20 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Sept. 13 th, 1884. 
Forget-me-nots, Primi-oses, and Polyanthuses; 
Sedunis in clumps; Columbines, Hollyhocks— 
in fact, almost any kind of hardy perennial that 
will increase readily, either by division or from 
seed, and is thoroughly hardy. In one of these 
nurseries we were surprised to see growing as a 
coster's plant a big patch of Mrs. Sinkins, double 
white pink, and yet but a year or two since it 
was offered at fancy prices. This grower had 
worn out a large field with a dozen years of suc¬ 
cessive flower cultivation, and was now crop¬ 
ping it with vegetables, having transferred the 
flowers to another spot, in the midst of which 
a well had been sunk for the purpose of supply¬ 
ing an abundance of water, for without that, and 
ample labour, the stock could not be obtained 
strong and pdentiful enough, for the enormous 
winter and spring demand. Single Carnations, 
locally known as “Jacks,” are grown in enor¬ 
mous quantities, perhaps some 20,000 in one 
locality, and even though really good double 
kinds are largely raised from seed and grown, 
yet these fail to find favour appreciably with 
the hawker’s supply, because lacking that broad 
foliage which characterises any well-selected 
strain of singles. Fairly good seedling double 
Carnations, at 2s, 6d. per dozen, can disappoint 
no one; but singles made up with moss, and 
labelled with pretentious names, and sold by 
the hawkers as choice double kinds at 4s. to 5s- 
per dozen, are rank swindles. This kind of 
business, however, is found most profitable in 
remote districts, being pretty wed! played out 
near London. 
Old-fashioned Orchids. — At Mr. B. S. 
Williams’ Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, 
Upper Holloway, at the present time, in addi¬ 
tion to the many rare things which are always 
to be seen at this establishment, a number of 
fine specimens of some of the earliest introduced 
Orchids are now in bloom, and their beauty puts 
many of the new comers in the shade. Very 
lovely are the fine specimens of Cattleya crispa, 
with its heavy spikes of pure white flowers with 
violet labellums; C. Harrisonise violacea, violet- 
tinted rose; and a splendid late flowering speci¬ 
men of Laelia purpurata, with an unusually large 
mauve lip. In the Odontoglossum house the old 
O. grande has many well-flowered spikes nearly 
two feet in height. The lovely blending of creamy- 
white,yellow, and chestnut-brown,in the immense 
blooms of this Orchid, is indescribable. 
Hollyhocks.—I s the pest of Hollyhock, the 
fungus with the long, and, to some, unpronounce¬ 
able name, really dying out at last, or is it only 
resting ? It seems co be a fact that it has been 
much less active than usual this year, although 
it has been such a dry season, and specially 
favourable in this case at least to fungus 
development. Hollyhocks are not only old- 
fashioned flowers but favourite ones, and all 
like them. Curiously enough too, though we 
have during the past twenty years developed 
doubles of the most perfect form, and have 
totally eliminated single kinds from our gardens 
yet no one has thought it desirable to raise a 
i oice against them. They are pretty much in 
the category of Roses, Carnations, Balsams, etc., 
the more double the better, whilst single flowers 
aie abominations. And so it happens that whilst 
many have lamented the decadence of the Holly¬ 
hock, because of the destructive attacks of the 
fungus, none have prayed that a race of singles 
may result. If, therefore, nature will permit 
us again to cultivate the Hollyhock in all its 
pristine beauty and vigour as of old we shall 
all rejoice, for it is one of the noblest and most 
beautiful of garden flowers, and is universally 
appreciated. It is possible that the long culti¬ 
vation of specially named kinds, by cuttings and 
division, and in the same soil, had a weakening 
effect, and hence some of the collapse of -a 
favourite flower. To remedy that, raising a 
batch of seedlings annually is the best thing to 
do, and as good kinds always reproduce their 
best features, why named kinds are of little 
moment. Collections of 6, 12, and 18 varieties 
of Hollyhock seed, may be purchased from good 
seed houses at moderate charges, and if sown 
now, and kept in frames through the winter, will 
render a fine lot of grand blooming plants next 
summer. 
Sweeping. —We are now at a season of the 
year when the art of sweeping is most fully 
called into action. Some readers may perhaps 
smile at the idea of calling sweeping an art. but 
all good gardeners will acknowledge that it is 
such if skilfully performed. So, too, is mowing, 
hoeing,—aye, or even digging,—although arts of 
the lowest order. Still there is art in doing 
these things well, with taste, and with effect. 
We always find the most intelligent and best 
taught man, even amongst our garden labourers, 
to display the best taste in the execution of his 
work, whilst a dolt is a dolt in everything. Now, 
sweeping needs to be done well and lightly. Any 
blockhead, for instance, can, in sweeping leaves 
from off a walk or carriage-road, the surface of 
which is loose, drive one-half the loose gravel 
before the broom; but the true artist in sweep¬ 
ing drives leaves and other rubbish only, and 
seems to leave the gravel intact. Indeed, there 
is wanting evidence that the spot has been newly 
swept at all. Again, in dry weather, when sweep¬ 
ing over a road or path surface that is sandy, 
how common is it to see the marks of the broom 
running this way and that way, and in all direc¬ 
tions but straight a-head. The dirt may be 
effectually removed, but it is not done neatly, 
the hand has been too heavy and inapt. A good 
sweeper would always drive the rubbish straight 
before him, and be careful to leave behind the 
impress of the broom as little as possible. No 
good sweeper will ever load his broom, but will 
ease its burden as quickly as possible; whilst 
many will keep on driving the rubbish before it, 
until a large heap is accumulated. The quickest 
sweeper is not always the best; whilst the best 
is the one whose work is done the most neatly, 
and leaves the least evidence of recent sweeping, 
except perfect cleanliness. 
