June 13, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
655 
ably adapted for covering a trellis. The species 
succeeds best in the warmer parts of the southern 
counties, and in the Channel Islands it does well. 
The native country is Peru. 
The Three-coloured Nasturtium ( T. tricolorum). 
—Like the last this also is considered as half hardy, 
but those who wish to succeed with it, should accord 
it greenhouse treatment as nearly as possible. Of 
course all that is necessary is to exclude frost. When 
the stems are down, the pots containing the tuberous 
roots may be stood in a dry cool place anywhere, till 
the young shoots make their appearance towards 
autumn. Whatever re-potting is necessary should be 
done before growth recommences, as the slender thread¬ 
like stems are very easily injured by careless handling. 
A framework of stakes, or a balloon-shaped wire trellis 
should be constructed for the stems to climb upon, and 
the pots placed in a greenhouse or similar structure near 
the light when the young shoots make their appearance. 
The flowers are small but very numerous, with orange- 
scarlet sepals tipped with black, and small orange- 
coloured petals. A well-grown specimen is highly 
attractive for weeks together. Introduced from Chili 
in 1828. 
Jarratt’s Trop.eolum (T. Jarrattii). —This plant 
is often considered a variety of T. tricolorum, and 
succeeds under the same treatment. The orange-scarlet 
sepals are spotted with yellow towards the base, and 
the petals are of a rich yellow, lined with dark brown. 
It was introduced from Santiago in 1836. 
The Azure-bi.ue Trop^iolum (T . azureum). —An 
old but not very inapt name applied to this was the 
Clintonia-flowered Tropieolum, referring of course to 
Downingia pulchella, often but erroneously called 
Clintonia pulchella. The flowers are large, and 
azure - blue with a greenish white centre ; and 
as the plant is very floriferous, a large piece presents 
a very striking effect during the months of May 
and June. Having precisely the same habit as the 
lasttwokinds mentioned, and similar in respect to hardi¬ 
ness, it follows that the same treatment is necessary. 
All three are very easily grown in a greenhouse, and 
decidedly ornamental in the spring and early summer 
months, according to the time the tubers were started, 
and the amount of heat given. The peltate leaves are 
five-parted so as to resemble as many leaflets. The 
species is one of the most distinct in cultivation on 
account of the blue flowers, but notwithstanding, is 
seldom seen in collections. A fine piece of it was 
brought up from the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
gardens at Chiswick, and exhibited at the Temple 
show on the 28th ult. 
- **&£&= -- 
BEES AND HORTICULTURE. 
It would be extremely useful, as well as instructive, 
could we have taken in the autumn of every tenth year 
a census of the number of skeps or hives of bees in the 
kingdom. I am tempted to make this suggestion for 
various reasons, but especially for this one : we have 
had for some years, in apparently active operation in 
the country, various bee-keepers’ associations established 
for the special purpose of promoting bee culture, and 
yet I am of opinion that there are far fewer bee-keepers 
and less honey seen in the country now than there was 
ten years ago. I base this belief upon what I see and 
hear of in my own locality, for in all directions I have 
heard during the past few years of declining stocks or 
of stocks absolutely failed. 
I do not for one moment attribute this to the 
existence of these societies, but rather to causes over 
which no societies can have control—-viz., the weather. 
Take the present spring for instance : we are now well 
into June, and bees ought to be freely swarming. But 
so far from that being the case, how or from whence, 
except from the fruit trees, have they been able to 
gather food for brood—not because there has been an 
absence of flowers so much, as that the weather 
generally has been so harmful to the insects ? I declare 
that here amidst myriads of trees in full bloom bees 
have been less observed than wasps—indeed, I never 
noticed such a poverty of bees as now ; but, still, it is 
evident that they have long been getting fewer. This 
is, of course, to be deplored in the interests of honey 
production. 
I do not for one moment believe all the nonsense 
talked and written about the absolutely essential 
interference of bees in the fertilisation of fruit or other 
blooms. We see now ample evidence that this sort of 
talk is nonsense, because with hardly a bee to be seen 
the hardy fruit bloom has set in vast quantities. It is 
folly to assume that Nature performs her work in 
flower production so indifferently that insect agency is 
absolutely needful for the production of fertilisation. 
Insects in their search for food may aid fertilisation 
without intending it, but it is morally certain that 
really good fruit bloom will create its own fertility 
without external aid if allowed fair play. Not only 
this year have we seen fruit bloom setting abundantly 
without insect agency, but also in the face of much 
deterring weather—cold winds, hail, raiu, frost, and 
gloom. After such an experience as the present year 
has afforded, I trust we shall hear little in the future 
about this fertilisation nonsense. 
