212 THE GARDENING WORLD. December 5 , 1891. 
NOTES FROM OAKWOOD. 
On the 20th October we finished putting the greased 
bands on our fruit trees to protect them against 
the female of the Winter moth. This made its first 
appearance on the 4th November ; on the 12th moths 
came in quantity, we found eight on one tree ; there 
seems to be something in the garden at Oakwood 
attractive to moths, perhaps our wood or water. In 
the gardens here, and at our Cottage near, so few 
were caught last year (while we had many at Oak- 
wood) that we had not banded the trees. I should 
doubt the quantity of grease which finds it way 
through the Willesden brown canvas, of which the 
bands are made, being enough to injure the bark, 
but to make sure we have this year put a band 
of Willesden thick brown paper under the greased 
bands. 
I shall be obliged if any of your readers who 
grow hardy Cyclamens successfully would state 
whether they find sun or shade best for them. I 
know a beautiful bed in Cheshire in complete shade 
where they bloom well, and have beautiful leaves, 
but still think full sun is best for them; in our experi¬ 
ence the corms grow larger in sun than in shade, and 
there are more flowers, but we find that unlike many 
Alpines the roots keep so near the surface that 
occasional watering is needful. 
There seem to be curious changes in the Horticul¬ 
tural world : while members of the trade go on the 
Council of the Royal Horticultural Society, which 
used to consist only of amateurs, amateurs have 
begun to sell plants. I have to-day received 
some good plants sold by a Clergyman in the 
country.— George F. Wilson, Heatlierbanh, Weybridge 
Heath. 
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- • 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT 
CASTLEHILL, MAIDENHEAD. 
Anyone paying a visit to the nursery of Mr. R. 
Owen, at Castlehill, Maidenhead, can see that the 
season is yet far from being over. The lateness of 
his Chrysanthemums must be attributed to the fact 
that a large proportion of those at present in bloom 
are seedlings either of English or American produc¬ 
tion. Another year will be necessary before we are 
able to pronounce definitely upon the bulk of the 
American seedlings, in order that high culture may 
exercise its influence upon them. The undermen¬ 
tioned English productions are mostly two years old, 
and the blooms now show their true character. The 
bulk of them have been raised from seeds of Japan¬ 
ese varieties, which ripen seeds more freely than the 
incurved kinds ; but the results show that we can get 
great variation in form (including true incurved 
sorts) as well as in colour even from the same plants. 
In this we can recognise both the extreme variability 
of the Chrysanthemum and the close affinity of the 
various types which we are wont to consider so dis¬ 
tinct from one another. Mr. Owen has further 
demonstrated not only that Chrysanthemums can be 
raised from seed in this country, but that those of 
English production are often of very superior types. 
After the flowers have been fertilised by whatever 
means, the long lamina of the florets is cut off and 
the plants kept in a dry and airy atmosphere by pro¬ 
per artificial heating and ventilation. 
English Seedlings. 
Under this heading are included all those seedlings 
of Mr. Owen’s own raising. Viscountess Hambleden 
is a silvery blush-pink incurved Japanese of the 
largest size and finest form raised from Miss Anna 
Hartshorn. Mrs. T. A. Spaulding is of the same 
group, but has more globular blooms of a blush-pink 
with a white centre, and the middle series of florets 
get recurved with age. A seedling from Beauty of 
Castlewood, with deep rose amaranth florets and a 
yellow reverse, gives promise of being a very fine 
incurved Jap provided the centre fills up in another 
year. Somewhat similar to the Boule d'Or type is 
Mrs. C. Russell, but the florets are broader, more 
incurved, and lemon-yellow 7 slightly tinted with 
bronze. A promising exhibition sort is Mr. Wm. 
Tunnington, an incurved Jap, with long, broad, arch¬ 
ing florets of a strikingly reddish-chestnut lined and 
tipped with yellow 7 . The blooms are much the darker 
from terminal buds. We reach a climax amongst 
incurved Japs when we come to Robert Owen, a 
seedling from the globular Sarah Owen, with a very 
broad bloom, slightly flattened on the top. The 
florets are broad, closely incurved, regularly twisted 
against the sun, and then hooked at the long, pointed 
tips. They are of a rich golden bronze, deepening 
to reddish-bronze at the base, lined with yellow and 
having a long yellow tip ; they are, furthermore, 
slightly fluted but not tubular. The plant is a strong 
grower and rather tall in the seedling form, with 
blooms 8 in. to 10 in. in diameter,, both novel and 
distinct. 
