20 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 8, 1888. 
writers—not too precise in their statements— 
rush headlong to the maximum produce as 
being the average production. We may 
also well remember that when the produce 
of fruit trees is the greater, the prices are 
invariably the lower. 
Outdoor Tomatos. — This year there are 
many breadths of outdoor Tomatos over which 
there has been occasional debate as to whether 
the plants and stakes should not be pulled up, 
and the ground sown with Turnip seed or 
planted with Cabbages. Whilst the heavy 
rains which marked the summer promoted 
excessive growth, the lowness of the temper¬ 
ature checked the setting of the bloom, so 
that the plants soon became utterly demoralised. 
A pitiable sight indeed of late have Tomato 
breadths presented, the plants being left in 
despair to utter neglect, and growing literally 
wild. If not soon cleared off, we shall hear 
presently that the Potato fungus, for lack of 
other food, has seized upon the Tomatos and 
eaten them up. Far better would it be that 
the plants should rot in some corner of the 
ground than that so ignominious a fate should 
befal them. The general failure of the outdoor 
crop, whilst inflicting heavyi loss upon those 
growers who had faith in the eternal capacity 
of English summers to produce good Tomatos 
in the open air, should have proved profitable 
to those whose plants have been safely pro¬ 
tected under glass. 
There is to be considered the possible 
ephemeral nature of the Tomato’s popularity in 
the market before jumping to conclusions ; yet 
we hope that such popularity is by no means 
fugitive, but enduring. In such case it will be 
no wonder if more glass is erected for Tomato 
culture during the coming winter. On the 
whole, such form of culture seems to be not 
only the safest, but, in the long run, the most 
profitable. The remarkable results seen in the 
planted-out house of Tomatos at Chiswick show 
that even during such an untoward summer as 
the present this admirable fruit can be grown 
in enormous quantities within a limited area, 
and grown, too, in the very finest and most 
perfect form with exceedingly simple culture. 
It would take a large area of open ground to 
produce the same weight of ripe fruits which 
will this year be cut in the Chiswick house. 
-->x<-- 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—We have the pleasure to 
announce that at the flower show held at Heckfield 
Place, on August 28th, Mr. "Wildsmith, the local 
secretary for the district, collected the sum of £5, with 
three collecting boxes. Well done Heckfield ! 
Gardening Engagement.—Mr. C. Sawyer, for the 
past four and half years principal foreman at Cricket 
St. Thomas, Chard, Somerset, as gardener to the 
Marquis of Hertford, Eagley Hall, Alcester, Warwick. 
Early Frost.—On the morning of Saturday last 
(September 1st) there was a white dew upon the grass, 
which, in other words, might be described as hoar 
frost, in the suburbs of London. The cold was very 
keen, and although not sufficient to do much damage, 
yet in low-lying localities the young leaves of Catalpa 
syringsefolia aurea were considerably damaged, and by 
the time the sun shone upon them they became curled 
up and discoloured. 
How I Came to Grow Bulbs.—In a little brochure 
issued under this unassuming title, Mr. Eob. Sydenham, 
Tenby Street, Birmingham, describes how his attention 
was first turned to the culture of bulbs for pleasure, 
and subsequently for profit. A dozen Hyacinths seems 
to have been the extent of his first purchase, and for 
these he paid eight shillings, having then to hire the 
assistance of a jobbing gardener to pot them. This 
was in 1881, since which time he has gained largely in 
experience, as to cultural matters, and in the know¬ 
ledge of what varieties are most suitable for certain 
purposes, all of which useful information is duly 
recorded. The author has also recorded his failures, a 
practice that is much to be commended for its value in 
teaching the inexperienced what to avoid. Further on, 
directions are given for the cultivation of Hyacinths 
under different systems, as well as various other 
subjects suitable for forcing. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society. — The 
general committee of this society held their first 
meeting of the season at Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet 
Street, on Monday last; the chair was occupied by the 
president, and the meeting was well attended. The 
secretary, with deep regret, reported that since the last 
committee meeting Mr. Woodbridge, who had been 
appointed one of the fruit and vegetable judges for the 
forthcoming November Show, had died, and a resolu¬ 
tion was passed requesting the secretary to send a letter 
of condolence to his widow. Mr. Miles, of Wycombe 
Abbey, was elected to fill the vacancy as judge. The 
following Chrysanthemum societies were affiliated with 
the National Chrysanthemum Society, viz., Barnsley, 
Hampstead, Isle of Sheppey, Stroud, and Truro. Two 
Fellows were elected, and no less than fifty new 
members—a number unprecedented at any meeting of 
the society. This brings the roll up to 510 members. 
