Oct. 4th, 1884. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
71 
Edithianum, 0. Ruckerianum, 0. facetum, 0. mulus, 
0. Wilckeanum, etc. The Vandas, Saccolabiums, 
Plialamopsis, &c., are looking very well,—indeed the 
whole collection is in good order, and Mr. Davies, the 
gardener, must be complimented for his share of the 
success. 
Mr. Gaskell’s Orchids are noted for the abundance 
of bloom they produce, and even at this dull season 
there is a great display. One house has a beautiful 
show of specimens of Saccolabium guttatum in bloom 
(one with fourteen long flower-spikes), also Cattleya 
Exoniensis, C. bicolor, and a few Vandas, while over¬ 
head are suspended a number of splendid plants of 
Dendrobium formosum giganteum laden with their 
immense snowy white and orange blossoms, ten or 
more on a spike—a lovely sight. In the large stove, 
too, where the specimens of Eucharis in flower are 
mingled with Orchids, and the large spathes of 
Anthurium Andreanum and the long fronds of rare 
ferns and leaves of fine foliage plants are bending 
over them with the Allamandas, Dipladenias, and 
Stephanotis on the roof, and the Rondeletia and other 
flowering stove plants studded here and there, con¬ 
trasting their bright flowers with the quaint-looking 
pitchers on the different varieties of Nepenthes, it is 
difficult to realize that this is not the height of the 
flower season, for certainly this house could not look 
prettier at any time. 
Among the other plants in bloom are some lovely 
specimens of Pilumna fragrans (one with six spikes 
of four flowers each), Delia autumnalis intermedia 
(new). L. a. atrorubens, with twelve flowers on a spike, 
Oncidium tigrinim, O. varieosium, 0. Lanceanium, 
some very fine varieties ; Mesospinidium vulcanicum, 
Odontoglossum grande, 0. Alexandria, 0. Pescatorei, 
0. Uro-Skinneri, Cattleya intermedia, Vanda tricolor, 
several varieties; and last, but not least, Vanda 
Sanderiana. This is one of the grandest introduc¬ 
tions of recent times, its immense flat flowers of that 
delicate blush tint so quaintly variegated on the lower 
segments, which contrasts so pleasingly with any 
other Orchids. It is lovely in any position, but it 
shows to the best advantage with a dark background, 
as the subtle delicacy of its colouring loses in detail if 
placed against a clear light. It, however, shows itself 
to great advantage if placed with the bright sunlight 
behind it, as that brings out its spangled garb. 
Mr. Gaskell's plant has two stout upright spikes of 
very fine flowers, and the plant, which has not been 
grown very hot, is very healthy.— J. O'B. 
WHAT IS AN AMATEUR? 
The Editor asks: (i.) What is an amateur in 
relation to gardening matters ? (ii.) Who shall 
accurately define what an amateur is or should 
be? (iii.) “For an intelligible definition of an 
amateur,” and (iv.) “ to settle this knotty matter on 
some understood basis.” Well, amateur is a fancy term, 
and may mean anything, but, strictly speaking (i.) an 
amateur is one who engages personally in the labour 
of gardening work for his own gratification only, but 
he is not less an amateur because he disposes of his 
surplus produce, (ii.) “ An amateur ” at shows 
becomes an exhibitor as a matter of pride and display, 
not in order to advertise his business and draw 
customers for his seedlings, his bulbs, his new sorts, 
or his sporting varieties, (iii.) “ An amateur ” may 
be one who visits the tropics for new plants to gratify 
his love of science or adventure, by making collections 
for himself, not as an agent for professional growers, 
(iv.) It is obvious that many of our landed gentry 
maintain elaborate gardens at great annual expense 
without becoming personally interested in the subject. 
They may leave it all to the ladies or gardeners, but 
any such, whether noble or simple, may, by studying 
botany, horticulture, or arboriculture, become an 
eminent amateur. As such he will attend shows and 
look minutely into all matters relating to the science 
he has taken in hand. Now, on the general question. 
