Jamlary 2, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
Trade Notices. 
SEED AND PLANT CATALOGUES. 
The charm and interest of “ Sutton’s Amateur’s Guide in 
Horticulture ” increases every year. For 1904 the copy before 
us possesses all the merit of former issues, and contains many- 
new attractions that will appeal to every lover of a garden. 
The illustrations, numbering more than 200, include the finest 
types of vegetables, and many beautiful flowers from beds, 
borders, and greenhouses. Several of these engravings are 
veritable gems of art. The vegetable pages aqipropriately com¬ 
mence with garden Peas, and what attractive pictures the giant 
pods afford ! To realise the advance made in this important 
table delicacy it is necessary to refer to the back numbers of 
this annual issued 10 or 15 years ago. All other vegetables 
appear to have shared in the advance. Flowers naturally 
lend themselves to artistic treatment, and the illustrations in¬ 
clude many objects of singular beauty. The fine flowers of 
Begonia, Calceolaria, Gloxinia, and Petunia will certainly win 
more than a passing glance. Others, such as Cyclamen and 
Primula, are shown in dense masses. In February last 13.000 
Primula plants were in full bloom at one time in the new range 
of houses. For the first time in the history of “ Sutton’s 
Amateur’s Guide,” the alliance of photography wit-h colour print¬ 
ing is exhibited in three remarkable coloured plates. The 
third plate represents in natural colours a single root of the 
new seedling mamcrop Potato Discovery, which has created 
a sensation among large growers as an immense cropper, and 
still more for its extraordinary power of resisting disease in a 
record season of rain. Copies can be obtained from Reading. 
Messes. George B testy abd and Co., Limited.— Some time ago 
we were favoured with the catalogue of fruit trees issued by 
Messrs. G. Bunyard and Co., Limited, Royal Nurseries, Maid¬ 
stone, but owing to exigencies of space were prevented from 
noticing the same. The catalogue itself is splendidly got up, 
with illustrations representing various types of training fruit 
trees in the young state, and these illustrations cannot fail 
to be of assistance to the inexperienced amateur. The first 
part of the book is devoted to fruit trees, and runs to 60 pages, 
the whole of which is interleaved with sheets of clean paper 
sufficient for the making of copious memoranda during the 
season. Gardeners could therefore note those trees that have 
fruited well in their district and those that have done badly, 
so that they may be replaced by others. The second part of 
the catalogue deals with Roses in their various sections, of 
which a copious alphabetical list is given at the end. 
Messrs. Dicksons and Co.—The nursery catalogue of Messrs. 
Dicksons and Co.. Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, also reached us 
some time ago, and deals with forest as well as ornamental 
trees and those that are specially adapted for game coverts, 
underwood, and hedges. Special attention is also given to 
Coniferae, Roses in their various sections, and the various 
kinds of fruit trees and small fruits, including the 
best types of each. Those who have to deal with forest 
trees will be interested in the picture of a young planta¬ 
tion of Larix leptolepis in Japan, and the illustration which 
shows the difference between the Japanese and European Larches 
of the same age. 
Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons, Limited.— One of the first of 
the seed catalogues to reach us in the autumn was that of 
Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons, Limited, King’s Road, Chelsea. 
Usually it comes in a new garb every year, and this year tliei 
covers closely resemble planks of red deal or some other Pine, 
with gold lettering on the front. Vegetables are amply dealt 
with in the tiist half of the catalogue, in which are numerous 
well-executed reproductions of photographs of the specialities 
sent out by this firm. Some of the novelties we noted were 
Embothrium coccineum, Relimannia angulata, Senecio clivorum. 
Cucumber Veitcli’s Unique, Melon Veitch’s Invicta, etc. Very 
striking also are the foliage and stately character of Senecio 
tanguticus. The illustrations of both flowers and vegetables 
are abundant and excellent. The coloured plate of the now well 
known and profusely flowered Schizanthus wisetonensis shows 
a considerable amount of variation in the colour of the flowers. 
Me. Hugh Dickson.- -Rose catalogues have been with us for 
some time, including a beautifully got up catalogue by Mr. H. 
Dickson, Royal Nurseries, Belfast. The cover is white, and 
printed with golden and red colours, the letters-being embossed. 
