October 8, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
89 
from the bottom. This can best be done in spring, 
say about the end of March, therefore we should 
advise you to wait until then. If any young shoots 
are showing at the bases when you prune you may 
cut all the old branches back, but if no young 
growths are to be seen it will be better to leave one 
or two of the old stems with their leaves to carry on 
the work of the plants. These stems can be subse¬ 
quently removed when the young shoots appear. 
Strawberries.— W. A. : No liquid manure should 
be given to Strawberry runners before they are well 
advanced in their career. The soil is quite rich 
enough to do all that is required of it without the aid 
of stimulants until the plants are well-nigh or quite 
in flower. To give manurial stimulant now is worse 
than throwing it away, for it does the plants positive 
harm by exciting them unduly. 
-- 
CLEMENT PARK. 
When in the Dundee district I was informed that a 
few hours spent at Clement Park would be most en¬ 
joyable, so it did not take long for me to make up 
my mind, and with the first steam car I could get I 
was off to see what could be seen there. Twenty 
as the adjoining house of Muscats just coming on for 
table use. Continuing, I passed through another 
Hamburgh house carrying a heavy crop, and looking 
well, then, through a Muscat house planted three 
years ago, also looking the picture of health, and 
promising well. The next two houses are filled with 
Lady Downes, and the last house of the range is a 
late Peach house. 
From the fruit houses I passed to the plant houses 
where I found as I expected a lot of magnificent stuff. 
The first I entered was a large span-roofed stove 
stocked with Palms, Dracaenas, etc. Noticeable was 
a fine piece of Anthurium Veitchii and another of 
Anthurium crystallinum. Adjoining is the fernery 
with a fine bank of Adiantums for cutting and on the 
other side a nicely arranged rock work with water 
runs and a fountain. 
I then passed to a range of four houses containing 
nice crops of Figs and Tomatos, then to other four 
successive houses of Melons all in the very best of 
health and set to perfection. 
The next range consists of the Orchid houses (see 
illustration). The first is a Cattleyahouse ; the plants 
are looking well and making some fine breaks. The 
next house contains a grand lot of Vandas. The third 
house is filled with a really fine lot of Cypri- 
keep a good arm's length from them,although we are 
informed they are one of the most docile races 
of the genus. 
Walking leisurely round to the gate with Mr. 
Crichton I remind him of his successes at the 
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society's shows, 
which are very pleasant to recall, and we trust for the 
interest of all concerned that he may be brought 
from his seclusion and may again take a share of the 
many valuable prizes that are offered from time to 
time. After spending a pleasant afternoon I retraced 
my steps to the steam car, thence down through 
Lochee and back to Dundee.— Swift, July yd, 1898. 
-*»S— .— 
MORNINGFIELD NURSERY, 
ABERDEEN. 
During the second week of September we had a 
run through the Morningfield Nursery of Messrs. 
James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen. The Granite 
City is rapidly extending westwards, and already the 
builder has ploughed and cross-ploughed the old 
nursery here, cutting it up into squares or separate 
pieces. A considerable amount of work is still 
carried on here, notwithstanding the advancement of 
The Gardens and Orchid Houses, Clement Park, Dundee. 
minutes’ ride in the steam car from Dundee (Tay 
Bridge Station) carries you to within a few minutes 
of the south gate leading to Clement Park. 
The first object on entering the policies to attract 
attention is the beautiful Avenue of Limes, whose 
branches spread over the drive, forming a fine arch, 
and making a most delightful and pleasantly cool 
walk in a warm summer’s day. Sauntering up to the 
house one has got before them many things to 
admire in both trees and plants. I was particularly 
struck with a series of beds of Tea Roses all in fine 
condition, and blooming profusely. The house is a 
very nice one, and Miss Cox spares neither time nor 
expense to ornament and beautify this already lovely 
spot. Taking the walk to the left of the house, you 
enter the garden, and it is here that Clement Park 
becomes even more interesting. Everything is in 
first-class order, and reflects great credit on Mr. 
Crichton, the head gardener, whom I was delighted 
to meet. 
Entering the range of fruit houses you are at once 
brought to a halt to admire the fine crop of Peaches, 
ripe, regularly thinned, and in appearance all that 
one could desire. Next I entered the early vinery of 
Hamburghs, but as the knife had been actively at 
work here, it is not looking so well or so interesting 
pediums, looking remarkably well and in the 
pink of health. In the last of the Orchid houses 
is a beautiful houseful of Odontoglossums, with as 
fine a plant of Dionaea muscipula as I have seen 
for a long time. 
I also noticed a fine lot of Crotons, of nice, table 
size, amongst which I noted Prince of Wales, 
Golden Ring, Aigburth Gem, Reidii, etc. 
The large conservatory measuring 72 ft. by 30 ft. 
is very effectively arranged with flowering and orna¬ 
mental plants. The house contains over 1,400 
plants and must require a lot of labour to keep it in 
such fine order. 
Passing from the glass to the kitchen garden you 
have here, as in the other departments, excellent 
crops of both fruit and vegetables. 
The Chrysanthemums, about 900 pots, are doing 
well and I feel sure will amply repay the careful 
attention that they have received. 
There is still another department that Mr. Crich¬ 
ton has devoted some of his time to most success¬ 
fully, that is, the feeding off, of those beautiful 
cattle, the Black Angus Polled, a breed that is ex¬ 
tensively reared in Forfarshire. 
In an adjoining field we are pleased to see our 
ornamental friends the Highland bullocks, but we 
the builder, and all the more interesting collections 
of plants, flowers and Roses, for which the firm is 
celebrated, are located here, being easily reached by 
the tramcar from Union Street, where the florist's 
shop, warehouses or stores and city offices of the 
firm are located. 
Cactus Dahlias. 
While passing over the same route in imagination as 
we did in reality on the above-mentioned occasion 
we shall recount a number of the more interesting 
things we inspected. Dahlias were then in the 
height of their glory, including the Cactus varieties, 
of which there is a considerable collection here. 
The long, pointed, salmon florets of Britannia 
appealed to us, as did the creamy and scarlet edged 
florets of Arachne. Other charming and first-class 
varieties were Ruby, rich carmine; Mary Service, 
salmon, tipped purple ; Cycle, fiery scarlet and very 
conspicuous; and African, crimson, shaded with 
maroon. The blooms of this variety are thrown well 
above the foliage in great abundance. 
Phloxes, &c. 
To the old collection of Phloxes which served their 
day the newest and finest have been added from 
time to time. The flowers of the new sorts are 
much larger than the old ones, as the show sur- 
