284 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 4, 1896. 
country from a horticultural point of view ; 
but while on the road cannot resist turning 
aside for a moment now and again when 
objects of interest confront us. At Hayes 
Barton, for instance, is the birthplace of 
Sir Walter Raleigh, to whom we are in¬ 
debted, according to the general belief, for 
the introduction of the Potato and Tobacco. 
Six or seven miles to the westward of 
Hayes Barton we come upon Nutwell 
Court, where the great Elizabethan admiral, 
Sir Francis Drake, was born. The old- 
fashioned place still looks peacefully over 
the River Exe. While traversing the 
country in the space between these two 
places by the sea coast route several rural 
villages are passed, including Budleigh and 
Budleigh Salterton, with the noble resi¬ 
dence of the Hon. Mark Rolle, at Bicton, 
on the right. The mildness of the season is 
showing itself in the budding of Lilacs, 
Honeysuckle, Camellias, and other subjects 
in the open air. The Camellias are deve¬ 
loping both their leaf and flower buds. At 
Budleigh several large plants of Passiflora 
caerulea are covered with fruit in various 
stages of development, and very effective it 
is when ripe. Pyrus japonica and the com¬ 
mon Laurustinus are in full bloom, and as 
showy as they might be at the end of 
March. The Strawberry tree is still flower¬ 
ing, and the Fiery Thorn is laden with 
orange-red fruit. Various wild flowers are 
blooming by the wayside, and the Gorse 
forms masses of golden bloom in many 
places. 
Near Bystock the wayfarer becomes 
interested in the remains of the church of St. 
John in the Wilderness, of which only the 
tall, square, Ivy-covered tower remains, but 
which is preserved and put to useful pur¬ 
pose. It was of Norman origin and there¬ 
fore very ancient. Of the private and other 
establishments we visited we shall have 
something to say on a future occasion. On 
reaching the thriving town of Exmouth, 
situated on the sloping ground facing the 
estuary of the Exe, we had more evidence 
of the genial nature of the climate even 
compared with that of London, where 
practically we have, as yet, had no real 
winter. The villa gardens are cheerful with 
evergreen subjects, including Conifers, and 
in many cases lively with blossom. The 
Laurustinus is very extensively employed, 
and well rewards the owners at this time. 
Jasminum nudiflorum is bright with its 
yellow flowers on many walls of houses, and 
walls of all ages are draped with Ivy, laden 
with flowers or fruit. Cotoneaster micro- 
phylla is also used to excellent purpose in 
covering the walls and fences. The dark 
green foliage makes a fine setting for the 
red berries. Here, again, the Passion Flower 
is fruiting freely on the beautiful modern 
villas. Amongst Conifers, none is more 
popular than Cupressus macrocarpa, which 
forms beautiful pyramidal trees. Pinus 
insignis is also truly a seaside tree, and 
some grand specimens may here be noted. 
Other species of Cypress are also plentiful, 
as are the dwarfer shrubs belonging to the 
same group. A recent addition to the 
adornment of the town was the planting of 
various trees along the esplanade, including 
several species of Poplar, Horse Chestnuts, 
and others, but singularly enough the Plane 
was not included. They are so near the 
sea wall that the spray must wash over 
them at times when the sea is rough and 
the tide high. The tradesmen who pre¬ 
sented the trees to the town may have been 
guided in making the selection by drawing 
inferences from the trees which are thriving 
a short distance away. These include the 
Oak, the Black Poplar, the Elm, Maple, 
and others of that class. 
Little need be said with regard to Christ¬ 
mas customs, but frequent reference is 
made here to the fact that the Mistleto is 
seldom if ever found growing in Devon, not¬ 
withstanding the numerous orchards of 
Apple trees. The supply comes from 
Hereford, where the orchards are largely 
infested with the parasite. The burning of 
the ashen faggot is still practised to some 
extent, and affords cheap amusement to the 
younger members of the family, while, the 
older ones look on with sceptical com¬ 
placence, and pay little regard to the 
messages or auguries which the crackling 
and popping of the logs are or rather were 
supposed to portend. 
•--i*- 
Lime rubble for Stone Fruits—Old mortar or lime 
rubbish is highly beneficial to Peach, Nectarine, 
Cherry, and Plum trees. Fork some of this at once 
near the roots. 
Fruit Culture of every species will also play an 
important part in the Berlin Gardening Industry 
during the present year, and the -whole exhibition 
promises to be a very great and lasting success. 
The death is announced at St George’s, Maryland, 
of Mr. Thomas Fairley, an eminent transatlantic 
horticultural expert. The deceased, who carried on 
business in Maryland for a number of years, was a 
native of Edinburgh, 
Landscape Gardening at the Berlin Exhibition.— 
Some eighty firms in Berlin and environs are here 
represented in a more or less prominent manner. 
About half of the ground allotted to this group is 
claimed by the tree plantation exhibitors and by the 
landscape gardeners. 
A novel scarecrow.—Lady visitor to hostess: "I 
have been looking at that scarecrow in your garden 
yonder for some time and unless my eyes have 
deceived me it has actually moved once or twice.” 
Hostess: “ That's not a scarecrow ; it's my gardener 
working for a pound a week and cottage.” 
English tennis ground atthe Berlin Exhibition, 1896. 
—A splendid park of 1,900 square metres has also 
been skilfully arranged on well-chosen ground, and 
several prominent gardeners have secured a large 
and desirable position to utilise for original land¬ 
scape gardens. A lawn tennis ground in true 
English style is also contemplated. Flower beds of 
every kind will please the visitor by their rich and 
variegated hues, whilst the great profusion of Roses 
will ched their delightful fragrance around in a 
truly charming and artistic manner. 
