168 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 10, 1888 
Belle Julie Pear. 
Notwithstanding the many Pears in cultivation, there 
is still room for improvement or the increase of kinds 
which may be depended on to produce a good average 
crop every year. Belle Julie is a variety which has 
now been tried for many years in the gardens of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, amongst the collection of 
old pyramid trees. It bears profusely, never seeming 
to fail, although many other kinds in proximity to it 
vary considerably from year to year. The fruits are 
small in size, neatly Pear-shaped, and covered all over 
almost uniformly with rough russety scales or dots on 
a pale green ground. The fruits are ripe in October 
and November, and are most pleasant eating. The 
flesh is white, melting, deliciously flavoured, and 
although not so inviting to the eye as the large and 
highly-coloured kinds, yet it appeals more forcibly to 
the taste, which should be reckoned of more importance 
than mere appearance. 
--- 
ARDENING 
ISCELLANY, 
Amasonia calycina. 
Though better known under the name of Amasonia 
punicea, the above is now considered to be the more 
botanically correct. When grown under favourable 
cultural conditions, the display is certainly far grander 
and more imposing than when kept as a miserable 
starveling. The increased vigour 1 is not so perceptible 
in the flowers, or so noticeable as in the increased size 
and number of the brilliant crimson bracts, which are 
of decorative value both before the expansion of the 
flowers and after they drop. The latter are long, 
tubular, and creamy yellow, offering a strong contrast 
to the brilliancy of the bracts, which are arranged in a 
sort of double line along the upper side of the arching 
stems, while the drooping flowers are arranged beneath 
them. We noticed a fine batch in one of the stoves in 
the nursery of Messrs. J. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea. The 
foliage was also noticeable on account of the size of the 
individual leaves and their dark green colour. 
Tropseolum tuberosum as a Pickle. 
In your issue of October 3rd, 1886, you suggest that 
Stachys tubifera might make an addition to our 
subjects for pickling. Well, I have not enough to 
spare this time for the experiment ; but I will 
give your readers the result of a trial we made with 
Tropfeolum tuberosum, the tubers of which resemble 
those of the Stachys. We pickled a jar of these, and 
after keeping them for two years they were pronounced 
to be the very best pickles ever tasted. I am not aware 
whether it is a new idea, but I think if some of our 
leading pickle manufacturers were to take it up, a large 
demand would soon be created for it.— IV. B. G. 
A Fine Old Wistaria. 
At the Rookery, near Bromley, Kent, is an interesting 
specimen of the Chinese Kidney-Bean Tree (Wistaria 
chinensis), a climber that may be said to exceed the 
Mammoth Tree of California as far as length is 
concerned ; but whether under favourable circumstances 
it would have attained its present enormous length if 
allowed to cling to a tree or other object so that it 
might ascend perpendicularly from the earth is another 
question, and one that evidently could only be 
answered in the negative. It is trained all round the 
outer wall of a vinery and another wall close by 
and running parallel with it, so that the Wistaria 
encloses a piece of ground, in shape a parallelogram. 
The Wistaria thus doubles upon itself, and the longest 
branches or stems have reached the extraordinary 
length of 400 ft. If all climbers occupied the same 
amount of space as this one, few of them could be 
accommodated in gardens of ordinary size. 
Prunus Pissardi. 
This crimson-leaved Japanese plant is destined to 
take a high place among our ornamental deciduous 
trees. The foliage opens of a bright vermilion-crimson, 
and retains the colour until the leaves drop in autumn. 
Then it flowers in early spring, and bears fruit also, so 
that it is, in all respects, a highly valuable subject. 
At Gunnersbury Park there are a few fine specimens 
that were planted just within the fringes of shrubbery 
borders, and which are also protected on the north and 
east by tall trees, which is found advantageous in 
spring. At that season they are clothed with blossoms, 
in summer they bear fruit, and their foliage is at all 
times richly covered. Mr. Roberts has so planted pale- 
coloured Clematises near them that their flowering 
shoots mingle with the leaves of the Prunus, and the 
effect is charming. Because it blooms so early, and is 
in so much danger of being cut off by the frost in con¬ 
sequence, this delightful species should have a sheltered 
position. It might also be cultivated in pots with 
advantage for the spring and summer decoration of a 
cold conservatory.— B. D. 
