530 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 11, 1884. 
and Nectarine trees against it. The glass is not very extensive, but a 
fine range has been erected in recent years. It is a three-quarter span, 
with the longer roof facing the south, and is 150 feet long in three divi¬ 
sions, 22 feet wide. Two of these are planted with Vines, the remaining 
one being at present devoted to plants. The Vines are young, but very 
promising, and Duke of Buccleuch is grown extremely well, the bunches and 
berries large and finely coloured. Golden Hamburgh, Madresfield Court, 
and Muscat of Alexandria are also grown very successfully. The outer 
garden is thoroughly well cropped, and the whole appearance of the 
garden affords abundant evidence of the most careful superintendence. 
The Park abounds in majestic Oaks and Beeches, and a visitor would 
be well rewarded by a ramble amongst these grand old trees. Within 
walking distance, too, is the Turlum Hill, which rises to the height of 
1200 feet above sea level, and is densely covered with timber to the 
summit ; it is, indeed, reputed to be the highest and finest wooded hill in 
Scotland. From the top of this hill a glorious view can be obtained of 
the varied Perthshire scenery, and all who have the opportunity will find 
their time pleasantly occupied in the journey.— Lewis Castle. 
CYCLAMEN AT MESSRS. SUTTON’S READING NURSERIES 
Having an hour to spare when recently at Reading, I concluded it 
would be most profitably spent at Messrs. Sutton’s seed-growing establish¬ 
ment. November is really the worst month in the year to visit this 
renowned place, the Gloxinias and Tuberous-rooted Begonias being over 
and stored away, while it is yet too early to see the Chinese Primulas and 
Cyclamen at their best. The former were looking remarkably promising, 
and include several novelties, which I should say will prove valuable 
additions to the different strains which the Messrs. Buttons after several 
years’ intelligent attention have brought to such marked perfection. The 
Fern-leaf varieties in particular are now much neater in growth than 
formerly, and the several varieties produce flowers almost if not quite 
equal to the ordinary types. 
It was the Cyclamens, however, that I went principally to see, and 
about these I wish to pen a few remarks. A grander lot of plants it 
would be difficult to find. Several houses are filled with them, the display 
being maintained from the beginning of November until April. Many of 
the strongest plants are in 6-inch pots, and would apparently pay for 
another shift, as the foliage extends far beyond the rim of the pots, yet 
the plants are not twelve months old. They are calculated, and with 
good reason, to each produce from 200 to 300 fine blooms. The flowers 
of each strain are very fine, are borne on long and stout stems well above 
the foliage, and the giant strains are evidently as floriferous as those pro¬ 
ducing smaller flowirs. The colours are bright and well diversified, and 
an equally good vaiiety is observable in the beautiful foliage, which has 
been very much improved of late. Plenty of the leaves measure 4 inches 
across, and are as prettily veined and marbled as Begonias of the Rex 
type. One novelty is named Sutton’s Butterfly, and should become a 
great favourite among Cyclamen growers. It evidently possesses a good 
constitution, has pretty foliage, and produces its singularly pretty white 
flowers most freely. Each flower when about three-parts expanded much 
resembles a butterfly on the point of alighting on the plant; hence the 
change of name, this variety being originally named Miss Lilian Cox, and 
as such was awarded a first-class certificate by the Royal Horticultura 
Society. 
The Cyclamen seel is principally sown early in November in pans 
of fine sandy soil. It is not, as usually happens, placed in heat at once, 
but the pans are stood in a cool house till the end of December, by which 
time the seeds have swelled considerably, and when placed in a brisk heat 
soon germinate strongly. The seedlings are pricked off into thumb-pot«, 
and are gradually shifted into the pots in which they are to flower, these 
being either 4-inch, 5-inch, or 6-inch pots, according to their vigour. The 
compost employed consists of three-parts good turfy loam to one part of 
well-rotted manure and sand. From the first the plants are kept care¬ 
fully shaded from bright sunshine, never suffer from want of water, and 
are kept steadily growing, but not either in a dry or strong heat—a moist 
bottom and an intermediate temperature best suiting them. They are never 
mixed with other plants, and insects of no kind are allowed to effect a 
lodgment. They well repay for all the trouble taken with them, and 
well known and popular as the Persian Cyclamen is become, I yet doubt 
if the majority of gardeners and amateurs scarcely realise what a won¬ 
derful display can be made with the seedlings resulting from one packet 
of seed.—W. I. 
NOTES ON NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
New Varieties. —When visiting the various Chrysanthemum 
shows recently held, I made notes of several new varieties which, 
in some instances, I thought acquisitions to an ali'eady large 
family, and of which I will give the names and descriptions. 
