July 28, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
759 
flowers may be confidently expected, which will gladden 
the heart of the grower, and may be shown with some 
degree of pride to one’s own particular friends. 
I may allude, in conclusion, to an erroneous idea 
that prevails among amateurs that the Cineraria is 
difficult to grow ; it is by no means so, being no more 
difficult of culture, and perhaps less so, than other 
florists’ flowers. The two chief points to remember are, 
to keep them from damp and never to let them starve. 
Liquid manure may be given with great advantage.— 
Walter C. Gunthorpe, Priory Lodge Gardens, Hamp¬ 
stead, N. W. 
-- 
ABBEY PARK, LEICESTER. 
The inhabitants of Leicester have good reason to be 
proud of their park, for it ranks amongst the best kept 
in the United Kingdom. It is just over six years since 
this lovely spot was opened by His Loyal Highness the 
Prince of "Wales, who was accompanied by Her Loyal 
Highness the Princess, and the day will ever be re¬ 
membered as a red-letter day amongst the inhabitants. 
It scarcely seems possible that in so few years the park 
could be made to look so thoroughly well established. 
It is about seventy acres in extent; the lake is about 
three acres, and well stocked with water fowl. There 
are bowling greens, tennis courts and archery grounds, 
&c., all made in the best practical manner. The park 
is also provided with plenty of seats and good shelters, 
and a new double span-roofed house was erected last 
season, 60 ft. by 40 ft., where a grand show of 
Chrysanthemums is held in the months of November 
and December. Last year over 32,000 people passed 
through this building to see the grand display provided 
for them free of any expense whatever. Just now the 
house is occupied with a collection of foliage and 
flowering plants, the roof being beautifully festooned 
with Tacsonia, Passiflora and Cobiea scandens variegata 
at intervals and at equal distances, planted so as to 
imitate columns ; Eucalyptus and Abutilon niveum 
maculatum are planted alternately, and give the house 
a splendidly finished appearance. A new feature is in 
course of being made in the shape of a Botanical 
Garden, where officinal and medicinal plants are to be 
grown for the medical student’s use. This is situated 
on the north-west side of the park, and when complete 
will form an interesting as well as instructive feature. 
Near here are the glass houses where the propagating 
and storing of the bedding plants take place. I noticed 
here also about 2,000 finely grown healthy Chrysan¬ 
themums, which promise well, and will occupy the 
house previously alluded to at the proper time. The 
park is just now in splendid condition, and only 
requires warm, sunny weather to bring it to perfection. 
The roads and walks are well kept ; the grounds and 
various beds are well planted. All lovers of horticul¬ 
ture in this neighbourhood should not fail to pay a 
visit to this place ; I will guarantee they are agreeably 
surprised. Everything has been well studied ; every 
style of flower gardening is represented, and such a 
treat as these gardens afford cannot be surpassed. 
Carpet bedding is a grand feature, and is well repre¬ 
sented in a most practical manner in front of the 
English Oak, planted by H.L.H. the Prince of "Wales 
on the occasion of his opening the park. The design 
is the Prince of Wales’ feathers, with monogram. It is 
a splendid design, and only requires bright sunshine 
to bring out the colours of the plants used. Sub¬ 
tropical gardening also finds a suitable situation, where 
grand beds are well filled with Draerenas, Phormium, 
Palms, Yuccas, Acacias, Ficus, Eurya, Eucalyptus, 
&c., their fine appearance contrasting splendidly 
with the other styles. A bed surrounding these sub¬ 
tropical beds, 180 ft. long by 8 ft. wide, is very 
attractive. Giant Hemp (Cannabis sativa gigantea) 
is in the background, the remaining portion being 
filled with Zea, Nicotiana, Melianthus, .Salvias, 
Solanums, Liliums, and tuberous Begonias, a grand 
and imposing feature. Another bed will be found 
devoted to natives of the Cape of Good Hope, Mexico 
and the Brazils, with such curiosities as Opuntia, 
Echeverias, Agaves, Cacti, Sempervivums, Eochea, 
Kleinias, Stapelias, Yuccas, and Crassulas, most of them 
being represented by numerous varieties. They attract 
the attention of the general public, who gaze upon 
them with astonishment and wonder. 
