July 23, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
743 
gardeners about here will remember the summer of 
1887 for a long time .—Thomas Yule, Middleton Tyas, 
Yorkshire. - 
Glenbervie, Kincardineshire. 
The fruit prospects in the early part of the season 
promised remarkably well, and even now the trees are 
well laden with fruit, but the continued drought is 
telling severely on them, and great numbers of Apples, 
Pears and Plums are dropping. Unless there is a good 
supply of moisture before long, the fruit must pf 
necessity be small. About the end of June heavy 
clouds hung about and threatened to deposit their 
precious burden, but they gradually passed off, leaving 
only disappointment to the horticultural community, 
which, like the agricultural, must suffer considerable 
loss at the end of the season. 
Mr. Cruickshank, who supplies us with the details 
concerning the fruit, says that small fruits are also an 
excellent crop as to numbers, but the fruit will be 
exceptionally small owing to the want of moisture to 
swell them. This applies to Currants, Strawberries and 
Gooseberries, which usually crop well in any season. 
Gooseberries seldom fail to give an excellent return of 
well-flavoured fruit, and the same might be said of 
Strawberries, the plantations of which, however, must 
be frequently renewed owing to the comparatively light 
nature of the soil. 
The surface soil is moderately rich, owing to good 
cultivation, but, except where annually trenched and 
manured for vegetables and other garden crops, it is 
naturally very shallow, consisting of alluvial soil, 
probably deposited in former ages by the river Bervie, 
which now flows at a considerably lower level. Under¬ 
neath this there are numerous alternate layers or strata 
of rough and fine sand, with occasionally a layer of 
coarse gravel. At some little distance from the surface, 
layers of clay occur which are almost impervious to 
watei, causing it to collect there, but otherwise the soil 
is naturally well drained, and requires a great amount 
ofmoisture to bring the crops to perfection. From this 
it will be gleaned that the garden is not particularly 
suited for Apples and Pears, nor conducive to heavy 
crops, except where it has been greatly improved or 
altogether renewed. Owing, then, to the thin and light 
nature of the soil naturally, an idea may be had of the 
urgent necessity of a speedy and copious rain. 
--> X <-- 
CAPE HEATHS. 
In conjunction with my remarks on Erica Shannoni 
glabra at p. 715, I ought to mention the other four 
varieties that were sent out at the same time, as they 
all undoubtedly possess extraordinary merit, both as 
regards colour and the form of their flowers. Without 
doubt they stand in the foremost rank among Heaths 
as varieties suitable for exhibition, and should amateurs 
decide upon growing any of the varieties of Cape 
Heaths, they should not fail to obtain those mentioned 
below. 
Erica tricolor profusa is an excellent variety, 
the size of the flowers calling for special notice. 
Belonging to the tricolor section, it has blooms with 
distinctly coloured markings, being large, bright crimson 
at the base, shading to rosy carmine, whilst the upper 
half of the tube is white, incurved at the throat, which 
is yellowish green. 
E. ornata is quite distinct from any Erica yet sent 
out, being of a peculiar shade of French white, shading 
into a soft carmine colour. This variety is not quite 
free from the gummy substance so peculiar to many 
kinds, but has very little of it. 
E. opulenta is probably the finest high-coloured 
variety yet obtained, and its only drawback is the 
abundant amount of gum attached to it. Were it not 
for this great disadvantage, it would, undoubtedly, be 
very popular. The flower is long and tubular, inflated 
at the base, bright crimson in colour, and produced in 
immense whorls consisting of as many as twelve to 
fifteen flowers on each. 
E. effusa. —This grand Erica is of sterling merit, 
approaching somewhat in colour the well-known 
E. Marnockiana ; but being stronger in habit, is easily 
distinguished from that form. The flowers are larger 
and the habit stronger, being quite tomentose in cha¬ 
racter. The blooms are bright scarlet-crimson, and are 
freely produced. 
There are many other good Heaths, and I will give 
a list of some of the best summer and autumn-flowering 
kinds in another article, — JF. G. 
ARDENING 
I 
I^OTES 
FROM 
COTLAND. 
