70 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 3, 1891. 
various bedding subjects of the usual kind. The 
Pelargoniums have of course grown vigorously, but 
they are thinly flowered by reason of the heavy and 
long continued rains. Two oblong curved beds of 
Verbena venosa on a groundwork of Centaurea 
ragusina, and edged with Dell's Black Beet and 
Golden Feather still maintain a gay appearance 
Foliage plants also look well in a bed of Centaurea, 
edged with a broad belt of Iresine Lindeni ; and also 
in a circular bed on each side of this, consisting of 
Iresine Lindeni, edged with Golden Feather and 
Cotyledon. Some beds of bicolor Pelargoniums 
mixed with blue Violas, have also a light and cheer¬ 
ful appearance compared with the dull and cheerless 
beds filled with flowering zonals. 
At either end is a large oblong curved bed done 
out in various figures of Alternanthera, edged with 
different species of Cotyledon, on a ground-work of 
Mentha. The central figure is diamond shaped and 
raised above the rest. A circular bed at either end 
is also neatly done with similar plants. Two circular 
beds of carpet bedding, nearly filled with a six-rayed 
star of various Alternantheras edged with Cotyledon, 
are particularly neat. Several figures in the inter¬ 
spaces between the rays are worked upon a ground¬ 
work of Mentha. A thin line of Golden Feather 
bounds the whole, and Cotyledon secunda glauca as 
usual occupies the sharpy sloping edge. All the 
other beds are practically spoilt for the season on 
account of the rain and want of sunshine. 
THE HERBACEOUS BORDER, 
Perennial Asters for September. 
A large proportion of the species of Aster which are 
in full bloom during September also continue through 
the greater part of October ; but there are some very 
choice kinds which are not at their best till the latter 
month, and should therefore be considered as Octo¬ 
ber flowering kinds. Some few commence flowering 
in August, and continue till October provided the 
soil is fairly fertile and moist. If collectors would 
visit and examine collections of Asters before making 
a selection they would be more certain of getting the 
desirable kinds, and the effect would tend to popu¬ 
larise a deserving class of plants, and give the public 
a better estimate of them for decorative purposes. 
The varieties of A. Novi-Belgi are extremely nume¬ 
rous,and while a number of them are very ornamental 
and floriferous, many others are very weedy, and 
ought to be eradicated. The very fact of their being 
easy to propagate has caused them to be widely dis¬ 
seminated in gardens much to the injury of the 
finer sorts. Any garden soil proves suitable, and 
propagation by division is so easy that no comment 
upon it is necessary. 
A. Shortii.— The stems of this North American 
species seldom exceed 3 ft. or 3 J ft. in height, and 
terminate in panicles of lilac flowers which are of 
good average size and very showy in the aggregate. 
The leaves are narrowly ovate with a cordate base 
and very distinct for the genus. 
A. pyrex.sus. — The heads of this Pyrenean species 
are about ijin. across, and the stems 12 in. to 18 in. 
high. The buds before expansion resemble to some 
extent those of a Burdock, and the rays are lilac- 
purple. The leaves are lanceolate, and very closely 
set upon the stems. It commences flowering in 
August and continues till October in wet seasons like 
the present. Increase is very slow, and the 
plant never becomes weedy like some of the American 
kinds. 
A. Amellus. — The Italian Starwort is known to 
every collector of Michaelmas Daisies, for its large 
heads of blue flowers shaded with purple. The 
stems generally grow about 18 in. high, and are 
well furnished with spathulate and oblong, darkgreen 
leaves. 
A. spectabilis.— Under good cultivation, the 
stems of this North American species vary from 
18 in. to 2 ft. in height, and terminate in corymbs of 
bluish-purple flower heads 1 in. to if in. across. The 
radical leaves are large, lanceolate, and cover 
the ground, while the stem leaves are much smaller. 
A. versicolor.— In stature this resembles some of 
the choice, dwarf forms of A. Novi-Belgi such as A. 
N.-B. laevigatus, being only 12 in. to 18 in. high. 
The flower heads are also similar in size, very freely 
produced in panicles, and are white changing to a 
rosy-pink with age The two colours are freely 
prised in the sapre paffjcje 
A. Novi-Belgi.— The New York Aster in its 
typical form is a grand decorative plant with 
lavender-blue flower heads 1 in. to if in. across, and 
of a darker hue when they first expand. _ The stems 
are 4 ft. to 5 ft. high, and well furnished with dark 
green foliage. October is, however, the month in 
which it attains perfection. Some of the forms of it 
are so distinct that they often get different specific 
names. 
