July 6, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
18 
huge plant of Polygala grandis 4 to 5 feet through, and without exagge¬ 
ration a very beautiful object; also a grand example of Statice profusa 
5 feet across. Ericas are well represented by ventricosa globosa 4 feet 
in diameter, and Lindleyana, which is about half the size, and has been 
in bloom three months. Franciscea Lindeni, with its beautiful purplish 
mauve flowers, which are borne later than those of the other species, 
measures about 3 feet across, and being covered with flowers is some¬ 
thing to admire. There are some bulky old Azaleas, such as Magnificent 
(about 6 feet across), Due de Nassau, and Iveryana, not pyramids, but 
broad, evenly furnished specimens full of bloom. Boronia elatior is an 
object calculated to surprise the southron, who is not used to calculating 
the size of members of this genus in feet. Other noteworthy plants are 
Streptosolon Jamesoni wound round stakes in a large pot and freely 
bloomed; Cassia corymbosa, 4 to 5 feet across; Dasylirion gracile 
glaucescens and D. acrotrichum ; magnificent specimens of Gleichenia 
Mendeli and G. speluncm, the former about 8 feet through, the latter a 
couple of feet less ; Lapageria alba on a balloon-shaped trellis 4 feet in 
diameter, which has been clothed in flowers ; Euterpe edule, Stevensonia 
grandiflora, Dion edule, Ixora Williamsi, I. Duffi, and Kondeletia 
speciosa. Eucharis amazonica is in splendid health. One large piece 
has not been repotted for eighteen years, and is rarely without flowers, 
blooming seven and eight times in a season. It is supported with liquid 
manure and soot water, and proves its vigour by bearing seven flowers 
on a spike. 
The conservatory, which is about 60 feet long by 45 feet wide and 
30 high, contains an assortment of material such as is not often met 
with. Some of its occupants are familiar enough, but others are less 
so. Amongsc the former may be mentioned the Camellias, which are a 
wonderful feature ; the Abutilons, which go right up to the roof ; Cantua 
dependens, which has been full of bloom since January and is a lovely 
sight now ; Fortune’s Yellow Rose, which has been planted forty-seven 
years and covers one end and part of the roof, bearing thousands of 
flowers ; Lardizabala biternata, and a number of fine Palms and Tree 
Ferns. Draco Banks! erythrochysis is more of a stranger, at least to 
me, and there is plenty of it to study, for it is 30 feet high, and two other 
stately exotics on which I gazed for the first time were Dacrydium 
cupressinum and Alectryon excelsum. Feeling rather dubious about 
being able to give a description of them in the short space at command 
I take refuge in the useful generalisms that both are “ handsome and 
effective,” while the latter is found “ useful for cutting.” I think 
that if the names of the plants sound strange these phrases will make 
up for it. There are many other odds and ends of a more or less attrac¬ 
tive character, and one is tempted to think that Colonel Harrison Broadley 
has either roved afar or had many wandering friends, so strangely is 
his conservatory stored. It is likely enough that it would not entirely 
satisfy the present generation, but it is interesting, and beautiful 
withal. 
Peaches and Nectarines do wonderfully well at Welton. They are 
not far from the limestone, and appreciate it more than the wanderer 
whose way takes him over many a white and dusty highway, where 
Peaches grow not. We have had thirsty weather of late. The Lawtonian 
trees include specimens of the past as well as present generations, not 
dating quite back to the days of Turpin perhaps, but still venerable. 
There is a Grosse Mignonne of impressive rotundity, reputed to be fifty 
years old, which has not missed a crop, the present gardener told me, 
for twenty-four years, and has yielded as many as twenty dozen Peaches 
as one season’s quota. In its younger days 10 and ll-oz. fruits were 
not uncommon ; it does not reach that figure now, but bears crops quite 
good enough to insure its retention, and he would be callous indeed who 
could condemn such a faithful old slave without a sigh. Trees four 
years planted promise to follow the parental example, so vigorous, so 
healthy, and so fruitful are they. The Vines are equally satisfactory, 
and afford ample evidence that although Mr. Lawton has earned special 
repute as a plantsman, he is equally at home in other departments of 
the garden. 
Conifers at West Ella. 
A hint from the Welton gardener took me to West Ella, the residence 
of C. P. Sykes, Esq., where, he told me, there were some particularly 
fine Conifers. The place adjoins the village of Kirk Ella, which is one 
of the most beautiful it has been my pleasure to discover about Hull. 
There is quite a family party of Ellas in the neighbourhood, all having 
derived their name from a worthy savage of the pre-Normanic era. 
Doubtless he had a soul above Conifers and such like effeminate delights 
of an effete generation. 
The gardener at West Ella, Mr. Sturdy, is an old junior of Mr, 
Lawton’s. He was making his way down the village when I arrived on 
the scene, but executing a strategic movement I captured him near the 
village pump, which, by the way, is an elaborate and ingenious institu¬ 
tion that would have astonished the primitive understanding of the 
ancient Saxon. West Ella is a very beautiful old house flanked by 
irregular sweeps of lawn, on one portion of which is a small lake dotted 
with Water Lilies, edged with yellow Irises, and looked down upon by 
heavy masses of Rhododendrons. The walls of the building are clothed 
in Roses and Honeysuckle, so that it presents a most pleasing aspect. 
There is plenty of good timber in the vicinity, and the Conifers, although 
not numerous, comprise some noteworthy specimens. Picea nobilis is 
represented by a fine tree about 50 feet high, and which has borne some 
splendid cones, and there is a P. Smithiana of equal proportions. An 
otherwise grand tree of Cedrus atlantica glauca, 40 feet high, has been 
broken about by the snow, and its beauty unfortunately marred. The 
best specimen of Wellingtonia gigantea is a noble example, and there are 
also some fine Cedars, notably a Deodar, 50 feet high, and a spreading 
“ Lebanon ” with an altitude of about 60 feet. The Araucarias are also 
remarkably fine. Less imposing, but quite as perfect in its way, is the 
4 feet specimen of Abies Parryana glauca, a very beautiful little lawn 
tree. 
Space only permits of the briefest possible reference to West Ella, and 
I can only add that throughout the establishment there is ample proof 
of Mr. Sturdy’s capacity to do justice to a place that in itself and its 
surroundings can claim a special charm and attractiveness.—W. P. W. 
OXYLOBIUM CALLISTACHYS. 
This ornamental shrubby plant does not appear to be so generally 
well known as it might be, or it would be more extensively cultivated. 
Either as small plants for the side stages of the conservatory or as 
PIG. 3.—OXYLOBIUM CALLISTACHYS. 
plants 4 feet high in large pots it would be found very useful. Like 
most of the Australian plants Oxylobiums require only ordinary green¬ 
house treatment, but to make them flower freely allow them enough 
sun to thoroughly ripen their shoots. They will be found to thrive 
best in a compost of fibry loam and peat of about equal parts, with 
plenty of silver sand added. Oxylobium callistachys, shown in fig. 3, 
has bright yellow pea-shaped flowers produced in dense clusters, and is 
very showy, as are also many of the other species. The genus is a large 
one, but many of the species are not known in English gardens. 
WASPS’ NESTS AND CYANIDE OF POTASSIUM.' 
I NOTICE some remarks (page 518) re cyanide of potassium and the 
destruction of wasps’ nests. Mr. Molyneux has had far better results 
from its use than I have had. I have used cyanide of potassium now 
for eleven seasons, and my experience of it is that it only kills the ingoing 
wasps. Where the nest is close to the entrance, which very often 
happens, it kills a portion only of those inside, whilst the rest are merely 
