458 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 22, 1890. 
reflect the heat back on the foliage, which assists much 
in colouring and finishing the fruit. Top-dressing or 
mulching has a tendency to draw the roots towards the 
surface, but is of no use when the roots are far away 
and in bad condition. 
Training. 
I do not purpose in the course of this paper to say much 
on training, as that would afford matter for a paper 
alone, yet I must not omit to give a few hints. The 
training of trees on garden walls is quite unnatural, and 
involves considerable ingenuity, &c., to meet the many 
points demanding attention, as the operation is quite 
artificial. First, it must be borne in mind that trees 
are constantly struggling against you from natural 
causes : this arises from the peculiar nature of the 
trees, and the mode in which they produce their fruit. 
Object first is to select a form which is most readily 
and conveniently adapted for the purpose of producing 
most fruit in a short time, and at the same time pre¬ 
serving the health of the trees. 
( To be continued.) 
-- 
SWEET PEAS. 
Sicily enjoys the proud distinction of being the native 
home of the Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus, where it is 
not uncommon to find it growing wild in cultivated as 
well as in bushy places. I wonder what was the original 
form of the Sweet Pea, which was introduced from Sicily 
nearly two centuries ago ! I think it is not unlikely 
that several varieties came over in the first instance, 
though Philip Miller, who was for some time the curator 
of the Apothecaries Garden, at Chelsea, and who 
published his well-known Gardeners' Dictionary in 
1731, speaks of only one form, the “ broad-leaved, 
hairy soft chickling, with a large and very beautiful 
purple sweet-smelling flower, commonly called sweet- 
scented Peas. ” Chickling appears to be an old-fashioned 
name applied to the Yetch or Tare. 
In Page’s Prudomus, published in 1817, a very reliable 
catalogue of the leading subjects then in cultivation, 
mention is made of six varieties of Sweet Peas, viz. : — 
the white, scarlet, Painted Lady (scarlet standard and 
white wings and keel), the purple, black, and striped, 
and all apparently as having come from Sicily, though 
I should think some of them were garden varieties 
raised 'in this country. Among some old catalogues 
in my possession is one by James Carter, seedsman, 
High Holborn, published in 1842, and though this was 
a quarter of a century after the publication of Page’s 
Prudomus, yet it contains only the varieties mentioned 
in the latter. It is a fair inference, therefore, that no 
addition was made to our cultivated Sweet Peas during 
that period. Lying before me are two catalogues—the 
one published by James Carter in 1842—a small thin 
tract-like publication of thirty pages, without covers or 
ornamentation of any kind ; and that published by his 
present successors for the present year. What an idea 
one gets of the evolution of the seedsman’s catalogue ! 
Thirty years ago some amount of ridicule was cast upon 
what was then denominated “fat catalogues,” but I 
think their compilation has had much to do with the 
popularising of many plants now extensively cultivated. 
The illustrated catalogue of the present day is a genuine 
work of art, with its gaily ornamented covers and richly 
coloured plates, and elaborate woodcuts—a book that 
is worth binding up, so full of useful information is it. 
Thirty years later, the six is found to have grown 
into something like eleven ; and now there is to be 
found such fine varieties as the black, blue edged ; 
white, delicately tinted with blue on the petal edges ; 
Crown Princess of Prussia, blush ; Invincible Black, 
Invincible Scarlet, a fine selection from the scarlet ; 
and the Invincible Striped. I think I am correct in 
stating that all the new additions mentioned originated 
with Messrs. James Carter & Co. I find in one cata¬ 
logue for that period a variety named Fairy Queen, 
rose and white, probably a selection from the Painted 
Lady ; but as it has disappeared from catalogues, I 
imagine it could not be perpetuated. Selections 
sometimes have the awkward habit of reverting to an 
original form, or becoming lost altogether. 
Following close upon the heels of the new varieties 
already named, came Adonis, rosy carmine or pink ; 
Princess Beatrice, carmine-rose, with slightly deeper 
shading ; Princess of Wales, shaded and striped with 
mauve and white ; Vesuvius, carmine-rose, with deep 
crimson tints ; and Yiolet Queen, rosy blush, very pretty. 
Meanwhile, Mr. Henry Eekford was hard at work at 
Boreatton, Salop, crossing the best of culinary and 
Sweet Peas, with a view of obtaining improved varieties. 
