October 16, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
107 
Wonder, which is still more extensively grown than 
any other early dwarf wrinkled Pea. 
I should have preferred on this occasion to have 
made no allusion to the work of my firm in connec¬ 
tion with the Pea, but I think all present will agree 
with me that no sketch would be complete without 
referring to the first early wrinkled Marrowfat sorts 
which have been introduced during the past few 
years, and in the selection of which I have personally 
been so much interested ; I allude especially to May 
Queen, Ai, Empress of India, Seedling, Excelsior, 
and Forcing, which have attracted so much attention 
at recent Temple Shows. 
Our aim has been to replace the small, hard, 
round-seeded sorts, upon which the public had been 
obliged to depend so much for their first supply, 
with Peas of dwarf growth, but equally as early, and 
producing pods as large as Telephone, Duke of 
Albany, and Peas of that class, containing large 
wrinkled Peas of Marrowfat flavour, and we have 
succeeded beyond our most sanguine expectations. 
In Peas of a later class we have introduced other 
popular kinds such as Royal Jubilee, Perfection, 
Windsor Castle, Exhibition, Magnum Bonum, Late 
Queen, and others. The eagerness with which all 
these new Peas have been sought after as soon as 
they had been tried, attests their value, and it is 
personally gratifying to me to know that Her 
Majesty—in whose honour we are met to-day— 
allowed the collection of Peas staged at the Temple 
show in 1896 to be placed in the Entrance Hall at 
Windsor Castle for her personal examination, and 
that some of the Peas appeared the same evening 
upon the Royal table; Mr. Thomas perhaps will 
also allow me to mention that this year Her Majesty 
was so pleased with the Peas he had grown at Wind- 
for that she telegraphed for a supply to be sent daily 
by post to Balmoral, and that in June last the Em¬ 
press Frederick wished seed sent at once to the 
gardens at Friedrickshof in order to have Marrowfat 
Peas in the autumn. 
During recent years the list of good Peas has also 
been added to by such excellent sorts as Daisy, 
Veitch's Maincrop, Alderman, Laxton’s Gradus, and 
many others. 
It maybe as well to remark here that the improve¬ 
ment of Peas, as well as other vegetables, has doubt¬ 
less received considerable impetus from the keen 
competition upon the exhibition table—a hobby 
which our older gardening friends seldom, if ever, in¬ 
dulged in. This competition has likewise had a very 
marked effect upon the cultivation of Peas and other 
vegetables, so that, with the fine types now procur¬ 
able and the improved systems adopted by growers, 
results are obtained which are really marvellous. 
Before leaving this section reference must be made 
to the careful work done in the Chiswick Gardens in 
making trials of Peas for many years past. The 
value of these trials, great as it is, would be con¬ 
siderably enhanced had circumstances rendered it 
possible to grow a larger number of older sorts along¬ 
side the new varieties for the sake of comparison. I 
may mention that in order to make our Pea trials 
comprehensive enough to determine the value of new 
seedlings, and to fully test the older varieties offered, 
etc., it is necessary to sow from 600 to 700 rows 
annually. 
«■» 
MICHAELMAS DAISIES AT LONG 
DITTON. 
The autumnal garden would lose much were the 
twinkling Starworts in all their wealth of range and 
beauty absent. Whether we regard their decorative 
value to the garden as they stand in situ or whether 
we consider the service they are capable of rendering 
as cut flowers for the decoration of bower and hall it 
matters not, we are obliged to confess that we could 
not well do without them. This much the ordinary 
Person would confess, but it is only when we see a 
collection of the plants together in one place that we 
are able to judge of the immense range of habit and 
general appearance that there is included in the 
genus. Then again, we must not loose sight of the 
grand weather-resisting qualities possessed by these 
autumn-flowering plants. Rain, wind, and cold 
come all alike to them, and they stand the oft- 
recurrent and malevolent changes of a British 
autumn with unqualified equanimity, whilst other 
flowers of less rude health are in a state of more or 
less complete collapse. 
