622 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 30, 1896. 
7S0 acres, formerly reserved for the water supply of 
the city, but now known as the Centennial Park. 
This magnificent recreation ground has been cleared 
and planted, and is laid out with walks and drives, so 
that it is likely to become a favourite resort with the 
citizens. The suburban municipalities are also well 
provided for, as they contain, including the Centennial 
Park, about 2,750 acres of public parks and reserves, 
dedicated to, or purchased for, the people by the 
colonial government, or rather more than 3 per cent, 
of their aggregate area. In addition to these reserves, 
the colonial government dedicated to the people, in 
December 1S79, a large area of land, situated within 
easydistance of the metropolis. This estate,now known 
as the National Park, with the additions subsequently 
made in 1880 and 1883, contains a total area of 
36,320 acres, surrounding the picturesque bay of 
Port Hacking, and extending along the southern 
coast towards the mountainous district of Illawarra. 
It is covered with magnificent virgin forests; the 
scenery is charming, and its beauties attract 
thousands of visitors. In the country districts, 
reserves, extending often over one million acres, 
have been proclaimed as temporary commons, whilst 
considerable areas have been from time to time 
dedicated as permanent commons attached to inland 
townships, which are otherwise well provided with 
parks and reserves within their boundaries. A 
recreation ground, designated Ku-ring-gai Chase, 
and situated on the shores of the Hawkesbury River, 
was dedicated in December, 1S94, for public use. 
The area of the Chase is 35,300 acres, and com¬ 
prises some of the most romantic scenery in the 
colony.— Mr. John Plummer, Sydney, New South Wales. 
»! ■- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED, 
The following plants received Floricultural Certifi¬ 
cates of Merit at the Summer Show of the Royal 
Botanical Society held at Regent's Park on May 
13th :— 
Paeony Ella C. Stubbs. —The blooms of this 
new single variety are of extra large size, measuring 
fully 10 in. in diameter. In colour they are pure 
translucent white. Messrs. Kelway & Son, Lang- 
port, Somerset. 
Paeony Lord Dunraven is a medium-sized single 
flower of a salmon-red hue. The petals are striped 
with rich carmine at the base. Messrs. Kelway & 
Son. 
Paeony Kelway’s Florizel. —This is a huge 
single white variety, measuring from 8 in. to 10 in. 
over. The petals are slightly striated with carmine 
at their bases. Messrs. Kelway & Son. 
Paeony Cynthia. —Another large single variety 
is this, from 8 in. to 10 in. over. In colour it is a 
brilliant rosy-cerise. Messrs. Kelway & Son. 
Paeony, Marchioness of Granby. —The edges of 
the petals here are prettily serrate. The flower is 
semi-double, of medium size, and of a charming rose 
shade, passing to white at the edges of the segments. 
Messrs. Kelway & Son. 
Paeony Carnosa is a huge double flower fully 
6 in. in depth. It exhibits a pretty shade of blush. 
Messrs. Kelway & Son. 
Begoma, Miss Florrie Dean is a huge very 
double Paeony shaped flower, in colour a delicate 
blush, suffused at the edges of the petals with 
salmon-pink. Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, 
Tottenham, N. 
Begonia Eclipse. —This, the latest addition to the 
ranks of the double-flowered section, is a large white 
variety of great depth, purity, and refinement. Mr. 
T. S. Ware. 
Dodocatheon Meadia album. —This is a fine white 
variety of great merit. The flower umbels are 
large, and the plant evidently possesses a vigorous 
constitution. Mr. T. S. Ware. 
Lilac Leon Simon is a new double variety with 
exceptionally large trusses. Messrs. Paul & Sons, 
Waltham Cross. 
Phyllocactus Venus.— The flowers here are 
large, and of a brilliant orange-scarlet hue. The 
segments are suffused on the inner side with orange, 
and on the outer with crimson. Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Chelsea. 
Botanical Certificates were awarded to the follow¬ 
ing : — 
Arisae.ma fimbriata, a curious and interesting 
plant with large ternate lea\ es. The spathe is green- 
white, heavily tesselated with chocolate-brown. 
