834 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 24, 1901. 
MESSRS. JOHN PEED & SON’S FRUIT 
TREES. 
On many occasions we have had the pleasure of 
visiting the nurseries of this well known firm. Often 
have we been surprised at what has been shown to 
us in the way of plants and flowers, and another 
surprise awaited us on our visit to their fruit 
grounds at Mitcham Road, Streatham, S.W. 
Never before have we seen such an abundance of 
fruit on such small trees, and never have we visited 
a better managed establishment. Everything was 
as orderly and as clean as if it was a gentleman's 
garden. 
But it is not of the general aspect of the place 
that we wish to speak, but of some of the trees 
which it contains. Any description we can make 
will give but a very inadequate idea of what the 
place is really like, and persons intending to plant 
fruit trees will do well to examine this stock before 
doing so, as many valuable lessons may be learned. 
The first thing that struck us on entering the 
Apple section was the fruitfulness of the very 
smallest trees—trees little more than i ft. high were 
bearing handsome fruits. Messrs. Peed & Son do 
not seem to grow fruit trees for their timber but for 
their fruit, and they are great advocates of growing 
Apples on the Paradise stock, and bush and pyramid 
Apples are largely grown. The trees are all sturdy, 
and as the position is an exposed one they ripen 
their wood early. The varieties are so numerous 
that it would take days to write an account of each. 
There is not need to pick and choose as to which 
are worth growing and which are not, as only those 
varieties which are well worth cultivating are 
allowed a place in the nursery. 
For their fruitfulness on such very small trees we 
could not help noticing a few. Blenheim Orange is 
largely grown on the Paradise stock. It is seldom 
that this fine Apple can be induced to fruit at a very 
early age, but when seen growing on this stock as it 
is grown in these nurseries, it will be found that it 
is a pure fallacy to make out that Blenheim Orange 
will not fruit until it reaches a good age. Even the 
two-year-old trees were fruiting. We noticed a 
number of these being run up on the standard 
system, and we can recommend these for owners of 
small gardens, as they make both pretty and useful 
trees. We also noticed that famous Apple, Haw- 
thornden, the old variety, growing and fruiting well 
on the dwarf stock. It makes a very good Apple for 
cooking purposes about December. It is a great 
bearer, and the fruits, which are pale green and 
round, are of a large size. This must not be con¬ 
founded with the New Horthornden, which is a 
much different Apple, except that it is a good 
cropper. It makes a very fine tree, and both 
varieties ought to be included in every collection. 
Kentish Fillbasket was bearing a heavy crop, and it 
greatly surprised us to see the number and size of 
the fruit on the smallest trees. A large piece of 
ground is also allotted to a number of Lane’s Prince 
Albert. Loddington, one of the best of the kitchen 
Apples, was well represented. 
Mrs. Barron is a pretty and useful Apple, both for 
dessert and kitchen purposes. It is very sweet and 
of the first quality. It is quite a recent production, 
and when it becomes better known we are sure that 
it will be a popular favourite. 
Every Apple-grower knows the brightly-coloured 
Gascoigne’s Scarlet and the show the fruits are 
making now in Messrs. Peed & Son’s Nurseries is not 
likely to be forgotten by those who have the pleasure 
of seeing them. 
Peasegood’s Nonsuch and the old Ribston 
Pippin were making a good show, especially on the 
three-year-old trees Schoolmaster attracted our 
attention also by its wealth of fruit. It is a medium 
sized fruit of a good colour and slightly flushed. It 
is suitable both for kitchen and dessert. A large 
piece of ground is devot .d to Wellingtons, and a 
better lot of trees could not be wished for. 
Our attention was next called to the Bismarcks, 
which were in fine form, and made a pretty picture 
with their handsome striped fruit. One would 
think that such a pretty Apple was a good one for 
dessert, but if they once tasted it they would find 
that it is far too sharp for that purpose. It keeps 
well and may be seen in good condition in April. 
Nearly all the trees are grown on the Paradise 
Stock, and when we came to those grown on the 
Crab Stock we soon noted the difference. The 
Crab Stocks were very pretty, but what is wanted In 
an orchard is utility, combined with beauty, and if 
the former is missing the latter is not of much use 
to the grower. The standards which are grown are 
clean and straight and possess a well-balanced head. 
