August 15, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
793 
MUSHROOM GROWING IN 
A WINE CELLAR. 
Readers must not get alarmed in supposing that wine 
is now stored alongside of the Mushroom beds. The 
cellar in question was made ioo years ago, and the 
old building known as Gunnersbury House was built 
over it. There is of course no trace of this building 
now, and the more recently built mansion stands on 
different ground, or is at least quite away from the 
old cellar, which is entered by a flight of stone steps 
at one side of a gravelled area. On either side of the 
central passage a series of arched recesses where the 
wine used to be stored is now occupied with Mush¬ 
room beds. The only light which can penetrate this 
dark under-ground cellar, enters by a window at the 
far end, and by the door (when open) at the other. 
Here Mushrooms are obtained all the year round 
simply by the aid of fermenting material alone. The 
first bed was made sufficiently early last year to 
enable a gathering of Mushrooms to be made by the 
first of September, or somewhat earlier, and a 
continuous supply has been obtained ever since, in 
spite of snow, frost and fog, such as was experienced 
in the south last winter. One of the beds still afford¬ 
ing a supply once a week has been in bearing since 
the 14th of December last. The manure forming 
this as well as all the other beds is only 1 ft. in depth, 
and is covered with a thin layer of soil. The atmo¬ 
sphere of the cellar is comparatively cool, and always 
moist, and to this fact must be attributed the length 
of time during which a single bed will keep in bear¬ 
ing. 
Two beds were spawned about a couple of months 
ago, and the surface here and there is now beginning 
to crack, showing the white spawn making rapid 
headway, and in some places dense clusters and lines 
of small Mushrooms are pushing up, so that a plen¬ 
tiful supply will soon be obtained from them. One 
bed had been made up but a few days when we saw 
it on the 1st inst., and was to be spawned a few days 
later on when the heat had sufficiently declined to be 
safe for the spawn. No piping or other artificial 
means of heating is employed, and occasionally a 
bed will fail. One case of this kind occurred, and the 
bed was simply pulled to pieces, some fresh material 
added, and the whole made up again and spawned in 
due time with successful results. Mr. Hudson, 
gardener to the Messrs, de Rothschild, is to be 
complimented on this inexpensive method of obtain¬ 
ing a supply of this popular and useful esculent. 
NOTES FROM IRELAND. 
Trinity College, Dublin, and its popular curator, 
Mr. F. W. Burbidge, are so well known that when 
visiting Ireland recently for a short time, I thought 
I could not do better than make this my first place 
of call, I did not see the chief, but found in his 
foreman a very able substitute. The herbaceous 
borders were very pretty, but to name the various 
subjects in bloom would be no easy task, even if 
your space would allow of it. I was shown too 
where the Daffodils are grown, the various types of 
which form such a strong feature in the College 
garden. The collection of Irises, too, is large and 
representative, but I was too late to see them in 
bloom. 
The houses are in first-rate order, and the plants 
clean and healthily grown. The roof of the stove is 
furnished with Allamanda Schottii, a mass of flowers, 
Passifloras, and Aristolochias. Here, also, I saw 
one of Mr. Burbidge’s Bornean introductions in 
bloom—viz., Burbidgea nitida, a pretty and distinct 
free-flowering plant. Passing on to another division 
I found several Orchids in flower, on the roof a 
nice plant of Dendrobium Dearei, also a fine piece of 
Cattleya Warneri. Among Cypripediums, I noted 
C. Warneri, Veitchianum, Harrisianum, and 
Hincksianum ; and in yet another division Calanthe 
veratrifolia, Bollea Lobbii, Ccelogyne Gardnerianum, 
and Miltonia Vexillarium, In the cool-house were a 
nice lot of Odontoglossums, but none were in bloom. 
From the cool Orchid house I was taken to the 
Palm house, and then through the greenhouses, 
which were gay with the usual occupants, and as I 
passed out by a shady walk I felt that my visit had 
been amply repaid. 
The Botanical Gardens at Glasnevin.— 
Never before had it been my lot to see a cleaner, 
healthier grown lot of .Orchids than I found at 
Glasnevin. The Cypripediums are the picture of 
health and vigour. Two splendid pieces of C. 
