500 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 6, 1896. 
never to the point of stagnation. At frequent intervals it is advan¬ 
tageous to carefully sponge the leaves, as well to keep open the pores as 
to insure the plants against the incursions of insect enemies to which, 
with the majority of stove plants, they are very liable. With regard to 
soil there is an abundance of latitude, as Marantas thrive well in either 
peat or loam, growing somewhat faster in the former than the latter, 
but usually with much softer stems and more flimsy leaf texture. 
So far as my experience teaches me, success depends, not so much on 
the soil, as on the atmospherical conditions under which the plant is 
growing, a dry atmosphere being inimical to success, while pleasantly 
warm, moist temperature conduces greatly towards perfection. It will 
be observed that nO' particular sizes of pots have been mentioned, 
and it is for the reason that this must depend entirely on the sort 
that is being grown, some having large leaves and attaining to 
considerable dimensions, whereas others have much smaller leafage 
and never become very large plants. This gives the general outlines 
of the culture necessary for these plants, and it is now left for 
more fluent pens to provide any details that will prove of value in 
rendering Marantas more easily grown, and more generally seen in 
good condition than is the case at present. 
It would be superfluous for details to be given of the many species 
and varieties now in cultivation, but mention of three handsome 
varieties shown at the Temple show in 1894 may not be out of place. 
Each of these is a variety of Maranta Massangeana, and of the trio 
perhaps the best was named Florentina (see woodcut, fig. 90). The 
leaves are beautifully marked, the colours being very clear and 
striking. The ground colour is a lightish green, blotched with whitish 
green and brown, and having clearly defined rosy coloured ribs. It is 
singularly beautiful. M. m. atrata is also handsome, with dark green 
leafage. The ribs are pale green, and each leaf has a margin of rich 
velvety green. The last to be named is M. m. metallica, a fine variety 
with deep green leaves, having white ribs. The centre of the leaf near 
the midrib is paler green, shading to chocolate brown. These splendid 
Marantas were shown by Messrs. Linden & Co., each receiving a first- 
class certificate.—F. Row. 
LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS. 
This fine open space of 12 acres, remarkable for being the largest 
near central London, and important on account of the ventilation it 
gives in the midst of crowded streets, has at last been thrown open to 
the public, after being many years reserved entirely for members of the 
legal profession and their friends. It is noticeable also as being one of 
those squares that is well timbered, so much indeed that the grass and 
various border plants exhibit, during summer, some ill effects from being 
oversbaded. 
Still does the locality retain its rural designation, and, what is curious, 
we have not far from it a little-known bye-way which long bore the 
name of Whetstone Park, a relic of some plot of ground on which the 
people of Holborn exercised their horses, and the old Fields were pro¬ 
bably used for the same purpose. Strolling there now one recalls the 
story that Inigo Jones designed the outline when it was first built on, 
and that the central space is just the dimensions of the base of an 
Egyptian pyramid. But for this tale we can find no good foundation ; 
it is only true that he built some houses on the west, called Arch Row, 
about 1618. 
In the seventeenth century the site was really fields, a place resorted 
to by idlers, beggars, and bad characters, so that at night it was ex¬ 
ceedingly dangerous for solitary persons, and, according to Gay, the spot 
continued to be perilous even after the square was partly enclosed. 
The people we see enjoying this newly acquired public garden at any 
hour of the day are certainly a contrast to those said to have haunted 
the old Fields, and who had the name given them of Lincoln’s Inn 
Mumpers. We can picture them, mostly ragged and dirty, playing at 
games, but stopping to make a rush should a coach pass in the hope of 
getting some money by a clamorous appeal. 
Here Joseph Jekyll, who had brought in a Bill to restrict the sale of 
gin, was seized by the infuriated populace, and almost trampled to death. 
It was also sometimes the scene of executions. The residents took steps 
to “ rail, clean, and adorn ” the Fields in the autumn of 1735. There is 
no doubt some trees and shrubs were then planted, but I query whether 
any of the trees now growing date back as far. The London atmosphere 
does not favour their longevity, and some, the Elm for instance, are 
great sufferers from insects. Elms, we perceive, for this has always 
been a favourite in London squares, possibly a centenarian exists 
amongst them, but the most noticeable and numerous trees are Oriental 
Planes (Platanus acerifolia), which seem to be flourishing. There 
are some Limes and a few Robinias. This species is now scarce about 
London, most of these planted in last century have died off and have not 
been replaced. 
Solitary Hawthorns that have reached the size of trees in this 
enclosure are somewhat gnarled and twisted, as if they had suffered 
from their conflict with the elements during many years. Elders, of 
course, are to be looked for in any Loudon garden with a history, 
though why this tree should have been such a favourite formerly we 
cannot quite see ; it seldom fruits about the metropolis. The presence 
of the Hornbeam here might imply the tree was planted by someone 
familiar with Epping Forest, where it grows so freely, or did till the 
number was reduced by extensive felling of the trees; this is not a 
species often selected for planting about London. An occasional Black¬ 
thorn and Guelder Rose greets us, also another shrub familiar in hedge¬ 
rows, the Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana), which is opening its 
flowers. But no shrub is so abundant as the common Lilac, which 
really fares well in the smoke, if the caterpillars would leave it alone.— 
J. R. S. C. 
THE R.H.S. EXAMINATION PAPERS. 
