June 21, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
659 
ORCHIDS. 
TheLlVERPOOL HORTICULTURAL Co. 
(JOHN COWAN), LIMITED, 
Are constantly receiving IMPORTATIONS of ORCHIDS 
from various parts of the World, and they will send 
particulars of each importation as it arrives to any¬ 
one who will send their name and address for that 
purpose. 
The Company have also an immense stock of 
ESTABLISHED ORCHIDS; descriptive priced Cata¬ 
logue on application to the Company, 
TJiKLCARSTON, LIVERPOOL. 
PRIMULAS! PRIMULAS! PRIMULAS! 
21st YEAR OF DISTRIBUTION. 
Williams’ Superb Strain, Is. 6d. per dozen ; 10s. per 100. 
CINERARIAS same price, also DOUI3LE WHITE PRIMULAS, 
6d. each. Carriage free for cash with order, 
JOSH STEVENS, Tlie Nurseries, COVENTRY 
SAMUEL SHEPPERSON, 
FLORIST, 
ProspectHoiise,BELPER, DERBYSHIRE 
Begs to offer the following, of which he lias made a 
specialty for the last twenty-six years. 
PRIMULAS, PRIMULAS, and CINERARIAS. 
Finest possible strains; the latest new colours and improved 
forms, as sold in Co vent Garden. Good plants for next autumn 
and winter blooming, Is. 6d. per doz., ICs. per 100; extra 
strong selected, 2s. per doz., 12s. per 100. 
CYCLAMENS, CYCLAMENS, Lamb’s celebrated 
Giganteum strain. Good plants, 2s. per doz. ; extra selected, 
2s. 6d. per dozen. 
ALL CARRIAGE FREE. 
S. SHEPPERSON, 
Florist, BELPER. 
“DON'T BREAK YOUR BACK” 
CLIMBING TO WATER POTS ON HANGING BASKETS, 
SHELVES, &c. A HIGH LEVEL -WATERING POT, 4s. 
(G. R. King’s Patent), does it in a tenth the time, without risk or 
straining.—Seedsmen, Ironmongers or Patentee, Torquay. 
GREAT REDUCTION in the 
PRICE of 
MANURE. 
ESTABLISHED NEARLY 50 YEARS. 
This Reduction is effected through the in¬ 
troduction of enlarged and improved Plant 
for Manufacturing. 
This old-established Manure is acknowledged 
by the leading practical Gardeners in the United 
Kingdom and the Colonies to exceed all others 
in general fertilising properties and staying 
powers. It promotes a rapid, healthy and robust 
growth to plants generally. It is a clean and 
dry powder, with very little smell, which 
renders it particularly adaptable for Amateurs 
equally with Nurserymen. 
Sold in TINS, 6d., Is., 2s. 6d., 
5s. 6d., and 10s. 6d. each; and in 
BAGS op KEGS, at reduced prices, 
28 lbs., 10s. 6d.; 56 lbs., 18s.; 112 lbs., 
32s. each. 
May be obtained from all Nurserymen and 
Seedsmen in the United Kingdom and the 
Colonies. 
— SOLE MANUFACTURERS— 
CORRY, SOPER, FOWLER k Co., Ltd, 
LONDON. 
LAINC’S BEGONIAS 
IN ADDITION TO THE 
FOUR; QOTD MEDALS: 
Have received the highest award of the R. H. S, 
(A SILVER GILT CUP) 
for their large and fine group of 
SINGLE AND DOUBLE BEGONIAS 
Exhibited at the TEMPLE SHOW. 
15 Certificates have already been awarded to our 
1890 NOVE LTIES. 
IVE cordially invite an early inspection of our collec¬ 
tion, which embraces many NO VELTIES of great merit. 
CATALOGUES FREE. CflTFORD BRIDGE STATION. 
JOHN LAING & SONS, 
FOREST HILL NURSERIES, S E. 
Next "Week’s Engagements. 
Tuesday, June 24th.—Royal Horticultural Society : Meeting of 
Committees at Twelve o’clock. Royal Oxfordshire Horti¬ 
cultural Society's Show. National Rose Society’s Annual 
Dinner, Sale of Mr. Tautz’s Orchids at Protheroe & Morris's 
Rooms. 
Wednesday, June 25th.—Richmond (Surrey) Horticultural 
Society's Show. Continuation of the Sale of Mr. Xante's 
Orchids at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Friday, JuneUTth.—Rose and Pink Show atthe Royal Aquarium, 
Westminster (2 days). Sale of Imported and Established 
Orchids at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, June 2Sth.—Rose Shows at Reigate and Eltham. 
" Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.” —Bacon. 
