October 5, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
75 
Amongst the trees we noted Cedars, Yews of 
various forms, Pines, Holly Oaks, Cypress, Birch, 
Juniper, the Weeping Mountain Elm, pyramidal 
Spruces, and various others in great profusion. 
Everywhere about the place are Pelargoniums of all 
sorts, Phloxes, dwarf Dahlias and other flowers. 
Near the far end are rockeries in shady positions, 
planted with Ferns. A large circular bed in a more 
prominent position is chiefly filled with crimson- 
coloured Tuberous Begonias which have been very 
floriferous for a long time past. The centre is 
occupied with variegated Maize and Abutilons edged 
with Perilla. Four lines of edgings consist of 
Pelargoniums and Iresine Lindeni. 
Near the entrance are four diamond-shaped beds 
of China Asters with a circular bed of Begonias in 
the centre. Other beds and designs, with some low 
built rockeries, give the place the aspect of a garden. 
A circular carpet bed of intricate design is as neatly 
executed as we are accustomed to see in the more 
pretentious London parks. The bed is gradually 
elevated from the circumference towards the centre, 
in a series of slight terraces. The plants consist of 
Coleus Verschaffeltii, Bronze Pelargoniums, Iresine 
and Alternantheras in abundance, all neatly pro¬ 
portioned to one another. Mr. Elbourne, the 
superintendent, is to be congratulated on the neat 
and attractive condition in which the whole place is 
kept. Large numbers of people are constantly to be 
seen in the grounds, and we are not surprised at 
their being attracted by the beauty of the same. 
TIE PLANT HOUSES. 
The Stove. 
Rarely, indeed, does it fall to our lot to experience 
such a sweltering autumn as has come to us in this 
year, 1895. Clear bright sunshine, with the ther¬ 
mometer standing at an almost unprecedented 
height for September has been our portion for some 
time past, and from all appearances the fine weather 
seems likely to last, although it is scarcely possible 
for the sun to shine with such exceptional bright¬ 
ness for much longer. The nights, however, are 
somewhat cool, and thus the fires should be kept so 
that they may be set going a little more briskly if 
the thermometer threatens to fall too low. By day 
air may be given without stint, for so quiet has the 
atmosphere been of late that the ventilators may be 
opened pretty widely without fear of causing 
draughts. Shading will be necessary until this 
abnormal burst of sunshine has passed away, when 
it will be required no longer, for the tissues of the 
plants are hardening splendidly, and a little timely 
exposure to the sun’s rays will do no harm whatever. 
Keep the syringe plied vigorously morning and 
afternoon, for after the expiration of the present 
month it will not be advisable to syringe much over¬ 
head. 
Continue to remove to the ripening-off house 
Gesneras, Caladiums, and Gloxinias as they become 
shabby, whilst any plants of Dracaenas that have 
become leggy, or have been too much knocked about 
owing to a lengthened sojourn in dark corridors or 
rooms in the mansion, and are on that account 
scarcely worth coddling up again, should have their 
tops removed and inserted as cuttings, whilst the 
stocks may be thrown away. It must be borne in 
mind that the season is fast approaching us when pot 
room will he exceedingly valuable, and it will only 
be throwing time and trouble away to attempt to 
coddle plants up that will never be of much use 
Fittonias. —These pretty little plants are useful 
from their very diminutiveness, although it is seldom 
that we see them in any other than a neglected condi¬ 
tion. After a season’s growth they invariably get 
rather long and straggling. The tops of the shoots 
may be taken off and inserted as cuttings in shallow 
well-drained pans, plunging these latter up to the rims 
in a gentle bottom heat, and covering them with a 
bell-glass. Both Fittonia argyroneura and F. 
Verschaffeltii should be grown, the green and silvery 
foliage of the one contrasting well with the dull 
crimson of the other. 
Tradescantias. —No time should be lost in 
putting in cuttings of these, as they will root much 
more readily now than if their insertion is delayed 
a week or two, as they will also have time to make 
nice little stuff before the daylight becomes too much 
curtailed. Some six or seven cuttings may be put in a 
small 6o-pot, filled with light sandy soil, and stood 
in a propagating frame until rooted. A batch of 
material of this kind is of the greatest service. The 
above remarks will also apply to Panicum, which 
should be propagated in considerable quantities, as 
the old plants soon get shabby. 
