July 11, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD- 
719 
Is not this an unusually fine production ? I have 
frequently fruited this plant in a medium-sized plant 
stove, but never had so fine a specimen as the one 
shown at Norwich.— T. IV. [Avery fine example, and 
highly creditable to the grower.—E d.] 
Early Peas. 
We gathered our first dish of American Wonder on 
the 27th nit., from sowings made on the 3rd of 
February, the plants having been something over 
twenty weeks in the ground. Beside these, and in a 
very warm, sheltered part of the garden, we had our 
first sowing of French Beans nicely up by the 18 th of 
May, when they were killed by frost. A few days 
later they had to be pulled up, the ground forked over, 
and a fresh sowing made. These at present (July 4th) 
are not showing flower, so they will be late. On the day 
that we sowed the American Wonder Peas we 
also made a sowing of William the First, which 
were fit for gathering on the 30 th of June, and along¬ 
side of thi3 row was another sown on the 18th of 
February, which produced a gathering fit to go with 
those sown fifteen days earlier.— T. IV., Yelverton, 
Norwich. 
-- 
A SEED MERCHANT’S TRIAL 
GROUND. 
Of the thousands of persons of all sorts and conditions 
who sell seeds during the year, how many ask them¬ 
selves how they are produced, how maintained so true 
to character, how kept so clean and unmixed, and how 
so efficiently distributed at the proper season to all 
parts of the world ? It is here the value of the services 
rendered by the seed grower and the wholesale seedsman 
can be understood and appreciated.' Our annual trans¬ 
actions in seeds for garden and field culture are some¬ 
thing enormous, and anything like statistics would be 
astounding, while the care and attention given to the 
selection, growth and harvesting of seeds must be 
known to be appreciated. It may seem to many a 
small thing, but it is a work of great magnitude, and is 
zealously performed as far as human nature is capable. 
The sharp competition in the seed trade of the present 
day renders it necessary that the utmost attention be 
paid both to the quality of the several stocks and the 
good growth of the seeds. 
Many parts of this country are utilised for the 
growth of vegetable and flower seeds, but the chief 
centres of production are Kent, Essex, Cambridgeshire, 
Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire, Middlesex, Herts, Surrey 
and Sussex. Each county may be said to produce 
something best, though the article may be grown in all. 
Locality and soil have a good deal to do with the 
production of seeds, and hence some counties produce 
certain things more largely than others. For instance, 
the great bulk of our home-saved Mustard seed 
comes from Cambridge and Lincolnshire, but we draw 
some seeds from many parts of the world, and send 
others of our own growth to the growers there. 
One feature of a great seed house is absolutely 
necessary—a trial ground in which both the growth 
and quality of seeds can be tested. This is no longer 
possible near London. At one time trial grounds were 
common at Brixton, Deptford, and other suburbs of 
London ; but the builder has captured these sites, and 
grown lines of dwellings where once Cabbages and many 
other subjects flourished. The seedsman is thus driven 
further afield, but he has the advantage of a purer air, 
and less vitiated soil. 
I recently paid a visit to Messrs. Hurst & Sons’ 
trial ground, at Springfield, near Chelmsford. It is 
about seven acres in extent, situated on a gentle slope 
falling away from the north to the south, with a stream 
of water bordering it on that side, the value of which 
in dry weather is incalculable. At the present time 
this ground is entirely covered with samples of seeds, 
varying in size from Broad Windsor and Scarlet 
Runner Beans down to the bedding Lobelias, which 
are so minute that several thousands could be laid 
upon the surface of a shilling, and all these samples 
are for testing the growth of certain stocks, and also 
their quality. Supposing, for instance, a quantity of 
Veitch’s Perfection Peas come in from a dozen growers: 
a sample of each bulk is taken and carefully marked 
with the name of the grower, the name of the variety, 
the quantity composing the bulk, and the date received. 
Similar particulars are also recorded in a stock book, 
and, in addition, a quart sample is taken and placed 
away in a box, in case it is necessary to refer to it after 
the bulk is sold. One hundred seeds are sown at once 
in a heated room, to test the growth, and in spring a 
half-pint sample is sown in the open ground, a few dry 
seeds being retained as proof of the character of the 
sample. What is done with Peas is done with many 
other seeds, as far as testing the growth in the heated 
room is concerned, and with all as far as testing in the 
open ground is concerned. All this has to be done by 
practised hands in the most careful manner. An error 
leads to considerable confusion. 
