  those  plants,  having  given  the 
cuttings  to  the  station-master,  who  is  the  proud 
possessor  of  them,  about  ten  years  ago.  In  a 
garden  a  little  more  than  a  mile  away  are  the 
plants  from  which  the  cuttings  were  taken. 
They  are  upon  Briar  roots,  and  only  one-half  the 
size.  Few  rosarians  would  have  attempted 
Ross  culture  in  the  ridge  of  loose  light  soil 
where  our  amateur  friend  had  achieved  such 
marked  success.  Mr.  Mawley  reiterates  once 
more  the  supposed  "  slow  process  "  and  the 
presumed  "  awful  mortality  "'  that  attends  the 
raising  of  own  root  Roses.  Both  statements 
are  contrary  to  my  experience.  I  can  go  into 
a  Rose  propagating  house  near  at  hand  to-day 
and  see  .50,000  Rose  cuttings,  of  which  90  per 
cent,  are  rooted  and  ready  to  pot. 

Moreover,  if  you  put  in  a  Rose  cutting 
simultaneously  with  your  Briar  cutting  or  seed 
that  is  to  be  worked  when  strong  enough,  and 
that  surely  is  a  fair  starting  basis,  you  have  a 
Rose  plant  before  your  Briar  is  ready  to  be 
budded. 

The  plea  of  Mr.  Mawley  that  budding  is 
essential  because  most  of  the  varieties  now 
existing  will  be  out  of  date  a  decade  hence,  stands 
refuted  in  every  good  Rose  garden,  as  he  must 
admit  after  examining  the  dates  of  introduction 
of  one-half  of  the  best  Roses  in  gardens  to-day. 

We  may  tolerate  budding  as  a  necessary 
means  for  the  rapid  increase  for  distribution  of 
a  new  Rose.  It  will  be  practised  by  the  ex- 
hibitor who  attains  his  object  from  the  con- 
centrated energy  of  established  roots  upon  one 
or  two  individual  buds.  The  Rose  for  the 
million,  however,  that  will  grow  and  live  long 
in  ordinary  good  garden  soil,  is  the  plant  upon 
its  own  roots. 

It  may  safely  be  asserted  that  more  Roses 
have  succumbed  to  the  stocks  they  were 
worked  upon  than  from  all  other  causes 
combined.  A.  Heerington. 

Madison,  New  Jersey,  U.S.A. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


Begonia  Caledonia. 
Mr.  John  Forbes,  Hawick,  N. B. ,  sends  flowers 
of  this  beautiful  Begonia  Caledonia,  which  with 
other  kinds  was  shown  so  finely  by  him  at  the 
recent  exhibition  at  Edinburgh.  The  flowers  are 
very  pure  and  produced  quite  freely,  so  much  so 
that  the  entire  plant  is  hidden  beneath  the  snowy 
covering.  It  is  a  sport  from  (Jloire  de  Lorraine, 
and  has  all  the  attributes  of  the  parent,  but  dis- 
tinct from  it  by  reason  of  the  flower  colouring. 


Mr.  Burbidge  sends  some  interesting  flowers 
from  the  Botanic  Gardens,  Trinity  College,  Dublin, 
viz.  : — 

Clematis  calycina 
of  Southern  Europe,  the  species  much  like  and  so 
often  confounded  with  the  North  African  C.  cir- 
rhosa.  C.  cirrhosa  is  the  better  plant  of  the  two, 
but  C.  calycina  is  a  good  deal  hardier,  and  there- 
fore more  suitable  for  our  gardens,  though  only 
likely  to  do  well  on  the  south  coast  and  other 
favoured  spots.     Mr.  Burbidge  says  of  it:    "Its 


bronzy  leaves  and  soft  yellowish  bells,  and  silver}' 
green,  j'oung  Hazel  Nut-like  buds  are  very  pretty 
dangling  and  swinging  in  the  east  winds  of  March. 
A  handful  of  its  flowering  sprays  in  an  old  bronze 
Japanese  pot  look  very  pretty  and  last  some  time." 

Bom  area  patacocexsis, 
a  climbing  Alstromeria  from  South  America,  bears 
fifty  flowers  or  more  like  small  Lapagerias  in  size 
and  shape  on  stems  10  feet  to  lo  feet  long,  very 
handsome. 

[The  flowers  sent  are  beautiful ;  like  small  scarlet 
Lapagerias. — Ens.  ] 

Mistletoe 
in  flower,  both  se.xes,  and  a  few  ripe  berries  that 
can  be  smeared  on  young,  fresh  bark  of  Apple, 
Lime,  or  flowering  Crab  trees.  A  bit  of  black 
muslin  over  them  will  prevent  birds  pecking  them 
off ;  they  are  sure  to  grow,  and  stick  very  fast  of 
themselves  to  the  bark  as  the  slimy  viscidity  dries. 

Mr.  Burbidge  also  sends  a  very  interesting  speci- 
men of  the  paper-like  bark  of  the 

Betula  ctilis 
of  North  India  and  Thibet.     The  specimen  sent  is 
a  sheet  about  8  inches  by  6  inches,  written  on  with 
pen  and  ink  just  like  paper. 


Carnation  Sport  from  Lady  Ardilaun. 

Mr.  H.  W.  Weguelin,  Dawlish,  Devon,  sends 
flowers  of  a  new  seedling  from  Lady  Ardilaun,  the 
first  of  a  batch  of  twelve  or  fifteen  that  has 
flowered.  Seeds  were  sown  in  the  beginning  of 
last  year.  The  plants  have  been  out  of  doors  all 
the  winter,  and  have  this  spring  been  taken  up  and 
potted  into  9-inch  pots,  and  are  now  beginning  to 
flower  in  a  cold  house.  The}'  are  all  exceptionally 
strong,  have  heavy  blue-green  foliage  of  the  Mal- 
maison  class,  and  if  they  all  give  flowers  as  large 
and  as  good  as  those  sent  herewith  will  be  grand 
additions  to  the  fancy  class  of  outdoor  Carnations. 

[A  beautiful  flower,  compact,  does  not  split — at 
lea.st,  the  blooms  sent  were  intact — and  the  colour- 
ing is  fresh  and  distinct,  buff',  dashed  with  a 
reddish  shade. — Eds.] 


From  Mr.  Wilson  come  some  of  the  famous 
Wisley  Blue  Primroses, 
among  the  paler  ones  some  of  the  bluest  we  have 


Dendroeium  kingianum. 
Mr.  Greenwood  Pirn  sends  a  flower  raceme  of  a 
small  and  rather  rare  Orchid,  Dendrobium  kingi- 
anum, an  Australian  species.    The  plant  is  bearing 
six  racemes  in  a  4-inch  pot. 

Carnation  Seedlings. 

We  have  received  flowers  of  two  excellent 
seedlings  from  Mr.  Lindsay  Bury,  Wilcot  Manor, 
Pewsey,  Wilts.  One  is  a  full  crimson  with  broad 
florets,  while  the  ether  is  a  fancy  variety,  yellow 
ground,  cut  into  with  reddish  colouring.  Mr. 
Bury  writes:  "Both  are  from  seedlings  raised 
here  as  outdoor  varieties.  Both  have  a  very 
strong  habit  and  foliage,  almost  like  Malmaisons. 
The  stems  are  stiff,  and  support  the  rather  heavy 
flowers  well." 

[We  advise  our  correspondent  to  send  some 
flowers  to  a  specialist. — Eds.] 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 


L.ELIA   .JONGHEANA    ASHWORTHE^E. 

This  is  a  beautiful  white  variety  of  Litlia  Jongheana. 
The  sepals  and  petals  are  pure  white  and  the  throat 
is  of  a  rich  yellow  colour,  the  edge  of  the  fringed  lip 
being  white.  Exhibited  by  E.  Ashworth,  Esq., 
Harefield  Hall,  Wilmslow.     First-class  certificate. 

CATTLE YA  MISS   HARRIS  VAR. 

E.  ASHWORTH. 

This  lovely  Cattleya  is  the  result  of  a  cross  between 

C.   schilleriana  and  C.   Mossias.     The  flower  is  of 

exquisite  colouring.    The  sepals  and  petals  are  very 


deep  rose-lilac,  the  spreading  lip  being  marked 
with  rich  purple  ;  the  throat  is  lined  with  orange- 
red.  Exhibited  by  E.  Ashworth,  Esq.,  Harefield 
Hall,  Wilmslow.     First-class  certificate. 

MILTONIA  VEXILLARIA  GIGANTEA 
ROSSLYN    VAR. 

One  of  the  best  varieties  of  this  Miltoiiia  that  we 
yet  have  seen.  The  colour  is  exceedingly  fine,  a 
rich  deep  rosy  crimson,  except  for  the  yellow  and 
white  centre.  The  flowers  are  also  large,  and  the 
plant  exhibited  had  two  racemes  bearing  in  all 
thirteen  flowers.  Exhibited  by  H.  T.  Pitt,  Esq., 
Stamford  Hill  (gardener,  Mr.  F.  W.  Thurgood). 
Award  of  merit. 


EPIDENDRUM   CLARISSA  SUPERBUM. 

A  flower  of  exquisite  colouring,  and  the  result  of 
a  cross  between  E.  x  elegantulum  and  E.  Wallisii. 
The  petals  and  sepals  are  blotched  with  dark  red 
upon  a  yellow  ground,  shaded  with  pale  crimson  ; 
the  lip  is  of  a  rich  purple.  This  plant  is  an  im- 
proved form  of  E.  clarissa,  often  shown  by  Messrs. 
Veitch.  E.  clarissa  is  the  last  of  a  series  of 
hybrids,  particulars  of  which  are  given  in  our 
report.  Exhibited  by  Messrs.  James  Veitch  and 
Sons,  Limited,  Royal  Exotic  Nurseries,  Chelsea. 
First-class  certificate. 

MASDEVALLIA  ALCESTE. 

Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited, 
Chelsea,  exhibited  this  secondary  hybrid  Masde- 
vallia,  obtained  by  intercrossing  M.  veitchiana 
and  M.  x  Asmodia,  the  first-mentioned  being  the 
pollen  parent.  The  flower  is  of  a  deep  orange 
ground,  shaded  with  crimson-purple.  Award  of 
merit. 


NEW    HIPPEASTRUMS. 

The  following  obtained  awards  of  merit : — 

Hippeastram  Rialto. — A  flower  of  enormous  size 
and  proportions  generally,  and  of  an  intense  deep 
crimson  shade.  From  Messrs.  James  Veitch  and 
Sons,  Limited. 

Hippeantrum  averniemli. — This  is  a  flower  of  fine 
form,  of  a  scarlet  shade,  with  lines  of  white.  From 
Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited. 

Bippeaxlrum  Marathon.— An  intense  crimson- 
maroon,  darker  than  Rialto,  and  of  a  more  solid 
appearance.  From  Messrs.  James  Veitch  and 
Sons,  Limited. 

ODONTOGLOSSUM  DENISONIA 
NEBULA. 
This  it  a  beautiful  form  of  0.  Denisonia,  a  supposed 
natural  hybrid  between  0.  crispum  and  0.  ander- 
sonianum.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  long  and 
tapering,  the  petals  prettily  notched,  while  both 
sepals  and  petals  have  cloud-like  patches  of  light 
red  dots  of  varying  size.  Exhibited  by  De  Barri 
Crawshay,  Esq.,  Rosefield,  Sevenoaks  (gardener 
Mr.  W.  J.  Stables).     Award  of  merit. 


ODONTOGLOSSUM    ADRIAN/E    MRS. 
SIMONDS. 

This  novelty  is  of  a  pale  lemon  yellow  throughout 
the  sepals,  petals,  and  lip.  The  sepals  and  petals 
are  practically  without  spots  at  all ;  the  lip  is 
slightly  spotted.  Exhibited  by  H.  F.  Simonds,  Esq., 
Woodthorpe,  Beckenhani  (gardener,  Mr.  George 
Day).     Award  of  merit. 

ODONTOGLOSSUM     TRIUMPHANS 
MRS.    CRAWSHAY. 

A  splendid  variety  of  0.  trinmphans,  differing 
much  from  the  type.  The  ground  colour  of  the 
sepals  and  petals  is  pale  orange-yellow,  each  sepal 
having  a  well  defined  bar  of  chocolate-red  across 
abo\it  two-thirds  from  its  base.  The  petals  are 
lightly  blotched  with  almost  the  same  colour. 
Exhibited  by  De  Barri  Crawshay,  Esq.,  Rosefield, 
Sevenoaks  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  J.  Stables).  Award 
of  merit. 


April  13,  1901."^; 


THE    GAKDEN. 


25: 


ODONTOGLOSSUM    RUGKERIANUM 
MRS.    BROOMAN    WHITE. 

A  I'LOWEB  of  splendid  colouring.  The  light  ground 
is  profusely  spotted  with  chocolate-red  and  bands 
of  light  rosy  purple  run  across  the  petals,  the 
extremities  of  the  sepals  being  tinged  with  the 
same  colour.  Exhibited  by  Mr.  K.  Brooman  White, 
Arddarroch,  Garelochiel,  N.B.     Award  of  merit. 


ODONTOGLOSSUM  CRISPUM  PUR- 
PURASCENS. 

The  Orchids  exhibited  at  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  meeting,  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  Marcli  '27, 
were  not  so  numerous  as  on  the  previous  meeting. 
The  unfavourable  weather  prevented  many  growers 
from  bringing  their  plants,  but  there  were  many 
beautiful  things,  especially  Odontoglossums.  It  is 
doubtful  if  ever  three  such  fine  varieties  have  been 
brought  together  as  those  shown  by  M.  Jules  Hye, 
of  Ghent,  Mr.  W.  Thompson,  Walton  Grange, 
Stone,  and  the  subject  of  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration, 0.  c.  purpurascens, 
exhibited  by  Sir  T.  Lawrence, 
Bart.,  from  the  Burford  col- 
lection. This  is  not  the  first 
time  this  remarkable  kind  has 
been  exhibited.  It  was  shown 
previously  on  June  "27,  1890, 
and  received  an  award  of 
merit.  A  full  description  of 
it  will  be  found  in  The  Gar- 
den report  of  that  date.  The 
plant  then  gave  promise  of 
improvement,  but  no  one 
could  have  expected  such  a 
great  change  as  the  cultural 
skill  of  Mr.  W.  H.  While  has 
brought  about,  and,  as  shown 
on  the  27th  ult. ,  it  repre- 
sented one  of  the  finest 
Odontoglossums  in  cultiva- 
tion, and  fully  deserved  the 
first-class  certificate  awarded. 
It  may  briefly  be  described  as 
the  combination  of  two  other 
kinds — 0.  c.  heliotropium  and 
0.  c.  vStarlight  —  previously 
certificated.  The  flowers  are 
3i  inches  in  diameter,  the 
petals  l-}  inches  broad,  white 
around  the  crested  margin, 
becoming  sufl'used  with  light 
rose  through  the  centre,  shad- 
ing to  white  at  the  base. 
Numerous  reddish  -  purple 
spots  are  scattered  over  the 
central  portions.  The  sepals 
are  the  same  size  as  the 
petals,  light  rose  on  the  outer 
margins,  becoming  sufl'used 
with  heliotrope,  shading  to 
white  at  the  base,  the  central 
area  being  thickly  covered 
with  a  dense  suffusion  of 
reddish-purple  spots.  The  lip 
is  white  shading  to  yellow  on 
the  disc,  and  in  front  of  the 

disc  there  are  large  brown  spots  ;  there  are  also 
some  brown  lines  on  the  crest.  The  column  is 
white,  becoming  heavily  suffused  with  dark  brown. 
The  cut  raceme  of  ten  flowers  was  most  effective. 

H.  J.  Chapman'. 


The  Narcissus  committee  recommended  one  award 
of  merit  only,  and  this  to  a  bicolor  Diiffodil,  called 
Allen's  Beauty,  which,  as  the  flowers  were  taken 
from  the  open  ground,  stamps  it  as  much  the 
earliest  of  all  the  bicolor  race,  most  others 
being  now  only  in  bud  in  the  open.  The  flower 
is  of  good  size,  its  segments  well  held  back,  and 
the  trumpet  reflexed,  as  in  Horsfieldi.  From 
Miss  Willmott,  Warley  Place,  Essex. 


years  occupied  the  position  of  Professeur- 
Administrateur  au  Museum  d'Histoire  Naturelle, 
better  known  as  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  died 
in  Paris  on  the  4th  inst.  M.  Cornu  was  a  frequent 
visitor  to  this  country,  and  was  credited  with 
having  much  broader  views  than  his  predecessor. 
He  also  was  a  fervent  advocate  of  colonial  expan- 
sion, and  employed  all  his  energy  to  encourage  the 
development  of  the  culture  of  economic  plants. 
His  loss  will  be  felt  all  the  more  keenly,  as  at  this 
time  much  attention  is  being  directed  to  colonial 
matters  in  France. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Ke'W  Gardens. — The  warm  sunny  weather 
has  tempted  the  spring  flowers  to  open  in 
thousands  at  Kew.  Nearly  .50,0(10  persons  visited 
the  gardens  on  Monday  last. 

Hippeastpums     (Amaryllises)    at 

Chelsea. -Messrs.   Veitch  write  us   that    their 


medals  to  be  balloted  for.  The  ballot  look  place 
a  few  days  ago,  and  the  following  were  the 
successful  societies  : — The  Harnet  and  DlRtriol 
Chrysanthemum  Society,  the  Forest  (!ate  and 
Stratford  Chrysanthemum  Society,  the  Isle  of 
Thanet  Chrysanthemum  Society,  the  Swansea 
Working  Men's  Institute  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
the  Tor([uay  and  District  Gardeners'  Association, 
and  the  WimViledon  and  District  Horticultural 
and  Cottage  (iarden  Society. 

Hep  Majesty  Queen  Alexandra  has 

been  graciously  pleased  to  continue  lier  patronage 
to  the  (hardeners'  Royal  Benevolent  Institution,  ot 
which  her  late  Majesty  (^lueen  Victoria  was 
patroness  for  fifty  years. 

Anemone  (Hepatica)  tpiloba  atpo- 

CSePUlea. — Among  the  most  charming  of  the 
plants  that  flower  upon  our  rockeries  and  in 
suitable  positions  in  the  borders  are  the  Hepaticas, 
or,  correctly  speaking,  Anemones.  I  recently  saw 
on  the  rockwork  at  Chiswick  a  small  patch  of  a 
variety  called  atro-cierulea.  It  is  of  superb  colour, 
more    of    the    shade     of    the     Ijliie     R(|uill     (Scilla 


ODON'TOOLOSStIM    (JRISPUM    PDRPURASCENS. 
(Exhibited  liy  Sir  T.  Laurence,  Bart.,  mul  given  a  first-claw  certificate  by  the  Royal  HorticaUnral  Society  on  March  : 


ir.) 


M.  MAXIME   CORNU. 

All    interested   in    horticiilture   will   learn   with 
much  regret  that  this   gentleman,   who  for  many 


Hippeastrums  are  now  in  full  beauty.  We  shall 
refer  to  them  in  next  week's  issue. 

Zonal  Pelargonium  King  Edwapd. 

— Referring  to  "  H.  J.  W.'s"  note  on  page  '239, 
if  he  will  refer  to  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  report  on  the  Hybrid  Conference,  he  will 
flnd  that  I  exhibited  a  white  variegated 
sport  from  H.  Jacoby  with  the  note  that  this 
popular  favourite  was  raised  by  ni3'  late   father. 


sibirica)  than  any  variety  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  Mr.  Wright,  the  garden  superinten- 
dent of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  considers 
it  one  of  the  best  Anemone  hepatica  that  we 
have. — H. 

Kiddepminstep   Horticultural 

Society. — We  are  very  pleased  to  know  that 
this  society  is  making  great  headway.  The^  hon. 
secretaries   are   Messrs.    H.    Linecar   and    W.    H. 

for 


and  that  the   male  parent  was  a  white  variegated    Linecar,  and  the  schedule  sent  us  is  interestin, 

- -         '       ■■        '    '  '  more  than  one  reason.     It  is  quite  a  break  away 


sort.  This  solves  the  mystery  of  variegation,  but 
raises  the  more  difficult  question  of  why  the  ] 
tendency  to  it  should  lie  dormant  for  more  than 
thirty  years  and  then  break  out  in  two  or  three 
places,  and  in  each  case  in  diiferent  forms. — 
Chas.  E.  Pearson-,  The  Nurseries,  Lowdham,  Notts. 
NationalChpysanthemum  Society. 

—By  way  of  adding  to  the  privileges  which  flow 
from  affiliation  with  the  above  society,  the  execu- 
tive   committee   set  apart  six  of    its  small    silver 


from  the  usual  kind  of  thing,  as  it  contains  many 
classes  for  Sweet  Peas.  The  show  takes  place  at 
the  Larches,  on  .luly  16  and  17  next. 

The  "Andrews"  Apple. -Mr.  Thorpe, 

Coddington  Hall,  Newark-on-Trent,  sends  excel- 
lently preserved  fruit  of  what  our  correspondent 
calls  "Andrews,"  but  this  is  only  a  local  name. 
The  fruit  sent  was  that  of  Braddick's  Nonpareil,  a 
good  winter  apple. 


i;ot 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[April  13,  1901- 


Polyantha  Roses  Mignonette  and 

Miss  Kate  SchultheiS.  —  In  a  recent 
number  of  the  Journal  ih.^  Bac^  a  coloured  plate 
is  given  of  these  distinct  Polj'antha  Roses  ;  the 
former  is  well-known  ;  the  last-meutioned  has 
very  full  flowers,  white,  prettily  margined  with 
pink,  reminding  one  in  colouring  of  Marie  Van 
Houtte. 

Mr.  Philip  Crowley's  library.— We 

are  much  interested  in  knowing  that  the  library  of 
the  late  Mr.  Philip  Crowley,  of  AVaddon  House, 
Croydon,  will  be  sold  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Stevens,  at  his 
rooms,  38,  King  Street,  Covent  Garden,  on  Monday 
next,  April  15,  at  12. 30  precisely.  The  books  may 
be  viewed  the  Thursday  and  Saturday  prior  to  the 
sale  from  ten  to  four  o'clock.  Catalogues  (post 
free)  may  be  had  on  application  to  Mr.  Stevens. 
Amongst  other  important  books  are  the  following  : 
"  Biologia  Centrali  Americana,"  35  vols.;  Ray 
Society's  publications ;  Warner's  "Orchidaceous 
Plants,"  3  vols.  ;  nearly  complete  sets  of  Gould's 
and  D.  G.  Elliot's  valuable  Ornithological  Works  ; 
Booth's  "Rough  Notes  on  Birds,"  3  vols.;  See- 
bohm's  "British  Birds,"  4  vols.  :  Hume's  "Stray 
Feathers,"  9  vols.;  Yarrell's  "British  Birds"; 
Thompson's  "  Natural  Historj'  of  Ireland  "  ;  Harvie 
Brown's  Ornithological  Books;  Sharpe's  "Mono- 
graph on  Kingfishers";  BuUer's  "Birds  of  New 
Zealand"  ;  Grandidier's  Works  on  Natural  History  ; 
Shelley's  "  Sun  Birds  "  :  Zoological  Society's  pub- 
lications; Dresser's  "Birds  of  Europe";  Lord 
Lifford's  "British  Birds"  ;  "The  Ibis,"  42  vols.  ; 
Drury's  "  Exotic  Entomology,"  3  vols.,  and  various 
other  works  by  Sclater,  Shelley,  Macgillivray, 
Seebohm,  ilorris,  Bree,  &c.  It  is  probablj-  the 
finest  collection  offered  for  sale  in  recent  years. 

Chionoscilla  The  Queen.— The  Chio 

uoscillas,  or  hylirids  between  the  Chionodoxas  and 
Scillas,  are  interesting  plants,  not  only  because  of 
their  being  the  result  of  a  union  between  two 
favourite  flowers,  but  also  because  they  promise 
to  give  us  flowers  which  will  add  to  the  beauty  of 
our  gardens.  I  have  thus  watched  their  progress 
with  a  good  deal  of  interest  since  they  were 
first  brought  under  my  notice,  and  have  had 
flowers  of  several  forms,  between  various  species 
or  varieties  of  the  Glory  of  the  Show  and  the 
Scjuill,  sent  to  me  to  see.  Thej'  are  now  appearing 
in  gardens  rather  frequentlj',  and  in  most  oases  the 
seed  bearer  is  Scilla  bifolia,  hybridised  either 
wilh  Chionodoxa  sardensis  or  C.  Liicili».  Until  a 
few  days  ago,  however,  I  had  seen  no  flowers 
showing  any  changes  of  colour  from  the  blue 
and  white  or  bliie,  which  one  might  expect, 
although  I  have  been  looking  forward  to  seeing  a 
white  and  a  pink  form  turning  up.  Mr.  Allen  has 
been  the  first  to  send  me  a  pink  one,  which  he  has 
named  The  Queen.  It  is  very  beautiful,  of  a 
charming  shade  of  pink.  It  has  also  a  good  habit, 
as  it  holds  its  flowers  erect,  and  on  good  stalks. 
It  ought  to  make  a  more  efi'ective  plant  than  the 
pretty  Scilla  bifolia  rubra,  and  one  hopes  that  it 
is  only  the  first  of  a  series  of  flowers  of  equal 
beauty. — S.  Arn'ott. 

Brachystelma  taingeri,  a  new  Asclepiad 

with  an  edible  tuber,  is  described  and  figured  by 
M.  A.  Chevalier  in  the  Revue  des  Cultures  Coloniahs 
for  February  5.  It  is  a  native  of  the  region  of  the 
Upper  Niger.  The  tuber  resembles  in  taste  the 
Jerusalem  Artichoke,  and  though  only  slightly 
nutritive,  its  value  as  a  food  is  augmented  owing 
to  the  fact  that  it  can  be  procured  when  supplies 
of  rice  and  millet  are  exhausted.  Other  species  of 
Brachystelma  and  a  Ceropegia  are  cited,  all  of 
which  possess  edible  tubers. — KvowJedge. 

Tamarix  kashg-arica  (T.  hispida 

'WilldenO'W). — This  grand  Tamarix  is  of  but 
recent  introduction,  and  was  discovered  by  Mr. 
Roborowsky  in  Central  Asia.  Its  delicate  foliage, 
of  a  beautiful  glaucous  hue,  renders  it  distinct 
from  other  varieties,  and  when  in  September  the 
feathery  branchlets  are  covered  with  hundreds  of 
tiny  rose-carmine  flowers,  forming  such  beautiful 
contrast  with  the  foliage,  its  grandeur  is  unsur- 
passed by  any  other  Tamarix,  and  it  most  certainly 
ranks  among  some  of  the  best  novelties  intro- 
duced of  late  years.  But  verj'  few  shrubs  are  so 
floriferous,  and  the  colour  of  its  flowers  is  rare  in 
our  borders,    and    especially    in    fall,    when    our 


flowering  shrubs  can  be  counted  on  the  fingers. 
When  the  eminent  horticulturist  Peter  Barr  of 
London  saw  this  Tamarix  on  his  visit  here  a  couple 
of  years  ago,  he  remarked:  "This  is  the  finest 
thing  I  have  seen  for  many  days."  Tamarix 
kashgarica  is  quite  distinct  from  T.  amurense 
(T.  odesseana),  with  which  variety  it  seems  to  have 
been  mixed.  The  last-named  is  of  a  more  robust 
growth,  with  coarser  foliage,  flowers  of  consider- 
ably lighter  shade,  and  not  borne  in  such  great 
profusion  as  are  the  first-named. — James  Jensen 
in  Pari-  and  Cemeterij  (America). 

Mr.  G.  Schneider.— On  account  of  the 

extensive  alterations  now  taking  place  at  the  Royal 
Exotia  Nursery,  where  about  lialf  the  ground  is  to 
be  used  for  erecting  dwelling-houses  on  the  site  of 
the  noted  Ferneries  and  other  jjlant  liouses  at 
present  in  course  of  demolition,  Mr.  G.  Schneider 
has  left  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  after  thirty 
years  of  service.  On  March  29  a  little  farewell 
evening  party,  organised  and  presided  over  b}- 
Mr.  John  Heal,  V.M.H.,  was  a  great  success,  the 
principal  feature  of  it  being  the  presentation  of  a 
suitable  souvenir,  ofl'ered  by  the  remaining  members 
of  the  staff  to  their  old  friend,  who  gracefully 
acknowledged  his  toast. 

Forcing   Lilium    Harris!    and   L. 

longiflorum. — It  is  tlie  opinion  of  experts 
who  have  given  the  matter  much  attention  that 
stable  manure  should  not  be  used  either  in  potting 
or  as  a  mulch  at  any  time  in  the  cultivation  of 
Lilium  Harrisi  or  L.  longiflorum,  whether  stored 
or  in  the  greenhouse,  but  that  only  artificial 
fertiliser,  perhaps  nitrate  of  soda,  in  moderate 
quantity,  should  be  used  as  a  stimulant.  It  is 
also  recommended  that  the  plants  be  watered  very 
sparingly  and  kept,  as  growers  saj',  on  the  dry 
side.  The  roots  should  show  white  when  examined. 
If  the3'  are  brownish  or  otherwise  discoloured, 
it  is  an  indication  of  over-watering.  It  is  further 
advised  that  the  plants  be  sprayed  at  night,  if 
sprayed  at  all.  How  does  j'our  treatment  of 
Lilies  compare  with  these  recommendations? — The 
American  Florist. 

A  new  hybrid  water  Ranunculus. 

—Some  years  ago  we  received  from  Mr.  T.  Hilton 
a  curious  water  Ranunculus,  collected  by  him  at 
Copthorne  Common,  East  Sussex.  The  upper 
leaves  and  the  heads  of  carpels  resembled  those  of 
R.  Lenormandi,  but  the  lower  leaves  were  much 
divided  though  not  capillarj',  while  in  stature,  and 
the  shape  and  size  of  the  flowers,  it  resembled  a 
small  state  of  R.  peltatus.  Our  first  impression 
was  that  it  must  be  a  hybrid  between  these  two 
species,  but  the  presence  of  some  well-developed 
heads  of  fruit  seemed  to  militate  against  this  view, 
and  we  did  not  feel  that  there  was  sufficient 
evidence  to  come  to  a  conclusion,  so  put  it  aside 
among  the  many  puzzles  in  this  group,  to  await 
further  material  for  solution.  On  May  23 
last  year  Messrs.  C.  E.  Salmon  and  James 
Groves  visited  the  locality,  duly  found  the  plant, 
and  collected  a  series  of  specimens.  It  occurred 
somewhat  sparingly  in  a  rather  muddy  stream  in 
oompau}'  with  R.  Lenormandi  and  a  fairly  t3'pical 
form  of  R.  peltatus,  but  generally  in  deeper  water 
than  the  former.  On  examining  a  number  of 
fruiting  heads  we  found  that  a  considerable  pro- 
portion of  the  carpels  were  undeveloped,  and  this 
being  the  case,  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  facts 
that  the  plant  occurs  in  small  quantity  in  company 
with  both  of  the  supposed  parents,  and  that  it 
possesses  some  of  the  distinguishing  characteristics 
of  each  of  them,  we  cannot  resist  the  conclusion 
that  it  is  a  hybrid  between  R.  Lenormandi  and 
R.  peltatus.  The  plant  is  so  distinct  and  remark- 
able that  we  think  it  desirable  to  describe  and 
figure  it.— H.  and  J.  Groves,  F.L.S.,  in  The 
Journal  of  Botany  for  April.  (A  figure  and 
technical  description  is  given.) 

The  Preservation  of  Fruit.— A  new 

process  for  keeping  fruit  fresh  and  unchanged  for 
considerable  periods  of  time  is  now  being  introduced 
into  this  country  from  America  by  the  Lawton 
Patents,  Limited,  of  57b,  Hatlon  Garden.  The 
desired  end  it  is  sought  to  attain  by  sterilising  the 
atmosphere  in  which  the  fruits  are  stored,  and 
depriving  it  of  most  of  its  oxygen.  For  this  purpose 
they  are  placed  in  an  air-tight  chamber  lined  with 


non-conducting  material,  in  order  that  its  tempe- 
rature may  remain  uniform,  and  filled  with  air 
which,  after  passing  through  a  mass  of  wool  soaked 
with  brine,  has  been  blown  through  coke  at  red 
heat.  The  gaseous  mixture  thus  produced,  con- 
sisting mainlj'  of  nitrogen  with  carbonic  oxide, 
carbonic  acid,  and  a  small  percentage  of  chlorine, 
is  freed  from  sulphur  and  moisture  b.y  suitable  . 
purifying  agents,  and,  after  being  cooled,  is  pumped 
into  the  chamljer,  where  the  fruits  are  submitted 
to  its  action  for  a  period  varying  from  twelve  to 
thirt3'-six  hours,  but  usually  about  twenty-four. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  moisture  will  be  found  to 
have  developed  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  chamber  ; 
this  must  be  removed  by  the  use  of  the  purifying 
apparatus  just  mentioned,  and  if  it  accumulates 
again — means  are  provided  for  its  detection — the 
drying  process  must  be  repeated.  Ripe  fruit,  it  is 
claimed,  can  in  this  way  be  kept  unchanged  for  so 
long  a  time  as  to  admit  of  its  being  imported  from 
distant  countries  in  perfect  condition  ;  and,  more- 
over, it  is  said  that  it  will  remain  good,  after 
removal  from  the  apparatus,  longer  than  fruit 
which  has  undergone  the  usual  refrigerative  treat- 
ment. It  may,  therefore,  be  picked  properly  ripe. 
instead  of  half-green,  as  is  usually  necessary  with 
present  arrangements.  If,  however,  ripening  i» 
required  during  transport  by  the  Lawton  process, 
it  can  be  effected  by  admitting  more  oxygen  to  the 
chamber.  The  opening  look  place  at  the  offices  of 
the  companj'  of  a  chamber  into  which  various 
fruits,  including  Grapes,  Bananas,  and  Tomatoes, 
were  sealed  three  weeks  ago.  The  Bananas,  which 
were  hard  and  green  when  put  in,  appeared  sub- 
stantially unchanged;  (-rapes,  which  had  been 
hung  up  in  a  bunch,  were  firm  and  juicy,  presenting 
a  marked  contrast  to  some  mouldy,  dried-up 
specimens  which  were  the  remains  of  a  similar 
sample  hung  up  at  the  same  time,  but  not  in  the 
apparatus  ;  while  the  ripe  Tomatoes  were  also  in 
excellent  condition,  except  for  some  slight  signs  of 
wizening  at  the  point  where  they  had  rested  on  the 
shelves  of  the  chamber.  —  Times. 

Hybrid  Orchids.— Mr.  Douglas  brought 
some  hybrids  to  a  recent  meeting  of  the  scientific 
committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  for 
the  purpose  of  showing  that  Orchids  which  flower 
naturall}'  at  the  same  period  of  the  year  produce- 
satisfactory  results,  whereas  if  crosses  are  eft'ectedl 
between  species  that  do  not  naturally  flower  at  the 
same  period,  the  results  are  unsatisfactorj'.  As 
an  example  of  the  latter  he  referred  to  La;lia  x 
Briseis,  a  cross  between  Liclia  purpurata  (pollen 
parent)  and  L.  harpophylla  (seed  parent).  He 
observes :  "  The  seed  did  not  germinate  freely :  two 
plants  onl3f  were  obtained  from  what  seemed  a 
very  satisfactor3'  capsule.  The  Orchid  committee 
thought  it  worth3'  of  an  award  of  merit.  Botli 
plants  are  natives  of  Southern  Brazil.  L.  harpo- 
ph3'lla  produces  its  flowers  under  cultivation  in 
February  and  March  ;  its  flowers  are  small,  2  inches 
to  3  inches  across',  of  a  bright  cinnabar-red  colour, 
and  altogether  unlike  the  gorgeous  L.  purpurata, 
with  coriaceous  leaves  12  inches  to  15  inches  long, 
having  flowers  (i  inches  to  8  inches  in  diameter  of 
an  amethyst  purple  colour.  The  only  trace  of  this 
colour  in  the  progeny  is  a  slight  tinge  on  the  lip, 
and  in  no  respect  is  there  anything  to  lead  one  to 
the  conclusion  that  L.  purpurata  was  the  parent. 
The  plant  is  very  much  larger  in  all  its  parts  than 
L.  harpophylla,  but  not  nearly  approaching  even 
the  intermediate  size  of  L.  purpurata,  either  in 
flower,  leaf,  or  pseudo-bulbs.  Can  any  reason 
(other  than  the  fact  that  the  two  species  do  not 
flower  at  the  same  season  of  the  year)  be  shown 
that  the  seedling  is  not  intermediate  between  the 
two  parents?"  He  also  exhibited  flowers  of 
Cymbidium  eburneo-lowianum,  with  flowers  of 
the  seed  parent,  C.  lowianum,  and  of  the  pollen 
parent,  C.  eburneum.  In  this  case  the  two  parents 
naturall3'  produce  their  flowers  at  the  same  time, 
and  the"  result  of  liybridisation  is  enlirel3'  satis- 
faotor3'.  The  pseudo-bulbs  and  leaves  are  as  inter- 
mediate as  are  the  flowers.  The  flower  spikes  are 
longer  than  those  of  C.  eburneum,  but  not  so  long 
as  in  C.  lowianum.  In  the  one  case  the  result 
was  disappointing,  in  the  other  very  satisfactory  ; 
moreover,  it  has  been  asserted  tliat  such  results, 
are  to  be  expected.     May  I  ask  why  V 


April  13,  1901.^ 


THE    GARDEN. 


257 


Plants  for  damp  places  in  the  wild 

gaPden. — in  many  a  garden  or  its  outskirts 
tliere  is  a  piece  of  damp  ground  or  a  space  by  a 
stream  or  a  shallow  ditch.  Some  people  would 
think  it  best  to  drain  it  and  to  make  it  into  quite 
sound  ground,  but  it  is  far  better  to  keep  it  in  its 
own  state  and  to  plant  it  with  what  will  enjoj'  just 
such  a  place.  It  is  a  grand  lesson  in  good  planting 
to  see  by  the  illustration  last  week  how  this  has 
been  done  at  Mr.  Wilson's.  Here  in  one  margin 
of  the  shallow  stream  is  the  beautiful  Japan  Iris  I. 
Uevigata  (perhaps  better  known  as  I.  Kfempferi), 
and  on  the  other  some  of  the  larger  of  the  herbaceou.s 
Spira?as  of  w-hich  S.  Aruneus  maj'  be  considered 
the  tj'pe.  Beyond  this  are  seen  the  tall  stems  of 
Heracleum  giganteum.  The  picture  shows  not  only 
what  are  the  good  things  to  grow  in  such  a  place, 
but  how  they  are  best  planted  in  wide  groups  and 
masses.  So  only  can  the  true  ways  of  the  plant  be 
seen  and  its  true  value  be  appreciated.  Important 
though  it  is  in  the  trimmer  garden  to  plant  in 
sufficient  quantities  of  one  good  thing  at  a  time, 
in  the  wilder  ground  it  is  a  necessity,  or  the  whole 
character  of  the  place  is  spoilt. — S. 

Cinerapias  from  Messrs.  Clibran. 

— We  have  received  a  boxful  of  flowers  from  this 
v/ell  known  firm,  Oldfield  Nurseries,  Altrincham, 
Cheshire.  The  flowers  show  how  carefullj'  the 
strain  has  been  brought  to  its  present  perfection  ; 
they  are  not  absurdly  large,  but  pure  and  fresh, 
some  quite  self,  others  tipped  with  colour,  a  rich 
and  varied  assortment,  which  shows  that  the 
masses  of  them  now  in  bloom  at  Altrincham  nnrst 
provide  a  feast  of  colour. 

Rose  show  fixtures  received  since  the 
last  list  was  sent : — July  2  (Tuesday),  Here- 
ford ;  July  3  (Wednesday),  Farninghani ;  July  10 
(Wednesday),  Formby  ;  July  16  (Tuesday),  Kidder- 
minster. Correction. — Starabridge  (Essex)  instead 
of  Great  Stambridge. — Edwd.  Mawlbf,  JRosebanl; 
Berl-hanisted,  Herts. 

A  beautiful  pest. — Wehavereceivedasheet 
of  The  Qneenslander  with  five  illustrations  from 
photographs  showing  portions  of  the  Bremer  River 
almost  completely  choked  with  a  close  growth  of 
the  handsome  South  American  aquatic  plant,  the 
Water  Hyacinth  (Eichornia  or  Pondeteria  cras- 
sipes).  We  hear  also  that  it  has  increased  in  the 
streams  in  Florida  to  such  an  extent  as  to  be  quite 
a  nuisance,  while  in  its  native  Amazon  and  tributary' 
streams  it  is  often  so  thick  as  to  impede  navigation. 
The  specific  name  crassipes  refers  to  the  swollen 
petiole  or  leaf  stalk,  which  thickens  under  water 
to  a  gradually  swelling  and  then  diminishing  form, 
having  an  elliptical  section  of  some  size  in  its 
thickest  part.  These  examples  of  a  beautiful 
water  plant  becoming  a  troublesome  pest  is  only  a 
repetition  of  a  former  experience,  and  shows  that 
an  untried  plant  should  be  introduced  with  the 
utmost  caution,  even  in  private  waters  ;  for  many 
of  these  are  in  communication  with  rivers,  to 
which  small  detached  pieces,  and  still  more  easily 
seeds,  may  be  carried.  Probably  our  cooler  waters 
would  not  be  so  liable  to  the  danger  in  this  case, 
but  it  is  well  to  be  on  our  guard. 

Cherry  tree  on  the  table.— Something 

new  is  promised  in  the  way  of  a  society  fad,  and 
the  very  wealthy  New  York  set,  which  is  alwaj-s 
looking  out  for  fresh  opportunit3'  to  sc[uander 
money,  is  pleased  greatly  by  the  novelty  of  the 
idea.  During  the  present  winter  no  reallj'  swell 
and  properly  equipped  dinner  table  has  been  con- 
sidered complete  on  a  festive  occasion  in  the  house 
of  any  millionaire  unless  there  is  a  dwarf  Cherry 
tree  for  an  ornament — at  least  one  Cherry  tree,  that 
is  to  say,  though  there  may  be  as  many  as  half  a 
dozen.  These  trees  will  bear  actual  fruit,  ruddy 
ripe,  which  the  guests  are  expected  to  pluck  for 
themselves  when  dessert  time  arrives.  Not  more 
than  100  Cherries  will  be  on  each  tree,  but,  inas- 
much as  they  will  be  of  extraordinary  size  and 
ilelicious  quality,  besides  being  so  unusual  a  luxurjr, 
this  number  should  suffice  for  a  small  dinner  partj- 
at  all  events — one  of  those  ideally  managed  enter- 
tainments at  which,  in  accordance  with  accepted 
theory  in  such  matters,  the  persons  present  are  not 
fewer  than  the  graces  nor  exceeding  the  muses 
numerically.  These  d  warf  Cherry  trees  have  been 
evolved  by  the  ingenuity  of  French  gardeners,  and 


during  the  last  winter  they  have  been  the  vogue  in 
gay  Paris.  That  they  cost  a  good  deal  of  money 
goes  without  saying,  inasmuch  as  the  fruit  has  to 
be  forced  by  special  processes  in  the  greenhouse, 
and,  the  little  crop  once  picked,  there  cannot  be 
another  until  a  twelve  month  later.  The  French 
are  wonderful  at  this  sort  of  thing,  having  developed 
the  art  of  horticulture  along  certain  lines  to  a  point 
undreamed  of  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  The 
Cherry  trees,  as  they  appear  on  the  dinner  table, 
are  four  or  five  years  old,  but  have  trunks  only 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter.  They  have 
never  been  permitted  to  grow  more  than  3  feet 
high,  being  kept  cut  down  to  that  point,  while 
most  of  the  branches  are  lopped  off,  so  that  the 
little  tree  has  a  wholly  artificial  aspect.  At  the 
proper  time  it  is  set  in  a  pot  and  placed  in  the 
hothouse  for  the  purpose  of  forcing  it  to  fruit. 
And  finally,  when  the  fruit  appears,  most  of  the 
Cherries  are  removed,  whilst  as  yet  immature,  with 
a  pair  of  scissors,  only  100  or  so  being  allowed  to 
ripen.  As  a  result  they  have  a  size  and  quality 
far  superior  to  the  best  of  ordinary  Cherries.  Rich 
people  in  Paris  are  not  less  reckless  of  money 
expenditure  than  are  those  of  the  smart  set  in  New 
York,  and  there  is  probably  no  place  in  the  world 
where  fruits  of  rare  or  exceptionally  delicious 
varieties  command  such  extravagant  prices.  The 
first  Cherry  that  was  offered  in  the  Paris  market 
this  year  brought  20  francs,  or  4dols. ,  not  a  Cherry 
tree,  mind  you,  but  a  single  Cherry.  But  then  it 
was  the  only  Cherry  tor  sale  on  that  day,  and  so  it 
may  be  said  to  have  been  relatively  cheap.  It  was 
purchased  by  Count  Boni  de  Castellane,  or,  more 
correctly  speaking,  was  bought  for  him  bj'  his 
order. — Boston  Transcript. 


THE     FERN     GARDEN 


HARDY     FERNS. 

A    S  hardy  Ferns  are  now  beginning  to  wake 
/%  up  from  the  winter  sleep  and  start  into 

/   %  active  growth  after  the  long  rest,  this 

/  \  is  the  best  time  of  the  year  for  dealing 
I  \  with  them  in  the  way  of  rearranging, 
replanting,  and  division,  since  there  is 
now  no  risk  of  damaging  new  growth  by  such 
operations,  and  they  are  in  the  more  vigorous  slate 
to  withstand  any  consequent  shock.  Ferns  in  pots 
should  be  carefully  examined,  and  if  the  plants 
appear  weakly,  i.e.,  if  no  signs  of  swelling  of  the 
crowns  be  apparent  and  the  fronds  of  evergreen 
species  are  mainly  brown  and  dead,  such  plants 
should  be  shaken  out  and  repotted.  The  cause 
will  frequently  be  found  in  a  sour  condition  of  the 
soil  and  consequently  perished  roots,  or  it  may  be 
that  the  fat  white  grubs  of  the  weevil  are  found  at 
the  root,  in  which  case  a  thorough  washing  out  of 
the  soil  and  careful  examination  of  the  caudex  is 
necessarjf  to  ensure  entire  elimination.  Green 
fronds  should  not  be  cut  off  but  turned  down  in 
case  of  need  to  make  room  for  the  new  ones  ;  brown 
and  shrivelled  fronds  may  be  removed  with  benefit. 
Ferns  which  send  up  their  fronds  in  circlets, 
shuttlecock  fashion,  are  very  apt  to  multiply  their 
crowns  by  fissures  through  the  centre  or  offsets  on 
the  sides,  and  as  the  result  of  this  is  an  inter- 
mingling of  the  fronds  and  a  struggle  for  existence 
between  the  various  crowns,  it  greatly  benefits 
such  plants  to  part  them  into  single  crowns  and 
instal  them  separately.  As  a  rule  the  separation 
is  easy.  The  Fern  elump  should  be  turned  out  of 
the  pots  or  forked  out  of  the  ground  and  the  offsets 
pulled  away,  or,  if  need  be,  wedged  away  with  a 
trowel  or  blunt  knife  ;  each  then  is  seen  to  possess 
its  own  individual  set  of  roots,  and  the  less  these 
are  broken  or  damaged  the  better  for  the  sub- 
sequent establishments.  Where  crowns  have  split 
up  into  two  by  central  fissure,  we  must  wait  until 
each  has  developed  clear  of  the  other  with  a  sort 
of  neck  between,  and  then  probably  a  sharp  knife 
will  be  needed  to  start  the  separation,  care  being 
taken  to  cut  as  little  as  possible  and  to  keep  to  the 
centre.  In  this  and  the  preceding  operation,  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  most  of  the  fronds  of 
the  season  are  already   packed  inside   the  crown, 


and  must  not  be  subjected  to  pressure  or  rough 
usage.  The  preceding  remarks  apply  to  hardy 
Ferns,  shield  Ferns,  Lastreas,  and  Blechnums, 
except  that  the  last-named  species,  being  small,  is 
better  adapted  for  clump  growing.  For  Ferns  with 
travelling  root-stocks  like  the  Polypodies,  although 
they  may  be  propagated  easily  enough  by  cutting 
their  long  root-stocks  into  separate  pieces,  each 
provided  with  a  frond  or  two,  a  growing  top,  and 
the  attendant  roots,  as  a  rule  they  are  better  left 
undisturbed,  and  if  shifted  into  roomier  quarters 
lifted  en  ma.^se.  For  these  it  is  essential  to  provide 
an  open  leafy  compost  and  plenty  of  surface  room, 
and  to  keep  these  growing  tips  close  to  or  even  on 
the  surface.  The  Bladder  Ferns,  Lastrea  thelyp- 
teris  (Marsh  Buckler  Fern),  and  the  varieties  of 
the  Bracken  (Pteris  aquilina)  also  belong  to  this 
category  of  Ferns  with  rambling  root-stocks.  The 
Spleenworts  form  little  clumps,  and,  as  wall  Ferns, 
should  be  installed  in  rocky  chinks  or  at  the  edges 
of  pots  and  pans.  The  Roj'al  Fern  (Osmunda 
regalis)  is  also  a  clump  grower,  and  does  best  in  a 
peaty  compost  kept  constantly  moist,  as  it  is  really 
a  marsh  or  riverside  plant,  and  cannot  stand 
drought  at  all.  In  constructing  rockeries,  for 
which  this  is  also  the  best  time  of  the  j'ear  for  the 
reasons  given,  these  peculiarities  of  the  Ferns 
should  be  borne  in  mind,  and  also  the  fact  that 
though  ample  daylight  is  required,  Ferns  like 
protection  from  hot  sunshine  and  rough  winds,  and 
also  need  a  constantly  loosened  soil.  Hence 
rockeries  should  be  constructed  facing  north  or 
north-east,  and  in  such  positions  that  some  sort  of 
screen  exists  against  both  sun  and  blustering 
breezes.  A  good  general  compost  is  a  liberal  ad- 
mixture of  leaf -mould  with  good  loam,  and  where 
particularly  precious  youngsters  are  installed  a 
little  silver  sand  and  peat  may  be  used  with 
advantage  in  the  stations  made  for  them.  Finally, 
if  the  collection  (so  called)  consists  of  nothing  but 
the  common  forms  of  the  species  as  retailed  by 
street  hawkers  or  exhibited  bj'  florists  in  boxes  at 
Is.  per  dozen  in  ignominious  corners  of  their  shops, 
turn  them  out  or  give  them  away,  and  acquire 
some  of  the  good  varieties  which  are  described 
from  time  to  time  by  the  writer.  These  varieties 
are  infinitely  more  beautiful  and  yet  quite  as 
hardy,  and  hence  it  is  just  as  absurd  to  devote 
good  accommodation  to  the  common  ones  as  it 
would  be  to  grow  in  our  gardens  the  original  seeds 
from  which  many  of  our  finest  flowers  have  been 
developed.      Chas.  T.  DRnERY.  F.L.S.,  V.M.H. 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON    PLANT 
LIFE.-VIII. 

Early-floweeing  Ceucifees. 

As  soon  as  the  temperature  is  about  10'  above 
freezing  point  a  few  of  our  wild  flowers  begin 
to  put  in  an  appearance,  and  some  half  dozen 
Crucifers  are  the  first  to  make  themselves  con- 
spicuous. As  example,  the  four  following 
may  be  taken  :  Cardamine  hirsuta,  Bittercress  ; 
Sisymbrium  Alliaria,  Jack  -  by  -  the  -  hedge  ; 
Erophila  vulgaris,  Vernal  Whitlow-grass  ;  and 
Capsella  Bursa-Pastoris,  Shepherd's  Purse.  All 
of  these  have  very  small  and  inconspicuous 
flowers  ;  all  of  them  blossom  before  there  are 
insects  about,  and  all  set  a  profusion  of  seed, 
as  can  be  easily  ob.served  by  the  number  of 
well- filled  pods  which  follow  the  continually 
extending  peduncle,  which  supports  the  flat- 
topped  corymb  composed  of  flowers  and  buds, 
if  the  structure  of  the  flowers  be  compared 
with  that  of  a  large-flowered  Crucifera  as  of 
the  Wallflower,  one  notices  the  following  dif- 
ferences. In  the  latter  there  are  two  large 
honey-glands  situated  right  and  left  upon  the 
floral  receptacle.  The  only  access  to  them  is 
by  two  passages  between  the  stamens  directly 
over  the  glands.  The  cross-like  petals  form  a 
flat  landing-place  for  a  bee.  The  stigma  is 
bilobed,  pointing  to  the  back  and  front,  so 
that  the  bee's  proboscis  glides  over  the  fork 
down  the  passage  straight  to  the  honey-glands. 


•258 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[April   13,  1901. 


On  flying  to  another  flower  the  pollen  is  scraped 
ofl'  the  proboscis  as  it  passes  over  the  cleft 
between  the  two  stigmatic  arms. 

In  all  the  four  species  mentioned,  however, 
the  two  stigmas  are  enclosed  into  a  globular 
head,  while  the  anthers  are  placed  in  contact 
with  it,  and  there  is  little  or  no  honey.  More- 
over, the  stigmas  mature  simultaneously  with 
tlie  anthers^  and  the  pollen-tubes  enter  it 
without  any  crossing  at  all.  In  other  words, 
these  plants  are  habitually  self-fertilised. 

They  are  all  annuals,  as  is  often  the  case 
with  such  plants,  but  by  no  means  always,  as 
the  Watercress,  &c.,  but  one  consequence  of 
their  being  indeiiendent  of  insects  is,  that 
wherever  the  seeds  are  carried,  they  can  grow, 
provided  the  climate  is  congenial. 

The  consequence  is  that  not  only  are  they 
widelv  dispersed  naturally,  but  man  has— of 
course  unintentionally— distributed  them  still 
further  afield.  Thus,  of  the  Bittercress,  Sir 
.1,  D.  Hooker  says  of  its  distribution,  "north 
temperature  and  cold  zones,  also  south  tempera- 
ture." In  looking  through  "Floras"!  find  it 
recorded  from  Chili,  South  Australia,  New 
Zealand,  Auckland  and  Campbell's  Islands, 
Falkland  and  Fuegia,  Tasmania,  South  Africa, 
Tropical  Asia,  North-east  Africa,  Hong  Kong, 
Madeira,  North-east  Asia,  and  Kamtschatka. 
The  others  are  dispersed  more  or  less  in  the 
same  way. 

What  is  the  lesson  to  be  learnt  from  these 
Crucifers  to  which  many  other  plants  might 
be  added,  as  the  Watercress,  Veronicas,  &c.  ? 
It  is  that  they  have  their  flowers  especially 
adapted  to  self-fertilisation  through  a  state  of 
degradation  from  more  conspicuous  ancestors. 
The  result  is  a  far  greater  degree  of  fertility  is 
acquired  than  that  of  plants  whose  flowers  are 
specialised  for  insect  pollination.  Another 
consequence  is  that  they  become  far  more 
widely  dispersed  over  the  globe. 

Since  plant  life  has  but  two  "  ends,"  viz.,  to 
secure  as  healthy  existence  as  can  be  had,  and 
to  leave  plenty  of  good  seed  when  the  indi- 
vidual dies.  Of  all  plants  these  "  ends  "  are 
best  secured  by  .'■■elf-fertilisation. 

Habitually  self-fertilised  plants  thus  prove 
that  they  are  the  best  fitted  to  survive  in  the 
struggle  for  life.  George  Henslow^ 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 

ROSES  IN  CEYLON, 

AT    AN    KLEV,\TION    OF    .1,400    KEET    .\B0VE    SE.\ 
LEVEL. 

ROSES  at  a  high  elevation  in  Ceylon 
do  very  well  indeed,  with  but  a 
few  exceptions,  such  as  the  Hybi-id 
Perpetuals  Jennie  Dickson,  A.  K. 
^  Williams,  Reynolds  Hole,  and  a 
few  others.  The  Hybrid  Per- 
lietuals  have  to  be  allowed  to  grow  very  much 
as  they  like,  that  is  to  say,  no  pruning  is 
necessary,  only  the  removal  of  dead  wood,  and 
to  let  tiie  ))lant  grow  on.  The  plants  look 
straggly  by  this  treatment,  but  it  is  the  only 
way  to  ensure  success.  Plants  that  are  cut 
down  year  after  year  do  not  flower  properly, 
and  only  have  a  very  short  life.  Among  the 
I  lost  are  Clio,  Pi,obert  Duncan,  Thomas  Wood, 
.Alfonse  Suppert,  Baron  de  Bonstettin,  Beauty 
of  Waltham,  Boule  de  Neige,  and  Countess 
of  Oxford.  The  Victor  Verdier  tribe  all  do 
siilendidly  and  are  always  in  flower.  Heinrich 
Scliultheis  and  its  sports  are  excellent,  and 
Hx-Virid  Teas  are  without  doubt  the  class  above 
:<ll  i..i  tills  1-111111  try.  As  a  rule  they  do  better 
iliaii  the  Hylii'id  Perpetuals  or  Teas,  with  a  few 
notable  exceptions,  such  as  Maman  Cochet  both 


KOSL    (iARDE.N    AND    BUNGALOW    IN 


pink  and  white.  There  is  no  better  Rose 
grown  than  this  ;  It  simply  grows  like  a  weed, 
and  makes  very  large  trees  in  a  year  or  so  from 
cuttings,  and  the  blooms  are  enormous  and 
exquisitely  formed.  To  begin  to  enumerate 
the  Hybrid  Teas  that  do  well  would  be  to 
mention  nearly  all  that  can  be  found  in  a 
modern  English  catalogue.  Captain  Christy 
and  its  sports  are  in  the  first  rank  with  the 
La  France  tribe,  Augustine  Guinoisseau  and 
Duchess  of  Albany  being  the  best  of  this 
family.  Bessie  Brown,  Mrs.  Grant  Baldwin, 
Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria,  'Slme.  Joseph 
Comber,  Mrs.  Whitney,  Souvenir  du  President 
Carnot,  Shandon,  etc.,  are  by  far  the  best 
Hybrid  Teas. 

Teas  as  a  class  do  very  well,  in  the  first  rank 
being  Maman  Cochet,  Anna  Olivier,  Niphetos 
(climber), (Jleopatra,Perle  des  Jardins  (climber), 
Duchesse  Marie  de  Rotibor,  Emile  Gonin, 
Francisca  Kruger,  General  Bitton,  Hon.  Edith 
Gilford,  Jean  Ducher,  Mesdames  Baldwin, 
Berard  and  De  Watteville,  Marie  van  Houtte, 
jSIrs.  E.  Mawley,  Ruliens,  Safrano,  Sappho,  and 
the  Souvenir  d'un  Ami  tribe,  Zephyr.  A  lot 
of  the  Teas  are  bad  growers,  and  never  make 
good  trees.  Noisettes  as  a  class  do  well.  Niel, 
both  yellow  and  white.  Cloth  of  Gold,  LTdeal, 
Reve  d'Or,  W.  A.  Richardson,  and  Laniarque 
ai'e  the  best.  Both  Banksians  do  well,  and  j 
soon  make  extra  large  trees.  i 

The  Bourbon  class  does  not  do  well,  only  the  i 
Hybrifl  Bourbon  are  of  any  use,  such  as  Mrs. 
Paul,  Philemon,  Cochet,  Purity,  and  lioth  the 
climbing  and  bush  Malmaison.  The  ordinary  i 
Bourbons  do  not  flower  well.  Rosa  polyantha, 
such  as  Aglaia  and  Crimson  Rambler,  grow 
fast  and  soon  make  very  large  plants. 

C'hinas  do  well,  but  this  class  as  a  rule  are 
not  very  useful,  tho  flowers  being  very  ]ioor 
and  not  lasting.  The  best  Chinas  are  Cora, 
Duke  of  York,  Duchess,  Flora,  Mrs.  Bo.sanquet, 
and  Red  Pet. 

The  Japanese  Rugosa  Roses  do  very  well, 
but  have  a  very  stragi;ly  growth,  and  can  only 
be  grown  as  a  hedge  or  back  ground. 

The  Penzance  Briars  are  worthless,  and  only 
flower  once  in  a  way,  though  they  make  good 
growth.  I  have  all  the  varieties,  but  use  them 
as  the  stock  for  budding  on.  Moss  Roses  are 
also  useless.  The  only  two  that  flower  at  all  are 
White  Bath  and  Periietual  Moss,  both  of  very 
straggly  growth  and  of  little  or  no  u.se. 


Roses  from  seed  are  very  easily  raised,  and 
with  care  good  varieties  are  obtained.  The 
seed  ripens  all  the  year  round,  and  is  produced 
freely,  if  the  flower  has  been  fertilised.  The 
writer  has  raised  some  fine  new  sorts  from 
M.  Niel,  Niphetos,  Robert  Duncan,  Thomas 
Wood,  General  Jacqueminot,  &c.,  and  they 
may  be  heard  of  in  the  Rose  world, 

A  Ceylon  Rosarian, 

OWN    ROOT    ROSES, 

Foe  over  twenty  years  I  have  advocated  Roses 
grown  from  cuttings,  as  I  have  found  certain  sorts 
succeed  admirablj'  growing  in  that  way,  whether 
in  pots  or  in  the  open. 

I,  too,  like  Mr.  Hatfield,  have  found  Magna 
Charta  quite  one  of  the  best  varieties  to  grow  from 
cuttings.  No  varietj'  that  I  am  acquainted  with 
is  better  tor  growing  in  quite  small  pots,  saj'  from 
4  inches  to  (i  inches.  Stocky  plants  carrying  two 
and  sometimes  three  good-sized  blooms  in  the 
smaller  pots,  and  as  many  as  six  on  plants  in  the 
larger,  are  excellent  for  vases  in  the  dwelling-house 
or  conservatory.  This  variety,  too,  carries  sucli 
robust  leaves  that  it  is  enhanced  as  a  vase  plant 
in  consequence. 

Baroness  de  Rothschild  is  another  variety  suit- 
able for  this  form  of  culture,  and  so  is  I^a  France, 
lOdouard  Morren,  Captain  Cliristj',  and  several 
others.  Huge  buslies  of  all  these  can  be  quicklj- 
grown  in  the  open  when  raised  from  cuttings. 

When  we  think  of  the  vigorous-growing  garden 
Roses  like  Fclicite-Perpctue,  Crimson  Rambler, 
Cloth  of  Gold,  Reve  d'Or,  and  Lamarque  there 
srems  to  be  even  still  greater  scope  for  own  root 
Roses, 

By  far  the  best  way  to  strike  the  cuttings  of 
H.P.  varieties  intended  for  pot  culture  is  to  take 
riittings-  4  inches  tu  li  inolies  long  in  May  from 
plants  that  ttowered  in  puts  in  April,  inserting 
them  rather  thicklj-  in  saiidv  soil  in  pots,  plunging 
them  in  a  gentle  liottom  lieat  in  a  Cucumber  frame, 
shading  from  bright  sun,  where  they  will  (juickly 
form  roots.  AVhen  well  rooted,  pot  tliem  .separately 
ill  3-inch  pots  and  induce  them  to  inal;e  fresh  roots 
at  once  by  giving  tliem  a  moist  heat  for  a  week  or 
two,  gradually  hardening  them  oil  until  the}'  may 
sl;and  out  of  doors  for  the  remainder  of  tlie  summer, 
plunged  in  ashes,  which  more  easily  maintains 
moisture  about  the  roots  tlian  when  sucli  small 
]iots  are  exposed  to  sun  and  wind.  Such  plants, 
if  carefully  attended  to,  will  produce  really  good 
blooms  the  following  year. 

The  difficulty  is  at  times  to  obtain  shoots  in 
quantity  of  the  varieties  required  to  enable 
cuttings  to  be  taken  as  freel}'  as  one  would  wish 


1 


April   13,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


259 


at  that  time  of  tbe  year.  Still  the  principle  of 
propagation  merits  approval. 

The  more  orthodox  method  of  striking  Roses 
from  cuttings  is  that  of  inserting  pieces  8  inches  to 
10  inches  long  in  rows  on  a  partly  shaded  border 
some  time  in  October.  Occasionally  a  good  strike 
is  obtained,  bnt  not  always,  owing  to  a  fault  of 
insertion. 

What  are  commonly  known  as  garden  Roses 
strike  in  this  way  much  more  readily  than  the 
ordinary  H.P.,  owing  perhaps  to  their  natural 
vigour  of  growth. 

A  much  more  certain  method  of  striking  Rose 
cuttings  is  that  of  inserting  them  in  sandy  soil  in 
a  cold  frame  at  the  eud  of  August  or  early  in 
September.  Select  shoots  that  flowered  some- 
what early,  therefore  partly  matured,  and  not  too 
vigorous.  Cut  these  into  6-inch  lengths,  rejecting 
the  sappy  portion  at  the  apex.  Make  them  quite 
firm  at  the  base,  shade  slightly  at  first  from  bright 
sun,  and  sprinkle  the  leaves  daily,  as  the  retention 
of  these  uninjured  is  all  in  favour  of  securing  a 
good  strike. 

The  following  April,  or  early  in  May,  the  plants 
will  be  ready  for  planting  out  or  placing  in  pots  if 
they  are  intended  for  that  method  of  culture. 

E.   MOLYNEUX. 


STANDARD    ^VISTARIAS. 

The  beauty  of  the  charming  Wistaria  sinenses 
when  grown  as  a  standard  has  been  well 
demonstrated  at  the  recent  meetings  of  the 
Eoyal  Horticultural  Society,  held  in  the  Drill 
Hall,  Westminster.  The  drooping  racemes  of 
the  pale  blue  Pea-like  flowers  are  then  seen  to 
the  very  best  advantage.  Plants  in  the  form  of 
standards  are  also  most  useful  for  decorative 
purposes  in  the  greenhouse  and  elsewhere. 
Our  photograph  shows  one  of  the  several 
beautiful  specimens  lately  exhibited  by  Messrs. 
E.  and  G.  Cuthbert,  Southgate,  London,  N. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 

Planting. 

GERMAN  Irises  and  some  others  of 
the  rhizomatous  section  may  be 
lifted,  divided,  and  replanted  now  if 
desired,  though,  except  for  increasing 
stock  or  to  form  fresh  groups,  all 
are  best  left  undisturbed  while  doing 
well,  for  they  do  not  relish  disturbance  at  any 
time.  The  soil  on  the  new  site  should  be  made 
quite  firm,  so  that  there  will  be  no  sinking  after- 
wards, and  the  rhizomes  only  buried  sufficiently  to 
anchor  the  plants,  as  they  like  to  run  near  the 
surface. 

EULALIAS 
take  kindly  to  spring  division  and  replanting,  and 
should  not  remain  too  long  on  the  same  site,  as 
they  impoverish  the  soil  and  go  back  in  growth. 
Both  the  green  and  the  variegated  forms  are 
very  ornamental  in  habit,  and  are  welcome 
occupants  of  the  borders  when  well  placed.  A 
little  good  manure  may  be  dug  in  for  them  and  the 
soil  stirred  deeply. 

Calystegia  pubesceks  el. -PL. 
Is  a  charming  climber  when  given  a  new  site  or 
replanted  in  fresh  soil,  which  should  be  rich, 
every  alternate  year,  but  developes  red  spider  if 
left  to  starve  and  crowd  itself  out.  Lift  at  once, 
selecting  the  strongest  crowns,  and  replant. 

Tubers  of  Trop^olum  tuberosum 
should  be  planted  in  very  sandy  soil,  and  given 
such  a  soil  it  will  be  found  an  excellent  climber 
for  a  wall  or  trellis  with  an  east  aspect ;  indeed,  I 
have  found  it  invaluable  for  such  a  purpose  in  the 
sandy  soil  of  Suffolk,  and  flowering  plants  that  do 
well  on  such  an  aspect  are  none  too  common. 

TROP.550LUM    SPECIOSUM 

should  be  planted  now,  using  pot  roots  and  plant- 
ing them  deeply,  from  8  inches  to  12  inches,  accord- 


ing to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  being  none  too  deep. 
The  question  of  aspect  I  will  leave  alone,  as  it  has 
succeeded  in  all  aspects  in  isolated  cases,  but  it 
certainly  likes  coolness  at  the  root.  Small  roots  I 
planted  at  the  base  of  a  Yew  hedge  two  years  ago, 
planting  on  the  shady  side,  have  now  many  roots, 
almost  as  thick  as  one's  little  finger,  and  from  these 
the  results  ought  to  be  good.  Previous  successes 
have  always  been  with  roots  planted  in  shade. 
Hardy  plants,  such  as  Herniaria  glabra,  mossy 
Saxifragas,  itc. ,  used  for  carpeting,  more  tender 
things  should  now  be  planted  ;  they  will  give  less 
trouble  than  they  would  if  left  till  later,  and  the 
former  will  run  together  and  form  a  nice  carpet 
before  bedding  plants  are  put  out. 

Hardy  Ferns 
are  best  moved  just  as  they  are  beginning  to  grow. 
In  most  seasons  this  occurs  about  the  end  of  March, 
but  the  cold  spring  has  kept  these  very  backward, 
in  common  with  most  other  plants,  and  they  will 
now  be  just  right  for  the  purpose.  These  Ferns 
grow  so  well  in  shady  nooks  and  look  so  cool  in 
hot  summer  weather  that  room  for  a  hardy  Fernery 
should  be  found  in  all  gardens.     Early  sown 

Swj;et  Peas 
have  had  a  bad  time  just  lately,  and  it  will  be 
advisable  to  sow  again  at  once  on  a  spot  where 
they  may  get  a  deep  root  run  in  soil  that  has  been 
well  manured  for  a  previous  crop,  but  in  which  no 
fresh  manure  has  been  put. 

In  the  spring  garden  attention  should  be  paid  to 
staking  or  otherwise  supporting  and  guarding 
from  the  wind  the  heaviest  spikes  of  H3'acinths, 
&c.,  as  the  loss  of  only  a  few  flowers  in  Hyacinth 
and  Tulip  beds  make  them  look  poor. 

The  propagating  season  for  tender  bedding 
plants  is  fast  draw- 
ing to  a  close.  Before 
it  is  too  late  thestock 
should  be  gone 
through  and  note 
made  of  an3'  defi- 
ciency, making  this 
good  by  putting  in 
more  cuttings  at 
once.  Continue  to 
harden  off  earlier 
struck  plants  as  fast 
as  room  can  be  found 
for  them  in  frames 
or  in  make  -  shift 
shelters. 

J.  C.  Tallaok. 


set.  If  manure  is  applied  when  planting,  it  should 
be  thoroughly  rotten  and  of  a  light  nature,  such 
as  spent  hot  beds,  composed  of  leaves  and  stable 
manure.  On  poor  land  a  sprinkling  of  Potato 
manure  may  also  be  applied  in  the  rows,  and  the 
dressing  repeated  before  earthing-up  takes  place. 

Cabbage  sown  early  in  the  season  will  now 
require  pricking  out  in  beds  where  they  can  be 
protected  from  cold  wind  for  a  time.  When 
moved  to  their  final  quarters  care  should  be  taken 
to  break  as  few  of  the  roots  as  possible,  and  a 
showery  day  chosen  for  the  operation.  If  a  rich 
piece  of  ground  can  be  set  aside  for  this  crop  it  will 
reduce  the  time  required  for  their  development, 
and  also  the  necessity  of  retaining  old  stumps, 
which  are  unsightly  at  any  time.  Brussels  Sprouts 
sown  at  the  same  time  will  also  require  attention 
to  keep  the  plants  stock}'.  Where  Sprouts  are 
expected  by  the  end  of  September,  as  they  are  here, 
there  is  no  time  to  lose  in  the  preparation  of  the 
plants.  When  the  time  arrives  for  their  final 
planting  an  open  situation  should  be  chosen  and 
plenty  of  room  allowed  between  the  plants,  so  that 
light  and  air  can  pass  freely  through  them.  The 
main  crop  of  Broccoli  should  now  be  sown.  Rather 
a  poor  soil  is  best  for  this  purpose,  in  order  to  grow 
the  young  plants  as  hardy  as  possible,  so  that 
when  planting-out  time  arrives  they  will  be  better 
able  to  stand  the  effects  of  hot  weather.  The 
seed  should  be  sown  thinly  in  drills  4  inches  apart 
and  half  an  inch  deep.  The  different  varieties  of 
Broccoli  may  be  sown  at  the  same  time,  also  Savoy, 
Cabbage,  &c. ,  and  covered  with  garden  netting  to 
keep  the  birds  from  taking  the  seeds. 

French  Beans  may  be  planted  in  cold  frames 
where  the  surface  of  the  soil  is  within  18  inches  of 
the    glass.       IJwarf    growing   varieties   should   be 


KITCHEN 
GAEDEN. 
Potato  Planting. 
The  planting  of 
main  crop  and  late 
varieties  of  Potatoes 
should  be  pushed 
forward  when  the 
soil  is  in  condition. 
If  already  dug  and 
of  an  open  nature  the 
sets  may  be  planted 
by  means  of  a  Potato 
dibber,  but  if  the 
ground  is  heavy  the 
best  way  is  to  plant 
as  the  digging  is 
going  on,  taking  care 
to  pulverise  the  soil 
to  the  full  depth  of 
the  spade.  Good 
varieties  for  this 
planting  are  Wind- 
sor Castle,  Scottish 
Triumph,  and  Kerr's 
Cigarette,  for  round ; 
and  Devonian,  Re- 
liance, and  Match- 
less, for  kidneys. 
Thesemay  be  planted 
30  inches  between 
the  rows  and  15 
inches  from  [set   to 


STANDARD   WISTARIA   FORCED, 


260 


THE     GAKDEN. 


[April  13,  1901. 


chosen,  and  may  he  planted  in  rows  16  inches 
apart :  Osborn's  Forcing  and  Early  Favourite  are 
good  varieties  for  this  purpose.  The  Dwarf  Butler 
Bean  ma}'  also  be  planted  in  the  same  wa\'.  This 
is  a  free  cropping  Bean  of  e.xcellent  finality,  and 
where  it  is  appreciated  it  can  be  produced  with 
exactly  the  same  treatment  and  expense  as  the 
ordinary  French  Bean. 

Turnips. 

A  good  sowing  of  Turnips  ma}'  be  made  at  once, 
so  that  the  crop  may  be  established  before  the  hot 
weather.  The  Turnip  requires  a  light  rich  soil,  and 
may  be  sown  in  drills  1  foot  apart.  As  the  season 
advances  choose  a  north  border  for  this  crop,  and 
give  frequent  dustings  of  soot  and  lime  to  keep  the 
fly  from  destroj'ing  the  young  plants.  Snowball 
and  Red  (ilobe  are  good  sorts  for  summer  sowing. 
Make  frequent  sowings  of  Radishes  and  Mustard  and 
Cress,  so  that  there  will  be  no  scarcity  of  things 
so  easily  produced  at  this  season  of  the  year. 

.John'  Dunn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Garden-:,  l\'iiid-'<or. 

THE    FKUIT    GARDEN. 

Hardy  Fruits. 

OwiNi;  to  the  rough  winds  of  late,  trees  given 
protection  on  walls  will  have  needed  much  atten- 
tion to  keep  the  protecting  material  in  position. 
Now  is  a  critical  time,  as  with  the  trees  in  full 
bloom  and  frequent  hailstorms  the  blossom  suffers 
if  not  given  shelter.  With  early  trees  in  favourable 
localities  the  fruits  will  have  set,  and  thinning  ma}' 
commence  ;  in  many  cases  there  are  double  fruits, 
and  these,  with  others  at  the  back  portion  of  the 
branches,  may  be  removed,  leaving  those  well 
placed,  and,  where  possible,  fairly  distributed 
evenlj'  over  the  trees.  The  fruits  on  healthy  trees 
rarely  fail  to  swell  when  set,  but,  of  course,  I  do 
not  advise  severe  thinning  at  this  early  period, 
but  to  partially  thin  now  and  go  over  the  trees 
several  times  later  on  when  it  is  seen  which  fruits 
are  taking  the  lead.  Now  the  cultivator's  troubles 
will  begin  as  regards  insect  pests,  and  one  of  the 
worst  is  the  black  fly,  as  this  is  so  difficult  to 
eradicate.  Dusting  with  tobacco  powder  is  a  good 
plan  and  careful!}'  going  over  the  infested  parts  of 
the  trees,  removing  any  wood  not  required  for 
extension  or  fruiting  next  season.  It  may  be 
necessary  to  syringe  some  trees,  but  to  do  this 
care  must  be  taken  after  using  any  insecticide  to 
wash  the  foliage  afterwards  with  clean  water. 

Disbudding 

will  next  claim  attention,  and  this  must  be  done 
gradually.  Of  course,  in  some  parts  of  the  country 
the  trees  are  more  advanced  than  in  others,  and  no 
fixed  date  can  be  given,  as  a  great  deal  depends  on 
the  locality,  position,  and  variety  also.  I  need 
not  go  at  length  into  this  work,  but  would  advise 
those  unaccustomed  to  it  to  always  retain  a  strong 
bud  or  shoot  at  the  base  (this  will  be  next  year's 
fruit  wood),  also  to  pinch  back  shoots  near  fruits, 
not  rub  them  out,  and  in  other  cases  by  stopping. 
Where  there  is  not  room  to  lay  in  new  wood,  spurs 
will  be  formed  ;  these  will  be  valuable  for  fruit 
another  season. 

Disbudding  is  like  fruit  thinning  somewhat ; 
one  must  go  over  the  trees  several  times  to  see 
what  wood  is  needed,  and  in  all  cases  it  is 
advisable  to  have  free  growth  above  the  fruits 
wherever  these  are  placed,  as,  unless  this  is  allowed, 
the  fruits  do  not  swell  freely,  but  will  most  likely 
fall  during  stoning.  It  frequently  happens  with 
gross-growing  young  trees  that  fruits  do  not  set  so 
freely  on  the  strong  wood.  Measures  must  there- 
fore he  taken  to  check  this  by  hard  pinching.  Of 
course,  root-pruning  is  the  best  preventive,  but 
this  now  is  out  of  the  question,  and  must  be  left 
till  next  autumn.  Much  may  now  be  done  by 
systematic  stopping  of  gross  wood.  Apricots  will 
need  similar  attention  in  the  way  of  shelter  and 
thinning.  I  do  not  think  it  well  to  leave  the 
fruits  so  long  as  is  often  done,  as  many  think  there 
is  a  danger  of  fruits  dropping  when  stoning.  This 
rarely  occurs  if  the  trees  are  robust,  so  that  1 
advise  early  thinning  of  fruits.  (i.  Wythe.s. 

Syon  House  Gardenx,  Brerit/or'd. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Se.^sonablk  Arranckment  ok  the  Plant  HorsE.s. 
The  advent  of  Eastertide  marks  a  season  in  the 
year  when  certain  work  both  outside  and  under 
glass  must  be  in  a  certain  stage  of  development, 
and  there  are  classes  of  work  with  which  we  are 
familiar,  viz.,  house  and  church  decorations.  It 
has  always  been  my  custom  to  make  as  great  a 
change  in  the  arrangement  of  our  plant  houses  as 
is  possible  with  the  material  at  command.  Many 
things  naturally  flower  about  now,  and  with  a  little 
forcing  readily  produce  flowers.  Azalea  Deutsche 
Perle  might  here  be  instanced  as  bearing  on  the 
foregoing,  for  though  we  have  been  cutting  from 
this  useful  variety  since  last  November  we  have 
still  a  large  number  of  plants  in  the  bud  state,  but 
such  is  the  freedom  with  which  this  variety  flowers 
that  if  put  into  heat  it  would  bloom  in  a  very  few 
days.  This  is  a  most  charming  plant  where  church 
decoration  has  to  be  catered  for.  Callas  will  still 
be  sending  up  their  spathes,  and  form  suitable 
plants  for  conservatory  ;  Spiriea  multiflora  com- 
pacta  and  S.  astilboides  are  superior  to  the  older 
8.  japonica  ;  S.  confusa,  one  of  the  shrubby  forms, 
makes  a  handsome  conservatory  or  greenhouse 
plant,  and  is  easily  got  into  flower.  Another  shrub 
might  here  also  be  mentioned — (Jarrya  elliptica. 
This,  though  differing  in  colour  of  flower,  is  still 
not  to  be  ignored  on  that  account.  It  will  be 
hardly  necessary  to  mention  such  well-known  sub- 
jects as  Viburnum  Opulus  and  V.  plicatum,  two 
things  that,  though  somewhat  stiff,  are  essential 
where  large  stocks  are  grown  and  house  decoration 
extensively  carried  out.  Liliuni  Harrisi,  L.  lougi- 
flora  giganteum,  and  L  g.  eximium  will,  with  their 
rich  white  trumpet  flowers,  give  an  imposing  tone 
to  almost  any  combination.  Cinerarias,  though  by 
no  means  a  first-class  flower,  are  invaluable  for 
mixing  along  with  other  subjects  of  a  taller  habit, 
their  dwarfness  seeming  to  suit  here.  Cyclamen, 
too,  especially  the  Giant  White  and  Butterfly,  will 
take  their  place  in  suitable  stations  and  duly 
merit  their  share  of  attention.  There  are  many 
other  subjects  which  might  here  be  mentioned, 
such  as  Azalea  mollis,  Prunus  Pissardi,  double- 
flowered  Cherries,  bulbs,  &c. ,  but  which  must  in 
the  meantime  stand  aside.  The  whole,  we  will 
assume,  are  quite  ready  to  be  suitably  arranged, 
pots  washed  clean,  any  refuse  cleared  away  from 
the  suifaces  of  pots,  &c. ,  but  before  a  start  is 
made  let  the  man  who  is  to  make  the  change 
round  have  a  clear  idea  what  is  required,  so  that 
the  waste  of  labour,  annoyance,  and  disturbing  of 
plants  may  be  avoided.  Study  the  practice  of 
placing  the  plants  thinly,  and  let  the  best 
specimens  stand  out  conspicuously.  Nothing  is 
gained  by  overcrowding,  and  it  is  really  in  the 
thm  but  tasteful  arrangement  that  the  skill  of  the 
decorator  shows  itself.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  Howie  Gardens,  Eoehampton. 


loses  its  leaves  if  trained  on  a  bare  south  wall, 
but  retains  them  if  it  is  led  through  some  other 
climbing  plant  of  not  too  much  foliage. — Eds.] 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES. 

ROSE  FORTUNE'S  YELLOW. 
1  THINK  I  can  answer  Mr.  Isherwood's  query 
about  Fortune's  Yellow  Rose  dropping  its  leaves 
(March  '28.  page  204),  by  telling  him  of  one  in  the 
open  air  here.  The  tree  is  in  a  neighbour's  garden 
and  covers  a  very  large  space  ;  one  half,  decidedly 
the  bigger  half,  climbs  up  a  tall  Cypress,  and  flings 
its  garlands  of  leaf  and  flower  down  from  a  height 
of  at  least  .'?0  feet,  in  perfection  of  health  and 
beauty.  The  other  portion  is  trained  on  a  south 
wall  at  the  side  and  flowers  most  j^rofusely, 
generally  dro|)ping,  however,  nearly  all  its  leaves 
just  as  the  buds  open.  Last  spring  was  very 
unusually  wet  and  cloudy  on  this  coast,  and  I 
remarked  that  for  the  first  time  the  branches  on 
the  wall  did  not  lo.se  their  foliage  as  early  as  usual. 
Consequently,  I  should  expect  that  by  training  the 
shoots  at  a  much  greater  distance  from  the  glass, 
and  giving  more  air  and  some  shade  on  occasion, 
this  leaf -dropping  may  be  avoided.  It  is  evidently 
caused  by  a  too  sudden  and  fierce  sun-heat,  and 
too  high  a  temperature  in  consequence. 

Nice,  France.  E.  H.  Woodalu 

[In   many   English    gardens    Fortune's    Yellow 


propa(;ating  euphorbia  wulfeni. 

I  All  sorry  to  hear  from  Mr.  Milburn  that  the 
noble  plant  of  Euphorbia  Wulfeni  in  the  Botanical 
(iardens  at  Bath,  which  was  figured  and  described 
in  The  Garden  last  .June,  vol.  \v\\.,  page  440,  did 
not  produce  any  fertile  seed.  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  this  plant  when  in  full  bloom  in  May 
last,  and  remarked  at  the  time  to  Mr.  Milburn 
that  it  seemed  as  if  it  would  probably  ripen  plenty 
of  seed  for  distribution.  It  will  therefore  be  a 
disappointment  to  those  who  hoped  to  obtain  some 
to  hear  that  it  has  not  done  so.  Can  it  be  that 
the  climate  is  not  sufficiently  warm  enough'.'  If  I 
remember  rightly,  it  is  not  exposed  to  the  full 
heat  of  the  sun,  but  is  slightly  shaded.  Perhaps, 
like  Lonicera  hildebrandiana,  it  likes  a  roasting  ; 
and  if  Mr.  Ewbank  can  obtain  a  plant  he  might 
try  whether  his  genial  climate  would  produce  the 
desired  result.  Mr.  Milburn  tells  me  that  the 
plant  has  wintered  safely,  and  is  now  showing 
flower  buds,  so  that  we  may  yet  hope  that  it  will 
produce  seed.  Perhaps  Mr.  Ewbank  will  give  us 
his  opinion.  Arthur  R.  Goodwin. 

The  Elms,  Kidder ininxter. 

[We  sent  our  correspondent's  letter  to  Mr. 
Ewbank,  who  wrote  the  description  accompanying 
the  illustration  referred  to,  and  he  kindly  writes  : 
"I  have  never  thought  of  growing  Euphorbia 
Wulfeni  from  seed.  I  think  it  will  strike  very 
well.  Some  cuttings  I  had  from  Bath  last  autunui 
are  in  a  very  promising  condition,  and  I  think  will 
do  well." — Eds.] 


MELONS   IN   FRAMES. 

Would  you  oblige  by  advising  me  how  to  grow 
Melons  in  frames  from  April  to  September?  Any 
cultural  ad%'ice  would  be  much  appreciated. 

E.  G.  H. 
[Melon  culture  in  frames  is  most  interesting, 
and,  once  the  initial  stages  are  understood  and 
the  fruits  set,  there  is  less  trouble.  In  the  first 
place,  much  depends  upon  the  kind  of  frames,  as, 
if  permanent  structures  and  heated,  there  is  greater 
success.  As  you  give  no  particulars  as  to  the 
conveniences  you  possess,  we  will  explain  both 
systems — that  is,  lieated  franies  and  those  that  are 
not ;  while  there  is  a  third  course  —  that  is,  a 
movable  frame  placed  over  a  good  body  of  heated 
manure.  Many  years  ago  this  was  a  common  mode 
of  culture,  but  with  so  many  glass  erections  during 
the  latter  end  of  the  century  very  few  grow 
Melons  thus.  It  has  its  advantages,  however, 
where  house  room  is  short  and  manure  plentiful. 
There  is  one  drawback,  viz.,  the  Melon  roots  have 
a  tendency  to  go  down  into  the  rank  manure,  and, 
if  not  checked,  make  a  gross  growth  and  give  few 
fruits.  We  will  take  frame  culture  first — that  is, 
frames  heated  with  hot  water,  and  grown  thus  one 
plant  is  enough  for  an  ordinary  sashlight.  The 
seed  should  be  sown  in  a  brisk  temperature  in 
small  pots,  the  seedlings  watered  sparingly  when 
above  ground,  and  planted  out  when  forming  the 
third  leaf,  care  being  taken  to  keep  the  ball  of 
soil  and  roots  intact.  About  three  weeks  will 
suffice  to  raise  the  plants,  and  the  bed  should  be 
prepared  some  time  in  advance  to  get  warm.  Use 
a  firm  or  liolding  soil,  say,  about  a  bushel  to  each 
plant  ;  no  manures  are  needed,  food  being  best 
given  later  oji  in  the  shape  of  fertilisers  or  li(|uid 
manure.  In  large  pits  or  frames  two  plants  may 
occupy  one  light,  each  running  top  and  bottom. 
Plant  very  firmly  and  give,  if  possible,  a  tempera- 
ture of  (i.5°  at  night,  with  10"  higher  by  day, 
covering  the  glass  with  mats  at  night  to  retain 
warmth.  As  growth  is  made,  stop  the  plant  at 
2  feet  from  the  lia.se,  then  lateral  growths  will  push 
out.  Regulate  these  and  stop  when,  say,  IS  inches 
or  less,  according  to  the  space.  These  growths 
will  then  show  both  nuile  and  female  flowers,  and 
the  latter  ones  will  need  to  be  fertilised  at 
midday.  Set  as  many  as  possible  at  one  time,  as, 
if  only  one  sets,  this  takes  the  lead  and  the  others 
fail.  Until  this  period  the  plants  should  have 
been  syringed  early  in  the  afternoon  when  closed, 


April   13,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


261 


but  when  in  bloom  keep  drj' overhead  and  ventilate 
sparingly  until  set,  then  syringe  freely  in  bright 
weather.  After  setting  the  bearing  shoots  should 
be  stopped  at  the  second  joint  beyond  the  fruit. 
Give  food  freely  and  top-dress  the  roots  with 
richer  soil.  Give  more  air  as  the  fruits  mature 
and  less  water  both  overhead  and  at  the  roots,  but 
no  root  moisture  is  needed  when  colouring  com- 
mences. In  cold  frames  or  on  manures  much  the 
same  advice  applies,  but  more  care  is  needed  in 
watering  and  ventilation.  The  Melon  is  prone  to 
canker  at  tlie  stem,  and  in  whatever  waj'  it  is 
grown  the  stems  should  be  kept  exposed  and  away 
from  drip  or  water.  If  deoaj'  shows  at  all,  dress 
with  powdered  cliarcoal  and  fresh  lime.  To  pre- 
vent gross  growth  in  frames,  sink  a  large  pot  level 
with  the  bed.  When  making  the  bed,  fill  this 
with  good  soil  so  as  to  start  the  plants.  This  witli 
top-dressings  will  suffice,  and  will  prevent  gross 
growth  and  non-setting,  which  often  happen  in  a 
rich  bed.  Here,  of  course,  temperatures  will 
fluctuate,  but  with  care  in  ventilation  good  fruits 
may  be  grown.  May  is  a  good  time  to  plant. 
We  have  seen  excellent  crops  of  Melons  grown  in 
cold  frames  without  heat  of  any  kind.  These  have 
followed  early  Potatoes.  The  chief  points  are  to 
secure  an  early  set,  avoid  crowding  the  plants,  and 
remove  useless  growths  as  they  appear. — Eds.] 


THE    YEAVS    AT    ROCKINGHAM. 

OuE  illustration  represent.^  the  famoiLS  Yews 
at  Rockingham  Castle,  Northamptonshire. 
The  inner  court  through  the  hall  is  laid  out  as 
a  garden,  and  intersected  by  a  double  Yew 
hedge  of  remarkable  character.  It  may  be 
doubted,  indeed,  whether  any  such  hedges 
exist  elsewhere  in  England,  though  those  at 
Rockingham  are  not  without  some  affinity  to 
the  great  Yew  hedges  at  Cleeve  Prior.  The 
curious  billowy  character  of  the  Rockingham 
hedges,  which  certainly  form  the  most  charac- 


teristic feature  of  the  whole  place,  will  be 
better  seen  in  our  illustration  than  words  could 
describe. 


AMERICAN       NOTES. 

The  Glass  Flowers  of  the  Hakvard  Moseitm. 
In  the  Universitj'  Museum  at  Cambridge,  Massa- 
chusetts, is  a  collection  of  models  of  flowers  which 
is  unique  in  its  wa}'  and  of  absorbing  interest  lo 
botanists,  who  come  from  all  parts  of  the  United 
States  to  see  and  admire  it.  This  collection  is 
known  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other, 
not  only  for  its  great  scientific  value  but  for  its 
great  beauty  as  well.  It  is  called  the  Ware 
coUeelion  of  Blaschka  glass  models  of  flowers. 
These  were  made  by  Leopold  Blaschka  and  his  son 
Rudolph,  in  Germany.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  C.  Ware 
and  Miss  Mary  L.  Ware  of  Boston  have  given  this 
beautiful  collection  to  the  University  as  a  memorial 
to  the  late  iJr.  Charles  E.  Ware  of  the  Harvard 
class  1S34. 

The  elder  Blaschka  died  in  1S95,  leaving  the 
secret  of  the  glass  flowers  to  his  son,  who  still 
continues  the  work.  There  are  now  578  of  these 
models  at  the  Museum,  besides  2,4'24  illustrative 
details. 

Dr.  George  L.  Goodale,  who  is  at  the  head  of  the 
Botanical  Museum,  and  the  director  of  the  Harvard 
Botanical  Garden,  first  conceived  the  idea  of  the 
glass  models.  For  some  years  the  Blaschkas,  who 
then  lived  in  Dresden,  had  been  making  models  of 
glass  of  marine  invertebrates  and  other  animals 
for  museums  all  over  the  world.  Harvard  possesses 
several  of  these  models  in  the  Museum  of  Com- 
parative Zoolog}',  and  it  was  while  making  an 
examination  of  them  that  it  occurred  to  Dr.  Goodale 
that  living  plants  might  be  copied  in  the  same 
manner,  with  all  their  fresh  colours  and  bloom 
preserved,  without  making  any  sacrifice  to  scien- 
tific accuracy.  It  was  in  ISSG  that  Dr.  Goodale 
first  visited  the  Dresden  establishment  of  the 
Blaschkas  and  laid  his  plan  before  them.     At  first 


Leopold  Blaschka  refused  to  altempl  ihe  task,  but 
Professor  Goodale  was  not  easily  discouraged.  His 
enthusiasm  was  redoutiled  by  the  sight  of  a  wreath 
of  glass  flowers  that  the  Blaschkas  had  made  many 
years  before  for  the  funeral  of  a  relative.  Thanks 
to  the  munificence  of  the  W'ai'es  he  was  enabled  to 
make  them  a  princely  otter  for  their  .services,  and 
at  last  succeeded  in  engaging  them  to  work  for  the 
Ware  collection,  exclusively  for  ten  years,  from 
1890  to  1900.  For  some  j'ears  the  Blaschkas  sent 
100  models  lo  the  Museum  ainmallj',  but  since  the 
death  of  the  father  the  number  has  been  reduced 
to  about  25.  Soon  after  undertaking  the  work  for 
the  Museum  the  Blaschkas  moved  to  Hosterwitz,  a 
town  about  ten  miles  from  Dresden.  Near  by  are 
the  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  at  Pillnitz,  and  these, 
with  the  Botanic-al  Gardens  at  Dresden,  furnished 
them  with  plants  from  which  the  models  were 
made. 

Those  who  have  seen  this  wonderful  collection 
declare  that  the  models  do  not  look  like  glass 
at  all,  but  that  each  has  the  sheen  and  surface 
of  the  living  plant.  The  tiniest  hairs  are  copied 
with  marvellous  fidelity  to  nature,  and  every  part 
is  finished  with  exquisite  care  and  minuteness.  A 
writer  in  the  Botanical  GazMr,  speaking  of  the 
model  of  the  thorny  Aralia,  thus  describes  it  :— 
"The  building  up  of  the  complex  inflorescence, 
with  its  multitudinous  minute  flowers,  is  almost 
past  belief.  In  this  cluster,  with  its  flowers  .so 
small  that  their  structure  can  be  seen  only  with  a 
lens,  while  many  of  its  buds  are  so  minute  as  to  be 
indistinguishable  to  the  naked  eye,  I  counted  of 
buds,  blossoms,  and  developing  fruit  from  2,500  to 
.3,000.  And  yet  every  flower  has  its  five  petals 
and  five  alternating  stamens,  with  long  filaments. 
I  sought  to  find  on  the  under  part  of  the  cluster 
some  flowers  perhaps  less  carefully  done,  as  being 
practically  out  of  sight,  but  they  were  all  equal  in 
their  perfection.  The  immense  compound  leaf 
shows  the  spines  scattered  irregularly  along  the 
stalk  and  midribs.  The  pale  under  surface  of  the 
leaflets  is  quite  invisible,  owing  to  the  position  of 
the  leaf  on  the  card.     Were  every  specimen  in  the 


THE   FAMOUS    YEWS    AT  ROCKIiNGHAM. 


262 


THE   GiVKDEN. 


[April  13,  1901. 


coUectien  to  be  inverted,  the  same  accurate  work 
would  be  seen." 

Though  made  in  such  delicate  material  as  glass, 
in  man}'  cases  of  exquisite  thinness  and  fineness, 
yet  the  durability  of  these  models  is  very  remark- 
able. Of  course  great  care  must  be  taken  in  packing 
each  specimen,  with  its  details.  The  models  are 
carefullj'  wired  to  stout  pieces  of  cardboard,  which 
are  firmly  glued  to  the  bottom  of  heavy  pasteboard 
boxes.  These  boxes  are  then  filled  with  tissue 
paper  and  packed  in  straw  in  wooden  cases  which 
are  again  bundled  in  straw  and  covered  with 
burlaps.  The  stems  are  wired,  and  the  glass  is  far 
tougher  than  it  looks. 

Kudolph  Blaschka  is  now  forty-three  years  old, 
not  only  a  fine  artist  but  an  enthusiastic  naturalist 
as  well.  He  has  twice  visited  America  for  the 
purpose  of  stud3'ing  our  flora,  and  it  is  probable 
that  if  his  life  ia  prolonged  the  Harvard  collection 
will  be  one  of  the  most  unique  and  beautiful  that 
the  world  has  ever  seen. 

Washington,  U.S.A.  U.  Dandridoe. 


planted  ou  a  bank  around  and  under  a  large 
Rheum.  It  is  noticeable  that  the  plants  are 
much  stronger  and  the  flowers  ftner  where  the 
ground  was  covered  during  the  summer  by  the 
large  leaves  of  the  Rheum,  which  kept  the  soil 
dry  ;  outside  the  range  of  the  leaves  the  bulbs 
are  much  thinner,  although  planted  equally 
thick. 

G.  cilicicus. — Near  G.  Fosteri,  but  difi'ering  in 
its  less  robust  habit  and  much  narrower  leaves, 
which  taper  gradually  from  the  middle  to  the 
base.  The  markings  on  the  inner  segments  are 
the  same  as  in  G.  nivalis.  So  far  this  species 
has  not  been  a  success  in  this  country,  dying 
after  the  first  or  second  year.     It  was  collected 


AN    ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK. 

NEW     SNOWDROPS. 

SUCH  flowers   of   the  early  spring  as 
these  are  always  attractive,  whether 
grown  in  the  rock  garden  or  border, 
or   in    the   grass.     Planted   in    Fern 
borders     and     thin    shrubberies     in 
quantity    they    make     an     effective 
display  in  the  early  months  of  the  year.    Unfor- 
tunately, .some  species  tave  a  tendency  to  die 
out  in  course  of  time,  this  failing  being  more 
noticeable  in  those  plants  which  produce  seed 
freely,  as  in  the   case  of   Galanthus   Elwesii. 
Others  fail  to  ripen  seed 
in  any  quantity,  but  the 
bulbs    increase    rapidly, 
and  in  time   form  large 
tufts,    like     our     native 
species   G.   nivalis,   also 
G.  Alleni.  From  the  last- 
named  1  have  never  been 
able  to  get  a  mature  seed. 
We  are  indebted  to  the 
energy  of   Mr.  Whittall, 

of  Smyrna,  for  some  of  the  more  recent 
additions  to  this  favourite  genus,  one  of  which 
will  perpetuate  his  name. 

G.  Elwesii  var.  Whittallii  is  an  early- 
flowering  giant  form  of  the  type,  with  broad 
glaucous  leaves  and  large  flowers.  It  is  worthy 
of  bearing  the  name  of  its  discoverer,  who  has 
greatly  benefited  the  gardens  of  this  country 
by  distributing  many  bulbs  and  new  plants 
from  Asia  Minor.  A  strong  heavy  soil  is 
essential  for  the  successful  growth  of  this 
variety,  which  is  here  illustrated. 

G.  Ehoesii  var.  Cassaba  is  a  plant  of  great 
beauty,  often  attaining  the  height  of  1  foot  or 
more,  with  broad,  slightly  glaucous  leaves,  and 
large  flowers.  The  basal  and  apical  blotches 
on  the  inner  segments  are  joined  together  by  a 
narrow  neck.  A  group  of  this  variety  in  a 
Fern  border  is  holding  its  own,  although  it  does 
not  increase.  This  also  is  one  of  Mr.  Whittall's 
introductions. 

G.  Ikari(E. — Another  of  Mr.  Whittall's  intro- 
ductions. It  was  found  by  his  collectors  in  the 
Island  of  Nikaria,  off  the  west  coast  of  Asia 
Minor.  It  is  a  very  ornamental  species,  with 
broad,  bright  green,  glossy  arching  leaves,  which 
develop  quickly  after  the  flower  has  pushed 
up.  While  having  the  leaves  of  G.  Fosteri, 
with  the  lobes  of  the  inner  segments  of  the 
perianth  with  crisped  edges  of  G.  Elwesii,  it 
has  the  single  apical  blotch  on  the  inner  seg- 
ments of  G.  nivalis.  The  flowers  are  very  large 
and  pure  white,  the  segments  being  over  an 
inch  long.     A  large  group  of  this  species  was 


ORCHIDS. 


The  first 
bited  by 
Hall    at 


CYPRIPEDIUM    MANDI^. 

THE  subject  of  the  accompanying  illus- 
tration, C.  Mandia;  (C.  callosum  San- 
deri.'e  :<  C.  lawrenceanum  h3'eanum)  is 
reproduced  from  a  photograph  taken  in 
the  collection  of  Mr.  G.  W.  Law- 
Schofield,  New  Hall  Hey,  Rawtenstall. 
plant  I  saw  of  this  hj'brid  was  exhi- 
M.  Jules  Hye,  of  Ghent,  at  the  Drill 
the  close  of  last  year,  this  form  so 
closely  resembling  C.  callosum  Sanderi;e  that 
the  Orchid  Committee  did  not  see  sutticienl 
distinction  to  merit  any  award.  Shortly 
afterwards  a  plant  was  exhibited  by  Mr. 
Worthington,  and  although  the  flower  only 
dift'ered  slightly  from  that  of  the  previous  one  from 
M.  Jules  Hye,  the  foliage  was  that  of  C.  lawrence- 
anum ;  the  plant  was  awarded  a  first-class  certifi- 
cate, but  the  owner  failing  to  comply  with  the 
painting  regulation  the  award  was  withdrawn.  At 
the  following  meeting  Mr.  Statter  sent  a  plant 
very  similar  to  the  others.  Mr.  Schofield  flowered 
two  plants  almost  immediately  afterwards.  These, 
it  is  strange  to  record,  differed  considerably  from 
the  others,  and  the  influence 
of  the  C.  lawrenceanum 
parent  predominates,  as 
will  be  readily  seen  in  the 
illustration.  The  dorsal 
sepal  is  white,  shading  to 
greenish  yellow,  and  lined 
with  broad  green  bands ; 
the  petals  brighter  yellow 
and  longitudinallj'  lined 
with  green  ;  the  spots  are 
deep  green,  the  outer 
margin  being  thickly 
covered  with  prominent 
hairs ;  the  lip  resembles 
that  of  C.  1.  hj'eanum  in 
shape,  and  is  greenish  yel- 
low, veined  with  a  darker 
shade  of  green.  The  whole 
of  these  hybrids  and  the 
varied  kinds  I  have  seen 
among  the  plants  raised 
from  seed  of  C.  insigne 
Sanderise  illustrate  the 
varied  characteristics  of 
seedlings  in  other  genera  of 
plant  life.  It  would  be 
interesting  to  have  the 
opinion  of  others  as  to 
constitution  and  varied 
characteristics  of  hybrids 
belonging  to  the  albino 
section  of  Orchids. 

H.  J.  Chapman. 


DAFFODILS    IN 
CALIFORNIA. 


GALANTHtTS    ELWESII 
(SLIGHTLY 
(From  a  drawing  by 


by  Mr.  Siehe  in  the  Uilician  Taurus  in  1896,  and 
was  distributed  by  him.  The  flowers,  which 
appear  from  November  to  March,  are  large  and 
handsome. 

G.  Alleni. — Although  not  of  recent  intro- 
duction this  is  still  a  scarce  plant  in  gardens. 
Midway  between  G.  latifolius  and  G.  cau- 
casicus,  with  a  leaning  towards  the  former,  it 
is  one  of  the  handsomest  of  the  whole  family, 
having  broad,  arching,  slightly  glaucescent 
leaves,  and  large  flowers.  A  group  of  this  is 
doing  well  and  increasing  rapidly  on  a  warm 
south  border,  where  the  bulbs  get  thoroughly 
rijiened  during  summer. 

Royal  Gardens,  Kew.  W.  Ikying. 


VAR.     WHITTALLII. 


Miss  Alice  West.) 


Everyone  who  is  in  the 
business  of  growing  or 
.selling  seeds  is  aware  of 
the  rapid  advances  now 
being  made  in  California 
in  the  line  of  producing 
on  a  large  scale  certain  classes  of  seed  crops. 
Many  of  the  leading  seed  firms  of  Roston,  New- 
York,  Philadelphia,  and  Chicago  have  large 
portions  of  their  stock  grown  in  California,  so 
that  seed  farms  now  form  a  prominent  feature 
of  the  landscape  in  .some  of  the  most  fertile 
valleys  of  the  Coast  Range  Mountains  ;  but 
hardly  any  horticultural  journal  has  taken  note 
of  the  great  interest  now  being  shown  in  all 
types  of  Narcissus,  more  esjiecially  in  Dafl'odils, 
over  large  districts  of  that  immense  region 
known  as  California. 

The  area  over  which  Daflbdil  culture  on  a 
large  scale  is  easily  (iracticable  extends  along 
the  foothills  and  through  many  fertile  sheltered 


April  13,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEK. 


268 


valleys  about  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco 
and  many  miles  inland.  Thousands  of 
small  gardens  contain  a  few  bulbs  even 
novif ;  here  and  there  are  growers  who 
recognise  the  commercial  future  of  this 
beautiful  flower,  and  are  extending 
their  fields  year  by  year,  until,  as  vs^as 
to  have  been  expected,  the  San  Fran- 
cisco market  is  now  overstocked,  and 
flowers  begin  to  seek  other  cities. 
Daffodils  can  be  seen  blooming  in 
January  in  the  open  ground  in  many 
little  gardens  scattered  over  California, 
and  often  growing  under  wild  condi- 
tions, receiving  no  more  care  than  do 
our  native  weeds. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the 
total  area  of  California  is  upwards  of 
150,000  square  miles,  and  experience 
has  shown  that  a  Daffodil  will  grow 
and  take  care  of  itself  in  a  most  sur- 
prising way  over  a  large  portion  of  the 
Coast  Range  and  Sierra  foothill  regions, 
or  more  than  a  third  part  of  this  vast 
territory.  The  mild  and  rainy  winters, 
the  rainless  summers,  and  the  sunshine 
of  these  parts  of  California  seem  to 
suit  Daffodils  so  well  that  they  can 
be  grown  easily  and  cheaply,  and  with 
proper  skill  in  packing  they  will  soon 
be  shipped  to  New  York  and  othei 
American  cities  of  the  Atlantic  coast. 

The  time  required  for  fast  trains  is 
now    six    days,   but    as    we    have   no 
"  parcels    post "    system    in    America 
express  charges  are  enormous.     Refri- 
gerator  freight  cars  are  also  very  expensive, 
each     fruit     car,     with     ice,     costing     nearly 
$500  from    San    Francisco  to   Chicago,   and, 
of   course,   more    to   New   York.      There   are 
now  experiments  being  made  in  San  Francisco 
with  liquid  air,  and  the  inventor  claims  that  he 
can  carry  flowers  or  fruit  across  the  continent 
at  a  cost  of  |5  per  car  for  refrigeration.    Such 
cars,  costing  less  than  half  as  much  as  those 
now  used,  and  as  light  as  passenger  cars,  could 
be  attached  to 
fast  trains,  and 
many    of    the 
early    Cali- 
fornia   flowers 
then  would 
reach    New 
York    markets 
within  six  days 
— a  period  cer- 
tain to  be  still 
more  shortened 
by  the  further 
progress  of  in- 
vention. 

The  earliest 
Daffodil  dis- 
tricts in  Caii- 
f o  rnia  ,  by 
choosing  the 
best  varieties, 
can  have  field- 
grown  flowers 
in  market 
before  New 
Year's  Day.  As 
a  whole,  the 
season  will 
range  from 
December  20  to 
April  1,  if  all 
the  districts 
adapted  to 
Daffodil 
culture  be 
considered. 


CYPRIPEDIUM  MANDI.a;.    (Reduced  almost  one-half.) 

Paper-white  Narcissi  begin  to  bloom  in  the 
field  here,  in  Alameda  Coimty,  by  the  middle 
of  October.  The  blooming  range  of  the  Narcissi 
as  a  whole,  taking  all  our  districts,  is,  there- 
fore, very  long  in  California,  because  altitude, 
exposure,  and  early  rains  are  all  factors  in  the 
problem. 

The  leading  Daffodil  growers  in  California 
have  obtained  their  stock  from  England  or 
Ireland.     Few   buy  in   New   York,  and  fewer 


DAFFODILS    IN    AN    ORCHARD    IN    MRS.    KERSEY'S    GARDEN,    HAYWARDS,    CALIFORNIA. 


Still  in  Holland,  for  there  are  many 
Hngli.sh-bred  gardeners  and  horticul- 
turists in  California  who  retain  their 
old  country  connections.  This  fact, 
joined  with  a  growing  interest  in  Eng 
lish  horticultural  books  and  periodicals, 
which  appear  much  more  frei|Uently  on 
the  shelves  of  our  public  libraries  and 
in  the  homes  of  our  specialists  than 
they  did  a  decade  ago,  makes  it  certain 
that  the  names  of  Burbidge,  Engleheart, 
Wollev-Dod,  Barr,  Ware,  Hartland,  of 
Miss  Ellen  Willmott,  of  Warley  Place, 
and  of  other  notables  in  the  growing 
list  of  English  and  Irish  Daftbdil  folk 
are  lastingly  planted  in  this  new  land. 

Decidedly  the  most  attractive  Dafibdil 
gardens  that  I  know  of  are  planted  in 
old  orchards,  where  the  partial  shade  in 
summer  does  not  injure  the  bulbs.  In 
California  the  open  or  vase  system  of 
pruning  orchard  trees  is  universal,  and 
trees  are  planted  wide  apart,  so  that 
much  sunlight  fills  the  interspaces. 
When  such  an  orchard  begins  to  decay 
it  is  not  usual  to  replant  with  trees,  as 
vegetables  or  flowers  are  gradually 
extended  into  the  old  orchard,  which 
is  left  to  bear  its  fragmentary  crop  as 
long  as  possible.  Hence  comes  the 
quaint  union  of  youthful  Dafibdil  fields 
with  aged  margins  of  orchards,  blooming 
in  early  February  if  of  Almonds,  or  if 
the  old  trees  are  Apricot,  Plum,  Cherry, 
or  Peach  they  can  easily  be  grafted 
over  to  early  blooming  ornamental  sorts. 
Here  at  Niles  some  of  our  best  Daffodil  beds 
are  overshadowed  by  .Japanese  Apricots  and 
pink-flowered  early  Peaches. 

One  of  the  most  promising  collections  of 
Narcissi — particularly  Daffodils — in  California 
is  that  of  Mr.  Carl  Purdy,  at  Ukiah,  Mendocino 
County,  100  miles  north  of  San  Francisco. 
This  well-known  collector  and  botanist,  who 
has  in  press  a  monograph  on  the  Calochortus 
family,  is  turning  some  of  his  attention  to  the 

growth  of  Daf 
fodil  bulbs  on 
a  large  scale, 
and  probably 
grows  more 
varieties  at 
present  than 
anyone  else  on 
the  Pacific 
Coast. 

But  the  most 
striking  Daf- 
fodil garden  in 
this  region  is 
that  of  Mrs. 
Ivy  Kersey,  of 
Haywards, 
Alameda 
County,  on  the 
western  slope 
of  the  Monte 
Diablo  range. 
The  illustra- 
tion shows  hill- 
sides, native 
Oaks  (Q.  agri- 
folia),  a  few  old 
orchard  trees, 
and  the  Janu- 
ary Daffodils. 
Flowers  were 
gathered  here 
before  Christ- 
mas. The  bulbs 
received  no 
irriga  tion, 


264 


THE     GARDEN. 


[Apkii.  13,   1901. 


SyON  HOUSE  FROM  THE  PARK. 


the  natural  rainfall  being  sufficient.  The 
eastern  edge  of  the  valley,  from  San  Leandvo 
to  San  Jose  (which  includes  Haywards),  is  all 
"early,"  and  the  foothills  produce  the  best 
and  earliest  ve.o-etables  sent  to  San  Francisco. 
Three  or  four  hundred  feet  above  the  ^■alley 
are  places  where  French  Beans  and  Tomatoes 
grow  and  bear  fruit  all  winter  without  shelter. 
Such  a  region  as  this  is  certain 
to  be  dedicated  to  the  higher  uses 
of  horticulture.  When  Macaulay'.s 
mythical  New  Zealander  returns 
from  his  famous  meditations  on 
the  ruins  of  London  (may  that 
time  be  as  remote  as  Atlantis  !) 
he  will  possibly  attend  a  Daftodil 
Conference  in  some  as  yet  unbuilt 
metropolis  of  California. 

Chaele.s  How.^rd  Shinn. 


varied  design,  and  those  in  which  all  the  great 
lessons  taught  by  Nature  herself  are  faithfully 
pourtrayed.  We  would  not  for  a  moment  give 
entire  credit  to  the  gardener  for  the  beauty 
and  interest  of  every  place  under  his  charge, 
but  we  know  how  much  his  quiet  and  good 
work  is  responsible  for  the  splendid  keeping 
displayed,  not  merely  in  the  pleasure  grounds 


and  woodlands,  but  in  those  more 
domestic  quarters  of  the  garden  which 
supply  the  comforts  of  the  table. 

We  are  proud  that  many  of  Eng- 
land's best  gardeners  are  contributors 
to  The  G-\kden,  and  one  of  this 
number  is  Mr.  Wythes,  a  reproduction 
of  whose  portrait  acconqianies  these 
remarks.  For  many  years  ilr.  Wythes 
has  recorded  his  e.xperience  in  these 
pages,  and  assisted  in  many  ways  to 
bring  horticulture  into  the  foremost 
rank  of  pleasurable  and  profitable 
jiursuits,  and  for  this  reason,  that 
several  of  the  vegetables  we  enjoy 
upon  our  tables  have  been  raised 
through  his  skilful  hybridisation 
and  selection.  Among  Potatoes,  for 
instance,  he  has  raised  Syon  House 
Prolific,  English  Beauty,  and  Main 
Crop,  and  the  man  who  can  give  to 
the  world  improved  and  new  kinds  of 
a  food  so  imjjortant  and  wholesome 
deserves  our  thanks.  There  is  greater 
romance  about  raising  a  beautiful 
Orchid,  but  a  good  and  new  Potato 
is  an  introduction  of  sterling  worth 
to  peer  and  peasant.  In  company 
with  several  other  gardeners,  whom 
we  hope  to  include  in  this  series, 
Mr.  Wythes  has  given  solid  testimony 
to  his  skill  as  a  gardener,  and  as  a 
raiser  of  new  things  by  his  manage- 
ment of  the  gardens  of  historic  Syon 
House  and  Alnwick  Castle.  We  show 
views  of  the  lake  and  house  of  Syon, 
but  as  this  domain  of  noble  trees  has 
been  described  in  The  Garden  previously, 
it  is  unnecessary  to  make  further  reference 
to  them  at  present.  All  we  can  say  is 
tjiat  of  the  many  beautiful  places  in  the 
environs  of  London,  none  contains  trees  of 
greater  intere.st  than  those  of  Syon  :  many, 
indeed,  are  famous  throughout  the  world,  aiid 
among  the  first  of  their  race  introduced  from 


V^rORKERS     AMONG 
THE     FLOW^ERS. 

MR.  GEORGE  WYTHES, 
V.M.H. 

IT  is  a  pleasure  to  include 
among  our  "  Workers 
Among  the  Flowers,"  one 
of  tho.se  good  gardeners  of 
these  isles,  one  of  a  large 
and  enthusiastic  band  of  men 
who  have  furthered  in  their  own 
way  the  love  for  horticulture  in 
our  midst,  and  shown  us  ways  of 
cultivating  fruit  and  vegetables 
in  particular,  that  have  an  im 
jjortant  bearing  upon  horticulture 
in  its  commercial  asjject.  As  may 
be  seen  from  our  own  jjages,  and 
from  those  of  Counfri/  Life,  the 
gardens  of  England  are  amongst 
the  fairest  features  of  the  land, 
gardens  of   immense   extent   and 


TUK    I.AKK    AT    SYON. 


April  13,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


265 


foreign  lands.  Other  vegetables  raised  are 
i'rogres.s  and  Early  Favourite  Bean.s,  and  certi- 
ficated by  the  fruit  committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  while  of  Cabbages,  the 
autumn  variety,  St.  Martin,  wa,s  raised  at  Syon, 
and  was  also  certificated  recently.  This  was 
the  outcome  of  crossing  (Jhristmas  Drumhead 
and  Rosette  Colewort. 

Those  two  excellent  Melons,  Beauty  of 
vSyon  and  Syon  House,  were  raised  at  Syon,  as 
their  names  indicate,  and  Mr.  Wythes  is  also 
responsible  for  the  dwarf  race  of  Uamjianula 
V)yramidalis,  distinguished  by  the  name  of 
"  Compacta." 

Of  course,  to  know  whether  a  gardener  is 
worthy  of  his  reputation,  one  must  see  the 
gardens  under  his  charge,  and  as  many  gardeners 
—  we  use  the  word  in  its  broadest  sense — are 
aware,  to  spend  a  few  hours  at  Syon  is  pleasure- 
able,  and  to  the  younger  members  of  the 
calling  profitable  also.  There  one  may 
find  the  Vanilla  grown  to  perfection. 
Bananas,  and  all  the  attributoe  of  a 
splendid  English  domain,  while  the  plea- 
sure grounds  are  filled  with  groups  of 
the  best  hardy  flowering  shrubs.  We 
have  written  sufficient  to  show  that  the 
gardener  who  loves  his  work  has  a  great 
influence  upon  the  English  gardening, 
and  when  one  is  placed  near  London,  as 
Mr.  Wythes  is,  many  outside  duties  are 
performed  willingly  for  the  benefit  of 
fellow  workers.  Mr.  Wythes  has  been 
for  many  years  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee of  the  Royal  Gardeners'  Benevo- 
lent Institution,  of  the  fruit  committee 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and 
is  one  of  the  Victorian  Medallists  of 
Honour.  He  is  a  sound  judge,  a  successful 
exhibitor  in  the  past,  and  throughout  his 
career  has  interested  himself  in  horticul- 
tural societies.  When  gardener  to  Lord 
Hatherton,  Teddesley  Park,  in  Stafford- 
shire, he  was  secretary  of  the  important 
Teddesley  Park  Society,  which  included 
nine  parishes. 

In  gardening,  as  in  all  other  walks  in 
life,  only  perseverance  and  true  devotion 
to  duty  mean  success. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 


POMPONS  AS   DECORATIVE 
PLANTS. 

IT  is  difficult   to   understand    why  the 
pretty  little  PomponChrysantheniums 
are  so  neglected,  even  by  those  who 
wish  for  plentj'  of  cut  flowers.     Iso- 
lated instances  could   be   mentionec' 
where    these     dainty    blossoms    arc 
fully  appreciated  for  the  purpose  under  notice,  and 
even  in  these  cases  anything  like  a  representative 
display  is  rare. 

The  Pompon  Chrysanthemums  are  of  easy 
culture,  and  the  flowers  possess  a  charming 
variety  of  colours,  and  vary  from  the  smallest 
button-like  flowers  to  tho.se  of  medium  proportions. 
The  bushy  habit  of  the  plants  is  another  point  in 
their  favour. 

Many  growers  propagate  much  earlier  than  is 
really  necessary,  the  only  advantage  of  this  early 
work  being  that  of  developing  plants  of  larger 
size.  At  any  time  during  the  spring  and  early 
summer  the  propagation  of  the  Pompon  sorts  maj' 
be  taken  in  hand  with  every  prospect  of  success. 
Plants  raised  thus  late  do  not,  of  course,  attain 
the  proportions  that  those  struck  earlier  do,  yet 
they  are  quite  large  enough  for  most  purposes, 
and  are  not  so  long  under  cultivation.  From  an 
April  propagation  plants  are  developed,  eash  of 
which  in  the  flowering  season  will  be  found 
carrying  a  large  number  of  flower  sprays.     Some 


sorts  are  much  prettier  than  others,  developing 
quite  freely,  yet  without  undue  crowding  flowers 
on  a  convenient  length  of  footstalk.  It  is  a  great 
mistake  to  .severely  disbud,  as  is  commonly  prac- 
tised by  growers  for  exhibition.  The  Pompons 
never  look  better  than  when  the}'  are  grown  freely 
in  sprays.  All  that  is  necessary  in  the  case  of  the 
more  crowded  buds  is  to  thin  them  out  slightly. 
When  pinched  up  in  the  usual  way  their  charm  is 
gone,  and  it  is  a  mistake  to  grow  them  in  the  usual 
way  for  exhibition  blooms. 

A  few  of  the  more  noteworthy  varieties  are  :  — 
William  Westlake,  the  finest  example  of  the  larger- 
flowering  Pompons  ;  the  colour  is  a  beautiful  rich 
canary-yellow,  sometimes  tinted  red.  It  is  a 
mid-season  variety,  developing  large  blooms  when 
disbudded  to  about  twelve  blooms  to  each  plant, 
and  is  a  superb  sort  when  grown  without  dis- 
budding. The  plant  is  robust  and  of  an  excellent 
habit  of  growth.  A  striking  contrast  to  the  last- 
named  is  William   Kennedy.     This,  too,  is  a  fine 


pearance.  Another  flower  very  similar  iji  form 
to  the  last-named  is  Perle  des  Beautes,  which  is 
amaranth-crimson  colour  with  bronze  reverse. 
This  also  is  rather  later  tlian  the  majority.  A 
pretty  little  plant  is  Florence  Carr,  which  has 
medium-sized,  deep  bronze-coloured  flowers  with 
golden  tips.  The  two  gems  for  late  work  are 
undoubtedly  Snowdrop,  pure  white,  and  its  yellow 
sport  Primrose  League.  They  arc  better  when 
grown  without  being  disbudded,  developing  into 
ideal  decorative  plants  with  handsome  sprays  of 
miniature  blossoms,  which  are  unsurpassed  for 
decorative  uses.  For  late  November  and  early 
December  displays  they  have  no  equals. 

Before  closing  permit  me  to  refer  to  two  or  three 
of   the   late    October    sorts.      These   are   best    re- 
presented   by   Mile.   Elise   Dordan,   the  rose-pink 
globular  Pompon  which  should  always  be  partially 
disbudded,  and  which  is  without  a  rival  to-day. 
Yellow  Gem,  a  fimbriated  yellow  Pompon,  which 
should  be  grown   naturally,   no  dislmddiiig  what- 
ever  being  permitted.     The  plant  develops 
into  a  perfect  bush  specimen  and  each  flower 
is  on  a  nice  length  of  footstalk  ;  and  Vesuvc, 
unrivalled  for  late  Octolrer  displays.     The 
last-named   is   very  much  like  a  miniature 
Japanese     Chrysanthemum,     with     pretty 
twisted  floret  s  and  a  rich  crimson-red  colour, 
tipped  golden  yellow.     In  this  case  disbud 
slightly.  D.  B.  Crane. 


THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 


JIK.    fiEORGB   WYTHES,    V.  M.H. 

large  bloom  when  disbudded,  and  the  colour  is  a 
lovely  crimson-amaranth.  The  best  of  the  bronze 
Pompons  is  Mr.  Holmes,  an  old  variety,  rarely 
met  with  nowadays.  This  variety  when  at  its 
best  has  rich  deep  bronze-coloured  flowers.  Comte 
de  Morny  is  still  regarded  by  some  with  favour  ; 
it  is  of  a  distinct  bright  purple  colour.  Rosinante, 
blush  rose,  and  Mrs.  Bateman,  a  bufT  sport  from 
the  last-named,  are  two  sorts  which  have  a  special 
charm  for  me.  Rosinante  is  very  pleasing  in 
colour.  To  see  these  varieties  at  their  best,  the 
plants  should  be  disbudded,  the  length  of  flower- 
stalk  being  very  limited ;  the  plants  are  very 
dwarf  and  robust.  Another  distinct  sort  is  Osiris, 
more  often  seen  on  the  exhibition  table  than  anj'- 
where  else.  Either  disbudded  or  naturally  grown, 
it  is  a  very  refined  and  pleasing  flower,  the  colour 
being  a  soft  rosy  pink,  edged  with  gold.  Rubra 
Perfecta  is  rather  later  in  its  period  of  flowering 
than  most  others.  It  is  a  large  flower  when 
severely  disbudded,  and  its  rich  purplish  crimson 
colour  and  golden  reverse  give  it  a  striking  ap- 


PLANTS    FOR    EDGING. 

A  HARD,    cold-looking     edging    will 
spoil  the  prettiest  garden.    Tile, 
which      frequently      splits      in 
winter,    slates,    and    wood    are 
^     abominations,  wood  perhaps  the 
least    objectionable  of   all,    but 
this   breeds  fungi,   and  looks   unpleasantly 
formal.       Soft    stone,    or    stone    from     the 
district,  makes,  with  plants  planted  between 
or  at  the  sides,  a  delightful  edging.     The 
plants    Cerastium,    Aubrietia,    (4entianella, 
Saxifrage,  Stonecrop,  House-leek,  or  what- 
ever may  be  used,  cover  the  stone  in  time 
with  their  cushion-like  growth.    One  of  the 
prettiest  edgings  is  that  composed    of    the 
ordinary  white  Pink  and  Mrs.  Sinkins,  or 
any  other  variet}'.     I  also  admire  the  fringed 
Pink  of  the  cottage  garden.     In  a  descrip- 
tion of  a  well-kept  garden,  where  the  Pink 
was   used   as   an  edging,   the  writer   says : 
"  On  entering  the  garden  one  is  struck  by  its 
neatness   and    order.      What  was   taken  at 
first  glance  as  well-kept  Cerastium  proved 
to  be  nothing  Ijut  the  common  white  Pink. 
As  a  bordering  I  never  remember  having  seen 
anything    more    pleasing    or    neat,    and  it 
certainly   looked   better    than    the    sombre 
Box  or  formal  red  tiles.''     One  thoroughly 
enjoys  the  perfumed  flowers  in  early  summer, 
and  the  silvery  tufted  growth  at  all  times. 
The  Pink  is  as  charming  in  winter  as  it  is  in 
summer.     Spring  is  the  time  to  form  a  Pink  edging. 
Plant  the  tufts  thinly,  sufficiently  deep  to  bury  the 
stems,  and  then  make  the  soil  firm   about   them. 
Thrift  or  Sea  Pink  (Armeria  vulgaris)  is  another 
pretty  edging,  the  time  for  planting  which  is  the 
spring  ;  and  the  following  is  a  list  of  other  things 
suitable  for  tfiis  purpose  : — 

Aralilx,  Aidn-iefias. — The  purple  colouring  of  the 
Aubrietia  flowers  is  very  rich  in  spring.  We  enjoy 
masses  of  growth  rambling  even  on  to  the  walk. 

Aly^-tum.—A.  saxatile,  the  yellow  flower  of 
spring  so  frequently  seen  iu  rock  gardens  and  in 
the  borders,  is  very  useful  as  an  edging  of  the 
rougher  kind. 

Dai.<ie.^. — The  double  crimson  in  particular,  but 
the  Daisy  enjoys  a  cool  soil,  and  is  not  always 
satisfactory  as  a  permanent  edging. 

Gentiandla. — This  must  be  planted  in  a  prepared 
moist  soil,  loam  for  preference.  It  is  not  happy 
everywhere,  but  where  it  succeeds  forms  a  perfect 
mat  of  growth.  When  it  becomes  flowerless,  replant 
it.     Mr.   Wilson  has  yards  of  edging  of  it  in  his 


266 


THE    GAEDEN. 


I  April  13,    1901. 


beautiful  wood  garden  at  Wisle^-.  G«ntiana 
acaulis  is  its  botanical  name.  It  may  also  be 
planted  between  the  soft  stone  where  this  is  used. 

Saxi/rai/e-':. — The  London  Pride  (Saxifraga  um- 
brosa)  is  a  well  -  known  plant  for  edging  :  its 
slender  stems  of  pinkj'  flowers  are  verj'  pretty  and 
"misty."  Where  stone  forms  the  foundation  of 
the  edging,  make  free  use  of  Stonecrops,  not  for- 
getting the  common  Sedum  acre  and  its  yellow 
variety  aureum  ;  the  shoots  are  tipped  with  yellow 
in  early  spring  days. 

We  do  not  object  to  a  good  stone  edge  of  rather 
hard  stone  set  on  edge  ;  it  is  neat  and  warmer  in 
look  than  tiles,  especially  of  some  patent  make. 
Grass  edgings  look  well,  but  are  a  source  of  endless 
labour  to  keep  neat,  and  an  unkempt  grass  edge  is 
an  eyesore.  Frecjuent  mowing  and  clipping  at  the 
side  are  essential  to  keep  this  form  of  margin 
respectable.  Ivy  of  a  good  green-leaved  form,  say 
Emerald  Green,  or  the  Irish  Ivj',  are  useful  where 
a  rather  tall  edging  is  desired.  It  is  useful  to  form 
an  edging  to  a  shrub  group  or  large  run  of  walks. 
It  must  not  be  overdone,  otherwise  the  garden  will 
appear  dull  and  heavy.  Box,  of  course,  is  one  of 
the  good  shrubby  things  found  in  many  old  English 
gardens.  But  it  must  be  cared  for  by  frequent 
clipping,  and  spring  is  the  time  to  repair  deficiencies. 
There  is  one  objection  to  Bo.x  as  an  edging,  and  that 
is,  it  harbours  slugs  and  other  pests.  E. 


MARGARET    CARNATIONS    AND    THE 
WINTER. 

So  far  my  plants  of  Margaret  Carnations  have  come 
through  the  winter  unharmed.  They  were  planted 
out  on  a  rather  heavy  piece  of  ground  early  in  the 
summer,  but  owing  to  the  prolonged  drought  they 
made  but  little  headway  until  the  late  summer 
rains  came,  then  ihej'  made  a  free  growth  and 
gave  some  blossom,  but  too  near  the  shortened 
autumn  days  to  display  their  beauty  to  the  best 
advantage.  My  cold  frame  being  full  of  biennial 
Stocks  and  such  like,  they  had  to  remain  in  the 
open,  though  I  doubted  their  capacity  to  stand 
through  the  winter.  During  the  sharp  frost  of  the 
early  part  of  February  they  appeared  to  be  much 
affected  by  it,  but  the  last  few  days  of  spring-like 
weather  has  wonderfully  revived  them,  and  I  am 
happy  to  say  every  plant  has  retained  its  vitality. 
It  was  supposed  that  the  blood  of  the  annual  type 
in  them  would  render  them  unfit  for  winter 
exposure  in  the  open,  but  I  can  point  to  mj'  patch 
of  over  100  plants  and  say  the  Margaret  Carna- 
tions can  be  treated  as  biennials  in  the  open. 
They  have  to  commend  themselves  to  the  lovers  of 
flowers.  They  are  of  free  growth,  they  bloom 
abundantly,  they  are  mostly  fragrant,  and  they 
produce  flowers  of  many  colours,  large,  full,  and 
excellent  for  cutting.  While  Wallflowers,  Sweet 
Williams,  and  a  few  other  things  show  how  severe 
was  the  tussle  with  the  February  frosts,  the 
Margaret  Carnations  are  sound  and  whole.  The 
biennial  Stocks  also  felt  the  soreness  of  the  trial ; 
a  batch  of  plants  of  the  giant  white  Brompton 
and  one  of  the  white  Intermediate  are  a  hopeless 
mass  of  corruption.  Stocks  in  a  cold  frame  with 
the  protection  of  glass  have  wintered  well,  and  in 
a  few  weeks  will  go  out  in  the  open  to  blossom. 
The  risks  of  winter  are  great,  but  some  precious 
things  come  safely  through  it  to  our  great  joy. 

R  Dean. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

MELONS     IN     POTS. 

1HAVE  read  with  great  interest  the  notes 
that  have  appeared  in  the  pages  of  The 
Garden  about  Melons,  but  I  have  not 
noticed  any  reference  to  growing  Melons  in 
10-ineh  pots.  I  have  followed  this  course 
now  for  several  years  with  great  success. 
My  system  of  cultivating  them  is  as  follows  :  The 
plants  are  raised  in  the  usual  manner,  and  I  use  for 
soil  a  rather  heavy  loam,,  rammed  firmly  in  the 
pots,  which  are  not  filled  more  than  two-thirds 
of  their  depth.      On  this  the  plants  are  placed, 


and  sufficient  soil  added  to  just  cover  the  ball. 
It  is  then  left  until  the  roots  protrude  through, 
then  more  soil  is  added  to  fill  the  pot  up  to  the 
usual  height.  The  pots  are  placed  in  a  small  stove 
with  a  temperature  of  about  65°  at  night,  with  10" 
rise  by  day.  The  pots  are  put  about  1.5  inches 
apart,  and  the  plants  grown  on  the  single  cordon 
principle.  It  is  surprising  how  cjuickly  fruit  begins 
to  show,  and  as  soon  as  two  or  three  female  blooms 
expand  they  are  fertilised  and  usually  set  very 
freely.  One  or  two  fruits  may  remain  on.  If  only 
one  fruit  is  left  the  average  weight  with  me  is 
about  .SJlbs.  I  have  grown  as  man}'  as  four  fruits 
on  a  plant,  but  of  course  the  fruits  would  onlj'be  a 
little  over  lib.  each,  but  the  flavour  leaves  nothing 
to  be  desired.  The  plants  are  grown  on  a  staging, 
with  a  bed  of  fine  cinders  underneath  ;  the  roots 
are  soon  attracted  through  the  bottom  of  the  pots, 
and  they  can  then  be  more  easilj'  fed  with  artificial 
or  liquid  manures. 

I  have  never  had  any  trouble  with  stem  disease 
or  the  splitting  of  fruits  since  I  have  adopted  this 
plan,  but  prerious  to  that  I  found  it  almost  im- 
possible to  grow  Melons  in  my  house  on  account  of 
the  trouble  which  I  had  wit  h  the  disease. 

Chas.  Edwards. 

Trewyn  Gardens,  Abergavenny. 


FIGS    UNDER    RESTRICTION    AT 
GUNNERSBURY   PARK. 

Happe>'ing  to  call  at  Gunnersbur}'  Park  a  few 
daj's  ago  I  found  Mr.  George  Reynolds  planting 
the  northern  end  of  his  Pig  case,  which  is  in  three 
divisions.  The  other  two  parts  of  this  case  contain 
plants  that  were  planted  in  the  border,  which  is 
only  raised  slightly  above  the  ground  level.  Some 
of  them  probably  had  occupied  this  position  for 
half  a  century,  and  their  roots  had  ill  time  got 
away  far  beyond  the  confines  of  the  house.  Though 
on  the  whole  excellent  crops  of  fruit  had  been 
gathered  from  these  trees,  circumstances  had  from 
time  to  time  arisen  which  convinced  Jlr.  Reynolds 
it  would  be  expedient  to  have  the  trees  under  more 
perfect  control,  and  he  conceived  the  idea  of  plant- 
ing them  in  brick  pits,  in  which  the  roots  could  be 
confined. 

Five  pits  were  therefore  constructed,  each 
S  feet  in  length  by  some  3  feet  or  so  in  width, 
and  the  same  in  depth,  divided  from  each  other  by 
a  brick  wall,  and  so  the  roots  of  one  tree  cannot 
poach  on  the  preserve  of  the  other.  The  bottom 
of  each  pit  is  a  concrete  floor,  with  an  opening  so 
that  excess  of  moisture  can  pass  away.  On  the 
floor  is  placed  5  inches  or  so  of  drainage  ;  over 
this  is  placed  some  turves,  and  the  pit  filled  in 
with  a  compost  made  up  of  fibry  turf  which  has 
been  laid  by  for  a  time,  lime,  mortar  rubbish, 
and  charcoal,  with  the  addition  of  about  2i  cwt.  of 
bone  flower  to  three  loads  of  soil.  This  was 
rammed  well  down  until  the  pit  was  filled  to 
within  1  foot  of  the  top,  and  then  the  trees,  of  good 
sizes  and  finely  rooted,  were  planted.  The  Fig 
sends  out  a  great  mass  of  cord-like  growths,  and 
these  were  stretched  out  to  their  full  length,  care- 
fully placed  in  position,  and  the  soil  filled  in,  being 
well  beaten  down  as  added.  Mr.  Reynolds  believes 
in  a  firm  soil  for  Figs,  hence  the  ramming  down 
process. 

Figs  are  largely  grown  at  Gunnersbury,  and 
they  are  much  appreciated  by  the  Rothschild 
family,  and  though  the  effects  of  London  fogs  are 
keenly  felt  at  Gunnersbury,  and  render  tlie  proper 
setting  of  the  fruit  blossom  a  matter  of  great 
difficulty,  Mr.  Hudson  was  able  to  gather  his  first 
crop  of  Figs  during  the  third  week  in  .January,  of 
course  from  plants  in  pots,  and  the  supply  from 
Mr.  Hudson  and  Mr.  Reynolds  goes  on  almost 
throughout  the  year.  Fruit  growing,  both  at  tlie 
park  and  at  the  house,  is  now  carried  on  on  an 
extensive  scale,  and  these  two  clever  gardeners  are 
able  to  keep  their  employers'  tables  furnished  from 
year  to  year,  though  they  would  much  prefer  an 
atmosphere  less  tainted  with  the  impurities  which 
find  a  place  in  London  fogs,  the  effects  of  which 
are  more  severely  felt  as  London  grows  from 
the  centre  to  the  circumference,  filling  the 
available  open  spaces  with  miles  of  streets  and 
houses.  B.  Dean. 


COLD     OR     COOL     STORAGE    OF 
FRUIT. 

The  Value  of  Ice  Wells. 
YouK  correspondent,  when  he  spoke  of  the  possi- 
bility of  seeing  fruit  of  every  kind  kept  in  good 
condition  for  twelve  months  or  years  without  loss 
of  flavour  or  deterioration,  must  have  had  in  his 
mind  "  Lawton's  patent  process  of  preserving  fresh 
fruit."  The  Daily  Mail  of  March  21  says:  "For 
the  past  three  weeks  Bananas,  Grapes,  Pine  Apples, 
and  other  fruit  from  the  Colonies  have  been 
enclosed  in  a  special  chamber  in  Hatton  Garden  for 
the  purpose  of  demonstrating  Lawton's  process." 

"The  fruit  was  preserved  in  a  sterilised  atmo- 
sphere." Now  there  is  nothing  wonderful  in 
keeping  fruit  of  that  description  tliree  weeks  or 
three  months  in  good  condition.  Let  us  hear  how 
it  can  be  kept  for  six  or  twelve  months.  Can  the 
softer  fruits,  such  as  Cherries,  Plums,  Peaches,  or 
Strawberries  be  kept  without  loss  of  flavour?  A 
good  judge  has  said  more  than  once  that  you  may 
as  well  eat  a  Turnip  as  a  Peach  without  "flavour. 
I  cannot  believe  that  a  Peach  kept  in  a  chamber 
(however  sci*itifically  arranged)  for  weeks  or 
months  would  compare  at  all  favourabl}  with  one 
thoroughly  ripened  in  the  sun,  and  kept  only  a  few 
days,  as  the  case  may  recjuire,  say  for  show  or  other 
purposes.  This  brings  me  to  the  question  of  ice 
wells.  Why  not  utilise  them  for  fruit  stores,  or 
construct  chambers  on  the  same  principle.  Where 
money  is  no  object  they  could  be  made  into  capital 
fruit  rooms,  more  like  underground  dairies,  never 
too  cold  or  too  hot,  no  firing  of  any  description 
required  in  the  severest  of  weather,  and  no  damping 
dovvTi  in  the  summer. 

Mr.  Crump,  it  appears,  has  begun  in  the  right 
direction  with  a  7  feet  excavation  for  his  fruit 
room  ;  14  feet  deep  would  be  better,  maintaining  a 
more  equable  temperature  all  the  3'ear  round.  We 
can  produce  British-gro«Ti  Apples  and  Grapes  all 
the  year  round  by  keeping  them  in  makeshift  fruit 
rooms,  but  not  without  some  shrivelling.  I  have 
had  Blenheim  Orange  Apple  good  in  March  ;  Court 
Pendu  Plat  and  Ashmead's  Kernel  much  later : 
the  old  Norfolk  Beaufin  and  Northern  Greening 
until  the  early  Apples  were  readj-  to  gather.  For 
several  j'ears  I  was  able  to  place  on  my  employer's 
table  old  and  new  Grapes  in  June — Black  Ham- 
burgh, Lady  Downes,  and  Mrs.  Pinee.  The  latter 
used  to  shrivel  very  much  after  .January,  but  the 
flavour  was  more  like  a  Raisin.  The  friiit  room  I 
had  to  deal  with  was  by  no  means  an  ideal  one, 
with  a  slate  roof  situated  over  tool  sheds,  and  ^I'itli 
a  stove  to  keep  out  frost,  which  I  used  as  seldom  as 
possible.  Wooden  shutters  outside  the  windows 
were  a  great  protection.  I  remember  on  one 
occasion  the  frost  got  in  badly,  and  the  cook  was 
the  first  to  ask  what  was  the  matter  with  the 
Apples.  They  were  frost-bitten,  and  decay  set  in 
sooner. 

Now  let  me  relate  a  little  experience  I  had  with 
a  blue  Imperatrice  Plum  on  a  south  wall.  In  the 
winter  of  1890-91,  I  think  it  was,  Plums  «-ere 
hanging  upon  the  tree  on  Christmas  day  and  on 
New  Year's  day  after  being  subjected  to  20°  of 
frost.  A  dish  of  English-grown  Plums  from  the 
wall  on  New  Year's  day  was  certainly  a  novelty. 
Someone  may  ask,  What  about  the"  flavour?  I 
can't  say  much  for  that  ;  it  was  impaired,  and 
decay  soon  followed.  Strange  to  say,  they  remained 
plump  to  the  last.  Frozen  meat  may  be  good,  but 
frozen  fruit  is  not.  After  all,  is  it  necessary  to 
preser\'e  fresh  fruit  beyond  its  proper  season  when 
Strawberries  can  be  made  into  jam,  and  Cherries, 
Plums,  and  Peaches  preserved  whole  in  bottles  ? 
Moreover,  the  Colonies  can  supply  us  with  fresh 
fruit  when  ours  is  f)ut  of  season.  Cape  Peaches 
have  been  seen  in  the  shop  windows  tor  some  time. 
I  have  had  no  experience  of  the  flavour. 

Cardiff.  .J.  S. 


My  name  has  been  introduced  in  your  leading 
article  of  March  10,  and  also  by  Mr.  Wythcs  on 
p.age  180,  with  reference  to  the  cool  storage  of 
Apples  and  Pears  as  practised  at  Madresficld, 
fruits  having  previously  been  sent  to  the  Drill 
Hall.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  we  are  of  opinion  that 
the   thorough   ripening  and  the  proper  means  of 


April  13,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


26T 


storing  the  above  fruits  do  not  generally  recei\'e 
half  the  care  and  attention  that  the  matter 
deserves,  especiallj'  liy  those  «-ho  really  rui|uirf  a 
long,  successional  supply  of  tirni,  Mell-eonditioiied, 
home-grown  fruit.  In  our  niotlern  fruit  rooms 
utility  i.s  frequently  sacrificed  by  architects  oi- 
builders  for  structural  appearance.  We  ourselves 
were  victims  to  this  policy,  and  owing  to  the  dry, 
arid  atmosphere  of  our  fruit  room  we  found  it 
impossible  to  keep  Apples  firm  after  March,  and 
nothing  that  we  could  devise  would  prevent 
shrivelling  and  toughening  of  the  fruit,  compara- 
tively useless  and  disappointing  where  a  long  supply 
of  home  -  grown  fruit  was  required.  However, 
"  necessity  is  so  often  the  mother  of  invention,''  that 
we  commenced  trj'ing  experiments.  First  we  tried 
placing  the  fruit  in  barrels,  on  the  American  plan, 
as  gathered  from  the  trees.  This  preserved  the 
firmness  of  the  fruit,  but  from  being  packed  in 
Inilk  the  flavour  was  very  much  impairecl,  and  the 
fruit  appeared  to  lose  its  juiciness  and  briskness  of 
Havour.  At  that  time  the  bulk  of  those  kinds  had 
to  be  pui'chased  from  the  farm,  but  now  our  o\\ii 
surplus  runs  into  tons  ;  but  even  this  would  not, 
under  the  old  sj'Steni  of  storing,  maintain  the 
i-equired  supply  after  the  month  of  March.  Oui- 
next  experiment  was  in  an  ordinary  cellar,  and 
here  we  found  that  the  fruit  kept  firm  and  as 
sound  as  when  gathered  several  months  longer. 
In  fact,  we  were  so  convinced  of  the  advantages  of 
an  underground  cellar  that  we  decided  to  at  once 
adopt  the  Irishnuxn's  method  of  raising  the  roof 
of  his  cabin,  viz.,  "by  lowering  the  Hoor."  We 
consulted  a  builder,  and  he  undertook  to  excavate 
the  interior  of  the  room  so  as  to  form  an  additional 
7  feet  for  shelves,  underpinning  the  walls  to  form 
the  cellar.  Iron  girders  were  thrown  across  and 
the  original  floor  was  replaced  thereon  ;  an  opening 
shutter  was  let  in  the  floor  of  the  interior  at  the 
one  end,  and  another  door  through  the  outer  wall 
at  the  other  end,  giving  access  both  from  the 
exterior  or  interior,  and  so  as  to  give  ample  and 
necessary  ventilation  during  the  sweating  opera- 
tions, shortly  after  being  gathered.  A  current  of 
air  is  thus  allowed  to  pass  through  the  underground 
stores  of  long-keeping  fruit,  until  the  skins  have 
parted  with  their  surface  mois- 
ture, and  then,  taking  advan- 
tage of  a  cold  morning,  I  shut 
up  the  cellar  with  the  coldest 
air,  only  ventilating  again  when 
we  can  exchange  a  fresh  supply' 
of  cold  air.  The  more  moisture 
on  the  floor  the  better.  The 
important  point  is  to  well  dry 
the  surface  of  the  fruit  before 
Anally  closing.  The  fruit  may 
be  placed  in  two  or  three  layei's 
or  singlj'.  The  best  tempera- 
ture we  consider  about  40°  to 
45*.  Cool  storage  with  co- 
operative fruit  growing  would 
revolutionise  our  home  produc- 
tions in  a  commercial  sense 
if  thoroughly  applied. 

Madrefifield.       W.  Ckump. 


tlie  numy  oast  hou.ses  which  exist  iji  Kent  and 
.Sussex,  as  tlie  Hops  are  generally  gone  and  tlie 
oast  cleaned  out  before  the  Apples  for  late  keeping 
are  gathered.  There  is  no  doubt  these  substantial 
buildings  are  suitable  botli  on  the  ground  floor  and 
the  first  floors.  But  the  former  keeps  the  fruit 
best. 

The  usual  plan  is  for  women  to  sort  the  fruit 
as  it  comes  in,  and  to  lay  it  out  carefully  on  clean 
straw  in  heaps  of  one  sort  up  to  3  feet  deep.  After 
these  heaps  have  "sweated,"  they  are  covered,  to 
keep  off  dust,  &e. ,  slightly,  and  then  as  fro.st 
becomes  probable  they  are  covered,  1  foot  deep, 
with  straw  quite  fresh  and  clean.  In  these  heaps 
the  fi'uit  keeps  sound  and  plump,  and  tliey  ai-e 
stored  into  January  oi-  Marcli  according  to  the 
market  price. 

Naturally  a  dry  fruit  like  Blenlieim  Orange  keeps 
better  than  Wellington,  whicli  rots  into  a  pulp. 
But  the  great  difficulty  is,  that  so  many  kinds  are 
grown  that  a  continual  supply  of  well-known  sorts 
cannot  be  kept  up.  I  have  advocated  the  erection 
of  large  stores,  where  fruit  from  a  district  could  be 
collected  in  large  quantities.  I  am  told  that  a 
firm  of  salesman  did  this  in  a  plentiful  year,  buying 
up  at  a  low  price  all  suitable  "  keepers  "  the}-  could 
lay  hands  on,  and  this  not  only  lielped  prices  of 
otliei-  sorts  at  the  time,  but  they  placed  them,  after 
five  months'  storage,  on  the  market  at  a  large 
profit,  showing  that  combination  would  pay  if  it 
could  be  extensively  carried  out. 

The  sorts  now  mo.st  favoured  for  late  sale  are 
Wellington,  Blenheim,  Winter  Queening,  Northern 
Greening,  Deux  Ans,  Norfolk  Beaufin,  Cox's  Orange 
Pippin,  Golden  Knob,  and  Wyken  Pippin  ;  and, 
locallj',  Hanwell  .Souring,  Grange's  Pearmain,  and 
Court  Pendu  Plat.  But  in  a  few  years  there  will  be  a 
large  growth  of  Tower  of  Glamis,  Newton  Wonder, 
Bismarck,  Hambling's  Seedling,  Royal  .lubilee. 
Lane's  Prince  Albert,  and  Bramley's  Seedling. 

Year  by  year  the  home-gro-wai  supply  gets  larger, 
and  it  may  be  possible  to  keep  up  a  regular  .supjily 
when  a  system  of  storage  is  largely  adopted,  and  it 
is  in  this  direction  that  Englisli  Apples  for  the 
English  public  may  and  can  be  pro\ided.  The 
largest  crop  ever  grown  was  perhaps  in  1900,  and 


yet  it  is  a  fact  that  better  prices  have  been  (jljtained 
for  keeping  Apples  tlian  in  j)i-evious  years. 

Geokgk  BuNv.'Uni,  V.  .\I.H. 
Till-  rioj/al  Nurxerie.1,  Maidstone,  Kent. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 

WEEPING    CHERRIES. 

A  WEEPING  habit  accords  mucli  better 
with  the  flowers  and  mode  of  flower- 
ing of  some  trees  than  it  does  with 
that  of  others.  In  no  instance, 
L  however,  can  it  be  said  to  heighten 
the  natural  beauty  of  tree.s,  or  add 
more  to  their  grace,  than  it  doe.s  in  the  case  of 
the  wcejiing  Cherries.  The  beauty  of  the 
flowers,  which  in  many  instance.?  are  themselves 
drooping  or  pendent,  seems  especially  to  require 
the  accompaniment  of  free  graceful  liue.s  rather 
than  anything  in  the  .shape  of  a  .stift'  or  erect 
mode  of  growth.  A^ery  few  Cherrie.s,  however, 
in  either  their  typical  or  selected  forms,  are 
other  than  graceful ;  and  of  the  weeiring  ones 
it  can  in  most  cases  be  said  that  they  merely 
accentuate  that  characteristic. 

The  use  of  weeping  trees  in  gardens,  like 
that  of  all  plants  which  depart  from  the  normal 
either  in  form  or  colour,  requires  re.straint,  and 
the  more  marked  or  violent  the  divergence  is 
the  more  are  these  required.  To  the  weeping 
(Jherries,  happily,  these  words  scarcely  apply. 
There  are  very  few  that,  from  considerations 
of  beauty  and  fitness,  could  reasonably  be 
overplanted.  In  the  following  notes  I  have 
given  the  names  of  the  best  of  them,  with  a 
few  descriptive  words  to  each.  There  are  three 
kinds  of  weeping  Cherries,  as  of  the  weeping 
kinds  of  other  genera  :  First,  we  have  .such  a 
species  as  Prunus  pendula,  a  natural  weeper, 
which  comes  true  from  .seed  ;  second,  there  are 
pendulous  forms  of  species  that  normally  are 


R.\TioNAL    Storage    for 
Apples. 

The  proper  mode  has  been 
given  so  far  as  fruit  rooms  for 
private  consumption  are  coi  - 
cerned,  and  my  building  has 
been  often  quoted  and 
described.  It  may  shortly  be 
called  a  common-sense  store  : 
Imt  I  cannot  too  strongly  im- 
press on  all  those  who  wish  to 
keep  their  fruit  firm,  fresh,  and 
for  a  long  period,  that  it  is 
mo.st  important  that  it  should 
first  be  well  matured  on  the 
trees,  then  lie  x'ery  carefull\' 
gathered,  and  finally  be  laid, 
without  bruising,  on  the 
shelves,  and  that  the  floor  be 
always  kept  moist.  Capital 
storage   is    ready   to   hand    in 


WEIll'I.NO    VARIETY    OI'    -.MK    GKA.N     (l-RUNrS    AVHI.M     I'ENDrEA). 


268 


THE    GAllDEN. 


[April   13,  1901. 


erect,  which  have  to  be  trained  up,  or  budded 
on  more  or  less  lofty  standards  :  third,  there 
are  dwarf  or  prostratespecies,  naturally  shrubs, 
which,  by  being  worked  on  standards  of  other 
sorts,  are  made  into  artificially  weeping  small 

tl'GGS. 

The  word  "  Cherry  "  is  here  made  to  apply 
to  the  old  genera  of  Cerasus  and  Padus— the 
"  Cherries  "  and  "  Bird  Cherries  "  —  but  in 
accordance  with  modern  usage  the  generic 
terra  "  Prunus  "  is  employed.  ^  _     ^ 

Primus  acidn  seinjMrflorens  (All  Saints 
Cherry).— This  interesting  and  pretty  variety 
of  a  dwarf  Cherry  is  noteworthy  in  two  respects. 
It  has  slender,  pendulous  branches,  quite 
different  from  the  Wild  Prunus  acida ;  and, 
secondly,  it  has  the  rare  quality  of  continuing 
to  flower  from  late  spring  to  autumn.  At  the 
latter  season  fruits  and  flowers  may  usually  be 
seen  together  on  the  branches.  The  flowers 
are  white  and  single.  I  have  not  met  with 
this  little  tree  more  than  6  feet  to  10  feet  high, 
and  it  is  usually  budded  on  standards. 

P.  Avium  })eiKM<(.— The  weeping  variety  of 
the  Gean  is  perhaps  less  elegant  than  any  of 
the  weeping  Cherries.  The  branches  are  per- 
fectly pendulous,  but  stiff  and  straight,  the 
etiect  consequently  is  somewhat  formal.  In 
some  positions,  however,  this  may  be  thoug;ht 
to  be  an  advantage.  In  its  foliage  and  in  its 
single  pure  white  flowers  it  does  not  differ 
from  the  Gean— a  tree  native  of  Britain.  It 
should  be  budded  on  high  stocks  of  the  type. 

P.  Chamcecenuua  pendula.  —  The  Siberian 
Cherry,  as  this  species  has  been  termed,  is  a 
shrub  with  small,  ovate  or  obovate,  dark  green 
glossy  leaves.  Its  flowers  are  borne  in  May  in 
short  clusters,  and  each  flower  is  less  than 
1  inch  in  diameter  and  white.  The  pendulous 
•form  when  budded  on  standards  makes  a  pretty, 
rather  mop-headed  little  tree. 

P.  Mahak/j  jienrhda.—The  Mahaleb  is  well 
known  for  its  remarkable  profusion  of  pure 
white  blossom  and  its  free,  graceful  habit.  In 
this  variety  the  pendent  character  of  the 
branches  is  not  unduly  marked,  but  is  suflicient 
to  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  tree.  It  is 
not  only  one  of  the  best  of  Cherries  but  of  all 
flowering  trees,  and  is  as  well  adapted  for 
planting  in  groups  as  it  is  when  isolated  as  a 
single  specimen.  The  flowers,  which  appear 
late  in  April  or  in  May,  are  borne  on  short 
racemes  and  in  such  abundance  as  to  envelope 
the  tree  in  a  snow-white  mantle.  Every  garden 
should  have  at  least  one  weeping  Mahaleb. 
There  is  another  weeping  form  of  this  species, 
introduced  a  few  years  ago  from  the  continent. 
It  is  named  "  pendula  Bonninii,"  but  I  have  not 
had  suflicient  experience  with  it  to  be^  able  to 
say  (|uite  definitely  what  its  value  is.  But 
no  doubt  it  flowers  with  the  same  profuseness 
as  other  forms  of  the  Mahaleb,  and  as  regards 
habit  it  is  apparently  the  most  distinctly 
pendulous  of  any.  It  is  probably  in  this  that 
its  chief  claim  to  notice  consists. 

P.  Piidiis  jiendula.—A  weeping  variety  of 
the  common  Bird  Cherry  will,  no  doubt,  be  an 
acquisition,  but  it  is  of  too  recent  appearance 
here  to  say  much  about  it.  It  is  curious  to 
note  that  there  is  a  variety  (stricta)  with  an 
exactly  opposite  tendency,  branches  and 
racemes  being  quite  ('lect.  P.  virginiana,  a 
nearly  allied  Bird  Cherry  from  North  America, 
in  also  represented  by  a  pendulous  form. 

P.  y;e«rf»ia  (Cerasus  pendula  rosea).— The 
name  "  pendula,"  which  so  often  does  duty  to 
distinguish  a  variety,  is  here  a  pro])er  specific 
designatura,  having  been  given  to  this  Cherry 
iDy  Maximowicz,  the  well-known  botanical 
traveller  in  North  Asia.  Prunus  pendula  is  as 
naturally  pendulous  in  habit  as  the  Babylonian 
Willow  is,  and  it  should,  if  possible,  be  obtained 


on  its  own  roots.  It  is  an  early-flowering  kind 
—probably  the  earliest  of  the  Cherries— being 
in  bloom  as  a  rule  soon  after  April  comes  in. 
The  flowers  are  of  a  lovely  shade  of  delicate  rose, 
but  are  not  large.  They  are,  however,  freely 
borne,  especially  after  a  hot,  ripening  summer 
and  autumn.  In  the  United  States  it  succeeds 
even  better  than  here,  and  by  some  authorities 
is  regarded  as  the  loveliest  of  Japanese  trees 
introduced  to  that  country.  So  much  cannot 
be  said  of  it  in  Britain,  but  it  is  well  worth 
cultivation  for  its  beauty  and  earliness. 

P.  PiKkhim  (Himalayan  Cherry).— Like  the 
preceding  species,  this  Cherry  is  of  a  naturally 
pendulous  habit,  that  character,  however,  being 
most  marked  in  its  lower  branches.  The  specific 
name,  which,  to  say  the  least,  lacks  elegance, 
is  probably  a  native  title  for  the  tree.  The 
species  is  very  rare  in  this  country,  but  in  good 
years  almost  rivals  the  Mahaleb  in  the^  pro- 
fusion of  its  flowers,  which  are  white  with  a 
rosy  tint.  It  is  a  true  Cherry  (Cerasus),  and 
bears  a  very  palatable  fruit. 

P.  serothia  pendida.— The  "Eum  Cherry  or 
"Wild  Black  Cherry  "—for  it  is  known  in 
North  America  under  both  these  names— is 
not  one  of  the  best  or  most  popular  of  Cherries 
in  this  country.  It  belongs  to  the  Padus  sec- 
tion, and  may  be  roughly  described  as  a  deci- 
duous tree  with  very  dark  green  shining  foliage, 
like  that  of  the  Portugal  Laurel,  and  producing 
in  June  racemes  of  dullish  white  flowers  like 
those  of  the  common  Bird  Cherry,  but  even 
more  abundant.  The  weeping  variety  is  rather 
symmetrical,  even  formal,  in  habit,  but  is  a 
distinct  and  pretty  tree.  Both  species  and 
variety  are  in  the  latest-flowering  group  of 
Cherries.  B. 


,ie  sent  many  importations  of  rare  and  ^valuable 
plants.  Mrs.  \Yilmoie,  of  Strawberry  Vale,  and 
Mrs.  Catherine  81ia\v,  were  noted  lady  amateurs, 
Messrs.  John  Pope  and  Son  then  being  very  spirited 
local  nurserymen. 

The    first    curator    was    Mr.    David    Cameron, 
A.L.S. ,  who  was  in  many  ways  an  ideal  curator, 
and  a  friend  of  J.  T.  Maokay,  of  Dublin,  and  of 
the  McNabs,  of  Kdinburgh.     He  was  also  a  friend 
of  Messrs.   Knowles  and  Westcott,  who  started  a 
publication     called    "  The    Birmingham     Botanic 
Oarden  ;  or,  Midland  Floral  Magazine,"  which  ran 
from  I83G  to  1840.     This  work  was  succeeded  by 
the    "  Floral   Cabinet    and    Magazine   of    Exotic 
Botany,"   3  vols.,  4to,   with  coloured  plates   and 
notices     of     many     rare     plants     grown     in     the 
Birmingham  gardens  or  in  the  district.     The  last- 
named  work   began   in   1837   and   ended   in   1840. 
The   great  Loudon   collections  of   this  date  were 
Messrs.    RoUisons,   of   Tooting ;    Messrs.   Low,  of 
Clapton  ;  Messrs.  Loddiges,  of  Hackney  ;  Messrs. 
Knight,  of  Chelsea  ;  Messrs.  Chandler,  of  Camellia 
fame  ;   Alessrs.   Osborne,  of  Fulhani  ;  and  Messrs. 
Henderson,  of  St.   .John's  Wood  ;  and  Mr.   James 
Bateman  was  about  astonishing  the   floral  world 
by   the   publication    of    his    great    work__  on    the 
"  Orchids  of  Me.vico  and  Guatemala"  (1837 — 1843). 
So  tar  as   I   know   no   other  provincial   botanical 
garden  seems  to  have  exerted  so  much   practical 
and  literary  influence  as  did  that  of  the  Birmingham 
Botanical  and  Horticultural  Society  in  the  earlier 
years  of  its  existence.     Mr.  Latham  has  proved  a 
worthy  successor  to  D.   Cameron  and  Catlin,  the 
two  first  curators,  and  he  is  to  be  congratulated 
on    his    long    and    faithful   guardianship    of    the 
Birmingham    Botanical   Gardens   for   a   period   of 
over  thirty  years.  F.  W.  Bukeidoe. 


THE  BIRMINGHAM  BOTANICAL 
GARDENS  AND  MR.  LATHAM. 

Ln  common,  I  am  sure,  with  many  other  of  youi' 
readers,  I  was  highly  pleased  to  see  so  good  a 
portrait  of  "  our  oldest  curator"  in  your  issue  for 
March  16,  page  182.  The  Birmingham  garden  is  a 
famous  one,  and  was  laid  out  by  the  late  John 
Claudius  Loudon,  when  on  his  wedding  tour  with 
the  fair  authoress  of  "  The  Mummy,"  a  work 
which,  having  attracted  his  attention,  led  to  his 
meeting  with  his  future  wife.  The  Loudous 
remained  six  weeks  at  Birmingham,  Mrs.  Loudon's 
native  town,  in  the  year  1831,  while  he  laid  out 
the  Botanic  Gardens,  which,  as  Mrs.  Loudon 
herself  relates,  in  "  Self-Instruction  for  Young 
Gardeners,"  page  36,  "he  had  agreed  to  do 
merely  on  the  payment  of  his  expenses."  Mr. 
Loudon  was  very'  fond  of  Cratasgus  and  other 
rosaceous  trees  and  shrubs,  and,  as  Mr.  Latham 
incidentally  tells  us,  planted  an  extensive  and 
select  collection  in  the  lower  portion  of  the 
Birmingham  garden,  of  which  but  few,  if  any, 
remain  to-day,  except  it  be  a  very  fine  and  healthy 
old  Cherry  tree.  There  is,  however,  in  the 
Birmingham  garden  one  of  the  finest  groups  ot 
specimen  Magnolias  to  be  seen  anywhere  in  Great 
Britain,  such  as  tall  trees  of  M.  acuminata,  and  a 
fine  bush  of  the  green  or  creamy  white  flowered 
M.  apiculata  (=  M.  Fraseri),  of  which  a  beautiful 
coloured  plate  appeared  in  Tmk  (Ukden  some 
years  ago. 

Birmingham  and  its  district  have  long  been 
noted  for  its  gardens  and  for  the  energy  and 
enthusiasm  of  its  amateur  gardeners.  The  late 
Mr.  George  Barker,  of  Springfield  (Barkeria),  Mr. 
.John  Wilmore,  of  Oldfield  (Erica  wilmoreana,  &c.). 
Mr.  Wilmore's  gardener  (Mr.  Williams)  was  a 
successful  hybridist,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
Erica  hyemalis,  and  many  of  the  early  cross-bred 
Calceolarias,  &c.,  were  raised  by  him.  Mr.  W.  H. 
Osborn,  of  Perry  Barr,  near  Birmingham,  was  also 
a  noted  cultivator  of  Hibiscus  splendens  and  other 
good  plants  then  very  rare.  One  of  the  early 
benefactors  of  the  Birmingham  garden  was  Mr. 
Frv,  for  many  years  a  resident  in  Brazil,  whence 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editm-n  are  not  responsible  forr  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents. ) 

DOUBLE^IOLETS. 

[To   THE   Editor  or   "The  Garden."] 

SIR,  — On  page  1'27  my  name  is  mentioned 
in  connection  with  the  culture  of  Violets, 
both  as  regards  their  behaviour  here 
this  winter  and  as  to  the  position  they 
occupy  in  summer.  On  this  latter  point 
I  wish  to  point  out  to  cultivators  that  in 
choosing  a  site  to  grow  Violets  in  summer  con- 
sideration should  be  given  to  the  nature  of  the 
soil  and  position  of  the  garden.  Through  this 
not  being  done  many  errors  are  made.  During 
the  past  four  or  five  years  our  plants  have 
occupied  the  same  position  in  the  open  garden, 
the  ground  rising  slightly  towards  the  north.  We 
add  fresh  soil  every  year,  and  this  is  the  top 
surface  from  an  outside  vine  border,  this  being 
the  decayed  manure,  &c.,  that  has  been  used  for 
mulching  the  vines.  This  is  put  on  the  top  and 
exposed  several  weeks  before  being  worked  into 
the  soil  for  the  air  to  pulverise  it.  In  our  low- 
lying  situation,  with  a  moist  atmosphere,  red  spider 
does°not  trouble  us  as  it  does  in  a  dry  soil  and  hot 
air,  and  were  we  to  grow  our  plants  in  shade  I  am 
doubtful  of  our  present  success.  In  hot  weather 
the  plants  are  syringed  or  damped  every  day, 
mulching  with  old  spent  Mushroom  manure. 
Although  I  grow  them  in  this  way,  I  do  not 
advise  this  method  on  hot,  dry  soils,  or  where  the 
rainfall  is  small.  As  I  have  proved  the  plants 
were  more  satisfactory  in  partial  shade.  We  grow  a 
portion  on  a  south  border  in  front  of  glass  houses. 
These  are  allowed  to  remain  here  througli  the 
winter,  placing  old  lights  over  them.  The  rainfall 
is  considerably  less  in  Norfolk  than  here,  ihis 
has  much  influence  on  many  things,  as  I  proved 
when  residing  in  Norfolk.  J.  Crook. 

Forde  Abbey,  Chard,  Somerset. 

WALL    GARDENING. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir,— Your  note,  page  217,  on  this  subject  reminds 

me  of  two   examples  of   this  form   of  cultivating 

alpine   plants.     One  is  in   the  gardens  at  Tnnity 


Apkil  13,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


269 


College,  Dublin,  where  Mr.  Burbidge  has  built  a 
rather  low  wall  to  hide  a  portion  which  is  common 
in  all  gardens— the  receptacle  for  refuse,  commonly 
called  the  rubbish  heap.  This  wall  was  partly 
hollow,  or  so  constructed  that  the  plants  growing 
on  the  top  could  easily  find  space  in  a  downward 
direction  for  their  roots.  Here  the  Edelweiss 
was  luxuriating,  and  so  were  many  things— 
Saxifraga,  Aubrietia,  &c.  The  other  example  is  at 
Aldenhani,  where  Mr.  Beckett  has  established 
many  interesting  subjects  on  the  top  of  a  stone 
bridge.  Many  interesting  yet  natural  objects  of 
wall  gardening  are  to  be  seen  which  no  doubt  were 
accidentally  established  by  birds,  as  for  instance, 
close  to  where  I  write  there  are  any  number  of 
wall-flower  plants  growing  on  the  ruins,  50  feet 
high,  of  the  palace  in  Bishop's  Waltham,  which 
was  no  doubt  connected  with  William  of  Wykeham. 
Again,  on  the  walls  around  the  city  of  Winchester 
huge  masses  of  Valerian  and  Wallflowers  meet  the 
eye,  illustrating  what  can  be  done  in  wall  gardening 
if  due  thought  be  given  to  the  subject,  and  the 
necessary  preparation  of  soil  made  to  establish  the 
plants,  and  after  attention.  E.  M. 

SOWING    CARNATION    SEED. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 
Sir, — As  this  is  tlie  right  time  of  the  year  for 
sowing  Carnation  seeds,  I  think  it  may  interest 
some  of  your  readers  who  have  never  tried  raising 
Carnations  in  this  way  to  hear  of  my  experience. 
Last  summer  I  had  a  splendid  display  of  Carnations 
from  the  end  of  June  until  September,  from  seed- 
lings raised  from  three  packets  of  seed  at  a  total 
cost  of  7s.  6d.  The  seed  was  sown  in  the  spring 
of  1899  in  pots  placed  in  a  hot  bed,  then  pricked 
out  into  boxes  and  hardened  off  until  they  were 
big  enough  to  plant  out  in  the  garden  some  time  in 
.Tune.  Last  summer  they  had  grown  into  strong 
healthy  plants  which  yielded  abundance  of  flowers 
with  a  small  percentage  only  of  single  blooms.  A 
great  charm  in  growing  from  seed  is  the  fascinating 
uncertainty  as  to  what  kind  of  flower  each  plant 
will  produce.  For  many  years  past  I  have  grown 
Carnations  from  layers,  and  I  am  now  convinced 
that  for  out  of  door  cultivation,  growing  from  seed 
is  the  only  really  satisfactory  way.  I  have  found 
that  after  two  or  three  years  the  layers  from  the 
parent  plants  seem  to  grow  weaker,  and  far  less 
able  to  resist  the  winter  and  the  many  Carnation 
diseases,  until  one  gradually  loses  the  variety 
altogether.  I  have  noticed  at  the  Carnation  shows, 
the  prize  exhibits  are  nearly  always  new  varieties, 
which  a  j-ear  or  two  after  are  conspicuous  by  their 
absence.  I  should  like  to  read  in  your  paper 
the  experiences  of  other  amateur  growers. 

West  Surrey.  W.  M. 


CAMELLIAS  OUT  OF  DOORS. 

[To  the   Editor   of    "The   Garden."] 

Sir, — Because  the  Camellia  is  not  commonly  seen 
growing  out  of  doors  it  is  supposed  by  many  to  be 
a  tender  greenhouse  subject,  hence  these  periodical 
notes  that  have  so  often  appeared  chronicling  the 
remarkable  discover}'  that  the  Camellia  is  hardy. 
In  The  Garden  and  other  papers  fine  outdoor 
examples  of  Camellias  have  been  recorded  often, 
ever  since  I  remember,  indeed,  in  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland.  The  Camellia  is  as  hardy, 
if  not  hardier,  than  the  common  Laurel.  The 
following  note  which  I  send  you  from  Volume  I.  of 
the  old  "Horticultural  Cabinet"  of  18.33  may 
interest  you:  "February  20,  1833.  The  proba- 
bility of  Camellias  succeeding  in  the  open  air,  as 
stated  by  our  correspondent,  we  can  confirm  by 
our  own  experience.  In  the  year  1819  three 
plants  of  double  Camellias  were  turned  out  in  the 
open  border  in  the  grounds  at  Wortlej'  Hall,  the 
sorts  were  Double  Red,  Double  White,  and  Double 
Striped.  At  the  time  of  turning  out  the  plants 
were  bushy  and  about  2  feet  high.  Two  of  the 
plants  are  now  from  4  feet  to  5  feet  high,  and  one 
of  them  spreads  about  10  feet  across.  The  striped 
plant  produced  last  spring  upwards  of  1,000 
flowers.  For  the  first  four  years  after  turning  out, 
each  winter  the  plants  had  wooden  cases,  3  feet 
high,    placed    round    them  ;     upon     the     top     of 


each  case  a  hand  glass  was  fixed,  whioh  was 
removed  at  pleasure  for  air  or  protection.  At  the 
bottom  of  the  case  inside  (!  inches  deep  of  rotten 
leaf  mould  or  tanners'  bark  was  laid  over  the  roots. 
From  the  fifth  to  the  eighth  year  no  wooden  case 
was  used,  but  in  the  severest  weather  a  mat  was 
looselv  thrown  over  each  plant.  Since  that  time 
no  protection  whatever  has  been  applied,  excepting 
laying  2  inches  or  3  inches  of  bark  or  leaf  soil  over 
the  roots.  In  the  same  situation  where  the 
Camellias  are  large  Portugal  and  common  Laurels 
were  planted  at  the  same  time.  They  have  grown 
well  each  year,  till  the  severe  winters  of  1829  and 
1830,  such  being  the  exposed  cold  situation  in 
which  the  Camellias  and  Laurels  are  planted  that 
the  latter  were  nearly  destroyed,  whilst  the  former 
withstood  the  intensity  of  the  frosts  and  cutting 
winds  without  the  slightest  injury.  When  properl}' 
planted  out  and  gradually  inured  to  the  climate 
we  are  fully  convinced  that  Camellias  will  be  found 
much  more  hardy  than  Laurels." — Cond. 

Some  of  the  plants  referred  to  in  the  above 
note  I  found  still  growing  when  I  went  to  Wortley 
previous  to  1870.  When  a  wing  was  added  to  the 
hall  they  had  to  be  done  awaj'  with,  being  too  old 
to  transplant  ;  but  1  cut  down  one  and  replanted 
it  elsewhere,  and  it  was  there  when  I  left  VVortley 
less  than  two  years  ago.  At  Drumlanrig  Castle, 
Dumfriesshire,  N.B. ,  about  1860,  there  were  tall, 
fine  Camellias  growing  behind  a  north  wall  out  of 
doors,  and  I  have  often  seen  them  elsewhere,  at 
Chiswick  Gardens  for  one  place,  where  there  is  a 
border  of  them  growing  like  Laurels.  Neverthe- 
less, I  would  not  plant  Camellias  out  of  doors  as 
evergreens,  because  we  have  better  subjects,  and  as 
flowering  plants  I  do  not  remember  ever  seeing  an 
outdoor  Camellia  with  flowers  upon  it  the  waxy 
petals  of  which  were  not  ruined  b}-  frost,  cold 
winds,  or  rain  almost  as  soon  as  expanded. 
Wortlej'  is  about  700  feet  above  the  sea. 

J.  Simpson. 

LILIUM    BROWNIl. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — This  magnificent  hardy  Lily  deserves  a 
word  of  commendation  equally  with  L.  testaceuni, 
recently  figured  and  described  in  The  Garden. 
Experience  shows  that  even  a  Manchester  garden, 
the  sunny  side  of  a  Privet  hedge,  and  light  sandy 
soil  suffice  to  bring  it  to  perfection.  When  well 
cared  for  this  Lily  is  of  vigorous  growth,  with 
handsome  leaves,  which  clothe  the  stem  from  top 
to  bottom  and  continvie  in  vigour  beyond  the 
flowering  period.  In  a  group  with  other  choice 
Lilies  on  a  warm  sheltered  border,  or,  rising  out  of 
low  growing  shrubs  in  a  partially  shaded  spot,  this 
Lily  forms  a  striking  and  uncommon  object  when 
in  flower.  The  blooms  are  carried  at  a  graceful 
curve  on  stems  from  3  feet  to  4  feet  high.  They 
are  very  large,  trumpet  shaped,  with  snowy  white 
perfumed  throats,  in  which  the  rich  chocolate 
anthers  make  an  effective  contrast.  The  outside 
of  the  petals  is  suffused  with  purplish  red  markings, 
varying  in  intensity  according  to  the  amount  of 
sunshine  the  plant  has  received  The  soil  and 
situation  recommended  for  L.  auratum  will  suit 
L.  Brownii,  but  if  anything  the  soil  should  be 
lighter.  The  bulbs  are  large  and  heavy,  whitish, 
rather  flattened  on  the  top,  in  shape  like  a 
Tangerine  Orange,  but  considerably  larger.  They 
should  be  planted  by  preference  in  the  autumn 
at  least  7  inches  deep.  It  is  always  advisable  to 
place  over  newly  planted  Lilies  something  to  shed 
the  cold  rains  of  autumn  and  early  spring.  Owing 
to  the  structure  of  bulb  scales  in  L.  Brownii, 
moisture  is  liable  to  be  retained,  and  to  set  up 
decay  at  the  base  of  the  bulb.  The  .lapanese 
practice  in  consequence,  according  to  Dr.  Wallace, 
is  to  plant  the  bulb  on  the  side.  This  hint  may 
save  disappointment,  and  one  other  is,  that  the 
soil  can  scarcely  be  too  light  and  open.  The  stem 
will  begin  to  rise  early  in  April  and  the  flowers 
will  open  early  in  Jul\'.  According  to  Mr.  H.  J. 
ElwBs,  F.L.S.,  in  his' "  Monograph  of  the  Genus 
Lilium,"  this  Lily  is  largely  grown  bj'  the  Dutch 
and  Belgian  nurserymen,  and  in  great  quantities  at 
Berlin,  often  in  soil  little  better  than  sand  enriched 
with  manure.     Certainly  the  bulbs  are  offered  by 


the  Dutch  growers  at  a  price  within  the  reach  of 
most  amateurs,  so  that  they  can  yield  to  the 
temptation  of  growing  it  without  serious  outlay. 
It  has  proved  a  temptation  free  from  any  regrets, 
and  yet  according  to  Mr.  Elwes  this  Lily  has  never 
become  common  in  England,  although  it  bears  an 
English  name.  As  Brown's  Lily  (L.  Brownii)  it  is 
now  generally  recognised,  and  is  no  longer  to  be 
confounded  with  L.  japonicum,  the  bulb  of  which 
is  small  and  pyriform  and  the  plant  less  hardy. 
Maiuhe-^ler.  S.   P. 


SALVIA    PATENS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  should  like  to  add  a  word  in  support  of 
Mr.  E.  Harriss  (page  239)  relative  to  this  beautiful 
blue  flower.  I  think  it  might  advantageously  have 
a  place  in  all  gardens,  as  it  is  readily  grown  and 
provides  a  brilliant  blue,  the  equal  of  which  is  not 
easy  to  find.  The  finest  row  of  it  that  I  have  ever 
seen  was  at  Denbies,  Dorking,  where  it  is  greatly 
appreciated  by  Lord  Ashcombe.  Every  3'ear  Mr. 
.1.  Beesley,  the  gardener,  grows  a  considerable 
number  of  plants,  that  are  accommodated  in  a 
border  outside  the  celebrated  Denbies  corridor.  As 
I  saw  them  last  year  the  plants  were  superb. 

H.  .1.  W. 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 


INIESSKS.    SCOTT,    MERKIOTT,    NEAR 
CREWKERNE. 

SCOTT  is  a  name  quite  familiar  to  all 
fruit  growers  who  can  carry  their 
memories  back  twenty-five  years  or  so, 
for  the  late  Mr.  .John  Scott  was  a 
prominent  figure  and  an  authority  on 
all  connected  with  fruit  culture.  He 
established  himself  at  the  nurseries  some  years 
previous  to  this,  having  come  from  Canford 
Manor,  the  Dorset  seat  of  Lord  Wimborne.  He 
published  a  work  on  fruit  under  the  title  of 
"Scott's  Orchardist,"  which  was  once  very 
widely  read.  During  the  latter  portion  of  the 
sixties  and  early  in  the  seventies  it — like  most  other 
books  if  not  kept  up  to  date,  however  good  they 
may  be— was  lost  sight  of  ;  but  it  was  a  good  work 
in  its  time,  and  afforded  nnich  useful  information. 
Mr.  Scott  was  the  means  of  bringing  to  the  notice 
of  the  public  some  local  fruits  of  great  merit. 

In  September  of  last  year  I  had  an  opportunity- 
of  visiting  Messrs.  Scott's  nurser\'  to  see  the  fruit 
trees  whose  produce  had  excited  so  much  admiration 
at  the  various  shows,  and  I  can  assure  my  readers 
the  nursery  has  lost  nothing  in  qualitj'  or  quantitj' 
through  having  been  heard  but  little  of  during  the 
last  twentj'  years  as  compared  to  the  twenty 
previous  years.  In  a  border  and  standing  alone  on 
the  grass  were  large  masses  of  Aralia  Sieboldi, 
those  on  the  turf  I  found  to  be  12  feet  through  and 
8  feet  high.  Although  in  severe  winters  they  are 
slightly  disfigured,  they  soon  recover  and  provenoble 
decorative  objects.  On  either  side  of  the  central 
walk  leading  through  the  nursery  are  planted 
many  good  flowering  shrubs  and  ornamental  trees, 
including  Magnolia  purpurea,  a  specimen  about 
36  feet  through  and  2.5  feet  high  ;  I  was  told  by 
Mr.  Stacey,  the  manager,  that  last  spring  it  bore 
quite  0,060  blooms.  Magnolia  thompsoniana  is 
also  found  in  fine  condition  ;  it  has  leaves  from 
1  foot  to  U  feet  long  and  8  inches  broad,  the 
flowers  are  creamy  white  and  very  large.  A 
splendid  Wellingtonia  close  by  must  be  quite 
75  feet  high.  Cotoneaster  microphylla  worked 
on  Cotoneaster  aifinis  is  10  feet  high  and  from 
10  feet  to  12  feet  through,  and  covered  with 
berries,  making  a  fine  lawn  shrub.  A  curiositj' 
is  to  be  seen  in  the  Snowy  Mespilus  worked 
on  the  Jlountain  Ash.  It  had  a  3  feet  head  and 
was  grafted  upon  a  4  feet  stem,  and  I  was  told  it 
was  considerably  over  100  years  of  age.  Viburnum 
macrocephaluni,  so  well  figured  in  The  Garden, 
page  365,  is  noticeable  in  quantity.  This  is  one  of 
the  best  of  the  Snowballs,  and  deserves  to  be  widely 
planted.     These  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  good 


270 


THE    GARDEN. 


fAPKiL   13,    1901 


shrubs  to  be  found  ;  most  of  the  kinds  usuall}' 
to  be  had  from  a  nursery  are  grown  in  various  sizes. 
I  noticed  a  fine  lot  of  tlie  broad  golden-leaved 
Privet ;  this  is  a  good  shrub  for  relieving  the  fore- 
ground of  shrub  beds  or  placing  in  window  boxes, 
as  I  iiave  seen  quantities  done  in  a  market  nursery 
at  Windlesham,  Surre\',  for  the  London  trade. 

Interesting  as  this  portion  is,  I  must  pass  on  to 
the  fruit  trees.  To  give  readers  of  The  Garden 
an  idea  of  the  size  of  some  of  the  Plum  trees,  I 
may  mention  Isabella  as  a  standard  IS  feet  high  ; 
\^'ashington,  2.")  feet  high  ;  this  fine  Plum  does 
well  here.  None  is  more  delicious  than  this 
variety  when  well  grown,  and  the  crop  was 
most  abundant.  The  former  of  the  two  I  was 
told  seldom  failed  to  crop,  even  in  a  bad  season. 
Lawrence's  Golden  Gage,  Kirk's  Purple  Gage, 
Pond's  Seedling,  Victoria,  a  kind  known  here 
as  Harvest,  Mitchelson's  (whicli  crops  abun- 
dantly), and  man}'  more  fine  specimens  of  fruit 
tree  culture  are  to  be  seen.  All  the  free- 
bearing  market  kinds  are  grown,  and  a  good  stock 
of  young  trees  in  the  quarters.  All  the  leading 
varieties  of  these  are  cultivated,  and  may  be 
obtained  in  all  sizes.  The  Pears  included  Dunmore 
(I  found  a  full  specimen  30  feet  to  3.3  feet  high), 
Duches.SB  d'Angouliimie,  Catillac,  Beurre  Clairgeau, 
and  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersej'.  A  kind  I  had  not 
seen  before  was  one  known  as  Belle  Lucrative  ;  the 
specimen  of  this  was  from  30  feet  to  40  feet  high 
and  IS  feet  through,  standing  in  a  most  exposed 
position,  bearing  an  enormous  crop. 

Apples  must  have  a  passing  note,  for  there  were 
man}'  large  trees  literally  breaking  clown  with  fine 
fruit.  .Space  will  not  permit  me  to  enumerate 
many,  but  Mank's  Codlin,  yellow  Ingestre, 
Worcester  Pearmain,  Golden  Spire,  Bismarck,  ancl 
inany  of  the  large  showy  kinds,  such  as  Peasgood's 
Xonsiich  and  others  of  this  type,  were  particularly 
fine.  An  old  kind  I  have  known  many  years  in  this 
district  is  Powell's  Russet  :  this  is  a  good  and  long 
keeping  Apple.  Borovitsky  is  regarded  here  as 
different  from  Duchess  of  Oldenburgh,  being  larger 
and  a  better  grower.  Cherries,  bush  fruits  of  all 
kinds,  Strawberries,  in  fact,  all  nursery  plants 
generally,  are  grown  in  quantities.  Roses  and 
herbaceous  plants  also  occupy  a  considerable  space. 
I  observed  a  fine  and  up-to-date  collection  of  Cactus 
and  otlier  Dahlias.  Seldom  have  I  seen  a  nursery 
so  clean  and  in  such  good  order.  J.   Crook. 


PROPOSED     NEW^     GARDEN    OF 
THE    R.  H.  S. 

Notice  is  hereby  given  that  a  general  meeting  of 
the  Fellows  of  the  Society  will  be  held  at  the  Drill 
Hall  of  the  London  Scottish  Volunteers,  Bucking- 
ham Gate,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday,  April  23,  to 
consider,  and  if  approved,  to  adopt  ihe  proposal  of 
the  Council  to  purchase  on  behalf  of  the  Society, 
for  the  purpose  of  its  New  Gardens,  48  acres  of 
land  in  the  County  of  Kent  forming  part  of  Rabbits 
Farm,  and  adjoining  the  Little  Boys'  Home  at 
South  Darentli.  Fellows  wishhig  to  see  the  pro- 
perty before  the  meeting  should  take  the  10  a.m 
train  from  Victoria  (L.  C.  and  D.  Railway)  to  Farn- 
ingham  Road  Station  on  Thursday  next,  when 
some  members  of  the  Council  will  be  on  the  spot  to 
explain  the  boundaries,  &c. 


DAFFODIL    COMPETITION. 

The  Daffodil  Cup  offered  at  the  Society's  meeting 
last  Tuesday,  not  having  been  awarded  owing  to 
there  being  one  competitor  only,  will  be  offered  in 
competition  again  on  April  23,  as  follows  : 

Group  of  Daffodil  Blossoms  (Polyanthus  varieties 
excluded)  grown  without  artificial  heat ;  must 
include  some  of  each  section,  Magni-,  Medii-,  and 
Parvi-Coronati  ;  must  contain  at  least  .50  varieties 
distinct,  of  30  of  which  at  least  three  blooms  each 
must  be  shown.  Not  more  than  nine  blooms  of  any 
one  variety  may  be  put  up.  To  be  staged  in 
bottles,  vases  or  tubes,  not  exceeding  3  inches  in 
diameter  at  the  top  (inside  measurement),  and  all 
the  stems  must  touch  the  water.  Quality  of  flower 
will  count  more  than  quantity,  and  correct  naming 


and  tasteful  arrangement  will  be  duly  considered. 
An}'  foliage  may  be  used,  Daffodil  or  otherwise. 
No  prize  will  be  awarded  unless  there  are  two 
competitors  at  least.  Open  to  amateurs  and 
gentlemen's  gardeners  only.  First  prize,  a  £7  ~s. 
silver  eup,  presented  to  the  society  by  ilessrs. 
Barr  and  Sons  ;  second  pri-ze,  silver  Flora  medal. 
Owing  to  the  backward  season,  the  Narcissus 
Committee  will  also  meet  on  May  7. 


example,  as  the  AUaraanda,  Calla,  Chrysanthemum, 
Cineraria,  and  Hyacinth.  Thos.  Coomber. 

The  Hendrt  Garcleun,  Monmoiilh. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

LIQUID    MANURES    AND 
THEIR    APPLICATION. 

THESE  manurial  stimulants  may  be  made 
artificially,  but  my  remarks  here  will 
refer  to  those  formed  of  natural  ele- 
ments, viz.,  the  drainage  from  stables, 
cow-sheds,  &c.  Throughout  the  kingdom 
these  are  either  wholly  wasted  or,  when 
utilised,  often  not  made  the  most  of.  The  cause 
of  this  general  waste,  through  the  lack  of  syste- 
matic application,  may  in  some  instances  be 
correctly  attributed  to  the  ditticulty  found  in 
economically  applying  these  manures  to  crops, 
and  particularly  is  this  the  case  in  reference  to 
agriculture  as  ordinarily  pursued.  This,  however, 
owing  to  altered  conditions,  does  not  apply  with 
equal  force  to  horticulture.  Many  private  gardens, 
at  any  rate,  are  placed  near  enough  to  stables  for 
the  latter's  drainage  to  be,  by  means  of  a  sewer, 
conveyed  to  a  tank  placed  in  the  former  (as  is  done 
here,  the  tank  being  supplied  with  a  chain  pump), 
and  in  such  instances,  from  an  economical  point  of 
view,  apart  from  finding  a  means  of  getting  free 
of  what  otherwise  would  become  a  nuisance,  this 
might  be  done.  These  manures  necessarily  vary 
considerably  in  quality  in  comparison  with  the 
quantity  of  water  used  in  swelling  the  sewers, 
and  must,  therefore,  for  this  reason,  as  also  in 
order  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  crops  to 
which  they  are  applied,  be  reasonably  diluted. 
They  should  be  employed  for  their  manurial  pro- 
perties rather  than  for  merely  supplying  moisture, 
and  are  more  safely  and  efficiently  used  for  this 
purpose  upon  soils  when  in  a  moist  condition  than 
when  dry,  while  they  act  quickly,  and,  being 
highly  nutritious,  must  in  all  cases  be  made  use 
of  with  discretion.  As  a  fertiliser  for  most  kinds 
of  vegetables  when  applied  either  immediately  to 
the  crops  or  to  fallow  land  previous  to  being 
planted,  they  are  of  great  service,  but  must  be 
carefully  used,  especially  in  the  case  of  crops 
belonging  to  the  Brassica  family  that  are  to  stand 
the  winter.  They  are  as  useful  for  vegetables  as 
for  fruits,  and  the  crops  of  matured  trees  and 
bushes  of  Apples,  Plums,  Currants,  &c.,  that 
require  manurial  assistance,  derive  great  benefit 
by  being  afforded,  especially  during  their  dormant 
and  early-growing  seasons,  periodical  soakings, 
but  in  ordinary  cases  liberal  applications  in  late 
summer  and  early  autumn 
should  not  be  given,  parti- 
cularly upon  retentive  soils, 
for  they  encourage  growth  at 
a  season  when  it  cannot  be 
well  matured.  These  are 
ideal  manures  for  the  Straw- 
berry and  Raspberry,  and 
they  have,  when  properly- 
used  during  winter  and  the 
growing  season,  an  invigo- 
rating effect  upon  them  and 
greatly  improve  Iroth  the  size 
and  cjuality  of  the  fruit. 
Then,  again,  tliey  are  well 
suited  for  many  subjects 
cultivated  under  glass. 
Amongst  fruits  of  this  de- 
scription the  Grape,  Peach, 
and  Fig,  together  with  the 
Pine-apple,  Banana,  Melon, 
Cucumbers,  &c. ,  all  alike 
benefit  by  their  assistance, 
as  do  also  many  decorative 
and  other   plants,  such,   for 


Illustpation  of  malfopmed  Cyppi- 

pedium      flowers.  —  Mr.    G.     S.     Saunders 
showed  at  a  recent   meeting  of  the  scientific  com- 
I  mittee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  a  series 
j  of  beautifully  executed  water  colour  drawings  of 
]  malformations   in     the   flowers   of    this    genus   as 
[  follows  ; —  The  entire  absence  of  one  or  both  side 
petals  ;    the   entire   absence   of    the   labellum,   its 
presence  in  a  distorted    form,  and    its  partial   or 
entire  duplication  ;    one  or  both  side   petals  par- 
tially, or  entirely,  taking  the  form  of  the  labellum ; 
the  side  petals  joined  to  the  upper  or  lower  sepals ; 
I  the  upper  and   lower  .sepals  joined  together  ;  one 
side   petal   adhering  to  the  laliellum  ;    the   lower 
sepal  adhering  to   the  labellum  ;  a  duplication  of 
parts  :  a  double  flower,  caused  by  the  adherence  of 
two  flowers  ;  a  flower  showing  the  two  lower  sepals 
separate  which   are   generally  joined   together   in 
this  genus. 

Two  g'OOd  Peaches.— I  should  like  to 
draw  attention  to  the  two  Peaches  of  which  I  send 
photographs.  Peach  Stirling  Castle  is,  in  my 
opinion,  the  best  flavoured  and  one  of  the  most 
satisfactory  second  early  varieties  for  forcing. 
Waterloo  is  also  an  excellent  first  early  Peach,  and 
invariably  bears  well  with  m.e. — A.  W.  P.,  Su-sxex. 

Ppimula  meg'aseefolia  (Boiss  and 

Bal). — Enquiries  come  to  me  from  England 
on  the  subject  of  a  new  Primula  sent  out 
from  our  garden  last  year  under  the  name  of 
Primula  megas;efolia,  of  which  the  three  plants 
shown  by  Miss  Willmott  lately  received  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society's  award  of  merit.  The 
plant  is  oriental,  not  Chinese  as  might  be  supposed 
from  its  relationship  with  P.  obconica,  from  which 
however  it  is  remarkably  distinct.  It  is  a  native 
of  damp,  shady  gorges,  and  defiles  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Rhize  in  Lazistau,  to  the  south-east  of 
the  Black  Sea  in  the  mountain  region  at  a 
height  of  between  900  feet  and  1,000  feet. 
This  Primula,  discovered  by  Balansa  about  forty 
years  ago,  belongs  to  a  section  that  contains  but 
few  species,  that  of  the  Fallaces,  comprising  P. 
yervana,  KJsoana,  Reinii,  and  megastcfolia  ;  four 
species  not  one  of  which  was  known  to  the  horti- 
cultural world  till  the  day  when,  thanks  to  Mr. 
Carl  Sprenger,  P.  megasa?folia  was  received  at  the 
Alpine  Garden  of  Geneva,  after  one  earlier  stage 
of  its  journey  to  Naples.  The  area  of  its  habitat 
is  restricted,  and  its  locality  has  remained  long 
undetermined  ;  indeed,  had  not  specimens  existed  in 
one  or  two  herbaria  no  one  would  have  known 
anything  about  it.  It  was  therefore  a  good  day 
for  us  when  we  received  some  strong  seedlings  of 
his  own  raising  from  Mr.  Sprenger,  for  it  was  a 
plant  we  had  been  enquiring  for  for  many  years.  The 
qualificative  "  megasivf olia "  suits  it  adrairablj', 
and  its  thick  leaves,  oval  or  oval  oblong,  rounded 
or  cordate  at  the  base,  of  dark  green  colour  and 


TEACH    WATKKI.OU. 


April  13,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


271 


PEACH    STIELING   CASTLE. 


smooth  surface,  red-brown  above,  and  strongly 
ribbed,  are  in  tliemselves  distinctly  ornamental. 
In  our  garden  at  Geneva,  the  flowers  appear  in 
March  and  April ;  they  are  of  a  rose-violet  colour 
more  or  less  deep,  of  the  shape  and  size  of  those 
of  P.  obconica  ;  like  them  they  are  disposed  in 
umbels  and  are  borne  plentifully  and  for  a 
lengthened  season.  We  grow  it  in  peat,  and 
winter  it  in  a  cold  greenhouse. — H.  Corkevok, 
Genera. 

Anemone    blanda    seythiniea.  —  I 

have  at  present  (April  1)  several  plants  of 
Anemone  blanda  seythiniea  in  full  bloom,  and 
very  beautiful  they  look  at  the  base  of  a 
rockery  in  full  sun.  Their  flowers  are  like  Mar- 
guerites of  fair  size,  and  one  is  pleased  alike 
with  their  dimensions  and  with  the  substance 
of  the  blooms.  It  has  had  some  attention  paid  to 
it  in  The  Garden  before  now,  and  it  is  well  worth 
looking  after  by  those  who  are  admirers  of  the 
Windflowers,  and  have  not  yet  grown  this  form  of 
the  Greek  Anemone.  As  a  rock  garden  plant  or 
for  a  choice  border,  where  it  would  run  no  risk  of 
destruction  from  carelessness  when  it  was  at  rest 
and  thus  invisible,  such  a  little  Anemone  is  of  much 
value,  with  its  large  beautiful  flowers,  blue  outside 
and  pure  white  when  fully  open  to  the  sun.  Its 
price  seems  the  only  obstacle  to  its  popularity,  but 
as  it  is  better  known  it  will  probably  be  more 
largely  imported,  so  that  it  will  become  cheaper. 
By  the  way,  I  cannot  recollect  seeing  any 
discussion  about  the  soil  in  which  A.  blanda  should 
be  grown.  Here,  following  the  advice  of  an 
experienced  friend,  I  have  been  trying  to  grow 
this  Anemone  in  stiff'  soil,  instead  of  the  light 
sandy  peat  of  the  greater  portion  of  my  garden. 
The  result  is  very  satisfactory,  and  I  hope 
gradually  to  transfer  my  plants  to  a  rather  claj'e}' 
compost. — S.  Arn'ott,  Cartetlwrn,  by  Dumfries, 
N.B. 
Carnation  Valetta.— This  is  one  of  the 

most  novel  and  distinct  of  the  perpetual  or  winter 
flowering  Carnations.  It  is  a  good  grower,  of 
vigorous  habit,  the  flowers  large,  full,  the  base 
of  the  petals  warm  rosy-pink,  each  petal  having  a 
distinct  deep  border  of  white,  and  they  are  some- 
what serrated.  Those  who  regard  the  smooth 
petal  as  representing  the  highest  outcome  in  the 
direction  of  form  will  yet  find  in  this  variety  much 
to  interest  and  attract.  I  recently  saw  it  in  the 
collection  of  winter  Carnations  at  Slough,  where  it 
was  a  conspicuous  object  among  many  very  fine 
modern  additions. — H.  D. 

Standard      Flowering      Plants.  — 

Fashions  in  matters   horticultural   seem   to  be  as 


exacting  as  in  matters  of  dress  and  etiquette. 
When  at  the  Royal  Nursery,  Slough,  a  few  days 
ago  I  saw  a  number  of  Fuchsias  being  grown  on  to 
assume  the  standard  form,  for  Mr.  Harry  Turner 
said  they  were  in  demand.  A  number  of  one-year- 
old  plants  had  formed  stout  stems,  and  they  had 
reached  a  sufficient  height  to  admit  of  being  finally 
stopped,  so  as  to  encourage  the  production  of  heads. 
There  were  also  to  be  seen  a  number  of  young 
vigorous  plants  of  certain  varieties,  some  18  inches 
or  so  in  height,  which  were  being  grown  on  for  the 
same  purpose.  Heliotropes  as  standards  are  being 
enquired  for,  and  in  addition  the  fragrant  foliaged 
Aloysia  citriodora.  The  last-named  especially 
makos  an  excellent  standard,  as  can  be  seen  on  the 
terrace  at  Gunnersbury  House  during  the  summer 
months.  A  short  time  ago  Messrs.  R.  and  G. 
Cuthbert,  Southgate,  exhibited  some  young 
standard  plants  of  W^istaria  sinensis,  which  were 
carrying  excellent  heads  of  bloom.  Acalypha 
hispida  (sanderiana)  also  makes  an  excellent 
standard.  —  R.  D. 

National   Sweet    Pea  Society.  -A 

general  committee  of  this  newly-formed  society 
was  held  at  the  Hotel  Windsor  on  Tuesday  after- 
noon. At  a  meeting  some  ten  days  or  so  previously 
the  executive  committee  drafted  rules  for  the 
government  of  the  society  and  a  schedule  of  prizes, 
and  these,  with  a  few  additions  and  minor  altera- 
tions, were  passed  by  the  general  committee.  It 
was  decided  to  hold  the  exhibition  this  year  at  the 
Royal  Aquarium,  and  the  dates  selected  were 
July  25  and  26.  In  order  to  relieve  Mr.  Richard 
Dean  of  some  of  the  work,  Mr.  Horace  J.  Wright 
was  elected  general  secretary,  the  services  of  Mr. 
Dean  being  retained  as  exhibition  secretary.  Mr. 
George  Gordon,  V.M.H. ,  presided  over  a  mode- 
rately large  attendance.  Financial  support  was 
promised  by  several  of  those  present.  The  schedule 
of  prizes  will  be  put  into  the  printer's  hands  forth- 
with, and  will  be  distributed  as  soon  as  it  is  ready. 
Grass  under  trees.- To  keep  grass  green 
under  trees  where  it  does  not  grow  readily,  Mr. 
William  Sal  way,  superintendent  of  Spring  Grove 
Cemetery,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  suggests  digging  up 
the  surface  of  the  ground  and  sewing  English  rye 
grass  seed  mixed  with  a  little  red  top.  Water 
until  about  3  inches  high.  —  Park  and  Cemetery 
(America.) 

Conifers   as   rain  gauges.— Mention 

has  already  been  made  of  the  influence  of  certain 
more  or  less  severe  droughts  in  the  French 
Mediterranean  upon  Pinus  Laricio  of  Corsica  and 
Cephalonian  Fir.  The  lengthening  of  the  branches 
of   these   two   species   is  always  proportionate  to 


the  quantity  of  rain  falling  during 
those  months  of  the  year  when  it  is 
most  profitable  to  them.  Co-efficients 
have  been  established  indicating  what 
the  degree  is  for  each  month  of  the 
year.  These  co-efficients  enable  the 
relationship  that  exists  Ijetweeti  the 
amount  of  rain  fallen  and  the  greater 
or  less  intensit3'  of  the  vegetation 
which  it  has  encouraged  to  be  deter- 
mined. It  is  shown  that,  under  these 
conditions,  it  is  possible  to  judge 
approximately  the  quantity  of  rain 
which  has  fallen  by  measuring  exactly 
the  length  of  the  leader,  or  of  the 
branch  produced  yearly  on  these 
species  of  Pine,  and  if  the  estimate 
,;    .•iib..  is  not  absolutely  proportionate  to  the 

quantity  of  rain  registered  by  the 
rain  gauge,  it  closely  approaches  to  it; 
and  a  still  closer  estimation  may  be 
made  by  taking  into  account  the 
relative  value  of  the  results  produced 
by  rain  in  the  several  months  of  the 
year.  It  is,  therefore,  possible,  to 
a  certain  extent,  to  use  plants  speci- 
ally selected  for  this  purpose  as 
actual  registering  rain  gauges. —  Femx 
Sahut,  in  Kerne  Horticole. 

The    Midland  Carnation 
and    Picotee    Society.  —  We 

have  received  the  tenth  annual  report 
of  this  excellent  society,  containing 
full  list  of  amounts,  subscribers,  and 
balance  sheet  for  1900,  also  the  schedule  of  prizes 
for  1901,  together  with  a  list  of  some  of  the  leading 
flowers  in  each  class  suitable  for  exhibition.  A 
short  article  on  Carnations  is  given  by  Mr.  Robert 
Sydenham,  and  other  useful  information.  We  are 
pleased  to  know  that  the  society  is  in  such  a  sound 
condition,  due  in  no  small  degree  to  the  exertions 
of  Mr.  Robert  Sydenham,  of  Tenby  Street,  Bir- 
mingham, the  joint  honorary  secretary.  We  are 
very  sorry  to  hear,  however,  that  through  extreme 
pressure  of  many  duties  Mr.  Sydenjiam  has  been 
compelled  to  give  up  joint  secretaryship  with  Mr. 
Herbert  Snell,  22,  Tenby  Street  North,  Birmingham, 
but  aets  as  chairman  of  the  committees.  The  new 
co-secretar3'  is  a  well-known  amateur,  Mr.  R. 
Cartwright,  Middleton  Dene,  King's  Norton, 
Worcestershire. 

Apple  BaddOW  Pippin. —  The  above- 
named  Apple,  sometimes  called  the  Spring  Ribston 
and  also  d'Arcj'  Spice,  but  b}'  whatever  name  it 
may  be  called  it  should  be  in  every  collection  of 
Apples  where  it  will  succeed.  It  has  been  known 
about  fifty  years,  so  it  is  not  a  new  Apple.  It  has 
a  flavour  peculiar  to  itself,  and  at  this  late  season 
it  is  of  first-rate  quality.  The  tree  is  a  compact 
grower  and  bears  freelv  when  well  established. — 
W.  0.,  Fota. 

Mr.  James  Wilkins,  who  for  thirty-five 
years  was  Vine  grower  in  Messrs.  James  Veitch 
and  Son's  nurseries  at  Chelsea,  was,  on  the  same 
occasion  as  Mr.  Schneider,  presented  by  his  late 
colleagues  with  a  suitable  souvenir. 

Viburnum  Tinuslucidium  at  Fota, 

Cork  — The  above-named  shrub  has  been  in 
flower  for  the  past  two  months  and  is  still  a  sheet 
of  white.  It  grows  here  from  10  feet  to  12  feet 
high,  and  always  flowers  most  profuselj',  to  be 
followed  with  its  ornamental  berries,  so  with  its 
flowers  and  fruit  it  is  very  attractive  for  at  least 
six  months  in  the  year.  Where  these  shrubs  suc- 
ceed the  above  variety'  should  be  largely  planted, 
as  it  is  more  ornamental  than  the  type  (Viburnum 
tinus),  the  leaves  being  much  larger  and  of  a  darker 
green  ;  it  strikes  very  readily  from  cuttings  put 
in  in  autumn,  and  is  not  particular  as  to  soil,  but  is 
worthy  of  good  treatment. — W.  Oseorxe,  Fota, 
Cork. 

Carnation  AVinter  Cheer.— The  raiser 

of  this  popular  and  well-established  variety,  who- 
ever he  was,  deserves  well  of  the  gardening 
communitj'.  Nothing  in  the  way  of  blossom  can 
be  more  cheerful  in  appearance  than  the  bright 
scarlet  flowers  this  Carnation  produces  so  freely. 
During  the  dull  and  gloomj'  months  of  the  winter 
bright  Carnations  seem  appropriate  and  compatible 


272 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Apuil   13,   1901. 


with  murky  surroundings.  We  want  warmth  of 
tone  in  some  at  least  of  our  flowers  when  the  days 
are  short  and  the  weather  is  sunless. — R.  D. 

Puschkinia.S. — The  many  admirers  of  early 
l>ulhous  plants  will  not  regret  ha\'ing  their  attention 
calleil  to  these  pretty  little  flowers,  which,  though 
neither  rare  nor  expensive,  are  yet  too  little  seen. 
They  have  a  distinct  character  of  their  own,  and, 
although  not  sho\v\',  are  very  pleasing  with  their 
racemes  of  pale  porcelain  flowers  lined  with  blue. 
.Some  confusion  e.xists  with  the  names,  but  I  believe 
that  authorities  are  convinced  that  tliere  is  only 
one  species  in  our  gardens,  and  that  its  name  is 
Puschkinia  scilloides,  libanotica  being  only  a 
synonym.  There  is,  however,  a  distinct  variety 
named  conipacta.  I  saw  a  good  number  of 
plants  of  this  in  the  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  of 
Edinburgh  last  year,  together  with  some  of  the 
type.  I  recollect  reading  somewhere  that  P. 
scilloides  differed  from  P.  libanotica  from  its  being 
of  more  slender  habit,  and  from  having  its  blooms 
lined  with  a  lighter  blue.  I  have  plants  showing 
this  character,  but  I  dare  not  question  the  views  of 
those  who  make  the  two  synonj'mous,  for  there  is 
no  other  diflerence,  and  both  light  and  dark-lined 
forms  can  be  procured  under  either  name.  The 
only  drawback  to  the  cultivation  of  the  Puschkinias 
in  a  light  warm  soil  is  the  slugs,  which  are  very 
destructive. — .S.  Aksott. 

Restrepia   antennifera.  —  This  little 

favourite  is  now  in  bloom.  It  does  very  fairly^  here, 
blooming  twice  a  year,  while  its  relative,  R.  striata, 
is  still  more  floriferous,  though  not  so  pretty. — 
(iREENWOOli   PiM,  ilonk-itoirn. 

Malmaison    Capnation     Princess 

May.  —  Notwithstanding  the  growth  of  this 
section  in  late  3'earM,  very  few  indeed  among  them 
can  be  pronounced  to  be  winter-flowering  varieties, 
as  the  time  of  blooming  is  more  particularly  late 
spring  and  early  summer.  There  is  one  pronounced 
e-xception,  namely,  in  Mr.  Martin  Smith's  Princess 
Ma^' ;  this  blooms  during  winter,  and  produces 
arge  and  handsome  deep  rose  flowers  of  good  form. 
It  would  be  interesting  to  know  with  exactitude 
the  origin  of  the  ilalmaison  Carnation.  As  no 
mention  is  made  of  it  by  the  older  school  of  writers 
on  the  Carnation,  it  may  be  taken  as  the  product 
of  the  nineteenth  centurj-.  In  an  elaborate ,  cata- 
logue of  plants  published  in  1817,  I  find  mention 
of  varieties  of  Dianthus  Caryophyllus,  and  also  of 
D.  hortensis(?),but  no  mention  of  Malmaison.  It  has 
been  said  that  the  section  originated  in  the  garden 
of  the  Empress  .losephine,  at  Malmaison,  but  no 
particulars  appear  to  be  forthcoming.  That  the 
Malmaison  Carnations  are  representative  of  a 
distinct  race  there  can  be  no  doubt.—  R.  Dean. 


SOCIETIES. 


NATIONAL   AMATEUR   GARDENERS-    ASSOCIATION. 

Thk  U3ual  monthly  meeting  was  held  on  Tuesday,  April  2, 
at  Winchester  House,  Old  Broad  Street,  E.C.,  at  seven 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  president,  Mr.  T.  W.  Sanders, 
occupying  the  chair. 

On  this  occasion  ten  new  members  were  elected,  which  is 
conclusive  proof  that  the  association  is  progressing  satisfac- 
torily. A  hearty  reception  was  given  to  Mr.  H.  Shoesmith, 
of  Woking,  l)y  the  large  audience,  the  subject  of  the  lecture 
being  "Tomato  Culture."  Mr.  Shoesmith,  in  his  opening 
remarks,  spoke  of  the  risk  of  starting  early,  owing  to  the 
cold  weather.  GO"  was  mentioned  as  a  desirable  temperature 
to  maintain.  For  raising  seedlings  he  advocated  uaing  sifted 
soil,  with  plenty  of  drainage.  His  seedlings  were  raised 
immediately  over  the  hot-water  pipes,  but  they  were 
removed  to  cooler  quarters  soon  after  they  were  through 
the  soil.  The  seedlings  were  subsequently  potted  on  and 
before  they  were  pot-bound.  Tomatoes  were  nut  fastidious 
as  to  soil.  A  common  error  in  Tomato  culture  was  the  too 
free  use  of  manure  and  too  rich  a  soil.  Poor  soil  was 
distinctly  better,  the  lecturer  giving  in  detail  some  of  the 
curious  ingredients  into  which  his  plants  liad  been  potted. 
What  must  be  encouraged  was  firm,  mature,  short-jointed 
growth.  For  the  amateur,  as  represented  by  members  of 
the  association,  the  lecturer  recommended  growing  Tomatoes 
in  pots,  boxes,  or  tubs  all  through  tlie  season ;  10-inch  pots 
ware  those  recommended.  Soil  should  be  fresh,  and  should 
not  have  been  used  for  Tomatoes  before.  Pot  very  firmly, 
avoid  overcrowding,  and  confine  the  plants  to  single  stems. 
When  they  are  in  small  pots  keep  them  rather  dry.  Do  not 
water  in  dull  weather,  and  carry  out  the  watering  in  the 
early  morning.  I'se  stimulants  when  the  tlr.st  buncli  of 
fruits  is  freely  swelling. 

In  summer  mulch  the  surface  with  rotten  manure. 
Regarding  the  question  of  spot  on  the  Tomato,  Mr.  Shoe- 


smith  said  abundance  of  air  circulating  through  the  glass 
structure  would  prevent  this.  He  also  advocated  keeping 
the  pipes  warm  at  night.  Setting  the  fruit  wa.s  easily 
effected  by  tapping  the  plants  each  day  by  the  aid  of  a  snuiU 
stick  to  scatter  the  pollen.  Outdoor  Tomato  culture  was 
also  considered,  the  lecturer  emphasising  the  importance  <»f 
preparing  a  batch  of  strong  and  sturdy  plants,  standing 
them  out  in  the  open  early  in  June,  and  planting  where 
there  is  shelter.  Outdoor  plants  should  lie  treated  with  a.s 
ranch  consideration  as  those  grown  indoors.  Mr.  shoesmith 
would  not  commit  himself  to  reconmiend  any  one  or  more 
varieties  in  particular,  but  confined  his  selection  to  those  of 
Perfection  and  Ham  Green  types.  The  chairman  supple- 
mented the  lecture  with  some  interesting  facts  regai'ding 
the  evolution  of  the  Tomato,  showing  how  rapidly  the  fruit 
had  come  into  favour.  He  also  spoke  highly  of  making 
Tomato  jam  and  Tomato  sauce,  ttc.  A  hearty  vote  of 
thanks  to  the  lecturer  concluded  a  most  instructive  and 
interesting  meeting. 

The  monthly  exhibition,  held  in  the  large  hall,  embraced 
excellent  representations  of  Daffodils  and  numerous  other 
spring  flowers,  prizes  and  certificates  being  awarded.  Mr. 
F.  Finch,  117,  Embleton  Road.  Lewisham.  S.  E.,  is  the 
honorary  secretary. 

BECKENHAM     HORTICULTURAL    SOCIETY. 

On  March  29  at  the  Church  House,  before  a  goodly  attendance 
of  members,  Mr.  Galley  read  a  paper  on  "  Cinerarias."  After 
discussion  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer  closed  a  very 
pleasant  and  profitable  evening. 


ROYAL  CALEDONIAN  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
The  Waverley  Slarket,  Edinburgh,  was  not  so  full  of  spring 
flowering  plants  as  usual  on  April  4  and  o.  The  marks  of 
the  abnormally  late  spring,  with  its  weather,  for  which  no 
one  can  find  a  good  word  to  say,  was,  moreover,  somewhat 
unpleasantly  evident  on  the  appearance  of  some  of  the 
exhibits.  While,  however,  not  up  to  the  average,  Che 
officials  liave  cause  to  be  thankful  that  so  good  a  show  as  it 
was  resulted,  as  many  expected  it  would  have  been  a  very 
poor  one,  which  happily  it  was  not.     Of 

Fruit, 
which  was  sparingly  exhibited,  Mr.  Mclntyre  (Sir  Charles 
Tennant),  The  Glen,  showed  and  obtained  first  prizes  for 
respectively  six  pots  Strawbeiry  Royal  Sovereign,  and  for  a 
dish  of  extra  fine  fruits  of  the  same  variety  ;  Mr.  Smith 
(Lord  Stair),  Oxenford  Castle,  being  second  for  a  dish  of 
Strawberries,  and  for  two  bunches  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria, 
the  same  exhibitor  was  first.  For  two  bundles  of  black 
Grapes,  Mr.  Kidd  (Lord  Elphinstone),  Carberry  Towers, 
secured  first  with  two  perfectly  preserved  clusters  of  Lady 
Downes,  Mr.  Smith  being  second  for  the  same  Gr.i,pe.  There 
were  no  Pears,  and  not  many  Apples,  but  these  were  in  good 
condition.  Mr.  McKinlay  (Earl  Cowper),  Wrest  Park,  with 
fresh  well  coloured  fruits,  obtained  the  first  prizes  in  the 
classes  for  kitchen  and  for  dessert  varieties,  Jlr.  C  airn  (Earl 
of  Home),  Tlie  Hirsel,  Coldstream,  being  second  in  the  first- 
mentioned  class,  and  Mr.  Smith  (Earl  of  Seaforth),  Callen 
House,  for  the  latter.     The  chief  class  for 

Plants 
was  a  roufid  table  arranged  for  eftect.  ilr.  Mclntyre  and 
Mr.  George  Wood  (J.  Buchanan,  Esq.),  Canaan  Lane,  Edin- 
burgh, were  tlie  sole  exhibitors,  and  the  prizes  were  awarded 
in  the  position  of  their  names,  some  fine  Cyclamens  being 
conspicuous  in  the  premier  group,  and  Odontoglossums  and 
Dendrobiuras  in  the  othei'.  Mr.  Mitchell,  Bantaskine, 
Falkirk,  was  the  only  exhibitor  in  the  class  for  a  table  of 
Orchids,  and  received  first  prize  for  a  nice  lot,  mostly  of 
Dendrobiums.  Exotic  Ferns,  too,  had  only  one  representa- 
tive lot,  from  Jlr.  Wood,  who  staged  large  and  good 
specimens  for  the  first  prize.  The  same  exhibitor  was  first 
also  for  six  flowering  stove  and  greenhouse  plants,  and 
staged  very  good  examples  of  Ca-logyne  cristata,  Cymliidium 
lowianum,  Ada  aurantiaca,  Cypripediura  viUosnni,  Oendro- 
chilura  glumaceum,  and  Anthurium  scherzerianum.  ilr. 
Mclntyre  was  a  good  second,  extra  fine  Azaleas  and 
Anthuriuuis  being  conspicuous.  Mr.  Mclntyre  scored  in  the 
class  for  four  stove  and  greenhouse  plants,  and  also  for  two 
Rhododendrons,  staging  large  well-fiowered  specimens  of 
R.  veitchianum  and  Countess  of  Haddington.  He  was  first, 
too,  for  three  Indian  Azaleas  with  large  closely  bloomed 
specimens,  Mr.  James  Bald,  Canaan  House,  lieing  secf^nd. 
The  premier  ticket  also  fell  to  Mr.  Mclntyre  for  ten  forced 
plants  in  bloom  and  for  six  of  the  same. 

OKCHU) 

classes  were  filled  with  grand  plants ;  Mr.  Mcltityre  with 
Cymbidium  eburneum,  C.  lowianum,  Cypripedium  villosum, 
andaCattleyabeingfirstintheclassforfour,  and  Mr.  Mitchell, 
Bantaskine,  a  good  second,  while  for  one  Orchid  Mr.R.Lawrie 
Cramond,  was  first,  showing  a  huge  mass  of  Ctclogyne  cristata. 
and  Mr.  Mitchell  second.  Mr.  Sharp.  Forgandenny,  securing 
the  third  prize  in  both  classes.  In  several  other  classes,  e.g., 
for  Crotons,  Dracaenas  (six),  and  three  foliage  plants,  nine 
pots  of  Cyclamens,  very  fine,  the  first  prizes  fell  to  Mr. 
Mclntyre.  Mr.  W.  McDonald,  Innerleithen,  had  the  three 
best  pots  of  Amaryllis,  and  Mr.  George  Wright,  Mussel- 
burgh, first  for  six  and  for  three  Cinerarias,  which  wei'e 
extra  fine.  xMr.  Conk  (Earl  of  AVemyss),  Gosford,  secured 
first  for  six  Primulas,  the  plants  large  and  well  lilooined. 

There  was  rather  a  nice  display  of  Auriculas,  which, 
considering  they  must  have  been  subjected  to  forcing,  were 
worthy  of  much  praise.  Mr.  A.  Paterson,  Jasswiide,  secured 
first  prizes  for  six  pots  of  Alpines,  these  being  specially 
good.  There  was  also  a  variety  of  Primulas,  Pf)lyaiithus, 
and  Alpine  plants,  Imt  none  calling  for  note. 

Bulbous  Plants 
were,  as  a  rule,  deficient  in  <iuality,  particularly  with 
regard  to  Hyacinths.  The  twelve  varieties  staged  by  All-. 
Brydon,  Innerleithen  (first),  and  by  Mi'.  Lawrie,  luveralmond, 
Cramond  (second),  however,  merited  praise  for  massiveness 
of  spikes.  For  six  varieties,  Mr.  John  Meikteni,  Tliorn  House, 
Johnstone,  secured    first  place,  and  Mr.   Reid,    .A-shiesteelj 


second.  Very  good  were  the  Tulips  (six  pots)  with  which 
:Mr.  Fanjuhar  (the  Lord  Advocate),  Stenton.  DuuKelii, 
obtained  first  prize,  and  also  the  second  prize  lot  ui 
Mr.  Brydon.  There  was  a  very  large  display  nf  Polyanthus 
Narcissus  and  of  garden  Narcissus,  Mr.  X.  Afclnries.  Esk 
Hill,  Inveresk,  being  first  for  the  former,  and  .Mr.  Bald  fur 
the  last-named. 

In  the  plant  classes  reserved  to  nni^crynien  there  was 
even  less  competition  than  in  those  abuve-inentioned.  Sir. 
John  Downie,  144,  Princes  Street,  securing  most  of  the 
prizes,  as,  for  example,  for  twelve  Rh<»do(iendrons.  various 
Azaleas,  eighteen  forced  plants,  and  twelve  of  the  same, 
twelve  Japanese  Maples,  Palms,  decorative  plants,  and  also 
for  alpine  Auriculus.  Messrs.  Dickson  and  Sons,  Hanover 
Street,  were  first  for  twelve  Conifers,  and  Messrs.  ('uniiim;- 
ham,  Fraser  and  Co.,  Comely  Bank,  for  twenty-four  shrubs. 
Jlr.  A  E.  Campbell,  Gourock,  with  meritorious  examples,  was 
first  for  twenty-four  Hyacinths  and  for  six  pots  Tulips.    The 

Cut  Flower 
section,  thougli  not  extensive,  comprised  some  of  the  best 
material  in  the  show.  Narcissus,  for  instance,  has  on  no 
previous  occasion  been  so  well  sliown,  the  first  prize  collec- 
tion of  twenty-five  sorts  from  Mr.  Gumming  (Lady  Stewart), 
Grantully  Castle,  being  not  only  well  grown  but  most 
efi'ectively  arranged  and  grouped.  Mr.  \.  W.  Cooke,  The 
Lodge,  Ratho,  was  second  in  this  class.  For  twelve  bunches 
Mr.  Bald,  Canaan  House,  staged  twelve  kinds  of  the  trumpet 
section,  each  of  which  was  really  fine,  Golden  Spur,  Sir  H. 
Irwine,  Maxiraus  were  specially  so.  Mr.  Oumming  was 
second.  Roses  were  equally  deserving  of  praise.  Mr.  G. 
Mansou  (H.  Gillon,  Esq.),  Wall  House,  Bathgate,  staging 
fine  blooms  and  securing  first  prizes  in  the  classes  for 
twenty-four  and  for  twelve  blooms,  as  also  for  twelve 
Mar^chal  Neils,  large  and  fresh ;  twelve  trusses  of  stove  or 
greenhouse  plants  were  also  of  great  merit.  Here  Mr 
Mclntyre  was  first,  staging  Orchids  solely,  Mr.  Mitchell 
second,  and  Mr.  Sharp  (C.  L.Wood,  Esq.).  Forgandenny,  third. 

Vegetables, 
unlike  the  cut  flowers,  formed  a  disappointing  feature. 
Only  two  collections  were  staged,  Mr.  Stuart  (Earl  of 
Lauderdale),  Thirlestane  Castle,  first,  and  Mr.  Kidd,  Cai- 
berry,  second.  The  last-named  was  first  for  a  lu'ace  of 
Cucumbers,  Mr.  McKinlay,  AVrest  Park,  for  six  Tomatoes, 
Mr.  McRobbie,  Spring  Gardens,  Edinburgh,  for  a  dish  uf 
Mushrooms,  and  Mr.  Cossar  (Miss  Watt),  Spott  Hou.se, 
Dunbar,  for  F'rench  Beans.  Early  forced  Potatoes  were 
staged  by  various  exhibitors,  Mr.  Wilson,  St.  Boswellp. 
being  first  for  these. 

The  Miscellaneous  Exhibits 
furnished  by  the  trade  formed  a  most  important  feature  uf 
the  show,  which  l>ut  for  them  would  liave  provided  hut  a 
meagre  display. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  e.xhibit  ever  made  by  an 
Edinburgh  firm  was  that  furnished  by  Messrs.  R.  B.  Laird 
and  Sons.  Limited,  and  which  occupied  the  whole  semi- 
circular space  at  the  west  end  of  the  market.  It  formed  a 
series  of  groups  of  flowering  and  foliage  p'ants,  most  artis- 
tically arranged  and  disposed  on  the  floor  (tf  the  building.  Tlir 
southernmost  group  was  a  harniunious  blending  of  various 
shades  of  blue  (Hyacinths),  Lilacs,  and  Wistai'ia  sinensis,  anil 
yellows,  furnished  by  dwarf  hardy  Azaleas  in  many  shades, 
Cytisus  in  variety,  and  a  number  of  species  of  Acacia.  Many 
of  these  were  large  specimens,  and  disposed  as  they  were, 
not  too  thickly,  produced  a  very  good  effect.  Another 
semi-detached  group,  with  a  huge  Palm  as  the  chief  plant, 
was  composed  largely  of  dwarf  Guelder  Roses,  with  many 
Hippeastrums.  Very  ertective,  too,  was  a  little  circular 
arrangement  composed  mostly  of  Prunus  sinensis  fl.-pl.,  inter- 
mixed with  the  new  Hybrid  Tea  Rose  Liberty.  P.  triloba 
fl-.pl.  in  standards.  Magnolias,  such  as  M.  Lennei,  M.  amabilis, 
and  M.  speciosa  with  Tulips.  Rhododendrons,  Japanese 
Acers,  ttc,  were  also  employed.  A  gold  medal  was  worthily 
awarded  the  firm  for  this  magnificent  display,  which,  under 
the  electric  light  and  looking  from  the  gallery,  appealed  to 
the  observer  as  a  glimpse  from  fairyland.  A  long  table 
filled  with  cut  examples  of  Daffodils  in  rich  variety,  e.g., 
Mme.  Kemp,  Victoria,  Lulworth  Beauty,  Glory  of  Leyden. 
Sentinel,  Lady  Grosvenor,  <fcc.,  formed  a  division  between 
the  above  and  the  rest  of  the  exhibition.  Messi-s.  Glass,  of 
Newington,  who  were  awarded  a  silver-gilt  medal,  staged 
this  extensive  exhibit.  A  silver-gilt  medal  was  awarded  also 
to  Mr,  John  Downie,  Beechwood,  for  an  oval  group,  composed 
mostly  of  forced  flowering  shrubs,  and  another  to  Messi-s. 
Cunningham,  Fraser  and  Co..  Comely  Bank,  for  a  collection 
of  alpines  and  hardy  flowers.  The  alpines  included  man> 
Saxifrages,  such  as  Boydi,  burseriana,  apiculata,  Ac,  tlic 
peculiar-looking  Senthyrus  reniforme,  many  Primula  species. 
.Prititlaria  Kamschatcaeiisis  Daphne  blagayana,  Ac. 

Awards  of  merit  were  given  to  Mr.  John  Forbes,  Hawick, 
for  a  small  group  of  Begtpnia  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  and 
B.Caledonia,  with MoutanPiconies, and  to  Messrs.  J. Methveii 
and  Sons,  Leith  Walk,  for  an  oval  group  of  spring  forced 
flowers  and  shrubs. 

We  hope  next  week  to  give  an  illustration  of  Messrs. 
Laird's  group. 

BIRMINGHAM  AND  DISTRICT  GARDENERS'  SOCIETY. 
At  the  meeting  of  this  society,  held  in  liirmingham  on 
April!,  a  lecture  on  "The  Gardens  of  the  IMviera,'  illus- 
trated by  lantern  slides,  was  given  by  Sir.  H.  II.  Thomas  (of 
The  Garden).  There  was  a  gtod  attendance  of  members. 
Professor  Hillhouse  being  in  the  chair,  supported  by  Mr. 
W.  B.  Latham. 

The  lecturer,  having  descrilied  the  indigenous  vegetation 
of  the  Riviera,  proceeded  to  give  particulars  of  the  many 
beautiful  sub-tropical  and  tropical  plants  that  flourish  in 
the  gardens  there.  The  garden  work  of  the  diflerenl 
seasons,  and  the  peculiarities  and  ditllculties  of  culture, 
were  also  mentioned.  The  numerous  slides  shown  served 
well  to  illustrate  the  varied  and  beautiful  vegetation  uf  the 
Riviera  gardens,  and  added  greatly  to  the  interest  of  the 
lecture.  After  some  remarks  by  Sir.  W.  B.  Latham,  Mr.  W. 
Gardiner,  and  others,  a  vole  of  thanks  was  accorded  to 
Mr.  Thonius. 


eg^^- 


GARDEN. 


*^ 


4-^ 


No.  1535.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[ApiiiL  :'(!,  1901. 


PROPOSED  NEW  GARDEN 
OF  THE  ROYAL  HORTI- 
CULTURAL    SOCIETY. 

A  MEETING  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  is  announced  for  Tuesday 
next,  for  the  further  consideration 
L  of  the  subject  of  a  new  garden  to 
replace  the  old  one  at  Chiswick. 

The  society  has  now  placed  itself  on  a  per- 
fectly sound  and  firm  foundation,  not  only 
financially,  but  also  most  justly  in  jmblic  esti- 
mation and  confidence.  Its  ability  to  extend 
the  scope  and  usefulness  of  its  work  has  of  late 
years  so  much  increased  that  every  year  it  is 
more  and  nrore  felt  how  inadequate  and  how 
badly  placed  are  its  old  grounds  at  Chiswick. 
In  former  years  they  stood  in  free  country  air, 
but  are  now  almost  surrounded  by  the  ever- 
growing buildings  of  a  favourite  suburb. 

What  might  now  be  done  over  a  large  range  of 
horticultural  practice,  experiment,  and  instruc- 
tion requires  more  space  m  perfectly  pure 
country  air  and  on  ground  presenting  some 
diversity  of  soil  and  asjaect.  The  labours  of 
this  great  society  have  now  brought  it  to  a 
state  when  its  educational  powers  are  so  fully 
matured  that  it  has  been  a  matter  of  sincere 
regret  that  much  of  this  precious  strength  is 
wasted  by  the  restricted  area  and  other 
hampering  conditions  of  the  old  garden. 

Some  members  are  of  opinion  that  the 
expansion  for  which  the  society  is  now  ripe 
should  take  the  form  of  a  large  show  hall. 
Others,  whose  counsel  we  think  the  wiser,  are 
for  new  grounds,  and  for  developing  its  less 
specious  but  more  really  important  educational 
aspects. 

It  would,  of  course,  be  well  to  have  every- 
thing— a  perfect  Loudon  home  for  the  society, 
with  its  library,  offices,  and  large  show  hall. 
But  the  cost  of  this  would  be  enormous,  and 
not  the  initial  cost  only,  for  that  of  mainten- 
ance, and  the  payment  of  rates  and  taxes,  &c., 
would  be  a  heavy  burden,  and  one  from  which 
there  could  be  no  prospect  of  release.  The 
society  has  already  been  once  wrecked  on  this 
rock,  and  those  who  remember  the  costly 
disaster  of  South  Kensington  will  be  fearful  of 
repeating  the  dangerous  experiment. 

On  the  other  hand,  though  the  Drill  Hall  is 
by  no  means  an  ideal  show  room,  it  is  not  a 
bad  makeshift,  and  in  any  case  entails  none  of 
those  terrors  of  prospective  swamping  expenses 
that  would  attend  the  upkeep  of  a  hall  of  the 
society's  own. 


A  new  garden,  vs^ith  educational  opportunities 
for  a  much  larger  number  of  students,  would 
be  a  starting  point  of  splendid  new  vitality  and 
strength.  The  cost  of  the  land  and  the  erection 
of  necessaiy  buildings,  such  as  would  suffice 
for  a  beginning,  would  not  equal  a  quarter  of 
what  would  liave  to  be  spent  on  a  hall  in 
London.  Its  cost  of  maintenance  would  bo 
small  out  of  all  proportion,  while  in  a  few  years 
it  would  iirobably  be  self-supporting,  and  be 
making  further  strides  in  the  march  of  use- 
fulness in  its  trials  of  fruit  and  flowers,  and 
in  sound  in.struction  in  all  branches  of  horti- 
culture. 

We  shall  be  pleased  to  heai'  the  opinions  of 
our  readers  upon  this  matter.  We  are  sure 
that  the  majority  of  the  Fellows  are  too 
devoted  to  practical  gardening  to  wish  for  a 
big  show  hall,  or  similar  scheme,  in  which 
wrong  outside  organisations  may  be  placed 
under  the  same  roof.  This  means  that  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  loses  its  splendid 
individuality  at  once,  and  ceases  to  be  a  power 
in  the  land,  as  it  is  at  present.  We  want  a 
good  garden,  wherein  to  practice  horticulture 
and  develop  the  school  of  gardening— for  such 
we  may  call  it— that  has  become  an  established 
fact  at  Chiswick. 


FLOAVERS    OR    "NO    FLOMTERS." 

"  l-iring 
The  white  Pink,  and  the  Pansy  freaked  with  jet, 
The  glowing  Violet, 
And  every  flower  that  sad  embroidery  wears  " 

If  to  any  who  chance  to  see  these  words  the 
subject  seems  too  sad,  this  page  is  easily  turned 
over  and  forgotten  ;  but  why  should  such 
thoughts  be  always  brushed  aside  ?  To  all  of 
us  except  the  very  young  there  must  have 
come  a  time  when  flowers  were  the  brightest 
comfort  in  a  day  of  sorrow,  and  "  Flov^ers  or 
no  flowers '"  is  a  question  that  often  has  to  be 
decided. . 

Sometimes  in  tbe  impatience  and  impetuosity 
of  youth,  or  the  petulance  of  a  later  age,  one 
hears  it  said  :  "  When  my  time  comes,  '  no 
flowers,'  remember  that !  "  and  the  thoughtless, 
unconsidered  saying  has  to  be  acted  on  in 
conscientious  grief.  By  others,  may  be,  the 
printed  words  are  read  witli  pain — the  pain, 
almost,  of  wounded  love.  That  this  should  be 
the  mandate  when  one  is  longing  to  express  in 
some  mute  fashion  the  sympathy  that  overflows 
seems  hard.  The  words  go  forth  we  know,  but 
as  a  protest  against  unreality  or  insincerity  ; 
but  why  should  all  be  punished  because  a  few 
are  faulty  ?  Imagine  if  at  the  passing  of  our 
Queen  the  fiat  had  gone  forth,  "No  flowers  !  " 
how  much  of  comfort  would  have  been  denied 
her  sorrowing  people.  The  Queen  herself,  in 
the  last  few  days  of  her  life,  set  us  the  example 
we  love  to  follow,  weaving  with  her  own  kind 


fingers  some  flowers  and  leaves  into  a  crown  to 
lay  upon  her  dead  friend's  heart.  In  Dublin, 
when  the  news  of  the  nation's  loss  was  posted 
up  in  the  city,  a  little  shoeless  street  boy  was 
seen  to  spend  what  was  jjcrhaps  his  only  jienny 
on  a  bunch  of  Violets  to  lay  against  his  dead 
Queen's  name.  The  flowers  expressed  the 
love  he  bore— the  Queen  herself  could  find  no 
better  way. 

This  lovely  use  of  flowers  is  one  we  Christian.s 
like  to  think  peculiarly  our  own,  as  typical  of 
Christian  faith  and  hope.  In  this  we  claim 
too  much.  We  dci  but  follow  an  instinct  of 
human  nature,  far  broader  and  wider  in  its 
scope.  Of  old  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  from 
whom  we  inherit  so  many  customs,  crowned 
their  dead  with  flowers,  and  heaped  their  tombs 
with  leaves  and  wreaths  and  chaplets. 

This  is  no  more  than  we  might  expect  from 
such  worshippers  of  the  beautiful.  More  sur- 
prising, and  not  a  little  touching,  is  it  to  find  a 
very  simple  and  quite  untutored  folk  expressing 
their  feelings  in  so  similar  a  fashion.  The 
Malays  of  Singapore  are  as  poorly  equipped 
a  peojjle  as  any  who  share  a  home  with 
Europeans,  and  even  they  make  the  last 
resting-places  of  their  loved  ones  as  fair  as 
may  be  with  flowering  trees — always  the  same 
tree,  the  Frangipani.  One  never  knows  why 
this  tree  is  chosen,  whether  for  its  scented 
blassoms,  or  because  of  the  soothing,  pain- 
killing  sap  it  yields,  but  this  is  the  tree  kept 
sacred  by  them  to  their  dead. 

According  to  some,  the  number  of  wreaths 
and  crosses  that  were  sent  in  memory  of  our 
Queen  was  about  :?,(.)00  ;  but  it  is  almost  certain 
there  must  have  been  far  more  than  that.  If 
historians  are  to  be  believed  the  poet  Catullus 
had  as  many  when  he  was  so  deeply  mourned 
by  his  compatriots.  Still,  those  that  were 
sent  in  honour  of  the  Queen  were  many  of 
them  of  extraordinary  magnificence,  each  one 
representing,  perhaps,  a  city  or  a  nationality, 
and  containing  thousands  of  blossoms,  all  of 
them  gathered,  as  some  would  phrase  it, 
"  with  intention,"  and  therefore  of  double 
value. 

Primrose  Day  is  a  bright  example  of  the 
best  use  of  flowers.  Any  special  political 
significance  may  be,  indeed,  should  be,  ignored. 
It  is  enough  that  the  association  of  the  name 
we  honour  so  much,  with  the  simple  Primrose 
flower  beloved  by  all,  makes  bright  a  day  that 
otherwise  would  be  oppressed  by  sad  regrets. 

Those  who  have  noticed  some  of  the  ceme- 
teries abroad  must  have  felt  surprised  that  our 
neighbours  in  France,  who  in  most  things 
show  such  exquisite  taste,  should  fall  so  far 
below  our  simple  English  fashion  in  the  way 
they  decorate  their  graves. 

As  a  rule,  it  must  be  owned,  great  tawdriness 
is  seen  ;  the  very  prettiest  and  most  graceful 
sentiments  accompany  the  stiftest  and  most 
unpleasing  devices  ;  too  often  the  wreaths  and 
crosses  and  ornaments  are  made  of  lifeless 
beads,  plaster  of  Paris  flowers,  artificial  leaves, 
and  other  incongruous  materials.    Some  few 


274 


THE    GARDEN. 


[April  20,  1901. 


of  these  have  tried  to  find  a  place  in  our  sweet 
English  "  God's  acres,"  but  happily  not  many  ; 
a  few  there  are  who  may  value  them  for  their 
durability,  but  by  most  people  they  are  right- 
fully abhorred. 

Immortelles  may  be  allowed,  they  have  some 
beauty  still,  and  were  real  flowers  once,  though 
harassed  now  and  well  nigh  spoiled  by  wire 
and  dryness,  but  for  the  last  love-gifts  we  can 
give  our  lost,  there  is  nothing  that  can  take 
the  place  of  flowers,  fresh  flowers.  They  may 
be  either  cut  or  growing,  the  last,  of  course, 
tbe  best,  and  when  flowers  cannot  be  had,  or 
in  places  where  they  will  not  grow,  there  is 
Ivy.  That  is  always  green  and  beautiful,  and 
outlives  everything.  To  my  mind  there  is 
nothing  more  appropriate  and  restful  than  a 
simple  cross  on  which  the  small-leaved  Ivy  is 
closely  clinging,  and  when  at  certain  seasons 
flowers  are  added,  nothing  makes  their  colours 
look  so  fair  or  so  well  displays  their  exquisite 
whiteness  as  a  background  of  glistening  Ivy. 

In  these  latter  days,  busy  and  hurried  as 
they  are,  the  earthly  resting  places  of  our 
friends  and  loved  ones  are  not  forgotten.  Of 
many  hallowed,  peaceful,  quiet  spots,  where 
flowers  and  sheltering  trees,  abound,  might  be 
used  the  quaint,  old-fashioned  words  : 

"  No  daintie  fiowre  or  herbe  that  grows  on  grownde, 
.\nd  smelling  sweet,  but  there  It  may  be  found." 

F.  A.  B. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Proposed  new  garden  of  the  Royal 

Horticultural  Society.-  We  would  remind 
our  readers  that  a  general  meeting  of  the  Fellows 
of  the  society  will  be  held  at  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday, 
April  23,  at  three  o'clock  p.m.,  to  consider,  and  if 
approved,  to  adopt  the  proposal  of  the  council  to 
purchase  on  behalf  of  the  society,  for  the  purpose 
of  its  new  gardens,  48  acres  of  land  in  the  county 
of  Kent,  forming  part  of  Rabbit's  Farm,  and 
adjoining  the  Little  Boys'  Home  at  South  Darenth. 

Apple  Baddow  Pippin. -I  should  be 

glad  to  bear  testimony  to  all  that  "W.  0.,"Fota,has 
to  say  in  the  issue  of  The  Garden  for  April  13 
on  the  merits  of  this  excellent  dessert  Apple,  which 
it  justly  deserves,  both  for  its  flavour  and  long 
keeping  qualities.  The  following  short  account  of 
its  history,  which  I  have  extracted  from  Dr.  Hogg's 
"  Fruit  Manual,"  may  prove  interesting,  and  will 
serve  to  illustrate  how  many  excellent  varieties  of 
late  keeping  Apples  we  have  in  our  midst,  and 
which  are,  so  to  speak,  but  little  known  : — "  It 
appears  that  Baddow  Pippin  or  D'Arcy  Spice 
Apple — for  the  latter  is  the  more  correct  name — was 
discovered  in  the  garden  of  the  Hall,  Toleshunt 
D'Arcy,  near  Chelmsford.  It  was  known  by  the 
name  of  D'Arey  or  Spice  Apple  until  1848,  when 
Mr.  John  Harris,  a  nurseryman  at  Broomfield, 
near  Chelmsford,  propagated  it  by  grafts  taken 
from  one  of  the  original  trees  and  distributed  it 
under  the  name  of  Baddow  Pippin.  A  few  years 
later  it  was  catalogued  by  !NIr.  Rivers,  of  Saw- 
bridgeworth,  as  Spring  Ribston,  no  doubt  in  refer- 
ence to  its  flavour,  which  somewhat  resembles  that 
of  Ribston  Pippin."  It  is  not  a  particularly 
attractive  looking  Apple,  but  of  its  good  qualities 
there  cannot  be  a  question  of  doubt,  while,  as 
"  W.  0."  states,  it  bears  freely  when  established. — 
A.  Ward. 
Liverpool  Botanic   Gardens. —  The 

parks  and  gardens  committee  of  the  City  of 
Liverpool  Corporation  are  entrusted  with  all 
matters  appertaining  to  horticulture  that  are  under- 
taken by  the  council,  and  during  the  last  few  years 
their  able  superintendent,  Mr.  H.  Herbert,  has 
taken  up  some  new  feature  of  gardening,  which  is 
thoroughly  carried  out.  The  latest  venture  may  now 
be  seen  in  the  form  of  a  show  of  Amaryllis  in  the 
Botanic  Gardens,  grown  under  the  supervision  of 
Mr.  James  Outteridge,  the  courteous  curator.  To 
show  that  the  culture  adopted  is  of  the  right  kind. 


and  that  the  exhibit  is  one  worthy  of  a  visit  by  all 
lovers  of  this  popular  spring  bulb,  only  requires  a 
few  important  points  to  be  noted.  Man\'  of  the 
bulbs  are  4  inches  in  diameter,  one  of  the  flower 
stems  when  measured  gave  the  result  of  4i  inches 
ii  circumference.  In  a  iew  cases  the  spike  is 
carrying  six  flowers,  and  in  the  case  of  one  bulb 
two  spikes  were  thrown  up,  each  carrying  six 
blooms.  Several  bulbs  have  produced  three  spikes, 
the  blooms  generally  were  large  and  of  good  sub- 
stance. Next  spring  some  2,000  seedlings  raised 
b)'  Mr.  Gutteridge,  and  a  similar  number  at 
Sefton  Park  are  expected  to  come  into  bloom,  and 
undoubtedly  from  the  good  tj'pe  shown  a  strain  of 
fine  varieties  will  result.  Orchids,  forced  spring 
flowering  plants,  and  bulbs  are  a  great  attraction, 
the  Easter  holidays  bringing  crowds  of  visitors. 

Presentation    to    Mr.    and    Mrs. 
Bog'ie,   Auchans    Gardens.  —  On    the 

evening  of  Saturday  last  a  few  friends  met  in 
the  house  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bogie,  Auchans 
Gardens,  Dundonald,  to  do  honour  to  them  on 
the  occasion  of  their  leaving  the  district,  Mr. 
Bogie  having  been  appointed  land  steward  to 
Sir  James  Bell,  Bart.,  the  new  proprietor  of 
Montgreenan  Estate.  Mr.  Caldwell,  Kilnford, 
occupied  the  chair,  and  in  the  course  of  a  most 
interesting  speech  referred  to  the  many  high 
qualities  of  Mr.  Bogie,  both  as  a  servant  and  as 
a  neighbour.  He  had  known  him  for  over  twent}' 
years,  and  stated  that  he  knew  no  one  more 
qualified  for  the  position  upon  which  he  was  about 
to  enter.  Mr.  Caldwell  also  mentioned  that  what 
he  had  said  of  Mr.  Bogie  was  likewise  true  of 
Mrs.  Bogie,  and  complimented  her  on  the  verj' 
efficient  manner  in  which  her  duties  had  been 
carried  out  while  at  Auchans.  He  wished  them 
long  life  and  happiness  in  their  new  sphere.  In 
the  name  of  the  subscribers,  Mr.  Caldwell,  Mr. 
Murchland,  and  Mr.  Hamilton,  presented  a  fine 
English  lobby  clock  in  mahogany  case  to  Mr. 
Bogie,  a  beautiful  diamond  and  turquoise  gold 
brooch  and  necklet  to  Mrs.  Bogie,  along  with  a 
purse  of  sovereigns.  Mr.  Bogie,  on  behalf  of  his 
wife  and  himself,  in  a  few  appropriate  remarks, 
thanked  them  for  the  very  handsome,  but  quite 
unexpected  gifts  they  had  just  received,  and  also 
for  the  many  good  wishes  expressed  for  their 
future  prosperity.  The  clock,  brooch,  and  necklet 
were  supplied  by  Messrs.  J.  Cameron  and  Son, 
jewellers,  Kilmarnock.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bogie  have 
also  received  several  beautiful  presents  from  private 
friends. 

Hippeastrums    at    Chelsea.  —  The 

centre  of  attraction  in  the  nursery  of  Messrs. 
James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  King's  Road, 
Chelsea,  lies  at  the  present  time  in  the  house  filled 
with  Hippeastrums  in  flower.  Every  ye&r  sees  an 
improvement  on  existing  varieties,  both  in  form  and 
colour,  and  some  at  least  of  the  novelties  of  1901 
will  remain  as  standard  varieties  for  a  long  time  to 
come.  In  Messrs.  Veitch's  collection  there  are  no 
less  than  1,100  different  sorts,  many  of  which  are 
now  flowering  for  the  first  time.  Among  so  man3' 
excellent  ones  it  is  difllcult  to  make  a  representative 
selection,  but  the  following  may  be  taken  as  some 
of  the  most  successful  results  recently  obtained 
by  Mr.  John  Heal,  under  whose  care  are  the 
Hippeastrums.  Sirenes  is  a  beautiful  flower,  having 
a  cream-coloured  ground  lightly  marked  with  ros}' 
scarlet  and  with  white  edges ;  Bessel  is  a  good 
scarlet,  veined  and  shaded  with  crimson  ;  Geticus 
is  a  fine  rose-crimson  ;  Telemus,  with  a  white 
ground  veined  with  salmon-rose,  is  a  charming 
flower  ;  Magna,  bearing  blooms  quite  9  inches 
across,  a  rich  orange-scarlet,  is  a  remarkable 
specimen  of  good  culture,  for  it  is  but  a  bulb  two 
3'ears  old,  and  is  growing  in  a  4-inch  pot ;  Creon, 
whose  lower  segments  are  salmon-rose  and  the 
upper  ones  veined  with  a  richer  and  purer  shade  of 
rose,  is  a  most  delicately  beautiful  flower,  and 
Acadia  is  hardly  less  so  ;  the  latter  is  a  large  and 
well-formed  flower,  the  ground  colour  being  a 
marbled  sulphur-white,  slightly  tinged  and  veined 
with  light  red  ;  Terina  has  pure  white  flowers 
lightly  veined  with  a  rich  deep  rose,  quite  one  of 
the  best  of  the  novelties ;  Lyrcius  is  of  a  rich 
velvet}'  crimson-maroon,  very  distinct,  and  Fuoiinis 
has  a  creamy-white  ground,  finely  marked  with  deep 


rosy  crimson,  a  flower  of  splendid  colouring; 
Averonicus  is  one  of  those  that  obtained  an  award 
from  the  Royal  Horticultural  Societj'  last  week, 
and  was  then  described  in  The  Garden  ;  Agneta 
is  a  distinct  and  prettj' flower,  rich  scarlet  in  colour, 
shaded  with  crimson  and  edged  with  pure  white  : 
Soindia,  very  good  form,  dark  scarlet  with  a  still 
darker  centre  ;  Taxila,  one  of  the  deepest  coloured 
we  yet  have  seen,  is  a  lovely  flower,  an  intensely 
rich  deep  crimson  ;  Pinzoon  is  a  Hippeastrum  that 
comes  near  to  filling  the  florist's  ideal  so  far  as 
form  is  concerned,  the  symmetrical  petals  are  a 
rich  scarlet-crimson  throughout ;  another  verv 
richlj' coloured  flower  is  Orneus,  a  fine  scarlet,  that 
becomes  more  intense  towards  the  bases  of  the 
petals.  These  are  but  a  few  of  the  man}'  choice 
Hippeastrums  in  Messrs.  Veitch's  collection,  that 
all  interested  should  endeavour  to  visit. 

Late  kept  Apples.— I  observe  in  your 
report  of  the  proceedings  of  the  fruit  committee  at 
the  last  Drill  Hall  meeting  that  you  think  the 
collection  of  Apples  shown  from  Tilgate  should 
have  received  a  higher  award  than  a  bronze  medal. 
I  would  like  to  explain  that  the  committee  con- 
sidered that  too  many  of  the  samples  included  in 
the  collection  had  been  kept  far  too  long,  so  that 
they  were  quite  unfit  for  table,  several  being  very 
drj'  and  shrivelled,  and  some  others  were  small  and 
spotted  ;  but  it  was  specially  felt  that  the  making 
of  a  higher  award  woidd  be  encouraging  the 
storing  of  Apples  long  after  in  the  course  of  Nature 
they  should  have  been  consumed.  Generally  the 
smaller  samples  were  imperfectlj'  matured,  hence 
had  not  kept  well,  and  it  was  very  evident  had 
not  been  kept  in  a  cool,  moist  atmosphere,  but  in 
a  dry  one.  Apart  from  good  appearance,  very 
late  kept  Apples  should  show  evidence  of  proper 
storing. — A.  Dkan. 

Best  soil  for  Anemone  blanda.— 

Mr.  Arnott  in  The  Garden,  page  271,  invites 
attention  to  the  best  soil  for  Anemone  blanda.  I 
enclose  a  few  grown  here  in  a  mixture  of  our 
natural  soil  of  gravelly  yellow  clay  or  loam  and  a 
little  leaf- mould.  They  have  been  in  the  same 
spot  for  four  years,  and  I  think  you  will  agree 
that  they  are  of  a  good  size  and  deep  colour.  I  also 
enclose  some  Chionodoxas  grown  in  the  same  soil, 
which  seem  to  me  unusually  large  spikes  of  bloom. 
— A.  J.  B. ,  Kent.  [The  flowers  enclosed  are  a 
splendid  colour,  and  the  plants  are  evidently  in 
a  spot   well  to  their  liking. — Eds.] 

Winter -flowering'  Violets.  —  Those 

who  grow  Violets  in  pots  or  frames  for  producing 
flower  during  the  winter  will  now  be  contemplating 
getting  the  stock  in  readiness  for  the  ensuing 
season.  The  general  method  adopted  is  to  select 
from  rooted  runners  the  plants  which  have  done 
flowering,  transplant  them  in  some  quarter,  usually 
in  the  kitchen  garden,  where  the}'  remain  during 
the  summer  months,  afterwards  to  be  transferred 
to  their  flowering  quarters.  Allow  me  to  state 
that  I  am  a  firm  believer  in  the  "  unrooted 
cutting"  system,  the  method  generally  adopted 
being  as  follows ; — Procure  good  firm  runners 
about  the  beginning  of  May,  after  making  the 
cuttings  in  the  ordinary  way,  insert  them  thinly 
into  propagating  boxes,  which  should  be  previously 
filled  with  a  good  compost  consisting  of  loam,  leaf- 
mould,  and  suHicient  sand  to  keep  the  whole 
porous  ;  stand  the  boxes  in  a  cold  frame,  where, 
if  judiciously  shaded  and  syringed,  they  will  be 
rooted  in  about  three  weeks'  time.  After  they 
have  njade  sufllcient  roots  to  stand  exposure  the 
boxes  may  then  be  put  outdoors  in  a  sunny  spot, 
so  as  to  fully  mature  the  plants  ;  no  transplanting 
outdoors  will  be  necessary.  Plants  treated  in  this 
way  do  not  produce  runners  to  the  extent  that 
those  planted  outiloors  generally  do;  besides,  being 
entirely  supported  with  young  or  new  roots,  the 
plants  after  being  transferred  to  their  flowering 
cpiarters  soon  grow,  and  are  not  so  susceptible  to 
the  ravages  of  red  spider  as  those  that  are  pro- 
pagated by  division  of  roots  often  are.  The 
beginning  of  September  is,  I  consider,  the  best 
time  to  plant  them  in  the  frames.  Let  the  soil  be 
a  compost  of  good  loam,  with  the  addition  of  some 
of  a  spent  Mushroom  bed:  a  dusting  of  soot  will 
help  to  remove  any  wireworms  which  may  be  in 
the  soil. — James  Smith,  Siillon  Co/djhld. 


April  20,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


27ft 


Zonal  Pelapffonium  Fire  Dragon. 

— This  very  distinct  variety,  which  comes  from  the 
popular  F.  V.  Raspail,  when  exhibited  last  season 
appeared  to  be  rather  weak  in  growth,  but  I  find 
under  more  generous  treatment  it  is  very  free- 
growing  and  flowers  as  freely  as  its  parent,  making 
good  trusses  of  bloom.  The  peculiar  star-like 
flowers,  which  remind  one  of  a  Cactus  Dahlia,  are 
very  bright,  and  for  out  bloom  it  will  be  sure  to 
be  much  appreciated.  If  we  can  only  get  different 
shades  of  colour  by  cross-fertilisation,  we  niaj'have 
quite  as  distinct  a  section  in  zonals  as  occurs  with 
the  Cactus  Dahlias,  which  are  now  more  appre- 
ciated than  any  other  section  of  Dahlias. — A.  H. 

Tpachelium  eoepuleum  (Throat- 
wort)  from  seed.  —  This  belongs  to  the 
Campanulace:f,  and  conies  from  Italy.  It  has 
several  times  been  referred  to  in  The  Garden, 
but  I  would  like  to  add  a  word  in  its  favour  and 
mention  that  it  may  be  grown  from  seeds,  which, 
if  sown  in  April,  will  flower  well  in  August. 
When  treated  as  an  annual  it  gives  little   trouble. 


TtlLIPA    KOROLKOWI    BICOLOK. 

The  seedlings  may  be  brought  on  in  heat,  but, 
after  they  are  well  established,  they  succeed  best 
in  a  cool  house.  Three  or  four  plants  may  be 
grown  on  in  each  pot,  and  these  will  give  larger 
trusses  of  bluom  than  those  sown  or  started  earlier 
and  stopped.  Potted  firmly  in  good  loamy  com- 
post and  well  exposed  to  the  light,  strong,  sturd3' 
plants  and  good  trusses  of  the  beautiful  soft  blue 
flowers  will  prove  most  attractive. — A.  H. 

Royal  Gardeners'  Orphan  Fund. 

— The  thirteenth  annual  dinner  in  aid  of  the 
Royal  Gardeners'  Orphan  Fund  will  take  place  at 
the  Hotel  Cecil,  Strand,  W.C.,on  Tue.^day,  May", 
under  the  presidency  of  the  Hon.  W.  F.  D.  Smith, 
M.P.  The  secretarj'  (Mr.  B.  Wynne,  8,  Danes 
Inn,  Strand,  W.C. )  will  be  glad  to  hear  as  soon  as 
possible  from  those  who  desire  to  be  present  on 
this  occasion,  and  also  to  furnish  any  information 
that  may  be  required  with  reference  thereto. 

Beg'onia    Glolre    de    Lorraine    in 

spring. — This  profuse-flowering  plant  is  equally 
adapted  for  spring  as  for  autumn  flowering.  This 
is  well  shown  by  a  large  batch  of  plants  at  Rye- 


croft  Nursery.  These  were  propagated  last  June, 
and  in  December  they  were  stopped  back  and  all 
the  Howers  taken  off.  Placed  on  a  shelf  in  a  warm 
house,  they  have  branched  out  and  are  now  a 
mass  of  bloom.  The  foliage  is  not  quite  so  good, 
perhaps,  as  in  the  autumn,  but  otherwise  they  are 
as  satisfactory  as  might  be  seen  at  any  season  of 
the  J'ear,  and  the  colour  is  very  bright.  It  seems 
to  me  that  this  useful  plant  is  much  more  vigorous 
and  gives  less  trouble  to  cultivate  than  when  it 
was  first  introduced. — A.  Hemsley. 

An  amateur's  exhibit  of  Apples.— 

Mrs.  Nix,  of  Tilgate,  Crawley,  Sussex,  showed  an 
interesting  exhibit  of  twenty-nine  dishes  of  Apples, 
to  which  the  Banksian  medal  was  deservedly 
awarded  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society.  Several  sorts,  such  as  Gilliflower 
and  Cox's  Orange  were  somewhat  out  of  season, 
but  as  all  the  fruit  was  in  a  good  state  of  preserva- 
tion it  is  all  the  more  creditable  to  the  exhibitor 
to  have  kept  them  in  good  condition  so  late  in  the 
season.  The  varieties  Hoary  Morning,  Golden 
Noble,  Rymer,  and 
Winter  Queening  were 
of  splendid  colour,  while 
for  size  and  colour  com- 
bined Lord  Derby, 
Kentish  Beauty,  Tower 
of  Glamis,  Mere  de 
Menage,  Prince  Albert, 
Bismarck,  Newton  Won- 
der, and  Alfriston  were 
as  good  now  as  they 
could  be  seen  at  any  time 
of  the  year. 

A    new   Tulip.— 

We  were  much  interested 
in  this  beautiful  little 
Turkestan  species,  shown 
by  Messrs.  Wallace  and 
Co.,  of  Colchester,  at  a 
r'ecent  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural 
Society.  Its  flowers  are 
about  the  same  size  as 
those  of  T.  clusiana.  and 
of  extreme  beauty  in 
form  and  colouring  ;  the 
buds  are  of  a  soft  buB 
and  j'ellow  tone,  and, 
when  expanded,  the  seg- 
ments display  a  scarlet 
blotch.  It  is  a  delightful 
kind,  and  well  deserved 
the  award  of  merit  given. 

Moorea     irro- 

rata. — This  interesting 
Orchid  now  flowering  at 
Kew  for  the  first  time  is 
the  only  known  repre- 
sentative of  a  genus 
founded  some  ten  years 
ago  to  commemorate  the 
name  of  Mr.  F.  W. 
Moore,  Curator  of  the 
Royal  Botanic  Gardens, 
Glasnevin,  who  acquired  it  at  a  sale  of  imported 
Orchids,  and  flowered  it  as  far  back  as  1S90.  It  is, 
however,  through  the  plant  now  in  bloom  at  Kew 
that  the  public  will  become  acquainted  with  the 
genus,  which  is  close  to  that  of  Houlletia,  though 
distinct  from  it  through  the  flowers  being  without 
a  claw  and  articulated  with  the  base  of  the  column. 
The  plant  in  cjuestion  has  two  inflorescences,  one 
of  them  bearing  sixteen  flowers  2  inches  in 
diameter,  with  spreading  sepals  and  petals  of  a 
particularly  reddish  brown  colour,  but  nearly 
white  at  the  base.  The  pseudo-bulbs  bear  two 
leaves  each,  and  these  are  petiolate  and  plicate, 
18  inches  to  24  inches  long,  and  more  than  4  inches 
broad.  The  origin  of  this  plant,  which  is  said  to 
be  easily  grown  in  the  Cattleya  house,  is  somewhat 
obscure,  but  as  the  original  specimen  was  pur- 
chased from  plants  imported  by  Messrs.  Shuttle- 
worth  and  Co. ,  from  the  Andes  of  New  Granada  or 
Peru,  it  may  be  assumed  that  it  is  a  native  of  that 
district. — G.  S. 

Sweet  Peas. — Where  it  is  intended  to  grow 
Sweet  Peas  in  pots  it  is  necessary  to  be  careful  that 


they  do  not  get  drawn  up  while  they  are  young, 
and  any  that  have  run  away  may  be  stopped. 
This  will  not  delay  the  flowering  period,  or  at 
least  only  for  a  few  days.  I  grew  a  collection  in 
pots  last  year,  and  each  sort  was  treated  in  three 
different  ways,  viz.,  grown  without  stopping  at  all, 
stopped  once,  and  stopped  several  tiine.s.  The 
two  first  batches  were  potted  on  without  disturb- 
ing the  roots,  and  those  slopped  once  came  in 
within  a  day  or  so  of  those  not  stopned.  Those 
stopped  several  times  were  potted  ofi'  and  grown 
singl3' ;  they  were  later  in  flowering,  but  made 
dwarf  bushy  plants.  For  pot  plants  I  should 
recommend  sowing  early  and  stopping,  so  as  to 
form  bushy  dwarf  plants.  The  different  varieties 
var_v,  but  there  are  many  which  may  be  grown 
singly  in  pots  and  by  stopping,  bushy  plants  may 
be  formed,  which  will  flower  when  about  18  inches 
to  24  inches  high.  A  few  thin  sticks  and  twine 
run  round  will  hold  the  plants  up  when  they  are 
young ;  later  on  one  tall  stick  in  the  centre 
will  be  sufficient,  as  the  tendrils  twine  round  and 
hold  the  stems  together.  Very  few  ties  will  be 
necessary  to  keep  the  plants  in  shape.  To  flower 
them  well  full  exposure  to  the  sun  is  necessary, 
and  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  get  dry  at  the 
roots. — A.   H. 

Viburnum    Tinus    lucidum.— I   was 

pleased  to  see  a  note  about  this  in  The  Garden 
(page  271)  of  last  week.  It  flowers  with  me  over 
a  long  season. — R.  T. ,  Drroii. 

Gerbera  Jamesoni.— This  is  also  known 

as  the  Transvaal  Daisj',  and  is  a  hardy  perennial, 
with  splendid  orange-red  flowers,  produced,  or 
rather  disposed  singi}',  these  are  on  long  slender 
stalks,  and  are  well  shown  above  the  foliage.  This 
plant  now  forms  an  interesting  feature  in  Messrs. 
J.  Veitch  and  Sons'  nurseries  at  Chelsea. 

Queen  wasps.— As  the  season  for  the 
appearance  of  queen  wasps  is  now  fast  approaching, 
I  should  like  to  call  attention  to  a  subject  men- 
tioned last  year  in  connection  with  wasps'  nests, 
viz.,  the  advisability  of  co-operation  in  their 
destruction.  I  suggested  that  the  destruction  of 
wasps'  nests  was  a  matter  affecting  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  community,  that  it  was  practieallj' 
useless  for  one  or  two  in  a  village  to  take  up  the 
work  unless  it  was  made  a  general  business,  and 
that  it  might  very  well  be  included  in  the  duties 
that  occupy  the  attention  of  parish  and  district 
councillors.  We  usually  account  for  between  200 
and  300  queens,  but  despite  this,  close  on  100  nests 
have  to  be  taken  annually,  and  that  within  a 
radius  of  a  little  over  half  a  mile,  with  the  garden 
as  a  centre.  Very  little  is  done  elsewhere  in  the 
neighbourhood  to  lessen  their  numbers,  although 
the  representatives  of  many  different  trades,  as 
well  as  gardeners,  are  loud  in  their  complaints 
as  to  the  amount  of  mischief  done.  — E.  Burrell, 
Ciaremouf. 

Psyehotria  jasminiflora.— This  stove 

shrub,  which  by  the  way  is  quite  as  well  known 
by  the  generic  name  of  Gloneria  as  that  of  Psy- 
ehotria, is  delighlfnl  when  in  flower,  the  blossoms 
being  of  an  exceedingly  pure  white  tint,  in  which 
feature  it  has  few  equals.  The  Psyehotria  in 
question  forms  a  neat-growing  evergreen,  clothed 
with  ovate  leaves,  some  3  inches  or  so  in  length, 
glabrous  above  and  whitish  underneath.  The 
flowers;  which  are  disposed  in  rather  compact 
terminal  panicles,  are  both  in  size  and  shape  much 
like  a  Bouvardia  ;  indeed,  it  belongs  to  tlie  same 
order  as  that  popular  genus.  It  is  a  native  of 
Brazil,  and  needs  much  abont  the  same  treatment 
as  an  Ixora,  being  quickly  injured  by  an  excess  of 
water  at  the  roots.  Some  neat  little  bushes  of  it 
in  Messrs.  Veitch's  nursery  at  Chelsea  well  show 
its  value  for  flowering  at  this  season,  wlii'e  a 
succession  of  blossoms  is  kept  up  for  some  time. 
A  second  species,  less  frequently  met  with  than  it 
was  a  few  years  ago,  though  it  still  occurs  in  the 
"  Kew  Hand  List,"  is  P.  cyanococca,  whose  flowers 
are  insignificant,  but  the  berries  which  succeed  them 
are  decidedly  ornamental.  The}'  are  about  the 
size  of  small  Peas,  borne  in  dense  clusters,  and 
when  ripe  of  a  beautiful  blue  colour,  in  which 
condition  they  remain  some  time.  This  is  a  native 
of  Nicaragua,  and,  like  the  preceding,  needs  stove 
treatment. — T. 


>76 


THE    GARDEN. 


[ApkiL    20,  1901 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 


THE   GENUS   CAMPANULA. 

OPENING  the  "Index  Kewensis''  at 
the  article  Campanula  one  is  con- 
fronted with  a  list  of  species,  of 
varieties,  and  of  synonyms  that 
is  truly  alarmins.  The  genus 
Campanula  comprises  no  less  than 
1,038  names  of  species  and  synonyms  ;  the 
latter  form  more  than  half  the  list,  for  there 
are  not  more  than  -irM  species  of  Campanula 
known, of -n-hich  182  were  described  byAlphonse 
de  Candolle  in  the  "  Prodromus,"  his  mono- 
graph of  the  Camjianulacese.  Since  1838,  when 
this  monograph  of  De  Candolle's  appeared,  a 
considerable  number  of  species  have  been  dis- 
covered, especially  in  the  Caucasus  and  in 
Eastern  Europe,  which  appears  to  be  the 
geographical  centre  of  the  genus. 

My  friend  the  late  M.  Alboffmade  known* 
the  famous  Campanula  mirabilis  (Alboff)  not 
yet  mentioned  in  the  "Index  Kewensis,''  and  the 
Campanula  abchasica  (Albofl'),  pontica  (Alboff), 
Dzaaku  (Alboif),  and  autraniana  (Alboff).  In  a 
very  fine  work  lately  published  by  Messrs. 
Sommier  and  Levier,  and  that  I  have  just 
received  from  them,t  the  authors  published 
the  result  of  their  botanical  travels  in  the 
Caucasus  in  189(1.  Among  other  new  things 
are  several  Campanula,  none  of  which  appear 
in  the  "  Index  Kewensis."  These  are  C.  Brotheri 
(Som.  et  Lev.),  C.  sarmatica  var.  ramosissinia 
(Som.  et  Lev.),  C.  sarmatica  tenuicaulis  (Som. 
et  Lev.),  C.  saxifraga  var.  leptorhiza  (Som.  et 
Lev.),  C.  petrophila  exappeudiculata  (Som.  et 
Lev.),  C.  brassicifolia  (Som.  et  Lev.),  C.  svane- 
tica  var.  appendiculata  (Som.  et  Lev.),  and  C. 
calcarata  (Som.  et  Lev.). 

These  gentlemen  assure  me  that  the  Caucasus 
is  the  special  home  of  the  Campanula  ;  they 
say  that  it  is  imiiossible  to  describe  the  effect 
that  the  pastures  present  when  lighted  up  by 
the  myriads  of  the  purple  bells  of  C.  collina. 
Seeds  of  manj'  of  the  above-named  new  Cam- 
panulas were  brought  back  by  these  botanists, 
who  are  members  of  the  committee  of  the 
garden  of  La  Linna?a,  but  none  have  as  yet 
germinated,  while  Androsace  raddeana,  a  much 
more  difficult  plant,  has  succeeded  perfectly. 

The  Caucasus  and  Asia  Minor,  with  Greece 
and  the  Balkan  Peninsula,  have  between  them 
133  special  Campanulas,  amounting  to  a  large 
proportion  of  the  whole  number  of  the  existing 
species.  The  Mediterranean  regions  and  the 
South  of  Europe  come  next,  then  the  northern 
regions,  and  North  America.  The  Eastern 
hemisphere  is,  with  few  exceptions,  without 
Campanulas.  Is  it  not  interesting  to  observe 
that  the  Caucasus,  which  has  but  few  special 
Primulas,  should  have  so  large  a  proportion  of 
Campanulas,  while  the  Himalayas,  so  rich  in 
Primulas  of  its  own,  should  be  so  poor  in 
Campanulas  1 

As  a  rule  the  distribution  of  the  genus  Cam- 
panula is  in  dry  and  rocky  lands;  it  belongs 
to  bright  and  sunny  countries,  and  represents 
a  flora  essentially  saxatile.  The  most  beautiful 
are  those  that  grow  in  rocky  clefts,  and  while 
swamps  and  water  meadows  do  not  possess  a 
single  Campanula,  they  are,  on  the  other  hand, 
numerous  in  dry  and  sunny  jiastures. 

The  nomenclature  of  the  Campanulas  is  in 
a  considerable  state  of  confusion,  and  their 
synonymy  is  extremely  complicated.  Steudel, 
in  his  important  work  on  the  synonymy  of  the 
phanerogams,^    no   doubt    gives   some    useful 

*  Proriiomus  flor.T  colchica-,  Geneva,  180i>. 
t  Ennumei'atis  plantariiiu  anno  1S90  in  Cancasii  lectariini. 
Klorence,  lOOII. 
;  Steiuiel,  "  Nonienelatrir  Hotaiiicus."  1840. 


information  to  those  who  wish  to  unravel  this 
much  entangled  skein.  But,  not  only  is  this 
book  not  to  be  found  in  all  libraries,  but  one 
must  also  take  into  account  the  number  of 
species  and  the  numberless  synonyms  that  have 
been  published  since  18-10,  .so  that  .since  that 
date  the  confusion  has  been  much  increased. 
Horticulture  on  the  one  hand,  and  Nature  on 
the  other,  have  produceil  so  many  hybrids, 
varieties,  and  forms,  and  it  is  so  difficult  to 
make  a  clear  list  of  these  tlower.s,  that  many 
eminent  horticulturists  have  given  it  up  in 
despair  and  will  have  nothing  more  to  do  with 
it.  Still,  however  much  entangled  their  nomen- 
clature may  be,  it  is  fairly  clear  from  the 
botanical  point  of  view,  for,  however  much  the 
Campanulas  may  vary  in  cultivation,  they 
always  retain  their  botanical  characters. 

I  have  therefore,  at  the  request  of  the 
Editors  of  The  G.-^-Eden,  undertaken  this 
treatise  with  the  aim  of  guiding  the  many 
admirers  of  the  Campanula  on  their  way 
through  this  labyrinth.  To  read  the  many 
articles  that  have  appeared  in  The  Garden 
during  the  last  few  years  it  is  evident  that 
these  plants,  and  especially  the  dwarf  and 
creeping  species,  are  among  English  amateurs, 
some  of  those  that  are  most  liked  and  oftenest 
grown. 

From  the  cultural  point  of  view  one  might 
establish  three,  or  even  four,  categories  of  Cam- 
panulas in  accordance  with  their  needs  and 
their  nature,  but  we  will  divide  them  into  two 
groups  only,  of  which  one,  of  less  importance 
in  this  article  because  it  comprises  .border  and 
ordinary  garden  kinds,  will  be  rapidly  passed 
in  review,  while  tiie  second,  a  subject  of  careful 
research,  will  be  treated  more  at  length. 

In  pursuing  this  study  I  have  consulted  the 
following  works  :  "  Monographie  des  Cam- 
panulacees,"  by  Alphonse  de  Candolle,  in 
"  Prodromus,"  vol.  vii.  ;  Boissiers  "  Flora 
Orientalis,"  vol.  iii.  ;  "  Flore  des  Pyrenees," 
Phillippe,  vol.  ii.  ;  "  Prodromus  Flora;  Col- 
chicas,"  by  Alboff;  "Ennumeratio  plantarum, 
A'C,"  Sommier  and  Levier  ;  "Atlas  de  la  Flore 
alpine,"  by  H.  Correvon  :  Steudel's  "  Nomen- 
clator  Botanicus  ;  "  "  Index  Kewensis  ;"  Miil- 
ler's  "  Alpenblumen  ;  "  Vilmorin's  "  Les  Fleurs 
de  pleine  terre  ;"  Nicholson's  "Dictionary  of 
Gardening,"  the  French  edition,  by  Mottet ; 
the  "  Dictionnaire  d'  Horticulture,"  of  D.  Bois  ; 
the  "  Hortus  Boissierianus  ; "  the  "  Sylloge 
floras  Europeas,"  of  Nyman  ;  the  "  Jardin  du 
Crest,"  of  M.  Marc  j\Iichelin  ;  the  descriptive 
labels  of  our  .Jardin  alpin  d'acclimatation, 
corresponding  with  each  of  the  species  culti- 
vated here  on,  which  observations  are  noted  ; 
also  the  descriptive  labels  of  the  garden  of 
La  Linn;ea  ;  and,  finally,  the  seed  lists  of 
more  than  100  botanic  gardens  and  horticul- 
tural establishments,  in  order  to  determine  the 
horticultural  synonymy.  The  "Index  Kew- 
ensis "  is  the  guide  that  we  follow  in  fixing 
our  nomenclature,  although  it  must  be  allowed 
that  it  is  not  infallible,  especially  from  the 
garden  point  of  view,  for  it  overdoes  the  assi- 
milation and  reduction  of  the  numbers  of 
species.  To  its  verdict  therefore  we  append 
certain  modifications.  Thus  it  is  that  from 
the  strictly  botanical  point  of  view  Campanulas 
latifolia  and  eriocarpa  are  one  and  the  same 
plant,  yet  fioni  the  garden  point  of  view  they 
are  distinct,  because  their  culture  is  different 
and  their  appearance  not  identical. 

We  have  therefore  in  the  first  jilace  one 
section  of  vigorous  .species  belonging  to  the 
flora  of  the  plains  and  of  the  lower  mountain 
regions.  Their  culture  being  of  the  very 
simplest  it  will  be  enough  to  give  a  list,  with, 
as  far  as  possilile,  their  .synonyms  It  will  be 
understood  that  the  kinds  now  considered  are 


the  perennials  that  have  been  introduced  into 
gardens.  Annual  species  are  not  mentioned. 
We  follow  the  order  as  given  in  the  "  Index 
Kewensis." 

Campanula  abietina  (Griseb. ),  Transylvania. 

,,  adscendens  (Vent.),  Siberia,  syn.  rolun- 

difolia(PaU.  non  L.). 

,,  atiinis  (Roem.  and  Schult. ),  Spain. 

,,  alliarijefolia  (Willd),  Caucasus  and  Asia 

Minor,  syns.  C.  lamiifolia  (Bieb.),  C. 
macrophylla  (Sims). 

,,  americana    (L.),     United    States    and 

Canada,  syns.  C.  acuminata  (Michx. ), 
declinata(Moeuch),asteroides(Lam.), 
obliqua  ( Jacq. ). 

,,  bononiensis  (L. ),  South  Europe,  Cau- 

casus and  Siberia,  syns.  C.  obliqui- 
flora  (Ten.),  petra?a  (Hall.),  ruthenica 
(Bieb.),  simplex  (D.  C. ),  thaliana 
(Wallr.). 

,,  carpatica,    Carpathians    and    Alps     of 

Transylvania. 

,,  ,,  Acre  albis,  Hort. 

,,  ,,  var.  pelviformis  (Hort.  non 

Lam.). 

,,  ,,  ,,     turbinata    (Schott), 

Transylvania,  syn.  C. 
carpentica  var.  tran- 
sylvanica  (Auct. ). 

,,  collina  (Bieb. ),  Caucasus. 

,,  celtidifolia   (Bieb.),  Caucasus  and    Le- 

vant, included  in  lactiflora  in  the 
"Index  KewensiG."  but  clearly  dis- 
tinguishable, as  I  have  been  able  to 
verifj'  in  the  Botanical  Garden  at 
Strasburg,  where  I  have  seen  iheni 
growing  side  by  side. 

,,  divaricata    (Michx.),    North    America, 

sj'n.  C.  virgata  (Raff.). 

,,  elegans  (Roem.   and    Schult.),  Siberia, 

syn.  C.  speciosa  (Willd.  non  Pourr. ). 

,,  eryocarpa    (Bieb.).   Caucasus,    syn.    t'. 

macrantlia  (Fisch.  and  Horn.). 

,,  glomerata    (L. )    Europe    and    Siberia, 

syns.  C.  aggregata  (Panz. ),  barbala 
(Spreng.  non  L.),  bet(mica;folia(Gilib. 
non  Sibt.  and  Smith),  cephalotes 
(Smith),  cephalantha  (Horn.),  cervi- 
carioides  (R.  S.),  collina  (Quor.  non 
Bieb.),  congesta  (R.  S. ),  elliptica 
(Rit.),  farinosa  (Bess.),  graminifoha 
(Will.),  niica-ensis  (R.  S. ),  pelia'a 
(All.  non  L.),  speciosa  (Horn,  non 
Pourr.). 

,,  glomerata  var.  aggregata  (Willd.). 

,,  ,,  ,,     fl.  albis.  Hort. 

,,  ,,  ,,     fl.-pleno.  Hort. 

, ,  , .  , .     d  a  h  u  r  i  c  a   H  o  r  t .    n  o  n 

davurica  (Siev. ). 

,,  ,,  .,     .speciosa  (D.  C. ). 

.,  (4rossekii  (Huuft. ),  Hungarj' and  Tian- 

sylvania. 

,,  haylodgensis,    Hort.,    garden    hybrid, 

probably  between  C.  carpatica  and 
pusilla,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Brockbank 
in  the  Gardener's  Chronicle,  1885,  ii., 
page  147. 

,,  Hendersoni,    Hort.,    hybrid     between 

carpatica  and  pyramidalis,  mentioned 
by  the  Rev.  C.  WoUey  Dod  in  the 
Gardener's  Chronicle,  1882,  ii.,  page 
502. 

,,  lactiflora    (Bieb.),    Caucasus,    syns.    C. 

hispida   (Fisch.),    volubilis 
(Willd.) 

,,  ,,  var.  cterulea  (Regel),  Eastern 

Asia. 

,,  latifolia,  mountainous  regions  of  Europe 

and  Asia,  syns.  C.  Bru- 
nonis  (Wall.),  urticiefolia 
(All.  non  Schmidt). 

,,  ,,        var.  alba,  Hort. 

,,  ,,  .,     veriscolor,  Hort. 

,,     villicaulis  (Wittr. ) 

,,  Uitiloba  (A.  DC.),  Mount  (Mynipiis,  in 

Bythinia,  and  neiglibourliood  of 
Toptche,  in  Anatolia,  syns.  C. 
grandis  (Fisch.)  sessilifiora  (Koch.). 


April  20,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


277 


panulas  will  beconsidered, namely 

those  that  are  dwarf  and  creeping 

Geneva.  H.  Correvon. 

(1\)  he  eontimied. ) 


RHODODENDRON    PRJi)COX    IN   THE    TEMPERATE    HOUSE    AT    KEW 


Campanula  laoiniata  (L.)  Greek  Archipelago  (mono- 
carpous  and  biennial). 

„  Leutweinii  (Heldr. ),  Ureece,  biennial. 

„  nobili-niacranlha        (Regel),        Russia. 

Perhaps  a  hybrid. 

„  nobilis  (Lindl.),  China. 

,,  persicifolia    (L. ),    Europe    and     Asia, 

syns.  C.  aniygdalifolia 
(Salisb.),decurrens  (L.), 
hispida  (Lej.),  pumila 
(Schmidt),  dasicarpa 
(Kit.),  lanceolata 
(Presl.). 

,  ,,  a.  albis,  Hort. 

„  ,,  fl.  plenis,  Hort. 

,,  ,,  fl.  albis  plenis,  Hort. 

,,  ,,  ooronata,  Hort. 

,,  peregrina    (L. ),    Levant,    syns.   C.   hir- 

suti.-5Sima(Cyrill.),  lanuginosa  (Lam.), 
pulcherrima,  Hort. 

,,  pilosa  (Pall.),  Siberia. 

,,  planiflora    (Lam.),     North     American, 

syns.  C.  araericana  (Mill,  non  L. ), 
declinata  (Moench.),  nitida  (Ait.), 
pauciflora  (Lem.  non  Desf. ). 

,,  primulfefolia    (Brot. ),    Portugal,    syns. 

C.  peregrina  (Hoffm.  non  L. ),  Trache- 
lium  (Brot.  non  L. ). 

,,  punctata   (Lam.),  Siberia  and   Japan, 

syn.  C.  Trachelium  (Thunb.  non  L. ). 

,,  pyramidalis  (L. ),  Mediterranean  region, 

flalbis,  Hort. 

,,  Rapunculoides  (L. ),   Europe  and   tem- 

perate Asia,  syns.  C.  crenata  (Link.), 
glabricarpa  (Schleich.).  infundibuli- 
formis  {Bot..  il/a</. ), morifolia  (Salisb. ), 
neglecta  (Bess.),  nutans  (Lam.),  oeni- 
pontena  (Morett. ),  racemosa  (Opiz), 
rigida  (Stokes),  secunda  (Schmidt), 
sparciflora  (Hort.  Mus.  Par.),  Tra- 
chelium (Bull non  L. ),  setosa  (Fisch. ), 
ucranica  (Bess.),  urticifolia  (Turr. ). 

,,  rhomboidea  (L.),  mountains  of  Europe, 

syns.  C.  azurea  (Banks),  venosa 
(Wind.),  pyrenaica  (Heeht),  rotun- 
folia  (All.  non  L.). 

,,  sarmatica    (Ker),    Caucasus,    syns.    C. 

betoniesefolia  (Bieb. ),  commutata 
(B.  and  S. ),  gummifera  (Wild.). 

,,  sibirica  (L.),  Europe  and  Asia,  biennial. 


Campanula  spicata  (L. ),  Central  Europe,   biennial 
or  monocarpous. 
,,  stenocodon  (Boiss.    and    Reut.),   Medi- 

terranean regions. 
,,  Steveni  (Bieb.),  Caucasus  and  Levant, 

syns.  C.  altaica  (Fisch.),  infundi- 
bulum  (Vest,  non  Reich.),  lanceolata 
(Pall.),  seniinuda  (Vest.),  simplex 
(Steven),  steveniana  (R.  S. ),  vitting- 
hofiana  (R.  S. ). 
subpyrenaica(Timb.), Spanish  Pyrenees. 
Trachelium  (L.),  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Mediterranean  region. 
,,  var.   dasycarpa   (Hort.   De- 


robusta      (Hort.      l)e- 
fregger). 
,,  fl.   albis   plenis  (Hort.   alp. 

G-enev. ). 
transylvanica  (Schur. ),  Transjdvania. 
urticsefolia  (Schmidt),   Europe,  syn.  C. 
Trachelium,     var.      urticaifolia 
(Schmidt). 
Van  Houttei,  Hort. 

versicolor  (Sibth.   and   Smith),  Greece 
and  Italy,  syns.  C.  planiflora  (Willd.), 
willdenowiana  (R.  and  S.). 
,,  vesula  (All. ),  Piedmont. 

All  these  Campanulas  are  grown  in  gardens, 
whether  in  botanical  collections  or  those  of 
amateurs,  as  well  as  in  those  which,  like  the 
Jardin  alpin  d'acclimatation  at  Geneva,  take 
pains  to  collect  rare  plants.  Many  of  tbem 
are  distributed  under  their  synonyms,  hence 
the  confusion  so  justly  complained  of.  It 
would  be  a  great  i)lessing  if  a  general  rule 
of  nomenclature  could  be  adopted  such  as  that 
of  the  "Index  Kewensis."  It  would  greatly 
lighten  the  labours  of  horticultural  editors  and 
owners  of  collections. 

I  have  to  add  that  the  greater  number  of  the 
Campanulas  -indeed,  nearly  all — have  violet- 
coloured  flowers,  and  that  cases  of  albinism 
are  frequent  throughout  the  genus.  Nearly 
all  the  species  named  in  the  above  list  have 
varieties  with  white  or  pale  lilac  flowers. 

In  a  subsequent  article  the  more  copious 
and  important  list  of  saxatile  and  alpine  Cam- 


RHODODENDRON 
PRiECOX. 

The  usefulness  of  this  hybrid 
Rhododendron  has  often  been 
brought  under  notice  for  outside 
effect  in  spring,  but  it  has  not 
often  been  recommended  for  in- 
door culture.  That  its  proper 
place  is  indoors  is  often  seen  in 
early  spring,  when  the  flowers  are 
expanding  and  a  night's  shaip 
frost  comes,  killing  every  flower 
that  has  passed  the  bud  stage. 
In  favoured  localities,  or  when 
planted  in  very  sheltered  positions 
out  of  doors,  .so  that  little  or 
no  frost  can  reach  it,  it  is  without 
exception  the  most  showy  of  early 
spring-flowering  shrubs,  and  when 
planted  in  a  cold  greenhouse, 
where  the  temperature  is  kept 
just  above  freezing  point,  the 
same  thing  may  be  said  of  it.  At 
Kew  several  plants  are  flowering 
profusely  in  tlie  Himalayan  house, 
the  largest  specimen  being  4  feet 
high  and  o  feet  to  6  feet  n 
diameter,  the  flowers  being  so 
dense  as  to  almost  hide  the  leaves. 
It  is  probably  the  best  of  the  numerous  hybrids 
raised  by  the  late  Mr.  J.  Davies,  of  Ormskirk, 
between  R.  ciliatum  and  R.  dauricum,  its  early 
flowering  out  of  doors  being  its  worst  point. 
Grown  in  pots  it  is  useful,  but  planted  in  a 
border  it  gives  greater  satisfaction. 

W.  Dallimore. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 


m 


HARDY    PLANTING    FOR    AVINTER 
AND   SUMMER   EFFECT. 

ANY  able  and  practical  writers  have 
written  frequently  in  the  Horti- 
cultural Press  on  the  above  subiect, 
and  yet  their  advice  has  not  been 
followed  to  the  extent  it  most  cer- 
tainly deserves.  Bold  planting  and 
grouping  together  of  suitable  subjects — of  which 
there  are  many — either  on  the  pleasure  ground 
proper,  on  the  margins  of  woods,  lakes,  and 
streams,  or  particularly  in  the  semi-wild  garden, 
when  judiciously  carried  out,  presents  such  a 
pleasing  and  telling  eSect  at  all  seasons  of  the 
year,  and,  considering  the  upkeep  of  which,  after 
the  first  outlay,  is  very  small,  it  is  harrl  to  under- 
stand why  it  is  not  more  generally  adopted,  for 
only  when  massed  together  and  properl3'  treated 
can  the  real  value  of  manv  of  our  more  common 
hardy  shrubs  be  appreciated.  When  dotted  about 
in  the  mixed  shrubberies,  as  these  far  ton  often  are, 
little  beauty  can  be  seen  in  many  of  them  ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  when  a  sufficient  number  of  plants 
is  grouped  together  and  taste  is  displayed  in  the 
arrangement,  even  the  commonest  kinds  will  create 
a  charming  and  effective  picture,  if  not  the  whole 
year  through,  certainly  at  one  season  or  another. 
How  beautiful  might  many  a  piece  of  unsightly 
land  be  made  with  little  trouble  and  expense  by 
such  planting,  either  viewed  from  a  long  or  short 
distance,  and  more  especially  during  the  winter 
months.  For  some  years  we  have  practised  this 
way  of  planting  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  for 
the  benefit  of  others  that  contemplate  doing  like- 
wise I  will  endeavour  as  briefly  as  possible  to 
relate  my  experience  by  giving  a  list  of  those 
which   have  proved  to  be  most  satisfactory,  and 


278 


THE    GARDEN. 


TApril   20,  1901. 


the  treatment  of  the  same.  The  chief  desire  here 
has  been  to  create  autumn  and  winter  effect,  and  I 
may  mention  that  Nature  has  assisted  us  but  little, 
as  the  land  is  not  undulating  but  generally  flat  and 
uninteresting,  consequently  much  thought  and 
attention  have  been  devoted  to  attaining  the  object 
in  view. 

The  natural  landscape  of  the  ground  to  be 
planted  must  determine  the  form  of  the  grouping, 
which  in  nearly  all  cases  will  suggest  itself  to  a 
practical  man.  Of  course  the  more  extensive  the 
scope  one  has  to  deal  with  the  larger  should  be 
the  masses  of  each  particular  plant,  and  I  will 
point  out  here  that,  except  in  few  cases,  no  two 
plants  grown  either  for  the  beauty  of  their  foliage 
or  wood  should  be  mixed  together,  as  a  much 
more  striking  and  conspicuous  displa}'  is  produced 
when  they  are  kept  apart. 

Having  determined  on  the  sites  to  be  planted, 
white  stakes  should  be  emplo3'ed  for  marking  the 
outline,  and  as  much  as  possible,  except  in  any 
formal  part  of  the  garden,  bold  and  irregularly- 
shaped  plantations  should  be  arranged.  Particularly 
should  this  be  kept  in  view  in  all  places  outside  the 
garden.  The  ground  should  be  thoroughly  trenched , 
and  poor  land  well  enriched  with  farmyard 
manure,  and  the  planting  proceeded  with  either 
in  spring  or  earlj'  autumn.  The  kind  of  planting 
I  am  about  to  advocate  will  apply  to  low-growing 
subjects  suited  for  the  purposes  I  have  mentioned 
above.  I  will  first  of  all  deal  with  the  deciduous 
section. 

AOEK    NEGUNDO    VARIEG.\TA 

is  well  known  for  its  beautiful  variegated  foliage, 
delightful  in  spring  and  summer,  and  best  suited 
for  garden  planting.  Dwarf  plants  should  be  used, 
and  if  large  beds  are  being  planted  a  few  half- 
standards  arising  out  of  the  carpet  at  a  good  distance 
apart  will  enhance  its  beautj'.  The  dwarf  plants 
should  be  arranged  at  a  distance  of  .3  feet  apart. 
An  annual  pruning  should  be  given  during  winter, 
shortening  back  the  summer  growth  to  within 
three  eyes  of  the  base.  The  halt-standards  should 
be  thoroughly  staked,  and,  except  keeping  the 
ground  clear  of  weeds,  little  other  attention  will 
be  required. 

ArONI.A.  FLORIBUNDA  SY.V.  PyKUS  ARBITTirOLIA. 

A  delightful  plant  when  grown  in  bush  form, 
bearing  sweetly-scented  Hawthorn-like  flowers  in 
May,  very  effective,  and  succeeded  by  a  wealth 
of  deep  purple  berries  in  autumn.  This  should 
also  receive  an  annual  pruning  during  winter  or 
early  spring.  Allow  a  distance  of  2  feet  6  inches 
between  the  plants,  which  are  well  suited  for  any 
purpose.  The  ground  should  be  kept  clean  under- 
neath it. 

Berberis  Thd±nbergi. 

Few  deciduous  shrubs  can  excel  this  for  its 
beautiful  foliage  during  the  autumn,  and  it 
deserves  to  be  planted  more  extensively.  In  no 
position  is  it  seen  to  better  advantage  than  when 
planted  in  large  masses  over  bold  pieces  of  rock. 
The  shrub  should  not  be  pruned,  but  allowed  to 
retain  its  natural  habit,  and  will  succeed  in  almost 
any  kind  of  soil.  I  know  of  no  plant  better 
adapted  for  such  positions. 

Berberis  vulgaris  purpureis. 
This  has  deep  purple  foliage  of  a  very  pleasing 
shade,  and  it  bears  bright  scarlet  berries  in 
autumn,  succeeds  best  on  chalky  soils,  should  be 
cut  close  to  the  ground  every  third  winter,  and 
the  soil  left  undisturbed  about  the  roots. 

COLUTEA    AKKORESCENS. 

The  Bladder  Senna  is  well  suited  for  the  semi- 
wild  garden,  and  will  succeedinalmost  any  position 
and  on  any  kind  of  soil.  Its  yellow  flowers  in  July 
are  pretty,  but  the  seed  i-essels  during  winter 
are  most  effective  ;  it  should  be  pruned  back  hard 
annually.  There  are  several  varieties,  each  of 
which  are  equally  well  adapted  for  this  purpose. 
Plant  3  feet  apart. 

CORNUS    SAKGUINEA    (DoGWOOD). 

Few  deciduous  plants  are  more  easily  grown  or 
more  effective  during  winter  than  the  Scarlet 
Dogwood.  It  may  be  grouped  in  any  position 
either  in  the  gardens  or  outside    when  of    any 


extent,  and  when  space  is  no  object  the  beds  or 
groups  can  hardly  be  made  too  large.  The 
foliage  attains  a  beautiful  bronze  tint  during 
autumn,  but,  unfortunatelj',  is  of  very  short  dura- 
tion. The  position  should  be  an  open  one,  and  it  is 
absolutely  essential  that  the  growths  be  cut  to  the 
ground  annually  the  first  week  in  April,  bearing 
in  mind  that  it  is  only  the  3'oung  wood  which  puts 
on  its  brightly  coloured  robe  in  winter,  and  the  more 
intense  the  cold  the  better  colour  will  be  the  wood. 
Plant  3  feet  apart.  Cornus  sanguinea  variegata  is  a 
beautiful  silver  variegated  form  of  the  above,  but 
not  so  vigorous.  It  is  very  fine  for  summer  decora- 
tions, and  best  suited  for  the  gardens  ;  the  ground 
requires  to  be  well  manured.  Plant  at  a  distance 
of  18  inches,  and  prune  annually.  The  scarlet 
wood,  though  small,  is  very  pretty  in  winter,  but 
not  showy  enough  in  the  distance. 

Cornus  alba  Sp.?sthi 
has  beautiful  golden  foliage  in  the  summer,  but  is 
too   scarce  and    not  vigorous  enough  to  plant   to 
any  extent.     Requires  the  same  treatment  as  the 
above. 

CORYLUS    A^-ELLANA    PURPUREA. 

One  of  our  best  purple-leaved  plants,  especially 
so  in  early  summer.  '  Arrange  to  plant  this  in  a 
close  vicinity  to  Acer  negundo  variegata,  Sambucus 
nigra  aurea,  or  both,  and  the  effect  produced  will 
be  charming.  It  will  succeed  on  almost  any  kind 
of  well-trenched  ground.  Plant  the  shrubs  3  feet 
apart,  and  they  will  require  little  attention,  but 
every  fifth  year  the  shoots  should  be  cut  clean 
to  the  ground,  when  the  growth  and  foliage  will 
be  much  more  robust  and  telling. 

COTONEASTER    SiMONSII. 

A  strong  growing  shrub,  and  suitable.for  making 
large  grcmps  ;  it  is  very  effective  during  autumn 
and  winter  when  studded  with  its  red  berries.  It 
should  be  planted  3  feet  apart  and  not  pruned,  but 
about  every  fifth  year  it  should  be  cut  close  to  the 
ground. 

Cy'donia  japonica. 

This  well  known  early-flowering  shrub  when 
planted  in  groups  is  suited  for  almost  any  position, 
but  is  seen  to  the  best  advantage  when  planted  on 
raised  ground  or  overhanging  masses  of  rock.  It 
should  not  be  pruned,  but  allowed  to  retain  its 
natural  habit.  Plant  at  a  distance  of  4  feet  apart. 
The  variety  carnea  is  equally  good,  but  bears  more 
freely  ;  the  fruits  make  excellent  preserves,  while 
the  flowers  are  a  beautiful  flesh  colour.  C.  Maulei 
is  quite  distinct  from  the  above,  but  equally 
valuable  for  the  same  purposes,  and  flowers  and 
fruits  most  freely, 

Cytisus  albus  multiflorus, 
the  common  White  Broom  ;  C.  sooparius,  common 
Yellow  Broom  ;  and  the  effective  although  newer 
variety  C.  scoparius  andreanus  are  all  delightful 
plants  when  extensively  planted,  not  only  when 
in  flower,  but  their  fresh  looking  green  wood  is 
pleasing  at  all  seasons.  Plant  early  in  April  3i  feet 
apart,  using  small  plants.  None  of  the  Brooms 
like  being  cut  back  to  the  hard  wood,  but  the 
young  growths  may  be  shortened  back  after 
flowering.  C.  s.  prsecox  is  perhaps  the  best  of  the 
whole  family,  flowering  profusely,  and  is  of  good 
habit.     It  should  be  planted  4  feet  apart. 

Spartium  .tunceum, 
the  Spanish  Broom,  flowers  in  early  autumn  and 
lasts  a  considerable  time.    Its  bright  yellow  blooms 
are   very   telling   in    the   distance.    "Plant    4  feet 
apart,  and  prune  after  flowering. 

Daphne  mezereum  and  D.  mezereum  albuji 

are  among  our  earliest  and  most  beautiful  flowering 
shrubs.  They  should  be  planted  4  feet  apart, 
either  immediately  they  have  done  flowering  or  in 
very  early  autumn,  both  flourishing  best  on  light 
soils. 

DlMORPHANTHUS    MANDSCHURICUS    SYN.    ARALIA 
MANDSCHURICA. 

This  fine  tropical-looking  plant  when  planted  in 
large  beds  forms  a  magnificent  feature  during  the 
summer  months,  and  in  the  winter  the  stems  when 
bare  are  both  curious  and  interesting.     It  enjoys  a 


deep  rich  soil,  and  is  easilj*  propagated  from  root 
suckers.     Plant  at  a  distance  of  5  feet  apart. 

Econymuses. 
The  true  variety  of  Euonymus  alatus  americanus 
must  rank  as  one  of  the  best  plants  for  autumn 
effect.  Words  can  hardlj-  describe  its  beautiful 
tints.  It  is  a  slow  grower,  but  will  succeed  on 
almost  auN-  kind  of  soil.  Plant  3  feet  apart.  E. 
europ;eus  (the  Spindle  Tree)  should  be  planted  in 
large  beds  or  masses  at  a  distance  of  4  feet  apart, 
and  pruned  annually.  It  is  worth}'  of  a  place  by 
the  side  of  anj'  woodland  walk  or  in  the  semi-wild 
garden.  Thus  treated  it  will  fruit  most  freely, 
and  its  pretty  pink  berries  hanging  in  thick 
bunches  are  sure  to  attract  attention.  The  white 
variety,  though  as  pretty,  does  not  fruit  so  freely. 

FORSYTHIA    SUSPE.NSA. 

This  is  most  eff'ective  when  planted  in  any  position 
in  the  gardens  or  grounds.  It  makes  a  delightful 
bed  when  planted  at  a  distance  of  4  feet  apart,  and 
should  not  be  pruned.  F.  \dridissima,  though  not 
such  a  pretty  kind  as  the  above,  is  equally  well 
suited  ;  it  flowers  profusely.  Both  of  these  flower 
during  March  and  April.  The  surface-soil  should 
be  pricked  over  every  spring. 

Fuchsia  Riccartoni. 
This  charming  old  garden  plant  makes  magni- 
ficent beds  in  any  part  of  the  grounds.  It  should 
be  cut  down  close  to  the  ground  every  spring  and 
receive  a  mulching  of  half-decayed  manure.  This 
is  not  planted  half  so  largely  as  it  deserves  to  be. 

Hy'draxgea  paniculata  grandiflora. 
This  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  few  flowering  shrubs 
are  more  admired  during  autumn  than  the  above 
when  planted  in  large  beds.  They  should  be 
planted  in  a  deep  rich  soil,  in  a  moist  position, 
3  feet  apart,  and  pruned  back  hard  annually  at 
the  end  of  March.  We  have  some  of  these  which 
were  planted  sixteen  years  ago,  and  have  never 
once  failed  to  make  a  splendid  display.  The 
surface-soil  should  be  pricked  over  early  in  spring. 

Hippoi-H.^c  rhamnoides  (the  Sea  Buckthorn). 

This  will  succeed  well  in  an}'  deep  moist  soil. 
Its  beautiful  grey  foliage  shows  up  well  during 
summer,  and  when  the  male  and  female  plants  are 
mixed  together  the  branches  will  be  wreathed  with 
clusters  of  beautiful  orange-coloured  berries  during 
autumn  and  winter.  Plant  5  feet  apart,  and 
somewhat  in  the  background.  Very  little  pruning 
will  be  required,  except  to  regulate  the  growths. 
Prick  over  the  surface  soil  annuall}'.  The  Sea 
Buckthorn  also  lends  itself  admirably  for  planting 
by  the  sides  of  lakes  and  streams  or  at  the  back  of 
rockwork.  E.  Beckett. 

Aldenham  House  Gardenx,  Elxtree,  Herla. 

(To  hi>  ronti lined. ) 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES. 


FORCED  STRAWBERRIES  IN  FRAMES. 

Would  you  please  give  me  some  advice  as  to 
forcing  the  Strawberry  in  frames  ?  There  is  no 
lack  of  advice  as  to  forcing  in  houses  for  early 
supplies,  but  as  I  can  only  give  frame  culture,  any 
information  would,  I  feel  sure,  be  valuable  to 
many  of  j'our  readers.  A.  A. 

[You  do  not  say  at  what  season  you  require  j'our 
ripe  fruit.  Of  course,  with  frame  culture  you 
cannot  force  very  early,  and  much  depends  upon 
the  frames,  if  heated,  also  the  variety  of  Strawberry 
forced.  Take  heated  frames  first.  By  these  we 
mean  those  of  ordinary  build,  having,  say,  a  flow 
and  return  pipe  round  them  within  a  foot  or  so  of 
the  glass.  In  such  a  structure  good  fruit  may  be 
gathered  earlj'  in  May  ;  indeed,  the  best  fruits  of 
British  Queen  we  ever  saw  were  from  a  frame  in 
an  amateur's  garden  ;  and  if  the  queen  of  Straw- 
berries can  be  grown  thus,  there  should  be  no 
difficulty  with  other  kinds.  First  of  all,  decide 
whether  to  grow  pot  plants  or  those  planted  out. 
Now  the  last-named  should  not  be  grown  in  heated 
frames,  though  there  is  another  method,  and  that 
is  to  lift  from  open  ground  and  force,  but  we  do 


April  20,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN 


27d 


not  advise  it.  Cold  frames  are  more  suitable  for 
plants  grown  in  them  from  the  start,  but  here 
there  is  a  serious  objection  ;  the  frames  are 
needed  only  for,  say,  three  months  out  of  the 
twelve,  and  if  grown  thus  we  would  advise  movable 
ones  that  could  be  put  to  other  uses  when  not 
required  for  the  Strawberries. 

Take  pot  plants  first.  The  plants  are  secured 
from  strong  runners  the  previous  July,  and  potted 
up  into  6-inch  pots.  We  need  not  go  into  details 
of  potting  or  preparation,  as  the  work  is  much  the 
same  as  for  forced  plants  for  earlier  supplies,  and 
is  fully  described  in  our  "Gardening  of  the  Week" 
in  its  proper  season.  We  would  add,  the  plant."- 
are  grown  as  hardy  as  possible  through  the  late 
summer  and  autumn,  and  the  roots  protected  in 
winter.  In  the  spring  they  are  placed  in  the 
frames,  but  a  great  deal  depends  when  you  require 
fruit ;  if,  say,  the  early  part  of  May,  house  the 
plants  three  months  before  the  fruits  are  needed  ; 
but  every  week,  as  the  days  lengthen,  growth  will 
be  stronger,  and  plants  will  force  more  readily  in 
April  than  March,  so  that  if  placed  under  glass  in 
April  they  would  be  ripe  in  eight  to  ten  weeks,  or 
less  if  fire  heat  can  be  given. 

When  placed  in  position  the  plants  should  not 
be  too  far  from  the  glass  ;  a  distance  of  2  feet  is 
ample,  as  the  more  light  they  receive  the  stronger 
the  bloom.  The  pots  may  either  stand  on  a  hard 
coal-ash  bottom  or  on  boards  or  an  improvised 
stage  at  the  start.  Damp  overhead  twice  a  day 
in  bright  weather,  and  close  very  early  to  get 
the  benefit  of  the  sun's  rays.  As  the  flowers  open 
cease  syringing  till  fruits  are  set  and  give  air 
freely,  and  when  set  thin  the  fruits  to  nine  or 
twelve  at  the  most,  and  support  the  trusses  with 
twigs  or  small  sticks.  Now  you  n)ay  feed  freely, 
and  at  no  time  should  the  plants  be  allowed  to  get 
dry.  In  fine  weather  it  may  be  necessary  to  water 
twice  or  more  daily.  As  soon  as  the  fruits  colour 
cease  feeding  ;  also  damp  overhead,  and  give  more 
ventilation.  Grown  thus  you  will  get  fruits  equal 
in  flavour,  and  size  also,  to  those  from  the  open 
ground.  It  is  not  really  necessary  to  grow  in 
pots  ;  we  have  seen  e.xcellent  fruits  from  lifted 
plants,  also  from  bo.xes,  but  if  grown  in  the  latter 
way  there  must  be  ample  roots  to  carry  a  crop. 

We  have  referred  to  plants  in  movable  frames. 
These  are  very  useful  and  give  little  trouble,  and 
of  course  no  heat  is  employed.  We  should  have 
stated  above,  never  use  much  fire  heat ;  this  is 
fatal  in  the  early  stages  of  the  plants,  55°  to  60°  at 
night  not  being  exceeded.      A  quarter  of  strong 


runners  should  be  planted  for  frame  work  as  early 
as  good  runners  can  be  secured,  and  if  possible  on 
a  warm  border  facing  south.  If  the  border  be 
raised  so  much  the  better.  All  runner  growth  in 
the  growing  season  should  be  removed  and  the 
plants  kept  fed  with  liquid  manure  to  build  up 
strong  crowns.  The  plants  covered  in  Feliruary 
will  give  fine  fruit  late  in  May  or  early  June,  some 
little  time  in  advance  of  those  in  the  open  ground, 
and  will  give  other  crops  years  after;  but  the  best 
fruits  are  secured  from  young  plants.  By  planting 
every  season  more  plants  may  be  employed  ;  15 
inches  to  18  inches  apart  always  will  suffice.  The 
fruits  are  later  than  from  pot  plants,  but  there  is 
little  trouble  with  plants  grown  thus  if  such 
varieties  as  Royal  Sovereign  or  Sir  C.  Napier  are 
planted.  These  crop  grandly.  This  is  also  a  good 
way  to  grow  the  British  Queen  in  gardens  where 
this  variety  fails,  as  the  land  for  a  few  plants  can 
be  specially  prepared.  Of  course,  the  last-named 
is  not  an  early  variety,  but  one  of  the  best  for 
flavour.  It  does  not  crop  so  freely  as  those  named 
above,  and  we  would  advise  our  readers  to  give 
those  of  free  growth  a  trial  before  trying  others 
less  trustworthy. — Eds.] 


A    DEVT-POND    IN    THE    ISLAND 
OF  ASCENSION. 

Ascension  is  a  solitary  island  in  the  South 
Atlantic  belonging  to  Great  Britain,  betvifeen 
600  and  700  miles  north-west  of  St.  Helena. 
Its  origin  is  attributed  to  volcanic  upheaval. 
Its  thirty-eight  square  miles  of  surface  show  a 
numberof  ancient  craters  and  a  general  covering 
of  volcanic  debris.  There  is  no  vegetation 
except  on  the  Green  Mountain,  which  rises  to 
a  height  of  a  little  over  1,800  feet.  The  flanks 
of  the  mountain  yield  the  very  scanty  supply 
of  fresh  water  which  is  laid  on  by  pipes  for  the 
supply  of  the  garrison  at  the  landing  place, 
about  four  miles  distant.  The  dew-pond,  of 
which  we  are  able  to  give  an  illustration,  is 
thus  described  by  Mrs.  Gill,  who  in  1877 
accompanied  her  husband  on  the  astronomical 
expedition  of  that  year  to  observe  the  oppo- 
sition of  Mars.  The  dew-pond  had  then  been 
only  lately  made,  and  had  not  reached  the 
point  of  success  shown  in  the  picture.  It  is 
best  described  in  the  words  quoted  from  Mrs. 


A    DEW-POND    LN    THE    ISLAND    OE    ASCENSION. 


Gill's  extremely  interesting  book  on  tlii.s  little- 
visited  island,  whose  title  is  "  Six  Months  in 
Ascension  "  ;  "  Within  a  few  feet  of  the  top  of 
the  Green  Mountain,  and  surrounded  by  a 
thicket  of  little  tree.s,  we  came  upon  the  dew- 
pond,  a  cement-lined  cup  about  20  feet  in 
diameter,  meant  to  receive  and  retain  any 
moisture  that  might  be  deposited  here.  It 
was  at  this  time  too  new  an  experiment  to 
have  entirely  succeeded  ;  but  even  now  a 
muddy  pool  lay  at  the  bottom,  giving  hope 
for  the  future." 


THE  UNHEATED  GREENHOUSE. 

IV. — Regulation  of  Tej'I'Eratuke. 

It  must  be  always  borne  in  mind  that  shelter, 
not  coddling,  is  the  aim  and  end  of  the  unhealed 
greenhouse,  and  the  grand  difficulty,  in  face  of 
the  cold  house  garden,  is  how  to  maintain  a  fairly 
equable  temperature.  When  the  selection  is  limited 
to  strictly  hardy  plants,  the  regulation  of  cold  is, 
probably,  of  less  importance  than  that  of  heat,  but 
when  half-hardy  plants  and  bulbs  come  within  the 
range  of  our  desires  (and  it  is  well  that  they 
should),  the  greenhouse  thermometer  in  winter 
must  not  be  allowed  at  any  time  to  fall  below  .3.5" 
Fahr. ,  which  is  the  lowest  temperature  at  which 
frost  can  safely  be  kept  at  ba}'.  But  the  owner  of 
an  unhealed  plant  house  aims  at  reaching  a  point 
beyond  mere  safet}'.  He  is  ambitious  enough  to 
hope  that  his  winter  conservatory  may  rival,  if  it 
may  not  in  some  degree  even  surpass,  the  hot 
house  devoted  to  tropical  plants,  by  its  wealth  of 
flower  and  greener}- gathered  together  from  distant 
quarters  of  the  temperate  zone.  Emulation,  it  is 
true,  strikes  but  a  low  note  in  the  .=Gale  of  ethics, 
but  human  nature  needs  a  healthy  stimulus  to 
rouse  it  into  action,  and  .so  we  are  none  the  worse 
for  a  friendly  contest  with  a  neighbour  !  But  there 
does  come  a  time  when  winter  is  at  its  darkest 
and  coldest,  from  the  shortest  day  onwards  for  a 
few,  very  few,  hard  weeks,  when  it  must  be 
confessed  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  keep  up  a 
bright  display  of  flowers  in  a  greenhouse  that  is 
totally  unheated.  Not  quite  impossible,  for  we 
are  by  no  means  at  the  end,  but  rather  at  the 
beginning  of  our  possibilities  in  this  direction  ;  yet 
even  very  hardy  plants  have  a  trick  of  looking 
self-conscious  and  rueful  in  a  black  frost,  and  it  is 
the  very  motive  of  the  cold  greenhouse  to  make 
hardy  plants  comfortable  and  to  coax  them  into 
untimely  flowering.  Personally,  I  have  always 
been  quite  content  with  a  small  portable  apparatus, 
called  a  heat  radiator,  invented  by  Jlr.  Gillingham, 
of  Chard,  an  extremely  able  mechanician.  There 
are  portable  stoves  of  man}'  kinds,  but  for  simplicity 
and  efficiency  the  small  brass  cylinder  which  goes 
by  the  above  name  leaves  little  to  be  desired,  save, 
it  may  be,  an  absolute  certainty  that  it  will  not 
smoke.  This  calamity,  which  is  the  result  of  care- 
less trimming  of  the  lamp,  did  happen  to  me  once 
with  direful  results.  There  are  several  other 
inventions  for  the  purpose,  none  of  them  perhaps 
without  some  drawback,  and  every  season  sees 
new  additions  to  the  list.  A  demand  seriously 
maintained  for  a  perfect  removable  apparatus  of 
sufficient  power  to  keep  out  frost  will  surel}'  call 
forth,  in  these  days  of  invention,  exactly  what  is 
required.  It  cannot  be  claimed  for  the  heat 
radiator  that  it  is  perfect,  but  its  principle  is 
excellent,  it  is  not  unsightly,  and  it  is  better  suited 
for  its  purpose  than  any  other  portable  stove 
known  to  me.  During  those  few  dreaiw  weeks  to 
which  reference  has  been  made  it  has  alwa3's  been 
a  simple  matter  to  keep  the  air  circulation,  with  a 
night  temperature  between  35"  and  40",  wliieh  was 
all  that  was  wanted  to  make  Daffodils  and  winter 
Iris  and  a  host  of  charming  spring  flowers  hold  up 
their  heads  in  happy  contrast  to  their  fellows  in 
the  garden  outside. 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  make  a  note  of  a 
very  rough-and-ready  contrivance  which  has  been 
successfully  extemporised  on  occasion  for  keeping 
out  frost.  An  ordinary  lamp  is  lighted  and  placed 
on  the  floor,  with  a  pillar  of  bricks  on  each  side  to 
form  a  support  for  a  very  large  flower  pot,  which 


280 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[April  20,  1901. 


is  inverted  over  the  chimney.  Upon  this  a  pyramid 
of  inverted  pots,  each  a  little  smaller  than  the  last, 
is  built  up,  and  the  hot  air  rising  through  the  holes 
of  the  pots  heats  them  through  and  through,  and 
thus  a  stove  may  be  de^^sed  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment  which  will  diffuse  an  atmosphere  genial 
enough  to  keep  the  enemy,  for  the  nonce,  out  of  a 
house  of  moderate  dimensions. 

Ventilation. 

By  some  strange  perversity  the  proper  ventila- 
tion of  the  amateur's  greenhouse  is  often  one  of  the 
last  details  of  construction  to  be  considered,  which 
would  never  happen  if  experience  could  only  be 
bought  ready  made.  Plenty  of  air  is  as  necessary 
to  plant  life  as  to  human  beings,  and  it  would  seem 
to  be  as  unreasonable  to  plan  a  greenhouse  without 
ventilation  as  to  build  a  cottage  with  windows  not 
made  to  open  ;  yet  it  is  by  no  means  an  unheard 
of  case  for  a  greenhouse  (mostly  of  the  smaller 
sort)  to  have  no  other  means  of  ventilation  than 
the  door,  while,  even  in  more  important  structures, 
roof  ventilation  is  the  exception  rather  than  the 
rule.  For  perfect  efficiency  there  should  be  not 
ventilators  merely 
but  a  system  of 
ventilation.  Free 
circulation  of  air 
is  indispensable, 
but  it  is  not  always 
recognised  on  the 
other  hand  that 
draught  is  most 
injurious  to  plant 
growth.  The  shri- 
velling of  tender 
foliage,  especially 
of  Fern  fronds, 
generally  set  down 
to  want  of  water, 
is  due  more  often 
than  is  suspected 
to  exposure  for  a  few  hours  to 
cross  currents  of  air.  It  should 
be  possible,  therefore,  in  all 
greenhouses  to  "put  on"  and 
"  take  oft"  air,  in  gardening 
phrase,  according  to  the  way 
of  the  wind,  and  in  order  that 
this  may  be  done  efiectively 
ventilators  fitting  closely  and 
firmly  must  be  provided  both 
at  the  top  and  at  the  sides  of 
a  plant  house.  A  span  roof 
20  feet  in  length  should  have 
four  ventilators  placed  alter- 
nately at  each  side,  and  over 
these,  upon  the  ridge,  it  is  well 
to  have  a  wooden  cap  as  an 
additional  safeguard  against 
drip.     Strong   hinges   of    the 

kind  called  "water  joints"  are  to  be  recommended 
as  being  more  durable  than  the  ordinary  make.  In 
a  long  house  it  is  a  great  saving  of  labour  to 
be  able  to  open  and  shut  these  top  ventilators 
simultaneously  by  an  iron  winch.  Side  ventilation 
is  provided  for,  either  b}'  having  the  lights  made  to 
open  or  by  wooden  shutters  let  into  the  brick 
walls.  The  latter  alternative  is  in  use,  mainly, 
when  the  span  roof  rests  upon  the  wall-plate — a 
form  of  glass  house  rarely  seen  in  any  but  pro- 
fessional gardens,  though  such  "pits"  are  admirably 
adapted  for  plant  culture. 

It  is  difficult  to  lay  down  precise  rules  for 
ventilation,  but  as  a  general  principle  it  must  be 
understood  that  the  treatment  of  plants  in  an 
unheated  greenhouse  is  in  strong  contrast  to  that 
given  in  the  stove,  where  a  close  humid  atmosphere 
does  no  harm.  There  are  not  many  days  in  the 
year,  even  in  heavy  fog,  when  at  least  a  chink  may 
not  be  left  open  to  allow  free  circulation  of  air, 
for  though  it  is  a  common  practice  to  keep  green- 
houses closely  shut  in  foggy  weather,  a  little 
dampness  from  outside  is  actually  less  harmful 
than  stagnant  damp  within.  In  winter  it  is  always 
safer  to  open  the  upper  ventilators  rather  than 
those  at  the  side.  The  chief  trouble  comes  in  the 
early  days  of  spring,  especially  if  we  are  ill-provided 
with  blinds.     Then  the  thermometer  is  apt  to  rush 


up  to  80"  or  so  on  the  slightest  hint  of  bright 
sunshine  on  the  glass,  while  a  keen  wind  may  be 
blowing  from  north  and  east.  It  is  often  hard 
enough,  under  circumstances  like  these,  to  know 
how  to  regulate  the  temperature.  The  temptation 
is  to  open  side  lights  as  well  as  roof  ventilators 
and  to  let  in  all  the  air  we  can,  for  scorching  heat 
is  as  bad  for  hardy  plants  as  frost  for  those  that 
are  half-hardy,  yet  even  hardy  plants  under 
artificial  treatment  easilj'  "catch  a  chill"  at  the 
roots  in  this  way,  from  which  they  may  never 
recover.  At  such  a  moment  we  find  ourselves  on 
the  horns  of  a  dilemma,  and  very  much  inclined  to 
sympathise  with  the  pitiable  case,  near  akin  to  our 
own,  of  the  gardener  of  whom  Mr.  E.  V.  Lucas 
tells  us,  who  wrote  to  his  employer:  "  I'm  varry 
sorrj'  to  tell  you   that  I  cant  do  ena3'thing  with 


COLOUR,   WHITE   FLAKED   WITH 
(SANDER^ 


the  greenhouse.  I  think  he  will  kill  every  plant 
I  have  sometimes  he  will  get  varry  hot  and  another 
time  I  cant  get  enay  heat  in  him  and  we  cant 
stope  him  from  smoking  so  I  doant  know  what  to 
do  with  him  ! "  Happily  the  troubles  of  the  cold 
house  gardener  are  in  great  measure  simplified, 
and  if  the  ample  provision  which  is  so  essential  be 
made  for  ventilation,  experience  will  soon  teach 
the  necessity  of  avoiding  draught.  Only  let  it  be 
remembered  at  the  same  time  that  a  stuffy 
stagnant  atmosphere,  persisted  in  for  a  few  days 
only,  will  surely  set  up  an  invasion  of  that  very 
infectious  complaint  "  damping  off." 

For  eight  months  of  the  year  it  is  scarcely 
possible  to  give  too  much  air,  and  where  it  may 
chance  that  a  glass  house  is  chiefly  used  for  the 
shelter  during  winter  of  half-hardy  shrubs,  or 
Roses  planted  out,  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  have 


it  so  built  that  the  lights  can  be  altogether  removed 
when  required.  Of  late  portable  houses  on  rails 
for  forcing  Lilj-  of  the  Valley  and  other  temporar}' 
crops  have  come  somewhat  into  vogue,  and  some 
adaptation  of  the  idea  might  be  of  value  for  the 
glass  garden.  In  any  case  spare  lights  can  always 
be  used  to  good  purpose  in  various  ways,  »■.;/.,  for 
Tomatoes  during  the  summer,  and  need  not  lie  idle. 

Shading. 

It  is  from  February  onwards  that  shading,  no 
less  than  the  ventilation,  of  the  unheated  green- 
house becomes  a  serious  question.  The  shelter  of 
glass  from  storm  and  stress  is  heartily  welcome,  as 
we  know,  to  hardy  and  half-hard}'  plants  which 
flower  at  inclement  seasons,  jet  no  sooner  does  the 
sun  begin  to  shine  in  his  strength  than  the  glazed 
roof  is  apt  to  become  a  funeral  pall. 
If  the  scorching  raj's  are  not  by  some 
means  tempered  a  sudden  farewell  will 
have  to  be  taken  of  fading  and  withered 
flowers.  Tulips  open  wide  and  pale 
beneath  the  ardent  sunbeams.  Narcissi 
lie  prostrate  and  can  never  more  be 
persuaded  to  lift  their  languid  heads. 
Rhododendrons  and  Azaleas  hopelessly 
cast  off  their  flowers  and  dangle  them 
in  an  aggravating  way  by  their  long 
pistils.  Camellias  put  on  brown  edges 
in  token  of  mourning,  and  ever}'  flower 
seems  to  pant  out  a 
feeble  protest  against 
the  cruel  fate  that  took 
them  away  from  the 
fresh  open  air  and  eon- 
signed  them  to  a 
furnace — so  soon  are 
benefits  forgotten  when 
times  are  changed  !  But 
blinds  of  tiffany  or  thin 
strong  netting — mate- 
rials which  give  suffi- 
cient but  not  too  dense 
shade — fixed  on  rollers, 
so  that  the}'  may  be 
raised  or  lowered  at 
pleasure,  will  save  all 
this  disaster.  Some- 
times the  sunshine  lasts 
but  an  hour  or  two, 
yet  every  gardener 
knows  that  more  mis- 
chief can  be  done  by 
an  hour  of  neglect  than 
can  be  repaired  in  a 
season,  for  it  is  not 
only  the  flowers  that 
suffer  but  serious  and 
lasting  injury  is  done 
by  the  scorching  and 
scalding  of  tender 
leaves,  which  are  in 
truth  the  lungs  of  the 
plants.  Permanent 
shading  is  sometimes 
given  by  washing  over 
the  inner  surface  of  the 
glass  in  spring  with 
"Summer  Cloud"  or 
some  similar  composi- 
tion, and  not  removing 
it  until  the  autumn,  but  it  is  only  rarely 
expedient.  Plants  subjected  to  constant  shade 
soon  get  drawn  up  in  a  vain  attempt  to 
reach  the  light,  and  their  leaves  grow  pale  and 
sickly.  Occasionally,  however,  shading  of  this 
kind  may  be  used  with  advantage  in  a  Fern  house 
or  for  a  conservatory  built  in  the  eye  of  the  sun, 
the  tenants  of  which  are  continually  shifting  their 
quarters.  In  such  cases  permanent  shading — i.e., 
for  the  summer — may  be  an  actual  gain,  but  no 
clouding  of  the  glass  looks  well,  and  it  is  at  best 
but  a  poor  makeshift.  For  many  }'ears  during  the 
bright  months  I  used  fixed  blinds  with  the  best 
success  in  a  sunny  conservatory  which  had  no 
established  occupants.  These  were  made  of  very 
thin  strips  of  wood  painted  green,  through  which 
the  light  passed  freely  but  with  a  softened  shade 
as  of  sunshine  in  a  Hazel  coppice,  full  of  restful 


SEMI-DOUBLE    CAMELLIA    LADY    WHITE. 


DEEP    RED 


(From  a  drawing  by  H.  G.  Moim.) 


April  20,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEIVJ. 


281 


harmony.  I  never  saw  such  as  these  elsewhere, 
but  in  some  positions  nothing  could  serve  the 
purpose  better,  and  many  comments  of  approval 
were  bestowed  upon  them.  In  most  plant  houses 
of  the  liind  under  consideration,  however,  roller 
blinds  are  undoubtedly  the  best.  Where  these 
cannot  for  any  reason  conveniently  be  fixed,  tiffany 
may  be  fastened  to  the  rafters  by  hooks  and 
rings,  though  at  the  expense  of  a  good  deal  of  time 
and  trouble  in  putting  up  and  taking  down.  It 
should  be  hooked  to  the  rafters  rather  than  to  the 
sash  bars  to  allow  the  hot  air  to  circulate  freely 
between  the  shading  and  the  glass.  K.  L.  D. 

(To  he  continued.) 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 


SOME     OF    THE     NEWER 
CAMELLIAS. 

WELL  within  the  memory  of  the 
middle-aged  the  full  double 
flower,  with  its  regularly 
imbricated  petals,  was  con- 
sidered to  be  the  perfect  type 
of  Camellia,  though  looser 
flowers,  including  those  with  a  so-called 
Anemone  centre,  were  also  grown.  The  last 
decade  or  two  has,  however,  changed  all  this, 
and  now,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Chrysanthemum, 
Dahlia,  Hollyhock,  (fee,  single  or  semi-double 
blooms  have  numerous  admirers,  the  heavy 
formal  flowers  being  replaced  by  the  lighter 


and  freer  ones,  thus  imparting  a  grace  and 
elegance  which  was  unknown  among  the  older 
kinds.  Many  of  these  forms  are  grown  by  the 
Japanese,  with  whom  flowers  that  are  at  all 
quaint  or  show  a  marked  divergence  from  the 
generally  cultivated  type  are  very  popular. 
Numerous  examples  of  this  may  be  seen  in  the 
.Jajianese  drawings,  and  they  also  occur  plenti- 
fully in  the  catalogues  of  nurserymen  from 
that  "  England  of  the  East." 

Our  own  nurserymen,  too,  have  of  late  taken 
them  in  hand  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent,  and 
last  year  Messrs.  Bander,  of  St.  Albans,  once 
identified  solely  with  Orchids,  but  now 
interested  in  a  most  comprehen.sive  collection 
of  plants,  exhibited  some  charming  varieties 
of  new  Camellias  at  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  meetings  in  the  spring.  One  of  them 
was  the  variety  here  illustrated  (Lady  White), 
the  colour  being  white  flaked  with  deep  red. 
A  second  variety  from  the  same  source  (Lady 
Audrey  Buller)  was  figured  in  The  Garden, 
March  3,  last  year.  This  is  a  large  flower, 
single,  or  nearly  so,  the  petals  being  particu- 
larly broad  and  of  a  pleasing  rose  colour. 
Lady  Roberts,  pink,  edged  with  white  (a  semi- 
double  flower),  was  also  shown  at  the  same 
time  as  the  others,  while  an  award  of  merit 
was  bestowed  upon  Camellia  General  He<;tor 
Macdonald,  a  large  rich  red,  fairly  double 
variety.  These  newer  Camellias  have  none  of 
the  stiifness  or  formality  of  so  many  of  the 
older  kinds,  and  if  these  plants  are  ever  to  be 
reinstated  in  the   position  they  once  held  in 


popular  favour  it  will  be  by  means  of  varieties 
such  as  tliese.  For  the  vagaries  of  fashion  there 
is  no  accounting,  and  the  Camellia  may  .some 
day  come  to  the  front  again.  H.  P. 


HYBRID    AVATER    LILIES. 

The  PLANTiN(i  Season. 

Water  Lilies  are  gaining  in  importance 
yearly.  In  addition  to  the  new  kinds,  splendid 
in  size  and  varied  in  colour,  already  sent  out, 
there  are  others  to  follow,  and  no  one  can  say 
where  the  end  will  be.  Those  at  present  to  be 
had  have  been  fully  described  in  these  pages, 
and  another  year's  experience  of  them  further 
proves  their  sterling  merits.  Those  who  have 
facilities  for  their  growth  ought  to  grow  them, 
and  now  is  the  proper  planting  time.  The  plants 
want  nothing  better  to  grow  in  than  the  natural 
mud  deposit  of  lakes  and  ponds.  To  see  the 
delicate  colour  of  the  noble  Lilies  they  want 
to  be  placed  where  the  eye  can  see  into  them, 
as  on  the  lake  shown  in  the  illustration ;  there- 
fore they  should  be  not  far  from  the  margin  of 
the  water.  To  do  them  well  a  bank  of  rich 
mud  should  be  gathered  together,  and  if  there 
is  an  abundant  deposit  at  the  bottom,  the  water 
might  be  let  ofl'  now  and  the  mud  collected  at 
the  sides  where  it  is  proposed  to  put  the  plants. 
A  great  depth  of  water  is  not  required— in  fact, 
it  is  rather  against  the  plants  unless  they  are 
very  large  and  strong.  A  clear  foot  of  water 
above  the  surface  of  the  mud  is  ample  for  even 


HYBRID   WATER   LILIES   ON   THE   LAKE   AT   GUNNERSEURY   HOUSE. 


282 


THE    GAKDEN. 


FApril  20,  1901. 


RHEUM    OFFieijN'ALE    IX    THE    WILD    GAKDES    AT   CROWSLEY    I'ARK.- 


tlie  largest  and  strongest  growing  kinds,  and 
they  thus  feel  the  influence  of  the  sun,  which 
brings  them  quickly  into  flower.  Even  the 
many  artificial  ponds  that  abound  in  gardens 
may  be  tolerated  for  the  future  if  those  who 
have  them  will  see  that  they  are  filled  with  the 
new  Water  Lilies.  These,  if  the  bottom  is 
of  concrete  or  asphalte,  must  have  banks  or 
mounds  of  soil  made  for  the  plants,  and  the 
winter  is  the  best  time  to  do  the  work.  If 
such  preparations  as  are  really  necessary  to 
their  permanent  well-being  are  made  in  the 
winter,  lakes  and  ponds  will  be  refilled  by  the 
winter  rains,  and  all  that  has  to  be  done  in 
spring  is  to  put  the  plants  into  some  old  wicker 
baskets  with  some  soil  to  keep  them  from 
floating  and  sink  them  where  they  are  to  grow. 
It  matters  not  hov.'  old  the  baskets  are  if  they 
hold  together  for  the  planting.  Water  Lilies 
may  be  planted  as  soon  as  the  mud  banks  are 
made,  provided  there  are  strong  plants  in  the 
place  or  friends  are  going  to  supply  them,  but 
the  advice  here  given  applies  to  newly-pur- 
chased plants.  The  advantage  of  procuring 
them  in  spring  is  that  a  growing  season  is 
before  them,  and  the  danger  of  loss  is  consider- 
ably minimised.  The  greatest  enemy  to  young 
growing  plants  is  the  grub  of  the  caddis  fly, 
which  fastens  on  to  the  leaf-stalks  and  feeds  on 
them  till  they  are  eaten  asunder.  Strong 
plants  are  proof  against  it,  but  young  ones  may 
be  further  weakened  by  the  loss  of  all  their 
leaves,  although  they  generally  grow  again  in 
July  when  the  grub  ceases  to  be  troublesome 
by  changing  its  state.  A. 


Their  large  leaves  are  handsome  in  them- 
selves, but  when  the  great  panicles  of  creamy 
bloom  are  thrown  up  8  feet  or  9  feet  they  are 
a  surprising  as  well  as  a  delightful  sight.  They 
would  be  grand  things  for  bold  grouping  in  a 
large  space  of  distinct  form,  such  as  the  slopes 
of  debris  in  a  disused  quarry. 


RHEUMS. 

Where  there  is  plenty  of  space  in  the  outlying 
parts  of  the  garden  or  any  place  where  a  large 
effect  of  noble  foliage  and  colossal  bloom  is 
desired,  nothing  can  be  better  than  the  great 
Rheums  of  Middle  Asia.  Of  these  the  l>est 
are  R.  Einodi,  a  giant  Rhubarb  of  tlie 
Himalayas  and  R.  officinale  from  Thibet. 


RECENT    PLANT    PORTRAITS. 

The  third  part  of  the  sixteenth  volume  of 
Lindenia  contains  portraits  of  the  four  following 
Orchids  : — 

Galeandra  Balemani.  —  A  handsome  showy 
kind  with  pendulous  bunches  of  half  a  dozen 
medium  sized  flowers,  whose  sepals  are  gold 
colour,  the  outside  of  the  tube  white,  the  inside 
deep  purple  margined  with  white,  and  a  golden 
throat. 

Dcndroliiimi  hookerianum.  —  An  exceedingly 
handsome  variety  with  large  gold  coloured  flowers 
having  two  carmine  fringed  spots  in  the  centre, 
with  a  small  pure  white  spot  above  them. 

Odonlog/osnum  crispnm  rar.  Quo  Vadis. — A 
handsome  and  distinct  variety  with  medium 
sized  flowers  of  a  pure  wliite  with  large  clearly 
marked  spots  of  a  bright  rosy  purple.  The 
name,  however,  seems  somewhat  ridiculous  and 
ill  chosen. 

Cypriptdimn  lathamiaiium  var.  latissimum. — 
An  exceedingly  handsome  and  abnormall}'  large 
flowered  variety  with  an  unusually  pure  white 
upper  sepal  beautifully  veined  with  rose  colour. 

The  April  number  of  the  Revue  de  l' H ortiadlure 
Beige  contains  portraits  of  a  fine  double  flowered 
Azalea  indica,  named  Paid  Weber,  with  deep  rose- 
coloured  flowers  broadly  margined  with  pure  white, 
also  of  Xicoiianrt  cohssea  varieijafa,  one  of  the 
handsomest  variegated  foliage  plants  in  existence, 
and  most  useful  for  sub-tropical  bedding. 

The  first  part  of  the  Heme  Horticole  for  April 
contains  a  portrait  of  Pentnlemon  helerophyl/Ks, 
a  pretty  species  with  violet  and  white  shaded 
tubular  flowers. 

The  Botaniccd  Magazine  for  April  contains 
portraits  nf  Cladrastis  tincloria,  a  native  of  the 
\Vu^^ern  United  States,  also  known  as  Virgilia 
hitea.       This    is    the  Yellow  or  Gopher  Wood,  of 


commerce ;  it  was  introduced  into 
England  in  1812,  but  flowered 
for  the  first  time  at  Kew  in 
19(111.  Its  flowers  are  produced 
in  a  long  pendent  panicle  re- 
sembling those  of  a  pure  white 
Acacia. 

Amorphophrd/ii.t  leoneniis. — A 
native  of  western  tropical  Africa, 
also  known  as  Corynophallus 
leonensis,  C.  Afzelii,  Hydrosme 
leonensis,  and  Arum  aphyllum. 
This  is  an  ugly  botanical 
curiosity  having  a  purple 
spathe  with  a  white  base,  and 
requiring  the  temperature  of  a 
stove. 

Kalanchoe  farinacea.  —  A 
native  of  Socotra.  A  rather 
pretty  crassulaceous  plant  with 
curious  spoon  -  shaped  glaucous 
foliage  and  bunches  of  small 
bloom,  the  lower  half  of  the 
' .  I  flower  is  yellow  and  the  upper 
»i!       bright  red. 

Roiafedtichenkoana. — A  native 
of  Turkestan.  This  is  a  pretty 
single  white  -  flo%vered  species 
with  almost  black  bark  on  the 
older  branches  and  red-brown  on 
the  younger.  It  bloomed  at  Kew 
in  June,  1900,  and  ripened  fruit 
in  the  following  September. 
Dr.  Regel  describes  four  forms  of 
this  Rose.  The  scent  is  unplea- 
sant. 