The Cool Conservatory. 
Some of the earlier-flowering Chrysanthemums, 
such as Source d’Or, Lady Selbourne, &c., will now 
have commenced to open, whilst the flowers are 
still lingering on a few plants of Madame Desgranges, 
and thus we shall soon be once more in the midst of 
the Chrysanthemum season. Still, owing to the 
marvellous longevity of the summer, there is as yet 
no lack of flowers. True, the tuberous Begonia is 
beginning to languish, and the Cannas are looking as 
if they had had nearly enough of it, but still they 
are lasting remarkably well. Late flowering Liliums, 
too, are making a brave show, whilst overhead Tac- 
sonias, Passifloras, Pleromas, and Tropaeolums, 
where these have been introduced, are flowering 
away right willingly. 
Tecoma Smithii.— Grown in small pots young 
plants of this flower freely when only a foot to fifteen 
inches in height, and look exceedingly effective with 
their dark green leaves crowned with the terminal 
panicles of rich golden-yellow flowers. The plant 
hails from New South Wales, and is the result of a 
cross effected between T. capensis and T. velutina. 
A great deal may be effected in the conservatory 
by means of the exercise of a little taste in the ar¬ 
rangement of the plants. At least once a week the 
house should be given an overhauling, and shabby 
plants taken out, their places being filled by others 
brought up from the supply department. Occasion¬ 
ally Palms, Oranges, and other foliage plants should 
be taken out and given a good syringing to clear 
away the dust that is sure to accumulate to a greater 
or a less extent upon the foliage. Of course, it will 
be necessary to pick the plants over every day, 
removing all old blooms and yellow leaves, and thus 
preserve a semblance of tidiness, without which 
good plants lose a good deal of the charm and effec¬ 
tiveness which should rightfully be theirs. 
Pits and Frames. 
This department will soon be crowded to the 
utmost, and hence any repairing of glass or wood¬ 
work that has not been seen to should receive atten¬ 
tion without further delay. In the south of England 
at least the frost has held off remarkably well, for 
although in some localities a few degrees of frost 
was registered no harm was done. Still, although 
it seems paradoxical to talk of housing bedding 
stuff when the thermometer stands so phenomenally 
high during the day, the gardener's attitude must be 
one of careful watchfulness, otherwise the frost may 
come like a thief in the night and find him all 
unprepared. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Where, as is the case 
in some establishments, the cuttings of these 
have been dibbled into an outside border to strike, 
no time must be lost in getting them potted up. 
Avoid damaging the young and tender roots as far 
as possible, and do not have too many out of the 
ground at once, as the parching up of the roots 
proceeding from this ill-advised system can scarcely 
fail to be injurious in the first degree. A 32-sized 
pot is about the handiest to use, for in this a half a 
dozen fair-sized cuttings may be comfortably put. 
Any light soil will do, potting the plants firmly 
enough to prevent their being easily uprooted. If 
ordinary caution is exercised the plants should 
exhibit but little signs of a check sustained through 
lifting. 
Cuttings in Boxes. —Where the cuttings have 
been inserted in boxes in the first instance it is 
natural that the gardener should like to leave them 
out of doors as long as possible. But in order to 
make sure that the keeping of them out thus shall 
not lead to their sustaining any injury, a temporary 
framework of wood should be erected around and 
over them, upon which, if the weather renders it 
necessary, Russian mats may be easily and ex¬ 
peditiously thrown, and the much-needed protection 
thus given. 
Freesias. —These should be removed from the 
ashes at once, if, indeed, this has not been already 
seen to. Too long covering up is distinctly injurious, 
resulting in weak, spindly growth. After the plants 
have been removed from their bed they must be 
gradually inured to the light, carefully shading 
them until the green hue of the leaves proclaims the 
fact that a little exposure to the direct rays of the 
sun will not harm them. They should now be kept 
as close to the glass as possible in an ordinary 
greenhouse temperature, staking the growths with 
neat stakes as growth renders this attention 
necessary. 
