June 17, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
663 
. A SUBURBAN VILLA. 
A beautiful part of Kent is the district of Bickley; 
well known to lovers of horticulture as the home of 
well-known Orchid collections, which, in the past, 
constituted a great feature in this neighbourhood. 
Business men find it a pleasant retreat after the 
noise and turmoil of the great city, and such it is. 
Situated in Bickley Park Road, a few minutes from 
the station, is Birfcky House, the residence of Mrs. 
Leisham. It is by no means a large place, and the 
greenhouses are only few in number, but is now to be 
seen as a compact and well-kept garden. 
A conservatory adjoining the house is a gay sight, 
the chief features being some very good Hydrangeas 
and zonal Pelargoniums. The effect was very 
pleasing. The flower garden attracted attention, and 
some good examples of Conifers were to be seen. 
A rock garden was a very interesting addition to this 
part of the grounds, which altogether were both 
neat and cheerful, in spite of the long continued dry 
weather. Mention must be made of the level and 
solid foot paths, coated with Croydon gravel. A 
walk in the kitchen garden revealed the probable re¬ 
sult of the fruit crop. Apples and Plums good ; 
bush fruits laden with fruit; Strawberries fair, 
below the average in quantity and size. Vegetables 
were well represented and in good condition. 
About 200 Chrysanthemums are grown here in io 
and 12 in. pots, and on single stems, and they are a 
healthy and promising lot. A house of Tomatos 
contained a good crop of fruit, Sutton’s Maincrop 
being foremost. Cucumbers and Melons in the same 
structure were yielding satisfactory results, in spite 
of obvious drawbacks. Stove plants and Ferns in 
variety also were noted. The most striking feature 
at present is a house of tuberous Begonias, raised by 
Mr. Harman. The effect was splendid, being 
literally a blaze of colour, ranging from delicate pink 
to the deepest red, with white and yellow interspersed. 
The flowers were of excellent substance and size, 
many measuring 5 to 6 inches across, and perfect in 
shape. Some had been grown even larger than this, 
and specimen plants, were in 12 and 14 in. pots. 
The various departments reflect credit on the skill 
and attention of Mr. Harman, who has been the 
gardener here for the past ten years, and who lives 
on the place.- -S. 
-•*-- 
DROUGHT IN THE 
GARDEN. 
Considering the cost of good fruit trees and their 
transplanting, it pays to spend a little labour to 
guard against loss, not only of the trees, but of a 
season. Even if young trees during drought do not 
actually die, they are so much crippled as to take 
long to recover. 
All young trees at the time of planting should be 
well watered in. Do this in any case, and upon any 
soil, for it tends to support the trees, and is the 
means of saving the fibrous roots through settling 
the soil more closely. Mulch the ground around 
the trees to protect the roots from drought. The 
best mulch is farmyard manure, which retains 
moisture better than any other manure. Old Mush¬ 
room beds are excellent. Leaf soil is not so good, 
there.being risk of fungus. It is a good plan, when 
mulching for the purpose is not to be had, to surface 
with soil above the roots rather deeper than 
eventually will be practised as the trees become 
established. The trees that suffer most during a 
dry period after planting are Apricots, Cherries, 
Peaches, and Nectarines; compared with Apples 
and Pears, these are more moisture loving. With a 
mulching of manure upon the soil it is always 
possible to water the trees more effectively. 
Trees that have been planted a few years will 
even need attention ; so also will older ones where 
not getting plenty of water. Should any trees 
promise well for fruit, it will pay to water them. 
Morello Cherries during the stoning period are very 
sensitive to drought. In some soils, where deficient 
in lime, it will be found necessary to have recourse 
to bone meal or other ingredients which contain a 
good proportion of this essential product in the case 
of stone fruits. More especially will this be the 
case if the trees have, during the past season or two, 
borne heavy crops without any such assistance being 
given them. A heavy crop of fruit in any case 
during a dry season is a severe tax upon the tree. 