A last year's seedling named Henry Perkins grows 
about 5 ft. high, with reddish chestnut and pointed 
florets. It is an incurved Jap of medium size and 
useful for grouping or decorative purposes. In con¬ 
trast to the above J. P. Kendall has blooms of the 
largest size, of a rose amaranth with a silvery lilac 
reverse, and is also an incurved Jap. To the same 
type belongs Umpire, having large and full flowers of 
a light silvery lilac shaded with rose. Charles 
Broustedt on the contrary is globular, incurved but 
reflexed with age, and rosy-lilac. Masterpiece is a 
reflexed Jap with large carmine-red blooms shaded 
with salmon, and light carmine on the reverse. It is 
a very full flower with gracefully recurved florets. 
Another reflexed Jap is Mrs. Gladstone, with creamy 
white flowers shaded blush and compact florets con¬ 
cave at the tip. On the other hand Mrs. Carr 
Gomm is a true Jap with creamy white flowers of 
the Cleopatra type and fine. Mrs. Langtry is a pure 
white, incurved Jap. Wm. Kipps, an incurved Jap, 
is large and promising with chestnut red florets 
tipped with bronzy yellow ; and Mrs. Annie Smith 
is of the same form but more compact and rich 
bronzy orange. Yellow Avalanche is a seedling from 
Avalanche with pure yellow flowers fading to sul¬ 
phur yellow with age. 
The above have been selected from amongst 2,000 
seedlings raised last year by Mr. Owen, and the 
results have given the greatest satisfaction and en¬ 
couragement, so that the number next year is likely to 
be increased, rather than decreased. Seedlings from 
Mrs. F. Jameson have given rise to flowers of various 
forms and colours, and the same maybe said of Sun¬ 
flower, some of which are of a rich golden yellow. A 
seedlingfromMr. C. Orchard has large pure white flow¬ 
ers, and gives great promise provided the centre fills up 
in another year. An incurved Jap raised from Sun¬ 
flower has broad bright bufi-apricot florets, and is 
certainly striking. Seedlings from Avalanche have 
given rise to white, rose and blush flowers, some of 
which are beautifully incurved Japs. A seedling 
Anemone with rose magenta flowers also promises 
well. Amongst sports originating here, Rivelyn is 
worthy of notice. It is a sport from the yellow 
Mrs. Norman Davis, and has golden bronze florets 
considerably darker towards the base of the flower, 
and the centre is golden yellow. A pale form of 
Lady Dorothy has given rise to primrose yellow 
flowers and light fawn ones on the Same plant. 
American Seedlings. 
A largq number of these are grown on trial, but 
seeing that the plants are small because introduced 
late in the season, it is impossible for the present to 
determine what they may turn out to be like when 
propagated at the proper time and grown Under high 
cultural treatment. An older introduction is Mrs. 
Bowen, with brilliant crimson florets and a golden 
reverse, and one of thefinest ofthesame type as Beauty 
of Castlewood, Mrs. C. W. Wheeler, etc. Mrs. F. A. 
Spaulding is another incurved Japanese with broad 
florets in whorls, and of a rosy-bronze on the back 
with the inner surface of a sulphur-yellow. This dis¬ 
tribution of colour is quite unusual amongst Chry¬ 
santhemums. The terminal buds will always be 
selected for exhibition purposes, as the blooms from 
crown buds are paler and bronzy yellow 7 ; it is a fine 
variety and grows vigorously. Mrs. J. S. Fogg is a 
reflexed Japanese of good habit, with compact heads 
of long, drooping chrome yellow florets. The large 
bright chestnut-red florets of President Harrison, an 
incurved Japanese, are very telling and promising, 
provided the centre fills up. Danse, belonging to 
the same section as the last, has large bronzy-yellow 
flowers. Miss Lizzie Cartledge is a reflexed Japanese 
with large pinkish-purple flowers and a silvery re¬ 
verse ; it was awarded a First-class Certificate at 
the last meeting of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society at the same time as Viscountess Hambleden 
received the same honour. Several frames are filled 
with old stools of Chrysanthemums in preparation 
for taking the cuttings, and two houses each 80 ft. 
long are also occupied in the same way. 
