310 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 81,1887. 
accorded to Cypripedium hirsutissimum and O lontoglossum luteo- 
purpureum, var., from MM. Yervaet et Cie. ; Cattleya Trianas splendens 
from M. L. De Smet-Duvivier ; Odontoglossum odoratum from M. Jules 
Hye-Lcysen; Imantophyllum miniatum gandavense from M. Ed 
Pynaert; Cypripedium ciliolare from M. le Notaire Moens ; Odonto¬ 
glossum Alexandras from MM. Yervaet et Cie.; and Phalienopsis 
Stuartiana from M. Paul de Hemptinne. 
DEATH OF MRS. PEMBERTON HEYWOOD. 
\Ve record the death of Mrs. Hey wood, who was a true patron of 
gardening. She was the widow of the late John 1’emberton Heywood, 
Esq., of Norris Green, Liverpool, Cloverley Hall, Whitchurch, and 15, 
Hyde Park Place, London, and died at her Shropshire residence on the 
evening of Wednesday, the 6th inst., near the close of her seventy-fifth 
year. The deceased lady only left Norris Green on the previous Friday 
in her usual health and spirits ; she caught a severe chill, which ended 
fatally only two days later. Her remains were interred in the vault at 
Corra by the side of those of her husband, who died ten years ago. 
The funeral procession was arranged to pass through the pleasure 
grounds and along what is known as the “ Church Walk,” with its 
avenue of stately Conifers, to the church, about one mile distant from 
the Hall. The procession was a very large one, and some hundreds of 
people lined the road to witness the last remains of one deeply loved, 
who will be widely missed for her innumerable acts of kindness and 
benevolence. Mr. Heywood, speaking at Cloverley, on behalf of himself 
and wife on the occasion of a presentation not long before his death, 
said, “ It has always been our anxious wish to do as we would be done 
by, in endeavouring to make every one around us happy and comfort¬ 
able.” He succeeded, and the deceased lady, after his death, carried out 
to the letter the same noble and -honourable principle. She was most 
amiable and the very essence of kindness to servants as welt as friends. 
On several occasions we have heard from one of her servants, a well 
known gardener (Mr. William Bardney), “ It wasa pleasure toserve her, 
for a better employer, or one more worthy of true and faithful service, 
could not be found.” 
By the death of Mrs. Heywood gardening has lost one of the truest 
patrons. Although the gardens at both establishments were well kept 
during Mr. Heywood’s lifetime they have been considerably improved 
during the ten years these establishments were presided over by the 
deceased lady. Norris Green may truly be called the “ home for 
flowers,” for in scarcely any other private establishment have we had 
the good fortune to see so many flowers at one time during the winter 
months. From the 1st of November to the end of April the conservatory 
was a paradise of flowers. Through all the changing fashions of gar¬ 
dening for foliage and other plants Mrs. Heywood never changed, and 
truly loved such old-fashioned flowers as Mignonette, Lily of the Valley, 
and Hoses. These were three special favourites, and the same may be 
said of Sweet Peas, Violets, and Clove-scented Carnations. Among the 
many wreaths sent to the funeral an appropriate one from Norris Green 
Gardens was noticeable ; it was formed of Marshal Niel Roses, Lily of 
the Valley, and Mignonette—an uncommon combination, but sweet, 
beautiful, and much admired. 
A quotation from the letter of one who was for four years in Mrs. 
Heywood’s employ, but who now holds a position of trust in the northern 
counties, may fittingly close this brief notice. He says, “ Although I 
am not now one of her servants, I feel deeply concerned and am truly 
sorry to hear the last of one so worthy the name of a lady. In the 
present age there are few so worthy to conduct the affairs of large 
establishments as she has done. I mourn her loss, because one of the 
noblest and best friends of gardens and gardeners has passed away.” 
THE LONDON NURSERIES IN APRIL. 
MESSRS. J. LAING & CO., FOREST HILL. 
Though the name of this firm has been identified with the greatly im¬ 
proved race of modern Tuberous Begonias, they have also made specialties 
of other plants, and assisted in increasing the number of useful varieties. 
Caladiums may be mentioned as one of the features ; florists’ flowers 
generally, Ferns, fine-foliage plants, and many others, all have houses 
appropriated to them. Orchids have for some time received considerable 
attention, and a large collection of the best useful species or varieties 
for general culture has been formed. Like everything taken in hand by 
'Mr. J. Lairig they are well grown, and the Dendrobiums, especially D. 
Wardianum, are remarkable for their vigorous health, their long, stout 
pseudo-bulbs, large flowers, and rich colours. In one of the houses a 
pretty group of choice Orchids had been arranged recently, very 
prominent in which was the 'excellent specimen of Dendrobium Fal- 
coneri in a 9-incli pot, bearing over 200 fine flowers. This plant was 
recently shown at South Kensington and greatly admired. Cattleya 
Trianm was represented by a variety with large flowers, 8-J inches in 
diameter, the petals 3 inches across, the lip 2£ inches in diameter, of a 
rich crimson colour, the sepals and petals deeply suffused with a rosy 
hue. Of Cattleya Lawrenci* there were several varieties, all more 
highly coloured than the majority of. varieties, one having a pure white 
throat, a beautifulicontrast with the rich lip. ’ C. Waracewiczii delicata 
as its name implies, very delicately tinted, like C. Trianaj Schroderae.’ 
