550 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 28, 1894. 
tinuing we entered the potting house, which is roofed 
with glass, and attached to the vineries. Here Mr. 
Edwards’ assistants can comfortably acquire the art 
of potting plants, and otherwise pick up some of the 
principles of horticulture. The only objection I ex¬ 
perienced was a nasal one, for Wood’s Le Fruitier, 
judging by its odour, must be very energetic in its 
operation. Now we proceed to the new Peach house, 
just erected by Messrs. Messenger & Co., on the 
most approved pattern. This house is 6o ft. by 12 ft., 
and in addition to the latest improvements, the glass 
on the roof, where it overlaps, is rounded off, or 
scalloped out, so that the rain-water being thus 
attracted to the middle of the panes, the sash-bars 
are less liable to get out of repair. A sharp shower 
gave its ocular proof of this, and it was quite interest¬ 
ing to note the tiny wavelets succeed each other in 
cascade order. 
The Peaches and Nectarines both inside and out¬ 
side of this well-built structure were swelling into 
tangible proportions ; although Sea Eagle, a late 
variety, was, in respect to size, in advance of 
Alexander, for instance, which ripened its fruit 
outside on July 5th last year. Mr. Edwards 
has given some attention to this matter, and, as a 
result, obtained the first prize for an essay on this 
subject, which essay was read before the Ealing 
Gardener’s Society a short time ago. It created a 
healthy discussion, for no matter how perfect one’s 
deas may be on general questions, there are always 
some points which do not commend themselves to 
other cultivators. 
The Tomato or Cucumber house was next visited. 
This building is 20 ft. by 12 ft., and is constructed 
on the same principles, and by the same firm, as the 
Peach-house. Here the Tomato was already setting 
its fruit, and Mr. Edwards favours Sutton’s Ai, 
Conference, Perfection and its golden form. This 
house is a veritable gem, for no amateur could look 
upon it without experiencing the most profound 
desire to be its owner. 
Another house close by is of larger dimensions, 
measuring 40 ft. by i8ft., and will, doubtless, as the 
season advances, become furnished with iloral 
wealth of an interesting character. The front is 
occupied with pits or frames, wherein Chrysan¬ 
themums now are, but which by-and-bye are 
destined to receive more notice and a superior 
place. The heating and water arrangements are 
perfect, and Mr. Edwards testifies to the expedition 
and ability with which these houses were erected 
by the firm above mentioned. The fact of the cost 
exceeding ^^500 goes a long way to show that Mr. 
Owen is quite an enthusiast in matters of horticul¬ 
ture. A stove and an intermediate house completes 
the list of glass structures, which together with 
about two acres of garden ground, affords a very 
respectable field for operations. 
The vegetable, fruit, and pleasure gardens can 
only be barely noticed. The former is in a thriving 
condition, and the fruit indications are superb. 
With reference to fruit trees, I often think the 
suburban garden has an advantage, for the formal 
line of demarcation is partly obliterated ; in fact— 
“ One looks on his neighbour’s and fancies they’re 
'ees. 
Your neighbour does likewise and covets your 
trees.” 
As to the flowers, well they are always interesting, 
especially those on the rockery ; for they possessed 
that wonderful bit of colour which Richard 
Jefferys said, to him, was a sort of food. 
Sufficient to say that great clumps of white Arabis, 
Yellow Alyssum, and purple Aubrietia, so far 
unsteadied my gaze, that for some time afterwards 
I saw everything else through a floral medium.— 
C. B. G.. Acton, W. 
- .im. - 
BLUE PRIMROSES. 
In spite of all that has been attempted by hybridists 
in connection with all forms of Primroses, native 
and foreign, yet it does seem as if the production of 
a really blue tint in any of them was not to be. We 
have, for instance, had the ” blue ” Chinese Prim¬ 
rose with us now for some years. Efforts of the 
most industrious and patient kind have been made to 
deepen its hue, but without success. The flower 
has been enlarged and improved, but the lavender 
tint, which is not blue, still remains. The purest 
blue, somewhat of a vdolet tint, is perhaps to be 
found in one or two show self Auriculas, such as 
Sapphire, but the colour is after all dull when com¬ 
pared with a bright blue. In garden Polyanthuses 
we have never seen a decent blue, for the old P. 
elator caerulea is a poor washy thing, whilst of all 
the millions of border forms raised a bright or 
bluish purple is the nearest approach to blue yet 
seen. If we take any of the imported species we 
find naturally the nearest approach to blue perhaps 
in such as denticulata or purpurea, but neither can 
well be termed blue, even with a stretch of the 
imagination. 
