246 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 15, 1888. 
This huge variety is of this season’s production, and 
was obtained by Mr. Doherty, gardener to Lord North, 
at Wroxton Abbey, Banbury. Mr. Doherty obtained 
six of the largest bulbs of imported Spanish Onions he 
could obtain at the shops, and planted them out, and 
by their side six large and handsome specimens of the 
Anglo-Spanish. "When they were in flower the blossoms 
of the imported type were impregnated with pollen 
from the Anglo-Spanish ; this was done in 1887. The 
seed was sown, and this season has produced eighty 
bulbs, the entire stock. The skin is of a pale straw 
colour ; the bulbs are very large, handsome, deep in 
the flesh, and have a small neck ; it partakes of the 
general character of Rousham Hero. It was named 
the Lord Keeper by Lady North, after one of the Peers 
who held the office of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, 
and who originally laid out the gardens at Wroxton 
Abbey. It has every appearance of being a good 
keeper. For exhibition purposes it would be difficult 
to name a variety so fine in all respects. 
The Onion has played its part in the folk lore of this 
country ; with the English Druids the Onion was the 
emblem of Deity, and to this day it is a custom in some 
parts of England for girls to divine by it. In olden 
times country lasses used to resort to a method of 
divination with the Onion, named after St. Thomas ; 
this they peeled and wrapped in a clean kerchief, then 
placing it under their heads, they repeated the 
following lines :— 
“Good St. Thomas, do me right, 
And let my true love come to-night, 
That I may bless him in the face, 
And him in my fond arms embrace.” 
In the south of England Mr. Folkard states that 
this species of divination is still extant, but the 
procedure is different. When the Onions are bought 
the purchaser must take care to go in by one door of 
the shop and come out by another, a shop being 
selected that has two doors. These Onions, placed 
under your pillow on St. Thomas’s Eve, are sure to 
bring visions of your true love—your future husband. 
To dream of Onions is considered of evil augury, por¬ 
tending sickness and misfortune. 
“ To dream of eating Onions means 
Much strife in thy domestic scenes ; 
Secrets found out or else betrayed, 
And many falsehoods made and said.” 
—E. I). 
-- 
The Amateurs' Garden. 
—- 
The Fringed-leaved Saxifrage. 
When planted in a sunny sheltered position Saxifraga 
ligulata is one of the earliest Saxifrages to bloom, 
and it is certainly the first of the large-leaved kinds 
known under the name of Megasea. It is also a valu¬ 
able and ornamental plant for the decoration of the 
greenhouse, and if amateurs would take it in hand, 
they would be amply rewarded by the production of 
flowers in winter, when it is a difficult matter to keep 
the greenhouse gay. It flowers naturally much earlier 
when grown in pots and sheltered by a frame or green¬ 
house ; but it may also be forwarded by putting it for 
a short time in heat, after which it should be removed 
to a lower temperature, where it will last in good con¬ 
dition for some time. The flowers are rose-coloured or 
pink, and produced in panicles proportionate to the 
size of the plant. After growth has been completed in 
autumn, the largest crowns may be taken off with a 
knife and inserted in a compost of sandy loam and leaf- 
soil, using 3-in. or 4-in. pots, according to the size of 
the cutting. Stake the latter as it will be top-heavy, 
and few or no leaves should be removed. They will 
root during the autumn in a cold frame, and flower the 
first winter or spring, according to the temperature. In 
spring pot them into larger sizes, using a more sub¬ 
stantial compost, and stand out of doors during 
summer. 
Violets. 
Should the weather continue mild, Violets in frames 
will give all the more satisfaction if the lights are taken 
right off night and day, except during heavy rains. 
Mats and other means of protection should always be 
held in readiness in case of frost. Ample ventilation 
should be given, however, on all favourable occasions 
if it is necessary to keep on the lights in case of rain. 
Show and Fancy Pelargoniums. 
As the young shoots are now attaining considerable 
length more space should be given the plants, keeping 
them as near the glass as possible to prevent their 
becoming drawn. The stakes or framework necessary 
for the training of large specimens should now be put 
in or fixed in position, so that the tying down of the 
shoots may be commenced at once. Training will also 
allow free access of air and light—a matter of great im¬ 
portance at all times, but especially so at present. 
