Journal  op  nbRTTcuLTVRE  and  cottage  garden-er. 
July  2,  1898, 
- Chestnuts. — The  American  Cliestnut  has  the  sweetest  kernels  ! 
but  are  smaller,  and  the  trees  must  be  some  fifteen  or  more  years  from 
the  seed  before  they  bear.  The  European,  or  Spanish  Chestnut,  has  nuts 
nearly  double  the  size  of  the  American,  but  are  tamer  in  flavour.  But 
the  trees  will  bear  at  about  ten  years  from  the  seel.  The  dwarf 
Chinquepin  Chestnut  will  often  bear  the  second  or  third  year  from  seed, 
but  the  nuts  are  so  small  that  they  are  not  in  general  use.  The  Japan 
Chestnut  is  a  comparative  dwarf,  though  a  stronger  grower  than 
the  American  Chinquepin,  but  the  nuts  are  as  large  as  the  European 
Chestnut,  with  about  the  same  taste.  Like  the  Chinquepin,  they  bear 
early.  But  all  the  kinds  bear  early  when  grafted  from  bearing  trees. — 
(“  Meehans’  Monthly.”) 
-  Wistaria  sinensis.— The  accompanying  photograph  conveys 
a  faint  idea  of  the  beauty  of  this  grand  old  creeper  when  well  flowered. 
I  have  sent  it  to  show  the  results  obtainable  by  following  the  simple 
method  of  pruning  which  I  have  frequently  advocated  in  the  pages  of  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture.  This  is  to  thin  the  shoots  slightly  early  in 
August,  and  when  the  leaves  have  fallen  cut  away  the  unripened  points, 
and  tie-in  the  remaining  shoots  wherever  room  can  be  found  for  them. 
The  old  method  of  pruning  closely  quite  fails  to  show  the  capabilities 
of  this  rampant  climber,  than  which  I  know  of  nothing  more  suitable 
for  covering  quickly  high  walls  or  buildings.  I  am,  moreover,  con¬ 
vinced  that  in  the  management  of  flowering  shrubs  and  climbers 
generally  the  best  results  are  achieved  by  pruning  in  a  way  similar  to 
that  now  adopted  for  fruit  trees  grown  on  the  extension  system — viz., 
that  of  thinning  the  shoots  instead  of  shortening  them,  A  too  free  use 
of  the  knife  has  in  innumerable  instances  been  the  cause  of  barren 
fruit  trees  and  flowerless  shrubs  and  climbers.  The  illustration  shows  a 
Wistaria  growing  on  the  orangery  here. — H,  Dunkin,  Castle  Gardens, 
Wanoioli.  [Unfortunately  the  photograph,  showing  the  hundreds  of 
trusses  of  flowers,  was  not  suitable  for  reproduction  in  our  pages.] 
-  “The  Candle  Tree.” — Vegetable  tallow  is  a  product  which 
meets  with  more  attention  on  the  Continent  than  in  England,  Its 
power  of  withstanding  heat,  which  enables  it  to  be  shipped  in  cheeses 
without  any  packing,  would  seem  to  show  that  it  was  well  suited  for 
cundles  in  hot  climates  ;  but  there  has  been  very  little  readiness  shown 
in  London  to  deal  in  it,  says  Consul  Carles  writing  from  Hankow. 