“ E. D. S.” (page 470) is courageous in attempting to furnish answers 
to the series of questions set by the examiners for the R.H. Society, and 
recently published in the Journal. StiB, he is to be commended if in 
furnishing his answers he is doing his level best, and does not mind 
correction or criticism. As to how far his replies would satisfy the 
examiners is another thing. Generally they are fairly correct, although 
some are rather too brjef, and should have had fuller elucidation. 
“ E. D. S.” does not tell us whether he was a candidate at the recent 
examination. If not, perhaps he is like very many other gardeners who 
now wish they had faced the ordeal, as that does not seem to have been 
so severe a one as was anticipated. The assumption that roots absorb 
compounds “ E. D. S.” does not say whether in solid or liquid form, 
through their surfaces do not accord with scientific teaching, or that 
they do so through what he terms “ spongioles ” at the extremities, 
meaning thereby, of course, the root cap, or borer, which is presumably 
of a somewhat hard impervious nature. 
So far as science has made clear it seems that root hairs are the only 
mediums by which food is absorbed, and that, too, in an essentially 
liquid form. Plants are often starved to death in the midst of plenty of 
food, simply because moisture is absent and the food cannot be rendered 
soluble for utilisation. Answers 2 and 3 are very good. With respect 
to the formation of “ callus ” at the base of cuttings, the essential 
precursor of roots, it is indeterminate how far that may have power to 
attract moisture from the soil for the sustenance of the cutting before 
roots are formed. We do not know whether that matter, apparently 
hard or leathery like to the texture of roots, may not have exceedingly 
minute hairs on its surface through which moisture may be absorbed. 
Unless something of the kind is so it seems difficult to understand how 
cuttings can remain fresh and plump, retaining leafage so long before 
roots are really formed. 
Answer 4 is as good as it is brief, and one would have liked to see it 
more fully elucidated, especially in relation to the placing of that 
portion of the soil which by previous exposure on the surface has become 
thoroughly sweetened and aerated down below, where it furnishes good 
plant food, and bringing the less aerated soil to the surface. 
In answer 6 the description given of the growth and structure of 
the Pea plant, an admirable subject, is excellent, but “ E. D. S.” is 
rather out in his reference to the ordinary method of flower fertilisation. 
In most forms of Leguminosas, but especially in the Pea flower, fertili¬ 
sation takes place before the blooms are open, and quite outside of 
external agency. Cross-breeders of Peas find that it is needful to open 
the flower petals very early in the florescent stage, and remove the 
pollen anthers, so that no self-fertilisation takes place. The foreign 
pollen has to be conveyed to the pistil of the flowers to be operated 
on a little later. Were Peas so easily affected by external influences, 
as wind or insects, we should rarely find them come true from seed 
when grown close to each other. 
I do not think it is correct to class an Onion as an underground 
stem. Practically it grows on the surface of the soil. A Potato is 
correctly described. Something as to the ordinary methods of Mush¬ 
room culture might have been added to the brief description of the 
operation of the mycelium in fungus production.—A Reader. 
Referring to this examination, I should like to ask through the 
medium of the Journal of Horticulture what those who sat think of 
the time allowed to answer the questions. I sat at the examination 
the last two years, and both times I experienced the same difficulty— 
i.e., not being able to answer the questions in the time allowed. I 
thought the first time it was my inability to answer them, but this 
year at least two-thirds of those who sat at the same centre complained 
of there not being sufficient time allowed. 
If this were a general opinion it would be advisable to ask the 
Society to extend the time to the three hours, the same as allowed at 
the science examinations. I notice on page 470, '• E. D. S.” has 
answered the first eight questions set, but I doubt if these answers would 
be full enough to satisfy the examiner ; if they were, the difficulty I 
complain of could soon be remedied, for such answers would not take 
the majority long to write.—W. D., Turnford, Herts. 
[This is not by any means the only intimation we have had of the 
too limited time allowed for answering the questions satisfactorily.] 
CHISWICK GARDENS. 
Naturally very much out of sight is the work constantly in 
progress at these gardens. The shows held in London from time to time 
attract the notice of Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society and the 
public, because they come more into the foreground. Chiswick, though 
very near to London, is not so much in evidence ; it is not at all 
showy or demonstrative, and for these reasons doubtless it fails to 
attract that notice which it so much deserved. Even to the bulk of the 
Fellows of the Society the gardens constitute almost undiscovered 
territory. Their visits (when made) are few and far between, and 
then only when a show, conference, or some special function invites 
