M 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 3, 187J. 



This, however, may be open to the explanation that a cross 

 was attempted and a selection made in the belief that the crops 

 had been effectual ; in that case all the Peas in the pod would 

 probably produce one variety, and a true stock of it would 

 follow without the necessity for much selection. — TnosiAS 

 LiXTON, Stamford. 



NOTES ON A FEW OF THE BEST TRICOLOR 

 PELARGONIUMS. 



I cliso to the old name, which will perhaps survive all those 

 which have been proposed ; and having during the past season 

 grown and seen a good many of those varieties which have been 

 most praised, I may, by giving my opinion on them, be of 

 some use in guiding the selection of those who may be about 

 to purchase. I shall indicate the purposes for which they are 

 best suited. 



Achievement (Turner). — Raised by Mr. Stevens, of Ealing. 

 A fine-leaved variety, of considerable vigour of constitution. 

 As a pot plant it is likely to be a great favourite, but it is still 

 too dear to be able to judge of its capabilities for bedding pur- 

 poses. 



Prince of Wales (Carter & Co.). — A grand variety, vigorous 

 in habit, and with most brilliant colouring ; the leaves round 

 and smooth. So great has been the demand for this variety 

 that the raisers have not been able to execute one-half of their 

 orders. 



Sir Robert Napier (Carter & Co.). — A very distinct variety, 

 one that can be at once recognised in the most varied collection 

 by its very dark zone. I saw it bedded out at Messrs. Carter's 

 nursery at Sydenham last season ; and although I should have 

 supposed that it wouldVhave been too dark for that purpose, it 

 was not so. It is very vigorous in constitution. 



Moonstone (Rollisson). — This has been pooh-poohed by some, 

 but in brilliancy of colouring it is only excelled, I think, by 

 Lucy Grieve. It is essentially a pot plant. 



.".' . Dunnett (Carter & Co.). — Another very beantif uI variety, 

 bearing in its general character some sort of resemblance to 

 Sir Robert Napier, but without the very dark zone of that 

 variety, and consequently brighter. 



Louisa Smith (F. & A. Smith). — A capital bedding plant, 

 freer in growth and with more brilliancy of colour than Mrs. 

 Pollock. I have used it during the last very trying summer, 

 and can testify to its admirable qualities as a bedding plant. 



A few words as to culture. Those who have not repotted 

 may do so now. The best plan is to shake off the earth entirely 

 and wash the roots, then to dip them into clean white silver 

 sand. Have ready your compost, which should be clean and 

 sweet ; provided this be taken care of I do not think it matters 

 much whether it be rich or not. Mr. Morris, of Deptford, to 

 whom we are indebted for a good deal of the progress effected 

 in this and the Bicolor section, told me, and, indeed, showed me, 

 that he always endeavoured to give air to the roots by placing 

 in the pots small pots with the bottom completely broken out, 

 thus making a sort of air-drain from the surface to where the 

 crocks for the drainage reached. Nothing could be firjer than 

 the foliage of his plants. As far as I know, we are not likely 

 thi3 season to see anything much superior to the varieties I 

 have named above. — D., Deal. 



VIVIPAROUS BRITISH FERNS. 



The very interesting remarks of Mr. A. Clapham on this 

 subject (see last volume, page 51G), have induced me to write 

 a few lines, which will paitly corroborate his statements. 



With regard to my own experience, I may state that thirty 

 varieties of British Ferns in my collection have been proliferous 

 in one shape or other; some bearing bulbilbi? on stipes, others 

 on the rachis, and some on the pinnules. Among these I find 

 there are eight distinct species. 



The following list includes all the British Ferns which have 

 been proliferous with me : — 



Adiantum rotundatum, which I received from Mr. Clapham, 

 has formed clusters of bulbs on the pinna; in exactly the same 

 manner as that gentleman's "bulbiferum" has done. It is 

 only fair to state that this has been cultivated under a bell-glass 

 in a stove. Asplenium refractum bears bulbs on the rachis. 

 Athyrium Filix-fcemina Mapplebeckii bulbs occasionally en the 

 Btipes. This variety has very curious abnormal fronds, and 

 has never shown signs of fructification. Lastrea Filix-mas 

 Mapplebeckii I found neir Grasmere in 1862. Most of the ' 



seedlings from the original bear bulbs on the stipes or caudez- 

 Osmunda regalis cristata has bulbs now and then on the rachis. 

