October .8,: lb98. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
8 1 
rapidly have the plants grown, that at least thirty or 
forty years had passed since its formation. 
We are now nearing the Italian frontier and with 
the permission of “ Messieurs Les Gendarmes ” will 
cross over on the last stage of our journey, as far as 
" La Mortola," Mr. Hanbury's charming Anglo- 
Italian garden. This is situated on the side of a 
steep hill, running down to the sea. 
The garden reaches from the water's edge for some 
distance up the hill side. Although it contains a 
good collection of plants, these are not arranged in 
botanical order, but are planted promiscuously, giv¬ 
ing the whole an appearance of a " cultivated wild 
garden,” if I may use the term. 
If one pictures such plants as Acacias, Aloes, 
Agaves, Beaucarneas, Bignonias, Oestrums in flower 
together with Magnolias, Eucalyptus, Eugenias, 
Daturas, and many others, some idea may be had 
of this unique garden. 
■ I have endeavoured to give you a brief outline 
of the Riviera and its gardens from impressions 
formed during a residence of some months in 1895. 
No one knows better than myself bow inadequately 
I have dealt with the beauty and attractiveness of 
this delightful part of the world, and for all faults 
of omission or commission I ask you to lay the 
blame to my inexperience .—Harry H. Thomas. 
A FINE VEGETABLE SHOW. 
■Even in an ordinary season the amateur gardener 
has to bestir himself if he is to get the most out of 
the land. He soon finds that nothing can be done 
without work, hard work and plenty of it. In such 
a season as that of 1898 has been, however, the diffi¬ 
culties become trebled, whilst the merit of being able 
to produce good vegetables under these conditions 
becomes proportionately increased. 
.The allotment holders of Harrow, Roxeth and 
neighbourhood afford a capital instance of vegetable 
gardening carried to a highly successful issue even 
under adverse climatical conditions. This was fully 
apparent at the allotment holders’ show which was 
held recently when Mr. C. Deans, gardener to the 
Earl of Essex, Cassiobury, Watford and Mr. J. T. 
Densmore, gardener to T. F. Blackwell, Esq , 
Harrow Weald, officiated as judges. These gentle¬ 
men expressed themselves as highly pleased with all 
upon which they were called to adjudicate. 
The quality of the vegetables throughout was 
first-rate and in not a few cases it touched the 
remarkable. The number of entries too, exceeded 
those forthcoming last year by nearly a hundred. 
The root crops were a remarkably strong lot, being 
sound, clean and heavy. Some idea of the size of 
the Potatos staged may be gleaned from the fact that 
nine tubers sent by Mr. Arthur Franklin scaled 9 lb. 
10 oz., a first prize being awarded them. Onions 
too, were in first-rate trim, and the culture of this 
popular and wholesome vegetable is evidently well 
understood by the villagers of Harrow and Roxeth. 
Mr. James Smith is not only an enthusiastic 
secretary, but a zealous gardener, and his success in 
winning the first prize for a collection of vegetables 
of an unlimited number of kinds was very popular. 
Mr. Smith's exhibit comprised no fewer than twenty- 
seven varieties, a comprehensive and meritorious 
collection; Mr. S. King was second, and Mr. G. 
Warren, third. 
Mr. S. King came to the front for three dishes of 
Potatos, and Mr. J. Smith for Brussels Sprouts. 
In the classes for Harrow Allotment holders only 
Mr. J. Silk won for four kinds of vegetables; whilst 
in the section confined to the Roxeth Allotment 
holders, Mr. H. Bristow distanced other competi¬ 
tors for the collection of four kinds of vegetables. 
The exhibition was visited by a large number of 
visitors during the afternoon and evening, and at 9 
o’clock Mrs. Weyland Joyce, who was accompanied 
by the Vicar and Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Marshall, dis¬ 
tributed the prizes to their respective recipients. 
