184 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 20, 1886. j 
NOTES FROM NEW ZEALAND. 
We have had a most trying winter, and lately one 
continual downpour of rain and snow, which has so 
soaked the ground that it seems to refus'e to absorb any 
more ; and if you tread upon any soft ground, or put 
a spade in, the water immediately rises up. I have 
not come across any Colonials yet who remember such 
a winter as this has been, and those who are on a visit 
to your Colonial Exhibition have missed a treat. I 
hope they will gain some good ; but I fear some of 
them will be spoilt for Colonial life. 
The following may interest some of your readers. 
There is, at the top of my garden, a Blue Gum tree, 
planted by my next-door neighbour, who is the owner. 
It was planted twenty-two years ago. It is 12 ft. in 
circumference 1 ft. from the ground, and 6 ft. above it 
is 10 ft., and is about 60 ft. in height. This may not 
be as large as some specimens of the same age in 
Tasmania or Australia ; but for this Colony I consider 
it a fair sample. It must be borne in mind that this 
tree has never been transplanted, which is a very great 
advantage to Blue Gums, as they never seem to make 
such stout timber if they are. They generally run up 
very quick ; but the timber is not so good in quality, 
nor the tree so robust, as those that are sown and 
remain there. 
Those who are experimenting with Blue Gums at 
home will do well, when they get a young tree that is 
somewhat established, to feed it well, for they will 
absorb the richest manure. I knew one that was 
planted near a huge cesspool, and the roots, finding 
their way by some means into it, soon devoured the 
contents ; and when the owner went to clean it out; 
after a lengthened period, to his surprise, found the 
well comparatively dry, and without the least offensive 
odour.— 0. Rcvill, Fair wood Cottage, Christchurch, 
JVew Zealand. 
--- 
PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS. 
With a view of continuing our remarks under this 
heading, we may mention, that in peaty soils there 
generally exists between the surface-peat and the sub¬ 
soil, whether sand or gravel, a stratum from 1 in. 
to 6 ins. thick, of a hard gritty substance, impene¬ 
trable to water, which, in the peat districts, is locally 
denominated “rust” or “pan.” Until this “rust” or 
“pan” be quite broken through by the process of 
trenching—for which a pickaxe is generally indispens¬ 
able— it is in vain to plant in such a soil, as it will 
nourish nothing but the indigenous heaths and Scotch 
Eirs ; hut once trenched and the “rust” broken 
through, the land becomes very fertile and peculiarly 
well adapted to the growth of trees and shrubs of all 
kinds. 
Plants reared in peaty or similar light soils bear 
transplantation better than those grown in heavy lands. 
The reason is, that in light and porous soils the roots 
are mostly globed into fibrous tufts near the stem, 
whereas in strong land the roots of the plants wander 
farther away in search of moisture, &c., and through a 
denser medium, so that they become elongated and 
coarse. All tap-rooted plants, whether the tap-root be 
congenital or superinduced by the nature of the soil, 
should be transplanted when young, otherwise they 
have little chance of surviving the process. Hence it 
is, that young plants growing spontaneously in woods, 
whether self-sown young trees or suckers sent up by 
older ones, and generally saplings undisciplined by 
nursery cultivation, scarcely ever grow in transplanta¬ 
tion. Plants with fibrous roots are generally taken 
up with “halls” of earth, i.e., with more or less soil 
clinging to the dense masses of roots, and in that state 
transplantation is a safe and easy process ; of this, 
Pihododendrons afford a striking instance, as, when 
taken up with good “balls,” they can be moved with 
impunity at almost any season of the year. 
Trees and shrubs intended for transplantation should 
not be left more than two years -without being moved, 
or—which, in most cases, is equivalent—“spaded.” 
The last process consists in passing a spade, or other 
tool peculiarly constructed for the purpose, round and 
under the tree, so as to cut off the tap-root (if any), and 
to confine the lateral roots within a certain given 
space. This work should be done in early autumn, so 
that there may be time for fresh rootlets to be pushed 
forth inside the ball to replace those which were cut off 
outside of it. A plant so treated will hardly ever fail 
of successful transplantation, as it is isolated from the 
surrounding soil, and, when transplanted, will extend 
its roots in its new locality without sensibly feeling the 
difference. We are decidedly of opinion that if nursery¬ 
men transplanted a little more than they do, customers 
would not have to complain of trees dying. At the 
same time, it must be admitted that defective planting 
often causes many deaths of valuable trees and shrubs. 