Towards the end of this month pinch out the tips of 
the shoots of those plants intended for flowering in 
June. Very little watering will be required for some 
time to come ; but at the same time they must not be 
starved, otherwise the leaves will suffer in consequence. 
Zonal Pelargoniums not in flower may be kept tolerably 
dry. 
Ferns and Fern-cases in Windows. 
Very little watering will be required at this season, but 
the Fern-cases must not on that account be neglected; 
If allowed to get dust dry the small evergreen kinds 
will suffer much harm by losing their fronds, even if 
they do not get killed. The safest plan is to thoroughly 
inspect the case at intervals of not less than a week to 
see the soil is quite moist, not necessarily saturated, 
and after watering ventilation should be given to dry 
up the superfluous moisture. Generally speaking 
Ferns in pots stood in the window will not require 
more frequent watering, but their fronds are liable to 
get dusty. The best plan in this case would be to take 
the Ferns outside, lay them on their sides to prevent 
an excess of water from getting into the pots, and give 
them a good syringing or a heavy watering through a 
rosed watering-pot to clean the fronds. Afterwards 
shake them and allow them to stand in the open air 
for a short time if the weather is mild till they get 
partly dried, after which replace them in the window. 
Variegated Plants for Winter Decoration. 
Unless a temperature of about 50° Fahrenheit be main¬ 
tained in the greenhouse, a good display of flowering 
plants—that is, great variety—cannot be obtained. It 
may, however, be interesting to amateurs to know that 
there are many beautiful and evergreen variegated 
subjects which may be grown perfectly well in a green¬ 
house from which frost is merely excluded. There is a 
strikingly variegated form of the Indiarubber Plant 
(Ficus elastica) now being extensively propagated and 
disseminated throughout the country, and it will, no 
doubt, be much appreciated as a window plant when it 
can be obtained cheaply. The New Zealand Flax 
(Phormium tenax) may also be safely wintered in a 
greenhouse, and the variegated form (P. t. variegata) 
is certainly a handsome plant. It requires a good 
supply of water when growing. Aspidistra lurida 
variegata is well known and indispensable for window 
decoration as well as the greenhouse. Then there is 
Aralia Sieboldii variegata, Eurya latifolia variegata, the 
variegated Euonymus, Senecio Kiempferi aurea macu- 
lata, and the graceful Vinca major variegata (the 
greater variegated Periwinkle), which may be used for 
basket work. 
- «>X<~ 
EFPEOTS OF SMOKE ON TREES. 
In an address on “ Trees in Towns and Suburban 
Gardening near large Cities,” recently delivered at a 
soiree of the Manchester Field Naturalists and Archfeo- 
logists Society, Mr. Robert Holland, of Frodsham, 
said :—The members of that society did not require to 
be told that without vegetation it would be impossible 
for animals to exist on the face of the earth. Plants 
were placed on the earth in order to purify the air for 
the respiration of animals. In well-wooded countries 
man lives with greater comfort and better health than 
he does in places that are badly timbered. The question 
might be put: “ Then how does it come about that the 
inhabitants of Greenland, where vegetation is absent, or 
at any rate very meagre, manage to live?” His answer 
was that that was due to the law which chemists called 
the diffusion of gases. In one country the air was 
purified by plants, the wind currents did their work, 
and gradually the purification of the air reached all 
parts of the world. At last Greenland was reached, 
and so the inhabitants were able to live. It was the 
greatest possible mistake to denude a country of its 
timber, and he had not the slightest doubt that the 
Americans would some day see that they had done 
wrong in setting fire to so many of their primeval 
forests, even though it be to grow corn in their stead. 
A similar remark applied to our colonies. Trees might 
be planted with great advantage in many countries 
which were not so exposed to smoke as England. He 
was, however, afraid we should never again have the 
fine vegetation that existed in this country some 
centuries ago. 
He would like at this point to say a word or two 
about that vegetation, and in order to do so he would 
carry the audience in imagination into the recesses of 
Sherwood Forest. Four or five years ago he was one 
of a small party of gentlemen who visited that grand 
old forest. They started from “Worksop, and were soon 
amongst the immense number of magnificent veteran 
Oaks of the forest. The trunks were of great girth and 
diameter, the branches far-spreading in all directions ; 
some showed unmistakeable signs of the ravages of time, 
but they were still fresh and green. Ten members of 
the party sheltered at one time from a passing shower 
of rain in the hollow trunk of the Major Oak. He had 
been told that fifteen people had been accommodated in 
the same place, and could readily believe the statement. 
