90 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 6, 1900. 
other hand, has grown well and was flowering 
beautifully last week. 
The middle area of the garden has been laid down 
in grass, which already forms a beautiful and close 
sward, although the ground was still bare on the 
occasion of our visit in early summer. In certain 
parts of this area large beds have been made and 
planted with different subjects. One of these is 
occupied with hardy Azaleas, haviDg a broad 
margin of Senecio elegans fl. pi. in purple, lilac, 
crimson-purple and white varieties. These Rag¬ 
worts are about 12 in. high and most floriferous. 
Yellow Helichrysums in the centre are notable for 
the size of the golden, orange and crimson heads. 
Japanese Maples, with red stems and red and bronze 
leaves, in some cases finely dissected, constitute the 
feature of another bed, with Gaillardias as a ground¬ 
work. 
Around the sides of the garden are very wide 
borders of irregular outline, as determined by the 
walks which they margin, and the base of the steep 
banks behind them. In the spring time these 
borders glow with the bright colours of Hyacinths, 
Tulips, Narcissi, Scillas, Chionodoxa, &c. Lilies 
were the decided feature of one large border, the air 
being strongly tainted with the scent of Lilium 
auratum. The most striking and effective of all the 
Lilies, however, was the Tiger Lily (L. tigrinum), 
planted in clumps all over a large area, and which 
has flowered splendidly. Indeed, we have never 
seen it finer. The strong stems carried a large 
number of the bold and handsomely spotted orange 
flowers. One variety excelled the others in the rich 
markings and colour of its flowers. Bulbs, we 
understand, will be brought into even greater 
prominence in these beds and borders of ornamental 
shrubs next year. The shrubs are all of choice 
kinds, and planted sufficiently far apart to allow of 
the proper development of bulbs. Of course some 
of the latter are the sole occupants of certain beds 
and borders for the time being. 
Very noticeable was a plantation of Helichrysums 
behind herbaceous plants. The crimson, orange, rose 
and white heads were of enormous size owing to the 
space accorded for their development. Particularly 
noticeable was a rich rose-coloured Petunia selected 
from amongst seedlings and perpetuated by cuttings. 
It was flowering profusely and very attractive. In 
the neighbourhood of the mansion, where the soil is 
naturally dry, this plant is a perfect success. 
A massive bed of Cassinia fulvida (Diplopappus 
chrysophyllus) on the same level as the mansion has 
become thoroughly established. It is late to speak 
of the flower garden, but it was gay with Fuchsias, 
white and yellow Marguerites, Calceolarias and other 
subjects. Cineraria maritima being particularly 
noticeable, having formed striking masses of gray 
foliage on the gravelly soil, which is most decidedly 
to its liking. 
-■ « - ■ 
HARDY VINCAS. 
There are about ten species and varieties of this 
Useful genus, most of which are very hardy and are 
commonly used in a variety of ways. The common 
one, V. minor, and its forms luxuriate under the 
shade of trees and bushes where scarcely anything 
else will exist. If they get a certain amount of light 
and the soil is suitable, they will take possession to 
the exclusion of everything else. Vinca minor may 
therefore be said to be one of the best plants, if not 
the best, for covering bare spots under trees. The 
variegated form is not such a rampant grower. It is 
a good plant as a ground-work for such plants as 
Cypripedium acaule and C. spectabile. V. herbacea 
has a very confused and weedy growth; it does 
splendidly it) dry situations, and is sometimes used 
effectively as a basket plant. The finest variety for 
purposes of this nature, however, is a form of V. 
major called elegantissima; its long growths in 
baskets or vases have a very ornamental appearance, 
and even in a small state it is a good seller. The 
foliage is principally green in the centre, ivory-white 
on the margins. Another variety with the margins 
of the leaves green and lighter coloured in the centre 
is commonly grown. This produces more flowers 
than elegantissima, and has more of an upright habit. 