Cedrus atlantica glauca. 
This is a very handsome form of the African Cedar 
(Cedrus atlantica). I think it is one of Mr. A. Waterer’s 
introductions ; it takes on a most delightful silvery 
hue, and at this season of the year it affords a most 
remarkable contrast to the ordinary green types. 
When this new form grows into size it will make a 
decorative Fir of great value in the landscape, or, 
indeed, in any suitable position. C. atlantica is a 
native of Mount Atlas, in northern Africa, and forms 
the prevalent arborescent vegetation throughout the 
province of Constantine, on the eastern Atlas ranges. 
When matured it forms a large tree of broadly pyra¬ 
midal habit, scarcely distinguishable from the Cedar of 
Lebanon, except that the branches are shorter ; the 
leaves also are shorter, thicker, and more prickly. It 
was introduced into Europe in 1841, and subsequently 
into England. When the glaucous form attains to 
size it will be an object of considerable beauty, and it is 
said that the silvery tint is very persistent.— R. D. 
Thyrsopteris elegans. 
The dissemination of this Fern in gardens must 
unfortunately be slow, as it is of arborescent or tree habit, 
and cannot therefore be quickly increased by division. 
All attempts to increase it by spores have also failed, 
both at Kew and in the nursery of Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea. There is a specimen of it at the 
latter place, about 4 ft. or 5 ft. in height, which fruits 
abundantly ; but the spores seem imperfect, inasmuch 
as no seedlings are ever raised from them. As a decor¬ 
ative subject, however, the fronds are very handsome 
whether in a small or large state. On a large plant the 
blade or lamina would be 2 ft. or 3 ft. long, and five or 
six times finely divided. A striking peculiarity of this 
Fern is that the curious cup-shaped involucres enclosing 
the spore cases occupy the lower portion of the frond 
only. In fact the lower pinnaj are transformed into 
compound racemes or dense panicles of spore-bearing 
cases ; while the upper portion of the frond is of a deep 
green. The plant at Chelsea is twenty years old. It 
is a native of Juan Fernandez. 
Large Cordylines. 
It is to be regretted that Cordyline australis is not a 
few degrees more hardy, as we could then introduce 
a fresh feature in our parks and pleasure grounds by 
planting this ornamental subject. We can never see 
it in its true character when grown for table or similar 
decorative purposes, because whenever it becomes big 
and unmanageable it is cut down to be propagated. 
At Syon House, Brentford, some specimens are 25 ft. 
in height, while one about 20 ft. high is flowering 
freely. As might be expected, it exhibits its true 
character by bearing a tuft of leaves only on the top, 
while the stem is roughly clothed with the fibrous 
remains of the leaf-bases all the way to its base. The 
flowers are small and white, borne in huge drooping 
panicles, and although sweet scented, their odour is 
lost op account of their height from the ground. 
For large and cool conservatories this species constitutes 
a suitable subject, and might be more largely grown by 
those who have imperfectly or altogether unheated 
houses. 
Bayonet Plant. 
The plant to which this name is applied is also known 
as the Wild Spaniard, and botanically as Aciphylla 
squarrosa. It is a singular-looking subject, although 
a member of the Umbellifer family, and in its native 
country is said to attain a height of from 6 ft. to 9 ft. 
This, of course, would refer to the flowering plant, a 
condition in which it is seldom seen in this country. 
We noted a flowering specimen, however, in the Botanic 
Gardens, at Edinburgh, a short time ago, and the 
flower stem did not exceed 15 ins. or 18 ins. in height. 
There is reason to suppose, however, that it would 
have made more vigorous growth had the past season 
been more favourable to planes generally. The fruits 
were strongly guarded by formidable-looking spines, 
which are modified bracts, and divided into a number 
of branches, most of which are reflexed, closely covering 
the fruit and partly interlocking with one another. 
The name Bayonet Plant may apply either to these or 
to the leaves themselves, which are equally spiny, 
formidable, and point in all directions. Mr. Lindsay, 
the curator, has also been successful in flowering Rheum 
nobile again during the past summer. 
Datura suaveolens. 
