460 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 21,1896. 
Park, seemed to have dropped into an 
orchard of fruit trees in May. The house is 
rather tall and has large baskets of plants 
suspended from the roof, while either side 
of the winding pathway is banked up with 
a great variety of ornamental trees belong¬ 
ing chiefly to the genus Pyrus, and in full 
blossom. P. floribunda, in several forms, is 
most abundantly represented. The crimson 
buds of the type contrast beautifully with 
the fully-expanded flowers, which become 
almost white under glass. Not so with 
P. f. atrosanguinea, the petals of which are 
of a beautiful rosy hue even when expanded. 
Even more charming are the lively pink 
blossoms of P. f. halleana, often considered 
a distinct species. The flowers also have 
an extra number of petals, appearing semi¬ 
double. Here and there the pure white 
flowers of the scarlet-fruited Siberian Crab 
are conspicuous on account of their great 
size. Although distinct in their way, they 
are overshadowed by the snowy purity and 
great size of the blossoms of P. spectabilis 
alba plena, and which can hardly fail to 
draw the attention of visitors. The more 
common P. s. rosea plena has soft rosy 
flowers when forced into bloom by artificial 
means. The John Downie Crab also finds 
a place here. 
Waterer’s Cherry is by no means so 
graceful as any of our native or European 
types, but the large pink, semi-double 
blossoms are sweet-scented and very con¬ 
spicuous. The flowering period of Prunus 
Pissardi is over, but the foliage is now 
assuming its summer garb of purple. Very 
much dwarfer than either of the above- 
named is P. sinensis flore pleno, with its 
double snowy blossoms. Standing at one 
end of the house and looking along it, the 
visitor is charmed with the intermingling of 
crimson buds, rose, pink, blush, and snow 
white flowers whose beauty is pleasingly set 
off with the graceful, arching, bending, and 
twiggy sprays of the trees themselves. An 
effect is thus obtained such as the ordinary 
run of hothouse plants cannot supply. 
There are other plants in the house, but the 
species and varieties of Pyrus and Prunus 
are very numerous and really constitute the 
display. In front of them are some Ghent 
Azaleas grafted as standards on stems 3^ ft. 
to 4 ft. high. Here and there the snowy 
blossoms of Deutzia gracilis may also be 
noted. One tree of a double-flowered pink 
Almond is notable for the great size of its 
blossoms. 
Lilacs and the yellow Forsythia virid- 
issima also supply their own particular 
shades of colour. On either side of the 
pathway are groups and masses of Tulips, 
Hyacinths, Daffodils, and Solomon’s Seal, 
all of which are most desirable at this 
season of the year. Very graceful and 
attractive also are some hybrid Azaleas of 
the A. amoena type, with rose and red 
flowers that are smaller than those of the 
Indian type, but more than make up for 
this deficiency, if, indeed, it may be termed 
one. The Daffodils of the bicolor type and 
Narcissus incomparabilis Sir Watkin vie 
with the scarlet and yellow, massive flowers 
of the Keizer Kroon Tulips, in lending life 
and brightness to the whole scene. All 
these bright as well as soft and snowy 
blossoms, together with the fragrance 
emanating from a number of them, make 
the visitor feel that there is a breath of 
spring in the air, and that, too, about six 
weeks in advance of the usual time. 
The old Chrysanthemum house is well 
occupied with batches of trees intended to 
fill the places of those now in bloom, at a 
later period. Besides those already men¬ 
tioned, we also noted standard Laburnums, 
bushes of the Snowball Tree, Staphylea 
colchica, Rhododendrons of the R.ponticum 
type, Roses, bushes and standards of 
Hydrangea paniculata and others, together 
with vigorous Clivias that will presently 
make their presence felt. All the hardy 
types we have mentioned are grown in pots 
all the year round; and the pots are 
plunged in ashes at all times, except when 
being forced. A top dressing is given them 
occasionally to help them. Mr. Melville, the 
superintendent, is to be congratulated in 
making a feature of these hardy trees, and 
showing the people what can be done with 
such beautiful subjects, even in a London 
Park. 
Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—We have the 
pleasure to announce that His Grace the Duke of 
Bedford has kindly consented to take the chair at 
the annual festival dinner on June 18th. 
The Testimonial to Mr. Barron.—We are requested 
to state that the General Committee, which was 
formed to promote this testimonial, will meet at the 
Hotel Windsor on Tuesday next at 2.30 p.m. to make 
arrangements for the presentation. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, March 24th, 1 to 5 p.m., at 
the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster. At 
3 o’clock a lecture on “ Saladings ” will be given by 
Mr. W. Iggulden. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.—The 
Right Hon. the Earl of Lathom, G.C.B., P.C. (the 
Lord Chamberlain) has kindly consented to preside 
at the fifty-seventh anniversary festival dinner in aid 
of the funds of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent 
Institution to be held at the Hotel Metropole on 
May 30th next. 
Hailstorm Insurance Corporation, Limited.—The 
first ordinary annual general meeting of shareholders 
of this association was held at Simpson’s, Limited, 
101, Strand, W.C., on Friday, the 20th day of 
March, 1896, at three p.m., for the purpose of sub¬ 
mitting to the shareholders the report of the 
directors and statement of accounts to February 
24th, 1896, and for the election of directors and 
auditors. 
" Estates are landscapes, gazed upon awhile, 
Then advertised and auctioneered away.” 
Thus wrote the poet Cowper, and this is what has 
happened to his beautiful garden at Olney, Bucks. 
There appears to have been little competition for 
the place, and the tenant who held it at a rental of 
£16, has bought the lot for £480. The garden contains 
the summer house in which many of the poet’s 
works were written. 
Chrysanthemum Show for Huddersfield.—An 
adjourned meeting was recently held at the Queen’s 
Hotel, Huddersfield, Mr. George Jarmain in the 
chair, to consider the institution of a Chrysanthemum 
show in the town during the coming season. Sub¬ 
scriptions to the extent of between /20 and /30 have 
been promised. It was decided to again adjourn the 
meeting in order to allow of a more extensive canvas 
for aid being made. 
Bananas as Food.—Although this tropical fruit 
was, broadly speaking, introduced to the general 
public only some fifteen years ago, it has without 
doubt " caught on," and while it is certain that it 
will never entirely supersede the Apple and the 
Orange, still it is no mean rival to either. Great 
though the demand is, the business is sorely hampered 
by the heavy cost of special transit, and until 
some method of surmounting this difficulty has been 
found the Banana trade between Britain and Jamaica 
will never assume the dimensions characterising that 
between Jamaica and the United States. 
Botanising in a haystack.—At the meeting of the 
Linnean Society of London on the 5th inst., Mr. B. 
D. Jackson, in directing attention to an English 
translation by Mr. J. Lucas of that portion of Pehr 
Kalm’s "Travels” which relates to England, remarked 
that few persons were aware that Kalm, a pupil of 
Linneus, had in 1748 spent six months in this 
country and had diligently noted the plants which 
he met with. Thus he had recorded no less than 
sixty plants for Herefordshire alone, deriving some 
of his information from an examination of the 
contents of two haystacks in that county,—in this 
way anticipating by more than a century one of the 
methods employed by Sir John Lawes and Sir J. H. 
Gilbert, and by Prof. Fream. 
Erratum.—On p. 452, in the thirty-ninth line from 
the bottom of the first column, for " Brown gives an 
instance in Ealing,” read “Mr. Cox (one of our 
gardeners) gives an instance in Ealing.” 
Cypripedium Sanderae.—The consignment of this 
new Cypripedium at Messrs. Protheroe and Morris's 
Sale Rooms on the 13th inst., was a large one, and in 
excellent condition. If the flowers are half as good 
as the collector represents them to be, they will be of 
a highly ornamental character and beautiful. From 
all appearances it is most closely allied to C villosum 
in form but different in colour. The larger pieces 
fetched the best prices. H. T. Pitt, Esq., of 
Stamford Hill, secured a fine piece for 24s. 
