JOURNAL 
F HORTICULTURE AND COTTA, 
GARDENER. 
[ A’>rH 4, 1889. 
278 
Tuberous Begonias being, of course, excepted ; yet there are numbers of 
the fibrous-rooted species that require but little beat, are easily grown, 
and very floriferous that are well worthy of a place wherever they can 
be accommodated. The coil end of a stove or a warm conservatory 
suits them admirably—anywhere, in fact, if an intermediate tempera¬ 
ture can be maintained. This is not the best time of year for them, but 
just now we have the following very attractive :—B. pruinata, with small 
white flowers in lar^e panicles, freely produced, and bright green peltate 
leaves 4 to 9 inches in diameter. B. hvdrocotylifolia, a useful plant, 
varying somewhat under cultivation. If treated liberally it produces 
much larger flowers and leaves than when partially starved. The flowers 
are pink, in large panicles ; the leaves rounded and deep green. B. mala- 
barica, a tall-growing plant with large drooping panicles of pink flowers 
very distinct and effective. B. megasperma also has pink flowers, small, 
but borne in great numbers. B. manicata is better known than the 
others, its flowers varying from white to a deli'ate shade of pink. It is 
a free-growing useful plant.—L. 
- Sun Heat and Light. —At the last meeting of the Royal 
Meteorological Society, held on the 20th instant, Dr. W. Marcet, 
F.R.S., President, delivered an interesting address on the above 
subjtct. He said that the source or origin of all meteorological 
phenomena is the sun, which sends or radiates its heat to the earth 
through the molecular vibration of the invisible matter connecting earth 
with space. If there were no air and moisture we should feel the sun’s 
heat to a much greater extent. After the sun’s rays have reached the 
earth, a portion of the heat they bring with them is absorbed by it and 
terrestrial objects, another portion is converted into morion, and a third 
is reflected into space. After describing the various actinometers and 
other instruments used for determining the amount of solar radiation, 
Dr. Marcet showed that the temperature of the solar rays falls rapidly 
when tested at increasing altitudes in a balloon. Regarding the trans¬ 
formation of solar heat into motion, a very interesting illustration is 
afforded by the radiometer, in which the direct influence of the sun’s 
rays causes a light vane to rotate ; while 1 another illustration of the 
mechanical effects of heat upon fluids is their conversion into what is 
known as the spheroidal condition. In connection with this Dr. Marcet 
showed how by wetting his hand he could pass it through molten lead 
without injury. Dr. Marcet then briefly drew attention to the sun’s 
light, stating that the passage of the sun's light throughout atmosphere 
alters it in kind to a great and remarkable extent. Light can be de¬ 
composed into its elementary colours. In connection with this branch 
of the subject, Dr. Marcet performed a number of experiments, in¬ 
cluding, among others, that of passing a ray of light through a glass 
vessel freed from dust, when the ray disappears within the vessel, but 
reappears on the other side, showing that the power to form light was 
there, though not the material for this power to act upon. Dr. Marcet 
concluded his very interesting address by describing the various forms 
of sunshine recorders. 
- Chiswick Gakdeneks’ Mutual Improvement Associa¬ 
tion. —The close of the session of this useful institution was signalised 
by the members and their friends, numbering forty-three, dining 
together on Friday evening last under the presidency of Mr. George 
Gordon, the Chairman of the Association. After the repast the Chair¬ 
man, in an eloquent speech, gave the toast of the evening, *• Continued 
Success to the Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association.” 
The Vice-Chairmen, Messrs. J. Fraser and S. Summers, were enthu¬ 
siastically toasted, as also was the Secretary, Mr. J. Barry, and Mr. 
George Gordon. Additional interest was imparted to the proceedings 
by the presentation of prizes kindly offered by Mrs. S. A. Lee, a 
resident in the neighbourhood and a most liberal supporter of horti¬ 
culture at Chiswick. We append the names of the winners in the 
respective classes. Class 1.— Arrangement of the fruit garden to 
produce a continuous supply of fruit without the aid of glass. First 
prize, Mr. S. Summers, Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens, Chiswick, 
no other competitors. Class 2.—Best system of cropping the kitchen 
garden to ensure a continuous supply of vegetables where no forcing is 
practised. First prize, Mr. T. Bones, gardener to J. Donaldson, Esq., 
Tower House, Chiswick. Second, Mr. J. Addison, gardener to Mrs. 
Lloyd, Merton Lodge, Chiswick. Third, Mr. R. Wood, gardener to 
Mrs. Sanderson, Duke’s Avenue, Chiswick. Fourth, Mr. R. Aitken, 
gardener to J. J. Ford, Esq., Park Side, Hammersmith. Class 3.—How 
to maintain a gay conservatory throughout the year. First prize, Mr. 
A. Reid, Possingworth Gardens, Cross-in-Hand. Second, Mr. J. Barry, 
Chiswick. Third, Mr. A. Wright, gardener to E. H. Watts, Esq., 
Devonhuist, Chiswick. Fourth, Mr. G. Beaton, The Gardens, High- 
field, Shorekam. The literary merits of the essays had very properly to 
betaken into consideration in making the awards. The adjudicators, 
Messrs. G. Gordon, J. Wright, and J. Fraser, were unanimous on the 
relative merits of the contributions. Oue or two of them might 
possib'y have attained higher positions bat for mistakes, especially in 
spelling the names of plants. Several of the essays were highly credit¬ 
able productions, and Mr3. Lee is doing much good in offering these 
educational prizes. 
