758 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 29, 1899. 
\ 
lying in the sun or darting about. Many 
goldfishes had been put into a lagoon, and 
confined by a grating; but an overflow of 
the stream has enabled some of them to 
escape. They have not gone far, however, 
and evidently do not like the trouts, for 
they often look in through the grating from 
whencethey escaped. Theislandshavebeen 
planted with variegated Negundo, Prunus 
Pissardi, red and yellow barked Willows, 
Flowering Currants, Laburnums, and sown 
down with Shirley Poppies, &c., in one case. 
The other large island has beds of Aquilegias, 
Delphiniums, Castor Oil Plants, Physalis 
Franchetti, &c. Palms, Musas, Alocasias, 
Eulalias, and other subjects are stood about; 
while Hedychiuum coronarium standing in 
the water flowered in this position. Beds 
of Montbretias are growing luxuriantly. 
Kniphofia grandiflora is already showing 
flower spikes. In the damp soil we noted 
Cypripedium spectabile. The grass is full 
of Daffodils now resting. In the lagoons 
are white Water Lilies, Caltha, Water Plan¬ 
tain and Aponogeton distachyon. A summer 
house, thatched with heather, on one island 
is covered with flowering Honeysuckle, 
Roses and Jasmine. In another year or so 
this will be a delightful spot in warm 
weather. Lower down the stream is deeper 
and wider, flowing almost close past the 
walls of the mansion. The gardener is 
going to widen a portion so as to give the 
whole the appearance of a lake. The edges 
are fringed with tall sedges and wild flowers 
such as are common in the southern counties 
of England. Bamboos aqd grasses planted 
on the kept grounds are thriving well. The 
lawns and ground were damp close to the 
mansion but drains have now been put in all 
round the place. Near this spot Richardia 
africana planted in the Maran under a 
wide spreading Plane flowers and stands 
the winter. 
Passing into the garden we noted a fine 
piece of Swainsonia galegifolia alba in full 
bloom against the outside wall of a vinery. 
In the kitchen garden a herbaceous border 
on either side of a long, broad walk, is now 
the brightest feature within the walls. 
Walking along it the more prominent sub¬ 
jects we noted were double Hollyhocks from 
seed, Galega officinalis, G. o. alba; clunps 
of Xeranthemum annum, a mass of purple- 
blue fully expanded to the sun ; masses of 
Shirley Poppies, Corydalis lutea, hybrid 
and other Sunflowers, Centranthus ruber 
albus, Oenothera fruticosa, masses of 
Erigeron speciosus, Veronica longifolia, 
Oxalis floribunda, Statice Gmelini, Laven¬ 
der, White Lilies, and long lines of white 
and other Pinks, now out of bloom. A 
grand piece of Veratrum nigrum has just 
commenced to bloom. A cross walk is 
bordered on one side with Ten Weeks Stocks 
in grand array; while Intermediate Stocks 
on the other side are just commencing to 
bloom. Some long beds of dwarf Roses 
are also gay, and bordered with broad 
margins of Mignonette. Some hedges of 
Sweet Peas sown early did not continue in 
bloom very long, owing to position and the 
dry, hot weather, no doubt; but those sown 
about the end of April in another aspect are 
now gorgeous with blossom. Near the 
gardener’s house a border was gay with 
Anemone coronaria in a great variety of 
colours in spring. They are throwing up 
foliage again and are expected to be gay in 
autumn. They were seedlings. The ground 
is now planted with Antirrhinums which will 
soon be in bloom as a catch crop, so to speak. 
Behind them fine strains of Zinnias, Coreop¬ 
sis, Salpiglossis, and Helichrysums will be 
gay shortly. In a southern aspect with a 
background of tall Oaks, Horse Chestnuts 
and Elms, is the early border choke full of 
bulbs that had at one time been forced, and 
which supply an abundance of flowers for 
cutting in early spring. Nemophilas sown 
over them gave the next return of blossom, 
and later on Shirley and other tall Poppies 
have just finished blooming, being forced 
on by the dry hot weather. We shall 
speak of the flower and kitchen gardens, as 
well as the glass, on another occasion, 
■*g— 
Nomenclature.—It was decided some years ago not 
to apply any Latin name to varieties of plants of 
garden origin. 
Correction—By a slip of the pen at p. 747, under 
the heading of “ Royal Gardeners' Orphan Fund,” 
Mr. J. H. Laing is credited with having collected 
/17 is. in aid of the fund,whereas it was his brother, 
Mr. John A. Laing, who collected that sum. 
‘.I 
Cricket.—A match was played at Walthamstow on 
July 22nd, by the East London Polytechnic C.C. v. 
Hurst & Sons. It was drawn in favour of the former 
with 130 runs for five wickets (Rowbottom 58) ; 
Hurst & Son 68 for 2 wickets (Sampson 41.) 
Bee-keeping a Nuisance.—Though we, as a rule, 
are all fond enough of the produce of Bees, their 
presence, at times, becomes troublesome. Recently 
at Bath County Court a lady sued her next-door 
neighbour for £50 damages because of her 
neighbour’s bees. Twice had she been severely 
stung, and so frequented was her garden by them 
that she had had to leave it uncultivated. She won 
her case, being awarded £10 , with an injunction for 
costs on the higher scale. 
New Charter for the Royal Horticultural Society.— 
A meeting was held by this society on the 21st inst., 
at which it was resolved to apply for a new Charter. 
The object is to shorten and arrange the wording of 
it in such a way that the greater portion of it may be 
embodied in the Bye Laws, which will give the 
society freedom and power to alter the same at 
meetings convened for the purpose, and make or 
amend them according to the spirit of the times. 
By such an arrangement the Charter will be equally 
or more serviceable than the present one ; while the 
working portion of it will he amenable to alteration 
according to the reqirements of progress, and be in 
keeping with the times. 
