44 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 19, 1885. 
9 ins. of tlie glass. In addition to these there should 
be wintered a sufficient number of plants in cold frames, 
with wooden shutters and Fern as a means of protection 
from frost when necessary, to transplant the thinnings 
in favourable situations in early spring. 
A good planting should also be made on a warm 
border, in rows 6 ins. apart, and 3 ins. in the rows. 
These plants, which, on the approach of frost, should 
be covered lightly with Fern, which, in the event of 
severe weather, should be increased, and again removed 
and replaced as may be found necessary. These plants, 
we say, will, making due allowance for mishaps during 
the winter, supply sufficient plants, thinned out of the 
rows in spring, with which to make successional plant¬ 
ings, and which will come into use after the produce 
supplied by the plants left in rows has been exhausted. 
Before pricking out the young Lettuce plants, and 
finally transplanting them, it is a good plan to surface- 
dress the ground with fresh soot, which should be 
raked in slightly. This, I find, from several years’ 
experience of its use, serves not only as a safeguard 
against the attacks of insects, but also as a fertiliser of 
the soil.— H. W. Ward. Longford Castle. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
Housing Plants. — All work in connection with 
getting plants into their winter quarters should now be 
pushed forward as fast as possible ; it is better to be a 
little before-hand than to run the risk of plants being 
exposed to too much wet, and we are never safe from 
frost after the middle of September. In arranging the 
plants, each class should be kept as much together as 
possible, and if such plants as are likely to require 
fumigating are kept together, it will be an advantage. 
After the plants are taken into the houses, plenty of 
ventilation should be kept on, both night and day, as 
long as the weather is favourable, and as the plants will 
be deprived of the night dews, the syringe should be 
used occasionally. Any plants that have been planted 
out in the ground to make their summer growth should 
be taken up at once if not already done. After they 
are potted they should be kept close and shaded for a 
few days, but as soon as they have taken hold of the 
new soil they should be exposed as much as possible. 
Winter-flowering Heaths. —The autumn and 
winter-flowering species are so useful that there are few 
establishments that can afford to be without them. 
E. hyemalis is perhaps the most useful of all the genus, 
and this may be had in flower from a little later on 
until after Christmas with a little management. If 
required for early use, a few plants may be placed in 
heat, but they should have a position where they will 
get the full benefit of the sun. In many establishments 
the winter-flowering Heaths are bought in, and where 
this is the case it should be remembered that most ol 
the large Heath-growers supply their- plants liberally 
with manure in some form or other, and to get the 
plants to flower well it is necessary that this treatment 
should be continued to some extent. Soot-water is a 
good manure for Heaths, to which may be added a 
little cow-dung or guano ; it should be allowed to stand 
until it has settled down, so that it can be used in a 
clear state. 
Solanum capsicastrum.— These also require liberal 
treatment to finish them off well, and they must on no 
account be allowed to become too dry in the pots, or 
the leaves are sure to turn yellow, and perhaps fall off 
before the berries are ripe. 
Genistas. —Any plants that are not sufficiently 
bushy to make good flowering plants may be stopped 
once more ; but this should be done at once. The cold 
pits will be the best position to keep these in for some 
time yet, but they should have plenty of room, as if 
they are allowed to become crowded they will lose their 
bottom leaves. 
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Zaeschneria Californica.— This is one of the most 
effective of late summer and autumn-flowering peren¬ 
nials, and one which was well suited by the past 
summer, as it prefers a hot, scorching sun. It is a 
beautiful plant, producing in great profusion spikes of 
brilliant scarlet flowers in loose one-sided spikes, the 
individual flowers somewhat resembling those of a 
Pentstemon in its tubular outline. It is a true her¬ 
baceous plant, growing about 1 ft. high, and forming 
a compact cushion. It should have plenty of surface- 
room, as it is rather inclined to spread owing to the 
number of stoloniferous growths which are produced in 
the early part of the year. It grows freely in any light 
loamy soils, and soon forms pleasing and attractive 
tufts. At the present time it is highly valuable in the 
flower garden. 
THE TOWN CLOSE NURSERIES, 
NORWICH. 
This extensive Nursery and trial ground, an im¬ 
portant branch of the business conducted by the Messrs. 
