1 



28o 



GARDENERS' 



MAGAZINE. 



Apri l 30, 1898. 



scarce 



Sir Watkin is perhaps the 



Odontoglossu 



PR 



Christian 



most popular of this ^ ~^ d ™ "Led in water! Mabel Cowan, white 



time whether le* on th : pl an or «^£P whhe . g ^ white with 



perianth ai 

 yellow cup 



Miles, soft 



of 



agCl uauuuno w ' 



For elegance, especially in a cut state, they 



iZng E b£ and mo^ usefuTof these daffodils for all purposes At the tim 



Ainuiig - u„ r u:j^: ^offnHil* arp still m fine 



writing the Barn, Leedsi, and Burt 

 of the forms being at their best. 



suroass the trumpet varieties, thougn iney uu nut — °^rr~ ~J 



surpass me iruu pc eminently suitable for naturalising, and 



SThtnL Sowing in 8™- Some ° T f the 



bS J S^cSSti™ among the cheapen, and to see these in masses at Long 

 DUton is ^ o fall in love with them on sight. Two very choice Barn forms are 

 SenSion and Siddington ; the former has a white perianth and canary cup, the 

 latter tiDDcd with orange ; Siddington, introduced two years ago, has a yellow 

 ^^^T^^i being shaded with a richer tint, the cup is broad and 

 ffaSSdiSp rcd; this is a beautiful form, and usually has two flowers 

 one stafk Dorothy E. Wemyss is another lovely Barri daffodil, its spreading 

 white perianth amply setting off the canary yellow cup Barn conspicuus ; is 

 one of the best known of this group, and nothing can beat it for massing ; it lasts 

 well in a cut state, but must be taken in the bud if its rich orange shading is to be 

 retained as long as the flower lasts ; it lasts long in water, and is in every way a 

 erand variety. The Leedsi varieties are sweetly pretty, and for tali vases they 

 are eminently suitable. Among the finest varieties are Beatrice, pure white ; 

 Fanny Mason, white, with canary yellow perianth 5 Kathenne Spurrel , very 

 broad, white perianth segments, and pale canary cup ; M. Magdalme de GraafT, 

 a lovely daffodil with pure white perianth and orange-tinted cup ; Minnie Hume, 

 white, lemon cup, very free and fine ; and Mrs. Langtry, white, and with white 

 cup edged with rich yellow. A peculiar Leedsi form is named Oddity, it has 

 silvery white flowers with the centre filled with small florets. 



The Burbidgei daffodils are hybrids from N. poeticus ; they flower somewhat 

 later than the majority of daffodils, and are light and graceful. • Three varieties 

 that are first rate and make a good set are Ellen Barr, John Bam, and Falstaff ; 

 all have white perianths, but in the former there is a citron and orange cup or 

 crown, in the second a lemon cup, and in the third a citron cup. Little Dirk, 

 primrose perianth and orange-tipped cup is bound to become a favourite, though 

 the flowers are somewhat small ; Model, Vanessa, St. John's Beauty, and Agnes 

 Barr are all beautiful. The late-flowering poeticus forms are now in full beauty 

 at Long Ditton, and they are numbers of jonquils and Tazetta narcissi from which 

 lo make selections. Then there are the Nelsoni group, one that is not sufficiently 

 well known, for few are more beautiful than Nelsoni major and Nelsoni aurantiuf , 

 with their firm yellow and orange-tinted cups. Hoop Petticoat narciss are still 

 in flower, and there are several beds of the charming Narcissus triandrus albus, 

 one of the most delightful of all daffodils, and, by reason of its drooping blooms, 

 known popularly as Angels' Tears. 



Those who go to see the later daffodils will find much else to interest them at 

 Long Ditton, for the Messrs. Barr and Sons have fine collections of tulips, and 

 the named bedding varieties are very fine. Fritillaries of many kinds, including 

 a tine strain of V. meleagris, are flowering, and there are some rare and beautiful 

 Dog's Tooth violets for lovers of hardy flowers. Primulas of sorts, violas, saxi- 

 fragas, species of lulips, and trilliums will provide the lover of plant genus with 

 plenty to do for an hour or so comparing their beauty and points of interest. 

