270 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  6,  1898. 
of  the  flowers  is  bright  and  attractive,  and  if  good  bulbs  are  obtained 
and  potted  early  it  may  be  had  in  flower  by  the  end  of  November. 
A  good  companion  for  it  is  the  white  variety  of  that  type.  This  is 
at  present  rather  dear,  but  as  the  stock  becomes  more  plentiful  and 
lower  prices  prevail  it  will,  I  think,  become  the  leading  white  Tulip 
for  early  forcing. 
In  this  section  other  desirable  varieties  are  gold-tipped,  yellow, 
and  rose  Due  Van  Thols.  Proserpine  is  another  excellent  rose 
coloured  variety  which  forces  extremely  well.  There  is  always  a 
great  demand  for  early  white  Tulips,  and  many  are  on  the  look-out 
to  discover  the  best  variety  to  grow  for  the  purpose.  As  I  have 
previously  stated,  Due  Van  Thol  white  is  fine,  but  at  present  too 
expensive.  Other  varieties  much  grown  are  LTmmacuIa  and  La 
Peine ;  the  former  is  inclined  to  go  blind  if  pushed  on  rapidly,  and 
the  latter  is  not  really  a  white,  but  a  rose-shaded  Tulip  which  when 
forced  early  comes  fairly  white ;  thus  both  have  their  faults.  White 
Swan  is  the  best  variety  I  have  yet  tried.  It  is  seldom  that  any  of 
the  flowers  go  blind  if  properly  treated ;  the  colour  is  pure,  and  the 
price  satisfactory.  To  all,  therefore,  who  require  a  really  good  white 
for  forcing  1  commend  White  Swan. 
Chrysolora  is  a  pure  yellow  which  is  very  hard  to  beat;  it  is 
forced  by  the  million  for  supplying  our  markets.  Canary  Bird  is  very 
bright  in  colour,  compact,  well  shaped,  and  forces  well,  but  is  at 
present  somewhat  expensive.  Among  striped  single  Tulips  Bride  of 
Haarlem  (white  and  red),  Alida  Maria  (cherry  red,  white  striped), 
Cour  de  France  (brown  and  yellow  striped),  Samson  (red  and  yellow 
striped),  and  White  and  Red  Bordered,  are  some  of  the  best.  The 
gems  among  early  double  Tulips  are  Due  Van  Thol,  scarlet  and  red 
and  yellow;  La  Candeur,  white;  Salvator  Rosa;  Tournesol,  yellow, 
orange  shaded  ;  Duke  of  York,  Velvet  Gem,  and  Gloria  Solis. 
Many  of  the  showiest  varieties  of  Narcissus  will  not  force  well, 
but  we  have  at  least  four  which  will  bear  forcing,  provided  they 
are  well  rooted  before  being  placed  in  heat.  These  are  Sir  Watkin, 
poeticus  ornatus,  Van  Zion,  and  Horsefieldi.  The  first  named  I  have 
had  in  flower  in  December.  A  few  potfuls  were  placed  in  the  forcing 
house  to  see  how  it  behaved,  and  not  a  bud  went  blind.  Since  that 
time  I  have  always  potted  a  considerable  number  of  this  “  king  ” 
among  Narcissus  for  early  forcing  ;  Horsefieldi  may  also  be  obtained  in 
flower  during  December,  but  the  proper  season  for  ornatus  and  Van 
Zion  is  about  the  first  week  in  January.  If  pushed  on  too  rapidly 
many  buds  are  often  lost.  Excellent  remarks  on  useful  bulbs  for 
general  purposes  appeared  on  page  230,  so  I  will  not  enter  into  that 
matter  here. — PI.  D. 
(To  be  continued.) 
LATE  AUTUMN  FLOWERS. 
Eke  autumn’s  golden  hours  depart  and  winter’s  dull,  cheerless 
days,  arrive,  let  us  go  afield  and  see  what  delights  can  be  found  in 
gardens  less  devoted  to  perennial  flowers  than  ours.  If  these  are  the 
mistresses  of  our  heart  we  need  not  therefore  despise  and  slight  the 
charms  of  others’  favourites.  We  shall  thus  this  bright  September 
day  pass  through  the  reaped  and  cleared  harvest  fields  on  a  short 
pilgrimage  to  a  garden  familiar  because  of  old  acquaintance,  yet 
giving  every  year  some  new  feature,  some  fresh  pleasure  in  flower  or 
plant.  Since  the  writer  first  knew  it  many  have  been  the  changes. 
\  ears  ago  flowers  were  little  grown,  and  vegetables  and  fruit  were  the 
specialities — nay,  almost  the  sole  produce  of  this  garden. 