A considerable number of Daturas has been intro¬ 
duced from time to time, but although D. sanguinea 
and the double garden form D. Knighti are grown to some 
extent, none of them have attained the popularity of 
that under notice. Of the arborescent or shrubby 
kinds none are so easily managed or flower so freely. 
Indeed, it may be flowered at any season almost if 
grown in pots, because after it has completed its 
growth it may be pruned back, re-potted if necessary, 
and started again in heat. Flowers will be produced 
again as the shoots elongate, provided the plants are 
well exposed to the light, and the house is well ventilated 
to maintain a short-jointed and vigorous growth. The 
greatest amount of bloom at any one time, however, 
would be produced by large-sized specimens planted 
out, as is done in the greenhouse at High Elms, Kent, 
where a specimen about 10 ft. high is now richly 
furnished with its huge trumpet-shaped, pendulous, 
pure white flowers. The latter are about a foot in 
length, highly fragrant, and are most acceptable at 
this season of the year. 
-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
*♦* 
The Stand Hall Collection. 
A VERT few years ago the Orchids grown at Stand 
Hall, Whitefield, were very few in number, but at the 
present time there is to be seen there one of the finest 
collections in Lancashire, not as regards quantity alone, 
but for number and quality combined. Mr. Thomas 
Statter, the worthy owner, in conversation remarked, 
“while I grow Orchids none but first-class varieties 
will find a place in my houses.” The varieties at 
present in flower well substantiate this remark, as all 
would bear the minutest inspection of the most ardent 
connoisseur. The first plant calling for special notice 
is a superb form of Cattleya Dowiana aurea, a variety 
well worth a distinctive name, the sepals and petals 
being very broad and of good substance, in colour clear 
nankeen, the lip intensely deep purple, almost black, 
the gold lacings confined to the throat and not running 
to the base as is usual in the type ; the contrast is 
splendid and well-nigh indescribable. In the same 
house are several fine plants of Yanda ccerulea in 
full beauty ; a very fine specimen of Cymbidium 
Mastersii with six spikes, C. Lowianum with nine 
spikes ; Ccelogyne Massangeana with a fine raceme of 
bloom ; also the somewhat rare Miltonia grandiflora. 
In another house are two good plants of the new Lselia 
Goldiana, each with a strong flower spike, one about to 
open its blooms. Oncidium tigrinum is done here 
well, a plant with a spike .carrying twenty-eight well- 
formed flowers being a show in itself. Oncidium 
csesium, a somewhat neglected Orchid, when grown as 
it is here, makes a charming effect. 
Cypripediums have not yet taken Mr. Statter’s fancy 
to any marked degree, still the section is represented 
by a few good things, amongst those in flower being C. 
Spicerianum magnificum, a splendid variety, C. Stonei, 
C. venustum pardinum, C. Leeanum superbum, and C. 
insigne, a very fine variety which may be mistaken for 
the variety C. punctatum violaceum. Other species in 
flower include Oncidium Forbesi, a dozen or more 
plants with fine spikes in bloom ; O. crispum, 0. 
ornithorhynchum, O. Gardnerianum, O. varicosum 
Rogersi, 0. Jonesianum, Cattleya Bowringeana, a fine 
plant with five spikes ; Comparettia macroplectron, 
Masdevallia Chimaera, M.Behlimi, Dendrobium aureum, 
D. bigibbum, D. chrysanthum, very fine variety ; and 
Catasetum Bungerothii, several plants in flower and 
bud. Lslia Perrinii was also very fine. The quantity 
of well-developed spikes of the Laelia anceps, L. albida, 
L. autumnalis, &e. ; the spikes of the numerous vari- 
ties of Cattleya ; the strong, well-ripened growths of 
the various Dendrobiums thickly studded with flower 
buds, all promise a plentiful supply of bloom during 
the winter and spring months. Mr. Johnston, Mr. 
Statter’s able lieutenant, deserves the highest praise for 
the efficient manner in which he treats the valuable 
plants under his care.— I. 
Vanilla planifolia, 
Several species furnish fruit, which is collected and 
dried, or otherwise prepared, and sold as Yanilla ; bu 
the variety under notice produces the best. It has been 
