October 23, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
377 
Tait's Oporto Cactus (White).—Constance or Ariel was the old form of 
this, hut now seems likely to bs superseded by this Portugal introduction, 
though for the present many are likel}’' to do as I shall—grow both. For 
cutting or for any purpose for which white flowers are util'sed, such as 
church decoration, funeral wreaths, &c., this seems a great acquisition. 
In the box of blooms just referred to I find one labelled “ Scarlet Constance,’’ 
a new form not yet, I believe, distributed. Like the original, the florets 
are at first pointed and ultimately expand flat. This makes half a dozen 
distinct varieties. 
Cochineal .—This seems to belong to the last-named class, but instead 
of being scarlet is bright crimson or velvety red, and having the florets 
more distinctly pointed in true Cactus fashion. 
Picta Formossislma .—A very distinct old variety, in floral formation 
like the preceding, but in colouring unique. Kach floret has a band of 
orange-yellow down the centre, and this is deeply margined with crimson- 
red. With me it has proved a strong vigorous grower, but I think I shall 
lift and pot it before frost comes, as, like most of the Cactus Dahlias, it 
blooms late. With little sun heat most things lift well now. 
Germania Nova .—Unlike any other Dahlia hitherto introduced. The 
colour is a delightful soft rosy pink. Instead of being rounded it is slightly 
flattened, and so numerous and close are the petals as to take away almost 
completely the character of a Dahlia. This is sure to be welcomed by all. 
Mr. Miller .—This has most of the characteristics of a Fancy Dahlia, 
but the colouring is very peculiar—black shades off into velvety dark red 
and ends in white. I have still to notice Glare of the Garden and its 
variety, but enough has been said to prove that this section of Dahlias is 
likely to bo much heard of by-and-by.—W. J. MUEPHY, Clonmel. 
FUCHSIA FULGENS TEAINED AS A STANDARD. 
This lovely old plant is again becoming a favourite, and should 
continue so. Some j'ears ago it was seldom seen, its beauty is now better 
known. Scarcely a greenhouse now-a-days but has the F. fulgens as one 
of its occupants trained in the ordinary “ pyramid ” form. The flowers 
are not seen to advantage, being almost entirely hidden with the large 
leaves that plant possesses. Grown as a standard the long flowers are 
seen, and look well. A plant here with a stem 3 feet high and a head 
the same in diameter, carrying some twenty racemes of flowers, has been 
very effective since the month of May, and is still blooming freely. Along 
with this I send you a cluster. It is treated the same as the ordinary 
Fuchsia, the principal object being to have the wood thoroughly well 
ripened to secure plenty of flowers the following season.—J. J. 
[The example sent is very good, the raceme containing thirty-three 
bright scarlet tubular flowers, and a still greater number had evidently 
teen produced on the stem and fallen in the ordinary course of decay.] 
AUTUMN-LIFTING PEACH TREES. 
Happily for “ Thinker ” he has not had to grow Peaches where, on 
the open walls, the trees are ever-green. If so, I think he would find that 
neither deep, shallow, narrow, wide, calcareous, silicious, clayey, nitro¬ 
genous, nor any other soil, however suitable may be its constituents for 
the growth of Peach trees, or however well or badly drained the borders 
may be, would compensate for autumn lifting. The borders here are 
8 feet wide, 20 inches deep, with good drains 4^ feet deep in front of 
border. Another border is much wider with concrete bottom under each 
tree, rubble stone and brickbats over concrete for drainage, and 18 inches 
of soil, which consists of loam taken off limestone, a little wood ashes and 
old mortar mixed with part of our garden soil, which is neither too imper¬ 
vious to rain nor yet so open that it drains away too quickly ; neither is 
it over-rich in nitrogenous matter, for, unfortunately, this is often too 
scarce for other crops. 
I think the cause of our Peach trees retaining their leaves so long is 
in consequence of cloudy summers and the very mild autumns and winters 
with abundance of rain. We often have no more than 8° or 9° of frost in 
winter, and this only for a very short time, and being situated so near the 
Atlantic the atmosphere is saturated with moisture at a time when dry 
frosty weather is needed to check the sap and harden the wood. We 
unfortunately have to resort to rather cruel measures—viz., early autumn 
lifting to check the flow of sap. 
