388 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 20, 1860. 



Little Kate, blush and rosy fawn, very full, somewhat in the 

 style of Madame Fould ; and Anemone Aglaiffl, blush with a 

 high white centre. Stella, with a golden centre and rosy 

 purple guard petals, is also a very promising kind. Besides 

 the above there were several other seedlings coming on. 



The arrangement of tiro show-house is very much the same 

 as last year in its general effect, although there is some difie- 

 rence in the materials employed. The small mound of rock- 

 work near the entrance is densely carpeted with Saxifraga 

 hypnoides minor, and a kind of Thyme, equally pretty and 

 well adapted for the purpose, with here and there plants of 

 Sedum glaucum and pulchellum, ami variegated Saxifrages. 



In the beds, besides Ceataurea argentea and a very compact 

 variety of Cineraria m.-uuima, a nearly hardy and very pretty 

 variety of Cypripedium is freely introduced, and with excellent 

 effect. An arch a little way from the door is a little curious, 

 being formed of a portion of a branch of Araucaria excelsa, 

 which had been broken off, and which Mr. Alfred Salter had 

 struck. This, whilst continuing to elongate, has maintained its 

 branch-like acter, never forming ahead ; and as the lateral 



branchlets are pendulous, it forms a graceful arch. The cir- 

 cumstance is not extraordinary, but the appearance of the 

 plant is so much changed that any one not aware of the fact 

 might suppose that it was not an Araucaria at all, and Mr. Salter, 

 acting en the hint, has propagated a number of similar plants. 



Besides Chrysanthemums, Mr. Salter has a line collection of 

 Zonale Pelargoniums, as well as of variegated plants. Among 

 the latter is a prettily variegated Arum italicum, which is very 

 ornamental in the borders, especially in winter ; and Artemisia 

 argentea, with finely-cut silvery foliage, is another pretty hardy 

 plant. Sanseviera japonica carnea. bearings considerable re- 

 semblance to the hardy variegated Bamboo, is also very orna- 

 mental, and said to be hardy 1 . Noticeable among the Ivies, of 

 which there arc several finehj ■ tted kinds, were the va- 



riegated Hedera algeriensis and rhomboidea variegata. 



Out of doors the borders are gay with Chrysanthemums, 

 both large-flowering and Pompon varieties; and one i 

 about 100 yards in length, is particularly effective. The Pampas 

 Grass, and the fine rose-coloured variety of it, raised at this 

 nursery, are likewise Very effective. We also noticed Lavan- 

 dula vera, with ornamental broad white foliage. 



Mr. Forsyth's, Sio;;k Newixot x F,<>\!.. 



Me. For. Yin has a well-earned reputation for the run 

 cent specimi i which he exhibits ; and though some of [ 



his best were away at the Stol Hon Show at the time 



of our visit, his houses, and his show-house especially, were i 

 very gay. In the latter there was a fine bank, in which was 

 massed a large collection of the best varieties, whilst on the 

 shelves were several very fine specimens of both Pompon and 

 large-flowering kinds. That the whole were well grown and 

 well bloomed may bs readily inferred from the position which 

 Mr. Forsyth has taken as a cultivator of the plant, and it is 

 scarcely necessary to add that tiie collection comprised nil the 

 best varietur , ', the most recent. Prince of Wale 



nuncuTus, Venus, Virgin Queen, Sam Weller, Princess Mar- 

 guerite, Imogene, King of Denmark, Lady Carey, Attraction, 

 Prince of Ai and Anrea multiflora, were very line, and 



most of the older kinds were also in beautiful bloom. Among 

 Pompons, G ■ . ra and White Trevenna were very fine ; 



the latter Mr. Forsyth intends to grows extensively for autumn 

 bedding, as it is very free-flowering. There was also a promis- 

 ing seedling Pompon called James Forsyth, with large orange 

 crimson flowers. 



In a new span-roofed house 130 feet in length, were fine 

 specimens of Bob, Lilac Cedo Nulli, Mis. Dix, Julie Lagcavi re, 

 Lizzie Holmes, and other kinds, besides a very extensive stock 

 of bedding IV-largoniums, including a large number of Mrs. 

 Pollock. 



THE PEACH SEASON OF 1860. 

