K62 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 17, 1893. 
also largely grown, and a stock of 30,000 saleable 
plants of Whinham’s Industry speaks well for the 
continued popularity of that most useful variety. 
At Queen’s Park and Piper's Ash Forest trees are 
the special feature ; and of Larch, Thorns, and 
Quick, the adjective “ enormous ” only gives a faint 
idea of the quantities grown. Of Larch alone two 
and a half million seedlings were planted this spring, 
and like all the other spring plantings have been 
most successful, showing no signs of suffering from 
the prolonged drought. Indeed, it is a fact worthy 
of remark that while we hear of losses—heavy fosses 
in some cases — through the drought elsewhere, in 
these Chester Nurseries the plants that have died 
are infinitesimal in number and hardly observable. 
Thorns and Quicks run up to several millions. The 
seed beds of forest and ornamental trees form one of 
the most interesting sights in these nurseries, some 
ten acres being occupied with these alone, 
representing uncountable numbers of plants for future 
cultivation in more extended order. 
It is impossible in this place to give more than a 
general idea of the character of these famous Nur¬ 
series, they must be seen to be fully appreciated, as 
while bearing eloquent testimony to the enterprise of 
the Messrs. Dicksons, the high condition of the stocks 
and the thorough cleanliness and good order main¬ 
tained throughout, speak volumes for the skill and 
administrative ability of the nursery manager, Mr. 
Johnstone. 
The principal offices and seed warehouses are in 
the city, and these, like the Nurseries, have had to 
undergo expansion to meet the increasing volume of 
business which the Company is favoured with. The 
new offices in Eastgate Street, of which we give 
an illustration, have been rebuilt on the old site 
opposite the Grosvenor Hotel, and are nearly ready 
for occupation. The style of architecture adopted is 
singularly appropriate to the character of the sur¬ 
rounding buildings, being half timbered, with the 
red sandstone of the district on a red granite founda¬ 
tion. It is four stories high, with cellar accommoda¬ 
tion running the entire length of the building, some 
250 feet from front to rear, and providing a splendid 
floor for the accommodation of the agricultural 
implements and garden tools, which forms one sec¬ 
tion of the Company’s business. The agricultural 
seed stores are situated in St. John Street, near the 
General Post Office, and comprise a fine block, in the 
cellars of which may be seen a portion of the 
original Roman Wall which was probably built 
during the earlier period of the Roman occupation in 
the first century. In this warehouse the Company 
have improved machinery of the best character for 
the cleaning of seeds, and the importance of this 
will be recognised by all. Visitors t'o the Royal 
Show will find Messrs. Dicksons' stand and offices 
close to the gates of the main entrance, almost 
immediately on the left hand of the admission 
avenue. 
-•*«-- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED, 
The subjects mentioned hereunder were exhibited at 
the meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society on 
the 6th inst., and received awards according to 
merit. 
Iris Lorteti. —This belongs to the same group of 
Irises as I. susiana and I. s. Gatesi. The falls are 
densely and finely dotted with purple on a buff 
ground, and bearded on the black, central disc. The 
standards are much larger, obovate, folded over the 
top of the flower, and somewhat variable in colour, 
from pale to deep lilac, closely lined and netted all 
over with purple veins. First-class Certificate. 
Exhibited by Mr. C. L G. Van Tubergen, Junr., 
Haarlem, Holland. 
Abies orientalis aurea. —The generic name 
Abies is best known to gardeners as applied to the 
Spruces, but scientifically the most correct name is 
Picea orientalis aurea in this case. The form and 
habit of the tree is the same as in the type except 
that the leaves are of a uniform, soft, golden yellow, 
fading somewhat as they get one or two jears old. 
First-class Certificate. Exhibited by Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons. 
Begonia Gigantea. —The leaves of this double- 
flowered, tuberous variety are large, obliquely cor¬ 
date, and deep olive green. The flowers are also of 
great size, with broad, rounded, outer sepals, and 
smaller, wavy inner ones, all of a soft salmon. 
shaded with pink. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
Messrs. John Laing & Sons. 
