502 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 7, 1894. 
A REMARKABLE AMATEUR. 
There can be little doubt but that, in all ages of 
horticultural history, the exertions of the amateur 
have played an important part in the general 
advancement of the art. In no age, can it be said, 
is this more true of the untiring energies of the 
amateur than the one we live in. Let us turn our 
attention in whatever direction we may, we find at 
the present moment our friend the amateur 
assiduously engaged in the great work of perfecting 
and promoting horticulture with a zeal that is 
worthy of the highest commendation. In a more 
concrete way, as would be expected, do those of 
keener tastes and ardent fervour add a nobler tribute 
to the pile of research already at our command. 
Among such are assuredly to be found many who have 
made for themselves names of which gardeners and 
horticulture may justly feel proud. And when it 
will be considered that the resources of the average 
amateur does not as a rule compare favourably with 
those of the ordinary professional horticulturist, any 
praise bestowed is infinitely more deserved. 
There is a strong presumption that the amateur 
has not always been regarded to the full extent of 
his merits, and that much of his unostentatious 
ploddings in the past were doomed to be relegated 
to the domains of oblivion. Happily, the spirit of 
the times affords no room for any such thing now to 
exist. Professional prejudices, not only in horticul¬ 
ture, but in many other arts, have been, and are 
being, brushed aside to make way for merit on every 
hand ungrudgingly. We owe this pleasing state of 
things to the impetus which education has of recent 
years given to the development of all that is true 
and accurate in the discrimination of the beautiful. 
It may be said, speaking generally, that they are few 
and extremely remote who fail now-a-day to feel a 
thrill of pleasure from even the "little Primrose" 
itself, so much has the taste for flowers been diffused. 
Seeing, then, that the beauties of a Primrose have 
an equally good chance of being admired in the 
garden of the amateur as of the professional, the 
once existing differences no longer remain. 
Few persons who are familiar with the struggles 
of the amateur—a series of successes and reverses— 
can fail to admire the heroic determination with 
which he, year after year, on the ruins mayhap of 
complete failure, with renewed hopes and firmer 
conviction, goes forward to gain the object of his 
aims. In this determination is the secret of his 
success. And those only possessed of such, in what¬ 
ever sphere of life their vocation lies, will succeed. 
On both sides of the border we have notable 
examples of such unremitting spirits, whose motto, 
regardless of all failures, however disheartening, is 
try, try again. That our country can claim honour 
for such indefatigable heroes in strife is something 
for every true-born horticulturist and lover of horti¬ 
culture to be proud of. 
England may well feel proud of its Molyneux, but 
our neighbourhood furnishes to Scotland an amateur 
of no less lustre. Mr. Calder, Calderbank, Trinity, 
is a name well known in the horticultural and 
amateur circles of Scotland. Like most men of note 
he has chiefly devoted his attention—though by no 
means exclusively—to the improvement of the green¬ 
house Rhododendron. He has closely pursued this 
labour of love for the last thirty years, and bestowed 
upon It much if not all of his spare time with very 
good results. His close application to his subject 
for such a lengthened period is itself enough to 
certify both the perseverance he must possess as 
well as the success which attended his labours. 
Mr. Calder has added many valuable varieties to 
this beautiful class of greenhouse plants, and a visit 
to his place will afford greater pleasure and con¬ 
viction than anything that can be given by the way 
of description. The Rhododendrons can be seen 
here in every stage of their growth—from the almost 
microscopic seedling just emerging from the soil to 
the nobler specimens in tubs. Between these 
extremes a large quantity of selected sorts grace the 
greenhouse. And not without their interest are 
those plants which are anxiously awaited on to show 
the flower, and consequently their value to take a 
place among the select. Some of these Mr. Calder 
informs us have gone for seven years before they 
offered to flower. It will be manifest from this how 
much patience is really requisite to pursue the work. 
Mr. Calder’s generosity is well known. As he 
confines his own wants altogether to some new 
development in the hybrid, he bestows on his many 
friends the remainder and common types, so that 
during the time which he has been engrossed in the 
work he must have reared and given away a very 
considerable quantity. 
