216 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 5, 1885, 
THE ROOKERY, ECCJLES. 
The Rookery, Eccles Old Road, near Manchester, 
is the residence of Elkana Armatage, Esq,, the eldest 
son of the late Sir Elkana Armatage, the eminent 
manufacturer and merchant of Salford and Manchester. 
It adjoins Hope Hall, of which you published some 
notes of mine in your last volume. The mansion has a 
west aspect, and is sheltered on two sides by trees of 
good age, one a fine Beech, which has its roots carefully 
bricked round to keep them from injury. The Elms 
have a colony of rooks in them ; and one of them has a 
peculiar feature in it. Some years ago a branch had 
been taken off close to the stem (as all such branches 
should be), and the wound has healed over, and now 
shows the profile of a barrister with his wig on. There 
are fine banks of Rhododendrons enclosing the house on 
those sides where there are no trees. The principal 
windows open out upon a fine lawn dipping down to the 
kitchen garden. Adjoining the house is a good-sized 
conservatory fitted up as a Fernery, with windows into 
the billiard room and library. The centre of this is a 
piece of rockery of tufa, by Clapham, of Stockport ; on 
this is a fine Alsophyla, throwing its fronds out boldly, 
wliile'underneath are Adianturns, Selaginellas, Dracaenas, 
Begonia Lemoinei, and others of the variegated section, 
with Tradescantia variegata and other creepers growing 
naturally ; while on the walls, growing out of imitation 
rocks formed of cement were, at the time of my visit in 
earl}' autumn, fine masses of various Begonias of the 
Rex section ; these are growing in profusion, and are of 
good colour and health. The rockery stones are well 
covered, and the whole must be considered a well-de¬ 
signed piece of work. 
Leaving the conservatory we pass down the long and 
somewhat steep drive to the kitchen garden, and note 
something which may be of interest to your readers. 
The road lias a gentle fall-to either side, and to prevent 
the gravel being washed down the incline, some U 
shaped pipes have been laid, with sand wells at regular 
distances ; at the back of each grid which takes the 
water into the main under-ground drain, is inserted a 
stone about 9-ins. square with a flat top, this is 2 ins. or 3 
ins. above the grid, and not only acts as a check to the 
surface-water running down hill, but it is adapted for 
standing specimen plants upon during the summer 
months. In the first compartment of the extensive range 
of glasshouses in the kitchen garden, we found a grand 
lot of Chrysanthemums, Guiding Star Dahlias, double 
Ivy-leaved Pelargonium Gloire cle Orleans, Lapagerias, 
a fine lot of Primulas close to the glass, and Madame 
Desgrange Chysanthemum, just coming into flower. 
The next house is a vinery in which were bunches of 
Barbarossa from 6 lbs. to 8 lbs. weight; Pearson’s Golden 
Queen, well finished and of good colour ; Lady Downe’s 
Seedling, and Alicantes, while trained on the back wall 
were Camellias. In the next house the Grapes had been 
cut as also the early house, these were filled with about 
200 Chrysanthemums, and some plants of Dendrobium 
nobile, &c. The next house is a small stove, here w r e 
found Stanhopea tigrina in bloom, well grown pots of 
Calanthe Veitchii, various Palms, Dracrenas, and a 
pretty specimen of Cycas revoluta (much valued as a 
table plant), various Amaryllis, and Nepenthes, and 
Tomatos, are grown overhead in summer. The next 
house was chiefly filled with Pelargoniums, and from 
here we were taken to see something we were not quite 
prepared for, a shed with a glass roof, on a stage in 
which were growing heavy crops of Tomatos, and 
underneath an equally satisfactory crop of Mushrooms 
just coming in. Other houses containing Roses, 
Poinsettias, and other useful plants adapted for cut 
flowers, which are in great demand. The trees in the long 
range of Peach houses, were exposed to the weather, but 
full of plump firm buds. In pits were a named lot of 
Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Tea Roses, Parsley, &c., &c., 
while heavy crops of vegetables occupied the open 
quarters of the garden. Beans were last summer almost 
a failure, but the Peas were good. The Strawberries in 
pots showed bold crowns, and in one pit we found 
Gardenias just coming into bloom. 
Mr. Bawser, who has charge of these gardens, is 
evidently a first-class all-round gardener, but if we were 
asked as to his speciality, we should be inclined to say 
he is most at home in the forcing of fruits—Peaches 
and Nectarines, from here having successfully competed 
with others from more favoured districts. Heavy crops 
are taken annually, and the trees are well worth seeing 
when in season,—iV. D. J. 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE 
CHRYSANTHEMUM.—I. 
Now that most of the Chrysanthemum exhibitions 
arc over, there are, doubtless, many of your readers who 
will soon be commencing preparations for another 
season’s display. Who is there that does not appreciate 
the value of this beautiful autumnal flower ? Even the 
amateur with his small greenhouse (and very small they 
sometimes are) does not regret devoting a small space in 
his garden to the cultivation of a few plants during the 
summer, as he knows that when November comes round 
he will be amply rewarded for all his trouble by having 
a nice display of blooms. It cannot be denied that this 
grand flower is continuing to gain in public favour. We 
have only to look through the horticultural journals 
for the last few week, and observe not only the number of 
shows, but the number of new societies that are springing 
up everywhere, to be convinced on that point ; and 
before proceeding further let me advise any reader who 
does not yet belong to any such society, to take an 
early opportunity of becoming a member as he will find 
Chrysanthemum Cutting. 
it greatly to his benefit, for a great deal can be learnt 
from information gained by attending the meetings of 
such societies. 