Begonia Ernest Cook. —The flowers of this 
variety are also of large size, double, and of a rich or 
intense crimson-scarlet. The sepals are slightly 
wavy, arranged round a few centres and of uniform 
hue throughout. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
Messrs. John Laing & Sons. 
Begonia Richard Dean. —In this case the 
flowers are of a brilliant orange, fully double, with 
the sepals arranged round a single centre in the 
young stage and later on showing a few centres 
when fully expanded. Award of Merit. Exhibited 
by Messrs. J. Laing & Sons. 
Carnation Annie Sanders. —The flowers of this 
variety are large semi-globose, quite full, and of an 
attractive bright rose. The petals are slightly 
toothed at the apex and the flowers not very 
decidedly fragrant. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
Mr. George Fry, Lewisham. 
Pink Empress of India. —A stand of different 
varieties of Pinks, including several blooms of 
Empress of India, was exhibited by Mr. C. Turner, 
Slough. The petals are flat, entire, or minutely 
crenate, and not too numerous so as to spoil the 
symmetry of the flower. It is a laced variety with 
a dark crimson-purple base and bold purple lacing. 
Award of Merit. 
Gladiolus delicatissima superbissima. — 
Happily it does not often happen that two superlatives 
are attached to the name of a plant to indicate its 
high order of merit. The Gladiolus in question is a 
variety of G. Colvillei and has white or pale blush 
flowers with an elongated rose-coloured blotch edged 
with crimson on each of the three lower segments. 
There is also a large red blotch in the throat. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. Hubert & 
Manger, Doyle Road Nurseries, Guernsey. 
Sweet Briar Rose Mina. —The flowers are of 
medium size, slightly cupped and fragrant. The 
five obovate petals are of a deep rose colour. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Lord Penzance 
(gardener, Mr. Baskett). 
Sweet Brier Rose Matilda Marchment. —In 
this case the flowers are of a soft rose pink, but 
otherwise similar to those of the last. Award of 
Merit. Exhibited by Lord Penzance. 
Carnation Sir Charles Fremantle, K.C.B.— 
This is one of the Malmaison type with huge, 
globular flowers and numerous petals, finely toothed 
at the edge or entire, and of a soft salmon-red. 
They are highly fragrant, a property we are pleased 
to note these cross-bred Malmaison varieties retain. 
The leaves are broad and glaucous. Award of 
Merit. Exhibited by Martin R. Smith, Esq. (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Blick), Hayes Common, Kent. 
Richardia aurata —The spathes of this yellow 
Trumpet Lily are obliquely funnel-shaped, suddenly 
pointed at the apex, and of a soft, pale yellow with a 
blackish-purple blotch at the base, internally. The 
lamina is comparatively short, but the spathe, as a 
whole, is of good average size, and may get larger by 
good cultivation. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
Mons. J.B. Deleuil, Sainte Anne, Marseilles. 
P.eony M. Boucharlet. —This is one of the 
numerous varieties of P. albiflora and has large fully 
double flowers of a soft rose and satiny towards the 
edges. Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. 
Paul & Son. 
P.eony Jeanne d’ARC. — The outer petals of this 
variety are broad and pink, while the inner ones are 
smaller, cut or lacerated at the ends and mixed with 
a few longer and broader ones. Award of Merit. 
Exhibited by Messrs. Paul & Son. 
P.eony Marie Lemoine,— As in the previous two 
cases, this is also a variety of Paeonia albiflora. 
The flowers are large, double with the outer petals 
blush pink, and the central ones white. Award of 
Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. Paul & Son. 
Melon Frogmore Seedling. —The fruits of this 
variety shown were about four or five pounds in 
weight with a pale yellow skin, netted with grey. 
The flesh was white, of great thickness, juicy and 
sweet. Award of Merit. Exhibited by Mr. Owen 
Thomas, The Royal Gardens. Windsor. 
Pea, Duke of York. —A basket of Peas under 
this name was exhibited by Messrs. Cooper, Taber 
& Co , Witham, Essex. They appeared from the 
pods to be much in the same style as William I. but 
perhaps a little larger, measuring 2 in. to 3 in. in 
length, of a glaucous hue when young, and ultimately 
becoming well filled. If grown in the open air it 
would rank as an early variety. Award of Merit. 
