September 3, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
11 
flavour. Tomatos, let their looks be what they may, 
are in flavour so much alike as a rule, that judges are 
content to take their qualities upon trust, and, yet, as 
you recently suggested, with the Tomato rapidly 
growing into an edible fruit in its raw state, some 
special stress should he laid upon flavour. 1 venture 
to suggest that the occasion above referred to would be 
an exceedingly appropriate one to invite the Fruit 
Committee to undertake a censorship of flavour, and 
that any anxious to have their specialities so .tested, 
should send a dish of, say four fruits, medium-sized 
and well ripened, for the committee to taste. If by 
such a plan we can find but one kind specially favoured 
with flavour what a gain it will he !— A. D. 
An Early Pear.—One of the few, but little 
known, Pears recommended by the committee of the 
National Pear Conference for a more extended culti¬ 
vation, was Beurre Giffard. It is by no means a new 
variety, but its merits as an early dessert Pear deserve 
some notice at the hands of English growers, especially 
in private establishments. Being rather a slender 
grower, and succeeding best on the Quince, it would 
hardly he suited to the requirements of market- 
gardeners, although its earliness would be a great 
recommendation, thereby enabling the home-grower to 
command an earlier market than he can with the older 
and better-known sorts. It might also he utilised for 
the production of new varieties, having the early- 
ripening qualities peculiar to it ; while the aim should 
be to select seedlings of more vigorous habit, and 
possessing the requisite free-hearing propensities. The 
fruit is somewhat below the medium size, but by no 
means to be considered small. In shape it is regularly 
pyriform ; while the colour is greenish yellow marked 
with russet spots, and frequently assumes a beautiful 
red on the exposed side. The flesh is yellowish white, 
rich and sugary, and could hardly fail to be esteemed 
if better known. It ripened this year at Devouhurst, 
Chiswick, in the second week of August. 
Chimney Bell-flower. —Although a very old- 
fashioned garden plant, we frequently lose sight of 
Campamrla pyramidalis and forget the useful purposes 
to which it might be put. Its duration is biennial, and 
to secure the best results seeds should be sown early in 
the summer, to allow the plants time to attain a large 
flowering size by the next. After being raised, the 
seedlings may be planted in their flowering quarters, 
or, if desired for indoor work, great satisfaction is 
derived by growing them in pots and shifting on as 
they require it. The popular name is derived from the 
old custom of standing the flowering plants in the fire¬ 
place in summer. Mr. M. McLean, Vintner’s Park, 
Maidstone, grows it in the borders, where the plants 
form fine pyramidal masses of flowers. There are pale 
and dark blue, and white forms of this species, all 
excellent in themselves. 
The Early Admirable Peach. —“When pay¬ 
ing a visit recently to those pretty and neatly kept 
gardens, The Highlands, Mereworth, I observed this 
Peach in grand condition. A tree of it, with three 
others, including that grand old variety Noblesse, 
occupied the whole of the roof of a lean-to house, and 
although planted in a comparatively narrow border— 
only 3 ft. wide, they having occupied that position for 
many years—they were carrying magnificent crops of 
medium-sized, nicely coloured fruit, the flavour being, 
as far as my experience goes, all that could possibly be 
desired. The old Noblesse, as is evidenced here, when 
under good skilled management, seldom fails to carry 
a capital crop of delicious fruit, the trees being in a 
perfect state of growth. Mi-. Shenwell, the present 
gardener, speaks highly of the former as an early 
variety, and believes it to be one of the best. Guano 
is the principal manure used, and heavy drenchings of 
water are given at the roots every fortnight during 
their growing season.— R. II. M. 
Primula obeonica. —This is a new, interesting, 
and evergreen species that is destined to become par 
excellence the amateur’s flower. Its blooming charac¬ 
teristics are of a high order of merit; indeed, it is 
scarcely ever out of flower, and its beautiful blossoms 
are produced in graceful umbels, their colour being of 
the palest lilac. The specific name of the plant has 
reference to the shape of the leaves, which are broadly 
ovate-oblong or obconical, slightly denticulated along 
their margins, and scented. Propagation may be 
effected by division of the root-stock or by seed. As 
an illustration of its floriferousness, I may add that in 
a pan of seedlings raised this season many of the little 
plants are already producing miniature blossoms of 
great beauty. The several parts of an old plant split 
up last July are all doing well, and have not only re¬ 
established themselves, but are throwing up flower- 
stems freely. This is a recent introduction from 
China, and is admirably adapted for pot culture in 
frames or cool greenhouses.— C. B. G., Acton, IF. 