Now let us try to get some idea of the number of 
samples sown of Peas. There are 600, and they were all 
sown in two days. There are thirty-seven samples of 
Improved Sangster’s No. 1; fifteen of William the 
First, and so on ; the more popular the variety the 
greater the number of the samples. All these samples 
are carefully sown and cultivated, sticks being placed 
against them to bring out their qualities in the best 
manner. In order to give some idea of the care 
taken to secure the finest stocks, any Pea among the 
samples exhibiting high quality of character and 
produce is carefully preserved, the seeds are sown the 
following year in the garden, and the variety 
thoroughly selected for sending out to grow for stock. 
Some Peas show a great tendency to run back to 
inferior forms. William the First is a case in point, 
and has to be most rigidly selected to keep it true. 
There are 213 samples of Onions, sown in January and 
transplanted, and a second sowing is made again in 
spring to confirm the first trial; of Carrot, 130 samples, 
of all types, the seeds sown in the open ground ; of 
Parsnips, thirty-five ; Parsley, forty-five ; Broad and 
Long-pod Beans, forty ; Radishes, ninety-five ; Cress, 
thirty-four ; Celery, fifty-three ; Endive, twenty-one ; 
Spinach, twenty-two ; Lettuce, 130 ; Turnip, fifty- 
three ; Cabbage, 125 ; Leek, sixty ; Beet, eighty-two ; 
Savoys, twenty-six ; Brussels Sprouts, twenty ; Cauli¬ 
flower, sixty; Kales, forty-three; Broccoli, seventy-two ; 
French Beans, 100 ; Garden Turnips, sixty-four ; and 
Marigolds and Swedes over 1,000. Of flower seeds 
there are lines innumerable, and many are sown in pots 
as in the open ; there are all types of Asters, Stocks, 
Phlox Drummondi, &c., in colour, the value of which 
as an instructive lesson to the learner is incalculable. 
Let it be remembered that all these samples have to be 
sown, cultivated, examined, selected, and all their 
varying particulars duly recorded, and some idea may 
be gained of the immense amount of detail which has 
to be got through. 
A big wholesale seed house cannot be carried on 
without such a trial ground, and the due record of 
results. The oversight of such a sphere of operations 
needs a quick intelligence, clear head, good judgment, 
and untiring industry ; and the possessor of these 
qualities is generally forthcoming. 
I have set down the foregoing details to show the 
immense care taken to ascertain the qualities of and to 
keep pure and good stocks of seeds, which is shown by 
the seed houses. But they are sometimes unjustly 
made the scapegoat of careless and unskilful gardeners. 
It is so easy to charge failures against the seedsman. I 
am sorry to say it is too often unjustly done, and my 
wish is to assert that the large majority of failures in 
securing the proper germination of seeds is due either 
to carelessness or mistakes on the part of the gardener, 
or to the operation of conditions over which neither 
he nor the seedsman has any control.— E. D. 
--- 
SUMMER TINTS. 
Now that most trees and shrubs are in full leaf, 
Nature may be assumed to be in her full summer garb. 
Everywhere in our little island a sea of green verdure 
meets the eye, more or less variegated with the flowers 
of different subjects, it is true. Confining the attention 
to foliage alone, the observant eye can detect endless 
shades of green in parks, pleasure grounds, and woods, 
where a goodly admixture of different subjects are 
planted. As yet we have had no lengthened period of 
drought, and very little sunshine to ‘ 1 embrown ” the 
foliage, as the poet has it, so that every tree is now 
in perfection as f^r as the leaves are concerned. 
The massive and spreading Beeches that in spring 
were clad in a livery of the most delicate green, are now 
as equally dark. The wrinkled and fingered leaves of 
the Chestnuts, both red and white, are even more 
intensely green, and almost of a sombre hue. The so- 
called English Elm, so notable for its stateliness, and 
the Mountain Elm, are a shade or two paler, but still 
to be reckoned amongst the dark-hued kinds. The 
white Birch has rich green, shining leaves, but so 
small and thickly disposed on the twiggy branches as 
to present an altogether more graceful appearance. 