Where  once  homely  vegetables  and  pleasant  fruits  monopolised  the 
soil  flowers  have  found  their  way,  and  now  occupy  more  than  a  lion’s 
share.  Where  once  a  two-light  frame  comprised  the  “  glass  ”  modern 
houses  have  arisen  in  which  Grape  and ‘Tomato  keep  up  the  old 
traditions  of  the  place,  while  Begonias,  Pelargoniums,  Palms,  Coleuses, 
and  many  other  flowers  and  plants  tell  of  the  new  re</ime.  First  we 
pass  the  garden  front,  where  long  ago  bare  turf  reigned  supreme. 
Now  we  see  with  pleasure  tall  Kniphofias  shining  brilliantly  among 
the  Michaelmas  Daisies,  Aconitums,  Phloxes,  and  perennial  Marguerites 
in  the  beds,  while  beds  of  China  Roses,  bright  now,  will  in  a  week 
or  two  be  brighter  still.  Heaths,  too,  look  lively,  and  behind  them 
other  Phloxes  yet  show  their  usefulness  for  autumn  bloom. 
From  the  house  to  the  walled  garden  we  pass  along  a  spacious 
drive.  By  the  way  are  beds  of  modem  Roses  whose  second  blooms  are 
late  this  year,  but  which  show  token  of  fine  flowers  should  dry,  bright 
weather  prevail.  About  the  centre  of  the  drive  the  trees  open  into  a 
wide  circle  where,  as  throughout  the  grounds,  Rhododendrons  flourish, 
and  in  their  time  are  bright  with  bloom. 
As  we  proceed  we  come  in  sight  of  the  Solway  beating  on  the 
shelving  rocks  which  margin  the  sandy  shore,  and  a  turn  to  the  right 
leads  us  to  the  walled  garden,  seeing  ere  we  enter  more  Rhododendrons, 
great  bushes  of  Veronicas,  and  huge  plants  of  Rugosa  Roses.  Through 
the  gateway  we  go,  and  are  gazing  down  a  long,  broad  path,  which 
leads  to  another  gateway  to  the  shore.  For  a  number  of  years  the 
great  feature  of  this  walk  was  the  lines  of  Begonias  which  in  autumn, 
backed  by  Dahlias,  were  gay  in  the  extreme.  Last  season  and  this 
other  plants  have  been  tried,  but  next  year  it  is  intended  that  Begonias 
should  be  again  grown,  nothing  else  being  so  well  adapted  for  what  is 
required.  This  year  there  are  panels  of  Iresines,  Verbenas,  Violas, 
Phlox  Drummondi,  and  other  summer  flowers,  edged  with  Alyssum 
maritimum  variegatum.  With  the  modern  Begonias,  such  as  are 
grown  in  the  centre  of  the  space  formed  by  the  walks  converging  from 
the  side,  a  finer  effect  will  again  be  produced. 
Behind  the  dwarfer  plants  are  rows  of  single  Dahlia  White  Queen, 
alternating  with  two  plants  of  the  old  but  useful  decorative  Dahlia 
Glare  of  the  Garden.  This,  the  writer  knows,  has  been  grown  here 
for  many  years,  but  shows  no  signs  of  deterioration.  Trained  to  a 
wire  trellis  behind  are  still  taller  plants — Ricinuses,  Hollyhocks, 
Nicotianas,  pyramids  of  Sweet  Peas,  Scarlet  Runners,  Cactus  Dahlia 
Juarezi  9  feet  high,  and  Cannabis,  while  here  and  there  are  Manwvs, 
which  are  surprisingly  effective.  In  the  lower  section  of  the  walk 
Dahlias  White  Queen  and  Glare  of  the  Garden  are  replaced  by  single 
varieties  alone,  among  which  were  observed  alba  perfecta,  the  old 
Paragon,  the  dark  Zulu,  The  Mikado,  Excelsior,  the  fine  Aurora; 
“M.C.C.,”  a  good  striped  variety ;  Miss  Zulema  and  Jack  Sheppard, 
also  striped  ;  Sunningdale  Yellow,  a  well  coloured  and  formed  flower; 
and  the  cream  and  white  Miss  Henshaw.  Flanking  the  gateway  at 
the  lower  end  of  the  garden  are  two  picturesque  little  round  houses,  up 
which  grow  Tropreolum  speciosum,  and  beside  are  two  remarkably 
fine  Hydrangeas — hardy  here,  and  full  of  bloom. 
Retracing  our  steps  we  examine  the  rows  of  Cactus  Dahlias  at  the 
top  of  the  garden,  and  on  either  side  of  the  gateway  and  elsewhere. 
