NoYembcr «. 18B3. ] JOTJENAIi OP HORTICtTLTUEH AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



349 



Of the common Polypody (Polypodium vvTlgarc), there are 

 also many varieties. Of these select 



cambricnm, the Welsh Polypody. 



crenatum, a fine and stately variety. 



marginatnm, a cnrious and not by any means commonF ern. 



Of Polystichum angulare there are also a large number of 

 vaiieties — upwards of forty — and of these some must be had. 



cristatum, a beautiful crested variety. 



depauperatum, very small and curious. 



proliferum Woollastoni, a most beaii.tiful, slenderly-cut, 

 and distinct Fern. 



Others may be selected ; and it mxist be borne in mind 

 that the evergreen character of this Fern makes it a most 

 desirable addition to the hai'dy fernery, and when used with 

 the varieties of Scolopendriuni it will impart a fresh appear- 

 ance to it even diuring the depth of winter. 



The Bleclmum spicant, or common Hard Fem, is also 

 indispensable. Of the numerous varieties of it perhaps the 

 most desirable ai-e 



imbricatum, a strikingly handsome and distinct variety. 



ramosum, somewhat crested, and very beautiful. 



Scolopendi-ium vulgare is another evergreen species, of 

 •which thei-e are no less than seventy varieties, and of these 

 several might be selected. 



crispum, edged like a frill. 



digitatum, a very beautiful crested variety. 



marginatum, curious and handsome vaa-iety. 



ramosum, exceedingly handsome. 



Then there are other Ferns which may be added, such as 

 Woodsia ilvensis and Cystopteris fragilis ; nor would I be 

 without the Pteris aquilina, the common Brake, from whence 

 I have flushed in former days many a partridge, for its fine 

 noble habit well entitles it to a place amongst its congeners ; 

 and others might be added as the fancy or pocket of the 

 cultivator may suggest. I have not recommended rare 

 species, or varieties merely curious in a botanical point of 

 view, but such as I think would make a good beginning for 

 a hardy fernery. I would, however, repeat what I have 

 formerly said, that fi-om what I know of our principal Fem- 

 gi-owers, any one may safely put himself into the hands 

 of such men as Mr. Ivery and Mr. Sim, and if weU inoculated 

 I have no doubt that the virus will be suiiiciently strong to 

 spread, so that he wOl, by-and-by, be looking to add to 

 Ms present small collection ; or it may set him off at once 

 upon the pm-suit ; and I am qviite sure that the ladies of the 

 famOy, if not altogether wedded to " King Croquet," will 

 rejoice in the cool and fresh-looking appearance of the hardy 

 fernery. — D., Deal. 



P.S.— May I here correct an absurd sentence in my paper 

 of last week on new Eoses, arising from my wretched habit 

 of fast writing? After enumerating the Tea Eoses, I am 

 made to say these aU " succeed" well; it should have been 

 " sound " well. There are other trifling little inaccuracies 

 of grammar, to which not I but my bad writing must plead 

 guilty. The note, too, on Eose Eeine de la Pape ought to 

 have been as a note to the paper, and not have been sepa- 

 rated to another part of the Journal. 



DEATH OF MR. DONALD BEATON. 



It is very painful to us having to announce the death of 

 Mb. Donald Beaton, which toot place at his residence at 

 Surbiton, Kingston-on-Thames, at seven o'clock on the 

 evening of Saturday last, at the age of 62. 



For a considerable time past, since his last iUness, Mr. 

 Beaton had been in an unusually good state of health, and 

 had become as active and vivacious as ever he was in his 

 best days. He was constantly engaged in attending to 

 his'plants and in reading up the l.iteat horticultural infor- 

 mation ; but on Thursday evening last he was suddenly 

 seized with an attack of paralysis, which entirely deprived 

 him of the use of his left side, and fi-om sis o'clock on the 

 morning of Friday till the time of his death he was perfectly 

 insensible. 



