August 6, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
773 
To Extract Perfume from Flowers, one of three 
methods is adopted—by maceration, enfleurage, or 
distillation. 
The Sparrow Pest.—The sparrow is nothing if not 
cosmopolitan. It appears from a statement made 
by The Farm and Fireside, Toronto, British North 
America, that for some time the Provincial Game 
Department has been inundated with enquiries about 
English sparrows, and the best way of getting rid of 
them. The game warden has answered by calling 
attention to the delicacy of the birds for eating He 
advises that they should be caught, (which reminds 
us very much of the old fashioned recipe for getting 
rid of fleas) placed in hot water, skinned, and then 
dressed like chicken. We can vouch from experi¬ 
ence that the birds are very nice thus, but they are 
not the kind of food a hungry man would waste his 
time upon. 
How the Flower Girls Work.—There is no more 
interesting sight than the flower girls of London as 
they troop in, in early morning, to the flower market 
of Covent Garden. They crowd round the sales¬ 
man for bunches of this,sprays of that—in fact any¬ 
thing that their experience teaches them will make 
up to advantage. Having obtained their supply 
of flowers the girls seek a quiet doorstep where they 
sit down and proceed to evolve their stock of button¬ 
holes from the fresh flowers and greenery. How 
nimbly they work, with what taste they can turn 
out quite a " tricky " buttonhole from very ordinary 
materials. Long practice makes them adepts at 
th6ir work, of course, but there must be a consider¬ 
able amount of initial taste and skill. 
Cherry, Peach and Almond Slips.—Is it possible to 
grow Cherry, Peach and Almond trees from slips ? 
M. Teret maintains that it is, and has found an old 
document on the subject, dated 1859, in the Bulletin 
de la Societe Naiionale d'Agriculture. It is therein 
stated that Cherry, Peach and Almond trees can 
easily be grown from slips, provided that the slips 
are put into water, as stone fruit trees take root with 
difficulty when planted as usual in the soil. It is, 
however, recommended—(1) To plant the slips as 
soon as the roots are one centimetre long, because they 
would certainly die if loDger when planted in the 
earth ; (2) To cut the slip short before putting it 
into water, so that the tender roots may be able to 
nourish it, and for this purpose only leave one eye ; 
(3) Preserve the delicate roots intact as grown in the 
water, which is done by putting the slip in a hole, 
and then filling it with fine sifted sand slightly 
moistened, so that it will sink down itself; 
(4) Close the lower end of the slip with sealing wax 
before putting in water, thus too much water 
cannot enter the wood, which might cause decay. 
— Cosmos. 
Bamboos at Gunne'sbury House.—With the limited 
space at command in the gardens of Gunnersbury 
House, Acton, W., the residence of Leopold de 
Rothschild, Esq , Mr. James Hudson endeavours, 
and that successfully, to import and cultivate some 
of the more important and newer of garden plants in 
which interest may be centred. On the banks of the 
pond where the hardy Water Lilies are grown, and 
on the grass in the vicinity he has got together some 
of the best of the hardy Bamboos. Arundinaria 
japonica is the largest and oldest plant, and was no 
doubt at first put out tentatively and with some mis¬ 
givings as to its ultimate success. It has now grown 
into a great thicket several yards in diameter at the 
base,with a spread of much greater dimensions. Even 
to day it is best known, perhaps, under the name of 
Bambusa Metake. The most graceful of all the 
Arundinarias, namely, A. nitida, has also found its 
way here. Phyllostachys nigra punctata has made 
excellent young growths, much taller than last year’s 
ones, thus showing that it is firmly established. 
Another of the most handsome species of this genus 
is P. aurea, of which a young plant is 4 ft. high. P, 
Henonis is light green and graceful in character. 
P. ruscifolia resembles a bush of the Butcher's 
Broom, as the name not inaptly expresses. A young 
plant of Bambusa Mazelii stands 6 ft. high, and is 
characterised by greenish-yellow, slender stems, and 
light green foliage, though the latter may be due to 
exposure. There is also a small but healthy plant or 
two of Bambusa palmata, which has broader leaves 
than any of the above. 
