76 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 29, 1894. 
FRUIT TREES FOR NORTH WALLS. 
There is no sufficient reason why a wall running 
east and west should not be put to as good use 
on its north side, and the produce from it be equally 
acceptable in its season, as that grown on the south 
side. North borders have a special value, especially 
in hot dry seasons, for the growth of summer salads, 
and where sufficient space is at command a planta¬ 
tion of Broccoli on a north border will often do 
good service, as it can be gathered from for two or 
three weeks later than plantings of the same variety 
which have the benefit of the sun’s rays. 
These north walls ought to be as well covered 
with fruit trees as any others in the garden. Cherries 
will often do far better here than on wails of any 
other aspect. We have had that fine old stewing 
Pear Cattilac bear fine crops for a long series of 
years without a single failure on a north wall. This 
was really one of the most profitable trees we had, 
the fruit readily selling at a good price. Goose¬ 
berries and Currants are both admirably suited for 
this position, because they can be so readily pro¬ 
tected against the birds, and the season for them 
much prolonged. As regards Gooseberries, dessert 
kinds should be selected for this position, and those 
grown for culinary purposes in the open borders, 
where they wili come into use earlier. 
As the planting season is near at hand, any vacant 
spaces should now be filled up. If Gooseberries are 
chosen, by planting them 2 ft. apart and taking up 
two leaders, a wall may soon be covered. Currants 
may be planted further apart and from six to eight 
leaders carried up. Where there is not much space 
to spare for Cherries, we regard the Morello as the 
most useful and most certain bearing variety. 
Trained fan fashion, and the wood nailed in pretty 
closely, it is surprising the quantity of fruit that 
can be gathered from a small space of wall. May 
Duke, Archduke, Late Duke, and Transparent 
will all do well on a north wall planted from io ft. 
to 15 ft. apart. A good dressing of manure after the 
pruning is done, lightly forked in, willjwell repay the 
outlay in the improved quality of the produce, but 
deep digging about the roots of the Currants and 
Gooseberries should be avoided.— W. B. G. 
-—f*- 
ORCHIDS AT NORTH 
EASTON, MASS. 
All Orchid lovers coming to the States should pay a 
visit to the world-renowned collection gathered to¬ 
gether by the late Mr. F. L. Ames, and now sacred to 
his memory. The collection is perfectly maintained by 
Mrs. Ames, who is ably aided by one of the most 
devoted and enthusiastic of growers, Mr. W. 
Robinson, who has charge of the plants, and the 
perfect state of cleanliness, luxuriance of growth, 
and freedom in flowering are the best evidences of 
his ability. This establishment is remarkable not 
for the quantity of plants grown, but for the number 
of species and varieties it contains, Mr. Ames having 
made it his special purpose to get the newest and 
rarest plants. In several cases here may be found 
the only existing representatives of certain species 
and varieties, but more numerous are the instances 
in which the honours of possession are divided with 
two or three other amateurs, who are the greatest 
Orchid connoisseurs in Europe. 
Our climate is considered to be unfavourable to 
the cultivation of Odontoglossums, yet we have a 
wonderful demonstration of American perseverance, 
inasmuch, as here is now to be found what is 
probably one of the rarest and most valuable 
collections of Odontoglots in the world—all in fine 
health and growing with the greatest ease ; yet at 
the time of my call the shade temperature was 98°. 
The occasion was a little late in the season, so there 
were but comparatively few specimens to be seen in 
flower. There were, however, some exceptionally 
fine pieces of O. crispum and O. Pescatorei, but the 
greatest attractions in this quarter were the 
Miltonias ; a plant of M. vexillaria Amesiana had 
one spike of four blooms, each measuring 3^ by 4 in.; 
the upper part of flower is of a clear rose-pink, the 
lip white. Among the Cypripediums were C. 
Wallisii, C. Mastersianum, and that rare gem C. 
Paris, with two flowers. 
Of the Cattleyas the best pieces included C. 
Warscewiczii Sanderiana, C. Warscewiczii, a white 
form with five flowers, measuring 9J in. in diameter ; 
C. Warneri, carrying three flowers of rosy-purple 
colour with intense crimson-purple throat; C. 
