July 9, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
715 
ERICA SHANNONI GLABRA. 
The Heath, as a rule, is rather difficult of culture, 
more especially to the beginner in horticultural pursuits; 
hut often when the new starter sees a collection of hard- 
wooded Heaths in flower he is smitten with their 
elegance and charms. He is often tempted to buy 
them, and as often loses them directly afterwards for 
the want of not knowing the requirements they need 
for their successful management. 
The variety, “Shannoni glabra,” is, perhaps, the 
finest white Heath grown ; it is free from that gummy 
substance which cover the flowers of this class almost 
without exception, and which oftentimes spoil their 
beauty when having to travel long distances by road or 
rail; they invariably become covered with dust, and no 
amount of washing can effectually remove it. 
The variety under notice is very large and oblate in 
the form of its flowers, the colour being at first of a 
beautiful ivory-white, but with exposure to the sun 
assume a rosy tint. The flowers are produced in large 
terminal whorls, the growth being free making it very 
useful for cutting from. For bouquets and other kinds 
of flowers made up it is a decided acquisition and should 
be grown largely where white flowers of this class are 
in demand. As an exhibition Erica it stands decidedly 
to the front, and no effort should he spared to try and 
make the plant assume size, for by so doing the more 
flowers will he produced, which are always extremely 
valuable. 
For cultural directions on Cape Heaths the reader 
should refer to my article at p. 489, vol. ii, which will 
he found to be thoroughly explicit on the potting and 
general operations concerning this old-fashioned but 
elegant class of plants. — W. G. 
-- 
Gardening Miscellany. 
Fruit Prospects in Yorkshire. —The extent 
of this county, the variability of surface in its hills, 
dales and plains, and the geological compositions of its 
soils, has a great bearing upon the fruit crops, as well 
as the temperature and exposure to winds, sun and 
drought. The giving off or retention of moisture by 
the soil, involving a deficiency of fruits in one locality, 
may be fully compensated for in another. Taking the 
county as a whole, the gardens and orchards in spring 
were glorious with bloom. The lateness of spring kept 
the embryo flowers quiescent, and there being no late 
spring frosts, the buds were round and plump, and 
developed their flowers well ; but I believe fertilisation 
was somewhat crippled by the bleak north-east winds 
and cold nights which prevailed when they expanded. 
Apples, I conjecture, will be above the average, so far 
as numbers are concerned. The drought and elevation 
of sites have yet to determine how far some of these 
will swell, Ribston and Newtown Pippins, Haw- 
thornden, Kentish Codling, Lord Suffield, Blenheim 
Orange, Wellington, and Yorkshire Greening being the 
most promising. Pears are a good average, Bon 
Chretien, Autumn Bergamot, Jargonelle, Green Chisel, 
and Louise Bonne of Jersey taking the lead. The 
above Apples and Pears may always be relied upon in 
northern districts. Wall fruit, such as Peaches, 
Apricots and Nectarines, are a failure, with few 
exceptions in favoured situations, and so far as I 
have seen, miserable representations of what it should 
be •— wall space being occupied with fruits likely 
to be more lucrative, such as Plums, Cherries and the 
choicer and more tender sorts of Pears. Plums are 
poor, even the usually prolific variety, Yictoria ; 
Orleans and Magnum Bonum follow next in order of 
merit, but the fruit is only yet poor and small. Goose¬ 
berries are excellent; Whitesmith, Crown Bob, Farmers’ 
Glory, Hearts of Oak, and Walnut are exceptionally 
heavy. Easpberries have flowered well, but are setting 
badly, and in some gardens visited, on elevated sites, 
they are already shrivelling up for want of moisture. 
Currants, red, white and black, are a good crop, but the 
trees here, and in many other places, are honeydewed, 
testifying to the presence of aphis, and denoting a want 
of rain. Strawberries have thrown sturdy stems and 
plenty of healthy fertile flowers, but like the Easp¬ 
berries are swelling badly and hardening off in their 
green state, giving a gritty taste, devoid of flavour, 
except in places where heavily mulched or watered. 
