104 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  29, 1897. 
frequently  been  ieen  at  many  of  our  large  shows.  The  bright  pink  of 
Marchioness  of  Northampton  is  very  pleasing,  as  is  the  yellow  of  Mrs. 
Faudel  Phillips.  The  habit  of  both  of  these  is  excellent.  If  one  of 
delicate  colour  be  desired  there  is  Countess  Nelson,  while  in  direct 
contrast  is  the  crimson  Earl  Brownlow.  Mrs.  Crisp,  cerise,  and  Dr. 
Nansen,  soft  scarlet,  are  both  varieties  of  merit.  Half  a  dozen  new  ones 
have  been  mentioned,  but  there  are  many  others  of  equal  merit  which 
must  be  omitted. 
Hitherto  note  has  only  been  made  of  those  that  are  especially 
adapted  to  culture  in  pots,  but  it  would  be  unfair  to  omit  mention  of  a 
few  of  those  that  are  admirably  suited  for  bedding  purposes.  Amongst 
these  are  Duke  of  York,  of  which  the  colour  is  rose  with  a  lighter  centre; 
Jules  Sacy,  orange  ;  Source  d’Or,  yellow  ;  Phosphorescens,  rich  deep 
crimson ;  Golden  Ball,  yellow,  and  Madame  B.  Tourtell,  white. — 
Wanderer. 
THE  BRADFORD  PUBLIC  PARKS. 
The  smoky  town  of  Bradford  can  boast  of  several  public  parks,  which 
have  been  designed  with  skill  and  taste,  and  are  well  kept,  this  being 
the  more  praiseworthy  under  an  atmosphere  laden  with  smoke  from 
hundreds  of  factory  chimneys.  Bowling  Park,  which  is  53  acres  in 
extent,  with  its  flower  garden,  terrace,  broad  and  undulating  lawns  ; 
its  clumps  and  belts  of  shrubbery  ;  its  vistas  and  lakes — all  betoken 
skill  in  formation  and  care  and  management.  On  the  western  side  are 
several  acres  of  woodland.  Overlooking  the  park  on  the  east  is  Bolling 
Hall,  formerly  the  seat  of  the  De  Bollings  and  Tempests  of  knightly 
fame.  Built  more  than  500  years  ago,  it  stands  to-day  unchanged  as  in 
those  ancient  days,  with  its  latticed  windows,  its  banqueting  hall  with 
raised  dai’s  and  minstrels’  gallery. 
The  conservatory  in  the  public  park  is  at  all  times  of  the  year  filled 
with  bloom.  It  is  a  lofty  structure  of  about  90  feet  by  30  feet.  Two- 
thirds  of  the  space  is  occupied  for  the  display  of  flowers,  the  other  part  as 
a  stove.  The  central  portion  of  the  flowering  house  was  arranged  with 
large  Camellias,  several  plants  of  Kentia  Fosteriana,  Ficus  elastica 
variegata,  and  Araucaria  excelsa.  In  the  foreground  was  a  large  bank  of 
bloom,  perfect  in  freshness  and  beauty,  composed  of  good  plants,  in  6  and 
7-inch  pots,  of  double  and  single  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  double  Petunias 
(purple  and  white),  Show  and  Fancy  Pelargoniums,  Schizanthus 
pinnatus,  Spirmas,  Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses,  and  Lilium  auratsm  inter¬ 
spersed  throughout  the  group.  The  edging  was  of  Spiraeas,  Anthericum 
variegatum,  and  Aspidistras.  The  side  stages  were  filled  with  all  the 
above-mentioned  flowering  plants,  with  the  addition  of  some  fine  pots  of 
Machet  Mignonette,  and  were  edged  back  and  front  with  blue  Lobelia 
and  Harrison’s  Musk, 
The  arrangement  of  show  houses  in  public  parks  must  be  effective 
as  seen  from  the  exterior  as  well  as  the  interior.  The  rafters  were 
clothed  with  Cobcea  scandens  variegata,  and  profusely  flowered  Helio¬ 
trope.  Hanging  from  the  roof  were  wire  baskets,  8  inches  in  diameter, 
filled  with  blue  Lobelia  and  Harrison’s  Musk  (but  not  in  mixture),  a 
fault  which  is  not  perpetrated  here.  There  were  also  several  large  baskets 
of  single  Petunias  in  self  colours.  The  other  baskets  were  one  of 
Stenochlsena  scandens,  one  of  Cyrtodeira  metallica,  one  of  Nephrolepis 
tuberosa,  and  several  of  Asparagus  decumbens. 