Campanula lactiflora ccerulea. —Most or 
all of the species of Bellflower seem to enjoy tropical 
heat and drought when many things around them are 
languishing for want of moisture. This is, doubtless, 
due to their physiological constitution, and the stores 
of nutriment held as reserve in the milky juices of their 
stems and leaves. Instead of diminished vigour during 
the drought presumably now ended, this stately and 
handsome species seems to have acquired a greater 
vegetative vigour than usual, judging from the un¬ 
wonted height the stems attained. Nowhere, perhaps, 
was this more evident than at Pendell Court, 
Bletchingley, where the stems measured the height of 
a tall man, and flowered in proportion. The typical 
form having milk-white flowers, more or less suffused 
with blue, is, indeed, a fine thing, but from a decorative 
point of view it is inferior to the variety above named, 
which has deep blue flowers. The flowering period 
extends over several months, and altogether it is a 
very showy plant for border decoration. C. celtidifolia 
is synonymous with this species. 
Nicotiana affinis. —There is a fine form of this 
species at Hurstside, Hampton Court, planted among 
a number of others in the open ground, that from its 
superiority would, doubtless, by selection, result in a 
decided improvement of a plant already a great favourite 
in gardens. The flowers are much larger, and owing 
to a greater development of the lamina, they appear of 
a purer white. At no time is this more conspicuous 
than shortly after sunset, when the flowers expand 
according to their wont in the evening. After this 
time their delicious and well-known fragrance becomes 
more pronounced, which, together with the -white 
colour, serves to direct their winged and night-flying 
visitors. 
The Spiny Sea-Lavender. — One of the 
neatest and most compact of alpine plants is that 
known botanically as Acantholimon glumaeeum, and 
having as a synonym Statice Ararati. The densely- 
arrayed awl-shaped leaves are hardened at the tips to a 
spiny consistency, hence the name of “spiny,” as applied 
to this near relative of the Statices. It is a native of 
Armenia, but so perfectly hardy in our climate that it 
is able to take care of itself when once thoroughly 
established. The truth of this becomes apparent when 
one sees the fine specimen planted on the margin of a 
large bed, otherwise occupied with herbaceous plants 
and bulbs, at Hurstside, Hampton Court. The flowers 
are now past their best, but there is still abundant 
evidence to show what they had been ; and the showi¬ 
ness of the rose-coloured spicate flowers rising just above 
the foliage, characterises this as a very valuable rock- 
plant. Owing to the slowness of growth, the specimen 
under notice must have seen a good many summers. 
The Large-flowered Magnolia. —It is now 
150 years since this magnificent tree was first intro¬ 
duced to Britain ; yet nowhere in this country has it 
attained the height it does in its native home —namely, 
70 ft. to 80 ft. There seems to be an impression that 
this tree is not sufficiently hardy to withstand the 
severity of our winters ; but our opinion is that storms 
of wind and snow, such as we had last Christmas, are 
more to be dreaded than frost. The occurrence of 
wind when the leaves are frozen, and, consequently, 
brittle, denudes the trees of their foliage by simple 
violence. The inference to be deduced from this is 
that Magnolias—and especially this species, which is 
evergreen—should be planted where they can be 
sheltered, but by no means overshadowed by sur¬ 
rounding trees. When thus treated, but fully exposed 
to sunlight, the leaves develop the rusty brown colour 
on their underside to the fullest extent, and this adds 
considerably to the beauty and handsome appearance 
of the tree. Against walls, where we frequently see it, 
the proportions of the leaves are almost two-fold com¬ 
pared with those in the open in many cases ; but they 
lose much of their charm by the under-side of the 
foliage being hidden, and at the same time the hairs do 
not develop their natural tint, -which may be compared 
to that of Chrysophyllum imperiale, but are almost 
colourless or pale green. Flowering is continuous on 
healthy trees throughout the greater part of the season ; 
and, indeed, the last blooms have to contend with the 
rain or frost of autumn and early winter. On walls 
flowering is by no means so profuse, although the 
individual blooms may be larger. The flowers are pure 
white, deliciously scented, and those who have seen 
them cannot but admire them. 
