June  18,  1896. 
571 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
Broom,  but  were  larger  than  on  the  wild  Broom.  Mr.  Henslow  exhibited 
sprays  from  a  seedling  which  had  come  true.  The  plant  had  been 
grafted  on  the  common  Broom. 
Peas  Penetrated  by  Oats  -—Mr.  Henslow  exhibited  a  specimen — 
one  of  many  found  among  Peas — of  a  Pea  which  had  been  hollowed  out 
by  a  weevil,  and  then  penetra'ed  by  an  Oat.  It  illustrates,  presumably, 
the  remarkable  property  of  penetrating  the  soil  possessed  by  Oats,  fruits 
of  Erodium,  &c.,  which  are  provided  with  a  spirally  twisted  hygroscopic 
awn.  Tnis  on  becoming  moistened  untwists,  and  so  thrusts  the  lower 
end  downwards.  In  this  case  it  happened  to  penetrate  the  hollow  peas 
Garden  Hybrids  — Mr.  Henslow  described  some  specimens  received 
from  Rev.  C.  W.  Dod,  consisting  of  natural  crosses  between  species  of 
Polemonium,  Papaver,  and  Heuchera.  In  one  case  Polemonium  flavum 
X  P.  cceruleum,  the  hybrid  scarcely  differed  from  the  male  parent ;  but 
in  all  the  others  the  cross  was  more  decidedly  intermediate.  The 
following  are  a  few  of  the  points  which  showed  the  proportional  inter¬ 
mediate  characters.  Taking,  eg .,  P.  cceruleum  :  the  hybrid  :  P.  reptani  ; 
the  length  of  blades  of  similar  leaves  were  as  3  :  I  5  :  5.  The  apex  of  a 
leaflet — shortly  acute  :  sub-acuminate  :  acuminate.  Anther  elongated, 
golden  yellow  ;  shorter,  pale  yellow  :  shortest,  white.  Size  of  pollen 
grains — 2  :  1*75  :  P5,  &c.  With  regard  to  P.  flavum xP.  cceruleum,  Mr. 
Dod  writes  : — “  This  is  the  most  interesting  of  the  many  hybrids  of 
Polemonium  which  come  up  in  my  garden.  I  have  no  doubt  of  the 
hybrid,  becauge  I  have  carefully  saved  seed  of  P.  flavum,  and  the  hybrid 
has  shown  itself  among  several  sowings.  It  is  interesting  because  in 
colour  and  flower  it  so  nearly  follows  the  pollen  parent.  The  difference 
in  habit  is  considerable.  P.  c.  has  a  perpendicular  habit  of  growth,  but 
the  hybrid  follows  P.  flavum  in  being  divaricate  at  the  base,  the  hybrid 
is  absolutely  barren,  though  the  parents  are  both  profuse  seeders.  The 
hybrid,  however,  is  most  prolific  in  other  wavs  ;  for  any  stump  of  stalk 
grows  readily  and  luxuriantly.”  With  regard  to  other  characters  the 
hybrid  is  more  decidedly  pubescent  than  is  the  stem,  &c.,  of  P.  c.  ;  but. 
less  so  than  P.  fl.  The  petals  of  P.  c.  have  a  round  purple  ring  at  the 
base  of  the  corolla.  In  the  hybrid  this  is  wanting,  as  it  is  also  in 
P.  fl.,  &c.  The  cross  between  Heuchera  cylindrica  with  green  flowers 
and  H.  sanguinea,  with  crimson  flowers,  is  very  obvious,  the  hybrid 
having  rose-red  flowers.  The  pollen,  unlike  that  of  the  parents,  was 
very  bad.  Though  the  leaves  resembled  those  of  the  parents  in  size,  the 
veining  agreed  mostly  with  that  of  H.  sanguinea;  the  angles  between 
the  palmate  veins  being  less  acute  than  is  the  case  in  H.  c.  In  the  form 
of  the  calyx,  the  hybrid  also  approximated  that  of  H,  e.  rather  than 
that  of  H.  c.  In  Papaver  orientale  var.  bracteatum  x  P.  rupifragum, 
this  hybrid,  though  decidedly  intermediate,  approaches  P.  r.  the  nearest. 
