December 27, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
557 
one way giving a charm to the scenery, does also take away some of the 
distinctness with which distant objects are seen. Need I say how I was 
received, and how everything was done to make my short stay as pleasant 
as possible? After the description which has been so lately given of 
Penllergare it would not be fitting to dwell upon it; but this I must say, 
that in no place that I have ever been to is there such a treat provided 
for those who, like myself, have somewhat omnivorous tastes in garden¬ 
ing. Here for the florist were grand collections of Auriculas, Pansies, 
Carnations, and Picotees, and all those other flowers in which a florist 
delights, and that not as some of us are obliged to indulge our taste in 
small collections, but in large ones containing full collections of the very 
choicest kinds. Here, too, were Primulas of all kinds, not in one or two 
cherished plants, but in profusion. Such kinds as rosea, latifolia, cash- 
meriana, obconica, cortusoides, luteola, &c., being grown in quantities. 
Then for the lovers of trees and shrubs there were sights to gladden them, 
such sights as one rarely sees—Conifers, Sikkim Rhododendrons, Azaleas 
in grand profusion ; while to the lover of stove and greenhouse plants 
there were houses devoted to their culture and filled with healthy and 
well-grown plants ; and then the place itself, standing in the midst of grand 
woods in which Ferns luxuriate and Rhododendrons abound, is in itself 
a thiDg of beauty ever to be remembered. Of course it has, as everything 
has, something to counterbalance. The climate is very moist, and many 
things which in our drier climate in Kent flourish cannot be grown there, 
but take it altogether it is a very paradise of horticulture. 
SINGLETON. 
Perhaps one of the most interesting places that I have ever seen was 
Singleton, to which Mr. Llewelyn most kindly took me. Here, under 
the care of the late Mr. Vivian and now under that of Mrs. Vivian, 
an amiable and dignified lady of eighty and more, with a real love for 
her garden, are sights which one seldom sees. I had lately been to 
Dropmore, where its grand Conifers had so impressed me that I thought 
1 shall never see anything in them again to much interest me ; but 
Singleton made me alter my opinion. It is true that the Conifers have 
not attained the grand development that they have at Dropmore, nor 
are they planted—as in some places—as single specimens on a lawn, but 
interspersed among other trees, which have afforded them shelter while 
growing, and have been thinned out when they had fulfilled their 
purpose. Singleton is situated in a sheltered corner of the Bay of 
Swansea, and a good view of the well-known headland of the Mumbles 
is obtained from various parts of the ground. This coast of South Wales, 
boisterous though it is and much given to rain, is yet sufficiently under 
the influence of the Gulf Stream to give it a mild winter temperature, so 
that many things can be grown here which in many parts of the south 
and south-east of England could not be attempted, and many even of the 
the more tender kinds of Conifers flourish here. Thus Abies Albertiana is 
75 feet high and 4 feet 4 inches in girth, A. Menziesii 68 feet high and 4 feet 
in girth, A. Morinda 57 feet high, A. Douglasii 75 feet high, Picea grandis 
68 feet high, Sequoia sempervirens 65 feet high. The whole place is 
singularly interesting. One is quite unprepared, when seeing the grimy 
cloud that hangs over Swansea and Landore, to find that vegetation can 
be so good and healthy. The gardens are under the care of Mr. Harris, 
and while the glass is old and would, perhaps, be condemned by many 
gardeners, he has managed to grow most things in them to perfection. 
His culture of Pines is well known. There are none who can well excel 
him in the culture of Cayennes, in which he has so often distanced all 
competitors. Ferns and greenhouse plants were well grown, and in all 
points utility was considered. Mrs. Vivian’s own taste leads her to the 
old-fashioned flowers of our gardens and to all sweet-smelling plants, 
hence there is none of the gaudiness of bedding-out, but in all directions 
the eye is feasted with varied forms and colours. 
But the glory of Singleton—that which so especially marks it above 
all other places that I have seen, although, of course, there may be some 
such—is the grand collection of Himalayan Rhododendrons which are 
scattered throughout its grounds. Forty years ago, when the meeting 
of the British Association was held at Swansea, Sir William Hooker and 
others who had gathered or received seeds of these magnificent flowers 
from India presented some to Mr. Vivian. They were carefully watched 
over, were planted out in various parts of the grounds, and favoured by 
the mild climate and sheltered position that they occupy, they have now 
attained a great size, and when they are in bloom in the spring it must 
be a grand sight. I have seen these same Rhododendrons at Lord Stair’s, 
Inch Castle, in Scotland, where the conditions of climate are somewhat 
similar, and there they were evidently trying to make themselves at 
home ; but they were pigmies in comparison with these giants. One can 
but faintly imagine what a sight these grounds must be when all these 
magnificent shrubs are in bloom ; when, for instance, twenty large plants 
of Rhododendron barbatum 20 feet in height, with an average diameter 
of 20 feet, are displaying their beauties ; when the snow-white R. niveum 
15 feet high, the glorious R. fulgens 10 feet high and 12 feet through, 
the lovely R. arboreum and its pink variety, Falconeri 18 feet high and 
17 feet through, eximeum 19 feet high and 15 feet through, Thomsoni 
15 feet high and 10 feet through, are all expanding their flowers. Why, 
it must be a sight well worth the whole journey, and ever so much more 
to see them. The whole place is very delightful, but the Rhododendrons 
are its special feature, and amongst the most pleasant and instructive 
days of the last summer I must ever remember the day I spent at 
Singleton. 