Co-operation in France. -In many districts of 
France the farmers have found it necessary to com¬ 
bine to protect their crops from insect and fungoid 
pests. Syndicates are formed, the destruction of the 
Cockchafer being the special objective of one. At 
Pontivy there is an association for keeping down the 
Apple blossom Weevil (Anthonomus) by spraying 
with sulphate of copper. The syndicates for the 
protection of the all-important Vine against Phyl¬ 
loxera are very numerous, and various fungoid 
diseases are met in the same way. The preserva¬ 
tion of fruits and vegetables has likewise received 
communal treatment, especially in districts where 
the crops are heavy but unremunerative by reason 
of lack of markets. The manufacture of fruit pulp 
from Apricots has been adopted in Provence, the 
growers having combined to buy the necessary 
machinery, and thus do without the middleman. In 
the department of the Alpes Maritimes the distilla¬ 
tion of perfumes from flowers has engaged the atten¬ 
tion of a syndicate, whilst in Provence again the 
preparation of Capers is looked after. The preser¬ 
vation of Peas, Beans and Tomatos is taken up in 
various departments, and the co-operative system is 
in full swing all over the country. 
-* 3 *-— 
Hardening §|iscellany. 
BASKET TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 
So many Begonias are now raised and grown in pots 
for conservatory and house decoration, as well too for 
planting in the flower beds and borders, that one is 
apt to think these purposes are the only ones in which 
these glorious plants can be utilised. They are 
indeed most beautiful when used in this manner, but 
another type and method is so successfully used at 
Cliveden, that perhaps the mention of the fact may 
induce others to adopt the same plan. Mr. Wadds 
has secured a number of the double, canary 
coloured Alice Manning, which are growing in 
baskets, and as they are suspended in the greenhouse, 
their racemes of flower which hang round the 
basket are singularly beautiful. Some five and six 
flowers are open at one time on a single spray, and 
as these are numerous the whole of the basket is 
hidden by these lovely yellow rosettes. These forms 
are most assuredly worthy of a more extended 
use.— W. S. 
BOUGAINVILLEA GLABRA. 
An immense specimen of this most useful plant covers 
the whole of the roof in one of the houses at 
Berry Hill, Maidenhead. The quantity of 
flowers this annually produces must be very great, 
and for dinner table decoration can be used in a 
variety of ways. Lonicera sempervirens, also on the 
roof, was covered with its orange-scarlet blossoms. 
In the house where this latter is so floriferous were 
capital plants of Hydrangea Thomas Hogg, whose 
large pure white heads were very prominent 
amongst other showy things, double Petunias being 
very numerous. 
Of Tomatos, Grapes and Peaches, 1 would only 
say they were in excellent condition, good crops, and 
each ripening well. Passing outside we noticed a 
fine clump of Akebia quinata at the end of one of the 
houses. I was just too late to see this in its beauty ; 
some few flowers remained, but the sprays of purple 
blooms had been many and interesting. The singu¬ 
lar Mummy Pea, whose flowers come in tufts and 
clusters, was shown me in the garden, and as we 
proceeded in this direction we passed a splendid lot 
of fruit trees bearing good crops. A fine border of 
Roses and Pansies as well as choice herbaceous 
plants was in close proximity ; then passing through 
this pathway we came to a magnificent archway of 
weeping Beech. This tree spreads over a large 
space, and the pendulous branches overhead as we 
passed along took our notice immediately. 
In the pleasure grounds were some glorious trees, 
Elms, Oaks and Conifers; but those that rivetted my 
attention were the immense specimens in perfect 
health of the Copper Beech. These had a beauty of 
their own than which nothing else could be compared. 
The rockery here is very interesting and extensive, 
full of plants, a cool shady and refreshing spot, as we 
proved, our visit having been made on a hot trying 
day.— W. S. 
WORTON HALL, ISLEWORTH. 
