180 
journa'l of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
iLUg:U8t S3, 1894. 
the fruit without the blossom, he may call me anything he likes. 
Blooming is certainly only a means to an end, but it is generally 
considered a rather indispensable means. To be sceptical as to the 
exceptional frost of May 21st last is comparatively a small matter 
compared with doubting the value of ripened wood. “A Sceptic” may 
have been in a favoured spot ; but if he will believe that others are also 
“fully alive to meteorological occurrences,” let me tell him that in 
many places it was exceptional in severity and effect. There may be a 
score of reasons why his Peaches and Nectarines, which had ripened 
wood and a fair show of blossom, failed to fruit; but does he think the 
ripened wood was to blame, and that he would have had fruit if it had 
not ripened 1 
He regards profusion of blossom as a “ distinct disadvantage.” Oh I 
I really think he ought to know better. It is quite true that neglected 
Apple and other fruit trees will have but few blossoms the year after an 
exhausting yield, but that is the wretched old system of a fallow between 
two crops. He has surely learnt something better than that. My fruit 
servants are expected to work hard, and are paid accordingly. When a 
good crop is set they are fed abundantly, and so they can stand the 
strain and do it again next year. Our motto is, “ No work, no pay.” 
If a healthy fruit tree does not work, neither shall it eat, except what 
it can find for itself, and I will stop its foraging too far. If it fattens 
itself in gross wood instead of making me fat, it will be put on short 
commons till it learns to work. But if it has a good show of blossom, with 
healthy leaves and shoots, then it shall have abundance of sustaining 
food, and I will also do my best to protect it from the scoundrel sparrow 
and all other enemies. 
Afraid of a big crop 1 Well, we have not learnt much in horticulture 
if we have not gone farther than that old idea. Ripened wood, no tap 
roots, but many near the surface, abundant summer feeding when a 
crop is set, and none when there is no fruit. Has “ A Sceptic ” really 
tried all these articles of our creed and yet is happy to get “ fifteen 
Pears on a large pyramid 1 ”—W. E. Eaillem. 
Mb. Raillem’s “ first shot ” at “ A Sceptic ” (page 126) has, I 
think, suflficiently hit the mark to render further skirmishing un¬ 
necessary, although it would not be a matter of difficulty to 
strengthen his position with a strong artillery charge of practical 
evidence. It may now appear incumtent on me, as the writer of the 
article on ripened wood (page 81) to say a word, lest silence may be 
interpreted that I have not the courage to stand up for my faith. In 
explanation, I can only say that reluctance to engage in controversy on 
a subject so perspicuous in theory and patent in practice, was partly the 
reason. Further, I could not quite understand whether “ A Sceptic’s ” 
note was a direct attack on this article of our faith, or the question of 
a mind in the search for truth, perhaps the latter, as he said, “ is it not ? ” 
not that it is “ one of the fads and fallacies of the age.”—E, K. 
HARDY FLOWERS AT EDINBURGH. 
The collection of hardy flowers in the Royal Botanic Gardens in 
Edinburgh is well known to be a most extensive one, and a few notes 
of some of those observed on the occasion of a visit in the end of June 
last may be of interest. The most of the taller-growing herbaceous 
plants are grown in beds on the grass in front of the Palm house, and 
are so arranged as to be suitaWe for the purposes of study by the 
students of the University. This detracts much from their effect, as, in 
addition to the stiffness of the beds, no effort can be properly made to 
suit the soil or situation to the cultural requirements of the respective 
plants. Besides this, there are many plants grown which are only of 
interest from a botanical point of view, and are valueless for garden 
purposes. There were, however, many of much beauty, and some of 
these are now named as being worthy of growth. 
A good Globe Flower is Trollius laxus, with the usual yellow flowers 
of the genus. A few single Pmonias were in flower, and among 
these were P. officinalis lobata and P. o. anemonmflora. Vancouveria 
hexandra, a rather uncommon plant, which has not yet flowered in my 
garden, was also in flower. The foliage is graceful, but the flowers are 
rather small and dull in colour. A distinct-looking plant is Diphylleia 
cymosa, which has two very large kidney-shaped leaves and heads of 
small white flowers, and growing IJ foot high. 
Several perennial Poppies were in flower at the time of my visit, 
among these being the following, all with orange flowers ;—Papaver 
armeniacum, P. rupifragum, and P. pinnatifidum. A showy Veronica 
was named V. nicisa, and a Thistle (Cnicus rigidus), with reddish 
flowers, also attracted my attention. Hedysarum obscurum, a 
fairly well-known plant, was worthy of notice, although not new. 
A charming little Potentilla was P. mica, with yellow flowers, and leaves 
white beneath. Senecio campestris, 1 foot high, and Helianthella 
uniflora, 1 foot, were both noted as yellow composites, of some value in 
the garden. Wyethia robusta, another yellow composite from North 
America, was new to me, and appeared as if it would be a useful garden 
plant. The old Polygonum Bistorta was doing remarkably well, its 
reddish-pink spikes of flowers showing to advantage. An interesting 
Sea Holly, named Eryngium agavmfolium, which I had seen here before, 
was not in flower ; but it can be recommended as a plant of con¬ 
spicuous effect, its style being sufficiently described by the specific 
name. Some of the Irises in flower were I. longipetala, I. lutescens, 
I. pallida, I. flavescens, and a number of forms of I. sibirica. A tall 
Allium, with large round heads of pinkish flowers, was named 
A. MacLeani. It is a new plant from the Himalayas, and I thought it 
better than A. giganteum, which was also in flower. 
