770 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 1, 1896. 
layering is exceptional and remarkable. It would 
seem as if the strong growth of the Malmaisons had 
been infused into or amalgamated with the ordinary 
type, and no doubt this is the case to some extent. 
Plant and Fruit Houses. 
The impression largely prevails that Carnations are 
the leading and only feature of Mr. Smith’s garden 
at The Warren. He grows fruit in pots largely, as 
well as planted out, and his gardener, Mr. C. Blick, 
is also a specialist in Chrysanthemums as we find in 
evidence at the autumn shows. At present the 
•• ’mums’’ are making good growth in the open. 
One house we entered contained a collection of 
fruit trees in pots. Sea Eagle, Late Noblesse, 
Crimson Galande, Goshawk, Princess of Wales, and 
Gladstone, are Peaches bearing heavy crops, par¬ 
ticularly Princess of Wales. Nectarines are equally 
good, including splendid crops of Pine Apple and 
River's Orange. Scarcely less prolific are Dryden, 
Violette Hative, Stanwick Elruge, and Pine Apple. 
Moorpark Apricot bore a heavy crop last year, but 
the crop at present is remarkable. Grosse Peche 
Apricot is a larger fruit of better flavour. Cherries 
include Emperor Francis, Bigarreau Napoleon, 
and Montreuse de Mezel, all having fruited well. 
Immediately outside of the last-named house is a 
collection of pyramidal Pears in pots, half-plunged. 
Pitmaston Duchess, Clapp’s Favourite, Beurre 
Hardy, Durondeau, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Doyenne 
Boussock, Brockworth Park, The Conference, and 
others are fruiting heavily. In one of the houses we 
noted very large trees of Royal George, and Violette 
Hative Peaches and Violette Hative Nectarine, all of 
which have done well. From a tree of the first- 
named 225 fruits were gathered this year. Two 
houses of Black Hamburgh and Muscat of 
Alexandria Grapes are large in bunch and berry. 
Tomatos also do well, the varieties grown being 
Glenhurst Favourite and a seedling of excellent 
flavour produced as a cross between Sutton’s Per¬ 
fection and Trophy. 
In passing through the kitchen garden, we noted 
good crops of Onions, including Challenge and 
Ailsa Craig. They were sown under glass in the first 
week in January and afterwards planted out. Royal 
Sovereign Strawberry gives great satisfaction, 
especially when grown under glass. Thirteen 
fruits weighed a pound. The second crop of Melons 
on one set of plants is now developing. In another 
span-roofed house, about 25 ft. long, the plants carry 
a crop of something like 100 fruits. Calanthes on a 
top shelf are now making excellent growth. Ferns, 
Crotons, and Gardenias are the feature of another 
house. The Gardenias flowered in March, affording 
an excellent harvest for cut-flower purposes. A 
houseful of Maidenhair Fern is also grown for cut¬ 
ting from. Lapagerias are flowering freely on the 
roof. In a field near Hayes Station we came upon 
a fine sowing of King of the Marrows Pea. There 
is only a foot of soil here, yet the Peas are 7 ft. high 
and bearing heavily, Altogether, then, Mr. Blick 
has his hands quite full ; and his work everywhere is 
well worthy of commendation. 
-- 
CARNATIONS AT W0RT0N HALL. 
The modern representatives of the old 11 Gilli- 
flower ” are held in high esteem at Worton Hall 
Gardens, Isleworth, and Mr. A. Pentney, the 
gardener at this establishment grows a considerable 
quantity in the open ground. The plants are 
accommodated on a border, the soil consisting of 
light, rather gravelly loam. No manure has been 
applied to the ground, but dressings of road sand 
have been given, which, despite the natural lightness 
of the soil appears to suit Carnations to perfection. 
The dry weather has here, as indeed, it has almost 
everywhere else, very materially shortened the lives 
of the blooms, and has also especially favoured pod 
bursting. Thrips, too, have been a great plague, and 
an examination of the flowers brought to view 
numbers of the pests snugly ensconced amongst the 
petals. The cry out against thrips has been 
unusually loud this year from Carnation growers the 
whole of the country through, and the cultivator 
must therefore obtain what solace he can for his own 
grievances from the knowledge that his neighbours 
are in no better plight. 
No disbudding is practised by Mr. Pentney in 
dealing with these border varieties, and thus the 
number of flowers borne by the stems is exceedingly 
■large, the stems themselves being erect, stout, and of 
more than average height. We notice that a place 
of honour is accorded to the old favourites, the white 
Gloire de Nancy, and the grand Old Crimson Clove. 
