f j!42 
September 15, 190C. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
not merely a play-room, the carpenter pointed to his 
account books where so much as £32 was noted as 
due for work done by the boys in one order alone. 
All manner of work is done, from making wheel¬ 
barrows to the mending of broken chairs. A look-in 
upon the boot shop showed that there also the lads 
were kept actively engaged and they seemed to enjoy 
their vocations. The dairy, supplied by eight fine 
cows, is situated close to, or indeed we might say, 
within the garden precincts. From the further 
inclusion of a stable and piggeries this portion of 
the twenty-six acres of property, provides those lads 
who have a desire to emigrate with a rudimentary 
knowledge of farm and dairy work. Then in the 
garden itself, which, naturally, has the greater 
interest for readers of The Gardening World, the 
boys have a capital opportunity, under Mr. Arthur 
Joseph Brown, of gaining a serviceable experience of 
gardening out of doors. Not that there are no 
glasshouses, for there are several, including two 
vineries, Peach house, Fern and Palm House, Melon 
and Cucumber houses, flower house and pits and 
frames. (See illustration, p. 41.) 
But it is chiefly in the vegetable grounds and 
among the hardy fruits and flowers, that their 
knowledge of horticulture is derived. To give the 
lads as wide an understanding as possible, of the 
manners in which fruits are trained and the advan¬ 
tages of such and such a form of tree or bush, Mr. 
Brown has furnished the walls with cordon trees 
grown erectly and at various angles, and also with 
fan-shaped and horizontally-trained specimens. In 
the open grounds, standard trees, most of which 
are about twelve years of age, are chiefly to be 
found. Pyramidal Pear, Plum and Apple trees, and 
half-standard Damsons, all more or less laden with 
fruits, present a garden such as one may find 
attached to the homes of the wealthy throughout the 
land. The exposure of the garden is nearly due 
south, and it is planned almost four-square. Year 
by year extra slices are absorbed from the rich 
pasture land around the garden boundary, and is 
cultivated as garden or farm land. As the institu¬ 
tion is largely supported by its own labour, and as 
the land forms the primary source of man's susten¬ 
ance, it follows, as a consequence, that with over a 
hundred healthy appetites ta provide for daily, 
besides having to supply the farm animals with a 
great part of their food, the garden and farm lands 
are fully utilised. We saw a fine field of Mangels 
soon to be used, and brakes of Potatos, Cabbages 
and Beans extended over much ground. Cauli¬ 
flowers, extraordinary Parsnips, fine breadths of 
Beet, Turnips, Carrots and Onions showed that the 
ground must naturally be very fertile, or that its 
enrichment and proper working had been well 
accomplished. Possibly all these factors are united, 
for even good land will not yield its fatness without 
toil and trouble to the tiller. Among the bush fruits, 
Gooseberries were most prominent, though Currants 
were also an asset worthy of note. But it would be 
of infinite benefit to the superintendent of this 
department, were the directors to instal, say, three 
more experienced journeymen who could take the 
lead with a number of lads at any operation in dis¬ 
tinct parts of the garden. As it is, we think Mr. 
Brown succeeds admirably, for we know that 
“ boys will be boys,” and in the garden one cannot 
always have them under one’s eyes, as in a work¬ 
shop. 
The best hardy herbaceous perennials and annuals 
suitable for market, such as Phloxes, Gladioli, Mont- 
bretias, Coreopsis, Echinops, Eryngiums, and other 
flowers in their seasons are grown. Wreath-making 
and floral decorations are other of the phases of the 
garden department. The keeping of Mrs. Hawks- 
ley’s pleasure grounds opens up an additional vein of 
garden work which the boys are expected to be 
acquainted with. Of course, the lads display a pre¬ 
ference sometimes for carpentry or shoemaking, or 
aptitude for office-work, rather than a desire for the 
garden, and such lads are trained accordingly. Mr. 
Brown, however, has always two or three older lads 
as apprentices, who after a year or two, that is, 
when they are about fifteen or sixteen, receive 
appointments in gardens or nurseries from which 
applications have come. There is always plenty 
demand for the boys trained at the School of Handi¬ 
crafts. 