The exhibition of early Chrysanthemums takes place 
at the Eoyal Aquarium on Wednesday and Thursday 
next. 
Jerusalem Artichokes in the West Indies.—In his 
admirable report of the Trinidad Botanic Garden for 
last year, the superintendent, Mr. J. H. Hart, remarks 
that the Jerusalem Artichoke is a useful and excellent 
tropical vegetable, producing quantities of its delicate 
tubers at intervals for a greater part of the year. It 
does not develop nearly so much fibre as in Europe, 
and when sent mashed to table is not easily distinguished 
from the Turnip. The different habit of the plant 
leads Mr. Hart to infer that it may be a variety 
of the type cultivated in British gardens. The Trinidad 
plant, even when well grown, seldom reaches more 
than 2£ ft. high when fully mature. It would be well 
if Mr. Hart were to send home a few roots for com¬ 
parison under cultivation, as a dwarf variety would be 
acceptable to many. 
-- 
A TRIAL OF TEN-WEEK STOCKS. 
A large collection of Ten-week Stocks, from different 
seedsmen, has now been flowering freely for some time 
past in the gardens of the Eoyal Horticultural Society 
at Chiswick, affording an excellent opportunity for 
comparison, and a means of determining what is 
most suitable for particular purposes. Habit, height, 
colour, and season of flowering have all to be taken into 
account in determining what will suit a given purpose. 
More important to most people is the per-centage of 
double flowers which any particular strain will afford 
when the plants come into bloom ; as a rule single Stocks 
are less attractive even than a Wallflower, but there are 
exceptions, as in the case of some of the large-flowering 
kinds, which, although producing a good per-centage 
of doubles, are very effective even in the single state. 
Dwarf Kinds. 
The dwarfest and earliest of all is undoubtedly a strain 
called the forcing Ten-week Stocks, represented by a 
white variety, named Snowflake, which commenced to 
flower several weeks ago, and is now flowering from the 
side branches. The stems do not exceed 4 ins. or 
6 ins. in height, and the flowers are pure white, while 
a large per-centage is double. For decorative work 
early in the season this variety ought to enjoy a more 
extended cultivation. The Wallflower-leaved dwarf 
Ten-week strain ranges from 6 ins. to 9 ins. in height, 
which, considering the wet and sunless condition of 
the season, is remarkably dwarf. The quality is also 
of a high character, and the range of colour from 
mauve, pink, white, and pale yellow to purple, red and 
crimson. Dwarf Ten-week Stocks are taller, the 
average height being about 12 ius. A good per-centage 
is double, and the strain generally is of a high standard. 
The colours are equally as numerous as in the Wall¬ 
flower-leaved section. Some of the large-flowering 
Wallflower-leaved varieties may also be classed 
amongst dwarf-growing kinds, as the stems of a white 
variety do not exceed 9 ins. in height. The leaves are 
dark green, and a large per-centage of the flowers are 
double. 
Tall-growing Kinds. 
That named Tree or Giant Ten-week Stocks range from 
18 ins. to 24 ins. in height, and while undoubtedly 
the tallest, they are certainly not so fine as those of 
more moderate growth. For wide borders and public 
parks they would, it is true, be more conspicuous, 
effective and desirable on that account. A pale violet 
variety amongst the large-flowering kinds deserves 
some notice, on account of the massive and conspicuous 
character of the flowers, of which a good percentage is 
double, but even in the single state the broad over¬ 
lapping petals are very effective. Six lines from 
another grower, including white, pink, blush, rose, 
crimson, salmony rose, violet, violet-purple, slate and 
slaty red varieties, exhibit a very equal or even growth 
of 12 ins. to 15 ins., and a large percentage of double 
flowers of high quality. A collection of large -flowering 
varieties, from another seedsman, includes some very 
peculiar shades of colour, such as white striped with a 
slaty tint and black-brown, but we do not much|admire 
them in the presence of white, flesh, sulphur and lilac 
varieties, all of which are good and very massive in 
general appearance ; but the sulphur-yellow sort is 
particularly fine, and, curiously enough, by accident or 
otherwise, the singles occurring in this line are white. 
