124 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 20. 1900. 
pleasing in colour. 'The bronze varieties are several 
shades darker than the golden-bronze section, having" 
more of the bronzy-buff and orange-red shades in 
them. Many beds of the pink strain are grown and 
numerous choice flowers may be noted amongst 
them. A nearly white form was noted for the size 
of its blooms and beautifully crimped petals. Some 
of them were crossed with the view of getting 
Picotee edged varieties, and some of the seedlings 
show this type very markedly. They are generally 
pink with a rose margin of greater or less breadth 
and intensity. Crossing has the effect of introducing 
a considerable amount of variation, and amongst 
the pink strain others have salmon, salmon-pink, or 
pink shaded with orange. A few are tipped like a 
fancy Dahlia. Double red is lighter than crimson, 
yet a dark colour. At the opposite extreme is double 
white. Amongst the scarlet sorts are many first- 
class flowers fit for pot work. This bright colour is 
also highly effective for bedding purposes. Nor 
must we forget yellow, which has been greatly im¬ 
proved within the last decade, especially the double 
forms. The vigour of all seems pretty nearly 
equal. 
Single Varieties.— Many gardeners and super¬ 
intendents of parks still believe in the superiority of 
single forms of the tuberous Begonia for bedding 
purposes, on account of the brightness of the flowers 
and the ability of the stalks to support the flowers 
even under conditions that are not altogether favour¬ 
able to them, as for instance during thunderstorms 
and wet periods generally. There are no doubt 
differences of opinion- as to whether crimson or 
scarlet is the most effective colour, but we believe 
that most growers and gardeners would prefer the 
latter. In any case about a whole of one of the 
long beds of the scarlet strain has been sold for one 
of the parks. Four beds of the crimson type are, 
however, bright and effective as seen when the sun 
shines upon them. The single varieties also include 
beds of yellow, salmon and pink varieties respec¬ 
tively. A bed of the pink type was raised from 
three pods of seed, and all have come true to colour, 
the shade being of a soft pink and the flowers quite 
circular. Salmon, soft red and salmon-blush have 
all come true to their respective colours. The latter 
shade is very popular with the ladies. White, 
orange and yellow varieties have also been brought 
to great perfection, considering the quality of the 
average of the seedlings. 
In a neighbouring garden Messrs. Peed & Son 
have planted several beds with Begonias of upright 
habit with large and shapely flowers, a bed of rose, 
varieties being very fine. Another plot of six beds 
in a third garden shows many effective varieties and 
some interesting ones, including spotted and striped 
flowers, the markings of which, in one case, have 
been compared to stars and stripes. 
The crop of seeds for next year's sowing is now 
being developed on pot plants under glass. The 
best named varieties and selections of the best 
quality are being used as the seed parents. For 
instance, all the salmon varieties out of doors have 
been raised from John Peed, a salmon of fine 
Camellia-shape. Superiority is a fine double-yellow. 
Many others might be named ; but let it suffice to 
say that everything is being done to maintain and 
advance a high standard of merit. 
In passing through the other houses we noted 
batches of pot Vines of all the leading varieties in 
different stages of growth. Two vineries are filled 
with Vines carrying heavy crops. In one Gros 
Colman, Black Hamburgh, Chasselas Napoleon, 
Alicante and Muscat of Alexandria are grown. 
Black Hamburgh and Gros Colman are the chief 
occupants of the other. The foliage of the fine col¬ 
lection of Caladiums here is now dying down. A 
house is filled with Palms consisting chiefly of 
Kentias, though there is a fine batch of Cocos 
weddeliana of different sizes, and another of 
Dracaena rubra. A second house contains Kentias 
varying from g in. to 3 ft. in height. Crotons, 
Dracaena goldieana, D. Sanderi, D. Lindeni, Phry- 
nium variegatum, &c., fill another house. A cool 
house gives accommodation to Indian Azaleas for 
cut flower purposes, Grevilleas, Nerines and Kalo- 
santhes coccinea. There is a fine batch of Gardenias 
in 48-size pots in a warm house of large size, other 
occupants being Cattleya labiata, Ixoras, Ferns, 
Aspidistras, Pellionia pulchra, P. daveauana, 
Sonerilla luteo-alba, Begonias in great variety, many 
being winter-flowering types; Poinsettias and 
Euphorbia jacquiniaeflora. Elsewhere are fine 
batches of Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, several 
verieties of B. semperflorens, and a large batch of 
Streptocarpus now in full bloom and very gay. A 
good deal of business is done in cut flowers, this 
branch of the establishment being conducted in a 
shop on the premises close to and fronting the busy 
thoroughfare known as Norwood Road. 
