October 9, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
335 
of Tomatoes. Mr. Ladds has adopted rather novel purlines for supporting 
the roofs of his houses here. The purlines consist of inch iron pipes, and 
these are made to serve a double purpose—viz., support the roof and be 
the means of conveying the water for irrigation. Valves occur every few 
feet for the purpose of attaching a hose for watering. Strawberries will 
be forced here this coming season to the extent of 100,000 plants. On 
the date of our visit preparations were being made for building several 
more blocks of houses for Grape-growing, and it is proposed to extend 
the glass erections annually until the whole of the held, some acres in 
extent, is covered. A siding will be made from the adjoining railway 
into the head-quarters for the convenience of receiving manure, fuel, and 
transporting the produce to the metropolis. Thus ends our inspection of 
Mr. Ladds’ gigantic fruit and flower-forcing establishments, a task of 
much pleasure and a source of great interest, affording us an insight 
into the manner in which the London markets are supplied with garden 
produce. 
MESSES. CANNELL & SONS’ ESTABLISHMENT. 
Having an hour to spare, and being so close to the Horae of Flowers- 
we decided to pay Messrs. Cannell a visit. Though our visit was a 
hurried one we made the most of our time, and were enabled to get a 
glimpse of the principal novelties to be seen just now. The Pelargonium 
houses are always attractive with the many sterling novelties in bloom. 
Particularly noticeable among the singles were Ferdinand Kauffer, a 
grand deep magenta-purple ; Edith Little, one of the oculated type, a 
fine variety ; Omphale, a lovely salmon, with large flowers ; Madame 
Colson, another salmon, producing immense trusses ; Eurydice, a good 
dwarf purple-pink, very showy ; Kate Greenaway, a very fine pink, with 
well-formed flowers ; Edith George, another striking pink variety, with 
large trusses ; and Snowball, a charming pure white. The preceding are 
the most striking of the round-flowered section. In the Nosegay section 
Aurore Boreale may be described as a great step in advance of other 
varieties in size of foliage and flower, and is destined to become the 
parent of a race of very large Z mals; flowers light scarlet, tinged with 
salmon. Among others worthy of note in this section are Ida Walter, a 
rich crimson ; Mrs. Lord, intense deep crimson ; Nelly Thomas, bright 
scarlet ; and i)r. Orton, a rich dark crimson, the.se being distinguishable 
on account of robust habit and fl iriferousness. A capital salmon bedding 
variety is to be found in Bayswater Burley. Amongst doubles Paul 
Charbonnier, a bright orange-scarlet, and Ludwig Ferche, rich scarlet, are 
very fine, as also are Paul de St. Victor, a beautiful pink, with large 
flowers ; Clara Pfitzer, rose-pink, and a good free-flowering dwarf 
variety; The Lord Mayor, pink, suffused with purple, also dwarf ; 
Althaea, rich cerise-scarlet; General Campenon, deep crimson, dwarf 
habit; Fritz Lucas, a soft magenta, with salmon centre, very fine ; 
Edouard Jiponlon, a very free-flowering salmon of dwarf habit; La 
Cygne, a very fine new double white ; and Madame Leon Dalloy, another 
charming white. Ivy-leaved varieties, too, are to be seen in excellent 
variety, especially the doubles. Abel Carriere is a beautiful soft magenta ; 
La Rosiere, rose-coloured ; and Jeanne d’Arc and Comte Horace de 
Choiseul are also fine varieties. 
Begonias next claim attention. Messrs. Cannell seem determined not 
to be behind in the race in improving this popular class of plants. A 
very fine collection is now being got together, and next year the floral 
world will be surprised with some of the improvements effected in colour 
and habit. Some of Messrs. CannelPs new single varieties are grand, 
notably King of Kings, one of the highest-coloured flowers that has 
appeared, an intense crimson, darker than Zonal Pelargonium Henry 
Jacoby ; Total Eclipse, one of the most vivid crimsons we have seen ; 
Rosea magnifica, rosy pink, very fine ; City of London, crimson, flowers 
measuring 6 inches across ; Mr. Baines, broad petals of great substance, 
intense glowing scarlet; City of Vienna, bright red, with an immense 
flower of fine shape, free; Mr. Airde, deep glowing crimson, and large 
bold flowers. Among other varieties of last year’s introduction are Paul 
Masurel, orange-scarlet; Royal Standard, a deep crimson, capital for 
baskets ; Wonder, a deep yellow-buff ; R§ve d’Or, a very fine yellow, 
of dwarf habit ; Mrs. Coppin, a beautiful clear yellow, one of the finest 
of its class; Salmonea Magna, bright salmon ; Mdlle. Pessonneau, a 
fine blush ; Albert Cronan and Le Gdant, charming reds ; and Alba 
floribunda, a fine white, of vigorous and free-flowering habit. Some of 
the doubles, too, are very fine, especially the new varieties. Ruhm Von 
Erfurt, a splendid scarlet variety ; Virginalis, a splendid white ; and 
Madame Arnault, deep blush-pink, with round flowers, very pretty and 
distinct. The older varieties are very fine, notably Rosamonde, a beautiful 
rosy-pink, producing immense flowers ; Blanche Jeanjrierre, pure white ; 
Le Grand Citoyen, a lovely cerise; and Duchesse de Galliera, a large- 
flowered scarlet of free and vigorous habit. 
Gloxinias are specially attractive, hundreds of all the finest types 
were staged side by side for seed-saving purposes. Among other novelties 
in the houses worthy of note is the new double Abutilon Thomp.soni plena. 
This is a great acquisition, as the flower is perfectly double. It remains 
now for some skilful hybridist to secure a double white form, a feat 
which will perhaps soon be accomplished. 
