January 4, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
235 
Mr. John Ruskin is not ashamed to assist his gar¬ 
dener in making a bowling green, croquet ground, a 
rustic bridge over a waterfall, and stone quay at the 
side of the lake near his residence for the advantage 
of his family who row across the lake to the village. 
It never rains but it pours.—According to all 
accounts in The Florist's Exchange, there are row 
three dwarf white Sweet Peas in existence, namely, 
Cupid, which originated in California ; Tom Thumb 
in Germany ; and another said to be identical with 
Cupid, and which turned up in a field of an ordinary 
white variety being grown for an English firm in 
the South of France. That such sports should 
originate in three countries so widely separated, and 
within three years of one another, is something re¬ 
markable. All three are identical. 
Prizes to amateur gardeners.—At the annual 
distribution of prizes by The National Amateur 
Gardeners’ Association on the i8th ult., Mr. D. B. 
Crane, the honorary secretary, was the winner of the 
Society’s Challenge Cup, with eight maximum 
awards out of a possible twelve; also of the Silver 
Medal for the highest aggregate in points (highest 
possible) from May to September ; of the Bronze 
Medal for second highest aggregate for the year, 
with 180 points out of a possible 192 ; and of other 
prizes. Mr. W. Dipper won the Silver Medal for 
the highest aggregate of points for the year, with 182 
points out of a possible 192 ; and the Bronze Medal 
for the second highest aggregate from May to 
September. Other medals and certificates were 
awarded to deserving competitors. 
--—•*-- 
RIVERSIDE, MORPETH. 
Few gentlemen in the north of England have done 
as much for horticulture as E. Hopper, Esq. During 
the summer and autumn months his plants are to be 
seen in nearly every exhibition tent in the 
district; the result being that he has secured 
many of the leading prizes for both fruit and 
plants. The dwelling house is situated in one 
of the principal thoroughfares of Morpeth. It 
is easily distinguished from any of the other 
houses, as the window facing the street is filled, year 
in and year out, with plants in flower. Now, 
perhaps, it may be a brilliant display of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums ; at another time there will be a magnificent 
show of Orchids. Passers-by never fail to find 
interest in the floral feast, and from their expressions 
of admiration they must thoroughly enjoy it. 
The gardens are situated in close proximity to the 
dwelling house. Passing in through the front 
entrance the first house reached was, at the time of 
my visit, filled with Cinerarias, and a better lot one 
would not wish to see. All the plants were absolutely 
clean, and just beginning to show fine heads of 
flower. Next in succession comes the Croton house, 
which has two stages running its whole length and a 
pathway down the centre. On the left Crotons are 
staged, comprising many fine specimens of Mortii, 
C. evansianum, C. Thomsonii, C. Hawkerii, C. 
Warrenii, C. Aigburthense, C. undulatum, &c. &c. 
Standing on the right were some superb Orchids ; I 
noticed a fine specimen of Cypripedium leeanum 
superbum, with several fine flowers, and a grand 
plant of C. lathamianum with some superb blooms. 
In addition to these there were several plants of the 
following in flower:—viz., C. Parishii, a fine speci¬ 
men ; C. chamberlainianum, C. Argus, C. Charles- 
worthii, C. elliottianum, C. rothschildianum, 
Saccolabium giganteum, &c., &c. After another 
advance had been made, the show house is reached, 
and this, for the season of the year, presented a very 
gay appearance. What with Camellias, Azaleas, 
Imantophyllums and greenhouse Rhododendrons, the 
effect was indeed a very pleasing and charming one. 
Moving forward into the Cattleya house, I found 
that there were but a few Cattleyas in bloom, with 
the exception of the useful autumn and winter¬ 
flowering C. labiata ; still this house was not devoid 
of bloom, for there were numerous specimens of 
Calantbe Veitchii, C. lutea, and C. vestita, inter¬ 
spersed with Euphorbia Jacquiniaeflora, Angraecum 
sesquipidale and Cattleya bowringiana, which made 
a very interesting and pleasing display. The next 
move was to the Odontoglossum house, in which I 
noted a very fine lot of O. Alexandrae, O. Pescatorei, 
Sophronitis grandiflora, &c. 
Besides the numerous plant houses there are two 
Peach houses—early and late—an orchard house. 
Fig house, and two vineries. At the time of my 
visit the young men were busily engaged washing 
them down and getting them in order for the ensuing 
season. The last house entered was the fernery ; 
here I saw some fine specimens of Davallia Tyer- 
manii, D. fifiensis, a glorious plant measuring not 
less than 10 ft. in diameter, and a lovely plant of 
Adiantum farleyense, &c., &c. Mr. James Wood, 
who is the head gardener, is devoted to his profes¬ 
sion, and a visit to Riverside proves that he is a 
skilful and able gardener of no mean order.— 
J. McNab. 
--4-- 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Most of the prominent representatives of the many 
estimable firms connected with the important 
industries catered for by this journal have at some 
time or other met Mr. Arthur George Martin, 
who for about four years has wielded the publisher’s 
baton on behalf of our most esteemed contemporary, 
The Gardeners' Chronicle, and all will regret to learn 
that a promising career in this direction has been 
mercilessly cut short by a disease which is particu¬ 
larly fatal in our English climate. After consulta¬ 
tion with our best specialists Mr. Martin has 
relinquished his position, and is about to start for 
the Transvaal, with the idea of bettering his health 
and of finding some congenial occupation. Con¬ 
sidering that our friend has for some time past most 
carefully studied the question of Greater Britain 
from a commercial aspect, it is to be hoped that he 
may now find opportunities for putting his researches 
and conclusions into such practical shape as will 
enable him to find a comfortable living amongst our 
kin o’er the Line. His connection with The Gar¬ 
deners' Chronicle embraced the whole of his business 
experience, for he started there as office boy and 
gradually worked up till in 1891 he succeeded Mr. 
