180 
The gardening world. 
November 18, 1898, 
FLlOl^ICOliTORE. 
Pink Layers versus Pipings. 
Some plants of Finks from layers were recently sent 
from Birmingham to a well-known old florist, Mr. 
Wm. Wardill, Luton, Beds., and in a letter from 
him, he writes:—-"The Pinks sent are the finest 
plants I ever had. Layering versus Piping is now an 
important question. Of course, we are glad to resort 
to piping when we have no stock strong enough for 
layers, and sometimes these make nice plants if done 
in good time. I remember some forty years since 
experiencing a season in some degree like the past 
one, and the ground was so dry that we had but 
very little ' grass ’ (young shoots) to work with, and 
during the summer I continued nipping off each 
shoot as it grew and sticking it into a box of leaf 
soil and sand iu a state of puddle or mud, with a 
square of glass over the box, and the young shoots 
grew and the plants gave a succession of bloom the 
following year from early in June to the end of 
September. Of course, the manipulation of the 
shoots of the Pink require more delicacy of touch 
in the handling than the Carnation, but practice 
tends to perfection. Yet I fear that with me it will 
not be a difficulty in manipulation in layering the 
shoots of the Pink, but in bending my back, as at 
my age it is not easy to stoop for such work, and 
there is also some difficulty in training young fingers 
to the work. 
"I remember that when I was a boy the Pink 
Carnation, and old sweet-scented Clove especially, 
were often simply torn from the main stem, and we 
made up a bed surfaced with road sand under the 
shelter of a hedge, and stripping off part of the 
foliage and pinching off the points of the longest 
leaves placed the point of the finger on the third 
or other close joint and pressed it into the soil, 
and the doubling of the stalk causing a partial 
breakage of the shoot, the first stage of root forma¬ 
tion began, and we had strong rooted plants for the 
next season. Now if we could do this with success, 
may we not with greater assurance go over the side 
shoots of the Pink and press the stem into the 
ground, giving a check to the flow of the sap, and 
whilst retaining its hold of the parent plant, rooting 
would take place at the wounded joint and the young 
plants could be easily removed." 
Again and again, in other letters, Mr. Wardill 
refers to the very fine plants of Pinks from layers, 
and he evidently is a believer in the short time in 
which strong well-rooted plants can be obtained by 
layers, and the operation is not more difficult than 
layering Carnations in borders, only requiring a 
steady hand and ordinary care. Another correspon¬ 
dent in Dumfriesshire writes:—"The Pinks are 
extremely fine plants and quite support the practice 
of the modern growers in your district who adopt 
layering instead of piping. Compared with plants 
from pipings put in here, the superiority of the 
layered ones is manifest." 
Just a word or two as to purchasing and planting. 
September and October are the best months for 
securing young plants, but in November, and later, 
plants can be potted up for planting out in spring. 
Late spring-planted plants, unless grown in pots 
through the winter, do not lace well.— W. D. 
Pink Mrs. Lakin. 
This new variety is a great acquisition to our white 
border Pinks, and was introduced by that well-known 
old florist at Temple Cowley, Oxford, Mr. Joseph 
Lakin, but as yet it is very little known. It is pure 
white in colour, and better in form and pod than 
Her Majesty, and that was previously the best of the 
white Pinks grown. It is of good habit, and a free 
bloomer, and, as I saw a bed of it in bloom during 
the summer, I am able to recommend it with confi¬ 
dence.— W. D. 
Viola Duchess of Fife. 
This very pretty variety, introduced by Messrs. 
Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay, has stood the hot sum¬ 
mer weather well, and has bloomed profusely. It is 
of the procumbent habit of Ardwell Gem, making 
an abundance of root growth, so that any amount of 
stock can be made and kept up. The colour is pale 
yellow and white, with a border of rich, brownish 
lilac, and it is very hardy and stands the winter 
well—IP. jD. 
THE AMERICAN NURSERY, DOWNHAM 
MARKET. 
