Itaj G, 187o. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



319 



to congratulate Mr. Taylor on the success he has achieved by 

 sheer hard work, and hope he will live to charm us with more 

 of his admirable notes. — R. Gilbert. 



AURICULAS AT THE BOYAL NURSERIES, 

 SLOUGH. 



Mr. Charles Turner's collection of these choice old florist 

 flowers is now in full beauty, and the pleasure of inspecting 

 them will well repay the ardent amateur for any of the dis- 

 comforts incident to a long journey. It is also a treat to have 

 an hour's chat with that geuial florist Mr. John Ball, Mr. 

 Turner's foreman of the florist flower department ; his heart 

 is so thoroughly in his work, and his knowledge of the subject 

 BO extensive, that the most experienced cannot fail to Jearn 

 something from him. There is but little new to chronicle 

 amongst the stage varieties. Alderman Wiabey Mr. Ball 

 believes to be the best green edge ; the pips are quite circular, 

 the tube bright yellow, paste dense and white, body colour 

 dark; it has, however, the fault of the green edge not being 

 quite pure, and the habit of the plant is not perfection. Hert- 

 fordshire Hero is another very good green edge not much 

 known as yet ; it was not quite out, but I noted it in Mr. 

 Turner's collection a few years since as being one of the best ; 

 the green of the edge is purer than that of the preceding. 



Amongst the grey-edged flowers there is nothing new that 

 has not been already described in these columns. All the best 

 sorts were in fine condition. Colonel Champneys stood up 

 grandly amongst the others. It may have some defects in the 

 critical eye of " D., Deal," or Mr. Horner, but as it was to be 

 seen at Slough it is unsui passed. The ground colour is a 

 beautiful violet, and the pips are faultless in shape ; added to 

 this it has a large truss, and is the most easily grown of any 

 Auricula; from a decorative point of view it is Al. Other 

 very line flowers were Competitor, Alderman Charles Brown, 

 George Lightbody, Richard Headly, Unique (Dickson), and 

 Unique (McLean). 



IVIiite-edged. — Mr. Turner's collection is at present very 

 strong in this class. Arabella (Headly) was remarkably fine ; 

 as I had seen it previously, and as it has flowered at Loxford 

 this season, it is very similar to Popplewell's Conqueror, and 

 like that flower somewhat goggle-eyed ; one truss of it at 

 Slough was perfection, the eye nearly filled by the anthers, 

 and the body colour showed-up well between the dense white 

 paste aud the correct white edge. John Waterston came next 

 to it : this flower has a very perfect truss, aud as it is grown 

 here it must certainly take its place as a white edge. Smiling 

 Beauty was not quite out, but two trusses that would open in 

 a week were very strong. Omega is a new flower raised here, 

 but the trusses were rather small ; with stronger plants this 

 variety must be placed high on the list. Taylor's Incom- 

 parable, and Favourite (Gairns), Model, and Highland Queen, 

 were very fine. 



Amongst selfs Charles J. Perry holds the same position as 

 Colonel Champneys does amongst the greys ; it is a very beau- 

 tiful violet self of very free growth. Cantab (Headly) is a fine 

 dark self. Perfection, alias Mrs. Smith, is very dark with a 

 clear white paste ; many of the best selfs are in full beauty. 



Alpines are now a strong section, and as the pure white 

 paste is one of the essentials in a good stage flower, so a clear 

 yellow paste is a characteristic of a good Alpine. The best 

 varieties with the yellow or gold paste are Colonel Scott, very 

 dark maroon, one of the best, and sent out this year for the 

 first time. Diamond, another new and fine flower. Mercury, 

 a splendid maroon crimson, flower perfect in every respect. 

 King of Crimsons, this is another beauty, with an immense 

 truss and pips of fine quality. Brilliant, though this is one 

 of the earliest of Mr. Turner's seedlings, it is a iine crimson 

 flower with fine paste. Spangle, dark crimson, with gold paste. 

 Bronze Queen, fine bronzy crimson, very circular flower ; plant 

 of neat habit, bright yellow paste. Topaz, very large pips, 

 yellow paste, surrounded with a broad edge of purplish crim- 

 son ; a grand flower. 