The Chrysanthemum season really commences in the 
first week in September with the early-flowering varie¬ 
ties, and lasts till the end of December, and even later 
in some districts. They can of course be had in bloom 
earlier than September, in fact, I had La Petite Marie, 
Petit Mignon, La Bien-Aimee, and a few others in 
bloom early in June, but I think September quite early 
enough to have them in flower, as it is then when the 
summer flowers are on the wane that we begin to 
appreciate their value. We have only to look back 
upon the last few months to learn something of their 
usefulness, for while the plants in our borders in many 
instances had their beauty spoilt by the rainy weather, 
the Chrysanthemums looked very little the worse for it. 
Then there is the herbaceous border in which a few 
varieties should always be planted, consisting chiefly of 
the early and semi-early flowering varieties. 
For the benefit of those who are about to commence 
the cultivation of Chrysanthemums, I will, in a few 
short articles, give such directions as, I hope, will help 
them to attain success. Presuming that the plants 
have now done flowering, the first thing to do is to let 
them get a little dry at the roots, and then to ctit thenl 
down to within 6 inches of the soil. If they are exposed 
to the open-air for a day or two it will greatly benefit 
them, as the cuttings will get firm and not he so liable 
to damp off when inserted in the cutting pots. Where 
the amateur is possessed of a greenhouse or frame he 
will, no doubt, desire to try his hand at striking cut¬ 
tings, for which a particularly good soil is not required, in 
fact they may be struck in almost any ordinary garden 
soil (providing it is not too heavy), with the addition 
of silver sand, but a good compost for striking cuttings 
in, consists of equal quantities of loam and leaf soil, 
with plenty of silver sand, and if leaf-soil is not to he 
had cocoa-fibre refuse will do as well. They are best 
struck in 3 in. pots, which should be perfectly 
clean and well crocked to ensure thorough drainage. 
Fill up the pots nearly to the rims with the soil, and 
press it down firmly, and over this place a sprinkling 
of silver sand. 
The strongest cuttings should be selected and taken 
off with a sharp knife, and should be about 3 ins. or 4 
ins. long ; this length is quite sufficient, for the object 
now is merely to get them rooted, there will be plenty 
of time for them to commence growing and make plants 
when the days lengthen. Neatly cut oil, a few of the 
lower leaves, as shown in the accompanying illustration, 
and they will then be ready for inserting in the pots in 
which they are to be wintered. 
Four or five cuttings should be inserted around the 
sides of the pots, and the soil should be pressed firmly 
about them. This done sprinkle them with water, 
and the operation so far will be complete. If the ama¬ 
teur is only possessed of a frame, the pots can he placed 
in such frame on a layer of ashes ; hut a better plan is 
to procure a little of that cheap and useful material, 
cocoa-fibre refuse, and put a layer in the frame to the 
depth of 3 ins. or 4 ins., into which plunge the pots 
up to their rims. This will be found a good protection 
during frosty weather. Keep the frame shut up close 
till the cuttings have taken root, then admit air on every 
favourable occasion to prevent them from becoming 
drawn. During the frosty weather the frame should 
be covered over with mats, and if the sides are protected 
with a little short litter it will greatly help to keep out 
the cold. 
Those who are possessed of a greenhouse, can winter 
their cuttings with more ease and safety, and nothing 
suits them better than to be placed on a shelf near the 
glass. From the time the cuttings are put in until 
February, they will require no further attention than 
careful watering and protecting from frost. — TV. E. 
Boyce, Ycrbury Road, Holloway. 
( To be continued. J 
-- 
ODONTOGLQSSUM ELEGANS. 
Mr. Pollett’s variety. —One after another the ap¬ 
parently insurmountable barriers between what are 
regarded as distinct and widely separated species belong¬ 
ing to this genus, fall by the appearance of varieties 
intermediate between them ; the lovely variety here 
illustrated being one of the finest and least expected of 
the welcome strangers. Before its advent, who would 
have been hold enough to hint at the possibility of an 
alliance between the slender 0. cirrosumand the stately 
0. Hallii ? and yet a study of the features here 
represented leaves no doubt of the parentage of the 
plant. The tendril-like finish to the segments, the 
peculiar elongation of the lip, the slender form of the 
flower spikes, and the elegant arrangement of the flowers 
thereon are forcibly suggestive of 0. cirrosum, while 
the crest, the serrature on the labellum, and the bold 
and rich marking is just what might be expected by 
blending 0. Hallii with it. 
The ground colour is white tinged in places with pale 
yellow, the marking being of a bright chestnut-red; the 
lip is white, spotted with the same colour ; the crest 
iu the centre being bright yellow. It was much admired 
when Mr. LI. M. Follett, of Fernside, Bickley, was 
awarded a First Class Certificate for it at South Ken¬ 
sington in May, 1S83, and since that time it lias grown 
very vigorously in the cold house at Fernside, which 
contains many other rare things, eminently fitted to 
bear its company. This season it promises to be in 
greater beauty than ever. Mr. Pollett, we understand, 
purchased it, as an imported piece, about five years ago, 
for a few shillings ; and the plant now has sixteen 
bulbs, and is throwing up several spikes. 
