294 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 6, 1900. 
I was pleased to observe how well some kinds of 
Pears do on this soil, in the fruit room, where Glou 
Morceau, Easter Beurre, Chaumontel, Winter Nelis, 
Bergaraoted’ Esperen, and Nouville Fulvie, were all 
of good quality. That fine old dessert Apple, Cockle 
Pippin, was here to be seen in quantity, the fruit 
large and good in colour of that russety appearance 
which denotes high flavour. The fruits of Cox’s 
OraDge were very large, grown on low cordon trees 
on borders adjoining the paths. I noticed these very 
large fruits were not keeping well. Nor were they as 
high in flavour as some in our garden grown on open 
bush trees, and fed, being heavily cropped ; and they 
lacked the nice yellow cast in the skin. Many of 
those fruits bursted. There were several other fine 
kinds of Apples on the shelves. 
When one has had an opportunity of visiting a 
large private garden of this class, on and off for 
over thirty years, one can see the changes 
time brings. Here where Pines used to be grown, 
is to be found material to obtain cut flowers from, 
and once scarcely any plants for furnishing were 
wanted. Now it is quite the reverse. Undoubtedly 
Mr. Turton is made of the material that can change 
as needs may be ; but evidently the old order has 
passed away, and a new one is springing up.— J. C., 
Chard. 
- --- 
PEOPLE WE HAVE MET. 
Mr. Frederick C. Thomson. 
We are pleased to add to our gallery a portrait of 
Mr. F. C. Thomson, the genial and courteous gar¬ 
dener, who presides over the gardens of H. Tower, 
Esq., Tewin Water, Welwyn, Herts. 
Mr. Thomsen is a native of Schleswig Holstein, 
where his father had a nursery, so that he may well 
claim to have been associated with gardening all his 
days. When he was old enough his father sent him 
to Messrs. Peter Smith & Co., of Hamburg and 
Bergedorf, to learn the nursery and seed business. 
Here he stayed for three years, until, in fact, the 
nursery business was sold. Mr. Peter Smith emi¬ 
grated to Scotland, and Mr. Thomson accompanied 
him. A brother of the nurseryman was gardener to 
the Earl of Home, The Hirsel, Coldstream, Berwick¬ 
shire, and Mr. Thomson was placed under him. 
Here he stayed for a period of two yaars, acquiring 
a knowledge of gardening as it is carried on in this 
country. 
His next move was to Haggerstone Castle, North¬ 
umberland, the residence of Captain Leyland, where 
he made a further sojourn for two years. He next 
pushed his way to Dalkeith Palace, the residence of 
the Duke of Buccleucb, at the time when the late 
Mr. William Thomson made the place famous on 
account of the fruit grown there, but particularly 
Grapes. To learn fruit growing under glass was Mr. 
Thomson's object, for that was what drew him 
thither, as many another young gardener would 
have been in those days. An opportunity occurred 
for his returning to The Hirsel as foreman, and Mr. 
Thomson accepted it. After staying here for a time 
he gravitated to London, like hundreds of other 
members of the profession, and at first went into the 
nursery of Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Upper 
Clapton. 
We next find him as one of the young men in Kew 
Gardens, in 1866, a time when gardeners had the 
ambition to study and pass the examinations held 
under the auspices of the Royal Horticultural 
Society and the Society of Arts, as many gardeners 
still living, and holding important horticultural 
appointments, are pleased to acknowledge. Mr. 
Thomson entered for and passed these examinations. 
He stayed at Kew for two years, leaving there in 
January, 1868, to go as foreman in the gardens at 
Sacdhays, near Liverpool. In a similar capacity he 
next went to Manley Hall, near Manchester. Still 
on the outlook for fresh fields of knowledge, he next 
accepted the appointment to grow plants and fruit in 
the Experimental Garden of Mr. Foreman, of 
Nottingham. 
After having graduated in the profession for a 
greater or less number of years, gardeners begin to 
look out for a position of greater responsibility than 
that of a subordinate in private gardens, and the 
opportunity presenting itself, Mr. Thomson left 
Nottingham to take charge of the gardens and estate 
of Bruntwood, Cheadle, Cheshire, the residence of 
Mrs. Douglas. Here he was thoroughly at home, and 
stayed for a jr er'o 1 of eight years. During his stay 
he made many improvements in planting the estate 
and in laying out the grounds. He also bad splendid 
opportunities for carrying out all the duties belong¬ 
ing to gardening proper, and as a consequence 
blossomed out into an ardent, enthusiastic and 
successful exhibitor at all the flower shows near 
Mr. Frederick C. Thomson. 
Manchester. He stayed at Bruntwood Hall till the 
death of Mrs. Douglas. 
This unfortunate event necessitated his finding 
another situation, but that was soon forthcoming, 
and he was appointed head gardener to Wm. Baring, 
Esq., Norman Court, Dean, Salisbury, where he put 
in another seven years, until the place was reduced. 
While the latter was in its heyday fruit and plants 
were well and extensively grown, particularly fruits ; 
for we find that Mr. Thomson still retained his en¬ 
thusiasm as an exhibitor, the hard work attached to 
which has to be stimulated by the rewards which 
success brings. He exhibited at all the flower 
shows in the principal towns within convenient 
reach of Norman Court, taking exhibits of fruit 
chiefly. The reduction of the place so damped his 
ardour that he determined upon making another 
move. On this occasion he secured an appointment 
as head gardener to C. T. Hoare, Esq., Bignell 
House, Bicester, Oxfordshire, where he made great 
alterations in laying out the grounds, as well as ex¬ 
tensive planting for cover and ornament. After 
seven years' service at Bignell House, the place un¬ 
fortunately became so reduced, that it was no longer 
possible for the gardener to maintain the gardens in 
proper condition with the means at his command, so 
that the subject of this sketch once more had, re¬ 
luctantly, to bid farewell to the place where he had 
spent so many years of an active life in putting it in 
order. 
