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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[November 8, 18SS. 



auratum, anil the miniature Tree Fern Lomaria, L. 

 Herminierii, with its young leaves of a crimson hue. 

 The British and hardy section, too, is well kept up. 

 In the other houses are good collections of stove 

 and greenhouse plants, very well grown, among them 

 being a fine collection of Nepenthes, one of the spe- 

 cimens ofN.Mastersiana and another ofN. RafHesiana 

 being about 4 feet across, and grandly pitchered ; 

 N. Northiana and N. Veitchii are noble specimens, 

 all the others being good ; and one which seemed to 

 be a nearly green form of N. Rafflesiana, probably 

 new. Among fine things in quantity was a large 

 stock of white Lapageria, a large batch of Eogeria 

 gratissima, interesting Bertolonias and other painted- 

 leaved plants, well-grown Pleroma elegans, a house 

 of choice Cliveas, the neat Azalea rosseflora, balsamaj- 

 flora and the large-flowered Indian species in great 

 numbers of well-grown specimens ; Heaths and New 

 Holland plants, &c. 



For the extensive outdoor nursery of trees and 

 shrubs, which some will doubtless consider the most 

 important part, at present it must suffice to say that 

 everything is, as usual, good, and kept in perfect 

 order. 



RELAND. 



BELMONT NURSERY, BELFAST. 



This nursery is pleasantly situated in a beautiful 

 semi-rural district about three miles from Belfast. 

 A fine block of some ten or twelve plant-houses con- 

 fronts the entrance gate, and contains a varied stock 

 of well-grown stove and greenhouse plants, including 

 masses of Ferns for cutting and other purposes, Palms, 

 Cycads, and Orchids. Tuberous Begonias here, as 

 everywhere at the present time, have taken a hold as 

 a floricultural fancy, and a varied and fine collection 

 is grown. Celebrated as the name of Dickson is in 

 connection with Rose-raising and growing, it would 

 have been surprising not to have found some portion 

 of the glass devoted to the Rose in the establishment 

 of Mr. Hugh of that name, and the visitor is not 

 disappointed. A large stock of Teas is grown 

 expressly to meet the demand for plants for early 

 forcing. The plants were already (beginning of 

 September) fully matured, and were turned out-of- 

 doors to rest ; fine sturdy bushy plants they were, 

 with short-jointed solid growth, giving great promise 

 of bloom. A fine batch of Marechal Niel, and Gloire 

 de Dijon occupied the roof of another house, and the 

 vigour they exhibited in their stout long shoots was 

 exceptional. 



In the neighbourhood of the houses, borders and 

 quarters were planted with Gladioli, Dahlias, Car- 

 nations, Picotees, &c, all of which are specialties 

 of Mr. H. Dickson. The two first-named, and par- 

 ticularly the second, were considered backward, and 

 inferior to their usual form, owing to the ungenial 

 weather that had been experienced, } et they were 

 quite up to the average in growth and flowering, 

 though the blooms were smaller than in ordinary 

 seasons. 



Large numbers of fruit trees are grown, notably 

 Apples. Although a fairly representative collection 

 is grown, the following are the chief of the varie- 

 ties most recommended for the district, either as 

 bush, pyramid, or standard trees, viz. : — Stirling Castle, 

 Ecklinville, East Lothian Seedling, Keswick Codlin, 

 Lane's Prince Albert, much thought of ; Peasgood's 

 Nonsuch, Hawthornden, Kerry Pippin, and Irish 

 Peach. 



