February 23, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
409 
is an unknown science, and agarics to them are 
merely agarics; but which is Mushroom and which 
is toadstool, are matters beyond their ken and often 
outside their interest. On the other hand, there are 
a few fungologists scattered about the country, some 
of whom do what they can to disseminate know¬ 
ledge of their favourite study or pastime amongst 
their fellow-men. The greater number of them are 
relatively quiet and uncommunicative outside their 
own fellow workers in the science. This may be due as 
much to the lack of interest amongst the general 
public as to the reservation of the fungologists. 
More recently a certain amount of interest has been 
created in the subject by vegetarian societies, and 
some of the well-to-do classes of society with plenty 
of spare time on their hands, find it a wholesome 
means of recreation to collect what fungi they can 
find in the course of their daily walks in rural 
districts, particularly when enjoyiDg holidays of 
greater or less duration. 
Mr. Briggs is of opinion that this knowledge will 
spread " until this blot upon our national thrift is 
removed.” That it will spread there is little room 
to doubt, particularly in populous districts ; but the 
crop of edible fungi or indeed of agarics generally is 
too precarious and uncertain to be of 
much value to the nation as a food 
supply, unless some of the more valuable 
kinds are taken in hand by cultivators. 
Epping Forest used to be a good hunting 
ground for fuDgologists, but the field is 
already pretty well played out; and in dry 
seasons the crop of fungi is disappoint¬ 
ing and practically a failure. The vicinity 
of the forest to London is doubless 
telling against the Mushrooms on 
account of the number of collectors who 
may or may not utilise what they find 
to any good purpose. Supposing, then, 
that fungus collecting were to become 
general,the spores that serve to propagate 
the species would be carried away and 
thus tend to the extermination of their 
kind. 
No fear of such an event seems to 
occur to or trouble Mr. Briggs, who 
gives a record of fourteen edible species 
which he has collected in Surrey, and 
which he has not only eaten and 
enjoyed, but his family and whole 
household have also been partakers of 
the said luxuries. Besides the common 
Mushroom (Agaricus campestris), he has 
also collected and eaten St. George’s 
Mushroom (A. gambosus), the horse 
Mushroom (A. arvensis), the blewit 
(A. personatus), the blue cap (A. 
nudus), the warty cap (A. rubescens), 
also A. prunulus orcella and A. vagina- 
tus. To retain the flavour and aroma 
of Boletus lutens, it is baked in some 
of the enamelled dishes now in com¬ 
mon use and another is inverted over it 
during the whole time of cooking 
and till placed on the table. Mr. Briggs does not 
relish the flavour of the beefsteak fungus (Fistulina 
hepatica), but Morchella esculenta, when stewed in 
good gravy he considers delicious. The same may 
be said of several of the puffballs, including Lyco- 
perdon plumbeum and L. bovista, which should be 
gathered when young, fresh and solid, cut in slices 
and dipped in egg and crumbs before being fried. 
The largest of British fungi (Sparassis crispa), is 
sometimes as large as a man’s head or even larger, 
and this gigantic fungus is wholesome eating. Edible 
kinds are really more numerous than is generally 
imagined. 
--f«- 
GRANARD GARDENS, 
PUTNEY. 
Some twenty years ago the present proprietor of the 
nursery establishment at Putney, known far and 
wide as Granard Gardens, and the subject of the 
accompanying portrait, Mr. William Iceton, com¬ 
menced business at Barnes, primarily as a grower of 
Palms, and so successful has he been as a cultivator 
that wherever dealing in Palms is a business the 
name of Iceton, of Putney, is a household word. 
When Mr. Iceton began to grow Palms for the trade, 
these beautiful plants were a luxury of the rich, there 
were comparatively few extensive growers of them 
in this country, and we were large buyers from 
Belgium ; they were quoted at fashionable prices in 
the leading catalogues ; they were not grown by the 
acre as they are now, and such a thing as a coster’s 
barrow full of Kentias and Latanias was a sight that 
had not then been seen in London streets. But the 
popular fancy was strongly tending in their direction, 
and Mr. Iceton was one of the first in this country 
to fan the flame of popular favour. What an impor¬ 
tant function the Palm plays to-day in our household 
and garden decoration, we need not now stay to 
discuss, it is sufficient to know that notwithstanding 
falling markets, and " wrecking prices,” they are 
produced by millions, and the annual output 
increases rather than diminishes. Mr. Iceton still 
grows Palms to perfection, and other things as well, 
but not at Barnes. Eleven years ago he acquired 
his present nursery in Putney Park Lane, a most 
rural spot, though easily reached from Putney, 
Barnes, or Roebampton. Granard Gardens form a 
portion of the ancient Putney Park Estate, so long 
in the possession of Lord Granard, and known to 
have been a royal shooting box in the time of 
Charles I. The nursery is walled in and very com¬ 
pact, and the houses, large and small, but mostly on 
Mr. William Iceton. 
the large side, are fifty-four in number, and all, 
needless to say, stocked to repletion. Palms are 
still " a big line ” with Mr. Iceton, and splendidly 
he does them, his plants being the picture of health, 
and warranted to stay, for they are “grown hard.” 
