October 14,1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER « 343 
A CHAPTER ON CHISWICK. 
HERE is always something to be seen and 
learned in the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Gardens—something either new or useful—some 
hints or suggestions that may be profitably 
turned to account in other gardens ; hence, 
without further preamble, I submit these notes. 
Dahlias. —Worthy of notice at the present time 
is a trio of new Bouquet Dahlias, which are not 
only' very distinct from other varieties in cultivation, 
but possess considerable decorative value. The first to 
notice is A. F. Barron, a bright clean sulphur-coloured flower, 
deepening to yellow in the centre. All the florets are quilled 
or incurved in the most regular manner, their interior being 
yellow, exterior sulphur. The flowers are about inches in 
diameter, and being freely produced they' have a fine contrast¬ 
ing effect with the foliage. Deutscher Reich is a remarkable 
flower, all the florets being distinctly three-lobed and slightly 
incurved. The prevailing colour is rich scarlet with a bronzy 
yellow under surface, which appears to stain through, and it 
shows very clearly on the point of each floret. The trio is 
completed by a variety named Zogling, a well-formed flower, 
peculiar by the outer florets being of a flesh pink colour, those 
in the centre being orange, imparting a novel appearance to 
the flower. These and some other varieties were sent to the 
Gardens by M. Deegen of Zurich. Although they do not 
possess the properties of high-class florists’ flowers, they com¬ 
bine novelty' with attractiveness, and are highly suitable for 
border decoration. 
Ricinus Duchess of Edinburgh.— In a large bed on the 
lawn this Ricinus appears the best of several varieties on trial. 
The foliage is very dark, indeed precisely of the same colour 
as R. Gibsoni, but the plant is of larger and more stately 
growth than that variety, and for subtropical purposes is very 
effective. 
Helianthus orgyalis. —This old herbaceous plant grows 
8 feet high and bears small clear y'ellow flowe s. The foliage 
is very long, narrow, and drooping, and even when the plant 
is not flowering it has a very elegant appearance. As a bright 
late autumn flower for associating -with shrubs by the side of 
carriage drives this species is worthy of notice. It is known 
also as H. angustifolius. It is a native of Carolina, and was 
introduced in 1789 by Thomas Watson. 
Azaleas.—A number of these valuable spring-flowering 
plants are in splendid condition, the result chiefly of their 
having been planted out during the summer in a bed of peat 
and leaf soil. They have recently been taken up and potted, 
and have not “ lost a leaf.” Had they remained in pots all 
the summer it is not possible that they could be in their present 
satisfactory state. They were planted in a pit, and had the 
benefit of the glass lights for a short time, but throughout 
the summer the lights were removed night and day. A pit is 
no doubt an advantage, but planting out Azaleas in a prepared 
bed of soil in the open ground was practised with great success 
by Mr. Gower in the Tooting Nurseries, and there is little 
doubt that this Continental system might be adopted with 
excellent results in many gardens. The rich dark green insect- 
free foliage of the Chiswick plants, with the bold well-set 
flower buds, show conclusively' the value of the mode of culture 
to which they have been subjected. 
Fruit.— This is nearly all gathered and stored in the 
capacious fruit room. Pears appear the most numerous, and 
are generally finer and cleaner than the Apples. There are a 
few very fine examples of the Souvenir du Congres Pear that 
have been produced by a bush tree. The quality of the fruit 
is very good, but not quite equal to Williams’ Bon Chretien 
when in its best condition, and not equal, too, to another Pear 
about as large as Souvenir du Congres—namely, Vineuse. 
In appearance this Pear is not attractive, but the quality is ex¬ 
cellent—the best Pear in the room. Beurre Hardy is also now 
in season, the fruit being very juicy and possessing a honey'ed 
sweetness. This Pear is a great favourite with small birds, 
which Mr. Barron states attack it persistently even before the 
fruit is ripe, and it is generally conceded that “ birds are not 
bad judges of fruit.” 
The finest Apple in the fruit room is Stirling Castle, the 
grand symmetrically formed fruit showing with great promi¬ 
nence among perhaps a hundred other varieties on the central 
table. This is a kitchen Apple of great value, and for market 
purposes one of the best in cultivation. The most handsome 
Apple in the collection is perhaps Uellner’s Golden Reinette, 
a fruit of medium size and in shape faultless. It is a dessert 
Apple of the King of the Pippins type, equal in quality, but 
much superior in appearance to that useful variety. Cellini, 
a free-bearing variety of good appearance and quality', is also 
represented by some excellent specimens. For home use this 
Apple is highly worthy of cultivation, but is less valuable for 
market purposes, as it is not a good traveller, showing as it 
does its bruises so prominently. It is a culinary Apple of the 
first quality, and “ not bad ” for dessert. Among the dessert 
Apples Lucombe’s Pine Apple is attractive in appearance and 
of excellent quality when ripe during November and Decem¬ 
ber ; and there are good examples of a later, very' distinct, and 
good variety, Court Pendu Plat. The flowers of this variety 
are late in expanding, and often thus escape the frosts of 
spring—a circumstance of some importance. The few Apples 
named may safely be included in all collections. 
Grapes. —In the large curvilinear vinery the crop is good. 
The berries are, perhaps, not quite so large as those of the 
crop of last year, but large enough to command the highest 
price in the market. Some of the Vines were prematurely 
defoliated by a sudden and severe frost last November, but 
they have not suffered to such an extent as might have been 
expected ; some, indeed, do not appear- to have suffered at all, 
while only on one or two is the injury they received apparent 
now. This proves pretty conclusively that those who are so 
unfortunate as to have mealy bug on their Vine leaves may 
remove them as soon as they assume their decided autumnal 
No. 16.—YOL. I., THIRD SERIES. 
No. 1672.— Yon. LX1Y., Old Series. 