If these two varieties had nothing but their sweet 
perfume to recommend them they would still be well 
worthy a place in any garden, but they add to this 
no mean degree of merit from a florist's point of 
view, although sad to say they are such inveterate 
pod bursters. Seldom have we seen Germania so 
strong as it is under Mr. Pentney’s care. The 
flower stems are fully 2 ft. in length, and stout in 
proportion, and the blooms large and well coloured ; 
it seemed, indeed, to have taken a new lease of life 
as compared with the Germania that we usually 
meet with. Leander is a very large and showy bright 
yellow flower. As the individual blooms possess stalks 
from 5 to 6 in. in length this variety is excellent for 
cutting from. Ketton Rose is a great favourite. The 
blooms are large, of good form, and deep rose in hue 
shading rather lighter in the later stages. This is 
one of the best border varieties of its kind in cultiva¬ 
tion. Although an old variety, Mrs. Muir, when 
it comes well, is a fine white, but its great drawback 
is its delicate constitution. Uriah Pike does excep¬ 
tionally well in the open ground, but its flowers are 
comparatively small unless some dis-budding is done, 
as it produces such great numbers of buds all up the 
stems. Queen of Bedders, a rosy scarlet self, has 
nothing to recommend it except its great floriferous- 
ness, as it is of much inferior quality to the foregoing. 
Border Maid is a caricature of Ketton Rose, being 
rather lighter in colour but not equal to it in quality. 
Rose Celestial is not so sure as some others but when 
it comes well it is one of the best rose seifs. 
Golden Queen, a bright yellow self, with a rather 
full flower does well with Mr. Pentney when grown in 
pots. 
ACTON FLOWER SHOW. 
The twenty-ninth annual exhibition of the Acton 
Horticultural Society was held in the grounds of 
East Lodge, Acton Hill, on the 22nd ult. Prizes were 
offered in ninety classes and attracted 240 entries. 
There were separate divisions for gardeners, 
cottagers, amateurs and children. 
The leading award for a group of plants was taken by 
Owen Davies, Esq., J.P.,(gardener, Mr. G. Benham), 
Grasgarth, who had by far the best arrangement of 
Palms, Coleus, Lilies, Campanula pyramidalis, &c. 
C. T. Sutton, Esq., (gardener, Mr. W. J. Simpson), 
East Acton with a different class of plants that would 
have been brighter with more flowers, was second. A. 
Hubbard, Esq., J. P., (gardener, Mr. W. Polley) 
Derwentwater House, came in third. C. T. Sutton, 
Esq., took the leading awards for four Fuchsias, two 
Ferns, four plants in bloom, and four foliage plants, 
the specimens being of a fresh appearance and dark 
green colour. Clerodendron balfourianum, amongst 
the flowering plants, was a sample of good cultivation. 
Owen Davies, Esq., was a very good second for 
Fuchsias; and Major Wilkinson, J.P., (gardener, 
Mr. F. Chandler), took the second place with foliage 
plants. C. T. Sutton, Esq., again maintained the 
lead for four exotic Ferns; and was followed by 
Major Wilkinson and A. Hubbard, Esq., respectively. 
Owen Davies, Esq., had the best Coleus in well- 
coloured pyramidal specimens ; and E. Ouvry, Esq., 
(gardener, Mr. C. Burrows), was a good second. 
Major Wilkinson, J.P., had the best six Petunias in 
fresh, well-grown specimens. He also took the lead 
for a hanging basket and twelve bunches of cut 
flowers. Owen Davies, Esq., came to the front for 
six Fuchsias; and C. A. Beldham, Esq., (gardener, 
Mr. Hinton), The Lodge, was a close second. A 
Hubbard, Esq., had the best Gloxinias; and was 
closely followed by Owen Davies, Esq. C. T. Sutton, 
Esq., again took the lead for foliage Begonias, 
showing large, well-grown samples. Roses were out 
of season, but several stands were shown, W. C. 
Smith, Esq , (gardener, Mr. Sizman) Fremington 
Lodge, taking the first award for twelve blooms. 
Fruit was not a strong class, but C. T. Sutton 
Esq., took the lead with four good dishes ; and was 
followed by Mrs. Clarke, (gardener, Mr. F. Goody), 
East Acton. Prizes were offered by Messrs. Sutton 
& Sons, Reading, for a collection of six vegetables, 
and the first was well deserved by A. Hubbard, Esq., 
his Potatos, Tomatos, Peas, and French Beans being 
fine. He was followed by E. Ouvry, Esq., and Mrs. 