Prior to the distribution the Vicar spoke a few 
words of encouragement to the allotment holders 
present. The reverend gentleman alluded to the 
book on gardening written by an American gentle¬ 
man named Warner, in which it was stated that one 
of the essential things for a gardener to have was a 
cast iron back with a hinge in it. He assured his 
audience that if he were going to work an allotment 
at Roxeth, with the ground in the present state, he 
should like some machinery of that sort in his back. 
In,his opinion, nothing was more wholesome than 
gardening. It induced a man to rise early, and it 
gave him remunerative employment for his spare 
time. The Vicar concluded his very interesting 
speech by reminding them that there were between 
thirty and forty applicants waiting to be supplied 
with allotments, and a little more land was needed to 
supply them. Three or four acres would be a very 
acceptable gift if any gentleman in the neighbour¬ 
hood would like to make it. 
—B— ■ — 
The Orcfiifl Grower’s calendar. 
East Inbua House.— This has been one of the finest 
seasons known for years for this section of Orchids. 
Phalaenopses generally have done wonderfully well, 
making large leaves of unusual thickness. This is 
the kind we prefer, as they are not so liable to be 
affected by the spot. 
The Spraying overhead, which is so beneficial 
during very hot weather, must be discontinued. A 
nice genial temperature should be maintained, not 
too moist or too dry—just one that feels pleasant— 
when you go into the house. A practised hand can 
always tell the moment he enters the house without 
consulting the thermometer. 
Shading in this division must be done intelligently, 
only running the blinds down during the hottest part 
of the day ; for, owing to the exceptionally bright 
autumn, most things have hardened up well, and are, 
therefore, able to stand more light, the exceptions 
being the Phalaenopses, on account of their succu¬ 
lent growths. One thickness of tiffany after the 
regular blinds are rolled up should be sufficient at 
this season for these. 
Miltonia Roezli is doing wonderfully well in this 
division ; small plants have made a great number of 
roots,and correspondingly strong growths,so much so 
that we find it necessary to shift them on into larger 
pots. This, however, is done without seriously inter¬ 
fering with them, as the compost they are in is still 
sweet. They may be said never to rest, so that no 
hard and fast line can be laid down as to when to pot 
them; and, as far as I can see, it matters little 
when, as long as you do it sometimes. 
Cattleya House. —Epidendrum prismatocarpum 
is one of the best of a large family, but getting all 
too scarce. It is a rather easy one to do if well 
looked after, but once allowed to get in a bad condi¬ 
tion it is one of the most stubborn to coax back into 
health. The new growths are nearly made up, and 
are pushing forth a quantity of roots from the base. 
Without advocating top-dressiDg generally, we shall 
in this case afford them some sweet moss and peat 
for the new roots to run into, without disturbing 
them unduly, on account of the season of the year. 
Cattleya labiata. —The growths have made up 
well this season, and have begun to push up spikes. 
Some of the sheaths I notice have turned black 
from some cause or other, probably too much 
moisture at the roots. The spike inside, however, is 
ail right, so that by opening the sheath and cutting 
away the affected parts, the flowers will be saved. 
Without this precaution thev would most likely damp 
off. 
Laelia praestans.— What a little gem this is, 
coming in as it does just when there is very few 
Orchid flowers about. We grow ours in pans, with a 
very small quantity of peat and moss in which to 
root. The pans are suspended near the glass, and 
take up but very little room, a consideration in these 
days.— C. 
- —■■— «> - — 
In no department has the long-continued drought 
been more productive of mischief than in this. 
Everything is literally parched up, for it has been 
impossible to give water to everything. The showers 
that came at the end of last week did something to 
freshen up the turf which, prior to that, was almost 
as brown as the paths, but they have had no 
appreciable effect upon the multitudes of trees and 
shrubs that are crying for water. Limes, Beeches, 
and Horse Chestnuts have been the greatest sufferers, 
and some of the Beeches are almost as bare and 
brown as they should be in November. The Elms and 
Oaks have stood the trying experience rather better, 
but they have also suffered considerably. Small 
shrubs have been watered but these big trees have 
haul to take their chance. 