Vegetables are becoming blue, and Beans, Peas and 
others are prematurely developing themselves. Plant¬ 
ing winter greens seems to be out of the question, and 
all this for want of a bountiful supply of rain to refresh 
the earth. Such continued dry and droughty weather, 
which following upon several mouths of unusually 
small rainfall, is giving, and likely to give, gardeners, 
farmers and the whole community very grave anxiety ; 
and should it continue, which as yet seems not at 
all improbable, both animals and vegetables must 
suffer. The hill-sides about here are already becoming 
brown and parched ; corporate bodies are limiting 
their supplies of water, forbidding its use in gardens as 
much as possible ; and this, coupled with a hot July 
sun, warns us to be forearmed against the contingency. 
Evaporation, then, should be checked as much as 
possible by mulching with litter and grass-mowings— 
and these are getting scarce—or any cheap loose 
material between our growing crops. Soap-suds and 
all available liquids from the hall should be reserved as 
much as possible where practicable ; and in places 
where water is likely to be scarce this will entail more 
labour, though this will be compensated for by a better 
supply of vegetables. By perseverance and industry 
we may tide over this critical period of drought through 
which we are now passing ; but, in the meantime, 
“hope springs eternal in the human breast.” Then 
let us trust that ere long clouds will appear, which, if 
small at first, may develop and favour us with the 
much-needed moisture.— B. L., Bindley, July 4th. 
Clematis flammula magniflea.— Mr. Charles 
"Wilson, 101 & 120, Birmingham Road, Warwick, sends 
us a photograph of a grand specimen of this old garden 
plant. From the thickness of the main stem, which is 
visible near the base only, the plant is evidently a very 
old one, supporting a mass of branches apparently 
trained loosely against the wall of a house, and the 
sprays allowed to depend freely. The result is, that 
the whole plant is covered with myriads of its white 
bloom from top to bottom. The flowers are not large, 
certainly, but are very attractive both for their number 
and fragrance. There are several forms in cultivation 
besides the one here named, and grow vigorously, 
flowering from July to October. 
Hybrid Aquilegias.— A charming bouquet of 
seedling Aquilegias comes to us from Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea. The forms vary considerably, but 
they are all evidently hybrids between A. chrysantha, 
A. coerulea, and A. californica, or, possibly, also its 
varieties A. c. truncata and A. formosa. There is, 
however, no end of intermediate shades of colour 
ranging through various tints of scarlet, crimson, blue, 
yellow, and white. The latter colour is apparently 
confined to the petals, both in the forms of A. chry¬ 
santha and A. coerulea ; while the spurs of the same are 
coloured differently. Those of the latter species are 
frequently of an intense blue, even when the limb of 
the petal is white or creamy yellow. The sepals, on 
the other hand, are generally some shade of blue. In 
the numerous forms of A. chrysantha the sepals and the 
spurs are pink, scarlet, crimson, or deep magenta. 
That such a variety and range of colour can be obtained 
from these few species is very gratifying to those who 
love harmonising and pleasing colours. The contrast 
seems in no case too violent to be disagreeable or dis¬ 
tasteful. With the exception of double forms, it would 
seem we have as much variety in these American kinds 
as in the European A. vulgaris. 
Mildew on Peaches. —Some time ago I took 
charge of some houses in which Figs and Peaches were 
grown—the former on the back wall, the latter in 
front. The Peaches have been almost useless through 
mildew, and for some seasons the fruits have dropped 
off. This year we have a fair crop, and have managed 
to keep the mildew in check by the use of Fir Tree Oil. 
The Figs have shown small black spots on the crowns 
of the fruit, which gradually spread until the whole 
fruit becomes black, quite decayed, and falls off Could 
any of your readers say what is the cause of this ? I 
suspect the trees have long been over-watered, as the 
soil seems pasty and sour. Can any of your con¬ 
tributors enlighten me on the subject ?— J. C. 
A Grasping Tree. —A very singular and in¬ 
teresting phenomenon of growth is to be seen at 
Gunnersbury House, Acton. Many years ago an iron 
seat was constructed round the basal part of the stem 
of a Weeping Ash. It consists of bars arranged con¬ 
centrically, and supported by legs of the same metal. 
