550 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 1, 1897. 
FRUIT PROSPECTS, &c., IN 
SCOTLAND. 
It is pleasiog to notice so many good reports of fruit 
crops as have appeared of late. Such is somewhat 
unusual in low-lying districts, at least, after such a 
sunless autumn as we had in the north last year. 
The rains for weeks were almost continuous. 
Apples, all small fruits, Plums and Cherries are, as 
usual here, not promising; but Pears are not so 
good, except in very favoured positions, and only 
certain varieties are well budded. We learn that in 
many parts Apricots have suffered severely from 
frost (even with special coverings), but damp 
weather, succeded by severe frost, was beyond the 
resisting powers of this popular fruit. The longer 
we live the more strongly we are convinced of the 
untoward practice of attempting to maintain collec¬ 
tions of fruit instead of selections suitable to the 
locality; and we often advise young planters of 
orchards to acquire as much knowledge as they can of 
the good cropping fruits of the district before they start 
orchard-making or fruit-tree-culture under any form. 
Soil, latitude, and altitude are matters of much 
moment. When one sees great success in northern 
parts with certain fruits which do badly hundreds of 
miles further south, one may fairly state that soil 
has as much to do with success as exposure and lati¬ 
tude in bearing good crops of the best quality of 
certain fruits—Apples especially. To have an abun¬ 
dant supply of the latter every year from early 
autumn till the summer months, without fail, is a 
matter of no mean importance. There is no fruit 
which we can grow which supplies so many 
purposes for dietetic necessaries as the Apple, and 
reports given on Apple orchards indicate much 
neglect. The best Americans never meet the wants 
of the culinary department like those we are accus¬ 
tomed to have every year in full crops, which may 
be had in most districts when selections are skilfully 
made and the roots of the trees well cared for. 
In orchards, trees are too often allowed to become 
mere thickets, from which sun and air are too much 
excluded ; while severe pruning is too often seen in 
northern gardens and orchards In others there is 
the extreme "let-alone” practice of trees crowded 
and one-sided, while few believe in severe root- 
pruning—of strong roots—especially when the 
practice is on aged trees deep in the soil ; yet it has 
often been proved that complete success in fruit 
culture has been achieved by lifting and root prun¬ 
ing old trees, doing the work piece-meal. I have 
done it in this fashion all the year through, especi¬ 
ally on gross trees during May and June, And even 
by experiments of the most severe nature we have 
trees which have borne crops of capital fruit—and 
now being sent in for culinary use April 21st—for 
fourteen years, with short growths, large green 
foliage, and all the fruits exposed to sun : the keeping 
qualities are all we could wish. 
Many object to dwarf trees—I would have no 
others where vegetables are grown—but I have often 
observed that after heavy gales orchards are almost 
denuded of fruits, whilst the dwarf root-pruned 
trees have carried their heavy crops uninjured. 
These dwarfs—say 7 ft. to 9 ft. high—with a mass of 
fibrous roots can be assisted with every advantage 
with top dressings of good decayed manure, even old 
trees planted about the end of last century, quite 
hollow in their trunks and which were filled up some 
years ago with cement, have recuperated very much 
by the removal of down-growing roots by the use of 
lime rubbish made firm underneath them, and by 
finishing with good farmyard manure covered with 
soil to retain its virtues, and for appearance sake. 
Reverting to severe root pruning, we have often had 
to do this much against our wishes ; but owing to 
the presence of roads and pathways there was no 
other alternative but to cut hard in. A number of 
Morello Cherries now clustered with fruit buds all 
over the wall space to within 9 in. of the ground 
were cut in during the last dozen years three times 
to within ij ft. of the trunk. They are full of 
natural spurs which are often thinned, and the only 
fault is we cannot always find time to thin the fruits 
as much as they should be.— M, Temple, Canon, N.B. 
-- 
VICTORIA AND PARADISE 
NURSERIES. 
One day the other week we had the pleasure of 
passing through the various departments of the 
establishment of Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway. 
Fine foliaged plants and Orchids are the leading 
features of the place ; but other flowering plants are 
not neglected, while some of them receive special 
attention. 
Fine Foliaged Plants. 
