THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 23, 1886. 
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a dish of Grapes, I have seen a single-handed man beat 
the gardener with ten or twelve assistants ; yet another 
instance with a group of thirty plants arranged for 
effect, the exhibitor from some park, a very extensive 
place, has been beaten hollow by the unassuming 
gardener, who has charge of a place of only a few acres 
in extent. As a last instance of what can be done in 
small places I will name the vicar's gardener, whom 
I have seen placed first with a collection of vegetables 
where the competition has been very strong. 
Now what does all this show or teach us ? That the 
best gardening is not always carried out in the noble¬ 
man’s or largest establishments. Having said this, to 
those who are inclined to discard or “snuff out” the 
humble worker, I w-ould ask, which class of gardener 
will hold his own now that we hear of so much depres¬ 
sion in trade, will it be the superficial, the scientific, 
the one who is well up in geology, geometry, botany, 
and chemistry (a knowledge of which is very useful and 
essential), or will it be the modest working gardener 
who is able to show his employer a well-stocked kitchen 
garden, including hardy fruits on the walls as well as 
in the open quarters ; also a well-kept flower garden, if 
only one acre in extent, and a good supply of grapes 
for his table ten months out of the year, as well 
as a fair supply of cut flowers all the 3 7 ear round; such 
places do credit to the gardener and give pleasure to the 
owner, and are at the same time remunerative rather 
than otherwise? 
Now a word or two about the last class mentioned 
by your correspondent. If a man is a cowman or a 
groom let him be known and spoken of as such, the 
same would, I say, of a garden labourer who maj'- be a 
good spadesman and able to mow the lawn well, and 
perhaps nail a tree. As to the army of intem¬ 
perate and 'worthless jobbing gardeners, these are the 
men we require to ‘ ‘ snuff out ” and designate them as 
impostors. We are told that “ the labour market is over¬ 
crowded, and so long as that is so gardeners can scarcely 
look for any improvement in their social condition, ex¬ 
cept such as they are able to work out for themselves. ” 
Employers might do more towards that object than 
some of them do in the matter of the dwelling-house. 
I will first instance a bothy, it was once my lot to reside 
in on a nobleman’s place. This structure was so 
notorious, that on my entering a situation a few years 
afterwards, I was asked by the gardener if we could not 
lie in bed and see the stars ! Now I come to the case of a 
head-gardener who has to reside in a small cottage, on 
the ground floor, with a family of children, which is 
stifling in summer on account of the low ceilings, and 
very damp and unhealthy in the winter, yet this is 
considered good enough for one who is, as far as I know, 
in the words of Karpos, a good husband, a good father, 
a good neighbour, and a good gardener.— T. Simcoc. 
- -«£<- - 
ABUTILONS. 
These charming decorative plants are not nearly so 
much appreciated as they deserve to be. Why is it ? 
It is not at all difficult to cultivate them, and they are 
remarkably free-blooming, while the varieties vary 
much in character. Mr. R. Owen, Nurseryman, Castle 
Hill, Maidenhead, has a collection of something like 
sixty varieties, and for the embellishment of the con¬ 
servatory nearly all the year round these greenhouse 
evergreen shrubs take a prominent position. They 
make in a young state, when they flower very freety, 
charming pot plants for table decoration, and this 
fitness appears to be strongly marked in the newer 
kinds, which have dwarf and compact habits of growth. 
Then they can be employed with great advantage 
during the summer months in the out-door gardens, 
and especially so in all sub-tropical arrangements, and 
in beds by themselves. 
There is scarcely another plant that can compare 
with them for the boldness and showy character of 
their large, drooping, campanulate flowers, starting 
from amidst abundant foliage of a pleasing character, 
while the richest colours are soft and the reverse of 
glaring. The old Abutilon striatum was introduced 
from Brazil in 1837, and since then, by crossing this 
and other species what a diversity of character has 
been exhibited in the progeny. One of the most 
useful is the white-flowered Boule de Niege ; this is 
much grown—and deservedly so—for flowering in 
mid-winter, and it is found to be of the greatest value 
then. The flowers are of the most delicate waxy 
white, and stout in texture. 