Owing to these abnormal climatal conditions, the 
leaf-sweeping season has been considerably extended, 
and the broom has had to be kept busily at work in 
the interests of tidiness. With October here there 
will be no peace until all the leaves are down. 
Housing Plants. —Tender foliage subjects such 
as Dracaenas, Palms, Ficus elastica, and Grevilleas 
that have been utilised for sub-tropical bedding 
should be taken indoors without delay, even although 
it goes against the grain to spoil the beauty of the 
beds. Eucalyptus Globulus and E. citriodora will 
stand two or three degrees of frost, but they 
must not be left out too long. The same will apply 
to American Aloes in vases. These are always left 
out as long as possible, for the garden seems to lose 
more by their absence than by that of anything else. 
In the meantime steps should be taken to get 
together small Conifers, Euonymuses, Privets, Tree 
Ivies, Hollies, and other hardy foliage subjects ready 
for filling these vases as soon as they shall be vacated 
by the Aloes. 
Meanwhile the store of bulbs should be overhauled 
so that it may be known exactly how much of the 
home stock can be relied upon. Then the plan of 
spring bedding should be elaborated so that the 
order for what is required to make up may be made out 
at an early date. Bulbs enter so largely into all spring 
bedding arrangements, and there is such a wealth of 
material from which to pick and choose that careful 
consideration is necessary if an enlightened use is to 
be made of what the bulb merchant has to offer. 
Dahlias. —Up to the present, the frost has not 
been severe enough to cut down the Dahlias, which 
are still producing a number of small, but welcome 
flowers. By continually picking off the heads of 
seed before they get very large, the single and Cactus 
varieties may be coaxed to keep flowering until the 
frost says them nay. Supplies of water will also not 
be thrown away, for flowers are getting increasingly 
scarce now. 
Gladiolus brenchleyensis — Plantations of these 
made in shady spots, facing the north and east, but 
sheltered from the south and west, are just now in 
full glory, and a capital succession is afforded to the 
beds which, being exposed to the sun and thus much 
earlier, are now out of flower. It is always advisable 
to have a few late plantations of this kind, for 
although in the north of England the frost occasion¬ 
ally catches the plants before they have had time to 
bloom they manage to flower in the majority of 
seasons. The long spikes of bright scarlet flowers 
are not only useful for cutting at this time, when 
there is so much church decoration to do, but they 
form a bright spot in the garden as they stand. 
Michaelmas Daisies. —These are, after all, the 
most useful of hardy autumn flowers, for they will 
pass unhurt through a few degrees of frost and they 
afford an inexhaustible supply of cutting material. 
When cut with long sprays there is nothing more 
suitable for filling vases of all sizes, for they are 
never stiff and heavy, but always light and elegant. 
Keep the plants well supplied with water and an 
occasional dose of liquid manure from the farmyard 
will be grateful. See to it, also, that sufficient support 
is afforded, for we are almost sure to be visited with 
our share of storms presently, and, besides, there is 
a heavy deficiency of rain to make up, and thus, as 
it will probably be accompanied by wind, it is well 
to make everything secure. 
Sweet Peas. —If the seed has not been already 
gathered, this should be done at once, so that the 
ground may be cleared, the rubbish burnt, and the 
sticks sorted over and those that are of any service 
put away for another year. The seed should be 
placed in shallow boxes and laid in a shed or out¬ 
house to dry. Where named varieties are grown, it 
will be found advisable to put only one sort in a box, 
and to nail a label to the box, so that there can be 
no danger of the names being interchanged, which is 
one of the likeliest things to happen when the labels 
are simply laid loosely on the seed. 
Tuberous Begonias.— Where these have been 
blackened by frost the tubers may be lifted at an 
early date, sorted over, according to size and colour, 
and stored in shallow boxes filled with sand. Those 
plants which have escaped the frost should be left 
where they are until the last moment, as it is at this 
time of the year that the plumping up of the tuber 
proceeds at the most rapid rate.— A. S. G. 
About £ 14 , 000,000 are spent annually upon pipes 
and tobacco in Great Britain, 