Roses are much favoured here, large breadths of 

 them are grown, and the plants showed much vigour, 

 and the wood was getting well matured. A large 

 batch of H.P. seedlings, is regarded by Mr. Dickson 

 with considerable interest. They are expected to 

 flower next year in character, but some of them have 

 this season exhibited such signs that we have reason 

 to hope that there will be both novelty and quality 

 among them. Tea Roses do finely in the open 

 ground. The season has been such an exceptionally 

 bad one that it was a matter of interest to know what 

 varieties flowered and maintained their character for 



quality best throughout. The following are a few 

 out of a considerable list I noted, viz. : — Alfred 

 Colomb, Alfred K. Williams, Annie Wood, Baroness 

 Rothschild, Beauty of Waltham, Charles Lefebvre, 

 Comte de Rambaud, Duchess of Bedford, Duke of 

 Albany, Earl Dufferin, Etienne Levet, Gloire 

 Lyonaise, Her Majesty, Horace Vernet, Lady Mary 

 Fitzwilliam, Lady Helen Stewart, La France, La 

 Rosiere, Lord Bacon, Madame Eugene Verdier, 

 Madame Gabriel Luizet, Madame Victor Verdier, 

 Marie Baumann, Merveille de Lyon, Mrs. Jowitt, 

 Mrs. John Laing, Pride of Waltham, Prosper 

 Langier, Senateur Vaisse, Thomas Mills, Ulrich 

 Brunner. It will be noted that among the foregoing 

 thirty-one sorts only three of the most recently 

 introduced have stood the test of a bad season 

 equally well with the best of the standard varieties 

 of older date ; the three alluded to are in italics. 

 Among Tea and Noisette Roses the best during the 

 season were Bouquet d'Or, Catherine Mermet, 

 Comtesse de Nadaillac, Grace Darling, Francois 

 Kruger, Madame de Watteville, Madame Eugene 

 Verdier, Madame Lambard, Madame Marie Van 

 Houtte, Marechal Niel, Niphetos, Perle des Jardins, 

 Princess Beatrice, Rubens, Souvenir d'Elise Vardon, 

 The Bride ; of these only the two in italics among 

 the latest introductions have proved themselves 

 insensible to the inclemency of the weather. William 

 Allen Richardson had proved itself admirable, and 

 very profuse in buds for cutting. 



The general stock outdoors is varied and of very fine 

 quality. Conifers, such as Picea pungens glauca, 

 Abies Pattoni, A. magnifica, and A. nobilis were very 

 fine, some large specimens of the last named standing 

 in a belt in front of the proprietor's house bearing 

 many fine cones. Cupressus macrocarpa and Pinus 

 insignis, both of which thrive well and are in 

 great demand in the district, are grown in consider- 

 able breadths. The elegant Gynerium pumilum 

 was flowering freely and has this advantage over its 

 more imposing relative, G. argenteum, that it appears 

 to open its plumes of flowers in districts where the 

 latter hardly forms its sheaths. The finer sorts of 

 deciduous trees are also well represented in the stock, 

 Acer Schwedleri was in beautiful colour and placed 

 in fine contrast with Quercus concordia and Acer 

 Negundo variegata in grand specimens harmonised 

 most pleasingly with the bronze-purple of Prunus 

 Pissardi. These with Fulham and other Oaks, 

 Purple Beech and other deciduous ornamental trees 

 and Conifers are displayed in sizes, ample enough to 

 exhibit their respective characteristics in a border of 

 about 200 yards in length by 9 yards wide, extending 

 from the entrance gate along the south boundary of 

 the nursery to the east side of the proprietor's house. 

 A highly illustrative border it is, and one which must 

 prove of great use to the intending purchaser of trees. 

 Along the front, Olearia Haastii is found in rounded 

 masses of about 3 feet high and as much through, 

 and flowering so profusely as to resemble snowballs, 

 Altogether the nursery in every department is a 

 most orderly and complete one. Knock is the first 

 railway station out of Belfast, and is the one nearest 

 to Belmont, the distance being about a mile. 



The Newtownahds Nuksebies. 



These lie just outside the pleasantly situated little 

 town of that name, which is the fourth station on 

 the same line of railway from Belfast. As is well 

 known, they belong to Messrs. Alexander Dickson 

 & Sons, The plant-houses are numerous, and con- 

 tain a varied assortment of stove and greenhouse 

 plants in healthy condition. Specialties under glass 

 are a good collection of tuberous Begonias, Bouvar- 

 dias, Maidenhair Fern, Lomaria gibba, Pteris 

 tremula, &c, which are grown by the thousand, and 

 chiefly for furnishing. Many Roses in pots are 

 grown, Marechal Niel having one house of con- 

 siderable length to itself. A considerable stock of 

 pot Vines occupies another house ; they are furnished 

 with short-jointed, well-matured stems. 



