May  17,  1900 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
417 
The  Chiswick  Trial  of  Tulips. 
Although  the  report  of  the  trial  of  Tulips  at  Chiswick  affords 
pleasant  reading,  as  noted  by  “  F.  W.  H.,”  p.  396,  it  is  a  moot  point 
what  constitutes  quality  in  a  single  Tulip.  Take,  for  example,  the 
somewhat  quaint  form  of  the  blossoms  of  Tulipa  cornuta,  a  garden 
species.  Many  persons  prefer  this  as  a  flower  garden  ornament  to  any 
variety  named  in  the  report.  The  admiration  of  any  variety  is 
quite  a  matter  of  taste.  Personally  I  look  upon  Keizers  Kroon  as  one  of 
the  finest  Tulips  in  existence  for  the  decoration  of  gardens  in  the 
spring.  Yet  this  variety  is  hardly  mentioned.  The  superiority  of  one 
variety  over  another  depends  upon  tangible  results  more  than  taste — 
individual — in  colour. 
Even  in  questions  of  colour  in  Tulips  some  might  prefer  a  small- 
flowered  white  variety  to  a  larger  one  of  the  same  colour.  1  fail  to 
see  the  utility  of  a  Tulip  trial ;  the  marks  given  to  each  variety  by  the 
committee  might  easily  be  contradicted  by  another  committee  on  the 
following  day,  as  both  can  only  be  the  personal  opinion  of  individuals;' 
or,  perhaps,  as  your  correspondent  points  out,  it  is  a  test  of  the  Chiswick 
soil.  After  all,  this  is  a  poor  result  to  strive  for,  especially  when  we 
consider  the  far  reaching  benefit  such  trials  are  supposed  to  bestow. 
At  least  a  dozen  varieties  of  single  Tulips  might  be  named  that  meet 
with  approval  by  many  persons  which  are  not  even  mentioned  in  the 
report.  Of  all  plants  I  think  a  trial  of  Tulipa  is  of  the  least  benefit 
to  the  general  public, as  there  is  so  little  chance  of  givingan  authoritative 
opinion  upon  a  subject  embodying  nothing  beyond  personal  opinions. 
— B.  W. 
A  Natioijal  Rose  Day. 
I  QUITE  agree  with  Mr.  William  Paul  and  “  V.  M.  H.”  about  this, 
and  that  the  day  should  be  when  there  are  plenty  of  Roses.  But  it 
would  be  hard  upon  our  national  Saint  to  deprive  him  of  the  national 
badge,  and  I  suppose  we  can  scarcely  expect  St.  George  to  change  his 
day.  I  agree  also  in  the  idea  that  we  took  the  Rose  badge  fiom  the 
Romans,  just  as  the  Britains  took  the  dragon  which  had  latterly 
supplanted  the  eagle  as  the  Roman  standard.  Pliny  speaks  of 
“Albion,  so  called  either  on  account  of  its  white  cliffs,  or  white  Roses 
which  greatly  abound  there.”  Certainly  Roses  were  dearly  loved  of 
the  Romans.  We  have  not  yet  discovered  a  conservatory  at  Silchester, 
though  an  abundance  of  glass  of  all  kinds  from  it  is  in  the  Reading 
Museum,  fl’here  may  possibly  have  been  several,  for  there  were  many 
grand  houses  there,  and  Martial  distinctly  speaks  of  this  kind  of 
protection  : — 
“  Lest  wintry  frosts  should  blast  the  shrinking  fruit. 
Or  winds  too  piercing  nip  the  tender  shoot. 
Through  lucid  walls,  that  chc'  k  cold  Eurus’  sway, 
Sol  kindly  pours  the  genial  warmth  of  day.” — viii,  14. 
With  regard  to  our  English  time  of  adoption  of  the  badge,  I  hardly 
think  we  can  get  back  further  than  Mr.  Paul’s  “  Count  Egmont.”  Ho 
was  sent  about  1277  to  Provins  with  troops  to  avenge  the  murder  of 
the  mayor  of  the  city,  and  is  said  to  have  taken  for  his  device  and 
brought  back  with  him  to  England  the  red  Rose  of  Provins,  which 
Tribaut  Comte  de  Brie  had  brought  from  Syria  on  his  return  from  the 
Crusades. 
