October 8, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
87 
mendation of plunging to save labour, &c., and several 
articles appeared in a horticultural paper, now defunct, 
against an old and well-proved practice ; but we have 
not yet changed our opinion, and evidently Mr. Glass 
does not ignore the idea. Circumstances, however, 
have very often to influence practice, and it has with 
us at present, as 200 large plants are unplunged, which 
would, at least, have reduced labour if the pots had 
been placed in ashes or some suitable material to ward 
off heat and drought. In the bedding department we 
noticed some remarkably showy Pansies. A long hand 
of a white kind, named Annie Yule, was as near per¬ 
fection as we could desire a white bedding Pansy to be. 
In the glass structures, where order, cleanliness and 
good culture prevail, most of the items are grown 
specially for use ; but ornament is well studied also. 
A houseful of well-grown Ferns evidently are for winter 
cutting. Palms, Dracienas and numerous little Crotons 
show that table and room decoration is well catered 
for. A remarkably well-grown Pancratium grandiflora, 
about 4 ft. across, with broad green foliage, is an 
object worthy of special notice, and the remains of 
the numerous flower-spikes showed how well it has 
bloomed of late. Peaches and Grapes, too, are grown 
in a range divided into several compartments for each— 
not a few, according to space, but plentiful and good 
for family use. Medium-sized bunches of Grapes are 
by far the most serviceable when they have to be sent 
to a distance, and are always the most creditable to the 
grower. A nominal crop for exhibition only does not 
in any sense represent cultural skill or success. We 
noticed John Downie Grape doing well among the 
Hamburghs. Evidently there has been some blunder 
connected with the sending out of this Grape, two kinds, 
at least, having been distributed. We have a fine lot 
of Alnwick Seedling at present on the Yine sent to us 
as John Downie (a free gift), and altogether different to 
the samples which we saw exhibited alongside of Gros 
Colmar. At Carbrook, the fruit at present appears 
different to any other under the name (which we have 
seen) of John Downie. A houseful of Melons, lately 
set, now swelling off, will be a valuable acquisition to 
the dessert table in the course of a few weeks. Melons 
are not generally highly flavoured after September, but 
when grown with the roots well under command, with 
full power of artificial heat, really useful fruit can be 
grown, and the Beechwood class is well adapted for 
such late culture. 
One thing specially pleasing at Carbrook is, there has 
not been an absence of judgment—reckless planting in 
the park and pleasure ground arrangements. Looking 
from the front of the mansion, the splendid views have 
been preserved. The Ochil hills, eastward and north¬ 
ward, the fine agricultural and richly-wooded district 
along the valley of the Forth, is carefully retained, and 
all seems as if belonging to one great domain. There 
is an abundance of embellishment by well-arranged 
shrubberies and carefully planted trees, both for 
ornament and shelter ; but it is a relief to notice the 
absence of confusion in this beautiful seat, to which we 
had a most pleasant outing.— M. T. 
--»3?o- 
Hardening Hotes from 
COTLAND. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.— The 
usual monthly meeting of this society was held on Tues¬ 
day last. Mr. Alexander Milne, vice-president, was in 
the chair. A paper on “Seeds and their Germination” 
was communicated by Mr. A. FT. M’Alpine. A seed, 
the paper stated, was very much like the egg of a 
fowl, and in order to protect it, it required to have 
a strong outside shell. The process of the growth of a 
seed was very much the same as that of the human 
body. In a seed the albumen could be replaced by 
artificial mixtures just the same as a child could be 
brought up on the bottle. The points which distin¬ 
guished good seeds were—firstly, the weight of the seeds, 
especially the weight of a given measure, such as a 
bushel; secondly, the specific gravity of the seed; thirdly, 
the colour of the seed; and fourthly, the purity of the 
seed. Under certain circumstances the seeds should 
be washed previous to sowing. The paper went on 
to dwell upon the conditions under which seed 
would germinate, the most essential being water, 
air, heat and light. In germinating seeds it was 
necessary to have uniform moisture, otherwise the 
seeds would be spoilt. Air was as necessary to a seed 
as to any living animal. Seeds should be sown at such 
a depth as to ensure uniform moisture, and also to 
receive the substance upon which they lived. The time 
required for the germination of seeds varied very much 
according to the plant to be grown. Mr. M’Alpine 
received a vote of thanks for his paper. A beautiful 
collection of cut flowers was exhibited at the close of 
the proceedings, consisting of Dahlias and Chrysan¬ 
themums from Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, and Messrs. 
