August’5, 1898. 
771 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
detained the eye than a beautiful Dendrochilum, the 
innumerable little yellow flowers disposed in a 
pendulous raceme nearly a foot in length. 
The Orchids done with, Mr. Holmes led the way 
round the garden, distinguished from all others in 
the district by the number of its eminently beautiful 
Hollies, one apiece of a hundred different varieties, 
all trained cone-form, and constituting a perennially 
green enrichment beyond the margin of the ample 
lawn. 
-- 
MUSHROOM CULTURE IN 
A CAVE. 
In the pretty and thriving village of Akron, Erie 
County, New York, lying on a limestone ridge and 
situated about twenty-two miles from Buffalo, there 
is an industry flourishing of which few are aware 
except the villagers and the people who buy the 
product. It is Mushroom growing on a large scale. 
These same Agaricus campestris are so large, so fat, 
so heavy and meaty, in fact so different from those 
grown on the surface of the earth, I thought, 
perhaps, a brief description of the conditions under 
which they are grown might interest those of your 
readers who utilise their greenhouses for that pur¬ 
pose. Millions of barrels of cement (water lime) 
have been sent out from the village of Akron, and 
to produce this thousands, perhaps millions, of cords 
of limestone rock have been excavated. Where the 
limestone is found with but a few feet of flint and 
earth covering it it is quarried in the usual way, but 
where there is twenty to thirty feet to strip off before 
reaching the limestone it is cheaper to tunnel into 
the rock. The layer or strata of limestone in the 
cave in which the Mushrooms are growing was 8 ft. 
or 9 ft. thick, and does not follow the undulations of 
the surface of the earth above, but ran as near as 
possible level, and in many places both floor and 
ceiling in many square acres is as smooth and even 
as an asphalt pavement. 
We had the pleasure of being guided into these 
"darksome caves” by the proprietor himself, Mr. 
Irving Eckerson. He held the torch while we looked 
where to step, for it was not all asphalt pavement. 
Some friends with me were inclined to chat a little 
on the journey into the bowels of the earth ; my weak 
intellect was fully absorbed in contemplating where 
we should be if the candle went out. After a tramp 
of three or four hundred yards in Indian file, our foot¬ 
ing became better, and of a sudden the familiar odour 
of the chief ingredient which goes to produce Mush¬ 
rooms struck in full blast. The caves we were in 
were perhaps twenty or thirty acres in extent, but 
Mr. Eckerson uses but three or four acres, and of 
course has chosen the dryest part. Hundreds of 
beds were there, and in ten different styles ; some of 
them were in ridges 16 ft. long, 3 ft. wide at the 
bottom, running to a point about 2 ft. 6 in. high, 
but those Mr. E. says he has about abandoned, 
preferring the flat bed, which is neatly held together 
by hemlock boards, and is 16 ft. long, 6 ft. wide, and 
8 or 9 in. thick. There is just room left between 
each bed to walk and pick the Mushrooms, and 
everything is as neat and clean as the decks of a man- 
of-war. 
Mr. Eckerson puts no earth on the manure. I 
fired no questions at him about his methods of doing 
this and that ; I had sympathy for him, because I 
know what it is myself. There were beds in all 
shapes, some being made, others just formed, 
some just coming in, and others covered with 
great big snow-white fungi as big as a baby’s head, 
and about as heavy. They are shipped in handle 
baskets holding about six pounds, and they mostly 
go to New York City and Chicago. I asked when 
they were in most demand and when they brought 
the best price, and strange to say it is July, August, 
September, and October. In winter and spring Mr. 
Eckerson has what he calls greenhouse Mushrooms 
to oppose him, but in the warm weather greenhouse 
Mushrooms are " not in itthey are wormy and the 
cave-grown beauties are in great demand. I forgot 
to say that so uniform is the temperature that in 
winter the thermometer never goes below 55° and in 
the warmest summer never above 65°. This is, of 
course, the secret of the success, supplemented by a 
few " wrinkles ” which Mr. Eckerson says he paid 
by experience to learn, and which he never could 
find by reading, and he has bought every book on 
Mushrooms that is printed in English.— American. 
Florist. 
THE EARL’S COURT 
SHOW. 
The exhibition which opened on the 26th ult. and 
extended over the following day was meant to be 
devoted chiefly to Carnations and Picotees, but 
owing to the unusual earliness of the season the 
Carnation show was really held on the 12th ult. 
Herbaceous and other hardy flowers were certainly 
the prevailing feature on this occasion, and fruit was 
also prominent. Carnations were, however, really 
more plentiful than we expected they would be, and 
Roses were present in some quantity. 
