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ox JUIN 15,/1903. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER 
9 
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varieties of roses. The lawn of 
Couch Grass covers an area of about a 
chain and a half wide by two chains long. 
This is the sporting ground for the chil- 
dren with their ponies and dogs, and where 
their birthday parties are held, and at 
times placed at the disposal of some local 
charity or church bazaar, in which Mrs. 
Wright finds pleasure. In fact, Home 
Park is rightly named, if for no other rea- 
‘son than that the philanthropy of the host 
and hostess makes it a kind of hospice for ° 
tho needy. Mention should not be omit- 
ted, too, of the fact that both the host and 
hostess have musical talent strongly de- 
veloped, and many ard the pleasant musical 
evenings enjoyed’ by privileged visitors. 
The wine cellars are where Mr. Wright 
is usually found, but maybe the visitor or 
man. on business will find him laboring in 
his vineyard or lemon grove with all the 
energy and strength of a trained farm 
laborer. But besides being a vigneron and 
gardener, he is by Nature’s gifts a 
‘mechanician, his skill being turned upon 
‘an up-to-date electrical plant, with which 
he lights up his cellars, stables, coach- 
house, and all the dwelling-house both in- 
side and out. With his electric lighting in 
full glow the place might be easily mis- 
taken on a dark night for an Arabian 
Night’s palace. 
sentative found himself most interested was 
in’ the fernhouse, .of which we give a pic- 
ture. “This is situated on the western side 
‘of the house, and is built of slats, with 
a V-shaped roof. It is of fairly large pro- 
portions, and the prettiest view of it is ab 
night, when lighted by electric fairy lamps, 
and the water sprays, fountain, and minia- 
ture falls giving a dancing sheen to the fern 
fronds,:the climbers, and the more massive 
foliage. A. central path gives footway be- 
tween tiers on either side reaching well up 
to the eaves: In the tiers rocks are taste- 
fully arranged, and at the end is a laby- 
rinth of rockery, containing fish ponds. 
The rocks, too, are not made of cork, but 
genuino boulders won from the adjacent 
hills, some of them containing «clear cut 
crystals, which scintillate their prismatic 
colors in keeping with the general living 
activities of their surroundings. 
The fernhouse is the special pleasure of 
' the hostess, and this fact gives additional 
“interest -to the well-furnished contents. 
Upon entering the door the light is 
-switched on; and our picture reproduces on 
the righthand side a good specimen fern, 
* Polypodium glaucophyllum, with a Phoe- 
~nix reclinata palm directly underneath, 
while above it is a Nephrolepis exaltata, 
“showing up well, as its name implies. 
Hanging above this again is a well-furnish- 
ed basket of Adiantum cuneatum grandi- 
~ seps, and against the lattice work an Aspa- 
~ragus plumosis is winding its fern-like ten- 
drils.. Facing this, and giving in season as 
‘good ‘coloring flowers, is an Epiphyllum. 
+ A. rustic basket of Nepholepis exaltata is 
not looking too happy, but counteracting 
“*this“deficiency is rather a nice rich green 
\ 
‘Aspidium elegans below it, and another of 
the same variety above. Quite ‘a collec- 
tion of Adiantums and Aspidiums fill up ~ 
the benches to the far end corner, where 
a Staghorn isnot given a fair chance to 
display - itself; but its complementary 
piece on the opposite corner is a much bet- 
ter specimen, showing to a greater advan- 
tage. Within the pretty little grotto 
work,. and dipping in the little 
limpid pools, where golden  deni- 
zens desport themselves, to the delight of 
the children, is a good specimen of Kentia 
Forsteriana, giving a pretty relief to the 
picture. Hanging above is a basket of the 
graceful Maidenhair (Adiantum cunea- 
tum), backed up by Nepholepis and a fine 
spray of Asparagus plumosis. 