Worton Hall is the residence of A. Howard, Esq., 
and is situated on rising ground in the vicinity of 
Isleworth. The little river CraDe runs merrily 
along at the bottom of the hill on its eastern face, 
and is soon lost to identity in the larger volume of 
old Father Thames. The mansion itself is one of the 
old-fashioned sort, without much pretension to 
architecture, and painted a dead white. This lack 
of colour gives it a very bald appearance, which 
Mr. Arther Pentney, the enthusiastic young gar¬ 
dener, is striving to overcome. Wistarias, Ivy, 
Ruses and other climbers are beginning to take 
effect, while variegated Maples, standard Bays and 
other ornamental subjects do much in the way of 
toning down the decorator’s " Art." The view from 
the eastern front of the house has, we think, been 
much improved since Mr. Pentney’s advent, for 
many unsightly objects have been removed, and 
others of a more natural, interesting and permanent 
value substituted, while some things have been 
entirely obliterated, much to the advantage of the 
remaining vegetation. The lawns, for instance, are 
on different levels. These have not only been relaid 
and otherwise improved, but a path which bounded 
the upper one, and was, therefore, a conspicuous 
object, has been dropped down to the lower, with 
the result that the two grass plots become one with¬ 
out an apparent line of demarcation between them. 
Some fine old Cedars (Cedrus Libani and C. 
atlantica) adorn the grounds and lend an air of 
antiquity and importance not to be gainsaid. Mr. 
Pentney has planted ornamental trees and shrubs in 
great variety, some large beds being made up entirely 
with such things as Cotoneaster Simonsii, C. micro- 
pbylla, Viburnum plicatum, etc. Roses, too, have a 
large share of attention and are planted in quantity. 
A bed of the beautiful La France—fifty in number— 
was exceedingly floriferous, many of them being quite 
up to exhibition standard. This is somewhat 
remarkable for the second week in July. Reine 
Marie Henriette, the red Gloire de Dijon, possesses 
all the free-flowering properties of its progenitor, and 
certainly maintains them here on a Rose arch. 
Hybrid perpetuals generally occupy a considerable 
amount of space and make a grand return for labour 
expended. Lord Penzance's hybrid Sweet Briers 
have a bed all to themselves, the foliage as well as 
the flowers being agreeably scented ; while in the 
Rose garden proper Aimie Vibert and Crimson 
Rambler make a fine show. As to the latter Mr. 
Pentney is planting this alternatively with American 
Brambles with a view to cover an iron fence over 
100 ft. long, this fence being merely a division 
between a broad border. On the one side bulbous 
plants are largely grown, edged with Pansies, the 
Spanish Iris being rather past their best. On the 
other side, which faces the vegetable department, a 
fine collection of Sweet Peas finds a place. These 
are just now in prime condition. They seem almost 
" on tiptoe for a flight,” for they are such beautiful 
papilionaceous things that butterflies may well be 
said to pale before them. The colours, too, are very 
varied. Ignea is a fiery crimson-scarlet, with pale 
scarlet wings ; Captain of the Blues is self-descrip¬ 
tive ; New Countess is a delicate blue; Venus, 
salmon-pink, very chaste ; Prima Donna, rich rose ; 
Countess of Powis is reticulated and otherwise 
tinted with orange, pink and pigments indescribable. 
Who can depict the combination of colour in these 
emblems of "sweetness and light?" The poet 
possibly, not the practical man. 
Carnations, another flower of immense value aDd 
beauty, receive special attention here ; and, as a 
consequence, there are not only thousands of plants 
in various stages, but some fine things on view. 
Under glass, however, the harvest is nearly over; 
but Germania is still good and possesses large, fully- 
developed flowers of great merit. The Malmaisons 
likewise, have seen their best days, although their 
sweetness lingers yet. Not so can it be said of the 
white one, Miss Ellen Terry, and the red one, King 
of the Reds. They are there, but the : r fragrance 
never was. It is, perhaps, fortunate that all flowers 
are not perfumed, otherwise we might seriously 
suffer from aromatic pain ; but as some flowers are 
indissolubly associated with fragrance, so, the 
Carnation being one, we naturally expect a nasal 
gratification in this particular flower. 
The border varieties are making a fine show for 
bloom, Ketton Rose being especially promising. 
Mr. Pentney also has some satisfactory seedlings. 
