314 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 16, 1897. 
TRINITY ROAD NURSERIES, 
WANDSWORTH. 
There are very few nurserymen who have con¬ 
tributed so largely to the beautifying of our smoky 
London as Mr. Robert Neal. The nurseries at 
Trinity Road,Wandsworth, are the source from which 
the vestries of most of the metropolitan parishes draw 
their supplies of trees and shrubs to furnish and 
decorate the streets, squares, and open spaces under 
their control. Added to all this, Mr. Neal has many 
customers in other parts of the United Kingdom, 
and the Trinity Road and Garrat Lane Nurseries 
are thus an exceedingly busy corner of the suburban 
metropolis. 
The Deciduous Element is largely catered for, 
as is evidenced by the large breaks of trees and 
shrubs in immense variety, and in all stages of 
growth, that are to be seen, and the sight of which, in 
themselves, amply repays a visit. For town planting, 
of course, the Plane is unrivalled, and this has given 
rise to a vast industry upon the Continent to supply 
the demand. It has been found by experience, how¬ 
ever, that these imported plants do not do nearly so 
well as home-grown ones, and we were informed 
that in giving orders for Planes various vestries had 
stipulated that the trees should be home-grown. 
Of the foreign material, that coming from Belgium 
and the South of France is regarded as being the 
most serviceable. 
The Robinias or False Acacias are likewise 
excellent town trees, and Mr. Neal has a large stock 
of them in variety. R. Pseudacacia is the most 
commonly seen in the streets. Ailantus glandulosa, 
or, as the Chinese call it, the Tree of Heaven, stands 
the smoke well, and is being utilised for street 
planting to a great extent. The huge leaves are at 
once distinct and ornamental, and as the plant is 
perfectly hardy it can scarcely be overpraised. 
Catalpa syringaefolia, or as it is sometimes 
called, C. bignonioides, is certainly one of the 
handsomest trees that N, America has given us 
with its large branching panicles of Bignonia-like 
flowers. 
Kolreuteria paniculata is another very fine hardy 
plant that is not only handsome when in flower, but 
also when it is covered with its large bladder-like 
capsules in the autumn. At the latter season the 
foliage turns a bright yellow—another attraction. 
A great feature of that part of the nursery devoted 
to hardy trees were the large breaks of Lilacs, for 
there were thousands of plants to be seen, varying 
from 3 ft. to 7 ft. in height, and all in first-class condi¬ 
tion The popularity of this flowering shrub is 
really remarkable, although not a whit more than its 
merits deserve. One might travel a long way, how¬ 
ever, to see a stock of plants to equal Mr. Neal’s. 
Cerasus Padus, commonly known as the Bird Cherry, 
is well worthy of attention. It is a variable species, 
moreover, and several of its varieties are very hand¬ 
some. 
In addition to the foregoing, a walk round the 
nursery under the guidance of Mr. Boxall, the genial 
foreman, revealed quantities of Laburnums and 
Thorns in variety, Almonds, Weeping Willows, 
Poplars, and Elms in great profusion, all illustrating 
what a wealth of variety the lover of hardy trees 
can now command. 
Evergreens. 
In this section also there was much to see and much 
to call forth our admiration. Naturally enough the 
Coniferae were represented in great force. Cedrus 
Deodara, and C. atlantica are too well known to 
require other description. Pinus excelsa is a great 
favourite, and stands the smoke better than any of its 
congeners, with, perhaps, the single exception of P. 
austriaca. Cupressus macrocarpa is possessed of 
very neat growth, and is admirably adapted for the 
filling of ornamental vases and window boxes. It is 
exceedingly handsome in a young state. The same 
may be said of C. goveniana, which has long, slender, 
and drooping branches. Both plants are natives of 
California. We were informed that there is a great 
demand for small plants of these in seaside towns, 
and the supply was before our eyes in the shape of 
extensive batches of well-grown little plants in 48 pots. 
Aucuba japonica was represented in its thousands,and 
there were numbers of frames filled with cuttings, of 
which, judging from appearances, a heavy percentage 
would strike. 
