482 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 17, 1886. 
out of this guide, not because they are less interesting than others that 
will he named, but because they entail a certain amount of walking, which 
means loss of time. Gardeners generally have walking enough at home, 
and consequently they require as little as possible when they are out. I 
propose grouping the gardens to be visited as much as possible, so that 
the same ground will not have to be travelled over twice. 
The botanic garden joins Wavertree Park, in which the Exhibition is 
to be held ; in fact one or more of the tents as well as a hand of musicians 
will be within the garden. The neighbourhood of the garden is a very bad 
one, and a worse for gardening purposes could scarcely be found. This 
was not the case formerly, hut now it appears to he within the city, for 
nothing but bricks and mortar surround it. Gardening, however, is very 
well done, all these drawbacks considered, and great credit is due to Mr. 
Richardson, the able curator, and his foreman, Mr. Powell. A splendid 
idea of what will do in the neighbourhood of a town and what can really 
be done may he gained, and I advise gardeners to supply themselves with 
a note-book and pencil, for a few notes of what are thriving may prove 
of service to them some day, for gardeners never know whether they 
will be called upon to practise in the vicinity of a town or in the pure air 
of the country. There is a good collection of herbaceous plants, and 
plants suitable for furnishing walls. The glass arrangements are also 
extensive, and the various departments contain some noble specimens. 
The private houses at the back are an interesting feature of the gardens, 
and Mr. Richardson will he only too pleased to allow any gardener to 
inspect these as well as those daily open to the public. The bedding has 
generally been well done in these gardens, hut the season has been much 
against this portion of the garden decoration, for there is not a sufficiency 
of frames for the accommodation of the enormous quantity of plants re¬ 
quired. Another drawback to the beauty of the establishment is the large 
numbers of plants that have to be taken out in all weathers for the decora¬ 
tion of the Town Hall and other public buildings. Two Royal visits in a 
season have made hundreds of plants look seedy, in addition to the large 
quantities that are only fit for the rubbish heap after they return home 
from being used in ball-rooms and other positions. The houses could 
be Kept far more attractive if this work could he dispensed with. It may 
here be stated that Mr. Richardson not only superintends the Botanic 
Garden, but all the parks and squares come under his charge. 
To pass from the Park, the nurseries of Messrs. T. Davies & Co., 
Wavertree, may be inspected while at the Exhibition or Shipperies. 
These are reached by taking a tram (for 2d.) from the point where 
passengers alight for the *• Royal Show.” Some of the Wavertree trams 
pass through the main street of the village, and in less than ten minutes 
from this point the nurseries alluded to can be reached. They are on the 
right-hand side.. There is a large extent of glass, and plants generally are 
well done both inside and out. Elm Hall, Wavertree, is not very distant 
and should be visited, for Mr. Cox, who presides over the gardens, is 
certain to have something at home worth seeing, although he may have 
many of his best plants at the Show if he succeeds in getting them into 
form by that date. Mr. Cox is the rising successful exhibitor in this 
neighbourhood, and if I judge rightly he will well fill in a year or two 
"the premier position rendered vacant by Mr. Wm. Mease. In the past 
Mr. Cox has been most successful at the shows held by the Liverpool 
Horticultural Association, and in the future I predict he will be more 
successful still. I strongly advise gardeners wishing to see Elm Hall 
to inquire at the nurseries of Messrs. T. Davies & Co. the best route ; it 
can be pointed out to them better than I can detail it here. 
From Wavertree station, on the London and North-Western Railway, 
the train can be taken for Mossley Hill ; it is the next or second station 
from Wavertree, the station being close against Messrs. Davies’ nursery. 
The same place (Mossley Hill) can be reached from Edge Hill station, 
which has been described, or Lime Street station, if the train is taken from 
the city. At Mossley Hill turn to the left out of the station and go 
Straight forward for some distance, when the first turning to the right 
should be taken, which will lead to Wyncote, Allerton, the gardens of 
C. W. Newman, Esq., where Mr. W. Mease has so successfully practised 
for many years. These gardens are not what may be termed extensive, 
but they are well kept, and every portion of ground turned to good 
account. I may say a little of everything is grown, and all that is taken 
in hand is well done. No visitor to Liverpool should pass these gardens 
without paying Mr. Mease a visit. From Wyncote Calderstone can be 
seen. It is only a few hundred yards away, and a very pleasant half-hour 
may be spent with Mr. W. Tunnington, who probably knows more about 
Chrysanthemums than any other man about the neighbourhood. Pines, 
stove, and greenhouse plants are also well giown at Calderstone. 
These visited, the ground must be retraced to Mossley Hill station 
for Garston Dock station, or the distance to Garston may be walked, 
While walking. to the former station the latter could be reached, 
and a visit paid to the Garston Vineyard. Garston can be reached 
either from the central station or from Lime Street. The former 
route will be referred to agaiD. The Vineyard is easily found 
when Garston is reached, and anyone will point out the road. 