Licuala grandis still remains a popular fan-leaved 
Palm of useful size for decorative purposes. Cocos 
weddeliana is even better known, and may be seen 
here of all sizes. A beautiful companion plant is 
Geonoma gracilis, but it does not withstand the 
fatigue of decorative work as well as the previous 
species. The arching, pinnate leaves of Ptychor- 
aphis augusta are very graceful. Equally so are 
those of Calamus palambaricus, but in a different 
way, for the finger-like pinnae, of young plants at 
least, radiate like an open hand. Bambusa argenteo- 
striata is a dwarf species, having its leaves striped 
with silvery lines or wholly white. 
In the same house as the above is a fine collection 
of Aralias, represented by many species. A. 
Chabrieri maintains its position as a beautiful stove 
subject. A. leptophylla is graceful but less well 
known; and A. Regina is akin to it but more up¬ 
right in habit. A. Veitchi, A. V. gracillima, and A. 
elegantissima,, are useful and too well known to need 
description. Very singular are the long, finger-like 
leaflets of A. osyana, a plant that we seldom see in 
collections. All are in capital order, and the most 
popular are grown in the largest quantities. 
Dracaenas, but particularly the narrow-leaved 
forms are also well cared for. A fine batch of hybrid 
seedlings was raised some years ago, and Miss Glen- 
dinning has the narrowest leaves of any, being 
exceedingly useful for table work. The leaves are 
linear and olive-green, with a narrow red margin, or 
the young leaves may be wholly red. A. Laing has 
slightly broader leaves, of similar colour. Those of 
Princess May are the broadest of the three, but all 
are first-class subjects for table decoration. D. 
sanderiana is also grown here. More than one 
house is occupied with Crotons in variety and of all 
sizes, one batch being about ready for table decora¬ 
tion. Useful in their way are Cyperus laxus 
variegatus and Agapanthus umbellatus variegatus. 
The large Palm house is crowded to over-flowing 
with a great variety of Palms for decorative work of 
all kinds, of which Messrs. Williams do an extensive 
business Here may be seen tall plants of Kentias, 
Arecas, Latanias, Phoenix, Seaforthias, and all such 
as are suitable for this kind of work. The dwarf 
Bambusa Fortunei aurea is found very useful, and is 
urged into growth by being placed in the Palm 
house. Many flowering plants of Anthurium scherzer- 
ianum serve to keep the side benches gay, stood about 
amongst the smaller Palms. The large conservatory 
abutting against the Highgate Road contains numer¬ 
ous tall Tree Ferns and other decorative subjects. 
An interesting group of Orchids might be men¬ 
tioned here, being solely grown foij the sake of their 
beautiful foliage. Anoectochilus setaceus has dark 
olive leaves with red veins. Other species are 
A. sanderianus, A. intermedius and A. Petola, the 
golden tracery of the later being the charm of all who 
see it. Microstylis Scottii has metallic-brown leaves. 
Those of Liparis are also brown, but variegated with 
gray. 
Orchids. 
The cool Orchid house contains a great variety of 
Odontoglossums in bloom at the present time. There 
are some finely spotted varieties of O. cirrhosum. 
Very beautiful also is O. naevium majus, like a 
miniature form of the latter. Many of the pseudo¬ 
bulbs of O. crispum bear two spikes of bloom each. 
There are numerous varieties of it as there are of 
O. triumphans, O. andersonianum, O. Pescatorei, 
and O. ruckerianum. A handsomely blotched form 
of the latter is'O.r. Edithae. Other sorts that lend 
variety and interest to the collection are O. baphic- 
anthum, O. prionopetalum, with richly blotched 
flowers, O. Coradinei and a beautiful and richly 
coloured variety of O. excellens. The bright, orange- 
scarlet flowers of Ada aurantiaca are very con¬ 
spicuous and attractive. A rare species is Oncidium 
Phalaenopsis, having its sepals and petals blotched 
and marbled with purple on a white ground. The 
lip is lilac on a white ground, with a dark purple 
blotch at the base. 
A warmer house, but only having an intermediate 
temperature, contains the beautiful Eulophiella 
Elizabethae in fine form. The fragrant flowers are 
coloured like Apple blossom in the half-opened 
stages. Pescatorea Lehmanni, P. Klabochorum, P. 
