JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 19,18S2. ] 
365 
purplish blue, with a white blotch in the centre of the standard, 
and they are borne in close racemes, which are produced very 
freely from the axils of the graceful pinnate leaves. Lapagerias 
rosea and alba are progressing well, one pendulous growth of the 
last named having about twenty handsome flowers in a length of 
about 2 feet. The deep orange-coloured Oestrum aurantiacum is 
still covered with its abundant trusses of flowers. Tacsonias ex- 
oniensis and Yan-Yolxemi, with Passiflora racemosa cmrulea, being 
all useful climbing plants, the merits of which are well known. 
- Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston, & Co. are about to 
publish a cheap edition of the illustrated re-issue of “Gilpin’S 
Forest Scenery,” edited, with notes bringing it up to date, by 
Mr. F. G. Heath, author of “Autumnal Leaves.” 
A WINTER DRESSING FOR VINES—EXTIRPATING 
MEALY BUG. 
When I took charge of the gardens here a year and nine 
months ago I found the Vines very badly infested with mealy 
bug—so bad that the clusters of bug which hung to the rods 
looked very much like tufts of cotton wool. The Grapes had all 
been cut, and every bunch I have been told had to be cleaned. 
The first thing I did was to prune the Vines, but we did not bark 
them, a practice which I think is unnatural and one that cannot 
be too strongly condemned. We, however, gave them a good 
scrubbing with water as hot as we could bear our hands in and 
softsoap ; then after they were dry we gave them a thorough 
painting with the following mixture, and for the two following 
seasons not a bug has been seen on the Vines, and we have had 
good crops of large and well-finished Grapes ; and as the season 
for cleaning Grape Vines and other trees is close at band perhaps 
the following receipt may be of use. To a gallon of water add 
6 ozs. of nicotine soap, half a pound of sulphur, half a pound 
of tobacco, 1 oz. of nux vomica powder, with sufficient clay and 
cow manure to make it of the consistency of thick paint; apply 
with a soft brush.—W. C. 
NORTHWARDS—THE EDINBURGH NURSERIES. 
No one can remain long in the “Modern Athens” without being 
impressed with the great number of hotels provided for the accom¬ 
modation of a fleeting public; and if inquiry is made on the sub¬ 
ject the visitor will find that nurseries are also numerous. Some of 
these are of established fame, worthy of a visit, and hence of record. 
Of a few that were visited the following notes are descriptive :— 
THE LYNEDOCH AND CRAIGLEITH NURSERIES. 
These belong to the young and rising firm of Messrs. Ireland and 
Thomson, and are different in some respects from most of the other 
Edinburgh nurseries. Until they were established some eight years 
ago there was no nursery in the north in which primary attention 
was given to Orchids and new and choice stove and decorative plants 
generally ; but by this firm they are raised and grown with the most 
satisfactory results. The admirable display of plants at the late 
International Show was a good indication of the quality of the 
general stock, and a visit to the nurseries proved that the plants at 
the Show were only fair samples of the general contents of the 
houses. The Boyal Exotic Nursery, Lynedoch Place, is only about 
three minutes’ walk from the west end of Prince’s Street, and is chiefly 
devoted to glass structures, there being three ranges, or thirteen 
houses. Here we found fine collections of Camellias and Azaleas 
luxuriant in growth and bristling with flower buds. Tree Ferns were 
well represented in several of the houses, there being many large 
plants of Cyathea Smithii, Dicksonia antarctica with stems from 
G feet to 9 feet high, Cyathea dealbata, <fcc. Palms are also growing in 
large numbers here, and amongst these we noticed great quantities of 
fine Kentias of sorts, Arecas, Seaforthias, Latanias, and all others of 
merit as decorative plants. Cocos Weddelliana and Geonoma gracilis 
also deserve special note, as they were excellently represented. In 
other of the houses there were large batches of Primulas, and a 
general collection of stove and greenhouse Ferns were very con¬ 
spicuous by their clean healthy condition. 