Florist’s Shops.—A contemporary says that the 
florists are the. pioneers of trade. No sooner has a 
block of tenements been completed than the flower 
seller penetrates the domain, opens a shop which is 
tolerated, yea not only tolerated, but welcomed, 
because it suggests wealth and fashion, and forms a 
pleasant intervening bridge over which a residential 
quarter may pass without tco great loss of respect 
into the full complement of drug stores, bicycle shops, 
&c. The advent of a flower shop may be the 
symptom of a final descent into the morass of mere 
trade, but in itself a flower store has a gratifying air 
of luxury and aestheticism,not necessarily derogatory 
to the exclusiveness of its new surroundings. 
Death of Tammas Bodkin.—Scotsmen all over the 
civilised world will regret to learn of the death of 
Mr. William Duncan Latto, at Bridgend of Straloch, 
Kirkmichael, on the 16th inst., at the age of seventy- 
six. He was best known by the nom de plume of 
Tammas Bodkin, a household word, wherever Scots¬ 
men congregate, whether at home or abroad. He 
was Editor of the People's Journal for a period of 
thirty-eight years, namely, from December, i860 till 
his retirement from active duty, owing to failing 
health, in December, 1898. Under the name of 
Tammas Bodkin he wrote amusing and interesting 
stories in the Scottish vernacular, many of which 
have been collected and printed in book form. He 
was a pioneer in what has recently been termed “ the 
Kailyard School.” In recent years this style of 
writing had been confined to a column under the title 
of "Bodkin’s Cracks.” Readers corresponded with 
him in the Scottish vernacular from all parts of the 
world, including a real native of India, who had 
acquired the doric. Many strange things 
were sent him for his opinion including strange 
flowers and vegetables, particularly Potatos of un¬ 
couth and queer shapes, some of which he grew in 
his garden, but the young murphies seldom, if ever, 
resembled their mother. 
Beilis Perennis, the celebrated lady gardener, is at 
home indisposed, suffering from acute puncture of 
the tyre.— Snaggs. 
Shelter.—Reasonable shelter is beneficial to hardy 
fruit trees, but too much is favourable to their 
enemies. 
Ember Court, Thames Ditton.—This fine old manor 
dating from Henry the Third's time was offered for 
sale a few days ago. It has passed through many 
changes and been in the possession of some disting¬ 
uished people. Part of the designs of the house are 
thought to be from Inigo Jones. 
Tree Growing out of a Chimney.—In this month’s 
number (July) of the Strand Magazine in the" Curios¬ 
ities” section, the figure of a tree appears from the 
top of tall disused factory chimney. The sender 
writes that at one time the chimney formed part of 
works which existed. It is 40 ft. high and is almost 
entirely filled with the tree’s bole. 
Weather in London.—-Wednesday, July 19th, 
became intensely hot, remaining at over 80 s through 
the night. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were 
also oppressive, Friday reaching to 89° in the shade. 
A thunder storm on Sunday morning brought a 
cooler condition, and rain fell for a long time on 
Sunday. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday have 
been cool and breezy. 
Railway Embankments.—There is a new paper out, 
and the title is Woman's Agricultural Times. Well, to 
croakers this might form a rich text to preach 
from, only I’m not one of the John Grummlies. 
Lady Warwick is the editress, and in her editorial 
preface she says:—"The entire drift of things of 
late years favours the scheme of agricultural settle¬ 
ment for women.” Lady Warwick knows more 
about it than I do; so I just concur. The "petite 
culture,” that is, that of flowers and fruit, and the 
learning of jam-making, bee-keeping, and poultry 
farming is a proper enough subject for the women 
folks, and such occupations will tend to lessen rural 
depopulation, and save the " surplus million of 
women.” The railway embankments are proposed 
to be dealt with likewise. Fo many miles have to 
come under the supervision of a committee of local 
ladies, school children are proposed as the means 
for working the ground, and—shan' it just be joyful. 
— D. 
Strawberry Pickers.—If many of those who eat 
chocolate and others of our " sweets ” saw the same 
through all its course of manufacture, they would 
for a long time say no, to the eating of such. And 
the same answer, I am sure, would come from many 
who are fond of Strawberries if they only saw some 
of the poor and miserable people who gather those 
fruits for them. In all the Strawberry growing dis¬ 
tricts the same types are to be met with. A very 
correct and not a bit too exaggerated sketch of the 
conditions in the Holt Strawberry district appeared 
in a recent issue of the Chester Courant. There the 
question is asked—how does all this motley crew 
manage to find their way from the far parts from 
which they come ? for we may find the failures in 
all kinds of trades and professions who have 
wandered from Aberdeen in the north, and Brighton 
in the south, and unitedly have made the Straw¬ 
berry fields their headquarters for a month or six 
weeks. They are remarkably dirty and very care¬ 
lessly dressed, the women even more so than the 
men, and as for the galaxy of children they are 
filthy little tinkers, and that’s just the truth. Many 
of these people have at one time held high and 
responsible positions in good business houses ; some 
have distinguished themselves at Universities, in the 
army and in the navy, in literature and in law, and, 
sad to say, they number among them, too, ex- 
ministers of the Gospel. Speak to the man down at 
heel, in patched garments, and looking utterly 
dilapidated, would anyone suppose that he had, not 
many years ago, held a commission in one of Her 
Majesty’s crack regiments, and had distinguished 
himself in one of the many little wars we have had 
on the north-west frontier of India ? Would anyone 
recognise in that middle-aged, bent specimen of the 
typical drunkard, the keen-witted, popular young 
barrister of a decade ago ? But we have given 
enough of this. What brought them to this ? Ask, 
and they will invariably have the same answer— 
drink. 