This latter strain, as a whole, is rather above the 
average vigour, the white and sulphur varieties being 
about 18 ins. high, but the large and massive-looking 
flowers compensate in no small way for the length of 
the stems. __ 
REGENT’S PARK. 
Six or seven years ago carpet bedding was one of the 
strongest features of this park ; but for some time this 
has given place to other kinds of bedding, chiefly of 
Pelargoniums, which until quite recently were a failure 
as far as bloom was concerned, owing to the continued 
cold, cloudy weather with heavy downpours of rain at 
too frequent intervals. Since August, however, the 
large beds have brightened up considerably, but are 
far behind what might be expected from them in more 
favourable seasons. Two oval beds of Zinnias on a 
groundwork of blue Lobelia are cheerful, but the 
plants are small, and apparently had been sown late. 
Four beds of Abutilon Thompsoni, mixed with Verbena 
venosa and Viola Blue Bell, edged with a band of 
Antennaria dioica tomentosa, are equally cheerful and 
better filled. 
Eed-flowered and yellow-leaved varieties of Fuchsia 
on a groundwork of Alyssum maritimum variegatum and 
scarlet Tropaeolum, also constitute a feature of some 
note. Four beds of tuberous Begonias on a ground¬ 
work of Sedum lydium, and another four having graceful 
plants of Acacia lophantha in addition, are very 
pretty, and although the nature of the design 
necessitated it to some extent, there is rather too much 
repetition. The Begonias are rather small plants, but 
still uphold their reputation for free-flowering habit, 
even in wet weather. 
The best feature of the park, as far as flowers are 
concerned, consists of two broad borders of hardy or half- 
hardy herbaceous plants, that have recently been added 
to it. Along the front of their whole length (they being 
placed end to end) runs a broad border of Ten-week 
Stocks, chiefly red and white, and of which a large per¬ 
centage are double. They are not planted in stiff 
regularity, but run backwards in angles or bays, so as 
to occupy the space between clumps or masses of such 
things as Galtonia candicans, Calliopsis tinctoria, 
Veronica longifolia, Antirrhinum majus, Aster Levis, 
A. horizontalis, and Veronica longifolia rosea, all in 
different stages of growth or flowering. Farther back are 
other masses of Pentstemons, Carnations (of which some 
in the way of Mary Morris are very fine), Mignonette, 
Sweet Peas, Hollyhocks, Dahlias, Evening Primroses, 
CEnothera biennis, Lilium auratum, Pyrethrum roseum, 
Gladioli, Helenium pumilum, Achillea Ptarmica flore 
pleno, Delphiniums and other subjects. The whole 
are backed up by a Holly hedge, and certainly look 
fine with their ever-varying colours as fresh masses 
come into flower. The beds of Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, 
&c., are nowhere in comparison, and the style of 
gardening might be adopted on a more extensive scale 
elsewhere with profit. Not far off is a specimen of 
Yucca recurva, about 8 ft. high, whose panicle of 
drooping white flowers has been compared by visitors to 
ropes of Onions. 
-- >X< -- 
A VISIT TO THE NURSERY 
GARDENS OF NANCY. 
At all times a visit to these gardens is to the horti¬ 
culturist a source of much and instructive enjoyment. 
Nancy being the birthplace and home of many of our 
choicest and best florist flowers, is, as it were, the 
“Mecca” of gardeners. But at the present epoch of 
gardening, when various sections of florist flowers have 
reached a point of perfection which a few years since 
would have been considered unattainable, a visit is 
of more than ordinary interest. Not to mention more 
than hybrid Gladiolus and tuberous Begonias, the 
amateur can imagine what a field of interest lies 
before him, these alone being sufficient to repay one 
for a journey to Nancy. 
The grower of tuberous Begonias finds at the garden 
of Mons. Crousse, a superb series of seedling double 