Certain flowers in the alpine class are distinguished by what 

 is termed a custard paste. The lighter-coloured flowers have 

 generally this paste; some of them are very good, and in 

 many of them the pips are larger ; they are not so attractive 

 as those with the yellow paste. One of the best flowers of 

 this type is a new one named Beatrice ; it has large circular 

 pips. Conspicua and Elcho, fine flowers with an immense 

 truss. There were many other fine flowers in the alpine class. 



but the above are the cream of them. One very distinct and 

 pretty flower of this class which I had from the north, named 

 Miss Reid, I did not see here. I noticed that the plants were 

 not placed on stages as is usual, but on a layer of coal 

 ashes. This system must be well adapted for hot dry districts, 

 as the moisture arising from the damp ashes is certainly con- 

 ducive to the health of the plants. 



There are other objects of interest at the Eoyal Nurseries. 

 Long ranges of houses filled with pot Roses on the Manetti 

 stock, other ranges with stage and fancy Pelargoniums. The 

 houses devoted to specimen pot Roses are filled with exceed- 

 ingly healthy plants ; the smaller specimens are forced for the 

 earlier shows, and would bo ready in a few days. Celine 

 Foresticr seems to be one of the most constant yellow Roses ; 

 Paul Neron was very fine, and conspicuous amongst a host of 

 beauties Marquise de Castellaue stands out proudly ; and 

 while the Duke of Edinburgh is one of the best dark flowers, 

 the Duchess holds a proud pre-eminenca amongst the lights. 

 Capitaine Christy is also a fine light flower. 



■The large specimen Azaleas which I saw on the occasion of 

 my last visit have been disposed of, and smaller, though quite 

 as interesting, specimens have taken their place. There are 

 some excellent standards in full flower, which will doubtless 

 be seen at some of the exhibitions. They are trained umbrella 

 fashion, and are exceedingly effective. 



Amongst the newer sorts, which ought to be in the most 

 select collections, are Madame Louise de Kerchove, bright 

 salmon, edged with white. Comtesse de Beaufort, large bright 

 rose flowers of great substance, densely marked on the upper 

 petals with crimson spots. Apollo, white, very sparingly 

 striped with red ; a fine large flower. Charmer, rosy purple, 

 very large flowers. Mdlle. Leonie Van Houtte, white, the 

 upper petals marked with greenish spots. Mdlle. Adelina 

 Patti, white, with red stripes. Princess Louise, salmon, edged 

 white. 



The spring bedding is at its best, and altogether the Royal 

 Nurseries are well worth a visit. — J. Douglas. 



THE CULTIVATION OF HALF-HARDY 

 ANNUALS. 



By these are meant that class of annuals which are grown in 

 the open air during the summer season for flowering in the 

 autumn. They are a class of flowers distinct from the hardy 

 annuals, both by their more massive and imposing flowers, 

 and by their longer continuance in bloom. In this respect 

 they may almost be regarded as bedding plants, as when once 

 the beds are filled, the flowers will continue until destroyed by 

 frost. They are adapted for autumn decoration especially, and 

 in this respect are not open to the reproach of hardy annuals 

 in being weedy in their habits and transient in their beauty. 

 Yet they are not suggested in any way as rivals to the bedding 

 plants proper, but they are recommended as substitutes where 

 substitutes are needed, and also as auxiliaries to the more 

 varied and complete floral adornment of the surroundings of 

 our homes. 



No fault is found with those whose ideal of decorative taste 

 is represented in the stereotyped patterns wrought by pigmy 

 plants into designs borrowed from Brussels carpets or Indian 

 shawls. Many of these designs are exceedingly chaste, and are 

 marvels of taste, patience, and skill, in the highest degree 

 creditable to adepts in this art — for art it is — of garden em- 

 bellishment. But the mode is not adapted to all — not, indeed, 

 to a tithe of English gardens, and if it were it is not at all 

 certain that their interest would be greater or their beauty 

 more really enjoyable and satisfying by the overwhelming sense 

 of artificialism which would pervade them. 



It can hardly be denied that a characteristic of the times is 

 to foster a taste for mere copying and imitation amongst 

 gardeners, and which is occasionally carried out, or attempted 

 to be, in places and under circumstances which invite at the 

 best but a partial success, and often a certain failure. Better 

 by far would it be to first accurately measure the resources of 

 a garden, and on these resources base a line of action, than 

 to attempt to imitate every latest fashion of the hour, and 

 seek to import it where it is unsuitable. Under this great 

 governing principle of mere imitation a mouotonous samenesa 

 is enveloping our gardens, and which results, in innumerable 

 instances, in half-finished attempts at aims to be grand, and a 

 conviction throughout the season that the reward, at the best, 

 is an imperfect work. It can never be really satisfying to 



