May 11, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
591 
neum. Close by was C. lowianum, the two being 
the parents of C. eburneo-lowianum, of vigorous 
constitution and having creamy flowers, and a 
brownish-red blotch on the lip. A well-flowered 
specimen of Oncidium harrisianum was suspended 
from the roof on a block and doing well. O. sar- 
codes is also in season and even more showy. 
Another house contained quantities of Cattleya 
lawrenciana in bloom. Laeliocattleya highburyen- 
sis has come into great repute lately and includes 
several distinct varieties, the orange being more or 
less heavily shaded with purple. Lc. Latona belongs 
to the same group and has orange flowers, the petals 
being shaded with buff and the lip crimson. Lc. 
Ibera was derived from Laelia cinnabarina and 
Laeliocattleya bella, and has orange sepals, while 
the petals are shaded with orange-buff, and the lip 
intense purple. 
In the cool house Masdevallias and Odontoglos- 
sums were throwing up flower spikes in abundance, 
amongst them being a plentiful array of O. odora- 
tum, O. crispum, O. triumphans, and O. ruckeri- 
anum, some varieties of the latter being very finely 
spotted. Masdevallia ignea and M. Alceste were 
also in bloom. The last named is a hybrid which 
received an Award of Merit recently from the Royal 
Horticultural Society. 
Greenhouse. 
Bordering the main walk of the nursery is a house 
which everyone who has been in the nursery must 
have noted on account of its gay condition for the 
greater part of the year, at least, and particularly 
from the time that the forcing of bulbs is com¬ 
menced, to be supplemented later on by forced 
flowering trees and shrubs, and afterwards by hard 
and soft wooded plants that come into bloom with¬ 
out forcing. Though usually spoken of as the 
greenhouse it might well be designated a conserva¬ 
tory, for it is kept as gay or more so than many a 
private conservatory. 
Indian and other Azaleas were flowering plenti¬ 
fully on the occasion of our visit, some of the former 
having large wavy flowers like a regal Pelargonium. 
The pure white Deutsche Perle is never absent from 
good or anything like representative collections of 
Azaleas. Usually there is a plentiful assortment of 
sweet-scented plants amongst others, so that a 
delightful aroma pervades the atmosphere of the 
house. Amongst fragrant flowers on this occasion 
we should mention East Lothian Stocks, chiefly 
white, Boronia megastigma, Mignonette, Cytisus 
racemosus, and Primula verticillata, the latter being 
well grown and flowering freely. Cinerarias are 
also distinctly scented, if not powerfully so, and on 
this occasion were represented by the bright blue 
strain, known as Kew Blue. 
Heaths are always plentiful during winter and 
spring, in the shape of small, well-grown and well- 
flowered plants. Erica Cavendishi, E. ventricosa 
coccinea minor. E. spenceriana, and others of that 
class were in full beauty. A feature of the house 
was some large plants of fine varieties of hardy 
Rhododendrons, hybrids of ponticum, lifted from 
the open ground and flowered in baskets. They 
may, of course, be returned to the open ground after 
they go out of flower, and after being hardened off. 
Cerasus Pseudo-cerasus and its varieties were also a 
striking feature from their numbers. The darkest 
flowered and the best is that named C.-P. James H, 
Veitch. Very pretty was the new Clematis Nellie 
Moser, with a broad purple band down the centre of 
the white sepals, and flowered in small pots. Other 
showy flowers were Deutzia gracilis, Hydrangea 
hortensis, and H. h. Thomas Hogg, the latter being 
white flowered ; also Azalea Phidias, pale yellow, 
semi-double and deciduous ; Richardia africana, 
Cytisus scoparius andreanus, Guelder Roses, &c. 
Fruit Cultivation in the Caucasus is a chief 
industry for the people of this beautiful South 
Russian region. There is, however, vast room for 
improvement in their cultural methods. The same 
old systems of routine have been practised since 
fruit growing on commercial lines was first attempted 
in that region. The variety of kinds they cultivate 
is by no means limited, for Pears, Apples, Peaches, 
Strawberries, Cherries, Figs, Nuts, and Grapes are 
among a few of the iruits that succeed with them. 
