266 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 25, 1886. 
thickly covered with fine whitish hairs or down. 
B. Frcebelii, as has been stated, does not ally itself with 
any of the other species, bnt seeds freely when fertilized 
with its own pollen. The resultant seedlings are always 
more or less true to the parent type, some, however, 
being considerably superior to others in size and colour 
of the flower, and in other respects. If some mode of 
crossing this species with the ordinary varieties could 
be discovered, we should probably obtain an entirely 
new and distinct race of hybrids. 
( To be continued) 
-->x<-- 
ADIANTUM FARLEYENSE. 
No one seems to be able to settle satisfactorily the 
question being agitated amongst gardeners at the 
present time concerning the reputed sterility, or other¬ 
wise, of this handsome stove Fern. The asserted 
discovery of seedlings similar to, or identical with, 
A. Farleyense only serves to add fuel to the fire. 
Many believe it to be a hybrid, and even go so far as 
to assert that its hybrid origin would be established if 
undoubted seedlings of A. Farleyense should be dis¬ 
covered in a house where established plants of the 
latter had never been grown. 
What could prevent spores of the latter—if any are 
ever produced—from being carried about by winds 
amongst soil, on pots, or on the clothes of gardeners 
themselves, just as those of other species undoubtedly 
are, and germinate where the conditions are suitable ? 
A. scutum is generally advanced as one of the parents. 
Now, A. scutum is a variety of A. tenerum, and 
originated in Mr. Williams’ nursery some years ago, 
and good authorities are agreed that A. Farleyense is 
merely a form of A. tenerum, and was introduced from 
Barbadoes in 1865. Fronds are frequently produced on 
large well-established plants, with their margins re¬ 
curved so as to protect the sori. Sporangia are more 
or less developed, or altogether absent, in those cases ; 
but I have never detected spores. At the same time, 
it seems quite possible that a perfect spore might now 
and again be developed, and that the reputed seedlings 
originated in that way. 
The sterility of A. Farleyense is urged as evidence of 
its hybrid nature ; but I believe it to be a variety of 
A. tenerum, where excessive vegetative growth of the 
pinnules hinders, or altogether prevents, the production 
of spores. We cannot fail to observe that the segments 
of sterile fronds, both in ordinary cases and where there 
are two forms of frond, are much broader than the 
fertile ones. Again, has anyone asserted that Poly¬ 
podium vulgare cambricum, and Scolopendrium 
vulgare crispum are hybrids because sterile ? If they 
both occurred in a wild state, where or what are the 
other species by which they v T ere crossed ?— J. F. 
- -- 
AN ENGLISH CELERY SHOW. 
Many of the hardest workers and those whose work 
is of the most cheerless description are enthusiasts as 
regards some hobby. These are notably coal-miners 
and mill operatives, whose productions in the direc¬ 
tion of the humbler varieties of fruit, flowers and 
vegetables vie with the efforts of great gardeners. 
Especially is this so in the counties of Lancashire and 
Yorkshire. Fruit and vegetable growing there is 
universal. At one time Rhubarb was the plant w T hich 
everyone grew. Then came Gooseberry culture, when 
big Gooseberries were not merely the autumnal pro¬ 
duction of newspaper paragraphists, but could be seen 
in dozens as big as Victoria Plums at shows. Afterwards 
came Cabbages and Cauliflowers, whose dimensions and 
weights would be regarded as fabulous did I name 
them. And now the rage is Celery-growing. Each of 
these hobbies has yet many followers, but fashion 
changes. With these there are flowers which receive a 
like attention. Pansies, Gladioli and Asters appear to 
be the favourites just now, though Pelargoniums and 
Fuchsias are always popular. 
