May 19, 1900, 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
603 
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. 
Your leader on the Shamrock reminds me of a funny 
incident that happened here on St. Patrick’s Day. 
An Irish saloon-keeper; who has a German bar¬ 
tender, was anxiously awaiting an importation of 
Shamrock from the " ould sod,” and, on enquiry, the 
assistant told him that a package of greens had 
come by express. " Where are they ? ” shouted 
"Jimmy.” "Fritz” pointed proudly to the lunch 
table. " There they were, with mayonnaise dressings 
as a salad ! ” 
Crape was in order around that day. 
In Washington there is a man who claims to have 
eaten nothing for six years but uncooked vegetables. 
He, his wife and one-year-old child exist mainly on 
raw cereals, raw Potatos, Cabbage, and other vege¬ 
tables and fruits. They are never ill, and not sus¬ 
ceptible to cold, and wear no underwear nor wraps 
the year round. He avers he can lift 1,450 lbs. It’s 
certainly economical. I always thought our Scottish 
students, who live mainly on oatmeal, and fire stones 
at coal teamsters in order to obtain the chunk, 
of coal used as return missiles, bore the banner, but, 
as usual, a Yankee is a-head. 
Yale University has been lucky enough to obtain 
a gift of £30,000 ($150,000) for founding a School of 
Forestry. The Pine needles of South Oregon are 
being utilised as medicated upholstering, after first 
being boiled, and compressed between rollers to 
extract the juice. It is claimed to be insect proof, 
and the juice is used medicinally. Truly, this is a 
utilitarian age. A writer sententiously observes 
apropos of matrimony that it means both are to raise 
vegetables, and leave flower culture to the single. 
Still more utilitarian, isn’t it ? Eucalyptus blocks 
for paving are used largely in Australia, and it is 
proposed to introduce them here. 
In Washington Park, Chicago, the gardeners are 
jubilating because they have two Bananas in full 
bearing. They seldom ripen in this country, but 
there they have in the last three years ripened five 
bunches. 
Lincoln Park has a woman landscape gardener, 
lately appointed, rather an arduous task in such a 
splendid park. The eyes of the shrieking sisterhood 
are anxiously on her .—C Macquarie, Chicago. 
TREES AND SHRUBS IN FLOWER. 
The Dumber of trees and shrubs in flower at present 
is greater than at any other season of the year. 
Most of the Prunus and Pyrus tribe and the host of 
the Gooseberry and Currant order are at their finest 
during the present week. The dry season last year 
seems to have had a great effect upon the floriferous- 
ness of most kinds of trees and shrubs in gardens 
around London. Many trees of a purely ornamental 
character are completely wreathed with blossom. 
Prunus Maheleb pendula is one of the most 
effective to be seen anywhere. It is full of grace, is 
slender and bears showers of white flowers. The 
fragrance of some of these Plum and Cherry tree 
blossoms is not always agreeable, but in this case it 
is pleasant enough. 
Prunus Avium pendula, the Bird Cherry, is truly 
a "weeping” tree, and when these drooping 
branches are seen covered with white rosaceous 
flowers, a highly pleasing sight is before us. 
Prunus Puddum is a graceful, slender growing 
tree with quantities of moderate sized white 
flowers. 
Prunus mollis is bushy in habit, and takes after 
Spiraea confusa in form and appearance of the in¬ 
florescence. 
Prunus Padus var. leucocarpus is distinct in 
that its small creamy-white flowers are borne in 
drooping racemes. It is bushy in habit. Though 
pretty, useful, and effective it is a shrub not very 
commonly seen. 
Prunus Mahaleb var. chrysocarpa is quite 
different in its habit. It is a handsome and massive 
tree, and when at its best is wreathed in flowers as 
though mantled with snow. It attracts the bees 
from far and near. A few well balanced trees of this 
variety have a powerful effect in garden scenery. 
Magnolia conspicua is the pure white species 
with fine large white egg-shaped flowers ; and Mag¬ 
nolia c. soulangeana, which is also egg-shaped with 
sharply pointed flower lobes, is shaded with purple. 
