October 1, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
69 
and with which I was not previously familiar. It 
was one of a very large number under trial, and 
stood out amongst all as specially excellent. It is 
named Sutton’s A i. for the firm seem to think that 
this is the best curled compact headed, and hand¬ 
somest of all the Kales they grow. It would make a 
splendid market variety because the foliage, whilst 
so short and compact, makes a complete edible head, 
and thus would fill the bushel far more quickly than 
will the best of the curled Kales now ordinarily 
grown. Even as a purely decorative Kale it is very 
attractive. 
Those of the very hardiest are the Arctic Kales, 
both green and purple, and so called because they 
have the reputation of being of the very hardiest of 
all grown. These are dwarf and of very even 
character, would soon be entirely covered with 
snow, and thus sheltered should severe weather 
ensue, whilst the A i. has somewhat reflexed leafage, 
the Hearting Kale on the other hand has distinct 
incurved leafage, the which produces solid tender 
hearts when it is fully ready for cutting in the winter. 
This Kale too is of a purplish colour and is of very 
even growth. 
A very pretty hardy Kale is the Parsley leaved, 
and its foliage is so pleasing that it may be used for 
garnishing purposes when Parsley is scarce, 
although what is known as the garnishing Kale is 
even handsomer for that purpose, and is found in 
two or three shades of colour. There is a new 
dwarf curled green Kale that has whitish midribs, 
the which are so soft and succulent that when 
prcperly cooked they eat like Sea Kale. It is really 
full of the greatest interest to go over a trial of these 
Kales, and note how many varieties of the most 
useful nature there are, yet so comparatively 
unknown.— A.D. 
--J*- 
TWO STRAINS OF CHINA ASTER. 
There are few gardens without a sowing of China 
Asters of some strain or other, some gardeners grow¬ 
ing several strains according to the requirements of 
the place. Immense quantities of certain dwarf and 
bushy forms are grown for market purposes, as they 
can be raised and planted in the open ground and 
grown to the flowering stage with a small amount of 
trouble and expense. They are then lifted and pot¬ 
ted off as they reach the flowering stage, and getting 
established in a few days are taken to market. The 
two strains we figure are so identical in general 
appearance from the cut flowers alone that they 
might well have come off of the same head. The 
one is, however, a dwarf strain named the Liliput 
China Aster, represented on the opposite 
page. In certain seasons if at all dry they 
vary from 2 in. to 4 in. high, forming little tufts fur¬ 
nished with relatively large heads of bloom. The 
outer florets are incurved at the edges, that is, fluted 
but not tubular, while the centre is quilled. The 
heads may be rose, blue, or white, or the first two 
colours may be edged with white on different plants. 
This strain is suitable as edgings to borders or to 
beds of the taller growing kinds. The blooms, 
although relatively large for the size of the plants, 
would still be classed amongst the Pompons. 
Below is an illustration of the Pyramidal Bouquet 
Rose strain of China Aster. The heads here are 
small enough to be classed amongst the Pompons. 
The outer florets are flat, forming a ray of many 
series, while the central florets are tubular and flat. 
The whole head is of a beautiful rosy lilac. The 
plants grow to the height of 18 in. or 2 ft., forming a 
pyramidal mass of bloom. When accorded a proper 
amount of room, the quantity of bloom a plant will 
produce is astonishing, and grown in this way the 
plants are highly appreciated in the garden, while the 
blooms may be cut with long stalks to mix with 
others. If grown in pots they come much dwarfer- 
as might naturally be expected. 
--*■-— 
CHESWICK HOUSE. 
Being in the vicinity of Beal, in Northumberland, last 
week, I took the opportunity of calling at Cheswick 
House Gardens, and found the gardener, Mr. Angus, 
busy amongst some flowering Marguerite Carnations 
—the result of a sowing of seed made early in February. 
I consider this class of Carnation a valuable addition to 
our stock of choice flowers, and especially as they can 
be obtained at a minimum cost. They were of various 
colours and delightfully scented. The kitchen 
garden is not large, but it is pretty well stocked with 
winter stuff. The soil being of a retentive nature 
does not favour Potato culture, and I noticed that 
some of the crop was badly diseased. The bush 
fruit crops I understood had been light. Apples are 
a fair crop, especially Beauty of Kent, King of the 
Pippins, Keswick Codlin, and Ribston Pippin. 
