September 7, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
9 
RYECROFT NURSERY, LEWISHAM. 
Already celebrated far and wide as a specialist in 
Pelargoniums and Chrysanthemums, Mr. H. J. 
Jones, Ryecroft N ursery, Hither Green, Lewisham, 
has, during the last few years, brought his untiring 
industry and undeniable horticultural skill to bear 
upon the improvement of the tuberous Begonia, 
with the result that his plants will compare exceed¬ 
ingly well with those to be seen at any of the 
establishments, where, perhaps, things are done on 
a larger scale. We were very favourably 
impressed with the quality of Mr. Jones’ material 
when recently looking round his nursery. The 
house in which the pot plants are accommodated 
is just over 100ft. in length by 25ft. in width. In 
addition to the roomy side stages, a commodious 
centre bed, some 8ft. in width, runs the whole 
length of the house. As the floor of the latter is 
slightly sunk, a visitor, on entering by the doorway, 
is enabled to get a fine view of the whole, for 
stretched out before him in long undulating lines are 
banks of the gaudy flower in all its various hues, 
from white and orange to pink and crimson, with all 
the innumerable, and, we might almost add, 
indescribable shades that intervene. 
The favourable impression thus given of the 
collection as a whole is increased when one comes 
to examine the individual beauties and excellence of 
the plants, for we find them to be throughout of 
dwarf, yet sturdy and vigorous habit, the leaves 
large and of good substance, whilst the flowers are 
of huge size, many of them being nearly circular in 
form, and borne erect upon stout footstalks. This 
is an important point, for the habit, that may be 
observed in some plants of drooping flowers, as if 
the stalks were too weak to support their weight, is 
a great disadvantage, unless the plant is destined to 
be utilised as a basket subject. Although the 
naming of single-flowered Begonias is a thankless 
and unprofitable task where the work of improve¬ 
ment is so actively in progress, and where each 
year existing varieties, that may now’ be considered 
good, are superseded by others that surpass them in 
point of excellence. Mr. Jones has given names to 
a few of the very finest of his plants, of which the 
following are examples: Norman Wrightson, a 
grand flower of a rich deep crimson : Blundell 
Maple, a fine orange-scarlet; Glowworm, crimson; 
Jardin des Plantes, deep orange; Maud Surman, 
salmon-cerise ; Golden Queen, Jealousy, and Prim¬ 
rose Queen, yellows; Mrs. R. Hoffman, deep rose; 
Miss Helmer, rich pink ; and Mrs. Beerbohm Tree 
and Snowcloud, whites. 
Double Varieties. 
Up to the present Mr. Jones has bestowed the 
greater share of his attention upon the single- 
flowered section, doubles having hitherto taken a 
second place. A considerable number of the latter, 
however, are in evidence this year, an earnest of 
what is to follow in subsequent seasons. Many of 
the existing plants, however, reach a high standard 
of merit, and besides being beautiful in themselves 
are of great service in adding to the charm and 
variety of the collection. One fine sort that is 
named Princess May is a lovely plant of exceedingly 
dwarf habit, with fine Camellia-shaped flowers of 
purest white, and will doubtless be heard more 
about later on. A row of plants, suspended from 
the roof and running right round the house just 
above the pathway, is chiefly composed of doubles. 
They are at the present time beiDg subjected to the 
starving process, so that the flowers, losing a portion 
of their doubleness thereby, may be utilised as seed 
bearers. 
Seedlings in the Open Air. 
-Although, under glass, we had feasted our eyes 
upon the rich and varied hues of the flowers borne 
upon the pot plants, we had yet sufficient cause to 
admire the glowing vista of colour that presented 
itself to us as we came within view of the trial 
ground, where the young plants, raised from seed 
sown in the spring, are accommodated, and which 
were at the time of our visit just commencing to 
bloom well. The severe and continued drought of 
the earlier part of the summer had tried them sorely, 
and it was only by dint of repeated and copious 
waterings that they were kept alive at all. Mr. 
