486 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 4th, 1885. 
do not succeed. In other cases it may have happened 
that they have been packed together in too large 
masses, and have heated in the crates or boxes in 
which they are imported. Those who force Lilies of 
the Valley for market early in the year seem to push 
them on into flower without caring to have the leaves 
well developed with the flowers. Perhaps their 
customers do not care whether the leaves are well 
grown or not; but the beauty of both the wild plant 
and the garden plant is to see it with leaves full-sized 
and bright green, with the flowers partly hid amongst 
them. I hold that the nearer ourforced plants approach 
this condition, the more credit ought to belong to the 
cultivator. In order to get leaves as they ought to 
be, and flowers at the same time, the plants must 
be forced with bottom-heat, and they must not be 
forced too rapidly. 55 deg. is enough, and they ought 
to be well exposed to light. Crowns are certainly the 
best; but they are useless after they have been forced. 
Home-grown clumps were used for forcing long before 
crowns were imported, and they are used now by many 
people. It is not necessary to plant them out again ; 
they may be grown in pots all the year round, and 
be forced again the following season. I know a grower 
who took a prize in London for Lily of the Valley, and 
e told me that the plants with which he gained the 
award had been grown in pots for nine years.—•/. I)., 
in The Field. 
--- 
HAREFIELD GROVE, UXBRIDGE. 
A short time since you gave, from The Walsall 
Observer, a somewhat complete and interesting ac¬ 
count of this place. It is, indeed, in respect of its 
manifold glass structures, one of our great English 
gardens, and an army of workmen is now employed 
on four or five more commodious vineries, &c. On 
the 25th ult., George Webster, Esq., the proprietor of 
the Grove, gave a dinner to the whole of those 
employed on the place, numbering about 120, and a 
number of visitors brought the number up to about 
150. A substantial dinner was served in what was 
formerly a chapel on the estate, but which has since 
been used for other purposes ; Mr. E. Bennett, of 
Potters Bar, being in the chair, and Mr. J. Gough, 
the gardener at Harefield Grove, in the vice-chair. 
Among the visitors v T ere Mr. B. S. Williams, Hollo¬ 
way ; Mr. William Dean, of Walsall; Mr. J. C. 
Mundell, Moor Park Gardens; Mr. G. J. Brush, 
High Grove Gardens ; Mr. B. Dean, Ealing, &c. Some 
loyal and complimentary toasts were given, the healths 
of Mr. Webster and Mr. Gough being received with 
great enthusiasm. 
It is truly marvellous how the glass structures on 
this place grow in extent. At the present time, some¬ 
thing like four new vineries are in course of erection, 
in addition to a huge Gardenia house of very large 
and, we should think, unprecedented dimensions. 
And these by no means represent all that it is 
proposed to add to this huge garden of glass. Exten¬ 
sive orchards for hardy fruits are also being planted, 
and fresh ground is shortly to be broken up in order 
to add to what already exists on so large a scale. 
In walking through this place one is almost be¬ 
wildered by the constant succession of houses and 
their varying contents. The extent to which Tomatos 
are grown is astounding. It would tire one to count 
the many hundreds of plants that can be seen here. 
Melons are largely planted, and both crops are doing 
exceedingly well. French Beans are also grown on a 
most extensive scale. Standing at one end of a long 
range of Cucumber houses one can see for a space of 
300 ft. three lines of Cucumber plants, and two of 
French Beans. Thousands of fruit of the former will 
be taken from this range. The leading sorts are 
Verdant Green, one of the earliest and best bearers, 
Improved Telegraph, and Smith’s Frame. Then 
there are early Potatos in pots, coming on rapidly. 
It is not necessary that I should repeat details that 
so recently appeared in your columns. I never before 
saw Gardenias planted out doing better, or blooming 
more freely, than the plants seen here. There is a 
collection of stove-flowering and foliaged plants that 
make a splendid exhibition in themselves. Eucharis 
are grown here largely, and with very great success, 
the plants throwing up many flower stems. Chrysan¬ 
themums are grown by the thousand, indeed, in 
enormous quantities. Ornitliogalum arabicum is a 
charming subject, forced into flower in pots, and so 
is Allium Neapolitanum, both white flowered and 
valuable for decorative and cutting purposes. Violet 
Lady Hume Campbell is a charming variety of the 
Neapolitan type, of a fine robust habit, and large deep 
coloured flowers ; it is also very free. 