The loDg-drooping tail-like spadix is hairy and 
tassel-like. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Maranta major. —For description see the list of 
plants certificated by the R.H.S. on April 21st. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Caladium Duke of York.—A dwarf variety with 5 
red-rose leaves and carmine venation. Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons. 
Caladium Ladas. —The leaves of this new variety 
are scarlet-cerise in colour. A marginal zone of 
green mottlings, and carmine nerves, add to their 
attractiveness. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Todea bipinnatifida arborea. —The fronds of 
this strong-growing Todea are bi-pinnatifid, dark 
green, and of leathery texture. The stripe measures 
about 6 in., and the rachis 18 in. in length. Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons. 
Cattleya Schroderae coerulescens. —The 
sepals and petals here are pure white. The lip is 
flushed with blue-lilac, and the throat with orange. 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Cypripedium warnhamense is a hybrid between 
C. Curtisi and C. philippinense. The dorsal sepal 
is pale green, passing to green-while at the edges. 
The petals are long, linear, drooping, and slightly 
twisted, and in colour green, spotted with purple- 
maroon. The lip is large, green, and heavily 
suffused with deep purple. Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons. 
Nectarine Cardinal. —This is a grand early 
variety of medium size and extra rich colouring. It 
is especially suitable for early forcing. Messrs. T. 
Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth. 
• a» 
ROSES FROM PERTHSHIRE. 
One of the most striking results of the mildness of 
the past winter and the sudden plunge from spring 
to the heat of summer that has characterised the 
earlier part of the month of May is the precocity of 
many plants. A notable instance of this, in which 
the Rose is the prominent figure, comes from 
Stenton Gardens, Dunkeld, Perthshire. A box of 
cut blooms chiefly of the Tea section, cut from 
plants grown in the open, was forwarded us from 
thence about the middle of last week by Mr. A. 
Farquhar. Despite this earliness and the long 
railway journey they arrived quite fresh and smiling, 
and would compare very favourably both for colour 
and substance with those grown in the southern 
counties in June. Some exquisite buds of Gloire de 
Dijon were especially praiseworthy. Mr. Farquhar 
informs us that he cut six blooms in the open as 
early as May 6th, and four dozen were cut and sent 
to London on May 13th, whilst many more buds 
were opening. Surely this is a record! and for 
Perthshire too! Perhaps other rosarians in various 
parts of the country have met with further examples 
of the precocity of the Queen of Flowers, but up to 
the time of writing, these bonnie Scotch blooms are 
the first of which we have heard. 
--- 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS FOR 
EXHIBITION. 
The season has now arrived when our special atten¬ 
tion will be required for the final potting. This 
detail is not only one of the most important, but is 
certainly the heaviest in connection with the culture 
of the “ mum,” and growers should give some 
thought of the work some few days before the plants 
require the extended pot room. For instance, the 
general work of the garden should be pushed 
forward, so as to allow the full strength to be put on 
when needed. Pots should be looked up, and if not 
sufficient, orders should be sent early; those that 
are dirty should be washed, as it is most desirable 
that the surroundings should be clean and sweet. 
The sizes most generally adopted for cut bloom 
culture are 8 in. and 10 in., the greater portion 
being of the latter; for exhibition plants, 10-inch 
for Pompones, and 12-inch for large flowering 
specimens ; but for plants, the size is usually 
stated in the “ Rules for Exhibitors ” in the various 
schedules. The varieties that are grown in the S-in. 
pots are those of a somewhat weaker growth, such 
as the Princess of Wales family, including Lucy 
Kendal, Mrs. S. Coleman, etc. ; Princess of Teck 
family, of the incurved section ; Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy of the ostrich plume section; and the 
weakest of the Japs. In some cases the 10-in. pots 
may not be in sufficient quantity, then the smallest 
or late struck cuttings may be put into the smaller 
sized pot. 