SATURDAY, JUNK 21, 1890. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
prilE London County Council and the 
^ Public Pares.— The London County 
Council-—by far the most important uoav of all 
local authorities—propose to do one of the 
biggest things yet heard of, perhaps, in relation 
to gardening. The Council have under their 
control of public parks, gardens, and ATirious 
open spaces an area of some 3,000 acres, 
and on that area some " 400 persons are 
employed. It is thus obvious that the open 
spaces of the Metropolis have grown so largely, 
and are increasing so rapidly, that a special 
department of the Council is needed to deal 
with this element. There are few features of 
metropolitan government, of graver importance 
than is not merely the retention but the 
maintenance of open spaces, dedicated, as 
these 3,000 acres are, to the benefit of the 
public for ever. 
But parks and open spaces in these days 
are something more than those terms imply. 
They are now almost universally pleasure- 
gardens, "well kept, delightfully decorated, and 
presenting charming promenades for the t-OAvn 
dwellers, such as the most rural of populations 
might Avell envy. No wonder, then, that the 
London County Council should have come to 
the conclusion that so important a department 
ought to be placed under the control of a 
capable and experienced gardener. We do not 
like the phrase, “Landscape Gardener,” as 
used by the Council, because it is apt to 
signify something different to what is actually 
rvanted. The omission of the objectionable 
term would have been better, because in the 
title, “ capable and experienced gardener,” all 
that is desired should be included. 
The proposed salary is £G00 per annum, and 
for that sum the best man in the kingdom 
O 
ought to be found. Of course, such an official 
should he something more than a mere gar¬ 
dener. lie must he a well-educated man, one 
capable of controlling other men almost as 
good as himself, and not less capable of 
directing almost an army of workers, high 
above purchase or corruption of the meanest or 
greatest kind—one, in fact, of the highest 
qualities professional gardening can furnish. 
Y\ r e have no doubt such a man can he found, 
hut the County Council, in making the 
selection, undertake a serious responsibility. 
||joLUMBiNEs.— Tell amateur gardeners of the 
beauty of Aquilegias, and they turn a 
deaf ear to the recommendation; but only 
mention them under the ancient common term 
of Columbine, and interest is excited at once. 
If amateurs would but rub up their botany 
somewhat, or devote a little attention to plant 
nomenclature, they would often find interest 
in plants now top frequently ignored, because 
the generic names are to them unknown. 
Now it may be freely said of Aquilegias that 
the best forms of these constitute some of the 
lightest and most elegant of hardy flowers. It 
is difficult to excel in beauty and gracefulness 
amongst outdoor flowers the quaint Avihged aspect 
of Chrysantha or Ccerulea blooms, or farther 
still, the many singularly beautiful inter¬ 
mediate forms these two species have produced. 
To intercross species has been protested 
against as spoiling them. That is all non- 
sence, especially in the case of the Columbine, 
because we find in the cross product such increased 
robustness and freedom of blooming, as well as 
remarkably beautiful flowers, that cross-breeders 
have every reason to be pleased that they have 
done so much, though that he not much after 
all. The result of the crosses hetAveen 
Ccerulea and Chrysantha, the marriage of a 
Aveak parent and a strong one, has been 
the creation of a. lovely as well as varied 
progeny, in which, Avhilst none have excelled 
the taller parent for its pleasing yellow colour, 
the first named is beaten in the production of 
blue and Avhite flowers far in excess of its own 
power to produce. Californica, red and yellow, 
makes another capital parent. With Ccerulea 
we have yet to secure a pure white spurred 
flower of the Chrysantha form. There are 
plenty of good whites amidst the garden 
varieties, hut all lack that lightness and grace 
which Chrysantha . flowers present. A Avhite 
form of this fine species has been sent us from 
the Continent, hut so far it falls: very short of 
our rvishes. That avg shall have a pure white 
form of Chrysantha in time there can be no 
doubt. In the meantime AA T e strongly urge 
the wider cultivation of Columbines. 
mateurs’ Greenhouses.— The experience of 
an Amateur gardener in relation to the 
management of a small greenhouse is often so 
unique of its kind that it is very doubtful 
Avhether it would not often be possible for such 
amateur to give points to many of our Profes¬ 
sional gardeners. A correspondent last Aveek 
did suggest that experienced practical gardeners 
could often give to the amateur good advice in 
regard to the management of his small green¬ 
house. That may be so, hut Ave would point 
out that the experienced gardener is often the 
last man to have much knowledge of the 
troubles and trials incidental to plant culture 
under the conditions referred to, as his 
experience is chiefly gathered in large plant 
houses, Avith which are added those essentials 
AA'hich make practical gardening so suc¬ 
cessful. 
The man a\-1io starts with a windorv case or 
a hand-light, expands his glass area into a 
frame, and finally into a small greenhouse, 
must have knowledge Avhich the ordinary 
gardener could not possess, because of the 
different conditions and surroundings of each 