To have young plants in condition for spring the 
cuttings should be put in now. A little bottom heat 
will help in the rooting without weakening the young 
plants. Take the cuttings with two joints : take off 
the lower pair of leaves and Insert them so that the 
remaining pair of leaves lie close to the sand. Put 
in thumb pots when rooted, and later into 3-in., 
using stiff loam without any other ingredient. 
--— 
PERSIAN GARDENS. 
The purple East is full of secrets, mysteries, and 
surprises. Not the least of the surprises 
of Persia, the land of the “ King of Kings”—the 
Shah—are its gardens. These have been known 
to history and fame for centuries. Though much 
of the country is salt desert or gray featureless 
plains, with prickly, low-growing shrubs for vegeta¬ 
tion, the gardens, where water can be had, are 
picturesque, quaint, and somewhat beautiful. So 
sharp is the contrast that you may stand with one 
foot in an arid wilderness, and the other in a flowery 
paradise. Long dark avenues are a particular 
feature of Persian gardens. Fountains in open 
courts, and beds of Roses, Briers, and other flowers 
furnish a scene of bright and varied colours and 
liveliness. Every tiny rill of water is fringed with 
Violets. 
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were made at 
the command of Cyrus, a prince of Babylon, for the 
sake of a Persian courtezan, and were supposed to 
be an imitation of the gardens in the Persian's 
country. The very word paradise is conceived to be 
originally Persian, and applied by the botanical 
braves” of Persia. The Hebrew word for that dis¬ 
puted garden means nothing more than a field 
enclosed. Further, the word is not met with in 
Scripture before the time of Solomon. 
Yet Sir John Chardin (1643—1713) writing his 
"Travels in Persia,” says " that from the number 
and beauty of the flowers of Persia, one might easily 
imagine that the most beautiful gardens in the world 
were there also; but such,” he says, " is not the 
case.” He finds that as a general rule where the 
land is fertile, art is coarser and more unknown. 
" The gardens of the Persians consist commonly of 
a grand alley or straight avenue in the centre, 
planted with Plane trees which divide the garden 
into two parts. There is a kind of basin in the 
middle, proportionate to the garden and two other 
lesser ones on the two sides. The space between 
them is sown with a mixture of flowers in natural 
profusion, and planted with fruit trees and Roses; 
and this is the whole of the plan and execution.” 
They do not employ terraces, labyrinths, parterres (as 
we know them), or such other ornaments as are 
found in British gardens. The Persians do not 
enjoy their gardens by close inspection and peram¬ 
bulations around them, as we do, but are content to 
sit in their courts, sip tea, chat and view out 
upon the grounds. They remain in these courts till 
it is time to leave again.— A. E. 
AQUILEGIAS 
Among the diversified ranks of plants in flower 
in the borders which encircle the home, or form 
part of the features of the garden proper, the beauti¬ 
ful Columbines stand out in prepossessing loveliness 
and grace. To minds non-appreciative of aesthetic 
value, these plants, or the flowers of them, present 
themselves as curious things, scarcely anything 
more. Someone, however, in describing the Aquile- 
gias struck a truer note when he said that they were 
as vigorous as a Lily and as graceful as a Fuchsia. 
Aquilegias have their head-quarters in North 
America, though the genus is pretty freely distributed 
over the highlands of Europe and Asia. It is a true 
alpine plant and in its natural habitats growing 
above so many of the usual very dwarf alpines it 
looks like a Birch on a mountain hillside, contrasted 
with Ihe lowly shrub growth which one usually finds 
accompanying these graceful trees. 
It is regretable that they do not always live long 
in the gardens of the southern counties. Like the 
exile from home, they pine for their natural cool- 
some quarters,receiving which they florish wily nily. 
In Scotland, especially northwards, even the finest 
Aquilegias thrive like weeds. But during the last 
half dozen or more years Messrs. Cannell & Sons, 
of Swanley, have been working up what they term 
their " cock-spur ” strain of Aquilegia. This seems 
to be a selection from the Golden Columbine and 
the orange-red and yellow species, that is, A. cana- 
dense. Besides these, however, the common 
A, vulgaris and its free flowering forms have been 
equally utilised. The result is seen in a strain of 
splendid habit and characters, with sprightly and 
graceful flowers having quite a variety of colours. 
