July 4, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
697 
Mr. and Mrs. Oldroyd, who had been living in retire¬ 
ment for some years past, were enjoying their usual 
good health but a week before they were stricken down 
with the influenza. In Shrewsbury the announcement 
of the sudden deaths of the worthy old couple was 
received with universal regret. 
The Edelweiss in London.—A correspondent of 
The Standard writes :—It may be interesting to some 
of your readers to hear that the Edelweiss can be 
cultivated in London. Last August a friend, who 
lives near Belfast, gave me a small plant with one 
bloom, raised by himself from seed. The directions 
given with it were, “Leave it in a corner of your 
garden; it requires no special care.” Unhappily, 
London gardens are the hunting grounds for innumerable 
cats ; so I placed my treasure, for such I deemed it, on 
the sill of my drawing-room window, aspect south-east. 
There, through the dismal sunless winter, now buried 
deep in snow, now frozen, the Alpine stranger remained, 
always reported dead by all who saw it; hut towards 
the end of March life showed itself, and now it is a 
large healthy plant, with five lovely blooms, the 
admiration of all who see it. 
Concerning Button-liole Flowers.—A London 
weekly paper says Many well-dressed dandies have 
contracts with West End florists for the supply of 
buttonholes. As a rule the charge is about £1 a week, 
and this includes two button-holes daily, one for wear 
during the day, and the other for the evenings. The 
fashionable Malmaison Carnation, with which almost 
every well-dressed clubman is now adorned, will last a 
long time if carefully placed in water. Some flowers, 
however, fade at once—the Gardenia for example. 
A short time ago Gardenias were sent into the London 
market in such tremendous quantities, that in order to 
get rid of them, the wholesale flower merchants in 
Covent Garden were obliged to sell them to the street 
vendors at four a penny, and thus these flowers, which 
are sold at from sixpence to one shilling each in the 
West End, were obtainable in the London streets for 
one penny each. 
Gardening about Newcastle-upon-Tyne would 
appear to be carried on under great difficulties, if we 
may judge from some comments on the public parks in 
a local paper. Says the writer:—The gardener at 
Elswick, Mr. Stockley, who has had twenty years' 
experience with the ground, has evidently a hard 
struggle to “keep up appearances.” The park is, 
perhaps, the best frequented, and it must be very 
tantalising to find there plants that have cost much 
trouble to bring forward nipped in the bud by thought¬ 
less vandals. The great industry below the park, too, 
is making sad havoc. Since the opening of the steel 
works, trees, shrubs, and flowers are being destroyed. 
Many of the fine old trees have been killed and cut 
down, and now there are some forty Beeches and 
Sycamores ready for the axe. What between the 
gasworks and the steelworks, the West End vegetation 
is under a blight that will only be removed when the 
smoke and smut have to be “consumed on the premises.” 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—At the usual monthly 
meeting of the committee, held on the 26th ult., 
Mr. Marshall presiding, much of the business trans¬ 
acted had reference to the forthcoming fete at the 
Crystal Palace, which promises not only to be attractive 
and enjoyable, but also financially successful. The 
committee have received many promises of support in 
the shape of cut blooms for sale, but, singular to 
relate, very few so far from gardeners for whose orphans 
the fund is intended to benefit. The committee desire 
it to be made known that the smallest contribution 
will be thankfully received, and they are not without 
hope that on the day of the fete they will not be 
forgotten by their friends. Boxes or baskets, large or 
small, of half or two-thirds open Roses, packed in 
damp moss and sent off to Mr. Barron or Mr. Head in 
time to reach the Palace on the morning of the 15th, 
will be most'welcome. The programme for the day’s 
fete is given in our advertising columns, and in our 
next we hope to give more complete details. 
American Jottings.—English nursery interests were 
represented at the Nurserymen’s Convention at Minne- 
polis, on the 3rd ult., by Messrs. Fell & Palmer.—Mr. 
Hugh Dickson, of Belfast, is with us (in Boston) for a 
few days. If his orders average in length equal to 
his physical proportions, he will have no reason to 
complain.—Mr. William Kelway, of Langport,Somerset, 
is making a two months’ trip in this country. This 
happens also to be the honeymoon journey for Mr. and 
Mrs. Kelway, and they find it quite delightful.— 
Mr. John Lewis Childs, of Floral Park, New York, 
and Messrs. V. H. Hallock & Son, of Queens, New 
York, have combined their businesses, the retail trade 
to be carried on solely by John Lewis Childs, while 
Y. H. Hallock & Son will devote their entire time to 
the wholesale trade .—American Florist. 