In the hands of so successful and enterprising a florist, 
the work was certain to be well done, and his exertions 
were crowned with singular success. The fertilization 
of the blossom of the Sweet Pea is one of some difficulty, 
for when the flower is about three parts developed, it 
has to be cut open in order to expose to view the 
generative organs ; pollen,is taken from the flowers of 
one variety and placed on the pistil of another, and so 
the work is accomplished. The flowers so operated 
upon are then carefully preserved from contact with 
insects, and the seeds produced from the fertilised 
blossoms are the originators of new types. Mr. Eekford 
has produced so many fine new varieties that it is 
difficult to name them all, but I may mention Cardinal, 
crimson ; Duchess of Edinburgh, scarlet shading to 
rose : Grand Blue, bright blue ; Imperial Blue, purple 
shading to dark blue ; Isa Eekford, rosy pink and 
carmine ; Orange Prince, bright orange, pink and 
scarlet; and The Queen, rosy pink with mauve shading. 
Others among Mr. Eckford’s newer varieties offered 
this season for the first time are Apple Blossom, pinkish 
rose and blush, very pretty ; Boreatton, rich shining 
bronze and crimson-purple, a fine dark variety ; Queen 
of England, a fine pure white variety of large size and 
the best form ; Splendour, rieh bright pinkish rose 
shaded with crimson ; Primrose, pale primrose, a near 
approach to a yellow Sweet Pea ; and Countess of Eadnor, 
pale mauve shading to a deeper hue, very pleasing 
indead ; but the varieties named by no means exhaust 
the list of those that have been raised by Mr. Eekford. 
What a charming feature in a garden is a line of 
Sweet Peas of mixed flower ; and how delightful they 
are to cut from ! But, as a rule, gardeners do not, I 
think, do ample justice to the Sweet Peas—regarding 
them as only worthy of being planted in out-of-the 
way places in poor soil. But unless these fragrant 
Peas are well cultivated, the possibilities of beauty in 
them are not fully brought out. The seeds should be 
sown in well-manured and deeply-dug soil ; and they 
should be much more thinly sown than is usually the 
case. Gardeners too often sow all their Peas—- 
culinary and sweet-scented—too thickly. Whenever 
I visit Mr. Eekford at the time his Peas are in 
bloom, I am always struck with the marvellous 
plants of Sweet Peas he grows. He sows the seeds 
singly in the case of his newest varieties, and mulches 
the plants well with manure during the summer. The 
result is, the individual plants make large, highly- 
developed bushes ; and the flowers they produce are not 
only large and bold, but finely coloured. 
Some gardeners make a practice of sowing a few 
seeds of Sweet Peas in pots during September. By 
keeping them gently growing they come into flower in 
early spring, and well repay the cultivator for his 
trouble. — R. D. 
--- 
CAMELLIAS AT ROOK’S NEST, 
We have received a collection of cut Camellia blooms, 
some of them very old varieties, from Mr. J. Friend, 
The Gardens, Rook’s Nest, Godstone, where some 
very old plants are grown, planted out in the conser¬ 
vatory, as well as for covering one of the side walls. 
On the latter they are allowed to grow freely, in order 
to get a large quantity of bloom. Some time ago, the 
branches had grown out from the wall to such an 
extent as to occupy too much of the available space in 
the house, as well as to injuriously obstruct the light 
from other plants on that side of the house. Mr. 
Friend cut them hard back, with the result that they 
broke freely, and now present a fresh and attractive 
appearance. 
Amongst the flowers sent, Camellia reticulata stood 
out very prominently, by reason of the great size of 
the blooms, and the warm red colour of the broad, 
slightly undulated petals. Notwithstanding the fact 
that it is only a semi-double, it will always enjoy a 
certain amount of popularity on account of its bold and 
bright appearance. The old C. japonica alba plena is 
still one of the best whites, whether in the bud state or 
fully expanded, when the petals become beautifully 
and regularly imbricated. One of the rose-coloured 
varieties bore considerable resemblance to an old 
Provence Rose. A pink variety, beautifully reticulated 
with rose veins, was also very pleasing. The centre of 
the flower was filled up with numerous small petals, as 
in a double Anemone, or some double forms of Pseonia 
officinalis or P. albiflora. A white variety differed 
from C. j. alba plena in its foliage, and also by showing 
stamens in the centre of the flower. A flesh-coloured 
flower more or less striped with rose was notable for its 
great size, and had the central petals been more 
regularly arranged, the variety would have been very 
perfect in its way. Very interesting was an old- 
fashioned sort, almost, if not quite, as single as the 
species itself. The petals were few, pink coloured, 
striped and mottled with carmine ; and the centre was 
occupied by a mass of creamy white filaments with 
yellow anthers. 