 I visited some time ago the greenhouse of a gentleman well 

 known for his scientific attainments. This house had been 

 remodelled, and really wag much improved. Light was abun- 

 dant, ventilation very efficient, there was considerable accom- 

 modation for plants, while the apparatus for watering was 

 of the newest construction. I noticed, too, that the south- 

 west angle of the house was fitted with extra-thick sheets of 

 coriugated glass, while the whole front sloped backwards at a 

 very desirable angle, so as to throw off the rush of an equinoc- 



tial gale. This last being a matter of considerable importance 

 in our stormy isles, it struck me as being well calculated to 

 effect such a purpose, and I complimented the owner on his 

 skill and forethought. What was my surprise and amusement 

 when he answered me, " Look at that adjacent wall ; along it 

 nightly legions of cats of a cyclonic character rush fiercely 

 down the slope of my greenhouse. My dog chivies them, and 

 the whole together used formerly to disappear through the 

 ordinary glass into the house. Now, by means of this thick 

 and corrugated glass they all retain their footing until they 

 reach the front slope, the angle of which is nicely adjusted to 

 let them all down together easy to the border." 



Now this "letting down easy" is all that a well-wisher can 

 honestly say of the Peach season of this year. What with 

 whistling blasts of cold air and a cloudy sky, pouring down 

 for entire months on us an unceasing stream, nothing in the 

 open ground could be expected. Of course the crop in orchard- 

 houses has been preserved from such a downpour, but the 

 absence of sun has produced a sad lack of colour and flavour — 

 not so much so, however, as might have been expected ; indeed 

 some early sorts have been very good indeed. 



The insect tribe has also been wonderfully active. In the 

 open air our trees have had them all. or nearly so ; but there 

 being little fruit, the trees have not been materially weakened, 

 and the buds for next season look prom 



1 have not remarked any unripe growth, rather the contrary ; 

 and have left numerous chances of new wood shoots, so as to 

 secure leaves in plenty. In close-pruning we always look to 

 this point, and as to over-luxuriant wood or root-pruning of 

 Peach trees, we never dream of such things : but we encourage 

 growth in leading branches quite freely. Our leading branches 

 are merely slightly balanced ; the shortening of these is quite 

 needless as long as the summer shoots have been regularly 

 stopped. All this wood ripens; no more than what can be 

 used is retained, and the sap is concentrated in the bases of 

 the shoots, where it most readily accumulates by reason of the 

 natural deviation of the vessels of the medullary canal. No 

 layiug-in of long unripe shoots; no disbudding ; no shorten- 

 ing-iu of leaders beyond equalising them; no tedious ties; 

 little to suppress at the winter regulation. You will not have 

 such wide-spreading trees, but you will plant more of them, 

 and so have more sorts. Out of doors almost any free-growing 

 shape will succeed ; but on the back wall of an orchard-house 

 the grower who wishes to have fine fruit and a succession of 

 it, will always prefer the diagonal cordon. 



In the borders our spiral cordons (live trees at 15 inches 

 interval, coiled round five uprights), have been the admiration 

 of many, including some leading nurserymen ; but that it 

 wouW have shaded the precious back wall of diagonals, the 

 whole border would have been planted in this manner. As it 

 is, we alternate them with good bushy standards. Let me, at 

 this season, recommend these spirals to amateurs. No doubt 

 thee trees will supersede most others for borders ; and having 

 originated their use here for orchard-houses, I shall be happy 

 to assist others by my experience. Perhaps they might be 

 further described at a future time if thought necessa . 



The red spider has been very annoying, and it required some 

 perseverance to keep it under. Soft soap and sulphur, or 

 similar thick and nasty combinations, are simply useless. The 

 red spider is not destroyable by sulphur, except in the form of 

 a dangerous vapour: and as to giueing it in lor a time only, 

 how can syringing effect this properly ? and why obstruct the 

 stomates of the leaves, especially underneath? Syringing 

 with cold water violently acts mechanically, and the insects 

 fall on the border, for they are not drowned. The red spider 

 lives a longtime when immersed. Many experiments -have been 

 made in our house this season with new and strong vegetable 

 poisons, but not with good results. Some are too expensive, 

 others destroy the foliage, most fail to kill the red spider ; in 

 short, it remains for some clever chemist to discover an effica- 

 cious remedy. Young and very vigorous trees are, perhaps, 

 tolerably safe ; but trees weakened by heavy crops are_ never 

 secure. Ventilation alone is no safeguard, for trees in the 

 open air were the worst attacked this year. Neither does a 

 heavy rainfall wash away the eggs or webs which lie under the 

 leaves near the midrib. 



The ah- was so charged with humidity, and the temperature 

 at times so lowered, that any careless ventilation induced 

 mildew. 



Aphides were, as usual, in plenty ; but these are so easily 

 destroyed (by tobacco smoke is most efficacious), as not to 

 interfere much with the health of the trees. 