Mr. Calder has also proved himself a master hand 
in the cultivation of the Chrysanthemum, and holds 
several prizes from the Caledonian Society. He 
holds as well many certificates from both the 
Caledonian Society and Scottish Horticultural 
Association for his new varieties of Rhododendrons. 
We understand that Mr. Calder has quite recently 
given some attention to photography, a most desir¬ 
able thing for an amateur who rears Orchids, 
Rhododendrons or other fine flowers, to have at his 
command. If more of our gardeners would adopt 
this most interesting and valuable art, no doubt the 
world would be favoured with many beautiful photos 
of flowers which meanwhile can only give pleasure 
to a limited few who live within easy access of the 
place where they may be grown. 
Visitors to Mr. Calder’s place will find him very 
courteous, and ready to give any information on the 
subjects which time and great attention and obser¬ 
vation have made him master of. We wish him and 
all such earnest devotees at the shrine of floriculture 
all future success in the pursuit of this praiseworthy 
study.— D. Chisholm, Wardie House, Granton. 
-- 
THE PROGRESS OF HORTICULTURE 
IN THE UNITED STATES. 
{Cotitimied from p. 484.) 
Hard Wooded Plants (Greenhouse). 
These are seldom seen in the United States. They 
have been tried by many of the most practical 
gardeners, anxious to have some of their favourites, 
but they fail entirely ; the very hot weather is too 
much for them. I am now speaking of such as 
Aphelexis, Boronias and Hard Wooded Heaths. 
Plants of American Introduction. 
The credit is due to our horticultural friends in 
America for introducing many plants of sterling 
merit, the result of importations, &c. They have 
raised many good hybrid Orchids, Nepenthes, 
Chrysanthemums, Roses, and Pelargoniums; the 
following are well known amongst us, namely, 
Nepenthes Morgan!, Williams!!, Outramii, and 
Poinsettia pulcherrima plenissima. Hydrangea 
Thomas Hogg, Bouvardia Alfred Neuner, Helio¬ 
trope White Lady, many good Chrysanthemums, 
Roses,Pelargoniums, Tuberose, Pearl, and Excelsior, 
Lilium Harris!!, &c., &c. A good many .of these I 
had the pleasure of introducing myself. Here I 
may say that the last two mentioned are grown by 
the acre. 
New York. 
New York is, as everyone knows, a busy com¬ 
mercial centre, and so it is as regards the nursery 
and seed trade. There are many very large horticul¬ 
tural establishments, and the cut-flower trade 
especially is carried on in a very extensive way. 
There are hundreds of florist shops, a great number 
of which are worked in conjunction with country 
establishments, but the majority are supplied with 
flowers from the growers, who make specialities of 
various things. The demand is very extensive, and 
enormous prices are paid for floral designs, as well 
as for loose spring flowers, Roses, Carnations, 
Pansies, Lily of the Valley, Narcissus and such like 
are extravagantly worn by the ladies ; it is a very 
common occurrence to see them with a dozen 
enormous Roses, in the belts arcund their waists, or 
a bunch of three or four dozen Pansy blooms. 
When in Baltimore and Washington, I frequently 
saw coloured ladies with from a dozen to eighteen 
Daffodils worn in the same way. 
The festive seasons are rare harvests for the 
florists. At Easter the prices for the following were, 
cut Violets 4s. per 100, Roses (best) 2S. 6d. to 3s. 6d. 
each, Callas is. fid. each. Mignonette 24 sprays 
2S. fid.. Narcissus 4s. per dozen, Lilium longiflorum 
and Harris!! 2s. each. Pansies about id. each, and so 
on in proportion. At weddings and funerals, large 
and expensive designs are made up in the form of 
floral tributes, and enormous quantities of flowers 
are used. The saloon of the splendid Cunard 
steamer in which I returned was completely filled 
with floral designs, presented to friends leaving for 
Europe, some of which must have cost at least 
£20 to /30 each, designs of ships 8 ft. long being 
among them made of the choicest flowers. Just now 
a great amount of rivalry exists among the leading 
florists ; one or two of them have taken large halls 
and converted them into promenade flower shows, 
and beautifull) done they are, far surpassing any¬ 
thing of tlfe soft ever seen before. 