Slapelia   nobilis. — A  native   of 

South  Africa.    This  distinct  and 

handsome  species  is  closelv  allied 

to    S.    gigantea    (t.     7068),    the 

flowers   being  similar  in  colour  but  much  smaller. 

It    bloomed   at    Kew     in    1900   in    the   succulent 

house.  W.  E.  Gdmbleton. 


A    CITY    RECTORY    GARDEN. 

Those  who  are  at  all  familiar  with  the  City  of 
London  will  doubtless  remember  a  church 
which  stands  in  Queen  Victoria  Street,  be- 
tween "  the  Bible  House  "  and  the  Times 
office,  and  they  maj'  have  also  noticed  at  the 
east  end  of  this  church  a  flight  of  steps  called 
Wardrobe  Terrace.  If  they  had  the  curiosity 
to  mount  these  steps  and  bear  round  to  the 
left  they  would  find  themselves  in  a  narrow 
passage  which  makes  a  short  cut  to  St.  Andrew's 
Hill,  and  they  will  have  noticed  that  while  the 
church  stands  on  one  side  of  the  passage,  the 
other  side  is  formed  of  an  uninteresting  brick 
wall,  intersected  only  by  two  opaque  glass 
windows,  through  which  a  few  green  plants  can 
be  dimly  seen,  and  by  a  door  leading  into  the 
garden  behind  the  house.  If  by  good  luck,  as 
they  passed,  this  door  happened  to  be  open, 
they  would  see  a  sight  which  would  surprise 
them  !  The  first  thing  that  would  meet  their 
eye  would  be  the  subject  of  the  accompanying 
photograph.  The  foreground  consists  of  a 
bank  of  rockwork,  interspersed  by  hundreds 
of  the  very  finest  Crocuses  which  one  could  find 
anywhere,  mo.stly  purple,  light  mauve  striped, 
pure  white,  and  a  few  yellow.  These  were  put 
in  last  autumn,  and  have  certainly  done 
splendidly  m  spite  of  smuts  and  smoke.  The 
only  grievous  thing  about  them  is  that  when 
the  flowers  are  over  the  bulbs  will  have  to  be 
pulled  up  and  thrown  away,  as  we  have  found 
that  one  season  is  quite  enough  for  them,  they 
would  not  flower  again  if  left  in  for  another 
year.  Last  spring  we  found  that,  beyond 
bulbs,  any  sort  of  outdoor  gardening  was  hope- 
less in  a  spot  so  completely  shut  in  by  high 
buildings  on  every  side,  so  that,  until  the_sun 
rises  high  enough  to  overtop  these,  not  a  ray 
reaches     the     small    garden.      We    therefore 


April   20,  1901.] 


TlIK    GARDEN. 


283 


determined  last  spring  that  we  would  build  a 
greenhouse  and  try  what  could  be  done  under 
glass. 

We  started  with  a  house  20  feet  by  10  feet; 
but  finding  that  this  left  a  useless  corner 
between  it  and  the  wall,  we  determined  to 
have  that  too  glazed  in,  and  found  it  gave  a 
good  deal  of  extra  room,  with  the  great  advan- 
tage of  being  able  to  convert  one  corner  of  it 
into  a  much-needed  potting  shed.  We  started 
last  May  with  a  good  collection  of  Ferns,  and 
found  these  were  the  most  satisfactory,  from 
the  fact  that  they  could  be  syringed  and  do  not 
need  too  much  sun.  The  greenhouse  is  heated 
by  hot  water  pipes  from  a  saddle-back  boiler 
in  the  scullery,  which  is  made  at  the  same  time 
to  do  the  double  duty  of  supplying  heat  to  a 
small  frame  in  the  garden,  and,  by  the  means  of 
large  radiators,  to  the  house.  We  have  already 
tried  many  and  various  kinds  of  plants,  and  it 
is  only  fair  to  think  that  many  more  might 
have  thriven  if  we  had  only  properly  under- 
stood their  treatment  and  culture  ;  but,  as 
keen  amateurs,  we  have  much  to  learn,  and  we 
scan  eagerly  the  pages  of  The  Garden  for  any 
useful  hints  when  it  comes  every  week. 
Geraniums  have,  so  far,  been  a  failure. 
Cyclamen  do  very  well,  also  Palms  and  Ferns 
of  all  kinds.  Azaleas  do  very  well  the  first 
year  ;  but  we  have  not  sufficient  sun  to  ripen 
the  wood  for  another  blooming.  Tulips  and 
Hyacintlis  and  all  kinds  of  bulbs  have  been 
very  successful,  while  the  photograph  shows,  at 
the  back  of  the  rockery,  some  old  Lily  of  the 
Valley  plants  which  have  been  very  fine. 
We  have  now  some  beautiful  Olivias  in  full 
bloom. 

The  one  tree  of  which  the  garden  boasts  is, 
unfortunately,  a  Lime,  which  last  year  brought 
us  hundreds  of  caterpillars,  destroying  many 
things  we  had  planted  in  the  garden.  This  we 
are  thinking  of  changing  for  an  Apple  tree, 
but  are  doubtful  as  to  the  best  kind  to  get. 
We  should  of  course  like  a  Cox's  Orange  Pippin, 
but  have  been  advised  that  this  would  hardly 
do  as  well  as  a  Blenheim  Orange.  Would  any 
friend  tell  us  of  the  kind  most  likely  to 
flourish  in  the  City  1 

Finally,  I  must  not  forget  to  mention  the 
Manettia  bicolor,  a  small  plant  of  which  was 
given  me  last  summer,  and  this  grew   to  the 


roof  of  the  greenhouse,  and  has  flowered  the 
whole  winter  through. 

Mes.  p.  Clementi-Smit}i. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Earliest  Vines. 
'HERE    pot   Vines  are   grown 


for 


W  earliest  supplies  the  bunches  will 
now  be  nearly  fully  grown,  and 
at  this  stage  the  plants  will  need 
more  food,  for  once  the  berries 
begin  to  colour  this  is  not  needed, 
and  as  the  berries  ripen  atmospheric  moisture 
must  be  reduced.  At  the  same  time  a  liberal 
temperature  must  be  maintained,  as  with  more 
ventilation  undue  lowering  of  the  temperature  is 
not  advised.  Avoid  a  check  of  any  kind,  for  such 
would  greatly  affect  the  quality  of  the  (irapes. 
Pot  Vines  being  grown  on  for  next  year's  supply 
should  have  liberal  treatment  in  the  way  of  careful 
ventilation  and  atmospheric  moisture,  feeding 
when  the  pots  are  full  of  roots,  and  not  allowing  the 
Vines  to  make  long-jointed  growths,  as  is  at  times 
the  case  if  kept  too  hot.  Tlie  fruits  of  the  Vines 
started  in  December  for  the  early  supply  to  follow 
the  pot  Vines  will  now  be  swelling  freely,  and  it 
may  be  necessary  to  go  over  the  bunches,  giving  a 
final  thinning  ;  with  shallow  borders  there  is  a 
greater  demand  upon  the  roots,  and  more  attention 
must  be  paid  to  moisture  and  stimulants.  To 
assist  the  roots  I  would  advise  mulching  with 
short  manure.  This  will  also  assist  the  foliage 
and  prevent  red  spider,  if  there  is  any  tendency 
of  the  latter  pest  to  appear,  as  is  often  the  case 
with  Vines  hard  forced  and  not  far  away  fi'om  the 
hot-water  pipes.  The  temperature  for  Vines  at 
this  stage  should  be  from  65"  to  70"  in  mild 
weather  at  night  and  a  rise  of  10"  by  day.  Close 
early  in  the  day,  allowing  the  thermometer  to  run 
up  freely  ;  damp  the  paths,  borders,  and  bare 
places  in  the  house.  As  soon  as  the  berries  begin 
to  turn  colour  reduce  the  moisture  gradually  and 
ventilate  more  freely,  but  avoid  cold  draughts  ; 
indeed,  a  warm  circulation  of  air  will  do  much  to 
give  the  colour  and  finish  desired. 
Succession  Houses. 
These  in  manj'  gardens  are  most  important,  and 
here  the  best  Grapes  can  be  grown,  as  with  hard 
forcing  such  good  results  cannot  be  expected. 
Vines  started  early  in  February  will  now  be  at  the 


flowering  stage,  and  will  need  more  care  for  a 
short  time  until  the  berries  are  growing  freely. 
8onie  kinds  set  badly,  .such  as  the  Muscats  and  one 
or  two  of  the  late  kinds.  Here  it  will  be  well  to 
fertilise,  and  should  any  free  setters,  such  as  Black 
Hamburgh,  be  in  bloom  it  is  an  easy  matter  to 
transfer  some  of  the  pollen,  using  a  camel's  hair 
brush.  Thinning  should  be  commenced  as  soon  as 
the  berries  are  large  enough  to  handle,  as  if  this 
work  is  delayed  with  free  setting  varieties  the 
work  is  done  under  greater  difficulties.  There 
should  be  no  delay  in  reducing  the  bunches  not 
needed  :  indeed,  always  reduce  the  free  setting 
kinds  before  they  come  into  flower  that  those  left 
maj'  strengthen.  With  old  canes  or  those  cropping 
freely  now  is  a  suitable  time  to  give  stimulants. 

<i.   WVTHES. 

Si/on  House  Gardens,  Breiii ford. 


CKOCUSBS   IN    A   LONDON   RECTORY   GARDEN    (CLOSE  TO   ST.    PAUL'S   CATHEDRAL). 


KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

AuTUMN-sowN  Cauliflowers 
should  be  planted  out  as  soon  as  the  weather  is 
favourable  ;  the  cold  wind  and  sharp  frost  recently 
experienced  make  one  rather  chary  about  sub- 
jecting such  a  valuable  crop  as  this  to  the  mercy 
of  the  weather,  but  the  time  has  arrived  when 
they  must  have  attention,  and  protection  may  be 
given  by  placing  Spruce  or  other  evergreen  branches 
round  the  plants  at  the  time  of  planting  out.  If 
they  are  in  pots  and  ha\'e  been  properly  hardened 
off,  little  more  protection  that  this  will  be  necessary, 
especially  if  a  sheltered  border  has  been  set  aside 
for  their  cultivation.  Snowball  and  other  dwarf- 
growing  varieties  may  be  planted  in  rows  18  inches 
apart  and  16  inches  from  plant  to  plant.  Early 
London  and  Walcheren  should  be  given  6  inches 
more  each  way  ;  harden  off  spring-sown  plants  for 
planting  out  in  May,  and  make  another  small 
sowing  in  the  open  border  for  succession.     All 

Peas 
requiring  support  should  be  earthed  up  and  staked 
at  once,  and  further  sowings  made  as  soon  as  the 
latest  sown  batch  shows  above  the  ground.  It  is 
a  good  plan  to  sow  a  few  rows  of  some  approved 
early  variety  when  each  sowing  is  made  to  come 
in  a  few  days  in  advance  of  the  general  crop.  Peas 
in  pits  should  have  abundance  of  air  and  never 
allowed  to  become  dry.  A  few  short  sticks  placed 
so  as  to  keep  the  plants  from  the  ground  will 
assist  the  free  passage  of  air  amongst  the  foliage, 
and  the  plants  will  be  less  likely  to  suffer  from 
mildew.  Peas  in  pots  should  have  frequent 
supplies  of  weak  liquid  manure  to  keep  them 
growing  freely  while  the  fruits  are  developing. 
Asparagus. 
The  time  is  at  hand  when  the  planting 
of  permanent  beds  of  Asparagus  should 
receive  attention.  The  ground  having 
been  trenched  and  well  manured,  should, 
if  heavy,  receive  a  good  dressing  of  road 
or  river  sand  to  keep  it  open,  for  nothing 
is  more  detrimental  to  the  cultivation 
of  good  Asparagus  than  badly-drained 
soil,  although  large  quantities  of  farmyard 
manure  may  be  given  with  advantage. 
When  the  beds  are  set  out  for  planting 
they  may  be  6  feet  wide  with  an  alle3' 
of  -1  feet  between  each  'bed.  If  the  line 
is  set  and  small  mounds  placed  at  proper 
distances  apart,  the  roots  of  the  young 
plants  may  be  spread  over  each  mound 
and  covered  to  the  depth  of  2  inches 
with  fine  soil  from  the  allej',  thus  forming 
the  beds  several  inches  above  the  level  of 
the  former.  The  best  time  to  plant  is 
when  the  3^oung  shoots  have  made 
i  inches  of  growth  above  the  surface  of 
the  soil.  Push  forward  the  planting  of 
late  varieties  of 

Potatoes 
when  the  ground  is  in  a  fit  state,  and 
give  plenty  of  air  to  those  in  heated  pits  ; 
aflbrd  water  when  necessar}',  but  do  not 
saturate  the  foliage  when  watering  the 
soil.  When  the  tubers  in  pots  are  large 
enough  they  should  be  kept  cool  and 
moderately  dry  until  required  for  table  ; 


284 


THE     GARDEN. 


[April  20,  1901. 


later  crops  in  cold  frames  should  be  earthed  up 
and  treated  in  the  same  way  as  advised  for  heated 
frames.  .John  Dunn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Gardens,  Wind'sor. 


INDOOK    GARDEN 

Carnations. 
These  will  now  be  growing  rapidly  and  flowering 
abundantly,  and  every  chance  should  be  given  so 
that  the  best  results  are  attained  by  the  removal  of 
all  surplus  growths,  because,  if  not  required  for 
stock,  a  great  strain  is  unnecessarily  put  on  the 
energies  of  the  roots.  Liberal  feeding  must  be 
supplied,  and  in  dull,  cold  weather  sufficient  heat 
must  be  maintained  to  keep  the  plants  in  a  growing 
state.  That  new  variety  C.  americana  is  at 
present  in  bloom  here,  and  its  bright  flowers, 
produced  on  a  stout  stem,  are  the  admiration  of  all 
C.  John  Peter  Rugus  is  another  variety  which 
ought  to  be  grown  extensively,  as  the  free-flowering 
habit  of  the  plant,  combined  with  a  good  consti- 
tution, justifies  me  in  making  this  suggestion.  The 
Malmaison,  too,  will  be  pushing  up  its  flowering 
stems,  and  will  require  daily  attention.  Cuttings 
rooted  as  advised  in  a  foimer  issue,  if  not  already 
put  into  small  pots,  should  be  at  once  dealt  with. 
A  moderately  freely  sifted  soil,  composed  of  loam, 
leaf-soil,  sand,  and  a  sprinkling  of  horse  manure, 
should  be  used,  clean  pots  and  a  little  broken 
charcoal  provided  ;  with  a  watering  to  settle 
the  soil  about  the  roots,  and  comfortable  quarters 
for  a  time,  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not 
be  ready  for  4i-inch  pots  in  a  month  from  now. 

FooiisrAS. 

Similar  remarks  might  here  be  advised  as  to  the 
potting  up  of  cuttings,  and  a  soil  slightly  richer 
may  conveniently  be  used,  for  no  plants  establish 
themselves  so  readily  as  this  well  known  subject. 
Pot  up  seedlings  of  Cockscombs,  &c. ,  advised  to  be 
sown  some  time  ago.  Use  a  fine  soil,  carefully 
handling  the  tiny  seedlings  that  they  be  not 
crippled  in  their  present  state  ;  water  in  every 
case  should  be  given  when  the  seedling  is  put  into 
fresh  soil. 

BonVARDIAS. 

These  having  been  duly  cut  back  are  now  once 
again  sending  forth  numerous  growths,  indicating 
root  action  in  full  swing,  and  should  it  be  decided 
to  repot  no  time  should  be  lost.  The  Bouvardia, 
however,  is  by  no  means  a  plant  which  likes 
frequent  disturbing  at  the  root,  as  once  I  flowered 
a  batch  which  had  not  been  disturbed  for  three 
years  ;  they  were  such  beautiful  specimens  that  in 
the  autumn  I  was  prevailed  upon  to  send  them  to 
several  shows,  where  they  were  much  admired. 
Liberal  top-dressing  is,  in  my  opinion,  preferable 
to  repotting,  unless,  of  course,  when  the  soil 
becomes  sour  and  a  change  is  absolutely  necessary. 
To  maintain  a  healthy,  useful  patch,  some  cuttings 
should  be  put  in  annually,  which,  if  well  grown  and 
carefully  pinched,  will  in  time  make  succession 
stock.  A  moderately  light  soil  should  be  used  in 
potting,  and  tight  ramming  should  be  avoided. 
Fekns. 

These  having  made  a  fair  start  into  growth  should 
have  a  general  overhaul,  and  any  decayed  fronds 
removed,  using  a  pair  of  vine  scissors  in  the  work, 
as  thus  no  damage  is  done  to  the  numerous  crowns. 

J.  F.  McLeou. 

Dover  Home  Gardens,  Roehampton. 

THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Water  Lilies. 
These  will  now  be  on  the  move,  and  no  better 
time  could  be  chosen  for  planting,  provided  the 
weather  is  genial.  If  they  have  been  previously 
planted  in  tubs  and  are  to  be  moved  to  a  pond,  the 
latter  having  previously  been  emptied  of  water, 
mounds  of  loam  and  cow  manure  mi.xed  together 
should  first  be  placed  in  position,  the  mounds 
varying  according  to  the  size  of  the  plants,  but 
being  ample  in  all  cases,  as  Nymphfeas  are  gross 
rooting  plants  and  pay  for  feeding.  The  plants 
should  then  be  got  in,  laying  the  roots  out  fully 
and  covering  them  witli  similar  soil,  on  which  may 
be   laid   a   few   flat   stones  here  and   there.     The 


crown  of  the  mounds  should  be  about  2  feet  below 
the  water  surface  when  the  pond  is  refilled,  which 
should  be  done  as  quickly  as  possible.  Where  the 
pond  cannet  be  emptied,  good  results  may  be  had 
by  planting  in  baskets — nurserymen's  "flats" — 
which  should  be  filled  in  with  rich  soil  and  sunk 
into  position.  If  possible,  choose  a  showery  day 
for  planting  in  an  empty  pond,  and  be  quick  about 
the  transfer,  as  these  Lilies  do  not  like  being  dry 
while  in  leaf.  Of  course,  with  purchased  tubers  in 
the  dry  state  the  case  is  different,  but  these  I 
should  prefer  first  of  all  to  establish  in  tubs  before 
planting  them  in  a  pond. 

Bamboos. 
Bamboos  are  in  the  way  of  becoming  popular, 
but,  handsome  as  they  are  when  doing  well,  they 
are  not  plants  for  every  garden.  In  the  humid 
climate  of  Cornwall  and  the  West  of  Ireland  they 
succeed  almost  anywhere  with  a  tolerable  amount 
of  shelter,  but  in  drier  climates  they  not  only  want 
shelter,  but  provision  for  a  bountiful  supply  of 
water  throughout  the  summer,  and  especially  for 
the  six  weeks  or  so  in  which  they  make  most  of 
their  growth.  Too  much  water  cannot  then  be 
given  them,  and,  without  it,  the  tall,  large- 
stemmed  kinds  become  puny,  without  grace  or 
beauty.  A  soil  rich  in  humus  is  also  desirable, 
and,  if  not  naturally  so  composed,  considerable 
quantities  of  decayed  leaf-mould  should  be  added. 
Planting  may  be  carried  out  now.  Most  species 
may  be  divided  and  planted  direct,  but  it  is  better 
to  get  large  established  pieces  from  pots,  as  these 
ilo  not  get  a  double  check  at  the  same  time.  When 
young  canes  show  commence  to  water  freely,  and 
continue  doing  so  until  the  maximum  of  growth  is 
reached. 

Herbaceous  Plants. 

These  will  be  sutficiently  advanced  for  the  crowns 
to  be  thinned,  an  operation  that  should  not  be 
overlooked  in  old  -  established  plants,  for  they 
mostly  show  far  more  growths  than  they  can  bring 
to  perfection.  The  extent  to  which  thinning  may 
take  place  must  be  judged  by  the  nature  of  the 
plant  and  its  growth.  No  exact  rule  can  be  laid 
down  for  all,  but  it  should  be  ample,  and  as  a 
general  rule  the  best  and  strongest  growths  will  be 
found  farthest  from  the  centre  of  each  clump. 

Climbers. 
Climbers  of  early  growth,  such  as  most  of  the 
Clematises,  should  be  looked  over  and  the  best 
young  shoots  tied  into  position  and  kept  from 
intertwining  with  other  growths,  so  that  they  may 
fill  the  best  positions  on  the  trellis  or  wall  they  are 
to  cover.  Protect  young  shoots  coming  from  the 
base,  so  that  slugs  may  not  eat  them,  for  these 
base  growths  are  valuable. 

Jasmindm  nudiflorum 

should  be  pruned  now,  if  pruning  is  needed.     The 
young  growth  will  then   have  time  to  grow  and 
ripen  for  next  winter's  flowers.      J.  C.  Tallack. 
Shipley  Hall  Gardeiu,  Derby. 


ORCHIDS. 

The  season  of  the  year  has  again  arrived  when 
repotting  may  commence  in  earnest.  This  is  a  very 
important  operation,  and  should  be  performed  with 
the  greatest  amount  of  care,  the  roots  of  the  plants 
adhering  to  the  receptacle  in  which  they  are  grown, 
so  that  it  is  difficult  to  liberate  and  transfer  to 
others  without  causing  injury  in  some  degree, 
hence  the  great  care  necessary.  The  kinds  that 
need  repotting  at  this  season  are  numerous. 
Many  of  the  warm  intermediate  and  cool  Orchids, 
such  as  Cypripedium,  Selenipedium,  Angrsecum, 
Phajus,  Calanthes,  Spathoglottis,  Thunia,  Cat- 
tleya,  Oncidium,  Anguloa,  and  Odontoglossum 
will  now  require  attention.  Orchids  should  be  dis- 
turbed at  the  root  as  little  as  possible,  but  should 
never  be  allowed  to  remain  in  sour  material.  The 
majority  require  to  be  repotted  once  in  two  or 
three  years,  or  as  soon  as  they  may  want  more 
rooting  space.  The  time  to  repot  is  better  deter- 
mined by  the  condition  of  the  plants  rather  than 
by  the  season  of  the  year.  No  plant  should  be 
repotted  unless  in  the  right  stage,  that  is  when 
growth  is  commencing  and  emitting  new  roots  from 


the  base  of  the  young  growth.  Cypripediums  and 
such  species  that  are  never  allowed  to  become  very 
dry  at  the  root  should  be  repotted,  so  that  the  base 
of  the  plant  is  level,  or  a  little  below  the  rim  of  the 
pot.  Dendrobiums,  Cattleyas,  Oncidiums,  and 
Odontoglossums  should  be  raised  a  little  above  the 
rim  of  the  pot.  Peat  and  sphagnum  moss  form  the 
most  suitable  compost  for  epiphytal  Orchids,  the 
terrestrial  species  being  benefited  bj'  an  addition 
of  fibrous  loam.  All  plants  that  have  been  repotted 
should  have  extra  shading  and  be  sparingly 
watered  until  the  roots  have  penetrated  the  new 
compost. 

Spathoglottis 

is  a  genus  comprising  a  number  of  species, 
mostly  stove  terrestrial  Orchids,  natives  of  warm 
regions,  and  in  consequence  require  a  stove 
temperature.  Spathoglottis  Aureo  Vallardi  and 
Spathoglottis  kimballiana  are  two  handsome 
species  requiring  a  warm  humid  atmosphere,  a 
position  well  shaded  from  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun,  and  plenty  of  water  applied  to  the  roots 
during  the  growing  season.  Both  species  are  com- 
mencing to  grow,  and  should  therefore  be  repotted 
if  requiring  more  rooting  space.  After  repotting, 
the  plants  should  be  watered  somewhat  sparingly 
until  new  roots  have  penetrated  the  new  material. 
Peat,  sphagnum  moss,  and  fibrous  loam,  in  equal 
proportions,  form  a  suitable  compost  for  these 
species. 

Thunias  may  now  be  repotted  ;  T.  alSa  and  T. 
marshalliana  are  strong  growing  species  requiring 
a  greater  amount  of  rooting  space  than  T.  Bensonia, 
the  last-named  species  producing  fewer  roots.  First 
remove  the  pseudo-bulbous  stems  from  their  pots, 
shake  away  all  old  material,  cut  back  all  deca_ved 
roots,  leaving  sufficient  to  support  the  stems 
somewhat  when  repotting,  and  procure  clean  pots 
half  filled  with  clean  crocks.  Place  over  this  a  thin 
layer  of  sphagnum  moss.  Fix  the  plants  firmly  by 
means  of  stakes,  so  that  the  base  of  the  young 
growth  is  level  with  the  compost  and  a  little  below 
the  rim  of  the  pot.  Peat,  sphagnum  moss,  and 
fibrous  loam,  in  equal  proportions,  form  a  suitable 
material,  pressing  the  same  moderately  firm.  Verj' 
little  water  is  necessary  until  the  roots  have  taken 
possession  of  the  new  material.  They  should  then 
have  an  abundance  of  water  and  be  freely  syringed 
overhead.  Place  the  plants  in  a  light  position  in  a 
stove  or  the  warmest  end  of  the  Cattleya  house. 

F.  W.  Thurgood. 

Rosslyn  Gardens,  Slamt'ord  Hill. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

The  weather  during  the  greater  part  of  March 
was  anything  but  favourable  for  the  growth  of  the 
Chrysanthemum.  Consequently  many  plants,  even 
where  they  have  had  the  greatest  attention  be- 
stowed on  them,  do  not  present  that  healthy  and 
robust  appearance  which  they  should  do  at  this 
season.  Owing  to  cold  biting  north-easterly  winds 
the  lights  had  to  be  kept  closed  during  the  whole 
time,  so  that  every  inducement  must  now  be 
afforded  them  to  regain  their  usual  vigour  as 
speedily  as  possible,  which  with  the  more  genial 
weather  we  may  now  reasonably  expect  they  will 
soon  do.  Collections  which  are  in  a  backward 
condition  should  be  kept  in  cold  frames  till  the  end 
of  the  present  month  if  possible,  but  abundance  of 
air  should  be  given  the  plants  whenever  the 
weather  will  allow.  During  heavy  rains  the  lights 
should  be  placed  over  them  and  blocked  up  to 
prevent  the  soil  becoming  soddened.  Spray  the 
plants  morning  and  evening  on  fine  days  with  tepid 
water  in  bright  sunny  weather  and  again  in  the 
middle  of  the  day  ;  this  will  assist  theni  materially 
and  prevent  flagging  to  any  great  extent.  Some 
growers  shade  after  repotting  ;  I  do  not  consider 
this  necessary,  but  on  the  other  hand  harmful. 

Preparations  for  removing  the  plants  outside 
must  be  made  in  many  cases  owing  to  want  of 
space  under  glass  at  this  important  season, 
providing  they  have  sufficiently  recovered  from 
repotting  and  a  suitable  spot  can  be  found  no  harm 
will  accrue ;  in  fact,  they  will  be  far  better  in 
such  a  position  than  crowded  together  in  cold 
frames.  The  two  dangers  to  be  guarded  against 
are  frost  and  heavy  rains.     It  matters  not  how  weH 


April  20,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


285 


the  plants  have  been  hardened,  they  are  very 
susceptible  to  injury  by  frost,  even  a  few  degrees 
will  injure  them  considerably,  and,  in  fact,  in  my 
opinion  none  should  ever  be  allowed  to  reach  them 
at  any  season,  even  after  they  have  been  growing  in 
the  open  during  the  summer.  Choose  if  possible  a 
sheltered  position  under  a  south  walland  erect  a  tern  - 
porary  skeleton  frame,  fix  a  board  to  the  depth  of 
18  inches  at  the  back  and  9  inches  in  front ;  afowneat 
upright  posts  should  be  placed  about  9  feet  aparl, 
when  rails  and  rafters  can  easily  be  added,  and  if 
these  are  placed  sufficiently  high  to  enable  one  to 
get  underneath  and  examine  the  plants,  all  the 
better,  roller  blinds  or  mats  can  then  easily  be  placed 
over  them  during  the  night.  I  have  found  the 
dressed  canvas  covers  now  so  much  used  in  gardens 
excellent  for  warding  oft  heavy  rains  as  well  as  a 
protection  against  frost  :  the  rails  and  rafters 
should  be  fixed  higher  at  the  back  than  the  front 
to  enable  the  water  to  run  off  quickly. 

The  plants  should  be  arranged  neatly  on  boards 
or  battens  3  inches  in  width,  the  latter  being  pre- 
ferable, while  the  plants  are  in  6-inch  pots,  as  they 
are  neater  and  more  economical,  thus  9-inch  boards 
ripped  down  make  three.  The  more  room  within 
reason  the  plants  are  allowed  the  better,  at  least 
sufficient  should  be  given  them  for  each  to  stand 
quite  clear  of  its  neighbour  and  to  afford  facilities 
for  examining  them  carefully,  watering,  &c. 
Eight  rows  in  a  bed  should  be  the  limit,  leaving 
sufficient  space  to  walk  between,  thus  four  rows 
can  be  examined  each  side,  and  any  backward  or 
sickly  plants  retained  in  the  frame  for  a  short  time 
longer  and  nursed  along  carefully  so  that  they  can 
be  placed  with  the  bulk  as  soon  as  they  are 
sufficiently  strong. 

See  that  each  plant  is  made  safe  by  tying,  using 
broad  pieces  of  bass,  and  allow  sufficient  room  to 
swell.  Watch  minutely  for  green  and  black  fly, 
and  dust  the  points  frequently  with  tobacco 
powder  or  the  foliage  will  be  disfigured  later  on. 

Pompons  and  Pompon  Anemones  ought  now  to 
be  sufficiently  advanced  for  repotting  into  (i-inch 
pots.  Precisely  the  same  kind  of  treatment  as  to 
drainage  and  compost  should  be  given  to  them  as 
advised  for  the  larger  flowering  section  in  a 
previous  calendar.  Pinch  out  the  points  to  en- 
courage a  bushy  growth.  Edwin  Beckett. 

A/deiihnm   Hoii.-ie  Gardeni,  Elilree,  Hmix. 


THE     ROSE     GARDEN. 

ROSES      FOR      LOW 
TRELLISES. 

SOME  time  ago  I  met  with  an  instance 
of  the  many  uses  to  which  that  popular 
Rose  W.  A.  Richardson  may  be  put,  and 
it  was  as  a  trellis  variety'.  It  was  only 
surrounding  a  small  lawn,  but  the  owner 
evidently  took  much  pride  in  his  few 
Roses,  for  they  were  as  healthy  as  possible.  This 
trellis,  fashioned  in  serai-circular  shape,  was  only 
about  4  feet  high,  and  the  Roses  were  covering  it 
completely.  Seeing  the  shade  produced  by  this 
trellis,  it  occurred  to  me  that  we  might  do  some- 
thing in  the  same  way  to  shield  the  borders  in  which 
climbing  Roses  are  growing  upon  hot  southern 
walls.  Those  who  have  such  walls  will  know  how 
trying  the  hot  sun  is  to  the  plants.  It  may,  of 
course,  be  partially  remedied  by  timely  mulching 
or  hoeing,  but  if  a  row  of  dwarf  Tea  Roses  upon 
low  trellises  will  answer  the  same  purpose,  then 
obviously  they  would  be  of  much  value.  This 
would  not  be  possible  upon  very  narrow  borders, 
but  given  a  border  of  some  2^  feet  to  3  feet  in 
width,  then  I  would  certainly  advise  its  adoption. 
All  kinds  would  not  be  suitable.  The  best 
would  be  of  the  Marie  Van  Houtte  and  Anna 
Ollivier  type  as  regards  growth.  There  are  plenty 
of  this  description,  for  instance,  Mme.  Lambard, 
Mme.  Abel  Chatenay,  Viscountess  Folkestone, 
Caroline  Testout,  &c.,  and  these  would  provide 
one  with  quantities  of  cut  bloom  throughout  the 
season.  Plant  2J  feet  to  3  feet  apart,  prune  the 
first  year  to  about  6  inches  of  the  base,  then 
spread  out  shoots  as  they  grow,  and  they  will  soon 


meet  and  form  a  low  wall  of  fragrant  blossom. 
Such  Roses  may  always  be  kept  down,  say  to 
3  feet  in  height,  by  careful  pruning. 

Pot  Roses  that  have  become  debilitated  by 
frequent  forcing  may  here  be  planted,  and  will,  if 
the  land  be  well  done,  soon  develop  into  some  fine 
bushes.  They  will  show  by  their  vigorous  young 
wood  springing  up  from  the  base  that  they  appre- 
ciate the  treatment.  It  will  hardly  pay  to  repot 
such  as  these  again,  but  it  could  be  done  if  desired, 
lifting  them  after  they  have  been  out  two  years. 


DWARF    POLYANTHA    ROSES. 

Tub  dwarf  hybrid  seedlings  of  R.  polyantha, 
illustrated  in  The  Garden  of  March  30,  constitute 
a  most  charming  group.  They  are  comparatively 
modern  creations,  the  first  introduction,  as  far  as 
I  am  aware,  being  Anne  Marie  de  Montravel, 
which  appeared  in  the  year  1872.  Now  there  are 
some  fifty  varieties  in  cultivation.  One  of  the 
most  beautiful  is  Perle  d'Or,  the  subject  of  the 
accompanying  illustration.  These  Roses  are  well 
adapted  for  massing,  their  most  remarkable  feature 
being  the  immense  panicles  and   corymbs  of  tiny 


But  rosarians  do  not  favour  the  introduction  of  the 
large  flowered  section,  for  one  obtains  size  at  the 
expense  of  the  fine  trusses  of  bloom  which  the 
majority  of  the  kinds  yield.  It  is  strange  that  all 
these  dwarf  Polyantha  Roses  are  very  perpetual 
flowering,  seeing  that  R..  polyantha  is  summer 
flowering  only.  But  doubtless  this  is  owing  to  the 
cross  breeding  with  the  tribes  already  alluded  to. 
As  to  varieties  they  are  already  too  numerous,  but 
the  kinds  named  below  should  find  a  place  in  every 
garden.     One  of  the  most  decorative  is 

Gloire  des  Polyantha, 
its    immense    bunches   of    rosy    pink    flowers   are 
produced  abundantly  and  continuously. 

Perle  des  Rouges 
is  the  richest  crimson  colour  yet  produced.     It  is 
very  bright   and   pleasing,    and   will   answer  very 
well  until  we  obtain  one  as  brilliant   in  colour  as 
Crimson  Rambler. 

Anna  Marie  de  Montravel, 
already   mentioned,   is  the   best   whitf!.     All  who 
have    seen    the   fine    masses    of    it   at   Downside, 
Leatherhead,  will   need  no  further  introduction  to 
a  very  lovely  Rose. 


polyantha    rose    VEKLB    D  UK. 


double  flowers.  But  it  is  not  solely  as  bedding 
Roses  that  they  are  useful,  for  whether  as  single 
specimens,  or  as  an  edging  to  a  bed  or  border  of 
standards,  they  possess  distinct  individuality  most 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  For  conservatory  decoration 
they  are  invaluable,  their  graceful  growth  and 
prolific  blossoming  making  them  the  prettiest  pot 
plants  imaginable.  Although  they  may  be  pruned 
down  close  to  the  ground  and  yet  blossom  freely, 
there  is  no  doubt  that  they  are  best  seen  when  very 
sparsely  pruned. 

Providing  the  centre  of  the  bushes  be  well 
thinned,  I  would  always  advocate  very  slight 
pruning.  They  have  the  reputation  of  being 
diminutive  Roses,  and  generally  speaking  they  are 
so,  if  the  blossom  be  only  considered,  but  as  far  as 
growth  is  concerned,  many  of  the  kinds  are  almost 
as  vigorous  as  the  Tea  and  Chinese  Rose,  of  which 
doubtless  they  in  part  owe  their  origin  by  hybri- 
disation. Some  varieties  in  fact  approach  the 
Teas  very  closely,  for  instance,  Mosella.  This  is  a 
delightful  Rose,  with  flowers  sometimes  large 
enough  for  a  show  box,  and  Clothilde  Soupert  is 
another,  its  lovely  imbricated  blossoms,  as  perfect 
as  an  Aster,  make  it  a  favourite   for  pot  culture. 


Cecile  Brunner 
is  one  of  the  tiniest  and  most  perfect  little  Roses 
in  cultivation.     Every  blossom  is  as  double  as  a 
show  Rose,  the  colour  being   a  very   bright  rose 
with  flesh  pink  and  yellow  shading.     Of  novelties, 

Eugenie  Lamesch 
isoneof  the  most  charming.  Its  buds  are  coppery  red, 
open  flowers  ochre-yellow  changing  to  clear  yellow". 

Leonie  Lamesch 
is   also  good,    having   flowers   of   red  and   yellow 
shading. 

Petit  Constant 
is  yet  another  with  the  coppery  red  colour  suffused 
with  salmon,  but  all  these  are  quite  distinct  and 
most  desirable  novelties. 

Should  a  severe  winter  occur  the  bushes  would 
need  earthing  up  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Teas, 
for  although  they  will  endure  the  rigours  of  an 
ordinax'y  winter,  it  cannot  be  said  that  these  Roses 
are  absolutely  hardy.  Philomel. 


OWN    ROOT    ROSES. 

I  think  Mr.  Mawley  (see  The  G.arden,  March  IG) 
is  quite  right  in  what  he  writes  on  this  subject. 


286 


THE   GARDEN 


[April  20,  1901. 


LEMOK    PIPPIN    APPLE   TREE    IN    BLOOM. 

However,  there  are  other  and  more  desirable  merits 
in  budded  Roses,  which  he  implies,  but  has  not 
alluded  to  ;  I  mean  the  distinct  gain  in  strength 
which  a  tender  scion  gets  by  being  budded  on  a 
robust  stock.  This  is  most  apparent  where  French 
Roses  and  those  raised  in  warm  countries  are 
budded  on  to  stock,  say  the  Briar  growing  wild  in 
the  country  in  which  the  Roses  are  afterwards 
required  to  grow.  Surel3'any  one  can  see  that  own 
root  Roses  would  mean  in  a  few  years  the  loss  of 
many  of  our  best  varieties.  As  it  is,  our  Tea  R'ises 
are  not  what  one  would  call  a  trustworthy  class 
for  the  open  border  ;  the  Hybrid  Teas,  however, 
are  a  distinct  advance  in  the  right  direction. 
Hnh/ipooil,  County  Doirii.         W.-iLTEK  Smvth. 


HARDY  FRUITS  IN  SEASON. 

I  STATED  in  my  last  "  Hardy  Fruit  Notes  '  that 
the  number  of  varieties  of  good  and  well- 
fiavoured  Pears  in  season  from  Christmas  to 
Easter  has  been  practically  exhausted  ;  but 
it  is  not  so  in  the  case  of  the  dessert  Apple. 
Although  I  have  already  had  the  pleasure  of 
recommending  a  matter  of  fourteen  varieties, 
which  are  ripe  and  in  season  from  Christmas 
to  Easter,  there  are  quite  that  number  still  left 
to  choose  from.  Amongst  them  I  will  mention 
the  following  : — 

Braddick's  Nonpareil.— It  is  impossible  to 
speak  too  highly  of  this  as  a  late  dessert  Apple. 
It  is  of  medium  size,  a  russety  colour,  and  has 
the  flavour  of  Ribston  Pippin.  The  tree  suc- 
ceeds well  as  a  bush  or  pyramid,  and  is  a 
certain  and  sure  bearer,  especially  on  the 
Quince  stock. 

Adam's  Pearmain.  — No  Apple  is  better 
known  than  this,  and  no  Apple  is  more  indis- 
pensable, whether  for  its  abundant  cropping 
properties,  its  long  keeping  (jualities,  its  hand- 
some and  distinct  appearance,  or  its  excellent 
flavour. 

Pirownlee's  Piusset.— This  is  a  trtie  Russet  in 
appearance,  and  will  remain  in  perfect  con- 
dition for  dessert  oi-  cooking  until  well  into 
June. 

Claygate  Pearmain. — This  is  the  Cox's  Orange 
Pippin  of  May,  and  quite  indispensable  for 
dessert  at  this  season. 

Manchester  Pippin.—  A  little  known  variety. 


but  worthy  of  more  extended  cultivation.  It 
is  of  medium  size,  handsome  orange  colour, 
with  distinct  transverse  streaks  of  red  mark- 
ings, the  flesh  is  yellow,  juicy,  and  sweet,  and 
it  will  keep  until  Apples  come  again. 

Hubbert's  Pearmain.  — A  beautiful  Apple, 
medium  to  small  in  size,  an  extraordinary  heavy 
bearer  of  excellent  quality  and  flavour,  and  will 
keep  in  good  condition  to  June. 

Round  way  Magnum  Bonum.—  Some  authori- 
ties have  gone  so  far  as  to  say  that  this  old 
Apple  is  superior  in  flavour  to  Cox's  Orange 
Pippin  ;  but  this,  in  my  opinion,  is  an  exaggera- 
tion not  justified.  It  is,  however,  a  variety  well 
worth  including  in  every  collection,  if  only  for 
its  size,  handsome  appearance,  fruitful  nature, 
andsweet  aromatic  flavour. 

Sturmer  Pippin  is  certainly  one  of  the  most 
reliable  cropping  varieties  we  have.  It  is  of 
good  size,  and  if  not  of  the  very  best  appear- 
ance, it  is  one  of  the  most  useful  late  dessert 
Apples  we  possess. 

Court  Rendu  Plat.—"  The  Wise  Apple,"  so 
designated  from  the  fact  of  its  being  the  latest 
variety  of  all  to  open  its  blossom  in  spring,  as 
though  conscious  of  the  serious  damage 
wrought  by  late  frosts  to  Apple  blossom  m 
the  month  of  .Afay,  is  a  distinct  and  useful 
late  Apple,  either  for  cooking  or  dessert.  It  is 
not  so  constant  a  bearer  as  some,  occasionally 
missing  a  season  altogether  ;  but  it  makes  up 
for  this  eccentricity  by  bearing  extra  heavy 
crops  the  following  year.  I  have  mentioned 
Lemon  Pippin  before,  but  would  again  draw 
attention  to  it  as  one  of  the  best  -winter  and 
spring  dessert  Apples. 

Windsor.  Owen  Thomas. 


A  NOTE   UPON   INSECTICIDES. 

As  the  spring  season  is  at  hand  a  note  upon  insecti- 
cides will  prove  useful  to  readers  of  The  Garden. 
It  is  impossible  here  even  to  enumerate  all  the 
different  kinds  of  insecticides  that  have  from  time 
to  time  been  invented.  Many  of  them  are,  however, 
worthless,  but  the  following  are  among  those 
which  have  proved  most  useful  and  are  most 
frequently  employed. 

Paraffin  Oil  is  one  of  the  most  destructive 
agents  to  insect  life,  the  great  drawback  to  it  being 
that  it  is  so  injurious  to  the  foliage  unless  care  be 


'm*> 


taken  that  it  is  not  applied  without  being  properly 
diluted.  If  merely  mi.xed  with  water  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  prevent  the  oil  separating  from  the 
water  and  floating  on  the  top.  Jiy  properly  mixing 
it  first  with  soft  soap  so  as  to  form  an  emulsion 
this  difBculty  is  overcome.  Paraffin  emulsion  may 
be  made  by  dissolving  two  parts  of  soft  soap  in 
four  parts  of  boiling  water.  While  the  mixture  is 
still  boiling  hot  (but  not  on  the  fire)  add  one  part 
of  paraffin  oil,  and  at  once  work  the  mixture  through 
a  syringe  for  five  or  ten  minutes,  when  thej' 
should  be  properlj-  mixed.  The  addition  of  a  little 
naphthalin  (about  a  tenth  of  the  amount  of  soft 
soap)  renders  the  admixture  of  the  soap  and  oil 
more  permanent.  To  every  pint  of  this  emulsion 
add  ten  pints  of  water  before  using  it.  This  mixture 
is  sold  under  the  name  of  ' '  Paranaph. ''  ' '  Antipest " 
is  another  insecticide  containing  paraffin  oil  and 
soft  soap. 

Quassia  and  Soft  Soap  W.\sh. — To  make  this 
soak  half  a  pound  of  quassia  chips  for  three  hours 
in  half  a  gallon  of  water,  then  boil  it  for  several 
hours,  strain  out  the  chips,  and  add  five  ounces  of 
soft  soap  and  sufficient  M'ater  to  make  five  gallons 
of  mixture.  If  it  is  to  be  used  for  red  spider  add 
half  a  pound  of  flowers  of  sulphur. 

Tobacco  Water. — Boil  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
tobacco  in  half  a  gallon  of  water  for  half  an  hour, 
strain  off  the  liquor  and  dilute  until  it  is  the  colour 
of  tolerably  strong  tea.  Soft  soap  may  be  added 
at  the  rate  of  two  pounds  to  every  three  gallons. 

Paris  Green. — This  is  a  most  valuable  remedy 
in  the  case  of  insects  that  bite  their  food,  as  it 
poisons  the  latter.  Half  an  ounce  should  be  used 
with  every  six  gallons  of  water,  and  two  parts  of 
lime  should  be  added  for  every  part  (bulk  for  bulk) 
of  the  Paris  green,  which  should  be  bought  in 
the  form  of  a  paste,  as  it  does  not  then  blow  about 
when  handled.  Blundell's  paste  is  much  recom- 
mended. Paris  green  is  very  poisonous,  so  that 
fruit  when  nearly  ripe  should  not  be  touched  with 
it.  As  it  is  very  heavy  it  will  sink  to  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel  that  contains  it  unless  it  is  kept  con- 
stantly stirred. 

Caustic  Alkali  Wash. — This  is  made  by  placing 
one  pound  of  ground  caustic  soda  in  one  gallon  of 
water,  add  three-quarters  of  a  potmd  of  pearlash, 
stir  until  all  is  dissolved,  and  add  ten  gallon.s  of 
water,  lastly  add  ten  ounces  of  soft  soap  which  has 
been  dissolved  in  a  little  boiling  water  :  when 
thoroughh'  mixed  it  is  ready  for  use.  This  mixture, 
owing  to  the  caustic  soda,  will  burn  the  clothes  or 
skin  if  allowed  to  remain  on  them,  so  that  care 
must  be  taken  in  using  it ;  choose  a  still  day  for 
its  application.     It  is  best  applied  with  one  of  the 


Al'I'LE    AllAM  S    I'EAKMAIN.       (I'ir:,.lllirilK  nulKral  nizi: ) 


April  20,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


287 


spraying  machines  or  with  a  syringe  with  a  spray 
nozzle.  This  is  an  admirable  wash  for  trees,  but 
it  must  only  be  used  in  the  winter.  In  making  up 
insecticides  soft  water  should  if  possible  be  used, 
and  they  should  be  applied  by  means  of  one  of  the 
various 'spraying  machines  or  syringes  that  ate  now 
ao  common,  as  they  distribute  the  insecticide  more 
evenly  and  thoroughly  over  the  plant  than  an 
ordinary  syringe  and  not  nearly  so  much  is  used, 
the  nozzles  are  so  arranged  that  the  undersides  of 
the  leaves  can  be  wetted  quite  as  easily  as  the  upper. 
Of  course  there  are  also  such  valuable  preparations 
as  the  XL  All  and  Nicoticide  which  are  used  in  so 
many  gardens.  Indeed,  XL  All  is  a  preparation 
which  is  or  should  be  in  every  good  garden.       S. 


MESSRS.    R.    B.    LAIRD'S 
EXHIBIT. 

One  of  the  best  exhibits  ever  made  by  an 
Edinburgh  firm  at  the  annual  spring  show  of 
the  Royal  Caledonian  Horticultural 
Society  was  the  one  arranged  by 
Messrs.  R.  B.  Laird  and  Sons,  Limited, 
on  April  4.  It  consisted  of  a  series 
of  groups  of  flowering  and  foliage 
plants  most  artistically  arranged.  The 
one  to  the  south  was  a  harmonious 
blending  of  various  shades  of  blue  and 
yellow,  furnished  respectively  by 
Hyacinths,  Lilacs,  Wistarias,  and 
Cytisus  in  variety,  and  ^  numerous 
Acacias.  Another  semi  -  attached 
group,  with  a  splendid  Palm  as  a 
centre  plant,  was  composed  largely 
of  dwarf  Guelder  Roses,  with  many 
Hippeastrums.  Very  effective,  too, 
was  a  circular  arrangement  consisting 
chiefly  of  Prunus  sinensis  fl.-pl.  inter- 
mixed with  the  new  Hybrid  Tea  Rose 
Liberty. 

Magnolias,  Japanese  Acers, 
Rhododendrons,  &c.,  were  also  made 
use  of.  Magnolia  Lennei,  M.  amabilis, 
and  M.  speciosa  were  the  most  con- 
spicuous species  of  these  spring 
flowering  trees.  For  this  exhibit, 
which,  under  the  electric  light,  and 
looking  from  the  gallery,  particu- 
larly appealed  to  the  observer,  the 
only  gold  medal  given  on  this 
occasion  was  awarded  to  the  firm  of  Messrs. 
Laird  and  Sons. 


ascertain  whether  the  council  still  consider  the 
formation  of  new  gardens  to  be  the  best  means  of 
celebrating  the  centenary,  and  whether  the  Fellows 
are  also  of  the  same  opinion.  If  the  site  now 
recounnended  by  the  council  proves  to  be  a  suitable 
one  for  the  formation  of  a  garden,  which  .shall  in  all 
respects  be  worthy  of  the  society,  and  where  gar- 
dening in  all  its  branches  can  be  carried  out  in  the 
highest  possible  degree  of  perfection,  and  if  the 
council  are  assured  that  they  already  possess,  or 
can  raise,  not  only  sufficient  capital  to  furnish  and 
equip  such  a  garden  suitably,  but  to  maintain  it  at 
the  annual  cost  which  would  be  necessary,  no 
doubt  at  least  treble  that  which  Chiswick  now 
costs  (about  £1,40U  per  annum),  there  may  be  no 
special  reason  why  the  scheme  should  not  be 
carried  out,  if  the  Fellows  generally  consider  this 
to  be  the  best  means  of  celebrating  the  centenary. 
But  whatever  the  feeling  of  the  council  and 
Fellows  may  have  been  fourteen  months  ago,  there 
can  be  little  doubt  that  only  a  small  minority  of 
the  Fellows  now  consider  the  formation  of  such  a 


300  Fellows,  with  the  very  definite  impetus  to 
horticulture  of  every  description,  which  the  open- 
ing of  a  suitable  horticultural  building  in  London 
would  afford.  It  is  quite  true  that  Fellows  living 
at  great  distances  from  the  metropolis  are  not  often 
able  to  attend  the  exhibitions,  but  this  objection 
applies  with  far  greater  force  to  a  garden  some 
twenty  miles  to  the  .south  of  London.  In  propor- 
tion as  facilities  are  given  for  exhibiting  such  high- 
class  products  of  horticulture  as  are  seen  at  the 
Drill  Hall,  so  would  the  horticulture  of  Great 
Britain  be  distinctl}'  promoted  and  advanced. 

(2)  Because  the  more  the  idea  of  celebrating  the 
centenary  by  the  formation  of  a  new  garden  is  con- 
sidered and  carefully  examined,  the  more  evident 
has  it  become  that  onlj'  an  extremel}'  small  pro- 
portion of  tlie  Fellows  generally  would  benefit  in 
any  degree  whatever  by  such  a  garden,  apart  from 
the  interest  which  might  attach  to  reports  of  ex- 
periments published  in  the  Joariial.  Such  reports 
would,  of  course,  possess  a  certain  value,  but  this 
would  depend  entirely  upon  the  experimental  work 


MESSKS.    K.    B.    laird's    BEAUTIFUL    fJROUP    AT    THE    RECENT    EDINBURGH    SPRING    SHOW. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not  responsible  for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents.  ) 


PROPOSED    NEW    GARDEN    OF   THE 

ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "  The  Garden."] 

SIR, — The  notice  given  in  your  current 
number  calling  a  special  general  meeting 
of  the  Fellows  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  for  April  23,  to  consider,  and,  if 
approved,  adopt  the  proposal  of  the 
council  to  purchase  land  on  behalf  of  the 
society  for  the  purpose  of  its  new  gardens,  brings 
the  fellows  face  to  face  with  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant issues  in  the  history  of  the  society,  upon 
which,  with  your  permission,  I  should  like  to  offer 
a  few  comments.  In  the  first  place,  it  will  be  seen 
that  whereas  in  the  annual  report,  the  adoption  of 
which  was  proposed  by  the  president  on  February  13, 
1900,  the  council  recommended  the  purchase  of  a 
site  (Limpsfield),  as  the  most  suitable  means  of  cele- 
brating the  centenary  of  the  society,  in  the  present 
notice  no  reference  is  made  to  the  centenary,  the 
council  merely  proposing  to  purchase  48  acres  of 
land  at  South  Darenth  "for  the  purpose  of  its  new 
gardens."      It  is   most    important,    therefore,   to 


garden  to  be  the  best  means  of  commemorating 
the  centenar}'  of  the  society.  My  reasons  for  so 
thinking  are: — 

(1)  We  have  constantlj'  been  reminded  that  the 
society  was  formed  with  the  distinct  object  and 
purpose  of  "promoting  horticulture,"  and  the 
Fellows  have  to  decide  whether  a  garden  in  the 
south  of  England,  over  twenty  miles  from  London, 
however  well  appointed  and  managed,  is  the  best 
means  at  their  disposal  for  promoting  the  horti- 
culture of  Great  Britain.  It  is  true  that  with  an 
ideal  garden,  where  the  best  methods  of  forcing 
fruit,  flowers,  and  vegetables  of  all  kinds  are 
carried  out,  in  addition  to  outdoor  operations,  a 
certain  number  of  students  might  be  trained  to 
become  efficient  gardeners  ;  but  it  is  at  least  open 
to  question  whether  such  a  training  would  be 
superior  or  even  equal  to  that  which  the  same 
class  of  students  can  already  obtain  in  the  first- 
class  private  establishments  of  the  country.  It  is 
important,  moreover,  to  know  whether  the  gardens, 
if  once  formed,  would  be  utilised  principally  by 
those  aspiring  to  become  bond  fide  gardeners,  or 
whether  they  would  principally  form  a  training- 
ground  for  the  comparatively  few  men  who  are 
required  to  assist  the  neighbouring  county  councils 
in  providing  courses  of  lectures  during  the  winter 
months.  In  the  case  of  the  Limpsfield  site,  there 
was  certainly  an  idea  that  the  gardens  might  be 
quite  as  valuable  to  the  county  councils  as  to  the 
Fellows  of  the  society  itself.  However  this  may  be, 
we  have  to  compare  the  possible  influence  upon 
horticulture  which  such  a  garden  might  have, 
visited  as  it  would  be  annually  by  scarcely  one  in 


attempted  and  carried  out  in  the  new  garden. 
From  the  work  done  at  Chiswick  during  the  last 
twentj'  j'ears,  we  must  not,  however,  be  too  san- 
guine as  to  the  result  of  similar  operations  else- 
where. It  is  not  unreasonable  to  ask  that  in  pro- 
posing the  best  means  of  celebrating  the  centenar}- 
the  council  should  make  it  perfectly  clear  that 
the  interests  of  the  greatest  possible  number  of 
Fellows  will  be  considered. 

(3)  Because  daring  the  last  fourteen  months  the 
Fellows  have  had  further  opportunities  of  carefully 
considering  the  financial  aspect  of  the  question,  and 
very  many — I  believe  a  great  majority — are  not 
prepared  to  sanction  so  great  an  annual  expenditure 
as  would  be  necessary  to  maintain  in  a  state  of 
proper  efficiency  any  gardens  worth}'  of  our  national 
horticultural  society,  without  evidence  that  the 
society  has  the  means  at  its  disposal.  It  may  quite 
reasonably  be  supposed  that  the  annual  cost  would 
be  £4,000,  or  at  least  three  times  that  of  Chiswick. 

Whatever  scheme  is  ultimately  decided  upon  as 
the  best  for  celebrating  the  centenary  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  a  large  sum  of  money  must 
be  raised,  and  therefore  it  would  obviously  be 
desirable  that  the  scheme  be  one  which  will  com- 
mend itself  to  the  greatest  possible  number  of 
Fellows,  and  I  venture  to  think  that  the  establish- 
ment of  a  permanent  home  for  the  society,  with  a 
suitable  hall  for  exhibition  purposes,  committee 
rooms  for  the  various  committees,  whose  work  is 
so  important  to  the  society,  and  which  is  at  present 
carried  out  with  so  many  discomforts  ;  and  also  a 
lecture  hall  for  the  fortnightly  lectures,  and  in 
which  the  Lindley  Library  might  be  housed,  is  one 


288 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[April  20,   1901. 


which  would  have  the  hearty  sympathy  of  an 
immense  majority  of  the  Fellows.  The  sum  of 
mone}-  now  annually  spent  on  Chiswick  would  be 
more  than  suffioient  to  pay  the  interest  on  any  loan 
that  might  be  required  for  the  acquisition  of  the 
necessary  site  and  cost  of  building. 

^,  Arthur  W.  Sdttox. 

P.  S.— Since  writing  the  above  letter  I  have,  by 
the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Wilks,  had  an  oppoitunity  of 
\'isiting  and  examining  the  proposed  site  near 
Farningham  Road,  in  company  with  ilr.  Wright, 
the  superintendent  of  the  Chiswick  Gardens. 
There  is  no  doubt  that,  so  far  as  the  soil  is  con- 
cerned and  the  approach  to  the  site,  it  is  decidedly 
preferable  to  that  at  Limpsfield.  Water  and 
manure,  too,  are  easily  obtainable.  This  is,  how- 
ever, almost  all  that  can  be  said  in  its  favour.  The 
best  trains  take  an  hour  to  cover  the  twenty  miles 
from  London,  after  which  there  is  a  walk  of  about 
half  an  hour,  and  very  little,  if  any,  opportunity 
of  getting  such  refreshments  as  Fellows  who  spend 
a  day  or  half  a  day  in  the  gardens  would  need. 
The  site  is  a  very  open  one,  and  as  there  are  no 
trees  upon  it  there  is,  of  course,  no  shelter,  except 
on  the  south-west  side  :  neither  do  buildings  of 
any  kind  at  present  exist  there.  At  the  same 
time,  as  the  soil  is  undoubtedly  good,  there  would 
be  no  insuperable  difhculty  in  forming  the  garden 
if  a  great  majority  of  the  "Fellows  wished  to  cele- 
brate the  centenary  in  such  a  manner  and  at  such 
a  distance  from  London.  It  seems  strange  that  it 
should  not  be  possible  to  obtain  l.i  to  20  acres  in 
the  Feltham  neighbourhood  or  other  districts 
where  market  gardeners,  seedsmen,  and  nursery- 
men have  alreadj'  found  the  soil  and  situation 
suitable  for  horticultural  operations.  The  cost  per 
acre  would  undoubtedly  be  greater,  but  then  a 
much  smaller  area  than  48  acres  would  suttice  for 
all  the  necessary  purposes  of  a  garden. 

A.  W.  S. 

Biic/drjiiiry  Place,  Woolhamptou,  Berki. 


[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sib, — I  have  been  much  interested,  as  I  am  sure 
many  other  well  wishers  of  the  above  society  have 
been,  in  the  steps  which  are  now  being  taken  to 
purchase  what,  certainly  from  what  I  can  gather, 
is  likely  to  prove  a  most  suitable  piece  of  land. 
It  is  as  near  London  as  one  can  reasonably'  expect, 
and  within  reasonable  distance  also  of  the  station, 
and  the  acreage  ample  for  all  the  requirements  of 
experimental  work.  I  trust  that  all  Fellows  will 
make  an  effort  to  attend  and  support  the  council 
on  Tuesday  next  in  the  steps  thej'  have  taken  to 
acquire  the  same.  It  must  be  patent  to  all 
practical  men  that  the  time  has  arrived  when  a 
new  garden  is  desirable,  and,  though  much  might 
be  done  of  course  to  renovate  and  improve  the 
old  one,  the  confined  area  and  the  atmospheric 
conditions  remain  the  same,  and  it  is  certainly  not 
fair  either  to  the  council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  the  superintendent,  or  to  those  sending 
new  fruits,  flowers,  or  vegetables  for  trial,  as  it  is 
utterly  impossible  to  test  them  fairly.  To  spend  a 
large  amount  of  capital  on  the  existing  property, 
which  must  be  the  case  if  the  Chiswick  garden  is 
retained  on  what  is  not  freehold  property,  is  to  my 
mind  absurd.  E.  Beckett. 

Aldenham  Hoiuse  Gardeiv<,  Elstree,  HarU. 

MALMAISON   CARNATIONS. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir, — I  was  interested  in  Mr.  Dean's  note  in  your 
last  issue  respecting  these  popular  flowers.  Mr. 
Dean  mentions  Princess  May  as  being  a  winter- 
flowering  variety,  and  there  is  no  question  about 
this  being  so.  It  is  one  of  the  freest-flowering 
Carnations  I  am  acquainted  with.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  it  is  never  without  flowers  or  buds,  and  it 
eertainlv  would  be  an  ideal  flower  if  it  had  a  little 
more  scent,  but  this  it  lacks.  To  me  this  is  a 
great  loss.  I  think  one  of  the  chief  charms  of  a 
Carnation  is  a  strong  clove  scent.  There  is  a 
tendency  on  the  part  of  the  raisers  of  new  varieties 
to  strive  after  size,  and,  generally  speaking,  this  is 
at  the  expense  of  scent  and  sometimes  vigour. 
I  am,  however,  pleased  to  observe  that  in  some  of 
Mr.   M.  Smith's  new  ones  the  scent  is  still  pre- 


served, for  instance,  Mrs.  Torrens.  This  is  a 
beautiful  flower  in  every  way — good  colour,  not 
too  large,  does  not  burst  its  calyx,  and  deliciously 
sweet  scented.  I  also  notice  that  that  monster 
new  one,  Mrs.  Martin  Smith,  has  a  decided 
tendency  to  flower  during  the  winter.  It  has  a 
wonderfully  robust  constitution.  Another  beautiful 
kind  is  Baldwin.  This  is  a  perfect  flower  of  a 
most  pleasing  colour.  We  have  to  thank  Mr. 
Smith  for  a  great  man}'  beautiful  Carnations,  both 
border  and  tree  kinds,  and  that  gentleman  has  had 
the  good  judgment  to  strive  for  a  vigorous  consti- 
tution, good  form,  and  colour.  To  my  mind  a 
tree  Carnation  without  plenty  of  vigour  is  a 
useless  plant,  merely  something  to  worry  the 
gardener.  T.  A. 

The  Gardeivi,  Cirence>iter  Hou-^e. 


BOOKS. 

Thompson's  Gardeners'  Assis- 
tant.*— We  have  just  received  the  third  volume 
of  this  important  publication,  this  new  edition,  as 
our  readers  know  well,  being  edited  by  Mr.  W. 
Watson,  assistant  curator  in  the  Ro3'ai  Gardens, 
Kew.  The  present  volume  deals  with  exotic  plants 
and  plants  for  bedding,  whilst  the  plates  comprise 
Chrysanthemums,  Iris  Garden  at  Kew,  Lselia 
anceps,  Cattleya  Jlossia;,  Palms  and  Cycads  at 
Kew,  and  examples  of  spring  bedding  at  Belvoir 
Castle.  The  coloured  plates  of  Carnations,  Den- 
drobium  phal^nopsis,  and  Lapageria  rosea  and 
r.  alba  add  greatly  to  the  brightness  of  the  book. 
We  shall  refer  again  to  this  work,  which  is  pro- 
gressing so  satisfactorily  towards  completion. 

Paris  spring  exhibition.— The  Jardin 

des  Tuileries  will,  as  usual,  be  the  site  of  the 
above  exhibition,  organised  bj'  the  Societe  Nationale 
d'Horticulture  de  France,  from  May  20  to  June  3 
inclusive.  Intending  exhibitors  should  address 
the  president  of  the  society  at  8-1  Ijis,  Rue  de 
Grenelle,  before  May  19. 

Judging  Carnations  in  Ameriea.— 

The  American  Carnation  Society,  according  to  Le 
Jardin,  adopted,  at  the  recent  exhibition  at  Balti- 
more, the  following  scale  of  points  : — Colour, 
twenty-five;  size,  twenty;  calyx,  five;  stem, 
twenty  ;  substance,  ten  ;  shape,  fifteen  ;  .scent, 
five  ;   total,  one  hundred. 

The   National   Rose   Society  and 

wet  weather.— For  the  following  Li;  Jardin 
is  also  responsible  :  "Here  is  an  innovation  if  we 
are  not  mistaken,  and  a  very  rational  innovation, 
too.  The  National  Rose  Society  of  England  has 
just  assured  itself  against  possible  losses  caused  by 
wet  weather  during  the  great  Rose  exhibition  to 
be  held  in  the  Temple  Gardens  in  July  next.  It 
is  agreed  that  a  rain-gauge  shall  be  placed  in  a 
suitable  place,  and  if  the  gathered  rain  depasses 
a  certain  quantity  the  assurance  company  is  to 
pay  the  amount  stipulated." 

Kidderminster  Horticultural 

Society. — At  the  last  meeting  of  the  above 
society  Mr.  Herbert,  manager  of  Messrs.  Thompson 
and  Co.'s  Sparkhill  Nurseries,  Birmingham,  gave 
a  most  interesting  and  practical  paper  on  "Car- 
nations," to  which  we  hope  again  to  refer  more 
fully.  We  learn  that  the  intended  excursion  of 
this  society  is  to  the  garden  of  the  Rev.  G.  F.  Eyre, 
Far  Forest  Vicarage,  Bewdley. 

Swanley  Horticultural  College.— 

The  annual  report  of  this  institution  states  that 
the  number  of  students  has  steadily  increased,  and 
now  amounts  to  eightj'-three.  "  Twenty-two 
students  who  completed  their  studies  during  the 
year  are  now,  with  suitable  remuneration,  gaining 
practical  experience  to  fit  them  for  the  manage- 
ment of  large  establishments."  Five  lady  students 
have  been  appointed  as  head  gardeners  during  the 
past  year. 

National        Chrysanthemum 

Society. — The  great  autumn  competition  and 
fete  will  be   held  on    Tuesday,    Wednesday,    and 


*  "  I'lie  Gai-deneis'  .Assistant."  By  Robert  Thnmpsou, 
New  edition.  Edited  hy  W.  ^Vatson.  London  :  The  Gresliani 
Publishing  Company,  26,  Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C. 


Thursday,  November  5,  6,  and  7.  The  annual 
outing  and  picnic  will  take  place  early  in  July, 
when,  by  the  kind  permission  of  Alfred  Tate,  Esq., 
a  visit  will  be  paid  to  the  gardens  and  grouiuls  of 
Downside,  Leatherhead. 

Sale   of  natural  history  books.— 

At  the  sale  on  Monday  last,  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Stevens, 
at  his  rooms,  38,  King  Street,  Covent  Garden, 
of  the  library  of  natural  history  books  formed  b_\- 
the  late  Mr.  Philip  Crowley,  the  following  prices 
were  obtained,  many  of  them  being  record  ones: 
"  Transactions  of  the  Entomological  Society," 
complete  set  from  the  connnencement  to  1899, 
46  vols.,  half  calf,  and  4  parts,  £38;  "The  Birds 
of  the  British  Islands,"  by  Lord  Lilford,  7  vols, 
and  index,  half  morocco,  1885-97,  £63;  "  Biologia 
Centrali  Americana ;  or.  Contributions  to  the 
Knowledge  of  the  Fauna  and  Flora  of  Central 
America,"  3.5  vols.,  half  morocco,  cloth,  and  parts, 
£90;  Grandidier  (A.),  "Historic  Physique,  Xatu- 
relle  et  Politique  de  Jladagascar,"  coloured  plates, 
1875-95,  £35  14s.  ;  "  The  Birds  of  Asia,"  by  John 
Gould,  in  7  vols.,  half  morocco,  1850-1883,  £51  ; 
"The  Birds  of  New  Guinea,  Papuan  Islands,  and 
Australia,"  by  J.  Gould,  5  vols.,  half  morocco, 
1875-78,  £45;  "The  Birds  of  Great  Britain,"  by 
John  Gould,  5  vols.,  half  morocco,  1863,  £49  7s.  ; 
"The  Genera  of  Birds,"  by  G.  R.  Gray,  half 
morocco,  3  vols.,  1849,  £17  17s.  ;  "Catalogue  of 
the  Birds  in  the  British  Museum,"  vols.  1  to  27, 
cloth,  1874-95,  £48;  "The  Ibis,"  1859  to  1900, 
with  indexes,  42  vols.,  half  morocco,  and  8  parts 
unbound,  £75 ;  "  Proceedings  of  the  Zoological 
Society,"  coloured  plates,  1830  to  1900,  with 
4  indexes,  60  vols.,  half  morocco,  and  7  unbound 
parts,  £60  ;  Sixtj'-six  plates  of  great  auks'  eggs, 
with  lists,  £13  4s.  ;  "Birds  of  Europe,"  b\'  H.  E. 
Dresser,  vols.  1-8,  1871-1881,  vol.  9  supplement, 
half  morocco,  1895-96,  £.36  ;  "  Monograph  of  the 
Pheasants,"  by  D.  G.  Elliot,  2  vols.,  half  morocco, 
1872,  £.53  lis.  ;  "The  Mammals  of  Australia,"  by 
.John  Gould,  3  vols.,  morocco  extra,  £29  Ss. 

Nurserymen,  Market  Gardeners', 
and  General  Hailstorm  Insurance 
Corporation,    Limited.— At  the  meeting 

of  the  above  societ}-,  held  at  41  and  42,  King 
Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C. ,  on  Friday,  April  12, 
it  was  stated  in  the  report  then  presented  that 
during  the  past  year  thirteen  claims  had  been 
made  upon  the  corporation  for  damage  by  hail- 
storms. After  referring  to  the  individual  cases, 
the  report  goes  on  to  say:  "The  result  of  the 
numerous  hailstorms  throughout  the  country  has 
been  that  man}'  new  insurers  have  been  added 
during  the  year  in  various  parts  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  several  new  agencies  have  been  opened, 
and  the  directors  are  pleased  to  be  able  to  again 
draw  attention  to  the  fact  that  not  only  has  the 
premium  income  been  increased  by  over  7  per 
cent.,  but  that  the  income  from  investments  has 
also  largely  augmented  during  the  past  year.  A 
special  advantage  oftered  by  this  corporation,  and 
of  which  increasing  numbers  of  insurers  are  availing 
themselves,  is  that  those  insured  can  replace 
immediately  their  own  glass  broken  by  hail,  the 
corporation  paying  them  at  the  rate  per  square 
foot  at  which  the  glass  is  insured.  They  can  also 
cover  wholl}'  or  partially  the  value  of  the  contents 
of  their  glass  houses  by  increased  insurance  of  their 
glass.  The  balance  of  profit  for  the  year  is 
£1,899  4s.  lid.,  which,  added  to  the  balance 
brought  forward  from  the  previous  year,  leaves 
£2,166  12s.  .3d.  available  for  disposal. 

Flowers   in    Battersea  Park.—  In 

the  well-known  sub-tropical  portion  of  this  park 
a  charming  bit  of  gardening  in  the  unkept  grass 
under  the  trees  is  afforded  by  the  Daffodils. 
Scillas,  too,  make  very  elTective  patches  of  blue. 
Near  to  the  Albert  Bridge  entrance  are  some 
sunken  beds,  which  will  soon  give  a  good  display 
of  H^'acinths,  Daffodils,  &c.  A  want  in  Battersea 
Park  seems  to  be  that  of  labels.  Parks  of  this 
character  are  now  so  much  visited  by  the  public 
that  they  should  become  educators  to  visitors, 
who  often  may  bo  struck  with  plants  and  flowers 
there  seen  which  thej'  may  themselves  easily  culti- 
vate, but  are  ignorant  of  tlieir  names.  Kew 
furnishes  a  good  example  to  follow  in  this  impor- 
tant matter.— QiTO. 


i^5!L 


GARDEN. 


No.  1536.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[April  27,  1901. 


THE  ROYAL  HORTICUL- 
TURAL SOCIETY  AND 
ITS    CENTENARY. 

WE  give  in  its  propei-  place  a 
more  exhaustive  description 
of  the  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  on 
Tuesday  last,  to  consider  the 
question  of  its  centenary  by  acquiring  a  new 
garden  for  furthering  horticulture  in  this  land, 
and  handing  on  to  future  generations  the  best 
traditions  of  a  great  institution. 

From  this  report  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
position  of  affairs  is  quixotic.  Nothing  has 
been  accomplished,  for  the  simple  reason  that, 
although  the  meeting  decided  in  favour  of  a 
hall,  the  charter  of  the  society,  we  believe, 
makes  its  erection  from  its  funds  impossible  ; 
but  upon  that  point,  of  course,  legal  opinion 
will  be  sought  to  prevent  future  disagreement. 

As  we  expressed  last  week,  a  hall  and  a 
garden  would  fittingly  celebrate  an  anniversary 
which  all  the  horticulturists  of  the  world, 
practical  and  scientific,  keenly  anticipate,  and 
we  fervently  hope  that  all  future  meetings  will 
be  free  from  an  objectionable  hostility,  unfor- 
tunately in  evidence  on  Tuesday,  born  of 
an  unwarrantable  distrust  of  the  action  of  a 
council  composed  of  English  gentlemen,  and  the 
thanks  of  that  meeting  are  due  to  the  chairman 
for  preserving  so  impartial  an  attitude  under 
trying  circumstances. 

We  hold  no  brief  for  one  side  or  the  other, 
but,  as  we  mentioned  in  our  leading  article 
last  week,  we  have  not  only  the  welfare  of  the 
society  at  heart,  but  of  horticultun'"  itself,  and  if 
both  hall  and  new  garden  can  be  acquired,  then 
this  twofold  manifestation  of  a  nation's  interest 
in  the  State-neglected  but  increasing  important 
horticultural  industry  will  give  a  right  royal 
send-off  to  the  venerable  society  upon  the 
second  century  of  its  existence. 

More  than  one  speaker  denied,  what  the 
chairman  explicitly  declared,  that  the  council 
received  a  mandate  from  the  society  to  seek 
for  other  sites  than  Limpsfield  as  the  proposed 
new  garden — why,  it  is  impossible  to  under- 
stand. The  proposals  at  the  last  meeting, 
passed  almost  without  dissension,  are  sufficient 
vindication  of  the  position  of  the  council,  who 
have  tried  to  their  utmost  to  fulfil  the  wishes 
of  the  several  meetings  which  have  been 
naturally  taken  as  a  guide  to  their  endeavours 
to  secure  a  suitable  site. 

All  this  disinterested  work  has  been,  for  the 
time,  thrown  to  the  winds,  and  the  Imperial 


policy  of  widening  the  influence  of  the  society 
by  establishing  a  sound  and  trustworthy 
garden  for  experimental  horticulture,  and  as  a 
school  for  young  men  wishing  to  follow  an 
important  calling,  checked  undoubtedly,  per- 
haps severely,  but  not  finally.  We  have 
sufficient  belief  in  the  splendid  individuality 
of  the  society,  as  we  have  before  expressed 
ourselves,  to  know  that  no  cramped  and 
stunted  growth  will  receive  the  sanction  of 
future  generations. 

We  were  pleased  with  the  real  interest  taken 
in  this  question  by  everyone  at  the  meeting  on 
Tuesday.  Mr.  H.  J.  Veitch,  Mr.  Arthur 
Sutton,  Mr.  H.  J.  Elwes,  Mr.  C.  E.  Shea,  the 
Rev.  G.  Engleheart,  Dr.  Masters,  Mr.  Sher- 
wood, and  many  others  were  present,  while 
written  communications  were  sent  by  Sir 
Michael  Foster,  Sir  William  Thiselton-Dyer, 
to  mention  a  few  only  of  eminent  men  of 
science  who  were  unavoidably  absent ;  and 
this  is  a  healthy  sign  of  the  enthusiasm  shown 
in  the  society  and  its  work.  When  a  society  is 
enabled  to  bring  together  so  strong  a  force, 
then  is  it  upon  a  sure  foundation,  enjoying  a 
vigorous  life,  and  carefully  steered,  increasing 
in  importance  and  strength  with  the  accession 
of  new  members  and  a  seund  horticultural 
policy. 

Mr.  H.  J.  Veitch,  in  supporting  the  proposal 
for  acquiring  the  site  at  Farningham,  went 
into  details,  which  arc  published  in  a  separate 
pamphlet,  and  the  seconder  was  Mr.  C.  E. 
Shea.  Mr.  Arthur  Sutton  then  propoised  an 
amendment  to  the  effect  that  while  thanking 
the  council  for  its  efforts  to  secure  a  site  for  a 
new  garden,  that  not  being  the  best  way  to 
celebrate  its  centenary,  suggested  a  horticul- 
tural hall  as  a  more  fitting  record  of  the  event. 
This  amendment  was  carried  by  a  large 
majority,  so  that  both  hall  and  garden  are 
visions  of  a  very  distant  future. 

Why  not  a  hall  as  a  means  of  celebrating  the 
centenary  1  The  Drill  Hall  many  declare  has 
become  impossible.  It  is  dark,  dirty,  small, 
and  badly  placed,  but  we  must  give  credit  to 
Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  for  Ms  strenuous  endea- 
vours to  find  a  permanent  home  for  the  society. 
After  considerable  labour,  and  with  the 
assistance  of  Mr.  Leopold  de  Rothschild,  a 
keen  gardener  and  supporter  of  the  society, 
the  only  site  that  could  be  obtained,  a  site  of 
any  value  for  exhibitions  and  meetings,  was 
saddled  with  a  ground  rent  of  £2,300  a  year. 

The  meeting,  however,  decided  in  favour  of  a 
hall,  against  taking  a  poll  of  Fellows  unable  to 
be  present  at  the  various  meetings,  and  £3,000 


were  subscribed  in  the  room,  £1,000  each  from 
Mr.  Elwes,  Mr.  Sutton,  and  Mr.  Sherwood. 
Such  an  outburst  of  financial  assistance  we 
expect  from  men  who  have  horticulture 
so  deeply  at  heart,  but  firstly  the  necessary 
legal  powers  are  needful,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence  declares  that  the 
charter  will  not  permit  the  funds  of  the  society 
to  be  devoted  to  a  building  of  this  description, 
and  we  are  safe  in  declaring  that  (including 
site)  £.50,000  will  not  raise  up  a  suitable  struc- 
ture in  a  central  position  in  London  to  meet 
the  wishes  of  some  of  the  members  at  the 
meeting. 

It  is  quite  true  that  many  of  the  new  Fellows 
are  led  to  joining  the  society  through  the 
fortnightly  meetings,  but  they  are  quite  aa 
interested  in  the  Jownal,  excellently  edited 
by  the  secretary,  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  which  has 
for  all  time  contained  records  of  the  practical 
work  of  the  society,  a  work  which,  if  allowed 
to  cease,  will  sonnd  the  death  knell  of  a 
superb  organisation,  saved  from  destruction  by 
the  councils  of  the  past  few  years,  supported 
by  the  present  president  and  secretary. 

The  society  is  in  the  position  of  having 
recovered  its  pristine  vigour,  and  likely  to  lose 
it  through  embarking  in  an  elaborate  hall,  an 
unpleasant  reminder  of  the  deserted  and 
unfinished  erections  at  South  Kensington.  We 
want  in  the  shape  of  a  hall  a  building  some- 
what larger  than  the  present  one,  quite  central, 
and  with  sufficient  accommodation'  for  the 
Lindley  Library,  though  it  is  quite  comfortable 
in  its  present  home.  If  a  site  could  be  obtained 
in  one  of  the  London  parks,  which  is  out  of  the 
question,  all  would  be  well ;  but  the  enormous 
cost  of  a  central  place  in  the  metropolis  would 
involve  the  society  into  difficulties  far  greater 
than  any  garden,  especially  when  a  wise  choice 
is  made  of  land  of  increasing  value. 

We  have  received  many  letters  for  and  against 
the  hall,  but  are  unable  to  publish  them  through 
pressure  on  our  space.  Some  of  them  have 
come  from  country  Fellows  who  seldom  travel 
to  town  to  see  the  shows,  save  that  in  the 
Temple  Gardens,  and  are  in  favour  of  the 
expanding  policy  of  obtaining  new  gardens, 
evidence  that  if  a  poll  had  been  taken  the 
council  would  have  received  greater  support 
than  thought  possible  from  the  meeting  on 
Tuesday. 

Nothing  has  been  accomplished,  and  nothing 
will  be,  we  hope,  of  any  nature  likely  to 
involve  the  society  into  supporting  a  big  and 
elaborate  hall,  which  we  believe  is  the  wish  of 
the  majority  of  the  Fellows  present  at  the 


290 


THE    GAJaDEN. 


[April  27,  1901. 


meeting,  and,  in  very  truth,  a  "  white  elephant" 
of  enormous  appetite. 

The  society  requires  no  assistance  from  Kew, 
and  we  say  this  with  all  possible  admiration 
for  the  work  of  Sir  William  Thiselton-Dyer 
and  his  assistants.  No  one  is  more  conscious 
of  the  Directors'  splendid  work  than  our- 
selves, who  profit  by  and  enjoy  a  beautiful 
garden  with  the  greatest  botanical  accessories 
in  the  world,  but  we  believe  in  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  pursuing  its  own  policy 
of  practical  horticulture,  performed  in  a  garden 
of  its  own  creation.  We  mention  this  as  Sir 
William  Thiselton  -  Dyer's  name  was  freely 
mentioned  at  the  meeting  as  opposed  to  the 
new  garden. 

We  have  written  what  we  believe  to  be  the 
proper  line  for  the  society  to  follow,  and  no 
one  would  be  more  distressed  than  ourselves  if 
what  we  have  written  be  not  taken  in  the 
spirit  of  friendly  criticism.  We  admire  those 
who  oppose  the  new  garden  for  their  honest 
convictions,  and  feel  certain  that,  under  the 
skilful  generalship  of  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  the 
famous  old  institution  will  suffer  nothing  in 
prestige  or  influence  in  what  should  be  a 
splendid  future. 


RIVIERA    NOTES. 

Last  week  there  was  held  a  very  successful  flower 
show  in  Nice  during  the  filex  for  the  President's 
visit.  As  a  whole  it  was  greatfy  superior  to  any  I 
ever  saw  before  either  in  Nice  or  Cannes  ;  excelling 
our  English  shows  in  the  disposition  of  the  exhibits 
and  the  elegance  of  some  of  the  details,  while  quite 
childishly  feeble  in  some  things,  notably  the  display 
of  Azaleas  and  Rhododendrons  in  pots.  The 
entrance  pavilion  was  loflier,  better  lighted,  and 
more  spacious  for  visitors  than  any  I  ever  saw  in 
England,  and  what  was  most  charming  were  the 
wreaths  of  dainty  Tropieolums,  of  the  Jarratti  and 
Tricolor  sections,  trained  up  the  pillars  for  fully 
7  feet.  So  exquisite  were  the  wreaths  of  blue 
Tropjeolum  that  I  noticed  many  a  visitor  mar- 
velling how  these  beautiful  Neapolitan  Violets  had 
been  tied  on  to  sprays  of  green,  never  dreaming  for 
a  moment  they  could  be  real  or  that  there  was  a 
Nasturtium  so  nearly  like  a  double  blue  Violet. 

The  chief  interest  of  the  show  was,  however, 
the  Tree  Carnations.  Being  a  flowei  of  commerce 
they  were  very  largely  shown.  French  folk  judge 
by  such  a  different  standard  to  ours  that  it  is 
difiicult  to  enter  into  their  views.  Manv  were  so 
disgracefully  ragged  in  shape,  muddled  in  colour, 
and  so  split  at  the  calyx  that  an  English  grower 
would  throw  them  on  the  rubbish  heap  rather  than 
exhibit  them,  yet  there  is  a  real  and  marked  advance 
in  Tree  Carnations  shown  here,  the  most  remark- 
able, perhaps,  being  one  huge  and  brilliant  flower 
named  M.  Almondo,  shown  by  a  Villefranche 
grower.  But  the  real  point  of  interest  was  a  lot  of 
'200  seedlings  shown  in  flower,  so  true  to  race, 
colour,  and  general  style  that  one  may  say  that  now 
the  way  to  grow  winter  Carnations  is  to  raise  them 
from  seed,  and  by  so  doing  you  gain  healthy  plants, 
tinetiowerstrue  to  type,  and  superior  in  every  way  to 
propagated  plants.  For  years  past  a  leading  English 
nurseryman  has  sold  seed  and  seedlings  which 
have  produced  so  few  rogues  that  named  seedlings 
are  being  superseded,  and  the  French  nurserymen 
have  achieved  the  same  thing  for  the  winter- 
blooming  or  Tree  Carnation.  No  doubt  the  dirti- 
culty  is  to  get  hold  of  this  pedigree  seed  which  is 
so  true  to  type,  and  so  good,  but  we  can  all  begin 
by  saving  seed  from  our  best  tree  varieties,  and  I 
feel  sure  those  who  have  once  raised  a  good  crop  of 
seedling  plants  and  found  them  true  to  type,  like 
many  other  plants  now  specialised,  will  never 
revert  to  the  slower  and  much  more  laborious 
method  of  annual  cuttings. 


There  were  some  very  fine  seedling  hybrid 
Anthuriums,  shading  from  the  deepest  blood- 
crimson  to  pure  whites,  which  are  so  rare,  and  the 
foliage  plants  were  decidedly  good.  Clivias  were 
ver3'  effective  and  brilliant  in  colour,  but  in  shape 
and  size  inferior  to  English  ones.  Orchids  were 
but  poorly  represented,  the  tj'pes  being  generally 
so  inferior,  even  when  well  grown,  as  were  the 
Phalienopsis,  whose  vigour  was  most  remarkable. 
Cj'clamen  and  Cineraria  were  practically  identical 
with  what  one  saw  three  years  ago  in  the  North, 
but  I  was  amused  to  see  the  surprise  and  admiration 
lavished  on  a  good  group  of  cut  Daffodils — such  as 
Emperor,  Empress, and  Barri  conspicuus — that  fairly 
astonished  the  native  gardeners,  who  had  never 
seen  these  excellent  and  well-known  varieties 
before.  Forced  Roses  were  very  poor  ;  it  is  too 
late  for  them,  and  the  Tree  Pa-onies  were  hardly 
advanced  enough  this  late  season  to  be  shown,  but 
the  Grapes  shown  from  Thomery  were  marvels  of 
preservation ;  I  have  never  seen  any  that  could  be 
compared  to  them  before — they  might  have  been 
freshly  cut  from  the  Vines. — E.  H.  Woodall. 


THE     FLOWER     GARDEN. 

DAFFODIL     ALLEN'S 
BEAUTY. 

FOR  a  really  wild  Daffodil  to  be  approved 
by  the  Narcissus  Committee  is  always 
satisfactory,  and  Allen's  Beauty  is  a 
really  wild  form.  It  is  in  fact  Narcissus 
nobilis  of  De  CandoUe,  figured  in 
Redoute's  "  Liliacete,"  tab.  l.'iS.  My 
friend  Mr.  Peter  Barr  would  never. allow  that 
N.  nobilis  as  figured  in  Redoutc  was  a  form 
prevalent  in  the  Pyrenees,  because  he  had  not  seen 
a  flower  from  the  Pyrenees  which  exactly  matched 
Redoute's  in  all  its  details,  but  as  I  often  pointed 
out  to  him  the  best  Pyrenean  forms  were  quite  near 
enough,  for  no  wild  Daffodil  which  prevails  over  a 
considerable  area  is  absolutely  constant.  The 
yellow  trumpet  Daffodil  of  the  Pyrenees  may  be 
divided  into  three. 

(1)  N.  nobilis  of  De  Candolle. — The  finest  bed 
of  this  I  came  across  when  I  visited  the  Pyrenees 
in  1886  was  in  the  valley  of  Bious  Artigues,  a  few 
miles  above  Eaux  Chaudes,  near  Gabas,  about 
5,000  feet  high,  and  the  place  from  which  the  steep 
ascent  of  the  Pic  du  Midi  d'Ossau  is  made.  The 
same  Daffodil  occurred  in  abundance  by  the  Route 
Thermal  across  the  Col-de-Torte,  between  Eaux 
Bonnes  and  Argeles.  I  found  it  very  fine  also  on 
the  Pic  de  Bareilles  in  the  same  district.  It  is  a 
fine  handsome  Daffodil,  varying  within  certain 
fixed  limits.  (2)  N.  muticus  {C4ay). --N.  absoissus 
(Haworth)  is  the  prevailing  yellow  Daffodil  of  the 
high  parts  of  the  Pyrenees.  It  is  the  "  dipt- 
trunk  ■'  Daffodil  of  Parkinson,  and  in  some  parts 
attains  a  large  size,  with  very  broad  round-tipped 
leaves.  It  bears  strong  internal  evidence  of  being 
the  wild  form  from  which  N.  bicolor  of  Haworth, 
and  later  N.  emperor  and  N.  empress  were  garden 
developments.  (3)  Where  1  and  2  overlap  their 
area,  a  very  ugly  and  unattractive  race  of  crosses 
is  found  in  great  variety.  Parkinson  describes 
them  and  gives  them  the  name  of  variiformis.  I 
found  these  crosses  in  great  abundance  on  the 
Pic  d'Entecade  near  Luchon,  at  an  elevation 
between  the  region  N.  nobilis  and  N.  muticus. 
Mr.  Barr  made  large  importations  from  that  region, 
and  did  not  recognise  the  distinction  between 
N.  nobilis  and  N.  variiformis.  A  year  or  two  after 
I  visited  the  Pyrenees,  Mr.  Allen,  of  Shepton 
Mallet,  went  there  and  made  some  careful  selec- 
tions from  N.  muticus  and  N.  nobilis.  He  sent 
me  specimens  of  N.  muticus,  which  for  size  and 
form  I  could  hardly  distinguish  from  .John  Nelson. 
He  also  sent  me  a  bulb  of  the  best  form  he  had 
picked  out  of  N.  nobilis,  which  he  called  Beauty, 
and  I  have  had  the  increase  of  this  bulb  in  mj- 
garden  ever  since.  I  have,  growing  in  grass,  not 
only  man}'  of  this,  but  many  which  I  selected 
myself  in  the  Pyrenees,  and  which  are  of  the  same 
class  (nobilis)  but  which  do  not  quite  come  up  to 
Beauty. 


I  may  add  that  about  the  same  year  in  which 
I  was  there,  Mr.  George  Maw  Wsited  the  Pyrenees 
and  brought  home  nianj'  selected  bulbs  of 
Daffodils.  He  was  convinced  that  what  I  have 
described  as  No.  1  was  identical  with  var.  nobilis 
of  De  Candolle,  and  distributed  man}'  bulbs,  to  me 
amongst  others,  under  that  name. 

The  year  after  I  was  in  the  Pyrenees  I  happened  | 
to  meet  Mr.  Allen  in  Mr.  Barr's  Daffodil  grounds.at 
Tooting.  There  was  a  large  breadth  of  variiformis 
from  the  Pyrenees  flowering  for  the  first  time. 
Most  of  them  were  worthless,  as  we  all  agreed, 
but  one  was  very  good,  and  Mr.  Allen  and  I  bought 
it  for  5s.  and  agreed  to  share  it.  I  was  to  keep  the 
bulb  and  share  the  increase.  This  flower  came 
very  near  indeed  to  what  was  afterwards  called 
Beaut}'.  I  kept  the  two  apart  for  a  long  time,  but 
believe  they  are  now  mixed  in  the  grass,  where 
they  do  very  well,  and  are  amongst  the  earliest  of 
trumpet  Daffodils  to  flower.  C.  W.  D. 


THE    SNOWDROP    DISEASE    (SCLERO- 
TINIA  GALANTHl). 

In  view  of  the  necessity  of  dealing  with  this 
disease  as  soon  as  it  is  discovered,  it  may  be  well, 
after  your  paragraph  in  The  Garden  of  March  30, 
to  give  a  brief  description,  in  non  -  technical 
language,  of  its  appearance  on  the  plants.  It  is 
usually  observable  in  an  early  stage  by  the  plants 
coming  up  dwarfed  and  yellowish  in  colour.  After 
a  short  time  a  grey  mould,  almost  the  colour  of 
mortar,  appears  just  at  the  level  of  the  soil,  and 
this  gradually  extends  up  the  stem,  the  plant 
finally  rotting  off  below  the  surface  of  the  soil. 
It  is  desirable  that  every  affected  plant  should  be 
destroyed,  not  by  putting  on  the  rubbish  heap, 
but  by  burning.  There  is  no  hope  of  the  recovery 
of  the  Snowdrop,  and  this  precaution  is  necessary 
if  we  are  to  avoid  risk  of  its  spreading.  As  an 
additional  precaution  I  have  dusted  the  soil  about 
the  plants  with  freshly  slaked  lime,  but  Veltha  is 
much  more  effectual.  The  disease  is  more  prevalent 
in  some  years  than  others,  and,  whether  owing  to 
care  taken  to  destroy  affected  plants  or  to  season- 
able causes,  I  have  not  had  a  Snowdrop  attacked 
this  year.  I  have  found  it  in  plants  which  were 
practically  wild  in  a  wood,  so  that  one  cannot 
attribute  it  to  cultivation.  I  think,  however, 
that  a  close,  moist  position  in  the  drip  of  trees  is 
favourable  to  its  appearance,  and  that  an  airy 
position  is  more  likely  to  prevent  its  ravages. 
Newly  imported  Snowdrops  have  no  more  resistive 
power  than  those  which  have  been  in  the  garden 
for  years,  but,  like  most  pests,  it  seems  to  have  a 
preference  for  attacking  one's  best  plants.  G.  Ikari;e 
was  almost  annihilated  within  a  couple  of  years  of 
its  introduction  to  my  garden.  I  do  not  think, 
however,  that  this  is  the  cause  of  the  losses  which 
occur  among  plants  of  (^alanthus  plicatus,  notorious 
for  going  off  without  apparent  reason.  I  have 
rarely  observed  signs  of  Sclerotinia  galanthi  upon 
clumps  and  individual  plants  which  have  dis- 
appeared during  the  subsequent  resting  period. 
CnrKfJhorn,  by  Dumfries,  X.B.         S.  Arnott. 


A  GROUP  OF  HARDY  PERENNIAL 
CLIMBERS. 

There  is  no  more  pleasing  object  for  the  eye  than 
arches,  stakes,  fences,  or  verandahs  covered  with 
the  luxuriant  growth  of  climbing  plants  and 
studded  with  clumps  or  masses  of  richly  coloured 
blossoms.  All  of  us  know  the  brilliant  effect  which 
is  produced  by  the  different  varieties  of  Roses, 
Clematis,  Jasmine,  and  Honeysuckle  grown  thus, 
but  there  are  many  other  hardy  climbers,  annual 
and  perennial,  which  produce  equally  brilliant 
effects,  but  which  are  only  very  occasionally  seen. 
The  few  plants  mentioned  below  are  all  perennials, 
of  easy  culture,  may  be  raised  readily  from  seed, 
give  a  wonderful  profusion  of  gorgeous  blooms,  and 
are  not  at  all  expensive. 

Eccremocarpus  scaber,  or  Chilian  Glory  Flower, 
grows  very  rapidly.  It  has  rich  orange -scarlet 
blossoms,  and  requires  a  south  wall.  In  moist, 
warm  localities,  as  the  south  and  west  of  Ireland 
and   south-west   of   England,    it  continues    green 


April  27,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


291 


throughout  the  winter,  and  will  even  keep  in 
flower  if  the  season  be  mild. 

Bignoniaradicans,  or  Ash-leaved  Scarlet  Trumpet 
Flower,  and  Biguonia  grandiflora,  for  south  and 
south-west  walls  or  trellises. 

Tropa^olum  speciosum,  bright  scarlet,  thrives  in 
cool,  moist  situations,  and  requires  no  sun.  In  the 
south  of  England  it  must  be  grown  on  a  north 
wall  and  the  roots  kept  fairly  moist. 

Plumbago  capensis  must  be  raised  under  glass, 
and  planted  out,  not  before  May,  in  a  warm  and 
sheltered  situation.  It  bears  an  immense  number 
of  lovely  pale  blue  flowers. 

Aristolochia  Sipho,  known  as  the  Dutchman's 
Pipe,  requires  a  north  aspect,  is  a  very  rapid 
climber  (10  feet),  with  magnificent  foliage,  and  has 
small  blooms  somewhat  like  those  of  the  Pitcher 
Plant. 

All  these  may  be  sown  during  April  in  light, 
rich  soil,  preferably  in  a  cold  frame,  and  planted 
out  in  favourable  weather  when  about  3  inches 
high.  Percy  LoNGHnRST. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

At  this  season  the  flowers  of  the  garden  are 
coming  forth  abundantly,  and  we  invite  our 
readers  to  send  us  anything  of  special  beauty 
and  interest  for  our  table,  as  by  this  means 
many  rare  and  interesting  plants  become  more 
widely  known.  We  hope,  too,  that  a  short 
cultural  note  will  accompany  the  flowers  so  as 
to  make  a  notice  of  it  more  instructive  to  those 
wh©  may  wish  to  grow  it.  We  welcome  anything 
from  the  garden,  whether  fruit,  tree,  shrub, 
Orchid,  or  hardy  flower,  and  they  may  be 
addressed   either    to    Miss  Jekyll,   Munstead 


NARCISSUS 

TRIANDROS 

CALATHraUS. 

(Natural  size  ) 


Wood,  Godalming,  or  to  Mr.  E.  T.  Cook,  20, 
Tavistock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  London. 

Flowers  for  Illustration. — We  shall  be 
pleased  if  readers  will  send  any  rare  or  good 
garden  flowers  worthy  of  illustration  to  Mr. 
H.  G.  Moon,  Herbert  Lodge,  St.  Albans.  This 
will  assist  us  greatly  in  maintaining  an  inter- 
esting series  of  flower  sketches. 


New  Poet's  Narcissi. 
Mr.    W.    Baylor   Hartland,    Cork,    sends   to   us 
blooms    of    some    of    bis    beautiful    New    Poet's 


Narcissi.  They  are  red-eyed  and  are  perfumed. 
Two  varieties  were  represented,  N.  p.  Orestes  and 
N.  p.  Cressida,  the  former,  a  large  creamy  white 
flower  with  an  intense  scarlet  cup,  and  the  latter 
with  a  rich  canary-coloured  perianth,  silvery  white 
at  the  edges,  and  the  cup  deep  orange-scarlet. 

Hepatioa  triloba  alba  PL. 
M.  A.  M.  C.  van  der  Elst,  of  the  Royal  Tottenham 
Nurseries,  Limited,  Dedemsvaart,  Netherlands, 
sends  to  us  flowers  of  the  above  new  Hepatica. 
They  are  exceedingly  pretty,  and  when  fully 
developed  quite  as  large  as  the  red  and  larger  than 
the  double  blue.  M.  van  der  Elst  informs  us  that 
it  is  a  native  of  the  Hartz  mountains,  where  it  was 
discovered  some  years  ago.  So  far  as  he  knows 
this  Hepatica  is  only  cultivated  in  the  Royal 
Tottenham  Nurseries. 


A  New  Hybrid  Primula. 
We  have  received  from  Mr.  Hookings,  Oldoun 
Hou.se  Gardens,  Tockington,  Gloucester,  blooms  of 
a  new  Primula  raised  by  him  between  P.  stellata 
and  P.  obconica.  The  leaves  sent  are  very  similar 
to  those  of  P.  stellata,  the  flowers  being  white 
with  a  beautiful  yellow  eye.  They  are  of  medium 
size,  but  the  specimens  sent  did  not  enable  us  to 
judge  of  the  habit  of  the  plant.  If  this  has  the 
branching  and  profuse  flowering  habit  of  P.  stellata 
this  new  Primula  should  prove  of  value,  for  the 
flower  itself  is  certainly  a  good  one. 


Primula  Allionii. 
Messrs.  Backhouse,  of  the  York  Nurseries,  send 
a  flowering  plant  of  Primula  Allionii,  a  little 
alpine  gem.  The  plant's  whole  size  is  of  a  less 
diameter  than  2  inches,  and  its  height  1  inch, 
though  each  individual  flower  is  more  than  1  inch 
across.     The  colour  is  a  bright  mauve. 

Narcissus  triandrus  calathinus  and 

N.  juncifolius. 

We  have  received  flowers  of  these  pretty  Narcissi 

from  Messrs.  Barrand  Sons,  of  Long  Ditton.    They 

are  as  charming  in  colouring  as  in  shape.     We  give 

an  illustration  of  each  of  them. 

Epig.ea  repens  and  Shortia  galaoifolia. 

Mr.  Wilson  sends  from  Wisley  blooms  of  two 
charming  early-flowering  plants,  Epigsea  repens, 
the  Mayflower  of  New  England,  and  the  dainty 
Shortia  galaoifolia.  They  are  delightful  to  put 
together ;  the  warm  white  and  faint  tints  of  pink 
of  the  Epigisa  being  exactly  repeated  in  the  pretty 
fringe-edged  bloom  of  the  Shortia,  whose  ruddy 
stalk  gives  additional  value.  With  them  come 
some  flowers  of  Gentiana  acaulis,  of  colourings 
inclining  to  purple,  many  of  them  of  very  deep 
and  rich  shades,  the  produce  of  some  seedlings  of 
Mr.  Wilson's  own  raising. 

Mr.  Wilson  sends  from  his  wood  garden  at 
Weybridge  Heath  some  well-developed 

Camellia  Blooms 
with  this  note  :  "In  the  cottage  wood  garden  we 
have  a  number  of  Camellias  planted  out ;  some 
have  been  in  their  places  for  many  years  and  are 
loaded  with  buds.  I  send  on  the  first  three  blooms 
of  this  season,  though  two  of  them  were  from 
young  plants  which  have  been  out  only  one  winter. 
When  our  large  plants  bloom  I  shall  have  the 
pleasure  of  sending  some  of  their  flowers." 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 


Flowers  at  the  Ipswieh  Spring- 
Show. — Ipswich  is  to  be  congratulated  on  its 
first  spring  show  of  flowers.  It  took  place  on 
April  10,  in  the  Corn  Exchange,  and  we  trust  the 
committee  and  secretaries  (Mr.  A.  E.  Stubbs  and 
Mr.  W.  Andrews)  of  the  society  generally  will  be 
placed  in  such  a  financial  condition  to  enable  them 
to  hold  a  show  annually.  The  honorary  exhibits 
were  numerous,  many  of  which  were  of  great 
I  excellence.  Messrs.  W.  Cutbush,  of  Highgate,  and 


NARCISSUS 
JUNCirOLIUS. 

(Natural  aize.) 


Barnet,  London,  had  a  group 
which  occupied  a  space  of 
250  square  feet,  and  which 
included  a  magnificent  lot  of 
Tulips,  Cyclamen,  Cinerarias, 
Ericas,  and  many  other 
plants ;  a  gold  medal,  the 
only  one  awarded,  was  given 
to  this  fine  group.  Messrs. 
R.  Wallace  and  Co.,  of  Col- 
chester, exhibited  several 
varieties  of  Tulips  from  Turke- 
stan, and  many  other  rare 
specialties  of  spring  flowering 
plants,  for  which  they  were  awarded  a  silver-gilt 
medal.  Near  to  the  entrance  Mr.  Leonard  Brown, 
F.R.H.S.,  of  Brentwood,  Essex,  staged  a  superb 
collection  of  Daffodils,  which  were  awarded  a 
silver-gilt  medal.  Daffodils  and  Narcissus  were 
shown  by  Mr.  R.  Sydenham,  of  Tenby  Street, 
Birmingham,  grown  in  bowls  of  cocoa-fiVjre.  Violets 
were  well  represented  by  Messrs.  Isaac  House  and 
Son,  Coombe  Nurseries,  Westbury-on-Trym, 
Bristol,  in  which  all  the  best  varieties  were  staged, 
and  were  greatly  admired.  Mr.  H.  Rogers, 
gardener  to  Lord  Rendlesham,  sent  variegated 
Kale,  splendidly  coloured  ;  also  Yellow  Arums 
and  Violets.  Floral  decorations  of  Dalfodils  of 
any  type,  arranged  on  a  table  6  feet  b}'  4  feet, 
with  any  appropriate  foliage,  were  very  deli- 
cately set  out,  the  first  prize  being  won  by 
Miss  Steward  of  Ipswieh.  There  were  many  other 
classes,  and  one  for  market  gardeners.  The  first 
prize  (a  cup  presented  by  the  officers  of  the 
1st  Harwich  and  Suffolk  V.A.)  was  won  by 
Mr.  C.  Clover ;  other  prizes  being  awarded  to 
Mr.  H.  J.  Southgate  and  Mr.  W.  Chenery. 

Synthyris     pinnatiflda.  —  Those  who 

might  hope  to  find  in  the  white-flowered  Synthyris 
pinnatiflda  a  good  companion  to  the  beautiful 
S.  reniformis  will  be  disappointed  with  it  when 
they  see  it  in  bloom,  as  I  was  about  two  years  ago. 
It  is  not  nearly  so  pretty  nor  is  it  such  a  good 
grower,  and  I  think  that  those  of  us  who  would 
like  to  have  a  white  Synthyris  to  associate  with 
S.  reniformis  will  do  well  to  wait  and  look  for  the 
introduction  of  the  white  variety  of  that  charming 
flower  which  was  spoken  of  some  time  ago  by  Mr. 
Carl  Purdy  in  one  of  liis  interesting  articles  on 
flowers  in  the  great  west  of  America.  It  may  be 
in  cuUivation  here,  but  I  have  not  heard  of  its  being 
in  any  garden. — S.  Arnott. 

Daffodils  at  Long-  Ditton.— Those  who 

wish  to  see  the  superb  collection  of  Narcissi  in 
flower  in  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons'  nurseries  at 
Long  Ditton  should  visit  these  grounds  as  soon 
as  possible.     The  flowers  are  now  in  full  beauty. 

Box  edg-ing-S.— Although  Box  is  not  now 
so  extensively  planted  in  gardens  as  an  edging  to 
walks  and  beds  as  was  once  the  case,  yet  there  are 
many  noted  gardens  in  the  country  that  can  boast 
of  having  miles  of  it  at  the  present  day.  Much 
has  been  said  from  time  to  time  against  Box  as  an 
edging  to  walks,  &e. ,  on  account  of  its  being  a 
lurking  place  for  slugs  and  other  garden  pests,  and 
without  a  doubt  there  is  truth  in  the  assertion, 
but  I  contend  that  provided  the  edgings  be  kept 
within   proper  bounds   by   annual  close   clipping 


292 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[April  27,  1901. 


this  evil  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  I  have  had 
some  years"  experience  with  closely-trimmed  Box- 
edges,  and  never  have  I  known  them  to  harbour 
slugs.  AA'ell  kept  Box  edgings  are  a  pleasing 
feature  in  the  garden,  always  presenting  a  fresh 
green  appearance.  Tlie  annual  clipping  should 
take  place  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  first 
week  in  May,  as  no  very  sharp  frosts  are  to  be 
e.'cpeeted  at  that  time.  If  then  closely-cut  over, 
new  growth  will  soon  be  made,  which  is  not  likely 
to  be  injured  by  frost.  Some  do  this  work  twice 
annually,  viz.,  in  autumn  and  early  spring,  but  I 
find  that  when  autumn  clipping  is  practised  the 
surface  of  the  edges  gets  browned  with  frost. — 
H.  T.  Maktin. 

The  herb  bOPdeP.— The  herb  border  is  as 
necessary  to  the  garden  as  the  garden  is  to  the 
mansion,  therefore  it  behoves  the  gardener  to  pay 
every  attention  to  it.  Early  in  the  month  of  April 
is  the  most  favourable  time  for  the  overhauling  and 
general  replanting  of  those  herbs  of  a  herbaceous 
nature  and  for  sowing  seeds  of  the  annual  or 
biennial  kinds.  Deep  digging  is  necessary,  and  a 
goodly  portion  of  manure  should  be  dug  into  the 
soil  as  planting  proceeds.  By  commencing  at  one 
end  of  the  herb  garden  a  clear  course  will  be 
retained,  aud  each  kind  should  be  divided  and 
replanted  as  digging  progresses.  When  completed, 
the  remainder  of  the  plot  ma}'  be  dug,  and  when 
siifliciently  dry  raked  down  ;  such  seeds  as  Parsley, 
Basil,  Borage,  Chervil,  &c. .  may  then  be  sown  in 
neat  drills,  a  narrow  path  being  retained  between 
each  kind.  These  annual  herbs  will  require  severe 
thinning  as  soon  as  large  enough  to  handle  in  order 
to  develop  the  plants,  for  one  good  plant  standing 
clear  of  its  neighbours  will  be  worth  more  than  a 
dozen  crowded  plants  in  the  same  space. — H.  T. 
Maetix,  Stoneleicih. 

Rosa   maepophylla.     A  fine  plant  of 

Rosa  niacrophylla  has  for  some  years  been  troubled 
with  the  Bedeguar  Gall.  In  1899 1  cut  the  branches 
in  the  autumn  all  back  to  the  stool,  hoping  that 
the  new  shoots  would  be  free,  but  by  the  autumn 
of  1900  the  new  branches  were  nearly  as  unsightly 
as  the  old,  and  I  now  see  the  same  or  a  similar 
gall  on  some  Scotch  Briars  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  rockery.  I  should  be  grateful  for  a  hint  how 
to  get  rid  of  this  pest.  Nicholson's  Dictionary 
says  "cutting  off  leaves  and  branches  as  soon  as 
the  galls  appear  on  them  is  quite  a  sufficient 
check." — A.  C.  B. .  Heading. 

ApetOtiS  aspePa.— Two  large  plants  of 
this  handsoraeSouth  African  composite  are  flowering 
finely  in  the  greenhouse  at  Kew.  They  are  in 
10-inch  pots  and  staked  after  tlie  manner  of  a  bush 
Chrysanthemum,  and  are  now  u])wards  of  .3  feet 
high  and  U  feet  through,  with  numerous  strong 
shoots.  The  foliage  alone  makes  this  plant 
attraetive,  the  leaves  being  pinnatified,  6  inches 
to  8  inches  long,  covered  with  a  white  silky 
tomentum.  The  heads  of  flowers  are  made  up  of 
ray  a,nd  disc  florets,  are  3  inches  to  4  inches  across, 
Oazania-like  in  appearance,  and  rich  orange-yellow 
in  colour.  When  grown  into  a  large  bush  and  a 
dozen  or  so  flower  heads  are  expanded  at  once  it 
is  very  handsome,  and  where  a  constant  change  of 
flowers  is  required  for  the  conservatory  or  green- 
house it  will  be  found  very  useful.  Soil  similar  to 
that  used  for  Chrysanthemums  is  suitable,  and 
cool  house  treatment  is  all  it  requires. — W.  D. 

The  National  Chpysanthemum 
Society's   exhibitions    fop  1901.— The 

annual  report  and  schedule  of  prizes  for  the  three 
exhibitions  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society 
are  at  last  in  the  hands  of  its  members.  Advantage 
will  be  taken  by  a  certain  number  of  exhibitors  to 
enter  the  new  classes,  but  owing  to  the  advanced 
period  of  the  year,  the  ultimate  result  is  sure  to 
be  less  satisfactory  than  it  would  have  been  had 
the  schedule  of  prizes  been  published  earlier. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  gratifying  to  find  that  the 
executive  committee  are  keeping  abreast  of  the 
times,  and  are  discarding  old  and  useless  methods 
of  exhibiting  the  Autumn  Queen  in  favour  of  newer 
and  more  interesting  ways.  The  practical  aspect 
of  this  question  is  receiving  more  attention,  and  in 
this  connection  it  may  be  noted  that  special  classes 
are  now  provided  for  illustrating  the  use  to  which 
Jarge   exhibition   blpoms   can   be   put,  as  well  as 


others  for  the  encouragement  of  the  culture  of 
outdoor  sorts.  In  the  November  exhibition,  which 
this  year  is  fixed  for  November  .i,  fi,  and  7.  changes 
are  also  notified.  The  decoration  of  the  fountain  was 
so  great  a  success  last  season  that  it  is  to  be  repeated, 
but  rn  improved  lines.  Points  are  given  for  qualitv 
of  Chrysanthemum  blooms,  for  quality  of  foliaced 
plants,  and  also  for  attractive  arrangement.  The 
collection  must  include  examples  of  not  less  than 
four  distinct  sections  of  Chrysanthennims,  and 
they  may  be  exhibited  either  as  plants  or  cut 
blooms.  This  alteration  should  have  the  effect  of 
bringing  into  the  display  some  of  the  smaller  and 
pretty  little  Pompon  ilowers  which  last  season 
were  more  or  less  ignored.  Four  prizes— £l.i,  £10, 
£8,  and  £0  respectively — should  induce  growers  to 
enter  into  friendly  rivalry.  The  great  vase  class 
for  .Japanese  blooms  is  again  retained,  the  society 
providing  the  prizes  in  this  instance.  The  classes 
which  in  former  years  were  confined  to  six  blooms 
each  of  Japanese  white,  yellow,  and  any  colour 
except  white  or  yellow,  are  in  future  to  be  set  up 
in  vases  provided  by  the  exhibitor.  These  were 
set  up  on  boards  formerly,  and  the  new  departure 
should  be  welcomed,  the  hairy  petalled  blooms 
have  also  to  be  arranged  in  a  "vase.  Mr.  .J.  T. 
Simpson,  who  has  previous]}'  given  a  guinea  for 
the  best  Japanese  bloom  in  the  show,  repeats  this 
prize,  and  also  in  addition  gives  a  guinea  for  the 
best  incurved  bloom  in  the  show.  In  the  place  of 
the  old  class  for  twenty-four  incurved  blooms, 
distinct,  a  new  class  has  been  created.  This  is  for 
six  vases  of  incurved  blooms,  in  six  distinct 
varieties,  five  blooms  in  each  vase.  Three  prizes, 
respectively  £10,  £0,  and  £4,  should  attract 
exhibitors.  Twelve  large-flowered  Anemones  and 
twelve  laige-flowered  Japanese  Anemones  are  in 
future  to  be  arranged  in  vases.  Two -vases,  each 
to  contain  six  blooms,  will  be  re(|uired  in  each  class. 
The  December  schedule  has  been  strengthened 
somewhat,  an  additional  class  for  a  vase  of 
Pompons,  arranged  for  decorative  effect,  being 
included.  Readers  of  The  Garden  will  be  ready 
to  acknowledge  that  this  society  certainly  justifies 
its  existence,  and  that  the  executive  committee  are 
keenly  alive  to  what  is  required  of  them. — H. 

ClianthUS  puniceUS.— There  is  no  more 
beautiful  climbing  plant  suitable  for  the  roof  of  a 
sunny  greenhouse  than  this,  and  the  fortunate 
possessors  of  a  large  specimen  are  sure  of  a  rich 
harvest  of  flowers  every  spring.  It  was  introduced 
from  New  Zealand  about  seventy  years  ago,  and 
appears  to  have  been  grown  more  largely  then 
than  now.  Its  semi-shrubby  branches  are  well 
clothed  with  small  pinnate  leaves,  and  the  flowers, 
which  are  scarlet,  are  freely  produced  in  drooping 
racemes.  The  individual  flowers  are  2  inches  long, 
and  Pea-shaped.  They  commence  to  open  in 
February,  and  the  flowering  season  lasts  until  the 
end  of  May.  Unlike  its  Australian  cousin,  C. 
Dampieri,  it  is  of  fairly  easy  cidture,  rooting 
readily  from  cuttings,  and  growing  in  fibrous  peat 
or  fibrous  peat  and  loam.  It  will  grow  in  pots, 
but  can  be  depended  on  to  flower  better  if  planted 
out  in  a  well-drained  border.  It  will  grow  to  a 
height  of  15  feet  or  20  feet,  and  spread  out  to  cover 
a  large  space.  Providing  it  has  a  sunny  postion  it 
can  be  depended  on  to  do  well  in  a  cool  or  warm 
greenhouse  if  plenty  of  air  is  given  during  summer 
and  autumn. — W.  D. 

The   ppoposed   new   Chiswick.— In 

company  with  a  very  few  other  Fellows  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  I  visited,  on  Thursday 
last,  the  site  at  Farningham,  in  Kent.  The  area 
of  land  amounts  to  slightly  over  48  acres,  and  is 
comprised  in  one  field,  which  has  a  gentle  fall 
towards  the  south-west  corner.  There  is  practi- 
cally no  shelter,  but  this  could  be  afforded  by 
planting  breaks.  Three  trial  holes  were  made, 
and  all  showed  a  most  promising  land.  The 
surface  is  loam,  with  an  abundance  of  flints,  then 
a  very  thin  layer  of  gravel,  with  a  subsoil  of 
heavier  loam.  In  one  case  a  trace  of  chalk  was 
observable.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the 
land  would  prove  very  responsive  to  good  cultiva- 
tion, and  it  is  very  doubtful  if  a  superior  position, 
in  this  particular  respect,  could  easily  be  found. 
Two  disadvantages  lie  in  the  bad  train  service 
both  to  and  from  Farningham,  also  the  absence  of 


a  suitable  place  of  refreshment.  From  enquiries 
made  in  the  neighbourhood  subsequent  to  the  visit, 
the  price  of  the  land  (£80  an  acre)  was  deemed  to 
be  too  high.  This  was  ascertained  from  absolutely 
disinterested  persons,  and  is  probablj'  reliable. — 
Visitor. 
Messps.  Captep's    Cinepapias.  —  No 

less  beautiful  anil  interesting  than  Messrs.  .James 
Carter  and  Co.'s  Primulas  earlier  in  the  season  are 
the  Cinerarias,  now  fully  open  in  the  Forest  Hill 
nurseries  of  this  firm.  The  house  in  which  the 
best  of  them  are  to  be  seen  is  quite  a  blaze  of 
colour  from  end  to  end,  and  the  variety  of  tone 
and  shade  comprised  in  the  flowers  is  remarkable. 
Tlie  individual  blooms  are  on  the  whole  large,  and 
in  form  and  delicacy  of  colouring  leave  nothing  to 
be  desired.  Cinerarias,  unlike  Primulas,  owing  to 
their  varied  and  innumerable  shades  of  colour,  are 
not  named  individuall}'.  We  can  therefore  but 
describe  a  few  of  the  most  distinct  flowers  recently 
noted.  That  with  a  white  centre,  the  edges  of  the 
petals  being  broadlj'  margined  with  rich  rose- 
purple,  is  always  a  favourite,  and  one  of  the  best 
of  colours  ;  another  splendid  flower  is  a  large  deep 
purple,  while  the  pure  white  is  one  that  cannot 
fail  to  at  once  attract  attention.  Several  are  of  a 
cerise  shade,  varying  in  depth  of  colour  on  different 
plants,  but  all  very  charming  flowers.  The  true 
blues  are  conspicuous,  the  rich  sells  usually  finding 
the  most  favour,  although  the  lighter  blue  with 
the  white  centres  are  hardly  less  beautiful.  There 
is  probably  no  tender  florists"  flower  that  provides 
such  a  wide  range  of  colour  as  is  comprised  in  the 
numerous  varieties  contained  in  a  representative 
collection,  and  an  examination  of  that  of  Messrs. 
Carter  reveals  a  wealth  of  shades  and  tints  innu- 
merable and  almost  indescribable,  from  the  pure 
white  to  the  deep  purple  and  crimson. 

The  London  Parks  superinten- 
dents' dinneP. — Through  the  instrumentality 
of  Mr.  F.  .J.  Coppin,  Battersea,  the  superintendents 
of  the  several  London  parks  met  last  year  at  a 
social  dinner.  So  much  good  sprang  from  this  that 
it  was  decided  to  make  it  an  annual  affair,  and  on 
Saturday  nearly  the  whole  of  the  superintendents, 
with  several  foremen,  met  under  the  presidencj-  of 
Lieut. -Col.  Saxby,  chief  officer  of  the  Parks  Depart- 
ment, who  was  supported  bj'  Lord  Monkswell, 
chairman  of  the  Parks  Committee,  and  Mr.  C. 
•Jordan,  superintendent  of  Regent's  Park,  which, 
as  Crown  property,  is  without  the  pale  of  the 
London  County  Council.  There  were  a  few  visitors, 
including  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  of  Chiswick,  and  Mr. 
T.  Bevan,  of  Finchley,  two  of  the  visitors  venturing 
into  the  regions  of  criticism.  Lieut. -Col.  Saxby 
spoke  admirably  of  the  work  of  the  department  when 
responding  to  a  toast  that  was  given  by  Air.  F.  W. 
Parker,  of  the  headquarters'  staff".  Mr.  Barnes, 
chief  surveyor,  proposed,  and  Lord  Monkswell 
responded  to,  "  The  Parks  Committee."  It  was  a 
successful  gathering,  and,  though  still  called  an 
annual,  I  trust  it  may  prove  a  hard}'  perennial. — 
H.  J.  W. 

Tecophylaea    eyanocpocus.— Perhaps 

one's  experience  may  encourage  others  to  grow  this 
gem.  It  had  been  under  glass  here  for  many  years, 
but  we  had  never  succeeded  with  it  in  the  open 
garden.  In  the  autumn  of  1899,  however,  about  a 
dozen  bulbs  were  planted  some  4  inches  deep  in  a 
bed  prepared  for  Oncocyclus  Irises.  The  soil  is 
good  fibrous  loam,  depth  18  inches,  below  this 
fi  inches  to  9  inches  of  broken  bricks  resting  on  a 
sloping  concrete  bottom.  Of  course  the  object  of  the 
slope  is  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  water  lodging. 
In  the  spring  of  190O  we  had  some  four  blossoms  and 
were  well  pleased,  and  there  are  now  open  or  to 
open  some  twelve  blossoms.  The  bulbs  have  had 
no  protection  whatever  from  the  time  they  were 
planted  in  1899.  The  border  faces  south  and  is 
only  some  8  feet  or  9  feet  from  a  wall.  It  would 
be  rash  to  assume  that  success  is  now  assured,  as 
the  last  two  winters  have  been  by  no  means  severe, 
but,  at  all  events,  there  is  reasonable  ground  for 
hope  that  this  beautiful  bulbous  plant  can  be 
induced  to  thrive  and  flower  unprotected  in  the 
open  ground  in  years  which  are  not  of  exceptional 
severity.  Seed  is  set  abundantly,  and  there  seems 
no  difficulty  \\\  raising  seedlings.  —  A.  C.  B. , 
Iteading, 


April  ^7,   1901.] 


THE    GAllDEN. 


203 


Plants  for  edgings.— I  noticed  that  "  E." 
in  the  very  good  list  of  plants  for  edgings  does 
not  mention  one  that  we  find  most  useful  here, 
i.e.,  the  variegated  white  Periwinkle,  I  have 
roughly  paced  out  the  borders  and  shrubberies 
that  are  edged  with  it,  and  find  that  it  runs  round 
350  yards,  sometimes  under  shrubs,  even  under 
Yews,  under  a  Beech  hedge,  and  either  bordering 
shrubberies  that  come  close  on  to  gravel  paths,  or 
on  to  grass  lawns  it  always  looks  well.  At  present 
it  is  a  mass  of  neat  short  growths  with  pearly  white 
flowers.  Later  on,  when  the  flowers  are  over,  it 
sends  up  its  variegated  foliage  and  forms  a  well- 
rounded  compact  edging  all  through  the  summer, 
autumn,  and  winter.  Under  heavily  foliaged  trees, 
sucli  as  Cedars,  we  use  the  larger  and  freer- 
growing  Vinca  major,  and  in  cool,  damp  corners  a 
very  lovely  small  double  blue  or  almost  inauve  one, 
the  name  of  which  I  do  not  know,  but  which  has 
grown  for  many  years  in  this  old  garden. — A.  .J.  B. , 
Kent.  P.S. — I  will  send  a  few  blooms  of  this  last 
one  later  on  for  naming.  It  flowers  much  later 
than  the  others. 

Clematises    Marcel     Moser     and 

Nellie  Moser. — There  are  e.xcellent  specimens 
of  these  comparativelj-  new  Clematises  in  Messrs. 
Veitch's  Chelsea  nursery.  They  are  two  varieties 
of  great  merit,  through  the  excellent  form  and 
dimensions  of  their  flowers,  which  are  of  a  pale 
mauve  ground,  with  the  petals  ornamented  with  a 
broad  band  more  or  less  red  in  their  centres.  The 
free-flowering  character  of  these  perfectly  hardy 
varieties  is  shown  by  these  young  plants  grown  in 
6-inch  pots,  and  bearing  flve  or  six  of  their  lovely 
flowers,  each  of  them  measuring  fully  8  inches  in 
diameter. 
Flowers  in  Kensington  Gardens. 

— The  flower-walk  in  this  well-known  fashionable 
resort  is  looking  very  gay  at  the  present  time. 
There  are  some  good  colonies  of  Daffodils,  with 
effective  splashes  of  Chionodoxa  and  Scilla  sibirica. 
The  Hyacinths  and  Tulips  have  not  yet  opened  in 
the  walk,  but  there  is  a  splendid  show  near  the 
late  Q'leen's  statue.  A  group  of  Almond  trees  in 
full  bloom,  under  which  are  massed  Tulips,  Hya- 
cinths, and  Daffodils,  with  a  carpet  of  mixed 
Crocuses,  presents  a  splendid  show.  Behind  the 
statue  are  some  very  fine  bushes  of  that  beautiful 
decidmus  golden-flowered  shrub,  Forsythia  sus- 
pensa.  Ribes  sanguineum  is  coming  into  bloom. 
Flowering  Peaches  are  only  waiting  for  a  few  more 
warm  sunny  days  to  bring  them  to  perfection. 
An  improvement  which  has  been  made  by  Mr.  W. 
Brown,  the  capable  superintendent,  is  worthy  of 
reference.  Hitherto  there  has  been  no  rubbish 
yard  for  Kensington  Gardens  ;  the  leaves,  &c. ,  had 
to  be  deposited  behind  a  mound  near  the  centre  of 
the  gardens,  presenting  an  untidy  appearance.  The 
ground  has  been  excavated  for  about  2  feet  and 
mounded  up,  forming  a  large  yard,  and  the  banks 
have  been  recently  planted  with  flowering  trees 
and  shrubs,  such  as  Lilacs,  Philadelphus,  Broom, 
Laburnums,  Pyrus,  Thorns,  Spirssas,  Almonds, 
Andromedas,  and  Prunus  Pissardi.  With  these 
established  and  in  flower  this  spot  will  in  future 
present  a  gay  aspect.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
gardens  are  some  good  groups  of  Daffodils.  About 
Hyde  Park  there  are  several  groups  of  the  same 
flowering  shrubs  that  have  been  mentioned  in  con- 
nection with  Kensington  Gardens.  On  Park  Lane 
side  of  the  park,  and  near  Hyde  Park  Corner  and 
Albert  Gate,  Daffodils  delight  us  in  good  groups, 
whilst  in  St.  James's  Park,  near  the  lake  and  the 
Horse  Guards'  Parade,  the  golden  flower  is  also 
making  a  brave  display. 

Ravenseourt  Park,  Hammer- 
smith.— This  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  well- 
kept  of  the  smaller  parks  under  the  control  of  the 
London  County  Council,  and  much  in  the  way  of 
improvement  has  been  effected  by  Mr.  Gingell,  the 
superintendent.  A  portion  of  what  was  waste 
ground  a  few  years  ago,  facing  the  main  Hammer- 
smith Road,  has  been  taken  in  and  effectively  dealt 
with  Near  to  the  library  Daffodils  amongst  Iv^', 
and  flowering  under  a  Cedar,  produce  a  pleasing 
ett'ect. — Quo. 

Daffodils  in  Jadoo  fibre  and  road 

scrapings.  —  On  the  occasion  of  the  recent 
exhibition   of   Daffodils   at   Ipswich,  Mr.    Leonard 


Brown,  Seven  Arches,  Brentwood,  who  is  a  Daffodil 
specialist,  exhibited  a  number  of  pots  of  bulbs  of 
several  varieties,  whjch  were  grown  in  a  compost 
made  up  of  one-third  Jadoo  fibre  and  two-thirds  of 
grit  from  gravelled  roads,  and  the  vigorous  growth 
and  fine  development  of  the  flowers  fully  justified 
this  method  of  culture.  What  struck  one  was  the 
rare  substance  both  in  the  perianth  and  trumpet. 
Such  varieties  as  Empress,  Horsfieldi,  Mrs.  Walter 
T.  Ware  (early,  very  free,  and  excellent  for  market 
work).  Emperor,  Johnstone,  Queen  of  Spain  (a  very 
distinct  species  of  elegant  character),  Maximus 
(verj'  fine  in  colour),  and  Princess  Ida,  all  of  the 
large  trumpet  section.  Of  the  medium  crowned 
section  the  following  were  particularly  good  : — 
Barri  conspicuus  and  Queen  Bess.  Such  a  method 
of  culture  commends  itself  to  those  who  find  difti- 
cuUy  in  obtaining  a  suitable  compost,  but  it  should 
be  stated  that  the  grit  should  be  from  a  gravelled 
and  not  a  granite  road.  A  finer  lot  of  blossoms 
from  plants  grown  in  pots  I  have  verj'  rarely  seen. 
— R.  D. 

Freesia  aurea.— Some  blossoms  of  this 
species  were  exhibited  at  the  Ipswich  Daftbdil 
Show  by  Messrs.  Wallace  and  Co.,  Kilnfield 
Gardens,  Colcliester.  The  flowers  appear  to  be 
rather  smaller  than  in  the  case  of  Frefraita ;  the^- 
are  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  with  a  few  spots,  but 
they  lack  the  fragrance  of  the  more  commonly 
grown  forms  It  is  an  interesting  plant  and  very 
rare. — R. 

Pelargonium    F.    V.    Raspail    for 

beds. — One  or  two  beds  of  the  above  make  a 
brave  show  during  the  summer  months,  and  the 
fine  long-stemmed  trusses  produced  under  such 
conditions  are  often  in  request  for  vases,  and  the}' 
also  make  charming  little  nosegays  associated  with 
long  pieces  of  the  scented  P.  filicifolium.  I  tried 
several  things  with  it  in  the  beds  to  relieve  the 
somewhat  stiff'  appearance  that  is  a  characteristic 
of  nearly  all  double  flowers  of  rather  dwarf  habit 
when  planted  together  in  quantitj',  and  have  found 
nothing  better  than  Gypsophila  paniculata.  Not 
many  are  required,  about  five  in  a  bed,  say,  of 
100  square  feet.  The  effect  is  very  pleasing  when 
both  are  at  their  best,  the  bright  scarlet  flowers 
showing  to  great  advantage  beneath  the  fleecy 
cloud  of  Gypsophila.  This  latter  comes  readily 
from  seed  ;  if  this  is  sown  in  the  summer,  and  the 
seedlings  are  pricked  out  in  a  prepared  border, 
nice  plants  will  be  available  for  transplanting  into 
permanent  quarters  in  early  spring. — E.  Burrell. 

Onychium     Japonicum.  —  Where    a 

quantity  of  foliage  to  associate  with  cut  flowers 
is  required  the  above  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
plants  that  can  be  grown  ;  the  fronds  are  light  and 
graceful,  and  have  the  merit  of  keeping  fresh  and 
green  for  quite  a  fortnight  if  the  water  is  changed 
and  the  base  is  occasionally  nipped.  I  have  also 
found  it  very  useful  in  pots  for  outdoor  work 
through  the  summer  months  for  grouping  with 
flowering  plants.  In  large  greenhouses  and  con- 
servatories, where  benches  andstaging  are  dispensed 
with  in  favour  of  winding  paths  and  clumps  of 
rockery,  this  Fern  may  be  planted  out  to  great 
advantage,  and  under  such  conditions  shows  its 
true  form,  the  bright  fresh  fronds  growing  nearly 
3  feet  in  length.  Many  charming  combinations 
may  be  effected  at  different  seasons  of  the  year  by 
groups  of  flowering  plants  mixed  with  it ;  just 
now,  for  instance,  it  looks  well  with  Primula 
stellata  in  variety,  Freesias,  Cyclamens,  &c.  It  is 
very  easy  of  culture,  whether  in  pots  or  planted 
out ;  a  mixture  of  one  part  loam  and  two  of  leaf- 
soil,  with  a  good  dash  of  sand,  suits  it  admirably. 
— E.  Burrell. 
Manettia   luteo-rubra.  —  Few  plants 

flower  with  more  persistency  than  this  Rubiaceous 
climber,  or  adapt  themselves  more  readil}'  to  such 
a  number  of  methods  of  culture.  It  is  usually 
seen  trained  on  a  trellis  or  balloon  growing  in  a 
stove  and  treated  more  or  less  as  a  herbaceous 
plant ;  it  can,  however,  be  made  to  grow  to  a  goi5d 
size  and  cover  large  areas  bj'  allowing  it  to 
grow  unchecked  for  several  years.  When  allowed 
to  grow  in  this  manner  it  is  never  without  flowers, 
and  throughout  winter  the  pretty  scarlet,  3'ellow- 
tipped  blossoms  are  particularly  welcome. 
Although  often    given    the  warmth  of  a  stove,  so 


niuch  heat  is  unnecessary,  a  warm  greenhouse  or 
intermediate  house  answering  admirably.  It  is 
a  Brazilian  plant,  and  is  probably  better  known  by 
the  name  of  M.  bieolor,  which,  however,  is  but  a 
synonym  of  the  correct  name.  In  addition  to  the 
methods  of  training  mentioned,  it  looks  very  well 
if  planted  in  a  border  and  allowed  to  scramble 
over  a  triangle  of  rough  posts. — W.  D. 

European  Cyclamens.— Apart  from  the 

quantity  of  blossom  produced  by  the  eorms  when 
leafless,  a  mass  of  the  glaucous  tinted  marble-like 
foliage  of  these  plants  is,  at  the  present  time, 
quite  handsome.  An  ideal  spot  to  plant  this 
Cyclamen  is  on  a  bank  sloping  to  the  south,  backed 
up  with  evergreen  trees  of  the  Thuja  Lobbii  type. 
The  contrast  is  quite  pleasing,  while  there  is  no 
doubt  about  the  success  of  growth  in  the  Cyclamen. 
Full  exposure  to  the  summer  sun  seems  to  ripen  up 
the  corms  thoroughly,  which  give  after  this  a  wealth 
of  blossom.  A  somewhat  light  compost,  in  which 
old  mortar  rubble  flgurea  freely  over  a  subsoil  of 
heavy  retentive  soil,  seems  to  suit  the  growth  of 
this  plant. — E.  M. 

Galanthus  Flwesi  and  G.  plicatus. 

— How  well  these  two  early-flowering  Snowdrops 
flourish  on  the  rock  garden  and  how  fast  they 
increase  from  seed.  To  me  it  is  a  wonder  we  do 
not  see  more  of  them  in  the  position  alluded  to. 
Ten  years  since  I  planted  six  bulbs  of  each  on  a 
partially  shaded  rockery,  with  abundant  root  run, 
and  now  each  clump  is  fully  3  feet  across,  a  mass 
of  healthy  seedling  plants,  which  annually  blossom 
freely.  Of  course  they  have  not  been  disturbed 
since  planting,  therefore  it  cannot  be  said  that 
Snowdrops  require  a  renewal  of  soil  or  of  added 
manure.  This  is  a  trait  about  these  hardv  bulbs 
which  is  in  their  favour. — E.  M. 


ORCHIDS. 


NOTES  ON    NEW   ODONTO- 
GLOSSUMS. 

IN  the  collection  of  R.  H.  Measures,  Esq.,  of 
Streatham,  some  of  the  most  remarkable 
Odontoglossums  yet  introduced  are  now 
flowering.  The  genus  is  particularly  rich  in 
natural  hybrids,  more  so  perhaps  than  any 
other  division  of  the  Orchid  family,  but 
only  lately,  comparatively  speaking,  has  any 
success  attended  the  raising  of  artificial  ones. 
Probably  the}'  will  never  be  as  plentiful  as 
Dendrobium,  C3'pripedium,  Cattleya,  and  Lfelia 
crosses,  the  initial  difficulties  in  their  growth  being 
too  manj',  but  results  already  obtained  fully 
illustrate  the  advantage  of  perseverance. 

Six  Odontoglossums  at  The  Woodlands  are 
especiall}'  remarkable,  and  of  these  three  are 
natural  and  three  artificial  hybrids.  First  is  a 
harryanum  cross,  the  crispum  parent  used  having 
been  the  splendid  variety  sanderianum,  compar- 
able with  0.  c.  Franz  Mazreel,  0.  c.  veitchianum, 
&c.,  in  its  faultless  shape  and  bold,  deeply  coloured 
blotches.  Such  forms  can  seldom  be  used  in 
hybridising,  but  there  can  be  no  question  as  to 
their  superiority,  as  evidenced  in  the  present 
hybrid  63'  the  large,  well-opened  flowers  and 
their  intensely  coloured  markings.  The  sepals 
and  petals  are  splashed  with  red-purple  on  an 
ochreous  ground.  The  upper  sepal  has  a  large 
red-purple  blur,  outlined  with  ochre,  encircling  an 
ochreous  patch,  with  a  red-purple  mark  in  the 
centre.  The  Up  is  finely  dotted  with  the  same 
tint  above,  clear  yellow  below.  All  the  colours 
show  through  on  the  under  side.  This  varieti 
is  immensel3'  superior  to  previouslv  flowererl  . 
harryanum  and  crispum  crosses. 

Odoiitoylo-iKiim  excelleuf  far.  Priiicesg  May  is  a 
natural  hybrid  between  0.  triumphans  and  0. 
Pescatorei.  Princess  May  is  the  finest  form  3-et 
seen,  unless  that  in  Baron  Schroder's  famous  collec- 
tion  be  preferred.  The  yellow  tint  obtained  from 
triumphans  is  ver3'  strong  and  clear,  fading  prettily 
to  white  at  the  bases  of  the  petals  which  are 
spotted  with  cinnamon-brown.  The  sepals,  all 
yellow,    have    three   or  four  irregular  blotches  of 


294 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Apkil  27,  1901. 


cinnamon,  and  the  yellow  lip  has  similar  blotches 
on  the  disc,  arranged  in  crescent  form. 

Odonlogh'isinn  Harvengtenm  car.  Leopo/di  is,  like 
the  preceding,  a  natural  hybrid  from  Colombia, 
the  type  being  a  hybrid  between  triumphans  and 
crispiim.  The  variety  Leopoldi  takes  more 
strongly  after  the  first  parent,  thus  differing  from 
Odontoglossum  Lojchristiense,  the  artificial  cross 
from  the  same  parents.  The  rather  harsh  colouring 
of  triumphans  is  softened  and  smoothed,  the 
deep  yellow  becomes  gold,  the  bars  and  splashes 
a  tender  red-brown  ;  crispum  shows  itself  in  the 
soft  white  bars  traversing  the  petals,  in  the 
crispation  of  the  sepals  and  petals,  and  in  the 
shape  and  size  of  the  labellum,  the  edges  of  which 
are  daintily  feathered. 

A  hybrid  between  Kegeljani  (polyxanthum)  and 
cirrhosum  next  claims  attention.  Both  the  parents 
are  natives  of  Ecuador,  but  a  natural  cross  between 
them  has  not  j'et  been  found.  Should  it  ever  be, 
judging  b3'  the  plant  at  The  Woodlands,  a  first- 
class  novelty  may  be  anticipated.  The  plant  seen 
by  the  writer  is  now  flowering  for  the  first  time. 
Being  small  its  best  characters  have  j'et  to  be 
developed,  but  sufficient  can  be  seen  to  show  its 
value.  Except  on  the  lip  there  is  not  a  trace  of 
yellow  in  the  flower,  nor  of  the  "fly-away" 
appearance  of  cirrhosum  ;  sepals  and  petals  invert 
at  the  tips,  however.  The  colour  is  white, 
strikingly  barred  and  spotted  with  dark  red  ;  lip 
yellow  above,  red  in  the  long  neck,  white  at  the 
tip.  At  present  the  spike  is  unbranched,  but  as 
the  plant  gains  strength  so  undoubtedlj'  will  the 
plumose  branching  panicle  of  the  cirrhosum  parent 
show  more  of  its  influence. 

Odontoglossum  Adriaiia'  B.  H.  Measures  is  a 
natural  hybrid  between  0.  crispum  and  0.  hunne- 
wellianum,  the  latter  a  pretty  round  flowered 
species,  first  discovered  and  introduced  by  Messrs. 
Sander  and  Co.,  who  named  it  in  compliment  to 
Mr.  Hunnewell,  a  noted  American  horticulturist. 
The  hybrid  is  variable  but  always  pretty,  the  rich 
brown  and  3'ellow  colouring  of  hunnewellianum 
being  broken  and  distributed,  while  greater 
dimensions  are  obtained  by  crispum.  The  variety 
R.  H.  Measures  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  forms 
yet  noticed.  The  large  flowers,  round  and  compact 
in  outline,  have  a  ground  of  pleasing  cream  white 
colour,  with  handsome  dark — almost  black — red 
spots  boldly  defined,  standing  separately  on  the 
petals,  but  aggregated  centrally  on  the  sepals. 
The  lip  is  distinctly  shaded  with  soft  yellow, 
spotted    with   the   rich,   dark  tint  of  red,   and  is 


noticeable  for  the  exquisitely  denticulated  margins. 
Certainly  one  of  if  not  the  finest  of  AdriauiBs. 

Odontog/ossiim  Loocltristiense  var.  -ehrinum  has 
been  obtained  from  0.  crispum  crossed  with 
triumphans.  Several  forms  of  the  hybrid  are 
known  already,  but  none  so  intensely  coloured  as 
this  variety.  Naturally,  there  is  a  certain  resem- 
blance to  the  natural  hybrid  Harvengtense,  chiefly 
in  the  shape,  but  the  varietal  name  zebrinum  is 
aptly  applied,  the  deep  chocolate  markings  from 
triumphans  being  ranged  transverselj'  across  the 
sepals  and  petals,  and,  strangely  enough,  so 
darkened  that  the  eflFect  would  be  bizarre  were  it 
not  for  the  rich  golden  ground  colour.  One  of  the 
finest  and  quite  distinct  from  all  others. 


RHODODENDRON    CAMPANU- 
LATUM. 

It  is  a  great  gain  to  gardens  that  some  of  the 
beautiful  Indian  species  of  Ehododendrons 
prove  hardy  in  the  more  favoured  parts  of  our 
islands,  and  the  benefit  is  seen  to  be  still 
greater  when  we  think  how  early  in  the  season 
these  fine  shrubs  come  into  flower.  The 
accompanying  illustration  is  from  a  photo- 
graph taken  last  April  from  a  spray  cut  at  a 
height  of  14  feet  from  the  ground  in  the 
gardens  of  Tayfield,  Newport,  Fife,  from 
whence  it  was  sent  by  Mr.  Berry.  The  flower 
is  white  tinged  with  lilac,  handsomely  spotted 
on  the  upper  divisicms.  The  leaves  are  dark 
green  with  strongly  waved  edges,  and  are 
backed  with  a  thick  coat  of  rusty  meal. 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 


OF    THE    NEWER    CLIMBING 
AND    HYBRID    TEAS. 

OSSIBLY  the  two  most  valuable  additions 
to  the  very  vigorous  or  climbing  section 
are  the  following  : 

Climbing  Kaiserin  Acousta  Victoria 

and  climbing  Belle  Siebrecht  (syn.  Mrs. 

W.  J.  Grant).     The  first-named  will,  I 

imagine,  become  one  of  our  established  varieties  in 

the  same  way  as  climbing  Devoniensis  or  climbing 

Niphetos.     If  one  can  give  it  a  warm  and  rather 


SOME 


P 


RUODOnENDJlON   CAMPANULATt:,M. 


drj'  situation  it  will  flourish  outdoors  to  perfection, 
and  certainly  for  loftj'  conservatories,  a  well- 
established  specimen,  covered  with  its  noble 
blossoms,  must  be  an  efl'ective  object. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  climbing  sports  of 
certain  Roses  will  originate  almost  simultaneouslj' 
in  widely  difl'erent  localities.  It  appears  that  the 
Dingee  and  Conard  Companj',  of  West  Grove,  Pa., 
U.S.A.,  purchased  the  original  plant  of  a  climbing 
sport  of  Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria  from  another 
American  grower,  and  they  gave  it  the  name  of 
Mrs.  Robert  Peary,  and  as  far  as  I  can  gather 
this  Rose  is  identical  with  that  which  originated 
in  Ireland. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  learn  from  some  one 
qualified  to  give  an  opinion  what  it  is  that  produces 
this  remarkable  phenomenon. 

Climbini:  Belle  Siebrecht 
must  also  become  a  great  favourite.  All  growers 
of  the  original  dwarf  tj'pe  know  only  too  well  that 
there  is  a  want  of  robustness  about  it  although  it 
is  such  a  magnificent  Rose,  but  in  this  climbing 
form  there  appears  no  lack  of  vigour  and  the 
shoots  do  not  die  back  partly,  a  characteristic  of  the 
dwarf  form.  lu  blossom  there  is  no  diff'erence, 
unless  it  be  that  those  of  the  climber  are  a  shade 
larger,  and  one  can  well  imagine  what  a  fine 
picture  a  pillar  of  this  superb  Rose  would  make. 

Billiard  and  Barre 
has    been   referred   to  in    these  columns  on   more 
than  one  occasion,  and  I  endorse  all  that  has  been 
said   in   its    favour.       In    richness   of   colour   and 
beautiful  bud  it  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired. 

Dr.  Rouges 
has   a   flower   of   good    colour.      Individuallj'   the 
flowers  are  not  much,  but  when  grouped  together 
the  reddish  orange  colour  is  almost  as  attractive 
as  L'Ideal. 

Mjie.  Jules  Siegfried 
is  not  yet  much  known.  Its  growth  is  vigorous 
and  its  flowers  are  freeh'  produced.  The  flowers 
are  of  a  creamy  white  colour,  with  a  beautiful 
globular  form,  reminding  one  very  vividly  of  that 
lovely  decorative  Rose  Enchantress. 

Fanny  Stolwerck 
is  verj'  fine.     The  colour  is  a  peculiar  mixture  of 
old  gold,  salmon,  and  peach,  and   the  flowers  are 
of  good  size,  if  rather  irregular. 

There  are  not  many  white  climbing  Tea  Roses. 
Of  course  we  have  the  fragrant  and  lovely  Mme. 
Alfred  Carricre  that  grows  so  luxuriantly  on 
pergolas  and  the  like,  but  not  many  others.  1 
do  not  count  climbing  Niphetos,  as  it  is  more  fitted 
for  indoor  work,  but  in 

Valentine  Altermann 
we  have  a  really  pretty  neat  flower,  not  certainly  so 
magnificent   as   climbing   Niphetos,   but  yet   very 
useful. 

Marie  Robert 

is  classed  with  the  Noisettes,  for  what  reason  I 
cannot  tell,  imless  it  be  to  make  confusion.  It 
appears  to  be  as  much  a  Tea  Rose  as  those  already 
included  in  the  group.  The  flowers  are  bright 
rose,  marbled  with  salmon-pink,  and  the  growth 
is  very  vigorous  and  hard}'. 

E.  Vevr.^t  Hermanos 
does  not  bloom  profusely,  but  the  flowers  are  ver\' 
beautiful,  both  in  colouring  and  form  :  in  fact,  I 
expect  to  see  it  in  the  show  boxes,  for  its  regular 
outline  would  make  it  a  favourite  with  exhibitors. 
The  raiser  of  the  above,  M.  Bernaix,  has  given 
the  Rose  world  yet  another  beauty  in 

Souvenir  de  M.me.  Viennot. 
It   is   quite   a   new  colour,   being  jonquil  yellow, 
sliaded  with  china  rose  at  the  bases  of  the  petals.   All 
growers  who  care  for  the  type  of  Rose  represented  by 
Mme.  Marie  Lavallec  will  welcome  this  new  one. 


ROSE   FORTUNE'S  YELLOW  FAILING. 

The  premature  shedding  of  the  foliage  of  this 
charming  climber  is  not  uncommon  when  the 
variety  is  grown  outdoors.  Solfaterre  is  another 
Noisette  which  sheds  its  leaves  ;  but  under  glass  I 
consider  it  should  be  preventihle. 


April  27,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


295 


It  is  just  possible  the  trouble  may 
arise  in  the  case  mentioned  by  j'our 
correspondent  —  Mr.  Isherwood  — 
through  the  roots  ramifying  into  a 
cold,  waterlogged  subsoil.  The  evil 
is  not  apparent  until  great  demands 
are  put  upon  the  roots,  then  the 
little  rootlets  succumb  to  their 
uncongenial  surroundings.  Give 
these  Tea  and  Noisette  Ro.ses  good 
drainage  and  plenty  of  heat  when 
growing  and  they  cannot  well  go 
wrong. 

If  my  opinion  be  correct,  and 
the  border  is  never  allowed  to  get 
dr}',  as  your  correspondent  says,  it 
is  little  wonder  that  the  leaves 
drop  off.  Should,  however,  Mr. 
Isherwood  feel  assured  that  the 
trouble  is  not  at  the  root,  then  I 
can  only  imagine  it  arises  from 
insufficient  heat.  I  would  suggest 
that  the  house  be  started  as  late  as 
possible,  but  when  the  Rose  is  on 
the  move  do  not  allow  the  night 
temperature  to  drop  below  56°. 

Perhaps  Mr.  Fyfe  of  Wantage 
Park,  who  grows  and  shows  this 
Rose  so  successfully,  would  favour 
the  readers  of  The  Garden  with 
his  experience  of  the  variety.  I 
believe  he  adopts  the  practice  usual 
for  climbing  Roses  under  glass,  and 
that  is  to  cut  the  growths  hard 
back  after  flowering  in  order  to  pro- 
duce a  sound,  well-ripened  young 
growth  by  the  autumn  to  provide 
the  next  season's  crop  of  blossom. 

As  Mr.  Isherwood  says  his  plant  almost  covers 
the  roof  of  a  large  span-roof  house,  I  gather  that 
he  does  not  prune  it  to  any  great  extent  after  it 
has  flowered.  This  in  itself  may  be  a  contributory 
cause  to  the  shedding  of  the  foliage  owing  to  the 
old  age  of  the  wood.  Philomel. 


SNOWDROPS   IN   A   COPSE. 


ROSES    IN    THE   WOODLAND. 

The  planting  of  Roses  should  not  stop  at  the 
garden  boundary.  Why  not  use  some  of  the 
delightful  Hybrid  Sweet  Briars  and  other  single 
and  semi-double  Roses  to  border  the  paddock  or  in 
the  woods?  One  of  my  earliest  recollections  of 
Roses  is  centred  in  some  huge  bushes  of  the  native 
Briar  flowering  in  rich  profusion  in  an  old  stone 
quarry  to  which  I  was  sent  to  gather  Moss  for  use 
at  our  flower  show.  Whilst  these  Roses  are  to  be 
found  in  almost  every  hedgerow,  and  in  their 
simple  beauty  are  perhaps  not  excelled,  I  think  we 
might  supplement  them  by  mingling  the  fragrant 
and  brilliant  Sweet  Briars  which  we  owe  to  the 
late  Lord  Penzance's  energetic  labours  in  hybridi- 
sing. I  note  in  the  "  Rosarian's  Year  Book  "  for 
1896  that  Lord  Penzance  advises  the  removal  of 
the  flowers  as  they  fade,  which,  he  says,  will 
induce  the  plants  to  yield  a  second  display  of 
blossom.  Perhaps  many  may  prefer  Co  see  the 
brilliant  hips,  but  yet  single  Roses  in  autumn  are 
none  too  plentiful.  We  need  net  stop  at  planting 
the  Sweet  Briars,  for  there  is  an  abundance  of 
material  at  hand.  There  are  the  charming  Rugosas, 
which  are  being  supplemented  every  year  by 
splendid  novelties,  the  flowers  of  which,  in  some 
cases,  are  of  snowy  white,  others  approaching  in 
brilliance  and  size  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals.  The 
double  forms  do  not  seed  so  freely  as  the  singles, 
and  for  that  reason  are  not  so  serviceable  for 
covert  planting,  seeing  that  the  seeds  are  much 
appreciated  by  pheasants  ;  but  if  they  be  planted 
to  please  the  eye  of  the  owner  then  would  some  of 
these  newer  kinds  be  admissible. 

What  fine  groups,  isolated  in  a  sunny  meadow 
and  protected  from  cattle,  could  be  formed  from 
the  shrub  Roses,  such  as  Macrantha,  Mendens, 
Blush,  Hebe's  Lip,  Carmine  Pillar,  Sericea,  Daron, 
Moschata  nivea,  Austrian  copper  and  3'ellow, 
Scotch  Roses,  and  the  like.  One  especially  I 
would  recommend  for  estate  planting,  and  that  is 
R.  Cinnamomea  Blanda.  Its  wood  in  winter  is  as 
showy  as  the  Dogwood,  and  its  pretty  pink  flowers 


in  June  are  verj'  attractive.  When  planting  see 
to  it  that  the  work  be  well  done,  not  just  a 
spadeful  of  soil  dug  out  and  the  plant  stuck  in  the 
hole.  Trench  the  ground,  plant  and  spread  out 
the  roots  very  carefully,  and,  if  possible,  obtain 
the  bushes  on  their  own  roots,  then  may  one  expect 
a  real  flourishing  group,  though  in  a  semi-wild 
state.  Philomel. 


SNOAVDROPS    IN    A    COPSE, 

The  earliest  hardy  flowers  are  welcome  every- 
where, and  there  is  scarcely  any  place  where 
the  Snowdrop  comes  amiss,  but  perhaps  it  is 
best  of  all  in  copse  ground  and  in  turf  among 
trees.  In  such  places,  if  the  soil  is  loamy  or 
chalky,  it  soon  makes  itself  at  home  ;  tufts 
quickly  increase  in  size,  and  new  patches  will 
appear  self-sown. 


INDOOR     GARDEN. 


COLD    PLANT    HOUSES    IN 
WINTLR  AND  SPRING. 

NOT  every  one  can  well  afford  to  main- 
tain a  heated  glass  house  through 
the  winter.  Sometimes  the  fuel  is 
the  consideration,  but  more  fre- 
quently the  labour  necessary  in  attend- 
ing to  the  fire.  lam  aware  slow  com- 
bustion boilers  are  to  be  had  that  need  but  little 
attention,  but  many  lovers  of  their  gardens  cannot 
afi'ord  to  keep  some  one  regularly  and  their  business 
prevents  personal  attention.  It  is  useless  to  have 
a  heating  appliance,  fill  the  structure  with  tender 
plants,  and  then  see  them  come  to  grief  from 
want  of  care  in  attending  to  the  fire.  Many 
amateurs  derive  much  enjoyment  from  the  un- 
heated  house  in  the  summer  months,  but  as  the 
cold  days  arrive  lose  their  interest  in  it  for  a 
time,  owing  to  the  erroneous  impression  that 
nothing  can  be  had  to  bloom  unless  there  is  artificial 
heat  of  some  kind.     This  is  a  mistake. 

It  has  occurred  to  me  that  a  list  of  plants,  bulbs, 
cfec. ,  that  have  proved  satisfactory  either  to 
grow  and  take  into  a  cold  house  or  pit  through 
the  winter  and  early  spring  would  be  useful,  since 


these  cold  structures  may  be  made  ornamental  and 
interesting  throughout  the  year  if  suitable  things 
are  grown.  Added  to  this  many  showy  and 
useful  bulbs,  plants,  and  shrubs  may  be  grown  in 
this  house  and  brought  into  the  drawing  or 
dining-rooms,  and  there  will  suffer  less  from 
draughts  than  things  grown  in  heated  houses. 
Houses  that  have  been  devoted  to  growing 
Cucumbers,  Tomatoes,  &c. ,  through  the  summer 
could  be  cleared  out  in  autumn  and  the  following 
plants  and  bulbs  brought  into  it.  Nothing  is 
necessary  but  glass  protection,  with  the  addition 
of  a  covering  in  very  severe  weather.  If  the 
house  be  exposed  a  few  things  would  be  better 
with  their  pots  plunged  to  prevent  the  roots  being 
frozen.  This  is  easily  accomplished  by  having 
boxes  in  which  to  stand  the  pots,  and  filling  in 
either  with  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  or  moss.  In 
this  way  they  can  be  readily  moved  about,  pro- 
viding the  boxes  are  not  too  large. 

It  must  be  understood  that  many  of  the  subjects 
named  can  be  kept  for  years,  by  planting  them 
out  in  the  open  ground  in  early  summer  or  growing 
them  in  pots,  which  should  be  plunged  through  the 
summer.  The  grower  must  be  his  own  guide  as  to 
the  number  taken  in  hand.  It  is  far  better  to  grow 
a  few  kinds  well  than  double  the  quantit}'  badly. 
By  making  a  selection  from  this  list  a  great 
variety  will  be  obtained  both  for  pits,  frames,  and 
houses,  their  flowers  appearing  early  in  November 
and  continuing  well  into  the  spring,  when  they 
may  be  removed  outside  in  a  sheltered  spot. 

In  giving  this  list  I  do  not  mean  to  say  it  is 
perfect,  but  it  would  be  most  helpful  to  manj' 
would-be  cultivators,  and  also  to  myself,  if  readers 
would  add  the  names  of  anj'  plants  or  bulbs  they 
may  have  found  useful,  and  notes  upon  their  culti- 
vation, as  this  interchange  of  experiences  is  most 
instructive  to  readers  of  The  Gardex. 

The  following  low-growing  shrubs  will  flower 
satisfactorily,  as  above  described  :  Jasminum  nudi- 
florum  or  the  yellow  winter-flowering  Jasmine 
(this  can  be  had  in  pots  if  cut  ver3'  hard  back 
when  the  flowering  season  is  over,  and  it  will  be 
covered  in  bloom  the  following  autumn).  Laurus- 
tinus  (very  fine  pot  plants  are  seen  in  London), 
Skimmia  japonica  (which  has  showy  red  berries). 
Rhododendrons  (such  as  Early  Gem,  nobleanum, 
and  other  early  kinds),  Rhodora  canadensis,  Sta- 
phylea  colchica  (this  is  very  sweet  scented).  Azalea 
mollis,   Andromeda  floribunda.  Daphne  mezereum 


296 


THE    GAKDEN. 


;  April  27,   1901. 


(Mezereon),  and  Bamboos  of  sorts.  Small  shrubs, 
as  Golden  Retinospora  and  Golden  Junipers,  the 
Red  Ribes  or  flowering  Currant,  can  all  be  obtained 
as  small  plants,  either  in  pots  or  otherwise,  at  a 
small  cost.  Moutan  or  tree  P;eonies  are  most 
gorgeous,  and  pay  for  shelter.  The  hardy  Palm 
Chamserops  Fortunei  is  good,  also  the  Me.xican 
Orange  flower  (Choisya  ternata),  Prnnus  sinensis 
fl.-pl.,  Arundo  Donax  variegata,  Lavender  Cotton 
(a  good  white  foliaged  plant  for  a  dark  corner), 
and  Golden  Euonymus. 

Amongst  dwarf-growing  plants  the  following 
are  good  :  Diplacus  glutinosus  (1  have  seen  this 
growing  for  j'ears  in  the  open  in  Somersetshire), 
Aralia  japonica,  Opohiopogon  .Jaburan  variegatu.s 
(which  will  bear  1'2°  of  frost  in  a  cold  house), 
Abelia  rupestris,  Coronilla  glauca,  Deutzia  gracilis, 
and  many  other  things  of  this  kind. 

Mention  must  be  made  of  many  border  plants. 
Iberis  gibraltarica  and  I.  garrexiana  are  useful. 
The  former  is  lovely  when  grown  from  cuttings. 
Violets  in  pots,  Chniranthus  Marshalli,  C.  alpina, 
and  double  Wallflowers.  East  Lothian  Stocks,  sown 
in  June,  and  potted  in  autumn  ;  also  the  inter- 
mediate ones,  Omphalodes  verna,  Christmas  Roses, 
Wilson's  blue  Primroses,  Primula  nivalis,  P. 
obconica,  P.  rosea,  P.  purpurea,  Saxifraga  burse- 
riana,  S.  cfespitosa,  and  Physalis  Franchetti  in 
pots.  Add  to  this  the  many  bulbs  usually  grown, 
with  Fritillarias,  Chinodoxas,  Scillas,  Dog-tooth 
Violets,  Dielytraspectabilis,  Spirteas,  hardy  Cycla- 
mens, Doronicums,  mossy  Phloxes,  ifee.  In  late 
autumn  Schizostylis  cocoinea,  and  Chrysanthe- 
mums as  those  of  the  Julie  Lagravere  type.  The 
former  we  had  in  splendid  condition  the  third 
week  in  December  in  a  cold  frame.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  there  is  no  lack  of  material  for  cold 
houses.  J.  Crook. 


BOOKS. 


Report  of  Injurious   Insects  and 
eommon    Farm    Pests    during    the 

year  1900.* — It  is  with  no  little  surprise  and 
with  much  regret  that  one  reads  in  the  preface  of 
this,  the  twenty-fourth  annual  report  on  ' '  Injurious 
Farm  Insects,"  by  Miss  Ormerod,  that  she  "feels 
the  time  has  come  for  discontinuing  this  series  of 
annual  reports."  They  have  appeared  with  such 
wonderful  regularity  at  this  time  of  year  for  so 
long  that  it  is  difficult  to  realise  that  this  is  to  be 
the  last,  but  one  cannot  wonder  that  after  com- 
piling these  reports  for  twenty-four  years  that 
there  is  a  desire  to  relinquish  the  work  which  was 
no  doubt  hard  ;  indeed,  it  is  surprising  that  she 
should  have  been  able  to  carry  it  on  single-handed 
for  so  long.  The  authoress  says  :  "  The  work  was 
hard,  but  for  many  years,  for  about  five  or  six 
months,  all  the  time  I  could  give  to  the  subject 
was  devoted  to  arranging  the  contributions  of  the 
season  for  the  annual  report  of  the  year.  As  the 
consultation  enquiries  were  kept  up  during  winter 
as  well  as  summer,  I  found  the  work  carried  on 
single-handed  without  the  help  of  a  stafl'  at  times 
ver3'  fatiguing.  But  so  long  as  there  seemed  to  be 
a  call  for  it,  I  have  tried  to  do  what  I  could.  Now, 
however,  the  necessities  of  the  case  have — as  a 
matter  of  course — been  gradually  changing.  Year 
after  year  information  has  been  sent,  gradually 
completing  most  of  the  histories  of  most  of  our 
worst  insect  pests,  and  now  additional  information 
is  rarely — as  is  to  be  expected  after  twenty-four 
years  observations — on  points  of  great  agricultural 
importance."  This  is  undoubtedly  true,  but  at  the 
same  time  there  remains  plenty  to  be  done  in  the 
way  of  finding  out  better  ways  by  which  many  of 
our  insect  foes  can  be  destroyed.  The  number  of 
pests  reported  on  is  considerably  less  than  in  former 
years.  Four,  however,  are  reported  on  for  the  first 
time.  Of  these,  two  are  not  natives,  but  are  found 
in  Peas  and  Beans  received  from  abroad  ;  they 
belong  to  the  genus  Eruchus — Pea  and  Bean  seed 
beetles — and  were  imported  from  Smyrna.  Whether 
these  insects  are  likely  to  become  naturalised  in 


*  "Report  of  Injurious  Insects  anrl  comniun  Farm  Pests 
during  the  year  iooO."  By  Eleanor  A.  Ormerod,  LL.D. 
(Sirapkin  Marshall  and  Co.). 


this  country  or  not  is  a  very  difficult  question,  but 
we  should  think  it  was  unlikely  that  they  would,  as 
they  are  natives  of  central  and  southern  Europe, 
Syria,  and  northern  Africa.  Figures  are  given 
showing  the  differences  between  them,  and  the  two 
species  which  are  common  in  this  country.  These 
insects  can  be  killed  b}'  dressing  the  Peas  and  Beans 
with  certain  mixtures  before  sowing  them.  This 
is,  however,  hardly  worth  while,  as  the  crop  from 
infested  seed  is  certain  to  be  an  unsatisfactory  one, 
so  that  it  is  best  not  to  sow  such  seed,  but  to  use 
it  for  feeding  purposes.  The  so-called  "Mottled 
Fruit  Tree  Tortrix  Moth  "  (Penthina  variegana)  is 
now  mentioned  for  the  first  time,  but  though  it 
has  been  known  as  a  pest  for  many  j'ears.  Miss 
Ormerod  has  not  had  specimens  sent  to  her  before. 
This  insect  is  very  common,  the  caterpillars  attack 
the  leaves  of  fruit  trees  as  soon  as  they  begin  to 
open,  and  they  spin  two  or  three  together  to  form 
a  shelter  for  themselves.  If  the  attack  be  ver}' 
severe  the  trees,  of  course,  suffer  very  much.  The 
fourth  pest  noticed  for  the  first  time  is  a  fungus 
(Exoasous  pruni),  which  attacks  the  fruit  of  Plum 
and  Damson  trees,  causing  them  to  swell  and 
become  distorted,  in  which  condition  the  fruit  is 
known  as  "  Pocket  or  Bladder  Plums."  This  is  by 
no  means  an  uncommon  fungus,  but  one  which,  as 
far  as  we  are  aware,  has  not  yet  been  recorded  as 
causing  any  considerable  damage  to  the  crop, 
though  the  fruit  that  has  been  infested  is  perfectly 
useless.  As  a  rule,  only,  however,  a  few  Plums 
here  and  there  on  a  tree  are  attacked  ;  the  diseased 
fruit  should  be  gathered  and  burnt  as  soon  as  it  is 
noticed,  and  it  is  well  to  cut  back  the  shoot  to  the 
old  wood,  as  the  fungus  lives  also  in  the  wood.  The 
result  of  some  experiments  on  destroj'ing  the 
Currant  mite  are  given ;  two  dozen  plants  were  cut 
down  to  the  ground,  one  dozen  were  steeped  in 
methylated  spirits  and  water  for  two  hours — the 
solution  was  half  spirits  and  half  water.  The 
others  were  not  treated  in  any  waj',  all  were 
planted  in  a  garden  in  which  the  Currant  bushes 
were  not  infested  by  this  mite.  Those  which  had 
been  steeped  in  the  spirit  and  water,  even  at  the 
end  of  the  second  year,  were  very  sickly,  and  four 
out  of  the  twelve  had  died,  but  onl}-  two  galled 
buds  were  found  ;  of  the  twelve  that  were  merely 
cut  down  and  then  transplanted,  one  died,  the 
others  appeared  quite  healUij',  but  the  lower  parts 
of  the  shoots  bore  infested  buds,  so  that  the  experi- 
ments were  by  no  means  a  success.  It  would  seem 
at  present  that  the  best  thing  to  do  in  the  ease  of 
infested  bushes  is  to  pick  off  and  burn  the  swollen 
buds  or  destroj'  the  entire  bush.  The  caterpillars 
of  the  common  "Gamma  Moth"  (Plusia  gamma), 
appear  to  have  been  unusually  abundant  on  the 
Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire  coasts,  where  they  were 
causing  much  injury  to  the  Mustard  crop.  They 
also  severely  injured  the  Potato  crop  at  Holbeach, 
in  Lincolnshire.  This  insect,  like  many  others, 
is  occasionally  very  abundant  in  certain  localities 
and  then  is  hardly  noticed  for  perhaps  several 
j'ears. 

The  Pear  leaf-blister  mite  (Phytoptus  pyri), 
which  sometimes  is  the  cause  of  much  injury  to 
the  foliage  of  Pear  trees,  and  therefore  indirectly 
to  the  quality  of  the  crop,  injures  the  leaves 
by  burrowing  between  their  skins,  thus  forming 
small  blister-like  galls  on  both  sides  of  the  leaf. 

From  experiments  carried  out  at  the  Cornell 
University  Agricultural  Experiment  Station, 
Ontario  :  "  It  appears  that  this  mite  can  be  nearly 
exterminated  by  one  spraj'ing  of  the  Pear  trees — 
at  any  time  after  the  leaves  have  fallen  ofl'  in  the 
autumn,  and  before  the  buds  have  begun  to  swell 
in  the  spring — with  kerosine  emulsion  diluted  with 
not  more  than  five  to  seven  parts  of  water,  tlic 
tree  being  sprayed  from  every  side,  taking  care  to 
hit  every  terminal  bud,  as  this  is  where  the  mites 
are  stated  to  congregate."  It  is  also  desirable, 
where  it  is  possible  to  do  so,  to  pick  off  as  man}-  of 
the  infested  leaves  as  can  be  reached  in  the  course 
of  the  summer.  Flat  worms  or  land  planarians, 
are  again  reported  on,  though  the  only  species 
mentioned  is  Bipalium  kewenso,  a  tropical  species 
introduced  with  plants,  and  found  only  in  hot 
liouses  in  this  counlr}'.  These  worms  feed  on 
worms,  woodlice,  &c. ,  and  Miss  Ormerod  suggests 
that   they    might   be  useful  in   destroying  earth 


worms  in  this  countrj',  but  it  seems  most  im- 
probable that  they  should  be  able  to  live  in  oui- 
climate.  The  Gooseberry  and  Currant  Saw  Fly, 
forms  the  subject  of  one  of  the  short  notices  at 
the  end  of  the  report.  The  grubs  appear  to  havr 
been  unusually  abundant  at  Tarporley,  Cheshire. 
tJreat  attention  appears  to  be  given  to  "  Economic 
entomology  "  at  the  Aldersey  Grammar  School  in 
that  neighbourhood,  and  the  boys  are  encouraged 
to  do  what  they  can  in  the  way  of  destroying 
insect  pests.  The  head  master  reports  that  in 
three  consecutive  days  the  boys  brought  in  no  less 
than  14,837  of  these  grubs,  showing  what  can  be 
done  by  hand  picking.  It  is  impossible  to  close  a 
notice  of  this  report  without  expressing  great 
regret  that  this  verj'  valuable  series  of  reports 
should  now  terminate.  One  cannot  but  feel,  how- 
ever, that  the  authoress  has  well  earned  the  rest 
which  it  is  hoped  she  may  for  many  years  enjoy. 
When  Miss  Ormerod  first  began  these  reports. 
Economic  Entomology  was  verj'  little  thought  of 
in  England,  now  it  is  studied  at  the  various  agri- 
cultural colleges,  and  experiments  are  being  made 
as  to  the  best  means  of  destroying  various  insect 
pests  all  over  the  country.  This  very  desirable 
change  has  been  very  largel}'  brought  about  by 
Miss  Ormerod's  writings  and  the  interest  she  has 
taken  generally  in  this  subject. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


ESPALIER  -  TRAINED 
APPLE    TREES. 

HAD  we  such  a  national  fruit  garden  or 
school,  such  as  could  have  been  fur- 
nished had  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Sooietj'  but  elected  to  secure  the 
splendid  Limpsfield  site,  amongst 
other  features  that  could  have  been 
established  would  be  an  acre  or  so  set  apart 
expressly  for  espalier  -  trained  Apples.  I  have 
the  highest  opinion  of  trees  of  this  descrip- 
tion for  fruit  production,  liking  them,  indeed, 
better  than  for  Pears,  but  this  fashion  of  culture  is 
evidently  much  less  in  favour  than  it  was  in  olden 
days.  Still,  wherever  there  are  seen  good  espalier 
Apple  trees  in  gardens,  it  is  the  rarest  circumstance 
not  to  find  them  not  onlj'  very  productive,  but 
carrying  first-class  fruits.  Espalier  trees  vary  in 
height,  but  that  of  about  5  feet  seems  to  be  the 
most  general.  I  am  not  sure  that  placing  them 
close  to  kitchen  garden  footpaths,  thus  largelj' 
enclosing  the  vegetable  ciuarters,  is  the  best  posi- 
tion, as  access  to  the  inner  quarters  is  often  much 
interfered  with.  But  that  objection  opens  up  the 
wider  one  of  mixing  up  fruits  and  vegetables,  as  is 
so  commonly  seen.  I  greatly  prefer  seeing  fruit 
cultivated  in  separate  gardens  or  quarters,  but 
there  are  many  who  like  the  mixture,  because  there 
is  more  variation  furnished  in  the  garden.  How- 
ever, were  a  quarter  more  or  less  in  extent  devoted 
to  espalier  Apples,  the  varieties  should  be  of  the 
best  description,  and  especially  be  late  keepers. 

It  is  so  very  advantageous,  in  relation  to  late 
Apples,  that  on  espaliers  they  may  be  netted  over, 
and  maj'  be  allowed  to  hang  very  long,  until, 
indeed,  the  fruits  were  perfectly  finished.  It  is 
such  fruits  that  keep  so  well  into  the  winter. 
Were  such  an  area  ))lanted  as  advised,  the  lines 
should  be  fully  4  feet  apart,  and  would  probably 
be  better  if  5  feet  apart.  If  the  lines  ran  south 
and  north,  the  trees  would  get  the  fullest  exposure 
to  sunshine  and  the  fruits  ripen  better.  Such  an 
area  could  have,  if  needed,  netting  carried  all  over 
it  on  round  rails,  over  which  nets  would  run  easily 
if  fixed  from  1'2 inches  to  18  inches  above  the  trees. 
Thus  the  fruit  would  be  fully  protected  from  birds, 
whilst  artificial  manuie dressings  might  be  annually 
pointed  in  over  the  roots.  A  good  mulch  of  animal 
manure  laid  down  in  the  spring  would  also  give 
valuable  assistance.  The  work  of  both  summer 
and  winter  pruning — work  of  an  essentially  tech- 
nical or  skilled,  yet  pleasurable,  kind — might  be 
performed  with  great  ease.  As  to  sujiports,  these 
are  optional ;  stout  galvanised  wire  strained  from 
end  to  end,   secured  to   stout  iron-pipe  posts  let 


April   -17.  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


297 


into  larger  iron  sockets,  or  to  Oak  posts  set  in 
concrete  ;  or  stout  Asli  stakes,  the  bottoms  oreo- 
soted,  then  driven  in  18  inches  apart,  having 
narrow  strips  or  laths  tacked  to  them,  to  which 
the  growing  points  of  the  horizontal  branches 
could  be  secured  ;  a  batten  3  inches  wide  tixed 
along  over  the  tops  of  the  stakes  would  help  to 
preserve  them  for  a  long  time.  No  doubt,  if  more 
costly,  the  wire  trellis  is  much  the  most  enduring— 
surprising!}'  enduring— and  quickly-fixed  supports 
are  formed  by  sinking  and  fixing  into  the  ground 
at  each  end  of  a  row  2-feet  lengths  of  4-inch  iron 
piping,  dropping  into  the  bottom  of  each,  and 
gently  ramming  it  down,  4  inches  of  cement  con- 
crete, then  dropping  in  a  7  feet  length  of  3-inch 
iron  pipe,  and  placing  a  packing  of  cement 
round  the  base  of  each  and  the  top  of  the  larger 
socket.  So  protected,  such  supports  might  endure 
for  fifty  years.  An  occasional  coat  of  paint  would 
help  to  preserve  them.  The  tops  should  be  stopped 
with  a  plug  of  wood  and 
cemented  over  before  the  up- 
rights are  fixed. 

We  owe  the  espalier 
method  of  training  to  the 
French,  and  it  is  recorded  that 
the  celebrated  Sir  William 
Temple  planted  a  fine  assort- 
ment of  both  Apples  and  Pears 
as  espaliers  in  his  garden  at 
Sheen,  near  Richmond.  These 
were  collected  on  the  Con- 
tinent and  brought  over  here. 
The  rows  ran  in  parallel  order 
east  and  west,  rather  than 
north  and  south,  yet  were  so 
successful  tliat  it  is  said  the 
trees  flourished  and  fruited 
uniformly  for  a  period  of 
eighty  3'ears  before  theorchard 
was  destroyed,  the  ground 
being  purchased  for  the  Crown 
in  1772.  Another  instance 
recorded  of  successful  espalier 
culture  was  that  of  Mr.  Secre- 
tary Johnson  at  Twickenham, 
whose  trees  bore  heavy  crops 
of  fruit.  It  is  reported  that 
an  espalier  was  figured  in  the 
old  Gardenerii  Magazine  in 
1831  that  was  99  feet  from  end 
to  end,  showing  branches 
almost  50  feet  long.  This 
tree  had  been  planted  forty 
years,  and  was  of  the  variety 
then  known  as  Doveridge 
Nonsuch.  Something  of  the 
plan  of  espalier  training  on 
trellises  a  tew  inches  removed 
from  walls  formerly  existed  at 
Montreuil,  in  France,  where 
it  answered  verj'  well  because 
of  the  considerable  sun-heat 
there  prevalent.    It  was  tried 

by  the  Earl  of  Holderness  when  residing  at 
Syon  Hill,  Brentford,  his  extensive  south  walls 
being  trellised,  and  a  Dutch  gardener  was  employed 
to  manage  the  trees.  But  the  method  had  to  be 
abandoned,  because  it  was  found  that  what  was  in 
France  an  almost  scorching  wall-heat  was  here 
only  just  what  the  trees  needed  ;  hence  the  trellises 
were  removed,  the  trees  being  nailed  close  to  the 
walls.  Then  the}'  did  well  and  bore  good  crops. 
We  still  find  for  stone  fruits  that  nailing  close  to 
the  wall  gives  better  results  than  is  the  case  when 
attached  to  wires.  A.  D. 


developing  and  the  leaves  expanding,  the  trees 
absorb  a  great  deal  of  water,  and  it  is  then  that  a 
good  soaking,  especially  with  weak  manure  water, 
is  extremely  beneficial.  The  failure  of  bloom  to  set 
may  often  ue  due  to  the  want  of  such  a  watering. 
During  the  past  winter  the  rainfall  has  been  much 
below  the  average,  and  the  winter  was  preceded  by 
a  remarkably  dry  summer  and  autumn.  Therefore, 
it  is  more  necessary  than  ever  this  spring  that 
those  who  like  to  ti'eat  their  trees  well  should  give 
them  a  good  soaking  with  weak  manure  water  two 
or  three  times  during  April  and  May,  unless  the 
spring  turns  out  to  be  a  very  wet  one,  in  which 
case  the  watering  may  be  lessened  in  quantity, 
though  the  same  amount  of  manure  should  be 
given.  This  will  have  the  effect  of  making  the 
blossoms  stronger,  and  will  conduce  to  a  more  free 
setting  of  the  fruit. 

If  a  wall  fruit  tree  is  to  produce  a  heavy  crop  of 
first-class  fruit,  it  must  be  well  oared  for  from  the 


erected  by  Messrs.  Bunyard  and  Messrs.  .James 
Veitch  are  the  type  of  store  necessary  for  the 
perfect  keeping  of  late  Apples  and  Pears,  for,  as 
Mr.  Wythes  remarked  in  the  .same  issue  (March  16), 
ordinary  built  fruit  rooms  are  too  dry  and  arid  for 
maintaining  plumpness  and  the  steady  progress  of 
maturity.  Structural  alterations  or  the  erection 
of  new  buildings  is  an  item  over  which  the  average 
gardener  is  not  allowed  the  necessary  control,  and 
it  is  only  in  a  modified  degree  that  the  replant- 
ing of  new  trees  can  be  carried  on  to  improve 
the  supply  and  succession.  The  desire  to  excavate 
and  build  up  an  underground  chamber  in  the  exist- 
ing fruit  room  has  been  in  my  case  long  existent, 
but  as  yet  the  desire  remains  the  only  evidence,  and 
until  some  such  provision  can  be  made  so  long  will 
the  supply  of  Pears  be  curtailed. 

There  is  a  distinct  tendency  to  grow  more  late 
Pears  since  they  have  been  written  about  so  per- 
sistently.    Only,  however,  by  piecemeal  measures, 


A   FLOWEE-EOKDERED    GREEN    WALK. 


WATERING    WALL    FRUIT    TREES. 

Wall  fruit  trees  suffer  from  want  of  water  more 
often  than  is  generally  supposed.  This  has  especially 
been  the  case  in  recent  years,  when,  during  three 
out  of  four  winters,  the  land  ditches  in  many  parts 
of  the  country  have  scarcelj'  run  at  all.  In  addition 
to  this,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  wall  keeps 
off  some  part  of  the  rain.  While  most  admit  the 
need  of  water  in  a  dry,  hot  summer,  few  have  any 
idea  that  water  is  beneficial,  sonietinjes  absolutely 
necessary,  in  spring.      When  the  bloom  buds  are 


time  the  buds  begin  to  swell  until  the  leaves  are 
ready  to  fall.  Algee  Petts. 


WINTER    PEARS. 

The  articles  by  Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  dealing  with 
the  hardy  fruits  in  season,  and  Pears  in  particular, 
have  been  very  interesting  to  fruit  growers,  and 
those  especially  who  are  responsible  for  the  every- 
day dessert  of  winter.  Very  great  disappointment 
attends  the  growth,  storing,  and  use  of  Pears, 
more  especially  when  a  collection  of  these  fruits 
has  been  planted,  added  to,  or  changed  by 
grafting,  or  replanting,  when  sorts  originally 
purchased  have  been  found  wanting.  It  is  most 
disappointing  to  read  of  the  months  of  February 
and  March  being  supplied  with  delicious  Pears, 
when,  as  so  often  happens,  exactly  the  same  kinds 
are  owned  by  others,  and  the  crop  exhausted 
perhaps  some  weeks  before  by  early  maturity. 
The  nature  of  the  fruit  store  naturally  does 
account  for  much  of  this  ^uncertainty,  and  until 
some  means  are  devised  for  retarding  in  these 
individual  cases  the  same  complaints  will  continue 
to  be  made.     Thatched  fruit  rooms,  such  as  those  I 


conducted  annually,  can  the  excess  of  autumn 
Pears  be  transformed  into  winter  varieties.  That 
the  desire  for  winter  fruits  justifies  the  effort  is  a 
point  that  requires  no  emphasis.  Mr.  Thomas 
deserves  the  thanks  of  the  many  fruit-growing 
readers  of  The  C4aeden  in  bringing  forward  at  an 
opportune  season  the  merits  of  the  limited  selection 
as'ailable  for  tlie  winter  months,  and  it  would  be 
helpful  if  would-be  planters  made  a  special  list  of 
Pears  for  this  season,  and  placed  it  in  such  a 
position  that  the  names  became  familiar,  and  as 
opportunitv  ofl'ers  add  trees  of  these  varieties  to 
the  stock  already  existing.  Where  healthy  trees 
already  fill  all  available  garden  space,  the  more 
ready  means  of  adding  these  late  kinds  is  by  graft- 
ing, and  as  scions  can  be  purchased  from  the  nursery 
there  should  be  no  difficulty  in  carrying  it  out. 
Rood  Afiliton,  Wilt^.  W.  Steugnell. 


A   FLOW^ER-BORDERED    GREEN 
AVALK. 

It  is  well  worth  while  in  every  garden  where 
space    is   not    too    much   limited  to  set  aside 


298 


THE    GARDEN. 


fAPRiL   27,  1901. 


some  place  for  tlie  adequate  display  of  the 
splendid  haif-hardy  annuals  whose  time  of 
blooming  is  from  the  end  of  July  onwards, 
Such  a  border  as  the  one  in  the  illustration, 
where  for  the  sake  of  the  young  bush  fruit 
trees  a  permanent  grass  covering  is  not  allowed 
up  to  their  trunks,  oflers  a  good  place  for  these 
grand  plants.  If  they  are  kept  towards  the 
outside  of  the  border  they  need  not  harm  the 
trees,  though  these  would  not  be  benefited  by 
a  thorough  annual  digging  such  as  would  be 
needful  if  the  roots  of  the  flowers  covered  the 
whole  border. 

Here  is  a  chance  for  the  French  and  African 
Marigolds  and  other  good  Tagetes,  for  Petunia, 
Salpiglossis,  Nicotiana,  Zinnia,  and  annual 
Sunflower,  and  quite  to  the  front  the  beautiful 
varieties  of  Phlox  Drummondi  and  Dianthus 
Heddewigi. 

Be  it  also  noted  that  in  the  time  of  late 
summer,  when  all  these  good  things  are  at  their 
best,  it  is  inuch  pleasanter  to  walk  on  the  soft 
turf  than  on  any  hard  path,  while  it  is  also 
much  more  restful  to  the  eye. 


epidermis,  ■  hairs,  stomates,  cortex,  lacunae,  wood, 
vessels,  liber,  medulla,  and  in  details  of  the  anatomy 
of  the  root,  as  well  as  in  germinal  growth,  &c. 

^Vhic■h  is  the  most  likely  procedure — that  all 
these  parts  should  change  their  featuresaccidentally, 
to  be  selected  (separately  or  together),  or  that 
there  should  be  some  common  cmi-ie  which  induces 
the  whole  of  them  to  change  together,  so  that  the 
wliole  plant  is  at  once  fitted  for  a  life  in  air  or  for 
one  under  water  ? 

"  H.  R.  D."  is  evidently  unaware  of  the  ease 
with  which  the  latter  is  done.  If  a  shoot  of  the 
Water-CroM-foot  is  crowded  out  of  the  water, 
where  it  grows  very  thickly,  a  common  occurrence, 
the  shoot  stands  erect  in  the  air  and  the  whole  of 
the  above-mentioned  parts  at  once  grow  in  harmony 
with  an  aerial  existence,  the  change  in  its  anatomical 
structure  being  abrupt,  at  the  level  of  the  water. 

Or,  again,  if  j'ou  sow  the  seed  in  a  garden  border, 
every  one  (not  one  only,  as  he  suggests,  accidentall}') 


AN   ARTIST'S    NOTE- 
BOOK. 

PRIMULA  MEG-AS^FOLIA. 

A  MOST  interesting  and 
charming  Primrose 
is  this,  which  received 
an  award  of  merit  from 
the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  recently,  when 
shown  by  Miss  Willmott.  It 
was  so  fully  described  in  The 
Garden,  page^  270,  that  further 
reference  to  it  is  unnecessary. 
We  therefore  refer  our  readers  to 
the  note  there  published. 


W-..^ 


OF 


THE    FALLACIES 
DARVriNISM. 

(A  Reply.) 

As  there  may  be  others  besides 
"  H.  R.  D."  who  still  believe  in  "acci- 
dental variation,  fixed  by  natural  or 
artificial  selection "  (The  Garden, 
February  9,  page  91),  as  the  Darwinian 
explanation  of  the  origin  of  species,  I 
will  try  to  point  out  the  fallacies 
underlj'ing  that  view. 

It  is  a  sine  qua  non  of  all  scientific 
interpretations  of   natural  phenomena 
that  they  must  he  haned  on  facts.    Darwin 
violated  thisfundamental  law  of  modern 
science ;  for  he  assumed,  with  absolutely 
no  facts  for  a  basis  of  his  theory,  that  when  the 
offspring  of  an  adult  plant  or  animal  varied  in  points 
of  structure  from  those  of  their  parents,  they  did  so 
"  indefinitely,"  as  he  called  it,  i.e.,  as  "  H.  R.  D." 
prefers  to  call  it,  "  accidental  variation. "'     Follow- 
ing Darwin,  he  makes  a  "suggestion"  (the  reader 
will  note  that  lie  brings  no  suggestive  fact  at  all) 
that  one  of  a  million  seeds  of  a  terrestrial  Butter- 
cup accidentally  cast  on    water,    by    ' '  accidental 
variation,  produces  a  plant  with  finely   dissected 
leaves,  ifcc." 

My  comment  shall  be  in  "  H.  R.  D.'s"  ovm 
words  : — "  The  position  of  the  scientist  must  always 
be  one  of  refusal  to  recognise  any  conjectural  but 
unproved  cause  for  existing  phenomena,  &c." 
(second  paragraph).  Precisely  so.  Therefore,  I 
refuse  to  accept  "  H.  R.  D. 's  "  groundless  .sugges- 
tion, when  there  is  ample  proof  that  water  is  the 
direct  cause  of  the  peculiar  structure  of  submerged 
stems  and  leaves.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  a 
dissected  leaf  is  only  one  item.  Perhaps  "  H.  R.  D." 
does  not  know  that  in  every  one  of  the  following 
elements  of  the  plant  there  is  a  complete  difference 
between    a     submerged    and     an    aerial     plant — 


PRIMULA  MEGAS^FOLI.i   (NATURAL  SIZE). 
(From-  a  drmving  by  H.  G.  Moon.) 

grows  up  into  a  terrestrial  plant,  with  all  the 
details  mentioned  in  adaptation  to  air.  Replant 
them  in  water.  All  the  leaves  die ;  but  a  new  set  are 
soon  developed  adapted  for  living  a  submerged  life. 

"  H.  R.  D."  makes  a  second  groundless  state- 
ment; "The  enormous  extent  to  which  these 
(accidental)  variations  daily  occur  in  Nature,  &c." 
I  have  studied  Nature  for  nearly  fifty  years,  but 
have  never  seen  them  yet.  "  Individual  variations," 
of  course,  exist  in  all  plants,  so  that  no  two  peas  in 
a  pod  are  absolutely  alike  ;  and  Darwin  made  a 
second  mistake  in  supposing  such  slight  and  unim- 
portant differences  to  give  rise  to  variations.  As  it 
is,  the  commonest  and  most  social  species  are  Just 
those  which  have  no  varieties,  as  Buttercups, 
Daisies,  Bluebells,  Bracken,  Heaths,  etc. 

Such  variations  do  not  supply  materials  for  a 
systematic  botanist  to  name  them  as  "  varieties," 
much  less  ".species."  They  do  not  transcend 
"individual  variations"  o-f  /onr/  as  the  plnnt  lires  in 
a  constant  environment,  as  all  plants  usuall_y  do.  I 
shall  be  glad  to  know  the  names  of  some  of  the 
plants  of  which  "  H.  R.  D. '  says  ' '  variations 
occur  daily." 


It  would  be  a  remarkable  fact,  if  it  were  not  so 
common,  that  when  one  has  been  long  under  the 
impression  that  he  holds  an  undoubted  truth,  and 
it  is  pointed  out  that  it  was  not  really  founded 
on  facts,  his  mind  seems  "holden"  against  any 
amount  of  evidence  that  can  be  produced. 

Inductive  evidence  is  simply  the  accumulation  of 
probabilities  till  the  alternative  is  ■'scientifically 
unthinkable. 

"  H.  R.  D. ,"  I  presume,  accepts  beliefs  of 
physicists  that  they  know  some  of  the  elements  in 
the  sun.  He  accepts  the  conclusions  of  geologists. 
He  believes  that  the  earth  revolves  on  its  axis,  and 
that  the  sun  does  not  go  round  it ;  yet  he  has  no 
other  evidence  whatever,  beyond  the  great  proha- 
hility  that  those  beliefs  are  true. 

But,  having  learnt  to  believe  in  accidental 
variations  with  natural  selection  in  biolog}',  he 
imagines  that  he  holds  a  sufficient  interpretation  of 
the  origin  of  species. 

Nature  does  not  go  to  work  in  the  haphazard 
sort  of  way  as  Darwin  supposed,  and  w  Inch  Huxley 
called  a  method  of  trial  and  error.  The  process  is 
far  simpler  and  much  more  certain  and  effective. 
It  is  this — Proto'phum  is  endowed  with  the  power 
of  responding  to  e.cternal  influences,  and  under 
these  it  makes  cells  and  builds  up  tissues,  out  ef 
which  visible  organs  ai-e  formed  in  per- 
,  feet  harmon}'  with  the  enNironment. 
\,  "  H.  R.   D. "  recognises  the  changes 

•  ^        which  result  from  variations,  but  why 
■^  does  he  continue  to  hold  an  imaginary 

'->  method,    and    make    fresh    imaginary 

suggestions  when  one  can  see  the  whole 
process  of  self-adaptation  going  on 
under  one's  own  eyes,  as  soon  as  the 
surrounding  conditions  are  altered  ? 

I  ha\e  alluded  to  inductive  evidence 
as  being  sufficient,  but  there  is  abun- 
dance of  experimental  verification  to 
establish  the  truth  of  my  contention. 
Thus,  it  is  an  obvious  coincidence  that 
spinescence  is  often  associated  with 
drought,  but  not  with  water.  Induc- 
tive evidence,  drawn  from  innumerable 
cases  all  o-^'er  the  world,  says  it  is 
simply  due  to  the  arrest  of  gro-nth  from 
a  deficiency'  of  M'ater. 

Experimental  proof  is  to  be  had  by 
growing  naturally  spiny  plants  in  wet 
soil  and  damp  air.  Then  the  spines  are 
no  longer  developed. 

Samphire  and  many  other  plants 
growing  by  the  sea  side  have  leaves  of 
a  more  or  less  fleshy  texture.  Induc- 
tion saj'S  this  is  due  to  the  presence 
of  salt,  especially  as  a  similar  occur- 
rence is  met  with  inland  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  brine-springs. 

Experiments  made  of  watering  ordi- 
nary thin-leaved  plants  with  salt  and 
water  converted  them  into  siniilarl\- 
thick-leaved  ones,  and  so  confirmed 
the  inductive  proof. 

Wliat  more  does"  H.  R.  D.  "and  those 
who  think  with  him  want,  before  they  will  be  able  to 
appreciate  inchictive  evidence  of  tlie  power  of  self- 
adaptation  of  plants  and  animals  to  new  conditions 
of  life;  whereby  first,  new  varieties,  and  then,  new- 
species  arise  in  the  world '!  If  he  requires  further 
evidence  I  must  refer  him  to  my  two  books — "  The 
Origin  of  Floral  Structures "  and  "The  Origin  of 
Plant  .Structures,"  and  to  some  papers  in  "  Natural 
Science."  (Jeouoe  Henslow. 


BRITISH     HOMES 
GARDENS. 


AND 


BARFORI)  HILL,  the  seat  of  C.  A. 
Smith  -  Ryhmd,  Esq.,  lies  in  the 
lieart  of  the  most  interssting  por- 
tion of  one  of  our  most  interesting 
counties.  The  near  neighbourhood 
is  full  of  historical  association.s,  for 
within  a  radius  of  ten  miles  are  Stratford- 
on-Avon,  the   birthplace  and  burial   place   of 


April  27,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


299 


Shakespeare,  Kenilwortli  (Jastle — in  ruins  ever 
since  it  was  so  reduced  by  Cromwell's  forces 
— Warwick  Castle,  Guy's  Cliif,  and  the  ancient 
town  of  Warwick.  One  might  traverse  also 
the  county  of  Warwick  in  vain  for  more 
beautiful  scenery  than  that  of  this  district. 
Indeed,  from  one  certain  spot,  midway  between 
Barford  and  Warwick,  is  obtained  what  is 
generally  admitted  to  be  the  finest  view  in 
Warwickshire.  The  onlooker  has  immediately 
before  him  the  river  Avon,  winding  its  way 
through  the  wooded  park  until  it  is  lost  to 
view  beneath  the  shadow  of  Warwick  Castle, 
itself  situated  on  high  ground,  and  enclosed 
within  an  admirable  setting  of  Lebanon  and 
Atlas  Mountain  Cedars.  The  towers  of  War- 
wick High  church,  and  the  glimpse  of  various 
other  buildings  in  the  town,  add  variety  of 
character  to  the  scene,  whose  horizon  is  formed 
by  the  undulating  hills  beyond. 

From  the  terrace  of  Barford  Hill  extensive 
stretches  of  Shakespeare's  county  are  before 
one.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  upon  which  Mr. 
Smith  -  Ryland's  residence  stands  flows  the 
river  Avon ;  on  the  right  it  is  visible  until  lost 
to  view  behind  the  Warwick  woods,  while  on 
the  left  the  open  country  admits  of  its  being 
traced  for  miles  in  the  direction  of  the  quaint 
old-world  villages  of  Sherborne  and  Welles- 
bourne,  on  to  where  one  is  told  lies  Stratford- 
on-Avon.  With  such  a  setting  and  such  an 
environment  it  would  be  unfortunate  did  the 
immediate  surroundings  of  Barford  Hill  not 
fulfil  the  expectations  that  one  would  naturally 
form  of  them,  but,  happily,  this  is  not  the  case, 
for  from  the  Rose  -  embowered  pergola  and 
creeper  -  covered  arbour  by  the  river  side, 
through  the  charming  rock  garden  and  Fern 
dell  that  lead  one  to  the  Rose  garden  and 
herbaceous  borders  by  the  house,  everything 
is  in  keeping  with  the  rightful  and  tasteful 
environments  that  a  country  home  should 
possess. 

The  rock  garden  contains  Hepaticas, 
Primulas,  Scillas,  Chionodoxas,  and  many 
other  indispensable  early  spring   llowers.     In 


deciduous  Azaleas,  Tea  and 
Hybrid  Tea  Roses,  R.  rugosa, 
and  some  now  vacant  except  for 
a  bright  and  attractive  edging  of 
Sedum  acre  in  flower,  that  in 
summer  are  gay  with  numerous 
sub-tropical  plants,  Cannas, 
Palms,  Dracienas,  Eucalyptus, 
Grevilleas,  Aralias,  ifec,  partially 
surround  the  house.  Several 
plants  of  Eucalyptus  globulus 
vvere  left  out  of  doors  during  the 
past  winter  that  .some  idea  might 
be  had  of  their  hardiness,  and 
they  have  not  passed  well  through 
the  ordeal.  The  cold,  keen  winds 
seem  to  have  damaged  them  even 
more  than  has  the  frost.  The 
foliage  now  has,  to  say  the  least 
of  it,  a  far  from  pleasing  aspect. 
On  the  eastern  side  of  the  house, 
shown  in  one  of  our  illustrations, 
is  a  particularly  fine  specimen  of 
Cedrus  atlantica  glauca  ;  indeed, 
it  is  perhaps  the  largest  we  have 
yet  met  with.  From  the  terrace 
garden  and  rosary  the  park 
stretches  away  to  the  south  for  a 
considerable  distance  down  to 
the  wooded  .slopes  of  the  Avon, 
and  it  is  along  the  latter  that  one 
finds  some  at  least  of  the  prettiest 
features  of  Barford  Hill.  Here 
are  cool  and  shady  walks,  where 
one  obtains  glimpses  of  the 
Primrose  and  Marsh  Marigold, 
the   bolder   portions   evergreen   and  flowering   and   that   later  will   be   margined  by  waving 


BARFORD   HILl,  FROM   THK   SOUTH-EAST. 


shrubs  abound  in  such  variety  as  to  enable 
one  easily  to  conjecture  their  appearance  in 
early  summer.  A  vigorous  plant  of  Staphylea 
colchica  is  noticeable  here,  apparently  none 
the  worse  after  the  several  winters  it  has 
passed  through.  In  the  dell  are  fine  masses  of 
various  Bamboos,  while  an  excellent  feature  is 
the  introduction  of  large  tree  roots,  now  com- 
pletely covered,  some  with  Ivy,  others  with 
Roses,  Clematis    or   Honeysuckle       Beds    of 


masses  of  Bracken  and  other  Ferns  and  the 
stately  Foxglove. 

It  IS  but  a  minute's  walk  to  what  we  may 
term  the  working  portion  of  the  garden,  and  this 
it  is  well  worth  one's  while  to  see.  Mr.  Richard 
Jones  is  he  who  is  responsible  for  the  superin- 
tendence of  Barford  Hill  gardens,  and  well 
does  their  appearance  justify  his  holding  that 
position.  Mr.  -Jones  has  many  times  been  a 
successful  exhibitor  at  our  large  London  and 


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A    VIEW    FROM    THE    TERRACE    AT    BARFORD    HILL   OVERLOOKING    THE    RIVER   AVON. 


300 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Apiul  27,  1901 


BARFOBD    HILL  :     THE   ROSE-COVERED    PERGOLA    AND    SUMMER   HOUSE. 


provincial  shows,  more  particularly  with  fruit 
and  Chrysanthemums,  and  one  is  not  surprised 
to  see  the  excellent  methods  of  culture  here 
practised.  There  are  some  splendid  trees  of 
the  best  varieties  of  dessert  and  culinary 
Apples,  that  look  as  though  they  had  been 
planted  seventeen  years  ago,  instead  of  seven, 
as  is  actually  the  case.  At  the  time  of  planting 
they  were  but  one  year  old  from  the  graft. 
They  are  not  yet  at  their  best,  and  for  several 
seasons  yet  exhibition  fruit  may  be  expected 
from  them.  In  the  fruit  houses  under  glass  a 
method  (also  practised  in  other  gardens,  but 
not  nearly  to  the  extent  that  it  deserves)  is 
noticeable,  namely,  the  practice  of  cultivating 
Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  that  are  planted 
along  the  front  of  the  house  on  trellises  that 
curve  away  from  the  roof,  instead  of  running 
parallel  with  it  from  top  to  bottom.  The  idea, 
of  course,  is  to  allow  trees  planted  against  the 
back  wall  to  enjoy  an  additional  amount  of 
light  and  air.  Trees  so  planted  when  shaded 
by  those  in  front  are  rarely  or  never  satisfactory, 
and  this  method,  while  not  interfering  in  any 
way  with  the  quality  or  quantity  of  fruit  pro- 
duced by  trees  trained  to  the  front  trellis,  has 
the  advantage  of  allowing  the  trees  on  the 
back  wall  to  thrive  and  fruit  well  also.  One 
of  the  cool  plant  houses  contains  a  remarkably 
fine  specimen  of  Clianthus  puniceus  ;  it  must 
cover  a  space  quite  20  feet  by  15  feet,  and  is  now 
bearing  hundreds  of  pendent  racemes  of  quaint 
crimson  flowers.  In  a  hot  house  Stephanotis 
floribunda  is  also  exceptionally  fine,  quite 
covering  a  good  portion  of  the  roof.  Mr.  Jones 
has  well  grown  examples  of  such  useful  decora- 
tive plants  as  Crotons,  Dracpenas,  Panax,  &c., 
and  noticeable  also  is  the  old  Anthurium 
Ferriferense,  whose  rosy  pink  spathes  render  it 
worthy  a  place  in  every  collection  of  the  larger 
Anthuriunis. 

There  is  an  interesting  and  representative 
collection  of  Orchids,  amongst  which  are  worthy 
of  note  the  hybrid  Cypripediums,  some  of 
which  were  recently  exhibited  at  the  Drill 
Hall,  Westminster,  numerous  imported  Odonto- 
glossums,  many  yet  unflovvered,  .several  Uattleya 
TrianEe  alba,  Cattleya  Schroderaj,  Dendrobium 
atro-violaceum,   D.   aggregatum,   D.   Pierardi, 


and  others,  Odontoglossum  citrosmum,  O.  Rossi 
majus,  various  Masdevallias,  Vandas,  several 
splendid  varieties  of  Lfelia  anceps,  i&c.  Tea 
Roses  under  glass  are  well  grown  at  Barford 
Hill ;  several  varieties  are  cultivated,  including 
Marie  Henriette,  Gloire  de  Dijon,  Perle  des 
Jardins,  and  Marfechal  Niel ;  they  are  repre- 
sented by  splendid  plants  that  quite  fill  the 
roof  of  a  lean-to  house,  and  produce  an  abun- 
dance of  blooms  during  the  winter  months. 
One  might  write  for  long  about  many  other 
plants  in  Barford  Hill  gardens  before  the  list 
of  those  well  worthy  of  detailed  mention  would 
be  exhausted.  The  Chrysanthemums,  of  which 
flower  Mr.  Jones  is  a  most  successful  grower 
and  exhibitor,  even  have  not  been  spoken  of. 
It  is,  however,  a  pleasure  to  be  able  to  even 
partially  record  the  contents  and  characteristics 
of  such  a  typical  British  garden,  that  owes  much 
of  its  interesting  and  striking  individuality  to 
one  who  maintains  well  the  best  traditions  of 
British  gardening. 


TREES  ANp_ SHRUBS. 

SMALL-LEAVED     BERBERISES     IN 
GROUPS. 

FOR  creating  fine  effects  in  the  pleasure 
garden  and  for  planting  by  the  side  of 
woodland  walks,  the  value  of  the  small- 
leaved  Berberises  is  not,  I  think,  so 
much  appreciated  as  it  should  be. 
Among  them  are  to  be  found  liandsome 
free-flowering  shrubs,  and  if  a  careful  selection  is 
made  from  among  them  and  positions  fixed  upon 
tor  planting  where  they  will  show  to  the  greatest 
advantage,  the  result  cannot  fail  to  be  but 
gratifying.  In  addition  to  their  making  a  fine 
display  in  the  spring  and  early  summer  months, 
one  or  two  kinds,  particularl}'  B.  Thuiibergi,  are 
beautiful  for  their  leaf  colouring  in  the  autumn, 
and  a  group  of  the  latter  seen  in  the  middle  of 
October,  when  the  foliage  is  of  an  intense  crimson 
hue,  at  once  arrests  attention.  These  Berberises 
are  usuallj'  planted  singl}'  in  shrub  beds  or  in  the 
forefront  of  shrubberies  bordering  on  the  footpath 
in  some  secluded  part  of  the  garden,  and  seldom 
are  they  planted  in  good  bold  groups.  When 
fully   established   single   specimens  are   handsome 


when  in  flower,  but  the  effect  is  considerabl}- 
enhanced  if,  instead  of  one  specimen,  there  are,  say, 
from  six  to  a  dozen,  consisting  of  from  two  to  four, 
arranged  according  to  their  habit  of  growth. 
AVhen  planted  in  groups  these  Berberises  are  seen 
at  their  best,  and  the  colour  of  the  flowers, 
ranging  as  it  does  from  creamy  yellow  to  deep 
orange,  makes  the  whole  mass  visible  from  a 
considerable  distance  if  planted  in  an  open 
situation. 

Large  irregular-shaped  beds  filled  entirely  with 
these  small-leaved  Berberises  have  a  good  effect 
when  they  occupy  an  isolated  position  on  a  lawn. 
In  this  case  the  taller  growers  should  be  planted 
in  the  cejitre  of  the  bed,  those  of  medium  growth 
next,  and  the  dwarf  ones  on  the  outside.  With 
most  shrubs  such  an  arrangement  would  look 
formal,  but  the  natural  habit  of  growth  of  the 
Berberis  precludes  all  possibilitj'  of  such  a  result. 
They  ma3'  also  be  employed  with  advantage  in 
suitable  positions  in  the  wild  garden,  also  for 
planting  by  the  side  of  woodland  walks  in  open 
positions  where  the  shade  is  not  dense.  Here  the 
method  of  grouping  alreadj'  recommended  should 
be  adopted  when  planting,  and  where  there  is 
space  for  doing  so  each  kind  should  be  represented 
by  a  number  of  plants,  particularly  B.  Darwini, 
B.  stenophylla,  and  B.   Thunbergi. 

So  far  as  my  experience  goes  they  are  hardj', 
and  will  succeed  in  any  good  loamy  soil.  Plant  in 
the  autumn,  as  the  roots  then  have  time  to  get 
partly  established  before  March  winds  set  in, 
which  are  verj'  harmful.  Their  long,  arching 
shoots,  if  cut  with  a  good  length  of  stem,  are 
useful  for  indoor  decorations  ;  when  in  flower  they 
last  for  several  days  in  good  condition.  The 
shoots  of  B.  Thunbergi  are  most  valuable  for 
decorations  in  the  autumn  ;  in  fact,  where  the 
variously  tinted  foliage  of  trees  and  shrubs  is  made 
use  of  for  dinner  table  decoration  at  that  season 
the  arrangement  would  be  incomplete  without  a 
few  shoots  of  this  particular  kind. 

The  best  Berberises  for  planting  in  the  manner 
indicated  are  B.  Darwini,  which  grows  to  a  height 
of  6  feet  and  upwards  and  produces  an  abundance 
of  bright  orange  flowers  ;  B.  buxifolia  has  golden 
yellow  flowers,  and  grows  several  feet  high  ;  and 
B.  stenophylla  3  feet,  tlie  long,  pendulous  shoots 
of  the  latter  being  clothed  with  bright  yellow 
blossoms ;  B.  Thunbergi,  alread3'  referred  to, 
grows  about  2  feet  in  height,  apd  has  creamy 
yellow  flowers  ;  B.  empetrifolia,  which  is  one  of 
the  parents  of  B.  stenophylla,  is  a  low-growing 
shrub,  and  suitable  for  planting  on  the  margins  of 
beds  and  groups  ;  B.  dulcis  nana  should  also  be 
included,  being  a  most  compact  dwarf-growing 
variety.  A.  W. 


THE     SUB-TROPICAL    GARDEN. 

Pleasant  it  is  in  the  days  of  late  summer, 
and  until  the  time  of  the  earlier  frosts,  to 
wander  in  wide  grassy  ways  between  well- 
grown  masses  of  the  splendid  half-hardy  plants 
of  noble  port  and  large  foliage,  that  we  may 
enjoy  for  some  four  months  of  the  flower  year. 
For  this  use  the  most  important  plants  are 
Ricinus,  Nicotiana — the  newer  N.  sylvestris,  a 
grand  thing— Canna,  Dahlia,  Acacia  lophantha, 
Zea,  and  several  of  the  handsome  Solanums, 
while  Palms  and  Musas,  Hydrangeas  and 
Agapanthus,  set  out  in  pots  and  tubs,  will  add 
grand  forms  of  both  leaf  and  flower.  For 
lower  growing  plants  near  the  edge  Cineraria 
maritima  is  a  precious  thing,  and  in  our 
southern  counties  will  last  for  several  years. 


AMERICAN       NOTES. 

The  Water  Garden  and  its  Surroundings. 

With  the  advent  of  spring  there  is  a  general  clean- 
ing up.  After  the  effects  of  a  prolonged  winter 
season  dead  leaves  and  other  vegetable  matter  are 
more  or  less  in  evidence.  When  the  ice  and  snow 
disappear  all  such  rubbish  should  be  gathered  u)) 
and  composted,  excepting  dead  branches  and  stalks 


April  :i7,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


301  f 


of  hard  grasses  that  do  not  readily  rot.  Burning 
rubbish  is  one  way  of  getting  rid  of  such  things, 
but  it  is  not  eoononiioal.  In  spring  and  autumn  the 
air  is  foul  and  offensive  with  smoke  of  burning  and 
smouldering  leaves  and  rubbish,  while  such 
material,  if  composted,  would  be  valuable,  rich  in 
humus,  for  top-dressing  and  enriihing  the  soil,  and 
can  be  used  for  potting  and  other  purposes. 

In  all  instances  where  protection  was  given 
artificial  ponds  and  tubs  this  should  now  be  cleared 
away,  and  where  shrubs  need  pruning  they  should 
receive  early  attention,  not  the  regular  shearing 
that  is  too  often  adopted.  Tlie  barbarous  and 
unnatural  effects  of  such  are  painful  and  ludicrous, 
yet  such  work  is  repeatedly  done  by  so- called 
gardeners,  with  a  plea  of  lack  of  time.  All 
Howenng  shrubs  should  be  judiciously  pruned,  not 
"trimmed"  up.  To  prune  such  shrubs  as  For- 
sythias,  Spii'reas,  Deutzias,  Staphyleas,  and  most 
of  the  flowering  shrubs  now,  means  a  loss  of  the 
spring  and  early  summer  flowers.  Such  bushes  as 
Hydrangea  paniculata  may  be  pruned  hard  in,  as 
they  flower  late  in  the  season,  but  for  the  bulk  of 
flowering  shrubs  pruning  should  be  done  imme- 
diately after  the  flowering  season.  All  that 
remains  to  be  done  after  the  leaves  fall  is  to  thin 
out  the  branches  where  they  are  unduly  crowded 
or  out  of  place. 

Where  plants  are  overgrown  and  crowded  this  is 
a  favourable  time  for  transplanting  and  thinning 
out,  and  should  be  attended  to  as  early  as  possible. 
The  canes  of  Arundo  and  other  grasses  may  now 
be  cut  off,  but  in  the  ease  of  Bamboos  let  these 
remain  until  all  signs  of  life  fail.  The  past  winter 
has  been  very  trying  on  this  class  of  plants. 
Severe  freezing  and  hard  winds,  with  no  protection 
from  snow,  have  in   many  instances  left  the  canes 


nearly  bare,  and  the  leaves  sere  ;  but  I  notice  that 
in  most  cases  the  canes  are  alive,  and  doubtless 
before  new  ones  are  developed  the  old  ones  will  be 
furnished  with  new  leaves.  These  giant  grasses 
are  becoming  more  popular  every  year,  and  should 
be  found  on  all  margins  of  ponds.  They  are  also 
valuable  as  specimens  on  the  lawn  or  may  be  grown 
in  tubs,  also  as  pot  plants.  The  margins  of  ponds 
and  streams  will  need  attention.  Where  there  is 
no  shrubbery  the  grass  will  need  beating  or  rolling, 
as  the  action  of  frost  will  leave  these  in  a  spongy 
condition.  Field  mice  will  sometimes  do  much 
havoc,  and  also  musk  rats.  Where  tbey  have 
had  a  lodgment  any  damage  to  banks  should  now 
be  repaired  and  continued  vigilance  exercised,  as 
there  is  little,  if  any,  fresh  or  new  vegetation,  and 
roots  and  tubers  will  be  sought  after.  Therefore 
do  not  fail  to  have  the  steel  traps  in  evidence,  and 
in  the  most  likely  run  or  spot  the  rats  might 
visit. 

All  such  cleaning  up  and  possible  repairs  should 
be  done  before  planting  time  arrives,  but  with 
other  unfinished  business  planting  time  will  soon 
be  the  order  of  the  day,  and  where  the  best  results 
are  expected  the  work  must  not  be  delayed.  It 
may  not  be  necessary  to  do  much  fresh  planting  or 
renewing,  j'et  it  is  well,  where  a  luxuriant  growth 
has  been  the  result  of  past  seasons,  to  look  over 
such  plantations  or  clumps  of  plants.  It  may  be 
very  beneficial  to  do  some  thinning  out.  Size  is  a 
potent  factor  in  Nymphfea  flowers,  as  well  as  in 
Carnations  and  Roses,  and  must  not  be  overlooked 
by  the  grower.  Where  plants  are  crowded  it  is 
possible  to  get  quantity  of  flowers  but  not  size. 
Of  course  there  are  varieties  of  Nymphaaa  that 
produce  but  moderate-sized  flowers  and  some  even 
small  flowers.     Where  hardy  varieties  are  grown 


in  tubs  or  boxes  it  is  well  to  replant  every  season, 
discarding  the  weak  growths  and  renewing  the  soil. 
This  is  not  absolutely  necessary  in  all  cases,  but  if 
the  finest,  largest,  and  best  flowers  are  desired, 
then  it  is  necessary. 

Advance  in  this  line  is  Ijecoming  rapid,  and  every 
season  witnesses  new  and  improved  varieties. 
Additions  of  recent  years  are  more  distinct  and 
desirable.  In  most  cases  these  are  not  rampant 
growers  and  do  not  make  larger  rhizomes,  and 
purchasers  feel  disappointed  on  receiving  such 
small  roots  in  a  dormant  condition.  The  imported 
roots  are  pygmies  ni  .3-inch  pots.  The  best  way  to 
handle  these  roots  is  to  pot  them  up,  using  4-inch 
or  5-inch  pots,  according  to  the  size  of  the  roots. 
These  can  be  given  protection  for  a  few  weeks 
indoors.  A  number  of  plants  can  be  placed  in  a 
tub  until  nicely  established,  and  these  can  be  safely 
transplanted  into  their  permanent  quarters,  with  a 
good  ball  of  roots  and  soil  without  danger  of  being 
shifted,  whereas  a  small  root  would  of  necessity 
have  to  be  "buried"  to  keep  it  where  wanted  or 
there  is  danger  of  the  same  rising  to  the  surface, 
and  many  unexplainable  things  might  happen. 
The  safest  and  best  method  is  to  start  them  in 
pots  and  protect  them  in  the  early  stages,  either 
in  a  greenhouse  or  in  a  frame,  avoiding  a  high 
temperature. 

The  latter  part  of  May  and  beginning  of  June, 
according  to  locality,  is  the  time  for  planting  out 
the  tender  Nymphajas.  These  should  be  started 
in  April,  allowing  from  six  to  eight  weeks'  growth 
in  a  temperature  of  from  70*  to  75°,  alwa3's  giving 
the  plants  the  full  benefit  of  the  sunlight  and 
ample  ventilation.  It  will  be  found  of  great 
advantage  to  procure  tubers  of  such  Nymphfeas 
now  and  grow  them  on  the  place  in  preference  to 


A^SUB-TKOPICAL   GARDEN 


302 


THE     GAEDEN. 


[April  27,  1901. 


buying  plants  at  the  time  for  planting.  Small 
tubers  will  produce  flowering  plants  in  a  few  weeks, 
and  can  be  safelj'  seat  by  mail,  whereas  plants 
would  have  to  be  shipped  by  express,  and  there 
would  be  more  or  less  of  a  check  to  the  plants, 
besides  the  expressage. 

Every  season  there  are  some  complaints  of 
NeUimbiums  not  growing.  In  all  cases  there  must 
be  a  cause,  and  it  is  verj'  hard  to  determine  what 
it  is  in  each  individual  instance.  Although  the 
Lotus  is  hardy  it  must  not  be  treated  the  same  as 
hardy  perennial  plants.  The  plants  or  tubers  will 
suffer  if  subjected  to  extremes  of  temperature,  and 
if  the  tubers  are  received  during  cool  weather  and 
the  conditions  remain  so  for  any  length  of  time, 
the  tubers  will  rot.  The  weather  should  be  settled 
warm  and  the  conditions  favourable  for  growth  at 
once.  If  tubers  are  kept  indoors  in  a  tub  or  pan, 
where  the}'  grew  the  preceding  season,  and  in  a 
temperature  of  60°  to  65°  no  signs  of  growth  will 
be  perceptible,  therefore  do  not  plant  until  warm 
weather.  There  are  other  dangers  besides  planting; 
too  early.  The  tubers  are  sometimes  difficult  to 
keep  in  place,  especially  if  the  water  is  deep.  No 
better  method  can  be  adopted  than  to  start  the 
tubers  in  pots  or  seed  pans,  thus  securing  a  ball  of 
soil  and  roots,  giving  them  similar  treatment  as 
advised  for  Nymphfeas,  and  a  temperature  of  about 
70°.  Tubers  started  thus  will  make  good  plants 
in  a  few  weeks,  and  when  the  season  is  late  for 
planting  so  much  additional  time  may  be  gained, 
besides  far  better  and  more  satisfactory  results. 
Another  cause  of  failure  is  planting  the  tubers  in 
tubs,  using  a  quantity  of  fresh  manure  with  the 
soil.  Before  the  tubers  can  make  a  fair  start  fer- 
mentation takes  place.  Under  such  conditions  the 
new  growth  is  almost  sure  to  decay,  and  the  result 
is  failure. — Wm.  Tkicker  in  the  American  Florist. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not   responsible   for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents. ) 


PLANTING     CREEPERS. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "  The  Garden'."] 

SIR, — I  shall  be  very  much  obliged  if  you 
will  give  me  some  help  as  to  the  size  of 
holes  and  the  soil  I  should  have  to  grow 
creepers  in  against  a  new  addition  to  our 
house.  The  house  stands  on  a  terrace, 
and  the  stables,  v.'hich  partly  cover  the 
south  wall,  are  sunk  6  feet  below  the  floor  level 
of  the  house  in  order  to  reach  the  level  of  the  road. 
Bad  as  our  soil  is  anj'  time,  what  is  left  now  in  the 
future  stable  ^-ard  is  hopeless,  being  nothing  but 
yellow  sand.  The  south  wall  of  the  house  will  be 
sheltered  from  the  east  by  the  stables,  but  the 
stable  yard  will  be  paved  up  to  the  wall,  therefore 
once  the  creepers  are  planted  it  will  be  difficult  to 
give  fresh  soil.  What  depth  and  what  width 
should  the  holes  have  ?  I  can  get  a  certain  amount 
of  loam,  and  would  make  the  holes  ready  for  the 
creepers  to  be  put  in  early  in  the  autumn.  Would 
it  be  possible  to  grow  a  Magnolia,  seeing  what  poor 
soil  it  will  be  surrounded  by?  Will  you  kindly 
tell  me  what  creepers  will  do  best  in  such  soil  ? 
Against  the  west  wall  of  the  house  the  soil  is  not 
quite  so  bad,  as  1  foot  down  we  get  to  a  bed  of 
loam  IJ  feet  deep.  The  house  is  very  sunny,  and 
in  summer  the  heat  is  sometimes  intense. 

Guildford.  M.  D. 

[Although  your  soil  is  so  poor  there  is  no  reason 
why  the  climbers  should  not  succeed  provided  the 
place  is  well  prepared  for  them  beforehand.  From 
your  note  we  gather  that  drainage  is  assured, 
hence  this  will  give  no  trouble.  Holes  4  feet  in 
diameter,  and  from  2  feet  6  inches  to  3  feet  deep, 
should  be  taken  out  and  filled  with  good  soil.  As 
you  can  get  a  certain  amount  of  loam,  a  lasting 
compost  can  be  formed  of  loam  one-half,  and  the 
other  half  a  mixture  of  your  excavated  sand,  leaf- 
mould,  and  a  little  thoroughly  decayed  manure. 
The  whole  must  be  well  incorporated  together,  and 
if  the  loam  is  in  a  fairly  rough  state  so  much  the 
better.     Against  the  west  wall,  where  the  soil  is 


not  so  bad,  the  bed  of  loam  should  be  well  broken 
up  before  planting  ;  indeed,  it  will  be  all  the 
better  to  take  it  out  and  mix  as  above  directed. 
By  so  doing  it  should  be  possible  to  grow 
Magnolia  grandiflora,  and  the  following  plants  are 
all  available  for  the  purpose  named  :  Jasniinum 
officinale  (common  Jasmine),  whose  white  fragrant 
blossoms  are  admired  by  everyone;  Jasminum 
uudiflorum  (winter  Jasmine),  which  produces  its 
golden  blossoms  throughout  the  winter;  Cydonia 
or  Pyrus  japonica,  particularh'  a  good  bright  form, 
such  as  cardinalis ;  Escallonia  philippiana,  an 
evergreen,  with  a  profusion  of  white  flowers  about 
midsummer;  Fors\'thia suspensa,  golden  blossoms, 
end  of  March,  deciduous  ;  Garrja  elliptica  (ever- 
green), whose  most  prominent  feature  is  the 
exceedingly  long  catkins,  at  their  best  in  the 
winter ;  Bignonia  radioans,  deciduous,  trumpet- 
shaped,  brick  red  flowers,  borne  in  Jul}'  ; 
Chimonanthus  fragrans  (Winter  Sweet),  deciduous, 
highly  fragrant  blossoms  in  midwinter  ;  Ceanothus 
dentatus  (evergreen),  blue  flowers,  produced 
during  the  summer.  Besides  these  you  have  the 
choice  of  Ivies,  alwavs  fresh  and  green,  different 
forms  of  Clematis,  Honej'suckles  (Lonicera),  of 
which  one  of  the  best  is  L.  flexuosa,  and  Vitis  or 
Ampelopsis  Veitchi,  which  attaches  itself  to  almost 
anything,  but  looses  its  leaves  in  the  winter. 
Other  Vines  are  the  huge  leaved  Vitis  Coignetite 
and  the  out-leaved  apiifolia.  No  list  of  wall 
plants  would  be  complete  without  the  Eire  Thorn 
(CratiBgus  Pyracantha  Lalandi),  whose  brilliantly- 
coloured  berries  form  such  a  glowing  feature  for 
months.  You  do  not  say  how  many  plants  you  have 
room  for,  hence  we  have  given  the  above  list,  from 
which  3'ou  can  make  your  own  choice. — Eds] 


LILIUM    BROWNI.     . 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — It  is  rather  singular  that  Lilium  Browni, 
referred  to  on  page  '269,  should,  like  L.  testaceum, 
recently  illustrated  in  The  Garden,  be  of  obscure 
origin,  for  nothing  seems  to  be  known  of  its  early 
history,  except  that  it  first  occurred  in  the  cata- 
logue of  F.  E.  Brown,  nurser3'man,  of  Slough,  about 
the  year  1838.  After  this  it  soon  made  its  way  to 
the  continent,  and  would  appear  to  have  been 
grown  by  the  Dutch  cultivators  ever  since,  con- 
sequently the  case  of  dying  out  under  cultivation, 
which  is  urged  against  some  Lilies,  does  not  apply 
to  L.  Browni,  which  still  remains  one  of  the  most 
delightful  of  all.  Judging  by  the  nearly  allied 
forms  (or  varieties)  imported  from  China,  L.  Browni 
would  appear  to  be  a  native  of  that  country,  but 
I  cannot  find  any  account  of  its  having  been  found 
there,  either  in  a  wild  or  cultivated  state.  True, 
the  name  occurs  in  the  catalogues  of  some  of  the 
Japanese  nurserymen,  and  bulbs  therefrom  are 
often  sold  as  such  in  the  London  auction  rooms 
during  the  winter  months.  They,  however,  re- 
present a  totall}'  different  species,  viz.,  L.  odorum, 
which  is  also  known  in  gardens  as  L.  japonicum 
Colchesteri,  and  as  such  was  awarded  a  first-class 
certificate  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Societ}'  in 
the  summer  of  1895. 

Strange  that  such  confusion  should  e.xist  between 
L.  Browni  and  L.  odorum,  as  the  two  have  so  many 
distinguishing  features.  To  commence  with  the 
bulbs — those  of  L.  Browni  are  narrow  at  the  base, 
and  gradually  widen  upwards,  with  a  peculiarly- 
flattened  top.  They  are  usually  more  or  less 
tinged  with  reddish-brown.  In  L.  odorum  the 
bulb  is  looser  in  texture,  with  the  centre  :ilightl3' 
raised,  the  scales  larger,  and  consequent!}'  less 
numerous,  while  their  colour  is  j'ellowish,  after 
the  manner  of  L.  longiflorum.  The  bulbs  of  L. 
odorum  are  even  more  liable  to  decay  at  the  base 
than  those  of  L.  Browni.  Directly  they  appear 
above  ground  it  will  be  noticed  that  the  shoots  of 
L.  Browni  are  tinged  with  reddish-brown,  while 
those  of  L.  odorum  are  green.  As  they  develop 
many  other  points  of  difference  will  be  seen,  thus 
the  stem  of  L.  Browni  is  usually  bare  of  foliage 
for  some  little  distance  at  the  base,  such  portion 
being  of  a  purplish  hue,  while  the  dark  green 
leaves  are  long,  narrow,  and  taper  to  a  sharp 
point.  L.  edorum,  on  the  other  hand,  has  green 
stems   and   pale   tinted   leaves,    which    are   much 


shorter,  broader,  and  thinner  in  texture  than  those 
of  the  other.  In  the  flowers  themselves  the 
difference  is  also  stronglj'  marked,  for  those  of 
L.  Browni  are  large,  trumpet-shaped,  and  of  an 
unusuall}'  thick  waxy  texture  ;  inside  they  are  of 
an  ivory-white  tint,  but  heavily  suffused  with 
chocolate  on  the  exterior  of  "the  three  outer 
segments,  so  that  the  unopened  buds  are  entirelj'  | 

of  a  reddish-brown  hue,  that  is,  where  they 
have  been  grown  exposed  to  the  sun.  The  dark 
brown  anthers  are  very  conspicuous  against  the 
rest  of  the  flower,  but  in  showery  weather  the 
pollen  is  apt  to  mar  its  beauty.  The  flowers  of 
L.  odurum  differ  from  the  preceding  in  being 
shorter  in  the  tube,  and  much  less  suffused  witli 
chocolate  on  the  outside.  They  are  also  of  a 
creamy  tint  inside  when  first  expanded,  but 
become  whiter  afterwards.  The  blossoms  are  less 
powerfull3'-scented  than  many  Lilies.  As  a  garden 
plant  I  consider  L.  Browni  much  superior  to  the 
other.  H.  P. 


WINTER-FLOWEKIXG  PLANTS  FOR 

CONSERVATORY. 

[To  the   Editor    of    "The   Gardes."] 

Sir, — I  have  a  conservator}'  heated  to  about  60°, 
and  I  should  be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  would 
kindly  give  me  a  short  list  of  flowering  shrubs,  in 
fact  anything  with  flowers  which  could  be  had  in 
bloom  in  December,  January,  February,  and 
March.  The  conservatory  is  about  20  feet  by  ]  5  feet. 
I  have  a  stove  house,  intermediate  house,  and  long, 
cold  peach  houses.  I  very  much  fancy  perennials, 
such  as  Doronieums,  Sweet  Rockets,  &c.,  and  would 
be  glad  if  you  could  suggest  a  few  more,  and  would 
also  kindly  give  a  few  hints  as  to  when  they  ought 
to  be  potted  up  and  brought  into  heat,  and  when 
they  would  flower. 

Nantwick.  W.  vON  B. 

[You  are  not  likely  to  meet  with  much  success 
in  flowering  such  subjects  as  Doronieums  and 
Rockets  under  glass  in  the  early  months  of  the 
year,  still  they  might  be  induced  to  flower  a  little 
earlier  than  they  would  naturally  out  of  doors. 
There  is,  however,  no  lack  of  subjects  that  may 
be  had  in  flower  during  the  months  mentioned, 
particularly  after  Christmas  has  passed.  A  great 
number  of  bulbs  are  available  for  the  purpose, 
especially  Hyacinths,  Tulips,  Narcissus,  Chiono- 
doxa.  Crocus,  Scilla  bifolia  and  sibirica,  Fritil- 
larias,  &c.  These  may  all  be  obtained  in  the 
autumn,  potted  as  soon  as  possible,  stood  in  a  bed 
out  of  doors,  and  covered  with  coal  ashes,  as  with 
this  treatment  they  root  freely.  Then,  when  the 
tops  begin  to  start  into  growth,  they  must  betaken 
from  the  ashes,  and  might  be  stood  in  your  cold 
Peach  house,  from  where  a  few  at  a  time  may  be 
taken  into  the  warmer  structure,  as  by  so  doing  a 
succession  is  kept  up.  Lily  of  the  Valley,  too, 
may  be  treated  in  the  same  wa}'.  Among  hardy 
herbaceous  subjects  likely  to  suit  you  are 
Christmas  Roses,  flowering  naturall}'  in  the  depth 
of  winter,  and  when  protected  from  the  weather 
they  are  delightfully  pure  in  tint.  Lenten  Roses, 
too,  that  is  several  other  kinds  of  Helleborus,  if 
potted  in  the  autumn  and  kept  in  a  cool  house,  are 
also  very  valuable  for  greenhouse  decoration,  while 
the  Spirfeas  are  a  very  popular  class,  being  univer- 
sally employed  for  the  purpose.  The  Bleeding 
Heart  (I)ielytra  spectabilis)  is  admired  by  many, 
while  the  large  bold-growing  Saxifraga  Stracheyi 
flowers  under  glass  early  in  the  year.  The  German 
Iris,  too,  ma}',  with  gentle  forcing,  be  had  in 
flower  by  the  middle  of  March,  though  it  is  rarely 
so  treated.  All  of  these  herbaceous  subjects  may 
be  potted  in  the  autumn  and  stood  outside,  and  on 
the  approach  of  severe  frost  removed  into  your 
cold  house,  whence  they  can  be  taken  into 
heat  as  required.  As  your  conservatory  is  heated 
to  about  60°  this  will  be  warm  enough  for  most  of 
the  subjects  referred  to,  though  if  a  few  of  any  are 
particularly  needed  they  may  be  pushed  on  in  the 
intermediate  house.  Hardy  shrubs,  again,  should 
be  potted  in  the  autumn,  wintered  in  your  cool 
house,  and  forced  into  growth  by  the  middle  of 
February  or  thereabouts.  Among  the  best  for 
such  treatment  are  Azalea  mollis,  double  Chinese 


Apkil  27,  1901. 


THE    GAEDEN. 


303 


Plum,  Staphylea  colchica,  Forsythia  suspensa, 
Spirtea  confusa,  Wistaria  sinensis,  Cherries, 
Peaches,  &o.  Then  there  are  the  usual  flowering 
occupants  of  the  greenhouse,  such  as  Cyclamen  and 
Cinerarias,  of  which  there  are  now  many  delight- 
ful forms.  Primulas,  too,  are  also  available,  not 
only  the  universally  grown  Primula  sinensis,  but 
also  the  golden-flowered  P.  floribunda,  and  the 
paler-tinted  P.  verticillata,  as  well  as  that  ever- 
flowering  kind  P.  oboonica,  a  delightful  plant  in 
every  way  bxit  one,  and  that  is  handling  the  foliage 
often  severely  irritates  the  skin.  Azaleas  and 
Camellias,  which  can  be  purchased  in  the  shape  of 
neat  little  bushes,  bristling  with  flower-buds 
during  the  autumn,  are  invaluable  for  conservatory 
decoration  in  the  earlj'  months  of  the  year. 
Heaths,  again,  that  need  essentially  greenhouse 
treatment,  contain  among  their  number  some  that 
flower  in  mid-winter,  prominent  among  them  being 
Erica  gracilis,  hyemalis,  melanthera,  and  wilniore- 
ana.  The  same  treatment,  too,  is  needed  for 
Epacris,  whose  long  spikes  of  prettj'  Heath -like 
blossoms  are  very  valuable  for  cutting  from.  Many 
of  the  subjects  above  enumerated  will  not  flower 
till  the  new  year,   but  the  Chrysanthemums  and 


present  in  the  course  of  erection.  Many  of  the 
numerous  houses  are  devoted  to  the  culture  of 
Palms,  and  the  former  are  of  such  a  size  and  the 
latter  so  numerous  that  one  could  almost  imagine 
oneself  in  the  midst  of  a  Palm  forest.  The  plants 
are  in  all  stages  of  growth,  and  comprise  various 
species  that  are  the  most  useful  for  decorative 
purposes.  Kentia  fosteriana  and  K.  belmoreana 
are,  of  course,  well  represented,  for  they  are 
invaluable  plants.  The  pretty  little  Cocos  wed- 
delliana,  undoubtedly  the  best  of  all  Palms  for 
effective  decoration  where  only  small  plants  are 
required,  when  seen  in  thousands  together,  as  in 
the  case  in  the  Bush  Hill  Park  Nurseries,  has  a 
particularly  pleasing  effect.  The  enormous  number 
of  Palms  that  Messrs.  Low  cultivate,  and  which 
must  amount  to  m^ny  hundreds  of  thousands, 
gives  striking  evideiibe  of  the  popularity  of  this 
graceful  evergreen  for  decorative  purposes  in  this 
country. 

The  Orchid  enthusiast  would  enjoy  a  day  in 
Messrs.  Low's  nurseries  ;  he  would,  indeed,  find 
more  than  enough  of  interest  to  occupy  his  time. 
Those  charming  Orchids  that  so  many  find  a 
difficulty    in    cultivating    successfully,     viz.,    the 


ONE   OF  THE   ORCHID   HOUSES   IN   MESSRS.    LOW'S   NURSERY   AT   ENFIELD. 


Salvias  will  generally  continue  blooming  well  on 
into  the  month  of  December.  In  the  stove 
Euphorbia  fulgens,  Poinsettia  pulcherrima,  An- 
thuriums,  and  Amaryllis  are  all  showy  winter- 
flowering  subjects.  This  list  might  be  consider- 
ably extended,  but  it  is  a  fruitful  source  of  trouble 
to  attempt  the  cultivation  of  too  many  classes  of 
plants,  particularly  where  space  is  limited. — Eds.] 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 


MESSRS.  HUGH  LOW  AND  CO. 

C/-v-KT/^  j|j^_,  j^j^g  name  of  Hugh  Low  been  familiar 
to  all  engaged  in  horticulture,  and 
the  visitor  to  the  nursery  establish- 
ment of  this  firm  at  Bush  Hill  Park, 
Enfield,  finds  abundant  evidence  to 
show  not  only  how  the  old  reputation 
is  maintained,  but  also  what  great  improvements 
and  extensions  have  been  recently  carried  out. 
Even  now,  however,  these  latter  are  by  no  means 
finished,    for    several    large   glass   houses    are    at 


Phalsenopsis,  grow  here  quite  freely  ;  several  of 
them  are  still  in  flower,  although  most  are  now 
over.  It  is  curious  how  erratic  are  these  Orchids 
in  their  behaviour,  many  cultivators,  try  as  they 
will,  cannot  really  succeed  with  them,  others  again 
grow  them  without  much  difficulty.  We  well 
remember  in  one  large  garden  where  every  care 
and  attention  were  given  to  the  collection  of  Orchids, 
a  special  house  was  constructed  for  the  Phahenopsis, 
and  had  among  other  special  attributes  a  double 
roof  made  of  thick  glass,  so  as  to  obviate  as  much 
as  possible  the  necessity  for  heavy  canvas  shading, 
3'et  the  results  attained  were  only  moderately 
successful.  Some  of  the  finest  plants  of  Phalfe- 
nopsis  it  has  been  our  fortune  to  meet  with  were 
cultivated  in  a  glass  house  in  quite  a  small  private 
garden  at  Marseilles  ;  here  they  were  really  very 
fine,  although  possibly  the  climatic  eonditions  had 
as  much  or  more  to  do  with  the  successful  efforts 
of  the  cultivator  than  had  the  methods  of  culture 
practised. 

The  Cypripediums  are  particularly  well  repre- 
sented in  Messrs.  Low's  nursery,  and  many  are 
now  in  flower.  One  deserves  special  mention, 
namely,  C.  Exul.     This  is  a  charming  little  Lady's 


Slipper,  quite  a  diminutive  flower,  whose  pre- 
dominating colour  is  a  pretty  shade  of  yellowi 
There  are  thousands  of  plants  of  C.  callosum, 
including  a  few  specimens  of  the  rare  and  valuable 
green  flowered  variety.  Large  importations  bf 
C.  callosum  are  made  in  the  hope  of  a  few  green 
ones  appearing.  Some  idea  of  its  rarity  and  value 
may  be  gained  when  it  is  mentioned  that  only 
three  or  four  have  so  far  been  obtained  from  an 
importation  of  several  thousands  of  plants.  C. 
lawrenceanum,  whose  beautiful  foliage  alone  makes 
it  worthy  of  cultivation,  is  also  grown  in  large 
quantities.  Many  other  Cypripedes,  that  must 
unfortunately  be  left  unnamed,  are  also  now  in 
bloom.  Cattleya  Schrijdera^,  that  most  sweetly 
scented  of  Cattleyas,  and  appropriately  named  the 
"Hawthorn-scented,"  is  not  difficult  to  locate. 
Cattleya  Triamt  and  several  very  finely  coloured 
varieties  of  it  are  also  noticeable,  as  also  is 
C.  intermedia  alba,  one  of  the  most  chaste  and 
costly  of  Cattleyas.  Others  in  evidence  are  Cattleya 
Mossi*,  good  forms  of  Lselia  Jongheana,  Oncidium 
Krameri,  certainly  a  Vjetter  flower  than  0.  Papilio; 
Miltonia  Roezli,  Oncidium  concolor  (bearing 
drooping  racemes  of  flowers,  a  splendid  yellow 
in  colour)  in  baskets  ;  Dendrobium  chry- 
sotoxum  that  so  many  find  a  difficulty  in 
inducingtoflowersatisfactorily ;  Angrsecum 
citratum,  with  its  sprays  of  small  pure 
white  blossoms  ;  and  thousands  of  Odonto- 
glossums,  some  of  which  have  flowered, 
though  the  majority  of  them  have  not  yet 
done  so,  having  been  recently  imported. 
Anectochilus  setaceus,  a  plant  whose  leaves 
are  perhaps  not  surpassed  in  the  whole 
vegetable  kingdom  for  beauty  and  delicacy 
of  marking,  is  cultivated  by  Messrs.  Low 
in  the  house  containing  Phahenopsis  and 
other  Orchids. 

It  would  be  difficult,  if  one  had  even 
the  time  and  space  to  do  so,  to  attempt 
to  enumerate  or  describe  but  a  small 
portion  of  the  plants  cultivated  in  the 
Bush  Hill  Park  Nurseries;  one  sees  plants 
both  hardy  and  tender,  soft  wooded  and 
hard  wooded,  stove  and  greenhouse,  all 
thoroughly  representative  of  the  several 
departments  of  horticulture.  One  house 
filled  with  splendidly  grown  plants  of 
Pandanus  Veitchi  well  demonstrated  the 
decorative  value  of  this  variegated-leaved 
stove  plant,  and  the  specimens  of  several 
varieties  of  Crotons  and  Dracajnas  else- 
where were  equally  fine.  Those  to  whom 
greenhouse  plants  most  appeal  would  be 
delighted  with  the  Azaleas  that  are 
masses  of  flower,  comprising  many  colours, 
the  Genistas  in  various  sizes,  the  numerous 
Ericas  and  Epacrises,  Acacias,  Boronias, 
&c.  ;  even  Malmaison  Carnations  were  in 
flower  at  the  time  of  our  visit.  Those 
who  attended  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  Show  in  the  Temple  Gardens 
last  year  will  remember  the  new  Schizan- 
thus  (S.  wisetonensis)  then  exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Hugh  Low,  and  how  much  admired  it  was. 
This,  as  may  be  expected,  is  grown  at  Bush 
Hill  Park  in  quantity,  and  the  plants,  which 
will  soon  commence  to  show  their  buds,  will 
doubtless  be  conspicuous  at  the  next  meeting 
in  the  Temple  Gardens.  The  Tea  Roses,  cul- 
tivated extensively  in  pots  under  glass,  the 
Cyclamens,  the  representative  collection  of  Heaths, 
and  other  hard  wooded  plants,  &c. ,  each  of  which, 
like  many  more,  constitutes  a  department,  cannot 
be  described  in  detail,  but  they  are  equallj'  well 
cared  for,  as  are  those  more  fullj'  referred  to,  and 
one  could  not  speak  better  of  them. 


EaPly  StPawtaePPieS.  —  For  either  pot 
culture  or  an  early  border  many  kinds  have  from 
time  to  time  been  recommended,  but  after  several 
trials  I  have  found  that  old  and  excellent  variety 
Vicomtesse  Hericart  de  Thury  to  be  one  of  the 
best.  I  know  that  its  size  does  not  make  it  a 
market  favourite,  but  there  can  be  no  question 
about  its  quality,  as  even  when  forced  in  a  steam- 
ing hot  house  the  flavour  is  superior  to  other  kinds 
given  the  same  treatment. — G.  W. 


3U4 


THE  GAEDEN. 


[April  27,  1901. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


FLOWER    GARDEN. 

A    COLD,  wet    spring  will   have  left  outdoor 
J\  work  much   behindhand,  and  in  many 

/   %         cases  some  of  the  work  written  of  in 

/      \        former    calendar    notes    will   still    be 
/         %      unfinished. 

Hardy  Annuals 
of  most  kinds  may  still  be  sown,  and  when  the 
object  is  late  instead  of  early  flowers,  this  late 
sowing  is  likely  to  prove  satisfactory,  provided  the 
ground  has  been  well  prepared  and  manured 
sufficiently  to  encourage  a  full  development  of 
growth  and  flowers.  Hardy  annuals  must  be 
encouraged  in  every  way  to  prevent  starvation  ; 
they  should  be  thinned  early  to  the  required 
distance,  and  the  soil  lightly  stirred  around  them. 
Slugs  frequently  do  much  damage  at  this  season, 
some  plants  proving  so  much  to  their  liking  that 
they  clear  oft  whole  batches  of  seedlings  that  are 
not  protected  in  a  very  short  time.  It  is  necessarj' 
to  prevent  this  as  the  protective  means  we  have, 
such  as  dusting  with  lime  or  soot,  are  nullified 
with  every  shower,  and  must  be  repeated  again  and 
again.  In  the  herbaceous  borders  we  have  the 
same  need  for  an.xious  care  to  prevent  slugs  from 
making  meals  of  our  choicest  Phloxes  and  many 
other  things  ;  the  borders  should  be  visited  after 
dark  with  a  lantern  and  the  pests  searched  for 
near  all  plants  that  are  liable  to  attacks.  Handsful 
of  bran  placed  on  pieces  of  slate  here  and  there 
about  the  borders  prove  an  attractive  bait,  and 
these  heaps  should  be  visited  late  at  night. 

Annuals  sown  under  glass  are  the  better  for 
being  pricked  off  in  a  frame  on  a  few  inches  of 
sandy  soil,  so  that  each  plant  may  have  a  good  ball 
by  the  time  it  is  transplanted  to  its  flowering 
quarters.  This  work  is  often  neglected  when  the 
seeds  have  been  sown  a  little  later  than  usual, 
because  it  is  getting  so  near  the  time  for  planting 
out ;  but  it  always  pays  for  itself,  even  though  they 
have  only  a  fortnight  or  three  weeks  in  wliich  to 
root,  as  the}'  may  be  nursed  a  little  to  begin  with, 
and  take  no  harm  from  a  week's  delay  in  planting 
if  the  weather  is  not  propitious  at  the  usual  time. 
Moreover,  they  are  better  able  to  resist  the  eS'ects 
of  any  trying  weather  that  may  set  in  after  they 
are  planted. 

The  Salpiglossis 
is  a  tender  annual  that  is  often  sown  under  glass, 
and  thereby  frequently  spoiled.  It  is  far  better 
to  sow  where  the  plants  are  to  stand  and  thin  out 
to  the  proper  distance  when  the  seedlings  are  big 
enough  to  select  from.  By  this  treatment  we 
escape  largely  a  disease  to  which  these  plants  are 
subject  when  sown  in  the  usual  way  and  trans- 
planted. Should  the  soil  be  heavy  a  little  sand 
should  be  raked  into  the  surface  after  the  seeds  are 
sown. 

Mignonette 
is  welcome  almost  everywhere.  After  sowing  any 
beds  or  borders  that  are  to  be  filled  with  it,  the 
soil  of  which  by  the  by  should  contain  a  good  pro- 
portion of  lime,  I  like  to  scatter  any  seeds  that 
remain  on  the  herbaceous  borders.  If  not  needed 
for  tilling  up  they  can  easily  be  destroyed,  and  on 
the  other  hand  a  plant  here  and  there  will  come  in 
useful,  single  plants  often  attaining  huge  dimen- 
sions. Useful  as  the  common  Mignonette  is,  there 
are  some  fine  selected  types  which  far  e.\ceed  it  in 
beauty,  and  some  of  these  should  be  sown.  Old 
stools  of 

Dahlias 
which  are  wanted  for  flower  garden  work  should 
be  put  in  a  pit  or  frame  now,  have  a  little  soil 
thrown  round  the  roots,  and  be  started  into  growth. 
It  is  not  advisable  to  get  these  too  forward  in 
growth  before  it  is  safe  to  plant  them,  so  they 
ueed  only  have  just  sufficient  covering  to  protect 
them  from  frost  and  water  enough  to  keep  them 
plump.     The 

Planting  of  Evbrgrbes  Shrubs 
should    soon   be   finished,    and   all    newly-planted 
things  of  this  kind  will  be  grateful  for  a  mulching 
of  manure  or  short  grass.     See  that  they  are  all 


well  watered  in,  and  continue  watering  for  several 
weeks  until  the  new  growth  is  well  advanced. 
The  first  start  of  young  shoots  should  not  deceive 
one  into  the  idea  that  no  further  attention  is 
required.  J-  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardem,  Derby. 


KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
Large  Onions. 
Onions  that  were  sown  early  in  the  season,  and 
are  now  growing  in  pots,  should  have  abundance 
of  air,  so  that  they  may  be  quite  hardened  oB^ 
before  they  are  planted  in  the  open  garden.  The 
soil,  having  been  prepared  some  time  ago,  will 
only  require  stirring  with  a  fork,  and,  when  dry 
enough,  may  be  trodden  uniformly  and  raked  as  if 
for  drawing  drills.  The  plants  may  be  put  out  in 
rows  18  inches  apart  and  9  inches  from  plant  to 
plant,  choosing  a  mild,  damp  day  for  the  purpose. 
Place  a  stick  to  each  plant  to  avoid  injury  by 
rough  wind. 

Celery 
plants  in  pots  should  not  be  allowed  to  become 
drawn  through  insufficient  air  or  overcrowding, 
and  care  must  be  taken  that  the}'  do  not  suffer 
from  want  of  water  at  the  root,  or  disappointment 
is  sure  to  follow.  Place  out  later-sown  plants  in 
cold  frames,  and  make  a  sowing  for  the  main-crop 
in  a  cool  frame,  after  which  a  small  sowing  may  be 
made  in  the  open  to  produce  plants  for  use  in  the 
spring  when  Celery  is  generally  used  for  soup.  A 
good  sowing  of 

French  Beans 
should  be  made  without  delay,  choosing  a  south 
border  or  other  warm  situation  for  the  purpose. 
The  best  way  for  early  sowings  of  this  important 
crop  is  to  draw  drills  4  inches  deep  and  IS  inches 
apart,  half  filling  the  drills  with  old  potting  soil, 
afterwards  planting  the  Beans  and  covering  with 
the  same  soil.  This  method  will  ensure  speedy 
germination  and  free  growth,  and  will  amply  repay 
the  cultivator  for  the  e.xtra  labour  of  planting  at 
this  early  date.  Osborn's  Forcing,  Magnum  Bonum . 
and  Canadian  Wonder  are  good  varieties  for  plant- 
ing now.  A  few  rows  of  Golden  Waxpod  or  dwarf 
Butter  Bean  may  .also  be  sown  in  the  same  way, 
and  all  should  be  thinned  to  6  inches  or  8  inches 
apart,  for  nothing  is  gained  by  crowding  too  many 
plants  into  a  row.  Vegetable  Marrow  seeds  should 
be  sown  singly  in  pots  and  placed  in  a  close  frame 
for  planting  out  at  the  end  of  May,  but  where 
early  supplies  are  desired  a  few  seeds  may  be  sown 
in  a  frame,  where  the  plants  can  be  allowed  to 
grow  until  they  have  reached  the  height  of  the 
pit,  when,  if  all  danger  of  frost  is  past,  the  sashes 
may  be  removed  and  the  plants  allowed  to  run. 
In  this  way  Marrows  may  be  cut  greatly  in  advance 
of  those  grown  in  the  ordinary  way. 

Carrots 
sown  early  in  the  year  on  beds  of  leaves  will 
require  liberal  airing  to  keep  them  from  drawing, 
and  succession  crops  in  cold  pits  must  be  carefully 
thinned  to  3  inches  apart  ;  frequent  waterings  of 
soft  water  and  an  occasional  dusting  with  soot  will 
be  all  they  require  until  fit  for  use.  Lettuce 
intended  to  stand  in  frames  until  ready  for  use 
should  have  the  sashes  removed  each  morning  and 
replaced  again  at  night.  Abundance  of  water 
must  be  given  to  keep  them  growing  freely  ;  the 
slightest  check  from  want  of  moisture  may  end  in 
the  plants  running  to  seed  before  they  are  large 
enough  to  cut  for  salad.  John"  Dunn. 

Royal  Kilche.n  Gardens,  Windnor. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Figs  Under  Glass. 

The  earliest  trees  have  done  remarkably  well 
this  season,  and  will  now  be  clear  of  fruit  if  such 
kinds  as  St.  John's  and  Pingo  de  Mel  are  grown 
for  the  first  crop.  Other  kinds,  such  as  Brown 
Turkey  and  White  Marseilles,  are  less  reliable  than 
the  earlier  kinds  named  for  hard  forcing,  but  they 
are  more  valuable,  as  they  carry  two  crops.  With 
the  St.  John's  it  is  not  desirable  to  attempt  double 
cropping.  This  variety  should  now  be  placed  in  a 
somewhat  lower  temperature  to  thorough!}'  harden 


the  wood,  though  it  is  advisable  to  continue 
syringing  overhead  as  long  as  possible,  indeed,  we 
damp  our  pot  trees  overhead  when  in  their  summer 
quarters  in  the  open  after  a  hot  day.  This  greatly 
helps  to  keep  the  foliage  healthy.  After  the 
crop  is  cleared  and  the  trees  have  been  some  days 
in  the  cooler  house  named,  it  will  be  a  good  time 
to  give  the  earliest  forced  ones  a  move  ;  potted 
now  they  may  be  placed  in  the  open  at  the  end  of 
June  or  early  in  July.  In  potting,  use  good  loam 
with  a  liberal  addition  of  old  mortar  rubble  or 
wood  ashes,  but  in  light  soils  less  of  the  latter  are 
required,  but  firm  potting  is  essential  in  all  cases. 
Young  trees  for  future  forcing  should  be  kept 
closely  pinched,  and  if  a  clear  stem  can  be  obtained 
so  much  the  better,  as  the  plants  are  much  addicted 
to  sucker  growth  from  the  base. 

Planted  Out  Trees 
for  succession  crops  will  now  require  close  attention 
in  stopping  and  training  ;  as  regards  the  former, 
there  is  always  a  tendency  with  healthy  trees  to 
produce  wood  freely,  and  by  stopping  fruiting 
wood  at  the  fourth  or  fifth  joint  and  rubbing  off 
small  spray  growths  there  will  be  more  room  for 
the  fruit  to  swell  freely.  Now  is  a  good  time  to 
give  stimulants.  I  am  much  in  favour  of  food 
given  in  a  liquid  state  to  trees  bearing  heavy  crops. 
Rather  mulch  with  short  rich  manure,  but  with 
trees  at  all  inclined  to  grossness  or  to  east  their 
fruits  mulching  is  not  advised.  In  training  in  new 
wood  avoid  crowding,  as  there  is  nothing  gained 
whatever  by  laying  in  wood  too  freely.  Thinning 
the  fruits  should  not  be  overlooked,  and  to  advise 
how  much  fruit  a  tree  can  carry  is  somewhat 
difficult,  as  much  depends  upon  the  health  of  the 
trees  and  the  variety,  but  it  is  usually  safe  to  allow 
strong  shoots  to  carry  three  or  four  fruits.  Do  not 
give  too  much  fire  heat,  far '  better  results  are 
secured  by  slow  forcing,  and  this  specially  applies 
to  the  night  temperature.  This  with  Figs  growing 
freely  should  not  exceed  65",  even  less  will  suffice 
in  cold  windy  weather.  As  the  fruits  approach 
maturity  less  moisture  should  be  given  and  over- 
head syringing  cease.  The  later  houses  will  now 
be  starting  freely  without  much  fire  heat,  and  the 
fruits  from  this  section  are  most  valuable,  as  their 
crops  are  ripe  at  a  period  when  fruit  is  in  great 
demand.  The  large  black  Figs,  such  as  Nubian, 
Negro  Largo,  and  Grosse  Verte  are  among  the 
best,  if  any  of  these  are  grown  in  pots  for  late 
autumn  supplies.  The  plants  should  be  housed 
in  as  cool  a  place  as  possible — a  north  house  is 
desirable.  G.  Wythes. 

Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 

Cyclamen. 
AuTUiMN-sow.v  stock  at  present  in  2i-ineh  and 
3-inch  pots  will  be  in  a  tit  state  to  be  repotted 
into  those  pots  in  which  it  is  intended  to  flower 
them,  and  I  find  that  4A-inch  pots  are  the  most 
serviceaVjle.  So  much  is  expected  of  these  plants 
and  all  other  plants  which  flower  in  winter  that 
the  greatest  care  should  be  bestowed  on  their 
culture.  Though  generally  seen  in  a  more  less 
unsatisfactory  state,  this  is  no  fault  of  the  subject, 
as  it  is  one  of  the  most  accommodating  and 
responsive  plants  with  which  we  have  to  deal. 
New  or  absolutely  clean  pots  must  be  used,  and, 
if  the  latter,  they  should  have  been  exposed  to  the 
air  for  some  time  Viefore  being  used.  Abundant 
drainage  is  also  an  essential,  and  must  not  be  over- 
looked. Loam  of  a  tough,  fibrous  charaeter  should 
form  the  basis  of  the  potting  compost — if,  however, 
of  a  stiff,  retentive  character,  then  I  advise  the 
use  of  a  portion  of  peat — a  little  leaf-soil,  sand, 
and  a  sprinkling  of  finely  broken  charcoal,  and  to 
each  barrowful  of  this  mixture  add  a  7-inch  potful 
of  dissolved  bones  or  Thomson's  manure,  prefer- 
ably the  latter,  and  a  similar  quantity  of  Clay's 
fertiliser.  Moderately  firm  potting  should  be  prac- 
tised, only  bringing  the  soil  to  a  level  with  the 
existing  ball.  If  a  position  cannot  be  spared  in  a 
house,  then  place  the  plants  in  a  pit.  It  is  better 
if  this  is  slightly  warmed,  as  a  good  start  makes  a 
material  dift'erence  at  this  stage.  A  bed  of  sifted 
ashes  makes  a  good  surface  on  which  to  stand  the 
pots;  spra}'  the  plants  over  with  the  syringe  fie- 


Aprii-   27,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN 


305 


A    GRO[;P    or   FLAG    IKISES    Br    EDGE    OF    WOODLAND. 


i|iiently,  but  water  at  the  root  must  be  withheld 
tor  a  few  days.  A  slight  shading  from  bright  sun 
must  at  present  be  afforded,  and  the  plants  kept 
absolutely  free  from  green  fly,  their  common 
enemy. 

Zo.N'AL  Pelargotjioms. 

These,  like  the  foregoing,  are  much  depended  on 
for  the  supply  of  cut  flowers  in  the  autumn  and 
early  winter  months,  and  should  also  have,  not 
only  now,  but  at  all  subsequent  stages  in  their 
cultivation,  the  verj'  best  practical  treatment.  A 
moderately  rich  compost  is  liere  essential  to  en- 
courage robust  growth  in  the  early  summer,  which, 
when  duly  exposed  to  our  early  autumn  sun, 
undergoes  the  process  of  ripening,  and  the  better 
this  is  done  the  more  satisfactory  will  be  the  final 
result.  Loam,  broken  somewhat  roughly  with  the 
hand,  will  here  likewise  form  the  major  part  in  the 
compost,  while  a  portion  of  well  rotted  manure,  a 
small  quantity  of  leaf-soil,  the  amount  to  be  regu- 
lated by  the  nature  of  the  loam,  as  the  leaf-soil 
and  the  sand  which  are  put  in  are  added  as  much 
to  keep  the  whole  in  a  sweet  and  porous  condition 
as  they  are  for  sustenance.  Firm  potting  must  be 
practised,  and  the  plants  should  never  be  given  a 
too  liberal  supply  of  water,  the  object  being  at  all 
times  to  build  up  a  tough  and  firm  growth.  The 
double  and  semi-double  forms  are  the  best  for  this 
batch,  the  flowers  remaining  intact  for  a  much 
longer  time  whether  on  the  plant  or  in  a  cut  state. 

Primulas. 

fjeed  of  the  sinensis,  obconica,  and  stellata  types 
should  now  be  sown  if  this  has  not  already  been 
done.  Sow  thinly  in  pans  of  fine  soil,  and  cover 
to  the  depth  of  the  seed,  give  water,  and  stand  in 
a  hotbed  in  a  structure  where  the  thermometer 
does  not  fall  below  60".  J.  F.  MoLeod. 

Dover  Hciuie  Gardens,  JRoeham/don. 


FLAG    IRISES. 

Among  the  nnany  delights  of  June,  those  that 
the  Irises  give  us  are  among  the  greatest. 
Every  year,  as  their  blooming  time  comes 
round,  one  becomes  more  keenly  apprecia- 
tive of  the  many  beauties  of  this  grand  garden 
flower.     Several  rather  nearly  allied  species 


have  yielded  a  large  number  of  beautiful 
garden  varieties  ;  indeed,  to  see  them  in  bloom 
together  in  a  nursery  the  beholder  is  almost 
bewildered  by  their  number  and  by  the 
consciousness  that  all  are  beautiful  and  desir- 
able, while  many  of  the  unaltered  species,  such 
as  albicans,  florentina,  pallida,  and  flavescens 
are  among  our  best  plants. 

When  they  are  used  in  bold  groups,  as  in 
the  illustration,  it  is  well  to  choose  those  that 
have  the  good  quality  of  retaining  their  foliage 
throughout  the  summer,  a  merit  that  belongs 
especially  to  the  pallida  section. 

It  is  important  to  look  out  for  the  time, 
which,  according  to  soil  and  other  circum- 
stances, will  be  at  from  three  to  six  years  from 
the  date  of  planting,  when  these  good  things 
will  be  thankful  for  division  and  replanting. 
When  they  are  left  too  long,  and  the  rhizomes 
come  to  the  surface  and  form  a  crowded  mass, 
they  cannot  be  expected  to  flower  well.  Some- 
times one  may  see  in  a  neglected  garden  such 
a  patch  2  feet  across,  and  necessarily  almost 
flowerless. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


A    NEW     FUMIGATOR. 

A  LL   horticulturists  are  greatly  indebted  to 
/\  Mr.    G.    H.    Richards,    of   Southwark 

/    %         Street,  S. E.,  for  an  improved  system 
/      %        of  destroying  insect  pests  under  glass, 
J^  \_     and  I   feel   sure    the    editor   of    The 

Garden  will  allow  me  to  briefly 
describe  the  new  fumigator  referred  to  and  its 
advantages.  The  introduction  of  the  XL  All 
vaporiser  was  a  boon  to  horticulturists,  and  is 
now  so  well  known  that  its  merits  need  not  be 
dwelt  upon.  Mr.  Richards  has  now  given  us  the 
new  solid  XL  All  compound,  and,  as  its  name 
implies,  it  is  a  solid,  whereas  the  earlier  introduc- 
tion, that  made  fumigating  so  easy  of  accomplish- 
ment and  quite  an  agreeable  work,  was  a  liquid. 
Few  young  gardeners  of  the  present  day  ean  have 
any   idea  of    the   discomforts   one    once    had    to 


undergo  in  fumiga-ting  a  house. 
What  a  lot  of  ilamage,  too,  has 
been  caused  by  the  old  methods, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  discomfort 
to  the  worker.  The  new  inven- 
tion is  even  more  remarkable  than 
the  liquid  XL  All  compound,  and 
certainly  has  advantages  over  the 
latter.  With  liquid  of  any  kind 
stored  in  bottles  there  is,  of 
course,  always  risk  of  breakage  ; 
the  weight  and  therefore  cost  of 
carriage  is  increased.  Mr. 
Richards'  new  compound  is  in 
the  form  of  a  dry  cake,  not  larger 
than  a  penny  piece,  and  about 
three  times  as  thick,  the  weight 
of  one  cake  being  under  an  ounce,- 
yet  this  small  cake  is  sufficient  to 
fumigate  1 ,000  cubic  feet  of  space. 
Thus  a  small  tin  box  containing 
twenty  cakes  holds  sufficient  of 
the  compound  to  fumigate  20,000 
feet  of  cubic  space.  Kach  cake  is 
encased  in  a  strong  card  box  to 
prevent  breakage.  The  cakes  are 
so  light  that  the  cost  of  carriage 
is  reduced  to  a  minimum,  they 
take  up  little  storage  room,  there 
is  no  risk  of  waste  from  breakages, 
and  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  send 
by  post  sufficient  material  to 
fumigate  a  number  of  houses. 
The  new  compound  is,  moreover, 
so  cleanly  that  anyone  can  handle 
the  dry  cakes  and  not  even  soil 
their  hands ;  such  are  a  few 
advantages  the  compound  XL  All 
has  over  the  liquid  form. 
A  word  as  to  its  fumigating  properties  :  it  is 
equally  efi^ective  as  the  older  liquid  compound  and 
equally  harmless  to  plant  life.  The  dry  cakes  have 
been  given  a  thorough  trial  in  fruit  houses,  with 
Peaches  and  Neotarines  in  a  small  state,  in  vineries 
where  the  fruits  were  only  recently  set,  and  in 
plant  houses,  even  with  plants  in  bloom,  and  not 
the  slightest  harm  has 'been  done.  Some  care  is 
necessary  with  tender  growths,  such  as  new  Fern 
fronds,  butwithhardiersubjects,suchasCarnations, 
the  compound  is  a  splendid  fumigator.  The  cakes 
are  placed  over  the  lamp  in  the  same  way  as  is  the 
liquid.  After  a  thorough  trial  of  the  new  compound 
I  find  it  as  perfectly  safe  and  effective  as  the 
liquid,  and  at  the  same  time  the  cost  is  most 
reasonable.  G.   Wythes. 


THE  ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY  AND  ITS  CEN- 
TENARY. 

Special   General  Meeting. 

This  was  probably  the  largest  and  most  representa- 
tive Fellows'  meeting  ever  held  at  any  time.  It 
was  in  the  large  canteen  of  the  Drill  Hall,  and 
some  300  persons,  including  numerous  ladies,  were 
present ;  as  the  time  passed  the  room  became 
exceedingly  hot.  After  the  reading  of  the  notice 
convening  the  meeting  and  calling  over  the  names 
of  some  144  new  Fellows  by  the  secretary. 

Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  who  presided,  said  that  in 
the  first  place  he  wished  to  remove  a  misapprehen- 
sion that  he  was  opposed  to  both  a  garden  and  a 
hall  for  the  society.  That  was  not  so.  Really  he 
preferred  securing  a  hall  as  a  means  of  celebrating 
the  society's  centenary  to  anj'thing  else.  Both  he 
and  the  council  had  done  all  that  was  possible  to 
find  such  a  site,  but  without  success,  for  sites  were 
enormously  costly.  With  reference  to  the  subject 
before  the"  meeting,  he  knew  that  in  so  large  a 
gathering  agreement  was  not  possible,  but  in 
differing  he  hoped  they  would  difl'er  amicably. 
He  felt  that  the  council  were  bound  by  the  resolu- 
tion passed  in  February  last  to  look  out  for  a 
garden,  and  upon  that  mandate  the  council  had 
been  acting.  With  respect  to  the  proposed  site  for 
a  garden  at  South  Darenth,  he  had  not  seen  it,  and 
would  leave  the  description  of  it  to  others  who 


306 


THE    GARDEN. 


[April   27,   1901. 


had,  but  he  might  say  that  in  relation  to  its 
acquisition  tlie  council  were  practicality  unanimous. 
He  therefore  called  upon  Mr.  H.  J.  Veitcli  to 
furnish  the  needful  detail,  and  to  move  a  resolution. 

This  Mr.  Veiteh  did  in  a  very  lucid  and  inte- 
resting speech,  in  which  he  pointed  out  all  the 
diverse  features  of  the  proposed  garden  site  of 
42  acres.  He  had  been  identified  with  the  sites 
committee  from  the  first,  and  had  seen  every  site 
that  was  offered.  He  asked  whethei'  aiiyone 
thought  that  Ohiswick  as  it  was  now  was  a  proper 
garden  for  such  a  great  society  as  theirs  to  possess. 
Its  environments  were  so  bad  that  it  was  imp.is- 
sible  for  anything  to  be  done  there  satisfactorily. 
They  had  but  1-2  acres  of  ground  there,  and  of 
these,  buildings,  roads,  &c. ,  occupied  a  considei-able 
portion,  so  that  wliat  ground  was  left  was  entirely 
inadequate  for  the  work  the  society  undertook,  and 
was  unfit  as  a  gardening  school  for  students. 
The  site  proposed  for  tlie  new  garden  offered 
ample  scope  for  the  carrying  out  of  great  experi- 
mental and  practical  work  in  all  phases  of  garden- 
ing, and  it  was  found  in  relation  to  sites  that  in  no 
case  was  it  possible  to  find  one  reasonabh-  priced 
at  less  than  twenty  miles  from  London.  "  Having 
read  the  original  advertisement  inserted  in  various 
papers  for  land,  Mr.  A^eitch  touched  upon  the 
numerous  sites  offered,  and  said  that  finally  the 
one  under  notice  was  the  best  of  all.  He  showed 
how,  by  planting  belts  of  trees,  shelter  might  be 
furnished,  how  portions  might  be  planted  diversely, 
and  buildings  re-erected.  He  considered  the  price 
of  the  land — £80  per  acre — as  that  of  good  agri- 
cultural land,  and  that  it  was  cheap,  and  concluded 
by  moving  a  resolution  authorising  the  council  to 
purchase  the  land. 

This  was  seconded  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Shea,  who  at 
the  outset  referred  to  the  question  of  a  hall,  which 
he  said  could  not  be  erected  without  violating  the 
charter.  A  hall  would  cost  at  least  £50,000,  and 
before  it  was  ready  for  occupation  would  reach 
double  that  sum.  With  reference  to  the  pecuniary 
position  of  the  society,  he  said  that  in  1892  there 
was  nothing  in  hand,  but  from  that  time  there  had 
been  gradual  growth,  until  now  there  was  in  hand 
the  large  sum  of  £10,237.  Amidst  much  interrup- 
tion he  dealt  with  some  points  in  Mr.  A.  W. 
Sutton's  recently  published  letter.  Mr.  Sutton 
followed,  moving  an  amendment  to  the  effect  that 
the  proposed  site  be  not  purchased  as  a  means  of 
celebrating  the  society's  centenary.  He  described 
the  nature  of  his  own  action  with  respect  to  the 
site  offered  at  Reading,  then  argued  strongly  in 
favour  of  a  hall  as  a  place  for  the  society's 
meetings  and  shows.  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  seconded 
the  amendment,  reading  some  letters  he  had 
received,  one  especially  from  Sir  W.  T.  Dyer,  of 
which  Mr.  H.  .J.  Elwes  later  said  that  it  was  the 
most  complete  exposition  of  the  impropriety  of  the 
council's  proposals  he  had  read,  and  merited  the 
fullest  consideration.  He,  too,  warmly  opposed 
the  resolution,  and  gave  the  amendment  his  entire 
support.  So  also  did  Mr.  Romien,  who  said  he 
had  known  the  proposed  site  from  boyhood,  and 
regarded  it  as  singidarly  unsuitable  for  the  purpose 
named. 

The  Rev.  G.  Engleheart  followed,  strongly 
deprecating  the  proposal,  and  speaking  especially 
in  favour  of  a  hall  being  provided.  He  had  grave 
doubts  as  to  any  hindrance  to  that  matter  existing 
in  the  charter.  As  to  the  need  for  a  garden,  he 
felt  that  private  gardens  all  over  the  kingdom 
were  doing  the  society's  work.  Mr.  Percy  Waterer, 
of  Fawkham,  was  strong  in  his  support  of  the 
council's  proposal,  which  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood  as 
persistently  combated.  It  was  at  this  point,  when 
reference  was  made  by  him  as  to  the  large  sum 
once  promised  towards  the  erection  of  a  hall,  that 
Mr.  Elwes  offered  £1,000  for  that  object  now,  and 
was  followed  by  a  similar  offer  from  Mr.  Martin, 
John  Sutton  on  behalf  of  his  firm,  and  still  further 
came  a  similar  offer  from  Mr.  Sherwood. 

The  president  then  replied  on  the  whole  dis- 
cussion, and  at  once  put  the  amendment  to  the 
council's  resolution  first.  For  this  three-fourths  of 
those  present  voted,  and  against  but  one-fourth. 
A  demand  for  a  poll  of  the  Fellows  was  then  read 
on  behalf  of  the  council.  After  strong  appeals 
were  made  by  Mr.   Sutton  and   Mr.    Elwes,    this 


demand  was  gracefully  withdrawn,  and  the  meeting 
closed  with  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  to  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence  for  his  admirable  conduct  in  the  chair. 


NOTES    FROM    SCOTLAND. 

SCAKCITV   OF   YOUNC    GaRDENEKS. 

Tl  ERE  has  continued  since  last  year  a  great 
scarcity  of  young  gardeners,  causing  not  a  little 
trouble  to  those  having  vacancies  to  fill.  It  is, 
however,  only  the  younger  members  of  the  craft 
that  have  been  difficult  to  procure,  there  being  no 
serious  want  of  foremen  and  plenty  of  head 
gardeners.  This  long-continued  lack  of  men  has 
resulted  in  a  rise  of  wages,  not  general,  however, 
but  the  refusal  to  accept  the  lower  rates  of  pay  in 
small  places  is  causing  an  increase  of  wages  in 
these,  which  will  be  sure  to  be  followed  by  the 
larger  gardens.  It  would  seem  that  a  reduction 
in  the  number  of  apprentices  kept  in  the  north  of 
Scotland  is  largely  the  reason  for  this  economic 
disturbance,  and  the  introduction  of  more  labourers 
into  gardens  is  apparently  the  only  remedy. 

"Twelve  to  the  Dozen." 

There  has  been  a  slight  convulsion  in  the  capital 
over  the  question  whether  in  the  future  market 
gardeners  shall  supply  greengrocers  with  vege- 
tables which  are  sold  by  count  at  the  even  dozen, 
or,  as  has  been  customary  in  the  past,  at  fourteen 
to  the  dozen.  The  retail  merchants  do  not  accept 
the  new  conditions  with  a  very  good  grace,  but 
vegetables  are  somewhat  scarce  this  year,  and 
those  who  prefer  not  to  give  in  to  the  new  rule  are 
said  to  be  obliged  to  pay  extra  for  the  two  they 
will  not  let  go.  At  one  time  nurserymen  sold 
their  stock  in  the  same  way,  by  the  "big'' 
hundred,  and  farmers  still  purchase  Cabbage  plants 
thus,  but  modern  methods  of  "cutting  down" 
prices  prove  too  much  for  old  customs.  There 
was  a  desire  at  this  time,  too,  to  alter  the  practice 
of  selling  soft  fruit  by  measure,  the  Scotch  pint 
and  the  English  being  in  the  ratio  of  almost  one 
of  the  former  to  two  of  the  latter,  and  instituting 
instead  a  general  rule  to  sell  only  by  weight,  as 
the  fruit  growers  feel  the  existing  arrangement 
somewhat  of  a  hardship.  But  at  present  there 
seems  to  be  no  likelihood  of  a  change  in  this 
direction. 

Women  Gardeners. 

A  fact  perhaps  worth  mentioning  is  the  dis- 
appearance of  women  from  many  Scottish  gardens, 
and  this  has  occurred  almost  simultaneously  with 
the  enforced  reduction  of  expenses,  the  obvious 
explanation  being  that  gardeners  have  found  it 
cheaper  to  dispense  with  women  at  a  small  wage 
rather  than  men  at  nearly  double.  There  is  no 
gainsaying  the  fact  that  women  require  a  deal 
more  supervision  than  men,  but  the  serious  part  of 
the  subject  is  the  lack  of  knowledge  displayed  in 
treating  of  commercial  gardening  into  which  by 
the  aid  of  alluring  figures  the  young  Scotswoman 
is  requested  to  plunge.  It  is  an  open  secret  that 
the  great  fall  in  prices  during  the  past  four  years 
has  made  it  in  many  cases  with  market  gardeners 
a  struggle  for  bare  existence.  One  of  the  largest 
growers,  who  keeps  himself  abreast  of  the 
demands  of  the  day  and  in  touch  with  the  markets 
in  Scotland  and  the  north  of  England,  assures  me 
he  cannot  secure  a  fair  percentage  on  his  capital. 
Another  in  a  small  way,  who  supplies  a  limited 
number  of  good  customers,  in  1899  found  his 
receipts  just  half  those  of  the  previous  year,  and 
that  without  any  diminution  of  expenses. 

The  Malmaison  Carnation. 
Referring  to  a  remark  as  to  where  and  when 
this  distinct  Carnation  originated,  I  believe  there 
is  nothing  certainly  known,  assuredlj'  nothing  to 
connect  it  with  Napoleon's  Empress.  In  its  habit 
of  growth,  broad  curled  foliage  and  large  blooms, 
it  seems  to  have  had  a  counterpart  as  early  or 
earlier  than  the  time  of  Parkinson.  It  also 
possesses  points  characteristic  of  the  "  bursters," 
so  popular  200  years  ago.  The  original  blush  form 
would  seem  to  have  first  appeared  in  Scotland  late 
in  the  fifties,  and  in  the  succeeding  decade  I  have 
seen    it    treated   as   an  exhibition   plant   with   its 


shoots  tied  to  a  large  balloon  trellis.  In  1873  a 
notice  of  the  pink  variety  appeared  in  the  Gardener. 
It  was  obtained  as  a  sport  just  previous  to  that  date 
in  a  garden  near  Musselburgh — Piukie,  I  think — 
and  was  secured  bj'  Mr.  Young,  long  well  known 
in  connection  with  the  Royal  Caledonian  Horti- 
cultural Society.  The  striped  form  named  Lady 
Middleton  by  Messrs.  Methuen  and  Sons,  Edin- 
burgh, who  sent  it  out,  was  obtained,  also  as  a 
sport  in  the  gardens  of  Luffness,  East  Lothian. 
This  form  is  still  very  scarce,  being  difhcult  to 
preserve  in  health  on  account  of  its  peculiarly 
fatal  tendency  to  contract  disease.  There  is  no 
great  difficulty  in  .securing  a  succession  of  bloom 
during  the  whole  of  winter  from  the  blush  and 
pink  forms,  but  the  treatment  is  fatal  to  the  health 
of  the  plants,  and  it  is  necessarj'  to  propagate 
from  healthy  plants  that  come  into  flower  at  the 
usual  time.  B. 


GARDEN    DESTROYERS. 

INSECT    PESTS. 

"W  EAVES    of    some    of    our    plants  —  for    ir.- 
S  stance,  those  of  the  JIarguerite  Daisy, 

I  the  HoU}',  Lilac,  Laburnum,  Celery,  and 

I  others— are  often  injiiredanddiscoloured 

t  V  by  grubs  or  caterpillars  feeding  in.side 
them.  The  best  wa3'  of  preventing  the 
attack  from  spreading  or  from  recurring  another 
year  is  to  pick  off  and  burn  the  aft'ected  leaves  as 
soon  as  an}'  injury  is  noticed.  Marguerite  Daisies, 
Cinerarias,  or  Chrysanthemums,  when  attacked  in 
this  way  by  the  grubs  of  the  Marguerite  Daisy  fly, 
should  be  held  up  before  the  light,  when,  on  look- 
ing through  the  leaves,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  the 
grubs.  A  judicious  pinch  then  soon  settles  the 
pests.  \Vhen,  however,  a  leaf  is  badly  injured, 
cut  oft' and  burn  it.  There  is  a  group  of  beetles 
commonly  known  as  "weevils,"  which  are  most 
injurious  to  various  plants.  They  maj'  be  known 
by  their  long  snouts,  or  probosces,  near  the  end  of 
which  is  a  pair  of  feelers,  which  are  not  straight, 
but  have  a  regular  elbow  in  them.  Some  of  these 
weevils  attack  the  leaves  and  shoots  of  plants  in 
greenhouses,  namely,  the  Black  Vine  weevil  and 
the  clay-coloured  weevil,  both  of  which  are  most 
injurious,  for  not  onl^'  do  they  attack  the  foliage, 
&c. ,  but  their  grubs  feed  on  the  roots  of  Ferns, 
Begonias,  Primulas,  Cyclamens,  &c.  There  is  no 
way  of  destroying  the  gruljs  except  by  picking 
them  out  from  among  the  roots.  The  beetles  hide 
during  the  day,  onlj*  coming  out  to  feed  after  it  is 
dark.  The  best  way  to  catch  them  is  to  place 
white  sheets  under  the  plants,  and  then  late  in  the 
evening  throw  a  bright  light  on  them,  when  the 
weevils  will  be  alarmed  and  will  drop  as  if  dead. 
If  they  do  not,  give  the  plant  a  good  sharp  shake, 
tying  small  bunches  of  dry  moss  or  haj'  to  the 
stems,  so  that  the  weevils  can  easily  crawl  into 
them  to  hide.  These  useful  traps  should  be 
examined  every  morning.  The  Black  Vine  weevil 
is  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  length  and  is 
quite  black,  and  the  clay-coloured  weevil  is  rather 
smaller  and  of  a  pale  brown  colour.  These  weevils 
are  also  injurious  out  of  doors,  but  the  damage 
the}'  inflict  then  is  not  so  apparent.  The  red- 
legged  weevil  is  a  rather  larger  insect  than  either 
of  the  above,  and  often  does  much  mischief  in 
gardens.  It  injures  Raspberry  canes  by  eating  off 
the  young  shoots.  The}'  may  be  caught  after  dark 
by  shaking  the  canes  over  an  open  umbrella  or 
sheet.  Tlie  Pea  and  Bean  weevils  injure  the  crops 
(particularly  when  they  are  quite  young)  by  eating 
great  notches  in  their  leaves.  They  hide  in 
cracks,  &c. ,  of  the  soil  during  the  day,  and  so 
much  resemble  the  colour  of  the  soil  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  find  them.  Dusting  the  leaves 
with  finely  powdered  lime  or  soot,  or  a  mixture  of 
gas-lime,  soot,  and  lime,  or  spraying  them  with  a 
solution  of  paraffin  emulsion,  is  very  useful.  The 
powders  should  be  applied  when  the  leaves  are 
wet,  so  that  they  may  adhere  better. 

The  Arn.E  Blossom  Weevil 
sometimes  entirely  destroys  crops  of  Apples  and 
Pears.     The  females  lay  their  eggs  in   the  fruit- 


April  27,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


307 


buds  just  before  they  open,  and  the  grubs  feed  on 
the  opening  blossoms,  causing  them  to  wither 
before  the  fruit  is  set.  The  weevils  are  little 
more  than  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  length.  As 
soon  as  anj'  are  noticed  on  the  trees  they  should  be 
shaken  off  on  sheets  spread  under  the  trees  or  on  a 
light  wooden  frame  with  canvas  stretched  over  it. 
Before  the  winter  remove  any  stones,  rubbish,  &c. 
from  under  the  trees,  and  scrape  off  all  the  rough 
projecting  pieces  of  bark  on  the  stems,  and  paint 
the  stems  and  branches  with  a  wash  made  of  fresh 
lime,  with  a  little  paraffin  oil  added  to  it.  The 
Nut  weevil  is  the  parent  of  the  grubs  so  often 
found  in  Nuts  ;  they  are  about  five-eighths  of  an 
inch  long  from  the  tip  of  the  snout  to  the  end  of 
the  body.  The  female  is  able  by  the  aid  of  her 
snout,  or  proboscis,  which  is  nearly  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  long  and  is  very  slender,  to  make  a  small  hole 
in  the  Nut,  into  which  she  deposits  an  egg,  which 
soon  hatches.  There  is  yet  another  injurious 
weevil,  the  Turnip  gall  weevil,  which  lays  its 
eggs  in  Turnips,  and  the  action  of  the  grubs  feeding 
causes  the  small  knobs  or  wens  with  which  Turnips 
are  often  covered.  Perhaps  the  most  injurious 
family  of  insects  to  plants  is  that  of 

The  Aphides, 

belonging  to  which  there  is  a  great  number  of 
species,  of  which  the  common  green-fly  is  the  best 
known  and  most  dreaded.  Few  plants  in  our 
gardens  entirely  escape  the  attentions  of  some 
member  of  this  family.  Besides  those  that  attack 
the  leaves  and  shoots,  one  or  two  species  feed  on 
the  roots  of  plants.  These,  like  all  other  root- 
feeding  pests,  are  ditJicult  to  deal  with,  for  their 
presence  at  the  roots  is  not  known  until  the  victim 
begins  to  flag,  and  then  it  may  be  too  late  to  save 
the  plant.  There  is,  however,  one  sign  by  which 
they  may  be  sometimes  detected.  If  ants  form 
their  nests  at  the  roots  of  a  plant,  one  may  rest 
assured  that  the  latter  is  infested  by  one  of  these 
root-feeding  aphides,  for  the  ants  are  very  fond  of 
the  sweet  secretions  of  these  insects,  and  find  them 
useful  to  have  them  in  their  nests.  When  a  plant 
is  infested  by  these  insects,  the  only  way  is  to  take 
it  up,  cleanse  the  roots  thoroughly,  and  pour 
boiling  water  into  the  hole  formed  by  its  removal, 
so  as  to  kill  any  of  the  insects  that  may  be  in  the 
soil.  The  aphides  which,  like  the  green-fly,  feed 
on  the  shoots  or  leaves,  may  be  killed  with  paraffin 
emulsion,  "anti-pest,"  quassia,  and  soft  soap  wash 
by  spraying  or  dipping  the  shoots  into  one  of  these 
mixtures.  As  soon  as  an  aphis  is  seen  on  a  plant  I 
some  means  should  be  at  once  taken 
to  thoroughly  cleanse  it.  The  delay 
of  a  few  days  may  render  the  task 
far  more  difficult.  When  plants 
grown  under  glass  are  attacked, 
fumigate  the  house  or  frame  with 
tobacco,  or  vaporise  tobacco  water 
in  them  twice,  with  an  interval  of 
two  or  three  days.  When  Apple 
trees  are  infested  with  the  American 
blight  or  woolly  aphis,  the  affected 
parts  should  be  scrubbed  with  a 
stiffish  brush  dipped  in  one  of  the 
above-mentioned  mixtures,  which 
should  be  well  worked  into  all  the 
cracks  and  crevices  of  the  bark. 
In  the  winter  they  should  be  sprayed 
with  a  caustic  alkali  wash.  (See 
"  Insecticides  "  last  week. ) 

Scale  Insects 

are  closely  allied  to  the  aphides. 
When  they  infest  plants  in  green- 
houses, wipe  them  off  the  leaves 
with  a  sponge  dipped  in  soft  soap 
and  water.  Spraying  the  plants 
with  paraffin  emulsion  first  would 
assist  the  operation.  When  fruit 
trees  are  infested  by  these  insects, 
they  should  be  sprayed  in  the 
winter  with  a  caustic  alkali  wash. 
(See  "Insecticides.")  Mealybug, 
which  belongs  to  the  same 
family,  should  be  removed  from 
the  plants  with  a  small,  stiffish 
brush   dipped    in    soap   and  water. 


or  they  may  be  killed  by  thoroughly  wet- 
ting them  with  methylated  spirit  of  wine  applied 
with  a  camel's-hair  brush.  Water  thrown  on  them 
in  a  strong  stream  dislodges  them,  and  is  very 
useful.  Not  only  should  the  insects  be  cleared 
away,  but  all  the  cottony  matter  that  is  round 
them,  as  it  generally  contains  eggs.  Plants  attacked 
by  thrips  should  be  treated  in  the  same  way  as  if 
they  were  infested  by  green-fly,  care  being  taken 
to  apply  the  insecticide  to  the  under  sides  of  the 
leaves,  where  the  insects  congregate.  The  Asparagus 
beetle  is  sometimes  a  great  plague  in  gardens. 
When  the  grubs  are  found  attacking  the  "grass," 
some  may  be  shaken  off  with  the  beetles  into  an 
open  umbrella,  or  any  of  the  shoots  much  infested 
should  be  cut  and  burnt.  When  cutting  of 
Asparagus  ceases,  spray  the  grass  with  paraflin 
emulsion  or  Paris  green.  Some  mites  are  very 
injurious  in  gardens,  particularly  the  red  spider. 
It  appears  that  they  usually  attack  plants  that  are 
too  dry  at  the  roots.  These  mites  are  very  small 
and  spin  a  fine  web  on  the  under  sides  of  the 
leaves.  The  best  remedies  are  spraying  with 
paraffin  emulsion,  to  which  add  loz.  of  sulphide 
of  potassium  to  every  five  gallons  of  the  wash,  or 
lib.  of  flowers  of  sulphur,  21bs.  of  fresh  lime. 
Boil  in  four  gallons  of  water,  then  add  Hlbs.  of 
soft  soap.  Mix  thoroughly  and  add  four  gallons 
of  water.  As  these  mixtures  will  not  kill  the 
eggs,  apply  three  times,  with  an  interval  of  three 
days  between  each.  Another  troublesome  mite  is 
the  Currant  mite,  which  infests  the  buds  of  Black 
Currants  and  prevents  them  from  becoming  leaves. 
The  best  remedy  is  to  pick  off  the  infected  buds, 
or  cut  away  the  shoots  and  burn  them. 

WOODLIOE,    OR   "SlATEKS" 

as  they  are  sometimes  called,  are  often  very  trouble- 
some pests.  Strange  to  say,  they  are  more  nearly 
allied  to  the  lobsters  and  shrimps  than  to  insects, 
as  they  belong  to  the  class  Crustacea?,  and  not  to 
Insecta.  These  creatures  are  fortunately  easily 
trapped,  for  their  skins  are  so  hard  that  no  appli- 
cation of  any  insecticide  is  of  any  use.  They  may 
easily  be  killed  when  they  congregate,  as  they 
often  will,  particularly  in  Mushroom  pits,  &c. ,  at 
the  base  of  a  wall  between  it  and  the  earth,  by 
pouring  boiling  water  over  them.  Trap  them  bj' 
laying  tiles,  bricks,  slates,  or  pieces  of  board  near 
any  plants  that  they  are  attacking,  as  the}'  are 
fond  of  hiding  under  such  things  during  the  day. 
In  greenhouses  where  plants  in  pots  are  attacked. 
Potatoes  cut  in  half  and  slightly  scooped  out  and 


laid  on  the  earth  in  the  pots,  so  that  they  may 
creep  under  them,  make  very  useful  traps.  Small 
garden  pots  laid  on  their  sides  and  half  filled  with 
dry  moss  or  horse  manure  are  also  good.  One 
part  of  Steiner's  vermin  paste,  mixed  with  three 
parts  of  barley  meal  placed  on  small  pieces  of  card, 
slate,  &c.,  near  their  haunts  is  said  to  destroy 
them.  (J.  S.  Sadndeks. 


SiP  AVilliam  Crookes  has  made  the 
discovery  of  the  possibility  of  extracting  nitrogen 
from  the  air,  and  making  use  of  it  as  a  land 
fertiliser.  Unlimited  nitrogen  would  increase  our 
crops  enormously,  and  Sir  William  Crookes 
proposes  to  supply  it  from  the  atmosphere  and 
apply  it  scientifically  as  an  artificial  crop  grower. 

Mp.    Peter   Barp    in    Tasmania.— 

Speaking  of  Tasmania,  Mr.  Barr,  from  personal 
benefit  derived,  speaks  in  glowing  terms  of  the 
climate.  New  Zealand,  despite  its  reputation,  is, 
in  Mr.  Barr's  opinion,  not  to  be  compared,  and 
Tasmania  must,  he  predicts,  become  the  recognised 
sanatorium  of  Australia.  With  the  scenery  he  is 
charmed.  Since  leaving  Launceston  Mr.  Barr  has 
toured  the  West  Coast,  visiting  all  the  principal 
mines,  and  also  the  East  and  North-East  Coast. 
He  is  impressed  with  the  colony's  vast  mineral 
resources. 

New  Parle  fOP  Ealing-.— Lord  George 
Hamilton,  Secretary  of  State  for  India,  has 
accepted  the  invitation  of  the  Ealing  Urban 
District  Council  to  perform  the  ceremony  of 
declaring  the  Walpole  Park  open  on  May  1.  The 
park,  which  is  about  30  acres  in  extent,  has  been 
acquired  by  the  District  Council  from  Sir  Spencer 
Walpole  for  the  sum  of  £40,000.  It  was  formerly 
for  many  years  the  residence  of  the  late  Right 
Hon.  Sir  S.  H.  Walpole,  who  died  there  in  1898. 
The  park  is  well  wooded,  and  it  is  intended,  as  far 
as  possible,  to  retain  it  in  its  present  form. 

Messrs.  Veitch's  Hippeastrums.— 

In  a  note  last  week  we  gave  a  detailed  description 
of  some  of  Messrs.  Veitch's  Hippeastrums 
(Amaryllis),  that  are  now  at  their  best  in  the 
Royal  Exotic  Nurseries,  King's  Road,  Chelsea. 
We  are  now  able  to  give  an  illustration  of  one  end 
of  the  house  wherein  they  are  grouped,  which  will 
give  some  idea  of  the  great  variety  of  colour  that 
exists  amongst  them,  although  the  innumerable 
lovely  shades  cannot  be  adequatelj-  made  apparent. 

The  fruit  committee  and  certifi- 
cating' old  varieties.— At  a  meeting  of  the 


HIPPEASTRUMS    (AMARYLLIS)    IN    MESSRS.    VEITCH'S    NUESERV    .AT  VHELSEA. 


308 


THE    GARDEN. 


[April   2V,  1901. 


committee  on  April  9,  Mr.  J.  Wright  proposed  an 
award  of  merit  for  Pear  Bergamotte  d'Esperen,  but 
this  award  the  council  refused  to  sanction.  Some 
discussion  ensued  about  the  matter  at  the  committee 
meeting  on  Tuesday  last,  as  the  committee  felt 
that  their  judgment  had  been  seriously  questioned, 
so  much  so  that  we  have  received  a  lengthy  printed 
account  of  the  proceedings,  which  we  are  unable  to 
publish  through  pressure  upon  our  space.  But  the 
follo%ving  note,  read  by  the  chairman  of  the  fruit 
committee  on  Tuesday  last,  will,  we  think,  satis- 
factorily settle  all  differences  of  opinion.  At  the 
same  time,  as  we  have  before  expressed,  fruits 
we  enjoyed  in  our  boyhood  days  should  never 
receive  the  official  recognition  of  a  certificate 
or  award.  We  have  always  considered  that 
awards  of  merit  and  first-class  certificates  were 
only  for  new  or  rare  things.  Bergamotte d'Esperen 
Pear  is  neither  one  nor  the  other.  "  I  am  desired 
by  the  council  to  inform  you  that  they  have  left 
the  confirmation  of  the  award  of  merit  recom- 
mended by  this  committee  at  the  last  meeting  to 
Bergamotte  d'Esperen  Pear  in  abej'anee,  as  they 
would  like  the  committee  to  have  the  experience 
of  another  season,  the  past  one  having  been  in 
their  opinion  an  exceptionally  favourable  one  for 
many  late  Pears,  not  ordinarily  of  first-rate  merit. 
The  council  do  not  think  that  any  real  injustice 
will  be  done  to  Bergamotte  d'Esperen  even  if  it 
proves  itself  to  be  all  that  the  committee  con- 
sidered it  on  April  9,  as,  having  been  in  cultiva- 
tion for  quite  sixty  years  without  obtaining  any 
award,  it  can  afford  to  wait  and  approve  itself  in 
at  least  two  consecutive  seasons.  The  council  are 
happy  in  being  able  to  approve  and  confirm  the 
recommendations  of  the  committee  in  ninety-nine 
out  of  a  hundred  eases,  and  they  trust  that  the 
committee  will  not  feel  hurt  by  their  exercising 
what  seems  to  them  onl}'  a  wise  caution  in  the 
present  except iotntl  instance.'' 

Epythponium      HoweUi.  —  This   fine 

Erythroniiim  has  been  nicely  in  bloom  in  my 
garden,  where  its  large  and  beautiful  flowers  have 
been  very  attractive.  They  are  of  large  size  for 
those  of  an  Erythronium,  and  are  of  a  pretty 
creamy  white,  with  a  broad  zone  of  yellow  at  the 
base  of  the  segments.  The  leaves  are  veined  with 
white,  although  not  so  conspicuously  as  are  some 
of  the  other  Dog's  Tooth  Violets.  It  is  a  native  of 
Southern  Oregon,  and  is  quite  hardy  in  a  rather 
light  soil.  I  grow  it  in  a  sunny  position,  which  I 
find  suits  the  Dog's  Tooth  Violets  better  here  than 
the  half-shaded  position  they  require  in  some 
gardens. — S.  Arnott,  Carsethorn,  by  Dumfries. 


"IN    A    SMALL    'WAY." 

NOTE.S    FROM    AN    ObLONG    GaEDEN. — XIX. 

The  Oblong  has  had  an  epoch.  Adam,  who  is 
as  fond  of  his  own  fireside  as  a  pussy-cat, 
actually  went  away  for  a  week,  and  sundry 
nebulous  projects,  some  old  subjects  of  dis- 
cussion, others  so  coldly  received  when  hinted 
at  that  they  had  dropped  into  oblivion,  at  once 
took  shape.  The  two  lightest-footed  jobbing 
gardeners  available  were  summoned,  the  boy 
completely  withdrawn  from  the  onerous  charge 
of  the  one  small  fat  pony,  which,  when  Adam 
is  in  authority,  occupies  the  whole  of  his 
working  day,  and  the  |  day  began.  Our  standing 
■  subject  of  dispute  is  the  lawn — if  a  patch  of 
grass  this  size  can  be  so  designated.  Although 
grass  calls  for  mowing,  and  is  to  that  extent 
undesirable  in  Adam's  eyes,  it  does  not  have 
exoteric  necessities,  as  tiovver  beds  do,  and, 
above  all  things,  costs  nothing  when  once 
established.  On  these  facts  the  Master  takes 
his  stand,  and  on  the  lawn  it  is.  I,  on  the 
contrary,  argue  that  anyone  can  grow  grass,  that 
there  is  grass  to  an  extent  calculated  to  satisfy 
its  most  greedy  admirer  in  the  fields  beyond 
the  garden,  that  it  is  sinful  to  sacrifice  space  to 
it  that  might  be  devoted  to  rare  plants  ;  and, 
finally,  that  in  such  small  quantity,  perpetually 
trafficked,  it  is  not  worth  growing  for  its  looks. 


Neither  of  us  has  got  so  far  as  being  convinced 
against  our  will,  but  nevertheless  we  are,  or 
were  when  we  parted,  of  the  same  opinion  still, 
and  the  question  was,  How  to  get  more  flower 
room  without  touching  Adam  on  his  tendercst 
.spot  by  encroaching  on  his  green  preserve  I 

The  mot  de  I'enigme,  as  now  discovered,  is 
simple  and  highly  satisfactory — do  away  with 
a  path.  The  amount  of  space  devoted  to 
ambulation  was  entirely  out  of  proportion, 
there  was  a  broad  walk  running  all  round  it, 
and  only  at  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  Oblong 
had  I  reduced  the  painful  number  of  parallel 
lines  by  spreading  the  beds  out  a  little  in 
curves  over  the  gravel,  from  which  they  are 
divided  by  a  rough  stone  boundary  edge.  Now 
I  have  done  away  with  the  path  down  one  side, 
and  brought  the  grass  up  to  the  edge  of  the 
long  sunny  bed  under  the  south  wall,  thereby 
propitiating  the  grass  lover  by  some  increase 
of  his  speciality,  and  at  the  same  time  giving 
myself  room  to  enlarge  a  narrow  strip  of  bed  1 
had  insinuated  into  the  side  of  the  original  lawn 
to  a  quadruple  size,  while  I  shall  just  slightly 
discount  the  grass  concession  by  planting  in  it 
a  Camellia  or  two  and  the  Cordyline  australis 
which  I  have  had  for  the  past  three  years  in 
the  greenhouse.  Its  annual  repotting  has  be- 
come more  and  more  laborious  as  its  feet  grow 
bigger,  and  it  is  such  a  healthy  gay  thing, 
perfectly  unmoved  by  all  the  damps  and 
draughts  and  mildews  of  two  little  tiny  dark 
greenhouses  in  succession,  that  I  am  sure  it 
will  flourish  oitt  of  doors.  Many  as  are  its 
faults,  the  little  there  is  of  it  being  the  biggest, 
I  must  give  the  Oblong  the  credit  of  seeming, 
as  it  is,  a  regular  sun-trap.  These  days,  when 
rolling  dust  whirls  abroad  on  the  bluster  of  the 
hateful  east  wind,  there  is  peace  and  comfort 
to  be  found  in  the  Oblong,  sheltered  from  the 
evil  quarter,  and  full  of  sun  for  every  instant 
that  he  shines.  Later  in  the  year  we  shall  not 
feel  so  grateful  for  his  con.stant  presence,  and 
no  doubt  I  shall  say  again,  as  I  have  said 
before,  when  the  grass  was  all  brown,  the  soft 
water  done,  the  hose  burst,  and  the  boy 
mutinous,  "  We  had  much  better  root  up 
everything  and  go  in  for  show  Portulacas  !  " 

However,  to  return  to  the  epoch.  It  has 
resulted  in  (1)  the  obliteration  of  one  side  path, 
(■2)  the  reducing  of  the  other  by  a  bank  of  the 
stones  and  gravel  mixed  with  earth  which 
formed  the  foundation  of  No.  1  path,  and  is  now 
to  constitute  a  species  of  low  "  dry  wall  "  to  be 
sown  with  all  manner  of  Cresses,  Snapdragons, 
Linarias  in  variety.  Poppies,  Pinks,  and  Mesem- 
bryanthemums,  and  (3)  the  formation  of  a 
second  new  bed  under  the  greenhouse  wall  by 
the  removal  of  the  cold  frame  to  a  sunnier  and 
warmer  spot  at  the  Oblong's  end.  I  think  all 
the.se  changes  are  decided  improvements.  The 
frame  in  the  original  site  was  too  damp  and 
chilly  and  far  too  much  beloved  of  slugs,  but 
the  rockery  bed  I  have  made  in  its  place  ought 
to  suit  hardy  Primulas  as  well  as  the  little 
piece  of  rockwork  adjoining,  built  up  round 
the  two  Water  Lily  tubs,  does.  A  good  deal  of 
sun  really  reaches  this  part  of  the  garden  (on 
the  other  side  of  the  house  from  the  Oblong 
proper),  as  it  does  the  little  greenhouse,  but  it 
is  what  north  country  folk  call  a  "rafty" 
corner,  blown  upon  by  many  winds,  and  the 
warmth  seems  to  fade  out  of  it  the  moment  the 
sun  goes.  The  extension  of  lawn,  two  patches 
each  about  -10  feet  by  6  feet,  has  been 
obtained  by  sowing.  I  thought  this  more  likely 
to  succeed  than  turfing  at  the  present  time, 
for,  in  the  first  place,  turves  cut  and  trans- 
planted in  a  bitterly  cold  east  wind  of  the  kind 
that  shrivels  whatever  it  touches,  seemed  to 
have  fate  somewhat  against  them  ;  secondly,  it 
is  difficult  to  get  really  good  close  fine  tuif ;  and, 


thirdly,  sowing  was  a  much  less  expensive 
plan.  The  two  patches  consumed  4lbs.  of 
grass  seed  at  Is.  per  lb.,  whereas  turves  would 
have  cost  about  8d.  or  9d.  per  run  of  .3G  inches 
by  12  inches,  and  would  probably  have 
required  watering  more  or  less  through  the 
summer.  Sparrows,  of  course,  were  an  anxiety, 
and  before  the  .seed  had  been  an  hour  sown 
they  were  down  in  flocks,  despite  the  cranks 
who  declare  that  from  one  end  of  its  breeding 
season  to  the  other  the  innocent  bird  touches 
nothing  but  insects  (hereabouts  its  breeding 
season  lasts  from  a  fairly  mild  February  to 
October),  but  twigs  and  black  cotton  finally 
routed  the  enemy.  1  am  feeling  a  little  less 
pleasantly  disposed  towards  the  sparrow  pest 
just  now  even  than  usual,  having  had  a 
succession  of  tastes  of  their  quality  lately. 
Item,  half  the  yellow  Crocuses  laid  out  in  rags  ; 
item,  a  few  of  the  Carnations  which  had  been 
overlooked  in  the  general  black  cottoning 
pecked  to  stumps  on  every  shfiot ;  item,  the 
pretty  blue  tits  that  gem  our  Apple  trees 
chased  away  with  all  manner  of  bad  language 
and  spite  ;  item,  a  horrible  lumpish  mass  of 
untidy  frowsy  nest,  ten  times  replaced  behind 
the  Venetian  window  shutter  of  my  bedroom, 
sometimes  back  again  in  two  hours  after  I  had 
poked  it  all  out.  I  want  a  sparrow  trap,  but 
baleful  as  the  wretches  are  I  could  not  kill  them 
in  cold  blood.  We  have  neither  cats  nor  owls  on 
the  premises — not  even  asnake — andwhatcould 
I  do  with  the  hundreds  I  should  undoubtedly 
capture  ?  With  all  their  impudent  forwardness 
they  are  truly  stupid  birds,  as  evidenced  by 
their  coarse  feet  and  beaks,  sure  signs  of  a  low 
order  of  intellect.  Kobin  kicks  up  his  tail  and 
dives  under  the  black  cotton  wherever  he  sees 
occasion  to  walk  on  the  newly  sown  earth ;  even 
the  big  blackbird  can  by  walking  short  move 
about  as  it  pleases  there  ;  thank  goodness  the 
silly  ill-tempered  sparrow  is  flabbergasted  when 
it  feels  the  obstacle  it  seems  unable  to  see. 
Bnthwkk  HilL  Bath.  il.  L.  W. 


OBITUARY. 


MR.    I).    T.    FISH. 

We  heard  with  regret  at  the  time  of  going  to  press 
of  the  death  of  Mr.  D.  T.  Fish,  one  of  the  most 
famous  gardeners  of  his  age,  who  spent  a  long  and 
busy  life  at  Hardwicke,  and  returned  from  there 
to  devote  himself  with  greater  energy  to  lecturing 
and  contributing  to  the  Press.  He  was  a  man  of 
extreme  vigour,  kindly,  bluff,  and  for  many  years 
has  contributed  to  The  Garden  some  of  its  best 
and  most  carefully  thought-out  articles.  Mr.  Fish 
will  be  remembered  for  his  association  with  co- 
operative gardening,  the  "One  and  All  Flower 
Show  at  the  Crystal  Palace,"  and  his  keen  interest 
in  allotments  and  cottage  plots.  We  lose  a  clever 
writer,  a  vigorous,  outspoken,  and  honourable 
gardener,  and  a  warm  friend.  He  edited  Cassell's 
"Popular  Gardening"  with  great  success,  and 
was  associated  in  other  good  endeavours  to  spread 
abroad  a  love  for  flowers  and  for  horticulture  in 
its  broadest  sense.  His  son,  Mr.  D.  S.  Fish,  who 
also  contributes  to  The  G.\ruen,  writes  ns  thus  : — 
"My  father  passed  away  peacefully  on  Tuesday 
at  his  Edinburgh  home." 


GARDBNINQ     APPOINTMENTS. 

JIH,  L.  BAYT.KV,  for  the  past  seven  yeurs  fruit  foreman  at 
Eaton  Hall,  lias  been  appointeil  head  (gardener  to  Lord 
Hindlip,  Hindlip  Hall. 

Mit.  H.Taylor,  fur  upwards  of  eleven  years  head  Raniener 
to  Ltu'd  Keriyun,  Tredin^tun,  Whitehurch,  .Salop,  Inis  lieeri 
appointed  head  gardener  to  Lord  Hatherton.  Teddesley 
Park,  Pelikiidge,  Stalfs. 

Mk.  Ci.KjncNT  HiiWKs,  foi' several  years  past  foi-enian  in  the 
gardens  at  Guntfui  Park,  Norfolk,  has  lieen  appointed  head 
gardener  to  the  Martinis  of  Waterford,  I'uri'aghmore,  Port- 
law,  County  Waterford,  li-eland. 


GARDEN. 


— 7-!<*J7- 


^^^5^g 


No.  1537.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[iMay  4,  1901. 


FRAGRANT 
EARLY 


FLOWERS 
SUMMER. 


OF 


WITH  the  earliest  sun-warmth 
beaming  on  opening  flowers  in 
April,  and  when  the  wind  is 
out  of  the  north  and  east,  still 
more  in  such  a  week  of  un- 
usual warmth  as  we  had  in  the  third  week  of 
April,  one  becomes  every  year  more  sensitile  of 
the  delight  of  the  fresh  sweet  smelLs  of  sun- 
warmed  earth  and  quick  growing  vegetation.  In 
a  garden  that  adjoins  woodland  that  is  on  poor 
sandy  soil  this  is  all  the  more  noticeable, 
because  of  the  surprising  fragrance  of  some  of 
the  unfolding  leaves — of  Birch  and  Larch  and 
Whortleberry — a  mysterious  and  delightful 
scent,  recalling  the  dainty  pungency  of  Lily  of 
the  Valley  and  the  wholesome  balsam  of  the 
dying  Strawberry  leaf.  But  many  gardens 
have  not  the  advantage  of  the  near  neighbour- 
hood of  scented  woodland,  and  their  owners 
will  do  well  to  think  what  sweet  things  they 
can  provide  and  plant,  bearing  in  mind  how 
pleasant  it  is  to  have  the  sweet  scents  near  the 
house,  so  that  they  will  be  wafted  into  rooms 
through  open  windows.  For  this  there  will  be 
Wallflowers  in  plenty,  the  best  of  things  for 
giving  oft'  their  delicious  odour.  For  our 
southern  counties  there  is  the  neat  wall  shrub 
Azara  microphylla,  generous  of  the  vanilla 
scent  of  its  small  greenish  yellow  bloom,  soon 
to  be  followed  by  Daphne  pontica,  whose 
fragrance  carries  far  and  wide. 

The  young  leaves  of  Sweetbriar  are  one  of 
the  best  sweets  of  April,  and  Magnolia  stellata, 
a  sheet  of  white  bloom  of  the  same  date,  fills 
the  air  with  a  faint  perfume.  If  Primrose  or 
Cowslip  banks  and  borders  are  near  a  house 
their  neighbourhood  will  make  itself  pleasantly 
perceptible. 

The  flowers  and  foliage  named  are  only  a 
small  number  among  the  early  things  of  sweet 
scent,  but  they  are  those  that  give  it  ofi'  most 
generously,  and  are  therefore  the  ones  most 
precious  for  planting  near  our  dwellings. 

Later  in  the  year  the  plants  that  are  among 
the  best  for  giving  oft'sweetness  are  Mignonette 
and  the  annual  night-scented  stock  (Matthiola 
bicornis),  the  latter  best  by  less  important  path 
■  edges,  for  the  plant  has  no  beauty  in  day  time, 
though  it  is  well  to  have  a  little  of  it  half 
hidden  among  other  things  in  the  best  borders, 
and  especially  under  sitting  room  windows. 

It  would  be  delightful  to  have  a  whole  border 
of  night-blooming  scented  things  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  summer  evenings,  and  to  plant  it  with 


Nicotiana  affinis,  CEnothera  laraarckiana,  and 
this  sweet  little  Matthiola. 

So  few  plants  give  off  sweet  scents  in  winter 
that  this  excellent  quality  in  some  of  the 
Cistu.ses  should  not  be  overlooked.  C.  lauri- 
folius  and  C.  cyprius,  in  any  moist  days  of 
winter  when  the  wind  is  out  of  the  cold 
quarters,  give  oflF  powerful  whifFs  of  their 
delicious  incense-like  smell,  adding  much  to 
the  interest  of  the  garden  at  the  time  when 
there  are  scarcely  any  flowers. 


THE    ROYAL    HORTICULTURAL, 

SOCIETY    AND     ITS    RECENT 

MEETING. 

Many  of  your  readers  will  regret  wilh  myself  that 
you  should  have  characterised  the  debate  of 
April  2.3  as  evidencing  "an  objectionable  hostility 
.  .  .  .  born  of  an  unwarrantable  distrust  of  the 
action  of  a  council  composed  of  English  gentlemen." 
Such  words  are  difficult  to  reconcile  with  your 
assertion  that  3'ou  "hold  no  brief  for  one  side  or 
the  other." 

It  was  the  implicit  trust  given  to  the  council 
which  landed  a  large  body — the  majority  as  it 
seems — of  the  Fellows  in  the  position  of  giving 
their  seeming  adherence  to  a  scheme  which  they 
had  never  really  considered.  When  the\'  hail 
properly  considered  it  and  understood  its  danger 
they  again  trusted  the  council  to  hear  their  repre- 
sentations and  to  stay  its  hand.  The  English 
Government  is  mainly  composed  of  English  gentle- 
men, but  strong  opposition  to  any  measure  of 
theirs  which  is  reckoned  unwise  is  not  usually 
described  as  "unwarrantable  distrust."  It  seems 
to  me  that  the  controversy  about  the  "mandate" 
given  to  the  council  was  somewhat  beside  the  real 
issue.  The  fact  to  be  faced  was  that  a  great 
majority  of  the  Fellows  who  were  really  concerned 
about  the  question  were  against  the  scheme  at 
the  time  of  meeting.  It  matters  little  whether 
this  was  owing  to  their  never  having  given  the 
alleged  mandate  or  to  their  desiring  to  rescind  it. 
Let  us  say  that  they  have  come  to  a  mature  under- 
standing of  what  they  have  unthinkingly  assented 
to — fortunate  is  the  individual  and  fortunate  the 
society  which  knows  the  value  of  second  tlioughts 
and  is  not  ashamed  to  avow  them.  For  myself,  as 
a  supporter  of  the  amendment,  I  own  to  having 
changed  my  views,  largelj'  from  a  consideration  of 
Mr.  Arthur  Sutton's  e.\cellent  letters.  The 
Garden  will  do  better  to  attribute  to  us  of  the 
opposition  the  motives  of  love  of  our  fine  old 
society  and  anxiety  for  its  welfare. 

Geokge  Engleheakt. 

[We  willingly  print  Mr.  Engleheart's  letter.  We 
desire  at  all  times  to  avoid  either  using  ourselves 
or  printing  from  others  any  words  that  can  possibly 
give  pain,  and  regret  that  Mr.  Engleheart  should 
have  considered  the  words  he  quotes  as  inapplicable 
to  the  situation.  Careful  readers  of  The  Gaedbx 
must  have  become  aware  of  the  determination  of 
those  to  whom  the  direction  of  the  journal  is 
confided,  that  no  words  of  individual  acrimony  or 
personal  bickering  shall  be  permitted  to  appear  in 
its  pages,  but  they  would  be  untrue  to  their  trust 
were    they   to   shrink    from    an    honest    effort   to 


describe  the  obvious  feelings  expressed  by  two 
clearly  opposed  parties  in  a  discussion  of  the 
importance  of  that  of  the  recent  special  general 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Sofietj',  when 
words  were  spoken  which,  but  for  the  influence  of 
a  wise  and  tactful  chairman,  might  easily  have  led 
to  unseemlj'  strife.  We  are  referring  neither  to 
Mr.  Engleheart  nor  to  the  resolution  of  Mr.  Arthur 
Sutton.  As  we  have  already  said,  we  hope  future 
meetings  will  be  free  from  this  too  apparent  and 
undesirable  feeling.  We  know  not  what  may  be  the 
next  step,  and  await  developments,  but  we  devoutly 
hope  the  society  will  never  be  saddled  with  a 
big  hall.  This  is  an  undertaking  for  a  company  or 
private  enterprise.  The  hall,  through  the  charter 
of  the  societ}',  could  not  be  let  for  dances,  concerts, 
&c. — how  reminiscent  this  is  of  South  Kensington 
— and  for  a  large  part  of  the  year  must  remain 
empty.  It  must  be  in  the  West  End  amid  the 
residential  population,  not  in  the  City,  will  be 
useless  for  a  big  summer  show,  inseparable  from 
a  place  like  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  and  we  are 
afraid  also  from  the  annual  gatherings  of  the 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society,  which  is  better 
off  in  its  present  quarters.  The  result  of  the 
hall  will  be  a  big  building  empty  the  best  part  of 
the  year,  and  a  "white  elephant"  sufficient  to 
ruin  absolutely  a  society  far  richer  than  the  institu- 
tion in  which  horticulturists  are  taking  so  vigorous 
an  interest.  We  have  received  many  letters  about 
the  meeting,  but  as  they  contain  nothing  different 
to  what  has  been  already  expressed,  we  prefer  to 
acknowledge  them  privately  and  fill  our  too  limited 
space  with  articles  and  notes  already  becoming 
out  of  date  through  delays  in  publication.  We 
can  only  repeat  that  ever  since  the  beginning 
of  these  discussions  there  has  evidently  been  a  dis- 
trust of  the  council,  an  implied  and  even  an  out- 
spoken opinion  that  they  were  attempting  to 
acquire  a  new  garden  without  the  due  knowledge 
or  acquiescence  of  the  Fellows. — Ens.] 


SCHEME    FOR    A    HORTICUL- 
TURAL   HALL. 

Why  Not  Form  a  Company? 

A.  B.,  Surrey,  writes:  "The  vote  taken  at  the 
recent  special  meeting  of  the  Fellows  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  so  strong  in  antagonism  to 
the  proposed  garden,  will  doubtless  be  held  bj-  the 
council  as  conclusive,  for  some  time  at  least,  against 
the  production  of  any  new  garden  scheme,  and  of 
such  proposal  no  more  may  be  heard  for  a  long 
time  to  come.  But  equally  it  may  be  regarded 
that  the  vote  was  distinctly  in  favour  of  the  pro- 
vision of  a  horticultural  hall  in  London  as  the 
society's  home  and  place  of  exhibition.  That, 
however,  would  be  presuming  too  much.  No 
proposition  in  favour  of  the  provision  of  a  hall 
was  made,  and,  indeed,  no  one  could  have  voted 
in  misapprehension,  as  such  provision  was  not 
before  the  meeting.  A  few  words  which  tell  from 
one  or  two  representatives  of  the  council,  however, 
showed  plainly  enough  that  the  provision  of  a 
suitable  hall  and  offices  in  London  is  a  matter  so 
great  that  the  provision  of  a  garden  is  to  it  in 
comparison  an  almost  trifling  one.  The  crowded 
state  of  the  Drill  Hall  on  that  day  showed  that 
nothing  would  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the 
society's   exhibitions   and   meetings   that  did   not 


310 


THE     GARDEN. 


May  4,  1901. 


furnish  a  space  fully  one-half  at  least  larger  than 
is  the  area  of  the  Drill  Hall.  That  would  mean 
the  provision  of  one  of  the  largest  halls  in  London. 
To  leave  the  Drill  Hall,  unless  driven  awa\',  for  a 
hall  of  only  the  same  size  would  be  absurd.  In 
addition  to  hall  area,  large  committee  rooms 
adjoining  the  hall  are  needed,  in  which  the  com- 
mittees could  sit  and  the  afternoon  lectures  be 
given.  Still,  further,  it  would  be  essential  that 
the  society's  offices  be  placed  under  the  same  roof. 
What,  including  a  site  in  some  readily  accessible 
place,  would  be  the  cost  of  such  a  hallV  Does 
anyone  imagine  that  it  could  be  erected  at  less 
cost  than  from  £70,000  to  £80,000?  They  must 
be  deplorably  ignorant  of  metropolitan  conditions 
if  Ihey  think  differently.  A  hall  of  this  nature  on 
the  ground  floor  and  occupying  the  entire  site 
could  not  be  made  to  pay  ;  indeed,  must  be  to  its 
promoters  a  heavy  loss.  To  enable  some  return 
to  be  obtained  it  would  be  needful  to  have 
extensive  cellarage  in  the  basement,  and  over  that, 
on  the  ground  line,  shops  or  offices.  The  hall 
with  society's  offices  would  have  to  come  over 
those,  and  space  would  have  to  be  left  beneath  for 
two  or  three  large  hydraulic  lifts  to  enable  plants, 
&c. ,  to  be  easily  run  up  and  down  in  unloading 
and  loading.  Storage  room  would  be  needed  for 
tabling  and  chairs,  for  if  the  hall  is  to  be  let  for 
concerts,  meetings,  &c. ,  chairs  in  great  quantity 
would  have  to  be  provided.  It  is  so  obvious  that 
the  Ro3'al  Horticultural  Societ}',  even  were  the 
conditions  of  its  charier  ever  so  unrestricted, 
cannot  possibly  undertake  the  provision  of  such  a 
hall  or  home  as  is  here  described.  It  would  be  a 
mad  act  to  embark  in  such  a  matter.  The  onl}' 
hope  lies  or  can  lie  in  the  formation  of  a  horti- 
cultural hall  compan}',  with  a  capital  of  £100,000, 
and  were  sucli  a  company  successfully  floated,  the 
hall  might  soon  become  a  great  fact.  Why  is  not 
such  a  company  started '?  It  is  far  belter  to  set 
about  promoting  such  a  company,  and  then  to 
furnish  the  hall  so  strongly  insisted  upon,  than  it 
is  to  oppose  all  the  council's  projects  without 
having  an}-  constructive  proposals  to  replace  them 
Let  those  Fellows  who  insist  upon  the  provision 
of  the  hall  form  the  companj',  let  shareholders  be 
Fellows  only.  Then,  and  only  then,  will  the  thing 
be  done.  I  enclose  my  card,  but  prefer  to  remain 
anonymous." 


NOTES    OF    THE   WEEK. 

Royal  Hoptieultupal  Society.— At  a 

general  meeting  of  the  above  society,  held  on 
Tuesday,  April  23,  52  new  Fellows  were  elected, 
making  a  total  of  340  elected  since  the  beginning 
of  the  present  year,  amongst  them  being  the  Duchess 
of  Abercorn,  Lady  Henry  Tate,  Lady  Helen  Vincent, 
Lord  Alverstone,  the  Bishop  of  Richmond,  and  the 
Right  Hon.  A.  H.  Smith-Barry.  The  next  fruit 
and  flower  show  of  the  society  will  be  held  on 
Tuesday  next,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham 
Uate,  Westminster,  from  1  too  p.m.     A  lecture  on 


SNOWDROPS  ROUNP  TREE  TRUNK. 


"Alpines  and  other  Small  Plants  for  Walls''  will 
be  given  at  3  p.m.,  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Jenkins,  F.R.H.S. 
Preceding  the  lecture,  the  president  of  the  society, 
Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart. ,  will  confer  the  Victoria 
Medal  of  Honour  on  the  new  recipients,  Sirlieorge 
King.  K.C.E.I.,  iliss  Ormerod,  LL.D.,  Mr.  George 
Norman,  and  Mr.  .James  Sweet.  The  society  will 
hold  its  fourteenth  great  annual  flower  show  in  the 
Inner  Temple  Gardens,  Thames  Embankment — b}' 
the  kind  permission  of  the  treasurer  and  benchers 
— on  the  22nd,  23rd.  and  24th  inst.  Schedules  may 
be  obtained  on  application  to  the  secretary,  117, 
Victoria  Street.  S.  W.,  bj'  enclosing  a  stamp. 

One  of  the  old  school.  -A  long  and 
honourable  gardening  career  has  terminated  by 
the  retirement  of  Mr.  .John  Miller  from  Lord 
Foley's,  Ruxley  Gardens,  where  he  has  been  chief  for 
some  seventeen  years.  Starting  his  career  back 
in  the  thirties  of  last  century,  about  the  time  of  the 
accession  of  her  late  Majesty,  Mr.  Miller  gained 
his  experience  in  good  gardens,  and  for  the  last 
half  a  century  has  filled  responsible  head  appoint- 
ments, among  others  at  Worksop,  Cufl'nells, 
Clumber,  and  Ruxle}'.  An  able  all  round  gardener, 
fruit  was,  perhaps,  his  principal  /bWf,  and  from  the 
da3'S  when  he  took  valuable  medals  and  other 
prizes  for  very  high-class  Peaches  and  Nectarines 
at  the  old  botanic  shows,  down  to  quite  recent 
meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Societj'  he  was 
a  pronn'nent  and  successful  exhibitor.  His  friends 
all  wish  him  many  pleasant  years  in  his  retire- 
ment. 

Fire  in  a   Derbyshire    nursery.— 

We  are  soiry  to  learn  that  a  fire  broke  out  in  the 
nursery  of  Messrs.  Smith  and  Sons,  Darley  Dale, 
Derbyshire,  and  its  origin  is  a  complete  mj'stery. 
We  hope  the  damage  inflicted  is  not  so  extensive 
as  some  reports  would  lead  us  to  believe. 

A  new  market.— The  Portman  Market, 
Church  Street,  Marylebone,  was  opened  for  business 
on  Wednesday  last.  The  market  has  nearly  200 
stalls,  eighty-five  of  which  are  reserved  for  fruits 
and  vegetables. 

Viola  Bullion.— Two  circular  beds  of  this 
dwarf,  compact  free-blooming  Viola— -the  bedding 
Viola  jiar  e.vce//eiice — to  he  seen  in  the  Botanical 
Gardens,  Edgbaston,  Birmingham,  are  now  gay 
with  yellow  blossoms  ;  they  literally  clothe  the 
surface  as  with  a  yellow  robe.  Many  other  yellow 
Violas  have  been  put  into  circulation  of  late  j'ears, 
and  new  varieties  almost  innumerable.  I  have 
tried  many  of  them,  but  I  have  found  among  them 
nothing  which  can  compare  with  this  fine  old  Viola 
for  hardihood,  earliness,  floriferousness,  and  con- 
tinuity. The  extent  to  which  it  is  used  in  our 
public  parks  is  one  of  the  best  tests  of  its  useful- 
ness and  reliability.  Violas  come  and  Violas  go, 
but  some  of  the  old  varieties  remain,  and  I 
generally  find  it  is  such  which  form  the  bulk  of  the 
stocks  grown  in  nurseries  I  am  in  the  habit  of 
visiting. — R.  D. 

Snowdrops  round   a  tree  trunk. 

— The  accompanying  illustration  needs  no  descrip- 
tion. The  photograph,  kindly  sent  by  Lady 
Binning,  shows  a  charming  use  of  the  Snowdrop, 
and  a  pretty  spring  pic- 
ture is  the  result  of  this 
wise  planting. 

The  Bluebells 

at  Kew.— Londoners 
who  wish  for  a  feast  of 
Bluebells  should  visit 
Kew  within  the  next 
few  days.  The  flowers 
are  opening  in  profusion, 
and  will  soon  surface 
the  v,'oodland  with 
colour.  It  is  almost 
needless  to  say  that  the 
Daffodils  a!n|d  o'ther 
spring  flowers  are  in  per- 
fection and  worth  a  long 
journej'  to  see  in  their 
present  beauty. 

Prunus  triloba 

fl.-pL— This  beautiful 
tree  is  now  in  full 
flower.  We  noticed  a 
group   of   it   on  a   lawn 


at  Kew,  and  thought  how  much  is  lost  by  not 
planting  it  in  other  positions  than  against 
a  wall.  It  makes  a  good  group  ;  the  leaves  are 
fresh  green  in  colour,  and  the  flowers  double,  clear 
rose,  and  almost  hide  every  vestige  of  growth. 
This  Prunus  is  a  native  of  China,  grows  to  a  height 
of  ).■)  feet,  and  the  flowers  appear  before  the  three- 
lobed  leaves.  Against  a  sunny  wall  it  flowers 
abundantly. 

High-priced   Odontoglossums.— At 

the  sale  by  Messrs.  Protheroe  and  Morris,  of  the 
Walton  Grange  collection  of  Orchids,  Stone,  Staf- 
fordshire, two  bulbs  and  one  strong  growth  of 
Odontoglossum  Rolf;e  hybrid  fetched  210  gxiineas, 
while  a  plant  of  the  Ijeautiful  variety  of  0.  crispum 
the  Earl  realised  IBO  ijuineas. 

Mistletoe  at  Oxford.— Mr.  W.  G.  Baker 

writes  as  follows  to  the  scientific  committee  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Societ}'  with  regard  to  this 
subject:  "With  reference  to  the  Mistletoe  in  the 
Botanic  (iardens,  I  cannot  find  it  recorded  when  it 
was  first  introduced.  The  following  list  contains 
all  the  trees  upon  which  it  grows  here  : — Viiioroit.s: 
Cratiegus  Oxyacantha,  C.  t).  var.  rosea,  Ostrya 
vulgaris,  .Jisculus  (Pavia)  flava,  Cladrastis  tinc- 
toria,  Common  Lime,  and  Apple  tree.  Moderalt: 
Cratiegus  odoratissima,  Acer  monspessulanum,  and  _^ 
Juglans  nigra.  Weakli/  :  ^lOsculus  Hippocastanum, 
Pj'rus  Aria,  Salix  alba,  and  Fraxinus  Ornus.  I  have 
observed  seeds  germinate  on  the  following  trees, 
but  have  never  got  beyond  that  stage  :  Fraxinus 
pubescens,  Diospyros  virginiana,  P3TUS  intermedia, 
Cerasus  serotina,  Gymnocladus  canadensis,  Ailantus 
glandulosa,  and  Corylus  Colurna."  Mr.  Burbidge, 
who  has  forwarded  Mr.  Baker's  communication 
from  Oxford,  adds:  "I  have  never  seen  it 
growing  on  the  Beech  or  Viburnum,  as  stated  in 
the  Garihnni'  ('hroiiiclr,  page  193,  of  March  23 
last.'' 

Preparation  of  'Woad.- An  interesting 
paper  was  sent  to  the  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  by  Dr.  Plowright,  with 
numerous  specimens,  showing  the  production  of 
the  blue  colour  derived  from  this  plant.  After 
alluding  to  several  ancient  writers,  who  described 
the  colour  as  blue,  green,  and  black,  Dr.  Plow- 
right  could  find  no  recent  information  as  to  how 
the  colour  was  extracted  ;  as,  though  Isatis  tinc- 
toria  is  cultivated  round  Wisbech,  where  the 
manufactory  still  exists,  it  is  no  longer  grown  for 
the  dye,  but  for  a  fermentable  substance  which 
renders  true  indigo  (Indigofera  sp. )  "fast."  After 
experimenting  he  found  how  all  the  colours,  blues, 
greens,  and  blacks,  could  be  obtained.  Full  details, 
with  chemical  analysis,  &c. ,  will  appear  in  the 
.Journal  of  the  Ro3'al  Horticultural  Society.  Prof. 
Church  remarked  that  Chinese  indigo  is  said  to  be 
made  from  Woad,  the  "balls''  of  pounded  leaves 
being  extremelj'  like  those  made  in  India  from  the 
sp.  of  Indigofera.  He  observed,  also,  that  dif- 
ferent qualities  occur  at  difl'ereut  stages  of  growth. 
He  added  that  the  colouring  matter  is  not  only 
produced  in  the  leaves  (in  the  chlorophjdl  cells, 
according  to  Dr.  Plowright),  but  also  in  the  seeds. 
These  contain  two  colouring  matters — the  true 
indigo  and  erythophyll,  the  ordinary  red  colour  of 
flowers,  &c.  The  ripe  fruits  of  the  Woad  plant 
sent  by  Dr.  Plowright  were  deeply  stained  natu- 
rally, of  a  dark  violet  colour. 

The  old  Pheasant-eye  Narcissus. 

— The  spell  of  exceptionally  warm  weather  lias 
brought  the  late-flowered  N.  poeticus  on  verj'  fast, 
and  just  now  (April  27)  the  spaces  occupied  by  it 
are  literally  white  sheets.  It  is  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  finest  of  all  the  familj-  for  naturalising  so 
far  as  the  amount  of  flower  produced  is  concerned. 
I  was  looking  over  some  clumps  to-day  that  have 
been  in  their  present  quarters  five  years,  and 
found  many  with  nearly  a  score  of  expanded 
blooms.  To  secure  this,  however,  the  bulbs  must 
be  planted  in  a  deep  fairly  good  soil.  Some  idea 
ef  the  wealth  of  bloom  obtainable  under  favourable 
conditions  from  a  limited  area  may  be  gathered 
from  the  fact  that  on  one  small  plot  of  about  120 
square  feet  there  are  just  now  close  on  L.WO  ex- 
panded flowers. — E.  Bitrrki,],,  Clareinmil,  Surrey. 

Flowers    in    Park    Lane,    Hyde 

Park. — On  the  occasion  of  the  funeral  of  the 
late   (Jueen  the    beds  in   this  vicinity  were    much 


May  i,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN 


311 


trampled  by  the  enormous  crowds, and  this  accounts 
for  the  display  not  being  quite  up  to  the  high- 
water  mark  of  excellence  exhibited  in  previous 
years.  Among  Hyacinths  worthy  of  mention  are 
a  pair  of  beds  devoted  to  Cirand  Maitre,  bright 
blue  ;  Orondates,  light  blue  ;  and  Baron  Van 
Thuyll,  dark  blue,  fine  spike.  Charles  Dickens 
is  a  splendid  rose  ;  Gertrude,  carmine-rose,  large 
spike.  Of  the  reds,  the  old  favourite  Robert 
Steiger  holds  its  own  ;  Schiller  is  a  good  rosy 
carmine  flower.  In  whites.  La  Franchise  is  a  pure 
white,  having  large  bells,  and  the  same  remarks 
apply  to  La  Grandesse  and  alba  superbissinia.  In 
miscellaneous  beds,  noteworthy  are  Jonquils,  with 
a  carpet  of  Chionodoxa  and  Seilla  sibirica,  the 
bold  and  well-known  Narcissus  niaximus,  having 
a  carpet  of  Seilla  sibirica,  being  etfective.  The 
Tulips  are  just  coming  on,  but  the}'  have  suffered 
very  much  in  places.  Amongst  them  may  be  men- 
tioned Gloria  Solis,  red,  with  broad  margin  of 
golden-yellow ;  Murillo,  bright  rose,  extra  fine  ; 
Duchesse  de  Parma,  crimson,  deep  yellow  edge  ; 
Vermilion  Brilliant,  very  fine,  and  of  dazzling 
colour  ;  Proserpine,  rich  rose  ;  Queen  of  Violets, 
aptly  named  ;  Thomas  Moore,  bring  orange  ;  and 
Yellow  Prince,  bright  citron.  Later  there  will  be 
a  rich  display  (to  take  the  place  of  the  bulbous 
flowers)  of  Pansies,  Violas,  Primulas,  &c.,  and  to 
which  we  hope  to  draw  attention  in  due  course. — 
Quo. 
Dutch   Hopticultupal   and    Botan 

leal  Society. — At  a  committee  meeting  of  this 
society,  held  on  April  10,  first-class  certificates 
were  awarded  to  Mr.  P.  W.  Sutorius,  of  Baarn, 
for  Begonia  (xloire  de  Lorraine  ;  to  Mr.  J.  Van 
Stolk,  jun.,  of  Heemstede,  for  C^pripediLlm  insigne 
coloratum  callosum  ;  to  Mr.  W.  C.  Baron  Van 
Boetzelaer,  of  Maartensdijk,  for  Lielia  jongheana  ; 
a  silver-gilt  medal  to  Mr.  D.  .J.  Tas,  of  Aalsmeer, 
for  a  collection  of  out  flowers  ;  a  silver  medal  to 
Mr.  H.  C.  Hacke,  of  Baarn,  for  a  collection  of 
Orchids;  bronze  medals  to  Mr.  H.  Hornsveld,  of 
Baarn,  for  a  collection  of  Odontoglossum  Rossi 
majus  ;  to  Mr.  C.  J.  Kikkert,  of  Haarlem,  for  a 
collection  of  Odontoglossums  ;  to  Mr.  H.  C.  Hacke, 
of  Baarn,  for  a  collection  of  warm  house  plants. 
Mr.  H.  C.  Hacke,  of  Baarn,  was  honourably  men- 
tioned for  Clerodendron  Thompsoni.  Mr.  H.  C. 
Zwart,  of  Amsterdam,  the  secretary,  kindly  sends 
this  report. 

Flowers   in   the   Royal  Botanical 

Gardens. — There  was  a  pretty  little  spring 
show  by  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  last  week, 
but  owing  to  The  G.^rden  going  to  press  on 
Wednesday  it  could  not  be  reported  in  our  last 
issue.  The  show  was  made  up  chiefly  of  trade 
exhibits.  Messrs.  B.  S.  Williams  and  Son,  of 
Upper  Holloway,  had  a  charming  display  of 
Orchids  and  Lilacs,  while  the  Polyanthuses  from 
Mr.  S.  Mortimer,  of  Farnham,  were  delightful, 
Messrs.  J.  Carter  and  Co.,  High  Holborn,  showed 
a  splendid  mass  of  their  fine  strain  of  Cinerarias. 
A  brilliant  group  was  that  from  Messrs.  R.  and  G, 
Cuthbert,  Southgate,  consisting  of  Azalea  mollis 
in  variety.  Guelder  Roses,  Lilacs,  and  similar 
shrubs  in  flower.  Messrs.  Barr  and  Son,  of  Long 
Ditton,  had  Daffodils  in  Japanese  bowls  filled  with 
cocoanut  fibre.  This  is  quite  a  successful  waj'. 
Messrs.  A.  W.  Young  and  Co.,  Stevenage,  had 
designs  in  Roses,  and  very  fine  Clivias  and 
Cinerarias.  Messrs.  R.  and  H.  Bath,  of  Wisbech, 
showed  a  beautiful  collection  of  Dafibdils,  and 
Messrs.  Hogg  and  Robertson,  Dublin,  had  the 
same  flower  and  Tulips.  Mr.  Keif,  gardener  to 
Miss  Adamson,  South  Villa,  Regent's  Park,  had  a 
very  fine  displaj',  comprising  a  group  of  miscel- 
laneous plants,  and  Tulips  and  Hyacinths  in  pots. 

