THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 27, 1886. 
474 
the mountains of Tasmania, called E. Gunnii, or Cider 
Tree. The natives make use of the fermented juice as 
a potable beverage. Its dimensions are—trunk, 10 ft. 
4 ins. in girth ; main limb, 5 ft. ; other two, 3 ft. 
7 ins. each, and some of smaller dimensions ; height, 
60 ft. 
Of Araucaria imbrieata, there are trees from 15 ft. to 
30 ft. high, and furnished to the ground with luxuriant 
growth ; two bearing cones from which a quantity of 
good seed has been collected. Picea ceplialonica, 50 ft. 
high, circumference of branches 34 yds. ; Wellingtonia 
gigantea, trunk 10 ft. 8 ins. in circumference, and about 
50 ft. high ; Abies Douglassii, spread of branches 48 
yds. in circumference, and girth of trunk 7 ft. 9 ins. ; 
Tliujopsis borealis, a fine specimen, 25 ft. high ; Picea 
pinsapo, 45 ft. in height, a good tree ; P. pindrow, 
40 ft. high ; P. nobilis, 70 ft. high, stem 6J ft. round ; 
P. Nordmanniana, over 70 ft. high, stSm 6J ft. round ; 
P. Morinda, 40 ft. high ; P. Webbiana, 45 ft. high ; 
Pinus excelsa, 40 ft. high, as also is P. cembra; Picea 
nobilis glauca, 30 ft. in height ; Taxodium semper- 
virens, 50 ft. high, a fine tree ; Fitzroya patagonica, 
20 ft. high ; Cupressus Lawsoniana, 30 ft. high ; Crypto- 
meria japonica, 40 ft. There are numbers of standard 
Portugal Laurels, having stems mostly 6 ft. round, and 
heads from 20 yds. to 28 yds. in circumference, truly 
grand specimens ; and in the flower garden there is a 
very fine silver variegated Holly, 26 ft. in height, and 
33 yds. in circumference ; while close by the old castle is 
a remarkable and most interesting Yew tree—remark¬ 
able alike for its great age and size—the circumference 
of the trunk being 10 ft. 6 ins., diameter of space 
inside where branches rest on the green sward 35 ft. 
outside spread of branches close upon 100 yds. in cir¬ 
cumference, and interesting from the fact that under¬ 
neath the spreading branches of this venerable tree 
Bothwell and other Scottish nobles opposed to Darnley, 
the husband of the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots, are 
said to have concocted a plot to assassinate him. 
Before quitting the grounds, I may as well mention 
a simple method which Mr. Garrett adopts for protect¬ 
ing young trees from rabbits, viz., strips of Larch 
bark, about 2 ft. in length, laid against the stem of 
the tree or shrub and tied at top and bottom with 
tarred string. This, Mr. Garrett considers, is not near 
so costly or unsightly as wire netting, much more 
effective, and of course it is not in the way when work 
has to be done round about the trees. I have not seen 
or heard of the plan having been tried elsewhere. The 
soil at Whittinghame overlies the old red Sandstone 
formation, the sub-soil being mostly of sand or gravel, 
the atmosphere is consequently dry, and to this fact Mr. 
Garrett, naturally enough, attributes his immunity 
from severe frost, as he finds a given amount of frost 
does not do the same amount of damage as it does in 
the low lying districts, where the air is more moist. 
The Whittinghame elevation is about 320 ft. above 
sea level. The flower garden, which at the time of my 
visit (September 11th), was quite gay with a variety 
of pleasing colours, is in keeping with the ground as 
as regards extent and artistic arrangement of colours 
and designs. 
The kitchen garden covers two acres inside the walls, 
in addition to a like space of field, for the production of 
Potatos and the commoner kinds of vegetables. Both are, 
it is almost needless to say, well stocked with seasonable 
vegetables of the best description ; as also is the large 
orchard, and the garden walls, which are 16 ft. high, 
replete with approved and flourishing collections of the 
different kinds of fruit trees, the condition of which 
indicate a thorough knowledge of their culture on the 
part of those who have to do with the pruning and 
training of the individual trees.— H. JV. Ward, Long- 
ford Castle. 
( To be continued). 
The Rainfall for the Month of February 
proved remarkably low, rain only falling on five days. 
The greatest fall was on the 2nd, when '25 were regis¬ 
tered, and the total for the month only reached ’82. 
