December 28, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
809 
Maclaren and Sons. 
Chelone obliqua. 
Tf?e Tattle 
CHELONE OBLIQUA. 
as leading shoots. Make clean cuts, and 
always cut just above a bud pointing out¬ 
wards; this tends to keep the tree open, 
besides helping to form a good shape. 
As regards varieties, I think the follow¬ 
ing will be found most suitable for those 
desirous of planting only a few trees. 
Golden Spire is almost a certain 
cropper; the fruit comes in for use in Sep¬ 
tember, and keeps good until Bismarck 
is ready. This Apple comes into bearing 
quickly and keeps well. Newton Won¬ 
der may be planted for a late keeper, be¬ 
sides being an excellent all round variety. 
These three sorts will keep up a succes¬ 
sion for a considerable time, and being of 
first rate cooking quality, are to be recom¬ 
mended. Coming to desert sorts, 
•Duchess of Oldenburgh is one of the best 
earlies, followed by Worcester Pearmain, 
and King of the Pippins, the latter keep¬ 
ing good until Christmas and after. 
Pears are not so useful for family use as 
are Apples although a few are much ap¬ 
preciated. One of the earliest is Jar¬ 
gonelle, followed by Williams’ Bon 
Chretien. Marie Louise should be included 
in every collection of Pears as also should 
Louise Bonne of Jersey, a great bearer 
and of good quality. Two of the best 
for late work are Glou Morgeau and 
Doyenne du Comice. 
H. H. 
-f+>- 
A Letter to the Editor. 
"Weeds and 'Rubbish. 
SIR,—Concerning the remarks by Horti 
(p. 787) on my cure of spire grass by sow¬ 
ing Turnips, I thought my note was ex¬ 
plicit in stating that I sowed the Turnip 
seed very thickly, with the express purpose 
of smothering the grass, and therefore I 
did not hoe for the purpose of getting a 
crop of Turnips. I also explained my 
theory as to why the grass died, but what¬ 
ever may be said on that point, it did, die, 
and I have never seen a sign of spire grass 
in my garden since. “Horti” may with 
safety recommend my method as a prac¬ 
tical one, arising from observation, which 
I have found very useful during over 60 
years of gardening experience. If you 
will allow me I may send some other hints 
later on. 
[Please do.—E d.]. 
- Lovewell Blake. 
The Elms, 
Ormesby, 
Great Yarmouth. 
-f+4- 
j^oixi\meu\ "WauUd. 
Mr. A. E. Cresswell, the well-known 
and popular secretary of the Forest Gate 
and Stratford Chrysanthemum Society, is 
seeking a fresh appointment as head gar¬ 
dener. Mr. Cresswell has been a 
gardener the whole of his life, and is a 
well-known authority on the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum, Sweet Peas, and other popular 
flowers. We sincerely hope that he will 
soon be successful in securing an appoint¬ 
ment. Any enquiries received at the 
offices of this paper will be immediately 
forwarded to him. 
Only about four true species of Chelone 
are in cultivation, one or two others being 
more properly described as Pentstemon, 
to which Chelone is closely allied. To 
the casual observer the most striking fea¬ 
ture of Chelone is the closed mouth of the 
flower, giving the bloom a curious appear¬ 
ance, and therefore suggesting a turtle’s 
head. All the species are hardy border 
plants requiring only ordinary treatment, 
such as a lover ,of herbaceous plants 
would give his borders generally. C. 
obliqua has rose-purple flowers produced 
in a close spike, terminating each stem. 
These flowers commence opening at the 
lower end of the spike, and keep up a 
close succession for many weeks. The 
lance-shaped leaves are of a dark green, 
making a good contrast with the flowers. 
The plant itself varies somewhat in 
height, according to the character of the 
soil in which it is grown, but from 18 in. 
to 2 ft., might be stated as its general 
limits. Although so closely allied to 
Pentstemon, they have quite a different 
effect. They are also hardier, so that they 
may be grown entirely in the open border. 
Propagation may easily be effected by 
division of the plants after they have 
finished flowering in autumn or in spring 
just as they are about to commence grow¬ 
ing again. 
-- 
Vandalism ui "$el$ium. 
As related by “La Tribune Horticole,” 
M. Matthieu succeeded in raising a very 
fine Lilac, which he named Princesse 
Clementine. This obtained a Diploma of 
Honour at a meeting at Brussels, and the 
plant was reproduced in colours. Some¬ 
one, evidently actuated by jealousy, cut 
down some 20 specimens of this fine new 
variety, including the original or mother 
plant. He cut them off close to the soil 
under the graft during one night recently. 
We presume, however, that M. Matthieu 
will still be able to save the variety by 
inserting the shoots as cuttings. 
