June 25, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
673 
THE HERBACEOUS BORDER. 
Choice Plants in Flower. 
Sidalcea Candida. —The comparative scarcity of 
this plant in gardens would seem to indicate a 
difficulty in growing or preserving it, but such is not 
really the case. Planted at the proper season and 
allowed to get established before the dry weather 
sets in, it grows rapidly, and throwing up a stem 
about 2ft. high flowers freely from June onwards. 
The stems are furnished with deeply-lobed leaves of 
a rich green and terminate in a lengthening raceme 
of white flowers. The petals of the latter are 
traversed by strong nerves, while the tissue between 
is almost transparent. 
Dictamnus albus.— There are white and purple 
flowered varieties of this plant of various shades of 
colour, and they are generally grown under different 
names. The whole plant, but the flowers especially, 
give off a balsamic odour that is agreeable to most 
people unless too powerful by being bruised. The 
irregular disposal of the petals is a noticeable feature 
of the flowers. The foliage is highly ornamental 
from its being cut like the leaves of the Ash. The 
rootstock grows very slowly, but propagation maybe 
effected by means of seeds, which are plentifully 
produced. 
Lychnis Viscaria splendens plena. —There are 
several species of Lychnis with double flowers, but 
that under notice is a great favourite with many 
hardy plant lovers. The stems are about a foot in 
height and slightly branched upwards, bearing 
numerous large, fully double flowers of a beautiful 
carmine-rose. The plant is easily propagated by 
division in early spring, and forms a striking feature 
either in the herbaceous border or on the rockery 
when grown in clumps of some size. 
Senecio Doronicum.— With many of the Senecios 
is associated a rankness of growth, but that under 
notice is dwarf and of comparatively slow growth. 
The stems terminate in one large flower-head of a 
golden yellow resembling a Doronicum, hence the 
name. The leaves are lanceolate and serrate. It is 
a native of south Europe, perfectly hardy and easily 
propagated by division. 
Achillea Biebersteini.— There are numerous 
species of Achillea, which, from their dwarf habit, 
beautiful foliage, and neat interesting flowers, are 
very suitable for garden purposes, either in the herba¬ 
ceous border proper or on the rockery, the latter per¬ 
haps being the most legitimate place for it. The 
silky leaves are two or three times divided with 
linear segments. The scape bears one flower only of 
large size, with golden-yellow rays and a broad darker- 
coloured disc. It does not exceed a foot in height. 
Campanula glomepata dahurica.— In a wild 
state C. glomerata enjoys a wide distribution, and 
we cannot be surprised that it varies considerably. 
The variety here noted has flowers of a rich dark 
blue, those of the type being paler. When once 
established in the border it requires no special at¬ 
tention, but flowers every year with great freedom in 
soils of various character. 
Thalictrum aquilegifolium purpureum.— Of 
the numerous species of Thalictrum some are grown 
solely for the sake of their foliage, and others for the 
flowers and foliage combined as in the present 
instance. The foliage is of a beautiful and glaucous 
hue, resembling to some extent that of an Aquilegia. 
The beauty of the flowers depends upon the length 
and number of the stamens, which are creamy-white 
in the species, but pale purple in the variety here 
noted. As it is a strong grower in rich soils, the 
back row in the border is the position for it. 
Inula glandulosa.— The stems of this handsome 
perennial vary from i ft. to 3 ft. in height, according 
to the richness of the soil and the nature of the sea¬ 
son ; and, although they bear only a single bloom 
each, we would rather prefer to see them of that size 
because the blooms are larger, measuring 3 in. across, 
with long, slender, golden-yellow rays. 
Aquilegia chrysantha. —The golden-flowered 
Columbine of the Rocky Mountains is one of the 
most sprightly and one of the most easily grown. It 
may not be long lived, but that is of small conse¬ 
quence considering how easily it is raised from seed 
which is freely produced. 
Phlox ovata. —The flowers of this Phlox are 
purple and as large as those of many of the autumn 
flowering garden varieties. The leaves are unusually 
broad for a species that seldom, if ever, exceeds 1 ft. 
in height under ordinary conditions of culture. 
Being perfectly hardy it is matter for wonder that 
the florist has not taken it in hand for improvement. 