In the fruit forcing houses the Vines look highly 
promising. Peach and Nectarine trees are laden with 
blossoms ; those that have set their fruit are laden 
with the same. There are a large number of Straw¬ 
berries being forced also. 
Tea Boses are a great feature. There are two 
commodious houses devoted to the growth of these, 
containing some 3,000 plants in 32 and 24-sized pots. 
Cutting commences in January, and is continued for 
seven or eight months. The leading varieties are 
Niphetos, Madame Falcot, Perle des Jardins, Isabella 
Sprunt, and Safrano. MarechalNiel is planted out at 
the backs of the houses, where it flourishes like a 
Bay tree. 
What an interesting sight the Banana house is. 
There are eight plants planted out, four on either 
side, and they are doing so well as to be producing 
huge clusters of fruit. What a place it is ! It really 
requires a day to look over it, and be able to take in 
all the details that are so varied, and at the same 
time so successfully carried out.— R. I). 
— a ^ — 
CALADIUMS. 
Among plants which have beautifully-coloured 
leaves, Caladiums have always held a high position, 
being of easy culture, and equally attractive whether 
grown in a small state for general decorative purposes 
or into specimens for the exhibition table; but having 
recently had the pleasure of looking over a collection 
containing many of the more recent additions to this 
popular genus, I think they may now justly claim a 
higher position than has generally been accorded 
them. Since the advent of Chantinii, Belleymei, 
and a few others, the hybridist has been steadily at 
work among them, and has now achieved results 
which may justly be styled marvellous. In no class 
of plants has the hybridist’s endeavours to improve 
nature met with more successful results. 
Those whose acquaintance with Caladiums is 
limited to such varieties as were grown some ten 
years back, such as Albert Edward, Prince Alexander, 
Max Kolb, and other fine varieties, must be forcibly 
struck with the immense strides which have been 
made since then ; colours of the most exquisite tints, 
substance, and size of leaf, which would then have 
been thought unattainable are now surpassed, pre¬ 
senting to the eye a picture of beauty which no other 
tribe of plants can surpass. Considering that they are 
usually grown in the summer months, when there is 
in many establishments more room to spare for extra 
subjects, and being dormant during the winter, it will 
be a marvel if many of these improved varieties fail 
to become popular and extensively cultivated, the 
management of them to those having command of a 
temperature of from 60 degs. to 80 degs. during the 
summer being of the simplest character. 
The following may be named as among the most 
beautiful of the newer varieties:—Aida, Amcenum, 
Albo-luteum, Anna de Condeixa, Bellini, Baroune 
James de Bothschild, Candidum, Elsa, Gaze de Paris, 
John B. Box, L’Aurore, Le Tetian, Madame Fritz 
Koechlin, Madame Lemoinier, Madame Marjolin 
Scheffer, Mons. D’Halloy, Baoul Pugno, Souvenir de 
Dr. Bleu, and Souvenir de Madame Bernard. Among 
older varieties may be mentioned A. Bleu, Argyrites, 
Dr. Lindley, Emile Verdier, Felecien David, Herold, 
Laingii, La Perle du Brdsil, Louis Duplessis, Louis 
Porrier, Madame Hunnebelle, Meyerbeer, Mons. Ba- 
rillet, Princess Boyal, Begale, and Triomphe de 
L’Exposition. This latter selection may meet the 
requirements of beginners with moderate means, but 
to those who are in a position to procure a selection 
from the first list, they cannot be too highly recom¬ 
mended. 
