October 4, 1838. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
317 
- We regret to learn that Mr. F. A. Dickson of Chester died 
on Thursday last, September 27th, in his sixty-third year. He was the 
son of the late Mr. Francis Dickson, and the chief partner in the firm of 
F. & A. Dickson, of the Upton Nurseries, now amalgamated with 
J. Dickson & Son, as Dicksons (Limited). Mr. F. A. Dickson was elected 
Sheriff of Chester in 1868, and .in 1870 was chosen as Mayor ; he also 
held several other local offices of importance, and, was much respected. 
- Gladiolus brenchleyensis. —This Gladiolus is capital at 
this time of the year planted among low-growing Heaths, Kalmias, 
Andromedas, hardy Azaleas, or dwarf shrubs, or around the edges of 
Rhododendron beds. The bright spikes give considerable colour to the 
otherwise dull-looking beds at this time of the year. The peaty soil 
also allows the Gladiolus free opportunity to root well, and consequently 
to send up good spikes of bloom. We plant the conns each year in 
March, taking them up in the autumn.—S. 
- What an excellent window plant is Yallota purpurea. It 
5s largely used in the country both by amateur cultivators and cot¬ 
tagers ; it seems to stand much hardship when not in bloom, and it is 
often ihrust on one side to make room for a more showy plant. This 
kind of treatment appears to agree with it, as 'when September comes 
•around again the same pot full of bulbs can be seen producing a num¬ 
ber of showy spikes of flowers. One thing in its favour, it is not over¬ 
potted as a window plant, that and the rest it obtains through lack of 
■water no doubt are in the favour of its flowering.—E. 
- At this season of the year Tritomas look well anywhere, but 
nowhere do they show to greater advantage than when planted singly 
•on the grass, their brilliant spikes of bloom contrasting well with the 
■green surroundings. Planted close to the edge of water they succeed 
■admirably. Where T. glaucescens and T. Uvaria are both planted the 
flowering period is prolonged a considerable time, the former being the 
■first to throw up its flower heads, and by the time they are over the 
latter is at its best. A fairly rich deeply trenched soil, and a good 
■soaking two or three times during the summer with liquid manure, help 
the plants considerably. 
- Fuchsias are conspicuous in some beds at Battersea Park, and 
attract attention. They are also well represented in the flower gardens 
attached to some of the houses in the town of Hitchin, the plants being 
large and bushy, and loaded with bloom, remaining in perfection for a 
long time. Some of the older varieties, such as Rose of Castile, appear 
to predominate. In window boxes they are also freely employed, the 
•drooping kinds hanging down and hiding the boxes completely. 
Eccremocarpus seaber, Tropmolums, and Cobrea scandens are trained up 
trellises over some of the doors and windows, rendering the town very 
interesting and attractive. 
- A Plague of Flies.—M r. Bardney writes :—“Last week we 
were much troubled with small black flies. At times it was almost 
impossible to see for them. I think they are the ordinary green, black, 
•and brown aphides. The Wheat has been covered with them. I fancy 
they are now on the wing, and if the weather continues mild and warm 
•everything will be smothered with them. I am borne out in this opinion 
by the fact that those on the wing rendered our Peach trees inside 
nearly black, but we regarded them as harmless creatures. But this has 
■not been the case, for nearly every leaf is covered with green, black, and 
xed or brown aphides. The old ones are dead and dying. The spiders 
have been busy, for their webs are full of these annoying pests.” 
- Good Peaches and Nectarines.—I n my last note on 
Peaches and Nectarines for the open wall I quite forgot to mention 
•“ Dymond,” which is so highly spoken of by Mr. H. Markham. I can 
fully endorse the praise he gives it, as w e have a capital tree now bearing 
about seven dozen fruits at about a foot apart. The size is equal to any 
good Royal George grown under glass, and the colour very dense. It is 
now turning in, and the flavour is first-rate. I don’t know whether other 
people’s Peaches are the same, but those here are very highly coloured 
this season, in fact more so than last. The colour of the Nectarine is 
very deep. Dr. Hogg we are now using, and it has proved itself a good 
Peach out of doors.— A. Young. 
- In the garden of J. H. Tukes, Esq., Hitchin, are very interest¬ 
ing alpine rockeries, and a large herbaceous border, 160 yards long, 
is effective at the present time. Tropteolum speciosum is a brilliant 
tardy climber, and is growing and flowering freely against a wall trail¬ 
ing over some sticks that have been placed there. Anotheruseful hardy 
climber is found in Passiflora Constance Elliott, which is also trained to 
a wall ; it is loaded with its lovely white flowers hanging down in 
graceful festoons. In the tropical fernery above the rockery is growing 
a fine fruiting plant of Monstera deliciosa, reaching the full length of 
the house, with the long roots hanging down yards in length, apparently 
quite at home in the heat and moisture. Mr. Springham is the 
gardener. 