Both, of course, expand their flowers when fully 
matured. M. c. soulangeana is a natural cross 
between M. purpurea and M. conspicua, according 
to Loudon. M. c. soulangeana differs from the 
mother parent, M. conspicua, chiefly in the smaller 
size of its flowers and their colour, which is a tint of 
purple. Inarching or layering is the usual method 
of propagation. 
Amelanchier canadensis. —The June Berry, as 
this pretty and free flowering white-flowered shrub 
or tree is called, is one of the most popular in 
southern gardens. It is quite hardy, and either in 
or out of flower it is a desirable tree. The foliage in 
autumn assumes a bright yellow tint which gives it 
wonderful attractiveness. As with most other plants, 
shrubs or trees, it should be planted together in 
clumps or groups, out in the ornamental grounds. 
Its more extended planting is to be recommended.— 
A. 
VISITS TO NURSERIES. 
Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, Ltd., 
Murrayfield, Edinburgh. 
Anyone possessed of a little spare time, when in 
Edinburgh, should make a point of running out to 
Murrayfield, to Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons’ nur¬ 
series, and to Mr. John Downie’s. So near are these 
nurseries to the city that a 'bus ride quickly takes 
one there. And there is always something worth 
the seeing. The following notes were made while 
on a flying visit to Pinkhill early in April. 
Plants under Glass. 
The cool houses were stocked with Acacias, among 
them being the beautiful A. riceana in some quan¬ 
tity. A. armata, A. Drummondii, and A. leprosa were 
likewise there in quantity and quality. The latter 
species is exceedingly fine, having long arching 
shoots with narrow leaves and flowers which are 
paler than those of A. armata. Genista alba is also 
worthy of some attention, while forced Wistarias, 
which were seen at Pinkhill, excel nearly all others 
of our spring-forced shrubby plants. It is compara¬ 
tively easy to get early into flower, and as 
the flowering racemes are either white or deep 
lavender, according to variety, it certainly provides a 
plant unique in these respects. Pyrus Malus flori- 
bunda, so cheery and so generous in its gift of 
flowers, added its pink and rosy-blush blooms to 
lighten up the numerous banks of double white 
Lilacs (Mdme. Lemoine) and the lilac -coloured 
Lilacs. Erica Cavendishii, E. coccinea major, E. 
erecta, &c., and hardy flowering Rhododendrons in 
pots, as represented by John Waterer and Purity 
were quite a feast in themselves. In some of the 
greenhouses there were collections of Sweet Peas 
in small pots. Mr. Wm. Craig, the grower, had 
managed to secure a few Sweet Pea blooms so early 
as the first week in March—no bad attempt. And 
he was able to keep up a continued supply from a 
slightly later date. Bunches of early Sweet Pea 
blooms are a capital commodity for an energetic 
florist to possess, and the Pinkhill firm knows it. I 
have omitted to mentioned Acacia linearis, another 
charmingly graceful and pleasing subject. Statice 
Dicksonii, with its heather-flushed flowers, forms a 
good contrasting variety to S. profusa. 
Phyllocacti, Epiphyllum russelliana, and E. 
Gaertnerii were showing well, or in the latter case 
were in full bloom. 
Palms of all the useful sorts, tall, little, and 
medium-sized, spreading or erect, one and all are 
extensively grown. Worthy of special comment are 
some of the finer specimens of Caryota mitis. This 
is a beautiful stove Palm, as indeed are most other 
members of the genus. 
Caladiums baffle words to adequately describe 
them. The exquisite delicacy of these loveliest of 
all tender foliage plants, would have been an im¬ 
pressive sight for even the most ordinary-minded in 
matters relative to aesthetics. The collection is 
widely representative, including also a goodly 
number of new varieties. 
Dracaenas are a special feature in the Pinkhill 
glass department. They have gone strongly in for 
crossing green and white-edged varieties with the 
crimson and red leaved ones, to obtain tricolor 
seedlings. The Messrs. Laird also confine their 
efforts more especially to the narrow-leaved section, 
and their successes up-to-date are proved by some of 
the pretty little varieties they have already put into 
gardeners' hands. Few narrow-leaved Dracaenas 
can equal the crimson-purple variety, Mrs. D. P. 