Thus  while  P.  or.  is  hirsute  P.  r.  is  pubescent.  In  the  cross  the  hairiness 
is  of  an  intermediate  character.  This  is  well  Eeen  in  the  calyx  by  the 
following  proportions — P.  or.  :  Hyb.  :  P.  r.  ;  stiff  curved  hairs  :  soft 
curved  hairs  :  tomentose.  The  peduncle  has  cords  scattered,  as  in 
endogens,  in  P.  or.  ;  while  in  the  hybrid  and  in  P.  r.  the  peduncle  is 
much  smaller,  having  the  cords  in  a  ring.  The  corolla  is  scarlet  in 
P.  or.  ;  orange  in  hybrid  and  P.  r.,  &c.  Generally  speaking,  therefore, 
the  hybrid  is  intermediate,  but  approximates  P.  r.  With  regard  to  other 
hybrid  Poppies  Dr.  Masters  observed  that  M.  Vilmorin  had  succeeded 
in  crossing  P.  orientale  with  P.  somniferum,  and  also  with  P.  Rhans. 
Mr.  Wilks  tried  to  cross  a  Shirley  with  the  Iceland  Poppy,  but  the  result 
was  identical  with  the  wild  P.  Rhaeas. 
The  Flag-lee1i.~T)r.  Masters  exhibited  a  curious  specimen,  in  which 
the  leaves  were  very  large,  coDcrescent  and  spiral  in  growth. 
WESTHILL,  EDGBASTON,  BIRMINGHAM. 
THIS  locally  well-known  residence  of  Lady  Mart.ineau  (widow  of  the 
late  Sir  Thomas  Martineau,  and  a  sister  of  the  Right  Hon.  Joseph 
Chamberlain’s  first  wife)  is  situated  in  the  Augustus  Road,  in  the  City 
of  Hardware’s  aristocratic  “  West-End.”  Westhill  being  known  as  the 
abode  of  one  of  Birmingham’s  most  influential  and  respected  citizens, 
both  as  connected  with  an  eminent  firm  of  barristers  and  prominent 
Town  Councillor,  having  been  elected  on  three  consecutive  occasions  as 
Mayor  of  Birmingham,  and  it  was  during  that  term  of  high  office  that 
he,  Mr.  Thomas  Martineau,  was  knighted  on  the  occasion  of  Her  Majesty 
the  Queen  laying  the  foundation  stone  of  the  Victoria  Law  Courts.  Not 
the  least  notable  of  the  many  virtues  possessed  by  the  worthy  Knight 
was  his  inherent  love  of  horticulture,  flowers  espec:ally,  and  it  was  this 
proclivity  which  so  readily  induced  him  to  become  the  warm  supporter 
and  first  President  of  the  Birmingham  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association  for  several  years,  from  its  inception  until  the  time  of  his 
lamented  death. 
By  the  foregoing  observations  it  will  be  more  readily  conceived  that 
the  charming  though  comparatively  small  grounds  at  Westhill  proved 
to  be  a  home  for  much  pertaining  to  horticulture,  and  in  which  pursuit 
he  ever  found  an  able  and  interested  coadjutor  in  his  respected  head 
gardener,  Mr.  Oliver  Brasier,  who  continues  to  enjoy  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  Lady  Martineau.  As  already  remarked,  the  demesne  is  com¬ 
paratively  small,  comprising  about  4  acres,  but  owing  to  its  landscape 
characteristics  it  appears  considerably  larger.  The  well-kept  lawn  and 
the  surrounding  shrubberies  present  a  very  pleasing  effect  in  combination 
with  several  old  timber  trees  disposed  over  the  whole.  The  vegetable 
and  fruit  garden  has  been  rendered  small  by  the  comparative  large  area 
occupied  by  the  glass  department  ;  but  at  the  time  of  our  visit  recently 
it  was  well  furnished  with  vegetables  in  various  stages  of  growth,  whilst 
a  considerable  proportion  is  occupied  by  pyramidal  and  bush-trained 
Apples  and  Pears  in  vigorous  health,  insomuch  as  to  suggest  the  propriety 
of  a  further  application  of  the  pruning  knife  at  their  roots.  Several  of 
the  trees,  however,  promised  a  fair  crop  of  fruit.  The  high  geographical 
position,  comb’ned  with  the  deleterious  gases  emanating  from  the  various 
factories  in  the  surrounding  district,  will  ever  prove  inimical  to  the 
successful  production  of  the  tenderer  kinds  of  fruit  unless  grown  under 
glass  ;  not  but  what  some  very  useful  and  good  crops  have  been  often 
secured  under  the  adverse  conditions  implied. 
