454 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 20, 1897. 
being rearranged, as many of the specimens have 
Out-grown their positions. The fruit houses and 
vineries show most promising signs of producing 
fine crops of fruit. Pineapples are likewise well 
done here, and are throwing up good useful fruit. 
The many plant houses contain healthy stocks of 
useful plants suitable for decorative purposes and 
cut flowers. The demand is great, but Mr. 
Humphreys is well prepared to meet the like. A notice¬ 
able feature of this place is high cultivation all round ; 
cleanliness, and good order are likewise prominent 
features. — Rusticus. 
—- — »«- - 
PEOPLE I HAVE MET. 
Mr. Thomas Dale, of Aikenhead. 
Few men in the horticultural world, particularly in 
the region of Southern Scotland, and the border 
counties of England, are better known, perhaps, than 
the subject of this sketch — Mr. Thomas Dale, whose 
portrait and life history is a worthy addition to the 
records of celebrated horticulturists that have from 
time to time appeared in this column of The Gar¬ 
dening World. He is to-day, one of the most 
prominent men of his profession, full of enthusiasm 
for his work, and capable of turning out that work 
well, as many a competitor who has measured 
strength with him can testify. 
Born at Brancepeth Castle, in 1858, where both 
his father and grandfather before him had held the 
position of head gardener to the Right Honourable 
Viscount Boyne for a period of some eighty years, 
Mr. Dale is still on the right side of forty. Under 
his father’s tuition he there commenced the practical 
duties of his chosen calling, and like many another 
notable gardener, Mr. Dale probably owes much to 
these initial steps in the groundwork of his profes¬ 
sion, v hich in after years have served him so well 
and upon which he has by energy and perseverance 
built so excellent a reputation for sound work and 
judgment. 
A useful experience was gained at the well-known 
nurseries of Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, Upper 
Holloway, where Mr. Dale was principally occupied 
in the Orchid houses. He subsequently had charge 
of the Orchids at Kidbrook Lodge, Blackheath, 
where some two-and-a-half years were spent, after 
which he came under the kindly guidance of that 
worthiest of worthy horticulturists, Mr. James 
Hunter at Lambton Castle, Durham. Then Mr. 
Dale received an appointment at Brayton Hall, Car¬ 
lisle, Sir Wilfred Lawson’s residence, where, as 
general foreman under the direction of the late Mr. 
Hammond, he spent five years, taking an active part 
in the preparation of the exhibits of plants and fruit, 
for which Brayton Hall has so long been famous. 
Later on Mr Dale had sole charge of the gardens 
at Seaton Carew, West Hartlepool, the seat of the 
late Thos. Walker, Esq., where there was a fine 
collection of Orchids, and it was after that that he 
received his present appointment with John Gordon, 
Etq., at Aikenhead, a grand old place ic the Cath- 
cart country, where gardening in all its branches is 
encouraged by its worthy owner. Here is to be 
found an excellent general collection of things beauti¬ 
ful in horticulture, the Orchids being specially note¬ 
worthy. Cypripediums are a particularly noticeable 
feature, Mr. H. E. Gordon, jun. taking a great 
interest in this class of Orchids, of which there are 
some valuable and well-grown examples, besides 
seedlings in quantity in all stages, in several of which 
the plants will flower this season. 
Chrysanthemums in their season are also a strong 
feature, some 800 usually being grown. These are 
grouped for effect in two houses, and they make a 
magnificent picture. It is from these groups that 
the blooms shown by Mr. Dale at Glasgow, Edin¬ 
burgh, and other shows are cut ; and readers have 
only to turn to our reports to realise the successful 
line which the cultivator has marked out for him¬ 
self in this department. 
Mr. Dale has been at Aikenhead some eight years, 
and, as will have been gathered from the foregoing 
remarks, is a familiar figure at the Northern shows. 
As a judge he is also in considerable request, and in 
1896 he was chosen president of the Glasgow Chry¬ 
santhemum Society. Always ready to lend a help¬ 
ing hand and to forward the interests of horticulture, 
Mr. Dale enjoys the friendship of a large circle of 
horticulturists, both north and south, all of whom 
will doubtless welcome his portrait amongst our 
gallery of celebrities in gardening.— Gyp. 
Mr. Thomas Dale. 
HARDY PLANTS IN FLOWER. 
Erica carnea. —For either rockery or herbaceous 
border it would be difficult to over-estimate the 
value of this extremely hardy and very free flower¬ 
ing Erica. This year it commenced to flower early 
in January and the flowers are preserving their 
colour well and will do so until the end of April. 
The flowers are pale purple-red, the racemes being 
about 1 in. or from that to i£ in. in length, and bear¬ 
ing a considerable number of flowers. Erica carnea 
was introduced from Germany in 1763. 
Narcissi. — These are now coming in in strong 
force despite inclement weather; indeed, the latter is 
an advantage in that it serves to set off the splendid 
weather-resisting powers of which the Daffodil is 
possessed ; N. pallidus praecox is the first to open, but 
not for long does it pine alone, for its relatives soon 
follow it. Just now there is quite a number in 
flower. N. minor, a sub-species of °N. Pseudo-Nar¬ 
cissus, is smaller in all its parts than the type. The 
leaves are usually about 4 in. in length, and \ in. 
broad, the flower being about 1$ in. in length. The 
segments are sulphur-yellow in colour, whilst the 
corona, which is \ in. broad is of a deeper shade. 
By far the best batch of it that we have ever seen is 
nestling in a corner of the rockery at Kew, the 
foliage being of unusual strength and the flowers 
larger than ordinary. The double-flowered form is 
also in bloom, but it is not at all a success, for the 
bloom has a heavy and ungraceful appearance. N. 