WINTER WORK IN GARDENS. 
The leading article in your issue of the 9th inst., on 
“ Winter Gardening,” has suggested to me that a few 
remarks on the above subject might be found deserving 
of a place in The Gardening World. My experience 
is that although most things in nature rests, or are 
given a time for rest during the dull months of winter, 
gardeners do not rest, or at least need not rest because 
there is not work for them to do. It is a season of the 
year when they have the greatest amount of anxiety, 
and when their energies are often sorely tried in keep¬ 
ing the various subjects under their care safe from 
harm. It is not always at a time of severe frost that 
the greatest amount of vigilance is required, as in all 
well-managed establishments the various heating ap¬ 
pliances are carefully overhauled long before winter 
sets in, there is therefore little to dread on that score. 
Cold, damp, and sunless weather is more to be dreaded, 
and is more destructive to vegetable life than season¬ 
able frost. This is especially so where large collections 
of plants are grown either for the decoration of the 
conservatory or for the summer display in the flower 
garden ; damp is more easily combated now than in 
years gone by, the glass structuresof the present day being 
more or less better adapted for the use to which they are 
applied. Yet how many there are who have to winter 
their bedding plants in pits ill suited for the purpose, 
or it may be they have to be wintered in the Peach- 
house or Vinery where but little heat can be applied, 
and this is the case in mild damp weather more than in 
frosty weather ; the careful attention these require will 
set aside any idea of enforced rest. 
The rest which various plants enjoy in winter gives 
the gardener an opportunity to thoroughly clean 
mot only the houses but the plants, and how well 
plants repay us for a little attention to those matters. 
Insecticides are all very well, but there is nothing to 
compare with the tepid rain-water and a soft sponge for 
washing plants, it always does them good, which is 
more than can be said of the hundred and one nostrums 
recommended for the destruction of insects. It may be 
thought that these remarks refer to the every-day 
work of a garden rather than to any special work for 
winter. In winter much may be done to materially 
assist and advance the operations at a more advanced 
period. How often is it found when plants require to 
be shifted or repotted that many of the pots have to be 
washed before it can be done ? This would not happen 
if all the flower pots were carefully washed and stored, 
in a dry place, according to their sizes—a good winter- 
job. Then follows the question of crocks and drainage 
material, these should always be prepared beforehand. 
Men are sometimes sent home because they cannot work 
outside, how much better that they should be set to 
break crocks and sort them into sizes suitable for the 
various pots in general use ; and so with the drainage 
material, this, when broken, should be put through 
sieves of different mesh, and each size kept separate tor- 
use. 
Flower-stakes of all kinds should be got in readiness, 
the old ones re-sharpened, and if copse-stakes are 
required they should all be trimmed and pointed, 
sorted into sizes, and tied up in bundles. This answers 
a two-fold purpose—it makes the crooked straight, 
and they are convenient to be carried where wanted. 
Nowadays we are saved much labour in the matter of 
stake-making, they can be bought so cheaply almost 
ready for use ; but, as a rule, nrany of them are not 
very durable. The old-fashioned home-made stakes, 
made from the best Pine laths, will last very much 
longer. The laths can be got, by an arrangement with 
the lath-splitter, of greater substance and length as 
required. Wooden labels or tallies are an every-day 
requirement in various sizes, and for general purposes 
there is nothing like wood. Here, again, we can get 
our supply ready made, but many of them are unfit for 
writing on ; the home-made article, made from Pine- 
laths, are far superior to readj 7 -made ones in neatness, 
durability, and the ease with which they can be 
written upon. 
In the matter of labels, we need not stop at having a 
supply made or bought. Many hundreds are known to 
be needed for different plants, seeds, &c., and if painted 
and written will save much time by-and-bye ; and how 
much better they will look than when written, possibly 
in a hurry, with soiled fingers. The time was when 
gardeners had work of another kind in winter—work 
in which the greatest amount of rivalry existed as to 
who would turn out the best workmanship in baskets. 