The undermentioned Pansies were exhibited by the 
members of the London Pansy and Violet Society on 
the same date and at the same place of meeting as 
the above. 
Beauty. —In this we have a fancy Pansy of fine pro¬ 
portions, and in fact, reckoned to be one of the finest 
shown that day. The bloom is large, and circular, 
with a very small and neatly-formed yellow eye. 
The blotches are large and blackish maroon, edged 
with yellow, and the top petals are of a rich claret. 
First-class Certificate. Exhibited by Mr. Alexander 
Bailey, junr , Sunderland. 
Alice Bolton. —This also is a fancy variety with 
large, blackish violet blotches, edged yellow, and the 
top petals are broadly edged with violet purple. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Mr. Alexander 
Lister, Rothesay, N.B. 
Rev. R. McAllister. —In the dull light of the 
Drill Hall this appeared almost black, with a golden 
yellow eye and blue eyebrows. It is therefore a 
self-coloured show variety. Award of Merit. Exhi¬ 
bited by Mr. Alexander Lister. 
Princess— The blotches of this fancy sort are 
dark violet with creamy white edges. The outer 
edges, but particularly of the top petals, are laced 
with a lively rose red. First-class Certificate. 
Exhibited by Mr. M. Campbell, Blantyre, N.B. 
John Watt.— This is a yellow ground Show Pansy 
with well-defined, blackish-purple belting and a small 
golden eye. Award of Merit. Exhibited by Mr. M. 
Campbell. 
--4—- 
AN ORCHID MANUAL 
FOR AMATEURS.* 
To those amateurs who understand French this 
would form a handy book for reference in the case 
of a large number of cultivated Orchids. In a 
chapter on the character of the Orchid family a 
considerable number of woodcut illustrations are 
given to show the various structures to be met with 
in the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers, including 
the anthers, pollinia, and ovary of that wonderful 
order of plants. As many as 119 of such illustrations 
are intercalated with the text throughout the body 
of the work. There is a short chapter on the 
fertilisation of Orchids, another on their geographical 
distribution, and a third on a rather interesting 
synopsis of the genera of cultivated Orchids. 
Something similar is given in “ Babington’s Manual 
of British Botany,” and we should like to see a 
synopsis of a similar kind more frequently given in 
botanical works written in this country. We should 
apply this, not only to genera, but also to species, 
particularly when they are numerous. For instance, 
the alphabetical arrangement of species is very 
popular at the present day; but when a genera 
includes 100 to 300 species it is a work of labour to 
read over the bulk of the descriptions in order to 
find out the name of a species. A synopsis would 
enable an intelligent reader to find out the name of 
any given species with a minimum waste of time. 
Less interesting to the general reader is the 
chapter on the explanation of the abbreviations 
employed, but to those who take an interest in the 
science of the subject these explanations are 
necessary if it is desired to use the numerous 
references to botanical works where the various 
species are figured. These references, on the other 
hand, would be most valuable to those who have 
access to such works in order to determine whether 
any particular species in their collection is true to 
name or otherwise. The sixth chapter is a long 
one and is devoted to a short description of Orchids 
in cultivation, with numerous references. To most 
amateurs who use this book, this chapter will no 
doubt be most interesting. The descriptions are 
generally short and to the point, except in the case 
of the generic characters, which are more lengthy. 
The second part of the book is devoted to Orchids 
from a horticultural point of view, but it only runs to 
twenty-two pages, whereas the book, as a whole, runs 
to 323 pages. It is impossible in so small a space to say 
much on the horticultural side of the subject which 
is divided into three chapters, namely, value of 
ornamental Orchids, culture of and multiplication 
of Orchids, and lists of Orchids are given for the 
warm, temperate, and cool houses, with instructions 
in each case. A vocabulary and index are given, so 
that on the whole one could hardly expect more to 
be compressed into the same space. The book is 
less than octavo size and belongs to the “ Library of 
of Useful Knowledge ” series, and is sold at 3s. qd. 
* Les Orchidees, Manuel de l’Amateur. By M. D. Bois 
Published by J.B. Bailliere et Fils, 19, Rue Hautefeuille, pres 
du Boulevard Saint Germain, Paris. 1S93. 
