358 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



J une 4, tan, 



Tree Pyruses. 



The excellent illustration of the Sikkim apple (Pyrus sikkimensis) in your 

 issue of May 14, portrays not only a beautiful, but an extremely interest- 

 ing tree, being probably the most northern representative of the Malus 

 section of pyruses. But the fact that there is probably not a nursery 

 in this country from which it could be obtained, shows that either its 

 value has been overlooked or ignored by nurserymen. To all intents it 

 is an apple tree, and, beautiful though it undoubtedly is, an edible fruited 

 apple gives much the same effect in flower, with the additional merit of 

 autumn fruit— a second phase of beauty. The value of a tree to plant 

 for ornament in private gardens from a nurseryman's point of view is 

 generally the correct estimate of the merits of a hardy tree or shrub for 

 general culture, and in these days of enterprise and rivalry, they do not 

 knowingly allow a tree, shrub, or plant of commercial value (as they term it) 

 to remain in the comparative obscurity of a botanical collection. It is, 

 perhaps, well that such is the case, otherwise our great national collection 

 of plant life at Kew would be robbed of much of its unique interest if the 

 rarer species were to become distributed everywhere. One has often to 

 deplore the fact that such an interesting plant cannot be obtained in nur- 

 series as formerly. Nurserymen will tell you that " it does not pay " to 

 grow them now as did it their fathers and grandfathers. We are so very 

 commercial nowadays, that even plants are regarded from a strictly 



business point of view. 



While dwelling upon this rare Sikkim tree one's thoughts naturally 



turn to others of its tribe which have best yielded their tribute of flower 



beauty for another season. Out of the dozen species of Malus 



enumerated in the Kew list half of this number are still rare beyond 



botanical collections ; the rest are among the most popular of small 



flowering trees. One of the finest is the little Japanese tree crab P . 



floribunda, and this has become a quite common tree throughout English 



gardens, though its first introduction was comparatively recent. There 



is no need to describe such a familiar tree, and it cannot well be confused 



with any other, its slender growth of branches forming a spreading head 



rarely about ten feet high, at once distinguishes it when out of bloom, 



and at flowering time every branch is densely wreathed with the pale 



pink flowers, the opening buds being a rich crimson, a charming contrast 



to the pink open blossoms. The variety Atrosanguinea is regarded by 



many as a much finer form, the open flowers being of a much deeper 



pink than those of the type, but there is not such a marked contrast 



of tint between the buds as in the original form. Both are first-rate, and 



should be planted in a group together. The plants from a nursery reach 



mature growth in about the third or fourth year after planting, and these 



are especially fine if the soil is good or such as where apples grow well. 



The semi-double flowered variety Halleana or Parkimanni has the merit 



of retaining its flowers for a longer time than do the single forms, and for 



this reason is desirable. It is of the same colour as the type, and the 



three together make one of the choicest of groups for a lawn, standing 



out singly, not jostled with common shrubs or trees. 



P. spectabilis is a much larger tree, and in my estimation the finest of 



all the maluses. Nothing surpasses this tree when first in full beauty of 



flower. It has all the profusion of bloom and richness of colour of P. 

 floribunda, with a loftier and more imposing head. Its flowers are semi- 

 double, and last a fortnight or three weeks in perfection. It is only as 

 old specimens one sees the true beauty of this Chinese crab-tree, and, 

 like the common apple, it takes a long time to mature. As its natural 

 growth it is a stemmed tree. It is an ideal tree on a lawn, and the little 

 floribunda may be grouped round it with fine effect. Though it has been in 

 gardens for over a century it is not common, and nurserymen say they 

 are seldom asked for it. Loudon, in 1838, said "No garden, large or 

 small, should be without this tree." The same remark should be repeated 

 to-day. There is a double variety, flore pleno, grown in nurseries, and a 

 white or whitish variety (flore-albo). 