The Starworts naturally fall into three sections, 
according to their periods of blooming. First we 
have those commencing to flower about the end of 
July, and continuing in bloom until the middle of 
September, Second come those forms which com¬ 
mence to bloom in September, and third those which 
commence to flower in October and carry their 
beauty well into the frosts of winter. We paid a 
visit to the Long Ditton Nurseries of Messrs. Barr 
& Son the last week in September, and in spite of 
the cold and wet, found the Michaelmas Daisies 
much in evidence. The day was bright and warm, 
and amidst the bright rays of the sun and the busy 
and contented humming of the bees among the 
"Daisies,” we found it hard to realise that the 
pheasants in the distant coverts were nearly in con¬ 
dition, and would enjoy only a few more days of 
respite, whilst the ladders and baskets were busy in 
many a British orchard reaping the golden and russet 
harvest of the glowing year. An Indian summer day 
is almost as delusive as it is delightful! 
But to turn our attention more particularly to the 
flowers themselves, we found a grand collection 
awaiting our inspection and admiration. The 
former was given readily, and the latter was by no 
means withheld, for Messrs. Barr & Sons are to be 
congratulated on the comprehensive character of 
their representation of the genus Aster. The follow¬ 
ing are some of the most striking and useful forms: — 
A. dumosis. —This is a charming dwarf form from 
1 ft. to 15 in. in height, and of a dense, bushy habit. 
The leaves are small and linear in shape, while the 
flowers are about half an inch in diameter, the ray 
florets being of a delicate mauve, and the disc florets 
rosy-red. As a subject for the front rank of the 
herbaceous border, or for nooks in the rock-garden, 
or for bedding purposes, it is perfection. As a pot 
plant, too, it may be turned to good account. 
A. Shortii is about 3J ft. in height. The flowers 
are £ in. in diameter and bright lilac in hue. The 
habit of the plant is distinct, for it throws up stout 
stems which are clothed to the bottom with graceful 
sub-pendulous side branches, thus furnishing a 
graceful pyramidal spray that is perfection for the 
filling of vases. If we had to make a selection of six 
varieties, A. Shortii should be one of them. 
A. ptarmicoides is some 2 ft. in height and has 
small pure white flowers. In habit it is stiff and 
erect. It belongs to the earliest section and was 
therefore well on the road that leads to the decay of 
splendour when we saw it. 
A. Linosyris (Goldilocks) is both a handsome and 
distinct plant with flax-like foliage and showy yellow 
flowers. Its height is from 18 in. to 2 ft, and 
as it is fairly bushy in habit, it should be of value for 
the decoration of the conservatory when grown in 
pots. 
A. Novae-Angliae has given rise to several fine 
varieties, in all of which may be seen the tall, erect, 
and vigorous habit of the type, and the hispid stems. 
In all of them, too, the flowers are produced in 
terminal clusters. The leaves are linear lanceolate in 
shape, and clasp the stems with their bases. The 
species was brought from North America in the year 
1710. 
A. N.-A. roseus is one of the finest forms. The 
flowers are large, and of a bright rose shade. The 
height is from 5 ft. to 6 ft. 
A. N.-A. pulchellus is a little shorter than the 
last-named being from 4 ft. to 5 ft. in height. The 
flowers, however, are fully as large, and exhibit a 
beautiful violet-blue. 
A. N.-A. praecox may well be included. The 
flowers are fully as large as the others, but crimson- 
purple in hue, so that it may be looked upon as an 
intermediate colour between A. N.-A. roseus, and A. 
N.-A. pulchellus. Its stature is about 4 ft. in ordinary 
seasons. 
A. umbellatus is a species that is very distinct 
with regard to habit. The flowers are produced in 
large, loose, terminal corymbs, not umbels as the 
name would suggest. They are of medium size with 
rather long, white, reflexing ray florets and bright 
yellow discs. The leaves are lanceolate in shape. 
The plant is apt to develop a rather ragged look 
about its lower parts, so it should be relegated to the 
back row in the border; still, it is a pretty and 
meretorious form, and we should advise its inclusion 
in every collection. 
A. acris is one of the most popular eaily species, 
and is largely grown. The bright lilac-purple, and 
rather loosely built flowers are remarkably tenacious 
of life, and given anything like fair weather, last well 
into the autumn. 