There  are  three  or  four  qualities  of  the  article,  and  its  purity  greatly 
depends  upon  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  prepared  for  export 
If  crushed  with  the  seeds  its  quality  is  greatly  deteriorated,  and  the 
cheeses  contain  elements  which  are  difiicult  to  remove.  But  if  the 
coating  is  carefully  removed  from  the  seeds  and  then  boiled,  it  is  said  to 
withstand  any  heat,  and  to  be  very  serviceable.  Samples  in  the 
London  market  were  for  many  years  almost  entirely  neglected,  but  in 
Europe  it  is  much  used  for  candles,  as  a  component  in  the  manufacture 
of  soap,  and  for  other  purposes.  Advices  have  been  received  from 
England  to  the  effect  that  adverse  duties  on  the  Continent  on  export 
from  Great  Britain  absolutely  prohibit  the  trade  thence.  The  statement 
seems  to  admit  of  doubt.  The  production  of  this  tallow  is  capable  of 
very  large  extension.  The  beauty  of  the  autumn  tints  of  the  Tallow 
Tree,  especially  when  grown  near  water,  recommend  its  introduction 
into  the  milder  parts  of  England, 
-  Stoneceop, — A  very  pretty  contrast  to  the  old  grey  or  brown 
wall  is  given  by  the  masses  of  golden  Stonecrop  which  often  surmount 
it,  the  large  thick  yellow  clusters  and  the  rich  green  of  its  foliage 
making  altogether  a  mass  of  bright  colour.  The  common  Stonecrop 
(Sedum  acre)  merits  well  its  name  of  Wall  Pepper,  for  a  burning  sensa¬ 
tion  long  remains  on  the  tongue  if  we  bite  it.  The  shoots  so  thickly  set 
with  small  upright  succulent  leaves,  overlapping  each  other,  do  not  hear 
the  flowers,  as  these  are  placed  on  leafless  stems,  and  this  forms  a  mark 
by  which  to  distinguish  the  species.  This  plant  boiled  in  ale  was  an  old 
medicine  for  rheumatism.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  kingdom  the 
species  called  Tasteless  Stonecrop  (Sedum  sexangulare)  is  also  common 
on  walls  and  house  tops,  and,  as  its  name  imports,  it  is  free  from  acridity ; 
and  the  larger  crooked  yellow  Stonecrop  fSedum  reflexum)  is  a  much 
more  frequent  plant  of  such  places,  often  making  the  roofs  look  beautiful 
by  its  large  bunches  of  golden  flowers  on  their  stems  5  or  C  inches  high, 
and  its  leaf  stems  with  many  thick  leaves  on  them  which  often  bend 
back  ;  while  a  very  similar  species,  except  that  its  tufted  loaves  form 
rosettes,  grows  in  large  masses  on  the  stones,  sometimes  in  the  very  bed 
of  a  rushing  river,  or  gilds  the  borders  of  some  roaring  waterfall  in 
Wales,  where  the  spray  leaves  on  its  foliage  and  blossoms  numerous 
drops  of  water  looking  like  crystals.  This  is  the  Welsh  Rock  Stonecrop 
(Sedum  Forsterianum).  The  flowers  of  these  species  are  all  yellow* 
— (“  Rural  World,”) 
YOUNG  GARDENERS. 
Their  Hours  and  Habitations. 
Your  correspondent,  “  Another  Subordinate,”  cannot  do  better  than 
read,  maik,  learn,  and  inwardly  digest  the  two  very  excellent  letters 
contributed  to  this  discussion  by  “A  Wiltshire  Gardener.”  I  venture 
to  say  that  the  result  will  be  satisfactory  to  him  and  the  gardener  he  is 
serving.  In  the  meantime,  much  may  be  forgiven  him,  as  he  is  evidently 
young  and  inexperienced.  As  time  goes  on  many  things  which  puzzle 
him  now  will  become  perfectly  clear  and  distinct,  and  thus  easily  under¬ 
stood  when  he  is  a  head  gardener,  as  I  hope  may  be  the  case  some  day. 
He  will  then  find  that  the  care  of  the  bothy  and  its  occupants  is  only 
one  of  a  thousand  things  to  which  he  must  devote  his  attention, 
I  am  sure  there  are  hundreds  of  head  gardeners  who  would  be 
delighted  if  they  could  grant  the  young  men  under  them  more  favours, 
but  are  compelled  to  hold  their  hands  for  reasons  which  they  cannot 
discuss  with  those  serving  under  them.  So  far  as  my  twenty-five  years 
of  experience  goes,  1  am  assured  that  there  are  but  few  gardeners  who 
would  willingly  do  anything  to  make  their  young  men  unhappy.  At  the 
same  time,  it  ia  not  in  any  gardener’s  power  to  grant  every  request  that 
is  made  to  him,  as  I  said  before. 
There  is  also  another  thing.  Is  the  average  young  man  grateful  for 
little  favours  which  his  chief  may  go  out  of  his  way  to  grant  ?  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  my  experience  compels  me  to  say  most  emphatically. 
No. 
When  I  was  first  appointed  head,  now  about  eight  years  ago,  I  made 
up  my  mind  to  try  to  be  a  friend  in  every  way  to  the  young  men  who 
might  come  under  ray  care.  It  is  nothing  but  the  bare  truth  to  say  that 
1  studied  them  in  every  way  ;  but  without  exception  the  result  has  not 
been  fatisfactory.  Out  of  fourteen  young  men  who  have  passed  through 
my  hands  in  that  time  I  cannot  say  that  one  of  them  showed  me  even 
ordinary  gratitude  and  consideration,  to  say  nothing  of  any  deeper 
feeling. 
One  in  particular  who  gave  much  trouble,  and  for  whom  I 
went  to  further  trouble  and  expense  in  order  tq  provide  him  with 
another  situation,  treated  me  with  marked  ingratitude  and  contempt. 
