August 13, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
791 
NOTES FROM PARK HALL, 
STIRLINGSHIRE. 
Since we briefly reported some of the sights of 
striking character at Park Hall two years ago, it was 
not to he supposed that the liberal proprietor, Mr. 
Learmouth, and his successful gardener, Mr. W. 
Murray, while at the advanced stage of fruit growing— 
which we indicated on the former occasion of our visit 
—they had attained, were contented to rest and be 
thankful. The work of erecting glass has not ceased, 
and, as may be noted, is not gone into in a half-hearted 
manner. At a little distance from the large ranges 
of imposing houses formerly described, may be seen an 
extensive block of span-roofed houses. After treading 
along pathways, through large brakes of heavily 
cropped Strawberries (not much crippled by drought), 
we enter these houses, which are in three divisions, 
about 270 ft. or more each, and there one, who can eat 
Tomatos or choice dessert fruit, may satisfy vision and 
palate alike. This popular fruit is largely cultivated, 
and as well as one may find in any establishment in 
the kingdom—20 lbs. to 30 lbs. on the strong plants is 
not thought much of. The plants were in bearing 
during the early part of the year, and have been 
continuous ; close attention to feeding with such food 
as the plants seem readily to consume, is the speciality 
in connection with such fine results ; and kicking over 
the surface of the soil, we noticed that Thomsons’ Vine 
and Plant Manure was playing an important part. 
This great fertiliser washed down with plenty of soft 
water may sum up the whole substance of the high- 
class culture which Tomatos, Cucumbers, and other 
items in the extensive ranges of glass, receive. The 
Cucumbers were, in many parts of the ranges, being 
cleared out in order to make room for the successions. 
We called at this portion of the forcing grounds last 
autumn, and the crops of Telegraph, Tender and True, 
and other Cucumbers, were as near perfection in 
quantity and quality as one can well imagine. Narrow 
beds, where the roots are under command and can 
receive frequent additions to their food supply, is Mr. 
Murray’s system of combining economy with success— 
absence of gross unfruitful wood and short fruitful 
growth is thus insured. The other structures are full 
of excellent fruit: Figs in great abundance, grown in 
pots rooting into the soil under the pots, give large 
supplies ; White Marseilles and Brown Turkey are yet 
two of the best. Grapes are a great sight, all the 
leading kinds being represented as formerly described. 
Muscats are, perhaps, the leading feature at the present 
time, showing fine handsome bunches ; all Yines are 
heavily cropped, on some rods about eighteen or twenty 
bunches hung in fine form.— M. T. 
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CULTIVATED WILD FLOWERS. 
Efeerence has been made to the large-flowered 
form of the yellow Cornflower, named Chrysanthe¬ 
mum segetum grandiflorum. This affords evidence 
of the capacity some wild flowers possess of im¬ 
proving appreciably while under garden culture, 
especially when intelligent selection is shown in the 
production of seed. The flowers of the larger kind 
conspicuously excel in size and beauty those of the 
ordinary form of C. segetum. When we turn to that 
other well-known Cornflower, the blue Centaurea, we 
find here that garden culture seems to have done 
nothing in the matter of improvement. If we obtain 
seed from some plant in a Corn-field and sow it, we 
shall find, if at all decently cultivated, that the floral 
product will be fully equal to what results from garden 
saved seed. Of plants long cultivated, then, there is 
the common scarlet Poppy, which may be made to 
prove, in gardens, as intolerable a nuisance as it is in 
fields ; but even with the best of cultivation a scarlet 
Poppy it remains. Fertilise flowers with pollen from 
some other garden species and we get a varied and 
beautiful progeny. Were it, in common with many of 
our gayer wild flowers, capable of improvement without 
external fertilisation, it would have developed greater 
size long ago. We do not care to cultivate many of 
our wild flowers, even if very beautiful, because there is 
danger that they may, in gardens, become ineradicable 
weeds. Still, some do merit attention, the blue and 
yellow Cornflowers being specially useful. It is just 
possible, that if one half the care and attention bestowed 
through long series of years upon exotic flowers, had 
been given to our indigenous flowers, our British flora 
might have given more favoured denizens to our 
gardens than it has done. 
