September 8, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
21 
Begonias ; the double white and double yellow of 
various shades are as yet unequalled in any other 
establishment. The size, perfect form, and habit of 
many of these magnificent flowers leave nothing 
further to he desired. Some of the seedlings raised 
this year are absolutely perfect, and make one long for 
the day when they will be found in the catalogue of 
Mons. Crousse. At this garden the Ivy-leaved Pelar¬ 
goniums also are very noteworthy. Amongst those 
to be sent out by and bye are several of great promise. 
The Cannas raised by Mons. Crozy, of Lyons, are 
largely grown in this garden, but in our climate will 
he more generally useful for indoor culture, owing to 
want of combined sunshine and heat to develop them 
fully. (An instance of this can now be seen by any 
visitor to the nursery of Messrs. Cannell, at Swanley). 
At the nursery gardens of Mons. Lemoine, the great 
point of interest is the new race of hybrid Gladiolus, a 
beautiful cross between Gladiolus Saundersi superbus 
and Mons. Lemoine’s hybrids, made known on the 
exhibition table by Messrs. Veiteh. Only one who 
has seen these exquisite flowers can have an idea of 
what is in store before very long for growers of hybrid 
Gladiolus. The form, size and markings are quite 
surprising, and reveal a beauty hitherto unknown 
amongst Gladiolus. It is possible that one or two may 
appear in the catalogue for next year, if on lifting 
them a sufficient quantity to pass into commerce he 
found to exist. 
The herbaceous Phloxes contain many seedlings of 
wonderful size and beauty, many new shades being 
found amongst them. The new Montbretias, too, 
contain some seedlings of very much improved form 
and colour, and as they increase so rapidly one may 
expect very soon to find them obtainable. 
Having visited and carefully examined both these 
gardens last autumn I was not prepared to find such a 
number of interesting novelties this year. —John T. Poe, 
Riverston. 
-->=£<-- 
NEW INVENTIONS. 
A New Patent Horizontal Tubular Boiler.— 
The horizontal tubular boiler is not new ; it has been 
in existence for many years, and is a favourite with the 
class most generally known as “the growers,” that is 
to say, the hard-headed practical growers of plants and 
fruits for market, who, having immense ranges of glass, 
require their boilers to he moderate in price, durable, 
quick in action, and economical in the consumption of 
fuel in due proportion to the amount of work done. 
One of the first boilers of this character that was made 
was laid down for the late John Standish, of Ascot, 
many years ago to burn peat, but modifications of this 
form have been used since, and are used still by all the 
leading market and some of the great trade growers. 
In fact it may be truthfully said to be the pet boiler of 
the trade, but it has a weak place, though as far 
as our experience goes one seldom hears so much 
admitted by those who use them. 
The weak place in question is the caulked joints, 
which allow but for a limited amount of expansion, 
and being freely exposed to the action of the fire, 
leakages are as a consequence liable to occur, and of 
course, as a rale, when a joint does give way, it is at 
the most inconvenient time possible. This fact has 
long been recognised both by the makers and users, 
but how to avoid the difficulty has been a problem that 
has only recently been solved by the Thames Bank 
Iron Company, Upper Ground Street, Blackfriars, 
who have patented a system by which the caulking 
is abolished, the joint being made with an india- 
rubber washer inserted in an inverted socket. At 
first sight it would seem as though the washers would 
not stand the heat, but the inverted socket, as shown 
in the accompanying illustration, keeps them in the 
water, and out of harm’s way, so that the joint is 
practically indestructible by fire. 
We regard the invention as a valuable one, insomuch 
as that it vastly improves the lasting capabilities of an 
already well-tried boiler, with the additional advantage 
that as the joints are put together with tie bolts, such 
a boiler can be fixed in a few hours, and there is a 
consequent reduction in the cost of labour. A boiler 
made on this principle has been well tested for some 
months by Messrs. Gregory k Evans, of Sidcup, Kent, 
and we believe they have no objection to show it 
to anyone interested in the matter. 
-- 
ffoTES ON f^RUITS. 
The Quatre Saison Raspberry. 
I should be glad to know if any of your readers are 
acquainted with the “Quatre Saison” Raspberry? 
My experience is that there is no Raspberry to come 
near it for cropping. We have had on a few bushes a 
very large fruit crop ; we gather a few now every day, 
and the canes are full of fruit and flower. I have 
gathered a dish on November 12th, and the fruit is 
fine and well-flavoured. The growth is altogether 
different from the common Raspberry, and it appears 
to increase rapidly.— K. P. 
Lord Burghley Apple. 
Although not a new Apple, this is not so widely 
cultivated as its merits deserve. That it is, however, 
beginning to receive recognition at the hands of 
cultivators, was evidenced at the Apple Congress, held 
at Chiswick in 1883, when thirty-seven dishes of it 
were exhibited. The tree bears heavily, even in such a 
season as the present. One of the trees at Devonhurst, 
Chiswick, is now loaded with fruits above the medium 
size. It is sometimes described as a small Apple, but 
on healthy-growing trees they are of good average 
size for a dessert variety. It is more or less flattened 
on the top, angular and green, suffused with russet and 
red, which as far as appearance goes does not much 
recommend it for general use. The flesh is, however, 
firm, crisp, and of a peculiar but agreeable flavour, 
such as we do not often meet with when in season 
about Christmas. It keeps well in the fruit-room. 
