644 
June 6, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
site now occupied by his present far-famed Buccleuch 
Nurseries, which when taken in hand by him were 
simply green fields, lying between the North British 
Railway and one of the entrances to the town from 
the south. 
Travellers by the Waverley route to and from 
Scotland are pretty conversant with the grand 
display of flowers in season, as seen in passing these 
nurseries, and many find it worth their while to 
break their journey at Hawick, on purpose to pay 
them a visit, which, at anytime, but more especially 
during the summer months, is conducive to much 
pleasure and instruction. 
Mr. Forbes has long been famed for sets of Antirr¬ 
hinums, Begonias, Carnations, Dahlias, Delphiniums, 
Hollyhocks, Pansies, Violas, Phloxes, Pentstemons, 
Pelargoniums, etc., etc. Herbaceous and Alpine 
plants are also a leading speciality, everything worth 
having being annually added as they make their 
appearance. 
Carnations, in all their sections, are a leading 
feature; many fine varieties have from time to time 
been given to the world from these nurseries of late 
years, the most notable being the now famous 
Buccleuch Clove which was sent out last autumn, 
being the most deliciously-scented Clove Carnation 
ever sent out. Tree Carnations are also well looked 
after. A new variety called Yule Tide is being sent 
out this season, and is remarkable for its brilliant 
scarlet colour, size of flower and perpetual blooming 
properties. 
Pansies and Violas are grown in large quantities, 
and when in bloom are a sight worth seeing. We 
well remember our first impression on seeing one 
plot in particular, out of many containing about 
io.ooo plants in full bloom, many of them being 2 ft. 
through and one mass of large well-formed flowers in 
an endless range of colours. 
Auriculas and Polyanthus are also grown extensively 
and are of the most choice description. Mr. Forbes 
also holds a very fine collection of the old named 
gold-laced varieties now so seldom met with. East 
Lothian Stocks have long been a speciality ; with the 
result that Mr. Forbes now enjoys an enviable 
reputation for his strain ofsix varieties, viz., Crimson, 
Purple, Scarlet, White, and Crimson and White 
Wallflower-leaved. Large quantites of each are 
grown for seed-saving purposes. 
While special mention has been made of the above 
sections of plants, other departments are in no ways 
neglected,everything pertaining to a high class nursery 
trade being carefully attended to. He has large 
breadths of fruit, forest, and ornamental trees and 
shrubs,besides a very extensive area of glass structures 
and other buildings necessary for the requirements of 
the trade. The whole concern reflects the highest 
credit on Mr. Forbes, who in such a comparatively 
short time has founded and built step by step a 
business of which he has just reason to be proud. 
This stage of his career has not been reached without 
hard and incessant work in face of many difficulties, 
which only seem to have urged him on to greater 
things. “ Whatever thy hand findeth to do, doit 
with all thy might," seems to have been the key-note 
to his whole career. This is reflected in all his 
actions, as those who know him best can testify ; 
this is a trait of character to be admired and copied in 
whatever line of life our lot may have fallen. We 
admire men of this stamp, men who by their ora 
exertions and by dint of hard work and indomitable 
perseverance have risen from the ranks, leaving 
behind them footprints that all may follow with 
advantage. Many medals and other distinctive 
honours have been awarded Mr. Forbes in the course 
of his business career. We have also a pleasure in 
thus noticing him as a “ man we have met; ” we con¬ 
gratulate him on the fruits of his labours and wish 
him a still further prosperous career. 
--— 
THAMES FERRIES. 
Concerning the beauties of the river between 
Maidenhead and Cookham I can fully endorse all 
that your correspondent “ C. B. G." has said in 
respect thereto, as I take a great interest in the 
varying phases of the trees and wild flowers which 
adorn its banks. 
But as an ardent lover of our grand old river, I do 
object to the notice boards warning you off from 
one place and another, backwaters, tributaries, 
etc., and the selfishness generally of riparian owners. 
1 must admit that I am also at one with " C. B. G." 
on the subject of free ferries. The following quota¬ 
tion from Jerome K. Jerome's “Three Men in a 
Boat,” may interest some of your readers :— 
“ The selfishness of the riparian proprietor grows 
with every year. If these men had their way they 
would close the river Thames altogether. They 
actually do this along the minor tributary streams 
and in the backwaters. They drive posts into the 
bed of the stream, and draw chains across from bank 
to bank, and nail huge notice boards on every tree. 
