August 17, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
805 
to restore the original roadway, and met with no 
opposition as the Mayor was absent from home 
through ill-health. The summer house was bodily 
removed on a trolley to the Corporation yard, and 
tons of soil were pitched over the cliffs. The shrubs 
were removed to the public gardens and transplanted 
there, and by ten o’clock the road was clear. There 
were few people about while the work was carried 
out, as the fact that it was going to be done had been 
kept quiet, but as the town awoke crowds came to 
see the work. It now remains for the Mayor or the 
ground landlord (Sir George Meyrick) to decide 
what action will be taken if the road is claimed as 
private property. 
-+►- 
SCHOOLS WANTED. 
Being a constant reader of The Gardening World 
I was very well pleased with the course taken up by 
the Essex County Council with regard to the Sum¬ 
mer School of Horticulture at the Technical 
Laboratories, Chelmsford; and what I would like 
to see would be some of our Scotch County Councils 
following the example set them, and giving us, the 
young gardeners of Scotland, a chance to compete 
with our friends across the borders, and help to do 
away with a saying I once heard of Scotch 
gardeners having to go to England to get polished. 
However, I hope it will not be long till there shall 
be schools like this all over the kingdom like those 
there are for most other trades ; but I would suggest 
if possible that it might be done in the evenings 
with Saturday afternoon visits, as it would not be 
easy for young men to get away three weeks in the 
summer. However, I would like to hear something 
more of this from some of your more experienced 
readers .—A Youth from Ayr. 
-- 
HORTICULTURAL INSTRUCTION IN 
SURREY. 
Mr. J. Wright, F.R.H.S., has just issued to the 
Surrey County Council an interesting report on the 
teaching of horticulture in continuation school 
gardens throughout the county. The first group of 
such gardens in the county was formed under the 
auspices of the Surrey County Council at Banstead, 
and the results were so encouraging, and the value of 
the teaching so much appreciated, that the movement 
spread rapidly till there are, at the present time, 446 
plots of ground on which gardening in itsmost useful 
aspect is being taught. There are, on an averages 
twelve crops in each plot, and there are now consid¬ 
erably more than 5,000 crops of the most serviceable 
kind of vegetables being grown entirely by youth, 
in the continuation school gardens in Surrey. The 
great majority of the gardens are kept in splendid 
order, and in many the management of fruit trees 
and bushes is constantly under the observation of the 
workers. Numbers of the plots are in a far better 
state, and the crops grown in a better manner, than 
in hundreds of cottage gardens and men’s allotments. 
Provision is made in Surrey for giving land lessons 
to children in the public elementary schools, and at 
Caterham fifty-six young boys are being taught on 
small plots of ground, to prepare them to pass on to 
the larger continuation gardens in due time. Mr. 
Wright remarks that in these gardens knowledge is 
beiDg acquired and habits formed by the youthful 
workers which cannot fail to be most beneficial to 
them individually, while the aggregate value of the 
teaching is bound to have a far-reaching influence for 
good, both in village communities and on the work¬ 
ing populations that reside on the outskirts of towns 
where plots of land are so numerous, yet, in many 
instances, so neglected. 
Speaking at an assembly of gardeners and 
amateurs, on the occasion of the annual flower 
show of the Beddington, Carshalton and Walliogton 
Horticultural Society, on the 5th inst., Mr. Wright 
told his hearers that it was a fact to be proud of that 
the proposal to ask Government to support technical 
instruction, such as is now so extensively carried on 
all over the country, originated in their neighbour¬ 
hood. It may here be stated that the competition 
for the best kept gardens in this district of Surrey is 
very keen, and is likely to become more so as time 
goes on. Even those who do not actually enter for 
competition are stimulated to take a greater interest 
in their gardens, and to work them up to great per¬ 
fection. Many of them judge their own gardens, 
and pretty correctly too, by comparison with those 
which take the prizes. 
GRANARD GARDENS, PUTNEY. 
