May 20, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
60B 
devoted to the variety, Yellow Peach, it beiDggrown 
for a supply of seeds to distribute to fellows of the 
society, having been much appreciated last season. 
Another house had fifty-two distinct varieties on 
trial, while yet another had the best Of tried varie¬ 
ties grown, no doubt, also for seeds. It may be here 
commented that all the Tomatos are at once planted 
into their fruiting pots, and kept in progressive order 
by frequent top-dressings. A Gros Colman house 
was putting forth a goodly show. 
As many as fifty-one varieties of Scented Pelar- ' 
goniums are to be found in another house, and of 
course houses are devoted to Palms and Ferns so 
essential for the groups at shows. A lean-to house 
contained bush Peach trees and others, trained fan¬ 
shaped to the back wall. The crops now swelling 
after the stoning, were excellent; form and number 
were just proper, and the ample growth of leaf and 
shoots was also very robust. We were quite sur¬ 
prised when we came to know that very many of the 
fresh-like, substantial houses were so, from the skill 
of Mr. Wright and his own men. To have re-roofed 1 
and renovated so many houses and to have managed 
all the various other work,seemingly so easily .denotes 
ability on the superintendent’s part, and we know 
the Council, to which he is responsible, appreciate 
their man. 
In the houses for Zonal Pelargoniums, Fuschias, 
and the like we found that varieties representing 
Messrs. Cannell, Brooks, Pearson, Vilmorin, and 
Lemoine's raising were here gathered. We saw the 
Figs too, and the ioo distinct kinds all agreed— 
according to appearances—that bone-meal was a 
thing to be “ swallowed quick, and good for food." 
In the propagating pits and in some outside 
frames we found a fine stock of Dracaenas, Adiantum 
elegans May’s form, Asparagus Sprengerii, &c., &c., 
Rhododendrons, &c., in the outdoor frames grown 
for distribution, The fine old pyramidal hard pruned 
Pear and other trees lying to the back of the bothy, 
are just full of blossom, and should we get a favour¬ 
able season the visitors to these gardens will find 
much to inspect. But,as Mr. Wright pointed out, a 
plethora of blossom generally means the reverse of a 
fine crop. We had seen much that was of wide 
interest, and we hope the results of the careful and 
persevering work may be gratifying to everyone who 
has horticultural advancement in their desires. 
-- 
Tlie Oicftifl Brower’s Calendar. 
Now that we are getting something like spring 
weather it is not a difficult matter to keep the tem¬ 
perature up to the required height without having 
recourse to much fire heat in the day time. That it 
is not safe to do without it for Cattleyas, &c., as yet, 
when the days are dull, is certain, but it should be 
as nicely gauged as possible, so that undue amount 
of firing is not used in waste. We ourselves make 
as much of the sun heat as possible by shutting up 
the houses early in the afternoon, and rolling up the 
blinds at the same time, and syringing well between 
the pots, &c. Later in the day a gentle fire is 
lighted, and when the pipes have become warm a 
little air is again admitted through the bottom 
ventilators; this is left on all night. 
With the Cool Orchids we have this past 
week dispensed with fire-heat entirely, consequently 
the damping down during the afternoon is of the 
lightest description, because of the many plants in 
full bloom. The flowers soon become spotted if the 
atmosphere is kept at saturation point, therefore, 
should the weather become dull, a little fire-heat 
may be necessary to avoid such a contingency. 
Cattleya labiata Warnerii. —Those plants 
that are strong enough to flower will now be pushing 
up their flowers, and should not be stinted as regards 
moisture at the roots. Those that do not happen to 
be flowering will be pushing forth new roots from 
the partially made up growths, and should receive 
attention in the matter of repotting, &c. Caught 
in this stage they are not long in getting over what 
little check they may get through the operation. 
Laelia pumila and its varieties, too, may be now re¬ 
potted, using the best peat and sphagnum moss in 
about equal parts with good drainage. 