Society has got much “ mixed ” in the present day, 
and it must not be forgotten that mere traders are 
allowed to take prominent positions in the Linnaen, 
the Royal Horticultural, the Royal Botanic, and other 
societies, instituted by, and for, the gentry ; and if, as 
a consequence of domestic habit, the market gardeners 
find themselves competed with as vendors by non-pro¬ 
fessional producers, it must not be overlooked that 
our great nurserymen find their best customers among 
rich “ amateurs ” who can afford to pay £100 for an 
Orchid. The small man suffers because he cannot 
rise to be a big man. It is the fault or merit of the 
age we live in.— A. H., Brighton, September 27th, 1884. 
-——- 
PLUMS FOR DESSERT. 
In one of your earlier issues a hint was thrown out 
that hybridizers might with advantage aim to obtain 
some better Plums, so that the Green Gage (which is 
a fickle cropper) should not stand alone for flavour. 
As large growers we hope your suggestion may not be 
followed up in many quarters, as we imagine that the 
fifty kinds we grow are ample for all practical pur¬ 
poses, while we would readily admit any real advance. 
We give a list of some first-class sorts, being those 
tested by ourselves, which your writer probably over¬ 
looked. The truth is we have plenty of sorts, but 
are deficient in the matter of culture. All Plums 
grow too freely to produce fertile fruit buds on young 
trees, and it is judicious root-pruning that is required. 
Anyone who has seen Plums grow in pots -will at 
once see that either restricted growth by confining or 
pruning the roots produces very fertile trees, while in 
the nursery it is in the “hospital quarters” (where 
ill-shaped or injured trees are nursed) that the most 
fruit is found. Our experience would lead us to infer 
that Plums in pots, whose fruit was set in an orchard- 
house and “finished” outside in a warm corner, 
would give the finest possible flavour. The Sawbridge- 
worth seedlings, from Early Prolific to Grand Duke, 
give us a season from July to October, and with trees 
on walls with various aspects (even northern), com¬ 
bined with open culture, a succession could be kept 
up for dessert and kitchen use. As the growing of 
Apricots, Peaches, and Nectarines on outside Avails has 
for some years become very unsatisfactory, though 
this year they have been abundant and good, nothing 
more useful than Plums can be found for walls, and 
probably these with Pears on the quince, either as 
horizontal or vertical cordons, will in the future take 
the place of the “sickly Asiatics.” We have lifted 
trees of twenty years’ growth (Standards) with success, 
and no doubt Pyramids and wall trees, which too fre¬ 
quently produce vtood only, however large, might be 
properly prepared and lifted in October with advantage, 
mulching if required. 
Dessert Gages and Plums. 
But to return to sorts, taking the Gage family 
first:— 
Dcnniston's Superb, which, though not so sw r eet as 
the Green Gage, is yet most delicious, and on a wall 
takes a fine bloom, and is our earliest variety. 
Jefferson, one of the handsomest in cultivation, 
follows, and is when fully ripe very rich and juicy, but 
rather “ plummy ” than sugary. 
Transparent Gage is quite equal to the Green Gage, 
but is an awkward grower ; the early variety is the best. 
Guthrie’s Green Gage comes next, and is very rich, 
sugary, and delicious. 
Bryanston Gage is larger than the old Green Gage, 
but equally rich and a good grower. 
Heine Claude de Bavy is late, and has the “ croquant” 
flesh of the Gage, and is both sweet, juicy, and 
delicious. 
Coe’s Golden Drop closes the season, and is a grand, 
large Plum, and in good positions very rich and juicy. 
The following are good sorts, but partake more of 
the Plum flavour :— 
Oullin’s Golden Gage, large, early, and good, rich 
yellow, handsome and distinct. 
Washington, a shy bearer except on a wall, but very 
handsome when it takes on a red flush, and is large 
and delicious. 
The Purple Gages are very sv r eet and rich, and 
when allowed to shrivel are similar to tamarinds. 
Heine Claude Rouge, a reddish form, and 
Purple Gage, a deep rich coloured variety, are both 
good. 
Boddaert's and McLoughlin’s Gages have not with us 
the flavour of the foregoing, though good. 
