360 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 4, 1888. 
next to nothing in the way of pruning. To keep 
matters thus satisfactorily, a clearance of surface-soil 
is made over the roots, a good coating of manure is 
given, with a sprinkling of Thomson’s Vine Manure in 
it, fresh soil is thrown over the mulching, brought 
from any plot likely to be free from the larvte of cater¬ 
pillars, and the whole trodden down firmly when the 
season is somewhat advanced. During the course of 
the year the roots become concentrated in the surfacing, 
and do not spread far from the trunk, by which means 
their fruiting proclivities are greatly increased, the 
growth of wood reduced, and a decided check to drought 
and vermin secured.— Caledonian. 
-- 
A SUCCESSFUL AMATEUR. 
As an instance of what may be done even by an 
amateur when his mind is given to the pursuit of an 
object, and when stirred up by the wholesome and 
stimulating rivalry of exhibitions, we are reminded by 
the success of Mr. John Cadenhead, North Blairs, 
Auchinbloe, Fordoun, who gained forty-three prizes at 
the Glenbervie, Fordoun, and Arbuthnot Flower Show 
last year. This he did with the aid of three green¬ 
houses constructed by himself, together with a garden 
for the cultivation of flowers and vegetables. 
Two houses are entirely occupied, or almost so, with 
Ferns and Mosses, while they ’were so crowded last 
summer that all the large and less select of them were 
thinned out and transferred to the side of a stream, 
where a temporary structure was made for their recep¬ 
tion, and as a means of shading. A third house used 
as a conservatory is devoted to the culture of tuberous- 
rooted Begonias, Petunias, Lantanas, Salvia splendens, 
Lilium Harrisii, L. auratum, a huge specimen of L. 
speciosum (lancifolium), L. s. roseum, and L. s. rubrum. 
This is not merely a list, but the plants are well grown 
and flowered. A specimen of the common Myrtle 
(Myrtus communis), measuring 6 ft. in height by 4 ft. 
in width, had to occupy a central position on the floor, 
because it was too large for the staging. 
Eccremocarpus scaber climbed the roof, while the 
shelves were occupied with various useful and orna¬ 
mental subjects wherewith a conservatory might be 
rendered gay, either in summer or autumn. Amongst 
those in flower last autumn were Streptocarpus rexi, 
Vallota purpurea, and Sedum Sieboldi medio-picta. 
Marechal Niel Rose seemed healthy, trained over the 
roof; while the whole was lightened up by the use of 
large plants of "Woodwardia radieans, Pteris flabellata, 
Cyrtomium falcatum, and Niphobolus lingua. 
A large and representative collection of British Ferns 
monopolised one low-roofed house, and have been 
collected together at North Blairs from over a wide 
area of the British Isles. It is out of the question to 
enumerate a tithe of the kinds grown ; but, like most 
other collectors, Mr. Cadenhead has given much 
attention to the rare and beautiful dwarf forms of 
Scolopendrium vulgare, such as S. v. crispum, S. v. 
Kelwayi, S. v. grandiceps, and S. v. grandiceps densum. 
The endless and varied forms of Asplenium Filix- 
fosmina, Polystichum and Polypodium, chiefly the 
bipinnatifid forms of P. vulgare—such as P. v. cornu- 
biense, P. v. elegantissimum, P. v. semilacerum, &c.— 
are well represented. The last three Ferns, together 
with the "Welsh Polypody (P. v. cambricum), are some 
of the finest forms into which the common Polypody 
has sported, and which all amateurs and lovers 
of British Ferns in general have an ambition—and 
a very laudable one—to possess. The fronds are 
more persistent than the type, and generally, if not 
always, last until new ones are produced—a very 
important matter from a decorative point of view. 
They bear the same relation in that respect to the 
typical form which Nephrolepis rubescens tripinnatifida 
does to its parent form. In this house a number of the 
more choice and hardy exotic Ferns, such as Polystichum 
hirtipes and Adiantum pedatum are also located. 
The house devoted to the culture of exotic Ferns and 
their allies, contains many of the more popular and 
useful decorative species which one is accustomed to see 
in private establishments, where their cultural require¬ 
ments are attended to by the skill of a professional. 
Some of the more prominent and best grorvn specimens 
were Polystichum capense, P. triangulare, Phlebodium 
aureum,Davallia elegans, AdiantumVeitchii, A.Pacottii, 
Lastrea aristata variegata, Asplenium flabellatum, A. 
Fernandezianum, A. fabianum, Nephrolepis cordifolia, 
and others. The largest and most bulky specimens 
were those in the conservatory, already mentioned. 