Taking the incurved section first, I was disappointed in not 
being able to find several “ new ” varieties that came out with 
a great flourish, and which have probably been consigned to the 
rubbish heap. Except Jeanne d’Arc and Lord Alcester there 
was nothing new to record. These two varieties have proved 
what they were represented to be, really good additions. Both 
could be found in almost every stand ; the former variety, 
through its blooming rather early, was not seen generally in 
such perfection as the latter variety, for in many cases the best 
blooms were over, which seems to come to time without much 
trouble. The best blooms of Jeanne d’Arc which I saw were in 
Mr. Herrin’s stand at the Aquarium Show. 
Among the Japanese varieties the best I noted was M. Astorg 
a pure white flower of the Elaine type, excepting that the florets 
were longer, broader, and not so thickly placed, which 1 think an 
improvement. Mr. bVills showed some grand blooms of this 
really superb variety at Southampton. 
Yal d’Audorre, for which Messrs. Jackson & Son obtained a 
certificate at Kingston, and which Mr. Lyne also showed well at 
the same exhibition, is a bold flower of the Dr. Macary type, 
the florets being longer, and the colour is a rich orange red. 
It is one of the best of the family of .Japanese varieties. 
Duchess of Albany is a full flower of a bronzy hue, having 
flat florets. This was numerously represented. 
Fanny Richards is a variety I saw at Kingston. The name 
is new to me, but the flower looked much like a pale bloom of 
Madame B. Rendatler or Curiosity. These I presume are 
identical. 
Baby.—What a name! A seedling shown at Kingston, with 
small reddish-yellow b ooms, not likely to prove a great acqui¬ 
sition for show purposes on account of its being so small. 
Beaute des Jardins is a new variety; awarded a first-class 
certificate at the Kingston Show, and exhibited by Messrs. T. 
Jackson & Sons. This is a medium-sized flower of a rich magenta 
purple, which will, I have no doubt, prove a grand variety for 
decoration. 
Carmen.—This was shown by Messrs. J. Laiug & Co. at the 
Crystal Palace, and obtained a first-class certificate. It is a 
variety producing blooms freely, which are of a deep rose colour 
with flat-shaped florets. 
Cullingfordii.—This variety was sent out by Messrs. Cannell 
and Sons, and obtained a first-class certificate wherever it was 
staged. Is the brightest-coloured variety of any class we have. 
It is a scarlet, having a glossy dark shade suffused over the 
brighter colour. Jt is sent out as a retlexed variety, and it 
certainly is the grandest of all colours we have for any 
purpose. 
The Anemone Japanese varieties are more numerous in new 
varieties than any of the other sections, consideidng the few 
varieties obtained till recently. As I descidbed them in a former 
note in the Journal, I will now pass them by ■with the remark 
that they have only to be seen to be admired. How strange it is 
there are no new varieties of reflexed brought out, with the 
exception of George Stevens, which has not made much headway 
as yet as a first-class variety. I know of nothing new in the 
reflexed division. 
Amongst Pompons the newest variety is Nelly Rainford, a 
lovely buff sport from Rosinante, sent out by Mr. Davis, which is 
fine for all purposes. 
Staging Pompon Chrysanthemums.—Now that the nume¬ 
rous Chrysanthemum shows are over for this season, and com¬ 
mittees will soon be discussing the arrangements for another 
year, I think it would be well if they would take into consider¬ 
ation the present way that Pompons and Anemone Pompons are 
staged. I think that all such matters should be clearly stated in 
the prize lists. Often the conditions are much too vague. Take 
for instance the following —■“ Six bunches of Pompons with 
foliage, not less than three blooms in a bunch.” Now perhaps 
some exhibitor would stage, say, eight, or perhaps twelve blooms 
in a bunch, while others would stage Ihree blooms, in awarding 
the prizes all good judges would give the prize to the three-bloom 
advocates, providing they had good specimens of the respective 
varieties. Of course this decision would not please all, and what 
I would suggest is that the schedule should be so clearly worded 
that no cause for complaint can arise through having unequal 
numbers. Suppose the wording was thus—“ Twelve bunches of 
Pompons, distinct, three flowers in each bunch,” each society 
coil'd fix their own number of bunches, varieties, &c. 
Chrysanthemum Lord Alcester. —This very fine incurved 
variety has again proved itself to be one of the best that has been 
introduced of late years. In no instance have I heard any com¬ 
plaints about it running back to its parent. In all cases that I 
have seen it, it has been thoroughly distinct. I noticed that it 
was in nearly all the stands of cut blooms at most of the shows 
held this season. After such an ordeal as it has gone through, 
and that without complaint, I think no words that I can add are 
too much in praise of this grand addition to our not too nume¬ 
rous really good incurved varieties. The plant is of strong 
growth, neat habit, and produces flowers in abundance, of such 
noble proportions, combined with its delicate shade of yellow or 
primrose, that anyone has only to once see it and admire it 
alw'ays. Its free-growing capabilities render it well adapted to 
growing as a specimen plant, judging from the one Mr. Wills 
