August 8th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
779 
Keep the plant close ancl moist till it has started 
into growth, and at no time should it be exposed to 
draughts of cold air.— B. C. F. 
Lilium tenuifolium.— A good bed of this elegant 
Lily has been in bloom for a long time in Mr. Wm, 
Gordon’s Lily and Orchid Nursery at Twickenham, 
where large quantities of all the leading kinds of 
Lilies are grown and bloomed well. L. tenuifolium 
is of slender growth, its leaves narrow, and its 
beautiful flowers of the most shining scarlet. It has 
played a very important part in several of the best 
table decorations exhibited this year, as it is elegant 
and striking.— J. 
Tree Paeonies. —In the same nursery the new 
set of Tree Pseonies which bloomed for the first time 
this year have revealed great progress on the old 
kinds, the new Japanese varieties being much larger 
and more double than the old ones. Some new tints 
of rose and violet are among them, and the variety 
Snowball, which was awarded a First-Class Certificate 
at the Royal Horticultural Society, is by a long way 
the largest and best of the whites.— J. 
RusseUia juncea.— This old-fashioned warm 
greenhouse plant is not met with so often as its merits 
fairly entitle it to be. I have not seen it so well 
grown before as at Plassy, under Mr. Smith’s care, the 
largest plant there being in an 18-in. pot, and the 
plant about 5 ft. in height and corresponding width, 
and laden with its graceful shoots of flower, which are 
of a scarlet colour. Its rush-like shoots, with scarcely 
a leaf on them, makes it at once distinct from most other 
things grown under glass. Now that the cry in certain 
quarters for natural-looking plants, without so much 
training, has made itself heard, this plant may, perhaps, 
come more to the fore than it has done. As to soil, it 
will be found to do well in two parts of loam to one 
of peat, with plenty of sand added to keep it open.— 
E. Dumper. 
Tabernsemontana coronaria flore-pleno.— 
This very useful stove plant is not nearly so much 
grown as its merits deserve. Somewhat resembling 
the Gardenia in its neat bushy habit of growth and 
dark green, shining leaves, it well deserves as much 
attention as that plant where a mixed collection is 
grown. Its flowers 'are double and pure white, and 
are valuable in summer and winter alike for decora¬ 
tive purposes. 
-- 
Homalomena insignis. —A new and very hand¬ 
some Aroid is figured under this name in the July 
number of The Illustration Horticole. It is a fine- 
foliaged plant. The leaves are of a rich green, with a 
narrow crimson margin, the veins on the under 
surface being of the same colour. They are oblong 
in shape, and about 1 ft. long. The leaf-stalks are 
3 ins. to 5 ins. long, and, as well as the flower-stalks, 
of a rich crimson colour. The spathe is pale green. 
It was introduced by the Compagnie Continentale 
d’Horticulture of Ghent from Borneo, and conse¬ 
quently requires stove treatment. 
Amaryllis Comte de Germiny. —This beautiful 
evergreen variety, which belongs to the same section 
as Mrs. Garfield and Mrs. William Lee, all of which 
indeed came from the same pod of seeds, is now in 
bloom in Mr. B. S. Williams’ nursery. The flowers, 
five in number on a stem, are of a light pink ground 
colour, most pleasingly variegated with crimson and 
rose. By growing a few plants of either of these 
admirable subjects they may, with good management, 
be had in bloom all the year round. 
Labisia pothoina. —This is a singular and rather 
ornamental stove plant, very closely allied to the well- 
known Ardisia crenulata. A good figure is given in 
the July number of The Illustration Horticole. In 
general aspect it reminds one more of an Aroid than 
anything else, the regular parallel veining so much 
resembling this order that when first introduced it was 
taken for a Pothos or some such plant. It is a dwarf 
plant, with spreading deep green lanceolate-acuminate 
leaves, and elongated panicles of pale pink flowers in 
the leaf axils; the floral structure being similar to 
that of Ardisia. It requires stove treatment, and 
should be well supplied with water in the growing 
season. 