Parthenia; C. Schilleriana Lowiana, a remarkable 
variety with yellowish-green sepals and petals, and a 
lip spotted and blue striped like that of a Zygo- 
petalum. Laelio-Cattleya Guinea x, Cymbidium 
Lowi concolor (ten spikes), Dendrobium densiflorum, 
very distinct and large flowered form ; Masdevallia 
Wallisii discoides and M. Rolfeiana were also in 
flower. 
Cattleyas. —Varieties of C. Mossiae were ; alba, 
Howardiana, Reineckiana, Arnoldiana, Wagneri, 
conspicua, decorum, Williamsi, aurantiaca, R. H. 
Measures, Hardyana, and Cynthia. Of C. Mendelii, 
Blunti, Wilsoni, picturata, Wallisi, Backhouseana, 
Leeana, Mrs. F. L. Ames, Miss Little, and Prince of 
Wales. C. Warscewiczii and its varieties included 
the Grand White unique form Rochelliensis, Sanderi¬ 
ana, imperialis, Backhouseana, and autumnalis, also 
unique. C. Lawrenceanum and its vars., rosea- 
superba, concolor and Macfarlanei. C. Gaskelliana 
and vars., alba, Dellense, virginalis, also Cook’s 
var., and Williams’ var. C. Bowringiana and var. 
lilacina. C. labiata, and vars. excellens and amethy- 
stina, imperatrix, and Hardyana. C. Trianae, and 
vars. alba, Backhouseana, Dayana, Eboracensis, 
Reine des Beiges, Hooleana, Sanderae, Leeanum, 
Amesiana, and fulgens. C. Schroderae, and var. 
alba. C. guttata, and vars. Prinzi-Leopoldi, 
Williamsi and immaculata. C. intricata (hyb. Nov.). 
C. bicolor, and var. Wrigleyana, C. Schofieldiana 
and vars. Veitchii, and De Buysoniana. C. velutina 
and C. granulosa. C. Skinneri and vars. alba and 
oculata. 
It would simply be impossible to enumerate all the 
varieties and species, but the above embrace some of 
the most desirable and beautiful, both species and 
natural hybrids. Masdevallias and Cypripediums 
are grandly represented, but we have not entered 
into those groups at present. The orchid houses are 
seven in number; two of 100 ft. each devoted to 
Odontoglossums; these are on the cool side and 
slightly sunk, yet not enough to cause the cold, dark 
atmosphere noticeable in some cases, which must in 
course of time lead up to bad results ; here was a 
bright, cheerful atmosphere and a fair amount of 
light, the shading being done by roller blinds raised 
some distance from the glass. There are also : 
Cattleya house, 20 ft. by 100 ft , one East India 
house, three miscellaneous houses, two large plant 
houses, one stove and one fernery; several of these 
have also to give shelter to Orchids, for instance, we 
noticed fine pieces of Dendrobes in the stove. But 
Orchids are not the only plants cared for, many rare 
and beautiful exotics giving evidence to the contrary. 
In cooler houses were noticed some very rare hybrid 
Rhododendrons; a Rose house, two vineries, one 
Nectarine house and a vegetable house complete the 
glass erections. One great feature attached in this 
very handsome block of glass is the charming recep¬ 
tion room, an idea so seldom carried out that it 
deserves special attention. The room, which is quite 
a large one, is finished in hard pine wood, the floor 
is made of English red tile, herring bone fashion ; a 
part of the wall is covered with ornamental tiles, and 
the mantel is in brown stone with Orchids exquisi- 
tively carved on the face and corners. On the walls 
are some valuable paintings of rare specimens which 
have flowered in the collection from time to time 
The pleasure grounds surrounding the hall cover 
some forty acres, and a noble piece of water twenty 
acres in extent, meanders through and lends its 
name to the residence—Langwater. There is 
something very beautiful about the landscape here, 
the hard lines and formal hills and dales, and formal 
planting of trees and shrubs have all been studiously 
avoided and a strictly pastoral effect is obtained ; 
sheep and cattle feeding here and there on woody 
knolls making the scene complete. There are many 
rare and beautiful trees, but space forbids their 
mention ; the same has also to be said for the 
wilderness walk where American Orchids and other 
flora abound, but a word must be said for the fine 
piece of Hydrangea scandens (climbing) we have 
seen. Its white panicles of bloom covering both 
trunk and branches of an old Hickory tree that 
stands near the entrance door, and in Mr. Ames’ 
youthful days, doubtless he came and gathered 
Hickory nuts therefrom, then in later years with a 
happy thought, he caused the climbing Hydrangea 
to be planted there.— Am. Coy. 
Hardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs, by 
A. D. Webster. A valuable guide to planters of beautiful 
trees and shrubs for the adornment of parks and gardens. 
Price, 3s ; post free, 3s. 3d. Publisher, Gardening World, 
1, Clement's Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
Iardening Miscellany. 
ROSE MADAME BRUANT. 
This brave new Rose is a very persistent bloomer, 
for it has gone on persistently or rather continuously 
in the garden of W. Stopher, Esq., Bellaggio, from 
June last to the present time, and is still plentifully 
supplied with flowers and buds in various stages of 
development, and the last of which must expand 
many weeks hence if the weather continues open and 
fairly mild. It shows that an interesting and beau¬ 
tiful race of garden Roses can be raised from the 
Japanese Rosa rugosa crossed with various other 
garden sorts. The chief features of the new race 
would be their hardiness, leathery wrinkled foliage, 
large bright red fruits, and prickly stems (if that be 
any recommendation). Mr. Stopher’s garden is on 
the Weald Clay, which is very stiff, cold, poor, and 
impermeable to water, but when bringing it into 
working order he burnt much of the clay, thereby 
rendering it porous and permeable to water and the 
roots of plants, so that trees, shrubs, and herbaceous 
plants grow with great vigour. 
COAL ASHES. 
My experience in connection with the application of 
coal ashes to the soil has led me to the conclusion 
that somehow or other a larger amount of fertility 
follows their application to the soil than chemical 
analysis would lead us to expect. It is pretty 
generally conceded that on wet, clayey soils coal 
ashes have a most beneficial mechanical effect in 
improving their texture and making them work 
better. In many instances a considerable amount of 
other refuse from the house gets intermixed with 
them, which may in part account for the difference 
between the actual effects produced, and what the 
supposed low manurial value of the material would 
warrant us in expecting. The too free use of them 
should, however, be guarded against, as there is a 
considerable amount of sulphuric acid in them. The 
best method of using them is with rich animal 
manures, or mixed well in the compost heap with old 
potting-shed soil and other vegetable refuse. When 
used in this way they cannot possibly do any harm, 
as some suppose, but will, with the coarser particles 
removed, prove beneficial to almost any soil. I have 
observed that their effects are more visible the 
second year after application than during the first 
one in rendering the soil more friable, and I believe 
this arises from their getting better incorporated 
with the soil during the various processes of digging, 
hoeing, &c.— W. B. G. 
DUKE OF YORK TOMATO. 
Please allow me space for a few words in reply to 
the remarks in your last issue, which are stated to 
have been made by Messrs. Carter's traveller to his 
firm. The facts are these. He did call here in 
June, and directly we received his advice that he 
would call on a given date, we decided to ask him 
to inspect the plants of the Duke of York, which I 
should say now have been grown in a new house, 
five minutes' walk away from the nursery, along 
with the other varieties I have mentioned. On his 
calling^ at the nursery he was particularly requested 
to go and look at them, but declined either for want 
of time or some other reason. He was only through 
one small house at the home nursery that was 
planted with Tomatos to provide shade for Adian- 
tums, and from which we never expected much in 
the way of a crop. What sort of a crop we did get 
from them, however, you will see by the photograph 
I have sent you. No other variety than Duke of 
York was referred to by name, and tne plants of 
that sort, though a “novelty” of his firm, he did 
not see, so that how he could make the statement 
imputed to him passes my comprehension. — J. G. 
Pettinger, Strawberry Dale Nursery, Harrogate. 
TWO FLOWERS FOR SMALL GARDENS. 
For a minimum of trouble, there are few annuals 
which, from a packet of mixed seed, give such a 
quantity of flowers for cutting or for garden decora¬ 
tion in beds or borders, as Scabiosa atropurpurea 
and the double Dianthus chinensis Heddewigii. 
The former is rather a tall growing plant even in the 
case of what is sometimes at least sold for dwarf 
German Scabious, but a good strain produces 
flowers of great size and of various beautifully dis- 
