278 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 28, 1903. 
idea of a Polar house had previously been suggested at Regent’s 
Park, as the idea was that the house would be interesting from 
a scientific point of view, but that the expense and trouble of 
such a house would hardly justify the results. The writer in 
question spoke of lichens and mosses growing on a thin layer 
of soil covering the ice in the arctic regions, which could not be 
imitated in this country without the aid of an arctic, house. 
The same writer also speaksi about the stunted growth char¬ 
acteristic of arctic regions, but that idea does not appeal to us 
in the least. The plants that grow in alpine' regions are not in 
any way stunted, but reach their maximum of natural growth, 
and after their long rest during the frost and snow of winter 
they awake refreshed and happy and bloom to perfection at a 
time when the temperature of the mountains is really genial 
and very pleasant, although there might be heaps of snow in 
the hollows close at hand. 
To prove the truth of this we may say that large numbers 
of alpine plants may be seen at Kew, or in any - other good 
collection, and the growth they make under the influence of the 
English climate is not so much greater than may lie seen in 
their native homes. The real alpine AVillowsi make their 
growth at an early period of the year, and wake up a. little 
more early than in their alpine home, but they finish up their 
growth, and after a short rest, recommence growing again, as a 
result of the higher temperature and the longer season. 
The writer speaks about producing dwarf Oaks, as the result 
of growing them in the arctic house. We should regard this 
in the nature of an experiment. Whether Oaks could be in¬ 
duced to complete their growth in a, short season and rest 
under the influence of arctic cold isi a subject that has got to 
be proved, but, we doubt the success of it very much. The 
truly alpine or arctic plants have grown under those conditions 
for so many thousands, or it may be, million years, that their 
habit is now completely in accord with their environment, and 
they do not, in any sense of the term, grow into trees, even in 
the more genial climate of the lowlands of Britain. 
The dwarfing of various Conifers and other trees by the 
Japanese is stated to be induced to some extent, by placing the 
plants in the cool draught of houses; but, in our opinion, the 
small quantity of soil in which they are grown and the limited 
amount of food and moisture at the command of the plants 
have a more dwarfing effect upon them than the mere draught 
of a cold house. Neither do 1 we agree with the writer that a 
house sunk in the ground with its roof level with the ground 
would be a suitable place for the growth of alpine plants. 
They are like the grouse and ptarmigan of their native hills 
and wilds; they love the mountain air and the unobstructed 
light which is theirs the livelong summer day, and which is 
much longer than that of England. We believe many of these 
tilings would rot away on account of the lack of light and the 
damp and confined atmosphere of such a building. 
It seems to us that the beneficial advantages of a refrigerat¬ 
ing plant would be turned to 1 much better account by keeping 
the atmosphere of houses, genially cool during the summer 
months, but particularly in diy and sub-tropical weather. Re¬ 
frigerating plant attached to- a range of glass might be- employed 
for keeping the temperature sufficiently low, not only in the 
bouse for alpine plants, but in the house for cool Orchids, which 
are liable to suffer from the lack of moisture and an arid 
atmosphere during our summer. 
The writer in “ Cold Storage ” says it. would not be necessary 
to keep the machine running continuously; but in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of London, at all events, in winters such as the past 
has been, it would be necessary to keep the machine running 
almost continuously during the day at least, so as to keep the 
temperature below freezing point. That, is really the most, 
useful object for which such machinery could be constructed. 
In order to allow alpine plants to bloom, it would be necessary, 
however, to stop the machine, and allow the temperature in the 
arctic house to rise naturally; otherwise the plants would not 
bloom. 
Tea Roses for Decorative Purposes. 
(Nee Coloured. Plate.) 
The profuse and continuous-blooming qualities, of many 
varieties of Tea,-scented and hybrid Tea Roses of recent intro¬ 
duction have led to, an enormous increase in their cultivation, 
and few gardens are considered complete without a supply of 
these beautiful flowers. Planted in company with their con¬ 
geners, the China Roses, they furnish from June till October, or 
longer if frost does not intervene, a lavish display of their rich 
and softly-toned blossoms, which are invaluable for garden orna¬ 
mentation and for cutting for house decoration. 
In a paper contributed to- the Rose Conference, held in the 
gardens of Holland House, Kensington, last June, Mr. William 
Paul dealt with the possibilities and cultivation of these classes 
as ever-blooming Roses for garden decoration, and gave the fol¬ 
lowing list as comprising some of the best kinds for that pur¬ 
pose: Aurora, Boadicea, Camoens, Chameleon, Comtesse Fester- 
tics Hamilton, Corallina, Dainty, Empress Alexandra of Russia, 
Enchantress, Fairy Queen, Fortuna, G. Nabonnand, General 
Schablikine, Grass an Teplitz, Mme. Abel Chatenay, Mme. C. 
P. Strassheim, Mme-. Eugene Resal, Mme. L. Messimy, Mile. G. 
Baud, Morning Glow, Papa, Gontier, Princesse A. de Monaco, 
Queen Mab, Salmonea, Sulphurea, The Alexandra, and Yvonne 
Gravier. 
One of the newest of these, Chameleon, which was raised in 
the Waltham Cross nurseries, we illustrate in the present 
number, and it is one that is- sure to be popular when sufficient 
time has elapsed for it to- be in general cultivation. The flowers 
from which the coloured plate was prepared were gathered 
at the time of the first flowering in June, when the crimson 
blotch at the base cf the petals is an exceedingly beautiful 
feature. As the name of the Rose implies, the colour of the 
blossoms is apt to vary, some of them—especially in autumn— 
being almost white ; but whatever tints they assume, they are 
always artistically beautiful, whilst the habit of the plant is 
excellent for bedding and general cultivation. 
Coombe Cliffe, Croydon. 
(<S'ee Supplement.) 
The builder is, fast annexing every available spot- in the 
beautiful valley in which the- Borough of Croydon, Surrey, is 
situated, so that in a few years, we predict it will be linked up 
with London on the one hand, by way of Thornton Heath and 
Norbury to Streatham, already part of the County of London ; 
and, on the other hand, by way of Burley, Smitham Bottom, 
and Lower Chipstead to Merstham, Redhill, and Reigate. Dur¬ 
ing the last decade the gardens of Croydon have been rapidly 
disappearing one after the other, and Coombe- Cliffe, Croydon, 
is one of the private residences that has, to all appearances, 
become doomed to share the fate of so- many others. Hereto¬ 
fore it, has been occupied by F. J. Homiman, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. Richardson), but, we understand it has been on the market 
for some time. 
Utility and the needs of London generally prove too power¬ 
ful for individual enterprise to- withstand. To- this must be 
added the increased difficulties of gardening; where the ground 
becomes covered with human habitations, thus, preventing a 
free circulation of air, besides polluting it with smoke and all 
the deleterious substances emanating from the same. While 
Croydon remained an "isolated and practically rural township 
it was possible to grow all kinds of hardy trees and shrubs 
suitable for our climate. Conifers are amongst- the first of 
trees to, suffer from a, smoky atmosphere, and it will be seen 
that Cedars, and other trees of that order form a feature of the 
leafy vegetation, as seen in our Supplement plate of a portion 
of the grounds of Coombe Cliffe. The picture represents a 
portion of the flower-garden bordering upon a drive, and well 
backed up with a rich screen of various types of trees and 
shrubs. 
Though not, visible in this view, the glass ranges' are, also 
good, particularly the, conservatory, which is a handsome struc¬ 
ture both externally and internally. 
