March|26, 1898, 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
473 
a tub, but you will get better results if you plant it 
out. Why not make up a little border expressly for 
it ? it would not take much trouble and would repay 
you. The border should be from a foot to fifteen 
inches in depth at least, and should be well drained. 
The soil may consist of equal parts of loam and leaf 
soil with sand. 
-» € » 
APPLE ROYAL SNOW. 
Coming as it does from Canada, this handsome 
Apple should succeed in this country. The high 
encomiums with which it has been spoken of by 
those who know it in the country of its origin, and 
the few who know it in this country, give cause for 
wonder why it should have so long remained a 
a stranger to our gardens and orchards. In the 
matter of flavour it is compared to Cox’s Orange 
Pippin for which it is contended to be the most 
likely rival for some years to come. 
The fruit is conical, about 3 ins. high and nearly 
as wide below the middle, The greater portion of 
the skin is of an intense but lively red, and streaked 
with red on a yellow ground on the portion less ex¬ 
posed to direct sunlight, while the basal area is 
russety. The eye is closed and set in a wide cavity 
of moderate depth ; at the opposite end the slender 
stalk is set in a deep and relatively narrow cavity. 
The flesh is white, hence the name “ Snow.” It is 
firm, but crisp and juicy, with a pleasant aroma and 
a flavour recalling that of the Pineapple according 
to those who have tasted it; or it is sweet and vinous 
according to others. Needless to say it is classed 
as a dessert Apple of the first-class, and comes into 
perfection for the table about Christmas. 
In the autumn of 1896 the Canadians, by way 
of congratulating the Queen on the approach¬ 
ing completion of the 60th year of her reign, sent a 
magnificent consignment of this Apple, which they 
considered the very best they could offer for her accept¬ 
ance. The fruit, including Apples, Pears, Quinces, 
and Grapes, duly arrived on the 18th November, 
and presented an attractive and tempting appear¬ 
ance. They were grown by the fruit farmers of 
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. A stock of the Apple 
Royal Snow has been got up by Mr. W. Horne, 
Perry Hill, Cliffe, Rochester, Kent, who placed the 
accompanying illustration at our disposal. 
■t»- 
THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, GLASGOW. 
Four score years ago the Glasgow Botanical Garden 
was originated at the west end of Sauchiehall Road, 
where it flourished for a quarter of a century 
before it was deemed expedient to remove it to its 
present site in the Hillhead district. Like many a 
good old institution the garden had its vicissitudes. 
It would seem that the first twenty-five years of its 
existence were, until recently, the most notable 
period of its history. This will not be a matter of 
astonishment when we see that no less a savant than 
Sir Wm. Hooker, at that time Professor of Botany in 
the University, was at the head of the affair. Sir 
William was doubtless the chief spirit in its founda¬ 
tion ; and from what can be gleaned from the history 
of the garden, he took more than the ordinary 
professorial interest in its welfare. He introduced 
many new plants which were at the time unknown 
in Britain. And we can easily conceive how inter¬ 
estingly botanical the garden at Sauchiehall Road 
would be under the zealous eye of an enthusiastic 
botanist like Sir William. There is reason to think 
that at this eventful era the garden attracted no 
small attention from all parts of Britain. It 
evidently attracted Kew, for ultimately Glasgow lost 
her revered professor, who was translated thither in 
1841. 
The following year the garden was removed to its 
present quarters. The necessity for this was occa¬ 
sioned by the ever-increasing growth of the building 
industry on all hands ; and again there would be 
much benefit derived by removing the site further 
out from the unpoetical association of sooty walls 
and the din of street traffic. Yes, the garden once 
again is encircled with bulwarks of stone and lime 
with the exception that this time the area is more 
extensive, and consequently less liable to the 
injurious effects which would accrue from a closer 
contiguity to the carbon-laden atmosphere. 
The situation of the garden for its natural beauty 
cannot be surpassed in the immediate vicinity of the 
city. The area within the walls is nearly forty acres, 
twenty-two of which only were acquired in the 
formation of the garden previous to 1891, when the 
Glasgow Corporation rescued it from an impending 
decay. The remaining acreage was added to the 
garden recently and is now in process of being laid 
out by the curator, Mr. Dewar. This increment is a 
most judicious acquisition, inasmuch as it perfects 
the garden. Hitherto it was bounded on the north 
by the classic Kelvin, and contained but one side of 
the beautiful Kelvingrove, celebrated in the song 
"Let us haste to Kelvingrove, bonnie lassie O.” 
