214 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 3, 1898, 
with the finding as a whole in respect to the varieties 
in question, but we fail to see the reason for such a 
discrepancy as a difference between 9 and 2. The 
2 points were given for size alone, the other points in 
favour of the variety Mrs. Crum Ewing being nil in 
the opinion of one of the udges. If the verdict of 
each was an honest one, surely something was left 
unexplained. 
Kathleen Stirling is a large circular bloom, with 
velvety black blotches on the three lower petals, 
which are laced with pale yellow, the edging being 
heavily shaded with purple-red. The top petals are 
like the lacing, but more intensely covered with 
crimson-red, and handsome. Mrs. Crum Ewing is a 
smaller flower with dark violet blotches, the lacing 
being white, shaded with pale blue, and the top 
petals a little darker. The flowers are still good, 
though not in their best summer form. 
TORQUAY AND ITS GARDENS. 
It was early in November when I visited this pic¬ 
turesque watering place, and I was really astonished 
to find the gardens (public and private) looking so 
bright and gay with their summer bedding, which 
reminded one more of the month of August than 
the one first alluded to; while on the other hand 
those lovely autumn tints (anatomy of trees) fore¬ 
told that winter was fast approaching, and that one 
night's frost would soon wreck the whole display in 
a less favoured climate than this, our English 
" South of France.” This season, however, frost 
has been so conspicuous by its absence that even 
now, the third week in November, the majority of 
gardens in Devonshire present no mean show of 
such flowers as Roses, Dahlias, Cannas, Gaillardias, 
and a host of others too numerous to mention. 
But to return to my subject. It was the gardening 
along the esplanade that caught my eye the most. 
Here beds of glowing Begonias, and with blooms of 
such size, too, zonal Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Cannas, 
Heliotropes, Dahlias, etc., were all in full beauty, 
while towering above them were fine specimens of 
Dracaena australis, io ft. to 12 ft. high ; many of 
them carrying their huge panicles of creamy-white 
flowers, looked quite tropical. Various Yuccas in 
bloom, with their noble spikes 3 ft. in length, clothed 
with open and unexpanded flowers not unlike the 
Eucharis Lily, vied with fine, healthy specimens of 
Chamaerops excelsa, and a number of plants of 
Eucalyptus coccifera and E. globulus, some 15 ft. to 
20 ft. high, whose light blue foliage contrasted so 
well with the above-mentioned subjects. 
Clinging to the massive rocks overhead, which 
must surely reach from 50 ft. to 60 ft. high at some 
points, we noticed Ampelopsis Veitchii, which had 
put on its richest apparel. Patches of a good 
scarlet trailing Tropaeolum were a blaze of colour, 
and quite at their best, extending 12 ft. or so in 
height on the jagged rocks. At different points the 
Old Man’s Beard (Clematis Vitalba) added large 
breadths of almost snowy whiteness in contrast to 
the two former creepers. 
Between Newton Abbot and Torquay, on the 
Great Western line can be seen quantities of this 
Clematis on the hedges and in the woods. 
This tropical display (if I may be allowed to 
use the term) in the dull month of November 
causes one to wonder why so many of our wealthy 
English folk at this time of the year take themselves 
across the Channel to winter, when we have, as it 
were, at our very door such a salubrious climate as 
Torquay affords.— J. Mayne, Bicton. 
- «*«-- 
FLOWERS LATE IN AUTUMN. 
It is pleasing to read in gardening and other papers 
so much about flowers in autumn, such as seem to 
be in evidence this season. We have from Banffshire 
a glowing report of flowers in gardens, large and 
small, as late as the 17th of November, and no 
appearance of a cessation, so far as weather is con¬ 
cerned. Pentstemons, Stocks (East Lothian), 
Antirrhinums, Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, Pansies, 
and Roses are in bloom 
From a Fifeshire gardener we learn that he 
picked good green Peas on the 16th, the variety 
being Dr. McLean, and flowers were still abundant. 