-- >x< —- 
PEONIES AT CHISWICK. 
The collection of Pseonies, in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at Chiswick, has been increasing 
for several years past, and is now very extensive. At 
this late period of the year the comments made upon 
the different kinds will be confined to the double forms 
of Paeonia albiflora, the late-flowering Siberian species, 
of which a very uumerous progeny has arisen within 
comparatively recent years. The single and double 
forms of other species had all flowered and gone to 
seed by the last week in June, whereas the double 
forms of P. albiflora were at their best, with the excep¬ 
tion of a few of the older blooms which were fading in 
the hot sunshine. In looking at the masses of bloom, 
what would most strike the observer in this race of 
I’a-onies is the relatively few dark varieties amongst 
them. The reason for this is not far to seek, when we 
remember that the typical wild form is white or of a 
pale pink. Nor does there seem to be much, if any, 
intermixture of other species amongst the progeny. A 
vast number therefore of the double forms are pale in 
colour, and unless hybridisation with the darker kinds, 
such as P. officinalis and P. anomala, is resorted to, 
the acquisition of red or crimson kinds, will be a work 
of some time. The young stems and leaves of the 
wild type are quite red, and this character is more or 
less retained ih the improved forms, and sometimes 
adds much to their beauty. 
Early Improvements. 
There is a great difference in size between the old 
double forms and that obtained more recently, the 
former being relatively small, while the blooms of the 
latter in some cases rival those of P. Moutan in bulk. 
An old sort is Whiteyi, with pure white flowers and 
narrow segments. Reine Hortense has broad blush- 
coloured outer petals, forming a guard to the creamy 
white inner ones ; and the stems are very dwarf. The 
outer petals of Washington are purple, and the inner 
ones pink, deepening to an apple-blossom hue. Ne 
Plus Ultra has pale peach-coloured flowers, but in spite 
of the name has long been surpassed by finer forms. 
The flowers of Mons. Duchartre are of a delicate satiny 
rose, and the plant shows great vigour in the stems, 
being 3 ft. high. Octavie Demay is only half the 
height, with large pure white flowers and narrow petals, 
the inner being quite filamentous. Similar to the last 
is Reine de Fleurs, but the petals are satiny rose 
fading to peach at the tips. The outer part of the 
flower of Madame Lemoinier is blush and the centre 
pure white. Lilacina plenissima rather belies its name, 
for the outer petals are blush and the inner ones white. 
The flowers of Grandiflora rosea are the colour of peach- 
blossom, but red or partly red petals occur from the 
proliferation of the ovary. Another old sort is Humei 
alba, with pale peach blooms and a white centre. 
Several of the varieties of P. albiflora are distinctly 
sweet scented, and that under notice resembles a 
delicate odour of Sweet Peas. The stems of Etienne 
Dennis stand only 12 ins. to 18 ins. high, and the satiny 
rose flowers have broad petals. Elegans superbissima is 
remarkably vigorous, with huge white flowers, a few 
of the outer petals being blush-coloured. Marie 
Houillon, satiny rose ; Comtesse de Bresson pale peach 
with a white centre ; and Augustin d’Hour, deep rosy 
red, are large-flowered and fairly meritorious kinds. 
Newer Varieties. 
The most of these are characterised by greater vigour 
generally, and the flowers are of great size—in fact, as 
large as it is desirable they should be. The increased 
vigour of the stems, however, serves to support the 
huge blooms. The foliage of Madame Loise is of a 
dark glaucous green hue, and of fine appearance when 
surmounted with the massive rose flowers, tinted with 
peach. The flowers of Mons. Barral are fragrant, and 
almost of the same colour as the Rose named La 
France. Vicomte Villeneuse is both vigorous and 
floriferous, with large fully double flowers of a soft 
peach hue. The huge deep rosy purple flowers of 
Camille Lemoine are borne singly or in clusters of one 
to three on stems 2^ ft. to 3 ft. high. We have 
another of the Hollyhock type in Madame de Montigo, 
with spreading blush guards, and long, erect, white, 
central petals ; the centre, however, is not fully double 
as the ovaries are partly shown. In the variety 
Madame Fovel, the flowers are fully double, and 
almost of a uniform peach colour. The foliage is of a 
rich dark colour, and the stems about 3 ft. high. This 
height is even exceeded in the case of Carnea elegans, 
which stands about 3£ ft. high, and has huge flowers, 
though not perfectly double, as inner petals arch over 
the yellow stamens, but do not entirely conceal them. 
