July  28.  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
65 
distant  gardener  I  arrange  matters  by  telephone,  and  pay  occa¬ 
sional  visits.  The  heads  of  the  gardening  and  grave  departments 
here  attend  in  my  office  every  morning,  and  arrangements  are 
made  for  the  day.  It  is  their  duty  to  carry  them  out.  I  never  step 
between  a  foreman  and  his  men,  as  that  would  weaken  his  authority, 
and  I  should  risk  the  respect  of  both.  I  never  by  any  chance  give  an 
order  to  a  man  nor  interfere  with  him  or  rebuke  him  at  his  work. 
All  is  done  through  the  foremen,  and  under  this  simple  and  proper 
discipline  everything  moves  with  the  utmost  smoothness,  every  man 
gives  his  best  services,  and  mutual  respect  prevails  all  round.  The  old 
grave-man,  who  is  responsible  for  about,  or  above,  30,000  interments, 
is  sometimes  downcast  when  orders  are  slack.  In  his  trouble  he  has 
sought  for  reasons,  and  has  been  known  to  cruelly  suggest  ‘  the  doctors 
must  be  on  holiday ;  ’  but  when  business  is  brisk  none  is  more  happy 
than  he.  We  all  try  to  do  our  duty  reverently  and  zealously  in 
making  our  park  and  garden  cemetery  as  beautiful,  reposeful,  and 
enjoyable  as  we  can,  and  are  rewarded  by  the  appreciation  of  the 
public.”  The  end  of  the  narrative  must  come,  and  other  “calls” 
deferred  :  is,  in  fact,  near,  for  the  pen  needs  rest.  When  Mr.  Cowan 
follows  its  trail  he  will  say,  “  I  told  you  so,  that  a  run  to  the  coast 
would  brace  you  up ;  ”  and  perhaps  he  will  not  quite  believe  in  the 
appropriateness  of  the  nom  de  plume — A  Jaded  Journalist. 
SPARTIUM  JUNCEUM. 
This — Rush  or  Spanish — Broom  is  a  hardy  deciduous  shrub,  and 
just  now  (July  18th)  has  a  singularly  fine  effect  in  shrubberies,  as  there 
are  few  others  in  flower.  The  large,  showy,  yellow  fragrant  flowers, 
disposed  in  terminal  racemes  are  very  ornamental,  even  at  a  considerable 
distance.  It  grows  splendidly  on  the  calcareous  gravelly  loams  overlying 
chalk  in  Hertfordshire,  at  elevations  higher  above  sea  level  than  the 
dome  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  and  bushes  10  to  12  feet  high,  and  as  much 
through,  are  a  sight  to  remember. 
The  plant,  however,  is  not  over-hardy  even  there  in  rich  soils,  but  in 
the  St.  Albans  Clarence  Recreation  Grounds  there  are  several  bushes 
not  more  than  a  few  feet  high,  which  bloom  grandly  by  August  Bank 
Holiday,  simply  through  the  Superintendent,  Mr.  J.  Eastwood,  cutting 
the  plants  down  every  year  in  the  first  instance  to  18  inches  or  2  feet 
from  the  ground,  always  to  well  ripened  wood,  and  then  spurring  them  in 
to  a  few  buds  of  the  last  year’s  growth  in  the  spring  before  commencing 
to  grow.  In  this  way  the  parts  damaged  by  severe  weather  are  got  rid 
of,  straggling  growth  and  dead  parts  avoided,  while  fresh  green  shoots 
and  foliage  with  rich  yellow  flowers  are  secured  on  bushy,  handsome 
plants.  The  practice  also  secures  a  succession  of  bloom  to  those  not  cut 
back,  as  the  plants  flower  somewhat  later,  and  keep  up  a  gool  display  into 
September. 
The  Spanish  Broom  does  well  in  smoky  towns  on  this  system  of 
management,  being  very  tractable.  It  also  thrives  by  the  seaside,  and  is 
there  better  for  the  spurring-in  before  mentioned,  no  plant  but  double 
Gorse  rivalling  it  for  golden  sheen.  They,  however,  flower  at  different 
times,  and  the  double  variety  of  Spanish  Broom  vies  with  double  Furze. 
It  is  a  native  of  the  Mediterranean  region,  and  Canary  Isles. — 
St.  Albans. 
THE  LACKEY  MOTH. 
This  creature  has  a  wonderful  instinct  in  selecting  trees  for  egg 
deposition.  I  noticed  it  for  several  years  as  peculiar  to  Sloe,  then  Haw¬ 
thorn,  and  occasionally  Birch.  Crab  and  wild  Pear  sometimes  received 
a  generous  share  of  attention,  and  at  times  Elm  and  Oak.  I  have  not 
found  it  on  the  Cherry,  or  only  when  Apple  and  Pear  have  failed  to  be 
there. 