A visit to Mr. William Iceton's establishment at 
Granard Gardens, to those who are at all interested 
in nursery work, is at all times fraught with a great 
deal of pleasure and not a little profitable instruc¬ 
tion, whilst even to those who are not closely con¬ 
cerned with plants, or do not claim to know much 
about plant life, an hour or two spent in looking round 
a " plant factory,” if we may so term it, like that of 
Mr. Iceton's is time exceedingly well spent. A few 
years ago, comparatively, even the commonest 
decorative plants had a prohibitive price set upon 
them, prohibitive at least to all but those who had 
not the proverbial long stocking to draw from. 
Consequently people in humble circumstances had 
no chance, or at least a very poor one, of gratifying 
their likes for plants by possessing a few of their 
very own wherewith they might enliven their lowly 
dwellings, and gladden their simple hearts. 
But times have changed, and we may add, a good 
thing too. With the cessation of the duty on glass, 
horticultural buildings are now erected at a much 
cheaper rate than formerly, whilst the greatly 
improved system of transmarine communications 
that obtain have gone a great way to reduce the 
price of various plant seeds, many of which were 
formerly injured by the long sea voyages, that are 
now practically a thing of the past. At one time 
Palms were only to be seen in the conservatories of 
the very wealthy, for this was the only atmosphere 
that would suit their aristocratic tastes. Now, 
however, the great wave of social democracy that 
has swept over the country of recent years has 
affected them to an extraordinary degree, and we 
find that while they have lost not a whit of their good 
name with the upper, they have gained immensely 
in the popular esteem of the lower classes, and many 
a thousand plants are disposed of annually to eager 
purchasers from the unpretentious coster’s barrow, 
which is invariably to be seen circling about the 
streets and suburbs of our large towns. 
Over fifty large and convenient houses are devoted 
by Mr. Iceton to the propagation and rearing to 
market size of all the kinds of Palms that find most 
favour in the eyes of the public, both for beauty of 
habit and sturdiness of constitution. Latanias, 
Cocoses, Phoenixes, and Kentias are represented in 
vast quantities, for Mr. Iceton buys his seed by the 
bushel, and sells his plants by the thousand. Every¬ 
where we see shelves packed as full as they can hold 
of thimble-sized pots with their precious occupants, 
that in these early stages baffle all attempts on the 
part of any other than an expert to put them in 
their proper genus, let alone to hit upon the right 
specific name for them. Passing od we find them in 
all stages of growth, some in small sixties, others in 
forty-eights. Splendid stuff these for furnishing 
purposes, both for conservatory and within the 
mansion itself. Although there are known to us 
some twelve hundred Palms or thereabouts, but an 
exceedingly small proportion of these find a place in 
a market nursery, for here Mr. £ s. d. is the manag¬ 
ing director, and an inexorable master he is, for it is 
of no use to take up valuable space by growing stuff 
for which there is no sale. 
Our old friend, Cocos Weddeliana occupies a very 
high position in the scale of decorative merit, and 
thus we were not surprised to see thumb pots of it 
galore as well as some fine batches of four-year-old 
plants in forty-eights, that did the gardener’s heart 
within us good to look upon, as evidencing cultural 
skill of no mean quality. C. plumosa is also a most 
useful plant when it gets to a fair size, for then its 
long feathery fronds come in very handy as a back¬ 
ground to groups of plants arranged for effect. Of 
late years there has also been a demand for its nearly 
allied congenor, C. Datil. Howea, or to give it its 
common market name, Kentia Fosteriana, is also 
grown in quantities that speak sufficiently strongly 
of the large demand there is for it. H Belmoreana 
is another favourite very closely allied to the former 
species in general appearance, the great difference 
being that the segments of the fronds converge 
upwards, whilst in H. FosteriaDa they have a more 
decided droop. Other Palms which find a ready 
sale are Livistona rotundifolia, L. chinensis (Latania 
borbonica), Chrysalidocarpus (Areca) lutescens, 
Phoenix rupicola, and Tlirinax elegantissima. The 
very hardy Chamaerops humilis is likewise in con¬ 
siderable request for standing in corridors or other 
very draught) places, where its robust constitution 
stands it in good stead, although it is not so orna¬ 
mental as some of the more delicate ones. 
