THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 29, 1894. 
10 
DOUBLE BEGONIAS IN 
SOMERSET. 
On Thursday the 13th inst., the members of the 
Widcombe Horticultural Club, to the number of 
about ninety paid a visit to the Rectory garden at 
Newton St. Loe, near Bristol, which the Rector, the 
Rev. E. Lascelles, has made world renowned for his 
magnificent culture of the Tuberous Begonia, 
and especially of the double-flowered section, of 
which he grows some 20,000 plants. The party 
received a most cordial welcome from the Rector, 
and under the guidance of Mr. Lascelles and of his 
gardener, Mr. Langdon, the visitors were soon 
admiring the lovely profusion of Begonias. Despite 
the fact that September is well advanced the 
thousands of plants in the Rectory gardens are 
covered with a wealth of bloom, all of them being 
seedlings raised under the superintendence of Mr. 
Lascelles. In the kitchen garden that used to be, 
the beds have been so arranged that a large space is 
devated to flowers of white, pinky, or creamy shades 
which form a very pleasing contrast to the expanse 
of brilliant red Begonias growing close by. The 
most perfect and novel of the countless specimens 
had been marked as worthy of preservation and 
propagation. Although Begonias are the ruling 
passion with the worthy and genial Rector of New¬ 
ton, a collection of remarkably healthy and vigorous 
chrysanthemums, which were looked at with 
wondering eyes by amateurs who have been bringing 
on these plants in their own gardens, showed that 
other flowers are not completely neglected. 
When the company had assembled on the lawn 
Mr. Lascelles made some very interesting remarks. 
He assured his guests of the pleasure with which he 
welcomed them, and regretted that circumstances 
had prevented him from inviting his friends at Wid¬ 
combe earlier in the year so that they might have 
had more time to inspect the Begonias. They had 
seen what could be done by hybridisation and the 
crossing of flowers. There were few, he supposed, 
who would recognise these plants with their upright 
flowers, dwarf growth and camellia-like blossoms, as 
the lineal descendants of those drooping, Fuchsia¬ 
like pendulous flowers which they knew some twenty 
years ago like lumps of coloured wool tied together, 
which they now would not think worth picking up. 
In these scientific days very much was said about 
** Man’s place in Nature,” and he thought they might 
learn a little from the question of hybridisation as to 
what man’s place in Nature was—it was at the very 
top. It was a question of great importance when 
they realised the power of Nature which rested in 
the hands of man. This power was able to trans¬ 
port plants from a semi-tropical clime into our 
North temperate zone, and then was able to give it a 
new habit and unimaginable beauties. This was a 
power which would have-ta.be reckoned with in the 
future of the world. It used to be said that evolu¬ 
tion, the survival of the fittest in the struggle for 
life, or natural selection, had hitherto done the work. 
He supposed it had, but he imagined that now 
another power had stepped in, and that was the 
power of man, the power given to him in reason, 
thought and mind. Man was now beginning to take 
up the work which had been done by natural selec¬ 
tion and was saying, " I will have a word in this, I 
am above the rest of Creation. I can see I can turn and 
twist this great question of evolution and selection in 
ways never thought of. ” They w£re developing a power 
which did not exist before. In the primitive man it 
had hardly any existence. How did they suppose 
that the early man learnt anything about sowing 
seed. It had been suggested, and forcibly enough 
that he learnt accidentally, that w'hen he buried corn 
and seed with the dead, so that they might have 
food, he found that the seed grew and increased. 
There were customs still to be found in the world, or 
lately to be found, proving that this was most likely 
the origin of it. In some parts of Central Asia it was 
customary, if possible, to bury a dead man in the 
harvest field in order that his spirit might be bene- 
ficient and restore the seed a hundred-fold. There 
were certain families set apart who were treated with 
great reverence, but one of them had to be sacrificed 
yearly, his flesh was cut up into strips, and each 
man was given a piece to plant in his field. In the 
Hartz Mountains there was the custom of carrying a 
pretended corpse round the fields at sowing time, 
and then burying it lightly with straw, so that when 
the people were gone the man could get up and run 
away. We ought to thank God that he had endowed 
us with this wonderful power of mind and reason 
which carried us far above the primitive man, a 
power which they saw in a little way exemplified by 
the development of a flower into the stage in which 
they saw it. They should remember it was a 
mighty engine for good or for evil, accord¬ 
ing as we used it. It could mould not only the 
future of a plant, but it would mould the future of the 
human race. Let them do nothing to debase or lower 
the power which God had given them. 