The fact is Nature seems to have absolutely denied 
to us blue tints in the Primrose family, although we 
have some that approach to the denied hue. We 
have long been trying to deepen the mauve or pale 
lavender tints found in P. obconica, but with 
indifferent success. I saw just recently still existing 
a few plants of the Primrose Blue Gem I raised some 
years ago at Bedfont, and though leaving much to 
be desired was yet the nearest approach to blue in 
this plant I had ever seen. All the blue Primroses 
and Polyanthuses which Mr. G. F. Wilson has raised 
differ materially from the BedfonCform ; they seem 
to be the product of other blood. They, however, 
constitute a very charming and interesting strain, 
and may eventually produce very blue flowers. I 
am glad to learn that they now come into commerce, 
as others will then be able to try their hands at 
hybridising and selecting. It is certain, however, 
that any efforts in that direction can only succeed 
when the plants are entirely isolated from all other 
Primulaceae.— A. D. 
- mf - 
BOTANICAL EXPLORATION IN 
BORNEO, 
In the course of his lecture on this subject at the 
Drill Hall on Tuesday, Mr. F. W. Burbidge, by way 
of introduction, pointed out the fact that the original 
English explorers of Borneo from a botanical and 
social standpoint were Sir James Brooke, better 
known, perhaps, as Rajah Brooke of Sarawak ; Mr., 
now Sir Hugh Low, late of Perak, who was present 
at the meeting, and Mr., now Sir Spencer St. John, 
and he mentioned that to them undoubtedly belongs 
the credit of making Borneo as interesting and as 
commercially important as it is to-day. To Sir 
Hugh Low especially belongs the credit of exploring 
the gigantic mountain lying inland from the north¬ 
western coast, viz.. Kina Balu, for the first time, and 
it was hereon that he discovered the gigantic and 
curious species of Pitcher plants (Nepenthes) that 
have been the admiration of botanists and horti¬ 
culturists alike, since they were figured and described 
by Dr. J. D. Hooker in the Transaction of the 
Linnean Society of London some years ago. The 
lecturer then stated that his own inclination for 
travel in the tropics had been fostered by his having 
seen and read such classical works as Hooker’s 
“Himalayan Journals,” Low’s “Sarawak,” “The 
Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle," by the late Charles 
Darwin, Wallace’s “Malay Archipelago,” and St. 
John’s “ Life in the Forests of the Far East.” 
Having decided to visit Borneo in 1877, Mr. 
Burbidge saw Sir Spencer St. John, the late Miss 
Marianna North, who had then recently returned 
from Sarawak, Dr. A. R. Wallace, and others who 
had been there, and then proceeded on his voyage, 
the record of which was published in extenso by Mr. 
Murray in 1880 under the title of “ The Gardens of 
the Sun.” 
Borneo was said to be, next to Australia and New 
Guinea, the largest island in the world, being about 
800 miles long and 600 miles broad at its widest 
diameter. It is divided by the Equator, its total 
area being considerably larger than that of Great 
Britain and Ireland. The natives are the Malays or 
dominant rulers who occupy the coast line and 
rivers, and the Dyaks, or Borneans proper of the 
interior. The language of the Malayan Archipelago 
generally is Malay, a language soft and musical, easy 
to learn and very expressive, which is spoken by 
people of all European nationalities, as also by the 
Chinese settlers of Singapore and those who visit 
Borneo and other islands adjacent for trading pur¬ 
poses. The capital of the country is Brunei, a water 
city, standing on a large inland lake, containing 
15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants. The Palm-thatched 
houses are all built on piles, and no doubt closely 
resemble the Swiss lake dwellings of Europe 
centuries upon centuries ago. Mr. Burbidge reached 
Borneo via Johore and Singapore, and after visiting 
the Lawas and Limbang and Pandarowan Rivers he 
made two journeys to Kina Balu, and a voyage to 
the Sulu Archipelago, which lays about midway 
between N. Borneo and Mindanao, the most southern 
point in the Philippine group. After describing the 
peculiar climate of Kina Balu and the vegetation 
found thereon, special mention was made of 
Nepenthes villosa, N. Lowi, N. Edwardsiana, N. 
