260 
December 23, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
FINE FOLIAGE PLANTS 
AT UPPER HOLLOWAY. 
As is well known in many establishments throughout 
the length and breadth of the country, the Victoria and 
Paradise Nurseries of Messrs. B. S. Williams & 
Son, Upper Holloway, have been the receptacle and 
home of a large and ever increasing number of fine 
foliage plants of every class that finds acceptance for 
decorative purposes of all kinds. Crotons, Palms, 
Dracaenas, Aralias, Marantas, Anthuriums, Alocasias, 
Pandanus, Ferns, and others of those classes are 
grown in great abundance and variety ; but we can 
only note a few of those things which struck us as 
particularly handsome. Quite recently a batch of 
seedling Dracaenas has been raised, showing a 
pleasing departure from the broad and heavy leaved 
types that are so common everywhere. The seed¬ 
lings in question show a considerable range of variety 
in colour and habit, but they all agree in having 
graceful linear-lanceolate leaves narrowing to a 
grooved footstalk. Those of Miss Glendinning are 
bronzy-purple with a broad red edge and sometimes 
the whole leaf is red, but they are more upright in 
habit than the rest of the seedlings. The leaves of 
Princess May are much narrower and less drooping 
than those of D. Alexander Laing, and more droop¬ 
ing than those of Miss Glendinning, but otherwise 
similar. 
Lady Hopetoun is much more spreading in habit 
and is across apparently between Dracaena terminalis 
and D. nigro rubra, and has narrow, bronzy-purple- 
red edged leaves. Quite of another type is D. 
Desmetiana, with oblong, ascending green leaves 
with a narrow red edge; many of them show a great 
amount of blush-pink at the base, often striped, and 
the under surface is rosy-red. The leaves of D. 
nigro-rubra are lanceolate and bronzy-purple. A 
great improvement upon D. terminalis alba, and a 
freer grower, is D. Coulingi, which has recently been 
honoured with a First-class Certificate. It also 
surpasses Madame Heine and colours much better 
while still in a small state. The leaves are moderately 
wide, edged with white, and the terminal ones are 
mostly white with a green midrib. Amongst the 
light coloured ones it is certainly an acquisition. 
The long, narrow, graceful leaves of D. Doucetti, 
edged with w'hite, are altogether different, and the 
plant is admirably suited for cool greenhouse treat¬ 
ment. 
The Alocasias are as handsome in winter as in 
summer, and thus come prominently into notice. 
The scallopped, deep glaucous green and leathery 
leaves of A. Chantrieri have silvery nerves, and 
always look clean and pleasing. The great shield¬ 
shaped or oval leaves of A. metallica are flushed 
with a rich coppery or metallic lustre in the spaces 
between the principal veins, and of a uniform deep 
purple beneath. The thinner leaves of A. macrorhiza 
variegata are irregularly splashed with white and 
find favour with many cultivators. Suitable com¬ 
panions for the above are the Marantas, that are 
dwarfer and occupy much less space, even when 
grown to their fullest dimensions. The broadly 
oval, deep olive-green leaves of M. Veitchi are 
marked with large gray blotches on each side of the 
midrib, surrounded with a band half way between 
the midrib and margin. They are of a rich purple 
beneath. Strikingly different is M. vittata, whose 
clear and pleasing colours catch the eye at once in a 
collection of stove plants. The leaves are deep green 
with silvery bands arranged in pairs all over the 
upper surface. 
A considerable number of flowering Anthuriums 
enliven the collection, but the fine foliaged kinds 
include the handsome leaved A. crystalinum, and the 
more rare A. splendidum finds a place. The heart- 
shaped dark green leaves are deeply wrinkled, thus 
adding considerably to their attractiveness. Perfectly 
in keeping with the subjects above given is 
Sphaerogyne latifolia, whose huge leaves are in 
excellent condition. The larger of them measure 
about 21 in. in length by 12 in. or 13 in. in width, 
and offer a great contrast with the brown hairy 
stems. The new Strophanthes Dyerianus has found 
its way here, as most plants of acknowledged merit 
do. The plant grows freely and bears sessile leaves 
heavily suffused with rosy-purple between the 
principal veins, and readily reminds one of the 
delicacy of colouring to be met with amongst the 
Bertolonias. Two fine leaved Orchids may be men¬ 
tioned here as interesting subjects for associating 
with stove plants under the protection of a bell glass. 