Two  well  known  regiments  have  their  day  for  wearing  Roses.  The 
Twentieth  on  the  anniversary  of  Minden  (August  1st,  1759),  wear  red 
Roses  in  memory  of  that  glorious  day,  when  they  fought  in  a  Rose 
garden.  The  Fifth  Fusiliers  wear  red  and  white  on  April  23rd,  St. 
George’s  Pay.  The  day  the  Twentieth  observe  would  certainly  suit  the 
general  public  best.  April  23rd  condemns  many  to  only  artificial 
flowers,  but  still  I  do  not  see  how  we  can  throw  overboard  St.  George. 
To  add  one  to  Mr.  Paul’s  Shakespeare  quotations,  let  us  remember  King 
Henry  Fifth’s  exhortation — “  Cry  God  for  Harry,  England,  and  St. 
George !  ” — A.  C. 
Garrya  elliptica. 
As  a  member  of  the  Floral  Committee,  before  which  the  log  alluded 
to  by  Mr.  Jenkins  on  page  373  was  shown,  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  specimen,  and  while  regretting  the  reason  of  its  exhibition,  I 
could  not  help  remarking  that  its  size  was  not  in  any  way  remarkable 
for  thirty  years’  growth.  I  have  not  tested  its  hardiness  as  an 
independent  shrub.  I  am  able  to  say  that  it  is  not  positively  hardy, 
even  here  in  the  south  of  Hampshire.  Twenty  years  ago  I  put  out  two 
small  plants,  one  on  each  side  of  the  front  door  of  Swan  more  House, 
having  a  north-westerly  aspect.  Both  plants  made  vigorous  growth  and 
bore  a  heavy  crop  of  catkins  annually.  In  fourteen  years  the  plants 
grew  23  feet  high,  and  formed  a  complete  bower  over  the  doorway,  and 
were  generally  admired.  But,  alas  !  a  severe  frost  injured  both  plants 
so  much  as  to  necessitate  their  being  cut  down  almost  to  the  ground 
line.  An  alteration  taking  place  shortly  after  in  the  structure  the  plants 
were  destroyed,  and  have  never  been  replaced.  An  extremely  fine 
specimen  used  to  grow  (and  probably  does  now)  in  the  Trinity  College 
Garden,  Dublin.  For  covering  walls  on  any  aspect  Garrya  elliptica  is 
a  charming  plant,  even  if  it  bore  no  catkins,  as  the  deep  green  leaves 
have  always  a  cheerful  appearance.  It  is  easily  propagated  by  inserting 
half-ripened  cuttings  in  sandy  soil  in  a  cold  frame  at  the  end  of 
August,  keeping  them  shaded  for  a  time  if  the  frame  is  stood  in  a  sunny 
spot.  Abundance  of  water  at  the  roots  and  overhead  during  summer 
hastens  its  growth. — E.  Molyneux. 
- - 
A  London  Horticultural  Hall. 
Strenuous  antagonists  of  the  proposal  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  to  provide  a  new  garden  in  place  of  Chiswick  prefer  to  urge 
the  erection  of  a  London  Horticultural  Hall  in  lieu  thereof.  Now  I 
venture  to  ask  of  them  and  of  all  who  support  their  views,  do  they 
regard  the  provision  of  a  satisfactory  horticulcnral  hall  in  London,  with 
offices  and  appurtenances,  as  being  within  the  range  of  philanthropic 
effort  ?  That  is  the  question.  It  is  utterly  useless  to  discuss  a  subject 
of  this  nature  in  the  gardening  press  unless  some  scheme  is  forthcoming 
that  shows  how  the  proposed  hall  can  be  provided.  That  such  a  building 
will  ever  be  erected  by  voluntary  subscription  is  quite  out  of  the 
question.  There  remains  then  only  one  other  course,  and  that  is 
to  float  a  London  Horticultural  Hall  Company.  But  to  constitute  a 
company  the  promoter  must  be  prepared  with  a  prospectus  of  tangible 
facts,  and  the  first  course  therefore  is  to  form  a  small  syndicate  from 
such  gentlemen  as  Mr.  A.  W.  Sutton,  Mr.  C.  T.  Druery,  Sir  Michael 
Foster,  Sir  W.  T.  Dyer,  and  others,  who  appear  so  desirous  of  seeing 
the  hall  provided. 