--i*- 
ABOUT TASMANIAN 
APPLES. 
When I arrived in Hobart from New Zealand, early in 
April, the wharves were crowded with immense piles 
of cases of Apples. The eye could take in 30,000 of 
these cases at once, and these are swallowed up 
weekly, as the mail boat and other steamers call for 
them for the English market. Something like 
250,000 cases will be shipped this season. We 
seemed to have dropped down into a land of Apples. 
What Cotton is to Lancashire Apples are to 
Tasmania. Apples are everywhere. You are con¬ 
stantly meeting loads of empty and full cases on 
boats and carts wending their way to and from the 
fruit growers, of whom there are more than a 
thousand within thirty miles of Hobart. Over three 
hundred of these orchardists have formed themselves 
into an association—the Tasmanian Fruit Growers 
Association—to faciliate the shipping and financing 
of these immense quantities of Apples. 
One of the chief leaders in the organisation and 
development of this fruit industry has been Dr. 
Bengafield, who practised in Manchester and Stock- 
port about twenty years ago. He is an enthusiastic 
fruit grower himself, and is looked up to as an 
authority, not only in the colony of Tasmania but 
far beyond it. He cultivates over 100 acres of fruit 
himself, chiefly Apples, of which he has twenty-five 
varieties, and also Pears of fifty varieties, every tree 
of which is catalogued by name in a ledger kept for 
the purpose. His rows of Plum trees are three- 
quarters of a mile long. All the hardier English 
fruits are grown in perfection in Tasmania. The 
crops seem prodigious, and the climate would 
certainly be healthier for Englishmen than Mildura 
in Victoria, of which we hear so much. 
The Apple orchards, as you travel through the 
country, are a sight to see. The trees are pruned on 
the inverted umbrella principle, so that the air and 
sun have free access to the blossom and fruit. The 
trees are not allowed to grow to a large size, but the 
beautiful coloured Apples, now so familiar in our 
shop windows at home, hang like ropes of Onions, 
and bend their branches down so that it needs no 
ladder to gather them. Some trees have produced 
eighteen bushels (of 481bs), and I was told 500 
bushels to the acre is a common production. A 
measured acre in a favoured situation produced 1,000 
bushels! Apple cultivators reckon on ten crops in 
twenty years from the time of planting. A farmer 
showed me over a magnificent orchard he planted 
ten years ago of 1,500 Apple trees just in their prime. 
The orchard covered ten acres. It is said to be the 
finest orchard of the kind anywhere to be seen, and 
nets its owner £ 1,000 a year. 
People at home may judge of the climate and soil 
of Tasmania when Chrysanthemums grow out of 
doors nine feet high. Geraniums and Fuchsias are 
as large as our Willow trees, and are covered with 
flowers. I measured some Onions twenty-two inches 
in circumference, and six of these weighed seventeen 
pounds. The English Thorn grows forty feet high, 
and I travelled along miles of hedges made of Sweet- 
briar. 
It is a lovely trip in the little river steamer, 
Monarch, up the Derwent, past Hobart, along some 
twenty miles of romantic mountain and bush 
scenery, and the water so clear and smooth that the 
river banks and overhanging foliage were mirrored 
so perfectly you could not tell where the reflection 
and the reality divided. This little steamer goes 
three times a week up the river as far as New 
Norfolk, and has been doing it for thirty-seven years. 
Before this it was running on the Clyde. We passed 
large flocks of wild ducks ; there are also native hens, 
quails, and mocking birds. The Government have 
established salmon hatching beds for stocking the 
rivers, and the ova is imported from Ireland on 
trays of moss. I saw some brown trout two feet 
long ; also some Californian and Loch Lomond trout 
ready for turning out from the beds into the river. 
All this fruitful and pleasant land like New 
Zealand can scarcely be called inhabited, and is 
waiting for the conqueror in the shape of the industri¬ 
ous workman who knows how to clear and plant. To 
show how industrious labour is rewarded here, I 
will mention one case of a man I know and conversed 
with —quite a rough, unskilled sort of a man, worth 
his pound a week at home. This man is employed 
by an owner of land, and receives for his services— 
from seven to five in winter, and seven to six in 
summer — the following perquisites, besides 36s a 
week:—House rent free, one cow pastured free, 
wood for fuel free, all the fruit and vegetables he 
and his family need, and his fowls and ducks kept free. 
