402 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 1, 1888. 
“timber trees when it was the property of the Knights of St. John, 
and a few of its old Elms remained after the other trees fell before 
tha axe. In Marylebone Park adjoining, and of greater extent, the 
English kings hunted deer, but this was disparked and the ground 
cleared, fortunately not to be covered with houses, so that even¬ 
tually another park, the Regent’s Park, arose, preserving this large 
open space as one of the lungs of London. This, however, belongs 
not to my present subject, and I only name it in passing, because 
its central ground, now the garden of the Royal Botanic Society, 
was formerly a much-visited nursery belonging to Mr. Jenkins, and 
from which were distributed many of the trees or shrubs we now 
see in North-west London. His nursery was noted for forced 
flowers, the demand being sometimes very large in the early months 
of the year. 
Marylebone Road is one of those semi-suburban roads, which, 
even when the growth of streets in all directions about them is 
altering their neighbourhood, still manage to retain the aspect they 
bore during the old coaching. The houses lie back with long 
gardens fronting the road, shaded with occasional Planes, Poplars, 
and Limes, and their walls are thick with creepers, such as Clematis 
and Jessamine, and I observed a few covered with Vines, but they 
have probably ceased to bear fruit. The gardens have also many 
of the old-fashioned flowers and shrubs ; amongst the latter I 
noticed sundry instances of what are not unfrequent about London, 
both evergreen and deciduous species which have been suffered to 
grow to their own liking, untouched by the shears. These bushes 
become a dense mass of twigs, a joy to the cockney sparrow at this 
season, as he can retreat within them and bid defiance to prowling 
cats. The burial ground of Marylebone church in this road is now 
open to the public, a space of about an acre ; its few trees are not 
aged except two or three of the Elders which our ancestors loved to 
plant in such spots, and no attempt has been made to cultivate 
flowers here, but the two principal bed contain—the one Lilacs and 
Thuias in circles, chiefly the former arranged in circles, the other 
Privet bushes in rows—the effect being somewhat singular. We 
come upon a different scene in the Paddington Street extra ground 
of three acres, for this is gay with October flowers, the yellow hue 
predominating. A variety of Dahlias, single and double, plentiful 
Marigolds, appropriate to a place once dedicated to St. Mary ; 
Eschscholtzias also, Helichrysums of two colours relieved by 
Phloxes, and a few late Antirrhinums. Tender perennials had 
been planted out singly in the borders, such as Pelargoniums and 
Fuchsias, but the cold nights were touching these. The older trees 
in the ground were Birches, Poplars, and Willows, and some 
twisted Hawthorns, ■with lines of young Planes and Limes. Alto¬ 
gether it is a pleasant garden, a boon to young and old in that 
district. 
Going northward to St. John’s Wood we pass Park Crescent 
and Park Square, private grounds for the residents, containing 
together about 11 acres. They are well timbered, in fact the 
numerous trees do not much favour the cultivation of flowers or 
the growth of grass, yet it would be a pity to remove any, and 
vacant spaces here and there in the centre are filled during summer 
with choice flowers, now just housed for the winter. Sunflowers 
had been largely sown in the spring, and within Park Crescent the 
long lines of these tall plants had an odd appearance. An inspection 
of the mode of growth of the flower-stalks when a number are 
looked at dispels the theory that this species has any partiality for 
opening its flowers towards the south. Round this Crescent there 
is a hedge of Hornbeam, which is not often seen in London 
squares, but it has not the advantages of other species planted 
for hedges which are thorny or of denser growth. On the 
west of Regent’s Park, in St. John’s Wood Road, are three 
open spaces contiguous to each other. Farthest west is the 
well-known cricket ground, Lord’s, at one time a nursery, or part 
of it was at least, not now accessible to the public ; next it the 
mansion and garden of the Clergy Orphan Asylum, and across 
Wellington Road is St. John’s Wood Chapel burial ground, a space 
of seven acres, open to all. The old tombstones have been left 
intact, which is just as well, for had the ground been cleared of 
these to lay out flower beds, many of the trees must have been 
also removed. By these the walks are made shady yet cheerful, 
hence the place is much liked by quiet strollers. Doubtless the 
trees have each their history could we trace it out. The varieties 
are numerous, the largest being Scotch Elms, Willows, and Black 
Poplars. The Willows are, as usual Salix alba. It is surprising that 
the devouring caterpillar of the goat moth has suffered some of 
them to reach their present size ; this insect is also an unsparing 
enemy to the Elm, the Scolytus beetle completing the damage 
begun by the caterpillar, but I think this attacks the English iD 
preference to the Scotch species. Here are good examples of the 
Weeping or Babylonian Willow, of the Weeping Ash, and the Beech, 
a tree, however, which does not seem to flourish in London suburbs. 
