530 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 18, 1800.J [ 
the buds in half, united the two halves and placed 
them under a slit in the bark. 
" There you have it," said he. "I took the buds 
from two varieties and made them grow ; did the 
same thing with two other varieties, and they grew. 
Then I took the buds from these new products and 
did the same thing with them. The result was a 
combination of all the four varieties of oranges." 
Mr. Thomson took his visitors all through his 
orchard, and it was an interesting study. The 
Californian girls closely observed the peculiarities of 
the different trees, and the Ohio girl was filled with 
wonder and admiration, meanwhile sampling fruit 
as rapidly as Mr. Thomson passed it over, which 
was a very swift and continuous process. He has 
all the varieties on his place, but, of [course, only 
cultivates for the market the navel and his 
improved. 
•• Orange trees are as 'peculiar as people," said 
Thomson; "they have habits]'and moods and dis¬ 
positions the same as individuals." 
As an illustration he pointed out one tree that 
always bore fruit more abundantly than those right 
around it, though it did not differ from the others 
in appearance and the soil was the same. Another 
tree bore fruit of a richer colour than its neighbours, 
yet the conditions seemed no different. The 
orchardist told how fast the trees developed, and he 
pointed out trees loaded [with fruit that had been 
budded less thau two years. The branches were 
weighed down with the golden spheres, and the 
Oranges were bright and clean as though polished at 
a dago fruit stand. 
" Will there be much development in the Orange 
in the future ? ’’ was asked. 
" Just as much in the next twenty years as in the 
past twenty,” was Thomson’s reply. While he 
confessed he had gained some experience in his 
work, he freely admitted that others who came after 
him would add to the quality and character of the 
Citrus fruit. 
All this time Thomson picked specimens and 
loaded up his visitors. Everybody was weighed 
down with the best in the orchard. The Ohio girl f 
who just a month ago begged for the privilege of 
picking just one Orange from a tree, that she might 
bring back east of the exploit, was asking to be 
relieved of her load — that is, she expressed herself 
as well as she could between mouthfuls of the 
delicious fruit. 
" How much did you make last year ? " the 
Monrovia editor asked Thomson. 
“ From seven acres I sold $4,000 worth of fruit 
and prices were just half what they wereany previous 
year." 
Last year Thomson sold grafts of his new navel at 
$2.50 each, and the previous year they were in 
demand at $5. 
" Some people say my new variety is no better 
than the old; but why do they pay me ten times as 
much for the grafts if that is the case ? " 
Nobody tried to answer, for it was not necessary. 
The article is illustrated in the style peculiar to 
American journalism, and is devoted to accounts of a 
public holiday when large numbers of the general 
public from neighbouring towns took in the Balna- 
gown man’s orchard in common with the other 
sights of the district. 
-- 
A FERTILE BRANCH OF AUCUBA. 
A short time ago a single branch of Aucuba, measur¬ 
ing about 18 in. in diameter, was brought to the 
Ealing Gardeners’ Society. It was unusually full of 
berries, and I amused myself with counting the 
bunches with the following result :— 
Bunches of Berries. Number. Berries. 
2 . . 
21 
42 
3 •• 
32 
96 
4 •• 
. . . . 12 
48 
5 
l 8 
90 
6 .. 
2 
12 
7 •• 
.. .. 12 
84 
8 .. 
. . . . 2 
16 
Single berries 
14 
402 
Several berries had fallen off previous to the above 
enumeration. Can you inform me when the male 
plant was first introduced to England and who 
imported it ?— Sigma. 
[After much searching for the male plant in Japan, 
Robert Fortune at last found it in a garden near Yedo. 
He immediately secured the plant and packed it in 
a Ward's case and had it shipped off to England. 
It arrived in the early part of 1861, and flowered for 
the first time in 1863, when Mr. Standish fertilised 
the flowers of the female, and had the pleasure of 
showing a berried plant at a meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, March gth, 1864, when a 
First-class Certificate was awarded it.— Ed.] 
-- 4 --- 
SPRING FLOWERS AT OLYMPIA. 
The first of the series of shows was opened at 
Olympia on the 8th inst, and continued next day. 
