742 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 23, 1898. 
flowers in each spikelet, a two-keeled, ciliate pale, 
and six stamens, having their filaments free. Ihe 
stems are arborescent, rarely shrubby, and more 
rarely climbing, though none of the latter appear to 
be hardy. The dwarf and shrubby species are best 
represented in gardens owing to their hardiness. 
The name Bamboo is a native one, coming from the 
Mahratta or the Malay Bamboo or Bambu, the 
English name being identical with the former 
spelling. 
B. angustifolia.— The specific name is here very 
appropriate, for the leaves are linear, 3 in. to 5 in. 
long, and light green on both surfaces. It is also 
known in gardens, however, as B. Vilmorini, and 
why the name should have been changed is not very 
apparent. The stems are very slender, erect, twiggy, 
densely crowded, and in the Kew collection at 
present about 2 ft. high. It is therefore a pretty 
Bamboo of dwarf and grassy habit, though not 
particularly striking. It comes from Japan. 
B. disticha -The plant now described under this 
name has been known in gardens for a number of 
years as B nana, but it is not the plants to which 
Roxburgh affixed the appellation. Indeed, the origin 
of ihe plant under notice is rather obscure, but 
believed to be in Japan. The light green, lanceolate 
leaves vary in length from ijin. to g^in. The stems 
are only 30 in. high, very slender, intertwisted and so 
numerous that they form a compact and dense 
bush, resembiii g a reedy grass. 
B. marm >rea. —Of the dwarfer Bamboos proper 
this is one of the mo t distinct and characteristic. 
Tne stems are 3 ft. to 4 ft. high, brown or purplish, 
and arching in different directions. The side 
branches or twiglets are very slender, short, ascend¬ 
ing and crowded in dense clusters all round the 
stems. So short are the laterals, and so numerous 
are they, that the stems with their branches may be 
compared to a lady's feather boa. They are also 
densely clothed with light green leaves, 1$, in to 2J 
in. long, making the species both graceful and 
handsome, while it is quite distinct from any other. 
It is a native of Japan, where its garden name is 
Kan-chiku. 
B. Nagashima. —As the name would suggest, this 
is also a native of Japan. The stems are only r ft. 
to 2 ft. high, similar to those of Arundinaria For- 
tunei, but more decidedly of Bamboo or reedy 
habit, and not so dense as the last-named species. 
The leaves are 4 in. to 6 in. long, and of a rich green 
on both sides while still young, but later on they be¬ 
come of a uniform intense green as they reach 
maturity. It might be serviceable where taller sub¬ 
jects would be inadmissible, and could be utilised 
for decorative work in pots. 
(To be continued.) 
-—*»- 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr Joseph Kent, F.R.H.S. 
The subject of this notice first saw the light at 
Penkhull Nursery (Burgess and Kent), in 1845, and 
is now the well-known superintendent of Hanley 
Park, Hanley, Staffs., where the horticultural fete 
was held with such success recently, as recorded in 
our pages last week. 
In 1864 Mr. Kent spent some time at Mr. William 
Bull’s Establishment, King’s Road, Chelsea, after 
which he returned to Penkhull Nursery, which was 
then carried on by his uncle, Mr. J Kent. In 189" he 
was appointed Superintendent of the Borough of Han¬ 
ley Cemetery. On the formation of the park he was 
called upon to purchase and superintend the planting 
of orn mental trees and shrubs. The park extends to 
eighty acres, but the more ornamental portion of it, 
namely, the flower garden, consists of nine acres. 
This portion was first taken in hand, and completed, 
and was opened by his Worship the Mayor (Aider- 
man Edwin John Hammersley) on the 26th July, 
1894. It is known as the Cauldon Grounds, and 
contains a large winter garden open to the public 
every day. Other glass structures here consist of 
three span-roofed plant houses, each 40 ft. long, by 
16 ft. wide; one lean-to, 50 ft. long, by 12 ft. wide; 
and one lean-to, 100 ft. long, by 18 ft. in width. 
Mr. Kent carried out the work entrusted to him 
in an entirely satisfactory manner, with the result 
that he was appointed supeiintendent of parks, &c. 
The good work he commenced then has been con¬ 
tinued ever since, and Hanley Park has now an ever- 
increasing circle of admirers both in the district and 
amongst visitors from a distance. Some idea of the 
annual amount of labour that has to be accomplished 
may be gleaned from the fact that 150,000 bedding 
plants of various kinds have annually to be turned 
out of the houses in their proper season. The 
summer display is followed by that of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums in the autumn and early winter, say from 
October to December, inclusive. To accomplish 
Mr. Joseph Kent, F.R.H.S. 
this with the success that attends Mr. Kent’s labours 
is no small test of ability in the smoke laden atmos¬ 
phere of Hanley, rendered worse by neighbouring 
chimney stacks clustered round it within a radius 
of a few miles. 
The trees and shrubs selected for this smoky 
district are interesting from the fact that they not 
only survive but flourish in spite of the prejudicial 
influences of the atmosphere to vegetation generally. 