The safe removal of large trees is ensured by a process 
identical in principle with the above, but, of necessity, 
on a proportionately larger scale. When it is proposed 
to transplant a large tree, a trench is dug round it, one 
season before its intended removal, at such a distance 
from the main trunk as may be considered sufficient to 
leave roots enough attached to the tree to feed it when 
removed to its new position. The act of making this 
trench cuts off all the roots extending beyond its inner 
circumference. The spade, or other special tool, is then 
pushed successively from all parts of the trench, as far 
under the roots of the tree as possible, so as to intersect 
the “tap,” if any. The trench is then filled in, and 
the tree proceeds during that season to develop fresh 
rootlets within and around the “ball” left inside of 
the trench. By the ensuing season this ball will 
contain within itself all the roots necessary to the life 
and growth of the plants. Then, by proper machinery 
of a simple nature, both the tree and its ball of roots, 
with plenty of soil adhering to them, can be lifted up 
and safely removed to the new site which the tree is 
intended to occupy. 
Having thus dealt with the subjects, when to plant 
and how to plant, we will next week offer a few sug¬ 
gestions as to what to plant. 
-- 
GRAPES AT THE ROYAL 
AQUARIUM. 
The valuable prizes offered through the National 
Chrysanthemum Society for Grapes in various classes, 
and especially in the large class for twelve bunches, at 
the November exhibition, attracted such superb examples, 
that it is a matter for regret when any defect on the 
part of the schedule operates injuriously against 
thoroughly representative collections. This year we saw 
three kinds, all of moderate quality, winning by sheer 
size or weight of bunch. It reflects upon any collection 
of twelve bunches shown at this time of the year, that 
it should not contain a single bunch of that best of all 
keeping whites, Muscat of Alexandria, or that first-rate 
winter-keeping black, Lady Downes ; and yet really 
excellent collections were passed over, perhaps unavoid¬ 
ably so under the circumstances, which included not 
only these, hut other high-class kinds. 
The winning twelve bunches included not less than 
six bunches of Gros Colmar—a combination which the 
conditions of competition in this class should render 
impossible—three huge Barbarossa, and three fine 
Alicante. In this last lot size and weight were promi¬ 
nent, and quality was lacking. I have no doubt 
whatever, that the committee of the National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society, in arranging the schedule, were 
desirious of favouring quality in Grapes, as well as bulk; 
but if such is to he the case in the future, the conditions, 
annexed to the class should be altered to “not less than 
four varieties, one of which at_ least shall be white. ” 
That would ensure fair variety, whilst the judges should 
be invited to give special attention to variety and 
quality, especially in relation to finish and keeping 
properties. Mere big bags of water, which are thin- 
skinned and would collapse in a month at least, are 
hardly the sorts to be encouraged at winter shows. 
The second prize collection included no less than 
seven kinds, but obtained its position chiefly through 
the strength of three bunches of Gros Colmar, without 
doubt as finely done as any ever seen of this huge and 
rarely well-coloured Grape. The sorts, in addition, 
were Alicante, Lady Downe’s and Mrs. Pince, blacks ; 
and Golden Queen, Mrs. Pearson and Muscat of 
Alexandria, whites. These bunches were of moderate 
size, but were fairly pulled through by the superb Gros 
Colmars. The third-prize collection included Mrs. 
Pince (large but loose, and wanting colour), Black 
Maroc, Lady Downe, Gros Maroc, and good Alicante : 
five kinds. Some other collections, out of the seven 
lots staged, were also admirably varied, and included 
good white kinds. 
If it be objected to the granting of weight in judging 
to “variety,” then the committee would be well advised 
to make the conditions of the competition strictly 
exact, by calling for four kinds absolutely, one of which 
should be white, and permitting only three bunches of 
a kind to be shown. It does seem a specially weak 
feature, that a competitor should show six bunches of 
one kind in such a class. Very probably laxity in the 
conditions of a class of this kind helps to provide com¬ 
petition in one way, but the result must be unfair 
almost always to someone, whilst strictly defined con¬ 
ditions place all exhibitors on the same footing, and at 
the same time must be far more satisfactory to judges. 