There ai'e none who knew Mr. Beaton personally, and 

 few who knew him only by his writings, who will not regret 

 to hear of this event. For upwards of thirty years he 

 was in the van of English horticulture, and for many years 

 the leader of that branch of it which more immediately 



concerns the flower garden. To Mr. Beaton we aje mainly 

 indebted for the direction that has been given to the modern 

 style of English flower gardening, saving that part of it 

 which is distingiiished as "the polychrome style," and it is 

 generally allowed that through his articles, as published 

 periodically in the pages of this Journal, his fine taste and 

 skill in the hai-monising of colours have exercised an influ- 

 ence which has operated in aU the best garden establish- 

 ments in the country. 



It was not in the pra,ctice of gardening alone that Mr. 

 Beaton excelled. Although he has not taken a position 

 among botanists, he was no mean proficient in that science, and 

 there is, perhaps, not another example on record in the history 

 of oiu' British gardening of one who applied that science 

 more skilfully and beneficially to the practice of horticulture. 

 His knowledge of botany was not of that common order 

 which consists in running over the names of plants ; but 

 whether on questions affecting the alliances, the structure, 

 or the physiology of plants, he was equally acquainted with 

 them all, and he possessed an originality of thought, a keen 

 perception, and a sti-ength of intellect that enabled him to 

 step aside from many of the received opinions, and to pro- 

 mulgate views which some of the most eminent physiologists 

 of the day were not slow to accept. Even as a botanist, 

 however, his name will always bo on record, the late Hon. 

 and Eev. Dean Herbert, himself an accomplished botanist 

 and one who could well appreciate the talents and worth 

 of such a man as Mr. Beaton, having founded the genus 

 Beatonia in honoiu' of him. 



As a fiiend Mr. Beaton was sincere, cordial, and constant; 

 as a neighbom-, generous, benevolent, and kind ; and as a 

 man, he exemplified, in aU his relations in life, the strictest 

 integrity, a scrupiHous sense of honour, a forgiving dispo- 

 sition, and a charitable feeUng to all with whom he was 

 brought in contact. His playful humour, with which aU 

 our readers are so familiar, was perhaps the most prominent 

 featiu-e of his character, because it was that which he had 

 the most frequent opportunity of exercising ; but no other 

 of the characteristics we have mentioned were less developed, 

 although there were not the same opportunities for exhibiting 

 them. 



The Editors of this Journal feel acutely the final loss of 

 then- esteemed friend and fellow labourer. Fourteen year's 

 of daily intercom-se knitted them and him closely together, 

 and enabled them thoroughly to appreciate his sterling worth 

 and to know full well the benefits they derived from his aid. 

 In him they had an able coadjutor. And what though at 

 times he was hasty in his assertions ? — he was always hearty ; 

 if he chafed occasionally at opposition, in good time he made 

 amends by proofs of his correctness or acknowledgment of 

 his error; and he never depreciated the merits or under 

 valued the attainments of those who were .students or 

 laboui'ers with him in the same field. 



To the last he devoted himself to his favourite pursuits ; 

 he literally died in the midst of them, for it was when in the 

 act of providing protection for his favourite flowers for the 

 winter that he was seized by the disease which so soon 

 proved fatal. 



As soon as intelligence of Mr. Beaton's attack reached 

 us. Dr. Hogg, whom he has left as his executor, and to whom 

 he had previously entrusted the entire management of all 

 his affairs, hastened to his house, but too late to receive 

 from him a word of parting. The fatal symptoms had 

 ah-eady set in; and, after two days of much appareiit 

 suffering and entii'e unconsciousness, our lamented friend 

 breathed his last. 



Mr. Beaton was a native of Urray in Eoss-shire, where he 

 was born on the 8th of Mai-ch, 1802. For his portrait and a 

 more detaited account of his career we must refer oux readers 

 to our Vol. 13, page 153. 



GEOUND VLNEKIES. 



No more successful or interesting mode of growing Grapes 

 in small gardens was ever invented than this. Black Ham- 

 burgh Grapes have ripened well in them as far north ae 

 Manchester ; and Trentham Black and Black Hamburgh at 

 Sawbridgeworth in Mr. Eivers's ground vineries. 



It is a most remarkable fact that Vines trained on slaites . 



