50 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 21, 1892. 
boast of a church dating at least from the eighth century, and of a well 
dedicated to the founder of the church “ St. Cadvan,” whose waters are 
said to be curative of all ailments. In the grounds of Ynys-y-Maen- 
gwyn many relics of long past ages have been found, telling both Roman 
and ancient British life in matters of peace and war. 
The gardens have long been celebrated and referred to as among 
the first in the principality. There is indeed ample evidence of their 
being well planned and cared for before the present age awoke to its 
existence. Immense Yew hedges from 15 to 20 feet high and almost as 
much through, dense and impenetrable like masonry ; Beech trees in 
large numbers in company with members of the Pine family ; noble 
Limes and other deciduous trees, and a magnificent Evergreen Oak—said 
to be the finest in the kingdom—all in their own language tell of 
very careful and systematic planting by skilled hands that ceased to 
labour long, long ago. The Oak referred to is truly a monarch. Its 
branches extend and completely cover a circumference of nearly 400 feet; 
the weight of its branches were such as to cause anxiety, and therefore 
supports are fixed in the way of bands to strengthen and hold them 
together. In another place we find a stout old Wistaria sinensis eovering 
some 60 or more feet of wall, looking pityingly down on the modern 
dwarfs in its vicinity as though resounding past glories such as they, 
the dwarf, know nothing of, much in the way that an occasional veteran 
in human form will recount to us striplings the wonders of the good old 
times. But the glory is not all of the past in either sense, and I find 
Mr. Doig, the head gardener here, actively engaged in rivalling and 
actually surpassing the old order of things. Planting operations have 
been on hand for some seasons, and a wise council prevails in the 
matter of selection for permanent positions. Mr. Doig has evidently 
studied his business, and hence, instead of an indiscriminate mixture, 
we find only such Conifers, &c., as are really suitable. 
The plantations are thriving admirably ; a recent plantation of 
hybrid Rhododendrons are promising great things, and the .same may 
be said of a new rosery—but thorny is the path to success, as Mr. 
Doig finds in the case of bis Roses. During the past season it has been 
war to the hilt between himself and more than one species of insect 
pest. Like an able general, knowing that strategy will succeed where 
plain battle fails, he has attacked them in their weakness and demolished 
them. 
There are several large old-fashioned borders in the grounds that 
during the whole of the season, from early spring until autumn frosts 
set in, are full of interest, and make a most gorgeous display, beginning 
with bulbous plants, spring bedding, such as Wallflowers and Forget- 
me-nots, and followed by Pyrethrums, Phloxes, Delphiniums, with 
Dahlias, early flowering Chrysanthemums, and a host of other showy 
plants, tall and small growing ; the eliect on such a large scale is very 
lovely. Kitchen garden walls are furnished with a capital lot of trees— 
Peaches, Plums, and Cherries ; the former thrive and bear well here 
generally, and the fruit trees altogether in garden proper and elsewhere 
have borne enormous crops the last season ; in fact, heavier crops on 
young and old trees it would be difficult to conceive. Many old stagers 
of Apples and Pears have been root-pruned and allowed to remain in 
their positions for the present, and their produce has fully justified their 
retention, whilst the majority have had to make way for young and 
more vigorous trees of the best known varieties. 
We pass by without notice the various kitchen garden crops, compris¬ 
ing among other things in season at the time of our visit colossal Onions, 
real Welsh Leeks (in size), and well-ripened Tomatoes on the walls 
almost by the bushel. The new range of fruit houses was our next halt. 
These were going through their initial season work. The range consists 
of five compartments ; the entire length is 150 feet by 16 feet wide, and 
three-quarter span of first-class construction, and are planted inside with 
Black Hamburgh, Muscat of Alexandria, Lady Downe’s, Barbarossa, 
and other Grapes in four compartments, the fifth being a Peach house 
planted with fan-trained and pyramid trees, the back walls throughout 
the range with Peaches, Figs, and Vines, the whole so far doing and 
promising remarkably well. Provision is made for outside borders to be 
added when necessity arises. What might have proved a calamity was 
happily averted by Mr. Dolg’s timely attention being attracted to a 
peculiar fungus which made its appearance in the new border through 
some turf from a particular place having been by mistake mixed up 
with the prepared compost ; only a little, however, got in, and was 
speedily picked out after its discovery without any further consequence. 
Behind this range the fruit room, Mr. Doig’s office, potting sheds, 
and a commodious bothy are situated ; and fronting these more glass 
structures are contemplated. The site of some former glass houses 
(“ glass was under a heavy tax when they were erected ”) is passed, 
and we further pass by a path almost entirely covered with Laurel 
growth. This was pointed out as “ The Lover’s Walk,” and methinks 
a sigh was heard and a sentimental silence followed as onward through 
a lovely woodland our way we wended ; and what a woodland this is in 
spring ! Literally ablaze first with Snowdrops, and later with “ Daffys,” 
Bluebells, Wood Anemones, and Violets. Truly a rural paradise ! 
But we have not mentioned the Chrysanthemums, and Mr. Doig grows 
quantities too, and grows them well ; but he is not anxious to rob 
Mr. Parker of his well-earned fame, so grows for decorative and cutting 
purposes only, and not for large blooms specially. 
But we are reminded that our train is shortly due, and perchance it 
may be punctual, so we hurriedly leave Ynys-y-Maengwyn and its 
glories, aceompanied by our kind host, and repair to the railway station, 
and just catch our train (“ the mail which was only an hour late 1 
—Bradwen. 