---ago-- 
NOTES FROM NEWQUAY. 
Afier having taken a general survey of Newquay— 
as detailed on pp. 85-6—and discovered my location, 
so to speak, I did what the majority of Nature-lovers 
would probably do under the same circumstances, 
viz., go for a short ramble. Now maritime plants, 
by reason of their peculiarities and other character¬ 
istics, have a special interest to those who have not 
often an opportunity of looking them up, especially 
in such a county as Cornwall. Moreover, their 
habitat and the conditions under which they are 
evolved lend an additional interest to their pursuit. 
And so having waited for the " turn of the tide,” I 
descended the cliffs and “ put out to sea.” 
As regards the marine Algae or seaweeds, I am 
bound to admit that I am very much at sea. I do 
know, however, that they are no more deserving of 
being designated by the despicable appellation of 
weeds, than those other plants which— 
'* Enjoy the air they breathe." 
There is a common belief that these plants are abso¬ 
lutely valueless. Our classical friend, Horace, too, 
seems to have been under that impression when he 
wrote Alga inutilis. However, these plants of the 
sea, notwithstanding their marvellous hues of 
brown, and green, and yellow, and crimson, and 
purple, in separate colours, or blended together, may 
well be dispensed with here—they are not the 
objects of our quest. Still, these same “weeds” 
were lit up by the sun’s profuseness, and sparkled 
with delight, or glowed with colour, according to the 
angle they occupied on the rocks in relation to the 
fiery orb. 
Hence it was a perfect day ; a day of strong con¬ 
trasts ; a day of bright lights and deep shadows ; a 
September summer. The rocks themselves exhibit 
much colour apart from the vegetation thereon. 
And so in rambling round the beautiful sandy bays 
one is tempted to look up at the rocky cliffs of slate 
or granite- with mussel-covered bases, and crystals 
of quartz and mica. Here on almost every available 
ledge, or in every suitable crevice, the Samphire 
(Crithmum maritinum) maintains a footing. It is in 
full bloom, but the bloom is of a yellow-green 
colour, and as fleshy as the leaves. It is an umbelli¬ 
ferous plant. It is, in fact, the maritime plant of 
the district. I could not ascertain, however, that it 
was put to any purpose, so that the “ dreadful 
trade” of gathering Samphire is non-existent here. 
The Golden Samphire (Inula crithmoides) —quite 
a different class of plant—was " spotted ” after care¬ 
ful search, and specimens secured, although to many 
its position on the cliffs would have been inaccessible. 
Like the Samphire proper its leaves are narrow, 
smooth, and fleshy ; but unlike that umbelliferous 
•' weed," the flowers of the Golden Samphire are 
produced in solitary heads, have yellow florets, and 
remind one of the common Colt's-foot. 
Moreover, this Inula is as rare in this district as 
the other is common. Where the Samphire does not 
grow the Sea Pink or Thrift (Armeria vulgaris) has 
surely ousted it. It clings to the most precipitous 
parts of the cliffs, and in many places constitutes the 
verge of the cliff tops, notably at Porth, where it 
forms one exquisite natural carpet as agreeable to 
the eye and as pleasant to the touch as the choicest 
product of Turkey or Brussels. What a rosy vision 
it must be in its flowering season, judging by tbe 
myriads of chaffy bracts or silvery scales by which 
each tiny tuft is tassellated ! 
With the Sea Pink is associated the Sea Plantain 
(Plantago maritima), which, however, is not so 
striking in appearance as the Buck’s-horn Plantain 
(P. Coronopus).' Statice spathulata is also to be 
found close by. It is not uncommon on this rocky 
coast, if it be well searched for, but my first experi¬ 
ence in obtaining this was “pleasurable,” on account 
of the element of danger by which it was surrounded. 
This Sea Lavender is so named, specifically, on 
account of the spade-like shape of the leaves. On 
wet rocks the cheerful-looking little Brookweed 
(Samolus Valerandi) produces its tiny white flowers, 
while the Sea Convolvulus (Calystegia Soldanella) is 
everywhere. On the rocks its fleshy, roundish, or 
kidney-shaped leaves are small or large according 
to position : but one must go to the sandy seashore 
to find it in its finest form. 