A friend in Merioneth says that all the autumn 
flowers are in great profusion, and also that green 
Peas are plentiful. 
From the west of Scotland glowing reports are to 
hand of the plentiful supplies of cut flowers, 
Begonias having done better than many other 
plants. 
At a largely attended meeting of amateurs and 
professional gardeners in our own district (Stirling¬ 
shire), reports of the floral display is such as we 
never remember hearing before. With ourselves 
(November 18th) there is an abundance of Dahlias 
(especially surplus stocks) and Chrysanthemums in 
the open. Of the latter, Ambrose Thomas, American 
Star, Orange Child, Canary, Piercy’s Seedling, and 
Mdlle. Marie Masse are nearly as good as they have 
been during September. It is only within the last ten 
days that Dobbie’s beautiful dwarf single Marigold 
(which formed a showy edging to a herbaceous 
border) has ceased to flower. It has been attractive 
ever since the end of May. 
Reverting to Begonias, the reports of them in the 
north are of high order, for they have stood heavy 
rains better than many species of more hardy 
nature. We went some distance a few weeks ago 
to see the excellent strain of Begonias at the garden 
of that enthusiastic amateur, Mr. Robertson, of 
Roseville, near Stirling. That gentleman has for 
some years laboured with persistent energy to get his 
favourite flower into a state of nearly perfection. 
Strength of petal, high and distinct colours have 
certainly been Mr. Robertson’s reward. His plants 
are not surpasseddn this respect by any which we 
have seen. The long lines of plants in full flower 
near the public road were a great attraction to 
pedestrians. Many gardeners and others have paid 
visits to Roseville, and a warm welcome they receive 
if they are lovers of Begonias. 
In the greenhouse some special flowers are grown 
in pots, but it is the usefulness of varieties for out¬ 
side decoration which Mr. Robertson values most. 
High prices often have been paid by him for the best 
sorts known in the trade, especially those sent out 
by the great Begonia cultivators. These are crossed 
with those in stock at Roseville with excellent 
results as indicated. Mr. Robertson has (we under¬ 
stand) been induced to put seed of his choicest 
strains into the hands of Messrs. Drummond, seeds¬ 
men, &c., Stirling, who will, no doubt, in due course 
send them out in packets for the benefit of admirers 
of the popular Begonia.— M. Temple, Carrou, N.B. 
NOTICE OF BOOK. 
City of Boston Department of Parks. Twenty- 
third Annual Report of the Board of Com¬ 
missioners for the year ending January 31, 1898. 
Printed for the Department, 1898. 
It is seldom we find annual reports worked out, 
printed, and substantially bound in book form. The 
report under notice runs to ninety pages, of which 
about half are occupied with statistics, which are 
important to those concerned, and are no doubt the 
principal part of the report to the inhabitants of 
Boston, U.S.A. To people of this country the 
details of the work carried out in the numerous 
parks and recreation grounds around the old city of 
Boston should prove the most interesting reading, 
because it gives an insight into work so different in 
scope from that with which we have to deal in this 
country, though the aim or object is the same, namely, 
the recreation and amusement of people otherwise 
cooped up in large cities. 
The authorities of Boston are practically taking 
time by the forelock in securing and laying out open 
spaces for the people in a neighbourhood that is fast 
being appropriated and built upon. The advantage 
of securing the ground before prices become extor¬ 
tionate should be apparent to everyone, and might 
well serve as a hint to the governing bodies of all 
large and growing cities. The parks and pieces of 
ground are very numerous, and the principal ones 
more or less connected with one another by means 
of meadows, fens, or marshes, roadways, and natural 
woodlands. The latter are interesting; and, what is 
more so, many of them are being restored as far as 
possible so as to resemble the primeval forest. This, 
of course, is done by the planting of trees and shrubs 
of the same species as originally grew there. Road¬ 
building has been carried on in the parks during the 
past fifteen years, in order to open them for public use, 
and this has been delaying the work of planting. 
