JDeoombei- 6, 1377. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



435 



have found favour I do not remember seeing mention made of 

 the simplest and best way of all, and tbat is to take cuttings 

 of the tender young shoots in spring, cutting tbem to a joint 

 as yon would a Geranium or Verbena, and dibbling them in 

 siiver sand under a bell-glass. I have done this, and by way 

 ■of trial put Borne in a stove, some in a hotbed, and others in a 

 vinery, and all of them grew readily enough. The cuttings 

 were taken from plants of Jackmanni and Prince of Wales 

 growing in the open air, but the weather had been very genial, 

 and no cold cutting winds have blasted or browned the young 

 growth. For greater certainty, if I wanted a quantity, I 

 should prefer some old plants in pots kept entirely under the 

 shelter of a glass house or pit for that especial purpose. — 

 Edward Luckhuest. 



MESSRS. OSBORN & SONS' NURSERY, PULHAM. 



A fertile soil and a position well sheltered by trees are 

 •important advantages possessed by this old-established nursery. 

 That it is an old nurBery and the soil good is sufficiently testi- 

 fied by the age and size of a few ornamental trees, the remnants 

 of " stock " which was planted in the grounds generations 

 ago. Some of the glass structures also savour of antiquity — ■ 

 they are possibly octogenarians — while there are others of 

 more modern date, middle-aged structures, stout and strong, 

 and others, again, are comparatively new ; but all are occupied, 

 ■and well occupied, by plants also old and new, for old plants 

 are not despised any more than new introductions are over- 

 looked. It is meet that it should be so, for it is an old firm 

 with a young head, and is not at all likely to lose its " matured " 

 character, nor to be in any other position than "well abreast 

 of the times." Therefore if the business iB old it is healthy ; 

 -everything about the place denotes that — the trees, the shrubs, 

 the flowers, the absence of weeds, and the brisk business 

 movements of the officials — all indicate health ; the familiarity 

 -of the name, too, to readers of gardening' literature, and the 

 position of the firm at leading exhibitions, are evidence also of 

 ■enterprise. 



The Fulham Nursery was established by Christopher Gray 

 about the beginning of the last century. CateBby, Collinson, 

 Miller, Dr. Garden, and other eminent botanists and travellers 

 contributed many rare plants, and great part of Bishop Comp- 

 ton's collection was purchased by them from the Bishop's 

 successor. The first Magnolia grandiflora was planted here ; 

 the original tree, the parent of most of the older trees of this 

 kind in the country, died soma years ago. Its trunk measured 

 4 feet 10 inches in circumference, its branches extended 20 feet, 

 and it was as many feet high. This nursery passed suc- 

 cessively from Gray to Burchall, and from him to Messrs. 

 Whitley, Brames, and Milne to the Osborne family. 



The nursery is not a large one — that is, it is not a gigantic 

 establishment ; neither is it a small one. Its area exceeds 

 twenty acres, ohiefly devoted to the cultivation of ornamental 

 deciduous trees and fruit trees, an equal extent of ground at 

 Sunbury being mainly occupied with Conifers, evergreens, 

 Koses, &e. 



Perhaps the most striking objects in the nursery are the old 

 trees, the most prominent of which is the original specimen 

 of the Fulham Oak (Qaercus FulhamenBis). This tree waB 

 figured in Loudon's " Arboretum " forty years ago, and was 

 then "75 feet high ; the diameter of the space covered by the 

 branches 54 feet, and the diameter of the trunk at 3 feet from 

 the ground 3 feet 10 inches. There is a great similarity 

 between the foliage of this tree and that of the Lueombe Oak. 

