July Uth, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
711 
Propagation or Dianthus.— Cut away the spikes 
after flowering, and as the young growths from the 
base attain a length of 3 ins. or thereabouts, strip 
them off with a heel attached and insert in sandy 
soil under handlights ; in a shady spot they root 
readily, and this is the only sure method of keeping 
up a stock of good vigorous plants.— J. 
-e=^i?<>6^=5- 
LINNEAN SOCIETY’S ANNUAL 
SOIREE. 
The Linnean Society’s Annual Soiree, which was 
held on Wednesday evening, July 1st, at the Society’s 
rooms, was a decided success, some very interesting 
and handsome plants being exhibited. Amongst the 
principal contributors were Messrs. B. S. Williams, 
Veitch & Sons, T. S. Ware, the Boyal Horticultural 
Society, the Boyal Gardens, Kew, and the Edinburgh 
and Cambridge Botanic Gardens. Of plants worthy 
of special mention are the following:—A fine healthy 
specimen of the remarkable Myrmecodia armata, a 
plant rarely if ever exhibited alive before in this 
country. The stem is swollen to the size of a large 
Turnip 'and covered with spines, the interior being 
tenanted by a colony of ants. It is interesting to 
note that the plant thrives equally well without the 
presence of its enterprising tenants. Pelargonium 
schizopetalum is a highly curious Cape species, the 
petals being deeply cut into narrow segments, as the 
name indicates. A healthy young plant of the 
remarkable Welwitschia mirabilis, with its two 
persistent and perennial leaves. The foregoing, with 
a number of others, which included the rare Phyilo- 
glossum, were sent from Kew r . Some very handsome 
fine-foliage plants were in the nurserymen’s collec¬ 
tions ; also a number of Pitcher-plants, including 
fine specimens of the beautiful hybrid Nepenthes 
Mastersiana, some fine Saccolabiums, and the 
Australian Cephalotus follicularis in superb condition. 
Several fine Cattleyas were conspicuous objects, 
including C. grandis and Mendeli ; also a fine 
Galeandra Devoniana. A large and graceful branch 
of the true Dioscorea retusa was sent from Cam¬ 
bridge, showing it to be very distinct from the 
recently-described and equally graceful D. crinita. 
A large specimen of the old Spirrea palmata was 
very attractive, the crimson flowers with the rich 
green background showing up with great effect in the 
gaslight. Many of the most effective herbaceous 
plants were well represented, also numerous others 
not included under this head. A number of Orchid 
paintings, and some excellent photographs of medi¬ 
cinal plants were also on view. Other classes of 
Natural History objects were also well represented, 
but as these do not come within our special province, 
we pass them over. Suffice it to say that the Society’s 
rooms on this occasion presented a most brilliant 
spectacle in more ways than one. 
- p . __5 ‘- 
THE TREES IN EPPING FOREST. 
In these 5,928 acres of ancient waste and woodland 
we have trees of comparatively few varieties. Noble 
Willows grow on its western boundary, rising from a 
stiff clay soil, and attaining handsome proportions. 
In the northern and more picturesque parts between 
Queen Elizabeth’s Lodge and Epping are Oak, Horn¬ 
beam, Blackthorn, Beech, and Hawthorn, with, in 
much fewer numbers, Crab, Elm, Ash, an occasional 
Maple, a steadily increasing number of Birch trees, 
and some few others, with a luxuriant undergrowth 
of Hollies, Brambles, Ferns, and struggling, strag¬ 
gling shoots and seedlings. The vigorous policy of 
clearing out the close forest undergrowth adopted by 
the authorities, especially noticeable last autumn and 
winter in the thousands of bundles of cut bough and 
bramble lying over the Forest stacked for carting, is 
probably regarded with something like horror by the 
butterfly, insect, and wild-flower hunters of Epping. 
