December 8, i88i.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
525 
variable amount of dilution, because its strength is uncertain. The 
Rev. J. J. Wood has strongly recommended the use of ammonia to 
kill molluscs.—J. It. S. C. 
A WEEK IN LONDON. 
CHISWICK. 
W ell may a certain writer in the Journal exclaim “ Dear old Chis¬ 
wick !” Those who have been educated there cannot fail to look 
back with pleasant remembrances, or point to it as an excellent 
training school. It is a fine school for gardeners and gardening. No 
doubt those who live within reasonable distance avail themselves 
frequently of opportunities to see and make notes of the best and 
most worthy fruits, vegetables, or flowers in the various seasons. 
Country gardeners have few such chances, and often have to test a 
number of novelties before finding a really good one ; but by a visit 
to Chiswick and with a little time on hand the best of novelties can 
soon be noted, as the majority are tested side by side. Unfortunately 
time did not permit, or an hour or two could have been pleasantly 
spent in noticing the young Apple trees which had been worked on 
the various stocks, in order to test upon which stock various kinds 
grew and fruited best. The stock evidently makes a greater difference 
than many are prepared to allow. 
The pyramid Pears were grand, the trees being pruned and the 
branches sufficiently thin to admit abundance of light. The fruit 
was large in size, and of some varieties was abundant, while others 
had scarcely any. The crop of Apples generally was good, and one 
quarter of unpruned trees showed fair crops of fruit, which was 
rather small, the weight of fruit bringing the branches down into a 
pendulous fashion, which spoiled the appearance of the trees. The 
cordon Peaches had an irregular crop, some kinds bearing freely, 
others scarcely at all.) A variety called Merlin was ripening, and 
appeared to be as early as Early Beatrice, and the fruit much larger. 
It would be interesting to know the quality of this variety. 
The large vinery again contained a heavy crop of well-finished 
Grapes. In a house of such magnitude (I think it is the largest 
vinery in England) the sight was imposing. At the bottom the fruit 
was rather small, but when the stage is ascended the bunches are 
found much larger and finer in every respect than they appear to be 
from the bottom. In another house the Vines about three years 
planted were remarkably strong—the strongest I have seen for a 
long time, and I should consider them too strong to produce well- 
finished Grapes. The difficulty must be great to thoroughly ripen 
wood of such strength. 
In one of the plant stoves I noticed many plants of Pteris cristata 
major growing luxuriantly, some of the plants being nearly 4 feet in 
diameter and in fine condition. Adiantum Bausei was numerously 
and well grown. In the same house Salvinia natans, a miniature 
Fern-like aquatic, was spreading rapidly in a shallow pan of water. 
The tuberous Begonias in one of the houses were handsome, and 
some unnamed seedlings were amongst the best, being profuse 
bloomers with flowers of large size. Begonia Martiana, an upright¬ 
growing form with small rose-coloured flowers, was conspicuous and 
is valuable for conservatory decoration. Souvenir de Louis Van 
Houtte possessed the same character, differing only in having bright 
red flowers. This is a grand companion plant, and undoubtedly a 
seedling from the above. Amongst varieties with bright red flowers 
James McIntosh was striking. Souvenir de Chiswick was also very 
fine. Henry Webb had large bright scarlet flowers freely produced. 
Walter Da veer, a good variety with deep rose flowers ; Queenie, a 
beautiful rose colour and deeper than Nellie May ; Pearcei Superba, 
the deepest and brightest of yellows ; Chiswick Yellow was also free 
and good. Dr. Hogg was a remarkably strong grower, having large 
flowers of rich dark colour. Rosea Grandiflora, good. Nelly Barron, 
a beautiful dwarf free-flowering variety. Chiswick White was by 
far the best white. Sunshine, buff yellow, very good. 
The Zonal Pelargoniums were next noticed, the best rose-coloured 
semi-doubles being Sylvia, Urania, and Zelica. Circe and Guide were 
best amongst the crimsons, both being dwarf and compact, the last- 
named having flowers after the style of Jewel. Charles Darwin was 
striking with plum-coloured flowers, having a scarlet-shaded centre. 
Amongst scarlets Madame Plaisan(;on was grand, but Delobel was 
a little brighter in colour. The best three salmon-coloured varieties 
were Pallas, La Constitution, and Dr. Jacoby. Psyche and Bridal 
Bouquet were both good whites, but an unnamed variety was much 
better than either, having a finer truss. 
The house of single Zonal Pelargoniums was brilliant and imposing, 
all the different shades of colour being arranged together, which ren¬ 
dered comparison much easier; the best rich crimsons being Dr. 
Orton (Pearson), a dwarf variety with a splendid truss. Henry 
Jacoby, by the same raiser, has been previously noted in these 
pages. Charles Schwind, Charles Smith, and Rev. S. H. Stanhope 
were all good but much alike, the first-named being the darkest. 
