September 22, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
58 
Flax Industry of Ireland.—Under this title there 
appears in the “Journal of the Department of Agri' 
culture ” a valuable and exhaustive article by Prof. 
Thomas Johnson, D.Sc., who treats principally of 
the Flax cropping and setting. 
Chertsey School of Handicrafts.—In the article 
on Chertsey School of Handicrafts, which appeared 
in last week’s issue, pages 41 and 42, we omitted to 
state that the resident superintendent is Mr. T. H. 
Martin, and the matron, Mrs. Martin, from either 
of whom any information regarding the school can 
be obtained. They are at all times pleased to see 
visitors. 
The Sale of Poisons.—Messrs. Wm. Wood & 
Son, of Wood Green, write:—“Attention has been 
drawn in several of the horticultural papers to the 
inconvenience of being compelled to purchase Weed 
Killer and insecticides from ordinary chemists. 
Your readers will be interested to know that we 
have now obviated this difficulty by establishing a 
wholesale and retail manufacturing chemistry 
department, under the management of a qualified 
pharmaceutical chemist. It is proving a boon to 
gardeners, as they can thus be supplied direct with 
these requisites without having the trouble to go to 
the local chemist.'’ 
- 
Hardening Miscellany, 
APOCYNUM ANDROS A EMIFOLIUM. 
If anything in the herbaceous plant borders is worthy 
of inclusion, surely the beautiful “ Dog’s Bane,’’ 
above named, is. The habit is elegant, and the 
inflorescences are lovely. Having strong yet slender 
branching stems, bright green oblong leaves, which 
are smooth and glossy, and terminal cymes of 
pink flowers somewhat resembling a truss of some of 
the Polygonums, and attaining a height of 3$ ft. in 
good soils, this plant ought certainly to commend 
itself. Yet one does not find it at all frequently. 
Its culture is as simple as that of a piece of Mint 
The best time to divide it is in April. Suckers are 
also employed, and so are seeds. It is a long time 
since the plant was first introduced (1683) from 
Canada, so that the lack of appreciation or knowledge 
of it is all the more remarkable.— B. 
LEEA AMABILIS SPLENDENS. 
This is one of the handsomest of stove, shrubby 
plants. The erect habit, the finely-spreading leaves, 
pinnate as they are, and having a broad white mid¬ 
rib, serrate edge, and drooping apex, gives this plant 
a distinctly ornamental and pronounced appearance. 
In the tropics they are much grown for the beauty 
of their fruits. Under artificial cultivation they 
enjoy a moist, warm stove, and a good loamy soil. 
LOASA LATERITIA. 
The number of species of Loasa (which are mostly 
half hardy annuals) grown in British gardens is com¬ 
paratively limited, yet include some very showy- 
flowered subjects. The colours of the flowers in 
various members of the genus is either yellow, red 
or whitish. The plants are furnished with stinging 
hairs like Nettles, a fact the uninitiated soon become 
aware of. Most of the species are dwarf and bushy, 
flowering freely in a good mellow garden soil. The 
flowers hang face downwards so that their curious and 
interesting structure cannot be seen unless specially 
investigated. The subject under note is one of the 
best and showiest of the genus. It is an annual of 
climbing habit, a native of Chili, flowering in our 
borders during the greater part of the summer, and 
forms a conspicuous feature when supported on 
small branchlets. The brick-red flowers are about 
1$ in. across, and borne on slender gray-green stalks. 
The leaves are green, crinkled, and somewhat dis¬ 
sected. It may be sown out of doors in May, ehe 
raised in heat, in pans, to be planted out at that 
time; the latter method allows it a longer season for 
growth and blooming. Some fine samples were 
recently to be seen in the beds at Kew, Surrey. 
PEA THE SHERWOOD 
Here we have an introduction, which has come to 
stay, dwarf as Wm. Hurst, Daisy, or Chelsea Gem, 
and fully as early and free bearing, but it is far 
superior in quality, the produce, when cooked, being 
the best colour imaginable, and of the highest 
flavour obtainable.— W. B G. 
ROSE CARMINE PILLAR. 
