288 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



say in one bed — Paulownias in another, and Golden Catalpas in a third.. 

 Every year cut these down close to the ground, and in five or six years 

 the gigantic leaves that vrill be thrown up each season are astonishing. 

 This has been done with great effect in Kew Gardens, and may also be 

 seen in the Regent's Park. 



Another great change has taken place which has no doubt been 

 noticed by many of you, and that is the system of plunging in the turf. 

 I will hardly go so far as to say that we originated it, but we have 

 certainly greatly developed it, and I venture to think have brought it to a 

 pitch of perfection that I seldom, if ever, see elsewhere. Mr. Browne, 

 the superintendent of our Central Parks, has largely the credit of first 

 bringing it prominently into notice. 



I think it gradually arose somewhat in this way. We had noticed 

 that in private gardens the beds as a rule were insufficiently filled, and 

 that the earth was too visible. We adopted the system in most of our 

 beds of having a groundwork, say of Violas or Creeping Jennies or 

 Alternanthera, or something of that kind, and it was ob\-ious that things- 

 planted in this groundwork showed up much better than the same things 

 planted in the naked soil. It then occurred to us that the turf afforded 

 an admirable groundwork out of which these plants might come, and 

 that it was there ready for us without further expense or trouble. We 

 have done a good deal in this way, but I am satisfied that we have by no 

 means reached or realised all or the best of the eftects that may be 

 obtained under this system. 



One of the latest developments of the idea may be seen, or will be 

 seen, unfortunately rather late in the season, in the Regent's Park, where 

 we now plunge out Hydrangeas on a very considerable scale. Our energies 

 in this direction are, of course, bound and circumscribed by the difficulty 

 of finding houseroom in the winter for all these pots and tubs, and for 

 all our sub-tropical specimens, and though we usually build at least one 

 or two new houses every year in one or other of the Royal Parks, they are 

 no sooner completed than it has been found that every inch of space has 

 been occupied, and the wonder is where everything was housed previously. 

 I must say a few words on one of the most beautiful and striking of our 

 spring or early summer shows, and that is the hybrid Rhododendrons- 

 and Azaleas in Hyde Park. Many people appear to suppose that they 

 remain there and flower year after year. As a matter of fact, although 

 the common Ponticums do well enough and go on flowering for an in- 

 definite number of years without being changed, comparatively few of the 

 hybrids will flower more than one year if left in the smoke and fog of 

 London. Nine-tenths are changed every year. By an arrangement we 

 liave had for some sixteen or seventeen years with Mr. Anthony Waterer, 

 of Knaphill, a large number that are really well set in the autumn are 

 moved and put together for us and are brought up to London, usually in 

 the beginning of April. The old ones are taken back to Knaphill and put 

 into hospital. As a rule they do not flower again for several years, and 

 may never do so. It is an appalling illustration ot the deleterious eflects 

 of the climate of London on vegetable, to say nothing of animal, life. 



I remember some seven or eight years ago, after Mr. Anthony Waterer 

 had finished bringing up to town the usual collection of Rhododendrons and 