A suitable soil for Aquilegias should consist of good 
friable loam and leaf soil, well drained. The 
dwarfer Columbines are often planted in rockeries, 
and the tall ones in the ordinary herbaceous borders. 
One phase of their culture which might be made 
more of is that of using them in pots. The system 
has long enough been known, and in instances here 
and there they have been so grown, but there seems 
no reason against making them useful for the very 
early summer conservatory display. Gardeners and 
florists have been able to manipulate other plants 
just as they liked, and why not Aquilegias ? The 
well known species should all be included in gardens 
and a mixed collection of the best named varieties of 
the improved new types would certainly be a grand 
inclusion to the flowers of any garden. The Rocky 
Mountain Columbine, A. caerulea, is a perfect gem, 
though perhaps A. Stuartl finds equal favour. 
Both flower at a comparatively early period, that 
is,about the middle of May. The alpine Columbine, 
A. alpina is a dwarf and pretty species suitable for 
the rockery. No finer yellow can be imagined than 
that provided by the old A. chrysantha or 
Golden Columbine. In the cool shaded drawing¬ 
room or parlour of our dwellings in summer a large 
vase of the flowers of this species without any other 
addition except perhaps a drooping frond or two of 
a Shield Fern, presents a picture of marvellous 
sweetness. 
Other very fine old and known species are the 
Canadian Columbine, the Altaian Columbine, and 
the Californian species. Amateurs or gardeners 
might very well amuse themselves and win the 
gratitude of other flower lovers by crossing and 
selecting Aquilegias to obtain perhaps greater 
persistence, greater adaptability to circumstances, 
earlier period of flowering, &c. The habit and 
variety of colours is quite satisfactory. In conclu¬ 
sion it may interest some to refer to the fact that the 
Columbine belongs to the Ranunculus order, though 
the petals are spurred.— L. 
-- 
FRUIT GROWING IN QUEENSLAND. 
In these days when so many young men in this 
country are directing their attention to the study of 
fruit growing in this or other lands, anything 
instructive and encouraging about the subject of 
fruit production is welcomed. 
To the Irish Farming World we are indebted for 
the following article:—"Fruit growing in Queens¬ 
land is one of the pleasantest and most certain ways 
of ensuring a fair return for the capital and labour 
expended. Oranges, Bananas, Pineapples and 
Grapes are the fruits cultivated on a commercial 
scale, and in the northern districts of the colony 
Mangoes and other tropical fruits are grown in large 
quantities. Few countries can rival Queensland in 
fruit. More land is steadily being brought under 
Orange and Banana cultivation, for which many 
districts are admirably suited, and for which there 
will be an ever-increasing demand. A Banana 
plantation will give returns in twelve or eighteen 
months, and from £50 to £60 per acre a year. In 
1897 two bunches of Bananas from Cairns were 
landed in London in perfect condition from the s.s. 
" Jumna." Four or five years from planting the trees 
must be given for an Orange crop, and they will 
prove a source of increasing income for many years 
afterwards. At Roma ninety trees averaged 100 
dozen per tree. At Maryborough 3,440 Oranges 
have been taken from a single tree. At Charters 
Towers a grower has sixty fruit trees — Orange, 
Lemon, Citron and Mulberry. He sold 5,000 dozen 
Oranges in one season, at an average of 2s. per 
dozen. Forty trees can be planted to the acre. 
Strawberries grow well, and thrive in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Brisbane, on the Darling Downs, at Roma 
Gympie, and elsewhere. One grower has two acres 
under Strawberries and Grapes, in alternate rows. 
The capability of Queensland to grow almost every 
description of fruit produced in temperate and 
tropical regions has long been proved. The yearly 
import of the United Kingdom of fresh and preserved 
fruits amounts to £70,000,000, and the discoveries 
of science are daily placing at the disposal of 
colonists the means of packing and preserving from 
decay for the length of the voyage fruits for the 
English markets. Preservation and sterilisation of 
