^larch 25, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
247 
Trade Notices. 
A New Turf-cutting Tool. 
Our attention has been drawn to a new and useful tool for 
cuttin <r turf. Having had a considerable amount of experi¬ 
ence ax this work, we know the labour entailed in cutting the 
turves all to regulation size by means of the ordinary verge 
cutter. This entails a considerable amount of labour and time 
which the new instrument seems destined to supersede. It is 
named the “ Optimus” turf cutter, and consists of a handle let 
into an iron stock, furnished with a short cross beam or arm 
in which an upright knife is placed for cutting the turf. It Is 
supported in front by a wheel, so that the knife can be adjusted 
so as to cut to any requisite depth, while at the same time 
being suitable to the height and habit of the operator working 
iu The short cross beam has another place in it for the knife, 
which may be shifted so that 
the machine can be used as 
a verge cutter. This can 
easily be done by unscrewing 
that which fixes the knife in 
the cross beam or arm. The 
beauty of this implement is 
its simplicity of construction, 
combined with quickness and 
efficiency iu the work for 
which it is intended. It 
seems capable of doing good . . ! 
work as a turf cutter, and “ 
if properly guided seems Ortimus Turf-cutter. 
capable of cutting the edges 
c? lawns and pathways, especially if doue in the early part of 
the season, as it should be, while the ground is yet' moist and 
capable of being cut without crumbling. The new implement 
has been patented and is being put into commerce by Messrs. 
Carry and Co., Limited, 13 and 15, Finsbury Street, London, 
E.C. The accompanying illustration will show at a glance the 
form and character of tire tool, so that further description 
seems needless, except to' say that it. executes its work rapidly 
and with ease. 
Messrs. Mathiesen’s Tree Nursery. 
At Korsor, Denmark, Messrs. J. and K. Mathiesen have a 
very extensive nursery a short way out of town. This nursery 
is devoted to the cultivation of trees and shrubs, and is 
admirably laid out. with five main pathways running right 
across the nursery and opening into the public highways. This 
nursery was established in 1854, and is devoted to fruit trees, 
small fruits, shrubs, street trees and Roses. Although estab¬ 
lished in 1854, its development has been gradual, and planting 
has taken place during the period intervening between then 
and now. Judging from the useful catalogue wdiich is issued, 
hoses are special favourites, as 800 of the best varieties are 
grown. Some diagrams show simple and interesting methods 
of grouping Roses in large circular and oval beds. In looking 
over the list, we note that Hybrid Perpetuals, Perpetuals, Moss 
Hoses, Bourbon Roses, Hybrid Noisettes, Noisettes, Hybrid 
Tea, Tea, Polyantha, Bengal, Cabbage, and other sections of 
Hoses are grown. Naturally the list would include many of 
the Boses that are well known in this country, but others listed 
are either rare or unknown in English collections. All the 
most important, varieties are underlined, and some of these, we 
notice, are not particularly common in this country. The best 
of the old have been supplemented by many of recent origin. 
Apple trees are grown in a great variety of ways, and grown 
on various stocks, including the Doucin. Apples include a con¬ 
siderable number of varieties that are little known in this 
country, if, indeed, they be cultivated at all. No doubt such 
unknown varieties are suitable for the climate of Denmark. 
The sa me -might be said of Pear trees, as the list contains many 
of the most popular varieties in cultivation here, though others 
are unknown to us. Other fruit trees include a good selection 
of Cherries, Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Mulberries, Walnuts, 
Currants of all colours, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Brambles, 
Vim, Vines, Strawbem, < The .. 
Map. 1 * - J hestnute, Hawthorn , Lii u I 
tensive list of ornamental flowering trees and dumb ,| 
occupres a considerable portion of the 
Comters, Chinese Paeonies, etc., are included in this well- 
ordered and extensive nura ry. A new Arm ri< ai M 
characterised by cylindrical fruits of remarkable length. 
The Rock Garden. 
Plants in Flower at Kew. 
Sternbergia fischeriana hiemalis. 
Last year many bulbs were sent to this country under the 
abor e name. As far as colour and structure of the flowers 
are concerned they do not seem to differ from the ordinary 
car y spring-flowering S. fischeriana. As a number of these 
bulbs have already appeared at public places the variety would 
seem to be earlier than the type, but the ordinary form 
bloomed at Kew contemporaneously with the so-called variety 
It forms a succession to S. lutea, which flowers in the autumn! 
sheltered positions should be selected for the winter and spring- 
liowenng forms, so that the neighbourhood of a large stone 
might prevent the flowers from being battered about owing to 
the uncertain character of our winter. Those who care to take 
a little trouble with a valuable early flowering subject would 
be well rewarded by placing a pane of glass over the flowers 
during the severe weather. A light, friable soil should also 
be selected for the plant and good drainage ensured. 
Crocus chrysanthus. 
Apart from colour this is distinct from the Dutch varieties 
of yellow Crocus, as well as from the wild originals. The throat 
of the flower is rather short and abrupt—that is, it suddenly 
v idens out above the tube. The ordinary form 
has orange-yellow flowers, and is well worthy of 
cultivation on account of its early flowering. Several 
varieties have appeared in cultivation, and the best- 
known of these is C. c. fusco-lineatus, which has 
bronzy-purple lines on the back of the outer segments, which 
are also tinted with a dusky brown or umber shade. Another 
variety is C. c. fusco-tinctus, in which the pale umber brown 
forms a thin shading over the back of the outer petals. 
Saxifraga Salomoni. 
The above is of garden origin, and is said to have been pro¬ 
duced from S. roclieliana x burseriaua. It reached Kew iu 
1896, and is one of the neatly tufted forms of Saxifrage, very 
similar iu habit to S. burseriaua. The three-edged leaves are 
glaucous, smooth, and arranged in small rosettes, in their turn 
arranged in dense tufts only a few inches across according to 
the age of the plant. The flower-stems are only 11- in. to 3 in. 
high, often of the dwarfer habit, and producing a terminal 
cluster of one to three white flowers. These flowers at their 
largest size would be J in. across, with obovate, five to seven 
nerved, pure white petals. We presume the hybrid would 
grow under the same conditions as the parents, and would re¬ 
quire a little care in selecting suitable positions on the rock- 
work owing to the small size of the plant and its slow growth. 
For some time past it has been flowering in the Alpine House 
at Kew. 
Saxifraga scardica. 
The flowers of this species are also pure white, and iu. to 
in. across. They are produced in clusters of one to four on 
the top of stems only about 1 iu. to 2 in. high. The leaves 
are triquetrous with cartilaginous margins and arranged in 
tiny rosettes about \ in. in diameter, and these again in tufts. 
Although closely similar to S. burseriaua iu general habit, the 
plant is distinct in many minor particulars, being regarded as 
a true species native to Macedonia. It reached the Kew col¬ 
lection in 1902. 
Anemone intermedia. 
In general habit this plant is not unlike Anemone ranuncu- 
loides. Each stem is only 2 in. or 3 in. high, and bears one 