-- 
Carnation H. G. Smyth. —The raiser of the 
Mary Morris Carnation has submitted for our inspec¬ 
tion a very promising bright crimson-scarlet border 
Carnation, in the way of Life Guardsman. It is a 
good, full flower, appears not to split its pod, and is 
certainly a fine shade of colour. We do not know if, 
like Mary Morris, it is a seedling, or whether it is a 
sport from that variety. 
The Kitchen Gardener’s Calendar. — Seed 
Sowing, &c. : The beginning of next week in cold 
districts, and a week or ten days later in warmer 
localities, will be a good time to make a first sowing 
of winter Spinach, and a second one in about ten or 
twelve days later in shallow drills not less than from 
16 ins. to 18 ins. apart. About the 18th or 20th of 
this month Cauliflower and Lettuce seeds should be 
sown on a warm border for wintering in pits and 
frames, and to be transplanted under hand-glasses in 
the open in early spring. For this purpose we prefer 
Early London, Walcheren, and Yeitch’s Autumn Giant 
Cauliflower, the latter to fill the blanks that otherwise 
might, and frequently do, occur between the supply 
obtained from the autumn-raised plants and those 
raised in heat in January. Of Lettuces, the black- 
seeded Cos, Cooling’s Leviathan Cos (a select variety 
of the first-named), Hicks’ Hardy White Cos, and 
Lee’s Immense Hardy Cabbage, are four good all¬ 
round winter varieties. These sowings, however, 
should be^made a few days earlier or later than the 
dates above given, according as the situation is cold 
or warm. 
The seeds should be sown thinly rather than other¬ 
wise, to prevent the plants from damping-ofi when 
they come up through being too close together, and 
be protected from the ravages of birds by a piece of 
netting supported by short forky sticks to prevent the 
former getting at the seeds through the latter. The 
seed of Lamb’s Lettuce should he sown thinly in 
drills 1 ft. apart and 1 in. deep in a warm border about 
the middle of the present month, and, as also the seeds 
above referred to, water through a fine rose in the 
event of the weather rendering it necessary at the 
time of sowing or afterwards. 
Turnips of the Jersey Marrow type should be sown 
about the middle of this month to yield a supply 
adequate to the demand for the same during the 
winter and spring months. Continue to sow Radishes 
and Mustard and Cress in a warm situation ; the latter 
we find comes up better when shaded with a mat for 
a few days after sowing. As soon as the seedlings 
of Cabbage, Lettuce, and Endive—the result of the 
seed sown late in July—are large enough to handle, 
prick them out in small beds 3 ins. or 4 ins. from 
each other, and guard against the depredations of 
slugs by dusting a mixture of fresh soot and lime 
along the sides and ends of the beds, and so soon as 
the young plants of Endive and Lettuce become large 
enough, let good breadths be planted of each sort for 
autumn and winter use, the latter to be lifted with 
balls of earth adhering to the roots and transplanted 
in cold pits and frames on the approach of frost. 
Continue to make plantings of Broccoli, Savoys, and 
Winter Greens as the ground for that purpose 
becomes vacant. Also Celery (from late sowings) and 
Leeks.— H. W. Ward , Longford Castle, Wilts. 
New Peas : Sutton’s Ringleader Potato. —A 
Dorsetshire correspondent writes :—“ I have had a 
wonderful crop of Sharpe’s Triumph Pea; it is one of 
the best I have ever grown, and only 3 ft. 6 ins. high. 
Sharpe’s Early Paragon, sent out as being only 
3 ft. 6 ins. high, has grown to over 6 ft. The new 
Duke of Albany Pea has also proved a first-class 
variety. Sutton’s Ringleader Potato has turned out 
well this year, yielding four times the crop of the old 
Ashleaf, quite equal to it in flavour, and rather 
earlier.” 
NOTES FROM GARDENS. 