 'But however alike the trees may be in foliage they are very 

 -different in their habits of growth, the Fulham Oak being a 

 branching tree, with a round head and a comparatively smooth 

 though still somewhat corky bark ; and the old Lueombe Oak 

 .-growing with a straight erect trunk, regularly furnished with 

 branches, and forming both in its young and old states a 

 ■ conical spiry-topped tree, with a more rough and corky bark 

 tkan the other. In the Fulham Nursery there is a full-grown 

 tree of the old Lueombe Oak, as well as one of the Fulham 

 ■Oak, which strongly display the characteristic difference be- 

 tween the two trees. The age and origin of the Fulham Oak 

 are unknown ; but Mr. Smithers, an old man who has been 

 employed in the Fulham Nursery from his youth, and who 

 ■remembers the tree above forty-five years, says that it always 

 went by the name of the Fulham Oak, and that he understood 

 it to have been raised there from seed. We have examined 

 the tree at its collar and down to its main roots several feet 

 a.nder ground, and from the uniform texture and thick corky 



character of tbe bark we feel satisfied that it is not a grafted 

 tree. Iu fine seasons this variety produces abundance of 

 acorns, from which many plants have been raised. These 

 plants, though they have the leaves more frequently broad 

 and dentate than narrow and sinuate or pinnatifid, yet vary 

 so exceedingly that they could hardly be sold as the genuine 

 Fulham Oak. Hence that variety can only be propagated by 

 grafting, and the stock ordinarily used is the common Oak, on 

 which the Fulham Oak takes as freely as the Apple does on 

 the Crab." According to that account the tree must be nearly 

 or quite a hundred years old. It is a splendid specimen, still 

 healthy and vigorous. Yet notwithstanding the close exami- 

 nation and verdiot recorded, the tree is undoubtedly grafted, 

 for a branch of the common Oak is now growing from the 

 trunk close to the ground, which settles the point. 



Amongst other noteworthy trees in this nursery we observed 

 Magnolia Thompsoniana, a real old timber tree, also a striking 

 standard with rugged arms of Wistaria sinensis, which must 

 be a "picture" when in flower. There is a fine example of 

 Sophora pendula, and a remarkable specimen of the American 

 Nettle Tree (Celtis oocidentalis). Gymnocladus canadensis, 

 Eolreuteria paniculata, Diospyrus Lotus, and Lauras Sassafras 

 also merit notice. 



The glasB structures are tolerably extensive. Near the en- 

 trance to the nursery is a very large spin-roofed house which 

 at the time of our visit was occupied with a clean and healthy 

 collection of decorative plants in various sizes, some large, 

 some small — Cordylines, Phormium tenax variegatum in fine 

 colour, Palms, Tree Ferns, Yuccas, Araucarias, &s., with flow- 

 ering plants of Gloxinias, FuchsiaB, and some fine specimens 

 of the new Musk, Mimulus moschatus Harrisoni, which is not 

 only powerfully scented, but is attractive by its bold bright 

 flowers. On the roof are trained Tacsonia Van-Volxemi, Cle- 

 matises, and other climbers. Under the stage of this house 

 is a large mass of the old Cape bulbous plant Anomatheca 

 cruenta. It appears to be quite established, and has grown 

 in the same place for many years without having received any 

 cultural attention. Even in that semi-dark place it grows 

 freely, and its rioh crimson-scarlet flowers are much esteemed 

 for bouquets. This plant is nearly or quite hardy, and it is 

 a little surprising that it is so seldom seen in gardens. It was 

 iatroduced from the Cape of Good Hope in 1830. The elegant 

 Bladder Fern, Cystopteris fragilis, also grows wildly under the 

 stage of this house. 



Connected with this structure is a long range of lean-to 

 houses filled principally with Palms and a general collection 

 of stove plants and Ferns. Palms are extensively grown, 

 medium-sized and small plants of the most useful and popular 

 kinds. Areca Baueri is distinct by its dark fronds and 

 appears to be in great demand, as also is Arecx crinita. There 

 is also a fine stock of Mr. Herbst's new Palm, A. Herbstii, 

 very delicate in colour and elegant. Verschaffeltias in variety, 

 Eentias, and Cocos Weddelliana are well represented. Of the 

 last-named and graceful Palm there are some hundreds of 

 plants in small pots, a valuable stock of one of the most at- 

 tractive of the slender-growing Palms, and in fine contrast 

 with it is the boldly majestic Stevensonia grandifolia. The 

 house also contained the best of the Crotons and Caladiums 

 and other fine-foliaged plants, also a stock of a richly coloured 

 broad- spathed variety of Anthurium Scherzerianum. At the 

 back of the range is the fernery, where a collection of Ferns 

 old and new are accommodated. Lomaria gibba var. bella 

 that was raised here some years ago is distinct and fine, and 

 not less distinct is Messrs. Veitch's new crisped Maidenhair 

 Fern Adiantum Luddemannianum. A. farleyense and A. gra- 

 cillimum are in capital condition. Other Ferns are worthy of 

 notice, but only one of them can be alluded to — namely, the 

 Sweet-scented Fern, Asplenium fragrans. It is to be regretted 

 that this remarkable Fern is not more plentiful. It is of dwarf 

 growth, and has elegant fronds with the perfume of Violets. 

 It is rather a Blow-growing Fern and cannot be increased 

 rapidly, otherwise it would be included in all collections. It 

 was brought from Jamaica towards the close of the last century. 

 Its odour is most distinct and agreeable — just the fragrance of 

 Violets but not quite so intense. 



In another portion of the grounds are other houses, one of 

 which contains a healthy stock of the valuable conservatory 

 plant Luculia gratissima and other cool-house plants. A stove 

 contains Orchids, Gardenias, and ornamental-foliaged plants, 

 another large house being filled with Camellias and Azaleas 

 all in excellent condition. Of the useful A. amoana there are 

 many healthy plants, and on the wall of the house out- 



