July 1, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



country. Some of them eTidently posBflss great merit, and are 

 likely to oontioue bloomiug, at auy rate iu partially shaded 

 places, throughout the summer. Iu Siiotland Violas are ex- 

 tensively used as hadding plants, but in ths drier districts of 

 England their use has not been satisfactory. The beds at 

 Chiswick are in a thoroughly open and exposed position, and 

 the effect of some of them is at the present moment very rich. 

 To those who desire an effective display of flowers iu the early 

 months of the year these bedding Paasies are commended. 

 They are not nearly cultivated to the extent that their merits 

 deserve, and in most places room may be found for these 

 bright early flowers. Long lines of them iu cool shady borders 

 are particularly effective, and beds in partial shade are rich 

 and long-lasting. But for spring and early summer decora- 

 tion they require no shade, but flourish best iu the full sun. 



The richest section is the blue and purple-coloured flowers. 

 In this class so mmy varieties possess merit that it is difficult 

 to select the very best. Taking all points into consideration — 

 as colour, habit, freedom of bloom, coastaucy, and easy growth 

 — The Tory claims a high place, if not the post of honour in 

 this section. It is worthy of extended culture. Richer and 

 finer flowers are seen in Alpha, Royal Blue, Dickson's King, 

 and Mazarine Gam. These are indeed fine varieties, but it is 

 doubtful whether they will continue in hot weather. Whether 

 they will or not, they are unquestionably fine flowers for their 

 season. Blue Bell and Lothair are dwarfer with flowers of 

 leas merit individually, but for massing purposes they are 

 varieties not to be lost sight of. Blue King is, for spring, one 

 of the best, but for sumcner effect is not to be depended on in 

 dry districts. Viola Cornuta Perfection is free and continuous- 

 blooming, and for lines and masses is useful ; V. C. Magnifi- 

 cent being richer in colour, but less free and floriferous. The 

 above are the best of this rich section, and all named are 

 worthy of being cultivated. 



The yellows are, of course, very bright. The best is Sove- 

 reign. It is dwarf, rich, free, and, what is no small advantage 

 in Pansies, its blooms look one boldly in the face. Some 

 otherwise good flowers have a habit of looking at the earth. 

 A variety may look well in the exhibition stand, but in the 

 garden may hide its beauty. It is essential to correct judg- 

 ment to see the plants growing. Bedfont Yellow is a fine, 

 bold, and free-flowering variety, and for large bed3 and distant 

 effect is one of the best. Crown Jewel is also a fine clear 

 yellow. Yellow Boy is a small, dense, and exceedingly free- 

 flowering variety. As a dwarf bedder it is good. Pride of 

 Eufford is not good here. 



A thoroughly satisfying white bedding Pansy has yet to be 

 raised, or at any rate proved. Some of them look very nice 

 and pure when the flowers first open, but eventually they be- 

 come suffused with lilac, which quite spoils them. White 

 Swan and Dickson's Queen and Snowflake are fairly good, but 

 some unnamed seedkngs from the last-named Edinburgh firm 

 are the most projiising. 



Amongst the plum-coloured or maroon varieties Mulberry 

 is one of the best. The Shah is also very rich. Queen of 

 Lilacs is an effective bedding variety ; it is novel, free, and 

 good. Princess Teck is paler in colour, and less robust in 

 habit. Primrose, as its name denotes, is a soft yellow; it is 

 dwarf, and makes a nice bed, but does not hold up its flowers 

 sufiioiently to become popular. A variety of the old Viola cor- 

 nuta named "Williams" must be noticed. It is in all good 

 qualities a great improvement on the type, and as a bedder is 

 very effective. The old variety Magpie U represented ; it is 

 quaint, distinct, and worthy of culture. For cut blooms this 

 variety is very useful. The above are the best cf the varieties 

 now growing at Chiswick, and they are recommended as being 

 amongst the best of dwarf, hardy, early-blooming garden 

 plaats. 



We noticed a fine old border plant in excellent condition — 

 viz., the Willow Herb, Epilobium angustifolium. For large 

 masses of purple in front of shrubs this old plant is especially 

 suitable and effective. It only requires to be planted and it 

 will take care of itself. 



Forcing Pink Lord Lyons, the parent of Derby Day, is very 

 valuable for indoor or outdoor decoration. It is a smooth fine 

 flower of a purplish mauve colour. The Pelargonium beds are 

 not yet attractive. The plant department savours of a nursery, 

 for large numbers of popular decorative plants are propagated 

 and grown on for South Konsiugton. 



Fruit trees are in fine order and are heavily laden with fruit. 

