August 28, 18S6. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
187 
the houses at Aberaman Park, and in the following year (1876) I went on 
a visit to Manchester and procured cuttings of the above-named 
Tropaeolum, which both rooted, and I increased the stock to thirteen or 
fourteen good strong plants, but it ^as never bedded out in my time 
while there to June, 1877, Mr. Morgan then being head gardener.” 
- Gardeners in Australia.—“ D. J. A.” will be glad if any 
of our readers can inform him what wages an under gardener receives in 
Australia. 
- Mr. Thomas Wood, as a competitor in the late Boiler 
Contest at Liverpool, thanks Mr. Bardney for “ so lucidly placing 
the facts thereon before the public.” Amongst other points referred to 
by Mr. Wood in favour of his own boiler, and consequently coming 
under the category of advertisements, “ he thought at one time a com. 
petitor was to be one of the judges, seeing the active part he took in 
taking the temperatures and following the judges in their duties.” The 
letters we have received from exhibitors on this subject will be preserved, 
and any suggestions in them noted that may be of service in any possible 
future contests. 
- Mr. A. Crews desires us to state that his engagement as 
manager with Messrs. Yiccars, Collyer & Co., Leicester, has terminated* 
and that he now occupies a similar position in the Chad Valley Nurseries, 
Edgbaston, Birmingham, that being his present address. 
- Mr. W. Iggulden sends the following note on a fine Queen 
Pine Apple “ Mr. J. Lock, gardener to B. W. Cleave, Esq., Crediton, 
Devon, the well-known plant exhibitor, is also equally as expert in fruit 
culture. I have seen several remarkably fine Smooth Cayenne Pine 
Apples that he has grown, but his greatest achievement in that direction 
is the production of a Queen Pine weighing 7 lbs. 14 ozs., this being only 
a trifle short of the weight of the grand Queen exhibited by Mr. Sandford 
of Underley Hall, Westmoreland, at the fruit show held at Manchester 
some years ago (I forget the date, but well remember the exhibit, which 
was considered worthy of a gold medal). I hope Mr. Lock, in addition 
to showing his fine fruit at Exeter on August 25th, will also send or take 
it, if it will keep, to the Crystal Palace and South Kensington meetings 
early next month.” 
-The Bristol Chrysanthemum Society’s Show will be held 
in the Drill Hall, Queen’s Hoad, Clifton, Bristol, on November 17th and 
18th. We observe from the schedule a silver cup is offered as the first 
prize for six plants, and the silver medal of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society is added to the first prize for twenty-four blooms. The schedule 
embraces sixty-three classes, and the exhibition should be representative 
of garden produce in season at that period of the year. 
- Gardening Appointments. — The following appointments 
have been made through Messrs. John Laing & Co., Nurseries, Forest 
Hill, London, E.C. :—Mr. Packman as gardener to C. P. Brachi, Esq., 
Brook House, Southgate. Mr. Bingham as gardener to L. White, Esq., 
Engadine, Bromley. Mr. R. Harman as gardener to W. P. Jeffrey, Esq., 
Llandovery, S. Wales. Mr. J. Heard as gardener to M. J. Freeman, Eeq., 
The Grange, Exmouth. Mr. Young as gardener to A. G. Petty, Esq., 
Shooter’s Hill, Woolwich ; and Mr. J. Davis as gardener to E. A. Woolley 
Esq., Manor House, Abbotts Lmgley, Herts. 
- Referring to the derivation of the name Hollyhock, a cor¬ 
respondent remarks that Dr. R. C. Prior has said that “ Hock is clearly 
from the Latin alcea, but the Holli is very difficult to explain. Somner’s 
Dictionary gives a pretended Anglo-Saxon Holihoe, an improbable word, 
and one that, if it ever existed, could not have applied to a flower un¬ 
known to the Anglo-Saxons. Wedgwood understands it as meaning 
‘ Holy-land-hock,’ but a p'ant unassociated with any legend would 
scarcely have been called Holy from having been found in Palestine. It 
is questionable, however, whether it comes to us from that country. In 
old writers it is distinguished as the Alcea hortulana, or Garden-hock, and 
possibly Holly may he a corruption of the word hoitulana. Another pos¬ 
sible source of it is the Hock-tide, a festival of the Church, with which 
the name of the plant may have become confused, and from some associa¬ 
tion of ideas the Holy been thus attached to it. But upon the whole, the 
most probable origin of it is Latin caulis, with the meaning of a cale, 
coley, or Cabbage-hock, and referring, as in Cabbage-rose, to its well-filled 
double flowers; or used in the sense of stalk, and referring to its lofty 
habit. Cauli or Coley-hock would easily pass into Holly and Holy-hock.” 
Some have thought the word is derived from the Welsh “ Holliacb,” 
signifying quite well or whole, and, therefore, synonymous with the 
generic name Althrea. 
