BIO 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 14, 1899. 
PEOPLE I HAVE MET. 
Mr. John McKerchar. 
It would be at least, I think, twelve years ago, 
since I first had the pleasure of meeting the subject 
of this sketch. Mr. McKerchar was journeying 
through East Anglia- the land of the Sirdar's 
ancestors; and it was on the road to Aspall Hall 
that I met him. I understood but little Scotch then, 
and Mr. McKerchar's broadish Hielan tongue only 
added to my first impression of him. " A richt guid 
New Year, laddie," was a greeting unmistakably 
genuine and seasonable, and as we journeyed on 
our friend recounted many an experience in the years 
away back to the fifties. 
I recently had the pleasure of renewing his 
acquaintanceship, and am sure that a few notes of 
Mr. McKerchar's life history as an accompaniment to 
the portrait which we are this week able to give of him 
will not be unacceptable. 
Our friend comes from the county of Perthshire, 
where at Croftmarlaig, in Kenmore, he was born in 
1850. Educated at Acharn School, he graduated 
with the firm of Peter Lawson & Son, in Edinburgh, 
until the close of 1873, when he came to England. 
At Messrs. F. & A. Dickson & Sons, Chester, he re¬ 
mained until September, 1881, when he received an 
appointment with the great Holloway firm,and with 
Mr. B. S. Williams and Messrs. B. S. Williams & 
Son he has been engaged these last seventeen years 
in the dual capacity of seedsman and traveller. 
Mr. McKerchar was an active member of the 
Chester Society of Natural Science and Literature 
during his sojourn in that city, before which society 
he has read several papers on scientific subjects. 
His keen insight and aptitude for research has made 
these papers valuable as works of reference, and 
we should like to see them published in book form. 
Not only has Mr. McKerchar the trained ability of 
an expert seedsman, but he is also undoubtedly 
a born traveller, never grudging in his friendship, 
never loth to lend a band to any cause rightly 
appealing to his generosity or charity. A man in the 
prime of life he has, we hope, many years of useful¬ 
ness before him, and as an excellent member of the 
horticultural profession I am glad to greet him.— 
Gyp. 
CHINESE PRIMULAS AT READING. 
When the excitement over Roses, Chrysanthemums 
and other floral beauties of summer and autumn 
becomes a thing of the past, gardeners and amateurs 
settle down to the calm contemplation and quiet 
delight of watching their winter flowers unfold. No 
modern establishment can afford to be flowerless 
during the winter months ; for " who loves a garden, 
loves a greenhouse too " ; and it is at this season that 
the occupants of the conservatory and greenhouse 
stand out in the boldest relief against the leafless con¬ 
dition of the trees in the open air and the bareness of 
the garden borders. Winter flowers have, in fact, 
few competitors in the open, and even they are 
entirely dependent upon the fitful character of our 
fickle climate. No one can gainsay the beauty of the 
Chinese Primulas in autumn, winter and spring 
They are the hybrid perpetuals amongst Primulas or 
the remontants of Continental and American cultiva¬ 
tors and writers. When grown purely for the sake 
of their flowers, their durability and continuity is 
marvellous, the plants growing in vigour day by day 
until crowned by a pyramid of flowers. Their 
season can also be greatly prolonged, if desirable, by 
sowing two or three batches at as many different 
times. 
For a number of years past it has been our 
pleasure to inspect the floral feast provided by the 
Chinese Primulas in the Portland Road Nurseries of 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, and on this occasion 
they fully maintain their reputation and high 
standard of merit. They reach their zenith and 
maintain their beauty during the month of January, 
and may be in full beauty before the old year is out, 
and continue into February; and that they do not 
retain their decorative value for a longer period is 
due solely to the fact that they are grown for seed. 
Already the earlier varieties have been brushed over 
or pollinated more than once ; and every student and 
careful observer knows that the process quickly 
determines the fall of the flowers operated upon. At 
the present time ten houses are devoted to Primulas 
alone, a fact that will convey some idea of their 
importance. No stone is left unturned to have the 
best sorts in cultivation, and for that purpose as well 
as to test the seeds of the varieties grown at, and 
sent out from Reading, a trial is made of all the 
varieties obtainable. A house is devoted to some¬ 
thing like 200 trials, the seeds of which were sown in 
August, and the plants are now commencing to 
flower in small pots. t The purity and standard of 
the previous harvest of the Reading strains are 
thus practically tested before they are disseminated 
amongst the customers of the firm. While these 
seeds are actually tested and flowered in a green¬ 
house, the germinating power of all seeds is being 
tested in a room fitted up with cases and apparatus 
on the most approved scientific principles, as we had 
opportunities of observing while passing through the 
extensive warehouses where orders are now being 
made up and sent off with all possible despatch to 
every part of the world. 
On entering the Primula houses it was evident 
that Sutton’s Star Primula was growing in im. 
portance and popularity, for it occupies a whole 
house. To the original white variety a beautiful pink 
one has been added as a novelty for this year. The 
graceful character of the foliage, and the starry flowers, 
tier upon tier, proclaim the merits of this strain for 
decorative purposes. The charming simplicity of the 
flowers stands out in striking contrast to the more 
formal rotundity and the stiff, correct attitude of the 
floral giants that have been finding favour with the 
gardening fraternity for years past. They stand in 
same relation to the large and geometrically formed 
flowers as decorative Chrysanthemums do to the big 
flowers of the exhibition tables. Every one has his 
tastes, and an equal right to them ; but both strains 
may be grown side by side in the same establishment 
with perfect propriety. 
Sutton’s Blue (Fern-leaved) is two or three weeks 
earlier than Reading Blue, having Fern leaves, 
and as the requirements of different establishments 
necessitate flowers at various periods according to 
the time the family is at home, so the retention of 
both is perfectly justified. Pearl is white with light 
green foliage, and being a standard variety and in 
great request it is grown in great quantity. Brilliant 
Rose is a companion to the last named, having rich 
rose flowers intensifying with age like those of other 
good modern strains. Brilliant Ruby is the dwarf- 
est and neatest in habit of all the Chinese Primulas, 
the colour being as indicated by the name, and the 
flowers resting on the top of the compact tuft of 
foliage. Amongst the double varieties in company 
with the above Double White holds a distinguished 
place both for earliness and utility. The palmate 
foliage is of a light green, and the flowers are pro¬ 
duced very early ; but the warm summer and autumn 
of the last three years would seem to have brought 
double varieties to the flowering stage much earlier 
than usual. The curled and bronzy-tinted leaves 
and darker petioles of Double Moss-curled are very 
pretty, and harmonise with the pink flowers which 
partake more or less of the same crisped character. 
Moss-curled (Fern-leaved) differs from the previous 
one in the form of the leaves and their bright green 
colour. The leaves are short and the habit of the 
plant altogether compact and pretty. 
The novelty of the season is undoubtedly Sutton’s 
Crimson King, which has been on trial here for a 
number of years, so that it has been well tested, while a 
sufficient stock of it has been worked up to enable 
its being placed on the list of standard sorts. The 
rich glowing crimson of the flowers, deepening to 
maroon in the centre, and surrounded by a nearly 
black band, will put it in the front rank as the 
darkest of its race. The colour intensifies with age, 
and is not confined to the corolla, for it extends to 