In a Lancashire town, which shall be nameless, I 
recently saw the advertisement of a Celery show, and 
an unique advertisement it was. Projecting from the 
upper window of a public-house, called “The Shoulder 
of Mutton,” was a flagstaff, upon which were hung a 
dozen copper kettles, and at the extreme end a big 
bunch of Celery. Nothing could be more suggestive, 
and it combined two eminent necessities in successful 
advertising—prominence and effectiveness. I learned 
that the show was to take place that evening ; it was 
Saturday, and in due course I paid my twopence— 
which, by the way, was good for a pint of “drink ” as 
I came out—to find the show in the long room of the 
house. Here was gathered together a remarkably good 
collection, not only of Celery, but of Potatos and 
Pansies, of Cabbages and Cucumbers, of Fuchsias and 
fruit, vegetables and flowers. But the Celery was 
decidedly in the ascendant. Behind the winning lots 
of this latter edible were the copper kettles, or the 
britannia-metal teapots, the latter given as second 
prizes. The winning lot of untrimmed Celery weighed 
14 lbs. 4f ozs., and the corresponding victor in the 
trimmed class, 9 lbs. 8| ozs. These weights will give 
some indication of the size, and from what I could 
see of the bunches, they were tender and beautifully 
white. 
Nights and days had been spent in their culture ; 
heaps of manure had been supplied to the ground 
around them, and doubtless during the week previous 
to the show, the grower had worked by day and sat up 
all night watching his plants against the designs of 
some unscrupulous person. It is no uncommon thing 
for Gooseberries and flowers to be watched day and 
night previous to a show, lest some evil befall that 
which is hoped will secure the copper kettle, the height 
of the competitor’s ambition. A Lancashire house is 
never complete without one of these utensils ; and 
polished as only Lancashire women can polish—that is, 
with plenty of the stuff known as “ elbow grease ”— 
they are brilliant ornaments in the kitchen, or house, 
as it is usually called. Many of those to be seen in 
Lancashire houses have been won at such shows as this 
one. A young fellow feels impelled to win a kettle 
either before or after his wedding, in order to main¬ 
tain his claim to manhood. But there is a reverse 
side to the shield. Held in public houses promoted 
by publicans, they are a direct incentive to drinking, 
especially with the drink ticket. AVe were regarded as 
strange mortals indeed, because we did not use our 
privilege and “ hev a soop.” Some of the prize-winners 
were already, at th early hour on which we attended 
the show, far gone, and probably the kettles which 
they had won would be very expensive articles ere they 
got them safely home. — S. B., in Country Gentleman. 
-- 
VINE BORDERS. 
A few days since, I was looking through the contents 
of a volume of the West of Scotland Horticultural 
Magazine, published in 1865, and I came across a paper 
on “The Making of Vine Borders,” by Mr. David 
Mitchell, formerly of Hamilton Palace Gardens. One 
passage, in which he sets forth what he had himself 
accomplished is, I think, well worthy of republication. 
He was writing in the month of December, and he 
said, “ I have had a good deal to do here in the way of 
making new borders, and also renovating old ones. 
The soil I have used for the new borders is what may 
be termed clayey loam, taken from an old pasture— 
not merely the turf pared off, but a good spit deep, at 
least from 6 ins. to 9 ins. Necessity compelled me to 
use a quantity of it in a fresh state, and the Vines, so 
far, have suffered no evil effects from it. But my usual 
routine has been as follows :—On the arrival of the soil 
it is piled up in a square heap, and when it is about 
3 ft. high I put a layer of broken bones, about 1 in. 
thick, all over the heap, the bones being broken into 
pieces about 1J in. in size ; then above the bones I 
add 2 ft. more of turf, then a good layer, not less than 
6 ins., of old lime-rubbish ; above that, 1 ft. more of 
turf, and thus my preparation is complete. 
“The compost is allowed to stand for two or three 
months, covering it up to keep dry, and then commence 
at one end with the spade, chip it down in good-sized 
pieces, wheel or cart it into the borders, and all is ready 
for planting. You will observe I use only three in¬ 
gredients—turf, bones, and lime-rubbish, and the 
Vines have succeeded beyond my expectations. Al¬ 
though only planted two years last May, many of their 
stems measure at 3 ft. from the ground, from 3 ins. 
to 5 ins. in circumference; and during last season I cut 
bunches of Black Hamburghs which weighed upwards 
of 5 lbs. I have made no difference in any of the sorts ; 
Muscats and all the other varieties are planted in the 
same soil, and they all seem to thrive. My borders 
are all well drained, but four of them are heated, and 
in these the difference is very perceptible. I am an 
advocate for thorough underground ventilation. 
