October 13, 18*7. ] 
315 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
FANCY DAHLIAS. 
Position in present 
Analysis. 
Ave'age Number of 
Times Show n. 
CO 
G. • 
Sfe 
0-2 
u a 
f 8 
Name. 
1 
180 
22 
Mrs. S sunders . 
17-4 
14 
Gaiety ... . 
3 
14 fi 
21 
R v. J. B. M. Camrn 
4 
134 
IS 
Chorister. 
5 
110 
4 
F .ney Sturt . 
(> 
110 
16 
GeDeial Gordon. 
7 
108 
10 
Flora Wyatt . 
7 
108 
16 
Proftssor Fawcett 
0 
9-8 
9 
George Barnes . 
9 
98 
10 
John Firbes . 
9 
98 
13 
Peacock . 
9 6 
11 
Henry Glasscock. 
13 
9-4 
10 
Mrs. N. Halts . 
14 
84 
G 
Hugh Austin . 
15 
80 
11 
Duchess of APany 
15 
80 
8 
E -ic Fisher . 
15 
80 
4 
Mies Lily Large. 
18 
7-8 
4 
Hercules. 
18 
78 
3 
Miss B.'owning ... ... 
20 
74 
G 
Egyptian Prince. 
20 
74 
14 
James O’Brien . 
20 
74 
7 
Rebecca . 
23 
70 
4 
John Lamont . 
24 
6 5 
7 
Pelican . 
25 
6 3 
3 
Lotty Eckford . 
26 
60 
0 
Henry Eckford. 
20 
o-o 
3 
Oracle . 
28 
64 
4 
Jessie McIntosh. 
29 
50 
5 
Eimund Boston. 
... 
My thanks are due to Mr. T. W. Girdlestone for an excellent 
suggestion as to the numbering of the different varieties in the 
above lists. This suggestion I have now adopted. The alteration 
may be perhaps best explained by an illustration. As the tables 
have been hitherto numbered Mrs. Harris would appear as No. 8 in 
the list of Show Dahlias, but in the present analysis it is entered as 
No. 9. The reason for this is that Prince of Denmark and William 
Rawlings being equal and both No. 7, the next best Dahlia, Mrs. 
Harris, is therefore not entitled to the eighth, but to the ninth 
place. The relative values of the varieties may, however, be best 
ascertained by consulting the second column of the tables, which 
gives the average number of times each sort was shown at the last 
five National Dahlia exhibitions. I am also indebted to Mr. J. 
Burrell for kindly assisting me in taking down the names, and to 
Mr. W. H. Williams for supplying the dates of a few of the newer 
varieties which appear in this analysis for the first time.—E. M., 
Berkhamsted. 
AROUND NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. 
WYLAM. 
A SHORT run by rail down the Tyne Valley, passing the birthplace 
of “ Geordie ” Stephenson e/i route , and the town of Wylam is reached 
around which we found several gocd gardens, the inspection of which 
kept us busily engaged until late in the evening. First upon the day’s 
programme was a visit to Mr. George Cook of Stanley Vale, a few 
minutes’ walk from the station, and notable for its bijou Alpine garden 
and the excellent taste displayed in the elegant villa and its surround¬ 
ings. After a service of some years as gardener at Holeyn Hall, Mr. 
Cook was left a substantial annuity, and having acquired the site of the 
present house, he has since devoted his time to the formation of a garden 
unique in its way, and the cultivation of flowers, fruits, and vegetables 
for amusement. Few gardeners are fortunate enough to be able to 
spend the autumn of their lives in such an agreeable manner, and after- 
working so long for others’ pleasure, to devote their later years to the 
entertainment of themselves and their friends. Such, however, has 
been Mr. Cook’s good fortune, and how fully he has appreciated his 
advantages is amply demonstrated in his garden. Adjoining the house 
is a small lean-to vinery, which is utilised for plants as well, and consti¬ 
tutes what is sometimes curiously termed “a mixed house.” Black 
Hamburgh Grapes are chiefly grown, and alternate with them, trained 
up the front of the house, are Tea Roses, such as Marie Van Houtte and 
Niphetos, which yield abundance of their useful flowers. Then upon 
the back wall are Zonal Pelargoniums, with Plumbago capensis and 
Lonicera sempervirens that also flower freely in this position. Tomatoes 
in pots (the variety is Hackwood Park) are trained up at the side of the 
path, and most of the other portion of the house is occupied with 
Dat9. 
Raiser’s Nam". 
Colour. 
1872 
Turner. 
Yellow and white 
1879 
Keynes. 