The velvety olive-green of the leaves of Macodes 
petola is finely netted with golden lines in a most 
interesting and unique way. Anoechtochilus inter¬ 
medins is somewhat in the way of A. Lowii, but the 
dark velvety olive leaves are lined and netted with 
gold. 
The graceful, light, and elegant leaved-Aralias are 
grown in great quantity, such fine things as A. 
gracillima and A. reginae receiving the greatest 
prominence. The former is well known in almost 
every establishment, but the latter is deserving of 
more extended cultivation than it enjoys. The 
circular leaves are divided into five to nine or more 
linear segments, that assume a gracefully drooping 
habit. The black stems and petioles are more or 
less spotted like a snake or leopard. Small plants 
are exceedingly handsome for table decoration. 
Cocos Wedeliana is scattered about in several 
houses, but a large batch of plants in one place 
presented a gracefully handsome appearance. They 
vary from 6 in. to 18 in. high, and are furnished with 
five to eight leaves each. The variegated India 
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica variegata) grows in 
popularity, and may be seen in quantity here. The 
variegation is well marked, and in winter assumes a 
silvery hue in place of the yellowish green tint that 
prevails while the leaves are growing. A variegated 
Poinsettia (P. pulcherrima variegata) has made its 
appearance and seems very distinct. The leaves are 
irregularly variegated with creamy-yellow all round 
the margin, while some of the uppermost ones 
assume a reddish hue. The bracts proper retain 
their usual scarlet colour, thus showing a well marked 
contrast. 
--- 
NATIONAL AMATEUR GARDENERS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
The third annual dinner of this Association was 
held on the 14th inst. in the Queen’s Salon, at the 
Holborn Restaurant, when some eighty ladies and 
gentlemen sat down under the chairmanship of Mr. 
T. W. Sanders, the President of the Association. 
The usual loyal toasts having been duly honoured, 
the Chairman in proposing " Continued prosperity 
to the Association,” said, that in common with all 
the founders of the Association, he had the pleasure 
to congratulate the members on the satisfactory 
progress which had been made during the present 
year, which had brought them an accession of 130 
new members and raised their roll of membership up 
to about 500. The rate of progress was so encouraging 
that he felt sure it would be sufficient to induce 
every individual member to do his utmost to main¬ 
tain the high standard of usefulness which had been 
attained. Their monthly meetings and exhibitions 
had not only shown a better attendance of members, 
but had been of even greater interest and excellence 
than heretofore, and the standard of quality had 
been greatly enhanced thereby. They had been 
favoured during the year by the receipt of a greater 
number of special prizes, with the result that at all 
their meetings quite as many exhibits had been 
brought forward as they could find room for, and 
the question of finding increased accommodation 
w'as one which demanded the serious consideration 
of the executive. The papers that had been read 
had been of a practical and interesting character, and 
generally had been followed by discussions which 
had proved of great value. Their programme for 
next year he was glad to say was of an equally 
promising character. Their branch associations had 
not made much progress as regards an increase in 
their number, but their roll of Societies in affiliation 
was creeping up, and no doubt in time would be a. 
tower of strength to the parent Association, As he 
had before observed, they had seriously to consider 
their position in the matter of providing increased 
accommodation at their monthly meetings, which 
was now strained to the utmost, so large had become 
the attendance of members; but it was not possible 
to provide for their wants on their present small 
annual subscription, and in the near future they 
would be called upon to decide as to what should be 
done to provide for an increased expenditure. The 
Association was in a flourishing condition, but they 
must not allow it to stand still. 
