138 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 30, 1897. 
numerous, and than the effect produced by the 
prettily variegated Chamaepeuce diacantha, and the 
graceful Acacia lophactha, and Fuchsias standing 
out of a groundwork of Alternantheras and other 
dwarf plants, nothing finer could be imagined. 
Tuberous Begonias, both single and double, add 
their quota ; and an edgiDg of Golden Feather, and 
Ecbeveria secunda glauca completed the display. In 
a small circular bed between these two oval ones, a 
handsome little specimen, some 3 ft. high, of the 
Dragon tree (Dracaena Draco) has been flourishing 
all the summer. 
A circular bed filled with Ivy-leaf Pelargoniums 
trained into balloon-shaped specimens, is distinct, 
but too stiff to be really effective. An attempt has 
been made to relieve this stiffness by interspersing 
plants of Eucalyptus globulus, and they certainly 
improve matters somewhat. 
Fuchsias, as may be supposed, are freely employed 
all over the park, and they have done very well, al¬ 
though , of course, September is too advanced to expect 
to see them in unimpaired beauty. Cassia corymbosa 
has also had its merits recognised, for its bright 
flowers are peeping from many a bed and border. 
Ficus elastica is another success as an outdoor sub¬ 
ject. The Castor-oil plants have a very stately 
presence, and the various shades of bronze-green 
and purple that their foliage exhibits gives them a 
distinct individuality amongst other foliage plants. 
Abutilon Thompsoni with its golden and green 
leaves is worthy of the highest praise. A bed of it 
associated with Heliotrope, and edged vith the 
bronzy-leaved Fuchsia Meteor pegged down flat upon 
the ground to form a carpet, has had many admirers. 
Of the larger beds, of which there are many in the 
central area of the sub-tropical garden from which 
the public is excluded, one filled with Erythrina 
crista-galli is very imposing. The plants were 
carrying a few large racemes of the bright coral-red 
flowers at the time of our visit. Nicotiana atropur- 
purea grandiflora well deserves its place, for with 
its towering height and deep purple flowers it is very 
conspicuous in the mass. Cannas have only been 
moderately employed. A bold, oval-shaped bed has 
the centre filled with purple-leaved varieties. This 
mass of purple is enclosed by a ring of the showy 
white Marguerites and by an outer ring of Gnapha- 
lium lanatum. The broad, white leaved Sahia 
argentea appears in several places and is most 
effective in each one of them. 
A most interesting bed is one entirely filled with 
succulent plants. The arrangement consists of five 
raised mounds, the central one being the tallest, with 
their attendant hollows. Some finely coloured pieces 
of Echeveria metallica are very conspicuous here. 
Portulaccas are also freely employed, and we also 
noticed the pretty Rochea falcata. 
Acalypha tricolor is utilised as an edging to several 
beds and borders, and throughout is very bright and 
has evidently done remarkably well. The Aviary, 
too, has not been forgotten, and the 3-ft. border 
surrounding it is filled with a great variety of 
plants in a tasteful way, whilst the structure itself is 
shaded in the summer and enlivened in the autumn 
by that popular London subject—the Virginian 
Creeper. 
In his arrangements for the adornment of the park 
and the gratification of the public, Mr. Coppin, the 
able superintendent, has been exceedingly thorough, 
an I everything reflects great credit upon him. 
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BOLTONIA LATISQUAMA. 
In general appearance the Boltonias, of which there 
are some three or four species, approach closely to the 
perennial Asters, and they may indeed be easily con¬ 
fused with the members of the latter genus. 
Boltonias differ from Asters, however, in having the 
pappus of the ray and disc florets dissimilar, 
whereas in Asters the pappus is the same throughout. 
Boltonia latisquama is one of the very finest of our 
hardy autumn-flowering plants. In height it is from 
five to six feet, the habit being bold and spreading. 
The flowers are large (about an inch in diameter), 
pure white, and produced in large, loose, terminal 
panicles. Its noble presence is a great feature of the 
nurseries of Messrs. Barr & Son, at Long Ditton at 
the present time, for it peeps out from various nooks 
on the rockery and other parts of the grounds. It is 
a great favourite with Mr. J. W. Barr, who thinks 
highly of it and its usefulness. B. latisquama is a 
native of North America. 
BEECHHILL NURSERY, EDINBURGH. 