The thermometer was also much below the average, 
for the 28 days ; ending March 18th, the mercury went 
below freezing point every night. The coldest nights 
were March 7th, with 22°, the 5th with 15°, the 8th, 
10th, and 11th, with 12° of frost. The fall of snow 
during the present month has exceeded twelve inches ; 
a great change has now taken place, the minimum 
temperature for the 20th, being 45°.— E. G. Water¬ 
man, Woolton, Liverpool. 
CAPE PELARGONIUMS. 
A collection of the distinct species of Pelargoniums 
is not only interesting on account of the great diversity 
of character of the various kinds, but many of them 
are extremely beautiful, though not so showy as the 
garden hybrids of the various classes. From the 
curious little P. melananthon to the tall straggling 
P. gibbosum, all are alike interesting. P. zonale, and 
P. inquinans, which are the first parents of the splendid 
race of Zonal Pelargoniums, are especially interesting, 
as they show how much has been done by the hybridist; 
the original P. zonale being one of the least attractive 
of all the species, while the bright colour of the flowers 
of P. inquinans is the chief attraction of that species. 
P. cucullatum, from which the show varieties have 
sprung, is also an interesting, though not a very 
beautiful species. Among those which deserve to be 
cultivated, either for their beauty or for their peculiar 
distinctness, the following selection may be made, and 
when grown in a group together they form an interesting 
study. 
P. acetosum. —Leaves small, pale glaucous green ; 
flowers light salmon, long narrow petals. 
P. elatum. —A very distinct species, with pale green 
ovate leaves, and very attractive flowers, the upper 
petals of which are crimson, with very dark blotches, 
and lower petals nearly white. 
P. bctulinum. —A compact growing species with 
small birch-like leaves; flowers pure white, upper 
petals slightly^ veined with crimson. 
P. glaueum. —Small thick glaucous leaves ; flowers 
white, with dark blotch on upper petals. 
P. Jlexuosum. —Small bright scarlet flowers, very 
pretty. 
P. selectum. —Deep crimson flowers, distinct and 
pretty. 
P. echmatum. —Stout Cacti-like stems, flowers white 
with rose blotch on each petal. P. erection is of similar 
habit, with rose-coloured flowers. 
P. Schottii. —A tuberous-rooted kind, with large 
deeply cut leaves, and dark crimson flowers. 
P. tri-stc is another very distinct tuberous-rooted sort. 
P. melananthon. —A tiny species, growing only about 
2 ins. or 3 ins. high, producing a round truss of small 
almost black flowers. 
P. reniforme, P. fracjrans, P. fulgidum, P. ignesccns, 
P. schizopetalum, P. quinquevulnerum, P. Bland- 
fordianum, P. iomdiflorum, P. pulchellnm, P. tomen- 
tosum, and P. nibifolium are all very distinct. 
P. quercifolium, P. crispum and P. citriodorum are 
three of the best scented-leaved species, and there 
are several good varieties, such as crispum majus, 
citriodorum minimum, Lemon, Little Gem, Mrs. 
Gibson Craig, Prince of Orange, Lady Plymouth 
(variegated), quercifolium majus, &c. 
Culture. —To flower the Cape Pelargoniums success¬ 
fully, it is esssential that they should be potted into 
their flowering pots early in the season, and the com¬ 
post used should not be enriched with manure of any 
kind, or the plants will grow out of character, and will 
not flower freely. They should be grown in a position 
where they can be fully exposed to the sun, and kept 
moderately dry until they begin to show flower, when 
more water may be given, and a little liquid manure 
may be used after the plants begin to flower. With a 
little encouragement many of the kinds will continue 
to flower throughout the summer.— A. Hemslcy. 
-- 
THE R. H. S. SCHEDULES. 
I observe that the fust of the regulations of the 
exhibitions of the Royal Horticultural Society specify 
that “the prizes offered are open to all competitors 
residing in the United Kingdom.” It would be inter¬ 
esting to know first what is implied, or intended to be 
implied, in those words. Their interpretation seems 
all the more needful, as they are adopted in the schedule 
of the forthcoming Liverpool show, which, it might be 
assumed, would be open to competitors from all the 
world. But there is a peculiar wording in this regu¬ 
lation that leaves room for doubt whether growers in 
France, Belgium, the colonies, or anywhere else are 
excluded. The words are, “ Open to all residing in the 
L T nited Kingdom,” which leads to the inference that 
only those resident in the United Kingdom are eligible 
to compete ; or, again, they may imply that non¬ 
residents still are not excluded. 