Copydalis   Seoulerl,— A  fine  plant   of 

this  beautiful  Corydalis  is  now  (April  '24)  in  flower 
here  on  a  cool  shady  part  of  my  rock  garden.  I 
first  saw  it  at  Kew  about  twelve  months  ago,  where 
there  was  a  fine  plant  in  the  rock  garden.  I 
experienced  some  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  plant 
as  it  is  not  generally  listed ;  in  fact,  it  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  majority  of  our  leading  nurser}'- 
men's  lists.  On  enquir}'  from  Mr.  Irvine  I  learn 
that  it  is  a  native  of  deep  shady  woods  in  North- 
West  America,  and  is  plentiful  near  the  confluence 
of  the  Oregon   River  with  the  sea.     Plants  were 


obtained  at  Kew  from  Canon  EUacombe,  and  from 
a  continental  nurseryman  of  the  name  of  Meerbeck 
in  1895,  so  that  it  is  of  fairly  recent  introduction. 
I  can  certainly  commend  it  to  your  readers  as  a 
plant  well  worth  growing.  It  has  a  pleasing  habit, 
and  is  quite  distinct  from  any  other  member  of 
the  family  which  I  have  yet  seen.  It  is,  more- 
over, valuable  for  its  earl}'  blooming— it  was 
showing  bud  in  the  second  week  in  March,  and 
was  quite  uninjured  bj'  the  severe  frosts  which  we 
experienced  at  the  latter  end  of  that  month. 
From  Nicholson's  "Dictionary"  I  gather  that  the 
name  Corydalis  is  the  old  Greek  name  for  the 
Fumitory,  and  is  derived  from  the  Greek  Kory- 
dalos,  a  lark,  because  the  spur  of  the  flower 
resembles  the  spur  of  a  lark.  The  flowers  of  C. 
Scouleri  are  shaped  somewhat  like  those  of  a 
Linaria,  and  have  long  spurs  which  resemble  those 
of  an  Aquilegia.  The  colour  is  extremely  difficult 
to  describe — a  peculiar  pinkish  heliotrope  tinged 
on  the  inside  with  blue  seems  to  me  to  give  the 
best  description.  The  foliage  rather  resembles 
that  of  the  common  C.  bulbosa,  but  is  prettier, 
and  the  whole  plant  grows  about  12  inches  to 
18  inches  in  height.  Another  member  of  this 
family  I  am  growing  for  the  first  time,  but  which 
is  not  j'et  in  bloom,  is  C.  capnoides,  which  was 
very  prettj'  at  Bath  Botanical  Garden  last  summer. 
I  should  be  grateful  if  any  of  your  correspondents 
could  tell  me  whether  C.  Semenowii,  C.  ophio- 
carpa,  and  C.  Sewerzowi  are  worth  growing,  and 
if  so  where  they  may  be  obtained. — Akthur  R. 
Goodwin,  Kidderminiter. 
Cinerapias  at  Farnham.— A  more  ideal 

spot  for  the  successful  production  of  seed  and  its 
thorough  ripening  could  hardly  be  conceived  than 
that  enjoyed  by  the  Cinerarias,  Primulas,  Calceo- 
larias, &c. ,  in  Messrs.  J.  James  and  Son's  nursery 
at  Farnham  Common.  The  glass  houses  are  situated 
upon  an  open  piece  of  land  quite  close  to  Burnham 
Beeches,  so  that  they  enjoy  a  maximum  of  fresh 
air  and  sunlight  goes  without  saying.  The  strains 
of  florists'  flowers  originating  at  Farnham  have 
long  been  recognised  as  of  the  very  best,  and  the 
selection  and  hybridising  of  existing  kinds  still 
goes  on  there,  with  the  result  that  every  year 
shows  either  an  improvement  upon  existing  strains 
or  the  production  of  something  altogether  new  and 
distinct,  or  more  likely  than  not  both  these  ends 
are  achieved.  The  variouslj-  coloured  Cinerarias 
are  kept  separate  from  each  other,  for  onlj'  by  such 
means  can  distinct  shades  be  retained.  A  house 
full  of  nothing  but  white-flowering  Cinerarias  is  an 
unique  sight.  It  is  surprising  how  at  first  sight 
what  appears  to  be  a  mass  of  exactly  the  same 
shade  upon  closer  examination  reveals  a  variety 
of  tints.  Some  flowers  are  almost  absolutely  pure 
white,  and  others  vary  from  this  to  a  ver\'  pale 
sulphur.  Extremely  careful  selection,  indeed,  is 
necessary  to  retain  the  pure  white,  and  it  has  the 
disadvantage  of  being  a  shy  seed  bearer,  thus  ren- 
dering the  matter  all  the  more  difficult.  Amongst 
the  blues  there  are  now  some  lovely  shades,  and 
the  crimsons  are  yearl}"  becoming  more  intense 
in  colour.  A  brave  show  is  made  by  the 
hybrids  obtained  between  the  charming  species  of 
Cineiaria,  C.  cruenta,  C.  Heritieri,  &c.,  and  the 
greenhouse  varieties.  That  these  will,  to  a  great 
extent,  supersede  the  latter  for  general  decorative 
purposes  can  hardly  be  doubted,  especially  as  their 
blooms  range  over  such  an  extended  field  of  colour, 
and  in  the  near  future  the  number  of  colours  in 
which  these  hybrid  Cinerarias  will  be  obtainable 
will  be  still  further  increased.  In  a  span-roofed 
house  filled  with  these,  Messrs.  James  have  brought 
together  plants  that,  while  well  retaining  their 
loose  habit  and  star-shaped  flowers,  3  et  comprise 
some  lovely  colours.  In  the  cross  hybridising  of 
the  small-flowered  species  with  the  large-flowered 
greenhouse  kinds,  there  is  a  great  tendency  for  the 
blooms  to  increase  in  size  as  they  improve  in  colour, 
and  Messrs.  James,  who  have  done  much  to  improve 
the  race  that  originated,  we  believe,  by  the  inter- 
crossing of  C.  cruenta  with  the  dwarf  varieties,  are 
trying  hard  to  obtain  the  desired  colours  without 
destroying  the  valuable  characteristic  habit  of 
growth  and  form  of  colour.  C.  cruenta  and  the 
greenhouse  Cinerarias  cross  easily  enough,  but  with 
the  other  species  primary  cross  fertilisation   was 


much  more  difficult,  yet  after  persistent  attempts 
Messrs.  .James  succeeded  ;  indeed,  it  is  only  by 
reason  of  persistent  and  continued  effort  that  the 
.James'  strain  of  florists'  flowers  is  at  the  present 
time  so  highly  thought  of. 

AhallforhortiCUlture.- Messrs.  Cannell 
and    Sons,    of    Swanlej',    send    us   the    following : 
"  Surel}'  it  is  inspiring,  and  must  bring  a  feeling 
of  exalted  pride  to  the  heart  of  every  one,  when 
they  see  the  exhiVjits  of  their  countrymen  standing 
boldly  up  and  distancing  foreign  competitors,  and 
to  hear  other  countrymen  exclaim,  '  llow  perfect  I 
What   size  ! '      It   should   be    known    that   every 
variet}'  of  fruit,  flowers,  and  vegetables  of  worth 
that  can  be  found  upon  the  earth  is  brought  to 
England.      In    every   instance   the   English    grow 
them  better  than  where  they  are  indigenous  after 
a   work   of   ages   in   introducing.      Of   course  the 
varieties  are  numerous,  and  it  becomes  a  national 
necessity  to  weed  out  the  inferior  and  to  record 
the  superior,  and  in  this  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  has  done  an  incalculable  amount  of  good 
for  the  benefit  of  mankind.     It  is  remarkable  (and 
may  be  compared  to  the  moral  work  and  generosity 
of  some,  which  is  unrecognised  during  life)  that 
scarcely  any  one  knows  its  (the  society's)  worth, 
and  those  that   do   fail   to   appreciate   the   good. 
The  English,  bj'  sheer  intelligence,  have  consider- 
ably  improved   nearly   every   production   for   the 
sustenance  and   happiness  of   the  public.      These 
good  kinds  have  gone  forth  to  every  part  of  the 
world,  and  if  it  were  possible  to  sum  up  the  good, 
it  would  be  found  that  horticulture  has  done  more 
to   benefit   the   human    race   and   make    England 
eminent  than  anj'  otlier  profession,  and,  although 
much  has  been  done  to  comfort  and  strengthen  the 
body  .and  cheer  the  heart  of  man,  there  is  an  end- 
less amount  still  to  do.     His  late  Royal  Highness 
Prince  Albert   certainly  made   sure   that  he   had 
secured  a  noble  home  for  the  society,  but  it  is  at 
this    moment,    from    no   fault   of    theirs,  without 
a  floor  or  roof  to  call  its  own,  yet  now  even,  in 
lodgings  as  it  were,  the  society  is  leading  on  horti- 
culture  and   doing   enormous  good.      Agriculture 
owes  them  a  heavy  debt  of  gratitude.     When  we 
read  of  a  patriotic  lady  in  Philadelphia,  evidently 
an  admirer,  and  anxious  to  forward  horticulture 
in    America,    bequeathing    £40,000   wherewith    to 
build  and  maintain  a  hall  of  horticulture  in  that 
city,  we  feel  it  is  retrogression  on  the  part  of  the 
British  in  not  possessing  one  long  since  to  carry  on 
one  of  the  greatest  sciences  of  the  nation.     There 
are  many  amongst  our  wealth}'  who  in  their  time 
have   enjoj-ed  an   immense  amount  of   happiness, 
luxury,  aiid  contentment  from  their  garden,  who 
we  believe  will  follow  the  noble  example  of  this 
estimable  and  generous  American  lady,  and  immor- 
talise their  name  by  securing  and  presenting  the 
freehold  of  a  suitable  site  for  that  noble  and  most 
necessary    institution,    to    hold    their     meetings, 
shelter  their  library  and  the  council  who  so  nobly 
carry  on  the  work  for  the  benefit  and  honour  of 
dear  old  England.     As  far  as  the  nursery  and  seed 
trade  is  concerned,  they  would,  we  believe,  struggle 
with  small  sums  to  erect  some  temporary  building, 
if  onl}'  so  that  it  could  be  utilised,  thesocietj*  could 
call  it  their  own,  and  thus  strengthen  their  hopes. 
There  are  plenty  of  central  sites  with  dilapidated 
walls  standing  (almost  a  disgrace  to  the  surround- 
ings) which  would  answer  admirably,  and  as  soon 
as  the  fi-eehold  is  secured  we  are  ready  to  subscribe 
£25,  and  we  are  quite  sure  the  hon.  sec.  (Rev.  W. 
Wilks)  would  be  delighted  to  hear  of  others  doing 
likewise.     We  hope  to  live  to  see  the  day  when  we 
have  a  hall  worthy  of  our  great  nation,  and  that 
the   committee   of   the   National   Chrysanthemum 
Society,  the  members  of  which  number  well  nigh 
1,000,  and  whose  work  and  exhibitions  are  of  great 
importance,  and  stand  pre-eminent  with  that  flower, 
may  be  invited,  and  see  their  way  also  to  hold  their 
shows  and  meetings  in  this  building,  and  all  special 
societies,  such  as  Roses,  Dahlias,  Auriculus,  Car- 
nations, &c.,  also  Gardeners'  Benevolent  Society, 
Gardeners' Orphan  Fund,  and  Gardeners' Provident 
Society— in  fact,  all  societies  pertaining  to  horti- 
culture to  have  the  same  privilege,  and  thus  avoid 
expensive  hotels  and  other  public  resorts.      This 
building  we  picture  in  our  minds,  and  hope  some 
day  to  see  in  reality." 


312 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  4,  l901. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 


HARDY    PLANTING    FOR    WINTER 
AND    SUMMER    EFFECT. 

(Continned  from  page  27 S.) 
Hypericums. 

HYPERICUM  ANDROS.EMUM  grows 
to  the  height  of  2  feet  6  inches,  and 
is  sure  to  be  appreciated.  Its  flowers 
appear  profusel}'  during  summer,  and 
are  followed  by  clusters  of  dark 
brown  berries.  Plant  2  feet  apart 
and  prune  close  to  the  ground  annually  early  in 
April.  H.  calycinuni  (the  common  St.  John's 
Wort)  is  parti}'  evergreen  and  admirablj'  suited 
for  clothing  banks  or  making  beds  where  low- 
growing  subjects  are  recjuired ;  it  will  flourish 
anj'where,  and  should  be  cut  close  to  the  ground 
with  the  shears  annually.  H.  moserianuni  is  one 
of  the  best  of  this  class  of  plants,  but  needs  some 
protection  in  cold  districts.  H.  patulum  is  also 
an  excellent  variety,  and  not  so  extensively  planted 
as  it  deserves. 

Kereia  japonica  varieoata, 
a  charming  small,  compact-growing  shrub,  with 
pretty  silvery  variegated  foliage,  bearing  single 
bright  yellow  flowers.  It  is  very  suitable  for  small 
beds  nr  grouping  in  the  front  of  shrubberies.  It 
is  liable  to  revert  back  to  the  green  form,  which 
should  be  kept  out  out.  Very  little  if  any  other 
pruning  is  required  ;  a  poor  light  sand}'  soil  suits 
it  best. 

LeYCESTERIA   FORMOSA, 

a  delightful  shrub  for  massing  in  the  wilderness  or 
semi-wild  garden,  requires  a  deep  rich  soil.  Its 
large  purple  and  white  flowers  in  August  and 
September  are  very  distinct  and  pleasing,  and 
during  autumn  and  winter  the  wood  is  very  con- 
spicuous, being  of  a  very  bright  green  colour.  It 
should  be  pruned  back  annually,  and  the  ground 
pricked   over   in   spring.      Plant  at  a  distance  of 

4  feet  apart. 

LONICERA    (HONKY'SUCKLE),    LaRUE    DdTCH. 

To  see  this  beautiful  climbing  plant  at  its  best 
stack  together  a  good  mound  of  tree  roots,  fill  in 
with  soil,  and  plant  at  a  distance  of  about  4  feet 
apart.  At  first  the  growths  will  require  to  be 
trained  and  nailed  over  the  roots,  and  when  once 
covered  they  will  need  little  other  attention. 
Large  beds  planted  in  this  way  will  sure  to  be 
highly  appreciated — if  for  nothing  else — for  the 
fragrance  of  the  flowers. 

Lycicm  e.arbarum, 
commonly  called  Box  Thorn  or  Tea  Tree,  should 
be  planted  in  large  groups  where  it  can  ramble 
away  near  the  water  or  overhang  large  roots  of 
trees  or  boulders.  Except  to  regulate  the  growths 
once  a  year,  it  will  give  no  furtlier  trouble.  There 
are  several  other  varieties  well  suited  for  the  same 
pui'pose. 

Rhus  cotinps  (■Ve>'etian  Sumach), 
the  Smoke  Plant  or  Wig  Tree,  is  one  of  the  most 
effective  shrubs  for  this  purpose.  A  large  mass  of 
this,  with  its  delightfully-tinted  foliage  in  autumn, 
is  a  pleasing  picture,  and  it  is  well  adapted  for 
any  position  or  any  part  of  the  garden.  It  should 
be  planted  in  deep  but  poor  soil,  at  a  distance  of 

5  feet  apart,  and  slightly  pruned  annually  early  in 
April;  it  requires  no  other  attention.  R.  typhina 
(the  Stag's  Horn  Sumach)  is  one  of  the  commonest 
plants  grown,  with  not  much  beauty,  except  when 
planted  in  large  beds  and  cut  close  to  the  ground 
annually.  When  treated  in  this  way  few  things 
are  more  attractive  ;  it  then  throws  up  strong, 
vigorous  shouts,  with  fine,  tropical-looking  foliage, 
which  is  highly  attractive  during  summer,  and  the 
colouring  of  the  foliage  during  autumn  is  most  con- 
spicuous, also  of  tile  wood  during  winter.  When 
stripped  of  its  foliage  it  is  distinct  and  pleasing; 
it 'Will  flourish  in  any  soil.  Plant  .3  feet  apart, 
and  it  is  easily  propagated  by  root  suckers. 

Rosa  ru(!osa. 
This  charming  Rose,  when  planted  in  the  wilder- 
ness,   semi-wild    garden,    or   around    the    lake,   in 


large  beds  or  masses,  is  always  seen  to  good  ad- 
vantage ;  it  has  fragrant  flowers  in  summer,  and 
large,  highly-coloured  fruit  in  autumn  ;  place  it 
in  the  fore-front  of  flowering  plants.  Plant  in 
deep,  well-enriched  soil,  at  a  distance  of  4  feet 
apart,  and  prune,  like  other  Roses,  annually  ;  the 
white  variety  is  equally  well  adapted,  and  may  be 
mixed  with  the  above. 

Rosa  Bbngale  Hermosa, 
belonging  to  the  monthly  or  China  section,  is  the 
freest  flowering  of  all  Roses  that  I  am  acquainted 
with.  In  mild  autumns  it  flowers  freely  until 
Christmas  when  planted  in  sheltered  positions. 
It  enjoys  a  rich  soil,  and  should  be  pegged  down 
annually,  merely  thinning  out  the  growths  in 
spring.  Well  suited  for  any  part  of  the  garden 
or  grounds,  and  it  is  perhaps  unequalled  for  covering 
southern  slopes. 

RUBUS. 
Nearly  the  whole  of  these  lend  themselves 
admirably  for  this  style  of  planting.  I  will 
mention  those  only  which  I  have  found  to  succeed 
best:  R.  biflorus  syn.  leucodermis  (the  white- 
washed Bramble)  is  one  of  the  most  distinct  and 
effective  of  the  whole  class.  During  winter  it  has 
the  appearance  of  being  painted  white,  and  when 
planted  in  close  proximity  to  the  scarlet  Dogwood 
is  exceedingly  attractive  in  the  distance.  It 
succeeds  best  on  a  good  deep  loam,  and  the  old 
growths  should  be  cut  out  every  winter.  Plant  at 
a  distance  of  4  feet  apart.  R.  canadensis  rosea 
(the  flowering  Raspberry)  is  invaluable  for  making 
large  beds.  It  continues  to  produce  its  highly- 
coloured  flowers  freely  all  through  the  summer 
and  autumn.  Plant  3  feet  apart  and  thin  out  the 
old  growths  annually.  R.  fruticosus  roseo  flore- 
pleno,  also  the  white  form  alba  -(the  double- 
flowered  Blackberry)  is  well  worthy  of  extended 
cultivation ;  it  is  admirably  suited  for  massing 
on  slopes.  The  old  growths  should  be  cut  out 
annually,  and  plant  4  feet  apart.  R.  laciniata 
(American  Blackberry)  is  the  best  of  the  fruiting 
kinds  for  this  purpose  ;  it  produces  large  crops  of 
valuable  fruit  every  year.  Treat  in  the  same  way 
as  advised  for  the  above.  R.  phienicolasius  (the 
Japanese  Wineberry).  This  somewhat  new  form 
of  Rubus  is  one  of  the  best  possible  plants  for  this 
kind  of  planting.  It  bears  freely,  and  the  fruits 
are  much  appreciated  by  many,  and  its  bright 
canes  during  winter  produce  a  most  pleasing 
effect.  It  is  a  strong  grower  when  planted  in 
good  soil  at  a  distance  of  5  feet  apart.  Remove 
all  the  old  canes  during  winter.  The  ordinary 
garden  forms  of 

Raspberry 
also  make  fine  groups  in  the  unkept  parts  of  the 
grounds.     The  old  growths  should  be  pruned  out 
each  autumn,  when  the  young  canes  have  a  warm 
and  pleasing  appearance. 

Salix. 
Many  forms  of  the  Willow  are  admirably  adapted 
for  the  garden,  and  form  splendid  features  during 
the  winter  months.  Perhaps  on  a  fine  winter's 
day  large  masses  of  the  highly-coloured  barked 
Willows  can  hardly  be  excelled  for  their  beauty 
and  rich  colouring,  but,  of  course,  are  only  adapted 
for  water-side  planting  or  low  wet  marshy  land. 
Nothing  is  more  readily  propagated  from  cuttings 
than  these  ;  they  should  be  planted  3  feet  apart, 
and  the  young  growths  pruned  hard  to  the  ground 
annually  the  last  week  in  March,  for  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  any  wood  more  than  twelve 
months  old  has  very  little,  if  any,  beauty  in  it. 
The  three  best  kinds  I  know  grown  for  the 
beauty  of  their  wood  are  Salix  vitellina,  the 
golden-barked  Willow,  S.  cardinalis  (which  has 
bright  red  bark),  and  S.  purpurea,  as  its  name 
implies,  is  purple.  Though  not  so  effective  in  the 
distance  as  the  foregoing,  it  is  wel'  worthy  of 
cultivation.  I  will  mention  one  other  Willow  only 
which  should  be  planted  for  its  summer  beauty, 
that  is  S.  rosmarinifolia.  Its  beautiful  grey  foliage 
much  resembles  that  of  Rosemary,  and  has  a  very 
pleasing  appearance.  It  is  not  so  robust  a  grower 
as  many  of  the  family,  and  there  is  no  beauty  in 
the  wood  during  winter,  consequently  the  growths 
should  only  be  shortened  back  to  within  three 
eyes  of  the  base  annually.  | 


Sambucu.s. 

The  Elder  family,  like  the  preceding,  is  a  large 
one,  and  fortunately  adapts  itself  to  almost  any 
kind  of  soil  or  situation.  First  and  foremost  must 
be  mentioned  Sambucus  nigra  aurea,  a  bold  and 
beautiful,  tall-growing  Elder,  and  its  rich  golden  /_ 
foliage  produces  a  marvellous  effect  in  the 
landscape.  Large  bold  masses  of  this  should 
always  be  used  where  practical  in  a  half-open 
position.  Hard  pruning  in  this  case  must  be 
carried  out,  cutting  the  summer's  growth  close 
to  the  ground  annually  in  the  last  week  in  March. 
The  effect  of  the  greenish-grey  wood  in  winter 
when  treated  in  this  way  is  pleasing  :  the  silvery 
variegated  form,  though  luit  nearly  so  showy,  is 
worthy  of  a  place  where  the  grounds  are  extensive. 
Should  be  planted  on  poor  soil  in  an  open  position, 
and  pruned  hard  annually.  S.  n.  laciniata  (the 
Parsley-leaved  Elder)  is  a  beautiful  and  distinct 
form  of  the  cut-leaved  Elder,  which  attains  its 
true  character  and  makes  splendid  beds  ;  it 
requires  the  same  kind  of  treatment  as  to  pruning 
as  the  above.  S.  racemosa  .serratifolia  aureis  is 
unquestionably  the  finest  variety  in  cultivation  ; 
but,  unfortunately,  is  not  so  robust  as  many  of  the 
others,  and  it  is  far  too  rare  and  expensive  at 
pre.sent  to  plant  to  any  extent  in  outside  planta- 
tions, but  is  well  suited  for  massing  in  the  garden. 
It  does  best  on  a  deep  rich  soil  in  a  fully  exposed 
position,  and  prune  back  hard  early  in  April. 
The  cuttings  should  be  propagated  in  pots  in  a 
cold  frame.  The  whole  of  the  Elders  should  be 
planted  3  feet  apart. 

Spir.eas. 

Another  beautiful  and  interesting  class  of  plants 
for  effect  either  in  summer  or  winter,  when  suffi- 
ciently large  plantations  are  made  and  properly 
treated.  The  whole  of  these  should  be  planted  at 
a  distance  of  2  feet  apart,  on  deeply-trenched  and 
well-manured  ground.  The  North-West  American 
Spinea  Douglasi,  though  one  of  the  most  common, 
is  unsurpassed  for  its  distinct  and  beautiful  wood 
during  autumn  and  winter,  but  the  only  way  to 
see  it  at  its  best  is  to  cut  it  clean  to  the  ground 
every  year  the  last  week  in  March.  It  will  then 
produce  young  strong  growths  from  4  feet  to 
5  feet  in  height,  each  of  which  will  furnish  fine 
heads  of  deep  pink,  telling  flowers  during 
summer,  and  its  beautiful  warm-looking,  nut-brown 
wood  in  winter  is  to  my  mind  among  the  most 
richly  toned  of  all  the  barks  which  are  used 
to  produce  effect,  and  yet  when  grown  in  the 
ordinary  way,  and  partially  pruned  down,  as  we 
in  nearly  all  cases  see  it,  it  produces  miserable 
flowers,  and  the  wood  is  uninteresting.  About 
every  third  or  fourth  year  after  pruning  give  a 
surface  dressing  of  half -decayed  manure  and  loam 
in  equal  proportions.  The  prunings  should  be 
tied  up  and  saved  for  staking  purposes  ;  I  know 
of  nothing  to  equal  them  for  all  kinds  of  slender- 
growing  plants.  S.  callosa  also  makes  a  fine  bed, 
and  is  very  effective  during  late  summer  ;  its  large 
heads  of  deep  pink  flowers  render  it  most  con- 
spicuous ;  they  are  produced  when  the  others  are 
past  their  best.  It  should  be  cut  to  the  ground 
every  third  year.  S.  prunifolia  flore-pleno  is  an 
exceedingly  beautiful  form,  which  flowers  freely  in 
March  and  April,  and  its  foliage  assumes  lovely 
tints  in  the  autumn.  It  is  of  very  graceful  habit, 
and  well  suited  for  banks  or  overhanging  rocks.  It 
should  be  moderately  pruned  each  year,  and  when 
it  attains  to  a  leggy  appearance  cut  hard  back. 
S.  canescens  syn.  hypericifolia  makes  splendid 
beds  owing  to  the  pretty  arrangement  of  the 
foliage.  This  should  be  piuned  to  the  ground 
annually. 

Symphoricarpus    kacemosus    (the    Cojimon 
Snowberry) 
is  generally  regarded  as  an  almost  worthless  plant, 
but  when  in  a  sunny  open  position  on  well  trenched 
land  and  cut  close  to  the  ground  each  year,  large 
beds  are  most  attractive  in  autunui  and  winler,  as 
by  such  treatment  the  growths  will  become  thickly 
studded  with  pure  white  fruits.     S.  varicgata  is 
a   very   pretty,    somewhat    slow-growing    golden 
leaved  shrub,   and  should  be  planted  in  an  open 
position.     It  has  a  tendency  to  revert  back  to  the 
green   form.     Shoots  of   the  type  should   be   kept 


May  4,  1901.] 


THE    GAliDEN. 


Id  3 


cut  away.  This  should  be 
slightly  pruned  in  spring,  and 
wlien  leggy  cut  to  tlie  ground. 

Rosa  R[iiU(!rxosA  (the  Sweet 
Briar). 
Kvery  woodland  walk,  wil- 
derness, or  semi-wild  garden 
should  have  one  bed  or  more 
of  this  fragrant  plant.  The 
delicious  scent  emitted  from  its 
foliage  in  spring  after  showers 
is  very  welcome,  and  the 
bushes  when  heavily  laden 
with  the  bright  red  fruics  in 
autumn  and  winter  are  most 
effective.  This  should  be 
planted  at  a  distance  of  .3  feet 
apart  in  well  trenched  and 
heavily  manured  ground,  and 
clipped  over  every  spring. 

E.  Bei'kett. 
(To  he  coiitiiiiied.J 


MAKING  USE 
OF  BANKS  BY 
AVATERSIDE. 

The  accompanying  illustra- 
tion teaches  one  great  lesson, 
tliat  of  making  the  most  of 
opportunities  of  creating 
good  garden  pictures.  We 
frequently  find  banks  by 
waterside  utterly  barren  of 
Hower  life,  when  so  much 
may  be  made  of  such  posi- 
tions, as  shown  in  the  pic- 
ture, which,  as  so  many 
others  we  have  illustrated 
in  The  G.^eden,  is  at 
Wisley,  Mr.  Wilson's 
charming  Surrey  retreat. 


NOTES    ON 

ORCHIDS. 

DeNDROKIDM     WIGAXIANUSl 

(Veitch's  variety). 
This  is  a  distinct  variety  of  D. 
wiganianum,  raised  by  Mr. 
Seden,  in  Messrs.  J.  Veitcli 
and  Sons'  nurseries,  from  the 
intercrossing  of  D.  nobile  and 
1).  Hildebrandi.  This  hybrid, 
it  appears,  first  flowered  in 
Mr.  W.  S.  Ellis'  collection  at 
Dorking,  and  wa.s  named  D. 
Ellisi :  but  the  plant  exhibited 
l)y  Sir  F.  Wigan  at  the  Drill 
Hall  recently  as  D.  wigania- 
num, receiving  an  award  of 
merit  before  the  first-named 
appeared,  causes  some  compli- 
cations in  its  nomenclature, 
illustrating  the  necessity  of  a 
responsible  authority  for  the 
proper  naming  of  hybrid 
Orchids.  The  distinction 
between  the  certificated  plant 
and  the  one  raised  by  Mr. 
Seden  is  principallj'  in  the  fact 
that  the  latter  has  a  prominent 
rich  maroon  disc   at  the  base 

of  the  lip,  whereas  in  the  certificated  plant  the 
base  was  cpiite  clear  and  of  a  pale  yellow  througli 
the  tube.  The  extra  colouring  in  Messrs.  Veitch's 
variety  renders  it  much  more  attractive.  It  is  a 
most  desirable  addition. 

Dendroeium   Ainsworthi  intertextitii    (XOT'.ILE 

X    AUREUM    THILIPPINENSE). 

This  is  one  of  the  most  distinct  and  beautiful  of 
the  Ainsworthi  section  of  hybrid  Dendrobiums. 
The  sepals  and  petals  are  creamy  white,  faintlj' 
tipped  at   the    apex   with    rose,   the    lip   creamy 


SIIOWINO    THE    WAY    TO    BEAUTIFY    PAXKS    P.Y    WATERSIDE. 


white,  tipped  with  soft  rose  in  front,  and  there  is 
a  distinct  area  of  brighter  shade  surrounding  the 
brown-purple  disc.  The  flowers  are  not  fragrant 
as  in  the  typical  D.  Ainsworthi  ;  this  is  no  doubt 
accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the  variety  of 
D.  aureum  used  in  its  production  has  not  the 
highly  perfumed  characteristic  of  the  typical  D. 
aureum.  The  growth  also  differs  cnnsiderabh', 
being  more  slender  and  much  longer,  which  was  a 
particular  cliaracteristie  of  Mr.  Lees'  plant  of 
D.  aureum  philippinense,  which  I  well  remember 
in  the   Downside   collection,      Messrs.    J,   Veitcli 


a   fine    display'   of    this 
their    C'helsea    nursery 


and  Sons,  Limited,  had 
most  desirable  kind  in 
recently. 

DENriRomuiM    Kenneth    (McCarthi-I':    x 
Behson'.I';). 

This  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  hybrid  Dendro- 
biums. The  sepals  and  petals  are  pure  white  and 
of  good  form  and  substance.  The  lip  is  elongated 
as  in  D.  McCarthire,  white,  with  a  rich  maroon 
disc  at  the  base.  It  is  remarkably  free  flowering, 
and  was   one  of  tlie   most  attractive  among   tlie 


314 


THE    GARDEN 


TMay  4,  1901. 


(.'OTTACE    CAKIlKN"     AT    KldTd. 

rare   Dendrol^iums   in   flower   renently  in    Mcpsrs. 
J.  Veitcli  anil  Sons'  nurseries. 

DENDROBinM    WiflANT.nC    (."^Tl  1  N'ATITM     ::     NOllILE). 

This  desirable  liyhrid  is  more  varied  tlian  might 
lie  expected.  It  is  diHicnlt  to  find  two  plants 
alike  among  those  now  in  Hower  at  Clielsea.  The 
distinctive  yellow  tints  seen  among  tlie  flowers  of 
the  later  raised  seedlings  are  most  attractive. 
The.se  plants  should  be  useful  for  hj'bridisa- 
tion.  The  habit  of  growth,  combined  with  its 
free  flowering  characteristics,  render  it  a  mo.st 
useful  and  charming  addition  to  this  section  of 
liybrids. 

CvMmninAr  ERi:RNEO-i.owiANn.M. 

This  desirable  liybrid,  derived  from  the  parent- 
age indicated  in  the  name,  improves  as  the  plants 
gain  strength  by  reason  of  the  colour,  substance, 
anil  the  numlier  of  flowers  on  the  raceme.  I  have 
seen  .several  instance.s  this  season  of  eight  flowers 
on  the  raceme,  and  in  one  case  there  were  nine. 
A  most  distinct  variety  with  four  racemes,  carrying 
twenty-four  flowers,  was  recently  noted  in  Messrs. 
J.  Veiteh  and  Sons'  nurseries.  The  flowers  were 
creamy  white,  without  tlie  usual  brown  suffusion. 
Tlie  front  lobe  of  the  lip  stained  witli  rosj'  purple 
instead  of  the  crimson-purple  of  C.  lowianum, 
which  is  such  a  prominent  feature  in  the  typical 
kinds.  These  plants  are  suitable  for  cool  inter- 
mediate liouse  treatment,  where  they  may  obtain 
a  free  circulation  of  air  wlienever  the  outside 
conditions  are  favourable.  • 

El'inENDRITIM     Cl.ARISSA     (ET.ECANTnr.FM     X 

Watxisi). 

This  charming  secondary  hyljrid  is  now  in 
perfection  in  Messrs.  .T.  Veiteh  and  Sons'  flhelsea 
nurseries.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  distinctness. 
The  ground  colour  of  the  flowers  is  almost  white, 
and  in  some  the  se|)als  and  petals  are  free  from 
markings.  The  yellow  ground  kinds  are  suH'ueed 
and  spotted  with  purple,  while  those  having  heavy 
suHusions  of  pur|)Ie  are  the  more  deei)Iy  and 
densely  spotted.  The  labellum  is  generallj'  white, 
suflused  and  streaked  with  purple.  They  form  a 
most  interesting  and  desirable  addition  to  this 
class  of  plants,  and  succeed  best  in  a  warm  moist 
position  of  the  warm  intermediate  house.  They 
require  a  liberal  amount  of  strong  light,  but  must 
be  protected  from  the  scorching  direot  rays  of  the 
sun  during  the  hot  summer  months.  The  potting 
compost  should  consist  of  good  fibrous  peat  and 
living  sphagnum  in  about  equal  proportions.  Tliey 
require  an  .abundance  of  moisture  during  the 
sea.son  of  active  growth,  and  must  not  be  allowed 
to  suffer  from  want  of  root  moisture  at  any  seasoji 
of  the  year,  H.  J.  CuAr.MAN. 


JAPANESE 
TREES. 

TiiK  accompanying  two 
pliotngraph.s  show  these 
trees,  in  a  dwarf  and 
giant  .state,  in  tlieir 
native  country.  In  con- 
trast to  the  Engli.sh 
cottage  with  its  front 
garden,  every  .Tapanese 
residence  of  t  Ii  i s 
description  has  its  gar- 
den at  the  Ijaek,  the 
severe-looking  frontage 
of  these  buildingsgiving 
the  visitor  no  idea  of  the 
artistic  surroundings 
and  charming  little 
shrub!  lery  to  lie  found 
at  tiie  back.  Flowers 
are  not  cultivated  in 
these  gardens,  only 
shrubs  and  trees,  and 
these  are  pruned  and 
trimmed  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  remain 
in  the  dwarf  state  seen 
in  theillustration,  while, 
no  matter  what  size  the 
there  is  always  a  small 
stream,  with  innumerable 
gold  and  silver  fish,  the  feeding  of  which  with 
thin,  wafer-like  Ijiscnits  is  a  source  of  much 
amusement  to  visitors.  The  giant  Pine  tree  at 
Lake  IJeira,  near  Kioto,  is  of  suck  enormous 
proportions  and  beauty  that  it  is  looked  upim 
as  sacred  to  the  natives,  and  a  shrine  is  erected 
near  its  trunk,  where  they  come  and  oti'er  u]i 
their  devotions.  The  trunk  of  the  tree  is  not 
mitch  over  20  feet  in  height,  but  the  branches 
are  of  immense  length,  some  of  them  being 
considerably  over  KiO  feet ;  they  have  been 
trained  horizontally,  and  .spread  out  in  a  circle 
like  a  skeleton  umbrella.  Each  branch  rests 
on  numerous  strong  wooden  supjiorts  about 
10  feet  high,  to  ]jrevent  them  touching  the 
ground,  the  whole  having  a  most  curious  and 
]iicturesi|ue  eft'ect.  R.  H.  W. 


gai'dcn    may    lie, 
pond    or   ]-unuin2 


A     JAMAICA     GARDEN. 

Weecixo  Mary  (Rfsselia  .juncea) 
Is  a  plant  full  of  grace  and  beauty.  It  is  a  near 
relation  of  Pentstemon.  The  young  shoots  carry 
small  leaves  in  whorls, 
which  die  away  and  give 
place  to  the  characteristic 
rushy  foliage.  Juncea, 
though,  is  hardly  the 
right  adjective.  Kquiseti- 
folia  would  hit  the  mark 
exactly.  Anybodj'  who 
had  not  previously  met 
with  the  plant  would 
recognise  it  at  OTiee  from 
the  following  .short  de- 
scription :  A  Mare's-tail 
behung  with  taper 
scarlet-pink  Fuchsia 
bells.  Some  people  call 
it  Fuchsia.  It  grows  in 
the  hottest,  driest  places, 
and  spreads  with  amaz- 
ing rapidity.  Any  nod- 
ding head  that  lays  itself 
to  rest  upon  the  ground 
root.s  before  it  has  time 
to  wake  up,  each  indi- 
vidual hair-leaf  will  make 
a  pl.ant  if  it  touches  the 
earth.  I  take  ailvantage 
of  its  acconnnodating 
nature  and  use  it  largely'. 
It  is  always  out,  and 
worthily     fills    many    a 


corner  which  would  otherwise  lie  empty  owing  to 
unfavourable  contlilions  of  soil  or  aspect. 
Red  and  Br.uE. 
One  such  place  is  the  short  border  at  the  eastern 
end  of  the  outbuildings.  The  morning  sun  beats 
upon  that  spot  with  peculiar  virulence.  Many 
were  the  trials,  many  the  failures,  but  two  plants 
have  come  out  triumphant.  Russelia  from  one 
patch  has  won  possession  from  end  to  end,  and 
Clitoria  ternatea,  which  is  our  Everlasting  I'ea, 
takes  up  anj'  spare  space  it  can  finil.  It  is  ever  a 
matter  of  some  surprise  that  these  incongruous 
colours  go  so  well  together,  or  rather  clash  so  little. 
I  attribute  it  to  the  .saving  grace  of  Weeping 
Mary.  Clitoria  is  wonderfully,  uncompromisingly, 
[leiiliaiMlly  blue.  A  scarlet  equally  determined  in 
its  way  would  be  an  impossible  neighbour.  The 
rash  gazer  would  have  to  wipe  his  two  eyes,  if 
indeed  under  a  nine  o'clock  sun  by  this  white  wall 
he  had  any  eye  left  to  wipe.  But  Russelia  manages 
to  save  ihe  situation,  it  shades  from  scarlet  to 
pink,  in  the  throat  even  to  a  light  pink,  suggesting 
white.  Taking  it  altogether  I  think  it  is  what  is 
known  as  coral.  Gay  but  not  boisterous,  bright 
but  not  vivid,  it  manages  to  be  companionable. 
Clitoria  itself,  if  at  all  judieiouslj'  placed,  is 
also  not  so  ill  to  live  with  as  might  be  supposed. 
All  its  blues  are  blues  of  great  beauty.  There 
is  a  plant,  however,  which  is  hopeless  in  all 
combinations,  and  that  is  Me3'enia  erecta.  I  first 
saw  it  at  Castleton.  the  (Jovernment  garden,  from 
which  my  earliest  batch  of  plants  came.  It  is  one 
of  those  striking  things  that  arrests  the  attention  at 
once,  but  it  is  evidently  hard  to  place.  So,  wdisn  the 
time  came  for  ordering  plants,  I  asked  for  the  M'hite 
one  and  left  out  the  blue.  Two  jears  after  Headlam 
brought  me  some  cuttings,  and  so  it  got  into  the 
garden  after  all.  What  to  do  with  if;  This  was 
the  constant  proVilem  while  the  cuttings  were 
striking.  All  possible  places  were  reviewed, 
cogitated  over  ;  all  condenmed.  Hear  in  nn'nil 
that  it  cries  out  from  afar  :  **  Look  at  me  I  I'm 
Meyenia  erecta — erecta,  I  tell  you,  well  stuck  up. 
and  xucli  a  violet-blue.  Sometimes  they  call  me 
Thunbergia  —  then  Mej'enia  —  then  Thunbergia 
again.  I'm  not  quite  sure  which  I  am  now,  but 
what's  in  a  name  '!  Look  at  nie  !  I'm  blue,  bluer 
than  everybody."  Yes,  Meyenia,  ((/i«<  Thunbergia, 
so  you  are,  and  very  fine  too,  alone.  And  you 
shall  go  in  a  place  that  just  occurs  to  me,  behind  a 
gre3'  rock  overlooking  the  pond,  (ireenery  below 
you,  the  rock  for  background.  It  was  one  of 
those  lucky  bits  of  placing  which  has  answered  all 
expectations.  Hidden  liehind  its  rock  from  other 
coloured  things  above  you  turn  a  corner  and  still 
tlo  not  see  it.  What  yoM.  do  see  is  the  pond  and 
its  wdiite  Water  Lilies  SO  feet  below,  red  heads 
of  Clerodendron  fallax  to  the  left  of  it,  to  the  right 


.SACRED   TREE   AT   OTSU, 


I 


Ma^    -I    1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


315 


oluiiips  of  Wild  I'laiitain  (Heliconia  Biliai),  with 
its  orange  triremes  ami  the  glint  of  sun  on  its  noble 
leaves.  It  is  only  when  }ou  turn  round  that  you 
see  Meyenia,  or  when  you  come  up  this  way  with 
eye  attuned  to  white  Lilies  and  the  green-fringed 
water,  which  prepares  you  to  meet  it  full  face.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  1  rarely  take  this  path  for  the 
upward  journey. 

AllUVE  TUK  PuNii. 

To  walk,  as  you  deal  cards,  from  left  to  right  i.s 
natural  to  most  people.  In  picture  gallery,  museum, 
or  range  of  hot  houses  we  instinctivelj'  turn  to  the 
left  on  entering.  There  are  other  reasons.  'I'liis 
way  is  the  steepest  and  the  sunniest,  and  tliercfore 
the  best  to  go  down  and  the  worst  to  come  up. 
The  Fernery  path  further  west  is  gentler  in  slope, 
except  for  a  final  stairway  of  stones,  and  it  is 
shaded  by  trees.  Owing  to  these  same  trees  views 
down  hill  from  the  Fernery  path  are  almost  shut 
out,  and  only  a  fraction  or  two  of  pond  water  can 
be  seen,  while  on  the  other  hand,  on  the  Corato 
path,  so  called  from  a  giant  Agave  Jlorrisii  at  the 
second  elbow  as  you  go  down,  here,  at  Mej'cnia 
corner,  the  pond  bursts  upon  you  at  once.  It  is 
almost  but  not  quite  a  precipice.  A  cross  path 
on  the  level,  seldom  used,  has  been  out  out  of 
the  hillside  to  join  the  Corato  and 
Fernery  tracks.  Enclosed  between  these 
three  paths  and  the  jjond  is  a  sjjace  of 
about  an  eighth  of  an  acre,  standing, 
if  I  may  saj'  so,  nearly  upriglU.  It  is 
planted  with  small  Bamboo  (Arundo 
Donax),  which  we  find  the  best  thing  to 
defend  steep  ground  against  the  torren- 
tial washes  of  May  and  October.  I  cut 
it  right  down  twice  a  year  so  as  always 
to  have  it  fresh  and  clean  ;  if  left  longer 
it  gets  brown  and  shabby  and  tlie  canes 
fall.  It  grows  about  'J(J  feet  between 
cuttings.  Tlie  eml  towards  the  Corato  is 
rocky  ground,  just  the  thing  for  Prickly 
Pear  (Opuntia),  and  several  kinds  are 
going  in  there;  0.  tuna  and  0.  Ficusindica 
from  America  ;  some  seedlings  of  the  sort 
they  eat  in  Natal  ;  I  hope,  too,  some  from 
Malta.  From  there  comes  a  report  that 
seedlings  will  grow  but  not  fruit,  and 
that  fruiting  plants  can  only  be  obtained 
from  leaves.  I  have  asked  to  have  some 
seeds,  in  spite  of  this  local  experience,  to 
see  whether  it  holds  good  here ;  the 
climate  may  make  a  difference.  There 
are  many  kinds  of  Opuntia  grown  in 
Jamaica,  but  none  are  good  to  eat.  That 
may  be  due  to  climatic  reasons,  but  as 
nobody  seemed  to  take  much  interest  in 
them,  and  as  the  Prickly  Pear  of  the 
Mediterranean  is  such  a  good  cool  fruit, 
it  appeared  worth  while  to  try  experi- 
ments. The  local  name  is  CoHchineal, 
always  with  that  n  in  it. 

Whitk  Coralilla. 

On  the  far  side  of  the  pond  is  a  Mango, 
completely  smothered  by  two  vigorous 
climbers,  Thunbergia  Harrisi  and  Porana 
paniculata.  They  were  planted  to  see 
which  would  gain  the  day.  It  is  an  even 
contest,  and  both  hold  their  own.  The  poor 
Mango  will  not  long  survive.  September 
brings  out  the  Porana,  White  Coralilla  as  we  call 
it.  Such  a  perfect  thing,  a  climbing  White  Lilac 
with  glaucous  leaves.  The  panicles  are  thickl\'  set 
along  a  wiry  stem,  and  a  whole  spra}'  bent  upon 
itself  makes  a  feathery  wreath  of  the  prettiest  kind. 
The  colour  is  rather  creamier  than  lilac,  the 
panicles  looser,  and  the  individual  flower-pips 
smaller.  The  smell  is  nearly  the  same,  I  inclined 
to  say  exactly  the  same,  but  that  at  some  j'ear's 
interval  it  is  impossible  to  retain  the  precise 
quality  of  the  lilac.  Beautiful  out  of  doors,  it  is 
still  more  beautiful  cut,  and  is  one  of  those  things 
that  arranges  itself  and  goes  with  anything.  It 
may  stand  upright  with  a  few  strong  red  Carnations, 
and  both  gain  in  colour  by  association,  or  half  hang 
from  some  low  vessel,  and  may  be  had  any  lengtli 
from  a  few  inches  to  3  feet  or  4  feet.  The  name 
Porana,  which  means  traveller,  indicates  its  habit. 


It  runs  along  the  ground,  rooting  where  it  can,  and 
climbing  everything  it  meets.  A  peculiar  kind  of 
traveller,  not  like  man  and  certain  Alphines,  which, 
when  they  occupy  a  new  place,  aljandon  the  old. 
Coralilla  has  no  such  intention,  but  proceeds  after 
the  manner  of  the  Banyan,  it  clings  to  its  first 
location,  fights  with  its  old  enemy  tlie  Thunbergia 
as  fiercely  as  ever,  and  goes  out  at  the  same  time  to 
annex  fresh  territory.  Excursions  towards  the 
pond  have  to  be  resisted,  as  a  fair  way  along  its 
edge  is  desired  on  this  side.  In  two  directions 
extension  is  encouraged  ;  southward,  crossing  the 
path,  it  writhes  over  stony  ground  towards  a  gro\'e 
of  Orange  and  Pimento ;  eastward  is  has  passed  the 
pond  head  and  is  climbing  a  bare  face  of  rock  and 
reaching  up  into  a  tall  Mahogany  (Swietenia 
Mahagoni).  It  likes  a  moist  root-run  to  begin 
with,  and  with  that  as  a  base  of  operations,  is 
content  to  move  into  drier  places.  A  second  plant 
put  on  a  hot  dry  part  of  the  wall  makes  no  progress. 
A  third  is  trained  on  a  fence  to  be  handy  for 
picking.  Enviable  spraj's  hang  out  of  reach  on 
the  Mango,  and  I  have  to  get  what  I  can  for  the 
house,  not  what  I  would  ;  it  is  so  important  to 
have  pieces  of  just  the  right  length  and  "set.'' 
Books  tell  us  that  it  is  a  Convolvulus,  but  that 
gives  no  idea,   or  a  false  one,  of  its  appearance. 


anotlicr  called  V(jungi,that  is  tliu  must  lieautifiil 
iif  the  weejiing  lUrehes.  In  the  variety dalecarica 
tlic  leaves  are  very  decjily  cat,  while  tho.se  of 
purpurea  are  of  a  Ijroiizy  jiui-ple.  Other  dis- 
tinct kind.s  are  Fastigiata,  which  reminds  one 
of  the  Ijombardy  Poplar,  the  golden-leaved 
aurea,  and  tlie  nettle-leaved  ]5irch  (B.  urtici- 
folia),  whicli  has  finely-cut  downy  leaves. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(Tlie  Editor-i  are  not  re-spoii-sihle  for  the  opinions 
expre^i'ied  by  their  correspondents.  ) 


FROZEN  AND  COOL  8T01;A(JE  OF 

FRUIT,  cKc. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "  Tjie  Garden."] 

SIR, — There  is  a  great  difference  between 
these  two  methods,  which  I  shall  allude  to 
in  an  article  in  reference  to  Orange  and 
Banana  exportation,  a  business  not  yet 
settled.  I  have  always  Ijelieved  that 
gardeners  in  this  country,  if  not  the 
originators  of  cool  storage  of  fruits  and  other 
garden  produce,    have   at   least   Ijcen   among    the 


SILVER    niROIlES    .VT    lUJRNIlAJI    I;EEU11ES    IN    EARLY    SPRING. 


though  it  accounts  for  its  climbing.  It  only  flowers 
with  me  for  a  few  weeks  in  the  autumn  ;  in  the 
plains  tlie  season  is  longer.  W.  .J. 

(To  be  coiiliiiiicd. J 


THE    BIRCH. 

The  Birch  (Betula  alba)  i.s  the  most  graceful 
of  all  hardy  trees.  The  whitened  trunks  stand 
out  like  shafts  of  burnished  silver,  and  with 
their  elegant  drooping  spray  form  a  charming 
woodland  feature  at  all  times,  but  especially 
in  winter  and  quite  early  spring.  It  is 
extremely  varialile  in  many  res]iects,  hence 
there  is  a  long  list  of  well-marked  varieties. 
There  is  a  beautiful  weeping  form  (pendula),and 


pioneers,  because  they  have  always  been  familiar 
with  ice  houses,  and  have  used  them  for  many 
purposes  besides  ice.  When  I  was  a  boy  at 
Drumlanrig  Castle,  an  innuense  establishment  with 
a  big  demand,  where  blanks  between  successional 
crops  iiad  sometimes  to  be  tided  over  in  some  way, 
Mr.  Mcintosh,  the  gardener  there,  practised  cool 
storage.  Following  the  lessons  I  learned  there,  I, 
previous  to  1X70,  had  a  new  ice  house  fitted  for  the 
same  purpose,  an  account  of  which  will  be  found  in 
vol.  iv.  of  The  G.vrden,  187."?,  copied  from  the 
Field.  My  experience  ma3'  perhaps  be  usefully 
described.  The  ice  house,  an  egg-on-end  sliapetl 
one,  nearlj'  "JO  feet  deep,  was  wholly  underground, 
and  at  the  top  end,  the  roof,  were  hooks  for  sus- 
pending game  or  anything  of  that  kind,  and  on  the 
ice  floor,  where  nothing  ever  actually  froze,  were 
preserved,  for  long  periods,  Pines,  Peaches,  Melons, 


116 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[May  4,  1901 


Al'l'LE    DIAMOND    JUBILEE.       ( Aliinit  I  uii-tl,  irds  natural  size.) 


Figs,  Cueumbei's,  forceil  French  Beans,  ami  any- 
thing else  that  we  had  an  overstock  of.  When  tlie 
winter  Broccoli  came  in  \\'ith  a  rush,  about  April 
and  May,  I  sometimes  kept  the  supply  up  from  the 
ice  till  the  summer  Cauliflower  was  read}*.  Turtle 
soup  and  the  like  I  liave  kept  tor  long  periods  for 
the  cook. 

We  used  the  ice  thus  ;  After  the  ice  store  was 
got  in,  up  to  the  latest  frost,  the  house,  which 
was  entered  from  the  top,  was  shut  up.  As 
gardeners  know,  ice  always  begins  to  waste  in  an 
underground  ice  house  as  soon  as  it  is  filled,  and 
the  ice  melts  regularly  from  the  outside,  leaving  a 
space  between  the  wall  and  the  ice.  As  soon  as 
this  space  Avas  a  few  inches  wide,  the  ice  was 
levelled  off  the  top  to  fill  up  the  cavity  again,  thus 
leaving  a  floor  of  ice  of  considerable  area  on  the 
top  of  the  heap.  On  this  floor  all  fruit  and  vege- 
tables were  set  in  trays  or  tin  boxes  without  anj' 
packing,  and,  there  being  ne.xt  to  no  condensation, 
the  fruit  was  always  dry  and  nice.  With  some 
.soft  fruits,  however,  my  experience  was  instructive 
and  interesting.  Peaches,  for  example,  I  have 
kept  spotless  on  the  ice  from  a  month  to  six  weeks 
after  they  were  dead  ripe.  The  first  week  or  two 
they  were  all  right,  but  after  a  much  longer 
period  they  lost  flavour,  and  became  discoloured  a 
few  hours  after  they  came  out  and  were  put  up  for 
dessert  in  a  warm  room.  My  first  experience  of 
this  kind  was  at  a  great  provincial  show,  where  I 
was  awarded  the  first  prize  for  a  collection  of 
fruit  containing  Peaches  and  NBctarines.  At  the 
time  I  had  about  tliirty  dozen  of  tliese  on  ice, 
some  of  them  over  a  month.  On  the  morning  of 
the  show  I  picked  the  best  out  for  my  collection. 
They  were  set  up  in  the  show  about  nine  o'clock, 
the  judges  entering  soon  after.  By  one  o'clock 
when  I  went  round  thej'  were  black,  and  I  over- 
neard  one  of  tlie  judges  remark,  after  the  judging, 
"  The  hot  day  I  suppose.''  It  was  the  cool  storage, 
but  I  said  nodiing,  and  never  risked  it  again,  nor 
never  after  that  did  I  send  Peaches  in  for  dessert 
from  the  ice  house  till  the  last  moment.  More  or 
less  this  quick  decay  and  loss  of  flavour  happens 
with  both  fruits  and  meats.  I  am  told  by  dealers 
in  imported  frozen  meat,  that  it  will  not  keep 
after  thawing,  and  that  the  longer  it  is  frozen  the 
worse  it  is.  A  good  cook  once  told  me  the  same 
thing. 

The  advantage  of  an  ice  liouse  is,  that  fruit 
does  not  freeze  in  it  if  kept  above  the  ice  and  not 


under  it.  In  our  entirely  underground  ice  house 
tlie  temperature  when  empty  ranged  between  i't'-' 
and  .Vi",  and  when  the  ice  was  in  between  /i'l"  and 
oS'-'  or  thereabouts.  This  is  cool  as  distinguished 
from  frozen  storage,  and  is  a  method  at  tlie  service 
of  the  gardener  or  cook  wherever  there  is  an  ice 
house.  I,  however,  got  so  suspicious  about  the 
loss  of  flavour,  in  the  case  of  soft  and  select  fruits 
on  ice  for  a  long  jjeriod,  that  I  never  resorted  to 
the  plan  till  tlie  last  moment.  The  ordinarj'  fruit 
room  is  the  best  place  to  begin  with.  I  have  kept 
quite  ripe  Queen  Pines  a  month  there  in  sound  con- 
dition, and  then  taken  plants  and  fruit  to  the  ice 
house  and  kept  them  another  full  month.  I  have 
often  admired  the  fine  spikes  of  flowers  from 
retarded  Lily  of  the  Valley  roots  by  cool  storage, 
and  wondered  how  it  would  do  with  other  plants. 
I  once  kept  twelve  good  pot  Vines  in  the  ice  house 
all  the  summer,  ^vith  the  object  of  starting  them 
about  August  and  having  a  crop  about  the  new 
year,  but  none  of  them  did  as  well  as  those  of  the 
same  lot  started  at  the  natural  season. 

.1.  SiJirsojN. 

ROYAL  GAKDENERS'  ORPHAN  FUNJ). 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "The  Oakden.'"] 

Sir, — In  the  thirteenth  annual  report,  &c. ,  of  this 
truly  admirable  charity  just  issued,  there  is— if 
one  may  so  express  it — more  food  for  philosophic 
reflection  than  is  to  be  found  in  whole  tomes  of 
some  gardening  literature.  A  reference  to  one 
section  of  it — the  list  of  subscribers  (would  that 
this  comprised  more  of  the  "gardener"  element!) 
— always  a  veiy  interesting  and  important  section 
in  connection  with  such  institutions,  prompts 
the  following  suggestions.  I  notice — being  well 
acquainted  with  it — that  a  ver}'  struggling  society 
— the  West  London  Horticultural  Societ}',  to  wit — 
made  a  donation  last  year  of  the  sum  of  two 
guineas.  AVould  that  every  horticultural  society 
throughout  the  land  might  in  future  follow  such  a 
good  example  1  What  a  nice  little  sum  this  would 
represent  in  the  fund's  coffers  !  There  are,  scattered 
up  and  down  the  country,  many  prosperous  horti- 
cultural societies  that  might  well  set  aside  year  by 
year  a  portion  of  their  "  profits"  to  accelerate  the 
good  work  performed  in  aid  of  gardeners'  orphans. 
Those  educational  and  capital  organisations  —  a 
welcome  sign  of  the  horticultural  progres.s — gar- 
deners' improvement  associations,  might  aid,  too, 


the  good  work  by  having  collecting- 
boxes  placed  in  their  meeting  rooms 
to  obtain  subscriptions,  however 
small.  "  Mony  a  niickle  makes  a 
niucklel"  as  the  old  Scotch  saying 
quaintly  but  truly  puts  it.  On 
page  46  of  the  present  report  what 
a  world  of  pathos  is  contained  in 
those  simple  words  from  a  widow 
in  reference  to  the  assistance  she 
has  so  appreciativelj'  received  from 
the  fund  !  The  concert  scheme  of 
assistance  towards  the  fund  —  one 
that  brought  in  a  goodly  sum  — 
is,  most  unfortunately,  little  con- 
sidered now. 

It  is  regrettable  that  the  Chiswick 
Gardeners'  Association,  the  pioneers 
in  the  concert  movement,  have 
abandoned  for  some  time  this  form 
of  benefiting  the  fund.  Some  few 
years  ago  most  successful  and  high- 
class  concerts  were  held  annually 
in  a  district  that  was  for  man\'  j'ears 
the  headquarters  of  the  fund.  The 
need  for  such  aid  is,  of  course,  no«' 
greater  than  ever,  looking  at  the 
largely  increased  respon.sibilities 
incurred,  and  seeing,  too,  that  some 
fifteen  children  were  added  only 
in  February  last  to  the  already 
lengthy  list  tor  maintenance  by  the 
fund. 

Why  not   annually  have   a   (lar- 

deners'  Orphan  Da}',  as  alreadj-  we 

have  Hospital  Saturday  and  Hospital 

Sunday  ?     Such  a  scheme,  properly 

organised,  should  reach  all  in  touch 

with  gardening,  from  the  boy  crocking  pots  to  the 

millionaire  who  enjoys  the  delightful  products  of 

the  gardeners  skill  and  art.  Life  Memhek. 


APPLE    DIAMOND    JUBILEE. 

This  e.xcclleiit  culinary  Apple  was  exhibited 
by  Mr.  A.  J.  Thomas,  Sittingbourne,  Kent,  at 
a  recent  meeting  of  tlie  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  and  was  then  given  an  award  of  merit. 
It  is  of  good  size  and  handsome  appearance, 
liroadlj'  conical  in  shape,  an  abundant  bearer, 
and  fitted  in  all  respects  to  rank  with  our 
best  kitchen  Apples,  and  well  worthy  the 
award  given  to  it  by  the  fruit  committee. 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 

ARUM     PAL.'ESTINUM. 

A  MEMBER  of  the  Cuckoo-pint  family 
the  interesting  and  curious  iilant 
here  illustrated  is  representc<l  in 
I  this  country  by  A.  maculatuin,  a 
L  coinnion  inhabitant  of  our  thicke(^ 
and  hedgerows.  Another  species 
from  southern  Europe,  the  Italian  Arum,  is 
also  making  its  home  in  thi.s  country,  and 
becoming  naturalised  in  many  districts.  It 
has  larger  leaves  and  flowers  than  our  native 
plant. 

In  general  habit  the  Black  C'alla,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  resembles  our  common  Arum, 
producing  large  triangular  hastate  leaves  and 
spathes  of  about  the  same  length,  green  on  the 
outside  and  black-purjile  on  the  inner  velvet 
like  surface.  Fortunately,  this  ]ilant  is  desti- 
tute of  the  objectionable  odour  common  to 
many  members  of  this  genus.  The  hanilsomc 
flowers  are  produced  in  April  and  May.  Jicing 
a  native  of  the  country  round  Jerusalem 
whence  it  was  introduced  some  thirty-si.x  years 
ago.  it  is  rather  tender,  and  this  fact  may 
explain  the  reason  why  it  is  not  more  often 
seen  in  garden.s  than  it  is.  It  will  flourish  in 
a  very  warm,  sheltered  position,  in  rich  soil, 


May  4,  1901.] 


THE    GAllDEN. 


317 


with  plenty  of  moisture  during  its  growing 
])eriod.  A.  sanctum  is  a  synonym  under  which 
the  above  plant  is  sometimes  found.       W.  1. 


CARNATIONS. 

1'iiE  modern  historj'  of  the  Carnation  dates  from 
July  25,  1S.5U,  when  the  exhibition  was  held  in  Iho 
Royal  Nurseries,  .Slough,  and  where  the  National 
Carnation  and  Picotee  Society  was  formerly 
founded.  Since  then  we  have  the  Northern,  held 
at  Manchester,  the  Southern  section  at  South- 
ampton, and  the  Midland  held  in  Birmingham. 
Never  in  the  history  of  the  Carnation  and  the 
Picotee  were  they  held  in  such  high  esteem  as  at 
the  present  time. 

I  will  endeavour  to  give  a  few  details  re- 
garding the  cultivation, 
and  will  commence  with 
the  propagation.  The 
Carnation  can  be  propa- 
gated from  seed,  cuttings, 
or  layers  ;  the  latter 
method  is  the  one  generally 
adopted.  It  is  of  the 
greatest  importance  that 
we  shoidd  get  our  layer- 
ing done  as  early  in  August 
as  possible,  so  lihat  we  can 
have  our  plants  well  estab- 
lished before  winter  sets 
in.  If  old  plants  are  allowed 
to  remain  out  in  the  open 
we  are  liable  to  lose  a 
great  many  in  the  winter 
through  frosts  and  exces- 
sive moisture.  If  layered 
the  3'oung  plants  will  pass 
through  the  winter  without 
injury  ;  the  plants  can 
remain  where  layered.  The 
soil  for  layering  should 
consist  of  equal  parts 
of  ^good 
sand  y 
loam  and 
1  e  a  t  - 
in  0  u  1  d  , 
with  / 

plenty  of 
coarse 
sand,  sea 
sand  if 
p  r  o  c  u  r  - 
able.  Pass 
the     soil 

through  a  halt-njch  sieve  ;  it  wil  tnou  oe  ready 
for  use.  Before  commencing  to  layer  see  that 
the  plants  are  not  dry.  Then  remove  the 
leaves  from  the  shoots,  commencing  at  the 
bottom,  holding  the  shoot  firmly  to  prevent  its 
breaking  off  at  the  base.  Clean  all  the  laj'ers 
on  the  plant  before  cutting  any,  holding  the  grass 
between  the  left  fore  finger  and  thumb.  Start 
about  half  an  inch  below  the  joint,  making  an 
upward  cut  about  l-i  inches  inlength.  Cut  the  tongue 
off  close  to  the  joint  so  as  to  allow  a  broader  base  for 
the  roots  to  start  from,  using  a  sharp,  thin-bladed 
knife  for  the  purpose.  Carefully  bend  the  layer 
upwards  until  the  cut  freely  opens  ;  press  it  gently 
into  the  prepared  soil  and  peg  firmh'.  When 
finished  water  lightly  with  a  fine-rosed  pot.  If 
layering  in  pots  or  in  the  open  ground  the  surface 
of  the  soil  should  be  broken  up  with  a  pointed 
stick  before  the  layering  soil  is  placed  round  the 
plant.  Pegs  made  of  either  Bracken,  Fern,  or 
galvanised  wire,  cut  into  lengths  about  i  inches 
long,  and  bent  at  one  end  to  form  a  hook,  answer 
well.  The  layers  should  be  well  rooted  by  the 
early  part  of  October.  Care  is  required  in  lifting 
the  young  plants,  the  roots  being  very  tender  and 
liable  to  break.  They  can  be  potted  into  small 
pots  singly  or  in  pairs.  The  soil  for  potting  should 
consist  of  three  parts  good  turfy  loam  and  one 
part  leaf-mould,  and  sutheient  sand  to  make  the 
whole  porous.  Well  drain  the  pots,  place  the 
lilants  in  a  cold  frame,  and  keep  close  for  a  few 
days.     When  the  plants  are  established  admit  air 


freely  at  all  time,  never  closing 
the  frame  through  the  winter. 
The  lights  can  be  removed  when 
the  weather  is  suitable.  It  is 
not  cold  that  injures  the  Carna- 
tion so  much  as  damp.  Water 
sparingly  through  the  winter  and 
as  early  in  the  day  as  possible 
to  allow  the  plants  to  dry  before 
night.  (!o  over  the  plants  at 
intervals  to  remove  all  decayed 
foliage  and  destroy  green  fly. 
The  fly  can  be  brushed  off  witli 
a  painter's  brush  or  .syringed 
with  soft  soap.  October  is  the 
best  month  to  plant  the  Carnation 
in  the  open  beds,  which  should 
have    been   previously  prepared. 


(^' 


The  Carnation  will 
grow  in  almost  an3' 
garden  soil,  but  it 
the  soil  is  of  a  loamy 
nature  se  much  the 
better.  The  beds 
should  be  prepared 
by  digging  deeply 
and  adding  plenty 
of  manure,  which 
should  be  buried 
deep  in  the  bottom 
of  the  trenches. 
Some  growers,  where 
trouble  and  expense 
are  not  taken  into 
consideration, 
remove  the  old  soil 
to  the  depth  of 
8  inches  and  fill  up 
with  good  turfy  loam 
and  rotten  manure. 
Of  course,  this  is 
better  for  the  plants, 
but  near  towns  this 
cannot  be  done  with- 
out  considerable 
outlay.  Well  firm 
the  ground  before 
planting.  Plants 
should  be  placed 
about    8    inches    to 


ARUM     PAL^4:STINUM. 

(Half  natural  size.  Shown  h}i 
Messrs:  J.  Veitch  and  Sons  at  a 
recent  meeting  of  the  iioi/al 
Horticultural  Society.  From  a 
drawing  bg  H,  G.  Moon.) 


10  inches  apart,  with  not  more  than  four 
rows  in  a  bed  to  make  it  convenient  for 
layering.  Press  the  plants  firmly  in  the  ground. 
If  planting  is  left  until  tlie  sjiring  it  should  be 
done  as  early  in  March  as  ])ossible  with  plants 
wintered  in  pots.  It  after  sharjj  frosts  and  thaws 
any  of  the  plants  have  been  lifted  they  must  at 
once  be  placed  firm  in  the  ground.  As  the  season 
advances  keep  the  beds  free  from  weeds  and  the 
surface  of  the  beds  well  hoed.  When  the  plants 
jiush  up  the  flower  ."teins  they  must  be  tied  to 
sticks,  but  not  too  tightly.  If  fine  blooms  arc 
rccjnired  the  buds  should  be  thinned  when  large 
enough  to  handle.  Thin  to  three  or  four  buds  on 
each  stem.  When  buying  plants  the  ]jroper  time 
to  secure  them  is  in  the  autumn. 

Putting. 

Plants  should  lie  placed  in  their  flowering  pots 
early  in  March.     The  foil  should  consist  of  llirce- 
parfs    good    rich    turfy    loam    and    two    parts    of 
rotten  manure  and  leafy  soil,  witli  a  good  s]irinkling 
of  old   liiortar  rubble  and   coarse  sand.     Mix  the 
whole  thoroughlj',  and   place  the 
soil  under  cover  when   ready  for 
use.      Clean  pots  should    alwaj's 
be  used,  6-inch,  7-inch,  and  8-incli 
]iots,  according  to  the  strength  of 
the  plants.     Six-inch  pots  will  be 
large  enough  for  one  strong  plant, 
two  in  a  7-inch,  and  two  or  three 
plants  in  an  8-inch.     Firm  jiolting 
is  a  necessit}'.    After  potting  the 
plants  can  Ije  put  out  of  doors  on 
ashes  or  strips  of  wood  to  prevent 
the  egiess  of  worms,  but  if  con- 
venient it  would  be  well  to  place 
them  in    a   cold  frame  until  the 
plants  take  liold  of  the  new  soil, 
giving    plentj'    of   air.      As    the 
season  advances  look  carefully  to 
the   watering.      If   hot   and   dry 
water  freely,  giving  the  plants  a 
good  sj'ringing  overhead  ;   it  will 
help  to  keep  them  clean  and  pro- 
mote  growth.       As   soon  as   the 
plants   begin    to  throw  up   their 
flowering  stems  place  sticks  about 
3  feet  high,  one  stick  to  a  pot,  tie 
the    stem   securely,    not   tightlj', 
stop  all  sideflowering  stems  except 
the  leading  ones.    Disbud  as  soon 
as  the  buds  can  conveniently  be 
removed.  The  number  of  buds  must  depend  upon  the 
strength  of  the  plant.     The  buds  to  be  left  is  the 
main  one,  then  the  one  at  the  third  or  fourth  joint 
counting  from  the  top.   Select  the  best-shaped  buds. 
A  strong  plant  will  carry  from  three  to  four  buds  ; 
weaker  plants  two  onlj'.     As  the   buds   begin  to 
swell  a  little  weak  manure  or  clear  soot  water  will 
be   of    great   benefit    to   them.       Some   sorts   will 
rei(uire  tying  to  stop  the  buds  from  bursting,  small 
indiarubber  rings  or  a  thin  piece  of  rattia  are  useful 
for  this  purpose.      Tie  rather  tightly   round   the 
centre  of  the  pod.     When  the  buds  begin  to  burst 
it  the  calyx  is  split  a  little  on  the  opposite  side  it 
will  stop  the  flower  from   bursting,  and  this  will 
allow  the  flower  to  open  more  evenly.     Before  the 
buds  begin   to   Ijurst  place  the   plants   in    a   cold 
house  merely  to  keep   the  rain  from  spoiling  the 
bloom.     A  skeleton  house  made  with  a  roof  at  a 
sharp   angle   and    covered   with   canvas  stretched 
tightly  over  will  answer  well.     Shade  from  bright 
sun  when  the  blooms  are  opening.     If  j'ou  wish  to 
show  your  blooms  in  competition  3'ou  will  require 
show   boards,    dressing   tweezers,  and  cards.      In 
selecting   blooms    for    competition    great    care   is 
necessar}'.       Select    the    brightest    and     freshest 
blooms.     Bizarres  should  have  two  colours  besides 
the  ground  colour,  which  should  be  of  pure  white. 
Flakes  should  have  one  colour  besides  the  ground 
colour.      Picotees,    whether    heav3',    medium,    or 
light  edged,  must   have   grounds  of   the   greatest 
purity. 

Dkessinu  and  Staging  the  Fluweks. 

It  is  useless  to  deny  that  honest  and  proper 
dressing  is  a  fair  advantage  to  the  florist's  Carna- 
tion.    The  petals  of    the  Carnation  are  so  easilj- 


518 


THE     GARDEN. 


[May    4,  190i. 


ASJ'LENIUM    INX'iSUM. 

disiiliiced  by  the  wiml  so  as  to  hide  more  or  less  of 
their  proportions  and  beauty.  Often  two  or  three 
petals  will  (overlap  so  as  to  apjiear  as  one. 
Nature,  therefore,  having  done  her  part,  it 
remains  for  us  to  commence  where  she  has  left  off, 
and  bring  to  light  all  the  beauties  of  the  flowers, 
placing  the  petals  in  the  best  position  so  that  the 
Hnely  marked  petals  shall  be  displayed  to  tlie  best 
advantage.  All  ruined  or  defective  petals  must 
be  pulled  out  with  a  pair  of  tweezers.  In  bizarres 
and  flakes  no  self  petals  or  those  devoid  of  white 
are  admissible.  Cards  of  two  sizes  are  required, 
the  larger  one  put  under  the  flower  to  arrange  tlie 
petals  upon,  and  the  smaller  card  should  be  cut 
with  a  star-shaped  pattern  in  the  centre.  The 
points  of  the  strain  as  the  flower  stems  pass 
through  will  bend  outwards  and  downwards. 
Bind  gently  on  the  calj'.\  sides  and  thus  hold  the 
larger  card  in  position.  Upon  this  with  the 
tweezers  arrange  that  the  lower  row  of  guard 
petals  should  be  laid  over  the  edge  of  the  tw(j 
underneath  .so  as  to  cover  the  divisions,  the  third 
row  in  like  manner,  till  the  centre  of  the  flower  is 
reached.  I'his  recjuires  care  and  some  practice, 
and,  like  all  things  done  with  grace  and  ease, 
looks  much  easier  to  do  than  it  really  is.  ({reat 
care  is  required  in  handling  the  petals  so  as  not  to 
bruise  or  rip  them.  I  would  advise  the  beginner  in 
dressing  rather  to  do  too  little  than  too  much,  as 
many  flowers  are  sjjoilt  by  overdressing. 

Fertilisinu  and  Seed  Savinc. 

All  growers  of  Carnations  shoidd  aim  at  seed 
saving,  one  of  the  most  interesting  details  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  Carnation,  interesting  on  account 


of  its  many  failures 
and  its  unexpected 
successes  and  useful 
experiences  which  it 
aHords.  No  lover 
of  this  flower  has 
any  conception  of 
the  interest  these 
flowers  are  able  to 
aff'or<l  until  he 
looks  forward  every 
year  to  the  flower- 
ing of  his  batch  of 
seedlings.  The 
interest  is  also  in- 
creased when  the 
grower  is  able  to 
sow  seed  which  he 
himself  has  ferti- 
lised. If  we  wish 
to  produce  seedlings 
of  superior  excel- 
lence we  should 
select  the  finest 
flowerof  sorts  in  cul- 
tivation. Flowers 
with  too  many 
petals  should  be 
avoided,  taking  caro 
to  cross  scarlet 
bizarres  with  scarlet 
bizarres,  crimson 
with  crimson,  and 
so  on.  If  crossed 
indiscriminately  the 
result  will  not  be 
satisfactory.  The 
pistils  are  in  the 
form  of  two  or 
sometimes  three 
horns,  called  styles, 
which  spring  from 
the  apex  of  the  seed 
pod  when  ready  for 
fertilising.  These 
will  be  found  some- 
what curled  and 
slightly  rough.  Until 
they  are  well  up 
they  are  not  ready 
for  the  pollen.  Tliis 
is  found  among  the 
petals  and  on  the 
anthers  in  the  form 
of  tine  dust,  which  can  he  easilj'  removed  from 
them  by  the  point  of  a  camel  hair  brush.  Some- 
times the  pollen  is  difficult  to  And,  and  .some 
sorts  produce  it  with  greater  freedom  than 
others.  At  midday,  when  bright  and  Hne,  the 
pollen  should  be  found  in  proper  condition. 
With  the  point  of  the  camel  hair  brush  remove 
a  small  portion  of  the  pollen  and  touch  with 
it  the  point  and  upper  end  of  the  pistils  of  the 
bloom  you  wish  to  fertilise.  If  the  operation 
is  successful  in  a  day  or  two  the  flower  will  close. 
W'hcn  the  petals  are  dead,  after  fertilisation,  they 
should  he  pulled  out  from  the  calyx  carefully  to 
admit  air  to  the  seed  pod.  Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  pull  away  the  pistil.  .Split  down  the  calyx 
so  that  no  wet  can  lodge  therein. 

CLASSIFICATION    111'    FIjOWEKS. 

We  may  consider  briefly  the  characteristics  of 
the  various  sections  of  the  flowers.  The  liizarres 
have  two  colours,  disposed  lengthways  on  the 
white  ground,  and  aresul)-divided,  according  to  the 
dominant  colours,  into  scarlet,  crimson,  and  piidt 
and  purple  bizarres.  The  flakes  have  one  colour 
laid  lengthways  on  the  white  ground,  and  are 
classed  into  scarlet,  rose.,  and  purple  flakes. 
Pieotees  have  the  colour  placed  upoji  the  edge  of 
the  petals,  and  are  classed  as  red,  purple,  rose, 
and  scarlet  edges,  and  sub-divided,  according  to 
the  depth  of  the  colours,  into  heavy,  medium,  and 
light  edge.  A  section  embraced  by  the  term  of 
fancy  takes  in  all  flowers  with  markings  on 
coloured  grounds,  and  also  those  indeflnitely  marked 
on  tlic  white  ground.  Self  flowers  are  of  one 
colour,  and  embrace  almost  every  shade  or  lint. 


Yellow  ground  flowers  of  late  years  have  come 
very  much  into  favour.  Their'  rich  and  varied 
colours  make  them  i|uite  distinct  and  general 
favourites.  They  embrace  almost  every  shade  and 
hue. — Coiidcn-'eil  from  a  jiiiper  i-trni'lh/  riwl  In/ 
Mr.  C.  H.  lltrhul  hifon  III'  Kiiidcrmiii.-ili'r 
Horl  ic  tillnral  Socieli/. 


THE     FERN     GARDEN. 

THE     ASPLENIUMS. 

(Spleen  WORTS.) 

OUR  IJritish  Spleenworlsenil)race  no  less 
than  ten  species,  including  Ceterach 
I  ofHcinarum,  which  undoubtedly  be- 
longs to  the  family  ;  hence  no  other 
genus  is  so  well  represented.  For 
the  purposes  of  this  list,  however, 
the  majority  of  these  species  are  valueless,  the 
varieties  being  unimportant.  \\'e  maj',  therefoie, 
dismiss  at  once  Asplenium  ruta-nuu'aria,  A.  ger- 
manicum,  A.  fontanuni,  A.  viride,  A.  seplcn- 
trionale,  and  A.  lanceolatum  with  the  remark  tliat 
as  denizens  of  old  walls  in  exposed  positions,  or,  in 
the  case  of  A.  viride,  of  sheltered  nooks,  in  rocks 
(limestone  for  preference)  by  stream  sides,  or  on 
the  mountain  tops,  their  culture  is  not  of  the 
easiest.  In  pans,  however,  practically  tilled  witli 
drainage  material  mixed  with  leaf-mould  and  lime- 
stone rubble,  and  placed  near  the  glass,  we  iiave 
seen  good  specimens  estaljlishcd,  but  we  ourselves 
have  succeeded  best  by  exca%ating  a  hole  about 
a  foot  deep  and  a  3'ard  in  diameter  in  a  Fern-bed 
facing  the  north,  making  a  station  of  limy,  rubbly 
material  on  the  bottom  of  it,  facing  it  all  rounil 
with  rough  pieces  of  limestone,  on  the  chinks  of 
which  the  plants  weie  inserted.  A  large  bell-glass 
supported  by  stones  covered  the  whole  in  such  a 
way  that  air  had  free  access  beneath  it.  This 
fairly  representing  natuial  conditions,  the  bell- 
glass  protecting  the  plants  from  soot  and  dust  of 
a  London  garden,  the  Spleenworts  throve  and 
flourished.  A  shallow,  glazed  frame  on  the  same 
principle  would  ser\e  for  a  larger  luimber,  or  such 
stations  ciaild  be  multiplied.  The  greatest  danger 
with  the  family  seems  to  be  the  deposition  of 
moisture  on  the  fronds  for  any  length  of  time,  as 
tliey  are  then  very  apt  to  rot  aiul  go  wrong.  A. 
ruta-niuraria  figures  in  Mr.  Lowe's  book  for  sixteen 
varieties,  but  none  of  them  rank  as  choice  things. 
A.  viride  has  yielded  twelve,  to  whicii  uiay  be 
added  a  charming  dwarf  imbiicatuni  found  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  McLean,  Aberfeld}',  and  sent  to  the 
writer  years  ago,  Ijut  long  since  defunct.  The 
varieties,  however,  like  the  normal  form,  are 
extremely  ditHcult  to  establish,  and  we  are  not 
suHioiently  sure  of  the  existence  of  any  to  be  able 
to  add  them  to  our  list.  A.  septentrionale  and  A. 
germanicum  have  done  nothing.  A.  fontanuni  is 
in  itself  a  little  beauty  ;  the  only  variety  worth 
notice  is  refractum,  a  curiously  lengtliened  edition 
with  bulbils  on  base  of  fronds.  A.  lanceolatum 
has  yielded  the  curious  A.  1.  microdon,  a  barren 
form,  considered  by  some  to  be  a  hybrid  with  A. 
marinum,  large,  confluent  pinn:e.  A  beautifully 
crested  form  was  found  abroad  by  Mr.  Boyd,  liut 
this,  we  fear,  no  longer  exists.  Other  forms  are 
recorded,  but  none  of  value.  All  the  sjieeies  are 
thorough  evergreens.  To  come  now  to  the  species 
which  afford  us  really  good  material,  we  maj'  start 
with 

Tme  Maiiien-iiaik  Si'I,ekn\vout(A.  tkuiio.\l\nes). 
This  pretty  species  is  very  widely  distributed, 
and  is  found  on  old  walls,  on  stony  dykes  and 
hedgcbanks,  and  on  rocks.  Its  fronds  are  simply 
pinnate,  the  l)lack  midrib  sometimes  over  a  foot  in 
length,  but  usually  about  half  that  size,  bearing  two 
fairly  even  rows  of  oval-stalked  divisions,  on  the 
backs  of  which  tlie  linear  fructification  of  the 
s|iecies  ajipears.  Culture  as  previousl}' indicated. 
The  chief  superficial  dift'erence  between  this  and 
A.  viride  is  that  the  latter  has  a  light  green 
midrib,  to  which,  moreover,  the  pinna-  are  firmly' 
attached  in  life  and  death,  while  those  of  A.  triclio- 
manes  fall  oil' when  decay  sets  in.  A.  trichonianes 
has   been   fairly   generous   in   varieties,    especially 


May   4,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


ni9 


since  the  whole  family  is  chary   of  change.     Tlie 
followiny  are  the  best  ;  — 


Where 

Found. 


Name. 
liipinnatuni  .  Wales 


Finder  or 
Jtal^er  and 

Dale. 
llul)erts 


l)e.^cription. 


iitluensSta-  Levens 
bier 


WhiLI.y 
Ireland 


eristatiun 


ham 


A  remarkable  f<iiin,  in 
whieh  the  pinmo  in 
robust  plants  are 
pinnate,  like  small 
fronds. 
Staliler  . .  A  presumed  liybrid 
(ISTii)  lietween    A.    tridm- 

manes  and  A.  nuiri- 
num,  doubted,  how- 
ever, by  many. 
Fronds  large  ami 
leathery,  and  cttn- 
Huent  at  tips. 
W.  Willson  Ifpper  lialf  of  frond 
P.N.  l''raser      conMnont. 

(is7r.) 

,,         . .  W.   l''orster  Identical     with    Sta- 
. .  .T..l.SnutIues    bier's  find. 
Various    ..  Various    ..   Head    divided    into 
more  or  less  ramose 
tassels. 
L-orymbifernmCusnipOill   lt.('.r>rown  liiinch  erestcd. 
I'ross- 
thwaite..  Barnes 
Ifarovii    ....  ..  Wollaston  Small,  serrate  pinna', 

Vq\.  .(ones       fronds  narrow. 
E.  J.  Lowe 
imbrieatnm  .  Knareshoro'  Clapham..  Piiniie  very  large  and 
(1SI'.3)  overlapping,     eon- 

tlueut  at  frond  tips  ; 
a    little    like    con- 
tluens. 
The     finest     plumose 
form  ;    pinna;    very 
large,    deeply     cut, 
and  overlapping.    A 
gem. 
Various    ..  Similar    plumose 
forms,    but    not    so 
foliose.     All    are 
barren    and    true 
plumosums,    except 
one    found    in    (ila- 
morgan. 
Stansfteld  .  A  laeiniate  incisum. 

(180:i) 
Xhrnle  ....  Resembles    Harovii, 

but  more  deeply  in- 
cised. 
Various    ..  Tt-anks  withcristatuni. 
Sargeant . .   \'ery    l»road  -  headed 

(1861)  ci-istatum. 

Patey(lS73) 

Various    . .  Fronds    repeated!  y 
branched. 

troygyense  ..  Wentwood   Lowe  (1SS2)  A     fine,     deeply  -  cut 

form . 

The  Black  Maidkn-iiair  Spleknwort 

{A.   AOTANTUM    NIflRURl). 

This  species  is  quite  distinct  from  any  other  ; 
long,  black  stems  and  twice-divided  triangular, 
somewhat  leather}^  fronds  ;  habitats,  old  walls  and 
dykes,  and  also  hedge-banks,  assuming  its  largest 
size  in  shady  lanes  ;  soil  more  leaf3'  than  with  the 
other  species. 

Finder  or 


ineisumClap-  Yorkshire.  OlaphaTu 
(1859) 
LathaTii 


Somerset. 
A''arious    . 


laciniatum  . .  Co.  Clare 
Moulei Devon  . . . 


nuiltifidum..  Various 
ramo-crista-     Cornwall 
tuni 

Cardigan 
lamosum ....   Various 


Nauii 
acutum 


Where 

Found, 


Jiainer  and 
Date. 


Des'cn'ptioii. 


Various  ..  Various  ..  Normally  A.  a.  nigrum 
varies  nuich  in  rela- 
tive bhnitness  or 
acuteness  of  termi- 
nals ;  the  warmer 
the  climate,  appa- 
rently  the  more 
acute  and  slender 
the  divisions.  Good 
forms  (jf  acutum  aie 
very  handsome. 

grandiceps  . .  Ilfraconibe  K.A.Thomp- Two  very  similar 
son  (ISli.'"))  forms  with  heavy, 
,,  Waterford  Rev.T.Snuth    spreading,   fan  -  like 

(ISCi.^i)  crests  on  frond  ;  ter- 

minal pinnie  few  and 
f  1  abcl  la  te.  The 
Devonshire  form  has 
the  piiniie  more  in 
evidence. 

microdon  ..  Ashhurtoii.  Hickfoi-d  ..  Large,  confluent 
Richards  jntniic  ;   a  presumed 

hybrid  lietween  this 
species  and  A.  niari- 
mun,  but  also  open 
to  doubt,  Ashburton 
lying  inland  far 
from  A.  marinum 
intluence. 

The  Sea  Spleenwort  {A"spleniu:\i  marixum). 

A  tenant  of  sea  caves  and  rocks  adjacent,  thriving 
in  spots  which  must  often  be  drenched  with 
lirine.  The  once-divided  fronds  are  tough,  leather}', 
and  evergreen,  but  the  Fern  is  nevertheless  tender, 
and  will  stand  but  little  frost.    On  the  other  hand, 


it  thrives  under  warm  culture,  and  we  have  seen  it 
in  a  vinery  at  Kew  with  grand  -J-fcet  fronds,  form- 
ing a  luige  plant  1  yard  tlirough  and  2  feet  liigh. 
Hence,  despite  its  native  origin,  it  will  well  repa^' 
exotic  treatment.  There  are  several  varieties,  but 
for  ornanu-Milal  purposes  we  can  only  reconiniend  : 


Xanie 


iV/n-ie 

Found. 


A.  m.  inibri-  bowc 

catnrn 

A.  m.  plnnio- 

sum 


A.   m.  ranio-  Scarlmio 
trapezifoiinc 


hinder  or 
Haiser  and  l)esen'/ni..n. 

Dale. 

A   distinct,    ilciisc 

form. 
A  thoroughbred  plu- 
mose, twice-divided, 
and  ri^tiust  form , 
barren  anil  rare. 
<'lapham  A  r  a  m  o- c  r  i  st  a  t  e 
foim. 


Till-:  Scaly  Si'],ekn worts  (Ckteracii  oh'FicrNARUM 
Asp.  Cetkraoh). 

A  lover  of  the  sunny  side  of  ancient  walls, 
where  it  revels  on  old  mortar  pure  and  simple.  It 
is  a  pretty  little  Fern  witli  dark  olive  -  green, 
leathery,  once-divided  fronds  of  a  long,  oval  shape, 
with  broad,  blunt  pinni>^,  .sometimes  crenate,  and 
thickly  clothed  on  the  back  with  dense,  brown 
scales.  It  withstands  drought  to  almost  any  ex- 
tent, surviving  actual  shrivelling  for  months,  and 
yet  reviving,  when  subsequently  soaked,  like  a 
true  tropical  speeies.  A  number  of  forms  have 
been  found,  mainly  in  Ireland.     The  best  are  ; 


Xa)ne. 


Where 

Ftitind. 


Fhidei;  or 

Jiaiser  and  Descriptum. 
Dale. 

cristatum    ..  Co.  Clare..  O'Kelly    ..  Neatly  fan-tasselled. 

grandiceps . .            ,,                   ,,  More  lieavily  tassel  led. 
nuiltifido- 

cristatum   .            ,,            O'Kelly    ..  ^^nlti^idly  crested, 

raumso  -  cris-           ,,            A.  AVise   . .  liranched    and    tas- 

tatum  selled. 

C.  T.  Drtterv. 


THE    WALL    RUE    (ASPLENIUM    RUTA-MURARIA), 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

THE   FLOWER  GARDEN. 

FOR  the  next  few  weeUs  the  planting  out 
of  the  niany  more  or  less  tender  plants 
that  have  hcen  wintered  under  glass  or 
raised  from  seeds  this  spring  will  fdaini 
attention.  ]Jy  beginning  early  with 
the  hardier  subjefts  and  going  steadily 
on  with  the  work  instead  of  leaving  all  to  be  done 
with  a  rush  towards  tlio  end  of  the  month,  not 
only  is  the  planting  lietter  done,  but  the  earliest 
planted  things  get  a  good  root  hold  while  the  soil 
is  still  cool  and  moist,  and  will  not  need  nearly 
so  mueh  attention  with  the  water-pot  or  hose  as 
they  would  if  planted  later. 

SCARLKT    IjOIIEUAS. 

These  are  among  the  first  plants  that  may  safelj- 
be  planted  out,  for  if  they  ha\'e  been  fairly  harrlened 
they  will  not  bo  likely  to  suffer  from  any  frosts 
that  we  niaj'  now  expect.  They  enjoj'  a  rich  soil, 
and  slioulil  always  be  planted  in  the  moist  part 
of  the  garden  ;  indeed,  they  much  prefera  swampy 
bit  of  ground.  I  thiidi  I  have  before  remarked 
that,  for  long  and  late  flowering,  seedlings  are 
far  better  than  plants  raised  by  division,  and  as  thej' 
come  almost  ti\ie  from  seed  there  need  be  no  fear 
of  an  obnoxious  mixture  of  colour.  It  is  full  earlj' 
to  sow  seeds  for  next  year's  batch,  but  it  should 
not  be  delayed  much  longer,  as  the  seedlings  grow 
but  slowly  and  the  seeds  lose  their  germinating 
powers  if  left  too  long  in  the  packets.  They 
germinate  best  in  a  cold,  shaded  frame,  and  may 
be  grown  in  shade  throughout  the  summer,  pricking 
them  off  into  shallow  boxes  in  the  autumn  in  time 

to  get  well  estab- 
lislied  before 
winter. 

Pan'Sies. 

The  tufted 
Violas  have  lo 
a  certain  extent 
ousted  the 
Pansies  for  flower 
garden  work,  but 
of  the  latter  there 
are  some  good . 
strains  on  the 
market  that 
flower  very  well 
as  annuals.  An}' 
such  raised  under 
glass  should  be 
planted  out  now, 
choosing  for  them 
a  shady  border 
and  a  w  e 1 1  - 
manured  cool 
soil. 

Dahlias. 

In  some  gar- 
dens it  is  impos- 
sible for  want  of 
room  to  start  the 
old  stools  or  to 
raise  a  stock  of 
cuttings  under 
glass,  and  one  is 
perforce  bound  to 
plant  them  out 
in  the  dry  condi- 
tion in  which 
they  have  been 
wintered.  This 
may  be  done  now, 
buryingthestools 
some  3  inches 
deep, so  that  the 
young  growths 
may  not  come 
through  the  soil 
too  soon.  An}' 
precocious  shoots 
should  be 
watehed  for  and 
protected    not 


320 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  4,  1901. 


only  from  frost  bvit  also  from  slugs,  whieli  are  sure 
to  be  read3'  to  eat  them  unless  a  protective  ring  of 
lime  or  soot  bar  tlie  way.  .T.  C.  Tallack. 

Shiji/ey  Hall  (iiudeii.s,  Derhi/. 

FRUIT   GARDE  ?J. 

Forced     Strawheurie.s. 

The  earliest  forced  fruits  have  in  our  own  ease 
lieen  better  than  usual,  and  thougli  the  culture 
has  lieen  somewhat  similar  we  gave  the  plants 
more  time  at  tlie  start,  and  liy  having  stronger 
bloom  the  fruits  are  superior.  I  note  the  latter 
point,  as  even  now  at  this  advanced  season  of  forcing 
tlie  same  practice  holds  good  ;  it  is  a  great  gain 
to  force  slowly  at  the  start  and  secure  a  health}' 
site.  Much  may  now  be  done  with  sueeessional 
crops  to  obtain  the  liest  flavonr,  and  it  is  considered 
that  with  ample  sun  lieat  the  flavour  is  secured, 
l)ut  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  tliat  the  sun  heal 
causes  a  greater  demand  upon  the  water-pot,  and 
plants  in  full  vigour  carrying  a  lot  of  fruit  so  soon 
get  dried,  especially  when  growing  on  elevated 
shelves  that  lack  of  moisture  will  soon  tell  its  tale, 
the  flavour  is  greatlj'  impaired,  and,  what  is  so 
liarmful,  the  foliage  and  fruit  also  soon  get  infested 
with  red  spider,  and  the  fruits  cease  to  swell. 
Man}'  growers  advise  standing  fruiting  plants  in 
saucers  ;  I  do  not,  as  excess  of  water  also  afleets 
flavour.  It  is  a  safe  plan  to  feed  freely  and  not 
allow  plants  to  surter  for  want  of  food  or  moisture, 
but  not  to  stand  the  roots  in  water.  I  also  advise 
syringing  freely  after  bright  snnshine  till  the 
fruits  are  eolonring,  tlien  cease  (feeding  also  is 
best  discontinued),  and  if  possible  lower  the  tem- 
perature, and  by  so  doing  firmer  fruit  and  better 
colour  will  be  secured. 

The  old  objection  that  forced  Strawberries  are 
poor  insipid  things  is  now  a  thing  of  the  past ;  in 
most  gardens  with  care  in  cultivation  both  size  and 
flavour  compare  most  favourably  with  open  ground 
fruits.  The  difiiculty  with  plants  giving  a  suppl}' 
from  the  middle  of  May  till  the  middle  of  .June  is 
that  on  dry  exposed  shelves  much  labour  is  entailed 
in  feeding  and  watering.  This  can  be  avoided.  In 
our  own  case,  for  the  supply  at  the  season  named, 
we  place  our  plants  on  a  cool,  hard  coal  ash  bottom. 
These  plants  are  now  (April  'i'l),  being  got  in  from 
the  open,  and  are  showing  the  trusses  freely ; 
tlie  forcing  structures  are  low  pits,  and  these 
plants  will  keep  us  going  till  the  earliest  in  the 
open  ground  turn  in.  Our  latest  batch  are  the 
Royal  Sovereign,  and  we  find  nothing  to  beat  it 
for  mid-season  and  late  supplies,  and  for  early 
.Tune  fruits  cold  frames  are  valuable,  as  the  plants 
grown  near  the  glass  do  grandly.        (!.  Wvthes. 

Syoii  HoiiAd  Garilen.t,  Brentford. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

The  improved  state  of  the  weather  has  had  a 
most  beneficial  eftect  on  Chrj'santhemunis  of  all 
sections,  and  in  all  stages  of  their  growth,  late 
or  early,  and  they  will  now  (|uickly  assume,  with 
good  treatment,  that  liealthy  and  robust  appear- 
ance which  the}'  should  do  at  tliis  season.  All 
should  now  be  arranged  in  the  open  in  sheltered 
positions,  but  protected  at  niglit  whenever  frost  is 
likely  to  occur.  If  for  want  of  space  they  have 
lieen  crowded  together,  stand  them  out  thinly  so 
that  the  sun  and  air  can  reach  tliem  unchecked. 
Drawn  up,  spindly  growth  must  be  particularly 
avoided  at  this  season  to  produce  blooms  of  the 
highest  quality.  As  I  have  often  pointed  out  the 
growth  should  be  built  up  solid  arul  slowly  from 
tlie  beginning,  conseijuently,  every  encouragement 
should  be  aSbrded  them  to  tliis  end.  Kxamine  the 
plants  at  least  twice  daily,  and  in  bright  drying 
weather  three  times.  The  earliest  potted  plants 
will  now  have  pretty  well  filled  their  pots  with 
roots,  but  I  do  not  advise  potting  into  the  flower- 
ing pots  before  the  end  of  May  ;  should  any, 
through  being  pot  bound,  appear  to  be  in  a  starved 
condition,  small  doses  of  manure  water  will  do  no 
harm  ;  just  suHicient  to  keep  them  going  till  they 
are  shifted  on,  and  any  varieties  which  are 
persistent  in  showing  bud,  if  pot  bound,  will  also 
be  much  assisted  into  growth  by  giving  them  a 
moderate  amount  of  stimulant  when  in  G-inch  pots. 


Pick  out  the  buds  aa  fast  as  they  appear,  and  syringe 
freely  in  bright  weather  twice  daily.  Specimen 
plants  should  by  now  have  formed  their  foundation 
and  be  potted  on  as  the  pots  Ijeconie  filled  with 
roots.  Stop  and  train  out  the  shoots,  allowing 
them  as  much  as  possible  to  assume  as  natural  a 
habit  as  is  consistent  with  a  trained  plant.  Select 
an  open  sunny  position  on  a  south  border  if 
possible,  partly  plunge  the  pots,  placing  the 
bottom  on  slates,  dust  the  under  part  of  the 
foliage  with  black  sulphur  to  prevent  mildew 
gaining  a  foothold,  or  the  appearance  of  the  plants 
will  be  much  marred  at  the  flowering  season  as 
well  as  the  quality  of  the  blooms.  Standard 
specimens  should  receive  the  same  kind  of  treat- 
ment, making  sure  that  the  heads  are  thoroughly 
secure  against  wind. 

Border  varieties,  which  were  propagated  in  cold 
frames,  should  ere  now  have  rooted  freely  and 
made  nice  little  plants  :  pinch  out  the  points  to 
induce  them  to  make  a  sturdy  bushy  growth. 
These  may  be  planted  out  with  safety  any  time 
after  this  date  on  well-prepared  ground,  after 
which,  except  keeping  them  well  supplied  with 
water,  and  attending  to  tying,  mulching,  and 
staking,  little  other  attention  will  he  required. 
I  believe  these  have,  a  great  future,  as  they  adapt 
themselves  readily  for  many  purposes,  either  for 
brightening  up  the  shrubbery  borders,  bedding  in 
the  flower  garden,  or  perhaps  seen  to  the  best 
advantage  when  massed  together  on  a  fairly  wide 
border  in  a  sheltered  position  by  themselves. 

E.  BecivEtt. 

Aldfiiham  Houxe  Gardens,  Elxtree,  Hertx. 

KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

Advantage  should  be  taken  of  fine  weather  to 
destroy  as  many  weeds  as  possible  by"  the  careful 
use  of  the  Dutch  hoe  between  the  rows  of  spring- 
sown  crops  as  soon  as  the  young  plants  are  large 
enough  to  be  seen.  Frequent  stirring  of  the  soil 
in  this  way  is  of  great  advantage  to  young  crops, 
and  should  be  practised  as  often  as  possible. 
Spring  Cabbage  will  have  taken  the  place  of 
ordinary  sprouting  greens,  so  the  stumps  of  these 
should  be  cleared  from  the  ground  at  once  and 
preparation  made  for  planting  the  latest  batch  of 
Potatoes.  A  good  dressingof  a  Potato  manure  should 
be  given  to  such  ground  at  the  time  of  planting,  and 
repeated  before  earthing  up  the  plants.  But  the 
principal  sowing  may  be  made  within  the  next 
fortnight  on  ground  well  dug  and  prepared  for  the 
purpose,  but  no  manure  must  be  given  or  the 
roots  will  become  large  and  rough.  This  crop 
should  be  sown  in  drills  15  inches  apart  and  1  inch 
deep,  and  covered  lightly  with  fine  soil.  If  the 
soil  is  of  a  rich  nature  sowing  may  be  put  oft'  for  a 
week  longer  or  the  roots  may  have  grown  too 
large  before  the  time  arrives  for  lifting  the  crop  in 
the  autumn.  Egyptian  or  Turnip-rooted  Beet 
must  be  thinned  as  soon  ,as  large  enough,  and  kept 
growing  freely  so  that  it  may  be  ready  to  pull 
before  the  old  roots  have  become  unfit  for  use. 
Now  is  the  best  time  to  make  fresh 

Plantations  of  Mint, 

light,  rich  soil  being  best  suited  for  the  purpose. 
The  cuttings  may  be  taken  from  existing  beds  and 
planted  singly  in  rows  1  foot  apart  with  an 
orilinary  dibber.  Plants  grown  in  this  way  give 
the  best  results,  and,  where  largely  grown  in 
winter,  can  easily  be  lifted  and  the  roots  shaken 
out,  afterwards  placed  closely  together  either  in  a 
pit  or  in  boxes,  according  to  the  requirement  of 
the  place. 

Sl'lNACIl 

should  be  sown  frequently,  and  as  the  season 
advances  a  north  border  should  be  set  apart 
for  its  cultivation  in  order  to  avoid  as  far  as 
possiVjle  the  ill  elTect  of  strong  sun.  Victoria  is 
the  best  variety  for  sowing  now,  and  should  be 
sown  thinly  or  the  constitution  of  the  plants 
will  be  less  robust,  and  almost  certain  to  lead 
to  disappointment.  New  Zealand  Spinach  is  an 
excellent  substitute  for  the  above  in  hot  seasons, 
and  should  lie  sown  in  every  garden  where  an 
unbroken  supply  is  desired.  It  produces  an 
abundance  of    succulent   leaves   during  the   very 


warmest  weather,  and  is,  in  my  opinion,  (juite 
indispensable.  A  sowing  of  this  should  be  made 
now  in  drills  .'>  feet  apart,  and  the  .seeds  need  not 
be  closer  together  than  Z  feet,  two  or  three  seeds 
being  placed  together  and  the  ])lants  thinned  out 
singly  as  soon  as  established.  If  the  soil  is  dry  at 
the  time  of  sowing  the  seed  the  drills  should  be 
saturated  with  clear  water  before  the  seeds  are 
put  in.  The.se  plants  will  spread  a  considerable 
distance  and  produce  an  abundance  of  dark  green 
leaves  the  summer  through. 

Runner  Beans 
may  be  sown  at  once  in  good  rich  soil.  The  rows 
should  be  7  feet  apart,  and  the  distance  from 
plant  to  plant  IS  inches.  A  few  seeds  may  be 
placed  in  pots  a  week  later  and  stood  in  a  cold 
frame  to  make  good  any  blanks  caused  through 
slugs  or  other  pests.  Mont  d'Or,  the  climbing 
Butter  Bean,  may  also  be  sown  now  and  treated  in 
the  same  way  as  Scarlet  Runners,  but  ."i  feet 
between  the  rows  will  be  sntticient. 

John  Dunn. 
Tloj/al  Kilclien  Garden.^,  JViiKlnnr. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 
Efic:  Plant. 

Though  not  frequently  seen,  this  makes  a  ver}' 
interesting  plant  for  either  greenhouse  or  conser- 
vatory, and  though  liy  no  means  a  novelty  it  is 
a  source  of  attraction  to  many.  Seed  sown  as 
advised,  duly  pricked  oft'  singly  into  small  pots 
and  pushed  forward  in  heat,  will  now  bear  to 
be  put  into  il-inch  pots,  it  being  borne  in  mind 
that  this  subject  revels  in  abundant  root  room. 
Soil  of  a  rich  and  porous  nature  must  now  and 
at  subsequent  transplantings  be  given,  and  not 
pressed  too  firmly  about  the  roots.  A  position 
while  in  the  growing  state  must  be  given  it  in  a 
warm  house,  and,  while  delighting  in  a  moist 
atmosphere,  it  resents  too  much  water  at  the  root. 
There  are  several  colours  of  eggs,  but  the  white 
is,  I  think,  the  most  popular  colour.  Red  spider 
is  sometimes  apt  to  make  its  appearance,  and  musi 
be  guarded  against. 

Balsa  Jis. 
These  also  make  a  very  agreeable  change  in  the 
flowering  quarters,  and  when  well  grown  must  b}- 
no  means  be  overlooked.  Conditions  similar  to  I 
the  foregoing  are  recommended,  though,  after  a 
fair  start  is  given  under  warm  conditions,  they 
.should  be  put  into  an  intermediate  temperature; 
this  will  induce  a  more  compact  habit  of  growth. 

SOLANUMS. 
For  autumn  decoration  these  are  invalnalile, 
and  their  association  with  other  subjects  in  the 
conservatory  gives  a  variety  and  brillianc}'  to  the 
whole  which  would  be  wanting  with  these  and 
their  cousins  the  Capsicum.  Treatment  as  for  the 
Balsam  will  answer  admiralily,  only  that  in  potting 
the  soil  should  be  better  ])ressed  home.  (!reen  fly 
must  be  kept  in  check  by  frecjuent  fumigations,  as 
if  once  the  foliage  gets  spoiled  the  picture  is  at 
once  damaged. 

SlADINGS. 

The  sudden  change  from  almormally  cold,  wet, 
and  sunless  weather  to  an  unusually  bright  and 
warm  .spell  has  hastened  the  operation  of  aflixing 
the  necessar}'  shadings.  IMicre  are  A'arious  forms 
of  protecting  plant  life  under  glass  from  the  fierce 
glare  of  the  sun,  but  none  are  in  my  opinion  ecjual 
or  so  satisfactorily  efficient  as  the  well-known 
roller  blind.  A  continuous  shading,  unless  for 
Palms,  I  am  strongly  against,  for  even  with  the 
very  hottest  of  summers  we  have  cloudy  and  wet 
days  at  intervals,  and  to  anyone  who  studies  plant 
life  un<ler  glass  closely  they  will  readily  agree 
that  in  these  days  they  observe  that  vegetation 
is  more  active  than  in  a  bright  day  when  the 
shading  is  on  the  roof.  A  fairly  thick  shading  is 
needed  for  flowering  houses,  Caladiunis,  l)rac;cnas,  j 
anil  structures  containing  fine  -  foliaged  plants 
generally,  except,  of  course,  Crotons.  (irowing 
quarters,  on  the  other  hand,  should  be  provided 
with  a  much  thinner  material,  as  in  these  struc- 
tures there  is  less  glass  surface,  and  more  air  as 
a  rule  is  recjuired,    In  these  roller  blinils,  unless  lui 


May  4,  1901.] 


THE    GAUDEN. 


S2l 


THE    NEW    HYBKID    TEA   ROSE    KILLAKNEY. 


pit  houses,  will  be  unpracticable,  but  a  thin  shading 
should  be  laid  on  and  secured  at  either  end  with 
rings  and  hooks.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Roehampton. 


ORCHIDS. 

The  genvis  Cj'mbidium  contains  a  number  of  hand- 
some Orchids,  free  blooming  and  of  easy  culture, 
forming  grand  subjects  for  exhibition.  Those 
mentioned  are  some  of  the  most  beautiful  spring- 
flowering  Orchids,  Cj'mbidium  eburneum,  Cj'm- 
bidiuni  lowianum,  Cj'mbidium  eburneo-lowianum, 
and  Cymbidium  lowio-eburneura,  the  two  latter 
being  handsome  hybrids,  offspring  of  the  two 
preceding  species.  The  three  last-named  are 
strong  and  vigorous,  producing  large  and  fleshy 
roots,  and  in  consequence  require  to  be  grown  in 
large  pots.  Cj'mbidium  eburneum,  though  not  so 
strong  a  grower,  produces  an  abundance  of  roots, 
and  should  bj'  no  means  be  confined  to  small  pots. 
As  soon  as  the  plants  have  finished  blooming  they 
will  again  commence  to  grow,  and  should  then  be 
repotted  if  requiring  more  rooting  space.  Use 
clean  pots  of  sufficient  size  when  repotting  to 
allow  the  plants  to  grow  on  undisturbed  for  two 
or  three  years.  Drainage  should  be  laid  to  the 
depth  of  about  2  inches.  Place  over  this  a  thin 
layer  of  Moss,  and  put  the  plant  in  the  pot  so  that 
the  base  of  the  J'oung  growth  is  level  with  the 
compost  and  a  little  below  the  rim  of  the  pot. 
Peat,  sphagnum  moss,  and  fibrous  loam  in  equal 
proportions  form  the  most  suitable  compost.  Press 
it  moderately  firm.  Apply  water  somewhat 
sparingly  until  the  new  roots  have  well  taken  to 
the  fresh  material.  As  soon  as  the  plants  have 
become  well  rooted  and  are  well  advanced  in 
growth,  an  occasional  watering  with  clear,  weak 
liquid  farmyard  manure  is  beneficial.  The  plants 
should  be  grown  in  a  cool  intermediate  house,  the 


temperature  ranging 
about  .55°  by  night  and 
60°  by  day,  by  tire  heat 
during  winter  and  cor- 
respondingly higher  dur- 
ing summer.  The  house 
should  be  well  shaded 
and  air  freelj'  admitted 
on  all  favourable  occa- 
sions ;  the  less'  fire  heat 
applied  the  better  it  is 
for  the  plants  so  long  as 
the  above  temperature  is 
maintained. 

MiLTONIA    RoEZLII 

is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful of  tile  genus,  re- 
quiring a  warm  humid 
atmosphere,  a  tempera- 
ture ranging  from  60''  to 
65°  by  night  and  65'' 
to  70°  by  day,  by  fire 
heat  during  winter,  65° 
to  70°  by  night  and  70° 
to  75°  by  day  during 
spring,  summer,  and 
autumn,  rising  consider- 
ably above  these  figures 
by  sun  heat.  The  plants 
should  be  grown  in  a 
light  position  near  the 
glass,  and  well  shaded 
from  the  sun  at  all  times. 
Miltonia  Pioezlii  is  some- 
what subject  to  the 
attack  of  thrips,  which 
soon  disfigure  the  foliage 
if  allowed  to  accumulate. 
It  should  therefore  be 
f  requen  tlj'  exam  ined,  and 
the  house  fumigated  with 
Richards'  XL  vapouriser 
upon  the  first  indication 
of  the  pest. 

Repotting. 

As  soon  as  the  plants 
have  finished  blooming 
and  commence  to  grow, 
any  necessary  potting  should  be  done.  Clean  pots 
two-thirds  filled  with  clean  crocks  are  essential, 
and  the  plants  should  be  raised  a  little  above  the 
rim  of  the  pot.  Peat  and  Moss  should  be  used  as 
compost  and  very  little  placed  about  their  roots. 

C.ELOGYNE   DAY'ANA 

is  now  producing  its  long  pendulous  inflorescence 
from  the  centre  of  the  young  growths.  It  often 
bears  from  forty  to  fifty  flowers.  This  species 
though  not  showy  is  peculiarly  interesting,  being 
a  native  of  Borneo.  It  requires  a  warm  tem- 
perature, and  should  therefore  be  grown  in  a  shadj' 
position  in  the  stove  or  at  the  warmest  end  of  the 
Cattleya  house.  Any  necessary  repotting  may  be 
done  as  soon  as  the  flowers  have  faded,  performing 
this  operation  in  the  same  way  as  with  other 
epiphytal  species.  F.  W.  Tuueoood. 


THE    HYBRID    TEA    ROSE 
KILLARNEY. 

This  Ls  one  of  the  many  beautiful  Roses  raLsed 
by  Messrs.  Dickson,  of  Newtownards,  Relfast, 
Ireland.  It  is  fast  becoming  a  popular  garden 
Rose,  and  its  flowers  are  of  great  charm,  flesii- 
white  and  pink,  a  medley  of  soft  hues,  while 
the  long  buds  expand  into  a  blossom  of  artless 
form,  semi-double — flowers,  indeed,  composed 
of  petals  flung  about  anyhow,  bits  of  colour  on 
long  stalks.  We  have  seen  the  KiUarney  Rose 
on  many  occasions,  and  always  with  delight. 

The  Temple  Show. — We  are  reminded  by 
the  schedule  of  the  Roj-al  Horticultural  Society's 
great  annual  show  that  the  interesting  event  is 
not  far  off.  It  takes  place  on  the  ■22nd  inst.  and  two 
following  days  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  and  we 
hope  will  be  favoured  with  summer-like  weather. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

CLIMBING    OR    RUNNER 
BEANS. 

PREPARATIONS  for  this  important 
kitchen  garden  crop  must  shortly  be 
taken  in  hand.  Few  things  pay  for 
generous  treatment  more  than  the 
Runner  Bean,  and  few  vegetables  are 
more  highly  esteemed  and  appreciated 
during  the  .summer  and  autumn  when  presented  in 
their  best  condition.  Very  often  the  specimens  we 
see  offered  for  tale  at  the  greengrocer's  shop  are 
poor  in  the  extreme  and  not  worth  eating,  due 
chiefly  to  poorly  cultivated  land  ;  consequently, 
the  pods  grow  slowly,  and  before  they  are  properly 
developed  become  old  and  stringy.  Rich  and 
deeplj'-cultivated  ground  is  absolutely  essential  for 
the  production  of  fleshy,  succulent  pods.  For  some 
years  past  I  have  practised 

Sowing  the  Seed 
in  boxes,  and  transplanting  when  ready.  I  find 
this  system  a  great  gain,  for  not  only  are  the  young 
plants  safe  against  snails  and  slugs,  and  at  the 
same  time  can  be  protected  against  the  sudden 
spell  of  frosts,  but  the  slight  check  which  the 
plants  receive  when  planted  out  is  conducive  to 
early  bearing,  making  ten  days  or  a  fortnight's 
diff'erence  in  this  respect.  The  first  week  in  Maj' 
will  be  quite  early  enough  to  make  the  first  sowing. 
The  boxes  should  be  about  4  inches  in  depth,  using 
a  compost  of  light  loam  and  leaf-soil  in  equal  parts. 
The  seed  should  be  raised  in  quite  a  cool  house  or 
frame.  Give  air  freely  immediately  they  are  above 
the  gnmnd,  and  graduallj'  harden  off  in  a  sheltered 
position  prior  to  planting  out.  The  P>,unner  Bean 
does  much  better  when  planted  in  deeplv  prepared 
trenches,  and  a  good  deep  root-run  njust  be  ensured. 
The  trenches  should  be  taken  out  at  least  2  feet  in 
depth,  and  the  bottom  soil  thoroughly  broken  up. 
The  trench  should  be  three  parts  filled  with  good 
half  -  decaj'ed  farmj'ard  manure,  filling  up  the 
remainder  of  the  trench  with  some  of  the  best  soil 
taken  out.  Make  this  almost  level,  leaving  plenty 
of  channel  for  watering.  The  rows  should  lie 
10  feet  apart ;  nothing  is  gained  by  overcrowding, 
either  in  the  rows  or  between  the  plants.  A  double 
line  of  plants  should  be  grown  in  each  trench  at 
a  distance  of  8  inches  from  plant  to  plant,  and 
10  inches  between  the  lines.  Stretch  a  line  down 
the  centre,  and  plant  with  a  dibber,  putting  in  the 
plants  right  up  to  the  seed-leaf.  Staking  should 
lae  done  at  the  same  time.  Procure  some  extra 
strong  stakes,  similar  to  those  used  for  tall  Peas, 
but  longer  if  possible,  and  at  about  everj'  10  yards 
drive  in  some  strong  stakes  thoroughlj'  firm,  and 
stretch  lines  of  stout  tar  cord  along  each  side  of 
the  row,  which  will  ensure  them  being  kept  in  an 
upright  position,  which  is  necessary  to  attain  the 
best  results.  Thoroughlj'  mulch  the  rows  with 
good  manure  during  summer.  Apply  weak  doses 
of  some  good  patent  manure  and  soot  about  everj' 
ten  daj's.  Water  freelj'  during  spells  of  dry 
weather,  and  the  plants  will  be  much  benefited  by 
thoroughlj'  syringing  in  the  afternoon  on  hot  daj'S, 
and  the  Beans  will  set  more  freely.  Unless  wanted 
for  seeding,  the  pods  should  be  kept  closely  picked, 
when  the  plants  will  continue  to  bear  freelj'  until 
frost  puts  an  end  to  them  in  the  autumn. 

Varieties. 

Few  vegetables  have  been  improved  more  during 
recent  years  than  the  Runner  Bean,  and  though 
the  old  form  of  Scarlet  Runner  and  Painted  Ladj' 
are  still  preserved  and  grown  by  some,  these  are 
fast  making  waj-  for  the  better  kinds,  and  must,  I 
feel  sure,  soon  become  varieties  of  the  past.  One 
of  the  first  to  claim  attention  is  Neal's  Ne  Plus 
Ultra,  an  extremely  handsome  kind,  but  unfor- 
tunatelj'  not  so  free  bearing  as  one  could  wish. 
Best  of  All  is  the  best  variety  that  has  come  under 
mj'  notice,  for  not  onlj'  is  it  of  striking  appearance, 
but  it  is  verj'  prolific,  and  the  qualitj'  all  one  can 
desire  ;  it  is  excellent  for  any  purpose. 

Among  white  flowered  kinds,  .lubilee  stands 
unrivalled,  producing  pods  of  great  length  and 
verj'  sj'mmetrical.     Verj-  fine  for  exhibition. 


322 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[Ma\  4,  190l. 


The  new  climbing  French  Beans  are  j'early 
gaining  favour,  and  for  delicacy  of  flavour  are 
unsurpassed.  The  pods  must  be  picked  when  quite 
young,  or,  like  the  French  Bean,  they  soon  become 
stringy.  There  are  now  several  kinds  in  commerce, 
but  i  have  found  none  better  than  Tender  and 
True.  A  small  quantit}'  of  these  should  certainly 
be  grown  in  all  large  private  gardens,  and  especiallj' 
where  French  Beans  are  in  request. 

E.  Beckett. 

Aldenham  Howe  Gardens,  Ehlree,  Herts. 


to:mato  chiswick  peach. 

Those  desirous  of  having  a  Tomato  of  the  finest 
flavour  should  get  Chiswick  Peach.  JIany  persons 
are  prejudiced  against  it  simpl}'  because  of  its 
appearance,  but  any  disadvantage  in  this  direction 
is  more  than  compensated  for  by  the  splendid 
flavour  of  the  fruits  for  dessert.  Xo  doubt  it  is  of 
equal  excellence  when  cooked,  but  so  far  I  have 
not  tested  it  in  this  direction,  as  the  few  fruits  at 
command  have  been  promptl}^  eaten  like  an  Apple. 
The  variel}'  is  a  grand  cropper  indoors,  and  nia\', 
of  course,  succeed  well  out  of  doors.  I  believe 
Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons,  who  are  distributing  the 
stock,  found  it  crop  well  in  the  open  last  season, 
but  its  real  qualities  for  this  purpose  have  yet  to 
be  proved.  W. 


A    CROCUS    LA^VN. 

In  that  picture.sque  .suburb  of  Birmingham, 
Edgbaston,  the  garden  of  ilr.  Frederick  il. 
ilole,  in  Westfield  Road,  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  in  a  district  full  of  pretty  gardens, 
and  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  that  in 
question  is  the  lawn  which,  as  shown  in  our 
illustration,  is  planted  thickly  with  Craeuses, 
and  these  when  in  full  flower  are  remarkably 
pretty,  ilr.  ilole  is  good  enough  to  throw 
open  his  garden  every  year  at  Crocus  time 
to  all  interested,  a  privilege  which  is  fully 
appreciated. 


NEW    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

The  following  obtained  the  award  of  merit  from 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  the  23rd  ult.  : — 

Arauis  A0ERIETIODES. — A  charming  addition  to 
good  iiard}'  things,  having  the  habit  of  growth  of 
the  Arabis,  and  with  rosy  coloured  flowers  of 
pretty  shape.  A  welcome  rock  or  garden  plant 
for  any  purpose.  From  Miss  Willmott,  Warley 
Place,  also 

Iris  willmottiana.  —  Briefly,  this  may  be 
likened  to  a  blue  form  of  I.  orchioides  ;  indeed,  in 
effect  it  is  so,  and  a  most  valuable  acquisition.  It 
is  very  free,  and  apparently'  quite  vigorous. 

Primcla  viscosa  Mrs.  J.  H.  Wilson. — This 
is  almost  a  blue  form  of  P.  viscosa  with  white  eye. 
A  very  pretty  rock  plant  from  Mr.  J.  H.  Wilson, 
Handsworth,  Sheffield. 

Bereeris  congestifolia  hakeoides. — A  yellow- 
flowered  species  from  Japan.  The  flowers  are 
closely  borne  in  conglomerate  heads  against  the 
stems  or  branches.  A  distinct  kind.  From 
Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelsea. 

Carnatio.x  May. — A  border  kind  with  large  and 
pure  white  flowers  of  beautiful  shape  and  sweet 
scent.  From  Messrs.  James  and  Son,  Farnham 
Royal,  Slough. 

Primula  op.co.n'ica  (the  strain). — A  charming 
series  of  colours,  some  quite  rose  coloured,  very 
dainty  and  distinct.  From  the  Marchioness  of 
Breadalbane,  Kenmare. 

Erythroniu.m  giganteum  var.  Hartwegii. — A 
very  showy  form  ;  the  flowers  white  wilh  pale 
yellow  base.  From  Mr.  H.  J.  Elwes,  Colesbourne, 
Gloucestershire. 

Rikjdodexdrox  Acoklandi  var.  F.  D.  God- 
man. — A  very  fine  form,  with  almost  pyramidal 
heads  of  nearly  pure  white  flowers,  Init  with  a 
suspicion  of  pink.  It  is  showy  and  very  beautiful. 
From  Mr.  F.  U.  Godman,  South  Godstone, 
Horsham. 

L.1';lio-C'.\ttleva  Cvbele.  — This    beautiful  new 


hybrid  was  obtained  between  La?lia  elegans  and 
Cattlej'a  Trianie,  the  former  being  the  pollen- 
bearing  parent.  The  flowers  are  large,  the  sepals 
and  petals  very  pale  blush,  almost  white  in  fact, 
except  for  a  tinge  of  colour  around  their  margins. 
The  lip  is  marked  with  a  rich  purple-crimson,  the 
lower  part  of  the  throat  being  sulphur-yellow. 
E.xhibited  by  Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons, 
Limited,  Chelsea. 

OUONTOGLOSSUM      ADRIAN.B      CRAWSHAYANUM. — 

The  flowers  of  this  new  Odontoglossum  are  some- 
what small,  the  ground  colour  is  pale  yellow, 
heavily  and  beautifully  marked  with  chocolate-red 
on  the  sepals,  petals,  and  lip.  The  plant,  exhibited 
by  De  B.  Crawshay,  Esq.,  Rosefield,  Sevenoaks, 
was  flowering  for  the  first  time  since  its  intro- 
duction. 

Odontoglossum  wilckeanum  Turnford  Hall 
VAR. — A  large  flower  of  considerable  beauty  of 
form  and  colour  is  this  new  Odontoglossum.  The 
petals  are  prettily  cut  and  frilled,  the  ground 
colour  of  the  flower  is  yellow,  the  sepals  are 
heavily  marked  with  brownish  -  red,  while  the 
petals   are   but    slightlj-  spotted.       E.xhibited    by 


leaves  showing  few  if  any  hairs.  The  flowers  are 
3  inches  to  4  inches  across,  white  sufl'used  with 
rose,  particularly  on  the  outer  side,  with  a  lemon- 
coloured  blotch  at  the  base  of  the  throat.  The 
flowers  are  fragrant,  but  the  fragrance  is  not  so 
powerful  as  it  is  in  formosum.  The  principal 
distinguishing  mark  between  the  two  species  is  in 
the  absence  of  calj'x  lobes  in  formosum,  and  the 
fine  ciliated  c.al3'x  of  ciliicalyx.  It  has  been 
cultivated  at  Kew  for  the  last  nine  j'ears,  and  has 
flowered  on  one  or  two  occasions  ;  at  present  a 
plant  is  to  be  seen  in  flower  in  the  Himalayan 
house. 

Saraca  indica. 
At  the  south  end  of  the  Palm  house  a  specimen 
18  feet  to  20  feet  high  of  this  East  Indian 
leguminous  tree  is  now  smothered  with  flowers, 
making  a  very  striking  object  among  the  surround- 
ing Palms,  Cyeads,  and  Browneas.  It  is  an  old 
introduction,  having  been  flowered  many  years  ago 
in  a  garden  near  Liverpool,  the  plant  having  been 
grown  from  seeds  collected  b}'  the  Rev.  Dr.  Carey, 
of  Serampore.  Though  it  is  credited  with  flowering 
freely   when   but  4  feet  high,  it  is   usually  much 


BIRMINGHAM    GARDEN. 


Mr.  T.  Rochford,  Turnford  Hall  Nurseries,  Brox- 
bourne,  Herts. 

Oduntoglossu.m  CKisruM  Edward  VII. — This 
is  a  lovelj'  flower  of  exquisite  colouring.  It 
is  of  good  form,  the  ground  colour  being  pure 
white  sufl'used  with  pale  blue  tin^e  and  spotted 
with  a  purplish  red.  The  flowers  are  undoubtedly 
very  symmetrical  ;  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
newer  Odontoglossums.  Exhibited  by  Mr.  T. 
Rochford. 


KEVr    NOTES. 

Rhododendron  Ciliicalv.x. 

This  is  one  of  several  species  discovered  in  Thibet 
and  Yunnan  about  fifteen  years  ago  by  the  Abbe 
Delavay.  Its  nearest  allies  among  the  Himalayan 
species  are  R.  formosum  and  veitchianum.  It 
closely  resembles  these  plants  in  several  particulars. 
In  size  of  flower  it  shows  relationship  to  the  latter, 
while  in  habit  of  growth  and  foliage  no  verj' 
distinct  feature  can  be  detected  between  it  and  the 
large  leaved  forms  of  formosum.  The  habit  of  the 
plant  is  rather  loose,  the  leaves  4  inches  to  5  inches 
long,  covered  with  transparent  glands  and  numerous 
hairs  when  young,  losing  both  with   age,  very  old 


larger  before  many  flowers  are  borne.  Naturally 
it  makes  a  much  branched,  medium  sized  tree  with 
large  pinnate  leaves,  the  leaflets  being  from  9  inches 
to  a  foot  long.  The  flowers  are  borne  in  dense 
corymbs  from  axillary  buds,  on  young  and  old 
wood  alike,  the  whole  inflorescence  more  closely 
re.sembling  that  of  an  Ixora  than  of  a  leguminous 
plant.  Individually  the  flowers  are  half  an  inch 
across,  with  a  long  thin  tube,  from  which  the  long 
thread-like  stamens  protrude  to  the  length  of 
1^  inches.  The  corolla  is  orange-yellow  when  it 
first  opens,  changing  to  orange-scarlet  wilh  age. 
The  effectiveness  of  the  inflorescence  is  added  to 
by  the  rich  purplish  red  stamens.  It  succeeds 
well  at  Kew  in  loamj'  soil,  and  enjo3's  the  hot 
moist  heat  of  the  Palm  house.  During  winter  it 
is  kept  fairly  dry  to  encourage  flower  production. 

Rhouodenuron  Fordii. 
Attention  was  drawn  to  this  dwarf  evergreen 
plant  last  year  when  it  wa«  exhibited  at  the  Drill 
Hall,  bj'  Messrs.  Veitch,  of  Chelsea,  on  the  occa- 
sion of  its  flowering  for  the  tirst  time  in  England. 
At  the  present  time  it  is  flowering  at  Kew,  in  the 
Himalayan  liouse,  and  looks  ver^'  distinct  among 
the  numerous  species  in  its  neighbourhood.  It  is 
a  Chinese  plant,  and  was  discovered  in  Hong  Kong 


May  4,  1901.] 


THE    GAIIIJEN. 


323 


by  Mr.  Ford,  the  curator  of  the  Hoiig  Kong 
Botanical  Garden,  in  honour  of  whom  it  is  named, 
and  who  sent  seeds  of  it  to  Kew  in  18!).').  \yith 
the  two  species  Metternichii  and  Smirnowi,  it 
flowers  in  a  small  state,  and  in  a  few  years  from 
seeds.  The  leaves  also  in  colour  and  texture  are 
very  similar  to  those  of  the  two  plants  alluded  to, 
being  of  much  the  same  shade  of  green,  with  the 
dense  tomentum  on  the  underside.  In  shape  they 
are  quite  different,  those  of  Fordii  broadening  out 
to  the  apex,  and  the  other  two  narrowing.  The 
flowers  are  in  small  trusses.  They  are  -2  inches 
across,  white,  suftused  with  rose,  paler,  but  in  some 
respects  not  unlike  those  of  Metternichii.  It  is 
doubtful  whether  it  will  stand  out  of  doors  except 
in  the  most  favoured  localities,  though  it  thrives  in 
a  cold  house  or  frame.  From  its  rate  of  growth  it 
does  not  give  the  impression  of  ever  attaining  any 
great  height,  though  it  looks  like  making 
a  wide  spreading  bush.      W.  BAi.LmnKE. 


OBITUARY. 

THE  LATE  ME.  D.  T.  FISH. 

The  death  of  Mr.  D.  T.  Fish  removes  from 
the  ranks  of  the  leading  horticulturists  of 
the  last  thirty  years  a  notable  personage. 
He  was  a  man  of  ceaseless  activity  a.nd 
almost  untiring  energy,  at  work  almost  up 
to  the  last :  tongue  and  pen  alike  were 
employed  in  the  promotion  of  the  profession 
he  loved  so  well  and  served  so  faithfully. 
Of  his  early  years  but  scanty  information  is 
forthcoming.  It  is  believed  he  commenced 
his  horticultural  career  at  Scone  Palace, 
Perthshire  ;  but  what  he  did  in  the  interval 
between  this  and  his  taking  charge  of  the 
gardens  of  Hardwicke  House,  Burj'  St. 
Edmunds,  the  residence  of  Lad\'  CuUum, 
we  are  unable  to  saj'.  While  at  Hardwicke 
he  came  before  the  public  as  a  writer  on 
horticultural  subjects,  and  also  as  an  exhi- 
bitor at  local  exhibitions.  He  was  one  of 
the  no  jurors  who  awarded  the  prizes  at 
the  Great  International  Horticultural  Exhi- 
l)ition  held  at  South  Kensington  in  1866. 
It  was  in  connection  with  the  Royal  Hor- 
ticultural Society's  first  provinci.al  show, 
held  at  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  that  Mr.  Fish 
acquired  considerable  notoriety  by  acting 
as  local  secretary  and  materially  assisting  in 
obtaining  special  prizes  and  local  contribu- 
tions, and  by  taking  an  active  part  in  the 
preliminary  arrangements.  He  exhibited 
largely  and  was  a  successful  prize  winner, 
especially  with  Fuchsias,  as  he  exhibited 
large  pyramidal  and  standard  specimens  ; 
show  and  French  spotted  Pelargoniums, 
fancy  Pelargoniums,  and  also  fruit.  In 
recognition  of  the  great  services  he  rendered 
to  the  society  over  the  Bury  St.  Edmunds  show 
Mr.  Fish  was  elected  a  honorary  Fellow  of  the 
society. 

While  at  Bury  St.  Edmunds  he  took  consider- 
able interest  in  local  afiFairs,  and  was  at  one 
time  a  member  of  the  corporation.  On  leaving 
Hardwicke  he  resided  for  some  time  in  Bury  St. 
Edmunds,  and  eventually  went  to  Edinburgh  to  be 
near  one  of  his  sons,  a  student  at  the  university. 
Meanwhile  Mr.  Fish  was  a  prolific  writer,  most  of 
the  leading  gardening  papers  publishing  his  articles. 
He  was  in  request  as  a  judge  at  horticultural  exhi- 
bitions, and  was  a  frequent  lecturer  in  connection 
with  technical  education.  He  edited  "  Cassell's 
Popular  Gardening,"  which  was  issued  by  Messrs. 
Cassell  and  Go.  in  four  volumes,  and  for  a  few 
years  past  he  supplied  the  gardening  matter  to  the 
Agricultural  Economist,  published  monthly  by  the 
Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Association.  He 
also  contributed  to  the  "One  and  All  Gardening 
Annual "  published  by  the  same  association.  He 
was  also  prominently  in  evidence  on  the  occasion 
of  the  flower  shows  held  in  connection  with  the 
National  Co-operative  Festival  at  the  Crystal 
Palace.  He  was  a  fluent  speaker,  as  well  as  a  prolific 
writer  ;  he  possessed  an  attractive  personality,  and 


gathered  about  him  a  host  of  friends.  He  leaves  a 
widow  and  family  to  mourn  his  loss.      R.  Dean. 

DuRi.VG  the  few  years  of  his  retirement  the  late 
Mr.  D.  T.  Fish  was  a  well  known  figure  at  all 
horticiiltural  functions  in  Edinburgh,  though 
during  the  past  nine  or  ten  months  through 
indifferent  health  he  was  not  so  regular  in  his 
attendance.  He  was  one  of  the  keenest  gardeners, 
and  kept  in  touch  with  most  phases  of  horticulture 
until  the  last.  B. 


Will  you  kindly  permit  me  to  lay  this  little 
chaplet  of  esteem  and  regard  on  the  newl3'-made 
grave  of  this  fine  type  of  the  British  gardener  and 
erudite  writer  on  matters  appertaining  to  the 
gentle  art.     I  first  became  associated  with  him  at 


THE    LATE    MR.    D.    T.    FISH. 

the  Royal  Horticultural  Society's  first  great  pro- 
vincial exhibition  at  Bur}'  St.  Edmunds,  in  1867,  of 
which  he  acted  as  local  secretary.  How  splendidly 
and  persistently  he  worked  to  make  that  exhibition 
what  it  proved  to  be — a  great  success  both  horti- 
culturally  and  financially — in  fact,  for  a  time  his 
health  was  impaired  by  his  strenuous  exertions  ! 
If  my  memory  serves  me  rightly,  he  then  exhibited 
specimen  Fuchsias  pyramidally  trained  in  splendid 
style  from  Hardvvick  House,  a  beautiful  demesne, 
and  where  he  directed  horticultural  affairs  at  that 
period.  Quo. 


ME.  JOHN  THOMSON. 

We  are  very  sorry  to  hear  of  the  death  of  Mr. 
John  Thomson,  of  the  Tweed  Vineyards,  Cloven- 
fords. Further  reference  to  the  sad  event  will  be 
made  next  week. 


MES.  J.  E.  BAKEE. 

We  desire  to  record  our  sympathy  with  Mr.  J. 
G.  Baker  on  the  loss  of  his  devoted  and  well-loved 
wife.  Those  who  had  the  privilege  of  knowing 
the  late  Mrs.  Baker  can  well  understand  how  heavy 


a  blow  has  fallen  on  her  famil}',  while  not  only  his 
more  intimate  personal  friendn,  but  the  larger 
circle  of  those  to  whom  he  has  alwaj'S,  with 
unfailing  readiness  and  courtesy,  given  the  benefit 
ot  information  from  his  vast  store  of  scientific 
knowledge,  will  feel  deep  .sympathy  with  the 
veteran  botanist  in  these  his  days  of  keenest  sorrow. 

Richmond    Hoptieultural    Society 
and  the  National  Rose  show.— i'ms 

well-known  society  is  again  adopting  an  active 
and  progressive  policy  in  regard  to  its  forthcoming 
annual  flower  show.  Last  j'car  the  Koyal  Horti- 
cultural Society's  council  and  committees  were 
invited  to  Richmond,  and  were  treated  royally. 
This  year  the  National  Rose  Society  will  hold  its 
show  in  the  Old  Deer  Park,  Richmond,  Surrey,  on 
Wednesda}',  .June  "26,  when  an  exceptionally  large 
number  ot  visitors  and  exhibitors  is  anti- 
cipated. Between  the  two  societies  about 
£300  will  be  offered  in  prize  money,  so 
that  there  is  sure  to  be  keen  competition. 
Schedules  have  been  already  sent  to  former 
exhibitors,  but  the  hon.  secretary  (Mr.  C.  R. 
King,  (il,  (rcorge  Street,  Richmond,  Surrey) 
will  be  glad  to  post  copies  to  other  intend- 
ing exhibitors  for  the  .June  show. 

The    Royal    Gardeners' 

Orphan  Fund.  --  W^e  remind  our 
readers  that  the  annual  dinner  of  this 
institution  takes  place  on  Tuesday  next,  at 
the  Hotel  Cecil,  at  6..'iU  p.m.  for  7  p.m., 
when  the  chair  \vill  be  taken  by  the  Hon. 
W.  F.  D.  Smith,  M.P. 

Bristol  Gardeners'  Associa- 
tion,— The  third  annual  meeting  of  the 
association  was  held  at  St.  .John's  Parish 
Room,  Redland,  on  Thursday,  April  25, 
Mr.  G.  Brook  presiding.  The  report  for  the 
year  ending  April  1  was  presented  and 
adopted.  It  showed  that  the  society  was 
making  steady  progress,  having  a  present 
total  membership  of  over  100,  the  average 
attendance  being  about  fifty.  The  meetings  . 
held  during  the  year  have  been  altogether 
of  such  a  character  as  to  warrant  the 
existence  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  asso- 
ciation. The  financial  statement  showed 
that,  though  on  account  of  some  extra 
expenditure  there  was  .a  small  deficit  on  the 
3'ear,  the  balance  still  in  the  hands  of  the 
treasurer  amounted  to  £4  12$.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  association  is  Mr.  H.  Car}' 
Batten,  the  other  officers  elected  being  — 
chairman,  Mr.  A.  .J.  Hancock ;  vice- 
chairmen,  Mcssis.  E.  Binfield  and  E.  Poole, 
F.R.H.S.  ;  hon.  secretary  and  treasurer, 
Mr.  W.  Ellis  Groves  :  assistant  hon.  secre- 
tary, Mr.  H.  Kitle}'.  The  committee  for 
the  year  was  also  elected. 

Double-flowered   Peaches   at 

Kew. — A  beautiful  group  of  the  double 
Peaches  was  in  flower  at  Kew  a  few  days 
The  centre  was  of  the  ordinary  double 
trees  quite  12  feet  high,  and  round  the 
margin  were  those  of  the  variety  flore-rosa-- 
pleno,  which  has  darker-coloured  flowers.  From 
many  points  in  the  gardens  this  mistj'  veil  of 
pink  could  be  enjoyed,  a  rare  picture  of  colouring, 
unusual  and  distinct  at  this  time,  when  the 
leaves  are  not  sufficient!}'  expanded  upon  the  trees 
to  hide  the  full  effect  of  the  rose-coloured  flowers. 
P.  persica  (the  Peach)  is  known  also  as  Persica 
vulgaris,  still  a  common  name  in  nurseries,  and 
Amygdalus  persica.  The  species  grows  about 
15  feet  high,  flowers  towards  the  end  of  April  and 
in  early  jlay,  and  has  flowers  of  red  colouring  in 
various  shades.  The  double  varieties,  however, 
make  the  best  garden-flowering  trees,  and  the 
colouring  varies  delightful!}',  sometimes  a  soft 
pink,  and  occasionally  quite  a  rich  rose.  P.  p.  flore- 
rosse-plcno  represents  many  charming  forms,  the 
flowers  bright  and  covering  thickly  the  still  leafless 
shoots.  It  is  interesting  to  notice  the  slight 
variations  in  size  and  colour  of  the  varieties 
grouped  under  flore-rosse-pleno  in  a  collection  of 
Peaches.  Of  varieties  given  distinctive  names, 
magnifica  should  be  noted  for  its  very  large,  deep 
carmine-coloured    flowers.      The    double    white- 


ago. 
form 


324 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May   4    1901. 


flowered  floie-albo-pleuo  is  pretty,  and  the  variety 
foliis  rubris  has  single  flowers  and  conspicuous 
purplish  leaves,  this  leaf  colouring  constituting  its 
chief  merit. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


At  this  season  the  flowers  of  the  garden  are 
coming  forth  abundantly,  and  we  invite  our 
readers  to  send  us  anything  of  special  beauty 
and  interest  for  our  table,  as  by  this  means 
many  rare  and  interesting  plants  become  more 
widely  known.  We  hope,  too,  that  a  short 
cultural  note  will  accompany  the  ilowers  so  as 
to  make  a  notice  of  it  more  instructive  to  those 
who  may  wish  to  grow  it.  We  welcome  anything 
from  the  garden,  whether  fruit,  tree,  shrub, 
Orchid,  or  hardy  flower,  and  they  may  be 
addressed  either  to  iliss  Jekyll,  Munstead 
Wood,  Godalming,  or  to  Mr.  E.  T.  Cook,  -20, 
Tavistock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  London. 

Flowers  for  Illustration. — We  shall  be 
pleased  if  readers  will  send  any  rare  or  good 
garden  flowers  worthy  of  illustration  to  Mr. 
H.  G.  Moon,  Herbert  Lodge,  St.  Albans.  This 
will  assist  its  greatly  in  maintaining  an  inter- 
esting series  of  flower  sketches. 


I  do  not  think  it  is  only  a  "spoil,"  as  there  is 
another  root  in  the  woods  a  long  way  removed 
from  the  field  where  the  parent  root  is  growing, 
which  I  think  goes  to  prove  it  is  a  distinct  variety. 
— Cl.\udine  Wellesley. 

[A  very  charming  flower,  quite  unlike  any  we 
have  seen,  of  a  clear,  pretty  green  colouring,  and 
send-double  with  broad  outer  petals. — Eds.] 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 


C'AMELLi.is  Out  of  Doors. 

I  enclose  two  blooms  off  an  old  plant  growing 
outside  the  front  of  Sidclifi'  House.  It  has  been 
there  a  great  many  years,  and  blooms  every  year 
as  freely  as  if  planted  in  a  greenhouse.  At  present 
it  is  a  mass  of  colour,  though  the  best  eff'ect  is  over. 
This  season,  or  ratlier  winter,  has  been  so  cold  and 
sunless  that  it  has  not  done  so  well  as  usual,  but 
there  have  been,  and  are,  between  '200  and  300 
flowers. — A.  H.  Tyrrell,  Sidmouth. 

[With  this  note  came  some  charming  double 
Camellia  blooms. — Eds.] 


A  Green  Primrose. 
I  beg  to  enclose  the  flower  and  leaf  of  a  green 
Primrose  which  has  grown  for  the  last  three  years 
in  one  of  my  fields,  the  semi-double  flowers  are  oft' 
the  parent  plant,  the  small  single  flower  is  off  a 
plant  that  last  year  was  transplanted  into  the 
garden.  I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  will  kindly  let 
mc  know  if  you  have  seen  a  similar  flower  before? 


MESSRS.   BARR  AND  SONS. 

IT  is  now  the  height  of  Daffodil  time  at  Long 
Ditton,  near  Surbiton,  although,  instead  of 
lasting  six  weeks,  as  is  the  case  in  most 
seasons,  owing  to  the  exceptionally  hot 
weather  lately  experienced,  the  Narcissi 
will  not  have  been  at  their  best  for  more 
than  three  weeks  this  year.  At  the  present  time, 
however,  the  nursery  grounds  that  for  some  dis- 
tance border  the  London  and  South  -  Western 
Railway  are  a  wonderful  picture  :  the  chief  items 
in  this  striking  floral  display  are  contributed  by 
Narcissus  and  Tulips  in  great  variety,  while  tirape 
Hvacinths,  Anemones,  Primulas,  and  other  bright 
spring  flowers  in  lesser  quantities  add  further 
variety.  Amongst  the  last-named,  Primrose  Miss 
Massee,  a  beautiful  flower,  is  noticeable  ;  it  is  of 
the  true  Primrose  form,  a  glowing  crimson  velvet 
in  colour,  having  a  yellow  eye.  Those  with  whom 
these  charming,  old-fashioned  flowers  are  favourites 
would  be  delighted  with  this  one.  No  less  beauti- 
ful is  the  old  blue  Polyanthus  close  by  Primula 
elatior  ctcrulea.  With  reference  to  the  Dog's- 
tooth  Violets  (Erythroniums),  which  are  now  fast 
opening,  we  learned  an  interesting  fact.  Messrs. 
Barr  find  that  they  always  thrive  much  better 
when  planted  from  6  inches  to  9  inches  deep,  a 
point  that  is  worth  bearing  in  mind,  and  the  reason 
probably  is  that  the  bulbs  being  so  low  are  not 
affected  at  all  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  but  remain 
amidst  an  equable  temperature  and  moist  sur- 
roundings. Tulipa  Griegi,  whose  blooms  are  a 
delightful  mixture  of  orange  and  vermilion,  is  now 
fully  open,  as  also  are  Anemone  robinsoniana, 
the  pretty  Mertensia  virginica,  and  that  splendid 
variety  of  Muscari  conicum  known  as  Heavenly 
Blue.  This  is  an  intense  blue,  and  the  plant  has 
the  advantage   of  apparently  thriving   anywhere. 


DAFFODIL   TLMK    IN    MLSSRS.    DARK.  S    MUtSKKY. 


Upon  a  hungry  hedgebank,  under  several  large 
trees,  it  is  quite  at  home,  and  forms  a  beautiful 
covering  where  one  would  hardl}-  expect  to  see 
anything  but  Daisies  and  Dandelions. 

These,  however,  are  but  minor  matters  com- 
pared with  the  display  made  by  the  Daffodils  in 
flower,  and  from  which  we  will  endeavour  to 
single  out  a  few  of  those  of  most  general  interest. 
N.  Stella  superba  is  one  that  is  invaluable  for 
cutting  ;  the  flowers  are  large  and  bold,  with  a 
beautiful  yellow  cup.  P.  R.  Barr  may  be  well 
described  as  an  improved  Emperor.  It  is  of  better 
shape,  later,  and  also  of  dwarfer  habit,  and  will  in 
time  doubtless  prove  a  serious  rival  to  the  popu- 
larity of  the  latter.  Almira  is  a  charming  variety 
of  N.  poeticus  ornatus,  while  Queen  of  Spain  is 
one  of  the  best  for  both  pot  and  border  culture. 
N.  bicolor  J.  B.  M.  Camm,  to  those  who  cannot 
afford  to  purchase  bulbs  of  Mme.  de  Graafl',  may 
be  recommended  as  an  excellent  substitute.  It 
has  a  cream-coloured  trumpet  and  a  perianth  of 
somewhat  paler  colour,  altogether  a  lovely  flower. 
N.  Leedsi  Katherine  Spurrell  is  also  a  good"  variety. 
The  blooms  are  drooping,  the  perianth  being  white 
and  the  cup  pale  yellow.  There  is  much  to  be  said 
for  the  drooping  kinds  of  Narcissi,  although  some 
declaim  against  them.  For  mantel  decoration  or 
for  a  raised  table  centre,  drooping  flowers  are 
exactly  what  one  wants,  for  it  is  only  when  seen 
from  below  that  their  full  beaut_Y  is  revealed. 
Those  varieties  of  Narcissus  that  look  one  full  in 
the  face  are  at  their  best  in  some  position  where 
one  can  look  down  on  them,  as,  for  instance,  in 
low  vases  or  when  growing  out  of  doors. 

Gloria  Mundi  has  a  yellow  perianth  and  a  cup 
of  a  beautiful  orange  tint ;  Eliza  Turck,  of  quite 
dwarf  habit,  is  a  pretty  yellow,  best  described, 
perhaps,  as  a  pale  canary.  The  almost  white 
perianth  and  yellow,  orange-lipped  cup  of  N. 
Dorothy  Wemyss  attract  one  at  once,  and  not 
without  reason,  for  few  Narcissi  are  more  beauti- 
ful. Princess  Mary  is  a  good,  bold  flower,  and 
has  for  its  near  neighbour  N.  bicolor  grandis,  a 
Narcissus  that  in  an  ordinary  season  is  one  of  the 
latest  to  flower,  but  by  reason  of  the  almost 
unexampled  hot  weather  of  late  April  has  been 
induced  to  open  with  the  others.  An  excellent 
object-lesson,  showing  the  results  obtained  from 
bulbs  planted  so  late  as  .January  last,  is  now 
I  furnii-hed  by  a  number  of  such  Narcissus  now  in 
!  flower.  It  goes  to  prove,  at  any  rate,  that  it  is 
not  absolutely  necessary  that  bulbs  should  be 
planted  in  the  early  autumn  to  produce 
flowers  the  following  spring,  although  no  one 
would  of  course  think  of  postponing  planting 
were  it  possible  to  do  this  early.  Those,  how- 
ever, who  arc  sometimes  unable  to  plant 
their  bulbs  as  early  in  the  autumn  as  they 
could  wish  need  not  fear  an  absence  of  flowers 
if  this  is  not  done  until  January,  for  those  in 
Messrs.  Barr's  nursery,  although  not  so  good 
as  the  ones  planted  earlier,  are,  at  all  events, 
very  satisfactorx'.  In  N.  bicolor  Victoria  we 
liave  one  of  the  best  of  the  bicolors,  and  N. 
incomparabilis  Beaut3r  is  also  worthy  of  note. 
N.  odorus  rugulosus  has  very  much  to  recom- 
mend it.  U  is  sweetly  scented  and  free- 
Howeriiig,  liearing  bright  yellow  blooms  that 
show  particularly  well  against  the  dark  rush- 
leaved  foliage.  N.  Leedsi  Mrs.  Langtry  is 
too  well  known  to  need  description,  but  it 
must  be  said  that  it  still  remains  one  of  the 
best,  the  bright  lemon-edged  cup  being  both 
distinct  and  beautiful.  N.  C.  W.  Cowan,  a 
pale  primrose-yellow  throughout,  is  a  flower 
of  great  beauty,  as  also  is  Burbidgei  .John 
Hain,  with  a  white  perianth  and  small  yellow 
cup. 

In  aildition  to  the  masses  of  colour  fur- 
nished by  such  a  number  of  varieties  of 
Narcissi,  the  Tulips  also  in  lesser  numl)ers  are 
represented  by  the  best  varieties,  and  add 
more  brilliancy  to  this  unique  spring  picture, 
which  is  still  further  enriched  by  tlie  tintsof 
numerous  other  flowers,  none,  however,  more 
strikingly  beautiful  than  the  variety  of  Grape 
Hyacinth  already  alluded  to,  i.e.,  the  one 
known  by  the  name  of  Heaveidy  Blue. 


^^^- 


GARDEN. 


^^^=^S 


-y<^=^^^ 


No.  ]. 538.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[May  11,   1901. 


SELECTION    AND    DIS- 
CRIMINATION, 

ONE  of  the  many  things  that  have  to 
,  be  learnt  in  the  garden  i.s  to 
I  know  what  makes  one  plant  or 
flower  better  or  worse  than 
another.  If  is  of  course  im- 
possible to  say  which  is  the  better  or  the 
worse  of  two  wholly  different  kinds  of  flowers, 
for  each  may  be  right  and  the  best  possible 
thing  in  a  certain  place,  or  as  one  item  in 
some  particular  grouping  or  combination. 
But  in  such  a  case  as  a  bed  of  5,000  or  6,000 
Primroses  or  Polyanthus,  so  to  train  the  eye 
to  recognise  good  quality  at  once  is  a  matter 
that  comes  as  a  part  of  the  almost  unconscious 
self-education  of  the  observant  gardener. 
Much  can  be  done  in  the  earlier  stages  by 
the  help  of  an  expert,  but  when  it  comes  to 
refinements  of  judgment  and  sound  and  critical 
appreciation,  the  power  can  only  be  formed  by 
a  long  course  of  individual  observation.  In 
presence  of  such  a  bed  of  seedlings  the  trained 
eye  sees  the  good  things  at  once,  just  as  the 
art  critic,  on  entering  an  exhibition  of  pictures, 
can  see  at  a  glance  which  are  those  that 
deserve  closer  examination. 

But  the  learner  must  begin  at  the  beginning. 
His  eye  will  first  be  caught  by  the  brightest 
colour  and  the  plants  most  crowded  with 
bloom.  If  the  bright-coloured  plant  has  other 
good  qualities,  it  may  prove  to  be  one  of  the 
best,  though  even  good  colour  may  be  mai-red 
by  bad  habit  or  some  other  structural  defect. 
But  for  a  garden  plant  the  most  important 
thing  to  determine  will  be  whether  it  is  a  good 
thing  as  a  whole,  for  some  plants  of  good  size 
and  colour  and  beautiful  individual  bloom 
may  have  a  stem  that  is  weak  and  straggly 
and  a  bad  shaped  truss,  or  some  other  con- 
demning defect.  It  will  not  do  to  let  judgment 
run  into  the  other  extreme.  Jlany  plants  are 
beautiful  in  the  garden  that  are  not  up  to  the 
standard  of  the  show  board.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  though  many  may  be  good 
in  both  places,  yet,  just  as  surely  as  it  is  true 
that  much  that  is  good  in  the  garden  is  in- 
admissable  in  the  show,  so  also  the  show 
standard  is  not  by  any  means  necessarily  that 
of  the  garden,  for  many  a  garden  plant  that  is 
beautiful  in  the  mass  and  in  free  grouping, 
lacks  the  show  quality  of  compactness  and 
perfection  of  individual  bloom. 

Gardeners  especially  should  remember  that 
show  standards,  so  necessary  in  their  place 
when    the    flowers    are    judged    for     specific 


qualities  and  for  show  purposes,  and  are  to 
be  seen  close  to  the  eye,  are  not  applicable  to 
all  plants.  They  are  apt  to  conclude  that 
because  a  quality  is  judged  best  in  the  show 
that  it  is  necessarily  best  in  the  garden.  That 
this  is  not  the  case  may  be  seen  by  the  fact 
that  of  numbers  of  indispensable  garden  plants 
a  great  many  are  never  seen  in  shows,  or  only 
as  bunches  in  miscellaneous  exhibits.  It  does 
not,  therefore,  follow  that  these  are  not  good 
things  in  their  place  ;  it  only  proves  that  while 
they  may  be  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the 
garden,  they  concern  the  garden  and  not  the 
show. 

So  in  the  great  Primrose  beds  the  trained 
eye  sees  here  and  there  a  plant  that  is  good 
all  round  ,  if  there  is  a  learner  present  he 
will  be  told  why.  The  plant  has  a  sufficient 
number  of  handsome  trusses  carried  strongly  ; 
the  leaves  are  strong  and  bold  without  being 
coarse,  and  of  the  true  Primrose  character.  In 
garden  Primroses,  especially  in  the  large  bunch 
kinds,  the  handsomest  leaves  are  generally 
those  that  have  good  breadth  and  a  lively 
colour  and  are  strongly  waved  at  the  margin  ; 
a  coarse  weak  leaf  may  spoil  an  otherwise 
good  plant.  In  this  class  of  Primrose  the 
leaves  show  a  remarkable  variety  of  aspect. 
Some  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  Fox- 
glove leaves,  while  others  are  like  leaves  of 
Dandelion  ;  some  are  carried  nearly  upright, 
others  almost  flat ;  some  are  succulent  and  of 
a  bright  shining  green,  like  a  Cabbage  Lettuce  ; 
some  are  dull  of  surface  and  of  a  low-toned 
greyish  green. 

Then  the  variety  in  the  character  of  the 
flower  is  almost  inflnite.  There  are  round  flat 
flowers  like  a  florist's  Auricula,  and  there  are 
flowers  with  toothed  and  almost  fringed  edges. 
When  this  kind  of  edge  accompanies  a  full 
corolla  of  widely  imbricated  petals  that  are 
also  frilled  at  the  edge,  a  very  rich  flower 
results  ;  this  sometimes  occurs  in  the  pale 
tints,  in  either  a  pale  lemon  or  in  a  white  with 
a  lemon  eye,  and  we  have  a  garden  flower  of 
great  beauty  and  refinement  that  is  in  absolute 
opposition  to  the  standard  of  the  show. 

These  are  important  matters  for  the  ob- 
servation of  the  most  intelligent  gardeners 
and  amateurs,  who  cannot  fail  to  perceive  that 
though  in  most  cases  the  plants  brought  to 
shows  are  brought  there  in  the  service  of  the 
garden,  yet  in  some  cases  the  show  flowers  are 
show  flowers  with  hardly  any  reference  to  the 
garden. 

Jewels  of  beauty  such  as  the  show  Auriculas, 
so  lovely  and  enjoyable  in  the  hand  and  on  the 


greenhouse  bench,  would  be  lost  in  the  flower 
bed  or  border.  They  have  their  own  use  in 
giving  delight  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  highly 
refined  types  of  a  beautiful  flower,  brought  to 
a  state  of  wonderful  perfection  by  long  care 
and  lovinr^  labour.  But  they  have  their  own 
place  in  gardening,  and  the  laws  that  are  laid 
down  for  the  admission  to  the  show  table 
would  rule  out  many  of  their  fellows  that 
would  make  a  handsome,  perhaps  a  handsomer, 
bank  of  garden  flowers  than  could  be  made  of 
their  more  highly  refined  companions. 


PLANTS    FOR    GARDEN    VASES. 

The  question  as  to  the  best  plants  for  this 
use  is  one  that  often  arises.  In  one  way  it  is 
very  easily  answered,  for  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  there  are  no  summer  plants  that  so 
exactly  suit  the  purpose  as  Geraniums.  The 
habit  and  appearance  of  the  plant  is  exactly  of 
the  right  character — rather  solid  and  important, 
while  its  stifi'  half  woody  stems  enable  it  to 
withstand  a  good  deal  of  wind.  ^Moreover,  it 
comes  to  its  best  in  the  late  summer  and 
early  autumn,  when  the  gardens  where  the 
important  stone  vases  usually  find  a  home 
are  wanted  to  be  at  their  best.  They  are  also 
plants  that  gardeners  are  so  well  accustomed 
to  growing  that  they  can  depend  on  attaining 
the  result  required.  The  choice  of  kinds  is 
now  so  large  that  there  is  plenty  of  alternative, 
but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  for  general 
good  efl'ect  those  of  the  softer  scarlet  colourings 
and  those  inclining  to  a  salmon  tint  are  the 
best.  Nothing  can  well  beat  the  salmon- 
coloured  double  King  of  Denmark.  The 
colour  is  delightfully  satisfying  to  the  eye 
both  of  the  critical  and  of  the  untaught  ;  the 
doubling  is  just  double  enough,  it  gives  the 
fiower  an  expansive  richness  without  crowding 
of  petals. 

We  want  our  double  Geraniums,  like  all 
other  double  flowers,  to  be  improved  by  a 
reasonable  increase  of  petals,  not  to  be  deba.sed 
by  their  being  crowded  into  a  tight,  formless 
mass,  as  is  the  case  in  many  double  flowers, 
of  which,  among  others,  many  Geraniums, 
Begonias,  Hollyhocks,  and  Fuchsias  may  be 
quoted.  This  good  King  of  Denmark  has  also 
the  merit  of  a  handsome  and  well-marked 
leaf  ;  in  short,  it  is  a  type  of  beauty  for  a  vase 
as  for  any  other  use  of  these  indispensable 
summer  flowers.  Geraniums  are  rather  better 
in  vases  than  in  beds  because  the  vase  becomes 
warmed,  and  with  daily  watering  the  con- 
ditions it  otters  are  exactly  what  the  plants 
like  best,  sun -warmth  to  root  and  top  and  free 
air  all  round. 

So,  to  recapitulate  the  main  part  of  the 
answer  to  the  question  as  to  the  best  plants 
for  vases,  it  is  :  Geraniums  far  and  away  the 
best.  Nothing  is  so  well  dressed  or  so  exactly 
suited  to  this  use.  Whether  or  not  to  add 
some  Ivy-leaved  kinds  to  hang  over  the  edge 


326 


THE    GAUDEN. 


[May  11,  1901. 


is  a  matter  that  must  be  determined  by  the 
form  and  place  of  the  pot,  but  they  are  generally 
more  suitable  to  a  thing  of  larger  design. 
The  choice  of  the  pot  plants  must  depend  also 
on  the  degree  of  shelter  of  the  place  where  the 
pots  or  vases  stand.  In  a  very  sheltered  place 
the  best  of  the  Petunias  are  good  pot  plants. 
The  best  means  the  good  whites,  whether  single 
or  double,  the  purples  being  nearly  all  in- 
fected with  an  unpleasant  rankness  of  colour- 
ing that  makes  them  unbearable  to  the  critical 
colour  eye.  They  have  the  advantage  of 
remaining  long  in  beauty,  for  it  must  be 
remembered  that  the  pot  plant  must  be  long 
enduring  ;  it  is  no  use  to  have  a  thing  that  is 
in  beauty  for  a  month — it  must  be  in  beauty 
for  three  months.  A  vase  in  a  sheltered  place, 
■2  feet  high  and  as  much  broad,  reckoned 
independently  of  any  plinth  or  pier  on  which 
it  may  stand,  might  be  beautifully  dressed 
with  a  standard  Heliotrope  in  the  middle 
about  2  feet  9  inches  high,  with  a  base  planting 
of  white  Petunia,  or  the  standard  of  such  a 
height  as  would  show  just  a  little  of  the  stem 
free  above  the  Petunia.  A  very  well  grown 
Fuchsia  of  the  Mme.  Cornellison  type  or 
any  red  and  white  double  that  is  not  too 
double  would  also  be  a  good  centre  plant. 
Here  the  pendent  habit  of  the  plant  would 
seem  to  encourage  the  use  of  a  red  or  white  Ivy 
Geranium  to  carry  on  the  same  idea  throughout. 

Where  the  vases  can  be  carried  for  the 
winter  into  the  shelter  of  some  frost-proof 
place.  Hydrangeas,  that  can  remain  in  them 
from  year  to  year,  are  delightful  vase  plants. 
For  the  same  use,  whether  the  vase  itself  is 
carried  into  shelter  or  the  plant  dropped  into 
it  in  a  large  pot.  Sweet  Verbena,  Myrtle, 
Pomegranate,  Oleander,  Musa,  and  the  hardier 
Palms  can  be  used.  But  to  do  these  things 
rightly  there  must  be  a  knowledge,  not  only  of 
the  plant  and  its  needs,  but  of  proportion  and 
right  use  of  form  and  colour.  It  is  therefore 
most  important  in  large  places,  or  places  of 
whatever  size  that  are  carefully  designed,  to 
have  a  regular  system  established,  on  the 
advice  if  possible  of  a  competent  garden  artist, 
and  to  keep  to  the  same  year  after  year,  for  it 
is  a  matter  that  calls  for  the  most  highly 
trained  ability. 

If  during  the  summer  any  of  our  readers  will 
send  us  a  note  of  their  experience  with  various 
plants  in  vases  we  may  be  able  to  work  out  a 
set  of  schemes  that  may  be  of  use  to  them  and 
others,  although  we  incline  to  the  opinion 
that  the  few  best  vase  plants  are  already  well 
known,  among  them  being  the  Paris  Daisy 
(Chrysanthemum  frutescens),  and  that  it  is 
better  to  put  these  to  their  best  use  as  to  pro- 
portion and  environment  than  to  search  about 
for  a  larger  number  of  plants  that  may  possibly 
be  used  in  vases.  One  has  also  to  remember 
that  in  the  best  practise  of  formal  gardening, 
where  these  vases  are  most  in  place,  they  are 
used  as  the  culminating  feature  of  some  im- 
portant point,  generally  repeated  with  the 
same  architectural  form  throughout  the 
design,  and  that  it  destroys  the  intended 
harmony  if  they  are  filled  with  a  number  of 
difl'erent  plants  of  various  form  and  colour.  As 
an  instance  of  the  restrained  and  rather  severe 
treatment  such  vases  formerly  received  may  be 
mentioned  the  American  Aloe,  with  its  rigid, 
almost  symmetrical  form,  that  was  so  often 
and  so  rightly  used. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


and  interest  for  our  table,  as  by  this  means 
many  rare  and  interesting  plants  become  more 
widely  known.  We  hope,  too,  that  a  short 
cultural  note  will  accompany  the  flowers  so  as 
to  make  a  notice  of  it  more  instructive  to  those 
who  may  wish  to  grow  it.  We  welcome  anything 
from  the  garden,  whether  fruit,  tree,  shrub. 
Orchid,  or  hardy  flower,  and  they  may  be 
addressed  either  to  Miss  Jekyll,  Munstead 
Wood,  Godalming,  or  to  Mr.  E.  T.  Cook,  20, 
Tavistock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  London. 

Flowers  for  Illustration. — We  shall  be 
pleased  if  readers  will  send  any  rare  or  good 
garden  flowers  worthy  of  illustration  to  !Mr. 
H.  G.  Moon,  Herbert  Lodge,  St.  Albans.  This 
will  assist  us  greatly  in  maintaining  an  inter- 
esting series  of  flower  sketches. 


Bunch  Primroses  in  Devonshire. 

We  receive  from  Mrs.  Bayldon,  near  Dawlish, 
some  grand  trusses  o£  bunch  Primroses  grown 
in  wooded  ground.  Some  of  crimson  colouring 
liave  the  individual  blooms  nearly  2  inches  in 
diameter. 


At  this  season  the  flowers  of  the  garden  are 
coming  forth  abundantly,  and  we  invite  our 
readers  to  send  us  anything  of  special   beauty 


Iris  susiana  and  I.  iberica. 

Messrs.  T.  Ware,  Limited,  send  from  their  Hale 
Farm  Nurseries,  Feltham,  Middlesex,  flowers  of 
these  beautiful  Oncocj'clus  Irises.  I.  susiana  (the 
Mourning  Iris)  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  its 
race,  and  well  known  to  all  good  garden  lovers. 
The  flower  of  I.  iberica  is  singularlj'  handsome. 
Its  large  flowers  have  white  standards,  spotted  and 
pencilled  with  faint  purple,  while  the  deep 
coloured  falls  have  a  dark  velvety  central  blotch. 


Flowers  from  a  Surrey  Garden. 
A  valued  correspsndent  sends  "from  a  Surrey 
garden,  about  half  an  hour  from  Waterloo,  dry 
sandy  district,"  some  splendid  Camellia  blooms, 
"from  an  alcove  of  Rhododendrons,  looking  due 
north."  The  plants  are  old  and  too  worn  out  for  a 
house,  but  have  been  fifteen  j'ears  in  their  present 
place,  protected  behind.  They  improved  in  health 
and  strength  out  of  doors,  although  not  protected 
in  any  way  (except  imperfectly  behind  and  above) 
in  the  winter,  not  even  in  part  of  1892.  Also 
comes  the  curious  Asarum  caudatum  and 
A.  europa^um.  "  Both  have  been  in  shade  in  rather 
damp  place  for  twelve  or  thirteen  years." 


From  Mr.  F.  Perceval,  florist,  of  Latchford, 
Warrington,  comes  a  richly  varied  gathering  of 

Double  and  Hose-in-hose  Primroses  and 
Auriculas. 
The  double  Primroses  are  pale  and  deep  yellow, 
crimson,  lilac,  a  fine  new  rose,  the  good  old  purple 
Croussei,  and  a  fine  large  red  purple  with  flowers 
over  l{i  inuhes  across.  There  is  a  good  example  of 
the  slate-blue  Polyanthus  and  a  double  j'ellow 
Auricula  of  fine  colour,  also  some  effective  red 
hose-in-hose  Primroses.  Also  some  neat  pink 
double  Daisies  with  quilled  florets.  An  interest- 
ing feature  of  this  comprehensive  picking  is  a 
graduated  series  of  several  blosms,  apparently 
from  a  common  Primrose,  in  which  the  corolla, 
while  retaining  its  normal  form,  changes  its  usual 
character  and  colour  to  that  of  a  true  leaf ;  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  while  those  blooms  that 
are  nearest  to  the  notmal  character  have  the 
fertile  thrum  eye,  showing  the  bunch  of  stamens, 
the  more  leafy  blooms  have  the  protruding  pistil 
only. 

Flowering  Shrubs  from  Elstree. 

Mr.  Edwin  Beckett,  Aldenham  House  Gardens, 
Elstree,  sends  specimens  of  a  few  of  our  finest 
spring-flowering  trees.  Amygdalus  persica  magni- 
fica  is  conspicuous  for  the  brilliant  pink  colouring  of 
the  large  flowers,  Pyrus  Malus  atrosanguinea  has 
intensely  dark  crimson  flowers,  Phillyrea  vilmori- 
niana  is  sweetly  fragrant,  and  another  good  thing 
.sent  is  Spiriea  arguta,  one  of  the  best  of  all  shrubs 
flowering   at   this   season.      Mr.    Beckett    writes  : 


"  Many  of  the  flowering  shrubs  are  very  fine  this 
year.  I  am  sending  a  few  pieces  which  I  thought 
you  would  tike  for  the  Editors'  table  :  they  are 
very  conspicuous  in  the  garden  just  now.  The 
Amygdalus,  which  received  a  first-class  certificate 
a  few  years  since,  is  a  grand  addition  to  our  early- 
flowering  trees." 


NOTES    OF    THE   WEEK. 


Tradescantia    vipginiea    under 

g'laSS. — One  rarely  sees  any  note  about  this, 
useful  as  it  is.  Perhaps  it  is  because  it  requires 
no  care  or  attention  and  seems  so  utterly  indifl'erent 
about  soil  or  position.  Nevertheless,  it  seems  to 
me  that  with  a  little  attention  it  could  be  made 
even  more  useful  than  it  is.  This  spring,  for 
instance,  I  potted  up  a  few  strong  crowns  of  the 
dark  purple  varietj',  and  brought  them  into  a 
warm  conservatory.  There  they  came  on  rapidly, 
and  are  now  (the  first  week  of  Maj')  in  flower, 
while  those  out  of  doors  are  but  2  inches  or 
3  inches  through  the  ground.  If  allowed  to  grow 
and  flower  and  ripen  seed  I  find  self-sown  seedlings 
come  up  in  quantit}'.  The}' vary  greatlj-  in  colour, 
ranging  from  white  through  light  blue  to  deep 
purple  and  from  pale  pink  to  rich  magenta.  Of 
the  whites  there  are  three  forms  :  one  with  purple 
anthers,  one  with  j'ellow  anthers,  and,  best  of  all, 
one  with  white  anthers.  This  last  is  very  pure. 
To  do  them  all  full  justice  they  should  be  dug  up 
ever}'  two  or  three  years  and  a  few  strong  crowns 
replanted.  These  give  better-sized  flowers  than 
old  and  crowded  clumps. — T.  J.  W. ,  WcocUide 
Park. 

Rose  Marie  Louise  Poiret  (H.  T.).— 

As  was  to  be  expected  from  a  cross  between 
Caroline  Testout  and  Marquise  Litta,  a  very 
charming  result  has  been  obtained  in  the  above- 
named  Rose.  It  has  inherited  the  excellent  free- 
flowering  characteristic  of  both  parents,  and  also 
their  typical  truss  of  bloom,  some  five  or  more  on 
a  stalk.  As  the  flowers  develop  almost  simul- 
taneousl}',  this  variety  is  most  decorative.  The 
fragrance  is  powerful  and  delightful,  fitting  to  be 
classed  with  La  France  in  thi.s  respect,  and  the 
colour  is  of  a  fresh  tender  rose  tint,  deeper  in  tone 
than  Caroline  Testout,  perhaps  nearer  to  the  fine 
Hybrid  Perpetual,  Lad}'  Sheflield.  Judging  from 
the  appearance  of  Marie  Louise  Poiret  under  glass, 
I  should  say  it  will  prove  to  be  a  useful  variety  for 
bedding,  and  will  make  an  excellent  pot  Rose. — P. 
Scilla  italica  alba.— This  very  beautiful 
little  bulb  has  before  been  mentioned  in  The 
Garden,  but  its  beauty  entitles  it  to  at  least  a 
brief  remark  or  two  once  more.  A  little  group  in 
full  flower  on  oue  of  my  rockeries  has  been  very 
pleasing  for  two  or  three  weeks,  and  several  people 
who  have  seen  it  have  asked  its  name.  It  is  one 
of  these  little  bulbous  plants  which  deserve  to  be 
made  better  known,  although  it  is  yet  far  from 
plentiful  and  difiicult  to  obtain  in  trade  circles, 
though  it  is  now  in  the  hands  of  two  or  three 
dealers  who  make  a  speciality  of  such  things.  Its 
little  conical  heads  of  white  flowers  make  a  charming 
contrast  either  with  the  paler  blue  flowers  of  the 
typical  S.  italica  or  the  deeper  blue  of  other  spring 
Squills.  I  can  never  understand  why  the  blue 
S.  italica  is  so  little  seen,  and  wliy  it  appears  so 
seldom  in  catalogues,  although  now  more  frequently  ; 
met  with  than  a  few  years  ago.  Perluvps  its 
blooming  rather  later  than  several  other  Squills 
may  have  caused  it  to  be  overlooked  among  the 
greater  variety  to  be  had  when  it  flowers,  but  ' 
it  is  so  pleasing  and  so  free  growing  that  it  might  \ 
well  be  grown  in  some  quantity. — S.  Arnott, 
Cartietltorne,  hi/  JJiini/rics,  X.ll. 

Berberis  coiig'estiflora  hakeoides. 

— Judging  by  remark.s  overheard  at  the  Drill  Hall 
on  April  23,  when  tliis  Berberis  received  an  award 
of  merit,  it  appears  to  be  little  known,  though  it  j 
is  by  no  means  a  novelty.  It  is  one  of  the  ever-  I 
green  species  natives  of  South  America,  but  in 
general  appearance  it  differs  widely  from  B. 
Darwini,  B.  dulcis,  and  B.  empetrifolia,  all  of 
which  occur  in  the  same  region.  The  Barberry  in 
question   forms   a    sturdy   growing    bush,    which,      I 


May   11,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


9.0 


VZi 


though  reaching  a  height  of  several  feet,  will 
flower  freely  while  quite  small.  The  leaves,  which 
are  from  1  inch  to  2  inches  in  length,  are  roundish, 
the  upper  surface  being  bright  green,  while  the: 
lower  side  is  glaucous.  A  distinct  feature  is 
furnished  by  the  stout  coriaceous  leaves  and  tlio 
large  conspicuous  spines  upon  their  margins.  Tlie 
flowers,  which  are  borne  in  dense  axillary  clusters, 
are,  like  those  of  most  of  their  class,  of  a  golden 
yellow  cohmr,  and  borne  in  dense  a.xillar3'  clusters. 
Owing  to  the  leaves  being  densely  set  on  the  shoot 
the  flowers  are  so  numerous  as  to  be  almost  like  a 
large  spike.  This  Barberry  is  one  of  the  many 
valuable  hardy  shrubs  that  we  owe  to  Messrs. 
Veitch,  by  whom  it  was  introduced  in  1S61. — T. 

Gunriera  manicata  is  always  admired 
by  visitors  to  Oakwood  Garden  ;  its  grand  leaves 
have  quite  a  tropical  eff'ect,  and  it  increases  in  size 
every  year.  We  find  it  best  to  cover  it  up  in 
winter,  and  in  spring  to  have  some  cut  Heather 
near  it  so  as  to  give  a  light  covering  when  a  frost 
is  threatened  ;  without  this  the  first  leaves  are  apt 
to  be  injured. — (tEorge  F.  Wilson,  Heath.erlianlc, 
Weybridije  Heath. 

Tufted  Pansy  Endymion.— Tiie  tufted 

Pansies  have  suffered  considerably  during  the  last 
few  5'ears,  the  e.vcessivcly  hot  weather  of  last 
summer  weakening  the  growth  of  manj'  standard 
sorts.  The  difficulty  in  the  late  summer  and  early 
autumn  was  to  obtain  health}'  stock.  When  looking 
through  the  propagating  beds  recently  I  was  struck 
with  the  vigour  of  the  plants  of  the  varietj'  under 
notice.  They  were  the  strongest  plants  in  the  beds. 
As  may  be  inferred  by  these  remarks  the  plant  is 
of  vigorous  growth,  developing  a  profuse  display  of 


large  showy  pale  yellow  blossoms,  which  are  faintly 
pencilled.  It  is  one  of  the  seedlings  raised  by 
JVlr.  A.  J.  Rowberry  a  few  years  ago. — I).  B.  0. 

Sweet   Peas   in   flowep  in    pots. - 

I'lants  grown  singl}'  in  pots  from  seeds  sown  in 
the  autunni  are  now  in  flower.  It  is  surprising 
what  may  be  done  with  these  favourite  flowers  in 
pots.  I  think  they  niiglit  be  liad  in  bloom  much 
earlier  than  this  (April  25)  in  a  more  favoured 
neighbourhood,  for  in  the  smoky  atmosphere  of 
London  we  have  had  very  little  sun  until  quite 
recently.  The  seed  may  be  sown  in  September 
and  the  seedlings  potted  singlj-,  stopping  them 
from  time  to  time  as  they  require  it  ;  tliey  will 
make  bushy  plants.  Thej'  require  a  light,  open 
position  and  sufficient  warmth  to  keep  out  frost, 
and  to  be  potted  in  good  loamj'  soil  with  good 
drainage.  The  single  plants  may  be  grown  on 
large  enough  for  8-inch  pots.  The  varieties  I 
should  recommend  for  the  purpose  are  Sadie 
Burpee,  white  ;  Uorgeous,  orange-scarlet ;  Stanley, 
purple ;  Mars,  bright  red  ;  Blanche  Kerry,  pink 
and  white  ;  and  Lady  G.  Hamilton,  mauve.  These 
I  have  found  among  the  very  best  for  pots.  I  may 
add  that  they  should  not  be  treated  too  liberally 
until  they  begin  to  flower,  when  manure  may  be 
given  freely,  and  will  ensure  a  continuation  of 
bloom. — A.  Hemsley. 
Medal  of  honour  presentations. 

At  the  ordinar}'  general  meeting  of  the  Fellows  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Societ}',  held  in  the  Drill 
Hall  on  Tuesday  last,  the  president,  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  V.M.H.,  presented  several  medals  of 
honour.  First  came  that  well-known,  indeed, 
famous   lady.    Miss    Eleanor  Ormerod,   the  distin- 


guished entomologist,  to  whom  in  her  regrettable 
absence  Sir  Trevor  paid  higli  compliments  for  the 
great  service  she  had  rendereil  to  horticulture  in 
connection  with  in.sect  pests  and  tlieir  destruction. 
Ne.vt  in  order,  though  also  absent,  was  that 
distinguisheil  Indian  botanist.  Sir  Geoige  King,  of 
whom  it  was  said  that  he  had  done  so  nnich  lo 
promote  the  cultivation  of  Cinchona  in  India. 
Prior  to  this  gentleman's  appointment  the  Calcutta 
Botanic  CJ-arden  was  in  a  sad  condition,  but  since 
that  event  it  had  become  a  very  fine  garden  indeed. 
Then  followed  the  veteran  market  grower,  Mr. 
.James  Sweet,  of  Finchley,  who  was  characterised 
as  almost  the  father  of  market  fruit  cultui-e  under 
glass,  and  as  being  the  first  to  erect  glass  houses  of 
the  stjde  now  so  common  in  market  establish- 
ments all  over  the  kingdom.  Lastly  came  Mr. 
George  Norman,  the  well-known  gardener  to  the 
Marquis  of  Salisbury,  at  Hatfield,  who  was  eulogised 
for  his  high  ability  as  a  general  gardener,  and 
especially  for  the  production  of  fruit  and  vegetables. 
To  all  these  were  given  the  society's  Victorian 
Medal  of  Honour,  the  council  having  recently 
extended  the  niimber  of  recipients  to  sixty -three,  in 
agreement  with  the  number  of  years  of  the  late 
Queen's  reign.  Both  these  recipients  were  warmly 
applauded.  Finallj',  there  were  presented  three 
Veitch  memorial  medals,  one  to  ilr.  Irwin  R. 
Lynch,  curator  of  the  Cambridge  Botanic  (iardens, 
one  to  Mr.  W.  B.  Latham,  of  the  Birmingham 
Botanic  Garden,  and  a  third  to  Mr.  .James  Meehan, 
of  Philadelphia. 

Sale    of  dwarf  Japanese    trees.— 

At  the  sale  of  .Japanese  dwarf  trees — sweet-scented 
and  blossoming  trees— at  Willis's  Rooms  the  cata- 


GUNNEKA    MANJCATiV. 


328 


THE     GrAEDEN. 


[May   11,   1901. 


logue  itself  was  an  interesting  work  of  art.  It 
had  illustrations  by  the  Japanese  artists  Hokusai, 
Sukunobu,  and  Bairie.  The  trees  sold  included 
Thorns,  Plum,  Cherr}',  Cinnamon,  Camphor,  Elm, 
Witch  Hazel.  Beech,  Maple,  Apple,  and  Jas- 
mine.    The  1.3S  lots  realised  £280. 

A    beautiful    way    of    using*    the 

white  ArabiS.— I  have  recently  rambled 
through  several  cemeteries,  both  urban  and 
suburban,  and  of  all  the  efforts  made  to  suitably 
adorn  the  sacred  mounds  raised  therein  none  were 
crowned  with  such  conspicuous  success  as  two 
which  for  embellishment  depended  solely  upon  the 
pure  white  blossoms  of  Arabis  albida — the  Snowy 
Milkmaids  as  the  flowers  are  called  in  rural 
Berkshire.  One  grave  was  simply  a  solid  sheet 
of  pure  white  honeyed  blossom,  and  produced  a 
really  beautiful  effect,  the  patch  measuring  9  feet 
by  S  feet.  The  other,  which  was  a  double 
grave,  had  been  turfed  over,  and  in  the  central 
portion  plants  of  the  Arabis  were  inserted  closelj' 
together,  and  formed  the  loveliest  white  cross  I  have 
ever  seen  on  any  grave,  a  cross,  too,  as  natural  as 
it  was  lovel}',  and  whose  lasting  properties  were 
probably  more  important  even  than  its  other 
qualities.  How  simple,  too,  is  the  culture  necessary 
to  ensure  this  beautiful  display.  The  plants  when 
flowering  is  finished  are  simply  divided  and 
planted  some  6  inches  apart  in  anj'  moderately  good 
soil  in  any  aspect,  save,  perhaps,  a  northern  or 
wet  one,  until  the  autumn  frosts  shall  have  killed 
off'  the  brilliant  summer  blossoms,  when  they  are 
planted  in  the  place  where  they  are  to  yield  their 
wealth  of  blooms,  which  place  the  green  rosettes 
of  leaves  M'ill  charmingl}'  adorn  until  eclipsed  by 
the  advent  of  the  myriad  snowy  flowers  which 
March  and  April  bring. — E.  J.  Castle,  Wantage, 
Berks. 

Tulips  in  Park  Lane,  Hyde  Park. 

— In  continuation  of  notes  in  last  issue,  there  are 
now  some  very  good  beds  of  Tulips — not  in  con- 
dition then — of  the  popular  Tournesol  red,  with 
very  bright  yellow  margin,  and  Joost  Van  Vondel, 
a  very  effective  bright  rosy  crimson  flower.  A 
mixed  bed  of  Tulips  near  Grosvenor  Gate,  and 
having  a  carpet  of  Primula  cortusoides  looks  very 
showy  ;  indeed,  presents  a  pleasing  and  effective 
combination.  Near  at  hand  mixed  Tulips  carpeted 
bj'  brightly-flowered  Auriculas  have  quite  a  bright 
aspect.  In  a  few  days  a  bed  of  mixed  Tulips 
having  a  carpet  of  Primula  Sieboldi  will  look  very 
pleasing.  Very  fine  is  a  mixture  of  Tulips  and 
Doronicum  excelsum.  Mixed  Pansies  with  Solo- 
mon's Seal  interspersed  amongst  them  look  verj' 
gay,  whilst  mixed  Pansies  and  Doronicum  excelsum 
make  an  effective  display.  Two  beds  planted  with 
the  well-known  Pansy  named  Beaconsfield — mauve 
and  white — with  Genista  prsecox  tastefully  intro- 
duced amongst  them,  make  a  very  telling  feature. 
—Quo. 
Proposed   memorial  to  Huxley.— 

The  erection  of  a  memorial  to  the  late  Professor 
Huxley,  in  Ealing,  where  he  was  born  and  received 
his  early  education,  is  contemplated.  On  the 
initiative  of  the  council  of  the  Ealing  Natural 
Science  Societj',  a  committee  of  those  persons 
connected  with  the  district  who  are  interested  in 
the  project  has  been  formed.  The  first  meeting  of 
this  committee  was  held  on  March  29,  when  an 
executive  committee  was  appointed  with  the  Rev. 
Professor  G.  Henslow  as  chairman.  A  bronze 
medallion  portrait  has  been  advocated  for  the 
central  feature  of  the  design,  which  ma}'  take  the 
form  of  a  simple  mural  tablet  or  of  a  more  worthy 
monument,  as  funds  are  obtainable,  while  should 
that  support  be  forthcoming  for  which  its  projectors 
hope,  an  annual  grant  or  medal  might  also  be 
founded.  Subscription  to  the  fund  is  not  confined 
to  residents  in  Ealing,  and  persons  who  may  be 
desirous  of  assisting  in  the  endeavour  to  show 
honour  to  the  memory  of  Huxley  in  the  place  of 
his  birth  should  communicate  with  the  treasurer  of 
the  fund  (Mr.  T.  Simpson,  Fennymere,  Castle  Bar, 
Ealing),  or  with  the  secretary  (Mr.  B.  B.  Wood- 
ward, 120,  The  Grove,  Ealing). —iVaterc. 

Fruit  culture  in  Ceylon.— The  people 

of  the  enterprising  island  colony  are  determined 
to  push  forward  the  scheme  for  fruit  culture,  and 
export,  as  will  be  seen  from  an  extract  which  we 


publish  in  another  column.  Here  again  the 
islanders  will  forestall  us,  unless  some  of  our 
enterprising  capitalists  look  sharp.  We  should 
not  be  surprised  to  learn  that  Government  help 
was  asked  for  in  this  matter. — Indian  Gardenin;/. 

Poet's    Narcissus    in    Devon.— We 

have  a  drift  of  Poet's  Narcissus,  some  12,000  of 
them,  under  the  budding  trees  on  a  gentle  slope. 
It  is  a  lovely  sight. — A.  B. ,  Dawlinh,  Devon. 

Importance  of  horticultural  socie- 
ties.— Speaking  before  the  members  of  the  Rhode 
Island  (America)  Horticultural  Society,  President 
Farnum  said  that  horticultural  societies  are  too 
slightly  appreciated.  They  should  be  at  once 
recognised  as  agencies  for  the  welfare  of  all  the 
people,  and  ought  to  be  richly  endowed.  He  would 
like  to  have  horticultural  societies  in  every  county 
of  Rhode  Island,  with  buildings  of  their  own,  and 
holding  large  exhibitions  at  suitable  seasons.  The 
result  would  be  to  greatly  stimulate  a  love  for 
horticulture,  and  promote  the  culture  of  health 
and  pleasure-giving  fruits  and  flowers. 

Fritillaria  tristiS.— Mrs.  Mayers  writes 
from  North  Lancashire: — "I  send  3'ou  a  bit  of 
Fritillaria  tristis — rather  a  rare  plant,  I  fancj', 
and  one  which  grows  well  with  me  in  our  rather 
poor  peaty  soil,  mixed  with  sand  and  plenty  of 
leaf-mould.  It  flourishes  in  several  different  aspects 
of  the  garden,  shady  and  sunny  alike." — [F.  tristis, 
though  an  interesting  and  well-known  plant,  is  not 
commonly  seen  in  gardens. — Eus.] 

The  late  Mr.  D.  T.  Fish.— As  an  old 

acquaintance  of  the  late  Mr.  Fish,  I  would  thank 
you  for  your  capital  portrait  of  him,  and  also  for 
the  interesting  notes  concerning  his  horticultural 
life.  That  he  rendered  immense  service  "to  horti- 
culture there  can  be  no  doubt. — A.  D. 

Protecting"    Asparag-us    g'rowths. 

— There  is  a  great  gain  in  covering  some  of  the 
best  beds  with  long  litter  in  such  seasons  as  we 
have  just  passed  through.  Early  in  April  the 
growths  were  just  pushing  through  the  soil,  and  in 
this  part  of  the  country — West  Middlesex — we 
had  from  IC^  to  1.5"  of  frost  on  several  occasions. 
This  injured  the  new  growths  just  as  they  were 
starting  freely,  and,  as  the  Asparagus  season  is 
greatly  shortened  by  these  late  frosts,  timely  jiro- 
teetion  in  the  shape  of  long  litter,  or,  what  is 
equally  good,  dry  Fern  or  IJracken  is  beneficial. 
I  am  aware  that  covering  has  a  tendency  to  blanch 
the  heads,  and  this  by  some  is  objected  to,  but  if 
the  litter  is  removed  to  the  sides  of  the  beds 
during  bright  sunshine  the  growths  assume  their 
natural  colour.  It  is  easy  to  replace  the  covering 
at  night,  or  even  earlier  should  cold  east  winds 
prevail.  I  have  frequentl}'  seen  J'oung  growths 
suffer  from  other  causes,  a  common  one  being  want 
of  soil  on  the  surface  of  the  beds.  The  old  roots 
have  a  tendency  to  lift  themselves  upwards,  and 
by  liberal  top-dressings  this  feeds  and  gives  the 
roots  more  protection.  — (i.  W.  S. 

Improvements  in  Edinburg'h 
parks  and  g-ardens. Mr.  MacHattie  the 

other  day  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  first 
report,  with  its  suggested  improvements,  received 
by  the  Edinburgh  Town  Council  with  approval. 
Among  the  schemes  to  be  undertaken  is  a  nursery 
in  the  new  Inverleith  Park,  for  the  production  of 
trees  and  shrubs  ;  alterations  in  West  Princes 
Street  Gardens,  which  are  to  be  spread  over  a 
period  of  six  years  ;  and  the  flower  border  near 
the  Scott  Monument,  in  Princes  Street,  is  at  once 
to  be  put  into  a  form  more  in  keeping  with  modern 
ideas  than  hitherto.  At  the  present  time  the  view 
down  the  Water  of  Leith,  looking  from  the  Dean 
Bridge,  is  a  dream  of  beauty,  and  perhaps  nowhere 
else  than  in  Edinburgh  is  it  possible  to  find  any- 
thing to  compare  with  tlie  effect  of  the  trees  with 
their  expanding  leafage. 

A  hall  for  horticulture ^■our  enthu- 
siastic correspondent  Mr.  H.  Cannell,  sen.,  seems 
to  think  that,  were  a  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
hall  erected  in  London,  it  would  afl'orcl  a  suitable 
exhibition  place  for  the  shows  of  the  National 
Rose  and  Chrysanthemum  societies.  A  few  facts 
may  soon  dispose  of  such  suggestions,  and  those 
facts  could  no  doubt  be  easilj'  furnished  in  the  one 
case  by  the  well-known  Rev.  H.  H.  D'ombrain,  and 
the  other  by  Mr.  R.  Dean,  the  secretaries  of  these 


respective  .societies.  If  each  one  would  give  the 
actual  area  required  for  exhibits  at  each  of  their 
shows — July  and  November—and  would  add  in 
each  case  donJile  the  space  thus  required  for  visitors' 
locomotion,  some  common-sense  knowleflge  would 
be  obtained  as  to  the  actual  area  of  any  hall  of 
horticulture  to  accommodate  such  societies.  On 
that  head  there  seems  to  l)e  much  ignorance. — 
F.R.H.S. 
The  Dean  of  Rochester.— We  are  very 

pleased  to  know  that  the  Dean  of  Rochester  will 
be  present  at  tlie  forthcoming  anniversar}'  of  the 
Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent  Institution.  Those 
present  at  last  j'ears  festival  will  rememl>er  his 
excellent  speech  as  one  of  the  most  pleasant 
reminiscences  of  the  evening. 

Frederic  Burvenich.— The  Hniieiin 

d' Arbor icul In rt  contains  an  interesting  article  bj' 
Em.  Rodigas  on  the  life  of  Frederic  Burvenich, 
honorary  professor  of  the  State  School  of  Horti- 
culture at  Ghent.  M.  Burvenich  has  been  in 
charge  since  1S58  of  the  courses  of  instruction  on 
fruit  and  vegetable  cultivation,  and  has  contri- 
buted largelj'  to  the  reputation  of  the  school.  He 
was  a  constant  contributor  to  the  pages  of  the 
Bulletin  d-  Arboriculture.  Although  M.  Burvenich 
is  now  seeking  a  well-earned  repose,  he  will  still 
continue  his  public  lectures.  In  1883  the  Ghent 
School  of  Horticulture  celebrated  the  twentj'-fifth 
anniversary  of  the  professorship  of  M.  Burvenich, 
and  on  this  occasion  the  King  of  the  Belgians  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  insignia  of  Chevalier  de  I'Ordre 
de  Leopold.  Shortly  after  he  received  the  Decora- 
tion Agricole  of  the  first-class,  and  the  Civique 
Medaille  of  the  first-class,  as  well  as  the  insignia 
of  Chevalier  du  Mcrite  Agricole  of  France.  He 
after\vards  received  the  civic  cross  as  a  reward  for 
more  than  thirty-five  years  loyal  services.  M. 
Burvenich  has  received  many  other  reminders  of 
the  regard  in  which  he  is  held. 

A   g'pod   early  Pea  (Sutton's 

Bountiful).— -There  are  many  complaints  this 
season  about  the  weak  growth  and  loss  of  seed 
among  the  early  Peas.  The  weather  in  a  great 
measure  is  answerable,  as  the  soil  was  so  cold  and 
saturated  that  severe  losses  resulted  in  the  seed 
bed.  Most  of  the  losses  occur  in  the  marrow  type, 
and  though  much  has  been  done  of  late  years  to 
raise  hardier  stock,  the  weather  we  have  experi- 
enced was  so  bad  that  it  told  on  the  seed,  no  matter 
how  hardy.  I  notice  one  variety  which  ajjpears  to 
go  ahead  in  spite  of  adverses.  This  is  Sutton's 
Bountiful,  a  blue  seeded  variet}-,  a  green  Pea  of 
great  excellence,  and,  though  a  round  seeded  kind, 
it  differs  from  that  type,  as  the  pods  are  longer  and 
the  qualitj'  superior  to  the  old  white  round  kinds. 
As  regards  cropping,  I  have  not  seen  its  equal  ;  it 
is  enormous,  and  being  only  'A  feet  high  it  may  be 
grown  in  small  gardens,  and  sown  for  first  crop. 
Owing  to  its  size  and  productiveness,  it  is  a  most 
valuable  early  variety.  Those  who  sow  in  the 
autumn  will  find  tliis  one  of  the  most  trustworthy 
kinds,  as  though  I  am  not  fond  of  sowing  in  the 
open  at  that  season  given  frame  culture  at  the  start 
and  planted  out  it  is  most  useful.  — (i.  Wytiihs. 

Spinach  forced  (the  Carter).— I  his 

variety  forces  so  readily  tliat  in  the  s|jring  season  a 
deficiency  can  soon  be  remedied  if  seeds  are  sown 
in  heat,  either  in  pots  or  in  a  frame.  Of  course, 
heat  is  not  really  necessary  if  glass  protection  can 
be  given,  but  grown  thus  the  plant  is  longer  turn- 
ing in,  and  if  time  is  important  or  a  crop  needed 
at  any  special  season,  I  would  advise  sowing  in 
pots  in  a  warm  frame  ;  grown  thus  a  supply  nuiy 
be  obtained  in  a  few  weeks.  In  our  own  case  in  a 
wet  winter  our  Spinach  winters  liadly.  and  our 
first  spring  crop  is  always  secured  from  pot  plant.-. 
Seed  sown  in  .5-inch  or  Oinch  pots,  and  the  phuits 
thinned  to  say  three  or  four,  grown  in  a  Harm 
frame  at  the  start,  and  afterwards  as  near  tlie  glass 
as  possible,  may  be  had  fit  for  table  in  a  few  week.*-. 
Grown  under  glass  the  plants  delight  in  a  lich  soil, 
and  if  a  j)ortion  of  a  frame  can  be  soxs'n  broadcast 
early  in  Felnniary  for  .spring  cutting  it  makes  a 
valuable  addition  to  thespringsupply  of  vegetables. 
I  prefer  the  large  leaved  variety.  The  Carter 
Spinach  is  a  verj'  fine  type,  and  forces  well,  being 
of  remarkably  quick  growth  and  splendid  quality. 
—A  New  Readisk. 


I 


I 


May  11,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


329 


Bridal  W^reath  (Francoa  ramosa) 
and  F.  appendiculata.     Tlio  former  is 

nuioli  ap))reciate(l  in  the  autuinii.  The  long, 
slender  spikes  ut  pure  white  flowers  are  very 
pretty,  and  it  is  partieularly  adapted  for  groups 
arranged  (or  effect.  The  tall  spikes  of  bloom  stand- 
ing up  al)Ove  other  subjects  give  a  light  appear- 
ance either  loan  exhibition  group,  the  conservatory, 
or  other  floral  arrangements;  it  is  invaluable.  It 
may  be  increased  by  dividing  old  plants  or  from 
.seed.  It  is  now  a  little  late  for  seedlings  to 
flower  well  this  season,  but  old  plants  may  be 
divided  and  potted  in  good  rich  loamy  soil,  grown 
in  a  cold  pit  or  out  of  doors  in  a  sheltered  position, 
and  taken  under  glass  when  the  flower-spikes  begin 
to  throw  up.  The  flowers  come  whiter  and  better 
in  the  shade.  Francoa  appendiculata  is  a  taller- 
growing  species,  with  a  branching  spike,  but  the 
flowers  are  not  pure  white  when  the  plant  is 
exposed  to  the  sun  ;  they  have  a  pink  or  almost 
purple-pink  shade.  If  grown  under  glass  and 
well  shaded  when  the  flowers  begin  to  open,  they 
will  come  almost  pure  white,  and  in  the  back- 
ground of  a  group  they  are  very  eff'ective.  This 
species  has  large  leaves,  and  requires  to  be  grown 
in  7-inch  or  8-iuch  pots,  but  F.  ramosa  will  flower 
well  in  5-inoh  pots.     If  taken  in  hand  now  and 


ODONTOGLOSSDM    CRISPUM    FRANZ    MASEREEL. 

potted  in  suitable  compost  they  give  little  trouble 
during  the  summer,  and  will  be  found  very  useful 
in  August  and  September. — A.  Hemsley. 

Dielytpa    spectabilis    (Bleeding* 

HeaPt)  in  pots. — This  is  now  flowering  in 
the  cool  greenhouse,  and  is  very  effective.  The 
plants  were  potted  late  in  the  autumn,  and  were 
kept  in  a  cold  pit  until  they  began  to  start  into 
growth,  when  they  were  removed  to  the  house. 
A  sunny  position  and  protection  from  frost  is  all 
that  is  required  to  have  it  in  flower  some  weeks 
before  the  natural  flowering  season.  A  late  frost 
will  often  be  destructive  when  grown  out  of  doors, 
though  in  a  sheltered  positioji  it  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  hard}'  plants  we  have  for  the  early 
spring.  — H. 

Collinsia  verna.  —  This  charming  little 
hardy  annual  is  now  coming  into  bloom  and  will 
soon  be  a  mass  of  pretty  blue  and  white  flowers. 
It  is  not  often  met  with,  but  1  think  if  it  was 
better  known  it  would  become  popular  for  spring 
beds,  as  it  is  quite  distinct  and  easily  grown.  By 
sowing  seed  now  it  may  be  had  in  flower  during 
the  summer  months,  but  I  think  it  is  more 
appreciated  in  the  spring  when  flowers  of  this 
type  are  not  so  plentiful.  For  spring  flowering 
seed  should  be  sown  in  September  in  the  open,  and 


when  large  enough  seedlings  may  be  transplanted 
forthwith  into  their  flowering  quarters.  It  also 
makes  a  very  pretty  pot  plant,  and  for  this  purpose 
seed  should  be  sown  in  4Vinch  pots,  and  placed 
in  cold  frames,  where  they  can  remain  all  the 
winter.  The  seedlings  should  be  thinned  to  three 
or  four  plants  in  a  pot.  Karly  in  the  year  they 
should  be  brought  into  a  cool  house  near  the  glass, 
and  they  will  then  require  the  support  of  neat 
stakes.  They  make  a  very  pleasing  display  during 
March  and  April. — K.  Harkiss. 

PentStemonS.  —  The  Pentstemons  rank 
among  the  most  beautiful  of  hardy  plants  for  the 
mixed  border  or  for  grouping  in  beds  and  borders 
by  themselves.  To  enjoy  this  beauty  to  the  full 
I  favour  the  system  of  massing  them  in  beds,  and 
as  vast  improvements  have  been  made  in  size  of 
flowers  and  diversity  of  colours,  combined  v/ith 
robustness  in  growth,  some  extremely  beautiful 
pictures  maj'  be  made  about  the  garden  by 
judiciously  planting  several  beds  of  them.  Here,  in 
the  Midlands,  we  lose  the  old  plants  every  year  if 
left  in  the  open,  and  the  method  I  now  adopt  is  to 
strike  the  required  number  of  strong  cuttings, 
taken  from  the  best  varieties  in  September.  They 
are,  dibbled  into  sandj'  soil  in  a  cold  frame,  and 
there  they  remain  until  the  middle  part  of  the 
month  of  April,  when  they  are  planted 
out  in  prepared  stations  and  allowed 
to  grow  awa\'  at  will.  As  growth 
becomes  rapid  a  few  pieces  of  Hazel- 
brush  are  inserted  among  them,  and 
this  supports  the  plants  as  they  become 
laden  with  heavy  foliage  and  a  profusion 
of  blossoms.  Some  such  mode  of  pro- 
cedure is  necessary,  otherwise  heav}' 
showers  will  break  them  down. — H.  T. 
Martin. 

Odontoglossum      crispum 
Franz  Masereel.— This  charming 

Odontoglossum    has   acquired   a   world- 
wide reputation.     It  was  first  exhibited 
at   the    P.o^'al    Horticultural    Society's 
meeting    on    November     13,     1894,    by 
M.    Vervet,   and  was   awarded   a   first- 
class    ceitiHcate    by    the    Orchid   com- 
mittee.    It  was  then  a  very  small  plant. 
Since  tiiat  time  it  has  been  exhibited  on 
two   occasions    from    the    collection     of 
M.   .Jules   H3'e-Lysen  of  Ghent,  the  last 
occasion  it  was  exhibited  being  March '20 
last.        The     Orchid     committee    most 
deservedly  awarded  the  plant  a  silver- 
gilt  Flora  medal.      The  plant  carried  a 
raceme  of  thirteen  flowers,  from  one  of 
which  the  photograph  reproduced  in  the 
accompanying    illustration   was    taken. 
The  exterior  of  the  sepals  and  petals  is 
densely  sufi'used  with  rich   purple,   the 
light  reflecting  through  this  causes  the 
white  on  the  front  surface  to  have  quite 
a  rosy  lilac  appearance.     As  seen  in  the 
illustration,    the    greater    ])art    of    the    segments 
is     blotched     and     spotted     with    rich    crimson- 
purple.     The  lip  is  white,  willi  a  large  blotch   of 
purple  in  the  centre,  deep  yellow  on  I  he  crest.     It 
is  one  of  the  most  attractive  and  beautiful  Odonto- 
glossums  in  cultivation.  H.  J.  Ciiapiman. 


COLD  OR  COOL.  STORAGE  OF 

FRUIT. 

We  have  received  from  Mr.  Kemp  (gardener  to 
C.  S.  Scrase-Dickins,  Esq. ,  of  Coolhurst,  Horsham,) 
a  paper  of  much  practical  importance  abo\it  the 
subject  of  cool  storage  of  fruit,  which  is  creating 
.so  much  interest  among  our  readers.  This  paper 
was  read  before  the  Brighton  and  Sussex  Horti- 
cultural Association,  and  we  give  the  following 
extracts : — 

The  Apple  as  an  article  of  food,  cooked  in  any 
form,  is  a  most  wholesome  and  de^rablc  dish, 
and  what  adds  so  much  to  its  value  in  this  respect 
is  that  it  is  generally  to  be  harl  through  (he  wn.tci- 
and  the  spring  months,  when  i>ther  cook.iig  fruils 
are  scarce,  filling  u]i  tlie  ga]i  l)ctwecn  sunnucr  past 
and  summer  coming.  So  in  this  provision  of 
nature  we  see  the  order  of  things  for  our  advantage 


in  a  clearly  convincing  manner,  the  hardy  fruit 
being  provided  for  the  dead  period  of  the  year. 
Now  here  arises  the  all-important  question  as  to 
liow  we  are  to  have  Apples  in  a  thoroughly  sound, 
fresh  state  for  cooking  and  dessert  at  the  times 
mentioned  above,  so  that  every  possible  means 
should  be  adopted  to  attain  the  best  and  highest 
methods  of  cnltivation. 

In  the  early  autumn  and  on  to  Christmas  tliere 
is  in  most  cases  plenty  of  sound  fruit  ;  indeed,  I 
might  safely  say  too  much,  and  I  am  not  sure  if 
our  autumn  shows  have  not  something  to  answer 
for  in  this  respect.  The  Apples  we  see  exhibited 
being  beautiful  specimens  lead  us  to  get  many  of 
them,  so  that  when  fruiting  time  comes  we  have 
more  of  one  class  than  is  really  necessary,  and 
before  these  soft  autumn  Apples  are  used  there  is 
as  often  as  not  some  loss.  It  is  no  unusual  thing 
for  the  supply  to  become  short  later  on  in  conse- 
quence, so  that  the 

Aim  and  Object  in  Apple  Cultitre 
should  all  point  towards  having  a  supply  of  sound 
fruit  at  a  time  home-grown  fruit  is  likely  to  be 
scarce,  and  when  foreign  supplies  take  the  place 
of  the  deficiency,  which  is  much  to  be  regretted, 
as  in  this  country  there  is  neither  want  of  climate, 
suitable  soil,  nor  knowdedge,  obser\'ation,  and  skill 
to  do  the  practical  part  of  the  operations,  that  lead 
to  success.  The  only  explanation  I  can  arrive  at  is 
the  want  of  courage  to  venture  on  what  seems  to 
many  a  doubtful  step,  simply  because  there  is  no 
certainty  as  to  every  year's  crop  being  a  paying 
one.  Still  the  effort  should  be  made,  and  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  were  the  immense  sums  of 
money  that  are  annually  spent  on  foreign  Apples 
spent  on  cultivating  the  waste  land  of  England 
thoroughly  for  Apple  trees,  there  would  be  an 
industrj' inaugurated  that  would  employ  .labour  to 
a  large  extent,  and  act,  directly  and  indirectly,  to 
the  advantage  of  the  common  wealth,  so  tliat  there 
need  be  no  fear  of  a  full  return  in  good  time  for  the 
original  outlaj'.  Now  the  next  important  point  in 
Apple  culture  is  a 

Properly  Constructed  House  to  Store 

the  fruit  in,  for  it  is  all  to  little  purpose  to  take 
the  initial  step  towards  having  fine  fruit,  and 
storing  it  in  an  unsuitable  place,  where  after  a 
time  the  fruit  begins  gradually  to  get  soft  and 
contracted,  in  other  words,  shrivelled.  All  such 
fruit  is  of  little  value,  either  for  cooking  or  for 
dessert,  as  when  the  juice  is  gone  (whicih  is  the 
essence)  the  fruit  is  neither  palatable  nor  whole- 
some, and  this  deterioration  takes  place  from  the 
fruit  being  stored  in  too  dry  a  temperature.  The 
usual  fruit  room  that  has  been  in  vogue  for  many 
years,  fitted  up  with  all  the  best  possible  appliances 
as  to  heating  and  airing,  the  best  pine  wood 
drawers  and  racks,  was  the  very  thing  that  robbed 
the  fruit  of  its  essence.  The  laws  of  scientific 
chemistry  clearly  prove  beyond  all  question  of 
doubt  that  the  atmosphere  of  a  room  containing 
dry  and  soft  articles  together  will  in  time  equalise 
itself,  by  the  dryer  absorbing  the  moisture  of  the 
softer,  so  that  in  the  case  of  Apples  being  in  such 
dry  surroundings  they  lose  in  plumpness,  even  by 
midwinter,  not  to  speak  of  onwards  till  the  end  of 
May,  when  it  is  quite  possible  to  have  Wellington, 
Lane's  Prince  Albert,  New  Northern  Greening, 
Norfolk  Beaufin,  Newton  Wonder,  and  others 
equally  good  in  the  cooking  class.  Dessert  varieties, 
too,  are  to  be  had  then  in  good  conditioii.  Mj' 
objection  to  the  fruit  room  just  described  is  that  its 
position  in  the  establishment  is  generallj'  sur- 
rounded and  connected  with  other  buildings  ;  its 
atmosphere  is  constantlj'  dry,  and  the  currents  of 
dry  air  through  the  i-aeks  and  drawers  are  harm- 
ful. Apples  will  not  keep  sound  in  such  places  ; 
they  will  shrivel  in  the  face  of  all  eflbrts  made  to 
preserve  them,  so  that  some  other  structure,  con- 
taining an  atmosphere  suitable  to  their  require- 
ments, must  be  found  if  we  are  to  expect  and  have 
gooil  Apples  late  in  the  spring.  There  cannot  be  a 
shadow  of  doubt  about  the  correctness  of  this  state- 
ment, for  the  dried  up,  shrivelled  state  of  the 
Ap))le  late  in  the  season  in  these  fruit  rooms  must 
be  evidence  enough  to  demonstrate  clearly  to  all 
that  there  is  "  something  wrong.'  I,  for  one,  have 


330 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  11,  1901. 


Stki'I'KD  out  of  the  Stekeotyted  JJet)ioi), 
and  altliougli  I  ^\'as  characterised  as  licing  verj' 
foolish  and  audacious  in  presuming  to  lea\"e  tlic 
beateu  track,  ^^•hich  I  lUd  about  ten  years  ago, 
I  can  nevertheless  look  back  over  that  period  with 
the  greatest  pleasure,  seeing  and  experiencing  in 
no  small  degree  that  my  departure  was  a  stejj  in 
the  right  direction,  and  thereforecaii  reconinicnd  the 
SNstem  adopted  M'ith  every  contidence  as  one  that 
will  meet  the  case  presently  under  review.  I 
altandoned  the  rack  and  drawer  fruit  room  for 
Apples  at  Coolhurst,  and  took  to  an  old  summer 
house  in  a  damp,  low,  shad}'  part  of  the  groinids, 
with  brick  walls  and  cement  face  outside.  The 
walling  and  ceiling  «'ere  plastered  inside,  with  lath 
only  on  the  ceiling,  the  Honr  of  cement  resting  on 
the  clay,  and,  eonsei|uently,  alwaj's  damp  and  cool ; 
and  ■what  makes  it  more  so  is  that  there  were  no 
spouts  round  the  eaves  of  the  root,  which  project 
considerably  o\-er  the  walls,  so  that  all  the  rain 
water  from  the  roof  falls  round  the  liase  of  the 
house  and  percolates  underneath  it.  The  door 
faces  south-west,  and  just  opposite  is  a  large 
window  opening  in  Uvo  halves  on  hinges,  so  that 
this  window  is  never  shut,  unless  in  times  of  severe 
frost,  tliere  being  a  close,  stout  wire  netting  fixed 
inside  over  the  window  frame  to  prevent  Ijirds  or 
other  creatures  pecking  at  the 
Apples.  The  other  windows  are 
hung  witli  heavj'  dark  blinds  to 
))revent  much  light  falling  upon 
thefruit,  forthis  isnot  necessary', 
as  it  leads  to  a  diy  atmosphere 
and  raises  the  temperature  too 
high.  It  sliould  never  exceed 
40°  ill  frosty  weather  if  pos- 
sible ;  but  as  .spring  ad\'ances 
there  is  no  chance  of  it  being 
kept  so  loM'. 

No  Aktutcial  He.^t  oe  any 
Kind 

is  used  until  the  temperature 
falls  close  on  freezing  point. 
In  such  a  house  as  I  have 
just  described  you  can  easily 
understand  that  there  is  at  all 
times  a  soft  moist  atmosphere. 
If  the  Apples  feel  damp  and 
moist  to  the  touch,  ■\\hich 
they  are  sure  to  do  under 
such  atmospheric  conditions, 
there  being  no  current  of  air  to 
carry  the  moisture  otF,  they  will 
long  keep  fresh,  sound,  and 
plump.  As  the  Apples  are 
.gathered  off  the  trees  every  care 
is  taken  not  to  bruise  them.  All 
the  small  and  deformed  ones 
are  liicked  out  and  laid  aside 
for  cider  purposes,  so  that 
nothing  but  the  best  are  stored. 
Each  variety  is  put  by  itself  in 
a  lump  from  1  foot  to  2  feet 
deep  on  tlie  damp  floor,  accord- 
ing to  the  rpiantit.v  tliere  nia.v 
be  in  each,  right  and  left, 
separated  from  each  other  by 
slates,  or  anything  else  of  a  non- 
moisture  absorbing  kind  ;  thin 
damp  Oak  boards  do  very  well, 
for  if  these  are  damp  liefore 
being  laid  on  the  floor  they  will 
remain  so.  Here  the  Ajiplcs 
lie  undisturbed,  an<l  are  used  as 
required,  each  in  its  season  ; 
there  Ijeiiig  a  narrow  passage  in 
the  centre  of  the  house  the.y  are 
easily  got  at.  No  straw  nor 
litter  of  any  kind  is  used  to 
cover  the  Apples,  -M-hich  is  not 
an  unconinu)ii  thing  to  lie  met 
witli  ill  use ;  these  strawy 
materials  do  a  deal  of  harm  tn 
the  Apples,  apart  from  alisorb- 
ing  the  moisture  at  first  from 
them,  which  is  sure  to  happen 
from  these  materials  being 
drier     in    substance    than    the 


Apples  are,  and  will  remain  sci  until  both  are 
equalised  in  moisture.  Then  these  soon  get  damp 
and  imist.v,  and  the  Apples  get  inusty-iiavourcd, 
which  makes  them  unpleasant  cither  for  cooking  or 
for  des.sert.  Our  Ajiples  all  remain  uncuvered  fidui 
the  time  they  are  put  in  store  till  the.y  are  all  used, 
and  it  not  infre(|ue]itl.v  happens  that  they  last  in 
use  till  the  end  of  May  and  well  iiitip  June.  We 
have  liad  "W'elliiigtun  and  Lane's  I'rince  .Vliiert 
perfectl.\'  sound  and  plump  for  cooking  ;  and  for 
dessert.  Court  Pendu  I'lat,  iJukc  of  Devonshire, 
and  Stunner  Pippin  in  the  same  condition  at  the 
latter  time,  so  much  so  that  visitors  could  hardlj' 
credit  they  were  home-grown  fruit.  You  must 
liere  observe  that  there  is  a  deal  of  faith  put  into 
tlie  atmospheric  surroundings  the  Apples  are  under, 
so  as  to  bring  the  (me  thing  needful  towards  pre- 
serving their  keeping  prriperties,  and  since  it  is 
only  in  such  a  house  as  I  have  here  spoken  of  that 
these  fruit-preserving  surroundings  can  be  got, 
tlieii  it  beho\-es  eveiy  one  who  has  Apples  to  store 
for  a  long  suppl.y  to  see  to  tlie  atmospheric  con- 
ditions of  the  store  room  being  suitable.  'What 
first  com'inced  nie  thoroughl}'  of  the  fact  tliat  a 

Coot,  Moist  Atmosphere 

was  the  Ijcst  to  store  Apples  in  t(J  get  them  to  keep 
for  a  lengthened  period  was 
this  :  'While  working  among 
the  trees  in  the  orchard  in  the 
spring,  I  found  Apples  perfectl.\' 
fresh  and  sound  l.ving  aniougst 
the  dead  leaves  and  the  long 
grass,  where  they  had  lain  from 
the  time  the}'  had  diopped  from 
the  trees  in  the  autumn  :  and 
this  instance  made  clear  to  me 
that  my  views  of  the  dr\'  Apple 
store  being  unsuitalilc  to  keep 
Apples  in  a  good  plump  state 
was  correct,  and  moreover  it 
must  be  clear  that  these  Apples 
would  lie  some  time  or  other 
through  the  winter  to  some 
e.xtent  frozen,  for  there  is  no 
winter,  howe^•el■  mild,  generally 
speaking,  but  has  some  frost  in 
it.  Eight  yeais  past  in  the 
latter  end  of  October  we  had 
10°  of  frost,  and  when  that 
occurred  we  had  a  tree  of  Court 
Pendu  Plat  unpicked,  it  being 
a  late  variet}',  and  had  to  lie 
left  till  the  last  to  get  the  fruit 
to  part  freely  from  the  tree,  so 
after  that  frost  we  thought  there 
was  no  use  troubling  more  about 
picking  the  Apples,  as  they 
would  be  wasted.  Howexer, 
some  days  afterwards  the  A]iples 
were  examined,  and  much  to 
our  surprise  were  to  all  ap]iear- 
ance  cpiite  unhurt.  So  tliev 
were  picked  aiU-l  stored  beside 
the  others,  and  reniaiucd  sound 
till  the  following  i\la\',  when 
they  were  used.  'I'o  me  that 
was  another  convincing  ])i'oof  of 
Apples  lieinj^  alile  to  )iut  u]) 
with  very  cool  storage,  aUliongli 
it  must  be  distinctly  under- 
stood that  I  would  never  allow 
the  store  room  to  fall  below 
freezing  point,  as  I  believe  in  a 
steady  temperature  being  tlie 
best  to  keep  Apples  in.  Nom', 
all  that  I  have  recorded  Iiere 
about  the  Aiiple  has  led  me  to 
think  of  hoM  a  real  good  Apple 
store  should  be  made,  and  where 
its  position  should  lie,  and  since 
lliat  is  a  matter  of  first  im]>ort- 
aiice  it  should  Iiavc  all  due 
consideration  triA\ar(ls  tlie  end 
in  xicw. 


LIEir.M     KE1,I,I 


The  Site 


(Xatitrai  size  irjcrretl  lu  iti  text.) 


chosen  should  lie 
one.      The  house 


L  cool,  sliady 
diould   stand 


east  and  x\cst,  lie  from  S  feel  to  111  I'eet  wide 
inside,  and  doulile  that  in  lengtli,  or  even  more, 
just  according  to  tlic  amount  of  fruit  there  miglit 
lie  the  prospect  of  storing;  its  heiglit  in  tlic 
centre  of  the  roof  need  not  be  more  than  S  feet,  the 
tx\"o  side  \\'alls,  -f  feet  high  inside,  would  give  a 
pitch  to  the  roof  of  4  feet.  Heather  or  broom 
shouM  be  the  material  for  coN'cring.  witli  a  dasli  of 
clay  in  it  to  make  it  lie  close  :  then  I  should  b\  all 
means  add  a  second  roof,  standing  '1  feet  alio\c 
the  actual  one,  and  between  the  two  there  would 
lie  a  stratum  of  air  at  all  times,  ami  in  the  ca.se  of 
severe  frosts  the  current  wcmld  lessen  its  hold  on 
the  roof  proper.  In  the  case  of  warm  weathi'i- 
in  the  spring,  the  air  current  x\'oidd  x\ard  it  otraiid 
kee])  tiic  house  cooler  inside,  M'liirii  woulrl  keeji 
the  tciiqierature  more  e\'en.  The  flrior  ma\'  lie  the 
natural  clay  if  there  is  no  i-liance  of  water  getting 
inside  in  a  time  of  wet  weather,  and  if  so  (lie  lioiisc 
itself  would  be  lietter  sunk  2  feet  lieliiw  the 
level  of  tlie  surrounding  ground  outside.  There 
should  be  two  ventilators  in  the  ridge  of  tlie  roof 
pidper  to  jireveiit  the  chance  of  sweating,  liut 
tliere  will  not  lie  niueli  risk  of  that  if  the  window 
the  hou.se  must  have  is  kejit  ojieii.  Tlie  door  in 
the  west  end  and  the  window  in  the  east,  on  hinges, 
should  lie  kept  open  on  all  occasions,  unless  in  f  rost.v 
weather,  with  a  stout,  close  wire  netting  fixed  on 
the  inside  frame  to  prevent  anytliing  getting  at 
the  fruit.  The  one  window  will  give  |ilenly  of 
light,  and  its  position  will  prevent  the  chance  of 
the  sun  getting  in  unless  it  be  in  the  early  mornings 
in  the  spring.  Now,  it  may  lie  said  that  all  this 
labour  aliout  the  erection  of  an  xApple  store  is  un- 
neeessary  :  but  I  say  it  is  absolutcl}'  the  I'everse, 
foi-  if  it  is  worth  doing  at  all  it  is  worth  doing  well, 
particularly  if  the  keeping  of  the  fruit  is  to  ilepcnd 
on  the  state  of  the  place  it  is  stored  in. 

Results  ok  Cool  Stokaiie. 

From  the  results  I  have  had  ari.sing  out  of  cool 
storage  I  am  thoroughly  convinced  of  its  eti'ecti\'e- 
ness  to  prolong  the  season  and  the  suppl.v  tif  good 
.sound  Apples.  Therefore,  I  most  uiihesitatiiigl}' 
recommend  the  adoption  of  the  course  just  detailcil, 
and  will  say,  that  those  who  try  the  plan  m  ill  in 
time  ha\e  every  reason  to  congratulate  themselves 
on  doing  so.  Now,  by  way  of  supporting  in  fact 
what  I  have  recommended,  I  must  tell  }oii,  at 
Coolhurst  at  the  present  time  (November)  we  have 
150  liushels  of  hanil-pickeil  Ajiples  in  cool  storage, 
each  x'ariet}'  by  itself,  and  there  the}'  sta\'  till  all 
are  used,  which  will  bring  us  on  to  the  end  of  May 
and  possibl}'  into  June  next  _\ear.  I  nia\'  go  still 
further,  and  tell  \'ou  we  were  otl'ered  li}'  a  good 
fruit  dealer  os.  a  liushel  oxerhead  for  the  lot.  We 
have  sold  already  over  £5  worth.  So  add  the 
150  bushels  at  5s.  to  the  £5,  and  you  will  see 
M'hat  it  comes  to  for  the  25i'oduce  of  an  acre  or 
thereabouts  of  a  well-cultivated  orchard.  This  I 
record  in  support  of  my  contention  that  there  is 
ample  return  to  Vie  got  from  converting  the  waste 
land  of  England  into  Apple  orchards. 

Those  who  grow  Filberts  must  have  some 
experience  of  tlie  squirrel's  liking  for  these,  and  in 
a  very  short  time  find  the}'  will  do. great  damage  it 
allowed  to  lia%e  their  own  way  witli  them,  not  onl} 
b}'  cutting  them  ofl'  the  trees  and  ilrop]iiii.g  them, 
liut  by  carrying  tlicm  all  over  tlic  ]ilace  and  hiding 
them  among  grass,  lea\"es,  soil,  or  anywhere  el.'-e 
where  they  can  get  tlic  nuts  covered,  for  a  suppl} 
of  food  for  themselves  through  tlie  winter.  It 
does  not  happen  that  they  pick  them  all  up  again, 
and  in  the  course  of  work  going  on  in  the  following 
s]>ring  it  is  no  vniusual  thing  to  find  these  same 
s(|uin'el-hidden  nuts,  and  in  the  best  state  of 
})reservation,  too,  being  as  fresh  as  when  the.\ 
were  taken  from  the  trees,  clearly  showing  that 
tliey  were  stored  under  .suitable  con<litions. 
These  nuts  compare  very  uiifavourabl}-  with 
those  kept  in  a  dr}'  fruit  room  or  any  similar 
structure  through  the  winter.  So  that  is  another 
striking  instance  of  one  of  the  good  etiects  of  cool 
storage,  and  there  is  no  better  possible  way  of 
putting  this  assertion  to  the  test  than  that  of 
iireaking  the  two  nuts  at  the  same  time — the  one 
from  the  dry  place  and  the  other  from  the  wet — 
and  eating  them,  to  prove  which  is  the  sweeter, 
and   I    am    positi\'e    the   choice    will    fall   on    the 


May  11,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN 


BRdO.VIA    (iLOIRE    DE    SCEAUX    IN    AN    IRISH    GARDEN 


squirrel-liidileii  one.  I  have  tried  many  ways  of'ikcep- 
iiig  Filberts  fresli  and  sweet  indoors,  but  as  yet  liave 
not  been  suecessful  in  doing  so.  Even  on  the  damp 
floor  of  tlie  Apple  store  or  in  an  ordinarj'  dry  fruit 
room  they  get  must}',  although  tlicj'  are  frequcntlj' 
stirred  about  with  the  view  of  preventing  that  ; 
so,  to  l)e  suecessful  with  tlie  keeping  of  these,  I 
fear  there  is  nothing  for  it  but  to  fall  back  on  the 
squirrel's  method  of  storing  and  accept  the  lesson 
they  liave  taught  us  as  the  one  likely  to  meet  tlic 
case. 


LILIUM     KELLOGGII. 

(New  Stecies.) 

Mr.  Carl  Purdy,  of  California,  kindly  sends 
us  a  drawing  and  description  of  a  Lily,  wliieh 
we  think  will  much  interest  our  readers, 
especially  enthusiastic  growers  of  the  family. 

Bulb  like  that  of  L.  columbianuni,  small  with 
narrow  lanceolate  closely  adpressed  scales. 
Stem  slender  3  feet  to  5  feet,  one  to  eight 
flowered,  smooth,  terete,  tinged  purplish  brown, 
vacemo.se  at  top  if  many  flowered,  umbellate 
if  few,  several  whorls  in  centre  of  stem 
containing  si.x:  to  many  leaves  each,  leaves 
oblanceolate,  acute,  .sessile,  2  inches  to  3  inches 
long,  4-7  inch  wide,  petals  oblanceolate, 
sessile,  closely  revolute  from  their  base, 
pinkish  purple  finely  dotted  with  maroon, 
1|  inches  to  2  inches  long,  .5-7  inch  broad. 
Stamens  shorter  than  perianth,  anthers 
brownish  yellow  2-3  inch  long,  ovary  .5-6  inch 
long,  style  a  little  longer.    Kipe  capsule  oblong 


cylindrical  l.j  inches 
to  2  inches  long,  and 
of  almost  even  size 
throughout  its  entire 
length,  Ilumlioldt 
County,  California,  in 
redwood  region.  This 
jiretty  Lily  is  liko  L. 
mljeseens  in  bulli, leaf, 
and  general  hal)it,  the 
Howers  are  |)inkisli  but 
unlike  the  shades  in 
L.  rubescens.  It  is 
very  fragrant,  with  a 
fragrance  entirely  dis- 
similar from  that  of 
L.  rubescens  oi-  L. 
washingtonianuni.  Its 
closely  revolute  seg- 
ments, as  closely 
recur  ved  as  in  L. 
pardalinum,  are  very 
distinctive,  and  its 
capsule  has  a  very 
decided  character  of 
its  own. 

Its  real  discoverer 
was  H.  N.  Bolander, 
who  many  years  ago 
sent  it  to  Harvard 
Herbarium.  A  few 
years  later  Mr.  Thomas 
Howell  sent  fine 
specimens  of  another 
Lily  from  the  line  of 
California  and  Oregon 
to  Harvard  Herbarium, 
and  Dr.  Watson  from 
this  full  material 
described  Li  Hum 
Bolanderii  supposing 
Howell's  specimens  to 
be  the  same  as  those 
sent  earlier  by  Dr. 
Bolander.  In  this  way 
it  came  that  Dr. 
Bolander  had  the 
honour  of  the  name 
and  the  credit  of  the  discovery  of  a  Lily 
he  had  never  seen.  As  I  cannot  honour  the 
real  discoverer  of  this  beautiful  Lily  I  have 
named  it  after  that  good  man  and  untiring 
b<itanist  the  late  Dr.  Albert  Kellogg,  than 
whom  no  Californian  botanist  is  more  worthy 
of  credit  and  honour. 


BEGONIA  GLOIRE  DE  SCEAUX. 

The  photograph  I  enclose  is  of  a  group  of  that 
lovely  Begonia  Gloire  de  Sceaux.  My  object 
in  sending  it  is  to  draw  attention  to  its  useful- 
ness as  a  decorative  plant  in  midwinter,  this 
photograiih  having  been  taken  in  the  last  week 
of  IJecember.  It  is  not  at  all  a  difficult  ])lant 
to  grow,  the  principal  thing  being  to  get  the 
cuttings  struck  early  and  to  give  the  young 
jilantsagood  start,  afterwards  growing  on  in 
an  intermediate  temperature  all  the  summer. 
If  the  plants  are  required  to  flower  in  mid- 
winter the  temperature  must  be  raised  in  the 
autumn,  and  they  must  be  given  a  ligiit  sunny 
position  as  near  to  the  glass  as  possible. 
Treated  in  this  way  it  is  a  splendid  thing  for 
house  decoration,  the  leaves  alone  being  most 
distinct,  but  when  covered  with  liloom  it  is 
worthy  of  the  admiration  it  attracts,  especially 
if  in  flower  in  the  dull  dark  days  of  mid- 
winter. 

I  feel  confident  that  anyone  who  has  not 
grown  this  Begonia  and  will  give  it  a  fair  trial 
will  be  greatly  pleased  with  it.  especially  as  a 
plant  for  indoor  decoration.     For  this  purpose 


it   is   one   of    the   very    best   winter-Howering 
jilants  we  have.  ,1.  (i.  Wrston. 

'/'//('  Odfilenx,  lii'x.tliij^'ijuiili^  (Jmi'iily 
KiU:<'mii/,  Irclii  ml. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 


G  RO  U  P I N  G     K  V  E  RG  R  E  E  N  S. 


XL'*'  those  kinds  of  good  constitu- 
tion .and  easily  managed  will  be 
nientioneil. 


o 

\  #  AlTCllp.A    .lAI'ONIIlA    SIACCI.ATA. 

^*— ^^  This  shows  to  the  best  advantage 

when  planted  in  large  groups,  and 
enjoys  a  deep  stiff  soil,  which  should  lie  well 
trenclied  ;  strictly  avoid  overcrowiling.  Plant  at 
least  H  feet  apart  all  ways,  so  that  each  plant 
can  develop  into  a  well  grown  specimen,  and  1o 
every  twelve  female  plants  add  one  male,  and  tlie 
result  will  be  a  wealth  of  tlie  beautiful  ri-i\  berries 
during  spring  and  summer.  These  will  require 
little  attention  for  years,  just  merely  thinning  out 
long  straggling  branches  once  a  year. 

BeREERIS  (.SYN.  MAIIONIA)  AQITIFOMUM 
or  Holly-leaved  Barberry  is  too  well  known  to  need 
much  clescripticn.  It  is  one  of  the  most  useful 
and  accommodating  of  shrubs,  and  will  succeed  on 
almost  anj'  kind  of  soil,  and  either  in  the  open  or 
under  the  shade  of  trees  it  makes  itself  quite  at 
home.  For  clothing  banks  few  things  can  equal  it. 
It  should  lie  planted  when  in  a  small  state  IS  inches 
apart,  choosing  the  beginning  of  April  for  the 
purpose.  It  may  be  allowed  to  take  care  of  itself 
after  once  established. 

Box. 

The  whole  of  the  Box  family  make  splendid 
material  for  this  style  of  ])lanting  when  the  soil 
lends  itself  to  their  requirements,  but  it  is  waste 
of  time  to  attempt  planting  in  large  quantities 
unless  it  does,  as  tree  Box  is  too  slow  growing, 
and  light  surface  with  a  chalky  sub-soil  is  what  it 
enjoj's. 

Cerasus  lauro-Cerasus. 

Tlie  two  best  Laurels  I  am  acquainted  with  are 
C.  l.-c.  caucasica,  the  hardiest  of  the  whole  family, 
and  ma}'  be  severely  pruned.  For  clothing  large 
bare  places,  mounds,  or  banks  it  is  well  suited 
when  kept  trimmed  down  hard  :  indeed,  I  know  of 
nothing  to  surpass  it  at  any  season  of  the  year. 
Viewed  from  a  distance  it  is  generally  mis- 
taken for  a  batch  of  well  grown  Rhododendrons. 
Rotundifolia  is  also  a  splendid  varietj'  with  larger 
foliage,  but  not  so  hardv.  The  ground  in  which 
these  are  to  be  planted  should  be  trenched  or 
bastard  trenched,  and  small  plants  should  be 
planted  3  feet  npart  all  wa3's.  To  keep  them 
in  a  good  condition  prune  hard  down  during  the 
growing  season  twice,  if  not  three  times,  when 
they  will  remain  in  good  health  for  many  years. 
Cerasus  lusitanica  (Portugal  Laurel)  is  well  adapted 
for  heavy  soils,  and  its  beautiful  dark  green  foliage 
is  very  telling  in  the  distance.  This  should  be 
planted  likewise  in  trenclied  ground  at  a  distance 
of  5  feet  apart,  and  pruned  once  onlv  during  the 
\'ear.  So  treated  splendid  beds  are  formed  when 
suitable  positions  are  chosen. 

COTONEASTEE    EUXII-OI.IA    AND    WhEELERI, 

very  nearlj'  allied  to  each  other,  are  fine  strong 
growing  evergreens,  and  will  succeed  in  almost  any 
soil.  They  are  well  adapted  for  making  beds, 
covering  large  boulders,  or  the  old  roots  of  trees. 
C.  buxifolia  is  a  graceful  and  pleasing  plant  when 
covered  with  its  bright  berries  and  allowed  to 
assume  its  natural  habit.  Plant  3  feet  apart, 
merelj'  thinning  out  the  growths  occasion.ally.  - 

Coton'easter  microphvlla. 
A  very  old  but  charming  shrub,  well  suited  for 
almost  any  kind  of  planting,  and  when  arranged 
on  a  raised  position,  or  on  overhanging  rocks,  tree 
roots,  and  such  like,  it  forms  in  masses  a  pleasing 
sight,  especiall}'  when  thickl}'  studded  with  its 
beautiful  berries.  It  sometimes  becomes  badl}' 
infested   with    brown    scale,    but    this    is    easily 


332 


THE  GARDEN. 


[May  11,  1901. 


fAMPANlTLA    PVRAMIDAUS    IN    THE   JSLE    OF    WiU  IT. 


eradicated  with  a  strong  solution  of  soft  soap  and 
water,  which  can  be  applied  with  a  syringe. 

Ilex  aquifoudm  (the  common  Holly). 
The  Holly  is  one  of  the  very  finest  of  our  ever- 
greens for  bold  planting.  Fortunately,  it  is  one  of 
the  few  evergreens  that  will  succeed  and  grow 
luxuriantly  under  the  drip  of  trees,  where  many 
other  things  quite  fail  to  exist.  Large  breadths  of 
Holly  in  good  health  are  a  pleasure  to  look  at 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  particularly  when  well 
laden  with  bright  scarlet  berries.  The  Holly  is 
seen  at  its  best  on  light,  well  drained  soils,  that  of 
a  stiff  clayey  nature,  especiallj'  so  when  water- 
logged being  the  most  unfavourable  to  its  growth. 
Fortunately,  it  will  adapt  itself  to  any  mode  of 
pruning,  but  unquestionably  the  best  way  to  treat 
it  is  to  plant  in  large  bold  clumps,  allowing  it  to 
grow  away  at  its  own  sweet  \\-ill.  Many  of  the  more 
Tinoommon  varieties,  both  green  and  variegated, 
make  highly  attractive  groups  and  beds,  and  where 
expense  is  of  little  object  should  most  certainly  be 
planted. 

llgustrum  vijloare  (the  common  everfieeen 
Privet), 
which  is  a  native  of  Great  Britain,  lends  itself 
admirably  for  grouping  beneath  the  shade  of  trees, 
but  one  rule  must  be  rigidly  enforced,  and  that  is 
clip  the  growths  at  least  three  or  four  times 
during  the  summer,  otherwise  it  will  become 
spindly.  ^Ve  have  here  some  groups  of  this 
common  plant  planted  round  the  stems  of  large 
trees ;  so  treated  it  always  attracts  the  attention  of 
visitors.  Few  fail  to  ask  when  a  short  distance 
away  what  it  is. 

Ligdstrdm  ovalifolhtm 
is  not  so  good  for  this  purpose,  and  is  not  strictly 
an  evergreen,  for  during  severe  winters  the  foliage 
always  becomes  brown,  and  it  has  an  objectionable 
habit  of  dying  off  in  patches.  L.  ovalifoliuni 
aureum  elegantissimum  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  any 
garden.  Few  golden  foliage  "plants  aie  more 
effective  than  this.  It  should  be  planted  in  trenched 


ground  18  inches  apart  all  wa3's,  and 
kept  pruned  fairly  hard.  It  is  easily 
propagated  b}'  inserting  j'oung  growths 
as  cuttings  in  heat  in  autumn  or  spring. 
It  is  not  suitable  for  wild  planting 
where  ground  game  abounds,  as  the 
feathered  tribe  has  a  particular  liking 
for  it. 

Rhooodendrons. 

Of  course  one  must  possess  a  suitable 
soil  to  plant  the  more  beautiful  varieties 
in  any  quantity ;  nevertheless,  the 
common  Ponticum  and  h3'brid  seed- 
lings, of  which  there  are  now  for- 
tunately a  great  variety,  will  succeed 
in  nearly  all  kinds  of  land  destitute 
of  lime.  The  ground  should  be 
tlioroughlj'  broken  up  during  autumn, 
and  the  planting  done  4  feet  apart  in 
the  spring.  The  seed  vessels  should  be 
picked  off  after  flowering,  and  the 
plants  are  much  benefited  by  an  occa- 
sional lop-dressing  of  road  grit  and  leaf 
soil.  Even  here  on  a  cold  London  elaj-. 
where  the  ground  has  been  well  drained 
and  treated  as  above,  they  succeed  very 
well  indeed. 

RrSCDS    ACUI.EATFS    (BuTrHER'.'i 

Broom), 

a  native  of  this  countrj',  is  invaluable 
for  planting  in  masses  in  shady  spots. 
It  appears  to  enjoy  the  drip  from  other 
trees,  and  is  very  accommodating  as  to 
soil  and  position,  but  likes  to  remain 
undisturbed.  Ruscus  racemosirs,  which 
is  a  native  of  Portugal,  and  commonly 
called  the  Alexandrian  Laurel,  is 
unquestionably  the  best  of  the  Ruscus 
family,  and  its  growth  very  much 
resembles  that  of  the  Bamboo.  It  is 
rarer  than  the  commoner  kinds,  but  it 
deserves  extended  cultivation,  being 
worthy  of  a  prominent  position  in  any 
part  of  the  gai-dens  or  grounds.  It 
berries  freely  in  some  seasons,  thus  giving  it  a 
charming  appearance.  It  lasts  remarkablj'  well, 
and  is  very  handsome  in  a  cut  state.  It  enjoys 
a  deep  rich  loam,  but  will  not  fail  to  give  a  good 
account  of  itself  on  any  kind  of  soil. 

Ulex  edrop.t.us  (common  Gorse  or  Whin). 

This  common  British  plant  needs  little  descrip- 
tion here,  as  it  is  known  and  admired  by  all,  for 
when  seen  in  its  wild  state,  where  it  is  thoroughly 
naturalised,  it  presents  a  most  charming  sight. 
Semi-wild  patches  of  land  may  easily  be  made 
suitable  for  this  at  little  expense.  During  winter 
the  land  should  either  be  ploughed  or  dug,  and  the 
seed  sown  during  April,  either  in  drills  or  broad- 
cast, and  the  seedlings  thinned  to  a  respectable 
distance  apart  during  the  following  spring.  When 
once  thoroughly  established,  little  trouble  will  be 
experienced  in  keeping  the  ground  well  stocked. 
Occasionally,  when  the  old  plants  become  leggy,  it 
should  be  cut  close  to  theground  immediately  after 
flowering,  and  in  a  short  time  these  will  break  awaj' 
freel}'  from  the  bottom.  Ulex  europasus  flore- 
pleno,  an  invaluable  plant  for  all  kinds  of  orna- 
mental planting,  is,  unfortunately,  very  expensive, 
as  it  has  to  be  struck  from  cuttings  and  distri- 
buted in  pots  ;  nevertheless,  it  is  a  most  important 
plant  to  have.  The  flower  is  a  much  brighter 
yellow  than  the  common  form,  is  produced  more 
freely,  and  lasts  a  considerable  time  in  beaut}'.  It 
is  very  suitable  for  either  making  beds  or  forming 
large  patches  of  colour  behind  rocks  and  among  the 
fissures  of  the  rock  garden.  It  should  be  planted 
about  .S  feet  apart,  in  fairly  good  ground,  and  about 
every  fifth  year  pruned  down  close  to  the  ground. 

Viburnum  Tinus  (Laurustinus). 
A  beautiful  evergreen  flowering  shrub,  and 
generally  well  known,  but  unfortunately  it  is  not 
sufficiently  hardy  to  plant  in  man}'  parts  of  the 
country,  especially  in  exposed  positions.  It  will 
grow  and  flower  profusely  on  very  shallow  soil,  and, 
indeed,  in  almost  any  kind.  It  makes  a  handsome 
bed,  and  should  be  planted  4  feet  apart. 


JUNIFERUS    SaEIN.V    TAM ARISCIFOI.IA 

is  a  beautiful  plant  for  the  fringe  of  a  plantation, 
it  is  of  robust  habit,  and  the  best  of  the  Junipers 
for  this  kind  of  planting. 

Taxus  baccata  aurea  (the  UciLDEN  Yew) 
is  a  most  effective  evergreen  shrub.  It  should  be 
planted  in  open  sunny  positions.  Without  doubt 
it  has  no  rival,  being  the  mo.st  useful  and  telling 
golden  evergreen  shrub  we  iiave.  It  is  somewhat 
slow  growing,  consequently  should  be  planted  fairly 
thick.  Like  the  common  green  Yew,  it  succeeds 
in  almost  any  kind  of  soil,  but  it  colours  best  on  a 
deep  yellow  loam  in  a  thoroughly  exposed  position. 

E.  Beckett. 
Aldenham  Hou-ie  (r'arden-'<,  Eiilree,  Herla. 


THE    CHIMNEY    CAMPANULA. 

This  grand  biennial  Bell-flower  (C.  pyramidalis) 
is  often  seen  a.s  a  pot  plant  in  a  house  or  con- 
servatory ;  but  because  it  is  a  flne  pot  plant 
for  the  late  sunimer  and  early  autumn — the 
time  of  year  when  pot  plants  are  least  wanted— 
it  should  not  be  neglected  in  the  open  garden. 
It  is  not  so  hardy  as  many  of  its  relatives, 
though  it  surpasses  them  all  in  stature,  but 
does  well  in  the  best  climates  of  our  islands. 
The  illustration  shows  some  seedlings  in  the 
garden  of  ilrs.  Evans,  Belgrave  View,  A'entnor, 
Isle  of  Wight. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


SUMMER  PRUNING  OF 


M 


WALL   PLUMS. 

ANY  people  with  wall-trained  Plum 
trees  declare  they  do  not  pa}'  for  the 
large  amount  of  space  they  occupj'. 
Such  trees  often  bear  only  once  in 
two  or  three  years,  and  then  only 
produce  half  a  crop.  Were  the}' 
pruned  as  carefully  as  Peaches  and  Apricots  the 
results  would  be  very  different.  Instead  of  this 
one  often  sees  old-established  trees  a  mass  of 
growth,  which,  even  after  pruning,  or  what  passes 
for  pruning,  stands  out  a  foot  from  the  wall,  often 
more.  The  smallness  of  the  crops  may  be  due  to 
the  want  of  air  the  tree  sufters  from  in  such  a 
system  of  growth,  or  to  the  fact  of  the  trees  having 
become  exhausted  in  their  early  years  by  too  heavy 
cropping,  without  a  corresponding  supply  of  plant- 
food.  Generally  the  failure  may  be  attriliuted  to 
both  these  causes.  This  article  will  be  confined 
to  a  description  of  the  s}stem  of  summer  pruning, 
which  is  the  whole  of  the  pruning  wall  Plum  trees 
should  ever  have,  if  the  maximum  of  productive- 
ness and  healthfulness  is  the  object  sought  after. 
The  same  principles,  of  course,  apply  to  espaliers, 
bushes,  pyramids,  and  cordons. 

All  gardeners  know  the  meaning  of  gumming  in 
stone  fruit  trees,  especially  Plums.  It  is  often  so 
severe  as  to  cause  the  total  loss  of  branches, 
especially  with  the  Victoria  Plum.  It  is  generally 
caused  by  wounds  made  in  pruning,  which  refuse 
to  heal — like  the  flesh  in  an  imsuccessfid  operation 
— but  it  may  be  almost  entirely  obviated,  as  a 
serious  evil,  hy  summer  pruning. 

To  begin  at  the  beginning,  let  us  assume  the  tree 
has  flowered  and  set  its  fruit  and  that  many  strong 
shoots  are  pushing  forth  in  all  <lirections,  some 
above  the  wall,  some  straight  out  from  the  middle 
of  the  tree  at  right  angles  to  the  plane  of  the  wall 
(breast-wood  as  it  is  called),  and  some  at  the  ends 
or  sides.  Even  before  this  stage  light  disbudding 
may  be  practised  with  great  advantage.  Where 
the  shoots  on  a  piece  of  last  j'ear's  M'ood  are 
breaking  out  too  thickly  they  .should  lie  tliinncd, 
and  if  starting  in  positions  where  tliey  cannot  be 
utilised  they  ma}'  be  removed  altogether. 

The  first  pruning,  other  than  disbudding,  should 
be  begun  as  soon  as  the  basal  leaves  of  the  new 
shoots  are  fully  grown,  or  nearly  so.  The  new 
growth  may  be  divided  into  two  classes,  that  whicli 


May  11,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


333 


will  be  required  for  the  extension  of  the  tree,  or 
for  the  replacing  of  old  and  worn-out  wood,  and 
that  which  will  not  be  so  required. 

Let  us  deal  with  the  latter  first.  We  want  to 
form  this  into  fruit  spurs,  as  it  is  on  spurs  that 
most  fruit  is  produced,  with  Plums  as  with  so  many 
other  fruits.  If  these  shoots  are  left  to  grow  all 
the  summer  they  will  take  a  good  deal  of  the 
strength  of  the  tree,  which  should  go  to  the 
production  of  fine  fruit,  and  the  formation  of  tine, 
tat  fruit  buds  for  next  season,  besides  keeping  the 
sun  and  air  from  the  fruit,  and,  moreover,  when 
cut  back  to  three  or  four  buds  in  the  late  summer, 
autumn,  or  winter,  the  result,  with  the  strongest 
of  them,  will  be  that,  instead  of  producing 
blossom  next  season,  or  even  fruit  spurs,  they  will 
produce  shouts  similar  to  what  they  were  them- 
selves the  previous  season.  This  is  where  the 
advantage  of  a  complete  system  of  summer  pruning 
comes  in. 

When  the  basal  leaves  of  the  shoots  are,  as 
before  stated,  about  their  full  size,  pinch  the  shoots 
back  to  three  or  four  leaves.  The  end  bud  of  the 
piece  remaining  will  produce  another  shoot  in  two 
or  three  weeks,  and  this  should  be  similarly 
pinched  back  to  two  leaves,  and  so  on  again  if 
necessar3'.  This  has  the  effect,  firstly,  of  lessening 
the  robustness  of  the  growth  of  the  shoot,  as  after 
each  pinching  a  weaker  shoot  results,  and  it  is 
rankness  of  growth  which  is  the  most  common 
cause  of  non-fruitfulness  ;  secondly,  the  original 
piece  of  the  first  shoot  hardens  and  becomes  much 
more  woody  than  it  would  have  done  if  allowed  to 
grow  its  full  length,  and  the  better  ripened  tlie 
wood  the  better  is  the  chance  of  its  producing 
fruit ;  and,  thirdlj',  the  lessened  demand  upon  the 
sap,  as  the  result  of  the  pinching,  while  the  new 
shoot  is  being  prepared  to  take  the  place  of 
the  part  pinched  ofi',  causes  the  buds  at  the  base 
of  the  pinched  shoot  to  swell  into  fat  buds  ready 
to  push  forth  bloom  the  following  season, 
instead  of  remaining  dormant  as  they  might  other- 
wise do. 

Having  pinched  the  shoot  as  often  as  necessary 
during  the  summer,  in  August  or  September  the 
original  shoot  may  be  cut  back  to  two  eyes.  The 
cut  will  heal  rapidly,  and  there  will  be  no  fear  of 


gumming,  supposing  the  cuts,  of  course,  lo  be 
cleanly  made. 

The  treatment  of  the  other  shoots  referred  to — 
those  needed  for  the  extension  of  the  tree  or  the 
replacing  of  old  and  worn-out  wood — may  be 
dismissed  more  briefly.  If  the  shoots  are  of  only 
moderate  strength  they  may  be  left  to  grow  at 
their  own  will  till  the  late  summer,  when  they 
may  be  cut  back  to  the  length  it  is  proposed 
to  retain.  The  nailing  in  to  replace  old  wood 
must,  of  course,  be  deferred  till  the  fruit  has  been 
gathered. 

This  cutting  back,  if  done  when  the  fruit  is  under- 
going its  final  swelling  and  changing  colour,  is  of 
assistance  to  its  development,  as  it  gives  it  all  the 
sap  possible,  resulting  in  increased  size  and  finer 
flavour.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  any  shoot  is  very 
strong  and  rank,  it  should  be  pinched  back  the  end 
of  May  or  beginning  of  June  to  a  bud  pointing 
in  the  same  direction,  which  will  send  out  a  shoot 
forming  a  continuation  of  the  original  one.  About 
(i  inches  may  be  left  at  this  first  pinching,  and 
another  6  inches  at  a  second  pinching,  if  it  is 
necessary. 

The  result  will  be  a  check  to  its  luxuriance  of 
growth,  and  a  greater  likelihood  of  the  production 
of  fruit  spurs  along  its  length  next  season,  or  even 
of  fruit.  tJross  shoots  should  always  be  looked 
out  for  and  treated  in  this  way,  as  if  left  un- 
checked they  run  away  with  the  strength  of  the 
tree  and  never  produce  fruit,  either  the  next  year 
or  the  year  after  that. 

By  following  this  system  the  whole  of  the 
pruning  is  accomplished  bj'  September,  and  all 
wounds  healed  before  any  frost  comes.  Not  only 
the  method,  but  the  reasons  for  the  method,  have 
been  given  at  such  length  because  pruning  is  so 
much  better  when  done  with  a  knowledge  of  the 
principles  underlying  the  practice,  the  work  in 
one  case  being  done  scientificall3',  and  in  the  other 
by  mere  rule  of  thumb.  In  nothing  is  it  more 
common  than  in  pruning  for  points  to  present 
themselves  upon  which  neither  books  nor  papers 
throw  any  light,  and  then  it  is  that  the  man  who 
knows  the  scientific  principles  upon  which  he  is 
working  is  seldom  at  a  loss  to  know  what  it  is  best 
to  do.  Alger  Pbtts. 


A     SIMPLE      GROUPING     OF 
BEDDING    PLANTS. 

The  many  beautiful  varieties  of  zonal  Pelar- 
goniutn,  which  come  under  the  popular  term 
Geranium,  a  convenient  name  that  has 
now  pas.sed  into  the  language,  are  above  all 
other  plants  most  suitable  for  summer 
display  in  pots,  vases,  or  in  connection  with 
any  kind  of  .stonework.  The  illustration 
shows  a  stone-bordered  space  in  connection 
with  an  arrangement  of  steps  and  tank  in  a 
modest  garden.  In  the  middle  is  a  planting 
of  Cannas,  informally  bordered  and  grouped 
with  the  fine  double  Geranium  King  of 
Denmark,  a  beautiful  kind  of  salmon-pink 
colouring.  This  simple  association  of  two 
grand  summer  plants  has  much  more  pictorial 
effect  than  could  be  gained  by  the  u.se  of  a 
larger  number  of  different  plants. 


SIMPLE    tiKOUriNU    01'   SUM.MEK   ELOWERS 


NOTES    FROM    SCOTLAND. 

CULZEAN  CASTLE,  on  the  Ayrshire 
Coast,  overlooking  the  picturesque 
Ailsa  Craig,  is  surrounded  by  a  natu- 
rally beautiful  sea  and  landscape,  the 
latter  modified  by  man}'  years  of 
thoughtful  attention.  The  grounds 
have  been  very  beautiful  during  the  whole  months 
of  spring  until  the  present  time,  rendered  so  by 
an  uninterrupted  display  of  bulbous  plants  in 
flower— Snowdrops,  Crocus,  Narcissus,  Hyacinths, 
and  Tulips— all  of  which  have  been  planted  in  the 
most  lavish  manner  on  the  grass,  by  the  sides  of 
drives,  and  on  the  lawns,  so  that  entering  by  any 
of  the  lodges  the  visitor  finds  flowers  everywhere 
until  he  emerges  once  more  into  the  public  road. 
Spanish  Irises  for  a  later  display  have  been  tried, 
but  rabbits  have  proved  so  fond  of  the  foliage  of 
these  that  they  have  not  been  a  success.  Rooks 
have  also  proved  troublesome  in  Ayrshire,  being 
fond  of  Crocus  corms,  and  pheasants  generally  are 
addicted  to  Tulip  roots  where  they  are  plentiful, 
rats  and  mice  also  claiming  a 
share  of  these  good  things.  Ex- 
tensive plantations,  such  as  those 
at  Culzean,  however,  ouly  require 
time  to  outgrow  the  effects  of 
depredations  of  this  character, 
and  deep  planting  proves  a  great 
hindrance  to  the  selfish  labours 
of  bird  and  beast. 

The  Marquis  and  Marchioness 
of  Ailsa  devote  much  thought 
to  the  embellishment  of  their 
lovely  place,  and  have  uu- 
doubtedly  brought  it  to  a  fore- 
most position  for  spring  flowers 
and  wild  gardening.  The  gardens 
proper,  under  the  control  of 
Mr.  Murray,  have  long  been 
celebrated  for  their  fruit  pro- 
ductions, and  especially  for 
(irapes.     Talking  over  the 

Vai!  ARIES  OF  Gladiolus 

the  other  day  with  Mr.  Garrett, 
who  manages  the  Right  Hon. 
A.  J.  Balfour's  gardens,  at 
Whittinghame,  he  assured  me 
that  planting  the  corms  8  inches 
below  the  surface  was  a  most 
effective  way  of  protecting  them 
from  frost  and  against  the  disease 
that  is  so  fatal  to  the  corms 
of  the  Gandavensis  section,  varie- 
ties ot  which  alone  are  cultivated. 
This  is  a  point  worth  general 
attention,  for  if  a  section  so 
admittedly  tender  as  Ganda- 
vensis is  can  be  grown  as  a  hardy 
I  plant  in  a  cold  district  of  Seot- 
J  land,  the  possibility  of  its  suc- 
ceeding elsewhere  is  greatly 
enhanced.       Moreover,    we    may 


334 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  11,  1901- 


uxpect  Lie  sii|iciiiir  (Jliild-ii  section,  M'ilh  its  more 
roijusl  liabil  of  growth,  to  succeed  equally  well 
under  similar  conditions,  and,  indeed,  a  batch  of 
several  hundred  j'oung  corms  I  left  out  last  winter 
have  passed  it  safely,  the  beds  being  merely 
covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  dry,  light  material. 

Fkuit  BlOSSOiM. 

A  peculiarity  of  the  season  so  far  has  been  the 
sparsity  of  blossoms  on  flowering  shrubs.  Later 
kind'i,  fortunately,  promise  a  more  abundant  crop, 
double  Lilacs,  for  instance,  showing  better  than  I 
remember  them  ever  to  have  done  previously. 

Fortunately ,  too,  fruit  treesare  iiimostcasesluaded 
with  blossom,  so  that,  with 
the  exception  of  Apricots, 
which  in  the  more  forward 
districts  were  liadly  cut  up 
by  frost,  the  fruit  season  so 
far  promises  well.  Plums, 
Cherries,    and    young   Pear 

trees     in      particular,     are  t 

flowering  in  the   most  pro-  ,      ^ 

fuse  manner.  Peaches  have 
set  a  fair  crop,  Isut  the  liitter 
east  wind  has  already  pro- 
duced the  -'curl''  in  those 
gardens  exposed  to  the  east. 
Friends  of 

Mr.  Milne, 

gardener  at  Minto  House, 
near  Hawick,  will  regret  to 
learn  that  the  state  of  his 
health  necessitates  a  long 
holiday,  which,  by  the  kind- 
ness of  Lord  and  Lady 
Minto,  he  is  to  spend  in 
Canada.  Meanwhile,  his 
duties  are  undertaken  by 
Mr.  AVatson,  "who  has  re- 
cently retired  from  the  con- 
trol "of  the  gardens  at 
Hendersyde     Park,    Kelso, 

at  which  pretty  place  he  had  been  lor  many  years 
gardener,  and  where  Malmaison  and  other  Carna- 
tions were  well  cultivated,  licsidcs,  of  course, 
other  flowers. 


the  young  ]ilanls  should  be  sto])ped  when  they  are 
ti  inches  high,  and  this  operation  repeated  occasion- 
ally afterwards  during  the  summer  season,  but 
never  later  than  the  first  week  in  July.  'Where 
cut  flowers  are  wanted,  the  young  jilants  shcjuld  be 
])lanted  out  in  the  open  in  May  or  .Tune,  and  lifted 
in  the  late  autumn  when  the  buds  arc  well  set. 
These  same  plants  may  be  potted  up  or  replanted 
in  the  glass  structure  prepared  for  their  reception, 
and  with  a  cool  system  of  culture  cut  flowers  may 
be  had  right  throughout  Decendier  and  early 
January.  It  is  a  matter  for  regret  that  so  many 
of  the  catalogued  single  varieties  are  not  true  to 
name.   j\Iany  of  them  are  poor  semi-double  floM'ers, 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 

LARGE    SINGLE    CHRY- 
SANTHEMUMS. 

THE  single  Chrysauthenuims  have  ad- 
vanced greatly  in  popularity,  especi- 
ally the  (juaint  and  fantastic  forms 
represented  by  the  .Japanese  type  of 
the  flower.  This  partiality  for  the 
Japanese  Chrysanthemum,  if  one  maj- 
judge  liy  results  achieved,  has  had  the  effect  of 
stimulatiiig  rai.sers  to  give  increased  attention  to 
these  large  flowers,  and,  as  a  consetiuence,  other 
types  of  the  Chrysanthemum  have  hail  to  suli'er. 
The  wonder  is  that  the  Anemones,  Licurved, 
Pompons,  and  single  sorts  have  survived.  In  the 
.lubilee  edition  of  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society's  catalogue,  which  was  pulilished  in  ISilli, 
the  conniiittee  responsible  for  its  conipilaticjn 
determined  to  sub-divide  the  singles  into  (a)  large 
flowering  and  (/<)  small  flowering  varieties.  (Since 
the  publication  of  the  selections  compiled  many 
new  and  choice  sorts  have  been  put  into  commerce, 
some  of  the  best  sorts  at  present  in  culli\'ation 
having  lieen  distril)uted  in  recent  years. 

It  is  for  late  cutting  that  the  single  varieties  are 
so  valuable,  namely,  the  latter  part  of  Novendier 
and  Decendjer.  There  is  an  increasing  number  of 
November  flowering  varieties,  and  among  these 
earlier  kinds  are  some  of  the  prettiest  and  liest  of 
the  small  flowered  singles  in  cultivation.  To  see 
the  singles  at  tlieir  liest  the  plants  should  be 
flowered  on  terminal  liuds.  otherwise  many  of  the 
varieties  develop  large,  badly  coloured  and  semi- 
double  blo.ssonis.  As  terminal  ImkIs  are  u.sed  to 
produce  flowers,  it  is  easy  to  understand  wliy  the 
plants  bloom  so  late.     If  bush  plants  are  desired, 


introduced  in  1.SS7,  still  holds  a  high  po.silinn.  It 
is  a  very  large  flower,  with  broad  stout  florets, 
colour  rich  yellow.  It  is  a  mid-season  varietj',  and 
is  a  tall  grower.  One  of  the  prettiest  of  the  large 
flowered  singles  is  Earlswood  Beauty,  this  being  a 
lovely  primrose,  of  exijuisile  form  and  very  free. 
A  pure  white  sport  from  tlie  last-named  is  Daisy 
Brett,  being  identical  with  the  parent  plant  in 
every  particular  except  in  colour.  Kate  Williams 
is  a  prett3'  sweet  scented  flower,  with  curling  petals 
and  of  good  form  ;  the  colour  is  a  rich  golden 
yellow.  Jane,  introduced  in  l.SS.'i,  is  still  con- 
sidered a  good  white,  having  long  twisted  florets  ; 
it  is  a  mid-season  variety,  and  is  rather  dwarf. 
Yellow  .Jane  is  another  excellent  sort,  very  similar 
in  form  to  .Jane,  the  colour  being  a  bright  yellow. 
A  pretty  flower  is  May  .Jeal,  colour  ro.se-violet, 
lined  white,  and  of  good  habit.  The  variety  Rev. 
AV.  E.  Remfrey  has  flowers  of  a  deep  crimson 
colour,  the  plant  attaining  a  height  slightly  over 
4  feet ;  but  in  the  way  of  crimsons  there  is  none 
to  excel  in  beauty  a  variety  known  as  Framfleld 
Beauty.  Tliis  is  a  deep  rich  velvety  crimson.  A 
|)ure  while  sort  which  is  regarded  very  highly  is 
Eucharis,  this  being  free  and  invaluable  for  pro- 
viding cut  flowers.  A  distinct  kind  of  a  refined 
shade  of  creamy  primrose  is  Victoria,  a  plant  of 
recent  introduction  ;  the  flower  has  long  drooping 
florets.  Another  of  the  newer  sorts  is  Elsie 
Neville,  a  large  flower  of  charming  form,  with  long 
florets  gracefully  arranged.  The  colour  is  a  bright 
shade  of  terracotta,  and  the  plant  is  dwarf.  A 
distinctly  pleasing  flower  is  Florrie,  having  long 
tlorets  of  medium  width,  the  colour  being  deep 
cerise-pink.  This  completes  a  list  of  iwelve  useful 
varieties.  D.  B.  Ck.\nk. 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 


SliMll.K    CHRVSANTIIK- 

MU.M    ADMIU.U, 

SIK   T.    SVMONUS. 

(Aboiil  ?irt/io'a/-s'''~t'.  FiniiL 

a  drau'ili!j  hy  11.  G. 

Moan.) 


and  as  such  cannot  be  regarded  with  favour.  'I'he 
National  Chrysanthemum  .Society  defiaes  the  flowers 
of  a  single  variety  as  follows  :— "They  may  be  of 
any  size  and  form,  but  they  should  not  contain 
more  than  a  double  row  of  ray  florets  or  disc  florets 
of  sufhcient  length  to  form  a  raised  di.sc  or  cushion, 
as  ill  the  case  of  the  .\neniono  lilooms.  "  Uf  the 
large   flowering  kinds,   Admiral  Sir   T.    Symonds, 


ALPLNE    ANEMONES. 

IN  August,  ISIIIS,  I  olilained  near  (Irindelwald 
some  roots  tlf  Anemone  narcissiflora  and 
some  of  Anemoue  alpina.  The  former 
were  grown  near  the  Eiger  Clacier,  at  a 
height  of  some  7,U(J0  feet,  the  latter  on  the 
slopes  of  the  Welterhorn  at  about  r),(HJtl  feet. 
Both  were  in  flower  when  taken,  and  both  had 
to  pass  some  ten  days  of  suspeiuleil 
animation  in  a  close  ca.sc  before  being 
planted  in  their  new  home  in  Ireland. 
In  selecting  their  nc»'  quarters  care 
M'as  taken  to  reproduce  in  miniature 
the  salient  features  of  the  situation 
from  which  the  flowers  had  come.  They 
were  placed  high  upon  a  steep  slope  in 
the  rock  garden,  very  rapid  drainage 
was  ensured,  and  a  compost  of  peat 
and  sharp  grit,  freely  interspersed  with 
stones,  was  laid,  'in  I.SIHI  both  the 
Anemones  showed  that  they  were  alive, 
but  did  nothing  more.  Better  results 
were  obtained  in  lOlK),  wdien  A.  nar- 
cissiflora bloomed  vigorously,  coming 
in  early  in  June  and  lasting  nearly 
three  weeks  ;  but  I  ha\-e  had  to  wait 
till  now  for  a  flower  of  A.  alpina.  It 
is  worth  waiting  for.  The  large  sulphur 
centre,- with  its  halo  of  petals,  soft 
white  inside  and  pale  lavender  outside, 
makes  a  more  fascinating  sight. 

.Side  by  side  with  this  success  it  may 

be  helpful  to  record  a  failure,      lieing 

particularly  anxious  to   be   tlie  owner 

of    alpine   Anemones,  and    not    being 

sanguine  as  to  the  prospects  of  those 

brought  by  myself,  I  purchased  plants 

of  A.  alpina  from  a  well-known  grower. 

A    handhook  on    the  subject  informed 

me    that   they   would    grow    freely  in 

dee))   garden   .soil.      The   results  wore   disaslrou.s. 

Koots   planted  in   late  autumn   completely  melted 

away  before  tlie  following  spring. 

J)iiiiilriiiii,  Diih/hi.  H.  K.  M. 

Like  other  Anemones,  the  alpine  kinds  grow 
freely  from  ijuite  fresh  seeil.  If  "H.  K.  M."  has 
any   friends  in  alpine   regions  who  can  send   him 


May   11,   1901.1 


THE    GAliDEK. 


i335 


saed  of  A.  alpiiia  or  A.  sulpliurea,  and  he  will  sow 
it  in  winter — not  keep  it  over  till  March — he  will 
get  strong  seedlings  in  plenty.  1  collected  seed  of 
A.  alpina  in  the  mountains  one  iiutunni  and  sowed 
it  in  November  in  an  open  seed  Vied.  It  camo  up 
strongly  in  January,  and  was  the  same  spring 
jjlanted  in  flattish  slopes  in  the  base  of  a  rock 
garden,  places  that  would  be  almost  in  the  same 
conditions  as  ordinary  garden  borders  (soil  deep 
lieaty  sand).  The  plants  throve  well  and  flowered 
abundantlj',  and  made  permanent  groups  that 
were  for  many  years  one  of  the  liest  things  of  the 
rock  garden. 

Careful  as  undoubtedly  are  the  best  nursery 
growers  of  alpine  plants,  one  can  hardlj-  expect 
these  deep-rooted  things,  kept  ready  for  delivery 
in  pots,  to  have  such  success  as  home-grown 
seedlings,  grown  from  fresh  seed  and  having  to 
endure  only  the  one  slight  check  of  removal  from 
seed  bed  to  prepared  permanent  place  in  the  same 
garden.  X. 


KAISED  BEDS. 

Artificially  raised  beds  have  gradually  dropped 
out  of  the  flower  garden,  and,  although  with  the 
amount  of  plants  of  tall  habit  at  disposal  for 
summer  planting  their  loss  is  hardly  to  be 
regretted,  I  dare  say  man}'  like  myself  can  recall 
some  tine  displays  on  such  beds,  and  think  that 
one  or  two  might  find  a  place  in  some  outlying 
part  in  the  majority  of  gardens.  The  orthodox 
form  was  a  circular  row  of  stout  Fir  poles  some 
.SO  inches  in  height,  a  border  4  feet  or  ."i  feet  in 
width,  and  then  another  row  of  poles  with  a 
higher  central  bed.  Jlaurandya  barclayana,  blue 
and  white  trailing  Campanulas,  and  the  Canary 
Creeper  were  favourite  outer  edge  plants,  and  a 
brave  display  they  made,  while  the  remainder  of 
the  lied  was  built  up  as  the  taste  of  the  planter 


suggested,  specimen  Heliotropes,  with  a  groundwork 
of  Centaurea,  Eucalyptus,  with  scarlet  or  pink 
(ieraniums, and  afterwards,  as  they  Ijecamo  popular, 
tuberous  Begonias,  with  striped  Mai/.e,  or  white  or 
yellow  Marguerites,  foliage  plants  like  (Ircvillea 
robusta,  and  other  things.  Fuchsias,  too,  were 
among  the  things  used,  and  few  things  were  belter 
for  the  purpose  than  well  grown  ))lants  ot  such 
sorts  as  (ieneral  Roberts,  Mrs.  Marshall,  Annette, 
and  others.  E.  Bukrell. 


IVY  AS  AN   EDGING   TO   I'ATHS. 

In  the  woodland,  especiallj'  under  trees  where  it 
is  ditheult  to  get  anything  to  grow,  the  various 
Ivies  are  useful,  as  they  do  not  appear  to  mind  the 
.shade  in  the  least.  Where  a  quick  growing,  thick 
edging  is  wished  for,  no  Ivy  is  better  than  the 
ordinary  Irish  variety,  canariensis.  If  a  more 
compact  variety  is  wished  for,  the  ordinary  English 
Ivy  might  be  used.  AVhere  so  many  persons  make 
a  mistake,  even  in  attempting  to  cultivate  Ivy 
under  trees,  is  that  of  failing  to  provide  a  rich  soil 
to  give  the  plants  a  good  start.  Trenching  the 
ground  IS  inches  deep,  adding  half -decayed  manure 
freely  to  the  top  spit  of  soil,  and  giving  to  each 
plant  a  shovelful  of  prepared  compost,  such  as 
decayed  vegetable  refuse,  old  potling  soil,  and 
wood  ashes.  When  first  planted,  peg  the  plants 
down  close  to  the  soil,  so  that  they  will  in  time 
emit  roots  and  grow  away  more  vigorously,  as  well 
as  have  a  tidier  appearance.  When  once  established 
little  attention  is  required  afterwards  to  keep  the 
edgings  iji  order.  E.  j\l. 


A  LAVENDER  HEDGE. 

An   English   garden  is  scarcely  worthy  of  its 
name  if  it  disregards  tlie  claim  of  this  beautiful 


fragrant  bush,  so  well  lieloved  of  our  ancestors. 
There  is  something  specially  English  in  a  hedge 
of  Lavende)-,  with  its  delicious  aromatic  bloon), 
anil  its  neat,  grey,  busliy  growth.  It  is  a  thing 
for  all  kinds  of  ]ilaces  in  a  garclen,  provided 
they  are  dry  and  sunny,  for  it  associates 
hap) lily  with  flowering  plants  and  other  small 
shrubs,  and  does  well  in  free  jiictorial  masses 
on  rough  banks ;  it  also  submits  to  discipline  in 
ordered  ranks  as  a  small  hedge  )i!ant,  or  even 
to  the  shears  in  the  most  formal  of  gardens. 


AMATEURS'    PERPLEXITIES. 

DAFFODILS     EMPEROR    AND     EMPRESS 

FAILING. 

Wh.vt  do  you  think  is  the  reason  that  the  Emperor 

and  Empress  do  so  badly  here  (Northumberland), 

while  Princeps  grows  so  well '!  M.  T. 

[This  letter  was  accompanied  by  blooms  of  these 
three  Daflbdils,  Princeps  unusually  fine,  and  Em- 
peror and  Empress  both  slightly  under  size.  We 
can  only  suppose  that  your  Emperor  and  Empress 
would  be  the  better  for  removal  every  two  years. 
In  some  places  they  are  better  for  being  replanted 
every  year.  You  are  very  lucky  to  do  so  well  with 
Princeps,  which  has  the  reputation  of  Ijeing  a  very 
shy  bloomer.  We  have  to  remember  that  the 
originals  of  these  Daffodils  come  from  a  great 
variety  of  soils  and  altitudes,  and  that  when  we 
put  them  together  in  our  gardens  we  have  to 
expect  some  to  do  better  and  some  less  well. 

It  is  impossible  to  say,  except  by  experience 
in  the  place  itself,  how  often  Narcissus  and  other 
bulbs  need  removal.  In  light  sandy  soil  they  are 
best  moved  every  three  years.  A  great  grower 
whose   garden   is    on    chalk   has   to   move   all   his 


A    LAVENDER    WALK    IN    EAKLV    SUMMER. 


aSQ 


-^m 


THE    GAl^DEN. 


[May   U,  1901. 


BEGONIA   IILAUCOPHYLLA   AT   KEW — 7   FEET   6   INCHES   HR:U 


Narcissus  every  year.  We  should  advise  you  to 
try  moving  some  of  the  Emperor  and  Empress 
every  year,  and  to  leave  some  tor  two  years,  and 
then  to  see  which  does  the  best.  Many  people 
will,  perhaps,  say  that  this  is  too  much  trouble, 
but  then  gardening  consists  mainly  in  taking 
trouble. —  Eds.] 


(iARDEN  ADDITIONS. 
"V.  B.''  writes  thus; — "I  shall  be  very  much 
obliged  if  you  will  help  nie  with  your  advice  in 
making  an  addition  to  my  garden.  I  am  adding 
about  three  acres  of  old  meadow  land,  situated  on 
the  highest  point  in  this  neighbourhood  (near 
Liverpool),  treeless,  and  exposed  to  violent  north- 
west winds.  There  are  to  be  two  300  feet  by 
13  feet  (or  more  if  advisable)  borders,  divided 
by  a  5  feet  path,  to  be  planted  this  autumn  with 
hardy  perennials,  Roses,  and  other  permanent 
things.  I  should  like  fruit  and  other  flowering 
trees  behind  each  border  ;  those  to  the  north-west 
to  be  amply  sheltered  by  a  quickly  grown  wind- 
screen. I  desire  to  begin  the  enjoyment  of  this 
addition  to  my  garden,  in  which  I  work  a  great 
deal,  as  early  as  possible.'' 

|The  quickest  growing  trees  are  the  wliite  and 
grey  Poplars,  but  they  are  deciduous,  and  would 
very  soon  rob  and  destroy  the  borders,  besides, 
their  size  is  out  of  all  proportion.  The  best  thing 
would  lie  to  plant  Scotch  Fir  not  more  than 
IS  inches  high  in  October,  about  three  rows  deep, 
keeping  the  nearest  row  some  \'i  feet  from  the 
back  of  the  Ijorder,  and  the  ne.vt  rows  each 
10  feet  apart,  and  to  plant  the  trees  in  each  row 


in  the  alternate  spaces 
and  about  12  feet  apart 
in  the  rows. 

Such  a  shelter  screen 
cannot  possibly  be 
hurried,  especially  in  an 
exposed  place.  Hurr}', 
which  generally  means 
planting  things  of  too 
large  a  size,  nearly 
always  Ijrings  failure  and 
the  loss  of  a  year.  No 
indication  is  given  of 
the  nature  of  the  soil. 
If  it  is  chalky.  Yew, 
Box,  or  Beech  would  do, 
if  loam}'  anj'  of  these  or 
Hornbeam.  If  at  all  light 
or  quite  light  nothing  is 
so  good  as  Scotch  Fir. 
No  permanent  good  work 
in  gardening  or  tree 
planting  can  be  done  in  a 
sudden  and  hurried  way. 
No  doubt  occasions  often 
occvir  when  owners  of 
gardens  may  strongly 
desire,  as  in  the  present 
case,  to  make  a  piece  of 
garden  and  have  a  grow- 
ing screen  almost  at  once. 
It  is  not  that  the  thing  is 
absolutelj'  impossible,  but 
it  is  so  difhcult  and  ex- 
pensive that  few  people 
will  face  it.  In  a  strong 
soil,  fairly  large  Hollies 
t)  feet  to  10  feet  high  can 
be  planted  in  Maj',  but 
Ihey  would  have  to  be 
elaborately'  staked  or 
gu3'ed,  and  constantly 
watched,  watered,  and 
sheltered,  besides  having 
to  be  paid  for  at  a  high 
price.  If  such  a  course  is 
not  out  of  the  (juestion  it 
would  be  well  to  make 
an  agreement  with  the 
nurseryman  to  plant  and 
secure  them  himself  and 
to  replace  failures  in  the 
autumn. 

The  proportions  of  the 
path  to  the  borders  of  300  feet  might  be  bettered  ; 
the  path  should  be  at  least  6  feet  wide  or  it  will 
look  mean. 

It  is  impossible  in  London  to  say  what  would  be 
the  best  means  of  procuring  Hop  and  Bean  poles  or 
material  for  Rose  arches,  trellis,  &c.  It  is  a  local 
matter  on  which  advice  had  better  be  taken  from 
a  neighbouring  nurseryman  or  outdoor  carpenter, 
the  kind  of  workman  who  makes  field  gates  and 
wooden  fencing  and  outhouses  :  he  would  also 
know  the  best  kind  of  nails  ;  but  near  London  such 
work  is  generally  put  together  with  the  ordinary 
4-inch  nails  or  longer,  according  to  the  thickness 
of  the  stuff'. — Eds.  J 


BEGONIA     GLAUCOPHYLLA. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  several  shrubby 
species  of  Begonia  suitable  for  basket  culture. 
It  is  a  Brazilian  plant,  making  long,  slender, 
branching  .stems,  from  which  numerous  aerial 
roots  are  produced  in  a  similar  manner  to  the 
Ivy.  The  leaves  are  obli(|uely  ovate,  Heshy, 
and  glabrous.  They  are  dark  green,  with  rose- 
coloured  nerves,  the  whole  leaf  being  sutt'used 
with  rose  when  young.  The  flowers  are  rasy 
red,  and  borne  in  dense  pendulous  cymes  from 
April  onwards  for  three  months.  The  .subject 
of  the  illustration  is  growing  in  the  Mexican 
house  at  Kew.  The  basket  is  1 M  inches  across, 
and  was  planted  with  six  rooted  cuttings  two 
years  ago.  Twelve  months  ago  it  measured 
2  feet  each  way.     At  the  present  time  it  is  a 


perfect  pyramid,  7  feet  (1  inches  in  height 
and  ;!'  feet  in  diameter  in  the  widest  part. 
Throughout  the  summer  it  has  been  grown 
without  fire  heat,  whilst  the  rest  of  the 
year  the  maximum  fire  heat  temperature  has 
been  5.5".  The  compost  u.sed  in  the  first  place 
was  good  fibrous  peat  and  loam  in  equal 
jiroportions.  This  has  since  been  enriched  from 
time  to  time  with  surfacings  of  artificial 
manures  and  applications  of  soot  and  cow 
manure-water.  The  specimen  hangs  at  the 
south  end  of  the  house,  and  it  is  exposed  to 
full  sun.  On  bright  days  it  is  freely  syringed, 
and  requires  watering  several  times.      \V.  D. 


AMERICAN     NOTES. 

JIe.  Frederick  Olmsted. 

In  honour  of  Frederick  Law  Olmsted,  the  park 
commissioners  of  Boston  and  Brookline,  acting  in 
concert,  have  recently  given  the  name  of  Olmsted 
Park  to  all  that  part  of  the  Boston  and  Brookline 
Parks  which  extends  from  Washington  Street  at 
the  end  of  the  riverway  in  Brookline  to  the 
arbourway  at  the  junction  of  Pond  and  Prince 
Streets  in  Jamaica  Plain,  embracing  what  was 
formerl}'  called  LeAerett  Park  and  Jamaica  Park, 
and  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  beautiful 
portions  of  the  entire  Boston  Park  system.  By 
this  action  the  conjmissioners  have  shown  their 
appreciation  of  a  great  artist,  who  has  impressed 
himself  as  no  other  artist  has  ever  been  able  to 
impress  himself  upon  this  countrj',  and  a  man  who 
has  worked  always  for  the  benefit  of  humanity. 

A  native  of  Connecticut,  Frederick  Law  Olmsted 
first  became  known  to  the  public  through  a  series 
of  books,  in  which  he  gave  his  impressions  obtained 
during  several  long  horseback  joiu'neys  through  the 
Atlantic  slave  states  and  from  Texas  to  Carolina. 
These  books  gave  to  the  people  of  the  north  their 
first  authentic  information  concerning  much  of  the 
southern  country,  and  to  most  of  them  their  first 
idea  of  the  true  workings  of  the  slave  system,  and 
exerted  a  powerful  influence  in  rousing  the  public 
opinion  which  finally  produced  the  war  of  secession 
and  the  freedom  of  the  slaves. 

Later  Mr.  Olmsted  became  a  farmer  on  Staten 
Island,  and  in  185'2,  when  a  successful  movement 
was  made  in  New  York  to  secure  a  great  public 
park  for  that  city,  Mr.  Olmsted,  in  association 
with  Calvin  Vaux,  a  young  English  architect  who 
had  been  brought  to  this  countrj'  by  Downing  to 
plan  country  houses,  presented  in  competition  the 
plan  for  Central  Park,  which  was  adopted  and 
afterwards  executed.  This  plan  was  a  work  of 
genius  remarkable  in  the  fact  that  the  author  had 
had  no  special  preparation  for  it  except  in  his 
inherent  love  of  nature  which  he  had  cultivated  in 
his  long  horseback  journej'S  through  the  south,  and 
in  a  journey  which  he  had  made  through  rural 
England  on  foot.  The  plan  was  remarkable,  too, 
in  the  forethought  which  the  author  displayed  for 
the  then  hardly  suspected  park  reipiirements  of 
the  people  of  a  great  city,  and  in  the  arrangements 
made  to  enable  its  traffic  to  go  on  uninterruptedly 
across  the  park  without  interfering  with  its  rural 
character.  All  things  considered,  Mr.  Olmsted  has 
never  surpassed  his  first  eflbrts  at  park  making, 
and  Central  Park  uiust  stand  as  the  best  expression 
of  his  creative  genius.  Mr.  Olmsted  subsequently 
designed  Prospect  Park  in  Brooklyn,  which  is 
usually  considered  more  beautiful,  but  this  beauty 
is  due  largelj'  to  natural  advantages  of  topography 
and  to  the  existence  of  fine  natural  woods. 

During  the  wai-  Mr.  Olmsted  did  the  country 
good  service  as  secretary  of  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission,  and  in  the  years  immediately 
following  the  war  he  was  able  further  to  gratify 
his  love  for  nature  in  California,  where  he  resideil 
near  the  Yosemito  A'alley  as  agent  for  the  owners 
of  the  lands  embraced  in  the  Krcmunl  grant. 
Returning  to  the  east,  he  continued  his  profession 
as  landscape  gardener,  and  nuule  plans  mure  or  less 
elaborate  for  parks  in  many  of  the  principal  cities 
of  the  United  States.  In  \S~'>,  luiving  been  invited 
to  prepare  a  scheme  for  a  system  of  pai  ks  for  the 
city  of  Boston,  he  moved  to  Cambridge,  and  then 


May  11,   1901.] 


THK    GARDEN. 


3S7 


to  Brookline,  where  he  has  continued  to  reside, 
and  where  some  of  his  most  important  work  has 
been  planned.  In  this  latter  period  Mr.  Olmsted 
developed  the  nnrivalled  Boston  Park  system,  the 
]5iltmoro  estate,  the  property  of  Mr.  George  W. 
Vanderbilt,  with  its  4,000  acres  of  home  grounds, 
and  the  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago.  The 
beauty  and  success  of  this  last  enterprise  were 
chiefly  due  to  Mr.  Olmsted,  who  placed  the 
buildnigs  and  laid  out  and  developed  the  grounds 
and  waterwaj'S  which  surrounded  them. 

The  park  commissioners  of  Boston  and  Brookline 
have  wiselj'  commemorated  this  ereat  artist  in  a 
manner  which  is  eminent!}'  fitting,  and  the  city  of 
Boston  is  to  be  congratulated  in  secui'ing  for  one 
of  its  principal  parks  the  name  of  a  man  pre- 
eminent in  his  art,  and  through  his  art  one  of 
the  great  benefactors  of  the  Ancerican  people. — 
American  (iardeniiKi. 


THE    VTEEPING    ASPEN. 

(POPULUS   TEEMULA    VAR.    P.ENDULA.) 

Towards  the  latter  end  of  February  and 
during  the  early  part  of  March  few  trees  and 
shrubs  are  to  be  had  in  flower.  One  of  them, 
however,  is  the  variety  of  Poplar  here  illus- 
trated, and  none  is  better  worthy  of  a  place  in 
our  gardens.  It  is  the  weeping  form  of  the 
Aspen  (Populus  tremula),  which  in  its  tyjiical 
state  is  a  tree  growing  .50  feet  or  more  in  height. 
It  is  a  native  of  Britain,  and  is  common  in 
other  parts  of  Europe,  being  a  native  also  of 
North  Asia  and  North  Africa.  The  variety  now 
figured  is  an  old  garden  plant,  and  for  seventy 
years  (possibly  longer)  has  been  in  cultivation. 
The  Aspen  bears  its  male  and  female  flowers 
on  different  trees,  but  of  this  weeping  variety 
I  have  only  seen  trees  of  the  male  or  pollen- 
bearing  sort.  If  seed-bearing  trees  are  to  be 
had  at  all  they  are  much  less  common  than  the 
male,  which  in  any  ease  would  be  the  hand- 
somer as  a  flowering  tree.  Being  propagated 
exclusively  by  artificial  methods,  i.e.,  grafts  or 
cuttings — not  by  seeds — the  progeny,  of  course, 
remains  the  same  sex  as  the  original  tree  that 
first  sported  into  a  weeping  habit,  and  from 
which  they  are  all  derived. 


The  catkins  of  the  Weeping  Aspen  are 
:j  inches  to  4  inches  long,  and  cylindrical. 
They  are  borne  in  very  great  profusion,  as  the 
picture  will  show,  and  although  they  have 
no  bright  colour- Vjeauty  to  recommend  them, 
the  soft  grey-brown  tints  of  the  masses  of 
swaying  catkins  are  very  pleasing,  the  more 
so  as  they  are  amongst  the  first  evidences  of 
the  reawakening  of  plant  life  just  as  winter  is 
passing  away.  The  catkins  are  very  light  and 
flexible,  and  the  slightest  movement  of  the 
air  sets  them  in  motion.  The  tree  has,  con- 
se(|uently,  pretty  much  the  same  restless 
appear.ance  during  the  lime  it  is  in  flower  as  it 
has  later  on,  when  the  foliage  is  exi)anded — 
the  ceaseless  motion  of  which  has  forages  been 
proverbial. 

The  Weeping  Aspen  is  freijuently  a  short- 
lived tree,  and  branches  will  often  die  after 
flowering.  This  is  more  especially  the  case 
when  grown  in  dry  positions,  for  tJie  Aspen  in 
all  its  forms  loves  moisture.  But  it  is  due 
also,  I  believe,  to  its  being  grafted  on  stocks  of 
other  species  of  Poplar — P.  alba  and  P.  cane.s- 
cens  being  often  used.  It  would  be  worth 
while  to  get  it  on  its  own  roots  by  means  of 
layers  or  cuttings.  In  default  of  that  the 
common  Aspen  should  be  used  as  a  stock. 

Arliontum,  Kew.  W.  .T,  Bkan. 


EARLY-FLOW^ERING      HIMA- 
LAYAN   RHODODENDRONS. 

It  is  chiefly  to  lovers  of  rare,  as  well  as 
beautiful,  hardy  shrubs  that  the  following 
three  species  of  Himalayan  lihododendrons 
will  be  of  particular  interest.  They  are  not 
so  vigorous  as  the  May  and  .lune-flowering 
varieties,  and  they  certainly  re([uire  more  care 
in  regard  to  choice  of  position  and  cultivation 
generally.  It  is,  in  fact,  only  in  ]ilaces  wliere 
the  climate  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  our 
south  and  south-western  counties  that  they 
can  be  expected  to  show  their  best  out  of 
doors.  But  in  respect  to  their  flowers  it  may 
safely  be   said   that   their   brilliant   tints   are 


THE   WEEPING  ASPEN    (POPULtTS  TREMT7LA  VAK.    PENDXTLA)   IN   FLUWEK. 


scarcely  rivalled  among.st  hardy  shrubs,  and  as 
they  come  just  when  winter  is  giving  way  to 
spring,  their  charm  is  on  that  account  all  the 
greater. 

R.  Thomson:. 
The  flowers  of  this  Pthododendron  are  indi- 
vidually the  largest  of  all  the  sjjecies  that  can 
be  grown  outside  near  London,  and  this, 
together  with  their  rich  blood-i'cd  colour  and 
the  blue- white  under-.surface  of  the  leaf,  f urni.sh 
ample  distinguishing  characters.  The  blo.ssoms 
are  borne,  not  many  together,  in  loose  trusses, 
the  crimson  corolla  being  3  inches  or  .so  across. 
The  calyx,  too,  is  very  distinct,  lieing  large 
and  saucer-shaped.  The  species  has  been  fifty 
years  in  cultivation,  but  has  not  been  very 
extensively  used  by  hybridists.  The  late  Mr. 
Mangles  worked  upon  it  to  some  e,vtent,  and 
Ascot  Brilliant— a  variety  to  be  oVjtained  in 
some  nurseries— is  one  of  its  progeny,  and 
undoubtedly  one  of  the  finest  coloured  of  all 
hardy  Rhododendrons.  It  is  also  hardier  than 
It.  Thomsoni  itself,  which  requires  a  warm, 
exceptionally  sheltered  corner. 

R.   NIVEUM. 

Some  of  the  forms  of  this  sjjecies  are  very 
inferior  to  others,  and  have  small  trusses  of 
flowers,  and  these  of  a  dull  lilac.  There  are 
other.s,  however,  that  have  much  larger  trusses, 
and  the  flowers  are  of  a  bright  purijlish  lilac, 
which  are  decidedly  beautiful  and  worth 
growing.  One  of  these  has  lately  been  flowering 
in  the  Rhododendron  dell  at  Ivew.  The  trusses 
on  this  plant  were  over  4  inches  in  diameter, 
the  flowers  being  closely  packed,  bell-shaped, 
and  i  inches  acrass.  Rhododendron  niveum  is 
one  of  the  hardiest  of  the  Himalayan  grou]!, 
and  as  a  foliage  plant  it  has  some  claim  to 
notice.  When  the  young  leaves  unfold  they 
are  covered  all  over  with  a  felt-like  .substance, 
abnost  as  pure  white  as  snow.  This  ultimately 
falls  ofl'  the  upper  surface  of  the  leaf,  but 
remains  on  the  underside,  and  turns  a  pale 
brown.  The  better  forms  of  the  species  are 
worth  growing  for  the  almost  unique  colour  of 
the  flowers  (among  Rhododendrons)  and  for 
the  early  date  at  which  they  appear. 

R.    FULGENS. 

It  is  not  every  year  that  the  handsome 
flowers  of  this  species  succeed  in  escaping 
injury  by  frost,  but  when  they  do  this 
Rhododendron  becomes  one  of  the  most 
efiective  and  remarkable  of  all  spring- 
flowering  shrubs.  I  have  .seen  bushes 
fully  out  in  bloom  in  March,  but  this 
year  the  middle  of  Ayjril  saw  the  flowers 
scarcely  exjianded.  They  appear  in  rather 
small  compact  rounded  trusses,  about 
.'3?>  inches  across,  and  are  of  a  blood-red 
colour,  not  surpassed  in  brilliancy  by 
the  flowers  of  any  other  hardy  shruli.  The 
leaves  of  this  Rhododendron  are  oblong 
and  about  4  inches  long,  their  most  note- 
worthy character  being  the  rich  rust- 
coloured  felt  with  which  they  are  clothed 
beneath. 

Another  Himalayan  species  —  R.  cam- 
panulatum  —  has  leaves  of  a  similar 
description,  and  it  has  frequently  been 
grown  as  R.  fulgens.  Its  flowers,  however, 
are  purple  and  come  later  in  the  season. 
Another  pretty  feature  of  R.  fulgens  is 
seen  when  the  young  growths  are  being 
made,  the  lower  part  of  each  new  shoot 
being  furnished  with  brightly  coloured 
red  bracts.  It  grows  on  the  Sikkim 
Himalayas  at  elevations  of  12,000  feet 
to  14,000  feet,  and  Sir  .Joseph  Hooker, 
through  whose  agency  it  was  introduced 
exactly  fifty  years    ago,    remarks  that  it 


338 


THE     GARDEN. 


[May    11,  1901. 


is   "one   of    the   richest   ornaments   of    those 
inhospitable  regions." 
Kew.  B. 


nrn  of  lime. 


stands  in  a  vertical 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON    PLANT 
LIFE.    IX. 

The  Unfolhinii  of  Buns. 
In  the  first  stiuly  I  descril)orl  the  nature  of 
l.>uds,  and  as  trees'  are  now  beginning  to  unfold 
them  I  should  like  to  draw  attention  to  a  very 
interesting  feature,  which  is  readily  observ- 
able. Let  us  take,  for  cxamjile,  the  buds  of  a 
Lime  tree.  They  are  formed  in  autumn,  and 
consist  of  nuiiierous  little  .scales  —  really 
stipides — which  jirotect 
the  very  young  leaves 
within  them.  As  soon 
as  the  buds  open  they 
liegin  to  elongate  and 
curve  downwards 
(Fig.  1).  The  conse- 
([uence  is  that  as  soon 
as  a  leaf  is  produced  it 
plane  (Fig.  'l).  The  minor  stipules  now  grow  out 
and  more  or  less  jiroteet  the  young  leaves,  as 
seen  iu  Figs.  2  and  3.  It  is  not  until  the 
leaves  are  completely 
formed  that  they  rise  up 
and  assume  a  permanently 
horizontal  position. 

.Moreover,  a  jioint  to  bo 
noticed  is  that  when  the 
leaves  first  escape  from  the 
l)un  they  have  their  two 
halves  of  the  blade  folded 
together  or  "conduplicate," 
as  it  is  called,  like  a 
piece  of  note  paper.  The  object  of  these 
two  preceding  features,  the  folding  of  the 
blades  and  the  assumption  of  a  vertical 
position,  is  to  prevent 
any  injury  Iiy  radiation 
of  heat,  especially  from 
the  u]iper  surfaces  of  the 
leaves.  The  young  con- 
duplicate  condition  is  seen 
in  the  Laburnum  (Fig.  4), 
the  FiO.se,  or  Clover.  In  the 
Horse  Chestnut  the  leaf  is 
compased  of  several  leaf- 
lets. As  soon  as  it  escapes 
the  leaflets  all  hang  verti-  :'- 

cally  downwards  (Fig.  5). 

They  overlaji  one  another 
until  sufficiently  grown  to 
be  able  to  resist  any  chance 
of  chill.  This  position 
closely  resembles  that  of  the 
leaflets  of  some  Lupines 
when  asleep  at  night 
(Fig.  G).  In  the  Walnut 
every  leaflet  of  the  second 
yiair  is  conduplicate,  and 
the  petiole  at  once  curves 
strongly  downwards  (Fig.  7), 
but  ri.ses  again  when  the  leaf- 
lets have  aci|uired  their  full 
size.  In  the  A.sh,  the  leaf, 
which  resembles  that  of  the 
Walnut,  the  petiole  stands 
erect.  In  both  cases  the 
leaflets,  besides  being  con- 
duplicate, are  in  a  vertical 
plane. 

The  single  leaves  of  the 
Portugal  Laurel  also  stand 
erect  when  first  developing, 
and  each  leaf  is  also  conduiili- 
cato  (Fig.  8).  In  the  Pear  tiie  leaves  are  at  first 
erect,  also  conduplicate,  but  with  the  addi- 


4.    UNFIlI.DINr,  LEAF 
LABDKNDM. 


HORSE  CHKSTNl'T 
LEAP. 


tional  protection  in  having  the  edges  unrolled. 
If  leaves  be  "opposite,"  as  in  Periwinkle  and 
iSt.  John's  Wort,  then  the  method  of  protecting 


C.   LF.AF  OF    LUri- 

Nus  rn.osus 

WHEN   ASLEEF. 


YOUNG  LEAF  OF 
WALNUT. 


the  upper  surfaces  is  secured  by  placing  the 
two  leaves  firmly  in  contact,  till  they  have 
sufficiently  grown  to  allow  of  their  separating. 
These  few  cases  will  be  enough  to  show  the 
reader  what  to  look  for.  It  may  be  added  that 
intense  heat  or  cold  may  induce 
the  leaves  to  drop  vertically  so 
as  to  avoid  injury  under  those 
conditions.  G.  H'knsi.ow. 


BOOKS.  ^ 

The  British  Gardener. 


YOONO 
LEAVES   OF 
I'OHTUCiAL 

laurf:!.. 


— We  scarcely  think  the  Jlritish 
gardener  will  l)e  plea.sed  with  this 
latest  addition  to  the  garden  library. 
It  is  neither  of  use  to  the  amateur 
nor  the  professional,  and  shows  signs 
of  hasty  preparation,  which,  con- 
sidering its  price  and  the  fact  that 
there  is  not  an  illustration  in  it 
beyond  a  few  roughly  prepared 
diagrams,  one  does  not  e.xpect.  The 
diagram  of  a  centrepiece  for  tiowers 
(page  34o)  is  terrible,  and  the 
Orchid  family  is  summed  up  in  about  eleven 
pages.  There  are  frequent  blunders  in  tlie  spelling 
of  the  names  of  the  plants :  Odontoglossum 
eitrosum  tor  oitrosmum  ne.^it  to  corinariuni  for 
coronarium,  and  so  on.  We  turn  to  page  3llO  and 
note  the  selection  of  Narcissus.  Six  trumpet 
Daffodils  are  mentioned  as  the  best,  two  of  which 
are  the  beautiful  maximus  and  obvallaris,  but 
more  unsatisfactory  kinds  for  general  gardens 
could  not  be  found.  The  scope  of  the  book  is 
ambitious,  and  liy  careful  editing,  additions,  and 
some  omission.^,  could  be  matle  a  trustworthy  guide. 

The  Journal  of  the  Royal  Horticul- 
tural Society.  I  — The  journal  of  the  society 
should  bereadbyeveryoneintei'ested  in  horticulture, 
which  means  thatevery  horticulturistshould  become 
a  fellow,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  is  included  in 
the  guinea  subscription,  and  is  worth  that  sum 
alone  as  a  record  of  horticultural  progress,  with 
important  articles  too,  or  rathet  the  lectures 
delivered  at  the  societj''s  fortnightly  meetings.  It 
has  never  been  better  edited  in  the  course  of  its 
existence  than  at  the  present  time,  and  the  Rev. 
W.  Wilks  seems  to  add  a  new  feature  every  year. 
"  Notes  and  Gleanings"  are  decidedly  interesting, 
and  the  volume  or  book,  for  such  it  may  be  called, 
is  freel}'  illustrated.  We  cannot  do  more  than  say 
that  the  articles  in  the  present  issue  are  as  inter- 
esting as  they  are  varied,  and  incUide  "Figs' in 
Pots,"  by  Mr.  James  Hudson  ;  "  Egyptian  Vege- 
tation," by  Mr.  H.  J.  Yeitch  ;  "  iVIistakes  in 
Orchards,"  by  Mr.  J.  Kttle  :  "Mistakes  in  Fruit 
Culture,"  b}'  Mr.  (4eorge  Bun\'ard ;  "  Heating 
and  Ventilating  Hothouses,"  by  Mr.  A.  1). 
Mackenzie ;  and  manj'  others.  One  or  two  of 
these  articles  we  hope  to  publish  as  soon  as 
possible. 

Decorative    Flower    Studies.;— a 

handsome  volinne  of  llmvei-  studies  in  vigorous 
outline,  coloured  after  the  manner  of  a  faint  flat 
wash    that    suggests    but    does    not    attempt    to 


*  "The  British  Oardener."  By  \y.  Ayilliamson.  Price 
10s.  0(1.    IFessrs.  Mftluien,  30,  Essex  Street,  Strand,  W.C. 

t  ".fournal  of  the  Ko.val  Horticultural  Souiet.v."  \'ul.  •i:\ 
Part  III.    .\pT'il.  loni.     T'rice  to  notvfellows  Ts.  Cd. 

1  "  Oecurative  Flower  Studies."  l!,v  Jl  .1.  Kunrd. 
London  :  B.  T.  Batsford.    V)m.    Price  'iSs.  nett. 


imitate  the  tints  of  the  flowers  and  foliage  repre- 
sented. The  coloured  jilate  is  on  one  page  ami 
opposite  it  is  an  outline  drawing  of  portions  of  the 
same  plant  or  flower,  showing  the  structure  of 
some  of  the  parts.  Between  each  pair  of  illus- 
trated pages  is  one  of  letterpress,  giving  an 
intelligent  and  interesting  description  of  the  plant 
both  from  tlie  artist's  and  the  naturalist'.s  point  of 
view.  No  training  in  drawing  is  better  than  a  careful 
and  keenly  observant  representation  of  the  forms 
of  beautiful  vegetation,  and  this  book,  put  into  the 
hands  of  a  J'oung  student,  would  be  extremely 
helpful  in  showing  what  had  better  be  done  or 
attempted.  In  a  few  cases  the  clever  young  artist 
and  author  has  allowed  herself  to  fall  into  the 
aflectation  of  the  dead  masses  of  black,  condiined 
with  outline,  that  has  been  already  done  to  death. 
Tliis  is  the  only  blot  on  a  haiulsome,  u.seful,  and 
well  done  book  that  can  be  heartily  commended. 

Open-air  Gardening.*— This  is  a  very 

useful  book,  as  one  may  suppose  when  the  editor 
states  that  it  is  abridged  from  the  "Book  of 
(iai'dening."  It  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  it  at 
any  length  for  this  reason,  but  its  clear  instruc- 
tions about  hardy  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables 
should  ensure  for  it  lasting  popularity'. 

Greenhouse   Construction.  —This  is 

another  u.seful  Imok  about  the  construction  of  a 
greeiihou.se,  and  should  prove  of  value  to  amateurs. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are.  not    re-ipon-iiUe   for  the  opiniaiin 
e^'prexserl  by  their  correipondents.  J 


ROSES     ON     OWN     ROOTS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

SIR,— Would  the  editor  of  The  Garden 
tell  me  if  Teas  and  H^'brid  Teas  would 
do  well  on  their  own  roots  in  a  bed  in  a 
Ro.se  house  I  have — that  is,  better  than 
on  Briar — and  if  so  what  description  of 
soil  should  be  used  in  the  bed,  which  is 
about  '20  feet  by  3  feet  U  inches,  with  20  inches  of 
soil  over  efiicient  drainage?  Jos.  PoTTS. 

[We  should  have  no  hesitation  in  advising  you 
to  plant  Tea  and  H.T.  Roses  on  their  own  roots  in 
j'our  Rose  house,  but  we  fear  jjlants  of  the  best 
forcing  kinds  are  not  procurable  in  this  form.  We 
have,  however,  seen  splendid  results  obtainable 
imder  glass  by  planting  grafted  or  budded  plants 
on  the  seedling  Briar  in  well-prepared  borders,  so 
that,  taking  into  consideration  the  scarcity  of  own- 
root  plants,  we  think  you  would  achieve  more 
success  with  this  class  of  plant.  Quite  recent!}' 
we  inspected  some  large  houses  owned  by  a  com- 
n'eroial  grower  wherein  we  saw  hundreds  of  perfect 
plants,  some  of  them  as  much  as  .5  feet  in  height 
and  nearly  as  bushy.  These  were  all  on  the  Briar, 
planted  out  some  six  or  eight  years  ago  when 
only  a  few  months  old,  and  although  this  inspection 
did  not  lessen  our  preference  for  own-root  plants, 
yet  it  was  a  proof  tliat  the  15riar  is  a  most  service- 
able stock  for  Tea  and  Hybrid  Teas,  especially  for 
warm  soils  of  good  depth.  Where  we  think  so 
many  fail  with  Tea  Roses  on  the  seedling  Briar 
outdoors  is  when  the  soil  is  shallow  or  water- 
logged. This  stock  makes  a  long  tapering  root, 
which  resents  much  cutting;  therefore  it  is  neces- 
sary that  it  be  provided  with  at  least  IS  inches  to 
24  inches  of  soil. 

Why  not  plant  part  of  the  bed  with  own-root 
plants  and  the  other  part  grafted,  ordering  strong 
"  own  roots  ?  "  As  your  border  can  take  20  inches 
of  soil,  in  addition  to  good  drainage,  we  should 
advise  two  parts  good  turfy  loam,  one  part  «ell- 
decaj'cd  manure,  and  about  a  peck  of  i|uarter-iiH;h 
bones  to  a  cartload  of  soil.  A  layer  of  fresh  turf, 
grass  downwards,  shcudd  bo  placed  upon  the 
drainago  prior  to  the  above  compost.  Plant  out  the 
latter  end  of  Maj'  or  early  in  June.     If  you  decide 


§  "Open-air  (Jardening"  (aliridi^ed  from  the  "Bool;  of 
Oal'dening").  Edited  by  W.  U.  Drniy.  Price  09.  Vpcotl 
(MM.  170,  Strand,  W.C. 

II  "  (freenhouse  Construction.'  I'.j  B,  ('.  tvaveliscr(j(tt 
From  same  otilce.    Price  ti.  M. 


May  11,  lOOl.j 


THE    liAliDEN. 


389 


upon  having  some  of  the  Roses  on  their  own  roots 
the  soil  for  these  should  contain  a  liberal  sprinkling 
of  sharp  sand,  and  if  all  own  roots  are  planted  a 
depth  of  15  inches  of  soil  would  be  ample. — Kots.  J 

STRAWBERRY    VIUOMTESSE 

HERICART  DE  THURY. 

L'J'o  THIS  Editor  ov  "  Tue  Garden."] 

Sib, — I  quite  agree  with  "  G.  W."  as  to  the 
excellence  of  this  variety  for  very  early  forcing. 
At  one  time  I  forced  a  good  many  Strawberries  in 
hou.ses  ill  adapted  for  the  purpose,  the  atmosphere 
being  too  moist  and  ventilation  insufficient.  Some 
varieties,  notably  Noble,  I  could  not  get  to  set  at 
all,  the  blossoms  always  turning  black.  Vicomtesse, 
however,  always  set  well,  the  fruit  requiring  much 
thinning.  Royal  Sovereign  was  the  next  best.  As 
"  G.  W."  says,  the  flavour  of  Vicomtesse  is  good, 
even  when  grown  in  a  moist  atmosphere,  but  it  is 
greatly  improved  by  placing  the  plants  in  a  com- 
paratively dry,  airj'  house  for  a  few  days  before 
picking  the  fruit.  Some  complain  of  the  small 
sized  fruits  of  this  variety,  but  if  the  fruit  is  well 
thinned,  and  the  plants  liberally  assisted  \Nith 
liquid  manure,  there  will  be  no  cause  for  complaint. 
I  consider  the  old  Keen's  Seedling  still  one  of  the 
best  Strawberries  for  forcing,  but  it  requires  a  dry 
atmosphere  to  set  it.  Black  Prince  is  jjrobably 
the  earliest  variety,  and  is  well  worth  growing  in 
limited  quantities  for  the  earliest  supplies. 

J.  C. 

CLIMBERS    AND    FRUIT    TREES 

AGAINST    A   WALL. 

[To  THE  Editor  oy  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  kindlj' 
advise  me  as  to  how  deep  and  how  wide  a  liorder 
-should  be  made  for  climbers  and  fruit  trees  against 
the  walls  of  a  house.  At  present  against  the  south 
wall  there  is  nothing  but  j'ellow  sand  for  the 
climbers  to  grow  in.  Would  it  be  possible  to 
make  the  soil  good  enough  to  grow  a  Magnolia  in '! 
Any  suggestions  for  fruit  trees  and  climbers 
to  grow  against  the  west  and  south  walls  of  the 
house  I  shall  be  most  grateful  for.  The  south 
wall  is  entirely  sheltered  from  the  east.  Also  any 
suggestions  as  to  what  to  plant  underneath  windows 
that  are  6  feet  from  the  ground  I  sliall  be  \'ery 
pleased  to  have. — M.  Uykes. 

[You  can  easily  make  the  soil 
good  enough  for  a  Magnolia,  as  this 
delights  in  a  well-drained  Ijorder. 
You  say  at  present  it  is  a  yellow 
sand,  which  is  most  unsuitable. 
We  would  advise  you  to  take  out 
the  sand,  say,  18  inches  to  '2  feet 
in  depth  and  width,  and  replace 
with  good  soil.  This  means  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  labour,  but 
it  is  best  to  do  the  work  thoroughly 
at  first,  as,  though  less  soil  would 
suffice  at  the  start,  as  soon  as  the 
climbers  grow  to  some  size  they 
would  suffer  when  the  roots  got  into 
the  sand,  (iood  soil  from  an  old 
pasture  is  best,  but  really  good 
garden  soil,  with  a  liberal  addition 
of  well-decayed  manure  or  such  aids 
as  an  old  Marrow  or  Cucumber 
bed,  burnt  refuse,  and  decayed 
leaves  would  suit  Magnolias. 
Underneath  the  windows  you  could 
grow  most  of  the  Ceanothuses, 
espe.nally  C.  azureus,  the  scarlet 
Cydonia  japonica  (Japanese  Quince), 
and  the  yellow  Forsythia  viridis- 
sima.  Garrya  elliptica  would  do 
well.  We  do  not  advise  you 
to  grow  creepers  and  fruit  trees 
together.  Keep  to  one  or  the  other, 
as  the  creepers  do  not  do  well 
mixed  with  fruit.  On  the  other 
hand,  on  the  aspect  named — indeed, 
on  both  aspects — you  could  grow 
the  Vine  well,  and  by  a  little 
care  in  management  get  very  good 


Grapes.  By  "care"  we  mean  pruning  and 
thinning  of  wood,  feeding,  and  not  allowing, 
as  is  too  often  the  case,  the  Vines  to  grow 
anyhow.  A  good  white  Grape  is  the  Musca- 
dine, and  a  good  black  is  Esperione.  Now  is  a 
good  time  to  plant,  after  making  the  border  as 
advised  for  creepers.  For  other  fruit  trees,  .such 
as  stone  fruits  or  Pears,  you  would  need  a  border 
of  good  soil  at  least  3  feet  wide  and  nearly  as  deep. 
Not  knowing  how  much  space  you  have,  it  is 
difficult  to  mention  varieties.  With  Vines  you  get 
both  fruit  and  the  walls  well  covered  from  spring 
to  autumn. — Eus. ] 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 

MESSRS.  WEBB  AND  SONS, 
STOURBRIDGE. 

A  LL  are  familiar  with  the  exhibits  of  choice 

/\  vegetables   and    flowers    that    Messrs. 

/   %  Webb   arrange   at   some  of   the   more 

/      \        imiiortant  shows  throughout  the  king- 

2         \_     dom.      Visitors   to   the   great    ainiual 

exhibition  at  Shrewslniry  particularly 

will  bring  to  mind  the  fine  display  alwaj's  there 

arranged  by  Messrs.  Webb. 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  the  present  time  is 
not  the  best  at  which  to  see  Messrs.  Webb's 
nursery  grounds,  although  there  is,  of  course, 
much  to  be  seen  at  this  time  of  the  year  that 
later  in  the  season  will  be  C|uile  over.  Such,  for 
instance,  are  the  Cinerarias,  a  house  of  which  we 
are  able  to  illustrate.  The  flowers  comprise  an 
astonishing  range  of  colour  and  form,  brought  to  a 
high  standard  of  excellence  by  tlie  careful  hybri- 
disation and  selection  that  Messrs.  Webb  have  for 
so  long  practised.  It  is  unnecessary,  and  would 
be  almost  impossible,  to  attempt  to  describe  the 
innumerable  exquisite  colours  that  are  contained 
in  a  house  of  these  indispensable  spring  flowers, 
but  our  illustration  will  give  some  idea  at  least  of 
the  variety  of  shades  which  exists.  Did  we  par- 
ticularise at  all,  it  would  be  to  mention  the  blues, 
a  colour  that  it  would  be  hard  to  Hud  better  repre- 
sented in  Cinerarias  than  in  the  collection  of  the 
Stourbridge  firm.  Calceolarias,  of  which  Messrs. 
Webb  have  a  splendid  strain,  fill  several  houses. 
The  plants  are  not  j'et  in  full  flower,  but,  if  one 


may  judge  from  the  present  appearance  of  the 
plants,  they  will  be  quite  equal  to  the  exhibits 
made  on  previous  occasions,  and  better  evidence  of 
their  good  quality  could  not  be  desired.  All  the 
florist's  flowers  at  Stourbridge — Primulas,  Cycla- 
mens, Cinerarias,  Calceolarias,  &c. — are,  of  course, 
cultivated  for  seed,  and  not  primarily  for  show 
purposes,  and  that  they  should  be  available  for 
the  latter  shows  how  well  is  the  treatment  accorded 
them. 

The  Prinuilas  and  Cyclamens  were  not  quite 
over  at  the  time  of  our  visit ;  there  were  still 
quite  .sufficient  flowers  open  to  enable  one  to  judge 
of  the  varieties  and  strains  that  Messrs.  Webl; 
possess.  Webb's  Perfection  Cyclamen  is  one  that 
is  thought  highly  of,  not  by  Messrs.  Webb  alone, 
but  by  many  who  have  grown  it.  The  plants  arc 
of  dwarf  habit  of  growth,  producing  flowers  <  f 
diflerent  colours  in  great  abundance.  Webb's 
Vesuvius  and  New  Rose  Queen  are  two  other 
excellent  Cyclamens,  the  last  -  mentioned  being 
quite  a  new  one.  We  will  not  dwell  upon  the 
many  kinds  of  Primulas  that  are  comprised  in  the 
Stourbridge  collection,  except  just  to  mention  two 
exceptionally  fine  ones,  namely,  Webb's  Purity 
and  Snow  Queen,  the  former  a  giant  Primula  of 
vigorous  habit,  whose  flowers  are  pure  white  with 
a  clear  sulphur  eye,  2  inches  or  more  in  diameter, 
and  elegantl}'  fringed.  Snow  (Jueen  is  also  a  giant 
Primula,  producing  \'cry  large  trusses  of  large 
white  flowers,  these  lieing  thrown  well  above  the 
foliage. 

The  Gloxinias  are  splendid,  and,  although  not 
yet  so  fine  as  they  will  be  in  a  few  weeks,  j'et 
make  a  very  brave  show.  iSIany  new  and  lovely 
shades  have  been  introduced  into  the  flowers  of 
the  (Gloxinia  within  the  last  few  3ears,  with  tiie 
result  that  a  representative  collection  of  these 
plants  now  conjprises  some  of  the  most  beautiful 
tints  imaginable.  Gloxinias  are  not  so  popular  as 
are  the  cool  house  flowering  plants,  and,  perhaps, 
they  never  will  be,  but  they  are  at  least  deserving 
of  more  extended  culture  than  they  at  present 
enjoy,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  with  such  charm- 
ing varieties  now  existing  more  will  be  induced  to 
take  up  their  culture  than  is  at  pre.sent  the  case. 
We  will  not  describe  in  detail  the  colours  of 
Messrs.  Webb's  (Uoxinias,  but  would  rather  leave 
those  who  are  interested  to  make  the  pleasurable 
experiment  of  growing  them,  and  thus  obtaining 
the  knowledge  for  themselves. 


HOUSE    OF    CINERARIAS    IN    MESSRS.    WEBB    AND    .SONS'    NURSERY   AT   STOURBRIDGE. 


310 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May   U,  1901. 


The  mirserj'  grounds,  glass  houses,  and  seed 
warehouses  at  Wordsley,  near  Stourbridge,  form 
but  a  minor  portion  of  the  extensive  seed  estab- 
lishments of  Messrs.  Webb  and  Sons  ;  the  grounds 
where  most  of  their  farm  and  vegetable  garden 
seeds  are  grown  are  at  Kinner,  some  few  miles 
dislant  from  Wordsley,  and  here  no  less  than 
■J, 000  acres  of  land  are  under  cultivation  for  the 
purpose  of  seed  produclion.  It  is  here  that  a 
series  of  experiments  in  the  cross  -  hybridising, 
selecting,  and  fertilising  of  seed-bearing  plants  (so 
essential  to  the  produclion  of  good  seed)  is  annually 
carried  out.  A  glance  into  the  seed  warehouses, 
despatch  rooms.  &c.,at  Wordsley  serve  to  give  one 
some  idea  of  the  enormous  quantities  of  farm  and 
garden  seeds  that  are  produced  in  and  ex'ported 
from  the  nurseries  of  Messrs.  Webb  and  Sons. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

CELERY  sown  early  in  the  season  and 
potted  off  will  now  require  the  lights 
removed  during  the  day,  so  as  to  be 
hardened  off  and  ready  for  planting 
out  aboiit  the  middle  of  May.  The 
trenches  in  which  the  early  section 
of  this  important  crop  is  to  be  grown  should  be 
got  read^'  as  sooti  as  possible,  and  where  large 
heads  are  desired  early  for  exhibition  special 
preparation  of  the  beds  will  be  necessary.  In  this 
case  trenches  IS  inches  deep  and  the  same  in  width 
may  be  taken  out,  into  the  Ijottom  of  which 
should  be  placed  I'i  inches  of  good  farmyard 
manure,  afterwards  tilling  the  trenches  to  within 
•2  inches  of  the  level  with  good  soil  and  a 
sprinkling  of  some  approved  fertiliser.  Into  this 
soil  the  plant.s  may  be  carefully  ))laced  at  a 
distance  of  1  foot  from  plant  to  plant.  A  slight 
warming  of  the  soil  will  take  place  from  the 
manure  below,  which  will  give  the  plants  a  good 
start,  without  which  it  is  a  ditficult  matter  to 
make  a  good  finish.  But  where  large  quantities 
of  Celery  are  required  a  less  elaborate  mode  of 
cultivation  must  be  adopted.  Here  we  grow 
.30,000  each  season,  and  what  is  termed  the  main 
crop  is  grown  iu  trenches  6  feet  wide,  the  soil 
being  dug  out  one  spade  deep  and  a  good  coating 
of  manure  given,  which  is  well  incorporate<l  with 
the  soil.  A  dozen  plants  are  placed  on  each  row 
across  the  beds,  and  the  rows  are  1  foot  apart. 
In  this  way  the  largest  quantity  possible  is  taken 
from  the  ground,  and  in  severe  weather  the  crop 
is  less  likely  to  sutler  from  frost  than  if  grown  in 
the  usual  stjde. 

Asparagus. 
Careful  attention  should  be  given  to  the  cutting 
of  Asparagus  as  soon  as  it  is  ready,  and  care  taken 
not  to  injure  the  crown  or  j'oung  shoots  with  the 
knife.  It  is  important  that  the  shoots  be  removed 
from  the  bed  whether  required  for  immediate  use 
or  not.  If  tied  in  small  bundles  and  placed  in  an 
upright  position  on  wet  sand  it  may  be  kept  in 
good  condition  for  a  week.  When  the  supply  is 
likely  to  be  greater  than  the  demand,  a  bed  or  two 
may  be  allowed  to  run  and  be  taken  up  for  forcing 
early  in  the  autumn  when  the  foliage  has  ripened, 
and  from  which  good  results  may  be  expected. 
Examine 

Seed  Beds 
and  make  up  all  failures  by  sowing  immediately 
they  are  noticeable.  There  is  plenty  of  time  yet 
to  produce  plants  for  ground  now  occupied  by 
early  Potatoes,  &c.  Where  Spring  (Jreens  are  in 
demand  there  can  be  nothing  better  or  hardier 
than  the  Buda  or  Asparagus  Kale.  This,  when 
cooked  in  bunches  and  served  without  breaking, 
is,  in  my  opinion,  one  of  the  most  delicious  hardy 
(Treens  in  cultivation,  and,  being  perfectly  hardy, 
should  occupy  a  place  in  every  garden.  Reid's 
Hearting  Kale  is  also  a  splendid  hardy  (ireen, 
standing  long  after  the  urdinarj'  Curled  Kale  has 
run  to  seed.  Veitch's  new  Sprouting  Kale  is  al.io 
an  excellent  variety,  producing  large  quantities  of 
fine-flavoured  sprouts,  and  standing  to  May  with- 
out running  to  seed.     Sow  seeds  of  silver-skinned 


Onions  for  pickling  on  poor  ground  so  that  the 
bulbs  may  not  become  too  large  for  the  purpose 
for  which  they  are  sown.  .J.   DuN.x. 

Roi/nl  Ki/f/irii  Gardeiis,  WiniUor. 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 

<iARDENIAS. 

Si'KiNf;  STRIHIK  stock  at  present  in  3-inch  pots 
and  lequired  for  flowering  in  4Ainch  pots  should 
at  once  be  transferred  thereto.  I  am  alwaj's  of 
opinion  that  the  finest  flowers  are  to  be  had  from 
quick,  strong-grown,  first  j'ear  plants.  One 
pinching  having  already  been  given,  a  second 
should  now  follow  if  the  plants  are  sufficiently 
strong  and  forward  to  permit  of  this  being  profit- 
ably done.  Loam  and  peat  in  equal  parts  will 
form  the  basis  of  the  potting  material,  while  sand 
and  charcoal  should  be  added  in  sufficient  quantity 
to  keep  the  whole  in  a  thoroughly  porous  con- 
dition. A  dash  of  dissolved  bones  and  Cla3'"s 
fertiliser  should  also  be  well  mixed  into  the  com- 
post before  it  is  used.  Keep  the  foliage  quite 
clean  by  frecjuent  spongings,  and  a  sparing  use  of 
the  water-pot  is  recommertded.  The  syringe  must, 
however,  play  a  prominent  part  in  the  general 
cultivation.  Old  plants,  where  it  is  decided  to 
grow  them  still  another  season,  must  be  treated 
according  to  their  respective  needs.  Stock  of  only 
one  3"ear  or  little  more  might  be  potted  on  with 
advantage,  while  if  beyond  this  age  it  will  be  wise 
to  top-dress  onlj',  as  the  roots  become  less  active, 
and,  consecpiently,  less  able  to  absorb  the  provided 
nourishment.  Ixoras  should  be  treated  in  a 
similar  M'ay. 

ElICHARIS    AMAZON  ICA. 

Plants  now  making  growth  should  be  liberally 
fed.  I  have  always  found  farmyard  manure 
answer  this  purpose  best,  and  when  given  in 
moderation,  with  a  dash  of  soot  added,  leaf  growth 
is  much  improved.  These  also  are  inclined  to 
harbour  vermin,  espei;ia!ly  mealy  bug.  If  this  is 
within  reach,  cleaning  by  sponging  is  recommended, 
care  being  taken  that  none  of  the  insecticide,  if 
this  be  used,  sets  into  the  soil. 

StEI'HANOTIS  FLOBIBUN'DA. 
Keep  this  well  thinned  out  as  growth  is  made. 
Nothing  is  gained  by  overcrowding,  and,  as  grtjwth 
at  this  season  is  vigorous,  daily  attention  should 
be  given  so  that  the  growths  do  not  get  entangled 
one  with  another,  or  the  consequence  is  that  one 
or  other  is  sure  to  get  damaged.  This,  too,  is  a 
troublesome  plant  to  keep  perfectly  clean,  and 
nothing  but  persistent  sponging  is  likely  to  keep  it 
free  from  aphis. 

Heri!Aieous  Calceolarias. 

Though  by  no  means  a  profitable  plant  to  culti- 
vate where  cut  flowers  is  the  object,  these  make 
charming  subjects  for  the  conservatory.  As  the 
flowering  season  is  now  approaching  abundant 
shade  must  be  afforded  and  a  position  on  a  north 
aspect.  The  foliage,  too,  should  be  frequently 
moistened  and  «eak  farmyard  liquid  given,  say, 
once  a  week.  .J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  Hotise  Oardenv,  Roehamplon. 

THE  FLOWER   GARDEN. 

Removing    Spri-ng-floweking    Plants   to 
Summer  Quarters. 

Where  spring  bedding  plants  have  to  be  cleared 
to  make  room  for  summer-flowering  things,  the 
work  of  lifting  and  removing  the  plants  to  the 
reserve  garden  must  noM'  be  taken  in  hand,  and 
at  the  same  time  propagation  should  be  carried 
out.  Aubrietias  can  be  split  up  into  small  pieces, 
planted  in  nursery  rows,  and  if  well  looked  after 
will  make  excellent  plants  for  rehlling  the  beds  in 
whatever  position  they  are  wanted  for  liy  autumn. 
The  Yellow  Alyssum  (A.  saxatile),  which  i.s 
regarded  as  a  somewhat  "mifly"  plant  in  .some 
gardens,  and  Mdiich  certainly  has  a  tendency  to 
die  out  if  allowed  to  become  old,  may  be  readily 
renewed  by  slips  taken  off  and  dibbled  into  sandy 
soil.  The  white  Araliis  ought  also  to  be  kept  up 
by  propagating  young  stock  yearly  for  all  purposes 
in  which  neatness  of  growth  is  necessary.  When 
clothing  a  wall  or  a  rock  garden  the  plants  ma}'  lie 


allowed  to  get  old  ;  they  increase  in  efifectiveness 
each  year,  but  for  bedding  this  method  of  treat- 
ment is  not  successful. 

Double  Primroses 
must  be  increased  by  division,  and  the  divided 
pieces  should  be  planted  out  in  a  verj'  moist  piece 
of  ground,  choosing  also  a  shaded  site  not  over- 
hung wilh  trees.  A  north  wall  border  is  an  excel- 
lent position  for  them.  For  the  single-flowered 
types  of  "  bunch"  Primroses,  which  have  such  an 
excellent  effect  and  flower  so  freelj',  no  method  of 
division  will  equal  the  stock  raised  annuallj'  from 
seeds,  and  as  these  seeds  may  be  bought  now 
almost,  if  not  quite,  true  to  type  and  colour  this 
should  be  the  means  employed  to  raise  stock. 
Seeds  of  these  and  of  any  of  the  foregoing  plants, 
except  double  Primroses,  should  be  sown  some  time 
this  month,  so  that  they  may  become  strong  by 
the  time  they  are  wanted  for  planting  out. 

Propagating  Violets. 
^'iolets  sliould  he  propagated  either  from  cuttings 
or  from  young  rooted  shoots.  It  is  immaterial 
which  are  used  provided  none  of  the  old  stems 
are  not.  As  Violets  are  subject  to  red  spider  iu 
some  gardens  they  ought  to  be  given  a  rather 
damp  position  and  rich  soil.  They  should  also  be 
freely  syringed.  A  garden  frame  or  set  of  hand 
lights  will  be  useful  in  which  to  propagate  the 
cuttings,  but  neither  is  essential,  and  practically 
the  same  results  may  be  had  by  the  help  of  a  few 
mats  as  a  covering  while  the.  cuttings  are  getting 
callused.  The  best  Violet  I  know  for  flower 
garden  work  is  Lady  Hume  Campbell. 

Tulips  after  Flowering. 

These  are  often  regarded  as  worthless  if  cleared 
oil'  in  time  to  make  room  for  summer  bedding 
plants,  but  all  they  need  to  make  them  serve 
again  is  careful  lifting  and  ripening.  For  a  limited 
number  of  bulbs  it  will  be  found  best  to  carry 
some  empty  boxes  about .")  inches  deep  to  the  beds, 
and  into  these  pack  the  bulbs,  with  as  much  soil 
as  can  be  lifted  in  the  way  of  a  ball,  tilling  up 
with  soil  between  the  Inilbs  and  watering  them 
in.  Put  them  somewhere  in  the  open  and  water 
occasionall}'  so  that  the  leaves  may  ripen  otV 
naturally.  For  large  quantities  careful  removal 
to  nurser>'  lines  in  the  reserve  garden  will  suffice. 
1  find  that  bulbs  so  treated  ripen  up  strongly  and 
well,  flowering  the  next  year.  A  year's  rest,  how- 
ever, makes  them  e(|ual  to  imported  bulbs. 

J.  C.  Tallai'k. 

Shiptey  Hall  Gardeiii,  Derby. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Early  Peaches. 

The  advice  given  for  Peaches  also  applies  to 
Nectarines.  Pot  tree  fruits  will  need  liberal 
supplies  of  food  in  the  way  of  liquid  manures  or 
other  quick  acting  fertilisers.  The  trees  at  this 
stage  should  never  be  allowed  to  become  dry  at 
the  roots,  as  any  deficiency  in  moisture  will  aff'ect 
the  size  of  fruits  and  flavour.  More  heat  can  be 
given  if  the  fruits  are  required  as  early  as  possible, 
SO'-'  to  90''^  during  the  warmest  portion  of  the  day 
by  sun  heat  not  being  too  much  if  abundant 
atmospheric  moisture  be  maintained.  Any  late  or 
weak  growths  shading  the  fruits  should  be  cut 
away,  and  fine  fruits  needing  support  should 
receive  a  few  ties  or  small  pieces  of  Bamboo  canes 
as  .a  support.  Sj'ringing  overhead  must  cease  as 
soon  as  the  first  fruits  commence  to  soften,  but 
maintain  a  genial  moist  atmosphere  to  keep  the 
trees  healthy,  therefore  damp  down  walls  and  bare 
places  frequently'.  Early  trees  that  aie  trained  on 
a  trellis  will  need  similar  treatment  as  for  those 
in  pots,  except  that  the  roots  will  not  dry  so 
([uickly,  but  with  sliallow  borders  and  trees  carry- 
ing a  full  crop  feeding  must  not  bo  overlooked.  It 
is  well  to  give  trees  a  mulch  of  well  decayed 
manure  before  the  final  swelling :  failing  this 
liberal  supplies  of  liquid  food.  No  time  should  be 
lost  in  exposing  the  fruits  to  full  sun,  as  if  shaded 
by  leaves  colour  is  absent.  Some  of  the  best- 
fruits  are  often  badly  placed,  and  if  the  removal  of 
leaves  is  not  sufficient  to  expose  them  to  the  light, 
it  is  advisable  to  place  small  jiieces  of  wood  acro.ss 


May  11,  1901. 


THE    GARDEN. 


341 


the  trellia  to  bring  the  fruits  into  position.  The 
night  temperature  for  trees  started  early  in 
Deceniljer  niaj'  now  be  GO'',  and  10*^  to  1.5°  higher 
by  day,  closing  the  house  early  in  the  afternoon, 
and  thoroughly  damping  overhead,  as  at  a  later 
stage  moisture  cannot  be  applied.  It  is  important 
to  keep  the  trees  free  from  insect  pests.  It 
may  be  necessarj'  even  novf  to  remove  weak 
growths  also  to  pinch  late  lateral  ones,  as  crowded 
wood  lessens  the  size  of  fruit  and  harbours  insect 
pests. 

Later  trees  have  this  season  made  wonderful 
progress,  so  that  the  fruits  are  much  more  advanced 
than  usual.  It  is  well  to  maintain  low  night 
temperatures  even  now,  as  we  frequentl}'  get  a 
spell  of  cold  weather  even  in  Maj',  and  during  the 
stoning  process  excess  of  fire  heat  will  frequently 
cause  the  fruits  to  drop.  In  the  case  of  some 
kinds,  such  as  Early  Alexander  and  Auisden  June, 
it  is  not  desirable  to  remove  so  much  of  the  new 
wood  as  with  other  kinds,  as  often  the  flowers  on 
the  strong  growths  drop  wholesale  when  the  buds 
are  swelling.  If  a  liberal  percentage  of  twiggy 
wood  be  allowed  the  latter  will  give  a  crop.  Allow 
no  more  growths  on  trustworthy  kinds,  such  as 
Royal  George,  than  are  necessary  for  next  year's 
fruit  or  for  extension  of  the  trees,  and  in  the  case 
of  young  trees  a  liberal  view  should  be  taken.  It 
is  much  better  to  allow  free  growth  than  to  prune 
too  hard,  as  this  promotes  canker.  With  Peaches 
that  are  at  all  gross  more  attention  is  needed, 
either  to  stop  close  back  or  remove  them,  as  by  so 
doing  the  sap  can  be  absorbed  bj-  the  weaker 
shoots,  and  distributed  more  evenly  over  the  trees. 
Pinch  laterals  at  the  first  joint,  and  do  not  crowd 
next  year's  wood.  Far  better  remove  even  at  this 
early  date  any  older  wood  not  bearing  fruit  to 
make  room  for  the  new  wood.  G.  Wythes. 

Si/on  House  Gardens,  Brentford. 


MISCELJ-A^NEOUS. 

TUB    GARDENING. 


M 


[ANY  readers  of  The  (Jarden  are  now 
familiar  with  the  American  method 
of  cultivating  Strawberries  in  empty 
petroleum  barrels,  but  few,  I  fancy, 
have  seen  the  idea  carried  further 
by  utilising  barrels  for  the  growing 
of  flowering  plants.  Such  is,  however,  the  case, 
and  well  they  look  if  proper  subjects  are  chosen  so 
as  to  completely  hide  the  barrels.  The  barrels  are 
prepared  in  the  same  way  as  for  Strawberries,  that 
is  to  say,  the  sides  are  perforated  with  holes 
3  inches  in  diameter,  which  are  cut  out  with  a 
key-hole  saw  at  irregular  intervals  from  top  to 
bottom.  From  four  to  five  good-sized  holes  should 
also  be  bored  in  the  bottom  to  allow  water  to 
drain  freely  away.  From  3  inches  to  4  inches  of 
drainage  is  required  in  the  bottom  of  the  barrels, 
and  over  this  put  a  little  short  straw  or  pieces  nf 
loam  to  prevent  the  soil  from  choking  the  drainage. 
Before  the  soil  is  placed  in  the  barrels  select  the 
proper  plants,  as  the  planting  and  filling  must 
proceed  together.  This  done,  the  first  lot  of  plants 
should  be  placed  in  the  lower  holes,  and  then 
block  the  apertures  with  pieces  of  turf  to  prevent 
the  soil  from  filtering  out  through  them,  and  fill 
up  until  the  next  tier  of  holes  are  reached,  when 
proceed  as  before.  As  the  filling  in  proceeds, 
place  a  +-inch  drain-pipe  in  the  centre  which  will 
considerably  lessen  the  ciuantity  of  compost  re- 
cjuired,  and  is  also  useful  for  pouring  in  water  for 
the  benefit  of  the  roots  of  the  plants  placed  near 
the  bottom  of  the  barrels. 

Two  such  pipes  should  be  sufficient,  as  they  are 
not  required  to  show  above  the  tops  of  the  barrels. 
An}'  ordinary  potting  compost  answers  the  pur- 
pose, and  as  the  planting  and  filling  in  progresses 
it  should  be  made  cjuite  firm,  otherwise  there  will 
be  a  shrinkage  which  would  be  disastrous  to  the 
plants,  as  they  would  become  either  strangled  or 
else  the  stems  would  be  in  much  danger  of  being 
broken.  For  the  sake  of  variety  a  few  of  the 
barrels  might  be  sawn  in  half,  as  these  come  in 
handy  for  arranging  in  front  of  and  between  the 
taller  ones.     Unless  so  desii-ed   these  should  not. 


have  more  than  two  tiei-s  of  holes  cut  in  their 
sides,  as  a  row  of  trailing  plants  which  will  liang 
down  and  hide  the  greater  portion  of  the  bare 
wood  can  be  planted  close  to  the  edge  of  the  tubs. 
With  regard  to  suitable  |)!anls  thosenf  a  trailing 
habit  of  growth  should  in  all  cases  be  us-ed  for 
planting  the  sides  of  the  barrels.  Of  these  the 
Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums  stand  first,  as  they  are 
always  so  effective  ;  then  there  are  Petunias, 
Tropseolums  of  climbing  habit,  such  as  T.  hedene- 
folium  and  T.  canariense.  Campanula  isophylla, 
and  the  white  variety.  Verbenas,  Ijobelia  speciosa. 
Heliotropes,  Ahutilon  vitifolium,  &c.  The  tops 
may  either  be  filled  with  the  same  class  of  plant 
or  with  others  of  taller  growth,  just  as  may  seem 
desirable.  The  shorter  tubs  look  well  filled  with 
Hydrangeas,  Agapanthus,  Fuchsias,  yellow  and 
white  Marguerites,  zonal  Pelarg<iniums,  Liliums, 
&c.,  with  trailing  plants  m  the  holes  in  the  sides 
to  harmonise.  By  exercising  a  certain  amount  of 
judgment  in  the  matter  some  pretty  combinations 
of  colour  effects  can  be  produced  in  this  wa}'. 
These  tubs  should  be  placed  for  the  sunnner  in 
positions  where  they  will  not  be  too  obtrusive. 
The  most  eff'ective  arrangement  that  lias  ever  come 
under  my  notice  was  in  the  case  (jf  about  a  dozen 
of  such  tubs  disposed  widely  apart  in  a  rather 
secluded  nook,  having  a  belt  of  trees  and  shrubs 
as  a  background.  The  tubs  were  stood  on  the 
green  turf,  and  wherj  the  various  plants  had 
grown  and  covered  the  barrels  the  ert'ect  produced 
was  extremelv  prett}'.  A.  Ward. 


FOREIGN    NOTES. 


OF 


USES  OF  thp:  fruit 

TH1-:     GINKGO. 

A  S  one  knows,  the  fruit  of  the  Ginkgo  is 
/\  of  the  size,  shape,  and  consistency  of  a 

/   %         small   Plum.       The  flesliy   portion,  at 

/  \  first  a  bright  green,  turns  yellow  when 
/  JL     i"'P6-      Each    flower   stalk   bears   ordi- 

narily but  a  single  fruit.  Sometimes, 
however,  two  perfect  fruits  are  found.  The 
pulp  is  rich  in  an  oily  substance,  which  at  an 
ordinarj'  temperature  is  of  a  butter-like  consis- 
tenc}'.  The  quantity  of  sugar  contained  in  this 
oil  is  very  small,  and  the  fermentation,  supposing 
it  to  be  easy  to  ascertain,  would  certainly  3'ielil 
only  a  slight  proportion  of  alcohol,  the  value  of 
which,  supposing  that  it  could  be  utilised,  would 
not  cover  the  cost  of  production. 

