222 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 5, 1896. 
Poltalloch is a beautiful estate situated amidst 
truly Highland scenery, about a ten-mile drive from 
Ardrisbaig, at which the steamboats from Greenock 
for the West Highlands land passeogers. Within 
the gates of the policies are numerous avenues 
branching out in all directions through rich pasture 
land, which has been reclaimed from peat bog. The 
precincts of the mansion were finely kept and in 
beautiful contrast to the wild scenery of the district. 
Mr. Russell had eleven hothouses under his care, 
including vineries, stove, Peach, Melon, Cucumber, 
Fig, Tomato, Orchid, and other houses, with a 
greenhouse and conservatory, in which various 
collections of plants were kept in excellent condition. 
Orchids, Pelargoniums, Petunias, Begonias, Chry¬ 
santhemums, Gardenias, Pancratiums, and Primulas 
were amongst the favourites at Poltalloch. Grapes, 
Peaches, Nectarines, and other fruits were admirably 
done. Hardy herbaceous flowers and climbers were 
features of the place. The large kitchen garden was 
surrounded with good brick walls, was covered with 
fruit trees on both sides, and enclosed collections of 
fruit trees and bushes, together with excellent 
examples of kitchen gardening. The highly-respected 
proprietor was very liberal-handed with the estate, 
and in Mr. Russell he found a faithful and skilful 
servant to carry out his wishes. 
Mr. Russell retired from the keeping of the gardens 
at Poltalloch in 1893, and on October 3rd of that 
year a number of his friends met him at the Kilmartin 
Hotel, under the presidency of Mr. Meikle, factor of 
Poltalloch, and presented him with a gold watch in 
commemoration of the numerous friends he was 
leaving behind him by his retirement from the 
district. Mrs. Russell was presented with a gold 
brooch at the same time. He has been residing at 
Sandbank, Campbeltown, since then and died there 
as above stated. 
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Questions add ansroeRs 
*.* Will our friends who send us newspapers be so good 
as to mark the paragraphs or articles they wish us to see. 
We shall be greatly obliged bv their so doing. 
[ Correspondents, phase note that we cannot undertake to 
name florists' flowers such as Carnations, Pelargoniums , 
Chrysanthemums, Roses, nor such as are mere garden 
varieties, differing only in the colour of the flower. 
Florists' flowers, as a rule, can only be named by those who 
grow collections of them.'] 
Soil and Position for Potatos. — R. Thatcher: The 
best soil for Potatos is one that is light, friable and' 
rich, but neither too wet nor dry. In the latter case 
the crop would be light, especially in dry seasons. 
Thin and gravelly soil would give poor crops but good 
quality. Soils lying near streams and water courses 
should be avoided because too wet as a rule for 
Potatos and likely to foster the Potato disease. The 
soil in your district is very much inclined to clay in 
places, but that could be improved by giving yours 
good dressings of coal ashes and rank stable manure 
in the autumn when digging the ground. The latter 
should be laid up rough so that rain, air, and frost 
may pulverise it during the winter. With regard to 
position you cannot do better than give full exposure 
to air or wind and sunshine. At the same time avoid 
those positions that are naturally water-logged or wet 
owing to the want of proper drainage. 
Chrysanthemums not Flowering— M. C. You 
made a mistake in taking off the tops of your 
Chrysanthemums in August. That should not have 
been done after May or the beginning of June accord¬ 
ing to the variety. The old plants can certainly 
be flowered next year by repotting them next spring 
into large pots. You will be able to get a large 
quantity of bloom from them by growing them in 
bush form ; but you cannot expect so large blooms 
as you would get from young specimens. You 
should try the plan of taking cuttings in March, pot- 
them finally into 6 in. and 7 in pots, and leavingonly 
one bloom upon each, if you wish the same to be 
large. 
Angle of Elevation.— Omega : The piece of paper 
you sent us was cut at an angle slightly under 30° of 
elevation. This is very low for fruit houses, and 
represents a considerable loss of sun power, which 
might be remedied now you have the opportunity. 
Diseased Malmaison Carnations —Carnation: 
For many years past we have seen specimens 
effected in the same way as yours. We believe it is 
caused by minute organisms known as bacteria in the 
leaves. The healthy portions of ihe leaves were well 
stored with starch and other reserve materials, but 
there existed pale and sometimes brown spots in 
which the contents of the cells were becoming dis¬ 
integrated, and were swarming with microscopical 
organisms. The only thing y ou can do is to burn 
the very badly affected and useless plants. Keep 
the foliage of the oihers perfectly dry as well as the 
atmosphere of the house. If they get or are likely 
to get attacked by aphides, fumigate to destroy the 
same or sponge the foliage and shoots When 
taking cuttings or making layers, use healthy plants 
only, and attend to potting in due season to en¬ 
courage vigorous growth. 
Hardiness of Vines.—Omega : Vines are perfectly 
hardy when at rest, and will stand aoy amount of 
frost they are likely to get in England, or even 
further north for the matter of that. 
Willows for River Banks —Omega : There are 
several which might be planted with great propriety 
and service, including Salix viminalis, S alba, S. 
fragilis, S Caprea S. cinerea, S. alba vitellina, S. 
russelliana, S. babylonica, S. pentandra, and others. 
If you study their utility for basket making, you 
might plant S. viminalis, S. purpurea, and S. alba 
vitellina, particularly the two former. 