The produce is largely exported due north to the great 
Russian towns, where the conditions are such as to pre¬ 
vent gardeners or farmers from attempting to grow 
these fruits in any quantity. The system of trans¬ 
portation also requires revision. 
NOTES FROM HAMILTON. 
The Weather. 
The fine weather which has been switched on for 
the British Isles something like ten days ago, still 
continues, and it is the earnest desire of everyone 
that it may do so for some time in the future. In 
the middle of April—and later—it appeared to be 
more in keeping with December weather than any¬ 
thing we ever remember of seeing. Still, the lookout 
may not be, after all, so black as most of us then 
were profane enough to prognosticate. To-day, on 
reference to my jottings, I find certain trees in leaf 
as soon as former years. 
We have some fine Chestnut (horse) trees in full 
leaf, and to my astonishment they have expanded 
their foliage in a marvellous short period, much 
shorter than I ever before remember. A shower of 
that superabundant element which April this year 
changed in a solid form, would do the much parched 
soil a world of good, especially as young and tender 
seeds above and coming through the soil require it 
very much. All kinds of fruits which are so far for¬ 
ward, show very well by the abundance of blossom. 
The Glasgow Exhibition is beginning to put a 
good many of our gardeners about here in a flutter, 
for there will be some handsome prizes to be had at 
the flower show which takes place in the autumn. 
Some of my friends will make good not a few, 
judging from the enthusiasm and quality of their 
things already. 
I would remind your young friends, whoso strenu¬ 
ously wielded the pen n their grievances, that 
nothing short of a windfall has happened to the pro¬ 
fession since the short time they were engaged dis¬ 
coursing the subject. A journeyman, I am told, 
cannot be got for love or money, either in Glasgow 
or Edinburgh, and if that is true, other places will 
fare even worse. So far, good ; but on the other 
hand, a gardener’s appointment was recently vacant 
not very far from here, and though the inducements 
were by no means enticing, there were, it is said, 
one hundred applications from persons who con¬ 
sidered themselves qualified for the post. I have 
not heard whether any of our " bloomer ” friends 
were in it or not. Query : Where do all these head 
—or would-be head—gardeners spring from, seeing 
journeymen have been scarce now for several years ? 
IS GARDENING A SCIENCE ?* 
The century which has just closed, and especially 
the latter half of it, will go down to posterity as the 
most remarkable that the world has ever seen, for 
scientific discoveries and inventions, and the advance¬ 
ment of all arts and crafts generally. In whichever 
direction we turn our attention the same thing pre¬ 
vails. Scientific discoveries have followed each 
other in rapid succession, and invention has succeed¬ 
ed and superseded invention. Steam as you all 
know has revolutionised the systems of manufacture, 
and travelling whether by land or sea, is revolution¬ 
ised also ; so that to-day the countries which are the 
most distant from each other, are brought into close 
contact' with each other by the very waters which 
divide them. 
There is not a continent or island, wherever it 
might be situated, but which almost seems as our 
near neighbour. Therefore not only is trade and 
commerce facilitated by steam and telegraph, but it 
is also accompanied by the rapid change and inter¬ 
change of ideas. We flash our thoughts and ideas 
in the space of a few minutes to our brethren in the 
most distant part of the world, consequently there is 
a general diffusion of knowledge through this con¬ 
stant interchange of ideas, a happier relationship is 
established between man and nations; and thus 
civilisation has advanced with rapid strides by those 
great achievements of science and invention. 
Art also has advanced with equal pace, in fact, the 
two, science and art, are bound together by an 
affinity which cannot be broken, and thus in mutual 
agreement those two advance conquering and to 
conquer. Obstacles are overcome, difficulties sur¬ 
mounted, and thus by determination and persever¬ 
ance have those great results been achieved. 
Therefore, the Victorian reign will go down to 
posterity as the most stupendous, not only for 
scientific discovery and invention, but for the spread 
of civilisation and the uplifting of mankind generally. 