Thomas Methven & Sons. 
A Relic of the Caledonian Forest. —A 
huge and interesting tree trunk is at present lying in 
the Caledonian Goods Bailway Station, Lothian Boad, 
under consignment to an Edinburgh firm. The tree, 
which is of black Oak, is intended to be used in 
connection with the manufacture of high-art cabinets 
and furniture. It has been recovered from the bed 
of the Clyde, near Dalmarnock, where it is believed to 
have lain since the days of the great Caledonian 
Forest. Several attempts were made by the lads of 
Rutherglen to recover the tree from the river bottom, 
but until a few days ago these proved unsuccessful. 
The log, which measures from 4 ft. to 5 ft. in girth, is 
in good preservation, and the bark is so fresh that the 
Oak pattern can be traced with ease. The age of the 
tree, and the period during which it has lain buried 
among the mud of the Clyde bed, can only be guessed 
at. Its size suggests that it must have been growing 
somewhere in the upland forests of Clydesdale at the 
time when the Romans came over from the shores of 
Gaul. The imagination conjures up a flooded Clyde, 
which swept the monstre from its root holds, and 
carried it downward as far as Dalmarnock, there to lie 
unrotted for centuries. 
-- 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
Planting Bulbs. —This month is an excellent time 
to plant out bulbs and corms of all the commoner and 
hardy kinds, such as Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissus, 
Crocus, Snowdrops and similar things for spring 
flowering. Hyacinths do best in beds or borders of 
good garden soil by way of spring bedding, when they 
may be lifted after flowering to make room for the 
summer occupants of the beds. The Daffodils known 
as Lent Lilies, and other kinds of Narcissus, may be 
treated in the same way; while Snowdrops and Crocuses 
form attractive edgings to the beds containing the 
taller-growing subjects. 
To get the best results from Hyacinths and Tulips, 
they should be planted in beds of well-prepared soil. 
In Holland, where the best examples are grown in great 
quantities to supply the European markets, the soil is 
naturally very light and sandy, but rich ; and to 
further benefit the plants a prepared compost is used, 
consisting of decayed leaf-soil, river-sand and cow- 
dung, piled up in alternate layers for six months and 
then chopped up fine. The soils of this country are, 
in general, much heavier than those in Holland, and it 
is, therefore, found convenient sometimes to plant the 
bulbs in specially-prepared beds, using a compost of 
two-parts of turfy loam, and one-part each of leaf-soil, 
sharp river-sand and well - decayed cow - manure 
thoroughly mixed and incorporated together. The 
natural soil of the beds is taken out to a depth of 
18 ins. to 24 ins. and replaced with the compost. Now, 
however, it is very seldom that growers in this country 
go to the trouble or expense of having all this done, 
nor is it within the power of amateurs to do so in many 
cases ; but the kind of compost given above, as most 
suitable for the purpose, will give a general idea of the 
requirements of this class of plants, and intending 
planters may ameliorate their beds according to 
convenience and circumstances. A loose and free soil, 
the result of good tilth and excellent drainage (natural 
or otherwise), will generally give grand results ; and 
planting may be accomplished at once, covering the 
bulbs to a depth of 3 ins. or 4 ins. 
Red, blue, white, and yellow are the leading colours 
of Hyacinths, and double varieties in all these colours 
may also be obtained. For planting out it is not 
necessary to get expensive kinds, but if a judicious 
assortment of bulbs in different colours be selected, they 
may be planted or arranged in designs to suit the 
taste of the planter. With regard to Tulips, some of 
the older and well-known sorts adapted for bedding 
are, Due Yan Thol, scarlet and yellow ; Keizerskroon, 
scarlet; Pottebakker, white ; Rex Rubrorum, double 
red, and Tournesol, yellow. The double varieties ar.e 
later in flowering than the single, and last longer. An 
imposing effect is produced by planting each kind in 
beds separately, and edging them, if thought necessary, 
with some contrasting colour of Crocus. At all events, 
single and double varieties should not be planted in the 
same bed, as the effect is spoiled by their coming into 
flower at different times. 