Ordinary bedding is carried out in a very extensive 
and creditable manner. Around the pavilion about 
two acres are devoted to this purpose, and a glorious 
sight presents itself. The blending of colours has been 
a great study with the curator, and he can be con¬ 
gratulated upon his taste. The beds are well filled 
with Pelargoniums, Ageratums, Violas, Iresine, Coleus, 
good beds of Dahlias, Gladioli, Verbenas, &c. The 
favourite Pelargoniums seem to be Henry Jacoby, West 
Brighton Gem, and Olive Car. One bed was par¬ 
ticularly striking, the groundwork consisting of 
Dactylis glomerata, variegated ; Olive Car Pelargo¬ 
niums, the best pink; Viola Countess of Kintore, 
purple, edged with Saxifraga ; Viola, Countess of 
Hopetoun, as a white is also used very extensively. 
Around the pavilion is a chain pattern border 100 yards 
long, and is planted with a fine design suitable for 
the position and purpose. 
To the east of this flower garden is a large angular¬ 
shaped bed, raised and planted amongst rocks, with 
Alpine and herbaceous plants intermixed with summer¬ 
flowering bulbs ; a grand, distinct, and imposing feature. 
All the borders and shrubberies are well planted with 
Anemones, Liliums, Delphinium, Phloxes, Antir- 
hinums, Pyrethrums, Potentillas, &c., and showy 
annuals meet the eye in every corner where room can 
be found to make them look attractive. Here and there 
one comes upon beds of Poppies, the white, yellow, and 
bright scarlet Mikado, which are very showy. Beds of 
dwarf Dahlias—Fire King, edged with white pompon- 
are good. Then there is a Lose garden, where a very 
choice selection of hybrid perpetuals and Teas are 
grown, all legibly named. This is also a good feature, 
as the public can take a list of anything they fancy 
without further trouble. 
The beds and borders contain a choice collection of 
trees and shrubs, and here and there one meets with 
good specimen ornamental trees, &c., which are growing 
luxuriantly. The Corporation of Leicester have good 
reason to be proud of their grand park. The in¬ 
habitants ought to feel grateful for being able to enjoy 
so lovely a spot, and should use their best endeavours 
to protect it from damage of any description. All 
visitors to the town interested in such matters will do 
well to pay this place a visit, where they will find 
gardening in its various branches carried out in a most 
scientific and practical manner by Mr. John Burns, the 
able and courteous superintendent. It may not be out 
of place to say that a grand flower show will be held 
in the grounds on Tuesday, August 7tli—a feature 
only established two years ago, and which has met 
with that success it so richly deserves. A liberal 
schedule has been distributed, and all that is wanted 
to make it a success is fine weather, which I trust 
it will be favoured with.— Rusticus . 
-- 
otes from Scotland. 
Foxgloves. —One is ready to think that little can 
be said in favour of such a common plant as the Fox¬ 
glove. It would, however, be very unfortunate for 
many sufferers among our race did not such a plant 
exist, as its medicinal virtues are so widely recognised 
and extensively used. Like most virulent poisons 
used in the medical repertory, it is potent and decisive 
as a regulator of the circulating functions. Though 
medicinal plants have been a favourite study of ours 
since earliest recollections, we do not intend to enter 
into the question of tinctures, balms, cordials, &c., at 
present, but think we shall not be transgressing on 
space set apart for horticultural lore if we make some 
allusion to the merits or demerits of many of our 
border plants well known and extensively manipulated 
in laboratories. Looking over the various classes of 
herbaceous plants, many of the valuable medicinal 
species are also prominent as leaders among attractive 
flowering subjects, while Aconitums, Delphiniums, 
and hosts of this class, are towering high above our 
heads. The highest and most attractive of all is the 
Foxglove of many colours, pure white and deep crimson 
being the most beautiful. Of late years great improve¬ 
ments have been made in hybridising the Digitalis, and 
the varieties (some very distinct) are numerous— 
spotted, pink, red, rose, &c. When they are grown in 
deep rich soil, with free exposure, their appearance is 
most striking. We have no herbaceous plants at 
present in a good collection which command the 
attention of visitors like the Foxglove. Quantities 
raised from seed two years ago were planted in open 
places among clumps of shrubs, and while the former 
have been gay with flowering kinds, the Foxgloves are 
now the chiefs in the situation. Probably the most 
pleasing combination with these plants w r e remember 
was a large space where Ferns grew luxuriantly, and 
the Foxgloves established themselves among them, and 
formed a beautiful picture.— Caledonian. 
