54 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 27, 1890. 
The conservatories—two in number—are erected on 
either side of the front door of the mansion, and adjoin 
the house, causing a daik side, and like many others 
in similar positions, are ill adapted for general plant 
growing, but still are made effective with a judicious 
arrangement of Palms, Dracaenas, Ferns, &c., intermixed 
with soft-wooded flowering plants. The creepers play 
a very important part in the effective appearance of 
these houses, as from their lofty roofs they hang very 
gracefully in natural festoons, and give the structures 
an easy and natural appearance. Among them we 
noted Jasminum grandiflorum in one mass of bloom, 
Trachelospermum j asminoides, Cobea scandens variegata, 
&c. The larger of the two houses is built partly 
cruciform, and at the cross inside, opposite one of the 
entrances and parallel with the drawing-room door, 
stands a very valuable white marble vase of unique 
design, 8 ft. high, its sole occupant being a large plant 
of Latania borbonica. 
Leaving this by the side entrance, opposite which is 
a neat flower garden, we are shown round the house, 
and here the lawns skirting away in all directions are 
in the very best of keeping, a miniature lake adding 
much to the effect. There are two flower gardens, both 
bedded out very tastefully, and though the beds and 
borders are extensive all are well filled and the colours 
charmingly blended. Emerging from the flower garden 
and passing in front of the long range we are soon in a 
labyrinth of plant and fruit houses of all sizes, princi¬ 
pally span-roofed, and entering the stove we noted its 
gigantic proportions, length 70 ft., breadth 30 ft., with 
a corresponding height. This house was of itself a 
feature, for here were grown in great variety and in all 
sizes innumerable Palms and other ornamental-foliaged 
plants, as also many choice flowering subjects ; furnished 
with a huge centre bed, we noted planted in this two 
very fine Bananas—Cavendishii—one with fruit in its 
last swelling, and another just showing flower. Among 
flowering plants Pancratium fragrans and Eucharis 
amazonica are grown in great quantities and in all sizes. 
One Pancratium, in a No. 1 pot, measured 4 ft. in 
diameter, and from its luxuriant foliage must be a sight 
when in bloom. Clerodendron fallax, with its rich 
orange-scarlet bracts, was very conspicuous, and with 
the general draping employed on roof and sections lent 
a harmony only met with at rare intervals. Creepers 
or climbers consisted of Stephanotis floribunda, Alla- 
mauda Hendersoni, Passiflora princeps and P. edulis, 
Asparagus plumosus, Aristolochia ornithocephala, Ac. 
Plants in baskets, pans, Ac., are hung in every con¬ 
ceivable position all over this house, imparting a 
marvellous effect. 
Adjoining this is an Orchid house, in which we noted 
a very fine plant of Angraeum sesquipedale, with two 
breaks about 3 ft. high ; A. eburneum atro-virens, 
Vanda gigantea, V. tricolor, Oncidium obryzatum, 
Odontoglossum citrosmum (extra fine), Maxillaria 
grandiflora, M. tenuifolia (in 10-in. pots, and measuring 
about a yard across), Cypripediums Boxallii, Hookeri, 
Stonei, Sedeni, Roezlii, Lawreneeanum, Ac., Ccelogyne 
cristata (in shallow tubs 4 ft. across), and many more 
too numerous to mention. A generous admixture of 
Ferus added very considerably to the interest of this 
house. The cool Orchid house is a neat structure, and 
is filled to overflowing with many fine pieces, principally 
Odontoglossum Alexandra, together with a good many 
Masdevallias. Beside this, and built on the same 
principle—viz., span-roofed and semi-sunk, is the 
Croton house, which is very interesting, the many 
varieties grown and exceedingly well coloured giving 
one the idea that they can be brought to perfection 
under leaden skies if supplied with abundance of heat. 
IVe noted, as specially well done, Croton picturatus, 
C. Johannis, C. Prince Arthur, C. Chelsoni, C. inter- 
ruptum, and C. Catherina, a seedling of fine graceful 
habit. 
In a small house connecting the Pine stove and 
Melon houses a number of Gardenia intermedia arrested 
attention, being exceptionally healthy and clean, and 
literally studded with flower buds. In the Pine stove 
some fruits nearly ripe, and others in their last 
swelling, were good, and, from appearances, must weigh 
well when finished. In a separate pit a fine healthy 
succession lot was growing. The varieties grown are 
Queen and Smooth Cayenne. 
