220 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 10,1891. 
salesmen be reasonably expected to give satisfaction under such 
circumstances ? One great advantage of the fruit from abroad is 
this, “ That when placed upon the market it is fit for immediate 
use,” which seems to suit the circumstances of most buyers, who 
say, “We do not want fruit to keep, we want it to sell.” We must, 
therefore, try and supply not only the article they want, but supply 
it also in the condition it which they require it. 
[We have a digest of Mr. Wright’s lecture on the “ Principles 
of Pruning,” but cannot fiad room for it this week.] 
MILES OF FRUIT PLANTATIONS AND MILLIONS OF 
FLOWERS. 
Judging from the letters I have received the article which appeared 
under the above heading a fortnight ago seems to have excited rather 
widespread interest, and more information is wanted by persons in 
various parts of the country and beyond its shores. One correspondent 
asks if I can tell him how much capital would be required to start 
places like Mr. Wood’s and Mr. Cannell’s, as he would “ like to go into 
that kind of thing.” If he is content to start as they did I suspect their 
greatest capital was in their heads and their hands, but if he wishes to 
•establish a twin business such as theirs, supposing they were linked 
together, obtain land and stock it as it is stocked now, I dare not venture 
on an estimate, but it would amount to a very large fortune. Those 
businesses, it seems neces c ary to say, are qu'te distinct, one consisting 
of between 1000 and 2000 acres of land, a large and constantly increased 
extent of it devoted to the production of fruit, mainly for preserving ; 
the other, a great emporium of flowers, with an adjunct of 300 acres 
under what may be termed mixed culture, and to simply enumerate 
.all the different varieties grown would make up a very large 
catalogue. Businesses such as those cannot be made in a year or two, 
no matter how great the investment, but are like fruit trees in full 
profit, must have time to grow. When I first saw Mr. Cannell’s 
establishment it consisted of one greenhouse, a few frames, and 
perhaps half an acre of land, possibly less, on what appeared a railway 
embankment at Woolwich. Mr. Wood was the son of a farm 
foreman, worked hard, saved a little money, and like his neighbour 
commenced action in a small way, and both of them by diligence in 
business, good judgment, and hard work made themselves what they are 
to-day. It is not many who make great industries at a bound, but 
men with business capacity and endowed with indomitable perseverance, 
who have “ learned to labour and to wait ” for the reward of success 
usually achieve it. As has been previously stated very little time was 
spent among the flowers, only an hour or so, but certainly “ millions ” 
were really seen, both at the beginning and the end of the drive 
through the “ miles ” of fruit plantations in a beautiful and salubrious 
-district. 
Flowees at Swanley. 
It is only a question of climbing over the fence from Mr. Wood’s 
fruit factory to Mr. Cannell’s flower beds. One of the first to pause 
at was planted with Marguerites, half a dozen varieties in rows, 
but one so far excelled the rest in its vigour and the size of its 
yellow flowers that its name was sought for. It is simply known as the 
Branching Etoile d’Or, which it distinctly supersedes in all points except 
colour. Etoile d’Or is miffy, liable to lose its foliage and become 
generally unsightly, but the giant form is robust, always flowering, and 
“never has anything the matter with it.” The flowers are in great 
demand in Covent Garden for various decorative purposes, and are cut 
at Swanley every day. There is no better test of merit than the Co vent 
Garden test, and this variety is destined to become the yellow Marguerite 
for the million. 
Carnations were losing their freshness, still the large collection grown 
in pots made a charming display. There is quite a run on Carnations 
and Picotees, and well do the sweet and charming flowers deserve their 
growing popularity. The new yellow or primrose ground varieties, with 
pink and red stripes, Saccharissa and Duchess of Fife, are highly 
regarded, and greatly in demand is the distinct white fimbriated Lizzie 
McGowan. Near them, not in flower of course, yet equa’ly note¬ 
worthy, was a fine block of plants of the plumed pink Chrysanthemum 
Louis Boehmer. This is a counterpart in the character of its blcoms of 
Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, but in habit and character of growth is altogether 
superior. The plants are sturdy, and appeared to be forming buds 
as freely as any other variety, and at the right time. They are 
mostly in 7-inch pots, and gaps in the rows and packing going on 
was suggestive that many more “ Boehmers ” will be seen during the 
ensuing season than “ Hardys ” were last year. This dainty variety 
appears to need a sunnier clime than ours, but the new plumed pink 
seems quite at home. Begonias in thousands made great squares bright, 
but the prolonged wet and cold weather checked their growth in the 
strong land ; in the lighter, richer soil of flower beds in gardens generally 
these plants have put Zonal Pelargoniums in the shade this year. The 
best of these at Swanley for bedding is the scarlet King of the Bedders, 
and Mr. Cannell says it will have to go everywhere before it stops. It 
is of the John Gibbons type, but excels that excellent variety for 
massing, which is a sufficient test of merit. 