Ants and Orchids.—The connection between these 
has often been discussed and the suggestion advanced 
that the ants constituted a protection to the Orchids 
against enemies, but late investigations have led Mr. 
J. H. Hart, of Trinidad to conclude that the chief 
benefit conferred by the ants is that of providing the 
mycelium of a fungus to cover the roots of the plant 
which is thus enabled to take up food otherwise un¬ 
attainable. The ants may act as protectors as well, 
but it appears almost certain that the fungus grow¬ 
ing in the material accumulated around the roots 
serves the much more important purpose of feeding 
the plant. 
The Duke of Devonshire and Orchids.—The father 
of the present Duke of Devonshire was one of the 
first public men to take up the flower. The 
"Butterfly Orchid ” is a most striking instance of 
the form of evolution which Darwin termed mimicry. 
Sir Ralph Woodford, Governor of Trinidad, sent the 
first specimens to Europe in 1824, presenting them 
to amateurs and nurserymen. One of the latter, 
Colville of Chelsea, flowered a plant next season. It 
was ten years later, perhaps, that the Duke of Devon¬ 
shire, strolling through his crystal palace at Chats- 
worth, caught sight of “the Butterfly”—paused, 
studied it, and resolved, there and then, to search 
the world for like marvels. He sent collectors east 
and west, and the number of Orchids named after 
him or his agents is enduring evidence of his 
zeal. 
Trees are planted in about one-third of the streets 
of Paris. 
The Apricot Crop in California was by no means a 
good one last season. 
A seal was discovered in the Thames near Rich¬ 
mond, recently, but it has no affinity with Solomon's 
Seal.— Snaggs. 
The Wine or Kittul Palm of India grows to a height 
of 50 ft. or 60 ft., and has leaves 18 ft. to 20 ft. long. 
The segments of the leaves are so cut or fashioned 
as to resemble the pinnules of the Maidenhair 
Fern. 
Liquid manure for fruit trees.—Now is the time to 
apply stimulants in the shape of liquid manure to 
fruit trees that have been exhausted by heavy crops 
of fruit; and those who expect crops every year must 
not leave off the application of liquids directly the 
crop is gathered. They must continue it to fill up 
the buds for next season’s crop. 
Lord Aberdeen is doing very well with his farm at 
Vernon (B.C.). Four and ahalf tons of Strawberries 
were sold from the farm this season, and there are 
twenty-seven acres of Hops, which, it is estimated, 
will produce 80,000 dollars. There are also twelve 
tons of Apples on the farm and a large quantity of 
Wheat. 
Shirley and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association.—The monthly meeting of this society 
was held at the Parish Room, Shirley, Southampton, 
on Monday, December i6th, the president, W. F. G. 
Sporange, Esq., C.C., in the chair, about forty 
members being present. Two essays had been sent 
in “on the best and most economical method of heat¬ 
ing a greenhouse and stove." Both essayists pro¬ 
nounced in favour of hot water, although they 
differed as to the particular pattern of boiler to be 
employed. The committee awarded the first prize 
to Mr. F. L. Morris, The Gardens, Blighmount, 
Millrook. A discussion upon the various points 
raised followed, and a cordial vote of thanks to both 
essayists terminated the proceedings. 
Second Viola Conference Report.—The Viola con¬ 
ference held at the Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, 
Birmingham, on May 29th last, was noticed in our 
columns at the time. The report has been printed 
in pamphlet form and may be obtained from Mr. 
Richard Dean, the Hon. Sec., Ranelagh Road, 
Ealing, for sixpence. It contains the papers read by 
Professor Hillhouse on “ The Genus Viola" ; by Mr. 
Richard Dean, on “ Old Violas" ; by Mr. E. Burrell, 
on “ Violas that do well in Surrey ” ; by Dr. Stuart, 
on “ Newer Varieties of the Violetta Type " ; and by 
Mr. A. J. Rowberry, on the “ Winter Treatment of 
Violas.” There is also Mr. Wm. Cuthbertson, the 
chairman's opening address in reference to Violas. 
The history of Violas in the past and the review of 
the newer ones will not only be interesting to lovers 
of this class of plants, but useful as well in enabling 
them to make a selection of the best of modern im¬ 
provements. 
Supposed New British Grass —At the meeting of 
the Linnean Society of London, on December 5th, 
Mr. G. C. Druce communicated a paper on a new 
species of Bromus in Britain, which was said to 
differ from others of the genus in its inflorescence, 
having single, short, stiff pedicels arising alternately 
right and left of the main rachis.each bearing at its ex¬ 
tremity three to five sessile, or, in some cases, shortly 
stalked spikelets, giving an interrupted and compact 
appearance to the whole inflorescence, which is made 
up of two rows of clustered groups of three to five 
spikelets. This peculiar feature being absent in its 
nearest allies, the name interruptus was proposed to 
distinguish it. It appeared to have been recognised 
by Prof. Hacket as Bromus mollis var interrupta ; 
but Mr. Druce considered that it was sufficiently 
distinct to be entitled to specific rank. He had 
found it growing abundantly in a field of A etches 
near Upton, Berkshire; and specimens have been 
examined from Headington, Oxford, and Dartford, 
Kent. In a discussion which followed, Dr. O. Stapf 
reviewed the literature on the subject, and gave 
reasons for regarding the so called new species as a 
sport, abnormal growth of Bromus mollis. Critical 
remarks were made also by Mr. H. Groves and Mr. 
A. B. Rendle, who were inclined to share the opinion 
of the last speaker. 