In the nursery of Messrs. J. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, 
some of the best of them may at the present time be 
seen in fine form, showing that while so well adapted 
for summer culture, they are equally available for 
decorative purposes during the earlier months of the 
year, when, if possible, their unique colours effect a 
finer contrast with the other occupants of the stove 
than later on in the season. It has often been a 
matter of surprise to me that no progress has been 
made with the golden-leaved varieties since the set 
which was raised at Chiswick by Mr. Bause was sent 
out.— W. B. G. 
THE HIBISCUS. 
It is only occasionally that we see an odd plant or 
two in gardens out of the number of varieties that are 
known of this genus. Many years ago there was a 
plant of H. rosa-sinensis rubro-plenus growing in a 
12-in. pot on the back wall of one of the stoves at 
The Fence, Macclesfield, which covered several square 
feet, and was seldom out of flower. Few plants would 
have stood the roasting that this plant received, 
occupying as it did the back wall of a Pine-stove, 
having as its companion the night-flowering Cereus, 
which periodically flowered freely. 
We have here H. luteus plenus, at least, that is the 
name a neighbour has it under, who was good enough 
to give me a couple of cuttings about a year ago. I 
enclose a flower, and you trill observe that its stem is 
of sufficient length to admit of it being used for many 
purposes that cut-blooms are in request. Our plants, 
two in number, are in 8-in. pots, and for the past four 
months not a day has passed without from one to six 
flowers being fully developed. My neighbour is still 
more successful, as his plants are trained near the 
glass, whilst ours are on the stage several feet from it, 
but in a position to catch every ray of sun. A stove 
where a minimum temperature of 55 degs. is kept will 
preserve them in good health, but 60 degs. to 65 degs. 
will maintain a better supply of flowers. 
From my present and past experience I can affirm 
that the Hibiscus gives as little trouble as any stove- 
plant grown, as it does not suffer from the incursion 
of insect pests like the majority of stove-plants, and 
they will, when in a 10-in. or 12-in. pot, thrive for 
two or three years without being repotted. In the 
summer they would be better in the greenhouse or pit 
than in a heavily-shaded stove, as they require full 
exposure to the sun. The soil we use is three parts of 
loam to one of leaf-mould, and one-eighth of sand.— 
IF. P. R. 
VINES ON HOUSE FRONTS. 
The ivy-clad cottage, or vine-fronted house, has 
always a pleasant aspect for the wayfarer, and to 
the residents of such dwellings, a charm which is well 
appreciated. Sometimes other climbing plants inter¬ 
mingle, as Virginia Creeper, Wistaria, Jasmine, Honey¬ 
suckle, &c., blending their foliage and fragrance into 
one charming harmony. But when this sweet medley 
exists, it is not to the advantage of the Vine, which, 
while aiding its companions to climb and cluster up to 
the eaves, is prevented by them from bringing its 
Grapes to perfection,' if indeed it bear any. 
Yet the Vine may be made to bear Grapes without 
destroying or injuring its companions. The plan we 
have adopted may perhaps best explain how this can 
be generally accomplished. Our cottage, over 50 ft. 
long, had its front covered with Ivy and Vine, with 
other creepers commingling in almost wild luxuriance, 
and each year some gay or fragrant creeper was added 
to the tapestry of nature ; but Grapes were wanted, 
and to obtain them the following plan was adopted 
Along the front of the house are flower-beds, 5 ft. 
wide, then a path about the same width, and a grass 
plot extending to the lane; on the edge nearest the 
lane are Lime tree arcades from end to end of the plot. 
Along the outer edge of the path are iron standards 
about 18 ft. apart, connected together. These 
standards of 1 in. square iron are fixed securely 
into the ground ; at 5 ft. high is a shoulder on each 
standard, which serves as a bearing for the square 
holes in the light iron rods which are intended to be 
the future home of the Grape-bearing part of the Vine. 
These rods rise in curved arches about 10 ft. high from 
the ground, so as not to exclude the light from the 
lower windows of the house ; from the standards other 
arched rods are carried over to the front of the house, 
forming ties to support the whole against the pressure 
of the wind. 
Opposite each standard a trench, 1 ft. deep, was cut 
through the flower-bed and path from the house to 
the standard. This was partly filled with good 