I should have hardly troubled you with these notes had it not been 
that many are in similar situations, and where the squire, who is a con¬ 
stant reader of your valuable journal, on Friday morning brings out the 
paper half cut. Having opened the pap w just at the notes where it says, “It 
is unnecessary to autumn-lift Peach trees,’’ he calls out, John. John hastens 
to his master’s call, and then the oft-repeated words ring in John’s ears: 
“ You remember I told you last year, when on a visit 1 called to see Lord 
D’s garden, and such a crop of fine Peaches, as regards size and colour, 
that I never before saw. I inquired of the gardener how he was able to 
get such a fine crop, what kind of soil and manure he gave them, and here 
the gardener gave the history and treatment of the trees. 
“Thirteen years ago last November I prepared this border by well 
draining. I then got a quantity of loam from our deer park, made the 
border 2 feet deep. Twenty-four trees in good condition were procured from 
Messrs. Z. & Co. The soil, being dry and loose, was well trodden, 
stations prepared 18 feet apart; the trees were planted carefully with 
roots as near the surface as possible. Well, sir, we have done nothing to 
their roots since, except giving a top-dressing after pruning and nailing 
every year, and we get fine crops, as you see.’’ Lord D’s garden is 
situated where the rainfall is about 26 inches each year, with dry autumn 
and moderate frost through the winder, soil chemically and mechanically 
suited for the growth of the Peach tree^, with a situation sheltered by 
high belts of trees from the north and east wind^, and situated that the 
trees could hardly' fail to give a crop. Not so with the squire’s poor 
gardener John. His average rainfall is 45 inches, with a low situation, 
say 45 feet above sea level (as with us), cloudy dull summers, with mild 
and wet autumns and winters. John has tried everything as regard soils, 
drainage, &c., but without success. He at last asks the squire, who is 
really the head gardener, if he will allow him to try autumn lifting. 
“ No, John,’’ is the reply, “ Lord D's gardener can grow fine crops of 
Peaches, and he has not touched his roots for thirteen years, and I see no 
reason why you could not do the same and, reading “ Thinker’s’’ note 
to John upon the unnecessary labour of lifting Peach trees in early 
autumn, is more than ever confirmed in his opinion that John does not 
understand his duties, and consequently John has to give place to one that 
is equally incompetent, and the squire learns that there is something 
necessary besides soil and drainage for the successful fruiting of Peach 
trees.—W. 0., Fota, Cork. 
THE LONDON PARKS. 
HYDE PAEK. 
During the present season a very beautiful display of brilliant flowers 
and tastefully designed carpet beds has been provided in the great fashionable 
West-end park, amply sufficient to maintain the fame this establishment has 
long enjoyed and to furnish useful hints to those in charge of less extensive 
gardens. In the ordinary flower bedding one very notable feature is that large 
numbers of varieties of Pelargoniums are annually grown, some new or little 
known forms being introduced for trial every season. This is very useful, as 
it affords an opportunity of selecting varieties of distinct character and 
sterling merit, of which points it is necessary to be well assured before pro¬ 
pagating in large numbers, as it is very serious to find, after raising a stock 
of a new variety, that it is not superior to, or perhaps not equal to, others 
already in cultivation. In Hyde Park there are especial facilities for growing 
large numbers of plants ; it is no additional trouble to try some new 
varieties every season, and a bed or two are sufficient to show whether the 
new comers possess any qualities to recommend them for further use. By 
having a good number of varieties there is also another advantage—a greater 
range of variation in colours is obtained, and the richer brighter tints can be 
readily selected. 
