December  12, 1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
561 
ill-considered  remarks  in  the  paragraph  (page  530)  I  have  referred  to  on 
a  most  interesting  paper,  which  I  read  in  “  our  Joarnal  ”  with  much 
pleasure,  and  profit  as  well. — F.  W.  Buebidge. 
I  HAVE  read  with  deep  interest  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture, 
November  28th,  page  501,  a  lecture  delivered  at  the  Horticultural  Club. 
The  address  to  which  I  allude  was  unique  in  its  impressiveness  ;  it  was  the 
very  poetry  of  science  and  of  nature.  For  this  and  other  reasons  it  should 
be  embodied  in  permanent  form.  Nothing  can  be  more  commanding 
than  ttis  conception,  that  the  loftiest  and  most  beneficent  forms  of 
Nature’s  energy  are  utterly  imperishable ;  never  dying,  bat  ever 
passing  into  other  and  more  marvellous  aspects  of  life.  The  sun,  as 
in  a  laboratory,  works  in  each  individual  blade,  making  it  fit  for 
consumption  and  the  preservation  of  existence.  The  grass  is  absorbed 
and  assimilated  by  the  lower  animal  ;  the  latter  becomes  part  of  man  ; 
his  physical  energy  passes  again  into  those  plants  which  once  more 
contribute  to  the  formation  of  animal  life  ;  and  such  being  the  result 
of  observation  and  experience,  what  may  we  not  hope  for  in  the 
,  permanence  of  that  mystic,  yet  world-dominating  essence,  which  is 
called  the  human  mind  ? 
How  wonderful  a  revelation  does  the  microscope  discover  of  the 
infinite  significance  of  the  lowliest  lives  of  earth  !  Insects  so  unutterably 
insignificant  that  they  would  be  invisible  without  its  assistance,  are  found 
to  possess  all  the  more  important  physical  functions  of  the  greatest  animals 
that  exist.  After  long  study  of  the  life  of  the  common  earth-worm, 
the  late  Charles  Darwin  announced  to  the  world  that  it  was  the  most 
valuable  existing  cultivator  and  fertiliser  of  the  soil.  I  need  not  speak 
of  that  miracle,  the  potentiality  of  the  generative  seed,  which  can  only 
become  active  through  the  agencies  of  death ;  “  for  a  seed  is  not 
quickened  except  it  die.”  How  far  beyond  the  range  of  mortal 
discovery  is  the  hidden  secret  of  that  infinite  art,  whereby  a  tiny  seed 
committed  to  the  earth  grows  upwards  through  the  ages  into  a  mighty 
tree,  under  whose  shadow  the  spirits  of^the  centuries  repose  ! 
What  wealth,  on  the  other  hand,  of  providential  arrangement  for  our 
happiness  is  unfolded  to  the  lover  of  Nature  in  the  fiowers  1  They  not 
only  minister  to  our  instinct  for  beauty,  conserve  the  purity  and 
freshness  of  the  atmosphere  we  breathe,  but  they  give  us  our  Ideals  of 
the  purest  art  ;  they  are  also,  as  modern  science  and  d’scovery  are 
eloquent  to  demonstrate,  the  repositories  of  the  strongest  existing 
antidotes  for  the  reduction  of  suffering  and  pain. 
The  existence  of  the  butterfly,  the  most  flower-like  of  insects,  which 
is  nourished  on  the  leaf  upon  which  it  is  born,  is  wonderful  in  its 
Transitory  ptages.  The  caterpillar,  after  its  long,  motionless  winter 
sleep  in  the  mummy-like  structure,  is  raised  at  the  touifii  of  the  bright 
sun  of  summer  into  radiant  winged  beauty,  suddenly  flashing  like  an 
aniraated  atom  of  the  rainbow.  No  physical  transfiguration  more 
momentous  than  this  is  discoverable  in  the  regions  of  insect  life. 