Midsummer Frost at Clovenfords.— On 
the evening of Sunday last the temperature suddenly 
dropped considerably, and in the morning we had 2° of 
frost. Potatos have been more or less injured, according 
to situation, and French Beans have suffered very much ; 
other things, not quite so tender as the above-named, 
would, no doubt, have also suffered a little had it not 
been that everything was extremely dry, the day having 
been breezy and cool. Previous to this sudden change 
of temperature the wind shifted into the north-east 
and remained there two days, then returning to the 
balmy west and bringing with it a renewal of the warm 
weather we have had so much of this season. Such a 
sudden change of temperature in the middle of July, 
bringing the thermometer down to 30°, is not often 
experienced, and it is to be hoped that we shall not 
again be visited with frost in July in a hurry. The 
summer has been a very fine one here, and we have not 
suffered so much from drought as many ; the nature of 
the soil and also a thunder-storm, which came on us 
some weeks ago, have enabled things here to flourish 
wonderfully.— J. Thomson, Clovenfords, July 19, 1887. 
Orchids at Nunfield, Dumfries.-— That the 
love of Orchids is spreading in all parts of the country 
is abundantly evident on all hands, and there is, no 
doubt, a brilliant future in store for these lovely plants. 
At Kunfield a nice collection has been got together 
during the last few years, and, what is equally pleasing, 
the plants are doing well under the able management 
of Mr. Rowe, the gardener in charge. I was much 
struck with the admirable order observed in all depart¬ 
ments when on a recent visit, and was agreeably 
surprised to find such a nice collection of plants. 
Among the Orchids were several fine forms of Odonto- 
glossum vexillarium—indeed, I do not recollect having 
seen larger flowers or finer form. The freedom with 
which they were blooming, and the grand growths upon 
the plants, showed that the treatment they receive 
is j ust that which suits them. 
Cattleya aurea, C. gigas, C. Sanderiana, C. Im¬ 
perials, C. labiata, C. superba, C. Eldorado, and a 
white form of the latter in the way of C. Wallisii ; 
C. Mossise, and C. Mendelii, were all in flower, and 
fine varieties too. Cypripedium niveum, C. Stonei, 
C. Dominiana, C. Isevigatum, C. villosum, C. Hookeri, 
and varieties of C. barbatum, were all represented by 
well-grown plants, nicely in flower. Odontoglossums 
are well done, and just now are represented by 
0. citrosmum, of which several well-grown plants are 
suspended in baskets or pans ; fine forms of 0. Alex¬ 
andra, varying from purest white to the deep spotted 
kinds now so plentiful ; 0. Pescatorei, 0. cordatum, 
and 0. Roezlii were there also, all being nicely flowered. 
Masdevallia Yeitchii, M. Harryana, M. Bella, &c., 
find a place in the collection, the latter, with several of 
its weird-looking flowers, being suspended in a basket. 
The curious Bolbophyllum Lobbii also attracted my 
attention. These are only a few which caught my eye 
during a hurried run through the houses, for it was a 
sweltering morning on July 4th. 
A fine lot of well-grown and beautifully flowered 
Gloxinias from Mr. B. S. 'Williams’ strain, were simply 
perfection. Achimenes were grown in baskets and 
were a mass of flowers suspended from the roof, and 
objects of great beauty. What a pity it is that more 
attention is not paid to the growing of these, for nothing 
can possibly be more beautiful. Hepenthes, in like 
manner, are also well done, and foliage plants such as 
Dracienas, Crotons, Anthuriums, Palms, of all the 
leading and most popular sorts, are well represented, 
and the Dracaena and Croton are wonderfully coloured 
and nicely grown. Flowering plants such as Ixora, 
Gardenia, Allamanda are also thoroughly well grown. 