As  a  result,  I  have  for  some  time  now  altered  my  methods,  and  do  not 
trouble  about  the  young  men  in  the  way  I  used  to  do.  To  speak  plainly, 
I  have  adopted  the  reciprocity  system,  and  find  that  it  is  the  best  by  a 
very  long  way.  1  notice  that  a  favour  is  more  highly  valued  if  granted 
after  it  is  asked  for.  The  ordinary  young  man  looks  upon  each  new 
concession  as  a  sort  of  vantage  ground  upon  which  to  stand  and  make 
fresh  demands. 
In  days  gone  by  1  used  sometimes  to  wonder  why  my  chief  was  so 
reserved  and  seemingly  indifferent  to  me  and  my  welfare.  I  do  not 
wonder  now,  as  I  can  see  quite  clearly  that  he  was  right,  and  his  method 
of  procedure  the  only  one  practicable  in  dealing  with  a  large  number  of 
young  men,  most  of  whom  were  probably  unreasonable  in  their  wants, 
and  ungraceful  when  these  wants  had  been  gratified. — Another  Head 
Gardener. 
CARNATIONS  AT  BARFORD  HILL. 
Carnations  will,  I  think,  ever  rank  among  the  most  beautiful  of 
flowers,  for  in  them  are  embodied  the  attributes  of  a  choice  floral  gem, 
having  good  form,  exquisite  colours,  and  delicious  perfume.  Fortunately 
their  merits  are  now  fully  appreciated,  and  each  year  we  find  a  greater 
number  of  gardens  in  which  special  attention  is  bestowed  upon  their 
culture. 
During  a  recent  visit  to  the  well-kept  gardens  at  Bar  ford  Hill,  near 
Warwick,  I  noticed  a  fine  all-round  collection.  A  low  span-roofed  was 
devoted  entirely  to  Malmaisons,  and  thoroughly  well  the  plants  looked 
in  6  and  6-inch  pots,  each  plant  carrying  one  good  flower.  These  plants 
will  be  transferred  to  larger  pots  shortly,  and  grown  for  producing 
flowers  in  abundance  next  year.  Being  healthy,  vigorous,  and  entirely 
free  from  disease  they  should  develop  into  extra  fine  specimens.  The 
bright  salmon  pink  variety  is  here,  as  in  so  many  other  places,  the 
favourite.  Several  plants  of  the  newer  striped  variety,  Sir  E.  Wood, 
were  also  in  flower,  and  Mr.  R.  Jones,  the  head  gardener,  thinks 
highly  of  it,  and  intends  to  propagate  it  as  fast  as  possible.  Frequent 
applications  of  clear  soot  water  is  the  principal  stimulant  employed 
for  Carnations  at  Barford  Hill.  Another  house  was  filled  with  a  mixed 
collection.  Two  well-known  varieties,  Uriah  Pike  and  Winter  Cheer, 
were  here  in  good  form.  Although  the  plants  had  been  flowering 
freely  throughout  the  spring  months  they  still  carried  numbers  of 
their  useful  flowers.  Miss  A.  Campbell  was  conspicuous  among  the 
yellow  varieties,  and  Miss  M.  Godfrey  is  a  charming  white,  much  liked 
for  winter  flowering.  A  fine  flower  of  a  beautiful  soft  satin  rose  shade 
is  Princess  Alice,  which  is  specially  marked  out  for  growing  in  quantity. 
Another  good  rose-coloured  variety  is  A.  Noel. 
Carnations  in  the  open  air  are  also  grown  by  the  hundred,  and  a 
stronger  finer  lot  of  plants  it  has  seldom  been  my  lot  to  see.  Gloire  de 
Nancy,  white,  the  old  dark  Clove,  and  Eaby  Castle  are  a  trio  grown  in 
quantity,  as  they  supply  abundance  of  flowers  in  three  distinct  colours 
which  are  much  sought  after.  C.  A.  Smith-Ryland,  Esq.,  and  Mrs.  Smith- 
Ryland  are  well  known  to  be  great  lovers  of  flowers  and  generous 
supporters  of  their  gardens,  and  they  are  fortunate  in  having  a  gardener 
who  does  all  that  skill  and  energy  can  do  to  produce  choice  flowers, 
fruits,  and  vegetables  in  abundance  throughout  the  year.  The  fine 
collection  of  Orchids  I  hope  to  give  a  note  of  at  some  future  time.— 
A  Lover  of  Carnations. 