Jones informed us, however, that during the last 
few weeks of showery weather they had picked up 
marvellously, and that they were doing well at that 
particular time our own eyes assured us. Fully 
sixty thousand seedlings are planted out in this 
way, every corner and piece of available space 
being occupied. Their arrangement throughout was 
admirable, for plants of the same colour were placed 
together in beds separated by narrow alleys that 
allowed every facility for paying the plants the 
necessary cultural attentions. From now onward 
the work of weeding out worthless plants will be 
vigorously prosecuted, and every possible means 
taken to assist those remaining to make healthy and 
vigorous growth, a sure sign of large plump tubers 
beneath, that next year will be distributed all over 
the country, both for culture under glass and for 
the adornment of the outdoor flower garden—a 
mission that the Begonia is so well able to perform, 
and for which it is now so largely in request. 
-—«_- 
GUNNERSBURY PARK, ACTON. 
Begonias of various sorts are rather extensively 
grown in the gardens of Messrs, de Rothschild, 
Gunnersbury Park, Acton, where Mr. George 
Reynolds, the skilful gardener, considers them more 
effective than Pelargoniums and more easily accom¬ 
modated in winter. After the tubers are lifted and 
cleaned they are wintered in shallow boxes, covered 
over with silver sand, and simply placed out of the 
reach of frost. Some of the tubers are of great size, 
being five to six years old. They are retarded 
rather than hastened in spring, and they really start 
of their own accord rather earlier than wanted, 
because Mr. Reynolds wants the best display in 
autumn rather than summer—say from September 
onwards—when the Messrs.de Rothschild are staying 
at the place. The plants make good stuff when put 
out so that they soon commence flowering. They 
require a little more attention in the matter of 
watering during June and July than the Pelar¬ 
goniums, but they are more effective than the latter 
and amply repay the trouble of attention. 
In the Temple Garden are several shrubby kinds, 
including a very effective bed of Begonia Ascotensis, 
the plants of which are, at least, 2J ft. high. This 
bed is edged with Fuchsia Sunray and a variegated 
Pelargonium named Dandy. Another effective bed 
consists of B. castanaefolia mixed with the dark 
Iresine Lindeni and edged with I. Herbsti. Mixed 
white varieties of tuberous Begonias on a groundwork 
of Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum have 
done well; and orange varieties in a " basket bed ” 
have also done well, for they are 12 in. to i8in. high. 
In another garden by the round pond is a large, 
circular bed, elevated in the centre like a mound, 
and planted with Begonia worthiana mixed with 
Tiger Lilies, and is the best we have ever seen filled 
with this variety. Though planted 2ft.apart each way, 
the specimens have grown to a height of 2jft. and 
are now, practically, getting crowded. The bed is 
edged with Viola Ardwell Gem,and is shaded, though 
not overhung, by tall trees for the greater part of 
the day, which doubtlessly accounts for its great 
success. Two other beds are elevated about 2ft. 
above the grass, and are fenced round with rustic 
work to keep up the soil. One is planted with 
crimson tuberous varieties and the other with 
scarlet sorts on a ground of Mesembryanthemum. 
The latter is now greatly hidden, for the bushy, 
massive plants are now 12 in. to 18 in. high and 
simply a mass of bloom. Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, 
flowering freely, hang over the edges of the rustic 
work. Another oval bed somewhat mounded above 
the grass, is occupied with crimson varieties equally 
floriferous, and edged with the tricolor Pelargonium 
Lass of Gowrie and Fuchsia Sunray. 
A large circular bed occupied with white varieties 
is very effective, even from a distance, owing to the 
profusion of flowers which are as large as those of 
plants cultivated in pots, as indeed are those of the 
tuberous sorts generally, with exception of B. 
worthiana. Yellow varieties usually grow too grossly 
to flower freely, but an oval bed of them here is as 
gay as ever we have seen. The upright varieties 
show that the yellow sorts are capable of improve¬ 
ment ; and this will be effected as time rolls by. 
Begonias in alternate beds of crimson and yellow 
run along the side of a pathway in the south or front 
garden and opposite to the “basket beds’’ mostly 
occupied with Pelargoniums and Roses. The 
crimson Begonias are here again the most effective, 
though little fault can be found with the yellow 
ones; and both put the Pelargoniums in the shade 
by reason of their massive flowers and decided 
colours. 
