182 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 28, 1893. 
FIiOt^ICUliTUt^E. 
Cactus and Pompon Dahlias. 
We have seen Dahlias severely cut up by an early 
frost in August, but even now in the third week of 
October it is astonishing to see such a profusion of 
bloom amongst autumn flowering subjects, of which 
Dahlias take a leading place. This is a matter of 
some importance when the flower garden is being de¬ 
pleted of those things which look miserable through 
the lack of sunshine, the heavy rains and cold dewy 
nights. Even in the ihorning the Dahlias look as 
fresh as if it was only September. Our acquaintance 
with them is corroborated from another source, for 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham, 
sends a large box of blooms of Cactus and pompon 
varieties, including some of the leading and most 
attractive sorts. 
It is impossible to overlook the best addition to the 
Cactus Dahlias that has been recently made in Mrs. 
A. Peart, a white flower of the true Juarezi type, and 
which has already received several First-class Certi¬ 
ficates. It has been the admiration of Dahlia con¬ 
noisseurs at public exhibitions for some time past. 
It becomes the more distinct and striking as it be¬ 
comes fully opened. The lovely mixture of pink, 
yellow, and white exhibited byDelicata takes the eye 
at once. A bold flower is Baron Schroder, of a rich 
glowing purple, with a bluish tint at the tips of the 
florets. It was sent out only last year. A large and 
massive-looking flower is Mrs. Glass, quite new, and 
of a rich glowing crimson, shaded with maroon in 
the centre. The bloom is as 'ight as it appears 
heavy, a coincidence brought about by the great 
length and breadth of the petals. Very distinct 
from either is Mrs. Vince, a large flower of a silvery 
rose or soft purple, shaded with magenta at the base 
of the florets. The colour of Bertha Mawley is 
difficult to describe and might be called scarlet over¬ 
laid with purple, or cochineal as some describe it, 
and certainly very handsome. 
A number of varieties were sent unnamed, and 
many of them possessed great merit, especially an 
orange-scarlet variety overlaid with crimson, and a 
sulphur-yellow one shading to nearly white on the 
outer florets, which were long and pointed, 
resembling Mrs. Hawkins. A buff-yellow variety, 
overlaid with pink, was also strikingly distinct, and 
something in the way of Mrs. Vince as to form. 
There were also crimson and purple lake varieties, 
shaded with blue at the tips, a nearly black sort, 
probably Black Prince, and a soft pink variety. 
The two latter are of the decorative type. 
Pompons sent were both numerous, small, neatly 
formed and very beautiful. Of the named ones the 
following were very choice, namely, Winifred, white ; 
Mary Keith, soft yellow ; Sunshine, bright scarlet- 
red ; Revenge, purple ; Arthur West, dark crimson ; 
Gipsy, very small and crimson tipped with purple • 
and Eva, a very beautiful mixture of salmon-red and 
purple. Mrs. Walter Besant was white with a broad 
purple margin, giving a characteristic effect to the 
flower. Sweetheart and Fanny Keith were both 
shades of crimson-red, tipped with white. Several 
of the unnamed varieties we liked were better, in¬ 
cluding an orange-scarlet colour overlying yellow, 
also pink, rose, purple, deep purple, primrose-yellow, 
scarlet, brilliant crimson-red, and other shades too 
subtle to define. A yellow variety, edged with crim¬ 
son, appeared to be the new Florence Woodland. 
Those who have a bit of garden to grow these things 
should not want for bright objects either in their 
gardens or in their homes, for which they are so 
admirably adapted in the cut state. 
-- 
SCARLET RUNNERS IN OCTOBER. 
Few could have expected that Scarlet Runners, 
about the second and third week of August, when 
the whole crop in many a garden threatened to suc¬ 
cumb, would be relatively plentiful in the third week 
of October. The plants themselves seemed to enjoy 
the heat in all cases where the ground had been 
mulched to retain the moisture, or water had been 
artificially supplied; and even in retentive soils 
where they were the recipients of no special care, 
it was wonderful with what tenacity they retained 
their vigour and flowered in profusion. In many 
gardens, however, especially those in confined and 
sheltered places, the extreme aridity of the atmo¬ 
sphere gave rise to a veritable plague of red spider 
that increased at such an alarming rate that the 
leaves became yellow in comparatively a few days. 
