THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 7, 1905. 
16 
paratively small local trade their connection has grown to one 
of the largest bonarfide seed-growing businesses in the world. 
Essex is pre-eminently the home of English seed growing, and 
on the front page of Messrs. John K. King and Sons “ Manual 
of Gardening ” is a beautifully executed picture of a portion of 
the firm's seed farms, while the following pages are devoted 
to descriptive particulars, illustrated by some splendid photo¬ 
graphs of some of the seed crops. Another feature of the 
garden manual is a “ Practical Essay on the Culture of 
Vegetables for Exhibition and Profit,” which should be read 
by every grower of vegetables. Another strikingly practical 
essay is the one dealing with the making and keeping of lawns, 
croquet, tennis and cricket grounds and golf links, which 
should be perused by everyone who has an eye for green turf. 
The coloured illustrations of the new garden Pea Lord Kit¬ 
chener and their celebrated Tomato Lord Roberts are won¬ 
derfully life-like; and so is the charming page of their 
own strain of gianfiflowered Sweet Peas. It may be mentioned 
that on two separate occasions last year the exhibits of their 
famous Sweet Peas were inspected by Her Majesty the Queen. 
Gardening at Shanghai. 
Since he wont to Shanghai to take charge of the parks and 
open spaces about a year ago, Mr. D. MacGregor has now 
become so far acclimatised, so to speak, that he has mastered 
the annual routine of gardening in this Far Eastern British 
station. He relates many of his experiences, and from his 
letter wo extract the following: — 
“ The weather here, if we except July and August, is very 
good, the temperature of the two latter being very high and 
humid. The average annual rainfall is about 42 in., divided 
into 14 in. for the winter half, and 28 in. for the summer half. 
The mean average temperature is 59 deg., and quarterly 
it would be (first quarter) 41.2 deg., (second) 64 deg., 
(third) 77.8 deg., (fourth) 53.1 deg. F. The daily 
range of temperature is 15.9 deg. The degree of 
humidity (mean saturation being 100) is 78 deg.—that is, 
72 deg. in the fourth quarter and 82 deg. in the third quarter. 
January is the coldest month, the mean minimum tempera¬ 
ture being about 17.8 deg. July is the hottest with a mean 
maximum of 97.02. Thus our mean temperature for the year 
is about 10 deg. higher than that of London, or about identical 
with that of Rome. 
“ This, though giving you a slight idea of our climate, does 
not show exactly how such climate affects vegetation and 
health, which are influenced by solar radiation, soil, drainage, 
etc. As far as human health is concerned, it might roughly 
be said that the summer months are depressing and lowering 
and the winter months bracing, exhilarating and healthy. On 
plants the effect is very pronounced, and as an example I may 
take the flower garden, which in spring is gay with Hyacinths, 
Tulips, Snowdrops, Myosotis, etc. These are succeeded in 
May by Verbenas, Phlox Drummondi, Pelargoniums, Mar¬ 
guerites, Stocks, Roses, etc. In July these have to give place 
to Torenias, Tuberoses, Acalyphas, Gannas, Celosias, includ¬ 
ing Coxcombs, Abutilons, Amaranthus and other heat-loving 
subjects. At present (October 30) Chrysanthemums give 
colour to the grounds. 
“ You will see by the examples named that to maintain a 
flower garden in the proper condition—that is, always bright 
with flowers—is somewhat trying. It is, generally speaking, 
a case of replanting every three months, but thanks to a good 
growing climate the plants are easily and quickly raised, as 
all such seeds as Torenias sown in May in the nurseries flower 
in July. If we cannot have ribbon borders and scarlet Pelar¬ 
goniums to last all summer, we have what is equally as eood 
—a greater variety. 
“ Subjects usually termed hardy herbaceous plants at home 
we do not possess in great variety, but even if we did, I fear 
that owing to the rapid growth and short duration of the 
flowering period a herbaceous border would not be an easy 
arrangement. Though plants grow very quickly their flower¬ 
ing season, as compared with that of England, is short. 