Notwithstanding this, steady progress is reported in 
the purchase of 30,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs. New 
nurseries have been laid out and filled with 
stock, so that preparations are going on for extensive 
plantations in all the parks, as well as public avenues 
and roadways that still remain without the shade of 
trees. 
Already a commencement has been made in 
restoring the old woods by the removal of what are 
termed tree weeds, which, having escaped from 
neighbouring gardens, are springing up in great 
quantities and preventing the growth of native trees. 
In future plantations the Board of Commissioners 
propose to use largely the trees and shrubs native to 
Massachusetts, because they grow more successfully, 
live longer, and require less labour in keeping them 
in order than trees of foreign countries. The advisa¬ 
bility of such a course is obvious enough, but it 
could hardly be adopted in this country in private 
parks owing to the lack of variety amongst native 
trees. Admitting, however, that trees of Continental 
Europe might be admissible for the work in the 
public parks of Britain, there would be sufficient 
variety to suit all positions in public parks here, as 
far as the general planting is concerned. At 
present many exotic trees are planted in situations 
and localities for which they are entirely unfitted, 
though their ornamental character is indisputable, 
provided they could be kept in health. 
An excellent map of Franklin Park is given in the 
book, and shows the connection between it and the 
distant Marine Park. The former is of some size, 
and includes several old residences with their respec¬ 
tive boundary lines, fences and plantations ; so much 
of these are being cleared away in order that such 
places may be harmoniously blended with their 
surroundings, The book is further illustrated with 
several photographic representations of scenes in the 
parks and richly-wooded areas, including some trees 
of magnificent growth. The type is large and the 
printing clear, so that altogether the report is well 
got up. 
Mr. John A. Pettigrew is the superintendent of the 
Department of Parks, and it is with pleasure we note 
that the Board of Commissioners in their report thus 
speak of him : *• The City is fortunate in having 
secured the services of so devoted and competent a 
man as Mr. Pettigrew.” 
. 
LARBERT HOUSE, STIRLINGSHIRE. 
Larbert House, the residence of J. H. N. Graham, 
Esq., is situated on rising ground, within ten minutes’ 
walk of Larbert, Stirlingshire, a country town of 
some io.oco inhabitants. On the southern slope of 
the estate the green parks are thinly wooded ; but in 
the immediate vicinity of the mansion are many fine 
old trees of Beech, Elm, and Oak, that shelter the 
place ; and away to the northward are large planta¬ 
tions of forest trees. The massive and spreading 
Portugal Laurels and Rhododendrons are noticeable 
on the dressed grounds for the healthy and glossy 
dark green of the foliage. The Evergreen Oak 
(Quercus Ilex) is also hardy here. Southward the 
prospect commands the view of a wooded and level 
country, with the tall shafts of the iron works at 
Falkirk and Grahamston, behind which the horizon 
is bounded by low hills more or less wooded. The 
River Carron winds its devious way through the 
valley a short distance to the south, its course often 
being indicated by irregular lines of trees. Charming 
as it is, the prospect would be much finer in summer, 
when the trees are in full leafage. 
On a recent visit to the gardens here we were sorry 
to find that Mr. David Airdrie, the well-known 
gardener, had been ill and confined to the house for 
some weeks, a fact which explained his absence from 
the leading Chrysanthemum shows in Scotland. The 
season being far advanced, we confined our attention 
to the glass department chiefly. In the cool Orchid 
house, Odontoglossum Edouardi was throwing up 
strong, branching, flower scapes. A very richly- 
blotched variety of O nebulosum was also note¬ 
worthy. Running parallel with this is a houseful of 
zonal Pelargoniums for winter flowering. Fine 
varieties are Mrs. Winch, salmon, with a silvery edge; 
Coquet, white, with pink centre; Surprise, double 
white; Villa dePoister, semi-double rose ; and Gloire 
de France, double white, tinted with pink. 
The stove contains the usual run of plants suitable 
for such structures. Saintpaulia ionantha, as imita- 