Ajax Henry Irving has an orange-yellow corona, and 
very broad perianth segments. Golden Spur closely 
resembles Henry Irving in size, build, and colour of 
flower, but it is taller in habit and slightly more 
vigorous. N. P.-N. obvallaris, popularly known as 
the Tenby Daffodil, for naturalising in the grass has 
very few to equal it for freedom and earliness of 
flowering, as well as hardiness. 
Daphne blagayana. —We owe this very pretty 
Daphne to the mountains of Eastern Europe, from 
whence it was brought in or about the year 1872. It 
is of dwarf and straggling habit, and the growths, 
like those of D. Cneorum, love to lie prostrate upon 
the stones or the soil where the plant is growing. It 
is very early this year in making its appearance, 
although the delicate looking pure white flowers, 
with their delicious perfume, are very welcome. The 
flowers are produced in dense terminal heads or 
clusters. The leaves are an inch and a quarter in 
length, ovate-elliptic in shape, and when healthy 
dark green in colour. A very nice specimen, grow¬ 
ing in the shelter of a huge stone in the rockery at 
Kew is noteworthy, on account of the happy way in 
which it has established itself. 
Adonis amurensis is a gem that should be in 
every collection. It has been in flower for some 
weeks past. The foliage of itself is sufficiently 
handsome to recommend the plant, for it bears a 
close resemblance to the fronds of Davallia 
canariensis. The flowers are i£ ins. in diameter, 
deep yellow in colour, and borne singly on short 
peduncles at the ends of the growths. 
Anemone Hepatica is a very variable plant, and 
therein lies a great part of its charm, for there are 
forms with white, blue, pink, and light yellow flowers 
with many charming intermediate shades, particu¬ 
larly, among the blues. From their position near the 
ground these Anemones are almost sure to become 
splashed with mud, and at the present time they 
look distinctly the worse for weather wear. 
Anemone angulosa is remarkable for the great 
size of the brilliant sky-blue flowers, which measure 
from to 2 inches in diameter. In case of the 
plants being very vigorous the latter size is 
occasionally exceeded. The star-like shape of the 
flowers is an additional attraction, as they open 
better than those of A. Hepatica. A. angulosa is 
assuredly the gem of the early flowering members of 
the genus. It is well suited for the rockery, and 
enjoys a deep, rich soil, so that when planting it the 
site should be specially prepared. 
Hacquetia Epipactis is a charming little plant, 
of which the value is not properly recognised. The 
plant is very distinct, and conspicuous amongst other 
early flowering subjects by the uniform yellow hue. 
The stems are red in colour, and from three to four 
inches in height. The flowers are borne on very 
short pedicels in dense terminal umbels with an in¬ 
volucre of five or six obovate bracts rather lighter 
yellow in hue than the inflorescence they enclose. It 
requires a deep, rich soil, and must not be disturbed 
very frequently. 
Hellebores. —Varieties of H. orientalis are very 
gay at present. One of the chief features of the 
rockery at Kew is a batch of a white-flo wered variety. 
The plants have recently had a great part of the old 
dirty foliage removed, and look all the better for it. 
H. caucasicus, H. viridus, and H. colchicus guttatus 
are also flowering at Kew with great freedom at the 
present time. 
-**-- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
Certificates according to merit were granted to the 
undermentioned subjects by the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the gth inst. 
Orchid Committee. 
Cymbidium eburneum. —The large, powerfully 
fragant, white flowers of this species are rendered 
more conspicuous by the large golden blotch or band 
along the centre of the lip. A large and well-grown 
plant bearing ten scapes, each having twin flowers, 
besides a few with solitary flowers, was exhibited by 
the Right Hon. Earl Brownlow (gardener, Mr. R. B. 
Lowe), Ashbridge, Great Berkhamstead, Herts. 
Besides the golden blotch, the lip bad a few small 
purple spots. A First-class Certificate and a cultural 
commendation were awarded the plant. 
Dendrobium Ainsworthii intertextum. Nov. 
var .—The flowers of this variety of a hybrid are of 
large size, with creamy white sepals and petals faintly 
flushed with purple. The lip is also creamy white, 
with a broad and massive crimson-purple blotch on 
the lip. The plant is of vigorous growth, and the 
variety will be an acquisition to the section to which 
it belongs. Award of Merit. Messrs. J. Veitch & 
Sons, Ltd., Chelsea. 
Bulbophyllum Ericssoni.— The flowers of this 
species are large, conspicuous, very singular and 
striking in appearance. They are borne in an umbel 
after the manner of a Cirrhopetalum, and the large 
dorsal sepals of the various blooms are pressed against 
one another, back to back, in a very curious manner. 
. All the sepals are green, spotted with black. The 
petals are almost lost to sight owing to their small 
size, and the fact that they lie close against the 
edges of the lateral sepals. The lip is heart-shaped, 
recurved, and jointed to the foot of the column in 
such a way that it swings up and down whenever the 
flowers are shaken or vibrated in any way. It is 
creamy white, and marbled with dull purple. First- 
class Certificate. The Hon. Walter Rothschild 
(gardener, Mr. E. Hill), TriDg Park, Tring. 
Epidendrum Endressii. —The flowers of this 
dwarf species are small, but very pretty. The plant 
varies from 3 in. to 6 in. in height, bearing obloDg, 
horizontal leaves J in. to 1 in. in length, and short 
terminal racemes of flowers. The latter are small 
and white, except the anther-cap and the lip, which 
are tinted with violet. Botanical Certificate. 