 More commonly grown hardy phnts are to be seen in abundance in plot and bed, 

 on rocks or by the streamlet, in broad fields or even in the hedgerow, for close to 

 the offices is a hedge where periwinkle, furze, ficaria, primroses, and all sorts of 

 daffodils luxuriate, and make an extremely pretty picture. 



In a collection of the very finest odontoglossums it is extreme a-m . 

 to determine which form is the best ; the owner m^^^£? 

 a unique form that costs him a very large sum to secure and nat n 

 he considers this the best ; an unbiassed visitor with a knowledJ < 

 what is good among forms of O. crispum, but unaware of the prices ™2 

 for those before him, is likely to pick out quite another varietv a* tu 

 best. If he has a leaning toward the highly coloured and heavilv 

 blotched forms he will pick out the best of these, while another wouM 

 turn to the purest white or faintly blushed forms, while yet another would 

 give pre-eminence to a white ground form on which a moderate number 

 of brilliant blotches are placed. We do not pretend that the varietv 

 illustrated in the present issue is the finest in the celebrated Dell 

 collection, but it certainly is one of the very finest of the many beautiful 

 varieties belonging to Baron Schroder. It is both robust and beautiful, 

 for twelve handsome blooms were borne upon the spike, part of which is 

 illustrated. Each flower measured four inches in diameter, and a glance 

 at the portrait will show that it is what connoisseurs consider a first-rate 

 form, as regards shape as well as colour. The ground colour is purest 

 white save for a faint rose tinge on the sepals near the very large spots 

 and blotches of intense blood-red. Blood-red spots are also present upon 

 the petals, and these are well defined. The petals have fringed margins, 

 but those of the sepals are entire though broad ; all the segments have 

 pointed apices, but this does not mean that the flowers are stellate, as in 

 a comparatively worthless variety of Odontoglossum crispum. So fine is 

 O. crispum var. Princess Christian that the Orchid Committee of the 

 R.H.S. was practically unanimous in awarding it a first-class certificate 

 on March 22 last, when it was exhibited by Mr. Ballantine. 



- 1 1 ( m __ % 



Vines in April. 



The third week of April is a very busy one for vine growers having vines 



Hardy Peach Culture in Northumberland. 



MUCH that is interesting on the subject of open-air peach culture has 

 been of late given in these columns, and having given much attention to the 

 peaches in the open here and elsewhere, I should like to make a few 

 remarks in favour of growing peaches on the open walls. At nearly all 

 the gardens in which I have been employed, peaches have been grown on 

 the open walls successfully, and this from the extreme west of England 

 and I southern counties to this the extreme northern locality. Here we 

 have" just now (April 2) a show'of bloom]which I have never seen surpassed. 

 The large flowered kinds are very beautiful ; the trees are in perfect 

 health and vigour, and should we escape any exceptional frosts there will 

 be a good crop of fruit. Should any proprietor desire peaches in the open 

 where the district is favourable, there is no reason why they should not 

 be grown without glass coping or heated walls. At least they have been 

 grown so here the greater part of this century at least. Two years since we 

 threw out a tree fully seventy years old, but very old trees are not profitable 

 We have trees thirty years old that make short growth and nearly every 

 year yield heavy crops. The short growth is evidently the result ot 

 exhaustion of soil. The trees have not been lifted since planting, out 

 are fed heavily with artificial manure. These have not a fair chance, ana 

 I feel quite sure that a great deal of peach-tree failure may be traced 0 

 the lack of plant food at the roots. There is not the proper vigour about 



old trees that have grown in the same soilmorethan thirty years,as the alter 



becomes washed and wom'out, and should be removed in part at ie» 

 We find the vigour of young trees from six to fifteen years ot age to 

 very different, especially when planted in new soil, and ^ wouw ne 

 plant any tree without the major part of the soil was new li I cou a jj 

 it We usually keep a young peach tree or two trained • on 1 a so ■ 



that were started the first week of March. While tying, beyond keep- usuaiiy Keep a young peucu ^ ™ "occasionally, but this is 



