November 10, 1906 



HORTl CULTURE 



497 



Extracts of Vacation Notes 



"Cragside," Rotlilmry. lMij;land, fitly illustrates the 

 genius of its fomidpr, the late Lord Armstrong. Both 

 in the world famed pjlswick gun shops, as in the plan- 

 ning of his private estate, there is revealed a mind of 

 Titanic scale. It was a mighty conception as it was a 

 great achievement to hew a garden and plant a forest 

 on the solid rock. After the lapse of 43 years the 

 spectacular effect is unique; the hillsides present now 

 miles of ilne coniferous trei\s, which give an impres- 

 sion of solemn grandeur; round the mansion, isolated 

 specimens of Abies coueolor and Engelnumii glauca, 

 Cupressus Lawsonianus, Welling-tonia gigantic stand 

 out boldly with distinction; the undergrowi:h of thou- 

 sands of named varieties of rhododendrons, with aza- 

 leas, kalmias and pernettyias must present a glorious 

 feast of color in season. American visitors should not 

 miss "Cragside." Fruit trees under glass grown in 

 largo earthenware revolving pots wore cropping heavily. 

 These special pots are admirably fitted for large trees, 

 especially in half-span houses; a large number may be 

 speedily turned round to the light. Tomato Cascade 

 as a trained pot plant is highly decorative; it is very 

 free and the clusters of miniature fruits of a deep red 

 eolor are useful for the garnishing of fruit dishes. 



Jfr. Norman Cookson of Wylam, aSTowcastle, has a 

 very choice collection of orchids and is famous as the 

 riii.:>er of Odontoglossum Cooksonii, the first hybrid 

 odontoglosi.im reared in England. His enthusiasm 

 for hybrids is unabated and 1 was delighted with the 

 quality and healthful appearance of thousands of 

 odontoglossiims, calanthas, cattleyas, dendrohiums, 

 cypripediums in all stages of development. Among 

 the dendrobiums was a promising variegated plant of 

 D. virginale with clear white markings on the leaves; 

 it appears fixed and may be heard of as a novelty again. 

 The method adopted here with the seed is to sow on a 

 piece of canvas (1-8 inch mesh) which is filled with 

 peat and moss inside and inserted in the form of a 

 half globe in a pot ; the seedlings become attached to 

 the strands of the bagging and are thus kept from be- 

 ing submerged or washed away. The young seedlings 

 when potted are placed on shelves close to the glass on 

 a staging of rough ashes and shaded with tiffany. The 

 whole collection gives evidence of first class treatment 

 under the care of Mr. Chapman, who is a believer in 

 leaf-mould and uses it extensively. Murray's patent 

 orchid stand, invented here, is largely used. It is a 

 safe, suitable and elegant stand for epiphytal orchids. 

 The hardy Cypripedium spectabile has been repeatedly 

 crossed with the indoor varieties for twenty years here 

 but without success. 



Edinburgh Botanical Gardens maintain their reputa- 

 tion for cleanliness, culture, classification, with due 

 regard to effective arrangement. Unlike many other 

 botanic gardens in England they are kept exclusively 

 for plant growing and study and have not to seek the 

 aid of side shows, fireworks, music and mountebanks 

 to save them from financial ruin. Gerbera Jamesonii, 

 the "Transvaal Daisy" with its scarlet flowers, was do- 

 ing well in a sheltered corner outside; not perfectly 

 hardy in Scotland, it needs a little protection in win- 

 ter. Phlox deeussata "Comtesse de Jarnac" is a new 

 white variegated plant of great beauty and only de- 

 serves to be known to be freely planted for decorative 

 effect in mixed borders. Ipomea Learii made a fine 

 show with flower* of a light purple color; it is a beau- 

 tiful plant wherf allowed to hang in trails from the 

 roof, and very floriferous. The nepenthes house, well 



known as a feature here, was gay with anthuriums, alo- 

 cassias and other stove plants planted out in 

 masses. Nepenthes "Thiselton Dyer," a hybrid from 

 Dicksoniana and Mixta, makes a large and beautiful 

 pitcher. Hidalgo Worcklii, the climbing dahlia, bear- 

 ing a profusion of bright scarlet flowers, suggested itself 

 as a really capital greenhouse climbing plant of un- 

 usual color. 



«)cLq,clJL Cii'livouk^ 



Foreign Notes 



Following the example set by the English and Amer- 

 ican national chrysanthemum societies in issuing an 

 official catalogue, the French society ever on the alert 

 to keep pace with the times, has now completed a cata- 

 logue for the use of its members of all chrysanthemums 

 known to be cultivated in France, with raiser's names, 

 dates and descriptions. This catalogue has been issued 

 in instalments a portion being included in every monthly 

 issue of the society's journal, "Le Chrysantheme." 

 These can now be detached and bound up as a separate 

 volume and placed on the shelves alongside the English 

 and American publications of the same kind. 



Charles Baltet, the eminent pomologist of Troyes, 

 although advancing in years is one of the most indefa- 

 tigable workers of France. His pen never ceases and 

 his most recent addition to an already long list of lit- 

 erary productions is entitled "Chrysantheme et dahlia" 

 in which the author relates in a pleasing and erudite 

 manner the progress in Europe of these two popular 

 flowers during the past century. It is well printed and 

 contains illustrations of both flowers including the 

 earliest introductions in both cases. 



M. Alexis Callier, an eminent amateur horticulturist, 

 has been elected president of the Royal Agricultural and 

 Horticultural Society of Ghent in place of the late 

 Comte Oswald Kerchove de Denterghem. 



Among the subjects chosen for consideration at the 

 annual exhibition and convention of the French 

 National Chrysanthemum Society, November 7, 8 

 and 9, are the following: "Sterilization of Com- 

 posts," "Use of Chrysanthemums for Decoration of 

 Apartments," "Alphabetical Nomenclature and the 

 Rules to be Adopted," "Sports, and the Means to Pro- 

 duce and Fix Them," "Insects and Diseases," "On the 

 Means to be Employed in Developing a Taste for 

 Chrysanthemum Culture," "Best Method of Packing." 

 In connection with the last subject there will be a class 

 for exhibits of packed flowers. 



Everybody interested in horticulture will remember 

 v/ith regret the death of the Comte Kerchove de Den- 

 terghem. A movement is on foot to organize an Inter- 

 national committee whose duty it will be to raise funds 

 for the purpose of erecting a monument in memory of 

 the deceased. The count's services to horticulture have 

 been immense and are appreciated not only in his own 

 country but the wide world over. There is every reason 

 to hope, as was the c<ase with the Vilmorin monument, 

 that this appeal will meet with a universal support. As 

 soon as the committee is formed the appeal will no 

 doubt be made to horticulturists of every country to 

 help in perpetuating the name of one whose devotion to 

 liorticulture was so fervent and so disinterested. 