Some  half  dozen  years  ago  about  thirty  acres  of  pleasure  grounds  were 
laid  out  and  planted  with  many  hundreds  of  species  of  trees  and  shrubs, 
and  I  was  anxious  to  learn  which  of  these,  if  any,  would  be  selected  by 
the  lackey  moth  as  food  for  its  offspring.  The  situation  was  both  bleak 
and  sheltered,  part  one  and  part  the  other.  I  knew  partly  why  the 
lackey  moth  chose  the  Sloe  and  Hawthorn — namely,  for  shelter— and 
expected  to  find  it  select  those  in  the  warm  part  of  the  grounds.  There 
were  standards,  and  the  usual  filling-in  of  evergreen  and  deciduous 
shrubs. 
At  the  onset  the  moth  selected  the  common  Laurel,  and  to  this  the 
creature  stuck  for  several  seasons.  This  year,  however,  the  field  has 
been  considerably  extended,  but  the  Laurels  have  not  been  neglected. 
In  the  grounds  are  several  ornamental  Crabs  and  Pears,  and  these 
have  been  laid  under  contribution  to  a  serious  extent,  and  also  the 
Almond,  with,  to  some  extent,  the  double  Prunus  and  common  Birch. 
In  the  exposed  part  of  the  ground  there  has  been  very  little  attack  by  the 
pest,  so  the  creature  manifestly  prefers  warmth. 
What  I  noticed  was  that  the  cuckoo  came  around  and  cleared  out  the 
web  nests  in  some  cases,  and  left  others  severely  alone,  also  that  domestic 
fowls  will  not  look  at  them,  either  shaken  down  or  placed  in  their  pens 
So  much  for  reliance  on  birds  and  hens.  The  best  plan  is  to  take  the 
nest  boldly  in  the  hand  and  give  it  a  hearty  squeeze. 
But  what  I  am  writing  for  is  to  ask  those  having  fruit  trees  in  the  South 
and  South  Midlands  (I  have  not  found  this  moth  north  of  the  Trent)  to  look 
now  very  closely  beneath  the  bars  of  railings,  under  roofs  of  sheds,  or 
even  in  the  angles  formed  by  wall  copings  or  eaves,  and  if  they  find  a 
silken  cocoon,  sulphur  coloured  or  whitish,  with  hairs  in  for  tenacity,  just 
press  this  hard  enough  to  destroy  or  burst  the  brown  chrysalis,  or 
properly  pupa  within  it.  Lose  no  time,  for  the  moths  will  assuredly  co  me 
out  in  due  course,  and  in  the  late  summer  or  autumn  deposit  the  ringlets 
of  eggs  on  the  food  plants  of  their  offspring. — Practitioner. 
CARNATIONS  AT  CHELSEA. 
The  beds  at  the  Fulham  Road  end  of  the  Royal  Exotic  Nurserv, 
Chelsea,  are  now  gay  with  a  collection  of  Carnations,  which  are  flowering 
splendidly — better,  indeed,  than  we  remember  to  have  seen  them  fur  some 
few  years.  The  plants  have  made  strong  growth,  some  especially  being 
noteworthy  in  this  respect,  and  almost  the  whole  of  them  are  producing 
finely  formed  flowers.  The  situation  of  the  beds  is  open  to  the  full  force 
of  the  sun,  and  no  protection  of  any  kind  is  afforded.  This  is  regrettable, 
as  the  colour  is  very  quickly  taken  out  of  some  flowers,  and  their  beauty 
destroyed.  It  is,  however,  advantageous  in  another  way,  for  it  tells  the 
visitor  at  a  glance  which  will  withstand  the  rays  of  the  sun  and  which  will 
not.  The  beds  are  surfaced  over  with  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  and  will  be 
for  the  next  week  or  ten  days,  according  to  the  weather,  worth  a  visit 
from  all  lovers  of  these  charming  flowers,  that  flourish  so  well  in  town 
or  country. 
Not  only  do  the  flowers  appear  to  be  superior  to  those  of  previous 
years,  but  the  “  grass  ”  that  is  being  produced  is  undoubtedly  better. 
This  augurs  well  for  the  layers  that  are  about  to  be  taken,  for  splendid 
plants  ought  to  result  from  them.  The  practice  adopted  by  Messrs.  J. 
Veitch  &  Sons  of  having  plants  of  similar  varieties  to  those  in  the  beds 
growing  in  pots  in  a  long  span-roofed  house  near  by  is  an  excellent  one, 
for  it  permits  the  visitor  who  goes  on  a  wet  day  to  enjoy  the  beauty  of  the 
flowers  as  well  as  the  one  who  goes  on  a  fine  day.  The  writer  chose  the 
latter,  and  examined  the  plants  and  flowers,  both  in  and  out  of  doors, 
under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Weeks,  whose  skill  as  a  Cirnation  and 
Chrysanthemum  grower  has  long  since  gone  abroad  to  all  the  world. 