Yellow, red, and whtr 
1873 
Keynes. 
Yellow and red 
1881 
Kej nes & Co . 
Fawn ant crimson 
1868 
Pope . 
Red and white 
1885 
Keynes & C>. 
Yellow and scarlet 
1871 
Keyn's. 
Orange and red 
1881 
Keynes & Co. 
Lilac and brown 
1878 
Keynes. 
Lilac and crimson 
1882 
Keynes & Co . 
Maroon 
1877 
Turner. 
Maroon and white 
1875 
Keynes. 
Buff and crimson 
1881 
Rawlings . 
Scarl t and white 
1881 
Keynes & Co. ... 
Orange and red 
1884 
Turner. 
O ange and crimson 
1886 
Keynes & Co. 
Buff and scarlet 
1876 
Keynes. 
Yellow and crimson 
1877 
Keynes. 
Yellow and orimson 
1880 
Keynes. 
Yellow and white 
1873 
Keynes. 
Orange and red 
1881 
Keynes & Co. 
Yellow and crimson 
1883 
Keynes & C->. 
Lilao and crimson 
1875 
Keynes. 
Maroon and black 
1886 
Keynes & Co. ... 
White and purple 
1884 
Eckford. 
White and purp’e 
1886 
Rawlings . 
Yellow and red 
1877 
Fellowes . 
Yellow and crimson 
1880 
Keynes & Co. 
Red and white 
1887 
Keynes & Co. 
Orange and crimBoa 
Adiantums and Begonias. All look in excellent health, and some idea 
can be formed of the interest derived from this vinery, which is con¬ 
veniently reached from the house. 
Outside is a small kitchen garden, and conspicuous amongst its 
occupants was a Cabbage of considerable fame in the north—?.<?., Cook’s 
Improved Early, which is one of the most useful varieties grown. It is 
somewhat after the style of Ellam’s Early, but I am under the impres¬ 
sion it is rather more conical in form than that; it is, however, very 
compact, forms a solid heart, of good flavour, and comes into use very 
early. The great advantage of such Cabbages is their adaptability for 
small gardens, as they take up little space, and amateurs can fully 
appreciate the value of a variety that is so easily managed. This Cab¬ 
bage has been much improved by Mr. G. Cook, but was originally raised 
by his uncle some years before, and is now as great a favourite in that 
district as Ellam’s is t lsewhere. Near the vegetable quarters are some 
prolific and healthy dwarf Apple trees, planted seven years ago, but 
root-pruned since then and now in excellent condition. Very satisfac¬ 
tory are Lord Suffield, Winter Hawthornden, and Cox’s Orange Pippin, 
which give good and regular crops. Chrysanthemums, particularly the 
early varieties, are grown in quantity ; Madame Desgrange, G. Wermig 
Mrs. Cullingford, and La Vierge are the favourites amongst the early 
varieties. 
The garden slopes to the Stanley Bum, a small rocky stream, dividing 
Northumberland from Durham, and a pretty miniature landscape is 
afforded of well wooded hills beyond. To the right of the garden is a 
hillside and bank covered with Broom, which produces a beautiful effect 
when in flower, together with the Primroses, wild Hyacinths, and 
Ferns, which abound on the banks, constituting a charming piece of 
natural scenery. The hivher portion of the garden is converted into a 
series of mounds, covered with hardy Heaths, and the general contour 
is exactly that of the Heather-clad hills which are so attractive in the 
north. There also a miniature alpine rockery has been formed upon a 
well considered system that gives it an appearance of much greater 
extent than it really possesses, a few large masses being employed in 
preference to a great number of small pieces, which give to some pre¬ 
tentious rockeries a close resemblance to a “ heap ” of stones. Numbers 
of Sedums and Sempervivums are planted in large patches, the pretty 
silvery white Sempervivum Lagg ri at once attracting notice. Thymus 
lanuginosus also runs about freely over the rocks and soil, forming a 
pretty carpet, while Aubrietias are largely used with capital results. 
Saxifragas are numerous, and th-i pretty Acasna Novm-Zealaxdue covers 
square yards of the rockery with its numerous bright red needle-like 
flowers. The Edelweiss thrives as freely as it could in its native home, 
producing its curious woolly flower heads abundantly. Now that it has 
been found that this plant is readily raised from seed, and that plants 
in favourable situations will ripen its seed in this country, many will be 
induced to undertake its culture who have hitherto been deterred by the 
reputed difficulty of preserving it in health, and imported plants are 
seldom satisfactory. To afford some relief Aloes, Yuccas, and Funkias 
