December 21, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
245 
The Crop of Holly Berries.—“Ayrshire ” writes 
Last season the crops of these were exceptionally heavy 
in this district, while this year, not only on this estate, 
but from several others from which I have information, 
not a berry is to be seen where they had usually been 
abundant. This is much to be regretted, as they are 
regarded as indispensable at this season for imparting 
a bright and highly finished appearance to all forms of 
decorations. It would be interesting to know how 
intending decorators in other parts of the country are 
placed in this respect. [The crop is a very light one 
in the South.] 
-- >X< -- 
KEW GARDENS AND THE 
EMPLOYES. 
Kew Gardens enjoys the distinction of furnishing 
more sensational items of news than, perhaps, do any 
other gardens in the kingdom. Just now there is 
much bitterness and searching of heart going on there 
in connection with the efforts being put forth by the 
labourers and constables employed in the gardens to 
seoure an increase of wages. A meeting of some of the 
1 ibourers and constables, with a few influential local 
gentlemen, was held recently, and the proceedings were 
fully reported in the local papers. I cull my information 
of the proceedings, however, from The Richmond 
and Twickenham Times, which, whilst providing a 
verbatim report of the meeting, is very careful not to 
commit itself with the Jupiters of Kew editorially ; 
therefore, I conclude, the movement gets scant approval 
in that quarter. 
All the same, the demand of these poor employes is 
one of absolute justice. Their wages, it seems, is but 
17s. weekly, and if some ten or fifteen minutes late in 
the mornings, they are docked a full quaiter—viz., 9 d. 
What a vile act that is becomes evident when we recall 
how many of the chiefs we have seen away from 
their duties the greater part of the day, at South 
Kensington and the Westminster Drill Hall. Knowing 
that, who could wonder that the poor Kew underlings 
thought they were hardly being fairly treated by their 
heads. It seems very probable that a recent Treasury 
minute has stopped all that sort of galloping away 
from their duties at will, and the labourers will doubtless 
keep a sharp watch on the superior delinquents 
henceforth. 
It seems, from the statements made at the meeting in 
question that whilst the labourers at Kew Gardens— 
privileged to serve the State—are paid a miserable 
sum of 17s. weekly, in the London parks and gardens 
under the London County Council the weekly wage is 
24s. and 5 cl. per hour overtime ; whilst in the royal 
parks—such as Hyde, Regent’s, St. James’s, &c.—the 
weekly wage is 21s., some of the superior men getting 
24s. Tlie park constables have 27s. weekly. No 
wonder, then, the Kew men, whose rent and cost of 
living is not less than that of their London compeers, 
feel aggrieved ! Why, even the market-garden men, 
whose work is of the roughest kind, get from 18s. to 
21s. per week all round Kew. 
Then the Kew men have to dress neatly, and be, 
of course, of the best behaviour. They also work 
under a system of painful surveillance, amounting 
almost to espionage, so their lives are far from 
being happy. It was stated that a man must be 
three years in employ to entitle him to pay when 
sick, whilst those who have not served that term have 
their pay stopped at once—a grave shame and gross 
illiberality. The discharge of a well-conducted and 
intelligent young man, named Bennett, because he had 
championed the cause of his fellows, was specified, the 
man himself, to show that it was not fiction, speaking 
at the meeting. If this be true, most indelible disgrace 
is reflected on the authorities. Sunday woik also 
seems to occupy four Sundays out of five, so far as the 
constables are concerned, and the labourers are on duty 
two Sundays out of three. Evidently it is a glorious 
privilege to be a labourer in the Eoyal Gardens, 
Kew. — X. 
-—>X-»- 
PLANTING WALL FRUIT TREES. 
For a number of years past I have tried different 
methods of planting wall fruit trees, especially Plums ; 
and as I found the following plan so successful, it 
struck me that I should give you my experience, in the 
hope that others living in cold districts like myself 
might be benefited by it. I am fully aware that this 
is not the only successful method of treatment. I claim 
only that in my case it has proved advantageous. 