CHESTER. 
Under the genial influences of the moister atmos¬ 
phere of the west coast Begonias should do well in 
most seasons. In any case they grow very success¬ 
fully with Messrs. Dicksons, Limited, Chester, who 
annually raise about 60,000 to 80,000 plants, which 
are grown out of doors for bedding effect. Along 
each side of one of their main avenues they have 
arranged Begonias in li of colour. These borders 
are fringed on one side with a broad grass verge, 
and on the other is a bank of ornamental shrubs of 
dwarf habit with a background of Conifers and 
dark foliaged plants. The Begonias make a 
blaze of brilliant colour all the summer through and 
nothing could be more strikingly effective, nor more 
permanently beautiful over so prolonged a period. 
The large flowers and decided colours, often of 
brilliant and conspicuous hues, brighten up the 
avenue in a way that Pelargoniums are incapable of 
effecting, and they seem to delight in downpours of 
rain that-are utterly destructive to the old bedders. 
Messrs. Dicksons have a splendid strain which 
they are constantly improving by crossing, seed¬ 
sowing and selection. The colours into which they 
are assorted are white, cream, blush, pink, rose- 
salmon, scarlet, crimson, yellow and bronze, with 
all the varying shades and tints that come between. 
Young plants are propagated only from those which 
are of good habit, with well-formed flowers borne on 
erect stems. Varieties with single blooms are more 
largely grown than those with double flowers, the 
reason, of course, being that they are in popular 
demand for bedding and other decorative pur¬ 
poses. For the purpose of bedding, the tubers are 
started in March so as to be ready for planting 
out early in June. The reasons for the growing 
popularity of this magnificent and useful race of 
plants are not far to seek; for what race of 
garden subjects do we find that includes such a 
range of variation in colour ? Pelargoniums do not 
supply it in spite of their immense improvement and 
long-standing in gardens. 
-- 
FINSBURY PARK. 
No doubt the bedding season of 1895 will be 
remembered by most gardeners for many years to 
come, owing to the long spell of hot, dry weather 
that has been experienced. Taking everything into 
account I must confess that the tuberous and other 
varieties of Begonias have been most satisfactory at 
this Park. It is my opinion that in the course of a 
few years Begonias will supersede the Pelargoniums 
of the past. Begonias possess many qualities to 
recommend them, namely : they are cheap, easily 
grown, require very little glass accommodation during 
winter, and they produce nearly all shades of colour. 
It is not necessary to propagate from cuttings; 
neither are the beds disfigured as in the case of 
Pelargoniums. 
Since the copious rains and humid nights set in, 
the Begonias have improved, and at the present time 
they are looking well. After heavy rains the 
Pelargonium beds look simply miserable compared 
with the Begonias, as the latter seem to regain their 
attractiveness so quickly. Begonia worthiana has 
been charming here this year, also B. semperflorens 
atropurpurea Vernon’s ; and by way of a trial I 
have found B. Carrieri rosea very good. It is 
floriferous and forms a good groundwork for taller 
plants. No doubt for many years to come the 
Begonias will take a prominent position as bedding 
plants.— J. Melville, Finsbury Park. 
CASTLE HILL, MAIDENHEAD. 
Mr. Robert Owen, the well-known specialist in 
Chrysanthemums at the Floral Nursery here, was 
amongst the earliest improvers of the popular race 
of tuberous Begonias, but latterly the equally popu¬ 
lar and all-absorbing “mums * 1 ’ have been almost 
monopolising his attention. He, nevertheless, con¬ 
tinues to grow Begonias, though he does not make a 
speciality of them, and has a splendid strain of 
single and double varieties. The increasing demand 
for Begonias has made itself felt even here, and 
the greater portion of his stock he sold out during 
the course of spring and summer chiefly to supply 
the requirements for bedding purposes. 
Hardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs, by 
A. D. Webster. A valuable guide to planters of beautiful 
trees and shrubs for the adornment of parks and gardens. 
Price, 3s.; post free, 3s. 3d. Publisher, Gardening World, 
1, Clement's Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
