July 21, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
743 
perfect thicket. Near by this the Portugal Laurel 
(Prunus lusitanieus) forms a similar clump, now pro¬ 
fusely covered with its racemes of white flowers. 
There are several Oaks about the grounds, but the 
most noteworthy subject we noticed was a patriarchal 
specimen of the Red Oak (Quercus rubra), towering up 
to the height of 80 ft., with a broad spreading head, 
and yet in great vigour, with healthy foliage. In 
rather close proximity to this is a tree of Cryptomeria 
japonica, about 30 ft. high, but apparently being 
starved by its giant neighbour. The Deodar Cedar 
seems to like its position, forming beautifully-branched 
specimens, about 50 ft. or 60 ft. in height; but as far 
as Cedars are concerned, grand old trees of Cedrus 
Libani constitute one of the leading features of the 
place, and tower up to a height of 70 ft. or 80 ft., 
with a spread of branches that no other Conifer 
in Britisii gardens can equal, much less excel. It 
would seem that for some time past the planting 
of this tree has been as much neglected as it was 
encouraged many years ago, when the magnificent old 
specimens in the southern counties were planted. 
C. atlantica and C. deodara have been more largely 
planted within recent years, but it is a question 
whether they will ever grow to form such characteristic 
or striking trees in the landscape as the now greatly 
neglected Cedar of Lebanon, which becomes even more 
conspicuous in winter as other trees lose their foliage. 
The Himalayan Spruce Fir (Picea morinda) is vigorous 
and healthy, but we did not observe any specimens 
exceeding 20 ft. in height. A specimen of Chamserops 
humilis, about 10 ft. high and grown in a tub, was 
rather unique in its way for a private establishment, 
being more often seen in botanic gardens after it 
attains such dimensions. Another instance of the 
antiquity of the place, besides the huge old trees, is 
the number of statues stood about in all parts of the 
grounds, confronting the visitor at almost every turn. 
-->X-c-- 
AMERICAN NOTES. 
Shout Hill, N.J.—One hour’s ride on the Delaware, 
Sachawanna and Western Railroad from New York 
lands the visitor at Short Hills Station, within five 
minutes walk of which, standing on rising ground, is 
the beautiful residence of James R. Pitcher, Esq., and 
which is situated in a fine, undulating, and beautifully 
wooded country. A short distance from the mansion 
the glasshouses are situated, and though it is only a 
little over two years since Mr. Pitcher started Orchid 
growing, it is very gratifying to state that a very fine 
collection has been brought together, and that all are 
doing remarkably well. Unfortunately early in the 
season a most disastrous fire had taken place, by which 
a fine collection of Camellias—the celebrated Wilder 
collection—was totally destroyed ; some splendid 
specimen Azaleas and a grand collection of Nepenthes 
also suffered considerably. Some of the houses were 
burnt to the ground, and at the time of my visit these 
were being rapidly replaced. Fortunately the fire was 
mastered before reaching the Orchid houses. 
Range No. 1 consists of a centre house running north 
and south, 40 ft. by 12 ft., which contains a very fine 
lot of healthy Odontoglossums and Masdevallias of all 
the most popular kinds. I also noticed some Sarra- 
cenias doing well, including a fine pan of Courtii, mag¬ 
nificently grown and well coloured. East and west from 
this house run two others, each 40 ft. long and 12 ft. 
wide, with stages on either side, and a walk down the 
centre. The houses are well built, and contain a very 
remarkable collection of Cypripediums. Mr. Pitcher is 
fond of this family, and is anxious to procure any that 
may be new and distinct to add to his already exten¬ 
sive collection, for he now possesses nearly 200 species 
and varieties. What is more, many of them are 
represented by the dozen, while of others he has two or 
three good specimens of each, He believes in buying 
the latter because he has not long to waif for the 
result, which so many miss, i.e ,, a good display in a 
short time. In the eastern division, among the many, 
I noted, besides the Cypripediums, some good Dendro- 
biums in flower ; also a good lot of Phalrenopsis doing 
well, many plants having from six to eight leaves. A 
good distinct form of Sanderiana was in flower in the 
same house. Vandas are represented by all the popular 
sorts, also Lselias, and a fine plant of L. superbiens, 
with enormously strong bulbs, attracted my attention 
too. 