Early Flowering Chrysanthemums. —D. W.D.: It 
would be difficult to say precisely when any particu¬ 
lar variety would flower in your district, without a 
fair trial. In fine seasons they would flower easier 
in the open ground than in cold and sunless seasons. 
We recommend the following early flowering 
Japanese varieties :—Madame C. Desgranges, white ; 
Mrs. H. Hawkins, bright yellow ; Lady Fitzwygram, 
pure white; Madame Marie Ma se, lilac-mauve; 
M. Gustave Grunerwald, silvery-white and rose ; and 
Samuel Barlow, salmon-pink. The latter may be 
had in flower from May till November by arranging 
to have different batches. The rest flower during 
August and September in the south. Blushing 
Bride, rose-lilac; Manum, white; Flora, golden- 
yellow ; and Precocite, light yellow, are pompons 
you might try. Take cuttings about the end of 
January, and another batch in March. Pot them off 
singly when rooted and pinch them several times to 
make them bushy. Harden them off and plant them 
in the open if the weather permits during May. 
Plant them in a sheltered and sunny position, but 
not overhung by trees nor anything else. 
Yiolasfor Exposed Position — D. W.D.: The under¬ 
mentioned varieties should do well with you, namely, 
Ardwell Gem, soft yellow ; Duchess of Fife, pale 
yellow, edged purple ; Sylvia, creamy-white ; 
William Neil, rose; White Duchess, white, edged 
blue ; Holyrood, dark blue ; Countess of Hcpetoun, 
white ; Bullion, golden-yellow ; Countess of Kintore, 
bluish-purple, and broad white edging ; Duchess of 
Sutherland, bluish-mauve ; Blue Cloud, white, with 
blue edging; The Mearns, plum, and upper petals 
white; Marchioness of Tweedaie, white; and 
Violetta, small, white, sweet-scented. 
Making Mushroom Spawn— R. G.: The process 
is simple enough but requires careful working to 
insure success. The details of preparation vary 
somewhat with different makers. Collect fresh horse- 
droppings and cow dung ; mix them in the proportion 
of two parts of the former to one of the latter (some 
use an equal portion of each) and as much clayey 
loam as will serve to bind them together in making 
the bricks. Pour liquid stable manure over the whole 
till it is as soft as mortar when well worked up. 
Spread the mixture on the floor of a shed till 
sufficiently dry to be made into bricks. Set the 
latter on edge and turn them frequently till half dry; 
then make a hole 1 in. deep in each brick, put in a 
piece of spawn and fill up the hole with some of the 
same material as the brick. Make up a bed of fresh 
horse-droppings about 9 in. deep on a dry bottom. 
Pile the bricks on tbR, leaving a space between each. 
Cover with straw so as to retain a temperature of 6o°. 
Examine the bricks frequently and remove them 
when they have become permeated with a white 
substance. Complete the drying of the bricks when 
they have been removed from the hot-bed, and store 
them in a cool dry place until required. Some 
dispense with the operation of putting pieces of 
spawn into holes in the bricks, by putting the spawn 
between the layers of bricks in the hot-bed. A book 
on Mushrooms is “ Mushrooms for the Million,” 
to be obtained from the Journal of Horticulture office, 
171, Fleet Street, E C. 
Names of Plants. Geo. Russell, Utricularia Echloni, 
SpreDg. (It is not an Orchid ).— ■]. B.\ 1, Eupator- 
ium riparium ; 2, Acacia dealbata; 3, Solanum 
jasminoides ; 4, Cyperus alternifolius variegatus.— 
T.M.\ 1, Helleborus niger altifolius ; 2, Chimon- 
anthus fragrans grandiflorus ; 3, Viburnum Tinus. 
Names of Fruit— W. R. : 1, Cellini Pippin 
(synonym Phillips' Seedling); 2, is identical with 
the former although externally they appear to differ. 
D. E. : Apples— 1, Emperor Alexander ; 2, Bedford¬ 
shire Foundling ; 3, Fearn's Pippin ; 4, Claygate 
Pearmain; 5, Blenheim Orange. Pears— 4, Winter 
Nelis. 
Communications Received. —Sutton & Sons.— 
A. P.—J. G. Pettinger.—W. Evans.—George Potts. 
— R. S. Smith.—H W. Fleming.—T. M.—J. S.— 
W. T.—A. West.—J. A. D, —R. M.—S. Hendry.— 
A. D.— S —M. Temple.—Excolo.—P. D. —F. 
Shooter. — Y. — B. R.—Bray. — W. Ashford. — 
G. Lincoln. — T. R. N.—David Nash.—A. T. A. H.— 
A. G. Ireland.—George Williams (next week). 
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TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Little & Ballantyne, Carlisle.—Planter’s 
Guide. Trees, Forest, and Ornamental. 
William Welch, F.N.C.S., Rush Green, Rom¬ 
ford, Essex.—Welch's Descriptive Catalogue of New 
and Old Chrysanthemums. 
Robert Owen, The Floral Nurseries, Castle Hill, 
Maidenhead.—Descriptive Catalogue and Price List 
of Chrysanthemums, Cannas, Tuberous Begonias, 
Primulas, &c, 
A. Findlay, Markinch, Scotland.—Abridged List 
of Findlay's great, new, Disease-resisting Potatos. 
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LONDON SEED TRADE. 
December 1 st, 1896 . 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, and 27, 
Mark Lane, report but little business doing in agri¬ 
cultural seeds. Finest grades of Canadian Red 
Clover, White Clover and Alsike offer at reasonable 
rates. Ryegrasses firm Rape steady. 
Mr. James Russell. 