The nurseries are about fifteen minutes walk from either of the 
stations. A whole village of glass will he found in these nurseries, filled 
with all kinds of flowering and foliage decorative plants to meet the 
demands of Liverpool for plants and cut flowers. Young Vines and Tea 
Roses are also largely grown. Orchids, in all stages of development, fill 
a score or mi re of louses. The large Madresfield Court Vine which 
has been written about so many times, fills two large houses if it has not 
been recently destroyed, which I do not think is the case. Young Ferns 
are also a speciality. From this point a return to town can be taken from 
either station, or Woolton and West Derby may be reached from the 
Cheshire Lines Committee station at Garston. At both of the places 
named visitors should break their journey, for there are gardens at both 
worth seeing. But I shall give this route from the city, starting from the 
central station, for there are several places of interest that can be reached 
from this company’s lines. 
One of two routes can be selected for the purpose we have in view— 
namely, the train from the station named or by the Prince’s Park ’bus, 
which passes the Washington Hotel in Lime Street. I advise the ’bus, 
al hough it takes a little longer, but this will give strangers an oppor¬ 
tunity of seeing another portion of the town, and Prince’s Road is well 
worth seeing, towards the end of which a boulevard has been formed. 
The trees are young, but it certainly reminds one somewhat of the Con¬ 
tinent. By this bus Prince’s Park can be visited, for passengers can alight 
close to it. This is not a large park, but it is well laid out, generally 
some good bedding in it, but the date is too early to see this in its best; 
nevertheless, it is well worth inspecting. Mr. Mason presides over 
this park, and the management reflects great credit upon him. A few 
minutes from this park Sefton Park can he entered. I may here state 
that from the central station a ticket should be taken for Mersey Road 
station, the nearest for Sefton Park. By this route it could be passed 
through to arrive at the point we wish to get at presently. Sefton Park 
should be inspected, for it is by far the finest in Liverpool. It reminds 
one very much of Battersea Park, London, hut has no bedding. It is 
beautifully laid out with its broad well-kept roads and winding walks 
and ornamental rockwork and lake. There is also a very fine collection 
of ornamental forest trees and deciduous flowering trees and shrubs. 
Those interested in landscape gardening—and we all are, or should be— 
should not visit the city without thoroughly inspecting this large beau- 
tiful Park. 
From this Park can be seen the drive gates of Otterspool, the residence 
of Sir T. E. Moss, Bart., where the late Mr. Wm. Hinds lived and wrote 
for many years. Mr. D. Lindsay succeeded Mr. Hinds, and still has the 
charge of the gardens, which have steadily improved. The drive alone 
is worth a visit, without mentioning the glass and other portions of the 
grounds. Those who travel from town to Otterspool station, the one 
following Mersey Road, on the same line, enter from the station by a 
small gate, but by this route the drive is missed, which is perhaps the best 
feature of this place, as far as the grounds are concerned. From the 
gardens at various points a splendid view of the Mersey is obtained ; m 
fact, it washes the outer edge of the garden, and sometimes carries some 
portion away with its lushing mighty current. But I am not going to 
describe this or any of the gardens I intend naming, for I shall only, by 
so doing, destroy the pleasure of those who visit them. 
The train this time must be taken from Otterspool to Cressington, 
which is the next station. From here the nurseries of Messrs. R. P. Ker 
aod Sons, Aigburth, are reached ; they are situate about four minutes walk 
from the station. This is the home for Crotons. The Croton house is now 
very handsome. I daresay some of the best plants will find their way 
to the Show ; they certainly ought to do so, for they are wonderfully fine ; 
however, if they do a good number will remain behind that will be worth 
inspecting. Cyclamens are well and largely grown, also Dracaenas—in fact, 
a general collection of stove and greenhouse plants. It is in good order 
outside, and the collections of trees and shrubs are large. Gardeners 
when in this neighbourhood should pay it a visit.—A City Man. 
(To be continued.) 
FEUIT STONING. 
(Continued frontpage 459.) 
Then soil exerts a great influence on fruit stoning. Calcare¬ 
ous matter seems essential, and few fruit borders are made with¬ 
out an addition of lime rubble. I have known instances of 
Cherries falling year after year being rendered fruitful by the 
addition of a 6 inch thickness of lime rubbish mixed with the 
top 2 feet of soil, the roots being lifted to within a yard of the 
stem and laid in the fresh material. This on a peaty loam on 
the lias formation. There are no doubt soils that contain suffi¬ 
cient lime without any additions, but there are many soils that 
contain so little lime as to render an addition of lime absolutely 
essential to a satisfactory crop of fruit. In fact, all soils not 
calcareous should have addition of not less than a tenth of lime 
rubble or chalk, and in soils that are of an alluvial or peaty 
natui - e a sixth is not too much. In all cases it should be well 
mixed with the soil to a depth of 2 feet, and if drainage be neces¬ 
sary it may form the upper layer of that in the case of all fruit 
borders, particularly in the case of Figs, Vines, Peaches, and 
Nectarines and Cherries. It does not seem so necessary for 
Pears. Apples, and bush fruit, but for all stone fruits is a 
necessity of successful practice. Apricots and Plums can 
hardly be grown without lime, and Cucumbers and Melons are 
healthier and not so liable to gum, gangrene, and other ills 
when lime forms a component part of the compost. In some 
cases I have used as much as a sixth for mixing with the loam 
for both Cucumbers and Melons, and had some disasters through 
using lime of the magnesian character as prevails in some parts 
of Yorkshire. The magnesian limestone may not do much harm 
on peaty soils, but its causticity remains so long that it must be 