Without in any way wishing to deprecate any form 
of tuition concerning bee culture, I must affirm that 
the present almost deplorable condition of bee-keeping 
calls for inquiry. Practically I believe we are worse 
off now than we were twenty years ago, before the new 
methods of bee culture were published, and when the 
old straw skeps were the rule. If the weather or 
seasons be at fault no one is to blame; but at lea3t, if 
the seasons have made bee-keeping more difficult and 
less profitable, then it is indeed hard to understand 
why the public should be urged to undertake bee¬ 
keeping in the face of such a state of things. It 
may be that we shall again fall upon warmer summers 
and more favourable seasons. We believed that such 
a very severe winter as that we have so recently passed 
through would have exhausted the cold forces of the 
year, and that a really old-fashioned and genial spring 
would have followed. 
We have rarely experienced a more ungenerous 
spring, and even now, on the 8th of June, the wind is 
again easterly and cold, the sky gloomy, and everything 
is as deterring to bee activity as well could be. If bees 
cannot work freely in May and June they can do little 
in the production of healthy brood later, although 
they may store honey. But we want strong swarms 
and robust stocks first, and if these are not there the 
outlook is poor. We have, so far as my experience has 
gone, found a general paucity of winged insects as well 
as of bees. I write this in no spirit of hostility to bee 
culture, as I am very fond of bees, and like to keep 
them when they will thrive. But I do want to help 
clear the air of cant about bees and their assumed 
usefulness in fruit and seed production, as found in the 
gospel according to bee-masters.— A. D. 
-- 
CHISWICK HOUSE. 
At present the fate of this fine old establishment is 
uncertain, but it would be highly regrettable if it fell 
into the hands of the builder. The extensive and 
well-wooded grounds lie within easy distance of the 
metropolis, and comparatively close to the great western 
highway out of the latter, yet nothing can be seen but 
trees, which effectively hide the interior on all sides. 
Calling on Mr. May, the gardener, the other day, we 
found that fruit prospects were good, although it was 
rather early to state definitely with regard to Apples, 
as the blossom had only just fallen. Many trees of 
Cox’s Orange Pippin, Keswick Codlin and Manks’ 
Codlin looked as if they would be heavily laden, and 
this notwithstanding that some of the trees were fifty 
years old. Some broad-headed standards of Annie 
Elizabeth only fifteen years old had flowered splendidly, 
and seemed as if a heavy set of fruit had been ensured. 
Plums in several instances also showed well, particularly 
the Victoria variety. Many of the Cherries bore a good 
crop, but more especially the Morellos, which were 
laden. Apricots are now of good size, in spite of the 
cold spring. Some of the old Pear trees were also 
showing wonderfully, including Louise Bonne of Jersey, 
Jargonelle, Hessle and Doyenne d’Ete. In the orchard 
many of the fruit trees are greatly shaded by the great 
height of the forest trees in the pleasure grounds, and 
consequently lose the benefit of the mid-day sun, thereby 
crippling the trees for want of proper ripening. Peas 
and Potatos in the kitchen garden are now advancing 
rapidly, being greatly sheltered by high walls and the 
neighbouring trees. The earliest Pea is a variety named 
Harbinger, now 2 ft. high and flowering freely. 
A number of Orchids were flowering freely in the 
stove, particularly a pale yellow variety of Yanda 
suavis. A piece of pretty but rare Oncidium pumilum, 
with close set panicles only 3 ins. long, was flowering 
freely. Saccolabium rubrum, also known as S. ampull- 
aceum, with its deep, rose-coloured flowers, was also 
fine. The latter two were suspended from the roof in 
baskets. Phaius AVallichi occupied the side stages, and 
the roof was covered with Hoya carnosa, flowering 
freely. 
The Camellias in the conservatory are over, and it is 
yet too early to see the Fuchsias trained over the roof, 
at their best. The sweet-scented Coleonema alba was 
flowering, but is cherished most for the sake of its fine 
fragrant foliage. A huge plant of Rhododendron 
formosum in a tube was just gorng over. Under the 
cupola in the centre was a large piece of Ilabrothamnus 
elegans, trained on the pillars and flowering freely. 
Here also Semele androgyna, with its flattened leaf-like 
branches, was flowering more profusely than we have 
ever seen it before. The flowers are pale yellow. 