Good agricultural labourers and gardeners and out- 
dour workers of all kinds would be certain to find 
plenty of remunerative work, besides many other 
advantages of the free and healthy life that this and 
other four Australian colonies present.— II. Funkier, 
in the Manchester City News. 
-- 
THE GREAT YORK GALA. 
The 34th annual exhibition was held June 15, 16, 
and 17, and kept up its prestige asa great horticultural 
gathering. The first day of the exhibition was very 
fine, and 1,200 more persons attended on that day 
than on any previous first day, but owing to 
unsettled weather and much rain falling on the two 
subsequent days, there was a falling off in the 
number of visitors. Still the attendance on 
the second day was close upon 24,000. Stove 
and greenhouse plants were good as usual. 
Mr. Letts, gardener to the Earl of Zetland, 
Aske, being first in the large collection ; Mr. Cypher, 
Cheltenham, second ; and Mr. Mould, Pewsey, third. 
In the class for six stove or greenhouse plants, Mr. 
Nicholas, gardener to the Earl of Zetland, at 
Upleatham, was first with a fine lot; and Mr. Mould 
a good second. Some splendid Ericas were staged, 
also Azaleas and Crotons, a great lot of ornamental 
plants, and plenty of fine examples of Exotic Ferns 
and also British. There was a falling off in the 
numbers of groups, but Mr. McIntyre, gardener to 
Mrs. Gurney Pease, Darlington, was first in both 
classes for artistic arrangement and quality of plants 
used. 
Orchids were a marked feature, and Mr. Cypher 
took first honours with fine specimens ; and Mr. 
Townsend,gardener to C. B. Faber, Esq., Harrogate, 
was a good second in each class for ten and six plants. 
Mr. Wright, gardener to D.Wilson, Esq., Cottingham, 
was first for four Orchids ; and Mr. Nicholas 
first for a specimen Orchid, a superb Calanthe 
veratrifolia. Messrs. Charlesworth, Shuttleworth 
& Co., Bradford, staged a large collection in which 
were a number of plants of Oncidium macranthum, 
and examples of the lovely Laelia grandis tenebrosa. 
A great lot of specimen Fuchsias were staged, in 
which excellent culture was perceptible. A good lot 
of Gloxinias, a fair lot of Tuberous Begonias, some 
good Coleus, some nice lots of bedding plants, and 
other things invited in the schedule were staged. 
The Pelargoniums in some cases were very fine 
as usual, but not quite so many as we generally see. 
Mr. Eastwood, gardener to Mrs. Tetley, Leeds, was 
a strong first for twelve show varieties with grand 
plants in his usual style. Mr. McIntosh, gardener to 
J. H. Hingston, Esq., was a good second; and Miss 
Steward third. For six specimens, Miss Steward 
was first with a capital lot; and Mr. Eastwood a 
close second ; other classes were also well filled. 
The Zonals are always Ai at York. Mr. Eastwood 
was again first for twelve, with a grand lot of plants ; 
and Mr. Pybus, florist, Monkton Moor, a good 
second. In the classes for six and three plants, Mr. 
Eastwood led in each class, Miss Steward also 
taking next honours. Mr. Eastwood was also first 
for eight and four doubles, superb, well done 
specimens. We cannot speak too highly of 
the wonderful advance in the cultivation of 
the specimen Ivy-leaved at York. Such plants were 
worth a long journey to see them, Mr. Pybus’s first 
prize lot of six being of the highest quality and of 
great size and symmetry. Mr. George Cottam' 
followed with a splendid six not so much in flower. 
There was a large number of plants staged in the 
various classes. 
A large quantity of Roses in pots were staged in 
the various classes, Messrs. Jackson & Co., Bedale, 
taking the lead with well-grown plants although some 
of them were fully tall. Mr. Pybus and Miss 
Stewart also exhibited. Cut Roses were numerous. 
In the class for 72 blooms, not less than 36 varieties, 
Messrs. Harkness & Sons were first; Mr. G. Mount, 
Cambridge, second; Mr. H. G. May, Bedale, third. 
