642 
THE GARDENING WORLD. June 1 / 1901 . 
trees and copsewood so common to this part of 
Berkshire. For all practical purposes it might 
have been described as a live corrie until the erosion 
of the slope by springs of water was stopped by the 
formation of a garden, the idea of which was first 
conceived by the proprietor, who suggested the 
matter to Mr. Wright, who was finally entrusted 
with the responsibility of carrying out the work and 
putting the place into garden shape. Since then the 
place has undergone a complete transformation. 
Quite recently a new entrance has been con¬ 
structed from the highest point by a flight of steps 
down the middle of artificially constructed rocks, 
the sides of which have been utilised as a rockery, 
planted with dwarf and interesting alpines, such as 
Iberis sempervirens Little Gem, Arabis albida fl. pi., 
Lithospermum prostratum, Cheiranthus alpinus, 
Achillea tomentosa, Genista tinctoria fl. pi., 
Gentiana verna, Campanula isophylla, Veronica 
repens, Phlox Edna, P. amoena, P. frondosa, P. 
setacea atropurpurea, and many other appropriate 
subjects 
On the high ground at the right of this entrance a 
new summer house has been erected, from which a 
splendid view was obtained across Midgham Park to 
the River Kennet, the village of Brimpton, with its 
fine church spire, and the Hampshire hills in the 
distance, all the intermediate area being much 
occupied with woods and trees. In the nearer 
distance the trees consisted chiefly of Oaks in the 
glory of their golden and amber spring leafage, 
amongst which the birds were singing in rustic 
seclusion. This summer hcuse also commanded a 
fine view of the upper pond in the Dell Garden, 
with its peninsula, summer house, and rustic bridge, 
with fine clumps of red and crimson Japanese 
Maples thriving handsomely. Though only recently 
constructed, a tom tit has already found time to 
build its nest in this summer house at the entrance 
to the garden, while the wren and blackbird have 
built close by. 
The beds and borders are now getting better filled 
with the herbaceous and shrubby occupants. Prunus 
Pissardi had fine foliage ; and P. triloba fl. pi. and 
P. sinensis fl. pi. were flowering handsomely. Some 
trees of the hybrid Magnolia Lennei, with their 
massive rose-purple flowers, attracted much atten¬ 
tion. A large bed of mixed Azaleas were mixed 
with the lemon Faerie Queene Wallflower, and the 
mixture blended harmoniously and beautifully. This 
was edged with red Azaleas, and Sutton's Giant and 
other Wallflowers. Here also was a sprinkling of 
florists’ Tulips, T. elegans, T. acuminata and others 
The banks of shrubs at the sides were intermixed 
with Tulipa gesneriana and varieties, rose, bizarre 
and bybloemen florists’ Tulips, and Parrot Tulips. 
Various Lilies were making splendid growth for the 
second year. 
The margin of the upper piece of water, in places, 
was ablaze with Marsh Marigolds, including the 
typical Caltha palustris and C. p. GueraDgerii. 
Here also were three glorious beds of Japanese 
Maples, with finely cut foliage of various shades of 
bronze, purple, rich red and crimson, making fine 
growth. One had a groundwork of Myosotis 
alpestris of pyramidal habit with rose flowers, and at 
a short distance, strikingly distinct and pretty. 
Another bed had a groundwork of Myosotis 
sylvatica Sutton’s Dwarf Blue and Daffodil Princeps. 
A third bed had an undergrowth of Tulips and 
Polyanthuses. The occupants of another were gold- 
laced Polyanthuses, and a fifth had Tulips and 
Alyssum saxatile all flowering freely. 
The lower pond is bidden until the visitor comes 
upon it by surprise. It is tenanted by rainbow 
trout, an American species, we understand. One of 
the finest views is obtainable from the lower side of 
this piece of water, which commands a view almost 
to the highest point. A cascade built up of super¬ 
imposed strata is the most striking feature, and gives 
the scene quite an alpine character, as the water 
rushes down from the upper to the lower basin by it. 