Fruit. 
We have two well-marked forms of Diospyros. One, called 
the Chinese, is flattened at the apex and insertion, and is of a 
pale yellowish-red colour; the other has brighter coloured 
fruits of rounded shape, and is known as the Japanese. There 
are many varieties of them. Peaches are excellent, and in 
spring the Peach orchards are a beautiful sight. Many double 
flowering varieties of numerous tints are to be seen around 
the villages. Pears, Plums and Apples are grown, but are 
not a success. Good ones, however, are obtained from Tien¬ 
tsin. Vines succeed very well, the average bunch being 
about three pounds. 
“ English varieties of Strawberries grow well, but have to 
be replanted, annual runners being secured in June and 
planted in nursery beds, which are shaded with reed-blinds 
during J uly and August, and planted in their fruiting quarters 
in September. The wild Strawberry (Fragaria indica) is a 
pretty plant, the flowers being of primrose colour. The fruits, 
which are borne singly and stand erect, are very brilliant. 
The plant with its numerous runners all in fruit would make 
a pretty house plant. The fruit is insipid. Jujubes, Figs, 
Loquats (at present in flower), and Melons are in general cul¬ 
tivation. English varieties of Tomatos flourish in the vege¬ 
table garden, producing such crops of immense fruits as would 
make a British gardener envious. Cucumbers are grown much 
the same as Peas are at home—that is, trained over stakes. 
Trees and Shrubs. 
“ Of trees and shrubs note may be made of Paulowuia 
grandiflora, a tree of 40 ft. to 50 ft. with great spreading' 
branches. When in flower it is a magnificent sight, and 
amongst arboreal vegetation could hardly be excelled) Other 
ornamental subjects are Peaches, Cherries, Prunus triloba, 
Spiraea prunifolia flore pleno, Nerium, Oleander, Hibiscus 
coccineus, H. Manihot, H. Rosarsinensis, H. splendens, and 
Lagerstroemia indica, in many varieties from white through 
shades of pink and scarlet, all highly ornamental. The last 
named is magnificent in August. 
“ Osmanthus fragrans and O. Aquifolium may also be named. 
The former is highly prized by the natives for its fragrance. 
Wistarias, Lilacs, Citrus trifoliata, Camphor trees, Photinias, 
and Magnolias (M. grandiflora as a large tree is very hand¬ 
some) are plentiful. Of trees grown by the roadsides and 
streets the chief are Platanus orientalis, P. occidentalis, Ptero- 
carya stenoptera, Ginkgo biloba, Stillingia sebifera, Gymno- 
cladus chinensis (the great Soap Tree), Gleditschia sinensis 
(small Soap Tree), Melia Azedaraeh, Cedrela sinensis, Ster- 
culia platanifolia, Allan thus glanduosa, and sjDecies of Oaks. 
Chrysanthemums. 
“ Since writing the above we have had our annual Chry¬ 
santhemum show, which was well patronised. The ’Mums 
grow very freely here, though the blooms are not individually 
so large as those exhibited at home. Possibly the prevailing 
method of growing them has an influence. They are grown in 
large pots or tubs, and when the shoots attain a certain height 
they are pegged down. After the buds are taken the stems 
are again twisted and pegged down till only from 18 in. to 
3 ft. of upright stems are left. These upright stems being 
all identical in height the effect produced is flat and massive. 
The best plant of this form exhibited had twenty-six blooms, 
the average measurement of which would be 61 in. in diameter 
and 5| in. deep. 
" Generally speaking the varieties of Muins are similar 
to those at home, though decorative varieties are more 
plentiful than large flowered ones. The largest flowered sec¬ 
tion is what the natives term Lotus varieties. At home these 
same types are known as incurved Japanese with the differ¬ 
ence that the centres here have not filled up leaving the flowers 
somewhat semi-double. The name Lotus-flowered is thus very 
descriptive, the florets all converging inward towards the yellow 
centre. I he incurves form the large flowered section. Large 
flowered reflex varieties are not very numerous, but the smaller 