Hollies include Hodgin’s Broad-leaved, madeirensis, 
and laurifolia, all in fine condition ; also Aucuba 
japonica, Skimmia japonica (usually known as S. 
oblata), Euonymus rauicans, Olearia Haastii, 
Diervillas (Weigelas) of sorts, Lonicera Ledebouri, 
Ribes sanguineum, Ligustrum vulgare ovalifolium, 
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, Golden and other 
Elders, Willows of all kinds, and Cornus mas. The 
evergreens amongst the above, it will be noticed, are 
smooth leaved ; and the deciduous kinds are of 
course able to get rid of accumulated filth by 
throwing off their leaves in autumn. Other 
deciduous trees that do well are English and 
Siberian Elms, Sycamore, Ash, Thorns, Poplars of 
sorts. Laburnums, Lilacs and various other subjects 
of that character, than which few are more beauti¬ 
ful in any country, at their respective seasons of 
leafing and flowering. Concerning Rhododendrons, 
it is instructive as well as interesting to note that 
varieties of the Pontic type are quite useless under 
the conditions prevailing here. On the other band ) 
Rhododendron Cunningham’s White and hybrids 
give entire satisfaction under the circumstances. 
Azalea pontica, A. mollis and its varieties also grow 
and flower well. 
A flower show at Hanley is now one of the 
institutions that be, and though one of the youngest 
is one of the most successful in the country. It is 
held in the park, and naturally enough Mr. Kent is 
the hon. secretary. Groups of plants arranged for 
effect are a strong feature of nearly every provincial 
show nowadays, and they are strongly in evidence at 
Hanley, where the annual show will now be looked 
forward to as something to be attended by thousands 
of visitors. On the evening of the Thursday, the 
second day of the recent show, the park appeared to 
be completely packed with people, making the show 
a glorious success. The difficulty that cropped up 
at the last Temple Show, and at most other shows, 
when the tents are being cleared of their contents, 
was entirely circumvented at Hanley by the genius 
of its secretary. To prevent confusion and piltering 
the tents were entirely cleared at 8 p m., and only 
exhioitors and their assistants, who wore a certain 
badge, were re-admitted to clear away the exhibits. 
No one but those in authority knew what the colour 
of the badge was to be till late in the afternoon of the 
closing day, so that the whole scheme was an entire 
success, and a well-known exhibitor stated that he 
never before packed up his plants with such comfort 
and despatch. Other societies might copy the plan 
to their advantage. The organisation, arrangement 
and the success of the show was mainly due to the 
energy and abilities of Mr. Joseph Kent, the super¬ 
intendent of the park, and hon. secretary, whose 
portrait we have much pleasure in placing before 
our readers. 
-* 8 -- 
BLACKBERRIES. 
Well, what about them ? Are they worth 
growing ? Many who have tried them will say no, 
in a most unhesitating manner, but not all. The 
introduction of the American varieties induced many 
to take up their culture, who met with very varying 
degrees of success, and in many instances their 
culture has been abandoned as useless. Not so, 
however, a frieud of mine who went in for Black¬ 
berry growing, and who has a covered wire 
archway some fifty yards in length by six in width, 
from which he gathers fruit by the bushel, much 
finer and more luscious than that grown out on a 
neighbouring common. Though just the same 
variety, cultivation makes all the difference. He 
commenced with the best American varieties, 
growing some of our English ones with them, 
but has at length discarded all the Americans, 
finding that our humble Bramble gives far better 
results under the same conditions. This method of 
culture is most simple. After fruiting, the old canes 
are cut down to the ground. Meanwhile the current 
year’s growth is lightly looped up just to keep it out 
of the way, and tied into position after those which 
have fruited are cut out. If some one would only 
take to raising seedlings from cultivated plants, 
selecting the best for a few years, we might see 
some grand results follow.— W. B. G. 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The awards mentioned hereunder were made by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 12th inst. 
Orchid Committee. 
Oncidium albo-verrucosum. —The sepals of this 
Oncid are linear, keeled and yellow. The petals are 
oblong and yellow, transversely blotched with brown 
at the base. The three-lobed lip is yellow, faintly 
tinted with brown on the lower portion; the terminal 
lobe is transverse and reniform. Botanical Certifi¬ 
cate. Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. 
H. White), Burford Lodge, Dorking. 
Floral Committee. 
Asplenium ornatum. —This may be described as a 
handsomely cut, garden form of A. Baptisti. The 
fronds are usually about 1 ft. long and of an intense’ 
dark green colour. They are bipinnate at the base 
and pinnate upwards with a long, terminal, deeply 
toothed segment. The pinnae, but particularly the 
lowermost ones are again pinnate, and they are 
further cut into unusually long, comb-like, linear, 
teeth, which gives to the plant its characteristic and 
graceful appearance. The fronds are tufted, arching 
and handsome. First-class Certificate. Mr. H. B. 
May, Dyson’s Lane Nurseries, Upper Edmonton. 
PlCEA PUNGENS GLAUCA PENDULA. — In this we 
have a pendulous variety of the Colorado Blue 
Spruce, and a distinct and handsome thiDg it is. 
The habit of the plant is very much like that of 
Sequoia gigantea pendula. First class Certificate. 
A tree, 9 ft. high was exhibited by Messrs. Koster $ 
Co., Hollandia Nurseries, Boskoop, Holland. 
Polystichum Marshallii. —This is a supposed 
natural hybrid between P. angulare and P. 
aculeatum. The fronds are bipinnate, 3^ ft. long, 
sharply ascending, and then spreading towards the 
top. The pinnules are deeply serrate and terminate 
in long, bristly points. The lowest pinnule on the 
posterior side of each of the pinnae projects forward 
so that in looking down the frond there is a 
prominent line of them on either side of the rachis, 