 The horizontal cordon Apple trees form an ornamental margin, 

 and the vertical and diagonal cordons on walls are particularly 



fruitful and healthy. The collection of pyramid Pears is very 

 extensive and tine, many of the trees being models of this form 

 of culture. The stockJ, the French Paradise, Duucin, Scott's, 

 Rivers', and Dutch Paradise are all fruiting, the first named 

 being the most prolific and promising. The influence of the 

 several stocks on the Blenheim Pippin will, however, be shortly 

 determined, the grafts on the several stocks being very healthy. 

 Cox's Orange Pippin two years grafted on the French Paradise 

 is fruitiog well, and the miniature trees are also growing freely. 

 The Peach house — trees iu pots and standards planted out- 

 is literally full of fruit, and. a house of seedling Peaches will 

 shortly be interesting, for most of the trees are carrying good 

 crops. 



The large vinery is carrying a full crop of medium-sized 

 bunches now being thinned. It is a mixed collection, and in a 

 few mouths will be an imposing sight. Gros Guillaume, of 

 which something has been said in these pages, is showing 

 large bunches and plenty of them on the young wood, but on 

 the old spurs it is nearly barren. Mr. Barron can only produce 

 a good crop of this Grape by lajing-in young wood. In the 

 grounds a collection of Red Currants are being proved both as 

 to their correct nomenclature and qualities. Some are robust, 

 some curioup, some fruitful, and the rest barren. The most 

 promising are Houghton Castle S96dling and Red Dutch, syn. 

 La Ha'ive. This is a very interesting group, and will afford 

 much instruction to cultivators. The most fruitful and profit- 

 able Strawberries are Viscomtesse Hurioart de Thury and 

 Amateur (Bradley's). The crops on these varieties are very 

 large and fine. 



'The chief centre of interest in the vegetable grounds is the 

 Onion department. We did not count the hundreds of labels, 

 each denoting either a sort or the source of a sort. It is a fair 

 and extended trial, and the crop is looking thoroughly well. 

 It is altogether premature to offer remarks on these, but we 

 may note that the Queen is distinctly earlier than all others. 

 It is ripening but the bulba are vjry saaall. The great and 

 special value of this variety is noted by Mr. Luckhurst. Sown 

 in the spring it is early but small, but sown in the autumn it 

 is early and large. We reiterate the advice of Mr. AUis, Sow 

 the Queen and the silver-skinned pickling Onion in the autijmn 

 for an early and valusible crop in the spring. 



The trials of Dwarf Kidney Beans are also an important 

 feature of this season's arrangements. 



A Broad Bean is worthy of notice, the Seville Longpod. It 

 is a very distinct variety, and is affording pods splendid for 

 exhibition purposes. 'This variety is distinct, of medium 

 growth, and is bearing a nice but not a heavy crop. The whole 

 of the flowers do not set, but the pods when perfected are 

 superior to all others we have seen. It has furthermore 

 another good quality in being four days earlier than the Early 

 Longpod. How is it that cultivators and advisers cannot 

 leave oS the parrot-like cry of stating the Mazagan to be the 

 earliest Broad Bean? That honour does not justly belong to 

 the Mazagan, and it is strange that the fact has not been 

 found out by the authorities of kitchen gardening. The 

 Mazagan is not an early Bean at all, as all may prove who will 

 sow it and the true early Longpod on the same day. The 

 Longpod is the earliest and best of the Beans in general culti- 

 vation, but the Seville at Chiswick precedes it in being ready 

 for use. 



Without any great show the gardens at Chiswick are doing 

 important work; they are calculated to confer great benefit on 

 the horticultural community, and the fullest scope should be 

 afforded them to carry out their mission. — W. 



BUTTON-HOLE EOSES. 

 Mk. Babcltffe must have written in fun when he recom- 

 mends Madame C. Joigneaux and Charles Lsfebvre as button- 

 hole Roses ; but he might as well have " gone the whole hog " 

 and recommended a full-expanded Paul Neron. Ha omita 

 many beautiful button-hole Roses — e.g., Madame Faloot, 

 Madame F. Janin, Li Boule de Neige, and Prince Camille de 

 Rohan (in bud). There are several fine Teas, too, of late 

 introduction that he does not mention ; for instance, Anna 

 Ollivier, very fine in bud for button holes, and Amazone the 

 same. I do not think we shall find many rosarians recommend 

 Abbe Bramerel, Maxime de la Rocheterie or Baron Chaurand 

 for any purpose. — P. 



I AM surprised that Mr. Eadclyffe, in giving (p. 486) a list of 

 button-hole Roses, does not mention (Thea) HomSre. It is 