P. coronaria, called the Garland Flowering Apple, is, like P. spec- 

 tabilis, an old tree, brought first from America in 1724, and this also 

 Loudon said should be in 



AURICULAS AT BRACKN 



The floricultural specialist is a production of these days 

 come to mean one who, having taken in hand the ruW„l-*r * has 



one 



1 • tlie cultivation of 



two florists' flowers, and proving successful in the matter of f 



stock, disposes of his surplus plants and thus gains room i? g 

 frames. Such an one is Mr. Charles Phillips, the head of a h\ 

 Bracknell, Berks. The auricula and the carnation are the two flower, T 

 which Mr. Phillips gives his attention, and the prizes he has w 

 both attest to his ability as a cultivator. To provide accommodation^ 

 his plants he has built himself a range of two span-roofed houses 

 twenty-five feet in length for auriculas, and one twenty feet for ! 

 tions. The line is from north to south, and while there is an abui^™** 

 of light, there is also ample means of ventilation below and at t^* 

 well as at the sides. There is a walk along the centre of the ho ' aS 

 with stages on either side. nouses, 



The auriculas, on the occasion of a recent visit, were very gav • th 

 collection is select, and the plants finely grown. It can truly be said i 

 reference to Mr. Phillips' method of culture, that he appears to get the 

 best possible out of a pot of soil. There is not only a vigorous growth 

 but they also produce stout^ stems and magnificent trusses of bloom' 

 One sometimes sees plants with ample leafage and scanty blossoms but 

 at Bracknell the happy medium is hit— flowers and foliage alike are 

 splendidly developed. Happily for his plants, and especially so at this 

 time of the year, Mr. Phillips is much among them, and the small atten- 

 tions which have so much to do with the well-being of the auricula are 

 constantly rendered. If anyone wishes to make the acquaintance of the 

 modern, up-to-date florist, who is brimfull of enthusiasm, let him pay a 

 visit to Bracknell at the auricula season, and he will be found there. 



Mr. Phillips grows a select collection of show auriculas. You can tick 

 off the names of his green edges on the fingers of one hand ; they are 

 Mrs. Henwood, Abbe Lizst, James Hannaford, and the Rev. F. D. Horner. 

 Mrs. Henwood is a very strong grower, and throws up stout flower 

 stems bearing a number of large-sized, brilliant-edged pips. I think that, 

 like the Rev. F. D. Horner, probably one of its progenitors, it can be 

 depended upon. It may be pronounced too large by some of the older 

 school, but it is yet a very strong and reliable variety, and when more 

 widely distributed will be indispensable to a collection of twelve. Abbe 

 Lizst was raised by Mr. J. Douglas, an excellent green, very bright ; the 

 corolla of excellent shape. It will be remembered it was a plant of this 

 variety which gained the premier award at the auricula show recently 

 held in London. It throws a strong stem surmounted by a symmetrical 

 truss. James Hannaford (B. Simonite) can be denominated a catch 

 flower. It will sometimes come very good, but oftener indifferent. 

 When it was first shown it was hoped it would prove a green-edge with 

 the quality of pip and constancy of George Lightbody ; yet it is unconstant 

 and uncertain. The leading grey-edges at Bracknell are Richard Headley, 

 very fine indeed, grand in growth, fruss and quality ; Marmion, one of 

 the best and most useful show auriculas Mr. Douglas yet raised ; George 

 Rudd, very good indeed ; George Lightbody, Dr. Kidd, a good, constant 

 flower, which can sometimes be shown as a white-edge ; and the Old 

 Lancashire Hero, still one of the best when in good character. White- 

 edges are represented by Conservative ; Reliance (Mellor), which does 

 not open kindly, a fault common to some varieties ; Acme ; Heather 

 Bell, a somewhat coarse flower, weak in tube ; John Simonite ; and Mrs. 

 Dodwell, the body-colour of which is often too heavy. 



Mr. Phillips has made a hit as a raiser of selfs, his two dark varieties, 

 Miss Barnett, shaded claret or plum, good in all its parts, pip smooth 

 and handsome : Mrs. Phillips, rich maroon, a very striking contrast being 



The golden tube and white paste, also 



every garden. 



doubtedly, I should not put it in the first rank, as it does not succeed well 

 everywhere, and is often shy in flowering. The flowers are larger than 

 those of spectabilis, paler in colour, and in looser clusters, but grows 

 about the same height. It is not grown in nurseries, and here again is 

 an instance of the nurseryman's estimate of value. 