Malcolm (George), is a dwarf and bright variety. Placci (Pearson), 
light magenta suffused with scarlet, a fine flower and truss. Het.tie 
(Pearson), light purple magenta, very good. Trovatore, by the same 
raiser, a dwarf and grand variety. Correggio and Ouida, the former 
having flowers of a crimson purple suffused with orange scarlet, the 
latter being somewhat similar, but has a small white eye. The best 
scarlets were the Rev. S. Hey, Havelock, Mrs. Storey. Beatrix, Burns, 
and Niobe (Pearson’s). Amongst purple-shaded Pinks Pearson’s 
varieties again figured as the best, the most noteworthy being 
Mrs. Ward, very fine ; Lady Bailey, Olive Carre, Titian, Mary 
Mabel; the best of the rose-coloured section being Lady Byron, 
Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Leavers (Pearson’s), Madonna (Denny’s), these 
were all good, but the first-named was most conspicious ; the finest 
salmons being Fanny Catlin (Catlin), Sophie Birchin, and Lizard 
(Pearson’s); the best white was Jeanne d’Arc (Lemoine), the truss 
was large and the flowers pure white. 
In the grounds the Phloxes were magnificent, and intending 
planters will find the following good and desirable varieties— 
Souvenir de Berryer, bright red ; lilacina, reddish crimson ; Jane 
Wilson, dwarf white with pink eye, good ; Countess Rosslyn, large 
truss ; coccinea, brightest of all, dwarf, flowers dark crimson ; 
Menotti, dwarf, lilac and white; Lothair, rose salmon, good ; 
Ada Louise, dwarf, light with a pink eye ; Souvenir de Nancy, 
rosy purple, white centre; Madame Alger, crimson, fine flower and 
truss, best of all ; Yenus, dwarf white ; Yirgo Marie, good white. 
Begonia ascotensis was conspicuous in a bed on the shady side of a 
wall, not only growing strongly but flowering profusely. A bed of 
Salvia patens was also very beautiful. Lobelia atrosanguinea made 
a bright and beautiful bed. Plumbago capensis was flowering freely, 
bedded out, also Cassia corymbosa, which looked well with its pretty 
yellow flowers. I noticed in one of the borders a very fine Tropreo- 
lum named Bedfont Rival, one of the best I have seen for bedding, 
being a close compact-growing variety, and its flowers were freely 
produced. A bed of Verbena Fireball was very noteworthy, the 
colour of the flower being bright scarlet. The growth is compact, 
and in consequence would require but little pegging down. The 
border of Dahlias were grand. The single kinds were largely grown. 
In concluding these notes I must congratulate Mr. Barron upon his 
good management in rendering the gardens not only attractive but 
instructive. Unfortunately he was from home the day of my visit, 
but his able foreman Mr. Thomson conducted me round the gardens, 
and I wish to thank him for his attention to—A Countryman. 
REVIEW OF BOOK. 
A Pocket Guide to British Perns. By Marian S. Ridley. 
London : David Bogue, 3, St. Martin’s Place, Trafalgar Square. 
For all who are commencing the study of British Ferns this 
little volume is well adapted, as it gives a clear outline of the 
principal structural peculiarities of the order, and tabulated 
descriptions of the species found in these islands. It is also 
marked by very commendable accuracy both in nomenclature 
and the general information supplied, which, unfortunately, is 
wanting in many elementary works upon this and allied subjects. 
The intention of the authoress is to supply a want she and 
others have often experienced, and which is thus described in 
the preface—“ In my own studies I have met with this difficulty 
—viz., to gather from the published volumes on Ferns what the 
decided special features or characters are of each genus and 
species. For while writers mention many peculiarities in detail, 
some of greater and others of lesser importance, those alone 
which precisely mark the distinctions are either not sufficiently 
noted, or so mingled with features of a general kind that the mind 
fails to grasp the essentials.” To aid others in overcoming this 
difficulty she has reduced the chief characters of every species to 
a tabular form under the heads of Generic and Specific Characters, 
Rhizome, Stipes, Frond, Venation, &c., giving the distinguishing 
features under each. Unquestionably a young botanist would 
experience little difficulty in determining the name of a specimen 
by carefully comparing it with the descriptions, and he would by 
that means also obtain an accurate elementary knowledge of the 
principal peculiarities of British Ferns. 
WORK^foiuheWEEK, 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Delay no longer affording the needful protection to Globe Arti¬ 
chokes. We prefer to take out the soil around the crowns about 
t) inches in width and G inches in depth, and after giving a dusting 
of quicklime fill up with ashes, covering the crowns about 3 inches 
deep, with G-inch mulching of stable litter on the surface. Give a 
dressing of manure around Rhubarb plants, and have the soil between 
the stools pointed over, and a little placed over the crowns so as to 
have a neat appearance. In order to encourage a luxuriant growth 
of the Rhubarb the soil may be taken out between the rows as deep 
as the roots will allow without disturbing them too much, and tho 
