November 6, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
153 
OAKHOLME, SHEFFIELD. 
The beautiful residence of Thomas Wilson, Esq. is 
situated in the western suburbs of Sheffield, on a com¬ 
manding eminence overlooking the Porter Valley, and 
within a few minutes’ walk of the Sheffield Botanical 
Garden. Oakholme is one of the noted plant-growing 
establishments of the district, and for beauty of 
situation, neatness of the appointments, perfect order 
and high-class cultivation, has a charm for the visitors 
that is all its own. The closely shaven lawn, bordering 
the carriage drive leading up to the mansion, is dotted 
with choice Conifers and other trees, and on the 
western front is a level plateau, which comprises the 
flower garden, a prettily designed series of beds, planted 
out in the carpet-bedding style, bright and effective, 
and devoid of the flatness 
that usually characterises 
this style of decoration. 
North of the mansion is 
a very handsome range of 
plant houses, the whole 
being of attractive design, 
admirably constructed and 
perfect in every detail. 
Entering the range from 
the rear, the visitor passes 
through a Fernery, planted 
in the natural style with 
choice Ferns and large- 
leaved Begonias, &c., into a 
three - quarter - span - roofed 
structure containing a very 
healthy and well-managed 
collection of Indian Azaleas. 
Another step or two and we 
are in the Camellia house, 
which contains a beautiful 
lot of dark leathery-leaved 
Camellias, a choice assort¬ 
ment of hybrid greenhouse 
Rhododendrons, which 
are much appreciated, being 
always in bloom, and 
one of the finest specimens 
of Rhododendron Veitchii 
that it has ever been our 
good fortune to see. The 
plant is trained against 
the back wall, and covers 
a space of 120 ft. super. 
It is in perfect health, 
and when in flower must 
be worth going a long 
journey to see. Leading 
. out of the Camellia house 
is the structure devoted to 
cool Orchids, the collection 
of which is very fine ; these, 
like all the other plants 
in Mr. Hannah’s charge, 
plainly showing that they 
have the loving care of a 
master hand. The plants 
are all in robust vigorous 
health, and the Odontoglots 
in particular gave promise 
when we saw them a few 
weeks ago, of a grand show 
of bloom. Plenty of air, j 
plenty of water, and the* 
most scrupulous cleanliness, seemed to be the leading 
features of Mr. Hannah’s treatment. 
Returning to the front of the Camellia house, which 
Tr end -° f the Strai S ht ra "g«< we get a 
rough the various divisions to the other end, 
and certainly, anything more pleasing could scarcely 
be desired or realised. Next to the Camellia house 
omes a small Orchid house, containing some beautiful 
pecimens of Odontoglossum vexillarium, 0. Alexandra 
G1 xiL T r-’ l 11 Ch ° iCe Varieties ’ with 
Thp , E ? chans ’ &c -~ a bright little floral picture. 
bei :r al d ™\ comes nex b and overhead, strained 
below the roof and the length of the compartment, are 
D ht wires, clothed with red and white Lapagerias 
rom which the blossoms were depending in the utmost 
profusion forming festoons of exquisite beauty. On 
e floor beneath were handsome specimens of Camellias 
rhormium tenax variegata, and other handsome-flower- 
° and fine-foliaged subjects ; from whatever point 
of view it may be seen, the interior of this house is 
charmingly pretty. Next in order is a small stove, with 
some showy varieties of Hibiscus on the back wall. On 
conveniently placed shelves were some fine Calanthes ; 
and on the staging below among a pretty lot of small 
handsome-leaved decorative plants, we noted some 
pretty seedling Crotons raised between C. Weismannia 
and C. Veitchii. The next division contains another 
set of Orchids, a select gathering of JDendrobes, 
Phalaenopsis, Vandas, Saccolabiums, Cypripediums, 
&c., intermixed sparingly with fine-foliaged plants, 
and every specimen a model of neatness and good 
health. To this succeeds another stove, the end house 
of the range, of which we give an interior view. Here 
hanging from the cross ties were beautiful specimens of 
A considerable collection of Chrysanthemums and 
other subjects are grown in the small kitchen garden, 
and remarkably well grown too, but we think we have 
said enough to show that both Mr. Wilson and his 
accomplished gardener have much reason to be proud 
of their very beautiful collection. 
