474 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 26,1898. 
beneath some trees we observed over a barrow-full of 
green leaves being gathered. 
Coniferae do not succeed in the gardens. This is a 
matter to be greatly regretted, for the wealth of 
species included in this interesting order, is, of itself 
possible to make a public garden generally attractive 
and admired. Doubtless much of the reason for the 
failure lies in the united action of the triple causes 
already alluded to as being so inimical to vegetation. 
Yet, in spite of all these seeming defects, they are to 
a very great extent neutralised by the adjoining 
woody "Grove.” This, no doubt, would weigh 
greatly in the selection of the site, and unquestion¬ 
ably redeems any fault otherwise committed in this 
duty of importance. The romantic glen through 
which the winding "Kelvin” flows is a steep 
declivity adorned with grand specimens of old 
Beeches, Oaks, and Elms, that must have waved 
their ponderous heads in the gales of centuries. 
Every attempt is made to preserve this truly delightful 
grove in its most natural character. With mean¬ 
dering walks traversing each shady bower and ferny 
" neuk ” the effect is intensely pleasing. Here is a 
spread of scented Bluebells, whose fragrance fills the 
summer air ; there the olive-green mantle of the 
bracken; while overhead the leafy canopy of the 
wide spreading giants of the grove bids defiance to 
the penetration of a single solar ray. 
But, alas ! where beauty is greatest, lies unnoticed 
tothe general eye theeffectsof the" cankering worm.” 
Amid all this scene of pleasure and animation (for 
the thrush and her sister songsters pipe their tunes 
from early morn till late at night here, unmolested), 
the practised eye will discern the fast falling inroads 
of decay upon the old remnants of the " Grove ’■ 
forest. What it is owing to is not very clear. It 
certainly cannot be due to old age, nor does it appear 
to be on account of the subsoil. What is a very 
probable cause is an atmosphere surcharged with 
chemical poisons escaping from the factories. In 
point of fact, it is nothing more nor less than a 
similarity to decline in the human race-the lungs 
are affected in both cases. Deciduous foliage is short¬ 
lived in the vicinity of Glasgow, and it invariably 
never gets the ordinary opportunity to ripen. The 
leafage falls from the trees in a sickly green state, 
consequently much of the wonted elaboration of the 
sap is not being performed, and as a rule, on the 
approach of very little frost, the young twigs die 
back to half their length. Year after year, the trees 
being subjected to such treatment, must in due 
course give way to decay and death. The Birch, 
Ash, in varieties of which a good many are here re¬ 
presented, and strange to say Acer occidentalis [? Ed.] 
do well here. The Tulip-tree, and Dimorphanthus 
do well also, and several varieties of Juglans and 
Cotoneaster. The Spanish Chestnut to all appear¬ 
ance succeeds well. 
There is a very elaborate natural arrangement in 
which the orders are well represented, mostly, how¬ 
ever, of a herbaceous character. Carices and 
grasses are, too, well to the front, while, as already 
hinted, the aquatic section is well in evidence. The 
curator is specially favourable to the development 
of herbaceous subjects, and has been putting forth 
much energy in renovating the extensive borders 
with good results despite the perverse character of 
the soil. In the spring months the Narcissi family 
make a fine display in the beds and borders ; they 
agree with their conditions remarkably well. Most 
herbaceous plants do take kindly to the soil. It is 
of course well prepared for their reception, and as 
they do not as a rule penetrate to the cold subsoil 
the danger of failure is kept at bay. Carnations, in 
especial, make a magnificent show, and considering 
the heavy texture of the soil, however much it is 
artificially made up, this is somewhat astonishing. 
One would almost expect that the high average 
rainfall iu this locality would annihilate them in the 
winter. On the contrary this queen of flowers seems 
to enjoy the cold, sodden soil such as a Glasgow 
winter produces. At all events they luxuriate here 
in a manner that takes the admiration of all. We 
refrain from mentioning the inside department 
meanwhile. To give it anything like justice, it 
demands a separate notice.— D. Chisholm. 
Vineyards occupy about 19,000,000 acres of the 
earth’s surface, and France owns about one-third of 
that area. Before the advent of phylloxera she pos¬ 
sessed more, but planting is again being extended. 
ELAEAGNUS PUNGENS VARIEGATA. 