Now tha other side belongs to the garden and is 
connected by bridges. Moreover, this addition is 
very probably the actual scene round which the poet 
depicted the sentiments of his song. There are still 
the remnants of the "Three Pear Tree Well,” the 
famous trysting place of lads and lassies. It is much 
to be regretted that when the underground railway 
was pierced through the bowels of the garden a few 
years ago, the well which had become well-nigh 
sacred had been almost obliterated. The "mill,” 
too, disappeared some years ago, though it might, 
as an old ruin in the valley and having a classic 
connection, contribute a charm peculiar to itself to 
the landscape. Yet, perhaps, its demise is not a 
matter of regret. Again by the acquisition of this 
ground, many of the remnants of the Kelvingrove 
old forest trees will be preserved from the ruthless 
hand of the unsentimental builder. 
The uneven nature of the garden, though an in¬ 
valuable merit from a picturesque point of view 
presents a standing difficulty in successfully over¬ 
coming the introduction of a body of water of any 
appreciable extent. There is always much peculiarly 
interesting attached to aquatic denizens, let them be 
vegetable or piscatorial. They seldom fail to attract 
the attention of many who are otherwise incapaci¬ 
tated for admiring all round natural beauty. How¬ 
ever small, therefore, the provision for water may 
be in a public garden, the common good which it 
serves is undoubtedly incalculable. 
Mr. Dewar, the able curator, on being appointed, 
evidently saw the drawback of the want of a pond 
for hardy subjects, set to at once to construct such, 
and with much difficulty successfully managed to 
form two circular ponds. Though, perhaps, not 
so spacious as the extent of the garden demands, 
yet they give a totally new character to the former 
monotonous aspect of that part of the garden. These 
have been filled with their several plants according 
as they were made to suit. 
The one is entirely a Lily pond, and is a beauti¬ 
ful sight in the summer months, notwithstanding 
the illicit appearance of a patch here and there of 
the dreaded " Elodea canadensis,” better known as 
the " Anacharis alsinastrum.” The other is a semi¬ 
marsh and contains a capital collection of natant 
and semi-natant plants, native and exotic, among 
which may be seen with its beautiful flowers, 
“ Aponogeton distachyon.” 
The excess water is very artistically utilised in the 
form of a waterfall, and falls down a very pleasing 
bit of artificial rock work. On both sides the new 
rockworks, also the creation of Mr. Dewar, flank a 
walk which runs at right angles to the cascade 
and water course. This rockery was constructed 
with very much difficulty, due to the little or no 
help afforded by nature, as well as the artificial 
excavations necessary to make the idea of a water¬ 
fall possible, the pond and the original surface being 
level. The rockeries are well stocked with rare 
Alpines, and since their completion they command, 
along with the ponds, perhaps, more of the public 
attention than any other department of the 
gardens. 
There have been many other improvements of no 
less importance made by the curator in the short 
time he has discharged the responsible duties of his 
office, and no doubt many more would have been, 
did the nature of the soil lend more kindly aid. 
The soil.it may be said, is extremely bad, a feature 
which could never have been taken into account 
when the site was agreed upon. Clay, clay, wher¬ 
ever the spade is put into the earth, and what is 
worse it is that impenetrable boulder clay with a 
substratum as impervious to water or air as rock 
itself. 
Only those who have had the unfortunate experi¬ 
ence of the working of such soils as the Botanical 
Garden is composed of, know how discouraging are 
the results of the horticulturist’s labours under such 
conditions. In ordinary cases, the rule " stick a 
plant in an’ it 'll grow ” will not hold good in such 
soils. Everything has to have prepared for its recep¬ 
tion an artificial soil; and even then the uncongenial 
quality of the natural soil somehow infects the arti¬ 
ficial with its deleterious constituents.with the result 
that few things can be got within the range of our 
expectations. With unremitting energy and deter¬ 
mination to overcome this insuperable defect, 
Mr. Dewar has, as far as his experiments have 
extended, almost entirely achieved his expectations. 
The flower garden, which confronts the visitor on 
entering the gate, is amply sufficient to testify to his 
success in that direction—the luxuriant foliage and 
inflorescence,for instance, of Fuschia Mrs.Marshall, 
are each summer and autumn a decided treat to 
witness, and enough to show art triumphant. 
The exposure, to add to the difficulties to be con¬ 
tended with, if not bad, is, to say the least, not good. 
The west, east, and south winds sweep with consid¬ 
erable force on the elevated sides of the gardens, 
with the result that many plants, from this reason 
alone, cannot survive the trying ordeal. But one of 
the most pernicious, perhaps, of any evils, is the 
precipitation of soot, no doubt strongly impregnated 
with noxious effluvia from the abundance of chemical 
works in the city. Recently, our attention was 
directed to the bad effects of this atmospheric 
poison. The Holly trees in all parts around the city, 
inclusive of the Botanical Gardens, were almost 
denuded of all their foliage in a week. From 
Apple Royal Snow 