The  best  white  here  is  Miss  Webster,  but  Mrs.  Francis  Fell  is  also 
good  and  purer  in  colour  than  the  former.  An  ineffective  Dahlia  on 
the  plant  but  good  when  cut  is  Mrs.  Hill ;  very  good  also  are  Leonora, 
Mrs.  Wilson  Noble,  Cycle,  Miss  Jane  Basham,  Mabel  Keith,  Valkyrie, 
Fusilier,  Starfish,  Charles  Woodbridge,  Mary  Hillier,  and  a  number  of 
others.  Backed  by  Tropseolums  and  Clematis  Jackmanni  on  the 
wall,  and  with  early  Chrysanthemums  and  dwarfer  flowers  in  front, 
they  look  very  well  indeed.  Among  the  early  Chrysanthemums  were 
observed  Mdlle.  Marie  Masse,  Le  Poete  des  Chrysanthemes,  Harvest 
Flome  (especially  fine),  Edith  Syratt,  and  the  good  white  Baroness 
G.  C.  de  Brailles. 
A  quarter  devoted  to  the  useful  Pompon  Dahlias  was  brilliant  in 
colouring.  About  thirty  varieties  are  grown.  Of  these  I  noted  the 
pretty  little  Zoar,  which  is,  however,  too  dwarf  for  general  use  ;  Eric, 
Locket,  Achilles ;  Mittie  Wood,  a  good  light  yellow  ;  Janet ;  Sovereign, 
another  capital  yellow ;  Boule  d’Or,  Brunette,  and  Iolanthe.  Show 
and  Fancy  Dahlias  are  also  grown,  but  in  smaller  quantity,  although 
doing  well  and  showing  capital  blooms,  useful  in  helping  with  the 
quantity  of  cut  flowers  required.  Annuals  are  now  grown  in  smaller 
quantity  than  before,  but  are  still  found  very  valuable.  Among  the 
many  in  bloom  one  particularly  noticed  a  good  strain  of  Dianthus 
chinensis  of  much  beauty  in  form  and  colour. 
Herbaceous  and  bulbous  plants  are  receiving  more  attention,  and 
another  season  will  show  even  better  results  than  now.  The  bulk  of  these 
flowers  are  over,  but  a  number  of  Phloxes  of  superior  quality  will  be 
very  telling  another  season.  The  dark  flowered  Sesostris,  Avith  finely 
shaped  large  pips,  was  noted,  with  the  pretty  coloured  pink  Phlox 
Cameron,  Montbretias  Gerbe  d’Or  and  Etoile  de  Feu — although  not 
the  newest  of  these  useful  flowers — are  distinct  enough,  and  when  well 
grown,  as  here,  well  worthy  of  note.  Anemone  japonica  alba  is  also 
a  favourite  here,  while  such  good  Michaelmas  Daisies  as  Aster  Coombe- 
Fishacre  and  A.  puniceus  pulcherrimus  are  included  in  the  collection 
of  these  plants.  Ksempfer’s  Irises  have  done  well,  and  a  large  bed  is 
to  be  planted  with  these  splendid  flowers  in  a  moist  border  for  another 
season. 
A  glance  into  frames  showed  a  magnificent  lot  of  the  newest  Zonal 
Pelargoniums  for  winter  bloom,  and  an  equally  fine  stock  of  Primula 
sinensis  in  named  sorts  looked  remarkably  well.  A  number  of  plants 
of  the  hybrid  Streptocarpi  occupied  another  frame.  In  one  house  fine 
Begonias  of  the  best  modern  types  were  seen,  and  greenhouse  flowers 
in  variety  were  looking  well  all  through. 
One  cannot  but  observe  the  remarkably  heavy  crop  of  fine  Apples. 
Pears  and  Plums  are  a  little  short  this  season,  but  other  fruits  are  up 
to  the  average,  and  a  peep  at  the.  vinery  shows  the  finest  crop  of  Grapes 
ever  produced  in  this  house.  These  and  the  vegetables  are,  perhaps, 
outside  the  scope  of  the  heading  of  this  article,  but  no  one  can  but  feel 
pleasure  at  seeing  the  good  culture  of  Mr.  W.  Howliston,  the  head 
gardener,  so  well  repaid.  Colonel  Blackett  takes  the  warmest  interest 
in  his  estate  in  general,  as  all  in  the  neighbourhood  can  tell,  but  it  is 
to  Mrs.  Blackett  that  the  garden  is  indebted  for  the  progress  it  has 
made,  and  is  making  still.  Occasionally  the  garden  is  open  to  residents 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  on  such  days  many  visit  it  Avith  deep  enjoy¬ 
ment.  Even  the  writer,  long  familiar  with  Arbigland,  never  fails  to 
enjoy  an  hour  or  tAvo  on  other  days  among  such  flowers  as  those  of 
Avhich  he  has  spoken.  Too  soon  will  they  be  cut  down,  but  their 
mission  is  unfulfilled  if  the  tale  of  their  brightness  is  not  imprinted  on 
our  memories. — S.  Arnott. 