Several fine pieces of Athyrium Filix-fcemina plurno- 
sum stood round the sides of the walk. 
The large, semi-circular piece of ground in front of 
the conservatory is occupied with herbaceous plants, 
comparatively few of which are yet in bloom. Amongst 
others, Funkia Sieboldi, T. ovata alba marginata, 
Yeratrum nigrum, and Alchemilla alpina conjuncta 
were notable for their foliage. The under-surface of 
the latter have a glossy and satiny look. The huge 
scarlet flowers of the Oriental Poppy are just commenc¬ 
ing to open, together with the German Flag Iris, the 
old double crimson Pseony, perennial Lupins, and the 
mountain Centaury (Centaurea montana). Double and 
single Aquilegias of the common and hybrid types, 
Dicentra eximea, Corydalis lutea, Lychnis viscaria, and 
Veronica gentianoides variegata also stud the ground 
here and there. The purity of the flowers of Iberis 
corresefolia, although grown under the influence of, and 
exposed to the mercy of cold and stormy weather, 
would be difficult to match, much more to surpass. 
In the pleasure grounds the various flowering trees 
and shrubs are now in their glory, and command the 
greatest amount of attention. The fine old Maiden¬ 
hair-tree (Ginkgo biloba) in front of the conservatory 
has flowered, and proves to be the male. Near this is a 
splendid tree of Mespilus Smithii, otherwise known as 
M. grandiflora, covered with its snow-white blossom. 
Some of the Horse Chestnuts have quite a pink 
appearance owing to the large red spots on the upper 
petals. The Bladder Nut (Staphylea pinnata) is also 
in bloom, but is rather over-shaded by the larger trees. 
A wide contrast to the above was offered by the 
Kentucky Coffee (Gymnocladus canadensis), the huge 
leaves of which were only just bursting their buds. 
Near the house were several Magnolias, including M. 
grandiflora, M. purpurea, and a fine tree of M. Umbrella 
with its large leaves forming tufts on the ends of the 
branches, recalling a Japanese parasol. In the shrub¬ 
beries were to be seen the Persian Lilac and its white 
variety. On the walls of the mansion itself, Clematis 
montana studded with blossom scrambled up to a height 
of 30 ft. to 35 it. The Balearic Box, by no means a 
common shrub, was also flowering freely. In strong 
contrast to the beauties of the floral world were 
sculptures of a wolf and a boar brought direct from 
King Adrian’s garden at Rome. 
From the north face of the mansion a beautiful 
vista stretches away westwards over a pond and 
between tall Beeches, Weeping Birches, Lombardy 
Poplars and English Elms, the latter stretching up to 
a height of 120 ft. or more. Many others vary from 
90 ft. to 100 ft., speaking of a high antiquity. The 
golden yellow and fragrant Rhododendron flavum 
occupies the lower grounds. To the left a magnificent 
purple Beech was as broad as high. ■ Peeps here and 
there are obtained of the double scarlet Thorn as it is 
described, also Laburnum vulgare, the common “Milk- 
white Thorn ” of the poet and others, now a mass of 
bloom. Huge masses of Dogwood in bloom bug the 
margin of the pond. On a mound on the southern 
margin of the grounds are some old specimens of the 
Judas Tree (Cercis Siliquastrum), backed up with 
Laburnum from some points of view. It is curious to 
note how the blossoms are produced almost to the base 
of the old branches. Amongst the lower plants 
flowering on this mound at present are Lamium 
Galeobdolon, L. album, and the Greater Periwinkle. 
Later on other semi-wild subjects will take their place. 
On the outskirts of the ground on the western side 
masses of shrubbery were planted a few years ago to 
hide a newly built wall, and it is surprising what 
growth the shrubs have made, owing no doubt to the 
fertility of the soil and the shelter afforded by the tall 
trees in the vicinity. Masses of the Guelder Rose, 
Kerria japonica flore pleno, with its golden yellow 
blossom ; Spirrea bella, hybrid Rhododendrons of the 
R. ponticum and R. Catawbiense types, and the 
Common Broom, show what effects can be produced 
even with the commonest material, British shrubs in¬ 
cluded. A large clump of Polygonatum multiflorum on 
the borders of a walk had stems 2 ft. to 3 ft. in height, 
laden with strongly but deliciously fragrant blossom. 
Two species of Balsam, namely, Impatiens Noli-me- 
tangere and I. Roylei grow about the grounds in such 
numbers as to appear wild or quite naturalised. 
