October 25, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
125 
season may be gleaned from the fact that a small 
plant in a 48-sized pot of Chrysanthemum frutescens, 
Feu d’Or, planted out in spring is now 5 ft. high, 
forming a huge bush with bright yellow flower heads. 
It cannot, however, withstand a severe winter. 
Herbaceous Plants, including Bulbs. 
Space will not permit of a detailed list of the her¬ 
baceous plants grown here, but reference will be made 
to those of most interest for the quantities of flowers 
they supply for cutting purposes, or those which are 
not quite hardy except in the most favoured places in 
England. The finer species of Michaelmas Daisies and 
Helianthus decapetalus, as well as Anemone japonica 
elegans and A. j. alba, are conspicuous subjects in 
autumn, and much used in the cut state in dwelling 
houses. Handsome also are the Pampas Grass, attaining 
a great height, and Flame Flowers (Kniphofia), of 
which several species are grown in the open air. A 
bed of Eueomis punctata was flowering freely. The 
variegated New Zealand Flax produces flower stems 
10 ft. high, and ripens seed which germinates readily, 
but the seedlings are generally green, though in one 
sowing all came up white, but died. The scarlet- 
flowered, Mexican Lobelia fulgens was 4 ft. high, and 
had flowered well. The East Indian Garland Flower 
(Hedycliium Gardnerianum) is hardy and dwarf, pro¬ 
ducing showy yellow flowers that smell strongly of 
some Narcissus, such as N. ineomparabilis. It may 
not be out of place to state that Cactus and other 
Dahlias also live in the open ground all winter, and 
were flowering finely when we saw them. The 
brilliant sky-blue flowers of Commelina coelestis are 
both attractive and produced in succession for a great 
length of time. 
The beautiful Amaryllis Belladonna, with its strongly 
Apricot-scented blossoms, was flowering everywhere as 
freely as a Daffodil. A. B. rosea perfecta was notable 
for the dark upper half of its segments ; and A. B. 
nobilis bore from eight to fourteen large, soft pink 
flowers on a scape. VanHoutte’s variety of the Bella¬ 
donna Lily seems very prolific, producing three to six 
scapes from a bulb. A. B. rubra is a dark-flowered 
variety. The hardiness of Agapanthus umbellatus 
makes it an herbaceous plant of the first water in 
Guernsey, and the pity is, it is not hardy in Britain 
proper. A large batch of seedlings has been obtained 
from A. u. albus, and it is believed to come true to 
colour. 
The Guernsey Lily (Nerine sarniensis), although 
grown in quantity under glass, both in pots and 
planted out, is hardy here. The segments are salmon- 
rose, with a scarlet band on the lower half of the 
segments. Its variety N. s. corusca has globular 
trusses of brilliant scarlet flowers. Other species grown 
here are N. curvifolia Fothergillii (better known as 
N. Fothergillii major), with large trusses of brilliant 
scarlet flowers, and N. flexuosa pulchella, pink, with 
a rose midrib. N. carnea is a hybrid between N. sar¬ 
niensis corusca major and N. pudica ; it has carmine- 
rose flowers, which are sometimes tinted with lilac. 
N. sarniensis Carrei, with deep rose flowers in large 
open trusses, is a hybrid between N. sarniensis and 
N. curvifolia Fothergillii. Mr. Smith, junr., has a 
considerable amount of experience in the hybridising 
of Nerines, and he finds that the last named variety 
never produces seeds when fertilised by its own pollen. 
An unnamed hybrid between it and N. sarniensis 
corusca major appears like an improved form of the 
latter, with larger trusses and less undulated segments 
than usual. The flowers are brilliant scarlet, bold in 
appearance, and in a good light seem diffused with a 
brassy sheen. Another hybrid from the same batch of 
seedlings is more nearly related to N. curvifolia 
Fothergillii, and has orange-scarlet flowers. In the 
open ground the yellow flowers of Sternbergia lutea 
were peeping through the soil; and beds of many 
varieties of Montbretia, 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, show how 
well adapted the island is for growing these subjects. 
The Messrs. Smith also grow selections of Hyacinths, 
Tulips, and various kinds of Cape bulbs. 
Fruit Trees. 