Let  it  not  be  thought  that  the  whole  of  the  varieties  represented  at 
Chelsea  are  about  to  be  noted  here,  for  such  is  not  to  be.  Only  a  few  of 
the  many  can  be  referred  to,  and  they  will  include  the  best,  or,  at  any  rate, 
such  as  were  considered  by  the  writer  as  being  in  the  front  rank.  Some 
will  be  quite  new,  while  others  will  be  old  and  well  known  to  cultivators. 
Two  grand  scarlets  are  Joe  Willet  and  Hayes’  Scarlet,  both  producing 
shapely  substantial  flowers  freely,  as  does  the  pure  white  Mrs.  Frank 
Watts,  which  is  grand  for  bedding.  The  bluish-purple  of  Bendigo 
commands  attention,  as  does  the  very  dark  crimson  of  Mephisto,  both  of 
which  are  beautiful  Carnations.  For  floriferousness  the  old  favourite 
Alice  Ayres  is  still  amongst  the  best ;  Exile,  with  bright  rose-hued  flowers, 
being  also  excellent  in  this  respect.  Very  chaste  are  the  flowers  of  Her 
Grace,  which  when  first  open  are  pale  blush,  turning  to  pure  white 
with  age.  As  a  scarlet  Little  John  wdl  claim  high  favour,  for  the  flower 
is  smooth  in  petal,  of  great  substance. 
Mrs.  C.  R.  Barclay  with  intense  salmon  rose  coloured  flowers  will 
please  many  visitors,  as  will  the  cinnamon  brown  Mrs.  Colby  Sharpin. 
Each  of  these  possesses  other  desirable  attributes,  besides  handsomeness 
of  colour.  Queen  of  Yellows  tells  its  own  colour,  but  cannot  speak  of 
its  excellent  form  and  substance.  Two  fine  whites  are  Sir  Wilfrid 
Laurier  and  George  Mackay,  and  a  couple  of  splendid  crimsons  are  Sir 
Faudel  Phillips  and  King  Arthur.  From  the  name  many  persons  would 
suppose  Sweet  Briar  to  be  deliciously  fragrant,  but  it  has  no  scent.  It  is 
a  finely  formed  flower  of  bright  scarlet  colour.  One  of  the  best  is  Mrs. 
James  Douglas,  which  is  rich  carmine  in  hue.  Pandeli  Ralli,  Mrs. 
Audrey  Campbell,  Mrs.  Patrick  Campbell,  and  Duke  of  Orleans  form  a 
quartet  of  splendid  yellows  ;  while  Silver  Strand  (pure)  and  Seagull 
(blush  white)  should  not  be  forgotten  These  are  all  varieties  of  merit 
that  are  worthy  of  inclusion  in  any  collection,  as  are  many  others  that 
might  be  enumerated  ;  but  with  the  addition  of  a  few  yellow  grounds  we 
must  cease. 
The  many  varieties  usually  placed  under  the  heading  of  yellow  ground 
Picotees  are  very  beautiful,  some  being  particularly  effective.  Gol  len 
Eagle  for  example  stands  out  conspicuously,  as  do  Eldorado  and  The 
Gift,  but  the  majority  were  not  yet  fully  espanded  when  this  visit  was 
paid.  The  collection  of  Malmaison  Carnations,  which  includes  all  the 
best  varieties,  is  also  worthy  of  attention,  and  should  be  seen  by  all 
visitors  to  the  famous  Chelsea  nursery  during  the  next  few  weeks. — 
Wanderer. 
Spiraea  ari^efolia. — There  are  few,  if  any,  prettier  shrubs 
than  this  when  in  flower,  and  as  its  season  is  after  the  majority  of  spring 
shrubs  are  past,  it  lends  a  brightness  to  the  shrubbery  borders  when 
most  needed.  Its  habit  of  growth  and  flowering  makes  it  an  object  of 
great  interest,  and  this  is  heightened  by  the  freedom  with  which  its 
creamy  white,  drooping  panicles  are  produced.  It  is  a  shrub  that  every 
garden  should  possess,  if  only  a  solitary  specimen,  and  those  who  do  not 
claim  it  certainly  lose  an  object  of  beauty.  It  is  invaluable  for  associating 
with  other  flowers  in  a  cut  state,  or  alone  it  can  be  used  with  telling 
effect  in  tall  vases.  It  makes  a  low  spreading  bush,  and  delights  in  a  deep 
and  moist  soil,  judging  from  its  growth  in  different  positions  here.  I  do 
not  find  it  so  effective  in  a  young  plant  as  in  an  older  specimen,  the  latter 
having  a  greater  amount  of  lateral  growth,  which  flowering  from  every 
point  gives  a  dense  mass  of  delicate  and  graceful  blossom.  Those  who 
do  not  possess  it  ought  to  make  a  note  of  it  for  autumn  planting. — 
Rood  Ashton. 