P. Toringo is another Japanese species of lesser value than floribunda, 

 but still very pretty. As it is not to be found in nurseries under that 

 name there is no need to dilate upon it, and the same applies to P. Ringo. 

 Both species seem to be in a confused state of nomenclature, and possibly 

 they exist in nurseries under their various synonyms. 



P. Schiedeckeri, a recent introduction to our nurseries, promises to be 

 one of the finest of the pyruses. It appears to have affinity with 

 P. spectabilis, and possibly is a hybrid. It has all the beauty of 

 P. spectabilis, and flowers when quite small, only a yard high. Nursery- 

 men are taking it in hand very keenly, and we shall soon see it a common 

 tree. What its mature growth is I do not know. P. baccata yields the 

 various ornamental fruited crabs that are so conspicuously beautiful in 

 gardens during the autumn. There are many kinds of showy fruited crabs 



The most popular are the 



afforded by the dark self colour. & — * ■ 



of very fine quality. Black Bess, Heroine, so apt at times to come shaded, 

 and Mrs. Potts, as yet our best blue self, though capable of great 



Beautiful 'though it is un- Improvement Mr. Phillips also has a yellow self which comes very near 



t> ^ u — ' • - Phillips means to be a 



to Horner's Buttercup in point of quality. . 



raiser as well as a cultivator, and as the gentle art of raising new v . ar .^ ties 

 of show auriculas does not remain long the possession of one individual, 

 his turn may have come. He diligently fertilizes, and already has 

 seedling coming on apace. It is with the alpine section that Mr. Phillips 

 has scored such striking successes as a raiser. His varieties are 

 characterised by striking gold centres and massive refined pips. Ot ni> 

 new gold centres the following are very fine : Clara, Pluto, Lvei> n 



Phillips, Miranda, Mrs. 



ng 

 Gorton, 



Mrs. Martin * Smith, Dreadnought, 



Topsy, Bronze Queen, A. R. Brown, Chastity, Jubilee Regma, ^ atn " e : 

 Princess Louise, Messrs. Shaw, Vandyke, and Marian. ?f white .ina 

 cream centres, Gladys, Mrs. Barnett, Sister Mary, and Edith W estern. 



Hundreds of seedlings of alpines are raised every year from 

 varieties. As soon as large enough they are planted out of doors, 

 they remain until they are large enough to flower, running many r » 

 meanwhile from the incursions of worms and garden vermin, heavy n 



KSnZtf ?Y 11 ?? t fo ? ornam ental planting. 

 Dartmouth, John Downie, Scarlet Siberian. T 



Flic* D«fU n V i j 1 ' ^ UMtl oiuenan, uiuiauuiuciii, <xukx mc new 



rrahfr?!* a P!; ndul ° us va nety most graceful as a small lawn tree. These 

 1* :i' G ! S J . and s , how y flowered apples are amone the many thines that 



berian, Transcandent, and the new see the mass of flowers the plants will produce. 



ETwSlSr 1 1 y nowere d appl 

 the intending planter should bear 1 



among tne many tnings 

 in mind next autumn. If the garden 



mc nuiiv-u." - 



Potting is done as soon 

 »r The show varieties 



spots. 



Sib^ P P Schredeckeri, and the Scarlet 



the best condition. 



even'fn" MMr»w ere T ", hc - a PP le aid P«r thrive so will these, and 



2f . I'?. * here a .PP' e *™it is inferior these flowerine kinds crow 



stay 2g ttT**! 3 * o Us o~for in" US 



ana aipine hnd their summer quarters in cool iramc* • 

 The young stocks growing on from offsets taken in early spring 



Mr. Phillips has some seven hundred I pots includ 

 sllow grounds ; and with blooms of these he can 

 exhibition table as with his auriculas. 



A Uw 



Kew. 



W. GOLDRING. 



v . ^ W 11 14^ j XI \^ TT WWJ * v 



recreation, and finds in his plants companions ca 

 the highest enjoyment. 



flowers 

 is garde 

 pable of 



pleasant 



R, DEAN- 