- ■->:!:<- - 
ASPER HOUSE, STREATHAM 
HILL. 
At Asper House, Streatham Hill, the residence of YT. 
Y. Baker, Esq., the chief reliance for a display of bloom, 
in winter at least, is placed upon Orchids. With 
Cypripediums alone a supply is obtained all the year 
round. About 80 species, hybrids or varieties, are grown, 
and at present a large number of them are in bloom, 
making the low, span-roofed house in which they are 
grown quite gay. Amongst them are C. Argus, C. 
concolor, C. Hookerre, C. Boxallii, C. villosum, C. ver- 
nixium, and C. callosum. C. barbatum Warnerii is 
distinguished by the large /\-shaped purple markings 
on the upper sepal. As a rule C. insigne Maulei flowers 
most abundantly in autumn, and must now be con¬ 
sidered late. We noted a variety of C. Sedeni with an 
unusually dark lip. It is nearly always flowering, and 
the same may be said of C. Roezlii, which has kept up 
a succession for the past six months. 
Cattleyas are also grown in the same house, including 
a auantity of C. Triame and some fine pieces of C. 
citrina on rafts. A fine piece of Dendrobium Jamesi- 
anum was quite conspicuous by its large white flowers, 
with a scarlet blotch on the lip ; D. crassinode and D. 
Ainsworthii all held a place, but Dendrobiums as a 
class do not seem to find great favour here. A fine 
piece of Cymbidium Lowianum was just commencing to 
expand; its flower scapes were too long for the position 
occupied. A number of Oncidiums are now in perfec¬ 
tion, including 0. Cavendishianum, with a scape 3£ ft. 
in length and panicled ; also 0. stelligerum and 0. 
cucullatum. Lycaste leucantha, a by no means common 
species, bore moderate-sized flowers with greenish sepals, 
white petals and lip. A fine contrast to this presented 
itself in Sophronitis grandiflora with unusually long 
flower scapes. Few Odontoglossums are grown, but we 
noted 0. Rossii majus and 0. pulchellum. 
In another house close by were some more Cattleyas, 
including a fine piece of C. amethystoglossa with twelve 
flowers on a scape. The pale rosy pink sepals and 
petals were spotted with purple, and the corrugated 
middle lobe of the lip was of a rich purple. Close by 
was a piece of Saccolabium guttatum. The Ccelogynes 
must have been a fine sight in bloom, one piece of C. 
cristata carrying 180 flowers. Many pieces of the 
Chatsworth variety are distinguishable by the darker 
colour and more leathery texture of their foliage. Some 
well-grown pieces of Phaltenopsis occupied the same 
house as the Cypripediums, and P. amabilis bore fifteen 
flowers on a raceme. 
The stages of most of the houses consist of galvanised 
iron covered with cement, and in the cool Odonto- 
glossum house they are so constructed as to hold a 
small quantity of water, by means of which the 
atmosphere can always be kept cool and moist. Tanks 
are constructed beneath the benches for the reception 
of rain-water, of which there is always a plentiful supply 
from the roofs of the houses. All these appliances 
have been called into requisition to meet modern re¬ 
quirements ; for although the present gardener, Mr. 
"William "Woodley, has been here for the last fifty years, 
he has only been called upon to grow Orchids within 
the last four years, so that the collection says something 
for his tact and ability. 
---•»*«*- 
AN OUTDOOR FERNERY. 
At our school we wish to extend our science teaching 
by something practical in botany, and I should be glad 
of any hints as to the making of an outdoor fernery. 
We intend to have the Ferns named, and thus form an 
attractive resort, which shall, at the same time, be 
educational.— T. JV. 
[Not knowing the aspects of your neighbourhood, but 
more particularly of the garden, we cannot give an 
idea of the capabilities of the place. Nor do you 
state the dimensions of the intended or projected 
fernery. Should the ground be undulated, a conve¬ 
nient spot might be selected, which would not only be 
a saving in labour at the outset, but more satisfactory 
results to the Ferns themselves would be obtained. A 
situation shaded, but not overhung, by trees would 
also be of immense advantage ; but, from the tone of 
your letter, we should suspect that the ground is level 
and without shelter of auy kind. 
Starting on this presumption, you will have to 
provide both shade and shelter. The depth of the 
excavation will depend upon the area of the ground to 
be operated upon, because if too small, it would then 
look unnatural. You must provide drainage to carry 