The outer petals are blush, the rest white. The variety 
may be described as showy, but not fine. 
In all of the foregoing kinds it will be seen that the 
flowers seldom show a deeper tint than rose, while 
varieties of peach, pink, white, and creamy white are far 
more prevalent. A desirable dark hue is met with in 
Isabella Warlitzky, which has deep purple-red, but not 
very full flowers. Much the same might be said of 
Gloire de Davai, which has deep red flowers, tinted 
with purple at the tips of the petals. The broad 
glaucous green segments of the leaves and the red 
petioles add to the appearance and value of the variety. 
The petals, of Edmond Lebon are densely packed, and 
of a beautiful peach colour. The blooms are of good 
size. The fault of a great many of the kinds is that 
the petals, particularly the inner ones, are very narrow, 
sometimes quite filamentous. This is not the case with 
Violacea, for the deep rose petals are mostly all broad 
and densely arranged. The stems attain a height of 
3 ft. The stems and leaves of Linnie are slender, 
reminding one of the wild type, but the flowers are of 
course double, of moderate size, and deep purple-red. 
Dr. Caillot is a large dark rose kind, and paler at the 
tips of the petals, but the centre is inclined to be open 
after a certain time. The blush-coloured outer petals 
of Le B’raicheur are long, and form a guard to the 
inner ones, which are creamy white. It may be 
described as large enough on all hands, and pretty. 
Madame de Galham has very large flowers of a different 
type from most of the above, for the petals are all 
spreading, so that the bloom is flat. In many cases 
the inner petals assume an erect position, while in 
others the same set are densely packed and ascending, 
making the flower deeper than it is wide. In these 
respects then Madame de Galham differs. The flowers 
are flesh coloured, fading to white at the tips of the 
petals, and withal very choice and ornamental. 
Of the above kinds, the following may be reckoned a 
selection of the most suitable kinds for forming the 
nucleus of a collection, namely, Vicomte Villeneuse, 
Mons. Barral, Augustin d’Hour, Madame Loise, Madame 
de Galham, Madame de Montigo Madame Fovel, 
Camille Lemoine, Carnea elegans, Edmond Lebon, 
Violacea, Marie Houillon, Comtesse de Bresson, and 
Le Fraicheur. 
- •*&*• - 
NOTES FROM DOVER 
( Concluded from p. 683 ). 
In pursuance of last week’s intention, and at the request 
of the Editor, I will continue my observations on the 
flora of Dover. I will now ask the reader to leave the 
town and accompany me for a ramble along the 
cliffs. That mighty monument of historic fame, viz., 
Shakespeare’s Cliff, shall receive our initial respect and 
careful attention. But, ere we ascend to the summit, 
we are made conscious that great patches of a pale 
yellow colour, sparkling under the morning sun, and 
waving in the breeze, have the effect of producing 
quite a piebald appearance on the whiteness of the 
chalk. We approach a little nearer, and behold, we 
are somewhat surprised to find it is the type and repre¬ 
sentative of one of our most valued and succulent 
vegetables, viz., Brassica oleracea, in full flower. Yes, 
it is indeed none other than the common Cabbage ; 
and yet it is not common, that is, the wild species, 
for I believe it is only to be found in certain maritime 
districts in this country. 
It is assumed, and, I think, with much show of 
reason, that this particular plant is the origin and pro¬ 
genitrix of all the numerous and beautiful varieties 
which adorn our kitchen gardens in the present day. 
A very valuable contribution on this subject appeared 
in the columns of The Gardening World not a 
great while ago, which, to any one having the evolution 
of the Cabbage at heart, should be read and re-read, 
for the sake of the scientific information therein 
conveyed. 
Well, this ancient denizen of the dangerous precipice 
is evidently quite at home here, for it has located 
itself in some places to the exclusion of its allies and 
other neighbours. Notwithstanding the coarseness 
and acridity of its leaves, it is still occasionally used as 
a vegetable in times of need, and I was informed that, 
in consequence of the recent severe weather, it had 
been hawked about the town as a substitute for its 
more nutritious rival. But how is it gathered at so 
great a height ? Let us ascend to the summit, and 