Herbaceous Calceolarias. —It is often the 
practice to sow these during spring, and in the follow¬ 
ing season to have a good early blcom, but of short 
duration, and then finished with. For decorating show 
houses, however, few plants are more attractive than 
Calceolarias. There are now many colours (if not finer 
formed flowers) which have come to light of late years 
than were common years ago. By sowing seed now or 
later, keeping it in cool shady quarters, just barely 
covered with fine soil, and protected from slugs, one 
may have flowering plants for some months in the 
summer season to their heart’s content. What is 
generally so ruinous to all classes of Calceolarias is the 
attempt sometimes made to force them into growth, or 
hasten the flowering period. Such mistakes are 
attended with consequent evils of flabby foliage, 
abundance of insects, and weakly flowering stems. 
The present season being cool and very cloudy (in 
northern parts at least), seems to suit the blooming of 
Calceolarias better than we ever remember. The 
shrubby kinds lifted from flower borders last autumn 
were potted and grown on coolly, and afterwards 
shifted into 10-in. and 12-in. pots when the flower- 
stems were showing. They are now a gay lot, of 
gigantic dimensions, having bloomed long, and are still 
at their best. It is asserted by some that such flowers 
are vulgar in show houses. Notwithstanding these 
opinions they have many admirers, and among crowds 
of foliaged plants and others with graceful flowers, 
Calceolarias do good service. 
Vegetable Notes. — Topping Peas. —The Pea 
crop, though late, in northern parts has done better 
than last year. Abundance of rain has caused gross 
growth, and some kinds (less fruitful than others) are 
growing more to foliage than fruit. Those recommended 
in catalogues as being 4 ft. high are getting nearer to 
6 ft. ; timely topping the stems and keeping them at 
a medium height helps them to pod more freely. On 
poor sandy soil there is little danger of too gross 
growth, and manure of a rich and soluble nature may 
O ’ 
be pointed into the surface, to be washed down by rain 
should showery weather continue. In its absence 
soft water in liberal soakings should be given, surface 
watering, as often practised by non-practical men, 
doing much more harm than good. A close-packed 
surface of soil is ruinous to Peas, being productive of 
mildew, and when stems get encased tightly in soil so 
that the sap cannot rise freely, a collapse of the Pea 
crop sooii comes to pass. Eeverting to topping, we 
once sent a man to top Peas, but to do his work 
neatly and expeditiously he used hedge shears, cutting 
all growth off outside the stakes. The weather was 
warm and dry, which induced us to mulch heavily and 
water freely. The shorn stems soon broke out into 
free growth, and we never remember having Peas so 
late in the season, and so abundant. Though good 
came out of evil, we should be sorry to recommend the 
experiment. Sweet Peas, to prolong the flowering 
period, we top somewhat severely, and give water 
ad lib. 
Lettuce. —"We have before referred to the excellence 
of Bath Brown Cos Lettuce as a hardy kind for winter 
and spring, but really, as an “all the year round” 
kind, it is of great value, and never did we have this 
good old sort more valuable than during the present 
season, for three successive sowings from this time last 
year and onward have kept us well supplied up to 
the present. They are among the last to go to seed, 
blanch as white as well-grown Endive, are crisp in 
substance, and of a nutty pleasant flavour. Abundance 
of thoroughly-rotted manure is the chief agent in 
growing tender and useful Lettuce. While the all 
the year round ” Imperial Cos, Paris V hite and other 
favourites are at their best Brown Cos holds its own. 
Spinach is one of the most important of winter 
crops but the sowings may be lost soon after the seed 
has vegetated through the destructive grub. To keep 
clear of this evil we trench deeply (smothering all 
larvae), tread the soil firmly, and when the seed is 
covered the rows are strewed with fine ashes mixed 
with soot. The position should be free from damp, 
and rank manure near the surface should be avoided. 
Spinach placed out with a few inches between the 
plants becomes sturdy, and stands severe weather 
better than the seedlings. We have often planted it on 
unbroken ground, from which Onions, Strawberries 
and other crops have been taken, with the. best results ; 
but in damp tenacious soil this plan is not to be 
recommended. Trenched land is good drainage for a 
year at least. 
Onions for drawing young through the winter may 
be sown at once (any kind suits this purpose), which, 
will allow the main autumn sowings to rest undisturbed. 
Treatment of soil as recommended for Spinach is 
suitable. All the small and less valuable kinds left 
from the Onions in store should be planted out in 
February, as they make an excellent succession to those 
that are put in now.— Caledonian. 