The merits of the Cotoneasters are hardly esti¬ 
mated at their true value, we think. Whether for 
town or country planting they are alike a success, 
and the bright red berries add much to the orna¬ 
mentation of the pleasure grounds in winter. C. 
frigida is a very vigorous species, and we saw some 
young specimens at Wandsworth with shoots 3 ft. or 
4 ft. long, formed during the past season. C. affinis 
comes very close to this species, although its ovate 
leaves make it easy to distinguish between them. 
Both are handsome trees, and both are very hardy. 
Ligustrums are grown in great quantity, including 
both L. sinense and L. ovalifolium. Of the latter, Mr. 
Neal has fully three acres of splenflid material just fit 
for planting hedges. Several kinds of Buxus are grown 
in quantity, of which B. handswortbiana appears to 
be the favourite. Amongst the members of the 
genus Euonymus there are many pretty and useful 
subjects. E. japonicus is a very variable species, 
and some of its varieties, as E. j. ovatus aureus 
variegatus and E. j. latifolius aureus variegatus, are 
grown in great numbers. E. radicans is a very 
distinct and pretty little shrub, suitable for planting 
on rockwork, as is also its variety E. r. viridis, which 
is rather more vigorous in habit. 
Fruit Trees of all sorts are a great line with 
Mr. Neal, and during our walk round we covered 
acres of first-class samples of Apples, Pears, Peaches, 
Nectarines, Cherries, etc., in first-class condition, 
and all awaiting transport. Dwarf pyramidal Apples 
are largely dealt in, and many of the trees were 
models of symmetry, some of the larger ones being 
well set with fruit buds. 
Climbers. —A big trade is done in these. 
Ampelopsis Veitchii and A. hederacea were repre¬ 
sented in tremendous force, a large quantity being 
accommodated in 48 pots, in which they would 
travel to their destination. Jasmines, again, are 
great favourites with the public. J. nudiflorum, 
J. revolutum, J. officinale, and J. o. grandiflorum 
find the readiest sale. Of Clematises, too, a large 
stock in small pots is on hand. These plants include 
all the latest and best varieties true to name. 
Ivies, likewise, are a strong feature, upwards of 
forty forms being catalogued. Amongst this host 
may be found a wonderful range in size, cutting, 
and shape of the leave, as well as in the variegation. 
Surely there is no longer an excuse for bare walls, 
when they may be beautified at so small a cost and 
with such a small amount of trouble. 
--*•- 
SPECIMEN CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Perfection is a thiDg desired by many, but alas, 
how seldom it is attained ! One may see oftimes a 
subject in which it would be deemed impossible to 
excel, but presently in another direction you find 
material head and shoulders above the first, and yet 
both may be good. I certainly think that the idea 
of perfection should be left out. It is a well-known 
fact that what pleases one judge may in a sense 
poison another, and herein lies much that is of 
importance to learn. The cultivator must pay 
attention to the kind of men he has to please in his 
particular country. 
If, as" Mum "says (p 294), one is allowed to put any 
number of plants into a pot, then he knows what to 
do ; but of all specimen culture this deserves the 
cake or putty medal, and should be condemned as 
bad. Of all things against good specimen culture 
one cannot speak too strongly on this practice. The 
growing is practically done away with. As for 
excess in height, if the variety is naturally tall, and 
the other points are good, and the plants to as near 
perfection as possible, there is not much to talk 
about, notwithstanding the fact that the dwarfer 
specimens should stand first if they equalled the 
taller ones in other points. 
The rule for a good specimen plant should read as 
follows : —“ All plants to show a clean stem of so 
many inches (4 in. to 6 in., is the usual measurement 
given round here).’’ 
Pre eminent must stand quantity of flower com¬ 
bined with freshness and size. I don’t in any way 
agree with " Mum ” that a specimen carrying, we 
would say, fifty blooms, should come within any dis¬ 
tance of exhibition blooms. This is asking too much. 
Neither size nor depth could be obtained by the 
flowers on a plant bearing so much. Of course I am 
speaking of the single plant, and not a quantity 
bundled together. 