On either hand of this cascade are some glorious 
bushes of Berberis stenophylla, Double Gorse, 
Kalmia angustifolia, Genista praecox and Cytisus 
albus. A bed was bright with Sutton’s Perfection 
Pansies, to be succeeded or supplemented by Cupid 
Sweet Peas and Lilies when they come into bloom. 
Amongst the trees and copsewood the ground in 
many cases was a sheet of Bluebells, blue and white 
and Stellaria Holostea. The Ptimroses were nearly 
over, but hundreds of self-sown Foxgloves were 
covering the ground, having come up after the 
ground was dug last year. Earlier in the season 
this wild garden was brightened by Snowdrops, 
Winter Aconite, Muscari, Tulips and Campernelles. 
A newly prepared piece of ground amongst the trees 
has been planted with Rhododendrons. In a great 
bank of shrubs we noted a great quantity of the 
Calico Bush (Kalmia latifolia) laden with flower 
buds which will presently be fine. Lilium auratum, 
L. Brownii and L. tigrinum were making splendid 
growth. 
The time at the disposal of the Reading gar¬ 
deners was all too limited, but they listened atten¬ 
tively to an address on "Wallflowers” by Mr. A. 
Wright, who was specially requested to do so. 
They also visited the hothouses and kitchen garden 
till many of them were on the point of being late to 
catch the train. Pressure on space precludes us 
from completing the account of the day’s outing, 
but we shall do so in our next issue. The accom¬ 
panying portrait shows the large party as photo¬ 
graphed by Mr. A. Wright in the Dell Garden. 
-*»*- 
MERTENSIA PRIMULOIDES. 
Mertensias are very beautiful hardy perennials, 
named after Professor Francis Charles Mertens, a 
German botanist. The genus is known under 
several names, the commonest being Oreocharis, 
Steenhammera, Hippoglossum, and Casselia. They 
are very floriferous, and well adapted for rockwork 
cultivation. The above species is quite new to 
cultivation, and is now flowering, for the first time, 
under artificial treatment in the rockery at Kew. 
The flowers are a deep maroon colour, which gives 
place to an intense blue as they get older. It was 
found in the Hazara district of the Him alayas, at an 
altitude of 10,000 ft. 
AUBRIETIAS. 
For making a brilliant display of flowers on the 
rockwork or flower border, there is nothing to 
compare with these in the early part of the year. 
They are very easy to cultivate if provided with a 
rich loam. They strike easily from cuttings. The 
most common way of propagation is to divide, or 
layer them, when finished flowering. One of the 
prettiest forms is W. Ingram, a deep maroon, shaded 
with white. The genus takes its name from 
M. Aubriet, a famous botanical draughtsman. 
THE APIARY. 
Swarming. 
Natural swarms, if weather be mild and honey 
coming in, begin to leave their hives about the end 
of May. Where they are kept in a straw hive 
or small box we may expect them a few weeks 
earlier. When the bees begin to have a crowded 
appearance with drones flying freely, also queen 
cells with larvae in them, swarms may be expected 
at any time provided the weather is favourable. First 
swarms issue only in fine calm weather, generally 
between ten in the morning and three in the after¬ 
noon. After, swarms or casts may be expected in 
almost any weather and any hour of the day. If 
there are no dwarf bushes near the hives substitutes 
should be provided in the shape of a few Spruce 
branches 6 ft. high, stuck in the ground a few yards 
from the hives. Very often the swarms will settle 
on one of these from which they are easily hived. 
No one can mistake a swarm when it issues, their 
joyful hum can be heard at a great distance. At the 
hive they come pouring forth, tumbling over one 
another in their haste to get into the open air like a 
horde of schoolboys on the eve of the vacation. It 
is wonderful how the excitement spreads from the 
tiny insects to human beings; even the old time 
bee man shows a sparkle in his eye, a slight raising 
of his voice and lightness of footstep, seldom now 
seen in him, as he goes for the straw skep to hive 
them with. 
A first swarm rarely goes far rom the old hive 
before it settles. If there seems a danger of it flying 
away, water applied by a syringe is often effectual 
in making them settle and often directing them in 
any direction the bee-keeper may wish. If they 
settle in a hedge the straw hive should be placed on 
the top, and smoke given the bees underneath. If 
on a branch of a high tree, the branch will require 
to be cut and gently lowered to the ground with 
ropes, or, if possible, the straw hive could be held 
underneath the swarm and give the branch a sharp 
shake, when all will fall into it. 