One fine day last September I found myself, after a 
drive of some seven or eight miles and a railway 
journey of about the same length, in the old- 
fashioned Suffolk town of Downham Market. 
Although a west country man, when I wanted a few 
days’ change I went to the east, as the custom is; 
but though I was seeking relaxation I must confess 
to a weakness for wanting to see whatever of garden¬ 
ing there is to be seen, even when holiday-making. 
As the sound of the bugle call is to the old trooper, 
so is the mention of something good to be seen to 
the observing gardener—a call to action that will 
not be denied. 
Well, being in Downham Market, and in company 
with another member of the craft, my friend, Mr. 
Stocking, gardener and forester at Didlington Hall, 
who cannot now be called a young man, seeing that 
he has held his present position for over fifty years, 
nothing would serve but we must have a look 
through the well-known American Nursery. The 
name of the late proprietor, Mr. James Bird, is 
known to many in the horticultural world as that of 
one of the most genial of men and a master in the 
art of gardening. His decease was much regretted, 
and his loss is still keenly felt by not a few among 
the aged poor of Downham Market. 
The nursery, however, is still carried on under 
the business title of Bird & Vallance, the last-named 
gentleman being an old schoolfellow of my own, who 
was with Mr. Bird for many years before he died, 
and so is well conversed both in the nursery and 
seed trade. I was specially pleased with the clean 
condition in which the nursery is maintained, and 
the thrifty character of the stock. Indeed, I never 
saw it looking better, and I have visited it several 
times during the last twenty years. The nursery is 
by no means favoured in the matter of shelter, 
indeed quite the reverse, and so different from so 
many I am acquainted with. When trees are 
removed from the well-sheltered nurseries to cold, 
bleak districts they suffer considerably for a time, 
but there is no fear of that happening to plants that 
have been grown in this exposed situation. I 
thought most of the stock must have suffered some¬ 
what from the extreme drought of the season, but 
was surprised to learn that the contrary was the 
case. The only things that had suffered were the 
young freshly-planted out Stocks, and that was not 
to be wondered at, seeing that there are no means 
here of applying water to stock of this kind. 
Without going very closely into details, I may 
mention a few things that I noted doing specially 
well. At the time of my visit a large tree of Prunus 
Malus floribunda was a grand sight, being covered 
with fruit which made it very ornamental. When 
in flower it must have been a grand sight, and it is 
doubtful in which condition—flowering or fruiting— 
it is the most beautiful. Crataegus Lelandi was 
also full of berries, and does well in this strong 
holding soil. Weeping Willows are a special feature 
here, and the American kind particularly struck me 
as being worth more extensive planting. 
Amongst shrubs the Evergreens thrive amazingly, 
and I could not but admire some young plants of 
Cupressus Lawsoniana lutea, such perfect sheets 
of gold were they. It is a pity this beautiful Conifer 
is not more extensively planted, seeing that it can 
now be bought so cheaply. Roses do grandly here, 
both as dwarfs and standards, and the shoots were 
strong and well ripened. The blooms I saw were 
very fine, and in particular those of Mrs. John Laing 
were simply perfect. Asparagus is made a special, 
feature, and from two year old plants the growths 
were exceedingly strong. Carnations are grown 
largely, and the stock looked remarkably healthy. 
I was told that only a limited number of varieties 
were grown, but these in quantity, seifs being the 
most in demand, and good strong healthy plants a 
sine qua non. 
Fruit trees are very largely grown, and in many 
sorts, but the greatest quantities consist of those 
sorts which are noted for their suitability for plant¬ 
ing by growers for market, and, as a fact, many of 
them go the market growers in the Cambridge and 
Wisbech districts. They had all a clean and 
vigorous look about them. For standards the Crab 
stock is used, and the English Paradise for bushes 
and pyramids. The foreman pointed out to me some 
rows of plants worked on the French Paradise, along 
side of some worked on the English stock, and the 
comparison was all in favour of the latter which had 
made more than twice the growth of the former in 
the same time, and looked far more healthy. In 
some of the long rows I noted strong growths studded 
their whole length with fruit buds, and which would 
be excellent for growing as cordons. Some few sorts 
of Apples I saw extra good samples of. For instance. 