A conservatory attached to the mansion was very 
gay with soft-wooded plants—Begonias, Rhodanthes, 
Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Hicotiana affinis, &c. The 
last-named is a favourite, and grown in quantity for its 
sweet perfume. In the vineries I noted fine crops of 
fruit, and both kitchen-garden and flower-garden 
appeared in admirable order, though suffering greatly 
for want of rain. That Mr. Scott derives great 
pleasure from his garden is not to be wondered at, 
seeing how well everything is cultivated by his 
gardener, Mr. Rowe.— A. 0. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
_ 
Strawberry Runners. —Independent of watering, 
so much required in this hot weather, the plants can be 
greatly assisted in other ways to reduce the strain upon 
them for moisture required by the fruit and the general 
needs of a free, vigorous growth. Where forcing of 
Strawberries is done, now is the time to commence 
layering the runners in specially-prepared soil in the 
open ground, or, better still, in 3-in. pots, using a rich 
compost of good soil. Layering them in pots ensures 
their removal in autumn with little or no damage to 
the roots, which means much if the greatest amount of 
growth is to be secured. For the formation of new 
plantations, all this trouble is unnecessary and unde¬ 
sirable, as good plants can be secured with a small 
amount of care. It is a custom in many gardens, 
especially in the northern part of the island, to cut 
away all flowers the first year after making new planta¬ 
tions of Strawberries, in order to strengthen the plants 
and ensure a maximum of growth so that heavy crops 
may be obtained. A year may, however, be gained, 
especially in the southern part of the island, by en¬ 
couraging vigorous growth of the young plants on the 
runners, and afterwards planting them out in their 
permanent quarters to enjoy the autumn rains and 
establish themselves before winter. After the soil has 
been moistened, and the weather otherwise tolerably 
favourable, an enormous amount of root-growth is made 
and the crowns well filled with flower-buds. In the 
first place, then, after a sufficient number of the best 
runners have been pegged down, both for forcing pur¬ 
poses and for new plantations, cut the superfluous 
runners clean away, and stop those layered beyond a 
good joint from which the young plant is expected. 
As soon as the ground for new plantations is cleared 
in autumn, have the ground heavily manured and 
deeply dug. The runners should then be in excellent 
condition for removal to their permanent quarters, and 
if the weather is tolerably favourable for growth, the 
young plants will establish themselves beyond all fear 
of being thrown out by frost, and may be expected to 
bear a tolerably good crop of fruit the following summer. 
Roses and Rose-budding. —The abundance of Roses 
is evident on every hand this year, although frequent 
complaints have been made about their small size and 
perishable condition, owing to the protracted dry 
weather. Where these are grown simply for ordinary 
garden decoration, if an air of tidiness is to be main¬ 
tained, the beds, borders, and other places in which 
they are grown, must frequently be gone over to 
collect, and remove the fallen flowers that now com¬ 
mence to strew the ground thickly. Those Roses that 
flower only once a year, producing a great display of 
colour for a short season will soon be robbed of their 
glory for another year ; but many common kinds 
continue their growth, and produce bloom over many 
weeks. The hybrid perpetuals may suffer a little from 
the present unpropitious weather, but the moisture of 
autumn frequently recruits them wonderfully, and 
flowering if it had previously ceased, commences 
again, frequently producing fresher and more highly 
coloured blooms than at midsummer. Some wonder¬ 
fully perfect blooms have even been produced up till 
Christmas in favourable weather. Those who have 
not yet mulched their Roses, can do so in the ex¬ 
pectation of good resulting thereby. 
The budding of Roses is seldom a matter of serious 
consequence, either to the professional or the amateur, 
although there are instances where it might be done 
to the advantage of both. Recently budded, or even 
established sorts might have their tops accidentally or 
otherwise broken, or might have altogether failed 
when it would be desirable to re-bud them. Bad 
varieties might exist in gardens limited as to space, 
and the exchange or transference could easily be 
effected at this time by the method mentioned. The 
best heads on standards are produced by budding on 
strong seedling stocks, which are much better furnished 
with roots than are stocks pulled up from the woods 
or hedges. The latter are so mutilated in the process, 
and are so badly furnished with roots in nearly every 
case that no long-lived or healthy heads can be 
reasonably expected from varieties budded on them. 
At present the dry condition of the atmosphere is 
anything but favourable to budding.— F. 
