244 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. r September w, issi. 
of Chelones are really Pentstemons, to which the former genus is 
very closely related. 
Several specimens of Chelone obliqua amongst many other 
pretty plants were a week since very attractive in Mr. Ware’s 
nursery at Tottenham, and from one of these the spray was 
obtained from which the accompanying engraving was prepared. 
THE OLD WEIR, HEREFORD. 
I am sure that many of your readers will regret to hear that 
this classic home of the Rose is no longer to be connected with 
the name of the present tenant, Mr. Jowitt. Indeed as a place 
associated with the queen of flowers it will no longer exist. My 
good friend leaves it in November; his fine collection will be 
disposed of, and he himself is seeking a new residence. His long 
list of triumphs will not be added to so far as the Old Weir is 
concerned, and the wondrous blooms he has delighted us with will 
no longer grace our exhibition tables. I am sure that many will 
regret this, and only hope that in some new spot where he may 
pitch his tent he may initiate a new collection which shall still 
bring him to the front. By-the-by, does anyone want a thoroughly 
good gardener, especially as a Rose-grower 1 Then I may say 
Mr. Jowitt’s gardener is open to an engagement in November. 
—D, Deal. 
A gentleman who has facilities for seeing the best ex¬ 
amples of fruit culture, writes as follows relative to Mr. 
Thomson’s vineyard at Clovenfords— “ I called at Cloven¬ 
fords last week. The sight is magnificent. Those great houses 
that have been described so often in the Journal are this year 
more grandly furnished than ever they have been, the Vines 
bearing the heaviest crop they ever had, and every bunch is 
perfect. I never saw such a sight. The crop of the Duke of 
Buccleuch is all gathered except a few bunches, and these are 
very fine, the flavour of the fruit being delicious.” 
- We learn that arrangements have been made for discon¬ 
tinuing the practice of charging visitors a penny each “for the 
gardener ” for inspecting the great Vine at Hampton Court. 
We observe that the old Vine is showing signs of diminished 
vitality, and in all probability a good portion of the top of it will 
die either this year or the next. An endeavour, we believe, will 
be made to impart fresh vigour to the Vine, and we have little 
doubt that it might be done, since the fact has been ascertained 
that a good portion of the feeding roots are not far distant from 
the house, the popular idea that they are in the Thames having 
little to support it. By breaking up the ground near the house 
and using liquid manure and rich compost freely, reducing the 
crop for a year or two and increasing the foliage, the old Vine, we 
think, might be improved, and efforts ought certainly to be made 
to arrest its decay. Mr. Knight, who has for many years had the 
charge of the Vine and the private gardens at Hampton Court, 
will shortly retire, and will be succeeded, we understand, by Mr. 
J. R. Stirling, gardener to H. H. Vivian, Esq., Park Wern, Swan¬ 
sea, he having been nominated for the position by Mr. Jones of 
Frogmore, who has the chief control of all the Queen’s private 
gardens around Windsor. Mr. Stirling is known to be an ex¬ 
cellent gardener and cultivator of fruit, and he is unquestionably 
competent for the efficient fulfilment of the duties pertaining to 
his new charge. 
-We regret to hear from Mr. Bruce Findlay that he is 
suffering so much from exhaustion after his great efforts at the 
International Show at Manchester that he has been compelled to 
retire from his duties for a short time to recruit his health. This 
we can easily realise ; but we are told that some of the pnzetakers 
at the Exhibition are impatient for their prize money, and that 
their importunities penetrate even to Mr. Findlay’s well-earned 
temporary seclusion. Mr. Findlay desires us to announce that at 
the end of'this week or beginning of next they will all bo attended 
to. We are happy to announce, for the information of many who 
will be glad to hear, that Mrs. Findlay and her daughter “ arc 
much better.” 
- Colburn’s Magazine (E. W. Allen, Ave Maria Lane) 
of the present month contains an excellent lithograph portrait of 
Mr. G. F. Wilson, F.R.S., who is so well known and highly 
respected in horticultural circles. A copious biography of Mr. 
Wilson also appears in the Magazine, in which his parentage and 
early life are sketched, his discovery of the distillation of glycerine 
noticed, his capacity for and success in business chronicled, and 
his connection with and works in horticulture narrated. 
- Mr. J. Muir of Margam has sent us some sprays of 
Camellias grown without shade, which are as fine as any 
cultivator could desire ; yet they are not superior to others that 
have been sent to us which have been grown in partial shade. 
It is not necessary to publish further letters on this subject at 
present. We know that Camellias will grow without shade 
under certain conditions, as we have seen them in the open air 
in England, and even in Italy ; but it is equally certain that 
under different circumstances judicious shade is beneficial, espe¬ 
cially to plants in pots as grown by the majority of amateur 
cultivators. 
- We are informed that the Glasgow and West of 
Scotland Horticultural Society held their annual Show on 
the 6th inst., and was on the whole a good show, the cut flowers, 
Grapes, and plants being abundant. The best produce always 
goes to Edinburgh, and it altogether appears bad management to 
have what might be two good shows on the same day. 
- A correspondent observes, “ In most of the London 
parks the new Alternanthera paronychyoides major aurea 
has been used freely this season, and when judiciously employed 
it is very effective. To my mind, however, a mistake has been 
made in many instances by placing Alternanthera amoena next to 
it in the carpet bed designs ; the two colours do not harmonise, 
and several otherwise pretty designs are rendered unsatisfactory 
by this means. In one instance, by an unaccountable piece of bad 
taste this yellow Alternanthera was placed next to a line of Golden 
Feather, but this was quite an exception. The best mode of 
employing it that I have seen is where some soft grey or whitish 
plant is next to it. The silvery Leucophyton Brownii or Sednm 
acre elegans are particularly suitable associates.” 
-- “L. D. W.” writes, “At Chiswick Vilmorin’s Dwarf 
White Aster was recently very conspicuous for its dwarf habit 
and the profusion in which its flowers are produced. This variety 
is by far the finest white I have yet seen. The flow’ers individu¬ 
ally remind me of Mrs. Geo. Bundle Chrysanthemum ; they are 
pure in colour and of much the same shape as the flowers of that 
variety. Benary’s Dwarf Chrysanthemum Aster was also very 
striking, the flowers being a very bright crimson.” 
- “ SCIENTIA ” writes that “ BOUVARDIA JASMINIFLORA 
flavescens has flowers of a beautiful straw colour, and is quite 
distinct from any other variety. The trusses of flower are not 
large, but the plant is worth growing for the pleasing colour. 
Bouvardia Reine des Roses is also a very desirable variety with 
rose-coloured flowers, which resemble miniature trusses of lxora 
blooms. The trusses are large and very freely produced early in 
the season. Where Bouvardias are appreciated these two varieties 
should be grown, especially the latter.” 
- Very noticeable in Covent Garden Market at the present 