It  is  then  rather  to  the  oily  matter  that  one's 
attention  should  be  turned  in  endeavouring  to  put 
the  fruit  to  some  practical  use.  This  could 
probably  be  obtained  by  any  process  applicable  to 
the  olive.  It  must  be  noted,  however,  that  this 
oil,  in  three  or  four  days  at  most,  on  exposure  to 
the  air,  quickly  develops  a  rancid  odour,  which 
would  certainly  be  found  very  disagreeable. 

According  to  certain  authors  it  appears  well 
established  that  the  Chinese  willingly  eat  this 
pulp,  but  probably  this  would  not  be  to  our  taste. 
Not  that  there  is  anything  very  astonishing  in 
that,  as  it  would  be  easy  to  name  numerous  other 
foods  upon  which  we  have  not  the  same  ideas  as 
the  people  of  the  Far  East.  It  is  possible,  how- 
ever, that  in  spite  of  the  above-mentioned  rancid 
odour,  the  oil  of  the  Ginkgo,  in  default  of  being 
used  as  a  food,  could  be  utilised  for  certain  indus- 
trial preparations,  such  as  soap,  &o. 

But  if  it  does  not  appear  to  us  that  the  pulp  of 
the  Ginkgo  has  any  chance  of  figuring  in  the 
ordinary  fare,  it  may  be  otherwise  with  the  seed. 
This  possesses  a  flavour  somewhat  like  the  Walnut 
or  Hazel-nut.  The  oil  it  contains,  which  must  be 
of  different  composition,  does  not  become  rancid 
like  that  of  the  pulp,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that 
this  seed  might  be  acceptable  as  an  article  of  food. 
In  common  with  the  greater  part  of  the  Conifers, 
it  contains  besides  the  oil  a  certain  quantity  of 
starch,  which  would  complete  its  dietetic  value. 

While  we  are  speaking  of  the  Ginkgo,  I  may  be 
permitted  to  regret  that  this  beautiful  Chinese 
tree  is  used  only  for  ornamental  purposes.  It 
flourishes  in  deep  mellow  land,  where  there  is  no 


undue  proportion  of  clay  or  flint,  and  shows  a 
hardiness  practically  absolute,  due  in  part  to  the 
decav  of  its  leaves,  whit^h  renders  it  almost 
indlH'erent  to  the  rigours  of  winter.  Moreover, 
the  propagation  is  \'ery  simple,  Imth  by  sowing 
immediately  after  the  fruit  is  gathered  and  by 
cuttings  struck  even  in  the  open  air  at  the  end  of 
the  season.  Let  us  add  that  the  wood  of  the 
Ginkgo  appears  to  be  strong,  with  a  fine  and  close 
grain. 

All  these  (|ualities  lead  us  to  suppo.se  that  there 
would  be  some  advantage  in  trying  the  species  in 
forest  cultivation,  when,  according  to  all  appear- 
ance, it  should  give  a  good  account  of  itself.  —  The 
ahoce  iiofes  altoit/  'he  fj-nU  of  t}ie  tjiitkyo  are 
taken  from  an  artlrli'  hi/  A'.  Afns^et  in  the  "  Heme 
liortieole." 


OBITUARY. 

ROBERT    G,     SWAYNE. 

AvRih  -li,   1(101. 

IN  the  lovely  cloister  of  the  cathedral— surelj- 
the  most  hallowed  and  peaceful  spot  that 
could  be  chosen  for  a  last  sleeping  place — 
there  was  recently  laid  to  re.st  all  that 
was  mortal  of  one  who  a  few  years  ago 
was  Chancellor  Residentiary  of  the  Diocese, 
but  who  has  long  been  known  to  many  a  garden 
friend  as  Canon  Swayne  of  Salisbury.  For  though 
it  is  some  3'ears  since,  through  the  increasing 
infirmities  of  age  and  declining  health,  he  resigned 
his  office  and  removed  his  residence,  yet  his 
memory  will  alwa3's  be  associated  with  the 
cathedral  he  loved  so  well,  and  the  beautiful 
garden  which  he  created  under  its  sliadow,  rather 
than  with  the  home  at  Brank.sonie,  wliere  he  spent 
ihe  last  years  of  his  life. 

It  is  a  sorrowful  task  to  take  pen  in  liand  lo 
recall  some  of  the  past  incidents  of  garden  inter- 
course which  alone  are  suitable  to  these  pages. 
Others,  doubtless,  will  be  foinid  who  will  testify 
elsewhere  to  the  saintly  character  of  his  clerical 
life,  but  it  comes  within  the  scope  of  a  journal 
devoted  to  the  most  refined  and  uplifting  aspects 
of  horticulture  to  bear  witness  to  the  sweet  and 
beneficent  influence  of  a  far-famed  garden,  the 
ordering  of  which  filled  the  leisure  time  of  an 
important  clerical  position  with  consolation  and 
peaceful  recreation,  and  was  used  so  lavishly  to 
bring  health  and  refreshment  into  the  lives  of 
others.  Few,  perhaps,  have  memories  more  close!}' 
interwoven  with  both  the  old  garden  and  the  new 
than  the  present  writer.  It  is  man}'  years  since 
an  acquaintance  which,  later  on,  ripened  into 
close  friendship,  began  through  the  sympathy  and 
kindness  shown  to  comparative  strangers  b}'  the 
Canon  and  his  dearly-loved  wife,  who  sleeps  in  the 
tranquil  spot  where  now  he  rests  beside  her.  It 
was  then  that  the  beautiful  garden  in  the  Close,  in 
all  its  glory  of  midsunmier  flowers,  was  placed  at 
the  disposal  of  a  sick  boy  and  his  parents  for  quiet 
restoration  and  retirement  after  a  season  of  great 
anxiety  and  trial.  Many  there  are  who  will 
remember  that  garden  as  it  was  in  those  days, 
with  its  smooth  lawn  and  broad  grass  walk, 
bordered  on  either  side  by  its  marvellous,  many- 
coloured  embroidery  of  choicest  perennials,  its 
rockeries  set  with  the  rarest  and  fairest  of  alpine 
plants,  the  grey  venerable  house  with  its  garlands 
of  well-chosen  greenery,  and  the  soft  murmur  of 
the  clear,  swift-flowing  river,  home  of  .silver  trout 
and  greyling.  Above  it  all,  the  lovely  tapering 
spire  of  tlie  cathedral  pointing  to  heaven,  as  if  to 
say  "  Fair  as  it  is,  look  upwards,  for  eye  hath  not 
seen  nor  heart  conceived  what  is  prepared  above, 
in  the  Paradise  of  God."  Who  could  fail  to 
recognise  the  healing  power  of  such  exquisite 
surroundings  upon  minds  and  bodies  wearied  wiih 
grief  and  sickness?  And  the  picture  was  made 
complete  by  the  tall,  stately  figure  in  clerical 
casso.:k,  who  had  ever  a  kindly  greeting  for  the 
friend  who  availed  himself  of  the  permission  to 
enjoy  it,  and  a  word  of  courteous  welcome  to  the 
strangers   whom   the    fame   of   the    "Chancellor's 


342 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  11,   1901. 


(iarden  "  had  drawn  to  the  spot.  It  is  not  strange 
that  poet  should  liave  sung  and  artist  portrayed 
the  lionie  of  so  much  charm,  consecrated  as  it  was 
by  more  llian  earthl}'  beauty.  One  is  glad  to 
think  that  the  delightful  picture  by  Alfred 
Parsons  will  remain  as  a  heirloom  in  the  palace 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  garden  and  its 
one-time  owner.  A  few  j-ears  further  on  serious 
and  tedious  illness  brought  the  writer  once  more 
within  range  of  that  same  garden  influence.  Ever}' 
da3'  or  two  a  basket  reached  the  sick  room,  con- 
taining the  choicest  and  earliest  flowers  of  the 
varied  treasures  of  tiiose  well-filled  borders,  for 
by  that  time  a  friendh"  rivalry  in  garden  lore  had 
been  established,  and  it  was  good  indeed  to  see 
the  rare  smile  flit  across  the  Canon's  grave  face, 
saddened  for  life  by  an  overwhelming  sorrow, 
when  some  mistake  of  nomenclature  or  ignorance 
of  species  weighed  down,  as  it  did  only  too  often, 
the  balance  in  his  favour.  Ah  me  !  how  man}' 
weary  hours  were  thus  beguiled,  and  how  many 
others  could  tell  a  like  tale  of  the  gracious  and 
soothing  help  derived  from  kindnesses  such  as 
these  !  To  give  it  all  up,  when  life  was  nearing 
its  end,  and  to  remove  to  a  new  home,  hallowed 
by  no  tender  memories,  must  have  been  bitter 
indeed.  That  new  home,  when  it  was  first  chosen, 
was  embowered  in  the  Fir  trees,  whose  balsamic 
fragrance  has  contributed,  perhaps,  as  much  as 
the  warm  sea  air  to  make  the  neighbourhood  a 
refuge  for  the  sick  and  sorry.  It  seemed  at  that 
time  to  be  cjuite  outside  the  prowlings  of  the 
"  demon  builder."  Alas  1  for  fallacious  hopes. 
It  was  a  cruel  disappointment  after  a  new  garden 
had  been  not  only  planned  but  had  begun  in  a 
wonderful  way  to  flourish,  when  the  sound  of  an 
axe  and  a  mason'.s  trowel  foretold  the  doom  of  the 
trees  and  uprearing  of  overlooking  houses.  But 
nothing  could  destroy  the  beauty  of  the  flowers  by 
which,  with  characteristic  enthusiasm,  the  Canon 
had  again  surrounded  himself  and  taken  under  his 
fostering  care.  Having  seen  the  beginnings  of  the 
new  garden  when  it  was  scarcely  more  than  pegged 
out,  and  that,  as  it  seemed,  not  so  ver}'  long 
before,  it  was  little  less  than  a  miracle  entering 
that  gate  one  da}'  last  September  to  see  how  the 
desert  had  blossomed  as  the  Rose.  A  pleasure, 
too,  though  a  very  sad  one,  to  note  how  the  gentle 
stroll,  which  was  then  still  possible,  round  the 
liorders,  and  the  interchange  of  thought  on  garden 
subjects  could  still  bring  relief  from  suffering  for 
the  passing  moment  and  interest  as  keen  as  in 
happier  days  of  health  a:id  vigour  whicli  were 
gone. 

And  so  we  turn  from  the  grave  of  a  saint  of 
Ood  with  the  sure  belief  that  tlie  garden,  ordained 
of  old  to  be  tilled  and  dwelt  in,  has  been  (Jod- 
given  to  be  the  delight  and  solace  of  all  pure 
hearts  from  j'outh  to  latest  yeai-s — a  recreation  for 
clerical  homes  against  whicli  no  breath  of  adverse 
criticism  may  be  raised,  if  only  it  may  be  made  to 
minister  not  only  to  our  own  selfish  enjo3-ment  but 
to  the  brightening  in  untold  ways  of  rich  and  poor 
and  .sorrowful  alike  who  may  come  within  our 
ken.  And  beyond  this  mortal  life  who  shall  say? 
To  (|Uote  the  words  written  but  a  short  time  since 
by  the  hand  now  stilled  for  ever  :  "  We  know  so 
Utile  of  the  world  tliat  is  to  Vje  that  all  speculations 
on  the  subject  are  idle  ;  but  in  whatever  better 
things  (4od  has  provided  for  us  one  can  hardly 
believe  that  gardens  and  flowers  will  have  no 
place."  K.  L.  1). 


JNir;.  .lOHN  THOMSON. 

The  late  Mr.  .Tohn  Thomson  was  the  second  and 
youngest  son  of  the  founder  of  the  well-known 
firm  of  Messrs.  William  Thomson  ana  Sons, 
Clovenford  Vineyard,  (ialashiels.  He  had  been 
associated  with  his  father  and  elder  brother  in  the 
management  cjf  tlie  business  from  its  commence- 
ment thirty  years  ago,  and  latterlj'  the  whole  care 
of  the  concern  had  devolved  upon  him.  Never 
robust,  a  distressing  internal  complaint  caused 
him  intense  pain  and  suffering  during  the  later 
portion  of  his  life,  and  for  some  months  previous 
to  hia  death  bo  hope  of  recovery  had  been  enter- 
tained. Mr.  Thomson  was  forty-nine  years  of  age 
at  the  time  of   hit  death,  which  occurred  at  his 


residence  on  April  27,  the  funeral 
to  Caddonfoot  on  the  30th  having 
been  numerously  attended  b\" 
mourning  friends  from  all  parts  of 
the  country,  to  whom  his  gentle, 
though  retiring,  disposition  had 
endeared  him. 

The  histor}'  of  the  firm  of  which 
Jlr.  Thomson  was  the  last  repre- 
sentative is  a  remarkable  one. 
As  late  as  fort}'  years  ago  the  site 
of  the  vineyards  was  hardly 
known,  except,  perhaps,  to  some 
enthusiastic  followers  of  SirWalter 
Scott  and  the  Ettrick  shepherd, 
the  latter  of  whom  mentions  the 
Caddon  -  Burn  and  surrounding 
places  in  the  immediate  locality 
of  Clovenfords  in  one  of  his 
legendary  ballads.  William  Thom- 
son transformed  it  into  a  name 
known  wherever  horticulture  is 
cherished.  t^rape  growing  for 
market  formed  the  earliest  under- 
taking of  the  firm,  but  the  culture 
of  Orchids  soon  followed,  and  in 
connection  with  these  a  shop  was 
opened  in  Edinburgh  for  the  dis- 
posal of  cut  flowers,  this  depart- 
ment being  under  the  control  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who 
had  a  great  love  for  flowers,  and 
we  believe  a  strain  of  Polyanthus 
of  his  introduction  has  attained 
some  popularity.  The  great  hit  of 
the  firm,  however,  was  undoubtedly 
the  introduction  of  Thomson's 
Vine  and  Plant  Manure,  which 
not  only  affected  the  fortunes  of 
the  firm  most  favourably,  but  was 
the  means  of  revolutionising  old 
methods  of  gardening,  and  placing  the  use  of 
artificial  manures  on  a  sound  and  popular  basis. 
( ieorge  Ville,  the  French  agricultural  chemist, 
whose  work  on  manures  was  translated  l)y  Crookes 
some  thirty  years  ago,  is  said  in  his  book  to  have 
furnished  the  head  of  the  firm  with  data  to  work 
out  and  perfect  this  well-known  horticultural 
manure. 

Latterly  the  productions  of  tlie  firm  have  lieen 
confined  to  manures,  (Jrapes  for  market,  and  a 
few  Tomatoes.  Mr.  .Tohn  Thomson  left  an  only 
daughter,  two  nephews,  sons  of  his  late  brother 
William,  being  now  the  sole  representatives  of  the 
family  in  the  male  line. 

ME.  M.  DAVIS. 

AxoTHEK,  gardener  has  been  called  to  his  rest,  and 
everyone  who  had  met  this  great-hearted  Irishman 
will  feel  a  sense  of  keen  regret.  Mr.  Davis  passed 
awa}'  suddenly  on  Friday  last  at  Manresa  House, 
of  whose  gardens  he  has  had  charge  for  more  than 
forty  years.  The  Black  Hamburgh  Vine  which  has 
come  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  mammoths  of  the 
Vine  world  was  raised  by  Mr.  Davis  from  a  cutting, 
and  he  has  grown  it  with  jealous  care  throughout 
his  life.  'I'he  deceased  was  a  man  who  gained  and 
deserved  the  respect  of  his  fellows,  and  his  loss  will 
be  deeply  mourned. 


RHODODENDRON   GRANDE  SYN.    AEGENTEUM. 
(Trusses  10  inchos  in  1?  iitclieft  in  diameter.) 


in  the  pliotograiili  wore  frrmi  Iti  inches  ti> 
\-2  inches,  and  the  individual  ttower.s  about 
■2h  inches  in  diameter.  The  honey,  which  is 
secreted  in  iiuantity,  falls  in  large  drops  on  the 
broad  leaves,  which  are  of  a  beautiful  silver- 
grey  beneath. 

This  plant,  together  with  R.  Aucklandi,  R, 
dalhousianum,  and  other  species  from  the  same 
country,  is  growing  in  a  tub  in  a  compost  of 
leaf-mould,  in  a  cool  house  with  a  northern 
asjiect,  and  only  sufficiently  heated  in  winter 
to  keep  out  frost.  During  the  summer  these 
Rhododendrons  are  taken  into  the  open  air  and 
placed  in  a  shady  and  sheltered  spot,  as  they 
are  extremely  sensitive  to  both  wind  and  hot 
sun.  R.  grande,  though  not  i|uite  liardy  in 
Sussex,  thrives  out  of  doors  in  the  south-west 
of  England  and  Wales. 

A^orf/i  Skxxc.i:  V.  D.  (i. 


RHODODENDRON  GRANDE 
R.  ARGENTEUM. 

Ttus  magnificent  species,  some  lilooms  of 
which  were  lately  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall, 
was  introduced  nearly  sixty  years  ago  by  Sir 
Joseph  Hooker  from  Sikkim,  where  it  grows 
at  an  altitude  of  from  !),00l1  feet  to  |(>,ik)u  feet. 
Mr.  Mangles,  of  Valewood,  Haslemere,  gave 
me,  amongst  several  other  s)iecie.s,  a  small 
l>lant  of  R.  grande  some  ten  or  twelve  years 
ago,  which  has  now  grown  into  a  tree  of  about 
14  feet  high.  It  flowers  aunually,  and  was 
thi.s  season  loaded  with  trusses  of  creamy 
white  bloom,  with  patches  of  deep  purple  at 
the  base  of  etch  cup.    The  trusses  represented 


RIVIERA      NOTES. 

How  much  there  is  to  see  and  to  take  note  of  just 
now  !  Vegetation  rushes  on  so  rapidly  one  can 
hardly  keej)  pace  with  it.  I  must  first  mention 
the  sur])rising  licauty  of  the  double  white  Araliis, 
named  in  France  Cinbcille  d'Argent,  which  has 
this  spring  draped  even  the  most  hideous  Shamrocks 
with  a  mantle  of  beauty.  \Vas  there  ever  a  more 
surprising  development  than  this?  The  old  single 
form  lias  flttwers  so  small  atul  so  fleeting,  wliilc  the 
douljle  is  so  giant  and  so  long  lasting,  that  withmil 
any  exaggeration  it  is  like  a  double  white  Slock  in 
miniature.  Sonic  day  I  liopc  wc  shall  hear  how  it 
was  obtained. 

Tile  single  h}'brid  rose-coloured  Kosa  sinica 
named  Anemone  is  another  gain  thai  is  of  unusual 
importance.  I  saw  a  tree,  ])lanted  two  }'ears  ago,  at 
Cannes  the  other  da\'  that  had  climlted  up  a  tall 
lamp-post  to  a  height  of  .S  feet,  anil  was  a  marvel 
of  beauty.  The  lo\'el}'  cupped,  clear  rose  petals, 
the  gloss}'  evergreen  foliage,  are  both  considerabl}- 
larger  and  more  vigorous  than  in  the  well-known 
Rose  Camellia  so  universal  on  these  shores.  It  has 
a  peculiar  look  of  distinction  in  habit  and  cll'eil 
that  catches  the  eye  at  once,  so  I  feel  sure  it  will 


May  U,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEJ^. 


34;3 


soon  be  found  in  every  good  garden.  1  am  told  it 
thrivea  well  also  in  England,  which  is  another 
attraction. 

Fortune's  Yellow  Rose  is  most  lovely  just  now. 
I  have  long  debated  in  my  mind  what  was  the  best 
companion  for  it,  and  I  now  think  that  that 
brilliant  climbing  Rose,  Dr.  Rouges,  is  the  ideal 
foil,  as  the  foliage  of  this  climber  is  rich  claret-red 
even  now,  and  so  abundant  in  leaf  as  to  hide  any 
possible  thinness  in  the  other's  foliage.  The  blooms 
come  a  little  later,  which  is  a  great  merit,  for  it 
prolongs  the  harvest  of  beauty,  and  carries  on  the 
idea  of  Fortune's  Yellow,  though  much  deeper  in 
its  red  tones. 

Clematis  indivisa  is,  curiously,  little  known  or 
grown  on  this  coast,  but  it  thrives  in  a  wonderful 
way.  There  is  evidently  more  than  one  variety  of 
it,  and  the  largest  is  by  far  the  best.  The  lobata- 
leaved  form  is  decidedly  inferior  as  far  as  I  know  it. 

Cannes  has  suffered  less  this  winter  from  frosts 
than  most  other  places  on  this  coast.  One  year  the 
cold  overleaps  the  protecting  mountains  from  the 
Marseilles  side,  and  then  the  western  watering 
places  suffer.  Another  year  it  comes  from  the 
Italian  side,  as  it  did  this  year,  and  in  consequence 
the  towns  on  the  Italian  side  suffer  most,  but  I 
think  it  is  unusual  to  see  so  much  damage  done  in 
what  one  considered  the  most  sheltered  parts,  such 
as  San  Remo  and  Bordighera,  while  Cannes  has 
escaped  with  no  extraordinary  severity  of  frost, 
though  of  course  the  winter  has  been  cold 
everywhere. 

Tulipa  Greigi  is  a  child  of  the  sun,  evidently. 
How  glorious  and  how  very  lasting  it  is  !  The 
second  year  it  is  finer  than  the  first,  but  I  am  not 
so  sure  that  T.  kaufmanniana  and  saxatilis  are 
going  to  make  themselves  at  home.  Parrot  Tulips 
hold  up  their  heads  gaily,  and  open  their  weirdly 
tattered  petals  wide  in  a  wa}'  that  is  flaunting  to  a 
degree,  but  with  a  good  thicket  of  Iris  leaves  and 
I.  susiana  blooms  the  effect  is  worth  recording. 

There  is  a  theory  in  England  that  Tree  Pseonies 
do  not  like  manure.  Here,  at  any  rate,  they 
require  it.  The  other  day  a  friend  brought  me 
wondrous  blooms,  bigger  in  circumference  than  the 
brim  of  my  big  wideawake  liat,  and  of  course  so 
vivid  and  bewitching  as  to  make  the  most  unob- 
servant smile.  I  went  forthwith  to  interview  the 
gardener,  who  says  they  must  be  well  manured  in 
August  and  in  March.  It  is  the  winter  manuring 
that  is  so  injurious.     Let  the  wise  man  note  it  ! 

E.  H.  W. 


\ 


RECENT  PLANT  POR- 
TRAITS. 

In  the  May  number  of  the  Botanical 
Magazine  are  portraits  of  the  following 
five  flowering  plants: — 

Wyethia  mollis,  a  native  of  California  ; 
a  fine  double  plate  of  a  very  handsome 
golden-yellow  composite,  only  found  in 
Western  North  America,  and  nearly 
allied 'to  Helianthus.  There  are  about 
a  dozen  species.  The  flower  here  figured 
came  from  Canon  Ellacombe's  interest- 
ing garden  at  Bittou,  where  so  many 
uncommon  plants  are  to  be  found. 
■  Pyrus  alnifolia,  the  Alder-leaved  Pear, 
a  native  of  Japan  and  China.  A  hardy 
free-blooming  small  tree,  introduced  into 
cultivation  by  Herr  Spath,  of  Berlin. 
It  has  bunches  of  white  Hawthorn-like 
flowers. 

Mesemhryanthemum  calamiforme.  — 
Native  of  South  Africa,  an  extremely 
pretty  species  of  this  large  family,  with 
large  pink-white  flowers,  and  an  orange 
disc.  It  was  sent  to  Kew  in  1898  from 
the  Cape  Town  Botanic  Gardens,  and 
is  found  in  the  Karroo  district. 

Lonicera  pyrenaica. — A  native  of  the 
Pyrenees.  This  is  a  very  old  garden 
plant,  having  been  in  cultivation  since 
1793.  It  has  small  tubular  whitish 
flowers,  mostly  produced  in  pairs. 

Manettia  bicolor. — A  native  of  Brazil. 
This    beautiful    and    well-known    stove 


climber  was  introduced  about  sixty  years  ago  by 
Messrs.  Veitch,  who  received  seeds  of  it  from  their 
collector,  Mr.  Lobb.  It  has  numerous  small  tubular 
flowers  of  a  bright  orange-scarlet  with  a  golden  tip. 
It  is  a  most  valuable  ornamental  plant,  as  it  is 
hardlj'  ever  without  flowers  during  the  entire  year. 

The  May  number  of  the  Reriie  de  l' Horticulture 
Belije, -contains  a  double  plate  of  the  finest  pure 
white  form  of  that  handsome  Aroid  Antkurinm 
andreaiimn,  which  was  raised  by  M.  Edgard 
Wartel,  director  of  the  Horticultural  Society  of 
Ghent,  who  has  named  it  after  that  much  esteemed 
and  recently  deceased  Belgian  horticulturist, 
Edouard  Pynaert.  It  is  an  extremely  handsome 
flower  of  the  largest  size,  and  both  the  spathe  and 
spadix  are  of  a  pure  creamy-white  without  any 
shading  or  marking  whatever. 

The  first  part  of  the  Paris  Reims  Horticole  for 
May  contains  a  very  pretty  group  of  six  varieties 
of  the  hybrid  Anagallis  rjrandiflora,  raised  by  the 
well-known  firm  of  French  nurserymen,  Messrs. 
C.  Huber,  of  Hy^res.  The  colours  of  these  flowers 
are  a  good  deep  blue,  a  purple-lilac,  orange,  pink, 
lilac  and  white,  and  deep  orange-scarlet.  There 
are  also  many  other  shades  of  colour  not  figured. 
They  succeed  best  when  sown  in  the  open  ground 
in  March  or  April,  as  they  transplant  with 
difficulty.  They  like  full  exposure  to  the  sun,  and 
are  most  continuous  bloomers. 

W.  E.  GnuiBLETOs. 


National  Sweet  Pea  Society.— The 

schedule  of  the  exhibition  of  this  newly-formed 
society  is  now  ready,  and  will  be  forwarded  to  all 
subscribers  and  applicants  during  the  next  few  days. 
Anj'one  wishing  for  a  copy  should  write  to  Mr. 
Horace  J.  Wright,  32,  Doult  Road,  Wandsworth. 

The    Royal    Gardeners'    Orphan 
Fund  Annual  Dinner.— A  large  company 

celebrated  the  annual  dinner  of  this  institution  on 
Tuesday  evening  last,  at  the  Hotel  Cecil,  when  the 
chair  was  taken  by  the  Honourable  W.  F.  D. 
Smith,  M.P.  We  shall  refer  more  in  detail  to  the 
proceedings  next  week,  but  mention  now  that 
£590  was  the  amount  of  the  subscriptions,  £.50  being 
given  by  the  chairman.  The  toast  of  the  evening, 
"The  Royal  Gardeners'  Orphan  Fund," proposed 
in  happy  words  by  the  chairman,  was  responded 
to  by  the  treasurer,  Mr.  N.  N.  Sherwood.  Mr. 
T.  W.  Sanders  made  an  excellent  speech  in 
response  to  the  toast  of  "  Gardeners  and  Garden- 
ing," and  Mr.  H.  B.  May  (chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee) proposed  "  The  Chairman  of  the  Evening." 


Mr.  W.  Poupart  proposed  "The  Press,"  and 
Mr.  Sherwood,  "The  Secretary,  Mr.  B.  Wynne," 
which  toast  was  well  received. 

The  Gardeners'  Royal  Benevolent 

Institution.  —  At  the  sixty-second  festival 
dinner  of  the  Gardeners'  Royal  J3encvolent  Insti- 
tution, to  be  held  on  Wednesday,  the  22nd  inst. , 
at  the  Hotel  Metropole,  the  chairman  (Lord 
Llangattock)  will  be  supported  by,  amongst 
others,  the  Earl  Egerton  of  Tatton,  Dean  of 
Rochester,  and  Charles  E.  Keyser,  Esq.,  M.A. 
The  secretary,  G.  J.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street, 
S.  W.,  will  be  glad  of  early  intimation  from  those 
who  desire  to  be  present. 

The  Yulan  tree.— We  have  illustrated  the 
Yulan  tree  (Magnolia  conspicua)  on  more  than  one 
occasion,  but  thought  a  representation  of  the 
beautiful  specimen  at  Gunnersbury  House,  Acton, 
would  interest  our  readers.  This  is  a  mass  of 
white  blossom  every  spring. 

Arrangements  of  Royal  Botanic 

Society. — We  have  received  the  programme  of 
fixtures  for  the  present  year.  There  will  be  an 
exhibition  of  Messrs.  J.  Waterer,  of  Bagshot, 
daily  during  June,  also  of  hardy  flowers  by  Messrs. 
Barr  and  Son.  An  exhibition  of  Chrysanthemums 
in  early  November,  lectures  on  botanical  and 
kindred  subjects  during  May  and  .Tune,  and 
general  meetings  for  the  election  of  new  Fellows, 
scientific  papers,  discussions,  &c. ,  on  Saturda3's, 
June  1  and  July  6,  and  on  Wednesdays,  May  15, 
June  19,  and  July  14,  at  3.45.  There  are  also 
other  fixtures,  /e#e<,  and  so  forth. 

The  Temple  Flower  Show  (Royal 

Horticultural).— For  the  fourteenth  year  in 
succession  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will 
hold  their  great  annual  flower  show  in  the  Inner 
Temple  Gardens  (by  the  kind  permission  of  the 
Treasurer  and  Benchers)  on  May  22,  23,  and  24. 
Every  j'ear  the  desire  of  growers  to  exhibit 
increases,  and  the  officials  of  the  society  have  a 
very  anxious  task  in  endeavouring  to  do  justice  to 
those  growers  who  regularly  support  the  fort- 
nightly shows  of  the  society  held  at  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  to 
encourage  others  also  to  eome  forward.  The  space 
is  absolutely  limited  by  order  of  the  Temple  autho- 
rities ;  no  more  or  larger  tents  may  be  erected, 
hence  every  new  exhibitor  whose  entry  is  accepted 
means  curtailment  of  the  space  allotted  to  previous 
supporters.  A  catalogue  of  the  show  is  given 
gratis  to  every  visitor,  and  will  contain  a  notice  of 
new  and  rare  plants  entered  on  or  before  Maj'  14  ; 


THE    YULAN    TREE    (.M.i(;XUI.IA    rONSl'IOtiA)    AT   UUNNEKSEDKY    HOUSE. 


S44 


TiiE  gaebeK. 


[Ma\  11,  I90l. 


it  will  also  contain  a  programme  of  the  music  to  be 
performed  each  day  by  the  band  of  H.M.  Ro3'al 
Horse  Guards  (Blues).  The  judges  will  meet  at 
the  secretarj''s  tent  at  10.30  a.m.  on  May  22,  at 
which  hour  punctually  the  tents  will  be  cleared  of 
all  exhibitors  and  their  assistants.  The  fruit, 
floral,  and  Orchid  committees  will  assemble  at  the 
secretary's  tent  at  11  a.m.  sharp,  and  the  show 
will  be  opened  at  12.30.  All  plants  for  certificate 
must  be  entered  on  or  before  Friday,  May  17, 
addressed  to  the  Secretary,  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  117,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  S.  W. 

Apple  Bpownlee's  Russet.— This  valu 

able  late  dessert  Apple  presents  another  illustration 
of  a  fact  too  much  overlooked — that  in  spite  of 
the  number  of  new  Apples  freely  introduced,  yet 
there  lies  hidden  rather  in  age  and  neglect  many 
varieties  that  are  far  superior  to  the  new  ones. 
Brownlee's  Russet,  presented  to  the  fruit  com- 
mittee at  its  last  meeting  by  Messrs.  J.  Cheal  and 
Sons,  of  Crawley,  with  several  others  good  in  their 
season,  but  then  passed,  was  found  to  be  of  first- 
rate  excellence  for  so  late  a  period,  the  flesh  being 
firm,  juicy,  sweet,  and  nice  flavoured.  The  fruits 
were  round,  handsome,  and  densely  russet^'.  We 
have  no  late  Apple  put  into  commerce  during  the 
past  twenty  years  that  is  one-half  so  good  in  April 
as  this  old  Apple,  sent  out  fifty-three  years  ago. 

Alyssum  saxatile  fl.-pL  — It  is  hardly 
possible  to  inipr'jve  upon  the  brilliant  single 
Alyssum  saxatile,  or  "Gold  Dust,"  which  is  so 
fine  in  the  border  or  on  the  rockery  in  April  and 
May.  In  some  respects  one  cannot  say  that  the 
new  double  form  is  an  improvement  upon  the  t3'pe, 
but  the  longer  time  it  lasts  without  casting  its 
petals  is  an  advantage  not  to  be  despised  in  many 
places  where  a  long  effect  is  desired.  It  is  verj' 
pleasing  with  its  corj'mbs  of  golden  flowers,  which, 
by  the  way,  look  wonderfully  dark  after  dusk  when 
contrasted  with  the  white  of  the  Arabis  or  the 
Candytuft.  Although  this  double  Al3'ssum  cannot 
be  raised  from  seed  like  the  single-flowered  form, 
it  is  readily  raised  from  cuttings,  either  taken  off 
with  a  heel,  as  in  the  good  old-fashioned  way,  or 
cut  off  square  and  put  under  a  hand-light,  and  a 
large  stock  can  soon  be  raised  when  a  number  ot 
plants  are  required.  Alyssum  saxatile  fi.-pl.  is  a 
good  plant,  and  its  recognition  by  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  as  worthy  of  an  award  of 
merit  was  well  deserved  when  it  was  shown  in  1898. 
Although  it  is  more  plentiful  now  than  then,  it  is 
not  yet  often  enough  seen. — S.  Arxott. 


A     JAMAICA     GARDEN. 

f  Coiitiuiied  from  pa</e   JJ-'>.J 

TUUNBERCIAS. 

Its  associate  Thunbergia  Harrisii  is  a  grand 
thing.  It  has  not  the  lovable  quality  of  Coralilla, 
which  we  want  to  handle,  and  hold,  and  smell,  and 
keep  always  with  us.  But  as  a  spectacular  climber 
it  has  few  equals,  and  its  rare  colour,  a  blue-grey, 
akin  to  Plumbago  capensis,  makes  it  peculiarly 
acceptable.  Its  large  flowers  hang  in  long  racemes, 
and  it  adapts  itself  equally  to  tree  or  fence. 
Beware,  however,  of  putting  it  on  the  house,  the 
tuberous  roots  will  swell  and  demolish  your  walls. 
This  is  no  imaginary  danger  but  a  very  real  one, 
as  people  who  have  neglected  advice  on  the  subject 
have  found  to  their  cost. 

Thunbergia  Harrisii  has  a  white  counterpart  in 
T.  grandi flora,  which  has  taken  possession  of  a 
Mahoe  (HiViisous  elatus)  by  the  great  tank, 
thereby  greatly  improving  the  appearance  of  that 
coarse-looking  tree.  T.  mysorensis,  known  also  as 
Hexacentris,  is  always  a  markedly  racemed  species, 
giving  an  impression  of  brown  and  yellow  moths 
clustering  on  a  sugared  string,  very  pretty  at  its 
best,  but,  like  so  many  strong  climbers,  inclined 
to  get  dirty  and  matted.  To  cut  it  down  is  the 
best  remedy,  choosing  showery  weather,  and  a 
clean  growth  follows,  which  rapidly  covers  the 
trellis  or  other  support,  and  blo.ssoms  abundantly. 
The  best  plants  I  have  seen  grow  at  elevations 
from  2,000  feet  to  3,000  feet,  while  T.  Harrisii 
and  T.  grandiflora  prefer  to  be  under  2,000  feet. 
It  is  a  pleasure  to  see  Black-eyed  Susan  (T.  alata) 
growing  wild  on  banks  and  in  waste  places  by  tlie 


path  side.  It  climbs  and  runs  and  tumbles,  and 
braves  the  hottest  sun.  The  type  is  orange-buS 
with  eye  of  darkest  violet,  and  we  have  it  without 
eye  too.  The  seed  is  not  easy  to  find,  so  I  got  a 
packet  from  an  English  nursery  which  gave  me 
other  varieties,  primrose  with  and  without  eye,  and 
white.  Perhaps  my  favourite  of  all  the  tribe  is 
T.  fragrans  var.  vestita,  another  of  our  wild 
plants.  At  least  it  counts  as  such  now,  though 
both  it  and  T.  alata  were  originally'  foreigners. 
This  is  a  plant  I  never  saw  till  I  came  here.  It 
grows  in  the  plains  and  up  to  a  moderate  elevation, 
and  may  be  described  as  a  climbing  white  Peri- 
winkle about  the  size  of  Vinca  major.  It  repro- 
duces itself  freely  from  seed,  and  is  allowed  much 
license  in  the  garden.  It  adorns  all  it  touches. 
I  have  it  mixing  with  a  bush  of  St.  John's-wort, 
even  threatening  to  overwhelm  it.  It  climbs  up 
into  and  makes  interesting  a  Uragon's-head,  the 
red  Dracwna,  a  plant  I  am  not  very  fond  of,  but  so 
clothed  it  is  charming.  This  Dracaena  is  used  here 
as  a  "marking  bush"  to  delimit  difl'erent  sections 
of  Coffee  or  show  a  boundary  line.  T.  fragrans 
var.  vestita  is[not  sweet,  as  its  name  seems  to  imply. 
Has  anybody  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  witn 
the  type,  which,  if  it  is  as  beautiful  and  fragrant 
to  boot,  must  be  a  prince  among  flowers  ?  The 
violet-red  T.  Kirkii  is  admired  by  people  who  like 
Bougainvillea. 

BoUGAINVILLEA. 

The  mass  of  colour  presented  by  this  strong 
grower  is  a  source  ot  pleasure  to  manj'.  It  is, 
indeed,  a  wonderful  sight ;  but  to  me  personally 
an  unpleasant  one.  Meyenia  was  difficult,  so  was 
Impatiens  Sultani,  but  Bougainvillea  I  find  impos- 
sible in  all  places.  I  have,  however,  and  greatly 
value,  the  brick-red  variety,  which  presents  an 
imposing  appearance  at  the  top  of  the  garden  in 
company  with  Cow  Bamboo  (Bambu.sa  vulgaris). 
Thisgroupis  about  on  a  level  with  the  wild  Cane  and 
the  great  tank,  and  these  are  the  three  principal 
features  of  the  upper  garden.  The  last  deserves 
more  detailed  notice. 

The  Great  Tank. 

Its  measurement  has  been  already  roughl}'  given 
in  paces.  More  accurately  it  is  51  feet  long,  34  feet 
wide  (laid  down  probably  at  50  feet  by  33  feet),  and 
nearly  (J  feet  deep.  Standing  in  the  middle  of  its 
eastern,  short  side,  and  turning  nij'  back  on  the 
view,  I  look  along  its  length  to  the  Mahoe,  which 
occupies  its  western  side.  The  fury  of  the  1880 
hurricane  gave  this  tree  a  summary  pollarding, 
and  from  the  torn  and  down-twisted  stem  rose 
several  small  growths.  As  has  been  mentioned, 
this  is  a  coarse  tree,  redeemed  from  ugliness  by 
large  orange  flowers,  which  at  this  distance  appear 
to  be  almost  counterparts  of  the  Day  Lilies  (Henie- 
rocallis  fulva)  at  its  foot.  The  white  Thunbergia 
grandiflora  twines  in  and  out  of  the  branches,  and 
its  long  racemes  show  to  advantage  dropping 
towards  the  water  and  doubled  by  reflection 
therein. 

The  right-hand  far  corner  of  the  tank  is  over- 
shadowed by  a  fallen  b\it  still  vigorous  Sweet-sop, 
another  victim  of  the  hurricane,  and  reaching  up 
to  it  and  in  places  over-topping  it  are  lusty  shoots 
of  Sanchezia  nobilis.  This  is  a  plant  about  which 
it  takes  time  to  make  up  one's  mind.  On  first 
seeing  the  comment,  in  that  telegraphic  arrange- 
ment of  words  in  which  we  think,  was  :  "  Grand  ! 
must  certainly  have  it."  Then  came  "Rather 
coarse,  don't  think  I  want  it,"  followed  by  a 
reactionary  "  Yes,  very  fine  !  can't  do  without  it." 
The  fact  is,  it  looks  ver}'  different  according  to 
its  growth  and  placing.  A  badly-grown  specimen 
is  an  ungainly  eyesore.  A  handsome  one  vies 
with  Maranta  zebrina  in  beauty,  perhaps  sur- 
passes it.  To  call  its  two-hued  leaf  of  green  and 
yellow  variegated  gives  an  inadequate  idea.  Pied 
is  a  shade  better.  Veined  is  perhaps  best,  with  a 
thick  veining  of  yellow  on  the  face  of  the  leaf 
corresponding  to  the  line  of  the  midrib,  and 
slightly  curved  veinings,  less  thick  but  telling, 
and  distinct  from  midrib  to  edge.  Yes  ;  decidedly 
a  noble  plant  with  its  9  feet  of  height  and  yellow 
flowers,  each  one  clasped  by  the  more  showy  woollen 
red  calyx.  With  a  cool  place  for  its  roots,  if 
rather  wet  so  much   the  belter,  it  may  be  i>ut  in 


full  sun,  and  the  leaves  then  colour  strongly.  In 
a  drier  position  it  must  have  partial  shade.  Dense 
shade  keeps  it  too  green. 

Where  I  stand  is  just  level  with  the  topmost 
ridge  of  the  house  roof.  The  Cedar  shingles  are 
painted  with  a  mixture  of  red  paint  and  coal  tar 
boiled  up  together  and  applied  as  hot  as  possible. 
The  colour  is  that  of  an  old  tiled  barn,  harmonious 
and  unobtrusive.  Over  the  roof,  which  hides  out 
most  of  the  garden,  rises  the  hill  across  the  river 
seamed  by  a  ravine.  Carrying  the  ej'e  up  this 
ravine  for  about  800  feet  in  perpendicular  height, 
it  is  seen  to  widen  out  into  a  cirque  of  large  extent, 
a  green-walled  Gararnie,  on  all  sides  trees  and 
grass.  To  the  crest  line  is  another  rise  of  700  feet 
or  800  feet,  and  feather}'  clumps  of  Bamboo  can 
be  made  out  at  the  very  top. 

To  return  to  the  tank.  In  it  are  two  later 
Lilies  in  tubs,  changed  from  time  to  time.  Some- 
times they  are  white,  as  now,  sometimes  blue.  On 
the  north  side  is  a  6-feet  wall,  to  keep  the  hill,  as 
it  seems,  from  slipping  into  the  tank.  When  I 
came  here  it  was  mined.  After  rebuilding,  to  avoid 
a  repetition  ot  the  disaster,  African  Lilies  (Aga- 
panthus  umbellatus)  were  planted  in  a  broad  belt 
of  irregular  width  on  the  top.  Their  matted  roots 
are  now  interwoven,  and  things  are  as  safe  as  they 
can  be  made.  It  is  a  sight  to  see  this  belt  in 
flower  in  June  and  Julj'.  The  wall  itself  is 
covered  with  the  dark  variety  of  A'alerian  (Cen- 
tranthus  ruber)  with  which  mingles  Black-eyed 
Susan.  The  biggest  object  above  the  wall  is  a 
Champa  tree  (Michelia  Champaca),  which  has 
already  bloomed  twice.  Its  small  Magnolia 
flowers  have  a  penetrating  sweetness.  In  appear- 
ance and  scent  they  resemble  Magnolia  odoratissima 
(Talaunia  Candollei).  Near  it  is  my  best  bunch  of 
Gardenia,  and  that  not  a  good  one,  ravaged  by 
scale  and  mealy  bug.  Shrubs  display  themselves 
to  advantage  on  the  steep  hillside.  They  rise  one 
above  the  other,  thus  avoiding  the  crowded  jumble 
so  usual  on  flat  ground.  Conspicuous  among  them 
is  the  useful  Holmskioldia  sanguinea,  persistently 
red  throughout  the  j'ear.  On  examination  it  is 
seen  that  most  of  the  colour  comes  from  the  round 
flattened  calyx,  and  little  of  it  is  due  to  the  actual 
flower.  The  same  thing  may  be  observed  in  red 
Salvia,  and,  as  was  just  now  noted,  in  Sanchezia. 
Close  to  the  conduit,  from  which  the  water  falls 
by  a  pleasantly  noisj'  wooden  shoot  into  the  tank, 
is  a  fine  Burning  Bush  (Acal3'pha  wilkesiana),  and 
above  it  a  lovely  member  of  the  Orange  tribe, 
Murraj'a  exotica,  distinguished  and  refined  in  leaf 
and  flower.  Hard  bj',  the  greatdouble  red  Shoeblack. 

The  path  makes  an  elbow  here,  passing  under 
one  of  my  many  Loquats  (Photinia  japonica),  and 
turning  round  almost  over  it,  the  uneven  ground 
facilitating  picking  operations.  It  is  only  in 
Jamaica  I  have  found  out  how  exactly  Loquat  in 
flower  smells  like  Hawthorn.  This  time  I  venture 
to  say  exactlj'.  About  Lilac  I  was  diffident,  but 
May  has  a  smell  one  cannot  forget.  The  tree 
just  beyond,  looking  so  like  a  Palm,  is  the  rare 
Mountain  Pride  (Spathelia  simplex),  only  known, 
I  am  told,  in  Cuba,  Jamaica,  and  Hayti,  common 
enough  in  our  hills.  Arrange  ver}'  long  leaves  of 
Mountain  Ash  (the  Scotch  Rowan)  Palm-wise  on  a 
single  stem.  Let  the  young  fronds,  if  the  term 
may  be  admitted,  curve  up  from  the  centre  coated 
with  monkey-brown  fur,  and  you  have  its  picture. 
In  a  tew  years  it  flowers,  alas  !  for  sensitivecolonists, 
the  hue  of  Heath,  and  then  dies.  Bougainvilleists 
admire  the  inmiense  branched  plumes.  I  rejoice 
when  July  and  August  are  past,  and  the  vallej'S 
return  to  their  usual  sober  dress.  In  form  the 
flower  recalls  that  of  the  Dracaena  of  Scilly  ;  or 
imagine  a  spike  of  Hoteia  japonica,  or  of  one  of 
the  larger  shrubby  Spinvas  magnified  many  times. 
Dip  it  in  a  weak  solution  of  magenta  dj'e  and  you 
have  the  thing  itself.  I  find  myself  wondering 
what  colour  I  should  like  it,  and  generally  end  on 
deciding  on  pale  sapphire,  like  Jacaranda  filici- 
folia  or  Nigger  Bitee  (Guaiacum  officinale),  the 
accepted  and  laughable  perversion  of  its  common 
name  Lignum  vit:v.  After  rounding  the  elbo* 
the  path  rises  easily  to  the  public  tract.  A  fence 
on  the  left  high  overhead  is  covered  with  Beau- 
montia  and  Allaniiinda. 

(To  he  continifffL J 


t^^-^- 


GARDEN. 


:^J^^m& 


-^i^^^^^  0)& 


No.  1539.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[May  18,  1901. 


BACKGROUNDS  FOR  SHOW 
FLOWERS. 

CT  year  we  drew  attention  to  the 
desirability  of  a  careful  consideration 
of  the  coloured  grounds  on  which 
flowers  are  shown,  the  remarks  being 
based  on  some  of  the  material  used 
by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  for  draping 
their  stages.  It  is  a  green  baize,  which  when 
new  is  of  a  hard  raw  green  that  is  most 
unbecoming  to  flowers  and  foliage,  especially 
to  foliage,  its  violent  metallic  colour  making 
nearly  all  leaves  look  dull  and  brownish. 

Some  enquiries  reached  us  a  few  weeks  ago 
from  the  organisers  of  one  of  the  important 
northern  shows,  and  we  were  glad  to  take 
pains  to  get  them  a  pattern  of  colouring  such 
as  would  suit  all  flowers  and  foliage.  The 
colour  is  a  certain  tint  of  neutral  grey-green, 
of  a  nature  that  is  warm  rather  than  cold — of 
course,  impossible  to  describe  accurately  in 
words,  but  such  a  colour  as  may  be  matched  in 
nature  in  many  a  piece  of  tree  bark  or  tuft  of 
half -dried  moss.  It  is  a  colour  that  suits 
everything  in  the  way  of  flower  and  leaf,  so 
nearly  neutral,  and,  though  not  dark,  so  low  in 
tone  that  it  does  not  come  into  competition 
with  the  most  colourless  foliage,  such  as  is 
often  seen,  for  instance,  in  Orchids. 

It  is  open  to  cjuestion  whether  the  system  of 
rough  benches  covered  Avith  baize  could  not  in 
itself  be  considerably  improved  upon.  We 
think  that  if  a  little  careful  thought  were 
given  to  the  matter  that  it  would  be  easy  to 
design  very  simple  benches  with  upper  ranges 
of  staging,  made  in  such  sections  as  could  be 
placed  or  easily  fitted  together  in  any  of  the 
forms  of  combination  that  might  be  required. 
If  these  were  simply  and  strongly  made,  and 
painted  the  suitable  colour,  and  given  a  fresh 
coat  of  paint  every  year  before  the  spring 
shows,  or  a  washing  one  year  and  a  painting 
the  next,  the  most  difficult  of  the  drapery  part 
of  it  would  be  abolished,  and  the  stages  would 
be  neater  and  more  uniform.  The  drapery 
might  be  retained  on  the  front  of  the  bench 
down  to  the  floor  level,  as  it  is  obviously 
convenient  for  exhibitors  to  be  able  to  put 
away  their  baskets  and  other  matters  under 
the  bench. 


KEV^T    NOTES. 

Decaisne.a.  Fargesii.— The  e.xploralions  that 
have  been  made  in  Yunnan  and  other  little  known 
parts  of  China  during  recent  years  have  been 
instrumental  in  bringing  to  light  a  large  number  of 


ornamental  garden  plants,  and  likewise  a  consider- 
able number  which,  though  of  little  use  to  the 
average  horticulturist,  are  of  great  value  and 
interest  to  scientific  collections.  The  plant  under 
notice  is  botanically  interesting  and  ornamental 
also.  Previous  to  the  introduction  of  this  species 
by  M.  de  Vilmorin  in  1895,  one  species  only  of 
Decaisnea  was  known,  that  being  D.  insignis,  found 
in  1838  in  the  forests  of  Sikkim  and  Bhotan  by  Sir 
Joseph  Hooker  and  other  collectors,  and  described 
as  being  one  of  the  most  remarkable  of  Indian 
botanical  discoveries.  D.  insignis  flowered  in  the 
temperate  house  at  Kew  in  May,  1884,  a  figure 
being  prepared  from  the  plant  for  the  Botanical 
Mayazine,  t.  6731.  It  is  described  as  a  small  tree, 
with  several  stems  bearing  long  pinnate  leaves, 
yellowish  green  flowers  and  yellow,  edible  pulpy 
fruits.  As  in  several  other  genera,  a  great  simi- 
larity exists  between  Himalayan  and  Yunnan 
species.  A  plant  of  D.  Fargesii  6  feet  high, 
flowering  in  the  Himalayan  house  at  Kew,  shows  a 
close  resemblance  in  many  respects  to  the  older 
plant,  but  the  segments  of  the  flowers  are  nearly 
as  long  again,  more  acuminate,  and  are  marked 
at  the  base  on  the  outer  side  with  greenish  purple. 
In  addition,  the  fruit  is  different,  being  like  that 
of  the  Chinese  plant  in  shape,  thinner,  and  other- 
wise smaller.  The  foliage  is  distinctly  ornamental, 
the  leaves  being  pinnate,  1^  feet  to  2  feet  long,  with 
large  leaflets.  The  flowers  are  borne  in  long,  semi- 
pendulous  racemes  from  the  terminal,  and  also 
from  about  a  score  of  axillary  buds  near  the  top 
of  the  stem.  When  out  of  flower  its  appearance 
suggests  a  leguminous  rather  than  a  Berberis-like 
plant,  to  whicb  family  it  belongs.  Although  it  is 
called  hardy,  it  is  more  suitable  for  a  cold  house, 
the  wood  being  very  soft  and  easily  damaged  by 
frost. 

EcHinsi  OANDicANS. — This  is  a  rare  species,  but 
very  ornamental  in  the  conservatory.  It  has  been 
cultivated  at  Kew  for  several  j'cars,  and  a  batch  is 
now  in  flower  in  the  temperate  house,  where  it 
forms  quite  a  distinct  feature,  and  a  striking 
contrast  to  the  better  known  blue -flowered 
E.  callithyrsuni.  It  is  a  biennial  plant,  taking  from 
eighteen  months  to  twenty  months  to  flower  from 
the  time  of  sowing  the  seeds.  For  the  first  fifteen 
months  it  consists  of  a  short  stem  an  inch  or  two 
high,  surmounted  by  a  dense  rosette  of  long,  narrow, 
acuminate  leaves,  densely  clothed  with  fine  silky 
white  hairs.  When  fifteen  months  old  the  stems 
begin  to  elongate,  growing  rapidly  to  a  height  of 
from  2  feet  to  2i  feet,  the  upper  foot  forming  a 
dense  cylindrical  head  of  rose-coloured  flowers  with 
long  stamens.  This  dense  head  of  flowers  makes  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  elegant  whitish  leaves 
which  clothe  the  whole  stem  from  the  top  of  the 
pot  to  the  flowers.  Seeds  set  and  ripen  freely. 
They  should  be  sown  in  August  in  well-drained 
sandy  loam,  and  the  seedlings  pricked  off'  singly 
into  small  pots  when  large  enough  to  handle.  As 
soon  as  the  pots  are  well  filled  with  roots  larger 
ones  must  be  given,  until  6-inch  pots  are  reached, 
in  which  size  they  will  flower.  A  mixture  of  two 
parts  loam  to  one  of  leaf-mould  and  rotten  manure 
forms  a  suitable  compost.  They  should  be  grown 
in  as  light  a  place  as  possible,  shading  from  very 
strong  sun,  have  little  or  no  syringing,  and 
throughout  the  winter  great  care  must  be  taken  to 
keep  the  leaves  quite  dry.  It  is  also  necessary  to 
remove  the  plants  from  a  house  or  frame  if  the 
place  is  to  be  fumigated,  as  like  all  other  Echiums 


the  leaves  are  easily  injured  by  tobacco  smoke. 
Like  E.  callithyrsum  it  is  a  Canary  Island  plant, 
and  succeeds  in  a  cool  greenhouse. 

W.  Dallimoee. 
The  Yellow  Root  (Xanthokrhiza  apiieolia). 
— This  rare  and  curious  little  shrub,  a  native  of  the 
United  States,  where  it  is  known  under  the  name 
here  given,  is  the  only  species  in  the  genus.  It 
owes  its  popular,  as  well  as  its  generic  nanje,  to 
the  thick  creeping  roots,  which  are  yellow,  and 
which  also  j-ield  a  dye  of  that  colour.  This  dye 
was  used  greatly  by  the  North  American  Indians 
in  earlier  times  when  they  were  masters  of  the 
continent.  It  is  a  deciduous  plant,  with  pinnate 
leaves,  and  does  not  grow  more  than  2  feet  to  3  feet 
in  height.  It  bears  its  small  flowers  in  April  very 
numerously  on  erect  branching  panicles  and  before 
the  leaves  are  expanded.  Each  flower  is  about  one- 
third  of  an  inch  across,  and  of  a  dark,  dull  purple. 
Although  its  nearest  relatives  among  hardy  shrubs 
are  the  Clematis  and  Moutan  P<^ony,  the  plant  can 
scarcely  be  called  beautiful,  yet  it  is  singular  and 
interesting.  It  is  also  one  of  the  earliest  of  hardy 
shrubs  to  break  into  flower,  a  little  group  of  plants 
having  been  in  bloom  at  Kew  for  some  weeks  in 
the  open  ground.  The  species  was  introduced 
originally  in  1776  from  Pennsylvania. 

Rhododendron  rubiginosum. — Among  the 
modern  explorers  of  Central  China  one  of  the 
best  known  names,  so  far  as  horticulture  and 
botany  are  concerned,  is  that  of  the  French 
missionary,  I'Abbe  Delavay.  Collecting  on  the 
Tsang-chan  Mountain,  in  the  province  of  Yunnan, 
about  sixteen  or  eighteen  years  ago,  he  first 
discovered  this  Rhododendron  at  an  altitude  of 
over  8,000  feet.  Reaching  Europe  by  way  of 
the  Jardin  des  Plantes  at  Paris,  it  came  thence  to 
Kew,  where  it  has  flowered  annually  during  the 
last  four  or  five  years.  It  certainly  promises  to  be 
one  of  the  best  of  the  Rhododendrons  that  flower 
in  late  April  and  earlj'  May.  Of  compact,  rounded 
habit,  it  will  not  apparently  grow  more  than  4  feet 
or  5  feet  in  height.  Its  leaves,  2  inches  to  3  inches 
long,  pointed  and  lance-shaped,  are  well  marked  on 
account  of  the  innumerable  tiny  reddish-brown 
scales  that  cover  the  lower  surface,  the  upper  one 
being  of  a  dark  glossy  green.  The  trusses  each 
carry  from  four  to  eight  flowers,  which  are  of  a 
clear,  rosy  lilac  colour,  spotted  with  maroon  on  the 
upper  surface,  and  IJ  inches  to  2  inches  across. 
It  resembles  R.  punctatum,  a  North  American 
species,  but  flowers  more  freely.  As  a  dwarf  ever-  " 
green  it  is  worthy  of  notice,  and  there  is  no  reason 
why  it  should  not  spread  in  cultivation,  for  it 
produces  good  seed  in  quantity. 

The  Mountain  Cherry  (Prunus  prostrata). — 
There  are  several  of  the  shrubb}'  species  of  Prunus 
now  in  flower,  but  this  is  one  of  the  rarest  of  them 
all.  It  is  also  one  of  the  most  distinct  and  beautiful. 
It  is  a  shrub  of  low,  spreading  habit,  and  although 
not  prostrate  in  cultivation,  its  long,  slender 
branches  arch  out  horizontally  and  make  it  con- 
siderably more  in  width  than  it  is  in  height.  Just 
now  a  good  specimen  in  the  collection  at  Kew  is 
covered  with  lovely  rose-coloured  flowers.  These 
are  each  i  inch  to  J  inch  in  diameter,  and  borne  on 
short  stalks  close  to  the  wood,  and  thus,  in  their 
abundance,  almost  cover  the  branches.  The  leaves 
(which  follow  the  flowers)  are  A  inch  to  li  inches 
long,  the  margins  set  with  fine,  even  teeth.  On 
the  mountains  of  the  Levant,  where  it  is  a  native, 
and  wlience  it  was  introduced  in  1802,  it  reaches 


346 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[May  18,  1901. 


up  to  altitudes  of  5,000  feet  and  li,000  feet.  It 
belongs  to  the  Cherry  group  of  the  genus  prunus, 
and  was  known  to  Loudon  as  Cerasus  prostrata. 
He  reeoramends  it  as  a  desirable  species,  but  it  has 
never  obtained  the  real  footing  in  gardens  that  it 
merits,  notwithstanding  its  beauty  and  perfect 
hardiness. 

Berberis DICTYOPHYLLA  (Fkanchet). — Just  now 
there  is  flowering  at  Kew  a  specimen  of  this  new 
Chinese  Barberry,  probably  for  the  first  time  in 
(ireat  Britain.  The  species  is  a  native  of  Yunnan, 
where  it  was  discovered  in  1886  bv  M.  I'Abbe 
Delavay  at  an  altitude  of  about  10,000  feet  on  the 
mountains  above  Laiikong.  It  has  already  been 
figured  by  M.  Franchet  in  his  "  Plantre  Delavay- 
anae,"  t.  11,  and  is  there  said  to  be  allied  to  the 
Himala3-an  species  B.  angulosa.  The  Kew  plant 
has  proved  to  be  perfectly  hardy  since  1897,  in 
which  year  it  was  presented  to  Kew  by  M.  Maurice 
de  Vilmorin.  As  regards  its  value  as  an  ornamental 
shrub  for  gardens  ^it  may  be  described  as  quite 
distinct  and  promising.  While  it  cannot  (yet  at 
least)  be  placed  in  the  very  first  rank  along  with 
such  sorts  as  B.  Darwini  or  B.  stenophylla,  it  is 
superior  to  many  of  the  species  at  present  in 
cultivation.  It  is  a  deciduous  shrub,  at  present 
3  feet  to  4  feet  high,  but,  judging  by  other  species 
of  a  similar  character,  will  probably  get  to  he  at 
least  twice  that  height.  The  habit  is  graceful,  the 
main  branches  being  long,  slender,  and  arching, 
and  each  joint  is  armed  with  a  triple  spine.  The 
leaves  are  borne  in  a  kind  of  rosette  at  the  end  of 
short  axillary  blanches,  and  these  rosettes  (each 
consisting  of  about  si.x  to  nine  leaves)  are  about 
J,  inch  apart  on  the  main  branches.  The  leaf  is 
sessile,  obovate,  i  inch  to  1  inch  long,  rather 
glaucous  beneath  and  bright  green  above  :  it  is 
often  entire,  except  for  a  mucronate,  spiny  tip,  or 
it  is  serrate,  with  each  tooth  terminated  by  a  spine. 
The  flowers  are  of  the  typical  Barberry  form,  being 
h  inch  in  diameter,  cup-shaped  by  reason  of  the 
involute  arrangement  of  the  sepals  and  petals,  and 
of  a  clear,  bright  yellow,  but  not  .so  deep  in  shade 
as  in  B.  Darwini,  for  instance  ;  they  are  borne 
singly,  in  pairs,  or  in  triplets,  at  the  end  of  each 
short  axillary  branch,  forming  a  centre  to  each 
-rosette  of  leaves. 

Arhoreliim,  Ken:  W.  .1.  Bea.k. 


of  the  whole  family  to  surpass  in  beauty  the 
common  Primrose  when  seen  at  its  best,  nestling 
on  a  shady  grassy  bank.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
river  and  near  the  house,  which  in  days  gone  by 
was  an  old  cornmill,  I  noticed  a  very  beautiful 
pure  white  form  of  Narcissus  Leedsii  and  masses 
of  (ientiana  acaulis  covered  with  its  great  blue 
hells,  and  in  an  enclosed  yard  a  well-flowered  sod 
of  (i.  verna. 

Against  a  sunny  wall  is  a  large  plant  of  the 
somewhat  rare  shrub,  Crinodendron,  now  called 
Tricuspidoiia,  with  its  very  dark,  almost  black 
leaves  and  deep  crimson  flowers,  while  not  far  oH 
is  a  good  si?ed  tree  of  Paulownia  imperialis  well 
set  with  buds.  To  the  boughs  of  this  tree  have 
been  attached  numerous  half  Cocoa-nuts  for  the 
benefit  of  the  birds  and  the  squirrels,  both  of 
which  may  be  continually  seen  gnawing  at  the 
kernels. 

The  tail  race  from  the  mill  runs  down  a  narrow 
gully,  in  which  native  and  foreign  Ferns  luxuriate. 
Amongst  the  most  noteworth}'  of  the  latter  are 
Todea  pellucida  and  T.  superba,  growing  well,  but 
not  yet  very  large,  Woodwardia  radicans— so  far 
not  left  out  in  winter — Adiantum  pedatum,  and 
many  more.  But  space  and  time  would  fail  for 
the  enumeration  of  a  tithe  of  the  beauties  which 
are  to  be  found  in  Mount  Usher.  No 
description  can  convey  the  faintest 
idea  of  its  charms,  which  must  indeed 
be  seen  before  they  can  be  imagined. 
One  other  I  must  mention,  namely, 
Seneeio  leucottichys  from  Patagonia,  a 
graceful,  branching  shrubb}'  perennial, 
with  slender  leaves  and  stems  pure  white 
from  the  closely  adherent  tomentum  ; 
it  was  not  in  flower,  but  was  most  striking  against 
the  green  of  its  neighbours.  G.  P. 


last-mentioned  is  difiicult  to  beat,  although  an  old 
variety.  They  were  gathered  from  standard  trees, 
either  on  the  grass  or  with  vegetables  grown 
underneath.  When  fruit  like  this  can  be  had  at 
this  date  there  is  no  need  for  imported  material." 


We  receive  from  Dr.  Lionel  Beale  blooms  of 

Saxifraga  pei-tata, 
a  fine  plant  of  important  aspect  for  the  damp 
borders  of  the  bog  garden.  The  tender  pink 
flowers  with  bright  rosy  centres  are  in  umbels  that 
rise  on  tall  stalks  before  the  leaves  appear.  The 
leaves  that  are  to  follow  are  large  and  handsome. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  of  plants  for  moist  ground  on 
the  fringes  of  the  garden  where  things  of  distinct 
and  pictorial  effect  are  desired. 


Pansies  from  Scotland. 
Messrs.  Dobbie  and  Co.,  Rothesay,  N.3.,  send 
a  great  gathering  of  Pansies,  representing  the 
finer  varieties  in  their  large  collection.  Among 
the  more  conspicuous  are  Ophelia,  a  large,  warm, 
purple  flower  with  yellow  centre,  very  sweetly 
scented,  one  of  the  best  things  of  its  kind  ^\e 
have  seen  for  a  long  while ;  Nellie  is  a  large, 
creamy  white,  very  beautiful  in  every  way  :  Prim- 


EDITORS'     TABLE. 


MOUNT    USHER    IN    MAY. 

It  would  probably  be  impossible  to  visit  this 
charming  County  Wicklow  garden  at  any  time  of 
year  without  finding  much  to  interest  the  lover  of 
hardy  and  half-hardy  plants  and  shrubs,  but  in 
May  it  is  a  veritable  paradise. 

The  river  Vartry  divides  the  place  into  two 
unequal  portions.  Some  of  the  most  striking 
features  just  now  are  the  mats  of  Aubrietia  which 
hang  down  over  the  river  wall.  Crown  Imperials 
(Fritillaria  imperialis),  too,  are  very  fine— a  most 
eS'eotive  group  being  perched  on  a  high  bank, 
smothered  below  with  Ferns,  Primroses,  &c. ,  the 
de-nse  mass  of  shining  green  foliage,  with  the 
yellow  and  red-brown  flowers  standing  out  with 
great  vigour  against  a  distant  background  of 
budding  trees.  Close  to  this  is  a  long,  somewhat 
sinuous  border  of  St.  Brigid  Anemones,  grown 
from  home-saved  seed  and  bearing  huge  flowers  of 
almost  every  hue,  except  the  yellow  series,  which 
tone  has  been  interwoven  by  planting  thinly 
amongst  the  Anemones  Barri  and  other  Daffodils, 
of  which  there  is  an  exceedingly  fine  strain. 

The  Anemone  border  brings  us  to  the  river 
margin  opposite  the  Aubrietia  aforesaid,  and  here 
we  see  amongst  other  choice  things  a  few  speci- 
mens of  Pyrus  Malus  floribunda  simply  covered 
with  its  bright  coral  buds  and  pink  blossoms. 
Here  and  elsewhere  Gunneras  are  throwing  up 
strong  young  growth,  and  .several  large  plants  of 
Abutilon  vitifolium — both  the  mauve  and  white 
forms — are  promising  a  rich  harvest  of  bloom  a 
little  later  on.  The  same  may  he  said  of  a 
Benthamia  fragifera  (the  Strawlierry  tree  of 
Nepaul). 

Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  are  of  course  in 
wild  profusion,  and  of  a  great  variety  as  to  colour, 
bvtt  it  is  very  questionable  if  there  is  any  menibej- 


M.  Gordon,  very  large 
flower,  palest  laven- 
der ;  Lavender  King, 
also  of  a  lavender 
shade  ;  Lark,  prim- 
rose,     shaded     deep 


At  this  .season  the  flowers  of  the  garden  are  , 
coming  forth  abundantly,  and  we  invite  our  |  ™56  Dame,  bright 
readers  to  send  us  anything  of  special  beauty  !  Pri^;™^,^^''',!"!','^,''^ 
and  interest  for  our  table,  as  by  this  means 
many  rare  and  interesting  plants  become  more 
widely  known.  We  hope,  too,  that  a  short 
cultural  note  will  accompany  the  flowers  so  as 
to  make  a  notice  of  it  more  instructive  to  those 

who  may  wish  to  grow  it.  We  welcome  anything  '  lavender,  rayed  witli 
from  the  garden,  whether  fruit,  tree,  shrub,  |  purple  in  the  centre; 
Orchid,  or  hardy  flower,  and  they  may  be  ]  Stobhill  Gem,  warm, 
addressed  either  to  Miss  Jekyll,  Munstead  I  velvety  purple  lower 
Wood,  Godalming,  or  to  Mr.  E.  T.  Cook,  20,  I  half,  the  outer  petals 
Tavi.stock  Street,  Covent  Garden,  London.  '  "^  *  pale  colour,  very 

Flowers  for  iLLUSTRATioN.-We  shall  be  handsome  flower 
pleased  if  readers  will  send  any  rare  or  good 
garden  flowers  worthy  of  illustration  to  Mr. 
H.  G.  Moon,  Herbert  Lodge,  St.  Albans.  This 
will  assist  us  greatly  in  maintaining  an  inter- 
esting series  of  flower  sketches. 


— \ 


Polyanthuses  and  Bunch  Peimroses. 
Mr.  J.  Crook,  Forde  Abbey  Gardens,  Chard, 
sends  us  a  gathering  of  Bunch  Primroses  and 
Polj'anthuses,  good  and  varied  in  colour,  and  in 
every  wa_v  satisfactory.  The3'  show  how  careful  a 
selection  has  been  made  for  many  j'ears  past.  The 
yellows  are  rich,  and  the  quieter  colours  of  much 
charm  and  delicacy. 

Pansy  Countess  of  Kintore. 
From  the  same  place  comes  a  boxful  of  this  well- 
known  Pansy,  which  still  remains,  and   rightfully, 
too,  one  of  the  best  of  hardy  garden  floivers. 

Late  Afples. 
Mr.  Crook  sends  also  excellent  fruits  of  Annie 
Elizabeth,  Hanwell  Souring,  and  Wellington 
Apples,  to  show  how  carefully  they  have  been 
preserved.  We  are  much  interested  in  such  fruits 
as  this,  especially  after  the  long  discussion  which 
has  taken  place  about  the  cold  storage  of  fruit. 
Mr.  Crook  writes  :  — "  Fruit  of  Wellington  and 
I  Hapwell   Souring  is  of  fine  flavour  now,  and  the 


Sydney,      very     rich 
yellow,  deepercentre:  SEAL. 

Blue  Duchess,  clear 
bluish  shade  ;  Prin- 
cess Beatrice,  rosy  purple :  Lady  Salisbury,  sulphur 
white,  rays  of  purple  in  the  centre  ;  Princess  Ida, 
most  delicate  lavender,  a  very  beautiful  flower, 
sweet,  and  charming  for  cutting  :  and  Pembroke, 
a  fine  yellow. 

"S."  sends  sprays  of  Solomon's  Seal,  which  is 
now  very  beautiful  in  many  gardens.  A  plant  so 
graceful  and  quiet  in  colouring  should  be  more 
often  grown  in  half  shaded  places,  by  edge  of 
woodland,  or  in  the  border.  It  is  a  plant  to  make 
free  groups  of. 


Mr.  T.  B.  Field,  of  The  Gardens,  Ashwelllhorpe 
Hall,  Norwich,. sends,  with  the  following  interesting 
note. 

The  White  Banksian  Rose. 

"  I  am  sending  you  some  flowers  of  this  charming 
Rose.  I  have  a  plant  growing  here  in  a  cool  green- 
house literally  covered  with  bloom.  I  fiiul  it  most 
useful  at  this  time  of  the  year.  To  grow  this  Rose 
well  it  should  be  given  a  conspicuous  position, 
such  as  a  wall,  pillar,  or  the  roof  of  the  green- 
house or  conservator}'.  It  is  a  very  rapid  grower, 
and  needs  much  space  to  allow  of  its  beauty  being 
seen  ;  it  shoidd  always  he  allowed  to  grow  its  own 


May  18,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


34T 


way,  and  with  nie  it  iiover  fails  to  liloom.  Pruning 
should  be  attended  to  immediately  after  flowering, 
all  that  is  required  being  to  cut  out  the  extra 
vigorous  sappy  growths,  and  remove  a  few  others 
where  they  are  crovvtied,  but  on  no  account  prune 
liard  back.  Banksian  Roses  Hower  upon  the  tiniest 
growtlia  imagniable.  Care  should  be  taken  that 
they  are  not  overcrowded,  and  the  sun  should  be 
allowed  full  play  upon  the  lirauehes.  Ciive  a  good 
soaking  of  manure  water  at  intervals  during  the 
summer,  aiid  use  the  syringe  freely  to  Iveep  down 
green  fly  and  red  spider.  The  result  is  thousands 
of  clusters  of  this  lieautiful  Rose." 


ClilANTIUTS   PDNICEDS. 
Mr.   Fiehl  also  sends  clusters  of  bloom   of  this 
useful    and    almost     hard}'    greenliouse    climber. 
"This  is  a  capital  plant  for  walls  or  pillars  of  a 
cool   conservator}'.       The   soil  I  use  is  two  parts 
turf}'  loam,  one  part  leaf-mould,  and  rotten  manure. 
I  grow  my  plants  in  li-incli  pots,  standing  them 
outdoors   all    the   summer,    and    placing    them  in 
the  greenhouse  towards  the  end  of  October. 
Keep  them    neatly  tied    to   stakes,  and    give 
occasional    waterings     with    liquid     manure. 
Should     green     fly     or     red     spider     attack 
them,    the   syringe   will    soon    put    them    to 
flight.     Grown  in  the   manner  described,  they 
will  not  fail  to  succeed  well  and  flower  pro- 
fusely.''' 


hot  summer  of  1900  is  beyond  all  iloubt  the  cause 
of  my  success. — H.  Ewbamk. 

Musa  paradisiaca   rubra   at   the 

Ghent    show. — Under   that   name   Mons.    A. 
Trufl'aut,    the    well-known     l'"rench    nurseryman, 
exhibited    on   April    '28,    at    the    (ihent   show,    a 
distinct,  striking,  and  beautiful  plant,  which  un- 
doubtedly is  a  form  of  M.   paradisiaca,   having  the 
same  habit,  mode  of  growth,  and  slender  stem  as 
the  original   species.     The  colour  of  the  foliage  of 
this  plant,  which  was  seen  for  the  first  time  by  the 
French  explorer  Uybowski  as  far  back  as  1891,  at 
the  mission  house  of    Brazzaville,   in  the   French 
Congo,    differs    from    anything     already    known. 
The   leaves,  .S    feet   long   and 
10    inches    broad,    are    of    a 
beautiful  reddish  colour,  with 
the     velvety     appearance     of 
certain  Marantas.     The  plants 
exhibited  at  Ghent  were  young, 
but  we  are  told  that  the  stem  jjj^    ^ 

attains    6    feet    or    more    in 


A  Curious  DaffodiTj. 
Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons  send  ns  a  flower  of  a 
curious   Daffodil,    a    freak    whfch   has   never, 
we  believe,  occurred  before  in  their  collection. 
The  leaf  is  rolled  rouiid  the  stem,   and  then 
forms    a    narrow   kind   of   hood,   at  the  base 
of  which   the  flower  emerges.     The  flower  did  not 
expand    more    than   shown   in    the   accompanying 
ilrawing. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

Lonieera  hildetarandiana.  -This 

Hone}'suokle  is  now  sending  forth  strong  shoots, 
and  I  confidently  expect  a  great  reward  for  my 
trouble  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks.  It  will  be 
so  if  the  weather  is  favourable,  and  my  only 
wonder  is  that  any  plant  can  stand  such  a  wide 
range  of  temperature  as  it  is  able  to  bear.  It 
seems  quite  happy  when  the  thermometer  on 
my  western  wall  is  above  90°  Fahrenheit,  and  I 
have  known  it  to  sink  lielow  oO'^  without  any 
harm  being  done.  But  a  blazing  summer  is  what 
it  really  desires,  and  for  its  sake  I  hope  it  will 
come. — H.  Ewhank. 

OnCOCyClUS  Iris,  —I  believe  tlie  difficulty 
with  this  class  of  Iris  is  now  quite  at  an  end. 
They  liave  frequently  bloason.sd  in  my  hands,  but 
never  so  well  as  this  spring.  At  last  tlieir  pre- 
dilections are  made  quite  plain.  They  are  in 
most  cases  lime-loving  plants,  and  if  they  be  only 
treated  to  some  bone-meal  or  its  equivalent  they 
will  be  sure  to  verify  the  remark — elegance  of 
form,  delicacy  of  colour,  quaintness,  the  most 
refined  marking.  Beautiful  contrasts  can  go  no 
farther,  as  I  thiidi,  than  is  seen  with  them. — H. 

EWBAN'K. 

Ipis  tingpitana  has  been  the  subject  of  such 
interesting  controversy  that  one  cannot  be  too 
precise  about  auy  remarks  with  regard  to  it.  I 
can  vouch  for  the  fact  that  for  at  least  fifteen  years 
it  has  never  once  blossomed  in  this  garden,  and  my 
mind  was  so  irreceptive  of  the  idea  that  it  could 
flower  here  tliat  I  do  not  think  I  should  have 
noticed  the  great  fat  buds  that  were  swelling 
delightfully  in  various  places  if  they  had  not  been 
pointed  out  to  me  by  Sir  Michael  Foster.  Now 
things  are  so  much  advanced  here,  that  he  who 
runs  may  read.  Iris  tingitana  speaks  for  itself  and 
very  clearly  too.  A  friend  wlio  paid  a  visit  to 
Morocco  some  two  or  three  years  ago  promised  to 
remember  me  in  his  travels,  and  a  second  impor- 
tation was  the  result  of  his  journey  for  me.  I 
think  they  are  behaving  just  as  the  others  are 
which  have  been  so  mvich  longer  with  nie.     The 


A    CURIOUS    DAFFODIL. 


( 


height,  and  is  of  a  fine  reddish 
colour,  and  that  the  fruits  are 
seedless,  but  it  is  easily  pro- 
pagated by  offsets  from  the 
base.  It  was  only  in  1899  that 
clumps  of  it  were  sent  to  the 
Colonial  Garden,  where  they 
produced  numerous  growths  of 
such  robust  habit  that  in  the 
same  year  they  made  very 
ornamental   and   effective  ij 

plants.     The    appreciation    of  * 

this  interesting  novelty  by  the 
jury  at  the  Ghent  show  was 
recorded  by  the  award  of  a 
large  silver  medal  given  to  the 
exhibit. — G.  Schneider.  lil 

Tomato  Earliest  of  " 

All. — No  matter  how  grown,  i 

either  under  glass  or  in  the 
open,theearliestvegetablesare 
always  appreciated,  especially 

if  they  are  of  good  quality.  I  have  given  many 
varieties  of  Tomatoes  a  trial  to  get  early  supplies, 
and  growers  like  myself  have  often  found  that 
those-ealled  the  earliest  are  not  always  so.  There 
is,  however,  no  mistake  that  the  tomato  called 
Sutton's  I'^arliest  of  All  is  riglitly  named  ;  it  is 
unquestionably  the  earliest  red  Tomato  in  culti- 
vation, and  grown  by  the  side  of  other  kinds  its 
free  setting,  even  in  dull  weather,  makes  it  valuable 
for  earliest  supplies.  The  fruits  are  slightly 
corrugated.  I  have  always  noticed  this  tendency 
with  early  kinds,  but  it  is  not  objectionable ;  indeed, 
one  of  the  best  flavoured  Tomatoes  we  grow  may 
be  termed  a  ribbed  fruit.  Unfortunately,  the 
smooth  round  fruits  are  not  free  setters  early  in 
the  year.  For  outdoor  crops  I  do  not  know  of  any 
variety  so  trustworthy  for  early  supplies,  as,  planted 
out  in  May,  ripe  fruits  may  "be  gathered  early  in 
July.  It  is  a  very  heavy  cropper,  and  the  plants 
produce  abundance  of  fruit  of  medium  size  and  a 
bright  red  colour,  the  flavour  being  all  one  may 
wish  for. — G.  Wythes, 


Hybrid     Sunflowers.    At   the    last 

meeting  of  the  Royal  lloiti.Hiltural  Societ\'  I 
heard  it  announced  tliat  a  h\biiil  liad  been  niiseil 
between  Helianthus  rigidua'  and  H.  animus.  It 
will  be  interesting  to  know  whether  it  proves 
perennial.  As  a  rule  hybrids  follow  the  duration 
of  the  shorter  lived  parent  ;  but  1  liave  for  nearlv 
twenty  years  believed  that  the  garden  perennials 
passing  under  the  name  of  H.  multiflorus  art- 
liyljnds  of  If.  decapetalus  and  H.  anuuus.  Then- 
are  at  least  four  varieties  of  H.  multiflorus,  two  ol' 
them  double  and  two  single,  and  as  far  as  I  knou- 
there  is  no  historical  record  of  the  first  appearance 
of  any  of  tliem.  A.sa  Gray  says  that  H.  niulli- 
florus  is  certainly  a  development  by  cultivation  of 
H.  decapetalus,  but  between  the  t}'pe  H.  decape- 
talus and  the  snialle.it  form  of  H.  multiflorus  tliere 
are  many  sizes— so  to  speak— whicli  are  not  repre- 
sented by  any  known  form,  so  that  the  jump  from 
one  to  the  other  seems  unlikely.  Again,  though  I 
have  frequently  asked,  I  have  never  been  able  to 
hear  of  any  fertile  seed  having  been  produced  by 
any  form  to  H.  multiflorus,  though  the  t}'pe 
H.  decapetalus  is  very  fertile  in  seed.  I  regret 
tliat  the  conditions  of  soil  and  climate  in  my 
garden  are  not  favourable  for  experiments  in 
hybrid  Sunflowers.  Closely  allied  forms,  such  as 
H.  rigiduB  and  H.  doronicoides  seem  to  produce 
spontaneous  crosses  freely,  and  a  friend  who  once 
had  a  very  handsome  cross  between  H.  annuus 
and  H.  cuoumerifolius  once  sent  me  a  few  seeds  of 
the  hybrid  from  which  I  raised  about  twelve  plants. 
These  divided  themselves  into  unmistakable 
types  of  H.  annuus  and  H.  cueumerifolius,  two  or 
three  of  the  former  being  double,  but  not  one  of 
them  showed  intermediate  characters. —C.  W  DoD 
Edge  Hall. 

Tulipa    kaufmannlana.  —  This    very 

beautiful  Tulip  is  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  genua 
to  bloom  with  me,  and  this  year  it  has  again 
proved  the  precursor  of  its  sisters,  although  it  is 
not  so  fine  as  usual,  and  looks  as  if  it  needed 
a  rest  and  a  change  of  soil,  which  it  has  not 
had  since  it  was  planted  here  in  1894.  Possibly 
the  severe  frost  at  the  end  of  March  somewhat 
harmed  it,  as  it  was  left  unprotected  by  an 
oversight  while  it  ought  to  have  had  a  glass 
over  it  to  preserve  the  flower  then  in  bud.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  our  Tulip  species,  and 
well  deserved  the  first-class  certificate  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  which  it  received  on 
March  23.  1897.  It  has  well  been  likened  when 
open  to  a  small  Water  Lily,  the  flowers  resembling 
some  of  these  in  their  form  and  colouring.  The 
best  forms  are  very  handsome,  with  their  yellow 
centre,  creamy  white  segments,  backed  with 
carmine-red,  and,  in  some  choice  forms,  with  a 
carmine  zone.  It  produces  flowers  which  in  a  wild 
state  are  said  to  vary  from  pale  pink  to  pale 
rosy  purple.  It  was  one  of  the  finds  of  Albert 
Kegel  ill  Turkestan,  .and  is  quite  hardy,  although 
its  early  habit  of  flowering  calls  for  something 
over  the  flowers  in  bad  weather. — S.  Arnott, 
C'w.telliorii,  hi/  Diimfitet,  N./l. 

Iberis  sismpervirens.— Among  the  many 
ornamental  plants  of  the  natural  order  Cruciferie 
that  bloom  in  spring  and  early  summer,  one  of  the 
most  useful  is  the  evergreen  Candytuft,  with  its 
masses  of  pure  white  flowers  and  dark  green  foliage. 
It  is  equally  good  in  the  front  edge  of  the  flower 
border  or  among  boulders  in  the  rock  garden.  It  is 
also  a  most  accommodating  plant,  for  it  is  one  of 
those  that  for  several  years  can  be  left  untouched, 
the  neat  healthy-looking  cushion  of  dark  green 
leaves  only  spreading  a  little  wider  year  by  year. 
In  course  of  time  the  tuft  will  open  and  show  bare 
stems  and  have  the  appearance  that  our  French 
friends  aptly  describe  as  "  fatigued."  This  we 
must  take  as  the  first  s}'niptom  of  wearing  out, 
when  the  tnft,  which  will  then  be  grown  to  a  large 
size,  should  be  pulled  to  pieces  and  replanted. 
Flowers  are  rare  that  are  of  so  dead  and  solid  a 
quality  of  white.  This  good  plant  blooms  at  the  end 
of  May  when  spring  is  merging  into  early  summer, 
with  theFlorentine  Iris,  and  the  Sno%vdropAnemone 
(A.  sylvestris).  When  we  see  this  good  company 
in  bloom  together  we  know  that  summer  with  its 
wealth  of  flowers  is  at  hand.  Such  a  mixture  of 
plants,  with  the  addition  of  Aubrietia,  is  much  to 


348 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  18,  1901. 


be  recommended  in  any  band-like  space  or  bold 
rockery,  keeping  ihe  Iberis  as  a  general  ground- 
work in  longish  plantings.  The  effect  of  a  roek 
garden  is  often  spoilt  bj'  tlie  plants  being  all 
dwarf ;  an  occasional  bold  departure  in  the  use  of 
something  of  upright  habit,  such  as  one  of  the 
many  beautiful  Irises,  is  much  to  be  desired. 

Lilies  fPOm  seed. — Perhaps  some  reader 
of  The  Garden  can  give  information  on  rather  an 
interesting  point  in  vegetable  plij'sinlogy.  It  hag 
been  asserted  that  the  seeds  of  some  Lilies, 
especially  Ij.  monadelphum,  germinate  under- 
ground, and  that  tlie  young  bulb  goes  on  increasing 
for  thi'ee  or  four  jears  witliout  making  anj'  growth 
above  ground,  until  it  is  nearly  large  enough  to 
rtower.  It  is  a  matter  which  requires  confirmation 
before  it  can  be  accepted  Ijy  scientific  botanists  as 
a  fact. — C.  AV.  DoD. 

Mp.  MacKellaP.  —  The  appointment  of 
Mr.  MacKellar  to  the  control  of  His  Majesty's 
gardens  at  Windsor  calls  to  mind  a  remarkable 
coincidence  that  perhaps  is  not  generallj'  known. 
Mr.  MacKellar,  it  may  lie  noted,  is  a  Scot,  and 
had  hia  earliest  training  in  Scotch  gardens,  in  1874 
passing  from  the  Earl  of  Haddington's  place  to 
Lord  Penrhyn's,  in  Wales,  and  returning  to  Scot- 
land six  years  later  to  take  charge  of  ihe  Duke  of 
Roxburgh's  extensive  gardens  at  Flooi's  Castle, 
where  he  spent  some  ten  years,  and  in  that  time 
brought  to  a  conclusion  many  strnctural  improve- 
ments in  the  glass  department,  concreted  and 
renewed  all  the  Vine  borders,  and  among  other 
good  work  sliowed  how  Crelogyne  ei'istata  ought 
to  be  cultivated.  He  has  been  at  Sandring- 
liam  about  ten  years,  and  the  same  thorough 
overhauling  of  structures  and  high  culture  in 
special  subjects  has  characterised  his  work  there. 
The  curious  thing  is  that  Mr.  MacKellar  is  the 
third  "Royal"  gardener  who  has  gone  in  suc- 
cession from  Floors,  his  predecessor,  Mr.  Knight, 
passing,  after  a  short  stay  at  Mr.  Smith's  place  at 
Henley-on-Thames,  to  the  King  of  the  Belgians  at 
Laeken  ;  and  then  his  immediate  predecessor, 
Mr.  Rose,  who  is  said  to  have  attracted  Queen 
Victoria's  attention  when  on  a  Visit  to  the  Duchess 
of  Roxburgh,  was  transferred  direct  In  Windsor, 
where,  after  a  short  time,  he  was  cut  nif  by  sudden 
illness.  We  still  hear  Mr.  Rose  mentioned  for  the 
wonderful  examples  of  good  Vine  culture  he  pro- 
duced while  in  the  Queen's  sei-vice,  and  many 
gardeners  in  various  parts  of  the  country 
will  remember  him  for  the  kind  interest  he 
displayed  in  the  welfare  of  young  men.  A  charac- 
teristic piece  of  advice  the  writer  still  calls  to 
mind  which  he  gave  to  young  gardeners  at  a 
meeting  held  in  Kelso.  After  enjoining  them  to 
see  all  the  good  gardens  the3'  could,  and  to  bu}' 
all  the  horticultural  works  possible,  he  concluded 
with  the  warning  to  save  and  preserve  intact  t'.5 
for  any  emergency. 

Royal  Gardeneps'  Opphan  Fund. 

— We  are    very    pleased    to    note   that    the    fund 
received  hearty  support  at  the  recent  dinner,  and 
the  secretary  "(Mi.   Wynne)  will  bo   very  glad   to 
receive  any  further  donations.     The  total  amount 
of   subscriptions  was    t:600.     The  chairman's  list 
came    to    £375,    the    following    donations    being 
received:    The    Hon.    W.    F.    D.    Smith,    M.P., 
.")0  guineas;  Messrs.  Rothschild,  2.5  guineas  ;  N.  N. 
Sherwood,  £25  ;  W.  Sherwood,  £5;  Kd.  Sherwood, 
£5 ;     Mrs.    Campbell,    £5 ;     Arthur    Sutton,    25 
guineas ;     Leonard    Sutton,    25    guineas ;     James 
Veitch    and    Sons,    ](»    guineas  ;    H.    ,1.     Veiteh, 
guineas;    Sir  C.    'i'ennant,    £111;    Mrs.    W.    (.!. 
George    P.urt,   £5  ;    ( i.    H.    liichards, 
Me.ssrs.    Dick.sons,    Limited,  Chester, 
May,   £5  ;    Messrs.    Wills  and   Segar, 
the    (lardtntvfi     (.'Itroiiii'U,    Limited, 
C.   U.    Kinniel   and   Co.,    5   guineas; 
A.  H.  Smee,  5  guineas  ;    Thames   liank   Iron   Co., 
.7  guineas  ;  A.  Waterer,  5  guineas  ;  Messrs.  Fisher, 
Son,  and   Sibray,    5   guineas  ;   and    other  sii'ialler 
amounts.       The   friends   connected    with    Coveiit 
(Jarden  Market  together  subscribed  £104  5s.     The 
stewards'  lists  comprised  G.  H.  Cuthbert,  £1G  14s.  ; 
W.    Whitpaine    Nutting,    £9    3s.  ;    H.    Perkins, 
£4     l(Js.    Od.  ;     P.     Knowles,    £10     14s.     4d.  ;    G. 
Reynolds,  £25,  including  £20  from   Mr.    Leopold 
rle    Rothschild  ;    W,    Howe,   5    guineas  ;     J.    F. 


Head,  19  ; 
5  guineas ; 
£5;  H.  B. 
5  guineas  ; 
5  guineas  ; 


McLeod,  £12  2s.  lid.  ;  W.  H.  Cutbush,  £10  7s.  ; 
Harold  (i.  Morris,  £21  lis.;  T.  A\'.  Sanders, 
£5  9s.   lid.  ;  and  R.  Dean,  £7   17s. 

Royal    National    Tulip   Society.— 

A  Tulip  conference  and  the  eighth  annual 
southern  exhibition  will  be  held  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Birmingham  Botanical  and  Horti- 
cultural Society  on  Thursday  next,  in  the 
Botanical  Gardens,  Edgbaston.  "  The  president  is 
the  Rev.  F.  D.  Horner,  M.A.,  Burton-in-Lonsdale, 
and  the  honorary  secretary  is  Mr.  A.  D.  Hall, 
The  College,  Wye,  Kent. 

Hopticultupal  events  next  week.— 

Next  week  is  a  very  busy  one  in  horticultural 
circles.  On  Tuesda}'  evening  the  dinner  of  the 
Kew  Guild  takes  place,  under  the  chairmanship 
of  Sir  W.  Thisel  ton -Dyer,  Wednesday  is  the 
first  day  of  the  Temple  show  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society,  and  in  the  evening  there  is  the 
annual  festival  dinner  of  the  Gardeners'  Royal 
Eenerolent  Institution,  while  there  are  other 
minor  fixtures. 

Tpiteleia  uniflopa.— It  is  a  pity  that  this 
free-blooming  early  spring  bulb  is  not  more  grown. 
Every  lover  of  spring  flowers  should  know  it.  In 
groups,  in  company  with  the  early  Scillas,  it  is 
beautiful — the  colour  goes  so  well  with  the  blue 
of  the  Scillas.  I  have  been  impressed  with  its 
value  more  than  ever  this  spring  through  seeing  a 
large  patch  at  the  fool  of  a  wall,  growing  on  the 
top  of  the  roots  of  a  Tea  Rose,  and  I  pass  it  every 
day.  It  has  been  in  this  position  for  eight  or  nine 
years,  and  lilooms  well  ever}'  spring.  I  counted 
upwards  of  100  blooms  open  at  one  time  on  a  patch 
not  more  than  2  feet  across.  It  is  not  at  all 
particular  as  to  soil  if  not  too  lieavy.  li  is  to  be 
recommended  for  growing  in  pots,  for  earlj'  work, 
or  in  cold  frames. — T.  Crook,  Fordc  Alley 
Gardens,  CItard. 

Myosotis  dissitiflopa  gpowing  on 

gpassy  banks. — Some  time  ago  several  notes 
appeared  in  TitE  Garden  regarding  plants  that 
make  a  good  display  on  grassy  banks.  I  do  not 
remember  seeing  this  fine  Forget-me-not  mentioned. 
This  Myosotis  is  associated  closely  with  the  late 
Mr.  D.  T.  Fish,  and  those  of  us  who  can  go  back 
thirty  or  forty  j'ears  remember  how  well  he  grew 
it.  I  venture  to  say  tlierc  are  few  who  will  disagree 
with  me  in  saying  it  is  the  best  of  them  all. 
I  admit  it  is  a  little  tender,  but  this  is  overcome 
by  .selecting  a  good  home  for  it  in  a  sheltered  spot, 
wliich  I  have  done  for  several  years  on  a  sunny  bank, 
sheltered  by  high  shrubs  from  the  east  and  open  to 
the  west.  The  bank  is  somewhat  drj'and  the  grass 
on  it  scarcely  grows,  hence  it  thrives  amazingl}', 
and  gives  a  glorious  piece  of  colour  everj'  spring. 
It  has  been  in  its  present  place  three  years  and  not 
needed  replanting.  Early  Scillas,  Snowdrops,  &e., 
give  colour  previously,  and  things  growing  thus 
look  most  natural. — ,J.  Crook. 

The  late  Mp.  Michael  Davis  and 
the  Manpesa  "Vine  at  Roehampton. 

— May  I  claim  the  privilege  of  sincerely  tlianking 
you  for  the  eulogium  justly  passed  in  j'our  recent 
obituary  notice  of  this  excellent  gardener,  and,  by 
way  of  supplement,  crave  a  little  space  to  pay  a 
passing  and  deserved  further  tribute  to  one  whom 
I  knew  intimately,  and,  in  so  doing,  to  refer — a 
little  in  detail — to  that  which  made  him  justly 
famous  in  the  horticultui'al  world,  as  being  the 
raiser  of  the  celebrated  Manresa  Vine.  Firstly,  a 
few  words  on  the  man  himself.  You  justly 
characterise  him  as  "a  greathearted  Irishman." 
He  possessed  all  the  geniality  of  his  race,  combined 
with  true  modesty.  That  was  a  great  day  for 
Micliacl  Davis  when  M.  Paderewski  visited,  aliout 
a  year  ago,  the  beautifully-situated  gardens  of  the 
Jesuit  College,  Manresa  Hoiise,  Roehampton,  to 
inspect— as  many  other  great  men  and  women 
have  done — the  celebrated  Vine,  and  then  adjourned 
to  Mr.  Davis's  house,  and  sitting  down  to  tlie 
piano  played  many  selections.  As  to  tlie  \'iiie  : 
It  was  planted  against  an  outside  wall  in  the 
kitchen  garden,  for  tlie  purpose  of  obtaining 
leaves  for  garnishing.  A  portion  of  the  wall 
against  which  it  grew  was  removed,  and  a  vinery 
70  feet  in  lengtli  and  11  feet  in  width  was  erected 
over  it.  This  was  finished  in  October,  1S70.  At 
the  end  of  two  years  the  Vine  liad  grown  so  mucji 


that  the  liouse  was  extended  to  its  present  length 
— 224  feet.  Only  a  short  time  ago  Mr.  Davis 
wrote  me  a  letter  (which  I  shall  always  cherish), 
and  in  it,  referring  to  the  Vine,  he  remarks : 
"The  number  of  bunches  last  year  (19011)  was 
740  ;  weight,  S401bs.  I  have  kept  an  account  for 
nine  years  of  the  weight  of  Grapes  taken  from  it, 
which  amounts  to  9,1411bs."  The  following  notes 
give  one  an  idea  of  the  .size  of  the  Vine.  If  all  the 
rods  were  (jut  ofl'and  placed  in  a  line,  they  would 
extend  to  a  distance  of  1,,S65  feet,  or  over  a 
cjuarter  of  a  mile.  It  is  covered  by  ;1,S25  square 
feet  of  glass,  whereas  2,200  feet  sutiice  for  that  at 
Hampton  Court.  It  is  not,  therefore,  surprising 
that  the  Hampton  Court  Vine  lias  been  coinpelleil 
at  last  to  surrender  the  championship.  It  is 
very  pleasant  to  hear  that  Mr.  Davis  is  succeeded 
in  the  charge  of  the  gardens  over  which  he  so  ably 
jjresided  for  the  very  lengthened  period  of  more 
than  forty  years  by  one  of  his  sons. — Quo. 

BlandfOPdia  nobilis  — As  far  as  indi- 
vidual blooms  arc  concerned  this  is  by  no  means 
the  showiest  of  the  Blandfordias,  yet  it  is  one  of 
the  least  exacting  in  its  cultural  recjuirements,  and 
flowers  so  freely  with  ordinarj'  greenhouse  treat- 
ment that  it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  valuable 
member  of  the  genus.  It  forms  n.atur.ally  a  tuft 
of  grass-like  leaves,  firm  in  texture,  and  reaching 
a  height  of  a  foot  or  thereabouts,  while  the  erect 
flower  scape,  which  well  overtops  the  foliage,  bears 
on  its  upper  part  from  ten  to  twenty  charming 
blossoms.  They  are  of  an  elongated  bell-shape, 
orange,  deepl}'  flushed  with  red,  but  paler  at  Ihi' 
mouth,  and  remain  fresh  from  ten  days  to  a 
fortnight.  The  most  suitable  compost  for  the 
Blandfordias  is  equal  parts  of  loam  and  peat,  with 
a  liberal  sprinkling  of  silver  sand.  Potted  in  this 
and  given  much  the  same  treatment  as  a  Pelargo- 
nium, Blandfordia  nobilis  will  grow  and  flower 
freely.  The  best  time  of  the  year  for  repotting  is 
directly  tlie  flowers  fade,  as  tlie  roots  being  then 
active  the}'  quickly  take  hold  of  the  new  soil. 
Thorougli  drainage  is  necessary,  for  stagnant, 
moisture  is  very  detrimental  to  their  well  doing, 
yet  they  need  to  be  freely  watered  during  the 
growing  season.  In  the  winter,  however,  the  soil 
will  only  require  to  be  kept  fairly  moist.  Those 
with  large  and  more  massive  blossoms,  such  as 
B.  Cunningh.ami,  B.  flammea,  and  B.  princeps, 
form  fewer  and  stouter  roots  than  B.  nol^ilis,  ami 
they  also  resent  disturbance  to  a  greater  extent. 
For  this  reason  B.  nobilis  is  more  readily  increasetl 
by  division  than  they  are,  though  even  in  this  case 
the  operation  must  be  carefull}'  done.  For  the 
amateur  with  but  a  single  greenhouse  this  last 
named  lias  much  to  commend  it,  as  it  can  be 
depended  upon  to  flower  well  without  any  special 
treatment.  The  Blandfordias  are  all  natives  of 
Australia,  and  form  one  of  the  showiest  groups  of 
the  smaller  lilaccous  plants  which  occur  on  that 
continent. — H.  P. 

Clivia    miniata  citpina.— Accustomed 

as  we  are  to  see  the  different  forms  of  Clivia 
miniata  with  flowers  of  an  orange  or  salmon  red 
tint,  without  any  marked  divergence  from  the 
typical  kind,  this  variety,  from  its  distinct  appear- 
ance, at  once  arrests  attention.  In  this  the  colour 
of  the  flower  is  a  pale  cream  or  straw,  tinged  in 
the  centre  with  orange.  In  all  other  respects  it  is 
a  counterpart  of  the  type.  This  variet}',  which 
first  flowered  in  tliis  country  in  1S97,  is  a  native  of 
Zululand,  and  probably  with  the  opening  up  of 
that  district  it  may  liecome  more  common,  for  at 
present  it  is  very  rare.  A  good  specimen  is  just 
now  ill  flower  in  the  T  range  at  Kew,  where  it  has 
liloomed  for  the  last  two  or  three  years,  but  it 
does  not  appear  to  be  in  commerce  yet :  indeed, 
we  may  have  to  wait  some  time  for  this,  though 
if  it  comes  true  from  seed  the  period  may  he 
shortened.  Apart  from  its  own  intrinsic  merit,  it 
may  also  prove  of  considerable  advantage  to  the 
hybridist  in  the  production  of  new  and  distinct 
varieties. — H.  P. 

Bpcwallia  speciosa  majop.— Spring, 

summer,  autumn,  or  winter,  all  seem  alike  to  this 
pretty  Colombian  flowering  plant,  which,  given 
the  temperature  of  an  intermediate  house,  will 
bloom  nearly  throughout  the  year.  It  is  a  free- 
growing  subject,  and  as   neat,  profusely  branched 


May  Is,  1901. 


THE    GAUDEN. 


M9 


bushes  about  IS  inches  high,  i.s  very  effective 
for  various  decorative  purposes.  The  flowers  have 
a  tube  over  I  inch  long,  and  a  spreading  mouth, 
which  is  divided  into  five  segments.  The  colour 
is  a  rich  violet-blue  when  first  expanded,  but 
afterwards  the  blossoms  become  paler  and  also 
increase  in  size.  This  Browallia  is  very  readily 
increased  either  by  means  of  seeds  or  cuttings, 
for  these  last  strike  as  readily  a.s  a  Fuchsia.  A 
most  characteristic  illustration  of  this  charnung 
Browallia  was  given  in  the  present  volume  of  The 
Harden,  page  "29.  There  are  other  species,  but 
this  is  as  far  as  I  know  the  showiest  member  of 
the  genus. — T. 

Lithospermum     purpupo  -  ccbpu  - 

leum. — The  Lithospermunis  or  (Tromwells  seem 
as  if  thej'  were  to  assume  a  more  prominent  place 
in  our  gardens  than  they  have  done  for  some  time. 
At  least  this  is  what  one  augurs  from  the  way  in 
which  the  members  of  the  trade  are  giving  them 
increased  prominence.  Several  new  .species  have 
been  introduced  of  late,  and  the  older  aspirants  for 
our  favour  are  being  more  appreciated.  It  will 
thus  be  a  pity  if  our  native  Lithospermum  purpiiro- 
creruleum  should  tail  to  have  anything  said  in  its 
favour.  It  has,  unfortunately,  the  fault  that  it 
does  not  always  flower  in  gardens  unless  we  check 
its  desire  to  increase  by  sending  out  long  runners 
which  seem  to  take  from  the  plant  its  ability  to 
flower,  so  that  these  must  be  pinched  off  if  wo  are 
to  have  bloom.  This  should  be  done  as  soon  as  they 
make  a  little  growth,  in  order  that  the  sli'ength 
may  be  thrown  into  the  flowering  crowns.  If  this 
is  attended  to  one  will  be  well  rewarded  with  its 
clusters  of  deep  blue-purple  flowers  in  May.  It 
also  prefers  a  chalky  soil,  where  its  brilliant,  yet 
deep,  colouring  seems  intensified.  It  is  not  so 
dwarf  as  soiue,  but  a  height  of  about  a  foot  is  not 
excessive  even  tor  the  rock  garden. — S.  Arnott. 

Carnation  Belle  Rose. —  This  fine  tree 

Carnation  does  not  seem  to  be  so  generally  grown 
as  formerly.  Probably  its  tendency  to  die  ofl 
suddenly  in  winter  in  the  same  way  as  Miss  .ToliHe 
does  has  rendered  it  unpopular.  Despite  this 
drawljack,  however,  it  is,  I  consider,  indispensal)lc 
where  Carnations  in  quo.ntity  are  rccjuired  during 
winter.  No  other  variety  that  I  am  acquainted 
with  grows  or  flowers  as  freely.  The  finest  lot  of 
plants  I  ever  saw  were  grown  in  a  Kentish  garden, 
in  a  mixture  of  three  parts  rather  strong  fibrous 
loam,  and  one  part  leaf-mould  and  coarse  sand  or 
grit,  a  compost  that  will  grow  tree  Carnations  to 
perfection,  without  the  addition  of  manure.  The 
plants  referred  to  occupied  8-inch  pots,  and  during 
.summer  were  placed  in  a  sunny  position  out  of 
doors  and  carefully  watered,  especially  in  wet 
weather.  Karly  in  October  they  were  in  a  low, 
light,  airy  house,  where  they  prodaeed  hundreds 
of  their  bright  red,  prettily  fringed,  sweet-scented 
flowers  throughout  the  winter  and  spring.  The 
flowers  are  borne  on  long,  stiff"  stems,  and  are 
admirably  adapted  for  bouquets,  button-holes,  and 
dinner  table  decoration.  Mr.  Taylor,  of  Grape 
growing  fame,  when  gardener  at  Longleat  used  to 
grow  Belle  Rose  to  perfection.  The  large  bushy 
plants  were  loaded  with  bloom,  and  as  he  practised 
disbudding  the  flowers  were  of  large  size  and 
substance.  I  think  many  failures  with  tree 
Carnations  are  due  to  the  use  of  manure  in  the 
soil. — J.  Ck.4\vford. 

CorydaliS  Halleri.— This  little  Fumitory 
has  been  looking  unusuallj'  well  this  season,  and  a 
longer  acquaintance  with  it  and  seeing  it  now  in  a 
larger  state  make  one  modify  a  rather  unfavour- 
able opinion  formed  when  the  plant  was  small  and 
the  heads  of  bloom  few.  Now  that  it  has  grown 
larger  and  shows  more  bloom,  one  finds  it  gro^^•  in 
favour,  especially  when  seen  against  the  carpet  of 
dwarf  greenery  on  the  rockery  on  which  it  grows. 
If  I  remember  correctly,  I  bought  it  because  it 
was  described  as  "  blue."  Thi.s  it  certainly  is  not, 
thougli  I  should  be  puzzled  were  J  to  be  called 
upon  to  describe  its  hues  in  set  terms.  Probably 
I  couid  best  describe  it  as  a  C.  bulbosa  with  all  its 
colouring  consideralily  deepened  and  improved.  It 
is,  indeed,  referred  to  as  C.  bulbosa  by  the  "  Index 
Kewensis,"  but  gardeners  will  be  satisfied  that  it 
is  a  plant  worth  a  distinct  name,  even  it  we  only 
call  it  C.  bulbosa  var.  Halleri.     It  blooms  earlier 


here  than  the  typical  bulbosa  or  its  white  form, 
and  is  in  full  flower  when  the  others  have  not 
opened  a  flower.  It  flowered  early  in  March  this 
season.  It  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  I  see  from  the 
label  that  I  had  it  from  Mr.  Van  Tubergen  in 
1S07.  My  expsrience  of  this  year  is  decidedly 
gratifying,  and  one  likes  to  do  justice  to  a  flower 
one  has  formerly  held  in  but  little  regard.— S. 
Arnott,  Carxethorn,  hij  Dumfries,  N.B. 


THE     FERN     GARDEN 


HARDY     FERNS. 

Bleohnum   Spicant  {The  Hard  Fern). 

WE  carefully  abstain  from  calling 
this  species  Lomaria,  because  its 
form  of  fructification  —  which 
determines  the  species — is  that 
of  Blechnum,  differing  from  that 
of  Lomaria  in  the  fact  that  each 
line  of  spore  heaps  has  a  special  independent 
membranous  cover  springing  from  well  inside  the 
edge  of  the  pinn:e,  while  in  Lomaria  the  pinn» 
edge  itself  forms  the  cover  by  rolling  backwards. 
As  a  very  cursory  e.xamination  determines  this, 
and  scientific  botanists  themselves  have  separated 
the  two  genera  for  the  reason  stated,  it  is  a  curious 
anomaly  that  the  name  Lomaria  should  be  adopted. 
Blechnum  spicant  is  a  solitary  species  of  the  genus 
in  Great  Britain,  and  has  earned  the  name  of  Hard 
Fern  by  the  tough  leathery  texture  of  its  intensely 
dark  green  fronds.  These  are  normally  once 
divided  like  two  blunt  and  widely  toothed  combs 
set  back  to  back ;  a  further  and  unmistakable 
characteristic  is  that  two  kinds  of  fronds  are 
produced  fertile  and  barren,  the  former  being  erect 
and  longer  than  the  other,  and  the  pinn*  much 
narrower,  only  wide  enough  indeed  to  Ijear  the 
twin  lines  of  spore  heaps  witli  the  midrib  between 
and  the  indusia  or  covers.  In  favourable  situations 
the  plant  assumes  fairly  large  proportions,  the 
liarren  fronds  as  much  as  2  feet  long  and  the  fertile 
ones  little  short  of  3  feet  high.  It  dislikes  lime, 
and  revels  in  a  loose  damp  leafy  or  peaty  soil, 
though  thriving  also  in  a  smaller  form  in  friable 
loam  alone.  Damp  hedge  banks,  ditch  and  stream 
sides,  and  shady  woody  slopes  are  its  pet  abiding 
places  ;  it  also  loves  moorland,  and  is  there  found 
in  quantity  associated  with  Heather  and  Laslrea 
montana.  It  is  perfectly  evergreen ,  but  under  culture 
its  dislike  of  lime  must  be  remembered,  and  hard 
water  sedulously  avoided.  The  two  types  of  fronds 
are  maintained  in  all  its  varieties  but  anomalum, 
not  rare  in  hilly  districts,  which  apes  its  foreign 
relatives  by  bearing  spores  on  uncontracted  fronds, 
and  thus  lodges  an  additional  protest  against  the 
Lomaria  christening.  It  is  not  difficult  to  raise 
from  spores,  and  the  progeny  come,  as  a  rule, 
peculiarly  true,  hence  most  of  the  forms  listed  are 
wild  finds.  The  species  is  very  widely  distributed 
over  the  British  Isles,  and  attains  a  high  elevation 
on  the  mountains.  Its  chief  antipathies  are 
drought,  aerial  or  terrestrial,  and  hard  water, 
m.  Finder  or 

Name.  rrL,!,!      Raiser  and  Description, 

i'ouna.  jjjjg^ 

aitkinianura    Co.  Clare     A.  Stansfleld  A     wide      spreading 

ramose  projeetum 
anomalum  . .  Vai-ious    . .  Various   . .  Fronds  all  fertile  but 

little   if  at  all  con- 
tracted, 
anomalum       Kydal      . .  'W.  Crouch  The  same  crested. 

multilldum  (1867) 

helium        ..  Hutton         .).  ,T.  .Tones   Normal      outline, 

Root  (1864)  neater  cutting, 

conciunum      Simons-        CM'.  DrueryPinnw     like    serrate 

Drnery  bath  (1881)  scallop  shells. 

confUiens    . .  Gap      of      C.  T.  Druery?'rond   tips  confluent 

Dunloe  (1892)  and  crispate. 

congestum  . ,  Wastdalc..  Crouch     ..  Dense  congested. 

(1876) 
contractum     \  arious    ..  A'arious    ..  Bottom     of    frond 

merely  evenly  lobed. 
crenato  con-  Fatterdale    W.  Forster  Pinn.-e    congested, 

gestuni  ovate  and  crenate. 

crispum  Langdale..  Barnes     ..  Pinna;    broad    and 

(1872)  crispy.  ■ 

„  Blawith        Mrs.Wilson  ,,  ,, 

Moor  (1800) 

crispissinum  ..  Hartley(r.)  A     dwarf     congested 


ciistatum 


Various    ..  Fro  nds  mul  tif  i  d  ly 
crested. 


Sautr. 


Where 
Found , 


Finder  or 

Raiser  and.  fJescriplion. 

Dale. 
Huddart  ..  I'"iiiely  crested. 


cristatinii         W'lndei-- 
lludilart  mere 

cri.'slatuni  Miss     I'ai'-  Very    neatly    crested, 

llarrand;!'  raud  (181)2)    pinn;c  sulj-crested. 

cristato-  Ktd   llatik    Crouch  Narrow  and  creste'I. 

gracilc  (186.5) 

rruciato-pln-  ..  I'V-rstcr  (r. )  Very  fine  and  foliosc, 

niosnm  with  cruciate   divi- 

sions. 
Mahell.'ituni      llclnisley.Munknian     A    fan  •  shaped    raiuo- 
(186ft)  cristatuni  branching 

from  base, 
gloiiieratuni  .Maunder(r.)A       dwarf       densely 

(1878)  crested  mass, 

imbricatum     take  Bank   Mrs.  Hodg- Congested,    pinnae 

son  (1870)      overlap, 
imbricato-       Todraorden  Ualstead..  Congested  and  erect. 

erectuni 
lincarc  Witlierslack  Barnes    ..   h'ronds    nari'ow    and 

(1862)  almost      strap. like, 

most  distinct. 
Maunderii  ..  ..         .S>«  glomeratum. 

nuiltifiduni      Various    . .   Various   . .  .Sec      cristatuni     and 

polydactylum. 
uuiltifurca-      Langdale..  B.-inies     ..  Pinnfc  slender,  fronds 
turn  (triner-  end  in  radiate  spiky 

vio-coronans)  crests ;    rarely     the 

two  basal  lobes  are 
lengthened  and 
crested,  hence  the 
second  name, 
paradoxuni..  Bainsdale  Whitwell..  No  beauty  but  unique, 
(1877)  having    a     third 

row  of  pinna3  like  a 
perch's  back  fin. 
parviceps    . ,  Ronstead     Mrs.  Hodg-  Small  stellato  crests. 

Gates  son  (1868) 

pluniosum  ..  Airey  (r.). ,   A     thrice     divided 

grand  form, 
polydactylum  A'iirious    ..   Various    ..  .'^'er    cristatuni  and 

mnUifldum. 
ramo-crista-    KidMelly-,   .Maunder   .  Iiwarf    coryinbiferous 
tuni  11876)  crests. 

,,  Scotland  ..  Forster    ..    Kine  foliose  ranio-cris- 

Furster  tate  form. 

ramo-cvista-    Ireland    ..    Ivinahaii..  Ramo-cristatc   and 

turaKinahan  twisted,  pinnai  sul»- 

rauio-crista-  cristate. 

tuni  Sinclair  StrathblaneSinclnii-  . .   A  fine  flat  ramo-crista- 

tuin 
ranio-niultili-  ('rook       ..  iMrs. Hartley  llamose  and  crested, 
dum  (1864) 

,,  ,,  Robinson . .  ,,  ,, 

(is7:i) 
seniilaccMiini    Winder-        .\ircy        ..    .Nearly  Itipinnatc. 

Airey  mere 

senatnm     ..   N.Wales,.  .1.  Clifc    ..  Piniri' serrate. 
(186S) 
,,  ..  Airey        ..   Piiiirc      deeply     cut, 

Airey  No.  1.  parent     ef    plumo- 

suni. 
serratum  ..  ,,    (r.)..  .'t'?c  plumosuiii. 

Airey  No.  2. 
strictuni      . .   ^'al■ious    . .    Narious  . .   Lower    half   of    frond 

reduced  to  round 
lobes,  usually  ser- 
rate, and  pinna? 
rather  narrow, 
stricto-con-  Cvouk  ..  Barnes  .  Narrowed  like  con- 
cinnum  (IS65)  cinnum,     but     less 

serrated, 
subserratiun    'I'odmorden  A.  Stansfield  Pinn.-c  curved    rc- 
(186U)  gularly        upwards, 

.Vew  Forest  F.  H    Stans-    and   deeply   cut  on 
field  lower  halves, 

trinervium  . .  Common  in  W.H.Phillips  Basal         piuna^ 
someparts    and  others    lengthened     and 
pinnate. 
,,  Kirkley        Mrs.  Hodg.  Basal  lobes  developed 

Hodgson  Moor  son  into  fronds  forming 

a  trident, 
trinervio-cor-  . .  See  multifurcatum. 

mans 

Lastkea  ce.mula. 
(The  Hay-scented  Fern.) 
A  small  grower,  with  pretty  crispy  pinnules  and 
a  bunchy  caudex.  One  of  our  prettiest  native 
Ferns  in  its  normal  form  and  evergreen ;  its  fronds, 
when  dying  off',  if  gathered,  have  and  retain  a 
strong  scent  of  Hay  or  rather  Tonquin  Bean.  The 
onlj'  really  good  variet}'  is  L.  a",  cristata,  found 
in  North  Devon  by  W.  Gill,  and  prettily  and 
thoroughly  crested. 

Lastkea  .Montana  (orboptekis). 

(The   Mountain   Buckler   Fern.) 

Tliis  species  is  very  abundant  on  hillsides  in 
mountain  districts,  but  is  also  found  in  the  low- 
lands in  moist,  loamy  situations.  Superficially  it 
resembles  the  male  Fern,  but  differs  in  that  the 
pinna'  commence  quite  at  the  base  of  the  frond 
stalk  with  simpl}'  rounded  lobes  ;  the  fronds  are 
bipinnate,  of  a  light  green,  and  it  passed  through 
tlie  hand  give  off  a  remarkably  Lemon-like  scent 
(luitc  peculiar  to  itself  :  its  spore  heaps,  too,  arc 


350 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  lis,  1901. 


extremely  small,  and  indusia  hardly  visible.  For 
many  years  it  had  a  reputation  for  peculiar  con- 
stancy, but  eventually  ita  versatility  came  to  light, 
and  it  far  and  away  excelled  the  rest  of  the  genus 
in  the  sports  it  yielded  to  persistent  hunters, 
Mr.  J.  i\l.  Barnes  in  particular.  The  great 
majority  were  found  in  the  Lake  District,  but 
this  is  due,  in  our  opinion,  to  the  residence 
there  of  more  persevering  and  experienced 
hunters,  as  one  of  the  finest  crested  forms  fell 
to  our  own  lot  in  Devonshire  where  it  is  far  less 
abundant.  Varieties  in  this  species  are  seldom 
"roguish,"  as  in  the  male  Ferns,  I.e.,  partial  and 
inconstant. 


XaTne. 

attenuato 
cristata 
Barn  e  si  i 


Where 
Found. 


Finiicr  or 
lia'Ser  and  Description. 

Date. 
JIarilale  ..  .1.  M.  Barnesi'iiuclate  and  crested, 
(isor.) 

,,  A     most     remarkable 

iiiuiuw  foriu,  with 
p  i  II  n  ;p  set  step 
la  sliiuii  o  11  the 
fronds ;  one  of  the 
uniques  when  fmind 
)>ut  sulisei|iieiitly 
closely  matched  hy 
others, 
angustifrons  Patterdale  G.  AVhitwell  !?iinilar  to  Jlarnesii. 
breviloba    ..   Mardale..  .T.  M.  Barnes  Pinnules     evenly    re- 

(1S64)  diiced. 

aogusta       ..  Staveley  ..  .T.Westlake  ,,  ,, 

apua?forniis  .  Rwindale..  J. M. Barnes  Multifid.raniosehead. 

(ISOd) 
caudato  oris-  Ilydal  Head  Crouch     ..  (.'audatc,  small  crests. 

tata  (1S03) 

caudata       ..   .Mardale  ..  .1.  K.  Ilody;-  Caudate  terminals. 

.son  (186S) 
cuucinnata  . .   Loughri^ii    Crouch     . .   A  form  of  revulven.s. 
(.S'eerevolvens)  (1860) 

congesta      ..  Langdale..  .1. M. Barnes  Densely  foliosc. 
(187y) 
,,  Various    ..  \'arious    ..  All  •i'-"^d  forms, 

coronans     ..  Langdale..  J. M. Barnes  A     .splendid     crested 

(187-2)  form, 

corymbifera    Grasnierc  J.   Garnctt  Bunch-crcsLcd. 

(ISSD) 
crispatissinia  Troutbeck    .1.  Gott     ..  Very  dense  andcri-siiy. 

(ISSO) 
crispata      ..  Clougha  ..  .T.Stewart-  <'risiiate. 

son 
crispa  ..  FuniessKcll.l.M. Barnes  I'ndulale  [linnulrs. 

(I80i.) 
,,  Hell  C'oniston  ..  Bell  ,,  ,, 

(l,S8n) 
crispo  anirus-  Patterdale   W.  FursLer  Narrow  crispy. 

tata 
crispocon-       Cuni->ton  .     .I.M. Barnes, Dense  crispy. 

gesta  jun. 

cristataangus-  ..  J. M. Barnes  Nari'ow  fine  crested. 

tata.  (r.) 

cristato  N.  I>evon..  C.T.Druery  Slender      and      finely 

gracile  (1888)  ta.ssellcd. 

cristata       ..  Westmore-  .1  M.Barnes  Finely  crested  form, 
land  (1S71) 

,,  Monmouth  T.H. Thomas  Crested, 

curta  ..   Wyresdale   Hartley    ..    Fronds  erect  narrow, 

(1879)  very  pretty, 

curvata        ..   Farleton       J.J.Jones..  Pinna?  deflexed,  frond 
Knots  (1863)  attenuate. 

,,  Garsdale  ..  .F.M.Barnes  Pin  n:c     deflexed, 

(1866)  robust. 

Coniaton..  G.Whitwell Similar. 
(1887) 
decuixens    ..  Garsdale..  J.M.Banies  Pinnules  decurrenl. 
grandiceps  . .  Barnes  (r.)   Heavily  tasselled. 

,,  Martindale  Smithers  . .  Branching         and 

(1886)  crested, 

plumosa       ..  Little  Lang-T.  Airey     ,   True    plumosunis, 
dale  grand  varieties. 

Patterfell     G.Whitwell  Foliose  finely  cut. 
polydactyla      Various    ..  Various   ..  Terminals       many 

pointed, 
ramo-coro-  ..  Barnes  (r.)  Branched  and  crested. 

nans 
ramo-cristala  ..  ,,      (r.)  ,,  ,, 

revolvens    . .  . .  See  concinnata. 

truncata      ..   Many       ..   Many        ..   All  terminals  truncate 

and  horned,  curious 
but  worth    having ; 
should      be      called 
"  excurrens." 
furcillata    ..    Krostrow..  G.Whitwell  Furcillate  tips. 

(1879) 
niifera         . .  ,.  J.Wiper(r.)  Mostremarkableform, 

pinnules  deeply  in- 
cised with  long 
attenuate  points, 
bulbiferous  at  base, 
gracilis       ..  Hawksbead  .1.  Wiper  .,   Finely     incised      pin- 

(1889)  nules. 

latifolium   .,   Cautley    ,.  G.Whitwell  Broad       frondcd. 

(1S82)  robust, 

rcflexa         ..  Coniston  . .  .(.Steward-   Pinnjc  like  ringlets. 

son  (1881) 
Biraplex       ..   Mardale    .  J. M.Iiarnes  PiniiK-  simple,   resem- 

(18G7)  liIcsP.  vulgare. 

slricta-Whit-  Cautley    .,  G.Whitwell  Fronds    very   narrow, 
well  (188*2) 

C.  T.  Drujcry. 


TREES  AND   SHRUBS. 

THE   HAMMOCK   UNDER 
THE   OAKS. 

WK  came  home  on  the  "J/tli  of 
March.  It  was  a  dull  day,  raw 
and  cold,  and  there  were  few 
plants  in  bloom.  Only  the  earl3' 
Jasmine  greeted  us  with  hun- 
dreds of  little  sunny  flowers  like 
smiles,  and  the  graceful  Bush  Honej-suckles  wafted 
us  a  welcome  even  more  delightful. 

The  trees  were  leafless,  and  only  the  grass  was 
green.  But  we  were  not  disappointed,  because  we 
wanted  to  arrive  before  Nature's  spring  opening, 
so  as  to  miss  none  of  it.  For  several  daj's  it 
rained  soft  April  showers  full  of  promise.  It  was 
exciting  to  dash  out  between  the  drops,  and  come 
back  with  fresh  now.i  of  bursting  blossom  buds  and 
growing  leafage.  Every  hour  brought  new  arrivals 
from  the  underground  railwaj'.  Then  oame  a  day 
when  the  sun  shone  and  everything  bloomed  at 
once,  or  so  it  seemed.  The  Almonds,  the  Nec- 
tarines, and  the  Apricots  flowered  witliin  a  few 
hours  of  each  other.  First  the  Almonds,  then  the 
Nectarines,  and  then  the  Apricots. 

But  earlier  than  these  by  half  a  day  were  the 
Plums,  a  little  grove  of  them,  all  sprung  from  one 
ancient  mother  Plum  te  the  south  of  the  main 
building  ajid  in  front  of  the  kitchen  wing.  No 
one  knows  anything  of  the  origin  of  this  Plum. 
She  is  a  fair  white  stranger  still,  and  nameless,  as 
she  stands  in  bridal  veil  and  renewed  youth  and 
loveliness  every  April,  bride  like,  thoiigh  it  is 
more  probably  her  golden  wedding  day  that  she 
is  celebrating  now,  with  all  her  pretty  children 
and  grandchildren  clustering  round  her.  AVould 
that  it  were  possible  for  "  mere  mortals  "  to  grow 
old  so  gracefully. 

^Vhen  my  mother  came  to  this  place  to  live  long 
years  ago  on  an  April  day  like  this  one,  and  when 
I  was  a  ver3'  little  girl,  the  beautiful  Plum  tree, 
then  in  full  vigour  of  her  earlj'  maturity,  stood  as 
she  stands  to-day  in  soft  white  wedding  garments, 
and  seemed  to  wave  us  a  welcome  to  the  garden, 
already  old.  I  can  just  remember  the  outline  of 
her  branches,  tossing  against  the  faint  bine  sky, 
and  Iiow  I  sat  on  the  ground  beneath,  to  let  the 
Plum  snow  drift  down  and  fleck  with  its  whiteness 
the  pink  cambric  frock  I  wore.  In  all  the  years 
that  have  passed  since  then  her  name  has 
remained  a  mystery.  I  once  sent  some  of  the 
bloom  of  this  tree  to  a  noted  botanist,  but 
he  could  not  identify  it.  I  onlj'  know  that  it 
blooms  before  any  fruit  tree  planted  here.  It 
does  not  bear  Plums,  though  it  seems  perfectly 
healthy.  Perhaps  we  shall  obtain  fruit  from  the 
young  ones,  that  are  now,  some  of  them,  almost  as 
tall  as  their  mother. 

Plum  bloom  fades  in  a  few  days,  and  the  bloom 
of  Nectarines,  which  is  similar,  shares  this  evanes- 
cence. This,  too,  has  now  passed  away,  while 
the  Almond  and  Apricot  blossoms  are  still  fresh. 

A  group  of  all  these  fruit  trees  is  planted  in 
front  of  the  ice  house  as  a  sereen.  The  ice  house 
is  parallel  to  the  kitchen  wing,  and  separated 
from  it  by  the  length  of  the  poultrj'  j'ard.  The 
two  Almond  trees  have  very  large  flowers  of  bright 
fresh  colour,  with  deep  rose-coloured  stamens. 

One  of  the  Apricots  has  blossoms  of  a  pretty 
shade  of  bright  pink,  like  the  pink  of  a  wild  Rose, 
the  other  is  a  diti'erent  variety  witli  smaller  and 
deeper  tinted  flowers.  The  liloom  of  the  Nec- 
tarines is  pxire  white.  The  effect  of  tliis  group  of 
little  trees,  all  in  full  flower  at  once,  was  delicate 
and  charming. 

This  is  the  most  enchanting  time  of  the  year, 
the  fortnight  or  so  in  April,  when  the  trees  seem 
to  have  foliage  of  flowers,  and  the  birds  choose  it 
wiselj'  for  their  honeymoon,  and  .sing  all  day  long 
in  fine  youthful  rapture  that  they  lose  too  soon. 

Oh  I  to  spend  one  of  these  exquisite  mornings  in  a 
Cherry  grove  in  far  Japan.  Here,  in  America,  we 
are  only  tyros  in  the  cult  of  flowering  fnnt  trees 
for  pure  ornament.  In  Japan  they  know  how  to 
enjo3'  to  the  full  the  witchery  of  April  days.  The  I 
Cherry  blossom  is  the  national  or  royal  flower,  and  | 


trees  ate  planted  by  the  thousanils,  not  that  their 
fruit  may  gratify  the  appetite,  but  that  their 
bloom  niaj'  please  the  artistic  taste  of  perhaps  the 
most  artistic,  poetry-loving  people  in  the  world. 
These  trees,  which  bear  no  fruit,  make  grou])S  in 
the  parks,  are  planted  along  streets  and  high 
roads,  in  all  gardens  and  ornamental  grounds,  and 
in  the  groves  that  surround  temples,  everywhere 
indeed,  and  in  every  form,  some  rivalling  the  trees 
of  the  forest  in  size,  and  some  dwarfed  into  tiny 
house  plants  grown  in  fantastic  flower  pots. 

When  the  Cherry  blooms  all  Japan,  from  the 
Mikado  down  to  the  poorest  peasant,  makes 
holiday,  and  flock  to  the  parks  in  ga3'esl  attire, 
light  hearted  and  glad.  'J'he  Japanese  have  learnt 
much  from  the  I'higlish,  but  we  of  the  English 
race  can,  in  our  turn,  learn  much  from  these  gentle 
people  who  enjoj'  so  franklj'  and  simplj'  the  good 
gifts  of  God. 

But  to  return  to  Rose  Brake,  where  Nature  just 
now  is  so  lavish  of  her  Crocus  gold  that  .she  strews 
it  everywhere,  on  the  ground  under  the  trees, 
studding  the  grass  of  the  lawn,  and  forming  fairy 
rings  around  the  Forsythias.  Here  is  wealth 
indeed  1  The  Forsjthias  and  the  Crocuses  are  in 
friendly  league  to  repay  the  largess  of  the  sun  in 
smiling  radiance. 

Next  week  we  hope  to  liold  our  feast  of  Cherries, 
and  then,  everj'  day,  there  will  be  a  fresh  budget 
of  news  in  the  world  of  flowers. 

DaiNskk  Dandkidke. 

Rose  Braki.,  MosV  I'irf/lin'd,  Ajiri/  .1,  V.iiU. 


PRIVATE    GARDENS    IN    AND 
AROUND    BERLIN. 

Fkom  a  Resident  Corkespondent. 

I  HAVE  been  living  for  the  last  two  j'ears  in  Berlin, 
and  I  have  taken  advantage  of  the  fact  to  make  a 
tew  general  observations  upon  the  private  gardens 
of  the  city  and  its  suburbs,  which  I  now  propose  to 
commit  to  writing  in  the  hope  that  they  may  prove 
not  uninteresting  to  English  horticulturists. 

To  begin  with,  I  may  state  that  in  the  city 
proper  there  are,  owing  to  the  circumstance  that 
the  vast  majority  of  the  inhabitants  reside  in  flats, 
but  very  few  private  gardens,  and  the  best  of  these 
few  are  those  situated  in  the  rear  only  of  tlie 
higher  class  of  dwelling  "  blocks,"  which,  like  the 
enclosed  areas  in  most  of  the  London  squares,  are 
intended  for  the  common  use  of  every  family  whose 
home  is  in  either  of  the  houses  forming  the  quad- 
rangle wlierein  they  are  contained. 

The  gardens  in  the  "Stadt"  enjoyed  exclusi\'ely 
by  single  families  are,  excepting  those  belonging  to 
one  or  two  old  villas  that  are  still  to  be  found  wedged 
in  among  some  of  the  great  five  and  six-storey 
"  Wohnhauser,"  generally  verj-  narrow,  insignifi- 
cant little  patches — dismal  almost  as  Tom  All 
Alone's — on  which  the  adjacent  buildings  encroach 
so  closel.y  that  one  looks  up  from  them  to  the 
"little  tent  of  blue"  overhead  as  through  a  shaft. 
Paul  Heyse  gives  a  true  description  of  a  typical 
patch  of  the  kind  in  the  first  chapter  of  his  famous 
novel  of  "The  Children  of  the  World."  As  to 
front  gardens,  they  are  almost  unknown  in  Berlin 
city. 

Although  the  "Stadt"  itself  is  comparatively 
very  poor  in  private  gardens  of  anj'  sort,  the  best 
of  those  attached  to  villas  and  blocks  of  flats  are 
large,  well  laid  out,  and  well  cared  for.  Most  of 
them,  moreover,  embrace  several  extensive  tennis 
courts  and  croquet  lawns,  while  some  of  the  older 
ones  contain  a  good  deal  of  extremel}'  tine  timber. 

And  albeit  "  Privat  Garten  "  are  rare  within  the 
city  gates,  they  certainlj'  cannot  be  said  to  be  so 
in  the  suburbs.  On  the  city's  western  side,  in  the 
beautiful  neighbourhood  of  the  "Thiergarten,"  there 
are,  of  course,  lunidreds  of  thcui — and  mostly  of  a 
very  large  and  lovely  description— just  bej'ond  its 
boundary,  and,  though  all  the  other  districts  that 
immedialelj'  adjoin  it  are  well  nigh  as  destitute  of 
them  as  it  is  itself,  in  the  remoter  "  Voroerte  "  one 
seldom  comes  across  a  house  that  has  not  a  garden 
of  its  own.  What  is  more,  it  is  generally  a  very 
neatly  kept  garden.  Inileed,  although  I  know  my 
way  about  all  the  suburlis,  and  have  made  a  ]ionit 
of  observing  what  John  Evelyn  would  have  called 


May  18,  1901.] 


THE  GARDEN. 


nsi 


their  "hortulan  characteristics"  with  especial  (^are, 
I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  a  neglected  garden 
in  any  one  of  them.  The  reason  I  fancy  is  that, 
unlike  most  Londoners  in  the  same  position,  the 
majority  of  Berliners  who  dwell  a  little  way  out- 
side their  city  do  so,  not  so  much  l)ecause  they  are 
forced,  as  because  they  are  more  or  less  horticul- 
tural enthusiasts. 

Hut  for  this  very  reason,  perliaps,  though  gar- 
dens in  the  "  Vorstaedte '"  are  vei'y  tidy,  gardening 
generally  in  the  latter  is  decidedly  amateurish  in 
character.  Tlie  average  Berliner  wlio  owns  a 
garden,  apparenty  loves  it  so  well  that  he  likes  to 
look  after  it  as  far  as  possible  himself,  and  calls  in 
professional  assistance — as  he  invokes  the  aid  of  a 
doctor — only  when  he  finds  it  to  be  absolutely 
essential.  If  he  employ  outside  help  regularly  he 
is  satisfied  with  such  as  he  can  obtain  from  one  of 
the  many  old  labouring  women  to  be  found  in  the 
neighbourliood  who  make  a  business  of  letting 
themselves  out  to  do  hoeing,  digging,  sweeping, 
and  any  other  rough  horticultural  work — cutting 
grass  with  the  shears  included — for  remuneration, 
at  the  rate  of  from  '2id.   to  twice  tliat  sum   per 


he  sets  up  an  arbour  or  a  summer-house,  or  a  life- 
size  figure  of  Mercury,  or  Ceres,  or  Diana,  or  Queen 
Louise,  or  the  Emperor  William  I.,  or  Bismarck, 
or  Moltke,  or  tlie  present  Kaiser,  or  any  other 
diety  to  wliom  he  may  pay  liomage. 

Naturally  arbours  and  sunnner-houses  are  par- 
ticularly numerous  in  the  "  (ilirten  "  of  "  Hiiuscr," 
which  are  let  in  Hoors,  each  tenant  in  a  block  of 
Hats  which  has  grounds  of  its  own  generallj'  re- 
quiring a  "  Laube  "  for  tlie  use  of  liis  familj',  and 
his  family  exclusively,  so  that  in  tlie  gardens  of 
some  of  the  larger  buildings  of  the  kind,  such 
shelters  are  so  many  that  to  economise  space  they 
have  to  be  ranged  in  straight  lines  along  the  walls 
at  distances  often  of  not  more  than  a  couple  of 
yards  from  each  otiier.  But  sculptural  decorations 
of  tlie  description  I  have  mentioned  are  to  lie  found 
in  considerable  numbers  in  pretty  well  all  the 
"  Privat  ( iiirten,"  and  besides  them  one  sees  in 
most  of  the  latter  many  highly  coloured  earthen- 
ware figures  representing  "  Bergiuannehen "  or 
mountain  sprites,  hares  sitting  on  their  haunclies, 
dogs  sleeping  or  preparing  to  spring  and  bite,  deer 
grazing    or    running,     lambs   [gambolling,    storks 


theii'  arbours  as  near  by  ])refcr"enfc  to  tin*  ])nltlic 
thoroughfare  as  possible,  and  it  is  surprising  to 
an  i'lnglishman  liow  iniperturliably  they  take  their 
afternoon  cofiee  in  "  Laulien,"  wliicli  are  placed  in 
such  exposed  positions,  iiut  real  privacy  would 
appear  to  be  tlieir  last  object  in  having  a  garden, 
and  the  majority  of  the  gardens  in  the  suburbs  of 
tlie  Prussian  capital  are  confined  by  iron  fences  of  so 
light  and  open  a  pattei-n  that  the  owners  can  get 
hardly  more  ocular  enjoyment  out  of  them  than 
any  oliservant  passer-by. 

Another  fact  that  is  worth  noting  in  connection 
with  them  is  that  they  are  usually  very  unsatis- 
factorily pathed.  (Iravel  is  used  rarely,  and,  when 
it  is  employed,  is  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  left  un- 
rolled and  loose,  so  as  to  Vie  painful  to  the  feet  ; 
and  many  people  prefer  a  hideous  pathing  of  white 
and  black  marble  chips.  The  soil  of  the  district 
being  sandy,  however,  most  local  horticulturists 
use  no  special  material  to  cover  their  footways, 
but  allow  them  to  remain  as  rhey  stand  after  the 
grass  plots  and  flower  anil  fruit  beds  they  traverse 
have  been  foi'nied.  Nor  is  turf  ver3'  often  to  be 
found  in  the  private  gardens  of  the  vicinity.  Where 
there  is  a  lawn  the  grass  is  generally 

sown    afresh    every    year,    and    in 

winter  there  is  consequentl}-  no  grass 
in  the  place  where  the  grass  ought 
to  grow,  a  circumstance  that  makes 
a  greater  number  of  the  gardens 
look  very  desolate  and  uninviting 
during  the  cold  weather. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  mention 
that,  although  more  of  the  houses 
in  the  city  itself  which  are  occupied 
by  the  working  classes  boast  gar- 
dens of  their  own,  each  artisan  in 
the  "Stadt"  can  for  a  very  small 
sum  rent  a  plot  of  ground  for  the 
use  of  himself  and  his  family  in 
any  of  the  numerous  "(iarten- 
eolonien "  of  the  locality.  Tliese 
"  fiartencolonien "  resemble  our 
"  allotments,"  and,  being  very  much 
appreciated  by  those  for  whose 
benefit  thej'  exist,  present  during 
the  warm  months  of  the  year  an 
uncommonly  charming  appearance, 
the  prettiness  of  which  is  nnicli 
enhanced  by  the  fact  that  each  of 
the  different  plots  is  indicated  Viy 
a  coloured  flag. 

W.  DnNC.\N  Cinr.n. 
Schoneherr/,  Berlin. 


RHODODENDRON 

•i^^  »'«  CILIATUM. 


RHODODKNDKON    CILT.iTUM    IN    TIIK    HIMALAY,4N    I[OUSE    AT    KEW. 


hour.  And  he  is  not  in  the  habit  of  consulting 
text  books.  As  a  rule,  he  prefers  to  cultivate  his 
"bit  of  ground"  entire!}'  in  accordance  with  his 
own  whims  and  fancies.  This  would  be  of  less 
consequence  it  he  were  invariabl}'  a  man  of  good 
taste  in  matters  horticultural  ;  but  as  he  is  not, 
the  results  of  his  wilfulness  are.  from  the  artistic 
point  of  view,  not  infrequently  deplorable. 

One  of  the  foibles  to  which  he  appears  most  sub- 
ject consists  in  the  desire  of  having  as  much  path- 
way as  possible,  and  he  has  an  extraordinary 
partiality  for  a  serpentine.  Hence  one  may  say  of 
his  "close  walks"  what  Lord  Ogleby,  in  "The 
Clandestine  Marriage"  says  of  Sterling's,  they 
form  a  perfect  maze,  and  wind  like  a  true  lover's 
knot — "zig-zag,  crinkum-crankum,  in  and  out, 
right  and  left,  to  and  atrain,  twisting  and  turning 
like  a  worm,  my  lord,"  as  Sterling  himself  less 
elegantly,  but  not  less  graphically,  adds. 

Like  the  ambitious  (iracechurch  Street  merchant 
in  Garrick  and  Colman's  delightful  comedy,  again, 
evidently  deems  it  "a  rule  in  taste"  to  have  "a 
church  or  an  obelisk  or  something  to  terminate  the 
prospect,  you  know  ;  "  and,  consequently,  in  each 
corner  of  his  garden,  be  the  latter  small  or  large, 


poised  on  one  leg,  herons  in  the  act  of  swallowing 
fishes,  and  various  other  creatures,  chosen  princi- 
pally, it  would  seem,  on  account  of  the  oddity,  if 
not  odiousness,  of  their  appearance. 

Some  people  even  go  the  length  of  adorning  their 
grass  plot  with  groups  of  life-sized  lirilliantly- 
painted  plaster  dolls  depicting  scenes  from  popular 
legends.  I  recall  one  of  these  tableaux  which  re- 
presents Little  Red  Riding  Hood — with  a  wicker 
basket,  containing,  among  other  things,  a  real  beer 
bottle,  on  her  arm — encountering  the  wolf  on  her 
way  to  her  grandmother's.  And  this  is  in  a 
nobleman's  grounds.  In  fact,  the  love  of  the  kind 
of  "  Garten-Schinuck  "  in  question  is  common  to 
Berliners  of  every  class,  and  for  the  care  that  is 
taken  of  it  by  local  collectors  it  might  also  have 
the  value  of  Dresden  cliina.  Not  only  are  the 
figures  periodically  washed  during  the  spring, 
summer,  and  autumn,  but  in  the  winter  they  are 
either  kept  indoors  or  else  protected  from  the 
frost  and  snow  by  wrappings  of  straw  or  sacking  ; 
so  great  is  the  pride  taken  in  them,  too,  that  they 
are  well  nigh  invariably  displayed  in  places  where 
they  may  be  most  easily  seen  from  the  street. 
Berliners   who  possess   "Garten"   also   set   up 


With  R.  indicum  and  11.  i-aoe- 
mosum  the  species  under  notice 
shares  the  honour  of  being  the 
most  free-flowering  and  most 
certain  of  all  the  evergreen 
section.  Like  most  of  the  other  Himalayan 
species,  it  is  a  little  tender  for  out-door  culture, 
except  in  favoured  counties,  sucli  as  Corn- 
wall, etc.  As  far  north  as  London  it  lives 
out  of  doors,  but  cannot  be  called  a  suc- 
cess. Its  proper  place  is  a  cold,  airy  house, 
with  a  minimum  temperature  of  .32'  and  a 
ma.ximuni  fire  heat  temperature  of  34°.  Planted 
out  in  sandy  peat  in  such  a  house  it  makes  one 
of  the  most  charming  pictures  imaginable  when 
in  flower  in  early  spring,  every  branch  being 
terminated  with  one  or  more  heads  of  flower.s. 
The  plant  is  tolerably  well  known  with  its 
dwarf,  dense,  bushy  habit,  intensely  hairy, 
ovate  leaves,  and  pretty  fragrant  white  flowei  s 
sufl'used  with  rose.  Out  of  doors  the  rose 
colour  is  developed  in  the  flowers  to  a  greater 
e.xtent  than  when  the  plants  are  grown  under 
glass. 

The  subject  of  the  illustration  is  growing 
in  the  Himalayan  house  at  Kew,  the  group 
being  i3i  feet  high  and  14  feet  across. 

\V,  Dallimoee, 


352 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  18,  1901. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

THE   LESSER  NARCISSI. 

A  LITTLE  garden  of  Dafi'odils  is  a  eommon 
enough  adjunct  to  wliat  the  papers 
call  a  "horticultural  establishment," 
but  I  know  no  complete  example  of  a 
^  garden  of  little  Daflbdils,  The  lesser 
Narcissi — a  quite  considerable  series — 
have  in  most  quarters  suffered  an  unmerited  neglect 
from  the  position  which  the  Narcissus  has  now 
taken  as  a  florist's  flower.  Robust  plants  j'ielding 
large,  long-stemmed  flowers  of  pure  or  brilliant 
colouring  are  those  which  are  in  X'ogue  and  com- 
mand the  market,  and  justifialjly  so.  But  there 
are  tliose  to  whose  horticultural  atiet^tions  a  species 
— let  the  word  stand  without  (|uarrelling,  its 
current  meaning  is  clear  enough  and  indispensal)le 
— appeals  n)ore  closelj'  than  any  of  its  artificial 
enhancements,  and  who  find  greater  joy  in  taming 
some  lowly  Init  recalcitrant  alpine  than  in  cramming 
their  borders  with  all  the  celebrities  of  chromo- 
lithography.  To  such  I  recommend  a  separate 
garden  of  these  liliputians. 

The  most  suitable  sanctuarj'  will  be  a  spur  or 
minor  range  of  the  rock  garden,  with  a  small 
allotment  of  the  flat  running  into  it  in  bays.  If 
the  whole  garden  is  a  sunken  one  for  avoidance  of 
wind  and  conservation  of  moisture  so  much  the 
better.  The  foreknowledge  that  some  of  these 
pigmies  are  resentful  of  cultivation  and  given  to 
evaporate  at  short  notice-  will  only  add  a  sense  of 
distinction  to  pos.sible  success.  Nor  will  the  owner 
of  thriving  colonies  of,  say,  the  Pyrenean  N.  mos- 
chatns    regret   the   antecedent    bill    for    vanished 


NAHCISSDS   CYCLAMINEUS, 


liulbs,  for  he  will  take  rank  willi  hiiu  whom 
Edraianthus  pumilio  obeys,  and  with  the  lord  of 
ancient  flowery  thickets  of  Liliuni  Krameri,  if 
there  be  such.  No  little  pleasure  and  interest 
could  be  centred  here  in  the  earlier  spring  months 
before  the  rush  of  alpines,  and  these  need  in  no 
wise  be  ousted  for  the  bulbs. 

Their  carpet  will  help  to  .satisfy  the  most  impera- 
tive need  of  the  Narcissi,  namely,  a  cool  root-run, 
and  to  prevent  splashing  of  their  lowly  bloom. 
The  covering  plants  should,  however,  be  not  too 
dense  or  deep-rooting :  the  grass  which  in  the 
South  of  Europe  overlies  these  little  bulbs  is  never 
of  the  closeness  of  our  English  sward.  Kven  the 
stems  of  a  choice  prostrate  shrub  suoli  as  Daphne 
blagayana  will  lessen  evaporatioji.  It  will  lie  an 
achievement  if  the  cover  can  be  here  and  there  of 
plants  wliich  will  flower  with  the  Daffodils  and 
accentuiite  them  \>y  contrasted  coloui-,  such  as  the 
blues  and  purples  of  spring.  A  memorable  object- 
lesson  in  this  direction  was  once  presented  to  me 
in  North  Italy.  Clindiing  one  of  tlie  mountains 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  Como  over  against  Cer- 
nobbio,  I  suddenly  came  upon  a  level  pasture  of 
acres  of  dwarf  N.  poeticus — botanicallj'  N.  p.  ver- 
banensis,  but  bythe  countryfolk  lalled  more  prettil}' 
"  Madonnette  "—thrusting  up  hud  and  blnssou) 
through  sheets  of  (ientianella,  a  marvel  of  white 
and  blue.  In  the  same  way  (ientiana  verna  would 
meet  Narcissi  e.arlier  than  poeticus.  The  smaller 
selections  of  pallidus  pra'oox  will  have  their  place 
in  such  a  garden,  and  might  rise  through  a  ground- 
work of  the  old  short-stemmed  Russian  violet,  or 
bulb  may  consort  with  bulb. 

Iris  reticulata  makes  u  still  finer  association  of 
colour  with  pallidus  pra^cox  or  Moschatu^  and  its 
stout  spikes  help  the  Daffodil  leaves  to  cover  the 
bare  soil.  Some  of  the 
(irape  Hyacinths,  such 
as  the  fine  variety  of 
Museari  conicum,  dis- 
tributed bj'  Messrs. 
Barr  under  the  name 
of  "Heavenly  Blue," 
provide  almost  peren- 
nial cushions  of  pros- 
trate foliage.  The  sight 
which  I  once  saw  in 
central  Italj'  of  j'ellow 
Daffodils  shining  above 
a  stretch  of  Anemone 
appennina  was  an  emer- 
gency which  almost 
justified  stopping  the 
train.  Anemone  blanda 
would  gi\-e  the  same 
ett'eet  at  an  earlier  date. 
There  will,  as  I  have 
suggested,  be  problems 
enough  in  this  bit  of 
garden  to  add  the  re- 
quisite zest  of  ditticultj'. 
The  three  main  wants  of 
Narcissi  at  large  for 
their  perfection  are  a 
cool  bottom,  abundant 
moisture  during  active 
growth,  and  sun  heat 
loTig  and  strong  enough 
to  mature  the  bulbs. 
Tlie  miniature  kinds 
.seem  much  more  exact- 
ing of  these  conditions 
t  li  an  their  large  r 
bretliren,  because  they 
come  fr(jm  the  ntost 
part  direct  from  the 
soutliern  most  extension 
of  tlie  wild  area  of  the 
Nar(dssus,  where  the 
sun  is  fierce  and  seasons 
shar))ly  defined.  They 
have  not,  like  the  garden 
kinds,  been  tempered 
t(i  onr  English  clipiatc, 
or  alisencc  of  cliriiute, 
Ipy  miNture  of  liloml  and 
seedling  select. ion.  The 
rock  garden  lends  ilself 


to  these  special  reijuircments  far  better  than  the 
Hat  border  or  nursery  plot.  Thus,  N.  i.yclaminens, 
valuable  for  its  distinct  form  .and  great  earliness, 
seems  to  enjoy  bog  moisture  while  its  roots  are  in 
full  activity,  but  a  drier  soil  after  flowering. 

A  plantation  might  be  essa^'ed  at  the  foot  of  a 
large  sloping  watershed  of  rock  face,  down  which 
the  rainfall  would  pass  to  the  bulbs  when  needed, 
and  some  simple  contrivance  of  a  drain  or  conduit 
hidden  among  stones  and  plants  might  cut  ott'  the 
water  supply  in  summer.  .Tuncifolius,  triandrus, 
and  others  might  have  pockets  or  shelves  assigneil 
to  them  which  could  be  kept  wetter  or  drier  by 
the  insertion  into  crevices  or  the  removal  of  flat 
eaves-like  slabs  above  them,  (ilass  panes  are  too 
conspicuous,  and  should  be  dispensed  with  if  pos- 
sible. Contriv.ances  of  this  .sort  will  probably  be 
founil  helpful,  but  the  art  of  the  competent  rock 
gardener  will  conceal  his  art,  and  the  diversity  of 
lieight,  sliipe,  and  aspect  afforded  by  well-designed 
rockwork  will  efi'ect  much  without  such  aids. 
Shelter  from  frost  and  frosty  winds  can  be  given 
better  here  than  on  the  ground  line  ;  it  is  a  mis- 
take to  suppose  that  these  bulbs  enjoj-  frost  because 
they  are  called  hardy  and  are  seldom  killed  by  it. 

For  those  who  aim  high  there  is  N.  mono- 
phyllus,  the  white  Hoop-petticoat,  the  iif  plus  iilli-a 
of  difhcultj',  to  omit  the  two  or  three  almost  impos- 
sible autunni-flowcring  species.  The  "record"  for 
successful  outdoor  cultivation  still  remains  with 
the  Munsteail  (larden,  where  it  flowered  perfectly 
at  the  foot  of  a  hot  wall  under  Vine  leaves,  which 
kept  the  rain  from  it  in  autumn.  In  a  cycle  of 
such  summers  as  we  have  had  of  late  its  Algerian 
home  might  perhaps  have  been  nearly  enough 
imitated  by  similar  devices,  but  a  long  spell  of 
ripening  sun  heat  it  must  have.  Its  exquisite 
flowers,  like  fairy  films  of  blown  glass,  are  worth 
any  trouble.  Bulbs  cultivated  in  Algeria  are  now 
oljtainable  at  a  small  cost,  and  are  much  more 
trustworthy  than  formerlj'  when  collected  green. 
Another  t.'orbularia  scarcelj'  less  beautiful  is 
IJraelsii,  much  like  the  white  Hoop-petticoat  in 
form,  but  of  rare  and  delicate  cream  colour,  faintly 
tinted  with  palest  citron  green.  It  is  altogether 
distinct  from  C.  citrina.  Tlie  last  bulbs  1  had 
were  given  to  me  by  Mr.  I'eter  Barr,  who  col- 
lected them  himself;  I  doubt  whetlier  it  is  obtain- 
able now.  The  Corbularias  alone  would  give 
uninterrupted  bloom  from  .Tanuary  to  May  if  we 
possessed  even  all  the  lecorded  kinds,  and  no 
iloubt  ni.any  remain  unfound.  Indeed,  the  five 
catalogued  by  Messrs.  Barr  almost  cover  the  time, 
viz.,  white  Hoop-petticoat,  early-flowering  yellow, 
lesser  early  j'ellow,  sulphur,  and  late  yellow.  To 
be  effective  they  should  be  set  in  large,  close 
clumps.  I  transcribe  the  following  observations 
on  Corbularia  from  Mr.  (now  Baron)  Alfred  Tail's 
"  Notes  on  Portuguese  Narcissi,"  written  in  IS8G,  as 
the  pamphlet  is  not  generally  accessible,  and  gives 
valuable  indications  as  to  successful  treatment : 

"  Corbularia  (1).  Rich  yellow.  The  form  found 
near  Oporto,  flowering  from  February  Kf  to 
March  '2.3  at  an  altitude  of  -il)  feet  to  11")  feel 
aliove  sea  level  ;  soil  sandy  loam,  well  drained. 
In  the  damper  situations  the  scape  and  leaves  are 
longer  and  more  erect. 

"  Corbularia  (li).  The  larger  yellow  form  found 
near  Ovar,  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Oporto, 
flowering  March  -ill  to  April  L'll.  altitude  Id  feet  to 
'i(l  feet  above  sea  level  :  soil  sandy  alluvial,  very 
wet,  and  often  inundated  in  winter,  and  not  very 
dry  in  summer.  It  flowers  later  than  any  other 
Narcissus  in  Portugal,  although  it  grows  in  hot 
marshes  near  the  sea,  close  to  rice  fields. 

"  Corbularia  (.')).  A  yellow  form  found  at  Cantan- 
hede,  about  forty  miles  south  of  Oporto,  flowering 
about  April  10  :  altitute  ;!()  feet,  in  a  wet  red  clay, 
probably  baked  dry  in  summer.  This  is  very 
similar  in  form  and  size  to  No.  'J,  but  grows  in  a 
(|uite  difl'erent  soil  and  flowers  earlier. 

"  Corbularia  (4).  C.  nivalis,  flowering  from 
March  1  to  May  In  acconling  to  altitude,  l.filHI  feet 
to  4,(illO  feet,  on  mountain  ranges  in  a  soil  composed 
of  granite  and  sand  and  leaf-mould.  Flowers  paler 
yellow." 

We  have  much  to  learn  about  the  forms  and 
habitats  of  the  Coibularias.  The  above-mentioned 
Portuguese  kinds  cannot  readily  be  iilenlilied  with 


MaV    18,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


H5S 


those  at  present  purchasable,  but  the  hints  as  to 
elevation  and  soil  requirenieiitK  seem  to  be  useful. 

Of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  bulbs  of  N. 
triandrus  planted  since  it  first  began  to  be  l)rouglit 
over  in  ijuantity  about  the  year  1S84,  only  a  minute 
percentage  liave  lived  over  two  seasons.  It  is  a 
lovely  plant  and  deserving  of  pains  ;  it  is  doul)tful 
whether  it  has  received  the  attention  it  merits  for 
e.stablishing  it  out  of  doors  in  favourable  locali- 
ties. Baron  Tait's  notes  say  that  it  flowers  "  from 
February  13  to  May  l.")  according  to  altitude,  which 
ranges  from  oO  feet  to  .S,(3(lll  feet,  in  a  rich  soil 
composed  of  leaf -mould  and  granite  sand."  Mr. 
Barr  found  it  gi'owing  "in  very  hard,  firm,  lino, 
gritty  soil,  sometimes  in  the  narrowest  Kssures 
of  granite  and  slate  stone  rocks."  He  has  also 
recorded  that  it  appeared  to  prefer  a  northern 
aspect.  As  to  this  last  proviso  it  nuist  be  borne 
in  mind  that  constant  shade  in  England  is  a  much 
chillier  condition  than  in  the  Spanish  Peninsula. 
I  should  prefer  a  sunnier  situation,  and  trust  to 
an  overgrowth  to  check  undue  evaporation.  My 
notion  is  strengthened  by  a  pretty  drawing  in 
Mr.  Oswald  Grawfurd's  "Round  the  Calendar  in 
Portugal,"  which  shows  triandrus  spearing  up 
through  a  tliicket  of  ordinary  wayside  growth. 
But  trial  should  be  made  of  the  lesser  Narcissi 
in  all  exposures,  north,  south,  east,  and  M'cst,  and 
notes  kept  of  their  behaviour  in  each.  The  larger 
triandrus  from  the  Isles  de  TJlenan  off  tlic  coast, 
of  Brittanj'  is  an  exceptionally  beautiful  flower, 
distinct  in  form  and  habit  from  the  type.  This 
certainly  should  he  persistent  on  the  Cornish 
coast  or  in  similar  Britisli  climates.  I  used  to 
flower  it  to  perfection  annually  in  pans  from 
successive  sowings  of  seed,  and  believe  it  could  he 
maintained  in  the  same  way  in  a  good  rock  garden. 
Juncifoliiis,  so  choice  a  little  flower  tliat  an  enthu- 
siast confessed  to  me  that  he  "  nearly  wept  with 
pleasure  "  when  lie  first  met  with  it  in  the  Pj'renees, 
where  it  aljounds,  is  probably  less  dependent  on 
sun  heat.  I  have  known  it  to  bloom  fairlj'  well 
uimioved  for  two  3'ears  iji  mj' unfavourable  garden, 
and  it  should  do  better  on  stonework.  Rupicola 
is  said  to  have  a  flatter  crown,  but  I  have  never 
received  it  often  enough  or  in  sullicient  quantity 
to  test  its  distinctness. 

GeOKCIE    ENdlJillEAKT. 

(To  be  continued.) 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 


BROWALLIA     ELATA. 

1"^  HIS  is  an  old  inhabitant  of  our  gardens, 
and  having  regard  to  the  ease  with 
which  good  specimens  may  be  grown  in 
■A  short  time,  combined  with  the  nianj' 
uses  to  which  the  plants  may  be  put 
when  in  flower,  it  may  be  termed  one  of 
those  plants  that  should  be  found  in  every  garden. 
There  are  two  varieties,  one  bearing  deep  blue 
flowers  and  the  other  white.  Both  are  worthy  of 
cultivation,  Init  the  Ijlue  is  most  appreciated  on 
account  of  there  being  generally  a  scarcity  of  lilue 
flowering  plants  so  usefid  a.s"  this.  The  plant 
delights  in  a  rich,  fairly  light,  open  soil,  and  when 
thoroughly  established  is  much  benefited  by 
freijuent  applications  of  manure  water,  or  other 
nianurial  agents  given  alternately.  Propagation 
may  be  readily  done  either  by  seed  or  cuttings  of 
the  young  shoots  at  any  time  when  required.  Seeds 
n)a}'  be  raised  in  the  first  instance,  then  cuttings 
may  be  taken  from  the  plants  having  the  most 
robust  constitution,  in  conjunction  with  well 
formed,  bright-hued  blossoms,  and  a  healthy  stock 
will  be  obtained.  Rapid  growth  should  be 
encouraged  from  the  commencement  and  main- 
tained liy  keeping  the  plants  near  the  roof  glass 
in  a  warm  pit  or  similar  structure,  where  a  gonial 
temperature  is  kept  up.  Attend  carefully  to 
pinching  out  the  points,  as  they  advance  in  growth, 
to  ensure  a  stocky  habit.  This  may  be  performed 
some  three  or  four  times,  afterwards  allowing  the 
shoots  to  grow  unchecked  so  that  flowers  will  be 
produced  in  plentj'.  Browallia  elata  may  be  had 
in  bloom  the  greater  part  of  the  }'ear  by  propaga- 


ting a  batch  of  plants  at  about  monthly  ijitervals 
and  so  bring  them  on  in  succession  as  re(|uireil. 
As  a  greeidiouse  subject  it  will  be  found  iiivalnablc 
for  associating  wilh  other  flowering  plants,  usually 
grown  for  the  adornment  of  the  conservatory  or 
greenhouse.  Por  room  decoration,  in  di.sused  lire- 
places,  and  other  recesses  tlio  plant  is  extremely 
pretty  and  distinct.  In  jnild  districts  they  are 
sometimes  utilised  in  summer  bedding  arrange- 
ments, and  provided  strong  plants  are  available  for 
disposing  in  the  open  by  the  end  of  June  very 
effective  arrangements  may  be  made.  Of  course, 
it  is  essential  to  gradually  liarden  oS'  any  plants 
before  planting  out.  H.  T.  Martpn. 


NOTES  ON  NEW  AND  CHOICE 
DAFFODILS. 

It  is  of  the  newer  kinds  at  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons' 
nurseries,  the  novelties  of  the  race,  that  I  wish  to 


NAROiS.Sl(S   CYOLAMlNBUli   HYBRID. 

call  attention,  as  they  were  not  seen  by  many  this 
year,  even  by  those  most  regular  at  the  spring 
exhibitions.     In  the 

PoETicus  Group 

three  kinds  I  note  as  very  superior  in  every  way, 
viz.,  Cassandra  (Engleheart),  a  pure  and  handsome 
flower  8  inches  across,  and  largely  partaking  of 
Poeticus  poetaruni  in  its  whiteness  and  form.  It 
is  most  excellent.  Another  very  fine  thing  is 
Almira  (Barr) ;  this  partakes  of  the  old  N.  poeticus 
recurvus  in  some  waj',  but  is,  of  course,  vastly 
superior,  both  in  its  purer  tone,  the  well-imbricated 
and  broad  overlapping  segments,  and  not  least  in 
the  fine  distinct  flatish  corona.  This  is  a  sturdv, 
free,  and  vigorous  sort,  with  great  promise  from  the 
garden    standpoint.      And,   thirdly.  Glory  (Barr), 


which  in  brief  is  a  larger,  purer,  much  whiter,  and 
more  solid-looking  Poeticus  poetarum  kind.  It 
is  a  large  flower,  and  one  of  exquisite  purity  also. 
It  is  a  most  telling  kind  in  the  bed  of  those  sorts. 
In  the 

Lekdsi  Sectkjn, 
which  is  already  abounding  in  chaste  and  beautiful 
kinds,  there  is  a  sweet  addition  in  Maggie  May 
(Kdmunds).  'I'he  chief  feature  of  this  kind  is  the 
greatly  eidarged  and  highly-crimped  cup,  the 
latter  quite  I  inch  deep  and  nearly  I A  inches 
across  at  the  margin  of  its  very  distinct  e.xpanding 
crown.  It  is  a  (|uite  white  flower,  very  delicate, 
and  the  most  distinct  of  all  its  tribe.  Then  turn- 
ing to  the 

Incomparables 
Lobster  (which  I  believe  is  also  an  Engleheart 
seedling)  quickly  fi.ves  the  attention  by  the  very 
fire  of  its  crown.  I  believe,  too,  this  is  said  not  to 
burn  in  the  sun  ;  .so  many  of  these  highly-coloured 
crowns  dislike  strong  sunshine.  At  any  rate,  here 
it  is  good  and  di.stinct.  Of  course,  there  is  tdoria 
Mundi,  rich,  large,  and  conspicuous,  a  more 
expanded  ajid  broader  crown  than  Lobster,  and 
possessing  broader  and  fuller  yellow  segmeiils. 
Indeed,  this  kind  will  re(juire  some  beating. 
Trumpet.s. 

Ray  Smith  (fie  Graaff)  is  simply  a  rich  yellow 
Princeps.  This,  too,  should  be  a  useful  garden 
plant  and  forcing  kind.  In  the  -whiter  trumpets 
the  inimitable  Mme.  de  Graaft',  with  the  crown 
well  reflexed,  is  always  a  notable  flower,  not  yet 
equalled  liy  any  in  whiteness  or  size,  though  the 
newer  Peter  Barr  and  some  others  are  of  good  size 
and  form,  too.  'Jlien  there  is  J.  B.  M.  C'amm, 
another  almost  unique  kind,  so  broad,  so  handsome, 
and  so  vigorous,  and  if  it  is  removed  from  the  pure 
whites  by  the  biscuit-toned  trumpet,  this  but  gives 
it  one  added  touch  of  beauty  to  a  highly-finished 
flower.  It  is,  indeed,  a  gem  in  its  way,  and  just 
the  class  of  flower  that  stands  all  sorts  of  tests, 
that  of  the  weather  included.  No  one  could  make 
a  mistake  in  selecting  this  for  any  garden  ;  it  is 
sinii)Iy  superb.  Then  presently  one  meets  with 
that  novelty  among  bicolors  called  Apricot,  in 
Nvbich  the  crown  lias  opened  out  a  possible  new 
line  for  the  Daffodil  of  the  future.  At  present  this 
is  as  much  as  may  be  said,  since  Apricot  is  not 
wholly  good,  i.i:.,  the  segments  require  improving 
materially. 

All  these  are  good  and  choice  in  their  way, 
some,  of  course,  quite  unique  ;  but  these  by  no 
means  complete  the  list,  and  we  come  to  yet 
another  that  may  be  a  mixture  of  Leedsi  and 
Inconiparabilis,  and  is  called  Lucifer,  no  doubt 
because  of  its  intensely  coloured  cup  or  crown. 
This  is  not  merelj'  suftused  with  that  rich  scarlet 
orange  tone,  but  fully  covered,  and  uniformly  so  to 
the  base.  Not  far  away  stood  General  Roberts, 
recently  exalted  to  great  honours  by  the  "  F.C.C." 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society.  And,  indeed, 
it  is  first  class  in  every  way,  when  we  say  it 
surpasses  the  Emperor,  which  it  more  nearly 
resembles.  Indeed,  it  would  not  be  amiss  to  call 
it  a  refined  Emperor,  and  rather  softer  in  tone.  It 
is  a  most  handsome  trumpet  Daflfodil  of  quite  the 
largest  size.  Larger,  perhaps,  than  the  last  is 
Big  Ben  ;  but  here  we  think  size  is  the  chief 
attraction — in  short,  there  would  appear  a  leaning 
towards  (!lory  of  Leiden  in  the  variety,  which 
is  of  giant  size  throughout. 

But  even  these  are  as  a  fragment  of  what  is  here, 
but  of  the  hosts  of  beautiful  and  shapely  bicolor 
kinds,  that  remarkable  flower  Weardale  Perfec- 
tion must  be  named  ;  and  two  other  graceful 
things  are  Lady  Helen  and  Mrs.  Walter  Ware,  a 
beautifully  finished  flower  that  size  has  not  spoileil 
in  the  least  degree.  Such  as  these  will  doubtless 
long  be  cherished  by  the  gardeners  of  the  genera- 
tions to  come,  if  by  that  time  they  are  not  tired 
of  the  hosts  now  being  handed  down  to  them  by 
present  day  admirers  of  the  race. 

E.  H.  Je.nkins. 


The  Campanulas.— In  reply  to  .several 
correspondents  )-e  the  continuation  of  these  articles, 
we  shall  publish  shortly  the  remaining  notes  about 
the  faniilj'  with  illustrations.  Their  preparation 
has  occupied  nuich  time,  hence  the  delaj'. 


354 


THE    GARDEN, 


[May  18,  1901. 


AN    ARTIST'S 
NOTE-BOOK. 


A 


^ 


ipoal+:as. 

A  LTHOlTiH  mure  than 

/\  400    species    of 

/  \        Ipoinwa  have  been 

L — *       described     at 

i         *.     various     times, 

many  of  tliem  hav- 

ing  been  known  for  upwards 

of  half  a  century,  and  a  large 

number  bear  Howers  of  a  very 

showy  nature,  a  few   species 

only  find  a  jilacc  in  gardens, 


>- 


^^^^ 


X. 


.^ 


and  these  few  are  not 
grown  on  anything  like 
a  large  scale.  As  long 
ago  as  1773  I.  Bona-nox, 
one  of  the  very  best  of 
the  ornamental  species, 
was  introduced,  and 
from  that  time  until  the 
present  additions  have 
been  continuous,  one  of 
the     most     interesting 


species    of 
coming  to   1 
arborescent 
tiana     ten 
With  a   few 


the  genus 
ight  in  the 

I.  wolcot- 
years     ago. 

exceiitions 


-;m%^  ,  ^. 


r 


the  genus  is  a  twining 
one,  the  majority  of  the 
species  having  soandent 
or  twining  branches.  In 
some  instances  the  .stems 
are  perennial  and  woody, 
in  others  annual,  spring- 
ing from  a  thick,  fleshy, 
tuberous  root-.stock,  and 
in  others,  again,  they 
are  purely  annuals.  The 
flowers  in  most  cases  are 
similar  in  shape  to  the 

common  Bindweed,  and  are  white,  pink,  lilac, 
scarlet,  purple,  or  sometimes  yellow  in  colour. 
They  vary  in  size  from  half  an  inch  or  less  in 
diameter  to  upwards  of  4  inches,  and  are  borne 
singly  (jr  several  together  in  cymes.  The  more 
showy  species,  whether  hardy  or  tender,  are  well 
worthy  of  cultivation,  the  stove  or  greenhou.se 
species  being  well  adapted  for  training  on  the 
roofs  of  those  structures,  while  the  hardy  ones 
are  good  subjects  for  covering  walls,  fences, 
posts,  or  other  things.  The  majority  are  (juick 
growers,  speedily  making  large  i)lants  from 
.seeds,  cuttings,  or  layers.  In  addition  to  many 
of  the  species  Ijeing  ornamental  flowering 
plants,  several  pos.sess  valuable  economic  jiro- 
perties,  as  instanced  liy  1.  Batatas  (the  Sweet 
i'otato  of  the  tropics)  and  I.  Pui'ga,  from  the 
roots  •  of  whicli  jalap  is  obtained.  A  fairly 
rich  soil,  comjiosed  of  good  fibrous  loam  and 
peat  in  eipial  proportions,  to  wliicli  a  fair 
((uantity  of  sand  has  lieen  added,  will  lie  found 
a  .suitable  compost  for  most  of  them,  and,  in 
the  case  of  the  stronger  growers,  a  border  will 


■'^*X> 


lI'UiM.lCA     RUEKO-CIKRULEA. 
(AN    ANNUAL    SPKCJKS.) 

(From  a  draivii};/  bn  H.  G.  Moon.) 

be  found  preferable  to  pot  culture.  _  Of  the 
many  species,  the  following  are  showy  and 
useful  : — 

/.  Batatas  (Sweet  Potato).  —  A  scandent- 
habited  perennial  with  slender  stems,  entire  or 
'rjbed  leaves,  purplish  flowers  1  inch  or  more 
across,  and  thick,  fleshy  roots.  It  is  widely 
distributed  in  the  tropics,  and  has  been  in 
cultivation  for  upwards  of  a  century. 

/.  ]>(>na-nox  is  a  Tropical  American 
annual  plant  with  twining  stems,  large, 
heart-shaped   leaves,   and  lovely,   large 
white  flowers,  with  a  long,  narrow  tube. 
Seeds  sown  in  March  and  grown  in  a 
sunny  position  in  a  tropical  house  will 
flower   well   from   the   end   of   June  onwards 
for  six  or  eight  weeks.     It  is  one  of  the  most 
ornamental  species.     It  was  originally  intro- 
duced by  the  Earl  of  Bute  in  1773. 

/.  difjitata  makes  a  handsome  plant  for  the 
stove.  The  base  of  the  stem  becomes  woody, 
and  from  this  strong  shoots  grow  annually, 
which  produce  pretty,  digitate  leaves  and  cymes 
of  large,  lilac-coloured  flowers  in  profusion. 
It  requires  a  good  root-run,  and  should  have  a 
thorough  rest  in  winter.  It  is  widely  distri- 
buted in  the  tropics,  and  appears  to  have  been 
introduced  to  British  gardens  through  the 
Glasgow  Botanic  Garden  in  1837. 

/.  JI(ir!<falUii\ — This  is  a  West  Indian  jilant, 
and  possibly  the  most  decorative  of  all  the 
cultivated  .species.  Seeds  were  originally  intro- 
duced by  ilr.  Charles  Horsfall,  and  flowers 
were  produced  in  his  garden  for  the  first  time 
during  the  winter  of  1833-34.  It  is  a  .shrubby 
twiner  with  deep  green, glos.sy,  five  lobed  leaves, 
and  bears  large  clusters  of  rich,  rose-coloured, 
fleshy  flowers  1^  inches  across,  during  the  three 
months  of  midwinter.  It  requires  a  troi)ical 
temperature,  and  is  best  planted  in  a  border 
and  trained  to  a  sunny  portion  of  the  roof.  It 
is  very  vigorous,  and  (juickly  covers  a  large 
space,  but  is  easily  kept  in  Ixiunds  by  an 
annual  hard  jiruning  after  the  flowers  are  over. 
It  is  ditticult  to  root  from  cuttings,  but  may  be 
increased  by  layering.  There  is  a  variety — 
alba — with  pretty  white  fiowers,  and  a  large- 
flowered,  rose-coloured  variety  called  Briggsi. 

/.  h'rrbcri  is  a  South  American  iilant,  with 
cordate  leaves  and  clusters  of  scarlet  flowers. 


It  is  said  to  make  a  very  good  outdoor  plant  in 
the  warmer  jiarts  of  South  Europe. 

/.  /laiii/in-iila,  a  Xorth  American  species 
with  tuberous  roots  and  long,  twining,  annual 
stems  bearing  heart-shaped  leaves  and  large 
white,  purplj-throated  fiowers,  is  hardy  in  the 
warmer  parts  of  England,  and  is  a  useful  i)lant. 

/.  Piiiya  (the  .Talap)  is  a  warm  house  ever- 
green climber,  with  ]iretty  purplish  flowers  ;  a 
native  of  Mexico. 

/.  purpuria  is  a  free-flowering,  hardy  annual 
from  Tropical  America,  with  purjile  Howers. 
Seeds  sown  in  ^farch  in  heat  and  planted  out 
in  Jlay  make  large  jilants  by  the  end  of  .lune. 
There  are  several  varieties  with  white  or  (link 
flowers. 

/.  (Juatnnclit  forms  a  dwarf,  elegant  jilant 
■">  feet  or  6  feet  high.  It  has  pinnate  leaves  and 
scarlet  flower.s.  It  is  a  native  of  the  tropics  and 
requires  .stove  culture. 

/.  ruhro-curulen  is  an  annual  from  Mexico. 
The  flowers  are  blue,  with  a  reddish  tinge,  and 
are  produced  during  late  summer.  It  is  best 
grown  on  stakes  or  a  short  pillar  in  a  sunny 
place  in  a  warm  greenhouse. 

/.  wolcottlana.  —  An  interesting  species  on 
account  of  its  arborescent  habit.  It  was  found 
by  Dr.  Palmer  in  Mexico,  and  was  put  into 
cimimerce  about  ten  years  ago.  Naturally  it 
makes  a  bushy  tree  20  feet  or  30  feet  high, 
with  a  large  head  of  pendulous  branches  and 
a  trunk  1  foot  or  more  through  at  the  base.  It 
is  deciduous,  the  leaves  being  heart-.shapcd, 
acuminate,  and  glabrous.  The  flowers  are 
small  and  white,  with  a  yellow  shade  in  the 
throat. 

/.  Wuodii. — This  is  one  of  the  newer  iiitro- 


vluLliT  SDEUlNCi.       (From  a  drawing  by  Miss  Charlers.) 


May  18,  190L] 


THE    GARDEN. 


356 


ductions,  having  been  discovered  about  ten 
years  ago  in  Zululand  by  Mr.  Medley  Wood, 
the  curator  of  tlie  Durlsan  liotanic  Oardcn. 
He  describes  it  as  making  woody  stems  -in  feet 
long.  It  has  handsome,  lieart-shaped,  iiurplisli 
leaves  and  bell-shaped,  rosy  pur)ile  flowers. 

W.  Dallimoimo. 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON 
PLANT    LIFE.-X. 

Violets. 

HooKEK  in  his  "  Student's  Flora " 
recognises  seven  species  of  Viola,  the 
seventh  being  the  Pansy  (A',  tricolor), 
and  of  the  other  six  the  J  )og  (here 
illustrated)  and  the  Wood  Violet  have 
varieties. 

Unlike  the  Sweet  Violet,  the  Dog 
and  the  Wood  Violet  have  no  runners, 
and  should  be  regarded  as  the  same 
species.  This  difference  is  correlated 
with  the  fact  that  the  white  V.  odorata 
bears  its  cleistogamous*  buds  on  the 
runners  below  the  leaves,  the  others 
have  them,  especially  the  Wood  A^iolet, 
all  over  the  plant. 

The  ordinary  flowers,  at  least  of  V. 
odorata,  rarely  set  seed  in  this  country ; 
but  I  have  known  the  white  Violet  do 
.so  by  self-fertilisation.  The  stigma  is 
strongly  curved  upwards  (as  the  flower 
is  inverted),  so  the  pollen  falls  directly 
on  to  the  stigmatic  orifice.  The  un- 
opened buds,  which  appear  after  the 
usual  flowers  are  over,  set  an  abundance 
of  seed  by  self-fertilisation. 

These  little  buds  consist  of  a  calyx 
usually  without  any  corolla,  or  at  least 
only  rudiments  of  petals,  five  perfect 
stamens  and  a  pistil.  The  five  anthers 
are  pressed  down  upon  the  stigma,  and 
the  pollen  tubes  enter  it  while  the 
jjollen  grains  remain  within  the  anther 
cells.  These  do  not  open  by  slits,  but 
the  tubes  issue  by  boring  through  the 
end  of  the  anther  cell,  enter  the  stigma, 
•  and  so  fertilise  the  ovules  within  the 
ovary. 

The  presence  of  cleistogamous  buds 
is  not  confined  to  England,  for  they 
occur  on  North  American  species,  so 
that  it  must  be  a  very  ancient  con- 
trivance, established  before  the  genus 
Viola  had  differentiated  into  species 
and  became  spread  over  the  world. 
Climate  acts  upon  these  buds,  for  in 
warmer  regions  not  only  do  the  ordi- 
nary flowers  of  the  Violet  set  seed,  as, 
in  Italy,  but  the  buds,  which  are 
cleistogamous  here,  often  become 
fiertect  flowers  in  South  Europe.  I  have 
collected  them,  e.ij.,  in  Malta. 

That  the  perfect  flowers  of  Violets, 
though  specially  adapted  to  receive  the 
visits  of  insects,  should  fail  to  set  seed 
is  nothing  uncommon,  the  reader  has 
but  to  think  of  Orchids.  By  far  the 
majority  of  these  cannot  possibly  set 
any  seed  without  the  aid  of  insects. 
It  is  the  self-fertilising  Bee  Ophrys 
and  some  cleistogamous  species  only 
which  set  seed  in  profusion.  The  details 
of  adaptation  in  Violets  consist  ©f 
an  irregular  corolla,  the  front  petal 
being  spurred  for  collecting  the  honey  secreted 
by  two  tail-like  appendages  to  the  front  stamens, 
the  three  posterior  stamens  having  none.  The 
purple  petals  are  ornamented  with  golden 
streaks  or  guides  to  .show  the  way  to  the  honey. 

^  The  word  "  cleistugainous  "  means  eunoealcd  unions. 


The  stigma  resembles  a  bird's  beak,  so  situated 
as  to  )iick  up  the  |iol]en  deposited  on  a  bee, 
which  has  already  collected  it  from  a  previously 
visited  Hower.  Yet,  for  all  this  elaborate 
machinery,  no  result  usually  follows.  The 
setting  of  .seed  is  deputed  to  the  .self-fertilising 
buds,  which  attract  no  insects  whatever. 

The  Tansy  has  no  cleistogamous  buds,  but 


without  calling  in  the  aid  of  insects  to  help 
them.  G.  Henslow. 


AN    ANGLE     OF     DRY-AVALLEL 
TERRACE. 

Always    of   the    highest   imjiortancc    in    our 
gardens,  and  year  by  year  improving,  arc  the 


GKOUP    or    PYRUS    JAPONICA    AND    VARIETIES    IN    ANGLE    OF    DWARK    DRY-WALLED    TERRACE. 


several  varieties  with  very  small,  pale  coloured 
flowers  are  but  little  attractive  and  have  got 
over  certain  difficulties  of  structure,  which 
exist  in  the  larger  flowered  kinds,  preventing  a 
flower  from  fertilising  itself ;  so  thatthe  smaller- 
flowered  sorts  are  able  to  set  plenty  of  seed. 


old  and  new  kinds  of  Pyrus  japonica  and  its 
allies.  Formerly  one  saw  the  rosy  red  P, 
japonica  fairly  often  ;  sometimes  trained  to  the 
side  of  a  cottage  porch  or  wall,  sometimes  as  a 
free  flowering  bush  :  in  loamy  or  calcareous 
soils  the  best  thing  of  its  time  in  the  garden. 


856 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  18,  1901. 


Liter  came  the  fine  white  F.  j.  iiivea,  followed 
Ijy  a  inimbei- of  tender  cu]<iui-ing.s  of  jiale  rose 
and  tints  like  Apple  blossom,  and  the  splendid 
red  kind  raised  at  Knajihill.  Later  still  we 
have  had  good  things  derived  from  P.  Maulei, 
the  flowers  smaller,  bnt  making  uji  for  less  size 
by  their  extreme  profnsion  and  by  the  antnmn 
beauty  of  the  bright  yellow  fruit  ;  these  also 
are  now  in  many  tine  colourings,  thanks  to  the 
good  work  of  nurserymen  both  home  and 
foreign. 

The  illustration  shows  a  group  of  these  good 
small  shrubs  clothing  the  angle  of  a  dwarf 
dry-walled  terrace,  their  close  growth  sjireading 
and  arching,  showing  in  nature  all  the  more 
distinctly  for  the  very  different  way  of  growth 
of  the  background  of  tall  lUrches. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

FIGS    IN    POTS. 

CULTURE  of  Figs  in  pots  is  nol  a  new 
idea;  the  system,  however,  is  well 
worthy  of  greater  extension.  It  has 
much  "to  reconiniend  it  as  contrasted 
with  the  plaiitiiig-out  method,  more 
espetiallj'  for  early  and  late  forcing. 
Pot  culture  is  conducive  to  fertility  in  a  marked 
degree,  as  compared  with  trees  that  have  an 
almost  unlimited  extent  of  border  for  root  action. 
True,  trees  that  are  confined  within  limited 
borders  are,  on  the  whole,  quite  satisfactory  ;  it 
takes  longer,  however,  to  bring  a  trained  tree 
into  a  fruiting  state  than  it  does  a  pot-grown 
example.  The  vigour  of  Figs,  when  not  restricted, 
or  only  partiall}'  so,  at  the  roots,  is  well  known. 
Bj'  adopting  the  pot  system  this  is  greatly  modified 
and  altered,  so  nuich  so  in  fact  as  to  render  some 
varieties  almost  unrecognisable  by  their  growth. 
Larger  fruits  arc,  as  a  matter  of  coiu'se,  produced 
upon  planted-out  trees,  but  I  have  yei  to  learn 
that  these  are  always  the  best.  (Juantily  and 
quality  combined  can  be  obtained  from  those 
grown  in  pots,  while  there  is  not  the  same 
probability  of  an  excess  at  any  one  time  and 
scarcity  at  another. 

If  the  culture  of  Figs  in  pots  be  adopted  for 
early  and  late  forcing  as  well  as  for  the  main  crop, 
it  will  be  found  to  answer  admirably'.  Bj'  this 
method  the  glass  given  up  to  trained  trees  upon 
the  roof  will  be  at  liberty.  If  the  house  or  houses 
be  lean-tos  or  three-quarter  spans,  the  back  wall 
can  be  covered  with  trained  trees  and  the  rest  of 
the  space  devoted  to  trees  in  pots.  The  ilense 
shade  produced  by  Figs  next  the  glass  precludes 
any  profitable  use  being  derived  from  the  rest  of 
the  house.  That  Figs  can,  in  general,  be  success- 
fully grown  in  pots  has  been  proved  at  Chiswick, 
where  no  such  results  as  are  now  obtained  could 
be  secured  if  the  space  at  disposal  were  given  up 
to  trained  trees  rather  than  bushes  as  at  present. 
The  Chiswick  collection  of  Figs  has  done  more,  in 
my  opinion,  than  anything  else  to  popularise  the 
culture  of  the  fruit  in  this  country. 

EaKI.V    KuR<'IN(i. 

I  was  induced  to  adopt  the  pot  culture  of  Figs 
in  order  to  prolong  the  season.  First,  by  early 
forcing,  so  as  to  have  ripe  fruits  early  in  iNIarch  ; 
and,  secondly,  by  retarding  the  late  kinds,  in  order 
to  extend  the  season  of  ripening  in  the  autmnn 
and  into  December.  It  is  thus  possible  to  have 
ripe  Figs  for  nine  months  iri  the  year,  trained  or 
I)lanted-out  trees  taking  the  mid-season.  For  first 
early  forcing  the  best  variety  is  without  any 
question,  in  my  experience,  the  Fig  known  as 
•St.  John,  which  for  all  practical  purposes  is 
identical  with  Pingo  de  Mel  ;  where  the  one  is 
grown  the  other  is  not  required.  The  value  of 
these  Figs  lies  in  the  certainty  with  which  they 
carry  their  first  crop,  or,  in  other  words,  the  crop 
upon  the  wood  of  the  previous  year.  This  is  a 
decided  advantage  and  a  great  point  in  the  gaining 
of  time.  On  the  other  hand,  the  second  crop  is 
not  nearlj'  so  good,  but  taking  into  consideration 


the  value  of  the  first  crop,  the  one  following  is  not 
of  so  great  importance.  The  St.  .Tohn  Fig  is  an 
excellent  example  of  the  advantages  derived  from 
pot  culture  rrrfw  the  |ilanting-out  .sj'stem.  It  is, 
when  nol  restricted  at  the  roots,  an  extra  .strong 
grower,  so  nuich  so  as  U)  prejudice  its  reputation 
for  being  a  good  crojjper.  In  pots  it  liears  most 
abundant  crops,  which  require  thinning  in  order 
to  secure  fruits  of  good  size.  Brown  Turkey  and 
White  Marseilles  are  capital  ^varieties  for  suc- 
cession. Our  plan  is  to  start  the  first  earlj'  batch 
of  St.  John  or  Pingo  de  Mel  about  October  20,  or 
at  the  latest  by  November  1.  These  will  ripen 
their  fruits  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  February. 
Later  batches  continue  the  succession  until  about 
the  end  of  April,  when  trained  trees  can  be  had  in 
good  bearing.  No  variation  is  made  in  respect  to 
temperatures  from  what  obtains  in  other  systems 
of  forcing  the  Fig.  Bottom  heat  is  supplied  by 
means  of  leaves  ;  no  manure  is  added  to  tlie  leaves 
for  fear  of  an  excess  of  heat.  The  bottom  heat 
ranges  from  Vlf,  75"  to  SO"-',  being  maintained,  if 
need  be,  by  hot-water  pipes.  The  moisture  arising 
from  the  leaves  dispenses  to  a  considerable  degree 
with  a  liberal  use  of  the  syringe  ;  it  is  not  well  to 
allow  the  j'oung  foliage  to  remain  wet  at  night, 
otherwise  it  will  become  too  flaccid  during  the  dull 
and  often  sunless  weather  of  the  winter  season. 
The  night  temperature  at  the  time  of  starting  is 
about  rilY',  rising  10''  and  lo"^  during  the  day  ;  this 
will  suffice  until  the  young  foliage  and  fruits  are 
well  advanced.  A  steady  increase  is  given,  but 
not  beyond  5.3"  at  night,  until  the  fruits  are 
swelling  for  the  final  stage  ;  then  another  increase 
is  given — say,  t)8'^  to  70''.  A  corresponcHug  increase 
by  day  follows  as  a  matter  of  course.  'I'he.sj'ringe 
should  again  fie  used  cautiouslj'  wlien  the  fruits 
are  ripening,  especially  in  the  case  of  St.  .John, 
which  has  a  thin  skin.  ^Vhen  the  wood  is  well 
ripened  and  no  more  fruits  are  forthcoming,  the 
early  forced  bushes  are  taken  out  of  doors  after  a 
gradual  hardening  olV,  or,  if  too  early  for  full 
exposure,  are  removed  to  a  cooler  house.  These 
early  ones  are  safe  out  of  doors  in  June,  a  sunny 
position  being  finally  the  best  for  them.  The 
roots  will  fre(pientl3'  have  extended  beyonil  the 
pots  into  the  leaves,  but  the  check  given  to  the 
plants  Mill  not  be  of  an}'  particular  moment. 

Late  Forcim^. 

The  treatment  accorded  in  this  instance  varies 
somewhat  from  that  given  to  the  early  forced  lot. 
These  are  kept  cool,  so  as  to  retard  the  growth  as 
much  as  possible.  By  the  end  of  March  or  earlj' 
in  April  there  will  be  signs  of  returning  vitality, 
when  a  portion  of  the  stock  should  be  placed 
under  more  favourable  conditions  as  regards 
growth — a  late  vinery,  for  instance,  just  closed, 
or  any  other  house  where  somewhat  similar  con- 
ditions prevail.  It  is  not  desirable  to  excite  the 
growth  too  much  thus  early,  nor  until  room  can 
be  found  to  acconnuodate  the  plants.  Cold  pits  or 
frames  even  will  answer  for  some  little  time.  Our 
])lan  is  t<)  work  the  various  batches  of  late  I^^igs 
through  the  orchard  houses  as  the  forced  trees  go 
outside,  or  through  the  Strawberry  houses  mean- 
while. For  some  weeks,  however,  it  is  possible 
to  keep  them  in  cold  pits  with  just  .sulllcient 
protection  to  keep  off  frost.  A  free  growth  is 
encouraged  during  the  season  by  closing  early  and 
by  generous  atmo.spheric  conditions,  more  moisture 
being  given  to  these  than  to  the  early  forced  slock. 
It  is  essential  to  avoid  a  starved  or  stunted  growth, 
some  of  the  best  and  certainly  the  most^  useful 
fruits  being  taken  from  Ihe  young  wood.  Over- 
crowcbng  in  every  instance  should  be  studiously 
aA'oided,  there  should  always  be  a  free  play  of  air 
between  the  ])lants.  The  shoots  are  kept  pinched 
at  tlie  fourth  or  fifth  joint ;  this  applies  ei|ually  to 
all  of  the  stock,  whether  early  or  late.  Some 
varieties  do  not  make  shoots  of  any  great  length 
under  pot  treatment,  remaining  more  sturdy  and 
compact  in  habit.  Some  again  may  not  show  for 
fruit  so  readily  as  others  upon  the  young  wood. 
These  may  be  forced  into  pushing  forth  their  fruit 
by  rubbing  out  the  young  poiiits  of  growth  as 
they  successivel}'  appear.  Some  varieties  also 
dilVcr  in  their  tendency  to  split  when  the  fruit  is 
ripening.     For  instance,  Negro  Largo  rarely  ever 


splits  a  fruit ;  hence  this  and  similar  varieties  will 
always  bear  more  .ilmospherii-  moisture  at  that 
stage  than  will  Nebian  or  X'iolette  ISepor,  both  of 
which  are  fine  Figs.  When  the  tendency  to  split 
becomes  at  all  serious  our  plan  is  to  sever  the  fruit 
partially  at  the  stem  rather  than  keep  the  plant 
too  dry  and  thus  cripple  the  later  fruits.  During 
the  summer  no  fire  heat  is  needed  for  the  latu 
Figs,  except  when  il  is  dull  or  rather  chillj'  in  the 
morning,  as  il  was,  for  instance,  for  a  time  in 
August  of  last  year.  Unless  il  be  (|uite  warm  it 
is  best  to  eniplo}-  fire  heat  onwards  from  the 
beginning  of  September,  in  a  moderate  degree  at 
least,  ^^'hat  has  to  be  aimed  at  is  to  avoid  a 
check  such  as  will  cause  the  foliage  to  fall  pre- 
maturely. ^\'hen  this  occurs,  the  fruits,  as  a 
matter  of  cour.se,  sufi'er  also.  If  kept  too  dry  at 
the  roots,  if  attacked  liy  insect  pests,  or  if  a  chill 
supervenes,  this  will  happen.  As  these  late  Figs 
cease  to  be  productive  they  are  transferred  to  a 
cooler  house,  such  as  a  vinery,  where,  with  a  slight 
warmth  for  a  short  time  and  ventilation,  they 
become  sutticienlly  hardened  to  stand  in  a  cool 
house  where  the  frost  is  excluded.  It  is  not 
advisable  to  expose  them  to  direct  frost,  although 
a  few  degrees  woulif  not  nijure  them. 

POTTI.NG. 

We  treat  our  Figs  in  pots  practicallj-  the  same 
as  the  other  fruit  trees  so  grown,  viz.,  repotting 
every  season.  The  early  forced  ones  should,  if 
possible,  be  potted  in  August  or  early  in  Sep- 
tember, leaving  them  still  out  of  doors  until 
reipiired  for  starting  at  the  end  of  October.  The 
late  Figs,  on  the  other  hand,  are  potted  as  they 
ripen  ofi'  during  the  winter,  fiut,  as  just  stated, 
these  are  still  left  indoors.  'When  first  starting 
with  Figs  in  pots  I  was  advised  not  to  pot 
armually,  and  that  by  more  than  one  grower. 
We  find,  however,  that  it  is  beneficial  to  do  so. 
It  does  not  fiy  anj'  means  follow  that  larger  pols 
need  he  used.  This  is  only  done  when  extra  vigoin- 
is  indicated.  Ky  reducing  the  balls  it  is  nearly 
alwaj's  possilile  to  keep  to  the  same  size  of  pot  for 
at  least  two  or  three  seasons.  If  potted  into  larger 
sizes  too  frequently,  they  become  more  unwieldy, 
besides  M'hich  there  is  more  liability  to  liecome 
ultimately  unhealthy  at  the  roots.  Fresh  soil  of 
the  right  kind  supplied  to  the  plants  in  this 
annual  potting  is  much  Ijetter  than  any  excess  of 
animal  or  artificial  manure,  minus  the  potting. 
We  pot  as  firmly  as  possible,  after  having  care- 
fully reduced  the  old  hill  so  that  the  fresh  soil 
can  lie  worked  around  between  the  ball  and  the 
pot  without  an}'  injur}-  to  the  root.  It  is  well  to 
note  that  the  balls  are  not  too  dry. 

Soil. 

The  Fig  thrives  well  in  a  calcareous  loam  :  hence 
where  this  is  not  obtainable  it  becomes  all  the 
more  necessary  t(j  add  something  like  old  mortar 
rubble.  This  not  only  keeps  the  plant  supplied 
with  a  requisite  fooil,  Init  also  assists  in  keeping 
the  soil  open  or  more  porous.  Such  loam  as  that 
from  Banstead,  in  Siu're}',  needs  to  ha\e  .another 
quality  added  Ig  it,  such  as  a  tough  fibrous  loam 
that  will  not  in  proce.ss  of  time  become  too  close. 
Tliis  is  our  plan  ;  to  il  wc  add  old  mortar  or  lime 
rubble,  worked  down  through  a  half-inch  sieve  or 
something  approaching  it  in  size  of  mesh.  De- 
composed manure,  such  as  that  from  a  Melon  bed, 
with  an  ei|ual  amount  of  leaf  soil,  makes  an 
excellent  addition.  We  do  not  add  an}*  artificial 
manures  at  this  stage,  but  prefer  to  leave  their 
application  until  Ihe  fruits  are  showing,  and  then 
even  they  should  be  sparingly  used,  a  pinch 
between  the  finger  and  thumb  being  am])lo  for 
one  application.  This  may  allcniale  with  liquid 
maniu'C  made  from  fresh  horse  njaniu'c  rather 
than  that  from  Ihe  cowyard.  Once  a  week  for 
each  is  ample. 

T(U'-UKK.SSIN(I. 

We  attach  considerable  importance^  to  this 
method  of  supplying  additional  nourishment  to 
the  plants  when  they  have  already  filled  tlicir  pols 
with  roots  and  in  time  to  render  aid  to  llinin  for 
fully  developing  their  fruits.  This  is  coni])o.sed  of 
similar  soil  witli  rather  moi"e  maiuirc  added  to  it. 
In  applying  it,  room  around   the  stem  should  be 


May  is,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


Sf)? 


left  for  watering,  while  it  imiat  be 
pressed  down  firmly.  The  roots  will 
([uickly  find  this  out  and  at  once 
assimilate  it. 

Waterin(!. 
When  growing  Figs  in  pots  see 
to  it  that  they  are  well  supplied 
with  water.  If  allowed  to  become 
dry,  so  that  the  foliage  droops,  tliey 
must  subsequeiitlj'  suffer. 

Varieties  Recommended  for  Pot 
Culture. 

The  varieties  that  I  recommend 
for  pot  culture  are  as  follows  ;  ¥ov 
first  early  forcing,  St.  .Tohn  or  Pingo 
de  Mel,  which  will  fruit  e(|ually 
well  as  the  late  varieties  in  pots  of 
corresponding  size.  If  grown  at  the 
start  in  G-inch  or  8-inch  pots  a  good 
retuni  may  be  liad.  Urown  Turkey' 
will  be  a  sound  succession,  liut  it 
must  be  started  at  about  the  same 
time.  Then  White  Marseilles  will 
follow.  For  the  main  crop  repeat 
the  two  last-named  and  add  Bour- 
jassotte  Grise  with  Violette  Sepor. 
For  late  forcing  Negro  Largo  is  one 
of  the  ver}'  best ;  it  can  be  relied 
upon  until  the  end  of  October.  The 
next  is  Nebian  or  Grosse  Verte, 
which  is  at  its  best  during  September 
and  October.  Another  good  late  Fig 
is  Bourjassotte  Noir,  which  crops 
well  and  does  not  split  its  fruit. 
The  latest  Fig  of  all  is  D'Agen,  whicli 
we  kept  last  year  until  Christmas 
Day;  it  is  likewise  of  most  deliciou.s 
Havour.  As  a  delicacy  I  can  strongly 
recommend  White  Ischia,  and  I 
have  no  doubt  whatever  that  Vjotli 
the  Black  and  the  Brown  Ischia  are  e<|ually 
as  good.  The  White  Iscliia  is  a  most  abundant 
bearer  and  of  delicious  flavour  ;  it  is  better  grown 
as  an  autumn  l"ig  than  for  early  forcing.  I  find 
also  that  Angelic|ue  is  liest  under  similar  con- 
ditions. Large  Black  Douro  is  an  excellent 
autumn  variety,  somewhat  Hat  in  shape,  very 
dark  in  colour,  and  most  prolific;  it  is  not  so 
generally  known  as  it  deserves  to  be.  If  I  were 
confined  to  six  varieties  I  w(juld  gi'ow  St.  .lohn. 
Brown  Turkey,  Bourjassotte  (J rise,  Negro  Largo, 
Nebian,  and  D'Agen.  This  list  includes  both 
early  and  late  varieties.  James  Huhson. 

\Reprmied  liy  permiasion  from  the    Royal  Hni- 
licultural  Society's  Joui-nal,  vol.  35,  page  ••'.  | 


VIEW    OF    A    HOUSE    OF    liREENHOUSE    FLOWERS    IN    MESSRS.    S:\rlTirs    NURSERY    AT    WORCESTER. 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 

.MESSRS.  RICHARD  SMITH   AND  CO., 
WORCESTER. 

A    LTHOUGH  the  nurs'ery  grounds  of  Messrs. 

/\  Richard  Smith  are,  of  course,  primarily 

/   %         and  chiefl}'  associated  with  the  culture 

/      %        of  hardy  evergreen  and  deciduous  trees 

/         ^     and    shrubs,    alpine    and    herbaceous 

plants,  to  which  we  hope   to  be  able 

to  fuUj'  refer  at  a  later  season,  there  is  yet  a  great 

deal   to  interest  one  at  tlie  present  time   in  the 

representative  collections  of   indoor   plants   there 

cultivated. 

The  greenhouse,  always  kept  bright  with  season- 
able flowering  plants,  and  of  which  we  are  able  to 
give  an  illustration,  is  now  full  of  unusually 
interesting  flowers.  Conspicuous  are  the  pendent 
scarlet  racemes  of  Clianthus  puniceus,  the  Glory 
Pea  of  New  Zealand,  produced  by  good  pot  plants, 
well  suited  for  planting  out  in  the  greenhouse. 
'Phis  Cliantiius  succeeds  far  better  when  treated 
in  this  waj'  tlian  if  continually  grown  \n  a  pot, 
and  a  finer  creeper  for  the  conservatory  or  green- 
house could  not  be  desired,  (.ienista  raeemosus 
and  a  variet\'  called  elegans,  of  looser  habit  and 
less  compact  flower  racemes  ;  Acacia  Drummondi, 
with  its  curious  pendent  heads  of  bloom  ;  Acacia 
caudata,  one  of  the  most  eii'ective  of  all,  bearing 


tiny  whitish  flowers,  clustered  around  long  wiry 
stems ;  and  Azaleas  in  great  variety,  are  well 
represented.  Boronias  lieteropbylla  and  megas- 
tigma,  indispensable  in  the  greenhouse  in  spring- 
time, are  also  here.  I'hose  who  do  not  possess 
the  first-named,  that  liears  numerous  small  l)ell- 
shaped  blooms  of  a  lieautiful  crimson-lake  in  colour, 
are  without  one  of  tlie  very  best  early-flowering 
cool  house  plants.  A  dwarf  heath-like  plant, 
known  here  as  Treniandi'a  erie.-cfolia,  is  particularly 
pretty ;  the  light  and  ilelicate  foli.age  forms  a 
pleasing  environment  to  the  beautiful  rose-lilac 
coloured,  blooms.  The  plants  shown  in  the 
foreground  of  the  accompanying  illustration  are 
tho.se  in  (:|uestion.  Diosma  capitata,  ISrachysema 
acuminata,  aiul  Ohorozemas  in  variety  are  also 
worthy  of  note. 

The  collection  of  warm  house  plants  includes 
many  notaltle  examples  of  some  of  the  best 
varieties  of  Dracienas,  Palms,  Crotons,  decorative 
Asparagus,  A.  Sprengeri,  A.  decumbens,  A.  ver- 
ticillata,  &c.  :  a  good  collection  of  Ferns,  notably 
a  splendid  lot  of  Adiantum  tenerum,  Farleyense, 
and  Davallia  buUata,  the  rhizomes  of  which  are 
fastened  to  hanging  baskets  of  various  designs, 
circular,  half-moon,  ring-shaped,  and  so  on.  When 
the  Ferns  are  in  fidl  beauty,  tlie  baskets  become 
completely  covered  and  form  very  pretty  objects. 
It  is  yet  too  early  to  see  at  their  best  the  splendid 
specimen  Clematis  that  Messrs.  Richard  Smith 
invariably  exhibit  at  the  Temple  Show,  but  these, 
together  with  thousands  of  smaller  plants,  give 
one  some  idea  of  tlie  extent  to  which  they  are  here 
grown  and  with  what  marked  success.  Just  at 
the  entrance  to  the  nursery  there  is  a  large  circular 
bed  planted  with  Clematis  .Tackmani  and  one  or 
two  of  the  best  varieties.  A  light  wociden  trellis 
covers  the  bed,  and  to  this  the  plants  are  trained, 
with  the  result  tliat  in  summer  it  is  simply  one 
inas^s  of  flower. 

Of  all  the  evergreen  shrulis  lliat  Messrs.  Smith 
now  have  in  their  c<iol  houses  there  is  none  more 
slrikingand  distinct  than  Euonymus  latifolius  albo- 
marginatus,  perhaps  sulUciently  well  descriptive. 
The  variegation  is  I'emarkably  pretty,  the  colours 
being  .so  distinct.  Tea  Roses  in  pots  are  grown 
in  large  (|uantities,  ami  there  are  also  several 
specimens  planted  out  in   cool  houses  that   have 


attained  to  a  remarkalile  size  and  vigour.  Marechal 
Niel  and  Perle  des  Jardins  (the  latter,  is  thought 
ver3'  liighly  of  here)  are  two  of  the  best,  and 
produce  an  immense  number  of  flowers.  Curiously 
enough  these  plants  have  quite  a  restricted  root, 
run.  In  these  notes  we  have  not  been  able  to  do 
more  than  attempt  to  give  some  idea  of  but  one 
aspect  of  Messrs.  Richard  Smith's  establislinient, 
and  that  perhaps  a  minor  one,  yet  without  doubt 
the  most  interesting  at  this  early  period  of  the 
year.  Reference  to  the  more  extensive  portion  of 
the  Worcester  Nursery,  where  are  cultivated  the 
hard}'  evergreen  and  flowering  shrubs,  herbaceous, 
and  alpine  plants,  may  be  left  over  until  a  njore 
propitious  season  of  the  year. 

[This  interesting  nursery  is  very  beautiful  just 
now  with  flowering  trees  and  shrubs  and  alpine 
plants  in  bloom,  as  some  weel;s  have  elapsed  since 
these  notes  were  written. — Eds.] 


AMERICAN    NOTES. 

Notes  from  New  Jersey. — A  Disastkoiis 
Winter. 
SpRiNii  is  with  us  again,  accqrding  to  the  calendar, 
but  even  at  this  late  date  (April  -20)  there  is  little 
sign  of  growth.  Nor  can  we  as  yet  fully  estimate  tlie 
tribute  claimed  by  a  winter  loth  to  pass  away,  less 
riforous  in  extreme  cold  than  many,  that  have 
proceeded  it,  but  sadly  disastrous  .beyond  ..all 
previous  experience  by  reason  of  certain  eonditi'ona 
of  weather.  The  early  wintei'  was  dry,  and 
througli  February  and  March  high  and  cold  winds 
prevailed,  with  niuch  less  than  the  average  snow- 
fall. The  eft'eot  upon  evergreens  is  most  marked. 
Fine  Rhododendrons  that  have  withstood  the 
rigours  of  a  score  of  previous  winters  are  as  if 
scorched  by  fire.  Even  our  native  R.  Catawbiense' 
has  not  escaped.  I  saw  a  large  breadth  of  it  last 
week  in  a  Philadelphia  nursery  without  a  green 
leaf,  and,  worse  than  this,  in  the  same  place  there 
were  ■J.'p,(lOO  dead  Hemlock  Spruce.  On  Long 
Island,  too,  a  few  days  back,  I  saw  trees  .')0  feet 
high  of  our  native  White  Pine  (Pinus  Strobus)  as 
brown  as  though  a  fiery  blast  had  passed  through 
but  not  consumed  them'.  The  like  has  rarely  been  ■ 
witnessed.     It  is  attributed  to  the  long-continued 


358 


THE     GARDEN. 


[May   is,  1901. 


high  co!<l  winds  causing  excessive  evaporation  for 
a  period  of  about  six  weeks.  The  worst  of 
calamities,  however,  leaves  us  wiser  in  some 
i-espects,  and  in  surveying  the  wreclv  some  sur- 
prises are  encountered,  one  especially  proving  the 
extreme. 

Hardiness  of  Azalea  .■viitEXA  and 
A.  indica  alba. 
I  was  reading  a  note  in  a  recent  number  of  Tirr. 
tJARDEN,  which  claimed  for  A.  amania  greater 
hardiness  thanit  was  generally  supposed  to  possess. 
It  is  hardy  enough  here,  and  1  know  of  great  plants 
(J  feet  in  diameter  that  have  been  twenty  years  or 
more  in  the  open  garden  unharmed  by  a  tempera- 
ture of  20"  below  zero.  Now  it  has  come  through 
an  unusually  severe  ordeal.  On  a  lawn  in  a  garden 
in  the  suburbs  of  Philadelphia,  and  exposed  to  the 
coldest  quarter,  I  saw  two  fine  specimen  plants, 
one  of  A.  anncna,  the  other  of  A.  indica  alba,  both 
fresh  and  green  with  flower  bnds  ready  shortly  to 
hurst  into  a  sheet  of  bloom.  On  the  same  lawn 
Rhododendrons  were  brown.  Our  native  Holly 
has  suffered  with  the  Rhododendron,  but  the 
lOuropean  Box  has  come  through  unscathed,  and 
from  henceforth  planters  will  treasure  this  fact  in 
mind.  Mahonia  Aquifolia  is  a  sorrj'  spectacle,  but 
Mahonia  japonica  is  fresh,  green,  and  quite  un- 
liarmed.  The  entire  absence  of  broad-leaved  ever- 
greens makes  our  garden  plantings  look  very  thin 
and  bare  all  winter,  but  we  have  compensating 
pleasures,  for  our 

Flowering  Shrubs 
are  incomparable,  so  profusely  do  they  bloom  each 
.  year,  therefore  we  plant  them  by  the  thousand. 
The  first  and  foremost  in  the  gay  procession  is 
Forsythia  Fortunei.  The  (4olden  Bell,  as  we  call 
it  here,  is  an  apt  name,  for  glancing  out  of  the 
window  I  can  see  it  brightly  effective  on  a  hillside 
in  the  park,  two  miles  away,  as  yellow  as  a  mass  of 
I5room  in  England,  which  is  too  tender  for  us. 
I  wonder  why  one  always  sees  the  Forsythia 
against  a  wajl  in  English  gai'dens.  Plant  a  mass 
of  it  somewhere  and  let  it  alone,  and  it  will  reveal 
much  additional  l)eaut3'.  The  first  of  the  Magnolias 
to  bloom  is  M.  slellata  (or  halleana).  It  is  a  gem, 
duarf,  and  of  bushy  habit,  with  large  semi-double 
pure  white  fragrant  flowers,  which  cover  the 
Flushes.  Berberis  Tliunbergi  is  another  shrub  we 
plant  in  big  masses.  It  has  many  aspects  of  lieauly, 
and  is  never  devoid  of  charm,  but  just  now  it  is 
(|uaintly  effective  with  last  year's  fruits  still  of  a 
l)right  crimson,  in  contrast  to  the  tender  pea-gi-een 
budding  growth':.  Among  hardy  flowers  we  have 
nothing  yet  beyond  a  few  Scillas,  ('liionodoxas, 
andiirape  Hyacinths,  which  have  held  tlieir  own 
among  the  shrubs  ;  atul  every  \'ear  they  greet  us 
as  the  first  harbingers  of  returning  spring. 
Madixoii,  N.J.  A.  HKRRrxiiToN. 


THE 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

HEATING    AND    VENTHATING 

OF   HOT   HOUSES. 
]5v  Mr.  a.  Donald  Mackenzie. 

ITH  the  enormous  increase  in  the 
prosperity  and  wealth  of  the 
!■  o  u  n  ti  r  y 
dui'ing  tlie 
last  fifty 
vears,      hot 


J  >  ^      iVi  M 

w 


B 


tion  of  hot  water 
in  pipes  is  very 
interesting,  for 
we  are  presented 
with  an  apparent 
anomaly  by  tlie 
rapid  rise  of  the 
water  intheflow- 
pipe,  apparentl}' 
against  the  uni- 
versal law  that 
water  flows  to 
the  lowest  point 
— finils  its  level. 
But  this  is  not 
the  occasion  for 
discussing  this 
aspect  of  the 
question  to  any 
great  extent.  In 
passing,  how- 
ever, I  may  be  allowed  very  briefly  to  draw  atten- 
tion to  the  cause  of  the  circulation  in  a  hot  water 
apparatus. 

Fig.  I  represents  an  ordinarj'  apparatus  with 
a  saddle  boiler,  to  which  is  attacheil  in  the  ordinarj' 
way  a  flow-  and  return-pipe  ;  the  flow  in  all  cases 
and  in  all  classes  of  boilers  must  be  from  the 
highest  available  point  of  the  boiler,  and  the  return 
should  rejoin  the  boiler  as  near  the  bottom  as 
practicable.  There  is  thus  an  endless  pipe,  the 
boiler  being  practically  a  part  of  the  pipe  enlarged 
and  shaped  for  the  application  of  heat.  When 
such  an  apparatus  is  filled  with  water  through  the 
cistern  and  feed-pipe  it  is  ready  for  use.  When 
heat  is  applied  to  the  part  of  the  endless  tube 
called  the  boiler  what  happens  is  this,  the  water 


ch'tMre 


^'"^'■.'/.y 


TERMINAL    SADDLE    V.IIILER. 


expands — expands  equally  In  all  directions 
wards  as  well  as  upwards  ;  but  inasnnich  as  there 
is  less  resistance  in  the  upward  direction  the  whole 
expansion  is  diverted  that  way,  tlie  longer  or  rather 
higher  column  of  water  in  tlie  return-pipe  resists 
the  jHish  of  the  expansion,  and  the  hot  water  is 
forced  upwards  ;  thus  the  circulation  is  begun  and 
in  the  same  manner  continued,  ft  is  clear  that 
the  cause  of  the  upward  How  of  the  hot  water  in 
the  flow-pijje  is  the  greater  density  and  weight  of 
the  higher  and  colder  column  of  water  in  the 
return-pipe. 

It  can  be  proved  that  with  an  apparatus  having 
a  height  of  "i  feet  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest 
point,  and  with  an  average  dift'erence  of  10'-'  between 
the  flow-  and  relurn-pipe,  the  water  in  the  return 


1.    r.OILERS,    SITOWINd    FLOW    AND    RKTIIRN. 


is  continually  falling  with  a  theoretical  velocity  of 
68-4  feet  per  minute.  With  an  aver.age  height  of 
10  feet  the  fall  per  minute  is  titi'tj  feet,  and  in  an 
appai'atus  having  a  height  of  '20  feet  the  theoretical 
fall  is  \'M)''l  feet  per  minute  ;  in  short,  the  motive 
power  in  a  hot-water  apparatus  is  entirely  in  the 
return-pipe,  the  amount  depending  on  the  height 
and  on  the  ditt'erenee  of  temperature  between  the 
flow  and  return. 

In  quoting  these  figures  no  account  is  taken  of 
the  friction,  which  may  be  very  small,  or  may  !« 
sufficient  to  wholly  stop  the  circulation. 

In  the  heating  of  hot  houses  it  is  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  remember  that  the  motive  power  is 
in  proportion  to  the  dift'erence  in  height  lietween 
the  lowest  and  the  highest  points  of  the  apiiaratus, 
which  practically  means  the 
depth  of  thestokehole  and  rise 
of  the  pipes.  Attempts  are 
sometimes  made  to  avoid  sink- 
ing a  stokehole,  but  such 
attempts  are  bound  to  be 
failures,  and  are  only 
attempted  by  people  without 
any  knowledge  of  the  under- 
lying principles  which  govern 
the  circulation  of  hot  water  in 
pipes. 

It   is   well    known     to    all 

experienced  heating  engineers 

that  a  boiler  (|uite  powerful 

enough  to  heat  1 ,000  feet  of 

pipe  where  there  is  a  height  of 

feet  or  SO  feet  will  not  etticieiilly  work  more 

')(l  feet  when  the  height  is  only   ">  feel  or 

Along  with  this   must  be  considered   the 

which    is    the    work    to   be 


TERMINAL   SADDLE   IIOILER 
ANOTHER    PATTERN. 


do 


houses  for  the  cultivation  of 
fruits  an<l  flowers  have  iii- 
crease<l  in  a  fall  pi-oportlnn. 
The  maintaining  of  an  equable 
temperature  in  such  houses 
v/hen  the  outside  teiiipeiaturc 
varies  sometimes  as  much  as 
20°  to  ;ft)"  in  twentv-four  hours 
is  not  without  dirtlculty. 

The  means  used  to  accom- 
plish this  is  in  nearly  every 
case  now  hot  water  circulating 
in  pipes  ;  the  days  of  the  old 
briek  flues  have  gone. 

The  theory  of  the  circula- 


2r> 

than 

(i  feet. 

frictional   resistance, 

aceompli.shed. 

For  hot  house  work  there  is  a  general  agreement 
that  a  4-inch  pipe  is  the  most  suitable  in  regard  to 
the  ([uantity  of  water  and  the  friction  on  the  walls 
of  the  pipe  ;  3-inch  and  2-iiich  pipes  may.  and 
often  are,  used,  but  probably  SO  per  cent,  of  the 
hot  houses  erected  are  heated  with  4  inch.  In  very 
large  apparatus  larger  pipes  are  often  used  for 
mains,  but  the  radiating  pipes  are  almost  invariably 
4-inch. 

The  relation  between  the  size  of  the  structure 
to  be  heated  and  the  amount  of  heating  surface  is 
of  the  greatest  importance  ;  and  although  there 
are  no  scientific  rules  for  this,  practice  has  been 
much  on  the  following  lines,  which,  I  think,  except 
in  the  most  exposed  situations,  are  safe  lines.  Of 
course  provision  must  be  made  against  the  coldest 
weather,  which  may  be  taken  at  32"  of  frost. 

For  conservatories  where  a  temperature  of  not 
more  than  4")"  or  fiO"  is  wanted  there  should  be 
1  foot  of  4-incli  jiipe,  or  lis  e(|uivaleiit,  for  every 
Wa  (tubii-  feet  of  space. 

For  plant  houses,  where  a  higher  temperature 
may  be  re(|uired,  the  proportion  should  be  1  foot 
of  pi|je  to  every  2.')  or  .'lo  cubic  feet  of  space. 

I'^or  stoves  and  Orchid  houses,  and  also  for  eai'ly 
vineries,  the  proportion  of  heating  surface  should 
be  still  higher.  An  Orchid  house  12  feet  wide 
requires  four  rows  of  4-inch  pipes  along  each  side, 
which  gives  1  foot  of  heating  surface  lo  every  12 
or  13  cubic  feet  to  be  heated. 


May  18,  1901.] 


Tlt£    GAtlbElN. 


369 


The  lean-to  and  scmispau  type  uf  early  vinery 
It)  feet  wide  should  have  eight  rows  of  pipes, 
being  about  1  foot  of  pipe  to  every  15  cubic  feet 
to  be  heated. 

An  intermediate  vinerj',  if  span  -  roofed  and 
24  feet  wide,  should  have  twelve  rows  of  4-inch 
pipes,  giving  I  foot  to  about  10  or  17  cubic  feet. 
A  span  house  naturally  re([uires  a  larger  proportion 
of  heating  surface  than  a  lean-to. 

Peach  houses  14  feet  wide  with  four  rows  of 
pipes  have  a  proportion  of  about  1  foot  of  heatingsur- 
face  to  every  28  cubic  feet,  which  may  be  taken  as  a 
fair  medium  where  early  forcing  is  not  attempted. 

Melon  and  general  forcing  houses  often  have  a 
forcing  bed  on  each  side,  with  four  rows  of  pipe 
below  each  bed.  When  this  arrangement  is  adopted 
it  is  desirable  to  have  more  than  the  usual  propor- 
ti  on,  as  those  pipes  in  the  chamber  below  the 
bed  cannot  be  counted  upon  but  to  about  one-half 
their  heating  value.  It  is  usual  to  put  a  row  of 
pipe  along  the  side  above  the  bed,  close  to  the 
front  ;  but,  in  addition  to  this,  it  is  desirable  to 
have  some  pipes  in  the  footway  covered  with  an 
iron  grating. 

These  various  cix'culations  should  be  controlled 
by  valves,  as  there  will  be  times  when  no  surface 
heat  may  be  recjuired,  whilst  a  good  strong  heat  is 
needed  below  the  forcing  beds. 

There  should  be  ventilators  in  the  wall  of  the 
forcing  bed  for   the  admission   of   air,   and  other 


water  bars  a  large  amount  of  heat  is  gut  when  the 
fire  is  banked  up,  which  would  otherwise  be  lost 
or  go  to  burn  up  ordinary  metal  bars  ;  for  it  must 
always  be  kept  in  mind  that  what  is  wanted  is  a 
furnace  and  boiler  that  will  go  on  for  eight  or  ten 
hours  without  attention. 

A  very  powerful  sectional  cast  iron  boiler  has 
been  introduced  into  this  country  from  America. 
I  cannot  say  I  am  partial  to  cast  iron  foi'  boilers, 
as,  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  metal,  it  is  much 
more  liable  to  accident  than  malleable  iron  and 
steel. 

The  heating  of  a  single  hot  house,  or  even  two 
or  three  when  close  together,  is  a  comparatively 
easy  matter,  but  when  there  are  a  great  many 
circulations  of  various  lengths  and  of  various 
heights,  there  is  very  great  difficulty  sometimes  in 
getting  the  watei'  to  circulate  in  the  longer  circu- 
lations. As  an  example  of  this  I  may  refer  to 
the  very  large  apparatus  in  use  at  the  gardens 
at  iSandringham,  the  Norfolk  home  of  H.R. H. 
the  King.  In  this  case  some  of  the  houses 
heated  are  over  400  feet  away  from  the  boilers, 
while  there  are  others  close  at  hand.  Large  mains 
are  carried  underground  in  a  Ijuilt  tunnel  large 
enough  for  a  man  to  creep  through  and  examine 
the  pipes  when  re(iuired — all  underground  pipes 
should  be  in  tunnels.  The  dithculty  in  getting  the 
circulations  at  the  extreme  ends  of  the  system  to 
heat  is  caused  by  the  short  circuiting  of  the  nearer 


This  has  been  adopted  with  very  Ijenelicial  results 
by  Professor  Bayley  Jjalfour  in  the  Royal  IJotauic 
Gardens,  Edinburgh. 

I  have  left  myself  no  time  to  say  much  about 
tlie  ventilation  of  hot  hou.ses,  but  this  is  less  to  be 
regretted  because  ventilation  is  a  very  simple 
matter.  In  all  cases  there  nuist  be  ljt)ttoni  venti- 
lation and  top  ventilation.  The  Ijottom  openings 
should  be  as  near  the  floor  level  as  may  be  prac- 
ticable, and  with  Orchid  houses  and  where  other 
delicate  plants  are  grown  the  cold  air  should  lie 
made  to  impinge  on  the  hot-water  pipes  so  that 
the  chill  may  be  taken  ofi'.  The  particular  manner 
of  doing  this  must  be  left  for  each  case  to  be  treated 
on  its  merits,  the  most  important  matter  being 
that  the  opening  arrangement  should  be  such  that 
1  inch  or  I  foot  of  an  opening  may  be  had  at 
pleasure.  The  top  ventilation  should  be  at  the 
highest  point,  and  also  must  be  arranged  so  that  a 
very  little  space  may  be  open  in  cold  weather  and 
as  much  as  possible  in  very  warm  weather. 

[liCprodtdyifl,  hi/  pcriuiS'^io'H,,  frojii  Ilia  Joni'itnl  of 
Ike  Royal  Horliculliiral  Sociel<j.\ 


AN  AMATEUR'S    FRUIT    TREES. 

During  the  last  few  years  complaints  have  been 
made  as  to  the  greater  difficulties  of  growing  the 
Peach   and    Nectarine  now,    compared    to    a   few 


I 


mm 


ELRUGE    J^ECT.UiliNE    TREE    IN    A    CARUEK    NEAR    LONDON. 


ventilators  above,  close  to  the  glass,  for  the  escape 
of  the  heated  air.  In  this  way  the  temperature 
can  be  regulated  as  required. 

It  is  not  necessar}'  to  go  into  the  question  of 
boilers.  There  has  been  more  controversy  about 
the  merits  of  boilers  than  any  other  detail  in 
connection  with  hot  houses.  There  are  numerous 
patent  boilers  in  the  market,  each  one  put  forward 
by  the  maker  or  patentes  as  being  the  best.  I 
have  had  very  considerable  experience  of  these 
during  the  last  forty  years,  and  my  opinion  is  that 
a  good  deal  of  what  is  said  in  their  favour  may  be 
discarded. 

The  old  saddle  boiler  still  keeps  its  hold  as  one 
of  the  simplest  and,  under  reasonable  conditions, 
one  of  the  most  economical ;  but  I  could  not  advise 
its  use  (except  under  special  conditions)  for  quanti- 
ties over  750  feet  of  4-inch  pipe.  For  quantities 
from  500  feet  to  2,000  feet  the  terminal  saddle  boiler 
is  powerful  and  economical.  (Figs.  2,  3.)  It  takes 
more  depth  of  stokehole  than  the  plain  saddle. 

For  larger  quantities  than  2,000  feet  I  ^'ery 
strongly  reoonnnend  a  steel  Cornish  or  aniaular 
riveted  boiler,  and  where  there  is  a  reasonably 
good  draught  water  bars  are  a  great  saving  of  fuel. 
(Fig.  4. 

Water  bars  may  also  with  advantage  be  used 
with  saddle  and   termiual  boilers.      With   these 


circulations — the  hot  water  takes  the  line  of  least 
resistance.  It  runs  round  one  house  before  it  can 
reach  another  more  distant,  and  when  the  hot 
water  from  the  nearer  house  arrives  at  a  point 
about  midway  in  the  main  return  it  begins  to  back 
up  in  the  wrong  direction  instead  of  going  on  to 
the  boiler,  and  causes  more  or  less  of  an  obstruction 
— "  a  block."  This  may,  in  some  cases,  be  so 
efifective  as  to  stop  all  circulation  in  the  furthest 
off  parts  of  the  apparatus.  And  there  is  only  one 
waj'  of  preventing  it,  and  that  is  by  regulating 
the  valves  in  houses  near  the  boiler.  The  valves 
should  be  very  carefully  watched  until  it  is  foun<] 
how  much  or  how  little  they  must  be  open  to 
prevent  the  return  water  arriving  at  the  midway 
point  sooner  than  the  return  from  the  further  off 
house.  If  the  furthest  off  houses,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  on  a  very  much  higher  level,  the 
tendency  would  be  for  the  hot  water  to  rush  past 
the  middle  houses  and  the  other  circulations,  and 
possibly  the  furthest  ofl'  houses  would  have  to  be 
checked.  In  short,  nothing  but  a  careful  study  of 
the  conditions  and  regulation  of  the  valves  will  be 
effective  in  such  a  case  in  getting  the  required 
heating  where  wanted.  In  houses  where  a  high 
temperature  is  kept  up,  especially  where  the  sides 
are  pretty  high,  a  2-inch  or  3-inch  pipe  round  the 
eaves   is  very  useful    to    prevent  down  draughts. 


3'ears  ago,  owing  to  the  uncertaintj-  of  our 
climate.  Though  the  climate  is  partly  at  fault, 
much  depends  upon  the  attention  the  trees 
receive,  soil,  and  other  details.  The  tine  tree 
illustrated  was  grown  at  Percy  House,  Isle- 
worth,  and  for  years  the  trees  were  in  Jlr.  W. 
I'odger's  garden,  a  devoted  amateur  gardener,  and 
remarkably  successful  with  the  Peach  and  Nec- 
tarine. If  I  can  find  any  fault  with  the  trees,  I 
would  say  they  are  certainly  overcropped,  as  will 
be  seen  in  the  illustration,  and  many  of  the  fruits 
are  covered  by  the  leaves.  No  special  culture  of 
any  kind  was  given,  and  Mr.  Podger  says  none 
was  required.  I  asked  him  whj'  he  did  not  thin 
the  fruit  and  give  the  branches  more  room.  The 
answer  was,  leave  well  alone.  These  trees  are 
especially  interesting  to  me.  They  are  a  great 
age,  as  some  of  them  cannot  be  far  short  of  half  a 
century  old,  and  we  are  only  half  a  mile  a\vs.y,  and 
cannot  show  a  Peach  or  Nectarine  half  that  age, 
at  any  rate  so  health^'.  This  shows  how  soils  alter 
the  character  of  the  trees.  Our  soil  is  very  thin, 
on  gravel,  and  stone  fruits  are  ver}'  short  lived. 

The  large  tree  illustrated  was  photographed 
three  years  ago.  This  fine  tree  and  several  smaller 
ones  are  now  doomed,  as  the  estate  has  recently 
been  purchased  for  the  extension  of  the  Brentford 
district  schools.     Feeding,   in    the  shape   of    top- 


360 


THE    (iARCEK. 


[May   18,  190l. 


dressing  with  manures,  was  not  neglected,  liut  the 
border  in  front  of  the  trees,  some  in  feet  or  12  feet 
wide,  was  always  cropped  with  vegetables,  and 
doubtless  the  roots  ran  much  farther  out,  as  bex'ond 
the  liorder  was  a  grass  field,  and  here  they  could 
develop  unchecked.  I  am  positive  of  this  latter 
fact,  as  this  season  at  fSyon  I  had  to  make  new 
drains  in  a  hard  trodden  path  gravelled  and  rolled 
regularlj'.  Some  Id  feet  from  tlie  wall  1  was 
surprised  to  find  the  hard  poor  soil  just  under  tlie 
gravel  a  mass  of  fibrous  roots,  and  the  Peach  trees 
had  only  been  seven  j'ears  planted,  but  had  made 
wonderful  growth,  free  extension  being  alloAved, 
and  every  other  tree  removed  as  soon  as  necessary' 
to  allow  the  branches  free  plaj'.  Some  of  these 
trees  in  Mr.  Podger's  garden  have  a  spread  of 
between  30  feet  and  40  feet.  This  shows  that  no 
hard  cutting  back  lias  been  done.  Although  here 
and  there  large  branches  have  gone  wrong,  pro- 
bably by  canker,  new  growths  have  lieen  laid  in 
freely  and  the  trees  saved.  The  position  they 
occupied  was  south-west,  and  j\lr.  Podger  found 
mildew  rather  troublesome  on  one  or  two  varieties  ; 
but  this  was  Ro3'al  (ieorge,  which  is  more  subject 
to  mildew  than  others.  The  tree  of  Karlj'  Beatrice 
covers  a  very  large  space,  the  branches  extending 
some  21  feet.  I  should  think  this  must  be  one  of 
the  late  Mr.  Rivers',  of  Sawbridgeworth,  earliest 
trees  of  this  variety,  owing  to  the  size  of  the 
branches,  as  it  was  .sent  out  in  the  sixties,  I  think, 
and  from  appearances  the  tree  must  be  thirtj' 
years  old.  I  do  not  care  for  this  variety,  and 
apart  from  its  earliuess  consider  it  is  not  worth 
growing.  Mr.  Podger  gathered  ripe  fruit  from 
this  tree  some  time  in  advance  of  all  others. 
Early  Alexander  for  open  walls  is  much  better  in 
every  way,  also  Waterloo,  one  of  our  earliest 
varieties  on  a  south  wall. 

The  Peach  wall  at  Percy  House  is  not  very  high, 
and  fruits  are  produced  quite  at  its  base.  The 
border  was  only  slightly  raised,  and  I  am  i|uite 
sure  that  in  light  soils  in  dry  seasons  trees  often 
suffer  with  much  raised  borders ;  indeed,  these  trees 
often  get  dry,  with  the  result  that  the  fruits  are 
small.  The  best  open  wall  trees  of  I'eaches  and 
Nectarines  I  ever  saw  were  in  Ciloucestershirc,  on  a 
wall  8  feet  high  and  only  18  inches  border  in  front 
for  the  stem.  Beyond  this  was  a  hard  gravel  road, 
and  of  course  the  trees  could  not  have  surface 
roots  in  the  stones,  but  evidently  the  roots  were  at 
home  raider  the  path.  The  trees  rarely  failed  to 
bear  heavy  ciops  ;  indeed,  much  better  than  those 
in  the  same  gardens  with  a  rich  border.  Liquid 
manure  was  given  twice  a  week  in  quantity  during 
growth  on  the  narrow  border,  and  this  must  have 
jjernieated  under  the  roadway,  and  the  roots, 
doubtless,  were  cool,  and  reached  a  long  way. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  whatever  that  to  dig  borders 
that  are  cropped  over  with  Peach  roots  is  not  wise, 
and  the  roots  should  be  allowed  to  ejctend.  The 
trees  must  have  a  good  root  run  to  produce  such 
lasting  results. 

At  Percy  House  there  is  a  verj'  fine  tree  of 
Elruge  covering  a  wide  space,  the  branches  reach- 
ing between  20  feet  and  30  feet.  Another  very  fine 
tree  of  Lord  Napier  calls  for  special  notice,  as 
though  younge"  than  the  Elruge  it  is  a  grand  tree, 
and  for  open  walls  few  Nectarines  are  more  trust- 
worthy than  this.  Much  the  same  treatment  was 
given  these  fine  old  trees  as  that  noted  for  Peaches, 
and  though  I  noticed  the  Nectarines  were  not 
carrying  such  heavj'  crops,  there  were  quite  suffi- 
cient fruits.  These  fruits  do  not  always  finish 
well  in  many  gardens,  cracking  badly,  but  in  a 
light,  warm,  well-drained  soil  this  does  not  often 
occur.  Other  Nectarines  included  Fvivers'  Pine 
Apple,  certainly  one  of  the  best  yellow  fleshed 
varieties  for  the  open  wall,  as  the  flavour  is  first- 
rate,  and  it  is  a  most  useful  variety  for  later 
supplies,  as  it  ripens  after  Elruge  and  Lord  Napier. 

<;.  Wythks. 


Galanthus   Alleni.  —  Although   not    of 

recent  introduction,  this  is  still  a  scarce  Snowdrop 
in  gardens.  Midway  between  G.  latifolius  and  (i. 
caucasicus,  with  a  leaning  towards  the  former,  it  is 
one  of  the  handsomest  of  the  whole  family.  A 
group  of  this  is  doing  well  and  increasing  rapidly 
on  a  warm  south  border. — I. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

PEAS  to  produce  supplies  from  the  middle 
of  August  should  be  sown  at  once,  and 
as  this  CI  op  will  have  to  be  grown 
through  the  most  trying  part  of  the 
season  special  preparation  should  be 
made.  If  the  ground  on  which  they 
are  to  be  grown  bo  that  recently  occupied  by 
Broccoli,  the  plot  should  be  dug  and  trenches 
taken  out  at  the  proper  distance  apart  to  the 
depth  of  1.5  inches,  at  the  bottom  of  which  should 
be  placed  9  inches  of  good  rotten  manure  and 
trodden  tightly,  afterwards  covered  to  the  depth 
of  4  inches  with  soil,  which,  if  drj-,  should  receive 
a  watering  of  clear  water.  The  seeds  may  then 
be  sown  thinly  and  covered  with  the  remaining 
2  inches  of  soil.  As  soon  as  the  young  plants  are 
sufticientlj'  advanced  U\ay  may  be  earthed  up  and 
staked  so  that  the  ground  between  the  rows  may 
receive  a  mulching  of  stable  manure  which  will 
greatlj'  help  to  retain  the  moisture  in  the  soil 
during  the  hot  weather  generallj'  experienced  at 
that  time  of  the  year.  Autocrat,  (Jhelsonian,  and 
Late  Queen  are  good  sorts  for  sowing  now. 
Autocrat  was  very  fine  here  last  season  as  late  as 
the  middle  of  October. 

Chicorv 
should  be  sown  now  on  dee))  rich  soil  in  I'ows 
18  inches  apart.  The  plants  may  be  thinned  to 
10  inches  as  soon  as  large  enough.  Frequent 
dustings  of  lime  are  necessary  as  soon  as  the  plants 
appear  above  the  ground,  slugs  being  particularly 
loud  of  this  plant.  Nothing  more  than  the  hoe 
will  be  necessary  during  the  growing  season,  at 
the  end  of  which  the  roots  may  be  taken  u|i  and 
stored  until  required  for  forcing,  which  maj'  be  done 
in  a  similar  way  as  Seakalc  in  the  Mushroom  house 
or  other  place  where  the}'  can  ha\c  a  little  heat. 

Bro.vd   Ukans. 

The  last  sowing   maj'  now  be  made  and  a  cool 

position  should  be  chosen  for  the  purpose.    As  soon 

as  sulticient  pods  are  set  the  plants  may  be  topped 

or  they  arc  sure  to  sufl'er  from  theattacksof  blight. 

Tomato  Plants 
should  be  hardened  olf  as  soon  as  possible  and 
planted  out  by  the  end  of  the  month.  A  liberal 
supply  of  manure  should  be  given  to  ensure  free 
growllh,  and  the  plants  confined  to  a  single  stem. 
Give  aji  abundance  of  air  to  Tomato  plants  under 
glass,  especially  if  in  flower  ;  frequent  shaking  of 
the  trellis  will  also  be  necessary  to  ensure  the 
distribution  of  the  pollen.  Tomato  plants  of 
rampant  growth  should  not  be  given  manure  water 
until  the  crop  is  set,  when  they  may  have  liberal 
waterings  two  or  three  times  a  week. 

Ridge  Cucumbeks 
may  be  sown  singly  in  pots  and  placed  ui  a  gentle 
heat.  When  large  enough  they  may  be  planted 
out  where  protection  can  be  given  on  cold  nights. 
These  Cucumbers  will  not  pay  for  cultivation  under 
cdass,  for  with  a  cold  frame  much  better  results  are 
obtainable  by  planting.  All  the  Year  Round, 
which  is  a  splendid  Cucumber  for  frame  culture, 
if  allowed  sufficient  room  and  pinched  at  the 
second  joint  above  the  fruit  will  produce  large 
quantities  of  medium-sized  fruit  before  the  plants 
are  exhausted. 

Lettuck. 
The  most  forward  of  autumn  sown  Cos  will  no\\' 
require  tying  u])  in  numbers  according  to  demand. 
Prick  off  seedlings  as  soon  as  large  enough  from 
sowings  made  in  the  open  ground  in  March.  A 
good  rich  border  is  necessary  for  the  cultivation  of 
good  Lettuce,  rapid  growth  being  necessary  to  ensure 
tender  hearts.  Fortnightly  sowings  should  now  be 
made  on  a  rich  north  border,  .lonts  Di-nn. 


properly  handled  there  need  be  none.  To  prevent 
bleeding  rub  the  ends  well  over  with  powdere<l 
charcoal,  and  let  them  remain  out  of  tiie  ground 
until  this  becomes  somewhat  hardened,  when 
they  should  be  put  into  a  good  bottom  heat  and 
plent}'  of  atmospheric  moisture. 

Salvias. 
(Juttings  put  in  as  directed,  and  which  have  gone 
ahead  satisfactorily,  should  lie  put  into  small  pots, 
say  .S-incli,  in  a  somewhat  light  compost,  and 
stood  in  comfortable  (|uarters  for  a  time:  similar 
remarks  are  applicable  in  the  case  of  Bouvardias. 

Croto.ns. 
Continue  to  pot  up  "tops"  which  have  been 
rooting,  carefully  sponging  the  leaves  as  the  work 
proceeds.  Those  which  were  removed  from  the 
stem  and  now  "v//  charged  with  roots  should  be 
transferred  from  the  small  pots  «hich  were 
at  first  used  into  4^-iiich  and  ti-inch  pots,  u.sing 
a  mixture  as  follows  :  Loam,  fibrous,  two  parts  : 
peat,  fibrous,  one  part  ;  and  let  the  remaining 
portion  be  made  up  of  silver  sand  and  broken 
charcoal.  H  the  loam  is  of  a  poor  nature  let  a 
dash  of  Thomson's  vine  ami  plant  manure  be  added 
at  the  rate  of  a  dessertspoonful  to  each  plant  to  be 
potted.  A  full  exposure  to  established  .stock 
should  be  given,  and  let  the  syringe  be  used 
vigorously  amongst  them. 

Freesias. 
The  last  batch  of  the  season  is  now  in  flower 
here,  and  as  they  go  over  they  are  placed  with 
those  which  have  already  been  used  and  treated 
similarly.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that 
this  very  charming  subject  can  keep,  year  after 
year,  producing  its  fragrant  flowers  if  due  attention 
is  not  paid  to  the  preparation  and  ripening  of  the 
bulbs  ;  here  we  feed  them  liberally.  Keep  the 
grass  clean  Ijy  fre(|uent  use  of  the  syringe  and  a 
full  exposure  to  the  .sun.  As  the  foliage  shows 
signs  of  ripening  down  less  li(|uid  at  the  root 
should  now  be  given.  Of  course,  ilt.  will  not  be 
necessary,  but  the  other  details  in  tlifeir  cultivation 
must  be  kept  up.  .\s  soon  as  the  last  of  the 
foliage  has  com)iletely  died  down,  the  plants  should 
bo  shaken  out,  the  bulbs  gr.aded  and  exposed  in 
shallow  boxes,  keeping  them  frequently  turned, 
that  thorough  access  b3'  the  sun  is  had  to  all  parts 
of  the  bulb. 

Pelarcjoniubis. 

These,  having  till  now  been  located  in  the 
growing  quarters,  should  be  stood,  as  the  flowering 
season  is  approaching,  in  the  greenhouse  or  con- 
servatory. Give  a  thorough  fumigating  before 
bringing  them  into  this  structure,  and  let  all  pots 
be  washed  clean. 

Hydrangea  i-akiculata  grandiklora. 

If  the  growths  of  this  plant  have  not  been  sup- 
ported with  sticks,  then  thej'  should  be  attended 
to  without  delay.  I  usually  allow  from  three  to 
five  growths  to  a  plant,  according  to  the  strength 
of  it,  and  each  growth  should  have  a  neatly -pointed 
slender  stick,  as  when  slung  to  one  stout  stick 
placed  in  the  centre  thej'  are  apt  to  roll  about  too 
much.  Cuttings  of  the  H.  Hortensis  and  H.  Thomas 
Hogg  should  now  be  put  in.  J.  F.  McLeou. 

Dorer  House  Gardens,  Eoehampton. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Poinsettias. 
The  main  batch  of  cuttings  should  at  once  be  put 
in  to  strike.     There  is  sometimes  a  little  ditliculty 
in    successfully  dealing   with   this   subject,   but  if 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

Wall  Trees. 
Trees  on  open  walls  will  need  n.ore 
during  the  next  few  weeks  than  at 
season,  as  though  in  most  cases  all  will  have  been 
disbudded,  it  is  always  well  to  look  carefully  over 
them  at  this  stage  of  their  growth  and  remo\'e 
badly  placed  or  overcrowded  wood.  Apricots 
should  be  stopped  after  the  main  or  extension 
growths  have  been  placed  in  position.  Ivy  slopping 
now  .spurs  will  form,  and  these  bein 
wall   will    ilo    lietter,    receiving 


attention 
any   other 


close  to  the 


ig  more  protection. 
No  matter  lioW  carefully  the  disbudding  has  been 
carried  out  some  portions  of  the  Peach  and 
Nectarine  will  appear  crowded.  The  shoots  have 
a  tendency  to  grow  more  at  one  portion  of  the 
tree,  and  this  must  be  avoided  by  removal  of 
suriilus  growths.  y\pril  and  the  early  part  of  May 
were  notable  for  north-eaat  winds,  and  l)oth  green 


May  18,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


361 


and  black  fly  is  troublesome,  even  more  so  this  year 
tlian  formerly,  and  this  needs  taking  in  hand 
before  the  tender  foliage  curls  and  makes  tlie  work 
more  difficult.  Quassia  extract  is  a  very  safe 
insecticide.  This  obtained  in  a  concentrated  form 
is  ready  for  use,  and  in  bad  cases  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  go  over  the  trees  several  times  to  thoroughly 
cleanse  them,  choosing  dull  weather  for  the  work. 
I  have  also  noticed  some  trees  have  been  attacked 
by  red  spider,  and  rarely  is  this  the  case  so  early 
in  the  sea.son,  but  the  insecticide  advised  for  fly 
will  do  good.  Failing  this  use  a  little  sulphur 
solution  and  syringe  frequently.  Should  any 
leaves  have  a  tendency  to  curl  and  turn  j'ellow, 
pick  ofl'  the  worst  into  the  hand  and  leave  new 
wood  wherever  possible  to  take  its  place.  Very 
little  attention  is  paid  to  Apples  and  Pears  at  this 
season,  and  in  man3'  cases  the  trees  are  allowed  to 
set  all  the  bloom,  and  later  on  tlie  trees  are  laden 
with  small  crowded  fruits.  I  would  in  the  case  of 
cordon  or  espalier  trees  advise  thinning  of  the 
bloom,  as  it  frequently  happens  that  any  misplaced 
blooms  may  with  advantage  be  removed,  'lliis 
allows  that  left  on  the  trees  to  strengthen  and 
give  finer  fruits. 

With  other  fruits,  such  as  Cherries,  the  trees 
have  set  most  freely,  but  the  next  few  weeks  is  a 
critical  period.  It  often  happens  in  a  dry,  thin 
soil,  deficient  of  chalk  or  lime,  the  fruits  drop 
badly  in  the  early  stages,  and  though  in  some  eases 
partial  thinning  is  beneficial,  it  is  well  to  get 
the  fruit  evenly  distributed  over  the  trees,  and 
allow  it  to  approach  the  stoning  period  before 
removal.  The  Cherry  is  one  of  the  earliest  fruits 
to  mature  :  aid  must  be  given  in  the  shape  of  food 
and  moisture  should  the  trees  require  it.  Though 
full  earlj'  to  mulch  the  roots,  I  strong!}'  advise 
doing  so,  as  once  the  Cherrj'  becomes  dry  swelling 
ceases  and  the  foliage  becomes  a  prey  to  black  fl}'. 
By  a  good  mulch,  any  moisture  or  liquid  food 
given  is  longer  retained  ;  the  roots  are  cool,  and 
growth  is  more  robust.  The  same  remarks  apply 
as  advised  for  the  Peach  as  regards  stopping, 
taking  care  to  train  in  ample  extension  wood.  The 
Cherry  fruits  well  on  spurs,  and  by  close  atten- 
tion to  stopping  these  form  freely. 

Strawberries  in  open  quarters  are  sliowing 
splendid  trusses  this  season,  the  bloom  being 
strong,  and  there  is  a  great  promise  of  fruit.  There 
should  be  no  delay  in  mulching  to  keep  the  fruits 
clear  of  the  soil.  Nothing  is  more  objectionable 
than  dirty  fruits.  In  our  own  ease,  with  the  earlj' 
quarters  we  are  using  long  grass,  which  is  mown 
carefully  and  laid  straight.  The  sun  soon  dries  it, 
and  the  fruit  rests  on  the  same.  Being  cut  earlj' 
there  is  no  seed  to  scatter.  If  litter  is  used  it 
should  be  placed  early  in  position  to  get  cleansed 
by  rains  and  exposure.  G.  Wythes. 

Si/on  Houne  Garden-':,  Brentford. 

THE  FLOWER.   GARDEN. 

Camellias. 
The  !iardine.ss  and  general  good  qualities  of  the 
Camellia  as  an  evergreen  shrub  for  outdoor  plant- 
ing, thanks  to  some  pioneer  work  which  lias  been 
done  in  the  waj'  of  planting  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  is  becoming  better  understood.  Except 
in  very  sheltered  spots  in  the  mildest  districts,  I 
do  not  recommend  its  use  from  a  flowering  point 
of  view,  as  the  flowers,  coming  as  they  do  in 
winter  or  early  in  spring,  are  almost  certain  to  be 
spoiled  ;  but  as  an  attractive  evergreen  of  good 
habit  the  Camellia  is  a  splendid  shrub  to  associate 
with  many  things.  Many  years  ago  I  planted 
in  a  dell  in  a  Cornish  garden  several  large  bushes, 
which  flourished  well,  the  position  being  a  rather 
damp  and  shady  one,  and  among  them  Primula 
japonica,  in  a  variety  of  colours,  was  also  a  success. 
I  hear  from  another  garden  that  Camellias  planted 
about  the  same  time  have  recentl}'  been  cut  down, 
having  outgrown  their  limits,  and  tlie  old  stools 
are  growing  again  and  making  dense  bushes. 
Except  the  loss  of  flowers  I  have  never  seen 
Camellias  injured  by  frost  beyond  a  slight  browning 
of  the  older  leaves,  while  Laurels  have  been  badly 
cut  by  the  same  frost.  Soil  rich  in  decayed 
vegetable  matter  is  specially  suited  to  the  Camellia, 
peat  of  conrse  being  the  best  that  can  be  used,  but 


ordinary  garden  soil  and  Icaf-monld  form  a  voi'y 
good  suljstitute,  and  either  will  produce  the  dark 
green,  glossy  leaves  that  are  characteristic  of  the 
plant  when  at  its  best.  The  present  is  a  good 
time  for  planting  out,  and  for  several  weeks  it  will 
be  necessary  to  see  tliat  they  do  not  suffer  from 
want  of  water. 

Hydrangea  paniculata. 
I  advised  some  time  ago  that  the  plants  intended 
to  produce  large  and  lasting  heads  of  flower  should 
be  cut  back  severely.  The  stools  will  now  be  found 
to  have  broken  into  growth,  and  a  selection  should 
bo  made  of  the  buds  which  are  to  produce  tlie 
flower  heads,  all  the  others  being  rubbed  ofl'.  The 
number  of  shoots  left  to  a  plant  will  be  a  matter 
of  taste,  and  I  need  only  say  that  the  fewer  the}' 
are  the  finer  will  be  the  individual  heads  of  flowers. 

Lilies. 
Newly-planted  Lilies  of  the  late-flowering  kinds 
are  grateful  for  a  little  protection  to  the  early 
growths.  If  this  protection  is  aftbrded  bj' growing 
shrubs  or  plants  of  any  kind  so  much  the  better, 
but  spray  tips  from  Pea  sticks  answer  very 
well,  and  they  should  be  high  enough  to  afford 
some  shelter  until  the  end  of  the  current  month. 
It  is  early  yet  to  prophesy  results,  but  all  Lilies  I 
have  seen  appear  to  be  coming  up  exceptionally 
strong  and  clean  this  j'ear. 

Roses. 
Roses  have  many  enemies,  among  the  worst 
being  aphides  and  caterpillars,  which  appear  to 
await  the  first  signs  of  growth.  Unless  one  is 
ever  on  the  alert  they  do  much  damage  Ijefore 
being  noticed.  There  is  no  better  way  of  dealing 
with  the  caterpillars  than  the  time-honoured  one 
of  going  over  the  plants  and  killing  the  pests. 
Ever}'  curled  leaf  should  be  examined  and  its 
inmate  killed,  and  this  process  must  be  repeated 
time  after  time  until  the  flower  buds  have  got 
beyond  harm.  Aphides  may  be  got  rid  of  by 
syringing  with  a  solution  of  Quassia  extract,  this 
being  one  of  the  least  dangerous  of  insecticides  for 
tender  leaves.  Many  varieties  of  Roses,  Mme. 
Berard  being  among  the  worst,  are  subject  to 
attacks  of  mildew.  After  trying  many  things  as 
an  antidote  I  may  say  that  for  Rose  mildew  I  have 
found  notliing  more  efl:ective  than  a  solution  of 
soft  soap,  using  half  an  ounce  to  the  gallon  of  soft 
water.  This  appears  to  leave  a  slight  varnish 
on  the  leaves  that  mildew  cannot  touch,  though, 
of  course,  it  is  of  no  avail  for  new  leaves  which 
unfold  after  the  application,  and  these  must  be 
dealt  with  by  further  syringings. 

Herbaceous  Plants. 

Many  of  these  which  have  been  divided  and 
replanted  this  spring  will  require  frequent  watering 
in  dry  weather.  At  the  time  of  writing  there  has 
been  little  or  no  rainfall  for  several  weeks,  and 
though  the  ground  is  still  moist  enough  below  for 
established  plants,  those  with  no  deep  roots  are 
sufl'ering  from  surface  dryness  and  require  water. 
Water  applied  in  the  evening  does  most  good,  as  it 
is  not  so  soon  taken  up  again.        J.  C.  Tallaok. 

Ship/ey  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


eommittees  or  associations  may  organise  even  first- 
class  concerts,  but  if  the  pulilic  will  not  patronise 
them,  where  is  the  reward?  It  is  also  a  fact  that 
concerts  have  largely  had  their  day.  People  are 
tiring  of  their  sameness.  If  any  special  effort  be 
made,  generally  or  locally,  in  aid  of  the  fund,  at 
least  it  should  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  enable 
those  who  subsist  on  gardening  to  contribute,  if 
even  but  small  sums.  Of  course,  the  responsibility 
of  the  executive  committee  is  heavy,  yet  it  seems 
to  be  the  case  that  no  child  is  put  on  to  the  fund 
without  its  terra  of  sustenance  being  provided  for 
beforehand.  I  am  not  sure  that  the  putting  on  of 
every  child  nominated,  as  was  the  case  at  the  last 
general  meeting,  was  wise  policy  after  all,  though 
it  was  in  the  highest  degree  generous.  But  such 
action  may  give  the  impression  that  funds  are 
abundant.  "Life  Member"  must  remember  that 
if  fifteen  children  were  put  on  tlie  fund  last 
February,  a  considerable  number,  of  course,  came 
off'.  Probably  the  fund  will  never  have  to  support 
a  larger  burden  than  it  has  at  the  present 
moment.  A.  U. 


TOMATO  CHISWICK  PEACH. 

[To   THE    Editor   or    "  The   Garden."] 

Sir, — I  cannot  but  think  that  the  deliciously 
fiavoured  Chiswick  Peaeh  Tomato,  were  it  widely 
grown,  would  become  one  of  the  most  favoured 
of  all  varieties  for  dessert.  Possibly  it  may  not 
be  so  desirable  for  cooking  as  are  the  larger  red- 
fruited  forms,  but  this  variety  is  essentially  a 
dessert  fruit.  Its  colour,  pale  lemon,  when  ripe, 
and  covered  with  white  bloom,  should  make  it  as 
attractive  on  the  table  as  is  Muscat  of  Alexandria 
Grape,  among  others  of  that  kind.  The  fruits 
are  about  the  dimensions  of  bantams'  eggs  when 
fully  grown,  and  are  slightly  oval.  It  is  a  variety 
that,  for  flavour  and  beauty,  is  very  difficult  to 
excel.  D.  K. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not  responsible  for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents.  ) 


THE    ROYAL    GARDENERS' 
ORPHAN     FUND. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

IR,  —  "  Life    Member  ''     asks     why    the 

Chiswick    Gardeners"    Association     now 

organise  no  concerts  in  aid  of  the  Orphan 

Fund.     I  have  had  something  to  do  with 

such   concerts,   and    know  but  too  well 

how  difficult  it   is  to  obtain   patronage 

for  them.     There  is  not  a  local  object  hardly  but 

has   its   annual   concert   now,   and   these   objects, 

because  local,  have  a  long  way  prior  claim  in  the 

estimation   of   the   local   jiublic    than    have    such 

objects  as   the   Gardeners'  Orphan   Fund.     Local 


S' 


[To  the   Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Several  notes  have  appeared  about  this 
Tomato.  It  was  raised  in  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  gardens  by  ilr.  "Wright,  and  is  certainly 
a  splendid  acquisition,  and  most  distinct  from  all 
others,  its  soft  lemon  -  like  colour  making  it 
valuable  for  salad  in  a  raw  state.  For  dessert  it 
should  be  the  Tomato  ]jar  e.iveUe»ce,  but  I  do  not 
advise  Tomatoes  for  dessert;  indeed,  I  regard  them 
as  out  of  place,  but  that  is  a  small  matter.  Those 
who  have  not  yet  tried  the  Chiswick  Peach  will 
find  it  delicious  for  salad.  In  addition  to  its 
appearance,  tlie  plant  crops  prodigiously.  I  saw 
a  house  full  of  this  variety  at  Messrs.  Veitch's 
Feltham  Nursery  last  summer,  and  the  plants  were 
cropping  grandly,  the  fruits  having  set  close  to 
the  pots,  and  were  borne  in  great  profusion  up  the 
stem.  For  pot  culture  this  variety  is  most  suitable 
and  is  very  ornamental.  The  fruits  are  produced 
in  large  clusters,  and  are  individually  of  medium 
size  with  a  thin  skin.  (!.  Wvthes. 


THE 


rVY-LEAVEI)  TOAn-FLAX  AS 
A  WILDING. 
[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir, — I  have  long  been  accustomed  to  grow  the 
Ivy-leaved  Toad-flax  (Linaria  Cymbalaria)  in 
quantities  for  the  conservatory  and  dwelling-house, 
and  readers  who  are  familiar  with  the  plant  and  its 
adaptability  to  basket  culture,  and  for  trailing 
over  shelves,  edges  of  stages  or  artificial  rockwork, 
will  at  once  recognise  and  approve  the  wisdom  of 
such  a  policy.  A  country  cousin  who  paid  me  a 
visit  last  summer  and  had  a  look  round  the 
gardens  under  my  charge,  held  a  very  contrar}' 
opinion.  "  What !"  says  he,  "you  grow  that  thing 
under  glass.  Why  down  home  we  can  get  bushels 
of  it  off  the  walls  and  bridges."  I  confess  I  was 
rather  piqued  at  this  sweeping  hypercriticisni  of 
one  of  my  modest  favourites,  and  warinl}'  combated 
the  assertion,  for  as  a  rambling  botanist  of  some 
years  experience  my  finds  of  the  sweet  little 
Linaria  had  been  few,  and  never  had  I  found  it  in 
any  profusion.  But  then  I  had  evidently  looked 
in    the   wrong   places,     That   I    had  done  so  was 


362 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  18,  1901 


abundantly  proved  on  returning  mj'  friend's  visit 
in  the  early  part  of  the  present  month  (May),  for 
I  found  the  walls  and  bridges  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  his  home  in  Gloucestershire  absolutely  teeming 
witli  mj'riads  of  tlie  elegant  trails  and  ijuaint  Lilac 
flowers  of  the  Iv_v-leaved  Toad-flax,  and  I  do  not 
think  my  friend  was  at  all  exaggerating  when  he 
made  bis  statement  concerning  bushels  of  it.  In 
spite  of  this  reckless  profusion  of  nature,  I  shall 
still  stick  to  the  plant  for  indoor  work,  and  would 
reconnnend  it  strongly  to  others.  The  walls,  and 
houses,  too,  for  that  matter,  in  this  neighbourhood 
are  all  constructed  of  a  gre3'  stone,  quarried  near 
at  hand,  and  it  was  in  the  interstices  and  mortar 
of  these  stone  walls  that  the  Linaria  found  so 
congenial  a  home.  This  fondness  for  stone  and 
mortar  should  convey  a  valuable  iiint  to  persons 
attempting  its  culture  for  the  first  time,  and  I 
hope  tliese  lines  may  be  the  means  of  making 
many  new  friends  for  the  modest  little  trailer,  for 
despite  its  profusion  in  its  Gloucestershire  home, 
it  is  very  rare  in  some  neighbourhoods,  and  in  all 
is  well  worth  growing  as  a  hanging  or  trailing 
plant  for  conservatory  or  window  ornamentation. 

E.  J.  Castle. 
[The  Ivy-leaved  Toad-flax,  although  so  common 
on  walls  in  many  parts  of  England,  is  so  lovely  a 
plant  tliat  it  well  deserves  our  correspondent's 
praise.  It  is  sometimes  inclined  to  take  overmuch 
possession  of  space  given  to  it  in  rock  gardens, 
though  it  is  more  easilj'  kept  within  bounds  than 
L.  hepaticaifolia.  No  plant  is  more  beautiful  in  a 
sunny  wall.  We  once  saw  a  pot  of  it  in  the 
window  of  a  house  in  a  French  town,  where  it 
happeneil  to  lie  jnst  on  the  level  witli  tlie  eye, 
and  thought  we  had  never  seen  an3'thing  more 
beautiful  or  suitable  for  such  use. — Eds.] 


NEW^    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

FLOE.A.L  Committee. 
At  the  recent  meeting  of  the  Roj'al  Horticultural 
Society  an  award  of  merit  went   to   each  of  the 
following : — 

AuRicnr..A.  Leoxoh.i  (.\Li"iN'E).--In  this  the  centre 
is  clear  and  well  defined,  and  the  liody  colour  warm 
purple.  A  very  lieautiful  kind.  I'rom  Mr.  C. 
Turner,  Slough. 

15OREC07.E  At.Tiixo. — A  distinct  albino  variety 
that  should  he  useful  for  decorations,  provided  it 
conies  true  from  seed.  I'^rom  Messrs.  Stori'ie  an<l 
Storrie,  Dundee. 

DlANTIIUS  I'LUMARIUS  TjADY  DixoN. — This  is  a 
mule  pink  of  red-crimson  sliade,  said  to  have 
resulted  from  crossing  the  Sweet  William  and  the 
(Jlove  Carnation.  In  the  liybrid  there  is  something 
of  the  Sweet  William  colour  and  the  Carnation, 
while  it  is  sweetly  scented  and  free  flowering.  It 
is  in  its  way  quite  an  exceptional  plant.  Kroni 
Mr.  P.  D.  Williams,  Lanarth. 

BiTN'cn  Primkose  the  Sultax. — A  remarkable 
plant.  The  rich  almost  intense  orange-gold  of  the 
single  flower  is  ver}'  tine,  wliile  the  noble  truss 
standing  on  stout  stems  of  9  inches  high  or  more 
render  it  at  once  bolil  and  telling.  It  is  a  great 
step  forward  in  this  section  of  early  spring  plants. 
From  Miss  Jekyll,  JIunstead  Wood,  (iodabning. 

ToLip  William  III.— A  full  double  kind,  rich 
crimson. 

TrLTi"  Brdnhildk. — A  single  kind,  white 
with  soft  yellow  near  the  liase,  and  lined  with  a 
similar  hue.  These  came  from  Messrs.  Harr  and 
.Sons,  Covent  (jarden. 

Narclssus  Com.mittee. 

Narclssus  Elaine. — A  lieautiful  white  Leedsii 
kind,  very  large  and  in  all  ways  deliglitfnl.  ]''rom 
Miss  Willmott,  Warley  Place.  I''irst-class  (lerti- 
fioate. 

The  following  received  the  award  of  merit,  and 
were  all  shown  by  Miss  \Villniott :  — 

I).  H.  ^Ve.mvss. — A  possible  Leedsii  kind,  with 
a  charinijig  bicolored  cup,  this  being  yellow  with 
deep  orange  margin. 

CoRViioN. — In  this  the  segments  are  pure  white 
and  the  lemon-coloured  cup  long  and  spreading. 

Amiier. — This  also  has  pure  white  .segments, 
with  a  long  cup  of  amber-yellow  tone,  quite 
distinct. 


The  following  came  from  the  Rev.  G.  Engle- 
heart : — 

Aftermath. — This  may  be  likened  to  a  large 
creamy  ornatus,  or  this  and  poetarum  mixed.  It 
has  a  fine  orange-scarlet  cup. 

Si'ENSER. — A  very  large,  finely-formed  poeticns 
kind,  with  leanings  towards  recurvus. 

Rear  (Iuard. — A  singularl}'  beautiful  kind, 
with  crearaj'-winged  segments  and  long  pale  yellow 
cup. 

Dav  Star. — This  has  greater  leaning  to  the 
Incomparabilis  group,  though  whiter,  witli  a  well- 
formecl  cup  of  lemon  hue. 

Sea  J5iRn. — In  this  the  segments  are  large  and 
nearl}'  pure  white,  slightly  incurved  as  though 
suggesting  influence  from  N.  poeticns  recurvus. 
It  is,  liowever,  a  beautiful  and  graceful  sort. 

Orchid  Committee. 

Cattleva  Sohrodee.3^heatonen'SIs. — The  sepals 
of  this  flower  are  faint  lilac,  the  petals  of  lighter 
tone  and  fringed  on  the  margin.  The  lip  rosy- 
lilac,  becoming  suffused  with  creamj'-yellow  in  the 
centre  and  through  the  throat.  The  outer  margin 
is  heavilj'  fringed  as  seen  in  the  best  forms  of 
Cattleya  Mendeli.  A  most  distinct  and  attractive 
variety.  A  plant  carrying  two  racemes  of  flowers 
was  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  May  7.  From 
the  collection  of  H.  T.  Pitt,  Esq.,  Rosslj'n,  Stam- 
ford Hill  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Thurgond).  First-class 
certificate. 

Odontoglossit.m  Halli  KiNf;  Edward  VII. — 
The  sepals  have  large  brown  blotclies  at  the  base, 
marbled  with  greenish  yellow,  tipped  at  the  apex 
with  yellow.  The  petals  similar  to  the  sepals, 
except  that  they  have  more  marbling  at  .the  base. 
The  broad  lip  white,  spotted  with  brown,  and 
having  a  deep  orange  disc,  the  hair-like  protrusions 
at  the  base  being  unusuallj'  prominent.  An  excep- 
tionally good  variety.  A  plant  exhibited  at  the 
Drill  Hall  on  May  7  from  ilr.  Pitt's  collection 
carried  a  raceme  of  nine  flowers.  First-class 
certificate. 

Odoxtoclossum  crispum  Confetti. — This  most 
charming  plant  was  originally  exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Linden  at  the  Temple  show  last  year.  It  has,  like 
many  other  Odontoglossums,  impro\ed  wonderfully 
by  culture.  The  flowers  are  .'ii  inches  in  diameter, 
the  back  of  the  segments  suffused  with  deep  rose. 
The  front  of  the  sepals  white,  the  colour  from  the 
back,  being  reflected  through,  gives  a  faint  rose 
sufl'usion,  the  basal  two-thirds  being  densely 
cox'ered  with  reddish-purple  spots  and  blotches. 
The  ground  colour  of  the  petals  is  rather  lighter 
than  the  sepals,  and  the  spotting  more  evenly 
diffused,  and  extending  well  towards  the  apex. 
Tlie  lip  white  with  a  yellow  crest.  There  is  one 
large  brown  blotch  in  the  centre,  and  numerous 
smaller  spots  at  the  sides.  The  plant  exhibited  at 
the  Drill  Hall  on  May  7  carried  a  nine-flowereil 
raceme,  and  came  from  the  collection  of  .1.  Leeman, 
Esq.,  West  Bank  House,  Heaton  Mersey  (gardener, 
Mr.  Edge).     First-class  certificate. 

Odontoclossum  Adrian.e  ooeuiana.  —  The 
sepals  are  almost  wholly  deep  reddish  brown, 
broken  at  the  base  with  yellow.  The  petals  also 
lirown,  marbled  with  yellow  on  the  Ijasal  halves, 
the  lip  much  fringed  on  the  margin,  yellow,  and 
thickly  s])otted  with  dark  brown.  This  is  the 
most  distinct  varietj'  of  0.  Adriaiue  we  have  seen. 
Previous  plants  exhibited  have  been  supposed  to 
liave  their  origin  in  a  natural  cross  between  (). 
crispum  and  0.  hunnewelliana.  Exhibited  at 
the  Drill  Hall  on  May  7  by  Walter  Cobb,  Es(|., 
1  )ulcote, Tunbridge  Wells  (gardener,  M  r.  J.  Stowes). 
First-class  certificate. 

L.ELio  -  Cattleva  diorvano-Mendeli  (Tring 
Park  variety). — This  is  a  charming  liybrid  lietween 
the  species  indicated  in  the  name.  The  variety 
exhibited  by  the  Hon.  Walter  Rothschild,  Tring 
Park  (gardener,  Mr.  Hill),  is  larger  than  the 
typical  kinds.  The  sepals  and  petals  light  rose, 
the  lip  almost  white,  faintly'  tinted  with  rose,  and 
becoming  suffused  with  greenisli  yellow  through 
the  centre,  with  a  few  purple  lines  at  the  base. 
There  is  a  heavy  fringe  around  the  margin.  The 
flewer  generally  and  the  habit  of  growth  show  the 
characteristics  of  the  parent  species,  First-class 
certifipate, 


L-ELIA  Mrs.  Gratrix  (Tring  Park  variety).— 
Exhibited  by  the  Hon.  Walter  Rothschild  at  the 
Drill  Hall  on  May  7.  It  is  distinct  from  the  previous 
kinds  in  having  larger  flowers  of  rich  orange 
instead  of  the  usual  yellow.     Award  of  merit. 

Cattleya  Mendeli  Quee.n  Alexandra.— This 
is  a  fine  form,  both  in  size  and  substance.  The 
sepals  are  almost  white,  the  petals  faint  rose,  with 
a  prominent  blotch  of  purple  at  the  apex.  The  lip 
crimson-purple  on  the  front  lobe  and  around  the 
margin  of  the  side  lobes,  the  base  yellow,  with 
prominent  brown  lines.  A  plant  cari-ying  two 
flowers  was  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  Ma_v  7 
by  Mr.  H.  A.  Tracy,  Amyand  Park  Road, 
Twickenham.     Award  of  merit. 

SoBRALiA  LiNDENl. — This  is  an  old  but  seldom 
seen  species.  The  sepals  an<l  petals  are  deep  rosy 
lilac  at  the  base,  becoming  sufl'used  with  rich  rosy 
purple  toward  the  apex.  The  lip  crimson-purple 
on  the  front  lobe,  and  white  through  the  base. 
The  flowers  last  three  or  four  days  in  perfection. 
It  is  a  distinct  and  desirable  kind.  Exhibited  at 
the  Drill  Hall  on  May  7-  From  the  collection  of 
Sir  T.  Lawrence,  liart.  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  H. 
White).     Award  of  merit. 

Brasso-Cattley.\  nivalis. — A  supposed  natural 
hybrid  between  C.  intermedia  and  B.  fragrans. 
Exhibited  by  Mr.  J.  Leeman  on  May  7.  The 
sepals  and  petals  creamy  white,  the  lip  creamy 
wliite,  stained  with  yellow  in  the  centre.  Award 
of  merit. 

Odontocilossdji  crisi'UM  Countess  of  Derby. — 
This  has  pretty  light  rose-tinted  flowers,  the  sepals 
blotched  with  brownish  purple,  while  tlie  petals 
are  densely  spotted  through  the  central  area.  The 
lip  is  white,  spotted  with  brown  in  the  centre,  and 
with  yellow  on  the  crest.  Exhibited  at  the  Drill 
Hall  on  May  7  by  Mr.  J.  Leeman.   Award  of  merit. 

Odontoclo.ssu.ai  crispum  Do.mino. — The  sepals 
are  white,  difl'used  with  rose  down  the  centre,  and 
regularly  marked  with  large  brown  spots.  The 
petals  are  white,  with  brown  spottings  in  the 
central  area.  Lip  white,  becoming  yellow  on  the 
crest,  and  having  a  large  brown  spot  in  the  centre. 
The  plant  shown  bj'  Mr.  Leeman  at  the  Drill  Hall 
on  May  7  carried  a  raceme  of  eleven  flowers. 
Award  of  merit. 

Odontohlo.ssum  crispum  Raymond  Crawsiiay. 
— This  is  a  most  chaste  and  distinct  kind.  The 
sepals  are  rose  tinted  and  blotched  with  purple, 
the  markings  on  the  lower  sepals  siiowing  distinct 
tracings  of  yellow.  The  petals  rose,  sutt'used  wilh 
purple  around  the  margins,  the  central  area  covered 
with  large  purple  blotches.  The  lip  white,  spotted 
with  miniature  brown  spots  around  the  outer 
margins,  larger  ones  in  the  centre.  Yellow  on  tlic 
crest.  Exhibited  by  D.  B.  Crawsiiay,  E.sq.,  Rose- 
tield,  Sevenoaks,  at  ilic  Drill  Hall  on  May  7. 
Award  of  merit. 


Answers    to    questions.     We  are  very 

pleased  that  readers  are  taking  advantage  of  our 
willingness  to  help  in  all  matters  concerning  the 
garden,  and  so  many  letters  have  been  received 
this  week  that  we  are  compelled  to  hold  over 
several  answers  to  i|Uestions  until  our  next  issue. 

Bath    and    W^est    and    Southern 

Counties  Society.— The  annual  exhibition 
of  this  old-establislied  society,  which  will  take 
place  this  year  at  Croydon,  on  Wednesday  next  to 
the  ;27th  inclusive,  will  lie  a  most  extensive  one. 
The  total  number  of  entries  is  just  over  '2,U0I). 

"The    Garden"    and    the   Temple 

ShOW.-Our  next  issue  will  contain  a  report  of 
the  great  exhiliition  to  be  opened  on  Wednesday  in 
the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  and  several  illustrations 
of  interesting  exhibits.  'I'he  report  and  illustrations 
will  in  no  way  interfere  with  tlie  ordinary  weekly 
features  of  the  ]iaper. 

Mr.  Owen  Thomas.— Much  regret  has 
been  expressed  by  the  nunierous  fricuids  of  Mr. 
Thomas  on  their  learning  of  his  forthcoming 
retirement  from  the  management  of  the  Royal 
( lardens,  Windsor,  to  which  position,  as  announced 
last  week,  Mr.  MacKellar  has  been  appointed.  So 
recently  as  the  Gtli  of  (.)c1ober  last  we  had  the 
pleasure  of  including  Mr.  Owen  Thomas  as  a 
"  Worker  Amongst  the  Flowers,"  and  in  the  issue 


May   18,  1901. 


THE    GAKDEN. 


363 


of  Thk  (iARDEN  for  that  date  will  be  found  a  brief 
illustrated  sketch  of  Mr.  Thomas's  career. 

Royal   Hopticultupal  Society  and 

the  Temple  Show.— The  fourteenth  great 
Hower  show  of  this  societj',  held  annually  in  the 
Inner  Temple  Gardens,  Thames  Embankment,  will 
open  on  Wednesday  next  at  l'i.30  p.m.  Judging 
from  the  large  number  of  entries  received,  the 
show  promises  to  be  quite  up  to  its  usual  standard 
of  excellence,  and  many  well-known  amateurs  are 
among  the  intending  exhibitors,  as  well  as,  of  course, 
the  trade.     A  splendid  display  is  promised. 

National  Sweet  Pea  Society  and 

fOPthCOming'  show. — We  have  received  the 
schedule  of  prizes  and  regulations  for  the  cxliilii- 
tion  to  take  place  at  the  Royal  Aquarium,  West- 
minster, on  Thursday  and  Friday,  July  2'-)  and  ■2() 
next.  Those  who  wish  tu  compete  should  consnlt 
the  honorary  exhibition  secretary,  Mr.  R.  Dean, 
42,  Ranelagh  Road,  Ealing,  before  July  18. 
Twent}'-one  classes  are  provided,  and  the  highest 
prize  is  £4,  as  the  premier  award  in  the  class  for 
thirty-six  bunches  distinct.  It  maj'  be  well  to 
remind  readers  that  the  honorary  general  secretary 
is  Mr.  H.  J.  Wright,  .'G,  Daidt  Road,  \Vands- 
worth. 

Summep    show    of   the    National 

Rose  Society.— The  committee  have  had  the 
very  exceptional  privilege  granted  them  b}'  the 
Treasurer  and  Benchers  of  the  Inner  Temple  of 
being  allowed  to  hold  the  society's  metropolitan 
show,  hitherto  held  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  in  the 
Inner  Temple  Gardens,  on  the  Thames  Embank- 
ment. The  exhibition  will  accordingly  be  held 
tni3  year  in  those  gardens  on  Thursday,  July  4, 
in  a  tent  nearly  500  feet  long,  with  four  lines  of 
staging  down  its  entire  length.  Several  novel 
features  in  the  way  of  exhibits  will  be  introduced, 
and  the  band  of  His  Majesty's  Royal  Horse  Guards, 
under  Lieutenant  Charles  Godfre}-,  R.A.M  ,  has 
been  engaged  to  play.  No  trouble  cr  expense 
will  be  spared  in  order  to  make  this  the  most 
attractive  Rose  exhibition  the  society  has  yet 
held.  Members  subscribing  t'l  will  receive  six 
private  view  tickets,  and  those  subscribing  10s. 
three  private  view  tickets.  Members  also  have 
the  privilege  of  purchasing  tickets  for  their  friends 
of  the  honorary  secretaries  previous  to  the  show 
at  a  reduced  price.  The  private  view  (or  5s. 
ticket)  will  be  obtainable  at  3s.  (id.,  and  the 
2s.  6d.  ticket  at  Is.  6d.  Members  are  earnestly 
requested  to  make  this  exhibition  known  among 
their  friends,  and  more  particularl3'  to  those 
residing  in  or  near  London,  and  to  co-operate 
with  the  committee  in  making  special  exertions 
to  ensure  the  success  of  this  new  departure,  which 
will  not  only  be  the  most  magnifieent  Rose  show 
ever  held  in  London,  but  also  has  every  promise 
of  becoming  one  of  the  chief  events  of  the  London 
season.  The  charges  for  admission  to  the  general 
public  will  be  as  follows  :— From  noon  till  4  p.m. 
(private  view),  5s.  ;  from  4  p.m.  till  5.30  p.m., 
23.  (id.;  from  5..30  p.m.  till 7.30  p.m..  Is.  The  Rev. 
H.  Honywood  D'ombrain  and  Mr.  Edward  Mawley 
are  the  hon.  secretaries. 


syringed,  and  on  this  point  emphasis  was  laid.  Forms 
of  training  were  descrilted,  pyramids,  bush  plants,  and 
standards  being  tlie  popular  methods.  I<'i  r  baskets  and 
trlimtiers  special  treatment  was  described,  the  lecturer 
advocating  the  use  of  old  plants  for  the  latter  purpose.  He 
also  recommended  shading  during  the  warmest  periods  of 
the  day  only.  Syringing  and  feeding,  the  latter  fully  and 
cautiously,  air-giving,  insect  pests  and  remedies  were  each 
dealt  witii  in  turn.  Winter  treatment,  bedding  plants,  and 
watering  also  came  in  for  a  large  share  of  attention,  and  a 
most  interesting  lecture  was  l>rougllt  to  a  close  with  a 
consideration  of  the  uuestion  of  raising  new  vai-ieties  and 
selections  of  varieties  for  various  purposes.  A  discussion 
followed,  in  which  several  members  took  part. 

Tl  was  notified  that  a  visit  to  Aldenham  House  Gardens, 
through  tlie  kindness  of  Lord  Aldenham,  had  l)een  arranged 
for  Saturday  afternoon,  .Tuly  ^7  next.  A  visit  to  the  gardens 
at  Hattleld  House  was  also  contemplated  in  .Tune,  arrange- 
ments for  which  were  now  in  progress. 

A  capital  display  of  floweis  arid  plants  was  arranged  by 
the  members,  in  competition  for  prizes  and  diplomas. 
Orchids  were  well  represented,  as  were  hardy  spring  Howers, 
Daffodils,  Violas,  and  (luite  a  large  number  of  interesting 
sulijects  were  staged  for  adjudication,  and  gave  evident 
pleasure  to  the  members  present. 

'i'his  is  essentially  an  amateur  gardeners'  society,  and  the 
secretary,  from  whom  particulars  can  t)e  obtained,  is  Jfr.  F. 
Finch,  117,  Embleton  Road,  Lewisham,  S.E. 


SOCIETIES. 

NATIONAL  AMATEUR  GARDENERS'  ASSOCIATION. 
The  usual  monthly  meeting  of  this  excellent  association 
took  place  on  Tuesday,  ilay  7,  at  Winchester  House,  Old 
Broad  Street,  E.G.,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  eveniiif;;,  Mr. 
D.  B.  Crane  in  the  chair.  On  this  occasion  a  lecture  on 
"  The  Cultivation  of  the  Fuchsia"  was  given  hy  Mr.  A.  J. 
Fostei",  who  is  an  enthusiastic  grower  of  these  plants,  and 
who  proved  his  knowledge  of  the  subject  hy  his  remarks. 
A  most  comprehensive  view  of  the  plant  and  its  cultivation 
was  taken  by  the  lecturer,  who  commenced  by  saying  it  was 
everyone's  Hower,  and  well  deserved  tlie  name.  It  was  a 
plant  of  easy  culture,  and  was  suited  alike  to  gmwers  in 
town  and  country.  Success  could  be  achieved  with  a  small 
amount  of  attention,  except  in  the  case  of  culture  fur 
exhibition.  Not  the  least  interesting  feature  of  the  lecture 
was  the  history  of  the  plant,  given  in  detail  by  Mr.  Foster, 
who  brought  his  subject  up  to  date.  Propagation  by  cuttings 
—young  growths,  usually  in  early  spring— was  advocated, 
using  fur  this  a  compost  of  loam,  leaf-mould,  and  sand  in 
equal  quantity.  With  a  good  bottom  heat,  the  lecturer 
said,  the  cuttings  should  be  looted  within  a  period  of  from 
three  to  six  days.  Subse([uent  treatment  was  al^so  carefully 
detailed.  Autumn  propagation  was  recommended  fur 
specimen  plants,  keeping  the  plants  in  a  warm  corner  of 
the  greenhouse  in  the  \yinter.     Young  plants  should  be 


NATIONAL  ROSE  SOCIETY. 
We  have  referied  elsewhere  to  the  forthcoming  exhibition 
of  the  National  Rose  Society,  and  hope  that  this  show,  when 
held  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens,  will  prove  a  splendid 
success.  This  society  is  one  of  the  most  important  rif  those 
dedicated  to  a  special  llower,  and  the  annual  tisplays  aie 
always,  not  merely  delightful  to  the  eye,  hut  of  real  interest 
to  rosarians.  We  have  just  received  the  amiual  report, 
which  also  contains  the  schedule  of  prizes  to  be  offered  at 
the  forthconiing  shows.  We  make  a  few  extracts  from  the 
report  for  the  past  year  :— 

The  committee,  in  presenting  their  report,  are  pleased 
to  record  another  year  of  steady  progress  in  all  the  branches 
of  the  society's  work. 

The  cold  and  dry  weather  in  May  and  during  the  early 
summer,  by  checking  the  growth  of  Rose  plants,  had  an 
unfavourable  intluence  upon' the  Salisbury  exhibition,  which 
j-roved  the  smallest  southern  show  that  the  society  has  yet 
held.  But  at  the  exhibition  held  at  Westminster,  in  con- 
junction with  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  a  week  later, 
the  competition  was  much  more  satisfact(try.  The  Crystal 
Palace  show  proved  an  unusually  extensive  one,  being  the 
largest  metropolitan  exhibition,  with  the  exception  of  those 
in  "1S9-2  and  1807,  yet  held  by  the  society,  but  owing  to  the 
unfavourable  character  of  the  season  the  general  quality  of 
the  blooms  was  below  the  usual  standard.  The  display  of 
Roses  at  the  Birmingham  exhibition  was  also  exceptionally 
large. 

Great  credit  is  due  to  the  local  committees  for  the  excellent 
arrangements  made  in  connection  with  the  southern  and 
northern  exhibitions,  and  especially  to  Mr,  G.  Nicholson  at 
Salisbury,  and  to  Professor  Hillhouse  and  Mr.  C.  W.  K. 
Wallis  at  Birmingham.  Indeed,  seldom  have  these  arrange- 
ments been  in  all  respects  as  complete  and  satisfactory. 
Much  credit  is  also  due  to  iMr.  G.  Caselton  for  his  share  in 
the  management  of  the  Crystal  Palace  show.  At  all  three 
exhibitions  of  the  society  the  attendance  of  visitors  was 
remarkably  good. 

At  the  conferences  held  at  Salisbury  and  Birmingham 
interesting  discussions  took  place  upon  Miss  Jekyll's  paper, 
entitled  "  Sugt^estions  for  the  Decorative  Use  of  some  Garden 
Roses."  The  repoit  on  these  conferences  has  recently  been 
issued  to  the  members,  together  with  a  new  and  revised 
edition  of  the  "Hints  on  Planting  Roses.  '  The  committee 
take  tliis  ojiportunity  of  expressing  their  best  thanks  to  Miss 
Jekyll  for  lier  admirable  and  suggestive  paper.  They  report 
with  pleasure  that  the  sale  of  the  society's  publications  to 
non-members  has  greatly  exceeded  that  of  any  previous  year. 
They  likewise  regard  with  satisfaction  the  result  of  their 
efforts  to  encourage  the  staging  of  exhibition  blooms  in 
vases  instead  of  boxes,  and  also  in  the  increased  number  of 
stands  of  garden  Ruses  at  all  three  exhibitions. 

It  is  with  the  deepest  regret  that  they  have  to  record  the 
death  in  May  last  of  Mr.  T.  B.  Haywood,  for  seventeen  years 
the  society's  able  and  much  respected  hon.  treasurer.  They 
have  also  to  deplore  the  loss  through  death  of  that  very 
generous  friend  of  the  society,  Mr.  F.  W.  Campion.  Then 
on  the  eve  of  the  Birmingham  show  came  the  sad  news  of 
the  death  of  Mr.  Benjamin  R.  Cant,  of  Colchester,  at  all 
tinus  a  warm  supporter  of  the  society,  and  one  of  its 
original  founders.  A  subscription  list  has  already  been  set 
on  foot  to  ensure  a  special  prize,  to  be  entitled  "  The  Ben 
Cant  Memorial  Prize,"  being  offered  annually  in  his  memory 
at  one  of  the  society's  exhibitions. 
Finance. 
The  committee  feel  that  they  cannot  refer  to  this  question 
of  tinance  without  expressing  their  keen  appreciation  of  Mr. 
Charles  B.  Haywood's  kindness  in  having  consented,  on  the 
death  of  his  father,  to  accept  the  position  of  hon.  treasurer 
to  ihe  society.  The  usual  grant  of  £105  from  the  Crystal 
Palace  Company  towards  the  expenses  of  tbe  metropolitan 
exhibition  has  not  yet  been  received,  otherwise  the  financial 
position  of  the  society  would  have  been  in  every  respect  as 
satisfactory  as  in  former  years.*  In  order  to  prevent  the 
society  Iteing  placed  in  a  similar  unsatisfactory  position  at 
any  future  time  through  the  loss  or  delay  in  payment  of  any 
large  sum  due,  the  committee  recommend  that  a  reserve 
fund  be  at  once  set  on  foot. 

There  has  again  been  a  steady  increase  in  the  roll  of 
members,  wliich  at  the  present  time  number  5S4,  or  more 
tlian  in  any  preceding  year. 


AltllANrJEMKNTS   FOK   1001. 

The  southern  show  of  the  society  will  be  held  at  Rich- 
mond, Suriey,  on  Wednesday,  .lune  t^fi,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Richmond  Hoi-ticultural  Society  ;  the  metropolitan 
exhibition  in  tlie  Fnuer  Temple  Gardens,  on  Thursday, 
July  4  :  and  the  northern  show  at  riverBton,  in  connection 
with  the  North  L'tnsdale  Itose  Society,  on  Wednesday, 
July  17.  Prizes  will  also  he  offered  by  the  society  at  the 
Ruse  show  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  which  will 
take  place  at  the  Drill  Hall.  Westminster,  <»n  Tuesday, 
July  2. 

.Mkjihkhs'  Phivilkcks. 

Mendjers  subscribing  £1  will  be  entitled  to  six  private 
view  tickets,  and  subscrilters  of  Ifis.  to  three  private  view 
tickets.  Each  of  these  tickets  is  avjillable  for  any  one  of 
the  society's  exhibitions;  they  will  also  admit  to  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society's  Rose  show  at  Westminster  on  July  '_'. 
Members  Joining  the  society  for  the  first  time  in  1901  will 
also  receive  copies  of  tin  following  publications  :— The  new 
edition  of  the  "  Otticial  Catalogue  of  Exhibition  and  Garden 
Roses,"  the  revised  edilion  of  the  "  Hints  on  Planting  Hoses, " 
the  "Report  of  the  Cunferem-es  on  Pruning  and  Exhibiting 
Roses,"  the  "Prize  E-s-ay  on  the  Hybridisation  of  Roses,' 
the  "Report  on  tbe  Coufititution  of  Rose  Soils,"  and  the 
conference  report  on  Miss  Jekyll's  paper  on  "Suggestions 
for  the  Decorative  Use  of  some  Garden  Roses,'  and  in 
November  next  to  a  "Symposium  on  How  to  Grow  and 
Exhibit  Tea  Roses."  Membeis  alone  are  allowed  to  compete 
at  the  shows  of  the  society.  N.B.— Members  can  purchase 
tickets  fortheir  friends  foj-  the  Temple  Rose  show  at  reduced 
prices. 

The  committee  express  their  best  thanks  to  the  donors  of 
special  prizes  at  the  society's  exhibitions,  among  which  may 
be  mentioned  :  the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Calthurpe,  the  Right 
Hon.  Joseph  Chamlierlain,  M.P.,  Captain  Ramsay,  Mr.  C.  J. 
Grahame,  Mr.  F.  Denin'son,  and  the  late  Mr.  F.  W.  Campion. 
Their  best  thanks  are  also  due  to  those  local  secretaries  who 
have  in  any  way  assisted  the  society  to  maintain  its  present 
position,  and  especially  to  Mr.  G.  W.  Cook,  who  has  again 
outdistanced  all  its  local  representatives  in  inducing  new 
membeis  to  join  the  society.  Mr.  F.  W.  Wright,  a  new  local 
secretary,  has  also  done  excellent  service  at  Birmingham. 


UNITED  HORTICULTl'RAL  BENEFIT  AND  PROVIDENT 

SOCIETY. 
The  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at 
the  Caledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  ^ronday 
evening  last.  The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read 
and  confirmed.  Messrs.  PoUett's  tender  for  printing  agenda 
forms  was  accepted.  Ten  new  members  were  elected,  and 
three  others  nominated.  The  secretary  reported  the  death 
of  Mr.  Michael  Davis,  and  it  was  resolved  that  the 
amount  standing  to  his  credit  in  the  books  of  the  society, 
viz.,  £.n5  Os.  8d.,  be  paid  to  Mrs.  Davis,  and  that  a 
vote  of  condolence  be  also  sent  her.  The  sum  of  7s. 
per  week  was  granted  to  Mr.  H.  Saunders  (No.  14)  until 
his  case  demands  further  consideration.  Mr.  G.  Clinging 
was  granted  10s.  per  week  for  three  weeks  from  the 
convalescent  fund  for  a  change  of  air,  in  addition  to  his  sick 
pay.  It  was  res<ilved  that  1,000  copies  of  the  rules  be  esti- 
united  for  and  submitted  to  the  committee  at  the  next 
meeting. 


^  Since  the  i-eport  of  the  committee  was  drawn  up,  the 
grant  of  ,£105  due  from  the  Crystal  Palace  Company  has 
been  reeeivecl. 


CROYDON  AND  DISTRICT  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

At  a  meeting  held  at  the  Art  Gallery,  Park  Lane,  on 
Tuesday,  May  7,  a  paper  entitled  "Gardeners'  Feathered 
Fi lends  and  Foes"  was  given  by  Mr.  Percy  Bunyard. 

Mr.  Simpson  occupied  the  chair,  and  briefly  introduced 
tbe  lecturer 

Mr.  Bunyard  said  he  thought  the  title  of  his  paper  was 
somewhat  erroneous,  as  he  was  at  a  loss  to  find  one  single 
bird  which  was  an  enemy  in  the  true  sense  of  the  wold, 
unless  it  was  the  bullfinch.  The  amount  of  hanu  done  by 
birds  in  the  garden  was  infinitesimal  as  compared  witli  the 

LARGE   AMOI'NT   OF   C.OOD 

which  they  did.  A  garden  without  birds  would  be  like  a 
garden  without  its  Rose,  and  a  biid  was  as  beautiful  as  the 
most  beautiful  Howers.  The  thrush,  blackbird,  and  starling 
undoubtedly  wrought 

(JREAT    HAVOC 

with  the  fruit,  but  this  might  easily  be  prevented  by  a 
plentiful  supply  of  netting  and  also  by  the  imitation  of  a 
hawk  suspended  over  the  trees.  The.  i  nli  .blackbird,  and 
starling,  in  common  with  other  bird=  ted  largely  upon 
insects,  and  were  entitled  to  the  gardener's  high  commenda- 
tion. Snails  in  particular  fell  victims  by  tliousands  to  the 
hungry  and  persevering  thrush.  .Just  as  the  wren  searched 
after  and  destroyed  the  eggs  and  chrysaliiies  of  insects  so 
did  tlie  thrush  seek  for  anci  kill  the  snails,  which  had  retired 
from  the  woi-ld  and  injmured  themselves,  monk-like,  in 
cells  of  stone  and  wood.  Of  tlie  blackbird  he  could  not 
speak  so  favourably,  but  at  all  events  he  would  commend 
him  to  notice  for  his  undoubted  service  in  the  spring,  and 
although  he  might  not  be  so  useful  a  friend  to  the  gardener 
as  the  thrush,  he  must  not  be  ranked  among  the  gardeners' 
foes.  The  chat  family  all  visited  our  countiy  at  some  time 
of  the  veai',  and  their  feeding  habits  were  almost  identical. 
Their  food  consisted  of  flies,  beetles,  and  other  insects,  such 
as  slugs,  caterpillars,  and  small  snails.  The  nest  of  the 
furzechat  was  most  difhcult  to  find,  being 

BEAT'TIFUI.LY   CONCEALED 

in  the  long  grass  or  at  the  bottom  of  a  furze  bush.  One  of 
the  most  useful  and  largest  families  of  feathered  friends 
were  the  warblers,  more  than  twenty  in  number.  The 
amount  of  good  done  by  these  birds  was  enormous,  as  they 
fed  almost  entirely  upon  insects,  but  when  the  season  was 
very  dry  they  betrayed  a  partiality  for  a  more  luxurious 
diet,  and  fed  occasirmally  on  the  Currants  and  Raspberries. 
The  tits  or  titmice  were  most  interesting  and  familiar 
objects  of  the  garden,  and  although  ranked  by  ignorant 
people  as  the  worst  of  garden  foes,  they  were  in  reality  to 


,64 


THE  GARDEN. 


[May  18,  1901. 


be  placed  among  the  most  valuable  of  garden  friends. 
Hundreds  of  these  birds  might  be  seen  among  the  branches 
of  the  fruit  trees  picking  away  at  the  buds,  and  this  being 
the  case  the  generality  of  horticulturists  imagine  that  the 
titmice  were  disbudding  the  trees,  added  its  name  to  the 
black  list,  and  wreaked  vengeance  upon  it  whenever  they 
can  ;  but  they  were  not  feeding  upon  the  buds,  but  upon 
the  insects  in  them.  It  had  been  calculated  that  a  single 
pair  of  titmice  destroyed  on  the  average  no  less  than  1,000 
flies,  grubs,  and  caterpillars  daily.  The  nuthatch  was  a 
common  sight  to  most  gardeners.  Its  food  consisted  princi- 
pally of  Nuts — hence  its  name— Acorns,  Green  and  Beech 
Nuts,  and  occasionally,  as  a  corrective  to  so  much  vegetable 
matter,  they  partook  of  beetles  and  caterpillars.  Some  birds 
being  entirely  insectivorous  were  valuable 

FRIENDS  TO   THE   GARDENER. 

The  butcher  bird  derived  its  name  from  the  fact  of  its 
hanging  its  food  up  on  the  thorns  and  other  prickly  trees, 
thus  forming  a  kind  of  larder.  The  finch  family,  twenty  in 
number,  include  the  sparrow,  greenfinch,  chaffinch,  bull- 
tinch,  linnet,  and  liawfiuch,  were  undoubtedly  very  destruc- 
tive in  the  garden.  The  food  of  the  sparrow— which  would 
become  an  intolerable  nuisance  when  too  numerous- - 
included  almost  everything  that  was  eatable.  Among  other 
things,  it  was  partial  to  the  buds  of  fruit  trees,  notably  Goose- 
berries and  red  Currants.  The  bullfinch  was  undoubtedly 
the  worst  enemy  of  the  gardener,  but  that  was  really  not 
half  so  black  as  it  was  painted.  There  were  two  methods 
of  keeping  finches  otf  fruit  trees,  one  by  sprinkling  soot 
over  the  trees  three  or  four  times  during  the  winter,  and 
the  other  was  to  stretch  four  or  five  strands  of  black  cotton 
just  over  the  tops  of  trees.  The  cuckoo  was  a  very  valuable 
bird,  being  entirely  insectivorous.  In  conclusion,  the 
lecturer  said  there  were  many  birds  which  took  a  very 
active  part  in  the  garden  indirectly  ;  for  instance,  the  owls 
and  hawks. 

The  lecture  was  splendidly  illustrated  by  lanteru  slides, 
by  the  noted  photographer  of  bird  life,  Mr.  R.  B.  Lodge, 
Enfield,  the  lantern  being  manipulated  by  Mr.  Baldock, 
who  was  awarded  a  vote  of  thanks. 

The  chairman  proposed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer, 
which  was  most  heartily  accorded. 


TO 


ANSWERS 
CORRESPONDENTS. 


Names  of  plants.— 7^.  A.  5.— Flowers  ot  both  Dafi'o- 
dils  and  Primulas  received  in  very  bad  order  from  abrasion 
with  muddy  moss.  Both  Daffodils  are  apparently  one  of  the 
forms  of  N.  Nelsoni ;  Primula  may  be  P.  longifolia  (corolla 
was  gone)  or  a  very  poor  seedling  of  garden  alpine  Auricula. 

J.  B.  it/. —These  are  flowers  of  N.  incomparabilis  either 

turning  from  single  to  double  or  vice  verm.  When  quite 
single  they  are  called  Titan,  but  in  any  form  of  doubling 
they  are  called  Butter  and   Eggs.      A  good  deep  rich  soil 

would  tend  to  make  them  fully  double. Mrs.  \V.  Adams. 

— Fritillaria  pyrenaica. Woolton. — The    double    Meadow 

Saxifrage    (Saxifiaga   granulata    fl.-pl.).- — Amateur    Fern 

G/OM-er.- Asplenium  bulbiferuni. T.  11.  ^.— Bletia  hya- 

cinthina.   Grown  in  a  greenhouse  alters  itscharacterslightly. 

Spots  on  Orange  leaves  {A  Regdlar  Sub- 
scriber). ^Your  Orange  tree  foliage  is  badly  scorched,  we 
think,  through  bad  glass — that  is,  spotted  or  imperfect 
glass—  and  the  spottnig  occurs  after  a  dull  period,  and  mostly 
early  in  the  day  when  the  trees  are  moist.  You  will  do  well 
to  shade  your  glass  for  a  time  with  a  weak  coatingof  whiting 
mixed  with  size  or  milk,  and  that  will  prevent  the  scorching 
in  future  ;  also  give  more  ventilatioTi  if  needed. 

Peach  leaves  scopched  (P.  K.  G.).— The  cause  of 
spots  on  the  Peach  leaves  sent  is  a  bright  sun  shining 
through  bad  glass.  This  occurs  after  a  dull  period,  and  it 
often  happens  when  the  foliage  is  moist  from  syringing  in  a 
close  atmosphere.  You  may  prevent  it  in  future  by  giving 
ventilation  a  little  earlier  in  the  day  ;  indeed,  in  some  cases, 
a  little  all  night  is  desirable.  You  may  also  shade  the  glass 
where  it  is  spotted  with  a  weak  solution  of  whiting  and 
milk. 

Layering"  Capnations  (W.  Dunlop).— Layers  put 
down  in  September  would  form  roots  freely,  Imt  they  should 
be  done  as  early  in  the  month  as  possible.  The  layers  may 
be  made  as  soon  as  the  flowers  open  ;  it  does  not  injure  the 
flowers  in  the  least  to  layer  even  before  they  are  fully 
developed.  I  do  not  finish  up  layering  until  quite  the  end 
of  SeptcnilK-r.  aUlKtugb  we  begin  early  in  July.— J.  Douglas. 

Fumigating-  gpeenhouse  (Stanton).— It  is  easy 
to  understand  your  dilticnlty  in  fumigating  your  greenhouse, 
which  is  attached  to  ytjur  dwelling,  and  which  is  entered 
from  it  by  a  window.  When  erections  of  this  kind  for  plant 
culture  are  put  up,  architects  never  think  of  insect  life,  of 
the  needs  for  fumigation,  or  even  of  the  damp  atmosphere 
which  is  so  often  associated  with  planl  houses.  However, 
if  you  are  to  have  clean  plants,  you  must  fumigate,  and 
to  that  end  it  will  be  well  to  close  the  window  tightly  and 
to  hang  some  thick  curtains  over  it  also,  and  keep  it  close 
for  some  twenty-four  hours  after  the  greenliouse  has  been 
reopened  to  allow  the  smell  to  escape.  The  vapour  decoc- 
tion known  as  XL  All  is  better  than  tobacco  paper, 
as  the  smell  sooner  passes  off,  but  the  vapour  must  be 
excluded  from  the  dwelling-house  at  any  cost.  Fumigate  in 
the  evening. 

Tulips  and  insect  pest  (W.  H.  Banks).— Your 
Tulips  are  attacked  by  one  of  the  snake  millipedes,  the 
spotted  snake  millipede  (Hlanjuhis  guttulatus).  These  are 
most  destructive  pests.  While  they  are  inside  the  roots 
there  is  no  means  of  destroying  them,  except  by  heat,  as  it 
is  obviously  imjiossible  to  make  any  insecticide  reach  them. 
I  believe  that  if  the  bulbs  were  immersed  in  water  of  a 
temperature  of  from  llf>  to  V3r  y-,\.\iv.  for  ten  minutes  or  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  it  would  kill  them  without  injuring  the 
bulbs,  but  of  this  I  am  not  certain.     It  might  be  worth 


while  to  try,  as,  e.vcept  picking  the  pests  out  of  the  bulbs,  I 
do  not  see  what  else  you  could  do  except  burn  them. 
When  you  have  taken  up  the  Tulips  I  should  give  the 
ground  a  good  dressing  of  gas  lime  or  a  thorough  soaking 
with  boiling  water.— G.  S.  S. 

The  National  Rose  Society  (H.  N.).— Write  to 
Mr.  Edward  Mawley,  one  of  the  lion,  secretaries,  Rosebank, 
BerKhamstead. 

Vine  book  (G.  Brown).— You  cannot  do  better  than 
get  Mr.  A.  F.  Barron's  "  Vine  and  Vine  Culture  "  from  the 
author,  laA,  The  Acacias,  Sutton  Court,  Road,  Chiswick 
Middlesex.  Its  price  is  .Ss.  Gd.,  post  free  ;  it  is  the  work  of 
an  authority  upon  the  subject. 

Lifting  Tpiteleia  (W.  W.).— Triteleia  uniftora  should 
be  lifted  atid  replanted  as  soon  as  the  leaves  have  turned 
yellow. 

Helonias  bullata  (F.  H.  S.).— The  best  time  to  move 
this  would  tje  early  autumn,  August  or  September,  and  for 
rotting  EvLTlasting  Pea  October  or  November. 

Insects  on  seedling  Sweet  Peas  (M.  J.  W.  B.). 
— The  creatures  you  sent  and  which  you  found  on  your 
Sweet  Peas  are  specimens  of  one  of  the  carnivorous  mites 
(Trombidium  holosericeum).  I  cannot  fancy  that  they  have 
injured  your  Sweet  Peas,  but  they  were  probably  feeding  on 
some  small  insects,  aphides,  thrips,  ttc,  which  had  attacked 
your  Peas.  Theie  was  very  little  left  of  the  dead  earwig 
which  you  found  many  clustered  round,  only  just  the  end  of 
its  body  entirely  cleared  of  its  contents  and  the  pincers  ; 
these,  I  presume,  were  too  tough  for  the  mites.  This  is  a 
clear  proof  of  the  carni^'orous  nature  of  these  mites. — 
G.  S.  S. 

Runnep  Beans  (Amateur).- It  is  a  good  desire  on  your 
part  to  have  variety  in  even  such  products  as  Runner  Beans. 
You  have  yet  ample  time  to  make  sowings,  but  first  in  each 
case  see  that  the  ground  be  well  trenched  and  heavily 
manured,  or  be  treated  as  for  Celery,  by  making  a  trench 
2  feet  wide  and  deeply  moved  and  manxued  for  each  row. 
To  have  really  good  products  get  of  Scarlet  Runner  seed  of 
Ne  Plus  ntra  or  Best  of  All,  and  sow  fully  4  inches  apart 
in  a  single  row  or  in  double  rows,  also  get  climbing  Canadian 
Wonder  and  sow  U  inches  apart,  and  also  seed  of  the  Golden 
Butter  Bean  (Mont  d'Or).  The  Scarlet  Runner  needs  sticks 
8  feet  in  height,  the  others  about  (:i  feet  in  height.  With  a 
good  row  of  the  climbing  Canadian  Wonder  you  will  hardly 
need  to  sow  Dwarf  Kidney  Beans.  The  Butter  Bean 
cooked  whole,  and  served  with  sauce  or  gravy,  makes,  when 
well-cooked,  u  delicious  dish. 

Ppuning  and  nailing  back  Fig  tpee  — An  old 
Fig  tree  in  my  garden  has  lately  been  pruned  and  nailed 
back  to  the  wall,  which  I  believe  to  be  a  mistake.  Young 
Figs  are  beginning  to  show  on  last  year's  wood.  Should 
these  branches  be  left  nailed  to  the  wall  or  released? — 
B.  M.  B. 

[We  cannot  see  how  a  mistake  has  been  made  with  your 
Fig  tree  if  you  intend  it  to  be  on  a  wall,  as  the  tree  gets 
so  much  more  benefit  from  the  wall  than  if  away  from  it. 
You  will  get  much  finer  Figs  if  the  branches  are  close  to  the 
wall,  as  the  tree  will  get  more  warmth.  By  all  means  allow 
the  branches  to  remain,  and  proceed  thus  :  The  shoots 
showing  the  Figs  will  grow  fast,  but  these  must  be  stopped 
at  the  fourth  or  fifth  joint  above  the  fruits.  If  allowed  to 
grow  the  Figs  will  drop,  as  the  shoot  above  the  fruit  will 
rob  the  Figs  of  their  nourishment.  At  the  same  time,  nail 
into  the  wall  any  strong  shoots,  what  are  termed  leaders  or 
extension  shoots,  as  these  will  fruit  next  year,  and  stop  or 
pinch  at  4  inches  or  5  inches  long  shoiter  ones  not  showing 
fruit.  These  will  bear  next  season.  These  we  term  spurs. 
You  may  also  cut  out  weak  spray  growths  at  all  crowded 
and  not  needed  for  fruit  or  extension  of  the  tree.  You  see 
the  Fig  fruits  on  wood  made  the  previous  year.  This  you 
must  encourage.^EDS.] 

Aphis  on  outside  Peaches  (E.  C.  P.).— We 
presume  you  mean  Peach  trees  on  walls,  and  from  the 
shoots  enclosed  you  have,  unfortunately,  both  green  and 
black  fly,  also  a  touch  of  red  spider,  which  needs  different 
treatment  to  the  aphis.  Green  fly  is  the  least  tioublesome, 
but  even  this  pest  if  left  soon  destroys  all  prospects  of  a 
crop.  You  would  do  well  to  give  them  a  thorough  cleansing 
when  dormant,  say,  any  time  from  November  to  February. 
To  get  rid  of  green  fiy  you  may  use  tobacco  water,  syringing 
the  trees  so  that  every  portion  is  moistened,  but  even  here 
there  is  a  ditticulty  ;  the  leaves  that  are  infested  curl  badly, 
and  the  mixture  cannot  always  be  made  to  touch  the  fly, 
owing  to  the  leaves  being  folded  or  curled,  and  it  is  much 
the  better  plan  to  go  over  the  trees  before  syringing  and 
pick  off  the  badly  curled  ones,  burn  them,  and  then  syringe. 
If  tobacco  water  of  sutlicient  strength  is  used  this  will  also 
kill  black  fly,  but  it  is  advisable  after  using  a  strong  dose  to 
syringe  the  trees  after  applying  the  same  with  clean  water. 
In  many  cases  a  hose  pipe  may  be  employed,  and  this  is 
batter.  Another  e(iually  good  thing  is  quassia  extract  for 
cleansing.  This  is  better  for  green  fly  than  tobacco  water, 
as  it  does  not  leave  any  deposit.  Strong  solutions  of  tobacco 
mark  the  fruit.  Quassia  is  obtained  in  a  concentrated  form 
ready  for  use,  and  a  few  dressings  during  the  summer 
months  will  keep  the  trees  clean.  Such  fruits  as  Cherries 
are  more  difticult  to  keep  clean  than  Peaches,  and  here 
(luassia  will  be  found  most  valuable.  But  no  matter  how 
thoroughly  you  may  give  one  or  two  dressings  there  may  be 
stray  insects  lurking  here  and  there  not  touched  by  the 
insecticide.  This  points  out  the  necessity  of  doing  the 
work  over  again,  as  both  fiy  and  spider  cannot  exist. 
Moisture  is  fatal  to  them,  and  if  the  trees  are  freijuently 
damped  over  late  in  the  afternoon  spider  willsoon  disappear. 
This  differs  from  aphis  as  it  soon  covers  the  tender  foliage 
and  stunts  growth  ;  it  has  a  rusty  look,  and  the  spider,  unless 
in  very  bad  cases,  is  invisible,  and  therefore  more  easily 
overlooked.  It  is  a  good  plan  when  syringing  to  place  a 
small  quantity  of  flowers  of  sulphur  in  the  water.  This 
well  mixed  will  also  stop  mildew,  another  troutilesome  pest 
to  which  the  Peach  and  Nectarine  are  addicted,  especially 
such  kinds  as  the  Koyal  George,  one  of  our  best  Peaches,  but 
often  very  troublesome.  Black  fly  is  more  ditficult  to  get 
rid  of  than  green  fly,  so  that  this  should  not  be  allowed  to 
spread.     Dust  over  infested  shoots  with  tobacco  powder. 


but  in  bad  cases  no  one  should  hesitate  to  remove  unhealthy 
oliage,  as  new  foliage  is  soon  made. 

Himalayan  Rhododendpons  (Alexandrixa).- 
1,  the  Himalayan  Rhododenrirotis  should  have  sunshine  quite 
half  the  day;  -1,  they  should  stand  out  of  doors  all  the 
summer  in  a  sheltered  place,  where  they  would  be  in  shade 
the  latter  half  of  the  day  ;  3,  the  roots  should  always  be 
moist ;  4,  R.  sesterianum  should  be  in  a  temperate  house  ; 
the  failure  to  bloom  may  have  been  caused  by  too  high  a 
temperature. 

Moulding  up  Potatoes(CHAMPioN).— Certainly  the 
earthing  up  of  Potato  plants,  as  is  the  common  practice,  is 
vei-y  much  a  matter  of  taste.  We  have  had  good  crops, 
indeed,  very  fine  ones,  from  unmoulded  breadths,  but  still 
with  the  disadvantage  that  many  of  the  finest  tubers  being 
either  exposed  to  the  light  or  else  so  near  the  surface  liave 
been  partially  green  and  hot,  and  thus  unfit  for  eating. 
Keeping  the  newly-forming  tubers  from  this  exposure  to 
light  and  air  is  the  primary  reason  for  moulding  up.  There 
is  also  the  reason  that  when  there  is  over  the  tubers  a  good 
coating  of  soil  there  is  less  lial)ility  to  disease,  as  then 
the  minute  fungus  spores  which  are  so  abundant  in  the  air 
and  on  the  plants  in  disease  seasons  are  not  washed  by 
rains  down  into  contact  with  the  newly-forming  tubers,  as 
is  the  case  when  covered  thinly  with  soil. 

Diseased  Vine  leaves  (Vitis).— It  is  vei-j'  evident, 
judging  by  the  appearance  of  the  affected  leaves  sent,  that 
your  Vines  are  suffering  from  a  bad  attack  of  mildew.  This 
comes  from  various  causes,  commonly  because  the  roots  have 
gone  too  deep,  and  are  in  soil  that  is  cold  and  devoid  of 
proper  nutriment.  Exposing  the  tender  leafage  (and  youi^s 
is  yet  quite  young  and  tender)  to  sudden  cold  draughts  of 
ail-  also  helps  to  promote  the  mildew.  The  most  common 
remedy  is  found  in  gently  dauiping  the  Vine  leafage  all  over, 
then  dusting  with  sulphur  ;  also,  if  you  have  hot-water 
pipes  in  the  vinery,  getting  these  well  heated,  then  with  a 
common  whitewash  brush  coating  the  pipes  with  a  mixture 
(in  paste  form)  of  milk,  or  of  soft  soap  and  sulphur,  shutting 
the  house  up  close.  Do  that  after  the  sun  has  gone  oflf.  In 
the  meantime  pick  otf  some  of  the  worst  of  the  leaves  and 
bui'n  them.  Of  those  sent  as  healthy,  one  had  become  badly 
affected  in  the  box.  You  may  next  winter  find  it  needful  to 
lift  the  roots  of  your  Vines,  replanting  with  fresh  soil  and 
much  less  deep. 


TRADE    NOTE. 

The  "  Pattisson  "  Lawn  Boot. 
This  is  a  most  useful  patent  boot  for  horses  engaged  on 
mowing  lawns,  and  especially  in  the  case  of  race  and  golf 
courses  aud  cricket  grounds.     The  tioots  are  of  simple  con- 
struction, being  made  with  a  light  foundation  plate  of  steel 


THE    "pattisson"    LAWN    BOOT. 


of  great  strength,  and  fitted  with  patent  "Compactum" 
soles  of  best  English  sole  leather  and  special  india-rubber. 
The  soles,  being  fixed  to  the  plates,  cannot  get  out  of  shape, 
even  in  the  wettest  weather.  After  outlasting  considerably 
the  best  made  boots  of  the  ordinary  pattern,  they  can  be 
refitted  with  new  soles  (either  leather  alone  or  "Com- 
pactum "),  and  are  then  as  good  as  new  boots  at  little  more 
than  half  their  first  cost.  As  this  can  be  repeated  several 
times,  they  are  very  economical  in  use.  The  boot  U  very 
easily  and  quickly  put  on  (even  with  a  fidgety  liorse).  and, 
being  firmly  fastened  to  tlie  horse's  shoe  by  two  or  three 
turns  of  the  heel  screw,  cannot  slip  round,  as  all  other  boots 
do,  while  the  frog  and  fetlock  are  as  open  to  the  air  as  they 
would  be  without  it,  instead  of  being  shut  up  in  an  uuventi- 
lated  leather  bag,  as  when  the  ordinary  boot  is  used.  The 
screw  al  tachment  is  described  by  users,  after  twelve  months' 
experience,  as  "simple  and  perfect." 

The  combination  of  rubber  and  leather  is  very  advan- 
tageous, rendering  the  soles  more  pliable,  less  likely  to  slip 
on  the  grass,  and  much  more  durable  than  the  best  leather 
alone.  The  discs,  imbedded  and  held  firmly  in  the  leather, 
are  made  of  best  motor-car  tyre  rubber,  and,  being  placed  at 
the  points  of  wear,  add  v(!ry  greatly  to  the  "life"  of  the 
boots.  In  large  boots  there  are  three  discs,  and  in  the 
smaller  sizes  two.  Tire  "Pattisson"  boot  is  adjustable  to 
different  sized  feet—  a  boot  fitting  a  hoof  b\  inches  wide 
fitting  as  firmly  any  other  between  5  incbes'and  li  inches, 
and  similarly  with  the  other  sizes.  An  improved  and  venti- 
lated bag  top  boot  is  made,  which  is  a  most  important  point. 
It  is  fastened  on  with  straps  in  the  usual  way,  and  is  fitted 
with  the  "Compactum"  sole.  The  "Pattisson"  boot  can 
also  be  fitted  with  the  outer  sole  made  entirely  of  nn^tor-car 
tyre  rubber,  in  place  of  the  leather  sole  and  rubber  discs. 
This  rubber  sole  is  extremely  durable,  and  will  be  found 
very  economical. 


Mp,  a.  K.  BuUey,  Neston,  Cheshlpe,  writes : 
"  If  '  V.  B.'  (Liverpool)  will  write  to  me  I  shall  be  pleased  to 
show  him  my  garden,  which  stands  in  a  similar  positi<m  tu 
his,  and  in  which  identical  dilUcultios  have  been  dealt  with." 


r^s- 


GARDEN. 


?«'=^*-i^?^ 


^^^& 


No.  ]  540.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[May  2.5,   i9  U. 


THE    TEMPLE     SHOW. 

A  NOTHEE  triumpli  has  been  gained  by 
/\  the   Eoyal    Horticultural    Society. 

/  \  Pleasant  weather,  beautiful  ex- 
/  \  hibits,  and  a  charming  company 
made  the  show  of  the  present  year 
one  of  the  most  enjoyable  in  the  history  of  a 
splendid  institution.  Of  course,  the  tents 
were  crowded  to  suffocation,  the  flowers  hung 
their  heads  in  the  sultry  atmosphere,  and  some 
groups  revealed  astonishing  ignorance  of  first 
principles  of  colour  association,  but  these 
things  are  apparently  necessary  evils  of  every 
great  show.  A  canvas  tent  on  a  hot  summer's 
day  is  not  an  ice  well,  and  the  secretary  cannot 
make  an  artist  of  an  exhibitor  who  is  ignorant 
of  the  way  to  so  display  his  flowers  that  the 
eye  is  not  offended  by  unhappy  mixtures  of 
colours  or  an  absence  of  free  and  tasteful 
grouping. 

We  have  heard  much  of  late  about  a  big 
liall  to  celebrate  the  forthcoming  centenary  of 
I  lie  society.  We  would  ask  its  promoters 
whether  such  a  glorious  show  as  that  in  the 
Inner  Temple  Gardens  on  Wednesday  and  the 
two  following  days  would  deepen  in  interest 
or  increase  in  beauty  in  a  building,  however 
stately  and  well  conceived  for  horticultural 
displays?  The  success  of  a  summer  show  of 
the  nature  of  this  famous  annual  exhibition 
by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  largely 
depends  upon  its  pleasant  surroundings,  the 
cool  grassy  swards,  the  shade  of  trees,  and 
agreeable  music.  Forsake  the  open  air,  fill  a 
building  with  flowers,  and  the  noise  of  a  band 
in  a  confined  space,  and  we  venture  to  predict 
that  not  a  tenth  of  the  visitors  that  thronged 
the  beautiful  gardens  this  week  would  trouble 
to  attend,  even  with  a  free  ticket.  This  is  not 
tlie  outcome  of  a  mere  desire  to  listen  to  pretty 
music  or  evince  a  sentimental  interest  in 
flowers  under  a  tent,  but  in  the  summer  the 
most  ardent  horticulturist  enjoys  grateful 
surroundings  to  anything  approaching  the 
wearying  tramp  on  dusty  boards.  This  is  one 
of  the  reasons  of  the  departure  of  the  National 
Itose  Society  from  the  Crystal  Palace,  and  we 
jiredict  a  greater  success  at  their  forthcoming 
show  than  has  been  so  far  experienced. 

The  exhibitions  in  the  Inner  Temple  Gardens 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  draw  crowds 
of  pleasure-seekers  and  those  determined  to 
make  acquaintance  with  rare  and  new  plants, 
and  for  this  reason  they  stimulate  a  deep  love 
for  gardening  expressed  in  so  many  of  the 
homes  of  England.    Horticulture  is  becoming 


a  living  force  amongst  us,  not  merely  com- 
mercial horticulture,  but  the  man  in  the  street 
with  his  small  patch,  as  well  as  the  owners  of 
large  domains,  are  seeking  knowledge  as  to  the 
things  to  make  beautiful  the  villa  or  the 
mansion.  We  know  this  from  the  increasing 
applications  for  assistance  in  our  daily  post, 
and  rejoice  to  find  so  general  and  sincere  an 
interest  in  horticultural  pursuits.  Exhibitions, 
whether  general  or  of  one  particular  flower, 
are  much  alike,  and  we  find  year  by  year 
groups  in  the  same  position  and  composed  of 
the  same  kind  of  flowers  as  in  seasons  gone 
by,  and  this  is  inevitable.  It  is  only  by  per- 
sistently setting  forth  the  value  of  certain 
things  that  their  importance  is  realised,  but 
we  wish  individual  plants  received  greater 
consideration.  It  is  not  pleasant  to  see 
interesting  flowers  jammed  together  in  a  way 
to  suggest  that  the  exhibitor  had  tried  to 
transport  his  nursery  to  the  show  ground. 
Such  displays  are  wearisome,  utterly  without 
repose,  and  are  passed  by  as  too  distracting  to 
linger  over  in  a  hot  tent.  Simplicity  must  be 
the  keynote  to  all  successful  grouping.  Many 
delightful  groups  were  arranged  of  Roses  and 
miscellaneous  plants  in  particular,  as  our 
report  testifies,  and  this  grouping  of  plants  so 
that  each  one  tells  its  own  tale  is  the  most 
instructive  and  interesting. 

We  give  unstinted  praise  to  all  concerned  in 
the  great  exhibition  of  1901.  We  need 
scarcely  make  mention  of  individuals,  but  such 
a  company  and  show  must  have  gratified  the 
President,  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  the  Rev. 
W.  Wilks,  the  hardworking  secretary  and 
editor  of  the  valuable  journal  of  the  society, 
Mr.  Wright,  superintendent  of  the  show,  his 
assistant,  and  all  who  helped  to  produce  such 
a  delightful  result  of  well-directed  labour. 
As  full  a  report  as  possible  is  given  of  the 
proceedings,  not  so  ample  as  we  should  have 
liked,  but  the  exhibition  occurring  on  the 
press  day  for  the  pajjer  prevented  a  more 
detailed  account,  to  be  supplemented,  however, 
in  our  next  issue  with  a  description  of  the 
novelties  shown. 

A  great  company  of  amateur  and  trade 
horticulturists  crowded  the  historic  gardens 
during  the  exhibition,  and  we  wish  for  no 
healthier  sign  of  the  progress  of  gardening  in 
our  midst. 

While  writing  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  it  will  doubtless  interest  our  readers 
to  know  that  during  the  past  fourteen  years 
tremendous  strides  have  been  made,  with  the 
comfortable  result  of  a  big  balance,  increasing 


member.ship,  and  a  proper  determination  to 
ever  bear  in  mind  that  for  the  promotion  of 
horticulture  was  the  .society  established.  This 
wise  policy,  we  are  assured,  will  be  followed  in 
the  future.  The  following  information  taken 
from  the  April  volume  of  the  .Journal  of  the 
society  is  opportune  at  the  present  moment  : — 

A  RETROSPECT- 1887  to  1901.* 

The  opening  of  a  new  century  is  a  good  time  for 
considering  the  progress  or  otherwise  of  the 
society  during  recent  years.  The  year  1887-S8  is 
chosen  because,  first,  the  records  and  accounts 
which  have  been  handed  down  to  us  from  a  period 
earlier  than  that  are  never  complete,  and  arc 
sometimes  absolutely  wanting;  secondly,  it  was 
the  society's  last  year  of  tenure  at  South  Ken- 
sington ;  and,  thirdlj',  its  closing  months  f;ave 
birth  to  the  new  life  and  energy  which  have  since 
permeated  the  old  society. 

At  the  commencement  of  1887  the  council  and 
ofticers  of  the  society  were  as  follows:  President, 
Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart,  M.P.  ;  treasnier, 
William  Haughton ;  secretary,  William  Lee  ; 
council,  Colonel  Beddome,  Hon.  and  Rev. 
•J.  T.  Boscawen,  Colonel  Trevor  Clarke,  Sydney 
Courtauld,  Sir  Michael  Foster,  F.R.S.,  Dr.  Hogg, 
Sir  Edmund  Loder,  Bart.,  Major  Mason,  George 
Maw,  Baron  Schroder,  Sir  William  Thiselton- 
Dyer,  K.C.M.G.,  and  George  F.  Wilson,  F.R.S; 
assistant  secretarj-,  Captain  E.  L.  Bax  ;  garden 
superintendent,  A.  F.  Barron. 

After  the  rearrangement  concluded  at  the  end 
of  that  eventful  year  of  1887  the  new  council  and 
officers  were :  President,  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence, 
Bart.,  M.P.  ;  treasurer.  Dr.  Morris,  C.M.G.  ; 
secretary,  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  M.A.  :  council,  Colonel 
Beddome,  Sir  Michael  Foster,  F.R.S.,  T.  B.  Hay- 
wood, Dr.  Hogg,  Sir  Edmund  Loder,  Bart.,  George 
Paul,  Baron  Shroder,  A.  H.  Smee,  Sir  William 
Thiselton-Dyer,  K.C.M.G.,  Harry  J.  Veitch, 
George  F.  Wilson,  F.R.S.,  and  J.  Woodbridge ; 
assistant  secretary,  Charles  .J.  Grahame  ;  garden 
superintendent,  A.  F.  Barron. 

It  was  this  council  which  undertook,  and  laid 
the  foundation  of,  the  regeneration  of  the  old 
society,  by  bringing  it  back  to  its  original  design 
and  limiting  it  strictly  to  a  purely  horticultural 
policy. 

At  the  close  of  1887  there  appear  to  have  been 
a  total  of  1,329  Fellows,  of  whom  773  were  Annual 
{i.e.,  subscribing)  Fellows,  and  oo6  were  Life 
Fellows,  the  whole  of  whose  commutation  money 
had  been  previously  spent  on  pa3'ing  part  of  the 
South  Kensington  debts,  and  who  consequently 
brought  in  no  annual  income  whatever  to  the 
society.  It  is,  however,  onl}'  right  to  saj'  that 
whilst  the  majority  of  these  Life  Fellows  cared 
httle  or  nothing  for  the  horticultural  policy  of  the 
societ3',  a  few  of  them,  like  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence, 
Baron  Schroder,  Sir  Edmund  Loder,  Mr.  G.  F. 
Wilson,  Dr.  Hogg,  the  Earl  of  Duoie,  Mr. 
Courtauld,  Mr.  Veitch,  and  others  afforded  ver3' 
generous  financial  help  to  save  the  society  from 
the  absolute  ruin  which  stared  it  in  the  face. 


*[This  note  was  originally  drawn  up  simply  fur  the  in- 
formation of  a  GOmmittee  of  the  conncil,  bnt  havinji  been 
laid  upon  the  table  and  considered  by  them,  was  ordered  by 
the  president  and  council  to  be  inserted  in  the  next  issue  of 
the  society's  Journal.  Its  origin  may  account  for  its  possibly 
too  great  conciseness. — W.  \V.] 


366 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[May  25,  1901. 


How  greatly  the  minority  of  the  Fellows  at  that 
time  resented  the  leaving  South  Kensington,  and 
how  little  they  appreciated  the  return  to  a  purely 
horticultural  policy,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  at 
the  end  of  1887  and  beginning  of  1888  no  less  than 
221  of  them  resigned,  leaving  a  total  of  only  1,108 
Fellows,  of  whom  556  were  Life  Fellows  and  only 
552  were  subscribing  ones. 

Of  the  1,329  Fellows  in  1887  only  773,  as  has 
been  said,  paid  an}'  subscription,  and  the  sub- 
scription income  of  the  society  during  that  year 
(1887)  amounted  to  only  £1,938,  which  was  raised 
to  a  total  income  for  the  year  of  £2,894  by  means 
of  £522  from  sale  of  garden  produce,  and  other 
miscellaneous  receipts  from  the  Indian  and  Colonial 
Exhibition,  &c.  The  general  result  being  that  the 
neiv  council  had  to  take  over  a  debt  of  £1,1.52;  a 
general  annual  expenditure  (which  could  not 
possiblj'  be  much  reduced)  of  £3,500 ;  and  a 
subscription  income  of  less  than  £2,000  a  year. 

Sueh  was  briefly  the  position  of  affairs  at  the 
end  of  1887  when  the  newly-constituted  council 
and  officers  undertook  the  apparentl}'  hopeless  task 
of  rescuing  the  old  society  and  reconstituting  it 
upon  its  original  and  purely  horticultural  basis. 
And  that  their  task  was  not  an  easy  or  a  cheerful 
one  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  already  men- 
tioned that  out  of  the  small  number  of  773  sub- 
scribing Fellows,  on  whom  alone  they  could  depend 
for  inconje,  no  less  than  221  at  once  resigned  ! 

Bearing  in  mind,  then,  the  three  chief  diffi- 
culties in  the  council's  way — (1)  a  debt  of  £1,152  ; 
(2)  a  number  of  Life  Fellows  from  whom  no  annual 
income  whatsoever  accrued — a  number  in  the  earl}' 
days  of  1888  actually  exceeding  the  number  of 
subscribing  Fellows  :  (3)  an  irreducible  annual 
expenditure  of  £1,500  a  year  more  than  the  annual 
subscription  income  —  bearing  these  three  chief 
difficulties  in  mind,  glance  at  the  following  table 
of  figures  and  judge  of  the  work  of  the  council 
during  the  twelve  j'ears  that  have  passed  away 
since  then  :  — 


ti 

ts 

e  ^  eT= 

^ 

e  ^  t3  3 

~ 

a  ^  S 

1 

i?il 
^=^^1 

S 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

£ 

.£ 

1887  . 

.   3,577 

—  . 

2,894 

—  . 

tl,162  . 

— 

1888  . 

.  3,412 

.  §166  . 

3,617 

.  ;723  . 

—  . 

Debt 
paid 
oH. 

1889  . 

.  3,960 

.  t648  . 

3,620 

.   §97  . 

—  . 

1890  . 

.  3,866 

.   §94  . 

4,102 

.  {582  . 

—  . 

1891  . 

.  4,182 

.  1316  . 

4,439 

.  J33-  . 

— 

1892  . 

.  4,872 

.  :690  . 

4,873 

.  J434  . 

479  . 

{479 

1893  . 

.  5,193 

.  1321  . 

5,691 

.  {718  . 

479  . 

— 

1894  . 

.  5,076 

.  §117  . 

6,560 

.   §41  . 

976  . 

{496 

1896  . 

.  6,073 

§3  . 

6,638 

.   {88  . 

1,768  . 

{793 

1896  . 

.  5,788 

..   1715  . 

6,944 

.  {306  . 

2,325  . 

{557 

1897  . 

.  5,481 

.  §307  . 

6,3U3 

.  {3!>9  . 

2,326  . 

— 

1898  . 

.  6,810 

.  5329  . 

7,104 

.  {801  . 

3,691  . 

{1,366 

1899  . 

.  6,069 

..  :259  . 

7,820 

.  {716  . 

6,154  . 

{2,463 

1900  . 

.  6,553 

.  1484  . 

8,193 

.  {373  . 

8,166  . 

{2,002 

1901  . 

— 

—  . 

— 

—  . 

10,237  . 

{2,081 

*  The  Davis  p,nd  Parry  Legacies,  amounting  to  £2,122,  are 
not  incluiled  in  the  investments  in  tliis  table,  as  tliey  liave 
no  bearing  on  the  fluctuations  of  tlie  society's  financial 
position,     t  Debt.     {  Increase.     §  Decrease. 

The  increase  in  the  number  of  Fellows — there 
has  been  no  decrease  since  1887,  in  which  year  it 
was  235  ;  for  even  the  resignation  of  221  in  the 
early  part  of  1888  was  more  than  balanced  by  the 
influx  of  new  Fellows  later  in  the  same  year — 
the  annual  increase  has  not  been  included  in  the 
above  table,  because  it  would  involve  an  enormous 
amount  of  checking  and  counter-checking  of  the 
figures.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  from  a  total  of  1,108 
Fellows  in  1888,  of  whom  556  were  Life  Fellows  of 
the  old  regime  (i.e.,  whose  commutation  money  had 
been  previously  spent),  the  number  has  steadily 
increased,  until  on  January  1,  1901,  we  have— (1) 
the  debt  of  £1,1.52  wiped  off;  (2)  an  income  of 
£8,000  a  year  ;  (3)  the  sooietj''s  Journal,  which 
had  fallen  into  abeyance,  revived  ;  (4)  a  sum  of 
£10,237  invested — not  including  the  £2,122  of  the 
Davis  and  Parry  Trusts  ;  (5)  4,750  Fellows,  &c. ,  of 
whom  only  250  are  Life  Fellows  of  the  old  regime  ; 
and  (6)  notwithstanding  the  enormous  increase  in 
the  number  of  Fellows,  and  of  clerical  work  in  the 
preparation  of  the  Journal,  general  correspondence, 
office  work,  &c. ,  the  office  staff,  which  in  1887 
consumed  17g  per  cent,  of  the  society's  income,  in 
1900  only  required  8J  per  cent. 


The  president  and 
council  may,  we  think, 
look  back  with  some- 
thing more  than  satis- 
faction on  the  success 
which  has  crowned 
their  efforts,  and  their 
best  hope  for  their  suc- 
cessors for  the  next 
twelve  years  must  be 
that  the  j'ear  1913  maj' 
show  as  marked  an  im- 
provement in  the  pros- 
perity of  the  society 
over  1901  as  1901  does 
over  the  commence- 
ment of  1888. 

The  following  form 
the  council  and  chief 
ofticers  to-day  : — Presi- 
dent, Sir  Trevor  Law- 
rence, Bart.,  V.M.H.  ; 
vice  -  presidents,  the 
Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of 
Ducie,  the  Right  Hon. 
Lord  Rothschild,  the 
Right  Hon.  Joseph 
Chamberlain,  M.P., 
Baron  Sir  Henry 
Schriider,  Bart., 
V.M.H.,  and  Sir 
Frederick  Wigan, 
Bart. ,  M.  P. ;  treasu  rer, 
J.  Gurney  Fowler  : 
council,  John  T.  Ben- 
nett-Poie,  Rev.  Hugli 
Berners,  M.A. ,  George 
Bunyard,  V.M.H., 
Captain  G.  Lindsav 
Holford,  C.I.E.", 
IiI.V.O.,  James  Hud- 
son, V.M.H.,  the  Right 
Hon.  the  Earl  of 
Ilchester,  Sir  John  T. 
D.  Llewelyn,  Bart., 
Frederick  G.  Lloyd, 
William  Marshall, 
Henry  B.  May,  Alfred 
H.  Pearson,  Charles  E. 
Shea,  and  Harry  J. 
Veitch,  F.L.S.  ;  pro- 
fessor of  botany.  Rev.  George  Henslow,  M.A., 
V.M.H.  ;  consulting  chemist.  Dr.  Augustus 
Voelcker,  M.A.  ;  foreign  corresponding  secretary. 
Maxwell  T.  Masters,  M.D.,  F.R.S.  ;  secretary. 
Rev.  William  Wilks,  M.A.  ;  garden  superinten- 
dent, S.  T.  Wright ;  cashier,  Frank  Reader. 


RIVIERA    NOTES. 

A.MONO  the  manj'  new  Roses  that  are  annuallj' 
sent  out  it  is  increasingly  difficult  to  determine 
the  first  season  or  two  how  far  they  are  real 
additions,  but  I  find  individually  one  or  two  that 
are  most  desirable  among  the  Teas.  First  of  all  I 
must  mention  Antoine  Rivoire  as  most  valuable  in 
every  way  ;  a  white  Tea  Rose  shading  to  pink,  of 
the  finest  habit  and  size  and  freedom  of  bloom,  it 
must  gradually  find  its  way  everywhere  both  as  a 
show  and  a  garden  Rose. 

Mr.  George  Paul's  Hybrid  Tea  Lady  Battersea 
perhaps  comes  second,  and  contrasts  admirably  in 
colour,  while  the  habit  is  the  same.  It  is,  however, 
not  so  truly  double  and  lasting  as  A.  Rivoire,  but 
the  pair  are  indispensable. 

