362 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 6, 1897. 
FERTILITY OF OLD GARDENS. 
This characteristic of old gardens, compared with 
many new ones, is often mainly due to the accumu¬ 
lation in the soil of animal and vegetable matter—a 
process which in many instances has been going on 
for generations, and which in some instances exceeds 
the requirements of certain crops. Where this is the 
case, a good dressing of lime is one of the best correc¬ 
tives. Another one is deep trenching,and bringing up a 
portion of the subsoil in such a manner that it 
becomes mixed with and forms a part of the surface 
soil. It is very interesting to note the great difference 
there often is in the length of time newly trans¬ 
planted plants are in getting hold, as gardeners 
frequently say, of the soil. Where it is full of humus, 
herbaceous plants, as a rule, come away readily, 
when planted at the same time as others on poorer 
soil, in which they are frequently twice or three 
times as long before they make a start. Having 
under constant observation two separate pieces of 
grcund—one of which occupies part of the site of a 
well-cultivated market garden, and the other a 
portion of a not very well done farm—the truth of 
these observations is forced upon me, as the natural 
staple of soil is very much the same. The difference 
in results proves that whatever may be the staple of 
the soil originally, it will in time become fertile by 
deep cultivation and ample manuring. The differences 
in the extent to which these are required will be in 
proportion to the natural qualities of the soil. Rich 
alluvial soils require far less help from man to make 
them productive than shallow poor ones ; and, 
other things beiDg equal, they ought always to com¬ 
mand a higher rental.—-IF. B. G. 
A CELEBRATED PLANT FACTORY. 
The love of gardening and of plants has taken such a 
hold of the people generally, and is, day by day, in¬ 
creasing in intensity, that numbers of establishments 
have sprung up throughout the length and breadth 
of the land, having for the object and aim of their 
existence the supplying of the demand for plants of 
various sizes and of various kinds for the decoration 
of boudoir, dinner table, conservatory, and cottage 
window. Associated with this love for plants, there 
is exhibited a great deal of skill in managing them 
and attending to their wants. On the other hand, 
success in the art of the propagator is confined to a 
comparative few, for many a subject that is fairly 
hardy and good-tempered in its more mature stages, 
is coy and intractable in its earlier ones. The 
management of seedlings, for instance, is a profession 
in itself, and the same might be said of the practice 
of many, if not all, of the methods whereby the 
propagator increases his stock of the most popular 
plants. Mr. William Iceton’s establishment at 
Granard Gardens, Putney Park Lane, S.W., is by no 
means unknown to fame. Mr. Iceton has had no 
small share in popularising Palms, as well as other 
foliage plants, by rearing them in such numbers as 
to enable even people in very lowly circumstances to 
indulge their love of a few of the gems of plant life. 
The thousands ot plants he annually turns out for 
market from his establishment are ample warranty 
for the application to it of the name of “ plant 
factory.” 
Palms, in themselves, occupy a large portion of the 
under glass space, and when we take into considera¬ 
tion their number and decorative value, the fact is 
not to be wondered at. One thing that strikes the 
visitor to Granard Gardens is the great variety in 
point of size. In some houses, thousands of seedlings 
with one or two leaves, and growing in pots scarcely 
bigger than thimbles, meet the eye. From these we 
turn to plants in 48 s and 32’s, and so on, until we come 
to the large conservatory, where we find some grand 
specimens that could only be accommodated in a lofty 
house. Among these older plants we found Archonto- 
pboenix cunninghamiana (better known, perhaps, as 
Seaforthia elegans), Thrinax radiata, Livistona 
rotundifoiia, Howea australis, Howea fosteriana, 
Cocos plumosa, C. Datil, Rhapis flabelliformis, and 
Phoenix canariensis. The most popular of any is, 
undoubtedly, Cocos weddeliana. Hundreds of 
thousands of seeds are sown each year, and the 
seedlings form saleable stuff at a very early period of 
their existence. When they have developed two or 
three small leaves, they are in great request for 
filling the little fancy pots,and vases which ladies seem 
to love so much. True, it is, these vases are seldom 
suitable for the little plants, as far as their welfare is 
concerned, and the mortality is heavy. This accounts 
for the fact that the demand never seems to slacken. 