-->X<-- 
Plant Stove at Oakholme, Sheffield. 
Nepenthes Hookeriana and other species ; while on 
the side stages were specimens, large, medium, or 
small-sized, and all perfect in form and development, 
of Crotons, Dracaenas, Palms, Cycads, Phyllotaenium 
Lindeni, Pandanads, Adiantum Farley ense, An- 
thuriums, Alocasias, Marantas, Ixoras, &c., the whole 
forming a casket as it were of the most beautiful of 
nature’s gems. 
The whole of the houses are models of good taste in 
design, admirable as plant-growing structures, and 
perfect in the arrangement of their contents. Over¬ 
crowding is studiously avoided ; every specimen, large 
or small, has space to grow and to show off its indi¬ 
vidual beauty ; and every plant, we may had, was as 
perfect as a clever cultivator could get it. To a gentle¬ 
man like Mr. Wilson—who loves his plants and likes 
to see them in a high state of perfection—this is the 
system to follow, grow only the best of their kind and 
give them all room to do justice to themselves. 
ZONAL PELARGONIUMS FOR 
WINTER-FLOWERING. 
Probably few things are more attractive at this 
season of the year than a good batch of Pelargoniums, 
arranged in a house with their different colours well 
blended together ; common though this class of plants 
appears to be, they are none the less appreciated for 
the numerous new shades of 
colour obtained during the 
last few years, and most 
people still regard the Pelar¬ 
gonium as one of the most 
useful and easily grown plants 
in cultivation. During the 
dull months of winter a nice 
show of flowers can always be 
had, provided a light dry 
house is allotted to them, and 
a little fire-heat is available. 
Some people prefer autumn- 
struck cuttings, others strike 
at the beginning of the year. 
I prefer plants struck late in 
the autumn, and kept gently 
moving through the winter 
in small pots in a light 
position, as I think these 
make shorter jointed and 
finer growths than those 
struck in the spring. They 
may be shifted as early as is 
convenient in the spring 
(March being a good month 
lor the operation) into 6-in. 
pots, using a good sandy 
loam aud potting very firmly; 
the cooler they are kept the 
better, and as the days get 
warmer, gradually harden 
them off, so as to admit of 
their being plunged out of 
doors in their summer 
quarters as early as possible. 
A sunny position is most 
essential to their making a 
short and sturdy growth, 
and by plunging them in 
ashes, watering will be 
greatly reduced when the 
pots get filled with roots. 
Any strong or tall growths 
may be stopped, the object 
being to keep the plants 
dwarf and bushy. 
When the pots get filled 
with roots they may be 
assisted with a little manure 
water, and an occasional drop 
of soot water will help to 
rid the pots of worms, and 
also benefit the foliage. It 
will be found advisable to 
raise the pots occasionally, as, if they are plunged on 
the bare ground, they often root through the bottom of 
the pots, and, if not lifted occasionally, when taken 
inside the foliage is liable to fall. All blooms must 
be removed as soon as they appear, until about the 
middle of September, when all others may be allowed 
to remain, and assisted well with manure water. As 
soon as the cold weather approaches, arrangements must 
be made for housing, the lightest and airiest position 
being afforded them. A moist atmosphere will be most 
beneficial for a few days until they are in flower, when 
the house must be kept more dry and airy. 
As the dull weather comes on, care must be taken to 
avoid the damp, and all decaying petals kept carefully 
removed from the trusses. The double-flowered varieties 
will need special attention, as they quickly damp off if 
decayed portions of the flowers are allowed to remain. 
A temperature of 50° to 55° will be found to suit them 
best, and on dull damp days a little fire-heat may be 