Laird. CrotODs also command attention. A very 
full collection is at Pinkhill. Ferns to suit all tastes 
—Aspleniums. Maidenhairs, Nephrolepis, Gymno- 
grammes, Davallias, Polypodiums, Pteris, and any 
amount more each with their train of popular 
varieties were seeD, but could not further be noted. 
Flowering plants were again evident ; this time 
it was Zonal Pelargoniums, of which they have 
about 150 varieties, including Pearson’s newest seed¬ 
lings. 
Young Vine canes in pots for autumn planting 
were throwing remarkably fine breaks and strong 
shoots. Every attention is given to them, and they 
are thoroughly ripened by the autumn sunshine 
which falls abundantly in the undulating slopes of 
Pinkhill. 
Chrysanthemums and Carnations in frames 
promised well. In the open borders at the time of 
our visit there was practically nothing to view. ‘ But 
we have been to this nursery in the " bonnie ” days 
of summer, from which we know that in these brown 
borders rest a heavy wealth of beauty. Conifers of 
all kinds as well as flowering shrubs, Roses, and 
fruit trees each occupy acres of ground. 
« - -*- - - 
CHISWICK TULIP TRIALS. 
In the following list of Tulips which have now been 
awarded three marks (xxx) viz., Highly Commended, 
many well-known and long-proved varieties will be 
found. This arises from the fact that the present 
is the first trial of this one-time venerated flower, 
which the Royal Horticultural Society has under¬ 
taken. The trial has been instrumental in rectifying 
one or two wrongly named stocks, and, so far as it 
goes, in proving the length of time a variety is in 
flower, and whether it is early, medium or late. 
Only three nurserymen bulb-growers appear to have 
sent trial lots, at least only three nursery firms are 
represented in the commendations. These are 
Messrs. Hogg and Robertson, Dublin ; Mr. H. J* 
Jones, Ryecroft, Lewisham, S.E., who, though he 
only entered the ranks of bulb-growers and mer¬ 
chants last year, has quite a host of Tulips receiving 
three marks; and the Chelsea firm, Messrs James 
Veitch and Sons, Ltd. 
To have had a thorough useful trial, we should 
have liked to have heard of others of the big 
growers having contributed. There was stated to 
be about two hundred Tulip trials. 
Ophir d'Or. —This is the finest floweriog yellow 
Tulip in the whole collection. It throws up two and 
three flowers from each bulb. It is also very 
fragrant. From Messrs. Hogg and Robertson. 
Maes is a very large and early crimson variety, 
substantially built, and with fine form. From 
Messrs. Hogg and Robertson. 
Imperator Rubrorum. — Compared against 
William III., Rex rubrorum, and Vurb, Imperator 
rubrorum was found to be the most perfect variety 
among them. It is a beautiful double-flowered 
crimson-scarlet Tulip and ought to be added to all 
garden collections. It grows eight inches high, is 
stroDg, and highly effective in masses. From 
Messrs. Hogg and Robertson, and Mr. H. J. Jones. 
Proserpine. —This handsome and now well- 
known Tulip as one might expect held its own and 
received the xxx. From Mr. H. J. Jones and 
Messrs. Hogg and Robertson. 
Thomas Moore.— Here also we have a popular 
favourite, an early and distinct terra-cotta coloured 
Tulip, used very extensively in London and other 
public parks. This fact bespeaks its bedding 
qualities. From Messrs. Hogg and Robertson. 
Duchess de Parme —Nothing better than some 
of these older favourities seems to be competing 
with them in their special sections. The colour is 
orange-red with an irregular and deep yellow mar¬ 
gin. It also forms one of the most distinct and 
showy Tulips at present in commerce. From Mr. 
H. J. Jones, Messrs. Jas. Veitch and Son, Ltd., and 
Messrs. Hogg and Robertson. 
Hector. —Here we have a sturdy growing form of 
the Due de Malakoff type, but deeper in colour, 
better substance of petal, and does not reflex. The 
colour is orange-crimson, the flowers large and good 
and held about eight inches high. From Messrs. 
Hogg and Robertson. 
Epaminondas. —A beautiful variety, having a 
tapering deep rosy-crimson flower. From Messrs. 
Hogg and Robertson. 
Cerise Gris de Lin. —A distinct yet not par- 