My kitchen garden is on gravel, and I therefore 
mulch as far as I can all crops likely to suffer. It 
does not do to first let them suffer ; it is best to be in 
good time. Upon heavy soils, kitchen garden crops 
will continue to thrive longer than on light ones. 
There is one most pleasing feature in the kitchen 
garden with me this year—it is that of the germina¬ 
tion of all kinds of seeds. The plant also looks 
strong and healthy, thanks again to good culture. 
Thus far I have not resorted to mulchings, but 
intend to do so in a few days. The first will be 
given to the Pea crop, then the earliest Scarlet 
Runner Beans, and the French Beans, and if I see 
any probability of a hot, dry summer, I shall mulch 
Brussel Sprouts, autumn Cauliflowers, and any crop 
that can be in this way helped. Asparagus, as soon 
as cutting is given up finally, should be mulched ; it 
will greatly tend towards better results another 
spring. This is a crop that does not get nearly so 
much attention paid it as its merits deserve. After 
cutting has ceased, the only time often spent upon it 
is in the way of keeping down weeds. Treat it 
liberally by waterings of manure water or fish 
manure, and the results will be all the better. 
Mulching does not mean much labour, for the 
manure is upon the ground for the next crop, whilst 
it is a saving in watering. Strawberries should all 
have been mulched or strawed down before now, and 
frequent waterings given upon light soils ; otherwise 
the fruits will not set and swell to a good size.— 
H. G., m the Field. 
--J-- 
Hardening Miscellany. 
SONERILLA BARON SALIER. 
As fine foliage plants, the garden varieties of 
Sonerilla are very ornamental and serve to enliven 
the stove, either in summer or winter. Of course 
they are gayest in summer when they have com¬ 
pleted their annual growth and produce their attrac¬ 
tive rosy flowers. The leaves are characterised by 
being spotted in various ways, somewhat after the 
style of the Bertolonias, but differently. The plants 
are more easily cultivated than the latter, and the 
foliage is not so susceptible of injury through damp¬ 
ing or spotting. The above variety is new, and was 
exhibited by Messrs. E. D. Shuttleworth & Co., 
Peckham Rye, at the Temple Show, and again at 
the Drill Hall, Westminster, on the 6th inst. The 
leaves are ovate, hairy, and dark green, but so 
numerously studded over with small white specks as 
to obscure the green ground. In fact the spots seem 
as numerous as the hairs which cover the leaves and 
to have the same location. The spotting is there¬ 
fore quite different from what we usually see 
amongst the Sonerillas. 
SCHUBERTIA GRANDIFLORA. 
For some years past this climber has been grown 
intermittently in British gardens, to appear and 
disappear like many other plants. Some authorities 
say that it should be classed under the generic name 
of Physianthus, and others say Arauja. Whatever 
may be the correct one matters little to the general 
public now that it has an opportunity of purchasing 
flowers in the open market in the same way as those 
of Stephanotis, to which they may be compared. 
They are much more massive than those of 
Stephanotis, and have recently been selling well. 
The tube is contracted in the middle like a dumb¬ 
bell, with a massive, five-lobed, pure white lamina. 
The latter is waxy in appearance, of fleshy con¬ 
sistency, and lasts a long time in good condition. 
Unopened flower buds on the point of expansion 
assume a beautiful salmon-orange colour after being 
kept in a room for some days. Like those of the 
Stephanotis they are agreeably fragrant. The leaves 
and flower stalks are covered with long, rusty brown 
hairs. 
MAI^NTHEMUM BIFOLIUM. 
Various botanical names have been given to this 
plant, which is widely distributed over the north 
temperate regions, including Britain. Two of the 
generic names, including that above given, mean 
Mayflower or Mayblossom, in allusion to the period 
during which it flowers. The botanical names are 
somewhat shiftable, and it does not seem that the 
plant has generally been recognised by any English 
name. The plant forms a dwarf dense tuft, each 
stem surmounted by a raceme of small, white 
flowers, and bearing two heart-shaped, bright green 
leaves. It is a suitable plant for growing on moist 
positions of rockwork or in half shady positions such 
as would be given to Lily of the Valley, to which it 
is allied, though distantly. It remains in bloom for 
some weeks during May and June. 