All depends upon what is implied, because it is 
evident that whilst the words are explicit enough to 
show that all resident in the United Kingdom are 
eligible to compete, yet that those resident outside 
cannot be declared absolutely disqualified. Having 
regard to the open character of big continental exhi¬ 
bitions, it does seem to show a lack of reciprocity if such 
a regulation is purposely intended to exclude foreign 
growers. It is true that few of those would care to 
enter into competition with our best exhibitors ; but 
there are classes for new and rare plants not in com¬ 
merce, and sent out within three years, in which it is 
just possible foreigners may desire to compete, and 
with advantage. Perhaps the matter simply needs 
attention to be revised.— Z. 
-- 
FRUITS, FLOWERS & VEGETABLES, 
Treatment of Stock Lobelias. —Reserve at 
bedding-out time a sufficient number of plants in pro¬ 
portion to the quantity of stock required, planting them 
out in ordinary garden soil, and keeping them free from 
bloom by the occasional use of the shears. Early in 
August earth-up with finely-sifted leaf-mould and sand, 
working the compost well among the shoots, patting all 
firm, and giving a constant supply of water. By th 9 
time they require winter shelter each shoot will have 
become an independent plant, and only requires sepa¬ 
rating from the old root. It is very important that 
every particle of this old root should be cut away, as 
it is the cause of much failure. The plants may be 
pricked off 3 ins. or 4 ins. apart in pots or boxes, and 
should be kept as near the glass and cool as possible, 
compatible with their being safe from frost and damp. 
In spring they may be earthed-up again and divided as 
before, or cuttings made from them in any quantity in 
the usual way. Perhaps Air. Fry's method may be a 
better one than this, and I shall give it a tidal. I have 
been very much exercised as to the best and easiest way 
to keep a sufficient stock in a little room, and tried many 
before adopting the one described. — W. G. K., Slingsby. 
Mignonette. —How very seldom one sees this 
plant well grown in private establishments, and yet 
what is there more easy to grow when one has mastered 
a few details. I should not like to say how many times 
I failed to grow a good pot of Mignonette ; but I know 
I failed several times, and I attribute my repeated 
failures to sowing the seed in loose soil, for ever since 
I took to making the soil quite firm I have been suc¬ 
cessful. I now proceed as follows :—In the middle of 
July I take 8-in. pots, well crocked, and fill them with 
a mixture of equal parts of sandy loam and leaf-soil, 
pressing it down as firm as I would the soil in potting 
Heaths. On this soil I sow about six seeds, cover them 
lightly, and place in a cold frame on the shady side of 
a wall. The plants soon appear above the soil, when 
we give plenty of air, pulling the light quite oft as 
opportunity offers. On the approach of frosty nights 
we shift the plants into a house from which frost is 
excluded, and place the pots on a shelf close to the 
glass. Through the winter the plants receive occasional 
doses of liquid manure. In February we move them 
into a warmer house, where they will soon commence 
to bloom and give a quantity of their sweet-scented 
bloom until the middle or end of April. The varieties 
I find best suited for pot culture are Parson’s "White, 
Matcliet, and Miles’s Hybrid Spiral.— J. W. L. 
Early Forced Strawberries.— Your corre¬ 
spondent, “ G. T., ” asks for the name of the Strawberry 
we started in December last. It is Yicomtesse Hericart 
de Thurv. Permit me to inform “G. T. ” that I have 
grown Sir Charles Napier Strawberry for twenty years 
past, and have always done well with it but once, some¬ 
thing like fourteen years ago, when the whole of my 
plants of this variety went blind, both inside and out. 
I have, this day, March 20tli, taken this Strawberry 
from the ridges, they have been carefully protected with 
Fern during the eight weeks of frost, more or less, and 
I find the roots in the best possible condition, and have 
no fear but that the crop will be satisfactory. I have 
never seen this excellent variety go blind, except in the 
case mentioned ; neither have ever I noticed it go blind 
more than any other varieties. I have a special border 
of Strawberry plants planted in August, which I keep 
for runners, all blooms being removed as soon as seen, so 
that my stock of plants is always a good one.— B. 
Gilbert, Burghley. 