Just as 11 Tom Brown” looked back with 
pride on his old Rugby days, and just as every 
upright British boy loves and honours the school or 
college he was taught at, so have the " old boys ” of 
the Chertsey School of Handicrafts, almost to an 
individual, remained true to this place of their early 
training. It is only fourteen years ago since it was 
founded, but the " old boys " from here are now to 
be found in many merchants' offices, druggists’ shops, 
in various building trades and professions; many 
have joined the army and navy, and not a few faced 
that awful fire on the deadly Spion Kop, and some 
were killed and others not. The doings of the boys 
of the present, and the accomplishments of the boys 
of the past are recorded in a quarterly publication 
issued by a committee who have the good of the 
school at heart. To us, nothing is more interesting 
than to know of, or write about such a school with 
all the possibilities of its boys, and though we have 
written enough for the present, we hope to go there 
again and to see and hear more about the boys of 
the Chertsey School of Handicrafts. 
A VISIT TO SWANLEY. 
(Continued fromp. 27.) 
Hardy Herbaceous Plants, &c. 
Many who do not devote much consideration to the 
indoor class of plants often have a considerable 
interest in hardy plants. And hardy plants, nowa¬ 
days, are being so much improved by the application 
of their numerous devotees, that soon it seems as 
though we may devote our glass solely for high class 
fruit culture and grow our flowers entirely beneath 
the open field of the sky. The double violet-blue flowers 
of Geranium pratensis fl. pi. have often charmed the 
writer, and their power to do so is still a conscious 
presence. G. sylvatica fl. pl„ with more purple in 
its hue, is another of the fine old things which should 
not be dropped. Achillea tomentosa, with its dwarf 
habit and silvery, dissected foliage, affording such 
splendid setting for the bright yellow umbels, is good. 
It is suitable when placed toward the edge of a bed 
or border. The splendid Helenium autumnale 
pumilum, one of the best yellow composite plants 
at present in bloom, was met with at Swanley. It 
affords a grand border herbaceous plant for cutting 
from, and the showy blooms are finely maintained 
on shining green stalks. The plant grows about 
32 ft. high. Glaucium luteum, or Horned Poppy, 
with glauceous foliage, yellow flowers, and, later on, 
long curiously curved seed pods, deserves a reference. 
The above also bears the name G. flavum, and is, 
like the other Glauciums, easily raised from seed. 
It is found native in Britain. The little prickly 
Acaena pulchella, though not so piquant as A. 
microphylla, is, like the latter, somewhat overlooked 
by the folks who like only those things that can be 
seen glaringly from one end of the garden to the 
other. Thalictrum minus adds variety, and Thymus 
comosus, with foliage like a dwarf Ground Ivy 
(Nepeta) and showered over with reddish flowers, is 
good in its way. The fragrant Calamintha grandi- 
flora, with white and green leaves, is another 
plant that gardeners ought to plant by the square 
yard. Any old corner, among stones, equally with 
the finest piece of land, it thrives. Indeed, the less 
care it receives and the poorer the land so much 
brighter and more fragrant it becomes, as though it 
intended to force attraction. In Liatris spicata, the 
Blazing Star or Snakeroot, we do have a showy 
herbaceous perennial plant, one which everybody 
can at the same time admire, because of its richness 
and dignity, even though it only attains about 2 ft. 
The inflorescence assumes the form of a long spike, 
about 1 in. in diameter, and bears bright rose-purple 
composite flowers. It does well in a sheltered 
border or rockery pocket. The somewhat delicate 
and not at all conspicuous Lilium Krameri was 
growing wonderfully well in a corner, sheltered by 
the famous hedges (15 ft. high) in the Swanley nur¬ 
series. This Lilium and L. rubellum are scarcely 
fitted for the outdoor garden, so that in their case 
the protection of a temperate house is necessary. 
Where they are planted out of doors choose a 
sheltered position, and plant among such sheltering 
shrubs as Ghent and Mollis Azaleas. A new variety 
of Lathyrus platyphyllus (L. latifolius), named 
“Pink Beauty,” was pointed out by Mr. Evans, the 
foreman in charge, and who knows his plants well. 
The variety is quite distinct and is very sweet, of 
deep pink and blush colours, with the usual size of 
truss, and is moderately free-flowering. The plant 
was growing procumbently in the shade of another 
sheltered corner, so that had it been erectly trained 
and in sunshine the colour of the trusses might have 
been deeper. It is certainly worthy of care. 