Last  }'ear  I  spoke  much  of  that  good  red  garden 
Rose  CJriiss  an  Teplitz.  It  is  useful  as  an  addition 
to  semi-climbers  or  as  a  bedding  Rose,  but  it  is  not 
much  use  for  cutting.  W.  Paul's  Pink  Rover  is 
another  Rose  that  deserves  a  place  in  any  garden. 
It  is  really  a  climbing  Malmaison,  and  I  have  by 
my  side  blooms  of  the  two  Roses  that  would  be 
undistinguishable  save  for  a  little  deeper  pink  in 
the  heart  and  a  still  more  powerful  otto-of-rose 
scent.  This  Rose  bloomed  so  well  in  the  winter 
that  it  deserves  a  place  under  glass  in  northern 
gardens.  For  walls  of  6  feet  or  more  no  Rose  is 
more  decorative  than  the  old  General  Schablikine, 


CLEMATIS   PEINUESS    OF    WALES   AT    THE    TEiMl'LE   SHOW. 
(Exhibited  by  Messrs.  Jackman  and  Son,  ^'ohing.) 


and  for  cut  bloom  Papa  Gontier  still  holds  its  own 
among  the  rose-reds. 

Countess  Festetics  Hamilton  is  a  good  decorative 
bush  Rose,  but  its  flowers  refuse  to  live  in  water, 
so  that  prevents  its  being  quite  first  class. 

So  far  I  have  not  bloomed  any  new  yellow  Rose 
that  seems  a  real  addition.  What  a  treasure  a 
yellow  Rose  like  Antoine  Rivoire  would  be  ! 

Veronica  hulkeana  makes  such  a  mass  of  feathery 
lavender  bloom  that  with  scarlet  Heuchera  in  front 
as  a  contrast  it  is  quite  a  feature  among  the  mass 
of  shrubs  blooming  just  now. 

Lemoine's  H3'brid  Deutzias  are  great  additions 
to  gardens  in  this  part  of  the  world,  and  I  should 
think  thej'  are  hardy  enough  in  English  gardens  ; 
they  are  certainly  well  worth  a  trial. 

E.  H.  WOODALL. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 


Lathypus  putaeseens.— I  have  to  thank 

the  editors  of  The  (J.^rden  for  letting  me  see  the 
flowering  spray  of  Lathj'rus  pubescens  as  grown 
in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Taylor,  at  Inveresk.  In 
drying,  the  blooms  have  apparently  become  rather 
deeper  in  their  colour,  but  from  the  foliage  and 
the  character  of  the  flowers  I  have  no  hesitation 
in  saying  that  Mr.  Taylor's  plant  is  the  same  as 
that  figured  in  The  Garden  of  October  29,  !,S98, 
from  flowers  sent  from  my  garden  here.  1  am 
particularly  gratified  that  another  northern  grower 
has  been  successful  with  it,  and  I  hope  the  flowers 
grown  outdoors  will  do  well  with  Mr.  Taylor  also. 
I  know  that  some  good  gardeners  have  had  some 
difficulty  with  it. — S.  Arnott,  Camelhorii,  by 
Dunifrie.-<,  N.  B. 


May  25,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


S67 


Two  beautiful  spring  flowers.— In 

the  nurseries  of  Messrs.  W.  Clibran  and  Son, 
Altrinoham,  Cheshire,  we  recently  noticed  plants 
of  Arabis  alpina  fl.-pl.  Snowdrift  flowering  par- 
ticularly well,  and  were  assured  they  had  made  a 
brave  show  for  some  weeks  past.  The  flowers  of 
this  pretty  variety  are  double,  as  will  be  seen  by 
its  name,  a  pure  white  and  very  freely  produced, 
and  evidently  last  over  a  long  period.  Aubrietia 
Dr.  Mules,  also  now  in  flower  at  Altrinoham,  is 
undoubtedly  the  richest-coloured  Aubrietia  we  yet 
have  seen.  The  flowers  are  a  splendid  purple,  and 
the  plant,  -which  is  a  vigorous  grower,  will  be  in- 
valuable for  the  rock  garden  and  spring  beds  and 
borders. 

Cannas  for  bedding.  —  The  compara- 
tively new  varieties  of  Cannas  are  among  the  most 
beautiful  plants  we  have  for  summer  bedding,  yet 
they  do  not  appear  to  be  so  well  known  as  they 
deserve.  This  may  be  owing  to  the  fact  that  they 
are  not  treated  properly.  In  the  first  place,  they 
should  be  started  as  early  in  the  year  as  possible, 
80  that  strong  plants  may  be  established  before 
the  time  for  planting  out,  or  plants  that  have  been 
grown  in  pots  the  previous  season  may  be  kept  in 
a  cool  house  through  the  winter,  and  with  just 
sufficient  water  to  keep  the  roots  active,  they  will 


PiEONY  JAMES   KELWAY. 
(Exhibited  at  the  Temple  Shoiv.    See  report.) 

continue  to  grow,  and  though  the  old  stems  may 
die  down  they  will  be  followed  by  fresh  suckers. 
They  like  a  rich,  rather  heavy,  loamy  soil,  and  if 
planted  in  clumps  they  protect  each  other  and 
will  keep  up  a  bright  succession  of  bloom  until 
frost  outs  them  down  in  the  autumn. — A.  H. 

Royal  Horticultural  Society.    Her 

Gracious  Majesty  Queen  Alexandra  has  consented 
to  become  patron  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  in  place  of  the  late  Queen  Victoria. 

Violets,  self-fertilising.— Mr.    w.    J. 

.James,  Woodside,  Farnham  Royal,  Slough,  sent  to 
a  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  some  white  Violets  (Viola  odorata)  which 
produced  capsules.  As  a  rule  the  purple  Violet 
sets  no  seed  in  this  country,  though  it  does  in 
South  Europe.  On  examination  it  was  found  that 
the  flowers  became  self-fertilising,  because  the 
beak-like  extremity  of  the  style  with  its  stigniatic 
orifice  was  not  only  strongly  curved  upwards 
(because  the  flower  is  inverted),  instead  of  being  at 
right  angles  with  the  style,  but  was  completely 
included  within  the  eonnivent  connectives.  The 
connectives  were  all  wrapped  round  the  style, 
preventing  the  escape  of  the  pollen,  which  is  then 
caught  by  the  spoon- like  two  Ipwermost  connectives. 


The  pollen  falls  directly  on  to  the  stigmatic  orifice. 
The  flower  is  thus  perfectly  adapted  to  secure  self- 
fertilisation.  The  plants  are  also  provided  with 
the  usual  cleistogamous  buds.  In  these  there  are 
five  minute  petals,  five  anthers  all  alike  without 
tails,  forming  a  star-like  group  upon  the  summit  of 
the  ovary.  The  stigma  is  short,  truncated,  and 
concealed  beneath  the  anthers,  the  pollen  of  which 
enters  the  stigma  without  the  anthers  dehiscing  by 
the  tubes  penetrating  them  along  the  lines  of 
dehiscence  in  normal  anthers.  Mr.  Henslow 
showed  plants  of  the  North  American  species, 
V.  cucullata,  &e. ,  with  cleistogamous  buds,  ap- 
parently indicating  the  fact  that  these  had  become 
a  specific  character  before  a  world-wide  diffusion 
of  the  germs  had  taken  place. 

Herbaceous  Calceolarias.— We  often 

hear  it  said  that  these  plants  are  difficult  for 
amateurs  to  manage,  yet  it  is  quite  possible  for 
good  results  to  be  obtained,  even  where  one  green- 
house has  to  accommodate  a  great  variety  of 
subjects,  but  we  have  rarely  seen  this  better 
demonstrated  than  at  Caisteal  Tuath,  Brockley, 
where  Mr.  R.  P.  Dunn,  the  owner,  is  his  own 
gardener,  and  it  is  quite  evident  that  not  only  the 
Calceolarias,  but  all  other  subjects,  receive  very 
careful  and  regular  attention.  The  Calceolarias 
have  bright  fresh  green  foliage  and  large 
heads  of  bloom.  Mr.  Dunn  may  well 
feel  proud  of  his  achievement. — A. 

"Kent"  water  unsuitable 

for  plants.  —  Mr.  E.  Roberts, 
F.R.H.S.,  of  Park  Lodge,  Eltham, 
writes  as  follows  to  the  Scientific  Com- 
mittee of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  : — "  Our  water  from  the  Kent 
Waterworks  is  not  at  all  a  fit  food  for 
imr  plants.  I  am  in  the  habit  of  treat- 
ing it  thus :  I  first  add  lib.  caustic 
lime  to  1,000  gallons  to  neutralise  the 
calcium  carbonate,  and  then  add  6oz. 
amm.  sulph. ,  6oz.  potassic  nitrate, 
and  4oz.  amm.  phosph.  I  shall  be  glad 
to  know  if  this  treatment  can  be  im- 
proved upon,  and  if  it  is  suitable  for 
Orchids  generally,  including  epiphytal  " 
Professor  A.  H.  Church,  who  under- 
took to  examine  the  water,  reports  as 
follows  :  —  "In  reference  to  Mr. 
Roberts's  letter,  I  should  like  to  make 
a  few  remarks.  I  have  looked  up  the 
older  analyses  of  this  water,  because 
the  official  results  do  not  now  include 
determinations  of  sulphates  and  of 
calcium  in  its  several  salts.  After  adding 
the  caustic  lime  (preferably  after  slaking, 
and  in  the  form  of  cream),  the  whole 
bulk  of  treated  water  is,  I  presume, 
allowed  to  rest,  that  it  may  deposit  the 
separated  carbonate  of  lime.  Then  to 
the  clear  liquid  the  salts  named  should 
be  added.  I  think  the  quantities  named 
reasonable.  Anyhow,  the  prepared 
water  is  a  mild  stimulant  and  general  plant  food. 
Owing  to  the  partial  removal  of  the  lime  salts,  it 
ought  not  to  spot  the  foliage  with  a  white  deposit. 
I  should  not  like  to  say  anything  as  to  its  peculiar 
suitability  to  Orchids,  terrestrial  or  epiphytic,  but 
I  think  its  use  cannot  be  injurious." 

GlorlOSa  Superba. — Occasionally  we  meet 
with  Gloriosa  superba  growing  and  flowering  freely, 
trained  to  the  trellis  near  the  glass  roof.  The 
plant  delights  in  a  brisk  moist  atmosphere,  and 
must  have  warm  atmosphere  at  all  times.  When 
growing  freely  a  little  weak  manure  liquid  is  very 
helpful,  and  an  occasional  application  of  artificial 
manure  will  encourage  a  sturdy  free  growth.  The 
best  soil  to  use  is  a  mixture  of  rough  peat  and 
fibrous  sandy  loam,  charcoal,  and  plenty  of  grit, 
giving  plenty  of  water — soft  if  possible — during 
the  growing  period.  Flowers  are  produced  most 
abundantly  if  the  shoots  are  trained  somewhat 
thinly  near  to  the  glass,  shading  slightly  during 
hot  weather.  Why  some  people  fail  to  grow  these 
plants  well  is  through  lack  of  heat  and  moisture 
when  flowering  is  over.  They  should  be  gradually 
dried  down,  giving  less  water,  somewhat  in  the 
same  way  as  the  Caladium  is  treated.  After 
drying   them   off    the  roots   should   be   kept   and 


wintered  in  a  warm  temperature.  I  have  repeatedly 
observed  many  failures  in  keeping  the  tubers  in 
good  condition  for  starting  into  growth  in  spring 
through  storing  them  in  a  low  temperature  and 
neglecting  to  dry  them  after  the  beauty  of  the 
plants  is  over  for  the  season. — H.  Makkham, 
Wrothani  Park,  Bariiet. 

The  spring  of  1901.— It  is  gratifying  to 
record  that  in  this  neighbourhood  we  have  not 
experienced  frost  sufficient  to  injure  vegetation  in 
the  slightest  degree,  and  at  the  time  of  writing 
(May  1.3)  all  fruits,  with  the  exception  of  Apples, 
have  come  safely  through  the  setting  time. 
Amongst  other  things  the  tender  foliage  and 
catkins  of  Pterooarya  caucasica  so  often  injured 
are  unscathed.  The  appearance  of  this  tree  is 
likely  to  be  unique  this  summer  so  far  as  the 
enormous  number  of  catkins  are  concerned,  but  I 
am  doubtful  if  the  greatly  increased  weight  may 
not  cause  splitting  of  the  lower  branches. 
Ajjricots,  dessert  Cherries,  and  Plums  (on  .south- 
east wall)  promise  fine  crops,  and  the  Plum  season 
will  be  well  sustained,  as  early  varieties  like 
Prolific  and  Favourite,  and  late,  as  Golden  Drop, 
Late  Red,  and  Ickworth  Imperatrice,  are  all  good. 
I  have  seen  a  much  heavier  set  of  Peaches  and 
Nectarines,  but  there  is  sufficient  to  furnish  a 
very  fair  crop.  Pears  are  somewhat  thin,  but,  as 
with  the  Peaches,  there  will  probably  be  quite 
enough.  Apples  seem  likely  to  be  partial.  There 
was  a  heavy  crop  last  year  on  three  parts  of  the 
trees,  and  on  these  there  is  little  bloom  ;  some 
varieties,  however,  show  well,  and  a  lot  of  large  bush 
trees  shifted  in  the  autumn  of  1899  promise  a 
heavy  crop.  Flowering  shrubs  with  few  excep- 
tions have  been,  and  are,  very  fine.  One  of  the 
sights  of  the  garden  just  now  is  a  AVistaria  covering 
close  on  2  000  square  feet  of  wall,  and  simpl3'  a 
dense  mass  of  flower.  There  is  a  large  border  in 
front  of  this  in  which  are  occasional  plants  of  scarlet 
Rhododendron,  Exochordagrandiflora,  white  Lilac, 
&c. ,  also  in  full  bloom,  and  the  effect  produced  is 
very  pleasing.  Azaleas  promise  a  brave  show,  and 
in  a  few  days  will  be  at  their  best.--E.  Bdrrell, 
West  Surrey. 

Narcissus  Mme.  de  Graaff".- This  is 

certainly  one  of  the  loveliest  of  tlie  Narcissi.  Not 
only  is  it  wonderful  in  beauty  even  among  Daf- 
fodils, but  its  rapid  increase  is  also  astonishing. 
I  had  three  bulbs  last  year.  They  were  planted 
separately  in  pots.  From  these  three  bulbs  there 
came  this  spring  no  less  than  seven  flowers.  One 
of  the  bulbs  had  four  excellent  flowers,  another 
two,  and  the  third  one  bloom.  The  first  case 
must,  I  suppose,  be  very  exceptional.  I  have 
never  seen  anything  like  it,  although  I  have  nearly 
eighty  varieties  of  Narcissi.  One  of  the  most  free 
flowering  varieties  that  I  have  is  Mrs.  Langtry. 
It  is  also  very  beautiful.  The  Gardes  of  July  24, 
1897,  contains  an  admirable  woodcut  of  Mme.  de 
Graaff  from  a  photograph  taken  by  Mr.  J.  D. 
Pearson,  Chilwell,  Notts.  Mr.  Pearson  speaks  of 
its  wonderfully  free  blooming  habit,  and  1  think 
that  my  experience  fully  bears  out  what  he  says. 
— Rev.  W.  W.  Flemyng,  Cooljin,  Portlair,  County 
Waterford. 

Purchase  of  Hogarth's  house  at 

ChiSWick.- We  hope  the  efforts  of  the  com- 
mittee to  preserve  Hogarth's  interesting  house  at 
Chiswick  will  be  successful.  A  sum  of  at  least 
£1,500  is  required,  no  large  amount  for  so  M'orthy 
an  object.  The  chairman  of  the  committee  is 
Mr.  George  C.  Haite,  and  the  hon.  secretary 
Mr.  W.  H.  Whitear,  4,  Ravenscroft  Road,  Chis- 
wick. 

Iris    susiana    failing. —  I    was    very 

pleased  to  see  this  beautiful  Iris  mentioned  in 
The  Garden  on  Maj'  11.  I  think  it  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  of  its  class,  and  not  nearty  so  well 
known  as  it  should  be.  I  have  grown  this  plant 
for  many  years  and  have  frequently  flowered  it.  I 
onlj'  wish  I  could  grow  it  successfully.  Mj'  soil 
is  of  a  stiff  nature  with  a  clay  subsoil.  Sometimes 
my  plants  grow  freely,  then  suddenly  go  off,  and 
many  of  them  die  altogether.  If  any  of  your 
correspondents  can  throw  any  light  upon  the 
subject  and  tell  me  how  to  grow  this  interesting 
plant  I  should  feel  glad,  and,  dviubtless,  many 
others  would  also. — T.  B.  F. 


.>[)b 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[May   25,  1901. 


M.   J.    Salliep's    nursery,  Neuilly, 

neap  Papis. — It  is  interesting  to  see  in  flower 
young  plants  of  Clianthus  Dampierii,  Lopezia 
miniata,  Streptosolon  Janiesoni,  Bougainvillea 
sanderiana,  and  of  the  old-fashioned  but  alwaj's 
lieautifiil  ThjTsacanthus  rutilans,  Browallia 
speuiosa,  Manettia  bicolor,  and  various  other  stove 
and  greenhouse  plants,  which  flower  freely  and  are 
very  effective.  The  roof  of  some  of  the  green- 
houses is  covered  with  a  splendid  foliage  climber, 
Vitis  veroueriana,  a  native  of  Tonkin,  with  large 
palmate  five-fingered  leaves.  It  is  of  very  rapid 
growth,  shoots  of  lU  feet  long  in  six  weeks  having 
been  recorded  by  M.  Sallier,  and  is  never 
attacked  by  any  insects.  In  the  same  establish- 
ment we  also  note  as  a  basket  plant  for  hanging  in 
a  conservatory  or  greenhouse  Begonia  foliosa, 
which  from  its  foliage  alone  is  very  decorative, 
and  Begonia  Le  Vesuve  issue  from  B.  fuchsioides, 
from  which  it  diflers  by  its  smaller  stature,  its 
neat  and  compact  habit,  and  the  bright  scarlet 
colour  of  its  flowers,  which  are  produced  in  great 
abundance.  This  plant  was  used  with  great 
success  for  bedding  out  last  year  in  France. — G.  S. 

Fine-leaved  Beg^ohias  in  France. 

— Great  advances  have  been  made  by  French 
raisers  in  the  production  of  really  distinct  and 
beautiful  forms,  resulting  from  intercrossing  the 
varieties  of  B.  Rex  with  B.  decora,  and  also 
with  B.  diadema.  Messrs.  E.  Cappe  and  fils  of 
Le  Vesinet,  near  Paris,  have  been  most  fortunate 
in  that  respect,  and  many  of  their  productions  are 
perfect  gems.  The  section  of  B.  Rex  :<  decora 
comprises  compact  growing,  well-branched  forms, 
with  leaves  of  medium  dimensions,  but  with 
colours  equal  to  those  of  any  Sonerillas  or 
Bertolonias,  j'et  they  are  vigorous,  and  rec|uire  no 
more  attention  than  the  ordinary  forms  of  B.  Rex. 
Several  varieties  sent  out  by  the  said  firm  some 
two  or  three  3'ears  ago  have  been  sufficient  to 
establish  their  reputation.  These  are  :  Ami 
Chantrier,  Ami  Page,  Chatoyant,  Grande  Duchess 
Olga,  James  Laing,  Mrae.  Aug.  Chantin,  Mile. 
Marie  Duval,  JrTesident  H.  de  Vilmorin,  President 
Viger,  Professeur  Bazin,  Secretaire  D.  Bois,  and 
several  others.  This  season's  novelties  include  ; 
Mme.  Emile  Cappe,  a  very  charming  variety  of 
good  form  and  habit,  with  leaves  of  medium  size, 
speckled  all  over  with  small  silver  flakes  on  a 
ground  of  a  peculiar  rosy  colour.  It  is  when  grown 
in  a  shady  part  of  the  house  that  this  splendid 
and  distinct  plant  attains  its  fullest  beauty.  Mile. 
Lucie  Faure,  a  remarkably  pretty  plant,  with 
roundish  leaves  of  medium  dimensions  with  a 
peculiar  large  silvery  marking,  surrounded  with 
green  and  edged  with  deep  purple,  sprinkled  all 
over  with  small  white  dots  ;  the  white  median 
nerves  shaded  with  rosy  purple  are  very  effective. 
Perfection  :  This  is  a  particularly  vigorous  form, 
with  medium-sized  leaves  deeply  dented,  much  in 
the  shape  of  Vine  leaves,  ground  dark  green,  orna- 
mented with  purple  and  slate  coloured  markings, 
relieved  by  the  median  nerves  of  a  very  pretty 
light  green  colour.  The  section  Rex  x  diadema 
has  produced  plants  of  a  more  robust  character, 
and  all  very  decorative ;  some,  such  as  Burgo- 
master Peppel  and  Mme.  Alamagny  are  already 
well  known,  and  are  so  much  appreciated  by  the 
Parisian  public  that  some  of  the  market  growers 
are  producing  them  in  very  large  quantities  ;  they 
are  all  the  more  valuable  for  indoor  decoration 
that  they  are  ver}'  robust  and  capable  of  making 
large  plants  in  very  small  pots,  while  the  markings 
of  their  foliage,  which  in  most  cases  is  large  and 
deeply  laciniated,  are  e(|ual  to  those  of  the  best 
forms  of  B.  Rex,  from  which  they  are  issue. 
Among  the  most  distinct  and  best  varieties  belong- 
ing to  this  group  we  note  :  Gloire  du  Vesinet, 
Louis  Cappe,  Mme.  Treyve,  President  Deviolaine, 
and  President  A.  Truilaut,  all  of  which  in  point 
of  colouring  rival  the  beautiful  and  well  known 
Begonia  Rex  Princess  Charles  of  Denmark,  sent  out 
by  Messrs.   J.  Veitch  and  Sons  two  years  ago. — 

G.  ScHNEIDKR. 

Tulipa  gesnepiana  Faipy  Queen.— 

My  first  accjuaintauce  with  this  'I'ulip  dates  from 
the  time  of  a  visit  to  the  charming  gardens  of 
Straffan,  County  Kildare,  when  Mr.  Bedford  had 
some  groups   of   this  quiet   coloured  but   pleasing 


variety.  I  afterwards  saw  it  at  Glasnevin.  and  lost 
no  possible  time  in  adding  it  to  my  garden  flowers. 
Since  that  time  I  have  been  growing  it  as  a  her- 
baceous perennial,  and  have  left  it  in  the  soil  from 
year  to  year — a  test  to  which  a  good  many  Tulips 
do  not  respond  satisfactorily.  The  result  has  been 
that  it  is  increasing  verj'  freely,  and  is  blooming 
well  in  its  station  to  the  east  side  of  a  large  Rho- 
dodendron, but  out  of  reach  of  its  roots.  Here 
there  are  several  of  its  charming  flowers,  which 
open  a  kind  of  heliotrope  and  yellow  and  die  oft 
a  deep  fawn  colour.  The  colours  are  not  such  as 
would  appeal  to  all,  but  with  a  setting  of  greenery, 
such  as  I  like  about  all  Tulips,  they  are  delightful 
and  a  welcome  change  from  the  bright  and  vivid 
hues  displayed  b}'  others  of  the  race.  Some  of 
these  may  truly  be  called,  in  1  he  words  of  the  poet, 
"fops  of  the  parterre,"  but  Fairy  Queen  reminds 
one  of  the  pictures  of  some  Quaker  maid,  such  as 
we  read  of  in  books. — S.   Ar>:ott. 

Tulipa    g'esneriana    ixioides.    This 

charming  Tulip  is  at  present  in  bloom  in  my 
garden,  where  it  is  much  admired  by  the  few 
visitors  who  know  the  wide  range  of  beauty  which 
exists  in  the  varieties  of  T.  gesneriana.  It  grows 
about  2  feet  high,  and,  although  its  soft  canary- 
3'ellow  flowers  are  effective  and  pretty  at  a  little 
distance,  it  is  when  one  looks  into  its  open  cup 
that  its  beauty  can  best  be  seen.  It  is  only  then 
that  one  can  see  the  deep  black  base  which  is  so 
effective  and  which  makes  the  flower  so  distinct 
from  others  of  its  class  with  yellow  flowers. — 
S.  Aknott,  Carsethorii,  by  Dumfries,  N.B. 

Tulipa    g'esnepiana   The    Fawn.— 

Those  who  can  appreciate  the  quiet  colouring  of 
some  of  the  usually  brilliant  Tulips  will  assuredly 
admire  this  beautiful  variety,  now  in  flower  in  my 
garden.  I  believe  it  has  been  called  The  Fawn, 
from  its  colouring  resembling  that  of  the  animal 
of  the  name,  and  one  can  certainly  recognise  some- 
thing of  it  in  the  delicate  tints  which  exist  in  the 
colouring,  although  I  see  a  closer  resemblance  to 
the  alternative  description  in  the  catalogues  as 
resembling  the  plumage  of  the  dove.  It  certainlj' 
reminds  one  of  the  turtle  dove  in  the  delicate  soft 
fawn  colouring,  which  is  impossible  to  express  in 
words.  It  is  a  very  beautiful  Tulip,  which  may, 
perhaps,  not  be  valued  by  those  who  can  only 
appreciate  brilliancy — very  desirable  also — and 
who  care  not  for  quiet  colours  in  flowers  as  well. 
Those  who  are  also  pleased  with  soft,  delicate 
tints  and  pencillings  will  admire  The  Fawn. — 
S.  A. 
Apabisaltaidaflope-pleno.— The  longer 

one  grows  this  comparative  novellj'  among  hardy 
flowers  the  more  does  one  appreciate  the  addition 
it  has  made  to  our  garden  favourites.  As  one's 
plants  grow  in  size  we  can  the  better  see  how 
great  an  aoquisition  it  is,  and  how  much  it  niaj'  be 
made  use  of.  It  is,  assuredly,  not  a  form  of  A. 
alpina,  under  which  name  it  was  sent  out,  but  a 
variety  of  the  more  vigorous  A.  albida,  although 
the  differences  between  these  two  species  are 
hardly  recognised  in  ordinary  gardening.  Even 
for  a  form  of  A.  albida,  it  is  a  remarkably  vigorous 
plant,  and  as  one  observes  the  fine  spikes  of  bloom 
it  produces  one  can  hardly  think  it  possible  for 
these  to  have  evolved  from  the  original  species.  I 
am  not  clear  that  the  French  popular  name  of 
Corbeille  d'Argent  which  has  been  given  to  it  is  a 
suitable  one  for  these  little  spires  of  double  flowers, 
but  whether  or  not  we  agree  with  that  name  we 
can  hardly  fail  to  admire  a  plant  so  useful  for  the 
border,  the  rockery,  or  for  cut  flowers.  I  have  a 
fine  plant  on  a  rockery  which  I  had  hoped  to  have 
photographed  before  it  was  past  its  best,  but 
unfortunately  bad  weather  prevented  the  operator 
who  had  kindly  offered  to  do  it  from  coming  in 
time.  To  do  it  justice  it  should  be  photographed 
when  growing  on  a  rockery.  — A  Reader. 

Pseonia    wittmanniana.— In  October, 

ISO3,  the  botanist  •  traveller  Albott'  brought  me 
from  Abkhasia  in  the  Caucasus  a  packet  of  Pa'ony 
seed  that  he  had  labelled  "P.  wittmanniana." 
They  were  sown  at  once  and  germinated  in  the 
spring  of  ISD.'S,  that  is  to  say,  sixteen  months  after 
sowing.  The  young  plants  grew  striingl3'  but  did 
not  bloom  till  this  spring,  each  producing  one 
flower ;   later  they   will   bear  a  greater  number. 


The  flower,  instead  of  being  of  the  pale  j'ellow 
colour  of  P.  wittmanniana  of  Steven,  is  pure  white, 
a  little  yellowish  at  the  base  of  the  petals  :  more- 
over, while  the  undersides  of  the  leaves  of  P.  witt- 
manniana shouUl  be  pubescent,  these  are  glabrous 
and  shining,  and  only  slightly  downy  on  the  ribs. 
Also  the  carpels,  instead  of  bending  horizontally 
as  would  be  expected  in  the  case  of  a  P.  corallina, 
which  the  plant  in  some  way  resembles,  are  carried 
upright  and  parallel,  and  instead  of  being  glabrous 
like  those  of  wittmanniana  are  glandular  tomentose. 
Can  it  be  a  variet}'  of  P.  corallina  with  white  flowers 
and  upright  carpels,  or  is  it  a  white  flowered  P. 
wittmanniana  with  leaves  glabrous  beneath  and 
hairy  carpels  ?  For  the  present  I  do  not  know. 
But  the  plant  is  so  handsome  and  so  singular  that 
it  well  deserves  mention  in  The  Garden.  I  should 
add  that  the  sepals  are  distinct!}'  foliaceous,  often 
looking  like  leaflets,  though  narrower.  The  plant 
has  been  .sent  by  us  to  several  English  gardens  as 
P.  wittmanniana,  Albofl^s  mark  of  interrogation 
having  been  placed  on  the  packet,  because  he 
thought  the  seeds  might  have  been  mixed.  As 
the  foliage  had  the  usual  very  characteristic 
appearance  of  wittmanniana  we  had  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  it  was  any  other  plant.  Its  near 
relative  P.  triternata,  with  similar  leaves,  has  red- 
brown  stalks,  which  this  plant  has  not.  We  take 
this  opportunity  of  informing  those  who  have 
received  and  flowered  the  plant  that  it  may  be  the 
subject  of  a  new  species  or  at  any  rate  of  a  new 
variety.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  Alboff, 
the  "  father  "  of  Campanula  mirabilis,  is  no  longer 
among  us  to  determine  its  identity. — Hejiby 
CoRRBVON,  Geneva. 
Nicholson's  Dictionapy  of  Gapden- 

ing^. — This  is  one  of  the  best  known,  and  rightly 
so,  of  gardening  books,  and  we  are  much  interested 
in  knowing  that  the  publisher,  Mr.  L.  Upcott 
Gill,  170,  Strand,  London,  is  issuing  it  on  the 
principle  of  monthly  instalments,  so  that  by  putting 
9s.  down  one  can  possess  the  work,  and  the  balance 
in  instalments,  as  stated.  The  price  of  the  book 
is  4  guineas,  and  the  edition  now  being  offered 
includes  the  new  century  supplement,  which  con- 
tains particulars  of  all  the  most  recent  floral 
introductions  and  other  matters,  bringing  the 
entire  work  thoroughly  up  to  date. 

Gardening  at  Eapl's  Coupt  Exhi- 
bition.— The  grounds  in  connection  with  the 
Military  Exhibition  now  being  held  at  Earl's 
Court  present  a  fresh  and  attractive  appearance, 
much  of  the  furnishing  of  the  beds,  &c.,  being 
entrusted  to  the  well-known  firm  of  Messrs.  John 
Laing  and  Sons,  Forest  Hill.  In  what  are  called 
the  Imperial  Gardens  Marguerites  make  an  effective 
display,  while  in  the  Pelargonium  way  that  fine 
bedder  Henry  Jacoby  (crirason-niaroon)  was  noted. 
F.  V.  Raspail  Improved  is  a  deep  orange-scarlet, 
and  a  great  improvement  on  the  old  variety.  That 
very  old,  yet  one  of  the  best  tricolors,  Mrs. 
Pollock,  is  in  beauty  here,  and  salmon-flowered 
varieties  complete  the  Pelargonium  record  in  this 
section  and  the  chief  flowering  plants.  Here  there 
is  a  design  having  a  groundwork  of  P3'rethrums 
and  blue  Lobelias  forming  the  letters  Edward  VII. 
and  1901  worked  out  with  Coleus  Verschaffelti, 
Alternantheras,  and  Echeverias.  Dotted  about  the 
beds  are  specimen  plants  of  Dractna  australis, 
D.  indivisa,  D.  rubra,  and  Pha^nix  dactjOifera. 
In  the  Queen's  Court  the  beds  facing  the  Ducal 
Hall  are  planted  with  Marguerites  and  scarlet  and 
salmon-coloured  Pelargoniums.  It  the  central 
beds  the  letters  God  bless  the  King  are  worked 
with  Echeverias  in  a  groundwork  of  Alternantheras, 
with  a  specimen  Palm  in  the  centre.  The  long  bor- 
ders near  the  verj'  much  patronised  water  chute  are 
planted  with  Marguerites,  scarlet  Pelargoniums, 
Lobelias,  and  Pyrethrum.  In  Elysia  the  beds  are 
devoted  to  scarlet,  salmon,  and  white  Pelar- 
goniums, Marguerites,  Lobelias,  and  Pyrethrum. 
The  weather  up  to  now  has  not  been  conducive  to 
rapid  floral  development,  but  the  present  pnmiisc 
of  brighter  skies  and  warmer  suns  will  result 
in  such  matters  being  greatl}'  improved  upon 
Messrs.  Laing  have  also  supplied  plants  for 
decorating  various  parts  of  the  exhibition,  con- 
sisting of  specimen  Palms,  also  other  foliage  and 
flowering  plants. — Quo. 


May  25,  1901.] 


THE    GAUDEN. 


869 


Ixia<  GPatePOideS. — Out  of  a  fine  collection 
of  Ixia3  recently  inspected  the  above  stood  out  so 
distinct  in  colour,  as  1  think,  to  justify  me  in 
calling  the  attention  of  readers  to  its  merits.  It 
is  an  old  kind,  but  as  I  have  only  noticed  it  twice 
during  ten  years  it  would  appear  to  be  none  too 
e.Ktensively  grown,  neglect  through  want  of  know- 
ledge rather  than  appreciation  of  its  merits,  for 
its  exceptionally  brilliant  rose-coloured  blossoms 
must  inevitably  command  the  admiration  of  all 
who  see  them.  Planted  in  4i-inch  pots  in  October, 
the  bulbs  I  saw  had,  by  aid  of  a  cold  frame  and 
cool  greenhouse,  been  brought  into  bloom  by  the 
middle  of  April.— E.  .J.  Castle. 

Tulipa   Sehrenkii.  —  One  of  the   most 

striking  things  in  the  beds  in  the  Royal  Botanic 
Gardens  of  Edinburgh  at  the  end  of  April  was 
Tulipa  Sehrenkii,  which  is,  I  observe,  referred  to  as 
T.  gesneriana  in  the  "Index  Kewensis,''  but  which 
seems  to  deserve  a  note  or  two,  as  it  is  a  form  not 
usually  to  be  met  with,  and  one  which  I  cannot  at 
present  find  in  any  of  ray  catalogues.  It  is  both 
brilliant  and  beautiful  with  its  pretty  combination 
of  colours  and  its  good  habit  of  growth  and  large 
flowers.  Mr.  Shearer  (who  kindly  accompanied 
me  round  the  gardens)  and  I  had  some  difficulty 
in  determining  what  the  colours  wore,  but  we 
came  to  the  conelusion  that  white  and  vermilion 
expressed  them  more  nearly  than  anything  else. 
The  stripes  or  bands  and  flushings  of  the  vermilion 
on  the  white  were  very  pleasing,  and  showed  how 
much  variety  we  can  find  in  that  wonderfully 
divergent  species  T.  gesneriana.  Regel  is,  I  see, 
the  authority  for  the  name  of  Sehrenkii. — S. 
Arnott. 
Lsello-Cattleya  Bertha  (Laslia  grandis 

X  Cattleya  Schroderie). — Although  regarded  as 
inferior  to  Laalia  tenelDrosa,  sometimes  termed  a 
variety  of  Lselia  grandis,  the  raiser  of  L  -C.  Bertha 
had  evidently  given  careful  thought  to  the  result 
likely  to  be  produced  by  crossing  the  species  with 
Cattleya  Schriiderce,  rightly  thinking  that  the 
dusky  colour  of  L.  tenebrosa  would  be  modified, 
but  not  improved,  by  the  lighter  colouring  of 
Cattleya  Schrtiderie,  which  would,  however,  blend 
well  with  Lselia  grandis.  That  his  calculations 
were  well  founded  is  proved  by  the  charm  ot  this 
hybrid.  The  shape  and  sweet  odour  peculiar  to 
Cattleya  Schriiderse  are  well  preserved,  and  except 
that  the  shade  is  a  little  darker,  the  rose-blush  hue 
of  the  sepals  and  petals  remains  the  same,  but  the 
round-frilled  lip  of  the  hybrid  evidently  gains 
much  colour  from  the  Lselia  parent.  From  near 
the  apex  of  the  column  to  the  tip  extends  an 
elongated  blolch  of  rich  crimson,  darkest  on  the 
principal  veins,  broken  by  a  soft  warm  rose,  which 
shade  spreads  over  the  remainder  of  the  lip,  except 
at  the  extreme  margin,  the  frill  of  which  is  nearly 
white.  The  throat,  on  both  inner  and  outer 
surfaces,  is  white,  gaining  a  rose  tint  as  it  merges 
with  the  lip.  This  is  now  in  flower  with  Mr. 
R.  H.  Measures. 
Laelio-Cattleya  eleg'ans  var.  Mrs. 

R.  H.  Measures,— This  exquisite  white  form 
of  Lielio-Cattlej'a  elegans  is  one  of  the  best  of  the 
many  "Woodland's"  gems,  and  has  been  named  in 
compliment  to  Mrs.  R.  H.  Measures.  Apart  from 
its  striking  beaut}',  it  is  of  especial  interest  on 
account  of  its  probably  complex  parentage.  As  is 
well  known,  the  dark  forms  of  Lselio-Cattleya 
elegans  are  natural  hybrids  between  Laelia  purpu- 
rata  and  Cattleya  Leopoldi,  but  with  it  occurs 
another  natural  hybrid,  also  known  as  L.  -C.  elegans, 
but  correctly  as  L.  -C.  schilleriana,  between  Cattleya 
intermedia  and  Lfelia  purpurata.  The  variety 
under  notice  resembles  in  shape  and  size  a  fine 
form  of  the  true  L. -C.  elegans,  but  in  all  prob- 
ability, judging  by  the  colour,  is  really  a  secondary 
hybrid  between  L.-C  schilleriana  and  a  very  light 
form  of  either  L.-C.  elegans  or  L.  purpurata; 
further  the  original  L.-C.  schilleriana  must  have 
been  almost  white,  perhaps  itself  derived  from 
L.  purpurata  crossed  with  a  white  intermedia. 
There  is  no  other  supposition  unless  it  is 
the  issue  of  a  white  Laslia  purpurata  and  L.-C. 
schilleriana.  This  is  quite  feasible,  and  would 
account  for  its  charming  colour.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  of  the  purest  white,  and  though  of  more 
substance  than  those  of   Lfelia  purpurata,  follow 


that  species  closely  in  size  and  contour.  The  lip, 
with  the  exception  of  the  front  lobe,  the  apices  of 
the  side  lobes,  and  a  suspicion  of  lilac  along  the 
edges  of  the  latter  organs,  is  absolutely  white. 
The  areas  indicated  are  all  delicately  sulfused  with 
lilac,  the  front  lobe  radiated  with  veins  of  rose, 
darkest  centrally,  the  colour  terminating  flush 
with  the  sinus  between  the  front  and  each  side  lobe, 
meeting  with  a  light  shade  of  lemon-yellow,  which, 
sparsely  lined  with  rose,  extends  beneath  the  rose- 
tinted  eolumn.  Should  the  supposed  parentage  of 
this  fine  hybrid  ever  be  proved,  it  could  not  be 
classed  with  the  general  run  of  L.-C.  elegans,  but 
its  affinity  to  that  hybrid  is  evidently  so  close  that 
it  seems  advisable  to  allow  the  same  to  stand 
meanwhile. 

Azalea  amcsna.— Though  botanioally 
speaking  but  a  variety  of  the  Indian  Azalea 
(A.  indica),  this  is  very  widely  removed  from  the 
generally  accepted  type  of  the  species,  hence  it  is 
usually  known  in  gardens  as  Azalea  aratcna. 
Though  frec[uently  grown  as  a  greenhouse  plant,  it 
is  far  more  striking  when  treated  as  a  hardy 
shrub,  as  under  such  conditions  the  flowers  are 
much  brighter  in  tint  than  if  produced  under 
glass.  The  natural  habit  of  this  Azalea  is  to  push 
out  its  branches  in  a  somewhat  flattened  manner, 
and  being  thickly  clothed  with  small  Box-like 
leaves  of  an  intensely  deep  green,  it  forms,  irre- 
spective of  blossoms,  a  decidedly  ornamental 
evergreen.  The  flowers  are  of  a  rich  purple  tint, 
and  borne  in  such  profusion  that  the  entire  plant 
is  quite  a  mass  of  bloom.  A  bed  of  this  Azalea 
near  the  entrance  gates  at  Kew  is  just  now  at  its 
best,  and  well  shows  its  value  as  a  hardy  flowering 
shrub.  The  varieties  raised  between  this  Azalea 
and  the  larger-flowered  forms  of  the  Indian  section 
are  rather  less  hardy,  but  in  a  particular!}' 
sheltered  spot  or  in  a  cool  greenhouse  they  are 
very  pleasing.  As  the  genus  Azalea  is  now  by  the 
latest  botanical  authorities  merged  into  that  of 
Rhododendron,  the  correct  name  of  the  plant  in 
question  should  be,  I  suppose,  R.  indicum 
amcenum,  but  with  most  people  it  is  likely  to 
retain  its  older  title. — T. 

Primula  frondosa  in  Edinburgh.— 

A  recent  visit  to  the  Edinburgh  Royal  Botanic 
Gardens  gave,  as  usual,  much  interest  to  one  who 
admires  alpine  flowers.  The  Edinburgh  collection 
is  not  only  improving  in  the  variety  it  possesses, 
but  also  because  of  the  efforts  made  to  show  the 
plants  in  the  most  effective  manner  by  grouping 
together  a  number  of  specimens  of  the  same 
species.  Particularly  noticeable  was  a  mass  of 
Primula  frondosa  in  the  rock  garden.  These  were 
remarkably  healthy  and  vigorous,  and  were 
showing  their  pretty  flowers  very  freely.  They 
were  high  up  on  the  rockery  and  in  a  full  western 
exposure,  where  they  received  the  sun  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  It  was  worthy  of 
remark  that  the  plants  which  were  most  exposed 
to  the  sun  were  the  most  vigorous  and  attractive. 
Such  a  position  does  not  seem  likely  to  suit  this 
Primula,  bnt  much  depends  upon  the  soil  and  its 
capability  for  retaining  moisture.  Dry  as  looked 
the  soil  at  Edinburgh,  it  was  seen,  on  examining 
it,  that  beneath  the  grit  which  was  on  the  surface 
the  plants  had  a  good  holding  loam  and  plenty  of 
moisture.  I  have  never  seen  this  Prin)ula  do 
better,  and  it  formed  a  pretty  picture  with  the 
many  pretty  purple  flowers  on  the  rather  mealy 
foliage.  — S.  Aknott. 

Tulips  in  Ireland.— The  Ard  Cairn  collec- 
tion of  late  single  Tulips  (Mr.  Hartland's,  at  Cork) 
is  now  reaching  perfection.  There  are  over  200 
varieties,  besides  Darwins  or  "  Dutch  Lates." — 
ViSITOE. 

Mr.  J.  Cypher's  Orchids.- A  visit  to 

Mr.  J.  Cypher's  Orchid  establishment,  Cheltenham, 
is  always  worth  a  long  journey,  but  it  is  especially 
so  at  the  present  time,  because  there  is  a  greater 
variety  in  flower  just  now  than  at  any  other  season 
of  the  year.  On  looking  through  the  various 
houses  recently  I  was  amazed  at  the  large  quantity 
of  Odontoglossum  crispum  in  flower,  some  of 
which  were  very  choice.  I  saw  several  pure  white, 
and  others  splendidly  spotted.  There  were  also 
several  magnificent  plants  of  Oncidium  marshal- 
lianum    in    bloom,  and    on    one    of    the    massive 


branched  spikes  I  counted  sixty  very  large  flowers. 
There  was  also  one  very  large  spike  with  clear 
yellow  flowers  without  the  usual  brown  bars  on  the 
petals,  which  I  think  is  of  rare  occurrence.  Many 
Dendrobiums  were  in  flower,  mostly  of  the  choicer 
kinds  of  nobile,  viz.,  Nobilius  and  its  pure  white 
form.  Of  course,  one  expected  to  find  a  choice  lot 
of  Lfelia  purpurata.  There  were  many  very  fine 
forms  which  were  being  kept  for  the  Temple 
show.  A  very  striking  hybrid  was  Dendrobium 
Nestor.  —  Visitor. 

Polyanthuses.  —  These  favourite  spring 
flowers  are  just  now  at  their  best.  A  variety  of 
shades  makes  a  splendid  display,  while  the 
delicate  perfume  is  suggestive  of  .spring.  They 
are  not  always  planted  or  associated  so  effec- 
tively as  they  might  be,  massing  in  different 
shades  for  instance  being  preferable  to  indis- 
criminate mixing,  and  one  is  fairly  certain 
of  the  colour  likely  to  develop  in  seedlings 
if  care  be  taken  in  the  selection.  When, 
too,  other  spring  flowers  are  mixed  with  them, 
like  scarlet  or  white  Tulips  or  yellow  Daiiodils,  a 
somewhat  patchy  effect  is  produced.  I  much 
prefer  just  a  few  taller  things  standing  outamongst 
them  in  effective  contrast,  shapely  bushes,  for 
instance  of  Spiraea  prunifolia  fl. -pi. ,  S.  Thun- 
bergi,  or  Magnolia  stellata  contrast  admirably 
with  dark  Polyanthus,  while  a  good  foil  to  the 
yellow  and  sulphur  shades  may  be  found  in  bright 
toliaged  Pajonies  like  Broteri  and  coriacea.  Beds 
arranged  in  these  several  ways  can  remain  foi  at 
least  three  years,  and  the  Polyanthus  will 
strengthen  without  deterioration  of  truss  or 
individual  bloom  if  the  ground  is  thoroughly  well 
made  at  planting  time.  The  shrubs  can  be  kept 
within  bounds  by  judicious  annual  pruning.  I 
looked  through  the  beds  and  clumps  recently 
and  marked  plants  from  which  seed  is  to  be 
saved.  They  come  very  true  without  isolating 
the  several  different  shades,  and  the  good  strain 
is  well  maintained  if  care  is  taken  to  select  large 
well-formed  flowers  with  a  great  depth  of  colour. 
The  seedlings  from  this  season's  sowing  are  now 
well  above  the  ground. — E.  Burrell,  Claremont. 

ArabiS  alpina  fl. -pi.— This  is  a  lovely 
spring  flower,  and  fully  deserved  the  award  of 
merit  given  it  by  the  committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  in  April,  1900.  It  is  quite 
as  free  as  the  single  form,  equally  pure  in 
shade,  and  much  more  enduring.  In  the  distance 
the  same  sheet  ot  white  is  noticed  with  little 
difference  in  form,  as  it  is  ot  dwarf  habit,  but  a 
closer  inspection  gives  one  the  idea  of  a  miniature 
white  Stock.  For  the  rock  garden  or  for  the  front 
of  borders  to  group  with  other  things  it  can  be 
thoroughly  recommended  to  all  lovers  of  hardy 
plants.  I  noticed  a  charming  effect  the  other  day 
where  it  was  associated  with  bold  clumps  of 
Aubrietia  Roval  Purple. — E.  Buerei.l. 

Rose     Mrs.      R.     G.     Sharman 

Crawford. — This  fine  Rose  is  one  of  the  best 
it  not  the  best  pink  Rose  grown.  It  is  good  in 
summer,  and  it  is  also  good  late  in  the  year.  Few 
Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses  continue  to  bloom  so  late. 
As  a  pot  Rose  it  is  superb,  the  fine  imbricated 
form  and  beautiful  soft  colouring  of  its  flowers 
being  brought  out  prominently  upon  pot-grown 
plants,  and  the  grand  examples  exhibited  at  the 
Drill  Hall  recently  were  equal  to  the  blooms  of 
summer.  It  is  not  only  free-flowering,  but  also 
very  proliflc,  and  I  may  say  it  is  a  useful  Rose  for 
all  purposes,  be  it  as  a  bush  or  standard,  pillar,  or 
pegged  down.  It  strikes  freely  from  cuttings 
inserted  in  September,  and  this  freedom  in  rooting 
leads  me  to  suspect  that  Victor  Verdier  or  one  of 
its  race  is  the  parent  of  the  variety  under  notice, 
especially  as  there  is,  unfortunately,  a  lack  of 
fragrance.  There  is  rather  a  tendency  to  mildew 
in  the  autumn,  sometimes  quite  disfiguring  the 
growths,  otherwise  the  habit  and  general  behaviour 
are  all  that  can  be  desired. — P. 

Soldanella    alpina    pyrolsefolia.— 

This  pretty  little  plant  is  one  of  tht  se  which 
seem  to  do  remarkably  well  at  the  Edinburgh 
Botanic  Gardens.  A  nice  little  group  of  plants 
in  the  rock  garden  looked  very  pleasing  when  I 
visited  the  gardens  at  the  end  of  April.  They 
were   freely  flowered,   and    their    beautiful    little 


370 


THE    GAllDEN. 


[Ma-?    25,   1901 


fringed  bell-like  flowers  drew  one's  attention  to 
this  pretty  group,  and  made  one  rather  unwilling 
to  leave  the  plants  to  pass  on  to  something  else. 
These  alpine  Moonworts  are  worth  taking  some 
trouble  witli,  and  few  are  more  beautiful  than 
this  form  of  S.  alpina,  which  seems  more  floriferous 
than  the  type. — S. 

Polyanthuses  at  Rockville,  Edin- 
burgh.— The  pretty  garden  of  Mr.  P.  Neill- 
Fraser,  at  Rnckville,  Murrayfield,  Edinburgh,  is 
worth  seeing  at  any  time,  but  when  I  visited  it 
last  at  the  end  of  April  the  linest  things  in  bloom 
were,  undoubtedly,  the  Polyanthuses,  of  which 
jSIr.  Neill-Fraser  has  an  exceedingly  fine  strain  of 
his  own  selection.  I  have  previously  admired 
these  greatly,  but  the  latest-raised  plants  are 
much  superior  to  those  grown  in  the  same  garden 
only  a  few  years  ago.  The  white  and  yellow 
forms  are  particularly  fine,  and  the  advance  in 
these  is  much  more  marked  than  in  the  case  of 
the  darker  flowers.  I  do  not  know  why  this 
should  be,  but  it  was  very  noticeable  at  Rockville. 
One  cannot,  however,  say  too  much  in  praise  of 
the  whites  and  the  yellows.  Many  were  of  perfect 
order,  and  also  of  exquisite  form.  One  large  bed 
contained  at  one  end  some  of  the  latest  of  Mr. 
Fraser's  seedlings,  and  at  the  other  a  number 
raised  from  the  seed  of  a  strain  which  is  considered 
of  better  quality  than  usual,  but  the  contrast 
between  the  two  was  a  marked  one,  and  decidedly 
in  favour  of  the  Rockville  strain.  The  plants  are 
carefully  gone  over  and  marked,  so  that  seeds  are 
only  saved  from  the  plants  which  are  of  the 
highest  quality.  It  must  have  taken  a  good  many 
years  to  attain  such  successful  results.  — S. 

Tulip   Joost  van   Vondel.  —  Quite  a 

partiality  is  shown  for  this  Tulip  in  some  gardens, 
and  when  one  considers  its  pleasing  and  refined 
appearance  this  is  not  in  the  least  difiicult  to 
understand.  It  is  of  sturdy  habit,  varying  in 
height  from  8  inches  to  10  inches,  and  develops 
large  cup-shaped  flowers.  The  colour  may  be 
described  as  ros}'  red,  flaked  with  white,  and 
suffused  with  pale  rose  on  the  centre  of  the  outer 
petals.  Splendid  masses  of  this  variety  are  now  in 
full  beauty  in  Waterlow  Park,  where  it  is  much 
admired. — C.  A.  N. 

A  useful  plant  for  gpowing"  under 

trees. — Owners  of  gardens  who  have  large  trees 
occupj'ing  conspicuous  positions  are  often  consider- 
ably exercised  in  their  minds  as  how  to  cover 
the  soil  in  a  suitable  manner  immediately  beneath 
the  branches.  Plant  after  plant  is  tried,  only 
ofttimes  to  accentuate  previous  failures,  and  the 
despairing  cultivator  at  length  abandons  the 
attempt.  One  of  the  weeds  with  which  Nature 
sometimes  forms  her  beneficent  carpet  is  the 
green  Hellebore  (Helleborus  viridus),  which  is  in 
some  parts  of  our  isle  a  well-known  woodland 
plant,  whose  flowers,  though  not  competing  for 
beauty  with  the  Christmas  Rose  (H.  niger),  yet 
have  a  subdued  charm,  making  them  well  worthy 
of  attention.  The  plant  grows  some  18  inches 
high,  and  in  April  and  May  particularly  is  one  of 
the  brightest  and  prettiest  plants  possible  to  find 
for  growing  under  trees.  An  acquaintance  of 
mine,  who  is  an  ardent  lover  of  English  wild 
flowers,  was  so  struck  with  the  beauty  of  this 
green  Hellebore  in  its  native  woodlands,  and  the 
manner  in  which  it  flourished  in  the  deepest  shade, 
that  he  planted  several  in  a  shady  place  beneath 
some  Elms  and  Beeches  where  nothing  would  grow. 
This  was  five  years  ago,  and  the  result  a  few  days 
since  was  a  beautiful  display. — E.  J.  Castle. 

Eranthemum     pulehellum.  —  Blue 

flowers  are  not  too  plentiful  at  any  time  of  the 
year,  either  in  the  open  or  under  glass,  but  a  batch 
of  plants  of  this  Eranthemum  will  assist  in  affording 
a  nice  bit  of  this  generally-popular  colour  for 
associating  with  other  subjects,  and,  as  its  flowers 
are  produced  in  the  dull  winter  months,  they  will 
prove  invaluable.  The  flowers  are  of  a  rich  colour, 
and  on  good,  well-developed  specimens  are  freely 
produced  ;  they  have  the  disadvantage  of  being 
somewhat  fugitive,  but  so  freely  are  thej'  produced 
that  this  is  not  noticed  to  any  great  extent.  The 
present  is  a  capital  time  to  insert  the  cuttings  in 
light  sandy  soil,  and  if  the  pots  containing  them 
be  plunged  in    the    propagating  bed,   roots  will 


quicklj'  be  emitted,  when  each  young  plant  should 
be  carefully  potted  into  3-inch  pots,  and  grown 
freely  on  a  shelf  in  the  warm  temperature  of  a  pit 
or  in  the  stove  house.  Shift  them  on  as  required 
into  7-inch  or  8-inch  pots,  which  are  suitable  for 
flowering  the  plants  in.  Earl^'-struck  cuttings 
grown  on  freely  throughout  the  summer  will  form 
large  plants  for  yielding  abundant  blossoms  next 
winter. — H.  T.  Martin,  Stoneleiyh. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


STORAGE     OF     BANANAS 
AND    ORANGES. 

HERE  are  two  fruits  the  gathering  and 
storage  of  which  for  exportation  to 
this  country  seem  to  be  of  the  most 
careless  and  unskilful  description ,  and 
which  I  have  often  thought  might  be 
improved  with  advantage  to  the 
public.  It  is  a  very  rare  thing  to  eat  an 
imported  Orange  which  does  not  set  one's  teeth 
on  edge,  or  of  which  the  flavour  and  quality  are 
anything  like  as  good  as  they  might  be  had  the 
fruit  been  gathered  at  the  right  time  and  properly 
stored  till  it  reached  the  market ;  and  the  same 
may  be  said  about  the  Banana  with  its  thick  skin 
and  insipid  taste,  compared  to  that  of  the  properly 
ripened  fruit.  The  Banana  is,  I  believe,  certain  to 
become  one  of  our  most  esteemed  and  universally 
distributed  dessert  fruits,  if  not  a  food,  judging  by 
the  signs  of  the  times  and  the  rapid  extension  of 
its  culture  abroad  wherever  it  will  grow.  It  is 
now  found  on  the  dessert  table  everywhere,  and 
nearly  every  day  in  the  year,  and  lately  prices,  in 
provincial  towns,  have  dropped  from  Is.  3d.  per 
dozen  to  8d.  retail.  The  Banana  is  one  of  the  most 
wholesome  and  delicious  of  fruits  for  either  the 
sick  or  healthy,  and  if  only  the  difficulty  of  storage 
could  be  got  over  it  might  be  placed  in  our  markets 
in  first-rate  condition  ;  but  evidently  growers  and 
importers  do  not  yet  understand  their  business. 
The  first  consignment  of  Bananas  from  the  West 
Indies  arrived  quite  lately.  I  saw  hundredweights 
of  these  on  arrival  that  had  been  sent  forward  in 
trucks  among  straw.  The  bunches  and  fruits  were 
larger  than  any  sent  hitherto  from  elsewhere,  and 
the  variety  appeared  to  be  one  between  the  well- 
known  Miisa  Cavendishii  or  Sapientum,  but  all 
were  as  green  as  grass,  and  would  never  ripen 
properly.  The  bunches  are,  of  course,  cut  green  in 
order  that  they  may  travel  safely,  in  the  expectation 
that  the  fruit  will  ripen  afterwards,  but  tliey  maj' 
be  said  to  only  change  colour  and  perish  quickly. 
It  is  quite  impossible  to  cut  a  bunch  of  Bananas  at 
a  stage  when  all  the  fruit  on  the  bunch,  scores 
perhaps,  are  just  in  perfection,  for  the  simple  reason 
that,  under  ordinary  conditions  of  temperature,  a 
month  or  more  may  elapse  between  the  ripening  of 
the  first  and  last  set  fruits  on  the  same  bunch.  I 
have  gathered  Bananas  from  the  plant  and  the 
same  bunch,  day  after  day  for  dessert,  for  a  montli, 
and  they  were  gathered  as  fast  as  they  ripened, 
This  was  at  Dalkeith  Palace  Gardens  when  I  was 
there  with  the  late  Mr.  Thomson.  Dalkeith  was, 
I  believe,  the  first  place  or  one  of  the  first  places 
where  the  Banana  was  grown  for  dessert,  and  I 
believe  not  a  few  gardens  in  the  south  were  stocked 
with  plants  from  there.  The  plants  were  first 
grown  in  tubs,  and  later  planted  out  in  a  deep  rich 
border.  The  commonly  imported  kind  is  Musa 
Cavendishii,  which  will  succeed  well  in  a  stove 
temperature,  just  a  little  above  that  of  an  inter- 
mediate house.  The  fruit  on  each  bunch  is 
produced  in  whorls  of  clusters,  which  ripen  in 
succession  during  several  weeks,  and  should  be  cut 
in  the  same  order.  If  cut  when  quite  ripe  thej' 
will  keep  for  a  considerable  while  in  a  cool  dry 
fruit  room,  and  if  cut  when  the  cluster  is  just 
turning  in  colour  they  will  keep  much  longer.  What 
surprises  one  is  that  growers  in  the  Canary  Islands 
and  West  Indies  do  not  seem  to  know  that,  for  if 
tlie  fruits  were  cut,  not  in  whole  bunches,  but  in 
clusters  or  parts  of  a  bunch  as  they  ripened,  they 
could  be  packed  in  about  one  quarter  of  the  space, 
and  if  shipped  when  just  on  the  turn  in  cool  but 


not  freezing  temperatures  they  could  be  landed  in 
England  in  sound  condition,  still  in  good  keeping 
state,  and  in  a  far  superior  condition  for  the  table 
than  anything  that  has  come  to  hand  as  yet.  I 
feel  pretty  sure  such  fruits  would  not  stand 
freezing  chambers,  such  as  the  Australian  rabbits 
are  shipped  in.  These  arc  stored  in  a  dry  freezing 
temperature,  and  after  they  are  landed  in  this 
country  and  sent  far  inland,  they  are  still  solid 
blocks  of  ice  and  have  to  be  got  rid  of  quickly.  A 
cool  temperature,  such  as  I  suggest,  is  a  dry  one  of 
from  35°  to  40",  M-hich  arrests  decay  for  a  con- 
siderable while. 

What  applies  to  the  Banana  applies  also  to  the 
Orange,  which  is  shipped  green,  or  only  on  the  turn, 
hence  the  poor fla%our  and  acidity  of  shop  Oranges. 
Of  course  an  ice  house  might  be  better  arranged 
for  a  cool  chamber  tlian  the  one  I  had  to  deal  with, 
but  the  conditions  to  be  kept  in  view  slujuhl  be  a 
dry  atmosphere  and  a  temperature  not  below  32'' 
nor  much  above  35°. 

Whether  the  Banana  will  ever  be  grown  pro- 
fitably in  England  remains  to  be  proved,  but  no 
plant  is  easier  to  grow  and  fruit,  and  according  to 
Humboldt,  its  productiveness  is  as  133  to  1  in 
Wheat  and  44  to  1  as  against  the  Potato. 

Without  ice  in  it  I  consider  an  underground 
fruit  room  one  of  the  worst,  as  it  cannot  be  easily 
ventilated,  and  the  temperature  being  rarely  under 
50°  everything  becomes  mouldy  and  nasty. 

.J.  Simpson'. 


WOODLAND   AND   FOREST. 


TREES    AT     LES     BARRES, 
FRANCE, 

THE  estate  of  Les  Barres  lies  at  a 
distance  of  about  eiglity  miles  from 
Paris  upon  the  high  land  that 
separates  the  waters  of  the  Seine 
from  those  of  the  Loire.  The 
climate  is  drier  and  somewhat  colder 
than  that  of  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris.  The 
country  has  no  large  stretches  of  woodland, 
but  the  fields  are  often  belted  by  trees  and  the 
slopes  are  often  wooded. 

The  estate  was  bought  abottt  the  year  1820 
by  M.  Pierre  de  Vilmorin  to  make  some 
experiments  in  planting.  For  this  he  wished 
to  find  land  of  some  extent  that  .should  be  of 
moderate  price  and  with  much  variety  of  soil, 
and  the  land  answered  these  requirements.  It 
had  when  bought  an  area  of  about  1,300  acres 
of  extremely  varied  soils—  in  the  highest  part 
sandy,  with  a  .stifl"  clay  subsoil.  The  dwelling- 
house  was  built  on  this  portion,  and  here  also 
is  the  chief  plantation  of  forest  trees.  To  the 
north-east  of  this  portion  were  fertile  gently 
sloping  fields  with  a  soil  of  sandy  loam.  A 
shallow  valley  coming  from  the  south  ended  in 
a  region  of  black  earth,  almost  peaty,  while  all 
the  slopes  beyond  the  valley  are  calcareous, 
with  hollows  of  good  arable  land. 

Early  in  the  century  land  in  this  province 
had  a  low  money  value,  so  that  only  the  best 
portions  were  cultivated,  and  if  the  wind  or 
the  birds  brought  seeds  which  sowed  them- 
selves by  the  roadsides  the  cultivator  felt  no 
anxiety  about  the  increasing  width  of  the  road- 
way, nor  about  the  belts  of  trees  that  widened 
them  still  more.  In  these  roadsides  may  bo 
seen  very  line  Oaks,  Elms,  and  a  large  number 
of  old  Pear  trees. 

M.  de  Vilmorin's  experiments  were  varied  in 
their  objects,  including  agricultural  crops, 
cereals,  and,  above  all,  forage  plants.  They 
were  carried  on  with  much  activity  from  1.S20 
to  near  1845,  and  were  of  much  value  in  dctci 
mining  a  better  knowledge  of  the  fitness  and 
utility  of  a  great  number  of  plants  of  tliisclas.s. 
The  work  among  forest  trees  extended  over 
a  number  of  years,  and  M.  de   Vilmorin  wa'< 


May  25,  ]901.J 


THE    GARDEN. 


371 


still  engaged  in  it  during  the  last  years  of  his 
long  life.  The  planting  was  divided  into  two 
distinct  branches :  Firstly,  the  study  of  the  best 
varieties  of  native  trees  and  their  power  of  pro- 
ducing byselected  seedlings  improved  varieties  ; 
and,  secondly,  study  of  the  hardiness  and 
growth  of  the  most  valuable  species  of  exotic 
forest  trees,  in  order  to  learn  how  they  would 
thrive  in  certain  parts  of  northern  and  western 
France. 

The  study  of  varieties  of  form  and  growth 
of  the  native  trees  was  principally  among  the 
resinous  kinds.  Still  some  instructive  trials 
were  made  with  Oaks,  and  many  lines  were 
sown   with  Acorns  from  trees    that    showed 


PINE  FOREST  AT  LES   BARRES. 


great  vigour  or  beauty  of  trunk.  The  trial 
showed  that  the  merits  of  the  parent  trees 
were  in  a  large  measure  reproduced  by  their 
descendants. 

t^The  most  exhaustive  experiment  in  this  way 
■was  on  the  Scotch  Fir  (Pinus  sylvestris),  a  tree 
of  great  value,  and  which  includes  some 
distinct  varieties  ;  some  with  an  almost  recti- 
linear trunk,  and  a  crest  of  regular  branches 
that  are  slender  ;  others  with  a  tapering  trunk 
and  ;5tout  side  irregular  branches,  so  that  the 
symmetry  of  the  tree  is  broken.  Others  have 
a  constant  tendency  to  spread  their  branches, 
gaining  height  very  slowly ;  others,  again, 
assume  an  elliptic  outline. 
In  the  highest  rank^  both  for  beauty  and  for 


quality  of  timber,  is  placed  the  Pinus  sylvestris 
of  Riga,  whose  wood  is  so  highly  valued  for 
the  nia.sts  of  shipping.  Some  Piussian  seed 
had  been  put  in  before  M.  de  Vilmorin  began 
his  experiments.  This  was  done  in  1821  and 
1830,  when  sowings  were  made  of  special  seed 
from  the  liussian  provinces  where  the  Pines 
bore  the  highest  reputation.  The  result  showed 
that  seedlings  of  this  selected  strain  produce 
descendants,  all,  or  at  any  rate,  the  greater 
number  of  whom,  and  with  only  rare  excep- 
tions, reproduce  the  straight  trunk  and  tall 
conical  shape. 

The  experiment  was  carried  further  by  means 
of  seed  saved  from  the  trees  grown  in  France,but 

originally  Russian 
seed.  Here  was 
a.lready  a  first 
generation  grow- 
ing in  a  different 
climate.  Riga 
Pines  sown  within 
land  belonging  to 
thePortof  Brestby 
Baron  Caffarelli, 
Maritime  Prefect 
under  the  first 
Empire,  furnished 
seed  which  was 
sown  at  Les 
Barres,  while  other 
plantations  also 
supplied  seed  sown 
at  Les  Barres ; 
finally,  the  long 
life  of  M.  de  Vil- 
morin allowed  him 
to  sow  seeds  of 
trees  derived  from 
his  own  seedlings. 
These  are  no  less 
perfect  in  type 
than  their  parents, 
while  those  that 
came  from  the  first 
French  planta- 
tions show  forms 
not  quite  so  good, 
though  similar  to 
their  parents. 
Trials  with  the 
more  ordinary 
types  coming  from 
Scotland,  Ger- 
many, and  the 
mountains  of 
France  were  car- 
ried on  at  the  same 
time.  The  space 
given  to  the  trials 
of  Pinus  sylvestris 
is  about  fifty  acres. 
The  results  were 
given  in  detail  in 
communications 
made  to  the 
SocieteNationale  d'Agriculture,  and  in  a  notice 
published  after  M.  de  Vilmorin's  death. 

Some  plantations  of  nearly  equal  importance 
were  made  to  test  the  varieties  of  Pinus 
Laricio,  and  to  show  the  superiority  of  the 
variety  coming  from  Calabria.  Here  are 
groups  of  the  P.  Laricio  of  the  first,  second, 
and  third  generations.  Species  nearly  related 
to  P.  Laricio,  such  as  Austrian  Pine  and  the 
Pyrenean  Pine  (P.  Salzmanni)  were  also  planted 
both  in  lines  and  clumps.  In  the  Maritime 
Pine  also  (P.  pinaster)  various  results  from 
seed  have  made  unquestionable  the  superiority 
of  the  race  of  Corte  (Corsica),  described  in 
botanical  works  as  Pinus  pinaster  major  or 
P,  Hamiltoni. 


Some  plantations  of  exotic  trees,  made  in 
order  to  prove  the  hardiness,  and  observe  the 
growth  of  the  various  species,  have  mostly  to 
do  with  the  importations  from  North  America 
and  the  East,  encouraged  by  the  researches  of 
the  two  Michaux  and  of  Boissier.  The  greater 
number  of  the  North  American  Oaks,  to  the 
number  of  twenty-four,  are  represented  in  the 
plantation.  Of  the  Caryas  and  .Juglans  there 
are  twelve,  of  the  Elms  and  Birches  there  are 
examples  of  the  best  species. 

The  Oaks  were  put  together  in  a  part  of  the 
forest  plantation  in  a  place  called  the  American 
Acorn  Ground  where  they  stand  in  lines.  Tliis 
piece  is  of  about  twenty-five  acres,  and  here 
European  and  Oriental  Oaks  occupy  about 
one-fifth  of  the  area  ;  but  the  most  remark- 
able specimens  are  near  M.  de  Vilmorin's 
house,  which  stands  in  the  pleasure  ground 
in  land  formerly  occupied  by  orchard  and 
nursery.  The  most  remarkable  among  the 
Amei'ican  Oaks  is  a  Quercus  heterophylla 
planted  in  1824  ;  the  trunk  at  about  2  feet 
from  the  ground  has  a  circumference  of  about 
10  feet,  and  the  head  is  thickly  branched  all 
round. 

A  Turkey  Oak  (Q.  Cerri.s)  of  the  same  age 
is  very  nearly  as  large.  There  are  also  examples 
of  Quercus  coccinea,  palustris,  tinctoria,  mari- 
landica,  rubra,  nigra,  and  Phellos  as  tall  as 
the  Q.  heterophylla,  but  with  trunks  of  less 
diameter. 

The  old  nursery  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
estate,  in  cool,  deep  soil,  contains  some  fine 
specimens  of  Quercus  alba,  of  Carya  porcina, 
alba,  amara,  of  Betula  papyracea,  of  Pinus 
Laricio  of  Calabria,  of  Pinus  rigida,  Abies 
Pinsapo,  Magnolia,  Robinia  spectabilis,  ifec.  A 
very  handsome  specimen  of  Quercus  imbricaria 
about  50  feet  high  was  unfortunately  blown 
down  last  winter. 

Before  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1862, 
M.  Pierre  de  Vilmorin  had  arranged  to  transfer 
to  the  State  the  portion  of  the  estate  contain- 
ing the  plantations  of  forest  trees,  desiring  that 
they  should  be  preserved  from  any  possible 
cause  of  disturbance.  This  transfer  was  not, 
however,  concluded  till  1866,  when  the  French 
Government  took  advantage  of  the  elements 
of  instruction  upon  the  estate  to  establish 
there  a  school  of  forestry  destined  to  train 
foresters  in  the  knowledge  of  trees  and  of 
nursery  work. 

The  Ecole  Prim  aire  here  receives  free 
students,  who  are  likely  to  prove  good  managers 
of  private  forest  properties  ;  then  a  secondary 
school  was  instituted,  conferring  a  warrant  of 
General  Forester  on  those  members  of  the 
Forester's  Corps  who  successfully  passed  the 
entrance  and  final  examinations.  The  hand- 
some wooden  pavilion  that  was  built  to  receive 
the  collection  of  forestry  products  at  the 
Universal  Exhibition  of  1878  was  transferred 
to  Les  Barres. 

In  order  to  give  the  pupils  facilities  for  the 
comparison  of  trees,  the  Administration  of 
Forests  collected  together  in  one  space,  speci- 
mens of  the  greater  number  of  the  trees  that 
are  in  the  plantations.  This  arboretum  is 
immediately  surrounded  by  the  finest  of  the 
old  orchard  trees  and  the  original  park.  A 
large  number  of  species  that  were  not  yet 
introduced  when  M.  de  Vilmorin  made  his 
collection  of  trees  were  planted  in  this  aboretum 
by  the  Administration  of  Forests.  A  compen- 
dious catalogue  of  hard-wooded  vegetation  at 
the  Les  Barres,  Vilmorin  estate  was  drawn  up 
in  1878,  by  the  Administration,  and  forms  a 
volume  of  100  pages.  The  collections  have 
been  further  enriched,  especially  in  the  series 
of  Conifers,  which  contains  both  many  rare 
species  and  many  remarkable  specimens. 


372 


THE     GARDEN. 


[May  i'5,  1901. 


The  greater  part  of  the  estate  of  Lcs  Barres 
remains  in  the  family  of  !M.  de  Vilmorin, 
including  some  of  the  trial  plantations  on  the 
calcareous  and  poaty  soils.  In  one  portion  of 
the  private  ]iroperty,  but  immediately  adjoin- 
ing that  now  belonging  to  the  State,  M.  Maurice 
de  Vilmorin  about  five  or  six  years  ago  began 
to  make  a  very  full  collection  of  shrubs,  which, 
adjoining  the  trees  in  the  State  Grounds  forms 
a  complete  arboretum,  where  may  be  .seen  a 
whole  scries  of  the  hard- wooded  vegetation 
that  is  hardy  in  the  climate  of  the  centre  of 
France.  R. 


AMATEURS'   PERPLEXITIES 

GARDEN  OVERRUN  WITH 
WIREWORMS. 

garden,   which   is  now  in  its 


M 


second 
jear,  and  was  formed  from  pasture 
land,  is  overrun  with  wireworms, 
insomuch  that  we  lose  most  of  our 
young  plants  in  the  iiower  and 
kitchen  gardens.  My  gardener  has 
used  quantities  of  soot,  Carrot,  and  Potato  traps. 
From  the  latter  he  collects  from  ten  to  fifteen 
wireworms  every  second  or  third  day — a  laborious 
business — and  at  the  same  time  our  plants  are  also 
eaten  through.  A  whole  crop  of  Tomato  plants 
were  destroyed  last  year  a  day  or  two  after  being 
put  out,  in  spite  of  a  liberal  supply  of  soot.  I 
shall  be  much  indebted  for  information  how  to 
deal  with  these  pests  wholesale.  Gas  lime  and 
nitrate  of  soda  have  been  recommended.  If  these 
are  really  serviceable  will  you  kindly  tell  me  the 
quantities  to  use  and  the  time  of  year  to  apply? 
I  may  add  that  the  whole  land  has  now  been  dug 
over  two  or  three  times,  and  I  think  we  have  more 
wireworms,  if  possible,  this  year  than  last. 
Newbury.  F.  W.  Saundees. 

[We  fear  you  will  experience  great  difficulty 
with  your  land,  as  at  this  season  you  cannot  adopt 
the  same  measures  to  get  rid  of  the  pest  as  you 
could  in  the  winter.  Gas  lime  applied  in  the 
autumn  or  winter  is  one  of  the  best  things  you  can 
use,  but  yon  cannot  use  it  strong  enough  without 
injuring  the  roots.  Our  advice  is  to  use  it  in  small 
quantities  when  sowing  or  planting,  or,  what  is 
better,  use  a  little  thus  :  Mix,  say,  a  double 
handful  of  the  lime  in  a  pail  of  water,  or,  say,  a 
3-gallon  can,  and  water  with  this.  Also  in 
showery  weather  apply  a  little  on  the  surface. 
We  have  also  used  sulphate  of  ammonia  in  the 
same  way,  but  here  equal  care  is  necessary,  as  it 
is  very  strong.  A  pound  of  ammonia  will  suffice 
for  three  gallons  of  water.  Another  thing  you  may 
apply,  and  that  is  weak,  thoroughly  soluble 
petroleum,  but  we  prefer  the  ammonia.  For 
growing  crops  you  could  use  the  nitrate  of  soda, 
but  you  see  this  is  for  feeding,  and,  though  it  will 
cause  the  plants  to  make  more  progress,  it  will  not 
kill  the  pest.  We  have  seen  such  a  crop  as  Rape 
grown  and  dug  in,  but  you  require  the  land  for 
present  cropping.  If  you  have  any  vacant  land 
give  it  a  good  dressing  of  lime  and  soot  before 
planting.  This  will  protect  3'our  crop,  or  you  maj' 
when  planting  in  drills  make  a  little  deeper  drill 
and  place  a  liberal  portion  of  the  mixture  advised 
above  in  each  drill.  Turf  land  is  difficult  to 
cleanse.  The  pest  is  in  the  top  soil  or  fibrous  part, 
and  continues  breeding.  The  best  way  before 
digging  up  turf  is  to  burn  the  old  grass,  then  turn 
up  roughly  and  expose  to  severe  weather.  Early 
next  autumn  thoroughly  dress  your  land  with  gas 
lime,  soot  also  if  obtainable,  or  any  charred  refuse. 
Expose  to  the  weather  all  winter,  ridge  it  up  as 
roughly  as  possible,  and  then  before  planting  level 
down  with  a  fork.  You  will  next  season  be  free 
from  the  pest.  Use  animal  manures  spaiingly 
until  the  land  is  clean. — Ens.] 


I  keep  the  temperature  at  60"  at  night  and  start 
to  ventilate  at  6.5".  The  Vines  are  in  good 
condition  and  crop  very  well  indeed.  The  house 
is  a  span-roof,  one  side  Vines  and  the  other 
Peaches,  but  the  ventilators  are  not  to  my  liking. 
They  are  about  1  foot  wide,  and  stretch  from  the 
rig  to  the  spout,  but  I  am  very  careful  how  I  use 
them.  I  have  been  told  the  cause  of  the  disfigure- 
ment is  the  work  of  red  spider.  The  variet}'  is 
Buckland  Sweetwater.        A  Constant  Reader. 

[We  have  carefully  examined  the  leaves,  also 
read  your  note  as  to  your  treatment,  and  wc  fear 
your  ventilation  is  somewhat  imperfect,  but  j'ou 
appear  to  study  that  point,  and  we  will  advise  so 
as  to  prevent  the  injury,  or  at  any  rate  minimise 
it  as  far  as  possible.  There  are  other  causes 
besides  poor  ventilators.  The  glass  is  often  at 
fault.  It  spotted  or  poor  it  causes  the  scorching, 
as  there  can  be  no  question  whatever  the  injury  is 
in  scorching,  and  from  the  appearance  of  your 
Vines  they  look  as  if  rather  close  to  the  glass. 
Now,  J'OU  have  Peaches  in  the  same  house,  and  it 
is  moister  on  this  account.  Though  3'ou  ventilate 
early  the  Vines  are  damp,  and  the  hot  sun,  with 
moisture  combined,  causes  the  injury.  Our  advice 
is  to  leave  a  small  amount  of  air  on  the  top 
ventilators  at  night  here  and  there  (many  of  our 
best  Grape  growers  do  this),  as  though  the  house 
is  closed  in  the  afternoon,  later  on  the  top  venti- 
lators are  opened  as  advised.  This  will  allow 
excessive  moisture  to  escape,  and  there  is  less. fear 
of  the  temperature  rising  too  freely  before  the 
house  is  attended  to.  You  say  you  ventilate  at 
65",  but  often  the  temperature  early  in  the 
morning  rises  and  falls  before  the  house  can  be 
opened.  The  advice  given  above  if  acted  on  will 
prevent  this  injury.  Vines  will  not  suffer  by  the 
night  temperature  being  a  little  low  ;  far  better 
this  than  too  high.  And  your  Vines  being 
scorched  more  in  one  part  of  the  house  than 
another  points  out  that  the  injury  is  greatest 
where  the  moisture  and  heat  are  more  continer). 
Again,  you  see,  it  attacks  the  most  tender  part 
of  the  foliage,  the  lateral  growth,  also,  doubtless, 
the  portion  nearest  the  glass.  Now,  if  the  advice 
given  does  not  check  this,  the  injury  is  caused  by 
defective  glass.  We  would  advise  you  to  make  a 
thin  wash  of  whitening  and  skim  milk  and  caver 
the  glass  with  this.  There  is  no  sign  of  red 
spider  whatever,  and  this  pest  cannot  thrive  where 
there  is  ample  moisture.  You  will  now  be  able  to 
ventilate  more  freely,  as  it  was  difficult  to  give 
air,  and  there  was  in  consequence  more  danger 
from  scorching. — Eds.] 


VINE  FOLIAGE   DISFIGURED. 

I  SHOULD  much  like  to  know  the  cause  of  the 
disfifurement  of  the  leaves  enclosed.  I  ventilate 
very  oarefuUj' and  do  not  let  the  place  get  too  hot. 


A    JAMAICA    GARDEN. 

(Continued  from  page  S44-) 
Fencing. 
Convenience  generally  dictates  the  use  of  the 
abominable  "  prickle  "  wire,  but  so  near  the  house, 
albeit  so  high  above  it,  the  fence  is  made  of  lengths 
of  Cow  Bamboo  tied  with  "string"  of  living 
climbers.  The  posts  are  cuttings  of  trees  7  feet 
in  length,  which  readily  root.  Those  we  chiefly 
use  are  Maiden  Plum  (Comocladia  integrifolia). 
Birch  (Burseragummifera),  Cedar (Cedrelaodorata), 
Physic  Nut  (Jatropha),  and  Moringa.  The  first 
two  are  the  safest  and  best.  Such  posts  are 
known  as  "grow-posts."  We  see  a  good  deal  of 
this  pretty  rough  fencing,  which  the  negroes  are 
expert  in  making.  But  it  has  two  disadvantages 
—it  is  costly  and  not  very  durable.  So  for  long 
stretches,  especially  on  a  pen  (.Jamaican  for 
ranche),  barbed  wire  is  essential.  Curious  and 
restless  animals  force  their  way  through  anything 
that  does  not  prick.  This  reminds  m.e  of  a  storj' 
too  good  to  be  lost.  The  little  daughter  of  one  of 
my  neighbours  was  having  her  Scripture  lesson. 
The  subject,  Adam  and  Eve.  She  was  impressed 
by  the  penalty  for  one  act  of  disobedience,  and 
realised  the  pity  of  it.  Accustomed  all  her  nine 
years  to  pen  life,  and  fully  aware  that  prohibition 
is  only  effective  when  supplemented  by  restraint, 
she  thought  awhile.  Then,  looking  up  in  the  face 
of  her  instructress,  said  very  earnestly:  "Oh! 
why  didn't  he  put  barbed  wire?"  Ah,  why 
indeed  ' 


The  pasture  of  the  two  acres  which  the  fence 
encloses  is  Rufus's  playground,  and  its  apparently 
unnegotiable  steepness  gives  him  his  necessary 
exercise.  It  is  sometimes  called  the  orchard, 
having  some  groups  of  Orangeand  Lotus(Byrsoninia 
coriacea),  a  striking  indigenous  tree,  whose  wealth 
of  yellow  flowers  in  July  is  succeeded  by  bunches 
of  Gooseberries,  each  with  a  stone  instead  of  pips. 
Is  not  this  the  food  of  the  Lotus-eaters  rather 
than  the  accepted  Nelumbium  '!  Torrid  India  and 
burning  Egyyt  are  neither  of  them  suitable  sites 
for  the  earthlj'  Paradise.  Surely  it  is  rather  to 
be  found  in  the  perfect  climate  of  the  West  Indian 
hills.  Where  else,  except  perhaps  in  the  islands 
of  the  Pacific,  can  be  enjoyed  as  I  have  enjoyed 
sixty  consecutive  months  of  .lune  in  five  3'ears? 

IvoilJKAS. 

When  I  see  the  Morning  Glories  at  their  best  I 
always  want  them  in  the  garden.  And  j-et  they 
are  not  altogether  satisfactorj'.  The)'  slay  long 
in  the  preliminary  leafy  stage  before  flowering, 
and  in  that  condition  are  weedj',  rampant  things, 
which  try  one's  patience.  Of  garden  varieties  of 
the  larger  kinds  two  stand  pre-eminent.  Heavenly 
Blue  and  a  white  of  the  same  size  and  texture.  A 
neighbour  of  mine  grows  them  to  perfection,  though 
I  never  quite  forgive  the  background  of  rabbit-wire 
on  which  they  are  trained.  He  snips  off  the  dead 
flowers  every  day,  and  each  morning  there  is  a 
new  and  bountiful  supply.  True  to  its  name 
Heavenly  Blue  seems  to  bring  heaven  down  to 
earth.  It  is  an  azure  cloud,  and  each  individual 
flower  perfect  in  its  satiny  sheen.  The  white 
variety,  slightly  tinged  with  palest  yellow  towards 
the  throat,  is  equally  delightful,  I  have  had  both 
myself  and  enjoyed  them,  but  as  j'et  have  not 
found  the  right  place,  and  for  the  present  "am 
not  bothering  with  them  again,"  as  they  say  here. 

I  once,  in  spite  of  previous  experience,  suc- 
cumbed to  the  seduction  of  a  coloured  plate  in  a 
catalogue,  and  sent  for  a  selection  of  Morning 
Glories  bearing  names  of  Japanese  magnates. 
Carefully  I  tended  them  through  their  long  period 
of  leafy  growth,  and,  oh  !  what  anticipation  when 
the  first  pointed  bud  showed,  and  what  disen- 
chantment when  it  came  out  !  I  picked  it  and 
compared  it  with  the  picture.  It  was  the  very 
thing,  line  for  line,  colour  for  colour,  a  rich 
imperial  purple.  There  was  no  exaggeration  in 
the  picture,  and  yet  the  living  flower  was  a  dis- 
appointment. The  truth  is  thej'  are  not  flowers 
to  pick.  Their  effect  is  first  in  mass,  and  after- 
wards in  detail.  This  had  no  effect  in  mass.  It 
was  merely  a  cloud  of  gloom.  Heavenly  Blue  is  a 
cloud  of  light.  Charmed  with  its  sum  of  effect 
one  is  ready  to  appreciate  and  admire  the  unit 
which  helps  to  make  up  that  sum.  One  is  not 
prepared  to  reverse  the  process.  And  so  my 
Japanese  dignitaries,  Counts,  Marquises,  &c.,  the 
very  Emperor  and  Empress,  if  I  remember  right, 
were  not  saved  from  banishment  by  their  high 
lineage,  for  all  proved  alike,  unsufficing,  ineffec- 
tive, dull.  Very  different  it  is  with  our  native 
I.  Horsfallia?,  whose  streaming  crimson  racemes 
assert  themselves  at  100  yards  distance.  We  call 
this  class,  in  which  there  are  several  colours,  some 
beautiful,  some  undesirable.  Wild  Potato,  the 
edible  Sweet  Potato  being  the  tuber  of  I.  Batatas. 
Moon-flower  (I.  Bona-nox),  more  generally  known 
to  utilitarian  Jamaica  as  Hog-meat,  is  another 
lovely  thing  when  nieli  with  wild.  It  comes  as  a 
delightful  surprise  in  the  earl}'  morning  on  the 
moist  river  bank.  Better  far  there  than  in  the 
garden,  where  it  makes  too  much  "  bush  "  and  too 
little  flower.  It  is  a  somewhat  flattened  form  of 
the  beautiful  English  Bindweed,  so  tempting  to 
introduce  into  cultivation  and  so  fatal. 

I.  sinuata,  known  also  as  I.  dissecta  (Noonday 
Glory)  caught  me  in  its  toils.  The  pure  delicate 
tracery  of  the  leaf  did  it.  And  how  I  wished 
afterwards  I  had  left  it  where  I  found  it,  and 
where  it  still  grows  and  charms  me  on  the  stony 
edge  of  the  barbicue.  I.  tulierosa,  whose  fat 
brown-black  seeds  are  as  big  as  small  Chestnuts, 
is  worth  growing.  If  Heavenly  Blue  would  bear 
rough  treatment  it  would  find  its  way  into  many 
a  tangle  of  wild  "bush,"  but  it  demands  manure 
and  attention.  Seven-year-Vine  (I.  tuberosa),  on 
the  other  liand,  thrives  on  neglect.     It  got  a  poor 


May  25,  1901.] 


THE    GAltDEN. 


373 


hole  in  a  poor  place  and  covered  a  Sweet-wood 
tree  (Nectandra)  50  feet  high  in  a  year,  and  is 
periodically,  I  had  almost  said  perennially,  a 
smother  of  pure  yellow  blossom. 

The  moat  satisfactory  garden  plant  of  them  all 
is  Cypress  Vine  (I.  Quamoclit),  too  well  known  to 
need  description.  It  is  manageable,  and  what  can 
be  daintier  than  its  starry  flowers  and  delicate 
foliage?  I  grow  both  the  full  red  and  while, 
preferring  the  type.  A  paler  red  or  pink  which 
sometimes  appears  is  not  so  good. 

The  Verandah. 

Every  house  has  its  Stephanotis  on  the  verandah, 
and  it  would  be  an  affectation  of  singularity  to 
depart  from  the  general  custom.  Nothing  can  be 
more  suitable,  nothing  sweeter.  It  is  very  slow 
to  start,  and  for  the  first  year  seems  to  be  feeling 
its  way  under  ground.  When  it  does  begin,  growth 
is  remarkably  rapid.  It  flowers  twice  a  year  in 
the  rainy  seasons.  May  being  its  best  month.  The 
other  climber  on  my  verandah  is  Asparagus  falcata, 
a  kind  with  delicate  long  leaves.  It  flowers  very 
seldom,  and  this  defect  is  remedied  by  the  addition 
of  that  charming  annual  Maurandya  barclayana 
alba.  The  two  together  make  the  happiest  com- 
bination, and  seem  so  much  to  belong  to  each 
other  that  I  am  never  tempted  to  make  a  change. 

A  narrow  slip  of  border  along  the  length  of  the 
verandah  is  intended  to  be  always  bright,  but 
man  proposes  and  my  four  pussies  dispose  and 
depose — not  always  discreetly.  This  strip,  too, 
labours  under  the  same  disability  as  the  one  at 
the  end  of  the  outbuildings.  It  is  an  extra  hot 
sun-trap,  and  is  the  first  place  that  wants  cooling 
with  the  hose  in  the  afternoon,  not  that  we  are 
particular  to  carry  out  the  old  rule  of  waiting  till 


the  sun  is  off  before  we  begin  to  water.  If  we  did 
that  we  should  never  get  through  our  work.  I 
ply  the  hose  right  through  the  cloudless  days  of 
July  and  August,  and  no  ill  results  ensue,  the  water 
being  hard,  limey,  and  cold.  An  e.xeellent  pro- 
fessional gardener  of  my  acquaintance  in  Essex 
waters  there,  too,  in  full  sunshine.  "  When  you 
see  your  plants  flagging,"  he  used  to  say,  "give 
them  a  little  help."  Young  plants  just  put  out 
might  perhaps  be  injuriously  affected,  but  over 
them  we  also  contrive  some  light  shading  for  a 
few  days  till  they  are  established.  What  we  chiefly 
use  for  this  purpose  is  Umbrella  Grass  (Cyperus 
elegans).  This  handsome  grass  is  one  of  the 
principal  features  of  the  river-growth  at  Castleton, 
and  I  have  naturalised  it  here,  and  was  pleased  to 
find  a  good  tuft  of  it  one  day  two  miles  down 
stream.  It  is  sometimes  called  Papyrus  elegans, 
and  is  a  compact  version  of  the  Egyptian  Papyrus. 
It  makes  a  tidy,  easily  adjustable  shelter  for  small 
plants.  Over  anything  large  we  put  Mango  boughs, 
the  ever-ready  cutlass  lopping  them  off  some  neigh- 
bouring trees. 

OrR  Tools. 
The  cutlass,  long-bladed  and  short-hafted,  is 
the  most  useful  tool,  and  right  skilfully  the  natives 
handle  it.  No  man  goes  to  his  work  without  one, 
and  endless  are  its  uses.  Besides  its  primary 
function  of  clearing  bush  and  cutting  posts  and 
rails,  it  is  employed  to  chop  firewood,  dig  holes, 
mow  grass,  open  tins  and  cocoanuts,  and  dibble 
in  Peas.  It  speaks  much  in  favour  of  the  negro 
that,  with  his  hot,  excitable,  southern  blood,  this 
murderous  weapon  is  so  seldom  used  for  offence. 
Instances  of  "chopping"  with  a  cutlass  are  rare. 
His  other  tools  are  a  "  picker"  (pickaxe)  to  turn 
up  the  ground,  and  a  hoe  to  weed  it.     Sometimes 


the  fork  is  used  in  the  garden,  but  Headlani 
prefers  to  wield  the  picker,  even  in  the  old  often- 
turned  soil.  Naked  feet  do  not  tread  the  fork 
well,  and  when  it  is  used  it  is  thrust  down  with  a 
vigorous  motion  from  the  shoulders,  making  it 
harder  to  work  with  than  the  picker.  In  the  hills 
you  never  see  a  spade,  and  down-turned  fingers  do 
duty  for  the  rake.  W.  J. 


GARDEN   DOORAVAY  CROW^NED 
WITH  CLEMATIS   MONTANA. 

Many  are  the  uses  of  this  noble  climber,  the 
earliest  to  bloom  of  the  far-rambling  plants 
that  grace  our  gardens.  Often,  as  in  the 
illustration,  when  it  is  planted  on  one  side  of 
a  wall,  and  has  amply  done  its  duty  there,  its 
many  long  streamers  may  be  trained  over  the 
top  and  made  to  play  an  important  part  in 
quite  a  different  garden  picture.  In  the  case 
shown  it  has  come  over  to  the  sunny  side  of 
the  wall,  and  drooping  down  helps  to  form  a 
picture  of  white  blossom  in  combination  with 
two  prosperous  bushes  of  Ohoisya,  the  earliest 
blooms  being  on  this  side.  A  little  later  the 
same  plant  is  in  beauty  on  the  north  side, 
where  its  picture  companion  is  a  Guelder  Rose, 
also  trained  to  the  wall. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

A  Curious  Tulip. 
Mr.    Henry   N.    Mathews,     Dimlands,     Ealing, 
sends  a  curious  Tulip  stem  with  three  flowers  of 


CLEMATIS   MONTANA   WREATHING  A   GARDEN   DOOR. 


374 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[May   25,  1901. 


varying  size.  Our  correspondent  writes  :  "I  have 
grown  Tulips  for  many  j'ears,  but  have  never  seen 
a  similar  case." 

Mr.  Greenwood  Pirn  sends  from  County  Dublin 
the  following  interesting  flowers  : — 

Rhodotypos  kkkrioides. 
The  only  species  of  its  genus  ;  a  charming  shrub 
from    Japan,   nearly   allied    to   the    better-known 
Kerria   japoniea.      The   four-petalled,   pure  white 
blooms  would  be  like  a  single  Rose  or  Rubus  but 
for   the   want   of    the    fifth    petal,    which    is    an 
invariable  character  of  the  Rose  group.     The  fresh 
green      leaves     are      strongly 
pleated  and  richl}'  serrated  at 
the   edge.       It   is    a    shrub   of 
great  refinement  that  should  be 
oftener  grown.     Its  onl}'  fault 
is  that  it  is  rather  too  sparing 
of  its  pretty  flowers. 

edw.4rdsia  jiicropiiylla  (the 

New  Zealand  Laburnum). 

The  former  genus  Edwardsia 
is   now   included   in    Sophora. 
The  bunch  of  yellow  bloom,  in 
a   terminal   panicle  on    the  as 
3'et  leafless  shoot,  is  of  a  rather 
heav3'   yellow   colour,    that    is 
relieved   from    dulness   by  the 
harmonious      association,      in- 
teresting   to   a    colour-trained 
eye,  with  the  browner  yellow 
of    the     calyx,     which     again 
deepens     to     the 
still      browner 
peduncle.    All  the 
genus    have    pin- 
nate leaves.     One 
of       them,       S . 
japoniea,     pro- 
duces a  fine   yel- 
low dye,   used  in 
China  for  dyeing 
silks. 

Vbeonica  lavau- 
diana. 
One  of  the  neat 
and  beautiful  New 
Zealand  species, 
with  leathery, 
obovate,  crenate- 
dentate  leaves, 
whose  neat  pretti- 
ness  is  much  en- 
hanced    by     the 


ABMSTRONGII.) 

(From  a  drawing 
by  B.  a.  Moon.) 


toothed  edge  being  tinted  red.  The  terminal 
flowers  are  in  a  corymb  of  neat  bloom,  each  little 
stalk  carrying  a  close  cluster  of  pink  bud  surrounded 
by  white  bloom,  giving  the  appearance  of  a  double 
or  compound  flower.     A  charming  dwarf  shrub. 

Convolvulus  Cneorum. 
A  pretty,  silky-leaved  South  European  plant, 
hardy  only  in  the  best  climates  of  our  islands. 
The  whole  plant  is  covered  with  a  satin-like  down 
that  even  clothes  the  pinkish  bands  on  the  back  of 
the  corolla. 


Mr.   (1.   M.   Taylor   sends   from    Inveresk,    near 
Edinburgh, 

A  Spray  of  Latiiy-rus  pubescen.s, 
a  beautiful  plant,  seed  of  which  has  lately  been 
distributed  by  Messrs.  Thompson  and  Morgan,  of 
Ipswich.  The  colour  is  a  fine  blue  in  the  green- 
house-flowered specimen  ;  if  it  is  any  stronger  in 
the  open  air  it  will  be  a  grand  thing  indeed.  The 
racemes  in  the  specimen  sent  each  bear  thirteen 
flowers,  the  individual  flower  being  the  size  of  a 
small  Sweet  Pea.  As  the  thirteen  blooms  are  set 
on  a  space  of  not  more  than  2  inches  at  the  end  of 
the  flower -stem,  whose  whole  length,  bloom 
included,  is  only  6  inches,  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
head  of  the  flower  is  handsomely  filled,  though  not 
crowded.     The  downy  covering  of  the  plant  gives 


it  a  distinct  appearance,  as  most  of  the  genus  are 
glabrous.  Mr.  Taylor  writes  as  follows  : — "  I  send 
you  a  flowering  spray  of  Lathyrus  pubescens. 
This  has  been  flowered  under  glass,  and,  therefore, 
I  think  the  colour  is  not  so  deep  as  it  would  other- 
wise have  been.  Seeds  of  this  rare  varietj'  of 
Lalhyrus  were  ofiered  last  season  by  a  well-known 
firm  of  hardy  plant  specialists,  but  doubts  were 
expressed  b}'  them  as  to  its  conforming  with  the 
Lathyrus  under  this  name,  figured  in  a  coloured 
plate  in  The  Garden  of  iOlh  October,  189S,  as 
the  description  they  got  of  it  did  not  at  all  coincide 
with  that  given  by  Mr.  Arnott  in  his  article  accom- 
panying the  coloured  plate.  .ludging  from  the 
plant  here  1  think  that  it  is  the  same  variet}',  and 
the  colour  is  practically  the  same.  Mj'  plants  in 
the  open  will  not  flower  for  some  time  j'et,  but  they 
will  make  splendid  companions  to  L.  latifolius 
albus.'' 


Mr.  Kingsmill  sends  from  Harrow  Weald  some 
grandly  berried  sprays  of 

Skimmlv  Foremanni, 

the  closely  clustered  polished  berries  of  a  splendid 
deep  red  colour  and  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in 
diameter.  Mr.  Kingsmill  says:  "My  plant  has 
been  a  real  joy  all  the  winter,  and  the  flowers  have 
been  beautiful  this  spring."  From  the  same 
garden  come  blooms  of  grandly  grown  Trillium 
grandiflorum. 


From  Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson  comes  a  flower  of  the 
new  and  rare 

Lewisia  Tweedii. 

The  eight-petalled  bloom  is  2i  inches  across,  and 
of  a  wonderfully  delicate  colouring  and  texture, 
palest  yellow  shading  to  palest  pink  towards  the 
margins  of  the  petals,  such  a  colour  as  niaj'  be  seen 
in  the  tenderest  tinted  clouds  at  sunrise. 
[We  shall  shortly  illustrate  this. — Eds.] 

From    Mr.    S.    Pope,   jun.,    Manchester,    comes 
flowers  of 

Tulip  Rose  Gris-de-lin  and  Narcissus  Leedsi 

amabilis. 
The  Narcissus  twin-flowered  at  the  top  of  the  stalk, 
the   Tulip   with   two  perfect   flowers  joined  just 
above  the  second  leaf. 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 


A    PINK     FREESIA. 

(Feeesia  Armstronoii.) 

FREESIA  in  which  the  dominating 
colour  is  rich  ro.sy  pink  is  a  welcome 
addition  to  spring-fiowering  green- 
house bulbs.  Such  a  plant  has 
been  in  cultivation  at  Kew  about 
three  years,  and  this  year  it  has 
displayed  itself  to  the  full.  In  general 
characters  it  resembles  the  true  F.  refracta 
(aurea),  difl'ering  only  in  the  absence  of  jiurple 
from  the  leaf  bases  and  in  the  colour  of  the 
flowers.  The  tallest  scapes  are  20  inches  high, 
■with  three  or  four  branches,  the  racemes  bent 
almost  at  right  angles,  and  each  bearing  from 
six  to  eight  fioweis  set  at  ]  inch  apart,  1  inch 
long,  e.xaetly  the  same  in  shaiie  as  tho.se  of 
F.  refracta,  the  tube  white,  with  a  splash  of 
orange  at  the  ba.se,  the  segments  heavily 
margined  or  laced  with  rich  rose  in  which 
there  is  a  suspicion  of  purple.  The  plants 
flouer  at  the  same  time  as  F.  refracta,  that  is, 
about  a  month  later  than  the  larger-flowered 
F.  alba ;  some  of  them  are  still  in  flower 
(May  14).  Kevi'  is  indebted  for  this  plant  to 
Mr.  W.  Armstrong,  of  Port  Elizabeth,  who 
found  it  wild  in  Huniansdorp,  Cajie  Colony 
It  has  ripened  seeds  at  Kew,  and  the  .seedlings 
are  exactly  like  their  parent.  W.  W. 


May   25,  1901.] 


THE'  GARDEN. 


ST.*) 


NOTES    FROM    SCOTLAND. 


SPRING    FLOWERS, 

A  LTHOUGH  the  present  spring  was  sunless 
/\         and  cold,  it  is  remarkable  as   proving 
/   %        the   earliest  for   Tulips   and    Narcissus 
/      %      that   we   have  experienced  since    1896, 
j[  \_   which  was  an  abnormally  early  season. 

The  rapid  manner  these  have  come 
forward  can  be  attributed  only  to  a  few  very  hot 
days  in  April,  which  gave  vegetation  an  impetus 
which  has  continued  ever  since.  The  result  has 
been  that  in  the  earlier  districts  flowers  have 
been  quite  as  forward  as  the  same  kinds  in  the 
south  of  England.  In  the  case  of  private  gardens 
this  is  not  a  matter  of  importance,  but  with 
market  gardeners  it  has  proved  exceedingly 
unfortunate,  because  their  bloom  has  been  ready 
for  sale  at  the  same  time  as  Lincolnshire  and 
Cornwall,  flowers  and  prices  having  been  in  con- 
sequence so  low  as  occasionally  not  to  repay  for 
labour      The  care  and  trouble  taken  b3'  the  Scotch 


in  beds  since  being  turned  out  of  the  propagating 
house  after  having  been  supplied  with  roots.  Then 
there  was  a  great  quarter  in  which  Arum  Lilies  had 
been  planted  immediately  Easter  was  past,  and  their 
place  under  glass  was  at  once  occupied  by  Tomatoes. 
The  Arums  are  never  in  pots,  but  in  October  will  be 
returned  under  glass,  planted  out  in  borders,  and 
spathes  will  begin  to  appear  in  November.        B. 


A     NEAV     FIR-THE     CORK 
"SPRUCE." 

(Abies  aeizonica  vae.  argentea.) 
Although  called  a  "  Spruce,"  this  new  conifer 
is  really  a  Silver  Fir.  It  has  recently  been 
discovered  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Purpus  in  Arizona,  at 
altitudes  of  8,000  feet  to  11,000  feet,  and  in  a 
region  where  severe  snowstorms  occur  as  early 
in  the  season  as  October.  There  is  every 
likelihood,  therefore,  of  its  being  perfectly 
hardy  in  Britain. 
Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  the 


pineta,  the  Fir  commonly  known  in  gardens 
as  A.  lasiocarpa  (which  is  one  of  our  most 
popular  and  ornamental  conifers),  being  A. 
lowiana.  Properly,  therefore,  this  new  "tree 
from  Arizona  should  be  called  Abies  lasiocarpa 
var.  arizonica. 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 


CULTURE     OF     PERSIAN 
CYCLAMENS. 

RECENTLY,    before   the    Kidderminstei- 
Horticultural  Societj',  a  capital  paper- 
upon  Persian  Cyclamens  was  read  by 
Mr.     Dixon,    who    said    the    original 
Cyclamen  persicum  was  introduced  into 
England  from  Cyprus  in  the  year  17.31. 
The  plant  is  known  as  Sowbread,  from  being  the 
favourite  food'of'the  wild  boars  in  Sicily,  where  it 
is  found  wild.     It  is  propagated   by  seed,   which 


growers,  some  of  whom  cultivate  Daffodils  by  the 
acre,  to  put  the  flowers  on  the  market  in  first-rate 
condition  is  beyond  all  praise,  and  the  public  have 
not  them  to  blame  if  the  flowers  they  purchase 
are  not  in  first-class  condition.  The  method  of 
procedure,  as  I  saw  quite  recently  in  a  large 
establishment,  is  to  gather  ihc  flowers  before  they 
are  fully  expanded.  They  are  then  placed  in 
water  in  earthenware  vessels,  each  of  which  holds 
a  few  dozen  blooms,  and  these  are  set  in  cool 
structures  until  ready  for  bunching.  While  here 
they  are  carefully  graded  and  then  passed  on  to  be 
bunched,  twelve  blooms  in  each  bunch,  and  there- 
afler  are  packed  in  shallow  boxes,  which  are  tied 
in  bundles  for  more  easy  handling  in  transit.  The 
ground,  even  at  a  distance  from  towns,  lets  at 
from  £5  to  £12  per  acre.  They  have,  however, 
methods  of  working  which  the  private  gardener 
would  hesitate  to  follow.  Thus,  at  the  end  of 
April,  in  the  establishment  in  question,  I  found 
already  6,000  Chrysanthemums  potted  into  their 
flowering  pots  and  arranged  in  the  open  air  to 
make  growth  for  the  season.  The  plants  were 
being  lifted  from  frames,  heated  for  exigencies 
earlier  in  the  year,  where  they  had  been  growing 


THE  CORK    "spruce" — FOLIAGE,    BARK,   AND   CONE. 

tree  is  its  bark.  This  is  of  a  creamy  white  or 
greyish  colour,  and  of  a  corky  nature.  It  begins 
to  show  this  corky  character  in  a  noticeable 
degree  when  the  plant  is  about  4  feet  high, 
and,  of  course,  it  becomes  more  marked  as  the 
tree  gets  older  and  bigger.  Another  beautiful 
feature  of  this  Fir  is  its  silvery  foliage,  which 
is  said  to  surpass  even  that  of  Picea  pungens 
glauca  in  beauty.  The  leaves  are  about  1  j  inches 
long,  and  arranged  in  the  ordinary  Silver  Fir 
fashion,  that  is,  in  two  crowded,  opposite  rows. 
The  plant  probably  does  not  as  yet  e.Kist  in  a 
living  state  in  this  country ;  but  specimens 
showing  a  leafy  branch  and  the  curious  and 
beautiful  corky  bark  have  recently  been  received 
from  Herr  H.  Henkel,  of  Darmstadt,  who  has 
succeeded  in  importing  and  establishing  in  his 
nursery  this  promising  acquisition. 

With  regard  to  the  identity  and  relation- 
ship of  this  Abies,  it  appears  to  be  a  silver- 
leaved  variety  of  the  true  Abies  lasiocarpa 
(of  Hooker),  which  is  also  known  as  A.  sub- 
alpina.      This    is   a  rare   plant   in    European 


should  be  sown  soon  after  it  is  ripe,  as  new  seeds 
germinate  more  freely  than  old  seed,  and  con- 
sequently there  is  a  better  growth  of  the  young 
plant.  The  seed  should  be  sown  in  August ;  if  all 
went  well  the  3'oung  plants  would  be  up  in  aboiit 
six  weeks,  and  should  bloom  in  the  following 
September,  and  continue  doing  so  till  March,  thus 
making  a  fine  display  through  the  dark  days  of 
winter.  Use  an  ordinarj'  seed  pan  or  box,  with 
plenty  of  holes  in  it  for  drainage,  cover  these 
with  an  inch  or  t^^•o  of  clean  crocks,  carefuUj' 
placed.  Over  this  place  some  moss,  to  prevent  the 
soil  from  filling  up  the  drainage  :  then  fill  up  the 
pan  or  box  with  a  compost  ma<le  up  of  good  turfy 
loam  and  leaf-mould,  in  equal  parts,  and  a  good 
proportion  of  clean,  sharp  sand.  Jlixing  the  whole 
well  together,  pass  it  through  a  Vinch  riddle  ;  put 
the  coarse  parts  next  to  the  moss  to  within  2  inches 
of  the  top  of  the  pan,  and  finish  off  with  the  fine 
material.  The  soil  should  be  in  a  right  condition, 
that  is,  neither  too  wet  nor  too  drj',  and  it  will  not 
need  watering  before  sowing  the  seed. 
Sowing. 
The  seed  should  be  sown  or  dribbled  in  about 
an  inch  apart  each  way  (so  as  to  give  the  A-oung 


376 


THE     GAllDEN. 


[May    25,   1901. 


plants  plentj'  of  room,  as  they  will  stand  in  the 
seed  pan  until  the  enil  of  the  J'ear),  eover  the  seed 
witli  Jine  soil,  as  previously  named,  about  \  ineh. 
Label  the  pan  witli  tlie  name  and  date  of  sowing, 
as  this  is  veiy  useful  for  reference.  Water  with  a 
fine  rose  to  settle  the  soil,  and  place  a  piece  of 
glass  shaded,  or  a  slate,  to  prevent  evaporation, 
over  it.  Place  the  pan  in  a  house  or  pit,  ha\'ing  a 
temperature  of  50°  or  60°— a  few  degrees  more  or 
less  is  not  very  material.  If  the  glass  or  slate  is 
kept  on  the  pan,  the  soil  will  not  need  \N'ater 
for  a  considerable  time,  but  it  must  never  be 
allowed  to  become  dry  or  failure  will  follow. 

Tke.itment  of  the  Seedlings. 
I  like  to  leave  the  seedlings  in  the  seed  pan  until 
the  new  year  comes  in — mine  were  potted  this 
season  on  the  last  day  of  the  old  year.  As  soon  as 
the  seedlings  are  seen  to  be  peeping  through  the 
soil,  the  slate  or  glass  should  be  removed,  partiallj' 
at  first,  and  afterwards  entirely,  and  in  case  of 
bright  sunshine  they  must  be  shaded  by  a  piece 
of  newspaper  or  some  such  article.  After  the 
seedlings  are  up  they  must  be  damped  overhead 
two  or  three  times  a  day  with  a  fine  rose  or  spray 
from  a  syringe,  using  soft  or  rain  water  alwaj's,  as 
hard  water  contains  lime,  which  disfigures  the 
foliage  and  does  not  suit  the  plant.  Keep  them 
as  near  tlie  glass  as  possible. 

First  Potting. 

The  soil  for  the  first  potting  should  be  the  same 
as  that  in  which  the  seedlings  were  raised,  that 
is,  good  loam,  leaf-mould,  and  sand  in  nearly  ecjual 
proportions.     Some  loam  is  heavy,  and  some  just 


as  light,  therefore,  in  mixing  soil,  as  in  other 
things,  each  one  must  be  entirelj'  guided  bj'  his  own 
circumstances.  The  size  of  the  first  pot  should  be 
about  '2h  inches.  They  must  be  half  filled  with 
drainage,  for  upon  this  depends  the  welfare  of  the 
young  plant.  The  seedling  must  be  lifted  from  the 
seed  pan  with  a  little  ball  of  soil,  and  every  root 
intact.  Now  you  will  be  able  to  see  the  advantage 
of  placing  the  seeds  an  inch  or  so  apart  when  sow- 
ing ;  if  the}^  were  closer  together  the  roots  would 
get  broken  in  separating  them,  the  soil  would 
fall  away,  and  the  plant  receive  a  severe  check. 
Pot  lightly,  keeping  the  young  corm  about  half- 
way out  of  the  soil.  After  potting,  water  tliem 
with  a  fine  rose,  and  place  them  back  ^^■here  they 
came  from,  or  a  similar  place,  close  to  the  glass, 
and  the  temperature  from  55°  to  60°,  always 
shading  from  sunshine,  and  damping  overhead  as 
before.  At  the  first  sign  of  insect  life,  such  as 
green  fly,  thrips,  &c. ,  they  must  be  fumigated,  or 
vaporised,  which  is  the  better  plan,  for  there  is  no 
plant  which  suffers  so  quicklj'  as  the  Cj'clamen 
from  insect  pests,  and  without  clean,  healthy 
foliage  j'ou  cannot  get  satisfactory  results. 

Repotting. 

In  due  time,  if  all  has  gone  well  with  the  young 
plants,  they  will  re[[uire  another  shift  into  3-inch 
pots  or  4i-inch  pots.  I  need  not  say  that  the 
largest  plants  should  be  \n\t  into  the  largest  pots. 
The  soil  should  be  the  same  as  before,  with  the 
addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  manure  in  the 
shape  of  Thompson's  or  Ichthemic  guano,  but 
whatever  is  used  be  careful  not  to  overdo  it,  as  the 
young  tender  roots  are  easily  injured.     Keep  the 


corm  well  up  out  of  the  soil,  as  in  the  last  potting, 
and  pot  fairly  firm.  Water  overheafl  to  settle  the 
soil  (I  take  it  for  granted  that  the  pots  have  been 
well  and  properly  drained),  and  continue  to  damp 
overhead  two  or  three  times  a  day,  with  rain  water 
if  possible.  They  should  be  placed  as  before,  close 
to  the  glass,  so  that  the  leaves  do  not  touch,  and  a 
nice  growing  temperature  maintained. 

Repottinc:,  Final  Stage. 

By  the  end  of  May  or  middle  of  June,  according 
to  the  progress  the  plants  have  made,  they  will  be 
ready  for  their  final  shift  into  6-inch  pots  or  7-inch 
pots.  They  will  be  sturdj'  little  specimens,  with  a 
dozen  or  more  healthy  leaves  and  roots  to  match. 
Gradually  harden  them  to  cold  frame  temperature. 
In  preparing  the  pots  always  remember  that  the 
larger  the  pot  the  more  careful  should  the  drainage 
be  placed,  and  more  of  it.  The  crocks  should  be 
about  2  inches  deep  in  this  sized  pot,  with  moss  or 
other  rough  material  over  them,  thenasntall  quantity 
of  soil,  and  then  the  plant.  Fill  up  with  soil,  being 
careful  not  to  break  any  leaves  in  doing  so,  leaving 
the  top  of  the  soil  rather  more  than  ^  ineh  from 
the  top  of  the  pot  to  allow  for  watering.  After 
potting,  place  them  in  a  cold  frame,  having  a  north 
or  east  aspect.  Keep  the  glass  clean,  and  let  them 
have  as  much  light  as  possible  ;  shade  from  bright 
sunshine  and  continue  to  damp  o^'erhead  until  the 
middle  of  August,  after  which  time  it  must  be 
discontinued,  as  the  plants  do  not  dry  up  so  rapidly. 
The  lights  may  be  left  off  on  tine  nights  after  the 
plants  have  got  well  established,  and  they  will 
benefit  greatly  thereby.  Water  should  not  be 
allowed  to  get  in  among  the  leaves  at  this  season. 


poppies    and    FO.MiLOVES    BY    WATERSIDE. 


May  25,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN. 


377 


as  it  is  very  apt  to  make  them 
damp  off  at  the  base,  spoiling  the 
flowers  also. 

Housing  the  Plants. 

About  the  end  of  September  the 
plants  should  be  taken  into  the 
greenhouse,  as  they  will  be  throwing 
up  their  flowers  fast  now.  The  pots 
should  be  washed,  and  any  decaying 
flowers  or  foliage  removed.  The 
house  must  be  kept  well  ventilated 
on  all  favourable  occasions,  and  in 
ease  of  sudden  outbursts  of  sunshine, 
which  sometimes  come  on  at  this 
time  of  the  year,  they  must  be 
shaded.  The  pots  being  well  filled 
with  roots,  tliey  may  have  a  little 
liquid  manure  occasionallj',  such  as 
soot  water  or  drainage  from  cow  house 
or  stable,  but  it  nuist  be  well 
diluted  or  mischief  will  result.  The 
plants  will  need  careful  attention  as 
to  watering,  never  allowing  them  to 
become  dry,  nor  yet  to  get  over- 
watered,  and  they  will  reward  the 
grower  with  a  wealth  of  blossom  all 
the  winter  long,  right  on  into  March. 
In  gathering  the  flowers  they  should 
always  be  pulled  with  a  sharp  jerk, 
and  not  cut,  as  this  will  be  sure  to 
cause  damping,  the  parts  of  the 
stems  that  are  left  will  go  rotten 
and  spread  rapidly  to  the  others, 
making  the  plants  look  very  patchy 
and  untidy. 

Second  Year's  TRE.iTMENT. 

Those  who  have  room  to  accom- 
modate them  for  a  second  year 
will  find  that  they  will  very  well  repay  a  little 
care  and  trouble,  as  they  come  into  flower  later 
in  the  spring,  and  so  will  prolong  the  supply 
of  flowers  quite  another  month  after  the  seed- 
lings are  over.  After  flowering  they  shovild  be 
put  away,  not  under  the  stage  or  in  a  corner 
where  they  will  receive  no  attention,  but  in  a 
cold  frame  near  the  glass,  where  they  can  be 
attended  to  as  usual.  They  should  not  be  allowed 
to  suffer  from  want  of  water  or  be  dried  off 
suddenly.  The  best  plan,  and  the  one  involving 
the  least  trouble,  is  to  make  up  a  frame,  with  at 
least  12  inches  of  soil  on  a  well-drained  bottom, 
and  plant  them  out  carefully,  giving  them  a  good 
soaking  to  settle  the  soil  about  the  plants,  after 
which  they  should  be  treated  very  much  the  same 
as  the  seedlings,  with  regard  to  giving  air,  damp- 
ing, and  shading.  When  the  plants  are  seen  to  be 
making  new  foliage  they  should  be  carefully  lifted 
and  potted  in  suitable  sized  pots,  using  the  same 
kind  of  soil  as  for  the  seedlings,  taking  care  to 
leave  the  eorm  well  out  of  the  soil.  After  potting, 
keep  the  plants  rather  close  and  shaded  for  a  few 
days  to  encourage  root  action.  About  the  end  of 
September  they  should  be  brought  into  the  green- 
house and  placed  in  a  light  airy  position,  where 
they  will  not  get  drawn.  The  stage  on  which  the 
plants  are  to  be  placed  should  be  covered  with 
ashes,  shells,  fine  gravel,  or  some  such  moisture- 
holding  material,  and  although  the  plants  should 
not  be  damped  overhead,  for  reasons  previously 
stated,  the  syringe  should  be  used  in  amongst  the 
pots,  and  the  material  on  which  they  stand  should 
be  kept  moist.  In  the  case  of  open  staging,  it 
should  be  covered  with  slates,  old  boards,  or  sack- 
ing to  prevent  the  ashes  or  other  material  falling 
through.  In  handling  the  plants,  it  should  be  done 
carefully,  as  the  leaves  are  heavy,  and  if  they  once 
get  down  over  the  pot  they  do  not  easily  recover 
themselves.  I  think  something  may  be  said  as  to 
the  value  of  a  good  patch  of  Cyclamen,  both  from 
a  decorative  point  of  view,  and  also  from  a  com- 
mercial one.  Take  the  latter  point  first  :  Crood 
flowers  sell  readily  at  from  4d.  to  6d.  per  dozen, 
and  when  they  can  be  used  at  home  by  the  florist, 
and  made  up  into  wreaths,  bouquets,  &c. ,  I  think 
we  may  sa}'  they  are  worth  a  little  more  ;  and  good 
plants  will  produce  say  four  or  five  dozen  flowers 
each,  so  that  they  will  pay  to  grow  from  that 
point  of  view.     Then  take  it  as  a  decorative  plant. 


DENDROBIUM    N0BIU5    WITH    217    TLOWERS. 


I  have  never  met  a  person  yet  who  has  told  me 
that  they  did  not  like  the  Cyclamen.  Some  varie- 
ties are  very  sweet-scented,  and  can  be  detected  al 
once  on  entering  the  house  by  their  perfume. 
These  are  mostly  of  the  smaller  flowering  kind. 
The  giant  varieties  are  not  scented,  as  a  rule,  nor 
do  they  throw  so  many  flowers  as  the  smaller  ones. 
The  plants  are  very  effective  when  placed  in  blocks 
of  colour,  that  is,  a  mass  of  white  and  one  of  red 
alternately. 


A  USE  FOR  ANNUAL  FLOAVERS. 

We  think  the  accompanying  illustration,  repro- 
duced from  a  photograph  taken  in  the  charming 
garden  of  Lady  Algernon  Gordon  Lennox,  will 
interest  those  who  have  similar  places  to  beautify. 
Here  in  a  delightful  way  Poppigs  have  been  sown 
on  the  bank  by  water-side,  and  mixed  with  Fox- 
gloves and  other  flowers.  This  is  quite  a  new  use 
for  the  Shirley  Poppies,  which  here  in  the  summer 
months  make  shimmering  clouds  of  pink  and 
colours  as  delicate  as  ever  stained  the  Tea  Rose. 
It  is  this  free  scattering  of  annual  flowers  that  is 
so  charming  in  the  garden.  The  illustration  shows 
the  kind  of  effect  possible  by  their  use. 


DENDROBIUM    NOBILE. 

We  have  received  from  Mr.  W.  Ward,  gardener 
to  H.  Harrison,  Esq.,  of  Stanley,  Blackburn, 
Lancashire,  a  photograjih  of  a  splendid  plant 
of  this  Dendrobium,  and  we  are  pleased  to  give 
a  reproduction  of  it.  The  plant  has  217  flowers 
open  at  one  time.  Few  Orchids  are  more 
deservedly  popular  than  this  fine  s)iecies. 


NOTES    FROM    BADEN-BADEN. 

As  to  Cyclamen  libanoticum,  I  must  state  that  it 
has  not  proved  hardy  here  ;  it  was  killed  by  frost 
penetrating  the  soil  to  a  depth  of  60  centimetres  at 
14°  Fahrenheit.  Still,  I  consider  it  a  valuable 
plant,  with  a  great  future  before  it.  Another  fine 
species  new  to  science  and  cultivation  has  been 
collected  of  late  in  one  of  the  Cycladcs,  although 
these  islands  have  been  repeatedly  visited  by 
botanists.      Corydalis    densiflora    is    one    of    the 


earliest  of  spring  flowers  and  very  pretty  ;  it  has 
showy  heads  of  rose-purple  flowers.  Iris  attica  is 
the  foremost  of  the  rhizomalous  section.  It  is 
only  a  few  inches  high  and  looks  like  a  miniature 
I.  pumila,  the  blooms  varying  through  yellow, 
blue,  and  violet.  Campanula  Steveni  var.  dasy- 
carpa  is  a  charming  early  alpine.  The  flowers, 
2  inches  long  and  as  much  across,  of  deep  shining 
blue,  are  borne  on  slender  stalks  only  6  inches  in 
height.  A  new  species  of  Mertensia  from  the 
north-western  Himalayas  is  strikingly  beautiful. 
It  very  much  resembles  a  large-flowered  Myosotis, 
but  the  colour  is  deep  ultramarine  changing  to 
violet. 

Baden-Baden.  Max  Leichtlin. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 


TURNIP     CARTER'S 
FORCING. 


OUNG    Turnips     are    valuable    in     the 
pring,    as,    no    matter    how   carefully 


Y.  . 
stored,  the  autumn  roots  lose  flavour 
when  they  grow  out,  and  any  variety 
that  forces  readih'  is  worth  noting. 
This  variety  diti'ers  from  the  ordinary 
Turnip  in  being  of  more  rapid  growth,  and,  when 
grown  in  heat,  bulbs  up  quickly.  The  latter  is  a 
great  gain,  as  the  difficulty  with  forced  Turnips  is 
that  they  often  run  badl}',  and  both  time  and  seed 
are  wasted.  This  is  an  oblong  root,  and,  owing  to 
its  length,  it  is  of  great  value  in  light,  porous  soils, 
as  it  draws  more  moisture  from  the  soil  and  keeps 
longer  in  a  solid  condition.  From  seed  sown  in  a 
frame  on  a  slight  hotbed,  good  roots  may  be  had  in 
ten  weeks,  and  even  less  if  drawn  in  a  young  state 
and  sown  thinlj'.  For  a  first  crop  in  the  open  it  is 
equally  valuable  on  account  of  it  maturing  more 
rapidly  than  others,  and,  with  regard  to  quality,  it 
is  first-rate.  The  flesh  is  pure  white,  the  top  not 
coarse,  and  the  root  remarkably  sweet. 

A  GOOD  FORCING  LETTUCE. 

In  the  early  spring  months  there  is  a  demand  for 
Lettuce  tor  salad,  and  those  that  have  close,  com- 
pact hearts  are  the  kinds  liked.     These  are  not 


378 


THE    GARDEN. 


'May  25,   1901. 


WILD    HYDRANGEA    IN    THE    HIMALAYA. 


autumn  varieties  ;  tlie  latter,  sown  for  spring,  do 
not  form  hearts  so  quickly  as  the  forced  Lettuce  of 
the  Golden  Queen  type.  The  best  forcing  Lettuce 
I  have  tried  for  early  spring  supplies  is  the  (Jolden 
Queen,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is 
the  quickest  Lettuce  to  mature.  Grown  under 
glass  from  the  start  to  finish,  it  may  be  had  fit  for 
table  in  less  than  three  months  if  sown  at  the 
beginning  of  the  j'ear.  Another  point  in  its  favour 
is  its  bright  yellow  colour.  In  the  salad  bowl  this 
is  a  gain,  as  very  early  in  the  year  blanched  salads 
are  none  too  plentiful.  Seedlings  planted  out  on 
a  mild  hotbed  early  in  February  will  give  good 
cutting  material  early  in  April,  and  if  a  frame  cannot 
be  spared,  some  boxes  may  be  planted  and  grown 
under  glass.  Growth  is  rapid,  and  the  produce 
will  be  valuable  for  early  use.  The  plants  will 
turn  in  much  earlier  than  the  autumn-sown  .seed- 
lings. G.  W. 


SAVOY  CABBAGE  UNIVERSAL. 

In  cold  winters  or  in  the  first  two  months  of  the 
year  a  good  patch  of  Savoy  is  most  valuable. 
Many  growers  sow  the  seed  too  early  to  get  their 
best  value.  I  fail  to  see  any  advantage  in  having 
them  ready  for  use  when  there  is  an  abundance  of 
Cauliflower  and  White  Cabbage.  I  prefer  to  sow 
the  seed  in  May,  according  to  the  kind  grown. 
All  the  large  kinds  are  longer  coming  into  use, 
are  much  coarser,  and  not  to  be  compared  in 
flavour  to  the  kind  above  named  and  other  small 
growers.  This  was  one  of  Mr.  (Jilbert's  raising, 
and  a  good  kind  it  is,  being  quite  distinct  from 
others.  The  heads  are  conical,  which  is  an 
advantage,  as  they  do  not  hold  the  wet  like  flat- 
headed  kinds,  consequently  stand  the  frost  better. 
This  was  evident  in  our  garden  this  year,  where  the 
two  types  were  growing  side  by  side.  The  Savoys 
were  excellent,  and  kept  us  supplied  until  the  end 
of  February.  Another  advantage  of  the  smaller 
kinds  is  that  they  do  not  need  to  be  planted  out  so 
early.  Our  rule  is  to  get  them  out  the  first  or 
second  week  in  August,  after  midseason  Potatoes, 


and  I  have  sown  seed  of  Tom  Thumb  early  in  July, 
planting  them  out  thickly,  and  had  an  abundance 
of  Savoy.  Where  close  cropping  has  to  be  adopted, 
kinds  that  stand  long  on  the  ground  must  be 
avoided.  J.  Crook. 


TREES    AND    SHRUBS. 


HIMALAYAN    HYDRANGEAS. 

A  BOUT  half  a  dozen  .specie.s  of  Hydrangea 

/\  are  known  to  inhabit  the  Himalaya, 

/  \        but  not  one  of  them  has  been  proved 

/ — \       of  the  same  value  in  the  garden  as 

I        V     the  best  of  those  we  have  obtained 

from  Japan,  which,  of  course,  include 

H.  hortensia,  H.  paniculata,  and  their  varieties. 

Japan  is,  indeed,  both  as  regards  the  number 

of  species  and  their  value  as  ornamental  shrubs, 

the  headquarters  of   this  genus.      I  am  only 

acquainted   with   two   species    of    Himalayan 

Hydrangeas  under  cultivation  in  this  country. 

One  of   these  is   H.  vestita,   the  other  is  H. 

altissima,  a  fine  plant  of  which  clothes  one  of 

the  pillars  in  the  large  temperate  house  at 

Kew. 

//.  vest/itn. — This  species  occurs  wild  in  the 
temperate  Himalaya  from  Bhotan  to  Kumaon 
at  altitudes  of  8,000  feet  to  10,000  feet,  also 
on  the  Khasia  Mountains  at  somewhat  lower 
elevations.  In  these  regions  it  becomes  almost 
a  small  tree,  attaining  a  stature  of  15  feet. 
Even  under  cultivation  in  Britain,  its  growths 
are  amongst  the  strongest  and  .stoutest  seen  in 
the  Hydrangeas.  The  ovate  or  oblong  leaves 
are  4  inches  to  9  inches  long,  toothed,  and  have 
sometimes  a  heart-shaped  base.  The  young 
branches,  the  leaves,  and  the  flower-stalks  are 
all  more  or  less  hairy.  The  flowers  are  borne 
in  flat  corymbs  and  are  white,  the  large,  sterile 


llowers  being  confined  to  the 
outer  jiarts  of  the  corymb. 

//.  (iltixsiiiiii.—  Introduced 
(according  to  Loudon)  in 
liili!),  this  Hydrangea  has 
alv.'ays  been  rare.  I  am  only 
acquainted  with  thespecimen 
in  the  temperate  house  at 
Kew,  alluded  to  above,  and 
am  not  aware  of  the  species 
having  been  successfully 
grown  out  of  doors  in  this 
country.  I  should,  in  fact, 
suspect  that  it  would  not 
be  hardy  oxcejjt  in  the  south- 
western counties  and  places 
with  a  similar  climate.  It 
is  a  shrub  of  rambling  or 
climbing  habit,  and  bears  a 
considerable  resemblance  to 
its  near  ally,  H.  petiolaris  (or 
scandens),  from  Ja]ian.  The 
leaves,  however,  are  larger, 
being  5  inches  to  6  inches 
long,  and  ovate  or  cordate. 
The  flowers,  as  in  nearly 
all  these  wild  Hydrangea.s, 
are  white  and  borne  in 
corymbs,  the  marginal 
flowers  of  which  are  large 
and  showy,  but  sterile,  the 
central  ones  small  and  fer- 
tile. Mr.  C.  B.  Clarke  says 
of  this  species  that  it  only 
differs  from  H.  petiolaris 
(which  is  now  a  fairly  well- 
known  plant  in  gardens)  by 
the  flower  having  fifteen 
stamens,  that  of  H.  petiolaris 
having  only  ten.  But  the 
latter  has  a  closer,  more 
clinging  habit,smaller  leaves, 
and  is  doubtless  much  hardier.  In  the  arboretum 
at  Kew  it  has  been  used  to  cover  a  large  tree 
stump,  and  now  forms  a  distinct  and  strikingly 
handsome  mass  during  the  summer.  H.  altis- 
sima is  frequent  in  the  Himalaya  from  Gurwhal 
to  Bhotan  at  4,000  feet  to  8,000  feet  altitude, 
and  has  also  been  found  in  Sikkim  at  10,000 
feet  above  sea  level. 

Other  Himalayan  Hydrangeas  are :  H.  aspera, 
a  tree-like  species,  sometimes  20  feet  high  ;  H. 
robusta,  8  feet  to  15  feet  high  :  and  H.  stylosa. 
All  three  occur  in  the  Sikkim  Himalaya. 
Arboretum,  Ken:  W.  J.  Bean. 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 

THE    LESSER    NARCISSL 

(Con/iirned  from  pai/e  ,lo,i.) 

I  BELIEVE  all  the  before- mentioned  Narcissi 
dislike  lime,  and  should  be  planted  in 
granitic  staple  with  leaf-mould  or  peat  and 
sand.  Of  the  lesser  trumpets  minimus  is 
quite  the  earliest,  and  interesting  from  its 
great  variety  of  form  ;  it  seems  to  mimic 
every  one  of  the  large  gartlen  sorts.  I  do  not  find 
it  easy  to  keep  over  two  years,  but  nij'  soil,  a  thin 
cold  clay  over  chalk,  evidently  disagrees  with  all 
the  wild  Narcissi.  The  late  W.  Ingram,  of  Belvoir 
Castle  (hardens,  grew  it  better  than  anyone  I  have 
known.  It  is  a  Spanish  mountain  or  hill-side 
plant,  and  its  home,  if  it  will  make  a  permanent 
one  at  all  with  us,  is  probably  in  the  rock  garden. 
The  same  maj'  be  said  of  minor,  which,  from  the 
maintenance  of  its  price,  cannot  increase  very  fast 
in  the  nurseryman's  flat  beds.  Nanus  grows  and 
multiplies  like  Couch-grass  anywhere,  for  which 
reason  I  take  it  to  be  a  garden  seedling.  It  is 
coarser  than  the  two  last-mentioned,  though  effec- 
tive in  mass,  and  will  be  happy  enough  in  positions 
less  aristocratic  than  the  "  reserved  seats  "  of  best 


May  25,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


379 


ledges  and  pockets.  The  little  Pyrenean  moschatus 
has  been  my  despair  in  north-west  Hampshire.  It 
will  sometimes  vouchsafe  to  linger  in  a  dwindling 
way  for  two  seasons  in  grass,  but  as  a  rule  shows 
emphatic  detestation  of  soil,  climate,  and  its 
whole  surroundings  by  an  abrupt  decease.  It  is  a 
gem  among  bulbous  plants  ;  its  pure  white  flowers 
have  a  sparkling,  Nerine-like  "grain,"  and  run 
through  as  many  gradations  of  form  as  minimus. 
I  know  no  specific  for  the  nostalgia  of  this  exile 
from  some  6,000  feet  up  in  the  Pyrenees,  but  merely 
recommend  it  to  those  who  are  fond  of  an  energetic 
and  patient  wrestle  with  an  alpine.  There  are  a 
few  small  garden  forms  of  white  trumpet  Daffodil 
which  should  be  added  to  the  collection.  White 
Minor  is  almost  what  its  name  implies  in  form  and 
colour,  but  I  think  it  scarcely  exists  outside  private 
hands.  Duchess  of  Connaught,  Matson  Vincent, 
and  W.  P.  Milner  are  pretty,  dwarf-growing,  neat- 
habited  varietiss.  A  somewhat  larger  plant  of 
Irish  origin.  Colleen  Bawn,  has  singularly  white 
flowers  ;  it  invariably  dies  out  when  grown  on  the 
ground  line,  and  might  be  tried  in  a  rock  pocket 
with  quick  drainage. 

Maoleai,  a  plant  of  uncertain  history,  but  stated 
in  the  excellent  old  "Cottage  Gardener's  Dic- 
tionary "  to  have  been  brought  from  Smyrna, 
and  perhaps  allied  to  the  Eastern  Tazettas,  is  a 
good  dwarf  plant  and  strong.  Among  the  wild 
Tazettas  there  are  some  very  pretty  forms  of 
small  stature,  which  seem,  unfortunately,  to  have 
dropped  out  of  commerce.  I  used  to  grow  a  very 
good  effective  kind  named  N.  intermedins  bifrons, 
though  it  seemed  a  pure  Tazetta,  short  and  com- 
pact, with  large  heads  of  j'ellow  and  orange.  N. 
dubius,  once  given  me  by  Mr.  Peter  Barr,  is  a 
quite  lovely  pure  white  kind,  with  small,  beauti- 
fully formed  flowers.  I  found  it  unmanageable  on 
the  level.  Two  very  distinct  double  Daifodils  are 
worthy  of  a  place  in  the  rock  garden,  the  neat 
little  Rose-double  Odorus  and  the  star-shaped  soft 
lemon  Capax  or  Queen  Anne's  Daffodil.  Both 
apparently  desire  to  live  in  my  beds,  biit  cannot 
quite  manage  it  for  lack  of  something  which  they 
might  perhaps  find  among  rooks.  The  two  John- 
stonis.  King  and  Queen  of  Spain,  have  a  grace  and 
delicacy  which  entitle  them  to  a  place  on  the 
rock  garden  or  its  border  land.  They  seem  toler- 
ably persistent  in  grass  or  sharply-drained  soil 
free  from  excess  of  lime. 

The  cleverest  gardener  will  net  find  these  lesser 
Narcissi  quite  easy  to  deal  with,  but  I  am  certain 
that  we  add  much  to  our  difficulties  by  continually 
growing  them  from  the  bulb  only.  With  scarcely 
an  exception  the  kinds  I  have  mentioned  increase 
very  slowly  by  offsets  and  ripen  seed  in  abundance 
— clear  enough  finger-post  to  Nature's  method  of 
propagation.  We  are  obliged  to  increase  the  larger 
"florist's"  Daffodils  from  the  bulb  in  order  to 
keep  them  exactly  true,  but  with  these  wildlings 
we  are  under  no  such  restraint.  I  have  noticed 
again  and  again  that  seedlings  of  even  the  most 
difficult  subjects  seem  determined  to  live  until 
they  have  fulfilled  their  mission  of  blooming  once 
and  perfecting  seed  for  the  continuance  of  their 
race.  This  done  they  may  die,  but  what  matters 
it  if  we  have  generations  of  seedlings  following  on 
in  relay  ?  Let  seed  then  be  sown  annually  round 
the  parent  clump  or  dropped  into  crevices  with  a 
pinch  of  soil  in  different  aspects — sown,  in  short, 
in  every  way  that  it  would  be  sown  naturally. 
A  reserve  should  for  greater  certainty  be  kept  in 
boxes  in  a  cold  frame  ;  one  small  frame  will  pro- 
vide an  ample  succession  of  little  bulbs  to  be 
planted  out  in  their  third  j'ear. 

This  leads  to  another  consideration.  As  yet  we 
have  scarcely  any  hybrid  Narcissi  of  what  may  be 
called  alpine  size.  Pretty  but  somewhat  trail 
plants  between  white  Hoop-petticoat  andtriandrus 
have  been  raised  by  Professor  Michael  Foster  and 
independently  by  myself.  I  have  crossed  some  of 
the  Corbularias  with  triandrus,  and  intermarried 
some  few  others  of  the  pigmies.  But  my  work 
has  laid  perforce  chiefly  among  the  larger  Narcissi, 
and  there  remains  an  infinity  of  little  jewels  for 
the  rock  garden  to  be  easily  produced  by  cross- 
fertilisation.  The  miniature  Italian  poeticus  of 
which  I  have  written  would  create,  in  conjunction 
with  minimus,  minor,  and  nanus,  an  endless  chain 


of  tiny  inoomparabilis  forms,  smaller  even  than 
Messrs.  Barr's  Little  IJirk,  which,  l)y  the  way,  I 
have  omitted  from  my  enumeration.  If  these 
were  crossed  again  with  the  same  poeticus  there 
would  result  endless  fairy-like  Burbidgeis.  The 
Pyrenean  moschatus  with  poeticus  would  give 
miniature  Leedsis — in  short,  we  might  have  most 
of  our  garden  Daffodils  reproduced  in  miniature, 
and  these  flowers  of  mixed  blood  would  prove  far 
more  amenable  to  cultivation  than  the  untouched 
wild  species.  Some  one  may  perhaps  be  stimu- 
lated to  the  industrious  manufacture  of  what  I 
may  call  hybrid  alpine  Narcissi. 

George  Engleheart. 


NURSERIES. 


MESSRS.  FISHER,  SON,  AND 
SIBRAY,    LIMITED, 

SITUATED  within  easy  reach  of  bus}' 
Sheffield,  yet  sufficiently  far  removed 
from  it  to  be  practically  beyond  Ihe 
reach  of  any  appreciable  amount  of 
smoke,  are  the  Royal  Handsworth 
Nurseries  of  Messrs  Fisher,  Son,  and 
Sibra}',  Limited,  of  which  firm  Mr.  William 
Atkinson  is  chairman  and  managing  director, 
and  Mr.  W.  Penrose  Atkinson  is  a  director. 
The  most  convenient  method  of  reaching  the 
nurserj'  is  to  take  the  train  for  Darnall  Station,  on 
the  Great  Central  Railway,  although  electric  cars 
will  take  one  from  the  heart  of  Sheffield  (four  miles 
or  so  distant)  to  within  about  a  mile  of  the  nurser}'. 
For  150  years  has  the  firm  of  Fisher,  Son,  and 
Sibray  been  established  at  Handsworth,  and  a 
sight  of  the  nursery  now  would  do  good  the  hearts 
of  those  who  speak  of  land  being  impoverished 
after  some  years  of  culture.  That  at  Handsworth 
is  very  far  from  being  in  such  a  condition.  The 
visitor  cannot  fail  to  be  forcibly  struck  with  the 
almost  absolute  uniformity  of  the  .specimens  of 
hardy  and  tender  plants  in  great  variety  that  are 
cultivated  irpon  the  200  acres  or  more  comprising 
the  nursery.  It  matters  not  where  one  may  look 
the  Rhododendrons,  Conifers,  Hollies,  deciduous 
ornamental  trees,  fruit  trees,  &c. ,  are  alike  in  that 
they  are  splendid  examples  of  good   culture,   the 


bush  evergreens  are  invariably  as  broad  as  they  are 
high.     The  mas.ses  of 

Rhododendrons, 
some  of  which  are  already  in  bloom,  are  particularly 
fine,  the  foliage  could  not  be  a  healthier  green,  nor 
could  the  plants  be  more  full  of  flower  buds.  Two 
varieties,  known  respectivelj'  as  Handsworth  Early 
White  and  Handsworth  Early  Scarlet,  are  appro- 
priately named,  for  their  flowers  have  been  open 
so  long  that  even  now  they  are  practically  over. 
Handsworth  Early  White  is  a  particularly  good 
Rhododendron  for  forcing.  Another  new  early 
variety,  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  we  know,  is 
Lady  Albreda  Fitzwilliam.  The  trusses  of  bloom 
are  wonderfully  good,  and  a  pure  white.  This  is 
undoubtedly  one  of  the  finest  Early  White  Rhodo- 
dendrons in  cultivation.  Others  well  deserving  of 
mention  are  Caucasicum  album,  pure  white  ; 
Bland3'anum,  rosy  crimson  ;  Countess  Fitzwilliam, 
bright  carmine-rose  with  dark  spots  ;  this  is  a  very 
free-blooming  variety  and  bears  an  immense  truss  ; 
Charles  Dickens  is  a  dark  scarlet ;  J.  Marshall 
Brooks,  a  rich  scarlet  with  bronze  spots ;  Mrs. 
John  Glutton,  a  beautiful  white,  and  Sir  Joseph 
Whitworth,  a  dark  lake,  spotted.  Hybrid  seedling 
Rhododendrons  are  numerously  represented  at 
Handsworth,  and  are  to  be  recommended  to  those 
not  caring  to  purchase  named  kinds.  They  are 
saved  from  the  best  named  varieties,  and  in  many 
cases  produce  blooms  almost  equal  to  them. 

Or.namextal  Trees  and  Shrubs. 

Never  before  has  so  much  interest  and  apprecia- 
tion been  shown  in  this  class  of  hardy  shrubs  as  is 
the  case  at  the  present  time,  nor  can  one  wonder 
at  this  when  there  have  been  of  recent  years  so 
many  valuable  introductions  placed  before  the 
public.  With  such  a  great  variety  of  subjects  from 
which  to  choose  we  may  hope  soon  to  see  in  the 
majority  of  gardens  some  of  the  brighter  and  more 
interesting  shrubs  made  more  use  of  than  is  now  too 
often  the  case,  and  less  space  given  to  Laurels, 
Privet,  and  Pontic  Rhododendrons.  What,  for 
instance,  can  be  more  worthy  of  inclusion  in  a 
garden  than  the  golden  and  variegated  kinds  of  the 
Oak,  Elm,  Alder,  Elder,  Beech,  &c.  ? 

The  Golden-leaved  Oak  (Quercus  Robur  Con- 
cordia) is  thought  very  highly  of  at  Handsworth, 
as  also  is  Q.  R.  argentea.  The  scarlet  Oak 
Q.  coccinea  (that  turns  such  a  beautiful  colour  in 
the   autumn)   is   another  particularl}'   useful  one. 


GROUP   OK   SARRACENIAS   SHOWN   BY   MR.    K.    J.    MEASURES   AT  THE   TEMPLE   SHOW.      (Scsieport.) 


380 


:he  garden. 


[May  25,  1901. 


GRBEMHOTJSE  RHODODENDRONS  AT  HANDSWORTH. 


Conspicuour  amongst  the  Elms  is  the  Wheatley 
Elm,  an  erect,  compact,  and  strong-growing 
variety,  in  great  demand  for  street  and  park 
planting.  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray  export 
large  quantities  of  this  tree  (perhaps  more  than 
any  other)  to  America.  Ulmus  Wredei  aurea, 
that  has  bronzy  yellow  foliage  beautiful  throughout 
the  summer,  and  Ulmus  Louis  Van  Houtte,  a 
quick-growing  varietj',  with  a  large  golden  leaf, 
and  Ulmus  aurea  Rosseelsi,  a  handsome  tree,  with 
charming  golden  foliage,  are  other  good  Elms. 
This  latter  is  grown  on  stems  4  feet  to  ti  feet  high, 
and  makes  a  splendid  park  tree.  Alnus  glutinosa 
aurea  (the  Golden  Alder)  is  a  valuable  golden- 
leaved  plant,  while  the  Fern-leaved  Alder  (A. 
imperialis  asplenifolia),  with  its  deeply  cut  foliage, 
forms  a  particularly  handsome  lawn  specimen. 
Many  varieties  of  Beech  are  now  in  cultivation, 
and  from  these  alone  an  excellent  selection  of  deco- 
rative plants  might  be  made.  Argentea  marginata, 
asplenifolia  (Fern-leaved),  and  aurea  marginata 
(this  one  is  particularly  beautiful  in  a  sunny 
position)  are  sufficiently  self-descriptive,  and  all 
are  very  deserving  of  planting  where  variety  is 
required.  Cristata,  having  crested  foliage,  purple 
pyramidalis  (the  young  growth  is  quite  a  crimson 
scarlet),  purple  Norwegian,  a  tree  of  weeping 
haVjit,  with  dark  glossy  leaves,  and  purpurea  rosea 
marginata,  a  very  handsome  variety,  are  some  of 
the  best.  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray  hold 
perhaps  the  largest  stock  of  Limes  in  Europe, 
and  two  of  the  most  effective  undoubtedly  are 
the  Handsworth  crimson-twigged  and  the  scarlet- 
twigged.  For  avenue  or  street  planting  these,  on 
stout  stems  from  6  feet  to  10  feet  high,  are  in- 
dispensable. The  golden-leaved  form  of  the  Elder 
(Sambucus  raeemosa  foliis  aureis)  is  now  fairly 
well  known,  but  it  deserves  reference  as  one  of 
the  brighest  plants  possible  for  a  shrubbery.  The 
sorts  of  ornamental  trees  above-mentioned  are  but 
a  very  few  of  the  collection  of  beautiful  foliaged 
trees  in  the  Handsworth  nurseries,  but  they  may 
serve  to  show  what  a  wealth  of  material  is  now  at 
hand  for  the  beautifying  of  our  shrubberies  and 
arboreta. 

Japanese  Maples. 
Visitors  to  the  Temple  show  invariably  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  an  exhibit  of  these  plants 
(perhaps  the  most  beautiful  of  all  hardy  deciduous 
shrubs)  from  the  nurseries  of  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son, 
and  Sibray,  Limited,  and  they  are  always  greatly 
admired,  for  a  speciality  is  made  of  them  in  this 
Yorkshire  nursery.  They  are  to  be  seen  here  in 
thousands,  from  1  foot  to  6  feet,  in  the  finest 
possible    condition.     It    is   almost   impossible  to 


describe  the  lovely  colours  comprised  in  the  now 
numerous  varieties,  but  we  may  at  least  indicate 
just  a  few  of  the  best.  In  our  opinion  none  is 
more  beautiful  than  palmatum  dissectum  san- 
guineum,  whose  deeply-cut  leaves  are  a  rich  red  : 
the  golden-leaved  japonioum  aureum,  palmatum 
dissectum,  p.  d.  rubrum,  p.  d.  reticulatum,  and 
Polymorphum  atropurpureum  are  a  few  others. 

Deciduods  Flowering  Shrubs. 

A  new  Cytisus  that  will  shortlj'  be  sent  out 
from  Handsworth  is  one  of  the  best  of  its  class 
that  we  have  seen,  and  will  undoubtedly  take 
high  rank  as  a  new  flowering  plant.  It  is  called 
Handsworthensis,  and  may  be  described  as  an 
improved  Schipkaensis  ;  the  flowers  are  almost 
pure  white,  and  the  standards  that  we  recentlj' 
saw  in  the  Handsworth  nursery  were  quite 
covered  with  flowers.     Of  the  useful  Lilacs  a  most 


representative  collection  is  grown,  both  as  pyramids 
and  standards.  A  few  of  the  double  varieties  of 
recent  introduction  are  Mme.  Abel  Chatenay, 
milky  white  ;  Mme.  Lemoine,  large  white  flowers  ; 
President  Carnot,  lilac  shade  ;  and  Abel  Carriere, 
very  large  racemes  of  rich  blue  flowers.  The 
Weigelas  are  ver^'  attractive  flowering  shrubs, 
some  varieties  of  which,  however,  are  much  better 
than  others,  as,  for  instance,  Eva  Rathke,  bearing 
rich  dark  red  flowers ;  Looj'mansii  aurea,  with 
golden  foliage  and  bright  pink  flowers ;  Abel 
Carriere,  ros3'  carmine  ;  and  Candida,  snowy  white. 
Ribes  aureum,  an  earlj'  yellow-flowering  Currant, 
is  one  of  the  best  earlj'  blooming  shrubs  for  general 
use,  though  not  nearly  so  commonlj'  planted  as  its 
relative  R.  sanguineum. 

Evergreen  Shrfbs. 
The  Berberises  rank  high  as  evergreen-flowering 
shrubs,  and  no  collection  of  the  latter  would  be 
complete  without  them.  It  is  interesting  to  learn 
that  B.  stenoph3'lla,  perhaps  the  most  popular  of 
all,  certainly  the  most  (graceful  and  the  prettiest, 
originated  in  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray's 
nursery.  Here  ma}'  be  seen  stenophj'Ua  hybrids, 
seedlings  that  vary  considerably  in  form  and  colour, 
yet  strongly  to  be  recommended  on  that  account. 
There  are  not  many  who  appreciate  the  common 
Mahonia  (Berberis  aquifolium)  at  its  true  worth, 
yet  to  see  it  as  it  is  in  the  Handsworth  nurserj'  is 
to  pronounce  it  a  handsome  decorative  shrub. 
Aucuba  japonica  variegata  (of  which  there  is  here 
a  large  stock,  so  valuable  for  planting  in  smoky 
districts  when  well  berried),  is  highly  attractive. 
The  Aucuba  being  direcious,  it  is,  of  course, 
necessary  to  plant  both  male  and  female  plants 
together.  Nowhere  have  we  seen  that  valuable 
late  summer-flowering  shrub 

Olearia  Haastii 

thrive  better  than  in  the  Handsworth  nurseries. 
Its  vigour  and  healthy  appearance  are  astonishing, 
as  indeed  are  a  great  many  more  plants  that  must 
of  necessity  be  left  unnamed.  Few  gardens  can 
afford  to  be  without  the  useful  Box,  and  wherever 
required  for  shrubbery  planting,  the  variety 
Handsworthensis,  a  broad-leaved  one  of  compact 
habit  and  beautiful  green  foliage,  should  be  given 
a  trial.  Jlessrs.  Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray  have 
long  been  famed  for  their  collection  of  green-leaved 
and  ornamental-leaved  Hollies.  Of  the  former, 
Ilex  crenata,  a  pretty  dwarf  species,  Marnockii, 
noted  in  The  Garden  of  last  year,  Mundyii,  and 


JAPANESE   maples   IN   THE   HANDSWORTH    NURSERIES. 


May 


1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


381 


Wilsoni  are  of  the  best.  The  two  last-named 
were  raised  at  Handsworth,  and  I.  Wilsoni 
reeeived  a  first-class  certificate  from  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  in  May,  1890.  The  gold  and 
silver  margined  varieties  here  include  many  with 
li«autifully-marked  foliage.  Other  plants  most 
useful  for  town  planting  are  Tree  Ivies ;  they  stand 
the  smoke  well,  and  comprise  a  great  variety  of 
colour.  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray  make  a 
speciality  of  standard  Tree  Ivies,  so  useful  for 
planting  amongst  low  -  growing  shrubs.  The 
Conifers  are  well  worthy  of  detailed  mention,  but 
this  must  perforce  be  denied.  They  are,  as  has 
been  before  said,  remarkablj-  uniform  in  size  and 
(juality,  and  denote  the  best  and  hardiest  of 
culture. 

Plants  under  Glass. 
Not  only  out  of  doors  but  under  glass  also  is 
the  visitor  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  plants  are 
1  horoughly  well  grown  in  this  Yorkshire  nursery. 
The  Crotons,  even  at  this  early  season,  are  wonder- 
fully well   coloured,  and   it   goes  without  saying 
that  the  best  and  latest  varieties  are  contained  in 
the  collection.     Palms  are  extensively  cultivated, 
and    the    stock    of    greenhouse    Rhododendrons — 
including  four  new  varieties  shortly  to  be  sent  out: 
Duchess   of    Portland,    Duchess   of   Westminster, 
Countess  Victoria  Yarborough,  and  Jasminjeflorum 
Handsworth  var. — and  Azaleas 
is  unusually  good.     One  variety 
of  Azalea  ama!na,  called   Illu- 
minator, a  remarkably  persis- 
tent  bloomer,   bearing   flowers 
a     glowing     rosy    crimson    in 
colour,  is  one  of  the  best,  and 
although  quite  a  new  one,  has 
evidently  come  to  stay,  and  the 
same    may   be    said     of     that 
charming    greenhouse     Rhodo- 
dendron,    Lady     Alice     Fitz- 
william,  that  produces  exquisite 
white      flowers.       Cool     house 
flowering  and  evergreen  plants, 
such  for  instance  as  Lapagerias 
(of  which  there  is  one   of  the 
finest     lots     we    have     seen), 
Phormiuni  tenax  and  varieties, 
Araucarias,     Euonymus, 
DraCEenas,and  Yuccas  fill  several 
houses,  and  in  themselves  con- 
stitute   an    important    depart- 
ment.    It  would  be  impossible 
to   individually   mention    even 
a   portion   of    the   plants   that 
are  grown   under  glass   in  the 
Handsworth  nurseries  ;   to  de- 
scribe  even    the    Orchids,    and 
refer   to  the  large  quantity  of 
flowers  grown  for  cutting  alone 
would  take  long,  and  the  various 
propagating  houses  themselves 
contain    much    that     might    with     advantage   be 
described.      With   this  casual  reference  to   them, 
however,    and    to    the    Royal    seed    warehouses 
of    the   firm    in    Sheffield    and     Rotherham,     we 
would   close   this   brief   description   of   a  nursery 
wherein  good  culture  and  thorough  superintendence 
are  apparent. 


flower  spikes  to  within  one  or  two  points  from  the 
plants  ;  the  flowers  are  thus  longer  preserved, 
although  neither  the  spikes  nor  the  flowers  may 
be  quite  so  numerous  or  so  strong.  Success  in  the 
cultivation  of  Phahenopsis  is  not  so  easily  attained 
as  in  the  case  of  many  other  Orchids,  great  care 
and  attention  being  necessary  to  bring  this  class 
of  plants  to  perfection.  Coming  as  they  do  from 
the  hottest  parts  of  the  world,  they  must  of 
necessity  require  a  high  temperature.  If  a  house 
can  be  devoted  to  their  cultivation,  so  much 
better  can  the  details  of  cultivation  be  carried  out. 
The  house  should  be  fitted  with  an  abundance  of 
hot-water  pipes.  When  pipes  are  few  they  often 
become  over-heated  to  maintain  the  temperature 
required. 

Phalainopsis  revel  in  a  humid  atmosphere,  and  a 
temperature  ranging  from  6.5°  to  70°  by  night 
and  70°  to  75°  by  day,  during  winter,  by  fire  heat ; 
the  minimum  temperature  to  be  provided  during 
severely  cold  weather,  during  spring,  summer,  and 
autumn  must  be  from  70°  to  75°  by  night  and  75° 
to  80°  by  day. 

The  plants  should  be  well  shaded  from  the  sun 
at  all  times,  for  if  allowed  to  shine  direct  upon  the 
foliage  for  but  a  short  time  only  the  large  fleshy 
leaves  would  soon  be  disfigured.  Air  should  be 
sparingly  admitted  by  the  lower  ventilator  during 


decayed  manure  dug  in  and  placed  at  such  a  depth 
to  enable  the  roots  to  reap  the  benefit  of  it.  Place 
a  stick  to  each  plant,  to  which  secure  the  leaves, 
as  it  facilitates  root  action  if  the  existing  leaves 
are  kept  in  as  long  as  possible.  A  good  watering 
should  follow,  and  this  and  frequent  syringings  in 
bright  weather  should  follow  for  some  time.  As 
growth  is  made  weak  liquid  should  be  afforded, 
say,  twice  weekly.  In  the  case  of  Calla  Little 
Gem  the  best  results  are  obtained  by  confining  in 
pots  and  given  somewhat  poor  soil. 

Calla  elliotiana. 

This  handsome  form  is  now  at  its  best,  and, 
should  it  be  decided  to  increase  the  stock,  a  few  of 
the  strongest  plants  should  be  set  aside  and  the 
pollen  distributed.  This  subject  comes  very 
readily  from  seed,  as  out  of  a  few  plants  bought  four 
years  ago  we  have  now  nearly  200  strong  plants. 
Primolas. 

Few  gardens  are  without  a  batch  of  these  useful 
plants,  and  if  seed  were  sown  as  advised  the 
seedlings  will  be  in  a  sufficiently  forward  state  to 
permit  of  being  placed  singly  into  2i-inch  pots. 
Give  a  light,  porous  soil  with  a  few  pieces  of 
charcoal  in  the  bottom  of  the  pots.  A  position  of 
comparative  shade  in  a  comfortable  temperature 
should   at   this   stage   be   aft'orded,    and  frequent 


KHODODENDRONS    AT    HANDSWORTH. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


ORCH  I  DS. 

The  Phal^nopsis. 

FEW  Orchids  are  so  beautiful  as  the 
Phalienopsis,  P.  schilleriana,  P.  san- 
deriana,  P.  amabilis,  and  P.  stuarliana 
being  among  the  most  interesting.  These 
produce  their  large  branching  spikes, 
bearing  many  handsome  flowers,  during 
the  dull  season  of  the  year ;  they  last  a  long 
time  in  perfection  when  grown  away  from  smoky 
centres.  When  cultivated  near  cities  and  large 
towns,  smoke  and  fogs  injure  the  buds  arid  blooms 
at  that  season.  The  flowering  of  the  plants  may 
be  deferred  until  a  somewhat  later  period,  when 
fogs  are  not  so  prevalent,    by  pinching  back  the 


mild  weather,  and  water  freely  applied  to  the  root 
during  the  growing  season  ;  in  winter  the  plants 
must  be  watered  with  care,  allowing  the  plants  to 
become  moderately  dry  before  applying  water. 
At  this  season  the  plants  are  commencing  to  grow, 
and  any  necessary  repanning  or  rebasketing  should 
now  be  done,  pans  being  most  suitable  for  small 
plants,  but  baskets  should  be  used  for  larger 
specimens.  For  those  that  do  not  require  more 
rooting  space,  a  surfacing  of  fresh  sphagnum  moss 
will  alone  be  necessary.  F.  W.  Thukgood. 

Ronslyn  Gardens,  Stamford  Hill,  N. 


THE  INDOOR  GARDEN. 
Callas  (Richardias). 
These  will  have  finished  flowering,  and  the 
question  has  again  to  be  faced  whether  they  should 
be  planted  out  or  simply  ripened  off,  stood  on 
their  sides  and  shaken  out  and  repotted  in  August. 
There  are  advantages  to  both  sj'stems,  and  I  would 
advise  those  who  have  large  conservatories  to  fill 
where  bulk  of  plants  counts  something  to  plant 
out  at  once,  breaking  up  the  bigger  stools  whether 
it  is  desired  to  increase  the  stock  or  not.  By  this 
means  the  more  useful  crowns  are  selected.  A 
trench  in  a  somewhat  shady  position  in  the  garden 
should  be   chosen,  and  a  liberal  portion  of  well- 


sprayings  of  the  syringe  on  the  tender  foliage  will 
assist  in  establishing  them  in  their  fresh  quarters. 
There  are  many  varieties  of  the  Chinensis  tj'pe, 
and  to  enumerate  them  here  would  be  superfluous. 
Of  late  another  type  has  come  into  notice,  and  one 
which  doubtless  has  a  long  future  in  front  of  it, 
viz.,  P.  stellata.  This  is  well  adapted  for  asso- 
ciating with  other  plants,  as  its  loose  habit  of 
growth  and  brilliant  star-like  flowers  make  it 
conspicuous. 

Cineraria. 

Though  still  too  early  to  make  the  main  sowing, 
a  pinch  of  seed  might,  however,  be  put  in.  The 
seedlings  will  come  into  flower  in  autumn.  I 
always  save  my  best  plants,  or  at  least  the  best 
tj'pes  of  flower,  and  stand  them  on  a  bed  of  ashes 
in  a  cool  pit  and  allow  the  seed  to  drop  and 
germinate  in  this  way.  The  seedlings  grow  away 
sturdily  from  the  start.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Hoehamptoii . 

FRUIT    GARDEN. 

Melons. 
If  seed  was  sown  a  month  ago  there  should  now 
be   strong   plants,    and    as    regards   their   culture 
much  depends   upon    the   means    to   grow   them. 
Now,  that  is,  from  May  to  September,  Melons  may 


382 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May  25,  1901. 


be  grown  successfully  in  ordinary  frames,  and 
though  more  attention  is  required  at  the  start  in 
the  waj'  of  setting  the  fruits,  the  culture  is  simple 
if  the  plants  get  ample  heat  and  moisture  ;  the 
former  by  careful  ventilation,  and  not  allowing  the 
plants  to  get  dry.  In  an  ordinary  Melon  house 
fruits  or  plants  raised  from  seed  early  in  the  year 
will  now  be  swelling  freely,  and  it  will  be  advisable 
to  feed  those  carrying  a  good  crop.  With  regard  to 
food,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  season  is 
short  in  which  the  plants  have  to  mature  their 
fruits,  so  that  whatever  food  is  given  should  be 
readily  absorbed.  I  like  liquid  manure  at  this 
stage  both  for  ilelons  and  other  fruits  that  make 
a  rapid  growth ;  at  the  same  time,  there  are 
excellent  quick  acting  fertilisers  which  if  used  in  a 
liquid  state  or  as  top-dressings  are  most  valuable. 
By  maintaining  ample  atmospheric  moisture  the 
plants  will  be  clean,  that  is,  free  from  red  spider. 
The  latter  is  one  of  the  most  troublesome  pests 
Melon  growers  have  to  contend  with  in  modern 
Melon  houses,  as  in  some  it  is  difficult  to  maintain 
a  moist  atmosphere.  If  possible  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  have  evaporating  pans.  These  tilled  with  weak 
liquid  manure  will  keep  the  pest  at  bay.  The 
temperatures  should  be  liberal,  80"  to  90''  by  sun 
heat,  closing  earlj'  in  the  afternoon  and  allowing 
the  thermometer  to  run  up  freely,  with  ample 
syringings  in  all  parts  of  the  house.  The  night 
temperature  may  range  70°  on  warm  nights,  and 
any  lateral  or  weak  growth  should  be  stopped,  but 
care  should  be  taken  to  have  sufficient  growth 
beyond  the  fruits  to  assist  in  swelling. 

Fb.^me  Melons. 
Pits  heated  with  hot  water  need  much  the  same 
treatment,  but  less  moisture  at  the  roots,  and  as 
the  frames  retain  more  moisture  than  houses  less 
syringing  will  suffice.  The  frames  or  pits  should 
be  closed  early  in  the  afternoon.  Also  endeavour 
to  get  the  first  flowers  that  show  to  set,  and 
secure  three  or  four  fruits  on  a  plant.  If  one  is 
set  singly  this  goes  away  freely,  and  others  do  not 
if  set  later.  Remove  weak  or  useless  growth,  and 
as  soon  as  the  fruits  are  large  give  enough  support, 
if  on  the  soil  by  inverted  small  pots.  This  keeps 
them  clear  of  the  soil  and  insect  pests.  Melons 
in  unheated  frames  should  be  carefully  ventilated. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  shade  in  bright  sunshine 
for  a  short  time  if  the  plants  are  close  to  the 
glass.  The  plants  should  be  trained  to  fill  up  the 
space  at  command,  but  avoid  crowding  of  foliage, 
as  the  latter  will  prevent  fruits  setting  freely.  If 
inclined  to  grossness  omit  foods  ;  also  secure  more 
fruit  on  each  plant.  Avoid  fluctuation  of  tem- 
perature, and  on  cold  nights  the  plants  are  much 
benefited  if  the  glass  can  be  covered. 

Bananas 
are  more  grown  under  glass  now  than  formerly, 
and  at  this  season  plants  full  grown  should  throw 
up  their  fruit.  To  do  this  abundance  of  food  and 
moisture  should  be  given  and  a  liberal  temperature. 
That  advised  for  Melons  is  suitable,  and  the  house 
during  the  day  should  be  well  charged  with 
moisture.  During  the  time  the  plants  are  pushing 
up  the  fruit  till  the  pods  or  fingers  are  developed 
overhead  syringings  must  cease ;  indeed,  at  all 
times  it  is  best  to  sj'ringe  the  under  side  of  the 
plants,  as  the  large  mid-rib  acts  as  a  drain,  con- 
veying the  moisture  to  the  centre  of  the  plant ; 
this  often  causes  decay.  Young  plants  should  be 
potted  on  or  planted  out,  giving  good  compost  at 
the  same  time.  If  when  potted  on  the  soft  succu- 
lent roots  are  not  broken  the  plants  will  grow 
more  rapidly.  Young  sucker  growths  should  be 
detached  from  the  parent  plant  and  potted,  and  if 
a  little  bottom  heat  can  be  given  so  much  the 
better.  Suckers  taken  now,  if  strong  and  grown 
on  as  advised,  will  make  fruiting  plants  for  next 
year,  but  do  not  overpot  in  a  small  state  ;  it  is  far 
better  to  shift  on  as  required.  O.   Wythes. 

fiyon  Hoii-ie  Gardens,  Brentford. 

KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

Brussels  Spkocts 
sown    early   in    the   year    and   pricked    off  under 
protection" will  now  be  ready  for  planting  out,  and 
if    the  weather  is  favourable  no  time  should  be 


lost  before  the  work  is  accomplished.  If  the 
weather  be  still  dry  when  the  plants  are  ready 
the  drills  may  be  drawn  at  the  proper  distance 
apart  and  well  saturated  with  clear  water  the  day 
previous  to  planting.  Where  early  Sprouts  are  in 
demand  one  cannot  afford  to  wait  for  the  weather 
after  the  plants  are  fit  to  put  out,  but  must  make 
the  best  of  whatever  means  we  have  at  our  disposal 
to  forward  this  important  crop.  Three  feet  should 
be  allowed  between  the  rows  to  ensure  sturdj' 
growth,  and  a  liberal  supply  of  water  given  until 
the  plants  are  established,  after  which  they  may 
receive  occasional  dustings  of  artificial  manure 
and  frequent  stirring  of  the  soil  with  the  Dutch 
hoe. 

Cauliflowers 
sown  in  the  spring  may  be  treated  in  the  same 
way,  but  the  distance  between  the  rows  need  not 
be  more  than  2  feet.  The  ground  on  which  this 
crop  is  to  be  grown  can  hardly  be  too  rich,  and 
the  plants  must  not  be  allowed  to  become  stunted 
for  want  of  water  or  premature  buttoning  will 
result.  Spring-sown  Cabbage  maj'  also  be  planted 
out  to  form  a  succession  to  those  sown  last  July 
and  planted  out  in  September,  a  great  number  of 
which  have  run  to  seed  here  this  season.  Of  Hill's 
Incomparable  quite  one-third  have  bolted,  while 
EUam's  Early  Dwarf  has  proved  a  great  success, 
hardly  any  running  to  seed.  A  batch  of  the  last- 
named  variety,  sown  a  fortnight  earlier  than  the 
general  crop,  has  given  a  supply  of  nice  young 
Cabbage  all  through  the  early  spring,  and  proved 
to  me  that  there  is  nothing  better  for  sowing  in 
.Jul}'  and  planting  in  September  than  Ellam's 
Early  Dwarf. 

C4lobe  Artichokes 
should  be  examined  and  the  suckers  thinned  to 
four  or  five  on  each  plant,  this  number  being  quite 
sufficient  to  ensure  the  best  results,  after  which 
the  ground  between  the  plants  should  be  mulched 
with  a  few  inches  of  manure.  At  any  stage  of 
decomposition  it  is  a  good  plan  to  mulch  the 
ground  between  the  rows  of  many  garden  crops  as 
soon  as  the  dry  weather  has  really  set  in,  in  order 
to  counteract  the  effects  of  strong  sun  on  the  soil 
and  secure  a  more  equable  state  of  moisture  about 
the  roots.  Peas  and  Scarlet  Runners  benefit 
greatlj'  by  this  treatment  in  dry  weather,  and 
even  in  wet  weather,  for  it  is  much  better  for  the 
soil  that,  while  gathering  the  crops  on  wet  days, 
there  should  be  a  covering  of  some  kind  to  keep  it 
from  injury  by  continual  treading  about. 

John  Dunn. 
Roycd  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 

THE  FLOWER   GARDEN. 

Planting. 
A  RULE  that  I  have  followed  for  many  years  is  to 
delay  the  planting  of  all  tender  plants  until  after 
May  25,  and  then,  if  the  weather  is  mild,  to  push 
on  "the  planting  of  such  things  as  quickly  as 
possible,  beginning,  of  course,  with  the  less  tender 
things  and  working  up  to  Begonias,  Cannas,  and 
sub-tropical  plants,  which  may  safely  occupy  their 
outdoor  positions  by  the  second  week  in  June.  It 
frequently  happens  that  we  have  a  cold  snap  about 
May  22 — 25,  and  tender  plants  put  out  before  this 
are  apt  to  get  caught  and  stunted.  If  a  scheme 
for  planting  has  been  arranged  and  plants  worked 
up  in  accordance  with  it  the  work  itself  ought  to 
go  on  pleasantly  and  without  a  hitch,  leaving  on 
hand  a  reserve  of  plants  of  all  kinds  from  which 
may  be  drawn  sufficient  to  fill  up  any  blanks  that 
may  occur  later,  as  a  few  deaths  are  scarcely  to  be 
avoided. 

Designs  for  planting  bedding  plants  must  be  a 
matter  of  individual  taste  to  a  great  extent,  but  it 
is  safe  to  recommend  that  all  combinations  of 
plants  ought  to  be  so  arranged  that  all  in  each 
combination  are  at  their  best  at  the  same  time,  for 
in  these  arrangements  one  must  avoid  the  flowerless 
blanks  that  are  permissible  in  a  mixed  border. 
Another  point  which  adds  much  to  the  scheme  of 
arrangement  is  to  try  and  give  each  plant  the 
position  for  which  it  is  best  suited,  and  in  which  it 
will  give  the  brightest  and  longest  succession  of 
flower.  This  is  a  point  not  always  studied,  and 
the  result  of  such  an  oversight  is  often  that  plants 


which  naturally  enjoy  shade  are  found  half  burnt 
up  in  some  sunny  position,  and  those  which  care 
most  for  sun  and  flower  best  in  a  poor  soil 
are  found  planted  in  shady  positions  and  rich 
soil.  A  little  forethought  would  prevent  bad  work 
of  this  sort.  Showery  weather  is  the  desire  of  all 
during  the  planting  season,  but  it  is  not  always  to  be 
had,  and  means  must  be  taken  for  watering  in  all 
newlj'  planted  stock,  and  attending  to  its  wants  in 
that  way  until  it  gets  established.  Surface  rooting 
plants  and  small  seedlings  are  especiallj'  apt  to 
suffer,  and  watering  in  their  case  should  be  supple- 
mented with  the  provision  of  shade  if  the  weather 
is  bright  and  parching.  Should  the  soil  in  the  beds 
be  inclined  to  "  run"  owing  to  drought,  each  bed 
should  be  well  soaked  with  water  a  few  hours 
before  planting,  as  the  soil  will  then  be  found  in 
condition  for  packing  round  the  roots.  In  very 
bright  weather  1  prefer  to  delay  planting  during 
the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  doing  most  of  the 
work  in  the  afternoon  and  evening.  The  spare 
time  can  be  well  utilised  in  carrying  the  plants  to  a 
handy  position  near  the  beds  and  in  attending  to 
their  wants  as  to  watering,  so  that  they  maj'  lift 
out  with  good  balls  of  soil  attached.  If  possible 
all  tender  plants  should  be  taken  to  the  beds  in  the 
pots,  boxes,  or  other  receptacles  in  which  the}'  have 
been  grown,  so  that  they  will  only  need  to  be 
handled  once  after  being  lifted  or  turned  out. 
Carrying  them  to  and  fro  in  baskets  after  lifting 
from  frames  is  only  feasible  when  the  plants  are 
particularly  well  rooted,  and  in  consequence  of 
this  I  much  prefer  pricking  off  into  boxes  that  are 
easily  carried  from  place  to  place.  All  newly- 
planted  things  should  have  the  soil  made  firm 
about  the  roots,  so  that  air  cannot  reach  them, 
and  be  well  watered  in,  continuing  the  latter  as 
frequently  as  necessary,  and  choosing  the  evening 
for  its  application. 

-  Hardy  Annuals. 

Those  sown  some  weeks  ago  will  be  in  need  of 
thinning,  first  singling  them  out,  and  then,  when 
danger  from  slugs  has  passed,  reducing  to  the 
proper  distance  apart,  which  is  generally  about 
double  the  distance  usually  afforded.  The  room 
taken  by  a  well-developed  plant  should  be  the 
guide  to  this,  and  rigidly  adhered  to. 

J.  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

Preparations  for  the  Final  Pottinu. 

The  majority  of  the  plants  intended  for  large 
flowers  in  November  should  have  well  filled  their 
pots  with  roots  and  be  ready  for  transferring  into 
the  sizes  in  which  they  are  to  bloom  by  the  end  of 
the  present  month,  or,  at  the  latest,  the  end  of  the 
first  week  in  June.  There  is  a  difference  of  opinion 
among  growers  as  to  the  most  suitable  size,  but 
after  many  years'  experience  I  do  not  hesitate  to 
give  preference  to  S-inch,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
this  rule  need  not  be  a  hard  and  fast  one,  as  some 
of  the  stronger  and  more  robust  kinds  will  do 
equally  well  in  a  size  larger  and  those  of  a  weaker 
constitution  in  one  size  smaller,  but  no  doubt  it  is 
far  safer  to  err  on  the  side  of  too  little  rather  than 
too  much  pot  room.  This  ma}'  incur  more  atten- 
tion as  to  watering  and  feeding,  but  I  am  fully 
convinced  that  better  results  will  be  seen  in  the 
end.  The  great  danger  of  overpotting  is  that  the 
plants  are  liable  to  become  over-watered,  especially 
before  they  have  become  well  rooted.  A  long  spell 
of  hot  weather  will  often  account  for  this,  and 
when  once  the  soil  becomes  very  sour  the  plants 
will  receive  a  severe  check,  which  ne  amount  of 
after  care  can  possibly  make  up  for.  Everything 
should  be  properly  prepared  and  got  in  readiness. 
Decide  on  the  number  of  plants  that  can  he  well 
managed  and  housed,  a  most  important  rule  to 
study.  The  pots  should  be  thoroughly  washed 
and  also  the  drainage,  the  compost,  if  possible, 
being  prepared  a  few  days  before  using  and  placed 
undercover.  ( iood  sweet  loam  of  a  medium  tex- 
ture which  has  been  cut  and  stacked  since  last 
autumn  should  form  the  principal  item.  This 
should  be  pulled  to  pieces  with  the  hand  to  about 
the  size  of  Walnuts.     To  every  two  bushels  add  a 


May  25,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


883 


6-inch  potful  of  Clay's  or  Thompson's  prepared 
manure,  one  of  half-inch  bones,  and  one  of  finely 
broken  charcoal.  Should  the  loam  be  of  a  tenacious 
nature,  add  sufficient  road  grit  or  tinely  sifted 
mortar  rubbish  to  keep  it  open.  The  whole  should 
be  turned  several  times,  so  that  each  ingredient  is 
thoroughly  incorporated,  and  if  this  is  turned  each 
day  till  used  so  much  the  better. 

Drainage  is  of  the  utmost  importance  for  the 
future  welfare  of  the  Chrysanthemum,  for,  though 
a  moisture-loving  plant  when  in  good  health  during 
hot  weather,  no  plant  more  resents  stagnation. 
Commence  by  placing  one  large  crock  in  an  inverted 
position  over  the  hole,  over  which  arrange  coarse 
pieces,  gradually  building  it  up  with  finer  material 
until  there  is  sufficient  to  conduct  the  water  away 
freely.  A  small  quantity  of  half-inch  bones  should 
be  placed  over  this,  and  then  a  thin  layer  of  fibre 
with  ever\'  particle  of  soil  removed  bj'  rubbing  it 
through  a  half-inch  mesh  sieve  taken  from  the 
loam-heap.  This  should  be  carefully  placed  over 
the  drainage,  so  that  none  of  the  potting  material 
can  possibly  interfere  with  a  free  watercourse. 
Each  plant  should  be  carefully  examined  and 
watered  when  required  a  few  hours  before  potting, 
allowing  sufficient  time  for  the  soil  to  become 
drained.  None  should  be  potted  in  a  dry  state. 
If  the  soil  is  in  a  good  condition,  as  it  ought  to 
be,  firm  potting  should  be  insisted  on,  thoroughly 
ramming  the  soil  with  the  potting-stick,  placing  a 
little  of  the  finest  of  the  compost  over  the  surface 
loosely,  and  finish  off  in  a  neat  and  workmanlike 
manner.  Place  a  neat  stake  to  each  plant  before 
leaving  the  potting  shed,  and  damp  over  the  surface 
just  sufficiently  to  set  the  last  addition.  Defer 
watering  in  for  a  few  days,  but  frequent  syringings 
during  the  day  to  keep  up  the  foliage  from  flagging 
should  be  given  them.  The  plants  after  potting 
may  be  placed  pot  thick  for  a  short  time,  choosing 
a  sheltered  position.  Always  be  on  the  alert  in 
case  of  frost,  and  apply  sufficient  protecting 
material  when  needed  to  make  them  safe. 

E.  Beckett. 

Aldeuham  House  Oardens,  Ehtree,  Hertn. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The.  Editors  are  not  responsible  for  the  opinions 
expressed  hy  their  correspondents.  ) 


FORCING  STRAWBERRIES 

[To   THE   Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — I  quite  agree  with  Mr.  Wythes  as  to 
the  necessity  of  giving  Strawberries  that 
are  being  forced  a  low  temperature  at 
first.  No  doubt  many  a  batch  of  plants 
is  ruined  by  being  started  in  too  much 
heat.  A  few  varieties,  notablj'  Vicom- 
tesse  Hericart  de  Thury,  will  set  well  in  a  com- 
paratively high,  moist  temperature,  but  even  these 
do  best  when  less  heat  is  given.  One  of  the 
earliest  batches  of  Keen's  Seedling  I  ever  saw 
were  grown  in  4J-inch  pots,  these  being  plunged 
in  a  warm  bed  of  leaves  close  to  the  glass  in 
a  pit,  the  temperature  for  a  time  being  about  45°. 
Growth  was  very  gradual,  but  the  bloom-trusses 
were  strong  and  the  fruit  set  freely.  Finally,  they 
were  removed  to  a  warmer  house,  where  they 
ripened  at  the  end  of  February.  One  gardener  I 
served  under  used  to  force  Keen's  Seedling  very 
successfully.  The  plants  were  layered  in  the 
fruiting  pots,  and,  when  sufficiently  rooted,  were 
removed  to  an  open  quarter,  from  which  early 
Cauliflowers  had  been  cleared.  Here  in  the  full 
blaze  of  the  sun  they  grew  vigorously  and  deve- 
loped large  crowns.  In  November  a  batch  was 
removed  to  a  lean-to  Peach  house  and  placed  on 
shelves,  which  were  fixed  to  the  wall  close  to  the 
ventilators.  The  house  being  old-fashioned,  the 
panes  of  glass  were  small,  and  the  numerous  laps 
allowed  of  a  free  ingress  of  air.  This  just  suited 
the  Strawberries,  the  fruit  invariably  setting  freely. 
It  also  suited  the  Peaches,  fine  examples  of  the 
old  Noblesse  and  Stirling  Castle  ripening  at  the 
end  of  May.  By  the  way,  how  few  now  force 
Noblesse  !  When  the  Strawberries  had  swelled  a 
little  they  were  removed  to  a  Pine  stove,  where 


they  ripened  well,  the 
colour  and  flavour 
being  all  that  could  be 
expected  in  a  forced 
Strawberry.  I  have 
still  a  good  word  for 
Keen's  Seedling.  I  am 
aware  it  is  not  a  good 
traveller,  being  too 
soft,  but  as  an  all-round 
forcer  and  for  colour 
and  flavour  few  varie- 
ties surpass  it. 

J.  C. 


GROWING 

LAVENDER. 


[To  THE  Editor  of 
"The  Garden."] 

Sir,  —  On  seeing  the 
picture  of  the  Lavender 
hedge  in  your  issue  of 
May  11,  I  venture  to 
ask  for  some  hints  as 
to  the  best  time  for 
pruning,  and,  also, 
whether  you  can  tell 
me  what  makes  an  occa- 
sional plant  in  my 
Lavender  hedge  go  off^ 
suddenl)'  ? 

I  have  a  Lavender 
hedge  on  one  side 
of  an  old  -  fashioned 
rabbit  railing  whicli 
surrounds  the  parterre. 
On  the  inner  side  there 
is  a  hedge  of  pink 
China  Roses.  Suddenly, 
last  autumn,  one  of  the 
Lavender  plants  died, 
and  the  next  one  to  it 
looks  as  if  it  meant  to 
follow  its  companion. 
I  cannot  detect  any 
cause  at  the  root.  I 
may  mention  that  my 
Lavender  hedge  is  at 
present  very  beautiful 
with  quantities  of 
Parrot  Tulips.  They 
have  come  up  through 
it  for  the  last  three 
springs  in  a  most  de- 
lightful manner.  The 
grey  background  and 
natural  support  given 
to  these  drooping- 
headed  Tulips  seems  to  me  all  that  could  be 
desired. — A.  J.  B. 

[Our  correspondent's  question  is  an  interesting 
one,  and  we  regret  that  we  are  unable  to  give  any 
definite  answer  as  to  the  cause  of  sudden  death  of 
Lavender  bushes.  Perhaps  one  or  more  of  our 
readers  may  be  able  to  assist  "A.  J.  B."  and 
ourselves.  This  way  of  suddenly  dying,  though 
not  so  common  in  the  case  of  Lavender,  is  frequent 
with  Rosemary  and  several  of  the  Cistus  family. 
We  have  to  remember  that  these  are  plants  of 
the  extreme  South  of  Europe  and  Mediterranean 
region  generally,  rejoicing  in  a  stony  soil  and  fierce 
sun-heat.  It  is  a  wonder  that  they  will  accommo- 
date themselves  so  kindly  as  they  generally  do  to 
the  varying  conditions  of  English  gardens.  This 
dying  off  now  and  then  seems  like  an  occasional 
protest  on  their  part  as  if  to  remind  us  that, 
though  they  have  been  with  us  so  long,  we  have 
come  tc  look  upon  them  as  English  plants,  that 
they  are  true  Southerners  at  heart  and  cannot  be 
absolutely  acclimatised.  If  Lavender  is  wanted  as 
a  dwarf  grey  hedge,  not  for  flower,  it  should  be 
pruned  in  the  spring,  but,  if  flowers  are  wanted,  in 
the  autumn. — Eds.] 

United  Hopticultural  Provident 
a.nd    Benefit   Society. — The    committee's 

action  at  its  last  meeting  in  authorising  the  pay- 


ment of  £55  odd  due  to 
the  widow  of  the  late 
Mr.  Michael  Kavis,  is, 
indeed,  an  object-les- 
son. In  illustration  of 
the  poor  support  given 
by  British  gardeners  to 
this  truly  grand  insti- 
tution, I  note  the  fol- 
lowing facta  :  Before 
me,  as  I  write,  are 
three  publications,  all 
having  an  interest  for 
gardeners.  One  is  the 
"Annual  Report"  of 
the  society  in  question. 
I  turn  over  its  sub- 
scription list,  which 
comprises  some  four- 
teen pages  —  on  each 
page  there  are  about 
fifty-eight  subscribers. 
A  simple  sum  in  multi- 
plication gives  this  as 
a  result  800  odd.  I  now 
turn  to  the  "  Garden 
Annual  and  Horticul- 
tural Directory. "  1  find 
therein  recorded  the 
names  and  addresses  of 
what  must  amount  in 
the  aggregate  to  many 
thousands  of  gardeners, 
and  of  this  vast  number 
only  some  SOO  odd  be- 
long to  the  United. 
What  is  the  cause  of 
this  verj'  deplorable 
apathy  amongst  the 
craft?  For  some  two 
years  I  know  the  aims 
of  the  society  were  not 
so  well  known  to  gar- 
deners as  they  should 
have  been.  An  im- 
provement during  the 
last  decade  or  so  has 
been  made  in  this  im- 
portant matter,  and 
even  now  it  is  my 
humble  opinion  that 
much  more  might  be 
done  to  bring  the 
society  prominently 
under  the  notice  of 
gardeners  in  order  to 
secure  their  practical 
adhesion.  — Quo. 

A  high-priced 
variety  of  Odon- 

tOglOSSUm  erispum.  — At  a  recent  sale  of 
Orchids  hy  Messrs.  Protheroe  and  Morris  a  finely 
spotted  variety  of  0.  erispum  fetched  150  guineas. 

Gardeners'   Royal  Benevolent 

Festival  Dinner. — a  large  company  assem- 
bled at  the  Hotel  Metropole  on  Wednesda}'  last, 
under  the  chairmanship  of  Lord  Llangattock,  to 
celebrate  the  sixtj'  -  second  anniversary  of  this 
splendid  institution.  We  shall  report  fully  the 
proceedings  next  week,  but  meanwhile  say  that 
the  Dean  of  Rochester  made  a  delightful  speech, 
and  the  total  amount  of  subscriptions  was  £1,760. 

The  Dean  of  Rochester  and  Mrs. 

Hole  were  on  Tuesday  last  the  recipients  of  a 
very  gratifying  address  from  the  maj-or,  aldermen, 
and  burgesses  of  the  city,  who  tendered  their  hearty 
congratulations  to  the  Dean  and  his  wife  upon  the 
fortieth  anniversarj'  of  their  wedding-day. 

Flowers    for    Millwall.  —  The    Rev. 

Richard  Free,  St.  Cuthbert's  Lodge,  Millwall, 
London,  E. ,  writes:  —  "Will  3'ou  allow  me, 
through  the  medium  of  your  paper,  to  invite  j-our 
readers  to  help  us  in  an  efibrt  we  are  making  to 
brighten  this  dreary  and  uninviting  neighbourhood. 
We  are  just  starting  what  we  call  a  Window 
Gardening  Society,  and,  as  our  people  are 
extremely  fond  of  flowers,  I  anticipate  for  it  a 
very  useful  future.  Our  difficulty  is  to  get  bulbs 
and   seeds   for   distribution,    and   if   any    of  your 


ROSE   jersey  beauty,    SHOWN    BY    MESSRS.  WM.  PAUL 
AND    SON,  WALTHAM    CROSS,  AT    TEMPLE    SHOW. 


384 


THE    GARDEN. 


[May   25,  1901. 


readers  have  such  things  at  their  disposal,  I  phall 
be  glad  to  receive  them  on  behalf  of  our  people. 
When  I  tell  you  that  flowers  are  practically 
unknown  here,  that  we  have  onlj'  two  or  three 
very  small  trees  in  the  whole  of  this  district,  and 
not  a  single  grass  plot  on  which  our  children  can 
play,  you  will  understand  that  we  are  very  bare 
and  towny  indeed 


SOCIETIES. 


ROYAL    HOETICULTURAL    SOCIETY. 

Te.mple  Show. 
The  exhibition  of  the  society  in  the  Inner  Temple 
Gardens,  on  May  22,  23,  and  24,  was  in  every  way 
a  pleasant  and  important  affair,  and  we  have  never 
seen  a  larger  crowd.  Of  course,  the  glorious 
summer-like  weather  was  in  part  responsible  for 
this  satisfactory  attendance,  and  partly  because  so 
many  new  Fellows  have  been  elected  since  last 
year. 

Orchids,  as  usual,  made  a  splendid  display,  the 
leading  trade  growers  contributing,  however,  the 
chief  collections.  There  were  splendid  groups  of 
Calceolarias,  Cinerarias,  Gloxinias,  hardy  flowers, 
fruits  and  vegetables,  &c. ,  that  go  to  make  up  a 
summer  show. 

Hardy  Flowers. 

As  usual  at  the  Temple,  hardy  plants  were 
numerous,  and  reflected  much  credit  on  the 
growers  of  this  well-nigh  endless  race  of  plants. 
Probably  the  most  interesting  group  was  that  of 
Messrs.  Wallace,  Colchester,  who  combined  the 
beautiful  and  graceful  with  the  more  showy  and  rare 
bulbous  flowering  plants.  Here  we  noted  an  almost 
endless  array  of  Lilium  thunbergianum  or  elegans 
in  many  colours,  charming  blocks  of  the  new  Lily 
L.  rubellum  with  drooping  rose-pink  blossoms, 
Calochorti  and  Ornithogalums  blending  together 
in  a  light  array,  and  such  finer  things  as  Lilium 
Henryi,  L.  Harrisoni,  and  many  Cypripediums  of 
the  hardy  class  rightly  grouped  with  the  North 
American  Maidenhair  Fern.  There  were,  too, 
hosts  of  Ixias,  Sparaxis,  Spanish  Iris,  and  their 
still  more  curious  brethren,  the  Cushion  or  Onco- 
oyclus  Iris  in  plenty,  of  which  space  at  present 
forbids  mention. 

Messrs.  Barr,  of  Covent  Garden,  filled  a  great 
space  with  Tulips  of  all  sections,  particularly 
those  of  the  Darwin  group,  which  were  excep- 
tionally fine  and  good  ;  also  Irises  in  many  beautiful 
shades  and  varieties.  Of  particular  interest  were 
the  early  Gladioli,  the  tints  beautiful  to  a  degree. 
Then  came  Pjeonies  of  the  tree  section,  Oriental 
Poppies,  a  mass  of  the  double  White  Arabis, 
towering  spikes  of  Eremuri,  the  pretty  Globularia, 
and  many  interesting  things  in  the  more  strictlj' 
alpine  flora.  Of  rather  exceptional  interest  the 
double  yellow  Alyssum  may  be  mentioned,  and 
the  pretty  Hyacinthus  amethystinus. 

The  Guildford  Hardy  Plant  Company  was,  as 
formerly,  represented  by  a  rockery  exhibit 
creditably  and  prettily  arranged,  indeed,  well 
arranged,  when  all  the  surroundings  and  circum- 
stances are  taken  into  account,  representing  as  it 
did  a  small  alpine  rockery.  We  noted  in  the  fore- 
ground masses  of  the  vernal  Gentian,  as  also  the 
old  garden  form  G.  acaulis.  Then,  in  well-selected 
groups,  came  Androsaees,  Ramondia  pyrenaica. 
Primula  involvucrata,  mossy  Saxifrages  such  as 
S.  atropurpurea,  S.  Rhei,  groups  of  the  Cobweb 
House  Leek,  the  pretty  scarlet  of  Ourisia  ooccinea, 
masses  of  Trillium,  Heuchera  splendens,  with 
Orchis  foliosa,  Cypripediums,  and  other  allied 
subjects.  Some  little  colour  was  seen  here  and 
there,  but  it  was  carefully  arranged  so  as  not  to 
produce  an  overpowering  effect.  The  rockery 
formation  was  good,  and  the  background  of  small 
shrubs  very  pleasing. 

Messrs.  Cheal  and  Sons,  Crawley,  had  a  corked 
arrangement  fitted  up  with  plants.  In  this  the 
smaller  alpines  were  those  mostly  employed,  and 
with  Pansies  and  Violas  made  a  very  pretty  array 
of  colour. 

Mr.   Amos  Perry,  Winchmore  Hill,  had  a  very 


fine  group  of  good  things  shown  for  the  most  part 
in  bold  masses  and  pans  that  well  displayed  their 
worth.  In  this  way  the  I  ieums  were  conspicuous, 
also  many  Iris  pumila  varieties  that  are  evidently 
of  some  worth  for  the  spring  garden.  Other 
Irises  and  Tulips,  M'ith  Globe  Flowers,  Oriental 
Poppies,  the  double  white  Arabis,  were  all  in  fine 
form,  and  made  a  splendid  array.  Of  rare  things 
Polemonium  confertum  melitum  was  good,  and 
Lithospermum  canescens  with  golden  flowers,  a 
charming  acquisition.  A  little  gem  is  Leucocrine 
niontana,  with  white  Crocus-like  flowers.  Then 
came  Dianthus  alpinus,  a  lot  of  Iris  Korolkowi, 
and  many  other  plants  of  interest. 

Mr.  Maurice  Pritchard,  Christchurch,  Hants, 
is  always  an  exhibitor  at  this  great  show,  and  his 
masses  of  single  and  double  Pyrethrums  are  so 
much  earlier  than  those  near  London,  and  always 
admired.  Olearia  gunniana,  with  white  starry 
flowers,  was  pretty  indeed,  and  not  less  so  the 
miniature  Gj'psophila  cerastioides,  that  carpets  the 
earth  with  verdant  green,  Centaurea  angustifolia, 
with  red  flowers  as  good,  and  so,  too,  was  Epime- 
dium  niveum.  The  more  showy  things,  such  as 
alpine  Phloxes,  Geums,  Irises,  Thalictrums,  and 
P;ieonia  tenuifolia  were  in  abundance,  and  generally 
well  shown. 

Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Exeter,  are  new  con- 
tributors to  the  hardy  plant  collections  at  the 
Temple.  Several  things  of  interest  were  set  up. 
Of  these  we  noted  Pentstemon  Halli,  with  blue 
flowers  ;  Androsace  Chumbyiense,  a  rose  self,  very 
free  and  beautiful ;  Erysimum  aspermum,  yellow  ; 
Myosotidium  nobile  ;  Polygonum  baldschuanicum, 
with  white  flowers  ;  the  golden  Edwardsia  grandi- 
flora  ;  and  the  pretty  Dianthus  inodorus  nanus, 
a  miniature  D.  alpinus,  so  to  speak.  Tupa  salici- 
folia,  with  orange  and  scarlet  flowers,  was  also 
good. 

Messrs.  George  Jackman  and  Son,  Woking,  who 
are  working  up  good  hardy  plants,  had  many 
notable  flowers  in  showy  groups.  Of  these : 
Inearvillea  Delavayi  was  fine  ;  (Enothera  speciosa 
rosea  very  fine ;  excellent  pans  of  the  alpine 
Phloxes,  in  beautiful  variety  and  in  splendid 
bloom  ;  the  ever  -  welcome  Onosma  taurica, 
Cheiranthus  alpinus.  Daphne  Cneorum  majus, 
Saxifraga  macnabiana.  Primula  sikkimensis,  Orchis 
foliosa ;  many  beautiful  hardy  Cypripediums, 
Androsace  sarmentosa.  Cyclamen  repandun.,  with 
lovely  red  flowers,  and  the  new  Salvia,  which 
promises  to  be  a  fine  and  distinct  plant,  the 
blue  flowers  being  of  good  size  and  freely  produced 
on  stems  3  feet  or  so  high.  Lilies,  Globe  Flowers, 
and  other  plants  were  also  freely  shown  in  this 
group. 

Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited,  Feltham,  also  had  a 
fine  lot  of  things,  including  hosts  of  the  Primula 
Sieboldi  in  variety,  very  showy,  and  pleasingly 
set  up  in  large  pans.  The  Eremuri  were  also  very 
fine,  and,  towering  up  above  all  else,  showed  to 
great  advantage.  A  group  of  Primula  obconiea 
kermesiana  with  rose  flowers  was  excellent,  as  also 
the  Tree  Pjeonies,  Alpine  Phloxes,  Irises  in  great 
variety,  among  which  the  Cushion  Irises  were  to 
be  seen  in  plenty.  Then,  too,  we  noted  Primula 
involucrata  (white)  and  quite  a  display  of  Silene 
acaulis  graudiflora,  one  of  the  most  miniature  of 
miniature  alpines. 

Messrs.  Smith,  Worcester,  showed  goodly 
batches  of  hardy  cut  flowers,  in  which  Irises, 
Pa"onies,  Phloxes,  TroUius,  Lupins,  Lathyrus 
Sibthorpi,  Tree  P.-vonies,  Thalictrums,  Poppies, 
and  such  plants  were  well  represented. 

Massive  collections  of  Tulips  came  from  Ireland, 
from  Messrs.  Hogg  and  Robertson,  and  from  Mr. 
Baylor  Hartland,  Cork.  The  flowers  were  very 
fine,  and  well  represented  this  grand  group  of 
spring  flowers,  as  also  the  suitabilitj'  of  the  soil  and 
climate  of  Ireland  for  their  cultivation. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Sons,  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt, 
sent  a  good  collection  of  small  alpines  in  boxes, 
the  alpine  Poppies,  alpine  Phloxes,  Saxifragas, 
Arnebia,  Gerbera  jamesoniana,  Heucheras,  and  such 
like  being  shown. 

From  Knutsford,  Cheshire,  the  Misses  Hopkins 
sent  a  bank  of  small  hardy  things,  mostly  alpine  in 
character,  with  Primroses,  Daisies,  and  such  things 
tastefully  arranged  on  moss. 


Messrs.  Carter  and  Co.,  Holborn,  also  had  a 
small  arrangement  of  alpines  in  rockwork,  the 
vernal  Gentian,  the  alpine  Phloxes,  double  Arabis, 
Saxifragas,  Candytufts,  and  the  pretty  Hutchinsia 
alpina  being  among  those  shown  on  this  occasion. 

Mr.  P.  Purnell,  Streatham  Hill,  set  up  a  rather 
extensive  lot  of  Sempervivums,  Sedums,  and 
Saxifragas,  for  the  most  part,  however,  of  the  more 
plentiful  kinds.  The  webbed  forms  were  not 
numerous,  while  the  curious  S.  spinosum  was 
well  to  the  front  in  good  rosettes. 

Mr.  W.  .1.  Caparne,  Rohans,  (iuernsey,  sent  a 
most  interesting  collection  of  Irises,  early  flowering 
and  good  garden  plants.  We  hope  to  make  further 
reference  to  these  beautiful  varieties. 

Trees  a>'D  Shrubs. 

These  were,  for  the  most  part,  displayed  outside, 
and  formed  certainly  one  of  the  most  interesting 
features  of  the  show.  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son  and 
Sibray,  Handsworth  Nurseries,  Sheffield,  had  a 
beautiful  display,  the  trees  and  shrubs  boldly 
grouped,  and  making  a  mass  of  colouring  pleasant 
to  see,  besides  affording  an  opportunity  of  noting 
the  finest  of  the  more  recent  acquisitions.  We 
particularly  noticed  a  series  of  Maples,  rich  in  leaf 
colouring  ;  groups  of  Weigela  Eva  Rathke,  the 
finest  of  the  whole  genus  ;  the  new  and  splendid 
tree  form  of  Ivy  amurensis  ;  Quercus  concordia, 
the  Golden-leaved  Oak  ;  Lilac  Alphonse  Lavallee, 
the  Golden-leaved  Cornus  aurescens,  the  ne« 
Dracivna  Australasia,  with  fine  foliage,  and 
suitable  for  summer  bedding  of  a  bold  type ; 
Picea  pungens  glauca  pendula,  the  weeping  form 
of  this  well-known  Fir,  a  distinct  and  good 
addition  ;  an  excellent  variegated  Elm,  Ulmus 
argentea,  the  curious  Rubus  australis,  and  Acer 
rubrifolium  magnificum.  Of  the  many  beautiful 
things  shown  by  this  firm  none  was  so  rich  in  leaf 
colouring  as  this.  The  whole  exhibit  was  in  every 
way  excellent  and  interesting. 

Messrs.  Cheal  and  Sons,  Crawley,  Sussex, 
showed  a  very  interesting  and  important  group, 
comprising  many  shrubs  in  full  flower,  a  bright 
and  attractive  display.  The  Lilacs,  Laburnum 
Vossi,  golden-leaved  variety  of  Spir;\;a  opulifolia. 
Wistarias  in  pots,  Weigelas,  and  such  things  as 
Choisya  ternata,  the  Mexican  Orange  flower,  were 
relieved  by  those  curiously  clipped  shrubs  that  one 
associates  with  old  English  gardens  of  the  more 
formal  patterns.  As  shown  they  possess  a  certain 
quaint  charm,  and  make  a  break  from  the  usual 
grouping. 

Mr.  John  Russell,  of  Richmond,  showed  a  large 
group  of  shrubs.  All  were  well  displayed,  and  com- 
prised an  interesting  variety  of  things.  We  noticed 
especially  Aralia  Maximowiczi,  the  Lilacs,  Maples 
in  full  beauty,  and  represented  by  a  choice  selection 
of  the  be.st  kinds.  Wistarias  in  pots,  and  under  the 
tree  and  shrub  groups  Mr.  Russell  showed  a 
collection  of  miniature  Japanese  trees,  which  seem 
to  have  become  so  popular  during  the  past  two  or 
three  years. 

Mr.  Thomas  Cripps,  Tunbridge  Wells,  showed  a 
very  interesting  group  of  Japanese  Maples,  whicli 
seem  to  be  special  favourites  for  exhibition  pur- 
poses. The  leaf  colouring,  when  a  mass  of  the 
best  varieties  is  shown,  is  remarkably  varied,  from 
green  to  the  deepest  crimson. 

Messrs.  Smith  and  Co.,  of  Worcester,  had  an 
excellent  display  of  trees  and  shrubs,  including 
the  pretty  Berberis  dulcis  nana.  Ivies  in  pots, 
Canariensis  and  others,  and  Maples. 

Messrs.  Fromow,  Chiswick,  showed  many  groups. 
Maples  especially,  and  the  plants  were  excellently 
grown  and  good  in  colour. 

Messrs.  .James  Veitch  and  Sons  had  a  beautiful 
group  of  Bamboos  in  pots,  such  as  the  big-leaved 
Bambusa  palmata,  the  lovely  Phyllostachys  nigra, 
heterocycla,  viridi  glaucesceus,  Arundinaria  nitida, 
anceps,  Falconeri,  Hiudsi,  and  others. 

Messrs.  Cutbush  and  Sons,  Highgate,  showed 
shrubs  (^lipped  into  various  shapes.  We  believe 
this  well-known  firm  was  the  first  to  exhibit 
clipped  trees  at  the  Temple  show. 

Mr.  tjohn  Waterer,  Bagshot  Nurseries,  showed 
a  brilliant  group  of  hardy  Rhododendrons  and 
Maples,  with  Ledum  palustre  and  other  good 
shrubs. 


GARDEN. 


-;^- 


No.  1541.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[June  1,  1901. 


FLORAL   GARGOYLES. 


H 


ERE,  in  America,  is  the  home  of 
the  grotesque  as  well  as  of  the 
picturesque.  Aristocracy  and 
democracy  jostle  each  other,  and 
aristocracy  gets  the  worst  of  it. 
We  had  a  bad  boiler  explosion  here  lately,  and 
among  the  emblems  sent  to  a  victim's  funeral 
was  a  floral  clock  set  for  the  hour  of  the  ex- 
plosion !  A  theatrical  treasurer's  club  sent  a 
floral  pass  '  Admit  one.'  Let  us  hope  it  was 
recognised.  Gates  ajar,  open  windows  with 
plaster  doves  thereon,  and  tawdry  wire  frames 
showmg  through  pillows  of  red  and  yellow 
flowers,  all  tend  to  vulgarise  funerals,  and  to 
inspire  the  words  '  no  flowers.' 

"  When  the  city  council  is  inaugurated,  then 
are  the  florists  busy.  Gigantic  keys,  Indian 
clubs,  desks,  chairs,  all  are  on  hand,  all  of  natural 
flowers  distorted  to  suit  perverted  tastes.  We 
need  a  renaissance  in  art  to  strike  the  florists 
here,  and  strike  them  hard." — C.  Macquaeie, 
Chicago. 

Happily,  such  evidences  of  grossly  perverted 
taste  as  are  above  described  could  not  be 
tolerated  in  England,  though  we  view  with 
much  concern  the  growing  use  of  artificial 
flowers  under  glass  Mushrooms  in  our  country 
graveyards.  We  feel  sure  that  many  good  and 
kindly  people  who  wish  to  honour  their  dead 
by  the  placing  of  some  more  or  less  permanent 
token  of  afl^ection  on  their  graves  hardly  know 
what  they  are  doing  when  they  buy  these 
articles.  They  only  perceive  that  the  thing' 
they  acquire  has  (to  the  uneducated  eye)  a 
certain  prettiness,  and  does  not  cost  much, 
either  of  money  or  trouble.  They  forget  that 
while  they  are  thus  satisfying  their  own  kindly 
impulses  they  are  destroying  the  beauty  of  the 
churchyard,  and  bringing  into  it  an  element  of 
vulgar  tawdriness  that  is  wholly  in  opposition 
to  what  should  prevail  in  tiie  consecrated  space 
of  ground  where  we  lay  our  well-loved  dead  to 
rest. 

These  glass-covered  things  are  of  foreign 
origin,  and  those  who  know  the  horror  of 
French  churchyards,  with  their  quantities  of 
cheap  bazaar  articles  made  of  beads,  and 
erections  like  dolls'  houses,  filled  with  various 
personal  articles,  cannot,  without  deep  concern, 
see  in  our  beautiful  churchyards  what  look  like 
the  forerunners  of  all  this  endless  train  of 
frivolity  and  even  desecration.  We  have  seen 
quite  commonly  in  these  churchyards  an  iron 
wire  frame  like  a  hat-rack  fixed  on  graves  for 


the  convenience  of  hanging  up  these  miscel- 
laneous objects. 

To  all  of  us  the  churchyard  is  a  sacred  place, 
and  while  it  is  our  duty  to  make  it  as  beautiful 
as  we  may,  it  is  eipially  our  duty  to  preserve 
its  dignity,  and  to  sufi'er  nothing  that  .shall 
mar  its  unity  and  repo.se  ;  above  all,  not  to 
permit  the  introduction  of  things  glaringly 
vulgar. 

A  Yew  tree  or  Cypress  well  and  carefully 
planted,  a  white  Rose  bush  on  a  child's  grave, 
a  wreath  or  cross  of  natural  flowers,  made  with 
loving  care  and  placed  on  a  dear  grave  on  some 
anniversary  or  festival  of  the  church,  and  with 
equal  exactitude  removed  when  withered,  these 
are  the  ornaments  that  can  ofi'end  no  one,  while 
the  tree  or  bush  will  grow  on  to  the  permanent 
beautifying  of  the  sacred  place. 

The  glare  and  flash  and  glitter  of  these 
horrible  glasses  in  some  times  of  sunlight 
make  it  almost  impossible  to  walk  with  any 
comfort  in  churchyards  and  cemeteries,  while 
anyone  but  the  most  obtuse  cannot  but  see 
how  this  insidiously  encroaching  foreign  custom 
destroys  the  reposeful  beauty  of  our  country 
graveyards.  Let  us  hope  that  the  wide-spread 
protest  that  is  now  being  made  may  be  the 
means  of  checking  this  thoughtless  practice 
before  it  has  led  to  more  serious  evils. 


MAY    FLOWERS. 

The  Ides  of  May  are  past,  and  the  weather,  for 
the  last  few  days  at  least,  has  been  fine  and 
sunny,  but,  leaving  out  the  stone  heaps,  on 
which  there  are  a  few  showy  alpines,  such  as 
Aubrietias  and  dwarf  Phloxes,  the  garden  at 
Edge  is  almost  entirely  flowerless.  It  is  the 
same  every  year,  and  as  far  as  the  long  borders 
filled  with  hardy  herbaceous  plants  are  con- 
cerned. May  is  the  worst  month  from  the  end 
of  February  to  the  end  of  October.  Those 
poets  whose  poetry  taught  us  from  our  child- 
hood to  believe  that  May  was  flowery  could 
not  have  had  hardy  herbaceous  gardens,  or 
they  would  have  been  aware  that  May  flowers 
in  them  are  a  fraud.  I  write  this  in  the  hope 
that  some  one  will  contradict  me,  and  tell  me 
of  some  hardy  plants  which  will  flower  in  May 
on  a  cold  soil  in  Cheshire,  and  I  shall  feel  very 
grateful  to  them.  My  borders  present  little 
but  a  long  array  of  green,  and  some  of  it  very 
untidy  green.  May  is  the  autumn  of  spring 
bulbs  and  flowers,  and  the  dense  fringe  of  sere 
leaves  of  Crocuses  and  Squills,  Dog-tooth 
Violets  and  Daftbdils,  to  say  nothing  "of  the 
tall  ugly  leaves  of  Colchicum  speciosum,  are 
anything  but  ornamental.  The  one  May 
border  flower  by  wliich  I  have  always  set 
great  store  and  of  which  I  have  a  very  good 
collection  is  TroUius,  but  this  year,  owing  to 


the  long  drought  of  April  and  the  hot  .sun  and 
east  wind  of  May,  Trollius  flowers  are  poor. 

There  are  Wallflowers,  it  is  true,  but  their 
cultivation  does  not  belong  to  the  borders  of 
which  I  am  speaking.  Tulips  also  are  orna- 
mental enough  where  they  do  well,  but  here 
they  flower  once  and  break  up  into  small  bulbs 
below  flowering  size.  Doronicum  Harpur 
Crewe  is  showy  enough,  but  April  is  its  best 
month,  and  in  May  it  has  degenerated  into 
lanky  untidiness.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
the  Calthas,  beautiful  as  they  are  and  worthy 
of  a  good  place  in  a  king's  garden — perhaps 
their  ancient  Latin  name  of  "  Regius  Flos," 
modernised  into  "  King  Cups,"  is  intended  to 
denote  this.  The  scarlet  Anemone  hortensis 
is  over,  and  if  anyone  will  tell  me  how  to 
make  A.  coronaria  flourish  in  this  soil  I  will 
thank  him. 

Then  how  about  Gentianella  ?  It  is  con- 
stantly renewed  here  by  fine  lumps  presented 
or  purchased,  and  every  practical  gardener 
who  sees  how  it  fails  here  suggests  some  never- 
failing  plan  for  making  it  flower  well  ;  but  in 
any  case  it  is  only  a  question  of  whether  it 
dies  out  soon  or  late.  Now  and  then  some 
clump  becomes  beautifully  flowery,  and  I 
think  my  difficulty  about  it  is  overcome,  and 
hasten  to  examine  the  conditions,  and  try  to 
imitate  them  exactly  with  other  clumps,  but 
somehow  these  attempted  imitations  hardly 
ever  succeed,  as  the  plant  finds  too  much  or 
too  little  of  something.  Columbines  are  grown 
here  in  abundance,  but  do  not  begin  to  flower 
till  the  last  week  in  ilay.  The  large  bushes 
of  Iberis  sempervirens  and  its  varieties  and 
congeners  are  delightful  flowers.  I  see  them 
in  friends'  gardens  and  villa  gardens  about 
London,  but  the  Iberises  must  be  on  raised 
banks  or  stonework  here  or  they  soon  get 
stalky  and  brown  in  the  leaves. 

I  have  said  nothing  about  shrubs,  and  it 
must  be  owned  that  the  double  Cherries,  the 
double  Crabs  and  Pears,  and  dozens  of  others 
are  now  beautiful  at  Kew  and  in  many  other 
warm  and  well  drained  gardens.  Here  the 
damp  subsoil  prevents  the  shrubs  from  ripening 
wood,  so  if  they  are  not  killed  by  winter  they 
make  more  leaves  than  flowers  in  spring. 
There  are  a  few  exceptions,  notably  Berberis 
Darvvinii  and  B.  stenophylla,  which  never 
flowered  better  than  they  are  doing  now, 
though  it  surprised  me  to  find  how  B.  Darwinii 
escaped  the  late  spring  frosts  unhurt. 

In  excepting  the  stone  heaps  and  raised 
banks  from  my  accusations  against  May  as  a 
false  pretender,  I  ought  also  to  have  excepted 
peat  beds,  of  which  I  have  several.  Peat  is  an 
expensive  luxury  here,  being  fetched  from  far 
and  subject  to  a  heavy  royalty,  but  as  far  as  it 
goes  it  certainly  is  a  great  relief  to  the  garden, 
and  these  few  beds  have  been  full  of  flowers 
since  February  and  continue  so.  Azalea  mollis 
is  quite  hardy  there  and  already  oat.  Large 
bunches  of  Trillium  grandiflorum,  Uvularia 
grandiflora    Primula    Sieboldii,  Epimediums 


380 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  1,  1901. 


many  of  them  more  beautiful  with  leaves  than 
with  flowers  ;  Ledums  just  beginning.  Many 
other  things  which  in  well  drained  soils  may 
do  all  over  the  garden,  but  here  they  want 
special  soil  and  special  drainage.  At  the  back 
of  one  of  these  peat  beds,  against  a  south  wall, 
is  a  large  bush  of  Choisya  ternata,  10  feet  high 
and  as  much  across,  standing  well  out  from 
the  wall  ;  in  some  years  the  late  frosts  ruin 
the  flowering,  but  it  is  now  a  mass  of  flower. 
Perhaps  the  last  few  lines  seem  to  make  my 
grumble  against  the  month  seem  unreasonable, 
but  those  who  could  see  the  long  rows  of  green 
in  my  garden  without  being  able  to  suggest  a 
remedy  will  agree  with  me  that  ]May  is  about 
the  worst  month  in  the  year  for  hardy  flowers. 
Edge  Hail,  Malpas.  C.  W.  DoD. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 

EREORS    IN    GRAPE   GROWING. 

IT  is  strange  that  so  many  common  errors 
occur  in  Grape  growing,  when  the  number 
of  tjooks  and  weekly  information  on  this 
subject  to  be  obtained  at  such  a  low  cost  are 
taken  into  consideration.  I  suppose  it  is 
the  old  tale.  Grower.s  do  not  read  or  will 
not  see  their  own  errors,  although  many  are  prone 
to  point  out  the  faults  committed  by  others. 

A  common  error  is  that  of  disbudding.  It  is 
much  too  common  a  custom  to  leave  two  and 
sometimes  three  growths  on  a  single  spur.  If  the 
spurs  are  a  reasonable  distance  apart  one  shoot 
from  each  is  quite  sufficient  to  ensure  a  full  fruit 
crop.  There  are  times  when  the  retention  of  a 
second  shoot  is  an  advancage,  for  instance,  when 
an  accident  has  happened  to  the  shoot  on  an  ad- 
joining spur,  causing  a  prospective  gap  in  the 
Vine.  In  that  ease  an  extra  growth  from  one  spur 
is  quite  justified,  not  only  as  a  means  of  increasing 
the  number  of  bunches,  but  for  appearance  sake  in 
filling  an  otherwise  bare  space  with  foliage.  The 
error  of  retaining  two  shoots  where  but  room  for 
one  exists  is  that  of  overcrowding  the  foliage.  No 
fruit  tree  that  I  know  depends  more  upon  the 
perfect  maturation  of  its  wood  and  buds  for  the 
production  of  satisfactory  results  than  the  Vine. 
If  the  leaves  have  not  ample  space  for  full  develop- 
ment by  exposure  to  light  and  air  how  can  they 
be  expected  to  fulfil  their  natural  function  of 
developing  the  buds  from  which  emanates  the 
future  fruit  cropV 

Another  error  quite  common,  perhaps  more  so 
than  the  former  or  any  other,  is  that  of  manipu- 
lating the  lateral  and  sublateral  growths.  The 
orthodox  method  is  to  pinch  the  shoot  above  the 
first  leaf  and  to  remove  the  second,  or  sublateral 
growth.  Of  course  there  are  exceptions  to  this 
rule ;  where  abundant  space  is  available  more 
lateral  growth  may  be  retained  with  advantage. 
Instead  of  going  over  the  Vines  when  growth  is 
being  made  fast  from  vigorous  Vines  every  other- 
day,  it  is  much  too  common  a  practice  to  allow  all 
to  grow  together  for  ten  days  or  even  a  fortnight, 
or  perhaps  longer.  By  that  time  many  of  the 
more  vigorous  shoots  will  be  several  feet  long 
Even  then,  instead  of  removing  the  surplus  shoots 
gradually,  the  whole  is  cleared  at  one  cutting. 
Such  an  error  cannot  fail  to  have  an  adverse 
influence  upon  the  welfare  of  the  Vines  so  treated. 
The  injury  may  not  be  immediately  apparent,  but 
cannot  fail  to  be  present  somehow. 

Many  an  example  of  shanking  of  the  berries, 
which  has  puzzled  sorely  the  mind  of  the  cul- 
tivator, might  be  traced  to  such  drastic  treatment 
as  that  previously  alluded  to  if  the  cultivator 
would  but  see  the  folly  of  such  a  practice.  For 
the  welfare  of  the  Vines  it  is  better  to  be  able  to 
hold  the  surplus  shoots  in  onehand  while  removing 
them  with  the  other  rather  than  requiring  the  aid 
of  a  wheelbarrow  to  carry  off  the  shoots  and 
leaves. 

Neglect  in  tying  down  the  shoots  early  is  another 
error  that  may  be  the  source  of  mishap.  Too  often 
one  sees  the  point  of  the  shoots  hard  pressed  against 


the  glass  for  several  days  before  they  are  released 
by  timely  attention  in  tying  them  to  the  wires. 
\Vhen  the  bunches  and  leaves  are  pressing  close  to 
the  glass  they  run  a  great  risk  of  injury  from  frost 
bj'  night  and  bright  sun  by  day  shining  upon  them 
before  the  condensed  moisture  has  evaporated. 

Good  management  of  this  detail  consists  in  never 
allowing  any  portion  of  the  shoots  to  press  against 
the  glass.  With  stiff  and  strong-growing  varieties 
like  Alicante,  for  example,  daily  attention  is 
necessary  to  train,  little  by  little,  these  stout 
shoots  into  the  space  allotted  for  them.  Some 
cultivators  will  find  a  ready  excuse  for  neglect  in 
this  phase  of  (irape  culture — that  of  having  the 
wires  too  near  to  the  glass.  Seventeen  inches  is 
not  too  much  space  to  allow  for  strong-growing 
varieties.  If  the  wires  really  are  too  close  to  the 
glass,  the  error  is  easily  remedied  by  swinging  the 
rods  below  the  wires  the  extra  distance  required. 

The  removal  of  surplus  bunches  is  too  often  the 
cause  of  another  error.  An  experienced  cultivator 
will  relieve  the  tax  upon  the  Vines  early  by  re- 
ducing the  number  of  bunches  before  they  blossom, 
while  those  who  are  guilty  of  this  error  do  not 
thin  them  until  the  berries  are  the  size  of  Marrow- 
fat Peas.  What  an  linnecessary  strain  upon  the 
Vines  such  wrong  treatment  entails. 

In  some  instances  the  Vines  at  one  end  of  a 
vinery  may  not  "set"  so  regidarly  or  so  well  as 
those  at  the  opposite  end  will  do.  In  other  cases 
varieties  are  not  easy  to  manage  in  their  fertilisa- 
tion periods ;  the  weather,  too,  may  be  quite 
unfavourable  for  some  varieties  like  Muscat  of 
Alexandria,  for  example.  All  things  considered, 
it  is  not  wise  to  recommend  the  absolute  thinning 
of  the  bunches  down  to  a  bare  crop  before  the 
flowering  stage  has  passed.  lUrectly,  liowever,  it 
can  be  seen  that  a  good  "set"  has  been  obtained 
of  clean,  healthy-looking  berries,  remove  all  surplus 
bunches  without  delay. 

In  thinning  the  berries  some  thin  too  freely, 
while  others  do  not  remove  sufficient.  Perfection 
in  tiiimiing  can  only  be  attained  by  practice  on 
the  one  hand  and  a  knowledge  on  the  spot  of  how 
certain  varieties  swell  their  berries  as  compared 
with  the  same  sorts  in  other  localities.  There  is 
no  disputing  but  this  is  a  fact,  as  all  the  difference 
imaginable  does  exist  in  such  varieties  as  Madres- 
field  Court  and  Alicante  for  example. 

The  error  complained  of  in  thinning  is  that  of 
allowing  the  berries  to  arrive  almost  if  not  quite 
at  the  stoning  stage  before  they  are  thinned.  Not 
only  is  a  greater  strain  imposed  on  the  Vines  than 
is  necessary,  but  the  "  bloom  "  upon  the  berries  is 
sadly  marred  by  the  thinning  process,  no  matter 
how  carefully  it  is  done.  The  "  bloom  "  upon  the 
berries  is  present  directly  they  are  formed, 
although  some  may  look  upon  it  as  a  creation 
obtained  when  the  ripening  process  is  in  hand. 
Many  more  errors  in  culture  might  easily  be 
pointed  out,  but  I  fear  I  have  alreadj'  occupied 
much  space.  One  other  I  must  briefly  allude  to  as 
it  is  of  so  much  importance — that  of  allowing  red 
spider  to  obtain  such  a  strong  hold  upon  the  leaves 
before  remedial  measures  are  taken  to  check  its 
progress. 

Where  vineries  are  utilised  for  plant  growing, 
also  for  the  production  of  Strawberries  and  the 
forcing  of  French  Beans  in  the  spring,  the  wonder 
is  if  any  single  vinery  can  be  said  to  be  free  from 
red  spider.  This  insidious  pest  is,  perhaps,  more 
difficult  to  stamp  out  than  any  other,  except  it  be 
mealy  bug.  When  once  a  vinery  is  infested  with 
red  spider,  a  yearly  recurrence  may  be  expected. 
As  a  rule  it  is  the  leaves  nearest  to  the  main  stem 
that  are  first  infected,  perhaps  by  the  plants  below 
being  infested  with  this  pest.  In  a  few  days  it  is 
surprising  how  fast  other  leaves  will  be  affected 
also  if  some  means  are  not  taken  to  arrest  its  pro- 
gress. This  is  the  error  I  complain  of — allowing  it 
to  spread  without  attempting  some  step.  There 
must  always  be  a  time  when  but  two  or  three  leaves 
at  the  most  are  infected,  then  is  the  time  to  arrest 
its  progress.  If  the  cultivator  waits  for  a  week  or 
so  "to  see  how  it  goes  on,"  as  he  loo  often  remarks, 
the  chances  are  he  will  find  twenty  leaves  covered 
with  it.  He  then  washes  the  leaves  with  soft  soap 
or  some  other  nostrum,  entailing  much  labour  and 
little  satisfaction ;  whereas  if  he  had  sprinkled  dry 


sulphur  over  the  two  or  three  leaves  at  once  the 
check  would  have  been  more  easily  effected,  and 
certainly  much  better  for  the  Vines,  as  it  is  not 
possible  to  colour  black  (irapes  of  anj'  kind  well 
when  the  foliage  is  damaged  with  the  ravages  of 
red  spider.  K.   Moi.yneux. 


RECKNT    PLANT    PORTRAITS. 

The  fotirth  and  fifth  parts  of  the  sixteenth  volume 
of  "  Lindenia,  '  published  as  a  double  number  on 
May  1,  contain  portraits  of  the  following  Orchids: — 

Caltleya  Mossitr  rar.  Mme.  Liirien  Lindfn. — A 
most  beautiful  pure  white  flower  with  a  fringed  lip 
delicately  shaped,  with  rosy  purple  and  orange 
markings. 

Cypripedinm  alherliauum  var.  rotundiflorum. — 
A  very  brightly  colourefl  and  beautiful  variety  of 
this  family,  whicli  will  be  much  sought  after  and 
greatly  admired  by  all  lovers  of  this  class  of 
Orchids. 

Cii'loiiyne  barhata.  —A  pure  white  flower  with  a 
curious  and  most  uncommon  bearded  lip  of  a  deep 
brown  colour. 

Phalunop.fi.i  amahilis,  var.  rimesladiana. — A 
fine  double  plate  of  a  large  handsome  variety, 
showing  an  entire  spray  of  pure  white  flowers  of 
the  largest  size  with  light  yellow  markings  in  the 
centre. 

Cyrjripedium  insir/ne  rar.  Chantini  shIk  rar. 
Lindeni.  — A  very  beautiful  variety  with  yellow  and 
white  flowers. 

Enop/iis  rut Idolndhon. — A  fine  spike  of  medium 
sized  orange  flowers  streaked  with  3'ellow  and  a 
pure  white  lip  spotted  with  brown. 

Sohralia  Veitchii. — This  is  a  most  delicately 
beautiful  hybrid  of  this  handsome  family  raised  hy 
crossing  S.  xantholeuca  with  S.  maerantha.  It 
was  raised  by  the  firm  whose  name  it  bears  and 
flowered  in  their  nursery  in  1894. 

W.    E.    GUMBLETON. 


LEW^ISIA     TWEEDII. 

We  can  as  yet  say  little  about  this  new  plant, 
except  that  it  worthily  excites  the  admiration 
of  the  gardening  world.  The  bloom  is  of  a 
tender  and  wonderful  colouring,  a  rainbow 
flower  of  pale  rose  and  yellow,  the  size  of  a 
small  Tulip  ;  the  leathery  leaves  are  something 
like  those  of  an  Auricula.  The  reproduction 
is  from  a  photograph  of  a  plant  in  Mr.  G.  F. 
Wilson's  garden  near  Weybridge. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 

Solanum  pensile.— Although  not  so  showy 
as  the  strong-growing  S.  Wendlandii,  this  species 
is  well  worth  including  in  a  collection  of  warm 
greenhouse  climbers.  It  is  a  native  of  Brazil,  a 
quick  grower,  and  of  good  constitution.  It  makes 
long  slender  branches,  clothed  with  entire  ovate 
leaves  3  inches  long,  terminated  with  large 
spreading  panicles  of  flowers.  The  branches  of 
tlie  inflorescence  bend  so  as  to  appear  at  right 
angles  with  the  main  stem,  and  as  the  flowers  are 
borne  on  the  upper  side  only  of  the  branch, 
not  all  roinid,  they  look  very  effective.  Indi- 
vidually tlie  flowers  are  three-(juarters  of  an  inch 
long,  purple  in  colour,  with  a  white  mark  at  the 
base  of  the  inner  side  of  each  petal  and  a  central 
mass  of  golden  stamens.  It  succeeds  in  either  a 
stove  or  warm  greenhouse,  the  latter  for  preference. 
It  maj'  be  planted  in  a  border  of  peat  and  loam, 
and  have  the  main  stems  trained  to  the  roof  wires, 
allowing  the  lateral  branches  to  hang  loosely.  An 
annual  spurring  back  is  necessar}',  the  work  being 
done  after  the  flowers  are  over  in  June.  Upon  no 
account  should  any  of  the  branches  be  shortened 
during  late  autumn  or  winter,  as  if  this  is  done  no 
flowers  will  be  borne.  Anyone  giving  it  a  trial 
will  find  it  a  very  interesting  and  ornamental 
plant,  quite  distinct  from  tlie  usual  run  of  climbers 
grown.  Anyone  wishing  to  see  it  in  flower  maj'  do 
so  by  visiting  the  Mexican  house  at  Kew. — W.  D. 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN. 


387 


Rosa,  ECSB. — I  have  just  been  spending  a 
few  days  at  Bournemouth,  and,  of  course,  I  paid 
a  visit  to  the  garden  of  my  old  friend  Canon 
Swayne.  Everything  was  very  remindful  of  him. 
The  flowers,  the  trees,  were  just  as  he  left  them  a 
few  weeks  ago,  but  there  was  a  great  void  never 
theleas,  and  it  all  seemed  very  expressive  of  this 
"  Oh  !  for  the  touch  of  a  vanished  hand 
And  the  sound  of  a  voice  that  is  still." 
But  there  was  one  strange  exception  to  the  feeling 
that  seemed  to  prevail  in  the  place.  A  Rose, 
about  which  Canon  Swayne  had  spoken  to  me 
several  times,  but  which,  as  far  as  I  know,  had 
never  done  much  in  his  lifetime,  and  at  any  rate  I 
had  never  once  seen  in  blossom  before,  was  radiant 
with  unusual  beauty,  and  no  doubt  it  is  so  at  the 
present  time.  I  refer  to  Rosa  Ecfe,  which  was  a 
great  favourite  in  its  owner's  esteem.  It  has  been 
growing  for  some  few  years  hard  by  the  main 
entrance  to  the  house,  and  had  a  position  of 
honour ;  no  one  could  miss  seeing  it  that 
frequented  the  place.  This  Rose  last  Monday 
quite  glittered  in  the  sunshine  to  which  it  was 
exposed.  Its  solitary  golden  blossoms  studded  a 
large  space  on  the  wall  and  arrested  the  bystander 
at  once.  But  I  confess  to  having  been  almost 
vexed  with  what  I  saw.  Why  could  it  not  have 
behaved  in  this  way  before  ?  Why  should  it  have 
every  symptom  of  exuberant  delight  when  the 
whole  garden  seemed  to  miss  the  presence  of  a 
master  hand  ?  There  was  a  strange  incongruity, 
at  least  so  it  seemed  to  me,  in  the  behaviour 
of  a  very  beautiful  flower.  I  felt  as  though  I 
must  speak  to  Canon  Swayne  on  the  subject. 
I  am  certain  he  would  have  been  interested  in  it. 
I  met  Mr.  Prichard,  of  the  Riverslea  Nursery, 
Christchurch,  at  the  Temple  Show  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society.  He  knows  a  great  deal 
about  the  Rose,  and  he  spoke  of  it  as  a  plant  of 
extreme  rarity  and  of  great  excellence  also.  Few 
are  more  acquainted  with  Canon  Swayne's  garden 
than  he  is,  and  he  seemed  quite  alive  to  the 
strange  behaviour  of  the  Rose.  I  believe  Rosa 
EcEe  comes  from  Afghanistan,  but  whatever  may 
be  its  native  habitat  I  am  sure  that  it  had  the 
imprimatur  of  a  very  great  lover  of  flowers,  and  it 
will  always  remind  me  in  my  own  garden  and 
elsewhere  of  a  valued  friend  who  first  called  my 
attention  to  it.  — Henry  Ewbank. 

Flowers  at  the  Glasgow  Exhibi- 
tion.— Messrs.  Dobbie  and  Co.,  Rothesay  and 
Orpington,  have  been  making  a  bright  display  of 
cut  flowers  at  the  Glasgow  Exhibition,  chief  of 
which  has  been  the  rich  and  varied  display  of 
Pansies  and  Violas,  for  which  the  firm  is  noted. 
Cut  blooms  of  Sweet  Peas  have  also  been  less 
numerously  staged,  and  lately  Tulips  in  the  best 
and  brightest  kinds  have  lent  an  added  beauty  to 
their  unique  exhibit.  The  firm  intend  to  continue 
showing  flowers  in  season  till  the  exhibition  closes 
in  November. 

Canadian  Fpuit   at  the  Glasgow^ 

Exhibition.— Those  interested  in  hardy  fruits 
who  may  visit  the  Glasgow  International  Ex- 
hibition at  Kelvinside  should  not  fail  to  inspect 
the  Canadian  section,  wliere  a  representative 
collection  of  Apples  of  about  200  dishas,  drawn 
from  various  provinces  of  Canada  and  from  Nova 
Scotia,  is  staged.  It  is  intended  to  renew  the 
exhibits  from  time  to  time  until  the  close  of  the 
exhibition,  the  fruit  shown  at  present  being  of 
last  year's  crop  and  preserved  by  cold  storage. 
After  three  weeks  on  the  tables  the  Apples  were 
found,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  dishes,  in 
excellent  condition,  though  a  fresh  lot  was  to 
replace  these  at  the  end  of  the  month.  The 
gentleman  in  charge  is  most  kind  in  giving 
information,  but,  of  course,  our  northern  climate 
is  so  cold  that  many  of  the  best  Apples  of  Canada 
fail  with  us  altogether.  Of  such  may  be  named 
King  of  Tompkin's  County  and  Northern  Spy, 
well  displayed  at  Glasgow.  English  varieties  that 
are  included  are  grand  examples  of  Golden  Russet, 
Blenheim  Orange,  and  Nonpareil,  the  latter  from 
Nova  Scotia,  and  there  considered  one  of  the  best 
of  Apples.  A  new  variety,  called  Cranberry  R.ed, 
is  also  shown  in  good  form.  In  addition  to  these, 
Ben  Davis,  Canada  Red,  Spitzenberg,  Grime's 
Golden,  Greening  (which  succeeds  best  in  British 


Columbia),  and  Baldwin,  are  considered  first-rate 
sorts,  and  are  all  well  represented  at  (ilasgow. 
Varieties  that  are  amenable  to  cold  storage  treat- 
ment are  no  doubt  of  first  importance  in  securing 
such  fine  fruit  at  this  time  of  year,  but  a  more 
important  matter  still  is  that  of  perfect  maturation 
previous  to  gathering  the  fruit.  It  is  probable 
that  only  some  districts  in  Scotland  can  approach 
Canada  in  this  respect,  though  it  must  be  conceded 
the  Scot  as  a  rule  errs  in  harvesting  his  late  sorts 
too  soon  in  autumn.  In  addition  to  Apples,  the 
Canadians  exhibit  a  grand  collection  of  bottled 
fruits  in  great  varietj'. — B. 

Lily    show    and    conference.  ~  The 

Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  hold  an  exhibi- 
tion of  Lilies,  at  the  Chiswick  Garden,  on  Tuesday 
and  Wednesday,  July  16  and  17.  The  gates  will 
open  at  2  p.m.  on  Tuesday,  closing  at  8  p.m., 
and  at  11  a.m.  on  Wednesday,  closing  at  6  p.m. 
A  large  silver  medal,  kindly  presented  to  the 
society  by  the  Williams'  memorial  trustees,  will 
be  awarded  to  the 
amateur  exhibiting  the 
best  collection  of  Lilies. 
Other  medals  and 
awards  will  be  made 
by  the  council  as  they 
shall  think  fit.  On 
Tuesday,  July  16,  a 
conference  on  Lilies 
will  also  take  place  in 
the  garden.  The  chair 
will  be  taken  at  2  p.  m. , 
or  as  soon  after  as 
possible,  by  Mr.  H.  J. 
Elwes,r.R.S.,V.M.H., 
who  will  deliver  an 
opening  address  on 
Lilies  discovered  or 
brought  into  cultiva- 
tion since  the  issue  of 
his  monograph  on  the 
siibject.  The  following 
have  also  been  asked, 
and  for  the  most  part 
have  already  kindly 
consented,  to  contri- 
bute papers  or  notes  to 
the  conference  ;  —  Mr. 
J.  G.  Baker,  F.R.S., 
V.M.H.,  Kew  ;  Dr. 
Bonavia,  Worthing, 
Sussex  ;  Mr.  'Luther 
Burbank,  California  ; 
Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge, 
M.A.,V.M.H.,  Dublin; 
Mr.  W.  Goldring,  Kew ; 
Dr.  Henry,  China  ;  Mr. 
H.  Jones,  Whyteleaf, 
Surrey  ;  Herr  Ernst 
Krelage,  Haarlem, 
Holland  ;  Mr.  J.  Car- 
rington  Ley,  East 
Farleigh,  Kent  ;  Mr. 
George  Massee,  Kew ; 
Mr.  G.  L.  Patey, 
Newton  Abbot,  Devon ; 
Mr.  Carl  Purdy,  Cali- 
fornia ;  Captain  Savile  Reid,  Yalding,  Kent ;  Mr. 
R.  Wallace,  Colchester  ;  Mr.  G.  F.  Wilson,  F.R.S., 
V.M.H.,  Weybridge  Heath,  Surrey;  Mr.  George 
Yeld,  M.  A.,  York.  Anyone  interested  in  Lilies  and 
willing  to  contribute  a  short  paper  or  note  is  re- 
quested to  communicate  with  the  secretary.  Royal 
Horticultural  Society's  office,  117,  Victoria  Street, 
Westminster,  S.W.  It  is  hoped  that  everyone 
having  Lilies  in  bloom  at  the  time  will  be  kind 
enough  to  send  them  for  exhibition  at  Chiswick. 
The  fruit  and  floral  committees  will  meet  at 
Chiswick  on  the  first  day  at  11  a.m.  All  plants 
&c. ,  sent  for  certificate  must  tlieref ore  be  ready  bj' 
10.30  a.m.  at  latest. 

Kew  Guild  Dinner.— A  most  enjoyable 
evening  was  spent  at  the  Holborn  Restaurant  on 
the  evening  of  May  21,  when  about  150  past  and 
present  Kewites  met  under  the  presidency  of  Sir 
William  Thiselton-Dyer,  K.C.M.G.,  &c.  Many 
notable  horticulturists  who  have  spent  some  por- 
tion  of  their   lives   at  Kew  were   present.       The 


speeches  were  commendably  brief,  and  the  evening's 
enjoyment  was  added  to  by  music.  The  toast  of 
"  The  Present  Kewites"  was  responded  to  by  Mr. 
•Jackson,  A.L.S. ,  and  that  of  "The  Past  Kewites" 
by  Mr.  F.  W.  Burbidge,  M.A.,  F.L.S.  Several 
lady  gardeners  were  present,  some  of  whom  are 
still  employed  at  Kew. 

St.  James's  Park.— Very  effective  is  a 
set  of  beds  near  the  Horse  (iuards  Parade  planted 
with  mixed  Pansies  and  Devoniensis  in  two  beds, 
Pyrethrunis  in  two  others,  and  Solomon's  Seal  in 
centre  beds,  the  whole  presenting  a  charming 
appearance.  — Quo. 

Veronica   hulkeana,  .3  feet  high  and 

more  across,  with  a  mass  of  red  Heuchera  in  front, 
is  delicious. — E.  H.  W, ,  Nice,  Fratire. 

Thornton      Heath      Horticultural 

Society. — The  first  summer  show  of  this  society 
will  be  held  in  the  grounds  adjoining  Thornton 
House,  London  Road  (kindly  lent  by  E.  G. 
Bates,  Esq.,  Oak  Lodge),  on  Wednesday,  July  10. 


LEWISIA  TWEEDII. 

Many  special  prizes  are  offered,  as  well  as  a 
handsome  challenge  cup,  given  by  Thomas  Cook, 
Esq.,  Elm  Lodge,  to  be  awarded  for  the  greatest 
number  of  points  won  by  amateurs  residing  in  the 
district. 

Saxifraga  pallida.— Closely  allied  to  S. 
mertensiana  and  S.  virginiensis,  this  Himala}'an 
species  is  more  interesting  than  showy.  From  a 
rosette  of  petioled  ovate  leaves,  which  lie  flat  on  ^ 
the  ground,  the  flower  stem  is  produced,  bearing 
from  one  to  four  moderate-sized  white  flowers, 
each  petal  having  yellow  spots  at  the  b.ise.  The 
whole  plant  is  not  more  than  a  few  inches  high, 
and  is  generally  covered  with  glandular  hairs. — 
W.  I. 

Messrs.  Kelw^ay  and  Son  write  to  say 

that  the  medal  awarded  to  them  by  tlie  council  of 
the  Roj'al  Horticultural  Society,  on  the  occasion 
of  the  Temple  Show,  for  Tree  P;eonies,  was  a 
silver-gilt,  not  a  silver  Banksiin  medal,  as  pre- 
viously reported. 


388 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  1,  1901. 


The  Temple  show  is  monotonous. 

— "J.  R.  D."  writes:  "Could  not  the  Horticul- 
tural Society  hold  their  show  a  month  earlier,  or 
better,  later,  as  3'ear  after  year  exactly  the  same 
flowers  are  in  exactly  the  same  places  and  shown 
by  exactly  the  same  people  ?  One  could  find  them 
blindfold."" 

Iris  ting-itana,  Lonicera  hilde- 
brandiana,  and  Oncocyelus   Iris.— 

We  regret  that  the  localitj-  was  not  gi\'en  at  the 
end  of  some  highly  interesting  notes  in  our  issue 
for  Maj'  IS  on  the  above  plants  from  the  Rev.  H. 
Ewbank.  We  should  have  stated  that  they  were 
from  near  Ryde,  Isle  of  Wight. 

Two  new  MePtensias.— The  Virginian 
Cowslip  (M.  pulmonarioides)  is  deservedly  a 
favourite  and  familiar  plant  in  gardens.  The 
species  under  notice,  however,  differ  greatly  from 
that  plant  in  habit  and  general  appearance.  11. 
primuloides  is  a  low-growing,  tufted  perennial, 
scarcely  exceeding  ti  inches  in  height,  inhabiting 
the  Western  Himalayan  Mountains  at  an  elevation 
of  15,000  feet.  Unlike  manj'  of  the  plants  hailing 
from  the  higher  regions  of  the  Himalaya,  this  is  of 
easy  cultivation,  and  has  stood  without  injury  in 
the  open  border  all  the  winter.  The  leaves,  which 
are  small  and  elliptic  in  shape,  have  a  peculiar 
greyish  appearance  at  first,  which,  however,  is  lost 
with  age.  They  are  surmounted  by  numerous 
racemes  of  lovely  reddish  purple  flowers  in  the 
way  of  a  Forget-me-not.  A  valuable  feature  of 
this  plant  is  that  it  remains  in  full  beauty  for  a 
long  time  without  in  any  way  getting  ragged.  It 
is  easily  increased  by  division,  and  promises  to 
ripen  plenty  of  seed.  M.  echioides  is  another  new 
introduction  from  the  mountains  of  Kashmir  and 
Western  Tibet,  similar  in  habit  and  size  to  the 
above,  with  soft,  hairj',  spathulate  radical  and 
amplexicaul  stem  leaves.  The  stems  are  rather 
more  leafy  than  in  M.  primuloides,  while  the  blue 
flowers,  which  are  borne  in  dense  racemes,  are 
more  canipanulate  in  shape.  This  is  hardly  the 
typical  form  of  this  species,  which  has  narrow, 
erect,  corolla  lobes.  In  this  plant  they  are  broader 
and  more  spreading. — W.  Irvinc;. 

Flowers   at   the   Bath   and   AVest 

Show. — The  small  flower  show,  which  is  always 
one  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  Bath  and 
West  Show,  was  visited  by  large  numbers  at 
Croydon,  and  was  carried  on  on  much  the  same 
lines  as  usual.  Messrs.  Kelway  and  Son,  of 
Langport,  made  a  speciality  of  Tree  Paionies,  and 
among  the  more  striking  varieties  shown  were 
Lord  Roberts,  General  French,  and  Mrs.  Bancroft. 
A  very  pretty  exhibit  was  set  up  by  Mr.  Butcher, 
of  Croydon,  who  showed  Hydrangeas,  Roses,  and 
Lilies,  well  set  off  bj'  Acer  Negundo  and  other 
foliage  plants.  Conspicuous  among  the  Begonias, 
Streptocarpus,  and  Anthuriums,  which  constituted 
the  main  features  of  the  exhibit  of  Messrs.  John 
Laing  and  Sons,  of  Forest  Hill,  was  an  example  of 
Medinilla  magnifica,  a  fine  stove-flowering  plant 
not  very  often  seen  nowadays.  Messrs.  Cooling 
and  Sens,  of  Bath,  showed  some  splendid  Clema- 
tises, single  and  double,  among  them  the  beautiful 
Duchess  of  Edinburgh.  In  another  part  of  the 
show  the  same  firm  had  a  choice  collection  of 
alpine  plants.  At  the  top  of  the  tent  Messrs. 
Cutbush  had  a  most  effective  display,  which  was 
much  admired.  It  was  made  up  chiefly  of 
Carnations  (among  them  the  new  and  brilliant 
Herbert  J.  Cutbush),  Picotees,  Lilies,  Rose  Crimson 
Rambler  (always  in  evidence  at  this  show),  Heaths, 
Cilia  elliottiana,  Saxifraga  pyramidalis,  and  a  host 
of  Ferns  and  finc-foliaged  plants.  Hardy  plants 
were  shown  in  excellent  condition  and  variety  by 
Mr.  J.  Pv.  Box,  of  West  Wickham  and  Croydon, 
conspicuous  among  them  being  Heuchera  sanguinea, 
<i  lobe  flowers,  Irises,  and  the  variegated  Strawberry 
(Fragaria  vesca).  He  also  had  a  nice  collection  of 
Calceolarias.  Messrs.  William  Paul  and  Sons,  of 
Waltham  Cross,  had  a  very  large  exhibit,  chiefl)' 
Roses,  including  fine  plants  of  Marie  Baumann, 
Baroness  Rothschild,  the  new  Polyantha  Rose 
Leuchtstern,  and  the  new  climber  Wallflower. 
Mr.  W.  .1.  tJodfrey,  of  I'^xmouth,  had  some  very 
showy  Cannas,  and  Mr.  F.  Hooper,  of  Widcomb'e 
Hill,  Bath,  P.uisies  both  in  "collars"  and  in 
baskets.     The  arrangement  of  all  the  exhibits  was 


tasteful  in  the  extreme  ;  indeed,  the  effect  arrived 
at  by  those  responsible  for  this  part  of  the  Bath 
and  West  exhibition  is  the  gathering  together  of  a 
small  and  varied  collection  of  choice  plants  staged 
in  the  most  eftective  manner. 

Flowers   In    Regent's   Park.-Long 

borders  of  Primula  cortusoides  in  variety  produce 
a  telling  effect  with  their  deep  rosj'  flowers. 
Pansies,  always  a  speciality  in  this  park,  were 
noted  in  excellent  variety  and  fine  condition,  of 
sorts  introduced  to  commerce  by  Messrs.  Dobbie 
and  Co.  a  firm  which  has  done  much  to  popularise 
this  charming  flower  in  the  south.  What  a  bold 
aspect  is  produced  by  golden-flowered  Doronicums. 
It  was  pleasant  to  see  a  border  of  mixed  Auriculas. 
That  popular  Tulip,  Grand  Maitre,  is  flowering 
magnificently  in  many  beds,  whilst  a  welcome 
relief  is  afforded  from  the  necessarily  trimly-kept 
beds  by  hardy  flowers  effectively  rising  from  the 
unkept  grass — beautiful  bits  of  wild  gardening  in 
the  green  sward. — Quo. 

PaPPOt  Tulips.— When  looking  through  the 
grounds  of  Gunnersbury  Park  recently  I  was  much 
struck  with  the  sizes  and  beauty  of  some  Parrot 
Tulips.  They  consisted  of  such  well  -  known 
varieties  as  Admiral  de  Constantinople  (red),  Cafe 
Brun  (brown  and  red),  Lutea  (yellow),  Perfecta 
(yellow,  spotted  with  red),  and  Mark  Graaf 
(brown,  veined  with  yellow).  On  my  asking 
Mr.  George  Reynolds  if  he  attributed  such  fine 
results  to  any  special  treatment,  he  astonished  me 
by  stating  that  so  far  from  the  bulbs  receiving  any 
special  attention,  and  so  far  from  their  having 
been  imported  bulbs  from  Holland,  they  were 
actually  the  offspring  of  those  which  bloomed  the 
previous  j'ear ;  that  they  were  lifted  about  a 
fortnight  after  they  had  gone  out  of  bloom,  were 
laid  out  on  the  path  in  the  full  glare  of  the  sun, 
and  when  they  were  quite  dry  were  put  away  for 
planting  last  autumn.  This  seemed  to  be  a  very 
rough  and  ready  treatment,  but  it  did  not  in  any 
way  art'ect  the  produce  of  fine  blooms,  and  only  a 
small  percentage  failed  to  flower.  The  fact  is  the 
physiology  of  the  Tulip  is  a  peculiar  one,  for  at  the 
time  Mr.  Reynolds  had  lifted  his  buUis,  the  young 
bulb — for  the  old  one  which  had  produced  flower 
stem  and  blossom  had  exhausted  itself  in  the  acts 
— had  begun  its  independent  life.  It  is  there  fairly 
alone  in  the  vegetable  world,  separated  from  the 
fibres,  now  old,  that  have  fed  it  and  from  the  stem 
through  which  the  foliage  has  done  so  much 
towards  its  development.  In  consequence  no  real 
weakening  of  power  in  the  bulbs  resulted  from  the 
rough  drying  process,  and  when  gathered  up  and 
stored  it  is  surely  and  silently  preparing  itself  for 
the  time  when  in  its  turn  it  will  produce  fibre, 
foliage,  and  flower,  and  so  perform  its  life's  work. 
It  has  been  well  and  truthfully  said,  "  There  is  no 
suspended  animation  in  the  Tulip  bulb." — R.  D. 

Lathypus  putaeseens.— It  is  hoped  that 

we  shall  hear  in  due  time  how  this  Pea  behaves  at 
Inveresk  when  planted  out.  I  am  indebted  to  Mr. 
Arnott  for  a  cutting  sent  in  1898,  and  half  a 
dozen  seeds  sent  later,  all  of  which  grew.  The 
plant,  however,  has  not  yet  proved  hardy  here. 
The  seedlings,  when  planted  out  in  May,  go  on 
growing  with  many  branches  till  October,  always 
looking  as  if  they  ought  to  flower,  but  making  no 
flower  buds.  Then  winter  kills  them  down,  and 
they  do  not  break  again.  A  plant  in  a  Lily 
border,  covered  with  a  tall  frame  and  unheated, 
planted  last  spring  (1000),  has  grown  well,  being 
very  bushy,  and  now  0  feet  or  7  feet  high,  having 
upwards  of  a  hundred  heads  of  flowers  and  buds, 
ranging  from,  five  to  ten  in  the  bunch.  It  shows  a 
strong  tendency  to  mildew,  which  I  restrain  by 
liquid  valtha,  but  at  present  I  see  little  prospect 
of  making  it  hardy.  L.  magellanicus  has  lived 
out  through  winter  in  one  instance  against  a  south 
wall  without  being  killed  down,  and  is  now 
flowering,  but  can  hardly  be  called  a  good  blue 
colour.  The  base  of  this  plant  also  is  mildew, 
which  is  fatal  to  most  of  the  plants  at  the  end  of 
summer.  I  am  afraid  it  will  hardlj'  be  a  great 
acquisition  to  the  list  of  hard3'  plants. — C.  W.  Dud. 
CistUS  fOPmOSUS. — This  is  quite  hardy 
here,  and  its  beauty  is  so  striking  that  it  is  worthy 
of  more  general  cultivation. — F.  A.  Stokoe, 
Coed  Efa,  near  Wmxham. 


Solanum    jasminoides.— It    may 

encourage  those  of  your  readers  who  do  not  live  in 
the  southern  counties  to  grow  this  lovely  plant  if 
I  say  that  with  a  slight  protection  of  straw  it  has 
passed  through  the  winter  unharmed,  and  is  now 
growing  strong.— F.  A.  SxfRGE,  Coiid  Efa,  near 
Wrexham. 

Rhododendpon  indicumvap.  Hexe. 

— The  variable  R.  indicum  has  produced  a  large 
number  of  prett}',  fine-flowered  varieties,  the 
majority  of  which  stand  in  high  favour  with  the 
gardener,  but  of  all  the  varieties,  though  many 
have  larger  flowers,  none  are  more  ornamental 
than  this.  The  flowers  are  of  the  hose-in-hose 
type,  similar  in  shape  to  those  of  anvenum,  but 
many  times  larger,  and  of  a  beautiful  deep  rose 
colour.  It  is  of  easy  cultivation,  rooting  readily 
from  cuttings  of  half- ripe  wood  in  July,  and  quickly 
making  compact  little  bushes,  which  each  spring 
can  be  depended  on  to  be  covered  with  flowers. 
It  does  well  as  a  pot  plant,  but  is  seen  at  its  best 
planted  in  a  border  in  a  cool  house,  and  used  as  a 
carpet  under  taller  plants.  In  sheltered  positions 
and  in  gardens  in  the  south-west  counties  it  can 
be  grown  out  of  doors,  but  in  the  majority  of 
places  indoor  culture  is  essential. — W.  D. 

Rhododendpon  Dalhousise.— A  group 

of  this  pretty  Himalayan  Rhododendron  is  at  the 
present  time  flowering  freely  in  the  Himalayan 
house  at  Kew.  In  size  of  flowers  it  comes  nearest 
to  the  rare  R.  Nuttallii,  and,  like  that  species,  is 
of  straggling  growth.  In  descriptions  of  it,  as  seen 
in  a  wild  state,  it  is  said  to  be  a  sub-epiphyte, 
growing  in  decayed  vegetable  matter,  between  the 
branches  of  trees,  and  also  on  the  trunks  of  fallen 
trees.  Under  cultivation,  however,  it  succeeds 
under  similar  treatment  to  other  species,  and  much 
may  be  done  towards  improving  its  habit  by  tying 
in  the  shoots  as  soon  as  they  are  firm  enough  to 
bend,  this  bending  causing  dormant  buds  to  break 
the  following  spring.  The  leaves  are  6  inches  long 
and  barely  2  inches  wide  ;  the  flowers  are  tubular, 
4  inches  to  5  inches  long  and  3  inches  across  the 
mouth.  They  are  greenish  yellow  in  colour, 
slightly  fragrant,  and  borne  in  small,  loose  trusses. 
It  may  be  grown  in  pots,  but  succeeds  better  if 
planted  in  a  well-drained  border  of  sandy  peat. 
Like  the  majority  of  Himalayan  Rhododendrons,  it 
requires  protection  in  winter,  but  should  never 
have  much  fire  heat.  One  of  the  principal  items  in 
the  culture  of  cool-house  Rhododendrons  is  to  keep 
them  as  cool  as  possible  in  winter,  and  well  dam]) 
both  plants  and  house  in  the  early  morning  and 
late  evening  during  hot  weather  in  summer.  The 
species  under  notice  has  been  used  by  the  hybridist, 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  useful  greenhouse 
hybrids,  i.e.,  Countess  of  Haddington,  having 
originated  through  crossing  this  species  with 
formosum.  — W.  Dalli.aiore. 

Leucocpinum    montanum.  — A  very 

interesting  and  pretty  plant,  closely  allied  to  the 
Mexican  genus  Weldenia.  It  is  the  only  member  of 
the  genus,  and  a  stemless  perennial  herli,  forming 
a  rosette  of  six  or  eight  arching,  narrow  leaves, 
4  inches  to  6  inches  long,  flat  or  somewhat  folded 
towards  the  base.  The  pure  white,  very  fragrant 
flowers  are  borne  singly  on  stems  shorter  than  the 
leaves,  as  many  as  eight  being  produced  on  a  single 
plant.  It  inhabits  the  low  valleys  from  North- 
eastern California  to  Colorado,  growing  in  both 
moist  alkaline  or  dry  sandy  soil.  A  pan  of  several 
plants,  which  have  been  kept  in  a  cold  frame 
during  winter,  has  been  flowering  for  some  time. 
It  has  not  yet  been  tried  outside. — W.  I.,  Ken\ 

IbepiS  spathulata,  also  known  under  the 
name  of  I.  carnosa,  and  figured  in  Sweet's  "  British 
Flower  tJarden"  as  far  back  as  1838,  is  still  a 
scarce  plant,  and  seldom  seen  in  cultivation.  Very 
dwarf  in  habit,  like  I.  saxatilis,  with  branching 
decumbent  purple  stems  and  moderate  sized 
corymbs  of  purple  or  white  flowers,  it  is  worth  a 
place  amongst  the  most  select  rock  plants.  It  has 
been  described  as  an  annual,  but  it  is  readily 
increased  liy  cuttings,  which  strike  freely  in  a 
sandy  compost. — 1. 

Fioweps  in  Kensing'ton  Gapdens. 

— At  the  west  end  of  the  flower  walk  blue  and 
white  Scilla  campanulata  now  make  a  brave  show. 
How  splendidly,  too,  the  Lilacs  are  flowering. 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


389 


I 


Daphne  hybPida.  —  This  is  a  desirable 
Daphne  with  darlc  foliage,  the  apices  of  which 
surround  neat  whorls  of  white,  slightly  rose-tinted 
blooms,  with  the  additional  merit  of  opening  long 
in  succession,  from  April  to  August.  The  shrub 
is  of  free  growth,  after  the  manner  of  the  original 
Daphne  indica,  but  is  denser.  At  the  same  time, 
the  striking  whiteness  of  the  latter  and  much  of 
its  fragrance  is  wanting.  Taking  the  plant  as  a 
whole,  it  is  probable  that  Daphne  indica  rubra 
was  the  male  parent  of  it.  When  it  is  known  how 
commonly  the  Spurge  Laurel  (Daphne  Laureola)  is 
met  with,  one  cannot  but  wonder  why  this  hybrid 
form  is  not  more  generally'  grown.  True,  the 
former  is  a  desirable  shade-loving  plant,  and  its 
numerous  blooms,  though  green,  are  very  fragrant. 
Daphne  hybrida  would  be  a  pleasing  front  row 
plant  for  the  shrubbery,  and  suitable,  where  com- 
pact, lowly  shrubs  are  intermixed  with  herbaceous 
plants,  for  giving  better  winter  effect.  Daphne 
hybrida  is  an  old  subject,  referred  to  by  Sweet  in 
his  "  Flower  Garden  "  many  years  ago. — William 
Earley. 

Vitality  of  Gepanlum  cuttings.— On 

November  13  cuttings  of  Geraniums  were  posted 
from  a  town  iu  the  South  of  England.  They 
reached  Jamaica  on  November  28,  but  owing  to  a 
misapprehension  as  to  the  contents  of  the  parcel  it 
was  detained  at  the  post  oflSce,  and  was  not 
delivered  till  December  15,  thirty-two  days  after 
posting.  There  were  eleven  cuttings  of  King  of 
Denmark,  four  of  Raspail  Improved,  one  of  Mrs. 
Bartleman,  which  seemed  worth  trying.  From 
these  I  ultimately  got  one  plant  of  King  of  Den- 
mark and  three  plants  of  Raspail  Improved,  which 
were  put  out  in  the  garden  on  February  20.  The 
wonderful  pewer  of  resistance  of  these  cuttings  was 
due  to  their  being  taken  from  well-ripened  hard 
wood,  and  to  being  cut  long,  so  that  at  the  end  of 
their  journey  they  could  be  recut  into  living  wood. 
As  many  as  four  or  five  joints  had  to  be  taken  off 
in  this  case  before  we  got  down  to  sound  wood. — 
W.  J.,  Port,  Royal  Mountains,  Jamaica. 

AVelllng'ton  as  a  dessert  Apple  in 

Spping*. — I  am  aware  there  is  nothing  new  in 
describing  the  old  but  good  Wellington  Apple  as 
a  dessert  kind  ;  indeed,  I  have  seen  it  staged  in 
competitions  at  autumn  Chrysanthemum  shows 
in  dessert  classes,  but  at  that  season  it  was 
most  certainly  out  of  place,  as  its  value  for 
dessert  is  in  the  late  spring.  In  many  gardens  this 
variety  colours  well,  and  if  gathered  late  and  kept 
cool  the  fruits  do  not  shrivel,  and  it  does  well  for 
deSsert  in  April,  when  other  fruits  are  past.  It 
may  be  objected  to  on  tne  ground  that  there  are 
real  dessert  kinds  that  may  be  had  at  the  season 
named.  Many  do  not  keep  so  well  as  the  Welling- 
ton, and  where  a  large  quantity  of  the  last-named 
are  grown  it  is  easj'  to  select  the  best  fruits  for  the 
table.  The  flavour  at  the  season  named  is  much 
liked  b3'  many,  as,  though  it  would  not  be  liked 
when  such  kinds  as  Cox's  Orange  is  in  season,  in 
April  or  May  the  flavour  is  not  so  much  considered. 
— G.  W. 
Parisian  Tulip  Merveilleuse.— Last 

autumn  we  received  bulbs  of  this  Tulip  from 
Messrs.  Vilmorin-Andrieux  and  Co.,  of  Paris,  for 
trial.  It  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of  Tidips,  of  perfect  form,  and  of  the  soft  yellow- 
scarlet  known  as  flame  colour.  In  its  earlier  stages, 
when  the  flower  is  only  half  expanded,  the  outside 
has  a  tender  bloom-like  appearance  that  much 
enhances  the  colour  of  the  flower.  It  has  the 
great  merit  of  refinement,  combined  with  brilliancy, 
being  extremely  bright  in  colour  without  the  taint 
of  garishness. 

Early  Cabbage  Sutton's  April 
and  Flower  of  Spring.— Of  the  newer 

varieties  of  Spring  Cabbage  April  is  well  named, 
as  from  seed  sown  the  third  week  in  July  we  were 
able  to  cut  the  end  of  March  and  freely  during 
April.  This  is  a  great  advance  on  the  types  of 
Cabbage  grown  in  private  gardens  during  the  last 
twenty  years  ;  the  large,  loose,  coarse  kinds  for 
spring  cutting  find  little  flavour.  The  introduc- 
tion of  EUam's  Dwarf  Early  has  helped  this  race,  as, 
though  small,  there  is  no  loss  ;  indeed,  the  reverse, 
as  more  plants  can  be  grewn,  and  of  better  quality. 
Another  point  often  overlooked  in  the  ease  of  these 


early  small  Cabbages  is  their  freedom  from  bolting 
or  running.  This  is  a  great  gain,  as  with  a  mild 
winter  and  a  great  demand  for  spring  vegetables 
Kale  runs  early  to  seed  and  the  Spring  Caljbages  are 
most  valuable.  Both  the  above  are  distinct  types, 
and  the  last-named  is  remarkable  for  an  absence  of 
outer  leaves,  it  being  a  compact  cone-shaped  heart, 
and  I  do  not  know  of  any  variety  more  trust- 
worthy or  more  delicate  in  flavour.  They  are  just 
the  size  for  a  private  garden,  and  their  hardiness 
and  earliness  make  them  more  valuable. — G.  W.  S. 

New  AVinter  and  Spring  Kales.— 

At  this  time  of  year  provision  must  be  made  for 
the  next  season's  supply.  Few  vegetables  are 
more  appreciated  than  the  Borecoles  or  Kales,  and 
late  sowings  are  most  valuable  for  a  late  spring 
supply.  Another  point  often  overlooked  is  the 
hardiness  and  good  qualities  of  the  Scotch  varieties. 
I  am  aware  of  late  years  that  some  of  the  sprouting 
kinds,  such  as  the  Asparagus,  have  been  somewhat 
diseased,  but  the  hardy  green  curled  have  not  been 
affected,  and  of  recent  years  some  excellent  intro- 
ductions have  been  made,  the  most  valuable  being 
the  Arctic  Green  and  Arctic  Purple  Kales,  a  type 
of  Scotch  beautifully  curled  and  remarkably  hardy 
and  prolific  also.  The  new  green  kind  noted  above 
is  a  splendid  late  spring  vegetable,  and,  having  a 
compact  growth  close  to  the  soil,  is  less  affected  by 
severe  weather.  Both  this  and  the  Purple  are 
excellent  when  cooked,  but  being  large  need  plenty 
of  water  and  room  when  cooking.  For  these  excel- 
lent additions  to  our  winter  and  spring  supply  we 
are  indebted  to  the  Messrs.  Sutton  of  Reading. — 
G.  Wythes. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 


FRAGRANT     WALL- 
FLOWERS. 

SURELY  there  is  no  plant  in  the  whole 
round  of  horticultural  favourites  which 
commands  more  universal  admiration 
than  the  Wallflower.  Equally  prized 
by  peer  and  peasant,  as  much  or  more  at 
home  in  the  garden  of  the  cottager  as  in 
that  of  the  great  house,  its  blossoms,  whether  borne 
on  the  sturdy  little  pyramidal  first  season  bushes, 
or  on  the  maturer  specimens  of  shrub-like  dimen- 
sions often  seen  adorning  rustic  homes  or  ancient 
ruins,  seem  to  convey  to  the  wearied-of-winter 
garden  lover  the  first  real  message  of  spring. 

It  is  not  for  its  display  of  blossoms  in  the  spring- 
time that  we  alone  love  the  Wallflower.  Have 
not  the  perfect  rows  or  circles  of  green  rosettes 
formed  by  its  leaves  beautified  an  other^vise  bare 
earth  all  through  the  dreary  winter  months  ? 

'Tis  true  we  occasionally  have  the  Wallflower 
maligned  and  accused  of  lack  of  hardiness,  and  we 
also  occasionally  see  these  same  bright  green 
rosettes  assume  another  colour  after  King  Frost 
and  his  friend  Mr.  Nor'  Easter  have  paid  one  of 
their  unsettling  visits,  a  colour  which  may  be 
black  or  brown,  according  as  the  visit  has  been 
prolonged  or  intensified  ;  but,  after  all,  there  is  no 
doubt  that  this  change  of  colour  and  consequent 
accusation  of  tenderness  is  not  so  much  the  fault 
of  the  plant  as  of  the  cultivator. 

Good  plants  well  prepared  are  to  be  thoroughly 
relied  upon,  even  in  the  worst  seasons.  A  glance 
around  some'  scores  of  gardens  even  this  year  has 
proved  the  truth  of  this  assertion,  as  it  is  invariably 
the  weaklings  that  have  succumbed,  while  their 
stronger  brethren  have  survived. 

Two  primary  causes  may  be  generally  credited 
with  the  production  of  weaklings,  viz.,  late  seed 
sowing  and  bad  cultivation.  Either  of  these  will 
suffice  to  bring  about  the  state  of  things  which  has 
caused  the  Wallflower  to  be  thoughtlessly  con- 
demned, but  when,  as  sometimes  happens,  the  two 
are  combined,  then  small  wonder  that  failure  and 
disgust  follow. 

Many  market  growers  of  my  acquaintance  sow 
their  'Wallflowers  as  early  as  the  end  of  April,  and 
the  practice  has  much  to  recommend  it  where  the 
finer  cultural  details  have  too  often  to  be  neglected 
owing  to  the  pressure  of  work.     In  private  gardens. 


or  the  garden  of  the  amateur,  where  it  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  sufficient  time  is  available  at  all 
seasons  to  give  the  plants  the  attention  they 
icquire,  the  middle  of  May  will  be  found  an  ideal 
time  to  sow  the  seeds. 

An  early  June  sowing  and  good  cultivation  will, 
in  favourable  seasons,  yield  plants  which  leave  very 
little  to  be  desired  ;  but  the  proverljial  uncertainty 
of  our  English  climate  should  warn  the  cautious 
cultivator  against  depending  too  much  upon 
assistance  in  helping  forward  a  late  sowing  ;  there- 
fore May  is  recommended  as  the  best  of  all  time.s  in 
which  to  commit  Wallflower  seeds  to  the  earth. 

A  good  workable  soil,  not  to  liberallj'  enriched 
by  recent  manuring,  should  be  chosen  for  the  seed 
bed,  and  drills  drawn  an  inch  deep  with  a  hoe,  or 
made  by  laying  the  rake  handle  in  the  place  where 
the  rows  are  desired  and  treading  it  in.  This 
forms  a  really  serviceable  drill,  and  is  easily  made 
where  the  seed  bed  is,  as  it  always  should  be, 
under  4  feet  wide. 

Thin  the  seedlings  before  undue  crowding  ensues, 
and  if  the  seed  has  been  sown  thinly,  the  thinnings 
may  be  inserted  in  other  rows  6  inches  apart  and 
3  inches  between  the  plants.  The  same  distance 
should  be  maintained  between  the  plants  in  the 
original  rows,  until  in  a  month's  time,  or  even 
three  weeks  in  favourable  weather,  every  other 
plant  may  be  carefully  removed  and  transplanted 
with  a  clear  space  of  6  inches  all  ways  ;  so  that  the 
whole  of  the  plants  will  be  in  rows  6  inches  apart, 
with  6  inches  between  each  plant.  Here  they  may 
remain,  with  an  occasional  hoeing  to  keep  down 
weeds,  and  a  watering  given  in  the  evening 
when  needed,  until  on  the  summer  occupants  of 
the  flower-beds  completing  their  blooming  period 
in  October  or  November  the  plants  may  be  allowed 
to  take  their  places  as  bedding  plants,  at  a  distance 
of  9  inches  apart  all  ways,  with  the  certainty  of  a 
good  display  of  fragrant  and  beautiful  blossoms  in 
April. 

When  placing  the  plants  in  the  flower-beds  in 
autumn  a  few  of  the  strongest  and  best-shaped 
specimens  may  be  reserved  for  growing  in  pots. 
These,  if  placed  singly  in  44-inch  or  three  together 
in  6-ineh  pots,  and  kept  during  winter  in  a  cold 
frame,  pit,  or  vinery  at  rest,  will  furnish  very 
useful  flowers  for  cutting  or  plants  for  conser- 
vatory decoration  some  time  before  the  occupants 
of  the  beds  commence  to  bloom,  if  they  are  afforded 
gentle  heat  in  the  early  spring.  A  vinery  starting 
furnishes  a  splendid  home  for  these  early  Wall- 
flowers, as  the  conditions  and  gradual  increase  of 
temperature  meet  their  requirements  exactly. 

E.  J.  Castle 


AMONG    THE    DAFFODILS    AT 

FAR    FOREST. 

Os  a  recent  Saturday,  at  the  kind  invitation  of 
the  Rev.  G.  F.  Eyre,  F.R.H.S.,  about  forty-five 
members  and  friends  of  the  Horticultural  Society 
journeyed  to  Far  Forest  to  inspect  the  lovely 
collection  of  Daffodils  and  other  spring  flowers  at 
the  Vicarage.  Although  the  weather  was  stormy 
it  did  not  prevent  the  party  from  thoroughly 
enjoying  themselves.  The  house,  which  faces  south, 
is  surrounded  by  Cherry  orchards,  and  in  the  dis- 
tance stretches  the  Wyre  Forest.  The  Cherry  trees 
were  in  full  bloom,  wreathed  in  their  clusters  of 
pure  white  blossom.  No  fruit  tree  seems  to 
surpass  the  Cherry  in  giving  such  a  bountiful  mass 
of  bloom,  and  at  Far  Forest  there  are  hundreds  of 
them,  of  all  sorts  and  sizes.  Under  the  Cherry 
trees  are  grouped  the  Daffodils,  on  either  side  of 
the  path  leading  to  the  church,  and  here  they 
were  at  their  best.  A  description  of  a  few  of 
those  which  attracted  the  most  attention  will 
perhaps  interest  our  readers. 

In  the  trumpet  section,  Victoria  is  one  of  the 
finest  grown  at  Far  Forest.  It  has  large  erect 
flowers  with  a  lovely  cream  perianth,  and  rich 
yellow  trumpet  of  great  substance  and  frilled  at 
the  mouth.  It  was  only  introduced  by  Messrs. 
Barr  and  Sons  in  1897.  Then  comes  Emperor,  a 
huge  flower  held  well  up  en  good  stout  stalks. 
The  perianth  is  a  deep  primrose,  and  the  trumpet 
a   rich    deep   yellow.      No    variety   can    be    more 


390 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  1,  1901 


reoommended  to  the  average  amateur  than  tliis, 
and  the  price  is  moderate.  Two  nice  groups  of 
J.  M.  B.  Camm  made  one  hesitate  as  to  whether 
this  variety  ought  not  to  have  been  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  list.  It  has  a  lovely  white  perianth, 
and  a  trumpet  of  verj'  soft,  pale  yellow.  In 
symmetry  of  form  this  far  surpasses  Emperor,  but 
the  price  is  2s.  6d.  to  3s.  per  bulb.  Ne.\t  came 
Empress,  a  large  flower  with  white  perianth  and 
a  deep  yellow  trumpet.  Then,  in  order  of  merit, 
came  Grandee,  a  fine  flower  with  a  large  lemon- 
coloured  trumpet  and  white  perianth  ;  Horsfieldi, 
an  early  blooming  variety  with  yellow  trumpet 
and  white  perianth,  which  was,  however,  past  its 
best.  But  the  daintiest  of  all  the  trumpet  section 
which  Mr.  Eyre  grows  is  Johnstoni  Queen  of 
Spain.  This  was  found  by  Mr.  Peter  Barr  in 
Spain,  and  is  a  favourite  with  everyone.  It  is 
absolutelj'  distinct  from  any  other  variety  in  culti- 
vation. The  graceful  flower  is  clear  yellow  in 
colour,  the  perianth  is  charmingly  reflexed,  and 
the  trumpet,  which  is  straight,  is  very  elegantly 
formed. 

Turning  from  the  trumpet  section,  which  is 
called  Magni-Coronati,  we  come  to  the  Medio- 
Coronati,  or  star-shaped  Daffodils.  Of  these  Mr. 
Eyre  has  a  fine  collection,  and  a  few  of  those 
which  were  most  admired  are  picked  out.  First 
came  Sir  Watkin,  the  giant  of  the  chalice-cupped 
Daffodils.  This  has  a  rich  sulphur  perianth,  and 
a  yellow  cup  slightly  tinged  with  orange.  It  is  a 
strong  grower,  very  show}',  and,  moreover,  is 
moderate  in  price.  Then  followed  Barri  con- 
spicuus,  the  favourite  in  this  section,  and  a  most 
refined  flower.  This  has  a  yellow  perianth  and  a 
short  cup  edged  with  orange  -  scarJet.  Another 
very  much-admired  flower  was  Duchess  of  West- 
minster. This  variety  is  very  distinct — the  perianth 
large  and  pure  white,  and  the  cup  a  canary  yellow. 
Others  which  were  admired  were  Rugilobus,  Sen- 
sation, Flora  Wilson,  fjohn  Bain,  Nelsoni  major, 
and  Maurice  Vilmorin. 

The  visitors  next  admired  a  huge  bed  containing 
20,000  Hyacinths.  Most  of  the  spikes  were  superb, 
nd  the  fragrance  was  overpowering.  In  front  of 
the  hou.se  were  some  lovely  beds  of  Wallflowers — 
the  double  varieties  were  specially  good,  and  testi- 
fied to  the  excellence  of  Mr.  Robert  Sydenham's 
strain. 

The  pergola,  which  is  planted  with  Roses, 
Vines,  Clematis,  Ampelopsis,  and  cordon  Pears, 
will  be  a  great  feature  in  the  garden  when  the 
plants  have  had  time  to  grow.  Its  length  is  about 
150  feet  by  9  feet  wide,  and  it  is  constructed  with 
Oak  poles  obtained  from  the  Forest.  Beneath  the 
pergola  are  planted  masses  of  Polyanthuses  and 
Auriculas.  The  Polyanthuses  were  exceptionally 
fine. 

In  the  conservatory  attached  to  the  house 
a  Marechal  Niel  Rose  was  in  bloom  ;  also  some 
very  fine  fragrant  Carnations,  the  strain  being 
Sutton's  Vanguard.  Roses  outdoors  are  well 
represented,  and  there  should  be  a  lovely  displaj' 
during  the  summer  months.  One  interesting 
variety  was  specially  noted  —  Electra — a  cross 
between  William  Allen  Richardson  and  Rosa 
Polyantha.  This  year  Mr.  Eyre  is  growing  forty- 
three  difl'erent  varieties  of  Sweet  Peas.  At  the 
Midland  Daffodil  show,  held  on  April  2.5  and  26 
at  Edgbaston,  Mr.  Eyre  took  first  prize  for 
six  varieties  of  chalice-cupped  Daftbdils,  beating 
several  noted  growers,  and  fifth  for  trumpet 
Daffodils. 

After  a  thorough  inspection  of  the  grounds  had 
been  made,  Mr.  Eyre  very  kindly  entertained  the 
visitors  to  tea  in  the  schoolroom.  On  behalf  of 
the  society,  Mr.  Arthur  (ioodwin  proposed  a  hearty 
vote  of  thanks  to  Jlr.  Eyre  for  the  very  pleasant 
and  instructive  afternoon  which  they  had  spent, 
and  for  his  generous  hospitality.  This  was 
seconded  by  Mr.  J.  T.  Cowderoy,  and  carried 
amidst  applause. 

Mr.  Eyre,  in  responding,  said  that  he  was 
delighted  to  welcome  the  members  of  a  society 
which,  he  thought,  was  doing  a  great  amount 
of  good  and  useful  work  in  the  district,  and 
congratulated  the  members  upon  having  a  com- 
mittee who  were  working  together  in  such  a 
harmonious  and  successful  way. 


FOREIGN    NOTES. 

NOTES  FROM   FRANCE. 

Tis  most  instructive  to  note  that,  though  the 
I  winters  are  colder  in  many  parts  of  France 
I  tiian  they  are  here,  and  that  consequently 
I  French  gardens,  as  a  rule,  are  without  some 
I  of  the  beautiful  trees  and  shrubs  of  a  some- 
-II  what  tender  nature  which  adorn  British 
gardens,  there  are  a  few  plants  which  live  there 
better  than  they  do  in  our  warmer  but  raoister 
climate.  Foremost  among  these  may  be  noted 
the  beautiful  Musa  japonica,  or,  as  it  was  originally 
called,  M.  Basjoo.  In  M.  Sallier's  nurseries  at 
Neuilly,  just  outside  Paris,  one  may  see  beds  of 
this  useful  hardy  species  remaining  out  all  the 
year  round  with  simply  a  covering  of  litter 
during  the  winter.  Large  clumps  of  the  same 
species  may  also  be  seen  at  Franconville,  the 
property  of  M.  le  due  de  Massa,  as  well  as  in  the 
grounds'  of  the  Chateau  du  Piple,  at  Boissy  St. 
Leger,  where  single  stems  planted  on  the  lawns 
only  two  years  ago  have  developed  into  clumps 
with  six  to  eight  stems  each,  giving  the  place  a 
distinctly  tropical  appearance.  In  these  gardens, 
however,  M.  Brc^ante,  who  has  taken  the  trouble 
of  covering  his  plants  over  during  the  last  two 
winters,  has  now  the  satisfaction  of  having  some 
uncommonly  strong  stems  full  of  promise  for  the 
production  of  robust  foliage  during  the  next 
season.  The  vigour  of  this  decorative  plant  may 
be  imagined  when  it  is  known  that  all  the  plants 
now  distributed  in  French  gardens  (and  they  are 
numerous)  originated  from  M.  Sallier's  nurseries, 
where  they  were  raised  from  one  or  two  plants 
which  had  been  given  to  his  predecessors  (Messrs. 
Thibaut  and  Keteleer)  by  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and 
Sons,  who  introduced  it  into  Europe  some  thirty 
years  ago.  In  a  permanent  position  in  France  the 
plant  gains  in  strength  every  successive  year,  and 
attains  large  dimensions,  as  much  as  8  feet  to 
10  feet  during  the  season. 

BOUGAINVILLEA   SA.'^DERIANA. 

It  is  refreshing  to  see  on  the  market  place  this 
lovely  plant  in  full  beauty  by  the  end  of  April  or 
beginning  of  May.  Although  at  the  start  its 
merits  were  much  contested  by  our  neighbours, 
who  could  not  see  any  difference  from  the  old 
B.  glabra,  its  free  flowering  qualities  were  duly 
appreciated,  and  the  market  growers  in  and  around 
Paris  were  not  slow  in  giving  it  their  special 
attention,  with  the  result  that  at  the  Madeleine 
and  other  flower  markets  this  welcome  addition  to 
the  general  stock  of  decorative  flowering  plants 
may  be  seen  in  all  its  glory  from  the  end  of  April 
to  the  middle  of  June,  the  plants  varying  from  a 
few  inches  only  to  several  feet  in  height. 

Hydkam:ea  iiortensis  monstbuosa 
is  a  form  of  the  common  H.  hortensis,  producing 
several  immense  heads  of  flowers  on  comparatively 
small  plants.  Those  seen  at  M.  Truffaut, 
Versailles,  and  at  M.  L.  Paillet,  Sceaux,  although 
grown  in  6-inch  pots  only,  bore  several  heads 
about  15  inches  across  ;  the  flower  or  pips  were  of 
a  good  normal  size,  and  of  a  particularly  pale  rosy 
colour. 

Camellias  at  Fekrieres. 

Whatever  may  be  said  concerning  the  decline  of 
Camellia  culture  in  general,  it  is  evident  that  the 
Rose  of  .Japan  is  still  in  great  favour  with  Baron 
Alphonse  de  Rothschild,  who,  in  his  splendid 
property'at  Ferricres,  has  devoted  the  whole  of  the 
conservatory,  formerly  planted  with  large  Palms, 
to  the  culture  of  the  Camellia.  The  plantation  of 
the  new  collection,  which  comprises  over  fifty  of 
the  most  distinct  sorts,  reflects  the  greatest  credit 
on  the  gardener,  M.  Schwarz,  who  had  before 
him  no  ordinary  undertaking,  for  the  trees  with 
which  the  Camellia  house  is  planted  range  from 
6  feet  or  7  feet  to  22  feet  in  height,  all  wonderfully 
well  branched.  Considering  their  recent  trans- 
plantation from  their  native  place,  Lao  Maggiore, 
they  are  models  of  good  culture  and  treatment. 
It  is  only  two  years  since  they  were  moved  (and 
several  of  them  each  required  a  large  railwa}' 
truck),  yet  thej'  have  this  year  produced  an  abun- 


dant crop  of  their  fine  handsome  flowers,  varying 
in  colour  from  the  purest  white  to  the  darkest 
crimson  and  to  the  brightest  scarlet.  Many  of  the 
varieties  are  of  Italian  origin  and  very  little 
known  amongst  us,  still  it  is  with  great  pleasure 
that  one  finds  C.  matthottiana  and  its  variety  alba, 
Donkelaarii,  Storeyii,  Carbonari,  and  the  old 
favourites  alba  plena  and  imbricata. 

OouviLLE, 
the  country  seat  of  M.  le  Comte  Adrien  de 
Germiny,  situate  in  the  midst  of  the  mag- 
nificent woods  surrounding  Rouen,  the  ancient 
capital  of  the  Normands,  is  now  more  interesting 
than  ever.  For  many  years  past  this  ha.s  been 
acknowledged  the  finest  place  in  France  for  exotic 
plants  of  all  sorts,  but  principally  for  Orchids, 
which  are  there  in  their  element,  and  tended 
with  special  care  and  attention.  The  result  is 
that  one  may  see  there  a  whole  series  of  plants 
of  reputed  short  duration,  but  which  at  (iouville 
grow  and  flower  year  after  year  as  the  most 
ordinary  ones  do  elsewhere.  For  instance,  it  is 
with  legitimate  pride  that  the  proprietor  calls  one's 
attention  to  a  batch  of  two  dozen  or  so  of  the  lovely 
Cattleya  citrina,  another  of  Masdevallia  tovarensis 
in  splendid  plants  ;  again,  a  grand  lot  of  Odonto- 
glossum  vexillarium  rubellum,  all  of  which  have 
been  on  the  place  and  flourishing  for  twenty  years 
and  more.  Perhaps  one  of  the  most  interesting 
plants  in  the  houses  is  an  immense  Cattleya  bow- 
ringiana  growing  in  a  square  teakwood  basket  mea- 
suring 2  feet  in  all  directions.  This  plant  has  over 
200  bulbs,  most  of  them  with  leaves,  and  produced 
this  season  twenty-six  grand  spikes  of  flowers.  It 
is  one  of  the  finest  varieties  known  in  cultivation, 
and  has  been  grown  to  its  present  size  from  a  small 
imported  plant  bought  when  C.  bowringiana  was 
first  introduced.  The  Cattleya  citrina  mentioned 
above  are  in  splendid  health  and  well  flowered. 
The  same  remarks  apply  also  to  Masdevallia 
Veitchi,  Lindeni,  harryana,  sanguinea,  the  charm- 
ing little  M.  Davisi,  all  of  which  for  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  century  have  adorned  the  houses  at 
Gouville,  where  PhaUvnopsis  have  also  been 
favourite  plants  ever  since  this  eminent  amateur 
formed  his  collection.  These  are  doing  well  in 
the  houses,  which  contain  fine  specimens  of 
Oncidium  Edwardsi,  macranthum,  undulatum,  and 
marshallianum,  such  as  we  seldom  see.  It  is 
the  same  with  Vandas  of  the  tricolor  and  suavis 
sections,  and  also  V.  civrulea,  which  there 
grows  without  any  trouble.  The  houses  are 
disposed  in  a  compact  group,  and  all  communi- 
cate with  each  other.  Contrary  to  what  is 
usually  seen  on  the  continent,  each  house  is 
devoted  to  a  class  of  plants,  and  it  is  pleasant  to 
see  at  the  end  of  April  and  beginning  of  May  a 
splendid  lot  of  Gloxinias  filling  one  house  and 
another  of  magnificent  Amaryllis  which  originally 
came  from  Chelsea.  In  the  New  Holland  house  are 
grand  specimens  of  several  species  of  Chorozemas, 
Boronias,  Acacias,  and  Azalea  indica,  the  latter 
5  feet  to  6  feet  across,  and  in  the  best  condition 
possible,  as  well  as  unique  specimens  of  Rhododen- 
drons Veitchi,  Gibsoni,  and  Countess  of  Haddington 
literally  loaded  with  their  lovely  flowers.  Among 
other  interesting  plants  are  the  grand  varieties 
of  Anthurium  scherzerianum,  which  have  been 
gathered  together  at  great  expense  ;  a  collection 
of  Nepenthes  well  furnished  with  pitchers,  and 
numerous  choice  Caladiums.  These  latter  plants, 
like  the  tiloxinias,  are  required  all  the  year  round, 
and  on  that  account  a  certain  quantity  are  started 
in  succession,  and  naturally  rested  the  same,  so 
that  seeing  these  plants  just  going  to  rest  in  April 
and  May  appears  very  strange,  but  these  are  the 
same  bulbs  which  will  again  adorn  the  houses  at 
(iouvillo  during  .January,  February,  ami  March 
next.  *'•  Sc'iiNBiiiER. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

Mrs.  Bayldon  sends  from  Dawlisli 

A  Box  OF  Si'RiNd  Flowers, 
showing  by  their  wonderful  vigour  their  apprecia- 
tion of  the  strong  red  soil  of  the  district.     They 
comprise   Alyssum    saxatile,  Primula  corlusoides, 


June  i,  1901.) 


THE    GARDEN. 


:)9l 


Hen  and  Chickens  Saxifrage  (S.  granulata  fl.-pl.), 
and  single  yellow  Wallflowers,  all  of  surprising 
strength  and  size.  Some  of  tlie  Wallflower  blooms 
are  2  j  inches  diameter,  and  the  Saxifrage  I J  inches. 
From  the  same  lady  conies  a  remarkable  example 
of  fasciation  or  confluent  blooms  in  the  Tulip,  a 
number  of  stems  being  joined  together  near  the 
ground.  Mrs.  Bayldon  writes:  "Out  of  a  small 
group  of  less  than  twenty  of  these  Tulips  four 
have  fourteen  flowers  amongst  them.  The  one  I 
send  is  the  least  perfect,  but  it  has  the  shortest 
stalk.  The  others  were  perfect  blooms,  but  the 
point  of  junction  was  much  lower.  A  star  Daffodil 
had  as  manj'  as  ten  flowers.  In  this  case  the  stem 
was  nearly  an  inch  wide.  The  blooms  were  in  three 
sets  of  three,  and  one  alone.  A  bloom  of  .Johnstoni 
Queen  of  Spain  has  two  perfect  flowers  on  short 
stalks  rising  from  a  perfect  stem."  This  freak  of 
fasciation  seems  to  be  frequent  this  year.  There 
is  no  accounting  for  it  or  why  it  comes  more  one 
year  than  another.  Asparagus  shows  such  examples 
nearly  every  year,  and  Lilium  auratum  frequently. 


basket,  Wellington,  Ribston,  and  Lewis's  Incom- 
parable were  excellent.  We  liked  Wellington  and 
Ribston  Pippin  as  well  as  any,  the  fruits  being  juicy 
and  pleasantly  acid,  while  Ribston  preserved  its 
characteristic  flavour.  We  were  very  pleased  to 
receive  a  box  of  Apples  with  almost  the  natural 
flavour  preserved  after  being  so  many  months  in 
the  store. 


ToLip  Flowers  from  Cork. 
Mr.  Baylor  Hartland,  Cork,  Ireland,  sends  ua  a 
splendid  gathering  of  Tulips.  Vitellina,  Picotee, 
Golden  Crown,  Didieri,  Golden  Flake,  the  beautiful 
Gesneriana  lutea,  G.  spathulata,  and  other  forms 
of  Gesner's  Tulips  were  in  the  collection.  A  lovely 
kind  is  Ixioides,  with  soft  yellow  flowers  with  a 
dark  blotch  at  the  base  of  each  segment ;  Columbus, 
bright  yellow,  splashed  with  red  ;  The  Fawn, 
creamy  white,  with  faint  suffusion  of  fawn  and 
pink,  a  charming  flower  ;  Shandon  Bells,  a  large, 
slender  flower,  white,  with  bright  rose  suffusion  ; 
Rose  Pompon,  cream,  splashed  with  rose,  and 
many  others,  a  most  interesting  and  important 
gathering. 


From  Gloucestershire  Mr.    Elwes  sends  blooms 
of  the  beautiful 

TULTPA  SAXATILIS, 
a  native  of  Crete.  The  centre  of  the  flower  for 
rather  more  than  a  third  of  tlie  length  of  the  petal 
is  bright  yellow,  the  remainder  being  a  pale  mauve. 
From  the  same  garden  come  some  very  well  coloured 
blue  and  purple  Primroses  of  the  Wilson  strain. 


Prhnus  divarioata  canadensis. 

Messrs.  Kelwaj-  and  Sons,  Langport,  Somerset, 

send  flowers  of  this  beautiful  Phlox,  of  a  soft  lilac 

shade  of  colour  and  very  free.     It  is  one  of  the  most 

charming  things  in  the  garden  at  the  present  time. 


Flowers  from  a  Suburban  Garden. 

Mr.  R.  J.  G.  Read,  of  Ealing,  writes  :  "A  few 
flowers  for  the  editors'  table  from  a  suburban 
garden.  The  Lilac  is  especially  fine  this  year,  the 
individual  clusters  of  the  Charles  X.  being  almost 
too  large,  for  they  weigh  the  branches  down  and 
spoil  the  symmetry  of  the  bush.  The  dark  variety 
is  from  a  bush  I  have  had  for  many  years,  but  it  has 
never  flowered  before,  and  now  it  is  out  it  is  much 
admired  for  its  unusual  colour.  I  have  another 
late  kind  which  is  just  coming  into  bloom.  The 
two  sprays  of  Broom  are  the  first  blooms  from 
seeds  of  Cytisus  andreana.  One  shows  the  red 
colour  much  darker  than  the  other,  and  this  is 
much  more  apparent  in  the  bush  than  the  indi- 
vidual flower.  They  harmonise  so  well  in  a  bed  of 
mixed  Wallflowers  that  they  are  not  noticed  at 
first  sight.  This  Broom  is  very  easily  grown,  and 
is  a  splendid  shrub  for  the  villa  garden,  but  it  is 
very  seldom  seen  about  here." 

[A  very  interesting  gathering  of  flowers  from  a 
suburban  garden.  —  Eds.] 


Late  Apples. 
Mr.  H.  C.  Baker,  Oaklands,  Almondsbury,  Glou- 
cester, writes:  "I  am  sending  you  a  few  varieties 
of  Apples  which  I  consider  a  very  fair  sample  for 
so  late  in  the  season — Calville  Rouge,  Wellington, 
and  Blenheim  Orange  grown  on  standards  in 
orchard,  the  remainder  on  bush  trees  in  the  garden.  ' 
The  fruits  received  are  excellent.  Calville  Rouge 
was  of  good  flavour,  firm,  rich  in  colour,  and  in 
every  way  of  value  at  this   time.      Kentish  Fill- 


A  New  Aobrietia. 
We  receive  from  Messrs.  B.  Ruys,  of  the  Moer- 
heim  Nurseries,  Dedemsvaart,  Holland,  some 
blooms  of  an  extremely  pretty  Aubrietia  raised  by 
them.  The  flowers  are  large,  but  not  coarse,  and 
a  more  free  outline  than  is  usual  gives  the  plant  a 
distinct  and  pleasing  character.  The  colour  is  a 
clear  fresh  rosy 
lilac,  rather  pale 
than  deep,  and  all 
the  better  for  it. 
It  has  the  charm 
of  distinct  beauty, 
refinement,  and 
modesty  ;  it  has 
no  violence  of 
colour,  and  yet 
could  not  be  passed 
by  without  admira- 
tion. We  shall  have 
something  to  say 
shortly  on  this  ques- 
tion of  colour  in  the 
raisingand  selection 
of  new  varieties  of 
this  and  other 
plants. 


chocolate  at  their  base.  The  leaf  has  somewhat 
the  size  and  toothing  of  a  small  Oak  leaf  '2J  inches 
lonj;,  and  is  carried  on  a  long  stalk.  Both  leaf 
and  stalk  are  grey  and  downy.  This  Arctotis 
or  Gazania  was  found  in  Namaqualand  by 
Mr.  Ayres. 

Mr.  Gumbleton  also  sends  double  yellow  Papaver 
nudicaule,  double  Alyssum  saxatile,  the  fine 
Tulip  Merveilleuse,  which  is  described  elsewhere 
in  the  present  issue,  and  other  good  things. 

Cliaxthus  PUNICEnS. 

We  have  just  received  from  Mrs.  Bayldon  some 
grandly  bloomed  sprays  of  Clianthus  puniceus,  the 
Glory  Pea  or  Parrot's-bill  of  New  Zealand,  show- 
ing how  well  this  grand   shrub,  with  its  masses  of 


Flowers    from    a 
Surrey  Garden. 

A  correspondent 
sends  flowers  of 
plants  "  grown  in  a 
very  light  sandy, 
gravelly  soil  in  a 
Fir  wood  by  a 
Surrey  common, 
half  an  hour  from 
London  by  rail," 
and  they  comprise 
the  beautiful  double 
white  -  flowered 
Cherry,  sprays  of 
Spiraea  confusa,  and 
the  Spiderwort 
(Tradeseantia  vir- 
ginica). 

Mr.  W.  E.  Gum- 
bleton sends  an  in- 
teresting series  of 
flowers  : — 

Anemone  Fannini, 

a  giant  of  its  familj', 

a   native  of   Natal. 

It  grows  from  2  feet 

to  3  feet  high.    The 

flowers   are   a   pale 

sulphur-white,  with 

a    rather     pleasant 

scent,  several  in  a  head  on  a  thick  downy  stem. 

The  leaves  are  rough  and  large,  divided  into  seven 

lobes  sharply  serrated,  and  down3' above  and  below. 

They  are  so  bold  of  form  and  build  that  they  have 

somewhat  the  aspect  of  small  leaves  of  Gunnera. 

Incarvillea  sp.,  named  grandiflora, 

but  the  correctness  of  this  name  is  open  to  ques- 
tion. Introduced  by  Farges.  The  flowers  are 
borne  singly  on  the  stem,  thus  differing  from 
I.  Delavayi,  which  bears  many  on  a  stem.  They 
are  2J  inches  in  diameter,  of  a  strong  magenta- 
crimson,  with  cream-white  markings  leading  to 
orange  in  the  throat.     A  splendid  garden  plant. 

Arctotis  sp., 

a  splendid  flower  of  strongest  orange-colour  nearly 
4  inches  across.     The   ray  petals  are  marked  with 


WATERERS    DOUBLE    CHERRY    FORCED    INTO    BLOOM. 
(From  a  photograph  taken  at  a  March  show  in  the  Drill  Ball.) 


showy  scarlet  beak-like    flowers,  succeeds  in   the 
soft  climate  and  rich  soil  of  that  favoured  land. 


V/ATERER'S  DOUBLE   CHERRY. 

The  spring  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticul- 
tural Society  have  well  demonstrated  the  value 
of  shrubs  for  forcing,  and  amono'st  the  great 
variety  recently  shown  by  several  nurserymen 
Waterer's  Double  Cherry  (Prunus  Pseudo- 
cerasus  Watereri)  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful. 
Its  charming  double  blossoms  are  very  plenti- 
fully produced,  and  even  small  plants  when 
carefully  treated  become  masses  of  delicate 
colour  at  flowering  time. 

The    numerous    Peaches,    Cherries,    Plums, 


392 


THE    GAUDEN. 


[June   1,  1901 


Apples,  ifec,  are  most  useful,  in  fact  indispen- 
sable for  the  decoration  of  the  greenhouse  in 
spring  time,  and  particularly  so  as  new  and 
improved  varieties  are  being  annually  exhibited. 
Chiefly  owing  to  the  introduction  of  these,  and 
the  adaptation  of  them  for  forcing,  the  con- 
servatory and  greenhouse  in  spring  are  perhaps 
more  beautiful  then  than  at  any  other  season 
of  the  year.  In  order  to  induce  forced  shrubs 
to  flower  well  it  is  most  necessary  that  they 
shall  have  made  good  growth,  and  also  that 
this  growth  shall  have  been  well  ripened. 
Gentle  forcing  and  an  occasional  season  of  rest 
are  also  important  items  and  necessary  aids  to 
their  successful  treatment.  T. 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 

THINNING  OUT  THE   NEW 
GROWTHS  OF   ROSES. 

WITH  varieties  that  yield  large 
flowers,  sometimes  termed  show 
Roses,  an  important  item  in  their 
culture  is  the  early  reduction  of 
shoots,  and  this  should  be  no 
longer  delayed.  When  it  is 
remembered  what  a  single  eye  or  bud  will  produce 
if  this  said  bud  is  engrafted  upon  a  foster  root,  il 
must  be  apparent  that  in  order  to  obtain  really 
tine  flowers  the^.nuniber  of  the  growths  which  a 
plant  naturally^  yields  must  be  considerably  cur- 
tailed.    ^Where^  good  practical  pruning  has  been 


carried  out  the  thinning  now  will  be  an  easy 
matter,  but  if  the  growths  of  last  year  and  previous 
years  are  numerous  then  there  is  a  complete  thicket 
of  new  shoots,  each  one  hindering  its  neighbour  to 
properly  develop,  and  providing  a  happy  hiding- 
place  for  maggots.  Observe  a  yearling  or  maiden 
plant,  what  wonderful  foliage  it  will  make.  As 
the  leaves  are  the  lungs  of  a  plant,  the  finer  the 
foliage  is  so  relatively  must  be  the  flower.  I  am 
aware  that  large,  coarse  foliage  does  not  always 
mean  large  flowers,  but  generally  speaking  it  is  so. 
A  well-trained  specimen  pot  plant  will  demonstrate 
the  need  of  allowing  a  free  circulation  of  air  among 
the  foliage,  and  also  the  advantage  to  be  gained  by 
providing  each  leaflet  with  its  share  of  sunlight. 
Some  varieties  naturallj-  grow  erect,  and  their 
growths  almost  touch  each  other.  Now  the  proper 
way  is  to  cut  some  of  these  growths  clean  out  or 
peg  them  slightly  outward.  If  a  Rose  bush  be  in 
a  healthy  condition  and  properly  fed,  there  is  no 
reason  why  it  should  not  support  its  twenty  or 
thirty  growths,  as  a  specimen  pot  plant  will  do, 
but  it  must  be  trained  accordingly. 

Instead,  however,  of  these  fine  specimens 
abounding  outdoors,  we  find  a  number  of  plants 
crowded  together,  each  one  hard  pruned  every 
year,  producing  certainly  fine  Roses,  but  as  a  plant 
it  is  a  failure. 

Many  of  our  fine  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  such  as 
Mrs.  John  Laing,  Ulrich  Brunner,  &c. ,  would  with 
cultural  care  grow  into  quite  large  specimens, 
and  growth  can  be  assisted  now  by  thinning  out  all 
growths  from  the  centre  of  the  bush  or  the  head  of 
the  standard,  and  each  season  when  pruning  cut 
back  the  .shoots  to  an  eye  pointing  outward,  and 
still  further  where  the  hard  growths  are  close 
together  insert  into  the  ground  a  galvanised  iron 


peg  with  a  loop  in  the  top,  and  'gently  draw  the 
growth  away  from  its  neighbour  and  secure  it  to 
the  peg. 

Many  of  the  strong-growing  Teas  and  Hybrid 
Teas,  China  or  Monthly  Roses,  Polyanthas,  &c. , 
will  be  benefited  by  an  application  of  this  method. 
The  strong  sucker-like  growths  springing  up  now 
from  beneath  the  earth  are  in  most  cases  best 
removed  at  once,  but  it  requires  some  knowledge 
to  identify  those  that  are  likelj'  to  make  the  new 
growths  for  next  season,  but  the  least  coarse  are 
generallv  the  best.  Philomel. 


SEMI-DOUBLE-FLOVVERED    ROSES 

UPON    STANDARDS. 

With  the  advent  of  so  many  glorious  decorative 
varieties  a  new  era  of  popularity  seems  opening  up 
for  the  standard  Rose,  and  doubtless  the  stiff, 
dumpy  growers  will  be  seen  less  often  in  this 
form,  and  I  imagine  the  substitution  will  not  be 
regretted. 

At  no  time  is  the  true  decorative  value  of  the 
standard  semi-double  Rose  seen  to  better  advantage 
than  when  grown  in  a  pot  in  a  cool  house.  I  have 
in  mind  just  now  Mme.  Pernet  Ducher,  one  of  the 
loveliest  kinds  among  the  Hybrid  Teas.  A  three- 
year-old  specimen  is  now  a  charming  picture,  the 
fine  stiff  petals  of  the  open  flower  and  the  pretty 
buds  surrounding  il  last  in  this  condition  some 
considerable  time  when  abundance  of  air  and 
shading  from  bright  sunshine  are  afforded.  This 
Rose  is  almost  equal  in  growth  to  its  near  relative, 
Gustave  Regis,  which  has  also  been  good  this 
spring  under  glass.  Perhaps  there  is  no  rose  that 
produces  a  finer  elongated  bud.  Some  this  year 
were  fully  2  inches  in  length,  and  they  are  not 


A    WALK    OF    SUNKLOWKKS    AT    JIAIIJION    C]:AI)LKV. 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


393 


thick  at  the  base  and  pointed  at  tlie  top  after  the 
manner  of  most  Roses,  but  the  bud  is  almost  of 
uniform  thickness,  giving  it  a  unique  appearance. 
I  believe  in  the  near  future  every  garden  will  have 
its  standard  of  such  glorious  semi-double  Roses 
as  (Jrliss  an  Teplitz,  Mme.  Laurette  Messimy, 
Killarney,  Bardou  .Job,  Queen  Mab,  Enchantress, 
&c. ,  as  it  now  possesses  its  Gloire  de  Dijon  or  La 
France,  then  may  we  hope  to  see  fine,  well-pro- 
portioned heads — some  drooping,  others  spreading, 
but  all  entirely  free  from  artificiality. 

Whether  in  pots  or  grown  outdoors  this  type  of 
Rose  pays  for  good  culture,  and,  though  their 
blossoms  are  thin,  by  providing  them  with  good 
stamina  they  are  much  more  beautiful  and  lasting; 
in  fact,  so  great  is  the  change  that  one  hardly 
recognises  them  when  compared  to  poorl3'  grown 
plants.  New  wood  should  be  encouraged  as  much 
as  possible,  and  the  knife  freely  used  in  thinning 
the  centre  of  the  heads,  but  the  previous  years' 
growths,  where  hard,  may  be  retained  any  length, 
and  the  longer  the  better.  Philomel. 


A    SUNFLOAVER    \SrAL,K. 

Thk  illustration  of  the  Sunflower  walk,  so 
interesting  last  year  in  the  gardens  of  Maiden 
Bradley,  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset, 
sliows  the  importance  of  planting  one  family 
well.  The  colouring  of  this  walk  is  not  so 
powerful  as  one  would  suppose,  and  a  succes- 
sion is  maintained  by  growing  the  annual 
kinds  and  following  on  with  the  many  beau- 
tiful perennial  varieties.  We  need  say  no  more 
about  this  illustration— it  tells  its  own  tale. 


SHORT    STUDIES    ON    PLANT 
LIFE.-XI. 

Climbing  Palms. 

When  we  think  of  a  Date  Palm,  or  any  of  the 
tall  straight-stemmed  Palms  at  Kew,  one  does 
not  associate  such  with  climbing  properties  ;  but 
if  the  visitor  go  to  the  Museum,  house  No.  1, 
he  will  see  a  Palm  stem  twined  round  below 
the  gallery,  being  some  300  feet  in  length,  but 
only  of  the  thickness  of  a  walking  stick. 

These  sort  of  Palms  may  be  called 
"  scramblers  "  rather  than  "  climbers,"  and 
resemble  our  Blackberry  in  habit  rather  than 
the  woody  lianes  of  tropical  forests.  To  aid 
them,  they  possess  hooked,  spiny  processes 
derived  from  the  epidermis,  just  as  Brambles 
have  hooked  thorns  made  of  corky  tissue. 

The  stem  is  constructed  just  like  a  stick  of 
Asparagus,  or  rather  the  more  woody  stem  of 
the  Butcher's  Broom  (Ruscus  aculeatus),  our 
only  indigenous  monocotyledon  possessing  a 
woody  stem. 

Unlike  all  other  British  woody  stems,  they 
cannot  increase  in  diameter  by  an  annual 
layer,  as  they  do  not  possess  the  active  layer 
called  "  cambium  ;  "  but  as  a  substitute  they 
utilise  the  "  pericycle,"  a  layer  outside  the 
wood.  It  is  that  which  supplies  us  with  so 
many  useful  fibres  for  textile  purposes,  as  of 
Hemp  and  Flax. 

The  Palm  stems  rely  upon  this  layer  to 
increase  their  dimensions  till  it  attains  its 
complete  size. 

The  stems  of  these  climbing  Palms  are  well 
known  to  the  public  as  "  canes,"  several  species 
supplying  the  so-called  Rattans,  used  for  cane 
chairs  and  many  other  purposes. 

In  the  Himalayas  they  are  used  for  the  sus- 
spension  bridges  across  ravines.  Sir  .J.  D.  Hooker 
thus  describes  them  : — "  Two  parallel  canes,  on 
the  same  horizontal  plane,  are  stretched  across 
the  stream  ;  from  these  others  hang  in  loops, 
and  along  the  loops  are  laid  one  or  two  Bamboo 
stems  for  flooring.  The  traveller  grasps  one  of 
the  canes  in  either  hand  and  walks  along  the 
Bamboos."    The  stems  of  Calamus  scipionum, 


being  a  good  deal  thicker  than  ordinary  canes, 
form  the  Malacca  canes  of  conimeroo,  used  as 
walking  sticks.  They  are  really  from  Singapore, 
being  produced  in  Sumatra. 

With  regard  to  the  flowers  and  fruit,  they 
are  mostly  unisexual,  of  course  ternary,  the 
males  having  six  monadelphous  stamens  and 
the  females  a  three-celled  ovary,  which  becomes 
one-celled  in  fruit  with  a  single  seed.  The  fruit 
is  peculiar  in  being  covered  with  what  gives 
the  appearance  of  polished  inverted  scales 
(well  seen  in  the  Sago  Palm  fruit).  They  are 
also  indicated  in  the  accompanying  illustra- 
tion of  a  species  of  Calamus.  They  are  not 
really  separate  scales  as  of  a  Fir-cone  ;  but 
seem  to  arise  from  folds  in  the  surface  of  the 
pericarp,  and  only  presenting  the  appearance  of 
scales.  It  is  not  clear  what  function  they 
fulfil  in  the  economy  of  the  plant. 

Sagus  Rumphii  is  the  Sago  Palm.  The  pith 
of  this  tree  is  full  of  starch  before  fruiting.  It 
is  then  cut  down.  The  soft  pith  is  grated  with 
water  and  the  starch  collected.  When  moist 
it  is  rolled  into  the  tiny  ball-like  grains,  as 
purchased.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Malay  Archi- 
pelago, and  of  the  same  tribe  of  PahiLs  as 
Calamus  or  the  Canes.  G.  Henslow. 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 


JAPANESE    MAPLES. 

FOR  grace  and  elegance,  combined  in  many 
instances  with  richly-tinted  foliage,  the 
various  Japanese  Maples  stand  almost 
alone,  and  on  this  account  they  have 
made  considerable  headway  in  popu- 
larity within  the  last  few  years,  particu- 
larly for  the  embellishment  of  the  greenhouse  or 
conservatory  during  the  spring  months.  It  is,  of 
course,  necessary  to  keep  them  in  pots  for  this 
purpose,  but  these  delicately-cut  Acers  are  not 
particularly  vigorous  rooting,  hence  they  may  be 
maintained  in  good  health  for  years  when  grown 
ill  pots.  Among  the  numerous  forms  now  in 
cultivation  two  species  are  represented,  viz.,  Acer 
palmatum  and  A.  japonicum,  both  of  which  we 
are  told  by  Professor  Sargent  form  small  trees  in 
the  forests  of  Japan  rarely  reaching  a  height  of 
50  feet.  It  is,  however,  the  varieties  that  concern 
us  the  most,  and  these  are  so  variable  that  in 
some  cases  at  least  it  is  difficult  to  assign  them 
under  their  respective  species.  So  great  is  the 
demand  for  these  Maples  that  some  of  our  nursery- 
men propagate  them  extensively  by  grafting  on  to 
the  typical  Acer  palmatum,  which  is  obtained 
either  by  layering  or  occasionally  by  imported 
seed.  This  bj'  no  means  represents  the  only  source 
of  supply,  as  enormous  quantities  are  sent  here 
from  .Japan  during  the  winter  months.  With  the 
roots  tightly  bound  in  Moss  and  clay,  and  packed 
in  such  a  manner  that  there  is  a  free  circulation  of 
air  among  the  branches,  these  Maples  travel  well, 
and  also  sell  readily  at  the  London  auction  rooms. 
While  many  of  these  imported  plants  are  grafted 
as  we  graft  them,  that  is  to  say,  one  variety  on  a 
stock,  there  are,  on  the  other  hand,  frequent 
departures  therefrom,  and  plants  built  up  of 
several  distinct  forms  are  often  met  with.  The 
fondness  of  the  Japanese  for  anything  quaint  or 
curious  is  shown  among  other  things  in  the  way 
they  grow  some  of  these  Maples,  as  in  the  catalogue 
of  a  nursery  firm  in  Japan  now  before  me,  apart 
from  a  list  of  thirty-seven  varieties,  there  is  also 
quoted  grafted  Maple,  with  five  to  seven  varieties 
on  a  single  stem,  and  grafted  Megane  Maple,  in 
which  two  stems  are  twisted  and  grown  togethei 
in  the  form  of  a  figure  8  or  pair  of  spectacles,  and 
five  to  seven  kinds  grafted  on  it.  This  latter  I  see 
is  much  dearer  than  that  immediately  preceding. 
Charming  as  these  Maples  are  under  glass  they  are 
not  vigorous  enough  (especially  the  delicate  tinted 
kinds)  to  hold  their  own  out  of  doors,  unless  in 
particularly  favoured  districts  of  this  country. 
Omitting  the  typical  form  the  variety  sanguineum 


I'-RCIT   OF  A 

CALAMUS. 

(From  a  drawing  bi; 
Miss  Chafer.) 


appears  to  be  the  most  robust, 
and  it  forms  a  delightful  shrub, 
brilliant  in  tint  throughout  the 
summer,  and  even  more  vivid 
in  the  autumn.  H.  P. 


BEGONIA  FUCHSIOIDES 

AND  ITS  USES. 
This  old  favourite  may  be 
grown  in  a  variety  of  ways  for 
the  adornment  of  cool  struc- 
tures, and  when  well  grown  it 
is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
subjects  imaginable.  The 
species    is    quick    in    growth, 

and  bears  in  great  profusion  myriads  of  bright 
scarlet  flowers  in  panicles  at  the  ends  of  pendulous 
branches  during  the  summer  months.  Cuttings  of 
the  young  wood  inserted  in  light  sandy  soil  in 
spring  and  plunged  in  a  mild  propagating  bed  will 
root  quickly,  and  if  attention  be  paid  to  potting  off 
at  once,  and  keeping  them  growing  freely  in  a 
genial  temperature,  afterwards  giving  a  shift 
onwards  as  required,  they  will  make  good  specimens 
for  flowering  next  autumn.  Place  a  neat  stake 
against  the  leading  shoot  and  keep  the  leader  to  it 
until  it  attains  a  foot  or  so  in  height,  when  it  raaj' 
be  stopped  to  induce  side  branches  to  grow.  After- 
wards select  the  topmost  shoot  for  a  leader.  This 
method  should  be  adopted  where  specimens  are 
required  for  flowering  in  pots.  For  clothing  pillars 
or  rafters  of  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory  this 
Begonia  is  unsurpassed,  and  I  have  known  it  to 
reach  1'2  feet  in  height  in  such  positions.  In  raising 
plants  for  this  purpose  the  leading  shoot  should  be 
retained,  and  the  plant  grown  on  freely  until 
sufficiently  strong  for  planting  in  its  permanent 
position.  Either  a  large  pot  or  tub  may  be  used, 
or  a  restricted  border  will  answer  admirably. 
Efficient  drainage  must  be  afforded,  as  this  Begonia 
(like  its  congeners)  is  tine  rooted,  and  any  stagna- 
tion about  its  roots  will  end  in  failure.  A  compost 
of  equal  parts  fibrous  loam,  flaky  leaf-soil,  and 
decomposed  horse  or  cow  manure,  with  a  small 
quantity  of  mortar  rubbish  or  charcoal  to  keep  it 
sweet  and  porous,  will  suit  well  for  the  permanent 
planting.  When  in  active  growth  the  plants  will 
be  much  benefited  by  weekly  applications  of  liquid 
manure,  and  an  occasional  sprinkling  of  Clay's 
Fertiliser  by  way  of  a  change.  As  a  basket  plant 
for  suspending  from  the  roof  or  rafters  of  the 
conservator)-  this  Begonia  is  well  adapted.  For 
this  purpose  young  healthy  plants  in  3-inch  pots 
are  best,  and  these  should  be  disposed  round 
the  sides  as  the  work  of  lining  with  moss  and  filling 
up  with  soil  proceeds,  finishing  off  at  the  top  with 


394 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  1,  1901. 


nue  large  plant.  A  few  pieces  of  Pilea  or  Ljco- 
podium  dibbled  into  the  moss  will  help  to  give  the 
whole  a  bright  and  pretty  finish.  When  established 
these  baskets  require  abundance  of  water,  and  the 
best  way  to  give  it  is  to  immerse  them  carefully 
into  a  tub  of  water  as  often  as  required. 

H.  T.  Martin. 


OUR    COTTAGE    GARDEN. 

What  is  the  ideal  garden  ?  There  are  so 
many,  and  every  one  of  them  different.  Mr. 
Zangwill  says  the  "  only  garden  he  enjoys  is  a 
dream  garden,"  and  some  one  else,  a  poet  of 
course,  tells  us  that — 

"  Folded  eyes  see  brighter  colours 
Than  the  open  ever  do." 

The  ideal  garden  of  many  is  summed  up  in 
three  words—"  My  Lady's  Garden."  The 
very  phrase  is  a  picture,  and  conjures  up  the 
stately  pleasaunce,"  with  terraces  and  noble 
flights  of  shallow 
steps,   like  those      r~  - 

at  Haddon  Hall. 
We  see  the 
.spreading  trees, 
the  garden  fair  of 
Roses  where  the 
sundial  is,  and 
smooth  -  swept 
lawns,  where  my 
lady  may  trail  her 
silken  skirts.  But 
there  is  another 
kind  ^of  garden 
which  in  its  way 
is  just  as  sweet — 
it  is  the  cottage 
garden — and  the 
only  way  to  see 
how  sweet  this 
kind  of  garden 
may  be  is  to  live 
in  one,  for  gar- 
dens are  like 
people,  and  want 
knowing. 

The  High  Hall 
Garden,  where 
the  rooks  are  call- 
i  n  g  "Maud, 
Maud,"  must  be 
exchanged  for  the 
homely  square  or 

patch    in    which  -     " 

the  largest  trees 
will  be  Pears  and 
Apples,  and  there 
will    be    neither 

law-ns  nor  terraces  nor  brilliant  beds  of  flowers. 
It  is  a  curious  thing  about  gardens  that  the 
more  we  fuss  about  them  the  less  they  satisfy. 
What  is  really  lacking  is  often  just  that  touch 
of  careless  freedom,  or  sort  of  semi-wildness, 
iiuite  unlike  neglect,  which  is  seen  to  perfection 
only  in  the  cottage  garden  patch.  Perhaps 
one  secret  of  the  spell  lies  in  the  mixture  of 
the  beautiful  with  the  useful.  In  the  same 
way  that  a  homely  kitchen,  with  its  shining 
pots  and  pans,  its  comfortable  corners,  and 
.simple  furniture  will  sometimes  turn  out  to  be 
the  pleasantest  room  in  the  house,  and  the  one 
that  would  "  come  "  best  in  a  picture — .so  it  is 
with  gardens.  The  cottager  thinks  first  of  use, 
and  beauty  steps  in  unawares.  To  see  that 
this  is  so  we  need  only  cross  the  threshold 
of  our  cottage  on  a  sunny  morning  in  early 
spring,  when  a  south  wind  is  blowing,  and 
wander  down  the  paths  to  the  little  trout 
stream,  which  is  flowing  merrily  past  bush  and 
sallow  to  the  sea. 

There  is  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  if  this 


had  been  My  Lady's  Garden,  the  landscape 
gardener  would  have  opened  out  a  vista,  as  he 
would  have  called  it,  so  as  to  give  a  view  of 
the  streamlet  winding  its  blue  length  so  prettily 
through  marsh  and  meadow.  Not  so  our 
cottage  gardener  ;  he  simply  left  it  to  itself, 
and  Nature  has  hidden  it  so  cunningly  in 
undergrowth  of  bush  and  Alder  that  hardly  a 
glimpse  of  it  is  seen.  It  comes  as  a  surpri.se, 
accounting  for  the  mystery  of  the  lullaby 
music  that  all  day  long  has  been  singing  to 
the  sedges  its  quiet  tune.  We  have  heard  it 
half  unconsciously  above  the  murmur  of  rest- 
less lovely  seas  that  thunder  softly  on  the 
beach  not  far  away. 

Slowly  we  saunter  back.  On  either  side  the 
pathway  espalier  Pear  and  Plum  trees  are 
budding  ;  behind  them  are  rows  of  Curly  Kale, 
Broad  Beans,  the  comfortable  Cabbage,  and 
stacks  of  early  Peas.  Before  them  is  a  foot  or 
so  of  ground  where  simple  flowers  are  given  a 


OUR  COTTAGE  GARDEN. 


chance  to  grow,  but  they  are  sadly  hindered, 
so  many  othei-  things  are  fighting  for  a  place  ; 
Parsley  (always  the  rogue  of  the  garden),  Mint, 
Thyme,  and  many  other  plants  squeeze  in  and 
elbow  out  the  flowers.  It  is  a  question  of  the 
strongest  winning,  so  the  weakest  resort  to 
stratagem  and  push  out  runners  on  to  the 
paths,  where  they  seem  just  as  happy,  and  are 
all  in  bloom  ;  Wallflowers,  Forget-me-nots, 
Daisies,  and  a  pretty  little  stranger  they  tell  us 
is  Blue-eyed  Mary,  a  kind  of  creeping  Forget- 
me-not,  with  a  tiny  flower  of  brightest 
turquoise  blue. 

People  who  are  observant  must  have  noticed 
how  every  garden,  be  it  where  it  may,  if  it  be 
not  over-trained  and  over-educated,  will  assert 
its  own  personality.  It  has  its  tastes,  its  likes 
and  dislikes — almost  in  the  same  way  as  a 
family  or  school  of  children.  Some  gardens 
like  to  make  a  speciality  of  one  flower,  others 
take  up  something  quite  difi'erent.  One  garden 
I  know  positively  refuses  to  grow  Parsley. 
Another  is  just  as  obstinate  over  Mint ;  not  a 


shred  will  ever  come  up.  Within  due  bounds, 
it  is  well  to  let  our  gardens  have  their  way  or 
the  charm  of  individual  character  will  be  lost, 
and  the  garden  folk  will  lie  as  dull  as  Dr. 
Blimber's  boys.  It  is  much  wiser  for  owners 
to  exchange  a  little  than  to  be  always 
thwarting  their  gardens  and  spoiling  their 
tempers.  Everyone  will  recognise  the  Marigold 
garden,  the  Daftbdil  garden,  the  Rose  and 
Pansy  garden,  and  the  garden  of  the  flowering 
trees. 

The  keynote  of  this  cottage  garden  must 
have  been  struck  years  ago.  It  is  Violets. 
There  are  "  a  good  few,"  as  the  country  folk 
say,  up  by  the  steps  at  the  doorway,  but  if  you 
waut  to  see  them,  simply  romping  round  in 
shoals,  as  merry  as  a  troop  of  school  girls  on  a 
holiday,  you  must  go  to  the  Gooseberry  and 
Current  bushes,  and  look  for  them  under  the 
prickly  branches.  It  does  not  require  much 
looking,  there  they  are,  you  may  gather  imtil 

your  hands  are 
full ;  blue  Violets, 
white  Violets, 
'  pinky   Violets, 

Violets  with  sh  ort 
stalks,  Violets 
with  long  stalks, 
pale  lilac anddark 
purple  Violets, 
like  stars  fallen 
from  a  rocket, 
every  sort  and 
every  kind.  They 
have  established 
a  colony  and 
thrive  in  it,  after 
the  good  old 
fashion  of  Eng- 
lish and  American 
settlers. 

Now  we  have 
to  come  to  the 
stream  again,  by 
another  way,  for 
the  river  winds. 
In  a  corner  near 
the  Osiers,  some- 
thing rosy  pink  is 
glowing.  Pinks 
and  reds,  except 
for  Anemones  and 
Pyrus  japonica, 
are  scarce  in 
spring,  which 
always  runs  so 
much  to  blues  and 
yellows.  What 
can  this  blushing 
beauty  be?  It  is  a  smallish  tree  or  bush 
and  full  of  flowers  celestial  rosy  red.  It 
is  a  Peach.  Who  would  have  dreamed  of 
seeing  a  Peach  in  such  a  place  ?  A  Peach, 
whose  fate  it  generally  is  to  be  gummed 
tight  on  a  wall.  A  rosy  serving  maid  comes 
down  the  path  to  tell  us  lunch  is  waiting. 
"Why  is  the  Peach  put  here  in  such  a. funny 
place?"  we  ask.  "  'Twas  mistress  set  the  stone 
in  there,"  the  maid  roiilies,  "because  .she 
thought  it  such  a  warm  and  sheltereil  spot,  and 
it  has  grown  so  fast.  The  fruit  is  lovely."  So 
we  can  imagine.  As  we  re-enter  the  parlour, 
where  Phyllis  has  been  filling  the  jugs  and 
bowls  with  clean,  fresh  flowens,  we  think  nft 
fairer  could  be  found,  wherever  she  had  culled 
them.  Life  in  this  homely  garden  has  taught 
us  much.  We  have  seen  the  beauty  of  sim- 
))licity  and  the  magic  that  lies  in  the  unassuming 
commonplace  of  nature.  For  the  future  in  our 
own  gardens  we  will  have  less  stifl'ness  and 
formality,  and  let  the  garden  folk  have  more 
of  their  own  way.     There  will  always  be  a 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


395 


pattern  to  go  by,  for  the  domain  in  which  we 
have  been  wandering  does  not  belong  entirely 
to  Looking-glass  Land ;  with  all  its  wildness  and 
sweetness  there  really  is  such  a  place  in  an 
English  village  as  "  Our  Cottage  Garden." 

F.  A.  B. 


AN   ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK. 

BUNCH  PRIMROSE  SULTAN. 

SEVERAL  amateurs  are  working  for  the 
improvement  of  Primroses  as  garden 
flowers.  This  fine  flower,  for  which 
Miss  Jekyll  received  an  award  of 
merit  at  a  recent  show  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  is  one  of  the 
latest  results  of  about 
twenty-eight  years  of 
careful  growing  of  these 
good  garden  flowers.  It 
is  1  foot  high  and  carries 
many  trusses  of  bloom 
a  inches  in  diameter, 
of  a  full  Apricot  colour 
deepening  to  rich  dark 
orange  in  the  centre. 
The  individual  flower 
has  a  diameter  of- 
If  inches.  The  leaves 
are  bold  without  being 
coarse  and  of  a  warm 
light  green  colour,  which 
harmonises  well  with 
that  of  the  flower. 

The  garden  where  this 
Primrose  was  grown  has 
a  very  poor,  dry  soil, 
which,  of  course,  has  to 
be  annually  enriched, 
but  in  a  better  soil  and 
cooler  climate  it  would 
probably  be  much  larger. 


lip  is  a  very  distinct  feature,  and  clearly  shows 
the  influence  of  the  two  parents  ascribed.  The 
broad  front  lobe  is  of  a  deep  amethyst,  almost 
purple,  slightly  reflexed  with  a  deep  central  sinus  ; 
the  edges  are  heavily  fringed,  and  arranged  in  bold 
convolutions.  The  amethyst  colouring  extends  in 
four  raised  keels,  six  at  the  extreme  base,  to  the 
foot  of  the  column.  The  basal  edges  of  the  front 
lobe  are  white,  and  separated  from  the  side  lobes 
in  the  manner  characteristic  of  Cattleya  intermedia 
and  hybrids  from  that  species,  but  there  the 
resemblance  ends,  as  the  contour  and  size  of  the 
side  lobes  exactly  resemble  those  of  C.  Harrisonije ; 


is  a  cross  witli  the  above  parentage  flowering  for 
the  first  time.  Brilliantly  coloured  and  Vjeautiful 
as  it  now  is,  as  the  plant  gains  size  and  strength 
further  beauty  may  be  expected.  Already  the 
blossoms  measure  ii^  inches  across  the  petals,  which, 
with  the  sepals,  are  a  light  Indian  yellow,  softened 
with  clear  yellow  on  their  bases  and  margins,  the 
petals  in  addition  being  flushed  with  a  delicate  tint 
of  purplish  red,  with  still  darker  veins.  The  lip  is 
most  conspicuous,  of  the  brightest  crimson  on  the 
apices  of  the  side  lobes,  and  on  the  large,  broadly 
heart-shaped  raid-lobe,  the  edges  of  which  are  as 
though    goffered,    so   bold   and   uniform    are    the 

marginal  un- 
dulations. The 
apex  alone 
differs,  the 
colour  there 
shading  to 
yellow.  The 
throat  is  a 
clear  cream - 
yellow  exter- 
nally, the  in- 
terior being  of 
the  same 
shade,  but,  as 
in  some  varie- 
ties of  Lffclia 
purpurata,  is 
prettily  orna- 
mented with 
narrow  radiat- 
ing  purple 
lines. 


,  ATTLEYA 
Harrisonipe  is 
probably    more 
through  Brazil 


ORCHIDS. 

L^LIO  -  CATTLEYA 
HARRISONI^- 
SCHILLERIANA. 

■  probably    more     widely     distributed 

W  .      through  Brazil    than  any  other  Catt- 

^^  _^  leya,  but  though  imported  from  the 
mainland,  opposite  Santa  Catherina, 
a  natural  hybrid  between  it  and  the  species 
Lselia  purpurata,  Cattleya  guttata  Leopoldi,  and 
Cattleya  intermedia,  which  there  grow  inter- 
mingled, has  not  been  previously  noted.  That 
such  hybrids  do  exist  may  now  reasonably  be 
assumed,  as  a  plant  to  which  the  above  name  has 
been  given  is  now  flowering  with  R.  H.  Measures, 
Esq.,  of  Streatham,  and  clearly  shows  its  deriva- 
tion from  Cattleya  Harrisonife  and  LEelio-Cattleya 
schilleriana,  itself  a  natural  hybrid  between 
Cattleya  intermedia  and  Lselia  purpurata.  Mr. 
Measures'  collection  of  Orchids  is  very  rich  in 
varieties  of  Lslia  elegans,  and  as  there  are  yet 
many  unflowered  plants,  and  the  enthusiastic 
owner  and  his  able  gardener,  Mr.  Coles,  have 
particularly  keen  eyes  for  variations,  even  in 
pseudo-bulbs  and  leaves,  possibly  further  natural 
hybrids  may  yet  make  their  appearance  in  thi 
collection. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  authenticity  of 
the  plant  noticed.  The  form  of  the  flowers 
resembles  that  of  Cattleya  intermedia,  but  the 
segments  are  all  much  broadened.  The  sepals  and 
petals  are  as  though  modelled  in  wax,  thick  and 
fleshy  in  texture,  undulated  on  the  margins,  white 
suffused  with  a  tender  rose  blush,  the  backs  of  the 
petals  marked  with  minute  dots  of  amethyst.    The 


BUNCH    PKIMROSE  SULTAM. 
(From  a  dravnng  by  H.  G.  Moon.) 

the  edges  are  creamy  white,  the  remainder  a  tender 
rose,  as  is  the  broad  column. 

L.ELIA    PTJEPUR.ATA    MELANOXANTHA    X'    L.a;LIA 
CINNABARINA. 

In  the  same  collection  as  the  preceding  hybrids 


It  may  be  nleresting 
to  note  that  hybrids 
from  Lailia  pu  rpurata 
and  L.  cinnabarina  and 
the  reverse  cross  have 
already  been  raised,  and 
are  known  as  L.  Latona 
and  L.  Yula,  but,  as  in 
the  hybrid  mentioned, 
from  Lselia  purpurata 
and  Cattleya  lawrence- 
ana,  the  excellence  of 
the  parent  varieties  is 
reproduced  in  the 
hybrids.  This  point  is 
of  the  most  vital  im- 
portance in  hybridisa- 
tion— it  is  a  pity  it  is 
so  often  overlooked.  The 
\ariety  melanoxantha 
stands  prominent 
among  purpuratas,  and 
in  the  present  cross  the 
immense  superiority  of 
the  flowers  to  those  of 
the  hybrids  with  similar 
parents,  particularly  in 
the  breadth  and  intense 
colouring  of  the  label- 
lum,  is  no  doubt  due 
entirely  to  its  influence. 

Two  other  most  beau- 
tiful hybrids  owning 
Lar-lia  cinnabarina  as 
the  one  parent  were  also 


396 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June   1,  1901. 


in  flower  at  The  Woodlands.  The  first,  a  very 
handsome  form  of  Liielia  Latona  (L.  cinnabarina  ■ 
L.  pur  purata),  is  remarkable  for  the  breadth  of  its 
segments,  which,  much  wider  than  usual  in  this 
cross,  are  also  brighter  in  colour,  the  crimson-red 
of  the  labellum  extending  for  a  considerable  distance 
on  the  throat,  both  on  the  external  and  internal 
surfaces.  The  base  of  the  throat  is  shaded  with 
white  passing  into  yellow  on  the  margins,  and,  like 
most  hybrids  from  L<'elia  purpurata,  is  charmingly 
lined  with  purple  veins. 

The  second,  Lfelia  Yula,  has  the  same  parents  as 
Lajlia  Latona,  but  L.  purpurata  was  the  seed 
parent,  and  probably  from  that  fact  the  flowers 
more  nearly  approach  those  of  L.  purpurata  in 
shape,  &c.,  than  those  of  the  pollen  parent.  The 
heavily  fluted  lip  is  deep  purple,  with  darker 
radiating  veins,  extending  from  the  throat  to  the 
apex.  The  shapely  side  lobes  are  slightly  diver- 
gent, of  the  same  colour  as  the  mid  lobe,  but 
without  the  veins.  Sepals  and  petals  are  flame 
yellow,  flushed  with  purple,  the  petals  more  so 
than  the  sepals,  and  chiefly  on  the  apical  halves. 

LiELIA    PURPURATA    X    CaTTLEYA   LAWRENOEANA. 

By  the  law  of  priority  this  hybrid  must  be  termed 
a  variety  of  Lielio-Cattleya  hyeana,  but  the  advan- 
tage of  using  the  finest  varieties  of  the  parent 
plants  is  well  illustrated  in  this  splendid  form. 
The  size  of  the  flowers  and  their  great  substance 
depend  to  a  certain  extent  on  the  culture,  but  their 
perfect  contour,  compactness,  and  wealth  of  colour 
point  to  the  excellence  of  the  parents.  Sepals  and 
petals  are  rosy  pink,  a  warm  shade.  The  labellum, 
from  its  intense  colour,  appears  like  velvet,  so  deep 
is  the  shade  of  purple  maroon,  the  dominating 
colour.  Intensifying  this  is  a  central  wedge  of 
bright  rose-purple  shading  imperceptibly  into  the 
main  colour,  while  deeper  coloured  veins  are 
evident  in  the  throat. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 

Herbaceous  Plants. 

DURING  the  hurry  and  rush  consequent 
1  on  the  planting  out  of  tender  and 
I  other  bedding  plants,  herbaceous 
I  plants  and  their  needs  are  liable  to 
be  overlooked,  but  many  of  them 
will  require  attention  in  the  matter 
of  staking,  and  also,  if  the  present  dry  weather 
continues  much  longer,  in  watering.  Nearly  all  the 
early-flowering  section,  such  as  Pieonies,  Delphi- 
niums, and  others,  which  make  a  considerable 
amount  of  top  growth  when  at  their  best,  will  be 
grateful  for  occasional  heavy  waterings  with  well 
diluted  liquid  manure.  This  is  especially  helpful 
to  PiBonies,  which,  if  kept  moist  at  the  roots, 
open  their  buds  into  full  and  good  flowers,  instead 
of  going  blind  as  so  many  do  when  left  to  their 
own  devices.  All  herbaceous  plants  which  have 
been  divided  during  the  past  spring  should  be  well 
looked  after  in  the  way  of  watering,  so  that  they 
can  set  up  vigorous  root  action,  which  will  carry 
them  through  the  most  trying  part  of  summer. 

Staking. 

One  objection  that  has  been  advanced  against 
the  use  of  rather  tall  herbaceous  plants  in  the 
garden  is  the  ugliness  produced  by  bad  staking. 
(Jiven  good  clumps  of  plants  there  is  no  necessity 
for  pulling  all  the  growths  up  together  in  a  bunch, 
which  represents  a  green  faggot  more  than  any- 
thing else.  By  judicious  placing  of  the  stakes,  and 
using  a  sufficiency  of  them,  far  enough  apart  to 
enclose  most  of  the  clump  without  pressure,  and 
leaving  a  few  growths  to  be  tied  up  singly  in  such 
a  way  as  to  conceal  the  stakes,  a  fairly  good  effect 
can  be  produced  from  the  first,  and  after  a  while 
the  plants  assume  a  natural  look  that  never  comes 
to  those  which  are  bundled  and  enclosed  in  a  band. 
Certainly  the  latter  is  the  quicker  method,  but  that 
is  the  only  merit  it  has,  and  it  is  only  worthy  of 
consideration  in  dealing  with  plants  not  grown  for 
garden  efi^ect,  but  as  a  reserve  for  cutting  purposes. 


Selection. 

At  this  the  outset  of  the  flowering  season  I 
should  like  to  insist  on  the  advisability  of  keeping 
one's  eyes  open  with  a  view  to  selecting  the  best 
or  most  pleasing  types  of  everything  grown. 
There  are  very  few  gardens  in  which  the  collection 
of  flowering  plants  does  not  contain  many  more  or 
less  rubbishy  types  of  plants,  and  some  that  are 
really  good,  but  for  want  of  looking  over  and 
marking  the  latter  while  they  are  in  flower,  with 
a  view  of  increasing  these  and  doing  away  with 
the  poorer  »nes,  the  same  thing  happens  again 
year  after  year.  The  good  work  which  can  be 
done  by  selection  cannot  be  over-rated,  and  it  is 
besides  one  of  the  most  fascinating  of  pursuits  in 
the  garden.  Take,  for  instance,  a  class  of  plant 
that  will  now  be  about  getting  to  its  best — the 
Pyrethrum — and  I  feel  sure  that  there  are  very 
tew  collections  that  could  not  be  greatly  improved 
for  garden  effect  by  severe  elimination  of  the 
poorer  varieties,  and  this  is  only  one  instance  of 
many  that  will  crop  up  right  through  the  summer 
and  autumn. 

Violas. 

