88 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 27, 1882. 
beneath were some healthy well-grown Palms. The beautiful marble 
statuary, the fountains, and the beautiful inlaid stone door, are quite 
in keeping with the general style. Passing on to the flower garden, 
where there are some very prettily filled beds, part of which were in 
the carpet style, others prettily filled with old proved favourites that 
are indispensable in every garden ; one bed of Tuberous-rooted Be¬ 
gonias was particularly attractive. The walks around the different 
parterres are composed of Derbyshire spar, broken slate, and ballast, 
which has a very pretty effect. Standing at this point and looking 
upon the abrupt rising ground, before us is a very noticeable border 
of a rectangular shape, the outer band of which is composed of Box 
bushes, then a band of Aucuba japonica, and the central portion is 
filled up with Mahonia japonica ; the whole, being cut even with the 
knife, always looks well both winter and summer. 
There is a walk along the top of this, approached by means of steps 
at one end, and hidden from view by the overhanging branches of a 
tree, under which were growing luxuriantly the common Vinca and 
Scolopendrium vulgare, forming a carpet. At the top of this elevated 
ground a commanding view of the flower garden is obtained. Follow¬ 
ing this walk it eventually leads us into the wild garden. Romantic 
as such places usually appear, it is in this case greatly improved by 
being close by the remains of a Benedictine monastery. Standing on 
this commanding ground fine views of the magnificent hills clothed 
with beautiful woods are obtained, with glimpses of some curious 
old ruins in the distance, almost hidden by the growth of Ivy.— 
A Tourist. 
WEST OF SCOTLAND ROSE SHOW. 
Just on the eve of going to press we have received a report of the 
Show held at Helensburgh on the 20th inst., which for the reason in¬ 
dicated we can only publish in an abridged form. A novelty in this 
year’s Exhibition was the introduction of Pansies and Pinks, those 
shown by Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Paisley, eliciting great admiration. 
The display of Roses was magnificent, Messrs. Alex. Dickson & Sons, 
Newtonards, Ireland, securing the gold medal for forty-eight distinct 
varieties ; while Mr. Hugh Dickson, Belfast, carried off the premier prize 
for thirty-six distinct sorts. The number of Rose blooms in competi¬ 
tion was 1408, and of Pansies and Pinks 468. For twelve blooms of Tea 
or Noisette Roses, distinct sorts, Mr. A. H. Gray, Dunkeld, was first; 
and G. P. Hawtrey, Esq., Aldin House, Slough, second. For thirty- 
six blooms of Roses, distinct varieties, open to Scotch growers only, 
Mr. Wm. Parlane, Row, secured the first prize, a silver medal and £3, 
with grand flowers. The same exhibitor was the most successful with 
twenty-four blooms. 
Pansies. —These, as already stated, were largely shown. For twenty- 
four Fancy Pansies, distinct varieties, Messrs. William Paul & Son, 
Crossflat Nurseries, Paisley, were first, staging large brilliant flowers 
of excellent varieties. Mr. D. Findlay, Lennoxtown, was second, also 
with good blooms ; Mr. James Barr, Paisley, being third. For twenty- 
four Show Pansies, distinct sorts, Mr. James Barr was first with smaller 
blooms than those in the second-prize stand, but of fine quality. 
Messrs. William Paul & Son followed closely. For twenty-four Show 
and Fancy Pansies, distinct (open to gardeners and amateurs), Mr. D. 
Findlay was first with fine flowers ; Mr. R. Millar, Paisley, second ; 
and Mr. D. Malcolm, Kirkintilloch, third. 
For twelve Pinks, distinct varieties, Messrs. W. Paul & Son and 
W. Parlane were the prizetakers. 
THE EXPERIMENTAL GARDEN AT GIRTFORD. 
A few days ago we were much interested in visiting Mr. 
Laxton’s Experimental Garden at Girtford, between Sandy and 
Blunham. The principal work carried on there is the raising of new 
vegetables, fruits, and hardy flowers, the staple in each department 
consisting of Peas, Strawberries, and Roses, to the cross-hreeding of 
which Mr. Laxton has for many years given special attention. As 
the raiser of the Peas William I., Supreme, Omega, Fillbasket, Marvel, 
and other varieties now largely grown for market, Mr. Laxton’s name 
is best known. This class of vegetable is still under his care with a 
view to improving the quality and appearance, as well as increasing 
the hardiness and fertility of sorts suitable for market. The strains 
selected for working upon are William I., Dr. Hogg, Telephone, 
Marvel, John Bull, British Queen, and Ne Plus Ultra, which have all 
been intercrossed and also crossed with various hardy and fertile 
varieties. The results are some new sorts of very handsome appear¬ 
ance, the pods being large, well filled, and of an attractive deep green 
colour. A new dwarf Pea named William Hurst, although not much 
exceeding a foot in height, is very early, and the fine long pods almost 
conceal the rest of the plant. This is considered a great improvement 
upon Little Gem. Altogether there appear to be many hundreds of 
varieties to select from, the very best only being retained. Agricul¬ 
tural Peas have also been worked upon, and a new early Maple or 
Partridge Pea, three weeks at least in advance of the old Maple 
variety, has been obtained. There are also Peas with black, white, 
and striped pods, and Crown or Mummy Peas with almost all coloured 
flowers. 