Though the nursery of Mr. John Downie, Beech- 
hill, Murrajfield, Midlothian, is only of moderate 
extent, every part of it both outside and under glass 
is filled to overflowing, while everything is kept in 
neat and trim order. The city office at 144, Princes 
Street, Edinburgh, is within easy reach and call of 
the nursery, along the great western road running 
between Edinburgh and Glasgow. We made a 
hurried inspection of the place during the second 
week of September, and found everything in the 
same excellent condition as when we made the 
inspection some nine years ago. 
The Houses. 
The glass houses here are all relatively new and 
have consequently been built on the best modern 
principles for plant growing. The stove was the 
first house we entered. Some sixty or more varieties 
of Croton of a suitable size for table decoration are 
kept in stock. Other useful decorative stuff con¬ 
sisted of Pandanus Veitchi, Acalypha musaica, A. 
macrophylla, and other members of the genus ; also 
Ixoras in clean and vigorous plants; Sancbesia 
nobilis with its yellow ribbed leaves ; Aralia Veitchi, 
A. V. gracillima, and A. leptophylla, all very grace¬ 
ful and highly ornamental in their several ways. 
The silvery Caladium argyrites is still very popular. 
An uncommon plant is Xylophylla latifolia. 
Dracaena Princess Louise, with white-edged leaves 
and various others added their effect to the whole 
collection, of which the above may be taken as 
representatives of the class of plants that are cared 
fcr and kept in first-class order. 
The propagating pit contains a collection of 
various stove subjects of a useful size, independently 
of those which are being propagated. Here are to 
be seen batches of Cocos weddeliana in various sizes. 
Ferns in variety find a place here together with the 
more useful and popular forms of Maidenhair. The 
narrow-leaved and graceful Dracaenas will be grown 
for many years in establishments where decorative 
work has to be carried out. Anthurium 
crystallinum is hardly ever absent from collections of 
stove foliage plants. The spiny-stalked Licuala 
horrida is highly ornamental though formidable in 
appearance. Infinitely graceful is that old favourite, 
Reidia glaucescens, with its drooping and curiously- 
fringed flowers. 
The Palm stove contains its complement of the 
Palms which are almost essential to every establish¬ 
ment on account of their general utility. We refer 
to specimens of various sizes of Kentia belmoreana, 
K. fosteriana, K. canterburyana, and Phoenix 
reclinata. Of the two latter are some grand plants 
for furnishing work. Cannas in some of the finest 
of modern varieties have found their way here and 
are being utilised to the best advantage. Aspidistras 
stand a deal of bad usage when taken into dwelling- 
rooms. A fine stock of young Crotons occupies the 
shelves of this house. 
A miscellaneous collection of greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory subjects occupied an airy house, which 
looked well furnished notwithstanding the large 
assortment of plants at the autumn show of the 
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. Some of 
these noted at random were Cordylines, Hydrangea 
paniculata grandiflora, Lilium auratum, Eucharis 
grandiflora in pots, and the Bridal Wreath (Francoa 
raraosa) all flowering finely. 
There were some handsome specimens of Strobi- 
lanthes Dyeri, 3Jft. high, with richly coloured foliage. 
A good assortment of choice Ferns included various 
species of Pteris, Maidenhair Ferns, Asplenium 
palmatum cristatum, Cyrtomium falcatum, and others 
of like importance for decorative purposes. 
Passing into the fernery we found batches of 
Davallias, Microlepia hirta cristata, Adiantum 
tetraphyllum acuminatum, Pteris serrulata cristata, 
and others grown in association with plants requir¬ 
ing a stove or intermediate temperature. Caladiums 
were numerous, and Begonia La Lorraine in the 
pink of perfection was most profusely flowered. The 
latter now takes leading rank amongst flowering 
plants, whether for summer or winter work. Begonia 
Rex in variety and many others are also kept in stock. 
A.calyphas also associate well with the above. 