Court Pendu Plat was very highly coloured ; 
Bismarck was also fine ; and some small bushes of 
Betty Geeson were perfect pictures. This is a 
variety that ought to be better known and more 
planted, especially as a bush tree. Some years ago 
I had some trees in North Hants that never failed 
to bear heavy crops every year, and the fruits would 
keep till March, and were first-rate for cooking. 
Another prolific kind I noticed was Domino, a 
variety I had not previously known, but it was 
spoken very highly of. Here, also, is a long row of 
trees by themselves, ranging from 12 ft. to 15 ft. in 
height, and on asking what they were kept for, was 
told that the trees were all true to name, and there¬ 
fore were relied upon to give scions for grafting and 
buds for budding. I thought that an excellent plan 
for keeping the stocks true.— Con. 
-.{•- 
A STEAM LAWN 
MOWER. 
It is rather late in the reason to write about any¬ 
thing concerning mowing, but the novelty—a steam 
lawn mower—must be my apology for so doing. 
The first public trial of the steam mower took place 
at the Leylard Agricultural Show this season and 
attracted a considerable amount of attention, as, in 
addition to mowing an adjoining tennis-lawn, it was 
in the show-yard attached to a churn and highly 
pleased the farmers present by the manner in which 
it did the churning. The next public trial was at 
Worden Hall, Leyland, before the committee of the 
Preston and Fulwood Horticultural Society, who 
voted it a certificate. It has also been tried before a 
number of gentlemen in the Public Park, Preston, by 
Mr. Rowbotham, who also speaks highly of it, as 
indeed does every one else who has seen it at work. 
Steam is generated in the boiler by the use of 
common lamp oil as fuel, carried in a specially con¬ 
structed vessel at the top of the chimney. The 
water is carried in a cylinder between the shafts of 
the machine, and is led to the boiler by a brass force 
pump, first being passed through a heater, and when 
delivered into the boiler is at a temperature of 180°. 
The cost of working is one penny per hour per one 
horse-power. Steam can be raised in ten minutes 
from cold water, and the engine can be fitted to 
existing machines. It can also be used for churning, 
chaff-cutting, pumping, etc. The inventor is Mr. 
James Summer, engineer. Water Street, Levland, 
Preston.— W. P. R. 
-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM BARON HIRSCH. 
Many new Chrysanthemums make their appearance 
with a flourish of trumpets as it were, and are 
honoured with a First-class Certificate it may be. 
They are almost certain to be widely distributed by 
the following year, but the absence of numbers of 
them from the exhibition boards tells its own tale 
better than anything else ; for were they to come up 
to their original standard they could hardly fail to 
put in an appearance in several succeeding years at 
least. The incurved Baron Hirsch has quite sub¬ 
stantiated its right to be cultivated, not only because 
good for exhibition in a seciion that is not too replete 
with variety, but because it is easy to grow and 
therefore a suitable sort for amateurs to attempt. It 
is said to be an early variety, but it also blooms late, 
and later blooms are even richer in colour than the 
early ones. The inner face of the florets is crimson, 
but golden-buff hardly expresses the rich hue of the 
outer face of the late blooms, which are almost of a 
chestnut hue. The variety which appeared last year 
for the first time will do much to sustain the flagging 
interest that hampers the incurved section for want 
of that novelty which is so profuse in the Japanese 
section. When the grower for exhibition comes 
to examine his list of large-flowering incurved 
varieties available he finds he has none too many of 
them, and welcomes a good new one.— J. C. [We 
can corroborate what our correspondent says, as far 
as we have been privileged to see the variety in 
question, and give the accompanying illustration of 
it.— Ed.] 