- For several years, says Nature, attempts have been made in 
Sweden to extract tannic Matter fiom the Swedish Species of Pine, 
similar in quality, &c.,to that of the American Hemlock (Pinus canadensis), 
but without satisfactory results, chiefly on account of the manner in which 
this is done not being known. Now, however, the question has been 
solved by a chemist, Dr. Laudin, who, having visited North America for 
this purpose, has, on his return to Sweden, succeeded in producing tannic 
matter by a chemical process, which has been found equal to the American, 
though the colour of the Swedish leather produced therewith is more 
yellow in colour than the American. It is hoped that this discovery will 
have the effect of causing a great tanning industry to spring up in 
Sweden. 
A SPLENDID RHODODENDRON. 
The Vine at Hampton Court has long been reputed for its magnifi¬ 
cence above others of its class. Here and there over the country striking 
specimens of plants crop up and call for special comment. Well, in 
“ Ye ancient Kingdom o’ Fife,” and at Balbirnie, the residence of Colonel 
Balfour of Balbirnie, in the parish of Markinch, a very fine Rhododendron 
attracts attention. Few places in Fifeshire are more inviting than 
Balbirnie for floral grandeur. There we can look back, and that pleasantly 
for a long series of years when Messrs. Thomson, France, Edwards, 
Temple, were in succession head gardeners there, and now with equal 
delight on beholding the achievements made by the present head gardener, 
Mr. Henderson. The gardens at Dysart House, also in Fifeshire, have 
long been famed for Rhododendrons grown there, but not better than at 
Balbirnie. We have seen them well managed under Mr. Blair, Mr. 
Laing (Mr. John Laing of the firm of Messrs. John Laing & Co., Stan- 
stead, London), Mr. Pierce, Mr. Thomson, and Mr. Clarke, and their 
efforts told effectively, but the plant we now refer to eclipses any we have 
seen in this part of the country. Rhododendrons at Balbirnie are well 
managed and grow beautifully. Here Rhododendrons are special 
favourites. They are well cared for and grow freely and luxuriantly in 
soil that suits them well. The particular plant under notice eclipses any 
we have ever seen for size, symmetry, and beauty. It is growing in a 
shady dell to the north-east of the mansion house, and by a burnside. 
So large has this plant grown that it has become a particular object in 
the scenery, and the admiration of all who have seen it. Surrounded by 
feathery Ferns and white and purple Foxgloves that stand forth amongst 
underwood beneath tall trees on the neighbouring banks, its situation is 
very suitable. It must have been planted fully fifty years ago. It is 
worth going miles to see. It is in perfect health, and this season it was 
completely covered with flowers. This remarkable specimen measures 
39 feet in diameter, and 15 feet 6 inches in height. A photograph of this 
floral beauty has been taken, and is well worth preserving.— Thomas 
Nicol. 
OLD AND NEW ROSES. 
[A paper by Mr. Joseph H. Bourn, read before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.] 
( Continued from page 160.) 
The Roses of all lands are with us, but changed in their constitution 
—some weakened, others strengthened by a change of diet, climate, and 
care. The rosery should be both exposed and sheltered, a place of sun¬ 
shine and of shade ; the centre clear and open, and the protecting screen 
around. The requisite conditions of a spot selected for R ise culture 
cannot always be judged by the mere texture, depth, or character of the 
soil, even in conjunction with climate and situation ; for it is more a 
matter of actual experience than calculation. The Rose trees should be 
so arranged that the sun will shine upon them from its rise to meridian, 
and then leave them in shadow and repose. The hardy may preferably 
be planted in the autumn, the tender in the spring. Set plants of one or 
two years’ growth, and prune before planting, for the shortening of the 
shoots and roots reduces the number of bu is which draw upon the sap, 
and a more vigorous growth follows. Choose a day when the earth is 
easily worked and friable, for planting. Place the roots 3 to 6 inches 
under the surface, and set deeper in light and dry than in strong and moist 
soils. Transplanting should occur once in five or six years, but budded 
and grafted varieties more frequently become impaired; the wood, 
annually weaker, does not attain that maturity and size necessary to the 
production of fine flowers. If we carefully remove a tree in this condition 
we shall find large, sucker-like roots, almost destitute of fibres, which 
have been burying themselves iu the earth each succeeding year. Re¬ 
moved farther from the reach of nourishment, the bush dwindles and 
becomes debilitated, which is remedied by replanting in the autumn, 
cutting off the suckers and pruning the roots. 
Roses may be grown to perfection in ordinary garden soil, but they 
must be cultivated, and the ground thoroughly drained, dug, and fertilised, 
and rendered as porous as possible. In clay loams the use of sand, lime, 
soot, burnt earth, and loose, light vegetable matter, like leaves decayed to 
mould, will alter the texture and improve the quality. At the time of 
planting strong fertilisers are not required, but when the trees have become 
established they like rich soil, which should be made light for the delicate 
rooting kindB, and more tenacious for the robust and hardy ; and it would 
be reasonable that the classes and varieties differing in their nature should 