New York has an influential Horticultural Society, 
and I have been present at several of its shows in 
the capacity of judge, so have had a good oppor¬ 
tunity of examining the various exhibits. The 
principal features are the groups arranged for 
effect ; the Orchids, foliage and flowering plants, 
cut flowers and Carnations are well arranged and 
extensively shown. The Roses are marvellous; 
flowers, instead of being shown as they are with us, 
are shown with a foot or so of wood and foliage, 
which, in my mind, is infinitel}- better. This society 
is working-hard to establish itself upon a sound 
basis; but, I am sorry to say, the wealthy, who 
might support such an institution as this, do very 
little to assist it. 
Plant sales are held in New York two or three 
times a week, and the city can boast of numbering 
amongst its citizens one of the best horticultural 
auctioneers I have ever heard in a rostrum. This 
gentleman is familiarly known as " Billy Elliott," 
and has premises in Dey Street. All valuable 
collections of plants from far and near are 
sent to him for disposal, and it was stated 
that when the valuable collection of Orchids formed 
by the late Mrs. Morgan was being sold this " Billy 
Elliott ” could roll out more words in a minute than 
any other man in America; I think so, too, for his 
volubility is wonderful. In April and May the great 
spring sales of bedding plants take place, and are 
made up in boxes of from 25 to 50 nice, clean 
healthy stuff fit to plant out, and they realise very 
much about the same prices as they would here in 
our markets. At Orchid sales the plants com¬ 
mand good prices, buyers coming from far and near. 
The parks, squares, and cemeteries of New York 
are well laid out, and planted. The Central Park 
is very extensive, handsomely laid out, and 
ornamented with fine trees; it has good roads, and 
costly bridges, but lacks age to make it equal in 
beauty to ours. Greenwood Cemetery is one of the 
largest and handsomest in the world; it has fine 
lakes, an undulating surface, plenty of shade, costly 
monuments, and all the other melancholy attractions 
possible to find in any place of sepulture. The 
squares are greatly patronised, are well planted, 
and, at the time of my visits, the beds have always 
been gay with seasonable flowers. There is a plentiful 
supply of seats for the weary and fountains for the 
thirsty. In the vicinity of New York there are 
many lovers of plants among the amateurs, but the 
finest private places are away out of the city. For 
miles the banks of the beautiful Hudson River are 
studded with fine, well-kept places, and the trip up 
that river is a very delightful one, and is the most 
pleasant way of reaching Albany from New York. 
At Albany there are several florists and collections 
of plants, among the latter I previously mentioned 
those of Erastus Corning and General Rathbone. 
At Troy I saw Odontoglossum citrosmum roseum 
with over twenty-four spikes—a specimen I shall 
never forget. There are several public squares and 
cemeteries here which are well kept. After leaving 
Albany, on the way to Rochester, one passes through 
a magnificent undulated, well-wooded countr)', con¬ 
taining many features of interest, fine ravines, 
waterfalls, etc. You pass through Utica, the capital 
of Onrida ; Rome, a thriving town on the Mohawk 
River; Syracuse, where the extensive salt wells are 
situated; Auburn, the capital of Cayuga County, 
where one of the large New York prisons is located ; 
and Palmyra, before arriving at the beautiful town 
of Rochester. There are several horticulturists at 
the places mentioned who are promising to become 
patrons of gardening. 
Rochester. 
Rochester, one of the largest towns in North New 
York State, is situated on the Yenesee River. It 
contains some very fine see 1 establishments, where 
a most extensive and lucrative business is carried 
on ; but to give a description of them would occupy 
too much time, so I must confine myself to plant 
establishments. Here has been established within 
the last few years what promises in future to be one 
of the largest and best collections of plants in 
America. W. S. Kimball, Esq., is the enthusiast ; 
he has started well, and what is more, the plants are 
doing well. He fortunately procured the services of 
