September 14, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
25 
pride in a collection of Pitcher Plants. For an oppor¬ 
tunity of figuring it we are indebted to Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
-- >£ • < -- 
TREES FOR TOWN PLANTING-. 
The Cucumber Tree. 
Yery few planters are aware how very valuable the 
Cucumber Tree (Magnolia acuminata) is for with¬ 
standing the grime and soot of our larger towns. 
Experiments carried out have, hovvever, resulted in 
this highly ornamental and fast-growing tree being 
added to the somewhat meagre list of suitable town 
subjects. Its ample pea- 
green foliage, abundantly- 
produced yellowish white 
and deliciously fragrant 
flowers, and general contour 
fit it eminently for taking a 
first place as a street or 
general town tree. Soil of 
ordinary quality suits its 
general wants in a peculiar 
manner, although a strong, 
yellowish and damp loam 
is preferable ; but it is not 
particular as regards soil or 
situation. 
What a pleasing shade, 
too, would be afforded were 
many of our streets and 
parks liberally planted with 
goodly specimens of this 
Magnolia ! Almost in the 
centre of London may be 
seen as bright and healthy a 
specimen of the Cucumber 
Tree as could well be desired, 
while in two others of our 
most soot-laden towns—in 
one instance growing hard 
by a chemical works—are 
fine and flourishing speci¬ 
mens. 
The Tulip Tree. 
Excellent examples are not 
wanting of how valuable a 
tree Liriodendron tulipifera 
is for the town, street and 
garden. It seems to have 
a wonderful recuperative 
nature, for scorched, 
blackened and encrusted as 
may appear the falling-off 
foliage, it yet appears in the 
following spring in a garb 
which for freshness and 
greenness would success¬ 
fully compete with that of 
many a country garden. 
How beautiful, too, in all its 
freshness and magnitude is 
the prettily - shaped leaf, 
the sea-green glint being 
almost unmatchable. No 
particular soil is required 
for its perfect development, 
no cunning for its successful 
culture, and no extra care 
need be lavished upon it 
during its early and tender 
years. The remarkable 
four-lobed truncate leaves 
render this tree almost with¬ 
out an equal for ornamental 
planting, while its un¬ 
doubted smoke-resisting qualities place it high in the 
rank of town tree3. 
The Indian Bean. 
For various reasons the handsome and fast-growing 
Catalpa bignonoides is to be recommended for planting 
in smoky localities. It grows with unabated vigour in 
many of our principal centres of industry, is a tree of 
handsome proportions, and flowers, when fully estab¬ 
lished, with almost unusual freedom. The blooms, too, 
are extremely pretty, being in long terminal spikes and 
of a variety of colours that are extremely pleasing, the 
violet-white of the petals being well set off by the 
purple and yellow of the throat. Not the least valuable 
trait in the character of the Indian Bean is that should 
accident by storm or through frost befall it, and the 
stem get injured thereby, numerous strong suckers are 
sent out, and which, as they grow with great rapidity, 
soon take the place of the original. Few soils come 
amiss to it, and it can withstand the wind and storm in 
a fairly satisfactory manner. 
The Common Mulberry 
(Morus nigra), and the white-fruited form (M. alba), 
may be seen growing satisfactorily in several of the old 
gardens and nurseries of the metropolis, and where they 
are now buried alive, as might be said, in stones and 
mortar. That they are excellent town trees will be 
admitted by everyone who sees the fine specimens in 
Liverpool and Manchester.— A. D. Webster. 
Nepenthes Dicksoniana, 
INCENTIVES TO STUDY. 
The remarks of Mr. W. N. Fellows (p. 6) are full of 
interest, but he, like many others who from a pure love 
of horticulture desire to place its followers upon a 
higher intellectual standing, will find a very difficult 
task before him. Such a desire is very laudable on 
their part, and although they may meet with dis¬ 
couragement and disappointment at every step they 
take, still let their motto be, “Ever Onward,” re¬ 
membering that the greatest victories are those in which 
the greatest obstacles have to be surmounted and the 
greatest difficulties overcome. We have many bright 
records before us of individuals who, by their energy, 
courage, and indomitable perseverance have achieved 
wonderful success, and by their efforts have opened up 
to their fellows a brighter sphere of labour, and better 
and clearer prospects for those who desire to take 
advantage of their opportunities. 
I mention this as a preface to the remarks I am about 
to make in order not to discourage those efforts which 
are in themselves commendable, but merely to point 
out some of the difficulties with which we have to 
contend, because it is one of the first elements of 
success that we should quietly and earnestly set to 
work to know what those difficulties are, and after we 
know them to look them manfully in the face and set 
about resolutely to overcome them. Can you point to 
a man who has obtained for himself a name, or has 
been more than ordinarily successful in life, who has 
not had great difficulties 
to overcome and many 
disappointments to meet ? 
No, it is only those who 
tire by the way who slide 
into the back-ground. Can 
you point to a good or a 
great cause in individual 
biography or national history 
which has not had to be 
fought out point by point 
or step by step before the 
flag of victory is placed upon 
the citadel? No, you can¬ 
not ; and so it is with those 
who desire to rouse up 
and stimulate the rising 
generation of young gar¬ 
deners to greater energies 
in the way of intellectual 
improvement by reading 
and a course of study suit¬ 
able to their calling, for 
there are almost insur¬ 
mountable difficulties to con¬ 
tend against. 
The first is, that only a 
few will study even if they 
have the chance, and it is 
the same in every other 
calling, only a very small 
percentage of mankind are 
naturally inclined for study, 
and we cannot accord to 
the gardener individuality 
in this respect. The second 
is, the positions of many 
gardens which are so isolated 
that the young men have 
little facility for study by 
seeking the help of masters, 
and many gardeners, even 
if they had the inclination, 
are incapable of teaching. 
Well, how is this to be 
remedied ? I am one of those 
who, in these days of educa¬ 
tional improvement, believe 
there are brighter days in 
store ; indeed, horticulture, 
like almost every other pur¬ 
suit, has advanced by leaps 
and bounds within the last 
half century. Gardening 
is not what it was fifty years 
ago, and in these days for 
a man to qualify himself he 
must have energy and per¬ 
severance both in study and 
practice. 
I do not agree with Mr. 
Fellows that men should be 
allowed to qualify them¬ 
selves for a position by com¬ 
petitive results after a course of study. I believe such 
a system has been tried and found wanting. There are 
young men of intelligence who enter a garden by force 
of circumstances, who have naturally no taste or liking 
for the profession (theirs is indeed an uphill battle), 
but if they saw the prospect of advancement by a 
course of study and cramming they would soon outstrip a 
more worthy man. The cramming system is practically 
of no value ; a man cannot qualify himself unless he 
has a natural gift. Where there are, as Mr. Fellows says, 
five in a bothy (there are often less, and to those he 
seems to give no chance), the gardener is better able to 
judge and select the best man much more by a daily 
observance of his work and abilities than by any course 
of study or competitive examination that could be 
adopted, and the best should have the advantage. 