A. N.-B. densus. — For many years this has been 
cultivated under the name of A. laevis, and it is one 
of the most distinct and handsome of all Asters. 
The leaves are relatively short, broad, and of a dark 
shining green. The stems vary from 2 ft. to 2 J ft. 
under good culture, and terminate in flat-topped 
panicles of bright blue flowers, fin. to ijin. across. 
The plant forms a dense bush, and is now quite charm¬ 
ing in appearance. 
A. N.-B. l.’evigatus. — The stems of this variety 
are only 12 in. to 18 in. high, and much branched on 
the upper third of their length, with a profusion of 
rosy-pink flowers. The plant is frequently grown in 
gardens under the name of A. minimus, in allusion to 
its dwarf stature. 
A. cordifolius. — The heart-shaped leaves of this 
species are' distinct, and by no means very common 
in the genus. The stems of the more typical form 
are 2 ft. high, slender, deep reddish-purple, flexuous 
and much branched with long ascending branches 
bearing a profusion of white or pale lavender 
flowers. Some forms of it are taller, with smaller 
white flowers. 
A. Linosyris. — The stems of this European and 
British plant are generally about 18 in. high, but in 
good soil they attain a height of 2 ft. The flower 
heads are deep golden-yellow and rayless, and on 
that account the plant is often called Linosyris vul¬ 
garis, and Goldilocks, from the colour of the flower 
heads. A North American form is now included with 
this species. It has a few white rays and narrower 
leaves, and is generally grown in gardens and recor¬ 
ded in books under the name of A. linifolius, or the 
Flax-leaved Aster. 
GETTING FRUIT TREES 
TRUE. 
When the lists of hardy fruits which the Royal 
Horticultural Society proposes to publish for cir¬ 
culation amongst cottagers and small farmers was 
under discussion the other day by the Fruit Com¬ 
mittee, I ventured to state my belief that to persons 
so very ignorant of the nursery trade as the classes 
alluded to were, it would be very difficult for them 
to obtain the sorts of fruits mentioned in the lists 
true to name. The suggestion, however, was pooh- 
poohed. A couple of days later I visited some good 
private gardens in Hampshire, and was in them 
shown Apples purchased locally, and from a 
respectable trader, for certain sorts which proved to 
be very different varieties. 
Now if good practical gardeners are thus deceived 
what prospect is there that cottagers or other 
ignorant persons may not be so also ? There are 
some high-class fruit tree nurseries in the kingdom, 
where every effort is made to keep the stock abso¬ 
lutely true, but in all these at some time or other 
mistakes are made. In many of the smaller 
nurseries the difficulty of keeping varieties absolutely 
true is much greater because the fruit departments 
are not extensive enough to demand that absolute 
supervision found in larger nurseries. This is a 
difficulty of no small moment, for should the poor pur¬ 
chasers of fruit trees be in any way deceived, not 
only is the action of the Royal Horticultural 
Society wasted, but the money and soil of the 
planter is wasted also. 
I am frequently applied to by persons of the very 
classes referred to for information as to gardening 
books, and always have added name, price and 
where obtainable. I feel assured that it is just such 
information which the small farmer and cottager 
will ask for when the fruit lists come into their 
hands. Still farther how very important is it that 
trees on suitable stocks should be furnished. 
How much of heart-burning have I found amongst 
gardeners because these trees in many cases have been 
worked on ill-selected stocks. No one can desire to 
see the cottager the recipient of the* cast-off refuse of 
the nurseries, and I hope every effort will be made 
to serve this class well ■ — 4 D. 
THE WOKING NURSERY. 
The old-established nursery of Messrs. Geo. Jack- 
man & Son at Woking is situated in a pleasantly 
wooded and undulated part of Surrey, and occupies 
the top and slopes of a slight elevation or hill, about 
a mile and a half from Woking Station. This is 
really the old portion of the nursery, for a new one 
has been established for some years within three- 
quarters of a mile of the station. The latter consists 
of about sixty acres, and is occupied from one end 
to the other with nursery stock of all kinds, in¬ 
cluding Roses, deciduous trees and Conifers in large 
quantities. The older portion contains some ninety 
acres, making altogether 150 acres. The nursery 
stock on the portion of this capping the hill is pre¬ 
sently to be sold by auction to clear the ground for 
building purposes. The undermentioned subjects 
indicate the nature of the stock, and it is needless 
to say some of the specimens are of large size, having 
been planted many years ago in permanent positions. 