“When you are making the borders it is no use to 
half do them, but do them well, the difference in cost 
being only trifling when compared with the importance 
of the work. When chambering is not carried out, 
some recommend for under-ground ventilation 4-in. 
drain pipes. 1 prefer brick drains, and my method is 
this. After the border has been thoroughly concreted 
or paved, and a good drain run lengthwise to carry off 
the water, brick drains are built about 6 ft. apart, 
running north and south ; and similar drains are 
formed from east to west at the same distance, the 
whole communicating with each other. The spaces 
between the drains are filled with broken bricks, &c., 
to the height of the drains, which is [about 8 ins. or 
9 ins. Two bricks on edge are what I prefer, and one 
laid on the top ; all built without lime, and rather 
open. I should mention that eyes or little chimneys 
ought to be carried up to the surface of the borders at 
the ends of the north and south drains, to allow the 
warm air to descend and circulate. A border made in 
this way I consider perfect for Vines not required for 
early forcing. For early houses by all means introduce 
a-couple of hot-water pipes, and the result will, I am 
quite sure, prove satisfactory and profitable.” 
Because I think this method of Vine border-making 
a good one, I have ventured to extract this passage, 
and I hope you will be able to find space for it in The 
Gardening World.— A. B. C . 
-- 
ASH GROVE, SHEFFIELD. 
The gardens which surround the neat and beautiful 
suburban residence of W. Stones, Esq., are not ex¬ 
tensive, but at all times of the year there are objects of 
interest to be seen there. The glass department was 
the centre of attraction at the time of my visit, a dull 
day in November. The first house I passed through 
was the span-roofed conservatory, 40 ft. long, and 18 ft. 
wide, and here was a floral picture good enough to 
please the most fastidious critic. The centre stage, 
which is very low, was filled with Chrysanthemum 
plants of various heights, the dwarf ones being placed 
in front of the door, the taller ones towards the opposite 
end of the stage ; by this arrangement every flower 
could be seen at a glance. On the side benches there 
was a fine lot of plants which had been grown tall with 
the object of getting fine blooms, not with the idea of 
showing in competition, but there were to be seen 
flowers that would have done credit to Mr. Fletcher, 
the gardener, had he staged them at any exhibition. 
Mr. Fletcher’s system of arranging tall Chrysanthemums 
is one worthy of imitation, as there are many gardeners 
who would grow specimen blooms if they could but 
accommodate the plants under glass. This difficulty 
is overcome at Ash Grove by placing the pots on the 
side stages, and tying the plants to wires on the roof, 
so that the flowers hang over the walk on each side of 
the centre group, while the pots are hidden by plants 
of Primulas, Heaths, Epacrises, Solanums and other 
flowering subjects. 
The next compartment is the stove, which is the 
same size as the conservatory, and filled with a choice 
collection of plants, amongst them being some clean 
and well-coloured Crotons majesticus, pictus, Evan- 
sianus, Johannis, Queen Victoria, Dayspring and others. 
Dracaenas are also done well here, Baptistii being a very 
fine plant; amabilis was also in excellent form. An- 
tliuriums crystallinum and Warocqueanum were 
carrying some fine foliage ; Asparagus plumosus and 
tenuissimus, with many other objects of interest which 
cannot be mentioned here, were all in the best of health, 
and cannot fail to give pleasure to their owner. 
The two succeeding compartments are devoted to 
Vines and Camellias, &c. Both houses are lean-to’s, the 
vinery having a west aspect, while the Camellia house 
faces east. This aspect appears to suit the Camellias 
very well, for they look wonderfully healthy, with an 
abundance of flower buds upon them. These are all in 
pots, and will be removed to the conservatory to open 
their flowers, and take the place of the Chrysanthemums 
when they have done flowering. The other block of 
houses consists of three span-roofed structures, each 
about 40 ft. long, the centre one being the largest. 
This has a bed in the centre, and here again are some 
fine Camellias planted out ; the side stages are filled 
with Azaleas, Heaths, greenhouse Rhododendrons and 
other hard-wooded plants ; Princess Royal Rhododen¬ 
dron is represented by two very fine plants, one of 
which is about 5 ft. high from the top of the pot, and 
is feathered with foliage to the bottom. This is one of 
the finest specimens of its kind in existence, and Mr. 