Passing into another section of the extensive grounds 
we came upon a large collection of trained trees of 
all kinds, Apples, Pears, and Peaches being much in 
evidence. The same weight of fruit and firmness of 
wood characterised these, as was noticed in the 
other section. Great care is taken in the training of 
the trees, as may be seen by the close tying which 
they receive. They are by no means crowded, hence 
their wood has ample chance to ripen, and the 
Peaches—trees which are often troublesome in this 
respect, have already got good coloured wood. 
Some of the earliest varieties were picked three 
weeks ago, and as the trees have not the assistance 
of a wall to ripen their fruit this ought to give some 
idea as to their condition. 
We next visited a portion of the grounds where 
the two-year-old trees were growing, and we are sure 
that if they could be lifted as they were and placed 
on the exhibition table they would make quite a 
sensation, as they look like monstrosities, especially 
the little trees of Lord Suffield Apples, which were 
scarcely more than 18 in. high, and yet were laden 
with fruit fit to be shown in a collection. 
Here, too, we were shown thousands of small 
Gooseberry trees, and tens of thousands of Ivies in 
all varieties. 
In the section devoted to Pears the trees were just 
as fruitful, and just as Messrs. Peed & Son are 
strong advocates of growing Apples on the Paradise 
stock, so are they strong believers in growing Pears 
on the Quince stock, as the best method of pro¬ 
ducing large quantities of fruit. There are some 
very fine standard specimens of Pears to be seen, 
and all were loaded to breaking point with fruit, 
especially the Williams and Easter Beurre. Morello 
Cherries are also largely grown as trained trees. 
This nursery is not entirely devoted to fruit 
culture, as there are extensive beds of dwarf and 
standard Rose trees. Although so late in the 
season they are still making a fine display of blooms 
Crimson Rambler is grown in great quantity, and 
many other popular varieties are given special 
attention. 
Sweet Peas are extensively grown, and at the time 
of our visit were just filling out their pods, but 
judging from the few flowers still out we noticed 
that most of the latest productions were included. 
Dahlias are grown in large quantities, also that 
popular suburban shrub, the Golden Privet. 
The Phloxes were looking very gay ; P. Coqueli- 
cot took our fancy ; it is quite new, and somewhat 
resembles Streatham Gem, on which it is an im¬ 
provement. There were large batches of Statice 
latifolia just at its best. Large beds of Solidago 
were also making bright golden patches. S. 
Virgaurea nana attracted our attention by its dwarf 
compact habit. A bed of a hundred varieties of 
Asters will soon be making a fine show. Many are 
grown in pots, so doubtless the public will have a 
chance of seeing some of them on the exhibition 
table before long. 
After a pleasant hour or two's ramble we took 
leave of Mr. Peed, Sen., who escorted us round the 
place, and in conclusion of our brief notes we will 
once more urge our readers to grow tbeir Apples on 
the Paradise stocks as grown by this firm, and if 
visiting the Metropolis not to neglect visiting this 
nursery, as it may truly, at the present fime, be 
classed as one of the sights of London. 
—--- 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
The awards mentioned below were accorded by the 
Royal Horticultural Society on the 13th. 
Floral Committee. 
Pelargonium endlicherianum. — Tne orbicular 
and softly downy leaves of this peculiar and pretty 
species resemble those of a Heuchera. The stems 
are herbaceous, about 18 in. high, carry only a few 
leaves, and terminate in an umbel of flowers. The 
two upper petals are very large, and bright rose with 
five crimson veins, while the three lateral ones are 
so small as to be almost indiscernible. The species 
was introduced from the Taurus in 1855, and must 
be nearly hardy, for Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, 
(gardener, Mr. W. Bain), Burford, Dorking, exhibited 
a large and handsomely-flowered specimen that was 
lifted from the open ground and placed in a pot. 
Nevertheless, a plant on the rockery at Kew does 
not look very happy, but possibly the position is 
against it. (Award of Merit.) 
