38 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 17, 1898. 
and last till October. It is only by trees of moderate 
size, skilfully selected as to time of ripening, and 
maintaining short, well ripened growth that the 
supply can be certain each season. 
In Scottish gardens, as well as English, I have 
seen no Peaches more certain bearers than Stirling 
Castle, Royal George, Dymond, Violette Hative, 
Bellegarde, and Sea Eagle; but in early houses 
Alexander and Hale's Early are first-rate for earliest 
crops. It is, however, only fair to note that some 
Peaches are well suited to certain localities and soils, 
while they do not succeed well in others. This fact 
is well portrayed in catalogues—one may be most 
favourable in their description of certain sorts, and 
others denounce them as being almost worthless. 
We know where Royal George does well on open 
walls, and within a few miles of the garden Peach 
trees will barely exist. A great difference is 
made to Peach culture in the open by raising the 
trees well above the surrounding level and resting 
the roots on a bed of lime rubbish. Indeed we have 
proved this again and again with all kinds of fruits 
(Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries especially). 
Reverting to small Peach trees I pin my faith 
strongly to what I have been told by gardeners who 
have lived in France. The small trees dwarfed and 
rendered prolific in fruit bearing by special treat¬ 
ment are worthy of imitation. At a well managed gar¬ 
den in Berks I saw a long, narrow Peach house filled 
with Peach trees from end to end, each averaging 
about 3 ft. wide, and trained upright. They flowered 
abundantly and carried heavy crops of fine fruit. 
I was induced to try the experiment of proving the 
fruiting proclivity of Peaches dwarfed by root lift¬ 
ing and planting them in soil rendered firm to induce 
fibrous roots, by the intelligence I received from the 
late Mr. Allan, who showed his superior skill for 
many years at Rendlesham Hall, Suffolk. My late 
friend had been a keen observer of fruit culture in 
Belgium, France, and Italy, and of the economy of 
the cultivators in their management—especially in 
France. But probably in no case were finer fruits 
seen in the way of Pears and Peaches than (at the 
time I lived near Mr. Allan), which adorned the 
walls at Rendlesham Gardens. The late Mr. Knight 
(when at Floors Castle), endorsed much of Mr. 
Allan’s statement as to what one might see in France 
by the skill of French cultivators. 
I do not underrate the fine, large Peach trees 
which are seen in some gardens, but certainly depre¬ 
cate the waste I have seen where the glut of fruit 
from large trees rendered this state of matters un¬ 
avoidable. The use of very rich soil for Peaches, 
which causes much unnecessary growth and crowding 
of wood and foliage, is the cause of many failures. 
We prefer the growing of no more wood than is 
necessary to maintain health of the trees and doing all 
pruning during the growing season.— M. Temple, 
Carron,, N.B. 
--- 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr. Peter Murray Thomson. 
The most appropria’e sketch for this week will be 
that of Mr Peter Murray Thomson, the secretary to 
the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. By 
pro'ession Mr. Thomson is a solicitor in the Supreme 
Courts in Scotland. He is thirty-four years of age, 
and is the son of Mr. James Thomson (who was 
formerly factor to the late Earl of Rossi) n, at Dysart, 
Fifeshire, and is now estate agent to the famous Sir 
Wilfred Lawson, Bart., M.P., at Brayton, Cumber¬ 
land). He commenced his legal training in the office 
of Messrs. Thomas Dow & Son, Kirkcaldy, and since 
1883 has gained experience in various large Edin¬ 
burgh offices. It is now close upon two years since 
he started on his own account at 5, York Place, 
Edinburgh, and if he devotes the same amount of 
attention to law as we know he does to horticulture, 
he must soon secure a host of good clients. 
We understand that in early boyhood he gave 
evidence of having inherited bis father’s love of 
gardening, for in 1876, when about twelve years of 
age, he was a prize-taker in the wild-flower section 
of the first sho w of the Dysart Horticultural Society, 
and in 1879 and 1880 he took the first prize offered 
by Mr. Thomas Dow (his principal) for a collection 
of Mosses of the district, arranged in a box or tray. 
These early competitions and successes strengthened 
the imbued love he had for flower culture, and it is 
no surprise to learn that he quickly transferred his 
thoughts to garden flowers, finding great pleasure in 
the hybridising of various species. He still takes a 
great interest in the wild-flower section in all shows 
he visits. 
Until 1883 he was a regular exhibitor at the 
Dysart and Kirkcaldy shows, with fruit and vegeta¬ 
bles as well as flowers, and we believe he was for a 
Mr. Peter Murray Thomson. 
time a member of that committee. Mr. Thomson re¬ 
presents the amateur gardener we like to meet, one 
who has acquired a fairly extensive knowledge of the 
names of plants and of their cultivation, by observa¬ 
tion and “ spare-moment " study. 
On the resignations of the late secretary and 
treasurer, Messrs. Charles Stewart and Patrick Neill 
Fraser, the council decided to combine the two 
offices, and out of nearly ’ eighty candidates, their 
choice felLupon Mr. Thomson, who entered upon 
his duties on March 1st of this year, and carried 
through the organisation of the April show with 
great credit to himself and the society he represents. 
Many of our friends at the Temple Show in May 
will remember meeting Mr. Murray Thomson 
there, and it is some satisfaction to be able to record 
the fact that he returned to Scotland full of admira¬ 
tion for the manner in which our biggest show is con¬ 
ducted. 
--—f.- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The awards mentioned hereunder were made by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 6th inst. 
Orchid Committee. 