Mr. Moger thought that would be a convenient 
opportunity to return to Mr. Lascelles the hearty 
thanks of the visitors, not only for his great kindness 
in inviting them to see his beautiful flowers, but for 
the interesting remarks with which he had favoured 
them. Mr. A. A. Walters, in seconding the vote, 
said if every member of the Club appreciated to 
the full the beauties of the flowers they had seen and 
the care and attention Mr. Lascelles had devoted to 
them, their thanks to him would be doubled. Like 
Mr. Lascelles he remembered the development of the 
Begonia. The first double variety was introduced 
by a German, and plates of it were sent all over 
Europe, but the English had beaten the Germans in 
the production of the flower. He had had the 
pleasure of watching Mr. Lascelles’ efforts for several 
years and he had seen the Begonias grown by the 
best firms in England, but they did not equal those 
at Newton St. Loe. Eoglish Begonia growers were 
at the head of the growers in the world, and Mr. 
Lascelles was at the head of the English growers. 
The vote having been carried by hearty applause, 
Mr. Lascelles acknowledged the thanks of the 
company and said when he was suffering from the 
effects of his accident in the winter, he was much 
touched by the kindness of the Society in expressing 
their sympithy with him. Although he was not able 
to give so much attention to his Begonias as in the 
past, he had an excellent gardener to whom he was 
very grateful .—Bath Chronicle. 
--J*- 
SOMETHING ABOUT BEET. 
The Beetroot as a vegetable, has not yet obtained 
the favour with the working classes that we should 
imagine its merits entitle it to. This is all the more 
strange when we consider its great value as a food 
plant. Again, nothing is easier to grow, except in 
very heavy soils and no vegetable gives better returns 
for the ground it occupies than the Beetroot. There 
are many large coarse-growing varieties upon the 
market; the very sorts that no one should attempt 
to grow, for the large rank roots are never so good 
in colour, or of so fine a flavour as those of medium 
size. Pragnell’s exhibition Beet can be recommended 
as being one of the most suitable for the cottager, as 
well as for the larger gardens of those in more 
affluent circumstances. The roots are of average 
size, smooth, and of excellent shape, whilst the flesh 
is of a rich crimson colour and the flavour all that 
could be desired. The Beetroot needs an open un¬ 
shaded situation. It will not grow satisfactorily 
where it is over-shaded by trees. The action of the 
sun and light is absolutely essential to. the well-being 
of the plants and to the development of the flavour. 
A light sandy loam produces, as a rule, the cleanest 
and best shaped roots. The seed may be sown at 
any time between the middle of April and the begin- 
ing of May, as the time of sowing varies with the 
locality, and the nature and quality of the soil. 
It is not advisable to sow too soon or the roots will 
become tough and stringy by the autumn. On the 
other hand, too late sowing is a mistake, as the 
plants will not have sufficient time to develop their 
full size and flavour. When the seedlings have 
attained a fair size, they must be thinned out to the 
requisite distance, as a rule, about nine inches 
between the plants, will be sufficient, or, if desired, 
they may be transplanted to their permanent quarters. 
This latter operation, though, is one that needs a 
great deal of care, for if the young tap-root be not 
inserted at its full length, a crippled useless root will 
result. The crop will grow until the arrival of frost 
puts a stop to further development. The roots should 
then be taken up and housed. They will keep through 
the winter and ensuing spring in splendid condition, 
if a layer of dry soil be placed upon each layer of 
roots, care being taken not to cover the crowns.— A. 
Chrysanthemums and their Culture. By Edwin 
Molyneux. Sixth Edition. By far the best practical work yet 
written on this subject. Price, is.; post free, is. 2d. Publisher, 
Gardening World, i, Clement’s Inn, Strand, London W.C, 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 
By John Fraser, F.L.S., Kew. 