The blossoms dropped wholesale, and many cultiva¬ 
tors were so disgusted with the appearance of the 
plants as to have them pulled up and consigned to 
the rubbish heap. Others less hasty allowed them 
to linger on, and in the latter half of September, 
when the air became comparatively cool, the plants 
partly recruited themselves, growing and. flowering 
afresh. Many of the fruits set, and owing to the 
absence of severe frosts in the south, a considerable 
quantity of produce has been harvested since in a 
condition fit for table use,’and in some cases for ex¬ 
hibition. 
A goodly breadth of the favourite vegetable may 
be seen, or could have been the other week, in the 
gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at 
Chiswick. The tall-growing and late kinds have 
been most productive of a late supply, as might 
naturally be expected, but the absence of frost must 
be thanked for this fortunate circumstance. The 
names mentioned below will give a clue to the late 
growing character of several kinds when mild 
weather favours them. It must be understood that 
the Runners in question are supported by tall 
stakes, for in market gardens they are not staked, and 
if more precocious on that account, the supply is not, 
and cannot be expected to be so continuous ; nor 
can they develop such a crop of pods when allowed 
to trail on the ground without support. The stems 
do not in fact attain the same length as when pro¬ 
perly supported. 
The late pods in several cases seem broader than 
those produced in summer, but some allowance 
must be allowed for the shrinking to which the ripe 
pods have been subjected. Such is the case with 
Laxton’s Czar, some of which were still usable on 
the occasion of our visit. The Czar was even more 
favoured in this respect. Many of the pods of New 
Giant Titan were still quite young and must have 
been in the blossom stage at a comparatively recent 
date. Many good and usable pods still hung on 
Giant White, Hill's Prize, Sutton's Prize Winner, 
Preston Hall Gem, and Ne Plus Ultra. Many of the 
pods of the latter were still quite young, while others 
were full sized and much wider than the early pods 
on the same plant. Two of the most prolific for the 
season were Girtford Giant and Giant Scarlet, and 
that simply named Scarlet Runner was scarcely less 
prolific. Invincible was more sparely podded, while 
Painted Lady still bore a few. It will be noted that 
most of the above delight in high-sounding names, 
which indicate size and recommendable qualities 
generally. No doubt they are all closely allied, and 
belong to a giant strain which has a vigorous consti¬ 
tution and the habit of growing tall and late. They 
certainly have their uses for late work independent 
of what qualities they may possess for exhibition 
purposes. 
GANNAS in" AMERICA. 
The Gannas in the nurseries of Messrs. F. R. 
Pierson & Co., at Tarrytown on the Hudson, and 
Scarborough, N.Y., are just now a sight to see, and 
once seen not soon to be forgotten. At least, such 
were my thoughts as I viewed the great display of 
these now popular flowers in the nurseries named. 
Fortune favoured me in so far that I found Mr. 
Frank Pierson at home, and when I told him that 
I had "called to talk about Gannas’’ he kindly 
placed himself at my service. After hastily passing 
through some nine houses filled to repletion with a 
prime stock of young Palms, Pandanus, Ficus, 
Smilax, etc., we reached a house devoted to seedling 
Gannas and a few plants each of the best known 
named varieties. 
“Have you had good luck with your seedlings 
this year ? ’’ I asked. " Oh, yes. Some very fine 
ones are out of flower; still, here are a few I have 
selected. I am careful—extremely so—in my 
selection that anything new shall be distinct, full 
of substance, and a perfect flower before I submit it 
to the trade or the public. But let me tell you right 
now, we shall not want any more new French 
varieties. You see this pretty batch, well, they are 
my discarded ones, yet they are all better than the 
French importations of last season.’’ This, in my 
opinion, was perfectly true except in regard to the 
variety Charles Henderson, which is the best that 
has been introduced since Madame Crozy. 