The first award for twenty-four Carnations was 
taken by Mr. E. Shaw, Moston, Manchester, who 
displayed somebizarres and flakes of good size, while 
others were only moderate, but all very fresh. Mr. 
James Douglas, Edenside Gardens, Great Bookham, 
Surrey, was second with some good blooms of Juno, 
Charles Henwood, Diana, Niobe, and others. Mr. 
G. Chaundy, New Marston, Oxford, was awarded a 
second prize for twelve blooms, some of which were 
of good average merit. Mr. C. Turner, Slough, took 
the leading award for 24 yellow ground Picotees, 
with fine blooms of Countess of Jersey, Nellie Bath, 
Mrs. A. Barnett, Annie Douglas, Janira, Agnes 
Douglas, Mrs. Henwood, Romulus, and others, 
which were all fresh, varied, and handsome. Mr. J. 
Douglas took the second place with fine blooms of 
Boadicea, Mrs. Whitbourne, Mrs. Sydenham, 
Countess of Jersey, Lilian, and a seedling, all of 
which were light coloured with exception of the last 
two. Mr. G. Chaundy was accorded the first prize 
for twelve yellow grounds, seven of them being 
seedlings, but large and good. Mr. C. Turner again 
took the lead for twenty-four seifs or fancy varieties, 
with fine blooms of Janira, Germania, King of 
Scarlets, Salamandar, Duchess of Sutherland, 
Glaucus, and others. He was followed by Mr. G. 
Chaundy with a good exhibit. Mr.J. Douglas came 
in third with distinctly smaller blooms, but fresh. 
Mr. E. Shaw was the only exhibitor of twelve 
blooms, taking the first award with a good lot. He 
also took the leading award for twenty-four Picotees, 
showing some fine blooms of leading varieties. Mr. 
C. Turner took the second place. Mr. J. Douglas 
came in third. A second prize was awarded to 
Messrs. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, for twelve bunches 
of border Carnations. Mr. C. Turner had the best 
bunch of one variety for border culture ; and Mr. J. 
Douglas was second. Mr. G. H. Sage took the first 
prize for six varieties of border Carnations. Miss 
C. B. Cole, The Vineyard, Feltham, had the best 
vase of Carnations, and Miss N. H. Cole was second. 
Mr. Henry Eckford, Wem, Salop, had the best 
twelve bunches of Sweet Peas, which were very 
beautiful. Mr. A. Newell, gardener to Sir E. 
Saunders, Fair Lawn, Wimbledon Common, had the 
best six bunches of Sweet Peas. Mr. G. H. Sage, 
gardener to Earl Dysart, Ham House, Richmond, 
took the leading award for twelve bunches of hardy 
flowers, showing fine bunches of Coreopsis lanceo- 
lata, Veratrum nigrum, Eryngium Oliverianum, 
Gypsophila paniculata, and others. Mr. Newell 
took the second place here, and Mr. G. Wythes was 
third. The first prize for twenty-four bunches of 
hardy flowers was taken by Messrs. Paul & Son; 
Mr. G. H. Sage took the second award with a fine 
exhibit; and Mr. E. F. Such, Maidenhead, was 
third. 
The competition for Grapes was pretty keen, and 
the first award for three varieties of two bunches each 
was taken by Mr. T. Osman, Ottershaw Park Gardens, 
Chertsey. Mr. W. Tidy, gardener to W. K. D’Arcy, 
Esq., Stanmore Hall, Great Stanmore, took the 
second place; and Mr. W. Messenger, gardener to 
C. H. Berners, Esq., Wolverston Park, Ipswich, was 
third. An extra prize was accorded to Mr. W. 
Howe, gardener to H. Tate, Esq., Park Hill, Streat- 
ham Common. The first prize for three bunches of 
black Grapes, in a competition of nine entries, was 
taken by Mr. J. Friend, gardener to the Hon. P. C. 
Glyn, Rook’s Nest, Godstone, with handsome 
bunches and berries of Black Hamburgh ; Mr. W. 
Messenger took the second place, and Mr. T. Osman 
was third, all having good exhibits. Mr. W. H. 
Lees, The Gardens, Trent Park, New Barnet, took 
the first award for white Grapes with large bunches, 
two them being double ; Mr. W. Tidy was second, 
and Mr. W. Howe took the third place. Mr. W. H. 
Lees, Mr. W. Messenger, and Mr. A. Maxim, gar¬ 
dener to the Hon. Miss Shaw Lefevre, Heckfield 
Place, Winchfield, took the prizes for Apricots in 
the order named. For Peaches the order was Mr. 
