December 5, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
213 
work, walls, the end or fronts of dwelling houses ; 
and the smaller, more procumbent species are well 
adapted for covering rockwork as small bushes or for 
creeping over large stones. 
Propagation is easily effected by means of cuttings, 
layers, and seeds. By the latter method they may be 
raised in large numbers in nursery beds. Cuttings 
of the ripened wood root readily if put in pots orpans 
of light, sandy soil during the autumn, and stood in 
a cold frame. Most of them would also root freely 
if put in frames having 4 in. to 6 in. of a light com¬ 
post, and more especially if put in early in the 
autumn. Grafting is also resorted to in some cases, 
using C. vulgaris, or the common Quince, as a stock. 
Cotoneaster buxifolia. —As the name indicates, 
the leaves of this species bear considerable resem¬ 
blance in superficial appearance to those of the 
common Box, both in shape, size, and leathery 
character; but they, like those of other Cotoneasters, 
are of a rich, dark green hue, such as is never seen 
in the Box. They are obovate-elliptic, revolute at 
the margin, of a deep shining green above, and hoary 
with tomentum beneath. The flowers are in small 
racemes or clusters, terminating the short side shoots. 
The fruits are dark red, and about the size of those of 
C. microphylla. As a rule they ripen in great abun¬ 
dance, making the plant glow by the end 
of August or the first week in September. 
The hardiness and vigour of the plant is 
remarkable considering that it is a native 
of the Neilgherry Mountains in India. 
The other Indian species come from more 
northern localities. The plant forms a 
dense bush 4 ft. to 5 ft. high, spreading 
widely on either side. On rocky banks 
and similar dry places along the sides of 
drives it would prove invaluable. Birds 
are remarkably fond of the berries, so 
that in wooded districts and especially 
when the plant is grown at a distance from 
dwelling houses, the fruit cannot be ex¬ 
pected to hang long. Our illustration 
shows a spray indicating the general 
appearance of the plant, and the smaller 
portion at the lower right hand corner 
is life size. There is a variety of this 
species named C. b. marginata, and 
characterised by a dense line of grey hairs 
at the margins of the leaves. The plant 
is also procumbent in the young state at 
least. 
C. microphylla. —In this we have one 
of the most useful, most popular and most 
widely distributed of all the Cotoneasters 
in this country. The leaves are small, 
ovate or obovate, deep green above and 
tomentose beneath. The red berries are 
produced in great abundance, and hang 
on all the winter. The number of pur¬ 
poses to which the plant can be put is 
remarkable, and it depends on the man¬ 
ner in which it is grown as to what form it can 
be made to assume. Grown as a bush it usually 
attains a height of 3 ft. or 4 ft. ; but it is so 
accommodating that it may be kept dwarf by training 
it over the large boulders on the rockery. When 
placed against the walls of a house or other masonry 
it grows almost as rapidly as Ivy, flattening itself 
against the wall in a remarkable way, and covering 
it with a close sheet of verdure that is pleasing at 
all seasons of the year, even in the north of Scotland 
where it is very long-lived. 
C. thymifolia.— The small size of the oblong- 
Ovate leaves of this species is one of its most strik¬ 
ing characteristics ; for no other Cotoneaster in culti¬ 
vation has neater foliage. It is a native of the temperate 
Himalayas, and forms neat decumbent or spreading 
bushes, 12 in. to 18 in. high, bearing small red ber¬ 
ries in the autumn. Owing to its dwarf habit it 
forms a very suitable shrub for rockwork. There 
is a variety of this, namely, C. t. congesta, usually 
spoken of as C. congesta, and which comes from 
Darjeeling, and other parts of the Western Hima¬ 
layas. The branches are much crowded, and 
usually prostrate, especially when allowed to creep 
over the large stones of a rockery, for which it is 
even more highly appreciated than the typical form. 
The leaves are broader than those of the latter, 
elliptic, deep green above, hoary beneath and densely 
crowded. 
C. Hookeriana.— This forms an irregularly 
branching bush, 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, with elliptic, deep 
shining green leaves larger than those of C. micro¬ 
phylla. The berries are red, and relatively of large 
size and ripen about the end of August or the first 
week in September. C. congesta is often grown in 
gardens under the name of C. Hookeriana. 
C. HORizoNTALis.— The leaves of this are broadly 
ovate-elliptic, small and of a deep shining green, 
and devoid of hairs with the exception of the midrib 
beneath. The branches of young plants are pro¬ 
cumbent, closely hugging stones and similar objects 
where there are such, and give off shoots very 
regularly in a close row on either side, forming a 
two-ranked series. Older plants get up to a height 
of 18 in. to 2 ft. with spreading branches. The ber¬ 
ries are small and orange-red. It is by no means 
common in gardens, but is equally well adapted for 
rockwork as several of the foregoing. 
C. lucida. —As the name implies, the leaves of 
this species are of a lucid and dark shining green 
on the upper surface, paler and more hairy beneath 
and broadly ovate, attaining the size of those of C. 
Simonsii, or are even larger, but altogether brighter, 
The stems vary from 18 in. to 2 ft. in height or even 
more. The margins of shrubberies are the most 
suitable places for it unless the planter chooses 
to make isolated beds of it on the grass. 
Cotoneaster buxifolia. 
C. uniflora. —In this we have another dwarf and 
often procumbent species, with obovate, dark shining 
green leaves. The berries are globose, red, and pro¬ 
duced singly at the ends of short, lateral shoots, 
ripening in September. The leaves are about twice 
the size of those of C. microphylla, and the plant 
may be used in the same way as the last named. 