An avenue of Horse Chestnuts still retained many of its leaves, 
though a row of Limes close by was almost bare. Some remarkably 
fine Portugal Laurels were noticeable, and examples of the Sumach 
and purple Barberries, rich in leaf, near melancholy looking Guelder 
Roses—how fond Londoners were of this species, I suppose be¬ 
cause it flowered early when it inclined to bloom at all, for this is 
of uncertain appearance in the town smoke. I am surprised the 
Mezereon has not had more patronage, as it does not object to the 
London air, and, like the Jasminum nudiflorum, clothes its twigs 
with blossoms at the dawn of spring. A few large Hollies and 
Box trees look as if they had been planted when the ground was 
first enclosed, but the Larches and Firs have been a failure, the 
clay soil does not suit them at all. An appearance of antiquity 
has been given to the chapel by Tvy planted all round the walls, 
which has made rapid growth and festooned itself over windows, 
turrets, and buttresses. The most singular tree in the ground was 
a Plane, which was about 20 feet high, and had thrown out 
branches forming circlets one above another, unlike its wonted 
mode of growth. 
Paddington Green, in the Harrow Road, has no trees ; it is cut 
into four divisions by railings, and retains its grassy greenness, but 
flower beds have been made amongst the turf, and these are filled 
during the summer with bedding plants. In most cases one kind is 
predominant, and beds of Calceolarias, Lobelias, and Pelargoniums 
were putting forth late flowers, where they are edged with 
Golden Feather, this is allowed to remain, and it keeps up a 
semblance of green in the winter, till spring bulbs are introduced. 
Near to this is Paddington churchyai’d, of 3 acres, which offers no 
points of special interest. On my visit to this part of London in 
the middle of October an aphis migration was going on to a small 
extent. This would represent the customary autumn migration of 
winged types of these insects, but it was decidedly late. Aphides 
generally have been far from abundant this autumn owing to the 
heavy rains, the exceptions are those species that live either in 
circled up leaves and buds, or upon the roots of plants.—J. R. S. C. 
The Chrysanthemum Shows commence with Southampton to-day 
(Thursday), to be followed next week by Kingston, on Tuesday, 
November Gth ; the National Chrysanthemum Society at the Royal 
Aquarium, Westminster, on Wednesday and Thursday, November 7th 
and 8th; Tooting on the same days; Portsmouth on November 7th, 
8th. and 9th ; Teddington on Thursday, November 8th, and the Crystal 
Palace on Friday and Saturday, November 9th and 10th. 
We are requested to state that the Bedford Chrysanthemum Show 
will be held on November 14th and 15th, when, as several open classes 
are provided, it is hoped that the metropolitan exhibitors may be 
induced to compete. The Hon. Secretary is Mr. J. Sanders Clarke, 
49, Linden Road, Bedford. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
A fully attended meeting of the Committtee was held at “ An- 
derton’s Hotel,” Fleet Street, E.C., on Wednesday evening last, Mr. E. 
Sanderson, the President, in the chair. The Eastbourne Chrysanthemum 
Society was affiliated, and eight new members were enrolled, bringing 
the total up to 581. The Hon. Secretary reported in reference to the 
coming provincial show at Sheffield that everything connected with it 
was quite favourable, and a great deal of interest has been taken in it 
by the inhabitants. It is hoped that one of the Ladies Fitzwilliam will 
attend and open the exhibition. The Hon. Secretary reported that the 
British Fruit Growers' Association had applied to hold a meeting at 
St. Stephen’s Hall on the second day of the November Show—the 8th— 
and that the authorities at the Aquarium had consented ; also that he 
had sold 150 copies of the new catalogue issued by the Society, that ten 
or twelve dozen copies were out on sale or return, and that an applica¬ 
tion had been received from Mr. E. H. Libley of the American Garden, 
New York, for two dozen copies. Next came the presentation by the 
President to Messrs. Lewis Castle, Harman Payne, and G. Gordon, of the 
silver medals of the Society, voted to them for their services as revisers 
and editors of the new catalogue. The Hon. Secretary also reported that 
he had paid the sum of £52 10s. for medals applied for by affiliated 
societies. By way of extending the usefulness of the Society, Mr. C. 
Harman Payne was appointed to act as Foreign Corresponding Secretary, 
as a good deal of correspondence with the Society came from abroad. It 
was resolved that the Judges of fruit and vegetables at the Novem¬ 
ber Show should examine all new vegetables sent for certificates, and 
award the same to those subjects deemed worthy. It was unanimously 
resolved that the annual dinner of the Society should take place on 
Saturday, December 15th, at “ Anderton’s Hotel.” ItJ was also resolved 