The whole of the catalogue is of this same soft white paper, 
and printed with a shade of green that is pleasing, and not 
aggressive to the eye. There are only a few illustrations inside, 
but we cannot omit mention of a well-executed plate of a new 
seedling H.P. Rose, Hugh Dickson, the coloured plate of which 
m u a J J 36 described as brilliant crimson shaded with scarlet, 
while tire cup-shaped flower is beautifully formed and very hand¬ 
some. limit and ornamental trees and shrubs are merely men¬ 
tioned, almost the whole of the catalogue being devoted to 
Roses, all classified in their respective sections. 
Messrs. Dicksons.- -The catalogue of forest and ornamental 
trees and shrubs sent out by Messrs. Dicksons, Chester con¬ 
tains some ^admirable illustrations of Cedrus atlantica, 0. 
Deodara, Cupressus lawsoniana, Picea lawsoniana, Pinas 
austriaca, and various others. The weeping Beech, photo- 
granhed when the leaves were off, shows up the peculiar habit 
of this tree much more plainly than when the crooked and 
twisted drooping branches are covered with leaves. The cata¬ 
logue is not confined to forest trees, but also deals with ever¬ 
green and deciduous, ornamental, flowering trees and shrubs 
climbers, wall-plants, and others, making a useful working 
catalogue. Their catalogue of select vegetable and flower seeds 
has also come to hand, and is replete with all kinds of vege¬ 
tables and flowers for the garden. Some excellent pictures re¬ 
produced from photographs show the general features of the 
fine varieties of Peas sent out by the firm. Wq are somewhat 
interested in the announcement of a vegetable we should regard 
as new to this country. This is Okra Gumbo (Hibiscus escu- 
lentus). The fresh pods of the Okra are eaten in the young 
state by our cousins in the Southern States of America.' The 
lists of all kinds of vegetables and flowers are very numerous. 
Messrs. D. Prior and Son. —A well-lilled descriptive cata¬ 
logue of Roses is sent out by Messrs. D. Prior and Son, Col¬ 
chester, whose exhibits we have been accustomed to see at 
the leading metropolitan exhibitions for many years past. Their 
success during the jiast season in various parts of the country, 
extending from the Isle of Wight and Southampton to Glasgow, 
lias been remarkable. The towns at which they were successful 
are also scattered east and west from Ipswich to Manchester. 
M e note that they took 36 first prizes in leading classes for 
Roses ranging from 12 to 48 blooms, singles and trebles. They 
also took 33 second prizes at leading Rose shows in the country, 
so that their success has been phenomenal, considering that it 
all took place during June and July. The second half of the 
catalogue is more or less devoted to fruit trees, climbers, and 
evergreen trees and shrubs. 
Carnations and Picotees. 
These flowers have long been great favourites, owing to their 
great beauty and fragrance, and ought to be cultivated wherever 
possible. Some of the choicest varieties are rather weak in 
constitution, but still there are a great many varieties of a 
strong robust habit and easy culture. 
They may be grown in any ordinary garden soil, providing 
it is not too sandy and jioor or yet clayey and wet; of course, 
where such unsuitable soils exist, the best way out of the diffi¬ 
culty is to prepare beds for them. 
The best soil for Carnations and Picotees is a rather heavy 
loam with a well-drained subsoil. Carnations are always bene¬ 
fited by having some new maiden loam mixed in with the natural 
soil. When mixing the new loam with the old soil, it should 
be frequently turned over to the full depth of the border and 
left rough, so as to be sweetened by exposure. 
The beginning of April is a good time to plant them where 
they are- to bloom. Plant them a foot apart each way, or a 
little farther if space will permit doing so, and be sure to plant 
them deeply and firmly. If the weather is dry, they will 
require frequent waterings. In summer give occasional water¬ 
ings with manure-water, diluted, which will greatly benefit them 
If exhibition or large blooms are required, tire buds will have- 
to be thinned as soon as they are formed. When in bloom, the 
colours will be found to be much improved if a covering of thin 
canvas is thrown over them during the hottest part c.f the day. 
Carnations and Picotees may be propagated by cuttings or 
pipings, but by far the best and surest way is by layering. 
Prepare some good sifted soil, about two-thirds good loam and 
one-third rotten manure, or leaf mould, and some sand. Now 
strip the leaves from the stem near the ground, and with a 
sharp knife, beginning below a joint, split up the cleared part 
of the stem ; then bend the layer upward, which will throw the 
tongue downwards, fix the layers firmly down into the new soil 
with a wooden or wire peg, then place enough of the prepared 
soil round them to keep them steady and firm. They should 
then be well watered through a rose, not slopped on any way 
through a can-spout. 