The corresponding house on the west side contains 
more Cypripediums, making a fine display, and a great 
variety of other Orchids—all pictures in themselves of 
vigorous health. 
At the back of this range is a nice office or reception 
room, leading from which is a fine span-roofed house, 
100 ft. long by 24 ft. wide. The centre stage is 
devoted to a choice collection of Nepenthes, which are 
just recovering from the heat and smoke of the fire, 
and also specimen Crotons, Cycads and other fine foliage 
plants. There was a nice lot of Amaryllis just opening 
their majestic flowers, and more Orchids, including 
many fine Lrelias and Cattleyas, such as C. Skinneri, 
with eighteen spikes, while, suspended from the roof, 
plants of Dendrobium Dalhousianum and D. moschatum 
were making enormously strong growths. Here also 
were several good pans of Coelogyne cristata and 
enormous plants of Cypripedium iusigne. I noted, 
too, that some two dozen plants of Oncidium Jamesi- 
anum growing upon blocks were doing well in this 
house, as well as a nice lot of Anthuriums, which were 
showing their blight-coloured spathes to perfection. 
Adjoining this house is a propagating pit, where soft- 
wooded plants, &c., are raised, and an Azalea house 
full of nice well-flowered plants. A new Odontoglossom 
house is about to be erected, and when finished will 
add considerably to the convenience of growing a fine 
collection of plants. 
Mr. Brett is to be congratulated upon the way he 
handles the various subjects under is care, for it is 
evident he is a thorough practical man, and had been 
in charge here before Orchid-growing commenced. He 
has also for some years past paid much attention to the 
raising of new Chrysanthemums, and amongst the many 
he has raised and which are great favourites in the 
States, Bessie Pitcher, Helen of Troy, J. H. Bradbury 
and others might be mentioned .—Alfred Outram. 
- 
Motes from 
Conference of Northern Field Clubs.— 
The first conference under the auspices of the Northern 
Field Clubs was held at Huntly, Aberdeenshire, on 
Friday and Saturday, the 13th and 14th inst. The 
arrangements were carried out by a committee of the 
Huntly Field Club, and the energetic secretary, Mr. 
Gurnell, spared no effort to make it a complete success. 
The leading botanists and antiquaries of Aberdeen, 
Inverness, Nairn, Banff, Elgin, Forres, Huntly, &c., 
were present. Professor J. W. H. Trail was elected 
president of the Conference, and gave an admirable 
address, in the course of which he said that formerly 
it was regarded as desirable that the address of the 
chairman at such a gathering as the present should 
deal, in a general way, with the value of scientific 
pursuits and tastes in their educational aspect, or as a 
pleasant means of occupying one’s leisure hours, and of 
relieving ennui. In fact, scientific tastes had to apolo¬ 
gise for, if not to be defended against the charge of 
wasting time, or the still graver charge of leading to 
Atheism or to other heretical conclusions ; but in these 
more enlightened days they did not need to defend their 
favourite pursuits. Indeed, the danger now more to 
be dreaded was the aggressive attitude too apt to be 
assumed by some who were generally regarded as 
representatives of science—an attitude that tended to 
alienate not a few whose goodwill should be conciliated, 
and would be so by actions and words inspired by a 
scientific spirit. Dogmatism and intolerance were far 
too often manifested in scientific questions as well as in 
theology, and in them were even less to be endured 
than in religious beliefs. 
Professor Trail then went on to give a sketch of the 
progress that had been made in the study of botanical 
science, and in the researches therein, from dates 
preceding the year 1750 onwards. Amongst those who 
had done much to increase the knowledge possessed of 
plants growing in the northern part of Scotland, he 
mentioned several gentlemen to whom they were 
deeply indebted for their labours in this direction. 
