602 
May 20, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
basket, and under the genial influence of heat and 
moisture has become wonderfully refined and beauti¬ 
ful. Davailia bullata and D. fijiensis swing in 
another higher section, and to show how large these 
are when measured between the tips of the fronds on 
either side of the baskets or pans, the latter named 
variety reached over io ft. 
It may be of interest to note that in one of these 
baskets in a stove, too, a little wren builds a nest 
every year. Of course, the nest is just as often 
ruined by the watering of the plant. But let us go 
back to the Melon house which we were just about 
to enter before these large Ferns arrested our course. 
This house has to serve doubly, both as Melon and 
Cucumber house. 
The house is well heated, and has a very con¬ 
venient hot-water tap, an essential for all such 
houses. Cucumbers were vigorous and bearing well, 
and Melons were coming on. French Beans were 
in for forcing, together with Lilacs and bulbous 
plants in pots. Pancratiums, both old and new, 
were also represented in batches. The shelves and 
odd corners were filled with bedding stuff. In a 
further part of the corrider again, we found a Mon- 
stera deliciosa, the fruits of which are very sweet 
and, to some palates, agreeable. 
Gardenias occupied a house to themselves, and 
fine large plants they are. These are usually pruned 
back after flowering, top-dressed in spring time, and 
fed through the summer. Under this treatment 
they never look behind them. 
Again, in another house we witnessed a very fine 
specimen, Anthurium Veitchii, with leaves nearly 
3 ft. long ; Crotons, Panax Victoriae, Strobilanthes 
dyerianus, Acalyphas of sorts, and Alocasia metal- 
lica. A few Orchids were in pans and pots, 
hanging from the rafters or on the stages. These 
included Dendrobium wardianum, Laelia dayana, 
and Cattleya labiata. Off from this was a cool 
house with Cyclamen and Primulas, also zonal 
Pelargoniums. Mr Harvey devotes a house every 
winter to the culture, for bloom, of these three 
classes of plants. 
In the stove Anthurium crystallinum was very 
evident, and Sanseviera javanica, Clerodendron 
balfouriana, Ficus elastica, F. e. variegata, Pan- 
danus, Adiantums in variety, Nephrolepis, Bou¬ 
gainvillea glabra, Kentia belmoreana, K. canterbury- 
ana, K. fosteriana, Areca lutescens, and so on. 
In another and last part of the heated corridor 
Allamanda Hendersonii was bracing itself over some 
hundreds of square feet of wall surface. A Fern stage 
was below it, and from beneath this stage a wavy, 
graceful bank of Curculigo recurvata shot forth. 
Hanging baskets with various Ferns and other 
plants were suspended from the roof down the length 
of the house. 
Coelogynes, Vandas, Oncidiums, and other 
Orchids, although not in flower at my visit, yet had 
been, and that in great profusion. 
Nearly all such flowers are cut and sent to the 
Hon. Mrs. Trotter once or twice weekly, so that 
there is never a great show in this department for 
any length of time. 
(To be continued.) 
R.H.S. GARDENS, CHISWICK. 
How handy it is to be able to mention Chiswick to 
anyone in the horticultural way, and to know that 
many minds with one accord conjure up visions of 
orchards, trial grounds, and glass-ranges down in a 
lovely part of south-west London. We remember 
the days when we defined Chiswick as a big flat 
expanse of red-soiled brakes, with beds all over the 
place from which plants of novelty were doing their 
best to "grow into sensations,” and about them a 
dozen or two men of the Captain Cuttle type were 
skipping round note-taking or raising a din with 
their emphatic opinions on the quality-points of this 
or that. But, oh dear, this was not Chiswick. We 
were agreeably surprised when first we visited the 
famous old place, and we were happy when asked to 
go once again and report. The garden is well 
planned, being convenient for operations, and very 
beautiful at the same time. On the left, from Mr. 
S. T. Wright's office, the east boundary is defined, 
and on the good brick wall, which faces south, or 
nearly, Peaches are trained. They are in very flush 
health, though after the sudden and severe March 
frosts the set of fruit has fallen low. On the dry, 
sandy soil at Chiswick much water is needed to 
preserve the crops in a growing state, and already 
these wall Peaches have had a soaking. On the border 
in front of them there is a large trial of annuals. On the 
border facing the annuals an extended test is being 
made of Violas, six of each sort, though many 
varieties have been already tried.at Chiswick and 
reported on. Again, along the east side of the 
garden is a very lengthy border of French Beans, 
in sixty varieties, arranged according to the colour 
of the seeds, and to be tabulated as to quality, &c., 
in due season. 