Clarke, in the order named. In another class for six 
vegetables, C. T. Sutton, Esq., preceded A. Hubbard 
Esq. Those two exhibitors maintained the same 
order for a collection of eight kinds of vegetables ; 
and were followed by Mr. E. H. Cockitt. A. 
Hubbard, Esq., had by far the best Cucumbers. 
In the amateurs’ division the first prize for three 
Ferns was taken by Mr. C B. Green, Acton, with 
good specimens of Scolopendrium, Athyrium and 
Lastrea Pseudo-mas cristata. Almost a whole tent 
was devoted to the exhibits of Cottagers who showed 
flowers and vegetables well, especially the latter, 
which were in excellent condition considering the 
nature of the season. Onions, Shallots, Potatos, and 
some other things were particularly noticeable. 
There was also a competition with boiled Potatos. 
Some prizes for wild flowers to be competed for by 
children, brought eighty-three entries. 
In the non-competitive class there was a magnifi¬ 
cent group of plants from the Messrs, de Rothschild, 
(gardener, Mr. Geo. Reynolds), Gunnersbury Park, 
Acton. The well-grown Crotons, Francoa ramosa, 
Celosias and other things had a very bright effect. 
Messrs. Lee & Sons, Ealing, staged some fine stands 
of Roses, considering the season. A group of beauti¬ 
fully grown Acalyphas, Palms &c., was set up by 
E. M. Nelson, Esq., (gardener, Mr. David Cooper), 
Hanger Hill House, Ealing. Messrs. J. Carter & 
Co., High Holborn, staged a collection of herbaceous 
plants and select annuals, including Sweet Peas. 
The above four exhibits were highly commended. 
-- 
CARNATIONS FROM KELSO. 
North of the Tweed the Carnation is regarded with 
quite as much favour as it is south of it, and we may 
add.it is just as skilfully cultivated. A box of cut 
blooms recently arrived to hand from Messrs. Laing 
and Mather, Kelso-on-Tweed, Roxburghshire, con¬ 
taining some superb samples of flowers that bore 
mute evidence that the atmosphere of the bonnie 
Land o’Cakes, is every whit as suitable for Carna¬ 
tions as that of the more southern counties. 
Comparing the flowers with others of the same 
varieties grown close to London, we were at once 
struck by the intensity of the colours exhibited by 
the northern blooms, in which they outrivalled the 
southerners. Another point in which the latter 
appeared to be deficient, is that of smell. Now we 
consider that the possession of an agreeable perfume 
is a most desirable feature of any flower, and we are 
fain to say that a Carnation devoid of fragrance has 
lost much of its charm. 
Our old friend, Uriah Pike, was in fine form, tall, 
sturdy, and vigorous, with any amount of full finely- 
formed flowers, Paul Engleheart, another grand 
dark crimson variety, differs from Uriah Pike in 
having the petals much fimbriated, but it is very 
pretty, and well worth growing. It is very sweetly 
scented. The blooms of Oxonian are of extra large 
size, and the calyx is stout and not given to bursting. 
Good dark varieties are none too plentiful, and 
Oxonian would certainly be sure of its place in any 
collection. The flowers are not quite so deep a 
crimson as those of Uriah Pike and Paul Engle¬ 
heart. Ketton Rose evidently does as well in 
Scotland as it does in England, and that is saying a 
good deal, for it is well-known here as one of the very 
best rose seifs in cultivation. Crombie’s Pink is 
built in the same way as Ketton Rose, but is two or 
three shades lighter in hue, and a rather smaller 
flower. Duchess of Fife is evidently another good 
doer. When first it opens it is a rich rose self, but 
it soon begins to shade lighter, and the present hot 
season has caused the tips of the petals to turn 
nearly white. It is a fine large flower, with petals of 
great size and substance. The slightly fimbriated 
edges are an additional attraction. In Mrs Barne- 
wall Elliott, Messrs. Laing and Mather have got a 
real good thing. Although not of first-class form, 
this was decidedly the best decorative variety in the 
box. The flower is large, heavy, very sweet scented, 
and exhibits a rich shade of salmon-pink, the 
petals are also very large and substantial. The 
calyx, moreover, shows no sign of splitting. We 
shall, doubtless, hear more of Mrs. Barnewall Elliott 
another year. 
Picotees were represented only by one variety— 
Favourite—one of the prettiest medium scarlet-edged 
varieties in cultivation. It is delicately clove- 
scented and a finely built bloom. 
In conclusion, we must pay a tribute of praise to 
the high order of merit characterising Messrs. Laing 
and Mather’s material. 