THE CHICAGO EXHIBITION, 1893. 
Horticoltural Department. 
We have received from the Secretary of the Royal Commission for 
the above named Exhibition the appended statement with regard to the 
representation of horticulture at Chicago. 
Applications for space in this department should be made upon 
forms to be obtained from the Secretary of the Commission at their 
offices. Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C. They must 
be sent properly filled up, not later than February 29th, 1892, and 
addressed to the Secretary, Sir Henry Trueman Wood, as above. The 
charge for space within the buildings will be as follows :—For spaces 
not exceeding 100 sq. ft., 53. per sq. ft. For spaces exceeding 100 sq. ft. 
and not exceeding 200 sq. ft., 4s. 6d. per sq. ft. i’or spaces exceeding 
200 sq. ft. and not exceeding 300 sq. ft., 4s. per sq. ft. For spaces 
exceeding 300 sq. ft. and not exceeding 500 sq. ft., 3s. 6d. For spaces 
exceeding 500 sq. ft. and not exceeding 750 sq. ft., Ss. per sq. ft. For 
spaces exceeding 7.50 sq. ft. and upwards, 2s. 6d. per sq. ft. The 
minimum charge will be £5. 
The following description of the building, &c., is extracted from a 
paper recently read before the Society of Arts by Mr. James Dredge :— 
The horticultural building is a great conservatory, 1000 feet in length, 
and 287 feet in maximum width. The general features of this building 
are to be a central dome, 187 feet in diameter, and 113 feet high. At 
each end is a large rectangular pavilion, and these wings are connected 
with the central rotunda by the main body of the building, each side of 
which is divided into two courts, 88 feet wide by 270 feet long. The 
front courts will be used for especially tender plant.s. The rear courts 
will not he entirely glazed ; they will be especially adapted for fruit¬ 
growing exhibits which may require a cool temperature. The central 
dome will be chiefly given to Palms, Bamboos, Tree Ferns, Cacti, 
Eucalyptus, &c. The ground floor of each pavilion will be chiefly used for 
fruit exhibits, collections of seeds, and horticultural appliances. 
It is the intention of the chiefs of the horticultural department to 
encourage the best possible displays of all meritorious exhibits in the 
various groups of pomology, viticulture, floriculture, culinary vegetables, 
seeds, arboriculture, methods and appliances of horticulture, &c. The 
classification of this department will embrace everything of professional 
interest to horticulturists, and there can be little doubt but that the dis¬ 
play will give us as great an impetus to the gardener’s art as did the 
similar, but much more limited, exhibit at the Centennial Exhibition of 
1876. 1 think there is every reason to suppose that this section will 
receive very warm and practical support from English horticulturists. 
Not only is our pre-eminence in the art fully recognised in the United 
States, but the importation of plants is not saddled with the heavy 
taxation that applies to most other objects to that country ; in fact, ail 
plants intended for indoor cultivation, for the production of cut flowers, 
and for decorative purposes are admitted free. In the same way many 
garden seeds are equally unencumbered, and a very large trade is done 
in them by seed producers in this country. 
It will be within the remembrance of many persons who visited the 
Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876 that the Rhododendron 
displays made by British growers gained the wonder and admiration of 
millions of American visitors; this exhibit laid the foundation for a 
large and constantly growing trade in this particular shrub, and I was 
recently informed by one of the chiefs of this department in Chicago— 
an eminent horticulturist—that, despite the advance that has been made 
in America in this branch of culture, we still maintain the lead that we 
had nearly twenty years ago. 
In 1876 there were less than a thousand nurserymen in the whole of 
the United States ; this number has been increased more than fourfold 
at the present time, and the trade in America with cut flowers and 
decorative plants is enormous. At the beginning of this year there were 
4659 floriculture establishments in the United States, with nearly 
39,000,000 square feet of glass. The value of these establishments is 
about £8,000,000 sterling, while the value of the plant sales during 1890 
amounted to £2,500,000 sterling, and that for cut flowers to nearly 
£3,000,000. With this very extensive business, with the acknowledged 
fact that we, as floriculturists, are far in advance of the United States, 
and with the very favourable conditions that exist, there is every reason 
to suppose that, in this department at least, British exhibitors may go 
to Chicago without the least doubt as to the commercial success of their 
undertaking. 
The following is the text of the classification for horticulture and 
floriculture :— 
Horticulture. —Garden vegetables and their cultivation. Market 
and truck gardening. Esculent vegetables. Garden tools and other 
accessories of gardening. 
Floriculture. —Hardy perennials, flowering shruhs, &c., other than 
Roses, Rhododendrons, &c. Roses of all varieties. Rhododendrons, 
Azaleas, and wild flowers. Orchids and Orchid houses. Ornamental 
leaf plants. Bedding plants and annual flowering plants, ornamental 
bulbs, &c. Flower and seed trade—Methods of testing vitality of seeds. 
Cactacea3. Aquatic plants and their culture; Nymphasa, &c. Cut 
flowers and florists’ work. Floral designs, &c. Bouquets, preserved 
flowers, leaves, seaweeds. Illustrations of plants and flowers. Materials 
for floral designs. Bouquet materials, bouquet holders, bouquet papers, 
table decorations. Receptacles for plants. Flower pots, plant boxes, 
tubs. Fern cases, jardinieres, &c. Window gardening. Plant and flower 
stands, ornate designs in iron, wood, and wire. 
Arboriodture. —Ornamental trees and shrub-s. Methods of growing, 
transplanting, &c. Fruit trees and methods of rearing, grafting, trans- 