The Compost 
of course, must vary according to the means at 
command ; for instance, the loam (which is the most 
important feature), is generally in the south lacking 
of fibre, and therefore of a closer and more adhesive 
nature. In other cases the sod may be heavy, or 
approaching that termed clayey, and in others of a 
light sandy material. The soil recommended is that 
of a sod that is fairly stiff with sufficient fibre to hold 
the soil together. To a greasy loam without fibre 
add a greater proportion of sand ; if very stiff or 
heavy, add more leaf mould; if unusually open or 
light, withhold a portion of the sand. A good mixture 
may be made as follows : Sod, four barrowfuls 
chopped or broken to the size of Walnuts ; leaf 
mould passed through a coarse seive, one barrow’ful ; 
spent mushroom bed passed through the seive, three- 
quarters of a barrowful. and a half of sand. To 
this add an 8-in. pot of bone meal or ground oyster 
shells, also a little less quantity of Clay’s, 
Thompson’s, Colbrook's, or other approved manure ; 
also an 8-in pot of soot. If the sod is heavy, a 
sprinkling of wood ashes or broken charcoal ma y be 
added, which will tend to keep the soil sweet and 
open. This should be repeated until sufficient is 
prepared for the whole batch. In cases where the 
cultivator is wishful to test different manures, the 
sod, leaf mould, and sand can be prepared, and other 
forms added as the work proceeds. The compost 
should be prepared some few days before use, and 
a most important detail is its moisture; it should 
neither be wet nor over dry. The best test is to grasp 
a handful firmly, when it should be moist enough to 
hold itself together, and yet when thrown down will 
readily fall apart. 
Timing the Shift. 
This is a matter that must have some considera¬ 
tion ; from the time that the plants are potted off, 
no check must be allowed ; or the plants will suffer, 
which means that the highest results cannot be 
attained. No definite time can be named for the 
shift from the 6-in. to the flowering pot. Many 
things will alter the time to some extent ; being 
struck in heat or cold, and cuttings put in early or 
late, are factors that have considerable bearing at 
this stage. To test the time for re-potting, turn a 
plant or two out, and if the soil is fairly well filled 
with roots the plants are ready for their next change. 
Do not allow the ball to become a mass of roots ; if 
so, sufficient food will not be available, and a great 
check will be sustained in freeing the ball of its 
crocks. The moisture in the soil has been referred 
to, and it is equally important that the soil or ball 
of the plant be in a similar condition. If it is very 
dry it will be difficult to moisten after the re-potting, 
and if over wet the soil will be pressed into a mass 
that will prove detrimental to its well-being. There¬ 
fore, if a plant is wet, allow it to stand a few hours 
before potting, and if very dry, water, and allow a 
few hours rest. The preparations have now been 
fully given, and we will proceed with the 
Final Potting ; 
and in this shift especially, firmness should be well 
considered, and to that end, a potting stick should be 
used in ramming the soil; a portion of a thin broom 
stick about a foot in length and left with a flat end 
will answer admirably. The pots should be carefully 
crocked, a well-fitting crock placed over the hole 
being the means of keeping the drainage clear ; on 
this place other potsherds, hollow side downwards to 
the depth of ij in.; on this place some rough 
material or moss, which will prevent the soil from 
washing down to the drainage; put in sufficient 
compost to allow the top of the ball to be about a 
couple of inches below the rim ; fill in the compost 
and ram with the stick as the work proceeds, until 
the top of the ball is reached. The 2 in. left will 
permit of surface dressings later on. If the compost 
and ball of the plant are in good condition, no water 
will be required at the root on the day of re-potting ; 
but if the weather prove dry and hot, the change 
may prove somewhat of a test, and the plant may 
flag. If this is so, a syringing overhead will prove 
beneficial, and may be repeated twice or three times 
during the day. Rather let the plants show signs of 
flagging than over-water, but this will only be to 
some slight extent, if the damping overhead is 
followed. The plants may be watered the day after 
potting, after which great care must be exercised not 
to water too freely until the plant has got hold of the 
new soil. — W. 