The saleable stuff has, of course, been frequently 
transplanted, and may be moved with safety. 
Conifers. 
The soil is of a fine sandy loam of a rich nature, 
calculated to encourage a mass of fibrous roots, and 
this no doubt has determined to a large extent the 
success of the nursery. Conifers are a marked 
feature here, as may be seen by the specimens of 
Cupressus Lawsoniana, C. nutksensis (Thuyopsis 
borealis), and Thuya gigantea (T. Lobbii)', 6ft. to 
10 ft. high, and perfect specimens of their kind. The 
varieties of the first named are very numerous, and 
include C. L. argentea, 6 ft. to 8 ft. high, of prya- 
midal habit with densely arranged, spreading branches 
of silvery appearance. C. L. erecta viridis is 
another old favourite, forming columnar specimens 
2 ft. to 4 ft. high. C. L. pyramidalis alba is some¬ 
thing in the way of C. L. argentia, but the specimens, 
which are 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, are denser in habit and 
of a silvery glaucous hue. C. L. Fraseri is a colum¬ 
nar tree with short ascending branches, and is a great 
favourite with many ; but it is eclipsed by the elegant 
beauty and deep silvery white hue of C. L. Allumi 
of similar habit. It was raised by a nurseryman of 
that name at Tamworth, and the specimens are 4ft. 
to 6ft. high, as are those of C. L. Fraseri. The 
former may be compared to the silvery Atlantic 
Cedar (Cedrus atlantica glauca) in hue, but has short 
ascending branches, not likely to be broken down by 
a fall of snow. 
Other choice Conifers are Thuyopsis dolobrata, 
2 ft. to 5 ft. high, Retinospora pisifera aurea, 2 ft. to 
4 ft. high, and R. plumosa aurea, of similar height, 
and all in fine condition. The Golden Yew (Taxus 
baccata elegantissima) is another subject that cannot 
be overlooked. There are trees of various sizes, and 
also some large round headed specimens that have 
been grafted on the top of a hedge. The tall 
specimens of Thuya occidentalis cannot be compared 
with T. Lobbii for beauty and usefulness, but there 
are beautiful dense-habited plants of T. o. globosa, 
about 2 ft. to 2J ft. high, and as far through. Vari¬ 
eties of the Oriental Arborvitae (T. orientalis) are also 
kept in stock. The Spruces and Silver Firs are also 
specialities, including such kinds as Piceajorientalis, 
10 ft., and P. Engelmannii, P. E. glauca, 2 ft. to 3 J ft. 
high, with good leaders, representing the former. 
The Silver Firs are well to the fore with young speci¬ 
mens and old of Abies Nordmanniana, A. nobilis, A. 
lassiocarpa, A. concolor and A. c. violacea, 4 ft. to 
6 ft. There is a fine tree of A. lassiocarpa, 35 ft., A. 
grandis, 45 ft. or more, and another of A. Nordmann¬ 
iana in cone of similar height feathered to the ground, 
the lower branches actually lying upon it. The same 
may be said of some grand trees of Wellingtonia 
gigantea, about 50 ft. high, with fine boles tapering 
upward. Some trees of Cedrus atlantica, about 30 ft. 
high, and as man}- years old, are notable for their 
spreading habit, and some of them are heavily coned 
with curiously reflexed branches. Araucaria imbri- 
cata may be seen of various sizes. Trees of the 
Austrian Pine (Pinus austriaca), 5 ft. to 8 ft. high, and 
frequently lifted, are suitable for transplanting. 
Deciduous subjects and Hollies. 
In the open ground Hydrangea paniculata grandi- 
flora is bearing fine panicles of bloom, some of them 
being about 15 in. long, and nearly a foot through at 
the base. A fine old tree of the Purple Beach stands 
about 50 ft high, and as far through. The narrow¬ 
leaved • Acacia (Robinia Pseud Acacia microphylla 
~,t 'angustifolia) is a graceful and elegant tree, with 
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