Licuala grandis in a small state is thought highly of. 
The plants are naturally dwarf and stocky, and the 
rotundate leaves with their deeply toothed margins 
are very ornamental. Chrysalidocarpus (Areca) 
lutescens sells fairly well, although it does not stand 
knocking about so well as the Kentias. 
The above mentioned are the Palms most successful 
for market work, and Mr. Iceton possesses a splendid 
stock of them in all sizes, both with regard to 
numbers, and the health and condition of the plants. 
Novelties find very little place where the sale of a 
plant is the chief consideration. Phoenix Roebelini, 
however, is a novelty that is thoroughly deserving of 
foremost place. This its beauty would without 
doubt win for it, but that the difficulty in propagating 
it, keeps up the price. At present, it is increased 
entirely by suckers, which it throws up from the base 
in a manner similar to a Pandanus. No seed of it 
can be obtained from anywhere. The whole plant is 
very striking in appearance. The fronds, which are of 
considerable length, arch over gracefully. The 
pinnae are very narrow, and set rather close together 
than is usually the case with the Phoenixes. A 
curious feature is the way in which the lower edges 
of the midribs, and the margins of the pinnae have 
formed a roughed corky layer instead of the smooth 
epidermis, and this runs like a gray-white stripe the 
whole length of the frond. 
Passing on, we came into a house containing a 
mixed collection of stove plants. Dracaenas, of 
course, are much in evidence, more particularly D. 
Lindenii. We may say without the slightest 
exaggeration that we can never hope to see better 
coloured examples of this handsome Dracaena than 
Mr. Iceton has. The plants seem to like the 
locality, for the foreman assured us they grew 
like weeds, although they never bestowed any 
extra care upon them. Dracaena gracilis, D. 
pendula, D. terminalis, D. congesta, and D. rubra 
are all great favourites. Some of the larger 
specimens of D. congesta Have a roughish time of it, 
for they have to do duty at numbers of social 
functions at which such decorations are required. 
Of the pretty but expensive D. Doucetii, Mr. Iceton 
has probably the best stock in the country. Having 
regard to the decorative value of this plant, it is a 
thousand pities it should be so dear. Begonia 
Arthur Malet is a well-known form with very 
handsome foliage that is grown in quantity. 
Bambusa falcata, and B. f. aurea are b th thought 
very highly of for pot work. They stand hard usage 
well, and keep their leaves on better in dark places 
than most of the others. One house contained a 
large quantity of fine stuff in 8 in. pots. Eurya 
latifolia is an old favourite that has not yet outlived 
its usefulness, and we were greeted with the sight of 
some shapely specimens in 8 in. pots that would be 
a credit to any establishment. Not only were they 
clean and in splendid health, but the foliage was 
exceptionally well coloured. 
One of the special features of the establishment at 
Granard Gardens is Asparagus plumosus. Several 
houses are exclusively devoted to it. For making up 
with cut flowers, this Asparagus is invaluable; for 
not only is it very effective, being light and graceful, 
but it lasts for a long time. The most remarkable 
point about the Putney plants, however, is the 
freedom with which they seed. At the time of our 
visit, the black fruits, which are about the size of 
Peas, were much in evidence. We learnt in passing, 
that although the flowers which make their appear¬ 
ance in the autumn set freely enough, the reverse is 
the case with those which open in summer, as they 
all drop off, or, at least, only a few of them setting. 
Myrsiphyllum asparagoides is a favourite market 
subject, where it is popularly known as Smilax. In 
common with other members of the trade who 
supply cut flowers and furnishing material, Mr. 
Iceton grows quantities. The plants are accomodated 
in a specially prepared bed of light, rich soil, and 
their growths supported by strings carried from the 
ground to the roof. When any of the sprays are 
wanted, all that is necessary is to cut the strings, 
allowing the growths to remain upon them. 
In one of the cooler houses some superb samples 
of Araucaria excelsa were very conspicuous. 