The Zonal Pelargoniums employed in Hyde Park this season are the 
following, amongst which will be noted several old forms that still hold their 
position for bedding purposes :—Louise, pale delicate pink, good flower, and 
large truss; effective in contrast with any dark-foliage plant. Heniy 
Jacoby, still unsurpassed in depth of colour; one of the darkest in cultiva¬ 
tion. Atalanta, finely formed flower, warm cerise. Lizard, very distinct 
and effective, of a peculiar shaded salmon pink colour ; good truss. Miss 
Wakefield, a strong grower, with large bold flowers of a brilliant scarlet 
tint, but not very free. Aida, very pale pink ; rather dull and not to be 
recommended, judging from the examples in this Park. Constance, a beau¬ 
tiful variety, with large pink flowers having a white centre; they are borne 
in dense trusses well above the foliage. Sir W. Scott, brilliant dark scarlet, 
very showy ; truss dense and large. Lady Byron, a neat and pretty variety 
of compact habit, with clear bright pink blooms in a fine truss. Rev. E. 
Atkins, brilliant scarlet, very large bold truss of good habit; a fine bedding 
variety. Lady Bailey, an extremely bright pink dwarf and free-flowering 
variety. C. Schwind, dark scarlet, tall habit, free flowering, and fine truss. 
Leopold, peculiar shaded salmon pink ; distinct. Hettie, cerise scarlet; tall, 
free, and effective. Triomphe, an effective dwarf compact floriferous 
variety, with rather loose pink flowers. Pirate, very bright scarlet, showy ; 
of moderate height. Ellen, an excellent variety, dwarf and free, with good 
flowers of a bright shaded pink. Bacchus, warm cerise, fine and free ; flowers 
large. Dr. Rawson, large truss, rich scarlet, very handsome. La Vestale, 
pure white, fine flowers, but not very free, Zuleika, rich cerise flower of 
great size ; handsome. Lucy Bosworth, bright pink, free and good. 
As usual, the principal portion of the bedding display has been confined 
to the beds near Park Lane, extending from near the Marble Arch towards 
Piccadilly. Proceeding along this route, there is first a series of oblong beds, 
having central blocks of Zonal Pelargoniums, variously edged with other 
variegated Pelargoniums, such as Princess Alexandra, which is the chief 
favourite. Fuchsia Cloth of Gold, Coleus Verschaffelti, and Iresine Lindeni. 
Some mixed beds have also been very attractive, notably Verbenas of various 
colours. Lobelia cardinalis, and Viola Blue Bell, Iresine Lindeni and Pelar¬ 
gonium Stella variegata. These mixed beds, when the plants employed are 
judiciously selected, have a beautiful appearance, and are more generajly 
admired than the stereotyped mode of planting in formal lines. 
From near Grosvenor Gate a series of beds or paiis occupy a raised strip 
of turf with a path on each side. These have been extremely fine. They 
are very carefully and effectively planted, and have afforded a most brilliano 
display of colours. Many of these have been planted in a similar manner to 
those already noted—namely, with Pelargoniums in the centre, but having 
several marginal lines of the following. The dark-coloured Iresine Wallsi, 
with Pelargonium Golden Fleece, and Lobelia pumila magnifica ; the silver 
edge Pel. Miss Kingston, with Lobelia Porcelain Brilliant; Pel. Verona, 
and Fuchsia Cloth of Gold ; Iresine Lindeni, with Lobelia Omen ; Iresine 
Herbsti, white Lobelias, and Herniaria glabra; Pel. Golden Harry Hieov.r, 
■with Lobelia Bluestone ; Iresine Wallsi and -white Lobelias; Pel. Princess 
Alexandra and Lobelia Swanley Blue, the latter very free and of a brilliant 
blue tint; Pel. Crystal Palace Gem and Lobelia Bluestone. Here again 
some beautiful mixed beds have been much admired, very prominent amongst 
the best being a combination of Viola Blue Bell and Pel. Princess Alexandra, 
Another of Grevillea robusta. Carnations, and purple Verbenas has been 
attractive. Abutilon marmoratum aureum and purple Verbenas afforded a 
pretty mixture ; Eucalyptus globulus, Violas, and Carnations produced a 
good effect, and several others of a similar character proved how much can 
be done in this direction to increase the interest and beauty of flower garden 
displays. 
Carpet bedding has been remarkably 'n'ell carried out this set son, the 
