January 27, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
341 
structure and prevented the loss of water so 
necessary to life in time of drought. 
The lecturer drew attention to the substances 
which constituted the food of plants and the manner 
of feeding, and insisted that the plant was a most 
wonderful magician, growing and living, and building 
up masses of tissue (for example, logs of wood) out 
of such things as the salts taken up from the surface 
water of soils, which only existed as mere traces 
(and was the same sort of water as we were accus¬ 
tomed to drink), and of certain of the gaseous con¬ 
stituents of the atmosphere—to wit, carbon dioxide. 
It was the green parts of plants which dealt with 
this last item, and instances were brought forward to 
show that plants were particularly careful to protect 
this important substance, which was known to 
botanists as chlorophyll. In many ordinary plants 
—for example, the Acacias—the leaflets of the 
pinnate leaves turned vertically upwards on sunny 
days, to expose as little surface as possible to the 
sun when the light was intense. The same pheno¬ 
menon was also shown by some of the simplest 
forms of plant life 
and in the case of 
one of the most 
accomplished of the 
simpler forms — 
Mesocarpus, a fila¬ 
mentous alga. The 
lecturer showed that 
it carefully protects 
its chlorophyll plate 
from too bright light 
by turning it so that 
it shall receive the 
proper amount only. 
Should external con¬ 
ditions be exception¬ 
ally unfavourable, 
the protoplasm, the 
living part of the 
various cells, power¬ 
fully contracts, and 
the filament resolves 
itself into its various' 
constituent units, 
which sink to the 
bottom of the river 
or pond, and there 
divide up and start 
afresh. 
We have reached 
to such perfection 
in every direction 
that it may be 
thought the end of 
development was at 
hand, and yet we 
are sure the most 
successful of cross¬ 
breeders of the 
Primula will say 
that advance may 
be regarded as 
illimitable. It is 
true that there is 
in many forms 
great development 
of stoutness .pf habit, indicative of a strong consti¬ 
tution. Still it is further true that some of this 
great advance is obtained at the expense of seed 
production, hence our breeders will sometime have 
to bark back and re-attack an inferior strain that 
seed fecundity be abundantly retained. 
-- 
APPLE NEW NORTHERN 
GREENING. 
Even after such a fruitful year as the past, the fruit 
room begins to look bare after the bulk of the best 
kinds are out of serson and have been cleared away. 
Those that remain are brought into greater pro¬ 
minence and acquire a greater value in proportion 
to their keeping qualities. New Northern Greening 
seems as fresh as when gathered, and will keep 
sound till June. The larger specimens are flattened 
on the top, but the rest are round ; in no case can 
it be called a large Apple, but when its keeping 
qualities are considered that is a matter of little 
consequence. The skin is of a bright glossy green 
with a brownish red cheek, but becomes somewhat 
paler as the winter wears on. The tree is vigorous 
and an abundant bearer, and I mean to plant it 
more largely as occasion offers. It cooks firmly, 
and the flavour is excellent.—G. IVanl. 
-- 
BADSWORTH HALL 
GARDENS. 
On January ist I had the pleasure of paying a visit 
to the Gardens, at Badsworth Hall, near Pontefract, 
and must say that I was agreeably surprised at this 
dull season to see such a fine show of flowers. The 
courteous gardener, Mr. Findlay, first introduced me 
to the Vineries, but all the fruit had been cut, and 
placed in bottles. The vine rods showed strong 
growth of the previous season. On being taken to 
the fruit room to see the bunches which had been 
cut from them, it proved that the Vines were in 
robust health, for the bunches must have weighed 
several pounds. Apples in the same room were very 
good, especially Blenheim Orange and King of the 
Pippins. From the fruit room we went through the 
kitchen garden, which was very tidy, and contained 
an abundance of vegetables. The plant houses, 
were a very pleasing surprise. The stove was fur¬ 
nished with Poinsettias in large quantities, with 
bracts of large proportions, likewise a quantity of 
Calanthe Veitchii, with several fine spikes in full 
flower to each plant. The arrangement was unique, 
as the above were gracefully mixed amongst foliage 
plants of excellent health and colour, including the 
newest Dracaenas, Crotons, and Palms growh to 
perfection, every plant fit to grace any room in the 
Hall. The house exhibited a splendid combination 
of flowering and ornamental plants, with graceful 
climbers. In the next house, which contained even 
a much greater wealth of flowers, were cool sub¬ 
jects. Azaleas, Deutsche Perle, in quantities were 
in full bloom ; Primulas, double and single from seed, 
were exceptionally fine, and well grown Cinerarias 
were just coming in—and along with them were some 
fine Lilium Harrisii showing fine blooms; I was 
struck with their dwarfness. The plants were at 
most not more than three feet high, including the six 
inch pot ; many of the plants were not more than two 
feet. Numerous other plants were in flower, includ¬ 
ing a fine batch of Cyclamens; but these are 
sufficient to show the wealth of flowers, especially for 
the first day of the New Year, and a happy continua¬ 
tion from the Chrysanthemum season. 