There  is  one  light  in  this  vast  universe  which  knows  no  decay,  ever 
abiding  amid  the  mysteries  of  pain,  and  that  is  the  presence  everywhere 
realisable  by  the  reverential  nature,  of  infinite  design. — David  K. 
Williamson. 
DIANTHUS  GLACIALIS. 
This  is  a  charming  little  alpine  gem,  which  is  admirably  adapted  for 
■any  moderately  elevated  nook  in  a  rockery,  or  crevices  between  slabs  of 
stone.  It  forms  a  neat  compact  little  tuft  of  leaves,  and  produces  its 
comparatively  large  rose-tinted  flowers  freely  when  the  situation  suits  it. 
Some  of  these  small  alpine  plants  are  rather  fastidious  and  difficult  to 
manage  under  cultivation,  but  this  is  not  the  case  with  Dianthus  glacialis 
if  care  is  taken  to  protect  it  from  enemies  and  to  provide  a  position  free 
from  stagnant  moisture.  The  latter  is  essential,  and  more  of  such  plants 
suffer  from  neglect  in  this  matter  than  in  any  other  respect.  The 
habit  of  the  plant  and  the  formation  of  the  flowers  is  shown  in  the 
woodcut,  fig.  8G. 
A  CALL  AT  CHILWELL. 
The  well-known  nurseries  of  Messrs.  Pearson  &  Sons,  Chilwell,  are 
highly  worthy  a  visit,  as  everything  both  in  the  houses  and  outside  is  done 
v,'e!l,  and  is  under  the  personal  supervision  of  the  members  of  the  firm.  In 
the  houses  at  the  time  of  my  call  were  many  noticeable  plants ;  Crotons 
of  several  varieties,  in  sizes  suitable  for  table  or  house  decoration, 
were  well  grown  and  splendidly  coloured — indeed,  it  has  never  been 
jny  lot  to  see  a  finer  coloured  collection.  Asparagus  plumosus  is 
grown  in  great  quantities  for  plants  and  also  for  cutting.  The 
■supply  for  the  latter  purpose  is  grown  against  the  shaded  back  wall 
of  a  house,  the  plants  put  out  in  a  narrow  border,  and  the  quantity  of 
Sprays  cut  from  this  house  must  he  enormous.  In  a  long  span-roofed 
vinery  where  the  supply  of  eyes  is  obtained  to  supply  the  demand  for 
pot  Vines  a  great  number  of  Maidenhair  Ferns  are  grown.  A  house 
i-i  filled  wdth  Marechal  Niel  Koses  grafted  this  year  grown  in  7  or 
•F.-inch  pots,  one  or  two  rods  to  a  plant  of  short-jointed  well-ripened 
Mood,  giving  promise  of  abundance  of  bloom.  In  one  lofty  span- 
loofed  house  the  roof  is  covered  with  Stephanotis,  which  during 
lie  season  affords  cut  blooms  by  the  bushel;  underneath  are  grown 
a  number  of  robust  plants  of  Eucharis  amazonica  for  cutting  purposes, 
iH'sides  Palms  for  furnishing.  Messns.  Pearson  make  a  specialty  of 
Aidisia  crenulata,  selling  largely  to  the  trade,  and  seeing  the  plan’s  ' 
as  they  now  are,  covered  with  their  bright  red  berries,  makes  one 
wonder  why  they  are  not  more  grown  for  house  decoration,  for 
which  they  are  io  well  adapted.  Pot  Vines  are  grown  largely,  and, 
as  might  be  expected  from  a  firm  so  long  noted  for  them,  are  in  the 
best  of  condition.  A  house  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums  in  the  leading 
varieties  of  varied  colours  looked  particularly  gay  in  the  dull  December 
davs.  There  are  many  large  houses  devoted  to  the  culture  of  various 
things  ;  one  large  structure,  which  is  used  for  the  Chrysanthemum  show 
(jusb  over  at  my  visit)  is  utilised  as  an  orchard  house,  a  very  fine 
selection  of  good  trees  in  pots  for  that  purpose  being  now  plunged 
outside. 