1 n < r tVi#* nAintc Q%i7i\r frrvrti tVi*» rrtoorc It? **sx4- o naroccifu if ic rvf tV\ nfmncf * 9 1 .1 _ _i_:r».:„rv ^( a vnnne tree IS 



ing the points away from the glass is not a necessity, it is of the utmost 

 importance that a very rigorous system of stopping should be main • one 

 tained to make the most of the vine's strength. In actual practice I find prod 

 this is the third time I have attended to the vines already. Removing 



ooci 



auces nne iruu. • . r00ts t h e nc 



this is the third time I have attended to the vines already. Removing Assuming that we have trees in a healthy state at t ^ ^ 

 all doubles, or rather taking the worst out, stopping above the flower important thing is to keep them clean up to the u this important 

 bunch, &c, all this taking much time. However, it is a most interesting s ^^t^ mg ^ t^rri To /ricFSt this season, 1 " 



operation when all looks well. At this date I find a good few sub-laterals 

 are ready for stopping, and so there will be no waste growth by the time the 

 vines are in flower. I generally have all growths tied permanently into 

 position before the actual flowering period. There is no doubt that the 

 weakest point in the vine's annual history is just before flowering. New 

 root action can now be quickly detected by the increase of vigour, for a 

 continuous growth is the test of good condition, and I find that this is 

 attained best from vines which break fairly naturally. 



It is most interesting to note the many peculiarities of the several 

 varieties of grapes. By the end of this month it should be determined 

 how many bunches are to be left on the vines, and then reduce the num- 

 ber showing, always leaving the strongest bunches; growers will know 

 the capabilities of their own vines, and so can regulate the crop accord- 

 ingly. With me, m the majority of cases, ten bunches of the late 

 varieties will weigh twenty pounds. Black Hamburgh, however, in the 

 mid-season houses always weigh less, and so more bunches are left The 

 actua sue of the bunches m the several varieties can only be judged by 

 actual experience, tor a three-pound bunch of Gros Colmar three inches 



V l ?^.W fo fc in flower ; but Gros Maroc is always far less 



HlH^ Mcante ' must b * much longer th *n 



SowW tSi Ffffe W,th Canon Hku and Muscat of Alexandria 



pre** QtMHilt, ; , terries thinned just when ready, will pro- 



Lm« £< TkSSt ts* siK of both h °™> and bunches »« '>><= 



Uon of ™ier Ac »3 T" ne « ssitale careful ventilation, and applica- 



V***, m^^^, Castle, F.RH.S. 



ppled by green fly and 



spide 



and i 



r They should « 



ine uesiruciive power 01 tnesc uiac^io ""*.-""."*, war m water. As 

 watched, and as soon as possible syringed off with lu ^" w * w j t h fairl 

 prevention is better than cure, we dress the walls an 

 strong insecticides before the first blooms have openeo, us * ^ ^ 



m .inhnr. Th«< 



to four gallons of warm water, giving it a colouring wi»' • , " f r " w1 b. - 

 will keep down the insects during the most critical " a fc d ^ d thing » 

 large glazed sheet from say forty to fifty feet Jong a n j > \N< 

 enable fumigating to be done effectually just before we™ ^ have b« 



I 



have similarly treated peaches indoors for many J ears n p ; ' pp ing sbo* 

 almost completely free from the effects of green Hy ^ shouId r be cvtffl 

 be avoided anywhere, especially in the north ^ J Kr do muC n ais^--— j 



disbudded, doing! the work gradually ; we rarely oo 

 on outside trees until May, as plenty of growth seems 5 

 one has then plenty of shoots to choose from. growths fin* »J 



We have never unnailed the trees here to rem °' "^being early- 

 walls, and do not believe we have lost a cr op ^ we a9iM 



we have had a good season to ripen the wool the pre thentn etif" 

 have a full crop of fruit ; if a bad season, wet ana su ^ open «r 



W. "ton LS IS material « <*& 



We ha^ 



bloom 



mate 



- w . -.v.*** uit viuic it ia idiu v/n »■ — - . cnrDTlSed 



frequently seen visitors from southern counties su 

 grown in such quantities on open walls so 1 p on d are 

 do not grow the earliest kinds ; Royal George a UxK n> 

 the most reliable varieties for us. GEO* 0 * H 



Alnwick Castle Gardens, 



Naturally •« 



