816 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 25, 1894. 
Presentation to a Gardener.—Mr. George Holden, 
gardener to Dr. Izod, The Lammas, Esher, Surrey, 
and Secretary of the Esher Cottage Garden Society, 
has recently been presented by his employer with a 
handsome silver drinking cup, in appreciation of his 
devotion to the interests of his employer and of the 
Society, in which Dr. Izod takes such a w’arm interest. 
Mr. D. M. Russell, who for over ten years, was 
gardener to the Hon. H. F. Baring, at Banstead 
Wood, Surrey, has been engaged as- Superintendent 
of West Ham Park. 
Mr. N. Sinclair, late gardener at Park Hall, 
Oswestry, has been engaged as gardener to the 
Fight Hon. Sir F. Peel, at Hampton Manor, Hamp- 
ton-in-Arden. 
Mr. James Hughes, Foreman at Glassingae, Dum- 
blane, N.B., has succeeded Mr. Barlas as gardener 
there. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next meeting of 
the above society will be held in the Drill Hall, 
James’ Street, Victoria Street, Westminster, on 
Tuesday, August 28th. Special prizes will be offered 
by Messrs. Kelway for Gladioli, and at 3 p.m. Mr. 
Malcolm Dunn will deliver a lecture on " Gardeners 
and their Employers.” 
Death from the Sting of a Wasp.—At the St. Pan- 
cras Coroner’s Court on the i4St inst.. Dr. G. 
Danford Thomas, held an inquest with reference to 
the death of Thomas Clark, aged forty-six years, a 
packer, lately residing at 187, Prince of Wales Road, 
Harriett Clark, the widow, stated that on Bank Holi¬ 
day her husband was in Wembley Park, when he 
w’as stung by a wasp on the side of his upper lip. 
When he came home his lip was slightly swollen, 
but on the following day the swelling was worse, 
On Wednesday he complained of his throat, and be¬ 
came so ill that he had to return from work. He 
was seized with spasms, and was unable to eat or 
drink, and witness eventually seut for Dr. Long. 
Dr. Long stated that death was due to tetanus, 
clearly the result of the bite of an insect. The jury 
returned a verdict of death by misadventure. 
« I - - 
HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS IN 
FLOWER. 
Malva Alcea. —The stems of this good but much 
neglected border plant vary from 2 ft. to 4 ft. in 
height, but under ordinary conditions are more often 
near the lower height mentioned. The flowers are 
large and rosy pink with a wide notch or sinus at the 
apex. The species is a native of Europe, perfectly 
hardy in this country, and flowers freely every 
year, being in fact quite showy. Propagation may 
be effected by seeds, division or cutting. 
Helen'ium autumxale pumilum.— The dwarf 
variety has much larger heads than the type even 
although it only grows about 12 in. to 15 in. high. It is 
comparatively late in coming into bloom but lasts a 
long time in perfection, and is therefore suitable for 
cultivating in beds upon the grass where it is now 
very effective in gardens where so grown. The heads 
are deep yellow with broad rays. The plant increases 
very freely so that there is no difiiculty in working 
up a stock of it. 
Erodium guttatum.— Notwithstanding the 
amount of rain we have had, this dwarf and neat 
rock plant continues to flower freely. The nerves 
of the flowers are pink, and there is a small black 
spot at the base of the two upper petals, otherwise 
the blossoms are pure white. The leaves are twice 
divided, forming very narrow segments of a light 
green. The plant forms a neat tuft and is very 
pretty when in bloom. 
Eryngium planum.— This often passes under the 
name of E. amethystiuum, but the lower leaves 
differ considerably. In this case the leaves are 
oblong, and serrate at the base of the plant, but from 
the middle of the stem upwards they become more 
and more divided with spiny teeth. The upper part 
of the branches and the bracts are pale or dark steel 
blue, but the flowers are several shades darker and 
of another hue. The stems usually grow about s ft. 
to 3 ft. high, and are altogether stouter and more 
rigid than those of E. amethystinum. 