— A. D. 
-—:- 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS ROUND 
HUDDERSFIELD. 
The interesting notes of your Liverpool correspon¬ 
dent, published in your last, prompted me to look 
round this district, in which the cultivation of the 
Chrysanthemum to any extent, is, comparatively 
speaking, of modern growth ; yet, during the last two 
years, some of our growers have made rapid strides, 
and can now produce blooms, for size, depth and 
quality, nearly equal, if not superior, to any in the 
country. I am tempted to believe that the Chrysan¬ 
themum develops itself better in the more cool humid 
atmosphere of the north than it does in the south, as, 
in its growing season, it delights more in the former 
conditions. 
On this point my opinion is confirmed by the 
remarks made by one of our most eminent plant 
growers, Mr. B. S. Williams, who, when paying a 
visit to our first Chrysanthemum show, declared that 
he had never seen blooms to equal them. True, the 
show was honoured by the presence of the champion 
growers of the north, therefore our success is due to 
the skill of the cultivator, backed by climatic con¬ 
ditions. Smoke, the plant will stand with impunity, 
as most of our successful growers here are in the midst 
of its enveloping influence. In the final development 
of the flowers damp is more to be dreaded than smoke, 
and your remarks, in a recent number, as regards the 
action of damp, is, alas ! unfortunately too true. 
Lamentations of the loss of fine early blooms are the 
rule rather than the exception. 
Knowing how remarkably well Chrysanthemums 
are grown for decorative purposes at Greenhead Hall, 
the residence of Alderman J. F. Briggs, by Mr. F. 
Hatch, his gardener, I availed myself of an invitation 
to inspect this choice collection. The dense foggy 
weather which prevailed towards the end of last month 
and the blooms being rather early, caused many fine 
ones to damp off. Nevertheless, there were some most 
creditable specimens left, grown chiefly in 7-in. pots, 
with some few in the 10-in. size, the plants ranging 
from 2 ft. to over 5 ft. in height. The following were 
noticed as good :—Lady Selborne, Margot, Jas. Salter, 
Mons. Astorg, Lord Alcester, J. Delaux, Mr Bunn, 
Golden Empress, Refulgens, Madame C. Audiguier, 
M. Marrouch, Nil Desperandum, Madame de Sevin, 
Source d’Or, Mons. Tarin, and Madame Lacroix. Of 
new varieties, Cullingfo'rdi, L’Adorable, Val d’An- 
dorre, Triomphe du Nord, La Triomphante, Alex. 
Dufour and Sceur Dorothee Souille ; these two latter 
splendid Japanese Pompons, not more than 2 ft. high, 
are fine for side stages. 
At Sherwood House, the residence of Samuel Learoyd, 
Esq., Mr. Micklewaithe, the gardener, has a small but 
neat and well-grown collection, which, being somewhat 
late, will be at its best a week hence ; what blooms are 
out now are of fine proportions. Mr. Micklewaithe 
does not exhibit ; were it otherwise, some would 
have to look to their laurels. Last year, the finest 
blooms in the district were produced here ; the fol¬ 
lowing were of especial merit:—Boule d’Or, Elaine, 
Peter the Great, Madame C. Audiguier, Source d’Or, 
Empress of India, Refulgens, Queen of England, Mr. 
Bunn, and John Salter. Damp also has left its mark 
here. 
At Hall Croft, Mirfield, Mr. W. Daniels, gardener to 
Mrs. F. H. Cook, has a large and varied display, in¬ 
cluding many new varieties. Chrysanthemums are a 
speciality with Mr. Daniels. At Fairlea, Mr. M. 
Chambers, gardener to J. Vickerman, Esq., has also 
grand blooms both for decorative and for exhibition 
purposes. Crosland Lodge, Mrs. Chas. Crosland (Mr. 
F. Stockes, gardener), and at Rose Hill, Birkby, Mrs. 
G. Crowther (Mr. Walker, gardener) are also well-grown 
collections, and composed of the principal standard 
and new varieties enumerated above ; but of these 
and others you will, doubtless, give particulars in 
another column.— B. L. 