Daniels Brothers, at the Royal Norfolk Seed Establish¬ 
ment, is pleasantly situated on the Newmarket Road, 
about one and a half miles from the Market Place, 
Norwich, and easily reached by omnibus. 
The Messrs. Daniels, we understand, employed the 
ground at first only as a trial ground in connection 
with their great seed business, and only commenced 
the cultivation of plants in the ordinary way of trade 
when compelled by force of circumstances—their large 
connection and central situation in the Eastern Coun¬ 
ties—to do so. At the present time the Nursery 
includes a number of useful houses and pits, filled with 
a selection, rather than an extensive collection, of 
flowering stove and greenhouse plants, florists’ flowers, 
hardy herbaceous, and Alpine plants, &c., while in 
the open-air, bedding plants, Dahlias, Gladioli, and 
other things of a useful decorative character, are grown 
in considerable quantities, together with dwarf ever¬ 
green shrubs, &c. 
A fine new span-roofed house, 185 feet long and 20 
feet wide, facing the main entrance, was at the time of 
our visit, a few weeks ago, filled with a large collection 
of all the newer yarieties of Zonal Pelargoniums and 
Coleuses, &c., among the former being specially notic- 
able, on account of their fine qualities, such sorts as 
Baron Duranteau, semi-double, the pips measuring 2^ 
in. across, deep crimson, with a purple shade on the 
lower petals ; Dante, a very fine single flower, bright 
rose with an orange blotch on the upper petal; General 
Briere de Lisle, double, bright salmon-red ; M. de 
Lesseps, one of the finest of all doubles, the flowers re¬ 
sembling a small Camellia, and bright scarlet in colour; 
Mrs. Johnson, bright rose, an immense trusser and 
very free ; Mrs. Holford, and Lady Chesterfield, both 
bright salmons; and Triomphe de France, double, 
salmon coloured centre, with a creamy yellow edge, a 
large trusser and exceedingly fine. 
In other houses we noted good crops of the firm’s 
new Cucumber, Duke of Albany, a handsome dark 
green variety, which grows to the length of from 20 in. 
to 26 in., and has a good local reputation as a prize 
winner ; and a considerable number of pot vines, in¬ 
cluding the leading popular varieties, with Black 
Hamburgh and Foster’s Seedling in the greatest 
numbers. In the plant houses, among a variety of 
other useful subjects, we noted a fibrous-rooted Begonia 
named sphacelata, a fine green leaved, erect growing 
plant with white flowers, which are much appreciated 
for cutting. Another most useful plant, also grown in 
quantity, is the showy Agapanthus umbellatus. The 
collection of herbaceous plants is not extensive, but 
select, the subjects most favoured being those which 
are of free growth, good bloomers and attractive in 
appearance. 
In the open quarters we noted large masses of 
Perennial Phloxes, Pentstemons, Antirrhinums, Single 
and Double Dahlias, which had made a fine growth 
notwithstanding the dry season ; large quantities of 
Galtonia candicans, Lilies, and Gladioli, the latter 
extremely showy, and including such fine varieties as, 
Horace Yemet, Ophir, Christine, Zampa, Pactole, 
Phedre, Ginevra, Crcesus, &c. The beds of annuals 
were exceedingly gay, and especially the Godetias, a 
flower with which the firm have been very successful 
in introducing some valuable new varieties. One im¬ 
mense bed of seedlings, all the result of careful hybridi¬ 
sation, was an especially attractive object, by reason of 
the floriferousness of the plants, and the great variation 
in colour, and in the habits of the plants, rendering a 
close inspection particularly interesting. One of the 
latest novelties raised here is Godetia The Bridesmaid, 
a beautiful flesh pink flower with a rich rose flake on 
the petals. We also noted a very fine white variety of 
the Whitneyi type, with a crimson spot in the centre. 
These are both novelties which will be welcomed by 
the lovers of these showy annuals when sent out. The 
firm have also a novelty in a golden-leaved Chrysan¬ 
themum Burridgeanum, a very attractive annual with 
a dark centre, enclosed by a ring of yellow, and an 
outer border of white. 
