March 31, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
248 
of seed distribution may be said to have fairly set in, could not fail to 
impress anyone with the magnitude of the trade as conducted by a great 
London seed firm. Quite a regiment of workers appeared to be as busy 
as bees in their various departments. Seeds were being cleaned, by 
steam of course, and the thoroughness with which this work is done was 
exemplified by an incident. A fine sample of Mangold Wurtzel seed was 
being passed from the machine into sacks, when the quick eye of the 
manager detected a few small bits of dried stems in it, at which surely 
no farmer would have complained; yet the order went forth “Pass it 
through again, all the bits must come out.” By the languid Yes, sir, 
in which the order was acknowledged it was evident the rnen thought 
the seed was clean enough for anybody; however the “b'.ts had to 
come out, and absolutely nothing but clean new seed go into the sacks. 
Speaking of Mangold seed proper, nothing in the building is more 
indicative of a “ big trade ** than 120 tons of this seed alone in what is 
called the “ Mangel avenue,” and which will be distributed over the 
length and breadth of the land, also some probably over the sea during 
the season of delivery now commencing. Another great “ line in 
which the trade is evidently brisk is the Elephant Swede, which appears 
to have “ caught on,” for dozens of people were busy packeting, parcel¬ 
ling, boxing, and sending off seed of this variety alone. Bold fine seed 
it is, and distinct in appearance. The mention of “ boxing ” reminds of 
the huge piles of boxes of nearly all sizes, and containing all sorts of 
seeds, waiting for the railway vans, which come twice a day for clear- 
ing. 
The business is necessarily conducted in departments, such as farm 
root seeds. Clover seeds, and Grass seeds, all in enornaous bulks ; garden 
vegetable seeds in capacious galleries ; flower seeds in stacks of drawers 
innumerable ; made up and making up “ collections ” small and 
large for prompt transmission ; iron tanks of seeds for export to after¬ 
wards serve as water stores ; then may be seen long rows of neatly 
dressed girls at work in the order department, checking and comparing 
the parcels with the forms to secure accuracy in execution as far as 
this is possible. Employment of a light character is found for a large 
number of females, who thereby earn a good livelihood, and are evi¬ 
dently happy and contented. There are writing rooms, catalogue 
rooms, posting rooms, in which the nimble Angers of girls find appro¬ 
priate exercise under careful supervision, and are kindly and courteously 
treated. In the ledger rooms, of course, only experienced men are 
employed, and the presence of so many actively working tells very 
plainly that the “ busy season ” has at last set in. If purchasers of 
seeds did but know the high pressure and long hours that have to be 
endured at particular times they would send their orders early, in 
advance of the sowing season. Still, the resources are equal to all 
demands, come whenever they may. 
No pains are spared, nor time and labour begrudged, by the firm in 
satisfying themselves of the quality of the samples of various seeds, and 
the work of the expert in the analyst’s testing room was not envied, 
for he was poring over Grass seeds with a magnifier as sedulously as if 
hunting for diamond grains, though in all probability he was searching 
for faults in samples before the purchase of stocks. 
An inquiry for the pedigree Wheats was met by the answer, “ Nearly 
all gone,” exhausted by America, Canada, and Australia, where they 
are found to be of special value ; but the trade in Oats, the White 
Cluster especially, and the Goldthorpe and Prize Prolific_ Barley was 
going briskly on. The last-named is a Canadian favourite, the first 
consignment sent by the firm on a Government order being 10,000 
bushels. The trade in Potatoes, too, was never so active as at the pre¬ 
sent time, both home and foreign orders being far in advance of any 
previous year. This may, perhaps, be attributed to the prevalence of 
the disease last year, and a prudent desire for a change of seed. Be that 
as it may, the facts are as stated, and the run on Potatoes has exceeded 
expectations. 