This is a capital plant when grown in pots. It 
yields well to training, and when grown freely in 
small pots, and not too formally,does good service for 
table and room decoration. When grown into large 
specimens with abundance of long shoots it is valu¬ 
able for cutting. I have not been successful in 
growing it in ordinary shrubberies, but I think (even 
in cold districts) it would do well. On walls we 
have had it very beautiful with its pale yellow varie¬ 
gation well developed. About a quarter of a century 
ago I purchased large specimens in a Middlesex 
nursery, thinking the plants were suitable for green¬ 
house purposes only, and there cultivated as such for 
some years, and was well rewarded with a good 
supply of shoots for cutting during winter, as well a» 
by the telling appearance they displayed among 
Camellias, Azaleas, Myrtles, Oranges, &c. I fear 
we have drifted too much into the practice of growing 
tender plants only, and many species (hardy and 
beautiful) are excluded.— M. Temple, Catron, N.B. 
-—>f- 
HORTICULTURAL SUNDRIES. 
N01 having previously inspected the new premises of 
Mr. H. G. Smyth, Clark’s Mews, High Street, 
Bloomsbury, London, W.C., we proceeded there the 
other week, and found everything in excellent 
working order. The block of buildings in which 
the premises are situated, as well as other surround¬ 
ing blocks, having teen recently rebuilt, Mr. Smyth 
had an eye to the suitability of the place for his own 
particular stores and directed the arrangements 
accordingly. 
Commencing in the basement, which has a con¬ 
crete floor, we found a huge pile of the best Orchid 
peat so full of fibre that when grasped by the hand 
it had the consistency of shag tobacco, and the 
colour of that article as well. Orchid peat is one of 
Mr. Smyth's specialties, and he takes the trouble of 
making certain he gets the very best to be had. 
Here also were stores of brown fibrous peat for 
ordinary purposes, and peat mould for Ferns. 
Horticultural charcoal, made from the stems, roots 
and branches of trees by a smouldering Are, is in 
excellent condition. 
Manures of various kinds are kept in stock 
including bone meal for lawns, and other purposes 
and \ inch and i inch bones for vine borders. 
Smyth’s Fertiliser is one of the best all round 
manures for lawns and grass land generally. It may 
be used as a powder and scattered in the dry state, 
or dissolved in water and distributed by means of 
the watering can. It is also useful for Tomatos, 
Potatos, Onions, Cbo'santhemums and other garden 
plants, for which it is gaining in popularity. It is 
displacing the A 1 Peruvian or Government guano 
for the reasons just given. The latter is still kept in 
stock, however. Thomson's Manure and Clay's 
Fertiliser receive due attention, and are supplied to 
customers. 
On the next floor, slightly above the level of the 
pavement outside, great brick bins have been built 
for the accommodation of other, but no less essen¬ 
tial, requirements of the garden. One was occupied 
with sphagnum, and another one with cocoanut 
fibre refuse. A third was filled with leaf soil, and a 
fourth with silver sand. The best yellow fibrous 
loam is stacked on the floor, and shows its valuable 
character by the quantity of fibre which it contains. 
Articles of a lighter nature and for all sorts of 
purposes are stored upon the next floor above, where 
we found tackle for hoisting or lowering, according 
to requirements, the packages of all sorts of goods. 
Round, dressed and pointed stakes, 5 ft. 6 ins. to 
5 ft. 10 inches are meaDt for staking Dahlias, Roses, 
herbaceous plants or anything of that sort, and meet 
with a ready demand amongst gardeners. Durable 
and neat bamboo stakes ranging from 4 ft. to 7 ft. in 
length are meant for staking Chrysanthemums. 
Nothing lighter and mere durable could be used. 
Branching bamboo twigs, the tops of the stems, are 
handy for supporting such things as French Beans, 
Sweet Peas, Smilax and many other things of a 
climbing nature. Deal sticks are not overlooked but 
kept in quantity, in sizes ranging from 1 ft. to 5 ft. 
in length. Here also are broad wooden labels for 
the naming of vegetables, plants in the herbaceous 
border, etc. They have a soft, smooth surface, easy 
to write upon. Aspen wood wool for the packing of 
fruit is pure white, as soft as silk, and as a matter of 
fact free from every taint of turps, being made from 
the wood of the Aspen Poplar. Nothing is more 
suitable for the packing of fruit and flowers that 
have to travel by rail or post. 
