230 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 15, 1887. 
Raisin de Calabre being tbe varieties, and with 25 feet run of rod they 
present a fine appearance loaded with Grapes. The Peach house is filled 
with a number of healthy trees on front and cross trellises and right 
angles with the path. The whole available space is thus fully occupied, 
and Mr. Methven finds the crops from the cross trees quite as satisfactory 
in all points as the others. Stirling Castle, Royal George, Noblesse, and 
Rivers’ Early York are the leading varieties, the last named being ripe 
ten days before any other. Pine Apple and Violette Hative Nectarines 
are similarly good, and all had some handsome fruits at the time of my 
visit. The intermediate house is devoted to specimen Cycads, Ferns, and 
some Orchids, adjoining that being a picturesque rock fernery tastefully 
designed and planted. The rocks are covered with Ivy, Ficus minima, 
Traclescantias, small Ferns, and Begonias, larger Ferns being introduced 
in suitable positions. 
Besides this range there are several other older houses which origin¬ 
ally constituted all the glass attached to the garden ; these are now 
devoted to late Peaches, miscellaneous ornamental plants and Orchids. 
Of the latter a good collection has been formed, and many valuable 
specimens are now grown, including Cattleyas, Lafiias, Odontoglossums, 
Cypripediums, Dendrobiums, &c., which appear to flourish under Mr. 
Methven’s charge. A Dendrobium which has attracted some attention 
is D. Cooksonianum, or Heathfieldianum as it is now termed ; it is said to 
have been raised from seed obtained at Heathfield by crossing D. nobile 
with D. Faleoneri. The seeds were sown and the first plant flowered about 
six years ago. In 1883 some plants were exchanged with Mr. Cookson 
of Wylam-on-Tyne, and amongst these was a plant of this Dendrobium, 
which is remarkable as showing an example of peloria—that is, it has the 
two petals similar to the lip in shape and colour, so that at first glance 
it looks as if the flower had three lips. Mr. Cookson’s plant flowered in 
1885, and was shown on March 10th at South Kensington under the 
name of D. nobilissimum. Prof. Reichenbach, through some misunder¬ 
standing, subsequently named it D. nobile Cooksonianum, and it was 
not until recently that the plant became known under its corrected and 
since appropriate name of D. Heathfieldianum. 
The outside garden is charmingly diversified by rockery slopes and 
shrubberies, well kept lawns, a pretty lake, and an effective flower 
garden. The principal beds are on a lawn near the glass house, a large 
circular border around a fountain having a fine appearance, Pyrethrum 
selaginoides and Dell’s Crimson Beet being boldly contrasted together 
with two excellent Lobelias—Bella, pure white, of good habit, very free 
and pure, and Heathfield Gem, rich blue, very clear and bright, and 
compact habit, A rockery termed “ the Miniature Mont Blanc ” the 
summit of which is reached by a rocky path, commands fine views 
of the valley already mentioned, and adds an interesting feature to the 
garden. It should be added that Mr. Methven is a successful Chrys¬ 
anthemum grower, and his plants this year look very promising. Some 
hundreds of strong plants are grown, representing a selection of the 
best exhibition and decorative varieties, and the blooms from this 
garden have taken honours on more than one occasion at the north 
country shows.— Lewis Castle. 
METHODS OF PRUNING VINES. 
It is useless arguing with Mr. Abbey. First he advocates a practice, 
then condemns it; then when faced with his own words complacently 
remarks he had never denied or objected to anything I had said, but 
went in the “ opposite direction.” That appears to be his favourite 
course. A short time ago he knew all about modified spur pruning, 
which he advocated ; now he says he does not understand it. He 
believes the Vine particularly adapted to spur pruning, because it “never 
forms spurs naturally or culturally.” He knows the Cole Orton Vines 
failed when spur pruned (which they did not because it was never tried 
on them), therefore he recommends the opposite system ; next he gives 
us a soliloquy on buds, and imparts the edifying information that a 
“ bud is a bud,” and that he “ knows very little about bud-forma¬ 
tion.” First he knows everything, then he knows nothing; but he 
continues, as if against his own desire, to confirm all I have advanced, 
and does not appear to know it. That suits me very well, and I hope it 
suits him. As there is no hope of my teaching Mr. Abbey to prune 
Vines I will refer him to a paragraph in“ Work for the Week” of the 
same issue in which his celebrated “ know nothing ” communication 
appears—namely September 1st, page 193. I had not the honour of 
writing that paragraph, but it expresses very concisely my views on 
pruning Vines, and shows that a cast iron system is not applicable to all 
of them. If my obliging friend cannot follow the observations there 
recorded, and will oblige me with his address through the Editor, I will 
endeavour to give him an object lesson, and if he does not have a better 
crop of Grapes in consequence I will not charge him for my journey. 
I should like to do something for him in return for the support he has 
given to me, though he makes it appear as if travelling in the path he 
evidently enjoys—the “ opposite direction.” I have now done with the 
subject on paper at present, for I beiin to perceive a versatile contro¬ 
versialist is like Tennyson’s Brook, and may “go on for ever.”—■ 
Expekientia docet. 
PiEONIA ALBIFLORA. 
Amongst the herbaceous Pseonies cultivated in our gardens no one 
species has played such an important part in the vast improvement that 
has taken place within the last few years as this Chinese Paeony, of 
which we give an illustration. After a long season of entire neglect, 
unless in the old fashioned gardens, these plants are now taking their 
proper place among cultivated plants, and few flowers give a greater 
pleasure to the grower, or a greater scope in the arrangement of colour. 