Where  these  are  expected  to  give  a  late  summer 
display  the  flowers  now  being  made  should  be 
picked  off  as  fast  as  they  form,  so  that  the  plants 
may  be  kept  growing  vigorously.  If  one  does  not 
care  to  sacrifice  the  flowers  entirely  they  ought 
not  at  least  to  be  left  on  to  form  seed  pods,  as  so 
many  of  the  Violas  do  freely.  Straggling  plants 
kept  one  year  should  have  their  shoots  pegged 
down  and  be  well  mulched,  but  such  plants  never 
give  the  good  results  that  may  be  expected  from 
young  stock  as  far  as  late  flowering  goes. 

Planting. 

This  work  must  continue  in  spite  of  the  drought, 
and  should  the  present  bright  weather  last  shade 
applied  in  some  form  or  other  will  be  appreciated 
by  most  plants,  and  especially  by  those  with 
shallow  root  action.  J.  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


light ;  this  supplies  the  necessary  moisture  to  the 
roots  without  the  direct  application  of  water  which 
tends  to  destroy  the  roots. 

Carnation.s  (Malmaison). 

The  date  again  reminds  me  that  the  layering  of 
the  earliest  flowered  batch  must  no  longer  be 
delayed,  and  the  plants  should  be  prepared 
forthwith.  A  cold  frame  in  which  early  vegetables 
have  been  forced  makes  a  convenient  and  suitable 
position  ;  the  plants  should  be  thoroughly  over- 
hauled, and  should  vermin  be  found  these  must 
be  summarily  dislodged,  as  no  such  opportunity 
will  for  some  time  be  available.  Remove  sticks, 
and  everything  being  in  readiness,  including  a 
sharp  knife,  a  start  should  be  made,  selecting  the 
best  growths  and  cutting  away  all  surplus  ones, 
as  these  only  retard  the  rooting  of  those  layered  ; 
give  a  sprinkling  of  water  and  shade  from  bright 
sun  for  a  time.  .J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Roehamplon. 


INDOOR  GARDEN. 

Caladiums. 

Many  of  the  stronger  growing  kinds  will  again 
require  increased  pot  room,  and  as  the  season  is 
now  getting  advanced  a  careful  overhaul  should  be 
made,  and  any  varieties  which  may  want  it  be 
given  larger-sized  pots.  A  few  sorts  might  here  be 
instanced  which  are  likely  to  be  pot-bound,  viz., 
C.  Mrs.  H.  J.  Veitch,  C.  Marquis  of  Camden, 
C.  Gerard  Dow,  C.  Cardinal,  C.  Leopold  de 
Rothschild,  C.  Pontia  Ralli,  and  many  others. 
Soil  as  previously  directed  with  just  a  little  more 
stimulant  will  suffice,  making  sure  that  the  fresh 
addition  is  made  quite  firm  around  the  ball.  Where 
it  is  intended  to  make  large  bulbs  for  subsequent 
exhibiting,  the  plants  should  be  stood  well  apart, 
and  every  encouragement  given  to  develop  healthy 
and  vigorous  foliage. 

Fuchsias. 
Continue  to  feed  and  pinch  growing  stock, 
especially  that  struck  in  autumn  and  spring. 
These  being  the  plants  of  the  future  the  best 
attention  should  be  given  them  ;  to  favour  an 
even  growth  the  plants  should  be  frequently 
turned  round  that  the  sun  may  have  full  advantage 
to  ripen  and  mature  the  growth.  At  this  stage  farm- 
yard liquid  manure,  with  a  little  soot  added,  makes 
a  suitable  tonic,  but  after  the  growth  is  practically 
made  a  more  concentrated  manure  is  recommended. 

Amaryllis. 

Continue  to  liberally  supply  with  weak  licjuid 
manure  water  plants  still  making  free  growth  ;  the 
earlier  flowered  bulbs  will  now  be  showing  signs 
of  going  to  rest,  and  as  this  state  is  approached 
less  water  should  be  given  ;  but  the  syringe  should 
still  bo  made  use  of  in  keeping  the  foliage  absolutely 
clean. 

Nerines. 

These  will  be  showing  unmistakable  signs  of 
going  to  rest,  and  less  water  will  also  here  be 
necessary.  I  find  it  well  to  plunge  the  pots  in 
leaves  or  some  such  material  well  raised  up  to  the 


KITCHEN    GARDEN. 
Potatoes. 

The  soil  between  rows  of  Potatoes  should  be 
deeply  stirred  with  a  fork  before  the  roots  have 
extended  far  enough  to  be  injured  by  it,  and  where 
the  ground  is  poor  a  dressing  of  Potato  manure 
may  be  given  with  advantage,  previous  to  earthing 
up,  which  should  take  place  when  the  plants  have 
attained  the  height  of  6  inches  or  8  inches.  The 
height  of  the  ridges  will  depend  on  the  distance 
they  are  apart,  but  care  must  be  taken  not  to 
draw  the  soil  too  high,  forming  a  sharp  ridge, 
which  would  be  the  means  of  casting  off  the  rain 
water  too  far  to  be  of  any  advantage  to  the  roots  ; 
on  light  soil  the  ridges  should  be  so  formed  as  to 
direct  the  water  to  the  roots  by  having  them  as 
broad  as  possible  and  highest  at  the  sides.  Sharp 
triangular  ridges  and  a  dry  season  are  sure  to 
prove  detrimental  to  Potato  crops,  and  it  should 
be  remembered  that  earthing  up  Potatoes  is  meant 
as  a  protection  of  the  tubers  from  the  effects  of 
strong  sun,  which,  though  beneficial  to  the  plant 
itself,  quickly  renders  the  tubers  unfit  for  human 
food. 

Seakale. 

Young  plantations  of  Seakale  will  have  advanced 
far  enough  to  require  attention  ;  the  plants  should 
be  carefully  examined  and  the  shoots  reduced  to 
one  on  each  plant,  taking  care  to  leave  the 
strongest ;  the  sooner  this  is  done  the  better  for 
next  season's  crop.  Little  further  will  be  necessary 
unless  the  season  is  very  dry,  when  the  beds 
should  receive  a  liberal  watering  from  time  to  time 
to  encourage  the  growth,  and  as  the  season 
advances  a  sprinkling  of  nitrate  of  soda  may  be 
given  to  ensure  the  full  development  of  the  crowns 
during  the  growing  season.  The  Dutch  hoe  must 
be  frequently  used  between  the  rows  to  keep  the 
plants  free  from  weeds. 

Carrots 
will  now  require  thinning,  and,  if  possible,  a  dull 
day  should  be  selected  for  the  purpose.  For  early 
varieties  only  a  few  inches  between  the  plants  will 
be  necessary,  but  for  larger  growing  varieties  at 
least  6  inches  should  be  allowed.  If  exhibition 
roots  are  desired  greater  space  must  be  given  to 
ensure  sturdy  growth,  and  frequent  dustings  of 
soot  win  prove  very  helpful  to  the  crop  as  well  as 
ward  oft'  the  attacks  of  wireworm  from  which 
Carrot  crops  so  often  suffer.  A  good  sowing  may 
yet  be  made  to  come  into  use  during  the  winter 
months  from  seed  sown  now  ;  roots  may  be  had 
quite  large  enough  for  ordinary  use,  and  there  will 
be  less  danger  of  them  becoming  hard  than  if  sown 
early  in  the  season.  James'  Intermediate  and 
Model  are  good  varieties  for  sowing  now.  Sutton's 
Early  Gem  should  also  be  sown  for  pulling  in  the 
late  summer  months. 

Endive 
should  be  sown  without  delay  for  use  in  August. 
This  plant  requires  a  light  rich  soil,  and  may  be 
sown  in  drills  1  foot  apart,  covering  lightly  with 
fine  soil ;  as  soon  as  large  enough  they  may  be 
thinned  to  !)  inches  apart,  and  the  young  seedlings 
taken  from  the  rows  may  be  used  for  planting  for 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


397 


succession,  and  may  be  expected  to  come  in  a  fort- 
night later  than  those  allowed  to  remain  in  the  bed. 

Parsley 
should  be  sown  now  to  stand  the  winter  ;  as  soon  as 
the  plants  are  large  enough  they  may  be  cut  over 
and  allowed  to  spring  again,  the  next  growth  being 
more  sturdy  and  better  able  to  stand  the  winter. 

John  Ddnn. 
Royal  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 


FRUIT   GARDEN. 

Early  Vines. 

Where  pot  Vines  are  grown  for  an  early  supply, 
the  plants  need  more  moisture  at  the  roots  than 
canes  planted  out,  as  lack  of  moisture  at  the  roots, 
even  with  Vines  quite  ripe,  will  cause  premature 
shrivelling.  On  the  other  hand,  only  sufficient 
water  is  needed  to  keep  the  foliage  healthy,  but 
from  this  date,  with  bunches  showing  colour,  food 
will  not  be  required.  This  remark  applies  to  all 
Vines  approaching  the  ripening  period.  Early 
permanent  Vines  near  the  glass,  if  the  foliage  is 
at  all  thin,  should  get  partial  shade.  Some  of  the 
thin-skinned  Grapes,  such  as  Madresfield  Court 
and  Muscats,  soon  get  scorched  ;  indeed,  the  first- 
named  is  often  injured  just  at  the  finish  of  the 
stoning  if  not  carefully  ventilated.  The  borders 
of  early  vineries  should  be  thoroughly  watered 
before  the  berries  colour,  and  in  the  ease  of  Vines 
bearing  heavy  crops  a  good  mulching  of  rich  manure 
will  greatly  assist  the  surface  roots.  I  find  cow 
manure  an  excellent  mulch  for  ray  light,  porous 
soil,  and  a  thorough  watering  after  the  mulch  is 
beneficial.  Now  is  a  good  time  to  apply  the  last 
dressings  of  fertiliser  in  the  case  of  Vines  just 
finishing  stoning  ;  this  will  carry  them  through 
the  colouring  period.  Young  Vines  planted  out 
early  in  the  year  will  now  need  more  care  in  the 
shape  of  moisture.  Food  will  not  be  needed  with 
a  good  root-run,  but  partial  shade  and  atmospheric 
moisture  will  promote  robust  growth. 

MiDSEASON  Vines. 
These  are  grown  more  readily  than  earlier  ones, 
as  now,  with  ample  daylight,  there  should  be 
stronger  growth.  Thinning,  always  an  important 
matter,  is  at  times  left  too  long.  This  remark 
applies  both   to"  the  thinning  of  the   berries  and 


removal  of  bunches  also.  It  is  a  good  plan  to 
remove  ^  certain  number  of  bunches  before  they 
flower,  as  often  two  bunches  show  on  one  spur, 
and,  in  some  cases,  even  one  is  not  needed,  as 
Vines  are  so  soon  crippled  by  overcropping,  espe- 
cially young  ones.  By  early  removal  of  surplus 
bunches  the  Vines  are  greatly  benefited.  In  the 
case  of  bad  setting  varieties  it  may  be  advisable  to 
leave  a  few  more  bunches,  but  with  such  kinds  one 
may  with  advantage  use  the  pollen  of  the  free 
setters.  After  the  thinning,  my  previous  advice 
as  to  thorough  watering  of  borders  should  receive 
attention,  and  from  now  till  the  finish  food  may 
be  given  liberally.  Vineries  that  are  used  as  plant 
houses  need  more  care  in  watering.  As  far  as  my 
experience  goes,  the  Vines  rarely  suffer  from  over- 
watering,  but  the  reverse,  and  with  plants  on  the 
borders  the  surface  is  moist,  but  lower  down  quile 
dry,  so  that  thorough  waterings  at  certain  intervals 
are  needed. 

Late  Vines. 

In  many  cases  the  borders  are  outside,  and  the 
rainfall  during  the  past  month  has  not  been  great, 
and  with  Vines  in  light  soil  or  with  a  shallow 
border  thorough  waterings  are  necessary.  Food 
also  should  be  given  as  growth  increases,  and  with 
a  light,  porous  soil  earlier  mulches  of  decayed 
manure  will  be  necessary.  Dry  borders  have  a 
tendency  to  drive  the  surface-roots  down  in  search 
of  moisture.  These  roots  need  to  be  encouraged 
and  fed,  and,  this  done,  there  is  less  trouble  with 
shanking.  In  thinning  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  late  Grapes  should  have  more  space.  This 
specially  applies  to  such  kinds  as  Alicante,  Gros 
Colmar,  and  other  large-berried  kinds,  as,  though 
the  Alicante  is  not  so  large,  if  the  berries  are  at 
all  thick  decayed  ones  give  much  trouble.  With 
late  Grapes  every  berry  should  have  room  to 
develop  freely,  as  any  wedging  is  fatal  to  keeping. 
I  do  not  advise  too  much  tying  up  of  shoulders. 
A  little  support  may  be  beneficial,  but  too  much 
causes  disfigurement  of  the  bunches. 

Syon  House  Gardens,  Brentford.     G.  Wythes. 


cool  lean-to  house  in  the  gardens  of  Enville 
Hall,  Stourbridge,  the  residence  of  the  Coun- 
tess of  Stamford.  For  more  than  thirty  years 
past  the  gardens  have  been  under  the  charge 
of  Mr.  G.  H.  Green,  a  very  successful  cultivator 
of  fruit  trees  of  all  kind.s.  The  Cherry  here- 
with illustrated  is  but  one  of  several  almo.st 
equally  line  trees  in  the  same  house.  To  cul- 
tivate Cherries  under  glass  with  real  success  it 
seems  to  be  almost  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  trees  should  be  planted  out.  When  thus 
treated  a  regular  and  full  crop  of  fruit  can 
invariably  be  depended  upon,  which  is  certainly 
not  the  case  with  pjot  trees,  at  least  in  the 
hands  of  most  cultivators.  Mr.  Green  speaks 
highly  of  the  variety  Black  Tartaiian,  and  also 
of  May  Duke,  recommending  both  as  excellent 
for  indoor  culture. 


TREES  AND   SHRUBS. 


CHERRY     BLACK     TARTARIAN. 

The    accompanying  illustration  represents  a 
tree   of  the  above-named  Cherry  growing  in  a 


CLADRASTIS  TINCTORIA. 

A  RECENT  plate  (No.  7767)  of  the 
Botanical  Magazine  gives  a  portrait 
of  a  flowering  spray  of  this  handsome 
and  interesting  tree,  known  to  many 
perhaps  as  Virgilia  lutea.  In  English 
gardens  it  has  been  known  for  about 
ninety  years,  having  been  introduced  in  1812  "  by 
John  Lyon,  a  Scotchman."  Although  it  flowered 
in  the  old  Botanic  Garden  at  Chelsea  and  elsewhere 
sixty  years  ago,  one  very  rarely  sees  it  in  bloom. 
This  shy-flowering  character  does  not  appear  to  be 
inherent  to  the  species,  and  in  this  country  seems 
to  be  mainly  due  to  want  of  sunshine,  for  it  flowers 
freely  enough  in  warmer  climates  than  ours.  At 
Kew  there  is  a  fine  old  tree  about  25  feet  high 
with  a  clean  well-formed  trunk  and  a  wide- 
spreading  head  of  branches.  This  tree  flowered 
last  summer,  its  flowers  being  Pea-shaped  and 
borne  in  pendulous  racemes  1  foot  or  so  long ; 
they  are  white  with  a  patch  of  yellow  at  the  base 
of  the  standard  petal.  The  leaves  consist  of 
3i  to  6i  pairs  of  leaflets,  each  leaflet  3  inches  to 
4-inches  long,  ovate  or  obovate  in  outline,  smooth 
and  deep  green.  A  handsome  feature  of 
the  tree  is  the  smooth,  grey.  Beech-like 
bark.  The  tree  is  found  wild,  although 
it  is  not  common,  in  the  south-eastern 
United  States  on  the  inland  bases  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains.  Its  bark  yields 
a  yellow  dye,  and  it  is  commonly  known 
as  "yellow  wood"'  or  "Gopher  Wood." 

It  is  a  curious  phenomenon  in  the  geo- 
graphical distribution  of  plants  that  the 
only  other  species  of  Cladrastis  known 
should  be  found  thousands  of  miles  away. 
This  species  is  C.  amvirensis,  whicli  was 
I  discovered  in  Manchuria  in  the  Amoor 
.  River  basin,  so  that  the  North  Pacific 
f  Ocean  and  the  greater  part  of  the  North 
American  continent  separate  the  two 
species.  There  are,  however,  other  similar 
i  instances,  of  which  the  genus  Magnolia 
affords  a  well  known  example.  This 
Asiatic  Cladrastis  is  apparently  of  a  more 
shrubby  character  than  the  American  one, 
and  it  shows  none  of  its  disinclination 
to  flower.  At  Kew  it  has  blossomed  in 
July  and  August  for  several  j'ears  past. 
The  dull  white  flowers  are  very  small 
(one-third  of  an  inch  across),  but  are  very 
closely  packed  on  stiff  racemes  4  inches 
to  6  inches  long,  very  different  to  the 
lax  open  panicles  of  C.  tinctoria.  The 
shrub  is  pretty  just  now  when  the  j'oung 
pinnate  leaves  are  bursting,  these  being 
of  a  delicate  purplish  shade. 


BLACK    TARTARIAN    CHERRY    IN    BLOOM    AT   EN^^LLE   HALL. 

(Tftts  is  one  of  the  finest  trees  in  England.) 


BERBERIS  STENOPHYLLA. 

Raised  a  good  many  years  ago  in  the  well 
known  Handsworth  Nurseries,  near  Shef- 
field, as  an  accidental  cross  between 
Berberis   Darwinii   and   B.    empetrifolia. 


398 


THE     GAEDEN. 


[June   1,  1901. 


THE    ABBEY    SEEX   THROUGH  A    VISTA. 


this  evergreen  Barberr}'  has  proved  itself  to 
be  an  infinitely  superior  plant  for  gardens  to 
either  of  its  parents.  It  is,  indeed,  the  best 
evergreen  Barberry,  and  one  of  the  best  of  all 
flowering  shrubs.  It  has  a  graceful  free  growth, 
forming  ultimately  a  dense,  impenetrable  ma.'fs  of 
interlacing  branches,  from  out  of  which  each  year 
push  forth  slender  arching  shoots  several  feet  long. 
These  are  now  laden  from  end  to  end  with  clusters 
of  golden  yellow  blossom.  A  single  plant  will 
ultimately  get  to  be  about  8  feet  high,  and  even 
more  in  diameter,  but  a  quicker  effect  can  be 
obtained  by  planting  it  in  groups  or  massing  it  on 
sloping  banks.  Its  thick,  dense  habit  and  very 
dark  green  foliage  render  it  an  admirable  screen 
plant.  It  roots  readily  from  cuttings  dibbled  in 
sandy  soil  in  a  cold  frame  as  soon  as  the  wood  is 
firm.  It  does  not  come  true  from  seed,  reverting  as 
a  rule  more  or  less  to  B.  Darwinii.  Some  of  these 
seedlings  have  been  named  and  distributed. 

W.  J.  Bean. 
The  ArhoreiiLin,  Royal  Gardens,  Kew. 


BRITIShI     HOMES 
GARDENS. 


AND 


FORDE      ABBEY. 

FORCE  ABBEY  is  a  noble  country 
home  in  form  and  equipment,  and 
its  surroundings  are  of  exceptional 
beauty.  The  first  point  which  strikes 
one  is  that  the  successive  owners  of 
the  .structure  have  never  feared  that 
the  encouragement  of  wall  trees  and  climbers 
might  destroy  the  symnjetry  of  the  building  or 
blur  the  delicacy  of  its  lines.  Thus  on  the 
south  wall  of  the  chapel  grow  five  Jargonelle 
Pear  trees,  which  have  stood  in  their  places  for 
more  than  a  century,  bearing  the  delicious  fruit 
which  is  at  its  best,  like  many  other  fruits, 
when  it  is  [jicked  from  the  tree  and  eaten  when 
the  warmth  of  the  sun  is  still  in  it.  Hard  by 
the  Vine,  the  Virginian  Creeper  and  the  Ivy 
are  closely  associated,  so  that  there  is  always  a 
cloak  of  tender  green  in  summer,  of  sunborn 
scarlet  and  crimson  of  Virginian  Creeper  in 
autumn,  and  of  sombre  Ivy  in  winter.     These 


are  allowed  to  grow  with  considerable  freedom. 
To  the  portico  clings  Clematis  montana,  a  vision 
of  beauty  when  it  produces  a  cloud  of  white 
flowers  in  spring.  Climbing  plants  flourish 
amazingly  everywhere,  Virginian  Creeper  on 
the  central  tower,  beneath  which  is  to  be  found 
William  Allan  ftlchardson,  of  which  the  buds 
give  a  richer  promise  of  Apricot  colour  than  the 
flowers  ever  fulfil.  Then  the  southern  walls 
are  clothed,  as  with  a  garment,  in  sweet,  old- 
fashioned  Roses,  in  small  -  leaved  Virginian 
Creeper,  in  great  variety  of  clinging  Clematis, 
and  in  Jasmine  ;  and  in  a  border  at  the  base 
many  tender  plants,  Helietropes,  Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums,  Gladioli,  and  the  like  are  grown, 
not  in  lines,  or  in  chaos,  but  in  masses  of  one 
colour. 

A  wide  walk  runs  from  one  end  of  the 
grounds  to  the  other,  and  at  the  western  end 
is  a  long  wall,  6ft.  high,  which,  with  the  border 
below  it,  is  of  remarkable  interest.  Here,  in 
the  first  place,  are  some  ancient  Apple  trees, 
very  beautiful,  if  for  a  short  time  only,  in  the 
time  of  blossom,  and  these  as  they  die  out  are 
replaced  by  climbing  Roses  of  many  kinds,  and 
sometimes  by  young  Fear  trees.  In  passing 
it  may  be  permitted  to  express  a  hope  that 
some  day  the  Japanese  custom  of  considering 
Apple  and  Plum  and  Peach  and  Cherry  as 
flowering  shrubs  no  less  than  as  fruit-producing 
trees  may  become  more  prevalent  than  it  is. 
But  to  return  to  our  wall,  it  has  an  interesting 
border  beneath  it,  where  Choisya  ternata  and 
Escallonia  and  other  shrubby  plants  flourish 
abundantly,  and  in  front  of  them  is  a  sound 
herbaceous  border,  of  really  hardy  herbaceous 
plants. 

Away  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  abbey 
is  a  sunk  garden,  known  as  the  Port  Garden, 
which  may  be  seen  to  great  advantage  from 
the  end  of  the  terrace.  It  is,  save  for  the 
fact  that  Azaleas  and  Rhododendrons,  which 
are  attempted,  do  not  flourish  on  the  lime- 
stone, a  remarkably  good  example  of  what 
cultivated  taste  may  do  in  the  way  of 
arrangement  with  shrubs  and  low-growing 
trees.  Red-flowered  Horse  Chestnut,  Acacia 
seuipervirens,  the  variegated  Maples,  Hollies, 


double  -  flowered  Thorns,  Weigelas  of 
many    kinds,    Osmanthus,    Eleagnus 
elegantissimus  variegatus,  and  many- 
flowering  shrubs  are  there  in  beds  of 
irregular   shapes,  and  these  beds  are 
brightened  by  bold  groups  of  flowers 
in  their  season,  bulbs  in  the  spring,  and 
Pansies   a   little    later.    Delphiniums, 
dark     and     azure,     Sunflowers,    and 
Ageratums.     Then  close  to    the   wall 
come  hardy  Fuchsias,  the  white  sweet- 
scented  Nicotiana,  which  did  so  mar- 
vellously  last  year,   and    Hyacinthus 
candicans.    All  these,  with  very  slight 
protection,  will  survive  the  winter  well 
in   that  gentle   air.     Tea   Roses,  too, 
thrive   amazingly   on   the    low    stone 
walls,  and  borders  at  the  foot  are  made 
gay  with  annuals.     The  setting  of  this 
beautiful   house,   and   the    absolutelj' 
adjacent     terraced    garden,    the   two 
together  being  regarded  as  the  jewel, 
is  of  extraordinary  beauty.    The  view.s 
of  the  rich  West  Country  are  exten- 
sive  and   peaceful  ;   the  ptrk,  which 
stands  above  the  abbey,  is  marked  by 
some  very  fine  timber,  and  at  a  higher 
level  than   the  abbey  lie  some  orna- 
mental ponds  and  a  knoll  known  as  the 
Mount,   where    trees    and    shrubs    in 
great   variety,  with  bulbs  and  hardy 
plants    interspersed,    form    a    beauti- 
ful  scene    at  almost    any    period   of 
the  year.     The  evergreen  Cypress  is 
there,    and    the    Cedar    of    Lebanon,     sadly 
mutilated     by    a     recent    storm,    spreads    its 
horizontal    arms.      Pine     trees    of  great  age, 
allowed   to   have   plenty  of   space,  sweep  the 
green  turf  with  their  branches,  and  down  by 
the    ornamental    pond    there    are    masses   of 
Rhododendrons,  the  branches  of  which  actually 
dip  into  the  water.     Then   the  wise   distance 
apart  at  which  the  trees  are  planted  not  only 
permits  them  to  develop  their  full  beauty,  but 
also  allows  spaces  giving  rarely  lovely  views  of 
the  adjoining  estate,  and  encourages  a  good 
growth  of  Crocuses,  and  Squills,  and  Dafl'odils, 
and  Snowdrops,  of  the  Meadow  Saxifrage,  and 
of  the  spotted  Orchis.     Altogether  the  Mount 
is  a  very  pleasant  place. 

Nor  must  we  forget  the  trees  along  the  curving 
drive  and  in  front  of  the  abbey.  The  drive  is 
very  striking  with  its  bold  bend,  its  fine  speci- 
mens of  Oak,  Horse  Chestnut,  and  Beech,  its 
particularly  fine  Araucarias,  its  masses  of 
Rhododendrons  and  Pampas  Grass.  By  this 
approach,  too,  is  obtained  a  view  of  the  abbey, 
perhaps  the  best  of  all,  of  the  ornamental 
water  where  the  white  Water  Lily  and  the 
Arum  vie  with  one  another,  and  of  a  tennis 
court,  which  in  all  probability  occupies  the 
ground  in  which  Abbot  Chard  and  his  prede- 
cessors kept  their  fish  for  fast  days  ;  and  round 
the  margin  where  the  monks  sat  and  angled,  or 
perhaps  ladled  out  their  fish  with  a  net,  are 
standard  Roses,  and  Rhododendrons,  and 
Pampas  Grass,  and  Tritomas  or  Kni|ihofias, 
which  the  homely  call  red-hot  pokers  or  Torch 
Lilies. 

A  rock  garden  there  is  also,  and  a  wild 
garden  in  a  disused  gravel  pit,  and  the  stone- 
walled garden  which  jiroduces  wonderful 
Apples  and  Pears,  and  in  it  the  gardener's 
picturesque  cottage,  and  behind  it  a  famous 
orchard.  In  the  abbey  yard,  too,  is  a  splendid 
Quince,  most  undeservedly  neglected  of  trees, 
and  over  the  back  door  is  an  ancient  arch,  now 
a  thick  mass  of  Ivy  and  climbing  Roses,  which 
formerly  spanned  the  moat.  Altogether  Forde 
Abbey  is  a  place  entirely  delightful  from  every 
point  of  view,  where  successive  owners,  being 
men  of  taste  all,  have  been  engaged  ever  since 


Juke   1,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


399 


the   twelfth   century   in   making   the   best   of 
splendid  opportunities  of  soil  and  climate. 

Mr.  Crook,  the  gardener  in  this  charming 
place,  is  one  of  the  most  valued  of  our  corre- 
spondents. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editors  are  not  responsible  fm-  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents. ) 

GALANTHUS    ELWESII 
VAR.  WHITTALLII. 

[To  THE  Editor  or   "The  Garden."] 

SIRj — One  is  glad  to  find  that  the  opinion 
of  Mr.  W.  Irving,  who  has  so  many 
opportunities  of  studying  hardy  plants 
at  Kew,  is  so  favourable  to  this  splendid 
variety  of  G.  Elwesii.  I  feel  confident 
that  the  inability  of  some  to  recognise 
the  superiority  of  this  to  the  ordinary  form  is 
caused  by  their  not  having  grown  it  under  favour- 
able conditions,  such  as  the  strong  heavy  soil 
recommended  by  your  contributor.  When  I  first 
received  my  bulbs  from  Mr.  Whittall  I  was 
doubtful  as  to  where  to  plant  them,  and  distri- 
buted them  over  the  garden  under  a  variety  of 
conditions,  from  damp  peaty  to  light  dry  soil,  and 
also  in  a  strong  loam,  such  as  does  not  suit  many 
bulbs.  In  the  last  it  has  done  extremely  well, 
while  on  a  dry,  sunny  rockery  one  could  not 
detect  any  difference  between  it  and  a  poor  form 
of  G.  Elwesii  grown  on  better  soil.  The  next 
finest  flowers  were  from  a  corner  in  the  rock 
garden  below  the  level  of  the  path  and  in  moist 
peaty  soil,  such  as  suits  Lilium  canadensis  with  me. 
Here,  also,  the  flowers  were  large,  on  tall  stems, 
and  the  foliage  was  broad  and  bold.  There  is 
some  variation  among  the  flowers  of  G.  E.  var. 
Whittallii,  but  only  a  few  bulbs  will  produce 
narrow  leaves  and  small  flowers 
if  grown,  as  Mr.  Irving  sug-  , 
gests,  in  a  strong  heavy  soil.  , 

S.  Arnott. 


main  long  enough  on  the  trees  to  mature  pro- 
perly, and  this  arises  from  a  fear  of  the  fruit 
suffering  from  cold  nights  towards  the  end  of 
September  and  the  beginning  of  October.  Even  at 
these  dates  the  fruit  may  not  be  ripe,  owing  to  the 
condition  of  the  tree  roots,  for  if  these  are  deep  in 
a  eold,  damp  clay  soil  the  fruit  will  have  more 
watery  juice  in  it  than  is  desirable.  While  this  is 
so  there  is  no  chance  of  the  fruit  ripening  as  it 
should.  Such  fruit  will  not  keep  nor  have  its 
proper  flavour,  even  although  stored  in  a  proper 
place.  The  remedy  for  this  is  root  pruning,  and 
I  know  of  no  place  where  this  is  so  necessary  as 
where  the  subsoil  is  clay,  that  invariably  gets  cold 
and  damp  towards  the  end  of  the  season  when 
maturity  is  taking  place  in  the  fruit. 

Root  pruning  entails  much  labour,  forethought, 
and  practice  to  do  it  thoroughl}'  so  that  good 
results  may  follow,  for  if  it  is  to  be  one  of  the  main 
factors  towards  success,  then  nothing  should  be 
left  undone  in  that  line  that  will  contribute  to 
success.  All  who  have  Pear  trees  growing  on  a 
clay  subsoil  should  be  careful  to  see  that  the  roots 
are  kept  out  of  it  by  being  examined  every  three 
or  four  years,  and  all  roots  going  into  it  should  be 
carefully  cut  and  brought  nearer  the  surface  to 
the  sun's  warming  influences.  The  trees  themselves 
need  to  be  kept  free  from  Moss,  lichen,  and  loose 
bark  to  remove  the  chance  of  insect  lodgment  ; 
also  they  must  be  kept  clear  of  thick  breast  wood 
and  close  set  spurs,  so  that  the  fruit  may  have  the 
benefit  of  all  the  sun  possible.  To  get  clean  full- 
sized  fruit  properly  matured  should  be  the  object 
and  aim  of  the  cultivator,  for,  however  suitable 
the  store  room  in  itself  may  be,  there  is  no  chance 
of  success  in  keeping  the  fruit  in  a  proper  state  if 
the  fruit  itself  is  not  in  ripe  condition  when 
stored.  Those  situated  as  your  correspondent  is, 
with  a  clay  soil,  should  plant  near  the  surface,  with 
the  tree  sites  specially  prepared,  first  with  six  or 
more  inches  of  mortar  rubble,  sandstone,  or 
anything  of  an  open  warm  nature  made  firm,  then 
some  loamy  soil  mixed  with  the  natural  soil  of  the 
garden,  from  18  inches  to  2  feet  dssp,  according  to 


the  lay  of  the  ground,  the  former  on  the  flat  and 
the  latter  on  the  slope.  In  all  such  cases  trees  on 
the  Quince,  whicli  do  not  root  deeply,  should  be 
planted  in  preference  to  those  on  the  free  stock, 
whose  roots  strike  deep  into  the  soil  and  take  up 
water  freely  and  produce  gross  unfruitful  growth,  so 
that  fruit  produced  under  these  adverse  conditions 
is  not  likelj'  to  keep  plump  and  fresh  until  the 
proper  season  of  use. 

Coolhurst,  Horsham.  A.  Kkmp. 


OUTDOOll  CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — You  have  a  most  valuable  note  on  early 
varieties.  Can  you  give  me  a  note  about  the  late 
ones?  Anyone  can  get  flowers  in  September,  but 
it  is  most  difficult  to  get  them  in  December  and 
.January.  Market  White,  Mme.  Desgrange,  and 
Ryecroft  Glory  are  then  over.  What  we  need  is 
something  to  follow.  Cottage  Pink  goes  on,  and  I 
have  a  white  kind  that  bloomed  last  year  into  the 
last  week  in  January.  I  do  not  know  its  name,  but 
it  badly  needs  companions.  If  you  can  assist  me 
I  shall  be  deeply  grateful. 

Surrey.  Herbert  S.  Stoneham. 

[We  quite  agree  with  you  that  anyone  can  get 
Chrysanthemums  in  September,  the  culture  of  the 
early  sorts  being  so  simple  and  the  variety  both  in 
form  and  colour  charming.  It  is  easy  to  compile  a 
list  of  sorts  suitable  for  this  purpose,  but  much 
depends  upon  the  weather  and  also  the  situation  of 
3'our  garden.  There  are  very  few  gardens  in  this 
country  where  it  is  possible  to  flower  Chrysanthe- 
mums outdoors  so  late  in  the  winter  season  as  you 
desire,  and  yours  must  be  a  delightfully  warm 
position  to  succeed  with  one  or  two  varieties  as 
you  say  you  have  done  in  the  past.  Last  year  the 
Chrysanthemums  flowered  most  successfully  out- 
doors until  a  very  late  period,  but  this  was  quite 
an  exception  to  the  general  rule.  There  is  always 
a  risk  of  the  plants  making  handsome  specimens, 
only  to  be  damaged  by  a  severe  frost,  just  before  or 
during  the  flowering  period.     The  worst  effects  are 


COOL 


STORAGE 
FRUIT. 


FOR 


'The 


[To  the  Editor  of 
Garden."] 
Sir,— In  reply  to  a  corres- 
pondent, Pears  being  more 
delicate  than  Apples  require 
more  warmth  in  the  store. 
The  temperature  must  be 
carefully  kept  steady  at  not 
less  than  48'  nor  much  more 
than  50°,  as  this  suits  the 
majority  of  varieties,  until  they 
attain  their  natural  season  of 
use,  beyond  which  there  is  no 
chance  of  keeping  them  longer 
in  a  fresh,  plump  state  for  table 
under  any  circumstances.  Stew- 
ing Pears  are  not  so  susceptible 
to  changes  of  temperature.  It 
is  evident  that  your  corre- 
spondent's fruit  room  is  unsuit- 
able for  keeping  fresh  fruit, 
being  of  too  high  a  tempera- 
ture, apart  from  the  other  dry- 
ing influences  that  arise  from 
dry-absorbing  wood  all  round, 
which  the  situation  of  the 
room  to  a  large  extent  creates, 
and  in  that  case  there  is  no 
possible  chance  of  keeping  the 
room  at  a  i^roper  temperature. 
Apart  from  the  foregoing  draw- 
backs, other  things  militate 
against  the  fruit  keeping,  such 
as  being  under  -  ripe  when 
gathered.  There  can  be  no 
greater  mistake  than  that  of 
not   allowing  the  fruit  to  re- 


the  large  lake  at  roRDE  abbey. 


400 


THE  GAEDEN. 


[JWNE    1,    1901. 


seen  when  a  frost  succeeds  rain.  If  you  have  a 
wall  with  a  warm  aspect  you  may  succeed,  a 
position  such  as  this  reducing  the  risk  of  damage 
by  frosts  considerably.  If  this  same  wall  has  also 
a  good  wide  coping  it  is  a  distinct  advantage,  this 
preventing  the  flowers  from  becoming  damaged  by 
wet  during  rainy  weather,  at  least  to  some  extent, 
and  frosts  in  consequence  are  less  likely  to  do  harm. 
You  may  also  have  a  position  with  a  southern 
aspect,  this  being  created  by  a  border  of  shrubs 
and  trees.  In  this  case  the  ordinary  method  of 
planting  eut  may  be  followed  with  success, 
providing  the  soil  of  your  garden  is  not  heav}'  and 
retentive  in  character.  Old  stools  planted  out  in 
tlie  positions  described  answer  very  well  indeed, 
and  unless  stout  and  sturdy  plants  of  those  raised 
from  cuttings  this  spring  can  be  procured,  we 
should  be  disposed  to  use  the  former  in  preference 
if  they  can  be  obtained.  Plant  firmly  in  soil  of  a 
fairly  rich  character,  and  avoid  crowding  the 
plants.  Three  feet  apart  should  answer  the  purpose 
of  most  plants,  although  a  few  of  the  Pompons  will 
be  satisfied  with  less  space.  It  would  not  be  wise 
to  allow  all  the  lateral  growths  to  proceed,  as  far 
better  results  are  likely  to  be  achieved  by  reducing 
the  number  to  those  which  possess  stoutness  and 
vigour.  If  planted  against  a  wall  the  shoots 
should  be  fastened  to  the  wall  by  the  aid  of  nails 
and  shreds,  arranging  them  in  such  a  way  that  full 
advantage  may  be  taken  of  sun  and  air.  The 
growths  will  then  become  nicely  ripened  and 
matured,  and  in  consequence  will  be  better  able  to 
withstand  the  effects  of  trying  weather  later. 
With  these  few  remarks  we  will  proceed  to  give 
the  names  of  suitable  sorts  for  late  blooming 
outdoors.  Blooms  of  reflexed  form  have  advan- 
tages over  others,  as  the  rain  runs  off  them,  and 
they  also  last  longer  in  consequence.  I'effexed 
varieties  are  Cullingfordii,  crimson-scarlet ;  Golden 
Christine,  golden-buff;  King  of  Crimsons,  deep 
crimson  ;  pink  Christine,  light  pink  ;  white  Chris- 
tine, white  ;  .Julie  Lagravere,  dark  velvety  crim- 
son ;  and  Boule  de  Neige,  white.  Japanexf 
varieties  are  numerous,  but  the  best  are  Etoile  de 
Lyon,  lilac-rose,  shaded  white  ;  Miss  Jessie  Cottee, 
golden-bronze ;  Mile.  Lacroix,  white  ;  Annie 
Clibran,  a  lovely  pink  ;  Western  King,  pure  white  ; 
Golden  Dart,  golden  yellow ;  H.  W.  Rieman, 
yellow ;  Mme.  Ph.  Rivoire,  pure  white ;  Source 
d'Or,  old  gold  ;  Eynsford  White,  white  ;  Golden 
(iem,  orange  shaded  crimson  ;  Mme.  Felix 
Perrin,  rose  -  pink  ;  Souvenir  de  Petite  Amie, 
white ;  Tuxedo,  orange  shaded  chestnut ;  G.  W. 
Childs,  rich  deep  crimson  ;  M.  Chas.  Molin,  orange 
shaded  red  ;  and  L.  Canning,  white.     Pompon.f. — 


MESSRS.    JOHN    RUSSELL    AND   SON'S   EXHIBIT   AT    THE  TEMPLE   SHOW. 


Snowdrop,  white ;  Primrose  League,  primrose- 
yellow  ;  William  Westlake,  rich  yellow ;  and 
Rosinante,  blush  rose.  Singles. — Mary  Anderson, 
blush  white  ;  Miss  Annie  Holden,  canary  yellow  ; 
Emily  Wells,  clear  pink  ;  Eucharis,  pure  white  ; 
Scarlet  Gem,  bright  reddish  crimson  ;  and  Mrs.  D. 
B.  Crane,  cerise  -  pink.  In  the  above  selections, 
varieties  are  included  which  should  keep  your 
garden  gay  from  early  November  until  January. 
—Eds.] 

IPOMJEA  EUBKO-CCEEULEA. 

[To   THE   Editor   of    "  The   Garden."] 

Sir, — Allow  me  a  few  words  in  favour  of  this 
most  delightful  member  of  the  Bindweed  family, 
which  was  recently  illustrated  in  The  Garden 
(page  3.54).  It  is  a  particular  favourite  of  mine, 
the  acquaintance  dating  back  now  many  years. 
About  1883  I  first  met  with  it  festooning  the  roof 
of  the  Water  Lily  house  at  Kew,  and  though  late 


in  the  autumn  it  was  then  thickly  studded  with 
its  exquisitely  coloured  blossoms.  In  this  latter 
respect  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  variation,  but, 
speaking  generally,  the  flowers  are  of  an  almost 
indescribable  shade  of  pale  blue,  but  before  thej' 
drop  become  suffused  with  a  peculiar  reddish  tinge. 
The  tact  that  this  Ipemsa  will  flower  throughout 
the  autumn  is  a  great  point  in  its  favour,  as 
subjects  like  this,  so  far  removed  from  the  beaten 
track,  are  few  and  far  between.  If  the  seed  is 
sown  in  the  spring  the  plants  will,  given  ample 
root  room,  soon  cover  a  considerable  space,  and 
allowed  to  grow  in  a  loose  and  informal  manner 
they  are  particularly  attractive.  On  the  other 
hand,  they  may  without  difficulty  be  grown  in 
pots  from  6  inches  to  10  inches  in  diameter,  and 
permitted  to  ramble  over  a  few  twiggy  branches 
or  trained  to  a  trellis.  In  this  way  they  can  be 
moved  about  and  employed  for  various  decorative 
purposes,  which  is  not  the  case  if  planted  out  and 
trained  to  the  roof.  Its  cultural  requirements  are 
simple,  as  seed  germinates  readily,  and  given  fairlj' 
good  soil  the  plants  grow  quickly.  The  principal 
consideration  is  to  keep  the  leaves  free  from  red 
spider,  which  is  apt  to  give  trouble  if  the  atmos- 
phere is  too  dry.  A  liberal  use  of  the  syringe 
will,  however,  keep  them  down.  According  to  the 
"  Dictionary  of  (hardening,"  Ipomiea  rubro-cierulea 
is  a  native  of  Southern  Mexico,  whence  it  was 
introduced  in  1830,  but  at  the  period  of  which  I 
first  write  it  was  very  little  known.  Treated  as  a 
warm  house  annual,  a  second  species,  Iponuea 
Quamoclit,  with  its  prettily  divided  leaves,  and 
slender  tubed,  bright  red  blossoms,  forms  a  very 
pleasing  feature.  H.  P. 


CALCEOLARIAS   AND   CINERARIAS   FROM    ME.SSRS.    SUTTON   AND  SONS.      (Exhibited  al  the  Tempk  Show.) 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN. 


TOMATOES    IN    AUTUMN 
AND    WINTER. 

So  many  Tomatoes  are  sown  in  the  spring, 
from  February  to  May,  that  special 
sowings  in  .Tune,  for  autumn  supplies,  are 
not  often  made.  I  am  aware,  given  good 
culture,  spring  -  sown  plants  may  be 
cropped  late  into  the  autumn,  but  when 
a  full  crop  is  taken  during  the  summer  the  plants 
<lo  not  produce  so  freely  as  younger  ones  grown 
specially  for  the  purpose.  I  am  also  aware  that  in 
the  autumn,  say,  from  September  to  December, 
many  growers  need  their  houses  or  pits  to  store 
plants  and  cannot  spare  the  space,  but  it  is  space 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


401 


well  utilised.  If  a  small  house  can  be  given  up  to 
an  autumn  crop  those  who  like  this  vegetable  may 
have  them  for  the  greater  portion  of  the  year,  as 
this  lot  of  plants  will  give  fruits  at  a  time  when 
Tomatoes  are  scarce.  By  sowing  in  the  early 
autumn  and  wintering  the  plants  to  promote  as 
hardy  a  growth  as  possible,  this  lot  of  plants  will 
fruit  much  earlier  than  those  sown  early  in  the 
3'ear.  Seed  sown  in  June  is  best  raised  in  frames 
near  the  glass.  We  place  ours  in  cold  frames  kept 
close,  as  a  sturdy  plant  at  the  start  is  important ; 
indeed,  at  this  season  of  the  year  fire  heat  is  not 
needed,  as  though  germination  may  be  slower,  the 
plants  are  quite  large  enough  for  planting  out  in 
the  middle  of  July.  Placed  in  low  pits  or  small 
houses,  where  abundance  of  ventilation  can  be 
given,  the  plants  give  little  trouble  ;  indeed,  when 
fairly  started  into  growth  after  planting  the  sashes 
are  always  left  open  at  night,  and  if  entirely 
removed  until  the  end  of  September  so  much  the 
better.  It  is  important  to  get  a  full  set  of  fruit, 
and  this  is  easily  done  with  healthy  plants.  Fruit 
soon  swell  when  the  pits  are  closed  and  food  is  given 
to  the  plants  at  the  season  noted.  Pot  culture 
may  be  given,  but  this  entails  more  labour  in 
potting  up,  watering,  and  other  details.  We  find 
the  planting  out  on  a  small  ridge  of  soil  best,  and, 
though  many  advise  poor  soil  for  Tomatoes,  I  do 
not  for  the  winter  crop,  as  the  growth  is  made 
under  difficult  climatic  conditions  to  summer 
fruiters.  For  this  work  I  have  found  Frogmore 
Selected  and  Winter  Beauty  most  trustworthy,  as 
they  set  so  freely.  G.  Wythes. 

Syon  Home  Gardeiis,  Brentford. 


THE      TEMPLE      SHOW^. 


M 


thuses,  Loniceras,  Hedera  madeirensis  variegata, 
G  enista  prostrata.  Azaleas,  Lilacs,  and  Japanese 
M  aples  in  great  variety  were  also  well  shown. 

Messrs.  Richard  Smith  and  Co. ,  Worcester,  had 
a  splendid  lot  of  specimen  Clematis  on  view,  the 
trellises  upon  which  they  were  trained  were  masses 
of  flower.  Excelsior,  deep  blue  ;  Sensation,  a 
paler  blue  :  Mme.  Van  Houtte,  white  ;  Princess  of 
Wales,  a  grand  blue;  Marie  Lefebre,  pale  lilac; 
an  d  La  France,  intence  violet,  were  a  few  of  the  best 
kinds  shown.  Large  specimens  of  Rose  Crimson 
Rambler  placed  here  and  there  between  the 
Clematises  added  a  brilliant  bit  of  colour. 

Mr.  W.  Iceton,  Putney  Park  Lane,  Putney, 
S.  W. ,  exhibited  Lilium  longiflorum,  splendid  Lilies 
of  the  Valley,  Caladiums,  Palms,  &c.,  all  of  which 
denoted  the  best  of  culture. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Hillingdon,  Hillingdon 
Court,  Uxbridge  (gardener,  Mr.  A.  R.  Allan),  sent 
scnne  excellent  Malmaison  and  other  Carnations. 
Mrs.  Martin  Smith,  Old  Blush,  Mrs.  de  Satge, 
deep  scarlet ;  Nell  Gwynne,  white ;  and  Prime 
Minister,  scarlet,  were  well  shown. 

Aralia  Handsworthensis,  with  A.  Veitchii  gra- 
cillima  for  comparison,  was  exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Fisher,  Son,  and  Sibray,  Limited,  Handsworth, 
Yorks.    It  is  a  most  graceful  plant,  with  even  more 


(Continued  from  last  week.) 
Indoor  Plants. 
■  ESSRS.  PEED  AND  SON,  West  Nor- 
wood, S.  E. ,  had  an  excellent  lot  oi 
Caladiums,  well  -  grown  plants  that 
were  set  oil'  to  the  best  advantage. 
Some  of  the  more  noteworthy  varie- 
ties were  Charlemagne,  P>,ose  Laing 
(one  of  the  best),  Mrs.  Harry  J.  Veitch,  Silver 
Cloud,  Verdi,  Sir  Henry  Irving,  Roncador,  Leonard 
Bause,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  Triomphe  de  Comte. 

Messrs.  Cutbush  and  Son,  Highgate  Nurseries, 
N.,  had  one  of  the  best  arranged  and  brightest 
groups  in  the  show.  Palms,  &c.  formed  a  green 
border  at  the  back  ;  the  groundwork  was  chiefly  of 
Malmaison  Carnations,  while  clumps  of  yellow 
Callas,  Carnations,  Clematises,  small  mounds  of 
Lilies  of  the  Valley,  Ericas,  &c.  gave  a  touch  of 
colour  and  varied  the  character  of  the  exhibit. 
Some  of  the  best  Carnations  were  William 
Robinson,  a  good  scarlet ;  Lady  Mimi,  salmon  ; 
Herbert  J.  Cutbush,  deep  scarlet ;  and  Sir  Hector 
Macdonald,  white,  striped  salmon.  A  margin  of 
Ferns  and  other  dwarf-growing  plants  margined 
the  front  of  this  tastefully -disposed  exhibit. 

Mr.  H.  B.  May,  Dyson's  Lane  Nurseries, 
Edmonton,  exhibited  a  group  of  very  well-grown 
plants  of  Crimson  Rambler  Rose,  Clematises,  zonal 
Pelargoniums,  finely-coloured  Crotons  and  Ferns. 
The  latter  included  Polypodium  Mayii,Platyc6rium 
grande,  Gymnogrammas,  etc. 

Messrs.  J.  Veiteh  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelsea, 
in  their  splendid  display  of  Caladiums  somewhat 
varied  their  usual  method  of  arrangement,  and 
with  very  great  advantage.  The  centre  was  taken 
up  by  some  beautiful  Ltelio-Cattleya  hj-brids,  and 
interspersed  amongst  the  surrounding  Caladiums 
were  other  interesting  stove  plants,  such  as  Anthu- 
rium  crystallinum  illustre  (beautifully  variegated 
leaves),  Ananassa  sativa  variegata,  Tillandsia  fene- 
stralis,  Cyanophyllum  magniticum,  jellow  Callas, 
&c.  Baron  Adolphe  de  Rothschild,  Silver  Cloud, 
Rose  Laing,  Mme.  John  Box,  Pantia  Ralli,  and 
Mile.  Schmidt  were  a  few  of  the  best  Caladiums. 

Messrs.  Russell  and  Sons,  Richmond,  Surrey, 
made  a  good  display  with  hard}'  flowering  and 
ornamental  leaved  shrubs.  The  Tree  Ivies  were 
well  represented  (Golden  Cloud  being  one  of  the 
best),  Eurya  latifolia  variegata  was  prominent,  and 
Aralia  Maximowiczii.     The  Golden  Elder,  Ceano- 


Ivernia.  Lielia  purpurata  was  splendidly  repre- 
sented in  the  varieties  Sunrayand  atro-rubens. 

Messrs  F.  Sander  and  Co.,  St.  Albans,  arranged 
a  splendid  collection,  comprising  many  Orchids  of 
great  beauty.  Included  were  many  fine  Odonto- 
glossums,  0.  Pescatorei  Empress,  O.  crispum 
\Vindsor,  0.  crispum  album,  0.  c.  Memoria 
Victoria;  Reginte,  0.  triumphans  delangheanum, 
0.  facetum  nobilior,  &c.  Cattleya  intermedia 
alba,  Cypripedium  gottianum,  Cattleya  Mossiie 
reineckiana,  Miltonia  Bleuana  nobilior,  well  grown 
Cymbidiums  in  variety,  Miltonia  vexillaria 
Empress  Augusta,  Cattleya  reineckiana  Fascinator, 
and  Cattleya  Mendeli  Queen  Empress  were  a  few 
of  the  many  choice  specimens  exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Sander. 

Messrs.  B.  S.  Williams  and  Son,  Upper  Hollo- 
way,  N. ,  in  their  collection  of  Orchids,  showed,  in 
addition  to  a  fine  display  of  Vandas,  Cymbidiums, 
and  Cypripediums,  several  fine  varieties  of  Cattleya 
Mossiie,  C.  Mendeli,  and  Odontoglossum  Alex- 
andrfe.  Oncidium  coneolor,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  of  yellow  flowered  Orchids,  was  also 
conspicuous. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park 
Nurseries,  Enfield,  had  a  very  interesting  display 
of   Orchids  in  variety.     Odontoglossum  Adriante, 


MESSES.    JAMES   VEITCH   AND   SON's   EXHIBIT  AT   THE   TEMPLE  SHOW. 


finely  cut  leaves  than  A.  V.  gracillima,  and  of  a 
beautiful  pink  tint. 

Conpteris  brazziana,  a  handsome  Fern,  was  shown 
by  FHorticulture  Coloniale,  Limited,  Brussels. 

"  Viola  Royal  Sovereign,  a  beautiful  deep  yellow, 
came  from  Messrs.  George  Stark  and  Son,  florists. 
Great  Ryburgh. 

A.  Henderson,  Esq.,  M.P.,  Buscot  Park,  Faring- 
don,  Berks  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  L.  Bastin),  exhibited 
a  collection  of  fruit  and  vegetables  that  included 
excellent  Peas  in  pots,  Broccoli  Late  Queen,  Cauli- 
flower Snowball  and  First  Crop,  good  Asparagus, 
Potatoes,  &c. 

Orchid  Committee. 

Messrs.  CharlesworthandCo.,  Heaton,  Bradford, 
Yorks,  exhibited  an  interesting  group  of  miscel- 
laneous Orchids,  including  several  good  hybrids. 
Oncidium  marshallianum,  Cypripedium  nitiJissi- 
mum,  Masdevallia  veitchiana  grandiflora,  Cattleya 
aiendeli  Brilliant,  C.  Parthenia,  Cattleya  Mendeli 
Aurora  (a  splendid  flower),  Miltonia  Bleuana,  very 
fine  varieties  of  Cattlej'a  Mossiie  and  of  Odonto- 
glossum Pescatorei  were  all  well  shown.  The 
hybrids  included  L.-C.  G.  S.  Ball  (L;elia  cinna- 
barina  x  Cattleya  Schroder*),  L.-C.  Hippolyta 
(L.     cinnabarina      x     C.    Mossife),    L.      Cattleya 


very  fine  forms  of  0.  crispum,  Cypripedium  Goweri 
magnificum,  Lselia  digbyana,  Cypripedium  lau- 
rencianum  gratrixianum,  many  beautiful  forms  of 
Cattleya  Mendeli,  including  C.  M.  Mrs.  Robert 
Tunstill  (award  of  merit)  and  C.  M.  His  Majesty, 
Cattleya  Youngi  (sent  by  Reginald  Young,  Esq., 
Linnet  Lane,  Liverpool),  Cymbidium  lowianum 
oanariense  (distinct),  Cattleya  Mossiie  Sir  Alfred 
Milner  (blue  lipped),  Cattleya  Schroder;e  alba, 
Cypripedium  insigne  Sandera;,  and  Cattleya 
Mendeli  aurantiaca  were  conspicuously  interest- 
ing. 

Vanda  Teres  was  splendidly  shown  by  Lord  and 
Mr.  Leopold  Rothschild,  Gunnersbur}'  Park 
(gardener,  iNIr.  J.  Reynolds),  a  large  displa}'  of 
the  type  and  the  Rothschild  variety  attracting 
much  attention. 

Sir  Frederick  Wigan,  Bart.,  Clare  Lawn,  East 
Sheen  (Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young),  had  a 
beautiful  arrangement,  wherein  were  included 
PhaUenopsis  grandiflora,  Odontoglossum  Adrian*, 
0.  crispum  Marmoratum,  0.  Trallii,  Miltonia 
vexillaria  Chelsoniensis  (very  fine),  Cattlej-a  superba 
splendens,  Latlia  cinna-brosa,  (Litlia  tenebrosa  x 
L.  cinnabarina),  Oncidium  sarcodes,  Odontoglossum 
excellens.  Splendidly-grown  plants  of  Cymbidium 
Lowi  were  placed  behind,  and  Aerides  Fieldingii, 


402 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June   1,  1901. 


MESSRS.    E.    WALLACE   AXD   CO.'S   EXHIBIT   OF  HARDY  TLOWERS. 


placed   here   and   there   towards    the  front,   were 
very  pretty. 

Mr.  .James  Cypher,  Cheltenham,  had  a  well- 
arranged  group  of  miscellaneous  Orchids.  Very 
fine  Oncidium  Marshallianuin  were  effectively 
made  use  of,  and  well  shown  were  0.  Pescatorei, 
Cattleya  Mendeli,  Miltonia  vexillaria,  Cattleya 
Mossia%  La-lia  purpurata,  0.  crispuni,  Miltonia 
V.  cobbiaua,  &c.  Masdevallia  harryana,  Odonto- 
glossum  triumphans,  Cattleya  Skinneri,  Ueiidro- 
biums  in  variety,  &c. 

Mr.  John  Cowan,  Gateacre  Nurseries,  Liverpool, 
showed  in  good  form  the  following  amongst  other 
Orchids  :  splendid  Cattleya  Mossiaj,  Ltelia  cinna- 
barina,  Odontoglossum  Mulus,  0.  Adrianic, 
Cattleya  Schroderie,  0.  triumphans,  Cattlej-a 
Mendeli,  &c. 

Ludwig  Mond,  Esq.,  Avenue  Road,  Regent's 
Park  (gardener,  Mr.  J.  O.  Clarke),  exhibited  a 
pretty  group,  in  which  were  comprised  Cymbidium 
Lowi,  Odonloglossums  in  variety,  Cattleya  Mossi:e, 
Palms,  and  Asparagus  being  used  with  good  eSect 
in  the  arrangement. 

M.  F.  Claes,  5.3,  Rue  des  Champs,  Brussels,  had 
a  fine  display  of  Odontoglossums,  types  that 
showed  great  variation  in  marking,  0.  crispum 
Captain  Hocker,  0.  triumphans  latisepalum 
Lighthouse,  0.  t.  alba  chesianum,  0.  andersonianum 
Etterbekense,  0.  Adriame  Luminous,  being  some  of 
the  best. 

Messrs.  Stanley,  Ashton  and  Co.,  Southgate, 
showed  several  ver}'  choice  Orchids  in  their 
collection.  Odontoglossum  crispum  Abner 
Hassell  (described  elsewhere)  was  conspicuous, 
and  Cattleya  Mossi;e,  various  Masdevallias,  Cypri- 
pediums,  including  C.  Gertrude  HoUington,  Cym- 
bidiums,  and  Miltonias  were  included. 

.J.  Leeman,  Esq.,  West  Bank  House,  Heaton 
Mersey,  exhibited  many  splendid  forms  of  Odonto- 
glossum crispum.  0.  c.  Constance  Leeman,  0.  c. 
New  Oiieen,  0.  c.  Bijou,  and  0.  c.  Mignon  were 
some  of  the  best.  Others  shown  were  0.  Adrian;) 
Lindenic,  0.  Pescatorei  Lindena-,  &c. 

Captain  Holford,  Westonbirt  (gardener,  Mr.  A. 
Chapman),  showed  Odontoglossum  crispum  Ian 
and  0.  AdrianiB  Mrs.  Menzies. 

Ljelio-Cattleya  Dido,  and  another  L^lio-Cattleya 
hybrid  with  orange-yellow  flowers,  was  sent  by  the 
Hon.  Walter  Rothschild,  M.P. 

W.  Thompson,  Esq.,  Walton  Grange,  Stone, 
Staff's,  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Stevens),  sent  O.  crispum 
Hebe  and  0.  c.  Golden  Queen. 

M.  Lucien  Linden,  I'HorticoleColoniale,  Brussels, 
made  an  attractive  display  with  Phala-nopsis  ama- 
bilis  varieties  and  his  new  showy  Hsemanthus. 


Mr.  A.  A.  Peeters,  Brussels,  exhibited  several 
very  fine  Odontoglossums,  including  0.  Rolfea- 
ophinum,  0.  crispum  Queen  Victoria, "  and  0. 
Adriana'  mirabile. 

M.  Jules  Hye,  Ghent,  sent  Odontoglossum 
crispum  Idolas. 

.1.  Rutherford,  Esq.,  showed  0.  crispum  delicio- 
sum  and  L.-elia  purpurata  Charlotte. 

Roses. 
These,  as  usual,  made  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
features  of  the  entire  show. 

Messrs.  William  Paul  and  Son,  of  Waltham 
Cross,  had  one  of  those  delightful  displays  for 
wliioh  they  are  so  justly  famous.  There  were 
cut  flowers  in  abundance,  and  among  the  many 
charming  varieties  we  noticed  Marechal  Niel, 
Sylph,  Marquise  Litta,  very  good  as  a  standard  : 
G.  Nabonnand,  the  lovely  Polyantha  Rose  Leuch- 
stern,  a  mass  of  delightfully-coloured  single 
flowers,  rose,  with  white  centre;  the  beautiful 
Hybrid  Tea  Tennyson,  white,  blush  centre  : 
Blushing  Bride  ;  the  double  rose-coloured  Spenser, 
a  very  striking  and  handsome  variety  ;  and  the 
hybrid  wichuriana  Pink  Roamer. 

"Mr.  Charles  Turner,  of  Slough,  had  a  splendid 
group,  well  arranged,  and  presenting  masses  of 
decided  colours.  Groups  of  colour  were  made  by 
Camille  Bernardi,  Juno,  i\Irs.  John  Laing,  Crimson 
Rambler,  Mrs.  R.  G.  Sharman  Crawford,  Perle 
d'Or,  Ulrich  Brunner,  and  a  series  of  French  and 
fancy  Pelargoniums,  which  we  are  glad  to  see 
Mr.  Turner  has  not  lost  faith  in.  At  one  time,  of 
course,  these  were  inseparable  from  every  ex- 
hibition, and  in  good  time  they  will  again  become 
popular. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  of  Cheshunt,  showed 
many  beautiful  kinds,  in  pots  and  otherwise,  such 
as  the  Hybrid  Tea  Lady  Battersea,  a  beautiful 
yellow  seedling,  tea  -  scented  variety  ;  the  deep 
crimson  Hybrid  Tea  Liberty,  Mme.  de  Watteville, 
the  exquisite  Polyantha  Leuchstern,  Margaret 
Dickson,  La  France,  the  climbing  Rose  Psyche, 
Crimson  Rambler,  and  many  others  as  beautiful. 

Mr.  B.  R.  Cant,  the  Old  Rose  Nurseries,  Col- 
chester, brought  many  lovely  varieties,  such  as 
W.  A.  P^ichardson  (we  have  never  seen  this  so  fine 
in  colour).  The  Bride,  Mme.  Hoste,  Ulrich  Bruiuier, 
Claire  Jaccjuier,  and  others.  An  excellent  display 
in  all  ways. 

Mr.  Frank  Cant,  Braiswick  Nursery,  Colchester, 
sent  many  charming  varieties,  including  Tea  Rose 
Lady  Roberts,  of  apricot  colouring,  the  new  crimson 
and  very  fragrant  Griiss  an  Teplitz,  Hybrid  Tea 
Daisy,  Hybrfd  Tea  Mme.  Rowary,  Mme.  Laurette 


Messimy,  and  such  beautiful  climbers  as  Thalia, 
Euphro'syne,  and  others.    A  very  charming  display. 

Mr.  (ieorge  Mount,  Canterbury,  arranged  a 
magnificent  lot  of  Roses.  Crimson  Rambler,  in  pots, 
formed  the  background,  with  stands  and  vases  of  cut 
lilooms  in  front.  Marechal  Niel,  Caroline  Teslout, 
Mrs.  J.  Laing,  Ulrich  Brunner,  and  Baroness 
Rothschild  were  excellent  and  well  represented, 
also  were  La  France,  General  .Jacqueminot, 
Catherine  Mermet,  &e. 

Mr.  W.  Rumsey,  Joyning's  Nurseries,  Waltham 
Cross,  showed  a  lovelj'  lot  of  cut  Roses  in  vases 
and  in  stands.  Marechal  Niel  was  splendid,  and 
Niphetos  also.  L'Ideal,  Charles  Lawson,  Edward 
Morren,  Reine  Olga,  and  many  others  were  well 
staged. 

Miscellaneous. 

Messrs.  W.  H.  Rogers  and  Son,  Limited,  Bed 
Lodge  Nurser}',  Southampton,  exhibited  hard}' 
flowers  in  vases.  Many  well  known  hardy  shrubs 
were  included — Azaleas,  Rhododendrons,  Vacci- 
ciniums,  Choisya  ternata,  Ribes,  Ledums,  deci- 
duous Magnolias,  Judas  Tree,  Viburnum,  &c. 

Messrs.  A.  W.  Young  and  Co. ,  Stevenage,  Herts, 
exhibited  hardy  plants  in  variety,  including  several 
beautiful  Violas,  dwarf  Phloxes,  Tulips,  Irises, 
Anemones,  Cacti,  &c.  Lobelia  Di.stinotion  (Holmes- 
dale  variety)  was  also  sent  by  Messrs.  Young. 
Tliis  exhibit  was  very  well  arranged. 

Late  Tulips  were  very  show}'  from  Messrs.  Barr, 
conspicuous  amongst  these  being  T.  elegans  alba, 
Fulgens,  and  the  var.  E.  variegata,  Vitellina, 
billetiana  Sunset,  Picotee,  and  the  curious  green 
Tulip  Viridiflora  ;  also  many  beautiful  varieties  of 
the  Darwin  Tulips.  There  were  also  in  evidence 
such  subjects  as  Camassias,  Anemones,  Gladioli, 
&c. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Enfield,  showed  a 
splendid  group  of  Carnations.  Included  were  Mrs. 
Martin  R.  Smith,  deep  pink  ;  Sir  Charles  Free- 
mantle,  deep  salmon-red  ;  Mrs.  T.  W.  Lawson,  deep 
rose-pink,  with  a  slight  bluish  tinge  ;  lolanthe,  &c. 

Messrs.  B.  S.  Williams  and  Son,  Holloway,  N., 
exhibited  a  collection  of  cut  fiowers,  amongst  which 
were  beautiful  Tulips  in  variety,  Spanish  Irises, 
Narcissi,  Gladiolas,  Ixias,  &c.,  making  an  excellent 
display. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey,  Exmouth,  Devon,  showed 
baskets  of  fancy  Pelargoniums,  very  well  grown. 
Emmanuel  Lias,  President  Faure,  and  ^^'!lfred 
Godfrey  were  the  varieties  staged.  A  new  scented 
perpetual  flowering  Trop;eolum  Kxmouth  Glory 
was  also  shown  by  Mr.  (Jodfrey. 

Mr.  W.  R.  Newport,  F.R.H.S.,  seedsman-florist, 
Hillingdon  Heath,  LTxbridge,  sent  Lobelia  New- 
port's Model  (Royal  Purple  Distinction),  a  free- 
flowering  variety,  and  a  true  purple  with  a  white 
eye. 

Messrs.  Storrie  and  Storrie  exhibited  Auriculas 
in  pots,  Polyanthas,  Sec,  nicely  arranged  in 
upright  masses.  Ferns  and  other  foliage  being  made 
use  of.  Storrie's  Giant  Cowslip  was  shown  in 
vases.  The  Polyanthuses  included  Fair  Maid  of 
Perth,  Bonnie  Dundee,  Crimson  Beam,  Orange 
Prince,  while  amongst  the  Auriculas  were  Victoria, 
Uranus,  Osiris,  Zeus,  and  several  excellent  seedlings. 

Sweet  Peas  were  well  shown  bj'  Mr.  Robert 
Sydenham,  Tenby  Street,  Birmingham.  They 
were  very  tastefully  arranged  in  vases  with  Ferns 
and  (irasscs  intermixed.  Gorgeous,  a  rich  salmon. 
Navy  blue ;  Lady  Grisel  Hamilton,  pale  blue ; 
Her  Majesty,  deep  rose  :  Emily  Henderson,  white  ; 
Lovely,  delicate  pink,  wore  a  few  of  the  l)est. 

Calla  Pride  of  the  Congo  was  shown  by 
Mr.  S.  Bide,  Alma  Nurser}',  Farnham,  Surrey. 
The  foliage  is  similar  to  that  of  R.  elliotiana,  the 
spathes  being  a  beautiful  sulphur-j'ellow  colour. 

Mr.  Edward  Davis,  Pansy  grower,  \A'est  Dene, 
Beech  Alton,  Hants,  sent  a  collection  of  I'ansies, 
many  being  beautiful  varieties. 

C.  K.  Heath,  Es(|.,  Kitlands,  Holmewood,  Surrey 
(gardener,  Mr.  W.  lUdwards),  showed  Rhododendron 
Falconeri. 

Mr.  Paul  Erselwis,  Church  Lane  Nursery, 
Romford,  Essex,  sent  Petiuiia  Charlotte,  a  large 
double  wliile. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park, 
Enfield,  showed  their  beautiful   new   Schizanthus 


June  1,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


403 


(S.  Wisetonensis).  The  plants  were  one  mass  of 
flower,  and  the  colour  of  the  flowers  varies  from 
pink  and  white  to  choeolate-brown. 

Messrs.  ^Villianl  Paul  and  Son,  Waltham  Cross, 
Herts,  showed  a  splendid  collection  of  Lilacs — 
Mme.  Lemoine,  double  white ;  alba  granditlora, 
single  ;  Souv.  de  Louis  Spiuth,  deep  purple  ;  Ville 
de  Troyes,  pale  lilac. 

Mr.  William  Sydenham,  Tamworth,  made  a 
representative  display  of  Violas,  including  many 
of  the  best  varieties.  Messrs.  .Jones  and  Sons, 
Sweet  Pea  and  Dahlia  specialists,  Shrewsbury, 
showed  the  former  flowers  in  excellent  form.  They 
were  well  arranged,  small  pot  Ferns  as  a  ground 
work  showing  them  to  advantage. 

Messrs.  Kelway  and  Son,  Langport,  Somerset, 
had  a  magnificent  lot  of  tree  Preonies,  both  in 
pots  and  cut  blooms.  Some  of  the  best  varieties 
were  Lord  Selborno,  Captain  Lambton,  white ; 
Lady  Sarah  Wilson,  white  lilac  centre  ;  Mr. 
Bancroft,  a  beautiful  flower,  rich  pink  ;  General 
French,  cherry  red  ;  Miss  Beatrice  .Jones,  pure 
white,  slightly  tinged  with  pale  purple  in  the 
centre. 

Messrs.  John  Laing  and  Sons,  Forest  Hill,  S.E., 
arranged  a  fine  collection  of  tuberous  Begonias, 
furnished  on  the  one  side  by  Streptocarpus, 
and  on  the  other  side  by  Gloxinias.  These  various 
classes  of  plants  were  well  represented,  all  bearing 
evidence  of  the  best  of  culture. 

Mr.  Drost,  Kew  Nurseries,  Richmond,  exhibited 
a  group  of  well  grown  Lilium  longiflorum,  nicely 
set  up  with  the  addition  of  Palms,  &c.  C.  Aubrey 
Watts,  Esq.,  30,  Mark  Lane,  E.C.,  showed  an 
interesting  collection  of  Roses,  and  S.  H. 
Lane,  Esq.,  Worton  Manor,  Isleworth,  sent  a 
splendid  plant  of  Calceolaria. 

Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited,  Feltham,  Middle- 
sex, had  a  very  fine  display  of  tuberous  Begonias, 
several  of  which  obtained  awards  of  merit.  Par- 
ticularly good  were  Mrs.  Robert  Sadler,  pale 
salmon,  edged  red ;  Lord  Kitchener,  deep  red  ; 
Jubilee  Beauty,  white  centre,  salmon  border  ;  Sir 
Thomas  Acland,  glowing  scarlet ;  Mr.  Henry 
Clark  (award  of  merit),  rich  scarlet ;  Mrs.  W. 
G.  Valentine  (award  of  merit),  pale  sulphur ; 
imbricata,  deep  rose-salmon,  edged  white. 

Mr.   G.   W.  Piper,  Uckfield,  Sussex,  showed  his 


I 


AZALEA  MOLLIS  ALPHONSE   LAVALLEE. 


(Shown  by  Messrs.  Ji.  and  G.  Cutkbert  at  the  Temple  Show.) 


beautiful  Rose  Sunrise,  arranged  with  its  own 
pleasing  foliage.  The  new  H.  T.  Ijiberty  was  also 
well  shown  here  ;  others  noticed  being  wichuriana 
variegata.  Bridesmaid,  Kaiseriii  Augusta  Victoria, 
The  Bride,  &c. 

Mr.  John  R.  Box,  West  Wickham,  Croydon, 
arranged  a  very  creditable  lot  of  Calceolarias,  all 
well  grown  plants  and  comprising  many  beautiful 
colours. 

Messrs.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley,  Kent, 
showed  their  new  bedding  Pelargonium,  King 
Edward  VII. ,  a  sport  from  Henry  Jacoby,  rather 
lighter  in  colour,  and  bearing  a  larger  truss  of 
bloom.  Cactaceous  plants  were  also  exhibited  by 
Messrs.  Cannell,  and  Cannas  in  great  variety. 
These  were  splendid,  and  included  Mme.  Camille, 
yellow  ground,  splashed  with  red  ;  Jean  Tiscot, 
salmon  -  red  ;  Amy  Chantin,  brick  red  ;  Fol. 
T5erthine  Brunnet,  a  beautiful  yellow,  lightly 
spotted  with  red. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Rothschild,  Tring  Park, 
Tring  (gardener,  Mr.  E.  Hill),  arranged  a  wonderful 
display  of  Moss  Roses.  The  centre  of  the  table 
was  filled  with  Henri  Martin,  a  deep  rose-purple, 
the  common  Moss  Rose  and  Reine  Blanche  sur- 
rounding it. 

Messrs.  R.  and  G.  Cuthbert,  Southgate,  N., 
contributed  a  magnificent  array  of  deciduous 
Azaleas,  Ghent  Azaleas,  and  the  mollis  and 
sinensis  forms  chiefly.  They  were  smothered  with 
flowers,  and  comprised  most  brilliant  colours. 
Alphonse  Lavallee,  apricot  orange,  and  Anthony 
Koster,  a  rich  yellow,  were  two  of  the  very  best ; 
other  good  ones  were  General  Vetter,  Mme. 
Anthony  Koster,  pale  buff,  shaded  orange  ;  Comte 
de  Quii'icy,  J.  C.  Van  Thol,  large  flowers,  bright 
rose-pink,  and  Admirable,  pale  apricot. 

Messrs.  Rivers  and  Son,  Sawbridgeworth, 
exhibited  as  usual  the  fruit  trees  in  pots,  for  which 
they  are  so  justly  famous.  A  new  Peach  (Uuchess 
of  York)  was  largely  shown,  and  obtained  an 
award  of  merit.  Peach  Prince  Edward,  Peach 
Duke  of  York,  Cardinal  Nectarine,  Cherry  May 
Duke,  and  other  fruit  trees  in  pots  were  included 
in  this  interesting  display. 

Messrs.  George  Jackman  and  Son,  Woking, 
arranged  a  fine  collection  of  trained  Clematises,  one 
specimen  (Princess  of  Wales),  of  which  we  last 
week  gave  an  illustration.  Some  of 
the  best  varieties  were  Fairy  Queen, 
Countess  of  Lovelace,  blue,  double ;  Belle 
of  Woking,  double,  pale  blue ;  King 
Edward  VII.,  a  lovely  new  Clematis, 
blue,  faintly  tinged  withrose  and  purple, 
Mme.  Van  Houtte,  Clematis  coccinea, 
&c. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  Old  Nurseries, 
Cheshunt,  exhibited  hardy  flowers  in 
great  variety,  including  Lilacs,  Rhodo- 
dendrons, Euphorbia  pilosa  major. 
Genista  pilosa,  Exochorda  Alberti, 
Tulips,  such  as  Picotee,  Gala  Beauty, 
Isabella,  Parrot,  &c. 

Mr.  Leonard  J.  Ching,  Crescent  Nur- 
series, Enfield,  N.,  showed  a  group  of 
Ferns  very  prettily  arranged.  Large 
plants  of  Aspleniums,  Phlebodiums, 
Pterises,  Davallias,  and  Adiantums 
made  an  effective  background,  smaller 
Ferns  providing  a  foreground. 

Mrs.  Hart,  Fairlawn,  Totteridge, 
Herts,  contributed  an  interesting 
collection  of  Japanese  dwarf  trees. 
Several  Cedars  were  over  100  years 
old  ;  Thuja  obtusa  aurea  l.'JO  years  ; 
Larches  trained  in  various  forms, 
and  grafted  Maples  were  also  repre- 
sented. 

Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons, 
Limited,  Chelsea,  had  a  splendid  ex- 
hibit of  hardy  ornamental  flowering 
shrubs.  In  the  centre  were  fine  plants 
of  Rhododendron  Sigismund  Rucker 
(intense  crimson),  and  R.  Marchioness 
of  Lansdowne.  Hydrangea  stellata 
fimbriata,  H.  hortensis  mandschurica. 
Viburnum  plicatum,  V.  macrocephalum, 
standard  Wistarias  (blue  and  white), 
Cytisus  schipkjensis.  Peonies,  Azaleas 


mollis    X    sinensis    hybrids   were   also    noticeable 
in  this  representative  collection. 

Messrs.  Watkins  and  Simpson,  12,  Tavistock 
Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C,  showed  a  group  of 
Jjantanas  and  Nasturtium  t^ueen  of  Tom  Thumbs, 
variegaced  foliage  and  deep  crimson  flowers. 


NEW^    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

New  Oiiciniis. 

L.kt.io-Cattleya  Edcar  Wigan.  — This  i3  a  large  anil 
beautiful  flower,  the  sepals  and  petals  lieing  tinged  through- 
uut  with  blush  lilac  ;  the  typical  fringed  digbyana  lip  is  a 
deep  ruse-lilac  towards  the  edge,  the  throat  being  paler 
and  having  faint  yellow  markings  also.  This  remarkably 
line  Ifower  was  exhibited  by  Sir  i^'rederick  Wigan,  liart., 
Clare  Lawn,  East  .Sheen  (Orchid  grower,  Mr.  W.  Young). 
Virst-class  certificate. 

OlJONTOGLOSSC.M    WII.CKEANDM   GOT.DEN    QUEEN.— To   this 

splendid  e.vample  a  ftrst-class  certificate  and  a  cultural 
commendation  were  awarded.  The  raceme  exhibited  bore 
no  less  than  twenty  flowers.  These  were  large,  of  a  cream 
ground  colour,  with  pale  chocolate  spots  and  blotches  on 
the  petals  and  sepals.  J-'rorn  W.  Thompson,  Esci.,  Walton 
Orange,  Stone,  Staffs  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Stevens). 

Odontoqi.ossum  crisi'UM  Annie.  —  A  large,  handsome 
flower  ;  the  petals  and  sepals  of  a  lilac  colour  are  spotted 
with  chocolate  and  margined  witli  white.  Exhibited  by 
H.  T.  Pitt,  Esq.,  Rosslyn  Gardens,  Stamford  Hill,  N.  (gar- 
dener, Jtr.  T.  W.  Thurgood).     First-class  certificate. 

L.ELio-f'ATTLEYA  IVERNiA.  —This  is  a  hybrid  between 
L.-C.  callistoglossa  and  L.  tenebrosa,  of  a  beautiful  and  soft 
colouring.  The  long,  waved  sepals  and  petals  are  shaded 
rose-lilac,  and  the  lip  is  an  intense  crimson-purple,  shading 
to  a  lighter  tint  towards  the  margin.  Exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Charlesworth  and  Co.,  Heaton,  Bradford.     Award  of  merit. 

OllONTOBLOSSOM  CRISPUM   CAPTAIN   HoCKEK.— A   Ijeautiful 

form  of  O.  crispum  ;  the  petals  are  well  formed,  with  a  pure 
white  ground,  heavily  and  uniformly  spotted  with  lilac-red 
Exhibited  by  M.  Fl.  Clres,  5^,  Rue  des  Champs,  Brussels 
Award  of  merit. 

Odontoglossum  Adrian.e  LiniiEn.e. — A  charming  little 
flower,  the  lower  sepals  heavily  marked  with  crimson- 
chocolate  ;  in  fact,  they  are  almost  of  this  colour.  The 
petals  and  upper  sepal  are  of  a  white  ground  also,  largely 
marked  witli  crimson-red.  Exhibited  by  .7.  Leeman,  Es(i. 
Heaton  Mersey  (gardener,  I\Ir.  A.  Edge).    Award  of  merit. 

Odontoglossum  crispum  The  Nizam.— This  is  a  hand- 
some flower ;  the  petals  are  margined  white,  inside  this 
margin  the  ground  colour  is  of  a  suft'used  blue,  and 
marked  with  pale  chocolate-red.  The  flowers  are  also  of 
good  size.  Exhibited  by  .1.  Leeraan,  Esq.  (gardener,  Mr.  A. 
Edge).    Award  of  merit. 

Cattleya  SIendeli  gigantea.— The  petals  and  sepals 
are  faintly  suffused  throughout  with  a  blush-pink  ;  the 
fringed  lip  is  of  a  beautiful  form,  the  edge  being  delicately 
lined  with  rose-lilac  ;  the  throat  is  marked  with  yellow  and 
lilac-red.  Exhibited  by  H.  Little,  E-iq.,  Baronsliall,  East 
Twickenham  (gardener,  Mr.  A.  Howard).    Award  of  merit. 

Odontoglossum  crispum  Abner  Hassall. -This  charm- 
ing flower  has  a  pure  white  ground,  marked  with  large 
blotches  of  chocolate-red  on  the  sepals  and  petals.  Exhi- 
bited by  Messrs.  Stanley,  Ashton,  and  Co.,  Southgate,  N. 
Award  of  merit. 

CATTLEVA  Mossi-E  BULCis. — This  is  a  splendid  flower  of 
a  rose  tint ;  the  lip  is  remarkably  beautiful,  rose-crimson 
towards  the  front,  and  a  rich  orange  above.  E.xhibited  by 
Sir  Frederick  Wigan,  Bart.,  Clare  Lawn,  East  Sheen  (gar 
dener,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young).     Award  of  merit. 

CATTLEVA     MENDELI     MRS.      EGBERT     TUNSTILL.   —  This 

variety  was  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Bush 
Hill  Park  Nursery,  Enfield.  It  is  a  beautiful  flower,  of  so 
faint  colouring  as  to  be  almost  white,  the  lip  being  marked 
witii  a  rich  red  blotch  in  the  centre.    Award  of  merit. 

Cypripediu:*!  guttatusi. — H.J.  Elwes,  Esq.,  Colesbourne, 
Gloucester,  exhibited  this  pretty  little  hardy  Lady's  Slipper, 
collected  by  him  in  the  Altai  Mountains  in  1898.  Botanical 
certificate. 

New  Fruits. 

Peach  Duchess  of  Y^ork.  —  'this  is  a  new  Peach  of 
medium  size,  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  tinged  with  red  on  the 
sunny  side.  It  should  prove  to  be  useful  as  an  early  Peach. 
The  pot  trees  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Rivers,  of  Sawbridge- 
worth, were  bearing  well.     Award  of  merit. 

Cucumber  Famous.  —  Obtained  from  a  cross  between 
Daniels  Duke  of  Edinburgh  and  Telegraph.  The  fruit  is 
large,  a  very  dark  green  in  colour,  and  carries  a  beautiful 
bloom.  From  the  stems  exhibited  it  is  evidently  a  good 
bearer.  Sent  by  Mr.  S.  Mortimer,  Farnhani,  Surrey.  Award 
of  merit. 

Miscellaneous  Plants. 

The  following  were  granted  the  award  of  merit  at  the 
Temple  show : — 

SWAINSONIA  McCULLOCKI. — Those  who  recall  the  old  S. 
galegifolia  alba,  with  its  pretty  if  small  white  Pea-shaped 
flowers,  will  readily  see  in  this  a  useful  addition  to  good 
flowering  plants.  The  present  species  is  in  many  ways 
distinct— in  the  colour,  which  is  of  a  brown-chestnut  or 
crimson  shade,  and  in  the  size  and  shcwiness  of  the  flowei-s, 
that  in  some  degree  resemble  a  small  Clianthus.  The  flowers 
are  six  to  ten  in  a  raceme,  crimson-brown  and  nearly  black 
at  the  base,  with  white  centre.  The  slightly  downy  ovate 
leaves  are  oppositely  arranged  in  pairs,  six  pairs  in  all 
forming  the  blade.  The  plant  was  shown  by  Messrs.  Low 
and  Co.,  Enfield. 

AndrosaoeChumdyiense.— Perhaps  of  all  Androsaces  this 
is  the  finest  and  the  most  worthy  of  cultivation.  It  is, 
indeed,  an  ideal  rock  garden  plant,  as  easily  grown  as  A. 
sarmentosa  (which  we  believe  is  one  of  its  parents),  and 
producing  a  mass  of  the  richest  rose-coloured  flowers  that 


404 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  1,  1901. 


defy  description.  It  is  curious  that  this  very  plant,  when 
exhibited  at  the  Temple  show  last  year  in  ranch  finer  con- 
dition than  now  was  not  given  any  award.  Of  course,  the 
plant  may  not  then  have  lieen  entered  for  certificate.  The 
plant  was  shown  by  !Messrs.  Veitch,  of  Exeter,  and  by  the 
GniliUord  Hardy  Plant  Company. 

Leucocrium  imontanum.— a  sweet  and  fascinating  t'ali- 
fornian  bulbous  plant,  with  flowers  of  the  purest  white 
appearing  with  considerable  freedoni  frora  tufts  of  pale 
green  linear  leaves.  The  plant  belongs  to  the  Lily  family,  and 
is  one  of  the  rare  things  in  this  group.  It  is  a  miniature 
subject,  not  more  than  4  inches  high,  but  the  exquisite 
purity  and  freedom  of  the  flowers  are  most  telling  when  seen 
in  such  good  condition.  The  plant  came  from  Mr.  Amos 
Perry,  Winchmore  Hill. 

LiTHOsi'ERSiuM  CANESCEN'S.— Blue  in  some  shade  or  other 
would  appear  a  characteristic  of  this  genera,  yet  the  present 
plant,  which  is  of  bushy  habit,  is  crowded  with  flowers  of  a 
rich  golden  orange.  It  is,  indeed,  a  striking  plant,  and  was 
shown  in  capital  form  by  Jfr.  A.  Perry,  Winchmore  Hill. 

Tulip  La  Tulip  Noire  —This  is  the  finest  black  self- 
coloured  Tulip  we  have  yet  seen.  It  is  glistening  in  its 
blackness,  and  the  flowers  are  large  and  well  formed.  Shown 
by  Messrs.  Hogg  and  Hobertson,  Dublin. 

Tulip  Annik  McGregoh.— a  self-coloured  breeder  kind 
of  the  finest  form,  rose-searlet  in  colour.  From  Messrs. 
Barr  and  Sons,  Covent  Garden. 

Tulip  Dr.  Hardy. —Also  from  Messrs.  Barr.  This  was 
shown  in  its  broken  or  flamed  stage,  the  feathered  petals 
being  marked  with  crimson-brown.     A  handsome  variety. 

Tulip  van  Poortvleit.— Another  of  the  Kose  breeder 
section,  the  colours  rose  or  salmon-scarlet,  with  lilac  centre. 
From  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons. 

TuLiPA  Mauriana.— This  is  a  fine  scarlet,  with  base  of 
golden  yellow  and  rather  pointed  petals.  From  Messrs. 
Wallace  and  Co.,  Colchester. 

TULiPA  IxioiHES.— A  form  of  the  well-known  GesnerTulip, 
and,  by  reason  of  the  combined  colouring  in  the  flower,  well 
named.  The  principal  colour  is  a  cream-yellow,  and  with 
the  intense,  almost  black,  base  makes  a  rather  distinct 
combination.  The  variety  was  shown  by  Messrs.  Hogg  and 
Robertson  and  Mr.  B.  Hartland. 

TuLiPA  Batalina  Sunrise.- This,  without  e.xception,  is 
the  most  fascinating  of  all  new  varieties  of  Tulip.  The  soft 
pale  yellow  or  primrose-yellow  of  the  type,  with  its  long 
pointed  petals,  is  well  known,  but  in  the  variety  Sunrise  we 
find  shades  and  combined  shades  as  beautiful  and  varied  as 
in  the  new  Tea  Rose  bearing  the  same  name.  Internally  a 
sort  of  salmon-rose  mingles  with  scarlet  anti  buff  and  yellow 
underlaid,  with  rosy  butt'  to  the  margin.  It  is  a  beautiful 
flower  that  description  is  all  too  inadequate  to  define.  From 
ilessrs.  Hogg  and  Robertson, 

Begonia  Queen  Alexandra. —A  very  fine  double  kind, 
the  flowers  very  large,  soft  salmon  in  colour,  flushed  and 
edged  with  bright  scarlet. 

Bfgonia  Mrs.  W.  G.  Valentine.- Also  a  double  kind, 
the  flowers  very  fine  and  of  a  full  cream  tone,  the  edges  of 
the  outer  petals  prettily  undulated. 

Begonia  Mrs.  Henry  Clark.— A  magnificent  double 
sort,  that  carries  size  and  freedom  unmistakably.  We 
counted  a  dozen  handsome  flowers  fully  open,  and  the  entire 
plant  but  a  foot  high.  The  colour  is  intense  orange  scarlet, 
Che  foliage  distinctly  long  and  attenuated.  This  fine  trio  of 
double  tuberous  Begonias  all  came  from  Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware, 
Limited,  Feltham. 

Carnation  Sir  r::CTOR  Macdonald,— A  tree,  or  per- 
petual kind,  with  la'-e,  well-formed  white  flowers  striped 
with  scarlet.     From  Messrs.  Cutbush  and  Sons,  Highgate. 

Rose  Leucilstern.  —  A  single-fiowered  variety  of  the 
Polyantha  section,  the  colour  rose-crimson,  with  nearly 
white  base.  It  is  apparently  a  good  climbing  sort  and  a 
profuse  bloomer.  Tlie  fiowers  are  of  medium  size.  From 
Messrs.  William  Paul  and  Son,  Waltham  Cross,  and  JNFessrs. 
George  Paul  and  Son,  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt. 

Rose  Soleil  h'Or. — Tliis  is  a  hybrid  oljtained  from  the 
crossing  of  Persian  Yellow  and  Antoine  Ducher.  The  flowers 
are  some  4  inches  or  ^  inches  across,  double,  and  full, 
salmon-rose  in  colour,  with  salraony  and  yellow  shades 
towards  the  centre.  The  foliage  partakes  of  the  Briar  in 
appearance,  the  result  doubtless  of  the  influence  of  the 
first-named  of  the  parents.  It  is  a  charming  and  distinct 
Rose.     From  Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  Waltham  Cross. 

P.EoNY  Christine  Xelway.— A  very  fine  semi-double 
kind  of  the  P.  arborea  section.  The  flowers  are  of  fine 
proportions  and  the  purest  white.  From  Messrs.  Kelway 
and  Son,  Langport. 

Hippeasthum  Lois.— a  very  fine  and  well-proportioned 
flower,  the  sepals  massive  and  well  rounded,  while  the 
colour  is  clear  and  well  defined.  The  ground  colour  is 
white,  netted,  and  veined  with  scarlet,  and  broad,  central 
white  bands  very  clearly  set.  The  netting  over  the  white 
ground  colour  is  exceptional  in  its  clearness.  This  fine  form 
was  sho\vn  by  Captain  Holford,  Westonhirt,  Gloucestershire 
(gardener,  Mr.  A.  Chapman). 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 


MR,    ROCHFORD'S    nurseries. 

T]iE  TuRNFORD  Hall  NiTRSERiES  are  situated 
about  half-way  between  Cheshunt  and  Broxbourne, 
on  the  Great  Eastern  Piailway,  and  easily  reached 
from  Liverpool  Street.  Here  is  one  of  the  hor- 
ticultural sights  of  the  world.  Several  acres  are 
devoted  to  Vine  culture,  and  the  result  of  Mr. 
Rochford's  skill  is  that  no  finer  examples  of  fruit 
are  placed  before  the  public  than  those  annually 
distributed    from    this   wonderful  place.     Passing 


These  are  grown  in  thousands.  In  one  of  the  houses 
the  roof  is  almost  entirely  covered  with  C.  aurea 
and  C.  Warscewiczi  (Gigas),  mostl3'  unflowered. 
Phahi^nopsis  are  also  well  grown.  Oncidiunis  are 
also  useful  for  cutting,  and  most  of  the  Orchid 
species  are  extensively  represented.  The  C'ypri- 
pediums,  especially  C.  spicerianuni,  finds  favour. 
At  the  side  of  one  of  these  houses  I  noted  several 
plants  of  C.  callosum  Sandera-,  C.  insigne  Sander;e, 
C.  lawrenceanuni  hyeanum,  and  other  novelties. 
Mentioning  these  in  particular  will  remove  the 
impression  which  generally  exists  that  Mr.  Roch- 
ford  grows  for  cut  flowers  and  wholesale  work 
only.  This  is  quite  a  mistake.  Those  who  visited 
the  Brill  Hall  on  April  23  last  will  remember  the 
gold  medal  group  of  Odontoglossum  crispum 
exhibited  by  Mr.  Rochford.  Twelve  long  houses 
are  set  apart  for  the  culture  of  Odontoglossums. 
They  contain  100,0(10  plants,  and  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  about  one-tenth  of  these  were  in  spike  or 
flower.  These  plants  have  been  collected  b}' 
Mr.  .J.  Carder,  and  are,  in  most  cases,  flowering 
for  the  first  time  in  this  countr3'.  It  is  not 
surprising  that  many  novelties  and  highly-prized 
plants  are  appearing  among  them,  two  of  the 
most  distinct  being  0.  crispum  xanthotes  (Queen 
Alexandra),  a  pure  while  variety  except  some 
lemon-yellow  spots  on  the  lip,  and  0.  c.  King 
Edward  VII.,  a  lovely  rose-tinted,  finely-spotted 
kind,  that  will  improve  with  culture.  Sophronites 
grandiflora,  from  the  roof,  blended  admirabl}- 
with  the  lighter  racemes  of  Odontoglossum.  The 
Orchids  are  in  a  most  satisfactory  condition 
throughout. 

The  employees  are  not  overlooked  in  the  bustle 
of  such  an  extensive  business.  The  institute  has 
a  fine  librarj',  in  addition  to  "  The  Club  "  accom- 
modation to  be  obtained  bj'  its  members,  and 
every  consideration  has  been  paid  to  render 
comfort  and  recreation  after  the  toils  of  the  day. 
Mr.  Rochford  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  good- 
will that  everywhere  exists  in  the  different  branches 
of  such  an  enormous  establishment.         H.  J.  C. 


from  the  Vines  to  the  plant  houses,  CodL^eums 
(Crotons),  Pandanus  Veitchi,  and  Urac:Ena  are 
represented  by  thousands.  Palms  of  all  sorts 
and  sizes  may  be  seen,  from  the  stately  monsters, 
touching  the  roofs  of  the  houses  especially  erected 
for  their  accommodation,  to  the  miniature  seedlings 
just  germinating  in  their  seed  beds.  To  illustrate 
the  extent  of  the  Palm  trade  some  idea  can  be 
formed  from  the  fact  that  60,000  Latania  Ijorbonica 
are  annually  distributed,  while  there  are  more 
than  double  the  number  of  Kentias.  The  Arau- 
earias  are  remarkable  examples  of  good  culture. 
Ferns,  naturally,  occupy  extensive  areas. 

Retardinc!  Plants. 

The  cut  flower  department. — Those  who  regu- 
larly attend  the  Drill  Hall  meetings  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  will  have  seen  illustrations 
of  the  results  of  "retarding"  flowers  so  extensivelj' 
practised  here.  I  may  be  allowed,  perhaps,  to 
state  that  four  extensive  chambers  are  packed  full 
of  Liliums  of  all  descriptions  that  are  useful  for 
cut  flower  purposes,  Lily  of  the  Valley  by  the 
million,  Spireea,  and  other  species  of  flowers 
suitable  for  cutting.  The  vegetables  are  not  over- 
looked, for  there  is  a  good  stock  of  Seakale.  Last 
3'ear  was  the  first  experiment  in  this  waj'.  I 
procured  some  of  the  roots  from  Mr.  Rochford  in 
July,  August,  and  September,  and  they  proved  in 
every  way  satisfactory.  These  chambers  are  each 
kept  at  about  6°  below  freezing  point,  so  that  the 
soil  in  which  the  different  things  are  placed  is 
frozen  through  and  quite  hard.  I  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  offered  to  enter  the  "snow 
chamber." 

Here  the  thermometer  stood  at  60°  below 
the  freezing  point.  One's  clothes  were  frozen 
stiff'  immediately,  while  the  chilling  sensa- 
tion running  through  one's  limbs  is  indescribable. 
A  considerable  time  elapsed  before  I  lost  the 
effects  of  it,  even  when  walking  through  the 
forcing  houses. 

The  Lilies  of  the  Valley. 

Lily  of  the  Valley  fiowers  are  one  of  the  greatest       »»„,.,      .,.  ..^j,        j      ^      ^ 

r     ^    "^         r   ii.         i  fl  i     J         o  II  *^^  Secretaries  of  societies  are  mmtea  to  sella  notes  of  meet- 

features  of  the  cut  flower  trade.  Several  houses,  ^,,^*^  exhibitions,  and  forthcoming  events  We  shall  welcome 
specially  arranged,  are  set  apart  for  their  culture,  |  also  notices  of  gardening  appointments. 
and  the  system  followed  of  starting 
them  in  darkened  compartments  and 
gradually  exposing  to  the  light, 
when  the  bells  begin  to  expand,  is 
undoubtedly  the  best  means  of  pro- 
curing the  finest  spikes.  Three  grades 
are  grown,  but  the  best  are  unques- 
tionably the  most  satisfactorj'  crowns 
to  deal  with.  Roses  also  claim  special 
attention,  and  among  the  many  well- 
known  and  best  tried  kinds  I  noted  an 
excellent  stock  of  the  new  Liberty. 
Its  lasting  colour,  Mr.  Rochford  con- 
siders, will  make  it  one  of  the  most 
useful  Roses  for  general  work.  It  is 
being  worked  in  thousands,  so  that 
it  will  soon  be  placed  within  the 
reach  of  all.  Lilium  Harrisi,  L.  longi- 
folium,  L.  speciosum,  and  L.  s.  Kratzeri, 
Spiraeas,  and  other  plants  useful  for 
cutting  were  innumerable  and  in  the 
highest  perfection. 

The  Orchid  Houses. 

These  are  among  the  most  recent 
introductions,  and  were  originally  taken 
up  for  cut  flower  purposes.  Several 
large  houses  were  built  for  their  cul- 
ture. The  large  ones  are  on  one  side 
while  the  smaller  ones  run  on  the 
other  side  of  an  extensive  span -roofed 
house,  forming  a  corridor.  This  struc- 
ture is  filled  with  Cypripedium  insigne. 
The  large  houses,  some  150  feet  to 
200  feet  in  length,  are  occupied  prin- 
cipally with  Cattleyas  and  Lielias. 
C.  Schroderai  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  species  in  flower  at  the 
time  of  my  visit.  I  noted  its  lovely 
pure     white     varieties     among    them. 

C.    Mossiie   and  C.  Mendeli    were  just  «"»'■'  "i^'^-  •'•   LAiNii. 

commencing  to   expand    their    flowers.  (fixhibited  hy  Messrs.  (Jeorge  I'aul  and  Son  at  the  Temple  Show. 


GARDEN. 


No.  1542.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[June  8,  1901. 


FLOWERING    SHRUBS. 

Now  that  so  many  beautiful  shrubs 
are  in  flower,  and  that  many 
owners  of  country  places  are  in 
London,  let  us  remind  them  that 
an  afternoon  is  most  pleasantly 
and  profitably  spent  in  going  to  one  of  the 
good  shrub  nurseries,  or,  better  still,  to  the 
gardens  at  Kew,  note-book  in  hand,  to  see 
what  are  the  best  of  these  good  garden  orna- 
ments, and  which  of  them  will  best  suit  the 
needs  of  special  gardens.  For  though  branches 
of  many  a  fine  flowering  shrub  will  have  been 
seen  at  the  Temple  Show,  yet  a  cut  branch, 
although  it  may  exhibit  the  beauty  and  form 
of  the  individual  bloom,  cannot  show  the  thing 
as  a  living  and  growing  whole. 

Much  of  the  beauty  of  such  a  lovely  thing 
as  the  Japan  flowering  Apple  (Pyrus  Malus 
floribunda)  is  in  the  way  of  growth  of  the 
pretty  little  tree.  The  crimson  bud  and 
blushing  bloom  are  charming  when  seen  in  any 
way,  but  far  best  on  the  tree,  where  the  fling 
and  the  sway  and  the  poise  of  it  may  be 
enjoyed,  and  all  the  little  personal  ways  of 
the  tree  that  go  to  make  up  its  individual 
character  and  to  give  a  sympathetic  and 
almost  human  interest  to  its  identity.  Forsy- 
thia  suspensa,  one  of  the  prettiest  of  flowering 
shrubs  (now  out  of  bloom),  cannot  be  appre- 
ciated in  a  show,  for  to  see  it  at  its  best  one 
must  look  at  it  from  below,  growing  high  on 
some  bank  or  terrace  top,  with  its  wide  flung 
slender  flower-laden  boughs  against  the  tender 
blue  of  an  early  April  sky. 

Now  is  the  time  to  go  and  see  the  tine  newer 
Lilacs,  and  to  wonder  at  the  rare  beauty  of 
the  tree  Pteonies,  and  to  see  hosts  of  good 
shrubs  in  flower,  and  the  well-arranged  rock 
gardens  at  the  Royal  Gardens,  and  even  to  feel 
a  slight  emotion  of  thankfulness  towards  the 
Editors  of  The  Garden  for  calling  to  mind 
the  existence  of  all  these  good  things,  within 
such  easy  reach,  and  of  a  nature  of  such 
wholesome  relief  from  the  bustle  and  hurry  of 
so-called  pleasures  of  the  London  season. 


COLOUR     IN    NEW    VARIETIES     OF 
PLANTS. 

WE  have  had  occasion  to  notice 
a  new  variety  of  Aubrietia, 
flowers  of  which  were  sent  by 
a  foreign  firm  of  nurserymen, 
and  were  glad  to  give  a  pretty 
flower  the  praise  it  well  deserves.  In  seedling 
Aubrietias  we  think  selectors  have  been  over- 


much inclined  to  favour  violence  of  purple  and 
reddish  purple,  colourings  which  come  readily 
in  selected  strains  of  A.  grteca.  We  think  it 
well  to  point  out  that  the  type  colour  of 
Aubrietia,  which  is  a  more  or  less  clear  pale 
purple,  is  the  best  colour  of  all  for  this  charm- 
ing plant,  and  that  the  efiVjrts  of  selectors 
would  be  in  general  best  bestowed  on  fixing 
just  the  most  beautiful  tone  of  this  colour. 

The  pinkish  varieties  are  also  pretty,  such  as 
the  one  raised  by  and  bearing  the  name  of  Mr. 
Max  Leichtlin,  but  there  are  poor,  degenerate 
pinkish  ones  in  between  that  are  hardly  worth 
garden  space. 

Among  the  purple  or  type  coloured  kinds, 
the  efibrts  of  raisers  have  clearly  gone  to 
deepening  the  purple,  and  they  have  resulted 
in  some  fine  colourings  that  are  undoubtedly 
strong  and  vivid,  but  that  seem  to  go  away 
from  the  central  impression  of  the  best  possible 
beauty  of  the  Aubrietia,  which  we  hold  to  be 
a  clear  purple  rather  light  than  dark.  There 
is  still  room  for  work  among  these  lighter 
rather  than  darker  colourings.  A  good  plant 
well  covered  with  bloom  of  fair  size,  fixed  in  a 
distinct  pale  tint,  would  be  a  great  gain  to 
gardens.  White  varieties  are  not  wanted.  A 
white  Aubrietia  would  be  so  nearly  like  an 
Arabis  that  there  would  be  no  use  for  it. 

The  pretty  flower  we  were  glad  to  praise  had 
in  it  a  new  element  of  beauty,  namely,  that  of 
a  more  free  outline  of  flower.  The  flower  is 
large  but  refined,  and  the  edge  has  a  slight 
wave  or  movement  that  adds  to  its  charm. 
The  colour  is  pale  and  yet  clear,  with  a  rosy 
tint  in  the  pale  lilac  that  is  distinctly  pleasing. 
A  flower  of  the  same  form  in  a  cooler  colour 
would  be  equally  desirable. 

We  have  to  remember  that  the  best  use  of  the 
Aubrietia  is  in  good  stretches  in  our  rock  and 
wall  gardens,  where  the  clear  light  colourings 
are  more  suitable  and  more  efiective  in  com- 
bination vidth  stony  masses  than  the  more 
violent  of  the  purples. 


LILIES    IN    KENT. 

This  spring  I  have  carefully  noted  the  dates 
of  the  appearance  of  the  first  spikes  of  my 
various  Lilies  above  ground,  thinking  that 
perhaps  a  record,  or  rather  series  of  records,  of 
these  dates  might  be  useful  in  future,  not  only 
to  myself,  but  to  other  Lily  growers  in  the 
South  of  England.  For  I  find  it  is  one  thing 
to  cover  your  pet  bulbs  with  a  neat  miniature 
mountain  of  cocoa  fibre,  or  ashes,  and  another 
thing  to  find,  in  the  course  of  a  walk  round  on 
a  bitterly  cold  spring  day,  that  the  first  flower 
spikes  are  through  the  protective  covering  and 


getting  their  tender  noses  frost-bitten.  One 
is  apt  to  forget  that  these  lovely  flowers  of 
summer  make  their  first  appearance  so  early, 
and  that  they  will  probably  refjuire  some  sort 
of  protection  from  frost,  though  their  wants 
are  remarkably  modest,  and  a  few  evergreen 
branches  will  prove  quite  sufficient  for  them. 

When  planted  among  Rhododendrons  or 
other  evergreen  shrubs.  Lilies  may  possibly  do 
very  well  without  artificial  shelter,  but  the 
British  "  north-easter  "  has  a  power  (at  any 
rate  in  Kent)  that  will  despise  and  penetrate 
anything  imperfect.  I  have  used  branches  of 
common  Berberis  Aquifolium  for  my  Lilies 
this  spring  ;  they  are  bushy  and  strong,  last  a 
long  time,  and  make  a  model  shelter. 

My  list  of  dates  is  as  follows  : — 

Name  of  Lilit.  Date  nf  ajipearaiice. 

Lilium  longifloruni  Takesima...  March  8 
L.  auratum  platyphyllum  ...  March  11 
L.  speeiosuni  cruentuni  ...       March  17 

L.  Henryi March  19 

L.  Hansom  ...         ...         ...  ,, 

L.  speciosura  album  Kraetzeri...      March  25 
L.  Brownii  ...         ...         ...      April  12 

L.  excelsum  ...         ...         ...      April  13 

L.  Parryi April  20 

L.  Burbanki         ...         ...         ...  ,, 

L.  szovitsianum  ...         ...         ...      April  28 

L.  rubellum  ...         ...         ...  ,, 

L.  canadense        ...         ...         ...      May  4 

L.  Batemannise     (planted     this 

spring)  ...         ...         ...      May  14 

As  far  as  can  be  judged  at  present  Lilies 
seem  to  promise  well  for  1901,  the  growth 
being  strong  and  healthy.  I  have  very  few 
species  myself,  as  will  be  seen  from  my  list, 
and  not  much  experience  with  the  majority  of 
these  ;  but  I  am  deeply  interested  in  their 
culture,  and  consider  no  trouble  too  great  to 
ensure  success  with  them. 

I  wrote  in  The  Garden  of  November  17, 
1900,  an  account  of  my  experiences  with 
Lilium  Parryi.  Six  bulbs  from  Mr.  Karl 
Purdy,  of  California,  produced  an  equal  number 
of  stems  (in  their  second  year),  bearing 
altogether  10.5  flowers ;  one  stem  carried  no 
less  than  39.  This  year  these  bulbs  have  sent 
up  twelve  stems,  besides  a  bunch  of  smaller 
off-sets,  some  of  which  may  flower,  while  the 
;imall  peat  bed  where  they  grow  is  studded 
with  tiny  seedlings,  the  result  of  my  having 
scattered  some  of  the  seed  last  autumn.  It 
remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  aggregate  of 
flowers  will  come  up  to  that  of  1900,  but  the 
stems  seem  fairly  strong,  and  I  have  great 
hopes.  I  have  already  given  the  peat  bed  a 
goodly  watering,  which  the  Lilies  seem  to  have 
appreciated.  I  feel  sure  that  the  reason  of  my 
success  with  this  Lily  last  year  (and  this)  is 
the  thorough  nature  of  the  drainage  below  the 
soil  of  the  bed,  a  depth  of  more  than  1  foot  of 
broken  bricks  and  glass  bottles,  underneath 
18  inches  of  peat,  loam,  and  sand,  and  an 
occasional  soaking  with  rain  water  during  the 
growing  season,  which  seem  to  agree  with  this 
beautiful  Lily. 

The  other  Lilies  I  mentioned  in  the  article 


406 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  8,  1901 


in  The  Garden  were  L.  Burbanki  and  L. 
rubellura.  The  former  is  flourishing,  the  two 
bulbs  having  sent  up  six  good  spikes  between 
them,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  L.  rubellum  has 
resented  its  move  to  drier  and  shadier  quarters, 
and  only  one  spike  has  resulted  from  three 
bulbs.  But  I  do  not  despair,  knowing  the 
lickle  nature  of  the  lovely  flower  and  the 
surprises  it  has  in  store  for  its  passionate 
admirers.  For  instance,  in  1899  I  planted  two 
good  bulbs  of  L.  Hansoni,  reputedly  an  easy 
Lily  to  grow,  but  in  1900  not  a  sign  of  them 
was  visible  above  ground.  This  year  two  very 
promising  spikes  have  appeared.  The  same 
thing  happened  with  a  bulb  of  L.  auratum 
lilatyphyllum,  which  in  1899  produced  a  head 
of  flowers  of  enormous  size,  considered  worthy 
of  a  photograph.  In  1900  not  even  a  tiny  off- 
set rewarded  me  for  my  nice  warm  covering  of 
cocoa  fibre,  and,  believing  the  bulb  to  have 
joined  the  majority  of  Auratums,  I  planted  a 
variegated  Tree  Mallow  in  its  place.  Fortu- 
nately, I  just  missed  the  poor  bulb  with  my 
spade  by  a  few  inches,  and  now  (1901)  a  strong 
thick  Lily  spike  is  showing  its  way  through 
the  Mallow,  determined  to  stand  no  nonsense. 

My  other  Auratums,  all  platyphyllums,  are 
doing  well,  in  their  third  year,  but  I  do  not 
count  much  on  this.  Did  anybody  ever 
succeed  in  establishing  L.  auratum  except  Mr. 
G.  F.  Wilson  ? 

I  have,  unfortunately,  not  noted  the  first 
appearance  of  several  other  Lilies  in  ray 
garden,  such  as  L.  Krameri,  coridion,  concolor, 
pomponium  verum,  tigrinum,  thunbergianum, 
ifec,  but  the  first  three  of  these  are  not  doing 
well  with  me,  and  will  most  probably  die  out 
shortly.  Those  of  the  tigrinum  and  thunber- 
gianum kind  are  wonderfully  healthy,  but 
"they  are  not  difficult  to  grow. 

My  L.  candidum  suflFered  terribly  from  the 
"  Lily  disease  "  in  1899,  so,  acting  on  the  advice 
of  a  gentleman  (I  think  the  head  master  of 
the  Grammar  School  at  Midhurst)  who  wrote 
on  the  Subject  to  one  of  the  gardening  papers, 
I  dug  them  all  up  in  the  autumn  and  gave 
them  a  good  shaking  up  in  a  bag  vrith  flowers 
of  sulphur,  replanting  them  within  48  hours. 
The  result  was  rather  disconcerting,  for  the 
clumps  averaged  about  one  flower  spike  to 
every  dozen  bulbs  in  1900,  and  the  flowers 
were  few  in  number.  This  year,  however,  each 
clump  of  about  a  dozen  bulbs  has  from  six  to 
ten  spikes,  which  look  very  promising,  and  I 
begin  to  think  the  disease  has  been  arrested, 
perhaps  extinguished  altogether.  It  is,  at  any 
rate,  a  simple  remedy,  and  worth  a  trial  in  the 
case  of  badly  infested  bulbs,  for,  whatever 
other  Lilies  we  grow,  we  cannot  afibrd  to  lose 
the  chaste  and  beautiful  Madonnas. 

There  is  one  other  Lily,  with  the  mention  of 
which  I  will  close  my  notes,  the  most  reliable 
and  one  of  the  most  glorious  of  them  all,  L. 
Henryi,  that  has  fairly  eclipsed  itself  here  this 
year.  I  have  but  one  bulb,  but  it  has  thrown 
up  no  le.ss  than  nine  spikes,  and  I  verily 
believe  that  at  least  six  of  these  mean  blossom. 
Surely  this  is  the  Lily  for  all,  and  it  is  getting 
cheaper,  fortunately.  My  bulb  is  in  its  third 
year,  and  has  been  steadily  improving  ;  it  is  in 
an  exposed  situation  in  a  Rhododendron  bed. 

Yalding,  Kent,  Ma;/  10.  S.  G.  R. 


NOTES    OF    THE    WEEK. 


Aubpietia  Dp.  Mules.— One  is  pleased  to 

see  the  advance  which  has  been  made  in  raising 
new  Aubrietias  within  recent  years,  and  also  to 
observe  that  these  new  varieties  are  becoming 
appreciated  by  growers  of  hard3'  flowers.  Yonr 
reference  to  A.  IJr.  Mules,  in  The  Garden  of  May 


'2.5,  page  367,  is  quite  confirmed  by  my  observation 
of  it  in  bloom  here,  where  its  deep  purple  flowers 
show  well  hanging  over  a  low  rockery.  Unfor- 
tunately, my  plant  is  but  a  small  one,  so  that  one 
cannot  expect  to  see  this  new  Aubrietia  at  its  best 
for  a  year  or  two,  when  it  will  have  spread  into  a 
mass.  There  is,  however,  enough  of  it  to  show  its 
fine  colour,  which  quite  justifies  j'our  remark  that 
it  is  "  undoubtedly  the  richest  coloured  Aubrietia 
we  have  yet  seen."  The  fine  purple  is  deeper  and 
more  intense  than  any  other  I  know  of,  and  one 
can  readily  understand  how  fine  a  large  plant  of  it 
would  look  it  associated  with  Arabis,  the  while 
Phlox  Nelsoni,  or  the  pretty  Hutchinsia  alpina. — 
S.  Aknott,  Camethorn,  }>y  DnnifrieK,  jSf.B. 

Edpaianthus  seppyllifolius  at 
Nunwick  Hall,  Cumbepland.— Among 

the  many  pretty  plants  which  I  saw  in  the  fine 
rock  garden  of  Mr.  Thompson,  at  Nunwick  Hall, 
Cumberland,  near  the  end  of  May  was  a  fine 
clump  of  the  pretty  K.  serpyllifolius  (Wahlenbergia 
serpyllifolia)  just  coming  into  bloom.  As  a  good 
many  people  know  to  their  cost,  some  of  these 
Edraianthi  are  not  easy  to  grow  everj'where,  and 
Mr.  W.  A.  Clark  has  wisely  given  some  precise 
instructions  about  their  cultivation  in  his  useful 
little  work  "Alpine  Plants."  E.  serpyllifolius  is 
spoken  of  there  as  doing  on  a  dry  south  bank,  at 
the  foot  of  a  rock  where  it  can  spread  over  its 
surface.  The  large  plant  at  Nunwick  Hall  is 
growing  on  a  dry  bank,  but  the  exposure  is  not 
due  south,  and  it  has  no  rock  to  cover  beside  it.  It 
is,  however,  thriving  admirably,  and  one  may  use- 
fully draw  the  attention  of  the  many  growers  of 
alpines  in  the  north  who  read  The  Garden  to  a 
good  plant  grown  where  the  place  and  soil  suit  it. 
The  soil  is  light  and  sandy,  and  the  altitude  is 
about  300  feet  above  the  sea. — S. 

PapaveP  RupOPient.— We  are  coming 
fast  to  the  time  of  the  year  when  we  shall  have 
plenty  of  Poppies  fluttering  in  our  gardens,  though 
one  welcomes  their  coming  gladly  because  of  the 
beauty  and  brilliancy  of  so  many  of  their  number. 
The  gorgeous  blooms  of  P.  orientale  have  not  yet 
opened  here,  but  the  smaller  and  lighter  coloured 
P.  rupifragum  has  come  into  bloom.  So,  too,  have 
the  two  hybrid  Poppies  I  have  here  which  own 
these  two  species  tor  their  parents.  One,  raised 
by  Mr.  E.  C.  Buxton,  has  been  here  for  several 
years,  but  the  other,  P.  Ruporient,  which  was,  I 
believe,  raised  by  Mr.  H.  G.  Moon,  is  a  later 
acquisition.  Both  have  opened  within  a  day  or 
two  of  each  other.  Of  the  two,  I  think  that  Mr. 
Buxton's  plant  has  the  more  shapely  blooms,  but 
Ruporient  has  not  a  trace  on  its  petals  of  the  black 
blotch  of  P.  orientale,  of  which  there  is  an  almost 
invisible  mark  in  Mr.  Buxton's  hybrid.  Both 
show  a  white  base,  but  Ruporient  seems  to  have 
it  a  little  larger  than  the  other.  If  I  recollect 
aright,  this  poppy  reproduces  itself  true  from  seed, 
but  Mr.  Buxton's  hybrid  (for  which  I  know  no 
other  name)  never  produces  seeds.  Ruporient 
seems  rather  more  elegant  in  habit,  and  to  partake 
in  this  respect  more  largely  of  the  characteristics 
of  P.  rupifragum. — S.  Arnott. 

Edwapdsia  (Sophopa)  gpandiflopa. 

— We  receive  from  Captain  Daubuz  from  Ryde, 
Isle  of  Wight,  a  photograpli  of  a  remarkable 
specimen  of  Edwardsia  grandiflora  which  must  be 
some  20  feet  high  and  is  now  bearing  a  large 
quantity  of  its  fine  yellow  Pea-shaped  bloom.  It 
was  raised  from  seed  and  planted  by  Captain 
Daubuz  twenty-five  years  ago.  It  is  quite  a  tree, 
the  girth  of  the  stem  at  a  foot  from  the  ground 
being  2H  inches.  We  much  regret  that  the 
portrait  of  this  fine  specimen  should  have  been 
unsuitable  tor  reproduction.  Though  the  name 
Edwardsia  is  commonly  used  for  this  beautiful 
small  tree  it  is  more  properly  Sophora.  It  flowers 
well  in  qiute  the  moat  southern  parts  of  our  islands  ; 
it  lives  and  grows  well  but  is  unwilling  to  flower 
an  hour's  journey  south  of  London. 

Vandas  at  The  W^oodlands.— Among 

the  many  fine  Orchids  at  The  Woodlands,  a  group 
of  Vandas  tricolor  at  the  present  time  well 
deserves  notice.  Needless  to  say,  poor  varieties 
are  not  among  them  ;  all  are  of  the  best,  and  the 
Vanda  house  is  a  pretty  picture.  Two  varieties 
stand  pre-eminent,  differing  from  each  other  and 


most  decidedly  from  the  type.  Both  are  probably 
unique,  even  in  the  early  days  of  Orchid  culture, 
when  Vanda  tricolor  and  its  near  all}'  suavis 
were  largely  grown  and  deservedh'  popular. 
Experts  declare  that  varieties  similar  in  colour  were 
then  unknown.  The  first,  named  Woodlandsense, 
forms  long  slightly  pendent  racemes  of  large 
shapely  flowers.  The  broad  sepals  and  petals  have 
a  ground  colour  of  light  yellow,  almost  white 
basally  in  each  case,  with  a  well-defined  margin  of 
rose,  and  the  central  areas  ornamented  with  nearly 
confluent  blotches  of  deep  sepia  brown,  brightened 
with  a  tint  of  red.  On  the  dorsal  sepal  the 
blotches  are  quite  confluent  except  at  the  bases. 
The  column,  the  sac-like  spur  and  side  lobes  of  the 
lip  are  cream-white  shading  to  j'ellow,  while  the 
broad  and  large  raid-lob  is  of  a  dark  puce-purple, 
except  towards  the  base  where  a  little  3'ellow  can 
be  discerned.  The  second  variety — Robin  Mea- 
sures— is  of  a  yet  more  remarkable  colour.  The 
sepals  and  petals  are  bright  cadmium  yellow,  almost 
covered  except  at  the  margins  with  blotches  of  a 
brilliant  glossy  shade  of  chestnut,  toned  with 
orange-red,  a  colour  combination  the  effect  of 
which  is  difficult  to  convey  in  words.  The  column, 
spur,  and  side  lobes  of  the  lip  are  deep  yellow,  the 
base  of  the  lip  striped  with  purple-red,  and  the 
mid-lobe,  slightl}'  smaller  and  more  convex  than 
in  the  varietj'  Woodlandsense,  is  a  light  rose  or 
lilac  amethyst.  This  and  the  foregoing  are  cer- 
tainly two  of  the  finest  varieties  of  Vanda  tricolor 
yet  known. 

Pelapgonium   Euchapis.  —  This  is  a 

very  distinct  variety,  the  pure  white  flowers 
having  a  very  slight  marking  of  pink  on  the  upper 
petals.  Many  of  the  flowers  are  quite  white 
without  the  marking,  the  trusses  having  long 
stalks,  and  each  flower  also  has  a  long  stalk.  This 
variety  may  be  specially  recommended  for  cutting, 
and  it  also  makes  a  good  plant.  Where  the 
flowers  can  be  cut  and  used  without  packing  in  a 
close  box  it  stands  well,  though  it  may  be  advisable 
to  use  a  little  clear  gum  which  does  not  stain  the 
flowers  and  ensures  them  against  drooping  under 
any  circumstances. — H. 

Hippeastpums     at     the     Temple 

Show.  —  A  most  noteworthy  exhibit  at  the 
Temple  Show  was  the  splendid  group  of  Hip- 
peastrums  from  Westonbirt,  which  attracted 
attention,  not  so  much  from  their  high  quality 
(for  the  Westonbirt  Hippeastrums  have  been  long 
famous  for  this)  as  from  the  fact  that  they  had 
been  so  successfully  kept  back,  that  in  the  latter 
half  of  May  the  entire  group  consisted  of  flowers 
as  fresh  and  bright  as  did  the  plants  composing 
Messrs.  Veitch's  magnificent  collection  when  it 
was  my  privilege  to  see  them  at  their  best  some 
five  or  six  weeks  previously.  That  the  flowering 
period  of  these  gorgeous  plants  can  be  extended 
over  such  a  length  of  time  will  certainly  enhance 
their  popularity,  for  it  was  doubtless  a  revelation 
to  many  that  they  could  be  had  in  good  condition 
at  such  a  time.  With  the  various  means,  however, 
now  employed  for  the  hastening  or  retarding  of 
different  subjects,  the  flowering  period  of  many 
plants  is  now  greatly  extended  to  what  it  was 
formerly.  The  Hippeastrum  being  a  tender  plant, 
it  cannot,  of  course,  be  kept  dormant  b}'  means  of 
refrigerators  for  an  indefinite  period  as  are  some 
hardy  bulbs.  Onlj'  one  variety  in  the  above- 
mentioned  group  received  an  award  of  merit,  but 
all  composing  it  were  really  grand  flowers.  For 
popularising  the  Hippeastrum  a  good  deal  is  also 
due  to  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  particularly  in 
directing  attention  to  the  fact  that  seedlings  may 
be  flowered  in  considerably  less  time  than  was 
formerly  considered  necessary. — H.  P. 

The    ppospects    of    stone    fpuit.— 

According  to  the  unwritten  law  of  growers,  we 
cannot  reasonably'  expect  anj'  Plums  and  Damsons 
this  year  after  the  tremendous  crop  of  last  season, 
and  it  seems  as  though  the  rule  is  to  hold  good. 
In  most  parts  of  Kent  there  was  a  good  bloom,  and 
some  trees  were  sheets  of  blossom.  Hopes  ran 
high,  and  there  seemed  a  chance  of  the  rule  pre- 
senting an  exception.  The  flowers  have  now  gone, 
and  a  close  examination  of  my  own  trees  and 
those  of  my  neighbours  show  withered  stalks 
where  there  ought  to  be  swelling  fruits.     It  is  too 


June  8,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


407 


early  to  prophecy  with  safety,  and  we  may  get  a 
crop,  but  certainly  there  will  not  be  the  glut  of 
last  year.  This  may  not  be  altogether  regretted 
by  market  growers,  as  I  know  one  farmer  who 
estimated  that  he  allowed  fifty  tons  of  Uamsons  to 
fall  to  the  ground  because  they  would  not  pay  tor 
the  picking.  Pests  are  in  evidence,  and  colonies 
of  lackey  moth  caterpillars  are  busy  defoliating 
the  shoots. — C4.  H.  H. 

Beauty  in    hedg-erows.— Perhaps  the 

rough,  untidy  hedgerow  is  the  most  beautiful  at 
this  time  of  the  year,  when  the  great  Hawthorn 
bushes  are  wreathed  with  blossom.  Wild  Roses 
showing  their  buds,  and  the  wild  flowers  form  a 
natural  garden  beneath.  But  tie  sign  of  good 
farming  is  a  neatly  trimmed  hedge,  with  ditches 
cleaned  out,  and  no  waste  of  ground  on  either  side. 
With  the  neatest  of  hedges,  however,  there  is 
room  for  beauty,  and  a  farmer  of  my  acquaintance 


SEEDLIKG    LTLIUM    SZOVITZIANUM. 


who  will  not  tolerate  overgrown  hedges  has  hit  on 
a  happy  idea  for  introducing  it.  When  trimming 
the  hedges  round  the  homestead  a  few  years  ago  a 
straight  growing  thorn  was  allowed  to  extend  here 
and  there  above  the  general  level.  On  these  were 
grafted  double  crimson,  pink,  and  white  Haw- 
thorns, which  have  developed  into  good  specimens. 
Yellow  Laburnums  growing  here  and  there  in  the 
hedgerows  give  variety  of  colour,  and  the  trees 
have  a  more  pleasing  eflfeol.  The  example  is  worth 
following,  and  the  flatness  of  many  closely  trimmed 
hedges  might  be  broken  by  the  presence  of  double 
Hawthorns  rising  up  at  intervals  above  the  surface 
line.— G.  H.  H. 

The  grafting  of  Clianthus  Dam- 

piePi. — M.  Micheli,  one  of  the  promoters  of 
the  grafting  of  this  beautiful  leguminous  plant, 
whose  culture  was  until  then  almost  imprac- 
ticable,  has    shown    grafted    plants   on  different 


occasions  that  he  cultivates  with  marked  success. 
These  plants  have  shown  one  of  the  best 
results  of  the  graft,  namely,  the  rendering  of 
Clianthus  Dampieri  more  robust  and  making  it 
flower  in  midwinter.  This  is  not  an  exceptional 
instance,  for  we  were  able  to  see  at  the  same  time 
(March)  plants  grafted  almost  identically  and 
flowering  in  the  nursery  of  M.  Vilmorin  at 
Verri(>res.  The  good  growth  of  the  plant,  and 
still  more  its  uninterrupted  flowering  season,  are 
new  and  excellent  examples  of  the  happy  influence 
of  stock  upon  scion.  Colutea  (iSulherlandia) 
frutescens  has  until  now  been  the  principal  stock 
for  this  graft,  although  Colutea  arboreseens  is 
preferable  ;  this  was  made  use  of  by  M.  Micheli  in 
obtaining  the  plants  of  which  we  have  spoken. 
The  physical  difference  (from  a  cultural  point  of 
view)  between  these  two  Coluteas  is  sufficient  to 
show  the  advantage  gained  in  using  C.  arboreseens, 
forC.  frutescens  requires 
much  heat,  and,  being 
difficult  to  winter,  is 
usually  treated  as  an 
annual.  C.  arboreseens 
is  a  shrub  perfectly 
hardy  and  quite  common 
in  gardens.  Although 
the  union  and  initial 
development  of  the 
grafts  are  practically 
alike  in  both,  those 
grafted  upon  C. 
arboreseens  eventually 
acquire  more  vigour, 
and,  above  all,  more 
hardiness,  which  is  no 
doubt  owing  to  the 
hardy  nature  of  the 
latter.  Clianthus  Dam- 
pieri also  succeeds  well 
when  grafted  upon 
Clianthus  puniceus; 
this  method  of  grafting 
has  yet  been  but  little 
practised,  except  in  Ger- 
many ;  so  far  as  we  are 
aware  it  merits  further 
trial.  From  what  lia:, 
been  said  it  follows  that 
those  who  have  grafted 
Clianthus  Dampieri  up(m 
G.  frutescens  need  not 
search  elsewhere  for  the 
cause  of  the  small  suc- 
cess of  their  experiment, 
and  it  is  certain  that 
C.  arboreseens  should  be 
employed  as  a  stock  for 
this  plant.  We  would 
add  that  the  graft, 
though  apparently  very 
delicate,  since  one 
operates  upon  plantlets 
no  thicker  than  a  piece 
of  string,  does  not  re- 
quire nuich  dexterity  in 
the  making,  for  the 
union  is  so  easy  that  it 
is  not  even  necessary  to 
tie  the  stock  and  scion 
together,  they  will  all,  or  nearly  all,  take  if  kept, 
close  under  a  handlight,  greenhouse,  or  even  on 
a  mild  hot  bed.  Plants  that  are  well  established 
may  be  cultivated  throughout  ths  summer  under 
h.andlights,  and  during  the  winter  kept  in  a  cool 
house.  The  flowering  season  begins  in  the  autumn, 
and  continues  during  the  winter  and  spring.  We 
would  strongly  advise  amateurs  to  cultivate 
Clianthus  Dampieri,  for  besides  the  real  beauty  of 
its  flowers  they  will  find  in  the  grafting  of  it  and 
the  lesson  it  teaches  a  work  full  of  attraction.— 
S.  MoFFBT,  in  Le  Jardin. 

Seedling    Lilium    szovitzianum.— 

Many  years  ago  a  bed  of  seedling  L.  szovitzianum 
were  so  happy  under  an  Apple  tree  at  Oakvpood 
that  we  made  a  similar  bed  there.  The  Lilies 
thrive  so  well  and  get  a  little  support.  I  can 
recommend  this  mode  of  planting.— George  F. 
Wilson,  Heatherbank,  Weybridge  Heath. 


New  DeutZias. — Conspicuous  among  the 
many  beautiful  and  interesting  plants  composing 
Messrs.  Veitch's  group  of  hardy  flowering  shrubs 
at  llie  recent  Temple  Show  were  two  of  the  hybrid 
Deulzias  raised  Viy  M.  Lemoine  of  Nancy,  both  of 
which  promise  to  become  popular  garden  plants, 
not  only  for  the  open  ground  but  also  for  flowering 
under  glass,  and  in  this  way  used  for  the  em- 
bellishment of  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory. 
One  of  those  shown — D.  kalmiaiflora — was  obtained 
by  the  intercrossing  of  the  little-known  D.  discolor 
i:)urpuraseens  and  D.  parviflora.  It  forms  a  freely- 
branched  bush,  the  flowers,  which  are  borne  in 
somewhat  flattened  corymbs,  being  rounder  than 
those  of  most  Deutzias  (hence  the  name  of  kalmiaj- 
flora),  and  in  colour  pale  blush,  edged  with  a 
deeper  tint.  The  second  plant  exhibited  was 
D.  gracilis  hybrida  rosea,  obtained  from  D.  gracilis 
fertilised  with  the  pollen  of  D.  discolor  pur- 
purasoens.  Both  parents  have  left  their  mark  on 
the  progeny,  which  appears  to  be  a  more  vigorous 
plant  than  D.  gracilis,  while  the  flowers  are  tinged 
with  pink.  The  number  of  Deutzias  for  which  we 
are  indebted  to  M.  Lemoine  within  the  last  few 
years  is  now  considerable,  but  as  far  as  my  ex- 
perience extends  one  of  the  best  for  flowering 
under  glass  is  D.  Lemoinei,  though  as  a  shrub  in 
the  open  ground  the  flowers  do  not  always  open 
weU.— T. 

Mr.  Thomas  Meehan.— The  Canadian 
Horticulturist  for  May  contains  a  portrait  and 
short  personal  account  of  this  celebrated  nursery- 
man and  botanist.  Born  in  England  in  1826,  he  is 
one  of  the  oldest  living  members  of  the  American 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  and 
was  elected  to  membership  of  the  Royal  Wernerian 
Society  of  Edinburgh  before  he  was  of  age,  an 
unusual  honour  for  one  so  young.  Mr.  Meehan  is 
head  of  the  firm  that  publishes  Meehan'n  Monthly. 

Wet  weather   Roses.— A    number    of 

varieties  of  Roses  may  with  truth  be  called  wet 
weather  Roses ;  but  several  give  much  better 
results  than  others.  One  of  the  very  best  in  such 
a  season  as  this  is  Christine  du  None,  as  it  is  a 
vigorous  grower.  The  flowers  are  full  and  finely 
shaped,  stand  up  erect,  colour  deep  rose,  shading 
to  crimson  in  the  outer  petals,  and  their  fragrance 
is  deliciously  sweet.  Mrs.  John  Laing  is  another 
wet  weather  Rose,  as  also  is  Mrs.  Sharman  Craw- 
ford. These  are  both  pink,  and  are  not  affected 
by  constant  rains. — The  Austral  Culturist. 

Planting    for  immediate   effeet.— 

Where  immediate  results  are  desired  the  general 
effect  of  a  border  of  hardy  perennials  may  easily 
be  secured  with  annuals.  For  the  tallest  growths 
use  Ricinus  zanzibarensis.  Sunflowers,  Cannas  that 
make  tall  growth.  Salvias,  and  Dahlias  ;  for  some- 
what lower  plants  African  Marigolds,  the  taller 
Asters,  Plumbago,  Marguerites,  Frencli  Cannas, 
small  Sunflowers,  annual  Larkspar,  Heliotrope, 
Scabiosa,  Geraniums,  Zinnias,  &c.  ;  for  still  lower 
French  Marigolds,  Stock,  Mignonette,  Ageratum, 
Vinca  alba  and  V.  rosea,  and  both  dwarf  and 
climbing  Nasturtiums  ;  and  for  ground  covering 
between  the  taller  plants  Pansies,  Verbenas,  and 
Alyssum.  Borders  that  are  parti}'  filled  with 
either  shrubs  or  hardy  perennials  will  be  greatly 
improved  by  the  addition  of  some  of  these  annuals, 
most  of  which  may  be  grown  from  seed  sown  in 
the  ground  after  danger  of  frost  is  passed,  but  a 
few  of  which  must  be  started  earl}'  in  greenhouses 
or  hot  beds  to  ensure  flowers  the  first  season.  Small 
plants  of  these  varieties  are  sold  by  all  florists  at 
about  ten  cents  each  in  the  early  summer.  The 
varieties  to  be  started  early  are  Marguerites  (both 
white  and  yellow  Daisies  will  flower  all  summer), 
Cannas,  Ageratum,  Heliotrope,  Geraniums,  Vincas, 
Salvias,  Pansies,  Plumbago  capensis,  and  Dahlias. 
— F.  C.  S.,  in  Park  and  Cemetery. 

Primula     gambleana.  —  Though    the 

representatives  ot  this  family  from  the  Himalaj'a 
are  fairly  numerous  in  gardens,  an  addition  to  their 
number  should  be  cordiallj'  welcome.  The  present 
species  is  closely  allied  to  P.  rotundifolia,  with  the 
same  orbicular  cordate  leaves,  but  is  a  smaller 
plant  and  produces  fewer  but  larger  flowers.  These 
are  of  a  lovely  purple  colour  with  a  j'ellow  eye, 
the  lobes  being  rounded  and  emarginate.  Dr.  Watt, 
the  author  of  the  name,  describes  it  as  6  inches  high, 


408 


THE  GARDEN. 


[June  S,  1901 


growing  as  an  epiphj'te  amongst  fog,  with  very 
long  red  roots  and  large  shining  magenta  flowers 
with  a  yellow  mouth.  Coming  from  a  very  high 
elevation  —  14,000  feet  —  it  requires  plenty  of 
moisture  and  a  shady  position.  Under  these  con- 
ditions a  plant  recently  flowered  at  Kew. 

M.  Chatin's  suceessop  at  the 
Academie   des   Sciences,— M.     Zeiller, 

Professor  at  I'Eoole  des  Mines,  has  been  elected  as 
a  member  of  the  Academic  des  Sciences,  to  replace 
M.  Chatin,  who  died  in  .January  last.  Thirty-five 
votes  were  given  to  M.  Zeiller,  as  against  twenty- 
two  to  M.  Kenauld. 

Rosa  hispida. — Although  this  interesting 
little  Rose  has  been  in  cultivation  over  100  3'ears 
it  is  found  only  in  a  few  gardens  at  the  present  day. 
But  it  deserves  more  attention,  few  early  Roses 
being  more  beautiful.  The  tiny  elongated  yellow 
buds  opening  to  a  pale  sulphur-yellow  single 
flower  are  exceedingly  pretty,  and  the  wood, 
thickly  covered  with  rather  stiff  hairs,  from  which 
it  derives  its  specific  name,  gives  the  plant  also  a 
most  unique  appearance.  All  these  earl3'-fiowering 
yellow  and  cream-coloured  Roses  should  be  secured 
for  gardens  of  fair  size,  as  apart  from  their 
beautiful  colours  they  possess  a  hardiness  which 
is  to  be  envied,  and,  moreover,  they  are  most 
amenable  for  cross  breeding.  We  see  in  the  new 
Soleil  d'Or  what  is  possible  in  this  direction,  and  a 
race  of  hardy  orange-coloured  Roses  seems  to  be 
near  at  hand  if  our  hybridists  will  follow  up 
their  present  achievements. — P. 

Two  early-floweping  sing-le  Roses. 

— It  is  interesting  to  possess  a  Rose  at  the  present 
day  that  is  known  to  be  some  300  years  old,  but 
such  is  the  case  with  R.  alpina.  Being  one  of  the 
earliest  to  flower  it  is  doubly  valuable  on  that 
account.  I  have  known  it  unfold  its  lovely  little 
blossoms  as  early  as  May  16,  but  this  year  it  was 
a  few  days  later.  Although  it  is  the  parent  of  the 
very  fast  gr®wing  if  uninteresting  Boursault 
Roses,  yet  it  is  quite  diminutive  compared  to 
the  latter.  R.  alpina  is  much  superior  in  colour  to 
its  offspring,  its  flowers  being  quite  a  bright  rosy 
red.  In  early  autumn  the  brilliant  capsicum-like 
seed  vessels  make  a  pretty  picture.  The  other 
variety  that  is  always  a  favourite  is  R.  altaica,  the 
large-flowered  single  variety  of  R.  spinosissima 
from  Central  Asia,  whose  pale  lemon-white 
blossoms  quite  2  inches  across  possess  such  a 
charm  to  the  lover  of  single  Roses.  It  is  a  more 
vigorous  bush  than  R.  alpina,  so  if  planted 
together,  which  is  a  desirable  way  of  locating 
them,  R.  altaica  should  be  either  in  the  back- 
ground or  centre  of  the  bed. — P. 

Decorative  Pelargoniums.— Since  the 

death  of  the  Pelargonium  Society  growers  have 
not  paid  so  much  attention  to  perfect  form 
and  regular  markings,  but  those  of  the  regal  or 
decorative  type,  that  is,  the  large  crimped  or 
undulated  flowers  of  which  Digby  Grand  was  one 
of  the  first,  have  come  to  the  front,  and  for  general 
effect  these  have  much  to  recommend  them.  The 
great  merit  is  that  they  are  of  robust  growth,  with 
large  trusses  of  distinct  and  bright  colours.  Of 
newer  varieties  Mrs.  Manser  and  Mrs.  A.  Hemsley 
are  good,  the  former  a  deep  rosy  pink  with  a  dark 
blotch  on  upper  petals  and  a  light  shade  round  the 
margins  of  the  petals.  Mrs.  Hemsley  has  very  large 
trusses  of  soft  flesh  pink  flowers,  and  should  make 
a  good  market  variety.  It  seems  strange  that 
fashion  should  have  an  influence  among  flowers, 
but  such  is  the  case,  and  for  the  present  Pelargo- 
niums do  not  appear  to  be  favoured.  I  heard  a 
lady  remark  at  the  Temple  show  that  it  was  a  pity 
they  were  not  fashionable  for  they  were  so  beau- 
tiful. One  of  the  great  troubles  with  Pelargo- 
niums has  been  that  green  fly  has  proved  a  great 
enemy,  but  now  that  we  have  such  excellent 
materials  for  fumigating  this  trouble  can  easily  be 
overcome.  I  find  that  with  a  little  care  the  fly 
may  be  entirely  eradicated,  and  this  without 
causing  all  the  open  blooms  to  drop  as  was  formerly 
the  case. — H. 

Irish     fruit    crop    destroyed.  —  A 

Limerick  correspondent  reports  that  the  storm  of 
Thursday  and  Friday  last,  according  to  informa- 
tion from  neighbouring  counties,  has  all  but 
completely  destroyed   the   prospects  of   the  fruit 


crop  in  a  large  area  of  the  south  of  Ireland.  The 
crop  was  a  promising  one,  the  trees  being  loaded 
with  blossom. 

Dendrobium    with    512    flowers.— 

I  saw  in  The  Gaeden  of  May  25,  page  377,  an 
account  of  a  plant  of  Dendrobium  nobile  with 
217  flowers.  I  have  one  at  present  in  flower 
with  71  spikes  which  are  bearing  512  flowers.  The 
plant  is  beautifully  furnished  all  round. — R.  Hall, 
Narrow  Water,  Warren  Point,  County  Don'n. 

Floral  Gargoyles. — I  am  much  pleased 
with  the  article  on  this  subject  in  The  Garden, 
page  3S5,  and  hope  it  may  do  something  towards 
putting  an  end  to  the  hideous  glass  shadss  which 
now  disfigure  so  many  churchyards.  I  should  like 
to  strengthen  your  article  by  adding  one  point 
which  you  do  not  mention.  It  has  been  decided 
by  authority  that  the  placing  of  these  hideous 
things  in  our  churchyards  is  illegal,  and  it  is  so 
because  nothing  can  be  placed  in  a  churchyard 
without  the  consent  of  the  vicar  or  rector  or 
ordinary.  When  therefore  I  see  these  things,  like 
so  many  glass  rat-traps,  in  a  churchyard,  I  do  not 
blame  the  undertaker  or  the  tradesman,  with 
whom  it  is  a  simple  riiatter  of  business,  but  I  do 
blame  the  clergyman  who  allows  them.  There  are 
many  such  among  the  readers  of  The  Garden, 
and  it  rests  with  them  to  stop  the  nuisance.  We 
pride  ourselves  on  having  got  rid  of  the  old  horrors 
of  scarves,  hatbands,  plumes,  mutes,  &c. ,  but  have 
we  done  better  by  substituting  for  them  cartloads 
of  bougiit  wreaths,  followed  by  the  most  hideous 
permanent  display  of  false  flowers  that  the  art  of 
man  could  devise  ? — Henry  N.  Ellacombe,  Billon 
] Hcarage ,  Gloucestershire . 

Stunted  produCtS.n-There  seems  to  be 
nothing  in  nature,  or  in  art,  or  even  in  humanity, 
that  be  it  ever  so  abnormal,  or  deformed,  or  even 
ugly,  that  does  not  find  admirers.  How  much  in 
relation  to  vegetable  life  was  that  tact  evidenced 
at  the  recent  Temple  sliow  when  large  numbers  of 
visitors,  ladies  especially,  clustered  round  the 
groups  of  dwarfed,  stunted,  starved  .Japanese  trees 
in  pans  and  dishes,  and  regarded  them  with 
wonder  and  admiration.  Admire  as  much  as  we 
may  the  industry,  capacity,  and  enterprise  of  the 
.Japanese,  the  Britisher  of  the  Far  East,  yet  it  is 
impossible  for  any  true  gardener  or  lover  of  that 
which  is  true  and  beautiful  in  nature  to  admire 
these  examples  of  born-not-to-grow  trees  and 
shrubs.  That  they  excite  wonder  is  not  surprising, 
because  it  seems  to  many  almost  impossible  that 
vegetation,  especially  as  found  in  what  are 
naturally  noble  trees,  could  thus  be  contracted, 
stunted,  and  made  to  be  so  puny.  Very  likely 
there  were  many  onlookers,  however,  who 
wondered  that  any  intelligent  being  should  spend 
time  and  labour  in  so  absurd  a  way  on  production 
of  such  wretched  abortions.  These  things  may  for 
the  moment  be  comparative  novelties,  but  they 
will  soon  be  relegated  to  the  bonfire.  They  can 
serve  no  earthly  use,  except  it  be  to  act  an  awful 
object-lesson  of  how  not  to  do  things.  There  are 
few  possessors  who  will  not  find  them  to  be  very 
shortly  miniature  white  elephants.  The  topiary 
art  is  not  much  before  the  Japanese  art  of  stunting 
vegetation,  and  in  our  practice  of  it  and  certain 
patronage  of  it,  cannot  throw  stones  at  the 
Japanese.  There  is  nothing  in  gardening  more 
beautiful  than  is  that  which  is  most  natural — 
there  is  nothing  more  offensive  than  is  the 
grotesque  or  deformed. — A.  D. 

Single  Scotch  Roses.— The  closing  days 
of  May  generally  usher  in  these  lovely  little  Roses, 
and,  if  suitably  placed,  away  from  the  gorgeous 
flowering  shrubs  that  just  now  abound,  their 
beauty  is  much  appreciated.  The  majority  of 
single  Roses  are  produced  on  large,  straggling 
bushes,  but  in  this  case  the  neat,  compact  habit 
lends  additional  attractiveness  to  the  showy  but 
fleeting  blossom.  One  could  wish  it  were  possible 
to  impart  the  persistent  nature  of  the  new  rambler 
Jjeuchtstern  to  the  blossom  of  the  single  Scotch 
Roses,  and  I  have  hopes  that  this  may  yet  be 
accomplished  without  altering  their  dwarf  cha- 
racter. From  a  number  of  seedlings  it  is  possible 
to  pick  out  many  good  decided  colours,  but  the 
majority  will  come  white,  so  that  it  is  the 
greatest  economy  of   time  to  purchase  bushes- to 


colour.  These  vary  from  lemon-yellow  to  buff'  and 
pink  and  from  pale  rose  to  rich  rosj'  red,  almost 
crimson.  Some  have  quite  a  large  white  centre, 
giving  the  flower  a  most  pleasing  appearance.  A 
single  bush  will  in  a  short  time  become  3  feet  or 
4  feet  thick,  so  that  one  can  easily  imagine  the 
beauty  of  such  a  bush  planted  in  a  conspicuous 
position  just  like  a  huge  ball  of  blossom.  The 
earliness  of  the  single  Scotch  Roses  makes  them 
invaluable,  as  does  the  autumnal  flowering  of  the 
newer  single  Teas,  providing  the  latter  be  hardy, 
of  which  at  present  there  seems  a  doubt. — P. 

Lewisia  Tweediei.  —  This  remarkably 
distinct  species,  figured  in  the  last  issue  of  The 
G.vrden,  is  in  more  than  one  respect  distinct  from 
the  well-known  L.  rediviva  and  the  one  or  more 
others  nearly  allied  to  it  though  very  rarely  seen. 
The  above  species  has  been  commented  upon 
previously  in  The  Garden,  and  at  the  recent 
Temple  show  a  good  plant  in  flower  was  noted  in 
the  exhibit  from  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons.  The 
smooth  and  fleshy,  slightly  glossy  leaves  are  more 
or  less  ovate  in  outline,  and  not  at  all  of  the  rush- 
like character  of  the  old  form,  while  the  yellow- 
buff  and  rose-tinted  flowers  render  it  far  away 
distinct  from  the  better  known  species.  Some 
two  or  three  j'ears  ago  Mr.  A.  E.  BuUej'  kindly 
sent  me  a  plant  of  the  above  rarity  ;  it  was  then 
quite  a  novelty  and  onlj'  represented  in  one  or  two 
places.  Unfortunately,  my  plant  succumbed  during 
the  winter,  while  I  believe  Mr.  Bulley's  plants  in 
the  colder  district  of  Cheshire  were  a  success.  I 
note  the  plant  figured  recently  is  from  Mr.  Wilson's 
garden  ;  and  what  would  interest  many,  doubtless, 
besides  the  writer,  would  be  information  respecting 
the  perfect  hardihood  of  this  fine  plant.  I  believe 
it  is  not  quite  hardy  at  Kew,  and  the  fine  group  I 
noted  there  a  year  or  two  since  had  a  fine  position 
for  a  plant  of  doubtful  hardiness.  Perhaps  Mr. 
Bulley  will  kindly  saj'  whether  his  plants  still 
maintain  their  reputation  for  perfect  hardihood  ; 
and  if  Mr.  Wilson  would  also  supplement  this 
information  with  his  experience  of  the  plant,  all 
interested  will  be  mucli  indebted.  In  so  good 
and  distinct  a  plant  everything  depends  on  its 
being  able  to  endure  our  winters  in  the  open.  And 
the  failure  of  my  plant  at  the  end  of  the  first 
season  is  by  no  means  conclusive  evidence  either 
way. — E.  li.  Jenkins,  Hampton  Hill. 

Leucocrinum   montanum.  —  This 

delightful  little  plant,  so  finely  shown  by  Mr. 
Perry,  Winchmore  Hill,  is  not,  strictly  speaking, 
a  bulbous  plant,  though  to  the  casual  ob.server  it 
may  be  taken  for  such  by  the  character  of  the 
growth  above  ground.  Indeed,  there  is  no  present 
root  enlargement,  so  to  speak,  that  would  even 
justify  its  being  termed  tuberous- rooted,  and, 
therefoi'e,  it  is  the  more  remarkable  that  it  is  so 
free  and  so  profuse  in  its  flowering.  What  little 
there  is  of  a  root-stock  may  be  likened  to  a  very 
miniature  Trillium,  though  even  this  does  not 
correctly  interpret  the  list  of  straight  fleshy  stem 
underground  that  constitutes  the  root-stock  of 
this  little  gem.  But  from  this  root-stock  are 
emitted  numerous  long,  straight,  Trillium-like 
rootlets  that  at  once  give  the  impression  that  the 
plant  must  be  provided  with  a  good  depth  of  soil 
to  allow  such  roots  to  descend.  As  the  plant  has 
been  described  as  of  bulbous  character  and  a  native 
of  California,  it  is  possible  a  wrong  idea  may  be 
formed  of  its  requirements.  Given  a  deep  rooting 
medium  and  a  warm,  half-sheltered  position  in 
loam  and  peat  made  quite  sandy,  this  pretty  plant 
should  be  a  success  in  many  gardens.  The  crowns, 
however,  should  not  be  too  near  the  surface,  or,  if 
so,  should  receive  protection  in  winter  time. 
The  number  of  its  singularly  pure  and  fragrant 
flowers  is  quite  a  feature  in  the  plant.  It  belongs 
to  Liliace;e. — E.  J. 

Kniphofla  rufa. — Near  K.  laxiflora  this 
is  the  earliest  species  of  the  genus  to  flower,  being 
in  full  beauty  under  a  south  wall  at  the  beginning 
of  May.  The  grass-like  leaves  are  nearly  2  feet 
long,  with  smooth  edges,  these  being  overtopped 
by  dense  racemes  of  flowers  borne  in  abundance  on 
slender  scapes.  The  buds  are  red  at  first  and  turn 
to  yellow  with  age,  and  about  lA  inches  long,  the 
yellow  stamens  being  exserted.  It  is  a  native  of 
Natal.— W. 


June  8,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


409 


Rose  Soleil  d'OP.— This  beautiful  novelty 
was  shown  at  the  Temple  show  by  Messrs.  W.  Paul 
and  Son,  of  Waltham  Cross,  in  their  magnificent 
group  of  pot  Roses,  and  deservedly  received  an 
award  of  merit.  If  it  proves  to  be  autumn  flower- 
ing it  will  indeed  become  a  most  valuable  varietj'. 
The  bud  and  flower  closely  resemble  in  shape  those 
of  one  of  its  parents  Persian  Yellow,  but  the 
intense  orange-red  of  the  half-open  flowers  is 
doubtless  inherited  from  the  pollen  parent  Antoine 
Ducher.  That  these  old-fashioned  garden  Roses  are 
capable  of  much  improvement  appears  very  evident, 
and  it  certainly  will  be  matter  for  rejoicing  if  the 
very  hardy  nature  of  such  Roses  becomes  infused 
into  a  perpetual  flowering  race.  Judging  from  the 
acquisition  of  Soleil  d'Or  an  orange  -  coloured 
Harrisonii  will  doubtless  soon  follow. 

A    favourite    Cabbage    in    the 

NOPtil. — There  is  always  a  brisk  demand  in  the 
northern  markets  for  early  Cabbage,  and  large 
quantities  are  sent  from  the  Evesham  and  Pershore 
districts  and  others  more  south  for  the  first  supply. 
The  varieties  that  find  so  much  favour  in  our 
private  gardens  are  little  grown  for  the  northern 
supply.  Here  size  appears  to  be  an  important 
factor,  and  as  is  well  known  the  early  EUams  is  not 
large.  The  other  day  I  saw  very  large  consign- 
ments in  the  Newcastle  markets  of  the  Early 
Rainham  and  Early  Oftenham,  both  very  fine  types, 
but  having  more  outer  leaves,  and  much  larger 
than  our  first  early  kinds.  The  Early  Offenham  is 
much  grown  in  the  Evesham  district,  and  com- 
mands a  good  price  if  sent  to  market  early  in  May. 
All  kinds  were  later  this  year,  and  growers  in  the 
North  were  lamenting  the  late  season.  The  cold 
winds  a  few  weeks  ago  inflicted  much  injury  to  their 
early  crop,  and  caused  a  scarcity  ;  indeed,  I  saw 
later  breadths  nearly  as  good  as  the  earlier  ones, 
so  that  a  glut  at  one  season  is  the  result. — 
G.  W.  S. 
Spring  flowers  at  Alnwick  Castle. 

— The  flower  gardens  of  the  above  ducal  residence 
lend  themselves  charmingly  to  spring  bedding,  and 
summer  bedding  not  being  required  early  there  is 
no  hurry  to  clear  away  the  spring  bedders.  Large 
breadths  of  Forget-me-nots  and  Arabis,  with  Wall- 
flowers, make  a  grand  display.  A  liberal  use  is  made 
of  Aubrietias  in  their  various  colours,  and  these 
blend  well  with  very  fine  strains  of  Polyanthuses. 
The  beds  of  Sutton's  Giant  White,  edged  with 
Aubrietia  purpurea,  arc  most  telling,  and  the  same 
remarks  apply  to  the  yellow  Polyanthus,  edged 
with  a  very  deep  crimson  double  Daisy.  A  plen- 
tiful use  is  made  of  all  the  free-flowering,  old- 
fashioned  spring  flowers,  large  masses  being 
arranged.  I  think  the  beds  far  more  beautiful  than 
any  summer  bedding.  Early  in  the  year  Crocuses 
are  plentiful ;  these  form  large  broad  and  very 
bright  edgings.  Doubtless  the  spring  bedding  has 
a  much  better  eSect  by  having  a  mass  of  greenery 
in  the  background,  many  beds  on  rising  ground 
being  filled  with  evergreens. 

Mulching    Strawberries    in     the 

North. — When  recently  on  a  visit  to  the  North 
I  looked  in  at  several  well-known  gardens  and 
gathered  a  little  information  as  to  the  best  way 
of  mulching  the  above  fruits.  Partially  decayed 
manure  or  straw  litter  is  objectionable,  as  without 
a  good  rainfall  the  material  does  not  get  cleansed. 
Another  point  is  that  in  this  part  of  the  country 
the  rainfall  is  greater  than  in  the  South,  and  litter 
in  such  cases  becomes  a  harbour  for  slugs.  I  am 
aware  that  grass  has  been  used  many  times  and 
advocated  in  these  pages,  but  short  mown  grass  is 
very  little  better  than  litter.  In  these  gardens 
I  saw  men  mowing  grass  from  6  inches  to 
8  inches  long.  This  was  kept  quite  straight,  and 
placed  under  the  fruit  was  an  excellent  mulch, 
as  when  dry  it  is  quite  flat  and  clean,  and  out  before 
the  seed  is  formed  it  is  much  cleaner  than  straw. 
There  are  other  advantages  ;  the  labour  is  not 
great,  and  when  the  crop  is  cleared  the  mulch  is 
soon  removed  with  the  runners.  I  noticed  that 
the  fruit  in  wet  seasons  did  not  decay  so  quickly 
on  the  mulch  advised  as  on  litter  from  stables. — 
Visitor. 
Doronicum  Harpur-Crewe.— This  is 

one  of  the  most  popular  and  beautiful  of  all  hardy 
plants.     It  will  thrive  in  almost  any  garden  soil, 


but  best  in  one  rich  and  deep,  and  may  be  used 
with  the  best  results  if  planted  in  largo  clumps  or 
in  beds  about  4  feet  wide.  The  plants  should 
never  be  allowed  to  remain  more  than  three  years  in 
the  same  clump  or  bed  or  the  flowers  and  foliage  will 
deteriorate.  They  are  best  divided  in  the  autumn. 
I  find  the  end  of  October  to  be  the  best  time,  as 
plants  will  then  get  established  before  winter  and 
make  a  grand  display  the  following  May  and  June. 
This  plant  is  also  one  of  the  most  useful  for  pots. 
Pot  the  plants  up  early  in  October,  place  them  in 
a  shady  situation  for  a  few  day  afterwards,  and 
put  them  into  a  frame  just  to  keep  the  frost  from 
breaking  the  pots.  Remove  to  a  warm  greenhouse 
as  required,  and  the  result  will  be  flowers  all 
through  the  winter  months,  and  as  spring  advances 
there  will  be  abundance  of  spikes  of  bloom  which, 
when  cut,  will  last  a  long  time  in  water. — T.  B. 
Field,  Ashwdlthorpe  Hall  Gardens,  Norwich. 

The  Loganberry.— Amongst  various  new 
fruits  which  have  been  lately  introduced  into  our 
gardens  the  Loganberry  may  be  said  to  be  the 
most  valuable,  for  it  is  bolli  hardy  and  prolific, 
producing  in  abundance  fine  fruit  of  remarkably 
good  flavour.  This  plant  is  a  hybrid  between  a  red 
Raspberry  and  one  of  the  finer  varieties  of  Black- 
berry from  America.  The  fruit  is  very  much  like 
an  enormous  Raspberry  in  appearance,  but  with  a 
darker  bloom  and  a  longer  shape,  the  flavour  being 
specially  luscious,  and,  at  the  same  time,  pleasantly 
sharp.  It  produces  its  fruit  on  the  growths  of  the 
previous  season  in  the  same  way  as  the  Raspberry, 
and  should  be  cultivated  on  much  the  same  lines, 
cutting  out  the  old  wood  yearly  in  autumn  and 
training  the  long  shoots,  which  are  thrown  up 
from  the  base  in  arches,  by  tying  them  to  those  of 
the  next  plant,  which  should  be  placed  about 
5  feet  away.  Rich  mulching  (with  cow  manure  in 
a  light  soil)  will  enable  the  fruit  to  swell  properly. 
This  mulch  should  be  laid  down  in  March  when 
the  fresh  growth  begins,  the  fruit  being  produced 
in  June,  before  the  Raspberries  are  ripe.  The 
thorns  of  the  Blackberry  are  fortunately  absent 
from  its  stems,  which  are  covered  with  small  red 
spines.  The  foliage  is  handsome  and  vigorous, 
and  no  blight  appears  to  attack  it.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  this  plant  will  be  most  popular  when 
it  is  better  known.  It  is,  however,  not  possible  to 
propagate  it  by  seed,  as  this  has  a  tendency  to 
revert  to  the  original  parent  types,  so  that  it 
cannot  be  relied  upon  to  produce  the  true  Logan- 
berry, which  should  be  propagated  by  suckers  in 
the  same  way  as  the  Raspberry.  Loganberries 
are  not  likely  therefore  to  be  too  plentiful  for 
some  3'ears,  and  all  who  can  grow  this  delicious 
new  fruit  should  not  fail  to  plant  it  in  October 
— I.  L.  Richmond. 

Bishop's  Stortford  summer  show. 

— No  horticultural  society  has  a  surer  foundation 
than  that  of  Bishop's  Stortford,  and  the  hon. 
secretary  (Mr.  William  Smith),  whose  interest  in 
his  work  has  not  flagged  during  the  twenty-six 
years  he  has  held  office,  sends  the  schedule  of 
prizes  for  the  present  year.  It,  is  excellent  in 
every  respect.  The  exhibition  takes  place  at 
The  Grange,  Bishop's  Stortford  (by  permission  of 
J.  Barker,  Esq.,  J. P.),  on  Wednesday,  August  14 
next. 

A  successful  school  of  horticul- 
ture.— We  are  a  conservative  race  at  home,  and 
the  many  pamphlets  from  America  and  our  Colo- 
nies we  receive  are  evidences  of  this,  the  report, 
for  example,  sent  to  us  of  the  school  of  horticul- 
ture by  Mr.  C.  Bogue  Luft'mann,  showing  that 
good  work  is  accomplished.  It  is  fast  developing 
into  an  important  institution,  and  is  "designed 
for  the  teaching  and  training  of  '  orchardists,'  gar- 
deners, and  managers  of  fruit-growing  and  small 
private  estates.  It  is  situated  in  a  near  suburb  of 
Melbourne,  and  has  a  good  tram  and  train  service. 
The  estate  comprises  upwards  of  40  acres  of  varied 
land,  of  which  20  acres  are  at  present  devoted  to 
fruit  trees,  vegetable  culture,  a  nursery,  and  tlower 
gardens.  New  stables,  plant  houses,  frames,  sheds, 
and  other  buildings  have  recently  been  erected. 
Class,  dressing,  luncheon,  and  work-rooms  form 
portion  of  a  large  pavilion,  wherein  shelter  and 
occupation  are  found  in  adverse  weather.  Class- 
room instruction  is  given  in  horticultural  science, 


vegetable  pathology,  botany,  chemistry  of  soils 
and  plants,  pliysical  and  commercial  geography, 
entomology,  measuring,  levelling,  designing  and 
plotting  of  homesteads,  orchards,  and  garden 
areas,  and  the  most  approved  methods  of  raising 
and  managing  fruit  trees  and  plants.  Practical 
work  includes  the  propagation  and  management  of 
orchard  trees.  Citrus,  table  Grapes,  bush  fruits  ; 
harvesting,  storing,  packing,  marketing,  drying 
and  canning  of  fruit,  vegetable  culture,  grading 
and  trenching  of  land,  management  of  soils, 
manures,  drainage,  water  conservation  and  distri- 
bution, irrigation,  villa  gardening,  and  care  of 
domestic  animals."  Some  of  the  subjects  are 
trivial,  but  the  principle  is  a  right  one. 

Japanese  Maples.— I  question  whether 
we  have  any  more  useful  foliage  trees  than  these, 
and  it  is  surprising  that  Ihey  are  not  more 
generally  grown  in  small  gardens  to  give  that 
touch  of  colour  so  often  wanted  in  borders  and 
along  the  edges  of  shrubberies.  The  variely  of 
colour  is  very  wide,  the  silky  character  of  the 
leaves  beautiful,  either  in  the  spring,  summer,  or 
autumn,  and  the  trees  arc  quite  hardy.  The  open 
garden  is  not  their  only  place,  for  I  have  grown 
them  in  pots,  and  have  found  them  to  be  extremely 
useful  for  conservatory  and  corridor  decorations. 
No  other  plants  give  the  same  effect  or  provide 
a  brighter  contrast  to  the  things  around  them. 
Plants  in  pots  are  useful  for  bedding,  for  if  the 
receptacles  are  sunk  in  the  ground  the  graceful 
tops  do  away  with  that  tiring  flatness  of  surface 
which  too  often  exists  in  flower-beds  in  the 
summer. — G.  H.  H. 

Dwarf  Hydrangeas.— Under  all  condi- 
tions the  H3'drangea  is  a  telling  flower,  without 
any  exception  of  species  or  varietj',  no  matter 
whether  in  the  conservatory  or  beautifying  the 
flower  garden.  Big  specimens  covered  with  great 
trusses  of  flower  are  effective,  but  who  has  grown 
small  plants  in  5-inch  and  6-inch  pots,  and  crowned 
with  one  large  delicately  -  tinted  head,  without 
appreciating  their  value  for  decorative  purposes? 
Just  now  there  is  an  array  of  them  adorning  the 
conservatory  stage,  and  there  is  yet  time  for  any- 
one to  commence  with  a  view  to  a  display  this 
time  next  year.  The  cuttings  are  readily  rooted, 
and  the  plants  only  require  reasonable  care  in 
cultivation.  If  firmly  potted  in  good  material 
they  will  make  sturdy  growth,  and  when  in  bloom 
every  little  plant  is  a  specimen.  The  old  hortensis 
and  its  varieties  are  prime  favourites  for  the 
purpose,  and  if  there  is  a  desire  to  change  the 
delicate  pink  shade  to  an  equally  delicate  lilac  a 
few  applications  of  water  in  which  steel  filings 
have  been  imnier.sed  will  effect  the  purpose.—  H.  H. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


"BLIND"    STRAWBERRY 
PLANTS. 

I  LATELY  received  the  following  enquir}' : 
"  We  have  many  '  blind  '  Strawberrj'  plants 
this  j'ear.  Can  you  suggest  a  reason  for 
it?"  Perhaps  some  of  the  contributors  to 
The  Garden  can  answer  this  question, 
i.e.,  give  a  positive  reason  for  apparently 
satisfactory  plants  subjected  to  good  treat- 
ment proving  "blind"  when  forced.  I  confess  I 
cannot  to  my  entire  satisfaction,  and  I  feel  certain 
if  someone  will  do  so  their  remarks  will  be  instruc- 
tive to  others  besides  my  correspondent  and  myself. 
No  mention  was  made  of  the  names  of  the  variety 
or  varieties  alluded  to.  We  are. all  aware  that 
weak  orimperfer:tly  matured  plants,  as  well  as  high 
temperatures  during  the  early  stages  of  forcing, 
owing  to  causing  an  insufKciencj'  of  time  for  the 
organs  to  fully  develop,  conduce  to  facilitate 
"blindness,"  while  plants  potted  very  earl}',  espe- 
cially when  placed  in  small  pots,  sometimes  pre- 
maturely burst  into  blossom,  and  fail  to  furnish 
flowers  later  when  forced.  Wh}'  those  that  received 
generally  recognised  proper  treatment  and  are 
apparently  in  every  way  satisfactorj'  prove  to  be 
sterile  appears  unaccountable. 

Vicomtesse  Hericart  de  Thury  when  forced  very 


410 


THE    GARDEl^. 


[Junk  8,  1901'. 


early  (and  possibly  the  eflfect  of  short  days  and 
the  consequent  defective  light  contributes  to  or 
entirely  produces  the  evil)  is  the  only  variety  that 
I  have"  had  serious  reasons  to  be  dissatisfied  with. 
So  prone  is  this  variety  when  forced  early  to  the 
malady  that  many  plants  are  sacrificed,  and  in 
consequence,  notwithstanding  its  other  valuable 
qualities,  it  cannot  be  so  highly  recommended  tor 
general  forcing  purposes  as  it  otherwise  deserves 
to  be.  The  defect  has  been  attributed  to  degenera- 
tion, and  this  would  appear  feasible  were  only 
old-established  varieties  the  defaulters,  but  this  is 
not  the  case.  For  example,  Vicomtesse  H.  de  Thury 
possessed  the  fault  thirty  years  ago,  when  1 
remember  plants  of  it  being  forced  that  were 
raised  from  others  derived  from  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society's  Gardens  at  Chiswick  soon 
^fter  the  variety  was  first  distributed.  Many  o* 
us  recently  had  similar  experience  (although  it 
cannot  be  said  to  have  originated  from  the  saiiie 
cause),  but  in  a  more  aggravated  form  with  the 
variety  Monarch  planted  outdoors  soon  after  it 
was  raised  from  seed.  The  practice  of  stacking 
plants  upon  their  sides  in  autumn  has  a  weakening 
effect,  especiallv  when  the  soil  is  allowed  to  remain 
for  weeks  together  in  a  parched  condition,  and  has 
been  blamed  for  promoting  "blindness."  This,  at 
any  rate,  is  not  the  only  cause,  as  those  that  are 
afforded  rational  resting  treatment  are  sometimes 
equally  disappointing. 

The  crops  of  forced  Strawberries  are  to  many  of 
us  of  considerable  importance.  Royal  Sovereign 
is  at  present  a  very  trustworthy  cropper,  either 
forced  or  grown  outside,  and  scarcely  one  plant  in 
a  hundred  is  barren.  Particular  care,  however, 
should  be  taken  even  with  this  not  to  propagate 
from  a  sterile  plant  or  a  degenerated  stock  may  be 
formed.  I  once  saw  a  similar  instance  to  this. 
Some  "  blind"  plants  of  Vicomtesse  H.  de  Thury 
were  hardened,  planted  out,  and  liberally  treated 
with  a  view  to  yield  early  runners  for  layering. 
This  was  done  with  a  result  that  all  the  plants 
thus  raised  proved  barren.  Relative  to  this  question 
I  once  forced  early  a  lot  of  La  Grosse  Sucri^e,  and 
many  of  the  plants  developed  flowers  destitute  of 
male  organs  (being,  as  it  were,  deciduous  in 
character),  while  others  had  flowers  possessed  of 
both  perfect  male  and  female  organs.  The  imperfect 
blossoms  were  carefully  fertilised  with  pollen  from 
those  that  were  perfect,  and  produced  excellent 
fruit.  Would  a  deficiency  of  light  account  for  the 
flowers  being  without  male  organs  1 

OUTDOOR  VINE  CULTURE. 

In  the  British  Isles  the  outdoor  culture  of  the  Grape 
has,  owing  probably  in  a  great  measure  to  the 
adoption  and  vast  extension  of  indoor  cultivation, 
become  comparatively  a  thing  of  the  past.  That 
the  Vine  can,  however,  still  be  satisfactorily  grown 
in  our  maligned  climate,  as  it  was  in  the  time  of 
William  the  Conqueror,  is  evidenced  by  the  vine- 
j'ards  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Pettigrew, 
at  Castle  Cooh,  near  Cardiff,  and  elsewhere  by 
others  in  a  less  degree.  On  the  Hendre  estate  good 
wine,  although  doubtless  it  would  not  be  partaken 
of  by  a  connoisseur  without  depreciatory  remarks, 
yet,  nevertheless,  good,  has  for  years  been  made 
from  Grapes  grown  upon  a  farmhouse.  These  facts 
are  instanced  to  encourage  those  who  do  not  possess 
Vineries,  but  have  suitable  cultural  conditions  out- 
side, and  would  derive  pleasure  both  in  growing  as 
well  as  consuming  refreshing  Grapes,  or  winea,  of 
their  own  production.  In  most  cases  a  wall  or 
building,  with  a  south  or  west  aspect,  is  essential  In 
success,  and  a  border  must  be  prepared.  This  need 
not  be  an  expensive  undertaking,  for  provided  the 
soil  is  a  good  loam,  naturally  well  drained,  all  that 
is  necessary  is  to  bastard  trench  2  feet  in  depth  a 
strip  parallel  to  the  wall  some  8  feet  or  10  feet  in 
width.  At  the  same  time  a  liberal  dressing  of 
mortar  rubble,  wood  ashes,  and  crushed  bones 
incorporated  with  the  soil  would  be  beneficial,  both 
by  enriching  it  and  increasing  its  porosity.  In 
cases  where  favourable  conditions  are  not  naturally 
forthcoming  they  must  be  artificially  provided,  for 
a  warm  position,  good  soil,  and  thorough  drainage 
are  indispensable  to  successful  (Jrape  culture, 
irrespective  of  other  circumstances. 


For  planting,  strong  canes  should  be  provided, 
and  be  planted  when  their  buds  begin  to  burst  by 
carefully  removing  the  soil  from  their  roots,  regu- 
larly spreading,  and  firmly  covering  them  with 
3  inches  of  soil.  The  Vines  may  be  placed  either 
3  feet  or  i)  feet  asunder,  which  will  admit  of  their 
rods  being  3  feet  apart,  in  one  case  one  rod  and  in 
the  other  three  rods,  being  trained  in  a  vertical 
position  from  each  Vine.  Subsequent  treatment 
consists  in  disbudding  the  weakest  lateral  growths, 
nailing  the  strongest  about  16  inches  apart  on 
either  side  of  the  rods  to  the  wall,  stopping  them 
so  that  they  meet  midway  between  the  rods  :  pinch 
the  sub-laterals  beyond  the  first  leaf.  The  extending 
shoots  should  be  stopped  when  they  have  made 
growths  3  feet  in  length,  but  their  subsequent 
leading  breaks  should  be  allowed  to  extend,  and 
their  side-shoots  stopped  beyond  one  leaf.  This 
treatment  will  afford  ample  space  and  permit  the 
sun  to  mature  the  wood,  upon  which  the  vigour  and 
fertility  of  the  Vines  greatly  depend.  In  winter 
pruning  the  laterals  must  be  cut  back  to  two 
prominent  basal  buds,  while  the  extending  growths 
should  be  shortened  to  the  points  where  they  were 
stopped,  viz.,  to  3  feet  from  their  base.  This  mode 
of  training  and  pruning  should  be  followed  until 
the  allotted  space  is  filled,  when  the  winter  pruning 
will  be  restricted  to  merely  cutting  back  the  lateral 
growths. 

Young  Vines  planted  in  good  soil  do  not  need 
manurial  assistance  until  the  borders  are  well  filled 
with  roots,  but  once  they  exhibit  signs  of  debility 
theyshould  be  supplied  with  liquid  manure,  chemical 
compounds,  or  other  rich  stimulants,  and  improve- 
ment may  be  wrought  upon  matured  Vines  by 
cutting  out  old  rods  and  encouraging  tlie  growth 
of  young  ones  to  replace  them.  For  ordinary 
planting  in  a  small  way,  Sweetwater  is  a  desirable 
variety,  but  Mr.  Pettigrew  speaks  highly  of  a 
variety  named  Gamay  Noir  for  wine  production. 

Apart  from  growing  the  Vine  for  its  fruit,  ittakes 
a  useful  place  among  deciduous  climbers,  being  very 
suitable  for  furnishing  certain  kinds  of  buildings. 
I  remember  seeing  a  front  of  the  mansion  at 
Buckhurst  Park,  Sussex,  effectively  clothed  with 
it,  and  it  is  made  similar  use  of  at  Cardiff  Castle. 

Tugs.  Coomeer. 

The  Hendre  Gardenx,  Monmouth. 


AMATEURS'   PERPLEXITIES 

CHERRIES    IN    POTS. 

1    SHOULD  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  tell  me 
how  to  grow  Cherries  in  pots  in  the  orchard 
house  for  very  late  and  gentle  forcing,  the 
best  kinds,  and,  in  fact,  all  hints  possible. 
S^  Petersburg.  R.  K. 

[We  are  pleased  to  assist  you  in  the  way 
desired,  and  as  j'ou  do  not  need  to  force  hard  you 
should  have  much  greater  success.  When  you  use 
the  term  very  late  we  presume  you  mean  for  a 
supply  as  late  as  possible  from  pot  trees.  Of  course, 
in  your  country  the  seasons  are  not  the  same  as  our 
own,  so  you  must  take  that  into  account  in  advice 
given  as  regards  culture.  Cherries  grown  in  pots 
and  forced  slowly  are  a  groat  success.-  You  may 
never.have  seen  the  pot  trees  grown  in  this  country 
by  Messrs.  Rivers,  of  Sawbridgeworlh,  but  those  who 
have  will  remember  the  magnificent  fruits  staged, 
and  these  are  grown  as  cool  as  possible,  merely  given 
glass  protection.  Now,  forcing  as  you  propose  is 
just  the  thing  needed,  hard-forced  trees  rarely  give 
a  good  return  ;  indeed,  with  any  stone  fruit  such 
forcing  in  their  early  stages  means  failure  sooner 
or  later.  There  are  many  varieties,  as,  fortunately, 
some  of  our  best  kinds  succeed  most  satisfactorily 
with  glass  culture.  One  of  our  best  pot  trees  is 
the  Early  Rivers— we  will  give  you  varieties  in 
order  of  ripening — this  is  ripe  in  this  country  in 
the  middle  of  June,  but  we  have  seen  it  ripe  much 
later  given  pot  culture  in  a  north  house,  and  much 
earlier  when  gently  forced  ;  it  is  a  beautiful  black 
fruit,  remarkably  prolific,  and  has  a  very  small 
stone.  The  next  best  black  is  the  large  Bigarreau 
do  Schrcken,  a  grand  Cherry  for  house  culture. 
The  Frogmorc  Early  Bigarreau,  a  large  pale  yellow 


fruit,  and  an  abundant  bearer,  is  also  very  trust- 
worthy. Next  comes  the  Bigarreau  Jaboulay,  a 
later  Bigarreau  of  splendid  quality,  a  light  red 
fruit,  but  not  so  prolific  as  those  noted  above.  For 
succession  to  these  some  of  tlie  Duke  section  are 
remarkably  fine.     Archduke  is  a  grand  fruit ;  a  red  ' 

variety.  Royal  Duke,  is  also  very  fine,  and  follows 
May  Duke  ;  the  latter  is  also  a  good  pot  tree,  but 
one  of  the  best  of  the  Duke  section.  Of  the  later 
kinds,  Nouvelle  Royale  or  Gloire  de  France  is 
excellent,  a  later  variety  with  a  verj'  large,  hand- 
some fruit,  having  a  close  habit,  one  of  the  best 
varieties  we  have  for  pot  culture  ;  indeed,  you  may 
with  advantage  grow  this  in  quantity,  and  this 
latter  remark  applies  to  the  Early  Rivers'  and 
Bigarreau  de  Schreken.  To  complete  our  list  of 
later  kinds,  the  Florence  is  a  very  beautiful  Cherry, 
a  large  late  yellow.  Also  Emperor  Francis,  a  rich, 
large,  late,  dark  Bigarreau,  to  which  should  be 
added  Bigarreau  Napoleon,  a  pale  yellow,  a  great 
bearer,  and  one  of  the  best  ;  this  should  be  grown 
largely  under  glass.  The  Monstreuae  de  Mazel  is 
a  fine  late  fruit,  also  Late  Duke,  a  variety  that 
will  hang  a  long  time  when  ripe  if  kept  cool  and 
shaded.  As  regards  forming  and  stopping,  much 
depends  upon  the  varieties.  Some  grow  much 
closer  than  others  and  need  less  stopping.  Others, 
by  curbing  the  roots,  make  so  little  wood  that  most 
of  the  fruit  is  produced  on  spurs  with  trees  grown 
in  pots,  and  the  spurs  should  be  fostered  and 
encouraged.  For  instance,  if  the  trees  are  potted 
up  in  the  autumn  they  should  be  shaped,  that 
is,  branched  ;  it  then  depends  upon  what  sized 
pot  you  can  allow,  what  height  or  size  trees 
your  house  can  do  with  ;  if  large,  then  you 
need  not  stop  your  trees  so  hard  or  close, 
you  may  give  the  main  shoots  more  room  to 
develop  ;  say,  stop  leaders  at  (j  inches  to  8  inches 
long  each  year,  but  closer  if  room  is  not  available. 
You  see  you  must  at  all  limes  allow  a  certain 
number  of  terminals  to  grow  to  encourage  the 
fruit  to  swell  freel}'.  You  may  stop  what  we  term 
spurs  rather  close,  say,  a  few  leaves  or  joints 
beyond  the  fruit,  and  rub  out  useless  weak  spray 
growth  to  allow  fruiting  wood  space.  By  this 
there  will  be  little  pruning  in  the  winter,  merely 
shortening  of  main  growth  before  forcing.  Potting 
is  important.  You  will  need  to  repot  if  your 
trees  are  in  small  pots  12  inches  to  lU  inches  every 
season,  taking  away  carefully  a  portion  of  iho 
outside  of  the  old  soil  with  a  pointed  stick,  cutting 
away  extra  gross  roots,  and  repotting  just  as  the 
leaves  are  colouring  in  a  good  loam  with  such  aids 
as  bone-meal  and  a  little  quick-acting  food.  Pot 
very  firmly  and  keep  the  plants  from  becoming 
waterlogged.  Many  cultivators  plunge  their  trees 
in  the  open,  but  the  roots  need  protection.  In 
your  case  we  think  your  trees  would  be  best  under 
glass,  and,  if  larger  pots  are  used,  you  need  not 
repot  yearly,  but  feed  liberally.  Temperature 
advised  should  be  as  low  as  possible  at  the  start, 
ample  ventilation  when  flowering,  then  a  slight 
increase,  say,  when  you  close  your  house  give  -t")" 
at  night,  10"  higher  by  day,  or  more  by  sun  heat 
when  in  blossom,  afterwards  increase  ")'',  water 
sparingly  till  growth  is  vigorous,  especially  while 
the  stone  in  the  fruit  is  hardening.  As  the  fruit  swells 
give  SS''  at  night,  not  exceeding  liO",  and  10"  higher 
by  day.  Syringe  twice  dail}',  morning  and  after- 
noon, fumigate  freely  to  keep  clean,  and  feed  freely  : 
also  mulch  trees  with  manure  if  the  pot  is  small,  and, 
as  fruits  ripen,  keep  the  atmosphere  drier.— Ens.] 


PLANTING  ROOK  WALK. 

"  F.  B.  M."  (Guernsey)  writes:  "I  have  been 
planting  part  of  a  rock  walk  with  ilwarf  shrubs, 
Empetrunis,  Vacciniums,  &c.,  in  a  peat  soil,  and 
I  wish  to  get  grass  to  grow  short  and  scrubby 
between  the  shrubs  to  give  a  wild  wood  effect. 
Would  it  be  sutticicnt  to  plant  ordinary  lawn  grass 
seed,  putting  much  sand  with  the  soil,  to  make  it 
poor,  or  should  special  seed  be  used  ?  " 

[Ordinary  lawn  grars  would  not  give  the  ell'ect 
you  desire."  It  would  be  best  to  ask  some  first- 
rate  seed  dealer  for  the  dwarf  tufted  kind  of 
Sheep's  Fescue  (Festuca  ovina).  It  is  one  of  the 
grasses  that  comes  naturallj-  in  poor  sandy  and 
peaty  soils. — Ens.] 


June  8,  1901.] 


THE     GAKDEN. 


411 


THE    FLOWER     GARDEN. 


AUBRIETIAS. 

VIOLACEA  and  Leichtlini  are  just  now 
superb,  both  used  as  an  edging,  one 
on  one  side  and  the  other  on  the 
reverse  side  of  a  long  walk.  My 
attention  was  called  to  these  plants 
back  ill  the  winter,  when  they  looked 
as  if  they  were  bereft  of  vitality,  simply  bare 
stems,  naked  of  foliage.  I  find  that  Aubrietias 
suffer  most  from  fog  and  wet,  and  especially  so 
when  sharp  frost  follows  hard  on  the  heels  of  rain. 
But  as  soon  as  spring  influences  are  abroad,  the 
naked  stems  put  forth  innumerable  growths,  the 
apparently  dead  come  forth,  and  there  is  a  com- 
plete resurrection  to  active  life.  I  have  known 
Aubrietias  destroyed  by  frost,  but  only  during 
unusually  severe  frost  accompanied  by  bitter 
winds,  and  when  the  plants  occupied  a  low  and 
damp  spot  imperfectly  drained. 

The  two  varieties  I  have  named  contrast  ad- 
mirably'. Violaeea  is  a  seedling  of  my  own,  which 
obtained  a  certificate  of  merit  from  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  twenty  years  ago.  There 
is  but  one  species  of  Aubrietia,  the  Neapolitan  A. 
deltoidea ;  all  the  others  have  been  derived  from 
it.  The  type,  with  its  varieties  Bougainvillea, 
Campbelle,  and  Purpurea,  have  become  eclipsed 
by  the  larger  and  deeper-coloured  varieties,  Eyrei, 
Graica,  and  Violaeea,  the  last-named  the  finest ; 
but  any  variety  can  maintain  a  high  standard  of 
quality  only  by  persistent  selection. 

The  rosy-coloured  A.  Leichtlini  we  owe  to  Herr 
Max  Leichtlin  of  Baden-Baden.  Years  ago,  when 
the  late  Mr.  William  Ingram  was  making  Belvoir 
Castle  so  famous  for  its  unique  spring  gardening, 
he  had  a  nursery  in  which  he  carried  on  what  he 
felicitously  termed  the  education  of  his  plants, 
selecting  primarily  for  precocity,  because  he 
always  endeavoured  to  make  his  best  display  in 
March.  He  was  then  selecting  rosy-coloured 
Aubrietias,  the  materials  for  doing  which,  I  think, 
he  originally  obtained  from  Herr  Max  Leichtlin. 
Since  then  came  Leichtlini,  which  is  as  hardy  as 
A.  deltoidea,  and,  later,  Souvenir  de  William 
Ingram.  I  am  glad  that  one  of  our  most  useful 
spring  flowers  keeps  this  grand  old  gardener's 
memory  green  in  our  hearts.  I  am  afraid  that 
for  some  reason  it  is  not  of  so  hardy  a  constitution 
as  Leichtlini ;  the  plants  of  it  I  have  grown  appear 


to  suffer  from  spring  frosts  just  as  they  are  putting 
forth  their  leafage.  The  flowers  are  rather  larger 
than  those  of  Leichtlini,  and  of  a  deeper  rose 
colour. 

A  short  time  ago  there  was  exhibited  at  one  of 
the  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  a 
large-flowered  lilac  variety  bearing  the  name  of 
Beauty  of  Baden-Baden.  It  was  shown  by  Mr. 
Maurice  Prichard  of  Christchurch.  There  is 
reason  to  think  this  is  not  altogether  hardy  ;  if 
this  is  so,  then  its  value  in  the  spring  garden  is 
clearly  discounted.  Time  will  prove  whether  it 
can  claim  the  hardihood  of  Leichtlini. 

There  are  selections  from  Violaeea  and  Leichtlini 
which  can  be  found  in  catalogues,  and  their 
distinctness  has  to  be  demonstrated.  There  are 
characteristics  belonging  to  Souvenir  de  William 
Ingram  and  Beauty  of  Baden-Baden  which 
differentiate  them  from  the  type  Leichtlini,  but 
for  anyone  to  select  a  deep-coloured  variety  of 
Violaeea  or  Leichtlini  and  give  it  a  new  name  is 
a  proceeding  soarcel}'  to  be  commended,  because  it 
has  been  found  seedlings  from  both  vary  in  colour. 

R.  D. 

IRIS  WILLMOTTIANA. 
This  charming  Iris  was  given  an  award  of  merit 
by  the  floral  committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  on  April  23  last,  when  shown  by  that 
enthusiastic  lover  of  flowers.  Miss  Willmott  of 
Warley  Place,  Essex,  after  whom  it  is  so  appro- 
priately named.  A  brief  description  of  it  appeared 
in  The  Garden  of  May  4,  page  322,  and  in  the 
Gardeners'  Chronicle  of  April  27  it  is  figured  with 
a  description  from  Sir  Michael  Foster  of  Shelford, 
who  says: — "I  have  received  from  Messrs.  Van 
Tubergen  of  Haarlem,  Holland,  a  charming  little 
Iris,  which  seems  to  me  to  be,  for  the  garden,  at 
least,  distinctly  a  new  one.  The  habit  is  that  of 
I.  caucasica,  and  this  it  resembles  in  the  size, 
shape,  arrangement,  and  horny  margin  of  the 
leaves  ;  the  surface  of  the  leaf  is,  perhaps,  more 
glistening,,  devoid  of  the  glaucous  sheen,  but 
otherwise  I  can  see  no  marked  difference  between 
the  two.  The  flowers,  four  to  six  on  the  scape,  as 
in  I.  caucasica,  are,  as  in  it,  sessile.  The  colour 
of  the  flower  is,  however,  wholly  different ;  instead 
of  being  yellow,  it  is  lavender,  or  some  similar  tint 
of  diluted  purple,  with  blotches  of  white,  mingled 
with  marks  of  a  deeper  lavender  on  the  blade  of 
the  fall.  The  general  form  of  the  flower  is  that  of 
I.  caucasica,  and  one  might  be  tempted  to  regard 


it  as  a  blue  (or  purple)  form  of  I.  caucasica.  But 
there  are  differences  besides  those  of  colour.  Not 
only  is  the  flower  rather  smaller  than  tliat  of  I. 
caucasica,  but  also  the  lateral  expansions  of  the 
claw  of  the  fall  are  much  less  marked  than  in  I. 
caucasica,  and  are  not  tran.sparent ;  in  this  respect 
the  new  plant  approaches  I.  orchioides,  and  indeed 
it  stands  somewhat  midway  between  that  plant 
and  I.  caucasica.  The  spathe-valves,  again,  are 
not  inflated  as  in  I.  caucasica,  but  narrow,  as  in 
I.  orchioides.  The  crests  of  the  style,  too,  are 
triangular  and  small,  not  quadrate  and  large,  as  in 
I.  caucasica.  On  these  grounds,  especially  in  view 
of  the  present  condition  of  views  as  to  what  a 
species  is,  I  think  this  new  Iris  fairly  deserves  to 
be  given  a  specific  name  ;  and  I  venture  to  suggest 
the  name  of  I.  willmottiana,  in  recognition  of  the 
gardening  services  of  a  well-known  lady.  It  was 
found  growing  wild  in  1«99  by  the  collector  of 
Messrs.  Van  Tubergen  on  the  mountains  of 
Eastern  Turkestan,  occurring  at  a  considerable 
height." 


NOTES    ON    LILIES. 


IKIS  WILLMOTTIANA. 


LILIES    AT    THE    TEMPLE 
SHOW. 

CJM  LONGIFLORUM  in  one  or  other  of 
its  different  forms— notably  Harrisi — 
was  exhibited  in  several  places  at  the 
Temple  show,  but  very  few  others  were 
to  be  seen,  except  in  Messrs.  Wallace's 
collection,  where  a  representative  group 
was  staged.  Most  of  those  that  could  be  had  in 
flower  at  this  time  were  noted,  but,  the  season 
being  very  backward,  many  of  them  showed  traces 
of  having  been  forced  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent, 
in  order  to  induce  them  to  bloom  by  the  time 
required. 

The  Isolirion  group,  in  which  the  flowers  are 
erect,  more  or  less  cup-shaped,  and  borne  in 
terminal  heads,  though  consisting  of  but  few 
species,  is  very  prolific  in  distinct  varieties,  espe- 
cially in  the  case  of  L.  elegans,  or  thunbergianum, 
and  L.  umbellatum,  both  of  which  were  repre- 
sented by  several  forms  at  the  above  exhibition. 
Of  the  varieties  of  L.  elegans,  itself  a  most  variable 
Lily,  the  following  were  particularly  noticeable  : 
L.  alutaceum,  one  of  the  earliest  of  all,  its  com- 
paratively large,  buff-tinted  blossoms  being  borne 
on  stems  about  G  inches  high  ! 
Alice  Wilson,  a  rare  .Japanese 
variety  with  lemon-coloured 
flowers  ;  atrosanguineum,  with 
large,  rich  red  blossoms  ;  mar- 
moratum  aureuni,  a  vigorous 
grower,  flowers  orange-yellow, 
thickly  dotted  crimson,  and  in 
the  bud  state  particularly 
woolly,  also  known  as  robus- 
tum  and  guttatum.  Orange 
Queen,  which  received  an 
award  of  merit  last  year,  is  a 
particularly  massive  flower  of 
a  clear  orange-3'ellow,  slightly 
dotted  towards  the  centre  with 
chocolate  ;  and  Van  Houttei, 
rich  crimson,  a  fine  round 
flower. 

L.  umbellatum  does  not  vary 
so  much  as  elegans,  but  still 
several  forms  were  shown, 
notably  aurantiacum,  orange, 
flushed  red ;  Cloth  of  Gold, 
rich  j'ellow  ;  erectum,  red,  lit 
up  with  orange  ;  and  Totten- 
hami,  j'ellow  and  red.  All 
the  above-mentioned  Lilies  are 
good  border  kinds,  except  that 
in  the  case  of  two  or  three  of 
them  the  price  is  rather  pro- 
hibitive. 

Of  the  Martagon  section, 
there  was  the  exceedingly 
graceful  pure  white  L.  Mar- 
tagon   album,    the     Japanese 


412 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  8,  1901. 


L.  Hansoni  (whose  thick,  wax-like 
petals    are     of     a     clear     3-ellGw,        <^- 
spotted     with     brown),     and    two  / 

hybrid  forms  raised  between  the 
species  just  mentioned,  viz.,  Dal- 
hansoni,  whose  parents  were  the 
deep-coloured  form  of  L.  JIartagon 
known  as  dalmaticum,  and  Han- 
soni. The  second  hybrid,  Marhan, 
was  obtained  from  L.  Martagon 
album,  the  other  parent  being  also 
Hansoni.  Other  members  of  the 
same  group  were  excelsum  or  testa- 
ceum,  whose  prettily  reflexed  nan- 
keen-coloured flowers  are  admired 
by  everyone.  This  Lily  was 
recently  illustrated  in  The  Gar- 
den, where  what  little  is  known 
of  its  early  history  was  also  alluded 
to.  L.  szovitzianum,  or  colchicuni, 
that  needs  a  good  deep  loam  for 
its  development,  is  scarcely  suitable 
for  pot  culture,  but  two  or  three 
examples  were  shown.  The  small- 
growing  L.  tenuifolium,  with  its 
very  narrow  leaves  and  pretty  little 
Turk's  cap-like  blossoms  of  a  very 
bright  red,  stood  out  as  very 
distinct  from  the  rest.  Other  species 
in  this  group  were  the  Madonna 
Lily  (L.  candidum)  ;  the  orange 
speciosum,  L.  Henryi,  with  two 
or  three  flowers  open  before  its 
time  ;  L.  longiflorum  giganteum,  as 
usual  very  showy ;  and  last,  but 
not  least  on  the  score  of  effective- 
ness, were  several  plants  grouped 
together  of  L.  rubellum,  which  was 
much  admired.  This  appears  to  be 
a  better  grower  than  its  near  relative,  L.  Krameri ; 
still,  it  is  decidedly  particular  in  its  cultural 
requirements.  This  fine  collection  of  Lilies,  hailing 
from  Colchester,  should  augur  well  for  a  good 
exhibit  from  the  same  source  at  the  Chiswick  con- 
ference in  Jul}'.  H.  P. 


HEWELL  GKANGE  FROM  THE  NORTH. 


BRITISH     HOMES 
GARDENS. 


AND 


HEWELL     GRANGE 


M' 


'IDWAY  between  the  Worcestershire 
towns  of  Bromsgrove  and  Redditch 
lies  Hewell  Grange,  one  of  the 
country  homes  of  the  Right  Hon. 
Lord  Windsor,  P.O.  So  well 
hidden  is  it  at  the  foot  of  a  hill, 
whose  wooded  slopes  reach  to  the  high  road 
not  far  distant,  that  were  it  not  for  the  glimpses 
of  park  and  woodland  through  the  entrance 
gates  that  denote  the  presence  in  the  near 
neighbourhood  of  some  stately  home,  one  might 
well  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  site  of  Hewell 
Grange.  ^  Although  from  its  situation  it  is 
necessarily  deprived  of  the  enjoyment  of  exten- 
sive views  on  the  western  side,  those  obtainable 
to  the  north  and  east  are  strikingly  beautiful. 
Beyond  the  bordering  lawns,  beds,  and  shrub- 
beries in  front  of  the  Grange,  and  stretching 
away  on  either  side  as  far  as  one  can  see,  is  the 
picturesque  lake,  made  additionally  attractive 
lay  the  bright  and  highly  coloured  stems  of  the 
Willows  that  abound  upon  its  island.  To  the 
north  the  onlooker  is  confronted  with  the 
typical  scenery  of  an  English  park— undulating 
ground  where  clumps  of  Elms,  Oaks,  Beeches, 
ifcc,  and  single  specimens  of  these  and  other 
British  trees  unite  in  giving  that  ever-varying 
aspect  that  charms  and  pleases  at  all  sea.sons 
of  the  year.  Now  it  may  be  a  clump  of 
Chestnuts  bur.sting  into  growth  that  attracts 
attention  ;  in  the  course  of  a  few  short  weeks 
the  Limes  and  Ehns  will  be  in  a  similar  con- 
dition ;  and  by  the  time  the  Oaks  have  taken 


on  their  green  covering  the  Chestnuts  are 
almost  ftdl  of  flower. 

Across  the  broad  expanse  of  lake,  beyond 
where  the  scarlet  and  yellow  Willows  cast  their 
shadows  into  the  water,  and  the  graceful 
plumes  of  the  Water  Reed  will  nod  to  the 
summer  breezes,  one's  glance  is  irresistibly  led 
from  all  the  surrounding  tree  vegetation  to  a 
clump  of  grand  old  Scotch  Firs,  the  heads  of 
black  foliage  standing  out  clearly  from  their 
picturesque  and  beautiful  trunks.  But  few 
trees  add  more  stateliness  and  charm  to  a 
land.8cape  than  a  clump  of  old  Scotch  Firs  ; 
they  are  so  distinct  from  most  other  conifers 
that  attention  is  drawn  to  them,  and  so  charac- 
teristic that  the  impression  made  is  not  readily 
effaced.  No  less  on  the  hillside  to  the  east 
and  west  of  the  Grange,  than  on  the  lower 
ground  around  the  lake,  do  the  splendid 
specimens  of  conifers  and  British  deciduous 
trees  help  to  impress  upon  one  how  much  of 
true  beauty  there  is  in  forest  trees,  and  that  no 
less  when  the  twigs  are  bare  and  the  branches 
visible  than  when  covered  with  verdant  green. 

The  path  that  winds  around  the  hill  loads 
one,  now  around  a  Lime,  perhaps  the  most 
quaint  of  indigenous  deciduous  trees  when  seen 
in  its  leafless  state,  the  branches  knotted  an  1 
twisted  in  a  most  curious  manner,  then  by  a 
noble  spreading  Beech,  also  hardly  less  striking 
now  than  when  in  full  leaf,  again  brings  one 
into  full  view  of  a  Picea  Morinda,  or  an  Atlas 
Mountain,  or  Deodar  Cedar,  jieeps  being  had 
the  while  of  Spanish  Chestnuts,  Larch,  Abies 
and  Piceas  in  variety,  and  a  host  of  other  ever- 
green and  deciduous  trees  that  go  to  make  u])  a 
woodland  scene  of  far  more  than  usual  interest. 
LTpon  the  lawn  which  intervenes  between  house 
and  lake  are  stately  Cedars,  beds  of  Rhododen- 
drons, Azaleas,  Roses,  <fcc.,  each  in  their  turn 
giving  variety  of  floral  colour  and  form  to  the 
garden  landscape. 

During  the  past  winter  extensive  alterations 
have  been  made  in  the  pleasure  grounds,  the 
most  important  of  which  is  the  opening  up  of 
a  long  vista  from  the  top  of  the  hill  behind  the 


Grange  to  the  lake,  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  or 
more,  and  the  formation  along  the  greater  part 
of  it  of  a  series  of  grass  terraces,  each  of  which 
is  connected  by  grass  steps.  Many  months  have 
been  spent  upon  this  important  work,  but  that 
it  has  thoroughly  well  justified  itself  is  very 
apparent,  if  one  either  looks  from  the  top  to- 
wards the  flower  garden,  lake,  and  distant 
woodland,  or  if  one  stands  on  the  lower  ground 
to  obtain  a  view  of  the  unique  and  beautiful 
green  terraces,  irregularly  framed  in  an  ad- 
mirable setting  of  woodland. 

The  French  garden  that  is  situated  close  to 
the  house  on  the  eastern  side  is  an  excellent 
example  of  its  kind.  The  beds  innumerable, 
both  small  and  large,  that  are  contained  in  it, 
with  their  quaint  edging  of  Box  (there  must  be 
miles  of  it),  are  seen  at  their  best  in  late 
summer,  the  period  at  which  Lord  Windsor 
usually  takes  up  his  residence  here.  Early 
summer  time,  too,  is  not  without  its  charms  so 
far  as  the  French  garden  is  concerned,  as  the 
wealth  of  climbing  Roses  that  have  covered  the 
rustic  trellises  and  poles  against  which  they 
were  planted  unmistakably  makes  evident. 
Particularly  interesting  this  year  will  be  the 
quaint  old  Dutch  garden,  with  its  formal  beds 
of  strange  de.sign  and  high  Box  edgings,  for  it 
will  be  planted  with  white  blossoming  plants, 
in  which  Anemone  japonica  alba  will  find  an 
important  place.  As  this  garden  is  in  a  some- 
what shaded  spot,  the  result  should  be  ex- 
tremely effective,  for  where  are  white  flowers 
seen  to  better  advantage  than  amid  shade  and 
dark  environments  ?  In  the  rockery  abound 
many  plants  that  one  does  not  usually 
find  in  this  particular  portion  of  the  garden, 
yet  the  numerous  Heaths,  some  of  which  are 
almost  always  in  bloom,  creeping  Ivies,  various 
Ferns,  pigmy  Conifers,  Cotoneastcrs,  Per- 
nettyas,  to  mention  a  few  of  them,  do  away 
with  any  possible  formality  (existent  in  nuvny 
rock  gardens),  and  add  a  variety  of  colour  and 
foliage  thoroughly  welcome. 

The  many  herljaceous  borders  and  flower 
beds   in   various    parts    of    the   grounds    are 


June  8    1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


413 


planted  so  far  as  is  possible  with  plants  that 
are  bi-ightest  towards  the  end  of  the  summer, 
for  that  is  the  season  at  which  Hevvell  is 
expected  to  be  at  its  best.  Michaelmas 
Daisies,  of  course,  play  an  important  part 
in  the  embellishment  of  the  above,  as  also  do 
Anemone  japonica  and  its  varieties,  Gladiolus 
gandavensis,  Lobelia  cardinalis,  L.  Queen 
Victoria,  L.  fulgens,  Gaura  Lindheimeri, 
Rudbeckias,  Helianthuses,  Polygonums, 
Verbena  venosa,  &c.  The  brightness  and 
beauty  of  many  gardens  almost  disappear 
with  the  last  days  of  summer,  but  at  Hewell 
the  approach  of  autumn,  with  its  chilly  nights 
and  shortening  days,  is  greeted  not  with  a 
diminished  but  rather  with  an  increased 
supply  of  flowers  in  the  beds  and  borders. 
Such  is  a  most  commendable  practice  to  follow, 
and  although  in  gardens  where  a  continued 
succession  and  large  supply  of  summer  flowers 
is  essential,  it  would  perhaps  be  more  difficult, 
much  might  often  be  done  by  cultivating  a 
judicious  selection  of  autumn-blooming  plants 
to  improve  in  appearance  and  interest  the 
flower  garden  towards  the  close  of  summer. 

We  will  not  refer  at  length  to  the  various 
phases  of  glass  gardening  that  are  successfully 
carried  out  at  Hewell,  with  fruits  as  with 
flowers,  but  with  reference  to  the  latter  it 
is  interesting  to  be  able  to  endorse  all  that  a 
writer  in  The  Garden  recently  remarked 
about  the  culture  of  Eucharis  amazonica. 
The  note  stated  how  well  the  Eucharis  grew 
and  flowered  when  planted  out  in  a  small  bed 
of  soil  made  up  under  the  stage  of  a  warm 
house.  The  remarkably  good  plants  that 
are  here  grown  under  similar  conditions  go  to 
prove  how  well  such  a  place  suit  them. 

They  are  also  planted  in  a  narrow  border  at 
the  back  of  .some  of  the  glass  houses,  quite  a 
long  way  from  the  roof,  and  there  too  succeed 
exceptionally  well.  As  some  cultivators  often 
have  a  great  difficulty  in  persuading  the 
Eucharis  to  produce  its  lovely  white  flowers 
satisfactorily,  it  is  of  interest  to  find  this  plant 
flourishing  under  what  one  would  certainly 
have  thought  to  be  adverse  conditions. 
Although  the  Camellia  house,  whose  occupants 
yield  thousands  of  blooms  annually,  the 
splendid  Calanthes,  most  useful  of  winter 
Orchids,  the  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  under 
glass,  full  of  blossom  and  giving  excellent 
promise  of  a  good  gathering,  the  other  fruit 
trees,  as  well  out  of  doors  as  under  glass,  are 
equally  good  expositions  of  successful  garden- 
ing as  the  features  already  mentioned,  they 
must  be  content  with  this  casual  reference. 
We  have  attempted  rather  to  give  some  idea  of 
the  characteristics  of  Hewell  Grange  that  are 
peculiar  to  itself,  for  it  is  in  the  individuality 
of  a  garden,  and  that  of  Hewell  is  well  pre- 
served by  Mr.  Andrew  A.  Pettigrew,  that  its 
interest  and  educational  value  lies. 


WOODLAND   AND  FOREST. 


SUMMER  WORK  IN  THE 
WOODS. 

Thinning  and  Clearing. 

PLANTING  will  now  be  finished  in  the 
woods,  or  ought  to  be,  and  as  it 
takes  up  a  large  portion  of  the  year 
between  autumn  and  the  end  of 
spring,  a  good  deal  of  general  work 
has  to  be  crowded  into  the  summer 
months.  Regulating  and  thinning  young 
plantations  is  forest  work  at  any  season,  but  it 
is  when  the  leaves  are  on  the  trees  that  the 
work  can  best  be  done,  because  it  can  then  be 


seen  which  are  the  dominant  ones.  In  mixed 
woods  of  hardwoods  and  Firs  there  is  often 
need  for  the  removal  of  limbs  of  species  like 
the  Horse  Chestnut,  Beech,  Poplar,  Sycamore, 
&c.,  and  ^  of  whole  trees  of  the  wrong  sort. 
Pruning  is  a  necessity  in  such  mixtures  if  it  be 
desired  to  give  the  different  species  a  chance. 
Neither  the  Scotch,  Corsican,  nor  Austrian  Fir, 
nor  any  of  the  Pinus  family  have  a  chance 
with  such  neighbours  planted  like  anything  in 
the  same  proportion.  These  Pines  will  not 
bear  shade  for  any  length  of  time,  and  if  left 
over-topped  for  a  year  or  two  they  will  suffer 
severely,  and  take  a  long  time  '  to  recover. 
Mixed  species  should  never  be  planted  together 
in  the  same  proportion,  but  always  more  of  the 
weaker  kinds  than  of  the  others.  1  am  really 
speaking  of  existing  woods,  for  such  mixtures 
are  not  to  be  recommended  at  all,  although 
they  are  common.  The  Scotch  Fir  and  other 
Pines  usually  planted  grow  at  a  much  slower 
rate  than  some  of  the  vigorous,  broad-leaved 
species,  especially  at  the  beginning,  and  are 
soon  over-shadowed.  The  Sycamore  and  some 
other  trees  will  often  grow  three  times  as  fast 
as  the  Firs,  or  even  as  the  Oak,  and  as  soon  as 
they  get  their  heads  fairly  above  their  slower 
growing  neighbours  the  latter  are  done  for 
unless  looked  to.  The  strong  growers  begin  to 
send  out  side  limbs  as  soon  as  they  have  the 
top  space  to  themselves,  and  if  not  watched 
their  limbs  meet  and  all  between  are  smothered. 
In  a  mixed  plantation  of  hardwoods  the  Larch 
succeeds  better  than  almost  any  other  Fir, 
because  it  makes  longer  annual  leaders,  and 
keeps  the  lead,  otherwise  it  cannot  bear  the 
shade. 

I  have  seen  Larches  that  grew  up  from 
infancy,  without  any  attention,  in  a  dense 
Beech  wood  to  over  80  years  of  age  and  fall 
with  70  cubic  feet  of  sound  timber  in  them. 
Everything  depends  on  a  tree  keeping  its 
leader— its  head  and  shoulders— clear  of  its 
companions.  From  youth  to  age  that  is  the 
all-important  point,  but  in  an  indiscriminate 
mi.xture  all  the  species  cannot  do  that  without 
assistance,  and  now  is  the  time  to  see  where  to 
apply  the  bill-hook  or  the  saw.  It  is  not  side, 
but  top  light,  that  is  wanted,  and  all  that 
the  operator  has  to  do  is  to  lop  off  the  higher 
side  branches  of  the  dominant  broad-leaved 
species,  and  he  need  not  be  afraid  of  hurting 
these  if  he  c  its  clean  and  close,  right  to  the 


stem  as  a  rule.  It  is,  however,  often  difficult 
to  know  what  to  do  when  all  the  species  stand 
in  about  equal  proportions  once  the  strong 
growers  have  got  the  lead.  If  these  will  make 
a  wood  it  is  really  hardly  worth  while  leaving 
the  weak,  dominated  trees,  because  they  will 
need  watching  for  years,  and  it  becomes 
expensive  work.  The  long  pruning  chisel  is 
an  unknown  tool  in  continental  forests,  but  in 
this  country,  in  mixed  and  over-thinned  wood.s, 
I  have  known  of  squads  of  men  and  boys  being 
employed  for  months  pruning  tall  tiees  to 
keep  them  straight  and  within  bounds,  in 
mixed  woods  the  man  holding  the  chisel  with 
the  20  foot  .shaft  and  the  boy  fhe  mallet  to  hit 
it  with.  My  own  inclination,  in  regulating 
woods  consisting  of  a  general  mixture,  is 
always  to  leave  the  best  and  biggest  trees  that 
are  likely  to  first  reach  a  profitable  size,  and 
let  the  others  go— that  is  to  say,  when  there 
are  enough  of  these  to  make  a  crop.  Where 
not,  of  course  the  best  of  the  others  must  be 
left,  but  the  big  Sycamore,  A.sh,  Beech,  i&o. 
should  have  the  preference. 

As  regards  the  common  and  Silver  Spruces, 
they  can  usually  more  than  hold  their  own  in 
a  mixed  wood,  if  the  soil  and  situation  suits 
them,  if  not  they  soon  succumb  and  are  no 
great  less.  Their  power  of  enduring  shade 
gives  them  a  pretty  safe  footing  anywhere,  and 
they  keep  their  heads  well  up  to  the  light. 

As  to  the  lopping  of  trees  generally,  the 
summer  is  perhaps  the  safest  time  in  all  the 
year  as  far  as  injury  to  the  trees  is  concerned. 
Some  species,  like  the  Sycamore  and  Birch, 
bleed  freely,  and  to  their  injury,  if  pruned 
just  before  coming  into  leaf,  but  after  that  the 
leaves  absorb  all  the  sap  that  the  roots  can 
pump  up,  and  nothing  is  lost  by  pruning.  The 
sap  is  only  directed  into  other  channels,  and 
the  wounds  begin  to  heal  at  once,  small  branch 
cuts  usually  getting  barked  over  in  a  couple  of 
seasons  _  or  so  without  injury  to  the  tree. 
With  big  branches,  it  is,  however,  different ; 
summer  is  a  good  time  to  remove  them,  when 
they  have  to  come,  and  wounds  on  vigorous 
growing  trees  heal  rapidly  round  the  edge  of 
the  cuts,  but  under  the  most  favourable  con- 
ditions  it  takes  years  for  the  bark  to  grow 
quite  over  a  big  wound.  Very  often  big  limbs 
never  quite  heal  over,  and  such  open  wounds 
decay  in  time  right  into  the  trunk,  causing 
much  loss  ultimately  in  the  value  of  the  timber. 


THE   LAIvE  at   hewell   GKANOE, 


414 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[Junk  8.  1901. 


Pruning  should  be  done,  if  done  at  all,  wlien 
the  trees  are  young. 

An  important  point  in  regulating  plan- 
tations at  this  period  is  to  advoid  exposing  the 
ground  anywhere  after  the  young  trees  have 
met.  There  is  never  any  need  to  remove  a 
tree,  even  if  it  be  dead,  unless  it  is  crushing  its 
neighbours  too  much  and  interfering  with 
their  height  growth.  It  has  been  very  trying 
weather  of  late  for  j'oung  plantations,  the  rain- 
fall being  under  the  average,  and  where  young 
trees  have  not  yet  covered  the  surface  of  the 
soil  they  are  suffering  from  drought,  especially 
on  bare  land.  The  difference  in  the  degree  of 
moisture  in  the  soil  in  an  open  thin  wood  and 
in  one  where  the  trees  quite  cover  the  ground 
is  always  marked.  In  the  latter  evaporation 
is  much  le.ss,  and  the  moisture  in  the  ground 
about  the  roots  of  the  trees  consequently 
greater,  with  a  corresponding  benefit  to  the 
trees.  There  is  hardly  any  comparison 
between  the  growth  of  trees  standing  thinly 
on  hard,  sun-baked  ground  and  that  of  trees 
that  have  established  a  complete  cover.  As  an 
anxious  head  forest:r  said  to  nie  lately,  when 
looking  at  a  dense  young  wood  where  the  trees 
had  closed  up  and  begun  to  put  on  height 
growth,  "  They  have  hung  fire  for  five  years, 
but  they  are  off  now,  thank  goodness  ! ''  Of 
course  at  this  stage  a  Brown's  disciple  would  be 
among  the  trees  with  the  thinning  hook,  but 
we  know  better  now. 

Young,  newly-planted  trees  in  the  home 
nursery  want  attention  about  this  time. 
Watering  sufficiently  is  sometimes  out  of  the 
question,  but  wherever  there  are  woods  leaf- 
mould  can  usually  be  scraped  up  somewhere, 
and  it  makes  an  excellent  mulching  for  young 
forest  trees,  and  may  "save  the  lives  of  thousands 


of  young  stock  in  dry  weather.  The  exposed, 
newly-dug  surface  of  a  nursery  jilot  is  soon 
parched,  and  mulching  then  works  miracles  in 
preventingevaporation  and  keeping  thesoil  cool 
and  moist.  The  mulching  should  be  put  on 
when  the  trees  are  planted  in  the  rows,  but  it 
is  never  too  late  to  put  it  on.  Whenever  my 
wood  teams  go  into  the  woods  loaded  full,  they 
return  loaded  with  leaf-mould  that  has  been 
collected  at  different  times,  and  it  is  laid  in 
the  nursery  ready  for  use.  J.  Simpson. 


A   GARDEN   TANK   AND    STEPS. 

It  is  pleasant  in  a  place  where  there  is  a  small 
house  in  a  good  space  of  rather  haphazard 
garden — a  garden  that  from  its  own  circum- 
stances could  not  be  definitely  planned  from 
the  beginning,  but  that  in  its  making  "  followed 
the  line  of  the  least  resistance  " — to  have  a 
small  portion  of  pure  formality  close  to  the 
building.  This  has  been  done  with  good  effect 
in  the  example  shown  in  the  illustration,  where 
there  are  easy  steps  and  a  dipping  tank,  and 
Box  bushes  that  as  they  grow  will  be  clipped 
into  symmetrical  balls  set  in  stone  plinths. 
The  house  stands  on  slightly  sloping  ground, 
and  whereas  on  the  south  side  one  low  step 
down  reaches  the  ground  level,  on  this,  the 
north  side,  the  difference  of  level  is  met  by  the 
arrangement  shown. 


SHORT 


STUDIES    ON 
LIFE.-XII. 

OXALIS    CERNUA. 


PLANT 


This  plant,  a  native  of  South  Africa,  is  occasionally 
exhibited  at  the   horticultural  shows,  but  if  anv 


one  wishes  to  see  it  in  perfection  let  inira  go  to 
Malta,  where  the  Maltese  call  it  'The  Engli.'sh 
Weed."  It  has  a  remarkable  history.  Father 
Hyacinlho  was  a  teacher  or  professor  of  botany 
and  medicine  at  the  beginning  of  last  century,  and 
received  a  plant  from  the  Cape  on  or  before  18(16.* 

It  is  trimorphio,  like  our  Loose-strife  (Lythrum 
Salicaria),  but  only  one  "  form,"  the  short-styled 
one,  is  present.  It  appears  to  require  the  others 
for  fertilisation,  as,  although  it  has  thriven  for 
100  years,  it  has  never  been  known  to  set  seed  in 
the  northern  hemisphere.  It  propagates  itself 
solely  by  tiny  bulbs. 

From  this  beginning  it  has  spread,  not  only  all 
over  Malta  and  Gozo — indeed  the  fields  are  some- 
times as  3'ellow  as  our  own  meadows  with  Butter- 
cups— but  through  the  intercourse  between  Malta, 
North  Africa,  Italy,  &e.,  it  reached  Egypt  (with 
the  Mandarine  Orange  tree)  about  182(1.  It  got 
to  (iibraltar  in  1829,  and,  in  fact,  it  is  now  to  be 
seen  at  intervals  from  Egypt  to  Morocco,  and  from 
(Gibraltar  to  the  Greek  Islands. 

It  has  a  remarkable  rhizome,  being  thread-like 
in  form,  which  penetrates  to  great  depths  among 
the  limestone  rubble  so  common  in  Malta  It  also, 
somehow,  finds  its  way  to  the  top  of  the  high 
walls  and  the  lofty  fortifications  around  Valletta, 
clothing  them  with  golden  masses  of  flowers,  for  it 
bears  tall  umbels  of  drooping  j-ellow  blossoms  and 
a  green  mass  of  trifoliate  foliage  below.  It  forms 
the  greenery  by  the  road  sides,  which  in  England 
would  be  grass.  It  covers  the  glacis  of  the 
fortifications,  and  makes  an  entire  lawn  at  the 
Naval  Hospital  and  elsewhere.  The  Maltese  sinipl\' 
pull  it  up  as  a  weed  from  the  fields  and  lay  it  to 
die  on  the  tops  of  the  low  stone  walls,  but  an  it 
irithers  it  develops  hulhs.  Even  when  drying  it  under 
pressure  for  my  herbarium,  I  found  the  long 
rhizome  had   produced    several   bulbs,    while   the 


*  It  is  first  recorded  in  a  catalogue  of  plants  cultivated  in 
the  Botanic  Gardens  of  Malta,  compiled  Iiy  the  Rev.  Father 
in  isne. 


A   GARDEN   TANK   AND   STEPS, 


June  8,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


415 


foliage  and  flowers  were  deaJ.  As  the  heat  of 
the  summer  is  almost  tropical  in  Malta,  everythinp: 
herbaceous  perishes  above  ground  ;  but  the  thread- 
like rhizomes  terminate  below  in  a  thick  rod,  like 
a  pencil,  lying  deeply  concealed  below  the  surface. 
This  stores  up  a  quantity  of  water  which  enables 
the  plants  to  live.  When  flowering  near  a  stream 
it  produces  long  runners  above  ground,  but  I 
never  found  them  rooting  like  a  Strawberry  plant, 
but  only  making  bulbs,  by  which  alone  it  is  pro- 
pagated. It  is  an  unsatisfactory  plant  from  a  floral 
point  of  view,  for  if  one  gathers  a  bunch  for 
decorative  purposes,  before  reaching  home  the 
petals  will  have  all  coiled  up  and  they  will  never 
again  reopen.  At  present  it  is  not  only  a  useless 
plant — even  the  goats  will  not  touch  it — but  an 
intolerable  nuisance  in  Malta.  If  anyone  could 
discover  a  use — of  course  it  has  oxalic  acid — he 
might  make  a  fortune,  and  at  the  same  time  be  a 
general  benefactor  to  the  Maltese  by  exterminating 
it  from  the  island.  There  is  a  double-flowered 
form  of  an  orange  colour,  which  is  pretty  abundant, 
but  by  no  means  so  ubiquitous  as  the  yellow, 
single-fiowered  original  species.  In  South  Africa 
it  blossoms,  it  is  said,  in  July,  but  in  Malta  it  has 
accommodated  itself  to  the  climate,  and  flowers 
contemporaneously  with  other  plants  from  Novem- 
ber to  May.  George  Henslow.'T 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK 


FRITILLARIES. 

FRITILLARIA  KECURVA,  which 
comes  to  us  from  California,  is,  I 
think,  by  far  the  best  of  all  the 
Fritillaries,  both  by  reason  of  its 
exceptional  colour  and  the  freedom 
with  which  it  produces  its  brilliantly 
coloured  blossoms.  It  is  without  doubt  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  plants  which  has  ever 
been  introduced  to  our  gardens.  Happily,  too, 
it  is  as  easily  accommodated  as  any,  growing 
freely  in  any  ordinary  loamy  soil  made  rather 
sandy.  Another  advantage  of  this  variety  is 
that  it  will  flower  from  very  small  bulbs.  The 
flowers  are  bright  scarlet,  freely  spotted  with 
yellow,  and  beautifully  recurved  ;  large  bulbs 
of  it  will  produce  as  many  as  twenty  of  its 
handsome  flowers.  This  charming  plant, 
though  introduced  twenty  years  ago,  is  still  far 
from  common  in  gardens. 

F.      PYRE- 

NAICA  is  an 
interesting 
and  free- 
flowering 
species  with 
large  purple 
flowers. 

r.     PALLI- 
DIFLOEA      is 

another  very 
distinct 
flowering 
species, 
growing 
I  foot  or 
more  high, 
and  produc- 
ing clusters 
of  its  pale 
yellow 
flowers,  the 
latter  re- 
garded indi- 
vidually 

bearing  a  strong  resemblance  to  some  of  the 
Abutilons  as  regards  outline.  They  are  also 
beautifully  chequered  internally. 

F.  ARMENA  is  a  dainty  little  species  from 
Asia  Minor  with  soft  yellow  flowers,  easily 
grown  and  readily  increased,  while  for  pro- 


V  i  d  i  n  g 

variation 
with  free- 
d  om  of 
flowering, 
perfect 
hardiness, 
and  adapt- 
ability to 
almost 
any  soil, 
we  have 
none  to 
com  pare 
with  our 
native 
species,  F. 
Meleagris 
and  its 
varieties.  The  flowers  are  borne  on  slender 
stems  nearly  2  feet  high,  and  are  large,  drooping, 
and  bell-shaped,  while  in  colour  we  find  purple, 
brown,  white,  bronze,  and  so  forth,  one  and  all 
either  mottled,  striped,  or  splashed  in  the  most 
picturesque    manner.      This    little    group    in 


itself  constitutes  a  very  useful  assemblage 
equally  valuable  for  pots  as  for  the  borders  or 
rockery  ;  in  either  position  their  very  quaint 
forms  always  find  many  admirers. 

All  the  above  succeed  in  a  rni.xture  of  sandy 
loam  and  leaf-soil,  and  if  planted  '.i  inches  or 
4  inches  deep  will  invariably  produce  good 
results  ;  the  dwarfer  .species  sliould  not  be 
planted  more  than  half  this  depth,  and  on 
account  of  their  value  I  generally  give  them  a 
little  sandy  peat  with  the  soil  at  planting, 
F.  recurya  .seeming  particularly  at  home  in 
such  a  mixture.  E. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


ORCHIDS. 

DENDROBIUM  PHALyENOPSIS 
SCHRCEDERIANUM  is  one  of  the 
I  most  beautiful  of  the  genus,  requiring 
'  a  high  temperature,  a  humid  atmos- 
phere, plent3'  of  water  at  the  roots 
and  freely  syringed  during  the 
growing  season,  and  grown  in  small  pans  sus- 
pended from  the  roof  in  the  lightest  possible 
position.  Repotting  should  take  place  as  soon 
as  growth  commences,  and  very  little  material 
be  placed  about  their  roots,  which  should  consist 
of  equal  proportions  of  peat  and  sphagnum  moss. 
After  repotting,  lightly  spray  the  plants  overhead 
morning  and  afternoon,  but  water  sparingl}',  and 
give  extra  shading  until  the  new  roots  have  well 
taken  to  the  fresh  material.  From  then  the  plants 
should  be  freely  watered  and  syringed,  and 
gradually  inured  to  more  sunlight. 

AlKIKG. 

Sufficient  air  must  be  admitted  by  top  and 
bottom  ventilators  to  prevent  the  plants  from 
scalding,  carefully  avoid  .cold  draughts,  and  during 
windy  weather  it  is  best  that  the  blinds  be  lowered 
earlier  and  less  air  admitted.  Dendrobium 
leeanum,  D.  statterianum,  D.  Goldiei,  D.  bigib- 
bum,  and  D.  superbiens  require  the  same  treat- 
ment. As  soon  as  the  plants  have  matured  theirnew 
pseudo-bulbs  thej'  will  then  have  a  long  season 
of  rest,  but  should  not  be  subjected  to  the  cool, 
dry  treatment  necessary  for  such  species  as 
D.  wardianum  and  D.  nobile.  A  temperature 
from  60°  to  65°  by  night  and  65°  to  70^  by  day 
should  be  provided  during  the  resting  season,  a 
moderately  moist  atmosphere,  and  sufficient  water 
applied  to  the  roots  to  prevent  the  bulbs  from 
shrivelling. 

Dendrobium  formosum  giganteum. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  Dendrobes  in 
cultivation  ;  the  flowers,  which  are  produced  at  the 
top  of  the  stems,  measure  from  4  inches  to  5  inches 
aeross,  their  colour  is  snow  white,  with  a  broad 
blotch  of  rich  orange-yellow  on  the  centre  of  the 
lip.  This  species  also  requires  a  high  temperature, 
a  moist  atmosphere,  and  a  moderate  supply  of 
water  at  the  root  during  the  growing  season, 
repotted  when  commencing  to  grow,  and  given  a 
a  little  shade  until  the  plants  have  become  well 
rooted  ;  from  that  time  the  plants  may  be  fully 
expo.=ed  to  the  sun,  unless  grown  in  the  very 
lightest  of  houses,  and  then  the  blinds  may  be 
lowered  for  a  short  time  during  the  hottest  part  of 
the  day.  When  the  plants  have  finished  growth 
they  have  a  long  season  of  rest,  and  during  that 
time  should  be  given  the  temperature  neces- 
sarj'  for  Dendrobium  Phalsenopsis,  and  sufficient 
water  only  to  prevent  the  bulbs  from  shrivelling. 

Dendrobium  aggregatum  majus. 
This  is  a  dwarf-growing  evergreen  species,  the 
flowers  of  which  are  deep  golden-yellow,  with  an 
orange-yellow  stain  at  the  base  of  the  lip  ;  large 
well-flowered  specimens  of  this  species  have  a  very 
charming  effect.  The  plants  should  be  grown 
with  the  general  collection  of  Dendrobes  at  the 
coolest  end  of  the  house,  in  a  rather  shaded 
position,  upon  a  block  of  wood,  and  should  remain 
undisturbed  as  long  as  possible.    The  plants  should 


416 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  8,  1901 


have  plenty  of  water  at  the  root,  and  be  freely 
sj'ringed  during  the  growing  season.  During  the 
resting  season  the  temperature  of  the  Cattlej'a 
house^is  most  suitable,  very  little  water  being 
necessary  to  keep  the  bulbs  plump  and  healthy. 

Dendkobium  Falconemi 
i?  a  handsome  species  of  pendulous  growth, 
producing  large  handsome  flowers  measuring 
4  inches  or  more  across,  produced  singU'  all  along 
the  leafless  stems.  This  may  be  grown  on  blocks, 
rafts,  or  Fern  stems,  at  the  coolest  end  of  the 
Pendrobium  house,  or  a  light  position  at  the 
warmest  end  of  the  Cattle3'a  house,  and  should  be 
freely  watered  and  s}'ringed  during  the  growing 
season.  When  the  plants  have  finished  growth  the 
bulbs  must  be  well  ripened,  and  then  have  a  long, 
cool,  dr}'  rest  in  a  temperature  of  about  5.5"  by 
night  and  IVf  Ijy  day  during  winter,  and  sufficient 
water  to  keep  the  pseudo-bulbs  plump. 

F.  W.  Thdbgood. 

FKUIT    GARDEN. 

Figs. — Pot  Trees. 

Tkee.s  that  were  forced  early  will  now  have  finished 
cropping.  I  am  aware  some  kinds  will  continue  to 
bear  if  fed  freelj',  but  by  taking  a  crop  now  their 
forcing  cjualities  for  early  work  another  season  will 
be  greatl}'  impaired.  There  is  no  better  time  than 
the  present,  that  is,  as  soon  as  the  crop  is  cleared, 
to  repot  the  trees,  especially  if  the  plants  are  in 
small  pots  and  a  shift  can  be  aflforded.  If  potted 
now  the  new  roots  made  will  assist  in  building  up 
the  embrj'o  fruits  that  will  form  for  another  season's 
forcing.  By  potting  now,  and  pa3'ing  a  little  extra 
attention  to  the  plants  in  the  waj'  of  sj'ringing  and 
shading  for  a  short  time,  then  gradually  hardening 
off,  the  plants  force  more  readily  another  season. 
I  prefer  potting  now  in  preference  to  early  in  the 
season. 

When  starting  the  trees  at  this  later  period 
there  is  a  danger  of  the  plants  casting  the  first  crop. 
For  pot  Figs  in  large  pots  a  liberal  top-dressing  may 
be  sufficient,  and  here  richer  compost  can  be  used 
than  for  younger  trees  given  more  root  space.  Trees 
in  a  fruiting  state  may  be  given  a  mulch  of  decayed 
manure.  The  growth  should  be  kept  hard  stopped 
at  the  fourth  or  fifth  leaf  from  the  base,  as  there  is 
a  danger  with  pot  culture  of  trees  growing  too  much 
to  wood  and  getting  too  large  for  the  house.  Even 
at  this  date  1  would  advise  shaping  such  trees  by 
pruning,  as  done  now  there  is  lime  for  the  plants 
to  mature  new  wood  made. 

Permanent  Trees  in  Borders. 

With  genial  weather  trees  have  of  late  needed 
much  moisture,  as  the  Fig  does  not  do  well  in  deep 
borders,  and  in  shallow  ones  much  more  attention 
is  needed  when  heavy  crops  are  being  carried. 
Strong  shoots  not  required  for  extension  should  be 
stopped  as  advised  for  pot  trees,  and  on  no  account 
allow  a  few  shoots  free  play ;  this  means  loss  of  crop, 
and  with  trees  in  full  vigour  avoid  crowding  of 
shoots  or  overlapping.  I  have  referred  to  watering, 
and  few  trees  suffer  like  the  Fig.  From  now  until  the 
crop  is  matured  a  good  mulch  of  rich  manure  may 
be  given.  Of  course,  to  trees  at  all  inclined  to 
grossness  this  advice  will  not  apply.  Such  kinds 
as  Negro  Largo  often  grow  too  freely,  and  fruits 
sparsely  if  tlio  roots  are  fed  too  much.  Figs 
approaching  the  ripening  state  must  have  more 
ventilation  and  less  moisture.  Overhead  syringing 
had  better  cease,  but  damp  available  spaces  between 
the  trees.  Red  spider  is  at  times  troublesome  in 
dry  houses  ;  this  can  be  checked  by  using  a  weak 
insecticide,  or  by  mixing  sulphur  in  rain-water  and 
sponging  the  leaves.  Scale  is  also  a  pest  that  re- 
appears on  old  trees,  and  this  is  readily  removed 
by  frequent  syringing  with  the  above  mixtures. 
Brown  scale  if  allowed  to  spread  soon  infests  the 
fruit. 

Pineapples. 

The  warm  bright  weather  of  late  has  caused 
rapid  growth  in  the  earliest  (i>ueen  section.  Fruits 
are  of  nearly  full  size,  and  more  care  will  soon  be 
required  in  watering.  Food  supplies  should  be 
stopped,  but  give  pufficient  water  to  allow  the 
fruits  to  attain  full  siise,  as  by  keeping  too  much  on 


the  dry  side  affects  the  size  and  flavour  of  the 
fruits.  Later  plants  with  fruits  partiall3'  advanced 
may  receive  liberal  treatment  in  the  shape  of 
food  and  moisture,  but  avoid  excessive  overhead 
syringing.  Far  better  damp  beds  and  borders 
freely,  and  keep  evaporating  pans  full  of  water, 
closing  as  soon  as  the  sun  declines  to  save  hard 
firing.  Autumn  fruiters  will  be  growing  freel}', 
and  will  take  liquid  food  regularly  if  the  roots  arc 
strong.  The  temperatures  should  be  liberal,  say, 
70"  to  75"  at  night,  and  the  daj'  temperature  lU" 
higher.  As  regards  ventilation  it  is  well  to  give 
some  air  early  in  the  day,  as  this  promotes  sturdy 
growth.  Succession  plants  needing  a  shift  should 
be  potted  into  their  fruiting  pots.  1  do  not  advise 
too  much  pot  room,  II -inch  or  12-inch  pots  are 
cjuite  large  enough  for  the  Queen  section.  As  soon 
as  fruits  are  cut  any  good  sucker  growth  should  be 
encouraged  and  potted  on  at  the  first  opportunitj'. 
These  when  given  good  culture  make  fruiting 
plants  next  season.  G.  Wythbs. 

Syon  House  Garden-^,  Brentford. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

Planting. 

When  the  bulk  of  the  work  of  planting  "  bedding 
out "  plants  has  been  completed,  attention  should 
be  turned  to  the  planting  of  various  things  which 
have  been  forced  and  which  will  succeed  in  the 
outdoor  garden.  Among  the  Mollis  Azaleas  bought 
in  for  forcing  will  be  found  a  few  of  such  good  and 
distinct  colours  that  thej'  pay  well  for  planting  as 
permanent  occupants  of  the  garden,  and  as  they 
succeed  admirably  in  semi-shaded  and  sheltered 
spots  beneath  tall  trees,  they  may  be  made  to  fill 
positions  that,  without  them,  or  some  other-shade- 
loving  shrubs,  would  be  blank  and  uninteresting. 
It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  these  Azaleas  require 
a  peaty  soil.  They  do  admirably  in  loam,  and, 
indeed,  in  almost  any  soil  that  is  not  absolutely' 
bad.  As  a  rule,  the  flowering  season  is  rather  a 
short  one,  but  the  flowers  endure  much  longer  when 
planted  where  direct  sunlight  does  not  fall  upon 
them. 

Among  other  plants  that  should  be  saved  for 
planting  out  are  the  Daffodils  and  some  of  the 
Polyanthus  Narcissi.  Nooks  on  the  fringes  of 
shrubberies  may  be  filled  with  them,  but  perhaps 
the  best  position  of  all  is  in  grass  which  is  not  cut 
till  late  in  the  season,  for  here  the  leaves  have  a 
chance  of  ripening.  If  the  bulbs  have  been  hard 
forced,  or,  rather,  flowered  very  early,  the  results 
will  not  be  very  good  next  year,  as  they  want  a 
season  in  which  to  recuperate,  after  which  they 
will  give  a  fine  annual  display  and  large  quantities 
of  welcome  flowers  for  cutting.  I  like  best  to  see 
these  grouped,  say,  from  50  to  100  of  one  varietj' 
together  rather  than  scattered  indiscriminately. 
Nearly  all  the  Daffodils  may  be  depended  on  to 
grow  well  in  grass,  but  among  the  Polyanthus 
Narcissi  only  the  stronger  growers  do  really  well, 
the  best  to  my  knowledge  being  Grand  Monarque 
and  Gloriosa.  Soleil  d'Or  does  fairly  well,  but  I 
have  never  seen  any  good  come  of  planting  Scilly 
White  or  any  of  its  class. 

Winter  Aconites  (Eranthis  h3'emalis)  may  be 
planted  now,  and,  if  judiciously  used,  what  areas 
of  uninteresting  ground  under  trees  might  be 
covered  at  very  little  expense  with  these  early- 
flowering  gems.  I  have  found  them  do  admirably 
under  tall  Beeches,  and  in  such  a  position  the 
flowers  last  longer  and  are  drawn  up  on  much 
longer  stems  than  when  planted  in  the  autumn.  The 
tiny  corms  are  difficult  to  find  when  the  leaves  have 
quite  disappeared,  as  they  are  earth-coloured  and 
irregular  in  shape.  They  should  be  planted  about 
1  inch  deep,  and,  to  form  a  good  carpet,  8  inches 
apart.  Sternbergia  lutea  is  such  a  charming  little 
bulbous  plant  that  everyone  should  grow  it,  and 
now  is  the  time  to  order  bulbs  of  it. 

Rhododendrons. 
After  an  abnormally  dry  spring  such  as  this  has 
been  it  is  a  great  relief  to  the  plants  to  divest 
them  of  the  flower  heads  directly  these  have  faded 
to  prevent  the  seed  pods  from  swelling  and  taking 
away  the  strength  of  the  plants.  Of  course,  tliis 
is  hardly  pjssible  where  the  plants  are  very  large 


and  many  of  them,  but  }'oung  bushes  of  the  best 
varieties  should  certainl}-  be  attended  to. 

Sweet  Peas  and  Canary  Creeper. 

In  drj' seasons  Sweet  Peas  go  oflf  earlj- in  spite 
of  all  attention  that  thej'  may  get  in  watering,  and 
they  then  look  unsiglitly.  This  may  be  obviated 
to  some  extent  by  dibbling  in  now  among  the  young 
plants  a  sprinkling  of  Canary  Creeper  seeds,  as  the 
plants  so  raised  will  clothe  the  sticks  with  nice 
fresh  greenery,  and  flowers  when  the  Peas  are  over. 

Watering  must  be  carried  on  vigorouslj'  all 
round  unless  there  is  a  great  change  in  the 
weather,  and  especiallj*  among  newly -planted 
evergreen  shrubs,  beds  of  Tritomas,  i^-c,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  ordinary  plants  in  the  flower  garden. 

.1.   C.  Tallaik. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 

KITCHEN   GARDEN. 

Seed  Sowing  in  Dry  Weather. 

It  frequently  happens  at  this  time  of  the  year, 
when  man}'  small  seeds  should  be  sown,  that  the 
ground  is  so  dry  as  to  render  it  almost  useless  t< 
sow  without  first  watering  the  soil,  and  this  should 
be  done  the  evening  previous  to  sowing.  First 
of  all  the  ground  should  be  dug  and  trodden 
moderately  firm,  and  the  drills  drawn  at  the 
required  distance  apart  and  well  watered,  for  it  is 
better  to  water  the  soil  before  sowing  and  cover 
afterwards  than  to  sow  and  water  on  the  same 
day.  Early  morning  is  the  best  time  to  sow  light 
seeds,  for  it  is  generally  more  still  than  when  the 
day  advances ;  if  some  covering  for  the  beds  can  be 
afforded  it  will  greatly  assist  germination.  Mats 
may  be  pegged  over  the  surface  of  the  soil  and  left 
until  the  seeds  germinate.  Thus  treated  seeds 
will  soon  vegetate,  when  the  "covering  may  be 
removed,  and  if  the  weather  continues  dry  they 
may  be  sprinkled  each  morning  before  the  sun 
becomes  strong  enough  to  injure  the  young  plants 
while  the  water  still  remains  on  their  foliage. 

French  Beans. 

The  first  sowing  of  this  important  vegetable 
being  well  advanced,  another  should  be  made  in 
order  to  keep  up  an  unbroken  supply.  The  ground 
on  which  they  are  to  be  grown  should  be  rich,  but 
any  situation  in  the  open  garden  will  suit  them 
now.  Canadian  Wonder  is  one  of  the  best  varieties 
for  sowing  at  this  time,  being  a  free  and  continuous 
cropper.  If  the  season  is  favourable  this  variety 
will  produce  abundance  of  fine  pods  the  greater 
part  of  the  season,  providing  they  are  kept  closely 
picked.  It  is  of  great  importance  to  gather  the 
Beans  as  soon  as  read}',  whether  they  are  wanted 
or  not,  for  if  left  on  the  plants  until  the  seeds 
become  hard  they  will  soon  ruin  tlie  prospect  of  a 
continuous  crop.  Magnum  Bonum  is  also  an 
excellent  variety  for  sowing  now.  Both  these 
varieties  should  be  sown  in  rows  2A  feet  apart,  and 
if  the  weather  continue  dry  they  should  have 
liberal  waterings  of  liquid  manure  to  keep  them 
growing  freely.  A  few  of  the  Dwarf  Butter  Bean 
should  also  be  sown  and  treated  in  the  same  way. 
Rows  of 

Scarlet  Runners 

should  be  examined,  and  if  any  have  failed  to 
germinate,  the  blanks  should  be  filled  up  by  plants 
raised  in  pots.  There  are  few  vegetables  pay 
better  for  liberal  treatment  than  Scarlet  Runners, 
and  one  of  the  most  common  mistakes  one  meets 
with  is  that  of  planting  too  close  together.  When 
it  is  found  that  the  plants  have  made  a  good  start 
they  should  be  thinned  to  15  inches  or  IS  inches 
apart  and  staked,  after  which  they  should  be  well 
mulched  with  long  litter  to  protect  them  from  the 
effects  of  strong  sun.  Where  large  quantities  are 
required  another  sowing  may  yet  be  made,  which 
should  carry  on  the  supply  until  the  autumn  frosts 
destroy  the  plants.  Make  further  sowings  of 
Victoria  Spinach,  choosing  a  north  border  or  other 
shady  situation  for  the  purpose.     If 

New  Zealand  Spinach 
is  not  already  sown,  no  time  should   be  lost  before 
it   is.       The   rows   of   this   shouUl    bo   kept    well 
moistened   until    the  young   plants    make    their 


June   8,  190].] 


THE    GARDEN. 


417 


appearance,  when  they  will  soon  produce  abun- 
dance of  green  leaves,  which  will  last  the  season 
through. 

TlIRNIl'S 

should  be  sown  fortnightly  in  order  to  keep  a 
regular  supply  of  tender  young  rooLs.  The  young 
plants  should  be  frequently  dusted  with  wood 
ashes  or  soot  and  lime  mixed  together,  which  is  the 
best  thing  to  keep  off  Turnip  fly,  so  troublesome  at 
this  season  of  the  year. 

Make  frequent  small  sowings  of  Lettuce  while 
the  warm  dry  weather  continues,  choosing  a  rich 
north  border  for  the  purpose.  I  have  found  (xreen 
Unctuous,  Veitch's  Perfect  Gem,  Brown  Cos,  and 
Sutton's  Mammoth  White  Cos  the  best  varieties 
to  stand  in  dry  seasons.  John  Dunn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Gardeufi,  Wind-'ior. 


care  should  be  taken  that  the  roots  are  not  undulj' 
soured  by  a  too  frequent  use  of  the  water-pot,  a 
condition  which  is  sure  to  follow  if  the  water  is 
not  judiciously  administered.  Where  water  is 
taken  from  the  main  service  it  is  well  to  have, 
where  possible,  large  receptacles  to  hold  it  in,  and  it 
is  a  decided  advantage  when  these  are  so  placed  that 
their  contents  are  affected  by  external  atmospheric 
and  solar  influences  ;  this  reduces  the  chances  of 
injury  by  watering  to  a  minimum.    .J.  F.  MoLeod. 


THE     FOLIAGE     BEGONIAS     OF 
THE   REX-DIADEMA  SECTION. 

Beautiful  as  some  undoubtedly  are,  foliage 
Begoniasof  the  Rex  type  pure  and  simpleappear 


INDOOR    GARDEN. 

WoBK  IN  THE  Frame  Ground. 

The  bulk  of  the  bedding  plants 
until  now  occupying  the  frames 
and  pits  will  by  the  time  these 
lines  are  in  print  have  been  dis- 
posed of  in  the  various  flower 
beds  and  borders  ;  the  use  of 
these  is  now  had  for  the  summer 
months,  and  for  many  subjects 
they  are  admirably  adapted. 
They  supply  a  cool  and  moist 
condition  beneficial  to  most 
plants,  which  is  not  available 
in  a  house.  Primulas  and 
Cinerarias  delight  in  the  cool 
standing  here  afforded,  as  also 
do  Cyclamens,  and  much  of  the 
success  attained  in  the  growing 
of  this  subject  can  be  readily 
traced  to  the  summer  condi- 
tions. Begonias  are  peculiarly 
partial  to  frame  treatment,  and 
must  also  be  located  here. 
Bouvardias  at  the  present  stage 
will  do  well  in  similar  quarters, 
and  other  plants  too  numerous 
to  mention.  As  the  structures 
are  emptied  they  should  be  well 
washed  out ;  if  built  on  brick 
walls  then  let  this  surface  have 
a  good  coat  of  hot  lime,  and  as 
a  bottom  I  find  nothing  better 
than  sifted  ashes,  over  which  I 
take  the  precaution  to  place  a 
dusting  of  soot,  as  this  helps 
to  keep  worms  in  check.  It  is 
also  important  that  all  broken 
glass  be  made  good,  as  with  a 
rainstorm  damage  to  plant  life 
is  sure  to  follow  if  means  are 
not  taken  to  prevent  it.  As 
before  advised,  I  much  prefer  to 
use  mats  or  any  shading  other 
than  permanent  darkening. 

Flower  Houses. 

With  a  high  temperature  and 
a  rough  east  wind  prevailing 
for  over  a  week,  many  subjects 
did  not  maintain  their  usual 
period  of  flowering,  but  were 
simply  hurried  over,  adding  to  the  work  in  their 
removal  and  subsequent  replacing.  Tliis  has  been 
most  noticeable  in  the  Mollis  Azaleas,  which  came 
rapidly  into  flower  in  the  open  ground.  Any 
plants  yet  unflowered  in  this  and  the  indica 
section  may  be  retarded  by  placing  them  in  a 
position  removed  from  the  sun's  rays,  on  a  north 
aspect,  and  liberally  syringe  them  over  several 
times  a  day.  The  same  remarks  apply  to  stage 
Pelargoniums,  or,  in  fact,  any  greenhouse  plant 
which  it  is  intended  to  keep  back. 

AVaterino. 

A  word  of  caution  may  not  be  out  of  place  at 
this  season.  The  external  conditions  demand  that 
a  greater  amount  of  moisture  must  find  its  way  to 
the  root  to  sustain  life,  and,  while  this  is  afforded. 


Illustrated  Dictionary  of  Gardening,"  give.s  as 
being  probably  a  hybrid  between  H.  richard- 
siana,  a  native  of  Natal,  and  an  Indian  species 
named  P>.  dipetala,  or  B.  ricinifolia,  a  garden 
hybrid  between  the  old  and  well-known 
Me.xican  B.  heracleifolia  and  B.  jjejioni folia. 
The  results  of  these  cros.sings  and  inter- 
crossings  have  been  the  production  of  a  whole 
series  of  plants  which,  in  a  great  measure, 
partake  of  the  habit  and  silver  colouring  of 
B.  Rex,  while  the  shape  of  their  leaves  is 
totally  distinct.  As  will  be  seen  by  the  accom- 
panying illustration,  for  which  we  are  indebted 
to  M.  H.  Martinet,  Direcleur-Redacteur  of 
Le  Jardin,  these  are  deeply  cleft  and  very 
variable,  and  we  may  say  that  in  some  cases 
they  are  nearly  palmate. 
Their  colouring  also  greatly 
varies  from  the  pure  silvery 
white  of  the  ordinary  heart- 
shaped  B.  Rex  to  the  Chame- 
leon-like colours  of  the  ever 
charming  B.  Louise  Chretien. 
The  most  noteworthy  among 
these  Begonias  are  Burgo- 
master Peppel,  Bertha  Mac- 
Gregor,  Gloire  du  Vesinet, 
Kahrolin  Schmitt,  Louis 
Cappe,  Louis  Chretien,  Louise 
Closon,  Mme.  Alamagny, 
Mme.  Patry,  Mme.  Treyve, 
President  Deviolaine,  and 
President  Truffaut,  all  of 
which  well  deserve  the  atten- 
tion of  the  growers.  All 
these  hybrids  are  endowed 
with  a  vigorous  constitution, 
a  quality  which  enables  the 
cultivator  to  produce  com- 
paratively large  plants  in 
small  pots,  and  the  culture 
of  all  the  plants  belonging 
to  this  interesting  section  is, 
like  that  of  the  old  B.  Rex 
itself,  so  simple  and  easy  that 
it  is  safe  to  state  that  these 
hybrid  varieties  have  a  great 
future  before  them,  even  if 
only  considered  as  purely 
decorative  plants. 

G.   SCHNLIDEE. 


FOREIGN  NOTES 


w 


A    HANDSOME    BEGONIA    OF   THE    REX-DL\DBMA   GROUP. 

to  have  of  late  been  somewhat  neglected,  pro- 
bably on  account  of  the  great  similarity  of 
shape  and  colour  of  the  foliage  of  many 
varieties  formerly  grown  in  this  country. 
Since,  however,  the  hybridiser  has  devoted  his 
attention  to  this  class  of  plants,  quite  distinct 
varieties  have  appeared  on  the  Continent. 
Besides  the  series  of  beautiful  plants  (produced 
by  the  crossing  of  varieties  of  B.  Rex  with 
B.  decora,  a  description  of  which  appeared  in 
The  Garden  of  May  25,  M.  Cappe  has 
brought  out  another  series  of  highly  decorative 
varieties,  most  of  which  show  very  plainly, 
even  to  the  amateur,  the  influence  of  the  other 
parents.  These  are  either  B.  Rex-diadema, 
which  Nicholson,  in  his  splendid  work  "The 


BOTANICAL  WORK  AT 
HONGKONG. 

E  have  received 
from  Jlr.  W. 
J.      Tutcher, 
the     acting 
superinten- 
dent   of    the 
Botanical  and  Afforestation  De- 
partment for  1900,  the  follow- 
ing interesting  report,  in  which 
it  is  mentioned  that   the  superintendent,  Mr.  C. 
Ford,  F.Ij.S.,   left  for  home  on  ilarch  81   on  six 
months'    leave    on   account    of    sickness,   and   his 
leave   was   extended    for    another    period    of    six 
months  from  the  end  of  September. 

Plant  sales  continue  to  increase,  as  during  the 
year  3,451  plants  were  disposed  of,  being  an 
increase  of  641  over  the  previous  year's  sales.  Of 
these  nearly  3,000  were  sold  for  decorative  pur- 
poses, no  less  than  12,042  Maidenhair  Ferns  being 
included  in  this  number,  of  which  1,370  were  the 
ordinary  Adiantum  cuneatum. 

The  sale  of  plants  was  instituted  in  1S84  to 
supply  the  public  with  rare  and  newly-introduced 
plants  (C.S.O.  185/1884),  but  very  few  of  the  plants 
sold  now  come  under  this  category.  The  intro- 
duction,  propagation,   and  growing  of   plants  for 


418 


THE     GAEDEN. 


[June  8,  1901 


WHITE   PINKS    WITU   EKEMUEUS   HIMALAICUS. 
(From  "Gardening  /or  Bef/innerx.") 

distribution  for  economic  purposes  is  undoubtedly 
one  of  the  first  duties  of  a  botanical  department, 
but  the  cultivation  and  sale  of  plants  for  deco- 
rative purposes  should  be  undertaken  by  private 
individuals. 

Among  the  visitors  during  the  year  were  Mr. 
Peter  Barr,  of  the  well-known  firm  of  Messrs. 
Barr  and  Sons,  bulb  and  seed  merchants,  London  ; 
Mr.  D.  F.  Fairchild,  of  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  who  was  here  making 
investigations  in  regard  to  economic  plants  natives 
of  China  likely  to  succeed  in  different  parts  of  the 
United  States  ;  Mr.  B.  Hayata,  a  student  of  the 
Imperial  University,  Tokyo,  who  came  for  the 
purpose  of  study  in  the  gardens ;  M.  Sauvale, 
an  official  of  the  new  French  colony  of  Kwong 
Chau-wan,  who  came  up  to  make  enquiries  as  to 
the  most  suitable  trees  for  plantinf?  at  that  place, 
and  also  as  to  what  economic  plants  would  be 
likely  to  succeed  there  ;  Mr.  E.  M.  Wilcox, 
Travelling  Fellow  in  Economic  Botany  of  Harvard 
University  ;  Mr.  E.  H.  Wilson,  of  Messrs.  J. 
Veitch  and  Sons,  the  eminent  firm  of  nursery- 
men, London. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  caterpillars  (Meta- 
nastria  punctata,  Walker)  were  discovered  on 
Pine  trees  in  various  parts  of  the  island,  and  the 
superintendent  at  once  made  plans  for  coping  with 
the  pest  by  inviting  Chinese  coolies  to  collect  at  a 
certain  price  per  catty.  The  caterpillars  were 
more  prevalent  on  the  Shun  Wan  peninsula,  near 
Aberdeen,  and  on  Aplichau  Island  than  elsewhere, 
and  at  these  places  7,0.30  catties,  or  nearly  4;!  tons, 
were  collected,  at  a  cost  of  .'S-W/,   during  March. 


In  May  they  again 
became  troublesome, 
and  during  that 
month  and  the  fol- 
lowing 409  catties 
were  collected  at 
Aberdeen  and 
Aplichau,  and  .'iOO 
catties  at  Kowloon. 
Towards  the  end  of 
July  the  second  crop 
appeared  at  Kow- 
loon, and  during 
that  month  and 
August  a  further 
quantity  of  226 
catties  was  col- 
lected. 

The    widening   of 
Queen's  Road  made 
it    imperative    that 
the     large     Banian 
trees  (Ficus  retusa) 
growing  in  front  of 
Wellington   Bar- 
racks and   in    front 
of   the  Naval  Yard 
should  be  either  cut 
down     or     trans- 
planted. On  account 
of  the  great  age  of 
the  trees  (they  were 
probably    growing 
there    when    Hong- 
kong  was  a  fishing 
village)     it  .was    a 
serious    problem   as 
to      whether     they 
would  survive  trans- 
planting,  but  I  de- 
cided to    make   the 
experiment.  Several 
of  these  were  nearl}' 
100  feet  high,  with 
trunks     2     feet     in 
diameter  at    4    feet 
from  the  ground.     I 
had  them  all  lopped 
to  within  1.5  feet  or 
20     feet     from     the 
ground,     and     then 
bound    round    with 
straw      before 
attempting     to     re- 
move them.     When 
their  respective  sites  had  been  prepared  they  were 
moved  with  balls  of  soil  and  roots,  8  feet  to  12  feet 
in  diameter,  by  means  of  wire  ropes  and  derricks. 
After  they  were  in  position  the  soil  was  filled  in. 
around   the  roots  ;    they  were  then    watered   and 
the   trunks   and    branches    kept    constantly    wet. 
Syringing   was    also    carried   on   during   removal. 
There  were  altogether  thirty-five  trees  treated  in 
this  way,  and  I  am  glad  to  say   that  they  are  all 
starting  to  push  forth  new  growths. 

As  there  is  a  considerable  quantity  of  agricul- 
tural land  in  the  new  territory,  I  would  strongly 
recommend  the  establishment  of  an  experinKMitiil 
garden  for  testing  economic  plants  likely  to  succeed 
in  the  district.  The  Cliinese  themselves  are  not 
likely  to  take  the  initiative  in  introducing  new 
industries,  but  if  this  department  were  to  show 
them  that  certain  plants  could  lie  grown  with 
success  no  doubt  the  natives  would  then  take  to 
cultivate  such  plants.  The  Japanese  in  Formosa 
have  already  established  experimental  stations, 
and  the  French  at  Kwong  Chau-wan  and  the 
Germans  at  Kiaut-chau  have  also  under  considera- 
tion similar  schemes. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  fruits  which  could 
be  grown,  and  if  this  were  done  we  should  not 
only  have  better  varieties  than  those  already 
in  the  market  but  new  kinds  as  well.  Agave 
sisalana  is  a  plant  likely  to  succeed  here,  and 
although  Sisal  Hemp  is  not  such  a  good  fibre 
as  Manilla  Hemp,  it  is  one  which  will  well  repay 


correspondents,  and  the  Hongkong  Botanic  Garden 
is  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  important  of 
those  outside  England.— Eds. ] 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 


B 


PLANTING    EARLY-FLOWERING 
VARIETIES. 

the  warm  weather  which  set  in  during 
the  third  week  in  April  some  growers 
were  tempted  to  place  their  plants  in  the 
flowering  quarters.  The  cold  easterly 
wind  which  succeeded  the  welcome 
genial  weather,  however,  has  since 
given  such  growers  much  concern.  Small  plants 
only  parlially  hardened  off  have  been  the  first  to 
suffer.  In  some  instances  they  have  lost  much  of 
their  foliage.  These  facts  prove  the  folly  of 
commencing  to  plant  thus  early  in  the  season. 
Experience  has  taught  one  that  the  month  of  May 
should  be  well  advanced  before  planting  the  beds 
and  borders,  the  third  week  in  this  month  being 
a  good  period.  Generally  speaking,  there  is  little 
risk  of  severe  frosts  then.  It  is  astonishing  what 
rapid  progress  the  young  plants  make  when  once 
they  are  planted  out.  A  plant  with  a  single  stem 
at  the  time  of  planting  soon  develops  branching 
growth.  Some  growers  advocate  enriching  the 
soil  by  liberal  application  of  manure  when  tilling 
the  ground  intended  for  the  reception  of  the 
plants,  but  with  this  I  do  not  agree.  Soil  of  too 
rich  a  character  invariably  encourages  gross  and 
unwieldy  growth,  and  in  consequence  the  result  is 
that  the  flowering  period  is  not  so  pleasing  as  it 
might  otherwise  be.  Ordinary  garden  soil  which 
has  been  deeply  dug  after  a  previous  season's  crop 
has  been  secured  answers  well.  Such  ground  is 
usually  in  mellow  condition.  It  is  my  practice  to 
devote  a  new  piece  of  ground  to  the  culture  of 
early-flowering  Chrysanthemums  each  season,  and 
the  method  of  planting  above  advocated  is  the  one 
consistently  followed. 

Many  make  the  mistake  of  planting  too  closely. 
The  niajoritj-  of  the  Japanese  sorts  are  of  branching 
growth,  and  to  do  them  justice  quite  3  feet 
between  the  plants  and  a  similar  distance  between 
the  rows  should  be  allowed.  Take  that  excellent 
sort  Mnie.  Marie  Masse  and  its  sports  Crimson 
Marie  Masec  and  Ralpli  Curtis.  These  plants 
easily  fill  up  the  space  just  mentioned.  Except  in 
a  few  instances  the  Pompons  should  have  less 
room.  Two  and  a-half  feet  between  the  plants 
and  a  similar  space  between  the  rows  should 
suffice  in  most  cases.  Exceptions  to  this  rule 
which  I  have  in  my  mind  at  the  moment  are 
Mrs.  Cullingford  and'its  sport  Miss  Davis,  Yellow 
Gem,  and  Crimson  Precocite.  These  four  soits 
make  handsome  bush  plants,  and  for  this  reason 
shouhl  have  an  interval  of  3  feet  between  them. 
Firm  planting  is  essential. 

Although  the  Japanese  varieties  are  very  showy 
and  make  an  excellent  impression  when  the 
vveather  remains  fine,  the  Pompons  behave  better 
in  wet  weather,  suffering  little  or  no  inconvenience. 

1).  B.  Ckane. 


cultivation, 

[These  are  a  few  extracts  from   Mr.   Tutcher's 
report.     Mr.   Tutcher  is  one  of   our  most  valued 


BOOKS. 

Gardening-  for  Beginners.*— This  is 

the  title  of  a  new  book  for  beginners  in  gardening, 
and  is,  indeed,  a  thorough  handbook  to  the  garden, 
comprising  within  its  some  i'iOO  well  printed  pages, 
an  amount  of  information  which  must  surely 
satisfy  not  merely  the  novice,  but  those  who  have 
already  begun  to  follow  this  health-giving  pastinu'. 
We  give  two  of  the  1(10  illustrations  from  its  pages, 
printed  upon  art  paper,  to  show  their  character, 
and  besides  these  there  are  nearly  100  diagrams  in 
the  text  explaining  certain  garden  operations,  such 
as  layering  Carnations,  budding  Roses,  and  such- 
like, without  which  it  is  difficult  for  the  beginner 
to  understand   the  way  to  proceed  under   certain 


*  "  (Jardtjiiiiig  fur  lieyiiiiifis."  liy  E.  T.  Cook.  Fiihlislinl 
liy  (ieorite  Newnes,  Liinitotl,  Suiilli:uMiitoli  Street,  Slnihcl 
London.     Price  Ills.  lid.  net. 


June  8,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


419 


conditions.  The  book  has  been  published  at  the 
request  of  many  readers  of  The  Garden  and 
Country  Life.  It  forms  part  of  that  important 
library  attached  to  the  latter  paper,  a  library 
being  gradually  added  to  by  standard  works  on 
gardening  and  country  pursuits.  The  book  opens 
with  a  preface  by  Miss  Jekyll,  author  of  "  Wood 
and  Garden,"  &c. ,  who  gives  wise  advice  to  the 
beginner,  and  then  follows  a  description  of  good 
garden  flowers :  Hollyhocks,  Sweet  Violets,  the 
Aquilegias,  and  the  many  other  groups  that  con- 
tribute to  the  beauty  of  the  border  and  flower 
bed.  Trees  and  shrubs  have  been  made  a  strong 
feature,  the  author  knowing  how  great  an  interest 
is  taken  in  these  at  the  present  time,  and  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  the  interest  now  evident  will 
strengthen.  There  are  many  useful  hints,  such  for 
example  as  the  way  to  make  shady  banks  beautiful, 
how  to  make  a  pergola,  and  an  excellent  gardening 
chart,  which  comprises  a  most  exhaustive  list  of 
tables,  such  as  the  best  rock  and  border  plants, 
fruits,  vegetables,  and  everything  practically  that 
is  likely  to  instruct  and  interest  the  beginner.  It 
must  be  confessed  that  those  who  have  advanced 
some  steps  in  gardening  will  find  much  valuable 
information,  which  is  readily  discovered  through 
an  almost  exhaustive  index.  The  whole  range  of 
garden  practice  has  been  considered,  from  the 
border  flower  to  the  destructive  insect  pests,  even 
Water  Lilies  for  tanks,  the  best  Orchids  to  grow, 
greenhouse  flowers,  stove  plants,  and,  of  course,  a 
long  and  interesting  chapter  upon  Roses.  It  is  a 
handsome  gift  book,  and  a  book  to  have  ready  at 
hand  in  planning,  altering,  or  planting  a  garden. 
-H.  H. 

A  Ga.Pden  Diary.* — There  are  thuosands 
of  readers  of  the  better  class  of  book  who  are 
alive  to  the  influence  of  the  beauties  and  delights 
of  wood  and  wild  and  garden  ground,  and  who 
truly  feel,  with  purest  pleasure  and  heartfelt 
thankfulness,  their  beneficent  influence  at  the 
moment  when  Nature's  good  gifts  are  presented  to 
their  bodily  perception  and  their  spiritual  intel- 
ligence. But  in  general  these  delights  of  the 
living  world  come  and  go  and  are  meanwhile 
forgotten,  and  it  is  given  only  to  such  an  artist- 
author  as  Miss  Lawless  to  record  them  and  to  pass 
them  on  to  others  through  that  fine  intelligence, 
that  by  its  own  highly-trained  and  therefore  almost 
unconscious  act  winnows  away  the  husk  and  casts 
aside  the  worthless,  and,  treasuring  the  golden 
grain  presents  it  as  the  best  of  food  for  the  refined 
mind.  So  we  have  in  short  chapters,  each  the 
story  of  some  walk  in  wild  or  thoughtfully-tamed 
ground,  written  in  a  time  of  deep  personal  and 
national  anxiety,  the  impression  of  wonder  and 
happiness  in  the  beauly  of  simple  growing  things, 
and  through  it  all— as  in  those  still  days  of  sun- 
light and  song  of  bird  and  loveliness  of  flower 
beauty,  when  dark  cloud  shows  on  the  horizon 
and  thunder  mutters  in  the  distance — through  it 
all  —the  ever-present  haunting  shadow  of  the  war. 

The    Compleat    Anglep.t— This    new 

edition  of  Walton's  immortal  work  is  a  charming 
production,  with  a  preface  by  Andrew  Lang,  and 
numerous  illustrations  by  E.  J.  Sullivan.  "  Wal- 
tonians"  will  enjoy  this  new  vohime,  so  daintily 
illustrated  and  well  printed. 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 

MESSRS.     WM.     CLIBRAN 
AND     SON. 

HARDLY   more    than   thirty  years   has 
the  nursery  of    Messrs.  Clibran   and 
Son     been     established,    yet     in     so 
short  a  space  of  time  a  horticultural 
establishment,   now    extending    over 
more   than    .300    acres   of    land   and 
employing  quite  .300  men  has  been  formed.     Messrs. 
Clibran's  principal   nurseries   are   at   Altrincham, 
distant   only  seven   miles   from   Manchester,  and 


*  "  A  Garden  Diary."  By  the  Hon.  Emily  Lawless. 
Methueii  and  Co.,  London.    1901. 

t  "The  Comnleat  Angler."  Published  by  .1.  M.  Dent, 
AJdine  House,  London.    Price  4s.  6d.  net. 


one  of  the  most  flourishing  suburbs  of  this  city. 
They  are  conveniently  placed,  tor  they  are  but 
fifteen  minutes'  walk  from  Altrincham  Station  — 
Manchester  and  Altrincham  Railway— ten  minutes' 
walk  from  Broadheath  Station—  London  and  North- 
western Railway — and  fifteen  minutes'  walk  from 
West  Timperley  Station — Cheshire  Lines  Railway. 
In  addition  to  the  Oldfield,  Hale  and  Cemetery, 
Stamford  and  Carrington  Nurseries,  all  situated 
near  Altrincham  within  easy  reach  of  each  other, 
Messrs.  Clibran  have  seed  trial  grounds  at  Urm- 
ston,  near  Manchester,  and  a  branch  nursery  and 
seed  establishment  in  North  Wales.  Whilst  speak- 
inw  of  Wales  it  might  be  mentioned  that  within  the 
last  few  years  Messrs.  Clibran  have  carried  out 
extensive  planting  operations  on  the  hills  there  on 
behalf  of  the  Government. 

The  greenhouses  cover  no  less  than  five  acres  of 
ground,  and,  as  may  be  surmised,  contain  an 
astonishing  number  and  variety  of  plants.  Every- 
thing that  one  could  think  of  as  useful  for 
decorative  purposes,  whether  in  the  stove,  green- 
liouse,  or  home  is  to  be  found  here,  and  none 
perhaps  are  more  worthy  of  primary  mention  than 
the  splendid  collection  of 

CoDi^uMS  (Crotons). 

They  are  represented  by  plants  in  all  stages  of 
growth,  from  those  recently  propagated  to  giant 
specimens  retained  for  stock  purposes.  So 
numerous  are  the  varieties  that  we  can  only 
refer  to  a  few  of  those  that  by  reason  of  their 
brilliant  colour  and  attractive  marking  were 
particularly  noticeable.  A.  Pettigrew  (Clibran)  is 
a  handsome  new  variety  with  medium-sized  foliage, 
sturdy  habit,  and  in 
colour  one  of  the 
finest  yellows  we 
know.  Baron  F. 
Sallier  has  long 
broad  foliage,  the 
midrib  and  veins  in 
gold  and  crimson 
being  very  effective. 
Clibran's  Silver  is  a 
robust  grower,  has 
broad  leaves  that 
are  streaked  with 
silver  along  the 
midrib  and  mar- 
gined with  green. 
Masterpiece  is  a 
most  distinct 
variety,  and  a  wel- 
come addition  to  the 
list  of  new  Crotons. 
The  leaves  are  pen- 
dulous, beautifully 
twisted,  in  colour 
yellow  and  dark 
green.  Of  narrow- 
leaved  varieties, 
Mrs.  Clibran,  richly 
variegated  with 
deep  red  and  yelfow; 
Oldfield  Gem,  ivory 
lemon  and  red ; 
Mrs.  Lewis,  bright 
yellow,  of  Goraipact 
and  graceful  habit  ; 
and  Pridte  oi  Old- 
field,  whose'QiOttled 
yellow  lemon  foliage 
is  occasionally  in- 
terrupted, are  a  few 
of  the  best ;  innu- 
merable others there 
are,  however,  well 
deserving  of 
detailed  mention. 
The  stove 


their  'oest.  Of  the  dwarf-growing,  highly  coloured 
ones  Lord  Wolseley  is  to  be  recommended, 
the  youngest  leaves  are  a  rich  crimson-carmine, 
the  older  ones  a  bronzy  green  with  a  crimson 
border.  D.  indivisa  Uoucetti  is  a  splendid 
Drac.-ena,  and  has  the  advantage  of  thriving  well 
in  a  cool  or  intermediate  house.  It  reaches  a  good 
height,  is  of  very  graceful  habit,  and  the  green 
leaves  are  broadl}'  margined  with  white.  In  their 
collection  of  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  Messrs. 
Clibran  have  many  that  are,  unfortunately, 

BUT   SELDOM    SEEX 

in  our  glass  houses,  although  some  are  so  beautiful 
that  it  seems  a  great  pity  that  they  should  be 
practically  lost  to  cultivation.  Of  such  plants  we 
noted  the  following: — Clerodendron  splendens 
speciosissima,  a  stove  climber  bearing  lovely  orange- 
scarlet  blossoms;  C.  fragrans  flore-pleno,  with 
white  flowers  very  sweetly  scented  ;  Cassandra 
unduhefolia,  that  has  handsome  dark  green  foliage 
and  pretty  salmon-tinted  flowers ;  Tabernn'raontana 
coronaria  fl.-pl.  with  deliciously  scented  white 
flowers,  should  be  in  every  collection  of  stove 
plants ;  Medinilla  magnifica,  Medinilla  Curtisii 
a  dwarf  plant  bearing  flowers  about  /,  inch  in 
diameter,  the  corolla  being  ivory  white,  and  much 
beautified  by  the  tuft  of  purple  stamens  ;  the  white 
variety  of  Acalypha  sanderiana  was  pointed  out,  and! 
several  very  pretty  varieties  of  Vinca  minor  were 
noticeable.  'These  make  charming  little  specimens,, 
flowering  so  freely  as  they  do,  and  comprising: 
several  very  good  varieties  ;  Posoqueria  multiflora 
has  loose  heads  of  tubular  white  flowers  sweetly 
scented.     Convolvulus  cneorum,   with   its   silvery 


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Drac^nas 

are  well  repre- 
sented, and  in  a 
collection  like 
Messrs.  Clibran'.-; 
one  can  see  these 
invaluable  plants  at 


mMi 


ROSE    KEINE    OLGA    DE    WURTEMBURG    ON    A    BALLOON-SHAPED    TRELLIS. 
(From  "  Gardenivg  for  Bejinners." j 


420 


THE    GAEDEN. 


I. Tune  8,   1901. 


ZONAL  PELARGONIUMS  IN   MESSRS.    CLIBRAN  S   NURSERY. 


leaves  and  white  blooms,  is  very  attractive,  as  also 
is  Tremandra  verticillata,  a  hard-wooded  green- 
house plant  bearing  beautiful  blue  flowers.  Such 
are  a  few,  at  least,  of  those  deserving  plants  in 
danger  of  being  forgotten  altogether,  and  Messrs. 
Clibran  are  doing  a  very  good  work  in  essaying  to 
again  place  them  before  the  public. 

Urceocharis  Clibrani 
is,  as  one  would  e.\pect,  well  in  evidence.  This 
plant  was  raised  by  Messrs.  Clibran  between  the 
yellow  drooping  flowered  Ureeolina  aurea  peudula 
and  Eucharis  amazonica.  The  flowers  are  pure 
white,  and  borne  well  above  the  foliage  on  long 
stems.  For  decorative  purposes,  more  especially 
as  a  cut  flower,  it  is,  like  the  Eucharis,  most  useful. 
One  seldom  sees  Daphne  indica  and  D.  indiea 
rubra  in  such  rude  liealth  as  they  are  at  Altrinc- 
ham,  for  many  find  a  difficulty  in  successfull}' 
cultivating  this  plant.     The  stove 

Antiiuriums 
are  indispensable  plants,  their  spathes  remain 
bright  for  months  together.  Among  the  many 
well  coloured  varieties  now  in  cultivation  it  would 
be  difficult  to  find  one  to  surpass  in  brilliancy  of 
colouring  one  introduced  by  Messrs.  Clibran,  and 
known  as  Fletcheiianum.  It  is  of  the  Andreanum 
type,  and  the  spathes,  more  than  7  inches  long,  are 
of  a  rich  glossy  dark  crimson.  Of  the  whites,  A. 
Laingii  is  undoubtedly  the  best.  The  spathes  are 
6  inches  to  8  inches  long,  and  ivory  white.  The 
spadi-\  is  of  a  rich  flesh  colour.  Allhough  the 
Primulas  and  Cyclamens  were  practically  (juitc 
over  at  the  lime  of  our  visit,  one  could  form  an 
opinion  of  the  picture  they  must  have  been  by  the 
seed  pods  innumerable  which  the  plants  are  now 
bearing.  It  was  not  too  late,  however,  to  see 
Primula  Mrs.  Clibran,  a  fine  double  blush,  and 
Oldfield  Blue,  an  excellent  single.  The  stock  of 
Camellias  is  a  large  one,  and  consists  of  plants  of 
many  different  sizes,  from  those  in  6-inch  pots  to 
giants  planned  out,  and  from  which  cut  flowers 
and  grafts  are  obtained. 

Carnations, 
both  border  and  tree  varieties,  are  a  speciality  at 
Altrinchani,  and  are  represented  by  a  very  exten- 
sive collection  of  plants.  Several  new  Carnations 
have  recently  been  raised  by  Messrs.  Clibran,  one 
of  which.  Miss  Clibran,  was  in  flower,  it  is  a  rich 
bright  ro.se  in  colour  ;  Carnation  Mrs.  Weller,  with 
a  yellow  ground,  striped  carmine  pink,  is  also  an 
excellent  novelty.  The  Calceolarias  are  exceed- 
ingly fine,  both  as  regards  the  culture  of  the  plants 
and   the   form    and    colouring   of    the   individual 


flowers.  The  Horned  Calceolaria  (C.  cornuta)that 
Messrs.  Clibran  have  is  decidedlj'  interesting  ;  on 
both  sides  of  the  top  of  the  pouch  are  small 
"horns,"  hence  the  above  name.  Cinerarias,  of 
both  the  greenhouse  and  cruenta  tj'pes,  are  exten- 
sively cultivated,  as  well  as  a  vast  array  of 

Zonal  and  Fancy  PELARfioNiuMs. 

The  Fancy  Pelargoniums  now  just  opening  are 
rich  in  good  things  —  Oldfield  Defiance,  Lady 
Wyndham  Quin,  H.  H.  Thomas,  and  several 
unnamed  seedlings  were  noticed. 

It  would  take  long  to  refer  to  all  the  principal 
genera  that  with  Messrs.  Clibran  are  represented, 
but  the  accompanj'ing  illustrations  will  give  some 
idea  of  the  extent  to  which  certain  classes  of  plants 
are  cultivated.  Magnolias  in  pots  are  very  good, 
and  the  best  of  all  perhaps  is  M.  Lennei,  that 
bears  large  flowers,  the  exterior  of  whose  petals  is 
a  rich  purple-pink,  so  that  this  Magnolia  in  the 
bud  state  is  particularly  beautiful.  Cupressus 
macrocarpa  lutea  is  grown  in  large  quantities,  and 


is  undoubtedly  the  best   of   the   yellow   conifers. 
Roses  and  Clematises  in  pots,  the  curious 

.Japanese  Fern  Baskets 
in  a  great  variety  of  shapes  are  all  full  of  interest, 
and  if  such  were  possible  should  be  more  full}' 
referred  to.  ilention  has  not  been  made  of  the 
extensive  and  representative  collections  of  Conifers, 
hardy  evergreen  and  deciduous  shrubs,  orna- 
mental flowering  trees.  Rhododendrons,  fruit  trees, 
herbaceous  plants,  &c. ,  each  of  which  class  of  plants 
has  many  acres  devoted  to  its  culture.  The  Rho- 
dodendrons alone,  for  instance,  cover  about  30  acres 
of  ground,  and  in  a  verj'  short  time  this  quarter 
of  the  nursery  will  be  a  picture  of  beauty. 
Particularly  fine  are  the  specimen 

Hollies 
of  which  Messrs.  Clibran  have  one  of  the  finest 
collections  in  the  countr}'.  These  are  cultivated 
at  the  Hale  Nurseries,  Altrinchani,  and  comprise 
plants  varying  from  2  feet  or  3  feet  in  height  up  to 
grand  specimens  quite  15  feet  high  ;  these,  how- 
ever, may  be  removed  with  perfect  satet}',  owing 
to  the  regular  methods  of  lifting  and  transplanting 
adopted.  Well  grown  and  shapely  Hollies  are 
indispensable  to  the  embellishment  of  a  garden, 
and  with  the  many  beautiful  varieties,  both  of  the 
green  and  variegated  leaved  sorts  that  are  now  to 
be  had,  a  selection,  representing  great  varietj'  of 
colour  and  form  can  be  made. 

The  Fruit  Trees 
also  are  well  in  evidence  ;  50  acres  or  more  are 
given  up  to  their  culture,  and,  in  addition  to  a 
large  stock  of  standard  and  bush  Apples  and 
Pears,  the  trained  specimens  of  these,  as  well  as 
of  Cherries,  Peaches,  Nectarines,  &c.,  is  very 
considerable.  These  also  are  grown  at  the  Hale 
and  Cemetery  Nurseries  ;  indeed,  the  ground  here 
is  almost  entirely  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of 
forest  trees,  shrubs,  and  fruit  trees. 

In  Water  Street,  Manchester,  Messrs.  Clibran 
and  Son  liave  farm  and  garden  seed  warehouses, 
while  in  Market  Street  this  firm  has  a  very  large 
bulb,  seed,  and  cut  flower  business.  Cut  flowers  are 
grown  in  the  Oldfield  Nurseries,  and  the  accom- 
pan3'ing  illustration  of  a  house  of  Lily  of  the 
Valley  shows  what  great  quantities  are  required 
to  meet  tlie  demand.  Messrs.  Clibran  informed 
us  that  they  have  not  been  without  Lily  of  the 
Vallej'  since  September  last.  Such  is  a  brief  and 
by  no  means  exhaustive  description  of  one  of  our 
leading  nursery  firms,  remarkable  for  the  rapidity 
with  which  it  has  developed,  and  for  the  pro- 
gressive policy  with  which  the  development  is 
maintained. 


lilies  oe  the  valley  at  mlssrs.  uliuran  s. 


June  8,  1001.] 


THE  GARDEN 


421 


NOTES    FROM    SCOTLAND. 

MR.   COWAN'S   GARDEN    IN 
DAFFODIL    TIME. 

PERHAPS  the  one  place  in  Scotland  that 
the  newest  Daffodils  are  to  be  found 
growing  side  by  side  with  the  best  of 
the  older  varieties  is  in  the  gardens  of 
Valleyfield  House,  Midlothian.  I  found 
them  in  perfect  condition  in  the  first 
week  of  May,  when,  with  Mr.  Cowan,  two  hours 
were  profitably  spent  discussing  matters  concern- 
ing Daffodils  in  particular,  and  horticulture  in 
general. 

With  some  two  exceptions,  the  whole  of  the 
varieties  and  species  are  in  the  best  of  health,  and 
show  perfectly  the  characteristics  of  the  several 
kinds.  One  of  the  bad  doers  here  is,  strangely 
enough.  Countess  of  Annesley,  but  against  that 
there  are  magnificent  examples  of  Ajax  maximus, 
though  Mr.  Cowan  modestly  attributes  his  success 
with  this  to  the  strain  being  an  Irish  one — Mr. 
Hartland's.  Other  sorts  that  have  acquired  a 
disagreeable  notoriety  in  Scotland  for  difficulty  in 
culture  are  here  growing  and  flowering  equally 
well.  Such,  for  example,  are  Princess  Slary, 
Duchess  of  Westminster,  Van  Sion,  and  Pallidus 
priBcox,  than  which  nothing  could  be  more 
satisfactory.  All  the  newer  varieties  are  doing 
well,  and  with  the  exception  of  Apricot,  which 
is  by  no  means  an  acquisition  as  seen  at  Valleyfield, 
all  possess  some  commendatory  points.  Of  the 
Trumpets,  Prince  Alfred,  reminiscent  of  Maximus, 
is  remarkable  for  the  lengthened  and  stout  stalk 
which  carries  its  fine  flower.  Willie  Barr  is 
smaller  but  very  free.  Queen  Wilhelmina,  a  soft 
tinted  bicolor,  is  very  attractive,  the  trumpet 
having  a  peculiarly  glittering  appearance.  The 
bold  Glory  of  Leiden  grows  here  most  vigorously, 
and  Shakespeare  is  another  of  De  Graaf  Brothers' 
seedlings  that  promises  well. 

Here  we  have  also  Weardale  Perfection,  Mme. 
Plemp,  and  Monarch  each  in  perfect  condition. 
Mr.  Cowan  names  J.  B.  M.  Camm  as  a  favourite, 
and  he  has,  as  a  matter  of  course,  quantities  of 
Emperor,  of  Empress,  of  Grandee,  and  a  very  fine 
form  of  the  early-flowering  Princess,  which,  like 
Maximus,  is  an  introduction  from  Ireland.  Of 
white  Trumpets,  Snowflake  and  Exquisite  are 
pretty,  but  Mme.  de  Graaf  is  less  good  than  usual. 
Among  the  star  -  flowered  forms,  Burbidgei 
Vanessa  and  Incomparabilis  Ossian  were  still  in 
the  bud,  therefore  both  of  much  value  to  those 
who  require  a  long-continued  season  of  Daffodils 
for  cutting  purposes.  Of  those  in  flower  mention 
may  be  made  of  Mary  Cowan,  with  a  full  yellow 
chalice  and  broad  white  segments,  Incomparabilis, 
King  of  the  Netherlands,  a  really  beautiful  and 
distinct  form.  Queen  Sophia  in  this  section  was 
equally  fine.  The  Leedsii  section  was  well  repre- 
sented bj'  all  the  good  kinds,  such  as  Minnie  Hume, 
Mrs.  Langtry,  Duchess  of  Westminster,  Katherine 
Spurrell,  and  other  fine  varieties.  Backhousei  as 
grown  here  is  a  desirable  sort,  and  Barri  con- 
spicuus  maintains  its  character  as  a  first  -  rate 
kind. 

All  Messrs.  Veitch's  new  hybrid  Polyanthus 
forms  are  on  trial,  and  doing  well.  Mr.  Cowan 
thinks  very  highly  of  Starlight  with  a  poeticus 
bloom.  The  kind  that  proved  most  attractive  to 
myself  was,  however,  Lydia.  All,  however,  are 
well  worth  attention  by  gardeners  to  cultivate  for 
cut  flowers. 

In  addition  to  the  numerous  Narcissus  cultivated 
under  the  best  conditions,  many  groups  are  planted 
under  trees  on  the  steep  sloping  banks  on  one  side 
of  the  garden,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  quantities 
are  in  pots,  but  from  the  appearance  of  those  of  the 
present  year  the  latter  are  not  subjected  to  forcing. 
Though  the  extent  of  garden  ground  is  restricted, 
Mr.  Cowan  has  made  room  for  a  good  sized  pergola 
on  which  to  grow  climbers,  herbaceous  flowering 
plants  flank  it  on  each  side,  and  a  kind  of  supple- 
mental pergola  serves  as  an  approach  to  one  of  the 
garden  gates.  Roses — large  bushes  of  Penzance 
Brier  and  Tea  and  other  climbing  Roses  on  walls — 
are  much  in  evidence,  where  they  appear  to  have 


ousted  fruit  trees,  and,  not  content  with  high 
walls,  wires  are  attached  to  trees  beyond  to  tempt 
the  more  rampant  sorts  lo  mount  beyond  the 
shelter  of  stone  and  lime.  Herbaceous  plants 
and  hardy  bulbs  are  largely  cultivated,  alpine 
plants  more  sparingly,  and  a  long  border  is 
furnished  with  Carnations. 

I  also  had  the  pleasure  of  a  run  through  the 
garden  of  Mr.  Cowan's  son,  which  adjoins  that 
just  described.  Here  the  greater  portion  of  the 
ground  available  for  gardening  is  arranged  as 
rockeries.  As  a  whole  it  may,  indeed,  truly  be 
described  as  a  huge  rock  garden,  and  just  as 
Daffodils  are  the  chief  feature  of  the  former,  so  are 
all  kinds  of  hardy  alpines,  shrubs,  and  bulbs 
treated  in  this.  In  a  fast  running  stream  a  number 
of  tubs  are  arranged,  but  only  partially  submerged, 
and  in  these  moisture-loving  plants  are  cultivated, 
and  among  them  a  Phyllostachys,  which,  after 
experiencing  20°  of  frost  a  few  weeks  ago,  does  not 
look  at  all  happy.  R.  P.  Ekothekston. 


EDITORS'    TABLK. 


Dwarf  Bean  Sutton's  Perfection. 

This  is  an  excellent  variety  for  outside  or  inside 
culture.  It  is  not  claimed  to  be  an  early  kind,  as 
there  are  others  more  suitable  for  that  particular 
purpose,  but  for  following  early  sorts  or  for  a 
general  crop  it  is  very  good  indeed.  The  raisers 
say  that  it  keeps  for  a  long  time  without  going 
string-like — a  fact  worth  knowing  in  hot  and  dry 
weather,  and  which  I  have  proved  to  be  the  case. 
In  flavour  and  appearance  it  is  unsurpassed,  and 
deserves  to  be  more  widely  known. — .1.  G. ,  The 
Retreat^  Cam,  Gloucester. 

[A  boxful  of  pods  came  with  this  note.  We 
tried  them  and  found  them  excellent. — Eds.] 


Cytisus  andreanus  from  Seed. 
"J.  A.  A."  sends  flowers  of  C.  andreanus  to 
show  the  great  difference  that  exists  in  .seedlings. 
Our  correspondent  writes  :  "  Among  several  large 
plants  raised  by  me  from  seed  there  is  one  very 
striking  kind,  the  colour  of  the  flowers  being 
almost  dark  orange  ;  it  is  also  about  a  week  earlier 
than  the  rest.  The  flowers  are  extremely  effective 
in  a  large  mass,  when  it  looks  quite  different  from 
the  ordinary  variety.''  A  very  beautiful  form 
indeed,  with  graceful  shoots  covered  with  rich 
orange-brown  coloured  flowers.  A  seedling  to  take 
care  of. 


Hepatioa  triloba  ale  a  plena. 
A  very  pretty  and  rare  flower  from  A.  M.  C. 
van  der  Elst,  the  Tottenham  Nurseries,  Limited, 
Dedemsvaart,  near  ZwoUe,  Netherlands,  with  the 
following  note  :  "  Although  this  plant  is  not  alto- 
gether a  novelty,  and  on  various  occasions  single 
examples  of  it  have  been  found,  it  has  never  been 
cultivated  to  any  extent.  Our  stock,  comprising 
some  700  plants,  has  been  derived  from  a  single 
plant  found  several  years  ago  in  the  Hazz  Moun- 
tains by  the  son  of  a  nurseryman."  We  welcome, 
indeed,  a  plant  with  flowers  so  pretty  as  those  of 
this  double  white  Hepatica,  and  those  interested  in 
alpines  should  make  note  of  it. 


Spurred  Columbines. 
Mr.  Lindsay  Bury  sends  from  Wiloot  Manor, 
Pewsey,  Wilts,  a  series  of  Spurred  Columbines  in 
delightful  colourings.  No  prettier  flower  graces 
the  garden  at  the  present  moment  than  the  Colum- 
bine raised  from  a  carefully  chosen  strain  in  which 
the  flowers  are  spurred  and  of  many  colours — soft 
rose,  aprioot,  yellow,  and  an  intermingling  of 
shades,  reminding  one  of  some  delicately  tinted 
Tea  Rose.  Such  a  gathering  of  flowers  is  a  pleasure 
to  have  upon  our  table. 


well  filled  but  not  crowded  spikes  ;  the  anthers 
are  lemon-yellow.  I),  discolor  granditlora. — The 
backs  of  the  petals  have  a  rosy  tinge  ;  the  calyx, 
peduncle,  and  stem  are  also  tinted  with  warm 
colour.  D.  discolor  purpurascens  "species"  (?) — 
A  bold  rose- white  flower,  rather  heavily  coloured 
outside  ;  the  white  winged  filaments  and  strong 
yellow  anthers  give  the  flower  a  very  bright 
appearance  ;  buds  rose  -  coloured,  peduncles  and 
calyx  also  reddish.  D.  gracilis  campanulata. — 
Flowers  large,  clear  white,  slightly  nodding, 
peduncle  red-tinted,  anthers  deep  yellow.  D. 
gracilis  rosea. — A  very  dainty  flower  tenderly 
flushed  with  pink.  D.  gracilis  carminea.  — Much 
like  D.  discolor  purpurascens. 


Mr.   W.   E.    Gumbleton  sends  from    his  garden 
near  Queenstown,  Ireland,  an 

Interesting  Series  of  Deutzias, 
comprising  the  following  varieties  :  D.  Lemoinei. — 
Clear  warm  white  of  the  yellow-white  colouring, 


.  A  Good  Winter  Wallflower. 
"  B.  M.  B."  sends  from  near  Bedford  flowers  of 
Barr's  Extra  Eat'ly  Parisian  Wallflower,  a  pretty 
deep  yellow  flower  veined  with  red-brown.  The 
whole  flower  is  much  enriched  by  the  petals  being 
backed  with  a  rich  mahogany  tint.  A  letter 
accompanying  the  flowers  says  : — "  It  has  been  in 
flower  in  my  garden  for  nearly  ten  months  without 
intermission.  The  seed  was  sown  early  in  .June 
last  year,  and  the  seedlings  began  to  bloom  before 
August  10.  Some  were  transplanted  and  some 
left  where  sown,  and  all  were  equally  valuaVjle  in 
giving  cut  flowers  for  the  house  and  affording  a 
patch  of  bright  colour  right  through  the  winter. 
In  very  cold  weather  the  plant  droops,  but  revives 
at  once  when  the  temperature  rises,  and  the  buds 
do  not  seem  to  suffer.  We  had  frequently  15"  or 
20°  of  fi'ost.  Few  things  in  my  garden  give  me 
greater  pleasure,  and  I  find  many  people  are 
unacquainted  with  it." 

Some  Rare  Irises. 
"  T.  C.  L."  sends  from  Kent  blooms  of  four  un- 
common and  interesting  Irises,  namely,  I.  Purdyi, 
a  flower  of  moderate  size  and  of  remarkable  colour, 
a  pale  nankeen,  the  falls  veined  with  red-purple  ; 
Iris  humilis,  much  of  the  same  class  as  the  well- 
known  I.  graminea ;  Iris  tenax,  flowers  about 
2J  inches  in  diameter,  bright  and  rather  light  red- 
purple,  white  to  the  base  of  the  falls,  where  it  is 
veined  with  a  deeper  shade  of  the  same  purple, 
leaves  pale  green,  linear  ;  Iris  prismatica,  a  very 
beautiful  flower  'Ah  inches  across,  of  a  splendid 
deep  violet- blue  colour,  wonderfully  varied  on  the 
half  of  the  falls  nearest  their  base  by  passing  into 
a  greenish  band  edged  with  brown,  spotted  and 
veined  with  darker  markings.  These  are  all 
beardless  Irises. 

Flowers  from  Ireland. 
We  receive  from  Mr.  George  Walpole's  beautiful 
garden  in  County  Wicklow  the  following  flowers  : 
A  large-flowered  variety  of  Clematis  raontana, 
with  blooms  3j  inches  in  diameter  ;  a  branch  of 
Tricuspidaria  hexapetala,  with  its  bright  scarlet 
hanging  flowers  on  long  peduncles  ;  a  beautiful 
greenhouse  shrub  from  Chili  ;  Atragene  alpiua, 
unusually  good  in  colour ;  Calceolaria  violacea, 
a  charming  plant  that  should  more  often  be  in 
gardens  ;  and  a  handsome  flower-spike  of  Arbutus 
Andrachne. 


A  Curious  and  Distinct  Lily  of  the  Valley. 
Mr.  Vrenydenhill,  Haarlem,  Holland,  sends  us 
flowers  of  a  Lily  of  the  Valley  with  quite  double 
flowers,  borne  in  threes  on  the  short  pedicel,  not 
singly  as  is  more  usual.  It  is  very  free,  robust 
and  fragrant,  and  will  probably  last  much  longer 
in  beauty  than  the  ordinary  variety. 


I  am  sending  you  a  few  blooms  of 
Clematis  Lady  Stratford  de  Redcliffe. 
This  is  growing  on  a  small  trellis  pergola  in  the 
garden  here.  It  is  always  the  flrst  Clematis  (away 
from  a  wall)  to  bloom.  We  treat  it  as  a  member 
of  the  Jackmani  section,  and  prune  it  down  to 
the  ground  each  year.  Directly  it  starts  to  grow 
it  blooms  about  2  feet  from  the  ground  ;  then  it 
makes  a  tremendous  growth,  and  flowers  with  the 
Jackmani  which  are  on  the   same  pergola.     There 


422 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June   8,  1901. 


MESSRS.    WEBB    AND    SONS'    GROUP    OF    CALCEOLARIAS    AT   THE    RECENT   TEMPLE   SHOW. 


is  no  doubt  lanuginosa  or  patens  blood  is  in  it, 
although  classed  as  a  Jackmani.  —  Arthur  C. 
Goodwin. 

[The  flowers  sent  are  extremely  refined  and 
beautiful,  5i  inches  across,  and  of  a  tender  pale 
lavender-lilac  colouring.  A  pale  green  band  that 
passes  down  the  middle  of  the  outside  of  the  petal 
shows  faintly  on  the  front  and  enhances  the 
beauty  of  a  singularly  lovely  flower. — Eds.] 

TULIPA  Sprengeri. 
Mr.  Hartland  sends  from  Cork  a  boxful  of 
flowers  of  this  beautiful  Tulip  "grown  from  seed 
sown  two  years  ago  last  September."  We  have 
received  many  interesting  contributions  to  our 
table,  but  few  more  so  than  this,  which  has  flowers 
of  much  grace  on  long  slender  stems,  while  their 
colouring  is  best  described  as  a  warm  orange-red. 
A  very  beautiful  garden  kind  to  group. 

The  Double  Wistaria. 
Among  many  interesting  things  sent  by  Mr. 
Anthony  Waterer  from  Knaphill  none  is  more 
welcome  than  a  glorious  flowering  branch  of  the 
double  Wistaria.  Mr.  Waterer  writes  that  he 
has  never  seen  the  Wistarias  so  fine  as  this  year, 
and  we  quite  believe  this,  because  the  double 
variety  is  flowering  splendidly.  The  branch  sent 
us  was  very  beautiful,  the  flower  clusters  of  good 
size,  and  each  flower  a  perfect  rosette  of  petals  of 
somewhat  darker  colour  than  the  ordinary  kind. 


Magnolia  Fraseri  (Aurioulata). 
The  room  was  soon  perfumed   with   flowers   of 
this  beautiful  Magnolia  from  Knaphill.     Its  silky 
green  leaves  have  a  charm  of  their  own,  and  the 
creamy  tone  of  the  flowers  is  pleasing  too. 


JilscuLUS  Brioti  and  other  Flowers. 
Mr.  Waterer  also  sent  spikes  of  this  brilliant 
scarlet  Horse  Chestnut,  one  of  the  brightest  and 
most  free-flowering  of  all  trees  in  bloom  at  this 
time,  the  white  Wistaria  (alba),  the  yellow- 
flowered  Pavia  flava,  and  the  Magnolia  acuminata 
(the  Cucumber  Tree)  cut  from  a  tree  50  feet  high. 

Mr.   Arnott,   Carsethorn,   N.B.,   sends    several 
things,  amongst  them 

TOLMIEA    MeNZIESII, 

"a  plant  belonging  to  the  Saxifrage  family,  and 
a  native  of  North-west  America,  whence  it  was 


introduced  in  1812.  It  is  the  only  species  of  the 
genus  known,  but  has  also  been  called  Tiarella 
Menziesii  and  Heuchera  Menziesii.  It  has  been 
offered  in  catalogues  as  having  terra-cotta  coloured 
flowers,  but  it  is  diflncult  to  see  where  that 
description  applies.  It  is  properly  greenish-brown, 
with  an  olive  shade  in  certain  lights  when  growing. 
It  is  a  plant  for  th^  wild  garden  or  an  out-of-the- 
way  corner,  as  it  is  far  from  attractive  in  a  border. 
The  flowers  are,  however,  rather  useful  at  times  to 
mix  with  others  of  a  brighter  colour,  and  the  plant 
is  often  noticed  because  of  its  viviparous  leaves, 
each  of  the  radical  ones  and  some  of  the  others 
producing  a  young  plant  at  the  base.  It  is  too 
early  for  this  to  show  at  present.  In  autumn  the 
leaves  drop  to  the  ground,  and  the  plantlets  can 
root  in  the  soil."     Also 

HiERACIUM    VILLOSUM, 

"one  of  the  few  Hawkweeds  worth  growing  in 
the  garden.  It,  however,  compensates  for  the 
weediness  of  many  of  the  genus,  and  makes  a 
really  pretty  garden  plant,  especially  on  a  dry 
sunny  border  or  rockery,  for  which  it  is  better 
suited  than  for  a  damp  or  shady  place.  I  usually 
meet  with  it  growing  on  the  level  in  the  border  or 
the  flat  terrace  of  a  rockerj',  but  it  look.?  much 
prettier  where  it  can  assume  a  pendant  habit,  and 
grows  over  a  large  stone  or  on  a  dry  sloping  bank. 
It  has  a  dislike  to  much  wet,  and  this  is  probably 
the  cause  of  its  being  lost  in  some  gardens.  Its 
large  yellow  flowers  and  fine  woolly  foliage  make 
it  look  very  attractive  in  a  suitable  place.  It  is 
one  of  the  best  of  the  genus  which  I  have  met 
witli,  although  not  often  seen.  It  is  only  fair  to 
say  that  it  has  been  called  H.  valdepilosum  also, 
and  in  the  present  state  of  the  nomenclature  of  a 
notoriously  difficult  genus  one  would  hesitate  to  be 
too  positive  as  to  which  is  correct.  I  think  it  is 
H.  villosum  of  Linnseus."    And 

Arisarum  proboscideum, 
"which  is  kn»wn,  too,  as  Arum  proboscideum,  a 
singular  little  Aroid  which  is  seldom  met  with  in 
gardens.  Although  it  has  been  described  in  an 
excellent  work  of  reference  as  having  a  greenish- 
purple  spathe  with  a  straight  tail,  this  is  hardly 
sufficient,  as  you  will  observe  that  the  base  of  the 
spathe  is  white,  the  upper  part  almost  a  chocolate- 
brown,  and  the  long,  singular  tail  is  not  straight, 
but  curved.  Although  not  what  one  would  call  a 
pretty  plant,  there  is  a  singularly  fantastic  look 
about  it  which  creates  a  feeling  of  interest  in  it 


and  of  a  desire  to  see  it  in  bloom  again  which  is 
sometimes  absent  with  more  showy  plants.  It  is  a 
native  of  South  Europe,  whence  it  was  introduced 
about  IS'23.  It  has  proved  quite  hardy  here  in  a 
shady  border  facing  east,  protected  from  the  north 
by  a  wall,  and  from  the  sun  of  the  south  by  a  tree." 


Cypripedium  parviflorum. 

This  handsome  and  perfectly  hardy  dwarf  Lady's 
Slipper  should  be  in  ever}'  collection  of  hardy 
plants  ;  it  is  of  very  easy  cultivation,  and  the  best 
position  for  it  is  in  some  nicely  sheltered  and  half 
shaded  spot  on  the  lower  flanks  of  rockwork,  or 
among  shrubs  planted  near  it  in  sandy  loam  with 
abundance  of  leaf-mould.  It  will  succeed  in  any 
sheltered,  somewhat  shaded,  and  well-drained  spot. 
It  is  rather  impatient  of  removal  when  once 
established,  and  should  be  allowed  to  make  large 
clumps.  Grown  in  this  way  it  is  most  effective. — 
T.  B.  Field,  Asku-dlthorpe  Hall  Gardens,  yoricirli. 

[Mr.  Field  sends  a  bunch  of  flowers  of  this 
beautiful  Lady  Slipper,  so  bright  in  colour  and 
pretty  in  form  ;  the  clear  yellow  of  the  lip  or 
pouch  is  very  charming  against  the  brown  dorsal 
sepal  and  long  petals. — Eds.] 


Abutilon  vitifolicm. 
Mr.  Hartland,  Patrick  Street,  Cork,  sends  a 
delightful  boxful  of  flowers  of  this  beautiful 
Abutilon  for  colour  and  form.  The  sender  sa3's  : 
"  The  birds  roost  in  it.  The  shrub  is  now  30  feet 
high,  and  a  mass  of  bloom." 

Halesia  diptera. 
Messrs.  Robert  Veitch,  The   Royal   Nurseries, 
Exeter,    send  a   branch    of   this   beautiful   white- 
flowered  tree.     The  senders  say  it  is  "  looking  very 
beautiful  vifith  us,"  and  this  we  can  quite  believe. 

Flowers  from  the  United  States. 
From  Mrs.  Freeman,  Boston,  U.S.A. — "From  a 
city  garden"  come  blooms  of  Mertensia  virginica, 
Campernel  Jonquil,  Corchorus  japonicus,  Dielytra 
spectabilis.  Cowslip,  Forsythia  suspensa,  Vinca 
minor,  and  Lily  of  the  Valley.  The  coloured 
blooms  are  especially  brilliant,  showing  how  well 
these  good  flowers  flourish  in  an  American  city. 

We  receive  from  Messrs.  Henkel,  of  Darmstadt, 
Pentstemon  riparius, 
a  handsome  species  nearly  18  inches  high,  with 
linear,  almost  glaucous,  leaves,  li  inches  to 
3^  inches  long.  The  1  inch  long  flowers  of  a 
tender  lilac  shading  to  white  are  in  a  handsome 
well-filled  spike.  A  desirable  plant  for  the  choice 
special  border  or  for  the  rock  garden  where  a  plant 
of  upright  habit  is  desired. 

Haplopappus  croceus. 
A  neat  yellow-bloomed  composite  about  6  inches 
high.     The  flowers  are  about  the  size  of  the  j'cllow 
Fleabane  of  our  roadsides.     It  should  be  a  good 
rock  garden  plant. 


Erigeron  glandulosus. 
Another   neat   rock   garden    plant    with    Daisy 
flowers  1  inch  in  diameter,  light  lilac  with  yellow 
disc. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(^The  Editors  are  not  respoiiMble  for  the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents.  ) 


GENTIANA     ACAULIS. 

[To  THE  Editor  or  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — When    I   was  in  Switzerland  nearly 
two  years  ago  I   obtained  and   brought 
home,    amongst   other   alpine   plants,    a 
plant   of    the    very   pale    blue    Gentian, 
similar,  apparentlj',  except  in  colour,  to 
the  Gentiana  acaulis,  both  of  which  are 
to  be  found  in  plenty  on  the  Grand  Scheidegg  and 
Gemmi.     This  plant  has  given   me  one  flower  on 
my  rockery  this  summer,  but  as  I  do  not  remember 


June  8,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


423 


to  have  seen  it  elsewhere,  and  as  it  was  not 
exhibited  amongst  the  alpines  at  the  Temple  show, 
I  am  led  to  asU  if  it  is  an  unusual  thing  to  grow  in 
England.  I  rememher  to  have  seen  it  in  quantities 
on  the  Alps,  and  as  it  is  a  flower  of  considerable 
bfiuity  I  aui  surprised  that  it  is  not  more  generally 
grown.  Frank  M.   Elgood. 

[The  pale  varieties  of  Gentiana  acaulis  are  well 
known,  but,  as  Mr.  Elgood  remarks,  it  is  to  be 
regretted  that  they  are  not  oftenerseen  in  gardens  ; 
the}-  are  probably  to  be  had  at  the  best  nurseries 
ft)r  alpine  plants. — Eds.] 

AQUILEGIA  GLANDULOSA  AND 

CLEMATIS  MONTANA. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  beg  to  enclose  a  few  blossoms  of  Aquilegia 
glandulosa  crossed  with  Clematis  montana.  I 
shall  feel  obliged  if  you  will  give  me  your  opinion 
of  them  through  your  valuable  journal,  and 
whether  you  think  there  is  a  decided  cross. 

A.  G.    HOOKINGS. 

The  GnrdenJi,  Oldoimi  House,  Lockington,  Glon- 
ce-'iterftkire. 

[The  Aquilegia  flowers  received,  as  far  as  we 
could  judge  from  the  much  faded  specimens,  show 
no  evidence  of  hybridisation  with  Clematis  mon- 
tana. The  two  plants  are  within  the  same 
natural  order,  but  of  such  distinct  genera  that 
success  in  an  attempt  to  produce  a  hybrid  would 
he  extremely  uidikely.  This  many-petalled  starry 
form  of  Columbine  is  not  unusual  in  A.  vulgaris, 
and  the  flower  is  never  so  beautiful  as  the  typical 
shape.  If  the  flower  should  really  be  such  a 
hybrid  as  is  supposed  it  is  not  good  enough  to  be 
of  garden  value. — Eds.] 


THE  VALUE  OF  CANNAS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I  was  pleased  to  see  "  A.  H.'s  "  notes  on  the 
Canna,  and  think  it  is  a  pity  they  are  not  more 
grown,  both  for  "bedding  out"  and  for  conser- 
vatory decoration.  I  herewith  enclose  a  photograph 
which  shows  some  plants  that  have  been  grown 
from  seed  this  year  ;  the  seed  was  sown  on 
January  24,  and  the  plant  commenced  to  flower 


about  May  1,5,  a  period  of  about  sixteen  weeks.  Their 
deep  green  and  bronze  leaves  are  quite  charming 
in  themselves,  and,  of  course,  their  spikes  of  bloom 
are  a  grand  addition  to  the  greenhouse  or  con- 
servatory. The  plants  average  about  20  inches  in 
height,  and  are  carrying  four  strong  growths  in 
8-inch  pots,  which  is  evident  they  will  continue 
blooming  for  some  time.  For  massing  together  in 
beds  the}' are  splendid,  and  repay  what  little  trouV>le 
they  give  (in  the  early  part  of  the  year)  by  their 
mass  of  bloom  until  the  frost  conies.  The  strain  of 
seed  sown  is  Sutton  Large-flowering  Dwarf. 
J.  W.  Sioee. 
(Gardener  to  F.  A.  Roberts,  Esq.) 

The  Common  Garden-i,  Windermei-e. 

[The   photographs   showed    plants    of    splendid 
growth  and  with  fine  flowers. — Eds.] 


AZALEA    ILLUMINATOR. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 
Sir, — This  pretty  little  Azalea  is  alluded  to  in  the 
notice  of  Messrs.  Fisher,  Son  and  Sibray's  nurseries 
as  quite  new,  a  statement  that  needs  at  least  a 
certain  amount  of  qualification.  It  was  shown 
and  a  fiisl-class  certificate  awarded  it  on  March  24, 
1885.  Two  years  later  it  was  distributed  by  Mr. 
William  Bull  of  Chelsea,  and  is  now  fairly  well 
known.  In  the  shape  of  little  bushes  it  has  been 
usi'd  for  the  embellishment  of  No.  4  greenhouse 
at  Kew,  at  all  events  for  the  last  two  or  three 
seasons.  Though  a  hybrid  between  A.  amrpna  and 
one  of  the  Indian  section,  the  flowers  are  altogether 
wanting  in  the  hose-in-hose  character  common  to 
many  of  these  hybrids.  A  variety  of  this  section 
which  is  just  now  the  most  popular  of  all  is  Hexe, 
alluded  to  in  The  Garden,  page  388,  as  Rho- 
dodendron indicum  Hexe.  This  was  raised  by 
Mr.  Otto  Forster  of  Lehenhof,  Germany  (the  raiser 
of  Rhododendron  forsterianum),  who  in  1878 
fertilised  a  flower  of  Azalea  Due  Adolf  von  Nassau 
with  pollen  from  A.  amoena.  The  result  was  the 
variety  Hexe,  now  often  sent  in  the  mixed  col- 
lections of  Azaleas  from  the  continent  in  the 
autumn.  It  also  formed  the  subject  of  a  coloured 
plate  in  The  Garden  nearly  nine  years  ago,  and 
some  very  pretty  examples  were  noted  in  Messrs. 
Turner's  group  at  the  recent  Temple  show.     By 


botanists  these  are  all  included  under  the  head  of 
Rhododendron,  but  the  name  of  Azalea  is  too 
firmly  fixed   to  be  eliminated  by  a  stroke  of  the 


pen. 


H.  P. 


A    HORNBEAM    W^ALK. 

In  large  places  where  there  are  brilliant 
parterres  and  flowers  well  used  in  many 
different  ways,  it  is  a  need  to  the  true  enjoy- 
ment of  all  this  beauty  to  have  the  occasional 
restfulness  of  simple  spaces  where  flowers  are 
not,  but  where  the  eye  and  mind  are  refreshed 
and  in  the  best  way  prepared  for  the  further 
enjoyment  of  the  brighter  scene.s.  Such  a 
place  as  this,  in  the  grounds  of  one  of  the  great 
houses  in  Derbyshire,  where  there  is  nothing 
of  vegetation  but  the  walls  and  niches  of 
Hornbeam  and  the  well-kept  turf,  is  not  only 
in  keeping  with  the  dignity  of  the  great  country 
house,  but  is  the  best  possible  preparation  for, 
and  termination  to,  a  happy  journey  among 
the  flowers. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

GARDENS     FOR     CITY 
CHILDREN. 

IN  his  thirteenth  annual  report  to  the  members 
of  the  Norwich  School  Board,  Mr.  D.  0. 
Holme  (the  Board's  Inspector)  states  : — 
The  gardens  at  Nelson  Street  have  been 
very  successful,  and  an  important  point 
with  respect  to  this  work — the  cost — has 
been  very  satisfactory.  Last  year  the  expenditure 
tor  maintenance  was  £6  19s.  7d.,  compared  with 
£9  Os.  4d.  received  for  sales,  being  a  profit  of 
£2  Os.  9d. ,  exclusive  of  the  grant.  The  cultivation 
was  limited  to  vegetables,  but  it  is  intended  to 
extend  the  work  to  flowers.  Atmospheric  obser- 
vations are  taken  by  the  boys,  and  they  understand 
that  it  is  necessary  that,  as  part  of  the  training, 
each  plot  should  "pay."  The  Norwich  Corpo- 
ration has  kindly  let   to  the  Board   a  portion   of 


r^" 


A  HORNBEAM   WAlKf AT.'HARDWICKB. 


424 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  8,    1901. 


Chapel  Field  Gardens  for  the  purposes  of  a  flower 
garden,  and  in  order  that  specimens  of  flowers  may 
be  supplied  cheaply  to  the  schools,  cultivated  l)y 
boys  from  the  Cook's  Place  School,  under  the 
direction  of  a  committee  of  the  Norwich  Teachers' 
Field  Club. 

The  City  Committee  has,  also,  on  the  repre- 
sentation of  the  Board,  decided  to  label  the 
trees  for  educational  purposes.  While  the  Field 
Club  does  not  constitute  a  part  of  the  Board's  own 
work,  the  influence  it  has  had  on  many  of  the 
teachers,  especially  in  inculcating  an  appreciation 
of  nature  teaching,  gives  me  the  excuse  for  men- 
tioning here  the  great  work  that  Mr.  Peake  has 
done  as  hon.  secretary  of  the  club  since  1896.  I 
have  arranged  for  the  infants  and  children  in  the 
lower  classes  in  schools  in  close  proximity  to  the 
fields  to  have  some  practical  instruction  in  the 
wonders  of  nature,  and  I  trust  that  this  will  be 
developed.  Mr.  Herbert  Spencer  says  :  "Children 
should  be  led  to  make  their  own  investigations  and 
to  draw  their  own  inferences.  They  should  be 
told  as  little  as  possible,  and  induced  to  discover 
as  much  as  possible."  This  is  peculiarly  the  want 
in  most  of  our  infants'  schools  and  in  the  lower 
classes  of  upper  schools,  where  kinder-garten 
methods  will  now  be  definitely  developed. 

The  gardens  at  Nelson  Street  have  been  already- 
described  in  the  columns.  The  gardens  in  Chapel 
Field  are  a  new  departure.  Every  Monday, 
Wednesday,  and  Friday  a  number  of  the  boys  from 
Cook's  Place  School  are  to  be  found  opposite  the 
children's  playground  working  at  a  piece  of  ground, 
60  yards  by  30  yards,  which  has  been  placed 
at  their  disposal  by  the  Corporation.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  note  that  now  the  gardens  are  added  to 
the  playground  a  considerable  slip  of  the  south-west 
end  of  Chapel  Field  Gardens  is  now  devoted  to  the 
children,  either  for  play  or  for  instruction.  It 
ought,  perhaps,  to  be  at  once  stated  that  no  one 
will  be  injured  by  this  concession  to  the  horti- 
cultural pursuits  of  Mr.  Peake's  lads.  Hitherto 
the  piece  of  ground  which  they  now  occupy  has 
been  a  turfed  space,  ' '  Please  keep  ofl'  the  grass  " 
being  everywhere  visible.  As  the  gardening 
operations  of  the  boys  proceed  the  rather  worn 
turf  will  be  replaced  with  flower  beds  radiant  with 
blooms,  some  of  the  beds  forming  a  miniature 
botanical  garden,  the  only  thing  of  the  kind  in  the 
city. 

The  lads  work  under  a  sjdlabus  approved  by 
the  Education  Board,  and  they  will  earn  grant  on 
examination.  During  suitable  weather  they  will 
be  found  in  the  gardens  three  hours  a  week,  each 
boy  having  his  own  bed.  The  primary  objects  of 
ohe  gardens  will  be  to  furnish  to  all  the  schools  of 
the  Board  in  Norwich  and  to  the  classes  at  the 
Technical  Institute,  according  to  season,  specimens 
of  flowers  for  object  and  other  lessons,  illustrating 
the  similar  British  orders,  and  of  affording  to  all 
those  who  are  interested,  especially  school  children, 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  these  plants  growing  in 
groups  of  the  same  kind.  In  all  twenty-six  beds 
are  to  be  laid  out,  a  number  of  which  are  to  be 
definitely  botanical  in  character.  In  one  of  these 
beds  are  now  to  be  found  plants  all  of  the  Butter- 
cup family — Buttercups  side  by  side  with 
Anemones  and  Pseonies.  In  another  bed  are  plants 
of  the  Daisy  order — Daisies,  Michaelmas  Asters,  Sun- 
flowers, &c. ,  in  another  bed  are  plants  of  the  Iris 
family,  and  so  on.  The  beds  are  prepared  by  the 
boys  themselves,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr. 
Peake,  who  is  an  enthusiastic  botanist,  and  who 
brings  to  this  work  all  the  ardour  which  he  threw 
into  the  series  of  lessons  in  English  literature 
which  he  gave  at  the  Board's  evening  continuation 
classes  during  the  winter,  Mr.  Peake  being  assisted 
by  Mr.  Harry  Robertson. 

The  gardens,  together  with  those  at  Nelson 
Street,  are  under  the  management  of  a  committee 
of  the  Field  Club,  of  which  Mr.  Duffin  is  president 
for  the  year,  and  Mr.  Looker  secretary,  and  of 
which  Mr.  Peake  has  been  secretary  for  the  past 
four  years.  The  Field  Club  consists  of  some  150 
teachers,  banded  together  for  the  purposes  of  the 
study  of  natural  history  and  of  assisting  them  to 
acquire  knowledge  for  lessons  in  what  for  want  of 
a  better  name  may  be  termed  "nature  study." 

Plants,  particularly  hardy  perennials,  are  needed 


both  at  Nelson  Street  and  at  Crook's  Place,  and 
would  be  gladly  welcomed  by  the  head  masters 
of  the  two  schools. — Ea-iteni  Daily  Prens. 


BIRDS    IN    THE    ORCHARD. 

We  occasionally  come  across  a  man  who  is  opposed 
to  spraying,  considering  it  an  altogether  too 
laborious  and  useless  work.  Such  a  man  cited  to 
me  an  orchard  where  its  Apples  were  unexcelled  in 
freedom  from  worms  and  the  orchard  equally  so  in 
imniunity  from  caterpillars. 

Now  this  seemed  pretty  strongly  to  confirm  his 
anti-spraying  views.  Thinking  that  there  was 
some  cause  for  this  high  state  of  excellence  where 
no  spraying  was  in  vogue,  I  had  an  interview  with 
the  owner  in  regard  to  this  matter,  and  was  told 
that  the  only  cause  he  could  assign  to  it  was  the 
work  of  birds,  for  during  last  spring  and  simimer 
myriads  of  birds  were  busily  engaged  in  the 
orchard.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  orchard  was  a 
grove  of  evergreens,  through  which  ran  a  stream  of 
water.  Amid  these  trees  numerous  nests  were  to 
be  found.  To  show  that  these  birds  had  a  power- 
ful influence  in  ridding, the  orchard  of  pests,  we 
will  cite  a  few  facts  issued  by  the  New  York 
Department  of  Agriculture.  The  United  States 
authorities  at  Washington  have  been  dissecting 
some  thousands  of  birds  and  have  made  records  of 
the  contents  of  the  stomachs  of  each  bird. 

We  will  now  name  a  few  birds  and  show  the 
contents  of  stomach.  The  winter  food  of  chick- 
adees was  found  to  be  largely  eggs  of  canker 
worms,  each  stomach  on  being  examined  contained 
300  to  450  eggs  of  the  canker  worm. 

Ninety-nine  per  cent,  of  the  stomach  coptents  of 
30  meadow  larks  was  caterpillars,  grasshoppers, 
and  beetles. 

In  46  black-billed  cuckoos  there  were  found 
906  caterpillars,  44  beetles,  96  grasshoppers, 
100  sandflies,  15  spiders. 

In  109  yellow-billed  cuckoos  there  were  found 
1,865  caterpillars,  242  grasshoppers,  69  bugs, 
6  flies,  and  86  spiders  ;  surely  there  was  but  very 
little  room  for  fruit.  In  one  stomach  alone  there 
were  2.50  tent  caterpillars.  From  two-thirds  to 
three-quarters  of  the  food  of  the  woodpecker 
consists  of  insects. 

In  two  flickers,  3,000  ants  were  found  in  each 
stomach.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  king  bird  is 
destructive  to  bees,  but  the  following  will  discredit 
this  assertion.  Out  of  281  king  birds  there  was 
only  fourteen  stomachs  which  had  bees,  and  90  per 
cent,  of  its  food  was  found  to  be  insects.  The 
blue  jay  eats  many  noxious  insects,  also  the 
crow,  barn-swallow,  and  our  old  familiar  friend 
the  robin. 

I  have  noticed  in  our  own  orchard  that  the 
woodpecker  seemed  quite  at  home  around  peach 
trees,  digging  for  all  they  were  worth  for  the 
peach  borer. 

We  might  relate  many  more  examples  in  these 
researches,  but  surely  enough  has  been  said  to 
show  that  birds  are  no  small  factor  in  this  matter 
of  ridding  our  orchards  of  insects.  Acts  of 
legislation  have  been  passed  forbidding  the 
slaughtering  of  many  birds,  and  now  each  of  us, 
as  individuals,  should  take  an  interest  in  rearing 
and  protecting  the  beautiful  feathered  fruit 
protectors,  and  only  be  too  happy  to  allow  them 
the  very  meagre  allowance  of  fruit  which  they 
eat,  and  which  is  indeed  very  small  in  com- 
parison to  the  insects  which  they  devour. 

Birds  need  the  protection  of  dense  trees,  quiet 
resting  places  in  which  to  hatch  their  eggs  and 
care  for  their  young  ;  evergreens  are  a  favourable 
resort  for  many  birds.  Birds  are  much  like  other 
animals,  they  can  become  to  a  certain  extent 
domesticated,  and  live  around  the  same  places  as 
well  as  any  domestic  fowl. 

Professor  D.  Lange,  in  his  book,  "  Our  Native 
Birds  ;  How  to  protect  and  how  to  attract  them," 
gives  a  case  where  a  lady  in  Vermont  has  made 
a  speciality  of  attracting  birds  to  her  gardens  and 
orchards,  and  she  has  succeeded  admirably  well. 
She  says:  "After  once  learning  to  take  food 
provided  for  them  the  birds  will  come  anywhere 
for  it,  to  windows  on   upper  stories  or  windows 


under  piazzas.  Her  main  reliance  in  winter 
seems  to  have  been  bones,  with  bits  of  meat  and 
marrow  remaining  upon  them,  which  were  nailed 
or  tied  into  trees  to  be  pecked  at.  Chickadees, 
woodpeckers,  and  many  others  go  to  them 
immediately." 

A  great  number  of  us  might  imitate  or  improve 
on  this,  and  entice  many  birds  to  our  surround- 
ings. If  we  cannot  do  this  we  can  at  least  stop 
the  small  boy  with  his  stones  and  sticks,  and  his 
robbing-nest  tendency,  also  the  big  boy  with  his 
gun. — J.  F.  Bkennan  (Grimsby)  in  the  Canadian 
Horticulturist. 


La^te  Apples. — Mr.  Baker  kindly  writes  in 
reference  to  our  note  in  The  Garden,  page  390  : 
"The  Apples  my  gardener  sent  you  were  kept  in 
a  shed  facing  north  with  thick  walls,  and  venti- 
lation at  the  top  and  on  the  ground.  The  place  is 
always  kept  dark,  and  if  necessary  the  floor 
(flagged)  wetted.  I  find  fruits  removed  from  the 
trays  and  put  on  the  flags  have  kept  better  since 
the  hot  weather  has  set  in." 

Dutch     Hopticultupal     and 

Botanical  Society.— At  a  meeting  of  the 
committee  of  this  society,  on  May  8,  first-class 
certificates  were  awarded  toAubrietia  Ma-rheimeri 
from  Mr.  B.  Buys  ;  Dedemsvart  and  Cineraria 
hybrida  Vieux  Rose  from  the  Zoological  Garden, 
Rotterdam  ;  Selenipedium  caudatuui  var.  Wallisi 
sent  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Hacke,  Baarn,  obtained  a  certi- 
ficate of  merit,  and  Vanda  Parishi  var.  niarriot- 
tiana  from  Mr.  W.  C.  Baron  von  Boetzelaer, 
Maartensdijk,  gained  a  botanical  certificate. 
Messrs.  Gratama  Brothers,  Hoogeoeen,  were 
awarded  a  gilded  silver  medal  for  a  collection  of 
cut  Roses. 

Phenological     Observations     for 

1900. — Mr.  Edward  Mawley  nas  sent  to  us  a 
booklet  bearing  the  above  title,  being  an  extract 
from  the  quarterly  Journal  of  the  Royal  Meteoro- 
logical Society,  and  compiled  by  Mr.  Mawley.  It 
is  full  of  interesting  observations  regarding  the 
weather,  crops,  appearance  of  birds,  butterflies, 
&c.  The  following  is  the  summarised  report  for 
1900  :  "  During  the  greater  part  of  the  winter  and 
spring  the  weather  proved  cold  and  sunless,  but  in 
the  summer  and  autumn  the  temperature  was,  as  a 
rule,  high,  and  there  was  an  unusuallj'  good  record 
of  bright  sunshine.  As  affecting  vegetation,  the 
two  most  noteworthy  features  of  the  Phenological 
year  were  the  cold,  dry,  and  gloomy  character  of 
the  spring  months,  and  the  great  heat  and  drought 
in  July.  Throughout  the  whole  of  the  flowering 
season  wild  plants  came  into  blossom  much  behind 
their  average  dates,  indeed,  later  than  in  any  year 
since  1891.  Such  spring  migrants  as  the  swallow, 
cuckoo,  and  nightingale  were  also  later  than  usual 
in  reaching  these  shores.  Taking  the  British  Isles 
as  a  whole,  the  crops  of  wheat,  barley,  and  oats 
were  all  more  or  less  under  average ;  the  yield  of 
hay  was  poor  in  the  southern  half  of  England,  but 
elsewhere  varied  from  a  fair  to  an  abundant  crop. 
Turnips  and  Swedes  were  almost  everywhere 
deficient,  but  there  was  a  heavy  crop  of  Mangolds. 
Potatoes  were  generally  under  average.  This  was 
a  bountiful  year  as  regards  fruit,  the  yield  of 
Apples,  Plums,  and  all  the  small  fruits  being 
remarkably  good. 

Mp.  'W.  Duncan  TuckeP,  Lawrence 
Road,  Tottenham,  N.,  sends  to  us  his  illustrated 
catalogue  of  horticultural  buildings.  The  numerous 
illustrations  are  from  photographs  of  conservatories, 
winter  gardens,  ferneries,  vineries,  &o. ,  in  dift'erent 
parts  of  the  kingdom.  A  speciality  is  made  of 
villa  greenhouses,  both  lean-to  and  span-roofed. 
Mr.  Duncan  Tucker  also  manufactures  and  erects 
all  necessary  heating  apparatus. 

Lectures  at  ChiSWick.— The  Rev.  Pro- 
fessor G.  Henslow,  M.A.,  V.M.H.,  has  arranged  to 
deliver  the  following  lectures,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  at  Chi.swick, 
on  Wednesday  evenings,  at  eight  o'clock.  June  12, 
"Propagation  of  Plants  without  Seeds."  June  19, 
"The  Awakening  of  Buds  and  the  Sleeping  of 
Leaves."  June  26,  "  How  Plants  Climb."  July  3, 
"Injuries  to  Plants  by  Smoke." — W.  Wii.ks, 
Secretary. 


GARDEN. 


-5^= 


-J^^m 


No.  1543.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[June  15,  1901. 


INJUDICIOUS  BOTANISING 

A  PAMPHLET  has  reached  us  describ- 
ing a  holiday  course  of  botanical 
rambles  for  teachers.  It  appears 
to  be  excellently  organised,  and 
doubtless  the  young  people  who 
take  part  in  it  will  gain  much  useful  know- 
ledge in  a  very  pleasant  way.  But  it  commits 
what  we  cannot  but  think  is  the  very  grave 
error  of  publishing  the  localities  of  scarce 
plants,  and  of  advising  that  they  should  be 
searched  for.  Surely  if  a  local  botanist  is 
aware  of  the  habitat  of  a  rarity  it  would  be 
better  not  to  show  it  to  a  score  of  people  ;  the 
general  educational  value  of  the  ramble  would 
not  be  decreased  by  the  one  omission,  and  a 
good  plant  may  be  saved  from  extinction. 

Already  much  damage  is  being  done  by 
botanical  collectors  near  London  ;  the  still 
beautiful  wilds  of  Epping  Forest  are  daily 
being  searched  and  robbed  of  their  treasures. 
The  true  botanist  is  never  to  be  feared,  but 
what  is  indeed  to  be  dreaded  is  the  host  of 
eager  young  collectors,  abounding  in  zeal  but 
wanting  in  discretion  and  discrimination,  that 
descend  upon  our  precious  wastes  and  wood- 
lands like  a  swarm  of  hungry  locusts  devouring 
and  destroying  by  tearing  up  beautiful  and 
perhaps  rare  vegetation  of  which  not  one  item 
in  ten  will  be  put  to  any  good  use. 

Sometimes  the  waste  is  quite  wanton,  for 
nothing  is  more  frequent  in  the  time  of  Blue- 
bells than  to  see  on  the  ground  gathered 
handfuls  that  have  been  idly  picked  and  then 
flung  away.  Many  thoughtless  people  say  that 
picking  flowers  does  no  harm  if  the  plants  are 
left,  forgetting  that  if  the  flower  is  taken  the 
plant  can  form  no  seed.  From  this  cause  many 
copses  where  a  few  years  ago  Primroses  were 
in  tens  of  thousands  have  now  but  few,  and  in 
a  few  years  more  will  have  none  at  all. 

We  do  not  by  any  means  wish  to  discourage 
legitimate  botanical  study  in  the  field  ;  far 
from  it,  only  to  entreat  those  who  conduct  the 
parties  to  be  cautious  and  watchful  of  our 
country's  treasures.  Much  good  might  be 
done  in  country  parishes  if  some  kindly 
naturalist  would  devote  a  couple  of  hours  on 
Sunday  afternoons  in  summer  in  helping  the 
village  lads,  who  would  otherwise  stand  idling 
at  the  cross  roads,  to  take  some  intelligent 
interest  in  the  flowers,  birds,  and  other  wild 
life,  and,  in  a  small  degree,  in  the  geology  of 
the  land  they  live  in.  Our  flora  is  too  precious 
to  expose  to  the  thoughtless  collecting  by  those 
to  whom  "  botanising "  is  perhaps  a  passing 


fancy.  It  has  suflered  much  in  the  past,  so 
much  so  that  many  beautiful  flowers  are  almost 
extinct. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


Kelway's  Pykethrdms. 
The  Pyrethrum  is  a  good  garden  flower,  and 
valuable  by  reason  of  its  comparatively  early 
opening.  Amongst  those  sent  by  Messrs.  Kelway 
are  many  beautiful  varieties  ;  for  instance  Melton, 
a  rich  deep  crimson  (double)  ;  Lady  Randolph 
Churchill,  a  double  white,  fine  large  flower  ;  Lady 
Kildare,  double,  pale  blush  pink,  yellow  centre  ; 
Ovid,  a  pretty  flower,  carmine-red  (double).  The 
singles  include  Queen  of  the  Whites,  a  large  bold 
flower  ;  Alice,  a  charming  colour,  deep  rose-lilac  ; 
Countess  of  Onslow,  blush  pink  ;  James  Kelway, 
rich  ruby-crimson  ;  and  Grizzell,  rich  rose. 


Two  Handsome  Ferulas. 

Specimens  of  Ferula  tingitana  and  F.  Linkii 
have  been  sent  to  us  by  Messrs.  Stansfield  Bros., 
St.  Luke's  Road,  Southport,  with  these  remarks. 
"At  this  season  of  the  year  F.  tingitana  takes  on 
a  most  beautiful  bronze  tint,  and  F.  Linkii  is  even 
still  finer.  It  is  of  a  rich  canary-yellow.  Both 
these  Giant  Ferulas  are  extremely  ornamental  and 
perfectly'  hardy,  preferring  a  deep,  well-drained 
soil  and  a  southern  aspect.  The  first-named  grows 
from  10  feet  to  12  feet  high,  the  latter  is  much 
dwarfer,  reaching  a  height  of  about  5  feet." 

[The  shoots  sent  by  Messrs.  Stansfield  fully 
deserve  all  that  has  been  said  of  them.  Ferula 
Linkii  is  particularly  beautiful,  and  is  undoubtedly 
a  valuable  hardy  foliage  plant. — Eds.] 


Rosa  microphylla  Simplex. 

How  seldom  one  meets  with  this  pretty  and 
interesting  old  Rose.  Ko  collection  of  Roses, 
however  small,  should  be  considered  complete 
without  it.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Himalayas,  and 
requires  a  rather  dry  soil  and  the  protection  of  a 
wall  or  a  sheltered  nook  in  the  garden.  Apart 
from  the  beauty  of  the  flowers  the  foliage  is  most 
useful  for  mixing  with  other  flowers.  If  the  buds 
of  this  Rose  are  cut  just  before  they  begin  to 
expand  and  are  placed  in  water  they  will  open 
freely  and  last  several  days. — T.  B.  Field,  Ash- 
welUhorpe  Hall  Gardens,  Norwich. 

[A  delightful  Rose,  pure  and  beautiful  in  colour, 
and  with  pretty  foliage.  — Eds.  ] 

Hybrid  Aquilegias. 
Messrs.  James  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Royal 
Exotic  Nursery,  King's  Road,  Chelsea,  send  a 
selection  of  Aquilegia  blooms,  remarkable  for  their 
soft  and  distinct  tints.  There  is  much  variety  of 
colour  amongst  them,  and  this,  together  with  their 
quaint  form,  make  them  invaluable. 


The  Peas  looked  very  flourishing,  and  the  first 
blooms  were  picked  on  May  12.  The  Peas  are 
growing  on  the  top  of  the  mound,  which  is  about 
14  feet  high,  and  on  the  side  exposed  to  all  the 
south-west  gales.  The  Sweet  Peas  that  were  sown 
in  drills  in  the  garden  in  the  first  week  last 
November  came  into  bloom  the  last  week  in 
May.  They  are  exceedingly  strong  and  covered 
with  flower  and  without  the  slightest  protection 
during  the  winter.  The  kinds  sent  are  Sutton's 
Giant  Flowering  Mixed. 


AUTDMN-SOWN  SwEET  PeAS. 
Mrs.  Thorneycroft  sends  a  splendid  gathering  of 
the  above  delightful  flowers  from  Bembridge,  Isle 
of  Wight,  with  the  following  interesting  notes  : 
The  seeds  were  sown  roughly  in  June,  1900,  on  a 
mound  of  earth  which  had  been  thrown  up  when 
making  alterations  in  the  garden  They  did  not 
bloom   that   year ;   but   they  did  at  Easter  time. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 

A    red-flowered    Camellia  out  of 

doors.  —  A  photograph,  unfortunately  not 
suitable  for  reproduction,  is  sent  by  Mrs.  Brown, 
of  a  fine  red  Camellia  growing  in  her  garden  near 
East  Grinstead.  It  is  described  as  from  8  feet  to 
9  feet  high,  covered  with  bloom,  and  in  the  most 
vigorous  health. 

The   late   Paris   show.— Judging  from 

Le  Jardin,  the  storm  which  visited  Paris  during 
the  recent  horticultural  exhibition  was  very  severe, 
and  "  E.  W."  refers  to  it  also  in  his  notes  this 
week.  Le  Jardin  contains  in  this  number  also 
(June  5)  a  coloured  plate  of  two  popular  Apples, 
the  Colville  and  Reinette  du  Canada. 

Lectures  on  crop  cultivation.— The 

secretary  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  sends  us  a 
syllabus  of  a  cour.=!e  of  ten  lectures  on  "Commercial 
Crop  Cultivation  in  Greater  Britain,"  by  Mr. 
R.  Hedger- Wallace,  to  take  place  in  the  gardens 
on  Friday  afternoons  at  four  o'clock,  from  June  7  to 
August  9. 

Notes    from    Baden  -  Baden.  —  The 

Himalayan  variety  of  Aster  alpinus  is  very 
distinct ;  the  whole  plant  is  more  dwarf,  free- 
flowering,  and  the  blooms  are  larger.  Dracoce- 
phalum  nutans  is  an  alpine,  the  deep  blue  flowers 
on  numerous  spikes  keeping  fresh  for  a  long  time. 
Silene  Haokeri,  with  its  large  flesh-coloured  flowers, 
the  laciniated  form  of  which  at  once  attracts 
attention,  is  a  Califomian  alpine,  and  one  of  those 
plants  the  wants  of  -n  hioh  must  be  studied  for  a 
long  time  to  get  them  to  full  beauty  ;  it  needs  the 
protection  of  a  frame.  Ranunculus  nyssanus  this 
season  has  been  more  showy  than  ever ;  the 
numerous  large  well-formed  flowers  of  a  brilliant 
citron-yellow  contrast  well  with  the  roughly  cut 
greyish  foliage  ;  it  dies  quite  down  in  summer  and 
autumn  and  is  perfectly  hardy.  Rheura  palmatum 
floribus  rubris  is  valuable  to  plant  singly  on  a  lawn, 
or  in  small  groups  on  the  edge  of  a  wood  or 
shrubbery  ;  it  has  showy  crimson  flowers  and 
comes  true  from  seed.  Meconopsis  paniculata 
grandis  and  another  species  are  soon  going  to 
ilower,  but  they  dislike  the  present  hot  and  dry 
atmosphere  ;  moreover,  thev  want  full  sun  ;  pani- 
culata is  yellow,  grandis  is  violet  flowered,  and 
both  are  remarkably  beautiful. — Max  Leichtun, 
Baden-Baden. 