ASTER ALPINUS. 
Most of the dwarfer forms of Aster are of superior 
decorative value on account of the relatively large 
size of their flower heads. The small flowers are 
mostly produced by tall growing species. A. alpinus 
is a European species introduced to this country as 
early as 1658, but not so often cultivated as its 
decorative merits deserve. The stems vary from 
6 in. to 9 in. in height, and terminate in solitary 
flower heads, with deep purple rays, and often 
measuring ij in. to 2 in. across. It is perfectly 
hardy, easily grown, and suitable for rockwork or 
for edgings to beds on account of its dwarf habit. 
Propagation may be effected by division or by 
cuttings of the short radical shoots in spring. 
CERASTIUM OVATUM. 
A large number of the species of Cerastium or 
Mouse-ear are of no horticultural value, but C. 
ovatum is exceptional in this respect. The stems 
are only about 3 in. high, forming little tufts with 
ovate leaves. The large, white petals are marked 
with longitudinal lines, like those of a Saxifraga or 
Parnassia. It will be evident from this description 
that it is most suitable as a rockwork plant, and may 
be seen on the rockery at Kew. 
EARLY STRAWBERRIES. 
We have this day, June 7th, gathered our first dish 
of Strawberries from Laxton’s Noble. They were 
the largest fruits that I have ever seen. My 
employer told me that the flavour was excellent. 
James Veitch, President, and Competitor are just 
beginning to colour.— T. Cocherill, The Gate House, 
Wirksworth, Derbyshire. 
MRS SANKEY SWEET PEA. 
In a note last week upon three new Sweet Peas, I 
omitted to say that the seed of Mrs. Sankey Sweet 
Pea is black, the seed of Queen of England and 
Emily Henderson white or light dun colour, thus 
showing a distinction at the outset.— Devoniensis. 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
Eulophiella Elizabethise. 
Orchid growers who went into raptures over this 
lovely novelty when they saw it for the first time at 
the recent Ghent Show, could hardly have hoped 
that it would come into the market so quickly as it 
has done, and in such numbers as were offered for 
sale at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris' Rooms on the 
gth inst., by Messrs. F. Sander & Co. The plant 
was first figured and described in Lindenia in May, 
1892 ; it was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth 
of Roumania, better known in literature as “ Carmen 
Sylva ; ” but for obvious reasons its habitat was kept 
secret. The honour of first flowering and exhibiting 
it in Europe belongs to MM. Linden, of L'Horti- 
culture Internationale, Brussels, who exhibited it 
among their six new plants, not in commerce, which 
they staged at the Ghent Show, where, as we 
have already indicated, it took the Orchid fancy 
immensely ; indeed, there were not a few present 
who considered it the best new plant exhibited on 
that occasion. It now appears that the plant was 
discovered in Madagascar by a French gentleman, 
M. Hamelin, who has recently returned with a con¬ 
signment which Messrs. F. Sander & Co. were so 
fortunate as to secure, and hence the unexpected 
appearance of the plants in the sale room last week. 
In what part of Madagascar M. Hamelin found the 
beautiful novelty yet remains a secret, but we are 
informed that it grows upon a single species of tree, 
at 40 ft. from the ground, in swamps, a hint of some 
importance to growers, as indicating that it is not a 
terrestrial species, and that it will want heat and 
moisture, and plenty of both. Good prices were 
realised for all the lots offered, the best pieces 
commanding from five to five and a half guineas each. 
A consignment of Dendrobium phalasnopsis Schro- 
derianum offered at the same time also commanded 
a ready sale, prices ranging from one to four guineas 
each. 