The Potato Disease: Chiswick Experi¬ 
ments. —On Monday last, September 8th, the 
experimental plot of potatos as grown in the 
garden of the Royal Horticultural Society at 
Chiswick, on the plan advocated by Mr. Jensen 
of Copenhagen and Mr. Plowright of King's 
Lynn, for the prevention of disease, was lifted, 
weighed, and a large number of the tubers care¬ 
fully cut open and examined. Copious notes 
were taken, and the lifting, weighing, and note¬ 
taking occupied the whole of the day. The 
gentlemen who superintended the operations were 
the Rev. George Henslow, Mr. Shirley Hibberd, 
Dr. M. T. Masters, Mr. Chas. B. Plowright, and 
Mr. W. G. Smith, aided by Mr. Coleman, one of 
the assistants in the garden. 
Hjemanthus coccineus. —This old favourite is a 
charming plant when well grown. When looking 
through the grounds at Kew a few days ago, we 
came across a specimen in the Heath House, grown 
in a large deep pan, and with a dozen flower-spikes. 
The inflorescence of scarlet flowers, with white tips 
and golden anthers, is enclosed by several large 
bracts of a brilliant scarlet colour, giving a very 
pretty effect. The chief drawback to its beauty is 
that the leaves are not produced till after the 
flowers have withered. It was introduced from the 
Cape of Good Hope as long ago as 1029. 
GARDENING MISCELLANY. 
On Thursday and Friday next, the Royal Cale¬ 
donian Horticultural Society will hold its autumn 
show in the Waverley Market, Edinburgh. 
Mr. Robert S. Dunbar has, we hear, ceased to 
be a member of the Thames Bank Iron Company. 
Mr. James Watt, of the firm of Little and 
Ballantine, Carlisle, has lately received official 
authority to assume the designation of “ Queen’s 
Seedsman ”—a distinction, we believe, that has not 
been conferred on anyone else for a quarter of a 
century. 
Mr. Henry Glasscock, of Bishop Stortford, won 
the Veiteh Memorial Prize for the best twelve Show 
and six Fancy Dahlias at the late Crystal Palace 
Show. 
At the suggestion of H.B.H, the Prince of Wales, 
it has been decided that a special exhibition of the 
produce and manufactures of the Indian Empire 
and the Colonies will be held at South Kensington, 
in 18S6. 
One hundred and, three thousand, six hundred 
and nineteen bushels of raw onions were imported 
into this country during the week ending September 
6th. During the same period the number of bushels 
of potatos imported was 14,145. 
Messrs. Cassell & Co. announce the early 
completion of “ Familiar Wild Flowers,” by Mr. F. 
E. Hulme, -which they have been issuing in 
monthly parts for some time past. 
The gale of Saturday night and Sunday last 
inflicted much damage in the Kentish Hop-gardens. 
Hops that were left on the poles, including many of 
the best descriptions, were much knocked about 
and discoloured. 
On Saturday night also, much glass is reported to 
have been broken during a hail storm which passed 
over some of the northern counties. 
The fifth annual Cryptogamic meeting of the 
Essex Field Club, will be held on the 3rd and 4th 
of October, in Epping Forest. The first day will be 
devoted to the collection of specimens, and on the 
second an Exhibition will be held. 
Mr. Roberts, of Gunnersbury, won the Railway 
Company’s Cup for the best 12 dishes of fruit, at 
the late Brighton Show. 
The Lambeth Amateur Chrysanthemum Society 
have issued a schedule of prizes for their annual 
Exhibition, to be held in the Hawkstone Hall, 
Westminster Road, S.E.,onNovemberllthandl2th. 
Mr. John Chalmers Morton, editor of The 
Agricultural Gazette, has been awarded a Bronze 
Medal and Honourable Mention for his “ Handbook 
of the Farm,” at the Amsterdam Exhibition. 
A meeting of the creditors of Messrs. Reeves, 
Smith & Son, the present proprietors of the 
Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham, was held on 
Monday, when the statement of affairs showed 
liabilities amounting to £9,505, and assets to 
<£1,151. A composition of 2s. in the pound was 
agreed to, subject to certain conditions being ful¬ 
filled. 
Mr. F. Marshall, of Eversley, is reported to 
have growing iu a field, near Reading, a crop of 
American Horse-tooth Maize, from 10 feet to 12 feet 
high, and perfectly upright. 
A labourer, who has been honest and sober, and 
has rendered faithful service to a Staffordshire 
farmer for 37 years, has lately been recommended 
for the award of a Certificate by some judges (also 
farmers, we presume) of a Staffordshire Agricultural 
Society. Such an instance of stupendous generosity 
deserves recording. 
We are pleased to hear that Messrs. Vilmorin &. 
Co., of Paris, contemplate the publication of an 
English edition of their “ Kitchen Garden Plants,” 
a work that should meet with a good sale iu this 
country. 
At the last meeting of the Syndicate of Belgian 
Horticulturists, certificates of merit were awarded 
to M. Aug. Van Geert, for Sarracenia Jollyana; to 
M. Edward Pynaert, for Begonia manicata aurea ; 
to M. Adolphe d’Haene, for Croton Inimitable; 
and to M. F. Desbois and Co., for Begonia rubella. 
The acreage of land under potato cultivation this 
year in Great Britain is 562,344 acres, an increase 
of 18,889 acres over last year. 