The earl}' Melon house had been cleared some time ago, 
and was occupied by a very useful lot of Bouvardias, 
all the leading varieties, in 6-in. pots, and also Caladium 
argyrites in great quantity. One side of this house was 
taken up with winter Cucumbers in fruiting condition- 
The varieties grown are Edinburgh Beauty *and Rollis- 
son’s Telegraph. The mid-season Melon house is now 
filled with Pelargoniums and Poinsettias for winter 
work. The late Melon house was still in bearing, and 
finishing quantities of large fruit, the whole house being 
filled with the variety Lord Strathmore, raised by the 
late Mr. Johnstone, of Glamis, and prized here, as at 
Glamis, as invaluable. The one side of this house just 
cleared was filled with an exceptionally fine lot of 
Calanthes, principally Veitchii.- 
The Fig house is planted with Brown Turkey and 
Osborn’s Prolific, which have kept up unfailing 
supplies for months, and will do so still for some time. 
These are planted in a bed on each side of the path, 
and trained to the trellis on the roof. The front walls 
of the beds on either side are draped with Panicum 
variegatum, while numerous decorative plants are 
arranged at regular distances on the beds, such as 
Begonias of the Bex family, and numerous plants of 
Chloris radiata, with its uniform spikes, useful for 
cutting. The Tomato house is aglow with fruit, all 
the plants being trained single stem. Hackwood Park, 
Chiswick Red, Hathaway’s Excelsior, Large Red, and 
Austin’s Eclipse are the varieties grown. The latter, 
a local variety sent out by Messrs. Austin & McAslan, 
carries large, handsome fruit of an orange-red colour. 
Leaving the houses we come to the pits, in which 
endless quantities of plants of nearly every description 
are grown. We noted enormous batches of Primulas, 
Pelargoniums, Poinsettias, &c., all giving promise of 
future work in the house. Arranged in rows beside 
the pits are the Chrysanthemums in great number and 
variety, both in bush and single stem, all grown to 
perfection, or at least as near that as possible. The 
kitchen garden—about four acres in extent—is at the 
rear of the plant houses, and is in keeping with the 
other departments—a model of neatness and order. 
Here we observed quarters well filled with all the 
choicer vegetables for daily supplies, which from the 
appearance these quarters present must be amply 
maintained. Fruit trees of the leading varieties cannot 
be grown here, seeing the locale is not adapted for many 
choice fruits out of doors ; and with cold retentive soil, 
even the commoner varieties grow but indifferently, 
and as a rule, fruit rather sparsely. The quarters in 
the kitchen garden are suh-divided by fine herbaceous 
borders, of which a choice collection has been got 
together. 
The glass-houses at Coltness are models of neatness) 
inside and outside ; indeed, the family would be ill at 
ease if they were not. The heating power of all is 
supplied on the very best principles, and the long range 
described above is heated in an unusual way. An 
engine placed at the rear of this range, which drives 
various machinery in the carpenters’ shop, as also saw¬ 
mill, Ac., supplies the heating power for this range by 
having a pipe from the boiler through which steam is 
injected into the boiler to which the piping is con¬ 
nected, thus dispensing with firing ; but provision is 
made for mishaps by having special furnaces and 
boilers. The other houses are heated with a separate 
arrangement, while all the smoke is conducted to one 
stalk—quite an ornamental one. I should have re¬ 
marked that the engine referred to above feeds its own 
furnace, and also cleans it by a strikingly ingenious 
arrangement of moveable bars, the coals being placed 
over the surface in an iron receptacle similar to the 
tender of a railway engine. 
It is needless to remark that the housing for the 
various operatives at such a choice place are, like the 
mansion itself, replete with comfort. The gardener’s 
house, and even the young gardeners’ lodge, are models 
not only in design, but also comfort. ¥e left Coltness 
much indebted to Mr. Matheson for his kindness and 
courtesy, and conclude our remarks with a wish that 
he may long be spared to superintend the management 
of these gardens, which in their present state of 
keeping, and the quality of garden produce outside and 
inside, reflect the greatest credit on him as a gardener.— 
Observer. 
-- >X< -- 
HERBACEOUS CUT FLOWERS. 
