294 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 8,1898. 
THE NEW CATALOGUES. 
It almost seems as if no season was now entirely 
exempt from catalogues and lists, but the finest and 
heaviest mostly appear when the old year is passing 
into the new. In any case gardeners are on the 
outlook at this season for the new catalogues that 
are to serve them with every requisite for the garden 
during the year that has just been ushered in. Our 
weekly announcements show those that are on the 
move. Amongst the earliest of the well-got-up 
catalogues to reach us in December was that of 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, of which we made 
mention at p. 246. 
Next in sequence came “ Carters' Tested Garden 
Seeds,” from Messrs. James Carter & Co., High 
Holborn, London, with a sprightly and clean-lcoking 
cover, having a coloured illustration of varieties of 
the Comet Aster on the front, and another of 
Dianthus chjnensis Heddewigii on the back. 
Coloured illustrations are not yet entirely abandoned 
for there is a well executed one of various popular 
florists’ flowers facing p. 96. Numerous other illus¬ 
trations with which the pages of this massive annual 
are adorned are mostly photographic reproductions, 
many of which are admirably executed. We would 
mention especially the photographs of Peas, Carter’s 
Improved types of Runner Beans, the Melons, 
Carrots, Cauliflower, Onions, and Carter’s Snowball 
and other Potatos amongst the vegetables. Many 
flowers are also well represented. 
The Catalogue of Seeds, &c., sent out by Messrs. 
James Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, 
Chelsea, is also freely illustrated with numerous 
photographic reproductions, all well executed, and 
which go to show the popularity of this art for repre¬ 
senting garden produce. Peas, Potatos, Melons, 
Mushrooms, and all the Cabbage tribe are well dis¬ 
played by means of the process we have just men¬ 
tioned. Many flowers are in no way behind the 
vegetables, the natural characteristics of Veitch’s 
Petunias, China Asters, Foxgloves, Streptocarpus, 
Phlox Drummondi, &c., being brought to great 
perfection. The fi 3 l page and coloured illustration 
of Veitch’s large-flowering Sweet Peas is simply 
charming, and the best plate of this popular class of 
flowers we have yet seen. The colours are beauti¬ 
fully contrasted and brought out with great fidelity 
to nature. 
The Spring Catalogue of Messrs. Webb & Sons, 
Woidsley, Stourbridge, ccmes out in rich brownish- 
purple covers, ornamented with raised gold lettering. 
Here again photography has been turned to good 
account in the excellent illustrations of Scarlet 
Runners, French Beans, Cauliflower, Broccoli, 
Melons, Onions, Peas, Tomatos, Potatos, and other 
vegetables, which are abundantly represented cn 
almost every page. There are also some good re¬ 
productions of flowers from photographs, but a good 
few woodcuts are still utilised in this section. 
Altogether it is a well got up publication. 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co,, Rothesay, come up wiih 
their Catalogue and Competitor's Guide as full as 
ever, indeed, fat with its onerous burden of vegetable 
and flower seeds, the florist's varieties of the latter 
being very fully recorded and otherwise dealt with. 
The illustrations are numerous, though moderate in 
size, and consist mostly of woodcuts. The lettering 
in various colours on the front cover constitutes 
another triumph of the printers’ art. 
Messrs. H. Caneell & Sons, Swanley, in their 
Complete Catalogue of Golden Seeds, also use wood- 
cut illustrations very largely, though by no means 
exclusively, the larger ones being mostly photo¬ 
graphic reproductions. A circular bed of Antirr¬ 
hinums shows what may be done with a judicious 
arrangement of the dwarf races around the ta'hr 
growing types. 
Messrs. Charles Sharpe & Co . Limited, Slea¬ 
ford, issue a well-printed catalogue of *• Standard ” 
Seeds, illustrated by woodcuts and photographic re¬ 
productions, Peas and Potatos particularly being 
admirably represented by the latter process* 
PUBLIC PARK NURSERY, ROTHESAY. 