Gloxinias  at  Roupell  Park  Nur- 
series.— Gloxinias  form  one  of  the  specialities 
at  the  above  nurseries  of  Messrs.  Peed  and  Sons, 
and  we  have  never  seen  a  richer  picture.  The 
plants  are  in  Sj-inch  pots,  the  foliage  almost 
completely  hides  the  pot,  being  some  9  inches  to 
12  inches  broad  and  12  inches  to  14  inches  long ; 
the  mass  of  flower  as  one  looks  down  the  house, 
60    feet   to   70   feet   long,    is   remarkable ;    every 


426 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  15,    1901. 


colour  imaginable,  excepting  one,  and  that  yellow. 
The  most  lovely  of  all  is  Countess  of  Warwick  ; 
the   edge   of   the  lobes  are  a  beautiful  soft  pink 
with  white  throat.     We  are  not  surprised  at  the 
number  of  awards  and  certificates  this  variety  has 
received.     The  next   to   attract   our   attention   is 
raised  from  the  same  pod  of  seed  from  which  came 
the  Countess  of  Warwick.     Instead  of  being  pink 
or  any  colour  bordering  on  the  red,  it  is  a  tender 
blue    with    white    throat,    and     is    named    Lord 
Roberts.    Turning  to  the  French  spotted  varieties, 
undoubtedlj'  the  Duchess  of  York  leads  the  way  ; 
colour,  French  grey,  spotted  heliotrope  ;  a  large, 
perfect  shaped  flower,  each  lobe  overlapping  the 
other.      Another  very  attractive  spotted  variety 
is   Mrs.   Weaver ;   ground   grey,    densely   spotted 
deep  pink.     A  new  one  named  this  j'ear  is  a  self, 
a  brilliant  fiery  crimson  ;   it  catches  the  eye  imme- 
diately one  enters  the  house.     Purple  King  is  also 
another    fine    variety ;    large    firm    lobes,    flower 
perfectly    round,    a   deep    rich   purple.      Another 
new  one   named   this   year   is   Amy   Greenhill,   a 
beautiful   white,  with   a  faint   line   of  rosy  pink 
running  round  the  bottom  of  the  petals.    There  are 
many  more  named  varieties,  also  numerous  seed- 
lings, but  time  and  space  will  not  allow  further 
descriptions,  except  to  say  what  strikes  us  most  of 
all  is  the  beautiful  symmetry  of  each  plant,  all  the 
flowers   being  thrown  up   from  the  centre  crown 
exactly  like  a  bouquet. 

Photographs   of  Lilies   wanted.— 

The  editors  of  The  Garde.v  ask  the  help  of  their 
readers  in  securing  any  good  photographs  of  Lilies, 
either  in  the  form  of  simple  portraits  of  single 
spikes  or  groups  showing  garden  effect.  Good 
pictures  of  L.  Krameri  and  of  L.  chalcedonicum 
are  especially  desired.  Many  photographs  of  Lilies 
reach  us,  but  nearly  all  are  unsuitable  for  reproduc- 
tion from  being  taken  with  confused  or  unbeautiful 
backgrounds.  Red  and  yellow  Lilies  should  if 
possible  be  taken  with  a  plain  light-coloured 
ground,  as  these  colours  come  dark  in  photography. 

York  flOPal  fete.— Owing  to  The  Garden 
going  to  press  on  Wednesday,  we  aro  compelled  to 
hold  over  the  report  of  this  beautiful  show  until 
next  week. 

Orobanches.  —  Concerning  Orobanehes,  I 
am  delighted  to  tell  you  that  the  plant  of  Angelica 
you  sent  me  has  brought  its  guest  (0.  major)  with 
it,  and  there  are  several  heads  of  it  round  about. 
I  am  likewise  astonished  to  find  Orobanche 
speciosa  in  flower,  with  nothing  to  grow  upon 
except  Linaria  cymbalaria  alba,  a  perfectly  non- 
leguminous  host.  Not,  however,  on  an  old  wall, 
but  upon  a  stage  in  coolest  house,  where  there  is 
only  a  covering  of  sifted  coke  for  any  vegetation 
to  lay  hold  of.  I  can  account  for  the  seed  of 
the  Orobanche,  because  I  had  laid  a  few  stems 
with  ripe  pods  there  for  a  few  days.  I  suppose 
an  Orobanche  may  have  a  fair  circle  of  acquaint- 
ances, but  I  did  not  expect  to  find  it  as  wide  as 
this  for  0.  speciosa.  Its  inflorescence  stems,  on 
this  lean  fare,  are  very  healthy,  though  not  nearly 
so  strong  as  on  the  Bean.  There  are  about  a  dozen 
flowers  on  each,  and  four  stems  so  far. — Francis 
D.  Horner. 

Giant  French  Asparagus.  -We  have 

received  from  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons,  of  Reading, 
samples  of  their  excellent  selected  stock  of  this 
Asparagus.  We  tried  it  and  pronounced  it  good  in 
every  way,  large,  and  of  delicate  flavour.  Messrs. 
Sutton  also  send  the  following  note  upon  Asparagus 
culture: — "Commence  operations  by  digging  a 
broad,  deep  trench,  throwing  out  the  soil  to  the 
right  and  left  to  form  sloping  sides  until  there  is  a 
perpendicular  depth  of  '27  inches  from  the  top  of 
the  ridge.  About  1  foot  of  prepared  soil  should  be 
placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  trench.  This  may  be 
composed  of  such  material  as  the  trimmings  of 
hedges,  sweepings  of  shrubberies,  twigs  from  a 
faggot  pile,  wood  ashes,  and  leaf-mould.  The 
constituents  must  to  some  extent  depend  on  the 
materials  at  command.  What  is  wanted  is  a  light 
compost,  consisting  almost  wholly  of  vegetable 
matter  in  a  more  or  less  advanced  state  of  decom- 
position. Add  3  inches  or  4  inches  of  rich  loam, 
and  on  this,  at  the  beginning  of  April,  plant  strong 
one  year  roots  of  a  robust-growing  variety. 
Between  the  plants  it  is  customary  to  allow  a  space 


of  at  least  2  feet,  and  some  growers  put  them  a  full 
yard  apart.  Cover  the  crowns  with  3  inches  of 
rich  soil  previously  mixed  with  manure  and  laid  up 
for  the  purpose.  The  second  and  following  rows 
are  to  be  treated  in  the  same  way,  and  the  work 
must  be  so  managed  that  an  equal  distance  of 
4A  feet  or  .5  feet  is  left  between  the  rows.  When 
the  foliage  dies  down  in  the  autumn,  a  layer  of 
fertile  loam  mixed  with  rotten  manure  should  be 
spread  over  the  surface.  In  the  succeeding  spring 
remove  just  the  top  crust  of  soil  and  give  a  thick 
dressing  of  decayed  manure  alone,  upon  which  the 
soil  can  be  restored.  During  the  autumn  of  the 
second  year  the  furrow  must  be  filled  with  horse 
manure  for  the  winter.  Remove  this  manure  in 
March,  and  substitute  good  loam  containing  a 
liberal  admixture  of  decayed  manure  previously 
incorporated  with  the  soil.  The  slight  ridges  that 
remain  can  then  be  levelled  down.  By  this  treat- 
ment large  handsome  sticks  of  Asparagus  may  be 
cut  in  the  third  year.  To  maintain  the  plants  in  a 
high  state  of  efficiency,  it  must  be  clearlj'  under- 
stood that  forcing  with  horse  manure  will  be 
necessary  every  subsequent  year."  All  we  hope  is 
that  Asparagus   trials   >vill   continue  to  be  made. 


either  side  are  numerous  other  beds,  interspersed 
by  winding  walks,  and  planted  with  hundreds  of 
Rhododendrons  in  a  great  variety  of  colour,  and 
now  in  full  flower.  A  covering  of  canvas  overhead 
protects  the  blooms  from  the  sun  ;  but  it  is  always 
cool  in  this  Rhododendron  garden  notwithstanding, 
for  the  sides  are  quite  open.  It  is  an  unique 
exhibition,  and  will  add  much  to  the  attractive- 
ness of  the  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  during  the 
next  few  weeks. 

Lewisia  Tweediei.  —  in  reply  to  Mr. 

Jenkins's  enquiry,  I  can  only  say  that  in  my 
experience  this  beautiful  Oregon  plant  must  be 
classed  with  the  "raiffies,"  at  least  as  far  as  out- 
door culture  is  concerned.  In  a  frame  there  is  no 
diflSculty  with  it,  and  it  can  be  readily  propagated 
from  cuttings.  It  never  seeds  here.  Mr.  Johnson, 
of  Astoria,  tells  me  that  in  its  native  place  it 
covers  acres  of  ground,  and  that  when  all  the 
plants  are  in  flower  the  effect  is  beyond  descrip- 
tion. I  can  fully  believe  this.  Apart  from  the 
Tea  Roses  we  have  nothing  to  equal  the  colour  of 
its  buds  ;  but  I  have  not  as  yet  succeeded  with  it 
permanently  in  any  position  out  of  doors.  Some 
plants  die  in  winter,  some  die  in  spring,  some  are 


RHODODENDRONS  IN   THE  ROYAL  BOTANIC   GARDEN,    REGENTS   PARK. 
(Exhibited  by  Messrs.  John  Waterer  and  Sons,) 


This  delicious  and  wholesome  vegetable  should  be 
grown  largely  in  the  British  Isles,  and  such  stocks 
as  this  promote  its  culture  on  an  increasingly  large 
scale.  Messrs.  Sutton  also  write  : — "As  doubtless 
you  are  aware,  blanched  Asparagus  should  be  tied 
together  and  stood  upright  in  the  vessel  they  are 
cooked  in,  the  water  not  being  allowed  to  come 
more  than  half-way  up  the  sticks,  so  that  the  tops 
are  steamed  only,  while  the  harder  portions  are 
boiled." 
A   Rhododendron   exhibition.- The 

gardens  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society,  Regent's 
Park,  are  full  of  delightful  dells,  shady  walks, 
and  interesting  trees  and  plants,  and  make  an 
ideal  position  in  which  to  hold  an  exhibition  of 
flowers.  One  of  the  numerous  dells  is  now  trans- 
formed into  a  veritable  garden  of  Rhododendrons. 
Mr.  .John  Waterer,  Bagshot  Nurseries,  Surrey, 
fors9me  weeks  past  has  been  occupied  in  arranging 
and  planting  these  early  summer-flowering  trees, 
and  has  succeeded  in  providing  a  display  of  floral 
beauty  that  all  interested  in  Rhododendrons  should 
not  fail  to  see.  The  design  of  the  beds  and  walks 
is  very  pleasing.  The  centre  of  this  veritable 
flower  garden  is  filled  with  a  large  circular  bed, 
while  stretching  around  it  for  some  distance  on 


quite  unhurt  and   flower  well.     The  only  thing  to 
do  is  to  keep  up  a  stock  in  frames,  and  continue 
experimenting. — A.  K.  Bui.ley,  Neston,  Cheshire. 
Rose   Fortune's   Yellow.— This  much 

maligned  (as  to  hardiness)  Rose  does  well  with  me. 
The  old  plant  on  the  south  wall  runs  up  quite 
25  feet,  and  is  a  mass  of  flower  every  year  ;  the  one 
over  the  front  door  facing  west  is  a  cutting  from  it, 
and  was  only  planted  ten  years  ago.  These  last 
two  years  neither  of  the  plants  have  dropped 
their  leaves,  but  previously  to  that  they  dropped 
them  every  year  they  flowered. — F.  G.  Coleridge, 
Twjiford,  Berk.s. 

Royal   Horticultural  Society.— The 

next  fruit  and  flower  show  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday  next, 
in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster, 
at  1  to  ,")  p.m.  A  lecture  on  "Gardening  in  the 
London  Parks,"  will  be  given  by  Mr.  M.  J. 
Wheatle3'  at  three  o'clock. 

Fremontia  californica.— In  1846  this 

Calitornian  plant  was  discovered  by  Colonel 
Fremont  when  on  an  expedition  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  up  to  the  present  time  it  is  the 
onl}'  species  known.  Although  it  has  been  spoken 
of  as  a  hardy  shrub,  it  is  only  in  very  favoured 


June  15,  1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


427 


localities  or  against  a  warm  wall  that  it  will  grow 
well  out  of  doors,  a  cold  sunny  greenhouse  being 
the  most  suitable  place  for  it.  In  its  native 
country  it  is  said  to  grow  to  a  height  of  10  feot, 
but  under  cultivation  it  sometimes  exceeds  that 
height  by  1  foot  or  2  feet.  It  makes  a  perfect 
pyramid,  the  lower  branches  being  i  feet  or  5  feet 
long.  The  leaves  are  2  inches  to  3  inches  across, 
and  three  to  seven  lobed  ;  the  flowers  are  S^  inches 
in  diameter,  rich,  deep  yellow,  with  reddish  brown 
stamens,  and  borne  singly  from  the  axils  of  the 
leaves.  When  grown  indoors  it  flourishes  in  a 
light  position,  where  it  can  have  a  little  shade 
during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  grows  well 
in  a  well-drained  border  of  sandy  peat  and  loam. 
In  the  Himalayan  house  at  Kew  a  specimen  12  feet 
high  and  8  feet  through  at  the  base  is  now 
smothered  with  flowers,  and  makes  a  very  distinct 
feature  growing  amongst  Rhododendrons,  Camel- 
lias, &c.  For  anyone  who  can  afford  room  for  this 
shrub  a  plant  or  two  would  be  highly  appreciated 
when  in  flower. — W.  D. 

Cappenteria  ealiforniea.— The  useful- 
ness of  a  cold  greenhouse  is  very  apparent  where 
this  and  other  showy  Californian  plants  are  grown. 
These  are  impatient  of  much  fire-heat,  and  yet  are 
not  quite  hardy  enough  to  do  well  out  of  doors, 
their  requirements  being  met  by  a  minimum  winter 
temperature  of  32°  and  a  maximum  fire-heat  tem- 
perature of  35°.  The  plant  under  notice  was  first 
collected  by  Colonel  Fremont  between  the  years 
1843  and  1848,  and  was  named  after  Professor 
Carpenter,  a  botanist  of  Louisiana.  It  was  first 
introduced  into  European  gardens  through  the 
medium  of  M.  Max  Leichtlin,  of  Baden-Baden, 
about  twenty-five  years  ago.  On  various  occasions 
good  specimens  have  been  recorded  as  flowering 
freely,  but  it  is  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule 
to  find  a  large  plant.  Several  years  ago  it  was 
figured  in  the  Botanical  Magazine  from  a  specimen 
supplied  by  Miss  Jekyll  from  Munslead  Wood. 
In  the  description  with  the  figure  in  the  above- 
mentioned  work  mention  is  made  of  a  very  fine 
plant  7  feet  high  growing  in  Miss  Jekyll's  green- 
house, while  a  smaller  plant  is  recorded  as  having 
passed  safely  through  a  winter  out  of  doois.  In 
the  Himalayan  house  at  Kew  a  bushy  specimen 
6  feet  high  is  just  commencing  to  flower,  and  in  a 
few  days'  time  it  will  be  a  mass  of  large  white 
Philadelphus-like  flowers.  Though  the  snow-white 
petals  of  this  plant  are  beautiful  alone,  their 
elfectiveness  is  enhanced  by  reason  of  the  large 
central  tuft  of  golden  stamens. — W.  D. 

A  new  Peaeh.— The  crush  at  the  recent 
Temple  show  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
doubtless  prevented  many  horticulturists  noticing 
the  new  Peach  sent  out  by  Messrs.  Rivers  of 
Sawbridgeworth.  On  the  other  hand,  the  name 
of  these  noted  poniologists  will  go  a  long  way 
with  growers,  as  the  firm  during  the  last  half 
century  has  given  us  some  of  our  most  beautiful 
fruits,  especially  Peaches  and  Nectarines.  The 
new  Duchess  of  York  was  a  good  Peach,  and  as 
regards  flavour  was  first-rate,  and  the  latter  is  a 
strong  point  with  Peaches  forced  to  be  ripe  in 
May.  The  fruits  were  not  large  but  of  medium 
size,  and  the  tree  is  stated  to  crop  heavily.  The 
trees  shown  were  bearing  freely  in  quite  small 
pots.  Growers  will  be  glad  to  know  how  this  will 
succeed  on  open  walls.  If  satisfactory  it  will  be 
most  valuable,  as  though  the  American  Peaches 
are  remarkable  for  their  earliness,  some  of  them 
lack  quality,  and  one  or  two  early  varieties  are  too 
small. — G.  Wythes. 

Horticultural  gla.SS.  —  The  editorial 
answer  to  the  query  on  page  372  opens  up  a 
subject  which  has  considerably  exercised  the 
minds  of  gardeners  within  the  last  few  years,  viz., 
the  very  indifferent  quality  of  much  of  the  glass 
used  for  horticultural  purposes.  I  had  occasion  to 
have  a  lofty  show  house  partially  reglazed  last 
autumn,  and  this  spring  many  of  the  plants,  in- 
cluding Callas,  Clivias,  and  even  Aspidistras  were 
badlj'  burnt.  A  solution  of  summer  cloud, 
preferable,  I  think,  to  whiting  and  milk,  was 
promptly  syringed  on  front  sashes  and  a  portion  of 
the  roof,  but  not  until  a  considerable  amount  of 
damage  was  done,  and  if  this  happens  to  plants  a 
long  way  from  the  glass,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose 


that  vine  foliage  in  a  similar  house  that  would 
have  been  well  up  to  the  roof  would  suffer  to  a 
much  greater  extent.  In  future  I  shall  carefully 
examine  all  glass  used  before  it  is  put  in.  As  the 
editors  invite  answers  to  any  queries  sent  in 
I  should  strongly  advise,  in  addition  to  the 
interesting  information  given,  that  "a  Constant 
Reader"  be  careful  his  foliage  is  thoroughly  dry 
before  the  sun  is  strong  on  the  house.  Given  a 
rather  low  night  temperature  and  healthy  vines, 
the  outer  edges  of  the  leaves  are  often  studded 
with  moisture  in  the  early  stages  of  growth,  and 
this  has  to  be  removed.  In  our  case  this  is  always 
noticeable  with  the  two  later  vineries,  and  as  they 
have  a  south-east  aspect  the  earliest  tapping  is 
necessary  by  six  in  the  morning.  Naturally  so 
soon  as  the  grapes  are  set  and  swelling  awa}',  little 
or  no  moisture  is  found,  and  the  harder  texture  of 
the  leaf  renders  it  less  susceptible  to  attack. — 
E.  BuRRELL,  Claremont. 
A  new  Strawberry.— The  Temple  show 

of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  is  not  the  best 
place  for  the  general  public  to  deal  with  the  merits 
of  new  fruits,  as  dust  and  heat  are  answerable  for 
defects  in  appearance,  and  a  very  large  committee 
cannot  examine  fruits  so  well  as  at  an  ordinary 
meeting.  The  new  Strawberry,  the  Laxton,  was 
well  staged  by  the  growers,  Messrs.  Laxton 
Brothers,  Bedford,  and  I  should  like  to  see  this 
new  fruit  sent  to  Westminster  grown  under 
ordinary  conditions,  not  forced.  I  am  aware  a 
Strawberry  that  forces  well  should  also  prove  a 
good  cropper  in  the  open,  but  forcing  at  times  is 
not  always  carried  out  so  that  the  best  flavour  can 
be  secured.  Messrs.  Laxton  will  do  well  to 
show  fruiting  plants  from  the  open  ground. — 
G.  Wythes. 
Protecting  Strawberries.— In  many 

places  where  nets  are  used  to  protect  Strawberries 
from  birds  they  do  not  always  answer  the  purpose 
if  they  are  placed  directly  over  the  plants,  as 
birds  of  the  larger  species,  such  as  blackbirds  and 
thrushes,  drop  down  heavily  on  the  nets,  and  the 
latter  rest  on  the  fruit.  We  find  it  a  good  plan 
early  in  May  to  place  wire  on  wood  supports  at 
sufficient  distances  to  support  the  nets.  Three 
strands  of  wire  to  a  narrow  border  will  suffice, 
and  we  do  the  work  in  May  or  earlier  so  as  to 
save  the  first  flowers  that  open.  These  are  always 
the  best,  and  if  thin  tiffany  is  placed  over  the 
wires  the  material  does  not  touch  the  flowers,  as 
the  supports  are  about  18  inches  out  of  the  soil. 
The  wires  then  come  in  most  serviceable  foT  the 
netting  of  the  fruits  later  on,  and  we  find  the 
plants  are  much  easier  got  at  than  if  the  nets 
were  laid  on  the  foliage.  In  wet  seasons,  too,  the 
plants  get  more  ventilation,  tVie  fruits  do  not 
decay  so  c^uickly,  the  nets  last  longer,  and  look 
much  neater  when  covering  the  plants. — W.  M. 

Outdoor  Chrysanthemums.— In 

addition  to  the  information  supplied  on  page  400 
as  to  late  blooms  obtainable  from  above,  I  should 
like  to  add  that  I  have  generally  planted  a  certain 
quantity  on  a  south-east  border  some  8  feet  in 
width,  and  at  the  approach  of  bad  weather  have 
extemporised  a  shelter  for  them  with  fir  poles, 
upright  in  the  front  of  the  border,  and  others  as 
rafters  nailed  on  these  and  to  the  wall  sufficiently 
close  together  so  that  the  protecting  material  used 
keeps  fairly  tight.  Tiffany  is  about  the  best  for 
the  purpose  ;  it  is  rather  expensive  at  the  outset, 
but  if  dried  carefully  before  stowing  away  will 
last  for  several  years.  It  is  advisable  to  bind  it 
all  round  with  tape  to  prevent  fraying.  Where 
the  shelter  of  a  wall  is  not  obtainable,  the  shelter 
provided  may  take  the  form  of  a  span  working  up 
from  side  uprights  after  the  style  of  the  skeleton 
of  a  plant  house.  — E.  B. 

Erodium  macradenum.— There  is 

nothing  showy  about  this  little  Heron's-bill,  but 
it  is  a  lovely  flower,  and  seen  in  a  mass  is  very 
attractive,  something  that  arrests  and  retains 
attention  when  more  showy  flowers  are  passed.  I 
believe  it  was  introduced  from  the  north  of  Spain 
early  in  last  century,  and  it  is  therefore  strange  it 
is  not  more  often  seen  in  gardens,  as  this,  with 
other  varieties  of  the  genus,  make  admirable  plants 
for  rockwork,  the  front  of  dry  sloping  borders  and 
places  of  like  character.    It  is  seen  at  its  best  when 


associated  with  masses  of  alpine  Phloxes.  Indi- 
vidual blooms  remind  one  of  the  flowers  of  some  of 
the  scented  Pelargoniums,  and  although  .somewhat 
flimsy  they  retain  their  beauty  and  freshness  for 
some  time.  It  seeds  freely,  and  can  be  increased 
either  in  this  way  or  by  division.  — E.  B. 

Agathaea  CCelestis.— We  grow  annually  a 
large  batch  of  this  lovely  little  flower,  some  in 
pots,  to  as.sist  in  the  decoration  of  the  front  stages 
of  greenhouses,  and  the  greater  part  for  outdoor 
planting.  For  the  latter  purpose  it  is  specially 
adapted  for  small  beds,  and  is  a  charming  contrast 
.to  a  dwarf  carpet  of  flowers  like  the  variegated 
Mesembryanthemum  or  Pelargonium  Manglesii. 
Blue  flowers  of  about  the  height  attained  by  this 
Agatha^a  are  not  very  plentiful,  and  anything  com- 
bining a  lovely  shade  of  colour,  compact  habit,  and 
very  free-flowering  properties  is  therefore  all  the 
more  acceptable.  Within  the  last  year  or  so  a 
worthy  companion  to  this  Agathaja  has  been  intro- 
duced in  the  new  dwarf  Delphinium  Blue  Butterfly, 
a  lovely  flower,  and  one  likely  to  be  largely  used 
in  flower  garden  work  where  blue  shades  are 
required. — E.  Burkell. 

Buddleia  Colvillei.— In  a  description  of 
this  plant  Sir  Joseph  Hooker  refers  to  it  as  one  of 
the  most  handsome  of  all  Himalayan  shrubs,  and 
says  that  it  is  impossible  to  exaggerate  its  beauty 
as  seen  in  the  borders  of  a  Sikkim  forest,  when 
covered  with  pendulous  masses  of  rose-purple  or 
crimson  flowers  relieved  by  the  dark  green  leaves. 
Although  it  has  been  known  for  upwards  of  fifty 
j'ears,  and  has  been  cultivated  in  gardens  for  a 
considerable  portion  of  that  time,  it  is  only  in  a 
few  places  that  flowers  have  been  produced.  Mr. 
Gumbleton,  of  Belgrove,  County  Cork,  was  the 
first  to  flower  it,  and  with  him  it  has  flowered 
several  times  since.  At  Kew  it  resisted  all  attempts 
to  flower  until  last  j'car,  when  a  few  sprays  of 
flowers  appeared.  This  year  it  is,  however,  flower- 
ing well,  almost  every  shoot  being  terminated  with 
a  showy  pendulous  panicle  of  crimson  Pentstemon- 
like  flowers  with  a  white  throat.  Though  found 
in  the  Himalayas  at  an  altitude  of  from  10,000  feet 
to  12,000  feet  it  cannot  be  said  to  be  perfectly 
hardy,  as  it  will  not  stand  unharmed  through  any 
but  the  very  mildest  winters  near  London,  and  a 
severe  winter  kills  it  outright.  It  can,  however, 
be  grown  in  a  cold  house,  and  will  there  develop  into 
a  large  rambling  plant.  Throughout  the  summer 
a  lot  of  inside  wood  is  made,  and  it  has  been  found 
advisable  at  Kew  to  remove  this,  so  as  to  give 
more  light  and  air  to  other  parts  of  the  bush.  — 
W.  Dallimore. 


THE     FERN     GARDEN. 


ATHYRIUM  FILIX-FCEMINA. 

(The  Lady  Fern.) 

A  THYBIUM  FILIX-FCEJIINA,  classed  by 

/%  botanists    as    an    Asplenium,    has    no 

/  \         affinity   with    that    family    either    in 

/      \        appearance,  habitats,   or   relative  sta- 

£         ^     bility    of     form,    being    one     of     the 

most    variable    Ferns    in    the    world, 

while     the     Asplenia     generally     are     peculiarly 

constant.       In    its    varietal    forms    it     varies    in 

size    from    4    feet     in     height     to    2    inches     or 

3  inches,  and  in  its  wild  state  varies  so  m\ich  in 
detail  that  it  is  often  difficult  to  find  two  plants 
exactly  alike  in  cutting  and  general  make.  It 
affects  moist  habitats  and  even  boggy  ones,  but, 
generally  speaking,  is  one  of  tie  least  dainty  in 
its  requirements,  so  long  as  it  is  not  subjected  to 
actual  drought  at  the  root.  Hence  any  soil  suits 
it,  though  naturalty  an  open,  leaf}'  compost  is  the 
best.  It  assumes  its  greatest  size  and  utmost 
delicacy  in  sheltered,  shady  glens  near  running 
water. "  In  moist  climates  it  does  well  in  the  open 
with  shelter  from  wind  and  sun,  but  in  dry  ones  is 
the  better  for  glass  protection  with  plenty  of  air, 
especiallj'  if  large  varietal  specimens  are  in  ques- 
tion. The  dwarfs  are  less  exacting,  being  naturally 
less  liable  to  damage  by  wind.  Normally  the 
fronds  are  thin  in  texture,  range  from  2  feet  to 

4  feet  in  length,  with  a  bare  stem  for  some  inches. 


42a 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Junk   15,  1901. 


the  pinn?e  1  inch  or  2  inches  in  length  at  the 
bottom,  widening  gradually  to  4  inches  or  5  inches 
in  tlie  centre,  and  tapering  off  to  the  pointed  frond- 
tip,  i.e.,  the  fronds  are  broadly  lanceolate.  They 
are  divided  twice  or  thrice  {bipinnate  or  tripinnate) 
according  to  size.  Abnormally  this  Fern  seems 
capable  of  anything.  The  Lady  Fern  is  quite 
deciduous,  the  fronds  dying  down  in  the  autumn 
tjuite  independently  of  frost  ;  sori  horseshoe- 
shaped,  with  a  ragged  indusium  or  cover;  spores 
smoothly  oval  or  kidnej -shaped. 

Where        Finder  or 
Name.  Found  or  Raiser  and  Description. 

Raised.  Date. 

abasilobiim . .  . .  . .  See  mediodeftoiens. 

acrocladou  . .  Castle  Monkmaii .  Ramose  from  base,  and 

Howard         (ISCO)  throughout  forming 

a  mossy  ball, 
a.  densum  ..  ..         Stansfleld  .  Similar,    but    denser 

(r.)(187S)        growth, 
apuajforme..  Dent..     ..  J.M.Barnes  Fronds    fish-shaped, 

(1870)  crested, 

a.  Hodgson  .  Torver     . .  Mrs.  Hodg-  Similar  to  last. 

son  (1867) 
axminsterense  . .  . .  See     plumosum     Ax- 

minster. 
Blakic  ..     ..  Parsons  (r.)  Plumose,     beautifully 

crested;  nearest 
approach    to    su- 
perbum ;  probably 
same  origin, 
canalicu-  ..  Stansfield  .  Fine  grandiceps,  with 

latum  (r.)(lS82)        channelled  rachis. 

capitatum  ..  ..  .-  Short    fronds,    thick 

crest.      A  crested 
Frizellffi. 
caput  Medusre  ..  Mapple-        Densely    comminuted 

beck  (r.)        head,  with    twisted 
segments, 
cathedrale  ..  Lichfield       More  than  Dwarf,     prettily 
Cathedral      200  years      crested, 
ago. 
Clarissiraa       N.Devon..  R.  Moule..  Large,  lax,  attenuated 
Jones  (1868)  pinnre  and  pinnules, 

very  beautiful,  apos- 
pory  first  discovered 
on    this,    sori    pro- 
ducing    prothalli 
instead  of  spores. 
C.Bolton    ..  Lanes.      ..  T.  Bolton  Smaller  than  last,  and 
and  friend      finer  cut.     Is  apos- 
(1893)  porous  at  all  points 

as    well    as  sorally. 
Original  a  little  in- 
constant,  progeny 
very  so  ;    mos tly 
worthless, 
congestum  Cornwall..  Paul  (1864)  Dense    and     dwarf, 
Paul  Todmordeu  T.Stansfield    very     pretty,      and 

(later)  quite  distinct. 

C.Phillips   ..  Antrim    ..  Phillips    ..  ,,  ,, 

(1888) 
c.  Whitwell .  Kentmere.  Whitwell,.  ,,  ,, 

(1897) 
C.Simpson..  ..  Simpson  ..  Dense,    dwarf,    and 

(1869)  crispy, 

c.  cristatum.  ..  E.  J.  Lowe  Dwarf  .densely  crested. 

(r.) 
c.  c.  Fitt     ..  ..  Fitt  ..     ..  Dwarf, densely  crested, 

resembles    Find- 
lay  an  um. 
congesto-cris-  ..  Stansfield.  Dwarf,den3ely crested, 

tatum(FiDd-  (r.)  (1870)      distinct, 

layanum 

congestum  . .  Stansfield  .  Dwarf,    dense,     trun- 

excurrens  .  (r.)  cate,  and  horned  at 

all  tips, 
c.  grandiceps  ..  Stansfield.  Raised     from     Fitt's 

(r.)(1885)        cristatum;    heavier 
crests, 
c.  minus      ..  Ireland    ..  Riley       ..  Misnamed  Edwardsil  ; 

a    dense,    dwarf, 
crispy  gem. 
c.  m.  crista-  ..         Cropper  ..  The  same,  crested. 

tum  (r.)(lS95) 

conioides     ..  Doncaster.  Appleby  ..  Pinna;  short  and  Hem- 
,,  Antrim    ..  Praeger    ..       lock-like;  a  beauty, 

c.  cristatum.  ..  Stansfield.  Same  character, 

(r.)  crested, 

coronatum  . .  ..  ..  Frond  heavy,  crested ; 

pinnte  plain, 
corymbi-  Guernsey  . .  James      . .  Grand  form,  splendid 

ferum  James  bunch  crests  at  all 

terminals, 
crispatum        Cornwall..  Paul  (1865)  Fine, dense, congested, 
Paul  (Grants)  crispate. 

crispum       ..Antrim,  ..  Dwarf,    ramose,    and 

Braemar,&  crested;  rambling 

Todmorden  habit, 

cristatum   ..  ..  ..         Numerous    forms, 

mainly  specified 
elsewhere  under 
various  names.  The 
type  is  simply  tas- 
selled  at  frond  and 
pinna;  tips, 
c.  Smithies..  Wastdale  .Smithies..  Pendulous,   polydac- 

tylous  form, 
cristulatum  .  ..  Stansfield  .  Branchy  crests,  cristu- 

(r.)  late  pinna;  if  la  gem- 

matum. 


Xame. 
curtum  . 


0.  cristatum . 


Description. 


depaupera-      Ben  Bulben.  Gunning 
tum 


Where        Finder  or 
Found  or    Raiser  and 
Rni.ted.  Date. 

Pinme  short,  and  egg- 
shaped  ill  outline. 
Stansfield  .  Pinnte  short,  and  egg- 
(r.)  shaped    in   outline  ; 

neat  rounded  crests, 
c.  grandiceps  ..  ..  Pinmc  short,  and  egg- 

shaped    in  outline  ; 
heavy  crests. 
Misnamed     really  ; 
small,    pretty,    and 
slenderly    flnger- 
c res ted. 
Elworthii    ..  Nettle-  C.Elworthy  A    flat  -  fronded    per- 

combe  cristatum ;  very  fine, 

excurrens    . .  Tunbridge    (18:*3)       . .  All  tips  truncate  and 

Wells  tborned ;  neat. 

Fieldia;  .     ..  ..  ..  Narrow,     truncate 

fronds,  with  cruciate 
bunch  pinnre. 
flmbriato-  ..  Garnett   ..A   lax    and   charming 

cristatum  (r.)(1899)      cristatum  ;  very  dis- 

tinct, 
flabelli-  Westmore-  Mrs. Wilson  A  tiny  gem,  with  stel- 

pinnula  land  late,  spiky  pinnte. 

flexuosum   . .  Lanes,  and  (1S5S,  &c.).  A    curio;    fronds 
elsewhere  twisted  and    pinnse 

revolute. 
foecundulo-  ..  C.T.Druery  Dwarf,  narrow  fronds, 

sissimum  (r.)  dense,  capitate,  pro- 

liferous crests, 
formoso-cris-  . .  Elworthy. .  Very  fine  crested  form 

tatura    El-  (r.)  raised     from     gem- 

worthy  matum. 

Forsteri ...  . .  See  ramosum  Forster. 

Frizellffi.     ..  Wicklow  . .  Mrs.Frizell  Pinnre    regularly     re- 
(1857)  duced    to    round 

,,  Donegal  . .  H.  C.  Hart.      knobs,    progeny  ca- 

pricious. 
F.  capitatum  ..  Various(r.)  Numerous     forms 

F.  cristatum.  ..  ,,  raised,  probably  by 

F.  multifidum  ..  ,,  unintentional  cross- 

F.  ramosum .  . .  . .  ing  ;    fronds  of   the 

(appleby-  narrow    type,    with 

anum)  more  or  lass  dense 

or  spreading  termi- 
nal crests.    Most  are 
ap.t  to  revert  some- 
what erratically  to 
normal  or  presumed 
parents. 
F.  ramosis-  . .        Mapplebeck  Dwarf,  fronds  ramose 

simum  (r.)(1873)        from  base;   very 

pretty. 
F.  cristatum  . .  . .  Dwarf  crested   form  ; 

congestum  very  good, 

gemmatum  .  J.M.Barnes  Nar  row  ;   all  tips 

(r.)  heavily    bunch 

crested. 
Girdlestoneii  Ross  . .     . .  Canon  Gir-  Evenly  depauperate  in 

dlestone      centre  of  frond  and 
(1866)  pinna;,    centre    pin- 

nules   very    slender 
and  long ;  beautiful, 
but  "raiffy." 
glomeratum.  Ivery(r.)..  Heavy,  capitate  head 

(1864)  and       side      crests, 

pinnules    fanned  at 
tips, 
grammicon . .  . .  E.  J.  Lowe.  Dwarf,  narrow  fronds 

A  ^aFieldite  ;  doubt- 
fully distinct   from 
that, 
grandiceps..  Nettle-  Elworthy..  Heavy  terminal  crests, 

combe 
,,  Wivelis-        Morse       . ,  ,,  ,, 

eombe 
,,  ■  ■  Tyldesley  .  ,,  ,, 

Whitwell  . 
Grantje. .     . .  . .  See  congestum  Paul. 

Howarda;    ..  Levens     ..  Craig(r.)..  Fine    laciniate,    well 

crested, depauperate 
centre,  but  good. 
Huckii  . .     . .  Wet  Sled-     Huck(1874)  Beautiful  long,  crispy, 

dale  crested  pinnules. 

Kalothrix   ..  .,  Hewlett  &  Unique,  divisions  ex- 

Sim    (r.)      tremely  slender,  and 
(1870)  lucent  like    floss- 

silk;  reverts  slightly 
to  plumose  form. 
K.  plumosum  ..  Stansfield.  A  Kalothrix  reversion, 

(r.)  resembles     A.    F.-f. 

p.    Horsfall,    the 
probable     grand- 
parent. 
K. foliosum  .  ..  Stansfield.  Divisions  wider   than 

Kalothrix,  but 
lucent  re  verts  to 
same  extent,  but  to 
normal, 
kilrushiense.  Kilrush  ..  C.T.Druery  Long,  many-stranded 
,,  (Co.  Clare)        (1802)  tassels  at  all  tips; 

almost  a  grandiceps, 
very  distinct, 
laciniatum  ..  Stansfield.  Crosses   between 

elegans  (r.)  Craigii     and     Hors- 

1.  ramulosura  Stansfield.      fall  plumosum  ;  ele- 

(r.)  gans    has     cruciate 

pinnules,  no  crests ; 
ramulosum  is  a  mul- 
tifld  Hursfall. 
laciniatum..  .  Stansfield  A  Extremely    fine    divi- 

Smithers      sions. 


Name. 

laxo-cris- 

tatum 
lunulatum 

(Woll) 
magnicapi- 

tatum 
inediodcfi- 
ciens(abiisi- 
lobum) 


Where  Finder  or 
Found  or  Rainar  and 
Raised.  Date. 

Co.  Down..  Phillips    ..  Long, 


Desciiption. 

lax     pinnules 
small  crested. 
Synonym  of  Frizellie. 


Wigton 

(1S84) 
Strathblane  C.T.Druery 


Stansfield  .  Heavy  -  headed     acro- 

(r.)  (1S78)       cladon,y/a^  fronds. 
C.T.Druery  Basal    divisions    of 
pinna'  and  pinnules 
absent  ;   frond    and 
piiuKu  consequently 
open  in  centre ;  the 
two  finds  are  quite 
distinct, 
m.  caudicu-     Ireland    ..  Phillips    ..  Same    character,    but 
latum  all  terminals  evenly 

caudate  and  serrate, 
with      translucent 
teeth  ;  very  pretty, 
multiceps    ..  Truro.     ..  ..  Multifid  crests. 

multifidum . .  . .  . .  Applicable    to    forms 

bearing  flat,  spread- 
ing tassels,  not  re- 
dividing. 
Lanes.      ..  !Mrs. Wilson  A    small,     slender, 

(1869)  crested  form. 

Westmore-  Mapplebeck  Wide,  ramose  terminal 
land       (1871)  crests,    with    acute 

divisions. 
See  Frizellie. 
Jlapplebeck  Long,  bare  stalks,  with 
(r.)  capi  tate  crests  ; 

small  habit. 
Mapplebeck  Similar,    on    a    larger 
(r.)  scale. 

percristatum  Snares-         J.S.Cousens  A  grand,  robust,  true 
Cousens  brook  (r.)  percristate    Fern; 

pinnules  long  and 
distinctly  tasselled. 
J.  Trott  ..  Beautifully  plumose; 
(1863)  progenitor     of     su- 

perb um  strain, 
dorsally  bulbiferuus. 
A  true  plumosum,  but 
less  f ol lose  than 
some. 

p.  divari-  Lanes.      . .  W.  Morris.  One  of  the  best,  and 

catum  (1S7'2)  perhaps  the  best  as 

a  find. 

p.  Drueryii..  Forest  Gate  C.T.Druery  Incomparably    the 

(r.)  (188S)        finest    plumosum  : 

very    robust,    quin- 

quepinnate  ;    raised 

from  superbum. 

Pai"Sons(r.)  Finer  cut  Axminster; 

parent  of  superbum. 

Hodgson 

(1870) 

Skipworth.  Horsfall 

(1857) 


m.  tenue 

multifur- 

catum 

nodosum 
nudicaule 
cristatimi 

orbiculatum . 


plumosum       Axminster. 
Axminster 


p.  Barnes    . .  Westmore-  Barnes 
land       (1863) 


.  elegans 

Parsons 
.  Hodgson;e  Ulverston  . 


p.  Horsfall  . 


p.  Stansfield. 
p.  superbum. 


p.  s.  crispa- 
tum 

p.  s.  dissec- 
tum 

p.  s.  foliosum 

p.  s.  grandi- 
ceps 
p.  s.  Kalon  . . 

p.  s.  percris- 
tatum 


plumosum       Dorset 

Wills 
pulcher- 

rimum 


p.  Jackson  . . 
p.  cristatum. 
Pullerii  .     . . 


Pounden . . 

Stansfield  . 
(I--) 


A'  delicate    true  plu- 
mosum. 
Grand  plumose  form ; 
very  distinct. 
Jones      . .  . .  . .  Large  and  elegant. 

Pounden..  Antrim     ..  Pounden..  A  slender,  erect,  dis- 
sected  form  ;    very 
distinct. 
See     Kalothrix     plu- 
mosum. 
C.T.br'uery  Finely    fiat-crested 
(r.)  (1886)        plumose  raised  from 
plumosum     elegans 
and    parent    of    A. 
F.-f.     p.     Drueryii, 
and  the  following. 
C.T.Druery  Uncrested,    lax,     and 
(r.)(1886)        crispate. 

,,  An    improved    p.   ele- 

gans, uncrested. 
,,  Uncrested,    dense 

fronded. 
•,,  Very  heavy  crests. 

,,  Lax,  flat-crested,  very 

handsome. 
,,  The  finest  percristate 

form  of  all,  plumose, 
and  with  pinnulets 
crested. 
Wills  (1869)  A     very    robust    and 

finely  cut  form. 
M.A.Walker  Dwarf,  pinnules  long 
(r.)(lSOS)       and    serrate  ;    very 

pretty. 
Jackson   . .  A  more  foliose  form. 
A  crested  form. 
IsleofSkye  Piiller(1864)  A  pinnate  form,  with 
short,  rounded  pin- 
nules ii  la  Frizellft?, 
init  closer. 
Branched  and  crested. 

Ramose. 


ramo-cris- 

tatum 
ramosum 

Forster 
ramulo- 

sissimum 


Woodhead.  Forster 
(lf;79) 
Mont- 
gomery 


Middleton  . 
(1872) 


Fronds     ramify    from 
base,    and    all    tips 
crested,  very  pretty, 
dwarf, 
r.  Mapplebeck  . .         Mapplebeck  Ditto,  bat  larger. 

(r.)(1870) 
r.  lineare     ..  ..  Edwards..  Much  branched,   very 

(1894)  Blender, 

rectangulare.  Westmore-  Mrs  Wilson  Divisions    so    slender 
land       (1870)  that   sori    show    on 

edges  ;    pretty    and 
curious. 


June  15,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


429 


Where 

Finder  or 

Name. 

Found  or 

Raiser  and 

DeBcription. 

Raised. 

Date. 

recurvum 

Pinnules    recurved, 

niultifldura 

fronds  crested. 

reflexum     . . 

Westmore- 

Clowes(1858)A  curious   flexiiose 

land 

and  others 

form. 

regale  ..     .. 

nr.  Appleby 

Barnes 

Splendidly     sub- 

(1867) 

plumose  and  pre- 
cristate. 

revolvens    .. 

Strathblane  C.T.Druery 

Fronds    and  p  i  n  n  le 

(1891) 

rolled  up  convexly 
and  symmetrically, 
terminals  ringlet 
twisted. 

rotundatum . 

A  pinnate  form,  with 
short,  rounded  pin- 
nules d  la  Frizellffi, 
but  closer. 

setigerum   . . 

Lanes. 

Garnett   .. 

Normal  outline  beauti- 

s.  coronatum 

s.  corymbi- 
ferum 

s.  cristatum . 

s.  grandieeps 

s.  percris- 

tatum 

s.  Victoriaj , . 


(1878)  fully  divided,  points 

bristly  ;  yields  cres- 
ted forms  from 
spores,  very  diverse, 
but  with  tendency 
to  revert. 
Birkenhead  The  names  describe, 
and  others  but  there  are  innu- 
merable seedlings, 
one  type  merging 
into  the  other. 


Birkenhead 


Slmpsonii 

splendens 

stipatum 
superbum 

thyssanotum 
Todeoides  . . 

T.  cristatum. 

unco-glome- 
ratum 


Craig(r.).. 
(18B4) 
Cornwall..  Paul(18(i4). 


Stansfleld  , 


uncum . . 

velutinum  . . 

Vernonai     . . 

V.  corymbi- 

ferum 
V.  cristatum 


Levens 


Stirling- 
shire 


Troughton 
(r.)  (1882) 

Stansfleld  . 
(r.)(lS78) 


Barnes 

(1860) 
Stansfleld  . 

(1878) 
Vernon    . . 

Stansfleld  . 

(1877) 
Jones(r.).. 

(1873) 
Cush  (1861) 


V.  elegans  . . 
V.  gracile  . . 
V.  magnifi- 

cum 
V.  setigerum 


Lowe,McNab, 
and  others 


A  cross  with  Victoria, 
percruciate  and 
crested  like  that,  but 
bristly  throughout. 

See  congestum  Simp- 
son. 

Finely  crested  ;  lovely 
thing. 

See  congestum  Paid. 

See  plumosum  su- 
perbum. 

Pretty  crested  form. 

Peculiarly  neatly  cut, 
but  hardly  Todea- 
like. 

A  charming  crested 
form  of  same. 

Raised  from  acrocla- 
don,  unique,  resem- 
bles a  spherical 
green  coral,  division 
endless,  culminating 
in  bulbils  and  pro- 
thalli  (apospory). 

Fronds  very  narrow, 
pinnules  hooked. 

A  dense,  dwarf  acro- 
cladon. 

A  gem,  divisions  crispy 
and  wide. 

AVell  crested  form  of 
above. 


Unique  percruciate 
form,  long  slender 
pinnEc  in  pairs  at 
right  angles,  with 
slender  tassels  at  all 
terminals.  Original 
nearly  4  feet. 

Sub- varieties,  butnone 
excel  the  original  or 
differ  markedly  from 
it. 

See    setigerum     Vic- 
toria?. 
C.  T.  Druery. 


Gerbera  and  various  other  plants,  suits  it 
perfectly.  No  cold  we  are  likely  to  get  in  this 
country  can  do  it  harm,  and  1  am  not  sure 
that  it  would  mind  any  ordinary  degree  of 
wet  in  winter,  provided  that  growth  is  well 
ripened  before  the  end  of  summer.  It  is, 
however,  worth  while  to  throw  ofl'  rain  in 
winter  by  means  of  a  light  overhead,  but  this 
is  all  the  protection  it  needs. 

E.  Irwin  Lynch. 


SOLANUM  \SrENDL,ANDI  IN  THE 

OPEN   AIR. 

SoLANUM  Wendlandi,  recently  described  by 
M.  Ed.  Andr(5  in  the  Bevue  Horlkole,  is,  in  our 
opinion,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  plants  that  has 
been  introduced  during  the  last  twenty  years,  as 
much  through  the  exceptional  beauty  of  its  large 
mauve  flowers  as  through  the  many  uses  to  which 
it  can  be  put.  Notwithstanding  that  it  is  very 
tender,  it  can  so  easily  be  preserved  during  the 
winter  in  any  healthy  place  that  it  may  be  grown 
by  any  amateur.  It  is  a  plant  valuable  alike  for 
the  permanent  ornamentation  of  cold  or  temperate 
houses  and  for  covering  walls  and  trellises  in  the 
open  air  in  summer.    In  Paris,  Solanura  Wendlandi 


In  default  of  a  house  for  wintering  the  young 
plants,  a  deep  frame  or  pit  answers  perfectly,  or 
shallow  pit  if  the  stem  of  the  plant  be  bent.  Care 
must  be  taken,  however,  to  protect  Ihem  from 
frost. 

In  Paris  one  scarcely  thinks  of  protecting  them 
under  a  layer  of  litter,  for  although  this  pro- 
tects them,  it  stifles  them  and  causes  them  to 
rot  from  excess  of  humidity  ;  at  least,  such  was 
the  result  we  observed  last  winter.  Its  cultivation 
in  pots  is  very  easy,  any  light  fertile  compost 
being  suitable.  Six-mch  or  8-inch  pots  are  large 
enough  for  cuttings.  The  cuttings  all  flower  the 
first  year,  often  when  they  are  still  young  and 
scarcely  1  foot  high,  especially  if  they  have  been 
taken  from  a  mature  parent  plant  grown  under 
glass.  Another  use  of  this  Solanum  is  for  room 
decoration,  and  in  particular  for  sale  in  the  flower 
markets. 

With  regard  to  its  permanent  cultivation  under 
glass,  although  at  first  it  was  supposed  to  require 
a  hothouse,  it  is  known  to-day  that  it  does  better 
in  a  temperate  hou.se,  and  also  flourishes  quite  as 
well  in  a  cold  one.  Last  summer  we  saw  it  in  all 
its  splendour  at  Kew,  where  it  is  now  in  the  Cactus 
house.  Under  the  influence  of  a  comparatively 
low  temperature  in  winter,  growth  stops,  the 
leaves  fall,  and  the  shoots  ripen,  but  the  following 


OPUNTIA     BICOLOR. 

This,  on  the  whole,  is  quite  the  most  satis- 
factory of  all  hardy  Opuntias.  It  grows  and 
flowers  freely,  and  no  other  can  claim  to  be  so 
ornamental  in  flower.  The  accompanying 
illustration  gives  an  excellent  idea  of  a  fine 
specimen  growing  in  the  Cambridge  Botanic 
Garden.  It  measures  6  feet  9  inches  in  width, 
2  feet  6  inches  high,  and  3  feet  from  front  to 
back.  The  flowers  are  orange-yellow  in  colour, 
or  they  might  be  described,  perhaps,  as  bronzy 
yellow,  and  are  succeeded  by  red  fruits,  of 
which  hundreds  have  been  produced.  They 
are  not  edible,  and  I  have  not  observed  that 
they  ever  contain  good  seed,  but  they  are 
interesting  and  ornamental.  Like  their  hardy 
Opuntias,  this  species,  which  comes  from 
Chili,  delights  in  the  warm  and  sunny  position 
provided  by  the  foot  of  a  south  wall.  The 
border  on  which  it  is  planted  should  be  slightly 
raised,  and  the  low  rockery,  which  serves  for 


OPUNTIA   BICOLOR   IN   THE   CAMBRIDGE   BOTANIC   GARDENS. 


flourishes  and  flowers  from  July  until  the  approach 
of  frosts.  Farther  north,  in  England  for  example, 
it  does  still  better  in  the  open  air.  In  1899  the 
Gardeners'  Chronicle  produced  a  photograph  of  it 
planted  in  front  of  one  of  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence's 
greenhouses. 

This  beautiful  Solanum,  like  all  the  species, 
loves  heat,  but  at  the  foot  of  walls  fully  exposed 
at  midday  the  heat  of  the  sun  often  spoils  the 
mauve  colouring  of  its  flowers.  It  should,  there- 
fore, for  preference  be  planted  in  easterly  or 
westerly  positions,  or  in  an  open  situation  where 
this  inconvenience  is  not  experienced.  In  order 
that  the  plant  may  acquire  all  its  vigour  it  must 
be  planted  in  deep  earth  mixed  with  good  hotbed 
manure  and  frequently  watered.  Occasional  doses 
of  liquid  manure  will  be  found  beneficial.  Under 
these  conditions  the  plant  will  attain  a  height  of 
from  7  feet  to  10  feet  in  a  single  season.  We 
cannot  too  strongly  recommend  this  plant  to 
amateurs  for  the  ornamentation  of  house  walls, 
trellises,  vases,  borders,  &c.  The  plant  cannot 
climb  alone,  but  in  default  of  trellis  work,  wire 
stretched  horizontally  or  props  will  be  found  quite 
suiScient.  Young  spring  cuttings  should  be  struck 
for  culture  in  the  open  ground,  but  as  they  flower 
late  and  become  weak  it  is  preferable  to  use  one- 
year-old  plants  kept  in  pots  and  p.otected  during 
the  winter. 


3'ear  the  foliage  is  more  luxuriant  and  the  flowering 
more  beautiful.  It  is  then  one  of  the  best  plants 
that  can  be  used  for  porches,  pillars,  and  trellis 
work  if  supported  by  wire.  It  can,  if  necessary, 
be  kept  in  large  pots  or  boxes,  but  it  is  preferable, 
in  order  that  it  may  acquire  the  large  dimensions 
of  which  it  is  capable,  to  plant  it  in  a  soil  rich  in 
humus.  But  it  is  for  the  south  and  especially  for 
the  favoured  Nice  district  that  Solanum  Wendlandi 
ceems  to  be  particularly  interesting  for  the  outside 
decoration  of  houses.  It  would  there  probably 
survive  the  winter  if  protected  by  straw  mats 
or  canvas  during  the  frosts,  attain  its  normal 
dimensions,  which  are  about  45  feet  in  height,  and 
flower  earlier  in  summer  and  later  in  autumn.  No 
doubt  it  has  already  been  tried.  If  so,  it  would 
be  very  interesting  to  know  the  results,  those  of 
last  winter  especially,  which  was  particularly 
rigorous  at  a  certain  time. 

As  Solanum  Wendlandi  does  not  seed,  its  pro- 
pagation is  carried  out  by  means  of  cuttings,  and 
this  is  easy  if  care  is  taken  to  place  some  parent 
plants  early  in  a  hot  or  temperate  house  so  that 
they  may  develop  young  shoots.  These  are 
removed  when  they  are  1  inch  or  2  inches  high 
and  rooted  in  the  greenhouse  under  a  hand  glass 
or  on  a  hotbed  covered  for  the  first  few  days. 
The  cuttings  that  one  could  take,  very  economically 
during  the  summer,  from  shoots  developed  in  the 


430 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  15,  1901. 


AJNEMONE  CORONARIA  AT  LA  MORTOLA 


open  air  unfortunately  do  not  succeed  ;  at  least, 
such  is  our  experience. — S.  Mottet,  in  the  Beime 
Horticole. 


THE    FLOWER    GARDEN. 

ANEMONE  CORONARIA  AT 
LA  MORTOLA,   ITALY. 

FROST  during  the  past  winter  has 
proved  most  disastrous  to  gardens 
on  the  Riviera,  and  I  have  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  many  plants, 
some  of  which  are  most  difficult  to 
replace.  It  is,  therefore,  some 
little  satisfaction  to  say  that  Anemone 
coronaria  was  almost  untouched  by  the  frost, 
and  a  slope  of  about  half  an  acre  presented  a 
scene  of  beauty  I  have  never  seen  equalled  in 
this  flower.  The  accompanying  photographs, 
taken  by  my  friend  Miss  Willmott  at  a 
moment  when  perhaps  10,000  to  1.5,000  plants 
were  in  blossom  at  once,  will  give  some  idea 
of  this  great  bed. 
La  Moviola.  T.  Hanbdry. 

FLOWER-BEDS  IN  RIVIERA  GARDENS. 

The  charm  and  beauty  of  the  gardens  of  Southern 
France  and  Northern  Italy  have  often  furnished 
material  for  notes,  yet  there  always  remains 
something  of  their  vast  floral  wealth  still 
unchronicled.     A    few  notes   upon    the    character 


of  the  plants  cultivated 
for  the  purpose  of  fur- 
nishing the  flower-beds 
and  borders,  perhaps 
unequalled  for  variety 
and  gorgeous  colour, 
may  not  be  uninterest- 
ing. The  climatic  con- 
ditions that  here  prevail 
of  course  make  possible 
what  otherwise  could 
not  be  successfully 
attempted.  Almost 
everything  that  one  is 
familiar  with  in  our 
greenhouses  at  home 
may  be  met  with  out- 
doors in  Riviera  gardens. 
Two  of  the  most  gener- 
ally used  plants  embel- 
lishing the  flower-beds 
during  the  winter 
months  are  Chinese 
Primulas  and  Cinerarias. 
Considerable  difficulty 
is,  however,  experienced 
in  growing  them  success- 
fully, because  of  the 
intense  heat  that  pre- 
vails during  the  summer- 
time. The  seedlings  need 
very  careful  attention  or 
they  are  liable  to  go  off 
by  the  dozen,  more  par- 
ticularly the  Cinerarias. 
These  are  very  often 
attacked  by  a  grub  that 
works  sad  havoc  with 
the  foliage  if  its  ravages 
are  not  checked  in  some 
way.  During  the  day- 
time they  cannot  be 
found  ;  they  manage  to 
hide  in  the  soil  or  under- 
neath the  pots.  The  only 
method  of  exterminating 
them  is  to  search  very 
early  in  the  morning 
when  the  dew  is  still  on 
the  plants,  for  this  is  the 
time  that  the  grubs  feed. 
The  coolest  and  shadiest 
spot  in  the  garden  is  generally  reserved  for 
Cinerarias  and  Primulas.  The  last  -  mentioned 
are  made  frequent  use  of  as  a  component  of 
narrow  borders  on  the  margins  of  walks  or 
shrubberies,  often  being  associated  in  such 
position  with  Nemophilas,  Santolinas,  Thapsis,  &c. 
The  blue  Primulas  are  favourites  with  southern 
gardeners,  and  there  is  an  excellent  strain  grown 
here,  really  a  good  blue.  These  show  to  much  better 
advantage  when  placed  in  the  shade  than  if  planted 
in  a  sunny  spot.  In  the  latter  case  their  true 
colour  effect  is  altogether  lost,  but  planted  in 
some  sombre  position  they  are  quite  delightful. 
I  think  it  may  be  safely  said  that  Cinerarias  make 
the  most  gorgeous  beds  of  all ;  the  variety  of 
colour  furnished  by  these  flowers  and  their 
wonderful  hues  when  massed  in  large.beds  produce 
a  strikingly  brilliant  picture.  In  one  particular 
garden  it  is  not  unusual  to  employ  as  many  as 
700  or  800  Cineraria  plants  in  one  bed  alone,  and 
by  immediately  replacing  those  that  fade  the 
brilliancy  of  the  picture  is  long  maintained. 

Hyacinths  and  Tulips  make  very  handsome 
beds,  but  with  these  one  invariably  finds  but  one 
or  perhaps  two  colours  associated  in  the  one  bed. 
The  beauty  of  the  Hyacinth  and  Tulip  beds  is 
much  enhanced  by  the  surface  of  the  latter  being 
covered  with  a  lovely  silvery  moss  that  is  obtained 
from  the  neighbouring  hills  ;  it  forms  an  excellent 
background,  and  makes  a  pleasing  covering  over 
the  bare  soil.  Anemones  and  Ranunculuses 
are  favourites  also,  and  make  delightful  subjects 
for  the  flower  garden.  None  perhaps  is  more 
telling  than  the  Star  Anemone  (Anemone  fulgens), 
especially  when  this  is  planted  in  masses.  Freesias 
even  are  planted  out  of  doors,  and  if  neatly  staked 
so  that  the   flowers  will   not  be  damaged  by  the 


wind  they  grow  very  well.  One  may  see  also 
beds  of  various  Solanums  ;  none,  however,  more 
picturesque  than  when  filled  with  S.  ciliatum 
var.  macrocarpum.  This  plant  bears  rather  large 
orange-red  fruits,  and  a  bed  well  furnished  is  very 
attractive.  Daisies  are  conspicuous  in  nearly  every 
garden,  but  are  hardly  recognisable  by  the  side  of 
home-grown  ones,  so  much  more  vigorous  are  they, 
and  of  finer  colour  also.  The  same  may  be  said 
of  the  Pansies,  which  make  enormous  clumps  and 
become  masses  of  flower.  Carnations  and  Salvias 
in  lesser  quantities  add  to  the  variety  of  the 
southern  flower  garden.  Of  the  latter,  S.  patens 
is  the  chief  favourite,  although  S.  splendens  and 
its  varieties  play  no  unimportant  part  in  the  floral 
embellishment.  Ghent  Azaleas  are  occasionally 
to  be  seen,  as  well  as  beds  of  forced  Roses,  for 
which  purposes  such  varieties  as  La  France, 
Gabrielle  Luizet,  Baroness  Rothschild,  and  Ulricb 
Brunner  are  well  liked. 

I  remember  once  to  have  seen  a  bed  of  Hippe- 
astrums  in  variety,  the  surface  of  the  former  being 
covered  with  Pteris  tremula.  This  Fern  made  a 
beautiful  green  carpet  and  restful  setting  beneath 
the  gorgeous  Hippeastrum  blooms.  Adiantum 
Capillus-veneris  is  also  sometimes  used  as  a 
covering  for  the  surface  of  the  beds.  Even  forced 
Genistas  and  Lilacs  are  occasionally  planted  in 
beds  in  a  few  of  the  best  kept  gardens,  and  if 
given  a  slight  protection  should  the  weather 
happen  to  be  at  all  rough  they  remain  beautiful 
for  weeks  together.  When  one  remembers  that 
all  these  choice  flowers  are  at  their  best  during 
the  first  three  months  of  the  year,  and  that  they 
are  but  dashes  of  colour  amidst  an  almost  tropical 
environment  of  various  Palms,  Dracsenas,  Yuccas, 
Aloes,  Agaves,  &c.,  one  does  not  wonder  that  they 
are  deeply  appreciated  by  those  fortunate  enough 
to  be  able  to  have  any  of  them.  A.  P.  H. 


MR.    JOHN    WOOD'S    DWARF 
SOLOMON'S    SEAL. 

Among  the  many  interesting  and  useful  notes 
contributed  to  The  Garden  by  the  late  Mr. 
.John  Wood,  of  Kirkstall,  were  references  to  a 
dwarf  Solomon's  Seal  unknown  to  him  bj'  name. 
I  have  had  it  for  several  years,  but  my  plants 
have  not  grown  nearly  so  well  as  some  in  the 
garden  of  Mr.  James  Davidson,  of  Summerville, 
Dumfries,  where  there  is  a  good  mass  in  one  of  the 
herbaceous  borders.  I  saw  this  near  the  end  of 
May,  when  the  plants  were  in  full  bloom,  and  when 
one  appreciated  more  than  ever  the  place  that  this 
plant  might  occupy  in  our  gardens.  It  seems  to 
me  to  come  nearer  Polygonatum  japonicum  than 
any  other  of  the  genus,  but  its  height  never  appears 
to  exceed  6  inches  or  9  inches.  It  i-uns  a  Uttle  at 
the  root,  but  not  so  much  as  to  become  trouble- 
some where  ordinary  care  is  exercised.  It  forms  a 
spreading  rather  than  a  dense  mass,  and  looks  to 
me  to  be  emphatically  one  which  should  have  a 
dwarf  carpeter  beside  it  which  would  cover  the 
vacant  soil  between  its  arching  stems  of  green 
leaves  and  white  and  green  flowers.  At  Summer- 
ville it  was  without  this,  but  here  it  grows  through 
a  carpet  of  hardy  Lycopodium,  though  I  should 
now  give  it  one  even  mere  compact.  As  I  shall 
move  it  to  a  moister  place  I  purpose  trying  this. 
Carnethorn,  N.B.  S.  Arnott. 


THE  UNHEATED  GREENHOUSE. 

V. — PlASTS    SriTAlSLE    AND    UNSUITABLE. 

It  is  natural  enough  for  those  who  are  young  in 
gardening  matters  to  be  disappointed  when  they 
are  warned  that  plants  from  the  hardy  and  half- 
hardy  classes  only  must  be  reckoned  upon  for  colli 
greenhouse  culture.  What  is  the  use  of  a  green- 
hou.se  at  all,  they  are  ready  to  ask,  if  onlj' common, 
everj'day  flowers  can  be  grown  in  it? 

Let  me  try  to  expound  both  its  ...se  and  its 
charm.  The  craving  for  flowers  is  universal,  but 
in  winter  we  want  them  in  our  rooms  rather  than 
out  of  doors.  The  garden  has  a  winter  beauty  of 
its  own,  and  we  know  and  love  it  well,  but  it  is 
not  the  beauty  of  flowers.  The  tracery  of  bare 
boughs  against  the  skj',  the  glow  of  scarlet  Holly 


June  15,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


431 


berries  midst  polished  leaves,  the  quiet  grey  tones 
of  Rosemary  and  Lavender — all  these  in  their 
various  ways  give  a  sense  of  restful  waiting  for 
the  coming  activities  of  spring,  and  they  are  very 
dear  to  us.  But  all  the  same  we  want  flowers,  for 
lacking  two  things — books  and  flowers — no  home 
looks  home-like.  We  can  buy  them,  doubtless, 
but  "  boughten  "  flowers  do  not  satisfy  the  craving 
that  will  not  be  still,  and  we  wander  out  into  the 
garden  ready  to  welcome  the  homeliest  floweret 
which  has  dared  to  brave  the  winter  storms. 
What  are  we  likely  in.  most  localities  to  find  ? 
Christmas  Roses  maybe,  but  besmirched  Snow- 
drops, not  always  snow  white  unless,  haply,  a 
carpet  of  turf  lies  spread  beneath  thera  ;  Laurus- 
tinus,  hopeful-looking  at  a  distance,  but  sear  and 
brown  on  closer  view  ;  the  earlier  Crocus  buds  and 
Primroses  wantonly  nipped  off  by  saucy  sparrows  ; 
the  rest,  as  yet,  awaiting  their  awakening.  A 
handful  of  purple-brown  Mahonia  leaves,  a  few 
half-opened  buds  of  double  Daffodil  from  a 
sheltered  corner,  some  clustering  Ivy  or  a  spray  or 
two  of  variegated  Box — these  form  the  sum  total 
of  what  many  a  garden  gay  enough  in  summer  is 
able  to  produce.  Whether  we  will  or  no,  for  our 
winter  posy  we  must  needs  go  to  the  greenhouse. 
Call  to  mind  the  most  common  everyday  flowers 
that  we  know— Daffodils,  Hyacinths,  Wallflowers, 
Stocks,  Crocus,  Forget-me-not,  Violets — and  think 
whether  a  greenhouse  filled  with  such  as  these 
would  not  be  an  enviable  possession  from  Christmas 
onwards  ?  And,  then,  if  we  are  not  flower  lovers 
merely,  but  plant  lovers — a  very  different  cult — 
Low  keen  is  the  disappointment  when,  after  months 
of  patient  tending  of  one  and  another  of  the  lovely 
green  things  upon  the  earth  which  are  to  us  as 
priceless  gems,  we  are  robbed  of  the  full  fruition 
of  our  labours  by  treacheries  of  weather  or  hungry 
bandits  in  the  shape  of  slugs  and  snails.  The 
open  ground  is  no  safe  place  to  which  we  dare 
trust  our  rarest  treasures,  and  a  sheltering  frame 
becomes  a  necessity,  and  sooner  or  later  the  frame 
will  need  expansion  into  larger  space,  where  we 
may  group  and  make  pictures  of  our  plants  and 
enjoy  them  to  our  heart's  content.  Yet  it  is  a 
mistake  to  think  that  hardy  flowers  need  be 
common.  The  finer  sorts  are  always  worthy  if 
we  take  the  pains  to  seek  for  them,  and  it  is 
their  earlier  flowering  under  shelter,  no  less  than 
their  own  peerless  beauty  and  sweetness,  that 
gives   them   their    claim    to    the   greenhouse.     A 


greater  mistake  still  would  be  to  think  that  even 
such  everyday  things  will  bless  us  with  so  early  a 
grace,  unless  we  lay  our  plans  with  intention  and 
remember  cheerless  winter  days  to  come  when 
summer  yet  holds  her  lap  full  of  flowers. 

Hardy  Plants. 

Let  us  try  to  define  the  distinction  between 
hardy  and  half-hardy  plants  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  unheated  greenhouse.  Hardy  plants, 
as  we  know,  are  those  which  need  no  protection 
to  enable  them  to  withstand  without  injury  the 
frequent  changes  of  our  climate  in  all  parts  of  the 
United  Kingdom,  but  for  greenhouse  purposes  we 
must  gather  out  of  these  such  as  can  be  made 
decorative  either  for  foliage  or  for  flower  during 
the  flowerless  season.  Roughly  speaking,  this 
season  extends  from  October,  when  the  first  keen 
frost  sweeps  its  sharp  scythe  over  the  autumn 
garden  until  March,  or  even  later  as  in  a  year  like 
the  present,  when  swelling  buds  and  the  blackbird's 
mellow  pipe  tell  us  that  spring  is  here.  Before 
Christmas  Chrysanthemums,  late  Tea  and  China 
Roses,  a  few  annuals  especially  prepared  like 
Cosmos,  the  crimson  spikes  of  Schizostylis,  Car- 
nations of  the  Margherita  type,  late  purple  Asters 
too  tardy  to  open  out  of  doors,  and  many  another 
bright  flower  will  come  to  our  aid.  With  the  new 
year  and  before  if  we  try  we  can  have  Roman 
ilyacinths,  paper  and  the  early  Scilly  White 
Narcissus,  scarlet  Van  Thol  Tulips,  and  Christmas 
Roses,  while  the  cheerful  gleam  of  Coronilla  and 
Winter  Jasmine  and  the  lovely  cream  -  white 
flowers  and  buds  of  the  Box-leaved  Myrtle  and  of 
Laurustinus  will  not  leave  us  forlorn  even  at  that 
pitiless  season.  Then  will  follow  a  long  procession 
of  spring  bulbs,  herbaceous  perennials,  and  shrubs, 
which  it  is  our  business  to  coax  into  flower  to  fill 
in  the  remainder  of  the  weeks  until  the  greenhouse 
needs  no  longer  to  take  the  place  of  the  outer  air. 
So  much  as  this,  and,  indeed,  much  more,  may  be 
done  without  any  firing  at  all,  for  these  are  all 
hardy  plants,  but  not  without  some  extra  care 
when  the  weather  is  specially  severe,  and  maybe 
on  occasion  at  the  cost  of  a  little  drooping  not 
very  harmful  of  the  more  tender  flowers.  Not 
without  energy  and  perseverance  and  forethought 
besides,  for  the  winter  campaign  must  be  prepared 
for  in  two  ways — (1)  by  retarding  such  summer 
flowers  as  can  be  kept  back  to  bloom  in  the  latest 
autumn,   and   (2)  by  bringing   spring      lants  into 


ANEMONE  OOKONARIA   IN   MR.    HANBUBY  S    GARDEN   NEAR    VENTIMIGLIA,    ITALY, 


flower  before  their  due  season.  Midway  between 
these  two  comes  another  class,  of  which  early 
Rhododendrons  and  Azaleas  are  a  type,  which 
flower  naturally  almost  at  midwinter,  but  seldom 
escape  unhurt  if  they  remain  unsheltered.  A  limit, 
indeed,  can  scarcely  be  put  upon  the  hardy  spring 
flower  Anemones,  alpine  Primulas,  Orobus,  Saxi- 
frages, Cyclamen  vernum,  and  Doronicums,  to  name 
but  a  few  out  of  a  host  which  lend  themselves  with 
gratitude  and  enjoy  such  gentle  forcing  as  the 
shelter  of  glass  can  give  them.  They  come  from 
many  lands  and  often  from  climates  much  more 
vigorous  than  our  own,  but  where  they  are  neither 
puzzled  by  the  wiles  nor  entrapped  by  the  cruel 
ogre  of  the  weather,  who  entices  them  with  smiles 
one  day  to  gobble  them  up  on  the  next. 

There  is  but  one  hardy  plant  which  for  this 
purpose,  perhaps  for  its  very  hardiness,  I,  for  my 
own  part,  would  not  choose — the  low-growing  her- 
baceous Heath  (Erica  carnea).  Be  the  winter  what 
it  may  it  never  loses  heart  of  grace,  but  bides  its 
time.  It  may  blush  into  perfect  beauty  a  little 
sooner  or  a  little  later  as  the  season  lets  it,  but  nc 
storm  seems  to  harm,  no  stress  to  change  it  ;  all 
hurtful  creatures  pass  it  by,  only  the  bees  murmur 
over  it  their  first  happy  thanksgiving  as  they  sip 
the  nectar  from  its  tiny  flasks.  Most  flowers  we 
leve  to  gather  and  bring  indoors,  but  not  this  one. 
True  child  of  the  mountains  and  the  moor  it  asks 
no  shelter  ;  let  us  leave  it  to  its  liberty,  for,  as  it 
seems  to  me,  it  is  happier  so. 

Half-hardy  Plants. 

It  is  customary  to  count  as  half-hardy  many  of 
the  soft-wooded  plants  which  are  used  for  summer 
bedding,  such  as  Pelargoniums,  Heliotrope,  Agera- 
tum,  Cupheas,  and  the  like,  but  it  is  a  misleading 
term  as  far  as  the  unheated  greenhouse  is  con- 
cerned, for  in  no  part  of  the  British  Isles  will 
these  survive  a  winter  out  of  doors,  and  they 
might  perhaps  be  more  accurately  described  as 
sub- tropical.  It  is  true  that  Pelargoniums  of 
certain  sorts  thrive  all  the  year  round  in  sheltered 
spots  in  the  Isles  of  Scilly,  but  whole  hedges  of 
them  were  cut  down  to  the  ground-line  in  a' 
disastrous  winter  some  years  ago  when  there  was 
a  most  unusual  vi-sitation  of  10''  of  frost.  It  is  also 
true  that  they  will  exist  under  glass  in  a  low 
temperature,  but  it  must  always  be  above  40° 
Fahr. ,  for  they  quickly  damp  off  imless  there  is 
enou  h  warmth  to  keep  them  in  a  growing  state, 
while  to  have  zonal  Pelargoniums 
in  bloom  during  the  winter  requires 
not  only  a  season  of  special  pre- 
paration beforehand,  but  a  tem- 
perature equal  to  summer  heat, 
hence  it  is  plain  that  they  cannot 
be  recommended  for  the  cold  green- 
house. 

Ordinary  greenhouse  plants  again, 
such  as  Libonia  floribunda,  Bou- 
vardia,  Chinese  Primula,  and  even 
Persian  Cyclamen  must  be  put  out 
of  our  thoughts,  though  tlie  last, 
two  do  excellently  well  in  the 
windows  of  light  warm  rooms.  It 
must  therefore  be  clearly  under- 
stood that  by  "half-hardy"  in 
these  pages  it  is  intended  to 
express  the  degree  of  hardiness 
which  will  pass  safel}'  through  an 
ordinary  winter  in  the  open  garden 
in  the  Isle  of  Wight  or  in  IDevon 
and  Cornwall,  and  which  is  able  to 
endure  a  trifle  of  frost  for  a  short 
time  in  a  dry,  still  atmosphere 
without  permanent  injury.  But 
even  for  half-hardy  plants  like 
these  the  mere  shelter  of  glass 
will  not  suffice,  because  the  advan- 
tages of  climate  afforded  bj'  the 
South  Coast  are  exceptional,  and 
therefore  if  we  decide  to  grow  the 
more  tender  amongst  them  we 
must  make  up  our  minds  to  provide 
some  temporary  means  of  raising 
the  temperature  in  severe  weather. 
Amongst  the  half-hardy  plants  that 
are    suitable    under    these    condi- 


43-2 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  15,  1901. 


tions  we  may  include  some  of  the  Heaths  and 
handsome  South  African  Crassulas  and  Mesem- 
bryanthemus,  as  well  as  Gladioli,  Lachenalias, 
Crinums,  and  other  bulbs  from  the  same  regions, 
the  Disas  and  some  terrestrial  Orchids  of  Table 
Mountain  ;  Acacias,  Boronias,  Correas,  and  other 
hard-wooded  plants  from  Australia  and  New 
Zealand ;  strange  Cacti  and  Mamillarias  from 
the  arid  plains  of  the  southern  United  States ; 
Rhododendrons  from  the  Himalayas,  verily  a 
goodly  company,  with  infinite  variety  from  which 
to  choose. 

It  may  be  added  that  the  two  classes  of  hardy 
plants  and  half-hardy  plants  overlap  each  other, 
and  that  some  things  reckoned  tender  will 
survive  when  hardier  ones  fail,  but  the  reason  is 
probibly  found  to  be  some  accident  of  individual 
constitution  rather  than  in  any  question  of  tem- 
perature. Many  of  the  plants  here  mentioned 
require  special  treatment  and  are  not  altogether 
easy    to    succeed    with,    e.y.,    the    hard-wooded 


for  which  a  certain  amount  of  heating  power  is 
required,  though  not  enough  to  render  the  term 
"  unheated  greenhouse"  a  contradiction,  inasmuch 
as  it  need  be  in  most  cases  merelj'  a  transient 
encumbrance  and  not  a  permanent  one.  In  either 
case  some  knowledge  of  plants  and  a  hearty  desire 
to  know  more  is  inseparable  from  the  true  enjoy- 
ment of  this  or,  indeed,  any  other  branch  of 
gardening.  With  regard  to  culture  nothing 
teaches  so  much  as  practice,  and  when  the  true 
gardening  instinct  exists  the  early  stage  of  helpless 
ignorance  soon  gives  place  to  greater  assurance, 
as  we  take  advantage  day  by  day  of  every  hint, 
spoken  and  written,  that  comes  in  our  waj-. 
Then  as  experience  grows  we  begin  to  make 
experiments  on  our  own  account,  for  there  is  no 
doubt  whatever  that  many  plants  may  be  educated 
and  made  to  adapt  themselves  to  environments 
other  than  those  that  are  natural  to  them,  and 
herein  lies  one  of  the  many  interesting  features  of 
advanced  work  in  a  cold  greenhouse.     A  genera- 


greenhouse  we  maj'lay  aside  all  misgivings,  so  long 
as  we  make  no  mistakes  between  plants  suitable 
and  unsuitable  to  be  grown  in  it.  K.  L.  D. 


THE     ROSE     GARDEN. 


THE     GLOIRE     DE     DIJON     GROUP 
UNDER    GLASS. 

SURELY  no  more  useful  Rose  was  ever 
raised  than  Gloire  de  Dijon.  It  was 
introduced  by  il.  .Jacotot  in  1S.')3,  its 
raiser  achieving  fame  at  a  single  stroke, 
for  I  am  not  aware  that  he  ever  produced 
another  seedling.  Gloire  de  Dijon  is 
believed  by  many  to  be  a  hybrid  Tea— certainly 
it  is  not  a  pure  Tea— but  as  to  its  pedigree  I  believe 
the  raiser  was  entirely  ignorant.  Many  Roses  are 
now  spoken  of  as  seedlings  of  Gloire  de  Dijon,  but 


'V^^Oj^C,^     *. 

M 

wB^S^^^ 

•  4 

■^  -^^H 

^ 

;••< 

'  >*• 

A    HEDGE   Ul'    DUNDEE   KAMBLER   ROSE   IN    MESSRS.    BEKJA.MIN    CANT   AND   SONS'   NURSERY,    COLCIJESTEK. 


Australasians,  which  are,  nevertheless,  well  worthy 
of  all  the  pains  and  care  that  can  be  bestowed 
upon  them.  Others,  again,  like  the  Cape  bulbs, 
present  no  difticulty  of  culture  when  once  their 
management  is  understood,  as  in  the  case  of 
Nerines,  while  succulent  plants  are  the  most  long- 
suffering  of  all  green  things,  living  and  often  even 
thriving  under  positive  neglect,  yet  rewarding, 
many  of  them,  the  most  moderate  understanding 
of  their  wants  with  largest  interest  of  brilliant 
and  sometimes  gorgeous  flower. 

It  is  very  needful  that  the  distinctions  which  I 
have  tried  to  make  clear  between  plants  suitable 
and  unsuitable  for  the  unheated  greenhouse  should 
be  carefully  noted,  for  nothing  but  disappointment 
can  follow  an  attempt  to  make  a  simple  glass 
shelter  do  duty  for  a  house  capable  of  being  heated 
up  to  Orchid  or  even  Pelargonium  pitch.  No  less 
important  is  it  clearly  to  define  our  intentions  to 
ourselves  as  to  whether  we  grow  hardy  plants 
pnly  or  whether  we  wish  to  include  the  less  hardy 


tion  since  numbers  of  plants  now  commonly  to  be 
found  in  our  garden  borders  were  grown  under 
glass  and  reckoned  too  tender  to  be  trusted  out  of 
doors.  The  result  of  experiments  during  many 
years  in  testing  the  capabilities  of  unheated  houses 
in  my  own  garden  proved  to  demonstration  that  a 
fair  proportion  of  plants  will  succeed  admirably 
under  good  management,  and  are  less  subject  to 
blight  and  disease  in  a  much  lower  temperature 
than  is  usually  supposed  to  be  indispensable  to 
them. 

The  same  effects,  it  is  true,  may  be  traced 
from  the  different  modes  of  treatment,  as  may  be 
noticed  in  Switzerland  between  the  plants  of  the 
valley  and  those  of  the  bleaker  mountain  side — 
the  growth  is  not  so  rapid,  and  luxuriance  is 
restricted.  But  what  is  lost  in  these  respects  is 
made  up  in  added  vigour  of  constitution  and 
greater  power  of  resistance  to  the  attacks  of 
insect  pests  and  even  in  more  abundant  flower. 
Therefore   jn   chooging   plants   for   tlie    unheated 


I  think  the  assertion  is  recklessly  made,  as  not 
one  of  them  possess  the  hardy  nature  of  the  old 
"Glory."  Everyone  knows  how  good  this  Rose  is 
outdoors,  and  no  one  more  so  than  the  cottager. 
Many  a  fine  bush  and  standard  may  be  seen 
adorning  the  humblest  dwelling,  and  where  it  is 
lovingly  tended  what  a  splendid  mass  of  blossom  is 
ebtained  !  It  would  be  sacrilege  to  cut  away  its 
fine  growths,  so  the  cottager  will  spread  them  out, 
bend  them  about,  and  train  them  in  various  ways, 
not  always  with  a  knowledge  that  this  is  just  the 
best  way  to  treat  it,  but  simply  because  they  are 
loth  to  part  with  its  growths.  And  how  it  responds 
to  the  pailful  of  liquid  manure  given  now  and 
again  ! 

But  is  it  grown  under  glass  so  much  as  it  should 
be?  In  the  bud  and  half -open  stage,  under  good 
culture,  its  flowers  are  as  clean  and  refined  as  the 
best  of  the  Teas,  and  the  fragrance  delicious.  One 
need  not  fear  planting  it  in  an  unheated  green- 
house, and  it  will   thrive  in   shade  where   manv 


June  15,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


433 


Roses  would  fail.  I  would  recommend  anyone 
having  a  large  conservatory  to  plant  a  standard  or 
two  of  the  old  favourite,  and  bend  over  the  shoots 
umbrella  fashion,  and  I  will  guarantee  they  will 
have  no  more  lovely  object  in  the  structure  when 
these  trained  growths  are  covered  with  bloom.  The 
advantage  of  securing  well-ripened  annual  shoots 
cannot  be  over-estimated,  so  that  hard  pruning 
should  be  resorted  to  after  flowering  to  encourage 
new  wood. 

Though  admitting  that  Gloire  de  Dijon  is  one  of 
the  best  Roses  grown,  it  is  freely  conceded  that 
Bouquet  d"Or  is  the  more  perfect  flower  and  the 
richest  in  colour.  As  a  greenhouse  kind  it  is 
superb.  Mme.  Moreau  is  still  more  intense  in 
colour  ;  in  fact,  many  of  its  flowers  are  as  brilliant 
as  the  new  Sunrise.  But  it  has  its  faults,  one  of 
them  being  a  strong  tendency  to  mildew.  If  this 
variety  is  grown  Mme.  Berard  is  not  required,  but 
for  growth  I  should  prefer  the  latter. 

Belle  Lyonnaise  is  a  soft  lemon  colour,  an  excel- 
lent Rose  in  every  respect  both  indoors  and  out ; 
and   Le  Solei.,   somewhat  resembling   the  latter, 
with  an  additional  attraction  in  the  form  of  a  pink 
shading  on  the  lemon  colour,  is  too  good  to  lose, 
although  it  is  rarely  heard  of.     What  a  number  of 
exquisite  Roses  pass  into  oblivion  simply  because  of 
the  craze  for  novelty,  and  I  could  recall  several  infi- 
nitely more  beautiful  than  many  of  the  so-called  im- 
provements that  are  produced  in  such  abundance  at 
the  present 
day.      In  a 
cold   house 
the     fin  e 
sport    from 
Gloire  de 
Dijon 
named 
Kaiserin 
Friedrich 
would 
develop  the 


AYRSHIRE  ROSE  DUNDEE  RAMBLER. 

Doubtless  the  beautiful  Ayrshire  Roses  reach  the 
climax  of  their  perfection  when  they  are  found 
draping  the  walls  and  turrets  of  mansions  or 
covering  the  thatched  roof  of  the  cottage  with 
their  garlands  of  flowers ;  but  there  are  other  ways 
in  which  they 
ma}' be  usefully 
employed,  and 
in  which  their 
profusion  of 
bloom,  if  short 
lived,  is  fully 
seen,  chief 
among  these 
being  tall 
hedges  or  really 
walls  of  Roses. 
Why  some 
individuals  will 
persist  in  plant- 
ing the  evil- 
smelling  Privet 
I  cannot 
imagine  when 
beautiful  and 
fragrant  hedges 
of  Roses  may 
be  had  at  small 


)I:^ 


C- 


charming 
pink  suffusion 
of  its  creamy 
petals  which 
renders  it 
such  a  fa- 
vourite out- 
doors  in 
autumn. 

The  aim 
should  be  to 
encourage  a 
healthy  but 
not  rank 
growth.  A 
well  -  rooted 
plant,     be     it 

standard  or  bush,  on  wall  or  pillar,  can  utilise  when 
plenty  of  foliage  has  developed,  a  liberal  watering 
with  some  good  artificial  manure,  but  this  must 
not  be  overdone  or  the  evil  results  will  be  apparent 
the  next  year.  A  safe  stimulant  is  the  drainings 
from  a  cow  shed  applied  about  twice  a  week.  One 
gallon  of  such  liquor,  perfectly  clear,  to  8  gallens 
or  10  gallons  of  water,  will  make  a  marked  improve- 
ment in  the  vigour  of  a  Rose,  but  as  individuals 
thrive  best  on  a  changed  diet,  so  is  it  advisable  to 
afford  our  Roses  a  variety  if  given  with  judgment. 


SENBCIO   MAGNIFICUS. 


(From  a  drauing  made  at  Eew  by 


Moon.) 


cost.  The  variety  Dundee  Rambler  is  one  of 
the  most  rampant  of  the  whole  group,  making 
fine  long  wiry  growths,  elegant  and  graceful  in  the 
extreme  when  bespangled  with  the  pretty  semi- 
double  white  flowers.  This  kind  reminds  one  very 
much  of  the  wild  Roses  that  so  plentifully  abound 
in  the  hedgerows  of  our  rural  districts.  What  a 
charming  picture  these  wildings  of  Nature  make, 
teaching  us  in  their  free  unfettered  rambling 
growths  what  we  may  accomplish  with  the  perhaps 
more    refined    clambering    Roses    of    our   present 


collection.  One  excellent  manner  of  displaying 
the  beauty  of  the  Ayrshire  and  Evergreen  Roses  is 
to  bud  them  upon  tall  standard  Briars,  so  that  their 
long  growths  trail  down  to  the  ground  making 
graceful  streamers  of  blossom.  I  have  met  with 
some  such  plants  in  which  the  Briar  stem  has  been 
so  completely  hidden  by  the  thicket  of  growth  as 
to  be  entirely  invisible,  the  plant 
resembling  when  in  full  bloom 
nothing  less  than  a  huge  snow- 
ball. Single  plants  of  Dundee 
Rambler  will  quickly  form  a 
natural  arVjour  if  a  little  training 
be  adopted  at  first.  After  the 
plants  have  become  established 
it  is  best  to  leave  them  to  their 
own  devices,  simply  removing 
dead  or  decaying  growths 
and  clipping  away  overhanging 
branches. 

In    planting    the    Dundee 
Rambler     and     other    Rambler 
Roses  with  the  idea  of  forming 
a  hedge  or  barrier,  one  must  be 
careful    to   make   a    good   com- 
mencement,     for      when     once 
planted    they  are   practically   a 
fixture.    Trench  the 
ground     well     and 
deeply,  and  if  there 
happens  to  be  any 
spare    artificial 
"■■"     ■  manure,     such     as 

crushed  bones,  give 
a     good     dressing, 
so  that  when  estab- 
lished the  roots  ob- 
tain  the  benefit  of 
some    good    lasting 
fertiliser.     Stout 
posts  should  be  set 
into     the     ground, 
and    some    wires 
stretched     between 
on  which  to  train  the  growths.    The  wires  should  be 
placed  nearly  as  high  as  the  wall  or  hedge  is  desired 
to  be.     Usually  8  feet  or  9  feet  is  high  enough  for  all 
practical   purposes.      When   the  plants   are  some 
five  or  six  years  old  they  will  practically  support 
themselves,  but  unless  they  are  given   these  wire 
supports  at  first  the  growths  tumble  over  in  such  a 
helpless  mass  that  the  best  efi^ect  of  their  blossom 
is  lost.     Where  possible,  the  plants  should   be  on 
their  own  roots,  and  be  planted  about  4  feet  apart. 
There  are  now  so  many  splendid  rambling  Roses 
suitable  for  hedge  making  that  one  can  select  almost 
any   colour.       Aglaia   is   a   grand    creamy   yellow 
variety    for    the     purpose,    so    also     is     Crimson 
Rambler.      Felicite    Perpelue   is   unequalled  as  a 
white.     Aimce  Vibert,  by  reason  of  its  evergreen 
nature,  is  in   much   request,   and    Beine  Olga  de 
Wurtemburg   is   another   good    kind   and    almost 
evergreen.      The   only  want   now   seems   to   be  a 
perpetual  flowering  rambling  tribe.     Where  a  good 
late  bloomer  is  wanted  Longworth  Rambler  is  a 
fine  kind,  but  is  not  quite  so  free  as  the  Ayrshires. 

Philomel. 


AN    ARTIST'S   NOTE-BOOK. 


SENECIO  MAGNIFICUS. 

A  NEWLY-INTRODUCED  plant  nowa- 
days has  two  claims  to  the  atten- 
tion of  horticulturists — first  as  a 
useful  or  ornamental  plant ;  and, 
L  secondly,  as  a  breeder  from  which 
good  things  may  be  obtained  by 
hybridisation.  If  a  plant  cannot  be  recom- 
mended for  the  former  it  receives  consideration 
in  the  latter  capacity.  It  would  be  easy  to 
name  a  long  list  of  species  which  have  proved 
iareeders  of  high-class  garden  plants,  although 
they  themselves  were  inferior.  The  introduc- 
tion from  Australia  of  a  distinct  and  horti- 
culturally  new  Groundsel  (S.   magnificus)  is 


434 


THE    UAKDEN. 


[JXTNK   15,    1901. 


the  latest  example.  In  itself  of  no  more 
decorative  value  than  the  common  Ragwort, 
if  as  much,  it  is  nevertheless  possessed  of 
certain  peculiarities,  especially  of  habit  and 
foliage  and  time  of  flowering,  that  have  already 
appealed  to  the  raisers  of  hybrids,  and  the 
prospect  of  infusing  some  of  these  characters 
into  such  as  the  garden  Cineraria,  which  is  of 
course  a  Senecio,  or  the  African  S.  lilacinus,  or 
the  beautiful  but  delicate  S.  pulcher  from 
Brazil,  has  given  the  new  comer  an  interest 
which  otherwise  it  would  not  have.  Of  the 
thousand  or  so  species  of  Senecio  distributed 
all  over  the  world,  some  twenty-five  are  natives 
of  and  peculiar  to  Australia,  and  S.  magnificus 
is  one  of  them.  It  is  an  erect,  glabrous,  and 
glaucous  shrub,  .3  feet  high,  freely  branched, 
the  stems  cylindrical  and  striate,  the  leaves 
spathulate,  coarsely  toothed,  narrowest  at  the 
base,  3  inches  long,  1  inch  wide,  and  almost 
succulent  in  texture.  The  flowers  are  in  erect 
terminal  corymbs  of  from  four  to  a  dozen 
heads,  each  li  inches  across,  with  from  eight 
to  twelve  ray  florets  coloured  primrose-yellow, 
and  a  disc  of  a  darker  shade  of  yellow.  They 
last  a  week  or  more,  and  the  plant  continues 
to  develop  them  from  early  autumn  to  mid- 
winter ;  at  any  rate,  it  has  done  so  at  Kew, 
having  been  raised  from  seeds  received  two 
years  ago  from  )Sydney.  It  is  perennial, 
cuttings  of  it  root  readily,  and  it  appears 
likely  to  be  fruitful  of  seeds.  W.  W. 


not  quite  so  fine  as  those  shown  at  Nice  by 
Ardisson  and  others,  nevertheless  they  were  a 
wonderful  advance  on  all  others.  The  new  copper- 
coloured  Musa  and  the  beautiful  Rubus  i-eflexu.s 
were  well  shown,  and  will  prove  additions  to  any 
garden.  Then  came  a  blaze  of  Geraniums,  chiefly 
bedding,  and  of  much  excellence.  Several  quite 
new  shades  of  colour  were  shown,  with  an  unifor- 
mity of  habit  and  size  of  truss  that  was  striking  ; 
it  was  worthy  of  note  that  the  scarlet  Geranium 
Paul  Crampel  still  holds  its  own  as  best,  but 
Admiral  Avellan,  a  new  shade  of  brick-red,  was 
quite  the  most  beautiful  of  all ;  Mons.  Viard, 
salmon  ;  Briere  de  LTsle,  coral-red  ;  and  .Jeanne 
Poirier,  white,  were  also  unsurpassed  anywhere. 

Regnier's  Pbalffinopsis  and  Maron's  hybrid 
Catlleyas  were  finest  among  the  Orchids.  It  was 
very  interesting  to  see  side  by  side  fine  specimens 
of  Lielia  callistoglossa  and  L.  Mme.  Selac,  both 
splendidly  beautiful,  and  then  the  curious  dis- 
appointment of  such  hybrids  as  the  L.  purpurata 
and  Cattleya  Mossise  seedlings  shown,  which  were 
all  inferior  to  their  parents,  and  in  my  judgment 
worthless. 

The  heat  had  entirely  ruined  the  Piuonies  of  all 
sorts  and  the  forced  Roses,  which  were  in  any 
case  very  inferior  to  English  exhibits,  but  Syringa 
Bretschneideri  stood  out  triumphantly  and  proved 
itself  a  beautiful  thing. 

The  tropical  fruits  wore  beyond  praise  for  their 
perfection.  The  Asparagus  weighed  6oz.  a  stick 
(who  could  eat  it?),  and  General  Chauzy  and 
St.  Antoine  de  Padoue  were  very  fine  Straw- 
berries. E.  H.  WOODALL. 


FOREIGN    NOTES. 

NOTES    FROM    FRANCE. 

THE  flower  show  held  in  the  Tuileries 
Gardens  at  Paris  on  May  29  and  three 
following  days  was  not  favoured  by 
such  weather  as  the  Temple  show,  tor  a 
thunderstorm  of  tropical  violence 
descended  very  shortly  after  the 
opening  and  entirely  flooded  the  tents,  the  rain 
destroying  the  more  delicate  flowers,  even  under 
the  canvas,  and  rendering  the  ground  a  perfect 
quagmire  ever  after.  The  heat  was  very  great 
as  well,  so  it  is  to  be  feared  that  the  show  will  not 
prove  a  financial  success,  though  it  is  interesting 
from  many  points  of  view. 

The  French  custom  of  bedding  out  their  exhibits 
on  the  ground  is  a  great  merit  from  a  spectator's 
point  of  view,  the  flowers  look  so  much  better 
from  above  than  when  staged  on  high  benches. 
It  is  a  great  pity  space  does  not  allow  such  treat- 
ment in  England,  for  it  would  be  much  appreciated 
by  all  lovers  of  the  beautiful.  There  were  many 
interesting  exhibits  outside  the  tents,  of  various 
appliances  for  gardens,  which  showed  much 
ingenuity  and  neatness  that  might  be  copied  with 
advantage  by  English  horticulturists,  who  are  fat 
behind  in  this  matter. 

On  entering  the  big  tent  the  cmip  (Vreil  was 
very  fine  with  Moser's  enormous  Rhododendrons 
on  either  side,  and  Vilmorin's  splendid  display  in 
front.  The  beds  of  Cannas  shown  by  Vilmorin 
were  gorgeous  in  the  extreme,  and  it  is  no  longer 
an  exaggeration  to  call  them  Gladiolus-flowered  ; 
the  size  of  bloom  and  length  of  spike  were  greatly 
in  advance  of  what  I  had  seen.  Of  new  shades  of 
colour,  Pasteur,  a  clear  rose  ;  Comte  de  Saxe,  a 
wonderful  red  ;  and  Hespiride,  a  pure  orange, 
struck  me  as  most  beautiful,  and  a  clear  lemon- 
yellow  in  another  exhibit  was  also  a  great 
acquisition.  The  pretty  annual  Nyoterinia  edged 
the  whole  bed  very  well.  I  do  not  think  we 
appreciate  its  beauty  in  England. 

A  large  bed  of  annuals  was  another  very 
interesting  exhibit,  and  one  well  worthy  of 
imitation  ;  the  whole  mass  was  brilliantly  edged 
with  the  j-ellow  Gamolepis  Tagetes,  which  is  a 
delightful  Ragwort,  worthy  a  place  in  any  garden. 
Seedling  Carnations  (tree)  were  very  finely 
shown  by  Vacherot  ;   they  were  very  similar  but 


PART  OF  A  GARDEN  OF 
FORMAL  DESIGN. 

The  illustration  shows  a  part  of  a  garden  of 
strict  formality  in  a  place  in  Sussex,  whose 
owner,  an  artist  who  has  a  profound  knowledge 
of  decorative  methods,  is  gradually  moulding 
his  garden  to  his  will.  Some  of  it  is  as  yet  not 
mature  ;  the  Rose  arches  are  not  yet  covered 
with  that  bountiful  mass  of  gracious  growth 
that  will  give  the  smiling  aspect  that  some  of 
us  so  much  desire  in  a  garden  whose  lines  are 
for  the  most  part  austere  ;  but  in  a  few  years, 
when  the  rigid  lines  are  somewhat  softened  by 
kindly  overgrowth,  and  the  bare  beds  show  a 
wealth  of  flower,  and  it  has  all  "  come  together," 
and  the  picture  is  as  complete  as  in  the  mind 
of  the  designer,  even  those  who  are  least  in 
sympathy  with  the  most  rigid  treatment  of 
symmetrical  garden  planning  will  see  what 
was  intended,  and  will  find  that  it  is  good. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 


will  now  be  far  enough  advanced  to  cover  most  of 
the  stakes  with  their  growth.  Among  other  things 
that  will  require  stakes  at  once  are  the  border 
Carnations.  It  is  not  easy  to  find  stakes  that  are 
effective  and  inconspicuous  for  this  purpose,  but 
the  "  coil"  painted  iron  stakes  meet  the  difficulty, 
and  should  be  used  wherever  the  plants  are  in 
conspicuous  positions,  taking  care  to  use  some  of 
the  longer  sizes,  so  that  the  upper  portions  of  the 
stems  may  be  supported  and  relieved  of  the  weight 
of  the  expanding  flowers.  Another  point  with 
Carnations  that  does  not  often  get  sufficient  con- 
sideration is  that  of  disbudding.  Many  buds  are 
formed  that  cannot,  from  the  position  they  occupy 
on  the  stems,  be  of  the  least  service  for  cutting, 
and  if  these  are  removed,  leaving  the  remainder  at 
fair  distances  apart,  better  flowers,  each  with  a 
stem  suHiciently  long  for  use,  may  be  had  without 
sacrificing  any  buds  or  half-opened  flowers. 

Marguerite  Carnations. 
Strong  plants  of  these  put  out  now  in  a  sunny 
border  will  give  a  fine  lot  of  flowers  for  autumn 
cutting  if  the  season  is  a  fine  one,  and  they  are  so 
useful  that  a  batch  ought  to  be  planted  with  that 
in  view.  Wherever  there  is  a  great  demand  for 
cut  flowers  —  and  the  flower  garden  or  borders 
proper  are  not  expected  to  be  used  as  a  source  of 
this  supply — provision  should  be  made  by  planting 
out  batches  of  the  most  usefid  plants  for  the 
purpose  somewhere  in  the  reserve  garden  or  in 
out-of-the-way  corners,  where  the  unsightliness  of 
the  plants  when  denuded  of  their  flowers  will  not 
be  so  much  noticed.  Odds  and  ends  of  the  best 
annuals  may  thus  be  turned  to  good  account. 

Daffodils. 

Any  Daffodils  that  may  need  division,  either 
through  having  occupied  the  ground  long  enough 
or  for  purposes  of  extension,  should  now  be  lifted, 
for  the  first  heavy  rain  experienced  after  the 
middle  of  June  will  cause  them  to  commence  root 
action,  and  this  should  not  be  allowed  before 
lifting.  It  is  really  much  safer  to  lift  even  while 
the  leaves  still  have  some  green  left  in  them  than 
to  delay  too  long.  After  being  lifted  they  may  be 
kept  out  of  the  ground  for  a  few  weeks  if  other 
work  is  pressing,  but  it  is  much  better  to  replant 
at  once.  In  planting  the  bulbs  see  that  each  rests 
firmly  on  the  soil  at  its  base,  for  bulbs  that  are 
"  hung  up"  through  making  the  hole  too  small  at 
the  bottom  do  not  grow  well.         J.  C.  Tallack. 

Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 

DURING  the  rush  of  the  planting  season 
.  many  things  will  have  been  to  a 
I  certain  extent  neglected,  and  to  these 
'  attention  should  be  at  once  turned. 
Weeds  will  have  grown  up  in  the 
borders  and  beds,  for,  however 
unpropitious  the  weather  may  be,  nothing  but 
strict  attention  with  the  hoe  will  keep  our  native 
weeds  in  .subjection,  and  hoeing  has,  too,  the 
beneficial  effect  of  turning  the  surface  soil  into  a 
kind  of  mulching  that  helps  plants  to  go  through  a 
dry  time  without  sufiering  greatly.  The  regu- 
lating and 

TYING  IN  OF  creepers, 
so  that  they  may  cover  their  allotted  space  pretty 
equally,  is  another  matter  that  must  not  be  over- 
looked, for,  though  many  of  them  grow  naturally 
in  a  tangle,  such  tangles  do  not  produce  the  best 
eff'ect,  except  perhaps  in  the  wild  garden.  I  alluded 
some  time  back  to  the  necessity  for  staking  many 
of  the  herbaceous  plants.  These  will  require 
further  attention  in  the  waj'  of  ties,  and  any  that 
were  not  then  forward  enough  to  have  the  stakes 
put  to  them  without  making  them  look  unsiglitly 


KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

Spring-sown  Onions. 
The  dry  weather  of  the  past  month  has  consider- 
ably delayed  the  thinning  of  this  crop  and 
strengthened  the  case  in  favour  of  thin  sowing. 
If  seeds  were  tested  by  the  gardener  previous  to 
sowing  very  little  thinning  need  be  necessary,  for 
a  pot  with  a  number  of  seeds  sown  in  it  and  placed 
in  heat  will  soon  show  the  percentage  of  plants  to 
be  expected  from  the  seed  sown  in  the  open  garden, 
and  considerably  lessen  the  need  for  thinning  at 
all,  especially  where  a  plentiful  supplj'  of  medium- 
sized  bulbs  is  required.  As  a  rule,  moderate-sized 
Onions  keep  longer  than  large  ones,  and  are  just  as 
good,  or  even  better  from  a  culinarj'  point  of  view. 
To  grow  long-keeping  bulbs  it  is  not  necessary  to 
thin  the  plants  to  more  than  a  finger's  length  apart, 
for  it  is  well  known  that  only  well-ripened  Onions 
will  keep  till  Onions  come  again,  and  these  are 
most  likely  to  be  obtained  from  beds  that  have 
only  been  moderately  thinned.  Here  we  have 
supplied  Onions  of  last  season's  growth  up  to  the 
4th  inst.,  and  on  that  day  commenced  pulling 
moderate-sized  bulbs  from  seed  sown  last  autumn. 
Exhibition  Onions  shoidd  be  encouraged  as  much 
as  possible  by  frequent  waterings  of  liquid  manure 
and  dustings  of  soot  and  guano.  The  hoe  should 
also  be  kept  at  work  between  the  plants,  which 
will  not  only  keep  them  free  from  weeds  but 
prevent  the  soil  from  cracking  during  the  dry 
weather. 

COLEWORTS 
should  be  sown  now  for  use  in  the  late  autumn, 
but  for  plants  intended  to  stand  the  winter  the 
seed  should  not  be  sown   for  another  fortnight 


June  15,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN . 


436 


Rosette  is  the  best  variety  far  sowing  now,  but  for 
plants  to  stand  the  winter  the  Hardy  Green  variet}' 
is  the  best.  It  will  stand  through  a  very  severe 
winter,  and  prove  valuable  for  early  spring  use,  to 
come  in  before  autumn-planted  Cabbage.  The  seed 
should  be  sown  on  a  north  border,  where  the  soil 
is  rather  poor,  in  order  to  keep  the  plants  as  hardy 
and  stocky  as  possible.  As  soon  as  large  enough 
they  may  be  put  out  in  rows  1  foot  apart  and  the 
same  distance  between  the  plants.  With  liberal 
treatment  after  planting  this  will  prove  a  valuable 
crop  of  well-flavoured  hardy  greens  the  winter 
through.  Continue  to  plant  out  as  opportunity 
arises  such  crops  as 

Brussels  Sprouts, 
Scotch  Kale,  and  Early  Broccoli,  and  if  the  weather 
continues  dry  the  drills  in  which  they  are  to  be 
planted  should  be  well  saturated  with  clear  water, 
as  well  as  a  good  watering  after  planting,  to  settle 
the  soil  about  the  roots.  The  beds  in  which  the 
young  plants  are  growing  should  not  be  watered, 
in  order  to  keep  them  hard  and  better  able  to  stand 
against  the  effects  of  strong  sun  after  planting. 
The  main  crop  of 

Celery 
should  be  planted  as  soon  as  ready,  and  before  the 
roots  have  taken  full  possession  of  the  bed  in  which 
they  are  growing.  Before  moving  the  plants  the 
beds  should  be  well  watered,  in  order  to  avoid  as 
far  as  possible  the  ill  effects  of  moving.  The  plants 
must  never  be  allowed  to  become  dry  or  dis- 
appointment is  almost  sure  to  follow.  Finish 
pricking  out  young  plants  from  the  seed  beds  for 
the  latest^batch,  and__keep  them  growing  as  freely 


as  possible.  Whenever  a  crep  of  vegetables  is 
over  it  is  good  policy  to  manure  and  dig  the  land 
as  soon  as  possible,  so  as  to  be 

Ready  for  Another  CRor, 
for  nothing  is  more  harmful  to  the  ground  than  to 
allow  a  plot  of  vegetables  to  stand  after  they  have 
run  to  seed,  and  I  know  of  nothing  that  can  give 
the  garden  a  more  untidy  appearance.  Keep  the 
hoe  going  as  freely  as  possible  during  dry  weather, 
so  that  when  rain  does  come  there  will  be  little  of 
that  kind  of  work  to  do,  and  full  advantage  can  be 
taken  of  the  change  to  put  out  as  many  plants  as 
possible.  Where  late  Broad  Beans  are  desired, 
the  last  sowing  may  be  made  now  in  a  somewhat 
shady  situation.  John  Dunn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 


THE  FEUIT  GAEDEN. 

Cherries  on  Walls. 

Owing  to  the  drying  east  winds  during  May  the 
young  growths  are  suffering  from  black  aphis. 
This  pest  must  be  cleared  as  soon  as  it  is  observed, 
as  not  only  does  it  cripple  the  growths,  but  makes 
the  fruit  objectionable.  In  our  own  case  quassia 
extract  is  used,  but  only  with  fruit  not  coloured. 
I  have  seen  fine  crops  ruined  by  using  strong 
insecticides  at  this  period  of  the  year,  so  that  if 
quassia  or  other  things  are  used  for  cleansing  far 
better  apply  weak  doses,  and  syringe  afterwards 
with  clean  water.  No  matter  how  thoroughly 
anyone  cleanses  the  trees,  the  shoots  at  the  ends 
curl  or  fold  up,  and  the  mixture  cannot  reach  the 
pest.     It  is  well  to  crush  the  shootsbetween  the 


finger  and  thumb  after  the  syringing,  or,  what  is 
better,  to  cut  away  any  shoots  not  refjuired  for 
extension,  as  the  aphis  is  mostly  at  the  extreme 
ends.  One  or  two  syringings  may  not  sutiice  for 
badly  infested  trees,  but  it  should  be  borne  in 
mind  that  a  thorough  cleansing  now  will  probably 
keep  the  trees  clean  through  the  season,  and,  if 
possible,  it  is  well  not  to  let  trees  get  much 
infested  before  dressing.  It  is  easy  to  stop  old 
trees  at  this  season,  and  better  to  do  this  while 
the  shoots  can  be  pinched  than  wait  till  they  get 
strong,  when  a  knife  must  be  used.  Early  stopping 
induces  spur  growth,  as  it  is  upon  the  latter  that 
the  best  dessert  fruits  are  produced.  These  trees 
suffer  from  drought  more  quickly  than  other  stone 
fruits,  and  in  light  soils  early  waterings  are 
necessary — indeed,  drought  is  answerable  tor  the 
aphis  spreading  so  quickly.  A  good  mulch  of 
decayed  manure  should  be  given  before  the  fruits 
colour,  so  that  wlien  the  trees  are  watered  the 
moisture  will  be  retained.  The  fruits  will  be  finer 
and  of  better  flavour  if  an  early  mulch  is  given, 
and  in  gardens  where  manures  are  scarce  any  other 
mulch,  such  as  long  litter  or  old  Mushroom  bed 
manure,  will  be  beneficial. 

Other  Hardy  Fruit  Trees. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines  on  walls  will  now  be 
stoning  freely,  and  a  final  thinning  should  take 
place.  Trees  that  are  none  too  heavily  cropped 
are  making  much  wood,  and  this  should  be  stopped 
so  as  to  regulate  the  growths.  Any  cleansing 
should  be  taken  in  hand  before  the  pest  gets  much 
headway.  The  same  advice  given  for  Cherries  will 
apply  here.     Mildew  often  appears  after  a  spell  of 


THE  FORMAL  GARDEN   AT  OLD   PLACE,   LINDFIELD. 


436 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  15,  1901, 


warm  weather— when  a  change  occurs.  Some 
trees  are  annually  attacked,  such  kinds  as  Royal 
C4eorge  and  Noblesse  being  the  worst,  and  I  have 
found  a  sulphur  solution  the  most  effectual,  though 
in  mild  cases  dusting  the  trees  over  with  dry 
sulphur  may  suffice.  After  hot  sunshine  the  trees  will 
greatly  benefit  by  being  syringed,  or,  what  is  better, 
hosed  overhead  late  in  the  day.  This  is  far  better 
than  damping  over  early  in  the  day.  One  of  the 
worst  pests  on  hot  dry  walls  with  the  Peach  is 
red  spider,  but  the  latter  cannot  thrive  if  the 
foliage  is  moist  at  night,  and  a  well  moistened 
border  will  go  a  long  way  towards  maintaining 
health.  In  many  gardens  the  walls  have  rather 
wide  copings,  which  are  e.xcellent  earlier  in  the 
season,  but  now  such  copings  prevent  the  dews 
and  rains  reaching  the  trees,  and  here  I  would 
advise  paying  more  attention  to  the  trees  in  the 
shape  of  moisture.  Newly-planted  trees  must  be 
sparsely  cropped,  and  younger  ones  should  have 
their  main  shoots  trained  in.  This  done  it  is  an 
easy  matter  to  regulate  later  growths.  Pears  will 
not  be  a  heavy  crop,  I  fear,  but  some  kinds  that 
fruit  in  clusters  will  well  repay  thinning.  Apples 
are  less  numerous  than  last  year,  and  the  moth  has 
already  commenced  its  operations.  In  the  case  of 
bush  fruits  I  would  advise  early  hand-picking, 
burning  tlie  refuse.  Any  young  trees  will  benelit 
by  mulchings,  and  those  newly  planted  should  be 
watered.  Strawberry  quarters  in  this  part  are 
suffering  from  want  of  rain,  and  where  an  early 
mulch  was  given  the  plants  will  benefit.  We  are 
soaking  our  plants  once  a  week  to  keep  them 
going.  Raspberries  also  are  small  in  light  soils, 
and  here  any  assistance  given  in  mulchings  or 
waterings  will  be  well  repaid.  It  will  assist  Goose- 
berries heavily  laden  to  thin  the  fruit  when  this  is 
intended  for  dessert  purposes.  G.  VVythes. 

Syen  Hou^e  Gardens,  Brentford. 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

Summer  Quarters. 
Too  much  attention  can  hardly  be  bestowed  on  the 
selection  of  a  site  on  which  the  plants  are  to  be 
grown  and  matured  during  the  summer  months. 
Japanese,  Refle.xed,  and  Anemones  especially, 
must,  to  produce  high-class  flowers,  be  grown  in  a 
light,  airy  position,  so  that  the  wood  has  a  fair 
chance  to  mature  gradually  all  through  the  season. 
Some  imagine  that  two  or  three  weeks  bright 
weather  during  September  will  be  sufficient'to 
accomplish  this  end.  Tliis  is  a  mistake  ;  the  results 
in  the  end  will  chiefly  depend  on  the  treatment 
the  plants  have  received  from  the  first.  The 
incurved  section  will  perfect  good  blooms  with  less 
ripened  wood.  Indeed,  it  is  possible  to  have  it 
over-ripe,  especially  with  some  varieties,  and  when 
this  is  the  ease  the  blooms  will  not  open  kindly 
and  the  petals  will  be  narrow  and  poor.  Though, 
as  before  stated,  an  open  position  is  most  desirable, 
select  that  which  is  most  sheltered  from  the  west 
winds.  After  the  final  potting  the  plants  are 
generally  arranged  pot  to  pot  and  in  a  sheltered 
position,  and  these  will  be  perfectly  safe  for  about 
a  fortnight,  when  no  time  should  be  lost  to  afford 
them  more  light  and  air.  Strong,  neat  posts 
should  be  driven  in  at  intervals,  to  which  should  be 
stretched  somestouttarcord.  For  many  reasons  wire 
is  most  objectionable.  The  plants  should  be  stood 
either  on  slates  or  9inoh  boards  ;  never  trust  to 
ashes  alone  to  exclude  worms.  Arrange  the  plants 
in  their  various  heights,  so  that  one  kind  is  not 
shaded  by  the  other,  and  this  is  another  reason  in 
favour  of  single  rows  by  the  paths.     Allow 

Plenty  of  Room 
between  each  plant,  at  least  l.?  inches,  but  if 
18  inches  so  much  the  better.  For  the  first  few 
weeks  especially  the  greatest  care  should  be 
exercised  in  watering.  Never  water  a  plant  on 
the  chance  of  its  being  dry  in  an  hour,  thoroughly 
test  each  when  any  doubt  exists,  especially  so 
by  ringing  it  with  the  knuckles  and  lifting  the 
pot.  The  experienced  hand  will  find  little 
difficulty  in  deciding  this,  but  the  beginner 
immediately  the  soil  appears  dry  on  the  surface 
feels  convinced  it  requires  water,  and  thousands  of 
plants   are   annually   ruined   by  this  cause  alone. 


I 


Syringe  freely  morning  and  afternoon  on  fine  days. 
Do  not  hurry  to  take  off  the  side  growths  before 
the  plants  become  well  established,  as  these  will 
all  help  to  increase  root  action.  Watch  minutely 
for  all  insect  pests,  which  will  now  begin  to  be 
troublesome.  Green  and  black  ily  will  be  busy  in 
the  points  of  the  growths,  but  these  are  easily 
dislodged  by  dusting  during  the  evening  with 
tobacco  powder  and  syringe  out  in  early  morning. 
The  leaf-miner  is  oftentimes  very  bus}'  at  this 
season,  and  will  frequently  do  considerable  mis- 
chief to  the  foliage  unless  steps  are  taken  to 
eradicate  it.  It  must  be  searched  for  and  removed 
as  carefully  as  possible  with  a  sharp-pointed 
stick.  E.  Beckett. 

Aldenham  House  Gardens,  Elstree,  Herts. 

INDOOR  GARDEN. 
Herbaceous  Calceolarias. 

Seed  of  these  showy  plants  should  be  sown  in 
pans  of  light  soil.  Cover  the  seed  very  lightly, 
and  a  position  in  a  cold  frame  where  the  pans  can 
be  well  shaded  until  tlje  seedlings  are  well  up 
should  be  chosen,  preferably  that  on  a  moist 
bottom,  as  this  subject  in  the  earlier  stages  of  its 
growth  especially  delights  in  moist  and  cool  sur- 
roundings, provided  a  circulation  of  air  is  always 
maintained,  otherwise  damping  off  is  sure  to  follow. 
When  sufficiently  large  to  handle  pot  them  singly 
into  2i-inch  pots,  and  give  a  light  and  porous 
soil.  Water  being  given  they  may  be  placed  in  a 
position  as  before,  shaded  from  "bright  sun,  the 
leaf  frequently  moistened  in  favourable  weather, 
and  after  the  first  few  days  give  air  freely,  as  the 
Calceolaria  is  subject  to  attacks  of  green  fly. 
Fumigate  at  intervals,  never  letting  the  pest  get 
established. 

HUMEA    ELEGANS. 

Similar  treatment  is  also  necessary  in  every 
detail.  The  plants  when  well  grown  are  useful 
for  house  decoration,  and  every  care  should  be 
taken  to  produce  the  best  possible  results. 

POINSETTIAS. 

As  these  root  they  should  be  potted  up,  using 
3-inch  pots  and  soil  as  follows  :  Loam,  two  parts  ; 
peat,  one  part  ;  and  the  remaining  part  of  equal 
quantities  of  leaf-soil  and  horse  manure.  A 
very  slight  dusting  of  Thomson's  manure  will, 
where  the  cuttings  are  weak,  be  of  advantage. 
They  had  better  be  dipped  in  a  safe  insecticide 
previous  to  being  potted.  Another  batch  of 
cuttings  may  be  put  in  and  pushed  on  with  all 
haste. 

Pelargoniu.ms. 

Cuttings,  where  it  is  intended  to  furnish  young 
stock,  should  be  put  in,  placing  them  round  the 
sides  of  4i-inch  pots.  Dip  these  also.  It  is  best, 
where  the  selection  is  left  open  to  the  grower, 
to  cultivate  varieties  of  distinct  colourings,  as 
they  may  be  more  readily  associated  with  other 
plants.  The  work  in  the  warmer  houses  will 
during  this  hot  weather  be  limited  to  the  necessary 
watering,  damping  down,  and  syringing,  and  care 
should  be  taken  that  the  necessary  amount  of 
moisture  be  supplied,  as  the  strong  rays  of  the 
sun  soon  dry  up  and  exhaust  the  plants.  I  have 
invariably  made  it  a  practice  where  this  could  be 
done  with  impunity  to  remove  to  a  cooler  house  or 
potting  shed  any  plants  which  were  in  need  of 
cleansing.  Here  the  work  could  more  thoroughly 
and  comfortably  be  done,  and  the  incidental  labour 
in  removing  and  replacing  the  plants  was  never 
seriously  taken  into  account. 

The  flowering  quarters  are  now  accommodating 
the  last  of  the  forcing  plants.  Azaleas,  Spirieas, 
&c. ,  and  the  stock  to  follow  should  be  carefully 
overhauled,  pots  washed,  and  every  preparation 
made  for  them  being  located  here  in  the  course  of 
the  next  week  or  so.  J.  F.  McLeod. 

Dover  House  Gardens,  Roehampton. 


Patron     of    the     Royal     Botanic 

Society. — His  Majesty  the  King  has  graciously 
consented  to  become  the  patron  in  succession  to 
her  late  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  its  first  patron. 


BRITISH     HOMES 
GARDENS. 


AND 


A    NOTABLE    GARDEN. 


E 


"^DGBASTON,  the  most  delightful  of 
all  the  Birmingham  suburbs,  is  rich 
in  intere.sting  gardens,  and  amongst 
them  that  surrounding  The  Uplands, 
Selby  Oak,  the  residence  of  T.  W. 
Webley,  Esq.,  takes  high  rank  in 
point  of  interest  and  beauty.  Comparatively 
few  years  ago  what  is  now  an  exceptionally 
good  garden  was  almost  a  waste  piece  of 
ground  ;  the  full  extent  of  it  can  hardly  be 
10  acres,  yet  it  is  replete  with  the  best  of 
garden  plants,  and,  what  is  still  more  satis- 
factory, the  great  majority  are  thriving  exceed- 
ingly well. 

The  sloping  lawn,  which  stretches  from  the 
house  to  the  lake,  has  around  its  margin  a  host 
of  beautiful  flowering  and  foliage  plants. 
Either  side  of  this  narrow  stretch  of  lawn  is 
bordered  by  shrubberies  planted  with  many  of 
the  best  and  choicest  shrubs  to  be  found  in 
our  nurseries.  Mr.  Webley  has  apparently 
made  a  point  of  obtaining  the  best  possible 
representatives  of  each  class  of  plants,  for 
the  Conifers,  evergreen  and  deciduous  shrubs, 
as  well  as  herbaceous  plants,  are  thoroughly 
typical.  One  is  astonished  at  the  luxuriance 
with  which  the  Conifers  and  evergreens 
grow,  especially  when  one  considers  that 
the  soil  here  was  none  of  the  best  in  the 
first  place.  It  is  evident  that  much  skilled 
labour  and  energy  have  been  expended  to 
obtain  such  results  in  the  space  of  a  few  years, 
and  under  the  adverse  conditions  of  poor  soil 
and  a  smoky  neighbourhood.  The  Hollies  are 
particularly  fine,  as  also  are  the  golden  Conifers, 
including  such  as  Cupressus  macrocarpa  lutea, 
that  is  now  becoming  so  popular,  and  various 
golden  Retinosporas,  Thujas,  kc.  Cedrus 
atlantica  glauca,  C.  atlantica  aurea,  and 
Sciadopitys  verticillata  are  very  evident. 
Pinus  austriaca  and  P.  excelsa  are  also 
unusually  vigorous.  Of  Bamboos,  of  which 
Mr.  Webley  has  an  extensive  collection, 
B.  Metake,  B.  nigra,  and  Arundinaria  Simonsi 
are  a  few  of  those  having  developed  into 
remarkably  fine  specimens. 

In  close  proximity  to  the  lake,  which,  by  the 
way,  is  of  varied  and  most  pleasing  design,  and 
its  borders  skilfully  planted,  are  large  clumps 
of  Gyneriuni  argenteum,  Eulalia  japonica,  and 
E.  j.  zebrina,  foliage  plants,  invaluable  as 
decorative  objects  in  summer  time.  Flag  Irises 
abound  by  the  waterside  and  provide  a  wealth 
of  colour  in  .lune,  while  Spineas  of  sorts  and 
Hypericums  are  also  freely  made  use  of. 
H.  moserianum  does  not  thrive  so  well  here 
as  H.  calycinum  and  H.  patulum.  Such  clumps 
of  Rhododendrons  are  rarely  seen  in  a  suburban 
garden  as  fill  several  large  beds  just  below 
the  lake.  They  are  mas.ses  of  healthy  green, 
and  bristling  with  flower  buds.  The  varieties 
Lady  Lansdowne,  Purity,  and  Lady  Cliflbrd, 
together  with  several  more,  unmistakably 
denote  the  best  of  culture. 

The  weeping  forms  of  hardy  trees  and  shrubs 
are  (juite  a  feature  in  Mr.  Webley's  garden. 
Weeping  Hollies,  Elm.s,  Birches,  kc,  are  largely 
planted  in  various  portions  of  the  grounds. 
Golden-foliaged  trees,  too,  find  favour  here, 
and  they  undoubtedly  assist  greatly  when 
judiciously  jilanted  in  brightening  and  beauti- 
fying the  shrubbery.  The  beautiful  Japanese 
Maples,  now  obtainable  in  such  wonderful 
tints  of  foliage,  that  range  from  green  through 
shades  innumerable  to  deep  crimson,  are  also 
favourites  with  Mr.   Webley,  and   when  tiiey 


June  15,   1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


437 


have  taken  on  their  autumn  tints  must  be 
worth  going  a  long  journey  to  see.  An  excellent 
collection  of  Lilacs  is  here,  although  the 
varieties  are  not  grouped  together,  but  arranged 
throughout  some  considerable  length  of  shrub- 
bery. The  useful,  no  less  than  the  ornamental, 
is  well  looked  after,  as  the  beautifully  trained 
specimen  fruit  trees  bear  witness.  The  dessert 
varieties  of  Apples  and  Pears  are  planted  upon 
one  quarter  of  the  ground  and  the  culinary  sorts 
upon  another,  and  each  section  is  represented 
by  such  trees  that  one  could  not  doubt  their 
being  capable  of  bearing  exhibition  fruit.  Of 
great  interest,  too,  are  the  Rose  garden  and 
alpine  garden,  neither  of  great  extent,  yet  so 
well  is  the  space  at  disposal  utilised  that  better 
results  and  more  real  pleasure  are  obtained 
than  is  often  the  case  with  gardens  extending 
over  many  more  acres. 


A    JAMAICA    GARDEN. 

Up  the  Garden. 
"  Is  time  hungry,  Jacob  ?"     It  is  Ledhu's  formula, 
so   convenient  that  it  has  been  adopted.     If    the 


after  every  rain.  Five  years  ago  there  were  2  feet 
of  apparently  solid  ground  outside  the  conduit 
here.  Now  there  is  nothing.  It  runs  at  the  very 
edge  of  the  precipice.  A  bare  shaley  bank,  and, 
40  feet  below,  the  public  path  ;  200  feet  below  that 
some  clumps  of  Bamboo  and  the  river.  A  sharp 
corner  and  we  face  an  entirely  new  scene,  coming 
suddenly  into  view  of  the  lateral  ravine  which  is 
entered  at  this  point.  The  mule  track  winds 
prettily  downwards,  crimson  clusters  of  Ipomsea 
Horsfallire  hanging  out  here  and  there.  Our  way 
crosses  the  track,  the  water  tunnelling  under,  and, 
continues  along  the  ledge  or  nick  cut  in  the  hill. 
Hereabouts  it  used  to  be  all  ragged  bush.  The 
lower  side,  an  almost  precipitous  descent  to  the 
stream,  which  leaps  in  such  haste  to  join  the  river, 
is  left  as  it  was.  But  it  seemed  good,  in  order  to 
heighten  the  enjoyment  of  the  bathing-place,  (to 
throw  the  tipper  side  open  to  the  sun,  that,  passing 
first  through  a  zone  of  heat,  one  might  better 
appreciate  the  cosiness  beyond.  So  for  50  yards 
the  bush  and  tall  grass  has  been  billed,  leaving  just 
such  native  plants  as  look  well.  Aloes  and  Cassia 
are  here  in  combination.  Mountain  Pride  and  the 
beautiful  Ebony  (Brya  Ebenus),  like  a  taller  Broom 
with  deep  orange  flowers  wonderfully  sweet,  and  a 
Brunfelsia,  cream-flowered  and  bearing'an  amusing 


1 

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M-ti. 

VIEW   OF   MR.    WEBLEY  S  HOUSE  AND  GARDEN. 


answer  is  in  the  affirmative  it  means  I  must  go  to 
my  bath.  Stepping  out  of  the  back  doer,  I  review 
the  cuttings  under  the  north  wall  if  it  is  winter, 
pass  under  a  Papaw,  and  up  a  flight  of  grass  steps 
flanked  by  an  edging  of  rough  stones.  A  patch  of 
Jacobiea  Lilies  (Sprekelia  formosissima)  detains  me 
for  a  moment.  What  a  red  !  White  Arums  (Calla) 
fill  up  a  wet  corner  just  above,  and  I  cross  the  rill 
at  a  spot  already  described,  where  the  water  falls 
through  a  planting  of  Episcia  and  Begania  Rex, 
the  path  always  rising.  On  the  right  is  a  young 
Bread-fruit,  which  next  year  will  give  shade  long 
desired  in  this  region.  On  the  left,  the  hillside,  is 
a  dry  wall  with  Adiantum  tenerum  laid  in  between 
courses,  and  two  stone  seats  a  few  )-ards  apart, 
their  fronts  flush  with  the  line  of  the  wall,  made 
practicable  by  careful  choice  of  smoother  stones. 
From  the  upper  seat  to  the  brick-red  Bougainvillea 
the  path  gets  very  steep.  A  pull,  but  soon  over, 
for  in  a  short  20  yards  the  level  of  the  conduit  is 
reached. 

Along  the  Conduit. 
Walking  against  the  flow  of  the  water,  it  is  but 
a  step  or  two  to  the  dan?er  spot,  which  is  visited 


out  of  door  fruit,  not  good  enough  to  bring  in,  but 
sweet  and  pleasant  and  sufficiently  tempting  in  its 
place — all  sorts  of  things  that  are  shrubby  and 
do  not  quite  rise  to  the  dignity  and  stature  of 
trees.  If  it  is  a  dull  morning  we  linger  over  this 
open  slope,  if  sunny  walk  quickly  on.  Cleared 
ground  passes  into  partially  cleared  with  Pimentoes 
and  scattered  trees.  This  soon  again  merges  in 
natural  bush,  and  the  path,  always  following  the 
conduit,  gets  shadier  and  shadier.  Far  below,  on 
the  right,  can  be  heard  the  sound  of  the  brawling 
stream.  Flash  of  water  may  even  be  discerned  by 
peering  through  branches.  At  Phaius  Corner  it  is 
plainly  seen. 

Phaius  Corner  and   Onwards. 

Here  the  formal  stonework  of  the  conduit  ends, 
and  we  have  a  tiny  natural  stream  purling  along 
the  nearly  level  ground — a  mere  nick,  as  has  been 
said,  in  the  hillside.  A  few  inches  for  the  water, 
a  path  of  varying  width  for  the  bather.  Just  here 
a  whole  4  feet  in  places,  which  is  something  extra- 
ordinary, admitting  of  occasional  doubling  of  plants 
in  the  otherwise  single  row  of  Phaius  grandifolius. 


Very  beautiful  are  the  miniature  cliff's  of  limestone 
rock  which  now  and  then  jut  into  the  water,  very 
little  higher  than  the  head,  most  of  them  ;  some 
bare,  and  so  perfect  in  gradation  of  lovely  colour, 
it  would  be  a  sin  to  c»ver  them  ;  others  seamed 
and  patched  with  Polypody.  Here  and  there  plants 
have  been  introduced,  such  as  the  wild  Leianthus 
longifolius,  generally  called  Yellow  Fuchsia,  but 
really  a  Gentian  ;  Selaginella  Wildenovii,  with 
its  tangling,  climbing  growth  of  peaceck-blue  ; 
Begonias,  Violets,  and  native  Orchids  ;  Hedychium 
straying  down  the  bank  and  reaching  up  into  the 
trees  ;  Passiflora  edulis,  cool-rooted  to  delude  it 
into  the  belief  that  it  is  in  its  own  more  congenial 
climate  1,000  feet  or  2,000  feet  higher;  Ferns,  of 
course,  in  plenty  everywhere,  and  other  Sela- 
ginellas  and  Siiniingia  Carolina  major,  hanging  out 
cool  grey-blue  bells,  a  fair  substitute  for  Cam- 
panula. The  planting  was  done  onee  for  all,  and 
the  ground  is  now  never  touched.  It  is  a  real  wild 
garden,  unmarred  by  intrusion  of  any  tool  what- 
soever. 

The  Bathing-place. 

And  here  we  are  arrived.  Leaving  the  conduit 
rill,  whose  intake  is  a  short  distance  higher  up,  a 
path  descends  to  the  stream.  This  comes  down  in 
a  series  of  waterfalls.  I  can  count  thirteen  of 
them,  little  and  big,  from  a  few  inches  to  10  feet. 
Between  the  falls  are  narrow  pools,  the  widest  of 
these,  well  shaded  by  a  Mango  overhead,  is  my 
bathing-place.  I  read  lately  of  a  millionaire's  bath 
which  cost  £200,000.  I  hope  he  gets  the  satis- 
faction out  of  it  that  I  get  out  of  mine,  which  cost 
9d.  for  a  broad  seat.  Perhaps  thereto  should  be 
added  half  a  day  of  Headlara's  labour  for  rolling 
down  smooth-faced  stones  from  above  and  arranging 
them  into  a  sufficient  pavement.  To  those  who 
want  to  swim  and  dive,  and  do  heroic  things  in  the 
water,  my  bath  would  be  a  disappointment.  It  is 
little  more  than  waist  deep,  and  quite  a  small  pool ; 
but  it  gives  a  sense  of  peculiar  pleasure  to  lie  in  it, 
and  with  quickened  breath  take  in  the  pure 
mountain  air,  and  look  up  at  the  Ferns  on  the  rock 
above  so  judiciously  planted  by  the  Great  Planter. 
Just  enough  of  them,  and  not  more  than  enough. 
Old  acquaintances  you  would  say — Harfs-tongue, 
Spleenwort,  Blechnum,  Maidenhair,  Polypody,  and 
FiUx-Mas.  Yet  in  most  cases  the  thing  is  not 
what  it  seems.  The  Hart's-tongue,  for  instance, 
or  Cow-tongue,  as  we  say  here,  is  no  Seolopendrium, 
but  something  entirely  different.  Into  the  mysteries 
of  Jamaica  Ferns,  however,  I  will  not  further  pry, 
only  remarking  that  there  are  500  species,  and  that 
most  of  them  are  beautiful. 

Though  the  stream  is  so  narrow  in  width,  the 
volume  of  water  is  considerable,  and  its  rushing 
noise  in  the  confined  gorge  overcomes  all  external 
sounds.  In  the  early  days  of  August,  when  the 
anniversary  of  emancipation  is  celebrated  with 
much  beating  ef  drums,  this  retired  spot  offers  a 
welcome  refuge.  The  hush  is  open,  so  that  you 
can  see  far  into  it,  and  from  its  general  appearance 
might  be  woodland  in  any  country.  Just  round 
the  seat  the  place  is  so  pretty  in  its  natural  state 
that  hardly  anything  has  been  done  in  the  way  of 
planting.  Only  a  patch  of  the  inevitable  Episeia, 
intermixed  with  clear  leaved  Peperomia  by  the 
water's  edge,  one  Philodendron  to  climb  like  a 
giant  Ivy  the  almost  perpendicular  slope  behind, 
and  a  few  Eucharis,  which  gain  in  effect  by  not 
being  too  thick.  I  always  think  of  this  as  the 
Snowflake  of  the  Tropics,  more  important,  but  not 
more  beautiful  than  Leucojum  ajstivum  of  Thames 
eyots.  But  time  is  hungry  now,  indeed,  and  I  turn 
towards  the  house,  which  is  reached  in  three 
minutes,  more  than  ready  for  the  middaj-  repast, 
which  we  call  breakfast. 

Butterflies  and  Birds. 

Not  the  least  among  the  pleasures  of  the  garden 
are  the  visitors  that  it  attracts.  Zinnias  are  chief 
favourites  with  the  butterflies,  and  Michaelmas 
Daisies  appear  to  have  no  charms  for  them  as  they 
do  for  the  Winking  Red  Admirals  at  home.  At 
dusk  great  moths  come  out,  anxious  for  the  sweets 
of  Nicotiana  affinis  and  Jasmine,  for  which  they 
have,  no  doubt,  been  long  thirsting.  But  they 
must  wait  for  their  watchful  enemy  the  Petchery, 
or  as  he  is  here  called  Papiri — accent  in  both  cases 


438 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  15,  1901. 


on  the  second  syllable — to  go  to  bed.  All  day  long 
he  sits  on  some  twig  of  vantage,  looking  so  wise 
with  his  head  on  one  side.  A  dash,  a  snap  of  the 
strong  big  beak,  and  he  flies  back  to  his  perch, 
swallows  his  morsel,  and  cocks  his  eye  in  that 
funny  sidewaj'  fashion,  ready  for  the  next.  Any- 
thing big  he  hammers  to  death  on  the  nearest 
convenient  rail.  Nothing  comes  amiss  to  him, 
bees,  cockroaches,  caterpillars,  and  all  kinds  of 
ground  vermin.  He  follows  fork  and  picker  as  the 
rook  follows  the  plough.  The  gardener  welcomes 
him,  but  the  bee  keeper  looks  askance. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  beautiful  birds.  Quits, 
that  look  and  behave  like  tomtits,  egrets,  grey  in 
youth,  white  in  mature  plumage,  who  in  unsettled 
weather  fly  up  the  mountain  valleys  and  have 
acquired  a  taste  for  gold-fish  ;  banana  birds,  not 
beloved  by  growers  of  Yams,  whose  tender  shoots 
they  peck  off,  wantonly  as  it  seems,  but  probably 
for  the  moisture  they  contain  as  the  sparrows 
tweak  your  Primroses  in  dry  March  ;  robins, 
more  properly  green  todies,  green  as  parrots,  with 
an  insolent  gash  of  red  at  their  throats — sad 
coloured  contrast ;  if  only  it  had  been  yellow  ! 
Mocking  birds,  whose  song  rivals  the  nightingale, 
indeed,  that  is  our  name  for  them  ;  woodpeckers 
tap-tapping  ;  creepers  searching  every  crack  in  the 
bark  of  the  Cedars ;  John  Crows,  noisome  things  at 
close  quarters,  but  with  all  the  dignity  of  an  eagle 
as  they  soar.  These  and  many  more,  but  the  bird 
nearest  to  our  hearts,  the  life  and  soul  of  the  place, 
is  the  humming  bird. 

My  dream  was  always  of  a  home  and  garden  in 
the  tropics.  All  that  could  bear  even  remotely  on 
this  subject  was  eagerly  scanned.  My  head  became 
as  stuffed  full  of  miscellaneous  information — a 
good  deal  of  it  probably  false — as  one  of  the 
TeufelsdriJchk  paper  bags,  and  was  in  much  the 
same  state  of  confusion.  But  one  thing  was  clear. 
In  the  East  were  no  humming  birds.  Then  to  the 
East  thou  shalt  not  go,  and  so  it  fell  out  that  the 
West  Indies  became  the  land  of  my  choice,  and, 
of  the  West  Indies,  putting  aside  solicitous 
hankerings  after  Dominica — Jamaica  first.  Merely 
because,  of  the  mountainous  islands,  it  was  the 
biggest  under  the  English  flag,  and  so  offered  those 
conveniences  of  life  which  we  have  come  to  look 
upon  as  necessities. 

Humming  Birds. 

It  was  in  the  winter  of  1894  that  I  first  saw 
humming  birds.  A  Corabretum  purpureum  is  one 
of  the  chief  attractions  in  the  gardens  at  Castleton, 
a  bright,  pretty  climber,  whose  red  trusses  of  close 
packed  flowers  have  just  a  suggestion  of  rustiness, 
that,  if  carried  further,  would  detract  from  their 
agreeable  appearance.  But  it  is  not  to  see  the 
plant  that  the  visitors  crowd.  All  the  humming 
birds  in  the  district  seem  to  be  collected  here, 
fluttering,  darting,  shrieking  their  sharp  ping-ping, 
whether  playing  or  fighting  one  cannot  make  out. 
One  is  poised  on  whirring  wings,  dipping  his 
tongue  into  the  tube  of  the  flower,  searching  for 
insects,  so  naturalists  think  now,  not  honev. 
Another,  with  a  little  vengeful  cry,  rushes  at  him 
with  his  murderous  rapier  of  a  beak,  and  off  they 
whirl  together.  Everything  must  be  done  in  such 
a  hurry.  They  seem  intoxicated  with  the  happi- 
ness of  life,  the  gayest  of  living  things.  So  tame, 
they  will  search  the  flower  in  your  hand,  so  wild  it 
is  impossible  to  keep  them  in  confinement.  The 
commonest  kind  is  the  long-tail,  a  lovely  burnished 
green  shot  with  gold  like  some  of  the  smallest 
feathers  in  a  peacock.  The  male  has  two  streamers 
by  way  of  a  tail,  which  stick  out  behind  him  in 
almost  luilicrously  disproportionate  length  to  the 
size  of  his  body. 

lochroma  tubulosum  is  another  of  their  favourite 
things.  It  has  long  tubes  of  deep  violet  colour 
hanging  in  pendent  bunches  on  a  tree  about  the 
size  of  a  Sparmannia  or  Datura  as  these  grow  in 
the  South  of  France.  In  the  garden  of  a  friend, 
who  lives  at  an  elevation  of  4,000  feet,  the  long- 
tails  hold  revels  round  this  as  they  do  round  the 
Combretum,  at  Castleton  (500  feet).  At  my  inter- 
mediate height  (2,000  feet),  I  thought  I  would 
have  both,  and  the  humming  birds  come  to  neither. 
What  is  the  matter?  It  is  not  that  they  halt 
between  two  opinions,  and  so  never  make  up  their 


minds  which  to  go  to,  for  the  Combretum  was  in 
flower  a  year  before  the  other.  No,  it  is  the 
tricksy  waywardness  of  the  little  creatures.  Here 
they  frequent  the  Mahoe  by  the  great  tank  and 
the  single  bible  just  in  fronc  of  the  windows. 
That  is  the  Tom  Tiddler's  ground  of  one  particular 
long-tail.  If  any  other  bird  presumes  to  come,  he 
dashes  out  with  a  shriek  and  chases  the  intruder 
away.  Another  lives  under  the  iSeaforthia  Palm, 
and  disputes  my  right  to  water  there  with 
emphasis.  Or  is  he  just  playing  a  game  with  me 
as  the  kittens  do,  jumping  into  the  line  of  spray, 
and  as  it  catches  them  jumping  away  again— oh  ! 
.so  frightened. 

Conclusion. 

And  here  the  account  of  my  Jamaica  Garden 
shall  come  to  an  end.  It  has,  perchance,  been  too 
prolix,  for  does  not  one  linger  over  what  one  loves  ? 
Yet,  how  much  has  been  left  untold.  The  night- 
scented  Cereus  has  hung  at  early  morning  from  the 
trees  and  rocks  above  the  pond,  and  has  mistaken 
for  its  own  reflected  image  the  Water  Lily  looking 
upwards  with  awakening  eyes. 

Poinciana  regia  has  blushed  for  the  sins  of  angels, 
for  surely  no  sins  of  men  could  call  such  colours  to 
its  cheeks,  and  both  have  gone  unrecerded.  Un- 
recorded too but  no,  the  story  of  a   Jamaica 

Garden  is  told.  If  your  readers  wish  for  more 
news  from  a  strange  land  thej'  shall  have  it  in  such 
occasional  and  detached  articles  as  may  seem 
suitable.  W.  J. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The  Editom  are  not   respoimble  for   the  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspondents'. ) 

SINGLE   WHITE    P^ONY. 

[To   THE   Editor  of   "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — You  may  be  interested  in  hearing  of 
a  Pieony  which  flowered  in  our  college 
garden  on  May  25,  I  believe  for  the  first 
time  in  this  country.  It  was  given  to 
one  of  our  Fellows  two  or  three  years 
ago  as  coming  from  the  Black  Mountain 
(Kafristan,  which  is  politically  part  of  Afghanistan, 
I  believe).  The  flower  is  single  and  pure  white  ; 
the  stamens  are  very  crowded  and  entirely  hide 
the  pistil,  which  is  formed  of  only  a  single  carpel. 
The  mass  of  yellow  anthers  in  the  centre  of  the 
flowers  is  a  beautiful  and  conspicuous  feature. 
The  leaf  hardly  differs  in  shape  from  that  of 
Pseonia  ofiicinalis,  but  is  somewhat  glossier  and 
brighter  in  colour.  That,  however,  may  only  be 
an  accidental  circumstance  which  would  vary 
under  different  treatment.  I  should  be  very  grateful 
if  you  or  any  of  the  readers  of  The  Garden  could 
tell  me  the  Pteony's  name.  I  can  find  nothing 
to  correspond  to  it  either  in  the  Kew  list  or  in 
"Johnston's  Dictionary."  Arthur  Tilley. 

King's  CoUeije,  Cambridge. 

[We  think  it  probable  that  the  Pseony  in  question 
is  one  of  the  wild  forms  of  P.  albiflora,  possibly 
the  beautiful  white  flower  known  as  P.  Whitleyi, 
or  it  may  be  P.  Emodi  a  much  rarer  plant.  In 
"Nicholson's  Dictionary"  the  synonyms  and 
varieties  of  P.  albiflora  are  given  as  follows : 
Synonym,  P.  edulis  ;  varieties,  fragrans  (B.  R. 
485),  Humei  sinensis  (B.  M.  1768),  tatarica  (B.  R. 
42),  uniflora  (B.  M.  1756),  vestalis  (A.  B.  R.  64) 
and  Whitleyi  (A.  B.  R.  612,  B.  R.  630).  Perhaps 
others  of  our  readers  may  confirm  our  impression 
or  suggest  a  better  answer. — Eds.] 

BLIND  POT  STEAWBERRIES. 
[To  the  Editor  ok  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— With  respect  to  the  complaint  as  to  pot 
Strawberry  plants  going  blind,  I  do  not  think  it  is 
a  common  occurrence,  but  where  it  is  the  case  I 
would  like  to  ask  any  reader  of  The  Garden 
who  has  suffered  from  the  trouble  whether  notice 
has  been  taken  as  to  the  nature  of  the  crowns 
produced  during  the  autumn  and  winter  ?  Do 
those  which  are  later  found  to  be  blind  split 
during  the  winter  or  early  spring,  or  do  they 
remain  solid   and  unbroken  ?     I  think  it  is  most 


likely  were  close  observation  made  it  would  be 
found  that  those  crowns  which  break  or  split  into 
two  or  three  smaller  ones  would  be  in  each  case 
too  weak  to  produce  flowers.  If  that  be  so, 
growers  may  tell  ere  they  put  their  plants  into 
warmth  which  ones  will  be  fruitful  and  which  the 
reverse.  Reference  has  been  made  to  the  practice 
of  stacking  pot  plants  during  the  winter  on  their 
sides,  as  leading  to  excessive  dryness  and  root 
loss.  No  one  turns  out  finer  fruits  or  heavier 
crops  than  Mr.  Norman,  at  Hatfield,  but  he 
stands  his  plants  out  of  doors  on  their  bottoms, 
stacked  in  ashes,  where  the  roots  keep  moist  and 
plump.  With  good  drainage  and  a  hard  floor  there 
is  no  danger  that  the  pots  will  get  waterlogged. 
I  have  often  had  queries  put  to  me  as  to  whether 
plants  put  out  into  the  open  ground  the  previous 
autumn  and  have  failed  to  fruit  the  succeeding 
spring  are  constitutionally  blind.  I  have  always 
replied  that  non-flowering  is  most  likel}'  due  to 
their  being  late  runners,  and  that  they  should  have 
another  year's  trial.  Only  the  other  day  a  corres- 
pondent in  doubt,  last  year,  wrote  saying  that  his 
plants  now  were  one  mass  of  bloom.  Possibly 
some  of  the  blindness  of  pot  plants  may  be  due  to 
the  original  weakness  of  the  runners.  A.  D. 


DWARF    HYDRANGEAS. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  favour  of 
H}'drangeas,  grown  as  detailed  on  page  409,  while  ■ 
another  point  worthj-  of  consideration  is  the  variety  H 
that  exists  amongst  them,  as  apart  from  the  ordinary  ^ 
form  there  are  several  others,  all  of  which  make  a 
good  show,  as  illustrated  by  Messrs.  Veitch  in 
their  recent  exhibit  at  the  Temple  and  Drill  Hall. 
There  is  the  variety  C3'anoclada,  Nigra,  or  Mands- 
churica,  for  all  three  names  are  used,  with  its 
polished  purple  black  stems  ;  Mariesi,  whose  show}' 
sterile  blossoms  are  limited  to  a  scattered  few 
around  the  outside  of  the  cluster,  but  they  are 
exceedingly  large  and  of  a  pleasing  shade  of  pink  ; 
Rosea,  whose  deep  rose-coloured  flowers  are  all 
sterile  and  borne  in  a  very  crowded  head.  This  is 
a  weaker  grower  than  some  of  the  others,  but  very 
effective  from  its  distinct  colour.  A  good  white 
flowered  variety  is  Thomas  Hogg,  which  has  now 
for  years  figured  as  a  market  plant,  while  another 
of  almost  the  same  tint  is  of  more  recent  intro- 
duction. This  is  Stellata  fimbriata,  whose  sterile 
blooms  are  toothed  at  the  edges.  They  are  white, 
slightly  tinged  with  pink.  A  distinct  kind  is 
Stellata  flore-pleno,  the  sterile  blossoms  of  which 
are  composed  of  several  comparatively  narrow 
petals,  arranged  in  quite  a  star-like  manner.  It  is 
much  less  vigorous  than  the  ordinary  form  of 
H.  Hortensia,  but  is  very  prettj'.  The  showy 
H.  paniculata  grandiflora,  which  is  more  of  a 
shrub  than  the  others,  does  not  lend  itself  to  the 
production  of  dwarf  plants.  H.  P. 


NEVST    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

OdONTOGLOSSUM   CRISPUM    PUNCTATUM    (RoSSIA'N" 

variety). — This  is  a  pretty  flower;  the  sepals 
are  white  suffused  with  briglfit  lilac,  having  two  or 
three  large  brown  spots  at  the  base  and  several 
smaller  ones  sparingly  dotted  amongst  them.  The 
petals  are  much  crested  on  the  margin,  the  ground 
colour  lighter  than  in  the  sepals,  the  basal  half 
thickly  covered  through  the  centre  with  miniature 
purple  spots.  The  lip  is  white  shading  to  yellow 
on  the  disc,  and  in  the  centre  there  are  numerous 
brown  spots.  It  was  exhibited  at  the  Drill  Hall  on 
June  4,  and  received  an  award  of  merit  from  the 
Orchid  committee.  From  the  collection  of  H.  T. 
Pitt,  E.sq. ,  Rosslyn,  Stamford  Hill  (gardener, 
Mr.  F.  W.  Thurgood). 

OdONTOGLOSSU-M  LoOt'HRlSTIENSK  LoRD    MlLNER. 

— This  beautiful  hybrid,  having  its  origin  from  the 
intercrossing  of  0.  crispuni  and  0.  triumphans,  has 
the  intermediate  characteristics  of  the  parent 
species.  The  sepals,  creamy  white,  become 
suffused  with  yellow  towards  the  margin  and  the 
tips  at  the  apex,  the  centre  area  evenly  marked 
with  dark  brown  spots.  The  petals  are  similar  to 
the  sepals,  but  have  a  broader  area  of  white  and 


June  lo,  1901.] 


THE    GAKDEN. 


439 


FLOWER  OF   ODONTOGLOSSUM  CRISPUM  PITTIANUM, 


the  brown  spottinga  are  more  prominent,  the 
shield-shaped  lip  white  suffused  with  yellow  on 
the  disc,  and  having  a  large  ehestnut-brown  blotch 
in  the  centre.  Exhibited  by  Thomas  Baxter,  Esq., 
Oakfield,  Morecambe  (gardener,  Mr.  R.  Roberts),  on 
June  4,  at  the  Drill  Hall.     Award  of  merit. 

Cattlbya  Mossi^  Mks.  P.  W.  Ashton. — This  is 
a  distinct  variety  of  the  C.  M.  reineckiana  section. 
The  sepals  and  petals  are  pure  white,  of  fine  form 
and  substance,  and  the  large  open  lip  is  white 
veined  and  suffused  with  rosy  purple  lines  through 
the  centre  shading  to  yellow  in  the  base  of  the 
throat.  This  is  another  addition  to  the  many  fine 
varieties  that  have  appeared  amongst  Messrs. 
Stanley,  Ashton  and  Co.'s  importation,  and  was 
exhibited  by  them  at  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  meeting  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  June  4. 
Award  of  merit. 

OdONTOGLOSSDM  CRISPUM  PITTIANUM.  —  This 
lovely  Odontoglossum  flowered  for  the  first  time 
last  year  in  Mr.  T.  Rochford's  nurseries  at  Brox- 
bourue,  in  an  importation  of  plants  collected  for 
him  by  Mr.  J.  Carder.  Mr.  H.  T.  Pitt,  Rosslyn, 
Stamford  Hill,  who  is  well  known  among  Orchid 
specialists  as  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  of 
amateur  Orchid  collectors,  purchased  the  plant 
from  Mr.  Rochford,  and  it  was  shown  by  Mr.  Pitt 
at  the  Drill  Hall  on  May  8  of  last  year.  Although 
past  its  best  from  beiiig  open  so  long,  the  Orchid 
committee  recommended  it  a  first-class  certificate. 
It  is  generally  admitted  that  Odontoglossums  do 
not  produce  their  best  qualities  when  flowering 
for  the  first  time.  This  contention  was  never  more 
fully  illustrated  than  in  the  case  of  the  subject  of 
this  note,  and  when  the  plant  flowered  again  this 
year,  the  improvement  was  so  great  that  when  it 
was  exhibited  on  June  4  at  the  Drill  Hall  it  was 
the  subject  of  attraction  amongst  the  many  fine 
things  exhibited  at  that  meeting.  At  the  Man- 
chester and  North  of  England  Orchid  Society's 
meeting  it  was  even  more  admired,  fur  the 
committee  not  only  awarded  it  a  first-class 
certificate  but  in  addition  the  society's  gold 
medal.  The  flewers  as  seen  in  the  accompanying 
illustration  are  unusually  large  and  fine  in 
substance,  the  sepals  are  upwards  of  an  inch  wide, 
the  ground  colour  white  suffused  with  rose,  which 
is  reflected  through  from  the  exterior,  the  markings 


being  of  a  distinct 
bright  brownish 
purple.  Tlie 
petals,  H  inches 
broad,  are  much 
crested  on  the 
marginand  similar 
in  colour  to  the 
sepals.  The  lip 
white  shading  le 
yellow  on  the  disc, 
the  markings  being 
of  rich  brownish 
purple.  It  is  cer- 
tainly the  finest 
Odontoglossum 
crispuniin  its  way, 
and  a  fit  com- 
panion for  the 
equally  lovely  0. 
c.  apiatum,  one  of 
the  gems  of  Baron 
Schroder's  collec- 
tion.—H.  J.  C. 

Floral  Com- 

MITTEE. 

AH  the  follow- 
ing were  given  an 
award  of  merit. 
Royal  Horticul- 
tural Society, 
June  4  last :  — 

Pelargonium 
Leopard. — A  dis- 
tinct   Ivy  -  leaved 
Pelargonium ,    the 
flowers  of  a  rose- 
lilac,  and  heavily 
blotched   with 
crimson     in      the 
upper  petals.     Indeed,  it  is  a  paiit^ed  flower,  so  to 
speak,   and  of    very   distinct   aspe'^*''      -Irom   Mr. 
H.  B.  May,  Edmonton. 

Pelargonium  Mrs.  W.  H.  Ma^'^^n.— Alsa  of 
the  Ivy  section,  the  flowers  being  o*  ^  ^°'*  mauve 
shade,  the  trusses  large  and  abunda"*"'?  produced. 
The  number  of  trusses  were  exceptio"^'  '""^  ^  P'^nt 
in  a  5-inch  pot.  From  Mr.  H.  B.  ^^^X-  Dyson's 
Lane,  Edmonton. 

Canna  Jean  Trissot.  —  A  compact  ^^^"  °f 
bloom  of  a  rich  deep  crimson,  the  flowers  ^^'' 
formed  and  solid-looking. 

Canna  Grossherzog  Ernest  Ludwig  Von 
Hesson. — Here  is  a  very  large-flowered  crimson 
Canna  saddled  with  a  terrible  name.  Such  names 
are  deplorable.  The  flower  is  a  large  expanding 
one,  and  of  deep  colour. 

Cakna  Oscar  Danneker. — A  fair-sized  flower 
of  a  chrome  and  orange  shade,  and  more  generally 
erect  than  is  usual.  This  fine  set  of  Cannas  all 
came  from  Messrs.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley. 

Canna  Elizabeth  Hoss. — A  fine  spotted  variety, 
the  golden-yellow  ground  being  freely  covered  with 
scarlet  dots,  and  that  uniformly,  i^rom  Messrs. 
Cannell,  Swanley. 

Lewisia  Tweediei. — The  illustration  we  gave  a 
week  or  so  since,  and  to  which  at  page  387  we 
now  refer  our  readers,  will  give  a  better  idea  of 
the  beauty  and  distinctness  of  this  fine  plant  than 
mere  words.  The  large  ovate  spathulate  leaves 
are  somewhat  sueculent,  and  from  an  ample  tuft 
of  this  the  yellow-buff  rose-tinted  flowers  issue, 
large  solitary  flowers  on  stems  3  inches  or  more  in 
height.  Already  a  question  has  been  asked  as  to 
its  hardihood,  and  if  this  latter  be  confirmed  we 
have  a  really  delightful  plant,  and  a  first-class 
novelty.  Even  should  the  species  require  frame 
protection  it  will  be  well  worth  attention.  The 
example  was  shown  by  Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons, 
Covent  Garden. 

Rosa  kugosa  germanica  Conrad  Ferdinand 
Meyer.  — This  name  is  applied  to  an  apparently 
good  climbing  Rose,  which  has  resulted  from  the 
double  crossing  of  Gloire  de  Dijen,  Due  de  Rohan, 
Marechal  Neil,  and  Rosa  rugosa.  In  the  plant  as 
shown  there  is  some  semblance  to  the  first  and 
last  we  think,  the  former  in  the  buds  and  full 
widely-expanded  flowers,  and  in  the  latter  by  its 


densely  spiny  growths.  Indeed,  this  would 
appear  the  only  evident  influence  from  Rosa 
rugosa  at  all,  and  the  foliage  may  suggest  influence 
from  Due  de  Rohan.  The  variety  is  very  fragrant 
and,  like  Gloire  de  Dijon,  flowers  freely  from  the 
strong  rods  of  last  season's  growth.  Its  early 
flowering,  assuming  the  flowering  rod  to  have  been 
cut  from  the  open,  would  also  suggest  influence 
from  Gloire  de  Dijon.  It  was  shown  by  Mr. 
Leopold  de  Rothschild,  Gunnersbury  House 
(gardener,  Mr.  J.  Hudson). 

Acer  pictu.m  (Colchicum)  aureum. — A  very 
pretty,  golden  -  leaved  form  of  the  above  well- 
known  species.  It  is  full  of  promise  from  its 
highly  decorative  character.  Good  examples  were 
shown  by  Messrs.  T.  Cripps  and  Son,  Tunbridge 
Wells. 

P.EONiA  ARBOREA  Elsie  Perry. — All  we  can  say 
of  this  fine  variety  is  that  it  is  one  of  the  most 
handsome  crimson-flowered  tree  P;eonies  we  have 
yet  seen.    From  Mr.  Amos  Perry,  Winchmore  Hill. 

Meconopsis  iieterophylla. — A  highly  promis- 
ing annual,  with  pretty  flowers  of  a  distinct  red- 
orange  tone  and  maroon-coloured  centre.  The 
distinctness  of  the  species  was  welcomed  by  not  a 
few,  despite  the  fact  of  the  plants  having  been 
grown  in  small  pots,  and  therefore  were  somewhat 
thin  and  drawn.  With  more  open-air  culture  this 
will  prove  a  most  welcome  plant  for  the  garden. 
The  plants,  exhibited  by  Mr.  M.  Prichard,  Christ- 
church,  Hants,  had  been  raised  from  seeds  sown 
but  three  or  four  months  ago. 

Pap  aver  Mrs.  JIarsh. — Probably  the  beginning 
of  a  new  race  of  beautiful  Poppies,  from  which 
the  huge  black  blotch  may  be  presently  entirely 
eradicated.  Indeed,  in  the  present  kind  it  is  all 
but  wiped  out,  only  the  traces  remaining  of  what 
was  huge  and  conspicuous  a  short  time  back.  The 
predominant  colour  in  the  variety,  is  vermilion, 
with  a  faint  inclination  to  stripes  and  flakes  of  a 
light  and  deep  salmon  shade.  The  flower  is  more 
or  less  cupped,  and  the  margin  well  goffered  and 
somewhat  undulating.  This  handsome  kind  came 
from  the  raiser,  Mr.  Amos  Perry,  Winchmore  Hill. 


OBITUARY. 

THOMAS  SOFTLY  WARE. 

WE  are  extremely  sorry  to  learn  of 
the  death  of  Mr.  Ware,  late  of 
the  famous  Hale  Farm  Nurseries, 
Tottenham,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
six  years.  He  was  at  one  time  a 
familiar  figure  at  horticultural 
exhibitions,  a  keen  and  successful  grower  of  hardy 
flowers,  and  in  many  ways  has  done  much  towards 
making  the  culture  of  alpines,  hardy  Orchids, 
Lilies,  and  hardy  flowers  in  general  better  under- 
stood. "  Ware"  is  a  household  word  in  the  world 
of  garden  flowers,  and  our  late  friend  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  present  business. 


AN    OLD    GARDENER. 

In  the  Manchester  newspapers  appears  a  notice  of 
the  death  of  Mr.  Fogg,  of  Urmston,  at  the  ripe 
age  of  eighty-three.  He  was  a  gardener  of  the 
good  old-fashioned  type,  but,  having  to  send  his 
produce  to  the  Manchester  markets,  he  fell  into 
the  usual  and  profitable  practice  of  growing  things 
for  the  sake  of  appearance.  Some  of  his  quaint 
sayings  have  appeared  many  years  ago  in  The 
Garden,  one  of  which  will  no  doubt  be  remembered 
by  many  old  readers.  He  had  a  very  large  crop  of 
Cucumbers,  and  called  me  in  to  admire  them.  I 
said,  "  Fogg,  what  do  you  grow  such  things  as 
these  for?  They  are  not  fit  to  eat."  "Eat, 
mister,"  he  replied,  "we  don't  eat  'em  ;  we  send 
'em  to  market.  Bless  you,  mister,  we  don't  grow 
'em  to  eat."  Thomas  Fletcher. 


SOCIETIES. 

BEISTOL    GAKDENERS'    ASSOCIATION. 
The  summer  session  was  opened  at  St.  John's  Parish  Kooras 
on  Thursday  se'nuiRht ;  Mr.  A.  J.  Hancock  presiding  over  a 
moderate  attendance.     The  minutes  of   the  last  meeting 
having  been  read  and  confirmed,  the  chairman  introduced 


440 


THE  GAEDEN. 


[June  15,  1901. 


the  lecturer,  Jlr.  H.  R.  Richards,  of  Horfleld,  whose  paper  was 
on  "Indoor  Fruit  Culture" — aud  those  members  who  were 
absent  have  much  cause  for  regret— the  suliject  being  most 
ably  dealt  with  in  a  very  practical  way.  Claiming  that  the 
culture  of  indoor  fruits  was  one  of  the  most  important  of  a 
gardener's  training,  ensuring  as  it  does  a  full  crop  every  year, 
notwithstanding  the  changeable  climate  of  England,  the 
lecturer  took  a  few  of  the  most  popular  fruits,  giving  useful 
hints.  The  choice  of  soils  for  the  various  trees  was  an  impor- 
tant detail,  the  properproportions  of  composts  being  carefully 
prepared  according  to  the  variety  of  tree,  such  as  Vines, 
Peaches,  Nectarines,  .\pricots,  and  Figs,  recommending 
wood  ashes  as  one  of  the  most  useful  materials  to  the  fruit 
grower.  The  Grape  was  tlie  most  important  fruit  crop. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines,  like  all  stone  fruits,  delighted 
in  an  abundance  of  lime,  which  if  not  already  present  in  tlie 
soil  should  be  added  in  the  form  of  lime  rubbish  or  slacked 
lime.  The  lecturer  maintained  that  large  specimen  trees 
can  be  safely  planted  if  done  just  as  their  leaves  are  turning 
colour.  Mr.  Richards  also  went  into  details  as  to  the 
culture  of  Figs,  and  much  valuable  information  was  given 
concerning  this  delicious  fruit. 

A  good  discussion  followed,  and  a  hearty  vote' of  thanks 
was  accorded  Jlr.  Richards  for  his  most  able  and  enjoyable 
Paper. 

Prizes  for  a  brace  of  Cucumbers  were  awarded  to  the 
Lord  -Mayor,  Mr.  J.  Colthurst  Godwin  (gardener,  -Mr. 
McCulloch),  first  ;  Mr.  Spry,  second  ;  Mr.  Edwards,  third. 
For  a  dish  of  .Strawberries  :  Mr.  A.  Weedes  (gardener,  Mr. 
Ayliffe),  first :  Mr.  N.  C.  Dobson  (gardener,  Mr.  Thoday), 
second  ;  Mr.  H.  Nash  (gardener,  Mr.  Barrow),  third.  Certifi- 
cates of  merit  were  awarded  to  Mr.  W.  Howell  Davis 
(gardener  Mr.  Curtis)  for  Odontoglossum  Pescatorei,  Lady 
Cane  (gardener  Mr.  Poole,  F.R.H.S  )  for  Nepenthes,  Mr. 
Edwards  for  a  dish  of  Garaways  Chemin  Rouge  Tomatoes, 
and  Captain  .Jenkins  (gardener,  Mr.  Norton)  for  Cucumber 
Lord  Roberts. 


THE  NATIONAL  DAHLIA  SOCIETY. 
An  emergency  meeting  of  the  committee  was  held,  by  the 
kindness  of  the  Horticultural  Club,  in  the  rooms  of  that  body 
at  the  Windsor  Hotel  on  Saturday  last.  Mr.  E.  Mawley 
presided,  and  there  was  a  large  attendance  of  members,  some 
coming  very  long  distances.  The  primary  object  of  the 
gatherijig  was  to  consider  the  society's  position  in  relation 
to  the  Ci-ystal  Palace  Company,  which  body  has,  in  spite  of 
repeated  applications  and  promises,  not  yet  paid  to  the 
Dahlia  Society  the  sum  of  £60,  which  it  wasagreed  should  be 
given  in  respect  to  the  society's  show  held  last  September. 
It  was  naturally  felt  that  in  addition  to  the  great  need  to 
secure  this  promised  sum  for  the  purpose  of  paying  prizes 
due  from  the  show  in  question,  there  was  also  to  be  con- 
sidered the  (|uestionof  afuture  home  for  the  society's  shows. 
Alter  a  long  discussion  it  was  agreed  to  instruct  the  secretary 
to  invite  the  Palace  Company  to  pay  up  the  sum  due  within 
si.xteen  days,  and  failing  payment  then  to  place  the  matter 
in  legal  hands.  The  committee  expressed  its  fullest  desire  to 
keep  faith  with  the  Crystal  Palace  Company,  so  tar  as  their 
annual  show  is  ccncerned,  and  hoped  the  company  would  act 
as  lionourably  towards  them.  It  was  reported  that  the 
■Wellingborough  Horticultural  Society  had  become  affiliated 
to  the  National  Society.  Judges  for  the  Septemlier  show 
were  then  selected.  A  good  deal  of  discussion  arose  as  to  the 
awarding  of  certificates  to  seedling  Dahlias  at  the  show,  and 
it  was  Anally  agreed  tliat  this  be  done  by  the  whole  body  of 
judges.  It  was  also  agreed  that  the  arrangements  for  such 
awards  be  less  publicly  conducted  than  was  the  case  last 
year. 


UNITED    HORTICULTURAL    BENEFIT    AND    PRO- 
VIDENT   SOCIETY. 

The  monthly  committee  meeting  of  this  society  was  held  at 
the  Caledonian  Hotel,  Adelphi  Terrace,  Strand,  on  Monday 
evening  last.  The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read 
and  couflrmed.  Eight  new  members  were  elected.  One 
lower  scale  member  asked  to  be  allowed  to  pay  the  higher 
scale,  which  was  granted.  Eight  members  are  receiving 
sick  pay.  Messrs.  H.  M.  Pollett  and  Co.'s  estimate  for 
printing  1,000  copies  of  the  rules  was  accepted.  The 
secretary  produced  the  receipt  for  too  Os.  8d.  paid  to  the 
widow  of  the  late  Mr.  Michael  Davis,  being  the  amount 
standing  to  his  credit  in  the  ledger.  A  letter  of  thanks 
from  Mr.  H.  Saunders  was  read  for  7s.  per  week  granted 
him  from  the  benevolent  fund,  and  a  receipt  for  .£5,  paid  to 
Mr.  Saunders  from  his  deposit  account,  was  produced.  A 
grant  of  10s.  from  the  convalescent  fund  was  made  to  Mr 
.Joseph  Russell  (No.  473).  The  treasurer  reported  that  he 
had  a  balance  in  hand  of  £165  5s.  6d. 


ANSWERS 
TO   CORRESPONDENTS. 

RULES  FOR  CORRESPONDENTS. 

Questions  and  Answeps.— TAe  Editors  intend  to 
make  The  (Jahdkn  hctppiUtiaU  readers  who  desire  assistance, 
no  matter  what  tlir  branch  of  gardening  may  be,  and  with  that 
object  will  make  a  special  feature  of  the  '*  Answers  to  Corre- 
spondents" column.  All  comimmications  should  be  clearly 
and  concisely  ivritten  on  one  side  oj  the  paper  only,  and 
addressed  to  the  Editors  0/ The  Qa^dkn,  SO,  Tavistock  Street, 
Covent  Garden,  London.  Letters  on  business  should,  be  sent 
to  the  PuBLiSHEii.  The  name  and  address  of  the  sender  are 
required  in  addition  to  any  desiffnation- he -may  desire  to  be 
UHed  in  the  paper.  When  more  than  one  query  is  sent,  each 
should  be  on  a  separate  piece  of  paper. 

N^-mes  of  plants.— Tf/rfma^arf.— This  is  all  we  could 
make  of  the  signature,  and  yf&  presume  the  plants  are  for 


name.  The  feathery  shoot  is  that  of  the  flowering  Ash 
(Fraxinus  Ornus);  the  other  is  a  Maple,  but  please  send  a 

lietter  specimen. H.  R.  H'.—l,  Erysimum  perofFskianuni ; 

Cheiranthus  MarshalH  does  not  form  seed  ;  2,  Sedum  album. 

William   Granf, —Luzula   nivea,    a    carden    escape. 

3/ri'.  Z/.— Gaultheria  Shallon,  native  of  North  America.—— 
Free^ia  Rubra.—TYyQ  Tritnnia  you  sent  a  short  time  ago  is  a 
form  of  T.  crocata. 

Repotting-  Orang-e  and  Lemon  trees  (E.  E.). 
—If  the  little  trees  are  iu  scantily  supplied  puts  they  might 
be  now  repotte.d,  as  if  left  for  a  year  they  may  be  starved. 
Do  not  prune  them.  Lemons  are  of  (|uite  a  straggling 
growth,  and,  except  when  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  cut 
back  to  keep  in  bounds,  they  should  not  be  pruned. 
According  to  size  and  age  of  plants  bloom  may  be  expected 
sooner  or  later;  they  may  not  bloom  or  fruit  for  three 
years.  If  the  plant:?  are  grafted  the  blossom  and  fruit  come 
sooner  than  from  seedlings. 

■  Rose  Mapie  Van  Houtte  (J.  F.  B.,  Oxford).— ^\e 
are  afraid  that  we  cannot  give  yi>u  any  information  as  to 
the  discolouration  of  ^he  leaves  of  your  Marie  Van  Houtte 
Rose.  There  is  no  sign  of  the  leaf  you  sent  being  attacked 
either  by  insects  or  fungi.  We  sent  the  leaf  to  the  last 
meeting  of  the  scientillc  committee  of  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society,  but 
no  one  could  tell  us 
anything  about  it. 
Somewhat  similar 
instances  liave  been 
noticed  Viefore,  but 
the  reason  of  the 
change  of.  ,  colour 
does  not  seem  to  be 
known.  We  should 
not  condemn  the 
tree,  as  it  is  quite 


UARWIN 


TULIPS. 


possible  all 
may  come 
right  again 
another  year. 
If  it  does  not, 
and  the  plant 
is  alive  and 
healthy  other- 
wise, it  would 
be  very  in- 
teresting if 
you  would 
kindly  send  us 
a  few  leaves 
again.  The 
winter  and 
spring  have 
been  some- 
what unusual, 
which  may 
h;av.e  some- 
thing to  do 
with  it.  The 
colouration  of 
the  leaf  was 
singularly  like 
that  of  the 
Japan  ese 
Honeysuckle. 

Dap\vin 
Tulips(\V.). 
—  These  are 
very    1  a  t  e  - 

flowering  Tulips,  and  the  accompanying  illustration  is  from 
a  flower  sent  by  Messrs.  Barr  and  Son.  These  late  Dutch 
Tulips  are  rich  and  varied  in  colour,  and  very  effective  in  the 
garden. 

Peach  leaves  blisteped  (H.  W.).— The  Peach 
leaves  sent  are  badly  blistered,  and,  as  you  think,  there  are 
traces  of  mildew.  We  wish  you  had  sent  us  a  fruit.  You 
can  soon  tell  if  it  is  mildew,  as  the  fruits  will  be  spotted  as  if 
scorched.  You  do  not  tell  us  the  variety.  You  note  it 
bore  heavy  crops  last  seasoTi,  and  that  would  not  cause  the 
injury  this  year,  but  the  cold  east  winds  we  had  all  through 
the  early  part  of  IMay  would  be  answerable  for  the  injury. 
The  nights  were  very  cold,  the  foliage  tender,  and  your 
trees  having  a  south-east  aspect  would  suffer.  Another 
point  often  overlooked  is  that  a  stone  wall  is  much  colder 
than  one  of  brick,  and  some  varieties  of  Peaches— the  early 
kinds  especially -often  blister  on  a  stone  wall.  With  a 
general  cliange  in  the  weather  your  trees  will  soon  recover, 
and  you  will  do  well  to  hand  pick  badly  attacked  leaves. 
If  mildew  spreads  nyringe  with  a  sulphur  solution. 

Mildew  upon  Roses  planted  out  in  g-peen- 
house  (Brok  Fahr.ens).— We  have  neverfound  sulphurof 
much  benefit  in  destroying  mildew  under  glass,  unless  applied 
to  the  hot-water  pipes  so  that  the  fumes  arise,  and  this  to  be 
effeetive  should  be  applied  quite  early  ;  in  fact,  as  soon  fts  new 


growth  commences.  One  of  the  best  remedies  is  a  good 
syringing  of  soft  soap  water,  at  the  rate  of  half  an  ounce  of  soft 
soap  to  one  gallon  of  soft  water.  The  water  should  be  heated 
to  dissolve  the  soft  soap,  and  applied  when  cool.  .A,fter  it 
has  remained  on  the  foliage  for  two  or  three  hours  a  syringing 
of  clear  soft  water  may  be  given,  which  will  partly  reheve 
the  foliage  of  the  unsightly  appearance  of  the  soft  soap 
sediment.  As  soon  as  mildew  is  again  detected  on  the  younger 
foliage  syringe  at  once  as  before  If  this  is  repeated  when 
necessary,  you  will  soon  keep  the  troublesome  fungus  in  check. 
Fluctuations  in  temperature,  also  too  much  or  too  little 
water,  and  strong  doses  of  liquid  manure  all  tend  to  increase 
the  disease.  Where  Roses  are  afforded  regular  treatment 
from  the  commencement,  and  draughts  and  cold  winds 
prevented  from  entering  the  structure,  you  should  experience 
very  little  trouble  from  this  cause. 

Hollyhock  disease  (W.  M.  S.).  —  It  is  but  too 
evident  that  your  Hollyhock  plants  are  suffering  from  a 
bad  attack  of  Hollyhock  fungus.  This  fungus  is  very 
old,  and  long  before  it  attacked  our  Hollyhocks  in  the 
way  it  now  does,  was  found  on  the  common  Mallow,  an  allied 
and  ordinary  host  plant  for  the  pest.  But  it  is  to  be  regretted 
such  is  the  nature  of  the  fungus  that  no  real  remedy  seems 
to  be  found.  Thediseaseinvariably  attacks  the  leaves  nearest 
the  ground,  first  covering  them  with  bufi'-coloured  wart-like 
excrescences,  which  literally  eat  into  the  cuticle,  and  cannot 
well  be  destroyed  except  by  gathering  the  leaves  and  burning 
them.  The  fungus  also  attacks  and  grows  up  the  stems. 
Gather  the  worst  leaves  and  paint  the  stems  with  a  paste- 
like  coating  of  soft  soap,  lime,  and  sulphate  of  copper 
dissolved  in  water,  also  paint  the  under  sides  of  the  leaves. 
Syringe  the  plants  freuly,  and  water  the  roots  well  also,  as 
drought  seems  to  be  a  promoter  of  the  fungus. 

Setting"  Melon  floweps  (Ai.pine).  —  It  does  not 
matter  whether  you  want  Melons  for  eating  only  or  to  pro- 
duce seed  for  sowing,  you  must  properly  set  the  flowers  on 
the  tiny  fruits  by  introducing  pollen  from  the  fruitless  or 
male  flowers  into  the  fertile  organs  of  those  on  the  fruits. 
If  this  setting  or  fertilising  be  not  done  then  the  fruits  soon 
turn  yellow  and  die  off.  With  Cucumbers  it  is  not  at  all 
needful  or  desirable  to  set  the  fruit  flowers,  as  the  fruits  are 
best  for  eating  if  seedless.  In  the  case  of  having  two  or 
three  varieties  of  Melons  flowering  at  the  same  time,  in 
a  house  or  frame,  there  is  no  probability  that  there  will  be 
any  intercrossing,  except  insects  get  inside  ;  but  even  there 
will  be  no  danger  then  if  the  male  blooms  be  kept  pinched 
out  as  fast  as  they  open.  Any  good  named  Melon,  as  a  rule, 
continues  to  reproduce  itself  from  seed  true  when  the  male 
flowers  of  its  own  production  are  used  as  parents,  but  if 
flowers  from  another  variety  be  thus  used  the  product  may 
be  very  varied  aud  diverse.     . 

Shipley  Poppies  (Foster).- Not  every  one,  it  would 
seem,  has  heard  of  the  esteemed  clerical  secretary  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society,  who  is  vicar  of  Shirley,  near 
Croydon,  or  even  of  that  particular  Shirley,  as  there  are 
several  in  the  kingdom  ;  but  that  gentleman  is  the  raiser 
of  these  beautiful  Poppies,  and  named  them  after  his  home. 
They  are,  after  all,  not  the  product  of  any  new  or  even 
imported  species,  or  of  any  special  pross.  There  was  seen  in 
Mr.  Wilks'  garden,  in  a  corner  abutting  on  to  a  field  where 
the  wild  scarlet  Poppy  grew,  a  plant  that  was  carrying  one 
flower  which  had  in  it  a  thin  white  edging  to  the  petals. 
The  seed-pod  of  this  was  saved,  and  later  sown.  The 
following  year,  out  of  many  plants,  just  a  few  had  similarly 
marked  petals.  Each  year  after  the  colouration  varied  and 
the  flowers  enlarged,  until  ultimately  the  present  beautiful 
race  of  Shirley  Poppies  resultred.  ;  It  is  quite  possible,  were 
other  British  plants  observed,  tl\at  some  great  advances 
might  be  evolved  from  them  also. 

Peach  leaf  fung-us  (J.  G.).— Your  Peach  foliage  is  evi- 
dently suffering  from  a  bad  attack  of  the  Peacli  leaf  blister, 
although  in  your  case,  possibly  dije  to  a  moister  climate,  the 
leaves  seem  to  be  more  affected  by  mould  or  mildew  than  by 
blister.  The  disease  is  rapidly  generated  on  young  leafage 
by  cold  winds,  draughts,  froslls,  or  a  low  temperature 
generally,  and  it  is  very  commonly  aggravated  when  the 
roots  have  gone  deep,  and  away  from  sweet,  iprated,  and 
well-fed  soil,  as  then  the  wood, "growth  is  less  matured,  and 
the  leafage  in  consequence  more  liable  to  disease.  Your 
first  effort  should  be  directed  to  gathering  and  burning  all 
the  worst  affected  leaves,  then  make  a  Bordeaux  mixture 
solution  in  the  following  way  :^Get  two  pounds  of  sulphate 
of  copper  (bluestone)  and  dissolve  that  in  a  wood  tub  in  ten 
gallons  of  water,  scald  with  a  gallon  of  boiling  water  two 
pounds  of  fresh  lime  and  two  pounds  of  treacle,  add  this  and 
ten  other  gallons  of  water  to  the  copper  solution,  and  stir  it 
well,  let  it  settle,  aud  then  it  is  ready  for  use.  You  want  for 
this  purpose  an  "  Abol  "  or  other  gently  spraying  syringe,  as 
the  effect  must  be  to  cause  the  mixture  to  settle  like  dew  on 
the  trees  all  over.  At  an  interval  of  three  weeks  another 
application  of  the  solution  should  be  given.  It  will  be  well 
if  a  mixture  be  made  up  and  applied  to  the  trees  before  the 
buds  open  next  IVIarch.  We  also  advise  if  the  trees  be  not 
too  old  that  next  October  they  be  unnailed,  lifted  very  care- 
fully, and  replanted,  as  that  may  prove  very  helpful  in 
checking  the  disease. 


Erratusi.— In  Mr.  Coomher's  note  on  "  Blind  Straw- 
berries," page  410,  line  7  from  the  bottom,  for  "  deciduous" 
read  "diojcious." 


Journals,  &c.,  Received. 

The  Zoologist.  L'  ArgitJi  dcs  lieiuies.  Report  of  Experiments 
on  Farm  Crops.  Bulletin  de  la  Sociiiti^,  Nationa/e  d'  Acch'ma- 
taiion  di:  France.  Report  of  tha  School  of  llorfin/llnre, 
yictoria.  Kew  Bulletin  of  Miscellaneous  Information. 
Agricultural  Returns  for  Great  Britain. 


"**  We  hope  nurscrymoi  wilt  send  notes  of  importance 
and  any  news  likely  to  interest  horticulturists.  Their 
assist(i)we  will  be  greatly  valuQU, 


GARDEN. 


-^-?- 


^r 


"^' 


*-^ 


No.  1544.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[June  22,  1901. 


EARLY     ROSES. 

IT  is  a  glad  day  when  the  first  lio.se  opens 
and  we  know  that  the  Rose  season  has 
begun.  .Just  which  kind  it  may  be  will 
depend  on  the  width  of  range  of  Roses 
grown  in  any  one  garden,  but  where 
there  is  a  fairly  good  collection  it  is  likely  to 
be  Fortune's  Yellow,  with  its  lovely  loose 
coppery  blooms,  its  dainty  leaves,  and  its  cruel 
prickles. 

One  of  the  Briars  will  jjrobably  be  the  next. 
The  herald  of  our  Scotch  Briars,  the  garden 
descendants  of  the  native  Burnet  Rose  (R. 
spinosissima),  will  be  its  representative  from 
Russian  Central  Asia,  R.  altaica,  much  like  the 
Bui  net  Rose,  but  that  the  leaves  are  of  a  paler 
green,  both  flowers  and  leaves  a  trifle  larger, 
and  that  it  blooms  about  a  week  earlier. 

With  the  waning  of  the  Briar  flowers  comes 
the  first  full  blooming  time  of  that  delightful 
free -growing  Rose,  Mme.  Alfred  Carriere, 
classed  as  a  Hybrid  Noisette,  with  its  large 
pale  Tea-like  foliage,  and  wide  loose  flowers 
of  a  delicate  warm  white — a  Rose  for  many 
purposes,  but  best,  pecliaps,  trained  through 
some  rather  open  small  tree  or  bushy  brake,  as 
its  growth  inclines  to  be  leggy  below.  Still  it 
is  lovely  on  any  old  building  or  fence  or  as  a 
Rose  hedge  trained  down,  so  long  as  there  is 
something  to  cover  the  bareness  of  its  lower 
spaces. 

Of  other  well-known  Roses  the  Boursaults, 
derived  from  Rosa  alpina,  will  be  the  next  to 
bloom,  the  most  beautiful  being  the  pink 
Morlettii  and  the  much  better  Blush  Boursault. 
Roses  of  this  family  may  be  known  by  the 
rather  long  stems  with  reddish  bark  without 
prickles.  Blush  Boursault  has  a  beauty  and 
tenderness  of  colouring  that  is  hardly  matched 
by  any  other  Rose.  The  outer  petals  are  of  a 
rosy  white  of  extreme  jairity,  and  the  clear 
rosy  tinting  of  the  middle  of  the  flower  gives 
the  same  impression  of  remarkable  purity.  In 
strong  or  chalky  soils  this  is  a  lovely  arbour 
Rose,  in  its  whole  appearance  and  character 
closely  in  sympathy  with  the  modest  cottage 
dwelling,  while  from  its  daintiness  it  is 
equally  fitted  to  accompany  the  most  refined 
architecture. 

By  this  time  there  are  many  Roses  in  bloom 
— the  grand  and  rampant  Reine  Olga  de 
Wurtemburg,  lovely  when  half  opened  as  a 
cut  flower ;  the  earlier  of  the  Penzance  Sweet 
Briar  hybrids  ;  the  garden  varieties  of  Rosa 
alba  ;  and  the  rugosas,  now  rapidly  advancing 
as  parents  of  new  hybrids  and  crosses. 


Then  among  the  bush  Roses  there  are 
already  many  Teas  in  bloom— the  always  faith- 
ful Mme.  Lambard,  and  the  deeper  coloured 
Papa  Gontier,  the  free-blooming  Hybrid  Tea 
Viscountess  Folkestone,  and  the  handsome 
Captain  Christy,  also  a  Hybrid  Tea,  one  of 
the  best  of  bush  Roses  for  rather  poor  soils, 
where  the  satisfactory  cultivation  of  Hyl:)rid 
Perpetuals  is  almost  an  impossibility. 


EARLY-FLOWERING    LILIES. 

Two  of  the  five  sections  into  which  botanists 
divide  the  genus  Lilium  contain  nearly  all 
the  early-flowering  kinds,  viz.,  the  Isolirion 
group,  characterised  by  erect  flowers,  more  or 
less  cup-shaped,  and  the  Martagon  or  Turk's- 
cap  class,  whose  flowers  all  reflex  in  a  regular 
yet  graceful  manner.  A  notable  feature  of  the 
Martagon  section  is  the  arrangement  of  the 
leaves,  which  in  the  common  Martagon,  the 
.Japanese  L.  Hansoni,  and  several  North 
American  species,  are  borne  in  regular  whorls 
around  the  stem,  while  in  many  of  the  others 
these  whorls  are  broken  up  and  the  leaves 
scattered.  Well-known  examples  of  this  class 
are  L.  chalcedonicum,  L.  szovitsianum,  and 
L.  pyrenaicum.  All  of  the  above  cannot,  how- 
ever, be  regarded  as  early  flowering  ;  indeed, 
one  of  this  group,  L.  superbuni,  is  among  the 
latest.  On  an  average  the  first  Lily  to  bloom 
in  the  open  ground  is  L.  pyrenaicum,  which  is 
one  of  the  least  showy  members  of  the  genus, 
though  it  is  by  no  means  devoid  of  interest 
and  beauty.  It  is  essentially  a  border  Lily, 
succeeding  as  it  does  in  an  open  loam,  while 
the  heavy,^  disagreeable  odour  of  its  blossoms 
is  against  its  use  in  confined  places.  As  soon 
as  it  appears  above  ground  the  sturdy  stem, 
very  thickly  covered  with  narrow  leaves,  is 
particularly  noticeable.  The  blossoms,  which 
are  borne  in  a  many-flovvcred  raceme,  are 
small,  Turk's-cap  like,  and  in  colour  greenish 
yellow,  while  the  pollen  is  red.  One  of  the 
finest  of  all  the  early  Lilies  is  well  shown  in 
The  Garden,  page  407.  This  is  L.  szovitsianum, 
knownalsoasL. colchicum and  L. monadelphum, 
which  in  the  Lily  reports  published  last  year  in 
The  Garden  received  a  favourable  notice  in 
nearly  every  case.  It  needs  a  good  loamy  soil, 
and  two  or  three  years  to  establish  itself  after 
planting.  Again,  few  Lilies  are  so  readily 
raised  from  seed  as  this.  The  general  appear- 
ance of  this  Lily  is  so  well  shown  in  the 
illustration  above  referred  to  that  nothing 
further  on  this  point  need  be  said,  except  that 
there  is  a  considerable  amount  of  individual 
difference  in  the  colour  of  the  blossoms,  some 
being  of  a  much  clearer  yellow  than  others, 
while  the  spotting  also  varies  a  good  deal. 
L.  carniolicum,  known  sometimes  as  the  red 
pyrenaicum,  L.  pomponium  verum,  whose 
bright  sealing-wax-like  blossoms  vie  with 
those  of  L.  chalcedonicum  (which  are  produced 
later),   and    the    pretty  richly   tinted   though 


delicate  L.  tenuifolium,  are  all  early-flowering 
Lilies  belonging  to  the  Martagon  group,  while 
the  species  of  that  name  represented  by  several 
varieties  and  hybrid  forms  is  not  very  far 
behind  .some  of  them.  Much  the  same  may  be 
said,  too,  of  the  allied  L.  Han.soni. 

The  greatest  display  of  early  -  flowering 
Lilies  is,  however,  furnished  by  two  members 
of  the  Isolirion  group,  viz.,  L.  elegans  or  thun- 
bergianum  and  L.  davuricum  or  umbellatum. 
Both  include  many  distinct  varieties  ;  indeed, 
L.  elegans  must  be  regarded  as  the  most 
variable  species  of  the  entire  genus,  as  the 
several  forms  differ  not  only  in  colour,  but  in 
height,  season  of  blooming,  and  other  par- 
ticulars. The  major  portion,  however,  are  all 
low-growing  Lilies,  some  exceedingly  so.  For 
instance.  Prince  of  Orange  and  alutaceum  bear 
their  comparatively  large  blossoms  on  stems 
often  little  more  than  6  inches  high.  While 
the  bulbs  of  a  few  varieties  of  L.  elegans  are 
somewhat  costly,  the  majority  are  very  chea]', 
do  well  in  ordinary  sandy  loam,  and  flower 
satisfactorily  the  first  season  after  planting. 
These  remarks  apply  with  equal  force  to 
L.  davuricum  or  umbellatum,  which  is,  how- 
ever, in  all  its  forms  a  larger  grower  than 
L.  elegans,  without  the  wide  range  in  colour  of 
that  kind.  Laj-ge  quantities  of  L.  umbellatum 
are  sent  to  this  country  from  Holland,  and, 
apart  from  their  value,  as  border  Lilies,  they 
are  by  many  grown  in  pots  and  employed  for 
various  decorative  purposes.  By  growing  chese 
bulbs  in  a  pot  effective  specimens  result,  and 
in  this  way  they  make  a  good  display.  One 
drawback,  however,  is  that  should  the  weather 
be  hot  the  bright  hues  of  the  freshly-expanded 
blossoms  quickly  change  to  a  kind  of  brown 
paper  tint.  A  near  relative  of  L.  umbellatum 
but  a  little  later  in  flowering  is  L.  bulbiferum. 
easily  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  the 
presence  of  small  bulbils  in  the  axils  of  th:? 
leaves.  A  well-known  member  of  the  Isolirion 
group  is  L.  croceum,  than  which  there  is  no 
finer  garden  Lily,  but  at  the  .same  time  it 
belongs  to  the  mid-season  rather  than  the  early 
class,  and  much  the  same  may  be  said  of  the 
Madonna  Lily  (L.  candidum).  Some  bulbs  of 
the  Japanese  L.  rubellum  that  flowered  last 
year  in  pots  plunged  out  of  doors  in  Cocoanut 
refuse  were  similarly  treated  this  year,  with 
the  result  that  they  started  quickly  into 
growth,  and  the  first  flowers  opened  on  .June  .3, 
just  one  day  before  those  of  L.  umbellatum, 
which  had  been  grown  under  similar  condi- 
tions. If  this  may  always  be  expected  it 
would  be  certainly  entitled  to  rank  among  the 
earlie.st,  that  i.s,  if  it  could  be  established  in 
this  country,  for  freshly  imported  bulbs  often 
stand  some  time  before  they  start.  T. 


THE  NATIONAL  ROSE  SOCIETY 
AND   ITS   SUMMER  SHOAV. 

All  interested  in  the  National  Rose  Society 
will  support  the  Dean  of '  Rochester,  the  com- 


442 


THE    GAllDEN. 


[June  22,  1901. 


mittee,  and  those  two  devoted  secretaries — 
the  Rev.  H.  D'onibrain  and  Mr.  Edward 
Mawley — in  a  new  and  important  departure, 
namely,  that  of  tran.sferring  the  great  exhi- 
bition held  for  many  years  jiast  at  the  Crystal 
Palace  to  the  historic  and  leafy  gardens  of  the 
Inner  Temple,  upon  the  Thames  Embankment. 
The  exhibition  takes  place  on  Thursday,  .'uly  4, 
and  we  hope  a  sunny  day  and  large  attendance 
will  reward  the  special  efforts  which  arc  being 
made  to  make  this  exhibition  .me  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  interesting  that  has  taken  place 
in  the  history  of  the  society.  A  Kose  show  of 
the  pre.sent  day  is  quite  different  to  the  some- 
what monotonous  displays  that  were  held 
before  the  garden  Roses,  so-called,  were  shown 
in  the  free,  bold  masses  that  make  tlie  exhi- 
bitions of  our  own  time  .so  delightful  and 
instructive.  This  great  show  is  a  tournament 
of  Roses  ;  it  is  the  meeting- place  of  the  great 
gro\vers  in  the  British  isles,  amateur  and 
trade,  and  the  beginner  in  Rose  growing,  as 
well  as  those  who  have  grown  old  in  the 
service  of  the  queenly  flower,  can  learn  some- 
thing from  these  annual  dtsjilays  of  the 
wonderful  perfection  to  which  Rose  culture 
has  been  brought  in  liritain  and  the  great  and 
increasing  variety  of  new  hybrids  and  varieties, 
many  of  which  will  be  the  popular  Roses  in 
the  gardens  of  the  future. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 


Frknch  Pklakgonium  FijOwiiKs  FR051  Lewisuam. 

We  liavc  received  a  deligliiful  collection  of  cut 
flowers  of  Fteiich  Pelargoniums  from  Mr.  H.  J. 
Jones,  Rvecroft  Nursery,  Lewisham,  comprising 
all  tlie  Hnest,  varieties  in  cultivation.  We  hope 
that  this  remarkably  bright-flowered  class  of  plants 
will  again  be  sought  after,  but  for  some  3ears  past 
they  have  not  been  much  grown.  Among  the  most 
beautiful  kinds  were  Snowflake,  white,  with  a  few 
lines  and  a  blotch  of  purple-crimson  on  the  upper 
petals  ;  Empress  of  India,  clear  rose,  dark  blotch  ; 
Empress  of  Russia,  almost  black,  so  intense  is  the 
purple  colouring,  with  white  margin  to  the  florets  ; 
Eucliaris,  a  lovely  Hower  of  purest  white  ;  Lambert 
<ieni,  rich  lilac  and  deep  crimson  blotch;  Duchess 
of  Fife,  a  glorious  flower  witli  bold  rounded  petals, 
upper  ones  warm  purple  passiug  to  light  red,  and 
then  lighter  margin,  and  many  others. 

Zonal  and  otjier  Pelakooniu.ms  and  Beconias. 
One  double  zonal  Pelargouium  was  beautiful, 
the  flowers  produced  in  a  large  truss  and  of  a 
very  soft  rose  colouring,  and  many  other  very  tine 
kinds  were  sent,  with  flowers  also  of  double  and 
single  tuberous  Begonias,  showing  how  rich  in 
colouring  is  Mr.  Jones's  strain.  rSome  notes  upon 
the  flowers  in  this  nursery  appear  elsewhere. 


Messrs.  W.  J.  Godfrey  send  from  the  Nurseries, 
Exmouth, 

A  Beautifcl  Series  or  Oriental  Poppies, 
showing,  besides  a  good  set  of  scarlets  and  orange- 
scarlets,  one  named  Salmon,  of  very  beautiful  colour- 
ing, a  tender  salmon  colour  shading  to  salmon- 
vermilion.  This  is  the  most  beautiful  flower  in 
the  group,  but  there  is  also  a  remarkable  break  of 
colouring  in  pinks,  purples,  pink-purples,  and  dark 
reds  approaching  deep  purple.  These  purples  are 
all  free  from  the  magenta  taint,  taking  their 
colour,  which  is  alwa\'S  low  iu  tone,  rather  from 
the  red-grey  tinting  of  the  anthers  in  some  of  the 
orientales.  The  colour,  though  never  bright,  is 
telling,  and  will  specially  commend  itself  to  the 
more  cultured  colour  eye. 


Kelway's  P.konies. 
A  beautiful  gathering  of  these  popular  early 
summer  flowers  has  reached  us  from  Messrs. 
Kelway  and  Son,  Langport,  Somerset.  The 
flowers  are  equally  as  varied  as  they  arc  beautiful, 
and    comprise    many    good    things.      Sir    Angus 


Holden,  crimson,  tinged  with  a  bluish  shade  ; 
Lady  Romilly,  double,  deep  blush-pink  ;  Blanche 
Fitzmaurice,  white  ;  General  Duller,  \'ery  flne  deep 
rose  tinged  with  blue,  scented  almost  like  a  Rose  ; 
Doris,  single,  blush-rose ;  Portia,  double  while, 
very  good  ;  Dolabra,  lilac-rose,  double  ;  Agnes 
Mary  Kelway,  a  beautiful  single  flower  of  a  soft 
rose  colour;  Christine  Shand,  pinkish  white, 
double;  Limosel,  double,  soft  I i lac- rose  ;  and 
Alexandra  Macdull,  a  large  double  white,  are  a 
few  of  the  most  noteworthy. 

My  mother  sends  a  box  of 

Boursault  Morlettii  Rose. 
She  was  surprised  to  see  that  one  of  3'our  corre- 
spondents iu  The  Garden  last  week  spoke  of  the 
Boursaults  as  an  uninteresting  class  of  Roses. 
The  rest  of  the  familj-,  perhaps,  are  not  so  attrac- 
tive, but  here,  in  a  by  no  means  small  collection 
of  garden  Roses,  we  consider  B.  Morlettii  one  of 
the  sweetest  seenttd,  eailiest  to  bloom,  and  most 
beautiful  Roses  we  have.  —  E.  M.,  A/dcrion,  near 
Worksop,  No/l>i. 

[A  still  more  bea\Uiful  Rose  of  the  Boursaults  is 
Blush  Boursault.  Our  Correspondent  no  doubt  had 
in  mind  the  led-flowered  ones,  which  have  now 
been  super.scdcd  by  better  things.— Eds.] 

Mr.  H.  T.  Martin,  Stoneleigh  Abbey  tJardens, 
Kenilworth,  sends  flowers  of 

DlCTAMNI'S    FrAXINELLA, 

with  the  following  note  :  "  This  is  one  of  the  most 
showy  subjects  now  in  Hower  in  our  borders,  and, 
beautiful  as  it  is  dotted  here  and  there  in  the 
mixed  border,  it  has  occurred  to  mo  that  groups 
or  masses  of  it  would  make  lovely  pictures  in 
certain  parts  of  the  flower  garden.  The  plant 
appears  to  delight  in  a  light,  dry  soil  and  situation 
such  as  ours  is.  At  the  time  of  writing  (June  lo) 
we  have  not  had  the  needed  rains  which  appear  to 
have  fallen  in  some  parts  of  the  country,  conse- 
quently many  subjects  growing  in  the  borders  are 
suffering  considerably,  for  it  is  not  possible  to 
water  this  part  of  the  garden.  The  Dictamnus 
continues  to  grow  and  flower  luxuriantly,  thus 
making  it  a  good  plant  for  shallow  soils  in 
times  of  drought.  There  appears  to  be  three  or 
four  varieties  of  the  type,  though  the  only  one  J 
possess  bears  spikes  of  rosy-hued  flowers.  To 
lovers  of  sweet-scented  flowers  the  Dictamnus  will 
prove  a  welcome  addition,  for  when  rubbed  or  cut 
the  plant  emits  an  odour  similar  to  the  Lemon- 
scented  Verbena.  Increase  is  readily  effected  by 
division  of  the  root-stocks  in  winter  or  by  .seed 
sown  as  soon  as  ripe." 


CyI'RIPKDIUH  spectabile. 
Mr.  T.  B.  Field,  Achwellthorpe  Hall  Gardens, 
Norwich,  sends  flowers  of  this  beautiful  Lady's 
Slipper,  with  this  note:  "I  know  of  no  hardy 
plant  to  surpass  this  in  boldness  and  delicate 
colouring.  It  is  as  hardy  as  the  common  Rhubarb, 
and  strong  and  deep  rooting  when  in  a  congenial 
soil  and  position.  There  are  few  gardens  that  do 
not  afford  some  shady  nook  where  a  hole  might  be 
dug  and  filled  with  rich  peat  or  spongy  loam 
mixed  with  plenty  of  decayed  vegetable  matter. 
In  such  a  position  it  would  luxuriate,  and  also  in 
any  shady  place  where  a  deep  and  somewhat 
unctuous  soil  exists.  ' 

Autumn-sown  Sweet  Peas. 
We  regret  that  a  portion  of  a  letter  from  Mrs. 
Thornej'croft  accompanying  some  fine  Sweet  Peas 
and  published  in  The  Garden,  June  15  (p.  42.5), 
was  incorrectly  transcribed.  The  portion  in 
question  should  have  read  "They  did  not  bloom 
that  year ;  but  at  Easter  time  this  year  the  Peas 
looked  very  flourishing  and  the  fine  blooms  were 
picked  on  May  P2." 


Ro-A  siNii^A  Anemone. 

Ml'.  Mitchell,  Heathfield,  Rush  Green,  Hertford, 

sends   flowers  of  this   beautiful   Rose,  one  of  the 

most  precious  of  all  single  varieties.     'J'he  flowers 

are  very  large,   soft  rose   iu  colour,  with   a  bunch 


of  yellow  stamens,  and  the  whole  set  off  by  the 
shining  green  foliage.  Few  fairer  flowers  have 
adorned  our  table  than  this,  and  we  h»pe  this 
note  will  draw  attention  to  its  importance  for  the 
garden. 


A  New  Tree  Carnation  Mrs.  Elliott. 
We  have  received  from  Messrs.  H.  and  J.  Elliott, 
Courtbushes  Nurseries,  Hurstpierpoint,  Sussex, 
flowers  of  a  charming  Carnation,  sweetly  scented, 
and  of  unusual  colouring,  a  soft  lemon  and  pink, 
diflicult  to  describe,  but  very  pretlj'.  The  calyx, 
too,  does  not  split. 

Primula  oisconica  orandielora  and  Mule 
Pinks. 

Mr.  Crook,  of  Forde  Abbey  (iardens.  Chard, 
Somerset,  sends  flowers  of  a  good  form  of  P. 
obconica  from  plants  out  of  dwors,  and  a  richly 
coloured  Mule  Pink,  with  the  following  note  ;  "  A 
bunch  of  Primula  obconica  grandiflora ;  flowers 
from  plants  that  have  stood  out  in  the  open  border 
under  an  old  Laburnum  tree  in  our  garden  the 
whole  of  the  past  winter,  having  been  planted  out 
in  May  of  last  year.  It  has  never  had  the  slightest 
protection.  This  shows  the  plant  may  have  many 
uses.  I  am  also  sending  a  bunch  of  blooms  of  a 
Mule  Pink.  You  will  see  that  the  stems  are  very 
long,  and  this  makes  it  valuable  for  cutting  or  for 
the  border.  The  plant  grows  \'igorously.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  the  Mule  Pinks  are  not  more 
known  and  grown.  This,  Napoleon  III.,  and  a 
few  others  are  charming." 


NEW^    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

Strawberry  The  Laxton. — One  of  the  prior 
claims  to  notoriety  of  this  Strawberry  is  that  it 
is  claimed  to  be  an  improvement  upon  Royal 
Sovereign.  It  is  a  cross  between  this  variety  and 
Sir  Joseph  Paxton.  Partaking,  so  far  as  appear- 
ance is  concerned,  more  after  the  latter  parent,  it 
is  more  conical,  and  of  a  much  more  pleasing  and 
brighter  colour  than  Royal  Sovereign.  It  is  said 
to  be  of  superior  flavour  to  it,  and  also  to  travel 
well  when  packed.  Equal  earliness  with  Royal 
Sovereign  is  also  claimed  for  it.  It  is  evidently 
also  a  free  cropper,  and  with  such  good  credentials 
it  should  not  be  long  in  finding  its  way  wherever 
Roj'al  Sovereign  is  grown.  Exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Laxton  Bros.,  Bedford.     First-class  certificate. 

Sopheo-Cattleya  Georoe  Hardy  (Tyntesfield 
variety). — This  is  a  charming  little  flower  ;  the 
base  of  the  lip  is  a  lich  rose  colour,  becoming 
lighter  towards  the  column  ;  the  sepals  and  petals 
have  a  buft'  ground  colour,  streaked  with  rosy 
crimson  and  spotted  with  chocolate  -  red.  The 
whole  plant  is  not  more  than  S  inches  high,  and 
the  flower  itself  measures  rather  more  than  1  inch 
across.  Exhibited,  R.H.S.,  by  Fred  Hardy,  Esq., 
Tyntesfield,  Ash  ton -on  -  Mersey  (gardener,  Mr. 
Thomas  Stafford).     Award  of  merit. 


THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN 


CABBAGES    AND    WHITE 
BUTTERFLIES. 

EVERY  grower  of  vegetables  of  the 
Cabbage  tribe  will  remember  the 
devastation  spread  last  season  bj'  the 
hordes  of  hungrj'  caterpillars  that 
preyed  on  the  Cabbage  and  defoliated 
the  Brussels  Sprouts.  This  is  a  sure 
sign  that  we  shall  have  the  same  trouble  again 
before  the  season  is  far  spent,  as  I  never  remember 
seeing  so  many  white  butterflies  flitting  about 
the  vegetable  garden  in  May.  The  hot  sunshine 
experienced  during  the  month  and  the  absence  of 
rain  have  bcdi  the  means  of  bringing  them  out 
early,  and  they  may  be  counted  by  the  hundred. 
We  all  know  the  inevitable  result  of  this,  the 
close  picking  that  will  be  necessary  by  and  by  if 
our  beds  of  greens  are  to  be  anything  but  a  mass 
of  riddled  leaves.     We  must  face  the  difficult}', 


June  22,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


44:3 


but  if  in  the  meantime  there  waa  an  efficient 
means  of  dealing  with  the  author  of  the  cater- 
pillar's being,  how  much  trouble  would  be  save<l. 

G.  H.  H. 


DRY   WEATHER   AND    THE    HOE. 

Tkom  every  district  we  hear  the  same  complaint — 
want  of  rain.  It  is  true  that  some  localities  have 
been  more  favoured  than  others  in  the  way  of 
showers,  but  for  the  last  six  weeks  we  have  looked 
in  vain  for  a  steady  downpour.  And  amongst  the 
implements  we  use  for  counteracting  the  effects  of 
the  drought  none  is  equal  to  the  common  flat  hoe. 
By  constantly  stirring  the  surface  soil  between 
fruit  bushes  and  growing  crops  the  evil  effects  of 
the  long  drought  are  lessened,  moisture  is  conserved, 
and  baking  of  the  surface  prevented.  No  one 
knows  the  value  of  hoeing  better  than  the  fruit 
grower  who  spends  money  in  the  operation  when 
the  destruction  of  weeds  is  not  the  main  object. 
He  would  not  do  this  unless  there  were  benefits 
accruing  from  it  for  the  welfare  of  the  crop.     H. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


STRAWBERRIES  AND  THE 
DROUGHT. 

IN  the  southern  parts  of  the  kingdom  the 
want  of  genial  rains  will,  I  fear,  greatly 
spoil  the  Strawberry  crop,  it  the  plants  are 
in  dry  or  light  soil.  Of  course,  assistance 
can  be  given  by  copious  waterings,  but  in 
many  gardens  both  water  and  labour  to 
apply  the  same  are  not  always  available.  The 
plants  in  our  own  case  never  looked  more  pro- 
raising  than  they  did  just  at  the  time  the  flower 
trusses  were  forming,  and  there  is  such  an 
abundance  of  bloom  and  fruits  set  that  it  would 
well  repay  cultivators  to  thin  the  trusses  should 
the  heat  and  drought  continue.  We  are  less 
fortunate  than  our  northern  growers,  as  on  the 
Scottish  border  2  inches  of  rain  fell  during  the  last 
week  in  May  in  two  daj's,  and  this  would  build 
up  the  crop  during  the  swelling  of  the  fruit.  In 
the  Thames  Valley  the  soil  is  so  much  di-aineil 
that,  if  at  all  light,  moisture  is  so  soon  spent  ;  it 
needs  rain  little  and  often  to  get  the  best  results. 
An  old  gardener  told  me  the  other  day  that  for 
four  months  in  the  year.  May  to  August,  we  ought 
to  have  rain  every  day.  I  fear  my  readers  will 
think  I  am  a  grumbler,  but  certainly  dry  seasons 
are  very  trying,  and  the  past  few  summers  have 
been  very  dry,  the  drought  this  season  setting  in 
much  earlier  than  usual. 

Such  weather  will  show  the  advantage  of  mulcli- 
ing  Strawberry  quarters  earlier  than  is  often  done, 
as  bj'  mulching  the  surface  soil  is  not  dried,  and 
any  moisture  given  is  longer  retained.  In  many 
gardens  liquid  manure  can  be  given  ;  this  after  tlie 
fruit  is  set  will  greatl}'  support  the  plants.  I  have 
noticed  that  old  plants  are  the  first  to  feel  the 
effects  of  drought,  and  that  is  readily  explained. 
The  plants  have  more  crowns  and  there  is  a  greater 
demand  on  the  roots  ;  at  the  same  time,  liaving 
been  a  longer  time  in  one  position,  the  soil  is  more 
exhausted  than  in  the  case  of  younger  plants  in  more 
recently  manured  or  prepared  soil.  In  light  soils 
the  old  system  of  incorporating  heavy  clay 
materials  in  the  soil  before  making  a  new  Straw- 
berry bed  had  much  to  recommend  it,  but  in  these 
days  it  is  less  practised  than  formerly,  but,  again, 
we  do  not  now  allow  the  plants  to  remain  so  many 
years  in  the  same  place.  Even  Vifith  recent  culture 
an  addition  of  heavy  soil  would  greatly  sustain 
plants  in  such  seasons,  but  here,  again,  is  a  diffi- 
culty ;  the  cost  of  cartage  (soil  also  in  some  cases) 
must  be  considered. 

It  may  be  asked  what  remedy  do  you  propose, 
and  mine  is  this,  to  grow  Strawberries  more  like 
annuals,  at  least  certain  kinds  in  gardens  where 
the  land  is  poor  and  the  soil  light,  as  then  the 
land  can  be  given  better  cultivation,  be  dug  more 
frequently,  and  the  roots  get  more  nourishment. 
In  many  gardens  one  often  sees  a  patchy  piece 
or  quarter  of  plants,  these  reve^lirjg  losses  fron^  | 


various  causes,  one  of  the  worst  being  wireworms. 
On  such  land  I  would  certainly  not  grow  Straw- 
berries more  than  one  season.  VVe  find  we  get 
much  better  returns  by  annual  planting  of  certain 
varieties,  the  strong  growers  especially,  such  as 
Royal  Sovereign,  President,  and  others.  Some  of 
the  Pine  family  and  the  British  Queen  are  better 
the  second  year  than  the  first  if  the  land  is  well 
tilled. 

I  am  aware  annual  planting  means  labour.  On 
the  other  liand,  it  is  labour  that  can  be  spared 
and  is  cheaper  in  the  end  than  having  plants  over 
a  much  larger  area  and  having  a  poorer  crop. 
Another  important  point  is  that  there  must  be 
good  plants  or  runners  and  planted  early  in 
addition,  but  regularly  carried  out  it  answers 
thoroughly.  It  is  surprising  what  a  strong  plant 
ma}'  be  had  by  early  planting,  but  to  do  tliis  it  is 
not  advisable  to  take  runners  from  plants  that  are 
fruiting.  A  few  rows  of  plants  are  annually 
planted  for  the  purpose,  and  if  grown  thus  very 
fine  fruits  are  produced.  Of  course  it  would  be 
useless  to  plant  in  October  and  expect  a  crop,  but 
I  have  planted  poor  runners  in  March  after  being 
wintered  in  rows,  removed  the  flower  trusses, 
and  got  splendid  results  the  next  year.  My  con- 
tention is  that  young  plants  are  more  reliable  than 
old  ones.  By  this  mode  of  culture  anyone  can 
grow  Strawberries  in  a  poor  soil ;  the  plant  must 
have  food  and  good  culture,  and  by  planting 
oftener  so  much  space  need  not  be  given  between. 
There  is  no  loss  of  space,  and  the  land  will  be  in 
better  condition  for  other  crops,  as  thougli  heavily 
manured  for  the  Strawberries,  after  that  crop  is 
cleared  the  quarters  will  be  in  splendid  condition 
for  green  crops  such  as  Kales  or  late  Broccoli,  and 
digging  will  not  be  needed  for  the  last-named  crop. 

G.  W. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 


Roses  and  "  The  Garden."— Our  issue 

of  .July  13  will  be  devoted  especially  to  the  Rose. 
Many  illustrations  will  be  given  showing  beautiful 
ways  of  planting,  uses  of  the  newer  and  much 
talked  of  hybrids,  and  phases  of  culture  which, 
judging  from  the  letters  of  enquiry  we  have 
recently  received,  are  interesting  to  those  who 
wish  for  something  better  than  the  old  "rosery" 
of  iron  stakes  and  wonderful  trellising.  Rose 
growing  in  England  has  undergone  a  much-needed 
change,  and  we  have  endeavoured,  and  shall  do  so 
in  the  future,  to  help  our  readers  in  making  tlieir 
gardens  more  beautiful  by  the  right  use  of  the  most 
precious  flower  that  can  be  planted  in  our  pleasure 
grounds  and  even  our  woodlands.  Special  articles 
will  be  contributed  by  leading  rosarians,  and  a  full 
report  will  be  given  of  the  great  exhibition  of  the 
National  Rose  Society  in  the  Inner  Temple 
(hardens. 

National    Amateur    Gardeners' 

Association.  —  The  annual  conversazione  of 
this  flourishing  association  will  take  place  at 
Winchester  House,  Old  Broad  Street,  London,  on 
Tuesday,  July  2.  The  tickets  are  Is.  each,  and  may 
be  obtained  from  Mr.  F.  Finch,  the  hon.  general 
secretary,  117,  Embleton  Road,  Lewisham,  S.E. 

National  Chrysanthemum  Society. 

— The  annual  picnic  and  outing  will,  by  the  kind 
permission  of  Alfred  Tate,  Esq.,  take  the  form  of 
a  visit  to  Downside,  Leatherhead,  when  the  gardens 
and  grounds  will  be  open  to  inspection.  The  date 
fixed  for  the  picnic  is  Monday,  .July  8,  in  order  to 
see  the  Rose  garden  at  its  best,  and  the  cost, 
inclusive  of  railway  fare,  conveyance  to  and  from 
Downside,  with  use  of  the  conveyances  during  the 
day,  dinner  and  tea,  will  be  9s.  6d.  Ladies  are 
specially  invited.  The  company  will  be  conveyed 
to  Leatherhead  Station  by  the  London,  Brighton, 
and  South  Coast  Railway,  from  Victoria,  London 
Bridge,  and  Addison  Road.  Dinner  will  be  pro- 
vided at  the  Swan  Hotel,  Leatherhead,  and  tea  on 
the  grounds  at  Downside.  Members  and  friends 
Joining  the  party  at  Leatherhead,  but  not  using 
railway  tickets,  will  be  charged  7s.  Cd.  The 
secretary,  Mr.  R.  Dean,  Ranelagh  Road, 
I^Jaling,  W,,  must  know   by  Monday,  July   I,  how 


many  tickets  are  required,  so  that  the  necessary 
railway  and  other  arrangements  may  be  made.  Id 
is  particularly  requested  that  those  applying  for 
railway  tickets  will  say  whether  they  will  travel 
from  London  Bridge,  Victoria,  or  Arldi-son  Road, 
in  order  that  adequate  railway  accommodation  may 
be  provided.  Parties  wishing  to  sit  together  at 
diimer  must  give  the  secretary  notice  to  that  e(ii.'ct. 

Carpenteria  californica.— I  thijd<  that 

C'arpenteria  californica  is  hardier  than  jour 
correspondent  "  W.  D."  slates,  at  least  it  certainly 
is  .so  here  (in  Oxfordshire).  I  have  a  plant,  sonic 
7  feet  high,  which  has  been  about  fifteen  jears 
against  a  south  wall  without  the  slightest  protec- 
tion, during  which  time  it  has  several  times  stood 
over  20"^  of  frost.  It  is  a  mass  of  flowers  every 
year,  which  mingle  well  with  the  flowers  of  » 
scarlet-flowered  Pomegranate  next  to  it  — a  plain 
1 1  feet  high.  Writing  of  this  Pomegranate,  some 
one  wrote  to  The  Garden  three  or  four  years  ago 
to  say  that  his  plant  had  some  three  (jr  four  fruits 
on  it.  Mine  had  fifteen  or  twenty.  I  forget  the 
number. — J.  11,  Hmltij-on-Thamis. 

Double  -  flowering'    Currant.      The 

flowering  Currant  (Ribes  sanguineum)  is  repre- 
sented in  our  gardens  by  numerous  varieties,  that 
at  the  head  of  this  note  (R.  sanguineum  flore-plena) 
being  remarkable  for  two  distinctive  features,  viz., 
its  double  blossoms  and  the  fact  that  they  are  later 
in  expanding  than  any  of  the  others.  At  a  little 
distance  the  duplex  character  of  its  flowers  cannot 
be  detected,  though  close  inspection  reveals  this. 
Serving  as  it  does  to  prolong  the  flowering  .season 
of  these  beautiful  Currants,  this  double  blossomed 
form  is  worthy  of  more  attention  than  has  hitherto 
been  bestowed  upon  it.  Like  all  its  relatives  it 
will  succeed  under  anything  approaching  favourable 
conditions,  and  can  be  readilj'  propagated  from 
cuttings. — T. 

Asystasia  taella.— Introduced  from  Natal 
in  1869  this  shrub,  then  known  by  the  generic 
name  of  Mackaya,  was  for  some  time  regarded  as 
difficult  to  flower  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  but  of 
late  we  do  not  hear  any  complaints  on  that  score. 
A  successful  method  of  treatment  is  to  encourage 
the  plants  to  grow  freely  during  the  spring  and 
early  part  of  the  summer,  after  which  the  growth 
must  be  well  ripened  b}'  exposure  to  the  sun  and  a 
limited  water  supply  as  the  winter  approaches. 
At  that  season  they  may  be  iiept  in  the  greenhouse, 
then,  with  a  little  additional  heat  in  the  spring, 
they  will,  about  .June,  produce  a  quantity  of  their 
delightful  blossoms.  These  flowers,  which  are 
borne  in  racemes  of  a  dozen  or  so,  are  somewhat 
bell-shaped,  nearly  2  inches  across,  and  of  a  deep 
mauve  beautifully  veined  with  purple.  Apart  from 
its  ornamental  qualities  it  is  verj'  distinct  from  all 
other  grEenhouse  plants  in  bloom.  This  Asj-stasia 
belongs  to  the  natural  order  Acanthacea',  most 
mem}>ers  of  which  grow  freel}' with  ordinarj'  treat- 
ment, and  this  is  no  exception  to  the  rule,  as 
cuttings  strike  readily  and  soon  form  effective 
specimens.  A  second  species  (A.  scandens),  from 
Sierra  Leone,  has  been  long  grown  in  gardens  as 
Henfreya  scandens.  This  is  a  pretty  climbing 
plant  that  needs  stove  temperature  for  its  well 
doing. — T. 

Aquileg-ia    speetabilis. -This    pretty 

Aquilegia  was  serit  out  hy  Herr  Max  Leichtlin 
last  year,  and  is  now  in  bloom  here.  On  looking 
up  the  "  Index  Kewensis"  I  find  that  A.  spectabilis 
is  referred  to  as  A.  sibirica,  but  I  hardly  think  that 
the  plant  sent  out  from  Baden-Baden  is  the  same 
as  that  species.  Of  course,  the  Aquilegias  are 
troublesome  to  separate,  and  it  would  re{|uiie 
some  courage  to  dogmatise  upon  the  point.  What- 
ever its  name,  this  Columbine  is  very  pleasing 
with  its  blue  and  white  flowers.  I  had  forgotten 
that  I  had  it  until  when  examining  the  Acpiilegias 
in  my  garden  recently  I  was  struck  with  its 
beauty.  It  looks  as  it  it  would  be  a  long  liver, 
which  is  more  than  can  be  said  for  nianj'  of  the 
prettiest  species  and  forms.  By  the  waj-,  A.  bai- 
calensis,  sent  out  from  Baden-Baden  the  previous 
year,  and  which  bloomed  last  season,  has  not 
flowered  this,  although  the  plants  look  strong  and 
healthy. — S.  Arnott,  Carxethoni,  ht/  Ilumfrit-<,  X.  B. 

Single   white   Paeony  Cambridge. 

— As  regartjs  the  Cambridge  Pieouy  1  have  grown 


444 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  22,   1901. 


bolh  Whilleyi  single  and  Emodi  for  some  years, 
and  though  their  flowers  may  be  similar  to  a 
botanist  their  growth  is  quite  different.  Emodi, 
some  weeljs  the  earliest,  is  now  over,  and  Whitleyi 
only  just  out.  The  flowers  of  Emodi  are  only 
about  5  inches,  whereas  Whitleyi  is  nearly 
7  inches  across.  The  great  difference  is  that 
Emodi  runs  at  the  root  in  all  directions  and 
covers  much  ground,  though  several  plants  have 
been  removed  to  other  places,  whereas  Whitleyi 
has  onl3'  grown  stronger  on  the  one  stem.  Emodi 
seeds  freely,  but  I  have  never  succeeded  in  raising 
any. — .1.  R.  D. ,  Beir/ate. 

Tufted   Pansy  Pensee  d'Or.     Small 

pieces  in  my  garden  of  tliis  Pans}'  are  tvpical  of 
what  these  plants  should  be.  l)r.  Stuart,  of 
C'hirnside,  N.B.,  has  given  us  a  perfect  gem,  the 
plant  being  excellent  for  bedding.  The  flowers, 
which  are  of  medium  size,  are  developed  on  a 
splendid  length  of  footstalk,  this  latter  carrying 
them  well  above  the  foliage,  so  that  all  the 
blossoms  are  seen.  Of  oval  form,  raj'less,  richly 
scented,  and  of  a  rich  orange-yellow  colour,  it  is 
easy  to  understand  the  charm  of  the  dainty 
blossoms.  The  plant  is  dwarf,  and  quickl}'  develops 
into  a  good  tuft. — D.  B.  C. 

Robinia  neo-mexieana.— This  little- 
known  species  of  Robinia  has  flowered  remarkably 
well  this  season.  Its  nearest  all}'  is  the  False 
Acacia  (Robinia  Pseudaoacia),  but  it  differs  in 
many  well-marked  features  from  that  well-known 
tree.  The  principal  points  of  ditterence  are  tlie 
glaucous  green  of  its  prettily  divided  leaves  and 
the  bright  rose  tint  of  its  blossoms,  which  in  this 
respect  are  considerably  deeper  than  in  any  form 
of  R.  Pseudacacia.  Another  distinct  feature  is 
that  the  flower  stalks  and  seed  pods  are  hairy, 
whereas  in  the  older  kind  they  are  smooth. 
R.  neo-niexicana  is  said  to  have  been  first  dis- 
covered in  18.">1  by  Dr.  (ieorge  Thurber.  who  was 
attached  to  the  Mexican  Boundary  Surve}'  Com- 
mission. It  was  not,  however,  brought  into 
cultivation  till  1SS2,  when  it  was  represented  in 
the  Arnold  Arboretum.  In  1H91  it  flowered  for 
the  first  time  in  Europe  in  the  arboretum  of 
Dr.  Dieck  at  Zieschin  in  (ierniany,  and  has  since 
that  time  become  generally  distributed  where 
collection  of  trees  and  shrubs  are  grown.  In  the 
summer  of  1IS9.5  it  received  an  award  of  merit  from 
the  Roj'al  Horticultural  Society,  a  distinction 
well  deserved.  R.  neo-mexicana  is,  as  implied  by 
its  specific  name,  a  native  of  New  Mexico,  but  it 
also  occurs  in  Colorado  and  Arizona,  districts 
widely  separated  from  the  Eastern  States,  where 
R   Pseudacacia  grows  wild. — H.  P. 

Bupehellia    eapensis.— Owing   to   the 

war  in  South  Africa  the  plants  from  that  region 
have  of  late  attracted  more  than  their  usual  share 
of  attention.  No  such  stimulus  should,  however, 
be  needed  in  the  case  of  this  Burchellia,  as  its 
ornamental  qualities  are  of  such  a  high  order  that 
one  is  apt  to  feel  surprised  that  it  is  not  more 
generally  grown.  It  forms  a  freely  branched 
shrub,  clothed  with  ovate,  oppositely  arranged 
leaves,  about  4  inches  long,  and  of  a  rich  green 
tint.  The  flowers,  which  are  borne  in  clusters  on 
the  points  of  last  year's  shoots,  are  tubular  in 
shape,  a  little  over  ]  inch  long,  and  of  a  deep 
orange-scarlet  colour,  which  shows  up  ver}' 
effectively  from  the  rich  green  background.  The 
flowering  season  extends  over  several  weeks,  and 
some  plants  of  it  are  just  now  at  their  best.  This 
Burchellia  is  not  at  all  a  difficult  subject  to 
strike  from  cuttings  of  the  half-ripened  shoots,  and 
the  plant  succeeds  perfectlj'  in  a  warm  greenhouse, 
potted  in  a  mixture  of  two-thirds  loam  to  one  of 
peat,  with  a  liberal  sprinkling  of  sand.  It  belongs 
to  the  order  Rubiace;c,  hence  it  is  a  near  relative 
of  the  Bouvardias,  Ixoras,  (Jardenias,  Manettias, 
and  other  good  garden  plants.  From  tlie  hardness 
of  its  wood  this  Burchellia  is  in  Cape  Colony 
known  as  the  Buffalo-horn. — H.  P. 

Rose      Jersey     Beauty     (Hybrid 

wichUPiana). — I  really  believe  this  charming 
Rose  will  be  much  grown  for  its  foliage  alone, 
apart  from  its  delightful  single  creamy  white 
flowers.  A  single  plant  shows  KM)  to  20(1  new 
growths,  each  a  bright  ruby  red,  like  a  Tea  Rose, 
and  the  leaves  as  shiny  and  glistening  as  though 


varnished.  When  we  remember  that  the  majorit}' 
of  these  growths  will  yield  a  beautiful  canary 
yellow  bud  or  buds,  it  is  little  wonder  that  we 
cherish  it.  If  they  are  to  be  used  as  trailing 
Roses  the  best  plan  is  to  make  some  rough  bear- 
ings for  the  growths,  so  that  they  are  raised 
about  18  inches  from  theground.  They  not  only  can 
be  kept  free  of  weeds,  but  the  growths  are  more  in 
harmony  with  those  that  spring  from  the  base  of 
the  plant.  I  predict  that  there  will  be  few  pergolas 
but  what  will  contain  one  or  more  of  these  useful 
additions  to  our  gardens.  Their  growth  well 
adapts  them  for  all  purposes  of  quick  creepers,  and 
so  far  as  can  be  judged  at  present  they  are  perfectly 
hardy,  even  so  hybridised  with  the  Teas,  of  which 
the  variety  under  notice  is  one  of  the  best. — 
Philomel. 

A  curious  Iris. — A  mauve  and  white  Flag 
Iris  has  sported  somewhat  curiously.  One  flower 
had  five  falls  and  four  standards,  and  several  others 
had  four  falls  and  four  standards,  the  normal 
number  of  each  being  of  course  three. — G.  P. 

Chinese  way  of  growing"  Chry- 
santhemums.— We  are  just  now  starting  our 
late  dwarf  grown  Chr3'santhemums  of  usual  good 
kinds,  b}'  inserting  five  or  six  cuttings  round  the 
edge  of  a  ."i-inch  or  6-inch  pot,  in  which  they 
will  produce  very  fair  flowers  on  stems  12  inches 
to  l(i  inches  high  only,  so,  of  course,  thej'  are  fed 
up  a  little  when  the  pots  are  full  of  hungry  roots 
with  cow  manure  and  soot,  or  a  sprinkle  of  fine 
earth  plus  Clay's  or  Standen's  manure.  This  is  an 
old  Chinese  plan  of  growing  late-blooming  dwarf 
Chrysanthemums,  and  we  find  the  little  plants 
most  useful.  They  are  also  a  pretty  contrast  to 
the  big  elephants  grown  in  large  pots  or  boxes 
9  inches  square  in  the  usual  way.  They  are  nice 
for  table,  nice  for  rooms,  nice  to  give  awaj',  or 
they  yield  lots  of  prettj'  and  not  too  enormous 
blooms  and  spraj's  for  cutting. — F.  W.  Bukeidge. 

Embothrium  coccineum  and  Tri- 
cuspidaria  hexapetala  (    Crinoden- 

dron  Hookeri)  are  very  fine  in  County 
Wicklow  just  now.  Two  trees  of  the  first — 20  feet 
to  25  feet  high,  and  very  fresh  and  health}' — are 
covered  with  vivid  scarlet  trusses  that  make  most 
zonal  Pelargoniums  look  pale  ;  curiously  enough 
the  squirrels  steal  and  eat  the  Tricuspidaria 
flowers,  taking  them  for  Cherries,  I  suppose,  but 
they  must  find  them  "good  for  food"  as  well  as 
"  pleasant  to  the  eye." — F.  W.  Bukeidge. 

Coffea  robUSta. — Vast  numbersof  economic 
plants,  such  as  India-rubber  (Castilloa  elastioa), 
Coeao  (Theobroma  cacao),  and  others  are  exported 
to  all  parts  of  the  world  by  the  Belgian  Soeietc 
Horticole  Coloniale.  It  is  interesting  to  learn 
that  a  new  species  of  Coffee  (Coffea  robusta)  has 
been  introduced  by  the  society  from  the  Congo, 
which,  from  observations  made  upon  it  in  its 
native  habitat,  is  believed  from  its  great  vigour 
to  be  able  to  resist  the  disease  wliich  has 
made  such  terrible  inroads  upon  plantations  all 
over  the  world.  It  is  at  the  same  time  a  very 
free-bearing  species,  and  produces  berries  of 
excellent  quality.  C.  robusta  is  handsome  as  a 
decorative  plant,  with  its  broad  shining  leaves 
and  abundant  bloom.  The  scented  flowers  of  pure 
white  are  succeeded  by  green  berries,  which  become 
first  j'ellow  and  finally  turn  red,  so  that  the  plant 
is  ornamental  at  all  stages.  Should  it  prove  on 
further  trial  to  be  absolutely  disease-proof  it  will 
be  gratefully  welcomed  as  an  international  boon. 
-K.  L.  D. 

A  fragrant  semi-climbing  Rose.— 

That  splendid  sweet-scented  Rose  Pink  Rover, 
recently  mentioned  in  The  (i.\Ri)EN  b}'  Mr. 
Woodall,  has  been  very  beautiful  during  the  last 
few  days,  and  it  promises  to  provide  us  with  its 
exquisite  buds  for  many  days  to  come.  An3'one 
who  is  a  judge  of  Roses  will  see  a  vast  difference 
between  this  variety  and  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison, 
the  colour  in  Pink  Rover  being  much  richer  than 
that  of  the  old  favourite  ;  in  fact,  some  of  its  buds 
are  as  beautiful  as  the  well-tried  Souvenir  d'Un 
Ami.  I  consider  Pink  Rover  a  far  more  useful 
variety  for  pillar,  hedge,  or  low  porch  than  climbing 
Captain  Christy  even  in  its  blossom,  and  when  it 
is  remembered  that  the  variety  under  notice  pos- 
sesses a  sweet  fragrance,  cjuite  Tea-like,  it  will  be 


doubly  valuable  to  the  lover  of  garden  Roses.  I 
remember  seeing  a  rather  low  trellis  some  years 
ago  covered  with  Pink  Rover,  and  it  was  so  "effec- 
tive, and  its  buds  were  so  useful  for  cutting,  that  I 
have  always  recommended  the  Rose  when  asked  to 
name  a  good  pink  semi-climber,  a  type  of  Rose 
which  our  collection  is  rather  deficient  in. — P. 

Grouping  of  flowers  at  Alnwick 

Castle.  —  Large  masses  of  flowering  plants 
may  be  seen  at  Alnwick  Castle,  the  northern 
seat  of  the  Duke  of  Northumberland.  This  work 
has  been  in  progress  for  several  years,  and 
the  chief  forester,  Mr.  Gillanders,  yearly  plants 
pieces  of  waste  land  or  nooks  in  the  park  with 
masses  of  one  subject,  which  is  far  better  than 
nnxing  things  that  var}'  in  size,  and  some  that  do 
not  thrive  so  well  as  others.  Before  an}-  large 
breadth  is  planted,  a  trial  on  a  smaller  scale  is 
made  to  test  hardiness  and  if  suitable  for  the 
exposed  position  the  plants  occupy.  All  seasons 
are  considered,  for  in  the  autumn  and  winter  plants 
that  have  bright  foliage  are  prominent.  At  this 
date  (June  10)  are  large  and  beautiful  masses  of 
flowering  plants  in  variet}'.  In  autumn  berried 
plants  are  charming,  and  in  winter  the  Willows, 
Berberis,  Dogwoods,  and  others  are  bright  -with 
their  varied  tiiits,  which  give  such  charming  colour 
to  the  country, — C  W. 

Lilacs  and  buUflnches.— When  walk- 
ing round  a  friend's  garden  a  few  weeks  ago  I 
remarked  how  sparsely  the  Lilacs  were  blooming, 
and  learnt  that  the  greater  part  of  the  buds  had 
been  pecked  oft'  by  small  birds,  chiefly  bullfinches. 
So  bad  had  been  the  attack  that  on  some  trees  there 
were  hardly  any  flowers  at  all.  The  taste  displaj'ed 
by  the  bullfinch  for  the  buds  of  fruit  trees  is  well 
known,  but  so  few  instances  have  come  before  my 
notice  of  the  bird  attacking  Lilacs  that  I  am  led  to 
enquire  whether  any  readers  of  The  (Garden  have 
suffered  in  this  respect.  I  am  not  sure  whether 
the  birds  have  any  preference,  as  is  the  case  with 
sparrows  and  Crocuses,  but  the  trees  of  the  white 
form  were  more  injured  than  those  of  the  purple 
flowered  kind. — H. 

A  good  pillar  Rose. —  So  rich  in  its 

beautiful  maroon-crimson  flowers  is  the  Bourbon 
Robusta  that  one  is  apt  to  take  it  for  a  climbing 
Louis  Van  Houtte  or  Victor  Hugo.  The  flowers 
are  not  so  fine  as  those  of  the  two  Roses  mentioned, 
but  for  effectiveness  Robusta  stands  unrivalled  as 
a  crimson  pillar  varietj'.  I  am  surprised  it  is  not 
more  grown.  I  saw  it  last  season  in  the  dell  roser}' 
at  Kew,  so  that  perhaps  when  these  plants  are 
established  it  will  be  dulj'  noted  by  the  thousands 
who  visit  these  beautiful  gardens.  It  has,  more- 
over, the  merit  of  flowering  early — some  two  weeks 
or  more  before  Crimson  Rambler — and  the  name 
indicates  its  vigorous  growth.  The  flowers  are 
produced  in  fine  trusses,  some  five  or  six  buds 
to  a  truss,  and  the  variety  thus  remains  long  in 
beauty. — P. 
Tufted     Pansy     Nellie     Riding.— 

Rayless  yellow  Pansies  a  few  years  since  were 
almost  unknown,  and  yet  at  the  present  time 
there  is  quite  a  plethora  of  first-class  sorts.  The 
variety  Nellie  Riding  is  distinct  on  account  of  its 
free  display  of  large  flowers  of  the  most  refined 
kind.  When  once  the  plants  get  established  the 
return  they  give  is  excellent.  The  flowers  are 
almost  circular  in  shape,  of  the  richest  yellow 
colour,  with  a  deeper  shade  on  the  lower  petal. 
Each  flower  appears  on  a  good  footstalk,  the  plants 
making  a  beautiful  carpeting  of  green.  When 
visiting  Tamworth  recently  I  saw  large  beds  in  full 
blossom,  and  Mr.  William  Sydenham  may  he 
justlv  proud  of  this  superb  variety. — C. 

Tufted    Pansy   Miss  Gertie 

Waterer. — Of  the  many  excellent  white  tufted 
Pansies  this  variety  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
best.  It  is  not  for  exhibition  that  the  flowers  are 
best  appreciated,  but  for  their  eft'eet  in  beds  and 
borders.  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones  recently  showed  me  a 
small  group  of  this  variety  ;  the  flowers  were  of 
medium  size,  white,  with  the  faintest  suspicion  of 
blush  colouring,  really  a  verj'  dainty  flower.  The 
habit  is  ideal,  large  plants  developing  into  perfect 
tufts,  and  the  constitution  is  all  that  is  needed  in 
plants  of  this  kind.  It  blooms  profusely  and 
continuously. — C. 


June  22,   1901.1 


THE    GARBEK. 


446 


Rose  Longwopth  Rambler.— I  see  a 

statement  on  page  i.i'A  that  "  Longworth  Rambler 
is  a  fine  late  bloomer,  but  not  quite  so  free  as  an 
Ayrshire."  This  is  often  said  in  your  paper,  but 
so  contrary  to  what  I  find.  I  had  four,  two  on  the 
house  and  two  on  fences.  In  both  places  they 
bloom  before  the  Ayrshire  hedge,  with  this  further 
advantage,  they  keep  on  blooming  till  November 
frosts  cut  them  off,  and  on  a  south  wall  they  are 
just  as  evergreen  as  Ainiue  Vibert. — R.  IS.  Stonk- 
HabI,  (io(Utoiie  Coiiii,  Oodsloiie,  fiiirrei/. 

Rhododendrons   in  Hyde  Park.— 

Annually,  from  what  might  very  aptly  Ije  termed 
Rhododendron    land,    Knap    Hill,    Woking,    Mr. 
Anthony    Waterer   makes   a   gorgeous   display   of 
these  fine  flowering  shrubs  near  Albert  Gate  and 
Hyde  Park  Corner.     At  the  present  time  the  fine 
standards   are   in   splendid    condition,    making   a 
brilliant  show.     There  are  some  fine  specimens  on 
the  grass,  as  well  as  several  beds,  in  which   the 
flowers  are   so  dense   that   the  foliage   is   almost 
hidden    from   view.      It   may   prove   of    practical 
interest  to  put  on  record  the  names  of  some  of  the 
best  varieties,  most  of  them  raised  at  Knap  Hill, 
in  a  collection  that  cannot  fail  to  prove  of  educa- 
tional value  to  those  privileged  to  witness  it.    Fair 
Helen,  pure  white,  finely  marked  ;  Vivian  Grey, 
bright  rosy  pink,  distinctly  and  beautifully  spotted ; 
Michael    Waterer,    crimson,    spotted    fine  :    John 
Waterer,  dark  crimson,  very  free  ;  Princess  Mary 
of  Cambridge,  light  blush,   deeper  edging  ;   Kate 
Alice  Waterer,  light  centre,  scarlet  edged  ;  Martin 
Hope  Sutton,  scarlet,  richly  marked,  distinct  and 
very  fine  ;  Duchess  of   Connaught,   white,  yellow 
spots,  very  showy  ;   Concessura,  clear  pink,  light 
centre,  beautiful ;    Baron  Sohriwder,  plum,  yellow 
centre  ;  Album  olegans,  blush,  changing  to  white, 
fine  shape  ;  Fastuosum  ilore-pleno,  mauve,  inuiiense 
trusses  of  double  flowers,  remaining  a  long  time  in 
bloom ;   Sappho,   white,   distinctly  blotched  with 
maroon  ;  Mme.  Carvalho,  blush,  changing  to  pure 
white ;    H.    H.    Hunnewell,    rich    dark    crimson, 
splendid  truss  ;  J.  Marshall  Brooks,  rich  scarlet, 
with  a  bronze  spot,  distinct  and  beautiful  ;  Scipio, 
rose,  with  a  fine  deep  spot ;  Lady  Eleanor  Cathcart, 
pale  rose,  spotted  chocolate ;    Lady  Grey  Egerton, 
silvery  blush,  splendid  truss  and  foliage  ;  Roseum 
elegans,  good  rose,  an  old  and  general  favourite  ; 
Marchioness  of  Lansdown,  pale  rose,  with  an  intense 
black  spot,  one  of   the  most  distinct   and  telling 
varieties  ;  Mrs.   Charles  Leaf,  rose,   light  centre  ; 
Mrs.  Charles  Sargent,  pink,  fine  truss ;  Mrs.  .John 
Clutton,  the  most  beautiful  hardy  white   Rhodo 
dendron  in  cultivation  ;  Mrs.  John  Penn,  salmon 
pink  ;  Mrs.  R.  S.  Holford,  rich  salmon;  and  Mrs, 
W.  Agnew,  pale  rose,  yellow  centre. — Quo. 
French   Horticultural  Society  of 

London. — This  excellent  society  still  continues 
to  give  good  proof  of  its  great  usefulness  in  the 
horticultural  world,  and  under  the  able  manage- 
ment of  its  devoted  president,  Mr.  George 
Schneider,  is  not  only  flourishing  numerically  but 
financially.  Its  annual  bulletin,  containing  a 
record  of  the  past  year's  work,  has  recently  reached 
us,  and  we  are  pleased  to  notice  from  the  list  of 
membership  that  it  is  patronised  not  only  by  many 
of  the  leading  continental  nurserymen,  but  also  by 
many  English  horticulturists,  both  amateur  and 
professional.  Besides  the  rules,  balance-sheet, 
report  of  the  annual  dinner,  catalogue  of  the 
society,  library,  and  reports  of  the  monthly  meet- 
ings, there  are  papers  by  some  of  the  young 
members  dealing  with  various  subjects  of  horti- 
cultural interest.  Some  of  these  are  illustrated, 
and  among  them  may  be  mentioned  Mr.  Louis 
Gentil's  paper  on  "A  Voyage  to  the  Congo," 
"Propagating  Ferns,"  "Foreign  Flowers  at 
Covent  Garden,"  "  Cold  Storage  in  Horticulture," 
"  Ornamental  Foliage  Plants,"  "  Notes  on  Mr. 
Whiteley's  Nursery,"  "A  Visit  to  the  Hycres 
Jardin  d'Acclimatation,"  and  many  more.  An 
excellent  portrait  and  biographical  notice  of  the 
late  John  Laing  is  also  given. 

Trees   at   Fulham    Palace.— The 

grounds,  covering  an  area  of  some  twenty  acres, 
surrounding  this  quiet  rural  retreat  of  the  Bishop 
of  London  are  of  park-like  beauty.  In  their  limits 
are  many  rare  and  fine  specimen  trees.  They  are 
relics  of  the  old  botanical  collection  which,  under 


Bishops  Grindall  and  Sheldon,  gave  to  Fulham  a 

tree  fame  such  as  that  possessed  by  Kew  to-day. 

Here  are   to    be  seen  beautiful   Elms,  Sycamores, 

Limes,  and  Planes,  which  probably  rank  amongst  the 

finest  in  this  country.      What  splendid  specimens 

of  Horse  Chestnuts,  evergreen  and  Lucombe  Oaks. 

The  glorious  purple  Beeches,  too,  arrest  attention. 

A  gigantic  Cedar  of  Lebanon  on  the  lawn  is  well 

worthy  of  note.     A  very  large  Plane  compels  notice, 

as  does  also  a  Cork  tree,  but  which,  unfortunately, 

has  seen  its  best  days,  and  quite  worthy  of  mention 

is  a  Pomegranate  tree  in  the  southern  front  of  the 

house.     In  a  hot  summer  a  year  ago  it  blossomed 

for  the  first  time  within   living  memory.     There 

are  some  beautiful  specimens  of  Acacia  .Julibrissin 

—  the    Silk    tree — with    its    delicate   foliage    and 

beautiful  racemes  of  white  flowers.     This  tree  is, 

indeed,    a    conspicuously   charming    object.      The 

Catalpa  presents  quite  a  tropical  appearance,  with 

its  large  dark  green  foliage  and  racemes  of  flowers 

similar  to  the  Horse  Chestnut.     This  will  be  at 

its   best  about  August.     Of  the  trembling  Aspen 

— Populus    tremula — there    are    some   very   large 

specimens.  — Quo. 

Aquileg>ia  Stuartii.— A  good  many  people 
find  that  this  charming  hybrid  Aquilegia  is  not 
perennial  in  their  gardens,  and  it  is  not  often  that 
one  sees  it  growing  into  large  plants  and  showing 
by  the  freedom  with  which  it  flowers  that  it  is 
thoroughly  at  home.  In  the  pretty  garden  at 
Cavens,  in  Kirkcudbrightshire,  it  is  quite  happy, 
and  a  number  of  plants  raised  from  seed  a  few 
years  ago  have  bloomed  very  freely  and  strongly 
this  season.  I  see  that  it  is  recommended  that  it 
should  be  planted  where  it  does  not  get  the 
morning  sun  when  in  flower.  This  may  be 
necessary  in  the  south  of  England,  but  in  the 
north  and  in  Scotland  one  need  not  trouble  about 
this,  as  Dr.  Stuart's  Columbine  does  not  appear  to 
have  its  flowers  affected  by  the  morning  sun  in  our 
northern  latitudes.  It  is  growing  in  several 
positions  and  exposures  at  Cavens,  and  in  all  it 
flowers  and  retains  its  colour  without  any  special 
care.  A.  Stuartii  is  too  scarce  in  gardens  vet. — 
S.  A.  s  J 

The  promise  of  Cherries.— Of  all  the 

fruits  grown  in  the  county  of  Kent  none  is  more 
important  than  the  Cherry,  and  ever  since  the 
numerous  orchards  were  sheets  of  pink  and  white 
blossoms  the  prospect  of  fruit  has  been  a  subject 
for  general  discussion.  Now  that  the  flowers  have 
gone  and  the  fruit  is  swelling,  the  minds  of  growers 
are  more  at  rest,  for  the  promise  is  highly  satis- 
factory. There  is  every  reason  to  think  that  the 
Ciierry  crop  will  be  the  best  we  have  had  for  some 
years,  for  trees  everywhere  are  well  laden  with 
fruit.  The  unfortunate  consequences  which  follow 
a  glut  of  other  stone  fruits  do  net  affect  the 
Cherry,  for  the  southern  county  practically  holds 
the  monopoly  of  this  popular  fruit,  and  with  the 
heaviest  of  crops  they  can  be  disposed  of  at  a 
paying  price.  The  sales  of  the  fruit  have  already 
begun,  preparations  are  being  made  for  picking, 
and  soon  the  Cherry  harvest  will  be  in  full  swing. 
— G.  H.  H. 
The  droug'ht  and  the  Pea  crop.— 

In  hot  sunny  gardens,  where  the  soil  is  light  and 
shallow,  the  effect  of  the  drought  is  already  making 
itself  felt  amongst  the  Peas.  The  lower  leaves  on 
the  stems  are  turning  brown  and  withered,  the 
pods  ef  the  early  varieties  are  not  swelling  out  so 
well  as  we  like  to  see  them,  and  rain  is  badly 
wanted.  Unless  this  soon  conies,  I  am  afraid  the 
effect  on  the  main  crop  sorts  will  be  even  more 
disastrous,  and  we  shall  have  to  add  another  to  the 
list  of  bad  Pea  seasons.  It  is  at  trying  times  like 
the  present,  however,  that  the  benefits  of  deep 
cultivation,  with  manure  placed  well  beneath  the 
surface,  are  felt,  and  the  wisdom  of  trenching  for 
this  crop  is  apparent.  If  the  drought  continues 
water  and  liquid  manure  must  be  brought  to  the 
rescue,  and  the  benefits  of  these  applications  are 
enhanced  if  followed  by  a  mulching  of  littery 
manure  along  the  rows.  — H. 

Paradisea     (Antherieum)     Lilia- 

Strum  major. — It  may  seem  almost  super- 
fluous to  write  anything  about  St.  Bruno's  Lily, 
but  one  constantly  finds  that  people  who  grow 
flowers  need  to  have  their  attention  drawn  to  the 


best  of  our  old  plants,  as  well  as  to  those  which 
are  newly  introduced    to  our   gardens.       Hanlly, 
therefore,   will  anyone    who    knows   Paradisea  or 
Antherieum   Liliastruni    consider    it  unworthy  of 
a   brief   note   at  the   present  time,  when  it  is  so 
charming  with    its    spike   of   pure   white   flowers, 
which  are  quite  Lily-like  in  tlieir  form  and  loveli- 
ness.     Pretty   as  is   the  type,  the  major  form   is 
even  more  attractive,  and  seen,  as  it  might  be,  in 
large    numbers   in   good   gardens,  it   would  create 
adniiration   whenever    in    flower.       Naturally    an 
alpine    meadow  plant,  although  it  likes    a  sandy 
soil,  it  is  not  happiest  in  a  dry  sunny  border,  where 
it  is  standing  apart  from  other  flowers,  but  looks 
better    and     thrives    better     with     encompassing 
herbage,  which  will  take  the  place  of  that  which 
surrounds  it  in  its  native  meadows.     It  does  not 
object  to  a  little  shade,  though  it  does  well  in  sun 
if  it  has  the  surrounding  soil  carpeted,  and  has  a 
fair  amount  of  moisture  in  spring  and  when  coming 
into  bloom.     I  can  speak  feelingly  about  this,  a.s 
I  have  lost  plants  in  dry  borders  where  spring  and 
summer  watering  could  not  well  be  attended  to. 
In  such  dry  places  it  is  much  benefited  by  a  mulch 
of  some  loose  material,  but  nothing  will  properly 
compen.sate  for  its  natural  carpet  save  growing  it 
through  dwarf  surface-rooting  plants.     Even  if  the 
carpeting   plant   comes   to   some  distance  up   the 
stalks   it   takes  nothing  from   the   beauty    of   St. 
Bruno's  Lil3'.  —  .S.  A. 

Pyrethrum  Jubilee.— This  single  Pyre- 
thrum  well  maintains  the  high  opinion  formed  of 
its  merits  when  it  was  first  distributed,  and  large 
breadths  of  its  rich  velvety  crimson  -  scarlet 
blossoms,  which  are  set  off  by  their  rich  yellow 
disc,  are  very  effective.  It  is  of  strong  growth, 
small  pieces  cjuickly  developing  into  large  clumps. 
When  the  plants  are  divided  in  the  eail}'  spring 
the  result  is  very  satisfactory.  Flowers  from 
plants  from  spring  division  are  finer  in  colour  and 
larger. — C.  A.  H. 

Rose  Mme.   Marie   Lavallee.— This 

flower  possesses  a  subtle  charm.  All  who  care  for 
these  semi-double  Roses  should  obtain  this  variety 
if  they  do  not  already  possess  it.  Just  now  on 
big  bushes  it  is  yelding  a  rich  profusion  of  blossom, 
which  suggests  its  use  as  a  Rose  for  massing.  If 
the  growths  are  sparsely  pruned  and  allowed  to 
grow  at  will  the  flowers  appear  all  over  the  shoots. 
In  a  large  garden  a  few  bold  growing  kinds  are 
sometimes  desired  either  in  masses  or  in  groups  of 
threes,  fours,  or  fives,  and  this  Rose  would  be  a 
very  suitable  one  for  the  purpose.  The  rutHed 
centre  of  this  semi-double  Rose,  the  transparency 
of  the  petals,  and  the  mottled  and  veined  colouring 
in  tender  pink  all  combine  to  make  a  flower  of 
great  beauty.  I  consider  this  Rose  worthy  of  being 
freely  grown,  and  it  is  certainly  not  the  least 
useful  of  M.  Nabonnand's  introductions. — P. 

Stocks  in  May.— A  couple  of  weeks  ago, 
on  page  38.1  of  The  Garden,  amongst  May  flowers 
alluded  to  by  your  correspondent,  I  was  surprised 
to  see  no  mention  made  of  any  species  of  Stocks 
as  blooming  in  May.    Perhaps  it  will  interest  some 
of  your  readers  to  learn  that  at  the  end  of  May  or 
early  .June  last  year  I  put  in  some  dozen  and  a  half 
plants  of  East  Lothian  and  German  Intermediate. 
They  did  not  bloom  that  year,  though   they  grew 
into   nice   sturdy   bushes   about   a   foot   high.      I 
planted    them    in    some    small    beds    of   common 
garden  soil,  giving  them  no  care  except  necessary 
watering  and  some  liquid  manure  during  summer 
and  autumn.     They  showed  no  signs  of  bloom  till 
early   spring    this   3'ear,    when   some   flower-buds 
appeared.     During  the  winter  they  were  all  lying 
down  and  much  shaken  by  the  wind.     Seeing  signs 
of  healthy  life  I  staked  them  carefully  in  March. 
They   got   no    other   care.       In    early   April,    the 
weather  being  bright  and  sunn}',  colour  began  to 
show,  and  in  a  week  or  two  they  were  a  mass  of 
bloom,  perfuming  the  whole  place  all  through  May. 
About  half  of  them  were  double,  some  snow-white, 
and   others   rosy   red.       The   single    ones    are   all 
seeding  now,  but  the  others  are  likely  to  continue 
in  nice  bloom  for  some  weeks.     We  are  situated 
on  the  quay,  but  fairly  well  sheltered  from  north, 
east,  and  west,  and  have  sunshine  now  from  10  a.m. 
till  early  afternoon.  ^P.  F.  O'Reilly,    Wexford, 
Ireland. 


446 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June   22,  1901. 


AubPietiaS.— It  is  a  matter  fur  regret  that 
ill  comieoticin  with  ihese  charming  hard\'  plants 
there  should  be  such  a  teiideiiej'  to  give  tu  varieties 
not  mere  ordinary  varietal  but  specific  names. 
Thus  we  have  A.  Campbelli,  A.  Hendersoni,  A. 
violacea,  A.  Leiehtlini,  and  others.  That  st3de  of 
nomenclature  has  rather  led  some  persons  lo  infer 
that  these  are  all  diverse  species,  whereas  they 
are  but  varietal  forms  of  A.  deltoidea.  I  do  not 
undersland  why  objection  should  be  raised  to  the 
separate  naming  of  new  varieties  if  they  be  dis- 
tinct, seeing  that  whilst  not  capable  of  being 
reproduced  true  from  seed,  as  is  the  case  with 
myriads  of  other  named  plants,  yet  they  can  be 
propagated  by  cuttings  and  division  ^\'ith  the 
greatest  facility.  Now  two  of  the  most  recent 
additions  to  the  list  of  Aubrietia  varieties  are  Ur. 
Mules,  the  bluest  of  all  yet  in  commerce,  and  Fire 
King,  the  reddest,  for  it  materially  excels  Leiehtlini 
in  the  matter  of  colour.  These  have  as  much  right 
to  distinct  appellations  as  have  any  others,  and 
when  grown,  as  I  have  seen  them,  to  droop  down 
o\er  rockwork  they  are  singularly  beautiful.  I 
cannot  at  ail  admire  such  long  appellations  as 
Souvenir  du  William  Ingram  or  Beauty  of  Baden- 
Baden — to  give  such  titles  is  a  mistake.  Ingram's 
Ruby  and  Baden  Beauty  may  have  been  inoffensive. 
This  latter  variety  has  yet  been  little  seen  ;  its 
flowers,  pale  pink  in  colour,  are  as  large  as  those 
of  any  ordinary  single  Arabis,  and  rather  rounder. 
I  am  not  anxious  to  see  these  plants  gross  in  habit 
or  pi-odueing  large  flowers.  Beautiful  as  Aubrietias 
are,  yet  how  few  have  good  varieties  1 — K. 

Duchess  of  Cornwall  Peaeh.— As  it 

is  mentioned  in  jour  report  of  the  late  T)rill 
Hall  meeting  that  an  award  of  merit  was 
granted  to  a  Peaeh  shown  by  Messrs.  Rivers 
and  iSons  under  the  above  name,  will  you  please 
allow  me  to  state  that  it  is  the  same  Peaeh  to 
which  an  award  of  merit  was  made  at  the  recent 
Temple  .show  under  the  name  of  Duchess  of  York, 
and  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  the 
earliest  ripening  Peach  yet  raised  ;  but  it  was 
found  on  referring  to  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society's  lists  of  awards  that  some  two  years  since 
an  award  of  merit  was  given  to  a  Peach  named 
Duchess  of  York  shown  by  Mr.  Rivers.  It  is  true 
that  variety  has  not  been  put  into  commerce,  but 
awards  to  two  Peaches  of  the  same  name  could 
not  be  sanctioned  ;  hence  at  the  recent  meeting 
Messrs.  Rivers  and  Sons  agreed,  on  the  proposition 
of  the  fruit  committee,  to  change  the  name  of  their 
variety  to  Duchess  of  Cornwall,  and  to  that  name, 
which  will  appear  in  the  society's  list,  the  previous 
award  made  to  the  Peach  was  confirmed. — A.  D. 

'Wistaria  sinensis.— A  Wistaria  planted 
against  a  Spruce  Fir,  30  feet  high,  nineteen  years 
ago  has  taken  possession  of  the  whole  tree,  and 
covers  it  up  from  top  to  bottom  ;  the  racemes  are 
'i  feet  .5  inches  in  length. — F.  G.  Coleridce, 
Twyford,  Berks.  [We  regret  that  a  photograph 
accompanying  this  note  was  not  clear  enough  for 
reproduction. — Eds.] 

Floral    gapg-oyles. -Artificial 

wreaths  on  graves.— In  tlie  church  porch 
of  Sompting,  Sussex,  the  following  notice  appears, 
signed  by  the  vicar: — "Any  person  wishing  to 
])laee  an  artificial  wreath  on  a  grave  must  obtain 
legal  permission  to  do  so.  The  cost  will  be  three 
guineas,  or  one  guinea  to  the  Chancellor  of  the 
Diocese,  one  guinea  to  the  Registrar  of  the  Diocese, 
and  one  guinea  to  the  vicar." 

The  true  Cheshire  Damson.— I  have 

been  surprised  until  recently  that  this  fruit  is 
always  treated  with  scant  courtesy  in  the  garden- 
ing press,  and  our  friends  from  the  south  always 
speak  of  it  with  contempt  until  they  taste  the 
fruit  here.  The  Cheshire  Damson  appears  to  be 
only  locally  known,  that  grown  in  the  south  being 
a  totally  different  thing,  larger  and  practically 
flavourless,  similar,  if  not  identical,  with  what  we 
know  as  the  "Damascene,"  or  cluster  Damson. 
The  true  Cheshire  Damson  is,  in  our  estimation, 
undoubtedly  the  best  of  the  Plum  family,  with  a 
rich  flavour  peculiar  to  itself,  and  which,  once 
tasted,  is  never  forgotten.  It  would  be  interesting 
to  know  how  far  the  district  extends  in  which  the 
true  Cheshire  Damson  is  grown.  The  finest,  so 
far  as  our  experience  goes,  are  grown  about  Peck- 


forton  and  Beeston  Castle,  in  the  heart  of  Cheshire. 
Here,  on  the  borders  of  Lancashire,  the  crop  is 
uncertain  and  very  liable  to  be  injured  or  com- 
pletely destroyed  liy  earlj'  frosts  :  we  appear  to  be 
on  its  extreme  northern  limits.  In  good  years  the 
local  markets  are  s%\amped,  and  the  bad  reputation 
of  the  southern  variety  prevents  the  surplus  being 
sent  south,  where,  if  it  were  only  known,  it  would 
find  a  ready  sale  at  high  prices.  There  is  every 
probability  of  a  large  crop  this  year,  and  if  the 
editors  have  any  desire  to  know  what  the  real 
Cheshire  Damson  is  I  shall  be  pleased  to  send  a 
hamper  when  they  are  ready. — Tuoji-is  Fletcher, 
Orappenhall,  CJuvhlre. 

Rosa  xanthina.— This  pretty  single  yellow 
Rose,  which  is  readily  obtainable  from  some 
nurserymen,  is  quite  an  acquisition,  and  is  now 
blooming  freely  in  my  garden,  where  I  appreciate 
its  soft  yellow  flowers.  These  are  charming 
either  in  bud  or  when  fully  open,  and  their  beauty 
seems  all  the  greater  because  of  the  prettj'  pea- 
green  foliage  of  the  bush  which  produces  them.  It 
is,  I  believe,  a  Chinese  species,  and  the  "Index 
Kewensis "  refers  us  to  Lindley's  Monograph  of 
the  genus,  which  I  regret  to  say  I  do  not  possess. 
It  seems  much  easier  to  grow  than  the  Austrian 
Briers,  and  forms  a  welcome  change  and  variety  in 
gardens  where  the  Rose  species  are  much  grown. — 
S.  Arnott. 

MimulUS  Burneti.  — There  are  many 
gardens  where  the  greater  number  of  the  Mimuli 
are  far  from  hardy,  although  they  may  survive  for 
a  few  3'ears  under  favourable  conditions  in  winter. 
This  hybrid  Mimulus  is,  therefore,  likely  to  he  a 
valuable  plant,  inasmuch  as  it  will  live  in  gardens 
where  such  plants  as  M.  cupreus  are  silre  to  be 
lost  in  unfavourable  seasons.  It  is  a  hybrid 
between  our  native  M.  luteus,  so  well  known  in 
some  quarters,  and  the  pretty  M.  cupreus,  which  I 
cannot  retain  long  in  the  garden.  From  the  latter 
it  takes  much  of  its  colour,  especiallj'  when  the 
blooms  are  not  of  full  size,  and  it  is  intermediate 
in  height  between  the  two,  approaching,  however, 
in  this  respect  that  of  M.  luteus.  With  me  it 
grows  rather  taller  than  in  the  only  other  garden 
where  I  have  seen  it.  It  was  raised  at  Aberdeen, 
and  has  not  yet,  so  far  as  I  know,  been  offered  by 
any  of  the  trade  in  this  country.  Its  hardiness 
and  beauty  entitle  it  to  some  notice.  —  S.  Arnott, 
Carsethorn,  by  Dumfries,  N.B. 


AMERICAN       NOTES. 

American  Horticulture  Honoured. 

For  the  third  time  since  the  institution  in  1889  of 
the  practice  of  bestowing  the  Veitch  memorial 
medals  to  men  most  prominent  in  horticulture,  an 
American  representative  is  the  recipient.  The 
veteran  nurseryman  and  botanist,  Thomas  Meehan, 
of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  has  added  another  leaf  to  his 
crown  of  laurels.  Other  American  holders  of  the 
medal  are  Professor  C.  >S.  Sargent,  1896,  and 
Professor  L.  H.  Bailey,  1897. 

The  Veitch  memorial  is  a  trust  fund  raised  bj' 
subscription  to  the  memory  of  .J.  G.  Veitch,  the 
famous  English  nurseryman  and  plant  collector. 
For  many  years  after  its  foundation  the  income 
was  devoted  solely  to  giving  medals  and  cash 
prizes  at  the  leading  exhibitions,  but  it  came  to  be 
felt  that  there  were  outside  the  ranks  of  exhibitors 
men  worthy  of  honour,  and  so  the  sj'stem  of 
bestowing  medals  honoris  tajfsa  was  adopted. 

Mr.  Meehan  is  a  man  of  much  modestj',  and 
although  universally  respected  (and  moreover 
beloved  by  all  who  know  him),  he  does  not  receive 
full  justice.  It  was  on\y  very  recently  that  we 
had  occasion  to  make  mention  of  Mr.  Meehan  in 
his  relation  to  the  schools  of  Philadelphia. 

The  career  of  Thomas  Meehan  is  one  to  put 
before  the  young  gardener  as  an  incitement  to 
work  and  study.  By  birth  an  Englishman,  by 
profession  a  gardener,  he  has  raised  himself  from  a 
journeyman  to  be  a  leading  municipal  dignitarj'  of 
a  great  city,  the  head  of  one  of  the  most  important 
nurseries  in  the  United  States,  well  known  also  in 
Europe  for  its  collections  of  hardy  trees  ;  and  what 
is  of  higher  moment  than  mere  business  success  is 
the  fact  that  so  important  and  so  numerous  have 


been  his  contributions  to  science  that  for  thirty 
years  he  has  held  the  position  of  vice-president  of 
the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  in  Philadelphia. 
His  botanical  work  is  marked  by  much  originality 
and  power  of  observation.  He  edited  the 
Gardeners"  Monlldy  (since  absorbed  into  Americuii 
O'ardeniiiij)  for  thirty  years,  was  a  leading  con- 
tributor to  at  least  six  other  journals,  and  still 
edits  Meehan  s  ilonl)ihj.  As  a  practical  man  he  is 
remembered  as  being  one  of  the  earliest  to  hybridise 
the  Fuchsia,  he  having  raised  a  cross  between 
F.  fulgens  and  F.  Inngiflora,  which  received  the 
name  of  St.  Clair.  He  was  the  first  to  flower  the 
Victoria  regia  in  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Meehan  takes  a  leading  part  in  municipal 
matters  in  Philadelphia,  of  whose  common  council 
he  is  the  father,  and  it  is  to  his  exertions  chiefly 
that  the  city  has  been  provided  with  museums  and 
public  parks,  the  first  of  which  was  the  garden  of 
the  American  botanist,  Bartram. 

"  At  the  end  of  my  father's  apprenticeship  in  the 
garden  of  the  Lord-Lieutenant  of  Ireland,"  wrile.i 
Thomas  Meehan,  "  he  came  at  once  to  Watson's 
nursery  at  St.  Albans.  He  was  as  early  in  life 
fond  of  botany  and  gardening  as  I  was  subseq  uentlj'. 
I  was  head  gardener,  with  one  man  under  me,  for 
Mr.  Vaux,  paymaster  to  Her  Majesty's  forces,  and 
secretary  to  the  Ryde  Horticultural  Society,  when 
I  was  but  seventeen ;  and  at  eighteen  I  was 
gardener  to  Sir  Augustus  Clift'ord,  Usher  of  the 
Black  Rod,  going  to  Kew  in  my  nineteenth  year  ;'' 
where,  says  the  Hardeners'  Chroniete,  his  political 
opinions  are  said  to  have  given  ott'ence  to  Sir 
William  Hooker,  the  director. 

"  My  mother  was  of  the  Denham  family.  When 
thej'  married,  both  mj'  father  and  my  mother  luxd 
considerable  means,  which  they  invested  in  the 
purchase  of  a  fruiterer  and  provision  business  in 
Regent's  Park — '  good  will '  being  a  great  considera- 
tion, when  there  was  none  to  speak  of.  The  business 
being  unsuccessful,  my  father  at  once  found  a 
refuge  in  Oxley  and  Bunney's  nursery,  at  Ball's 
Pond,  Islington,  from  whence  he  was  engaged  as 
gardener  to  .John  Young,  Esq.,  on  his  large  estate 
at  Westridge,  in  the  Isle  of  Wight." 

In  1848  Mr.  Meehan  left  Kew,  and  landing  in 
the  United  States,  entered  the  establishment  of 
Robert  Buist.  In  18.')2  he  started  the  famous 
nursery  at  German  town,  but  lost  nearly  everything 
during  the  W^ar  of  Secession. 

Mr.  Meehan  has  done  very  much  in  the  popular- 
ising of  many  handsome  decorative  trees  and 
shrubs,  and  his  contributions  to  the  history  of 
horticulture  of  Pennsylvania  are  not  only  im- 
portant as  such,  but  are  fascinating  reading  from 
the  pure  literary  style  of  the  author. — American 
Gardeninij. 


BOOKS. 

Sander's   Orchid    Guide.' —So  much 

interest  is  taken  in  the  cultivation  of  Orchids  at 
the  present  day  that  the  appearance  of  this  excel- 
lent guide  from  Messrs.  Sander  and  Sons,  of  St. 
Albans,  is  most  opportune.  The  name  of  "  Sander  " 
is  sufiicieut  guarantee  for  the  worth  of  this  book, 
or,  as  t'ne  authors  modestly  say  in  the  introduction, 
"Catalogue  of  Orchids."  We  feel  sure  lliat  "it 
will  be  found  useful  to  all  Orchidists,  and  especially 
to  amateurs  about  to  form  a  collection,  as  well  as 
to  those  who  wish  to  add  to  or  improve  one  already 
in  existence."  This  catalogue  comprises  the  best 
known  species  and  varieties,  but  "from  the  vast 
number  we  annuallj'  import  new  forms  are  con- 
tinually flowering,  and  new  hj'brids,  &c. ,  of  our 
own  raising  are  constantly  being  added  to  the 
beautiful  kinds  existing.  The  minor  s]iecies  we 
have  deleted,  as  it  would  be  superfluous  to  attempt 
to  catalogue  and  describe  all  the  known  kinds, 
many  of  which  are  of  merelj'  botanical  interest. 
We  have  included  such  plants  as  we  have  in  stock, 
and  which  purcliasers  are  generally  selecting." 
There  is  a  brief  chapter  u])on  general  culture, 
which  is  of  great  value  to  beginners,  and  the 
whole   book   is   clearly  printed  and  full   of   good 


I 


'"  "  Stiiuleis  Orchid  (.lUiUc."    PuliU-shud  by  Messrs.  Siiinlci" 
ami  K'Q.y  St.  Albans.    Pi-iue  iUs.  Od. 


June  22,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


447 


matter  about  this  great  and  increasingly  popular 
family.  This  guide  contains  the  names  of  all  the 
best  known  species,  varieties,  and  hybrids  in  culti- 
vation, their  native  countries,  descriptions,  seasons 
of  flowering,  best  methods  of  cultivation,  tem- 
peratures, &c  ,  together  with  the  names  and 
parentage  of  all  the  known  hybrids  unl  11  January  1 
last.  No  one  who  is  at  all  interested  in  Orchids 
should  be  without  this  important  work. 

The  following  remarks  about  general  culture 
will  interest  our  readeis. 

The  letters  S.  (stove),  /.  (intermediate),  C. 
(cool),  opposite  each  plant,  refer  to  the  respective 
houses  or  divisions  most  suitable  for  the  plants, 
the  temperatures  for  which  are  as  follows  : — 

Stove. — During  the  summer  05"  to  70"  Fahr. 
(IS  to  21  per  cent.)  by  night  and  70"  to  SO"  (21  to 
27  per  cent. )  by  day,  rising  higher  during  sunshine. 
Winter,  00"  to  O.'i"  (10  to  IS  per  cent.)  by  night 
and  00"  to  70°  (10  to  21  per  cent.)  by  day. 

IxTEBMEUiATE. — During  summer  00"  to  05" 
(10  to  IS  per  cent.)  by  night  and  05"  to  70° 
(IS  to  21  per  cent.)  by  day;  higher  with  sun. 
Winter,  55°  to  00°  (13  to  10  per  eent. )  by  night 
and  00°  to  05°  (10  to  IS  per  cent.)  by  day. 

Cool. — This  division  should  be  kept  as  near  00° 
Fahr.  (10  percent.)  as  possible  by  day  and  55" 
(13  per  cent.)  by  niglit  during  summer.  In  winter 
the  night  temperature  may  fall  to  -15"  to  50" 
(7  to  10  per  cent.)  without  injurj'  to  the  plants, 
but  should  be  increased  to  55"  to  57"  (13  to  14  per 
cent.)  during  the  day. 

The  foregoing  temperatures  must,  however,  only 
be  regarded  as  averages  ;  the  maximum  tempera- 
tures may  often  slightly  exceed  that  given  above 
during  the  summer,  while  care  is  necessary  during 
the  spring  and  late  autumn  months  to  keep  the 
temperature  as  steady  as  possible  ;  but  with 
sunshiny  weather,  in  summer,  the  temperatures 
may  run  up  with  much  advantage ;  providing 
there  is  plenty  of  fresh  air  circulating  among  the 
plants,  night  and  day,  they  will  flourish  ;  and  at 
night  abundance  of  moisture  may  be  allowed  if  the 
temperatures  do  not  fall  below  those  specified. 

Ventilation. — Coming,  as  nearly  all  Orchids 
do,  from  hilly  and  mountainous  countries,  fresh 
air  is  vital  to  them,  and  should  be  freely  admitted 
on  all  possible  occasions,  particvilarly  in  the  cool 
and  intermediate  houses.  In  the  stove  or  East 
Indian  house,  so  called  from  the  class  of  Orchids 
usuallv  Town  in  it,  with  its  higher  temperature, 


though  quite  as  beneficial  to  the  plants,  air  cannot 
be  so  freely  admitted  or  harm  will  result  from  the 
lowered  temperature.  Ventilators  in  the  top  of 
the  house  can  only  be  opened  at  the  most  tor  a 
short  time  each  day,  and  even  then  not  sulHciently 
wide  to  allow  the  atmosphere  to  become  too  dry, 
air  being  chiefly  admitted  by  the  bottom  venti- 
lators. Air  may  be  left  on  the  bottom  ventilators 
during  the  summer  both  day  and  night,  and  also, 
but  to  a  less  extent,  in  the  winter,  especiall3'  in 
frosty,  east  winds.  When  top  air  is  given,  dis- 
cretion must  always  be  used  and  the  outdoor 
cemperature  studied  or  too  much  moisture  escapes 
from  the  house,  causing  a  dry,  arid  atmosphere  in 
the  place  of  a  moist,  genial  one.  This  applies  to 
all  Orchid  houses. 

Shading  is  most  convenient  in  the  form  of 
roller  blinds  made  of  canvas  netting  or  wooden 
laths  ;  the  latter  have  lately  become  very  popular. 
Whatever  material  is  used,  it  is  better  to  be  left 
in  position  all  the  year,  and  should  be  so  arranged 
as  to  be  easily  run  up  and  down.  Blinds  are  as 
useful  in  keeping  out  the  cold  on  a  winter's  night 
as  in  keeping  the  sun  oft'  the  plants  in  summer. 
An  air  space  of  a  few  inches  between  the  glass  and 
the  blinds  is  desirable,  as  this  tends  to  keep  a 
more  even  temperature  in  the  house,  and  allows 
a  free  circulation  of  air  over  the  outer  surface  of 
the  glass.  It  should  alwaj's  be  remembered  that 
Orchids,  with  verj'  few  excep'.ions,  require  and 
enjoy  light  and  sunlight,  but  not  the  sun's  direct 
rays,  hence  the  great  superiority  of  roller  blinds 
over  permanent  shading.  In  a  climate  such  as  we 
have  in  Britain,  in  spring  and  autumn,  blinds  may 
not  be  wanted  down  twice  in  a  week  to  prevent  the 
sun's  rays  injuring  the  plants  ;  a  command  over 
the  shading,  therefore,  is  a  distinct  advantage  to 
the  cultivator. 

Watering. — Rain  water  is  more  preferable  for 
most  plants,  especially  Orcliids,  and  should  always 
be  stored  in  sufficient  quantity  for  use,  but  as  a 
moist  atmosphere  with  air  is  conducive  to  the 
well-being  of  the  plants  to  avoid  wasting  rain 
water,  hard  water  may  be  used  for  damping  the 
paths,  stages,  &c. ,  this  operation  being  done  as 
often  as  required  during  both  summer  and  winter, 
excepting  in  the  case  of  deciduous  Orchids,  which 
are  not  injured  by  a  somewhat  drier  atmosphere 
in  the  winter.  In  all  the  houses  the  plants  are 
greatly  benefited,  especially  during  summer,  by 
frequent     dampings     between    the    pots.      When 


properly  potted  in  well-drained  pots  or  pans, 
nearly  all  Orchids,  when  in  full  jjrowth,  benefit 
))y  frequent  waterings,  but  whcji  the  season's 
growth  is  completed  and  during  dull  weather 
water  only  when  absolutely  needful,  but  dajnping 
between  the  pots  is  always  lieneficial. 

I'oTTiNi;.  — We  have  thought  it  best  to  give 
directions  on  this  subject  to  each  genus,  but  it 
may  here  be  stated  that  it  is  needful  to  rejjot 
Orchids  before  the  soil  becomes  sour,  using  ihe 
best  materials.  I'he  most  generally  used  and 
safest  compost  for  potting  is  good  fibrous  peat  and 
fresh  sphagnum  moss  in  equal  parts  mixed  with 
small  broken  crocks,  anil  a  little  coarse  sand  added 
to  keep  same  sweet  and  open,  and  for  all  ample 
drainage  is  essential.  Many  grand  examples  of 
culture  have  been  attained  by  using  no  crocks,  or 
at  the  most  one,  and  filling  the  pot  half  full  of  the 
rhizomes  of  the  bracken  cut  in  small  pieces,  but 
care  must  be  taken  that  the  compost  docs  not 
become  sour  through  over  watering.  Many  and 
various  substances  have  lieen  tried  for  poltlng 
Orchids,  but  we  have  given  those  which  we  know 
to  be  the  best  in  the  main  for  Britain  ;  still  grand 
specimens  have  been  grown  in  .Tadoo,  and  al.so 
leaf-mould,  especially  Belgian  l^af-mould  (terre 
bruycre).  In  the  latter  may  be  found  many 
thousands  of  Orchids  thriving  splendidlj-. 


VIEW   or   KOCK   G.iKDE.V    (SHOWING   EUPHORBIA  CHAKACIAS,    ANEMONE   SYLVESTRIS,  AND   SAXIFRAG 


THE    BOTANIC    GARDENS, 
BATH. 

TnJi  cltj'  of  Bath  is  singularly'  fortunate  in 
possessing  such  an  extensive  and  beautifulh'- 
arranged  domain  as  the  Royal  Victoria  Park,  in 
which  Is  included  the  lovely  Botanic  Gardens. 
For  some  years  now  the  writer  has  paid  many 
enjoyable  visits  to  Bath  in  the  spring  time,  when 
both  park  and  garden  are  probably  to  be  seen  at 
their  best,  and  has  spent  man}'  pleasant  and 
Instructive  hours  in  the  Botanic  Garden.  Bath 
is  essentially  a  residential  town,  and  Edward 
Fitzgerald  wi'ote  that  "one  beautiful  feature  in 
the  place  is  the  quantity  of  garden  and  orchard  it 
is  all  through  embroidered  with."  There  are  few 
manufactories,  and  consequently  no  smoke  plague, 
and  the  combination  of  pure  air  and  mild  climate 
is  conducive  to  the  favourable  growth  of  both 
trees,  shrubs,  and  alpine  plants. 

The  park,  which  lies  on  the  western  confines  of 
the  city,  and  is  very  easily  reached 
from  the  centre  of  the  town,  owes 
its  inception  to  two  citizens,  Messrs. 
J.  Davis  and  T.  B.  Coward.  An 
agitation  was  commsnced  in  1820 
to  lay  out  the  Freemen's  estate,  but 
nothing  was  done  until  these  two 
gentlemen  devoted  their  attention 
to  the  work.  The  Freemen  granted 
their  land  at  a  moderate  rent.  Lady 
Rivers  conceded  the  privilege  of  a 
passage  through  what  was  called  the 
Crescent  Fields,  and  on  .January  1, 
1S30,  a  meeting  was  held  and  a 
subscription  list  opened,  which  soon 
amounted  to  £4,000.  The  laying  out 
of  the  park  was  entrusted  to  Mr. 
K.  Davis,  who  found  that  the 
gentle  declivity  and  undulating  slope 
jv  .  ^         aft'orded  ample  scope  for  his  genius 

1  ■  -^  as  a  landscape  gardener,  and  £8,000 
was  expended  on  the  work.  Walks 
and  drives  were  laid  out — the  main 
cariiage  drive  through  the  park  ex- 
hends  a  mile  and  a  quarter  in  length 
—and  a  beautiful  collection  of  trees 
and  shrubs  was  planted,  until  at  the 
present  time  the  49^  acres  over 
which  the  park  extends  is  a  verit- 
able arboretum.  The  site  is  a  gentle 
ascent  overlooking  the  eit}',  and 
giving  a  succession  of  beautiful 
views.  The  park  was  itamed  after 
Queen  Victoria,  who,  as  the  Princess 
Victoria,  came  with  the  Duchess  of 
Kent  and  formally  opened  it  on 
October  23,  1830,  the  princess  then 
Eg)  being    twelve    j'ears    of    age.      Its 


448 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  22,  190]. 


management  is  in  the  hands  of  a  private  committee, 
the  chairman  being  Mr.  .J.  8.  Bartrum.  The  Broome 
Botanical  (larden  owes  its  origin  to  the  late  Mr. 
C.  E.  Broome,  F.LS.,  who  established  at  his  resi- 
dence— Kimhurst,Batheastou — a  valuable  collection 
of  herbaceous  and  alpine  plants,  which,  after  his 
death,  his  widow  presented  to  the  Park  Committee. 
There  was,  however,  no  place  suitable  to  accommo- 
date this  large  collection,  but  the  committee 
decided  to  accept  it  and  to  lay  out  a  garden  for 
the  purpose.  Accordingly  a  plot  of  ground  of 
about  .'i  acres  in  e.xtent,  which  was  found  a\'ailable, 
was  laid  out,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  .J.  W. 
Morris,  F.L.S.,  by  Mr.  J.  Milburn.  How  well 
that  task  was  performed  the  garden  itself  bears 
eloquent  testimony,  and  much  thoughtful  care  has 
been  bestowed  in  laying  out  and  improving  it  from 
time  to  time.  The  harmonious  grouping  of  the 
flowering  shrubs,  the  picturesque  colour  blending 
of  the  foliage  trees,  the  high  banks  which  shelter 
the  gardens,  the  slopes,  hollows,  borders,  and  rock 
garden,  bejewelled  with  alpine  flowers,  all  show 
the  good  taste  of  those  responsible  for  its  keeping. 
In  no  slight  degree  the  rock  garden  owes  its 
success  to  the  magnificent  weathered  oolite  stone 
with  which  it  is  constructed.  This  can  only 
be  obtained  locally,  and  was  partly  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  rock  garden  at  Kew.  It  is 
very  fossiliferous,  often  of  fantastic  shape,  and 
most  of  the  stones  are  w-orn  into  large  holes  and 
crevices,  in  which  the  alpine  plants  are  growing  in 
wild  profusion.  Some  of  the  stones  employed  are 
immense,  and  involved  a  great  amount  of  labour 
before  they  were  finally  put  into  position.  On 
entering 


EKODlUiM   PELAKUONIllXOKUM    IN    liATll    liUTANIC   UAKDEX. 


The  Bog  Garde.n 
is  first  noticed.  This  has  only  recently  been 
made,  but  is  already  showing  its  true  character. 
Large  Ineadths  of  Primula  japonica,  Sa.xifraga 
peltata,  and  C'altha  palustris  fl.-pl.  (the  double 
Jlarsh  Marigold)  were  in  full  bloom,  and  con- 
trasted well  with  Rodgersia  podophylla,  the 
lovely  Japanese  bronze  leaf,  and  such  Ferns 
as  Osmunda  regalis  and  Polystichuni  munitum 
(the  American  Holly  Fern).  In  and  around  the 
Bog  tiarden  a  number  of  rare  and  interesting 
plants  and  small  shrubs  are  doing  well,  and 
there  is  a  small  tank  containing  N}'mph;ea  alba 
and  other  water  plants.  Especially  noted  were  : 
Salix  reticulata,  a  large  patch  of  this  dwarf 
Willow,  which  nmst  surelj'  be  as  slow  growing  as 
some  of  the  pigmy  Japanese  trees  now  so  much  in 
vogue ;  Podophyllum  Emodi,  with  its  marbled 
leaves,  has  flowered  well  and  set  fruit ;  .luncus 
eft'usus  spiralis,  the  curious  twisted  Rush ;  numerous 
Primulas,  amongst  which  involucrata  was  well  in 
flower  ;  Gunnera  chilensis  ;  Cytisus  pnecox,  with 
its  showers  of  cream-yellow  blossom  ;  Clematis 
grata  ;  Veronica  incisa  pedatifida,  a  pretty,  erect, 
little  bush  about  2  feet  in  height.  This  comes  from 
Siberia,  and  has  very  finely  cut  light  green  foliage. 
Then  we  noticed  a  good  form  of  Daphne  pontica, 
which  was  covered  with  its  clusters  of  refiexed  green 
blossoms,  Shortia  galacifolia,  Morisia  hypoga^a, 
covered  with  its  minute  yellow  flowers,  while  in 
the  shade  of  a  large  Yew,  which  it  will  soon 
entwine  with  festoons  of  its  delicate  growth, 
Tropasolum  speciosum  was  coming  up.  Muhlen- 
beckia  complexa  is  delightful,  growing  in  a  shady 
nook  in  pure  leaf-mould,  and  completely  covering 
a  large  stone  .with  its 
trailing  growth  and 
Maidenhair  Fern  -  like 
foliage.  Other  plants 
here  noted  were  Geum 
triflorum,  Viola  rotho- 
magensis,  the  pretty 
little  Rouen  Violet, 
Trillium  grandiflorum, 
very  finel}'  flowered,  and 
the  pretty  little  Veronica 
repens.  Emerging  from 
the  Bog  Garden,  we  come 
upon 

The  Rock  Garden, 

which  is  formed  like  a 
ravine,  with  steep  rocky 
banks  on  either  side.  On 
the  south  side  the  first 
thing  that  we  noticed 
was  a  large  mass  of  the 
double  white  Arabis 
Corbeille  d'Argent,  or 
A.  albida  fl.-pl.,  to  give 
the  true  name,  so  covered 
with  its  white  blossoms 
as  to  completely  hide  the 
foliage.  Here  Mr.  Mil- 
burn's  true  eye  for  colour 
reveals  itself  to  the 
utmost,  for  planted  in 
the  midst  of  the  Arabis 
is  Heuchera  glabra,  its 
deep  -  veined,  claret - 
coloured  leaves  showing 
to  advantage  against  the 
cool  white  of  the  Arabis 
flowers.  A  little  farther 
on  is  a  magnificent  plant 
of  Daphne  Cneorum.  Its 
lovely  mass  of  rich 
crimson-pink  flowers,  so 
enhanced  by  their  sweet 
fragrance,  have  been  the 
suoject  of  much  admira- 
tion. Close  against  this 
are  Hutchinsia  alpina,  a 
very  good  carpet  plant 
with  its  neat  little  wliite 
blossoms,  and  Armeria 
Cicspitosa,  a  ver^'  neat 
Thrift,  which  rosemliles 
a  minute  Acantholinumi. 


'J'hen  we  noticed  Astrantia  major  variegala,  ver\' 
beautiful  with  its  green  and  yellow  leaves  :  Con- 
volvulus Cneorum,  alwa\s  attractive  because  of  its 
silvery-silky  leaves  and  its  delicate  pink  flowers  so 
freely  produced  during  the  summer;  and  Viola 
persicifolia,  a  little  white  flower  edged  with  light 
blue.  Some  of  the  Erodiums  do  exceptionally  well, 
and  two  of  them  call  for  special  mention.  Tlioy  are 
pelargoniiflorum  and  gultatum.  The  former,  «  hicb 
is  a  iairlj'  recent  introduction,  is  a  most  beautiful, 
distinct,  and  refined  plant,  of  a  very  high  order  of 
merit.  This  is  greatly  prized  at  Bittnn,  from 
where  Mr.  Milburn  originall}'  obtaineil  it.  As  its 
name  implies,  in  growth  it  very  much  resembles  a 
Pelargonium,  both  in  habit  and  in  foliage.  'J'hc 
flowers,  which  are  five-petalled,  are  while,  with 
the  two  upper  ones  blotched  a  deep  lilac-crimson, 
while  the  three  lower  ones  are  veined  with  the 
same  colour,  onlj'  a  shade  lighter.  Both  at  Bath 
and  Bitton  it  has  proved  hardy,  and  is  easily 
raised  both  from  seed  and  cuttings,  so  it  should 
soon  become  plentiful. 

Erodium  guttatum  is,  of  course,  much  better 
known,  and,  though  decidedly  inferior  to  the  first- 
mentioned,  is  extremely  prett}'  with  its  elegantly 
cut  grey-green  foliage  aiul  white  flowers  blotched 
with  rose-purple  and  veined  with  lilac-rose. 

EOVHORBIAS 

are  well  represented,  but  Euphorbia  Wulfeni, 
which  has  been  so  v.-ell  illustrated  and  described 
Ijy  the  Rev.  H.  Ewbank  in  The  (iAKDEN,  was  not 
flowering  so  freely  as  last  year,  though  it  has 
increased  in  size  and  carried  some  large  trusses  of 
its  curious  flowers.  Another  Euphorbia,  which  is 
useful  for  planting  on  drj',  arid  banks  where  not 
much  else  will  grow,  is  E.  characias.  At  Bath  it 
looked  very  picturesque  planted  close  to  some 
rough  stone  steps.  Other  Euphorbias  noticed  were 
capitata,  hiberna,  and  amygdaloides  variegata. 
This  latter  plant  is  a  new  acquisition,  and  is 
thought  very  highly  of.  It  is  about  IIS  inches  in 
height,  and  the  variegation,  which  is  constant,  is  a 
perfect  mixture  of  green  and  white.  On  the 
middle  rockery  are  to  be  found  many  rare  and 
beautiful  plants.  Foremost  is  Anthyllis  erinacea, 
truly  a  lovely  plant  for  a  hot  dr}'  south  position. 
At  ijitton  the  writer  saw  it  in  its  full  beauty, 
and  at  Bath  it  is  growing  quite  as  well.  In 
appearance  it  rather  resembles  a  dwarf  tiorse, 
with  spines  nearlj'  3  inches  long,  ot  a  silvery-grey 
colour.  The  flowers  also  resemble  those  of  a  Gorse 
in  shape  and  habit,  but  are  of  a  rich  clear  purple, 
almost  startling  in  its  intensity.  Canon  EUacombe 
has  it  labelled  Erinacea  pungens,  but  Mr.  Milburn 
says  that  Anthjdlis  erinacea  is  the  correct  name. 
Here  also  are  two  fine  bushes  of  Astragalus 
tragacantha,  a  plant  from  the  Mediterranean 
region  which  is  very  rarelj'  seen.  It  is  certainl\' 
unique,  with  its  finely  cut  leaves  of  a  greyish 
green  colour,  covered  at  the  back  with  silvery 
hairs,  and  its  stitt'  spines,  which  are  IJ  inches  to 
2  inches  in  length,  are  of  a  brown  colour.  The 
flowers,  which  are  borne  in  clusters  at  the 
extremit}'  of  the  shoots,  closely  resemble  those  of 
a  Cytisus,  and  are  white,  tinted  a  pale  lavender  on 
the  inside. 

Here  also  is  a  happy  blending  of  Dryas 
octopetala  and  Alyssum  montanum  growing  and 
flowering  together  in  the  wildest  profusion.  No 
happier  choice  could  liave  possibly  been  made  than 
plantirig  these  two  delightful  carpeters  together. 
The  Dryas,  with  its  pale  creamy  j-ellow  flowers 
and  <leep  gieen  foliage,  is  so  in  harmon_v  with  its 
neat  little  yellow-flowered  companion.  (Jeranium 
argenteuni,  (icranium  cinereum,  Helianthcmums, 
Cistuses,  and  Sempervivums  all  flourish  amazingly. 
Saxifrages  are  also  at  home,  especially  muscoides 
Rhei,  ver3'  beautiful  ;  cuneifolia,  aizoon  and  its 
varieties,  luteo-viridis,  purpurasccns,  growing 
well  in  shade,  and  bru'seriana. 

The  Hubus  family  are  well  represented,  and  a 
bush  of  deliciosus,  with  its  large  pure  white  flowers, 
])lanled  close  against  the  cool  deep  green  of 
Euphorl)ia  \\'uUeni,  has  found  nuin\'  admirers. 
Interesting,  too,  was  Knbus  australis,  a  miniature 
little  ]5ramlile  with  tiny  thorns,  which  was  not, 
however,  out  in  leaf.  One  of  the  gems  of  tlu' 
collection    is    Rubus    japonicus    tricolor,   a   most 


June  22,  1901.] 


THE   GARDEN. 


449 


dainty  and  extremely  handsome  little 

shrub,  which  possesses,  however,  the 

reputation  of  being  difficult  to  grow. 

It  is  succeeding  well  at    Bath,    and 

increasing    very    slowly    by    under- 
ground suckers,  which  come  up  some 

distance  from   the  plant.     This  also 

came  from  Canon    Ellacondje,    who, 

however,  has  found  great   difhculty 

in   getting  it  established.     The  new 

growth  is  at  6rst  a  brilliant  crimson, 

and    the    value    of    the    plant    lies 

wholly     in     its     delightful    foliage, 

which  is  variegated  in  three  colours, 

green,  white,  and  red.     A  very  nice 

plant   of   that   rare    single    P.'eony, 

whitmanniana,    carried    eight    large 

expanded    blooms  ol   a   soft  creamy 

j'ellow.     Inside  the  flower  is  a  mass 

of   lovely  golden   stamens,   tinted  a 

rich  crimson  at  the  base. 

On    the   north   side    of    the    rock 

garden    are    many   plants   of    great 

beauty     and      interest.       Here    the 

stones    are    veiled    with     the     tiny 

Arenaria   balearica,    groups   of 

Anemones    cover     the     rocks     with 

nodding  flowers  —  such  things  as 
sylvestris,  narcissiflora,  robinsoniana, 
hortensis  and  its  varieties,  and  the 
double  white  Wood  Anemone  are  very 
good.  The  pretty  little  Himalayan 
Anemone  polyanthes,  which  was 
amongst  the  collection  of  plants  pre- 
sented by  Lady  Liishington,  was  in 
bloom.  This  has  small,  pure  white 
flowers  with  a  green  and  yellow 
centre,  and  the  leaves  are  heart- 
shaped,  dark  green,  and  leathery  in  texture.  The 
whole  plant,  while  not  being  showy,  has  a  very  neat 
appearance.  Primulas  were  nearly  over,  but  P. 
cortusoides,  Sieboldi  in  variety,  and  P.  eiliata 
eoccinea,  with  3'ellow-centred  crimson  flowers,  were 
worthy  of  note.  Numerous  Kpimediunis,  Sangui- 
naria  canadensis,  Stylophorum  japonieum,  with 
yellow,  Poppy-like  flowers  ;  Dryas  Drummondi, 
rather  diSicult  to  manage  ;  Fritillaria  pyrenaica, 
with  its  e\'il-looking  flowers  ;  Cheiranthus  Harpur 
Crewe  and  mutabilis  ;  Pentstemon  Scouleri,  very 
pretty  ;  and  Allium  vineale,  which  Mr.  Milburn 
considers  the  best  of  the  family,  and  which  will 
grow  well  in  grass.  The  flowers  are  pure  white, 
and  the  plant  has  a  graceful  appearance. 

Hard}'  Orchids,  of  which  Cypripedium  pubeseens 
was  the  best,  all  these  are  only  a  tithe  of  the  many 
and  varied  plants  to  be  found  in  this  lovely  garden. 
Mention  should  be  made  of  the  uncommon  Prosartes 
(Disporum)  Hookeri,  which,  though  not  perhaps  a 
plant  for  everyone,  is  often  admired.  It  is  one  of 
the  rarest  plants  which  Mr.  Milburn  grows,  and 
of  which  he  speaks  very  highl}'.  This  is  growing 
in  a  moist  and  shady  spot  on  the  north  side  of  the 
rock  garden.  Little  seems  to  b3  known  as  to  the 
origin  of  this  plant,  except  that  it  is  a  native 
of  North  America.  The  style  of  growth  is 
very  much  after  that  of  Epimedium  pinnatum, 
especially  the  stems,  which  are  of  the  same  length 
and  thickness,  but  are  tinted  with  red.  In  all 
other  respects  the  plant  is  distinct.  The  flowers 
are  small,  tubular,  six-petalled,  and  drooping,  with 
long  protruding  anthers  green-yellow  in  colour. 
The  value  of  the  plant,  however,  lies  in  its  foliage, 
which  is  of  a  shining  bright  green,  edged  all  round 
with  red-brown,  and  the  leaves  are  very  beautiful 
in  shape.  When  cut  it  has  a  most  charming  effect, 
and  to  lovers  of  North  American  plants  it  can  be 
commended,  but  it  will  no  doubt  be  difficult  to 
obtain. 

Around  Bath  Polyg(jnum  baldschuanicum  seems 
to  be  a  great  favourite,  and  the  writer  saw  it 
in  three  gardens  doing  well,  and  in  each  case 
showing  bloom.  Mr.  Milburn  grows  it  up  a  pole 
about  S  feet  high,  and  at  Bitton  it  is  grown  in  the 
same  way.  In  Mr.  Leslie  William's  garden  it  runs 
up  a  wall,  and  hangs  in  graceful  festoons  over  the 
flower  border.  Another  plant  which  Mr.  Milburn 
grows  in  the  same  way  is  the  f4olden  Hop 
(Humulus  Lupulus  aureus),  which  is  alwa3's 
admired. 


PAKT    OF    THE    NORTH    SIDE    OF   EOCK    GARDEN. 


Rare  Shrubs  and  Trees 
surround  the  botanical  garden.  Photinia  serrulata, 
with  its  lovely  glossy  green  foliage  is  about  18  feet 
high  :  Solanum  crispum,  a  large  bush  (i  feet  high, 
covered  with  its  lave.nder-lilae  blooms ;  Olearia 
maerodonta,  with  its  silver-grey  leaves  ;  Choisya 
ternata,  a  mass  of  bloom  ;  Buddleia  globosa, 
Ozothamnus  rosmarinifolius,  Coronilla  Eraerus,  a 
large  bush  with  its  yellow  flowers  tipped  with  red- 
brown  ;  the  curious  Coprosma  acerosa ;  a  fine 
specimen  of  Raphiolepsis  japoniea  in  perfect 
health  ;  Sheperdia  argentea,  whose  rough,  silvery 
green  leaves  are  so  beautiful  when  placed  beneath 
a  microscope  ;  a  lovely  group  of  Japanese  Maples, 
numerous  Tree  Pa;onies,  and  Roses  will  give  some 
idea  of  the  wealth  of  precious  things  to  be  found 
here.  Most  of  the  trees  and  shrubs  are  grown  on 
grassy  banks,  where  they  look  their  best,  and 
keep  the  garden  sheltered  from  wind.  There  is 
also  an  extensive  collection  of  Conifers,  which 
contains  many  fine  examples.  The  whole  of  the 
park  and  botanical  garden  are  under  the  care  of 

Mr.  John  Milburn, 
whose    courtesy    and     geniality    to    everyone    is 
proverbial.     Not  only  is  he  an  enthusiast  and  a 
true  lover  of  the  beautiful  place  he  so  ably  manages, 
but  he  is  always  willing  to  impart  any  information 
concerning  any  tree,  plant,  or  shrub  that   it  is  in 
his  power  to  give.     He  began  life  in  the  gardens 
of    Captain    Oregson,    at    Moorlands,    Lancaster. 
After  three  years'  service  there  he  went  for  three 
years  to  Mr.  Fox,  head  gardener  to  His  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Devonshire,  at  Holker  Gardens,  Carnforth. 
Then   he   served   two    years    in    the   hardy   plant 
department  at  Kew,  and  from  there  came  to  ISath. 
Quite  recently  a  sundial  in  the  shape  of  a  cross, 
presented    by   the   Rev.    E.    Essington,    has   been 
erected,  and  bears  the  following  inscription  : 
"The  lioius  are  round  this  cross,  and  while  'tis  tine 
Tlie  time  is  measured  by  a  movinj^  line, 
But  if  the  sky  lie  clouded,  maik  the  loss 
Of  hours  not  ruled  hy  shadows  from  the  cross. 
Bath.  Artht-k  R.  Goodwin. 


ROSES     FOR     COVERING    A 
TRELLIS. 

The  beauty  and  interest  of  one's  garden  can  often 
be  added  to  considerably  by  the  erection  of  trellises 
and  covering  them  with  suitable  climliers,  and  for 


this  purpose   nothing    better    could    be    had  than 
Roses  and    perhaps  a  few   Honeysuckles.      There 
are  always  places  in  a  garden  where  one  can  with 
advantage    have    a    trellis,  even    if   only   a   small 
one,  and  when  well  clothed  with  suitable  climbing 
Roses  nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  when  these 
are  in    flower.     On    either    side  of   my  house  are 
two  short  paths  about  10  yards  long  :'  for  several 
years    they    were     simply     edged     with     narrow 
borders,  planted  with  various  spring  and  summer 
flowering    things.     Three   years   ago,  however,  it 
was  decided  to  erect  an   arched  trellis  over  each 
path,  and  a  great  success  they  have  proved.     At 
either  end  of  each  trellis  are  stout  wooden  poles 
about  7  feet  high,  well  finished  at  the  top  so  as 
not    to    be   unsightly ;    similar   poles   are    in    the 
centre    of    the    trellis    also,    making    six    in   all. 
Between  the  end  pole  and  the  central  one,  on  both 
sides  of  the  walk,  there  are  iron  rods,  and  these 
when  almost  level  with  the  tops  of   the  post  are 
arched  over  to  meet  on  the  opposite  side.     Stout 
wires    stretched    horizontally  across  the  iron  and 
wood  supports,  about  1  foot  apart,  to  which  the 
shoots  are  attached,  complete  the  erection.     Both 
pathways  run  from  north  to  south,  therefore  one 
side  of  the  trellis  is  exposed  to  the  east  and  the 
other   to    the    west.     There    is    little    difference, 
liowever,  in    the    behaviour   of    the    plants.     The 
rustic  poles,  it  should  be  mentioned,  are  covered 
with    Dutch    Honeysuckle,    and     this     associates 
exceedingly   well   with    the    Roses.     Against   one 
trellis    are     planted    these    varieties — Longworth 
Rambler,    Mme.   Abel   Carricre,    (iloire    de    Jlar- 
gottin,  Rcve  d'Or,  Glory  of  Cheshunt,  and  Thalia  : 
and  against  the  other,  Ainice  Vibert,  Reine  Marie 
Henriette,    Fortune's    Yellow,    Cheshunt   Hybrid, 
Duchesse  d'Auerstadt,  and  Reine  Olga  de  Wurteni- 
burg.    A  few  notes  upon  their  respective  merits,  as 
I  have  found  them  to  succeed,  may  perhaps  not  be 
without  interest  to  prospective  trellis  makers  and 
planters. 

Longworth  Rambler  has  grown  well,  having 
made  strong,  health\'  shoots  and  leaves.  The 
blooms  are  fairl}'  large,  freely  produced,  of  a  rich 
red-rose  in  colour,  the  outer  petals  tinged  with  a 
bluish  shade ;  they  have  practically  no  scent. 
Mme.  Abel  Carriere  is  a  great  success  :  it  keeps 
clean  and  grows  freely.  The  almost  pure  white 
flowers  are  very  pretty  in  the  bud,  peculiarh' 
scented,  and  the  plant  flowers  profusely,  (iloire 
de    Margottin,    producing    bright     rose-coloured 


450 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  22,  1901. 


flowers  that  have  but  little  scent,  has  been 
disappointing.  It  has  made  very  poor  progress. 
Keve  d'Or  is  fairly  satisfactory,  it  has  made  good 
shoots,  but  this  season  they  appear  to  be  dying  oft 
at  the  top  ;  whether  the  exceptionally  dry  spring 
in  some  measure  is  responsible  for  this  I  do  not 
know,  but  it  is  not  improbable  :  it  is,  however, 
the  only  variety  that  has  behaved  in  this  manner. 
Many  of  the  buds  are  malformed.  Hlory  of  Ches- 
hunt  has  not  succeeded  at  all— it  has  practically 
refused  to  grow.  Thalia,  sometimes  called  the 
White  Rambler,  has  done  splendidly,  being  now  a 
larger  and  finer  plant  than  any  of  the  others, 
except,  perhaps,  Mme.  Abel  Carriere.  It  is  simply 
one  mass  of  bud  clusters,  and  some  of  the  pretty 
little  semi-double  white  liowers,  tinged  with  pink 
and  yellow,  are  already  open. 

Aimee  Vibert  is  usually  quite  satisfactory,  and 
with  me  has  proved  no  exception.  It  grows  well, 
the  foliage  is  a  healthy  dark  green,  and  bunches  of 
white  flosvers  are  abundantly  borne.  Reine  Marie 
Henriette  is  a  splendid  Rose.  It  flowers  early  and 
is  beautiful  in  bud,  the  expanded  blooms  being 
red  tinged  with  salmon.  I  have  other  plants  of 
this  variety  growing  on  a  south  wall,  and  probably 
obtain  more  flowers  from  this  than  any  other  Rose 
in  my  garden.  It  is  a  pity  it  has  not  more  scent. 
Fortune's  Yellow  has  proved  a  failure  so  far. 
Cheshunt  Hybrid  is  good,  growing  strongly,  and 
bearing  its  rose-lilac  flowers  quite  freely.  Duchesse 
d'Auerstadt  is  a  lovely  Rose.  It  has  not  grown 
vigorously  with  me,  but  the  blooms  fully  make  up 
in  quality  what  is  lacking  in   quantity.     In  bud 


form  it  is  excellent,  in  colour  a  soft  pale  buff- 
yellow,  and  deliciously  scented.  Although  it  has 
not  up  to  the  present  made  such  strong  shoots  as 
one  could  wish,  it  is  in  good  health,  and  doubtless 
will  before  long  improve.  Reine  Olga  de 
VVurtemburg  needs  few  words  of  recommendation. 
It  is  of  a  vigorous  habit  of  growth,  and  bears  a 
profusion  of  large,  handsome,  rich  rose-coloured 
flowers,  an  invaluable  Rose  for  covering  trellises. 

A.  P. 


DOUBLE    CHINESE    PEONIES. 

(P.KONI.V    ALBIFLORA.) 

There  is  scarcely  any  portion  of  a  garden 
where  there  is  room  for  plants  of  bold  aspect 
in  which  these  grand  garden  flowers  will  be 
out  of  place.  The  illustration  shows  how  they 
hold  their  own  in  a  good  mass  even  in  connec- 
tion with  the  large  forms  of  ancient  buildings. 
These  plants  have  long  been  in  cultivation  in 
China  and  .Japan,  but  of  late  years  some  of  the 
best  garden  varieties  have  been  produced  by 
European  raisers.  The  type  plant,  P.  albiflora, 
is  a  native  of  Siberia. 


THE   DVrARF    CAMPANULAS. 

The  Campanulas  that  are  by  far  the  most 
interesting  and  desirable  for  garden  use  a,ve 
those  that  come  within  the  alpine  and  saxatile 


group.  Nearly  all  of  them  are  of  dwarf 
prostrate  habit,  much  bi-anched,  and  extremely 
floriferous  ;  very  bright  and  pretty  things. 
Many  of  them  are  excellent  wall  plants,  and 
nearly  all  are  admirable  in  the  rock  garden. 
They  are  often  used  for  edgings  of  raised  beds 
and  even  replace  grass  on  dry  and  arid  slopes. 
Many  amateurs  like  to  have  them  in  the  gra.ss, 
where  some  species  will  remain  in  flower  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  year  ;  for  this  use  the 
best  are  C.  rotundifolia  and  C.  rhomboidea. 

It  is  especially  in  tliis  category,  so  long  in 
cultivation,  that  garden  forms  and  varieties— 
rather  than  hybrids,  which  are  comparatively 
rare  among  the  Campanulas— have  appeared, 
and  it  is  just  among  these  that  it  is  most 
difticult  to  find  one's  way.  The  masses  of 
correspondence,  en(iuiries,  and  various  articles 
that  have  been  inserted  in  The  Garden  for 
the  last  ten  years  on  this  subject  shows  how 
much  the  question  interests  the  English 
horticultural  public. 

It  is  a  fact  that  nowhere  in  the  world  are 
the  Campanulas,  so  gracefully  named  Bell- 
flowers  and  Bluebells,  so  much  grown_  and 
appreciated  as  in  England.  On  the  continent, 
I  believe  that  it  is  Geneva,  the  birthplace  of 
De  Candolle,  author  of  the  "  Monographic  des 
Campanulaceas "  that  has  excelled  ^  in  the 
cultivation  of  these  plants,  for  Boissier  grew 


pOUBLK    PyEONIER    IN    T^E    GARDKN    OF    LAOy    AT.CERNON    OORDON-LEXNOX    AT    BROUOIJTdN    CASTIh' 


June  22,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN, 


451 


fifty  kinds  at  Valeyres,*  and 
M.  Micheli  has  nearly  as  many 
at  the  Chateau  du  Crest,  most 
of  them  being  in  his  index,t 
while  our  Jardin  alpin 
d'aoclimatation  at  Geneva  has 
seventy  -  six 
(species  and 
varieties)  in  its 

catalogue..];    At         

"  La  Linnaja  " 
we  grow  forty- 
five  species, 
all  very  hardy, 
since      they  ^ 

withstand  the 
climate  of 
B  o  u  r  g  St. 
Pierre,  at  an 
altitude  of  5,;?60 
feet.    Of  all  the 

collections  grown  in  botanical  or  other  gardens 
that  publish  catalogues  or  idexes,  it  is  certain 
that  nowhere  else  on  the  continent  has  so  much 
attention  been  given  to  these  pretty  species  of 
the  genus.  I  say  advisedly  on  the  continent, 
for  already,  many  years  ago,  Paxton  in  his 
dictionary  and  its  supplements  gives  a  list  of 
nearly  two  hundred  species  and  varieties  that 
were  grown  in  gardens  in  Great  Britain.  It 
one  thinks  of  the  relatively  large  number  of 
species  that  have  been  introduced  into  culti 
vation  since  the  death  of  Paxton  and  the 
publication  of  his  latest  supplement,  one 
becomes  aware  of  the  importance  that  is 
assigned  to  the  genus  Campanula  in  English 
gardens. 

It  can  easily  be  understood  that  these  plants 
grown  for  a  long  time  in  the  moister  English 
climate  would    be    likely    to    undergo    some 
modification  of  their  general  character.    When 
a  saxatile  species  which  has  grown  naturally  in 
rocky  fissures  in  the  full  sunshine  of  Greece, 
Spain,  or  Italy  is  transferred  to  soft  soil  undei 
an  often  cloudy  sky,  where  it  can  develop  a 
large     (Quantity     of    radicle     and     rootlet,   it 
necessarily  changes   some 
of  its  characteristics.     It 
must  be  remembered  that 
plants  are  provided  with 
powers  of  special  adapta- 
tion, and  that  in  adapting 
themselves    to  a   climate 
they  will  throw  out  of  use 
those  of  their  characters 
and  organs  that    can   no 
longer  serve  them. 

In  nearly  all  parts  of 
England  it  has  been  ob- 
served that  some  plants 
with  grey  foliage  either  did 
not  do  well  or  that  their 
leafy  organs  became 
greener,  and  finally  lost 
their  downy  covering,  and 
that  among  alpine  plants 
such  downy-leaved  kind.s 
as  Androsace  helvetica  and 
A.  imbricata,  Andryala 
lanata,  Achillea  nana, 
Artemisia  glacialis,  mutel- 
lina  and  spicata,  Draba 
tomentosa,  Dryas  lanata, 
Oxytropis  pilosa,  Papaver  pyrenaicum,  Poten- 
tilla  frigida  and  P.  nivea,  Saussurea  alpina 
and  S.  discolor,  Sempervivum  arachnoideuni 
and  S.  tomentosum,  Senecio  incanus,  S.  leu- 

*  "  HortusBoisserianus,"  by  Eugene  Autran.  Geneva,  1S9G. 

t  "  Le  .Tardin  du  Crest,"  l)y  Marc  Micheli.     Geneva,  1S96. 

X  Catalogue  of  plants  offered  by  the  Jardiu  alpin  d'accli- 
niatation,  2,  Rue  Dancet,  Geneva.    Geneva,  1899. 

§  A  coloured  plate  of  Campanula  Alllonii  appeared  in 
THK  Gakden,  May  27,  1882. 


CROUJN  D 


THE   ROOTINd    SYSTEM    OF    CMVIPANULA    ALLIONII. 


'.I 
I' 

A' 


C.\M  '.IXULA   Al.PTNA. 


copliyllus,  and  S.  uniflorus,  &c. 
were  much  less  suece.ssful  than 
those  with  smooth  foliage. 

The  Campanulas  being  for  the 
most  part  jjlants  of  strong  and 
healthy  constitution  easily  adapt 
themselves 
to  new  con- 
ditions, and 
3  ne  sees 
how,  in 
order  to 
live  and  in- 
crease, they 
assume 
other  cha- 
r  a  c  t  e  r  s  , 
their  organs 
being  modi- 
fied to  .suit 
their  needs ; 
thus  they  lose  their  hairy  surface,  relax  their 
tisisues,  increa.se  the  size  of  their  leaves,  and  add 
to  the  number  of  their  flowers,  while  contracting 
their  corollas,  and  so  on,  so  that  some  species 
become  almost  unrecognisable.  To  such  a 
degree  is  this  the  case  that  one  day  when 
visiting  Miss  Willmott's  rich  collection  at 
Warley  I  found  it  diflicult  to  recogni.se  certain 
species  of  Campanula,  the  actual  plants  of 
which  had  come  from  my  own  garden. 

But  in  addition  to  this,  and  the  prime  cause 
of  the  supreme  confusion  in  collections,  is  the 
mania  that  possesses  certain  horticulturists  for 
making  new  varieties  and  even  .yiecies,  that 
figure  in  their  catalogues  and  are  published  in 
the  horticultural  press.  When  the  slightest 
variation  a.ppears,  not  one  due  to  natural 
variation  but  to  the  cultural  conditions  of 
captivity,  we  are  suddenly  bombarded  with  a 
novelty.  There  is  no  hesitation,  there  is  both 
.glory  and  money  in  it.  Some  of  the  German 
catalogues  are  the  worst  oflfenders,  provoking 
the  indignation  of  lovers  of  good  sense  and 
natural  truth  and  beauty.  The  creation  of 
floral  horrors  of  plants  dwarfed  to  S(£uat, 
shrunken,  and  ball  shapes  and  to  tight  stenile.ss 
flower  masses  in  which  the  blossoms  are 
closely  packed  one  against  another  into  some 
form  of  monstrosity,  deserves  nothing  l)ut 
condemnation  from  those  who  love  nature  and 
her  beautiful  forms. 

For  my  own  part,  I  am  too  true  an  admirer 
of  what  is  elegant  and  graceful  to  endure  these 
monstrous  forms,  and  prefer  infinitely  that 
which  in  his  marvellous  power  the  Supreme 
Creator  has  made  to  all  these  debased  products 
of  a  grovelling  industry. 

I  do  not,  however,  condemn  human  work 
in  horticulture,  and  I  should  never  think  of 
denying  a  place  in  my  garden  to  the  good 
garden  flowers  that  are  justly  the  pride  of  our 
times.  But  there  is  a  limit  that  should  be 
recognised,  and  this  limit  is  often  overstepped 
in  hybridisation  to  the  production  of  ugly 
things  rather  than  the  perfecting  of  flowers — 
the  stars  of  the  earth--  Terrestria  xidera  Horex. 
I  say  this  to  unburden  my  soul,  which  swells 
with  indignation  at  the  sight  of  the  pile  of 
catalogues,  announcing  perfectly  impossible 
Campanulas,  with  which  my  table  is  heaped. 
But  now  I  will  return  to  my  subject  and  give 
the  list  of  the  alpine  and  saxatile  Campanulas 
that  are  in  cultivation,  with  their  synonymy 
and  culture. 

Campanula  Allionii  S  (^'ill.)  syns.  C.  alpestris 
(All.),  nana  (Lam.i,  trilocularis  (Turra).  Alps 
of  Dauphiny,  of  the  Cenis  and  of  Piedmont, 
0,000  feet  to  7,000  feet.  It  is  certainly  in  error 
that  Nyman  in  his  "  Sylloge  florw  europa;;e," 
page  7.3,  indicates  C.  Allionii  in  the  Alps  of 
Lombardy.      In  fact,  1   believe  it  has  never 


452 


THE    GARDEN. 


[Junk  22,  1901. 


been  found  there,  the  species  belonging  to  the 
Western  Alps,  in  which  it  occupies  a  restricted 
area  only.  It  has  no  great  power  of  self  distri- 
bution, for  though  it  forms  large  tufts  it 
reproduces  itself  but  little  by  seed.  It  occurs 
in  slopes  of  loose  ground  and  fallen  earth  and 
stones,  never  in  heaps  of  stones  alone,  nor  in 
turfy  slopes.  It  is  unwilling  to  grow  in 
company  with  invading  grasses,  and  usually 
forms  isolated  colonies.  It  is  certainly  one 
of  the  handsomest  and  most  truly  decorative 
of  alpine  plants,  its  great  violet  bells,  growing 
singly  on  their  stalks  and  drooping  towards 
the  earth,  having  a  great  degree  of  beauty. 
The  plant  makes  large  tufts,  numerous  stolons 
radiating  from  the  central  root.  This  is  a 
kind  of  long,  thick  Heshy  pivot,  that  is  thrust 
deep  down  among  the  stony  dehris  in  its 
search  for  coolness  and  nourishment.  From 
this  important  and  always  .solitary  radical  axis 
are  thrown  out  the  stolons  furnished  with 
rootlets. 

These,  however,  would  appear  to  be  solely 
adventitious,  for  if  one  of  these  branches 
with  its  rootlets  is  separated  and  planted  it  is 
very  difficult  to  get  it  to  root.  For  successful 
transplantation  it  is  necessary  to  secure  the 
large  central  root,  a  matter  of  difficulty,  for 
not  only  does  it  penetrate  very  deeply,  but  the 
whole  plant  is  a  bulky  affair  not  convenient 
for  carrying.  However,  as  it  yields,  from 
August  15  onwards,  a  quantity  of  good  seed, 
which  easily  germinates,  it  is  much  simplest  to 
grow  it  from  seed. 

I  have  gone  at  some  length  into  the  way  of 
growth  and  the  radical  system  of  C.  Allionii, 
because  it  is  the  type  all  the  Campanulas 
(C  speciosa,  C.  conisia,  kc.)  that  grow  in 
these  heaps  of  fallen  debriii,  and  it  shoiild  be 
known  so  that  the  plant  may  be  rightly  grown. 
The  foliage  of  C.  Allionii  is  also  peculiar, 
leaves  short,  with  short  grey  hairs,  collected  at 
the  top  of  the  flowerless  shoots  and  at  the  base 
of  the  flower  stalk,  narrow,  blade-shaped, 
ciliated  at  the  edges,  tho.se  of  the  flower  .stalk 
narrowest.  It  flowers  at  Geneva  in  May  and 
June,  at  La  Linn;ea  in  .Inly  and  August,  and 
in  its  natural  habitat  in  August  and  September, 
according  to  the  altitude.  Here  at  Geneva  it 
is  not  at  all  easy  to  grow.  The  seedlings  are 
very  apt  to  decay.  As  soon  as  they  have  two 
or  three  leaves  they  must  be  pricked  out  with 
the  utmost  care,  for  if  the  roots  receive  the 
slightest  injury  or  lose  the  smallest  point  they 
will  rot  away.  They  require  a  poor  sandy  soil 
mixed  with  stones  that  are  not  calcareous,  and 
complete  drainage.  Their  spreading  and 
stoloniferous  haliit  demands  a  considerable 
space.  In  a  rock  garden  or  laorder  they  must 
have  a  position  in  full  exposure  to  the  sun  and 
a  deep  and  stony  place  to  root  in.  They 
dislike  damp. 

C.  alpina  (.Iac(i.)  Alps  of  Austria,  Lombardy 
and  Transylvania  from  6,000  feet  to  7,000  feet. 
This  species  is  nearly  related  to  U.  barbata, 
root  spindle  shaped,  stalk  short,  leaves  narrow 
lanceolate,  thinly  drawn  out  as  a  petiole, 
coarsely  crenate,  ciliated  at  the  edges,  gathered 
to  a  tuft  as  the  base  and  diminishing  as  the 
flower  stalk  rises.  Fower  stalk  .short,  3  inches 
to  ')  inches,  set  with  flowers  with  peduncles  of 
more  or  less  length,  drooping  and  pyramidally 
arranged,  peduncles  one  flowered,  corolla  of 
moderate  size  (halfway  between  barbata  and 
pusilla),  colour  deep  violet.  It  flowers  in  the 
garden  in  May  and  June,  wild  from  June  to 
August.  It  is  a  lime-loving  species,  and  should 
be  grown  in  the  limestone  rock  garden,  in  soil 
that  is  deep  and  rich  in  humus,  such  a  soil  as 
one-third  loam,  one-third  leaf-mould,  and  one- 
thii-d  calcareous  sand  or  flnely  broken  lumiis 
of  limestone,  and  in  full  sun.     Although  this 


species,  always  rather  difticult  to  grow,  yields 
but  little  seed,  it  cannot  be  increa.sed  in  other 

H.  CORREVON. 

{To  be  continued.) 


ways. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

(The.  EdUms  are  not  responsible  for  the  opinions 
expressed  liy  tlieir  correspondents.  ) 


THE  HORTICULTURAL  COLLEGE  AT 

SWANLEY. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

SIR, — The  governing  body  of  the  Horti- 
cultural College  for  Men  and  Women 
Students  at  Swanley,  Kent,  feel  the 
time  has  come  when  puljlic  attention 
should  be  called  to  tlie  work  of  the 
college.  The  college  was  started  in 
1889  by  the  acquisition  of  forty-three  acres  of  land 
at  Swanley,  in  Kent,  situated  onlj'  seventeen  miles 
from  London,  in  the  midst  of  nursery  gardens  and 
fruit  and  poultrj'  farms,  with,  consequently,  special 
opportunities  for  varied  training,  both  in  the 
grounds  and  the  surrounding  gardens.  The  college 
comprises  well-stocked  gardens,  orchards,  and 
copses,  fifteen  glass  houses  for  market  gardening 
instruction,  each  100  feet  long,  a  dairy,  working 
appliances  for  bee  and  poultry  keeping,  for  jam 
making  and  the  bottling  of  fruit,  and  a  well- 
equipped  microscopic  botanj'  room.  For  practice 
in  private  gardening  a  new  range  of  stove,  pro- 
pagating, intermediate  houses,  and  conservatory  is 
nearing  completion.  The  college  commenced  with 
men  students  only.  In  1891  three  women  students 
entered  their  names — the  first  experiment  of  this 
kind  in  England  or  elsewhere.  Since  then  the 
number  of  women  has,  gradually  for  the  first  few 
years,  and  subsequently  rapidly,  increased,  till 
they  now  number  sixt3'-nine  students.  That  this 
experiment  was  warranted  is  proved  bj'  the  fol- 
lowing facts  : — 

Out  of  the  twenty  women  and  twelve  men 
students  who  left  last  session,  seventeen  and  ten 
respectively  are  now  engaged  in  profitable  gardening 
work.  Of  the  total  number  of  women  (ninet3'- 
seven)  who  were  in  residence  for  one  year  and 
over  since  the  opening  of  the  women's  branch, 
forty-nine  are  making  a  successful  business  in 
gardening,  not  including  those  at  work  in  their 
own  homes.  Of  the  '231  men  students  who  have 
passed  througli  the  college,  over  ."lO  per  cent,  arc 
known  to  be  holding  gardening  positions.  The 
silver-gilt  medal  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  has  been  gained  four  times  in  six  years 
by  students  of  the  college,  and  its  scholarship  has 
been  awarded  each  time  since  its  foundation  to 
Swanle}'  students.  In  the  examination  last  summer 
of  the  .same  society,  thirty-three  out  of  the  thirtj'- 
four  who  competed  took  a  first-class,  our  head 
student  gaining  full  marks.  Numerous  gold  and 
silver  medals,  cups,  and  certificates  have  been  won 
by  the  college  for  fruit,  vegetables,  and  flowers  at 
the  Temple  and  other  shows.  The  highest  salary 
tor  our  women  gained  so  far  is  t'lOO  a  year  with 
board  and  lodging,  and  that  of  men  £300  a  year. 

From  constant  applications  received  forgardeners, 
both  men  and  women,  it  is  increasingly  evident 
that  the  demand  for  our  fully  trained  students  is 
largely  in  excess  of  the  present  supply.  To  meet 
the  growing  need  for  accommodation,  four  boarding 
houses  were  added  to  the  first  one.  To  these, 
small  unmade  gardens  were  attached,  aftbrding 
valuable  experience  for  the  students  by  whom 
they  were  laid  out. 

Whilst  the  college  serves  as  an  admirable 
training  institution  for  those  who  are  desirous 
of  finding  remunerative  occupation  as  gardeners, 
it  also  meets  the  wants  of  those,  particularly 
women,  who  so  frequently  need  healthful  occupa- 
tion combined  with  peaceful  surroundings.  There 
is,  therefore,  scope  for  a  very  large  development 
of  the  useful  work  of  the  Swanley  College.  Its 
strictly  educational  side  is  testified  to  by  the  fact 
that  the  15erk.shire,  Kssex,  Kent,  London,  and 
StaH'ordsliire   County   Councils   all    offer    scliolar- 


ships,  the  first  four  counties  having  sent  sixty 
scholars  since  1889. 

The  college  house — formerly  Sir  Edward  Reed's 
residence  (with  its  interesting  Bessemer  Saloon) — 
is  only  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  men 
students,  and  the  women  are  quartered  in  houses 
in  the  village.  It  is  proposed,  as  soon  as  possible, 
to  build  a  hall  of  residence  for  the  sjiecial  use  of 
the  women  students,  and,  when  funds  admit,  a 
new  chemical  laboratorj'  and  a  library,  both  of 
which  are  much  needed,  and  if  an}'  readers  of  your 
paper  should  feel  tutficiently  interested  in  the 
work  now  being  carried  on  to  wish  to  assist  in  any 
way  there  is  ample  opportunity  for  their  doing 
so.  The  college  is  registered  as  a  non-profit- 
mxking  compan}'  by  license  of  the  Board  of  Trade, 
an!  its  continuity  is  therefore  assured,  the  general 
management  being  in  the  hands  of  a  body  of 
twelve  directors,  of  whom  three  are  nominated 
b}'  the  Kent  County  Council,  whilst  a  resident 
principal  directs  the  studies  of  the  students  and 
is  responsible  to  the  governing  body. 

The  instruction  is  of  so  unique  a  kind,  affording 
as  it  does  a  successful  example  of  combining  men 
and  women  in  this  important  branch  of  education, 
that  the  management  may  perhaps  be  excused  for 
asking  that  publicity  maj'  be  given  to  its  opera- 
tions. E.  SiEVEKiNO,  Hon.  Secretarj'. 


GRAFTING     CLIANTHUS     DAMPIERI. 

[To   THE    Editor   of   "  The   Garden."] 

Sir, — The  grafting  of  Clianthus  Dampieri  in  order 
to  overcome  the  ditticulties  of  its  successful  culti- 
vation, which  is  alluded  to  on  page  407,  is  by  no 
means  a  recent  innovation,  for  as  long  ago  as  bSOS 
there  were  some  good  flowering  examples  in  the 
Temperate  house,,  at  Kew,  that  were  obtained  by 
grafting  young  seedling  plants  of  this  Clianthus  on 
some  healtliy  little  specimens  of  Swainsona  galegi- 
folia.  They  attracted  much  attention  at  the  time, 
and  the  lead  was  followed  in  several  instances,  but 
it  .soon  died  out.  At  that  period  some  cultivators 
failed  in  the  grafting  process  owing  to  the  scions 
being  taken  from  flowering  plants  instead  of  J'oung 
seedlings  being  employed.  At  Kew,  Clianthus 
puniceus  was  also  used  as  a  stock,  but  the  best 
results  were  obtained  on  the  Swainsona.  (irown 
in  a  suspended  basket  this  Clianthus  looked  very 
thriving  recently  in  the  Temperate  house  at  Kew, 
and  possibl}'  such  a  mode  of  treatment  might  be 
generally  satisfactoiy.  Apart  from  the  normal 
form  of  this  Clianthus,  with  its  rich  coloured 
blossoms,  intensified  bj-  a  lai-ge  blackish  blotch  at 
the  base  of  the  standard,  there  is  a  variety — 
]\Iarginata — which,  however, , I  have  not  seen  for 
some  time.  In  this  the  keel  of  the  flower  is  white, 
edged  with  scarlet,  and  when  in  good  condition  it 
forms  a  pleasint;  variation  from  the  normal  tj'pe. 

H.  P. 


GROWING    ONCOe^YCLrS    IRISES. 

[To  the  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 

Sir, — Many  of  us  besides  "  T.  B.  F."  (page  3(i7) 
would  be  glad  to  find  the  royal  road  to  grnwiii2 
Irissusiana,  andjin  fact,  Oncocyclus  Irises  generally. 
As  I  understand  it,  the.se  Iris,  or  most  of  them, 
when  at  home  start  into  growth  with  the  autumn 
rains,  pass  a  quiet  winter  under  a  blanket  of  snow, 
push  forward  rapidly  into  leaf  and  flower  in  genial 
spring  weather,  and  complete  their  cycle  under  a 
burning  sun,  by  which  they  are  thoroughly  baked. 
These  are  not  the  conditions  met  with  in  an 
average  season  in  Britain,  and  yet  somehow  the 
plants  must  be  cheated  into  a  belief  that  they  have 
enjoyed  them.  How  this  is  to  be  ilone  depends 
upon  circumstances.  If  "T.  B.  F."  can  refer  to 
the  back  numbers  of  TuE  Garden  he  will  do  well 
to  look  up  what  was  written  by  Herr  Van 
Tubergen,  jun.,  by  Mr.  Ewbank,  and  by  Sir 
Michael  Foster  in  the  second  volume  tor  1S91,  and 
also  the  letter  of  Herr  ^'an  Tubergen  which 
appeared  on  July  .'fl,  1897,  and  then  work  the 
thing  out  according  to  his  climate  and  the  means 
at  his  disposal.  i\ly  efforts  are  on  too  smill  a 
siale  and  the  results  too  uncertain  to  entitle  me  to 
l)e  didactic,  but  whatever  success  1  have  met  with 


June  22,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


453 


BORECOLE   ALBINO. 
(Shown  by  Messrs.  Storrie  and  Storrie  recently  and  yieen  an  award  of  merit.) 


ha?  been  ilue  to  following  Herr  Van  Tubergen's 
plan  of  annual  lifting,  and  though  the  more  natural 
plan  of  drying  in  nitu  may  answer  in  some  favoured 
spots,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  taking  up  will 
answer  best  in  most  parts  of  England.  The  main 
points  are  complete  dryness  during  the  resting 
period,  late  planting  so  as  to  avoid  winter  growth, 
and  some  protection  from  excessive  wet  both  in 
winter  and  early  spring.  "  A  lusty  winter,  frosty 
but  kindly,"  the  plants  would  pull  through.  It  is 
in  chilly  damp  weather,  with  alternate  frost  and 
thaws,  that  they  begin  to  go  back,  and  finally  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  "  life  is  not  worth  living.'' 
By  the  way  I  should  be  much  obliged  if  Mr. 
Ewbank  would  tell  us  whether  he  ever  gave 
lifting  a  fair  trial,  and  with  what  result ;  also  if 
the  bone-meal  which  he  has  recently  advocated 
(page  347)  is  supplemented  by  the  substratum  of 
Ryde  paving-stones  and  removal  of  the  top  soil  in 
summer  according  to  his  former  practice?  After 
all,  I  am  afraid  that  what  answers  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight  may  be  of  small  avail  to  me  in  North  Notts. 

The  season  of  these  Iris  (I  include  Regelia  with 
the  Oncocycli)  is  so  short,  and  the  failures  so  out 
of  proportion  to  the  successes,  that  each  3'ear  I  ask 
myself  whether  the  game  is  worth  the  candle,  and 
each  year  I  find  myself  more  a  victim  to  their 
enchantment,  and  yet  I  wonder  sometimes  how 
much  of  the  fascination  is  due  to  intrinsic  merit 
and  how  much  to  the  coy  behaviour  of  the  charmer. 
Why  should  there  be  more  rejoicing  over  one  of 
these  dusky  beauties  than  over  the  ninety  and  nine 
fair  Iris  that  need  no  care  ? 

iSince  the  above  was  written  I.  paradoxa  (Van 
Tubergen's  variety)  has  flowered  with  me  for  the 
first  time,  and  I  am  more  hopelessly  "  gone"  than 
ever. 

Woi-k^o  1,  Nolfi.  .James  Sxow  Wuall. 


enable  us  to  say  what  would  be  their  best  use 
in  gardens.  The  same  plants  this  year  (two 
placed  rather  near  each  other)  presented  an 
appearance  so  unusual  and  so  highly  orna- 
mental that  we  had  them  photographed,  with 
the  result  shown  in  the  illustration.  They 
looked  like  a  bouquet  of  immense  creamy 
white  Roses,  aboitt  10  inches  across,  and  it 
seemed,  indeed,  that  here  was  a  new  and 
wonderful  kind  of  Cabbage  Eose.  They  were 
even  better  than  those  that  were  shown  lately 
by  Messrs.  Storrie  and  Storrie  at  the  Drill 
Hall.  The  photograph  was  done  on  A]jril  -22. 
This  handsome  plant  would  be  a  grand  thing 
to  group  boldly  with  spring  flowers,  such  as 
Mertensia  virginica  and  pale  yellow  Wallflower, 
at  a  time  when,  be  it  remembered,  a  rather 
large  thing  with  fresh  foliage  3  feet  high  is 
almost  unknown  in  the  garden. 


THE     FERN     GARDEN. 


BORECOLE    ALBINO. 

Eauly  last  year  we  received  some  plants  of  a 
handsome  variegated  Borecole  from  Messrs. 
Storrie  and  Storrie,  of  Dundee.  As  received 
they  were  distinctly  pretty  things,  heavily 
veined  and  marbled  with  ivory  white.  The 
specimens  were  planted  in  order  to  see  what 
would  be  their  further  development,  and  to 


THE    POLYPODIES. 

The  Common  Polypody  {Polypoliium  vuloare.  ) 

POLYPODIUM  VULGARE  is  one  of  a 
big  family,  whose  spore  heaps  are 
round,  or  nearly  so,  and  quite  destitute 
of  a  cover  or  indusiuni.  The  generic 
name  implies,  however,  ''  many  fuoted," 
and  therefore  refers  to  another  feature 
altogether,  viz.,  the  creeping  root-stock,  which, 
however,  is  found  in  many  genera  of  entirely 
distinct  character,  and  therefore  by  itself  gives  no 
clue  to  species.  In  Great  Britain  we  have  four 
members  of  the  family,  viz.,  P.  vulgare  (the 
common  Polypody),  P.  dryopteris  (the  Oak  Fern), 
P.  phegopteris  (the  Beech  Fern),  aud  P.  calcareum 
(the  Limestone  Polypody).  P.  alpestre,  so-called 
because  its  spores  have  no  indusiuni,  no  fernist 
can  accept  as  other  than  an  Athyrium,  especially 
as  in  many  Athyria  the  indusium  becomes  almost 
or  quite  a  nullity.  Among  these  species  P.  vul- 
gare stands  absolutely  distinct  ;  its  creeping  root- 
stock    is    thick    and   fleshy  ;    its   fronds,    simply 


pinnate,  are  dark  grben  and  tough  ;  its  sjjore  heaps 
and  spores  are  large  and  yellow,  and  it  i.s,  Hnally, 
a  thorough  evergreen,  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  other  three  have  twice-divided  fronds  of  very 
delicate  make  and  colour  springing  from  dark, 
slender,  stringy  root-stocks  ;  spore  heaps  and  spores 
are  small  and  dark-coloured,  and  finally,  again,  all 
three  species  are  perfectly  deciduous.  Then,  too, 
Nature  has  determined  anotlier  great  difference, 
since  while  the  three  of  a  kind  have  only  given 
us  two  or  three  varieties,  none  of  very  marked 
character,  the  other,  P.  vulgare,  has  been  most 
generous  and  donned  the  gayest  and  happiest 
garbs  for  the  Fern  hunters  delectation.  In  this 
respect,  indeed,  like  others  of  our  British  Ferns, 
it  has  put  all  its  exotic  relatives  to  the  l)lu8h  by 
producing  far  more  distinct  and  beautiful  varieties 
than  all  the  rest  of  the  family  togetiier.  It  has 
even  gone  a  step  farther,  and  by  lending  s<mie  of 
its  blood  to  its  stately  cousin,  P.  aureum,  has 
given  us  P.  Schneiderii,  an  edition  of  P.  v. 
elegantissimuni  enlarged  to  the  utmost,  and  a 
triumph  of  hybridisation.  P.  vulgare  is  found 
all  over  Great  Britain  ;  old  walls,  old  trees,  rocks, 
and  hedgerows  are  its  favourite  habitats,  and  \\'ell- 
rotted  leaf-mould  its  favourite  soil.  In  culture  it 
does  best  in  large,  well-drained,  shallow  pans  iilled 
with  a  loose  leafy  and  peaty  compost,  into  wliich 
the  creeping  rhizomes  can  embed  themselves  on 
the  surface  and  ramble  freely.  It  also  does  splen- 
didly when  installed  in  suspended  wire  baskets, 
displaying  itself,  pcihaps,  to  the  best  possible 
advantage  when  so  treated  and  not  allowed  to  dry 
out.  When  once  properly  installed,  the  less  the 
plant  is  disturbed  the  better  the  growth,  and, 
under  such  circumstances,  what  this  normally 
mediocre-looking  plant  can  do  in  its  varietal  forms 
is  simply  astounding.  It  loves  light  and  air,  as 
we  may  judge  by  its  haunts,  and  can  even  stand  a 
fair  amount  of  sun  if  drought  be  avoided. 
Finder  or 
Name,         Localii'i.      iiaher  and  Descripttou. 