The open garden is always well stocked with various 
flowers and vegetables, special attention being given to 
annuals, herbaceous perennials, and Potatos. Mr. 
Cadenhead also secured the prize for the largest 
collection of Ferns, that is, containing the greatest 
number of species and varieties found growing wild in 
the three parishes above mentioned. The country is 
purely an agricultural one, but extremely diversified 
with mountain, wood, and streams, and contains a rich 
flora, with which no one is more acquainted, or knows 
the whereabouts of any particular plant better than Mr. 
Cadenhead. _ 
SINGLE AND SEMI-DOUBLE 
CAMELLIAS. 
Some kinds of Camellias are more productive in the 
quantity of flowers they yield than others ; therefore, 
perhaps, it will not be out of place to call attention to 
a few free-flowering kinds that will give the cultivator 
a good display of really fine ornamental flowers that 
are not so stiff in their general outline "as the ordinary 
double forms. For the last few years I have found 
that a great aversion has sprung up against the use of 
the Camellia as a flower that may be worn by ladies at 
evening parties, in consequence of the formal or stiff 
militate sadly against the chances of any English 
enthusiast taking them in hand. The progress would 
be slow and tedious in the extreme. But still there are 
sorts in existence that once were popular, and are so 
yet amongst a few cultivators, and these are the kinds 
on which to fall back. 
C. japonica, the well-known single red, will give us 
flowers in abundance on well-grown bushes. There 
are several forms of it about—some much finer than 
others —one a very deep crimson, with extra dark 
foliage which might be worth perpetuating. Then we 
have C. j. simplex alba, a pure white, good-sized bloom, 
the yellow anthers in the centre showing it up very 
prominently. Then there is C. sanguines variegata, a 
single red kind, similar to the old C. japonica, but 
with beautiful bright variegated foliage, the variegation 
being pure white. 
Amongst Camellias that may be grown for furnishing 
or for cutting from without being considered stiff and 
formal in character, our good old friend, C. Donkelaarii, 
stands pre-eminently to the front. A well-grown 
plant of this kind in full flower is a sight worth seeing. 
For instance, a plant that has a number of flowers 
The Palm House at Glasnevix : ground plan. 
appearance of the flower when fully developed. This, 
to a great extent, is true, but if the flower could be 
used in the bud condition, and nicely manipulated 
with Fern, &c., they may to a very great extent be 
made to resemble Roses ; but after all they lack the 
odour by which the public may be gulled into the 
belief that they are Rose buds. 
This being the case, our very finest and best 
Camellia flowers are too stiff for personal ornamentation; 
but I trust they will never be too formal for con¬ 
servatory work. "We will look back to some of the 
oldest and best known forms belonging to an earlier 
period, and try to find out some that are looser in the 
form of their flowers ; and by this means we may 
induce the Camellia to again look up from the dis¬ 
repute into which it appears to have fallen. 
Single flowers have at various times been more 
popular than doubles amongst florist flowers, and if we 
can bring ourselves to think that single Camellias are 
better suited to the taste of the times than the doubles, 
possibly a reaction might commence in their favour; 
but the skill and patience of the hybridist would be 
sorely taxed in the raising of new varieties, owing to the 
great length of time it takes to obtain seedlings, prove 
them, and then obtain a stock. This drawback would 
fully expanded, a number half open, and some just 
bursting, all showing the yellow anthers conspicuously, 
whilst some of the flowers are clear red, others distinctly 
blotched with pure white, and all showing up well 
amongst the deep green foliage which a healthy plant 
always has in abundance, will illustrate what I mean. 
A fit companion for this fine kind is Tricolor de Mathot, 
a splendid bold semi-double flower with white petals, 
of great substance, marbled and flamed with deep 
carmine, the yellow anthers in this form showing 
themselves very plainly. Its habit is strong, with dark 
shining foliage, deeply serrated on the edge, which 
gives it a conspicuous appearance. 
Then, again, there is C. reticulata, a variety with 
rosy lake semi-double flowers ; and the old C. tricolor, 
a single white with striped flowers, and a very good- 
habited kind in the bargain. If any of the kinds 
named above be grown for furnishing or cutting from, 
they will soon dispel the illusion that the flowers of 
Camellias are stiff. It is by letting these semi-double 
kinds go out that the others have not shown them¬ 
selves off to the best advantage. The semi-doubles, 
when blended with the others, relieve or altogether 
prevent the formality about which we hear so much 
complaint at Hie present time.— IV. G. 