YELLOW SEA LAVENDER. 
Yellow blooms are so uncommon in this genus, 
that a well-flowered plant of the yellow Sea Lavender 
forms a conspicuous object amidst a collection of pink 
and blue ones. Statice Bonduelli is a North African 
species, and very dissimilar in habit to the wildings of 
our own coasts. The sinuated or scolloped radical 
leaves lay along the ground : while the rigid, erect, 
much-branched flower-stems rise clear of it to the 
height of from 9 ins. to 14 ins., bearing a profusion of 
flowers that push from their encasement of rigid scale¬ 
like bracts. The corolla is a clear bright yellow, and 
the calyx pale lemon. Some idea of its distinctness 
may be gleaned by comparing this to our native species, 
which have entire leaves, a blue calyx, and a white 
corolla. S. Bonduelli may be seen in the herbaceous 
ground at Kew, where the bees—chiefly wild ones—and 
the white Cabbage butterfly frequent the flowers in 
numbers as great as they do the blue and white- 
flowered species. 
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Hardening ffoTES from 
COTLAND. 
Colouring of Muscat Grapes. — When 
Muscat Grapes are well exposed to light, with a fair 
amount of sun, they will assume a golden tinge of 
colour weeks before that kind grown in the same house 
with the foliage entirely shielding the bunches from 
the action of sunlight; but notwithstanding all that 
has been said and written on the subject of flavour and 
golden colour being closely allied to each other, I am 
not certain that the intense Muscat flavour, so desirable 
in that Grape, is always more distinctly present in the 
bright yellow fruit than in that of a greenish yellow 
tinge. At three exhibition tables we have noted this 
and compared the fruit, the latter being, in two cases 
out of the three, by far the most palatable, and their 
maturity more advanced. Eecently we tasted some 
Duchess of Buccleuch, which were as green as grass ; 
but the flavour was as near perfection in that kind as 
we have ever known it to be. Some time ago, a friend 
sent us Muscats for comparison with our own. The 
latter were unusually large in the berry, deeply 
coloured, and very sugary in flavour ; but those of our 
friend were greenish in colour, more juicy, and the 
Muscat flavour intensely rich, and we, in this sense, 
much preferred them to our own. Some lay much 
stress on colour in Grapes, and we value it greatly; but 
it is often present in dark and light kinds when the 
fruit is far from being ripe and quite unfit to eat.— 
Caledonian. 
Potatos and Turnips. —Notwithstanding the 
intense drought and continuous absence of rain, it is 
pleasing to notice the splendid fields of Potatos and 
Turnips in some parts of the country. In some 
districts, however, where the land is heavy, and of a 
clayey nature, Turnips are almost a complete failure ; 
but, notably, in West Lothian the two crops (so much 
valued in the north) are of the most promising de¬ 
scription—immense fields being almost without a single 
vacant space. In our district—further west—the 
Potatos look well, but in many cases are small. 
To-day, August 2nd, a cottager told me he found 
indications of disease in his garden plot. American 
Eose is blackened, and showing symptoms of the 
dreaded enemy. It is curious to observe that while 
one may pass several fields of green crops and corn in a 
high state of perfection, others are stunted and poor. 
On asking our driver, who was describing the 
county, state of the land, &c., as we passed along, the 
cause of such wide difference in appearance, his 
blunt answer was “ plenty o’ muck or starvation.” It 
is evident where land is good and cultivation of high 
character, drought is in a great measure defied.— 
Caledonian. 
Dumfries Horticultural Improvement 
Association. —-The usual monthly meeting of this 
association was held in Greyfriars’ Hall on Aug. 4th. 