Some extent of ground is set apart for the culture of 
fruit trees, particularly Apples and Pears. The former 
are grown both as standards and pyramids. Some of 
them we noticed bore a good crop of large fruits, 
including Reinette Baumann, deep red or crimson, and 
Bramley’s Seedling, with robust growth and large 
fruit. Some specimens of Beurre Clairgeau Pears 
measured 51 ins. long by 3J ins. wide. The tree was 
a pyramid on the Quince. Elsewhere, Chaumontel 
grown in espalier form on walls had a good crop of 
fruit. 
The Hothouses. 
In the oldest part of the nursery, the houses are filled 
with a general collection of plants so as to meet the 
requirements of the many. Ferns, including Filmy 
Ferns, Abutilon Golden Fleece, yellow ; A. Boule de 
Neige, white ; Neriums, Cordyline australis rubra, 
Sempervivums and others indicate a few of the subjects. 
Marechal Niel Rose, budded twelve ir. nths ago, had 
sent up shoots to the top of the house. 
The vineries here are built on the lean-to system, 
and are very wide, so as to allow a good length of rod. 
The Vines are planted in outside borders, and the stems 
taken through the wall. Little forcing is done, and 
there is no hot-water piping in some of them. Most of 
the Grapes had been cut, including Gros Colmar, in 
a house 170 ft. long. Another house of Muscat of 
Alexandria, and one of Black Hamburgh were each of 
similar length ; but one containing Black Hamburgh 
was 200 ft. long ; two containing Gros Colmar were 
190 and 210 ft. respectively. The Grapes in the latter 
vinery had not been cut, and a fine sight they were. 
The immense number of bunches and the large size of 
the berries produced a striking effect. 
In some of the vineries, Freesia refracta alba is 
planted along the ground floor in great quantity. 
Chrysanthemums are grown in the open ground in 
large quantities for the sake of cut flowers. A large 
batch of Lady Selborne, the greatest favourite, had 
been potted up and brought into one of the vineries to 
hasten the blooms. About twenty to thirty flowers 
are allowed to each plant. 
We noted also a houseful of Tomatos, but as it was 
late in the season most of them had been gathered. 
They were grown in lines across the floor of a span- 
roofed house, and two stems were allowed to each 
plant. The variety grown is Matthews’ Tomato, sup¬ 
posed by some to be Livingstone’s Favourite. It sets 
better than Perfection, and is therefore more suitable 
for market purposes. 
--»$<*>- 
otes on Bruits. 
Apple, Frogmore Prolific. 
The general shape of this Apple is globular, and the 
skin is even and smooth, or sometimes it is slightly 
angular towards the top. The skin is greenish yellow, 
shaded with reddish or crimson on the exposed side, 
and marked with small russety dots ; but when dead 
ripe, at it is at present, the skin becomes of an uniform 
pale yellow, with exception of the red shading which is 
not usually very highly developed in the neighbour¬ 
hood of London. It ripens in September, but keeps 
well till Christmas. The flesh is very tender, juicy, 
and palatable, and the variety may therefore be used 
for dessert purposes ; but it is of great repute for culi¬ 
nary purposes, and is usually considered one of 
the finest which is sent into the Royal household at 
Windsor. The young trees in the gardens of the 
Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick bore a fairly 
good crop during the past summer. 
Pitmaston Duchess Pear. 
This might well be called the Queen of Pears, because, 
although not the largest when we bear Uvedale’s St. 
Germain in mind, yet it is of the finest quality for 
dessert purposes, and handsome in appearance from its 
long, pyramidal shape. The tree bears well, and is 
adapted for training as a pyramid, bush or espalier. 
In the garden of Mr. G. W. Bashford, Morley House, 
Bagot, St. Saviour’s, Jersey, the trees are grown in the 
fan, cordon, and espalier shape. About five stems are 
allowed on the cordons, and those are trained upright. 
The fruits we noted on them quite recently weighed 
about 2 lbs. each. On the bush trees they were about 
1| lb. in weight, and presented a handsome appearance 
even at that. It is almost needless to say that the 
trees are well looked after in the way of pruning and 
feeding. The variety is well known for its juicy, 
melting character, rich flavour and perfume. It is 
remarkable from its having been raised from Duchess 
d’Angouleme and Glou Morceau, yet is quite unlike 
either. 
Cox’s Orange Pippin. 