While on this subject there are some grand fruits 
that are fit for any table, but they are Plums and not 
Gages. Too frequently at country shows there are 
classes for Plums, and these are generally plenti¬ 
fully shown, but the prizes go to the Gages. Separate 
classes should be made for Black, Red, Yellow and 
Gage Plums. 
Choice Dessekt Plums would include 
River's Czar, early, claret coloured, and a sweet 
pleasant fruit. 
Kirhe’s Blue, very handsome, and carrying a rich 
bloom, and a flavour quite unique. 
River's Sultan, a very sweet and good mid-season 
reddish purple variety. 
Culinary Plum . 
Plums for kitchen use, although frequently used 
for dessert, would include such as River’s Early 
Prolific and Early Orleans for first crops, Belgian 
Purple, Victoria, Prince Englebert, for mid-season, 
Pond’s Seedling and White Magnum Bonurn for late, 
and the Grand Duke and Wyedale for very late 
kinds. For a wall, Belle de Septembre and Autumn 
Compote might be added, but in Kent they have not 
done so well as was expected. For special purposes, 
Stonewood and Winesour are used for “ cheese,” and 
there is yet a class of valuable Plums which, while of 
no particular flavour, are of great commercial value 
for preserving, viz.:— 
Kentish Bush, an enormous cropper, attaining the 
dimensions of a timber tree. The fruit is purple- 
coloured, and the variety is planted in Kent by the 
thousand. 
La Deliceuse, late red, a great cropper. 
Mitclielson’s, similar to Kentish Bush, but not in 
growth. It was introduced by Mr. Dancer, and is a 
great cropper. 
Late Orleans, which frequently crops when others 
fail. 
Cox's Emperor, or large Orleans, excellent. 
Yellow Market Plums include— 
Haul's Hybrid, a variety but little known. 
Pershore, the noted Worcester “ egg plum,” which 
is as good preserved as an Apricot. 
Gisborne’s, similar, but rather smaller. 
We have now run through the best as grown here, 
and must finish the family by adding 
The Damsons. 
Frogmore Prolific is worthy of a place in the dessert, 
it is very sweet and rich. 
Kent Cluster or Crittenden, has quite driven all the 
round Damsons out of the field, there is none which 
crops so heavily, or which succeeds in so many soils 
or situations. 
The Shropshire or Pmant Plum is very large, oval, 
and late, and should be planted. 
Glassenbcrry, a local Kent kind, is large, and a good 
cropper, round. 
Prune Damsons do not crop sufficiently to be 
recommended. 
Bradley’s King is a fine fruit, and we hope it will 
come up to its reputation. 
For early Damsons plant River's Blue Prolific Plum 
which, though it has Plum foliage, really ranks with 
the Damsons, and a first-rate sort it is. 
To sum up these remarks, which have run to a 
greater length than we intended, for garden culture 
we want restricted wood (or lower) roots. For 
orchard culture sparingly manure for some years, or a 
free and sappy unripe growth will lead to trouble, as 
a severe frost will completely split and rupture the 
wood, and the trees will die by inches. It is for this 
reason that we do not recommend Prince of Wales, as 
it is liable to sudden death. Thousands of standard 
trees have perished, and are yet dying from the great 
frosts of 1880 and 1881. Manure old trees, but not 
young ones.— Geo. Bunyard cb Co., Maidstone. 
■ 6 —o — 
Tritonia aurea. —This fine old Cape plant is most 
useful for the greenhouse or conservatory in the 
autumn. It is just now in its beauty, not only inside, 
but alike in the open border. The leaves are narrow 
and flag-like, as in most other Iridaceous plants; and 
the brilliant orange star-like flowers are borne on 
flower-stems of 18 in. to 2 ft. high. It is very easily 
cultivated ; a light, rich loam suits it well. When the 
clumps are divided care should be taken not to 
damage the creeping underground stems. When 
planted outside the roots should be protected from 
frost, the most suitable situation being at the foot 
of a south wall, It was introduced from Cafiraria in 
1847, 