The sight of those notice boards rouses every evil 
instinct in my nature. I feel I want to tear each one 
dowD, and hammer it over the head of the man who 
put it up, until I have killed him, and then I would 
bury him, and put the board up over the grave as a 
tombstone.’ —An Old Boating Chap. 
-- 
FLOWERS AT THE AGRICULTURAL 
SHOW. 
The annual show of the Bath and West and 
Southern Counties Agricultural Society was held 
this year at St. Albans, on the 27th, 28th, 29th, and 
30th ult., and 1st inst. The main features of this 
extensive show consisted of cattle, agricultural and 
other machinery, as well as several appendages or 
side shows bearing on the agricultural industry. 
One large tent or pavilion, however, was entirely 
devoted to horticulture, which was admirably repre¬ 
sented by several well known exhibitors. The Lord 
Mayor of London visited the show on the afternoon 
of the second day. 
Conspicuous on one side of the tent was the 
splendid exhibit of Gloxinias and other plants by 
Messrs Sutton & Sons, Reading. The Gloxinias were 
the leading feature however, and the group included 
Her Majesty, Duke of York, Prince of Wales, Princess 
of Wales, Empress of India, and several other fine 
varieties in self, spotted and banded arrangements 
of colour. Palms, Eulalia japonica variegata, and 
Maidenhair Ferns supplied the greenery, while 
Lilium Harrisi, and large flowered Cannas furnished 
a pleasing variation. Lack of space prevented the 
fruiting Tomatos from being staged here ; but they 
formed an interesting and attractive feature on the 
other side of the pavilion. Golden Nugget, Sutton's 
Dessert and Tender and True were the varieties 
shown, and the plants were heavily laden with ripe 
fruit. They formed a novel back ground to a bank 
of various named varieties of Begonia semperflorens 
for which Messrs. Sutton are noted. 
Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, London, 
exhibited a large group of their grand strain of 
tuberous Begonias in single and double varieties. 
They were arranged in three undulating banks set in 
masses of Maidenhair Fern. Splendid double 
varieties were Countess of Zetland, white, Duke of 
Fife, soft orange-scarlet, Lady Brooke, orange-salmon, 
and Laing's Rosebud, for colour and shape well- 
named. 
Messrs. Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden, 
showed a collection of cut flowers of hardy herba¬ 
ceous plants including a great variety of showy and 
useful things in season, such as Spanish Irises, 
Paeonies, Pyrethrums, Delphinium nudicaule, 
Heuchera sanguinea, in a very dark shade of colour, 
bearded Irises and many others. 
Messrs. F. Sander & Co., St. Albans, exhibited a 
rich and beautifully arranged group of Orchids, 
amongst which we noted grand pieces of Odonto- 
glossum vexillarium, Oncidium varicosum Rogersii, 
Odontoglossum citrosmum, Dendrobium Bensoniae, 
Laelia cinnabarina, the beautiful Epidendrum Randii, 
and various others. The bank was made up of 
several mounds carpeted with moss, and having some 
prominent plant or other in the centre of each mound. 
Conspicuous amongst these were Heliconia illustris 
rubricaulis, Zamia Roezlii, and other Cycads as well 
as Palms. Singular and interesting was the Cork¬ 
screw Rush. 
At one end of the tent, Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & 
Son, Highgate and Barnet, arranged a great bank of 
Malmaison Carnations, backed with Palms, and 
having the irregular outline of the group bounded by 
a line of Adiantum cuneatum. Little groups of 
Carnation Germania, well grown and handsomely 
flowered, stood prominently from the general mass. 
In a similar position at the other end of the tent 
was a most imposing group of flowering and foliage 
plants, due to the skill of Mr. E. Beckett, gardener 
to the Lord Aldenham, Aldenham House, Elstree. 
He had covered the wooden end of the pavilion with 
virgin cork, and Ferns in the pockets formed by the 
same. The group was on the floor, and tall graceful 
Palms were stood all over the area. Underneath 
these were flowering plants, such as the Flamingo 
Plant, Richardias, Saxifraga Cotyledon pyramidalis, 
Lilies, Crassula coccinea in a variety of colours, and 
various others, independently of foliage plants. 