C. nepalensis. —The stems of this plant reach a 
height of 3 ft. to 4 ft., resembling those of C. Simonsii 
in habit, and the leaves are of a bright green. The 
berries are borne in short lateral clusters, and ripen 
late in September or in October. 
C. Simonsii.— This species is one of the commonest 
and most widely distributed in British gardens, but 
notwithstanding its utility it should not be allowed 
to oust other kinds that are equally beautiful and in¬ 
teresting. The leaves are elliptic and of a dull and 
deep green, and the oblong or obovate berries are 
abundantly produced in short lateral clusters, ripen¬ 
ing about October, and hanging on all the winter. 
The plant is liable to lose its foliage, even though 
naturally evergreen, in the heart of smoky towns, 
but recovers during the following summer. More 
removed from smoky centres, and even in the 
suburbs of London, it does well. 
Destruction of an Elizabethan Mansion.— The 
destruction of the fine old Elizabethan mansion at 
Bourn, Lincolnshire, in which, tradition says, the 
Guy Fawkes conspiracy was hatched, has been 
decided upon. The old Red Hall, as it is called, is 
one of the finest specimens extant of the red brick 
Elizabethan mansions. A new railway is being 
made from Bourn to Saxby.and the historic mansion 
it is said stands in the way, and has been doomed to 
demolition. 
BANKFIELD, BINGLEY. 
A very fine display of Chrysanthemums is now to 
be seen at Bankfield, Bingley, the residence of H. 
Mason, Esq., which I had the pleasure of inspecting 
a few days ago in company with the indefatigable 
gardener, Mr. Midgely. In a roomy, well-appointed 
conservatory I found a display well worth going a 
long journey to see. The plants are artistically ar¬ 
ranged ; some large Camellias and Tree ferns forming 
a good solid background. Trained on the roof are a 
dozen red and white Lapagerias, flowering profusely 
and adding greatly to the beauty of the surround¬ 
ings. All the latest novelties in the Chrysanthemum 
line are grown here and severely tested, for Mr, 
Mason and his able gardener are both good judges of 
these flowers ; needless to say all inferior or un¬ 
satisfactory varieties which do not do well in this 
northerly climate have been discarded. 
Standing and gazing upon the profusion of flowers 
one could not help thinking how justly the Chrysan- 
themum has been called the queen of autumn 
flowers. What should we gardeners do without it ? 
All shades and colours are represented, suiting the 
taste of the everchanging fancy of dame mode, 
Passing along, my attention Was drawn to some ex¬ 
ceedingly fine flowers of the incurved sec¬ 
tion, namely, Golden Empress, Jean 
d'Arc, Lord Alcester, Miss Haggas, 
Princess of Wales, and Violet Tomlin, 
all unusually good this season. Amongst 
the Japanese varieties, which have always 
been A 1, I noticed Thomas Stephenson, 
a sport from Criterion, and a well- 
formed flower of great substance and 
colour; Puritan, Sunflower, Avalanche, 
Louis Boehmer, Stanstead White, Etoile 
de Lyon, etc. 
Leaving the conservatory we entered 
a Black Hamburgh vinery, filled at pre- 
sentwith late-flowering Chrysanthemums, 
such as Duchess of Teck and others, 
which will shortly be placed with the rest 
in the conservatory, and give a plentiful 
supply of flowers at Christmas time. 
The next house is filled with miscella¬ 
neous plants, such as Eucharis, very 
promising plants pushing spikes ; a 
healthy batch of Poinsettias, which 
ought to produce good useful bracts; 
winter-blooming Begonias; intermixed 
with Asparagus and Maidenhair Fern, 
Primulas are housed in the next range, 
and a healthy lot too. They are a special 
feature here. The well-flowered plants 
of White Lady, Lord Beaconsfield, 
Chiswick Red—shown last year at Brad¬ 
ford Chrysanthemum Show—eclipsed 
anything seen there before. 
Passing through a division which is 
used during the summer for Melons, 
I noticed a magnificent specimen of Ccelogyne 
cristata alba, with twenty growths, Coelogyne maxi¬ 
ma, C. Lemoniana, and Odontoglossum citrosmum 
having a rest preparatory to flowering. A small 
but very choice collection of Odontoglossums was 
to be seen in the compartment we entered next. Mr. 
Mason takes a great interest in Odontoglossums ; 
his collection is not the largest, but perhaps the 
finest in the North of England, and he is justly 
proud of it; all the plants have been selected 
with great judgment and bought in flower. What 
a strong, healthy lot they are; bulbs of enor¬ 
mous size, carrying in most instances two long 
spikes. Evidently they receive good treatment, 
Cymbidium Lowianum and eburneum grow and 
flower well in this house. I have seen the plants in 
bloom for several years, and was astonished to find 
them doing well, though the temperature of the 
house is only kept from 48° to 50L 
The last house which I had the pleasure of in¬ 
specting is a very substantially constructed vinery 
Soft, long, fitted up splendidly, and divided into 
two sections, one filled with Muscat of Alexandria, 
the second one with Mrs. Pince’s Black Muscat—the 
latter are bearing good sized bunches but are 
wanting in colour. In my own mind I do not think 
Mrs. Pince will colour well in smoky manufacturing 
districts, as even when the sun shines the smoke 
hangs about like a veil, and the glass is covered 
with soot, so different to an agricultural district, 
where the air is pure and the sun bright. In con- 