MADRESFTELD COURT. 
A short time since I bad the pleasure of spending a day or two 
with Mr. R. Parker at Impney. I was on a resting rather than on 
a writing tour, but as we went to see Mr.' W. Crump at Madresfield 
and as I brought away a photograph of the mansion, a little must 
be said about this old ancestral home, the name of which is so familiar 
to readers of garden literature. Malvern Link was the station at 
which we were met, and we might have been at Madresfield in less 
than half an hour, but were obligingly driven a circuitous route on 
the upper road along the foot of the famous Malvern Hills, from whence 
we could overlook the clean and salubrious town, and a magnificent 
panorama of flat, well-wooded, park-like country beyond it, a view 
which for extent and pastoral scenery could not easily be excelled. 
There is no wonder that Malvern is such a favourite resort, and 
crowded with visitors during the season. About two miles distant from 
our point of vantage glimpses of Madresfield could be obtained as if 
nestling among the trees. On the way thereto the timber by its 
stature afforded sufficient evidence of the fertility of the soil, and here 
and there a fine Pear tree indicated the suitability of the district for 
the cultivation of hardy fruit. 
Madresfield is not a home of mushroom growth by a very long way. 
The mansion with its moat, the waters of which wash the walls on three 
sides, and the supporting wall of a terrace garden on the fourth, savours 
of antiquity. It is entered by two bridges crossing the moat on opposite 
sides of the building, and the massive oak doors must be centuries old. 
History tells us that Madresfield Court was the seat of the Bracys until 
1321, when Joan, their heiress, espoused Thomas Lygan, whose 
descendent married the heiress of Lord Beauchamp of Powyck. The 
family of Ljgon is of Norman descent, and came into England with 
William the Conqueror. The bearer of the ancient name, the present 
Earl Beauchamp, ha.s improved his estate considerably, and evidently 
takes great interest in bis pleasure grounds and gardens. The former 
were extended and features of interest added. The present kitchen 
garden was made on a site apart from the old one (which no longer 
exists) and the extensive ranges of glass were erected about twenty 
years ago under the superintendence of the late Mr. Cox. The noble 
owner of Madresfield also considers the well being of his tenants, and 
distributes upwards of a thousand fruit trees amongst them annually 
free of cost. These are raised by Mr. Crump, and the nursery is an 
interesting and important department of his charge. 
First glancing briefly at the pleasure grounds the most distinct and 
beautiful feature is the avenue, about a third of a mile in length, of 
Picea nobilis glauca. This, I may presume, has no equal ; the trees 
have been grafted, and all are alike in habit and the beautiful silvery 
blue tint that shimmers in the sunshine. The trees are apparently 
uniform in size and about 50 feet high, and as they are about 16 yards 
apart on the lawn they have space for development, and are indi¬ 
vidually and collectively displayed to the greatest advantage. Several 
of them are memorial trees, permanent tablets recording when and by 
whom they were planted. This avenue is seen in its fullest beauty 
from the west when the sun is declining late in the afternoon; from 
the east when it is ascending in the morning, the rays then striking on 
the under surface of the leaves as the branches are moved by a gentle 
breeze, the avenue then representing a moving mass of glistening silver, 
as charming as it is unique. I remember seeing last year many 
hundreds of the same variety of this handsome Conifer in the nurseries 
of Messrs. Smith of Worcester, from whence the splendid specimens at 
Madresfield were probably obtained. This beautiful avenue forms one 
side of a triangle, the other two consisting, one of large old Elms chiefly, 
the other of Cedrus atlantica from seed, the trees consequently varying 
in tint and character. Conifers of most kinds appear to be at home at 
Madresfield, and seldom is the Douglas Fin seen in finer condition. 
Evergreens also, of which there is a good assortment, appear equally 
healthy and satisfactory. Perhaps the most noticeable of these are the 
standard round-headed Portugal Laurels on the lawn in front of the 
mansion. These are very fine indeed, and kept in perfect shape by 
j udicious yearly prunings. An avenue of Laurels leads to the flower 
garden with marble statuary on each side of the walk, representing 
twelve Roman Caesars, Julius and others, in the order in which they 
reigned. In the flower garden a large bed of Clematis Jackmanni 
produces a fine effect in summer ; and about a score of other beds 
occupied with Tuberous Begonias in separate colours, Mr. Parker says, 
are worth going a journey to see, and he knows not where they are 
equalled. The tubers for this season's display were being started in frames 
without heat, under a thick covering of leaves and litter. The rosery 
deserves passing notice, or rather its crescent-shaped boundary does, of 
Limes trained to form an arch, which must form a perfect tunnel of 
foliage in summer, the shade being of the densest. The Roses are in 
beds on the open space half encircled by this arch of Limes. Going 
onwards we pass fine Yew hedges, then come upon one of Pulham’s 