Date. 
AValinsley 

(1SG7) 


Ijitido-  Gran 

multitidum 


eambricura..  Many.     .. 
Withers- 
lack 


iiairowii. 
c.  Hadwinii  . 
c.  Oakeleya'  . 
c.  Prestonii  . 


-Silveidale . 

Raglan 

Yelland 


curnubiense 
(ele^anlis- 
siniuin) 


c.  fuliusinn  . 

c.  Fowleiii  . 
L-.  pluniosa  . 


.  triuliu- 
nianuitlcs 


ciistatuni  . . 
c.  Movleyii  . . 
slumeratuni. 


grand  iceps 

Forster 
g.  Fox  . .     . . 

g.  Parker 


Long,   narrow  fronds, 

bifid    pinniu,    bread 

crested  head. 

Many  .     . .  Tlie  phimose  form  of 

Barrow  the    species,    sjilen- 

(1874)  didly  fuliose,   i|uitc* 
Hadwin    ..       barren,    and    the 

(1875)  pinnie  divided  into 
OaLeley    . .       long,    overlapping 

(iy(5«)  segments.     The 

Preston    . .       three     first  -  named 
(lt)71)  forms    are    distinct 

in  detail,  and  by 
far  the  finest.  ( 'ak- 
leyjc  is  a  d\\»if 
edition.  All  aie 
gems.  Hadwinii  is 
distinguished  by 
olituse  lipped  5t■^- 
nients  :  Prest  on  i  i 
has  them  lunger  and 
very  acute. 
Curnwall..  Whj  te  and  Yery  finely  dividid 
others (1S(37)  into  linear  seg- 
ments; usually 
.  reverts  eiTatically 
to  normal  in  places. 
Fertile,  liut  Ihe  ini- 
pruved  forms  weie 
all,  we  believe,  I  ai?ed 
fiom  divisions. 

—  Clapham..  More    finely  divided; 

(r.)  apt  to  get  coarse. 

—  Fowler  (r.)  ,,  ., 

—  Uariies  (r  ).  Fronds    broader    ai  d 

more   foliose,  but 
finely  cut. 
~  LuL-khuuse    Elegantissimum    k'pt 

true     by    sclectii  n- 
Probabiy  the  best  of 
all    the    section  ;    a 
gem. 
Perry  (li<54)  Prettily  crested  at  all 

tips. 
Morley     ..  Crested,   but  less 

maTkeUly. 
Mnllins    ..  Citri'.usly  and  I'ruadly 
(ly7o)  r;'moso  in  all  fr*  nds, 

coarse. 
Heavily    tassclleil, 

capitate  head. 
Ditto.     Finest  fuim. 


Dorset 


Grange     . 
Somerset . 


Clewartli 

(1870) 

ilrs.  Fox 

^ISGS) 
Parker 
(18.^4) 


Ilutchisunii  .  Carmar- 


Huge    spreading,  ter- 
minal   crests,    with 
crispy    tips,    uftcii 
no  pinnic ;  unique. 
Hutchison.  Itesembles     tricho- 
then       (188'J)  manoides,  with  lax 

apex. 


454 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  22,  1901. 


^ante. 


Locality. 


Flntlir  iir 
Raifier  and 

Dale. 
Di uery 


longipin-  Killarney 

natiim 

niaci-ostacliyaCo.  Clare..  U Kelly 


multifldo  —         Clapliam . 

elesatitissi- 
mum 

omnilacerum  Milnthorp. 
Aldreiiii 

o.  Bennett  . .  Guodi-icli 
f'astle 

o.  snpeibuni.  Curnwall  . 


pulcheni- 

mum 


r.  Watsun    . . 
semilacerum 

s.  gvande 


Wliit- 
harrow . 


Several 


Aldren 
(1873) 

Bennett  . 
(1S4S) 

Williams. 
(11)00) 

('u«  tiurn  . 
(1801) 


Addisim 
(ISUl) 


Ilillnian 

(181)0) 

^\'atson 

Several 


Wickluw  . .  (1802) 


Athlone  .. 
Whit- 
barrow 
trnncatum  Levens     . . 


s.  Loweii     . 
s.  robustura 


D  .sciipliijn. 

Very  ImiR.  attenuate 
pinnules;  frond 
6  inches  wide. 

Very  distinct  and  con- 
stant ;  upper  third 
of  frond  undivided. 

A  cross  between  cor- 
nubiense  and  birtdu- 
cris  t  atum  ,  i.e.,  a 
crested  cornubiense. 

Grand  divided  variety 
when  in  form,  but 
very  rarely  seen  so. 

Very  fine ;  far  better 
than  last  when  in 
form. 

A  raagnilicent  form, 
robust ;  pinnules 
2  inches  long. 

Intermediate  between 
caml'ricum  and  pul- 
cherrinium ;  slightly 
fertile. 

A  splendid  tripinnati- 
tid  variety  *(  la  cam- 
bricum,  but  coarser 
and  fertile. 

Branches  repeatedly ; 
nice  form. 

Twice  divided,  bipin- 
natilid. 

A  magniticent  form  ; 
fronds  finely  cut, 
circular,  and  huge, 
12  inches  across. 

Dense  imbricate. 

Splendid  foliose  form. 


s.  undulatum  — 

serra  . .  Lanes. 


Col.  Lowe 
Barnes     . 

(1S()3) 

J  .M. Barnes  i'rond  and  pinuie  trun- 

(1803)  cate  and  horned. 

—  Densely  lohed. 

Wilson     ..  Fine    foliose,    serrate 

form. 

AND      0.\K 


The  Beech  Fern  (?.  pheuuptekis 
Fern  (P.  dkyopteris). 
The  Beech  Fern  and  Oak  Fern,  the  latter  espe- 
cially, form  charming  specimens  if  grown  in  pans 
in  loose  leafy  compost.  The  soft  nioonshiny  green 
of  the  Oak  Fern,  coupled  with  its  pretty  habit, 
constitute  it  one  of  those  rarities  when  even  the 
veriest  variety  hunter  hardly  wishes  to  see  other 
than  it  is  in  its  native  simplicity.  It  does  splen- 
didly in  a  Wardian  case  given  plenty  of  light  but 
no  sun.  There  are  no  varieties.  The  Beech  Fern 
has  afforded  one  worth  noting,  viz.  : 

Name.         Localitij.       ^Ku,"".'^  Dcscriptim. 

multlHdum..  Burton     ..  .I.Jones  ..  Slightly     but     con- 
stantly   multifid  at 
tips  of  fronds. 
C.  T.  Drobky. 


structure  in  which  the  Begonia  is  to  flower.  Such 
choice  colours  are  now  available  that  they  supply 
all  that  is  required  to  please  the  eye.  In  arranging 
the  plants,  which  in  most  instances  are  just 
showing  colour,  care  should  be  taken  to  make  the 
various  shades  harmonise,  that  when  finished  the 
whole  may  present  a  pleasing  spectacle.  The 
largest  of  the  double-flowered  section  will  require 
slight  support,  and  this  should  take  the  form  of 
neatly-pointed  sticks  with  a  V-shaped  notch  at 
the  point  in  which  the  stem  snugly  rests,  which 
if  left  undisturbed  will  support  the  heaviest 
flowers.  Should,  however,  the  plants  have  to  be 
taken  to  a  flowsr  show  the  stems  should  be  secured 
to  the  stick  by  a  piece  of  fine  string,  and  it  is 
further  advised  to  lay  a  small  pillow  of  cotton 
wool  under  the  stem.  Liberal  feeding  should  at 
all  times  be  given  of  farmyard  manure,  with  a  dash 
of  pure  guano  alternately  with  Clay's  Fertiliser 
added. 

Tree  Carnations. 

These  will  be  making  satisfactory  growth,  and 
care  should  be  taken  that  they  are  kept  absolutely 
clean,  as  the  least  check  now  will  tell  against 
them  when  the  flowering  Season  ari'ives.  Moderate 
feeding  until  the  pots  are  well  filled  with  roots  is 
recommended,  and  in  syringing,  especially  the  last 
for  the  day,  which  should  be  immediately  before 
leaving  work,  use  a  little  soot  in  the  water. 

Exotic  Ferns. 

(irowth  here  will  be  rampant,  and  the  frequent 
damping  of  paths,  walls,  &c.,  must  be  diligently 
attended  to.  JSIany  plants  having  now  overgrown 
the  space  allotted  tliem  at  an  earlier  date,  more 
room  must  necessarily  be  allowed.  A  few  Bracienas 
and  Rex  Begonias  dotted  judiciously  about  give  a 
varied  appearance  to  the  arrangement. 

J.  F.  JIcLeou. 

Dover  Home  Garden.s,  Eoehamplon. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

INDOOR    GARDEN. 

Gloxinias. 

SEEDLINGS  at  present  in  liA-inch  and 
3-inch  pots  should  be  shifted  into  45-inch, 
which  will  be  quite  large  enough.  Under 
good  treatment  the  plants  will  make  a 
good  display  at  the  end  of  July  and  in 
August.  The  soil  as  before  recommended, 
slightly  rougher  in  te.xture  and  with  a  little  more 
manure  .idded,  will  answer  well.  A  position  of 
comparative  shade  with  a  moist  atmosphere  should 
be  chosen,  but  a  too  frequent  application  ot  the 
syringe  is  apt  to  rot  the  leaves,  and  should  be 
guarded  against.  The  main  batch  will  now  be 
making  a  fine  display,  and  any  really  good  varieties 
duly  noted  should  be  increased  by  means  of  the 
leaves  which,  if  removed  and  placed  stem  down- 
wards around  the  sides  of  pans  well  filled  up  with 
sand  and  leaf-soil  or  peat  in  equal  parts,  will 
readily  take  root.  Failing  a  proper  propagating 
case,  in  which  even  with  the  best  attention  they 
are  apt  to  "  damp  off,"  a  position  under  Cucumber 
plants  in  a  house  makes  successful  rooting 
quarters. 

Beconias. 

Amongst  the  number  ot   plants  which   at  this 

season    claim    the   attention    of    the   grower   and 

gardener  is  the  Begonia,  and   little  more  than  a 

few  Palms  or  some  such  subject  is  required  in  the 


FKUIT  GAEDEN. 
Forcing  Strawberrie.s. 
No  sooner  is  the  latest  batch  of  forced  plants 
cleared  out  of  the  houses  or  pits  than  the  work  of 
preparation  for  another  season  commences.  Eveiy 
grower  is  glad  to  see  the  end  of  the  forcing  plants, 
as  in  .June  the  heat  causes  red  spider  and  other 
pests  to  increase.  All  forcing  pits  or  frames 
should  be  well  cleansed  after  the  plants  are 
removed,  and,  if  possible,  paint  the  wood  work. 
But  my  advice  now  more  closely  concerns  the 
plants  for  next  season,  and  the  earlier  the  runners 
can  be  secured  the  better.  In  our  own  case,  need- 
ing fruit  early,  and  some  thousands  of  plants,  we 
begin  layering  as  early  as  possible  in  June — of 
course,  mj'  note  is  from  a  southerner's  point  of  view 
— in  the  north  the  work  would  be  later.  Again, 
some  of  my  readers  may  say  there  are  no  runners 
at  the  season  named,  and  there  are  not  many  if 
the  plants  are  fruited.  We  layer  from  plants  that 
were  disbudded,  that  is,  had  the  flower  trusses 
removed,  and  these  give  strong  runners  weeks  in 
advance  of  fruiting  plants. 

M0DE.S  ov  Layering. 
As  long  as  one  secures  a  strong  rooted  layer  any 
system  may  be  adopted.  We  still  layer  into  3  inch 
pots,  and  iind  nothing  better.  The  pots  are  not 
crocked,  merely  rough  pieces  of  fibrous  loam  placed 
in  the  bottom,  and  the  compost— good  loam  with  a 
little  spent  Mushroom  manure— mixed  with  it. 
This  is  made  firm  and  the  pots  partially  sunk 
between  the  rows  of  plants,  leaving  every  other 
row  free  for  watering.  To  get  a  good  hold  of  the 
soil  the  layers  are  pegged  down  firmly,  and  are 
never  allowed  to  become  (juite  dry.  Treated  thus 
they  root  in  a  short  time,  and  will  be  ready  for 
their  fruiting  pots  in  four  weeks"  time.  When 
rooted  they  may  be  detached  from  the  plants  and 
placed  in  the  .shade  for  a  short  time.  Other  modes 
of  layering,  such  as  by  cutting  turf  into  squares, 
and  plunging  between  the  rows  of  plants  and 
pegging  the  runners  into  the  turf  ;  treated  thus 
more  care  is  needed  when  the  plants  are  cut  from 
the  parents  to  prevent  flagging.  Good  loani  placed 
between  the  rows  and  the  runners  pegged  into  the 
new  soil  will  save  labour.     Many  good  growers  also 


layer  direct  into  the  fruiting  pots.  I  do  not  advise 
it  by  any  means,  as  when  the  weather  is  wet  the 
larger  mass  of  soil  gets  sour.  \\'orms  are  trouble- 
some, and  there  are  more  losses  than  when  the 
other  systems  noted  are  adopted. 

Strawberry  eor  Permanent  Beds. 

jNluch  the  same  advice  holds  good  as  advised  for 
pot  culture.  To  obtain  strong  plants  for  planting 
out  we  have  for  years  relied  largely  on  one  year  old 
plants  for  our  best  fruit ;  plant  as  early  as  possible 
to  obtain  the  best  runners.  Renew  Strawberry 
{quarters  more  frequently  than  is  often  done,  and 
have  a  deep  root  run  and  plenty  of  food.  Plants 
grown  thus  are  less  afl'ected  by  soils  and  climatic 
influences.  Another  point  in  their  culture  is  to 
give  new  (juarters  when  making  new  beds.  We 
have  a  poor  thin  soil  to  deal  with,  and  do  not  plant 
in  the  same  ground  for  some  years.  Land  that  is 
intended  for  new  Strawberry  quarters  should  be 
deeply  dug,  and  if  there  is  the  least  trace  of  wire 
worm  the  ground  will  need  liberal  applications  of 
lime  and  soot.  Few  pests  are  worse  than  wire 
worm  in  Strawberry  beds.  G.   Wytiies. 

Syon  Home  Uardeii-'i,  Brentford. 

THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
Specimen  Conifers. 
The  young  growth  of  many  of  these  is  exception- 
ally brittle,  the  leaders  being  liable  to  be  broken  oft' 
through  birds  settling  on  them  or  by  high  winds. 
The  former  source  of  damage  may  be  prevented  by 
tying  to  the  main  stem  a  small  pointed  Bamboo 
with  its  pointed  end  standing  well  above  the  new 
growth,  as  this  prevents  the  birds  from  resting  on 
the  top  of  the  tree.  In  spite  of  all  precautions 
leaders  get  broken,  Ijut  the  damage  may  be  to  some 
extent  repaired  by  selecting  the  strongest  of  the 
side  growths,  and  tying  it  upright,  when  it 
becomes  tough  enough  to  withstand  the  pressure 
brought  to  bear  in  doing  so.  At  the  same  time  it 
is  well  to  rub  out  a  few  of  the  strongest  leads 
from  the  upper  set  of  branches  formed  last  year  to 
prevent  these  from  robbing  the  improvised  leader 
too  much  ;  the  weaker  side-breaks  will  grow  quite 
fast  enough  to  keep  the  balance  right,  and  in  a 
year  or  two  the  loss  of  the  lead  will  not  be  notice- 
able. One  of  the  most  brittle  of  the  Conifers,  and 
one  to  which  the  above  remarks  will  apply  most 
strongly  is  the  lovely  Abies  Engelmanni  glauca. 

Pyrethrums. 

By  cutting  all  the  flowering  stems  away  quite 
down  to  the  base,  directly  the  flowers  have  faded, 
most  of  the  varieties  of  Pyrethrum  roseum  may  be 
induced  to  give  a  good  second  crop  of  most  useful 
flowers  during  the  autumn  months.  This  cutting 
down  should  not  be  postponed  a  day  longer  than  is 
necessary,  and  when  the  plants  have  again  com- 
menced to  grow  they  may  be  helped  by  watering 
ill  dry  weather  and  by  mulching  with  a  coating  of 
good  short  manure.  Where  cut  flowers  are  much 
ill  request  the  slight  labour  entailed  by  this  will 
be  well  repaid. 

Trailing  Plants. 

Even  in  gardens  where  no  pretence  to  growing 
plants  in  a  formal  way  is  made,  it  is  necessary  to 
peg  down  the  earliest  made  shoots  of  Verbenas, 
Ivy-leaved  (ieraniiims,  and  things  of  that  sort  to 
protect  them  from  being  broken  or  twisted  with 
the  wind,  and  this  pegging  is  in  many  cases  a  direct 
assistance  in  culture,  for  many  of  the  plants  root 
afresh  from  joints  of  shoots  that  are  brought  into 
direct  contact  with  the  soil.  After  being  pegged 
over  once  or  twice  they  may  be  allowed  to  grow  at 
will,  and  will  then  take  on  a  natural  appearance. 
Clipping  Evergreens. 

Where  Evergreens,  such  as  Box,  Yew,  and  the 
like  are  used  as  hedges,  or  as  solitary  specimens 
clipped  into  shape,  this  will  be  a  good  time  to 
commence  the  summer  clipping.  Box  may  safely 
be  clipped  fairly  hard  now,  as  tlie  new  growth  will 
have  time  to  ripen  before  winter,  but  any  sub- 
sequent operations  should  be  confined  to  keeping 
stronger  growths  within  bounds,  for  in  cold 
districts  new  growth  made  late  in  the  year  often 
suffers  badly  in  winter. 


June  22,  1901, 


THE    GAKDEN. 


455 


'ri.e  dry  wciilher  lias  been  very  niucli  agaiiisl 
seed  sowing  operations.  Many  hardy  annuals 
which  have  been  recommended  for  sowing  earlier 
may  still  be  put  in,  and  among  other  things  that 
should  not  be  overlcjoked  are  Wallflowers  and 
Aquilegias  ;  the  improvements  in  the  latter  make 
it  necessary  to  renew  the  stock  t're(iuently  in  order 
to  be  up  to  date  in  the  waj'  of  variety.  Wall- 
flowers sown  year  after  year  on  the  same  plot  make 
the  ground  sick,  more  esjiecially  where  there  is  a 
deficiency  of  lime,  and  a  change  of  plot  both  for 
seed  sowing  and  for  planting  to  flower  should  be 
given  whenever  there  is  a  falling  oft'  in  the  way 
the  plants  grow,  and  they  should  never  follow  any 
of  the  Brassica  tribe  if  this  can  be  avoided. 

J.  C.  Tallavk. 

Shipley  Hall,  Gardeiia,  Derhij. 


resting  must  not  become  very  dry,  fur  if  allowed 
to  get  into  a  very  shrivelled  condition  it  is  not 
easy  to  restore  into  a  plump  and  healthy  state. 

F.   W.   'I'llURCOUIl. 

Jfoss/yn  (jiirilciin,  k/itmford  Hilt,  N. 


O  11  C  H  I  D  S . 

Cattleyas. 
The  Cattleyas  form  a  magnificent  geiuis,  both  on 
account  of  the  size  of  the  flowers  and  also  from 
their  rich  and  varied  colours.  In  addition  to  these 
(jualifications,  they  are,  with  few  exceptions,  easy 
to  manage.  The  plants  require  a  moist  atmosphere 
and  plenty  of  water  at  the  root  during  the  growing 
season.  The  temperature  should  then  range  from 
(30*  to  7U*  by  night  and  from  7<('''  to  V^*-'  by  day, 
rising  considerably  above  these  figures  Ijy  sun  heat. 
The  plants,  though  lovers  of  light,  should  be  well 
shaded,  except  for  a  short  time  during  the  morning 
and  evening,  when  the  sun  is  not  very  powerful. 
Air  should  be  carefully  admitted  by  top  and 
bottom  ventilators  on  all  favourable  occasions, 
when  the  temperature  has  risen  to  the  desired 
degree.  The  majority  of  Cattleyas  may  be 
repotted  when  commencing  to  grow,  and  the 
operation  should  be  performed  as  with  other 
epiphytal  Orchids.  Kqual  proportions  of  peat  and 
sphagnum  moss  should  be  used  as  compost,  and 
not  too  much  placed  about  their  roots.  As  soon  as 
the  plants  have  finished  growth  they  will  then 
have  a  long  season  of  rest,  and  during  that  time  a 
cooler  temperature  is  necessary  and  less  water 
should  be  applied  to  the  roots,  but  should  not  be 
withheld  so  as  to  cause  shrivelling  of  the  pseudo- 
bulbs.  The  temperature  during  spring  and  autumn 
should  be  from  60'  to  bo"  by  night  and  from  65°  to 
7U°  by  day,  during  winter  60°  by  night  and  65°  by 
day. 

Oaltleya  gigas,  as  the  name  indicates,  is  the 
largest  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful.  Though 
rather  a  shy  bloomer  it  is  easy  to  cultivate,  and 
should  be  grown  in  pans  or  baskets  suspended  from 
the  roof  at  the  warmest  end  of  the  house,  and  in 
the  Very  lightest  position  obtainable,  or  in  pots 
stood  on  stages  which  will  admit  of  their  being  in 
a  similar  position.  As  the  time  of  starting  into 
growth  varies  considerably  with  different  species 
so  also  as  a  matter  of  course  will  the  season  of  rest 
vary  also.  C.  gigas,  C.  gaskelliana,  C.  schilleriana, 
and  C.  Warnerii  commence  to  grow  early  in  the 
season,  and  in  consequence  will  have  their  new 
pseudo-bulbs  fully  developed  when  many  others 
are  only  commencing  to  grow.  As  soon  as  these 
species  have  finished  growth  place  them  at  the 
coolest,  driest,  and  airiest  part  of  the  house  and 
keep  them  somewhat  drier  at  the  root.  It  is  then 
a  good  ti  me  to  repot  any  of  the  above  species  that 
may  require  it,  as  it  is  then  the  plants  emit  new 
roots  from  the  base  of  the  newly-developed  pseudo- 
bulb.  Catlleya  gigas  and  other  species  that 
finish  their  growth  early  will  frequently  again 
commence  to  grow,  but  this  should  be  avoided  if 
possible,  and  can  in  a  measure  be  prevented 
by  keeping  the  plants  drier  at  the  roots  and  in  a 
cooler  temperature  and  drier  atmosphere.  When 
this  cannot  be  prevented,  and  the  plants  do  again 
start  growing,  they  should  have  every  encourage- 
ment to  develop  and  mature  a  large  pseudo-bulb. 

Cattleya  superba  is  a  very  handsome  dwarf- 
growing  species,  requiring  more  heat  and  moisture 
than  the  majority  of  Cattleyas  ;  it  should  be  grown 
in  pans  or  baskets  suspended  from  the  roof,  in  the 
stove  or  hottest  house,  where  it  should  remain  all 
the  year.  It  requires  an  abundance  of  water  at 
the  root  during  the  growing  season,   and  when 


INSECT    PESTS. 

THE  ASPARAGUS  BEETLE. 

(CrIOC'KRIS    ASl'AKAIII. ) 

8PAKAGUS  plants  are  often  considerably 

injured    by   the   grubs  of   this  insect, 

which    feed    upon     the     foliage,    and 

therefore    weaken    the    plants.       The 

beetles   lay   their   eggs   on   the  young 

shoots,   the  grubs  are  hatched   in   the 

about  a  week  or  ten   days,  and  at  once 

feed  on  the   "grass."     The  best  way  to 

lestroy  this  insect  is  by  spraying  the  plants  with 

Paris  green  or  paraffin   emulsion.     The  shoots  on 


as  beetles,  egj.;s,  and  grubs  are  all  found  on  the 
plants  at  the  same  time,  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
be  certain  on  this  point. 


THE    ASPARAGU.S    BEETLE. 

1.  Asparagus  beetle  enlartied.      -'.  Grub  enlarged.     J.  Egg 

enlarged,    k.  Sprig  of  Asparagus  sl>uivm{i  eggs  and 

grabs  natural  sue. 

which  the  grubs  are  feeding  may  be  cut  oft'  and 
placed  in  a  basket,  to  be  afterwards  burnt  or 
crushed.  When  Asparagus  is  being  cut,  a  good 
look-out  should  be  kept  for  the  beetles,  which  will 
then  be  just  beginning  to  make  their  appearance, 
or  later  on  they  can  easily  be  shaken  oft'  the  plants 
into  an  open  umbrella.  At  the  least  alarm  they 
fall  to  the  ground  feigning  to  be  dead,  and  lying 
quite  motionless.  The  eggs  may  easily  be  found 
after  a  little  practice,  as  they  are  of  a  dark  shining 
brown  colour,  skittle  shaped,  about  one-twentieth 
of  an  inch  in  length,  and  stand  out  at  right  angles 
to  the  leaves.  The  grubs,  when  they  have  attained 
their  full  size,  are  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch 
in  length,  their  heads  black,  and  their  bodies  of  a 
greenish  slate  colour,  and  gradually  increase  in 
size  until  quite  close  to  the  tail.  The  beetle  is 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  long,  the  head  and  legs  are 
bluish  black,  the  forebody  reddish  brown^  in 
colour,  and  the  wing  cases  are  yellow  When 
closed  there  is  a  bluish  black  central  stripe,  and 
there  are  three  spots  of  the  same  colour  on  each 
wing  case.  The  chrysalis  is  formed  in  the  ground 
within  a  thin  cocoon,  and  there  are  probably  two 
or  three  generations  in  the  course  of  the  year  ;  but 


BULBOUS      PLANTS     IN 
CALIFORNIA. 

In  the  autumn  ni  IDOoCaliforniiiliad  oarly  and 
abundant  rain.s,  followed  by  weatlier  iihuno- 
menally  warm  and  open.  Aljout  ('liri.stinas  a 
change  for  the  colder  came,  and  .January, 
I'^ebruary,  and  early  March  were  as  severe  a.s 
the  early  winter  had  been  warm.  The  hardi- 
ness of  many  thing.s  was  .severely  te.sted,  and 
ill  all  gardens  many  half-hardy  plants  which 
had  survived  milder  winters  were  killed. 

March  brought  warmer  weather,  and  deci- 
duous fruits,  which  were  advanced  by  the  warm 
autumn,  were  hurried  into  bloom,  only  to  be 
caught  by  an  unusually  heavy  frost  in  A[)ril. 
The  total  crop  of  California  will  be  from  one- 
fourth  thatot'lDOU  to  a  total  failure;  Pears 
likewise.  All  deciduous  fruits  will  bear  lightly 
this  year,  and  Grapes  were  somewhat  injured. 
On  the  other  hand.  Citrus  fruits  are  not  hurt, 
and  the  Olive  crop,  now  one  of  great  value, 
will  be  good.  Seasonable  rains  failed  in  March 
and  April,  but  came  in  ilay  in  time  for  earliest 
vegetables. 

My  garden  at  Lyons  Valley  shows  the  etfect 
of  the  severe  frost  and  drought  in  jilaces,  yet 
generally  the  growth  is  good.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  the  bttlbous  plants  ai'e  better  for 
a  cold  close  winter  and  late  spring. 

The  Narcissus  were  in  full  flower  in  early 
April  and  were  very  fine.  I  should  have  much 
liked  to  challenge  comparisons  of  the  best  with 
your  English  prize  flowers,  yet  the  soil  was 
not  what  your  best  growers  recommended. 
They  were  in  very  deep  loose  .soil,  which  is 
altogether  too  dry  in  summer,  but  maintains  a 
good  degree  of  moisture  in  winter  when  the 
Narcissus  is  growing  here. 

All  of  the  section  of  Narcissi  do  well,  and 
some  of  the  all-white  trumpets,  which  1  am 
told  are  not  too  vigorous  with  you,  are  as 
healthy  apparently  as  any. 

The  Erythroniums  were  at  their  best  just 
before  the  heavy  frost  of  April.  I  grow  only 
the  Pacific  Coast  species,  and  the  growth  was 
a  distinct  advance  on  that  of  1900,  good  as  it 
was.  Perhaps  the  most  pileasing  show  to  an 
Engli-sh  Hower-lover  would  have  been  my  beds 
containing  about  one  hundred  thousand  of  the 
pretty  cream-coloured  E.  giganteum,  all  a  mass 
of  bloom,  E.  revolutum  var.  Watsonii,  E.  revo- 
lutum  Johnsonii,  the  type  E.  revolutum, 
E.  Hartwegii,  E.  citrinum,  and  E.  Hendersonii 
were  alike  fine,  but  I  believe  that  of  all  the 
Erythroniums  I  have  grown  the  finest  are 
certain  plants  of  a  strain  midway  between 
E.  giganteum  and  E.  revolutum  Watsonii. 
There  are  occasional  plants  in  which  the 
ground  colour  is  very  piale  cream  (almost 
white)  marked  at  the  base  with  rich  inaroon  in 
a  way  suggestive  of  a  Tigridia.  The  leaves  are 
richly  mottled,  the  flowers  bold,  well  recurved, 
and  of  a  good  substance,  several  on  a  stalk.  A 
few  years  of  selection  to  fix  this  variation  will 
give  the  most  charming  of  all  Dog's-tooth 
Violets. 

I  notice  in  your  issue  of  May  4  that  Ery- 
thronium  giganteum  var.  Haitwegii  was  gi\en 
an  award  of  merit  on  April  23  by  the  lioyal 
Horticultural  Society.  E.  Hartwegii  should 
not  be  confused  with  E.  giganteum,  for  its 
sessile  umbels  and  habit  of  ott'-setting  make  it 
perhaps  the  most  distinct  of  Pacific  Coast 
species.  Observation  in  my  special  line 
convinces  me  that  the  line  between  .species  is 
nowhere  sharply  defined,  but  that  they  merge 
into  each  other  by  imperceptible  gradations. 


456 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  22,  1901. 


Viewed  from  this  standpoint  it  is  a  simple 
matter  of  convenience  whether  we  make 
genera,  species,  or  varieties,  and  certainly  where 
the  difference  can  be  readily  defined  a  binomial 
is  more  convenient  than  a  trinomial. 

This  is  the  first  season  that  I  have^  had 
Camassias  in  variety  at  the  Lyons  Valley 
mountain  garden.  At  the  upper  edge  of  the 
garden  a  spring  flows  through  the  winter  and 
early  spring.  Below  it  i.s  a  chalky  soil  ;  in  the 
centre  of  the  garden  a  second  spring  is 
perennial;  and  below  this  is  a  loose  fluffy  soil, 
rich  in  vegetable  matter  and  quite  sandy. 
Camassias  did  surprisingly  well  in  both 
locations. 

Of  Camassia  Leichtlinii,  I  had  five  distinct 
strains,  and  there  are  doubtless  others.  A 
stalk  of  C.  Leichtlinii  alba  (which,  by  the  way, 
is  cream-coloured)  was  4i;i  inches  high,  with 
about  one  hundred  buds  and  blossoms,  and 
others  were  not  far  liehind.  The  U.  Leichtlinii 
varieties  are  in  shades  varying  from  blue  to 
deep  purple  and  cream.  The  cream-coloured 
form  seems  to  have  been  first  described,  and 
would  properly  be  the  type  of  the 
species,  and  the  blue  and  purple 
forms  variations,  although  I  imagine 
the  common  nomenclature  would 
better  please  gardeners. 

Of  Camassia  esculenta  I  have  seven 
variations,  each  indigenous  to  some 
portion  of  the  Pacific  Coast  of  North 
America.  The  habit  varies  consider- 
ably, while  the  colour  ranges  from 
pale  to  deep  blue  and  through  the 
shades  of  purple,  with,  of  course, 
white  sports.  Camassia  Leichtlinii 
has  a  nearly  regular  fiower,  and  the 
wilted  segments  twist  closely  about 
the  capsule,  while  in  (J.  esculenta  the 
fiower  is  decidedly  irregular  and  the 
faded  petals  fall  down  in  a  straggling 
way. 

The  plant  which  I  have  introduced 
as  Camassia  montana  is  a  form  of 
C.  Leichtlinii  growing  f2  inches  to 
18  inches  high,  flowering  late  and 
with  flowers  of  a  clear  pale  blue.  Its 
native  home  is  in  wet  meadows  in 
the  high  range  east  of  Ukiah,  Cali- 
fornia. It  is  very  pretty,  but  not  as 
good  as  forms  of  C.  Leichtlinii  from 
Oregon  and  Washington,  U.S.A. 

Captain  Keid's  notes  on  Lilium 
Parryi  tempt  me  to  anticipate  a 
fuller  treatment  of  the  subject  by 
a  few  notes  on  the  culture  of 
L.  Parryi.  I  once  wrote  to  a  collector  who 
had  sent  me  some  particularly  fine  bulbs  of 
L.  Parryi  to  learn  the  exact  condition.s  under 
which  they  grew  in  a  deep  alluvial  deposit  of 
.sand,  grit,  charcoal,  and  leaf-mould  close  to 
running  water.  Captain  Reid  very  closely 
appro.Kimated  the  natural  soil  and  he  was 
fortunate  in  not  making  a  bog  of  his  bog 
garden.  Lilium  Parryi  is  not  a  bog  Lily  at  all, 
and  while  it  might  be  found  growing  beside  a 
bog  its  natural  tastes  are  otherwise,  and  the 
highest  degree  of  success  will  never  be  attained 
in  a  bog.  It  is  mostly  found  in  an  altitude  of 
from  7,000  feet  to  10,000  feet  in  the  San 
Bernardino  range  of  Southern  California,  where 
it  grows  along  the  banks  of  living  streams  and 
in  alpine  meadows,  in  a  soil  about  two-thirds 
granite  sand  and  one-third  peat  or  mould. 
In  such  situations  it  is  usually  a  one  to  three- 
flowered  species,  and  it  is  where  a  chance 
alluvial  deposit  gives  liberal  conditions  that 
the  large  plants  are  found.  As  described  and 
figured  L.  Parryi  is  spotted  with  maroon,  but 
I  find  many  of  the  flowers  are  unspotted. 
Ukiah,  Califonua.  Caul  Purd'y. 


EARLY    STRAWBERRIES. 

A  GOOD  early  crop  of  Strawlrerries  is  a  valuable 
asset  in  most  gardens,  for  from  tne  time  the  supply 
of  fruit  from  plants  grown  under  glass  is  exhausted 
until  Strawberries  are  plentiful  out  of  doors  there 
is  invariably  a  serious  diminution  in  the  gatherings, 
and  often  a  complete  break.  There  are  two  points 
to  be  observed  if  the  critical  period  in  the  Straw- 
berry season  is  to  be  safely  tided  over  i  the  one 
is  to  have  a  suitable  stock  of  good  early  varieties 
out  of  doors^  and  the  other  to  have  a  cold  frame 
planted  with  strong  plants.  These  latter  and  the 
early  outdoor  varieties  should,  if  they  are  both 
successfully  treated,  make  ends  meet. 

First  a  few  words  as  to  the  occupants  of  the  cold 
frame.  The  soil  in  this  must  be  well  prepared  the 
previous  August  by  digging  in  plenty  of  farmyard 
manure,  for  the  Strawberry  delights  in  good  rich 
soil.  JIake  the  latter  firm  before  planting  ;  well- 
rooted  layers  six  or  eight  weeks  old  are  the  best 
plants  to  use  for  filling  the  cold  pit,  and  it  is  an 
advantage  to  have  them  planted  in  September,  so 
that  they  may  have  an  opportunity  of  getting  hold 
of  the  soil  before  winter  sets  in.  Unless  they  are 
well   established   in    the   autumn   they  will  never 


becoming  hard,  as  Strawberries  are  then  apt  to  do. 
I  have  found  no  two  varieties  better  for  this  pur- 
pose than  Royal  Sovereign  and  La  t  irosse  Sucree. 
Both  bear  remarkably  good  crops,  and  both  are 
handsome  and  palatable  fruits. 

This  system  of  culture  is  (piite  simple,  and  besides 
being  valuable  in  bridging  over  the  time  between 
the  finish  of  the  indoor  crop  and  the  commence- 
ment of  the  outdoor  one,  it  is  one  that  might  with 
great  advantage  be  practised  by  amateuis  and 
others  who  have  not  the  acconmiodation  for  culti- 
vating forced  Strawberries  in  glass  houses.  If 
the  soil  is  made  firm  before  planting,  and  has 
been  well  enriched,  the  plants  made  firm  also, 
the  frame  kept  cjuite  cool,  the  flowers  protected 
from  frost,  &c. ,  a  good  crop  of  fruit  may  invariably 
be  expected. 

Much  can  also  be  done  to  hasten  the  ripening  of 
the  early  Strawberries  out  of  doors,  Init  of  various 
methods  tried  nothing  gives  such  satisfactory 
results  as  a  narrow  south  border  at  the  foot  of  a 
high  garden  wall.  If  this  can  be  secured  there 
should  not  be  much  danger  of  obtaining  a  good 
crop  of  fruits  early  in  .June,  that  is  if  the  weather 
is  not  exceptionally  untoward.  It  is  surprising  how 
much  benefit  the  plants  derive,  so  far  as  the  early 


STRAWIiEKKY   ROYAL   SOVEREIGN. 


produce  a  satisfactory  crop  of  fruit  the  following 
spring.  Allow  12  inches  between  each  plant  in  the 
rows,  and  place  the  rows  •!  feet  apart.  Attend  to 
the  plants  with  care  for  a  week  or  two,  watering 
them  carefully  and  shading  if  necessary.  Keep  the 
frame  perfectly  cold  throughout  winter,  and,  except 
during  very  rough  and  wet  or  snowy  weather,  allow 
the  sashes  to  remain  off  altogether.  Weeds  will 
quickly  make  their  appearance  when  the  weather 
becomes  warmer,  and  these,  together  with  all 
runners  (unless  required),  should  be  cleared  away. 
If  a  good  number  of  Strawberry  plants  are  forced 
under  glass,  giving  a  supply  of  fruit  until  early 
.June,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  hasten  the  flowering 
of  the  plants  in  the  cold  frame  at  all. 

All  that, is  necessary  is  to  pull  on  the  sashes  as 
soon  as  the  flower  scapes  begin  to  push  up.  (iive 
all  the  air  possible  consistent  with  the  proper 
protection  of  the  flowers  from  cold  rain  and  wind, 
and  they  will  set  quite  freely.  If  after  the  fruits 
are  forward  it  is  found  necessary  to  hasten  their 
ripening  somewhat,  this  can  easily  be  done  by 
closing  the  frame  early  in  the  afternoon  when  the 
sun  is  still  shining  upon  it.  Well  syringe  the 
fruits  daily  when  they  are  swelling ;  moisture 
at  this  stage  of  growth  appears  to  assist  in  their 
development  very  considerably,  and  prevents  their 


production  of  fruit  is  concerned,  from  such  a 
situation.  When  the  flowers  make  their  appear- 
ance, provision  should  be  made  for  rolling  a 
canvas  over  them  at  night ;  a  covering  of  this 
kind  will  protect  the  blooms  from  a  good  deal  of 
frost. 

The  easiest  method  of  arrangement  is  to  fix  a  few 
short  stakes,  about  1  foot  from  the  ground,  at  the 
top  and  bottom  of  the  border,  and  connect  them 
with  thin  pieces  of  wood  ;  upon  these  the  canvas  can 
quickly  be  rolled  in  the  evening  and  removed  in 
the  morning. 

A  good  mulch  applied  earlier  in  the  year 
will  have  a  very  beneficial  effect  upon  the  crop 
of  fruit  when  the  Strawberries  are  well  formed. 
To  some  extent  it  also  protects  the  plants,  and  it 
certainly  assists  in  forwarding  them  by  keeping 
the  roots  and  their  surroundings  warm.  Nohlo 
is  a  variety  that  with  me  will  turn  in  earlier 
than  any  other.  It  fruits  well,  bearing  very 
good  crops,  although  the  flavour  is  none  of 
the  best.  Royal  Sovereign  is  undoubtedly  the 
one  to  rely  upon  for  an  early  gathering  out  of 
doors.  Keen's  Seedling  may  also  be  planted 
with  advantage  as  an  early  variety,  and  these  could 
not  bo  followed  by  a  better  Strawberry  than  La 
Grosse  Sucree.  A.  P.  H. 


June  22,  1901. J 


THE    GARDEN. 


457 


NURSERY    GARDENS. 


ME.   H.   J.   JONES,   LEWISHAM, 

IT  is  for  Chrysanthemums  that  the  Ryecroft 
Nursery  is  best  known,  yet  Mr.  H.  .J.  .Jones 
does  not  confine  his  attention  to  these  alone. 
Many  other  plants  are  cjuite  as  well  grown, 
and  the  houses  which  during  the  winter  are 
filled  with  Chrysanthemums  were  at  the  time 
of  our  visit  bright  with  Begonias,  Pelargoniums, 
Cannas,  and  other  useful  stock.  In  fact,  there 
is  always  something  interesting  to  be  seen.  .Just 
now 

The   PELAKGONinMS 

are  the  most  interesting,  all  sections  being  well 
represented.  Taking  the  show  and  regal  varieties, 
these  occupy  one  large  span  house,  a  selection  of 
upwards  of  100  of  the  best  and  most  useful  varieties 
being  grown,  and  these  include  some  very  promising 
new  varieties.  We  noted  the  following  as  being 
among  the  best:— F.  Kellaway,  deep  rosy  cerise, 
with  a  dark  blotch  en  upper  petals  and  a  distinct 
light  heliotrope  shaded  margin  ;  I^ord  Kitchener, 
bright  crimson  with  a  dark  blotch  on  upper  petals  : 
Lady  Primrose,  rose  with  a  shading  of  mauve  and 
dark  upper  petals ;  White  Fanny  Edden,  pure 
white,  with  a  faint  blotch  of  pink  on  upper  petals  ; 
the  flowers  of  this  are  not  large,  but  it  is  very  free, 
and  the  flowers  stand  up  well.  Of  those  of  a  pink 
shade,  Mrs.  Mauser,  Mrs.  Hemsley,  and  Miss 
.Jessie  Cottee  are  good.  Of  older  varieties,  the 
best  whites  are  Snowflake,  Princess  Alexandra, 
Queen  of  Whites,  and  Kueharis,  the  last-named 
a  remarkably  fine  variety,  and  well  adapted  for 
cutting,  having  very  long  flower  stalks.  Among 
those  of  a  mauve  or  violet  shade  Viola  is  one  of 
the  best.  Hamlet  et  Ophelia  and  Mrs.  H.  M. 
Stanley  are  worthy  of  note.  Mme.  Thibaut,  a 
variety  with  large  full  flowers  of  a  rosy  pink  on 
a  white  ground,  was  the  first  of  a  very  distinct 
type,  with  crimped  or  corrugated  petals,  and 
there  are  now  some  varieties  of  various  shades, 
Albert  Victor,  Ruchess  of  Fife,  and  Duke  of 
Albany  being  good  examples.  The  variety  Dr. 
Masters  represents  another  very  distinct  type,  and 
though  the  first  of  its  class  it  is  still  one  of  the  best. 
Persimmon  is  another  of  this  type  with  very  bright 
crimson-sciirlet  flowers.  Unfortunately,  this  type 
does  not  always  flower  well,  but  when  seen  at  their 
best  they  are  very  fine.  Many  other  sorts  are 
worthy  of  note,  but  space  forbids. 

Ivy-LEAVED  Pelargoniums. 
About  sixty  of  the  double  and  semi-double 
varieties  are  grown,  and  these  include  such  fine 
sorts  as  Leopard,  which  recently  received  an  award 
of  merit  from  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  ; 
Baden  Powell,  large  flowers  of  a  soft  mauve  ;  Mrs. 
Hawley,  bright  cerise,  fine  full  double  flowers, 
which  promises  to  prove  a  good  market  variety  ; 
Mrs.  .J.  G.  Day,  bright  scarlet ;  Kate  Wilson,  white ; 
Mrs.  H.  .J.  Jones,  a  curious  variety  with  fringed 
petals  ;  Ryecroft  Surprise,  and  Achievement,  both 
of  which  originated  with  Mr.  Jones,  are  among  the 
best  of  this  class. 

ZOKALS. 

Nearly  .300  varieties  of  these  are  grown,  and 
include  almost  every  conceivable  shade  of  colour, 
both  in  singles  and  doubles,  all  the  newest  con- 
tinental and  English  varieties  being  grown.  Fire 
Dragon,  the  variety  from  Raspail,  with  Cactus-like 
flowers,  will  undoubtedly  become  a  standard 
variety  ;  Bertha  de  Presilly,  soft  flesh-pink,  is  of 
great  promise,  also  Fleure  de  Rose,  a  deeper  shade 
of  pink  ;  Fraicheur,  white  with  pink  margin  to 
petals,  a  good  type  of  a  Picotee.  In  the  singles, 
there  are  many  fine  additions  to  this  distinct 
section. 

Begonias. 
These  are  now  a  great  feature,  and  one  long 
house  is  filled  with  the  tuberous  kinds,  which 
represent  the  single  and  double  varieties  in  all 
shades  of  colour,  from  the  purest  white  to  deep 
crimson  flowers  of  enormous  size,  standing  up  well 
above  the  rich  green  foliage.  The  Piootee-edged 
doubles  are  remarkable  for  the  even  petals  and 
well-defined  margins.     Of  the  double  varieties  we 


noted  Purity,  Dr.  Shaw,  H.  A.  Needs,  1).  B.  Crane, 
Mrs.  Baxter,  Miss  Ellen  Terry,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Webb, 
and  H.  .1.  .Tones.  Many  of  the  unnamed  seedlings 
are  also  of  great  promise.  The  single  varieties 
consist  chiefly  of  selected  seedlings,  and  it  would 
seem  almost  impossible  to  make  further  advance, 
almost  every  shade  of  colour  being  seen  in  large 
erect  flowers,  the  orange,  amber,  and  apricot  shades 
being  worthy  of  note.  There  are  also  striped  and 
spotted  varieties,  and  the  whites  with  pink  edges 
to  the  petals  are  very  fine.  The  plants  grown  in  pots 
are  chiefly  for  saving  seed  from,  and  thousands  of 
seedlings  are  raised  annually.  These  are  planted 
in  the  open  ground,  and  as  they  flower  selections 
are  made,  and  any  not  up  to  the  standard  of  (|uality 
are  weeded  out.  Some  improvement  is  made  each 
year,  but  even  to  keep  up  a  stock  of  standard 
(juality  it  requires  great  care  in  seeding  and 
propagating. 

Cannas. 

Of  these  upwards  of  100  varieties  are  grown, 
being  a  selection  of  the  best  of  the  Cro/.y  section 
and  those  termed  Orchid-flowering,  but  these  are 
hardly  far  enough  advanced  to  note,  but  a  new 
American  variety,  Miss  Kate  Gray,  was  well  in 
flower,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  Orchid - 
flowering  section  we  have  seen,  the  flowers  being 
of  great  size  and  of  a  rich  bronzy  crimson  with  a 
faint  marking  of  yellow  ;  it  is  one  of  those  peculiar 
mixtures  of  crimson,  brown,  and  yellow  so  difficult 
to  describe. 

A  number  of  other  subjects  might  be  referred  to 
if  space  would  allow. 


Fopthcoming'    events. —June    26, 

National  Rose  Society  and  Richmond  Horticultural 
at  Richmond  ;  .June  29,  Windsor  and  Eton  Rose 
Show  in  Eton  College  grounds  ;  Canterbury  Rose 
Show ;  .July  2,  Royal  Horticultural  Society's 
fortnightly  meeting  at  the  Drill  Hall,  Westminster ; 
Hereford  Rose  Show  :  July  2  and  3,  Southampton 
Show. 
W^oodbpidg-e    Hoptieultural 

Society. — The  .Jubilee  Show  will  be  held,  by 
kind  permission  of  Major  R.  .J.  Cartheir,  in  the 
Woodbridge  Abbey  grounds  on  Thursday,  July  11. 
A  leaflet  before  us  says  that  no  trouble  or  expense 
will  be  spared  to  make  the  Jubilee  Show  the  most 
attractive  one  yet  held,  and  promises  to  become 
one  of  the  chief  events  in  the  county. 

The  Millwall  AVindow  Gapdening' 

Society  is  fairly  launched,  so  much  so  that  even 
at  this  early  stage  there  is  a  membership  of  forty. 
The  forthcoming  competitions  are  being  eagerly 
supported,  and  all  that  is  further  required  is  for 
friends  to  send  plants,  bulbs,  seeds,  etc.,  for  the 
encouragement  of  the  poor  people.  The  Rev. 
Richard  Free,  St.  Cuthbert's,  Millwall,  London, 
will  be  very  pleased  of  any  help  in  this  way  for 
the  society. 

June  weathep  neap  Dundee.— Since 

the  loth  inst.  we  have  experienced  bitter  cold  winds 
from  the  west  and  north-west,  blowing  a  perfect 
gale  on  some  days.  On  the  night  of  the  12th  the 
Potatoes  were  all  blackened  by  frost;  13th, 
freezing  point ;  17th,  the  thermometer  registered 
4"  of  frost.  At  the  time  of  writing  there  is  a  very 
strong  north-west  wind  blowing.  This,  combined 
with  a  hot  sun,  is  withering  up  the  stock  and 
ruining  the  fruit  prospects. — H.  H.,  The  Nurseries, 
Downiield. 

Annual  excupsion   of  the   Hopti- 

CUltUPal  Club. — The  annual  excursion  of  the 
members  of  the  Horticultural  Club  is  fixed  for 
.July  17,  when  it  is  proposed  to  visit  Mr.  George 
Paul's  Rose  Nurseries  at  Cheshunt,  Mr.  Ihomas 
Rochford's  Nurseries  at  Broxbourne,  drive  through 
the  Wormley  and  Broxbourne  Woods  to  Pans- 
hanger,  the  seat  of  Earl  Cowper,  and  dine  in  the 
evening  at  Hertford.  Further  information  will  be 
announced  as  soon  as  possible.  The  hon.  secretary 
is  the  Rev.  H.  Honywood  D'ombrain,  and,  as  is 
well  known,  the  headquarters  of  the  club  are  the 
Hotel  Windsor,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 

An  exhibition  of  hapdy  floweps.— 

The  corridor  adjoining  the  large  conservatory  in  the 
Royal  Botanic  (iarden,  Regent's  Park,  is  for  the 
time   being   transformed  into  a  house  of  flowers, 


Messrs,  Barr  and  Sons,  King  Street,  Covent 
Garden,  have  brought  in  great  variety  selections 
from  their  liardy  flowers,  and  also  some  of  the 
quaint  little  .Japanese  trees,  of  which  they  now 
make  a  speciality.  The  hardy  flowers  are  arianged 
along  one  side  of  the  corridor,  and  add  much 
colour  and  brightness  to  this  usually  sombre  place. 
Double  and  single  Pitonies,  Delphiniums,  Iceland 
Poppies,  Lychnis,  Spanish  Irises,  Saxifrages  in 
great  variety,  hardy  Cypripediums,  as  well  as 
several  beautiful  kinds  of  Marliac's  Water  Lilies 
were  included  in  this  interesting  exhibition. 
Amongst  the  curiously  dwarfed  Japanese  trees, 
besides  numerous  conifers,  there  are  specimens  of 
Crat!fgus  cuneata  in  flower.  These  tiny  plants 
are  about  ten  years  old,  and  are  flowering  quite 
freely.  It  is  stated  that  even  Peaches  and  Cherries 
are  to  be  obtained  in  .Japan  dwarfed  in  this 
manner,  and  that  they  will  not  only  flower  but 
fruit.  Messrs.  Barr's  exhibit  is  altogether  one  of 
exceptional  interest. 

Cassell's  "  Dictionapy  of  Gapden- 

ing"-" — The  bright,  interesting,  and  well-produced 
illustrations,  together  with  the  clear  and  concise 
way  in  which  information  is  given  about  plants  and 
their  culture,  should  ensure  success  for  this  new 
publication.  It  will  commend  itself  particularly 
to  the  amateur,  for  the  cultural  details  are  concise 
and  plainly  worded.  This,  in  fact,  is  one  of  the 
great  merits  of  this  "Dictionary  of  Gardening." 
With  the  first  part  there  is  given  away  a  coloured 
plate  of  Carnations.  The  work  will  be  completed 
in  about  twenty  monthly  parts,  price  7d.  each, 
and  will  contain  over  1,00(1  illustrations,  repro- 
duced from  photographs.  Several  more  coloured 
plates  are  also  promised  ;  it  is  edited  by  Mr.  W.  P. 
Wright. 

A  valuable  new    Stpawbeppy.— At 

the  meeting  of  the  fruit  committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society,  on  Tuesday,  Messrs. 
Laxton  Brothers,  Bedford,  sent  a  beautiful  new 
Strawberry,  The  Laxton,  and  it  was  worthily 
given  a  first-class  certificate.  The  firm  are  to  be 
congratulated  upon  raising  such  a  fine  variety. 
Many  new  Strawberries  have  been  introduced  of 
late  years  and  brought  before  the  committee,  but 
we  do  not  remember  one  so  promising.  This  is  the 
result  of  crossing  Royal  Sovereign  with  Sir  .Joseph 
Paxton,  and  it  will  be  the  Strawberry  of  the 
future.  Every  fruit  grower  knows  the  splendid 
qualities  of  the  Paxton,  a  fruit  that  held  sway  for 
many  years,  both  for  forcing  and  for  the  midseason 
supply,  and  its  good  qualities  for  travelling  made  it 
a  special  favourite.  The  other  parent,  the  Royal 
Sovereign,  needs  no  commendation,  as  its  excellence 
is  well  known.  To  show  my  confidence  in  the 
Royal  Sovereign,  also  one  of  Messrs.  Laxton's 
seedlings,  I  may  say  out  of  many  thousands  forced 


»  ^  '  'I 


strawberry  the  laxton. 


458 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June   22,  1901. 


and  grown  annually  in  the  open  this  has  pushed  all 
others  on  one  side  on  account  of  its  excellence. 
The  Laxton  has  now  improved  Royal  Sovereign, 
and  fruits  of  the  older  variety  were  staged  along- 
side of  the  new,  and  certainly  everyone  was  pleased 
to  see  such  fruit,  as  the  newer  one  appears  to  be  a 
Paxton  in  shape  but  much  larger,  also  a  firmer 
fruit,  and  of  splendid  flavour.  Now  the  latter  is  a 
strong  point,  and  one  that  carries  more  weight  than 
mere  size  and  shape  ;  it  is  a  darker  fruit  and  heavy, 
and  what  is  so  important  to  those  who  have  a  poor 
soil,  the  new  Laxton  grows  vigorousl}',  having  thick 
glossy  foliage  and  a  long  leaf  stalk  ;  the  latter  is 
advantageous,  as  in  late  spring  when  the  plant  is 
in  bloom  the  abundant  leafage  protects  the  flowers. 
I  always  notice  that  a  strong  grower  is  a  better 
grower  in  thin  soils  and  stands  our  variable 
winters  better.  As  a  forcer,  Messrs.  Laxton  think 
the  new  variety  has  a  great  future.  They  say  it 
sets  so  freely.  The  firm  staged  a  verj'  nice  lot  of 
the  new  Laxton  at  the  recent  Ten]  pie  show,  and 
the  plants  were  laden  with  fruits.  I  have  never 
seen  a  heavier  cropper,  and  it  will  certainly 
become  a  great  market  variety.  The  illustration 
shows  the  shape  of  this  fine  fruit.  I  may  add  the 
award  given  by  the  fruit  committee  was  unanimous. 
— G.  Wythes. 


SOCIETIES. 

ROYAL  HORTICULTUHAL  SOCIETY. 
The  Drill  Hall,  Westminster,  was  on  Tuesday  last  well  filled 
with  bright  and  interesting  plants,  the  beautiful  display 
being  largely  contributed  to  by  Pajonies  and  Ruses.  Orchids 
were  barely  represented  at  all,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for 
several  seedling  Melons,  which  are  invariably  plentifully 
shown  at  this  season  and  onwards,  the  same  might  almost 
be  said  of  the  exhibits  before  the  fruit  committee.  It  was, 
however,  an  excellent  floral  display,  comprising  many  of  the 
best  flowers  now  in  season. 

Orchid  Committee. 

Present :  Messrs.  Harry  J.  ^'eitch  (chairman),  James 
O'Brien,  De  B.  Crawshay,  H.  M.  Pollett,  II.  Ballantine, 
E.  Hill,  H.  T.  Pitt,  J.  Wilson  Potter,  AV.,1I.  Young,  H.  .1. 
Chapman,  Franli  A.  Rehder,  H.  Little,  H.  A.  Tracy,  and 
James  Douglas. 

Messrs.  B.  S.  Williams,  Upper  HoUoway,  N.,  exhibited  a 
small  group  of  Orchids,  the  only  exhibit  of  any  extent 
before  this  committee,  comprising  Ltelia  grandis  tenebrosa, 
Ltelio-Cattleya  canhamiana,  L.-C.  hippolyta,  L.-C.  Edouard 
Andr^,  Dendrubium  dalhousieanum,  Anguloa  Ciowesi,  &c. 
Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Mr.  A.  J.  Keeling,  High  Mew  Nursery,  Cottiugley,  Bingley, 
sent  Ltelia  x  Diana  (L.  Dayana  x  L.  purpurata  rosea). 
Cypripedium  callosum  Sanderje  was  shown  by  J.  Gurney 
Fowler,  Esq.,  Glebelands,  Houth  Woodford  (gardener,  Mr. 
J.  Davis).  Pholidota  obovata  was  exhibited  by  A.  H.  Sraee, 
Esq.,  'J'he  Grange,  Hackbridge  (gardener,  Mr.  Humphreys). 

J.  Bradshaw.  Esq.,  The  Grange,  Southgate  (gardener,  Mr. 
George  Whiteiegge),  sent  L.-O.  C.  G.  Roebling  (L.  purpurata 
X  C.  gaskelliana).  C.  gowerianum  magnificum  and  C. 
laureuceanum  nigrum  were  shown  by  Fred  Hardy,  Esq. 
C.  J.  Lucas,  Esii-,  Warnham  Court,  Horsham  (gardener, 
Mr.  Duncan),  sent  0.  hicasianum.  Reginald  Young,  Esti., 
Sefton  Park,  Liverpool,  sent  Odontuglossum  na'vium  majus, 
said  by  the  committee  to  be  0.  gloriosum  albidum. 

Frdit  Committee. 

Present :  Messr.i.  James  Cheal,  Henry  Esling,  H.  Markham, 
S.  Mortimer,  Alexander  Dean,  E.  Beckett,  George  Keif, 
M.  Gleeson,  A.  Ward,  F.  L.  Lane,  J.  Smith,  George  Wythes, 
W.  Poupart,  James  H.  Yeitch,  H.  Balderson,  H.  Somei-s 
Rivers,  and  W.  Bates. 

Mrs.  Mc('reagh  Thornhill,  Stanton-in-Peak,  Bakewell 
(gardener,  Mr.  G.  Harvey),  showed  several  dishes  of  very 
fine  Lemons.  Cultural  commendation.  A  seedling  Melon, 
Lea  Park  Seedling,  was  shown  by  Whittaker  Wright,  Es(i., 
Lea  Park,  Godalming  (gardener,  Mr.  A.  Cattermole).  Three 
forms  were  exhibited,  two  of  which  were  white  flesh,  the 
other  a  green  flesh.  E.  A.  Ilambro,  Esij.,  Hayes  Place, 
Hayes,  Kent  (gardener,  Mr.  William  Jieale),  sent  Melon 
Conquering  Hero,  obtained  from  Hero  of  Lockinge  x  Con- 
queror of  Europe.  Melon  Royal  Edward  was  shown  by 
Captain  Carstairs,  WelEord  Park,  Newbury,  also  Melon 
Baden  Powell. 

Melon  The  King  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  S.  Mortimer, 
Farnham,  Surrey  ;  Hero  of  Lockinge  and  Sutton's  Scarlet 
were  the  parents.  Melons  Regina  and  Golden  Treasure 
were  also  sent  by  Mr.  ilfjrtimer,  as  well  as  Melon  Incom- 
parable, a  cross  iietween  Hero  of  Lockinge  and  Sutton's 
Scarlet. 

Cucumber  "Wallace's  Strain"  was  exhibited  by  Mrs.  J. 
Wallace,  Noi'th  Rnnction,  King's  Lynn. 

A  box  of  vei'y  fine  brown  Turkey  Figs  was  sent  by  Lady 
A.  Tate,  Streathani  Common  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Howe). 
Silver  Bunksian  medal. 

Splendid  Asparagus  came  from  Mr.  A.  J.  Harwood,  fruit 
and  Aspaiagus  grower,  (.'olchester.   Cultural  commendation. 

Floral  Committee. 

Present:  Mr.  Charles  E.  Shea  (in  the  chair),  and  Messrs. 
C.  T.  Druery,  II.  li.  May,  R.  Dean,  J.  W.  Barr,  J.  Jennings, 
N.  F.  Barnes,  W.  Howe,  W.   Bain,  C.  R.  Fielder,  H.  Selfc 


Leonard,  J.  D.  Pawle,  Charles  Dixon,  E.  T.  Cook,  M'.  P. 
Thomson,  Charles  E.  Pearson,  U.  J.  Jones,  J.  H.  Fitt,  E.  H. 
Jenkins,  W.  J.  James,  George  Paul,  Charles  Blick,  Edward 
.  Mawley,  Rev.  F.  Page  Roberts,  and  James  Hudson. 

The  si»ciety's  gold  medal  on  this  occasion  was  awarded  to 
-Messrs.  James  \'eitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelsea,  for  a 
superb  table  of  Gloxinias,  Hanked  by  a  pretty  lot  of  the 
hybrid  Streptocarpuses,  for  which  tlie  firm  is  deservedly 
famed,  and  backed  by  pretty  flowering  examples  of  Solanum 
Wendlandi.  The  flrst-named  were  in  the  highest  state  of 
excellence,  I'epresenting  the  flnest  strains  of  these  flowers, 
and,  we  need  scarcely  add,  the  best  cultivation.  The  same 
firm  showed  a  very  fine  group  of  Paionies,  and  in  tliese  we 
noted  M.  Deschamps,  rose  ;  Gloire  du  Donai,  crimson  ;  Lady 
Leonora  Bramwell,  fine  pink ;  Rubens,  crimson  ;  Mme. 
Henry,  soft  pink ;  Humea  carnea ;  Festina  maxima,  one  of 
the  largest  of  double-white  kinds  ;  and  Lady  Dartmouth, 
also  double  white,  very  pure  and  free.  Some  pretty  and 
useful  flowering  shrubs  were  also  set  up  by  Messrs.  Aeitch, 
including  several  Philadelphus,  Magnolia  Watsoni,  itobitiia 
hispida,  Abelia  triflura,  Solanum  crispum,  ifec,  a  really 
remarkable  series  of  exhibits  from  one  firm. 

Messrs.  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited,  Feltham,  had  a  mixed  gnuip 
of  hardy  flowers  in  great  variety.  Conspicuous  were  Cam- 
panula persicifolia  filoerheimi,  ver^  pure  and  serai-double, 
white;  Ostrawskiic  magnifica,  very  fine;  Lewisia  rediviva; 
Pentstemon  murrayanus,  with  salmon  ■  scarlet  flowers  ; 
Gladiolus  Watsoni,  a  curious  species  with  scarlet  flowers. 
Iceland  Poppies,  Pa^onies,  Iris  of  the  flag  and  Spanish 
seciions  were  also  shown,  as  also  i[uite  a  variety  of  the 
smaller  yet  deeply  interesting  alpines.  Silver  Banksian 
medal. 

A  very  fine  rroup  was  that  of  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones,  of  Lewisham, 
in  which  Begonias  of  the  tutierous  section  and  in  splendid 
condition  played  a  central  and  very  important  part.  Some 
of  the  plants  were  exceptionally  good,  and  we  noted  ilrs. 
H.  J.  Jones,  a  Camellia-flowered  kind,  with  large  pink 
blossoms  ;  Mrs.  Price,  rose  ;  Mar^chal  Niel,  golden,  all 
double.  The  singles,  too,  were  excellent.  Then  came  Ivy- 
leaved  Pelargoniums,  such  as  the  new  Leopard,  with  spotted 
flowers,  Achievement,  and  others.  Pelargoniums  in  the 
decorative  and  regal  kinds  wei'e  largely  shown  in  bunches, 
and,  not  least,  a  good  flowering  plant  of  the  crimson  Mat- 
maison  Carnation  H.  J.  Jones.  This  is  a  fine  flower,  well 
proportioned.    Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons,  Covent  Garden,  were  in  their  usual 
place  witli  hosts  of  single  and  double  P;ctinies  in  variety,  and 
a  set  of  the  beautiful  Sparnsh  Irises,  in  which  lattjer  Golden 
Ring  was  a  conspicuous  fiower;  Louise,  pale  mauve  ;  Helene, 
azure  blue ;  Hercules,  gold  and  bronze.  Lilium  Martagon 
album  was  also  shown.     Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  J.  Peed  and  Sons,  Roupell  Park,  Norwood,  had 
many  hardy  things,  in  which  Pentstemon  glaber,  Dianthus 
negleetus,  D.  Napoleon  III.  wore  seen,  also  the  double 
white  Rocket  and  Inula  glandulosa  laciniata,  which  is 
smaller  and  of  deeper  colour  than  the  type.  Many  double 
Pyrethrums  were  also  shown  in  this  lot.  Silver  Banksian 
medal. 

'There  was  a  very  fine  display  of  cut  Piconies,  Delpliiniums, 
Gaillardias,  itc,  from  Messrs.  Kelvvay  and  Sons,  Langport, 
Somerset,  filling  one  entire  table.  Of  P;i'onies  alone  there 
were  probalily  some  forty  or  fifty  kinds,  and  as  each  kind 
was  represented  by  at  least  six  fine  blooms  the  extent  of 
the  display,  as  also  the  lirilliant  colour,  was  very  remark- 
able. Of  Delphiniums  alone  some  dozen  or  so  novelties 
were  seen,  and  i-hey  weie  represented  liy  very  flue  specimens. 
Silver-gilt  Flora  medal. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt,  also  had 
an  array  of  P:conies,  the  best  ot  these  being  grandiflora 
nivea,  La  Perle,  rose-pink,  Agnes  Mary  Kelway,  semi- 
double  pink  with  lemon-yellow  anthers,  Belle  Chatelaine, 
grand  petals,  pink,  centre  white  and  pink,  an  extjuisite 
flower;  the  single  white-flowered  Whitleyi,  with  the  gold 
centre,  being  very  beautiful.     Silver  Flora  medal. 

Mr.  E.  Davis,  Alton,  Hants,  showed  Yiolas  and  Pansies  in 
variety,  for  which  a  vote  of  thanks  was  given. 

Messrs.  R.  H.  Bath,  Floral  Farms,  Wisbech,  showed  cut 
Piconies  in  splendid  form  ;  included  were  candidissima 
and  grandiflora  nivea,  pure  white  ;  Lady  Carrington  and 
Triumphans  grandiflora,  flesh  colour;  Canarie,  white; 
albiflora  carnea,  flesh  colour  with  gold  anthers;  b'aust, 
pink  ;  Nivea  pleuissima,  a  fine  double  white  ;  and  Saturnalia, 
deep  crimson-lake,  very  intense  in  its  colouring.  Silver 
Flora  medal. 

A  very  interesting  lot  of  things  came  from  Messrs. 
Dobbie,  Rothesay,  consisting  chiefly  of  Sweet  Peas,  Pansies, 
and  Violas.  In  the  former,  Emily  Henderson,  Salopian, 
Aurora,  Countess  Cadogan,  America,  and  Oriental  stood  out 
well  —  all  good  well-known  sorts  ;  while  in  the  ^'lolas  or 
Tufted  Pansies,  Pembroke,  gold;  Lizzie  Paul,  yellow,  a 
rayed  fiower;  Princess  Louise,  deep  yellow,  extra  good 
formed  fiower ;  Blue  Duchess,  Lark,  White  Empi'ess,  and 
(,'olleen  Bawn  were  conspicuous,  the  last  white  with  lilue 
margin  and  blue  pencilings.  These  were  finely  shown  and 
very  fresh-looking.  Pansies  on  boards  were  also  abundant 
from  the  same  source.    Silver  Flora  medal. 

Mr.  Amos  Perry,  Winchmore  Hill,  again  showed  a  beau- 
tiful lot  of  tilings,  at  once  displaying  the  variety  and  the 
value  of  hardy  plants  as  a  class.  There  were  Water  Lilies 
in  three  or  four  colours,  Irises  in  many  shades,  Tritomas 
and  Eremuri,  with  towering  spikes,  and  so  on;  Hieracum 
viliosum,  Incarvillea  Delavayi  in  plenty,  Statice  specinsa. 
Phlox  Ljlaberima,  an  early  rose-coloured  species,  Pentstemon 
glaber,  very  flne,  and  very  pure  and  chaste  the  white  fnrm 
of  Geranium  sanguhieum.  There  were  also  towering  spikes 
of  Dictaumus  caueasica,  a  richer  coloured,  much  bolder  bum 
than  tlie  old  fraxinella,  a  pretty  mass  of  Sedum  Kamts- 
chaticum,  fol.  var.,  Heucheru  sanguinea  splendens,  and 
others.     Silver-gilt  Banksian  medal. 

Mr.  A.  W.  Wade,  Colchester,  showed  liardy  plants  in 
variety,  in  which  were  seen  Irises,  Piconies,  Inulas,  Colum- 
bines, itc.    Vote  of  thanks. 

From  Chrlstchurch,  Hants,  Mr.  M.  Prichard  brought 
Pieonia  Progress,  a  grand  flower,  very  double,  wliito,  deli- 
cately   flesh  •  tinted,    and    highly    fragrant   ;     Troi»iri)lnni 


Leichtlini,  of  an  orange  colour  ;  and  Spinca  Aruncus  plu- 
mosa,  a  kind  blooming  three  weeks  earlier  than  the  old 
Goafs-beard  Spir.'ca,  the  plants  aljout  .'>  feet  high.  It  is  an 
excellent  plant  for  the  large  liorder  or  for  moist  places. 

From  Colchester,  Messrs.  Wallace  and  Co.,  as  is  their  wont, 
sent  up  a  lieautiful  array  of  cut  flowers,  in  which  Lilies  and 
PiConies  were  the  leading  features.  In  the  former,  such  as 
Henryi,  rubellum,  the  minute-leaved  and  scarlet-flowered 
tenuifolium,  a  large  lot  of  thunbergianums  in  variety,  the 
pure  white  longiflorum  giganteum,  Ac,  were  noticeable. 
Of  PiL'onies  we  noted  Lemon  Queen,  wliite  petals,  lemon 
centre ;  Mikado,  crimson,  with  gold  striped  antliers ;  Dog 
Rose,  a  single  kind,  with  flowei-s  nearly  imitating  a  large 
blossom  of  the  Dog  Rose,  &c.  Caluehorti  were  also  in 
evidence,  as  also  were  Spanish  Iris,  Ac.    Silver  Flora  medal. 

Messrs.  J.  Cheal  and  Sons,  Crawley,  exhibited  a  variety  of 
cut  shrubs  and  variegated  plants,  such  as  Elm,  Nut,  Beech, 
etc..  together  with  I'olutea  crocea  and  C.  purpurea,  Phlomis 
fruticosa(true),  and  Olearia  dentata,  almost  a  Holly-leaved 
species  with  starry  white  flowers  ;  Lupinus  arboreus,  Ac. 
Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Enfleld,  had  a  fine  table  of  the 
Malmaison  Carnations,  in  which  all  the  best  kinds  were 
seen,  though  distinctly  the  most  prominent  were  the  fine 
pink  flowers  of  Princess  of  Wales  ;  Lady  Grimston,  Lord 
Rosebery,  and  Churchwarden  were  also  freely  interspersed. 
Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Messrs.  George  Boyes  and  Co.,  Leicester,  showed  the  yellow 
Carnation,  Lord  Roherts.  good  plants  and  well  flowered, 
together  with  other  named  fancy  kinds,     ^'ote  of  thanks. 

From  Mr.  B.  R.  Davies,  Yeovil,  came  a  very  ttne  lot  of 
single  and  double  Begonias,  mostly,  however,  single  flowers 
arranged  on  boards.  Some  of  the  blooms  were  remarktible 
for  the  size,  and  the  general  character  of  the  strain  was 
evidently  a  good  one.  A  few  plants  were  shown,  and  these 
carried  flowers  of  exceptional  size.     Silver  Banksian  medal. 

The  exhibit  of  Mr.  11.  B.  ifay,  Edmonton,  was  of  a- varied 
character,  pot  plants  of  a  useful  size  being  mostly  shown. 
There  were  several  showy  colours,  as  Mrs.  H.  B.  May, 
Hector,  Golden  Gem,  Ac,  while  in  the  Ivy-leaved  section  ot 
Pelargoniums  Leopard,  Colonel  Baden-Powell,  and  Mrs. 
H.  B.  Martin  were  seen,  the  pretty  Swainsonia  galegifolia 
alba  in  flower  in  the  back  showing  to  advantage.  Silver 
Banksian  medal. 

Lady  A.  Tate,  Park  Hill,  Streathani  Common  (gardener, 
Mr.  Wm.  Howe),  contributed  a  very  interesting  exhibit  in 
the  shape  of  flowering  and  fruiting  inflorescences  of 
Chamerops  Fortunei,  the  golden  mass  of  the  former  being  in 
marked  contrast  with  the  blackish  looking  fruits  of  the 
latter.     A  vote  of  thanks. 

Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Burford  Lodge,  Dorking  (gardener, 
Mr.  Bain),  sent  up  a  fine  lot  of  Anthuriuni  andreanum 
Lawrenciji',  the  pure  white  glistening  spathes  being  0  inches 
long  and  Ti  inches  broad,  a  large  number  of  fine  spathes 
being  shown.  A  pure  white  and  rather  elegant  Erigeron 
E.  Coultcri  came  also  from  the  same  source. 

Lady  Nina  Balfour,  Newton  Don,  Kelso,  showe<l  vases  of 
Malmaison  Carnations  of  a  pink  sliade  ;  the  blooms  were 
very  large  and  well  coloured,  being  much  admired. 
Silver  Banksian  medal. 

Lord  Aldenham,  Elstree,  Herts  (gardener,  Mr.  E.  Beckett), 
sent  an  exhibit  entirely  of  Streptocarpuses,  and  these  of  the 
highest  degree  of  excellence.  Silver  Flora  medal  was 
awarded. 

Roses. 

ilr.  George  Prince,  Rose  grower,  Longford,  Berks,  arranged 
a  lieautiful  lot  of  cut  Roses,  which  also  were  very  tastefully 
displayed.  At  the  back  of  the  exhibit  they  were  bunched 
in  vases  and  arranged  in  bamboo  stands,  while  the  front  was 
occupied  with  single  blooms  in  boxes.  In  the  centre  of  the 
exhibit  was  a  magnificent  lot  of  Comtesse  de  Nadaillac 
blooms,  in  which  the  rich  and  delicate  colouring  of  this 
Rose  were  shown  to  perfection.  Amongst  the  bnnclied 
Roses  were  such  good  things  as  Reve  d'Or,  Bardou  Job, 
Rainbow,  curiously  striped  with  rose-crimson  upon  a  paler 
ground,  Papillon,  Claire  Jaeqnier,  Thalia,  Gustave  Regis, 
and  others.  The  show  lilooms  were  represented  by  Souvenir 
de  S.  A.  Prince,  Souvenir  d'un  Ami,  Maruchal  Niel,  E.  V. 
Hermanos,  and  Princess  of  Wales.  These  are  a  few  of  the 
best,  but  many  more  must  lie  left  unnamed. 

Messrs.  Frank  Cant  and  Co.,  Colchester,  made  a  display 
with  beautiful  bunches  of  Ruses  in  great  variety.  The 
blooms  were  remarkable  for  their  fine  colouring,  and  amongst 
them  were  such  good  things  as  Ma  Capucine,  Gustave  Regis, 
Paul's  Single  White,  Beaute  Inconstante,  (Jueen  Mali, 
Aglaia,  M.  Chedane  Guinoisseau,  Kuse  Bradwardiue  (a 
hybrid  Sweet  Briar).  Mme.  E.  Resal,  W.  A.  Ri-Oiardson, 
I'ldeal,  Ac.  Exhibition  blooms  were  represented  by  Medea, 
a  lovely  pale  yellow  with  a  deejicr  centre,  Mme.  Ravary, 
Bessie  Brown,  Antoine  Rivoire,  Mrs.  W.  .1.  4!rant,  Mme. 
Hoste,  and  others. 

Messrs.  D.  Prior  and  Son,  Colchester,  arranged  several 
stands  of  splendi<l  cut  blooms,  all  fine  bold  flowers. 
Mari^chal  Niel  was  superb,  as  also  were  Mrs.  W.  .1.  Grant, 
Mrs.  .lohu  Laing,  .Manian  Cochet,  Duke  of  Edinburgh, 
Souvenir  d'un  Ami,  and  Mine.  Gabriel  Luizet.  New  ones 
included  Bessie  Brown,  white,  partly  tinged,  and  Mrs. 
Mawley,  a  blush  Tea. 

Messrs.  Benjamin  R.  ('ant  and  Sons,  tlic  old  Ibisc  (iardeus, 
Colchester,  showed  a  beautiful  grciup  of  cut  Uoses,  some  of 
which  were  in  bunches,  otheis  arranged  singly  in  stands. 
The  former  included  Ma  Capucine,  an  exquisite  colour, 
liufi,  tijipcd  and  tinged  with  orange-red  ;  Mme.  P.  Pcruy, 
R.  Ilugosa,  ]5lauche  iJouble  De  Courbet,  Marquise  de 
Salisbury,  Hardou  Job,  PapaGontier.  and  (Jeorges  Schwartz. 
The  seedling  Tea  Mrs.  It.  R.  Cant,  new  last  year,  was  well 
represented,  and  a  new  Rose  was  also  shown  called  Othello. 
This  is  a  Hybrid  Perpetual,  reminding  one  somewhat  in 
colour  of  I'lrich  Bruuuer,  though  it  has  a  lovely  blue  tinge 
that  the  other  has  not.  The  bloom  is  large  and  lasts  well, 
the  one  shown  having  been  cut  three  or  four  days. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  the  old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt,  also 
made  a  pleasing  aiid  varied  display  with  cut  bunched  Roses. 
The  new  [jybrid  Tea  Lady  itattersea  was  conspicuous,  while 
the  Austrian  (-'opper,  Rleanor  Berkeley  and   Knyal  Cluster. 


J.UNE  22,  1901.] 


THE     GARDEN. 


459 


two  rambling  Hoses,  the  ft.irnicr  n  sumi-duultlc  deep  pink, 
the  latter  single  and  paler  in  colour;  Panl's  Carmine 
Pillar,  Jersey  Jieanty,  Mine.  ('.  Gninoiaseau,  a  lovely  pale 
yellow,  added  variety  of  colour  and  form. 

Messrs.  James  Veituh  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelsea, 
exhibited  a  group  of  well-liowered  plants  of  the  new 
climbing  ilose  Electra,  a  h>brid  between  multiflora  simplex 
and  W.  A.  Richardson.  It  is  very  profuse-flowering,  in  the 
hud  form  a  pale  Itulf-yellow  changing  to  u  paler  tint  in 
the  expanded  blossoms. 

Mr.  William  Spooner,  Arthurs  Bridge  Nursery,  Woking, 
showed  cut  Hoses  arranged  in  small  bunches.  They  were 
all  in  bud  and  mndt:  a  pleasing  display.  Cranioisie 
Sup^rieure,  Rainbow,  I'ldciil,  Mme.  Eugene  Resal,  Reine 
Olga  de  Wurtemburg,  Aglain,  Marie  Van  Houtte,  Moss 
Hoses,  (tc.,  were  included. 

Messrs.  William  Paul  and  Son,  Waltham  Cross,  Herts, 
had  a  collection  of  new  KoseF,  including  the  new  hybrid 
Tea  Rose  certificated  last  year  ;  Tennyson,  a  massive  bloom 
of  good  form,  pale  blush  in  colour ;  and  the  new  Tea 
Boadicea,  a  llower  of  delicate  and  rich  colouring,  light 
rose-pink,  with  a  deeper  centre.  The  new  bedding  and 
decorative  Tea  Rose  Corallina,  of  a  lovely  rose-crimson  and 
a  most  vigorous  grower ;  an  unnamed  seedling,  with  very 
long  buds  and  peach-coloured  blooms  when  expanded; 
Sulphurea,  a  most  distinct  colour  ;  wichuriana  rubra  and 
Chameleon  were  also  ann.ngst  the  collection. 

ftlessrs.  George  Jackman  and  Sons,  Woking,  arranged  a 
collection  of  cut  Roses,  both  in  vases  and  singly  in  boxes. 
Quite  a  bank  was  made  by  the  former,  the  latter  being 
placed  along  the  front.  The  bunches  of  Roses  in  bud  are 
always  much  admired,  and  the  varieties  shown  by  Messrs. 
Jackman  were  no  exception  to  the  rule.  Some  of  the  best 
were  I'ldeal,  a  beautiful  colour;  Hybrid  Sweet  Kriar  Amy 
Robsart,  Mme.  Abel  Carrlere,  Safrano,  and  Papillon.  The 
Hybrid  Perpetiuils  and  Teas  included  well-formed  blooms. 

The  interesting  lecture  on  "Gardening  in  the  London 
Parks,"  delivered  by  Lieut.  -  Colonel  Wheatley,  R.E.,  is 
held  over  until  next  week. 

YORK  GALA. 
The  forty-Lhird  gathering  was  held  in  Kootham  Field, 
York,  on  the  12th,  13th,  and  14th  inst.,  and  if  the  general 
display  fell  sligbtly  below  those  of  a  few  years  since,  there 
were  features  that  have  never  been  eiiualled  in  the  northern 
city.  For  example,  Messrs.  Rivers  and  Son  sent  a  collection 
of  their  fruit  trees  in  pots,  of  which  a  few  details  are  given 
below,  and  Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons  were  in  exceptional 
form  with  Kalanchoe  flammea  and  Streptocarpns,  of  which 
the  white  forms  were  superb.  Mr.  J.  P.  Leadbetter  sent 
from  Tranby  Croft  some  splendid  Malmaison  Carnations 
and  some  of  the  finest  Rlack  Hamburgh  Grapes  we  have  ever 
seen.  Mr.  ftlclndoe  was  in  great  form  in  the  fruit  section, 
and  secured  a  large  share  of  premier  awards  in  the  more 
important  classes.  Messrs.  J.  Cypher,  AV.  Vause,  and 
C.  Lawton,  of  Welton,  staged  magniticently  in  the  specimen 
plant  classes,  while  the  Rev.  G.  Yeats  sent  some  grand 
Ferns.  In  these  classes  and  those  for  Orchids  the  plants 
were  so  nmch  mixed  that  it  was  ditticult  in  all  cases  and 
impossible  in  one  or  two  to  ascertain  the   prize  w.nners. 

Groups  and  Specimen  Plants. 

Five  exhibits  faced  the  judges  in  the  class  ffu-  a  group 
of  miscellaneous  plants,  in  or  out  of  bloom,  arranged  in  a 
space  not  exceeding  SOU  square  feet.  Each  group  had 
distinctly  meritorious  features,  but  they  were  not  quite 
equal  to  some  we  have  seen  in  previous  years.  E.  B.  Faber, 
Esq.,  Belvedere,  Harrogate  (gardener,  Mr,  W.  Townsend), 
whose  group  was  much  lighter  and  more  artistic  than  those 
of  the  others,  was  placed  first.  The  covK-built  central 
mound  was  surmounted  by  a  graceful  specimen  of  Cocos 
weddelliana.  From  the  sides  sprang  Odontoglossum 
crispum  carrying  good  racemes  of  flowers.  Surrounding  this 
were  specimen  Crotons  and  IJracEcnas  rising  from  a  ground- 
work of  Ferns,  Gloxinias,  Caladiums,  Coleus,  Pandanus, 
Odontoglossums,  and  Cattleyas.  In  the  background  Acers, 
Palms,  and  Bamboos  were  skilfully  employed.  The  second 
position  was  assigned  to  Mr  J.  S.  Sharp,  Almondbury,  Hud- 
dersfield,  who  had  a  splendid  group,  but  the  arrangement 
was  too  formal  and  the  effect  lacked  brightness.  Mr.  W, 
Vause,  Leamington  Spa,  had  considerably  overdone  the 
cork,  and  this  detracted  much  from  the  group,  which 
contained  many  admirably  grown  plants.  J.  Blacker,  Esq., 
Thorpe  Villas,  Selby  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Curtis),  was  fourth. 

in  the  class  for  twelve  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  in 
bloom,  Mr.  J.  Cypher,  Cheltenham,  was  first  with  well-grown 
examples  of  Franciscea  exiraea,  Bougainvillea  sanderiana, 
Aphelexis  macrantha  rosea,  Clerodendron  Thompson;!?, 
Anthurium  scherzerianum,  and  Dracophyllum  gracile  with 
Ericas  cavendishiana,  ventricosa  raagniflca,  and  v.  grandi- 
fiora.  As  far  as  could  be  ascertained  in  the  peculiar  stagingthe 
remaining  three  plants  were  Crotonmontefontainense,  Kentia 
belmoreana,  and  Livistona  australis,  but  how  these  belong  to 
a  class  for  plants  in  bloom  is  not  very  apparent.  Mr.  W. 
Vause  was  second  and  Colonel  Harrison  Broadley,  Welton 
House,  Brough  (gardener,  Mr.  C.  Lawton),  third.  For  six 
plants  in  bloom,  Mr.  J.  Cypher  was  again  first,  and  Mr.  W. 
Vause  second.  Mr.  Cypher  maintained  his  place  for  three 
plants  being  followed  by  Messrs.  R.  Simpson  and  Son  and 
W.  Vause  as  named.  For  one  stove  plant  in  bloom,  Mr.  W. 
Vause  was  first  witlr  Anthurium  scherzerianum,  as  also  was 
he  for  a  greenhouse  plant  with  Erica  ventricosa.  Mr.  Cypher 
was  first  for  an  Erica  with  a  fine  plant  of  depressa.  For  six 
fine  foliage  or  variegated  plants,  IMessrs.  J.  Cypher  and 
W.  Vause  were  first  and  second  with  handsome  plants  ; 
while  for  three,  ilr.  Lawton  was  ahead  with  grand  examples 
of  Kentia  belmoreana,  Dasylirion  acrotrichum,  and  Croton 
Chelsoni.  The  same  exhibitors  were  conspicuous  in  the 
remaining  classes  for  specimen  plants. 

Fp:rns. 

These  made  quite  a  little  exhibition  in  themselves,  and 

gave  abundant  evidence  of  excellent  culture  on  the  part  of 

the  growers.      For  six  exotic  Ferns,  distinct,  the  Rev.  G. 

Yeats,  Heworth  Vicarage,  York  (gardener,  Mr.  J.  Snowdeu), 


was  ttrst ;  Messrs.  R.  Simpson  and  Co.  were  second.  The 
Rev.  G.  Yeats  was  also  first  for  three  exotic  Ferns,  and  was 
followed  by  Mr.  J.  Eastwood.  The  Rev.  G.  Veats  was  again 
first  for  one  plant  with  a  splendid  example  of  Adiantum 
concinnum.  Mr.  J.  Eastwood  was  second  with  Davallia 
canariensis,  and  R.  Lawson,  Estj.  Ousecliffe,  Clifton,  York 
(gardener,  Mr.  ({.  H.  Dobson),  was  third  with  Adiantum 
cuncatum.  Mr.  T.  Nicholson,  Boothani  Stray,  York,  was 
first  for  ten  and  six  hardy  Ferns,  l)eing  followed  in  each  case 
by  Messrs.  R.  Simpson  and  Co. 

KosKS. 

Roses  made  a  really  superb  display,  the  flowers  being 
numerous,  of  excellent  form,  and  very  brilliantly  coloured. 
Messrs.  B.  R.  C'ant  and  Suns,  Colchester,  were  first  for 
seventy-two,  in  not  lesfr  than  thirty-six  varieties.  Amongst  the 
best  were  Catherine  Mermet,  White  Maman  Cochet,  Medea, 
Cleopatra,  <; olden  Gate,  Marie  Van  lloutte,  Bridesmaid,  Abel 
Canicrc,  Kaisurin  Augusta  Victoria,  Mme.  Gabriel  Luizet, 
Jean  iMichcr,  and  Coratesse  de  Nadaillac.  Messrs.  Harkness 
and  Son,  Bodale,  were  second,  and  Mr.  fieorge  Mount,  Canter- 
bury, third  ;  but  some  distance  separated  them  from  the 
winners.  For  forty-eight  distinct  single  trusses,  Messrs.  B. 
R.  Cant  and  Sons  were  first  with  remarkably  good  fiowers, 
includingCrown  Prince,  Ethel  Browidow,  Tom  Wood,  Mrs.  W. 
J.  Grant,  Viscountess  Folkestone,  Sylph,  Mar^chal  Niel, 
Coimtess  of  Rosebery,  Ulriclr  Brunner,  Mme.  Lambard,  and 
Mme.  ('usin  (superb  colour),  and  the  varieties  named  in  the 
preceding  class  ;  Messrs.  Harkness  and  Son  were  second  with 
Cleopatra,  Comte  de  Raimbaud,  Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria, 
Bridesmaid, Mme.  Montet, and  Mrs.  W.  J.  Grant  as  their  best 
blooms;  Messrs.  J.  Townsend  and  Sons,  Worcester,  were 
third.  There  were  five  contestants  for  the  prizes  in  the 
this  class. 

In  the  class  for  thirty-six  Roses,  distinct,  Mr.  G.  Prince 
was  a  fine  first  with  a  very  attractive  collection,  'j'he  fiowers 
were  clean,  fresh,  and  brigbt,  and  comprised  the  following 
varieties :  Cleopatra,  Lnciole,  Princess  of  W^ales,  La  Frai- 
cheur,  White  Lady,  Rainbow,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince, 
Nestor,  The  Bride,  and  Medea.  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant  and  Sons 
were  second,  and  jMessrs.  J.  Townsend  and  Sons  third.  Seven 
competed  in  the  class  for  twenty-four  Roses,  distinct,  and 
Mr.  G.  Prince  retained  the  lead.  He  had  fine  flowers  of  The 
Biide,  Bridesmaid,  Marie  Van  Houtte,  While  Lady,  Duke  of 
Edinburgh,  and  Comtesse  de  Nadaillac.  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant 
and  Sons  followed  very  closely  with  smaller,  but  fresh  and 
brightly  coloured  blooms  ;  Messrs.  J.  Townsend  and  Sons 
were  third.  For  eighteen,  distinct,  Mr.  G.  Prince  was  again 
first ;  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant  and  Sons  second  ;  and  Messrs.  G. 
Cooling  and  Sous,  Bath,  third.  Mr.  G.  Prince  was  first  in 
the  class  for  twelve  white  and  yellow  Roses  with  Mar^chal 
Niel,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince,  Niphetos,  Ccmitesse  de 
Nadaillac,  The  Bride,  and  Medea;  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant  and 
Sons  were  second,  and  Messrs.  Harkness  and  Son  third. 
Roses  in  pots  were  not  nearly  so  meritorious  as  were  the  cut 
blooms.  Messrs.  H.  Pybus  and  J.  D.  Hutcliinson,  Kirby 
Moorside,  divided  the  chief  prizes. 

Pelargoniums. 

Pelargoniums  constitute  one  of  the  finest  features  of  the 
York  shows.  For  twelve  show  Pelargoniums,  distinct,  Mt-s. 
Tetley,  Fox  Hill,  Weetwood,  Leeds  (gardener,  Mr.  J.  East- 
wood), was  first  with  superb  examples  of  Ruth,  Sultana, 
Salmonoides,  Mme.  Thibaut,  Prince  Teck,  Queen  Bess,  Mary 
Hoyle,  Magpie,  Painted  Lady,  Master  Richard,  Desmoulins, 
and  Kingston  Beauty ;  Mr.  J.  Bellerby  was  third.  For  six 
show  varieties,  Mr.  Eastwood  was  again  first,  and  Sir.  W. 
Oldham  second.  Mr.  Eastwood  was  first  for  twelve  zonal,  hose- 
gay,  or  hybrid  nosegay  varieties,  with  the  Rev.  H.  Harris, 
Mrs.  W.  Paul,  John  Watson,  Lucy,  Mrs.  Gordon,  Divine 
Comedie,  Princess  of  Wales,  Renown,  the  Rev.  A.  Atkinson, 
Swanley  Gem,  H.  Jacoby,  and  President  Thiers.  Jlr.  H. 
Pybus  was  second.  For  six  and  three  plants  .these  two 
growers  continued  in  the  same  positions.  For  nine  doubles 
Mr.  Eastwood  was  first  with  Chas.  Pfltzer,  Raffael  Gannarth, 
Dr.  Jacoby,  Lord  E.  Cecil,  Le  Cygne,  Empress  of  India,  Lord 
Mayor,  and  Jules  Simon.  Messrs.  R.  Simpson  and  Son  were 
second,  and  Mr.  H.  Pybus  third.  For  six  double  Ivy-leaf 
varieties,  Mr.  Eastwood  was  first  with  Jeannie  Guillett, 
Sabine,  Grey  Sussex,  Mme.  Crousse,  Josephine,  Hohenzollern, 
and  Florence  ;  Mr.  Pybus  was  second.  The  same  positions 
held  good  for  three  plants. 

Plants  in  Pots. 
For  a  group  of  Carnations,  Arthur  Wilson,  Esq.,  Tranby 
Croft,  Hull  (gardener,  Mr.  J.  P.  Leadbetter),  was  easily  first 
by  reason  of  the  excellent  ([uality  of  the  plants.  J.  B. 
Gratrian.  Esii.,  Ingmanthorpe  Hall,  Wetherby  (gardener, 
Mr.  M.  Murchison),  was  second ;  and  Messrs.  W.  Walshaw 
and  Son,  Scarborough,  third.  For  Calceolarias,  W.  T. 
Owbridge,  Esq.,  t'ottingham,  Hull  (gardener,  Mr.  V.  Water- 
house),  was  very  successful,  and  staged  some  excellent 
plants,  as  did  he  in  the  class  for  a  table  of  tuberous-rooted 
Begonias.  Messrs.  R.  Simpson  and  Son  were  first  for  a  group 
of  Gloxinias,  the  Rev.  G.  Yeats  was  second,  and  Mr.  V. 
WattThouse  third. 

Cut  Flowers  and  Floral  Decorations 
Both  hardy  and  tender  cut  flowers  were  largely  shown, 
and  made  a  bright  and  handsome  spectacle.  In  the  three 
classes  devoted  to  hardy  fiowers,  IMessrs.  Harkness  and 
Son  were  first,  staging  magnificently  in  each  case.  The 
flowers  were  shown  in  large  bunches,  and  ail  were  con- 
spicuous for  their  excellence  and  richness  of  colour.  Messrs. 
G.  Gibson  and  Co.,  R.  Smith  and  Co.,  J.  Mclndoe,  and  W. 
Hutchinson  divided  the  remaining  prizes.  Mr.  Mclndoe 
won  the  classes  for  twelve  bunches  of  choice  cut  flowers, 
exclusive  of  Orchids,  and  also  that  in  which  these  flowers 
were  permissible.  Floral  decorations  in  the  form  of  bouquets, 
stands  of  fiowers,  and  tables  of  floral  designs  were  superb, 
and  characterised  by  select  flowers  and  elegance  of  arrange- 
ment. Messrs.  Perkins  and  Sons,  Coventry,  Messrs. 
Artindale  and  Son,  J.  Summers,  and  J.  Kirk  annexed  a 
goodly  proportion  of  the  prizes  in  the  several  classes. 


Orchiijs. 

The  Orchids  were  placed  upon  the  central  table  in  the 
large  tent,  and  made  a  most  atti'active  picture.  Cnfoi- 
tunately,  they  were  considerably  mixed,  and  this  rendered 
it  well  nigh  impossible  to  ensure  accurate  reijorting.  P'or  a 
table  of  Orchids,  ]\Ir.  .1.  Cypher  was  first,  Mr.  J.  Robson 
second,  and  Mr.  W.  Vause  fourth.  We  could  not  find  the 
third  prize  winner.  Mr.  J.  Cypher  was  again  first  for  ten 
Orchids  in  bloom,  with  some  gi'^ndly  grown  specimens  ;  Mi'. 
J.  Robson  was  second,  W.  p,  Burkenahaw,  Esq.,  Jlessic, 
Hull  (gardener,  Mr.  .1.  S.  Barker),  third,  and.  Mr.  W. 
Townsend  fourth.  Mr.  J.  P.  liarker  was  first  for  six  Orchids 
with  finely  flowered  plants  ;  Mr.  J.  Cypher  was  second,  and 
Mr.  W^  Townsend  fourth.  In  the  amateur  classes  for  Orchids 
Mr.  J.  P.  Barker  secured  practically  all  the  premier  awards, 
staging  most  creditably  throughout. 

VKfiETAHLES. 

There  were  only  two  classes  for  vegetables,  both  being 
provided  by  seed  merchants,  and  in  each  case  Lord  Alden- 
ham,  Aldenham  ilousc,  Elstree  (gardener,  Mr.  E.  Jieckett), 
was  first.  In  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Son's  class,  the  winner 
staged  Cauliflower  Magnum  Bonum,  Carrot  Early  Gem, 
Tomato  Perfection,  Pea  Duke  of  Albany,  Potato  Sharpe's 
Victor,  and  Bean  Canadian  Wonder  ;  Mr.  J.  Mclndoe  was 
second,  and  the  Earl  of  Latliom,  Lathom  House,  Ormskirk 
(gardener,  Mr.  Bashton),  third.  In  Messrs.  Webb  and  Son's 
class,  Mr.  Beckett  showed  Cauliflower  Peerless,  Tomato 
Viceroy,  Carrot  Prize  Winner,  Potato  Sharpe's  ^'ictor,  Bean 
Canadian  Wonder,  and  Pea  Edwin  Beckett;  Mr.  Mclndoe 
was  second,  and  Mr.  B.  Ashton  third. 

Fruit. 

The  principal  class  in  this  important  section  was  for  a 
decorated  dessert  table  of  ripe  fruit,  not  to  exceed  fourteen 
dishes,  or  less  than  ten.  The  premier  place  was  taken  by 
Sir  J.  W.  Pease,  Jiart.,  M.P.,  HutLon  Hall,  Guisboro" 
(gardener,  Mr.  J.  Mclndoe),  who,  second,  got  09  points  out  of 
a  possible  13U.  The  dishes  were  Cherries,  Early  Kiveis'  and 
Bigarreau  de  Schreken,  !).^ ;  Grapes,  Black  Hamburgh,  7.',  ; 
and  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  1 ;  Melons,  Best  of  All  and 
Hutton  Hall  Greenflesh,  10;  Nectarine  Early  Rivers,  5; 
Peaches,  Early  Alfred  and  Grosse  Mignonne,  10  ;  Plums, 
Early  Transparent  Gage  and  Count  Althann's  Gage,  10^  ; 
Strawberry  Royal  Sovereign,  5  ;  Fig  Brown  Turkey,  5!  ;  arid 
Pear  (.'lapps  Favourite,  5.  For  beauty  of  floweV  and 
foliage  the  points  were  0 ;  for  harmonious  blending  of 
colour,  0  ;  and  for  general  arrangement  for  effect,  fi.  The 
flowers  used  included  Heuchera  sanguinea,  Francoa 
ramosa,  Odontoglossum  crispum,  Lfelia  harpophylla,  L. 
purpurata,  Dendrobium  dalhousianum,  Cattleya  Mendeli, 
and  Masdevallias.  The  scheme  of  arrangement  was  very 
charming.  Mr.  C.  E.  Simpson,  Iluntriss  Row,  Scarborough, 
was  second  with  07^  points;  Mr.  J.  Sinclair,  Blake  Street, 
York,  was  third  with  06  points.  The  latter  fell  oft"  consider- 
ably in  the  floral  section  of  the  table. 

There  was  apparently  only  one  entry  of  fruits,  eight  kinds. 
This  was  Mr.  Mclndoe,  who  was  awarded  the  flrst  prize. 
The  fruits  were  Grapes  Black  Hamburgh  and  Foster's 
Seedling,  Peach  Grosse  Mignonne,  Fig  Brown  Turkey,  Cherry 
Black  Tartarian,  Melon  Yorkshire  Beauty,  Nectarine 
Murray,  and  Plum  Purple  Imperial.  Eight  conipetitois 
faced  the  judges  in  the  class  for  four  kinds  of  fruits,  and 
Lord  Barnard,  Raby  Castle,  Darlington  (gardener,  Mr.  James 
TuUet),  was  first,  Mr.  ^Mclndoe  second,  and  the  Earl  of 
Londesborough,  Londesborough  Park,  Market  Weighton 
(gardener,  Mr.  J.  McPherson),  third.  For  Pines,  ilr.  J. 
Jordan  was  first  and  Mr.  J.  Tullet  second,  ilr.  J.  P. 
Leadbetter  was  a  grand  first  for  Black  Hamburgh  Grapes, 
with  absolutely  perfect  examples,  Mr.  J.  McPherson  was 
second,  also  showing  well,  and  Mr.  J.  Tullet  third;  there 
were  nine  competitors.  For  White  Grapes,  Lady  Beaumont, 
Carlton  Towers,  R.S.O.  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  Nichols),  was 
easily  first  with  excellent  examples  of  Buckland  Sweetwater, 
Mr.  J.  Tullet  being  second,  and  Mr.  J.  Mclndoe  third,  both 
showing  Foster's  Seedling.  The  classes  for  Peaches,  Nec- 
tarines, F^igs,  Melons,  and  Cherries  were  all  keenly  contested, 
and  brought  forth  some  highly  meritorious  produce.  In 
some  cases  there  were  as  many  as  twelve  competitors. 

Non-competitive  Exhibits. 

These  formed  a  very  handsome  addition  to  the  exhibition. 
Lord  Middleton,  Birdsall,  York  (gardener,  Mr.  B.  Wadds), 
sent  a  box  of  flowers  of  Schubertia  grandiflora,  which  was 
recommended  as  a  rival  to  Stephanotis.  Messrs.  Charles- 
worth  and  Co.,  Heaton,  Bradford,  showed  Orchids,  including 
Ladio  Cattleya  Lady  Wigan,  L.-C.  canhamiana,  L.-C.  PhLebe, 
Cattleya  Mendeli,  and  C.  Mussire,  with  Mikonias,  Oncidiums, 
and  others.  Mr.  G.  Yeld,  Clifton,  Y'ork,  contributed  hybrid 
Hemerocallis,  including  the  beautiful  Apricot,  and  Irises 
amongst  which  Sarpedon  was  magnificent.  Messrs.  R. 
Wallace  and  Co.,  Colchester,  arranged  a  group  of  Liliums  in 
very  extensive  variety,  with  Brodia^as,  Calochorti,  Irises, 
Ixias,  Piconies,  Linaria  dalmatica.  Inula  glandulosa,  Incar- 
vil  ea  Delavayi,  and  Lupinus  arboreus,  the  whole  forming 
a  very  striking  exhibit.  Messrs.  J.  Peed  and  Son,  West 
Norwood,  showed  Gloxinias,  amongst  which  Mrs.  McKinley, 
Blue  King,  Brilliant,  ISlrs.  W.  Weaver,  Queen  Alexandra, 
Earl  Roberts,  Shamrock  I.,  and  Fairy  Queen  were  con- 
spicuous. All  the  plants  were  well  grown  and  profusely 
fiowered.  Messrs.  G.  Boyes  and  Co.,  Derby,  showed  the 
new  yellow  Carnation  Lord  Roberts,  which  has  a  non- 
bursting  calyx. 

A  superb  collection  of  hardy  Water  Lilies  was  shown 
by  Messrs.  de  Rothschild,  Gunnei-sbury  House,  Acton 
(gardener,  ilr.  James  Hudson,  V.M.H.).  Those  repre- 
sented were  fiannnea,  ignea,  robinsoniana,  Marliacea, 
rosea,  M.  chromatella,  ellisiana,  alba  candidissima,  Lay- 
dekeri  lilacea,  stellata,  and  Wm.  Falconer.  Messrs. 
Webb  and  Sons,  M'ordsley,  staged  Gloxinias.  The  plants 
were  small,  but  gave  promise  of  .fine  form  and  colour. 
Messrs.  Dicksons,  Limited,  Chester,  sent  hardy  flowers. 
Bearded  and  Spanish  Irises,  P;conies,  Ereraurus  robustus, 
Kniphofia  Tuckeri,  and  Gerbera  Jamesoui  being  especially 
noticeable.    Messrs.  G.  Cooling  and  Sons,  Bath,  were  repre- 


460 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  22,  1901. 


sented  by  a  most  beautiful  collection  of  ganlen  Koses  ; 
they  were  shuwn  in  large  bunches,  and  included  such 
varieties  as  Purity,  Papillon,  Wni.  A.  Richardson,  Corallina, 
Paul's  Carmine  Pillar,  Mme.  Eugene  Resal,  Janet's  Pride, 
Ma  (Japucine,  .Shirley  Hibberd,  and  ('amoens.  Air.  -T.  AN'ood. 
Kirkstall,  Leeds,  had  a  small  rockery.  Messrs.  .T.  "N'eitch 
and  8cni,  Limited,  Chelsea,  arranged  Kalanchoe  flanimea, 
Gloxinias  and  Streptocarpus  in  splendid  condition,  as  well 
as  a  few  Lpclio-Cattleyas  of  particular  merit.  Messrs.  W. 
Cutbush  and  Sons,  Highgate,  had  a  very  good  collection  of 
Carnations,  Mahiiaisons  being  particularly  tine.  The  group 
also  included  Eremuri,  Ericas,  Bamboos,  Palms,  and 
Azaleas.  Messrs.  E.  Smith  and  Co.,  Worcester,  showed 
trained  C'lematis,  Cupressus  macrocarpa  lutea,  Ciotoiis, 
Anthurium  seherzerianum,  with  Pimeleas  and  Ericas  in 
variety. 

Jlessrs.  T.  Rivers  and  Sons,  Sawbridgeworth,  sent  a 
magniflcent  collection  of  fruit  trees  in  pots.  The  Nectarines 
were  Lord  Napier,  Stanwick  EIruge,  Dryden,  and  <!'ardinal, 
all  the  fruits  being  of  splendid  shape  and  beautifully 
coloured.  01  Cherries  there  were  Guigne  d'Annonay,  Early 
Rivers',  and  Belle  dOiieans.  while  Plums  included  Curlew, 
The  Czar,  and  Early  Prolitic.  Mr.  J.  C.  Edwards,  Leeds, 
showed  foliage  and  flowering  plants  in  variety,  and  ilr.  K. 
Sydenham,  Tenlpy  Street,  Birmingham,  showed  excellent 
Sweet  Peas.  Messrs.  H.  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park,  had 
a  collection  of  Orchids,  amongst  which  Cattleya  intermedia 
alba,  *'.  Mossiie  reineckiana  Edward  VII.,  C.  M.  excelsa, 
LicUo-Cattleya  Phccbe,  and  Odontoglossum  loochristiense 
were  conspicuous. 

WOOD  GREEN  HORTICULTURAL  S(.)CIETV. 

The  monthlv  meeting  was  held  at  the  Masonic  Hall,  Wood 
Green,  on  .Aine  11,  at  which  Mr.  W.  E.  Shrivoll,  E.L.S., 
F.R.H.S.,  gave  a  most  instructive  and  interesting  lecture  on 
"Chemical  Manures  for  Garden  and  Greenhouse  Work,' 
great  interest  being  taken  Ijy  the  many  members  and  friends 
who  were  present. 

A  grand  exhibition  was  held  at  the  same  time,  at  which 
Messrs.  Amos  Perry,  Hardy  Plant  Eami,  Winchmore  Hill, 
staged  an  extensive  collection  of  cut  blooms,  inchuling 
several  tine  new  Poppies  and  many  varieties  of  Oncocyclus 
Iris,  Gatesii  being  especially  fine.  Mr.  Perry  also  showed 
some  fine  plants  of  Phlox  ovata. 

Messrs.  Stanley  Ashton  and  Co.,  Orchid  growers,  Southgate, 
N.,  also  staged  a  magnificent  collection  of  Orchids,  among 
them  being  especially  noticeable  Cattleya  ilossiic,  Odonto- 
glossum citrosmum,  and  many  kinds  of  Oncidiums, 
Cypripediums,  and  Epidendrunis. 

The  judges,  one  of  whom  was  itr.  Hemmings,  head  gardener 
at  the  Alexandra  Palace,  considered  the  exhibits  of  Messrs. 
Perry  and  Stanley  Ashton  and  Co.  of  great  merit,  and 
awarded  each  of  them  the  gold  medal  of  the  society. 

Mr.  .1.  H.  Stickler,  florist,  of  Wood  Green,  staged  a  very 
flue  lot  of  the  new  Ivy  Pelargonium  Galilee,  for  which  he 
was  awarded  a  certificate  of  merit  of  the  society.  Among 
the  members  who  exhibited  were  Mr.  R.  Core  Gardner,  with 
a  collection  of  cut  flowers,  and  Mr.  Le  Riche  and  Mr.  W.  E. 
Phillips,  l)oth  with  hanging  baskets.  Mr.  Gould  won  Mr. 
Phillips's  prize  for  Roses,  showing  a  magnificent  collection  ; 
he  also  exhibited  a  very  fine  vase  of  Buddleia  globosa. 


TO 


ANSWERS 
CORRESPONDENTS. 


RULES  FOR  CORRESPONDENTS. 

Questions  and  Answers.— r^e  Editors  intend  to 
make  The  GauI'EN  helpj'idtnall  readers  who  desire  assintance, 
no  matterwhat  the  branch  of  gardenin{j  may  be,  and  with  that 
object  will  make  a  Kpecml  feature  of  the  "  Answers  to  Corre- 
spondents" cohtmn.  All  c&mmunications  shoxtld  be  clearly 
and  concisely  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only,  and 
addressed  to  the  Editors  of  The  Garden,  x'O,  Tavistock  Street, 
Covent  Garden,  London.  Letters  on  business  should  be  sent 
to  the  Pi  ni,isiiK]L  The  name  and  address  of  the  sender  are 
required  in  (chfifion  to  any  designation  he  may  desire  to  be 
used  i»  the  paper.  When  more  than  one  query  is  sent,  each 
shotild  be  on  a  separate  piece  of  paper. 


Names  of  plants. —  C.  M.  Cinly.— The  Orchis  is 
ajiparently  the  not  uncommon  white  variety  of  0.  Jlorio. 
The  bush  is  Viburnum  Opulus,  the  wild  Guelder  Rose  or 
Water  Elder,  botanically  identical  with  the  garden  Guelder 
Rose,  but  that  in  the  latter  all  the  florets  are  sterile,  instead 

of  the  sterile  being  in  an  outer  ring  only,  as  in  the  wild. 

W.  A.  G.—l,  Veronica  rupestris ;  2,  a  dark  coloured  form  of 

Scilla  peruviana. Subso-iher  (Co/fc).  —  Hyacinthus  ame- 

thystinus.— — G.  R.  W.—The  small  flower  is  Iris  graminea; 
the  large  one  a  form  of  I.  variegata,  but  the  flower  was  much 
shrivelled  when  we  received  it.  There  are  so  many  of  tliis 
class  in  cultivation. G.  R.  C.—l,  Glechoma  hederacea  varie- 
gata (variegated  ground  Ivy) ;    2,  Polygonum  cuspidatum  ; 

;i,    Lamium  Galeobdolon. C.  B.  jt/.— The  Berberis  is  B. 

wallichiana,  and  the  Calycanthus  is  C.  glaucua. Kentish. 

-The  Judas  tree  (Cercis  siliciuastruni). 

Replanting"  hardy  bulbs  (REV.  Roll.,  mevek).— 
The  best  time  to  replant  all  hardy  bulbs  is  as  soon  as  the 
leaves  die  down.  Sternbergia  should  certainly  be  replanted 
as  soon  as  possible  ;  it  might  have  been  done  earlier,  and 
Erythronium  now. 

Berberis  (-1.  A.).— The  Berberis  is  B.  nepalensis.  We 
cannot  account  for  tlie  shoots  going  in  the  way  described, 
unless  it  be  due  to  poverty  in  the  soil,  an  altogether  starved 
condition  of  growth.  B.  nepalensis  is  very  handsome  when 
not  fettered  witli  ueightiouring  shrubs. 

Spanish  Chestnut  with  hapd  nut  (Carki.).— 
We  do  not  know  any  Spanish  Chestnut  that  produces  a  very 
hard  nut,  and  should  imagine  yours  was  something  totally 


difterent.  From  the  fact  that  the  nuts  were  picked  up  on 
the  beach  they  may  have  been  brought  l)y  the  Gulf  Stream, 
possibly  from  the  West  Indian  Islands,  so  that  it  is 
impossilile  to  say  what  they  are.  It  is  scarcely  likely  that 
the  plant  will  prove  hardy. 

Potting-  Chrysanthemums  (Alpha).^ 
Removing  Chrysanthemums  fi-ora  0-inch  pots,  in  which 
they  should  be  some  li.i  feet  to  3  feet  in  height,  as  yours 
are,  int(t  large  pots  from  U  inches  to  in  inches  broad 
should  be  done  at  once.  Have  a  compost  of  two-thirds  sweet 
turfyloam,  the  rest  being  composed  of  well-turned,  sweetened, 
and  half-decayed  horse  manure,  wood  ashes,  screened  mortar 
rublile,  and  soot,  and  to  each  barrow  load  of  soil  one  pint  of 
tjuite  tine  bone  dust.  Mix  this  well,  and  when  ready  put 
ample  drainage  into  each  pot,  on  that  some  of  the  coarser 
parts  of  the  compost,  then  fill  up.  In  potting  do  not  fail  to 
make  the  soil  about  the  mass  of  roots  ([uite  firm,  as  that  not 
only  conduces  to  tlie  production  of  hard  woody  steins,  but 
also  later  fine  blnnius. 

Autumn  Cabbages  (S.  J.  C.).— June  is  rather  late 
to  make  a  sowing  of  Cabbage  seed  for  autumn  cutting,  but 
still  if  you  will  sow  any  good  small  heartitig  variety,  such  as 
Ellams  Early  York  or  ilarket  Garden,  you  may  get  them 
planted  out  in  time  to  furnish  small  hearts  in  October.  It 
will  he  wise  to  get  plants  presently  from  May  sowings  of  All 
Heart,  Improved  Nonpareil  or  Les  Etampes  to  give  earlier 
cuttings,  and  some  of  that  admirable  round-headed  Cabbage, 
St.  John's  Day,  to  turn  in  during  November  and  December. 
Because  of  the  usual  abundance  of  Peas,  Beans,  and  other 
summer  vegetables.  Cabbages  are  not  in  much  demand 
during  July  and  August,  and  especially  because  during  hot 
weather  caterpillars  are  plentiful.  No  doubt  during  those 
months  the  best  of  the  ('attbage  tribe  are  found  in  small 
solid  white  Cauliflowers,  which  plants  put  out  now  of  Snow- 
ball, Forcing,  or  Perfection  will  give  later  on. 

Aupicula  seeds  germinating  (Flora). —  The 
time  it  may  take  your  seed  of  Auricula  to  germinate  depends 
on  liow  f)id  it  is.  But  we  can  say  that  if  it  be  of  last 
year's  saving,  was  well  ripened,  has  been  by  you  properly 
sown,  kept  moist,  and  shaded  it  should  germinate  in 
three  weeks,  and  be  seen  well  up  in  a  month.  That  is  our 
experience,  even  this  season,  with  seed  sown  in  shallow- 
boxes  outdoors  and  covered  with  panes  of  glass.  These  have 
been  shaded  with  paper  during  hot  sunshine.  •  Have  yon 
treated  yours  in  the  same  way?  Auricula  seeds  have  rather 
hard  coats,  and  they  need  some  softening  in  damp  soil  before 
the  gei'm  of  growth  can  escape.  Light  is  not  needful  for 
germination,  but  warmth,  air,  and  moisture  are.  "  Those  are 
tlie  primary  aids  to  success.  Too  much  exposure  to 
light  often  means  a  drying  up  of  the  soil  just  at  the  moment 
germination  is  commencing. 

Late  Green  Peas  (Albion).— If  you  wish  to  have 
good  Peas  to  gather  in  September,  do  not  sow  on  a  hot 
border ;  but  in  any  case  you  will  have  little  success, 
though  we  have  a  wet  summer,  unless  you  have  a  trench 
made  some  2  feet  in  width  and  as  deep,  throwing  out  the 
top  spit  on  to  one  side  and  the  bottom  soil  on  the  other; 
then  break  up  the  bottom,  throwing  on  to  that  some 
half-decayed  manure,  and  on  that  6  inches  of  soil.  Mix  soil 
and  manure,  then  repeat  the  process,  and  continue  to  do  so, 
using  first  the  top  soil  and  tlien  some  from  the  sides  of  the 
trench.  Tread  the  soil  and  manure  fa'rly  firm,  and  when 
the  trench  is  full  draw  two  drills  with  a  hoe  side  by  side 
down  the  centre,  and  sow  either  Autocrat  or  Late  Queen 
thinly  in  the  furrows,  and  cover  them  up.  The  soil  will 
settle  down  still  more,  leaving  a  slight  hollow,  which  will  hold 
water  when  needed.  The  sowing  should  be  made  about  the 
middle  of  the  present  month. 

Potatoes  in  boxes  (H.  J.  G.).— There  is  very  little 
art  in  growing  early  forced  Potatoes  in  boxes  such  as 
ytiu  saw  at  the  Temple  sliow.  The  boxes  may  take  three 
tuliers  planted  12  inches  apart,  be  3  feet  long,  and  0  inches 
wide  inside.  They  should  be  9  inches  deep,  and  have  a  few 
holes  bored  in  the  bottom  to  enable  surplus  moisture  to 
escape.  As  to  movable  sides,  to  which  you  refer,  that 
arrangement  is  easy  enough  if  the  sides  be  made  either  to 
drop  into  grooves  at  each  end  or  be  secured  to  the  bottom 
and  ends  by  means  of  hooks  or  screws.  Then,  as  you 
suggest,  these  sides  could  at  a  certain  stage  of  growth  of  the 
plants  be  taken  off,  all  the  largest  tubers  carefully  removed, 
and  then  the  sides,  being  replaced,  fresh  soil  could  be 
added,  and  the  plants  be  allowed  to  finish  or  swell  up  the 
rest  of  the  growing  tubers.  Boxes  of  that  form  might  with 
care  last  for  many  years. 

dm  tpees  and  wall  (SAsitCATE).— We  understand 
your  query  to  be  that  2  feet  from  a  high  garden  wall  you  have 
a  row  of  Elm  trees  13  feet  apart,  some  of  which,  or  branches 
from  which,  you  wish  to  remove.  If  you  wish  to  utilise  the 
wall  there  is  little  chance  of  success  unless  you  remove  the 
trees  absolutely.  If  the  trees  remain  the  only  possible  use 
for  the  wall  then  will  be  covering  it  wiih  Ivy,  planted  at  its 
base  in  the  autumn  ;  but  where  Elm  trees  grow  so  close  the 
soil  is  so  eaten  up  by  their  roots  that  there  is  little  chance  for 
anything  else  to  grow,  apart  from  the  fact  that  light  and 
air  are  so  excluded.  Of  course,  were  the  trees  quite  removed 
you  could  plant  the  wall  with  fruit  trees  or  nice  flowering 
climbers. 

Peas  in  greenhouse  (Civis).— We  fear  you  have 
made  a  grave  mistake  in  sowing  Peas  on  the  floor  of  a  green- 
house st>  late  as  May  25.  Had  it  been  some  early  varieties 
and  sown  three  months  earlier  all  might  have  been  well,  but 
you  liave  sown  quarts  of  strong-growing  late  Peas  where  you 
should  have  sown  only  half  pints,  and  at  the  time  of  year, 
end  of  May,  it  should  have  been  outdoors.  You  do  not  tell 
us  how  far  your  rows  are  apart,  liut  they  should  be  4  feet  at 
least,  as  no  doubt  in  a  house  they  will,  with  sticks,  reach 
from  5  feet  to  G  feet  in  height.  Certainly,  you  should  pinch 
out  two-tliirds  of  the  plants  and  get  them  staked.  You  must 
also  keep  them  well  watered,  and  each  night  sprinkled  over- 
head. Even  then  there  is  fear,  owing  to  the  house  getting  too 
liot  and  dry,  that  the  plants  will  be  eaten  up  by  thrips. 
Peas  are  all  right  in  a  greenliouse  very  early,  but  certaiidy 
should  lie  oiitiioors  in  the  sununer. 

Storing  Potatoes  (G.  w.,  Kent).—\i  you  wish  to 
store  Potatoes  for  seed  or  planting  purposes  through  the 


winter,  the  trays  you  refer  to  will  do  admirably,  or  they  may 
be  thinly  exposed  to  light  and  air  as  cool  as  possible,  but 
free  from  frost,  on  light  shelves  IS  inches  apart  in  a 
loft;  but  as  you  say  your  loft  is  over  a  stalile  there  is 
danger  that  the  temperature  may  be  too  high  to  keep 
Potatoes  at  rest.  Frost  must  be  excluded.  If  you  want 
your  Potatoes  for  eating  only,  then  put  by  only  those  of 
eating  size.  If  these  are  early  ones,  then  let  them  be  kept  in 
heaps  on  a  cool  floor,  and  in  an  absolutely  dark  place,  where 
they  can  be  occasionally  looked  over  if  they  begin  to  sprout. 
They  should  have  some  straw  laid  over  them  to  exclude  ah'. 
Late  Potatoes  may  be  stored  in  a  pit  outdoora,  well  covered 
up  with  straw  and  soil,  till  Christmas,  then  be  got  into  a  coul 
store,  and  lie  kept  in  tubs,  boxes,  or  in  heaps  till  wanted. 

Split  pod  Carnations  (Morris).— The  splitting  of 
the  pod  or  calyx  of  a  Carnation  flower  is  a  great  defect.  Wc 
regret  to  say  that  it  is  far  too  commonly  such,  and  should 
never  be  tolerated.  Your  best  remedy  with  such  defects  is 
to  obtain  a  quantity  of  small  india-rubber  rings,  and  whilst 
the  pnds  are  still  forming  to  slip  those  over  them,  so  that 
they  enclose  the  lower  or  sheath  portion  of  the  calyx,  or  you 
can  tie  round  them  pieces  of  thread  or  fine  raftla  grass,  of 
course  all  this  signifies  much  trouble,  and  is  far  from  being 
pleasing.  Far  better  gradually  get  rid  of  these  pod-splitting, 
loose-flowered  varieties,  and  replace  them  with  othere  that 
have  not  such  defects.  There  are  many  that  do  not  split  as 
there  are  many  which  do.  We  hope  some  day  no  award 
of  merit  or  certificate  will  be  given  to  pod-bursting  flowers. 
Scotch  Fir  attacked  by  caterpillars 
(H.  PLttWRlOHT).— Your  Scotch  firs  are  attacked  by  the  cater- 
pillars of  the  Pine  shoot  Tortrix  Moth  (Retinia  buoliana),  a 
pretty  insect,  measuring  somewhat  less  than  an  inch  across 
the  wings ;  the  upper  pair  are  reddish  yellow  with  various 
white  and  silvery  markings,  the  lower  pair  are  greyish.  The 
moth  lays  her  eggs  on  the  young  shijots,  and  the  young  cater- 
pillars make  their  way  into  them.  The  best  remedy  is  to  cut 
off  the  infested  shoots  and  burn  them.  The  moths  emerge 
from  the  chrysalides  in  July.  Any  that  can  be  caught  should 
be  killed,  audit  might  be  of  use  to  spray  the  trees  with  some 
insecticide  containing  soft  soap,  in  order  to  deter  the  moths 
from  settling  on  them  to  lay  their  eggti.  It  is  obvious  that 
no  insecticide  can  be  made  to  reach  the  caterpillars. 

The  Cape  Silver  Tree  (Leucadendron 
argenteum)  from  seed  (Cakel).— This  is  not  dim- 
cult  to  raise  from  seeds,  but  in  common  with  most  plants  of 
the  natural  order  to  which  it  belongs  (Proteace:e),  the  young 
plants  need  very  careful  treatment  during  their  earlier 
stages.  To  succeed  in  the  culture  of  this  beautiful  shrub 
the  seed  should,  if  possible,  be  sown  in  the  spring,  as  by  so 
doing  the  young  plaitts  will  become  estalilished  before 
winter.  Whether  sown  in  pots  or  pans,  thorough  drainage 
is  absolutely  necessary,  and  a  very  suitable  compost  is  two 
parts  peat  to  one  of  loam  and  nearly  half  a  part  of  silver 
sand.  This  being  well  incorporated  together,  the  pots  or 
pans  should  be  filled  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  rim  with 
this  compost,  pressed  moderately  firm  and  made  level. 
Then  sow  the  seed  thereon  and  cover  with  a  little  more 
than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  of  the  same  soil.  After  this, 
place,  if  possible,  in  an  intermediate  house,  that  is  to  say, 
a  structure  kept  a  little  warmer  than  an  ordinary  green- 
house, and  give  just  surticieiit  water  to  keep  the  soil  fairly 
moist.  So  treated,  the  seed  will  not  take  long  to  germinate, 
then,  as  soon  as  the  first  true  leaf  is  developed,  comes  the 
critical  time,  the  young  plants  being  liable  to  damp 
ort'.  To  overcome  this  dithculty,  as  soon  as  the  seedlings 
have  reached  this  stage  they  must  be  potted  ort",  using 
small  pots,  ample  drainage,  and  the  same  kind  of  compost 
as  the  seeds  were  sown  in.  In  potting,  the  soil  should  be 
made  moderately  firm  and  the  roots  liuried  at  such  a  depth 
that  the  cotyledons  are  just  clear  of  the  soil,  as  if  potted 
too  high  they  are  apt  to  topple  over  and  perish,  while  if  put 
too  deep  it  is  just  as  injurious.  After  this  they  should  be 
kept  in  the  intermediate  house,  or,  failing  this,  the  warmest 
part  of  the  greenhouse,  and  if  kept  a  little  closer  than 
usual  till  they  recover  from  the  check  of  potting  so  much 
the  better.  Of  course,  during  all  this  the  plants  should  be 
shaded  from  direct  sunshine.  Watering  must  be  carefully 
done,  for  though  an  excess  of  moisture  is  to  be  avoided, 
drought  is  <iuite  as  injurious.  The  young  plants  may  be 
wintered  in  these  small  pots,  and  the  following  spring 
repotted  into  larger  ones.  After  its  infancy  is  past,  the 
Silver  Tree  reiiuires  much  the  same  treatment  as  Heaths, 
Epacris,  and  such  things,  viz.,  a  greenhouse  temperature,  a 
free  circulation  of  air  so  as  to  maintain  a  light,  buoyant 
atmosphere,  especially  during  the  winter,  and  careful 
attention  to  watering. 


Catalogues  Received. 

P'ruits  and  /'Vower«.— Messrs.  D.  Hay  and  Son,  MDntpellicr 
Nurseries,  Auckland,  N.Z. 

Hardy  yVrt^t-^'.— Messrs.  V.  N.  Gauntlett,  and  Co.,  the 
.(apancse  Nurseries,  Redruth. 

Flower  and  Vqtetable  Seeds.— Messrs.  Oakenhead  and  Co., 
SO,  Patrick  Street,  Cork. 

Jitflbs,  Roots,  and  Terrestrial  Orehidft,  .{-c— Dammaun  and 
Co.,  San  Giovanni  a  Teduccio,  near  Naples,  Italy. 

Journals,  &c.,  Received. 

The  Entomologist,  Journal  of  Botany,  Ri'llctia  df  I'Asso- 
eiation pour  la  protection  des plantes.  American  Journal  oj 
Science,  Liverpool  Horticultural  Association  (schedule  of 
l)rizcs  for  spring  and  autumn  shows).  Le  Chry.tanthcnit' 
Bulletin  dc  la  Socirte  Franeaise  d'Horticultitre  de  Londres,  etc. 


GARDENINQ     APPOINTMENT. 

Mk.  J.  Kki,i,v,  for  the  past  seven  and  a  half  years  with 
Messrs.  P.ackhouse  and  Son,  Limited,  Vork.  has  been 
appointed  assistant  secretary  to  Messrs.  Curtis.  Sandford 
and  Co.,  Limited,  Devon  Rosery,  Torquay,  and  has  entered 
upon  his  duties, 


^^)^  ..^  <fc]fV.y- 


'>^  '^.^r^^ 


E  GARDEN 


^- 


-^^ 


No.  ]54>.— Vol.  LIX.] 


[June  29,  1901. 


BEDDING     PLANTS     TO 
SPARE. 

IN  the  frame-yards  of  large  gardens  there 
are  nearly  always  at  this  time  of  year 
numbers  of  odds  and  ends  of  bedding 
and  other  various  plants  in  pots  and 
many  seedlings  of  the  half-hardy  classes 
that  are  no  longer  wanted.  We  wish  to  remind 
the  owners  of  such  spare  goods  how  much  they 
will  be  prized  by  village  neighbours,  either  for 
cottage  windows  or  for  brightening  their  little 
garden  plots.  The  mere  fact  that  they  cannot 
grow  them  themselves,  having  no  frame  or  other 
appliance,  enhances  the  value  of  such  plants, 
while  even  so  small  a  gift  as  three  seedlings  of 
African  Marigold  may  make  a  gorgeous  show 
in  a  little  cottage  garden.  It  is  one  of  the 
many  cases  where,  without  cost  and  only  at  the 
expense  of  the  trouble  of  very  slight  pains- 
taking, a  kindness  can  be  done  to  hard-working 
neighbours.  The  easiest  way  is  to  give 
notice  a  few  days  before  in  the  village  that 
plants  will  be  given  at  a  certain  time  one 
evening  at  the  garden  yard  as  far  as  the  spare 
stock  will  go. 

In  the  spring  some  packets  of  hardy  flower 
seeds  are  always  welcome  gifts  in  cottage 
gardens,  such  seeds  as  are  offered  by  the  leading 
seed  houses  by  weight  at  very  moderate  prices. 
Many  kind  people  have  plenty  of  spare  time  on 
their  hands,  and  if  the  thought  only  occurred 
to  them  they  would  be  glad  to  put  some  of 
it  to  good  use  by  making  up  and  labelling 
yiackets  of  these  seeds.  The  smaller  the 
(quantity  in  each  packet  the  better,  for  annual 
seeds  are  always  sown  too  thick,  and  even 
then  neighbours  to  whom  it  is  given  will 
still  further  subdivide  and  exchange.  In  the 
autumn,  now  that  strong  hardy  perennials  are 
grown  in  all  gardens,  there  must  be  quantities 
to  spare  for  cottage  neighbours.  We  shall 
remind  our  readers  of  this  when  the  time 
comes. 

Owners  of  country  properties  who  have  the 
good  of  their  tenants  at  heart  will  ascertain  if 
the  cottages  have  proper  gardens,  if  not  they 
can  immensely  benefit  them  by  providing 
allotments  for  cultivation,  and  perhaps  giving 
seed  Potatoes,  or  providing  a  hovel  for  tools. 
Some  such  substantial  help  to  a  deserving 
tenant  is  of  a  value  to  him  quite  out  of  pro- 
portion with  the  cost  of  its  giving  to  the 
owner  ;  it  puts  the  man  into  a  distinctly  better 
position,  and  sensibly  increases  his  interest  in 
life,  stimulating  him  to  renewed  efforts  of 
industry  and  ingenuity,  and   the   practice   of 


thrift,  making  him  liriglitcr  and  better 
round,  while  the  giving  of  such  help  costs 
little. 


all 
but 


INJUDICIOUS     BOTANISING. 

All  lovers  of  flowers,  including  botanists,  will 
feel  grateful  to  the  editors  of  The  Garden  for 
their  remarks  on  this  subject  (see  page  4:^5), 
because     they     will     probably     i-each     many 
thoughtless   offenders,  as    well   as   those   who 
have  the  power  and   influence   to   discourage 
the  practice  of  collecting  scarce  plants,     The 
rooting  up  of  common  wild  flowers  has  robbed 
the  neighbourhood  of  most  towns  and  holiclay 
resorts  of  half  of  their  charms,  and  the  result 
is  sheer  waste,  because  few  of  the  many  who 
carry  them  away  succeed  in  cultivating  them, 
even  if  they  try.     For  teaching  purposes  the 
commonest  plants,  generally  speaking,  are  the 
most  suitable,  as  it  is  of  more  importance  to 
have  a  knowledge  of  them   than  of  the  rarer 
ones.     The  true  botanist  is  an  artist,  if  not  in 
practice  at  least  in  sentiment  and  by  nature, 
and  the  Primrose,  Poppy,  Ox-eye  Daisy,  and 
scores  of  other  common  flowers  appeal  more 
strongly  to  his  sense  of  beauty  than   most  of 
the  rarer  ones,  which  he  likes  to  know  but  is 
content  to  leave  undisturbed.    I  have  always 
maintained    that    botanical    teaching    should 
begin  with  the  very  commonest  wild  and  culti- 
vated plants,  because  it  is  of  more  importance 
to  know  common  things,  and  because  a  large 
majority   of   the   pupils   will  never  have   the 
time,   even  if  they  have  the  inclination,   to 
obtain   a   wider   knowledge   of  l:)0tany.      The 
practice  of  making  collections  of  dried  plants 
is   ever   on   the   increase,   as   is   also   that    of 
offering  prizes  for  collections  of  wild  flowers 
at  local  flower  shows.     I  should  like  to  repeat 
here  what   I  have  often  written  before,   that 
importance    should   be    given   to   the   quality 
of  the  specimens  and  the  correct  naming  of 
dried  collections,  and  to  the  artistic  arrange- 
ment and  correct  naming  of  fresh  collections 
rather  than  to  rarity.     Indeed,  I  would  not 
give  any  points  for  rarity  in  such  competitions. 
W.  RoTTiNi;  Hem.sley, 

Keeper  of  the  Herbarium, 

Iloyal  Gardens,  Kew. 
Les  Terres,  Haiwlet,  Guerinei/. 


NEAV    AND    RARE    PLANTS. 

Each  of  tlie  following  obtained  an  award  of  merit 
when  exliibited  before  the  Floral  Committee  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  .Society  on  .June  18  : 

Gi.ORiosA  LUTKA.  —  We  are  unable  to  state 
whether  this  is  a  true  species  or  a  yellow-liowered 
form  of  the  well-known  G.  superba.  The  specimens 
exhibited  had  flowers  with  the  same  undulated 
S3gments  as  in  the  old  form,  and  of  a  soft  yet 
decided  pale  yellow  tone.  The  plants  from  which 
the  flowers  were  taken  were  sent  home  from 
Rhodesia  and  exhibited  bv  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Evelyn 
Cecil,  Lytehett  Heath,  Poole  (gardener,  Mr.  Cox). 

DiCTAHiNUs  CAUCASK'US.— This  is  not  a  novelty 


but  an  exceedingly  fine  plant,  that  has  never 
before  been  shown  as  it  was  on  Tuesdaj',  .Tune  18, 
when  its  reddish  inflorescences  attracted  much 
attention.  It  is  much  redder  in  colour  and  bolder 
and  more  attractive  in  growth  than  the  common 
Fraxinella.  The  specimens  shown  were  fully 
4  feet  high.  It  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  Amos  Perry, 
Winchmore  Hill. 

Sedum  kamtschaticum  fol.  var. — A  pretty 
variegated  form  of  a  well-known  Sedum,  that  for 
purposes  of  ordinar3'  bedding  should  almost 
displace  the  well-known  Mesenibryanthemum 
cordifolium  fol.  var.  In  the  Sedum  yellow  tind 
red  mingle  freely,  hence  the  pretty  effect  of  the 
mass.  On  the  rockery  the  plant  should  also  prove 
of  service,  and,  being  quite  hardj',  should  be  freely 
planted  in  the  more  warm  and  sunny  positions. 
From  Mr.  Amos  Perry,  Winchmore  Hill. 

ASPLENIUM  TRKHOMAKES  EtPIXNATOM. — A  mOSt 

interesting  break  to  lovers  of  hardy  Ferns  is  this 
distinctly  bipinnate  form  of  the  well-known  black- 
ribbed  Spleenwort,  of  which  a  perfectly  developed 
example  was  shown.  Exhibited  by  Mr.  Charles 
T.  Druery,  Acton. 

Carnation  Duchess  of  Roxeurohe  ((iow). — A 
finely-formed  flower  of  the  yellow-ground  fancj' 
type  of  Carnation.  The  ground  colour  is  pale 
yellow  and  the  markings  are  purple  and  red  of 
varying  shades.  It  was  raised  by  Mr.  Gow  of 
Kelso,  and  is  a  flower  of  merit,  strong  and  vigorous 
in  growth,  and  a  good  border  kind  also.  Sent  by 
Mr.  .James  Douglas,  Great  Bookham. 

Tea  Rose  Lady  Roberts. — This  is  one  of  the 
most  exquisite  Roses  we  have  seen,  the  flowers, 
in  bud  and  more  fully  developed,  all  displaj'ing 
the  high  character  of  this  variety,  while  the  depth 
of  the  bud  and  the  excjuisite  finish  and  substance 
of  the  petals  were  equally  striking.  Smoothness 
of  petal  is  also  a  strong  point,  while  the  colour 
varies  from  soft  apricot  or  buff-yellow  to  richer 
and  almost  red  tones.  It  is  probably  one  of  a 
new  series  of  beautiful  Tea  Roses.  Exhibited  by 
Messrs.  Frank  Cant  and  Co.,  Colchester. 


NOTES   OF    THE   WEEK. 


Awards   at   Chiswiek.— An  unusually 

full  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Societj-'s 
Fruit  Committee  was  held  at  Chiswiek  on  the 
20th  inst.  when  early  Peas  and  Lettuces  were 
examined.  The  Pea  trial  comprised  ninetj'-four 
varieties,  chiefly  new,  and  a  better  one  never  has 
been  seen  there,  the  growth  in  all  cases  being  first 
rate.  Awards  of  merit  were  granted  to  Sutton's 
Harbinger,  very  early  (18  inches),  Duchess  of  York 
(.5  feet),  and  to  Ideal  (4  feet) ;  also  to  Carter's 
King  Edward  'VII.  (4  feet),  and  to  Laxton's 
Ameer  (5  feet),  a  well  known  variety.  All  these 
are  wrinkled  Marrows,  and  of  great  exeelletice. 
Similar  awards  were  also  made  to  Lettuces  Si. 
Albans  Hall  (compact  Green  Cos),  Early  Perfection 
(Green  Cos,  slightly  earlier  than  the  preceding!, 
King  Boston  (a  fine  green  Cabbage  variet}'),  Con- 
tinuity (red  leaved,  and  very  fine),  Little  (iem 
(solid  early  white),  and  Tom  Thumb  (quite  small), 
specially  honoured  for  frame  culture. 

Examination  in  hoptieulture.— The 

annual  examination  in  the  principles  and  practice 
of  horticulture,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Roval 
Horticultural  Sooietj-,  was  held  on  April  24,  22."! 
papers  being  sent  in.     Three  hundred  marks  were 


462 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June   29,  I9(il 


allotted  as  a   maximum,   and   all  candidates  who 
obtained  200  marks  and  upwards  were  placed  in 
the   first    class.      The   total   number   was   Kill,   or 
48'4  per  cent.     The  highest  number  of  marks,  'iOll, 
was  awarded  to  Miss  Ella  M.  Watkins,   from  the 
Horticultural  College,  Swanley,  Kent.     Those  who 
secured  l.")0  and  less  than  200  marks  were  placed 
in  the  second  class.     The  number  was  S."i,  or  .S7'7 
per   cent.       Those   who  obtained    100  marks   and 
upwards    were    ranked  in   the   third    class.       The 
number  was  i."),  or  1 1  '1  per  cent.     Six  candidates, 
obtaining  less  than   lOO   marks,  were  not  placed. 
Comparing  these  results  with  those  of  the  last  two 
years  the  entry  has  .slightly  decreased,  viz.,  from 
•230  in   lOOli  to  22."i   in   lOOJ  ;    both  are,   however, 
greatly  in  excess  of  the  number  of  entries,  viz., 
Ki;")  in  IHflO,     It  will  be  noticed  that  the  percent- 
ages have  fallen  in  the  first  and  third  classes,  viz., 
from  (iO  to  48  in  the  former,  and  from   13  to  1 1   in 
the  latter  :    but  in  the  second  class  it  has  risen 
from  26  to  nearly  3.S  ;    that   is  as  compared  with 
the  results  of  UIOO.     The  lowering  of  the  percent- 
ages  of   the   first   class   may   be   attributed    to   a 
slightly     increased     difficulty     in     some     of     the 
questions,    more   especially   in    the    "principles." 
It  was  felt  by  the  examiners   that  the  "require- 
ments" drawn  up  some  years  ago  scarcelj'  met  the 
increased  knowledge  of  many  students,  especially 
when     prepared     at     the     various     horticultural 
colleges.    Anew  syllabus  of  botanical  requirements 
will   be   issued   for    UI02.      The   decrease    in    the 
percentages  of  the  third  class  is  a  good  sign,  as  it 
indicates  a  greater  preparedness  in  the  majority  of 
the  examinees.     A  scholarship  of  .£25  a  }'ear  for 
two  years  is  promised  for   1901   by  Henry  Wood, 
Esq  ,  which  will   be  continued  in   1902  by  F.   <4. 
Ivey,  Esq.,  both  gentlemen  being  members  of  the 
Court  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of  Gardeners, 
for   the   candidate   obtaining  the  highest  number 
of  marks. 

A.UbPietias.--I  have  read  with  interest  the 
notes  of  your  correspondent  "  K,"  in  j'our  last 
issue,  on  these  free-blooming  and  most  ornamental 
hardy  trailing  plants,  as  I  grow  almost  all  the 
varieties  mentioned  b\'  him.  The  one  exception 
is  that  to  the  length  of  whose  name  he  very 
sensibly  objects,  Souvenir  de  William  Ingram. 
Some  years  ago  I  wrote  to  the  present  head 
girdener  at  Belvoir  Castle  to  ask  him  kindly  to 
send  me  a  few  flowers  of  this  variety,  named  after 
his  predecessor.  He  promptly  and  courteously 
complied  with  my  request,  and  kindly  offered  to 
send  me  a  few  plants  if  I  wished  for  them  after 
having  seen  the  Howers.  While  thanking  him  for 
his  kind  offer,  I  declined  to  avail  mj'self  of  it,  as 
I  had  brighter  colours  and  larger  flowers  amongst 
the  plants  raised  from  a  packet  of  Belgian  seed 
received  from  a  nurseryman  at  (Jhent  merely  as 
hybrid  Aubrietias.  I  do  not  at  all  care  for  the 
variety  Belle  de  Bade  or  Beauty  of  Baden-Baden, 
as,  while  by  far  the  largest  individual  flower  of  all 
tho.se  known  to  me,  it  is  pale  and  dull  in  colour 
and  a  bad  doer,  of  delicate  constitution,  in  fact, 
and  I  think  not  worth  growing.  I  was  also  dis- 
appointed with  the  variety  Fire  King,  as  its  colour 
is  by  no  means  fiery,  and  I  consider  that  I  have 
better  things  among  my  Belgian  seedlings.  Dr. 
Mules  i.s  a  very  beautiful  shade  of  colour,  which 
I  consider  a  decided  acquisition.  The  last  new 
variety  which  I  have  sent  for  but  have  not  yet 
received  is  A.  rothesayana,  or  rothesiana,  raised 
and  now  being  distributed  by  Messrs.  Dobbie  and 
Co.  of  Rothesay,  Scotland.  It  is  described  by 
them  as  being  distinct  from  an}'  variety  known  to 
them,  having  flowers  of  a  deep  blue  colour  and  of 
good  habit. — W.  E.  (Jumbleton. 

Rose  Papa  Gontier.  —There  is  probably 
no  Rose  with  a  more  beautiful  shell-like  petal  than 
this.  Its  handsome,  smooth,  and  long  buds  of  a 
glowing  crimson  colour  are  charming  in  the  extreme. 
As  a  bedding  variety  the  stiff  growths  and  natural 
upright  habit  make  it  an  ideal  kind  for  this  purpose. 
Although  it  does  not  give  the  brilliant  effect  to 
be  obtained  from  Princesse  de  Sagan,  (Iriiss  an 
Teplitz,  or  Marquise  de  Salisbury,  there  is  no 
better  crimson  kind  for  midwinter  forcing.  Where 
high-coloured  Roses  are  valued,  then  Papa  (iontier 
should  be  one  of  them.  Plants  potted  in  autumn 
and   kept   outdoors  for   a   few   months,  and   then 


transferred  to  a  cold  pit,  are  splendid  for  forcing 
the  following  year.  They  need  not  be  repotted  for 
two  j'ears,  in  fact  it  would  be  best  not  to  do  so. 
By  mixing  a  little  artificial  manure  in  the  soil  when 
potting  the  plants  will  obtain  all  they  require  if 
assisted  with  waterings  of  liquid  manure  when  in 
full  erowth. -P. 
The  yellow  tree  Lupin.  — Mr.  Robert 

Milne  sends  from  Ingatestone,  Essex,  photographs 
of  this  beautiful  flower,  with  the  following  note  i — 
"The  aspect  is  full  south.  The  plant  is  in  its 
second  season.  It  was  put  in  as  a  cutting  in 
October,  1899.  The  top  sprays  have  been  about 
S  feet  from  the  ground." 

Rose  PUPity. — I  cannot  imagine  why  this 
Rose  has  been  classified  as  a  Hybrid  Bourbon.  I 
should  say  if  the  late  Mr.  Bennett  had  introduced 
this  variety,  which  I  believe  was  of  his  own  raising, 
that  he  would  not  have  hesitated  to  place  it  among 
the  Hybrid  Teas.  The  clear  Tea-like  petals  and 
exquisite  shape  give  one  the  impression  that  there 
is  more  Tea  blood  in  its  constitution  than  Bourbon. 
But  it  will  soon  be  some  one's  duty  to  invent  a  new 
class  unless  these  Hybrids  are  all  grouped  under 
the  one  heading  of  "  Hybrids,"  which  would  surely 
answer  all  purposes.  Those  that  flower  a  second 
time  could  be  so  designated  that  the  uninitiated 
would  know  how  to  plant  them.  An  isolated 
bloom  in  autumn  from  a  variety  does  not  give  that 
variety  a  claim  to  be  called  perpetual.  Those 
Roses"  only  are  perpetual  that  blossom  late  with 
the  freedom  of  Marie  Van  Houtte,  La  France, 
Griiss  an  Teplitz,  Camoens,  Enchantress,  and  such 
like.— P. 

Diostea  Juncea  at   Kew.— This  very 

rare,  singular,  yet  pretty  shrub,  is  flowering  freely 
in  a  border  near  the  Fern  houses  at  Kew.  The 
principal  specimen  is  about  10  feet  high,  and  in  its 
loose  growth  and  the  green  colour  of  its  shoots  it 
suggests  when  out  of  flower  a  spare  growing  bush 
of  Genista  Kthnensis,  though  it  belongs  to  a 
totally  different  order,  viz.,  Verbenacete.  While 
the  main  branches  are  ascending,  the  minor 
branchlets  are  slender,  more  or  less  drooping,  and 
clothed  with  green  bark.  The  leaves,  which  are 
arranged  in  opposite  pairs,  are  generally  less  than 
an  inch  long,  ovate  oblong  in  shape,  and  rather 
fleshy.  The  flowers,  which  impart  a  very  notable 
feature  to  the  plant,  are  individually  less  than  half 
an  inch  in  length,  tubular  in  shape,  and  of  a  pale 
lilac  tint.  They  are  arranged  in  small  but  thicklj' 
crowded  spikes,  and  borne  very  plentifully.  This 
Diostea  is  a  native  of  the  Andes  of  the  Argentine 
and  Chilian  region,  where  it  occurs  at  an  elevation 
of  3,000  feet  to  .■),000  feet.  It  is  somewhat  variable 
in  character,  and  prolific  in  synonyms,  being 
known  besides  that  at  the  head  of  this  note  as 
Diostea  chanifedryfolia,  Lippia  chammdrifolia, 
Lippia  juncea,  and  Verbena  juncea. — H.  P. 

Rosa  MajaliS. — This  has  all  the  appearance 
of  being  an  extra  vigorous  form  of  the  Pompon  Rose 
De  Meaux,  except  that  the  flowers  are  a  little 
paler  in  tint.  It  is  wonderfully  free  in  flowering, 
the  specimen  at  Kew  being  smothered  with 
blossom,  and  it  is  sure  to  be  welcome  where  the 
garden  kinds  are  cherished. — P. 

Amopphophallus    titanum    in 

floweP  at  Kew. — In  1889  an  inflorescence  of 
this  wonderful  Aroid  was  produced  at  Kew,  that 
being  the  first,  and  until  the  present  time  the  only 
one  produced  in  this  country.  The  gigantic 
proportions  of  the  leaf  and  inflorescence  are  well 
show  by  the  life-size  picture  of  the  plant  on  the 
ceiling  of  No.  3  museum,  and  people  visiting  Kew 
within  the  next  few  days  will  now  be  able  to  see 
a  living  inflorescence.  The  earliest  account  of  the 
plant  was  published  in  1878,  an  extract  from  a 
letter  written  by  Dr.  Beccari  to  the  Marchese 
Corsi  Salviati  describing  the  finding  of  a  giant 
Aroid  at  Ajer  Mantcion  in  the  Padang  Province  of 
Sumatra.  In  later  descriptions  of  the  plant  by 
Dr.  Beccari  and  by  Mr.  Forbes  records  of  the 
largest  plants  seen  are  given.  Some  of  the 
dimensions  are  as  follows  :  Tuber,  (ii  feet  in 
circumference  ;  leaf  stalk,  17  feet  high  ;  head, 
4")  feet  round  ;  base  of  stem,  2  feet  7  inches  in 
circumference  ;  spadix,  3  feet  3  inches  high, 
(i  inches  through,  spathe  taking  two  full-grown 
men  with  outstretched  arms  to  clasp.     The  plant 


that  flowered  at  Kew  in  1889  was  grown  from  a 
seedling,  and  was  little  more  than  ten  years  old. 
When  it  flowered  the  tuber  weighed  ."i71b. ,  and 
was  (i  feet  9  inches  round.  The  spathe  was  3  feet 
long  and  4  feet  across,  the  spadix  being  .5  feet  long 
and  10  inches  in  diameter.  During  the  time  of 
flowering  the  tuber  lost  91b.  in  weight.  The 
spathe  is  showy,  being  reddish  on  the  inside  and 
greenish  outside.  As  with  other  Amorphophallus, 
the  inflorescence  is  accompanied  bj'  a  very  dis- 
agreeable odour,  which  makes  its  short  life  the 
less  regrettable. — W.  D. 

Lilium  Lowi  at  Kew.— The  specific  name 
of  this  Lily  is  given  in  honour  of  Messrs.  Low, 
who  were  mainly  instrumental  in  introducing  to 
cultivation  that  delightful  series  of  Lilies  from 
Upper  Burmah,  commencing  with  L.  nepalense  in 
1888,  and  ending  with  this  species  (Lowi)  in  1891 
or  1892.  Between  these  two  other  species  made 
their  appearance,  viz.,  L.  sulphureum  (walli- 
chianum  superbuni),  which  has  proved  to  be  the 
most  vigorous  of  the  four.  The  other  (L.  primu- 
linum)  was  shown  once  by  Messrs.  Low  as  L. 
claptonense,  but  I  have  not  seen  it  since,  and  I  do 
not  think  it  is  now  in  cultivation.  Concerning 
L.  Lowi,  it  was  for  some  time  a  very  scarce  Lily, 
and  for  a  year  or  two  after  its  introduction  was 
quoted  in  some  catalogues  at  10  guineas  a  bulb, 
while  it  is  now  difiicult  to  obtain.  It  is  essentially 
a  greenhouse  species,  and  last  year  some  speci- 
mens planted  out  in  the  new  wing  of  the  temperate 
house  at  Kew  were  very  fine,  while  it  is  now 
beautifuUj'  in  flower  in  the  Heath  house  there. 
The  blossoms  of  this  are  njore  ur  less  bell-shaped, 
with  the  tips  of  the  segments  reflexed.  The 
colour  is  white,  slightly  tinged  with  green  on  the 
exterior,  and  spotted  with  crimson  within,  but  in 
both  of  these  features  there  is  a  good  deal  of 
individual  variation.  Singularly  enough  the  bulbs 
of  these  Lilies,  with  those  of  L.  neilgherrense  and 
the  Chinese  L.  Henryi,  bear  a  great  general 
resemblance  to  one  another.  True,  some  indi- 
vidual bulbs  may  be  selected  with  almost  absolute 
certainty,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  many  are  very 
doubtful.  Roots  comparativelj'  few  in  number 
and  of  a  deep  descending  nature  are  common  to 
all  of  the  above.  — T. 

Anemone  dichotoma. — A  casual  glance 

at  this  pretty  Windflower  might  make  one  think 
that  it  was  a  loose-growing  form  of  A.  narcissi- 
flora,  but  it  is  quite  distinct  when  looked  at 
properly.  It  has  been  doing  very  well  here  this 
year,  and  those  who  at  first  sight  mistook  it  for 
A.  narcissiflora  had  only  to  have  the  two  compared 
to  see  that  they  were  distinct.  It  has  not  the 
many-flowered  umbels  of  the  other  species,  and  its 
larger  blooms  are  tinged  beneath  with  red,  though 
pure  white  above.  When  strongl}'  grown,  it 
sometimes  reaches  a  height  of  about  H  feet,  but 
it  is  prettier  when  only  9  inches  or  1  foot  high. 
The  foliage  is  elegant,  and  altogether  this  Forked 
Windflower  is  a  capital  plant  for  the  shadier 
portions  of  the  rock  garden  or  for  planting  in 
woods.  The  "Index  Kewensis"  refers  A.  penn- 
sylvanica  to  this  species,  but  Britton  and  Brown's 
"  Illustrated  Flora  of  the  Northern  United  States, 
Canada,  &c."  calls  it  A.  canadensis,  and  says  that 
A.  dichotoma  "  is  a  Siberian  species  with  glabrous 
ovate  aehenes."  The  plant  in  cultivation  is 
probably  the  American  form. — S.  A. 

Roses  and  "  The  Gapden."— Our  issue 

of  Jul}'  13  will  be  devoted  especially  to  the  Rose. 
Many  illustrations  will  be  given  showing  beautiful 
ways  of  planting,  uses  of  the  newer  and  much 
talked  of  hybrids,  and  phases  of  culture  which, 
judging  from  the  letters  of  enquiry  we  have 
recently  received,  are  interesting  to  those  who 
wish  for  something  better  than  the  old  "  roser}'" 
of  iron  stakes  and  wonderful  trellising.  Rose 
growing  in  England  has  undergone  a  much-needed 
change,  and  we  have  endeavoured,  and  shall  do  so 
in  the  future,  to  help  our  readers  in  making  their 
gardens  more  beautiful  by  the  right  use  of  the  most 
precious  flower  that  can  be  planted  in  our  pleasure 
groimds  and  even  our  woodlands.  Special  articles 
will  be  contributed  by  leading  rosarians,  and  a  full 
report  will  be  given  of  the  great  exhibition  of  the 
National  Rose  Society  in  the  Inner  Temple 
Gardens. 


June   29,    1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


463 


Double-flowered  Lilacs.— For  the  last 

fifteen  or  sixteen  years  increased  interest  has  been 
shown  in  the  ilouble-fiowercd  Lilacs,  a  number  of 
new  varieties  having  since  that  time  been  dis- 
tributed by  M.  Lemoine,  of  Nancy.  Though  these 
double  forms  are  preferred  by  many,  they  do  not, 
at  least  from  my  point  of  view,  form  such  hand- 
some bushes  in  the  open  ground  as  the  single  kinds, 
bul  that  is,  of  course,  a  matter  of  opinion.  Their 
stj'le  of  growth  is  stiffer  and  the  masses  of  (lowers 
are  less  striking  than  the  clusters  of  single 
blossoms.  Of  these  last  there  are  now  some 
delightful  forms  in  cultivation  of  comparatively 
recent  date,  while  some  of  the  old  kinds  also  hold 
their  own.  If  the  practice  of  grafting  Lilacs  were 
discontinued  it  would  be  a  decided  advantage,  as 
suckers  are  always  a  great  nuisance  in  the  case  of 
grafted  or  budded  plants. — T. 

The  Hawthorn  in  the  North.— Early 

in  .June  the  Hawthorn  is  very  beautiful.  Those 
who  have  travelled  from  Berwick  to  Edinburgh 
will  have  noticed  large  masses  of  trees  in  the 
fields,  and  although  near  the  East  Coast  the  winds 
drive  the  trees  one  way  the  masses  of  bloom  are 
remarkable.  I  recently  walked  through  some 
public  grounds  and  was  delighted  to  see  the  care 
taken  of  these  trees.  Even  near  large  smoky 
towns  and  clo.se  to  coal-pits  they  thrive  well, 
breaking  the  barren  aspect  of  the  country  in  the 
districts  named.  In  the  Duke  of  Northumberland's 
splendid  park  and  the  Alnwick  Castle  grounds  are 
groups  of  Hawthorns,  mostly  of  the  single  white 
variety.  Some  are  very  old. — Traveller. 
Heuehera    sanguinea.— Small  groups 

are  making  a  welcome  displaj',  and  are  more 
appreciated  through  their  comparative  failure  last 
season.  Their  small  yet  elegant  spikes  of  blossom 
are  not  more  than  12  inches  high,  and  stand  out 
distinctly  from  their  pretty  almost  circular  leaves. 
The  coral  crimson  blossoms  are  graceful  and  long 
lasting. — C.  A.  H. 

Iris  versicolor. — One  would  not  like  to 
appear  to  depreciate  the  beauty  or  value  of  the 
favourite  German  Irises — a  convenient,  if  incorrect 
term  by  which  the  bearded  Irises  are  so  widel}' 
known— but,  at  the  same  time,  we  ought  not  to 
forget  the  other  Irises  suitable  for  the  border.  This 
North  American  species  is  common  enough  in  its 
own  country,  being,  we  are  told,  distributed  from 
Newfoundland  to  Manitoba,  and  as  far  south  as 
Arkansas  and  Florida,  yet  it  is  little  grown  in 
private  gardens  in  this  country.  It  is  naturally  a 
moisture-loving  plant,  growing  in  marshes,  thickets, 
and  wet  meadows,  but  it  seems  here  to  have  an 
almost  sublime  iiidifference  to  whether  it  has 
■uoisture  or  ii^t  in  our  gardens.  It  is  now  a  good 
f  ;iv  years  since  Mr.  .1.  N.  Gerard  kindly  sent  me 
a  little  plani,  and  it  has  been  growing  in  one  of 
the  driest  of  my  borders  ever  since,  and  has 
seemed  quite  content  and  prosperous,  even  when 
it  was  not  artificially  watered  in  the  driest  of 
weather.  Nor  do  these  things  seem  to  afl'ect  its 
height  any  more  than  its  flowering,  and  it  is  said 
to  grow  from  2  feet  to  3  feet  high  in  its  own  land, 
and  measured  here  to-day  it  just  reaches  .3  feet. 
What  it  might  attain  to  in  water  I  cannot  say. 
While  this  larger  blue  Flag  has  much  smaller 
blooms  than  our  bearded  Flag  Irises,  they  are 
pretty  with  their  combination  of  violet-blue, 
variegated  with  white,  yellow,  and  green.  These 
are  without  a  beard  or  crest,  for  this  Iris  belongs 
to  the  Apogon  section.  Iris  versicolor  might  be 
largely  planted  in  wild  gardens,  as  well  as  in 
borders,  as  a  change  and  variety  among  the 
others  of  the  genus  which  are  so  much  appre- 
ciated, but  which  it  cannot  hope  to  supersede. — 
S.  Arnott. 
Dictamnus    caucasicus.— This  fine 

rra.\inella  is,  probably  correctly,  considered  to  be 
only  a  form  of  the  typical  D.  albus,  but  its  superior 
vigour  and  greater  stature,  as  well  as  its  larger 
flowers,  make  one  see  some  force  in  the  other 
varietal  name  it  bears — that  of  giganteus.  Its 
colour  is  that  of  the  ordinary  D.  F^raxinella  of  old 
days,  which  I  take  to  be  the  same  as  that  called  in 
the  "Kew  Hand-list"  D.  albus  var.  purpureus, 
but  the  larger  size  of  the  blooms  and  the  longer 
and  taller  spikes  on  which  they  are  produced 
make  it  a  more  effective  border  flower.     Tt  shares  | 


with  the  ordinary  forms  the  peculiar  property  of 
exhaling  an  inflammable  vapour,  which  can  be 
set  afire  by  applying  a  lighted  match  to  it  on  a 
calm  day.  This  has  often  been  doubted,  but  it  is 
ijuitc  correct  when  done  in  the  open,  although  I 
liiive  never  tried  a  recommendation  to  take  a 
portion  of  the  plant  into  a  dark  room  and  apply  to 
it  a  can.lle  or  a  match.  Probaljly  one  might  .see 
the  flame  better,  but  I  prefer  to  see  the  Fraxinella 
in  growth.  It  seems  singular  that  it  is  uninjured 
by  the  fiery  ordeal  to  which  it  is  subjected.  '  The 
whole  plant  has  a  strong  resinous  odour  when 
touched.  It  has  been  lately  remarked  that  the 
common  Dictamnus  is  one  of  the  best  drought- 
lesisting  plants.  This  is  not  absolutely  correct 
on  a  sandy  subsoil.  —  S.  A. 

Linaria    origanifolia   is   one  of    the 

liretty  alpines  which  sometimes  disappoint  one 
liy  failing  to  stand  some  winters,  although  it 
is  usually  hardy  enough  to  resist  the  severitv 
of  an  ordinary  one.  It  is  always  a  disappoint 
ment  when  it  is  lost,  as  it  is  a  pretty  little 
[ilant  when  in  bloom  with  its  multitude  of  small 
bluish  violet  flowers  and  its  rather  thick  foliage. 
It  is  in  flower  just  now,  and  has  been  blooming 
for  several  weeks.  It  will  also  persist  for  some 
time,  so  that  it  is  very  acceptable,  even  although 
we  are  just  coming  to  the  time  when  the  alpine 
Campanulas  will  be  at  their  best  and  will  give  us 
various  shades  of  blue,  purple,  or  lilac,  some  almost 
corresponding  to  the  tone  of  L.  origanifolia  when 
seen  at  a  little  distance.  I  have  not  tried  it  in  the 
wall  garden,  but  it  does  very  well  elsewhere,  and 
it  now  occupies  an  open  sunny  place  on  a  dry 
rockery,  which  seems  to  suit  it  better  than  other 
places  where  I  have  tried  it.  I  have  never  seen 
any  self-grown  seedlings  about  any  of  the  plants 
of  this  species,  which  I  have  now  grown  for  a 
good  number  of  years.— S.  Arnott,  Carsethorn, 
by  Dumfries,  N.  B. 

Bauera  rutaioides.— This  is  one  of  the 
very  few  shrubby  representatives  of  Saxifrage;e 
suitable  for  indoor  culture,  and  one  of  the  best. 
It  is  an  Australian  plant  of  neat  compact  habit, 
bearing  large  quantities  of  small  linear  leaves 
arranged  in  sixes — three  from  each  side  of  the 
stem — and  solitary  red  flowers  from  every  axil  on 
the  upper  part  of  the  stem.  It  succeeds  in  a 
mixture  of  peat,  loam,  and  sand,  and  requires  to 
be  stopped  frequently  in  spring.  Although  flowers 
are  borne  at  almost  all  seasons,  late  winter  is  the 
time  when  they  are  most  abundant.  Each  flower 
is  a  third  of  an  inch  across,  red,  with  a  white 
mark  down  the  middle  of  each  petal.  A  white 
variety  is  in  cultivation,  but  is  seldom  seen. 
Cuttings  root  readily  at  all  times  of  the  year,  and 
form  the  best  means  of  propagation.  During 
summer  the  plants  should  be  plunged  out  of  doors 
or  stood  in  a  cold  frame.  Protection  from  frost  is 
all  that  is  necessary  in  winter. — W.  D. 

Yellow-horned  Poppy.— This  is  a  wild 

plant,  and  though  not  often  seen  in  gardens  is  well 
worthy  of  a  place,  for  those  who  pass  it  could 
hardly  fail  to  say  what  a  pretty  patch  of  colour. 
Autumn-sown  seeds  are  now  up  ;  if  lifted  with  a 
good  root  they  will  flower  this  autumn.  With  its 
bright  flowers,  firm  leaves,  thick  and  strong  (not  like 
a  summer  Poppy),  and  long  horned  seed-pods,  when 
grown  in  a  bank  it  is  a  most  effective  plant.  The 
first  time  I  tried  it  I  was  living  at  Upper  Norwood, 
and  had  brought  up  some  wild  seedlings  from 
Hythe,  where  there  were  then  any  number  of 
plants  to  be  found  on  the  sands  at  the  back  of  the 
beach,  also  at  other  seaside  places.  The  plants 
brought  from  Hythe  were  planted  at  Norwood  in 
clumps,  and  bloomed  well  till  late  in  the  autumn  ; 
they  grew  much  stronger  and  finer  when  in  the 
heavy  Norwood  soil  than  I  have  ever  seen  them  on 
sand  banks  by  the  sea.  A  few  years  ago  numbers 
of  this  plant  grew  half-way  up  Peak  Hill  at  Sid- 
mouth,  but  in  this  spot  there  are  none  now  ;  it  is 
always  the  case  where  a  few  plants  grow  wild  of 
any  special  kind  that  they  are  soon  done  away 
with  by  excursionists. — A.  H.  Tyrrell,  Keit- 
sington. 

Hops  as  a  vegetable.— Now  when  the 
warm  weather  sets  in  and  salads  are  more  sought 
after  than  any  vegetable  served  hot,  it  is  nice  now 
and   then   to   have   some   little   dish    out   of    the 


common,  especially  when  this  can  be  got  for  the 
trouble  of  picking  or  cutting.  It  is  worth  a  trial, 
and  I  think  the  result  will  be  found  most  satis- 
factory. The  young  tops  (jf  the  Hops,  picked 
when  they  are  about  (i  inches  long,  or  tops  of  the 
wild  Hop,  should  he  tied  in  bunches  and  boiled  ; 
the  small  leaves  should  be  picked  off  just  as  you 
would  the  scales  of  Asparagus.  A  very  little 
vinegar  should  be  put  in  the  water.  When  cold 
-erve  in  a  pile,  each  piece  being  placed  longways, 
and  pour  a  good  Tartare  .sauce  over,  which  is  all 
the  better  for  a  few  Capers  put  through.  A  few 
cold  lioiled  Peas  or  finely-cut  Carrots  can  be  put 
on  as  a  garnish.  Watercress  boiled,  laid  on  a 
silver  dish  in  just  the  same  way,  with  flakes  of 
cold  boiled  salmon  over  a  good  thick  spreading  of 
well-cooked  Peas,  and  a  thick  .salad  sauce  over, 
with  a  few  sliced  Tomatoes  on  top,  will  be  found 
very  good  The  roots  of  the  Sea  Holly  cooked  and 
eaten  cold  (I  have  written  about  this  plant  before 
IS  a  vegetable  not  served  hot)  will  be  found  excel- 
ent  either  as  a  salad  or  supper  dish.  I  have 
lumbers  of  first-class  recipes  of  salad  and  other 
cold  sauces  whicli  I  shall  be  pleased  to  give.  I 
wonder  if  any  of  the  readers  of  The  Garden  have 
eaten  a  Melon  or  Pine  salad  ? — A.  H.  Tyrrell, 
A  tni^iiniloii. 

Lrilium   rubellum    in   Kent.— In   my 

notes  on  Lilies,  which  appeared  in  The  Garden  of 
■June  S,  I  unintentionally  maligned  my  three 
bulbs  of  Lilium  rubellum.  I  accused  them  of 
showing  resentment  at  a  recent  move  and  only 
vouchsafing  one  spike  between  them.  The  three 
spikes  eventually  appeared,  one  being  a  blank, 
the  second  having  one  flower,  and  the  third  two 
flowers  only.  It  was  not  a  grand  display  I  admit, 
but  the  colour  of  the  flowers  was  simplj'  glorious, 
and  I  hope  for  better  things  next  year.  My  neigh- 
hour  (Mr.  J.  Carrington  Ley)  saw  these  Lilies  in 
bloom,  and  was  much  struck  with  the  beauty  of 
the  colouring.  So  perhaps  I  have  done  well  to 
move  the  bulbs  to  a  dry  bank  in  light  soil  mixed 
with  stones  near  the  surface,  under  a  greedy-rooted 
Lilac  bush,  following  the  suggestion  of  (I  think) 
Mr.  Barr  in  a  former  number  of  The  Garden.  It 
may  be  as  well  to  add  that  these  Lilies  are  not 
exposed  to  the  sun  after  2  p.m.  or  3  p.m. — Captain 
S.  G.  Reid,  Yaldin;!,  Kent. 

Rosa   webbiana.  —  This  is  one  of  the 

smallest  leaved  species  in  the  Kew  collection,  the 
tiny  leaflets,  no  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
diameter,  are  produced  generally  in  nines,  and  are 
very  elegant  upon  the  strong  growing  bush.  The 
smallness  of  the  foliage  accentuates  the  large 
whitish  spines.  The  flowers  are  pale  mauve  colour, 
and  fairly  large  for  a  single  Rose.  This  variety 
would  make  a  very  interesting  subject  for  the 
garden,  but  it  should  be  well  isolated  to  obtain 
the  true  effect  which  it  will  produce. — P. 

Schizanthus  wisetonensis.— I  notice 

in  a  contemporary  a  correspondent  refers  to  this 
7jlant  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.  at 
Paris  as  being  the  result  of  careful  selection  from 
the  old  varieties.  I  am  not  prepared  to  contradict 
this  statement,  but  surely  a  plant  which  shows 
such  marked  improvement  on  the  old  pinnatus, 
indeed  scarcely  any  resemblance  to  this  variety, 
must  be  rather  more  than  "a  careful  selection." 
The  ragged,  ungainly  old  pinnatus  variety  shows 
no  similarity  to  the  compact  S.  wisetonensis,  which 
I  understand  needs  no  support.  If  this  plant  can 
be  easily  brought  to  the  perfection  as  exhibited 
at  the  Temple  show  it  will  form  a  most  useful 
decorative  subject.  I  am  not  at  all  sure  how  it 
should  be  grown,  and  should  be  obliged  if  j'ou  could 
enlighten  me. — L.  John,  TorrUle,  Prospect  Hill, 
Waltham-sfoic. 

Messrs.  Clibran  and  Sons'  exhibit 

at  the  recent  York  gala  was,  uufortunatel}',  not 
noticed  in  our  report  of  this  event;  last  week.  The 
miscellaneous  group  of  plants  exhibited  by  Messrs. 
Clibran  on  that  occasion  comprised  a  splendid  lot 
of  the  newer  varieties  of  Crotons,  of  which  a 
speciality  is  made  in  the  Altrincham  nurseries. 
Calla  eliiotiana  (the  golden-flowered  Arum  Lily), 
DracJena  Doucetti,  the  most  handsome  of  Dracieuas, 
and  Aralia  Veitchii  were  particularly  well  repre- 
sented, and  conspicuous  amongst  many  other  stove 
and  greenhouse  plants. 


-t(j4 


THiE    GARDEN. 


[June   29,  1901- 


Magnolia  papviflora  at  Kew— This 

species  has  been  often  described  in  The  Garden, 
but  we  have  never  seen  a  more  beautiful  specimen 
than  that  in  flower  at  Kew.  It  is  several  feet 
high  and  a  mass  of  flowers. 

New  Water  Lilies.— The  new  Water 
Lilies  Mr.  Hudson,  of  (iunnersbury  House,  staged 
at  York  were  arranged  in  flat,  wide  shallow 
pans,  and  were  beautifully  fresh,  each  set  being 
shown  with  foliage.  Many  of  the  fine  hybrids 
raised  by  jNI.  Marliac  were  exhibited.  Nymphiea 
robinsoniana,  one  of  the  best  Mr.  Hudson  staged, 
appears  to  grow  freely.  Another  very  beautiful 
variety  was  N.  ignea,  also  N.  lucida,  >f.  ellisiana 
and  flamea,  were  beautiful  flowers.  Alba  candi- 
dissima  was  very  fine,  and  should  make  a  valu- 
able plant  for  large  ponds.  A  few  flowers  of 
N.  stellata  were  much  admired  ;  the  soft  colour  of 
this  splendid  flower  will  make  it  a  great  favourite, 
and  this  plant  with  Mr.  Hudson  appears  to  he  verj' 
lobust.  The  grower  deserves  much  praise  for  the 
collection  and  the  way  he  has  brought  these 
interesting  plants  into  cultivation  in  this  country. 

— G.   AVVTHES. 

Kalanchoe  flammea.— One  of  the  most 

interesting  groups  at  the  recent  York  Gala  show 
consisted  of  several  plants  of  Kalanchoe  flammea 
from  Messrs.  Veitch,  Limited,  Chelsea.  The 
plants  staged  at  the  recent  Temple  show  were  not 
so  bright  as  at  York,  doubtless  a  little  warmth 
had  been  used  to  forward  them  for  the  earlier 
show.  The  colours  were  splendid,  and  I  was 
pleased  to  see  that  several  of  the  plants  were 
even  superior  in  colour,  size  of  bloom,  and  habit  to 
the  parent  plant"  staged  at  the  Chiswick  Con- 
ference in  ISf)!).  The  Kalanchoe  promises  to  be 
a  valuable  addition  to  our  cool  greenhouse  plants, 
and  what  makes  it  more  valuable  is  the  distinct 
colour  of  its  flowers.  It  is  easily  grown  from  seed 
leaves  or  cuttings,  and  the  flowers  last  a  long 
time  in  water. — G.  Wytiies. 

Messrs.  Rivers' fruit  trees  at  York 

Gala  Show.  —  The  trees  shown  by  Messrs. 
Rivers  at  the  above  show  were  greatly  admired  and 
well  deserved  the  gold  medal  awarded  them.  I  do 
not  remember  to  have  seen  better  fruit  trees  in  pots 
than  those  shown  on  this  occasion.  I  have  seen 
larger  trees,  but  not  better,  and  in  my  opinion  the 
exhibit  at  Y'ork  was  finer  than  that  at  the  Temple, 
as  the  trees  carried  more  fruit  and  there  was 
greater  variety.  In  this  splendid  collection  note 
must  be  made  of  the  collection  of  Nectarines. 
These  were  staged  in  variety,  prominent  being 
fine  examples  of  Lord  Napier,  Cardinal,  and 
Humboldt  ;  some  good  trees  of  Peach  Magdala, 
one  of  the  firm's  seedlings,  a  beautiful  Nectarine- 
like fruit,  evidently  a  good  pot  tree.  There  were 
some  splendid  Plums,  and  more  variety  than  one 
expects  from  pot  culture ;  also  some  excellent 
fruits  of  Early  Rivers',  Belle  d'Orleans,  and  other 
Cherries,  bearing  heavj'  crops  of  fruit.  The  trees 
were  noticeable  for  their  productiveness.  — Visitor. 

Ag-ricultural    returns    for    Great 

Britain.  —  In  the  summary  for  the  United 
Kingdom  contained  in  the  above  manual,  issued 
by  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  it  is  stated  that  the 
area  under  all  crops  and  grasses  in  189S  was 
17,792,000  acres  ;  in  189<l,  47,796,000  acres  ;  and 
in  1900,  47,79.5,000  acres.  Out  of  these  totals, 
small  fruit  in  189S  covered  70,000  acres  ;  in  1899, 
77,000  acres ;  and  in  1900,  79,000  acres ;  thus 
showing  an  increase  in  three  years  of  9,000  acres. 
Hops  were  grown  on  50,000  acres  in  1898,  52,000 
acres  in  1899,  and  51,000  acres  in  1900  ;  while  the 
acreage  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  Flax  in  the 
United  Kingdom  is  given  as  follows  :  1898,  35,000 
acres ;  1899,  .35,000  acres ;  and  in  1900,  48,0(Ji;i 
acres,  an  increase  of  13,1100  acres  between  1899 
and  1900. 

A  note  from  Shropshire.  — It  may 

perhaps  interest  some  of  your  readers  to  know 
that  in  the  garden  here  in  Shropshire  Choisya 
ternata  stands  the  winter  well.  I  have  several 
large  bushes  lately  covered  with  bloom.  Car- 
penteria  californioa  is  full  of  buds  and  Buddleia 
Colvillei  in  flower.  Both  of  these  have  been  planted 
out  for  several  years  ;  they  have  the  protection  of 
a  wall.  Eucryphia  pinnatifida  seems  quite  hardy  ; 
my  plant  is  about  12  feet  high.     It  is  a  very  lovely 


shrub.  Fremontia  californica  is  uncertain.  I 
have  had  several  plants  which  have  done  well  for 
a  time  and  then  suddenly  died.  I  may  add  that 
my  garden  stands  high  on  red  sandstone,  but  is 
sheltered  by   trees   from  north   and  east. — T.   M. 

BULKELEY-OWEN. 

Paeonia  lutea. — This  beautiful  new  species 
from  Yunnan,  China,  discovered  b3'  the  Abbi' 
Delava}',  has  recently  flowered  in  the  Royal 
Gardens,  Kew.  It  may  be  called  a  yellow  tree 
Pivony,  and  will  probably  be  much  used  by 
hybridists.  The  flowers  are  about  3^  inches  across, 
deep  lemon-yellow,  and  quite  unlike  those  of  any 
species  in  existence.  We  hope  shortly  to  illustrate 
this  interesting  and  important  introduction. 

Buddleia  Colvillei.— To  your  issue  of 
.June  15  Mr.  W.  Dallimore  sends  a  very  interesting 
note  on  this  plant.  I  think  its  hardiness  is  greater 
than  is  supposed.  I  had  my  first  plant  in  1886, 
and  it  grew  but  slowly  at  first ;  it  passed  through 
the  liard  winter  of  1895  comparatively  undamaged, 
whilst  a  neighbouring  plant  of  B.  globosa  was  cut 
lo  the  ground.  B.  Colvillei  flowered  with  me  the 
first  time  in  1896,  and  it  has  flowered  well  every 
year  since ;  it  has  now  over  forty  racemes  of 
flower  buds  ready  to  come  out  on  a  bush  12  feet 
high  and  7  feet  or  8  feet  through. — B.  E.  C. 
CiiAMBEKS,  Graysii'ood  Hill,  Haslcmvrt. 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN. 

PROMISE  OF  THE  SEASON. 


B 


ACKWARD  as  the  season  of  1901  has 
often  been  considered,  I  do  not  think 
the  same  can  be  said  as  regards  our 
Roses.  Certainly  we  had  more 
flowers  in  the  early  and  middle  part 
of  .June  than  for  many  seasons  past. 
Nor  is  this  altogether  owing  to  the  greater  number 
of  early-flowering  varieties,  and  although  we  have 
at  the  time  of  writing  (June  15)  a  much  colder 
wind,  being  due  north-east,  the  few  days  of  warm 
weather  that  preceded  this  brought  on  our  Roses 
very  rapidly.  Some  really  pleasing  bunches  of 
flowers  can  be  culled  during  the  early  part  of  June  ; 
in  fact,  it  is  not  many  occasions  that  I  remember 
when  they  were  more  plentiful  in  what  is  the 
poet's  month  of  Roses — early  July  being  more 
generally  applicable.  The  taste  for  what  are  called 
garden  or  decorative  Roses  has  doubtless  some- 
thing to  do  with  this,  for  are  not  most  of  our 
summer  bloomers  early  ?  Such  as  some  of  the 
Chinas,  Banksians,  and  others  placed  in  warm 
corners  because  of  their  more  tender  nature.  Nor 
have  we  had  such  severe  spring  or  winter  frosts  in 
mid-Sussex  as  usual.  Such  early  bloomers  almost 
invariably  grow  late  in  the  season,  and  the  first 
point  depends  upon  the  proper  ripening  of  their 
wood,  followed  by  freedom  from  severe  frosts 
during  winter,  and  again  in  late  spring,  when  the 
new  growths  are  forming.  We  place  such  varieties 
in  the  warmest  situations,  and  this  means  a 
succession  of  severe  freezing  and  rapid  thawing 
during  liright  frosty  weather.  The  sun  very 
quickly  thaws  the  wood  towards  midday,  only  to 
be  frozen  once  more  a  few  hours  later,  so  that  our 
tender  Roses  have  a  severe  test,  and  I  believe  we 
should  do  better  with  many  if  not  placed  in  so 
warm,  and,  consequently,  variable  a  situation. 

I  have  had  Fortune's  Y'ellow  very  pretty  this 
season,  also  Purity,  and  both  of  these  are  so  early 
that  any  severe  frost  after  the  middle  of  February 
had  usually  Ijeen  fatal  to  a  good  show  of  flowers, 
no  matter  how  well  the  wood  may  have  passed  the 
rest  of  the  winter  months.  These  and  the  tender 
Banksians  have  been  in  full  flower  at  the  same 
time  as  the  Copper  and  Yellow  Austrians,  both 
very  hardy  Roses  and  very  seldom  touched  by 
frost.  What  yellow  have  we  that  beats  the 
Yellow  Austrian  for  intensit}'  of  colour';  Even  if 
fleeting  in  character,  one  cannot  help  but  admire 
both  this  and  the  charming  Copper  Austrian,  which 
cannot  be  beaten  in  colour,  although  known  to 
have  been  growing  in  England  over  300  years  ago, 
and  what  remarkable  changes  have  come  to  our 
Rosea  since  then. 


Among  the  Roses  that  have  pleased  even 
more  than  usual  during  the  early  part}'  of  .June 
I  may  mention  Purity,  a  Rose  that  is  perfect  in 
form,  and  is  probably  our  best  pure  white  pillar 
Rose.  Then  we  have  liad  Laurette  Messimy, 
Mme.  Eugene  Resal,  Cramoisie  Supcrieure,  Tellen- 
berg.  Queen  Mab,  Cora  and  Jean  Bach  Sisley,  all 
good  among  the  Chinas  ;  nor  must  our  old  friends 
of  many  years  be  forgotten  —  the  Common 
Monthly  or  Old  Blush  (1796)  and  the  Old  Crimson 
(1810);  also  Fabvier,  a  Rose  I  do  not  know  the 
date  of,  are  still  hard  to  beat,  whether  early  or 
late  in  the  season.  Then  we  have  Rainbow, 
Virginia — a  little  known  Rose  of  the  Mme.  Hoste 
type,  but  much  earlier— Bardou  .Job,  with  its 
intensely  deep  crimson  and  maroon  shadings. 
Crimson  Rambler,  Elie  Morel,  Lady  Mar}'  Filz- 
william,  I'ldeal  (one  of  the  sweetest  of  all  Roses), 
Anna  OUivier,  Pauline  Labonte,  Papa  Gontier,  all 
of  the  rugosas,  A.  K.  Williams,  and  Mile.  Gabrielle 
Luizet  ;  even  the  usually  late-flowering  Baroness 
Rothschild  has  been  by  no  means  bad  thus  early  in 
J  line. 

Of  course  we  have  Gloire  de  Dijon  and  Carmine 
Pillar  in  good  form.  Then  the  Hyljrid  Sweet 
Briars.  What  can  be  more  charming  than  these 
when  planted  in  a  block  to  hide  an  undesirable 
corner'?  Shoots  of  12  feet  or  more  and  perfectly 
smothered  in  trusses  of  blossom.  Very  sweet 
indeed  have  these  been  during  a  shower,  and  both 
early  and  late  in  the  daj'.  iSIy  favourites  are  Amy 
Robsart,  deep  rose ;  Anno  of  Gierstein,  dark 
crimson  ;  .Jeannie  Deans,  scarlet-crimson  and  semi- 
double  ;  Lad}'  Penzance,  of  Copper  Austrian 
shades ;  Meg  Merrilies,  deep  crimson  ;  and  the 
only  two  that  have  proved  themselves  autumnal 
bloomers  here,  A'iz. ,  Catherine  Ley  ton,  soft  rosy 
pink,  and  Lucy  Bertram,  the  deepest  of  crimsons. 
I  was  fortunate  enough  to  be  one  of  the  first 
privileged  to  see  these  in  their  full  beauty  in  1893, 
and  like  them  more  every  year  since  growing  them. 
Many  Teas  and  Noisettes  have  also  been  beautiful, 
and  our  own  Rose  (Sunrise)  has  not  been  the  least 
so  during  early  June.  Although  imagined  to  be 
tender  by  some  new  growers,  I  can  confidently  say 
it  has  been  one  of  our  best  for  standing  the  winters 
of  the  past  ten  years. 

Several  of  the  newer  Roses  are  really  excellent, 
and  I  think  the  palm  belongs  to  Liberty,  a  Hybrid 
Tea,  that  has  much  the  appearance  of  a  very  free- 
flowering  Hybrid  Perpetual.  It  is  a  very  deep, 
self-coloured  crimson,  perfect  in  form,  lasts  a  very 
long  time,  has  exquisite  scent,  and  has  never  once 
been  out  of  bloom,  summer  or  winter,  since  we 
have  had  it.  A  few  further  notes,  dealing  with 
the  new  varieties,  may  perhaps  form  another  short 
article. 

Uchfidd.  A.  PifEE. 


AMATEURS'   PERPLEXITIES 


1 


MUSCAT  OF  ALEXANDRIA 
GRAPES    FAILING. 

SEND  you  a  few  berries  of  Muscat  of 
Alexandria  Grape  which  are  very  badly 
spotted.  The  health  of  the  Vines  is  good, 
but  with  very  strong  leaves  and  bunches. 
I  should  be  much  obliged  if  you  couhl 
find  out  whether  it  is  a  disease  or  what  is 
really  the  cause  of  the  spots  which  are  in  the 
inside  of  the  berries.  Some  have  turned  brown 
and  are  quite  soft  or  rotten  ;  also  what  would  be 
the  best  way  of  treatment.  A.  1'. 

[Your  Muscat  berries  are  both  shanked  and 
scalded  ;  the  latter  can  easily  be  remedied,  but  the 
former  is  more  ditWcult.  The  scalding  at  times 
appears  due  to  bad  ventilation  or  bad  glass,  and 
also  if  the  foliage  has  had  free  play  for  a  time  and 
is  then  stopped  close  and  if  the  Vines  are  near  the 
glass  the  sun  reaches  the  berries  and  scalds  them. 
Another  point.  Muscats  scald  sooner  than 
Hamburghs  or  other  (trapes  ;  indeed,  in  our 
opinion  the  Madresfield  Court  is  one  of  tlic  wor.'t 
in  this  respect.  Cover  the  glass  thinly  with  whiting 
and  milk  for  a  short  time,  as  that  will  arrest  the 
scalding.     Y'^ou  ask  if  the  spot  is  a  disease.     The 


June  29,  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


465 


scalding  of  course  is  not,  but  tlie  soft,  imperfectly 
finished  berries  with  a  dried  up  footstalk  are 
certainly  the  result  of  disease,  but  one  that  need 
not  alarm  you,  as  it  can  be  checked  if  taken  in  hand 
thoroughly. 

It  is  often  brought  about  by  over-cropping 
the  Vine  in  a  young  slate.  Vines  when 
young  crop  so  freely'  lliat  they  are  often  left  to 
mature  far  too  many  bunches.  Now  the  root 
action  of  the  plant  is  not  strong  enough  to  support 
sucli  a  heavy  crop. 

Have  your  Vines  been  over  -  cropped  ?  Wu 
think  they  are  young  from  your  letter,  but 
you  give  no  details  as  to  age,  treatment,  or 
soil ;  the  latter  in  some  instances  is  answerable 
for  failures.  The  roots  have  not  sufficient 
nourishment. 

Vines  that  are  heavily  cropped  do  well  for  a 
time,  then  shanking  or  spotting  of  berries  com- 
mences, and  the  stalks  shrivel  before  the  berries 
arc  ripe.  Muscat  of  Alexandria  is  more  subject  to 
this  than  others.  Tlie  same  thing  occurs  in  pnor 
thin  porous  soils — the  rcots 
lack  food.  What  is  your  soil? 
Do  you  feed  ?   And  though  you 

say  the  Vines  are  strong  there 

is   something   wrong    for    the 

fruit  to  finish  thus.     Vou  may 

have  a  heavier  crop  thissoasju 

than   usual  ;    if   so   we  advise 

you  to  allow  the  later  lateral 

growths  to  grow  away  freely. 

l)j  not  stop  the  terminals  for 

the  next  two  nionlhs ;  also  clear 

off  the  bunches  as  soon  as  j'ou 

can.    Feed  the  roots  freely,  and 

give  the  Vines  as  good  treat- 
ment for  the  next  two  months 

as    you    would    early   in    the 

season.   Shade  the  house  lightly 

and   mulch   the   surface   roots 

with   good   manure.      S3fringe 

the  rods  freely  and   you    will 

encourage    new    root    action, 

and   next  year  crop  lightly. — 

Eds.  J 


south  of  France.  It  is  a  native  of  a  small 
island  off  the  east  coast  of  Australia,  and  is 
not  generally  hardy  in  England,  though  it 
has  been  flowered  in  the  Isles  of  Sciily  There 
was  a  coloured  plate  and  an  interesting  account 
of  this  fine  plant  in  The  (Jauukn,  October  3, 
ISill. 

Iris  ivVj/HHca  (purple)  does  not  require  a  specially 
wot  place,  though  it  likes  a  place  rather  damp 
than  dry. 

Iru  /(H'iga/a  (syn.  Ka^mpferi)  in  Japan,  where 
the  summer  is  hotter  than  in  England,  grows 
actually  in  the  water.  In  England  it  does 
best  on  tlie  bank  1  foot  or  2  feet  away  from 
the  water.  It  is  therefore  probable  that  the 
damp-loving  Irises  in  the  hot  and  dry  climate 
of  Montpellier  may  demand  a  damper  treatment 
than  in  the  north.  The  comparative  charac- 
ters of  the  white  and  yellow  -  flowered  Irises 
among  these  may  be  noted  thus:  Iris  ochroleuca 
is  a  tall,  upright  plant  with  large  white  and  3'ellow 
llowcrs,    and   long,  sword-shaped    leaves,  growing 


IRIS   TECTORUM   IN   JAPAN. 

The  sujierior  brilliancy  of  Iris  Ku^mpferi 
(i.tvigata)  is  perliajjs  the  reason  why  thi.s 
lovely  Iris  is  so  badly  treated  in  Jajian,  for 
the  only  jtlace  where  one  sees  it  growing  i.s 
on  the  top.s  of  the  sti'aw  rocjfs  of  farmliouses, 
where  it  is  planted  in  order  to  make  the  ror)fs 
stronger  to  withstand  the  typhoons  and  high 
winds.  For  that  reason  the  view  from  a  liill 
of  a  small  hshing  village  below  is  particularly 
picturescjiie  just  now,  when  these  blo.s.sonis  arc 
at  their  best,  although,  of  course,  the.se  flower.", 
growing  in  the  stiff,  sunburned  clay  cannot  be 
compared  to  those  grown  in  our  fertile  fields. 
Tlie  stock  which  was  used  for  planting  was 
from  an  old  farmhouse,  which  had  been 
modernised  with  a  tiled  roof,  and  conseciuently 
tlie  plants  had  been  thrown  away.  Taking 
pity  on  thein  we  bought  and  brought  them  to 
Yokohama,    planting   them  in   our   nurseries, 


TREATMENT  OF  CER- 
TAIN PLANTS. 

In  reply  to  Chaber,  Mont- 
pellier, France,  the  following 
is  in  answer  to  the  questions 
about  the  suitable  treatment 
(jf  certain  plants  and  the  com- 
parative appearance  of  some 
kinds  of  Iris. 

Leiinsia  redivina  is  a  North 
American  plant,  suited  for  a 
sunny  spot  in  the  rock  garden 
where  the  root  will  receive 
plenty  of  moisture.  It  dries 
up  completely  after  flowering, 
and  comes  to  life  again  the 
next  season.  It  flourishes  in 
well-drained  loam  and  peat 
with  grit. 

Campanula  Baineri  should  be  grown  in  deep 
fi-isures  of  perpendicular  rocks  in  sunshine  in 
a  soil  of  loam  and  granitic  sand,  not  a  soil  rich 
in  humus,  which  would  cause  it  to  degenerate 
aid  lose  its  proper  character. 

Saxifraga  sarmeiitoaa  must  be  kept  cool  and 
damp,  either  in  shady  rockery  or  border-edge 
where  it  is  never  dried  up,  or  in  pots  frequently 
watered.  In  England  it  is  a  favourite  plant  for 
hanging  baskets. 

Irii  ochroleuca  (flowers  white  and  yellow)  will 
thrive  in  a  variety  uf  soils,  but  prefers  one  that  is 
da'up  and  of  a  rich  loam. 

/.  lihirica  is  quite  a  marsh  plant,  thriving  close 
to  the  edge  of  water,  but  also  content  with  any 
place  in  a  garden  except  the  very  driest. 

/.  Klenoijyne,  or,  more  correctly',  I.  guldenstad- 
tiana  (Bowers  white  and  yellow)  succeeds  with 
ordinary  garden  culture,  growing  about  2  feet 
high. 

/.  robiiisoniani  (white  and  j'cllow)  is  probably 
a    good   plant   for   the   edge   of    a    pond    in    the 


A   FIELD    01'    IRIS   TECTORUM    IN    JAPAN, 


from  4  feet  to  ;">  feet  high  ;  I.  guldenstiidtiana  is 
also  yellow  and  white,  but  onlv  "2  feet  high  ; 
I.  robinsoniana  is  tall  growing  and  has  long,  dark 
green  leaves.  All  three  hai^e  yellow  and  white 
flowers  of  rather  stiff  build  and  no  beard,  leaves 
more  or  less  sword-shaped. 

In  Iris  siberica  the  flower  is  blue  or  wliite,  and 
is  also  smooth.  The  character  is  quite  unlike  any 
of  the  yellow-flowered  kinds.  It  is  very  neat  and 
upright,  the  flower-stems  rising  in  quite  parallel 
lines,  the  leaves  in  a  well-grown  tuft  are  very 
numerous,  from  the  crowns  quickly  growing  into 
a  crowded  mass.  They  are  long  and  linear, 
turning  over  at  the  tops. 

Gunnera--  would  be  quite  hardy  in  the  South  of 
France,  but  they  are  so  very  large  that  it  would 
not  be  desirable  to  confine  them  in  pots.  A 
plant  whose  leaf  diameter  sometimes  attains 
to  7  feet  (over  2  metres)  needs  plenty  of  space 
for  its  root.  They  like  rich  loam  and  moisture, 
and  are  best  planted  at  the  edge  of  a  pond  or 
stream. 


and  how  well  they  have  repaid  this  care  the 
accompanying  photograph  clearly  shows. 

A.  Unoer  (Boehmer  and  Co.). 
Yokohama,  Japan. 


RECENT    PLANT    PORTRAITS. 

The  number  of  the  Botanical  itagazine  for  June 
contains  portraits  of  the  following  plants  : 

Criiiam  rhodanthiim. — A  native  of  Ngamiland. 
The  entire  head  of  this  new  South  African  Crinum 
is  first  represented  on  a  double  plate  with  the 
flowers  presumably  life-size.  This  is  followed  by  a 
single  plate  showing  the  entire  plant,  with  bulb 
and  foliage  much  reduced.  The  dowers  are  very 
numerous,  of  a  bright  pink  colour,  but  for  a 
Crinum  small  in  size.  The  bulb  was  presented  by 
Mrs.  Lugard  to  Kew,  and  flowered  in  1S99  in  a 
tropical  house. 

Be'<choriieria  Wrightii. — A  native  of  Mexico. 
This  is  much   the  largest  species  of  the  five  that 


46G 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  29,  1901. 


have  as  yet  lluwered  at  Kew  and  Ijeeii 
ligured  ill  this  vvoili.  It  is  nust  nearly 
allied  to  B.  decosteriana,  and  has  green 
tubular  flowers  produced  in  bunches  of 
from  two  10  five  all  up  the  stem.  It  is 
of  caulescent  habit  of  growth  ;  the  crown 
of  about  Hfty  leaves,  from  the  centre  of 
which  the  flower  spike  conies,  being  borne 
on  a  stem  18  inches  high  and  0  inches 
in  diameter.  It  bloomed  in  the  Mexican 
liouse  in  1900. 

Ca/aii/he  madayancarieiixi-i. — A  native 
of  iladagascar.  Two  forms  of  this  ex- 
ceedingly pretty  dwarf-growing  Calanthe 
are  given  on  one  plate,  one  of  them  with 
a  bright  rose-coloured  and  tlie  other  a 
yellow  lip.  The  species  is  closely  allied  to 
C.  vir.itrifolia  and  has  deeply  channelled 
undulate  foliage. 

X)/7nph(ia  Jiaro-rhc.ny.  —  A  native  of 
Mexico.  This  is  a  pretty  pure  while- 
flowered  Njmpha-a  with  conspicuous 
golden  slanune.  It  is  a  near  ally  to 
N.  gracilis. 

The  Jit  I  lie  de  tHoriicidtvre  BeUje  for 
.lunc  contains  portiaitsof  a  double  hybrid 
Indian  A:.alea  named  Mmc.  JSlortaiu:.  A 
large-flowered  and  hsudsonie  variety. 

Birjonia  Caledonia. — The  pure  white 
flowered  form  of. the  wcU-knowu  winter- 
blooming  species  (iloire  de  Lorraine. 

The  .June  number  of  Uartenflora  con- 
tains a  portrait  of  Aijapanthun  catde-ii.-en.f, 
with  large  heads  of  deep  blue  flowers. 
The  habit  of  growth  is  distinctly  can 
lescent,  which  is  quite  new  in  this  plant. 
It  is  said  to  be  perfectl}'  hardy. 

The  first  number  of  the  Heme  Horticoh; 
for  June  contains  a  group  of  double  China 
I'/nme  d'nittrnche  in  three  colours,  deep  pinli 
white,  and  purple. 

The  .second  number  of  the  same  periodical  for 
June  figures  Vernoiiia  arechai-aletie,  a  very  pretty 
small  shrub  introduced  by  Monsieur  E.  Andre, 
from  Uruguay,  and  named  by  him  after  the  director 
of  the  museum  of  natural  history  at  Monte  Video. 
It  has  narrow  myrtle-like  foliage  and  bunches  of 
feathery  rosj'-purple  flowers.  It  is  a  member  oi 
a  very  numerous  family,  of  which  as  many  as 
ol2  species  have  been  described,  but  very  few  ol 
them  have  been  introduced  into  cultivation. 
Plants  of  this  new  species  can  be  obtained  from 
Messrs.  Nabonnand,  of  Golfe  Juan,  near  Cannes, 
France.  W.  E.  Gumbleton. 


THE   KEMA1;K.*BLE   FOSTER'S   SEEDEIMl    VINE    AT    FROGMOKE. 


1 5<ers- 
pure 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


A  REMARKABLE  VINE. 

IT  is  but  seldom  that  one  meets  witli  a 
Vine  of  the  variety  Foster's  Seedling 
of  such  vigour  and  dimensions  as  the 
one  here  illustrated  from  a  photograph 
taken  in  the  Royal  Gardens,  Frogmore. 
This  Vine  is  over  thirty  years  of  age, 
and  this  year  has  produced  a  crop  of  Grapes 
eiiual  to,  if  not  surpassing,  that  of  any  pre- 
vious season.  It  now  completely  fills  the 
Vinery  in  which  it  was  planted,  although 
from  the  position  the  stem  occupies  one  is 
inclined  to  think  that  it  could  not  have  been 
planted  with  the  idea  of  its  eventually  extend- 
ing as  it  has  since  done,  for  a  more  curious 
and  unsatisfactory  place  for  planting  a  A^inc 
could  hardly  be  found  in  the  house.  As  will 
be  seen  from  the  illustration,  the  .spot  selected 
was  between  the  pathway  and  the  back  wall, 
and  behind  the  double  row  of  hot  water  pipes. 
Here  the  plant  would  obtain  a  minimum  of 
sunshine,  would  be  a  long  way  from  the  glass, 
and  in  such  a  position  a  properly  prepared 
border  and  careful  planting  would  be  an 
impossibility,  for  between  the  pathway  and 
the  wall  is  a  space  hardly  l«  inches  wide. 
However,    the    rools    have    evidently    found 


conditions  to  their  liking,  for  the  Vine  could 
not  well  be  in  a  more  flourishing  state  than  it 
now  is,  and  it  need  hardly  be  said  that  a  large 
specimen  of  Foster's  Seedling  is  invaluable. 
This  is  undoubtedly  the  best  white  Grape  for 
forcing  ;  it  usually  bears  abundantly,  riperis 
(luickly,  and  is  of  a  delicious  flavour.  It  is 
only  when  allowed  to  extend  and  develop  freely, 
as  in  this  instance,  that  one  is  able  to  learn 
what  the  Vine  is  really  capable  of. 

PEACH  STIRLING  CASTLE. 
Stirlinu  Castle  Peach  is  one  of  the  best  Peaches 
we  have,  and  is  eciually  suitable  to  either  the 
amateur  or  professional  gardener.  It  has  now 
been  in  cultivation  many  years,  and  both  out 
of  doors  and  under  glass  has  proved  itself  to 
be  an  excellent  variety.  Of  medium  size, 
delicious  flavour,  well  coloured,  and  prolific, 
it  is  indispensable  to  every  collection,  whether 
this  be  large  or  small. 

For  forcing  it  is  especially  suited,  and  it  suc- 
ceeds particularly  well  in  a  second  early  house. 
It  has  the  valuable  property  of  not  dropping 
its  buds,  as  some  varieties,  when  forced,  are 
very  liable  to  do,  and  also  invariably  conies  into 
lilooni  (quickly  with  quite  gentle  forcing. 

An  additional  advantage  is  possessed  by 
Stirling  Castle  Peach  in  that  the  stamens  of 
its  flowers  always  carry  plenty  of  pollen,  and 
all  who  have  to  do  with  the  early  forcing  of 
fruit  trees  will  know  how  a  variety  with  this 
characteristic  is  appreciated,  for  a  great 
drawback  to  many  early-forced  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  is  their  deficiency  of  pollen,  making 
it  almost  impossible  to  obtain  a  satisfactory 
crop  of  fruit.  Stirling  Castle  well  deserves 
to  be  cultivated  if  only  for  the  quantity  of 
]iollen  it  produces,  that  can  be  made  use  of 
for  the  fertilisation  of  other  shy  pollen-bearing 
varieties. 


THE    BEST    VIBURNUMS. 

The    three    best    deciduous    Viburnums    for 
gardens,   or,   at    least,    the    most   showy,   are 


V.  Opulus  var.  sterile,  V.  plicatum,  and 
V.  macroceiihalum.  The  fii'.st  two  are  per- 
fectly hardy  ;  the  last  is  better  ]ilanted  at 
the  foot  of  a  south  wall  than  fully  in  the 
open.  V.  Opulus  sterile  is  the  barren  form 
of  the  Guelder  Rose,  a  .shrub  found  wild 
in  the  hedges  and  thickets  of  Britain. 
It  is  a  plant  that  loves  good  soil  and  abun- 
dant moisture,  as,  indeed,  most  Viburnums 
do.  It  is  often  used  in  shrubberies  where  it 
has  to  take  its  chance  with  other  things,  and  its 
robust  constitution  renders  it  admirably 
adapted  for  this  purpose.  But  to  be  seen  at 
its  best  it  ought  to  Ije  grown  as  an  isolated 
specimen  or  in  a  group  on  a  lawn  ;  it  then 
makes  a  rounded  bush,  well  furnished  to  the 
base,  and  grows  ultimately  8  feet  or  10  feet  in 
height.  The  pure  white  trusses  are  2  inches  to 
."3  inches  across,  and  appear  in  May  and  June 
at  the  ends  of  the  branches,  they  are  conse- 
quently scattered  indiscriminately  over  the 
bush  and  have  not  the  regular  arrangement  of 
V.  plicatum. 

V.  plicatum  is  at  last  finding  its  way  into 
gardens  after  more  than  half  a  century's  com- 
parative neglect.  Without  doubt,  it  is  one  of 
the  very  best  of  hardy  shrubs.  It  is  consider- 
ably dwarfer  in  habit  than  V.  Opulus  sterile, 
ancl  grows  more  slowly  in  height.  This 
character  renders  it  very  suitable  for  planting 
in  beds  or  grou]is.  Its  trusses  of  flowers  are 
3  inches  across,  and  they  occur  in  jiairs  at  eacli 
joint  along  the  branches  made  the  previous 
year.  The  branches  mostly  take  a  horizontal 
direction,  and  as  all  the  trusses  grow  ujiwards 
they  form  two  regular  rows,  and  each  liranch 
gives  a  magnificent  wreath  of  blossom  when 
at  its  best. 

As  far  as  the  individual  truss  of  flowers  is 
concerned,  V.  macrocephalum  surpasses  all 
others  in  .size.  It  is  rounded  or  somewhat 
pyramidal  in  outline  and  from  (i  inches  to 
K  inches  across  ;  theflowersarc  1  iiu'h  to  U  inches 
in  diameter  and  pure  white.  This  fine  plant  is 
the  liarren  form  of  a  species  (W  Ketelecri) 
which  is  in  cultivation,  but  not  common.  As 
stated  ])reviously  V.  macrocephalum,  if  yrown 


June  29,  1901.] 


THE    GAilDEN. 


4(37 


out  of  doors,  requires  the  protection  of  a  wall 
for  it  to  thrive  really  well  ;  such,  at  least,  is 
my  experience  near  London.  There  are,  of 
course,  many  parts  of  the  kingdom,  especially 
in  the  extreme  south  and  south-west,  where 
that  would  not  be  needed.  It  is  now  becoming 
popular  pot  plant  for  the  conservatory  ;  an 
excellent  picture  of  a  specimen  grown  in  the 
Edinburgh  Botanic  Garden  appeared  in  The 
Gaepen  of  November  17,  1900. 

W.  J.  Bean. 


AN    ARTIST'S    NOTE-BOOK. 

CYPRIPEDIUM    GUTTATUM. 

A  BEAUTIFUL  hardy  Orchid  is    thLs, 
white  with  purplish  rose  markings. 
Though    a    native   of   Europe   and 
America,  it  is  rarely  seen  in  gardcTis. 
L     The  plant  from  which  the  drawin'; 
was  made  was  grown  by  Mr.  Elwes 
in   Gloucestershire,  in  a  pot  plunged  in  peat 
under  a  north  wall  and  covered  with  a  light 
in  winter. 


'^'Ssiat^ftaeMa 


THE    INDOOR    GARDEN. 

FREESIAS. 

BUT    few  flowers    give   more  pleasure  at 
Christmas    time    than    a    small   group 
of  well-flowered  Freesias  in  pots.     To 
have     this    charming    South    African 
bulbous  plant    in  blossom    by  then  it 
is     necessary   to     make     preparations 
quite  si.x  months  beforehand.       Unless  Ihe  bulbs 
are  potted   early   there   will    be    little   chance  of 
their    reaching    a    flowering    stage  by  Christmas, 
and  everyone  likes  to  have  white  flowers  then,  and 
those  of  the  Freesia  being  so  sweetly  scented  are 
therefore   doubly   welcome.      It   is   impossible   to 
endeavour  to  force  the  Freesia,  for  a 
great  deal   more  harm  than  good  will 
result,  especially  it  a  high  temperature 
is  given  in  the  initial  stages  of  culture. 
When  the  plants  have  so  far  developed 
as   to   have  commenced    to   throw  up 
the  flowers,  these  can  be  made  to  open 
a   few    daj'S   earlier    by   putting    the 
former  into  a  warmer  house,  but  to  no 
appreciable  extent  can  they  be  forced. 
It   it   is  desired   to   have    Freesias   in 
flower  over  some  length  of  time,   the 
only   satisfactory   method    of    accom- 
plishing this  is  to   grow  a  succession 
of  plants,   potting  up  the  bulbs,   and 
starting  them  into  growth  at  different 
times.      Cool  treatment  I  have  always 
found  to  be  essential  to  their  successful 
cultivation, the  bulbs  then  produce  vigorous  foliage 
and  numerous  well-developed  flowers. 

The  bulk  should  be  potted  up  about  the  middle 
of  .July,  and  the  remainder  at  intervals  of  ten  days 
or  so  until  the  end  of  August— such  a  method 
should  provide  a  good  display  of  flowers  from  just 
before  Christmas  until  early  spring.  As  a  compost 
in  which  to  pot  the  bulbs  I  have  found  nothing 
better  than  a  mixture  of  fibrous  loam,  two-thirds  ; 
leaf-mould  and  dried  cow  manure,  one-third  ;  with 
a  liberal  addition  of  silver  sand  ;  4i-inch  pots  are 
t  he  most  convenient,  they  are  not  so  clumsy  as  the 
G-inch  pots,  being  much  more  easily  moved  about, 
and  with  proper  care  a  pot  of  this  size  filled  with 
Freesias  will  be  a  very  pretty  sight  when  the 
flowers  are  open.  Of  course,  if  the  latter  are 
merely  required  for  cutting,  then  it  would  be 
advisable  to  make  use  of  6-inch  pots  or  even  7-inch 
pots,  for  the  more  flowers  that  could  be  obtained 
Ironi  the  one  pot  the  fewer  pots  would  be  neces- 
sary, and  a  saving  of  labour  effected.  I,  however, 
am  referring  to  the  culture  of  the  Freesia  as  a 
plant  to  be  left  alone  as  much  as  possible  when  in 
flower,  for  as  a  pat  plant  it  makes  a  beautiful 
display. 


Before  potting  the  bulbs,  place  them  all  in  their 
respective  sizes,  the  big  ones  together,  and  so  on, 
then  the  work  will  proceed  more  quickly  and  .satis- 
factorily. Unless  this  is  done,  much  time  would 
be  lost  in  picking  out  the  large  from  the  small,  and 
some  of  the  latter  might  easily  bo  mixed  with  the 
former,  and  when  the  plants  reaehetl  a  flowering 
stage  spoil  altogether  the  effect  that  should  result 
were  the  bulbs  as  nearly  as  possible  equally 
vigorous.  Eight  good  bulbs  will  be  sufficient  to 
place  in  a  4-i-inch  pot,  and  ten  or  twelve  in  a  pot 
(5  inches  in  diameter.  First  three  parts  fill  the 
pots  with  compost,  making  this  fairly  firm,  then 
place  the  bulbs  upon  it,  pressing  them  in  gently, 
and  cover  over  to  the  depth  of  about  half  an  inch 
with  the  same  soil.  Do  not,  however,  make  the 
soil  that  is  above  the  bulbs  nearly  so  firm  as  the 
compost  beneath,  otherwise  the  tender  shoots 
might  have  some  ditfioulty  in  pushing  through 
when  "rowth  commences. 


CYPRIPEDIUM     GUTTATUM. 


(From  a  dran'ing  hit  H.  G.  Moon,) 


A  cald  frame  is  the  best  position  in  wliich  to 
stand  the  pots  when  the  bidbs  are  placed  in  them. 
Give  an  abundance  of  air  during  the  day  ;  in  fact, 
remove  the  sashes  altogether,  except  during  wet 
weather.  It  is  important  that  shade  be  given, 
although  this  may  seem  superfluous  before  the 
bulbs  begin  to  show  signs  of  starting.  If  the  pots 
are  exposed  to  the  sun,  however,  the  soil  in  them 
becomes  quickly  dried  up,  and  in  order  to  keep  it 
moist  necessitates  constant  watering.  This  tends 
to  make  the  soil  sour  and  unwholesome,  and  the 
bulbs  can  certainly,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  derive 
no  benefit  from  being  exposed  to  such  changeable 
conditions,  for  the  soil  being  parched  up  one  part 
of  the  day  and  saturated  another  cannot  be 
conducive  to  root  action.  The  green  blades  will 
quickly  make  progress  after  they  are  an  inch  or  so 
high.  During  the  autumn  keep  the  plants  in  a 
house  where  the  night  temperatuie  is  about  60°, 
and  give  air  during  the  day  when  the  thermometer 
registers  65°.  Shade  will  not  be  necessary  after 
the  bulbs  are  growing  freely.  When  the  pots  are 
well  filled  with  roots,  if  liquid  manure  is  given  it 
will  materially  help  to  strengthen  the  flowers. 
Neat  wire  stakes  twisted  into  a  ring  at  the  top  are 


most  useful  for  supporting  the  flowers,  which  are 
upon  such  slender  stalks  as  to  need  support  of 
some  kind.  A.  J'.  H. 


KEW     NOTES. 

P/EON  I  A      LUTE  A. 

P.KONIA  LUTF.A  is  a  new  species  dis- 
covered in  'S'unnan  a  few  years  ago.  It 
has  created  much  excitement  among 
lovers  of  this  gorgeous  flowered  genus, 
tor  it  is  quite  distinct  from  anything 
that  has  come  before.  Its  nearest  ally, 
as  far  as  general  appearances  go,  is  P.  Moutan,  but 
itdiffers  in  several  respects  from  that  plant.  It  is  of 
shrubby  habit,  but  increases  very  slowly  in  height. 
The  leaves  are  large,  divided  into  a  large  number 
of  segments,  and  glaucous.  The  flowers  arc  a 
clear,  deep  yellow,  4  inches  across,  semi-dou'.jle, 
and  the  petals  of  good  texture.  Their  chief  fault 
is  that  they  last  in  good  condition  for  a  few  days 
only.  By  using  this  plant  with  P.  Moutan  a  distinct 
race  of  hybrids  should  arise,  for  as  yet  there  is  no 
good  yellow  among  the  many  cultivated  forms  of 
the  latter  species.  At  Kew  a  specimen  of  P.  lutea 
was  lately  in  bloom  in  the  Himalayan  house,  the 
plant  bearing  five  flowers. 

CuA.NTnus  Dami'ieri. 
Possibly  more  disappointment  has  been  caused 
by  this  than  any  other  greenhouse  plant,  for  when 
well  grown  it  is  very  showy,  and  one  which  every- 
body wants  to  try.  From  seeds  sown  in  heat 
young  plants  quickly  appear  and  look  healthy  for 
a  few  weeks  ;  they  then  take  on  a  yellow  hue  and 
gradually  dwindle 
away.  It  is  difficult 
to  understand  why 
plants  should  not 
thrive,  for  they  ha\'e 
been  tried  in  all  sorls 
of  soils  and  positions, 
but  the  result  is 
usually  the  same.  In 
(rermany  it  is  grown 
well  in  a  few  places 
crafted  on  stocks  of 
Colutea  arborescens. 
At  Kew  a  j-oung  plant 
was  grafted  fifteen 
months  ago;  it  has 
grown  well  and 
flowered  for  several 
months.  After  graft- 
ing it  was  potted  into 
a  mixture  of  peat, 
loam,  leaf-mould,  and 
sand,  and  grown  in 
an  intermediate  tem- 
perature near the  glass 
throughout  summer. 
In  October  it  was  placed  in  a  wire  basket  LS  inches 
across  and  hung  in  a  greenhouse.  In  JIarch  of 
the  present  j'ear  it  commenced  to  flower  and  was 
hung  up  in  the  Himalayan  house.  For  the  last 
two  months  it  has  had  about  thirty  heads  of 
flowers  open  at  once,  man}'  of  them  containing 
six  blossoms.  The  bright-coloured  flowers,  with 
their  scarlet,  black  blotched  petals,  contrasted  with 
the  dark  foliaged  plants  in  the  house,  have  a  very 
fine  effect,  and  the  plant  being  suspended  from  llie 
roof  the  flowers  are  seen  to  greater  advantage  than 
when  against  a  wall.  Great  care  is  necessary  Avilh 
the  watering  of  this  species,  and  possibly  the  good 
drainage  procured  by  basket  culture  mavto  a  great 
extent  have  produced  the  result  sees  at  Kew. 

Gardenia  roth.man'nia. 

Although  this  plant  has  been  in  cultivation  for 
upwards  of  a  century  it  is  very  rare,  and  still  it  is 
showy,  fragrant,  and  moderately  free  flowering. 
It  is  quite  distinct  in  every  respect  from  the 
common  Gardenia  florida  so  well  known,  and  conns 
fiom  quite  a  different  part  of  the  woild.  The 
species  under  notice  is  a  native  of  South  Afuca,  and 
makes  a  tall  growing  bush,  with  evergreen,  ovate. 


/ 


468 


THE    GARDEN. 


[June  29,  19(1. 


leathery  leaves,  and  produces  large  sweelly  scented 
blossoms  throughout  summer.  When  fully  expanded 
the  flowers  are  4  inches  or  more  across.  In  colour 
they  are  cream  or  pale  yellow,  with  a  large  number 
of  purple  blotches  on  the  inner  side  of  the  tube. 
They  do  not  last  long  in  good  condition,  about  three 
days  being  the  average  time  each  flower  lasts.  A 
compost  of  two  parts  fibrous  loam,  two  parts  peat, 
and  one  of  coarse  sacd  is  suitable,  and  if  it  can  be 
planted  in  a  border  in  an  intermediate  house  so 
much  the  better.  At  the  present  time  a  plant 
I)  feet  high  is  flowering  well.        W.  Dallimore. 


FLORAL    GARGOYLES. 

I  HAVE  read  with  interest  the  note  of  my 
friend  Canon  Ellacombe  upon  floral  gargoyles. 
There  cannot  be  two  opinions  about  their 
extreme  vulgarity  and  want  of  suitabilitj'  from 
every  point  of  view,  but  it  is  not  such  an  easy 
thing  to  get  rid  of  them  as  he  esteems  it  to  be. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  a  clergyman  would  be 
acting  within  his  legal  rights  who  sweeps  them 


the  faintest  recognition  of  the  fact  that  these 
floral  gargoyles  are  unsuitable  to  the  last 
degree,  and  they  do  not  understand  what  you 
say  when  you  take  exception  to  them.  Here 
is  the  real  crux  of  the  whole  att'air,  and  this  is 
a  sort  ol  case  about  which  it  is  very  difficult 
for  one  class  of  persons  to  enter  into  the  ideas 
of  another  class  of  persons  and  to  do  justice  to 
them. 

I  have  taken  the  greatest  jiossible  interest 
in  the  formation  and  well-being  of  a  church- 
yard for  the  parish  of  St.  John's.  What  has 
been  done  here  was  considered  a  success  alike 
by  the  Bishop  and  the  jiarishioners  who  were 
interested  in  it ;  but  there  has  always  been 
one  difficulty  which  it  has  been  found  quite 
impossible  to  remove.  If  these  gargoyles  remain 
as  they  are  there  is  a  blot  on  the  whole  thing  ; 
and  if  they  were  to  be  taken  away  by  force 
there  would  be  much  more  of  irritation  and 
resentment  than  the  whole  thing  is  worth.  I 
am  no  longer  in  office  here  and  so  my  hands 
are    quite    free    of    the   att'air,   l:iut    speaking 


They  will  be  used  till  something  better  is 
found,  but  the  appeal  of  simple  and  natural 
flowers  to  the  heart  is  one  against  which 
nothing  can  stand  if  it  only  be  made,  and  in 
this  manner  what  is  .so  ott'ensive  and  vulgar 
may  be  superseded  by  that  from  which  some 
comfort  may  very  properly  be  obtained. 

I  was  quite  .shocked  the  other  day  when  1 
had  occasion  to  visit  a  large  horticultural 
depot  in  London  to  see  evidences  of  the 
enormous  trade  which  is  now  carried  on  by 
these  miserable  constructions  alongside  of- 
and  in  the  name  of  flowers  I 

Henuy  Ewb.\nk. 
[We  scarcely  think  that  any  wise  clergyman 
would  be  likely  to  adopt  har.sh  or  high-handed 
methods  in  dealing  with  a  subject  that  might 
nearly  affect  the  sensibilities  of  his  parishioner.". 
Rectors  and  vicars  of  parishes  are  conveying 
'  their  desires  and  intimating  their  intentions 
on  this  .subject  in  such  ways  that  no  one  need 
be  hurt  or  aggrieved.  For  instance,  if  the 
churchyard  has  been  allowed  to  be  disfigured 
or  debased  by  the  laxity  of  a  former 
incumbent,  his  successor  may,  after 
gaining  the  goodwill  and  confidence 
of  the  parisla,  recjuest  the  removal 
of  the  objects.  Should  any  remain 
after  this  he  may  give  a  kindly  worded 
notice  that  their  presence  will  not  be 
permitted  .after  a  certain  date,  but  he 
will  do  nothing  unkindly  or  abruptly 
Ol'  in  a  hurry.  He  will  make  it 
clear  that  the  placing  of  objects 
of  this  character  does  no  honour  to 
the  dead,  but  is  only  a  cheap  way  of 
gratifying  the  feelings  of  individuals 
at  the  expense  of  those  of  the 
better-minded  of  the  community.  It 
is  only  because  these  vulgar  things 
are  cheap  and  easy  to  obtain  that 
they  have  come  into  use.  It  is  just 
a  little  more  trouble  to  get  a  pretty 
Rose  bush  or  some  bulbs  to  plant  on 
the  grave,  and  therefore  the  glass- 
covered  object  is  chosen.  The  exer- 
cise of  his  right  would  be  the  rector's 
last  resource,  and  one  that  he  would 
use  with  the  utmost  reluctance. — 
Ed.s.] 


WHITE     EKOOM     AND     CHOISYA     TERNATA     AT     EAST     EURNHAM     PARK. 


all  away,  but  there  is  another  point  to  be 
considered  before  such  drastic  treatment  can 
be  at  all  wisely  enforced,  and  that  question  is 
this.  What  would  be  the  effect  on  the  minds  of 
the  parishioners — I  mean,  of  course,  those  of  the 
uneducated  sort — if  such  a  strong  step  were  to 
be  taken?  I  have  just  now  been  talking  to  a 
man  who  is  well  acquainted  with  the  ways 
and  manners  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  his 
notion  is  this,  and  so  it  is  mine,  that  any  high 
handed  proceeding  about  this  matter  would 
give  place  to  such  widespread  soreness  and 
resentment  all  over  the  place  that  the  floral 
gargoyles  would  soon  be  welcomed  back  again 
.so  as  to  restore  peace. 

There  would  be  very  genuine  grief  on  the 
part  of  many  poor  persons,  who  would  look  on 
it  as  a  desecration  of  the  resting  ]jlaces  of  their 
dead,  and  all  of  us  would  respect  that  feeling, 
though  we  should  not  be  able  to  enter  into  its 
cause  ;^  and  there  might  be  interested  oppo- 
sition in  some  places  on  behalf  of  those  who 
flourish  by  the  trade,  which,  however,  would 
not  matter  at  all.  But  with  numVicrs  of  poor 
and  uneducated  per.sons  there  is  not,  1  am  sure, 


generally  of  this  and  all  other  churchyards  I 
have  long  since  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  best  and  in  fact  the  only  method  of  making 
war  upon  these  detestable  floral  gargoyles  is  to 
point  out  a  more  excellent  way. 

I  know  it  is  a  matter  of  great  difficulty,  and 
it  certainly  cannot  be  effected  all  at  once  :  but 
if  poor  and  illiterate  people  could  only  be 
brought  to  see  in  the  words  of  the  leading 
article  in  The  Garden  that  "a  wreath  or  crop 
of  natural  flowers  made  with  loving  care  and 
placed  on  a  dear  grave  on  some  anniversary  or 
festival  of  the  tlhurch"  is  much  better  than 
any  stiff'  or  ugly  remembrancers  can  ever  be,  I 
think  they  would  adopt  them  in  time,  and  I 
venture  to  add  that  if  only  it  could  be  under- 
stood how  well  some  common  and  easily  grown 
flowers  can  be  kejit  in  blossom  nearly  all  the 
year  round  ujion  a  grave  they  would  take  the 
place  of  anything  else,  and  Primroses  and 
Violets  and  Fritillaries  and  Scillas  and  Roses 
and  other  things  would  be  used  in  the  service 
of  decoration  all  over  the  land,  and  God's  acre 
would  put  on  an  appearance  which  as  yet  it  has 
never  had,  and  which  no  "gargoyles"  can  give  it. 


Your    notes   on    "Floral   Gargoyles" 
in   The   (iARDEN    of   June    1    interested 
me  greatly,  but  it  is  the  buyers  rather 
than  the  florists  who  should  be  struck 
by  the  renaissance  in  art.      Some  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  artistic  floral  arrange- 
ments I  have  seen  have  been  the  work  of  Chicago 
florists.    On  the  other  hand,  the  man  of  flowers  must 
often  consent  to  the  grotesque  realism  demanded  by 
his  customer  or  lose  a  sale,  which  perhaps  he  cannot 
afford  to  do. 

I  heard  of  a  case  where  a  departed  butcher 
was  honoured  with  a  chopping-block  of  white 
Carnations,  having  a  cleaver  of  Immortelles  rest- 
ing upon  it.  Another  appropriate  design,  sent 
to  the  funeral  of  a  carpet  layer,  consisted  of  three 
steps  covered  witli  gorgeous  stair-carpet,  with  a 
taekhammer  lying  on  the  lowest  step.  I  have 
seen  floral  railway  and  troUej'  cars,  firemen's 
helmets,  policemen's  badges,  and  even  a  telephone 
box,  with  the  inscription,  "His  last  i-ill."  But  I 
have  never  known  a  florist  of  recognised  taste  to 
recommend  such  horrors;  they  are  the  mainstay 
of  the  class  known  in  professional  slang  here  as 
"crape  chasers."  It  is  quite  possible  that  the 
formal  bedding  in  some  of  the  Chicago  parks  has 
fostered  the  taste  for  these  hideous  designs. 
William  Robinson  referred  to  this  planting  a  few 
years  ago  as  an  Italian  pastrj'-cock's  idea  of  the 
beautiful.  Rolls  of  carpet  and  log  cabins  are 
among  the  mildest  oH'enoes  in  this  bedding,  but 
they  can  hardly  be  called  representative  nf 
American  taste,  as  a  study  of  private  garilens  will 


I 


June   20,   IDOL] 


THE    GARDEN. 


469 


THE    SUNDIAL     WALK. 


show.     Why  they  are  peniiitted  to  exist  has  lonj; 
been  a  mystery  to  me. 
Maywood,  N.J.  Kmua-  Tatlim  Royle. 


BRITISH     HOMES     AND 
GARDENS. 

EAST    BURNHAM   PARK 

BUCKS  is  a  delightful  county,  and 
Rurnham  one  of  the  most  delightful 
and  interesting  districts  contained 
in  it.  It  will  be  quite  sutticient 
corroboration  of  this  statement  to 
mention  that  in  the  near  neighbour- 
hood are  Windsor  Castle,  Eton,  Burnham 
Beeches,  and  Stoke  Poges,  a  few  of  many 
places  equally  as  full  of  interest  either  historical 
or  topical.  Even  in  the  midst  of  such  unique 
surroundings  one's  interest,  great  as  it  may 
have  been  in  the  beauties  of  natural  country 
life,  is  enhanced  when  one  visits  East  Burnham 
Park,  the  residence  of  Harry  James  Veitch, 
Esq.,  and  the  reason  is  not  far  to  seek.  The 
natural  charms  of  the  grounds  have  not  been 
destroyed,  and  where  planting  has  been  done 
it  has  been  done  with  care  and  wise  foresight. 
The  wild  garden  and  woodland  dell  are  pictures 
of  successful  gardening.  What  a  few  years 
ago  was  but  brushwood  and  brambles  is  now 
intersected  by  winding  walks,  bordered  by 
masses  of  wild  Roses,  Japanese  Honeysuckles, 
Clematises,  &c.,  and  the  rough  underwood  has 
been  replaced  by  choice  flowering  and  foliage 
shrubs.  In  early  summer  Laburnums  and 
I'i'unus  Pissardi,  Golden  Elders  and  Berberis,  i 
white  and  yellow  Brooms  provide  beautiful  ' 
contrasts  of  colour  above  a  sea  of  nodding 
]iink  and  blue  Bluebells.  Beneath  the  shade 
of  tall  Elm  trees  are  masses  of  Rhododendrons 
in  flower,  included  being  some  of  the  best 
hybrids,  as  well  as  the  old  ponticum. 

To  reach  this  charming  woodland  scene  one 
needs  must  pass  through  the  wild  garden, 
around   which   are   grouped   beds   filled    with 


flowering  and  foliage  plants  that 
will  always  provide  something  of 
interest  until  winter  comes.  A 
few  weeks  ago  the  Globe  flowers 
and  the  double  Gorse  on  the  bank- 
.side  were  brilliant,  and  the  stately 
Foxgloves,  Wood  Anemones,  Ber- 
berises,  and  Brooms  added  variety 
of  colour,  while  giant  Rheums, 
Spirajas,  Tritomas,  Gyneriums,  (fee, 
gave  promise  of  good  things  to 
come,  as  Peaches,  Almonds, 
Cherries,  &c.,  testified  to  the  beauty 
of  the  spring  just  passed.  Nearer 
to  the  house  the  grounds  have  a 
somewhat  newer  appearance, 
although  their  pleasing  design  and 
the  vigorous  growth  made  by  the 
various  trees  and  shrubs  have  done 
much  to  dispel  this,  and  so  effectu- 
ally that  soon  all  trace  of  newness 
will  ha  ve  im  perceptibly  disappeared. 
Around  the  lake  are  tastefully 
grouped  such  things  as  Yuccas, 
Brooms,  Choisya  ternata  (that  does 
remarkably  well  here),  Arundo, 
Gynerium,  Eulalia,  &c.,  while  the 
grounds  ar'e  rich  in  fine  examples 
of  good  flowering  shrubs. 
Hydrangea  paniculata  grandiflora, 
Azaleas  (most  brilliant  of  all). 
Lilacs,  Magnolias,  Sumachs,  and 
Viburnums  are  but  a  few  of  those 
to  which  larger  beds  are  devoted. 
There  is  such  a  variety  of  hardy 
shrubs  planted  that  almost  all  the  year 
round  one  would  find  something  of  interest  in 
flower  or  leaf.  Gardening  in  the  grass  is  one 
of  the  prettiest  features  in  the  grounds  of  East 
Burnham  Park.  After  the  Crocuses  and 
Daiibdils  are  over,  gorgeous  Parrot  Tulips, 
together  with  theirmoresubdued  brethren, make 
the  semi-wild  portions  of  the  garden,  by  the 
margins  of  walks  and  shrubberies  or  beneath 
the  shade  of  trees,  for  instance,  a  patchwork 
of  bright  and  changing  colours.  Such  are  n 
few  of  the  characteristic  features  of  the 
gardens  around  the  country  home  of  Mr. 
Harry  James  Veitch,  gardens  which  possess 
the  attribute  of  being  so  planted  that  during 
almost  every  week  of  the  year  there  is  something 
to  interest  and  attract,  an  attribute  that  is, 
unfortunately,  wanting  in  many  gardens. 


FOREIGN    NOTES. 


NOTES    FROM    BELGIUM. 

EXTENSIVE  glass  houses  in  the  Pare 
Leopold,  Brussels,  of  the  Socic'ti-  Hor- 
licole  Coloniale,  of  which  M.  Lucien 
Linden  is  the  able  director,  are  espe- 
cially interesting  at  the  present  moment 
during  the  e.fhibitioii  of  Orchids  in 
Hower,  which  are  just  now  at  their  beet.  The 
delightfully  cool  temperature  of  the  shaded  houses 
makes  it  possible  to  enjoy  at  leisure  the  wonderful 
loveliness  both  of  the  individual  sprays  of  flowers 
and  the  grouping  of  the  plants,  which  in  everj' 
part  of  the  establishment  is  exceptionally  tasteful 
and  good.  It  needs,  doubtless,  the  e3e  of  a  con- 
noisseur in  Orchid  points  thoroughly  to  appreciate 
Ihe  exceeding  richness  of  the  collection,  a  cult  to 
which  the  present  writer  does  not  pretend  ;  but 
the  perfect  cultivation  and  sturdy  health  shown  in 
every  department  is  beyond  all  praise.  Many  of 
the  varieties  pointed  out  as  unique  or  remarkable 
in  form  and  colouring  originated  in  Belgian  nur- 
series, and  will  therefore  repay  an  inspection  by 
the  English  expert.  The  interest,  however,  of  the 
exhibition  is  mucli  enhanced  by  a  number  of  new 
plants  of  great  promise  lately  introduced  from  the 
Congo  by  the  collectors  sent  out  by  the  societj'. 
Amongst  these  three  new  species  of  Hiemanthus 
stand  out  pre-eminentl}'.  It  is  a  genus  which 
runs  through  many  modifications,  from  the  quaint 
white  brushes  of  H.  albiflos,  which  may  be  grown 
in  a  window,  to  the  splendid  scarlet  globes  of  H. 
Katherince  superbus.  The  new  species  bid  fair  to 
surpass  all  their  congeners.  All  of  them  belong 
to  the  section  which  develop  flowers  and  leaves 
together,  and  are  of  simplest  culture  in  a  warm 
house.  IIa;manthus  fascinator,  H.  diadema,  and 
H.  mirabilis,  of  varied  shades  of  salmon  and  scarlet, 
form  a  brilliant  trio,  sure  to  become  favourites 
with  those  who  can  give  them  a  suitable  home. 

Besides  these,  a  goodly  number  of  fine  leaved 
plants  have  been  re(^ently  introduced  from  the 
same  regions,  and  will  soon  find  their  way  to 
England.  Two  grand  new  species  of  Fieus — F. 
eetveldiana  and  F.  Lueiani — will  prove  acceptable 
where  massive  leafage  is  desirable.  A  new 
Asparagus  (A.  Duchesni)  may  be  compared  with 
A.  Sprengeri,  but  is  of  taller  and  more  graceful 
growth,  while  it  is  quite  distinct  in  the  darker 
gieen  shape  of  its  leaflets  and  in  the  greater  length 
of  its  drooping  sprays. 

Several  new  Marantas  are  conspicuous,  especially 
one,  M.  imperialis,  whose  long  oval  leaves  of 
metallic  bronze,  .striped  with  deep  red  and  white 
lines,    command    attention.      Another    hand.some 


THE     tlOITSE    AND     LAW.N     AT     EAST     BURNIIAJI     PARK. 


470 


TTTE     GARDEN. 


[June  29,  1901. 


CEEASTIUM    BIEBKRSTEINII. 

plant,  of  whicli  the  affinity  has  scarcely  yet  been 
determined,  has  been  given  the  provisional  name 
of  Bamburanta  arnoldiana.  The  habit  of  growth 
of  the  channelled  stems  recalls  the  Bamboo,  while 
the  leaves  are  those  of  a  Maranta.  A  charming 
little  Begonia  from  Ceylon  is  quite  appropriately 
called  B.  deliciosa,  being  very  attractive  with  its 
palmate  leaves  of  bronzy  green,  daintily  veined 
and  splashed  with  silver-grey.  More  novelties 
could  be  added  to  the  list,  but  these  are  amongst 
the  most  notable,  and  it  is  rare  to  have  the 
privilege  of  seeing  at  one  time  so  many  new  and 
valuable  importations. 

Any  one  interested  in  tropical  plants  who  may 
be  passing  through  Brussels  should  make  a  point 
of  visitinc  the  greenhouses  in  the  Pare  Leopold. 
To-day  it°hapDens  to  be  an  e.-^hibition  of  Orchids, 
but  the  scene"  is  constantly  shifting.  Something 
of  interest  is  sure  to  be  found  in  the  large  winter 
garden  or  in  the  galleries,  and  from  the  courtesy 
shown  to  a  stranger  without  introduction  of  any 
kind  it  is  safe  to  conclude  that  we  cannot  please 
our  Belgian  neighbours  better  than  by  taking 
advantage  of  such  opportunities  as  are  so  generously 
and  freely  offered  to  the  public  by  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Socielc  Hortioole  Coloniale.     K.  L.  D. 

PARIS  FLOWER  SHOW. 

The  great  annual  flower  show  held  by  the  National 
Horticultural  Society  of  France  was  opened  in 
the  .Jardin  des  Tuileries  in  Paris  on  the  •29th  ult., 
and  was  favoured  by  splendid  weather.  The 
display  was  a  grand  sight,  every  plant  exhibited 
being  grown  to  perfection.  The  arrangements 
could  not  have  been  belter,  and  the  attendance 
was  large  and  select.  The  ceremony  of  opening 
was  performed  by  M.  Loubet,  President  of  the 
French  Republic,  accompanied  by  the  Ministers. 
In  the  afternoon  a  sudden  and  severe  storm  of 
rain  of  two  hours'  duration  unfortunately  checked 
the  enjoyment  of  the  file  for  the  first  day.  The 
next  morning,  however,  all  the  damage  was 
repaired,  and  the  show  was  continued  until  the 
4th  of  .Tune  in  days  of  tropical  heat. 

Novelties  were  numerous,  though  none  were  of 
extraordinary  merit.  Amongst  them  was  a  Musa 
with  red  foliage,  seedlings  of  Crotons,  two  hybrid 
Cattleyas,  Anthuriums,  and  Pliyllocactus.  Ficus 
panduneformis  from  the  Ivory  Coast  was  much 
admired,  also  Schi/.mthus  wisetoniensis  exhibited 
by  Messrs.  Hugh  Low,  and  a  splendid  purple 
bedding  Calceolaria,  the  whole  stock  of  which  is 
in  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Sutton  and  Sons,  of 
Pleading.  I  regret  I  did  not  notice  any  otjier 
British  exhibitors.  ,    ,     ,  , 

Orchids  were  plentiful,  and  had  never  been 
shown  in  such  fine  condition,  but  it  is  strange 
that  there  should  have  been  no  other  hothouse 
plants.  Tuberous  Begonias,  single  and  double, 
and  Gloxinias  were  truly  marvellous.  Caladium 
tuberosuTi),  large-flowered    tJannas,  Pelargoniums, 


zonal  Pelargoniums, 
Calceolaria  (herba- 
ceous), and  tree  and 
herbaceous  P;eonies 
were  a  grand  display, 
and  grown  to  perfec- 
tion. 

Annuals  (autumn 
sown)  were  one  of  the 
grandest  displays  on 
account  of  the  diver- 
sity and  brilliancy  of 
colours.  I  regret  to 
observe  that  this  way 
of  culture  is  so  little 
practised  in  England. 

Bulbous  plants  were 

poor,  the  season  being 

too  far  advanced.  Tulip 

La  Merveille,  a  novelt}' 

of  UIOO,  was,  however, 

very  striking  on  ascounl 

of  its   bright  coral-red 

flowers    and     its    late 

flowering,      all     other 

species    and     varieties 

being    out    of    bloom. 

Huge  specimens   of 

Rhododendrons   and    Azaleas   pontica   and    mollis 

covered  with  myriads  of  flowers  were,  as  usual,  a 

great  attraction. 

Roses  were  in  great  variety,  represented,  as 
usual,  by  thousands  of  poor  small  examples,  each 
bearing  four  to  six  flowers.  I  wished  a  few  of  the 
splendid  specimens  shown  j'early  at  the  Temple 
show  could  have  been  there ;  they  would  have 
had  a  great  success. 

Collections  of  vegetables  could  not  be  better, 
and  the  plants  were  grown  to  perfection,  includ- 
ing Peas,  Beans,  Lettuces,  Endives,  Cucumbers, 
Potatoes,  Radishes,  Cauliflowers,  Turnips,  &c. , 
with  fine  Melons  and  beds  of  French  Mushrooms. 

Perennials  were  not  numerous,  but  what  there 
were  were  very  well  grown.  I  failed  to  see  the 
greater  number  of  our  old  favourites,  growers 
devoting  all  their  attention  to  the  new  forms  or 
varieties  of  recent  plants,  which  are  of  compara- 
tively doubtful  merit.  Alpines  were  very  poorly 
represented. 

Large-flowered  Pansies  were  very  poor  owing  to 
the  late  season,  but  there  were  some  magnificent 
Carnations. 

Forced  fruits  were  a  great  attraction.  Peaches, 
Apricots,  Figs,  Grapes,  Cherries,  Almonds,  and 
Plums  were  shown  in  perfection  on  their  own 
roots,  showing  the  expansion  and  progress  realised 
by  French  growers. 

Asparagus  were  largely  represented  in  all  their 
phases,  from  the  small  green  forced  to  the  average 
purple  top  size.  Among  the  enormous  bundles  of 
gigantic  heads  one  of  forty-four  Asparagus  attained 
the  respectable  weight  of  26Alb. ! 

For  the  first  time  a  colonial  exhibition  was  held, 
comprising  the  useful,  economical,  industrial,  and 
commercial  plants  found  in,  or  desirable  for  intro- 
duction into,  tropical  colonies.  This  was  a  real 
success. 

An  exhibition  of  horticultural  paintings  was 
largely  represented,  some  pictures  being  of  real 
value,  though  in  most  cases  artists  were  inclined 
to  make  pictures  rather  than  to  represent  the 
plants  as  in  Nature. 

Fruit  trees  pruned  in  all  small  and  large  forms 
were  perfect,  showing  again  the  supremacy  of 
French  arboriculture  in  this  interesting  branch. 

Greenhouses,  boilers,  frames,  mowing  machines, 
pvimps,  watering  apparatus,  rustic  houses,  and  all 
sorts  of  horticultural  implements  and  sundries 
were  largely  represented.  GniiiENnrF. 


THE     CERASTIUMS. 

Althou(;h  the  Mouse-ear  Chickweed  family 
is  a  numerous  one,  comprising  over  1(K)  species, 
distributed  over  the  temperate  parts  of  tlie 
world,  the  numlierof  pretty  or  useful  members 
is  very  limited,  as  the  majority  are  of  very 
weedy  haliit  with  insignificant  flowers.     They 


are  decumbent  or  trailing  in  habit,  quite  hardy, 
and  con.sist  of  both  annuals  and  perennials, 
though  only  one  of  the  former,  C.  perfoliatuni, 
is  worth  a  place  in  the  garden.  The  rest  of 
those  mentioned  below  are  all  perennial. 
Perhaps  the  two  most  generally  cultivated  are 
C.  Biebersteinii  and  C.  tomentosuui,  both  (on 
account  of  the  silvery  character  of  their  foliage 
rather  than  for  their  flowers)  as  edgings  for 
beds  or  for  the  front  row  in  the  border.  Of 
easy  culture,  most  of  them  will  grow  in  nearly 
any  soil,  some  of  the  higher  alpine  species  only 
requiring  a  stony  compost  and  sunny  position. 
Easily  increased  by  cuttings  or  division. 

C.  aljiinuiii.  —  An  interesting  and  pretty 
species  found  growing  freely  on  the  Scotch 
mountains,  and  less  freijuently  on  those  of  the 
English  and  Welsh  ones.  It  is  a  very  dwarf 
plant,  -2  inches  to  4  inches  high,  with  small 
ovate  leaves,  clothed  with  a  silky  down, 
imparting  to  it  a  singularly  shaggy  appearance. 
From  the  prostrate  stems  arise  ascending 
branches,  bearing  branching  cymes  of  large 
white  flowers  in  early  summer.  Apart  from 
its  flowers,  this  species  is  always  a  pleasing 
and  distinct  object,  and  worth  its  place  in  the 
choicest  part  of  the  rock  garden.  U.  a.  var. 
lanatum  has  more  woolly  foliage.  C.  arvense 
is  also  a  native  aflecting  dry  banks  in  many 
parts  of  the  country.  Although  pretty,  it  is, 
however,  too  much  of  a  wanderer,  except  where 
it  can  be  given  unlimited  .space.  C.  a.  var. 
sufl'ruticosum  is  a  more  compact  giowing  form, 
with  narrow  green  leaves  and  a  profusion  of 
white  howers. 

C.  Bie/iersb'infi  (the  Taurian  Mouse -ear 
Chickweed)  is  closely  allied  to  L'.  tomentosum, 
but  differs  in  its  broader  leaves  and  larger 
flowers.  The  lower  part  of  the  stem  is  very 
slender  and  creeping,  and  gives  rise  to  the 
ascending  branches,  which,  as  well  as  the 
leaves,  are  coveted  with  a  soft  dense  white 
tomentum,  giving  the  plant  a  silvery  appear- 
ance. It  is  an  evergreen,  and  of  compact 
habit,  its  native  habitat  being  in  dry,  stony 
places  on  the  higher  Taurian  alps. 

('.  Boi'xiiieri  is  a  beautiful  free  flowei'ing 
plant,  nearly  a  foot  high,  with  narrow  sessile 
silvery  leaves  and  large  white  Howers.  It 
makes  a  handsome  object  as  a  pot  plant  or 
hanging  over  a  ledge  in  the  rockery.  Native 
of  Spain. 

C.  grandiflorum.—Oi  more  robust  and 
spreading  habit,  this  makes  a  handsome  plant 
for  the  margin  of  a  mixed  border  or  for  the 
rougher  parts  of  the  rock  garden.  It  takes  up 
too  much  room  in  any  place  which  might  with 
advantage  be  devoted  to  more  de.serving  plants. 
The  large  white  flowers  are  produced  in  great 
abundance  in  the  early  summer,  quite  obscur- 
ing the  narrow  silvery  foliage  on  the  stems 
below.  This  is  a  deciduous  species,  and  a 
native  of  the  dry  hills  of  Hungary. 

C.  httifolium. — A  dwarf  alpine  i)lantL' inches 
to  4  inches  high,  with  comparatively  broad  pale 
green  or  glaucous  leaves  and  solitary  large 
white  flowers.  O.  1.  var.  glaciale  is  a  high 
mountain  form  with  smaller,  more  woolly 
leaves  and  flowers.     From  the  granitic  alps. 

C.  ovntum.—  vi\m\\-ax  to  the  above,  with 
more  ovate  leaves,  and  dichotomous  cymes  of 
white  flowers,  from  stony  places  in  the  higher 
European  Alps. 

C.  tomentdxum  (Snow  in  Summer)  is  one  of 
the  best  known  species,  being  used  in  almost 
every  garden  on  account  of  its  compact  silvery 
appearance  for  forming  edges  for  flower  beds 
and  borders.  It  is  also  useful  for  the  rock 
garden,  where  it  .soon  forms  handsome  masses. 
It  is  a  native  of  southern  and  eastern  Europe, 
where  it  is  found  growing  in  ojien  iilaces  and 
on  walls. 


June  29,  1901.] 


THE    GAEDEN. 


471 


C.  perfoliatiim  is  an  annual,  about  1  foot 
liigh,  with  broad,  glaucous,  perfoliate  leaves, 
and  branching  cymes  of  hirge  white  flowers. 
A  pretty  plant,  it  seeds  rather  freely,  and  is  apt 
to  become  a  weed.  W.  lEviN(.i. 


A  W^ELL-DONE    POND   MARGIN. 

Where  a  garden  is  so  happily  placed  that  a 
liretty  pond  occurs  or  can  be  made  within  its 
boundaries,  there  is  every  prospect,  if  it  be  in 
good  hands,  of  making  delightful  combinations 
of  land  and  water  gardening.  Such  is  the  case 
in  that  of  the  illustration,  where  a  long-shaped 
pond  draining  hill  on  one  side  and  meadow  on 
the  other  feeds  the  moat  of  an  ancient  manor 
house,  whose  fabric  has  been  wisely  and 
reverently  restored,  and  whose  precincts, 
formerly  a  waste  of  weedy  neglect,  have  been 
made  into  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  English 
gardens. 

An  easy  unbordered  path  passes  near 
the  bank,  so  that  the  aquatic  plants  can 
bo  conveniently  seen  on  the  one  side  and  the 
garden  flowers  in  bold  informal  groups  on  the 
other.  At  the  end  of  the  pond  on  the  further 
side  is  a  wide  planting  of  the  Irises  that 
love  WKcer,  I.  sibirica,  I.  orientalis,  and 
I.  Ka!mpferi,  while  in  the  same  pond  out  of 
the  present  picture  and  behind  the  spectator's 
right  shoulder  a  wide  spread  clump  of  Arum 
(Calla  asthiopica)  rises  from  the  water. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

( The  Editors  are  not   rexpoHsihle   for  llie  opinions 
expressed  by  their  correspoiideiUs. ) 


STUNTED    PRODUCTS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Gakden."] 

SIR, — It  is  very  unfortuiialo  for  the  Japanese 
that  the  incontrovertible  judgment  of 
"A.  D."  has  gone  forth  against  their 
dwarfed  trees.  It  is  also  humiliating  to 
some  of  us  who  until  now  have  humbly 
reckoned  ourselves  as  "true  gardeners 
and  admirers  of  that  which  is  true  and  beautiful 
in  nature,"  and  yet  ventured  to  regard  with  some 
interest  and  admiration  those  same  little  trees 
at  the  Temple  show.  It  is  probably  more  pre- 
sumptuous to  apologise  for  Oriental  taste  than  to 
abolish  it  in  a  paragraph,  the  fashion  of  "A.  I)." 
But  it  may  bo  permitted  to  point  out  why  everyone 
is  not  of  his  opinion.  To  begin  with,  it  is  un- 
deniable that  the  .Japanese  equal  or  excel  us  in 
the  appreciation  of  noble  and  beautiful  natural 
forms — witness  the  facile,  unerring,  and  exquisite 
lines  of  a  good  Japanese  drawing  of  a  reed,  an 
Iris,  a  Crane,  &c.  The  word  which  "A.  D." 
ernploys  of  their  dwarfed  trees — "puny" — betrays 
his  entire  lack  of  perception  of  their  character. 
Take,  for  instance,  a  fine  example  of  a  dwarfed 
Cedar.  It  is  a  standing  proof  that  the  succession 
of  artists  who  produced  it  through  a  couple  of 
centuries  appreciated  and  enjoyed  to  the  last 
hair's-breadth  every  line,  angle,  and  contour  of 
the  full-grown  forest  tree.     The  massive  gnarled 


trunk,  the  curves  of  root  and  branch,  the  solid, 
flat  layers  of  foliage,  all  are  reproduced  in  the 
miniature  tree  with  mathematical  and  marvellous 
fidelity  to  Natuie.  The  artist  kncn'  iiis  Cedar  as 
few  Englishmen  know  anything.  He  knew  it, 
and  entered  into  its  very  spirit  and  ideal,  and 
'almost  worshipped  it  for  its  ancient  strength  of 
beauty,  and  therefore  it  pleased  him  to  have  Ihi.s 
tiny  and  perfect  (not  "puny")  living  representa- 
tion of  it  within  his  house  to  constantly  delight 
his  eye  and  imagination.  It  is  li  ue  that  he  some- 
times, in  his  childish  moods,  twisted  a  tree  into 
the  form  of  a  bird  or  a  junk,  but  the  .Japanefe  are 
all  children  on  one  side  of  their  character,  and 
happy  for  them  that  they  are  so,  until  the  superior 
Englishman  shall  have  educated  them  out  of  it. 
Thank  heaven,  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  need 
not,  everywhere  and  at  all  times,  be  hide-bound 
in  stiff  artistic  law. 

As  for  the  "topiary  art,"  perhaps  there  might 
be  found  something  to  say  even  for  that,  but  this 
brief  note  is  not  the  place  for  it.  The  suggestion 
may,  however,  be  ottered  that  our  Tudor  and 
.Jacobean  ancestors  in  horticulture  were  not  all 
fools,  but  had  in  several  respects  a  juster  and  finer 
artistic  sense  than  our  own,  and  that  possibly  the 
criticism  which  fails  to  appreciate  it,  vagaries  and 
all,  may  itself  be  a  "  stunted  product." 

George  E>'oleheak* 

CHILDREN    AND    WILD    FLOWEKS. 

[To  THE  Editor  of  "  The  Garden."] 

Sir, — I    have    the   liveliest   sympathy  with   your 
suggestion  that  in  rural  parishes  Sunday  (or  other 


THE   iXOWEf-.MAKOIN'ED   LAlvE   AT   GKBAT   TANGLEY   MAJiOR. 


472 


THE    GAKDEN. 


[June  29,  1901, 


day)  classes  for  boys  (and  girls  also)  should  be 
jiromoted  by  some  leisured  persons  who  themselves 
have  knowledge  of  botany,  even  if  elementary, 
and  would  thus  instruct  the  young  both  in  know- 
ledge of  and  promote  a  love  for  our  flora.  How 
often  in  addressing  flower  show  gatherings  in  Surrey 
have  I  urged  that  this  be  done.  Still  further, 
tliat  the  somewhat  stupid  practice  of  offering 
prizes  for  collections  of  wild  flowers  and  grasses, 
gathered  and  bundled  together  without  any  dis- 
crimination, be  abolished,  and  in  place  thereof 
classes  be  established  for  collections  of  wildflowers 
and  grasses,  shown  in  very  small  bundles,  and  to 
be  as  far  as  possible  correctly  named,  botanically 
and  otherwise.  That  such  classes  would  be  ex- 
ceedingly educational  there  can  be  no  doubt,  and 
not  least  of  the  benefits  arising  from  them  would 
be  the  new  and  profound  interest  in  our  native 
flora  that  would  be  aroused  in  the  minds  oi 
myriads  who  now  regard  the  wealth  of  beauty  by 
which  they  are  surrounded  in  wood,  field,  and 
hedgerow  with  comparative  indifference.  Our 
rural  population  generally,  rich  and  poor,  because 
they  have  little  or  no  botanical  knowledge,  are 
so  many  Peter  Bells,  and  a  lovely  Primrose,  a 
charming  Daisy,  or  a  beautiful  Dog  Rose  are  to 
them  just  mere  wild  flowers  and  no  more.  I  cannot 
conceive  any  greater  cliarm  or  of  interest  attacliing 
to  rural  life  than  is  found  in  a  wide  knowledge  of 
Nature's  vegetation,  and  especially  of  flowers. 
How  delightful  is  it  to  range  over  some  extensive 
common  or  through  woods,  or  beside  hedgerows  or 
streams,  and  there  note  the  marvellous  abundance 
of  beautiful  though  simple  flowers  to  be  found. 
ISut  the  interest  is  for  the  lover  of  Nature  a  little, 
,xnd  far  more  so  for  those  who  have  knowledge. 
It  seems  to  be  so  humiliating  to  have  to  admit 
ignorance.  It  is  so  delightful  to  be  able  to  answer 
iTie  myriads  of  questions  which  children  will  ask. 
How  wise  relatively  is  he  or  she  who  knows  the 
names  of  the  wild  plants,  and  something  about 
their  ways  of  growth.  If  to  my  rural  show  adjura- 
tions the're  has  been  so  little  response,  so  far  as  I 
know,  is  it  not  due  rather  to  idleness,  the  natural 
habit  on  the  pari,  of  even  the  educated  to  refrain 
from  taking  pains  or  trouble  rather  than  from 
absolute  inditterence?  Yet  does  it  seem  as  if  in 
our  rural  districts  there  must  be  many  men  and 
women  who  have  both  time  and  knowledge,  and 
could  do  so  much,  as  is  suggested,  and  even  more. 
How  delightful  to  take  a  summer  evening  ramble, 
to  collect,  always  with  discretion,  samples,  to 
correctly  name  I'hem,  and  with  that  give  notes  of 
growth,  to  have  tliese  examples  pressed  and  dried, 
then  to  use  them  in  the  winter  for  purely  botanical 
lessons  or  objects,  when  Nature  has  shrouded 
plants  and  grasses  in  a  blanket  of  snow.  I  have 
often  been  pained  at  rural  sliows  to  see  the 
evidences  of  wasted  or  misdirected  energy  seen  m 
collecting  wild  flowers  and  putting  them  up  ii. 
huge  ungainly  masses,  in  the  composition  of  which 
not  one  sparkle  of  intelligence  has  entered.  In 
the  dressing  of  small  baskets  or  constructing 
pretty  hand  bou(iuets  of  wild  flowers  some  artistic 
effort  is  called  forth,  but  in  collecting  these  huge 
masses  of  wild  flowers  only  the  faculty  of  wanton 
destruction  seems  to  be  exercised.  A.   D. 

NARCISSUS  TRIANDRUS 
PULCHELLUS. 
[To  THE  Editor  ok  "  Thk  Garden. ''J 
Sir,— The  pleasant  articles  on  "  The  Lesser  Nar- 
cissi," which  have  appeared  in  The  Garden  from 
the  pen  of  the  Rev.  George  Engleheart  induce  nio 
to  draw  the  attention  of  readers  to  the  pretty 
N.  triandrus  pulchellus  as  being  one  of  the  most 
valuable  of  these  smaller  Narcissi  for  gardens 
where  the  exquisite  N.  triandrus  albus  cannot  be 
induced  to  make  itself  at  home.  Although  it  is 
taller  and  less  refined  in  its  colouring,  perhap.s,  it 
is  so  much  more  adaptable  to  ordinary  conditions 
of  cultivation  that  it  might  well  be  more  largely 
grown.  I  presume  that  it  is  either  less  plentiful 
as  a  wild  plant  than  N.  triandrus  albus,  or  that  it. 
is  less  accessible  to  collectors,  as  the  diflcronce  in 
price  between  the  two  is  difhcult  lo  account  for.  I 
aee  in  one  of  last  autumn  catalogues  that  triandrus 


albus  is  priced  at  Is.  3d.  and  Is.  6d.  per  dozen, 
while  triandrus  pulchellus  costs  os.  Kd.  per  single 
bulb.  The  latter  is  much  more  easily  grown.  I 
know  a  Scottish  garden  in  which  I  recently  saw  a 
short  row  of  it,  and  each  of  the  older  plants  had 
about  it  quite  a  colony  of  young  ones.  My  few 
bulbs  were  kindly  sent  me  by  the  owner  of  that 
garden  a  year  or  two  ago,  and  already  they  arc 
showing  ([uite  a  satisfactory  increase  at  the  roots. 
With  its  prim  perianth  and  white  cup,  it  quite 
deserves  its  specific  name  of  pulchellus.  My  friend 
grows  it  in  the  ordinary  border  in  good  but  rather 
diy  loam,  while  I  grow  it  in  sandy  peal  in  a  low 
[jlacc  at  the  base  of  a  rockery  fronting  the  south- 
west. S.  AllNOTT. 
Carse/Iwrn,  liy  Dumfries,  N.B. 


THE  CAPE  MISTLETOE. 
[To  THE  Editor  of  "The  Garden."] 
Sir,— In  fulfilment  of  a  promise  made  you  twelve 
months  ago,  when  I  sent  you  some  of  the  pretty 
coral  berries,  I  now  forward  you  some  specimens 
of  what  is  popularly  known  here  as  the  Capi' 
Mistletoe.  There  are  some  full-size  branches,  and 
you  will  find  a  small  but  complete  specimen  of  Ihi^ 
species,  with  a  piece  of  the  bark  of  the  tree  to 
wliich  it  was  attached.  You  will  now  be  able  to 
determine  whether  it  is  a  Loranthus,  as  you 
supposed,  or  aViscum.  Miss  North,  whose  galler;) 
at  Kew  attracts  so  many  visitors  from  the  colonies, 
mentioned,  in  her  widely  read  "Recollections  of  a 
Happy  Life,",  that  a  Mistletoe  with  red  Vjerries 
was  abundant  in  Spain.  It  would  be  interesting, 
therefore,  to  find  out  whether  these  two  parasites, 
uiet  with  in  localities  at  a  considerable  -distance 
from  each  other,  belong  to  the  same  species.  It  is 
fairly  abundant  in  the  suburbs  of  this  town,  but 
I  am  only  acquainted  with  one  spot  where  the 
minute  Mistletoe  is  found— of  which  I  forward 
several  specimens — growing  on  the  Euphorbia 
common  on  the  rocky,  stony  ground  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood. Your  friends  will  no  doubt  agree  in 
the  opinion  that  it  is  rightly  named  minimum. 

I  am  also  sending  you  some  seed  of  Protea 
uricifolia,  one  of  the  finest  of  the  species.  It  is 
ibundant  in  sandy  ground  in  this  part  of  the 
colony.  It  may  interest  you  to  see  a  specimen  of 
the  wild  Dianthus  common  on  our  hills,  and  to 
compare  it  with  its  proud  relatives  of  the  floral 
iristocracy  on  your  side  of  the  water. 

Fori  Kfizahi'jh.  \V.   Hemslev. 

I  A  most  interesting  collection,  but  much  damaged 
)n  their  long  journey.  Viscuni  minimum  usually 
grows  upon  Euphorbia,  and  V.  lotunilifolium  I'l. 
Kuclea.  — Ens.] 


WHITE    CABBAGE    BUTTER- 
FLIES. 

The  catcrpillar.s  of  these  too  coimnon  buttei 
rties,  besides  attacking  Cabbages  of  variou.- 
Ivinds,  Cauliflowers,  Turnips,  &c.,  are  very 
destructive  to  the  leaves  of  Mignonette; 
Trop:eolums  of  various  kinds,  and  Horse- 
radish. When  plants  are  infested,  pick  the 
caterpillars  of}'  by  hand,  unless  the  pests  arc 
very  abundant,  when  the  plant  might  be 
sprayed  with  parafKn  emulsion  or  salt  and 
water,  or  pyrethruiii  powder  might  be  sprinkled 
on  the  heads  of  the  Cabbages.  The  butter- 
Hies  may  be  caught  in  nets.  The  chrysalide.* 
may  often  be  found  on  posts  or  palings  and 
under  the  caves  of  outhouses,  and  shouhl 
ilways  be  destroyed.  These  butterflies  an 
too  well  known  to  need  description,  and  tlic 
two  species  may  be  easily  distinguished  from 
one  another  by  tlieir  une(|ual  size.  TheCali 
bage  butterfly  is  considerably  larger  than  tin 
other,  measuring  about  3  inches  across  tlic 
wings  when  fully  expanded,  while  the  Turni]i 
butterfly  is  not  more  than  i  inches.  The  catcr- 
pillar.s  of  the  former  species  when  full  grown 
are  1  i  inches  in  length,  of  a  y)ale  blue  or  green 
colour  above  and  yellow  on  the  underside, 
there  being  down  the  middle  of  the  back  a 


yellow  strijje.  There  are  various  black  spots, 
dots,  and  hairs  scattered  over  the  body.  The 
caterpillar  of  the  Turnip  butterfly  is  about 
I  inch  long,  of  a  dull  green  colour,  with  a 
yellow  striiic  down  the  back,  and  one  on 
either  side  i  it  is  so  covered  witli  short  hairs 
as  to  be  quite  velvety. 


EDITORS'    TABLE. 

Seldling  Irises  from  Guernsey. 
We  have  received  from  Mr.  W.  J.  Ciiparne, 
Rohais,  a  Ijoxful  of  flowers  of  seedling  Geiman 
Irises,  with  standard  varielits  for  comparison,  and 
we  think  Mr.  Caparne  is  accomplishing  good  woik 
in  increasing  the  variety  of  colours  among  these 
beautiful  garden  plants.  Many  of  the  seedlings 
are  very  pure  and  good  in  colour.  Our  correspon- 
dent in  his  note  suggests  a  pretty  use  for  the 
flowers  of  the  (German  Iris  :  "  I  suggest  that  a  few 
blooms  be  picked  olf  and  used  as  table  decoration, 
lliis  being  i  think  a  specially  useful  flower  for  the 
(lurpose.  They  iLcjuiie  no  water,  and  keep  good  for 
one  ormoreda^s  on  the  cloth." 


Carnation  The  Co.met. 
Mr.  Weguelin,  Dawlish,  Devon,  sends  flowers  of 
his  beautiful  new  Carnation  The  Comet.  The 
llower  is  ver_v  full,  the  calyx  betrays  not  the 
slightest  indication  of  splitting,  and  the  colouring 
is  pure  and  pretty,  a  clear  yellow  ground,  cut  into 
with  stripes  of  rose,  while  it  is  sweetly  .scented. 
It  is  quite  a  good  addition  toils  class. 

Rosa  lutea. 
We  ha\'e  received  from  Mr.  Clements,  Tbonias- 
lown.  Birr,  King's  County,  Ireland,  flowers  of  the 
niteresling  Rosa  lutea,  or  Austrian  Brier.  This  is 
a  very  old  Rose  in  gardens,  but  one  larely  seen  in 
good  condition,  and  so  Rosa  Harrisoni  is  generally 
grown  instead,  although  its  flowers  arc  neither  so 
[uue  in  form  nor  so  deep  in  colour.  Those  of  R.  lutea 
ire  very  full,  of  a  jiure  butter  yellow,  which 
deepens  in  the  centre  of  the  bloom. 

Rhododendron  aliium  jmultchi. 

Mr.  J.  Mayne,  The  (Jardens,  Bicton,  Budleigh 
.Salterton,  writes  :  "  I  think  you  will  agree  with  me 
in  saying  that  this  is  a  very  pretty  variety  and  net 
often  met  with.  It  is  also  valuable  for  its  late 
flowering." 

[The  flowers  were  of  very  pretty  colouiing, 
rthite,  with  the  lower  centre  petal  spotted  wiib 
red,  a  clear  and  good  shade.  The  truss  is  a  full 
ine,  and  the  variety  tltective  in  all  ways.  —  Ens.J 


Lc/A'LA    MVEA. 

"I  send  a  bunch  of  Luzula  nivca.     I  brought 
ilio  original  plants  from   Monto  Gencroso  (Ilaliau 


white  r.Miii.MiE  l■.CT^l:l;n.^. 
;,  'l'/,c  ISiilierihi.     :.  Kiji/s.    ■!.  Ca(-ij)ilktr.     ',.  Iluiii.alu; 


June  29,  1901.] 


Lakes),  and  they  are  now  big  clumps.  I  regret 
that  I  did  not  send  it  a  little  earlier  when  the 
flower  was  much  whiter.  It  lasts  long  in  water, 
and  is  invaluable  with  other  cut  flowers."— 
Charles  Prestis. 

[This  pretty  grass-like  plant  of  the  Rush  tribe, 
with  its  tufted  heads  of  white  bloom,  is  worthy  of 
a  place  in  any  garden  ;  it  is  especially  pretty  among 
Ferns  at  the  edge  of  Woodland.  — Eds.  ] 

Messrs.  Wallace,  of  Colchester,  send  a  very  fine 
deep-coloured  flower  of 

Brodi.ha  laxa  (Purple  King). 
The  flowers   are  large,   of   a  deep    violet-purple 
outside,  and  inside  of  a  purple  a  shade  redder,  on 
which  the  pale  blue  anthers  show  very  dislinctl}'. 


THE    GARDEN. 


47.^ 


Caknation  Duchess  of  Roxburghe. 
We  have  received  from  Messrs.  Laing  and 
Mather,  of  Kelso-on-Tweed,  flowers  of  their  beau- 
tiful new  Carnation  Duchess  of  Roxburghe.  The 
flowers  are  exceptionally  large,  without  coarseness, 
and  full ;  the  petals  held  well  within  the  calyx,  which 
shows  not  the  least  inclination  to  split ;  the  coloui 
is  clear  yellow,  cut  into  with  lilac  and  red  ;  a  verj 
pretty  flower,  and  sweetly  scented.  It  is  a  Carna- 
tion of  strong  growth  and  is  in  every  way  a  good 
addition  to  the  charming  yellow-ground  class. 


CANNAS    AT    SW^ANLEY. 

JIesse.s.  Henry  Cannell  have  done  mucli 
to  improve  several  of  our  popular  greenhouse 
flowers,  and  among  them  the  Canna.  Those 
who  were  fortunate  enough  to  see  the  plants 
exhibited  by  this  firm  before  the  Royal  Horti- 
cultural Society  on  .June  4,  at  the  Drill  Hall, 
Westminster,  will  admit  what  great  improve- 
ments have  been  made  in  both  size  and  colour 
of  blooms,  and  particularly  also  in  the  habit 
of  flowering.  We  know  that  one  drawback  to 
the  popularity  and  usefulness  of  the  Canna 
has  always  been  apparent  in  the  fact  that  by 
the  time  the  middle  and  upper  flowers  are  open 
or  opening,  those  lower  down  the  flowering 
stem  would  be  quite  over,  with  the  result  that 
the  general  effect  is  not  nearly  so  good  as  it. 
otherwise  would  be. 

The  plants  in  flower  recently  shown  by 
]\Iessrs.  Cannell  were,  however,  free  from  this; 
defect,  and  if  it  has  been  finally  overcome  it 
speaks  well  for  the  skill  and  patience  of  the 
hybridiser,  and  will  have  the  effect  of  still  further 
popularising  these  valuable  half-hardy  plants,, 
that  now  produce  such  brilliantly  coloured 
flowers.  A  few  of  the  best  varieties  in  Messrs. 
Cannell's  collection  are  Jean  Tissot,  a  fine  rich 
crimson,  shaded  scarlet ;  Elizabeth  Hess,  golden 
yellow  with  intense  scarlet  spots  ;  Oscar 
Danecker,  gold  and  chrome  ;  Florence  Vaughan,. 
Mme.  Picher,  Mrs.  Druer,  and  Duke  of 
Marlborough. 


canna    house    in    iMEMNBS.    H.    CANNELL    AND    SONS     NURSERY    AT  SWANLEV. 


GARDENING  OF  THE  WEEK. 

THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 

Flowering  Shrubs. 

ANY  of  our  early  flowering  shrubs 
object  to  hard  pruning  in  winter  or 
spring,  but  are  benefited  by  being 
cut  over,  to  the  extent  of  shortening 
back  gross  shoots  and  branches 
directly  after  they  have  flowered, 
this  giving  them  time  to  break  again  and  ripen  up 
growths  of  a  more  serviceable  type  during  the 
later  summer  months.  By  attention  to  this  now, 
using  the  knife  judiciously  but  not  excessively,  a 
good  balance  of  growth  is  maintained,  without 
having  to  offend  the  critical  eye  by  the  ugly 
bristling  appearance  of  shrubs  which  have  been 
cut  into  shape  when  dormant,  and  floriferousness 
is  gained  by  this  summer  pruning  treatment.     Oij 


M 


course  the  habit  as  regards  flowering  has  to  be 
understood  by  the  operator  if  good  all  round 
results  are  to  be  expected. 

Bedding  Plants. 

These  have  had  a  very  trying  time  with  the 
excessive  drought,  the  high  winds,  and  the  cold 
nights  that  have  been  our  experience  here  for 
many  weeks  past.  If  the  beds  are  not  wanted  in 
flower  yet,  all  such  things  as  Pelargoniums,  Violas, 
and  indeed  almost  all  plants,  will  be  the  better 
later  on  for  being  divested  of  their  flowers  as  fast 
as  they  form.  Carpet  bedding  is  fortunately  not 
so  much  in  evidence  now  as  it  was  some  years  ago, 
but  where  designs  of  this  nature  are  still  carried 
out  every  effort  should  be  made  by  pinching  and 
trimming  the  plants  used  to  keep  the  design  well 
defined.  Vases  and  ornamental  baskets  in  the 
flower  garden  are  generally  well  crammed  with 
large  plants,  so  that  they  may  give  an  immediate 
effect.  This  cramming  entails  much  watering  and 
some  feeding  with  liquid  manure.  The  latter  must 
not  be  over  strong,  but  its  use  should  be  commenced 
directly  the  vases  appear  to  be  full  of  roots. 
Manure  water  from  stock-yard  manure  is  the  best 
that  can  be  applied  singly,  but  it  may  be  varied 
with  advantage  by  using,  say,  once  a  week,  some 
weak  guano  water. 

Hekeaceous  Borders. 

A  tidy  appearance  should  be  maintained  here  by 
cutting  away  all  flowers  as  they  fade,  a  second 
reason  for  this  being  that  seed  pods,  if  allowed  to 
form,  greatly  weaken  the  crowns  now  being  pro- 
duced for  next  year's  growth.  Most  plants  object 
to  being  denuded  of  their  foliage,  but  in  the  case 
of  such  things  as  Delphiniums,  that,  like  the 
Pyrethrums  noted  last  week,  will  give  a  second 
display  of  flowers  in  the  autumn,  it  is  best  to  cut 
them  down  to  the  ground  at  once.  Another 
favourite  border  plant  that  should  be  cut  back 
hard  after  flowering  is  the  double  white  Rocket, 
which  is  induced  by  so  doing  to  make  strong 
basal  growths,  which  give  good  divisions  in  autumn 
or  spring,  and,  as  this  plant  can  only  be  kept  in 
proper  condition  by  frequent  division  and  trans- 
planting, strong  growths  made  early  are  a  great 
feature  in  its  culture.     The 

Hellebores 
or  Christmas  Roses  may  now  be  lifted,  divided, 
and  replanted,  if  increase  of  stock  or  change  of 
site  is  thought  desirable.  These  plants  are 
impatient  of  removal  and  take  a  year  to  recover 
themselves,  consequently  no  good  flowers  need  be 


expected  during  the  next  flowering  season,  but 
the  ultimate  results  will  be  to  improve  the  size 
and  quality  of  the  flowers.  They  delight  in  a  soil 
rich  in  humus  and  a  semi-shaded  position.  The 
soil  should  be  broken  up  deeply. 

J.  C.  Tallack. 
Shipley  Hall  Gardens,  Derby. 


KITCHEN    GARDEN. 

This  prolonged  spell  of  dry  weather  has  consider- 
ably delayed  the  planting  of  all  winter  crops,  but 
the  young  plants,  having  grown  in  their  seed-beds 
to  an  advanced  state,  must  socn  be  taken  in  har.d, 
and  the  planting  and  watering  in  of  such  crops  as 
Broccoli,  Savoys,  and  Brussels  Sprouts  must  be 
proceeded  with  at  an  early  date.  The  drills, 
having  been  drawn,  should  be  well  saturated  with 
clear  water  in  the  evening  previous  to  planting, 
and  again  after  the  plants  have  been  put  cut.  The 
trouble  and  cost  of  such  watering  will  be  small 
when  compared  with  the  benefit  derived  from  it. 
The  evening  should  be  chosen  as  far  as  possible  for 
the  application  of  water,  as  there  is  then  less 
tendency  to  evaporation  than  at  any  other  time  of 
the  day,  and  watering  will  therefore  have  a  more 
lasting  effect  on  the  soil. 

Cadlielower 
plants  put  out  now  should  never  be  allowed  to 
become  dry  at  the  root  or  they  will  button  and 
cause  disappointment.  Where  mulching  with 
manure  can  be  carried  out  amongst  such  crops 
great  advantage  will  be  derived  from  it.  Short 
grass  from  the  lawn  may  also  be  used  with  advan- 
tage, or  any  grass  that  is  cut  before  the  seeds  are 
ripe  will  form  a  good  protection  to  the  roots  of  all 
succulent  plants  during  hot,  dry  weather. 

Celery. 
Although  the  season  for  this  much-prized  vege- 
table has  not  advanced  far,  the  earthing  up  of  tlie 
early  batch  will  soon  require  attention.  These 
plants  should  never  be  allowed  to  become  dry  at 
the  root,  and  previous  to  earthing  up  the  beds 
should  receive  a  liberal  watering,  and  no  more  be 
given  until  they  really  require  it.  The  first  appli- 
cation of  soil  need  not  be  a  large  one,  the  plants 
should  previously  be  cleared  of  all  side  shoots  and 
small  leaves,  after  which  they  may  be  drawn 
close  together  with  the  hand,  and  tied  with  a  piece 
of  ordinary  matting.  The  line  soil  should  then  be 
placed  round  each  plant  with  the  hand,  and  care 
taken  not  to  raise  it  higher  than  the  centre  of  the 
plant,   and   this  should  never  be  done  while  the 


474 


THE  GARDEN. 


[June  29,  1901. 


plants  are  damp.  The  chief  thing  necessary  for 
the  cultivation  of  Celerj'  is  a  liberal  supply  of 
good  farmyard  manure.  This  should  be  frequently 
turned,  and  allowed  to  become  thoroughly  decom- 
posed before  being  dug  into  the  trenches,  and  it  is 
of  great  importance  that  the  plants  should  be  put 
out  before  they  become  drawn.  Keep  a  watchful 
e3'e  on  the  celery  fly,  which  is  the  most  destructive 
pest  we  have  to  contend  with.  The  most  effectual 
way  of  dealing  with  it  is  to  careful!}'  pick  off  all 
the  affected  leaves  :  afterwards  frequent  dustings 
of  soot  and  lime  should  be  given  to  keep  the  fi} 
down  as  far  as  possible.  Slugs  are  also  a  trouble- 
some pest,  and  should  be  dealt  with  by  applications 
of  soot  and  salt  mixed  together  with  the  soil  for 
earthing  up. 

Lettuce 

seed  should  be  sown  thinly  on  a  north  border,  and 
thinned  out  to  the  proper  distance  apart  as  soon  as 
they  are  large  enough.  Frequent  small  sowings 
will  be  necessary  in  order  to  keep  up  a  constant 
supply.  We  are  cutting  some  splendid  Cabbage 
Lettuce  now  from  seed  sown  on  September  12  in 
tlie  open  garden,  away  from  any  protection  what- 
ever. Some  plants  taken  from  this  bed  and  trans- 
planted on  a  south  border  were  over  some  time  ago, 
which  shows  the  effect  the  different  situations  have 
on  these  plants.  The  variety  is  Sutton's  Marvel 
or  red-edged  Cabbage  Lettuce,  which  I  find  most 
valuable  in  hot,  drj-  seasons.  Mustard  and  Cress 
must  be  sown  frequently  behind  a  north  wall,  and 
protected  from  drying  winds  and  strong  sun  by 
mats  or  any  other  covering.  John  Dunn. 

Royal  Kitchen  Gardens,  Windsor. 

THE  INDOOE  GAKDEN. 
CouL  Fern  House. 

Now  we  are  fairly  into  summer  abundant  shade 
must  be  provided  here,  and  the  material  used 
should  be  sufficiently  thick  to  maintain  the  mois- 
ture which  is  introduced  into  the  structure.  The 
shadiest  position  in  the  house  should  be  given 
over  to  Todeas,  Trichomanes,  &c. ,  subjects  which 
not  only  revel  in  shade  and  moisture,  but  to 
whom  they  are  absolutely  essential.  The  interior 
will  require  a  general  overhaul  and  clean  up,  as 
the  perpetual  moisture  characteristic  of  such 
houses  renders  this  work  more  often  necessary 
than  in  any  other  of  the  glass  erections,  so  that 
while  dealing  with  the  arrangement  generally  the 
pots  should  be  well  washed  and  dead  fronds 
removed,  though  these,  presuming  the  plants  are 
free  from  vermin,  will  be  less  frequently  met  with 
than  at  a  later  date,  when  growth  is  on  the  wane. 
In  most  eases  the  pots  will  be  fairly  well  charged 
with  roots,  and  a  little  feeding  will  be  of  advan- 
tage, farmyard  liquid  preferably,  and  that  from 
cow  sheds  onl}'.  It  should,  however,  be  given  in  a 
very  weak  state  at  first,  and  at  no  time  should  it 
be  given  as  strong  as  we  recommend  its  use  to 
many  subjects.  Under  good  cultivation  little 
trouble  will  arise  from  the  presence  of  aphis,  but 
should  this  be  so,  then  I  advise  Richards'  XL  All 
Vaporiser  to  be  used,  and  only  when  the  fronds 
are  in  a  drj'  state. 

Ericas. 
These,  as  the  flowering  season  is  over,  should 
have  the  decayed  flowers  removed,  a  good  washing 
given,  and  be  repotted  if  tliis  is  deemed  necessary 
— clean  pots,  very  liberal  drainage,  and  good  peat 
and  silver  sand  being  the  chief  essentials.  The 
potting,  however,  is  a  matter  which  should  be 
performed  b}'  a  practical  man,  in  whose  hands  the 
work  should  always  be  put.  The  necessary  staking 
should  also  be  now  attended  to,  as  no  better 
opportunity  will  offer  itself.  Thin,  tapering 
Pitch  Pine  sticks  neatly  pointed  should  be  used, 
and  care  should  be  taken  that  the  root  mass  is  not 
needlessly  punctured  in  fixing  them  in  the  pots. 
Black  cotton  I  have  found  a  very  serviceable  tying 
material.  Plants  which  have  not  been  repotted, 
but  are  well  charged  with  roots  and  healthy,  may 
have  a  small  quantity  of  Clay's  Fertilizer  given 
them.  This  is  best  applied  in  a  liquid  form,  and 
sboidd  be  thoroughly  dissolved  in  tepid  water 
and  allowed  to  stand  until  the  latter  is  quite  cool 
before  it  is  used. 


Palms. 

These  should  be  looked  over,  and  any  requiring 
repotting,  especially  those  which  were  in  use  when 
the  main  batch  was  dealt  with,  attended  to. 
Claj 's  Fertilizer  here  also  should  be  given  to  all, 
say,  once  fortnightly,  and  I  find  it  is  best  applied 
mixed  with  soil  and  put  in  as  a  top-dressing. 
This  will  stimulate  growth  and  give  a  rich  green 
colour,  which  is  the  best  evidence  of  good  health. 

.1.  F.  McLeud. 

Dover  Houfe  Gardens,  Roehamplon. 

THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 

Early  Peacu  House. 

The  fruits  in  this  division  will  have  been  gathered, 
and  there  is  no  better  time  than  the  present  to  cut 
away  the  old  fruiting  wood,  cutting  the  latter  to  the 
shoot  at  its  base,  and  bj'  so  doing  giving  the  wood 
retained  for  next  season's  cropping  a  better  chance 
to  develop  and  ripen.  Of  course,  this  advice  does 
not  apply  to  wood  needed  for  extension,  but  so  few 
fruits  are  borne  on  the  latter  wood  a  goodly  portion 
can  always  be  removed  of  what  is  termed  old-bearing 
wood.  Gross  wood  in'  any  part  should  not  be 
allowed  ;  on  such  wood  good  fruits  are  rarely  pro- 
duced, and  cut  out  now  the  better  wood  may  be 
laid  in.  Continue  to  syringe  the  trees  daily ;  indeed, 
ill  our  own  case  we  use  the  hose  freel}'  after  this 
date  ;  it  is  a  great  gain  to  keep  the  foliage  free  of 
red  spider.  Should  there  be  any  of  the  latter  it  is 
well  to  syringe  freelj'  with  an  insecticide  several 
times  in  succession.  All  ventilation  possible  should 
be  admitted  night  and  day,  and  the  borders  should 
be  thoroughly  watered,  using  liquid  manure  freelj-. 
Peach  borders  allowed  to  get  dry  will  cause  the 
foliage  to  fall,  and  the  buds  will  not  swell  up, 
the  result  being  bud  dropping  later  on.  Young 
trees  being  grown  for  forcing  another  season  should 
be  given  liberal  space,  the  wood  trained  thinlj', 
strong  wood  stopped  close  back,  and  give  ample 
moisture  at  the  roots. 

Mid-season  Trees. 

With  trees  ripening  their  fruits  more  ventilation 
will  be  needed,  and  the  weather  during  the  past 
few  weeks  having  been  very  warm,  in  a  few  cases 
we  have  been  obliged  to  shade  our  trees  lightly, 
the  latter  being  very  close  to  the  glass.  At  this 
stage,  owing  to  the  syringe  being  idle,  there  is  a 
danger  of  the  foliage  becoming  dirty ;  to  maintain  a 
healthy  growing  atmosphere  it  is  well  to  thoroughly 
damp  the  floors,  paths,  and  vacant  spaces  in  the 
house  several  times  daily.  I  am  aware  the  old 
method  of  laying  a  bed  of  hay  on  the  borders 
in  case  fruits  dropped  prevents  moisture  being 
applied  is  now  little  practised,  and  is  not  necessary ; 
it  is  much  better  to  go  over  the  trees  daily,  gather 
them  and  place  in  a  cool  store.  Fruits  intended  to 
be  sent  any  distance,  or  packed,  should  be  gathered 
before  they  are  dead  ripe  ;  if  this  is  done  they  will 
keep  much  better,  and  without  loss  of  flavour.  All 
fruit  is  best  gathered  earl}'  in  the  day,  before  being 
heated  by  the  sun,  and  avoid  unnecessary  handling, 
as  the  slightest  pressure  bruises  the  Peach.  Should 
there  be  any  doubt  as  to  the  roots  being  dry  I 
would  not  hesitate  to  water  freel}'.  Often  borders 
partially  outside  get  much  dried  if  raised  ;  these 
should  receive  attention,  a  mulch  also  will  be 
beneficial. 

Later  Trees. 

Here  will  be  the  best  fruit.  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  not  forced  succeed  well,  and  the  fine 
weather  of  late  has  suited  the  trees.  The  final 
thinning  should  takeiilaoe,  but  avoid  overcropping, 
although  in  the  case  of  trees  at  all  gross  it  will  bo 
well  to  allow  a  heavier  crop.  The  stoning  period 
is  often  considered  a  difficult  one,  but  with  trees 
given  ample  attention  there  will  be  few  failures 
from  non-stoning.  Feeding  should  not  be  neglected, 
especially  with  old  trees  cropping  freely,  and  in 
houses  with  shallow  borders  I  would  advise  a  good 
mulch  of  short,  rich  manure,  also  frequent  waterings 
of  liquid  manure.  Avoid  high  temperatures  at  any 
time,  as  the  latter  causes  a  dry  atmosphere,  and  is 
the  forerunner  of  insect  pests.  Ventilate  freel}' 
early  in  the  day,  and  apply  moisture  liberally  in 
all  parts  of  the  house.  Trees  that  are  wanted  to 
produce  fruits  as  hue  as  possible  should  have  free 


ventilation  at  night,  and  though  it  is  well  to  have 

the  foliage  dry  early  in  the  evening  the  ventiUlors 
should  lie  wide  open.  Any  foliage  covering  the 
fruits  should  be  cut  away,  and  it  may  be  necessary 
to  repeat  the  same  every  fortnight.  Shoots  not 
required  for  next  year's  crops,  either  for  fruiting  ur 
extension,  may  with  advantage  be  cut  away. 
Lateral  growths  should  be  stopped,  but  main  shoots 
allowed  free  play.  (1.  Wythe.s. 

Syoii  House  Gardtn-s,  Brenfjord. 


CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

The  main  batch  of  plants,  if  potted  as  advised, 
will  now,  if  they  have  been  properly  treated,  have 
got  well  over  the  check,  and  the"  freshly  made 
roots  will  be  revelling  in  the  new  compost.  Wc 
have  experienced  no  heavy  thunderstorms  so  far, 
which  oftentimes  supply  too  nnich  water  to  the 
roots  before  the  plants  become  established,  and 
consequently  the  soil  becomes  sour.  Especially 
docs  this  apply  to  the  more  delicate  and  weaker 
growing  kinds,  and  over  which  the  cultivator  has 
little  control.  As  usual,  Mme.  Carnot  and  its 
sports  are  most  persistent  in  losing  their  lower 
leaves,  in  spite  of  every  precaution  with  us,  and 
in  many  other  cases  that  I  am  acipiainted  with 
these  continue  to  do  so  more  or  less  until  about  the 
first  week  in  .luly,  after  which,  if  not  over  watered, 
ihe  foliage  made  remains  health}',  and,  except  that 
the  plants  are  unsightly,  are  little  the  worse.  All 
surplus  growtlis  should  now  be  removed,  also  any 
buds  as  fast  as  they  appear,  and  endeavour  to  get 
a  good  clean  growth,  the  more  vigorous  the  plants 
the  less  likely  are  they  to  produce  premature  buds. 
The  plants  will  not  require  feeding  for  some  time 
yet,  as  the  fresh  soil  will  render  them  all  the 
nourishment  needful.  The  surface  soil  should  be 
stirred — very  shallow — with  a  pointed  stick,  but 
not  sufficiently  to  injure  any  young  roots,  and  a 
very  slight  application  of  soot  dusted  over  the 
bottom  foliage  and  soil  will  do  much  to  give  the 
leaves  a  good  colour.  This  is  better  applied 
during  early  evening,  choosing  showery  weather  if 
possible,  and  failing  this  give  a  thorough  syringing 
after.  Earwigs  will  soon  begin  to  cause  a  lot  of 
annoyance  unless  means  are  taken  to  destroy  them. 
I  know  of  no  better  way  to  trap  them  than  by 
using  Broad  Bean  stalks  cut  in  lengths  of  from 
i  inches  to  G  inches.  These  should  be  fastened  on 
almost  every  other  plaut,  near  the  top,  with  about 
a  foot  of  string.  By  so  doing  these  will  not  become 
blown  out  and  lost,  and  they  offer  most  tempting 
hiding  places.  Look  over  each  morning,  blow  out 
into  a  vessel  of  hot  water,  and  carefully  examine 
each  point.  When  left  to  chance  I  have  known 
them  some  seasons  ruin  50  per  cent,  of  the  points. 

Pompons. 
If  not  already  done,  no  time  should  be  lost  in 
giving  these  their  final  shift ;  !lJ,-inch  pots  are  the 
most  suitable  size  to  use,  and  tlie  compost  should 
be  similar  to  that  advised  for  the  large  flowering 
kinds — careful  draining  and  firm  potting  are  rules 
to  be  strictly  observed.  The  growths  ought  not  to 
be  stopped  after  the  lieginning  of  July.  Place  a 
neat  stake  to  each  plant,  and  loop  up  each  growth 
separately.  These  may  either  be  grown  in  rows  or 
squares  during  summer,  but  allow  plenty  of  room 
between  the  plants.  Many  of  these  are  very 
prone  to  mildew,  so  frequently  dust  the  under 
parts  of  the  leaves  witli  sulphur. 

Decorative  Kinds  for  Midwintkr  Flowkrinc 
There  is  yet  plenty  of  time,  providing  the  plants 
are  rooted,  to  make  good  serviceable  plants  for 
this  purpose.  Oftentimes  there  is  a  svirplus  left 
over  frimi  the  main  batch  of  plants,  many  of 
which — if  stopped  and  potted  on,  though  in  a 
starved  condition,  and  receive  no  further  clieck  — 
will  furnish  excellent  material  for  cutting,  and  all 
kinds  of  decorative  purposes.  A  good  rich  compost 
is  fibrous  loam  of  a  medium  texture — drain  well  and 
pot  very  firmly.  Varieties  selected  and  grown 
specially  for  the  purpose  should  be  ready  for  shift- 
ing on  into  their  flowering  jmts,  the  most  con- 
venient sizes  being  .s!-inch  or  il.i-inch  pots.  These 
may  safel}'  be  stopped  up  till  the  end  of  .Tuly,  more 
especially  those  varieties  which  are  inclined  to 
bloom  earl}'.     Medium-sized  well-grown  plants  arc 


1 


June  29.  1901.] 


THE    GARDEN. 


475 


generally  far  preferable  for  all  purposes  than  larger 
ones ;  the  value  of  these  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated, coming  in  as  they  do  when  other  flowers 
are  extremely  scarce,  and  few  things  are  produced 
more  easily. 

Early  Kinds 
grown  as  pot  plants,  the  best  of  which  are  Mnie. 
Desgrange  and  its  sports,  will  require  feeding  as 
soon  as  the  pots  are  well  filled  with  roots.  These 
varieties  are  much  improved  when  liberal  treat- 
ment as  to  stimulants  is  given  them  These  should 
not  be  stopped  after  now.  Source  d'Or  is  another 
invaluable  kind  for  early  flowering,  the  colour 
often  being  much  in  reqviest ;  part  of  tnis  variety 
may  lie  stopped  once  more  to  prolong  its  season. 

E.  Beckktt. 
Aldenlmm  Hoiise  Gardens,  Mstree,  Herts. 


Forthcoming  events.— July  2;  Royal 
Horticultural  (Society,  Drill  Hall,  Westminster ; 
Southampton  exhibition  (two  days)  ;  and  Hereford 
Kose  show.  July  3  :  Hanley  Horticultural  fete 
(two  days)  ;  Croydon  Horticultural  Society's  show  ; 
and  Farningham  Rose  and  Horticultural.  .Jul}'  4  : 
National  Rose  Society,  Temple  Gardens,  Tliames 
Embankment ;  and  Norwich  Rose  show.  July  <i : 
Meetings  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Society  and  Sociot(> 
Frangaise  d'Horticulture  de  Londres  ;  Maidstone 
Rose  show  ;  and  Sutton  Rose  show. 

Royal  Horticultural  Society.— The 

Royal  Horticultural  Society's  Rose  show  will  be 
held  on  Tuesday  next  (in  conjunction  wit'n  the 
National  Rose  Society),  in  the  Drill  Hall,  Buck- 
ingham Gate,  S.W.,  at  1 — .5  p.m.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  plants,  &c. ,  shown  for  certificate,  no  other 
plants  or  groups,  &c. ,  except  Roses,  may  be 
exhibited  at  this  meeting.  For  schedule  of  prizes 
see  Royal  Horticultural  Society's  "Book  of 
Arrangements  for  1901,"  page  69.  A  lecture  on 
"  Mimetic  Resemblances  Among  Plants  :  A  Proof 
of  the  Inheritance  of  Acquired  Characters,"  by 
the  Rev.  Prof.  George  Henslow,  M.A.,  will  be 
given  at  three  o'clock. 

Mr.  Thomas  Cook.— His  Majestj  the 
King  has  honoured  Mr.  Thomas  Cook,  at  present 
gardener  to  the  Earl  of  Wemyss,  at  (4osford, 
East  Lothian,  by  appointing  him  gardener  at 
Sandringham  to  succeed  Mr.  MacKellar.  Mr. 
Cook  is  quite  a  young  man,  having  been  at  Gosford 
as  head  gardener  some  seven  years,  previously 
having  been  foreman  at  the  same  place,  and  before 
that  having  held  the  same  position  at  Whitting- 
hame,  the  residence  of  the  Right  Hon.  Arthur 
Balfour.  Mr.  Cook  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  though 
of  English  parentage,  his  first  place  this  side  the 
Irish  Sea  having  been  at  Cardiff  Castle,  whence  he 
came  to  Whittinghame. 

Abnormal     Pelargonium     leaf —I 

enclose  a  Pelargonium  leaf  which  perhaps  may 
interest  you,  as  the  size  of  it  is  unusual.  The  plant 
has  flowered  well,  and  produced  this  one  large  leaf, 
all  the  rest  being  of  normal  growth. — Henky  H. 
WoRTHi.vGTON,  Biiiiloii,  We/liiigtov,  Somerset.— 
[The  leaf  is  certainly  an  enormous  one ;  it 
measured  10  inches  by  7  inches. — Eds.] 


SOCIETIES. 


ROYAL  HORTICITLTITRAL  SOCIETY. 
Lecture  on  CtArtieninc.  in  the  London  Parks. 
Thih  was  the  subject  of  the  lecture  delivered  ou  the 
13th  inst.  to  a  large  audience  by  Colodel  Wheatley,  R.E., 
whom  the  president  (Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.),  intro- 
duced as  the  high  bailiff  of  the  Royal  parks.  Prior  to 
that,  however,  thirty-two  new  Fellows  were  elected,  and  it 
was  mentioned  from  the  chair  that  so  far  this  year  no  less 
than  5S5  new  ones  had  been  added  to  the  society.  The 
lecturer  said  he  had  been  some  twenty-flve  years  in  charge 
of  the  parks.  He  had  visited  at  home  and  abroad  very 
many  public  gardens,  <tc.,  for  the  purpose  of  picking  up  new 
ideas,  and  he  strongly  urged  that  superintendents  should  be 
assisted  to  do  the  same,  as  in  that  way  the  very  best  results 
were  obtained.  Their  work  in  the  parks  was  purely  horti- 
cultural or  decorative,  and  not  scientific,  although  some- 
times scientific  help  pr.)ved  valuable.  In  London  they  had 
to  encounter  fog,  smoke,  and  atmospht^ric  impurity,  and 
these  were  most  liarmful  to  trees  and  plants.  Things  that 
formerly  did  well  would  do  so  no  longer,  hence  the  diffi- 
culties surrounding  town  gardening.  Many  trees,  such  as 
the  Oak  and  Chestnut,  would  not  thrive.  The  Plane 
was  the  l)est  tree  by  far,  and  the  Canadian  Poplar  was 
useful  for  a,  time,  but  later  became  l)are  lower  down.     It 


was,  however,  a  good  screen  tree.  It  had  <lone  well  on 
stiff  clay  on  Primrose  Hill.  He  would  like  to  see  the  Tulip 
Tree  more  largely  planted, and  thought  the  (Jinkgo  would 
make  an  excellent  town  tree  also.  Preparations  for  .spring 
liuddnig  began  in  the  autumn  by  trencliiug  and  riiaiiuring, 
then  planting  tiulbs  largely.  Old  bull>s  were  not  satisfactory 
tlie  second  year,  hence  they  had  to  purchase  new  ones 
largely,  vast  quantities  being  used.  Oreat  numbers  also 
were  planted  on  the  grass,  but  as  that  could  not  be  mown 
until  late  the  result  was  that  a  very  lirown  appearance  was 
presented  for  some  time.  He  thought  by  making  a  careful 
selection  of  bulbs  that  bloom  might  be  e.\tended  over  some 
six  to  seven  weeks.  Trees  and  shrubs  of  flowering  and 
foliage  characters  were  very  ett'ectually  used.  fJreat  care 
was  needful  to  secure  proper  grouping.  Remarkably  fine 
foliage  effects  were  obtained  from  beds  planted  with 
Ailantus,  Catalpas,  (\nd  Paulownias,  which  were  cut  back 
each  winter,  the  new  annual  growths  being  so  fine  and 
handsome.  Summer  bedding  was  a  big  feature  in  the  parks 
and  gardens.  These  included  all  of  national  ownership  in 
London  and  vicinity.  In  the  central  parks  of  London  there 
were  lilfi  beds,  in  Regent's  Park  ninety-eight  and  at 
Haini)ton  Court  194.  The  old  style  of  massing  in  beds  or  of 
carpet  bedding  had  disappeared,  and  had  given  place  to 
much  more  artistic  effects  and  combinations.  Some  of  the 
beds  were  of  more  permanent  character,  and  filled  with 
simple  plants  with  some  bulbs  intermixed.  These  were 
cheaply  planted.  It  was  now  the  practice  to  keep  large 
stocks  of  plants  in  pots  for  plunging  in  beds,  especially 
those  planted  with  some  suitable  carpeting  and  on  turf. 
It  was  in  relation  to  the  constant  provision  of  turf  that 
nuich  trouble  was  found.  There  was  so  much  of  wear  and 
tear,  and  it  was  found  that  country  turf  was  of  little  good, 
as  the  grasses  in  it  soon  died  inider  the  effects  of  town  fogs, 
&c.  They  now  found  it  needful  to  cut  turf  in  the  parks,  as 
London  grass  was  so  diverse  and  far  more  enduring.  The 
bare  places  were  resown  with  seed.  They  were  largely 
indebted  to  Mr.  Carruthers,  the  distinguished  botanist,  who 
had  analysed  these  country  and  town  grasses,  and  had  thus 
been  able  to  advise  them  as  to  the  selections  for  town 
sowing.  Rhododendrons  were  shown  to  be  short-lived  so 
far  as  the  better  varieties  were  concerned,  and  had  to  be 
replaced  every  year  with  others  from  Knap  Hill.  Those 
returned  to  that  place  were  some  two  or  three  years  before 
they  again  bloomed  freely.  It  was  hoped  that  Bamlioos 
would  have  done  well,  but  only  one  or  two  did  so  moderately. 
All  the  best  had  to  be  grown  in  pots  and  housed  for  the 
winter,  and  then  were  plunged  outdoors  for  the  summer. 
These  plants  were  less  injured  by  frost  than  by  cold,  keen 
east  winds.  Special  and  complimentary  reference  was  made 
to  Mr.  Mitford's  excellent  work  in  relation  to  Bamboos. 
The  lecture  concluded  with  reference  to  the  birds  and 
wildfowl  in  the  parks  and  lakes.  They  would  like  to  have 
the  margins  of  the  water  planted  with  semi  aquatics,  but 
the  people  liked  to  get  close  to  the  water's  edge.  Sir 
Trevor  Lawrence  proposed  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  to 
Colonel  Wheatley,  and  in  doing  so  referred  in  not  compli- 
mentary terms  to  the  present  condition  of  the  parks'  walks. 
This  Colonel  Wheatley,  in  response,  said  was  right,  but 
it  was  chiefly  due  to  the  long  drought,  which  had  rendered 
rolling  impossilile.     The  vote  was  unanimously  approved. 

RICHMOND    HORTICITLTURAL    SOCIETY,  JUNE  20. 
Competitive  Exhibits. 

Lady  Tate  was  first  for  eight  exotic  Ferns,  showing  very 
line  specimens;  A.  Pears,  Esq.,  Spring  Grove,  Isleworth 
(gardener.  Mr.  W.  Farr)  being  second.  Sir  F.  Wigan,  Bart., 
(gardener,  Mr.  C.  Want)  was  first  for  six  exotic  Kerns  ;  C.  M. 
Bartlett,  Esq.,  I'plands,  East  Sheen  (gardener,  Mr.  H. 
Hicks),  being  first  for  six  Caladiums  ;  W.  Cunard,  Esq., 
Roehampton,  second.  For  six  stove  and  greenhouse  plants 
(three  in  foliage  and  three  in  bloom)  Andrew  Pears,  Esq., 
was  tiist.  Lady  Tate  being  first  for  six  foliage  plants. 

Mr.  K.  E.  Fordham  was  first  for  a  group  of  plants 
(100  square  feet  in  area)  having  a  charming  arrangement, 
the  groundwork  of  ilaidenhair  Fern,  Gypsophila  being 
placed  in  between  the  bright  flowering  and  foliage  plants 
with  excellent  effect;  C.  Swinton  Eady,  Es(i.,  was  second. 
Sir  F.  Wigan,  Bart.,  gained  first  prize  for  a  semi-circular 
group  of  plants  (space  not  to  exceed  00  square  feet)  ;  J.  W. 
Barker,  Esq.,  The  Elms,  Ham  Common  (gardener,  Mr.  W.  G. 
Castle)  being  second;  C.  M.  Bartlett,  Esq.,  was  third. 
C.  M.  Bartlett,  Esq.,  was  first  for  six  Coleus  in  pots  ;  Mrs. 
Coles,  Hedinghara  House,  Twickenham  (gardener,  Mr.  .f. 
Sallows),  second. 

Mr.  Charles  Turner,  Slough,  gained  first  prize  for  six 
show  Pelargoniums,  and  also  for  six  fancy  Pelargoniums. 
Max  Waechter,  Esq.,  Richmond,  was  first  for  nine  Gloxinias, 
and  H.  Little,  Esq.,  was  first  for  six  exotic  Orch-ds;  Sir 
F.  Wigan,  Bart.,  being  second.  H.  Little,  Esq.,  was  first  for 
six  zonal  Pelargoniums,  and  also  for  six  Ivy-leaved  Pelar- 
goniums. 

For  twelve  tuberous  Begonias,  D.  H.  Scott,  Esq.,  the  Old 
Palace,  Richmond  (gardener,  Mr.  P.  Johnson),  was  first, 
J.  B.  Hilditch,  Esq.,  Asgill  House,  Richmond  (gardener, 
Mr.  A.  Meaton),  being  second. 

For  twenty-four  bunches  of  hardy  herbaceous  cut  flowers 
Messrs.  A.  W.  Young  and  Co.,  Stevenage,  Herts,  were  first, 
ilessrs.  Paul  and  Sun,  Cheshunt,  second.  Messrs.  A.  W. 
Young  and  Co.  also  showed  Pansies,  Sweet  Peas,  their  new 
L')belia  Distinction,  Cacti,  &c.,  not  for  competition 

Messrs.  Perkins  and  Sons,  Coventry,  gained  first  prize  for  a 
hand  bouquet,  having  a  beautiful  arraniiement  of  Odonto- 
glossuras,  Oncidiums,  Ac.  Messrs.  W.  Fromow,  Cniswick, 
were  second.  Mrs.  Sutton,  The  Gardens,  Wliitemead.  Farn- 
hain,  was  the  successful  lady  amateur  for  table  decorations, 
securing  first  prize  for  a  pretty  arrangement  with  pink 
Carnations,  white  Gladioli,  Ferns,  &c.  For  three  vases  of 
natural  flowers  suitable  for  dinner  table  decoration  Miss 
N.  H.  Cole,  The  A'ineyard,  Feltham,  was  first. 

Kor  Sweet  Peas,  the  prizes  given  by  Mr.  Robert  Sydenham 
and  open  to  his  customers  only,  Bernard  Wegueliu,  Es(i.,  was 
first;  Miss  Cole,  second.  B.  Weguelin,  Esq.,  was  also  first 
for  the  prize  given  by  Messrs.  A.  W.  Young  and  Co. 


NoN-f'O.MI'ETITIVE     EXHlUrTS. 

Messrs.  'I'homas  Cripps  and  Son,  Tunbridge  Wells  Nur- 
series, Kent,  contributed  a  large  group  of  hardy  Japanese 
Maples,  arranged  outside  <me  of  the  tents.  'I'he  plants  were 
shown  in  great  variety,  and  ecmtained  some  beautifully 
coloured  examples.  Retinospora  ol)tu8a  Crippsi,  a  handsome 
golden  conifer  that  obtained  a  first-class  certificate  from 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  in  1800,  was  included  in 
this  exhibit. 

Messrs.  W.  Fromow  and  Sons,  ('biswick,  W .,  also  arranged 
a  collection  of  Japanese  Maples  in  great  variety  out  of  doors. 
Acer  sanguineum  variegatum,  of  which  there  was  a  go'Ml 
display,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable.  A  pretty  edging 
of  Aralia  pentaphylla  was  very  conspicuous. 

Messrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Limited,  Chelsea,  showed  a 
fine  lot  of  trained  Ivies,  including  many  beautiful  kinds,  such 
as  H.  H.  madeirensis  variegata,  H.  H.  Crippsii,  If.  H.  aurea 
densa,  Ac.     Hardy  >Vater  Lilies  were  also  shown. 

Messrs.  R.  H.  Bath,  Limited,  Wisbech,  arranged  a  splendid 
display  of  cut  P:conies,  both  single  and  doulile  -  Mme. 
aiutot,  rose ;  Mme.  Hutin,  blush  ;  Victor  Hugo,  rosy  (crim- 
son ;  La  Tendresse,  white,  being  some  of  the  best  doubles. 
The  singles  comprised  Pinetus,  Castalides,  and  Abiah.  Mr.  S. 
Eida,  .'S,  Conduit  Street,  Regent  Street,  sent  an  interesting 
lot  of  dwarf  Japanese  trees.  Mr.  A.  Edwards,  Arnold,  Nottp, 
exhibited  some  very  tasteful  table  and  i-ftom  decorations, 
making  use  of  the  Edwardian  epergnes,  Ac. 

Messrs.  Paul  and  Sun,  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt,  sent  some 
fine  P;eony  blooms,  the  varieties  shown  included  maiiy  very 
decided  and  pleasing  colours,  viz.,  Sidonie,  rose;  Prince 
Imperial,  rich  crimson;  Candidissinia,  blush  (all  double); 
and  Agnes  Mary  Kelway  (semi-double). 

Messrs.  George  Jackman  and  Son,  Woking,  Surrey,  con- 
tributed a  varied  group  of  cut  and  bunched  Roses  and  single 
blooms,  together  with  hardy  flowers  in  great  variety,  the 
P;eonies,  Iceland  Poppies,  Gaillardias,  ifec,  adding  much 
brightness  to  the  arrangement.  A  charming  lot  of  Sweet 
Peas  was  also  sent.  Tlie  Cat;tus-flowered  zonal  Pelargonium 
Fire  Dragon  was  shown  by  Mr.  E.  S.  Towell,  Windmill  Road, 
Hampton  Hill.  A  pretty  new  Sweet  Pea  Idalia  was  shown 
by  Mrs.  Frank  Brewer,  Suftield  House,  Richmond. 

Messrs.  Barr  and  Sons,  Covent  Garden,  showed  hardy 
flowers  in  great  variety,  including  double  and  single 
Pa-onies,  Irises,  Tritomas,  Heucheras,  Brodi;ea  laxa,  Pent- 
stemon  acuminatus,  Coreopsis,  Gillenia  trifoliata.  Del- 
phiniums. Pigmy  Trees  from  Japan  were  also  sent.  Mr. 
W.  Rumsey,  Joyning's  Nursery,  Waltham  Cross,  showed 
cut  Roses  in  very  good  form  and  variety. 

Sir  F.  Wigan,  Bart.,  Clare  Lawn,  Ea.st  Sheen  (Orchid 
grower,  Mr.  W.  H.  Young),  contributed  an  interesting  group 
of  miscellaneous  Orchids.  Many  Lrelio-Cattleyas  were  shown, 
including  the  beautiful  L.-C.  Lady  Wigan,  Cattleya  gigas, 
L.  digbyana,  Cochlioda  noezliana,  and  many  others. 

Ml.  John  Russell,  Richmond  Nurseries,  Pdchmond,  Surrey, 
arranged  a  fine  group  of  Ivies,  wherein  were  included 
varieties  of  green,  silver,  and  gold,  well  set  up  and  very 
attractive.  A  group  of  miscellaneous  stove  plants  was  also 
sent  by  Mr.  Russell.  Anthuriums,  Alocasias,  Dracicnas,  and 
Crotons  in  great  variety  were  tastefully  intermixed  with 
Ixoras,  Palms,  Gloxinias,  Jacaranda  niimosicfolia,  Ac. 

Messrs.  H.  Cannell  and  Sons,  Swanley,  Kent,  exhibited  a 
group  of  their  splendid  Cannas  equally  as  good  as  usual. 
Jlr.  Robert  Green,  -28,  Crawford  Street,  W.,  set  up  a  group 
of  splendid  Crotons,  all  finely  coloured.  The  varieties  were 
shown  in  great  diversity  of  foliage,  and  the  result  was 
excellent . 

Mr.  Leopold  de  Rothschild,  Ascott,  Leighton  Huzzard 
(gardener,  Mr.  .T.  .Teiinings),  exhibited  a  charming  group  o£ 
the  Malmaison  Carnation  Princess  of  Wales,  making  a 
beautiful  display. 

Messrs.  .John  Peed  and  Sons,  Norwood,  showed  hardy 
flowers,  Alpines,  (Hoxinias,  Sweet  Peas,  d'C,  in  very  good 
cbaracter. 

Messrs.  Hugh  Low  and  Co.,  Bush  Hill  Park,  Enfield,  set  up 
a  pretty  group  of  miscellaneous  stove  and  greenhouse  plants, 
the  effect  of  the  arrangement  being  much  heightened  by  the 
inchision  of  various  plants  in  flower,  such  as  Carnations, 
faunas,  Statice,  Bougainvillea,  &c.  The  Hydrangeas  were 
also  very  good.  Schizanthus  wisetonensis,  cut  Roses,  and 
pot  Vines  were  also  sent  by  Messrs.  Low. 

Messrs.  .T.  Hill  an'l  Son,  Barrowfleld  Nurseries,  Lower 
Edmonton,  set  up  an  intf  resting  group  of  Kerns  in  variety, 
consisting  of  well-grown  plants  that  were  nicely  arranged. 
Pteris  Cliildsi,  with  very  pretty  leaves,  Blechnum  latifolium, 
the  young  frcmds  a  beautiful  colour  ;  Lygodiiims,  &c.,  were 
noticed .  , ,  ^ 

Messrs  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited,  Feltham,  Jliddlesex,  sent  an 
excellent  display  of  hardy  flowers,  cut  blossoms  of  tuberous 
Begonias,  Phloxes,  Delphiniums,  Canterbury  Bells,  i-c.  Mr. 
W  ThiuTipson,  Sheen  Nurseries,  Richmond,  showed  a  good 
group  of  Dracajuas,  Palms,  Hydrangeas,  Caladiums,  Perns, 
&c.     The  Palms  were  splendid. 

Messrs  .T.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Chelsea,  exhibited  Kalanchoe 
flammea  and  Roses  in  pots.  Both  exhibits  were  excellent. 
The  Kalanchoes  were  particularly  bright  and  the  Roses  full 
of  flower. 

Jlr  W.  Iceton,  Roehampt'jn,  showed  a  very  good  group  of 
stove  plants,  including  Caladiums,  Palms,  Hydrangeas,  Lilies, 
&c    all  splendidly  grown  and  in  the  best  of  health. 

Messrs  Carter,  Limited,  High  Holborn.  showed  (Jloxinias 
in  excellent  form.  The  plants  were  splendidly  grown  and 
the  colours  very  pleasing.  They  were  arranged  on  the 
"round  and  were  shown  to  the  best  advantage.  Sweet  Peas 
and  dwarf  Japanese  trees  were  also  shown  by  Messi-s.  Carter. 
N.1TIONAL  Rose  Socif.tv. 

NUESERYMEN. 

For  forty-eight  distinct  varieties,  three  blooms  of  each, 
Jlessrs.  B.  R.  Cant  and  Son,  Colchester,  were  tirst,  showing 
a  very  Hue  exhibit— Medea,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince,  Mar- 
quise Litta,  and  Dupuy  Jamain  were  some  of  the  best. 
Jfessrs.  D.  Prior  and  Sons,  Colchester,  were  second,  and 
Messrs.  Frank  Ciutaud  Co.  third 

For  I  wei.ty-fuui-  blooms,  distinct,  Messrs.  Ilarkness.  Bedale, 
were  tlr=t  with  good  blooms ;    Mr.  C'harles  Turner,  Sloilgh, 


476 


THE    GAEDEN. 


[June  29,  1901 


lieing  second  with  good  flowers  also  :  the  third  prize  falling 
to  Mr.  (ieorge  Prince,  Longvvorth,  Berks. 

For  twelve  blooms  of  any  Rose,  except  Teas  and  Xoisettes, 
Ifessi-s.  A.  Dickson.  Newtownards,  were  ftrst  with  fine 
l)loonis  of  Mildred  Orant.  The  National  Rose  Society's 
medal  for  the  best  Hybrid  Tea  was  also  given  to  this  exhibit; 
Messrs.  D.  Prior  and  Son  had  the  second  prize  for  Mrs.  John 
Laing;  and  Messrs.  Frank  i'ant  and  Co.  the  third  prize  for 
Bessie  Bro^v^l. 

For  twenty-four  blooms,  distinct,  Tea  or  Noisette,  Messrs. 

D.  Prior  and  Son,  Colchester,  were  tirst.  The  silver  medal  of 
the  National  Rose  Society  for  the  best  Tea  or  Noisette 
was  here  given  to  a  splendid  bloom  of  Maraan  Cochet; 
Mr.  George  Prince  gained  the  second  prize  ;  and  Messrs. 
Frank  Cant  and  Co.  the  third. 

For  twelve  Teas  or  Noisettes,  Mr.  .Tohn  Mattock,  New 
lleadington,  Oxford,  was  tirst,  Mr.  Charles  Turner  being 
second,  and  Messrs.  .(.  Burrell  and  Co.,  Howe  House 
Nurseries,  Cambridge,  third.  In  the  nurserymen's  section  for 
garden  Roses  (tliirty-six  distinct  varieties)  the  tirst  prize  fell 
to  Messrs.  Paul  and  Son,  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt,  for  a 
splendid  display  of  bunched  Roses  ;  L'Ideal,  Onstave  Reals, 
S(mv.  de  Catherine  Guillot,  Papa  Oontier,  Ma  Capucine, 
and  others  were  beautiful  ;  :Mr.  John  Mattock,  New 
Headington,  Oxford,  was  second  with  a  good  display ; 
ilessrs.  George  Cooling  and  Sons,  Bath,  third. 

For  eighteen  distinct  varieties,  Mr.  George  Prince  was 
fii-st,  having  an  excellent  display,  Messrs.  Frank  Cant  and 
(.!o.  being  second,  and  ^Ir.  Charles  Turner,  third.  For 
twelve  distinct  varieties  (three  blooms  of  each)  of  Tea  or 
Noisette,  in  the  open  classes,  Mr.  George  Prince  was  first, 
having  splendid  flowers.  The  Bride  and  Marechal  Niel  being 
the  best.  The  second  prize  fell  to  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant  and 
Sons,  and  the  third  to  Messrs.  D.  Prior  and  Son. 

For  twelve  blooms  of  any  one  variety  Messrs.  B.  R.  Cant 
and  Sons  were  tirst  with  Mme.  Cusin,  a  beautiful  flower ; 
Mr.  Prince  second  with  Comtesse  de  Nadaillac  ;  ilessrs.  D. 
Piior  and  Son  third. 

In  the  open  section  for  garden  Roses,  Messrs.  Frank  Cant 
and  Co.  were  first,  Mr.  Charles  Turner  second,  the  thiid 
prize  falling  to  Messrs.  George  Cooling,  Bath. 

AMATEURS. 

For  twelve  blooms,  open  to  all,  0.  G.  Orpen,  Esq.,  West 
Bergholt,  Colchester,  was  first,  showing  lovely  blooms  of 
S.  de  S.  A.  Prince,  Mrs.  J.  Laing,  and  Jfarechal  Niel.  The 
silver  medal  of  the  National  Rose  Society  for  the  best  Rose 
other  than  Hybrid  Teas,  Teas,  or  Noisettes,  was  given  to  a 
Mrs.  John  Laing  in  this  exhibit.  The  second  prize  went 
to  E.  B.  Lindsell,  Esq.,  Bearton.  Hitchin  ;  and  the  third 
to  Mrs.  Haywood.  \A'oodhatch  Lodge,  Reigate  (gardener. 
Mr.  C.  J.  Salter). 

For  twenty-four  blooms,  distinct,  E.  B.  Lindsell,  Esq.. 
was  first  with  excellent  blooms,  Rev.  J.  H.  Pemberton 
second,  and  Alfred  Tate,  Esi|.,  Downside,  Leatherliead, 
third. 

For  eighteen  blooms,  distinct,  R.  Foley  Holjbs,  E^q., 
Thornloe,  Worcester,  was  tirst,  showing  very  pretty  flowers  ; 

E.  M.  Bethune,  Esci-,  second.  Fcu-  twelve  blooms,  dist  net, 
William  Kingston,  Esq.,  Waterloo  Road,  Bedford,  was  first; 
George  Moule.'^,  Es(|.,  Hitchin,  second  ;  and  F.  Wellesley, 
Esq.,  Westfteld,  Woking,  third. 

The  National  Rose  Society's  medal  for  the  best  Hybrid  Tea 
exhibited  by  an  amateur  was  given  to  G.  A.  Hammond, 
Esq.,  Cambrian  House.  Burgess  Hill,  for  La  France.  The 
tirst  prize  for  six  blooms,  distinct,  fell  to  R.  \\ .  Bowyer, 
Esq.,  Hertford  Heath,  Hertford,  and  the  first  for  six  lilooms 
of  any  Rose,  except  Hybrid  Tea  or  Noisette,  to  Beatrice  H, 
Lingdon,  Raymead,  ilendon,  N.W. 

TKAS  ANlt   Nnl.SETTES. 

For  eighteen  blooms,  distinct,  O.  G.  Orpen,  Esq.,  was 
first,  the  National  Rose  Society's  medal  for  the  best  Tea  or 
Noisette  shown  by  an  amateur  going  to  this  exhibit  and  to 
the  bloom   Maman    t'ochet,    very  tine  indeed.      The  Rev. 

F.  R.  Burnside,  Great  Hambridge  Rectnry,  Rt)chford,  Essex, 
was  second.  For  twelve  blooms,  distinct,  Rev.  R.  Puwiey. 
Upton,  Scuddmore,  was  tirst ;  F.  M'ellesley,  Esq.,  Woking, 
second,  and  A.  Munt,  Es(|.,  Slough,  third. 

For  six  distinct  varieties,  three  Itlooms  of  each,  the  Rev. 
F.  R.  Burnside  was  first  with  very  good  flowers  ;  O.  G.  Orpen, 
Esq.,  second,  and  E.  M.  Betluine,  Esq.,  third.  For  six 
lilooms  of  any  one  variety,  the  Rev.  F.  R.  Burnside  was 
tirst,  showing  White  Xfaman  ('ochet.  E.  M.  Bethune,  Esq., 
was  second  with  Sylph,  and  Miss  Beatrice  H.  Langdon  was 
third. 

For  garden  Roses,  twelve  distinct  varieties,  Alfred  Tate, 
Esq.,  was  first  with  splendid  bunches,  the  second  prize 
going  to  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Pemberton,  Havering-atte-Kower, 
Essex,  very  good  also. 

Local. 

James  Wigan,  Esij.,  Cromwell  House.  Mortlake  (gardener. 
Mr.  W,  .tones),  was  first  for  eighteen  lilooms,  distinct,  show- 
ing very  good  blooms,  and  also  for  twelve  blooms  distinct. 
Mr.  C.  Winch,  Duimingside,  Petersham,  gained  the  first 
prize  for  twelve  varieties,  distinct,  in  the  class  open  to 
amateurs  not  having  a  gardener. 

The  silver  medal  of  the  National  Rose  Society  for  the  best 
Kose  other  than  Hybrid  Tea,  Tea,  or  Noisette  was  given  to 
-Messrs.  J).  Prior  and  Son  for  Mrs.  .t.  Laing. 

Messrs.  Prior  and  Son,  Dickson  (Newtownards),  Miss  M. 
Cintra,  Jdmes  Wigan,  Esq  ,  and  K.  Foley  Hoblis,  Esti.,  were 
oLlier  prize  wirniers.  The  Prince  Memorial  Cup,  for  twelve 
Tea  Roses,  distinct,  was  given  to  the  Rev.  R.  Powtey,  I'pton 
Scuddmore. 

List  of  Awakiis. 

Gold  medals.— M.  Leopold  de  Rothschild  and  Sir  V. 
Wigan,  Bart. 

Silver-gilt  medals.— Messrs.  Caunell  and  Sons,  Russell  and 
Sons,  Carter  and  Co.,  James  Veitch  and  Son,  Limited,  and 
Hill  and  Sons. 

Stiver  medals.-  Messrs.  Icetoii,  Green,  Thompson,  'I'.  S. 
Ware,    Limited,   Hugh   Low  and    Co..   J.   Peed   and   Sons, 


A.  W.  Yuung  and  Co.,  Barr  and  .Suns,  Kumsey.  Cripps, 
Fromow,  W.  Spooner,  S.  Eida,  and  George  .lackman. 

Vote  of  thanks.— Me.=srs.  R'lbert  Sydenham,  .Pones  and 
Sons,  Bath  and  Co..  and  S.  H.  Calcutt. 

Certificate  of  merit.— Messrs.  Laxton  Bros.,  Bedford. 

'.■^  The  i-epnri  of  the  ex/iihitu  of  fnn'tx  and  rrftetubles  nt 
Jiic/iinon^,  find  of  other  mdftltb  mtefhvjs  af.tu,  is  uiuivoid- 
ahhi  held  over. 


TRADE     NOTES. 

A  Good  Inseotecide. 
The  Abol  Insecticide  has  now  been  some  years 
before  the  public,  and  it  becomes  a  greater  favourite 
as  it  becomes  better  known  as  a  wash  for  plants.  It 
is  most  effective,  and  is  a  great  favourite  in  the 
fruit-growing  districts  :  in  Kent,  indeed,  its  value 
as  an  exterminator  of  insect  pests  was  first  proved 
in  a  large  way  in  the  destruction  of  aphis  and 
blight.  The  writer  of  this  note  a  couple  of  years 
ago  had  a  sample  of  the  Abol  sent  him  for  trial, 
and  was  not  at  all  enthusiastic  as  to  its  merits 
until  its  value  was  seen  after  one — and  that  only  a 
partial — trial  upon  some  Roses  that  were  badly 
infested  with  green  fij'.  The  next  was  a  more 
thorough  trial — on  some  Cherries  infested  with 
black  fly,  the  latter  a  difhcult  subject  to  tackle, 
and  seeing  how  thoroughly  the  pest  was  cleared, 
ni3'  faith  in  the  Abol  Insecticide  has  never 
wavered,  and  it  is  certainly  a  most  valuable 
insecticide  in  the  garden,  and  so  easil}'  applied. 
Last  season  I  saw  some  very  bad  eases  of  Peach 
and  Nectarine  trees  being  ruined  by  black  fly 
owing  to  the  heat  and  lack  of  moisture.  M3' 
advice  was  dress  freely  with  the  Abol,  then  syringe 
every  evening  till  new  growth  resulted,  and,  being 
an  amateitr's  trees,  some  fear  was  expressed  that 
the  remedy  would  be  too  much  for  the  trees,  as 
there  was  so  little  clean  foliage,  and  here  -is  seen 
the  value  of  the  Abol.  It  may  be  applied  freely 
by  the  most  inexperienced  hands  if  used  as  advised. 
I  now  come  to  another  matter.  Abol,  though 
destructive  to  insect  life,  will  not  injure  tender 
foliage.  If  used  very  strongly  it  may  be  advisable 
to  wash  over  after  with  clear  water,  but,  so  far,  I 
have  never  seen  the  foliage  injured  if  the  prepara- 
tion is  used  when  the  plants  are  shaded.  Like 
some  other  strong  insecticides,  it  does  not  ruin 
paint  or  varnish,  though,  of  course,  it  is  advisable 
to  keep  free  of  both.  It  does  not  stain  like  some 
others,  but.  on  the  other  hand,  the  Abol  must  be 
used  freely.  It  is  not  fair  to  any  insecticide  to  use 
it  sparingly,  as  unless  insect  pests  are  thoroughly 
saturated  it  cannot  succeed,  and  growers  know  how 
difficult  the  pests  are  to  get  at  when  encased  in 
folded  leaves  and  in  crevices.  Abol,  though  good, 
is  far  from  costly — this  is  a  strong  recommendation. 
There  is  a  great  gain  in  having  a  good  insecti(i<le 
ready  for  use  at  a  moment's  notice,  without  any 
fear  of  evil  conseciuences  following  its  application. 

.T.    M. 


LAW. 

I.VIPORTANT  DEI'I.SION. 
An  important  decision  affecting  tlie  law  un  mariietp:ar(lening 
was  ffiven  ijy  .Judge  Woodfall  at  the  Paifi:nton(Devon)Cuunty 
Court  recently.  Mr.  W.  .T.  Swartman  Ijrousht  an  action 
asainst  William  Elliott  for  £li  Ks.  damage  to  liooseheiTy  and 
Currant  bushes.  Mr.  0.  s.  Bartlett  appealed  for  plaintiff ; 
Mr.  P.  Almy  for  defendant.  At  Lady-day  last  Elliott  had  to 
give  up  the  house  and  garden  he  rented  from  Swartman.  H 
was  alleged  that  on  the  day  hp  gave  up  possession  he  cut 
down  all  the  fiooseberry  and  Currant  bushes.  Tliere  were 
between  130  and  HO  bushes  cuf  down.  A  man  named  Squire, 
plaintiff  s  father-in-law,  said  defendant  told  him  he  claimed 
£■2  103.  for  the  bushes,  some  C'abbage  plants,  manure,  ttc. 
and  said  he  was  not  going  to  leave  the  trees  for  the  next 
tenant.  He  did  not  know  defendant  was  a  market  gardener. 
Plaintiff  refused  to  pay  because  defendant  was  not  entitled 
to  compensation.  Squire,  in  reference  to  the  remark  that  he 
did  not  know  defendant  was  a  nuirket  gardener,  wlien  asked 
bv  Mr.  Almy  why  Elliott  wanted  such  a  large  garden, 
said  he  did  not  know.  His  Honour:  .Suppose  he  was  a 
market  gardener/  Mr.  Almy:  Then  he  would  be  entitled 
to  remove  the  bushes  at  the  end  of  his  term.  Defendant 
said  he  rented  the  garden  for  twenty-flve  years.  It  was 
a  verbal  tenancy.  He  worked  for  the  Bri.\hanl  ('omicil.  and 
gave  his  spare  time  to  the  garden.  Swartuuui  t>ought  the  pro- 
perty about  eleven  yearsago  and  told  him  the  tenancy  would 
continue  as  before.  When  he  had  notice  to  quit  he  claimed 
t'2  10s.  compensation.  He  cut  down  the  bushes  because  they 
would  not  allow  him  a  farthing.  He  sold  the  tops  as 
cuttings  and  burnt  the  rest.  They  were  his,  he  planted  them 
all,  and  he  had  a  right  to  do  what  he  liked  with  them. 
Defendant's  son  deposed  as  to  picking  fruit  from  the  garden 
and  gelling  it.     His  Honour:    Is  there  any  detlnitiou  of   a 


market  trarilener  in  the  .\ct  '  Mi-.  Hartlett :  No;  but 
apparently  it  means  a  man  who  occupies  a  garden  almost 
exclusively  for  the  purpose  of  his  business.  His  Honour  said 
Mr.  .\lniy  had  to  show  that  defendant  was  a  market 
gardener.  He  believed  every  word  defendant  had  said,  for 
clearly  he  was  a  perfectly  lionest  man.  But  the  question 
was — Was  he  entitled  to  destroy  the  bu.shes?  There  was  no 
agreement  in  writing.  Therefore  defendant  came  under 
section  4  of  the  Act.  There  was  no  doubt  defendant  sold  the 
produce,  but  he  must  have  used  the  garden  as  a  market 
garden  with  the  knowledge  of  the  landlord.  Mr.  Almy 
agreed  that  the  use  of  the  garden  as  a  market  garden  must 
have  been  with  the  landlords  knowledge.  Defendant  was 
living  alone,  and  therefore  would  not  require  a  large  garden 
with  many  fruit  trees,  ic,  for  his  own  use.  The  case  of 
King  v.  Eversfleld  laid  it  down  that  :^^■een)ents  under  the 
Act  must  be  construed  liberally  in  favour  of  the  tenant. 
His  Honour  said  the  knowledge  of  the  landlord  was  his 
dirttculty.  The  onus  of  proof  was  on  defendant,  and  he  was 
not  satisfied.  He  was  not  entitled  to  draw  inferences,  anil 
he  knew  of  no  such  rule  as  construing  an  -Vet  liberally  in 
favour  of  the  tenant.  He  construed  an  Act  of  Parliament 
to  mean  what  it  said  it  meant.  There  was  no  way  of 
construing  an  -\ct  liberally-  He  knew  learned  judges  had 
said  something  about  liberal  construction,  but  with  all 
deference  he  begged  to  differ  from  them.  Acts  of  Parliament 
ought  to  be  consti'ued  fairly  as  between  party  and  party. 
Defendant  had  no  right  to  do  as  he  did.  .Tndgment  for 
plaintitf  for  ::!0s.  and  costs. 


TO 


ANSWERS 
CORRESPONDENTS. 


Names  of  Plants.— -4.  G.  W.—l,  Veronica ru pes tris  ; 

■1,  ^cilla  peruviana. J!.  H.  Wtlmot,—!,  Heuchera  micran- 

tha ;  2,  Dianthus  plumarius  var.  ;  :i,  Saxifraga  decipiens  ; 
4,  Saxifraga  gibraltarica  ;  .t,  Saxifraga  ceratophylla;  0,  Dian- 
thus arenarius. Tafoh  Brown.-  'Pyvns  Aria  (White  Beam 

Tree). Foreinav .— Kose   Acacia    (Rnbinia  hispida).— — 

Mol".-  Roses:  1,  Devoniensis ;  •!,  Cheshunt  Hybrid. 

Malformed  Pink  blooms  (E.  E.  A.).--Tlie  forma- 
tion of  the  buds  in  the  centre  of  the  fiowers  is  a  common 
occurrence  this  season.  Many  of  the  Malmaisous  have  it. 
but  as  the  flowers  open  the  petals  cover  the  central  part. 
1'he  green,  hard  substance  can  be  pulled  out  when  it  is  too 
conspicutius.  No  one  has  as  yet  found  a  reason  for  it,  except 
the  incidence  of  the  seasons.  It  cannot  in  any  way  he 
prevented. 

Cateppillaps  in  Goosebepry  bushes.— (c.  C, 
,l/af»//c-sc.r).- -Phmtiiig  Jimad  llcans  near  G<Hiselierry  bushes 
with  tlie  object  of  juevrnUng  the  hushes  fwm  being  attacked 
by  the  gr»ibs  of  the  Gooseberrj  saw-tly  is  by  nti  means  a 
new  idea.  A  branch  of  the  Common  Furze  or  Gorse  is  said 
to  effect  the  same  purpose.  It  is  difficult  to  xniderstand  in 
what  way  these  plants  act.  <)ne  would  imagine  that  it  was  by 
some  smell  that  they  emit,  which  must  be  obnoxious  to  the 
saw-flies,  and  who  in  conseiiuence  avoid  those  bushes.  We 
must  admit  that  we  h&ve  always  been  very  sceptical  about 
these  preventives,  but  tlie  experiment  quoted  by  "C.  C." 
appears  very  conclusive,  and  we  cannot  point  to  any  flaw  in 
the  deduction  he  draws  from  it,  except  that  it  was  only  made 
once,  and  that  it  is  possible  that  there  were  other  agencies 
at  work,  or  that  by  chance  the  flies  did  not  select  the 
bushes  near  the  Beans.  It  is  seldom  that  all  the  bushes  in  a 
garden  are  attacked.  It  would  he  very  interesting  if  any  of 
our  readers  that  have  tried  this  plan  would  relate  their 
experiences,  as  a  simple  and  eflective  method  of  keeping 
Giioseberry  bushes  free  fnan  tliis  pest  is  sadly  wanted. 

Wintep-blooming"  Pelapg'oniums  (G.  K.).— 
You  sliould  get  your  plants  for  this  purpose  now  in  snmll 
pots.  Shift  at  once  into  li-inch  pots,  using  for  such  potting 
a  compost  cliiefly  of  turfy  loam,  with  some  old  hotbed 
manure  and  sand  added.  Pot  the  plants  quite  firmly,  then 
stand  in  a  close  frame,  and  shade  nutderately  during  hot 
sunshine  for  a  week  or  so,  then  stand  the  plants  on  a  hard 
gravel  or  ash  bottom  outdoors  fully  t.'\jM)se<l  to  the  sun, 
at  least  l.^  inches  apart,  so  that  they  get  ample  light  and  ail'. 
This  exposure  is  necessary  to  tboroughly  harden  the  wood  or 
otherwise  it  would  be  too  soft  and  sappy  for  winter  flower- 
ing. If  enough  ashes  or  cocoa-filire  refuse  can  be  phiced 
about  the  pots  to  bury  them  a  few  inches  it  will  In-  all  the 
better  for  the  roots.  Keep  the  points  of  shoots  and  all  flower 
buds  picked  oft"  until  the  end  of  August,  then  allow  the 
plants  to  make  free  growth.  They  should  be  housed  by  the 
middle  of  September,  For  flowering  a  temperature  from 
."lO^  to  tin'  is  needful. 

Gpowing-  Pot  Vines  (AMATKrit).— Much  depends  on 
whether  you  want  Vines  in  pots  for  planting  or  forcing  in 
their  pots.  The  former  snflice  if  grown  in  (i-inch  pots,  and 
need  not  be  so  gross  as  are  those  re(inired  for  fruiting  in 
pots.  Tlie  ordinary  course  is  to  save,  when  the  usual 
pruning  is  done  in  the  winter,  portions  of  the  sto\itest  of  the 
previous  seasons  shoots  or  laterals,  tying  them  in  small 
bundles  according  to  varieties,  then  laying  them  into  the 
ground  by  their  lower  ends  to  keep  them  fresh.  .-VlKnit  the 
end  of  January  these  bundles  may  be  taken  to  the  potting 
shed,  be  cleansed  there,  cut  into  eyes  or  cutting  buds,  each 
bud  having  attached  to  it  about  half  an  inch  <.>f  wood  below 
and  two-thirds  of  an  Inch  above.  These  should  be  set  thickly 
into  pots  tilled  with  sandy  soil,  the  buds  just  showing,  then 
be  stotid  in  a  close  frame  in  which  there  is  a  temperature  uf 
some  711  of  heat.  When  giiod  growth  is  made  the  plants 
have  to  be  shifted  singly  into  small  pots,  later  <m  into  larger 
ones,  and  finally  for  fruiting  into  in-inch  to  12-iuch  pots, 
being  grown  on  under  glass  until  August,  when  they  can  be 
stood  outdoors  to  ripen  their  stems. 

\''  U'c  are  sorry  man!/  n-pltes  hare  been  mniniidablti  hr!d 
over  until  ne.vt  urui-  y 


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