Daffodils, Crocuses, and Snowdeops may be 
planted with good effect in beds or borders ; but they 
never look more natural, attractive, or fascinating than 
when planted in scattered, irregular masses on the 
grass. If the earlier kinds are grown, which include 
all the above, excepting the later flowering and double 
forms of Narcissus poeticus, they may be planted even 
on lawns that are kept closely mown all the summer. 
All that will be necessary is to retain the foliage until 
it shows signs of decay, when it may be closely cut 
down. To do this earlier must weaken the bulbs, and 
cause them to become weaker every year. The old 
custom of twisting them up in knots after the plants 
have done flowering does away with the necessity of 
cutting them down too early, nor do they appear 
unsightly. Daffodils and other kinds of Narcissus 
increase in strength from year to year if left undis¬ 
turbed at the root. The same may be said of Crocuses 
and Snowdrops, especially the latter, as they are very 
impatient of transplanting, and more so of potting up 
for forcing purposes. A pleasing and attractive way of 
growing Snowdrops or Crocuses, is to plant them under 
deciduous trees or other out-of-the-way places, where 
they come up and prove very attractive before the trees 
come into leaf. In fact, it is a very satisfactory way 
of utilising the space. 
Potting Bulbs, &c. —For forcing and indoor pur¬ 
poses more select kinds may be used if desirable. The 
following is a list of a few of the best kinds of 
Hyacinths that can be grown for indoor decoration, 
and the grower may add to the number according to 
his knowledge or experience of them, as the varieties 
from which selection may be made is now almost 
limitless. Laurens Roster is double dark and Yan 
Speyk double light blue ; Lord Wellington, double rose, 
and Waterloo, pale double red; La Tour de Auvergne and 
Prince of Waterloo are double pure white forms ; while 
Goethe is a pale double yellow and Jaune Supreme is 
double primrose. Good single varieties are Bird of 
Paradise, pale, and Ida, deep yellow ; Argus, indigo, 
with a white eye ; Charles Dickens, light ; Feruck 
Khan, dark ; Haydn, mauve, and William I., dark 
purple, constitute a good selection belonging to the 
blue kinds. Red kinds are Lina, deep crimson; 
Cavaignac, pink striped; Norma, fine pink, and 
Yuurbaak, dark red. Mont Blanc, La Grandesse and 
Grand Vainqueur are all pure white ; while Grandeur 
A Merveille is a fine blush variety. In addition to 
those Tulips already mentioned, which are equally 
serviceable for indoor decoration, the following are 
good single kinds, namely, Belle Alliance, deep 
scarlet ; Canary Bird, pure yellow ; Proserpine, 
carmine-rose ; Couronne des Roses, crimson-lake ; 
Duke of York, purple, with white border. 
The sooner these aie potted now the better, in order 
to have them in flower as soon as possible, and their 
earliness will, of course, depend on the heat at the 
grower’s command. Use a compost of two parts fibry 
loam, one part each of peat, leaf-soil, well-rotted cow 
manure and river sand. Drain the pots well, using 
some of the coarse parts of the compost, in the absence 
of moss, over the drainage. After filling up the pots 
to the rim with soil, place a quantity of clean sand on 
the place where it is intended to place the bulb ; then 
press the latter into the soil till it is half buried and 
fill up the pot with soil, making firm. Then stand 
the pots, out of doors, on a bed of ashes, covering them 
with the latter to the depth of several inches, or with 
tan or cocoa-nut fibre. Here they may remain for six 
or eight weeks, till the pots are filled with roots and 
the crowns commence to push. They may then be 
removed in successive batches to the greenhouse, con¬ 
servatory or window as the case may be, and the 
earliest urged forward to bloom as early as possible.— F. 
-- 
WELLG-ROWN BOUVARDIAS. 
There is a fine houseful of these useful autumn and 
winter-flowering plants at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, 
consisting, it is true, of a few kinds, but these are of 
the very best quality. Some old plants have been 
retained from last year’s stock, cut down, re-started, 
potted and growm on ; but in vigour, size of flower and 
flowering abilities are far inferior to the general stock 
of plants raised from cuttings early in the spring, as 
shown by contrast with the others. The principal sorts 
of which the bulk of the plants consist are Alfred 
Neuner, double pure white. President Garfield, double 
pink, and Dazzler, with large, single, brilliant red 