Mr. Buxton, one of the verderers, with a lifelong 
acquaintance of the Forest, anticipates objections to 
the thinning of the pollard trees—some thousands of 
which have been cut down—in his recent valuable 
and sympathetic book. He does not refer to the 
wholesale clearing and trimming of the undergrowth, 
which in the course of time, objectors to the system 
are never tired of declaring, will convert the Forest 
into a park. There is, however, something explana¬ 
tory to be said. So much good has gone hand in 
hand with this “ clearing ” in the way of opening up 
the once bog-like bottoms by ditch and draining, and 
of making the pedestrian’s paths straight by the cool 
cleared green “ Bides,” that the average visitor would 
be churlish indeed who demurred at the general 
“ excellent way ” of the Forest authorities. But one 
may hope that for every pollard cut down in the 
thickets a sapling will be planted in the open Forest 
tracts. 
The Oaks are of the species which the botanist 
calls Quercus sessiliflora. Its fruit is produced close 
to the stalk, and the leaves are smaller than most 
other varieties. Generations of amateur woodcutters 
have pollarded them out of all semblance to the 
grandeur and majesty with which ancient Oaks are 
usually associated; but some fine ones have been 
preserved. Of these the largest stands by Fairmead 
Lodge, with a bole 22 ft. in circumference. Another 
fine tree is that known as Bedford’s Oak. In April 
its amber-and-golden buds stud the branches with 
jewel-like beauty, and with leisurely slowness blossom 
just as the young leaflets are beginning to expand. 
In October its acorns appear in richly embossed cups, 
to be carried away, and planted where some will have 
a chance to grow, by strong winds and active squirrels. 
On some of the old Oaks tufts of Fern prettily 
spangled with gold will be seen growing. It is said 
that the ordinary duration of the Oak is 900 years, 
and many in the Forest are at least as old. Insects 
abound in the Oak. <! Those lovely creatures, the 
butterflies of various kinds, beetles, and a multitude 
of little creeping things,” of which only the botanist 
knows how many, flock to it, abide in, or lodge upon 
it. 
The finest specimens of that stately tree, the Beech, 
must be sought on the highest ground, where the soil 
is lightest and driest. There are some noble groves 
near High Beach, in the Monk Woods, and in the Green 
Bide of Epping Thicks. Under the Beech boughs the 
walks are dry, and in summer-time pleasantly cool. 
Its branches, sweeping upward to great heights, form 
stately arches, and the smooth grey bark and divisions 
of its bole often make it look very like a cluster of 
stone pillars such as we see in Gothic architecture. 
In autumn its foliage assumes the rich hues of amber, 
gold, and copper, and is strikingly beautiful, especially 
at sunset; and then, too, begins the formation of 
those spike-like buds which the spring merely develops 
into more visible forms, and so death and vitality go 
hand in hand. The Beech is not in favour with the 
insects, nor will the Grass spring up in its shade; but 
Mosses and Fungi love to overspread its roots and 
climb its mighty boles. One of the most beautiful 
aspects of the tree is seen when the sun shines through 
its leaves just after a shower. 
Hornbeams, which are sufficiently like Beeches 
to be mistaken for them, abound in Epping. No 
matter what the soil, wet or dry, light or heavy, these 
hardy members of the sylvan fraternity flourish under 
the most unpromising circumstances, and defy the 
roughest ill-treatment to weaken their vigour or 
check their obstinately persevering growth. The 
deer are particularly fond of their early springing 
leaves, and this may account for such an abundance 
of these trees in a royal forest wherein all things once 
played a subordinate and ministering part to the 
lordly beasts. The branches of Hornbeams have 
a singular tendency to rejoin and blend with the 
parent stem, and this will be often noticed in the 
course of one’s Forest rambles. 
The graceful sway and delicate curves of the Lady 
Birch (Betula alba) afford striking contrasts of form 
and character, and the rich abundance of its winged 
and wind-borne seeds give promise that in the future 
this pretty tree, with its silvery Moss-ringed stem, 
will, wherever the soil is dry enough and open for 
their reception, make many a pleasant grove, with 
flickering sun and shade. It is here a comparatively 
new-comer, but has propagated of late years with 
singular rapidity. 
The Hawthorn, which delights the eye in the 
‘‘merry month of May,” with its rich luxuriance of 
white blossoms, has many an ancient and rugged- 
looking specimen in all parts of the Forest. Black¬ 
thorns, which blossom earlier, are also plentiful, and 
make the dense thickets impenetrable with their 
picturesque stems. The Alder and the Wild Cherry 
are also amongst the Forest denizens. 