In Broad Beans some fine long-podded varieties, with the pods well 
filled and produced in abundance, have been secured by crossing the 
hardy Mazagan Bean with a long-podded but somewhat tender sort 
of Mexican origin ; and handsome dwarf sorts have been obtained 
by breeding between the latter variety and)[Beck’s Dwarf Gem. 
Runner Beans have also been taken in hand, and a very fertile and 
large-podded variety obtained by crossing the Champion Scarlet 
Runner with a large White Russian variety. 
The Potato is now also an object of Mr. Laxton’s attention, with a 
view to raising varieties of higher quality and early maturity, and 
with stronger powers of resisting the attacks of the Peronospora, so 
destructive of late years to the Potato crop. For this purpose the 
Victoria, Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf, the Jersey Fluke, and most of the 
useful market sorts, have been crossed with the Scotch Champion, 
Magnum Bonum, and other woody-stemmed sorts, generally more 
capable of withstanding the disease. A cross between the Victoria 
and the Champion is especially noticeable, as bearing out the hoped- 
for results. The early-ripening English market sorts have also been 
intercrossed with the best of the American varieties, with a view to 
obtaining increased fertility combined with the better quality of the 
English sorts. 
A new early Vegetable Marrow, of the bush type, called Early 
Orange, has been raised by crossing the Custard with Hibberd’s 
Prolific. Rhubarb is being advanced by crossing the Monarch, 
Victoria, and other large late sorts with the small but very early 
crimson sorts, so as to get more size combined with colour in the very 
early Rhubarb. Asparagus of the large French type, and of course, 
in Bedfordshire, the Onion, are not neglected by Mr. Laxton, who has 
some very fine strains of both these vegetables. Large numbers of 
seedling Strawberries attest what Mr. Laxton is doing in the depart¬ 
ment of hardy fruits. These are mostly the offspring of crosses 
between Black Prince, Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, President, Sir 
Jos. Paxton, Sir Charles Napier, and British Queen, some of them 
being also from crosses between these varieties and the best of the 
American and continental sorts. Several seedlings, combining 
earliness with increased size, quality, and fertility, are shortly to be 
offered to the public. A variety called Pioneer, raised by Mr. Laxton, 
is now becoming much appreciated as a market Strawberry. 
The hardy American Vines are also being crossed with the best- 
enduring English sorts and continental vineyard Grapes, with the 
object in view of obtaining new varieties which it may be possible to 
ripen in the open air in higher latitudes and in colder seasons than 
has been attained of late years in England. Mr. Laxton, although 
somewhat disheartened by the recent cool and sunless seasons, is not 
altogether discouraged in the hope of yet being able to provide a Grape 
which may again give us vineyards in England. A very handsome and 
free-bearing new Apple, named Schoolmaster, and which recently 
received a first-class certificate from the Fruit Committee of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, will shortly be issued from the Girtford 
Garden, and several distinct seedlings are being worked. 
As a raiser of new Roses the name of Mr. Laxton has long been 
familiar to Rose-growers. The varieties Annie Laxton, Charles 
Darwin, Mrs. Laxton, Empress of India, Emily Laxton, Marchioness 
of Exeter, Mrs. Harry Turner, and many others of his raising are 
much appreciated both as garden Roses and on the exhibition stands. 
Mr. H. B. Ellwanger of Rochester, New York, in his recent carefully 
written work on the Rose, says that the Roses of this raiser are best 
adapted of all the English sorts to the American climate. All Mr. 
Laxton’s Roses are bred in the open air, and consequently he has been 
able only to grow from the hardiest varieties. Although otherwise 
under a great disadvantage, especially during the many cold and 
wet summers we have recently passed through, rendering a good deal 
of labour in attempting to ripen seed futile, some fine seedlings con¬ 
taining the blood of that hardy variety Gloire de Dijon intercrossed 
with Roses of the dark Hybrid Perpetual race, will shortly be forth¬ 
coming. Many minor matters in flowers have not escaped Mr. Laxton’s 
attention. Formerly the double Zonal Pelargonium was within the 
scope of his labours, the well-known Dwarf Jewel having, with many 
others, been raised by him. But latterly Mr. Laxton’s object has been 
to condense his work, and to endeavour only to improve such horti¬ 
cultural plants as are of general and increasing utility, and such as 
are likely to make experimental gardening remunerative as well as 
interesting. In appreciation of Mr. Laxton’s labours in cross-breeding, 
the late Mr. Charles Darwin was a contributor towards the establish¬ 
ment of the garden at Girtford .—(Bedfordshire Times.) 
WORK.F0fl.THE WEEK. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Where it is desired to have a supply of Lettuces in winter after 
that outdoors is stopped by frost, a sowing should now be made in 
frames or in a sheltered position, so that a frame and lights when 
necessary can be placed over the plants, and such protective material 
afforded as may be deemed expedient to exclude frost; but where it 
is imperative to have a supply of Lettuce in winter for salad a heated 
pit is necessary. The seed should be sown where the plants are to 