Among the larger specimens are some very hand¬ 
some plants, notably a Kentia Fosteriana robusta, 
18 ft. high, with twenty fronds, and perhaps the 
finest example of Kentia australis to be seen any¬ 
where, the plant being about 9 ft. high, and having 
twenty-three fronds; this is indeed a beautiful 
specimen Kentias of smaller sizes are very plentiful 
in the large Palm-house, and these in the season are 
largely used for furnishing. A very striking Palm 
that we had not previously known bears the name of 
Cocos Datile, and it promises to become a great 
favourite, be ! ng dwarfer, bushier in habit, and 
hardier than any of the other species of the genus 
and having the reputation of keeping a good green 
colour out-of-doors in the hottest sun Mr. Iceton 
has a nice stock, from 6 ft. to 8 ft. high, but none 
too many of so good a plant. In other houses we 
noted splendid batches of Liristonia rotundifolia in 
48’s., Thrinax elegantissima, and a grand lot of Cocos 
Weddelliana, of which there never seems to be too 
many anywhere. But our mission, when we called 
at Granard Gardens a few weeks ago, was not so 
much to see the Palms, as to enjoy the sight of the 
forced flowers, of which Mr. Iceton does such large 
numbers for marketing, and making our way to the 
forcing houses,we note some interesting features of the 
nursery en route. Thus, in one of the houses we are 
shown a grand decorative plant which stands London 
work well in a Bamboo, Arundinaria falcata variegata, 
with the underside of the leaves of a clear glaucous 
hue, and which throws up fine clean stems. In 
another, a lean-too, 115 ft. long and 18 ft. wide, is a 
remarkable instance of the successful cultivation of 
the sweet-scented Stephanotis floribunda, two grand 
plants of which cover the roof, and to the delight 
of their owner are absolutely free from mealy bug. 
In a third we note one of the finest batches we have 
ever seen of the beautiful Hymenocallis macroste- 
phana, one of the most useful of white flowering 
subjects, continuing in bloom for a long time, and 
the flowers lasting when cut two days well : and in 
two or three other houses are splendidly developed 
plants of the fruiting form of Asparagus plumosus 
nanus, of which valuable subject Mr. Iceton may be 
congratulated on being the lucky possessor. The 
profusion with which the plants bear seed is truly 
remarkable, and Mr. Iceton kindly pointed out a 
curious trait of the species in the branches bearing 
in different stages of development the 
seeds of three successive periods of 
flowering. Another matter of interest in 
connection with the plant is the prevailing 
fashion amongst the florists which gives 
preference to yellow-tinted sprays over 
the more natural green ones, and which 
are ousting the Maidenhair out of the 
market. Fine foliaged plants in small 
and medium sizes are grown in great 
quantities, and everything is tried by 
Mr. Iceton that gives promise of becom¬ 
ing a plant that will sell readily. He is 
going in strongly for Caladiums, and 
propagation of all the best sorts in 
cultivation we noted was being carried 
on to the utmost extent. 
Lily of the Valley forcing is a most 
successful culture in Mr. Iceton's hands, 
and it was a real delight on a cold 
winter's day to pass through the forcing 
houses and inhale the delicate perfume 
of this prime favourite, while admiring 
the perfect growth of leaves, spikes, 
and bells, the handsome 48's. made up 
for marketing, and the admirable system 
of rotation in cropping that is carried 
out. We counted as many as seventeen 
bells on some of the spikes, and this will 
be admitted as good work for a single 
stem. Whether for potting or bunching 
the crowns are first boxed, and some 
idea of the extent of the culture may 
be gained from the fact that the bill this 
season for the small, shallow, second¬ 
hand herring boxes, in which the crowns 
are placed for forcing, amounts to close 
upon £60. We understood Mr. Iceton to 
say that two million crowns would pass 
through his hands this season and he hoped to have 
blooms to sell for ten months out of the twelve, there 
being no call for " Valley ” in July or August. 
Earlier in the season Roman Hyacinths are forced 
in enormous quantities, and these are followed on by 
Tulips in great numbers, and done equally well. 
These are also forced in shallow boxes, but one of 
the difficulties of this particular trade would appear 
to be in hitting upon the particular colour that there 
will be a run on in any particular season. This sea¬ 
son Mr. Iceton explained the bright scarlets had had 
the run so far, and scarlet Due Van Thol was the 
sort most favoured. Whites, pinks, scarlets, and 
yellows, are the most favoured colours grown ; and 
among whites, Pottebakker and L'lmaculi stand 
high; while amongst yellows, the scented Yellow 
Prince is much appreciated. 
We are unable to-day to allude to a tithe of the 
good things that Mr. Iceton always has to show his 
visitors, but there is one feature of a visit to Granard 
gardens that does claim a word in conclusion, and 
that is the enthusiasm of our genial friend himself 
for the plants he grows so well. Possessing a keen 
eye for quality in everything, and a genuine love, 
above all things, for a good plant, it is not possible to 
spend an hour with Mr. Iceton without catching the 
spirit oneself, and what an amount of pleasure such 
a feeling affords—well only a true plant lover can tell. 