Other Plants. 
Large quantities of Chinese Primulas arc now¬ 
coming into bloom, mostly of Mr. Owen's raising 
and selection. Two shades of blue have been derived 
from a lilac and a bluish lilac respectively. There 
are several white varieties, some of which are 
variously mottled. Others are white laced with 
pink, and a vermillion-red variety is very fine. Im¬ 
perial white is a double and is sometimes tinted with 
blush ; there are also a semi-double pink and a laced 
form of the same type. Most of the above are very 
choice and well worthy of being grown. Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums are also grown to some extent at 
Castlehill. Souvenir de Chas. Turner was raised 
here and has large semi-double, warm-rose flowers. 
It was a cross between Masterpiece and Comte 
Horace de Choisieul. Beauty of Castlehill is similar 
in type to the last, but is very dwarf and suitable for 
bedding purposes or for window culture. Liberty is 
another semi-double and of a bright rose-cerise; 
Victoria, on the other hand, is single with large 
soft-rose flowers. A house full of Cyclamens of a 
good strain will soon be gay. Palms for decorative 
purposes are also grown to some extent, including the 
popular Kentias and Seaforthia elegans, as well as 
Ferns and wdnter-flowering Begonias of the B. sem- 
perflorens carminata gigantea type. Abutilon mega- 
potamicum variegatum grown in the form of small 
bushes for decorative purposes is attractive, both on 
account of the rich yellow markings of the leaves, the 
inflated red calyx, and the yellow corollas. 
-- 
PEACH PRUNING. 
It is a very common experience that when Peaches 
are promising and flower buds abundant, much dis¬ 
appointment is experienced by cultivators through 
the falling of the flowers just when they are expected 
to set their fruit. The weather or some other cause 
is assigned for the mishap, but if it was always 
understood how much the future crop depends on 
admission of light and air among the foliage and 
young growths, there would be less crowding of young 
■wood during the growing season and less falling of 
flowers. 
It is the previous season's manipulation of the 
trees which settle their fruit-bearing powers for the 
following year. It is often noticeable that the 
system of pruning is such as almost entirely precludes 
the trees from bearing fruit. The thinning of the 
shoots during summer is not half done, consequently 
the growths remain green a long time, and do not 
become matured, and the flower-buds are, in conse¬ 
quence, imperfectly formed. Too much of the prun¬ 
ing is left to be done in winter, and then double the 
number of growths are fastened to the walls than 
ought to be, taxing the vitality of the trees to the 
utmost. 
There is also a great waste of labour attached to 
the work of so much unnecessary tieing and training ; 
the judicious pruner begins early in the season to 
remove shoots which are not wanted, and endeavours 
to retain those which are to take the place of such as 
are to be removed when they have had the fruit 
gathered from them. A young shoot at the top of 
the bearing w 7 ood, to draw up support to the fruit, 
and a growth, well placed, to supply the place of its 
predecessor, is left to maintain the regularity of the 
tree. Instead of the two shoots indicated there may 
in some cases be seen half-a-dozen. Trees which are 
loaded with unripened wood should now be relieved 
of every gross shoot which can be spared.— Stirling, 
-—J-*- 
HARDY TREES & SHRUBS. 
The Cotoneasters. 
About fifteen species of Cotoneaster are known to 
botanists, but as some of them exist in various forms 
or varieties the number to be met with in gardens is 
considerable. All are hardy or sufficiently so to with¬ 
stand most ordinary winters without protection of 
any sort. A number of them lost a quantity of their 
foliage during the severe frost and fogs of last win¬ 
ter, but they recovered their wonted vigour and 
health upon the return of spring. The number and 
variety of purposes to which they can be put is con¬ 
siderable. 1 he larger growing kinds are most suit¬ 
able for shrubbery borders or for planting in groups 
or clumps of a kind in the pleasure ground. Out¬ 
side of the smoke radius of large towns they retain 
their evergreen leathery foliage in perfection all the 
year round, and provided birds are not particularly 
numerous and the weather severe, the bushes will 
remain laden with berries all through the winter. 
Other kinds are more suitable for covering trellis 