Tuberous Begonias are a prominent feature of 
BeechhiH, being grown in quantity, both single and 
double, named and unnamed. Every colour is re¬ 
presented by good varieties, amongst thesingle sorts 
of which we noted handsome scarlet, rosy-scarlet, 
crimson, white, rose, magenta, and orange varieties 
with shapely circular flowers. The same range cf 
colours runs through the doubles. Very choice was 
the yellow Miss Travers, the petals of which were 
arranged round a single centre. Other grand varie¬ 
ties in the collection are Prince of Wales, scarlet; 
Rose Laing, rose, and of very pretty form ; Alfred 
Berber, salmon-pink; Paul Verlaine, pure white; 
Salmon King, deep salmon, and of fine Camellia 
shape ; Madame Le Boucher, large, bright pink, and 
very full ; and Gladiateur, a dwarf bright scarlet 
variety. The flowers of Major Hope are of great size 
and rich pink. Le Colosse, as its name implies, is 
also of magnificent proportions, and differs from 
Major Hope chiefly in having darker flowers with 
more salmon in them. Beauty of Belgrove reminds 
one of the colour of La France Rose. A fine variety 
is Madame Ernest Fourtell, having creamy-white 
flowers. For size and purity it is beaten by Mrs. 
John Downie, the flowers of which are massive, 
chaste and beautiful. Near by we noted collections 
of early flowering Chrysanthemums and Chinese 
Primulas. 
The next house entered was largely occupied with 
small Palms in variety, batches of Araucaria 
excelsa, 9 in. to 12 in. high, Asparagus, Smilax, 
Lapageria rosea and L. r. alba. Small Palms, 
Ferns, and a fine batch of Cypripedium insigne 
monopolise another house. The last named 
is grown for the sake of cut flowers. Between and 
amongst the houses, or close under the front walls of 
the same, are numerous frames accommodating a 
great variety of subjects. One or more were filled 
with tuberous Begonias. A large one gave shelter 
to a fine lot of Araucaria excelsa, A. e. glauca, 
Cannas, Fuchsias and Bouvardias, all of the best 
types. Show and zonal Pelargoniums each mono¬ 
polised a frame, or rather a set of them. Cinerarias 
also require a length of these frames ; Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums and Gladioli of the brenchleyensis 
type, another ; and show and alpine Auriculas 
require a similar extent of frame space. 
The Open Nursery. 
Where the ground is of any great width it is broken 
up into squares known as brakes. One or two of 
these squares were occupied with a fine collection of 
show, fancy and Cactus Dahlias, in lull bloom at the 
time of our visit. Dahlias have been a speciality of 
the firm for many years. A brake is occupied with 
Aucubas in very fine condition, the foliage being 
clean and healthy, and the plants bushy. Similar 
spaces of ground are occupied by Hollies, in variety, 
Azalea mollis,Cherry Laurels,seedling Hollies,and the 
broad-leaved Privet. As we proceeded along the 
pathways we came upon breadths of Larches and 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, doing splendidly 
and quite hardy. 
A plantation of Strawberries included many of the 
best and most highly prized varieties, such as 
Garibaldi, Veitch’s Perfection, Lord Suffield, Presi¬ 
dent, Six Joseph Paxton, Royal Sovereign, Vicom- 
tesse Hericart de Thury, and others. Some pomo- 
logists consider the first and last named as 
synonymous, but the Scotch growers always main¬ 
tain that they are distinct. 
Brakes, beds and colonies of various flowers meet 
the eye at intervals. Lilium tigrinum and L. 
speciosum had done well irf the open ground. French 
and African Marigolds, East Lothian Stocks, 
Antirrhinums and Pentstemons have long been 
favourites here, receiving the best attention. 
Gladioli and tne Cape Hyacinth (Galtonia 
candicans) are grown in quantity, and a fine effect 
they had when we saw them. Roses are extensively 
grown for cut flowers, the firm having a large 
business in decorative and furnishing work. Both 
Tea and hybrid perpetuals are grown, amongst 
which we noted Mrs. J. Laing, General Jacqueminot, 
La France, Duke of Edinburgh, Catherine Mermet 
and many others in their autumn siage of blooming. 
Black, White and Red Currants, and Gooseberries, 
the latter in a great number of the best varieties, 
occupy brakes of ground of useful youDg stuff fit for 
planting. Leeks and Beet are grown for seed, the 
latter including Downie's and Dell's Beet. 
Conifers are well represented by green, golden and 
variegated varieties of the most distinct and useful 
kinds. Amongst others we noted Cupressus, Retinc- 
sporas, Thuyas, Golden Yews, Austrian Pines, and 
Juniperus macrocarpa, in specimens of various size 
and age. Variegated, coloured, and other ornamental 
trees and shrubs occupy a considerable amount of 
space. Golden and Silver variegated Hollies in 