Big Potatos.—The tubers promised us by our 
correspondent, Mr. B. Lockwood (p. 436),.duly 
reached our office on the day following his com¬ 
munication. They measured 8 in. and 8£ in. in 
length respectively, and girthed about n in. round 
the middle. Each measured i 9 jm- in circumference 
in the longer way of the tuber. Like our corres¬ 
pondent, we are not favourably prepossessed with 
them for table purposes, even if one tuber should 
furnish a week's eating of this particular kind of 
vegetable. The variety is Imperator. 
Radstock Horticultural Society.—The general meet¬ 
ing of the above society, held on March 2nd, was 
well attended, Dr. Worger presiding. The secretary 
notified that Lord Carlingford had accepted the 
post of president, a fact upon which the society 
might well congratulate itself. The coming season’s 
show was fixed to take place as near to August 15th 
as possible. The vexed question of “ what is a 
cottager ” was answered by making the stipulations 
that he must not pay more than £10 per annum, 
must not make gardening a business, nor hire labour, 
or employ any glass structure other than a frame. 
Manchester Royal Botanical and Horticultural 
Society.—The first spring show of this society was 
opened at the Town Hall on the 13th inst., and 
continued the next day. Every inch of space was 
occupied, and more than half of the exhibits con¬ 
sisted of Orchids of a high order of merit. The 
society's gold medal for Orchids was awarded to 
Mr. James Cypher, Cheltenham, who exhibited a 
magnificent bank of them. Silver medals for Orchids 
were awarded to W. Thompson, Esq. (gardener, Mr. 
Stevens), Stone, Staffs. ; Thos. Statter, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. R. Johnson), Stand Hall, Man¬ 
chester; E. Ashworth, Esq., Wilmslow, Cheshire; 
S. Hinchcliffe, Esq., Hale; H. Westman, Esq., 
Stafford; and to J. Robson, Esq., Bowdon. 
Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, 
London, also exhibited a beautiful group of 
Orchids, and received a Silver Medal for Cyclamens. 
Messrs. Dicksons, Limited, Chester, were com¬ 
mended for a fine collection of Daffodils; as were 
Messrs. J. James & Son, Woodside, Farnham Royal, 
for Cinerarias. Mr. C. T. C. Worsley also exhibited 
Cinerarias. Mr. A. Waterer, Woking, Surrey, 
showed Pieris japonica in fine condition. 
New Strawberry Louis Gauthier.—This new Straw¬ 
berry has been raised from seed by M. L. Gauthier, 
gardener at the Castle of Grentheville, Calvados, 
France. The plant is very vigorous, with remark¬ 
ably long leaf-stalks (about 1 ft.), and grows in thick 
tufts. The flower stems attain the same height as 
the leaves, and bear many flowers at the top, and 
the fruits are proportionately numerous. They vary 
in shape from subspherical to slightly pyramidal, 
and are sometimes flattened. When ripe they are 
white suffused with rose, and have a white, 
acidulated, and very juicy flesh. The raiser obtained 
the hybrid about four years ago from Belle de 
Meaux, one of the Alpine or qicatre saisons Straw¬ 
berries, crossed with an unnamed seedling from 
Marguerite. One plant sometimes bears as many as 
160 fruits of large size. The raiser was awarded a 
silver medal for it at the last show held at Caen. 
The peculiar character of this Strawberry is that the 
mother plant fruits in May and June; then it sends 
out runners which fruit in August and September. 
Runners are usually absent from this class of Straw¬ 
berries, so that we would call it a perpetual bearer 
in our language. The French apply to it the epithet 
a filets remontants. It has been put into commerce by 
MM. Letellier et Fils, Caen, France. 