If a swarm is given a slight dewing with water be¬ 
fore operations are commenced it will facilitate 
matters greatly. If the queen fails to accompany 
the swarm they will return to the hive again to issue 
another day. As soon as they are hived they should 
be taken to where they are to remain and kept shaded 
from the sun. In the evening they should be thrown 
down on a sheet in front of the hive prepared for them 
and allowed to run in ; put very little quilts over them 
for a day or two in case the excessive heat causes the 
foundation to break down. Where no more swarms 
are wanted it pays to place swarms on the old stand, 
removing the latter a few yards away. Where this 
is done a surplus is generally obtained from the 
swarm. 
Bee keepers in this money making go ahead period 
cannot afford to wait the outcome of a natural 
swarm. They may be away from home during the 
day and do not care about paying some one to watch 
for swarms. Where this is the case the whole thing 
may be done in a few minutes with little or no 
trouble. On a fine calm day select a hive that is 
ready for swarming and remove quilts, &c., examine 
frames for queen, which is generally to be found on 
the centre lot. Having found her remove frame, 
bees, queen, and place into an empty hive, filling it 
up with empty combs on foundation. Remove the 
old stock some distance away and place a new hive 
in its place. The one has all the flying bees with 
queen, while the other has all the hatching brcod 
which soon fills upjhe hive in time for honey flow. If 
a fertile queen can be given, or failing that a ripe 
queen cell, it will be a great help towards building it 
up.— Doonfoot. 
f - 
TEMPLE SHOW. 
MAY 22 nd, 23 rd and 24 t 1 i. 
(Concluded from p. 631 ) 
Never perhaps in the history of the Temple Shows 
has such glorious weather prevailed during the 
whole of the three days. There was a record crowd 
during the first day, making it rather uncomfortable 
in the tents while the sun was powerful. During the 
third day the weather was hotter than on the pre¬ 
vious two days in spite of a good breeze, and cut 
flowers assumed a faded appearance early in the 
afternoon. Many gardeners were present on the 
third day, but that applied to all three. The secre¬ 
tary, Rev. W. Wilks, and Mr. S. T. Wright, the 
superintendent, with their assistants, Mr. Reader and 
Mr. T. Humphreys, are to be congratulated not only 
upon the success of the show, but upon their admir¬ 
able arrangement of everything, and the facilities 
which they offered the Press in doing their duty. 
FERNS. 
Mr. Leonard J. Ching, Crescent Nurseries, Enfield, 
London, exhibited a pretty little group of Ferns, 
which included some choice varieties. 
Messrs. J. Hill & Son, Lower Edmonton, exhibited 
a large collection of Ferns. Conspicuous plants 
were Hyomenodium crinitum, Polypodium vaccinii- 
folium, Lomaria L’Herminieri, Pteris ludens, Asple- 
num marginatum, Davallia tenuifolia stricta and 
Lygodium scandens. Interesting and uncommon 
Ferns also shown by this firm were Pteris Childsii, 
with finely divided fronds; P. longifolia Mariesii, 
with narrow pinnae ; Osmundajavanica, Leucostegia 
immersa; Deparia Moorei, like a large Doryopteris; 
Davallia assamica, Anemia rotundifolia, Adiantum 
Capillus-Veneris imbricatum, Platycerium grande, 
and Hemionitis cordata, with leathery, dark green 
fronds, between cordate and arrow-shaped. 
HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
Mr. W. J. Caparne, Rohais, Guernsey, exhibited a 
new race of early flowering Iris. Some of the finest 
varieties in bis collection were I. germanica Kochi! 
and I. g. Fontarabia, violet; I. King Humbert, 
maroon tails and purple standards; I. Queen Flavia, 
soft yellow ; and I. Dorothea, lavender. 
Mr. R. Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham, 
exhibited a very meritorious group of Sweet Peas 
The blooms were remarkably perfect and highly 
coloured for the earliness of the season. They were 