The exhibits were arranged in a large rectangular 
building not far from the main entrance; and the 
pillars supporting the roof were converted into 
ingenious imitations of Fan and Date Palms. 
Messrs. John Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, exhibited 
very largely, their groups being distributed in 
different parts of the building. They received a large 
Silver Medal for a splendid group of Clivias of 
excellent quality. Not far off was a group of 
Cupressus, Thuyas, Yews, and other Coniferae 
mixed with various evergreens, Roses and other 
flowering subjects (Large Silver Medal). Not far off 
was a similar group including some very large 
Conifers. They also had a table of hardy flowers 
and fruit. The first-named included Daffodils in great 
variety, Tulips, Anemones, Primroses, Cowslips, 
Megaseas, Aubrietias, Carnations, variegated night 
scented Tobacco, and many others. The fruit 
consisted of Apples, and a few Pears, the former being 
plump, glossy, and in excellent condition (Large 
Silver Medal). 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, 
occupied a table with hardy herbaceous plants in 
pots, including large clumps of Daffodils, large pans 
of Anemone appenina, A. Pulsatilla, A. nemorosa 
bracteata plena, Megasea cordifolia purpurea, Adonis 
vernalis, Trillium grandiflorum, Primroses, and 
various other subjects of interest.- The pink flowers 
of Lilium thomsonianum are uncommon and prettyi 
(Large Silver Medal). 
Messrs. Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden, 
had a square table entirely occupied with Daffodils 
which were raised in the centre in the form of a 
pyramid. The abundance of Barrii Conspicuus 
shows how well adapted this variety is for spring 
bedding. Emperor, Portia, Empress and other 
Daffodils were shown in quantity. Primroses were 
plentiful and attractive (Large Silver Medal). 
Messrs. J. Carter & Co., 237, and 238, High 
Holborn, had two large groups of Cinerarias 
arranged in proximity to one another, and between 
some rustic summer-houses at one side of the 
building. The plants were of large size with 
enormous leaves in some cases and flowers in pro¬ 
portion. The latter were very varied in colour, both 
seifs and bicolor varieties being regularly distributed 
all through the groups. A Silver Gilt Medal, the 
highest award was accorded them. No one seeing 
them could complain of lack of variety. 
Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, set up a 
tall conical group of greenhouse plants such as 
Heaths, Azaleas, Acacias, and other flowering plants 
mixed with Palms. A tall Chamaerops occupied the 
centre, towering up high above the smaller ones 
beneath them (Large Silver Medal). 
Messrs. Laing & Sons exhibited a large semi¬ 
circular group of Caladiums, sloping from some 
Palms behind to Maidenhair Ferns in front. All 
the leading exhibition kinds were well represented, 
and the colours well mixed. They stood the dry air 
of the building remarkably well. The highest 
award, a Silver-gilt Medal was accorded them. A 
large group of well-grown Ferns was exhibited by 
Henry Tate, Esq , (gardener, Mr. Wm. Howe) Park 
Hill, Streatham Common. Marattia fraxinea 
elegans was a splendid specimen with dark green 
shining fronds, and on either side of it were large 
specimens of Goniophlebium subauriculatum and 
Microlepia hirta cristata. A Silver-gilt Medal (the 
highest award) was accorded it. 
Mr. T. S. Ware occupied a table with Daffodils in 
variety; but the central, conical portion consisted 
of that splendid yellow variety, Emperor, well 
supported with masses of Barrii Conspicuus, 
Empress, Princeps, Narcissus poeticus ornatus, and 
others (Large Silver Medal). 
Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley. Sussex, 
exhibited a collection of Apples, brightened up with 
Azaleas, Aralias, Draceanas, and other subjects. 
Amongst the Apples we noted Annie Elizabeth, 
Beauty of Kent, Bismarck (a splendid cooking 
variety) Bess Pool, Lane’s Prince Albert, Gloria 
Mundi and other late keeping sorts. Catillac Pear 
was also in excellent condition (Silver Medal). 
A very conspicuous group of greenhouse plants, 
standing on the floor and reaching nearly to the roof 
was exhibited by Messrs. J. Laing & Sons. Azaleas, 
Crimson Rambler Rose, Cytisus scoparius andreanus 
with its rich crimson-brown wings, Heaths.Gloxinias, 
Staphylea colchica, Gloxinias and Orchids were the 
prominent features of this group. Tall Palms 
occupied the top of the cone (Silver-gilt Medal). 