The presentation of prizes, mainly medals and 
certificates, which had been won by members during 
the year, was then proceeded with, and at the close 
of this part of the proceedings the President, in the 
name of the Committee and members of the 
Association, presented Mr. D. B. Crane with an 
illuminated address, and a silver tea and coffee 
service, in recognition of his untiring and zealous 
services as Honorary Secretary of the Association. 
Mr. Crane was heart and soul in the work. He de¬ 
voted his time and services ungrudgingly to the in¬ 
terest of the Association, and they were all grateful 
to him for the very efficient manner in which he 
conducted the duties of his office, which had become 
of a very onerous character. In the name of 
the members he expressed the hope that Mr. 
Crane would be blessed with continued good 
health and prosperity, and that he would long be 
with them as their Honorary Secretary. Mr. Crane 
suitably acknowledged the compliment, which he 
would ever consider a tangible proof of the esteem 
and goodwill of the members towards him. 
Other toasts followed, included "The President, 
Vice-Presidents, and officers of the Association,” 
" The Donors of Prizes, Prize Winners, Exhibitors, 
and Judges,” '■ Kindred Societies,” ” The Ladies,” 
” The Visitors,” and ” The Press.” The proceedings 
of the evening were agreeably enlivened by an ex¬ 
cellent musical programme. 
— - ^ - 
WINTER BERRIES. 
Though the summer of 1893 may have been remark¬ 
able for a great many things, it has not as a rule in 
this district been one of the most prolific for producing 
berries or shrubs, although there are some plants 
that have not for years had such an abundance of 
their showy berries that are to be seen this winter. 
Take for example the following kinds, Symphoricar- 
pus vulgaris variegatus, which has never in my 
recollection produced more than a few solitary seed 
pods, has this season hundreds of clusters of berries. 
Most people know the common form S. racemosus, 
“ Snowberry tree,” but the variegated form is seldom 
met with. It only grows to the height of about 4 ft., 
and has very slender wood not unlike the Spiraea 
Thunbergii; the flowers are produced in clusters on 
the young shoots, and these are succeeded by coral 
berries of five or six in a cluster, about the size 
of small peas, which, when ripe, are of a red colour, 
and this season, owing, I have no doubt, to the 
beautiful weather when the bushes were in bloom, 
have all the young slender growths covered with 
these clusters of berries, which make it very 
interesting. 
Skimmia Japonica is usually full of berries, and 
this season is no exception, as the bright red clusters 
look wonderfully bright this dull weather. It is a 
wonder that this shrub is so little grown, seeing that 
it is so hardy and the berries set so freely. The 
foliage, too, is of such a pleasing hue, especially in 
the country free from smoke. S. japonica oblata, 
too, is very pretty, but this does not set so freely as 
the first-named. 
Aucubas, especially the green variety, have also 
set freely this season, owing, no doubt, to the fine 
weather, especially when the plants were in flower. 
Small plants of these are very useful for mixing with 
other things in winter, when their bright red berries 
tell up charmingly by lamplight. Laurus nobilis 
has set more freely this season than usual. The 
berries of this are a dark purple colour, so they are 
of but little value for decorating. However, they 
look very pretty on the plants. 
Iris foetidissima and I. foetidissima variegata are 
two useful plants for producing pods of berries for 
winter decorations, and this season they have been 
better than ever as the pods kept so fresh. This is 
only a low-growing herbaceous plants, but, unlike 
most of the Irises, it seeds freely, the pods being 
produced in threes on the top of a stem about 15 in. 
high. These pods burst longitudinally, and then 
the rows of bright red seeds are visible. They last a 
long time in this condition, hence their value as 
decorative objects. 
Pyracantha (Crataegus Pyracantha) and C. Pyra- 
cantha Lelandi have both been very beautiful this 
season, their clusters of orange-scarlet berries hang¬ 
ing all along the previous year's growth, making 
quite a show. The common Privet has also set its 
fruit wonderfully thick this season, and 'though 
these are black they may be made to look very 
pretty if intermixed with some other things of a 
more lively nature, especially if deprived of their 
foliage, using something more graceful in its place. 
— Arborea. 