The inner bar had been placed too near the bole of the 
tree, and as growth proceeded the seat prevented the 
downward How of sap and constructive material, causing 
undue thickening above this point. Progress of this 
kind continued till it has now grasped every bar of the 
seat on two opposite sides, and the layers of fresh 
material, passing down between the openings, have 
united beneath, so that the iron bars are completely 
enclosed. It is difficult to predict how long a healthy 
growth of the tree, under the conditions here described, 
may go on ; but at present there is every prospect, 
from general appearance, that the trunk will continue 
to increase in thickness for some time to come. It is 
planted on the lawn close to a pond, so that the roots 
are within reach of an unlimited supply of moisture ; 
and seeing that the younger layers of wood are in 
connection above and below the bars of the seat, no 
great inconvenience will be felt. At present the re¬ 
markable thickening resembles a mass of some molten 
or liquid material that has flowed downwards and 
become solidified. 
Delphinium grandiflorum flore pleno.— 
This old Siberian Larkspur must be placed at the 
head of the family. It has quite a colour of its own, 
is one of the gems amongst hardy plants, and all who 
value these should not fail to obtain it. This plant is 
but seldom seen, which may arise from the fact that 
it does not seed. It is not, however, a weakly grower, 
but soon makes a strong plant when grown in good 
soil, and is very hardy. We have it here on the 
borders just now from 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, and of the 
most lovely blue. It is of great service to cut as single 
blooms for buttonholes, being so choice and showy, 
and of a colour not often seen. — Con. 
Foxgloves. — I always recognise the beauty of 
a good strain of these, whenever I chance in some 
garden or other to conic across them, but have never 
yet been fortunate in laying hold of a good strain, 
especially such a dwarf one as “A. D.” makes note of 
in your last. A good strain of anything is as easily 
grown as a bad one. I can quite believe what effect 
the spikes of colour which “ A. D.” names will give ; 
but, taking the season into consideration, I rather fear 
he will have underrated their size, as moisture, or the 
want of it, will influence the height or habit of a plant 
greatly in different seasons. Nevertheless, as “ A. D.” 
is a keen critic and close observer in all matters horti¬ 
cultural and floricultural, explicit reliance may be 
placed on this statement ; and if “A. D.” has a pinch 
of seed of this to spare I would gladly accept it, 
and remit to him the value for trouble incurred.— 
B. Loclcvjood, Low Hills, Bindley, Huddersfield. 
Single Delphiniums. —A fine assortment of 
flowers, in several strikingly distinct colours, comes 
from Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, N.B. They are 
all of the single-flowered class, and may be divided 
into two groups, according as the petals occupying the 
centre of the flower are white or velvety brown. In 
the former group, Alpha is a charming flower with 
large, clear, soft sky-blue sepals ; Compacta, on the 
other hand, has about equal proportions of deep blue 
and purple ; while Schamyl is notable for the length 
of its spurs and the brightness of its blue sepals. The 
handsomest variety amongst the brown-petalled lot 
was one labelled Nam a ; this was very striking, from 
the size and number of its flowers, which were blue, and 
heavily shaded with purple on the inner sepals. The 
flowers of Attraction were little inferior in point of size, 
and of a deep, almost indigo-blue colour. Eva 
resembled the last named as to size and quality, but 
was several shades paler. The clear but charming 
blue colour of Dr. McLean singles it out as a very 
desirable variety for garden decoration ; and, indeed, 
the wonder is that the perennial Larkspurs are not 
more frequently used in private establishments, for 
they are capable of producing a magnificent effect, 
especially in beds or masses by themselves, or in 
association with hardy ornamental trees and shrubs, 
especially the variegated kinds, such as Negundo 
aceroides variegata. 
Solanum jubatum. —Although so closely re¬ 
lated, there is no comparison between this species and 
those ordinarily seen in gardens, whether herbaceous, 
climbing or shrubby. It is a veritable tree in one of 
the conservatories at Pendell Court, where it has a stout 
woody stem, 10 ft. to 12 ft. in height, furnished at the 
top with huge leaves that are grey or hoary under¬ 
neath. The stem, especially the upper and younger 
part, is densely clothed with grey scaly hairs, probably 
