850 



GARDENERS' MA GAZINE. 



December 24. tRq8 



the colour being remarkable for a crop attaining maturity at so early a 

 period. The varieties grown for sending to Pans during the autumn and 

 winter months are Gros Colmar, Alicante and Muscat of Alexandria, and 

 of these heavy crops of the highest possible quality are obtained. Finer 

 examples of Gros Colmar than those contributed by M. Fatzer to the 

 Paris Exhibition in November have not been presented to public notice, 

 and the superbly-finished clusters fully justified the interest they created 

 amongst the visitors. Still more remarkable was the crop in the vinery 

 from which the exhibition bunches had been cut. From within a few feet 

 of the base to the top the vines were furnished with bunches of large size 

 and finely coloured. The heaviest bunch weighed six and a-half pounds, 

 whilst the larger proportion ranged from two to four pounds. The 

 weight of bunch this season is hardly equal to that of last year, when 

 the heaviest bunch weighed nine and a-quarter pounds, but for size of 

 berry, colour, and density of bloom this year's crop is decidedly superior. 

 Alicante and Muscat of Alexandria give equally satisfactory results, and 

 we were much impressed by the heavy and finely finished ciops of these 

 two popular grapes. 



Peaches and nectarines have considerable space devoted to them, and 

 the starting of the several houses is so arranged as to ensure a continuous 

 succession from early in April until about the middle of July. The 

 varieties of these two kinds are such as would be selected by experienced 

 cultivators on this side of the Channel, and include the most recent of 

 the introductions as well as those which have been long in cultivation. 

 Early Rivers nectarine occupies a prominent position and is regarded 

 with much favour by M. Fatzer, who on reading our description of it 

 when first introduced to public notice at once recognised its adaptability 

 for commercial culture, and obtained trees immediately the variety was 

 introduced. It has fully justified the opinion we expressed of its merits, 

 and the trees have consequently been multiplied to meet the demand for 

 large finely-flavoured nectarines early in the season. In addition to the 

 cultivation of the fruits mentioned considerable numbers of chrysanthe- 



grown 



Chrysanthemums in Vases. 



From the remarks on pages 795 and 796 it must not be inferred I had in 

 mind the difficulties judges would find in inspecting chrysanthemum 

 blooms if five were arranged in one vase, but rather that visitors would 

 not be able to " inspect " the blooms unless they were arranged where 

 they could be seen from all sides. No arrangement of five blooms in one 

 vase stood on a side stage can be so effective as a smaller number. If 

 a collective display is the object in view the circumstances are varied, 

 because it is not then a question of individual blooms but of the whole. 

 Where a specified number^ of blooms is to be staged there should be no 

 opportunity afforded for hiding any defect in any one of them. At the 

 Edinburgh Show there were no less than twenty classes provided for 

 chrysanthemums in vases — three, six, and even twelve blooms in a vase 

 were required — but undoubtedly the finest effect was produced by the classes 

 devoted to so many varieties, three blooms of each. In some few in- 

 stances six blooms in one vase made such an effective display that little 

 fault could be found, but in these cases where that number of 



blooms were required such varieties as Charles Davis, Viviand Morel, 

 Duchess of York, President Borel, and Mrs. H. Weeks were specified 

 as in all these a greater depth is obtained in the blooms than in the case 

 of Mutual Friend, Simplicity, and such spreading varieties. I particu- 

 larly noted the want of effect in six blooms in one vase, any variety. 

 Not only were the blooms sadly crowded, but the inharmonious colour 

 effect was all too apparent, as may be expected when a pure 



In a class for one 



... white 



blossom is so closely associated with a pale yellow, 

 vase of twelve blooms the crowding was even more noticeable, although 

 much larger vases were employed. 



As our Editor remarks, vases for sprays afford a pleasing contrast. 

 At Edinburgh such a class was one of the most attractive in the whole 

 show. The schedule reads, " three Vases decorative chrysanthemums in 

 three varieties, not disbudded, witteany foliage." No less than seventeen 

 competed in this class. The premier exhibit well represented the type 

 of chrysanthemum best suited for room of vase decoration in combina- 



quality. The Parisian florists demand blooms of exhibition quality with tion wkh Qther f()liage TheVarieties were Source d'Or, Yellow Lacroix, 



long stems, and M. Fatzer very properly provides what is required. and the bronze aftd golden yellow sport from La Triomphante ; the 



We were not a little interested in the details of management. The foliage used was Spiraea aruncus, Eulalia zebrina, and fading asparagus tops, 

 establishment, as stated above, has an area of sixteen acres, of which four — - - ... 



acres are covered with glass, and yet the staff employed by M. Fatzer 

 consists of eight men only. No regular hours are kept, nor are any 

 additional hands taken on, when there is an exceptional pressure of work, 



In the class at York alluded to by the Editor " twelve varieties, in sprays, 

 not disbudded, and three sprays of each variety," was the specification. 

 These had to be shown in jasper vases. I saw the competition, and 



, . _ . thought how good the effect was, but at the same time thought some of 



as, for example, during grape thinning. During the busy times everyone the varieties were rather thin for the best effect, three sprays of some 

 does his best, and when the work is not pressing the staff takes things a varieties being insufficient to give the desired bold effect. At York prizes 

 little easier, and the men evidently like this course of procedure, for they 

 have all been employed in the establishment upwards often years. M. 

 Katzer, who has recently had the distinction of the Order of Merit 

 Agricole conferred upon him, takes his full share of the work, as evidenced 

 by the fact that with the assistance of one man he gathers and packs all 

 the fruits and flowers grown in the establishment. It may be of ! interest to 

 add that the water used, and the quantity must be very large, is raised 

 by an aerometer or wind pump from a well to an immense tank on a 

 tower, and from this it flows to the houses, as by this means a consider- 

 able saving of labour is effected. 