On these same sand dunes I came across a much 
rarer plant, viz., Euphorbia Paralias, a Sea Spurge 
of a somewhat shrubby habit, with finely coloured 
glaucous green leaves, which are imbricated upwards. 
It is an interesting looking plant, but will not bear 
too close examination. It exudes a milkyjuice which 
is most acrid and distasteful to one’s palate, and 
leaves a burning sensation for hours afterwards. The 
Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum), too, affects a 
sandy situation, and is remarkable for the colours 
and rigidity of its foliage. Silene maritima, or the 
Sea Campion, grows here in dense tufts ; Lavatera 
arborea, or the Sea Tree Mallow, occupies a promi¬ 
nent place—there is no mistaking that. It is, how¬ 
ever, likely, by virtue of its prominence, to soon 
become scarce, and I saw two persons collecting it, 
root and all. On enquiry I was told that the leaves 
were cut up and boiled, the decoction being used for 
sores and poultices. 
Numerous caves, weird and otherwise, diversify 
the lofty cliffs and little promontories ; and many of 
these caves are richly adorned with the dark green 
pinnate fronds of the Sea Fern (Asplenium marinum), 
which grows on the dripping roofs in the greatest 
luxuriance. 
It is a wonder whence it derives its nutriment, for 
the rocks are as adamant,^and the soil is practically 
non est. But although A. marinum is abundant, A. 
lanceolatum would not reveal itself, and Adiantum 
Capillus-veneris did not come within my vision. 
Alas! it was not for want of search or for lack of 
temerity in pursuing the quest. However, a bit of a 
surprise turned up in another direction, for, while I 
was hunting about near the Mermaid’s Cave, I dis¬ 
covered the mermaids also ! At least, I judged them 
to belong to a genus of sea sirens, although they 
appeared to lack one of the distinguishing character¬ 
istics of the species, viz., a fish-tail extremity. 
Still, in some other respects, they resembled very 
closely those beautiful mythological creatures which 
we are accustomed to associate with the term of 
mermaids. At any rate, they possessed long hair 
and looking glasses, a modest mien and syren voices. 
In fact, it was the echo of their startled exclamations 
that warned me of the danger of further approach ! 
And, so, greatly perturbed .myself, and with a vague 
sense of insecurity—to say nothing of the embarrass¬ 
ing situation —1 turned and fled. As a consequence 
of nervous prostration, I propose to resume my story 
in the next chapter.—C. B. G. 
UNITED HORTICULTURAL BENEFIT 
AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
The members and friends of this now well known and 
certainly progressive gardeners' benefit society, 
attended their fourteenth annual dinner, which was 
held in the sumptuous Royal Venetian Chamber of 
the Holborn Restaurant, London, on Wednesday 
evening, October 10th. A company of about 100 
enjoyed the evening, the proceedings being under 
the direction of George Monro, Esq., V.M.H., of 
Covent Garden,who ably occupied the chair. Support¬ 
ing the,chairman were Messrs. Harry J. Veitch, W. 
Roupell, Arnold Moss, Peter Kay, V.M.H., W. J. 
Baker, Geo. J. Ingram,and B. Wynne. At other tables 
near by were Messrs. J. Hudson, V.M.H. (treasurer), 
W. Collins (secretary),H. J. Cutbush, W. Cutbush, J. 
Heal, S. Mortimer, Middlebrooke, Tivey, Harris, H. 
H. George, H. Weeks, Hidges, G. Beck, Alex. Dean, 
R. Dean, W. Logan, A. Hemsley, T. Humphries, J. 
Brewer, J. Baker, T. C. Ward, Fred. A. Cobbold, R. 
Hooper Pearson, H. J. Wright, W. Greenwood, C. 
H. Curtis, G. Wheeler, Riley Scott, C. E. Osman, 
G. Keif, H. G. Clark, and others. 
After having discussed an excellent and well 
served dinner, the usual loyal toast was given, the 
company heartily joining in the National Anthem. 
Between the remaining four toasts and the replies to 
them, solos were rendered by Messrs. W. H. Berry, 
Charles Ellison, and W. L. Cockburn, also solos on 
musical glasses by Mr. Charles Nelson. The 
chairman’s toast of “ Continued prosperity to the 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society,” allowed him to trace the aims and merits 
of the society. He began his reference by stating 
that the society was started in the year 1865, but for 