Herbaceous and alpine plants receive the mcst 
attention from Mr. Michael CuthbertsoD, Public 
Park Nursery, Rothesay, N.B. Spring and summer 
are the best times to see these things in perfection, 
or, at all events, to see the greatest number of plants 
in bloom at any one season. During the second 
week of September last we made a hurried inspection 
of the nursery, but lack of time prevented us from 
doing more lhan making a general survey of the 
plants cultivated. Some rare border and alpine 
plants have, however, been got together, and those 
desirous of seeing them should pay a visit of in¬ 
spection during the spring or summer months. 
The Saxifragas, of which many sorts are grown, 
lcok best duting May and June when in full lloom. 
Sedums and Sempervinums are also grown in great 
varietj, being well adapted for cultivation on 
rockeries. Acoena Novae Zealandiae grows and 
flowers well in this equable climate on the banks of 
the Firth of Clyde. Another uncommon plant is 
Saponaria ocymoides, of creeping habit, and well 
adapted for hanging over the ledges of rockeries. 
More choice even is Ramondiapyrenaica, which was 
grown in pots, though we think it would answer well 
if planted between sandstone rocks in the damp 
climate of this western district. 
It is now some years since Veronica longifolia sub; 
sessilis was introduced, yet it still remains the first 
and most effective of the group, of which V. longi¬ 
folia is the well known type. Some or other of the 
forms are to be met with in every garden, but V. 1 . 
subsessilis has yet an abundance of room for dissem¬ 
ination in British gardens before every cultivator 
makes a practical acquaintance with it. Galtonia 
candicans (the Cape Hyacinth) makes an admirable 
companion for plants in beds of a mcst varied de¬ 
scription. In this northern latitude it reaches per¬ 
fection in August and September. Other choice 
herbaceous subjects in bloom on the occasion of our 
visit were Helenium pumilura, Chrysanthemum 
maximum, late flowering Phloxes in great variety, 
and the choice Montbretias now rapidly getting 
disseminated amongst the leading gardens every¬ 
where. 
Dianthus neapolitanus is a richly coloured hybrid, 
with crimson-scarlet flowers, that does well in cool 
northern districts particularly. The variegated 
Hypericum moserianum tricolor is being recognised 
at the hands of many growers. It grows more 
slowly than the type, though that is always a 
neat, beautiful, and interesting plant. Tropaeolum 
tuberosum is anything but a common plant, notwith¬ 
standing that it gives the greatest satisfaction in 
gardens of a widely varied description at different 
points between Rothesay and the Channel Islands. 
British Ferns are not overlooked, their cultivation 
in this equable and moist climate being of the easiest 
description, even in the open ground. Chrysanthe¬ 
mums are also grown to some extent, the flowers 
they furnish in autumn being very serviceable, as are 
those of Sweet Peas, which keep on flowering till late 
in the autumn. Several varieties of Mimulus are 
grown, including M. cupreus, M. cardinalis grandi- 
florus, and others of those types. Violas are at 
home in this northern district, and are grown in 
some quantity. During the summer months the 
glasshouses are largely devoted to the cultivation of 
Tomatos. The nursery is within easy reach of the 
pier at Rothesay. 
--**.- 
A TAME WILD BIRD. 
I was very much intere.ted in “ The Strange Freak 
of a Blackbird,” page 278, and can fully realise the 
interest W. K. must have taken in his dicky-birds. 
I am sure no one who has never ha 1 a tame wild 
bird (Irish) would believe ho v interesting they are. 
For instance, we always have two or three robins' 
nests in our greenhouses each year. Last spring one 
built on a shelf within a foot of our heads where we 
were dodging about all day packing, and actually 
stole the moss and bits of cocoanut fibre or anything 
it could lay it ban’—oh, no—beak upon. 
One young rascal got so bold that it used to be 
about with one or other of the members of the 
establishment almost the whole day ; and no cage 
bird ever had half so much notice taken of it. It 
would hop about on the potting bench and pick out 
wireworms and other moving insects ; but its 
favourite morsels were earwigs and spiders. It 
would feed out of our hands, folio n us indoors, or 
into the greenhouses and shop, and was always 
twittering. The amount of insects he or she would 
eat is simply marvellous—sometimes twenty earwigs 
at a meal ! We very rarely wasted an earwig, 
spider, or wireworm, but used to put them in a glass 
bottle ; and it was amusing to see him (it I mean) 
when the bottle was presented. He would dance 
round the bottle like a pig round a potato sack, and 
no other robin dared tread over the chalk mark ; for 
robins (like the tribes in India) have a sort of settle¬ 
ment oi their own, and there is fighting when other 
tribes intrude (this is an object lesson). Our robin 
got so well-known amongst the people who used to 
come to see the Chrysanthemums that they used to 
bring crumbs for him to feed out of their hands ; but 
“no,” says he, “give me a spider, and the bigger, 
the better.” 