BATH. 
On my homeward journey I spent a day at Bath, and this visit, too, 
must —like that to Cheltenham—be associated with sadness. It was the 
second and the last visit I paid to that well-known florist, Henry Hooper. 
One could then see that the hand of death was already upon him, and I 
am sure he felt it to be so himself. Everyone who has been at all 
interested in florists’ flowers must have known him and how diligently 
he has carried out their culture. In Pansies, Pinks, and Picotees espe¬ 
cially did he delight, and although his garden was, like himself, some¬ 
what rough in its exterior, yet no one had ever complained of the plants 
sent out by him, which were always vigorous and healthy. One is 
pleased to think that, as I have already noticed in the Journal, he has 
left behind him an intelligent son who will carry on the business. This 
ended my ramble, and, combining as it did duty and pleasure, it was a 
very pleasant ten days, and I should be glad enough if next year I could 
enjoy as pleasant a time.—D., Beal. 
MEALY BUG AND SCALE ON VINES. 
Mealy bug has been a great trouble to me ever since I became 
responsible for the production of Grapes, and anyone who has had 
any experience with this pest may imagine that things reach the 
climax when it takes to the bunches. For twelve years I have been 
carrying on a conflict with it on my Vines, which, I must confess, has 
been more injurious to the Vines than to the insects ; for although 
I at times flattered myself I had them (the bugs) almost abolished, 
with the summer they again appeared in surprising numbers. Year 
after year nothing that appeared in the Journal about mealy bug 
escaped my eager eye, but till last year I had come to the conclusion 
that there was no exterminator like good manipulation both in winter 
and summer, and by close picking I was enabled to keep them from 
doing much injury to the Grapes. I tried Mr. Wm. Taylor’s remedy 
against all such pests —namely, petroleum, but that did not prove 
so efficacious in a beneficial form as it did in an injurious one. But 
in all justice to your highly intelligent correspondent, I did not apply 
it as he had given instructions, for I obtained a wooden trough into 
which I put a certain number of gallons of water and then as many 
glasses of petroleum, and in this trough I immersed my Vines ; but 
I found a few Vines at the first felt the full strength of the oil, and 
the remainder very little — so much the better for me, as those first 
dipped were nearly killed, but towards the last it had little effect on 
either Vines or bugs. This having been done after pruning, the oil 
entered the open pores of the cuts, and hence the damaging effect on 
the Vines. 
At last I believe I have, through the pages of the good old Journal, 
found a remedy, and can exclaim, “ There is nothing like tar 1 ” Many 
thanks to Messrs. Pettigrew and Murray for their recipe of coal tar and 
clay for mealy bug on Vines. Last season I at once prepared some 
according to recipe (see Journal for December 14th, 1882) and applied 
it to Vines very much infested with bug, without much previous scraping, 
and I now can tell your correspondent “ M. A. S.” in the Journal 
of 29th ult., that it has proved to my joy a complete success. I have 
had no trouble ever since with my Vines, and they are now comparatively 
clean of this horrible pest. The other day I prepared some for this 
winter's dressing, of equal parts of clay and coal tar mixed with water 
to the density of good cream, which I find it retains till all is used. 
I apply it with a painter’s brush, filling all holes, young wood and all. 
The Vines rather seem to like this paint, as mine never grew so strongly 
as this summer. Again permit me to thank the above-mentioned 
gentlemen for making known what to me and many others must be a 
great boon.—J. Kennedy, Cornier, Co. Damn. 
ORCHIDS AND ORCHID HOUSES. 
To cultivate Orchids successfully, well-appointed houses 
appear to be regarded as necessary, but this is a mistaken 
notion, and is proving a great barrier to the extended culti¬ 
vation’ of these plants. Many species and varieties can be 
grown as well m houses that accommodate mixed collections 
of plants as when separate houses are devoted to them. This 
is fully demonstrated by the many examples of successful 
cultivation that can be seen in gardens now. I can go even 
further, and say that some prefer the atmosphere of the stove, 
and grow and thrive much better than they often do m Orchid 
houses constructed and set apart for their cultivation. I am 
inclined to believe that novices in the cultivation of these plants 
often fail, or partially so, by following out some principle laid 
down on hard and fast lines. For instance, when these plants 
are grown, say, in a small house by themselves, the atmosphere 
is either maintained too dry, or, on the other hand, it almost 
approaches saturation. The latter is a great evil, and it is 
scarcely to be expected that these plants will thrive long and 
remain healthy when fresh air is almost totally excluded from 
them, and the atmosphere in consequence becomes stagnant. 
Spot and other diseases make their appearance, and to obviate 
this state of things the atmosphere is kept drier and the plants 
are subject for a time to the opposite extreme. How long will 
Orchids or any other plants remain healthy under such.treat¬ 
ment ? The admission of air daily when the weather is m any 
way favourable would, to a large extent, prevent these irra- 