Although only of medium size, this is undoubtedly one 
of the finest dessert Apples in cultivation. It is a 
significant fact, and very much in its favour, that in 
this year of scarcity it was one of the trees which bore 
the heaviest crop in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at Chiswick. The fruits 
grown under glass were the largest and finest in 
appearance, as might be expected. They were clear 
yellow, flushed with red, and slightly streaked with a 
darker shade. Those from bush trees in the open are 
at the present time of a greenish yellow, flushed with 
red. It may be grown in bush form or as a pyramid, 
and in both cases should be grafted on the Paradise, 
which will repress its vegetative vigour and throw it 
into a bearing state. It originated in 1830, and is 
therefore about sixty years old as a variety. It is said 
to have been derived from Ribston Pippin, another 
very popular kind. 
Pear, Uvedale’s St. Germain. 
The fruit of this variety is recorded as weighing up¬ 
wards of 3 lbs., but Mr. G. W. Bashford, Morley House, 
Bagot, St. Saviour’s, Jersey, has grown fruits weighing 
4 lbs. 4 ozs. The past season has not been so favourable 
to fruit growing, yet the trees were carrying some 
surprising fruits when we saw them a short time ago. 
The flesh is crisp and juicy, but slightly gritty, 
and is most serviceable for stewing purposes. It is in 
season from January to April, and therefore most 
valuable when few other kinds are to be had. The 
above dimensions will be a nut for pomologists to crack, 
who believe that varieties are comparatively short 
lived, and then degenerate, notwithstanding good 
culture to the contrary. Its parentage is unknown, 
but it is believed to have been raised by Dr. Uvedale, 
or Dr. Udal, a schoolmaster, who lived at Eltharn, in 
Kent, in 1690. Notwithstanding its great age, good 
treatment of the tree and rich feeding can still produce 
marvellous results, even beating record. 
Warner’s King Aitle. 
This is undoubtedly one of our very best Apples for 
culinary purposes. I have four trees of it which I 
planted in the autumn of 1880, and, with the exception 
of one season, they have annually borne fine crops of 
large fruit, and this season I have just finished 
gathering a fair crop of good Apples, many of them 
weighing 11 ozs. This, I think, is worthy of note, 
more especially when there are many other varieties of 
Apple trees of undoubted good-bearing qualities growing 
in the same orchard with scarcely a fruit on them. 
Anyone intending to plant fruit trees would do well to 
include this variety in their selection, where the nature 
of the soil is suitable for its cultivation. It is of robust 
growth, and grows well here on a stiff loam, slightly 
gravelly. For its excellent culinary, bearing and 
keeping qualities combined, it is well worthy of ex¬ 
tended cultivation. — J. Charlton, Farnley Grove, 
Gardens, Corbridge-on- Tyne. 
-->-K-- 
CALCUTTA BOTANIC GARDENS. 
The annual report of these gardens for the year 1889- 
90, of which Brigade-Surgeon George King, LL.D., 
F.R.S., C. I.B., is superintendent, contains several 
items of general interest. No new work of much 
importance was carried out in the gardens during 
the year, we are told, and the attention of the staff 
was chiefly devoted to the maintenance, in as high a 
state of efficiency as possible, of the various depart¬ 
ments of the garden. “ The display of Orchids,” says 
Dr. King, “ was by far the finest that has been seen in 
the garden since I took charge of it nineteen years 
ago. This improvement is due partly to the recent 
extension of correspondence and interchange with 
collectors, both in India and outside its borders, and 
partly to improvement in our conservatories, and in 
our methods of cultivation. The number of tropical 
South American Orchids in the collection is steadily 
increasing ; and our accessions have been obtained, for 
the most part, by exchange for indigenous species.” 
With regard to economic plants, the most specific 
points mentioned are that the cheap and efficient 
extraction of rheea fibre (for paper making, &c.) still 
remains an unsolved problem ; and that “ the use of 
Sabai Rhabur or Babui grass, which was first suggested 
as a good raw material for paper making, in the annual 
report of these gardens, has now been fairly established, 
and large quantities are regularly purchased by the 
various paper mills in Northern India. As yet, how¬ 
ever, this fibre does not appear to form an article of 
export.” 
A full and, to specialists, interesting account is 
given of the herbarium, containing a very extensive 
collection of dried and named plants, which, from a 
scientific point of view, is the most important feature 
in a botanic garden, and very specially so in India, the 
flora of which contains more than 14,000 species of 
flowering plants. 
With regard to the Government Cinchona plantation 
under Dr. King’s care, the number of trees uprooted 
for their bark, or which died during the year, was 
373,690, the crop of bark amounting to 140,310 lbs. 