In the first place, as to the radius of the hole to be 
dug, that, of course, depends entirely upon the age of 
the tree and the length of roots ; but as to depth, I 
generally make it about 1 ft. On the bottom of this I 
place a layer of strong clay, about 3 ins. in depth, level 
the surface, and allow it some time to harden. This, 
I find, prevents the roots from penetrating into the bad 
soil—at least, for a time— and gives them a chance of 
spreading out into the good soil on the surface. After 
the clay has hardened, the next thing is to make up a 
mixture of well-rotted cow and horse-manure, old leaf- 
soil, and fresh lime, mixing the whole well up together. 
Of this composition I place a layer of about 3 ins. 
above the clay, and after scattering a spadeful or two of 
earth above, I place in the tree, and cover up in the 
usual manner. The following year I give a liberal 
dressing of the above composition, digging it in lightly 
about the roots, and repeat the surface manuring every 
second or third year at most. 
I have at present a nice collection of Plums growing 
on a south wall, which have been treated in the above 
manner, and they are doing exceedingly well, bearing 
good crops of fruit every year. My collection consists 
of Kirk's, Jefferson’s, Transparent Gage, Denniston’s 
Superb, Magnum Bonum, Victoria, and Coe’s Golden 
Drop. The latter bears well, but as a rule does not, I 
think, ripen well in the north of Scotland. 
I have treated Cherry trees in the same manner, but 
with little success, and should be glad if some one of 
your correspondents would say what soil suits it best, 
and the most successful mode of treatment. I fancy 
the soil I have them planted in is rather rich and too 
heavy for them.— Mealfourvounie. 
-►»£<*- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
Mrs. Alpheus Hardy. 
I cannot say that I am so much impressed, at pre¬ 
sent at least, as are a goodly number of “ Mum ” lovers, 
with this IHau of its tribe. I saw two or three blooms 
of it exhibited at the Bedford Chrysanthemum Society’s 
Show on the 20th of November, and they reminded me 
very much of some of our dwarf native Thistles when 
unfolding their rosette of leaves in early spring, with 
the dew on them, and which are, to my mind, quite as 
pretty as is this hirsute variety in question. It is 
certainly a novelty among Chrysanthemums, and as 
such is likely to become popular. 
But I believe rve have already several varieties, both 
among the Japanese and the incurved sections, which 
have the tendency to develop these hair-like protuber¬ 
ances on the back of their petals. 1 have this season 
had several blooms of the incurved John Salter, Hero 
of Stoke Newington, and Princess of Teck, with this 
deformity more or less developed, and which spoiled 
them for the exhibition board, and had to be rejected 
accordingly, although in every other respect they were 
very good blooms. 
The variety, however, which approaches nearest to 
the hairy Mrs. Alpheus that I have yet seen, is the 
Japanese Mons. Freeman. 1 have blooms of this 
variety every petal of which is more or less covered 
with down-like hairs, from one-eighth to an eighth 
and a half inch long. If this tendency to hirsuteness 
of petal could only be aided to further development in 
the varieties which show it by propagating cuttings 
from the stems which produce the hairy flowers, and 
otherwise try to fix it in the same way that we do 
sports, Mrs. Alpheus Hardy would not be long before 
she had plenty of companions with covering similar to 
her own. As it is, I believe, she has preceded the 
general advent of a porcupine-like race of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums only by a short time. Whether such a race 
would be generally appreciated or not depends very 
much upon how it would take the public fancy. 
There is no doubt, however, that it is the great 
novelty and variety furnished by the several sections 
into which the Chrysanthemum is divided that has 
made the flower so popular, since there is in each 
section something that appeals to all tastes. It had 
few votaries before the advent of the Japs, and the 
advent of a hairy race may, in like manner, give 
further popularity to it, and help to keep the fire 
burning in its favour, and will, let us hope, act as a 
buffer tp the downward grade on which the mistaken 
striving after monstrous blooms is likely to send it.—• 
John Kipling, Knebworth. 
Japanese Chrysanthemum, L’Automne. 
This appears to me to be a decided acquisition amongst 
the incurved section of the Japanese, and will doubtless 
be shown in better form next year, although it has 
gained several certificates this season. The colour is a 
pleasing shade of fawn, and the shape of the flower 
splendid. It seems to be a weak grower ; in constitu¬ 
tion somewhat similar to Criterion, and, therefore, will 
be best in moderate-sized pots and somewhat lighter 
soil than the strong-growing varieties.— IV . P. 
THE ROSERY. 
Tea Roses. 
I note with satisfaction that in the selections, as 
made at the Rose Conference at Chiswick last year, 
that lovely variety, Catherine Mermet, heads the list. 
