524 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ December 10, 1885. 
VALLOTA PURPUREA. 
As an autumn-flowering plant I think Vallota purpurea ranks amongst 
the best of our greenhouse-flowering plants. Several came into bloom in 
the middle of September, and have lasted to the present time. 1 find 
them more useful at the time above-mentioned than in the beginning of 
August, and they last twice as long. It is a mistake to over-pot them, and 
the drying system practised by some gardeners is wrong. The Vallota is an 
evergreen bulb, and must never be allowed to get dry at the roots. My 
plan is to pot in March three fair-sized bulbs into 8-inch pots, the compost 
to consist of strong loam, a sprinkling of sand, and as a manure I think 
there is nothing to surpass sheep manure and a little soot. I keep the 
plants in a shady part of the greenhouse after potting till the end of May, 
when they may be shifted into a cool frame fully exposed to the sun. 
They require an occasional watering with liquid manure. I find plants 
potted in late autumn come in bloom earlier than those potted in spring. 
—W. Roberts, Llynguern, Machynlleth. 
NEW HOUSES AT CLEVERLEY, ALLERTON. 
In the gardens of T. Sutton Timmis, Esq., Allerton, can be seen one of 
the most compact and convenient ranges of glass houses that it is possible 
to find in any garden about Liverpool or probably anywhere else. The 
houses in question have only recently been erected, and therefore are not yet 
thoroughly furnished with plants, but it is not my intention to note many 
particulars about these, but certain arrangements in the construction of the 
houses demand notice. 
Several horticultural builders were invited to furnish designs’ and the 
one selected as the most suitable was the work of Mr. T. Hill, Woolton, to 
whom the construction of the houses were entrusted. The houses are all 
built in a block and are twelve in number, nine of which lead out from a 
lean-to corridor 120 feet in length. This allows of the whole of these houses 
being passed through without going outside. Eight of the houses leading 
out of the corridor are span-roofed, the other one being a lean-to and built 
to fill up a rather peculiar corner against the end wall, which if left 
would in some measure have destroyed the finished appearance which these 
houses now present. Four houses on the west side are devoted to plants, 
and these are longer than the remainder, which are utilised for fruit. The 
remaining three houses run parallel with the corridor and at the ends of the 
fruit houses ; these are span-roofed structures about 20 feet long each by 
12 feet wide. These are built for Cucumbers, Melons, and Tomatoes; good 
crops of the latter were hanging in one of the houses. Winter Cucumbers 
filled the second, some good Calanthes and Nepenthes the third. Amongst 
the latter N. Mnstersiana was very noticeable. 
The front entrance is on the west side and in full view of the mansion, 
but some distance away ; in fact, this entrance is arranged to face a walk 
that leads from this portion of the ground to the mansion and pleasure grounds. 
The entrance to the houses is very neat, and opens into a very comfortable 
little apartment furnished with seats and chairs, also a few suitable plants 
and climbers which are intended to furnish the sides and roof. The house 
to the right of the centre upon entering is for Azaleas and other greenhouse 
plants, while the one joining the corridor has the centre filled with Camellias. 
Beds are arranged on each side, Lapagerias being planted on the shady side 
and Rose3 on the other. The wall end of this house is also planted with 
Camellias and other suitable wall plants. Round the sides narrow stages 
will eventually be erected. In these, as well as the two following houses, 
5he doors are 3 feet 6 inches wide, and the space can be made 20 inches wider 
by a simple arrangement, so that large plants can be passed in and out 
without fear of injury. On each side of the door is a wide sash which, on 
the opposite side to that the door is hinged to, is arranged to open the 
same way as the door, while the doorpost can be removed by drawing a 
small brass bolt and then lifting it out of the way. This then leaves an open 
space of 5 feet 2 inches, through which very large plants can be passed. 
This is decidedly the best arrangement of the kind I have seen, and 
exhibitors of large plants intending to erect houses would do well to make a 
note of it. 
The two next houses are devoted to stove plants. The first will be main¬ 
tained at stove heat proper, in the other at an intermediate temperature. 
This is arranged so that stove-flowering plants while in bloom can be placed 
in the cooler house of the two, where they will last double the length of time 
as would be the case in the close moist atmosphere of the hothouse. Several 
good Crotons, Stephanotis floribunda, Allamandas, Anthurium Andreanum, 
and A. Schertzerianum are already occupants of these houses. The last 
plant named is a magnificent one, more than a yard through, and has been 
grown by Mr. Cromwell, the able grrdener, since it had four leaves, but not 
in these gardens, for when his previous employer died the plants were 
dis posed of, and the one in question at the sale became the property of his 
present liberal employer. In these houses one or two arrangements demand 
notice, the first being the floor, which is formed by neat cast iron gratings 
resting in a framework of stone or cement. Beneath these gratings the 
bottom and sides are cemented so as to form a shallow tank. These can be 
kept full of water when desired or emptied at will by lifting a plug, and the 
water passes into the drains. This is a capital idea, as plenty of moisture 
can be maintained in the atmosphere of the house by water under the 
gratings without the floor being wet, which renders stoves in the majority 
of gardens so objectionable to ladies. Round the side stages of both these 
houses a tray about 4 inches deep and probably 6 inches wide is provided of 
ironwork, in which small plants are now plunged amongst cocoa-nut fibre 
refuse in 3 and 4-inch pots for purposes of decoration. Holes are made in 
the bottom for all surplus water to pass away. Something of this kind is 
wanted in the majority of plant houses where eSective arrangements are 
required aud where the houses are required to be made as attractive as 
possible. Trays of this description planted with Selaginellas, Panicum 
variegatum, small Ferns, Begonias, Fittonias, and other small-growing flower¬ 
ing and foliage plants would present in contrast a much more beautiful and 
natural appearance at the front of a bank of plants than if the same varieties 
were arranged in pots. Few plants for edging purposes look better together 
than Panicum variegatum and Selaginella csesia, both of which would reach 
to the walk in a very short space of time, and nothing could possibly give a 
more charming appearance to the sides of the houses. The plant houses are 
each about 3G feet long by 20 feet wide, and are somewhat higher than those 
devoted to fruit. 