It must not be supposed, however, that small 
Palms alone are to be found in the establishment. 
Some of the houses are lofty and roomy, and shelter 
large numbers of fine specimens in splendid health, 
despite the fact that they are frequently utilised as 
decorative material for large balls, parties, etc. ; for 
Mr. Iceton has a wide reputation as a furnisher and 
decorator. Among other good plants we noticed ex¬ 
cellent specimens of Ptychosperma Cunninghamiana 
(Seaforthia elegans), Howea Fosteriana robusta, H. 
australis, and Thrinax radiata. Remarking upon the 
general health and vigour of the plants, we were 
informed that a solution of cow manure and soot 
was the stimulant used, as in common with other 
growers. Mr. Iceton believes this to be far safer to 
use than artificial manures. Some magnificent plants 
of Dracaena congesta and D. gracilis arrested our 
attention in our journey round, so well grown were 
they, and so healthy and happy did they appear. 
These, our guide told us, were of great service in the 
demand frequently made upon the resources of the 
establishment for large plants for furnishing at some 
social function or other. We also noted numbers of 
Araucaria excelsa in all sizes, from 6 in. in height to 
stately young trees 7 ft. or 8 ft. high, but in relatively 
small pots. Another useful subject this, and one for 
which the demand grows greater each year. 
We must also not forget to give due mention to 
the houses of Asparagus plumosus nanus. The 
plants are not only remarkable on account of the 
size and strength of their growths, but also for the 
regularity with which they fruit ; and the success 
with which seed is obtained year by year has 
materially assisted in making Granard Gardens 
famous. It may be useful here to observe that the 
annual cutting back which the plants receive, fresh, 
strong growths being thus thrown up each season, 
has no doubt a great deal to do with the satisfaction 
that these plants give as seed bearers. Cut fronds 
of Asparagus are always in request, and on account 
of the length of time they keep in condition after 
they have been cut, as well as their undeniably 
graceful appearance they have become even more 
popular than fronds of Maidenhair Fern for the 
making up of bouquets, sprays, etc. We were just in 
time to see the last of the enormous batches of 
Lilium Harrisii that have been grown this season. 
While all have done well, the latest plants have done 
best of all; the number of flowers produced, as well 
as their individual size, being considerably above the 
average. Extensive batches of L. lancifolium album 
and L. 1 . rubrum, some of the forwardest of which 
are just commencing to open their flowers, 
bespeak the fact, however, that the genus Ldium 
will yet have worthy representatives for some weeks 
to come. 
One very pleasing feature was a long light house 
filled as full as it could hold of splendidly-flowered 
specimens of Hydrangea paniculata grandiSora We 
have seen this well-known subject under a great 
variety of circumstances, have always found it to 
acquit itself well, and have had previous occasion to 
remark upon its great beauty and not less great use¬ 
fulness, but we have never seen it in better condition 
than it is at Granard Gardens at the present time. 
The plants are dwarf, sturdy, and vigorous, the size, 
substance, and deep green hue of the leaves attest¬ 
ing the fact that the particular treatment given them 
suits them down to the ground ; whilst the panicles of 
dazzling white bloom are of extra large size. 
Yet another treat was in store for us before we 
had finished our rounds. A door leading into a forcing 
pit was opened, and lo! the sweet fragrance of 
that child of spring's brightest hours, the Lily of the 
Valley, greeted us. By keeping a stock of crowns 
on ice, and bringing these into heat to start them 
into growth as required, a supply of bloom is kept up 
the whole of the year round, although July and 
August are the slackest months. Nor, although we 
carefully examined them, do these kept back plants 
exhibit aDy weakness of habit, or deterioration of 
either individual bloom or raceme, and that they 
had not lost a whit of the delicious fragrance char¬ 
acterising those produced at an earlier season our 
olfactory nerves assured us. On striving to obtain 
an idea of the extent to which the practice of freezing 
the crowns thus, is put in vogue in the establishment, 
the manager, a keen horticulturist by the way, in 
reply to our question, made the emphatic statement 
that if we would give him an order for a hundred 
