426 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 12, 1885. 
have been any distance away. The entrance is formed of Ivy, and 
the door actually turns on a hinge of Ivy. The size of the piece of 
ground devoted to the rock garden is about 110 feet by 50. 
The stones used in the formation are obtained from the neighbour¬ 
hood of Newcastle—the sandstone of the coal measures—a stone 
which adapts itself well to the formation of a rockery, and I may 
say that I have never seen a more natural and charming piece of 
work. You might really imagine yourself on some sandstone 
ridge which Nature had luxuriantly clothed. There was also a 
small piece of water on which a white Water Lily was reposing, 
and its flowers as pure as could he had on any mountain tarn. It 
would be impossible to get many of the alpine rock plants to 
flourish so close to a smoky town like Newcastle, and therefore very 
wisely Mr. Wilson, the owner of the garden, has relied mainly on 
the Saxifragas, Sedums, and Sempervivums, and these were in a 
most flourishing state. Sempervivum arachnoideum and Laggeri 
were grown as I have seen the former over the Mauvais Pas at 
Chamounix—literally on the stone itself, without apparently any 
earth at all, and in this way it flourishes. Great wisdom has been 
shown in selecting such plants as would be most likely to stand the 
smoke and at the same time look well. I have seen many much 
more pretentious rockeries which did not display half the taste, and 
it is only another instance of the truth of the adage that where 
there is a will there is a way. Many would have scoffed at the idea 
of having a rockery in such a place ; but Mr. Wilson has admirably 
carried out his plans. I may say that he is also an enthusiastic 
grower of Auriculas, and that in his frames I saw many fine plants 
of the hybrid varieties. Lancashire Hero, George Lightbody, Con¬ 
servative, Sylvia, Acme, Smiling Beauty, were all well represented. 
In his greenhouse, too, there was a fine lot of Geraniums, Begonias, 
&c. These are by the way. The great merit of the garden is the 
rockery, which I hope long may flourish.—D., Deal. 
CANKER IN FRUIT TREES. 
Me. Hiam does not appear to have hit upon a very happy idea in 
order to refute my theory of the cause of canker-infested fruit trees, nor 
in getting “ Entomologist ” to contradict his former opinion. If Mr. 
Hiam will refer once again to the wood culture as fruit culture he may be 
reminded that the art of cultivation first begins with the necessary pre¬ 
parations for the roots. Probably many besides Mr. Hiam overlook this 
most laborious branch of cultivation. I venture to think that if more 
attention was paid to it much less of other labour would be needed, not 
only in scraping and dressing cankered trees, but also pruning in general. 
Whenever I visit a garden during the summer, autumn, or early winter 
there is one cardinal point I keep in view. It is this. When I see bush 
or wall fruit trees allowed to grow and retain gross shoots sometimes over 
3 feet long I conclude that the man in charge is not a good cultivator, to 
say nothing of the unsightly appearance, especially of wall trees, which 
having long ago covered their allotted space look more like hedges. It is 
often such neglected instances as those where old shreds or where fasten¬ 
ings are allowed to remain too long, and also like the ligatures referred 
to, rupture the bark and cause what may be regarded as canker, or what 
is equally injurious. I wonder how many flower sticks Mr. Haycock and 
some others who contribute so well to an Apple or Pear congress have to 
prune away from their celebrated trees at the present time. 
Reverting to the main question of canker as showing that constitution 
has much to do with the disease, we may take an instance from the old 
Keswick Codlin and Lord Suffield Apple. Why is it that the former is 
so free from disease, whereas Lord Suffield requires the best treatment in 
order to keep it healthy ? yet it can be so kept, and that without either 
scraping or other dressing. Of course in some localities less care is 
needed than in others in hot gravelly subsoils and in wet clayey subsoils. 
However, the roots must be first attended to. It will also be remembered 
that the severe and prolonged frosts a few winters past caused much 
canker in some kinds, especially with regard to Lord Suffield, doubtless 
owing to want of root-action. During the same winters many evergreens 
were killed or severely injured where the roots were in sterile ground. 
Where there is a good flow of sap there is also a certain amount of 
warmth. Hence, as well prepared ground is richer and more porous than 
unprepared, and consequently warmer, there is more chance of the trees 
resisting stagnation during such severe winters ; neither do they suffer so 
much from drought during hot seasons. 
Mr. Hiam must not take it that I hold there is no antidote against 
canker without lifting and transplanting, although I hold that nothing is 
so complete, and it is well sometimes to encourage a few roots for a 
season or two before lifting the tree. If Mr. Hiam has a goodly number 
of trees he will certainly have room for experiment, and assuming his 
borders are well drained our friend will find that several good supplies of 
liquid manure during the winter with a liberal mulching will work a con¬ 
siderable change in his trees during next summer. We have several trees 
treated as an experiment, which are now casting the once cankered bark, 
and clean healthy bark is fast covering the sore. 
I confess I am behind my opponent in entomological matters. I have 
at times magnified a few of our common pests, but each time has ODly 
tended to strengthen me in my desire to have as little acquaintance as 
possible with them. It seems to me Mr. Hiam lays over-much stress 
upon the fact of having noticed so many insects leneath the dead bark of 
his trees. If he will examine a strip of dead bark upon any old post and 
rail-fencing, or upon any partially dead branch, if a forest or fruit tree, 
there will also be insects in abundance at one season or another. But our 
scientific friend, “ Entomologist,” himself does not attach much practical 
value to research in these matters so far as argument goes. Hybridisers 
who are in search of new varieties are equally diligent to improve the con¬ 
stitution also, especially in common crops, such as Peas and Potatoes.— 
Lathyeus. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
November 10th. 