Odontoglossum excellens.— This is a most 
lovely natural hybrid between O. Pescatorei and O. 
triumphans, which is all too scarce. Indeed, it is the 
scarcity of it that bothers one, seeing that the two 
species are found growing together. The only in¬ 
ference is that the bulk of the O. triumphans are 
over before the O. Pescatorei is in full swing. 
O. andersonianum is another popular hybrid 
between O. gloriosum and O. crispum. This is as 
common as it is variable, plenty of them turning up 
in a batch of imported plants. There are several 
handsome varieties, and about the majority of them 
have narrow spotted segments with the strong scent 
of O. gloriosum. O. andersonianum is easily dis¬ 
tinguished from O. crispum in the imported state on 
account of the roughness of the pseudo-bulbs. Its 
culture is identical with that of O. crispum, as may 
be supposed by its parentage.—S. C. 
* 
The Summer Bedding Season. —It is rather a 
curious fact that in summer when we have so many 
flowers everywhere, we, as gardeners, must yet plant 
out thousands more in our gardens to increase the 
quantity. For seven months in the year we give up 
the fruit and other houses for the protection of the 
" children ” of the previous year’s plants. Having 
accomplished the safe-rearing of so many bedding 
plants, we put our skill—and the plants’ endurance, 
in many cases—to the greatest efforts in the planting 
of beautiful, and it may be novel, arrangements of 
the plants. And in our endeavours to make summer 
as really summer-like as possible we put out all sorts 
of plants which, in unfavourable years, no more than 
hold their own, if that, at all times. Still we 
heartily advocate sub-tropical bedding and high- 
class combinations. It is one of the pegs upon 
which our title as artists or skilled men, in the 
application of art principles in gardening, depends. 
We like to see all kinds of the bedding systems 
adopted, to some extent, according to the size and 
other circumstances of the places adopting summer 
bedding. We say " to some extent ” because we 
rather prefer the less boring, better lasting attrac¬ 
tions of single coloured beds so long as they are also 
sweet. But in such gardens where various little 
detached, or screened off gardens are to be found, 
then, of course, there is here a plea to be raised for 
variety. We may adopt all kinds of systems, sub¬ 
tropical, mixed, succulent, “ massing ’’ and carpet 
bedding. They add variety and open the door to 
the man who would show his powers; and by 
various systems we shall have some thing to please 
different tastes. 
Sub-tropical Bedding. —This is the costliest 
system 1 believe that we adopt. As a rule the 
plants are of the finer class and large, as, for 
instance, Palms and tree Ferns, and, of course, 
necessitate greater house accommodation in winter. 
They are subject to many evils and require much 
care to maintain them in grace from one year’s end 
to the other. But just because there is difficulty in 
growing and need for judgment in using them, the 
resourceful man will the more eagerly use them. 
The effect of sub-tropical bedding is far grander 
than that of any other mode. The aim should be to 
have large and fine enough plants to produce, when 
the bedding is immediately finished, a pleasing and 
united, developed show. A deep, moist, light, rich 
soil admits of our planting anything out in beds, 
such as Arundos, Bamboos, Phormium tenax varie- 
gatum, Bocconia cordata, Humea elegans, Acacia 
lophantha, Grevillea robusta, Abutilon Thompsonii, 
and probably even finer varieties; Funkia ovata 
variegata, Salvias, Lobelias, of the taller kinds, 
Cannas, Aralia Sieboldii, Ricinus Gibsonii, Yucca 
recurvata, Tussilago Farfara variegata, Eucalyptus 
globulus; Nicotiana macrophylla gigantea, and N. 
sylvestris. Beet of kinds, Gypsophila paniculata and 
many other of our half hardy ornamental foliaged or 
handsome flowering plants may be used in this 
system of bedding. Such beds must not be posed 
directly in front of the residence but at a distance 
from it, else one's good taste for free proportions 
receives a wound, and large areas or spaces between 
the beds themselves are indispensable. 
The Mixed Style of Bedding when executed 
with high-class artistic skill, has much to commend 
it. Perhaps in small gardens it is really the best 
way or the only means of securing variety. In 
moderate sized gardens, that is, those ranging 
between four-and-a-half and seven acres, the style of 
having only one colour of bloom in a bed with, of 
course, a contrasting edging is the better form. 