The great essential to their success is no doubt moisture, and where this 
can be given in abundance all through the growing and flowering season 
a fine show of strong plants and well coloured flowers will result. A 
situation where they can be irrigated at pleasure is the one recommended 
for Preonies, but every grower cannot do this, and our plan is to mulch 
heavily with old spent manure as soon as the leaves die down, freshening 
it up as they begin to grow in sprine, and keeping well watered until 
after the flowering season is over. Even solitary plants in borders do 
very well with a mulching of leaves or manure round the stem. W here 
facilities offer they should be planted in the wood or other available 
shady spot. They will be found to do well, and flower a fortnight or so 
later than those exposed. They can be propagated to almost any extent 
by division, but they also ripen seed freely, and these sown as soon as 
collected soon germinate. 
The following are the original varieties or types from which our fine 
garden forms have been raised. 
P. albifiora. —This is the type or origin of the great host of garden 
varieties now in cultivation. It is very dist inct from all the other species 
of Preony, and may be known at a glance by the dark green leaves, and 
also by the way in which the flower stems stand out above the foliage. 
It grows about 2 or 3 feet in height, with stems about the thickness of a 
reed, round, and with scarcely conspicuous grooves, green tinged red 
and generally naked at the bottom ; leaves ternate, leaflets lobed and 
shining. The flowers are often produced three in a bunch, with the 
axils of the uppermost leaves throwing out long fastigiate stems. Petals 
very large, milk white, oval, concave, the seeds when ripe being of a 
yellowish colour. It differs from the common P. officinalis—first, in 
having a more slender stem, rounder, less conspicuously grooved, and 
more rigid, while in officinalis the stems are torosely six or seven 
grooved ; second in having larger biternate leaves, broader, smoother 
leaflets, shining on both surfaces. In officinalis the leaves are subtri- 
quinate or triternate, with the primary leaflets bifid, the lateral ones 
often with a small accessory leaflet; albifiora differs also in having 
smooth follicles, while they are hairy in the other. It is a native of 
Siberia and China, and said to be well known among the Daurians and 
Mongols on account of the roots which they boil in their broth, and the 
seeds which are ground and put into tea. Of this species Anderson, 
who published a fine monograph in the twelfth volume of the Linnsean 
Society’s Transactions, described nine distinct varieties believed to 
have been introduced from the native habitats of the species, which is, 
found both wild and cultivated all over the Chinese Empire. 
P. a. var Candida. —This variety was first found at Knight’s Nursery a 
King’s Road, Chelsea. It was received under the name of sibirica, 
name it often goes under even now. The leaves and stalks are purplish 
few flowers in a cyme and flesh-coloured stigmas, flowers pinkish on first 
opening but go off white. The engraving (fig. 30) represents a flower 
received from Mr. T. S. Ware. 
P. a. var.fratjram. —This fine double-flowered variety was introduced 
from China by Sir J. Banks, 1805. It is most remarkable for its upright 
stalks and pale very narrow leaves. It flowers about the latter end of 
June, and is the iatest of all the Pajonies, petals pale rose-coloured, 
with a fragrance somewhat resembling the Rose ; the central petals are 
larger than the outer ones, and alvvays erect. 
P. a. far. Humei. —Introduced from China by Sir A. Hume in 1810. 
It is the largest of all the herbaceous l’reonies, the stems often attaining 
5 or 6 feet in height, flowers very double, reddish coloured, somewhat 
similar to above in shape, but almost scentless. 
P. a. var. rnbescens. —A very small variety with dark coloured 
flowers ; leaflets small, blunt, and channelled on the upper surface. 
P. a. var. sibirica.— Said to have been sent from Siberia by Pallas ; 
leaves yellowish green, flowers very large and pure white, even in bud ; 
stalks quite green. 
P.a.var. tatarica .—Native of Tartary ; flowers large, with a greater 
number of petals than the var. vestalis, pink coloured, retaining the 
same shade until they drop ; stigmas pink. 
a. var. unijtorus has very narrow leaflets, and a disposition to be 
one-flowered ; petals white, slightly tinged with pink at the base ; 
stigmas dark yellow. 
P. a. var. vestalis. —Large white-flowered, rarely tinged with pink 
cymes of two or three flowers ; leaves broader, more flat and shiny than 
the type ; stigmas dull yellow. 
P. a. var. Whitleyi. —Introduced in 1808 from China. The stems 
are full 3 feet in height ; leaflets rugose, and dull flowers full double, 
outside petals reddish, inner pale straw-coloured, becoming white as they 
drop. The fragrance resembles that of Elder flowers. Middle of June. 
There are many more forms or varieties all worthy of attention ; indeed, 
we believe they now number something like 150, and may be seen at 
any large florists ; they represent almost every shade of pink, red, &c., 
and also very much in form, height, &c.—M. S. 
STRAWBERRY RUNNERS FOR FORCING. 
It must be at once admitted, as pointed out by your correspondents, 
Mr. A. Young and “ Thinker," that split crown plants are not desirable 
for early forcing, and that runners procured the previous autumn do 
produce a greater proportion of such plants than those of the current 
year. I do not consider this a very serious objection to the system. 
When the plants are placed in their fruiting pots they are reduced to a 