The long strap-shaped leaves of the Sweet Chestnut 
have a glistening appearance when ruffled by the wind, 
and are peculiarly attractive when they assume a two- 
ranked and feather-like arrangement on the long 
spreading or pendulous branches. The Firs and Cedars 
having newly put forth their young leaves, hiding 
their sombre winter garb, seem to rejoice in the warmth 
of summer. The Robinias, Negundos, Sophora japonica, 
and the Honey Locusts (at least the common one) 
maintain a more delicate and pleasing shade of green 
for a longer period than those already mentioned. 
Many trees, both native and exotic, wear an entirely 
different aspect, most apparent on the under surface 
when ruffled by the wind. Others again exhibit 
colours rivalling in brilliancy those of the fading glories 
of autumn. A far larger proportion of varieties selected 
by man from the seed bed, or from sports occurring 
spontaneously, have been propagated and disseminated 
to beautify and adorn the landscape. Of native trees 
the white Willow, in its typical form, presents a hoary 
appearance, owing to the silky covering of hairs on 
both surfaces ; the variety Salix alba cmrulea has 
smooth leaves of a glaucous and less pronounced grey 
tint. The white Poplar or Abele is one of the most 
conspicuous of our indigenous trees, and is never more 
handsome than when ruffled by the wind, especially on 
a hillside and amongst dark-leaved subjects, where the 
snowy under surface of the foliage is brought into more 
striking prominence by contrast. The grey Poplar, a 
variety of the last-named and also a British tree, is a 
trifle less conspicuous in the latter half of the season, 
but is hardier and more adapted for a northern climate. 
Both attain a large size and are worthy of a place in 
landscape arrangements. The white Lime (Tilia alba) 
and the Crimean species (T. petiolaris) are also very 
handsome and distinct when ruffled by the wind, the 
latter especially by reason of the long petioles, which 
are easily moved with a light breeze, showing the white 
under surface. 
The Plane and the Sycamore may be spoken of 
together, but although the leaves are similar in shape 
in both cases, yet the general aspect of the trees is 
entirely different. The foliage of the former i3 of a 
light green, for the simple reason that the trees are yet 
in full growth and likely to be for some time. From 
the time the first bud expands in May till almost mid¬ 
summer, the trees creep slowly into growth, whereas 
the Sycamore, although not so speedy as the Horse 
Chestnut,yet gets into full leaf at a rapid pace. The deep 
green ot the Sycamore soon becomes curiously variegated 
with black blotches, the result of a parasitical fungus. 
Some of the congeners of the Sycamore have beautiful 
and distinct leaves of various shades of green, but several 
others exhibit tints of quite another hue. For instance 
the finely divided leaves of Acer dasycarpum are white 
on the under surface, and compete with the Poplars for 
a place. The young foliage of A. pictum rubrum glows 
with crimson and red, constituting the tree at present 
one of the most conspicuous objects of the landscape. 
Schwedler’s variety of the Norway Maple glories in a 
deep bronzy red, which deepens as the season advances. 
The purple variety of the Sycamore under the effects of 
a slight breeze appears alternately purple and light 
green, and is perfectly charming by contrast with its 
neighbours. The variegated variety is now in perfec¬ 
tion in its garb of green and creamy white, best seen 
in perfectly still weather. The variegated Negundo 
with its pinnate leaves, is one of the most elegant of 
small trees dotted about amongst subjects of a more 
sombre tint. Whenever the Copper and Purple 
Beeches are planted, but particularly the latter, they 
cannot escape the eye of the beholder. Being originally 
selections from the seed beds of variations which 
cropped up there, trees in different parks and grounds 
vary to a considerable extent both in the colour and 
the size of the leaf. Some of these have received 
distinct names ; and in one case the foliage is almost 
black. 
Royal Horticultural, July 1th and 8th . —The 
exhibition in connection with the Conferences on 
hardy summer-flowering perennial plants, Strawberries, 
Gooseberries, and other small fruits was held in the 
society’s gardens, at Chiswick. The number of visitors 
on the first day was small, owing to the wretched state 
of the weather, for all day long at short intervals there 
was a heavy and pelting downpour of rain, which 
saturated everything not securely housed. The exhibits 
were arranged in two large tents, which were not 
altogether rain proof. The hardy flowers, however, 
seemed to enjoy it, judging from their freshness and 
absence of flagging. A number of medals and money 
prizes were offered for hardy cut flowers and the 