This  syndicate  must  secure  the  offer  of  a  suitable  site,  which  must 
be  fairly  central  and  easy  of  access.  Then  it  must  obtain  plana  for  the 
proposed  erection,  and  estimates  for  budding  it.  Then  the  council  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  must  be  approached,  and  being  offered 
favourable  terms  be  induced  to  become  tenants  of  the  hall  for  its 
fortnightly  shows  and  meetings,  and  of  certain  offices  permanently. 
The  council  now  pay  for  the  Victoria  Street  offices  and  Drill  Hall  about 
£330  annually.  No  doubt  that  body  would  not  mind  paying  a  rent  of 
£400  yearly  for  better  accommodation.  The  hall  could  be  let  for  other 
purposes  on  all  days  not  occupied  by  the  R.H.S.,  and  might  in  that  way 
produce  an  additional  £1000  a  year.  If  beneath  the  hall  there  were 
good  shops  and  offices,  those  not  occupied  by  the  R.H.S.  might  bring  in 
as  rent  £650  annually,  and  thus  a  total  rental  of  £2000  might  be 
obtainable.  But  to  get  such  a  hall  a  suitable  site  must  be  secured,  and 
that  would  be  a  matter  of  grave  difficulty.  Mr.  Druery  has  mentioned 
the  new  Abingdon  Street  site,  on  the  Thames  side  at  Westminster, 
ab'^ut  to  be  cleared  by  the  London  County  Council.  There  is  also  the 
new  L  C.C.  street,  about  to  be  made  from  the  Strand  to  Holborn — a 
splendid  position.  Both  these  would,  however,  be  enormously  costly. 
Do  those  who  want  a  horticultural  hall  in  London  realise  what  area 
would  be  needed  ?  They  complain  that  the  Drill  Hall  is  not  largo 
enough,  yet  the  Drill  Hall  is,  for  London,  a  very  large  area  ;  indeed, 
one  of  the  finest  of  its  kind.  Really,  to  secure  a  suitable  hall  the 
frontage  must  not  be  less  than  80  feet  wide,  and  the  depth  150. 
That  means  a  total  of  12,000  square  feet.  Does  anyone  imagine  that 
such  an  area  could  be  obtained  on  either  of  the  sites  named,  or  indeed 
in  any  central  position,  at  a  less  coat  than  £1  per  foot,  or  a  sum  of 
£12,000.?  But  it  would  have  to  be  realised  that  buildings  erected  on 
such,  or  any  good  sites,  would  have  to  be  of  lofty  elevation.  The 
enormous  cost  of  ground  in  London  now  compels  the  erection  of  these 
lofty  stiuctures,  that  the  outlay  for  the  ground  may  be  recouped. 
Does  anyone  suppose  that  it  would  be  possible  to  stop  short  with  a 
ground  floor  hall  only  in  such  case?  Even  if  the  ground  area  were 
covered  with  shops  and  offices,  still  a  very  lofty  hall  would  have  to 
be  erected  over  them,  and  were  other  buildings  of  a  much  more  lofty 
character  erected  on  either  side,  what  becomes  of  the  hall’s  lighting, 
except  with  artificial  aid  ? 
To  place  a  huge  hall  for  exhibitions  above  a  second  tier  of  offices 
would  never  do,  indeed  is  quite  outside  practicability.  Then  for 
the  special  purpose  for  which  the  hall  is  needed  the  building  would 
have  to  be  fitted  with  one  or  two  large  hydraulic  lifts  to  enable 
plants  to  be  raised  to  the  hall,  and  there  should  be  space  beneath  to 
enable  vans  to  draw  in  for  loading  and  unloading.  Now  supposing  the 
promoters  of  a  hall  company  had  resolved  to  face  and  overcome  all 
these  difficulties,  and  set  about  floating  the  company,  they  would  need 
at  the  very  least  a  capital  of  some  £50,000.  The  rental  would  pay 
rates,  taxes,  lighting,  and  salaries,  and  leave  a  small  sum  for  a  repairs 
fund ;  but  whence  would  come  dividends  for  the  shareholders  goodness 
only  knows  Still,  there  are  brave  men  in  the  financial  world,  and 
with,  when  the  war  is  over,  plenty  of  money  going  abegging  for  invest¬ 
ment,  who  can  tell  that  a  London  horticultural  hall  company  will  nob 
float  ? — L.  S.  D. 