Dendrobium Phalaenopsis Schroderiana.— 
I was at Bourton-on-the-Water to-day, September 
22nd, and saw a splendid lot of the King of the 
Dendrobes in bloom in the collection of Orchids 
lately formed by G. F. Moore, Esq. The plants are 
well grown and include some specially fine varieties 
bought when in flower last year. They are arranged 
at the back of one house among Ferns and fine 
foliaged plants, and are a lovely sight. On another 
stage in the same house are some splendid plants in 
bloom of Dendrobium formosum and several 
examples of Cypripedium Charlesworthii and C. 
calurum ; also some good Lycaste Skinneri, several 
with two blooms on a spike. In an adjoining house 
Cattleya labiata vera promised to make a grand 
display later on. Mr. Moore has six houses of 
Orchids, and the whole collection reflects much 
credit on the Orchid-grower in charge.— A Visitor. 
Trichopilia fragrans.--This splendid cool house 
species and its variety T. f. nobilis, should find a 
place in every collection. They grow well with 
Odontoglossums, requiring peat and sphagnum, with 
good drainage to carry off the water which must be 
given in abundance during the growing season. The 
flowers produced in winter are white with orange 
blotches at the base of the lip; T. f. nobilis only 
differs from the type in having larger flowers, which 
are also of a shade purer white. They are natives of 
Columbia, New Granada, etc.— Rex. 
Oncidium tigrinum —Without doubt this is one 
of the showiest of the Oncidiums ; and it should now 
be throwing up its branched panicle of flowers, 
which, however, will not open before late autumn 
or winter. The individual flowers are slightly 
scented ; the sepals and petals are yellow, heavily 
banded with dark brown, the lip is two-lobed and of 
a bright yellow. It is a native of Mexico and 
accommodates itself easily to cool house treatment. 
In this, as in other orchids, it is inadvisable to leave 
the flower spike on the plant, for too great a length of 
time.— Rex. 
Vanda caerulea.—It is a pity this distinct and 
handsome Vanda is so often grown in too great a 
heat. Placed at the cool end of a Cattleya house or 
even with Odontoglots much better results obtain. 
Treated thus, it should now be throwing out its 
flower spikes which should be protected from slugs, 
etc., if necessary by cotton wool. It was introduced 
from the Khasya mountains, in 1849.— Rex. 
THUNBERGIA grandiflora. 
Visitors to Kew Gardens greatly admire this 
handsome climber, now in bloom in the Vic- 
toira Regia house. Although introduced since 
1820, it is seldom seen in such perfection as at 
Kew ; in fact, but few places can afford it the space 
and tropical heat and moisture in which it luxuriates. 
The Kew plant is bearing large trusses of beautiful 
mauve-coloured flowers, which hang within six or 
seven feet of the ground. A variety of this species 
T. grandiflora alba is planted near it, but though 
evidently a much younger plant, its vigorous 
growths and healthy foliage give testimony that the 
situation suits it.— Rex. 
-- 
SCHIZOSTYLIS COCCINEA. 
To those whose means are limited, this is one of the 
most beautiful and useful of winter flowering plants 
that they can grow. We have had it live out for 
years -without the slightest protection, at the same 
time anyone whose acquaintance with it is limited 
to its use as a border plant will have but a poor 
idea of its real merits, because, although hardy, 
frost does injure the flowers, which are not unlike 
those of a Gladiolus. I have tried various crosses 
with it, thinking that if its size could be enlarged 
and the colours varied, a very useful and valuable 
result would be achieved ; but after the most pains¬ 
taking endeavours I have been disappointed. I 
hope, however, that someone else may prove more 
successful, because it flowers not only when, with 
many, any scrap of flower is valuable, but also the 
kind of flower is somewhat rare during the winter 
months, and the spikes are of sufficient length, when 
used for vase decoration, to stand well above other 
heavier flowers. 
My own plan is to plant out small pieces in the 
spring in any good garden soil, as they make stronger 