Cyrilla racemiflora. — The world will ever 
remain young to those who have not previously 
seen it. Although this pretty shrub was introduced 
from the Southern United States in 1765 very few 
recognised it at the Drill Hall on the 13th inst. 
The genus contains only two closely allied species 
belonging to the Cyrilleae, a small natural order 
differing from the Heath family in having free 
petals, and the anthers opening by slits instead of 
pores. The lower half of each year's shoots is leaf¬ 
less while the leaves are more or less crowded at the 
top. The small white flowers are produced in 
racemes, 2 in. to 4 in. long, and having the appear¬ 
ance of being in a whorl from the fact that they 
are produced in the axils of the crowded leaves at 
the top of the previous year’s shoots. We have thus 
a false whorl or cluster of narrowly obviate leathery 
leaves at the top of the branches, and a false whorl 
of drooping racemes of flowers about 4 in. to 8 in. 
lower down. It is usually classed as a greenhouse 
shrub, but Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Limited, 
Chelsea, exhibited a basket of plants lifted from the 
open ground. (Award of Merit.) 
Lonicera hildebrandiana. —All parts of this 
Honeysuckle are very remarkable. The oval, 
leathery, smooth and glossy leaves are of great size. 
The flowers are produced in pairs in the axils of the 
lower leaves of the shoots, but at the apex of the 
same they become more or less cymose. They are 
about 6 in. long, the tube occupying the greater 
length, being tawny-orange, while the limb is more 
golden, the upper lip being entire and the lower one 
four-lobed. It was discovered in the Shan Hills in 
1888, at an altitude of 5,000 ft. above sea level, and 
might be expected to be hardy, however much its 
appearance may belie the fact. This has got to be 
proved by experiment, and a few more years are 
requisite. Some flowers were brought bofore the 
previous meeting, and shoots on this occasion, grown 
in the open, were sent by the Rev. H. Ewebank, who 
was then staying at Nymphet St. George, S. Molton. 
The flowers are distinctly scented and we ought to 
see this remarkable Honeysuckle in many gardens 
in the near future. (First-class Certificate.) 
Carnation Sir R. Waldie-Griffith. — The 
flowers of this border variety are moderate in size, 
not bursting the calyx, sweet-scented, and of a 
bright orange scarlet. It had a very attractive 
appearance and caught the fancy of a great many of 
those present. The flowers were culled from the 
open border and sent to the meeting by Messrs, 
Laing and Mather, Kelso, Scotland. (Award of 
Merit.) 
Canna Mrs. G. H. Strohlein.— The foliage of 
this variety is bronzy aud handsome, while the rich 
crimson flowers are produced in a dense globular 
mass. They are notable for the great breadth of 
the segments. (Award of Merit.) Messrs. H. 
Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent. 
Amaryllis Belladonna maxima. — The flowers of 
this variety are very large, rich, warm rose, and 
produced in an umbel varying from eight to thirteen 
blooms. The variety is evidently very early, as 
September is the usnal month for the species in the 
open. (Award of Merit) Leopold de Rothschild, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Hudson), Gunnersbury House, 
Acton. 
Sagittaria japonica fl. pl. — This is evidently 
closely allied to the British S. sagittifolia, but while 
retaining the general shape all parts are very much 
magnified, being twice or three times as large. The 
flower stem usually, if not always, is kneed or bent 
near the top, while it is straight in S. sagittifolia. 
The flowers of the plant under notice are very 
globular and double. A large clump of the plant is 
growing in the tank in the herbaceous ground, Kew, 
under the name of S. variabilis, a name given it by 
Engelmann. In its various forms it is a native of 
Europe, Asia, and North America. (Award of 
Merit.) Leopold de Rothschild, Esq. 
Sarracenia Dormeri. —While this was intro¬ 
duced with S. purpurea, it is very distinct and 
supposed to be a hybrid between S. flava and S. 
purpurea. The pitchers are 9 in. to 12 in. high, 
and green with purple red veins and netting, ulti¬ 
mately becoming much suffused with purple. The 
lid is heavily marked with crimson netting, and the 
hinge wholly of a bronze or metallic crimson brown. 