Several Dendrobiums, comprising the golden and maroon spotted D, Cam- 
bridgeanum, D. Dcvonianum, D. primulinum, and giganteum, the. showy 
D. fimbriatum oculatum, the white D. Jamesianum, D. coerulescens, 
D. lituiflorum, D. aggregatum and its variety majus, D. Wardianum, 
several fine varieties, one with the lip 1 \ inch in diameter, D. crassinode 
and its beautiful variety Barberianum, which has its sepals and petals 
deeply tipped with crimson. Lycaste Skinneri and L. Harrisonise were 
also included in the group, and as some of the plants were suspended 
from the roof, others standing on the stage, the tallest at the back, a 
very agreeable effect was produced. The Cattleya house’ contained a. 
large collection of species and varieties, C. intermedia being still in 
flower, also a larger and better coloured variety named Laingi in which 
the lip is deep crimson and the sepals and petals purplish. The bright 
orange scarlet Laelia harpophylla was attractive, Cattleya Trianse having 
also afforded abundance of its flowers, some 200 having been open at 
once. The cool house contains some choice varieties of Odontoglossum 
crispum, O. Peseatorei, O. Cervantesi, O. Rossi majus, O. Oerstedi majus, 
O. pulchellum, and 0. luteo-purpureum, while in a warmer compartment, 
are some healthy plants of 0. vexillarium, showing flowers freely, and 
proving by their vigorous growth how they appreciate the treatment they 
receive. Anguloa Clowesi thrives surprisingly at Forest Hill, having 
pseudo-bulbs 8 or 9 inches long. Pleiones are also in excellent condition, 
with Coelogynes, Masdevallias, and innumerable others. - 
A capital span-roofed house, 100 feet long, has been erected for the. - 
double -Tuberous Begonias, another house, somewhat larger, being- • 
devoted to the single varieties, so that every provision is being made for 
an even more extensive show of these plants than usual. About 120,000 
seedlings have been raised this season, many of which are now being 
gradually pricked off into other boxes, or potted singly. The houses willi. 
be devoted as before to the best named varieties and novelties of excep¬ 
tional merit, but the great bulk of the stock will be planted out in beds, 
as in previous seasons. A very large demand has sprung up for bedding 
' Begonias in recent years, and extensive as- is the supply provided they, 
have repeatedly found it insufficient to meet the demands. 
Caladiums when well grown are handsome plants, and if they have- 
been somewhat neglected in recent years it is not because they are diffi-. 
cult to grow. It is somewhat too early yet to see Messrs. Laing’-s collec¬ 
tion at its best, but these were the most notable of the early plants. 
Mithridate, crimson centre, green edge; Elsie, white flushed with, 
light crimson ; Comtesse de Condeixa, very large leaves, rich crimson, 
one of the darkest ; Albo-luteum, pale yellow and white ;.Luddemanni-. 
anum, crimson-veined, spotted with white on green ; Madame Kcechlin, 
semi-transparent, white, with red veins ; minus erubescens, dwarf, smalB 
leaf, red edged with green, of similar size to argyrites,-for which-it form* 
a good companion ; Raymond Lemonier, pale yellow, like albo-luteum, 
with purplish mauve spots; and Comte de Germany, similar with red 
spots. 
Amongst the flowering plants the Imantophyllums are extremely 
6howy, sulphureum being a very fine variety, as also is Mrs. Laing. 
Azaleas comprise a choice collection of the best varieties in cultivation, 
with Epacrises, Heaths, miscellaneous hardwooded plants, Wistaria- 
sinensis, with its graceful pendulous racemes of flowers in abundance. 
Acacias, Boronias, Chorozemas, &c. At the Vineyard Nursery, a short, 
distance from the Stanstead Park Nursery, large numbers'of Vines ia- 
pots are grown, as well as Figs in pots, with quantities of bedding 
plants, chiefly Zonal and Bronze Pelargoniums, Aspidistras, and Rosea 
for cutting. At the Rutland Park Nursery the general ’stock of Roses, 
shrubs, &c., is grown, and a. fourth nursery is devoted to miscellaneous! 
Crops.—VlSITOB. .... 
CLAY SOILS AND THEIR IMPROVEMENT. 
[ A paper read by Mr. Joseph Badfleld, Manch House Garden, Brmningtoiv Stockport* 
before the Manclicbtcr Horticultural Mutual Improvement Society-X. 
It very often happens that a gardener in taking a fresh place has= 
a number of difficulties to contend with ; for how often do we see a> 
piece of ground set apart for the production of vegetables in some- 
out-of-the-way corner, or if the situation is favourable then the soii 
is perhaps unsuitable, yet in some instances the gardener is. expected 
to produce vegetables as satisfactory as those of his neighbour 
whose kitchen garden is more favourably situated. It is of course 
the duty of the gardener to face these difficulties, and to try to over¬ 
come them if possible. It is one of these difficulties to which I wish 
to draw attention. Professor Donaldson in his work on Clay Soils, 
says, “ Clay, in the proper derivation of the word, means an unctuous, 
tenacious earth, that will mould into various foims." It is the- 
“ kley ” of the Dutch, the “ clai ” of the Welsh, and the “ claica" of 
the Saxon ; which terms have all a similar origin with the Teutonic- 
“kleven” to stick or to adhere, because of the clammy adhesive 
quality of the substance. Now, clay soils are stiff, cold, and very 
tenacious, and it is these qualities which we wish to combat, and' 
which I purpose briefly to take in consideration. 
Drainage is of the first importance. Clay soils are very retentive 
of water, thereby producing coldness ; for if not drained the water 
has to be evaporated through the surface of the soil. Now, it is a 
well known fact that water in evaporating carries away with it much 
of the heat of the soil, but draining it helps to remove the water from 
the soil in another way, and air takes its place, which maintains the 
temperature of the soil. In draining, the first point is to ascertain 