I wonder how many of the young gardeners of the 
present day spend their winter evenings in basket¬ 
making—aye, or their winter days in broom-making, 
as was their wont. Enough, I think, without ex¬ 
hausting the subject, has been written to prove the 
abundance of winter work that may be done in gardens. 
—a. T. 
--- 
COVENT GARDEN SUPPLIES. 
January is a comparatively dull month in gardens, 
yet no visitor to Covent Garden Market would think 
so, for there we see an abundance of flowers, fruits, and 
vegetables, that reminds us of the plentitude of spring. 
Of flowers the Roses are generally the chief attraction, 
and though it is sometimes said it is possible to prolong 
the season of any particular flower over too many months, 
it certainly is not the case with Roses, as they are in 
demand throughout the j 7 ear. The wax-like Eucharis is 
another indispensable flower for the bouquetists and 
wreath makers ; while Bouvardias, Gardenias, white 
Camellias, double white Primulas, Tuberoses, Eichardia 
spathes, Roman Hyacinths, and the paper-white 
Polyanthus Narcissus, are all sent into the market in 
large quantities. Chrysanthemums are still seen but 
they are fast decreasing, and it does not seem that any 
of the market growers have as yet undertaken the 
production of late flowers on an extensive scale. These 
by no means comprise all the flowers represented 
in Covent Garden, for Cyclamens, Pelargoniums, 
Mignonette, Marguerites, Violets, Heliotropes, white 
Jasmine, Epiphyllums, Carnations, and Liliums, are all 
present in varying quantities with other flowers of less 
importance individually, but assisting to materially 
increase the total floral attraction of the market. The 
leading fruits are late black Grapes such as Gros Colmar 
and Lady Downes, Pine Apples, a few Apples and 
Pears, and an abundance of Oranges, including the 
diminutive fragrant Tangierine, and the large Jaffa 
variety ; the latter is a particularly fine Orange both in 
appearance and quality, and its importation has greatly 
increased within the past few years. As a curiosity 
the Custard Apple (Anona squamosa) which are now 
frequently seen in the fruiterers shops are noteworthy; 
their globular or oval fruits having a very distinct 
appearance, owing to the surface being curiously 
flattened in irregular patches like scales ; the flavour 
of the fruit is esteemed by some people, but it is seldom 
that it is obtained in its best condition. Amongst the 
vegetables now coming in we notice that the suppty of 
Asparagus and Sea Kale is increasing, and Mushrooms 
seem very plentiful and cheap. 
-- 
LATE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Every Chiysauthemum grower will, without doubt, 
read the report of theNational Chrysanthemum Society's 
show of late Chrysanthemums at the Royal Aquarium on 
the 13th inst., with the utmost interest. No one could 
have imagined that such a fine collection of good blooms 
could have been brought together so late in the season, 
and both quality and quantity were a surprise to all. 
Both the promoters of the show and the exhibitors are 
to be congratulated upon the success of the first late 
Chrysanthemum show ; and we now have it proved be¬ 
yond all doubt that it is possible by high cultivation to 
extend the Chrysanthemum season for upwards of a 
period of six months. All who wish to have a succes¬ 
sion of bloom from early autumn to late in winter will 
scan with eager eyes the names of the varieties which 
were staged at the exhibition. Great credit is due to 
Mr. J. Lowe, of Uxbridge, for his exhibit, which con¬ 
sisted of twelve dozen neat blooms nicely arranged in 
boxes set up in moss ; but I for one should like to 
know more about the variety which was exhibited by 
him under the name of “ Lowe’s Late Bronze.” This 
is a very pretty late flower, rich red tipped With gold, 
and I am convinced is none other than Monsieur 
Lemoine which was sent out by Delaux some years ago. 
It is a very neat and attractive flower, and if Mr. Lowe 
has had the misfortune to receive it without a name, or 
has lost the tally, would it not be as well, before going 
through the operation of rechristening it after himself, 
to submit it to some practical Chrysanthemum grower. 
It would save an endless amount of confusion, and there 
are already far too many Chrysanthemums with two 
names. I noticed one other exhibitor at the Aquarium 
had a bunch of the same variety in his stand, but in 
this case he had labelled it Madame Lemoine.— Geo. S, 
Addison, 
