July 2i, li>09 



HORTICULTURE 



103 



stantial sum of money in the preparation of the beds in 

 the central part— the Court of Arts. Many thousands 

 of pehirg-oniums have made a brilliant display, the va- 

 rieties chiefly used being Paul Crampel, Jacoby, Den- 

 mark, Kaspail, etc. Nothing very original, however> iu 

 the way of design has been attempted, the object appar- 

 ently being to furnish an abundance of gay parterres. 

 For originality we must evidently wait for next year, 

 when the enterprising Japs are coming over to the 

 "White City" — in order to demonstrate to Westerners 

 the advance they have made in arts, sciences, and inven- 

 tions. 



i . . SOME TRADE EXHIBITS 



A popular feature in the gardens last month was the 

 grand display of rhododendrons made by Messrs. Water- 

 er and Sons, of the American Nurseries, Bagshot, who 

 worthily upheld the high reputation they have attained 

 in this" special line. In the Elite Gardens, which are 

 bordered by artistically designed buildings, there is a 

 meritorious array of roses planted by G. Paul and Son. 

 Polyanthas, such as Lady Gay, Godiva, Goldfinch, and 

 Waitham Bride, occupy prominent positions in the vari- 

 ous beds, surrounded l3y a fine selection of the leading 

 varieties of the "Queen of flowers." Close at hand 

 Messrs. Lane and Sons make an excellent show with 

 some well arranged dwarf conifers and ornamental 

 shrubs. A similar display is made by the Harrow Nur- 

 sery Co. Kelway and Sons make a special feature of 

 pyrethrums, peonies and gaillardias. An interesting 

 collection of begonias from the nursery of John Laing 

 and Sons is seen in the beds fronting the garden club. 

 A batch of dahlias planted by Toogood and Sons are 

 making satisfactory progress, the varieties including 

 Daisy, Bruce, Gazelle, Hyacinth, Victoria, Mercury, Kev. 

 D. E. Williamson and Harold Peerman. Contrary to 

 expectations, it is not intended to hold any flower shows 

 at the exhibition this season. Last year some attractive 

 shows were held, at which the leading members of the 

 nursery trade in Britain and France were well repre- 

 sented, and the proceedings were of an international 

 character. Possibly all efforts in this direction are 

 being kept in reserve for next year, when the exhibition 

 is to receive the official support of the Japanese Govern- 

 ment. 



SOME NEW ROSES 



At the National Eose Society's show on July 2nd, 

 some choice novelties were to be seen. As usual, the 

 Irish firms were well to the fore in this direction. In 

 the class for new roses offered by the trade for the first 

 time in 1906, Messrs. Hugh Dickson, of Belfast, were 

 first. Their exhibits included Miss Cynthia Ford (sal- 

 mon pink), W. E. Smith (creamy white), and the Lyon 

 rose. In the seedling competition, the same firm se- 

 cured a gold medal for Countess of Shaftesbury. This 

 is of a rich cerise pink hue, with an outer shading of 

 silvery pink. Lady Pirrie was also another gold medal 

 seedling, this being similar in tint to the Lyon rose 

 (coral red, tinted chrome yellow). Muriel Johnson, of 

 an apricot shade, received a card of commendation. 

 Other seedlings shown were Mrs. Herbert Stevens, 

 creamy white ; Thelma, a single flowered Wichuraiana 

 of a deep red color; Climbing Lady Aslitown, deep pink; 

 Monaghan, a rich crimson single. The championship 

 in the nursery classes this yeaj' was carried off by A. 

 Dickson & Sons, Ncwtownards, Ireland. In the trade 

 section a silver medal was awarded to the following va- 

 rieties as being the best of their class in the show: 

 A. K. Williams, H. P., shown by A. Dickson & Sons; 

 Mdme. Melaine Soupert, H. T., shown by S. Mcgreedy 



& Sons, Portadown, Ireland; Mrs. Edward Mawley, T., 

 shown by H. Drew, of Oxford. The quality of the ex- 

 hibits was not up to the usual standard, the unfavorable 

 weather having had a prejudicial effect on the blooms. 



^tyy. ddi'OJ^. 



Notes from the Arnold Arboretum 



Among the new Chinese plants there are many beau- 

 tiful climbing shnibs and some of them with strikingly 

 variegated leaves such as we see in some stove plants as 

 Ciss-us discolor and others, but not in any of our hardy 

 vines. One of the most noteworthy is Psedera Henryana 

 (Vitis Henri/ana) which very closely resembles in shape 

 of its foliage our native Virginia Creeper and possesses 

 like that species and the Boston Ivy the property to cling 

 to walls and trees with disk-bearing tendrils. Its leaves 

 are in shape exactly like those of the Virginia Creeper, 

 but are bright purple when unfolding, turning later to 

 purj)le and finally into ruddy bronze, on their upper 

 side, with beautiful silvery marking along the midrib 

 and partly along the veins, while the under side keeps 

 the purple color. The hardiness of this vine has not 

 yet been tried here, but in England it is considered 

 hardy and it is even said to be quite hardy in northern 

 Germany, so that we may hope it will be fairly hardy 

 here. It will certainly rank among the horticulturally 

 most valuable new plants from China. 



There are also several new Chinese Clematis with pret- 

 tily variegated foliage, but we know as yet very little 

 about their correct names, as they have not yet flowered, 

 and nothing about their hardiness. 



Another new vine with beautiful foliage is Actinidia 

 chine7isis. Of this genus we already possess two species, 

 viz., A. Kolomikta and A. polygama of which, particu- 

 larly in the staminate plant, the foliage is strikingly col- 

 ored, their leaves assuming partly a silvery white color, 

 in the first species tinged with pink. In Actinidia chi- 

 nensis the foliage is very handsome in a young state 

 when the leaves are densely covered like the stems with 

 bright red hairs, later the upper side becomes almost 

 glabrous and dull green and the under side is covered 

 with a grayish white pubescence ; in outline they are 

 almost round and measure four to five inches in diam- 

 eter. The flowers which appear at the base of the young 

 shoots and on short branchlets' of last year's growth are 

 cup-shaped, nearly one and a half inch broad and bright 

 yellow and followed by edible fruits about the size of 

 walnuts with a flavor resembling ripe gooseberries. It 

 is to be regretted that at the Arboretum this species has 

 not proved hardy, having been killed to the ground dur- 

 ing the winter, but vigorous young shoots have sprung 

 up again from the base and show the beautiful foliage. 

 Another Actinidia from China not yet named has the 

 young leaves purplish and beautifully marked almost 

 like those of Cissus discolor which they also resemble 

 in shape. It has not yet been tried in regard to its 

 hardiness. 