But to see both Zonal Pelargoniums and Begonias in all their 
brilliancy, and it maybe added purity, they must be sf en under glass. 
House after house is filled with them, forming dazzling banks of beauty 
along each side of the long central paths. No doubt the very light 
structures are admirably adapted for the plants, but all the same such 
an imposing display could noc be produced except by the best varieties 
and the best culture. The Begonias are arranged in blocks of colour, 
the Pelargoniums in mixture. 
“Then people are not tired of these Pelargoniums, Mr. Cannell?” 
was a sort of fishing observation. “ Tired, bless you ; no, I should think not. 
Just look at them. Tired, did you say, of such flowers as these, and even 
better in winter than now ? See the size and the shape and the colour and 
the trusses. Who do you think can tire of them? Why they will have 
them. They come to pick out a dozen, and go on picking. They can’t 
leave them, don’t you see. Tire ! I should think not, indeed. We are 
always getting new varieties better and better. I have sometimes 
thought they couldn’t be better, but they keep coming—yes, and goiDg.” 
I felt it time to explain that I did not wonder at it, and say if I was a 
man of wealth 1 would have a houseful of them, and only thought that 
possibly Begonias had become the favourites. “ Begonias, yes, they are 
grand. I don’t know what we shall come to with them I am sure, but 
they are summer flowers, while the Zonals go on all the time, all the 
time.” “Well,” was the.next question, “where do you send them?” 
“ Send them,” was the response, “ why all over the world.” “ Sent any 
to Mashonaland yet ? ” was the next feeler. “ Now, come, come ; not 
quite so fast, my frieDd ; that is a little too previous. But,” after a 
moment’s reflection, “they will have to go some day after Lord 
Randolph comes home. They would do well ttere.” That shows the 
earnestness of the florist, his spirit of enterprise, his belief that no part 
of the world is furnished without flowers. He has laith in their 
humanising influence, and there is not much doubt that he regards those 
who grow them and love them so well as to keep buying the new sorts 
as ranking among the best people in the world, and perhaps he is not 
far wrong. If the best people want to know the names of the best 
Zonals up to date they will find them here recorded. Double varieties. 
—Turtle’s Surprise, Goldfinder, Nydia, Beaute Poitevine, Gloire de 
France, Rosea Superba, Tendresse, Mrs. Gorden, White Abbey, Golden 
Rain, H. M. Stanley, Sombre Horizon, and Salamander. Single varie¬ 
ties.—Lord Salisbury, Hercules, Rose du Barry, Mrs. Robert Cannell, 
Maud of Wales, Lady Brooke, Lord Rosebery, Cannell’s Favourite, 
John L. Baldwin, Miller’s Favourite, Winkfield Gem, Dr. R. G. Tucker, 
Mrs. Keeler Improved, Madame Patti, Souvenir de Mirande, Granville, 
Swanley SiDgle White, and Lily. Several of these are quite new, and 
all well worth growing. The colours will be found in the autumn 
catalogue, just published, as also will the names and colours of the new 
Begonias, and how fine these are many persons have seen at exhibitions. 
Selected seedlings, doubles and singles, of the last named flowers, 
arranged as in beds of separate colours under glass, crimson, yellow, 
rose, white, and a pleasiDg glowing amber colour, had a remarkable 
effect as viewed from the end of the long structures, and they lost 
nothing in merit by a closer inspection. It seems difficult to imagine 
that a much greater advance can be made on the best Begonias of the 
day ; but that was an opinion often heard expressed three or four years 
ago. There has been a great ma r ch onward since then. They are large 
enough now to please most people ; but who can say that in future 
varieties will not be forthcoming as sweet as they are beautiful ? 
Time only permitted a survey of the contents of other houses by a 
view from the doors. In one long stretches of Balsams laden with 
massive blooms ; in another thousands of Achimenes, charming summer 
flowers, so distinct from all outside ; in a third long banks of graceful 
Fuchsias, double and single, dark and light; in a fourth a forest of 
Coleuses in all imaginable colours, from bright yellow to dark maroon ; 
in a fifth grotesque Cactuses, and all sorts of plant curiosities ; and so we 
might go on. But still just one more house demands mention—a long 
structure filled with Cannas. The latest varieties of these are as far in 
advance of the old familiar forms as are the Begonias on their progenitors 
five or six years ago. There was no getting past these handsome 