Of all the single Roses I meet with for covering 
rustic work or pillars for attraction and beauty this 
is excellent, just one of those things which, seen for 
the first time, rivets the attention of all who pass. To 
those adding to their stock of plants for the above 
purposes I heartily recommend this as a most 
desirable addition.— W. B. G. 
MARIGOLD AFRICAN ORANGE. 
None of the varieties of the African Marigold (Ta- 
getes erecta) are more handsome or showy than the 
variety, African Orange. Marigolds, be they African, 
French, or Scotch, form part of the border stock of 
nearly every garden in the land. They are not fastid¬ 
ious, and the Scotch Marigold (which is a splendid 
little annual) will grow willy-nilly. The French and 
African sorts are often made specialities of in the gar¬ 
dens of factory-workers and others throughout the 
breadth of the Scottish borders, and no doubt they 
receive special attention elsewhere as well. African 
Orange, which is of extra size, fine even form and great 
depth of orange colour, was recently noted in 
Messrs. Cannell’s nursery at Eynsford, Kent. 
ABELIA UNIFLORA. 
I can most fully endorse all that you and your 
esteemed correspondent in a recent issue said re¬ 
specting the usefulness and beauty of this plant. I 
met with a specimen of it during last autumn in 
Sussex, not many miles from the sea, outside, and I 
never before fully realised what a beautiful thing it 
was, and this after some fifty or more years acquain¬ 
tance with it. The starved specimens I met with in 
pots positively are an injustice to it. I stood and 
gazed in admiration and astonishment at the plant 
in question, some 6 ft. or 7 ft. in height, and 10 ft. 
or so in width. How far inland it would do, as 
this plant does, I am unprepared to say, but anyhow 
it is worth trying, if even some protection is found 
necessary during severe weather.— W. B. G. 
DUNKELD HOUSE, PERTHSHIRE. 
On one of the few warm, salubrious days in August, 
it was our fortune to arrive at the sweet old-fashioned 
station at Dunkeld, in radiant spirits. The ever 
changing scene of lofty wooded mountains, luxuriant 
and well cultivated plains, and of flowing water, 
which it was our pleasure to behold during the short 
journey from the “ fair city” of Perth, were the chief 
factors in converting us into this amicable frame of 
mind. Thus prepared for further pleasure, we set 
our best foot foremost for Dunkeld House. This 
is the property of the Duke of Athole, and there we 
spent a few hours, roaming amidst the multifarious 
collection of flowers and fruits to be found in the 
famed gardens which adjoin this mansion. On our 
way thither, our ears were assailed by the "skirl of 
the bag-pipes ” which attracted our attention to a 
marquee situated in a field on our left. There as 
announced by a poster on the gateway leading therein, 
"A local horticulture exhibition was being held." 
Being on holiday, and as our thoughts are always 
concentrated around that which savours of horticul¬ 
tural advancement, we speedily decided on entering. 
Tendering the humble fee at the gateway, we made 
our way to a central table running the whole length 
of the marquee. To our surprise, we beheld some 
magnificent specimen plants which would be 
accorded no mean place at any of our greater shows. 
Those exhibited by Mr. Napier, Sniagow, consisted 
of pyramidal trained Coleuses, 4 ft. to 5 ft. high; 
with elegant Fuchsias, and exotic Ferns. Prominent 
amongst the other exhibits were a stand of Roses 
from the enterprising firm of Messrs. D. and W. 
Croll, Dundee. A stand of herbaceous flower spikes, 
and plants was also shown by Mr. W. Farquharson, 
Comely Bank Nurseries, Perth. The most notice¬ 
able specimens, exhibiting signs of able culture, in 
this collection, were Lilium longifolium giganteum. 
Montbretia Pottsii, and M. crocosmaeiflora, 
Harpalium(Helianthus)rigidum, herbaceous Phloxes, 
&c. The ubiquitous Sweet Pea, in many varieties, 
was also largely exhibited. Emerging from the 
marquee we resumed our journey, and after a ten 
minutes’ walk arrived at our destination, where we 
were accorded a cordial welcome by the head 
gardener, Mr. McGregor. The glass structures, 
which we first inspected, are, we regret to add, in a 
somewhat dilapidated condition; a state of affairs 
which we believe will soon be rectified, seeing that 
improvements in other parts of the property are 
going on apace. The condition of the glass houses 
has apparently no deleterious effects on the inmates,as 
evidenced by their healthy and flourishing condition. 