To our right lies the closely planted bush Apple 
trees, of which eight and nine plants of some varie¬ 
ties have been grafted on to different kinds of stocks 
to prove the effect of any special kind, but in very 
many that Mr. Wright pointed out not the least 
difference could be detected. We admired the young 
Apple plantation, embracing 120 of the best varie¬ 
ties, neighbouring the other brake, and from the fine 
start they have mode good future results are 
expected. For convenience and ready reference 
they are arranged in alphabetical order, as were the 
Plum trees on a farther area. The Plums, like the 
Peaches, suffered from the low temperature. On 
May 5th, 6th, and 7th there were :o°, g c , and 4° of 
frost respectively. 
In this portion of the garden, too, we find the 
Strawberry beds. The show for fruit was very fair. 
Royal Sovereign and Countess are the best varieties 
in every respect in these gardens, and in this they 
are at one with most other places. Growing in 
single rows we noted what is probably the largest 
collection of Rhubarb, in varieties, to be found any¬ 
where. Sweet Cherries were heavy with blossom. 
We think Cherries will be very fine this year. 
On our way to the large old vinery, Mr. Wright 
gave us his opinion on the habits of sparrows. We 
had thought of those only as cheery, persevering and 
innocent little pets, whose only bad points are their 
love for feeding on as many of the Gooseberry buds, 
Carnation leaves as they could find, vegetable seeds 
of only a hundred or two kinds, and of their great 
appreciation for the petals of Polyanthus and Cro¬ 
cuses, &c., &c. They are well known also for their 
great good sense in not interfering between the gar¬ 
dener and his insect acquaintances, and for the soil¬ 
ing of doorsteps and window-sills. We thought that 
they might have been held in respect by someone, 
but we did not find that " someone ” at Chiswick. 
We were by this time in the large vinery. Things 
here are looking very creditable, and the conditions 
are all right for the Vines, as told by the leafage and 
the show of fruiting bunches. Passing from the 
house we at once found ourselves in the rock garden, 
which had just been under partial re-arrangement. 
The whole scheme of alterations, however, has yet to 
be completed. The Campanulas have been kept by 
themselves, and new plants have been added in one 
or two parts. The general arrangement is very neat 
and convenient. Biotas, Thuias, and other Coni- 
ferae are diversely and tastefully grouped. 
Narcissi, in varieties, Phlox setacea, Iberis semper- 
florens, Aubrietia deltoidea, Primulas, Saxifragras, 
and other things were individually fine, and we took 
notice that care in watering and cleaning were points 
well attended to. On the right hand, or north side 
of the rockery, there stretches a beautiful lawn, 
smooth, even and full, extending to and beyond the 
office. On the east and west limits, dividing, or 
sheltering tree-clothed walls, stretch along; and 
some Box hedges, very broad at the base and sloping 
to the top, intersect other sections of the garden. 
These hedges are ornaments in no small measure for 
the trimming and the " keep ” of them are faultless. 
The use of tall dividing hedges is to be recommended 
because of their effect in sustaining one’s inquisitive¬ 
ness as to what will appear next, and, of course, this 
is synonymous with pleasant interest. 
Just at the edge of the rock garden Vitis Labrusca 
had been trained in curving chains between pillars, 
which latter it likewise adorned. Anyone can 
imagine how delightful the summer appearance will 
be. 
Now we are directed to a fine batch of some hun¬ 
dreds of Paeonies in strong health. Disbudding of 
the flower shoots was being accomplished. The 
Paeonies are mulched in autumn, which, by its pro¬ 
tecting and feeding qualities, must greatly assist the 
plants. Then, just close to the last-named, come 
Carnations from Mr. James Douglas, Great Book- 
ham. Very large trials of vegetables, Peas, and 
Sweet Peas are under observation, and also Phloxes. 
On our way to the plant houses we crossed the 
main walk where the general smartness of every¬ 
thing was brought strikingly to us. The grass was 
closely kept and beautiful, and the shrubberies 
were so well arranged, and each plant allowed such 
freedom for growth that no one could criticise. But 
for the matter of that, order and cleanliness and 
general good keeping is shown all about the garden. 
It may be worthy of note that tall old Camellias 
were just passing from flower, and a rich display 
there had been, too. 
In a low span house we witnessed a rampant 
batch of Cannas trying to push the roof off in their 
vigour. Next door we found the section to contain 
Caladiums.of which more maybe heard. We never 
saw better plants than those at Chiswick (Caladiums 
must be the fairies' trees). Then we saw three or 
four houses filled with Tomatos, one, for instance, 
Morton Hall from the Bowling Green. 