Harryana, N. Burbidgeae, and N. Rajah, the last- 
named, together with the two-spurred N. bicalcarata, 
having been introduced alive to English gardens by 
our traveller, who said he should ever regret that the 
first-named four species yet awaited some more 
fortunate collector high up the rocky plateaux of 
their native mountain. The Perns of Borneo were 
described as being most luxuriant, and often of a 
noble character, and Mr. J. G. Baker has published 
a list of more than fifty species which Mr. Burbidge 
collected in that island for the first time. Graphic 
descriptions were given of tropical vegetation— 
Palms and Cycads, Bamboos and Musas, or Plan¬ 
tains, Tree Ferns and Orchids, all free and beautiful 
in the open air in a land of eternal summer near the 
Equator where winter is unknown. The lecturer 
also described the beautiful mystery of a tropical 
forest with its blue-green undergrowth, and the 
Orchids, the birds and monkeys, all up in the tree 
top at 100 ft. to 200 ft. overhead. The best collect¬ 
ing grounds were said to be the banks of the rivers, 
or margins of islets and along the creeks, or high 
up the mountains. 
A short list of plants introduced alive by Mr. 
Burbidge includes Nepenthes Rajah, N. bicalca¬ 
rata, Jasminum gracillimum, Cypripedium Lasv- 
rencianum, Pothos celatocaulis, Pinanga Veitchi, 
Aerides Burbidgei, Cryptocoryne caudato, Pipto- 
spatha insignis, and other Arads, Phalaenopsis 
Mariae, and Burbidgei nitida, a new genus named in 
compliment to Mr. Burbidge by Sir J. D. Hooker, 
of Kew. In conclusion, the lecturer mentioned how 
largely our enterprising nurserymen had ever con¬ 
tributed to the introduction of new and rare garden 
vegetation, and expressed a hope that government 
facilities might be more generally accorded to duly 
accredited collectors, and he also expressed a hope 
that no great scientific expedition would in future be 
allowed to leave our shores—as did H.M.S. Challenger 
—without having a practical and efficient plant 
collector on board. After alluding to the success of 
the late Mr. John Gould Veitch, to whom facilities 
were accorded by the naval authorities on his visit 
to Japan in i860, and to Australia and South Seas in 
1864, the lecturer characterised explorers and 
collectors as real soldiers of science, impelled to do 
their best from inner springs, and not merely from 
outer or pecuniary considerations. They were 
described as brave men who took their lives in their 
hands, and did their best for society at large, and so 
were as deserving of public recognition as were 
other workers in the public service. 
-- 
NATIONAL AURICULA SHOW. 
The Auricula growers had their annual field day at 
the Drill Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday, and on the 
whole, perhaps, they never had a much more 
successful one in the South, for if w’hat florists 
understand as quality did not run high, there was 
a large display of plants, bright, fresh, and as 
attractive as of yore, and the season suiting we had 
contributions from such doughty northern champions 
as the Rev. F. D. Horner, Low’fields, Burton-in- 
Lonsdale; and Mr. Ben. Simonite, of Sheffield; but 
it was not a northern man’s day, and these famous 
growers failed to maintain their usual supremacy. 
Another grower of high repute, Mr. James Douglas, 
also failed to hold his own in the leading classes, 
being well beaten all round by his brother official, 
Mr. T. E. Henwood, of Reading, the treasurer of the 
Society, and other Reading growers. 
For twelve Auriculas, dissimilar, Mr. T. E. Hen- 
wood was first with Abbe Lizst (Douglas), Richard 
Headley (Lightbody), Rev. F. D. Horner (Simonite), 
Marmion (Douglas), Mrs. Potts (Barlow), Mrs. Dod- 
well (Woodhead), Lancashire Hero (Lancashire), 
Geo. Rudd (Woodhead), Geo. Lightbody (Headley), 
Acme (Reid), Black Bess (Woodhead), and Prince of 
Greens (Traill). The Rev. F. D. Horner was second, 
Mr. James Douglas, third, Mr. B. Simonite, fourth, 
Mr. R. Patterson, Ashburne Gardens, Sunderland, 
fifth, and Mr. A. J. Sanders, gardener to Vis¬ 
countess Chewton, sixth. For six varieties, dis- 