William Richards as chief of the business depart¬ 
ment. We can quite understand the difficulties of 
following such a predecessor (whose period of office 
extended over twenty years), especially as Mr. 
Martin v as quite the youngest man in the kingdom 
to hold such a position, but we have recognised that 
his motto is " thoroughness,” whilst his capacity for 
taking the initiative is closely associated with 
method and stability ; hence the paper appears to 
have fully held its own, and in no way to have 
suffered during his period of supervision. We are 
confident, therefore, in the belief that any enterprise 
in which he may engage in Africa will have the 
benefits of a happy and necessary combination of 
business integrity, intelligence, and stedfastness. 
In 1892 Mr. Martin married the eldest daughter of 
his former leader, and his business and domestic 
relationships with Mr. Richards and the family led 
to the making of many happy acquaintances with 
veterans in the publishing world, notably with Mr. 
John C. Francis, of the Athenaeum whose works 
and influence are universally known. 
Though greatly attached to, and largely absorbed 
in his work, Mr. Martin still found opportunities of 
enjoying a social life, and the principal residents of 
the adjoining suburbs of Battersea and Clapham 
much deplore their loss and his serious illness, and 
they entertain for him and his plucky wife (who, de¬ 
spite the recent loss of her youngest child, has been 
a true comforter, able nurse, and thorough help 
mate) nothing but heartfelt sympathy and respect. 
We learn that Mrs. Martin and child will accom¬ 
pany our friend in his exile, and we sincerely trust 
that the next New Year will bring to us from the land 
across the wave good tidings of improved health 
and unimpaired happiness. 
BICTON, DEVON. 
Mid-winter is not the best time to see the beauty of 
a private establishment in a rural district, but some¬ 
thing of interest may be seen at all seasons of the 
year at Bicton, Devon, the fine residence of the Hon. 
Mark Rolle. Fortunate are they who live within 
easy distance of this beautiful and charming resort 
in the summer time, for it is kept open to the public 
for two days a week through the kindness of the 
noble and magnanimous owner. One day last week 
it was our pleasure to inspect the gardens and 
houses situated amidst their beautiful surroundings 
of tall trees of many kinds, and of which we intend 
to speak in a future issue. 
The houses had been subjected to a great depletion 
of their flowers, which had been cut for Christmas 
and church decorations, yet several of them were 
still very bright with a variety of subjects, while 
others contained many things of extreme interest and 
which one seldom sees in modern establishments. 
As the inspection was a hasty one, we shall merely 
indicate the most prominent features of each house, 
taking them mostly in the order with which we were 
taken to them by Mr. James Mayne, the able, 
enthusiastic, and capable gardener. One house we 
passed through contained a good quantity of Calanthe 
Veitchi, with a few plants of C. vestita oculata lutea, 
Hippeastrum aulicum, and others. Near by was 
the Camellia house, the central bed of which was 
occupied with healthy specimens, 12 ft. high, and 
planted out. Amongst those already in bloom we 
noted the interesting old Camellia japonica with 
single red flowers and C. j alba plena ; others were 
finely set with buds, including a grand specimen of 
C. reticulata, whose leaves were heavily variegated 
with yellow. The side walls were also covered with 
Camel'ias. 
The show house is always filled with flowering 
plants, and on this occasion the prominent features 
were a fine strain of Chinese Primulas, in blue, rose, 
vermilion, white, and other colours. Cyclamens 
were also grown in quantity, and occupied the side 
benches near the glass. Both these classes of plants 
had been raised from Messrs. Sutton & Sons' strains. 
Other plants in this large house, which is in two 
divisions, include Eupatorium odoratum, E. 
riparium, Alonsoa incisifolia, Coronilla glauca, 
Statice profusa, Libonia floiibunda. Pelargoniums, 
Roman Hyacinths, and Richardia africana. The 
latter is well grown in pots by Mr. Mayne. A fine 
lot of Freesias is stood near the glass on a shelf, and 
the flower scapes are now being thrown up. 
Bouvardias, Poinsettias, Choisya ternata, Azalea 
Deutsche Perle, Odontoglossum Pescatorei, and Ivy¬ 
leaved Pelargoniums depending from the roof serve 
to give variety and render the house gay. Nertera 
depressa still bears its red berries. We noted a 
plant of the above-named Odontoglossum now 
throwing up a second spike from the same pseudo¬ 
bulb. ‘ 
From here we passed into a Mushroom house 
unheated by artificial means, but which was carrying 
a splendid crop of the popular esculent from a bed 
which had been spawned with Johnson's spawn on 
November 16th last. Seakale and Rhubarb were 
also coming on here. 
Passing to another part of the garden we came to 
a fine piece of sward in front of the Palm house, and 
here we noted some grand bushes of Bambusa 
falcata and B. Metake—graceful masses of a verdant 
green. Very interesting were two fine specimens of 
Beaucarnia (Nolina) longifolia, which flowered finely 
last summer. They stand 6 ft. to 8 ft. high, and have 
the stem thatched with straw, but are otherwise un¬ 
protected. Lilium giganteum also flowered, and is 
new ripening seed on a stem 8 ft. high. On the walls 
around here, are fine specimens of the Trumpet 
Honeysuckle, the Banksian and Macartney Roses, 
Magnolia fuscata still loaded with flower buds in 
great numbers, and which has been flowering since 
May last. One of the largest and oldest specimens 