Pears are scarce, but Peaches and Apricots are a 
heavy crop. 
The glass-houses are very fine, and in first-class 
condition. On entering the greenhouse I was struck 
with the high culture of the zonal Pelargoniums, 
nowhere has it been my lot to look upon such a dis¬ 
play. The plants numbered over 500, and were 
arranged on each side of the spacious span-house. 
The most prominent varieties were Swanley White, 
Lily Stella Massey, Rev. Dr. Harris, Sissie, Brilliant, 
John Mason, Lady Chesterfield, Hermine, and Gloire 
Lyonnaise. 1 hey are models of high culture, and were 
growing in 6-in. pots. Overhead were Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums such as Souvenir de Charles Turner, 
which is a really grand variety—the individual pips 
being large and bright. Fuchsias and other stuff 
occupied the centre stage. Before leaving this 
house I noticed some very heavy fruits of a new 
Tomato named Ponderosa—an American introduc¬ 
tion I was told. 
The stove adjoins this house, and nice table stuff 
only is grown. Pandanus, Dracaenas and Crotons 
are represented by the best sorts. Stephanotis and 
Bougainvillea cover the roof, and when in bloom they 
must have been very nice. The side stages are clad 
with Panicum, giving the house a finished appear¬ 
ance. The vineries are two in number, and one is in 
course of renovation. 
The conservatory is a huge structure, and its 
occupants look extremely healthy. I noticed some 
well-flowered plants of Vallota purpurea-a rather 
neglected plant nowadays. I was informed that 
some time ago they had suffered from mite, but the 
gardener took the advice of an old friend north of 
the Tweed, and watered them with a mixture of 
paraffin and water. I have every reason to believe 
that this had been the means of destroying the pest, 
and of bringing them into their present good condi¬ 
tion. Some fine plants of Nicotiana affinis scented 
the air; and Begonias and other flowering plants 
were plentiful. Chrysanthemums were a grand lot, 
and promised extremely well. 
I was also pleased to see a quantity of well-grown 
Hollyhocks, entirely free from the disease which has 
been so prevalent for a number of years past. 
Dahlias are grown in quantities and are represented 
by excellent varieties. All departments of the 
garden are kept in a neat, orderly manner at Ches¬ 
wick, and reflect much credit upon the able 
gardener who presides over it.— H. S. 
AMATEURS 1 THE R.H.S. 
I -was ambitious enough to have a desire to become 
a Pellow of the R.H.S., but being always careful to 
have, if possible, full value for my money, I looked 
at the guinea and asked myself what return I should 
get for it. Residing at a distance from Chiswick, the 
society’s gardens offered little inducement to me, and 
with the present constitution of the R.H.S., pro¬ 
fessionals and amateurs exhibiting on the same basis 
(although the subscription of the latter is double 
that of the former), I failed to see how I could pos¬ 
sibly hope to exhibit with any prospect of success, 
so I gave up the idea of paying a guinea just for the 
honour of the thing, and turned my attention to the 
National Amateur Gardeners’ Association. There I 
found something which suited me exactly, an annual 
subscription of half-a-crown aud plenty in return for 
it—meetings once a month with interesting papers, 
and every encouragement to exhibitors, however 
small, in the way of medals, certificates, and nume¬ 
rous extra prizes for special subjects. Any member 
taking only an ordinary interest in the working of 
this association cannot fail to have a splendid return 
for the subscription. 
The idea of a show next year on a much larger 
scale than anything yet attempted by the N.A.G.A., 
is not altogether a new one, and I do not doubt that 
such a step will meet with every success .—Bona Fide 
Amateur. 
--**- 
Atraphaxis lanceolata.— This may be de¬ 
scribed as a shrubby plant of the Polygonum family, 
of which a considerable number are now in cultiva¬ 
tion for one purpose or another. The flowers are 
produced abundantly in axillary and terminal ra¬ 
cemes, and although small individually are pretty 
in the aggregate. They are pink with darker mid¬ 
ribs. 
China Aster, Pyramidal Bouquet Rose. 