Many of the old branches were broken, but new ones 
were full of sap, and were as green and fresh as their 
predecessors had been three or four centuries ago. He 
was afraid that we should never produce such trees as 
these again, as the air of England and many other 
countries has been permanently vitiated by poisonons 
gases and coal smoke. Trees could not be grown any¬ 
where near our large towns such as those which thrived 
in former times, and he attributed the great amount of 
the deterioration which had taken place in our vegetation 
to the effect of common coal smoke. Our population 
doubled itself in something like every fifty years, so 
that we had a like increase in the number of dwelling- 
house fires in the same period, and there were also 
double the number of chimneys of works and manu¬ 
factories pouring forth smoke into the atmosphere. 
At the meeting were Dr. Alcock gave his lecture he 
(Mr. Holland) among other things gave utterance to 
the thought that carbon in smoke did no harm what¬ 
ever to plant life. Mr. Grindon corroborated the 
statement. He was now about to make a recantation. 
In the interval that had elapsed he had seventeen 
years’ experience of coal smoke, and had come to the 
conclusion that it did an incalculable amount of mis¬ 
chief to our vegetation. It was quite true that soot 
was an antiseptic, and formed good manure when placed 
upon the fields, but acted differently when sent into 
the atmosphere. Coal smoke excluded a considerable 
number of the sun’s rays, which it was important 
should reach the vegetation, if it was to thrive well. 
In a town like Manchester there was a constant cloud 
of black smoke hanging overhead, and the effect was 
shown in the quality of the vegetation. In consequence 
of the exclusion of the sun’s rays the leaves did not 
obtain a sufficient amount of life, they came into life a 
little later than they ought to do in the spring, and 
fell from the trees a great deal earlier than they should 
do in the autumn. The trees were not able to carry 
out their functions for a sufficient time each year, and, 
therefore, their growth was very small, stunted, and 
the whole plant became somewhat sickly. 
Could anything be done to counteract the damage 
that was being done by dense smoke and chemical 
vapours ? He answered yes ; a great deal might be 
done. An Act had been passed to compel manu¬ 
facturers to do away with the smoke nuisance] in 
connection with their works, and means should be 
taken to see that it was carried out. That done, 
the vegetation in the neighbourhood of large towns like 
Manchester would be greatly benefited. It would be 
to the advantage of this city and other places to try 
and promote the cultivation of plants in the locality as 
much as possible. Everybody had a love for the 
flowers, plants, trees, and green fields of the country, 
and as all people could not go to the country something 
should be done to bring the country to them. Could 
that be done ? Yes, to a certain extent, even in this 
city, by the selection of trees, plants, and flowers that 
would successfully withstand the vitiated atmosphere. 
He held in his hand a long list of the names of 
suitable trees, plants, and flowers. The trees included 
the Wych and weeping variety of the Elm, the Lime, 
Beech (the copper-leaved variety he fancied thrived 
the best in towns), Oriental Plane, Silver and other 
varieties of the Poplar, the common Apple tree, from 
which, however, no fruit must be ever expected, and 
the Sycamore, which grew quickly, and so repaired 
any mischief that might be done to it. 
Among the trees of smaller growth were the 
Laburnum, Lilac, Hawthorns of various kinds, Tulip 
tree, Almond, Mountain Ash, common Willow, Elder, 
Mulberry, Privet, Laurel, Hollies of various sorts, and 
Rhododendrons. There were also the climbing shrubs, 
including many varieties of the Ivy, Virginian Creeper, 
Fig, and Vine ; herbaceous plants, bulbs, Ferns, and 
the well-known group of annual and biennial flowers. 
A great deal might be done near large towns in the 
way of window gardening, and from the list he had 
read to the meeting it would seem that it was quite 
possible to have gardens, even in the neighbourhood of 
smoky Manchester, in which flowers could be grown in 
the spring, summer, and autumn, and in fact almost 
all the year round. 