At the opposite end of the building was a some¬ 
what similar group arranged by Messrs. John Peed 
& Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, Norwood Road. 
Varieties of Azalea indica, A. amoena, Cytisus, 
Clivias, Lilac and Hydrangeas constituted some of 
the flowering plants ; while Palms, Dracaenas, 
Caladiums and Ferns did good service in the way of 
fine foliaged plants (Silver-gilt Medal). 
The St. George's Nursery Company, Hanwell, W., 
exhibited a table of Cyclamens, in the centre of 
which was a bank of Caladiums. The cyclamens 
were notable for the enormous quantity of bloom 
each plant carried. Brilliant (maroon-crimson), 
Crimson King (bright crimson), Mont Blanc (pure 
white) and Grandiflorum Roseum (rose), were hand¬ 
some varieties. Various other kinds were shown and 
all named. The highest award, a Silver-gilt Medal, 
was again awarded here. 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, had a group of 
Roses on the floor, but towering up to conical outline 
by means of Palms. Madame de Watteville, Madame 
Hoste, Madame Charles, Souvenir de S. A. Prince 
and Innocente Pirola were some of the best Tea 
varieties shown (Large Silver Medal). They also 
had a small table of Amaryllis in variety (Silver 
Medal). 
Near the above was a group of Azaleas, Dracaenas, 
Heaths and various other greenhouse subjects by 
Messrs. J. Laing & Sons. 
Mr. Geo. Mount, Canterbury, exhibited eight boxes 
of Tea and hybrid perpetual Roses. Very fine were 
Catherine Mermet, La France, The Bride, Niphetos, 
and Mrs. J. Laing (Silver-gilt Medal). 
Some light and tasteful decorations were very 
attractive. Most of them were done with yellow 
flowers chiefly ; but Mr. J. Prewett, Swiss Nursery, 
Hammersmith, had a table done up with various 
Tea Roses, Asparagus and Lonicera flexuosa aurea 
reticulata. The Roses had long stalks, and were 
graceful (Silver Medal). Mrs. Wm. Green, Junr., 
The Nurseries, Harold Wood, Essex, had a beautiful 
table of small-crownedDaffodils, Yellow Marguerites 
&c. (Silver Medal). Mrs. Walter Mole, 5, The 
Avenue, Kew Gardens, set up a table with trumpet 
Daffodils, Asparagus, and other subjects. Some 
fruit was distributed about the table including a 
Pineapple) (Silver Medal). Mr. L. H. Calcutt, Fern 
Bank Nursery, Stoke Newington, had a more 
elaborate table of Orchids, Daffodils, yellow 
Marguerites, Anemones, Ferns and other subjects 
(Large Silver Medal). 
Mr. Geo, Bick, the garden superintendent, is to be 
congratulated upon getting up so neat and attractive 
a spring show in so short a time. It had all been 
arranged and got together by him in a fortnight, 
which is a very short period for anything of this 
nature. 
-- 
THE JAPAN CEDAR AND ITS 
VARIETIES. 
The Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica).— 
Delighting and thriving most luxuriantly in cool, 
damp soils, the humid atmosphere of the British 
Isles—Ireland in particular—is peculiarly well suited 
for the successful culture of this handsome and 
hardy Conifer. Cold, draughty, and exposed situa¬ 
tions it, however, cannot stand ; so that, in planting, 
this fact should be borne in mind, while at the same 
time few coniferous trees can surpass the present 
species for thriving where the soil is stiff or cold 
and in a sunless situation. 
When seen under favourable conditions the Japan 
Cedar is a tall, portly tree, of somewhat broadly- 
conical shape, with a clean, straight stem, horizon¬ 
tally spreading branches, often slightly drooping with 
up-curved tips, the lateral ones divided into 
numerous frondose branchlets, thickly covered with 
dark bluish-green foliage. The rigid leaves are fully 
half an inch long, incurved or awl-shaped, slightly 
quadrangular, appressed to the stem, and indistinctly 
marked with two glaucous lines underneath. Both 