We were next taken on through the pleasure 
grounds, which are very extensive and of a very 
natural and ornamental character, as well as the 
perfection of tidiness. Passing on through walks 
ever and anon leading to some spot of beauty, we 
pass the mansion, which is of a noble appearance, 
and surrounded with fine forest trees of majestic 
size. On the west side is a fine clump of Yew trees, 
the largest I have had the pleasure to see, and which 
will fulfil their duty of protection from the strong 
winds to the west side of the Hall. Directly after 
passing away from the clump of Yew trees, we were 
taken over an ornamental bridge, to another part of 
the pleasure grounds, the same which is my especial 
favourite, namely the natural garden. We came so 
suddenly upon it, we paused—the thing was so 
unexpected that a surprise was experienced, and this 
is really what is intended. The situation lends 
itself in the highest degree, and happy indeed must 
they be whom the 
garden is made for 
to have the pleasure 
of walking round 
such a grand natural 
garden, to enjoy 
Nature refined, if I 
may use the term ; 
for in this particular 
place are banks of 
Fernsand Primroses, 
somein flower,choice 
herbaceous plants in 
the proper places ; 
and on rocks were 
clumps of suitable 
subjects. Bambusa 
Metake in splendid 
luxuriance was grow¬ 
ing in open clumps, 
while over hanging 
the rocks was the 
ever welcome travel¬ 
ler’s joy (Clematis 
Vitalba). I was given 
to understand that 
all the choicest kinds 
of subtropical plants 
were reared in the 
spring, and planted 
out in this garden 
during the summer. 
In w'alking about 
this particular place, 
the more level walks 
are seen to be soft 
grass, while in more 
uneven places you 
pass over stepping 
stones, portions of 
which are natural ; 
and as we passed 
over these and on to 
rising ground, we 
had a variable view, 
with a grand one 
of the valley bslow. I could enlarge on the 
beauties of this part of the garden, but enough 
for the present season. I cannot conclude before 
mentioning the pleasure I experienced through the 
indulgent owner of the garden. It is generally 
recognised that the gardener in charge can show a 
brother of the craft the beauties of his employer’s 
garden. Badsworth Hall is happy in its situation. 
Near too are the village, the church, the labourers’ 
cottages, all in perfect harmony, and in capital state 
of repair, with pretty gardens attached to the 
cottages in well kept order. I cannot imagine a place 
where more forethought has been given to make the 
workpeople happy, and a pleasure to their employer, 
R. H. Jones, Esq. I feel grateful to Mr. Findlay, the 
gardener, and shall have many pleasant recollections 
of Badsworth.— Sami. White, The Gardens, Donisthorpe 
House, Moortown, Leeds. 
-- 
Tobacco Dust for Aphis —The Ohio Agricultural 
Experiment Station recommends the burning of 
Tobacco dust in place of stems. At cigar factories 
it may be procured under the name of “ Tobacco 
sand.” Fill an old pan with it, ignite it with a coal 
of fire, and leave to smoulder over night in a closed 
house.— American Gardening. 
The New Northern Greening Apple. 