Although they were only in 7 in. pots, they varied 
from 4 ft. to 7 ft. in height, with branches right down 
to the bottom, and clothed with the deep green that 
betokens health and vigour of no mean order. For 
specimen plants for forming the centres of small 
groups or cooks in conservatory or drawing-room, 
these would be most effective. Many, if not all, of 
these self-same plants have doubtless been used not 
a few times for similar purposes. 
It is manifest that we could not leave the establish¬ 
ment without a peep at the two grand Stephanotis 
plants, which are certainly among the finest in the 
kingdom. Their pruning has been put off until much 
later this year, for it has been found that when 
pruned in autumn, as they have been up to the 
present, they started into growth soon after, but the 
lower portions of these growths did not flower. It is 
hoped by pruning in January that flowers will be 
borne along the whole length of the shoots instead of 
the lower portions being barren, as formerly. The 
plants are in splendid condition and a marvel of 
cleanliness. 
-—•*>- 
DECORATIVE PLANTS IN SMALL 
POTS.* 
I have chosen this subject upon which to direct a 
few remarks, believing it to be one of the most im¬ 
portant features in present-day decorative gardening, 
as far as pot plants for grouping and furnishing are 
concerned. By the term small pots I meaD, more 
strictly speaking, pots that are small in proportion 
to the size of the plants themselves. After a con¬ 
siderable number of years' experience in growing 
plants for furnishing purposes and decorative work 
in its comprehensive form, I am fully convinced that 
many failures arise from the simple fact of not 
confining the plants to pots sufficiently small. In 
nearly every garden now-a-days a great demand is 
made upon the resources of the gardener for either 
decorative plants or cut flowers (frequently it is 
both). This will often tax his ingenuity to the ut¬ 
most, and in cases where the demand is great, but 
the means at disposal totally inadequate, it reflects 
every credit on the management when efficiently 
carried out. The important fact must be borne in 
mind when any comparison is attempted between 
those plants as grown in private gardens and those 
grown by nurserymen and florists, that, in the 
private garden it is often a makeshift arrangement, 
or if not, plants have to be grown too much in a 
mixed fashion to suit their special needs. The trade 
does not do this, hence it is never a fair comparison 
to make as between the one and the other, as far as 
the appearance of the plants is concerned. 
I would, however, much prefer well-grown home 
plants for immediate decorative uses to those taken 
direct from the nursery. My reason for this is, that 
the latter are not immediately fitted for use in this 
way. The object, and that a most proper one, of 
the trade grower, is to have a vigorous growth per¬ 
vading hfs plants, this being facilitated by a more 
generous treatment at the roots than I would adopt 
for decorative plants in private establishments. 
Hence, as a rule, I would not advise their immediate 
use when coming from the nursery. Rather let them 
become acclimatised to their new surroundings, and 
then their enduring qualities will be considerably 
enhanced. If plants, on the other hand, be taken 
into use at once, it is not at all fair or just to blame 
the vendor. It may be said by some, perhaps, that 
plants in small pots require more attention in the 
way of watering, which may be true. But, on the 
other hand, the operation of watering can be far 
more expeditiously performed, less examination 
by far being needed to ascertain their requirements, 
there being much less danger of over-watering. 
There is also a saving of labour in potting, greater 
convenience in handling, and more adaptability to 
the work through the fact of the pots being small. 
Conditions of Successful Growth. 
These are several, but not insuperable,by any means. 
Good soil is most important. ■ If it be peat, let it be 
the best that can be had, casting aside any that is 
devoid of fibre and good enduring qualities (the 
refuse can often be turned to account for plants that 
are not of permanent growth). In the case of loam 
let it be full of fibre, such as the best, Banstead loam 
being on the whole the most preferable. Leaf 
mould, such as that from the Beech and the Oak, 
when it has been laid up for 12 months or more, is a 
good rooting medium in conjunction with either or 
both of the foregoing. These, with silver sand, are 
the chief components. I have no objection to a 
A Paper read by Mr. James Hudson, at a meeting of the 
Chiswick Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Association. 