Mr. Eowe, Nunfield Gardens, read a very interesting 
paper on decorative flowering plants, specially dealing 
with Khodanthe Manglesii alba, Crassulas or Kalo- 
santhes, Pelargoniums, soft-wooded Heaths, &c. At 
the conclusion of the paper, Mr. Eowe was awarded a 
hearty vote of thanks. The judging of the coat- 
bouquets and other flowers sent in for competition 
brought the meeting to a close. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
Winter Vegetables. —The unusually dry character 
of the season has caused the calendar of ordinary garden 
operations—as far as outdoor planting is concerned, at 
least—to be greatly behind date, so that work of that 
kind is considerably in arrears, notwithstanding the 
determined efforts of many cultivators to meet the 
exigencies of the case. The plants of Brussels Sprouts, 
Savoys, Borecole or Greens, and other things are still, 
in many cases, in the seed-beds awaiting rain, a cooler 
and moister atmosphere, or some favourable occasion. 
In several gardens, where the patience of the cultivator 
had become exhausted, planting was proceeded with at 
all hazards ; and where the roots of the plants had 
been puddled before insertion in the ground, they have 
now become established, although growth has been 
very limited indeed. A little extra labour would be 
incurred ; but where not already done, planting should 
no longer be delayed if a tolerably fair supply of winter 
vegetables is to be expected. 
Besides puddling, another rather more tedious 
operation may be adopted with even better results. 
The ground to be planted should be dug over and 
otherwise prepared, having previously well manured it 
if necessary. Take out a trench several inches in 
depth, and give it a thorough soaking of water, and 
after puddling the roots of the subjects to be planted 
in a pasty mixture of soil and soot, planting may be 
effected an hour or so after the heavy watering has 
sufficiently subsided to leave the ground in a workable 
condition. Owing to the dry condition of the atmo¬ 
sphere, little growth may be expected for a week or 
two, but when the days become shorter with copious 
dews at night, or after the first heavy fall of rain, 
growth will proceed rapidly, making amends for the 
long delay. In cold, late, but especially northern 
districts, various kinds of Cabbages may be sown for 
planting out in autumn to stand the winter, and give 
the first supply next spring. 
Auriculas. —These fine old flowers are still favourites 
with many amateurs, and the zest given to their 
cultivation is greatly encouraged by annually raising 
seedlings in quantities proportionate to the means at 
command. Seeds should be saved from the best 
varieties that have been crossed artificially or simply 
left to natural causes. The seeds may be sown in 
January or February in heat, and thus grown on 
quickly ; but more satisfactory results will be secured 
to the amateur by sowing them now, or as soon as ripe, 
in pots or, preferably, in shallow pans in a compost of 
rich light sandy loam and leaf-soil sifted fine. Place 
the pans in a cool frame or greenhouse, and cover with 
a square of glass to retain the moisture, shading from 
bright sun till the seedlings are well established. By 
this method the amateur can raise any quantity with¬ 
out the aid of fire-heat, and clean healthy growth will 
result. 
Ee-potting of old established plants may be effected 
during the first and second week of this month, and 
propagation by division may also be successfully 
performed at this time if necessary. The off-sets should 
be carefully removed, studiously avoiding disturbance 
of the roots ; and after cutting off the base with a sharp 
knife, leaving as little as possible to be healed over, 
dust it with finely-powdered charcoal, which will 
prevent decay. Formerly, excessively rich composts 
were used, which were greatly productive of disease 
and ill health in various forms. A very suitable and 
satisfactory one would consist of two-parts good fibrous 
loam that has been stacked for a year or more, one- 
part of well-rotted cow-manure, a quantity of clean 
sharp sand, and a small portion of leaf-soil. After re¬ 
potting, place them in a frame with a northern aspect 
and shade till re-established. 
Hardy Fruit. —The gathering of all the smaller 
kinds of fruit, such as Gooseberries and Currants, should 
be done in the morning or the earlier hours of the day, 
before the sun becomes powerful, as they keep and 
carry best when gathered in a cool condition. They 
should also be dry, but this will occasion no difficulty 
this year. If they are to be retained for any length of 
time on the bushes and trees, netting must be resorted 
to, especially where birds are troublesome. The same 
applies to Morello Cherries, which are soon destroyed 
if not protected. 