The position is at once a tribute to form, colour, and 
body, as well as to general excellency of character. In 
quality of flower, Catherine Mermet rivals the famous 
and beautiful Marechal Niel, so it does in body, whilst 
its delicate pink hue is one of the loveliest to be found 
in Roses. Who will give to us a white “Catherine” ? 
That would indeed be a gain if it were of the hue of 
Niphetos, and had all the charm of the lady. Possibly 
a pure white Marechal Niel at all points would be a 
greater gain, but then the “ Marechal, ” though so re¬ 
splendent in golden sheen, is not a constant bloomer, 
as is the “Lady Catherine.” 
I note in the selection that Madame Lambard, a 
very beautiful Tea also, is placed with thirty-five votes 
at the bottom of the last twelve Teas, and 
three votes in the lower list.— D. 
-- 
THE FLORAL NURSERY 
MAIDENHEAD. 
New Chrysanthemums. 
Being an exhibitor of Chrysanthemums, and on a 
visit to Maidenhead, I lately called in at Mr. 
Owen’s nursery, Castle Hill, Maidenhead, thinking I 
might see something new. I have been to most of the 
principal Chrysanthemum nurseries this year, but 
must say that Mr. Owen has by far the best lot of new 
varieties that I have seen, and thinking my visit 
may be of some use tr intending exhibitors, whether 
professional or otherwise, I will, with your permission, 
give your readers a short account of what I consider 
to be the cream of this collection. 
As such improvement is being made each year, both 
in size and colour of the blooms (thanks to some help 
from our American cousins), it would be utterly useless 
to attempt exhibiting, unless old varieties are dis¬ 
carded each year, and the best of the new ones added. 
A careful selection of varieties is, in my opinion, one of 
the greatest points to aim at if success is tr be attained. 
The varieties mentioned below are all worth a trial, 
the majority beiDg what I call grand acquisitions to 
the exhibition tal ’s. 
Mont Blanc (Wa rer) is a Japanese incurved, with 
fine bold petals, th lower or outer ones being deep 
lilac with a nearly wlu r e centre ; flowers large. Violet 
Rose is a promising exhibition, Japanese variety, 
colour, a splendid shade of satiny rose ; a fine large 
bold flower. J. C. Price is Japanese, florets very long 
and spreading, centre florets incurving, colour a delicate 
flesh ; plant of medium height. Gaspard Rozain is 
another Japanese kind, having very fine flowers of a 
pleasing shade of rosy lilac, with a white centre. 
It is a very promising variety. Mrs. E. W. Clarke is, 
I consider, one of the gems of the season, if not the 
very best. Tne flowers are of great size and substance, 
being some 10 ins. across, and the colour is the same as 
Refulgence. W. W. Coles, is also a Japanese variety. 
Here we have another of the finest introductions of the 
season, and one all exhibitors should get. The flowers 
are very large, of a bright chestnut colour. 
Countess Lytton is a sport from Meg Merrilies, of a 
primrose colour, and lighter than R. Brocklebank, 
but quite distinct and a fuller flower. We Wa, 
Japanese, is an American seedling, and a great im¬ 
provement on Mrs. Wheeler, which flower it much 
resembles, but has a stouter petal and finer colour. 
Tusaka Takaki belongs to the same class as the last, 
and has very long wide-spreading florets. The colour 
is a mixture of rosy lilac and white ; it is very promis¬ 
ing, and likely to make a fine show flower. Robert 
Crawford is another with enormous flowers, these 
being quite 1 ft. across, and of a bright carmine-rose 
colour. 
Mrs. W. Clark is a Japanese incurved, with enormous 
petals, some of them quite 1 in. in width ; colour 
purple, with silvery reverse. It is a fine grower and 
dwarf. Thomas Cartleage is a very fine Japanese 
indeed, the colour being a little lighter than Comte 
de Germiny, which flower it much resembles, while the 
outer petals are long, wide and spreading. This ought 
to make a grand variety. Mrs. John Wannamaker is 
an incurved Japanese, and has a large flower of a fine 
silvery pink, with broad petals, incurving very much. 
Sunset is a dwarf-growing Japanese sort, with very 
large flowers, and the colour is best described as 
resembling the setting sun. This is a grand variety. 