~ , J a P a 

 vases, but there, as at Portsmouth, where a similar class used to be pro- 

 vided, the blooms had a poor effect. 



At Windsor for years one of the most interesting classes in the whole 

 show has been that for twelve blooms, any section, arranged in a vase or 

 basket. Here other natural foliage is allowed, and this year there were 

 eleven competitors. The quality of the blooms is a point of importance 

 in combination with the effect produced by adding such foliage as purple 

 beech, scarlet oak, ampelopsis, crotons, and palm leaves, fern fronds, Sec. 

 Such a class is a means of instructing the public how to employ large 

 exhibition blooms in the decoration of the drawing-room or front hall. 

 A" similar class is provided at Ascot At Liverpool prizes are offered for 

 a basket not exceeding eighteen inches in diameter, suitable for a 

 drawing-room table, filled with chrysanthemums, fern or other foliage. 

 In such a class as this ample scope is provided for the exhibitor to 

 employ large or small-flowered varieties at will. The leading exhibit 

 was an effective one, mainly composed of Mary Anderson, the favourite 

 single-flowered variety. As showing how little societies encourage the 



Staging of chrysanthemums other than in the orthodox fashion on hard 



subject for the flower garden it is not surpassed by anything in the same green stands in cups and tubes, I find from forty prize lists but sixteen 

 way. I have before me as I pen this note a plant growing in a five-inch include classes for the artistic display of blooms, and many of these are 

 pot which has withstood a sojourn of several months in this room, and but for a single vase containing six or even nine blooms 



G 



ROBUSTA. 



THIS elegant greenhouse shrub is well worthy of a place in all collections 

 of plants, in fact should be included in small as well as large collections, for 

 whether used as a table plant, for room decoration, or as a sub- tropical 



during that time it has continued to grow and develop several of its 



and 



The 



grevilleas are natives of New Holland, and wiil thrive luxuriantly in a cool 

 temperature. By sowing a packet of seed annually a good stock of 

 plants in various sizes will be maintained, suitable for the many purposes to 



Japanese blooms in 



At Bolton no 



which they are so admirably adapted. 



A «. _ It J.ill _1 a. • .1 n 



As a 



dot" plant in the 



and 



grevillea presents a 



intermingling with such plants as cannas, fuchsias, Lobelia 1 cardinalis, 

 and various other popular occupants of our flower garden they are very 

 effective. What can be more beautiful to look upon than a large bed of 

 Croz/s cannas, with the toliage of this graceful plant towering well above 

 them ? Such a one has been in these gardens during the past summer 

 the admiration of everyone who has seen it. Old plants that have be- 

 come somewhat leggy have been utilised for the centre, and the younger 

 anddwarfer plants for the sides. These are lifted in the month of 

 October and potted up for use in the conservatory and for room decora- 

 tion in the winter months, and I find they are much better suited for 

 corridors and places that are often draughty and injurious to plants 

 than are many other foliage plants. Associated with various berried 

 plants as Solanum capsicastrum, pernettyas in variety, also Euphorbia 

 jacquinaeflora, poinsettias, and other winter flowering subjects it is much 

 better adapted than the more tender greenery ofttimes used. 



The seeds should be sown in February on a hotbed in light sandy 

 soil, and the seedlings afterwards potted on and grown in a position near 

 the roof glass tn a warm house until thoroughly established, when a cool 

 temperature should be accorded thei 



The Ulster' Society offers prizes for thirty-six blooms in twelve 

 varieties, to be shown in glasses. At Cardiff t 

 four varieties, three blooms in a vase, are as&ed for. 

 supports are allowed to the blooms staged in vases, and in this case 

 varieties with stout stems must be employed. It is difficult for an 

 ordinary visitor to notice a thin wire, which is invariably employed in 

 arranging the largest blooms in the vases, and personally I see little 

 harm in this addition, provided, of course, its appearance does not lessen 

 the effect or be conspicuous. A few more object lessons like those at 

 the Edinburgh Show will quicken other societies to make a change from 

 the hard and fast lines of most shows held in the United Kingdom. 



E. MOTANFUX. 



„ . jjttuuuuuance ; ana me prevalence uu 



Indo-Malayan facies was held to be due, in great 



descent 



Stonelei^/i 



H. T. Martin. 



The Flora of Western Australia.— According to Mr. Spencer Le M. 



Moore, the desert flora of Western Australia comprises 867 known species, o 

 which 860 are Phanerogams, referable to 319 genera, distributed among 73 natural 

 orders. Of the flora 58 per cent, consist of species ranged under 8 orders, wun 

 Composite and Legumino * heading the list, leaving 42 percent, to be snar e 

 between the remaining 65 orders. Mr. Moore disbelieved the current theory w 

 " " " "ominance : and the prevalence in Eastern Australia of torms o 



measure, not to immigration, 



_ Moreover, the balance 



exchange between I ndo- Malay a "and Australia, in favour of the former MJlJJJ 

 considered as coming under the doctrine of chances, and not as implying 1 

 inherent superiority of the one flora over the other. While m ku™P ■ . 

 Australian, * e., the xerophilous element was, owing to change in climate, elimin 

 in favour of the present hygrophilous vegetation, in Eastern Australia the cob 

 tions remained as they were in earlier Tertiary times until desiccation set in. » ^ 

 Moore considers that this desiccation dates from an earlier period in % 

 Australia ; and that this, together with the isolation of the western P orUO " thc 

 continent in secondary times by a sea, and later by stretches of desert, expiai 

 floristic difference between Western and Eastern Australia. 



