October 11, 1913. 
771 
THE GARDENERS MAGAZINE. 
dense spike of beautifully symmetrical 
flowers of pure sky-blue colour. 
Away beyond the herbaceous quarters one 
finds a rich and Varied collection of the 
most useful flowering shrubs, and also of 
coniferous and other ornamental trees. 
Hedysarum multijugum was flowering most 
beautifully, and kalmias, philadelphus, ber- 
beris, and' cistus were represented by all the 
best kinds. The collection of cut-leaved 
tcers is very fine, and ornamental vines, wis¬ 
tarias, clematis, and other climbing plants 
were plentiful. 
On a well-furnished pergola the best of 
the rambler and hybrid Wichuraiana rc^eis 
run rampant. The white-flowered Una was 
at the time of my visit just one sheet of 
glistening whiteness in contrast to the ruddy 
glow of Paul’s Carmine Pillar, and others 
of varied tints. The bulk of the garde i 
and exhibition roses are grown on the Creek 
Farm Nursery, which is a recent develop. 
in?nt due to the growth of the business. 
Suffice it to say that the collection of roses 
embraces practically all the varieties worth 
having. A similar remark may be made in 
regard to the fruit which is also grown at 
Creek Farm. The English paradise is the 
stock most in favour for apples, although 
certain varieties are also worked on 
th? crab. 
A large stretch of land has been perma¬ 
nently planted with fruit trees, there being 
bush and cordon trees in alternate rows. The 
latter are entirely unsupported, and are 
rendering a capital account of themselves, 
producing fine crops on a quite small space 
per tree. The plantation includes varieties 
of the several fruits in cultivation, both 
dessert and culinary, so that purchasers have 
an excellent opportunity of comparing style of 
growth and quality of fruit, as well as crop¬ 
ping capabilities, where all trees are grown 
under like conditions. Flowering trees, such 
as cherries, crabfe, and the like,* are 
largely grown. A highly ornamenjtal tree 
that attracted attention was Pyrus malus 
floribiinda purpurea. Its foliage is of a 
distinct bronzy purple shade, and it bears 
deep carmine flowers, which are extremely 
effective. 
On still another branch nursery, known 
as Martlesham Fields, there is a further 
stock of fruit trees and bushes, and also of 
forest trees and game covert shrubs, so that 
altogether Mr. Noticutt’s establishment is 
comprehensive, and embraces practically all 
branches of the nursery, seed, and florist’s 
business, and it is the‘more interesting in 
that while, as here mentioned, there are 
features that have taken generations to de- 
velop, the whole business is to-day carried 
icn m accordance with the modern’methods, 
among the plants cultivated one finds 
1. f f oldest of old favourites and the 
^Ij^^P^nductions of present-day raisers and 
y must be made to the Old Eng- 
sn Kose Garden, which, surrounded by such 
nydge as one but rarely sees, is so 
utstanding a feature of this nursery that 
Ti'o; ^ overlooked. This hedge, 
hei^l^ ^ solid green wall to a great 
impresses one, perhaps more than 
great age of this 
ferf S^arden, and it forms the most per- 
boundary for the rose beds cut in the 
rough-flagged, straight 
inp weather-worn sundial stand- 
in walks cross at right angles 
garden. In the crevices 
creeninl broken flagstones grows the 
^oadfla^ / with stonecrop, thrift, and 
the companions, and in the beds 
loved Damask rose, the well- 
seem and the showy Rosa Mundi, 
oioderTi and befitting than the 
It 1^“ teas of ever so perfect form, 
^'ifmalit ^^PParagement of the freedom from 
a^mit thaf garden making to 
^liere jn this peaceful little enclosure, 
atmosphere seems to belong 
fulncaq a charm and air of rest- 
aay oth^r^f distinct from the delights of 
^ type of garden. Visitob. 
FLORAL TABLE 
DECORATIONS. 
The article on “ Table Decoration ” in Thk 
Gardeners’ Magazine of August 3U has 
arous«ed not only the public interest, but 
that of the exhibitors tJiem.selves. I. as a 
fairly well known exhibitor, cccond Mrs. 
Hales in her remarks concerning rustic 
stands. These have beeu most useful, both at 
the shows and on private dinner-tables, and 
if anyone should decry them it is surely the 
florists, simply b3cau.se the ve.ssels require so 
few flowers; these can be so lightly arranged, 
and every bloom can be shown off to perfec¬ 
tion. 
We do want something new in the table de- 
^ration classes to vary the monotony; that 
is why I like the rustic designs, as one can 
have high or low decorations. Thei^ is not 
much chance of introducing anything really 
new at the shows, as most of the judges have 
a fixed idea, and it is only sheer pluck that 
allows an exhibitor to venture on a new 
colour-scheme, much less a new arrangement. 
There were forty tables at the Royal Bota¬ 
nic Gardens, and a number that secured 
prizes were very much alike; and if some of 
the show committees do as Mr. E. Molyneux 
suggests, viz., limit the height as well, the 
sameness will be greater than ever. Ho also 
seams to think it difficult to hide the silver 
colour of the rustic stands; that is so in 
about one instance, where sweet peas with 
their own foliage is used; otherwise it is 
really quite simple. 
Originality is what we want, and there 
ought to be a class for it at all shows. There 
is not a show in town where we can use mixed 
flowers. I wo-nder if your corespondent is 
so restricted. Perhaps he has not thought of 
that. We have to use flowers according to 
the show. Most of the classes are open, so 
why does he not compete? We should all 
welcome any idea that he has dared to put 
before his committee. 