Polygonum sphaerostachyum.— Unlike its con¬ 
gener P. afflne, better known as P. Brunonis, this 
Himalayan species grows very slowly, and takes com¬ 
paratively a long time to form a large patch. The 
specific name would mean round-headed, and it may 
be applicable to the plants ia a state of nature, but 
under cultivation the heads assume an elongated or 
even a cylindrical form, and consist of small, rich 
purple-red or carmine flowers that are very choice in 
their way. The erect stems are 12 in. to 18 in. highi 
and become slightly branched, each shoot ter¬ 
minating in a bead of flowers. The plant makes a 
suitable subject for the rockery. 
CoRONiLLA varia. —It is difficult to see why this 
plant might not be more often grown in collections 
than it is. Most of the Coronillas have yellow 
flowers, and in the case of the well known C. iberica, 
they last only for a short time in bloom. On the 
contrary, C. varia continues to grov/ and produce 
fresh flowers till late in the season. The standard is 
rose, but the wings are blush, or nearly white, and 
pretty. The plant might be utilised in many places 
for planting on banks and left to fall down in its own 
graceful way. In the border it forms a globular 
bush. 
Phygelius capensis. —When this old-fashioned 
plant escapes getting greatly crippled during the 
winter months, it flowers handsomely in August. 
Curiously enough, in a sheltered position, it will 
escape the rigours of a northern winter, and flower 
almost as certainly, as in the south. The leaves and 
young shoots are evergreen, hence the danger from 
severe frost and cutting winds. The flower stems 
vary from 3 ft. to 4 ft. in height, and bear their 
tubular, scarlet-red flowers on short horizontal 
branches. In some districts, this fine plant is greatly 
in vogue for exhibition in stands cf herbaceous 
plants, where it is ver)' telling when good spikes are 
showm. Propagation is as easy as in the case of the 
Pentstemou by cuttings, and the root-stock may also 
be divided. 
Anemone japonica, —The typical form of the 
Japan Anemone is dwarfer and flowers earlier than 
its varieties. The sepals are also much more 
numerous, varying from twelve to twenty, oblong- 
spathulate and bright rosy carmine. In the centre 
is the cluster of golden-yellow anthers. Besides 
being a showy border plant, this may be planted in 
beds by itself, or as an edging to Sunflowers, 
Rudbeckias, or shrubs of various kinds in the pleasure 
grounds. 
Helianthus multiflorus. —This continues to be 
one of the most useful of autumn flowers on account 
of its dwarf habit and large heads of golden yellow 
blossom. At intervals in the herbaceous border or 
in the front lines of the shrubbery it is very effective 
even at a distance. There is no difficulty in work¬ 
ing up a stock of it by division in the autumn, after 
the stems have been cut down. The ground should 
be well dug or trenched and manured if it is desir¬ 
able to obtain a vigorous growth. 
-- 
ESPALIER FRUIT 
TREES. 
This plan of growing fruit trees, has many advan¬ 
tages over others where space is limited and every 
square yard of ground must be put to the greatest 
use it possibly can, and where standard trees, 
because of the room they occupy and their over¬ 
shadowing other things are well nigh inadmissible, 
and certainly undesirable. The same objections 
hold good to some extent to the planting of perennial 
and bush trees, for unless they are restricted to very 
moderate dimensions, their presence in the vegetable 
garden is detrimental to the well-being of other crops 
although to a more limited extent than standard 
trees are. Of course, where there is ample space 
there is not the same difficulty to contend with, and 
these objections have not the same force as they 
have in reference to the planting of them in places 
where there is little room for fruit trees of any kind. 
It is in these places that the espalier system be¬ 
comes of especial service, for under it, as large a 
proportionate quantity of excellent fruit can be 
grown as on any other, and when the trees are 
planted from three to four feet from the paths, it 
forms a border which can be utilised for the growth 
of Pinks, Carnations and other dwarf growing 
things, which do better grown by themselves, and for 
herb borders, etc. 