At one end of the central staging and facing Mr. 
Beckett’s group was a showy bank arranged by Mr. 
W. H. Lees, of Chrysanthemum fame, and gardener 
to F. A. Bevan, Esq., Trent Park, New Barnet. 
The taller plants consisted of Palms and Crotons, 
richly interspersed with Orchids, such as Masdevallia 
narryana, Odontoglossum crispum in fine varieties, 
and a large plant of Oncidium sphacelatum with 
seven large panicles of bloom. Masses of blue- 
flowered Hydrangeas and Gloxinias were very hand¬ 
some. 
At the other end of the central stage was a similar 
bank of flowers from the hothouses of Sir J. Blundell 
Maple, M.P. (gardener, Mr. T. Nutting). Here 
were floriferous masses of Indian Azaleas, Hydran¬ 
geas, Rhododendrons, Cytisus, Lilium Harrisii, 
Palms, and various others attractively set up. The 
Hydrangeas were samples of high-class cultute. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, had a large exhibit 
of Roses in pots, as well as a collection of hardy 
herbaceous plants, including Lupins, Cannas, 
Pyrethrums, Paeonies, Oriental Poppies and others. 
Cut flowers of Rhododendrons were also plentiful. 
Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, also 
staged a collection of pot Roses, cut flowers of 
Rhododendrons, flowering and foliage trees and 
shrubs. Mr. F. Hooper, Bath, had six stands of 
fancy Pansies in a great variety of showy colours. 
Pyrethrums were also shown by him. 
Messrs. Cooling & Sons, Bath, had an interesting 
collection of old garden Roses, including Rosa rugosa, 
yellow and copper Austrian Briers, R. Harrisonii, 
Crimson Rambler, and the green Rose (R. indica 
viridiflora). 
Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, Somerset, had 
an extensive exhibit of their specialities in the way of 
herbaceous plants, such as Paeonies, Pyrethrums, 
Irises and their fine strain of Delphiniums. Very 
interesting was the rock plant Aethionema grandi- 
flora. C. E. Keyser, Esq., (gardener, Mr. M. 
Gleeson), staged a group of well-flowered crimson 
Gloxinias in 32-sized pots. They were well inter¬ 
spersed with Cyperus laxiflorus. Mr. J. Prewett, 
Lancaster Street, Bayswater, London, had tasteful 
table decorations consisting of the flowers of Ivy¬ 
leaved Pelargoniums, Asparagus, and Gypsophila 
elegans. Mr. D. Springings, St. Albans, set up a 
group of Palms, Pandanus, Dracaenas and other 
foliage plants. 
-» l< 
THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED. 
Give Chrysanthemums their final move as soon as 
possible; continual attention to them is the only way 
to get through them. Crock or drain well, not need¬ 
lessly heavily but perfectly. A little soot or lime on 
the top of the crocks will turn many a worm away. 
Use a compost consisting for the main part of loam, 
and pot firmly by all means. 
Sow Cinerarias, Primulas, Calceolarias, &c. for 
autumn blooming. 
Just now is a critical time amongst Tomatos; where 
the set is assured do not spare moisture of some 
kind. But keep them on the dry side till the fruit can 
be nicely seen. 
Bedding out is just commencing. Pelargoniums 
should have a bright position and sandy soil. Stocks 
and Asters well repay for deep well-manured soil. 
Calceolarias do better in shade than most people 
believe. 
Do not neglect top-dressing house Cucumbers with 
good rough pasture-sods broken to pieces as large as 
the hand. Close at three and providing steam is on 
the glass syringe thoroughly but not otherwise. 
Do not be behindhand in ordering your bulbs. 
Catalogues are fast coming in. 
Callas should now be shaken out and potted, not 
planted out, which is done at many places. The 
reason why not I will explain. Callas must be pot- 
bound before they will bloom, if potted up in autumn 
as so many do. They are just filling the pot with 
roots at the time they should be of some value. Pot 
firmly and in good material, keep clean and cool 
which with the XL All Vaporiser is now a pleasure. 
Do this and there is no limit to a Calla's blooming 
