810 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 5, 1893. 
they were valued at a lower rate than that quoted by Mr. Molyneux ; 
and I am convinced that more than one adverse season must occur 
before Pears will be accepted and adopted as a more appreciative and 
paying crop. At Marston a failure in outdoor Peaches is almost an 
unknown thing, and this year Mr. Iggulden gathered several dishes of 
fruit in June, and a heavy crop was borne by every tree under his 
charge. Strong as he has frequently proved himself in Pears, he would 
not be guilty of filling his warm south walls with these. I have found 
that an east aspect is better suited than a wall facing west for growing 
Peaches outdoors. They do not obtain the same amount of sunshine 
in the latter position, and consequently their wood does not ripen so 
perfectly, particularly where the walls are lofty. Nor do the leaves 
blister so badly as a rule in the spring, sometimes not so much so as 
they do on a southern exposure.—W. S., Rood Ashton, 
WEMBLEY PARK. 
Wembley Pakk, the most important of the latest additions to the 
lungs of London, is situated on the north-western side of the metropolis 
midway between Neasden and Harrow-on-the-Hill. A new station has 
recently been opened there, it is thus within easy access of the city, and 
can be reached in twenty minutes from Baker Street on the Metropolitan 
Railway, travelling by the Aylesbury line. Although comparatively 
close to London the whole district at present has a rural aspect, which 
adds a charm to the surroundings of a picturesque park. At one time 
Wembley Park formed the grounds to a private residence, but the whole 
of it was purchased a few years ago by the Metropolitan Tower Con¬ 
struction Company to provide a pleasure resort, including a feature of a 
unique eharacter. The latter will be known as the Wembley Park 
Tower, which will doubtless prove a powerful attraction. It is not 
within the province of a gardening paper to go into details regarding 
this wonderful example of engineering, but when a Journal representa¬ 
tive gazed upon it a few days ago he came to the conclusion that when 
completed it would be a stupendous erection. It will exceed in altitude 
by 175 feet the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, the latter being 955 feet 
in height, whilst the tower at Wembley Park will be 1150 feet high. It 
stands on a hill, so that when completed the summit of the erection will 
be 1300 feet above the sea level. Already the four huge buttresses 
covering over 2 acres of ground have reached a height of 100 feet, and 
it is anticipated that the tower will be completed in eighteen months. 
It will weigh about 7500 tons, and on the three platforms there will be 
a concert hall and numerous other attractions. 
The grounds, however, concern us most here, and, attractive as the 
Tower is, a brief description of the manner in which these have been 
laid out by Mr. H. B. Milner will perhaps be more interesting to 
readers of this paper. The Park is about 130 acres in extent, has an 
undulating surface, and is remarkably well wooded. There are some 
fine Oak trees standing in clumps and singly in various parts, and these 
have been preserved and shown to great advantage by Mr. Milner. On 
entering from the railway station the visitor’s attention is first attracted 
to a picturesque lake which covers 8 acres and has an uniform depth of 
3 feet. This is fed by the river Brent, and the scene has been enhanced 
by the erection of pretty bridges and the formation of islands. One of 
the latter is planted with Bamboos, which will form a striking feature 
when established, as also will the splendid clumps of Golden Elders and 
other shrubs on the banks. On the north side of the Park there is a 
wood which will be a charming retreat, and a main road is carried 
round the grounds until it reaches the Tower. The walks and roadways 
are laid out in a manner that gives evidence of a masterly hand, the 
grand sweeps and curves being most conspicuous. Fine groups of 
shrubs of different kinds have been planted in suitable places, and these 
have already made good growth. In front of the principal refreshment 
pavilion a splendid terrace has been formed. This has a bold walk 
through the centre, leading from the building mentioned to a band 
stand and then sweeping on each side to other walks. Flower beds are 
being laid out on the terrace, and these will in due course be devoted to 
the latest phase of bedding. The principal pathways are bordered with 
shrubberies in places, and amongst other plants some clumps of 
Hydrangea paniculata are noticeable. It is obvious that the most has 
b^n made of everything. There is nothing petty discernible, but 
everything is of a bold and sweeping nature which always characterises 
the work of a good landscape gardener. 
Apart from the features mentioned there are others of a more 
important nature perhaps in the athletic world. Cricketers and football 
players will be glad to learn that Mr. Milner has formed a splendid 
ground, which is already in request, as the Old Westminsters, one of the 
leading amateur clubs of the south, have arranged to make Wembley 
Park their headquarters this season, the first match probably taking 
place on October 14th, A magnificent running track, having only two 
laps to the mile, encircles the cricket ground, which is also bordered with 
groups of shrubs tastefully planted. Many other similar things are 
provided, and al fresco entertainments of various kinds will be given 
when the Park is opened to the public, as it will be shortly. 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS AS BEDDING PLANTS. 
I READ with some surprise the sort of half prophecy that “ W. P. W.” 