 Polystichum aculeatum proliferum, P. angulare proliferum, 

 of this I have ten varieties, including one found by myEelf — 

 P. angulare acrocladon, P. angulare cristatulum, P. angulare 

 grandidens, P. angulare lineare proliferum, P. angulare poly- 

 dactylon, P. angulare truncatum, P. angulare varians, P. angu- 

 lare decurrens Padleyi, and P. angulare brachiato-cristatnm 

 Smithii. Scolopendrinm vulgare Co&lingii or Morgani, the best 

 bulbiferons form I have seen ; lonchophorum, proliferum, ramo- 

 proliferum, and Wardii. 



On referring to " Our Native Ferns " it will be seen that the 

 following are said to be proliferous ; I can bear witness as to 

 the two last-mentioned forms being viviparous— Polystichum 

 angulare aristatum, depauperatum, imbricatum. vestitum ; Sco- 

 lopendrium crispum bulbiferum, ramo-marginatum proliferum, 

 viviparum, and vivo-polyschides. 



It will thus be seen that eight species have been proliferous 

 with me ; add to these Polystichum Lonchitis proliferum and 

 Mr. Clapham's Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, we have ten, ex- 

 actly the number Mr. Clapham states produced bulbilla: in 1854. 



I trust we shall hear from other correspondents on this sub- 

 ject, which must be of interest to pteridologists. — John E. 



MaPI>LEBECK. 



GARDENS IN EAST KENT— SURRENDEN- 

 DERING. 



The Seat of Sie Edward Deeinq, Baet. 



The stately edifice of Sarrenden-Dering, a massive brick 

 structure, stands on an elevated and commanding position, 

 overlooking the undulating surface of the beautiful park, with 

 its finely-disposed groups of noble trees. " And what should 

 make it more highly esteemed by the owner is, that from the 

 time of the grant of it, in the reign of the Conqueror, by the 

 Archbishop (Lanfranc, E. L.), it has never been alienated, but 

 has continned without intermission in the descendants of the 

 same family, to the present owner of it." — (Hasted.) 



The east court or carriage front, is a noble square of gravel 

 kept in beautiful order, enclosed by a balustrade of open stone- 

 work, and having iron entrance gates of a chaste and elegant 

 design. From this court, so appropriate to its purpose, and so 

 thoroughly in keeping with the mansion, a broad terrace walk 

 passes along the south front, overlooking the south terrace, with 

 its beautiful geometiical flower garden. 



The design of this garden is good, and well adapted to the 

 position, the beds being few, and large in size. It is 120 feet 

 long by 70 feet wide. The well-filled beds were in great beauty, 

 and the effect of the whole was very satisfactory ; the masses of 

 colour harmonising well with each other, were quite devoid of 

 the fault so frequently to bo met with — viz., too much sub- 

 division of colour in individual beds. The centre of the design, 

 a large ovil, contained five hundred plants of Coleus Ver- 

 schaffelti, surrounded with a broad band of Golden Feather 

 Pyrethrum ; the Coleus plants were even in size, and highly 

 coloured, and thi3 was one of the richest masses of foliage I 

 have ever seen, forming a fitting centre or key bed to the whole 

 design. Surrounding the oval were six curved oblong beds, all 

 planted with Pelargonium Trentham Rose, the soft hue of 

 which probably contributed in some measure to the rich effect 

 of the central bed. 'Without attempting a description of the 

 whole of the beds, I may mention two fine beds of Purple K'ng 

 Verbena, with a border of Pelargonium Bijou, each bed con- 

 taining one thousand plants ; some splendid beds of Pelar- 

 gonium Christine, bordered with Lobelia speciosa, and a pair 

 of circular beds of a handsome golden-leaved Pelargonium 

 raised here, a sport from Tom Thumb, partaking of the fine 

 habit of its parent. The foliage is a bright yellow, with 

 very little green, and its low spreading habit is well adapted 

 for an edging or front row. 



From this terrace the view is very fine, extending over a 

 portion of the Weald to the far-off hills of Sussex. By a flight 

 of steps leading from the raised terrace walk a still higher part 

 of the terraces is gained, along which the walk continues by the 

 side of a handsome stone balustrade, on which were vases gay 

 with blossom. The walk also passes along the whole length of 

 the west front overlooking another terrace entirely of turf, from 

 the base of which a lawn of considerable expanse stretches 

 away amongst groups of shrubs, some fine old Cedars of Le- 

 banon, and various other ornamental trees. On the lawn, near 

 the centre of the west terrace, is a fine speoimen of Araucaria 

 imbricata, upwards of 30 feet high ; near this are two other 