These are now generally invited for competition at 
flower shows, and judges, even those tolerably “well 
up” in herbaceous plants, have at times a difficulty in 
deciding to their satisfaction, and that of the exhibitors 
also, what really are herbaceous plants. At a provin¬ 
cial exhibition recently, a bloom of Yucca recurva was 
staged amongst other things, and the judges held that 
this flower was not that of an herbaceous plant, but a 
shrub, and consequently disqualified the stand from 
taking the first position, although undoubtedly first in 
merit. It is in my opinion unquestionably an herba¬ 
ceous plant, as is Yucca filamentosa, and other low- 
growing kinds. Yucca gloriosa is, I believe, classed 
amongst shrubs, as it grows a substantial trunk or 
stem, and a good spike of this fine species would 
require an exhibition board to itself, to say nothing of 
its not being often seen in flower. [Yucca recurva is as 
much a shrub as Y. gloriosa, and we should consider it 
was rightly disqualified on the occasion alluded to. In 
the neighbourhood of the metropolis, when planted in 
the open, it attains nearly the same dimensions as 
Y. gloriosa. —Ed.] 
I have often to judge these things at horticultural 
exhibitions, and find at times some puzzling subjects 
staged. Shrubby Spiraeas and other shrubs are at 
times intermixed with herbaceous plants, and unless 
a judge has a tolerable acquaintance with these plants, 
they might pass muster ; and annuals are often shown. 
Biennials, I presume, we must regard as under the 
category of herbaceous plants, as some last more than 
two years. 
I must confess that I was rather staggered the other 
day when I found the old Rose of Sharon (Hypericum 
calycinum) classed in Messrs. Backhouse’s catalogue 
amongst herbaceous plants, for I always regarded this 
as a low creeping shrub, and this is at times objected 
to in stands of herbaceous blooms. "What is best to be 
done in making the schedule of prizes clearer ? If 
keeping strictly to hardy herbaceous plants is to be 
the rule, judges need to be well posted up in these 
plants. Some judges argue that Liliums, being bulbous 
plants, should not be regarded as herbaceous plants, 
but they undoubtedly are, and Lilium auratum and 
L. speciosum are admissible, also Gladioli. 
I think schedules would be-more explicit if the 
prizes were offered for hardy border flowers—shrubs, 
Roses, and annuals excluded ; and making a class as 
well for bunches of hardy annuals, at the August and 
September shows. 
I am not trying to set up any dogmatic views, but 
am hoping that some discussion on this subject may 
be raised, for I am sure that I am not the only person 
who has, at some time or another, when awarding 
prizes for stands of herbaceous blooms, been somewhat 
of A Perplexed Judge. 
-- >£< «■ 
PICKLE-FARMING. 
In no part of England is this branch of agriculture 
prosecuted so successfully as in Bedfordshire, and the 
extent of land devoted to the raising of Onions, 
Cucumbers, Cauliflower and Red Cabbage for the 
purpose of filling the pickle-jar would surprise many. 
A pickle-farm at the present time of year, with its 
peeling and brining processes, is an interesting sight. 
It is nothing unusual for twenty acres of Onions to be 
grown on a single farm, and this year one grower has 
no less than fifty acres under Cauliflower, while the 
fields of Red Cabbage to be seen here and there are a 
pretty feature in the landscape. The collecting and 
preparing of these begin about the 1st of September, 
and continue till the end of November. The Onions, 
after being pulled, are left on the land to dry, or if it 
is wet weather they are carted to^the homesteads and 
spread out in sheds ; but the splendid days we have 
enjoyed this autumn have rendered this unnecessary. 
"When sufficiently dry they are peeled. This is done 
by women and children, every available pair of hands 
being in demand. These workers are paid by the 
piece, so much a peck, and as they make pretty fair 
wages the people from all the neighbouring villages are 
very glad to offer their services. Perhaps about two 
thousand persons may be thus employed throughout 
the district at the present time, many hundreds of 
pounds being paid in wages weekly while the season 
lasts. 
On approaching a pickle farm when this operation is 
in progress one is struck by the powerful smell of 
onions with which the air is loaded. But though to a 
stranger the sensation is unpleasant, those engaged in 
the work soon get accustomed to it, and even little 
children of seven and eight years of age may be seen 
deftly wielding their knives without so much as giving 
a wink. It is, moreover, considered a very healthful 
occupation. The people have a great faith in the 
odour of the Onion, and invalids often engage in the 
work in the hope of regaining strength, which it may 
be said they seldom fail to do. "While the women and 
children are so employed, a few men are required for 
washing, sizing, and packing the bulbs, and for over¬ 
looking the peelers. The Onions are sorted into four 
sizes by being passed through sieves. This is a point 
upon which the merchants are rather particular. The 
Onions have to be all the same size as nearly as possible, 
according to the different classes ; and as it is only 
the smaller ones that are valuable for this purpose, the 
larger specimens are sent to the market to be sold 
fresh. 