The rock garden is one of the most interesting features of the place. 
While going round this I had the privilege of the guidance of 
Mr, Lindsay, the Curator, to whom I was indebted for much informa¬ 
tion, given with his wonted kindness. A neat little plant not often 
seen is Moehringia muscosa, with small white flowers. Hieracium 
a^pinum is a somewhat superior plant of a genus which comprises a 
large number of species extremely difficult to identify. It has good 
sized yellow flowers. Erigeron multiradiatus, which has purple flowers 
about 2 inches across with a yellow disc, was very fine, and about 2 feet 
in height. Libertia grandiflora, a grassy-leaved plant with white 
flowers, is quite hardy in the rock garden at Edinburgh, and is distinct 
enough to deserve a place. Spirma procumbens, of procumbent habit, 
rising to a height of about 9 inches and having white flowers, is one of the 
best of the genus for the rockery. Vella spinosa I noted as a small 
plant hardly worth growing from a garden point of view. Iberis 
gibraltarica is not very frequently seen, its want of hardiness in many 
places keeping it scarce. Here it was growing well, and its pinkish 
heads of flowers were very pleasing. Potentilla lanuginosa, with silvery 
leaves and small white flowers, was extremely pretty also. A new plant, 
Anthemis macedonica, growing about 1 foot in height, was very effective 
with its white Marguerite-like flowers. Arenaria laricifolia, about 
6 inches high and with small white flowers, was also worthy of attention. 
The neat little Linum alpinum seems to do very well here, the plant 
in bloom being among the finest I have seen. Cacalia alpina, from the 
Pyrenees, was also very pleasing, and Geranium Traversi, from New 
Zealand, was very attractive with its white flowers. Helonias asphodel- 
oides, a plant I had seen here previously, was very fine with its spike of 
whitish flowers. Celmisia spectabilis I was pleased to see is quite 
hardy here. It is, as many know, a New Zealand plant with silky 
leaves and white flowers, about 2 inches in diameter. A useful 
Anemone, near A. narcissiflora, and of somewhat similar appear.ance, 
was A. polyanthes from the Himalayas. Dianthus Michael Foster, a 
hybrid between D. alpinus and D. superbus, was attractive, but not so 
good as one raised here between D. alpinus and a Sweet William, and 
now being sold as D. Grievei—a name not recognised in the garden of its 
origin. D. “Grievei” is imposing, with its heads of flowers, some red 
and some white, and having the habit and flowers between its parents. 
One of the best of the double Sun Roses is largely grown here. This 
is Helianthemum amabile fl.-pl., with double red flowers not so fleeting 
as the single flowers. Worth noting as being hardy here was the curious 
Arum palestinse, the “Black Calia,” now well known as a pot 
plant. It was in flower in the rock garden. Pentstemon Menziesi with 
pink flowers was also in bloom, and was very well worth growing. A 
shrub several feet high was Enkianthus himalaicus, from Sikkim, 
with yellowish red flowers, which are drooping, as is singularly enough 
the case with the flowers of nearly all the Sikkim plants. 
Many other interesting and beautiful plants, including some of the 
fine collection of New Zealand Veronicas, were in flower, but enough 
has been said to give some idea of the rich stores of hardy flowers in this 
Botanic Garden. It is to be hoped that the collection may long be as 
extensive as it now is under the care of Professor I. Bayley Balfour, the 
Keeper, and Mr. Robert Lindsay, the Curator, who seem to spare no 
care to make it worthy of inspection by all interested in hardy flowers. 
—S. Aenott. 
A GLIMPSE AT THE CHILWELL NURSERIES. 
Yes ! it was only a glimpse, for the skies were not very propitious, and 
the rain of the previous few days had made it unpleasant and unprofit¬ 
able to examine plants in the open, but I was unwilling to relinquish 
revisiting these nurseries after a lapse of some thirty years or more. 
My former visit had been paid in the days of Mr. J. E. Pearson, the 
father of the present young men who now so well carry on the business 
which he ably conducted for so many years. I was greatly impressed 
at that time with the intelligence and energy with which he was pushing 
ahead, and retain a most pleasant recollection of the afternoon I spent 
in his company. How pleasant a thing it is to see a business like this 
descending from father to sons for three or four generations. We have 
seen where, through the carelessness of the younger members, a flourishing 
business has come to grief or passed completely into other hands ; and 
therefore one is glad to see that the honoured name of Pearson is still 
associated with Chilwell. 
As I have already said, it was not a time for visiting the outdoor 
business of the nursery ; nor could much be expected in the houses at 
the time of my visit. It was the worst month in the year for Orchids. 
Greenhouse plants were well over, still I knew that there would 
be something worth seeing, nor was I disappointed. I was sure, for 
instance, that in the matter of Zonal Pelargoniums I should see much to 
gratify me. The elder Mr. Pearson had commenced their improvement, 
and had so succeeded that in any group of prize Zonals you would 
invariably find the Chilwell varieties outnumber all those of other 
raisers. I recollect in one case ten out of the twelve were Pearson’s 
varieties. Since then the improvement has gone on unceasingly, and 
now one wonders, as Mr. Charle.s Pearson, who especially carries 
on this part of the business, says, “ What more is to be done ? ” 
We have them now with pips as large as a small watch, 
perfectly round, with no gaps between the petals, and of all shades of 
colour. One long house is devoted to their culture, and here all the best 
varieties of late years are to be seen; while the smaller collections, those 