Why have we not oftener a few succulent beds even 
if only for the curiosity of them ? Opuntias, 
Gasterias, Agaves, and lots of other things would 
form, at least, a wonderful mixture. Bedding, how¬ 
ever, need not commence to northwards for a 
fortnight yet. One hint I would throw out is to 
have your stock calculated, and your plans as to 
what this or that bed shall contain must be made 
before you knock out a single plant from its pot. 
Miscellaneous.— -In the herbaceous borders use 
the hoe freely. Thin out annuals. Earth up and 
stake Sweet Peas. Keep walks free from weeds. 
We usually give one or two paths an application of 
" Climax ’’ weed-killer at this time and find it 
keeps the paths free from growths for all the year, 
and just the slightest use of the hoe during the 
following year preserves the walks perfectly weed- 
free. See to tree guards in parks, and to enclosures. 
If turfing is not completely finished then it ought to 
be.— J. H. D. 
DANESFIELD, GREAT MARLOW. 
[Concluded from page 582.) 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Amongst the many improvements and renovations 
being effected by R. W. Hudson, Esq., on the fine 
old estate of Danesfield, Great Marlow, Bucks, the 
kitchen garden has not been overlooked. It has 
practically been emptied of its contents, a clean 
sweep having been made of the old fruit trees, that 
had become more ornamental and picturesque than 
fruitful or useful. We refer to the wall trees as well 
as espaliers surrounding the various vegetable 
quarters. YouDg trees of the best and most useful 
modern varieties have been planted round the well- 
built walls, as well round the borders, the latter 
consisting chiefly of Apples. Pears, Sweet Cherries, 
and Morello Cherries chiefly monopolise the walls 
inside, the latter useful and free fruiting sorts being 
relegated to the northern aspects of the walls. Plant 
bouses occupy the south front at the upper end of the 
garden. Currants and Apricots are planted against 
the south-east-aspect wall. The selection has been 
made with due regard to the capabilities of the soil 
and district generally. The Apricots and Cherries 
we feel sure will do well in the soil overlying the 
chalk, which is the geological formation of the 
district as far as the high ground is concerned. At 
low levels, especially in the Thames valley proper, 
the soil is, of course, alluvium of considerable depth, 
with water at no great distance from the surface. 
Near the houses is a bedding design, consisting of 
what is known as chain-bedding, laid out on gravel 
and planted with Tea Roses pegged down, some of 
the smaller beds being planted with Fairy Roses. The 
object is to get a supply of Roses for cutting, they 
being in great request. A nook or two is also planted 
with some of the best of Lord Penzance's Sweet 
Briers. 
Cauliflower Sutton’s Magnum Bonum will be 
ready for cutting by the end of this month ; and the 
new variety Sutton’s Early Giant will form a 
succession. Close by them is a sowing of Pea Duke 
of Albany. The first planting of Potatos was well 
above ground against a low terrace wall at the end of 
the third week of April, notwithstanding the frosty 
nights which occurred just before then, and since. 
It may here be stated that the temperature at the 
level of this elevated garden is about 4 0 to 5 0 higher, 
than in the bottom of the valley just outside the 
garden. Ellam’s Early Cabbage sown about the 
August 13th last was ready for cutting by the second 
week of April, and beautiful, crisp, and tender 
hearts it supplied. Not one of the plants had bolted, 
so that this variety still continues one of the best and 
most reliable early Cabbages. Sutton’s Flower of 
Spring is coming in as a succession to the last 
named, under the same conditions. Near the glass¬ 
houses Sutton’s Early Giant Pea stood 12 in. to 15 in. 
high, and was showing flower buds about four weeks 
ago. The batch had been started under glass, and 
planted out after being hardened off. Just as they 
were showing flower came that cold snap about the 
middle of April, about 12 0 of frost being registered 
one night. This would have crippled the Peas or 
cut them up altogether if it had not been for Mr. 
Gibson’s forethought. Some zinc roofing was at 
hand and with this they were promptly covered up, 
rendering them safe. 
On either side of the kitchen garden, but outside 