A  promising  feature  connected  with  Westhill  is  the  comparatively 
large  extent  of  glass,  consisting  as  it  does  of  three  good  vineries,  and 
one  of  which  is  to  be  converted  into  a  Peach  house  ;  two  commodious 
span-roofed  plant  houses,  each  about  40  feet  long  by  24  feet  wide. 
There  are  supplemented  by  a  commodious  lean-to  structure  for  the 
growing  of  a  variety  of  supernumerary  plants  in  ;  whilst  a  smaller  com¬ 
partment  is  devoted  to  the  culture  of  Melons,  Cucumbers,  and  Tomatoes, 
and  in  a  long,  wide,  span-roofed  cpld  frame  a  large  and  healthy  stock  of 
Begonias,  and  named,  as  well  as  seedling  Chinese  Primulas,  attracted 
attention.  Of  Chrysanthemums  in  various  stages  and  forms  of  growth  in 
the  most  robust  health,  destined,  we  think,  to  gain  honours  for  their 
cultivator  at  the  forthcoming  local  exhibitions,  and  thereby  add  to  the 
long  list  of  honours  won  in  the  past.  Of  equal  importance  is  the  stock 
of  Palms,  Crotons  (Codiasums),  Allamandas,  Bougainvilleas,  Ixoras,  and 
Eucharis  amazonica,  including  a  very  fine  specimen  of  Cycas  revoluta, 
with  about  four  dozen  newly  produced  fronds ;  likewise  specimen 
Azaleas,  Fuchsias,  and  other  subjects  too  numerous  to  mention  here ; 
suffice  it  to  say  they  have  frequently  rendered  a  good  account  of  them¬ 
selves  in  more  than  one  local  11  floralia.”  A  large  supply  of  “furnishing” 
plants  and  flowers  is  not  the  least  interesting  and  essential  commodity 
required  for  room  and  window  requisition,  in  addition  to  the  flower 
garden  supply.  Orchids,  however,  are  a  very  small  item  in  the  general 
collection,  as  they  are  not  specially  required  here.  Note  was  made  of 
a  number  of  wHl  bloomed  plants  of  the  novel  and  curiously  organised 
Streptocarpus  Wenlandi,  with  its  enormous  solitary  leaf  and  che  hairy 
peduncles  rising  from  its  axil,  and  which  attain  a  height  of  about 
30  inches,  bearing  numerous  blue  flowers,  very  similar  to  some  of  the 
“  hybrid  ”  well  known  strain. 
Worthy  of  mention  also  is — what  unfortunately  is  not  possessed  by 
every  gardener  in  charge  of  a  large  collection  of  plants,  &c.— the 
commodious  and  well-lighted  and  appointed  potting  shed,  a  factor 
materially  conducive  to  the  comfort  of  the  operator  and  the  well-being 
of  especially  tender  plants  under  any  condition  of  weather. 