This surely reflects great credit on the cultivator, 
more especially when the existing adverse circum¬ 
stances are takdn into consideration. The Tomato 
house contained an excellent batch of Laird's 
Improved Stirling Castle, and Trophy Tomatos. 
Although slight signs of disease was observable on 
their foliage, the fruits, which are abundant and 
well flavoured, showed not the slightest blemish. A 
three-quarter span-roofed house was occupied by 
Melons and Cucumbers, the surface of the mounds 
whereon they are planted being one mass of white 
fleshy roots, which is in itself sufficient evidence 
that their requirements are well attended to. Excel¬ 
lent examples of the varieties Telegraph and Tender 
and True Cucumber were here noticed. The 
vineries, which are six in number, are all in bearing 
condition, even although, in some instances, the 
canes are somewhat old. They all bear unmistake- 
able signs of able culture. 
In a house recently planted with Muscat of 
Alexandria, the crop (an average one) was assuming 
a high colour, no mean feat, as the fraternity know, 
to finish to perfection a crop borne by this Vine in a 
young stale. The late vinery, chiefly planted with 
Gros Colman, the fruit of which was beginning to 
colour, gave ample indications of a remunerative 
return. Black Hamburgh and Black Alicante were 
also deserving of special comment. In the Peach 
house, which occupies a position in the kitchen 
garden, an excellent crop was just ripening. The 
collection of varieties is a faiily large one, and all are 
in splendid condition. Those worthy of special 
mention are good examples of Royal George, Stir¬ 
ling Castle, and Princess of Wales Peaches; whilst 
Pineapple and Elruge Nectarines were equally 
good. 
Begonias, which are largely and well grown, 
occupied the front stages of two houses ; in fact, 
these are Mr. McGregor's hobby, and their appear¬ 
ance at the time of our visit reflected distinctly to his 
credit. Although the best named varieties are 
represented, and utilised for crossing purposes, the 
greater portion of the collection consisted of seed¬ 
lings raised by himself. A large double crimson 
variety with wrinkled outer petals, which for depth 
of c flour, size, and form of flower would take some 
beating, with a worthy companion in the form of a 
pure white double (both seedlings), are deserving of 
special mention. By the way, we may remark that 
these are all grown in dark glazed pot=, lending to the 
arrangement an extremely clean and neat appear¬ 
ance. Glazed pots are great favourites here ; the 
theory regarding their superiority over the more 
porous common plant pot being that the amount of 
water required by plants, like Begonias, when grown 
in a porous pot, results in a large amount of the 
nutritive substances contained in the soil being 
constantly drained off; this being obviated by the 
use of the glazed receptacle. The stove for the 
most part, contained a fine collection of small plants, 
which will come in very useful for house decoration. 
Of the other floweriog plants, which were all in a 
healthy condition, we need make no further refer¬ 
ence, beyond that amongst Fuchsias we were pleased 
to note that old, and now rare variety Countess of 
Aberdeen. 
From the houses, we made a hurried survey of 
the kitchen garden, which extends over an area of 
seven acres. That the culture of hardy fruit is one 
of the principal features here is a well kaown fact 
amongst horticulturists. It was at Dunkeld House 
that the “ Fruit Conference ” was held on the 31st 
August, 1888, when over sixty well tried Scottish 
gardeners were entertained by the late Mr. Peter 
W. Fairgrieve. Peaches are largely grown outside 
trained against a south wall. Prominent amongst 
the varieties for general utility were Royal George 
and Stirling Castle. Here we noticed a very 
ingenious method of preventing evaporation, and I or 
assuring a cool moist root-run for the wall fruit, by 
loosely paving the borders with light coloured stones. 
Standard Plums bore only a very medium crop, and, 
strange to relate, the most unsatisfactory were trees' 