He next secured the appointment as head gardener 
to H. Tower, Esq , with whom he commenced his 
duties about two years ago. Since then he has been 
actively engaged in improving and restoring the 
gardens nnd grounds which had previously been 
allowed to get greatly out of order. Tewin Water is 
beautifully situated in a deep valley on the edge of 
the river Maran, a stream of as beautifully clear 
water as is to be seen within a long distance of 
London. The flower garden has been markedly im¬ 
proved and rendered attractive, while the grounds in 
its immediate vicinity, and around the mansion, also 
show the same master hand. By skilful treatment, 
the waters of the Maran are made to widen out for 
some considerable distance along one side of the 
residence, so as to resemble a natural lake. Higher 
up some ornamental cascades have been formed, the 
sound of falling water and its crystal clearness being 
quite refreshing on a warm summer's day. Along¬ 
side of one part of the Maran used to be a piece of 
boggy and useless ground. This has been trans¬ 
formed into an interesting bog garden, with pools 
for aquatic plants and some islands ccrnected with 
the drier grounds by means of a footbridge, and sup¬ 
porting trees, shrubs, and other subjects that delight 
in moisture. Mr. Thomson is busy extending the 
bog garden this winter. He has already constructed 
a pathway for a long distance along the banks of the 
Maran, under the shade of trees, the valley being 
beautifully wooded as well as the higher ridges 
above the valley. We wish Mr. Thomson a loDg 
and prosperous career in the carrying out of these 
and other improvements in contemplation. 
CAMPIIILL, GLASGOW. 
Not even excepting the People’s Palace on Glasgow 
Green, the winter garden at Campbill is the most 
important of the glass ranges belonging to the 
Glasgow Parks. The houses are situated on a 
plateau overlooking what used to be the village of 
Langside, now a populous suburb of the city. All 
the parks are under the able superintendenceship 
of Mr. James Whitton, wbo thoroughly believes in 
having a practical gardener to do a gardener’s work. 
He has, in fact, a gardener in each of the parks of 
any importance, and more particularly where plant 
culture under glass is concerned. At Camphill he 
has placed Mr. W. Mclver in charge, and there is 
no mistaking the fact that a fine lot of plants has 
now been placed in all of the houses, whether the 
public has access to them or not. 
Some time ago we had the pleasure of a run 
through the houses, the first entered being a stove, 
where two fine plants of Torneliafragrans (Monstera 
deliciosa) carried three and four cones of fruit 
respectively. Nepenthes mastersiana, N. hooker- 
iana, and N.dicksoniana carried a fine lot of pitchers 
in splendid condition. Coccos Bonnetti is by no 
means a common Palm, but here was a fine specimen 
of it, as well as of the better known Areca lutescens. 
Russellia juncea, carrying long graceful sprays, was 
well grown. The showy and curious Gloriosa superba 
was flowering freely on the rcof; while Coelogyne 
massangeana and a long-fronded specimen of Gonio- 
phlebium subauriculatum were also suspended from 
the roof. Pancratium speciosum and Hymenocallis 
macrostephana are popular bulbs with sweet-scented 
flowers. 
Not the least interesting feature of the place are 
the Orchids, to which frequent additions are being 
made. One house contained a collection of Cypri- 
pediums of which C. Parishi, C. Druryi, C. Charles- 
worthii, C. radiosum, and C. tonsum were in bloom. 
A dark variety of Oacidium incurvum was also noted. 
In another building Cattleya Trianaei was flowering 
out of seasoD, and C. labiata was throwing up 300 
to 500 spikes of bloom. Elsewhere were Dendrobium 
nobile, Maxillaria picta, Coelogynes and Cypriped- 
ium insigne montanum as well as the type in great 
quantity. 
Next to this came a stove with a collection of 
Crotons for the cultivation of which Mr. Whitton 
has long been note!. Dendrobiums were resting, 
suspended from the roof after having made up their 
growths. Here also were J uncus zebrinus, a Rush 
striped transversely with yellow; also Acalypha 
Sanderi, A. godseffiana, Dracaena Lindeni, A. L. 
massangeana and the ever golden D. L. Victoria, the 
three making an interesting set of this popular 
Dracaena. Euphorbia fulgens.with branching stems, 
stood 6 ft. to 8 ft. high. 
An intermediate house next claimed attention; 
The popular Begonia Gloire de Lorraine was in fine 
form; and near by was B. smaragdina, similar in 
form to B. imperialis, but having green foliage. 
Stenocarpus sinuatus is here grown under the name 
of Agnostus. Schubertia grandiflora is a sweet- 
scented climber. The leaves of Begonia Sambo are 
almost black. In the next house was a plant of 
Arundinia bambusaefolia, 6 ft. high, with flowers 
like those of a Laelia. Aristolochia ornithocephala 
was carrying some of its huge and strange looking 
flowers. In the cool corridor connecting the houses 
were many subjects adapted for the purpose,including 
Xanthorhaea australis, with graceful leaves; and very 
tall plants of Cyathea medullaris and Dicksonia 
antarctica. 
Passing into another Orchid house, we noted the 
variegated Ground Ivy in pots, trailing from the 
benches to the floor. Many Orchids were in flower, 
including Masdevallia Chehoni, M. Lindeni, M. 
harryana, M. Roezli, M. bella, M. Chimaera Wallisii, 
and the curious little M. ochthodes, which continues 