- I lately' saw in the gardens at Eooksbury Park, near 
Fareham, a very effective circular bed containing a large plant of 
Tritoma glaucescens in the centre, bearing a profusion of large richly 
coloured flower spikes ; around it were planted thinly roots of Helianthus 
annuus fl.-pl., the double perennial Sunflower. The combination of 
colours was very pleasing, looking down upon the bed from a distance 
and from higher ground. It is surrounded by a neatly kept undulated 
lawn, upon which are growing a good number of specimen Conifers. 
On the lawn in the same garden is a circular bed containing a dozen or 
more plants of Yucca filamentosa, now in flower, which produce a pretty 
effect both in the distance and upon a closer inspection, much more so 
than would the same number of plants dotted about in the shrub¬ 
beries.—B. 
- Eucharis grandiflora.—I read with much interest Mr. 
Recsrd’s useful article on the treatment of Eucharis grandiflora. There 
is no doubt it will stand a cooler temperature than many people 
imagine. I once tried the plan. I wanted some plants to flower about 
the middle of November, and mine had been in flowering in July and 
again about January. After the flowering in January, I grev the plants 
on in the stove until the middle of March, then removed them to an 
intermediate house for about six weeks, thence to a cold pit, ultimately 
placing the plants outdoors in July, where they remained until the 
middle of September. The situation was shaded after twelve o’clock in 
the day. The plants received a good share of water or the foliage 
would have gone. As it was, however, the foliage certainly suffered 
somewhat, but not so much as might have been expected. When the 
plants were transferred inside, I first placed them in the intermediate 
house for a week or two, where they very soon began to show flower 
spikes. They were then returned to the stove, and I think these 
flowered better than at any time I had charge of them. The flowers 
were ready about a week earlier than intended, but I was highly 
satisfied with the experiment, as also was my employer.—J. P. 
- I WAS much interested in Mr. Record’s experiment with 
Eucharis grandiflora, because I have practised the same method of 
treatment for several years though not to induce blooming, but to check 
the ravages of that pest, the Eucharis mite, which had got hold of our 
plants and greatly crippled them. In this the open ah' treatment has 
been completely successful, and it is satisfactory to find that the much- 
dreaded Eucharis disease can be conquered in so simple and inexpensive 
a manner. Our plants, like Mr. Record’s, have usually been partially 
shaded when standing out, but I begin to doubt whether a more sunny 
position is not preferable. Certainly those which have been so placed 
this summer look more robust than the others. We give a month 
more of fresh air than your correspondent does, as our plants have 
only just been put under cover, and even now are in an unheated green¬ 
house.— B. D. Knox. 
- Chichester Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Society. 
—The first annual Exhibition of this Society was held on Monday 
evening, September 24th, in Little London, and was, on the whole, a 
decided success. The Society was formed in July, 1886, and monthly 
meetings are held, at which various subjects relating to horticulture are 
discussed, and certificates of merit awarded for the best productions. 
No prizes were awarded at this Exhibition, nor was there a charge made 
for admission, which had the effect of bringing up many hundreds of 
visitors. The Exhibition was really held to test the strength of the 
Society, with a view to holding future shows on a larger scale. The 
Committee had sent out invitations nearly all over the city, but there 
was no necessity for this, as the Show was extensively patronised. The 
principal exhibitors were Councillor Gatehouse ; Mr. Kent, Salt Hill ; 
Mr. Ay 1 ward; Mr. P. Robinson, The Warren ; Captain Phillips ; Mr. 
Clifford, Shiers. Cawley Priory ; Mr. J. McRonald ; Mr. H. H. Moore ; 
Mr. Ayling, gardener to Dr. Tyacke, J.P. ; Mr. Gardner, gardener to 
General Hardy, C.B. ; Mr. Pusey, Hon. Secretary to the Society ; and 
Mr. Hobbs. The exhibits comprised fruit, flowers, plants, and vege¬ 
tables, and were without exception, of fine quality. Councillor Gate¬ 
house’s Orchids were much admired ; Mr. Moore s cut flowers were a 
conspicuous feature in colour and variety; Mr. McRonald’s “ fire 
screen,” artistically made up of various flowers, was a finely executed 
piece of work. Mr. Clifford exhibited a splendid group of Ferns ; and 
Mr. Gardner’s Dahlias were notable for their good quality. During the 