Sussex trugg baskets, the handiest and most useful 
article in the garden for collecting and carrying all 
sorts of things, may be seen in eight sizes. Quite of 
another kind are the two-handled cane baskets for 
cleaning out stokeholes, carrying coal, coke or 
anything of that nature. They are made by the 
blind, we were informed. Strong garden seives with 
meshes of different sizes are made to meet every 
requirement. Close by them a pile of Archangel 
and heavy Petersburg mats caught our eye, but such 
familiar things need no description nor detailed 
account of their uses for gardeners. Racks and 
shelves serve as stores for a varied assortment of 
hair brushes and bass brooms, and Horsey’s patent 
brooms, the fibre of which is put in with wire and 
not glue, so that neither wet nor heat will ever cause 
the fibres to fall out. The pot-washing brushes 
should prove a boon to the modern apprentice or 
garden boy. They are furnished with a short 
handle, and the brush end is conical. Formerly the 
pot-washing brushes were of a most uncouth shape, 
and their use reminds us of the proverbial square 
peg to be put in a round hole. They are made in 
sizes to suit pots up to a certain dimension, where 
they are not particularly required of this shape. 
Other requirements of a miscellaneous character 
are bouquet and stub wire, Wolff’s garden pencils, 
thermometers, gardener’s gloves,budding and pruning 
knives, vine scissors, shred scissors, syringes of first 
class manufacture, raffia for tying, secateurs, 
etc. Tar string, plain string, as well as a strong and 
specially made material for garden lines, have all 
their uses in every garden. 
Blue serge and shalloon supply the best materials 
for gardener's aprons. Tanned netting for the 
protection of fruit trees and bushes will be in 
requisition presently. Shadings of various descrip¬ 
tion are supplied, but the making of blinds has 
become quite an industry. They are made of any 
size or shape according to order. The material 
consists of something which looks like soft, white 
string that is woven so as to form small or close 
meshes that admit the light while breaking the force 
of the sun’s rays. They are bound round the edges 
with a strong cloth, and by this they are attached 
to the rollers. They are strong and extremely 
serviceable. 
Garden tools of all kinds are supplied, including 
spades, forks, hoes of various kinds, and lawn 
mowers bearing any maker’s name. Haws's Patent 
Watering Can is made in eight different sizes, the 
two smaller sizes, holding two and three quarts of 
water respectively, being shelf cans for watering 
Strawberries and plants on shelves generally. 
Being specially made for the purpose they are very 
handy. Then come the propagating and greenhouse 
cans, holding two and three quarts respectively. 
Four sizes of the nurseryman's cans hold six, eight, 
ten and twelve quarts of water respectively. These 
are very strong, and bound with galvanized iron hoop 
round the bottom, while the bottom itself is strong 
and calculated to last much longer than those of the 
ordinary cans. All are furnished with strong brass 
sockets and unions, together with roses and other 
useful appliances. Special features of Haws's cans 
are that a rim round the top prevents them from 
spilling, while they may be lifted by a rod-like 
handle fastened to the spout at one end and to the 
top of the can at the other. Square teak Orchid 
Baskets range in si ze from 3 in to 12 in. square, and are 
furnished with copper wire hangers. Mr. Smyth 
has also stored and sold pot-shaped teak Orchid 
baskets for many years. They are very serviceable 
for Cattleyas, Phalaenopsis, &c., and may be bad of 
any size to order. 
Smith's Weed Killer for walks, &c., may be had 
in quantities ranging from four to forty gallons. 
Akin to this are the insecticides, including Lemon 
Oil, XL All insecticide, flowers of sulphur, soft 
soap, Gishurst Compound, and the XL All Vaporis¬ 
ing Fumigator ; also tobacco rag, tobacco powder, 
tobacco juice, and Appleby’s compound tobacco 
paper in packets. Though not an insecticide, 
gishurstine, useful for softening and preserving gar¬ 
deners' boots, may also be mentioned here. 
All these and many more things we saw, and had 
evidence that Mr. Smyth not only caters for every 
want of the garden, but takes great caie to keep good 
articles of every description. On the walls of the 
office hangs the Royal Warrant which authorises 
and acknowledges him as a Purveyor of HorticuK 
tural Sundries to Her Majesty the Queen. 