In the future we shall doubtless have trees in much 
richer and more varied abundance ; for great spaces 
of stolen land newly recovered (thanks and many 
thanks to the Corporation of the City) are to be 
planted with all possible speed. These young woods 
will, of course, give fresh variety to the scenery ; but 
it is worth the consideration of those who have the 
planting and management whether they would not 
do well to introduce trees of foreign origin which are 
known to take root and flourish in such soil as the 
Forest possesses. As to the merely sentimental and 
fanciful objection urged against them because they 
are not now English—as many grand old trees now 
common in England once were not—is it worth the 
serious attention of either artistic or practical men ? 
Imagine what a charm there would be in contrasting 
Oak and Beech with the neighbouring and more 
richly ornamental forms and colours of a wild 
American forest, with their rich undergrowth of 
flowers and blossoming plants. Mr. Alfred Wallace 
once pointed out that, “Nearly all these American 
trees (such as Sugar-Maple, Hickory, Tulip, Bed-wood, 
and the Locust) could be raised from seed almost as 
cheaply as the very commonest kinds ; ” adding, as to 
the time of growth in such trees, “ The Wellingtonia 
will reach 20 ft. in ten years ; the Douglas Fir grows 
even more rapidly when young;” and pointing out 
how, at Dropmore, “ the beautiful grass-green Pinus 
insignis reached the height of 68 ft. in thirty-four 
years.” The coniferous trees of Western America 
might elsewhere be “ planted in masses, groups, or 
belts, and with winding paths, broad glades, and 
occasional shrub-planted openings admitting free 
access to every part of it, would probably be even 
more attractive than a forest of Eastern America,” 
which also, according to Mr. Wallace, should have 
its place in the new portions of Epping woodland. 
Eastern Europe and Western Asia also contain a large 
variety of trees which might be naturalized here in 
Epping, and there is no reason why we should not 
have a Japanese forest side by side with the ancient 
woods of Essex. As an artist and a lover of forest 
rambles at home and abroad, the writer heartily 
commends the idea to those who are set in authority 
over London’s Bomance, the wilds of ancient Epping. 
—Lindley’s “ Walks in Epping Forest .” 
- ?- -- 
NEW GARDENING PATENTS. 
D Compiled by Messrs. Lulman cC Co., Patent Agents, 
S, Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C.] 
4619. Opening and Closing Windows (fob Green¬ 
houses, Ac.) (G. Paine, Worthing).—A rod is jointed 
to the sash door or shutter and to a curved lever. 
The lever is pivoted at its top end where it hangs and 
has a weight connected with it to counterbalance the 
sash. There may be a separate weight for every sash, 
but when a series of sashes are to be actuated, each 
lever may be secured to a shaft and one large counter¬ 
weight used. In this case the shaft may be rotated 
by worm and wheel, all the windows opening to¬ 
gether. 
15,038. Manure Distributor (J. H. Johnson, 
London).—The manure box or hopper has outside the 
outlet a distributing rake which receives a side to side 
motion from an eccentric as it travels. The manure 
is brought forward to the front of the machine by an 
endless band, and is regulated in its distribution by a 
slide. 
2292. Corners for G.arden Frames (C. J. Price, 
West Molesey, Surrey).—The corner pieces are of 
cast iron, and are made as long as the required height 
of the frame. Channels are formed on two sides°to 
admit the ends of the boards forming the sides of the 
frame. The boards are fixed by pegs or screws passing 
through holes in the iron. 
7363. Daisy Bake (S. Bowland, Cranleigh, Surrey). 
—A receptacle with teeth formed on its front ed<4 
has a raised guard fitted to the back and sides. On 
the back of the guard is a socket to receive a suitable 
handle. 
8173. Grass Marker for Lawn Tennis (A. Gowans 
Edinburgh).—A wheel with an india-rubber tyre is 
fixed to a long handle. On the top of the handle and 
near the wheel is fixed a box to contain the mixture 
of whitening and water or other marking material. 
This box has a spout so arranged that when the 
handle is lifted up, the liquid passes out through the 
spout on to the wheel, which as it passes round leaves 
a white mark on the grass. The handle is dove¬ 
tailed into the frame and fixed by a thumb screw so 
as to be detachable. 