Peristeria elata. —The huge specimen of the Dove 
Orchid, exhibited by Her Majesty the Queen (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Owen Thomas), may fairly be regarded 
as beating all previous records of this species. It 
was grown in a i-size pot, and stood over 7 ft. from 
the ground, while the stems themselves were 5 ft. to 
5 ft. 3 in. actual measurement. There were eight of 
these tall scapes, each bearing a long raceme of fra¬ 
grant white flowers. The huge leaves measured 3 ft. 
to 4 \ ft. long, and 6 in. to 8 in. at the widest part. 
The plant had grown out of all recognition since we 
saw it at Windsor a little over fourteen months ago, 
showing that Mr. Thomas understands its culture. 
A Silver Flora Medal and a First-class Certificate 
rewarded this record-breaking specimen. 
Dendrobium sanguineum. — A scarlet Dendrobe 
is a novelty, indeed, and not long ago was a novelty 
to the botanist. The stems are stalked, so to speak, 
and a few inches above the base they swell out, 
forming a square mass about the thickness of the 
little finger. After 3 in. or so of this they suddenly 
narrow to a slender tail 12 in. long, and about the 
thickness of a crow quill. Only one flower, 2J in. 
across, has yet been produced on the top of the stem. 
The oblanceolate-elliptic sepals and petals are of a 
dark crimson-red, shaded with maroon towards the 
base, and whitish at the very base. The lip is a 
small and curious organ, twisted at the apex like a 
corkscrew. The plant is difficult to grow, but it is 
valuable on account of its colour, and may prove in¬ 
valuable for hybridising purposes. Award of Merit. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (grower, Mr. W. H. 
White), Burford Lodge, Dorking. 
Cattleya Ell , Nov. hyb. —The mother of this 
plant was C. bicolor, and the pollen bearer C. War- 
scewiczii—a singular combination producing singular 
results. The pseudo-bulbs are slender. The sepals 
are pink and the obovate-oblong petals several 
shades darker. The lip is remarkable, having an 
obreniform, crimson-purple lamina, with a long, 
grooved claw of the same colour. The tube and 
lateral lobes are each only \ in. long, and pinkish- 
wbite. The arching column is much exposed, and 
tinted with purple. Award of Merit. Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Ltd., Chelsea. 
Floral Committee. 
r 
Lobelia Rivoirei. —This is one of the tall hybrid 
Lobelias, the parents of which hail from Mexico. 
The upright stems bear loDg racemes of delicately 
soft pink flowers of large size. The oblong-spathu- 
late leaves are broad and green, tinted with bronze. 
It is an acquisition to the race. Award of Merit. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (gardener, Mr. W. 
Bain). 
Helenium autumnale superbum. —The stout, 
winged stems of this grand herbaceous plant grow 
to a height of 6 ft. or 8 ft., and branch at the top 
like a standard Rose. The golden-yellow flowers 
are produced in great profusion. Award of Merit. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart. 
Dracaena Duchess of York. —The slender, lan¬ 
ceolate, arching leaves of this variety are of a dark 
olive-green, edged with bright red, that varies to a 
lighter and brighter shade on the younger leaves. 
The variety is a highly meritorious table plant of 
great beauty. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Dahlia Mrs. Finlay Campbell. —This Cactus 
variety is of good average size, with revolute florets 
of a brilliant orange-scarlet and very handsome. 
Award of Merit. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, 
Sussex. 
Dahlia Lorelie.— The word Lorelie means a 
whirlpool, or, at all events, refers to a famous whirl¬ 
pool on the Rhine. The long florets are incurved 
like a sickle, the outer ones being rosy-pink, and the 
inner ones silvery-blush. It is a Cactus variety. 
Award of Merit. Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons. 
Dahlia Puck.— The ray florets of this single 
variety are short, broad, much imbricated, and of a 
charming buff-orange, with a crimson zone round 
the eye. Award of Merit. T. W. Girdlestone, Esq., 
Sunningdale Park, Berks. 
Dahlia Columbine. —Very handsome are the 
compact and well imbricated, salmon-rose rays of 
this single Dahlia. Award of Merit. T. W. Girdle- 
stone, Esq. 
Dahlia Lady Rogers. —In this we have an ex¬ 
ceedingly neat and pretty Pompon, a sport from 
White Aster, differing only in having the florets 
rounded at the apex instead of pointed. Award of 
Merit. Sir Robert Hargreave Rogers (gardener, 
Mr. Leggatt), Bexley, Kent. 
Dahlia Magnificent. —The heads of this splen¬ 
did Cactus variety are of a soft orange-yellow, and 
of great size. The florets are remarkable for their 
great length, and narrowly pointed character. Award 
of Merit. Mr. James Stredwick, Silver Hill Park, 
St. Leonards. 
Acer Negundo elegans. —The leaves of this 
vigorous variety are of a clear yellow, fading to 
creamy-white, and the green portion is large and 
well developed. It is very much more vigorous than 
the ordinary silver-leaved variety. First-class Certi¬ 
ficate. Messrs. Paul & Sons, Cheshunt. 
Fruit and Vegetable Committee. 
Melon British Queen. — New sorts of Melons are 
continually making their appearance, but in British 
Queen we have one of the best both for flavour and 
appearance that has come before the committee for 
some time. It is the result of a cross between Hero 
of Lockinge and Royal Ascot. The fruits grow to a 
good size, and are usually nearly round in shape, 
although occasionally they are inclined to elongate. 
The flesh is white, and of great depth and capital 
flavour. The skin is deep yellow when ripe, and well 
netted. Mr. Owen Thomas, gardener to Her Majesty 
the Queen, Frogmore. 
As our readers are aware a number of Potatos has 
been on trial at Chiswick this year. After an exam¬ 
ination made by the committee the selected varieties 