The Messrs. Daniels’ make a speciality of Potatos, 
and grow in their trial grounds some 280 named sorts, 
that are already in commerce, and this season they 
have a most extensive and interesting trial of seedlings, 
consisting of between 3,000 and 4,000 varieties of their 
own raising. Among so many the greater portions will 
doubtless be unworthy of another seasons trial, but 
something specially good should surely be found when 
the tubers are lifted. Great interest is also taken by 
the firm in Mangolds, of which they have a great 
number under trial—one of the favourites being the 
Mammoth Yellow or Golden Tankard. The Pea 
season had been a short one, but grand crops had been 
harvested of that fine second early variety, which was 
Certificated at Chiswick under the name of Lye’s 
Favourite. It bears fine handsome pods of round white 
peas, and is becoming a great favourite with market 
growers. Another good variety that came under our 
notice is the Midsummer Marrow, sent out last spring, 
a dwarf variety growing only to the height of 2 ft., but 
an extraordinary bearer, and producing six or seven 
good peas in a pod. ■ It is a first-rate sort for late 
autumn or early spring solving. In the Matchless 
Marrow, a new variety, not yet sent out, we have 
another high class mid-season variety, which grows 
to the height of 4 ft., and in general character 
seems to fit in between Ne Plus Ultra and Veitch’s 
Perfection, while in flavour the peas are of extra fine 
quality. 
Another novelty we noticed among Lettuces is a 
brown Cabbage variety called the Continuity, which 
stands longer before running to seed than any other 
known sort. A bed of plants raised from seeds 
sown last autumn, kept sound and fit to cut for the 
table two months after other varieties had “bolted,” 
and become useless. It forms medium sized hearts, of 
nice crisp leaves, and is of good flavour, and might 
very appropriately be called The Dry Weather Lettuce. 
The limit on our space prevents us noticing many other 
interesting trials which the Messrs. Daniel’s have in 
hand, but we cannot pass them over without testifying 
to the careful and intelligent manner in which all their 
seeds are proved, and novelties tested before being sent 
out, the necessity for which becomes apparent when we 
learn that some 60,000 customers are served every 
season, and it would not pay to have to rectify many 
errors. 
The business operations of the firm in the town 
are conducted in three separate establishments, and a 
fourth warehouse is used for storing the bulkier class 
of seeds, such as Clovers and Grass Seeds, Swedes, 
Peas, &c. At the handsome shop In Exchange Street, 
the local trade is mainly conducted ; the Counting- 
house and Flower Seed Department, and the Potato 
and Vegetable Seed Warehouse being in Bedford Street. 
As furnishing some idea of the extensive business 
transactions of the firm, we may mention, that of the 
60,000 names in the Ledgers, there are 600 “Smiths,” 
and an even greater number of “Jones’s,” the next 
highest number bearing the name of ‘ ‘ Taylor. ” In the 
Scotch and Irish lists, the largest number have 
the prefix “Mac” or “Me,” while in Wales, the 
names of “ Jones ” and “ Williams ” most largely 
preponderate. 
During the season, 160,000 Catalogues and lists are 
printed and distributed, the cost of postage alone 
amounting to some £2000. The clerical labour re¬ 
quired in writing addresses alone is a very serious item, 
and quite a little army of assistants are required during 
the first few months of the season. To facilitate the 
collection of flower seeds, they are all put up in neat 
packets and sorted out into pigeon holes, some hundreds 
in number and of various sizes, according to the de¬ 
mand for each special article, and Stocks and Asters 
stand about the highest—from 15,000 to 20,000 
packets. 
At the present time the dispatch of bulbs keeps the 
assistants fully occupied, a very fine lot of bulbs having 
arrived from Holland on the morning of our visit. In 
the Vegetable Seed warehouse, an extensive block of 
buildings—the seeds are all treated in the same wav as 
the flowers, but of course are much more bulky. The 
stacks of Parcel Post boxes, stiff card boxes made by 
the Norwich Box Co.* bear silent witness to the exten¬ 
sive use made of this means of distribution. Another 
interesting feature in this building is the Potato Store, 
and the system adopted for keeping the tubers sound 
and dormant, seems to be about the best that could be 
devised. The tubers are placed in trays made of battens 
nailed together with an open space between each strip, 
and each tray holds six pecks. When filled they are 
stacked one above another, and as the air can freely 
pass through, the tubers keep remarkably sound. 