Turning to the left we notice, amongst 
others, a good specimen of Aspidium ele- 
-gans, and above it the variegated form of 
Phylangium. Many of the plants already 
mentioned hide the tiers, but as we- pass 
along there in hiding are noticed two speci- 
‘mens of Peteris cretica alblinneata and 
Pteris longifolium, and gaily spreading it- 
self over the rockwork is Cyrtonium fal- 
catum, also hiding from full view a Stag- 
horn. At our feet is a pair of Phoenix 
reclinata, and a little group of Aspidistra, 
forming a background to the specimen pot- 
\\ plant of Ligularia Kaempheri. The table 
tin the centre is built of rocks in rustic 
The part of the estate where our repre- * 
fashion, with a marble slab top, mounted 
by a potful of Adiantum, with Primulas 
grouped around to give a relief of delicate 
coloring. 2 
A rustic seat is inviting, but time presses - 
hard upon sentimental longing, and we are 
hoping on another visit to see more atten- 
tion given to the flowers outside, although, 
be it said to her credit, Mrs. Wright had a 
really fine. display of Chrysanthemums in 
tho season. i , 
Foose otesese » 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS, 
Commence feeding the plants with soot 
water as soon as the pots are fairly full of 
roots. To ascértain their condition, turn 
out a few plants and examine the roots. 
Place 1 peck of soot in a barrel containing 
40 gallons of water, stir the bag to and fro 
every day for four days, then use the water 
in a clear state. Liquid manure from a 
farmyard, used in a diluted state, 1 gallon 
to 5 gallons of clear water, is a good stimu- 
lant; also artificial manures, given accord- 
ing to directions with each. The buds 
‘should be “taken” when they are just free 
of the side shoots around them. ‘The 
crown buds which did not open properly 
were probably “taken’’ too early. . 
zOSSSESSO > 
PETUNIAS. 
Cease disbudding Petunias 10 days be- 
fore the flowers are required, allowing 
rather more for double than for single 
varieties. 
“not be so readily removed. 
HOW TO BEAUTIFY THE CONSERVA- 
TORY WITH CLIMBERS. 
A. conservatory is not,properly furnish- 
ed if it does not contain a few climbing 
plants. Every glasshouse of this descrip- 
tion should afford a little shade to the 
owner during the hottest months of the 
-year, and such shade as is provided by 
roof plants is always most agreeable. 
Climbers growing under the roof glass 
obviate the necessity of applying artificial 
shading, and nearly all these pretty plants 
do well themselves by being fully exposed 
to the sun. Most climbing plants thrive 
bes# when they are growing in borders, but 
in all houses it is not possible to form such 
borders ; therefore a-substitute is found by 
using tubs or boxes neatly painted on the 
outside, or large flower pots. 
Two large pots may be used’ as follows: 
Fill one with good loam, after properly 
crocking it, and place it in position; then 
take another about the same size, and first 
knock out most of the bottom, fix it on the 
soil in the other pot, and proceed to also: 
fill it with similar loam. The top pot is 
to contain the plant. The roots will soon 
take possession of the soil in both pots, 
_and where tliore are dark corners the plant 
growing in the top pot will make sturdy 
shoots instead of weakly ones, because it is 
thus raised up nearer.to to the light. 
Tho penduloug growths of climbers look 
charming, and~- pillars, to which some of 
them may be trained, are fit objects to be 
clothed with these plants. A  conserva- 
‘tory interior is not so bare looking, and a 
small structure is made to appear larger 
than it is by the presence of pillar plants 
end climbers on the roof. 
The training of these plants should al- 
“ways receive attention; stiffness must be 
avoided, yet neglect to thin out branches 
sufficiently will result in tangled masses. 
The compost used should-be of a lasting 
nature, because it'is not so easy to renew 
if in borders, tubs, and large pots as it is 
in small pots. Climbing plants, too, can- 
Top-dressings 
can always be given, and established plants 
are much benefited by the addition of fib- 
rous loam, leaf soil, and sand. Occasional 
syringings and spongings with clean water 
will assist in keeping the foliage clean and 
free from insects. 
These are grand plants for the purpose, 
namely, Cobza scandens and C. scandens 
variegata, nearly always free from insects 
and rapid growers; Tacsonia Van-Vol- 
xemil, crimson hanging flowers, very beau- 
tiful; Plumbago Capensis (blue) and P. 
Capensis alba (white); Heliotropes and 
Fuchsias, fine for pillars; Clematis indi- 
visa, flowers in late spring; Jasminum 
grandiflorum, Swainsonias, and Roses Ni- 
phetos, Climbing Devoniensis, Madame 
Berard, Climbing Belle Siebrecht, Madame 
Pierre Cochet, Marechal Niel, Reine Marie 
Henriette Belle Lyonnaise, Cheshunt 
Hybrid, and Souvenir d’un Ami. 
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