Roman Hyacinths. —The earliest batch of these 
should likewise be brought to the light. They may 
be placed in a cold frame until they are wanted for 
forcing purposes, carefully shading them meanwhile 
until the tissues of the small leaves have become 
hardened and the normal green has made itself 
manifest. Later batches of bulbs may be potted as 
soon as they come to hand, following the directions 
previously given. 
Mice. —A great deal of havoc is often caused 
amongst Tulips and Crocuses by these mischievous 
little rodents nibbling the bulbs and corms, and, of 
course, utterly ruining them. Hyacinths, for some 
reason or other, they very seldom touch. A sharp 
eye must therefore be kept upon their movements, 
and if any nibbled portions of bulbs are observe 
investigations must straightway be made and 
trapping resorted to. 
Chrysanthemums. —It goes without saying that 
these popular plants form the principal topic of con¬ 
versation in the horticultural world just now. The 
dry, bright weather we have had of late has improved 
things greatly, for the wet July and former part of 
August had caused some fears to prevail that the 
wood would be soft and green and the flowers poor. 
But, generally speaking, the wood is in grand condi¬ 
tion, and we may look forward pretty confidently to 
seeing some good things at the various shows, local 
and central. Of course, as long as the frost keeps 
off the plants are better out of doors, but it will not 
be wise to be tempted by the fine bright weather to 
delay housing them too long. Consequently all 
possible preparations should be made for housing 
the plants at the first signs of the advent of frost.— 
A.S.G. 
——•*—-- 
(Meanings from f&$$DnrIti 
of Science 
Practice and Theory.—At the eleventh annual 
meeting of the Society of American Florists, held at 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on August 20th and the 
three following days Mr. Charles Jackson Daw¬ 
son, of Boston, read a paper on “ Horticultural 
Education—Practice and Theory,” in which he 
made the following remarks :—" Summing up prac¬ 
tice with theory, we find that college education is a 
good thing to have. To a boy with a clever and 
active mind, and a wholesome kind of knowledge, 
college education is the greatest boon he can have 
and his chances for success in life are better than 
one hampered by an unfinished education. He is able 
to grasp business and scientific problems with a 
firmer hand ; knows how to use his mental powers ; 
how to concentrate his energies, and to adapt him¬ 
self quickly to situations that confront him. Above 
all he must learn to reason from cause to effect and 
vice versa. We must remember that in affairs of life 
no comparisons can be made with the phenomenally 
gifted, who are endowed by the Almighty from their 
birth with powers far beyond the equipments of 
their fellows. The whole human race profits by 
the spread of college education. Still, the fact must 
be recognized that many bright young boys must get 
along with a common school education, and the 
world should help them whenever an opportunity 
presents itself. A man of sound mind and good 
habits will come to the front whether he is a college- 
bred or not, but, with equal gifts and the same appli¬ 
cation, the collegian will outstrip him in the race; 
yet we cannot help but confess a great liking for the 
smart, brainy, digging man who is self-taught. 
The world is better off for such self-made men, and, 
at all events, they deserve great success.” 
Pistillate Strawberries.—In America the 
varieties of cultivated Strawberries are liable to be 
d oecious, that is, some plants produce pistils only 
while others produce stamens. The result is that it 
becomes necessary to plant such varieties in alter¬ 
nate rows of male and female plants, or at all events 
to have the two forms in such proximity that insects 
can readily carry the pollen to the pistillate plants, 
and thereby secure fertilisation and insure a crop. 
Unfortunately some of the best varieties and most 
abundant croppers are notorious for this imperfec¬ 
tion of their flowers. Raisers of varieties of Straw¬ 
berry suited for culture in America would do well to 
devote their attention to the production and selec¬ 
tion of meritorious varieties with perfect flowers. 
Every row and every plant would then produce a 
crop which must be larger from any given piece of 
ground, than where imperfectly flowered plants are 
used and must be mixed or alternated in order to get 
any results whatever. 