Morganiae were carrying three spikes each, with 
three flowers on each spike; C. cenanthum 
superbum with three, and C. Ashburtoniee with the 
same number. C. Schlimii had flowers and foliage 
more like those of C. Sedeni. Many more species 
were also in flower, among them being Stonei, 
Hookerse, Swannianum, selligerum, superbiens, 
ciliolare, Dominianum, Harrisianum, Roezlei. 
On a centre stage were a fine lot of Vandas and 
Aerides, many being in flower. Among them I noted 
A. expansum, Leonie, crassifolium, odoratum, 
suavissimum. Here, also, was a fine plant of 
Saccolabium prasmorsum in flower. 
Considerable attention appears to be bestowed 
here on a rather neglected class—viz., the Acinetas 
and Stanhopeas, and with good results, judging by 
the plants I saw. Acineta chrysantha was carrying 
two fine spikes. A. Humboldti, close by, was also in 
flower; as also was Stanhopea oculata; several 
others were either coming or going out of bloom. 
A fine plant of Sobralia macrantha was flowering 
well, and close by the pure white S. virginalis also. 
Anguloa Ruckerii was in bloom beside its yellow 
brother A. Clowesii, filling the house with its 
aromatic fragrance. Among others I might mention 
as being in bloom, were Aspasia lunata, Maxillaria 
venusta, Thunia Bensoniae, Epidendrum cochleatum, 
Odontoglossum citrosmum, Dendrochilum filiforme 
with its pendulous spikes of bloom like gold filigree 
work. Cattleya gigas and C. Gaskelliana, both 
good, and the curious little Maxillaria Hubschii were 
flowering well. The pretty yellowish Laelia zanthina 
had two spikes of bloom, unpretentious, but welcome 
at this time when Orchid bloom is none too plenti¬ 
ful. A plant of Dendrobium calceolus bore several 
good spikes of blossom, and another none too 
common Dendrobe was flowering remarkably well— 
viz., D. longicornu. 
But one of the principal objects of my visit was to 
see the Disas. I enquired for them and was shown 
a large batch arranged in tiers on a side stage. They 
were in pots ranging from 10 ins. downwards, and were 
flowering splendidly. Another lot, in smaller pots, 
were flowering on a shelf at the end, quite as freely. 
The house is an airy and light one, an ordinary 
greenhouse in fact, yet here they were the picture of 
health. 
Odontoglossums, too, are as well grown here as 
any Orchid. In a house close by, Victoria Regia 
is throwing up its first flowers, its huge leaves, so 
familiar to visitors to Kew, floating on the surface of 
the water. Many other tropical aquatics also find 
a home at Glasnevin. In the same range are 
ferneries and a greenhouse, the latter gay with 
colour, taking the eye, and giving pleasure to the 
numerous visitors who find their way thither. In 
my case time was on the wing, so with a parting 
glimpse at the pleasure grounds, with the admirable 
bedding-out, and good order everywhere observable, 
I took my departure. I heartily congratulate Mr. 
Moore on the splendid condition of his Orchids, the 
Cypripediums especially, which alone were worth 
crossing to the Sister Isle to see .—James Brown, 
Arddarroch, Loch Long, N.B. 
(To be continued.) 
A BED OF SUCCULENTS. 
When plants of a suitable size of the various species 
of Cotyledon, Sempervivum and others of that class 
are judiciously used on a ground work of the nume¬ 
rous hardy Sedums, beds of succulents of an attractive 
and interesting nature may be made as neat as any 
carpet bedding, and for all practical purposes may 
be considered as such. A neatly-arranged and well- 
kept bed of this type may be seen at Gunnersbury 
House, Acton. When the weather becomes too cold 
for the more tender kinds, the latter are taken out, 
and their places taken by hardy spring flowering 
plants, so that the bed is furnished for winter with 
very little trouble or expenditure of labour. 