On my return from Ireland, poor Bob had dis¬ 
appeared. Oh those blooming cats ! I am thankful 
there is no duty oa cats. I would rather have one 
robin than forty cats. I offer, gratis, this hint to 
gardeners who grow Chrysanthemums, “tame a 
robin.”— IV. Wells, Earlswood. 
-- 
FLOWERING SHRUBS THAT THRIVE 
UNDER TREES. 
As most of us well know it is difficult to get grass 
seeds to grow under the shade of trees; and if good 
turf is laid down, after a few years the ground again 
becomes bare Especially is this the case where 
very little light or sun reaches the spot. And if ihis 
should be the case anywhere in the pleasure grounds, 
what is more objectionable than to be constantly 
seeing such barren places when a few plants would 
quickly remedy the evil ? I give a few which I find 
do well under and in proximity to tall Conifer and 
deciduous trees that have got leggy and where turf 
will not make the least commencement to grow. 
The bushy Veronicas grow and flower well with 
this treatment, where not too much exposed to 
cutting winds. These are not quite hardy in some 
counties, but where they do stand out and thrive I 
can confidently recommend them for this purpose. 
Some of the species of Berberis are well adapted 
for this, notably B. Aquifolium, B . Darwinii, and B. 
nepalense. The various green and variegated Peri¬ 
winkles as well as the stronger growing Ivies do well 
as an undergrowth or as margin plants. Most of the 
Aucubas are amenable in this poshion, and it is best 
to plant both male and female plants or berries will 
be scarce. Nothing with me thrives better than the 
old St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) which 
increases very fast and also flowers well every year, 
though immediately under a large spreading Oak 
tree. 
Before planting the ground should be broken up 
and have some well-rotted leaf soil or short manure 
worked in, as such positions are sure to be 
impoverished The plants should have a thorough 
soaking of water and not allowed to suffer for the 
want of such the following summer during the 
hottest and driest months.— J. Mayne, Bicton. 
--*■- 
THE MONKEY AND THE TOMATOS. 
A young gardener not a hundred miles from London 
Bridge made up his mind to try a number of the 
best varieties of Tomatos in order to ascertain 
which was the most suitable for the establishment 
under his control. Seed of seven or eight varieties, 
in as many packets, was procured. 
Sowing time in due course arrived, and the seed 
packets were taken in a basket to a vinery, where 
pots and compost already prepared were stored in 
readiness for use. Before the gardener commencsd 
sowing the seeds, the dinner bell warned him that he 
had another duty to perform during the next hour, 
and he obeyed the summons, leaving the packets 
unopened, and in no special danger, as he thought, 
or failed to think -most likely the latter. 
A monkey kept on the premises, and securely 
housed in his cage close by, had been intently watch¬ 
ing this preliminary performance ; but like most of 
his kind was discreet enough not to ask any questions 
which might arouse suspicion. Curious to know all 
about the contents of those packets, he reached and 
opened every one of them during the absence of the 
gardener, and left the seeds of all the varieties mixed 
indiscriminately at the bottom of his cage. On the 
return of the gardener the monkey had a lively time 
of it during the afternoon, and twice attempted to 
drown himself in the tank ; but on each occasion 
was fished out before his rash act had time to take 
effict. 
The Tomato seeds were scraped together, sown in 
mixture, and planted out in due course. Every year 
for the last three or four summers, such fruits as 
most nearly approached the ideal market Tomato 
were selected from some hundreds of plants. 
Whether the present strain originated from one 
variety, or can claim lineal descent from the eight it 
would be difficult to say ; but certainly the medium¬ 
sized fruits are shapely, smooth, highly coloured, 
solid, and of excellent flavour. The setting and 
cropping qualities of the plants are equally good. 
The mystery of parentage, however, remains where 
the meddlesome and inquisitive monkey left it..— J, 