The first meeting of the Committees after the close of the Inventions 
Exhibition was not an important one, the duties of both Committees were 
light and few meritorious novelties were exhibited. 
Fruit Committee. —T. F. Rivers, Esq., in the chair. Dr. Pritchard of 
Green Street, Sitlingbourne, sent an Apple named St. Christopher, a conical 
fruit of excellent flavour. Mr. Joseph A. Noble of Fortis Green sent a 
seedling Apple, which was not possessed of any merit. Messrs. Harrison 
and Sons of Leicester sent a seedling Apple of good size and symmetrical 
shape, resembling in form the Blenheim Pippin. It had a nice tender flesh 
and pleasant acidity, and was considered a good cooking Apple. Mr. Miller, 
The Gardens, Rood Ashton, Trowbridge, sent a large seedling kitchen Apple, 
which was passed. Mr. Lancaster, Holkham Gardens, Norfolk, sent excellent 
specimens of Gansel’s Bergamot, Beurre Bose, and Brown Beurrh, to which 
a letter of thanks was awarded. Mr. B. S. Williams of Holloway sent fruit 
of Winter King Grape, but it was not in condition to be favourably judged. 
Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain, Westwell Vicarage, showed good specimens of the 
White Plume Celery. A letter of thanks was awarded. Messrs. Rivers 
and Son of Sawbridgeworth sent a seedling Pear called Parrot. It was 
raised from Gansel's Late Bergamot, and is of the same round shape with a 
bright colour like Beurrd Capiaumont. It was considered to be a useful 
market Pear for this season. 
Floral Committee. —Three groups w re contributed, for which silver- 
gilt medals being awarded, that from Mr. W. Bull, Chelsea, consisting 
chiefly of Orchids and new plants. Amongst the Orchids were plants of 
the free-flowermg Oncidium ornithorhynchum, the bright yellow Oncidium 
tigrinum, Laelia autumnalis atrorubens with numerous crimson-tinted 
blooms, Cattleya aurea, Odontoglossum Insleayi Leopoldi, a large-flowered 
variety, the sepals and petals heavily barred with brown; Vanda coerulea, 
the fragrant Trichosma suavis, the fine plant of Vanda Sanderiana recently 
note! in these columns, the yellow Oncidium concolor, several pretty 
Barkerias, and a plant of Mormodes pardina unicolor, with bright yellow 
blooms on a close spike. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, had a pretty 
group of single and double Bouvardias ; Sang Lorraine, and Thomas Meehan 
double red, Alfrad Verner double white were the best of the latter, while of 
the single varieties Priory Beauty, Umbellata carnea, Dazzler, Elegans, and 
Maiden’s Blush, which we have previously described, were the leading 
forms. A collection of well-grown Cyclamens was sent from the same 
nursery, together with blooms of new Chrysanthemums, for one of which a 
certificate was awarded. A Japanese vaiiety named Phcebus, with large 
bright yellow blooms, was noteworthy, as also was the brilliantly coloured 
reflexed Cullingfordi. The third medal was awarded to Messrs. H. Page and 
Son, Teddington, for a group of over 200 Cyclamens, compact healthy 
plants, bearing a great number of flowers both light and dark coloured. 
They were fine examples of the best culture, and the honour awarded was 
well deserved. 
A cultural commendation was adjudged to Dr. Duke, The Glen, Lewis¬ 
ham, for a basket of Barkerias in excellent condition and flowering most 
profusely. A similar recognition was accorded a specimen of Gymno- 
gramma schizophylla superba from Mr. Wright, gardener to J. A. Whittard, 
Esq.. Rydel Mount, Streatham, which was recently much admired at the Brix- 
ton Show. The plant was over 4 feet in diameter, with large graceful fronds, 
such as are rarely seen on this Fern as generally grown. Mr. R. Owen, 
Maidenhead, was awarded a vote of thanks for cut blooms of single Dahlias 
and Chrysanthemums ; and Colonel T. Clarke, Dawntry, had a similar 
recognition for a plant of Pourretia flexilis, with long narrow recurving 
leaves, bright red at the base. 
First-class certificates were awarded for the following plants :— 
Chrysanthemum Mons. A. Vilmorin (J. Veitch <k Sons).—A Japanese 
variety, with blooms of medium size, the florets fluted and recurved, orange 
red, yellow on the reverse side. 
Amaryllis Autumn Charm (J. Veitch & Sons).—One of the retculata type, 
with large beautifully formed blooms, veined with bright rosy pink, and 
having a clearly defined bar of white in the centre of each lobe. 
Chrysanthemum Maiden’s Blush (G. Stevens, Putney).—A large-flowered 
Japanese variety, with flat florets, white, or creamy, very full and hand- 
some. . 
Cypripedium insigne Wallacei (New Plant and Bulb Company). A dis¬ 
tinct variety, the dorsal sepal cl arly margined with white and heavily 
spotted with dark brown. 
JAPANESE ANEMONE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Last year we gave an illustration of the remarkably distinct variety 
Fabian de Mhdiana, then bearing the incorrect title Fabias de Maderanaz, 
and now we give another example (fig. 65) of this beautiful section of 
Chrysanthemum, Soeur Dorothde Souille. This differs considerably from 
Fabian de Mddiana in the central tubular florets being much longer, and 
in the outer ray or guard florets being shorter and approaching more 
nearly to the character of the ordinary large-flowered Anemone varieties. 
The colour is a soft pink or blush, becoming nearly white sometimes, the 
outer florets being of a deeper tint. It makes a grand exhibition variety, 
and has this year assumed its true characters much earlier than Fabian 