The centre of the bed is occupied with a small 
plant of Yucca aloifolia variegata on a ground work 
of Sedum elegans, surrounded by a line of Mesem- 
bryanthemum cordifolium variegatum. Then come 
some figures or patches of Sedum lydium with centres 
of Cotyledon glauca-metallica and small plants of C. 
farinosa. Other figures are plante 4 with Sedum 
glaucum, S. sarmentosum variegatuiq, Sempervivum 
cornutum, and Mesembryanthemum. Dividing lines 
are made with Cotyledon secunda, C. s. glauca, 
Sempervivum Haworthii, S. calcareum, Kleinia 
repens and others already mentioned. Dot plants 
are freely used of several of the plants already men¬ 
tioned , as well as Cotyledon, Rachyphy turn, C. adunca, 
C. clavifolia, C. Peacocki, and C. pulverulenta. 
There are twenty kinds employed in the design, 
making a very interesting and pretty arrangement. 
When beds of succulents are talked of it is generally 
understood that large and grotesque looking plants 
are employed, but such is not the case here, for the 
whole is as neat as carpet bedding need be. 
* 
CABBAGE LETTUCE, 
NEW YORK. 
As I was the first to bring to notice in your pages, 
the sterling qualities of this Lettuce, 1 am glad 
to see “ D. M., Ayrshire ” (p. 782) giving so full a 
testimony in its favour, substantiating in a very great 
measure all that I then said in its praise. I recom¬ 
mended it principally as being without a rival for its 
long standing qualities, withstanding long spells of 
droughty weather without running to seed, and as 
being one well-fitted for planting on light and sandy 
soils, and a variety that the gardener can depend 
upon for keeping the summer salad bowl easily and 
well supplied. Like “ D. M., Ayrshire,” I grow All 
the Year Round, variety for early supply, and for 
rame work and forcing ; but as a summer Lettuce 
it has not a leg to stand on when pitted against New 
York. This season, in the early part of April, I 
sowed New York, All the Year Round, Drumhead, 
Continuity, and one or two others, all on the same 
day, and all under the same treatment. From that 
sowing we are still cutting New York, and Continuity, 
of this latter more presently. All the others have 
seeded long since, and a second sowing made of All 
the Year Round has now all bolted, leaving New 
York the victorious long stander. 
To whatever type New York may belong, and 
from whatever variety it may be a selection, it is in 
my opinion so different from all others that it may be 
treated as a distinct variety. That practical, and to 
the point writer, “ R. D.,” in an article on Lettuces, 
which he had inspected in Messrs. Sutton's Trial 
Grounds last summer, said New York and Drumhead 
were to be seen there growing side by side, and there 
was very little difference to be detected between 
them, New York being merely a form of Drumhead 
or Neapolitan. Had Messrs. Sutton got the true 
stock of New York ? I was making a test trial my¬ 
self at the time and date " R. D.” made his 
inspection in Messrs. Sutton’s grounds. I had 
Drumhead, Neapolitan, Malta, and one or two others 
of those types growing side by side with New York, 
all were treated exactly alike, and it was easily to 
see that New York was distinct from all of them in 
several points, and more especially in the manner of 
its folding over its leaves, and in the outline of its 
leaf, but its great distinguishing point from the others 
was in its long standing qualities, for it was left all 
alone in its glory, and kept possession of the field 
long after all the others had marched off—to seed. 
Another Longstanding Variety : Continuity. 
Permit me to bring to your readers’ notice another 
Cabbage Lettuce of. sterling merit, by name Con¬ 
tinuity, and a fit companion to New York. Continuity 
is very appropriately named. My plants of this 
variety were raised from a trial packet of seed sent 
me by the well-known Norwich seed firm, Messrs. 
Daniels. It was sown on the same date as New 
York and others, and treated alike in every respect. 
New York and Continuity are running a neck and 
neck race for long standing, and, so far as I can see, 
they will finish a dead-heat. Continuity is not 
unlike in colour some of the deeply-coloured French 
Cabbage Lettuces. Its outer leaves, especially in 
their young stage and when transplanted, are at first 
of a deep chocolate colour, or dullish crimson of 
metallic lustre, and of the soft, silky texture of All 
the Year Round, but growing to a little larger size 
than that variety. Its leaves fold over very closely, 
forming a compact ball. The internal colour of the 
Lettuce when cut open is of that rich creamy-look- 
ing white so much appreciated in the salad bowl. 
Our French chef thinks highly of this variety, and so 
do I. I can confidently recommend it to “ D. M., 
Ayrshire ” and others of your readers, and say get 
it, " you won’t be disappointed.” — J. Rifling ( 
Knebworth, Herts, 