If possible the classes should be divided into two 
for specimen Chrysanthemums. First, plants with 
flowers taken on crown buds, first or second ; and 
second, plants naturally grown, a slight disbudding 
allowed. And good growers know that you cannot 
compare the two. A two or three year old plant of 
W. H. Lincoln, Viviand Morel, and plenty of others 
well grown and their proper buds taken, with fifteen 
to twenty blooms on each plant, will form a formidable 
antagonist against a plant of the same kind grown in 
any other way, we will say for decorative purposes, 
although you may pay every attention to both 
subjects. By the former method one gets foliage six 
times the size of the latter, also dwarfness, size, and 
colour. By the latter method just the opposite. 
As I said above, if two classes are not drawn up 
the schedule should state definitely what is required. 
In conclusion, I well remember the nearest 
approach to a perfect exemplification of the subject 
in question ; the variety was one that is now an old 
one, then it had only been out a short time, viz., 
Val D'Andorre, with twenty-five splendid blooms 
taken on late crown buds, and with foliage that had 
a beauty of its own. It also had another good 
quality—no stakes. If it ever had any, they had 
been taken out. I have two plants in my eye yet, 
and have not seen their equal since. It was at York 
exhibition.— J. G. Pettinger, Strawberry Dale Nursery, 
Harrogate. 
-- 
GARDEN FOES. 
[Continued from p. 301.) 
We will now turn our attention to Hemiptera. 
This order is divided by some entomologists into 
two sections, Hemiptera Homoptera and Hemiptera 
Heteroptera, The first includes the Aphis, 
scale, American Blight, and other insects. The 
latter contains the Froth Fly and other plant bugs. 
We will first examine the former, as they have for a 
long time attracted the attention, not only of the 
naturalist, but of the gardener- and farmer also. 
There are many different species, one attacking the 
Rose, another the Cherry, while even the Bean and 
Pea have their own particular kinds. These little 
creatures subsist on the juices of the plants ; being 
suctorial they choose the young tender shoots and 
leaves, as these are much softer for them to thrust 
their haustellum or sucker into ; and when they 
appear in great numbers, which they soon will do if 
not checked at the first, they cause great destruction. 
When we come to consider with what marvellous 
rapidity they increase, one cannot be astonished 
that the trees should in so short a time present the 
appearance as if the insects had fallen from the 
heavens. 
Let us take the simple statement of one of our 
great naturalists, who paid special attention to the 
habits of the Aphis, and we shall find that by a few 
experiments that he made, which I will give in 
detail, that one single female Aphis is capable of 
producing a multitude in the course of a few days, as 
fresh generations succeed each others so quickly, 
that in the space of about six weeks, one insect, with 
its successive broods, will produce something like 
four hundred million millions. In the autumn the 
female lays her eggs on the shoots or buds of the 
plants, and these being hatched in the spring, male 
and female Aphides are produced ; but from that time 
till the autumn these are viviparous, and this goes 
on for about eight successive generations. Charles 
Bonnet was, I believe, the first to prove this, for he 
went to no little pains and trouble to watch their 
movements. He shut one up by itself. “ My plant 
louse," he goes on to relate, “ changed its skin four 
times ; on the 23rd in the evening ; on the 26th at two 
in the afternoon ; on the 29th at seven in the morning ; 
and on the 31st at seven in the evening. On the first of 
June it gave birth to another, and from that day up 
to the 20th she produced 95 little ones. Between then 
and August 18th no less than five generations were 
produced. 
Having given you an idea of the rapidity with 
which they multiply, let us now turn our attention 
to their destruction. As a warm, dry atmosphere is 
favourable to their increase, so the opposite will be 
a means by which they are to be destroyed. Aphides 
cannot thrive long in a moist atmosphere, though 
this will not kill them outright, some of the species 
being much more tenacious of life than others ; for 
instance, the black fly on the Cherry is much more 
difficult to destroy than the green fly on the Rose ; 
but both may be got rid of by washing with a solu¬ 
tion of quassia water and soft soap, or by fumigating, 
but in either case care must be taken not to injure 
the plants. American Blight, Schizoneura lanigera 
is a terrible pest in some places to the Apple trees, 