New Fuchsias are represented in such fine varieties as Dr. Sankey, a 
splendid dark variety of robust habit, with long pendulous flowers; and 
Mr. King, a rich crimson-scarlet of fine habit. Mrs. Bundle is also a 
capital variety. Magnum Bonum and Enoch Arden among dark varieties 
are very fine. Le Cygne and Madame Jules Chretien, whites, are good 
among doubles. 
Heliotrope Swanley Giant is very effective by its rosy heads of 
blooms nearly a foot in diameter. The Show Verbenas were very 
charming, nearly every shade of colour being represented. It is a pity 
those showy plants are not more grown than they are. As seen at 
Swanley they are most effective pot plants. 
The outdoor department teems with all sorts of good things, but time 
would not permit us to give these more than a cursory glance. Roses 
are grown in large quantities, and the standaids carrying a fine lot of 
bloom. Dahlias of all kinds find a generous home at Swanley. The 
collection of double and single varieties embraces nearly or all of the 
best kinds in cultivation. Hardy perennials, too, in choice variety, 
including Phloxes, Pentstemons, Hollyhocks, and many others which are 
grown in quantity. To particularise in detail the many novelties to be 
found here would require well-nigh a whole number of the Journal ; 
hence only a few of the most striking are described in these notes. All 
who have failed to give the Home of Flowers a call should not defer 
doing so any longer, for they may depend upon a hearty welcome from 
Mr. Cannell, and a rich floral treat will sure to be in store for them. It 
is evening, and in a long ride across country we reflect on the pleasant 
day we spent in inspecting Messrs. Ladds’ and Cannell’s interesting 
establishments.'—T. W. S. 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 
I THINK it a pity that these delightful flowers are not more largely 
grown, and I beg to send you my experience with a view to show that 
they are not nearly so difficult to grow as some seem to imagine. 
I procured a packet of seed from .Messrs. Carter & Co. early in the 
year, and in February I sowed the seed in an early vinery. It germinated 
very well, and as soon as the plants were large enough I pricked them 
out in thumb pots, using as compost two parts tirrfy loam to one part of 
leaf soil, and added as much sand as would keep it open. I then placed 
them in heat for a short time, and afterwards in a cool greenhouse. As 
soon as they had fairly rooted I transferred them to 5-inch pots, 
employing the same compost as before, with the addition of a small 
sprinkling of Clay’s fertiliser. They were then returned to the green¬ 
house, kept close for a few days, and after that were fully exposed to the 
light and air ; care being taken that they should never suffer from 
insufficient water. They grew splendidly, forming bushy plants about a 
foot ill diameter and about the same height. They began to bloom about 
the beginning of August, and have been in flower ever since. They are 
still in good condition and are likely to be for some time, thus proving 
very useful for conservatory decoration at this time of the year. The 
flowers were generally large and of good substance. The colours varied 
from the deepest yellow to the palest primrose, and from pure white to the 
deepest crimson. I hope these few lines may encourage others to grow 
such charming plants.—J. H, 
[The flowers received are very fine—excellent in form, diversified in 
colour, ml s'out in substance; they represent pood varieties well 
cultivated.] 
CRYSTAL PALACE HARDY FRUIT SHOW, 
October Tth to 11th. 
Though only a small schedule of a dozen classes was provided for this 
Exhibition, the sixth held at the Crystal Palace during the present season, 
the prizes were of such a liberal character that a good number of competitors 
were induced to send their produce, and an excellent display is the result. 
The principal prizes ranged from £10 to £3, the first-mentioned sum being 
offered in three classes—namely, for the best collection of Apples, Pears, and 
agricultural produce, while in other classes the prizes were from £2 to lOs. 
Apples are very largely represented, and form the greater portion of the 
Exhibition ; Pears are also for the season well represented, though less 
numerously than the Apples. A very great and novel attraction are the 
collections of Pumpkins and Gourds, for it is doubtful if so large a number of 
distinct and handsome-coloured varieties have ever been shown in London 
before. The Nova Scotian Apples are similarly admired, owing to their 
bright and varied colours, the vegetables and miscellaneous collection of 
fruits possessing more than ordinary interest. The exhibits are arranged 
upon tables in the transept near the orchestra, the spaces between the col¬ 
lections in the centre of the tables being suitably filled with graceful Palms, 
Ferns, and other fine-foliage plants. One table in particular—namely, that 
upon which the Gourds are arranged, is exceedingly pretty, the centre being 
occupied by Palms, between which are smaller plants of Messrs. Laing & Co.’s 
Tuberous Begonias, edged with Adiantums on both sides. The effect of this 
arrangement, in contrast with the brightly or strangely coloured Gourds, is 
highly satisfactory. 
APPLES. 
About 1250 dishes of Apples are exhibited, including those not in com¬ 
petition, and it may be readily imagined that so largo a number constitutes 
an important feature in the Show. It has been a cause of surprise to many 
persons that Apples should be exhibited so well this season when the 
crop was in most districts a failure; but some x^arts of Kent and Sussex 
appear to have escaped the general bad fortune, and in other cases the 
size of the individual fruits is in a gi’eat measure due to the smallness of 
the crop. As at Kensington recently the samples from Mr. Haycock, 
gardener to Roger Leigh, Esq., Barham Court, Maidstone, were mar¬ 
vellously fine, and attracted the admiration of visitors generally, but 
especially of horticultm'ists, who could fully appreciate their merits. Any 
gardener would have good reason to be {)roud of such a collection as that 
which has gained Mr. Haycock the premier prize in the open class, for 
apart altogether from advantages of position, considerable cultural skill is 
required to produce such handsome fruits. The prizes were offered for 
the best collection of kitchen and dessert Apples, six fruits in each dish, 
but the number of varieties was not stipulated, the object being to obtain 