What, he said, gave value to their researches was the 
fact that they had arrived at their conclusions only by 
careful investigation and comparisons, and these 
characteristics he recommended to all such societies as 
those under whose auspices they had met. He then 
gave a brief comparison of the results of the past 
eighteen years of the work of the earlier botanists of 
Scotland, saying that the latter period belonged to 
what might be termed a new departure, characterised 
to a considerable extent by new opinions and new 
methods of study. In concluding his paper, he said 
he would, therefore, add only a few remarks on the 
botanical work the field clubs were not in a position to 
undertake, and on that which they could undertake 
with peculiar prospects of successful results. It very 
seldom happened to be within the power of residents 
living in the country to have the free access to 
libraries and museums that nowadays must be at 
command to permit of undertaking the determination 
of critical forms for themselves. Nor was the manipu¬ 
lation of the microscope yet so familiar to the majority 
of, at least, the older members of field clubs to make 
the use of that instrument the pleasure that it should 
be for its habitual use. But with some help at first 
this difficulty is scarcely formidable, and much good 
work can be done by members who have become skilled 
microscopists. For such it was needless to suggest 
subjects of study, for they were usually able to make a 
judicious selection from the plentiful store at the 
disposal of every one that had eyes to see and the 
power to appreciate the beauty and infinite variety of 
the universe. Some plant may be studied minutely in 
its entire structure, and in its life history, on the 
methods detailed in such books as “Bower” and 
“Vines.” Practical botany, or the laws of vegetable 
physiology and their practical application to gardening, 
may be studied and verified by experiments. Plant 
diseases, their causes and treatments, were still in a 
great degree unknown, and much could be done 
by field clubs if they would take this branch of botany 
into favour ; but its successful prosecution demanded 
an acquaintance with the functions of the healthy 
organs and tissues. The inter-action of the various 
groups of plants on each other, and their relation to the 
insects and other animals (whether as modifying the 
latter, or as modified by them) for the pollination or 
seed distribution, or the tendency to produce peculiar 
growths (galls), were all subjects of much interest, both 
in themselves or from the practical application that may 
be made of the results of such inquiries. The variations 
of plants due to their environment were not yet fully 
understood, but a clear conception of such changes and 
their cause was of the greatest importance, both in 
theory and in practice. Such variations could be 
followed with greater success by residents in the 
country than by citizens in towns. 
Turning now to systematic botany, there was, he said, 
work enough in it to occupy the leisure hours of more 
botanists than were likely to apply themselves to it for 
years to come. The distribution, and the varieties of 
the indigenous flora, and the detection of the forms 
that have intruded themselves, or have been introduced 
from other lands by man, required more care and 
discrimination than they have yet received in any 
part of Scotland. Among the Cryptogams, from 
mosses downwards, any groups would probably well 
repay study, by yielding not a few novelties ; but to 
prosecute such studies with success, demanded both 
careful search arid free (epistolary) communication 
with acknowledged leaders in each special department. 
That the northern societies should have a prosperous 
future, with ample success in any or all of the above- 
named pursuits, was a hope that must be shared heartily 
by all there present, whether members or only visitors. 
Papers were then read on interesting and instructive 
subjects by Mr. Chas. Proctor, F.I.C., London; Mr. 
Lionel Hinxman, H.M.G.S ; Rev. John Russell, 
Leslie.; and Mr. James Macdonald, Huntly. In the 
evening a conversazione took place in Stewart’s Hall, 
which was beautifully decorated with exotic and other 
plants for the occasion, ar d at half-past nine the 
members supped together, when a pleasant social hour 
was spent. 
The Saturday’s programme was very interesting, 
and comprised excursions to various parts, including 
“Tap o’ North,” Den of Craig, and Craig Castle, 
Kildrummy Castle, Auchindoir Old Church, &c., &c. 
The various excursions were each under a leader, who 
supplied the needful information to the strangers 
regarding the places visited with much acceptance. 
As the shades of evening fell, delegates and visitors 
betook themselves by road, ’bus, and rail to their 
several destinations, highly delighted with the first 
conference held under the auspices of the Northern 
Field Clubs. 
The Weather in the South of Scotland.— 
The temperature during the latter end of last month was 
exceedingly low. On the 1st of July the thermometer 
4 ft. from the ground recorded 3° of frost. Whole 
Potato fields were blackened. Fruit which was looking 
very promising has suffered severely. On the 10th 
a severe thunderstorm passed over this district 
(Peebles-shire), and was accompanied with heavy 
hailshowers, some of the hailstones measuring 1 in. in 
diameter. Such a storm has not been experienced 
hereabout for more than half a century. I looked over 
some Chrysanthemums after the storm, and they are 
indeed pitiful to see ; the foliage is all tattered and 
torn, and some of the stems are peeled as if they had 
been struck with rifle bullets. Apple trees and fruit 
bushes have been entirely denuded of their crop. — Scot. 
SCOTLAND. 