The vineries, four in number, two in each range, are about 25 feet long 
and the same width as the plant houses. The first in the range is planted 
with Black Hamburghs, the second with Alicantes and Lady Downe’s, the 
next range Muscat of Alexandria, and eventually the other house with 
Madresfield Court, being now occupied with Peach trees. The "Vines were 
all planted last spring, and have made capital growth. The borders are 
being made on the piecemeal system, and all are inside, no provision being 
made for outside borders. These as well as the plant houses are well 
supplied with water, and arrangement has been made for a good command 
of warm water from the hot-water pipes. 
The last house from the corridor is entered by descending one step, the 
only one in the whole block of houses. Although this is rather a peculiar 
shaped house it is a very pretty one. The wall on the side next the vineries 
is covered with Selaginella Kraussiana (denticulata). The stage on the 
opposite side is formed by rockwork made of sandstone, very tastefully 
arranged and planted with Ferns. Two tanks are displayed in the rock- 
work, and add materially to its appearance ; standing just above the water 
in one was a fine pan of Trichomanes radicans. The back wall is planted 
with Adiantum cuneatum, and the stage is being filled with cool Orchids, 
and those already occupying the house are making strong, vigorous 
growth, and should do well in this house. 
The corridor has a walk 5 feet wide, formed of tiles its full length, with 
a border 2 or more feet wide at the back, in which a collection of climbing 
plants are planted out to furnish the wall and roof; these will be interesting 
and eSective when they furnish the space allotted to them. The wall has 
been very attractive with Tropaeolum Jarratti, which has been freely plant? d 
to impart a brightness to this place until other plants are established. On 
the border a number of flowering plants in variety are arranged, and also 
on a narrow stage on the front between the ends of the other houses. 
Beneath the stage Ferns and Mosses are planted. Roses have been freely 
planted, and the whole have made remarkably luxuriant growth. 
The stages in the houses are all formed of iron and three-quarter-inch 
slates, and have a very light yet durable appearance. The houses are well 
wired ; in fact, the whole of the ironwork and heating arrangements are as 
complete and well finished as it is possible to have them. This work was 
entrusted to Mr. Joseph Bramham, 104, Wall Street, Liverpool, and knowing 
his ability and experience, I should have been surprised to find them in any 
other condition. The whole of the houses are heated by two of Mr. 
Bramham’s improved saddle boilers with waterway back, and Mr. Cromwell 
spoke most highly of the heating power of these boilers. If I remember 
rightly there is no less than 10,000 feet of 4-inch piping to these boilers. 
The main pipes to the other houses are utilised for hi ating the corridor and 
the cool Orchid house, for the mains pass through it to the Cucumber and 
Melon houses. The heat for this house and the corridor rise through 
gratings arranged in the walk or under the front stage. The openings are 
fitted with zinc below the gratings so as to keep down the whole of the 
heat when not required. This is very good, for no heat is wasted in 
chambers outside, for all the pipes are inside the houses except a small 
length that just crosses the walk to the Cucumber houses ; but this is not 
for more than two or three yards at the moat. 
The space between all the houses and a good walk the entire length 
of the range has been concreted and cemented, so that it can be washed 
down and kept perfectly clean. From this end all the rough work, such 
as wheeling soil for the Vine borders, Cucumbers, and Melons, <tc., is done to 
save passing through the corridor. In fact, this is the most convenient, for 
the outer walk terminates in a back road just behind the boundary wall. 
The potting and packing sheds are behind the corridor, also the gar¬ 
dener’s office; in fact, the corridor leans against the wall of these build¬ 
ings. Plenty of room is allowed, and the one follows the other in rotation, 
the packing shed being in the centre of the corridor, and opens into it, so 
that plants or flowers can be brought from the house to the various sheds 
during all weathers without passing outside. The boiler house is just below 
the packing sh d, and receives a c rtain amount of light from that structure. 
The stokehole is rather dark, but it is in a most convenient position, and is 
entered on the outer side of these buildings. Plenty of gas is provided in 
the stokehole, and this abundantly makes up for the deficiency of natural 
light. The sheds are lighted and ventilated from the top so as not to 
destroy the uniformity of the outer wall, which corresponds with the stables 
and stable yard. The stables are enclosed at the end by large, wide, massive 
doors, and an equally substantial building was being erected on the opposite 
side for wheelbarrows and other implements. To the front of the houses is 
a capital square of ground that was being converted into a plunging and 
standing ground for plants. 
The kitchen and fruit garden, as well as the pleasure grounds, although 
not extensive, were in excellent condition. Taking this place altogether, it 
is the neatest and most compact that I have had the pleasure of visiting 
for a long time. 
In conclusion, I have to say that great credit is due both to Mr. Hill 
and Mr. Bramham, and the very highest commendation is due to 
Mr. Cromwell, the able gardener, for the many valuable instructions 
imparted by him during the construction of the houses and the other work 
that has been so well carried out.— Wm. Bardney. 
||lg 
:W(j 
WORK F 0R. THE WEEK.. 
s q 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Autumn-sown Peas and Beans. —Where these are just peeping 
through the soil dust them every other day in wet weather with powdered 