Blenheim Orange Apple. 
This will, no doubt, soon hold a leading place amongst 
choice Apples, and recommend itself both for kitchen 
or table use. Its late-keeping qualities also render it 
desirable for storage purposes. Young trees bear very 
sparingly for many years, owing no doubt to the 
great vegetative vigour of the variety ; and trees on 
walls seem equally unfruitful for many years. In some 
cases trees so grown refuse to yield fruits except a 
scattered few on the tips of the leading branches. Old 
standard trees are the most prolific, especially in some 
soils or localities, and after having attained this size 
they last for many years in good condition, and con¬ 
tinue productive. The fruits from old trees may not 
be so large as on healthy young and growing specimens, 
but the quantity is many times greater, and the yearly 
produce of standards grown on grass, and which 
receives no manuring beyond what exists naturally in 
the soil, is truly astonishing, and exemplifies the 
prolific nature of the Apple under favourable con¬ 
ditions as to soil and climate. At Merton Lodge, 
Chiswick, a tree on the grass annually yields from six 
to eight bushels. The soil consists of alluvium or 
Thames valley drift, the surface being of a moderately 
heavy loam overlying a great depth of gravel. The 
tree in question is an old specimen of moderate height, 
with a broad spreading head. 
s from ^Scotland. 
The Gardeners’ Conference at Dunkeld.— 
Between sixty and seventy of the leading gardeners 
and nurserymen assembled at Dunkeld on the 31st ult., 
in response to the invitation of Mr. P. W.Fairgrieve, 
to take part in the interesting programme of inspection 
and discussion which had been previously arranged. 
Having entered the grounds, the party, under Mr. 
Faiigrieve’s guidance, proceeded to inspect the fruit 
houses, which were found to contain remarkably 
fine crops, and the hardy fruit garden, which covers 
about 7 acres. This was a surprise to most of the 
visitors, who expecting something good, from Mr. 
Fairgrieve’s reputation, were scarcely prepared to find 
such perfect examples of successful fruit culture as he 
had to show them. The party subsequently partook of 
luncheon at the City Hall, Mr. Dunn, of Dalkeith, 
presiding, and Mr. R. Lindsay and Mr. D. P. Laird, 
of Edinburgh, acting as croupiers. A most interesting 
discussion, initiated during the tour of inspection, 
was continued after the luncheon, and several of the 
party expressed the hope that other conferences of a 
similar character might be held in other parts. "We 
regret that the demands on our space this week prevent 
us from going more into detail, but we shall revert to 
the subject in our next. 
-- 
GardeningNotes from Ireland. 
New Prizes for Choice Hardy Flowers. 
At a late meeting of the Council of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society of Ireland, a proposal was made by 
Hamilton Drummond, Esq., Ashmore, Rathgar, to 
offer a Challenge Cup, value 15 guineas, to be won 
three times before becoming the property of the 
exhibitor; and he adds to this prize another of 
£5, which will be disposed of annually. The only 
conditions attached to these prizes are that in the case 
of the cup, as stated above, it must be won three times, 
I suppose in succession, and that the society shall add 
to the first prize of £5 a second one of £3. It has been 
also stipulated that no second prize shall be awarded 
unless there are four competitors, and that the com¬ 
petition shall be confined to amateur growers only, and 
further, that the prizes, and the conditions for obtaining 
them, shall be fully set forth in the society’s schedule 
for 1889. These conditions were at once agreed to by 
the council, and on the part of the society their most 
grateful acknowledgment was accorded to Mr, 
Drummond for his most useful and generous offer. It 
was also determined by the council that to bring so 
important a matter under the immediate notice of 
intending exhibitors, printed slips containing all 
necessary information would be issued as soon as 
possible, so that ample time should be afforded for 
competing at the next summer and autumn shows. 
It has been evident for some years past that there is 
a growing desire in people’s minds to return to the 
cultivation of hardy flowering plants, and it is to 
encourage this growing feeling that Mr. Drummond 
comes forward in so practical a manner to aid in giving 
further stimulus in this direction. It is to be hoped 
that every exertion will be used to make this com¬ 
petition a success, and that it may be made worthy of 
the society, as well as of the liberal prizes offered by the 
donor. As the trade is likely to benefit somewhat by 
the increased demand for such plants as will be required 
for exhibition, in the interest of their clients, as well 
as in their own, they should take care that both plants 
and seeds should be of the best and choicest de¬ 
scription.— W. D. 
-- 
HARDY PLANTS IN FLOWER. 
Alstrcemeria psittacina. 
Though not so brightly coloured as many of the species 
of this family, the Parrot Flower deserves a place for 
its late-flowering qualities and hardiness. Owing to 
the cold wet season, our Alstrcemerias have not 
flowered so well as in past seasons. The subject of this 
note has been an exception, for it is still blooming with 
vigour, and will continue to do so until cut down by 
the frost. The flowers are of a dull crimson, curiously 
splashed with brown and green streaks of colour. 
Dianthus dextosus. 
A dwarf but very conspicuous species, growing only 
some 6 ins. or 7 ins. high, with glaucous foliage having 
rather an unhealthy tinge of red. The flowers are 
fully 1 in. across, and of a violet-red colour, with a 
dark purple eye. It requires a well-drained border to 
winter successfully, the best position for it being 
•between pieces of sandstone in the rock garden, where 
t will grow into a spreading tuft.— J. TP. 0. 
