94 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 6 , 1909. 
Sweet Pea Apple Blossom Spencer. 
The above is a wavy petalled variety of 
the old and well-known Sweet Pea Apple 
Blossom. The flowers are rosy pink and 
differ from the old variety in being large 
and moderately wavy. In some varieties 
the undulations of the petals are carried 
to too great an extent, and a great part 
-of the face of the flower gets hidden. This 
is not the case with the variety under 
notice, as may be seen by reference to 
the accompanying illustration placed at 
our service by Messrs. R. H. Bath, Ltd., 
the Floral Farms, Wisbech, Cambridge¬ 
shire. Each stem bears about three 
flowers,, occasionally more under good 
cultivation, and the well expanded stan¬ 
dard shows off the beautiful Apple blos¬ 
som colour of the variety. During the 
past year it has been well proved by trials 
in different collections, and has come 
through the ordeal with flying colours by 
comparison with many that have been 
tried. Those who like this particular 
.colour need not hesitate, therefore, in 
having a row of Apple Blossom Spencer 
in their collection. 
Messrs. Bath are offering seven new 
•varieties for the first time, five of which 
are Spencer forms, but already the beau! 
tiful and scarce variety Flora Norton 
Spencer has all been sold out. They still 
have seeds, however, of Princess Alice 
Spencer, a strong-growing variety with four 
flowers on a stem of a charming shade of 
lavender. Princess Catherine Spencer is a 
charming white Spencer form of Princess 
Catherine, and grows very vigorously, 
producing three and four flowers on a 
stem. The wavy standard measures 2 in. 
across. The seeds are black. 
Mrs. Joe Chamberlain is a well-known 
variety, flaked and marked with bright 
rose on a white ground The Spencer 
form now offered is equally well defined 
and differs by having wavy petals of large 
size. Dainty Spencer, when first ex¬ 
panded, looks like a primrose self, but 
the yellow gives place to white with a pink 
edge more or less well decided on the 
back, and the contrast is delightful, 
while the delicacy of the colour makes this 
a refined novelty of the first water. True 
Lavender is one of the grandiflora type, 
having flat, erect standards of perfect 
form, and true lavender in colour. It 
originated as a sport from Navy Blue, 
and, like its parent, grows strongly, bear¬ 
ing three and four flowers on long stems. 
Josephine Barnard is of the Unwin type, 
being a pure rose self and retaining its 
colour throughout the period of blooming. 
Indeed, the flowers darken somewhat with 
age. The standard is more or less 
crisped and waved, while the wings are 
incurved and three or four flowers are 
borne on long and stout stems. 
Roman gardens consisted of small en¬ 
closures, ornamented with a few shady 
trees. 
Old London Vineyards. 
The Bishop of Ely had a vineyard at 
Ely Place, in Holborn, the site of which is 
marked by the present Vine Street. Hard 
by was another belonging to the Earl of 
Lincoln, from which about fifty gallons 
of verjuice was sold in 1295. In Smith- 
field, again, was a vineyard belonging to 
the Earl of Essex. 
Messrs. Bobbie and Co.’s Catalogue. 
The catalogue of Messrs. Dobbie and 
Co., of Rothesay, N.B., and Marks Tey, 
Essex, is as full as ever, comprising some 
207 pp., besides an index. It is devoted 
to vegetables and flowers, whether grown 
in England or in Scotland. It is emi¬ 
nently fitted, therefore, for people having 
gardens, either in the north or south, 
because the various subjects are tried at 
both of their nurseries, so as to determine 
whether they are suitable for north or 
south. Many of the facts in relation to 
this have already been well tested, and in 
many cases the Essex nursery may be the 
best place to grow seeds, while the vege¬ 
tables and flowers are suited for the north. 
Full attention is given to such florists’ 
flowers as Dahlias, Violas, Pansies and 
Sweet Peas. 
Messrs. Webb and Sons’ Catalogue. 
The catalogue of Messrs. Webb and 
Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge, runs to 
155 pp., including a good index, which is 
always a valuable asset in a catalogue. 
The -work is profusely illustrated through¬ 
out with reproductions from photographs 
of flowers and vegtables in great variety, 
including views of their exhibits in various 
parts of the country, as well as views of 
their houses in which some of the more 
popular flowers and fruits are.grown, such 
as Calceolarias, Melons, Tomatos, etc. 
\ iews are also given of their trial grounds 
at Ivinver, where flowers and vegetables 
are extensively tested every year. It is 
well worthy of perusal. 
Messrs. Sutton and Sons’ Cyclamen. 
At the meeting of the Royal Horticul- 
tural Society at Vincent Square, West¬ 
minster, on the 25th ult., was a beautiful 
exhibit of Cyclamen brought up from 
Messrs. Sutton and Sons’ fine range of 
houses at Reading. The Cyclamen seems 
to be gaining a favourite place in the 
estimation of the British public for deco¬ 
rative purposes from Christmas, or even 
from November, onwards through the 
early months of the year. The various 
combinations of white, crimson and 
salmon were very attractive and effective.' 
The old magenta-purple is now being 
weeded out, leaving the charming colours 
to be found in this beautiful class of 
plants. All belonged to the giant strain 
of Cyclamen, and included their Sutton's 
White, White Butterfly, Giant Crimson, 
and Brilliant Salmon-pink. 
Sweet Pea Apple Blossom Speinceir. 