Again, the view of the vegetable quarters is hidden 
better by Espaliers, than by either Pyramid’s or bush 
trees, and in small places this is a matter of some 
importance where everything should be kept as neat 
and trim as possible, and there are times when some 
of the culinary crops have a more or less untidy 
appearance, which is unavoidable. A trellis covered 
with cordons, may accomplish this equally well at a 
somewhat greater outlay both at first planting and 
for maintenance. Those svho favour that system, 
urge as a recommendation the facility it affords for 
growing a large variety on a limited space. This I 
readily acknowledge, but is this rage for a long list 
of names a wise one. I think not, as it leads to the 
planting of sorts which prove worthless to the owner, 
a serious matter considering the time and money 
wasted. Losses incurred in the sowing and planting 
of culinary vegetables, which prove to be of inferior 
merit, are trivial in comparison, because it is often 
possible to remedy them the same season and to a 
certainty the following one, because soon detected, 
but an error in the selection and planting of fruit 
trees may pass notice for several years. For this 
reason, it is far better to be content with a few select 
sorts well known for their good quality, productive¬ 
ness and adaptability to the locality. 
As we deem the multiplicity of varieties a mistake, 
why plant more trees to cover a given space than are 
really necessary when the object aimed at can be as 
well accomplished by another method. The 
ordinary horizontal trained trees wffiich are most 
frequently used are not, in our judgment, the best 
for the purpose, having repeatedly found that the 
upper tier branches, owing to the fullest flow of sap 
being taken up by them, increase in growth at a much 
faster rate than the lower ones, so that in time they 
overshadow them till they ultimately become almost 
useless for fruit bearing. I have had a striking 
object lesson of this kind before me for some time, 
in which some trees have almost lost their lower 
branches, whilst the upper ones are strong and 
vigorous, and had the spurs been thinned out well a 
few years back wou'd now be most prolific fruit 
bearers. 
I have seen in nurseries trees trained with two main 
branches horizontally near the ground, and uprights 
taken up from these, and it is this system which I 
prefer, leading, as it does, to a more equal distribu¬ 
tion of the vital forces of the plant. I would, how¬ 
ever, prefer to plant double cordons and train them 
horizontally from nine to twelve feet each way, 
training the points upward, and making them form 
the furthermost uprights, and taking other uprights 
up at intervals from twelve to eighteen inches apart, 
according to the robustness of the variety. There 
are some which would require the larger space be¬ 
tween the uprights; the smaller distance would do 
for the majority. I would take up the other uprights, 
beginning at the extreme ends, filling up the centre 
of the tree last of all. The reason for this is because 
the sap will rush upwards from the nearest point. 
A better balanced tree will be formed by directing 
the flow of sap to the farthest points of the trees, 
when in the course of formation, and its extremities 
will from the first be in advance of the more central 
portions. This may be a slower process than that 
usually pursued, but better and more permanently 
enduring trees will be produced. 
Another advantage which trees, grown after this 
system, have over horizontally trained ones is that 
after a few years they wall become nearly self- 
supporting. A short stump to bear the weight at 
the extremities of the two main branches, and a 
slight rod fastened along at the top of the uprights 
to keep them in position, will, after a few years, be 
quite sufficient, whereas those horizontally trained, 
or cordons, will require well supporting to the end of 
their days, and the overshadowing incident to the 
growing of trees on the horizontal system is 
avoided, and the whole of the tree will receive a 
more equal proportion of the benefit of light and 
air. The fruit will also be better distributed and 
exposed, and the pruning and requisite attention will 
be far more easily accomplished.— W. B. G. 
--- 
MANCHESTER BOTANICAL GARDENS. 
In the Plant Houses. 
The display within the extensive range of glasshouses 
was worthy of the display inside. The ‘‘ Manley ” 
house, at the entrance to the gardens, is at all times 
an object of special attraction to visitors, because the 
floral scene there is constantly changing. At the 
present time it is one mass of floral beauty, while the 
air is laden with fragrance, the elements consisting 
of Japanese Lilies, auratum and speciosum (album 
and rubrum). Hydrangea paniculata. Fuchsias, 
Pelargoniums, and last, but not least, the grand old 
Chimney Bell flower (Campanula pyramidalis), blue 