Further on over Stockbridge, and in a beautiful and open part, we 
come to the Craigleith Nursery, and this is on a much more extensive 
scale in the way of glass houses and nursery ground. The latter is 
filled with healthy batches of the most useful and ornamental ever¬ 
greens and shrubs of every description, herbaceous plants in great 
variety, fruit trees, Roses, and in short everything to be found in a 
well-appointed nursery. The glass houses consist of eight span- 
roofed structures each 50 feet long by 15 feet wide. The first house, 
given up to East Indian Orchids, contains a selection of all the best 
of these in cultivation. 'Well-established pieces of such lovely and 
valuable kinds as Cymbidium eburneum, Cattleya Trianae, C. Dowiana, 
C. Warneri, C. Mossise, and C. gigas, Lselias, Phalsenopsis, Dendro- 
biums, Cypripediums, Saccolabiums, and all choice Orchids worth 
growing were to be found in quantity and in healthy and robust con¬ 
dition. Calanthes, which ma}' well be included among the choicest 
of plants, filled a corner in the Orchid house, and their large pseudo¬ 
bulbs and fine foliage gave promise of a rich display of their favourite 
flowers. No. 2 house is devoted to cool Orchids, and was filled to 
overflowing with fine batches of Odontoglossum Alexandrse, 0. Pes- 
catorei, 0. triumphans, 0. Rossii, and the variety majus, with a quantity 
of 0. pulchellum majus of the best variety. Masdevallias were in 
grand condition, such kinds as M. Veitchii, M. Harryana, M. Chimmra, 
M. tovarensis, and M. trochilus being grown in great quantities. 
Lycaste Skinneri is largely grown, and, like all the others, the plants 
of it are in fine condition. The old Cypripedium insigne was grow¬ 
ing freely and blooming profusely, the largest of the plants having 
eighty blooms and buds on them. Many splendid young plants of 
the Zygopetalums, and some large and small potfuls of the charm¬ 
ing little Pleiones, were doing remarkably well in the same cool 
atmosphere as the others. 
In one of the plant stoves we found one of the finest collec¬ 
tions of Crotons we have ever had the pleasure of seeing, their 
clean free growth, and, above all, their high colours, being most 
striking. The new Croton Thomsonii, certificated at Manchester 
last year, and previously noticed in these pages, was represented in 
grand form here ; and also were other new varieties of value, includ¬ 
ing C. Archibaldii, Lord Chelmsford, and two new seedlings now 
being sent out by this firm. They are very long and narrow in the 
leaves, rich gold and crimson in colour, and most desirable for dinner- 
table decoration. Abundance of small and half-specimen plants of all 
the older varieties of Crotons are also kept in stock, and altogether 
form a remarkable collection. The same house also contains quan¬ 
tities of healthy Dipladenias, Bougainvilleas, Stephanotis, Clero- 
dendrons, <fec., and from the roof was suspended many Pitcher-plants, 
including N. sanguinea, N. Mastersii, N. Henryana, N. Williamsii, 
N. robusta, N. Hookeri, N. Laurenceana, and others. The smallest 
of them were carrying about twelve pitchers, and some of the largest 
had twenty-four. Anthuriums were doing well in the company of 
these, the new A. Andreanum being very plentiful, and the finest 
plant had eleven bright spathes. There were good batches of the 
new' double-flowering Bouvardias in one of the houses., and hundreds 
of red and white Lapagerias, Cyclamens, and other winter-blooming 
plants. One house is entirely given up to the best kinds of green¬ 
house plants, and contains a choice and well-grown collection, a 
variety of choice Heaths being very prominent. Ferns are also 
grown in this nursery in large quantities. In the propagating house 
large quantities of new Crotons, Dracrenas, and other choice plants 
were being rooted by the thousand. Young Vines in pots for plant¬ 
ing out in borders and fruiting in the larger-sized pots were in a most 
satisfactory condition, the canes being very strong, the buds promi¬ 
nent, and all thoroughly ripened. 
In this brief notice many good plants are necessarily omitted, but 
we would advise all interested who visit Edinburgh to go and see 
for themselves, when they will observe that cultivation is of an 
unusual high order here. The seed warehouse in Waterloo Place is 
under the superintendence of Mr. Ireland ; Mr. Thomson, who is the 
only son of that widely esteemed gardener. Mr. David Thomson of 
Drumlanrig, looking after the nursery stock, ably assisted by Mr. 
Cole, a name known throughout the country in connection with high- 
class plant-growing. 
MESSRS. METBYEN & SON’S NURSERIES. 
Of these there are four, the principal one being in Leith Walk, the 
second at Warriston, the third at Inverleith, and the fourth at 
Gogar. There are few nurseries better known about Edinburgh than 
“ Methven’s in Leith Walk,” as this nursery is entered from this 
popular thoroughfare, and the long walk which runs through the 
greater part of it in a straight line has a very imposing and inviting 
appearance. On each side there are many large beds filled with 
ornamental-leaved Hollies, Rhododendrons, and all kinds of hardy 
Conifers and shrubs, their condition all that could be desired, and 
the varieties choice and good. Amongst Hollies we were much im¬ 
pressed with the many fine samples of such valuable kinds as Golden 
Queen, Shepherdii, Watereriana, myrtifolia, and Lawsoniana. Rho¬ 
dodendron ponticum was remarkable for number, and other fine- 
flowering varieties of the Himalayan sorts appeared in a very 
luxuriant state. Many other bushes valuable as ornaments and useful 
for covert planting occupied much space, and every attention appeared 
to have been devoted to secure clean ground and compact robust 
grow'th. Here and there about the grounds there are brick walls 
very suitable for training juvenile fruit trees, and these were covered 
with healthy finely trained young Peach, Nectarine, Apricot, Plum, 
and other trees generally grown against walls. Judging from the 
growth of the generality of the trees in this nursery the soil must 
be unusually good, and no expense appears to be spared in keeping 
it in a highly productive state. The glass houses are more scattered 
here than in some of the other nurseries, but this does not interfere 
in any way with the condition of the inmates, as the many thousands 
of plants could not be in a higher state of cultivation. They con¬ 
sisted chiefly of Azaleas, Camellias, Heaths, and hosts of all other 
kinds of hard and softwooded plants of value for decorative pur¬ 
poses. The Vines in pots annually grown in this nursery have 