Roezlii, and P. R. rosea are all highly interesting 
Orchids, generally considered difficult to cultivate, 
but they grow here like weeds. The allied Bolleas 
behave in the same way. Cypripediums are grown 
in quantity and variety in two or three of the houses. 
We noted C. rothschildianum in fine form. The 
Selenipedium group is well represented. Utricularia 
montana always does well here, and though not an 
Orchid is always associated with them. 
One of the two Orchid houses abutting on the 
main walk contains a number of Dendrobiums in 
bloom. A large-flowered and handsome form is that 
named D. thyrsiflorum Schroderae, the petals and 
lip of which are of unusual size, and the latter 
spread wide open. The finely fringed D. devonianum 
and D. wardianum are indispensable in good collec¬ 
tions. We noted also a fine form of D. nobile. 
Some pieces of Cypripedium chamberlainianum bear 
large and highly-coloured flowers. Vanda suavis, 
hybrids of Calanthe, and other subjects extend the 
variety of plants in bloom. 
The other house in this part of the nursery is 
rendered gay with Cymbidium lowianum, C. devon¬ 
ianum, Laelia cinnabarina, Sophronites grandiflora 
the pretty Cypripedium Exul, and Lycaste Schiller- 
iana. The olive-brown sepals of the latter make a 
beautiful contrast with the white petals and lip. 
The highly fragrant Cattleya citrina has flowered 
well in pans suspended near the glass. Some flowers 
of Cattleya Schroderae are notable for the coppery- 
orange blotch in the throat. C. lawrenceana is also in 
fine form, and amongst the specimens of C. Mendelii 
are some with a very dark lip. 
Clivias. 
We were able to compare Clivia miniata superba, 
which was considered a superb variety fifteen years 
ago, with the most highly evolved forms of to-day, 
and the difference is very great. The old variety is 
useful nevertheless, for decorative work. Baroness 
Schroder is a soft orange flower with a long, white 
and yellow throat. Surprise, on the other hand, is a 
wide open flower, of a deep orange-scarlet. Another 
very choice form is Prince of Orange with dark and 
long, funnel-shaped flowers. Another richly 
coloured variety is Queen Victoria, with very large 
and finely formed flowers. Meteor is one of the 
brightest, and otherwise notable for its short bell¬ 
shaped flowers. Marie Reimer is also highly- 
esteemed for its rich colouring. Close by this house 
is another, filled with a collection of tree Carnat ons 
being staked when we saw them. 
Amaryllis. 
We were rather late to see the main bulk of the 
houseful of Amaryllis at their best, but a large 
number of seedlings and late varieties were still in 
prime condition. Ladas is a wide open flower of a 
deep red, with a short green star. Very bright is 
Holloway Gem, being glowing scarlet, with a white 
centre and white rays to the tips of the segments. A 
widely bell shaped flower is Lady Waldie Griffith, of 
a clear light scarlet, with a soft green base, and 
altogether very pretty. An unnamed seedling of a 
light scarlet, is netted and rayed with white. 
One of the finest of the dark forms is Gerald 
Balfour, the flowers of which are of a uniform crim¬ 
son-scarlet. One of the prettiest and most chaste 
varieties, is that named Butterfly. The segments 
are very broad and softly mottled with pale scarlet 
on a creamy white ground. This combination is rare 
amongst Amaryllis. Prince Albert Victor may be 
compared to Gerald Balfour in the intensity of its 
crimson flowers, of which there were five on a scape. 
The flowers of Mrs. Burroughes are of grand sub¬ 
stance, and crimson, with white edges and rays. 
Another bold and handsome self is Grandidens, with 
wide open and fiery-crimson flowers, having short 
rays. Another seedling is light scarlet with white 
rays to the tip. Ackermannii pulcherrima is one of 
the darkest of the seifs, having flowers of a glowiDg 
fiery crimson, deepening to maroon in the throat, 
and green at the base. The above are only a very 
few of the numerous named varieties occupying a 
span-roofed house. 
-. 9- - 
THE ORCHIS HOUSES. 
Catasetums. —To the lovers of the curious rather 
than the beautiful we would recommend the growth 
of the species of this remarkable genus. 
Coming as they do from Mexico, the Cattleya 