A. a. dr acunculoides is a variety chiefly differing 
from the type in its greater stature, that is on the 
older plants. In the case of spring struck cuttings 
this increased height is not apparent, for the plants 
flower when little more than 18 in. in height. 
A. Amellus, with its large purple-blue, solitary 
flowers, is one of the very finest border kinds. 
A. A. bessarabicus has deep violet-blue flowers, 
and is rather taller than the species, whilst the 
flower heads are a trifle larger. Both of these 
forms are indispensable to a good collection. 
A. Novi-Belgii represents the most numerous 
section having given rise to a great nurftber of varie¬ 
ties, many of which are of surpassing merit. The 
leaves are broader than in the case of the Novae- 
Angliae forms, and do not so distinctly clasp the 
stems. The stems, too, are smooth, and not 
coarsely hispid, as are the latter varieties. The 
species was brought from North America in 1710. 
A. N-B Ceres is one of the gems of this section. 
It is rather tall (5 ft. to 6 ft.), and has large pure 
white flowers ; in fact, it is the best of its kind. 
A. N-B Fanny has large lilac flowers, and is very 
free and showy. 
A. N-B Cottage Maid is a new variety with 
blush-pink flowers about an inch in diameter, very 
free in blooming, and vigorous in constitution. The 
height is 4 ft. 
A. N-B St. Bridgid. —This is another new variety 
with rather smaller flowers than, but of the same 
colour, as those of the last-named. It is taller, too 3 
in stature. Both may well be grown, as they are quite 
distinct. 
A. N-B Daphnae is a new seedling of home origin, 
included in the Messrs. Barrs’ catalogue for the first 
time. The flowers are large (ijin. in diameter), and 
deep blue in colour. The leaves are ovate to ovate- 
lanceolate in shape, and of substantial texture. The 
chief feature, however, consists in the black shining 
stems, which are, moreover, very stout and strong. 
The height is 4 ft. 
A. N. A. Woolston. —Whilst speaking of new 
varieties, we may mention this one. The habit is that 
of a variety of A. Novae-Angliae. The stems are 
pink, and coarsely hispid, whilst the leaves are sub- 
amplexicaul, auricled at the base, and lanceolate in 
shape. The flowers are very large (1$ in. in diame¬ 
ter), but this is chiefly due to the very long ray 
florets, for the disc is very small. The colour is 
bright purple. The height is from 5 ft. to 6 ft. 
A. versicolor Themis runs to about 2J ft. in 
stature. The flowers are white, changing to delicate 
rose. 
A. ericoides. —The Heath-like Aster is a general 
favourite, and needs no further description. It must 
suffice to say that we have never seen it looking 
happier than at the Long Ditton establishment. 
A. ericoides Clio is a charming form of the same 
height (3 ft.) with blush instead of white flowers. 
The habit is dense and bus hy, the individual sprays 
being long and graceful. It is also rather earlier 
than the type. 
-» l» - -A. . 
SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. — October 12th. 
There was again a fine display of various subjects at 
the meeting on Tuesday last, including large collec¬ 
tions of perennial Asters, Begonia La Lorraine, 
stove and greenhouse plants, Chrysanthemums, and 
Orchids. The latter was indeed in much stronger 
force than they have been for some time past. 
Messrs. J.Veitch& Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, staged a large 
group of Orchids, including a tall and well-flowered 
plant of the bold and striking Dendrobium taurinum 
amboinense, also grand pieces of Coelogyne Veitchi, 
Oncidium praetextum, O. divaricatum, O. tigrinum, 
O. phymatochilum, and other species. Cattleya 
labiata was abundant and in great variety. Dendro¬ 
bium Dearei and D. Stratiotes were represented by 
well-flowered pieces. Odontoglossums, Cypripedium 
arthurianum, C. oenanthum superbum, C. Charles- 
worthii, C. T. B. Haywood, and various others were 
well-represented by finely flowered pieces The 
Oichids were set off with Palms and Maidenhair 
Ferns (Silver Gilt Flora Medal). 
Msssrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton, staged a varied 
and profusely flowered group of Orchids set up with 
Palms and Asparagus. Choice and noteworthy were 