Of Chrysanthemums about 2000 are grown in pots, 

 the blooms being chiefly for cutting, and the varieties 

 are those most suitable for that purpose. They are 



very well grown, and promise a fine harvest of 

 bloom. Zonal Pelargoniums, double and single, 

 are largely grown. The general stock out-of- 

 doors is similar to that found at the Belmont 

 Nursery. Very thriving stocks of Cupressus in 

 variety and various Retinosporas occupy con- 

 siderable breadths, and among the former is one 

 sort of very free growth and highly glaucous hur, 

 and which is much in demand for planting in the 

 breezy country bordering the Clyde. It originated 

 in the nursery, is named Cupressus Lawsoni var. 

 Dicksoni, and is said to be unaffected by sea winds. 



Roses are largely grown, and the stock is vigorous. 

 The seedlings of the Rose, of which there are many 

 here, some being already well known and favoured 

 by rosarians, are being annually tested to ascertain 

 if of any decided merit, and if their good 

 points have permanency. We may mention Earl 

 Dufferin, which has already received much attention 

 from Rose growers, and which has fully maintained 

 this season the position it had previously reached ; 

 Lady Helen Stewart, H.P., has proved itself to be a 

 most trustworthy variety, even this unpropitious 

 season, flowering from June to the time of my 

 visit in the middle of September, with promise of 

 a continuance of bloom to the end of the month at 

 least. 



Caroline Arden, H.P., which was put in commerce 

 this season by the raisers, will well sustain the 

 character of these pedigree seedling Roses. It is 

 come of illustrious parents, viz., A. K. Williams and 

 Marie Baumann. The flowers are large, full, perfectly 

 formed, the petals round, large, and of great sub- 

 stance ; the habit vigorous, and foliage bold and 

 massive. 



Of Tea Roses raised by Messrs. Dickson & Sons, 

 and already put in commerce, I was well pleased 

 with Miss Ethel Brownlow, which was introduced 

 last year ; and with Lady Castlereagh, of this sea- 

 son's introduction. Both are of vigorous growth, 

 with luxuriant handsome foliage, and very profusely 

 blooming and branching habit. The blooms of the 

 former are large and full, the petals of great substance, 

 large, smooth, bright, and of a colour which is salmon- 

 pink shaded yellow at the base. The latter has very 

 large, full, handsome flowers, the petals large, round, 

 and smooth, of a soft rosy-yellow colour, the rose 

 deepening in tint at the margin. Judging it from 

 all points of view, the raisers look upon the last- 

 named as an acquisition to its class. It has been 

 awarded First-class Certificates by the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society of Ireland, the Glasgow and West of 

 Scotland Horticultural Society, and the Glasgow 

 Rose Society. 



Among the many seedlings of Roses under test, 

 but not yet brought out, I noted the following as 

 being, in my opinion, of very high promise : — Mr. 

 James Brownlow, HP., a distinct flower, as well in 

 foliage as in colour, the former being peculiar, 

 strikingly so even at some distance ; the blooms are 

 large, full, and beautifully formed, and the colour a 

 novel shade of rosy-caymine. A striking quality of 

 the variety is the readiness with which it starts into 

 flower at any time during the season after it is cut 

 back ; of this I had evidence in a number of plants 

 that had been cut back a few weeks ago, and which 

 "had broken freely and was flowering from every 

 shoot. I understand it has deservedly received two 

 First-class Certificates this season. Mrs. James Wil- 

 son appeared to me to be a great acquisition. It is 

 a remarkable vigorous, free-branching variety, and 

 equally free flowering. The flowers are large, of 

 much substance, and in form and build closely re- 

 semble those of Catherine Mermet ; the coloui a pale 

 tint of lemon-yellow, appeared to me to be a new 

 one. Miss Jeanie Dickson, HP., is a fine variety, of 

 great promise as a garden or exhibition flower. In 

 habit it is vigorous and free, the flowers are large, 

 globular, the centre high, from which the petals 

 recurve, and thus display their delicate satin sub- 

 stance, the margins of each terminate in a fine 

 silvery tint. 



A notable feature in the management of the dwarf 

 Rose stocks in both these nurseries is the Iowness at 

 which they are budded. The Manettis aud Briers alike 

 are treated in the same way. The stocks are thoroughly 

 disbudded before being planted in the quarters in 