(page 264) is inclined to make anent the future of Tuberous Begonias 
as bedders. With me they have this year done even better than in other 
easons. Perhaps it may be the situation that is in favour of a free 
growth and abundant blossom. Our best display of these plants is in a 
bed occupying about a hundred tubers, some of them six years old at 
least. Dotted here and there amongst the Begonias are Eucalyptus 
globulus, Eicinus cambodgensis, and Abutilon Thompson!, with the 
object of giving relief to the otherwise formal surface. No doubt the 
latter plants have provided an agreeable shade to the Begonias, as the 
Eucalyptus and Castor Oil plants are now 6 feet in height. The 
Begonias have grown fully 2 feet high, have flowered profusely, and are 
doing so at the present time (September 25th). 
In spite of the popularity of Tuberous Begonias as summer bedders, 
and the ease with which they can be grown, I fear many persons do 
not manage them as well as they might. Too often growers neglect to 
provide some slight shade for a week or two after they are planted, if 
the weather be h^ot and dry. Some plants receive a check at that time 
from which they do not recover during the summer. As planting pro¬ 
ceeds I provide a slight shade by thrusting in a few green Sycamore or 
Chestnut boughs amongst the plants. The soil is then kept cool, and 
plants under such conditions quickly become established. The covering 
of the soil between the Begonias with some low growing plants such as 
Sedum Lydium, S. glaucum, or Herniaria glabra is too often neglected, 
and in a hot season as that just experienced the advantage of so 
doing has been demonstrated. Not only do they provide an agreeable 
contrast between the various colours of the Begonias and themselves, 
but they arrest the evaporation of moisture from the soil by the sun and 
keep the roots comparatively cool. I have at the present time a very 
fine display of these Begonias from plants that were raised from seed 
sown early in February of this year.—E. Molyneux. 
Begonias at Forest Hill. 
To see Begonias in beds everyone should at once pay a visit to Messrs. 
J. Laing & Sons, Stanstead Nursery, Forest Hill. Catford Bridge, on the 
South-Eastern, and London, Chatham, and Dover Railways is the nearest 
station. Those who go will be astonished at the magnitude of the under¬ 
taking, a plot of ground over two acres in extent being entirely 
filled with double and single varieties. The number of plants required 
for this purpose reaches almost to the stupendous total of 350,000, and 
it cannot easily be imagined what a spectacle is presented to the eyes of 
visitors. The plants have this season, as everyone well knows, been 
terribly handicapped by the dry weather of the past summer, so that 
now the number of flowers expanded amount to about that which one 
might naturally expect to see during July. The plants, too, have not 
made the growths which usually characterise well managed Begonias, 
nevertheless they are strong, dwarf, and carrying large numbers of 
excellently coloured, perfectly formed blooms. Bright and beautiful, a 
picture of health, and an example of untiring intelligence and energy, is 
this wonderful sight. When we have a bed of Begonias consisting of 
say 200 plants, we think we have a brave show indeed, and if the 
plants are healthy and well flowered we are proportionately proud of 
them, but when we see them by the acre we are able to appreciate them 
in a larger degree. 
The plants have been placed in beds, each containing one distinct 
colour, and considering that the plants are seedlings it is surprising how 
tew rogues there are to be found. Here and there amongst the scarlets 
one sees a pink or a white, but so far from detracting from the beauty of 
the display they but accentuate the good points by their minority. First 
comes five beds of dark crimson sturdy little plants, having numberless 
faultlessly shaped blooms on them. Next came five beds of a very 
bright scarlet-coloured variety, and which formed, in my opinion, one of 
the brightest spots in the whole collection. Some beds of a soft pink- 
bloomed kind attracted me next, then crimson again, after which came 
a rose-coloured variety of a high order of merit. The yellows were 
showy, and the whites looked charming in their chaste purity. Those 
already mentioned belong wholly to the single section, and occupied 
about half of the space allotted to the Begonias, the other half being 
devoted to the double varieties, which had been planted in the same 
manner, but did not present such a show of bloom as did the 
others, as many of the best had been lifted in order to preserve them 
from the frosts, which may now be expected at any time. Notwith¬ 
standing the fact that many had gone, some grand plants are yet to be 
seen, and foremost amongst which were some whites of exceptional 
quality. They carried their blooms in an upright fashion, allowing the 
pureness of the white and the perfect contour of the flowers to be seen 
at a glance. No fault could be found when they were closely examined ; 
on the contrary, the more one looked the better the flowers appeared to 
become. Then, too, were noticed some scarlets, crimsons, and grand 
yellows, forming a perfect galaxy of beauty. 
Conspicuous amongst those that had been placed in pots were some 
plants having blooms of pleasing colours. As is well known the Tea 
Roses of the L’Ideal type afford some of the most beautiful combi¬ 
nations of shades one can wish for, and which are practically inde¬ 
scribable. Such is now the case with the Begonias. Yellows can be 
clearly seen, as also can rose, pink, scarlet, and crimson, and occa¬ 
sionally other shades, so that I may he forgiven for not putting 
the colour down concisely in one word. However, the flowers in 
those shades alone are worth a run down to Forest Hill, for they 
are really exquisite in their delicate colouration. Those who are 
wishing to see these beds this season will do well to make their 
pilgrimage at once; they will be cordially received I do not doubt, 
and will be amply rewarded by the veritable feast of Begonias which 
will greet them as brightly, if not as heartily, as will either of the 
Messrs. Lainga, 