Passing from great departments to small we come to the bird seed 
trade. A few years ago this department was opened as an experirnent, 
not at first with very encouraging results, but by persistent advertising 
it is now a profitable branch, affording employment to a separate staff 
constantly, for if rhe seed-sowing period is short, the seed-eating season 
by cage birds is all the year round. The word “ small, as employed 
in this connection, must be regarded as comparative, for between 
6,000,000 and 7,000,000 packets oi! bird seed have been sold, and canary 
seed is purchased by the ton ; so that, after all, “ great would, 
perhaps, be a more accurate description than “ small ” for this branch 
of a multifarious and far reaching trade, which is conducted as well as 
long experience can teach, and made what it is by enterprise and skill. 
Messrs. Carter & Co. are to be congratulated on the fine building that 
they have been so fortunate as to secure. 
MR. ALDERMAN MARRIOTT’S GARDEN AT COVENTRY. 
In the Journal of January 21st of the present year you gave an 
illustration of the grand example of Ixora Duffi exhibited at Edin¬ 
burgh by Mr. W. Finch, gardener to Mr. Alderman Marriott, Coventry. 
I called on Mr. Finch a few days ago to see how the “giants” were looking, 
for there are many very fine specimen stove and greenhouse plants in 
various stages for Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury, and the other great 
shows, and all look as though serious business was meant later on. Mr. 
Marriott’s garden is only a small one but crowded with glass structures, 
some devoted entirely to plants, others to Cucumbers, Vines, and Peaches, 
and there is a good collection of Orchids. 
In one of the Orchid houses is a very fine specimen of Dendrochilon 
glumaceum with fifty pendant spikes of creamy white colour, resembling 
to a great extent an ear of Barley, but smaller, and deliciously fragrant. 
Close by was a fine specimen Cymbidium Lowianum with five very 
fine racemes with seventy-eight blooms on them. Lycaste Skinneri alba, 
Cypripedium Lawrencianum, Phalacnopsises, including a deep coloured 
Schilleriana, Dendrobium Ainsworthi, and many other Orchids are now 
in bloom. Anthurium Rothschildianum is also in bloom. 
The collection of plants there will always repay a visit, and the 
gardens are but a short distance from the station, close by Messrs. 
Perkins & Sons. A house of specimen Ericas, Phoenocomas and other 
hardwooded plants alone is worth seeing, and those who are in the habit 
of seeing Mr. Marriott’s specimens at the leading shows know that they 
combine first-class quality with size. Mr. Finch is one of the best 
cultivators in the kingdom, and so every plant grower would say after a 
visit to the Queen’s Road Gardens.—W. D. 
THE IVY-LEAVED SENECIO. 
The Ivy-leaved Senecio (S. macroglossus) is one of the most useful 
of winter-blooming plants. It has been in flower since December, and 
is now going out of bloom. Winter-flowering plants which will do well 
on the roofs of greenhouses are not so numerous that so useful a one 
FIG, 40.—SENECIO MACROGLOSSUS. 
as this should be neglected. The flowers resemble those of the beautiful 
and popular yellow Marguerite, Chrysanthemum Etoile d’Or, but are 
of a somewhat lighter yellow or creamy hue. They are produced very 
freely, and at a time of the year when greenhouse flowers are scarce ; 
hence they are doubly valuable. The leaves, however, are as attractive 
as the blossoms, bright and cheerful as the latter are. They closely 
resemble those of the small-leaved Ivies ; in fact, are difficult to dis¬ 
tinguish from them, and are highly ornamental. 
The plant does best when planted out and trained up the roof of a 
house ; but may also be well grown in a pot. In either case good 
drainage should be provided, and a compost of light sandy loam with a 
little leaf soil will be suitable. Senecio macroglossus has been neglected 
too long. Flowers and leaves are represented by the engraving, 
fig. 40.—P. _____ 
OPEN AIR PEACHES. 
I FULLY agree with the opening sentence of “ Nous Verrons (page 
IQS') and also feel that some good will result from this discussion in 
dispelling “ rule of thumb ” practice, and also in upholding the practical 
rernarks of Mr. Igguldcn, as published in his article at pap 78. 1 
wonder what our nurserymen would think if they were called upon p 
stop sending out trees after November, for that is what ‘ Nous Vmrons 
rernarks almost amount to. They would say, “ If this is your science, if 
science at all, let us be done with it.” Oh no, “Nous Vmrons, let us 
have science and practice hand in hand, one to help the other. 