* A paper read by Mr. R. W. Hodder, The Gardens, Pon- 
sonby, Torquay, Devon, at a meeting of the Devon and 
Exeter Gardeners’ Association, 
But what of horticulture ? In the face of all 
these scientific discoveries and inventions, has it 
kept its place with the human family, or has it paled 
and become old-fashioned ? Has it ceased some¬ 
what to attract the amount of attention in these 
days of bustle and excitement, when everyone is on 
tiptoe looking for something novel, something new ? 
No; it has a greater charm to-day than ever. As 
civilisation advances its charms will be much more 
appreciated. It has been a benefited recipient by 
almost every discovery and invention. 
To-day it stands higher than when Bacon said, 
" It is the purest of human pleasures and the 
greatest refreshment to the spirit of man." And 
now, with all the tension of business life, the con¬ 
stant bustle and excitement, its pleasures are the 
more appreciated and its powers of refreshing more 
enjoyed. Come, it says— 
“ Into the calm retreat, 
Far from the busy haunts of life, 
Where Flora trains her lovely offspring up, 
To captivate and charm.’’ 
Art, stimulated by its successes, has had a try to 
supersede Nature ; but has it succeeded ? No. We 
see Palms, Begonias, Camellias, aDd a host of other 
things planted in pots to imitate her, and fortunately 
it is only imitation. One can never fail to recognise 
at a glance the broad lines of distinction between 
the two. In fact, it will bear no examination, be¬ 
cause it has not that great vital principle called life. 
Then, again, we hear and read of what is called 
architectural gardens, where the beds are filled with 
different coloured bricks and suchlike, to save the 
trouble of planting twice a year, and to imitate 
Nature and flower colouring. Has that succeeded ? 
No; because it has not that beautiful charm, that 
fascinating principle which these flowers, the stars 
of earth, have; for all who have a soul to enjoy 
what Nature alone can impart—perfect beauty of 
form and colouring. How harsh, how unnatural; 
what ridiculous mockery this appears to those who 
have an appreciation for that which is beautiful and 
real. 
Let the architect build a beautiful house by all 
means, and therewith be content, and leave the 
garden to those who are better qualified to make a 
garden or fit receptacle for what a garden is 
intended, namely, a home for beautiful shrubs and 
flowers. 
Here then, I claim that gardening is a science, 
because it will not submit itself 0 to the idea of art 
with anything like good grace.' Nature must be 
strictly adhered to, her laws followed as far as 
possible if the garden is to be a place of beauty. 
The natural slope of the ground and its surroundings 
must be taken into consideration if it is intended 
that it should assume the beautiful. Then I claim 
that gardening is a science, for what is science but a 
knowledge of Nature and her laws. 
Bacon wrote, " When ages grow to civility and 
elegance, men come to build stately sooner than to 
garden finely.” Consequently gardening requires a 
higher degree of civilisation, an education of 
refinement, a degree of elegance, which art can never 
impart. 
Then, I say, that if the gardener requires this 
greater refinement, this higher development, this 
keener appreciation of what is beautiful, than art 
requires, then I say the gardener is a scientist of no 
mean order. Therefore, how forcibly the words 
come home to us of one of our great historians when 
he said, “That a nation’s civilisation can be judged 
by the standard it has attained in horticulture.” 
Gardeners, these are words which bring home to us 
a great responsibility, personally and collectively, 
and let us unite in one common cause, namely, that 
we bear this standard of civilisation aloft among 
the nations of the earth. Well, then, is a gardener a 
scientist? Yes, most decidedly so; perhaps often 
unconsciously, aye, and even unintentionally, but a 
scientist nevertheless; because when he is using 
every means in his power to bring Nature to her 
highest state of perfection, all his operations have to 
be carried out upon scientific principles. What is it 
with which the gardener has to deal; not material 
of the inorganic world, no, but with plant life, and 
if ;o be successful in the cultivation of plants, every 
condition necessary for its welfare must be carried 
out, and all the surroundings of its natural home 
have to be brought into play in its successful culti¬ 
vation. 
Why, a gardener is a physiologist, a biologist, a 