With  regard  to  the  vineries  very  early  for.  ing  is  not  in  request,  and 
the  earliest  Grapes  were  only  just  commencing  to  colour.  The  crop  was 
of  moderate  extent  and  with  useful  size  in  bunch,  the  Vines  exhibiting 
signs  of  weakness  as  compared  with  their  more  primitive  state,  having 
for  several  years  past  produced  heavy  crops  of  fruit,  and  their  roots 
requiring  a  new  pasturage.  This  latter  requisite,  combined  with 
judicious  light  cropping  for  a  season  or  two,  if  afforded  ere  long,  ought 
to  produce  satisfactory  results,  as  they  are  apparently  far  from  being 
past  recuperation.  The  latest  house  did  net  exhibit  so  great  a  degree  of 
weakness,  the  crop  being  heavier  and  the  bunches  larger.  Mr.  Brasier 
looks  forward  with  pleasure  to  the  conversion  of  the  second  vinery  into 
a  peachery.  The  forcing  of  Strawberries  is  not  comprised  in  the  code  of 
requirements,  and  which  if  entailed  would  require  an  extension  of  garden 
space  not  readily  at  command. 
In  conclusion  of  these  notes  upon  what  may  appropriately  be 
designated  a9  a  multmn  in  pat  no  gardening  establishment,  and  in  which 
good  order  and  cleanliness  are  not  the  least  features  to  be  observed, 
owing  to  the  energy  of  the  courteous  superintendent,  who  enjoys  the 
universal  respect  and  esteem  of  the  horticultural  fraternity  of  the 
neighbourhood. — W.  G. 
MEMORIAL  TREE  PLANTING. 
The  planting  of  trees  commemorative  of  particular  persons  or  events 
is  an  interesting  custom  which,  though  perhaps  not  quite  so  widely  prac¬ 
tised  as  formerly,  is  in  little  danger  of  falling  into  disuse.  Tree  planting 
in  itself  is  so  delightful  a  debt  of  duty,  paid  alike  to  the  soil  and  posterity, 
that  it  has  been  described  as  “  a  kind  of  moral  virtue  ;  ”  and  the  associa¬ 
tion  of  an  illustrious  memory  with  an  individual  tree  at  once  endows  it 
with  a  sympathetic  and  enduring  human  interest.  Before  leaving 
England  last  month  the  Queen  had  a  tree  planted  near  the  drive  leading 
from  the  Sovereign’s  entrance  at  Windsor  Castle  to  Frogmore  in  memory 
of  the  late  Sir  Henry  Ponsonby,  which  will  be  thus  gratefully  11  kept 
green  ”  perhaps  for  centuries  to  come. 
No  cenotaph  appeals  more  strongly  to  cultivated  minds  than  some 
historic  father  of  the  forest ;  and  the  great  ages  frequently  attained  by 
Oaks  and  Yews,  not  to  speak  of  Elms,  Limes,  and  Chestnuts,  suggests 
that  trees  might  with  propriety  be  still  oftener  employed  for  memorial 
purposes  than  is  at  present  the  case.  It  is  in  the  nature  of  things  that 
their  planting  should  chiefly  be  heard  of  in  connection  with  wealthy 
owners  and  large  estates  ;  but  no  insuperable  difficulty  stands  in  the 
way  of  the  realisation  of  Mr.  Ruskin’s  opinion  that  “  everybody  ought 
to  plant  at  least  one  tree  during  his  lifetime.”  It  might  puzzle  some 
eminent  personages  to  decide  whether  they  had  laid  more  foundation 
stones  or  planted  more  memorial  trees  ;  and  it  may  be  permissible  to  say 
of  the  Prince  of  Wales  that  he  has  probably  assisted  at  a  greater  number 
of  both  ceremonies  than  any  other  subject  of  the  Queen.  The  contrast 
between  the  massive  block  of  granite  or  Portland  stone  and  the  frail¬ 
looking  sapling  set  in  a  foot  or  two  of  earth  would  seem  to  be  all  in 
favour  of  the  durability  of  the  former.  But  the  tree  is  often  destined  to 
become  a  stalwart  sentinel  of  Time,  by  whose  side  even  buildings  of 
importance  slowly  crumble  into  dust. 