"Ah! here is a fine seedling." " Yes, that is of 
the Crozy type, with more yellow in it and some 
orange. Quite distinct and sure to become a 
favourite.” Seedling No. 2 is a magnificent flower, 
a clean, bright nankeen-yellow, wdth no spots or 
markings of any kind, leaves bright green, and the 
habit dwarf; perhaps the most perfect yellow up to 
date. No. 3 is a good bronze-red with petals 2J in. 
long. No. 4 is a splendid yellow of the Florence 
Vaughan type, but much paler, large and showy, 
but strange to say a seedling from Charles Hender¬ 
son. There are many others, but these four are of 
unusual excellence and are sure to be heard of 
again. 
" Now for Scarborough. Here’s the team! ” 
After a delightful drive of five miles we reach the 
Hub of the Cannas, and what a vision of loveliness I 
" The greatest show of Cannas on earth," the writer 
cries, and his cicerone quietly laughs. Here in 
the open fields are some five acres or more con¬ 
taining some 15,000 plants, all in the rudest health. 
The first batch we come to is a quarter of 5,000 
Madame Crozy, the best of all; then follows Miss 
Sarah Hill, deep rich carmine, very good ; Alphonse 
Bouvier, a block of several thousands, and one of the 
very best for planting out, notwithstanding its tall 
growth ; soft bright cardinal-red. Another grand 
Canna grown in immense quantities is Paul 
Marquant, intense bright salmon, wonderfully flori- 
ferous, and splendid as seen in a mass. Mr. Pierson 
remarked, " I like to show up these good things in a 
solid block against each other. That is the way to 
find out their good and weak points." Those I have 
mentioned are all standard varieties, for they have 
proved themselves good at all points. 
On the other side of the field are examples of 
every variety in cultivation. These are grown for 
comparison, and a great many of them are no good 
now. They may have passed muster before the 
standard was raised by the introduction of Madame 
Crozy, but will not do now. and this applies to many 
of the recent introductions from France. But there 
are also among this lot some splendid varieties, Eind 
chief among them is Charles Henderson, colour deep 
crimson, flowers large and bold, a duplicate of 
Madame Crozy save in colour. Among coloured- 
foliaged sorts President Carnot takes the eye, and 
there are here also some very promising seedlings. 
Among the yellows Cap. P. D. Suzzoni is un¬ 
doubtedly the best. J. D. Cabos is also exceedingly 
fine. Francois Crozy is a good orange, and Senator 
Montenard, dwarf, yellow and crimson striped, is 
very fair. Florence Vaughan is a good Canna and 
forms a distinct type, but this season it has found 
many rivals in seedlings from Madame Crozy. One 
of its faults is that as seen from a distance the 
coloured blotches kill the effects of the j'ellow, other¬ 
wise it is a great beauty. There are, of course, some 
other good ones, such as Paul Bruant, Explorateur 
Campbell, etc., but I think I have indicated the cream. 
In addition to the great mass of Cannas to be seen 
here the Messrs. Pierson have over 4,000 planted 
out at the World’s Fair, which are undoubtedly the 
best there, and have gained nine medals for the firm. 
The great Rose houses at Scarborough I must refer 
to at another time.— Am. Cor. 
-- 
ORNAMENTAL CONIFERS. 
While deciduous trees are in full leaf in summer 
and the flower beds are gay, the Conifers get partly 
forgotten; but when the beds are emptied in 
October and the deciduous trees begin to look naked 
and cheerless, then the Conifers, being evergreen, 
stand out in all their glory. The planting season is 
now at hand and what it was impo.'sible to do last 
spring on account of the drought may now be 
effected. Small specimens planted in the empty 
flower beds till spring serve to impart a cheerfulness 
to the garden during the winter months. Tall, or 
moderately tall, specimens may be planted singly in 
the circular beds to relieve the bareness of the lawn. 
But we refer more particularly to the planting of 
beautiful Conifers in permanent positions on the 
grass, either as isolated specimens or in tasteful and 
judiciously arranged groups. Trees that may 
reasonably be expected to attain a large size should 
be planted sufficiently far apart as to require no 
lifting when they begin to attain size, beauty, and 
picturesqueness. Nor should they be crowded and 
partly hidden by others so that the light is obstructed, 
causing them to lose their lower branches and to 
look unsightly afterwards. 
If the trees are judiciously grouped to commence 
with, other sorts of inferior value may be placed 