Hope Hall, Eccles Old Road, Pendleton, the Man¬ 
chester residence of Mr. Grafton, M.P., one of the 
chief calico printers of Lancashire, is a place of great 
antiquity as a private residence, dating back to 
A.D. 1319-20, when Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, 
granted lands and tenements in “ le Hope juxta 
Manchester, to Sir Robert de Holland and Matilda is 
wif.” In 1595 Hope Hall was styled “ ye antient 
house,” and it is chiefly noted in connection with 
the Bailey family, whose history, commencing with 
Daniel Bailey, who married one Sarah Bradshaw, 
heiress of the estates of Hope, in the reign of Charles II., 
“ of pious memory,” is full of interest. The issue 
of this marriage became famous as leader of the 
opposition offered by Manchester to the Pretender in 
1745. 
Here also resided with his uncle, Daniel Bailey, 
in 1728, Robert, afterwards the celebrated Lord 
Clive. The lodges at the entrance are such as Repton 
and Loudon long ago condemned. Fancy aged persons 
living in a round, low hut on one side of the gateway 
and having to go out from it at a late hour in all 
states of the weather [some dozen yards to another 
round, icy-cold hut, without any fire, to sleep in, and 
this at the entrance to what in those days was a grand 
mansion! 
The grounds round the mansion are well clothed 
with trees and shrubs, including some finely-coloured 
Beeches, Elms, Chestnuts, Hollies, &c., and on the 
front of the mansion are two or more good plants of 
Magnolia grandiflora, not the Exmouth variety, which 
unfortunately does not flower, though with such a 
summer as the present one we might look for blossoms. 
Magnolia purpurea, of which there are several, blooms 
freely, as also do the white and crimson Boursalt 
Roses. Pyrus Japonica, Cotoneaster, and Ivy, Hedera 
digitata, also grows freely. On the lawn are beds of 
the old China Rose, blooming freely, but showing 
evident signs of punishment received during the frosts 
of May last. 
Beds of hybrid perpetual Roses pegged down are 
making growths as strong as one’s thumb, and are a 
glow of colour. Although the family are not at this 
seat at present these Roses are found very useful, as 
many are cut with other flowers and sent to the 
various hospitals, and it is pleasing to record that 
this custom prevails in many places round here. On 
the lawn there is a pretty fountain, also a grand 
Rhododendron many yards in diameter, which was 
brought upon a trolly specially made for the purpose 
some few years since from the other side of Man¬ 
chester, near Manley Hall. 
The conservatory was looking very gay at the time 
of my visit. Climbing the ribs or arches of the house, 
Lapagerias and other climbers were growing freely, 
while Cycas revoluta and various Palms occupied the 
centre of the house, and banks of Pelargoniums, 
Fuchsias, &c., &c., run round each side. The 
entrance doors open into a luxurious vestibule. 
From here we proceed to two span-roofed houses, one 
of which contained some fine specimen Gleichenias, 
Adiantums, and other Ferns in grand condition, 
besides numerous other Orchids and stove plants. 
In another cool house we found, partly covering the 
back wall, a plant now seldom met with, viz., 
Rollison’s Unique Pelargonium, and several other old 
favourites. 
Other houses contained good examples of Calanthes, 
Phajus grandiflora, Ccelogyne Pleione, Eucharis, and 
in a low house a quantity of Gloxinias and Poinsettias 
for winter blooming. In another structure were some 
cool Orchids, among them being Odontoglossum 
vexillarium album and others in bloom; Cattleya 
crispa was also beautifully in bloom. We must not 
omit mention of a bed of Mushrooms we were shown 
just coming into use. It was literally a white bed, so 
thick were the buttons coming up. There are a few 
fine Camellias here well set, and we noticed some 
good Figs very full of fruit. The whole place does 
great credit to Mr. John Worthington, who, after 
serving several years in the gardens of Mr. Grafton, 
ultimately succeeded to the position of head gardener, 
and under his management the gardens have much 
improved and must still further improve as the 
young plants more fully develop themselves.— 
N. J. D. 