A. Maxim, Mr. W. H. Lees, and Mr. W. Messenger. 
For Plums the order was Mr. W. Tidy, Mr. G. H. 
Sage, and Mr. J. Wallis, gardener to R. Sneyd, Esq , 
Keele Hall, Newcastle, Staffs. Mr R. Grindrod, 
Whitfield Gardens, Herts, had the best dish of 
dessert Apples; he was followed by Mr. J. C. 
Mundell, Moor Park Gardens, Rickmansworth, and 
Mr. J. Friend was third. The latter had the best 
Pears in Jargonelle. Mr. T. A. Hester, gardener to 
W. G. Dawson, Esq., The Links, Plumstead Com¬ 
mon was second, and Mr. A. Maxim came in third. 
Collections of fruits in the miscellaneous class 
were pretty numerous. A collection of Melons, 
including Piero of Lockinge and Blenheim Orange, 
was exhibited by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley. Mr. R. Grindrod showed Gooseberries, 
Red Currants, Cherries, Apricots, etc , and received 
a Bronze Medal. Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, 
Waltham Cross, exhibited two large groups of fruit¬ 
ing trees in pots, of Nectarines, Peaches, Apples, 
Plums, and Figs, and were accorded a Silver-gilt 
Medal. A collection of fruit, consisting of Beauty 
of Syon Melon, Morello Cherries, and Apricots, was 
exhibited by Mr. G. Wythes, gardener to the Duke 
of Northumberland, Syon House, Brentford. A 
quantity of Strawberry runners layered in pots was 
exhibited by Mr. T. Laxton, Bedford. The plants 
were chiefly those of Royal Sovereign, a new variety 
now being sent out, earlier, and of higher quality 
than Sir Joseph Paxton, and reputed to have the 
delicious flavour of British Queen. The fruits are 
usually conical, of great size, and fine appearance, as 
we ourselves have witnessed on more than one 
occasion. 
Hardy herbaceous and other plants were also well 
represented in the class for miscellaneous exhibits. 
A Silver-gilt Medal was awarded to Messrs. J. Laing 
& Sons, Forest Hill, for a large collection of tuberous 
Begonias, Phloxes, Lilies, Gladioli, Carnations, such 
as Ketton Rose and Celia, as fragrant as a Clove; 
also Violas, Pentstemons, Eryngiums, Echinops, 
Coreopsis verticillata, Matricaria inodora flore pleno, 
Sunflowers, and a host of others. A Silver Medal 
was accorded to Messrs. Barr & Son, Cove-nt Garden, 
for a collection of herbaceous plants, including 
Lilium tigrinum sinense, L. longiflorum giganteum, 
Statice latifolia, Liatris spicata, Galtonia candicans, 
Coreopsis lanceolata, and others. They also showed 
a small Alpine garden on a wooden framework to 
facilitate its being moved about. A similar award 
was made to Mr. E. F. Such, Maidenhead, for a 
collection of Phloxes, including a fine one named 
Mon. Thuret, as well as Gaillardias. A Bronze 
Medal was awarded to Mr. Henry Eckford, Wem, 
Salop, for a collection of Sweet Peas, including 
several new varieties exhibiting very delicate shades 
of colour. The blooms were of wonderful size. 
Messrs. D. Prior & Son, Myland Nursery, Colches¬ 
ter, had a good-sized collection of Roses, which were 
of good size and colour for the period of the year. 
An extra prize was awarded to Mr. G. Wythes for a 
large group of Palms, Celosias, Francoa ramosa i 
Campanula pyramidalis, C. turbinata and its 
varieties. A similar award was made to Mr. C. 
Turner for two stands of Carnation blooms. 
General Work. 
Now that weeds and moss are growing so fast on the 
garden walks, a dressing of weed killer will destroy 
them and make the gravel look clean and fresh. All 
the walks were done in the spring of last year, 
and scarcely a weed has shown itself until now. In 
using weed killers care should be taken not to apply 
them during stormy weather, or it may get washed 
by the rain to the sides of the walks and kill grass or 
box edgings. Hame's patent water-cans have the 
best roses for applying weed-killers of any cans that I 
have seen. 
Ground may now be prepared for winter Onions to 
be sown during the first half of August according to 
the locality. Plant out Endive and sow again. Make 
a second sowing of Ellam’s Cabbage, and prepare 
ground for the first lot to be planted about the third 
week of the month. Keep the hoe at work as much 
as possible among all the crops, as the weeds soon 
get the upper hand now we have had rain.— G.H.S. 