For  several  years  the  culture  of  hardy  fruit  trees  has  been  largely 
practised,  with  most  gratifying  results  to  the  purchaser  in  his  getting 
well-grown,  clean  trees.  Nearly  every  tree  is  a  model,  be  it  bush, 
pyramid,  horizontal  trained,  or  cordon  ;  a  few  are  grown  in  the  gridiron 
style,  though  Mr.  Alfred  Pearson  likes  other  forms  better.  Among  the 
Apples  he  informs  me  Potts’  Seedling  is  a  remarkably  good  town  tree, 
flourishing  in  the  smoke  when  other  varieties  are  choked.  Peter  the 
Great  is  spoken  well  of  here  as  an  early  and  prolific  bearer.  Newton 
Wonder,  sent  out  by  this  firm,  is  considered  one  of  the  beat  late-keeping 
sorts.  Each  year  in  one  of  their  houses  there  is  a  show  of  fruit  grown 
PIG.  86.— DIANTHUS  GLACIALIS. 
in  their  nurseries ;  I  noticed  many  very  fine  specimens  of  large  and 
highly  coloured  fruit,  more  resembling  fruit  grown  in  the  south  of 
England  than  in  this  locality. 
Prevention  is  better  than  cure  is  evidently  the  motto  here,  all  the 
trees  have  been  specially  attended  to,  to  keep  down  insect  pests.  They 
have  been  sprayed  five  times  this  year  with  extract  of  quassia  chips  and 
softsoap,  and  all  winter  prunings  are  burnt  to  destroy  any  pests  that 
may  be  lurking  in  them.  Among  Apple  trees  11,000  are  grown  as 
horizontal  trained,  varying  in  age  up  to  seven  years,  every  tier  laid  in 
with  mathematical  precision,  Mr.  A.  Pearson  priding  himself,  and  justly 
so,  in  this  especial  branch.  The  Paradise  stock  used  was  selected  from 
many  varieties  grown  here  for  test  purposes  by  the  father  of  the  present 
members  of  the  firm.  All  that  has  been  said  of  the  Apple  trees  applies 
with  equal  force  to  the  Pears,  Plums,  Peaches,  and  other  fruits  ;  every 
tree  that  is  sent  out  is  thoroughly  examined,  if  any  defect  is  noticed  it 
is  kept  back,  the  foreman  equally  as  well  as  the  firm  taking  a  pride  in 
maintaining  a  good  reputation.  Every  tree  is  frequently  transplanted, 
the  result  being  a  mass  of  fibrous  feeding  roots,  in  taking  up  the  roots 
are  covered  by  mats  to  prevent  drying.  Messrs.  Pearson  were  the  first, 
I  believe,  to  train  Plum  trees  horizontally,  they  have  a  large  stock  of 
them,  principally  Victoria  and  The  Czar ;  as  they  are  now  getting 
known  there  is  an  increased  demand  for  them. 
Gooseberries,  Currants,  and  Raspberries  are  grown  in  quantities. 
Amongst  the  Gooseberries  Whiuham’s  Industry,  Crown  Bob,  and  Berry’s 
Early  Kent  are  considered  the  best,  Raby  Castle  and  Knight’s  Red 
holding  the  same  place  amongst  the  Currants.  Raspberry  Superlative 
is  very  highly  thought  of  both  for  size  of  fruit  and  cropping  qualities. 
Of  Yucca  filamentosa  variegata,  the  finest  stock  in  England,  is  seen 
here  in  one  bed,  about  1500  plants  of  various  sizes  make  a  fine  show  ; 
surely  if  it  was  better  known  it  would  be  more  largely  grown  for 
decorative  purposes  either  on  the  lawn  or  inside.  The  hoe  is  kept  well 
in  use  through  the  spring  and  summer  months,  as  weeds  are  not  believed 
in  at  Chilwell. — T.  H.  Ceasp,  Osherton. 