The Window Bell-flower. —It is a small 
matter for surprise that Campanula isophylla should 
have acquired this name, seeing how generally it is 
distributed over the length and breadth of the land. 
More than this, it seems thoroughly at home in the 
cottager’s window, where we generally find it. The 
specific name is given on account of the leaves along 
the stem being of equal size, or nearly so. It is often 
called C. fioribunda, and appropriately so, considering 
the profusion of bloom furnished during a great part 
of the summer on stems that sometimes attain a length 
of 3 ft. under favourable conditions. Both the blue 
typical form and its wdiite variety are very ornamental 
plants, suitable alike for the border, rockery, window, 
or conservatory. We noticed the white form the other 
day at Fair Lawn House, Acton, where it was very gay 
in a cool airy house. 
Siebold’s Stonecrop. — The old - fashioned 
custom of growing Sedum Sieboldi as a window-plant 
was brought to recollection on seeing some large 
specimens in pans, hung up near the light in a cool 
greenhouse at Sudbury House, Hammersmith. The 
slender stems droop gracefully on all sides, amply 
clothed with their handsome glaucous foliage. The 
individual leaves are roundish with a wedge-shaped 
base, shallowly notched and red at the margin. These 
characters, together with their colour and the handsome 
terminal cymes of pink flowers, render the plant very 
attractive, and its adaptability for cultivation in pots, 
whether for the window or conservatory, all combine to 
make the plant popular. Now and again it gets 
neglected ; but its own intrinsic beauty will ever and 
anon bring it to the front. Some of the Sudbury 
House specimens were showing the characteristic varie¬ 
gation of a variety named S. S. medio-variegatus, with 
a creamy yellow blotch on the centre of each leaf. 
-—->- 3 ^*- 
ORCHID ROT ES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. — Even 
the cool house now is better for a little artificial heat 
just to keep the air stirring, and as a guard against 
sudden falls of the temperature ; but in all the houses 
great care must be taken to keep the heating apparatus 
in check, so that nothing like fire-heat is felt in them. 
Nothing enables the plants to better pass over our long 
winter than keeping artificial heat off them to the 
utmost reasonable extent until hard frosts enforce a 
stronger working of the apparatus, in order to be on 
the safe side, and even then careful ventilation will 
prevent ill effects. Of all forms of excessive heat a too 
high night temperature is the most destructive, and of 
all seasons the autumn is the most likely for such to 
take place, as the fires are frequently started late. 
This should be carefully guarded against, and the 
proper prescribed night temperature observed as near as 
possible, for of all miserable and irreclaimable plants 
those grown too hot and close at night are the worst. 
Still, a little chink of bottom-air should be left on all 
the houses at night. 
The Temperatures for the Month of September 
should be :—East Indian or warm house, 75° to 80° 
by day, 70° at night ; Cattleya or intermediate house, 
70° to 75° by day, 65° at night; Odontoglossum or cool 
house, 60° to 65° by day, 55° at night. Degrees 
Fahrenheit. The higher day temperature will, of 
course, sometimes be exceeded on bright days by sun- 
heat. —James O'Brien. 
Disa grandiflora in the Open Garden.— 
One of the very finest specimens of Disa we have ever 
seen is now flowering in the interesting garden of 
A. Kingsmill, Esq., at Eastcote, Pinner, and we are 
informed that it has been even finer in former years. 
The plant has eight stout, dwarf, self-supporting 
spikes, each having several grand flowers of the most 
glowing crimson-tinted scarlet. Mr. Kingsmill grows 
it in a large lialf-pot or pan, and the plant is only just 
protected from frost in winter. At the beginning of 
June it is removed to a sheltered place in the open 
ground, where its pot is sunk to the depth of 2 ins. or 
3 ins. in water contained in a tub kept for the purpose. 
Thus grown, it is a grand and easily-managed plant; 
and that the flowers so produced are better than those 
got under glass, Mr. Kingsmill has proved by keeping 
a plant divided from the same original specimen 
indoors; its flowers came much poorer than those 
outside. There is no doubt that by Mr, Kingsmill’s 
summer outdoor culture, or some modification of it, the 
fine blue and other Disas, which now puzzle most 
growers to bloom, would become fine plants, and 
produce flowers freely. 