Platycodon grandiflora alba is a fine plant, and 
takes the place of some of the Campanulas, which 
pass out of bloom when it expands. Oenothera 
speciosa, the grand, white flowered Evening Prim¬ 
rose, does well anywhere. Altstromeria aurantiaca 
in beds is a feature of all gardens where it becomes 
established. Spiraea palmata, rosy-flowered, and 
Phloxes, Pentstemons, Aconitums, Hollyhocks, 
Asters, Dahlias, and such other indispensable hardy 
plants are all grown liberally and well at Swanley. 
Fruits and Vegetables. 
Though many interesting and useful notes might be 
arraigned if space permitted, we must respect the 
Editor’s injunction to limit our remarks. At our 
visit about six weeks ago (August 4th), the budding 
of young Apples, Roses, &c., was being actively 
accomplished. The fruit stock of all kinds on the 
good Eynsford soil (the larger nursery of Messrs. H. 
Cannell & Sons) was then vigorous and will furnish 
fine stuff. 
Strawberries in small pots were strong and ready 
to go ahead whenever they are potted up for forcing, 
and others for planting out were equally sturdy. 
Standard Cherries and Currants have always been 
more or less a feature at Eynsford. This year this 
form of Cherry and Currant is bearing heavy crops. 
Besides the fact that one can have dwarfer fruits, 
flowers, or vegetables beneath these standard trees, 
they are beautifully ornamental as seen at the 
present time. Energetic garden lovers can have 
horizontal cordons trained along the edge of the 
garden paths, they can have standard trees in the 
middle of their borders, and they can cover every 
space of wall, so that given care, and the proper 
varieties, surely a satisfactory yield of fruits could 
be had. This would certainly be “ intense culture,” but 
many of us might cultivate more carefully, for we have 
far too much land to play with. Raspberries have 
seldom been seen bearing better crops, and the same 
words apply to all forms and most varieties of Pears 
and Apples. 
Vegetables seemed all of sound quality, and as the 
Messrs. Cannell have a yearly Silver-Gilt Knightian 
Medal to their credit and mean to add more, the 
inference is borne out that during growth special 
care is exercised with the vegetable crops. The 
extensive trials of culinary Peas, running to many 
acres over the broad southern slopes of a fertile piece 
of land, were ripeniDg profuse crops of large and 
even pods. All the favourite garden varieties are 
included. Onions, too, have every care; Leeks are 
rigorously selected, and crops of Beet, Parsnips, 
Turnips and Beans had proved themselves most 
favourable. For the sake of the harvesting of the 
numerous brakes of seed crops now in the process of 
finishing off, we would desire a week or two= of dry, 
breezy weather. The Swanley trip is always enjoy¬ 
able, partly from the freshness of the rich Kent 
acres, the clearness of the air after being weeks in 
stuffy London, and largely because of the geniality of 
Mr. Henry Cannell, the hale and hearty vegetarian, 
and his capable sons, Herbert and Robert. 
- ^ - 
FRENCH BEANS AT CHRISTMAS. 
It must be owned that to provide even one decent 
dish of French Beans for a party at Christmas, one 
must have conveniences and plenty of means at com¬ 
mand. A heated frame will not do; it must be a cosy 
pit, well adapted for the purpose. It is also a trying 
business in those districts subject to dense fogs. Still, 
some there are who, if they know they can be had, 
will have them. A sowing of Ne Plus Ultra should 
be made early in October, the seeds being set in the 
fruiting pots (10-in.) right away. Provide thorough 
drainage, and use a compost of old fibrous Chrysanth¬ 
emum soil three parts, to one of good clean leaf-mould 
and a sufficiency of coarse sand. A dash of bone-meal 
may be added. When the plants are swelling the 
few pods they are likely to set, they may be helped 
by an occasional watering with water containing 
artificial manure dissolved in it. Pieces of Pea 
stakes should be used to support the plants. A 
place upon a shelf in a pit maintained at a tempera¬ 
ture of 70° in the daytime, to 6o° at night, is what 
may be allowed to them.— D. K. 
The Beautiful Liriodendron tulipifera has been 
selling at a great rate to planters in America. It is 
rather difficult to transplant unless when small. 