Now that I am writing on the subject of 
table decoration, I tiiink there is a great 
deal to be said about the wording of the 
schedules, and, to my mind, many alterations 
are really quite necessary. For instance, 
lately, at the National Rose Show, one 
noticed how new blooms and varieties secured 
first prizes. Ought this to be? When our 
schedules say, For the most arti8ticall.y- 
arranged dinner-table,” wbat are we to un¬ 
derstand by that? Does it mean well- 
arranged tables shall count, or good blooms? 
It ought to be made clear, and point® given 
thus: First, artistic arrangement (most 
essential); second, lightness; thi^, good 
style, blending of colours of foliage and 
flowers; fourth, originality; fifth, quality of 
bloom. 
As there are many like myself who have 
nearly always to de^nd on market flowers, 
this makes it very difficult to compete with 
more fortunate exhibitors, who are able to 
grow, or secure, specimen blooms. The prin¬ 
cipal rose grown for market is Mdme. Abel 
Chatenay, now quite old-fashioned, but beau¬ 
tiful to decorate with, and a good night 
colour; hut how can it succeed in the eves 
of judges who welcome new varieties like 
Melody, etc., before good arrangement? 
Table decoration must be considered an art 
pure and simple, and must not be judged on 
the quality of the flowers or the new varie¬ 
ties used. At how many private houses can 
prize blooms be obtained? The thing needed 
is to arrange, as artistically as possible, nice 
flowers that can. be secured from one’s own 
greenhouse, garden, or shop. 
Then, again, there is the size of the table; 
they may be 8ft. by 3ft. or 5ft. by 3ft. It 
ought to be stated if the exhibitor is to take 
thofse measurements for the’centre of a dinner 
table or that the floral arrangement is to be 
in proportion with the measurements. One 
hardly ever sees a 3ft. wide private dinner 
table. Did your correspondent think what a 
handicap that ia? ^ • j- 
I have been most interested in this discus¬ 
sion, and trust it will still continue. 
(Mbs.) a. Robinson. 
Norhyrst Park Hill, Oarshalton. 
DEEP CULTURE AND PRIZE 
ONIONS 
Under the heading, “Some Debatable 
Topics” in The Gardeners’ Magazine for 
October 4, “ H. ’ expresses doubt as to the 
wi.s(iom of deep culture for exhibition oniou>. 
That onions are deep-rooting subjects is 
lioyond dispute, and a shallow soil is eoii.se. 
quently incapable of producing large., heavy 
bulbs. I have grown a good many cxiiilo¬ 
tion onions in my time, and call to mind cue 
particular plot on which they were grown 
lor five seasons in suctvKsion. In the 
place, the plot was trenched and well 
manured to a depth of iull.v lour ieit, the 
trenching being done six iiionths before the 
onions were planted. In after years the 
ground was only dug to a goml spade's depth, 
and there were as many tliri'e-pounders ni 
the fifth season as in any of the preceding 
cro]),s. Ill my opinion, when once a pkux oi 
ground has l^u thoroughly broken up to a 
great depth, it is several years l>efore the .-oil 
Ixcomes really solidified, and the roots of 
onions, which, as “H.” remarks, like a firm 
soil, will without difficulty find their way 
down. 
On one occasion, to satisfy my own curio¬ 
sity, I took out a trench alongside the outer 
row of the plot, and. with the aid of a small 
handfork and my fingers, laid hare the roots 
of the onions, which 1 found had gone 
straight down to the full four feet that had 
originally been du^. To my mind, thcMc.- 
fore, although it is quite unnecessary to 
trench the onion bed every year, it is hop.e 
le.sH to attempt to grow big onions on ground 
that has not bi'en deeply dug, aim well 
manured right through. 
A. J. Macself. 
ROOT-PRUNING. 
Those fruit trees that annually bear but 
little, if any, fruit, and prtxiuee too much 
soft wood, should have their roots lifted 
and pruned some time during Oetolier 
and Novemlier. Open out a trench quite 
two feet wide, and fully five feet away 
from the stem of the tree, remove the soil 
with care, and thoroughly undermine the 
roots, severing any that may have 
grown down into the wld subsoil; trim 
the damaged ends, and relay all in a 
fresh, sweet compost. Large trees may have 
half their roots pruned this autumn, and the 
remaining half next year. Young treeg may 
have the whole of their roots lifted and re- 
laid at various depths. This is by far the 
l>est way to deal with young peach trees 
until the wood made annually is of medium 
thickness, and firm, wdth a brown tinge on 
the bark; when once the trees begin to make 
the right class of growth little further at¬ 
tention will be necessary, with the exception 
of feeding, etc., when the crops are heavy. 
Old pears and other trees growing on walls 
and tyellises that have become fruitless, 
but otherwise are healthy, may be greatly 
improved by carefully removing from 
amongst their roots all the old, worn-out 
soil, and giving fresh, sweet turf and bone- 
meal. All the trees to be lifted should first 
be thoroughly watered, and before filling up 
with good soil the drainage should be made 
efficient. H. Markham. 
Saintpaulia ionantha. — The 
plants raised in spring and fully established 
in 48’s may now be allowed to flower. The 
besrt position for them will be a stage or shelf 
near the glass. Apply a little plant food 
occasionally, aud take care that tho fallen 
flowers remaiin on the plant to cause damping 
a fine show will thus be ensured for the next 
two or three months. Those raised in May or 
J line should be ready for potting into 48*8; 
keep the plants to a single crown, and re¬ 
move all flower spikes as they appear. Thi^ 
batch will provide a good display for Christ- 
mas and the succeeding two or three months. 
—H. Prime. 