In  the  stove  portion  everything  betokened  cleanliness  and  good 
culture.  The  centre  was  arranged  with  several  large  Areca  lutescens 
and  Cocos  flexuosa,  while  around  the  sides  were  Crotons,  Dracaenas, 
Dieffenbachias,  and  Caladiums,  edged  front  and  back  with  Caladium 
bicolor  and  C.  argyrites.  Amongst  noteworthy  objects  in  this  house  were 
several  fine  pans  of  Cyrtodeira  metallica  and  Selaginella  apoda,  also  a 
plant  of  Schubertia  grandiflora  covered  with  its  fragrant  white  flowers. 
The  rafters  were  clothed  with  Allamandas  and  Gloriosa  superba.  In  this 
house  a  hanging  basket  of  Hoya  bella,  profusely  flowered,  was  very 
attractive  ;  Davallias  grown  on  cork  rafts,  and  several  Orchids  in  teak 
wood  baskets  were  noticeable. 
Mr.  Spencer,  the  superintendent,  is  well  known  in  the  neighbourhood 
as  an  excellent  gardener.  All  the  parks,  besides  these  show  houses,  have 
adequate  glass  for  the  growing  and  propagation  of  the  plants  for  the 
flower  gardens  and  conservatories. 
Peel  Park,  purchased  in  1853,  cost,  with  laying  out,  £12,000;  it  is 
53  acres  in  extent.  For  the  whole  length  of  the  park  the  ground 
slopes  in  a  gentle  declivity.  On  the  southern  rising  ground  is  a  terrace 
30  feet  in  breadth  and  at  least  half  a  mile  in  length,  sheitered  by  trees 
ani  shrubs.  On  each  side  of  its  entire  length  are  grassy  recesses, 
flower  beds,  and  statuary.  The  conservatory,  a  lofty  structure,  lOCi  feet 
by  30  feet,  was  arranged  on  the  ground  without  any  side  stages.  In  the 
centre  was  a  large  Dicksonia  antarctica,  Camellias,  and  Phormium  tenax, 
backed  up  with  flowering  plants,  consisting  of  large  Fuchsias,  Zonal 
Pelargoniums,  silver-edged  Zonal  Pelargoniums  (large  plants)  Spiraeas, 
Lilium  auratum,  and  L.  Harrhi. 
Horton  Park,  opened  in  1§78,  is  39  acres  in  extent  from  west  to 
east,  and  the  park  has  a  gentle  slope.  The  terrace  runs  in  this  direction. 
On  one  side  of  the  terrace  are  eight  sheets  of  water  connected  by 
miniature  waterfalls,  the  banks  on  the  northern  side  being  clothed 
with  trees,  shrubs,  and  Ferns  to  the  water’s  edge ;  grassy  banks  slope 
down  from  the  terrace  to  the  lakes.  The  lofty  conservatory,  the  flower¬ 
ing  part,  60  feet  by  30  feet,  had  a  central  arrangement  of  Camellias, 
Araucaria  excelsa,  and  A.  Bidwilli.  The  bank  of  flowers  was  composed 
of  about  a  dozen  large  Genistas,  Lilium  auratum,  L.  Harrisi,  Schizanthus 
pinnatus,  Spirmas,  Fuchsias,  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  Show  and  Fancy 
Pelargoniums.  Amongst  the  latter  were  several  good  plants  of  the  pure 
white  Duchess  of  Teck.  The  side  stages  had  smaller  plants  of  the  above, 
with  the  addition  of  Rhodanthe  Manglesi,  Eulalia  japonica  variegata 
and  E.  japonica  zebrina.  Coleus,  Primula  obconica,  Hydrangea 
hortensis,  and  H.  Thomas  Hogg.  The  stages  back  and  front  were 
edged  with  white  Lobelia,  and  a  pale  blue  and  white  Lobelia,  similar  to 
the  old  Paxtoni,  Harrison’s  Musk,  and  Isolepis  gracilis.  The  stove  had 
the  usual  fine-foliage  plants,  with  the  addition  in  the  way  of  flowers  of 
Gloxinias  and  Clerodendron  fallax. 
Lister  Park,  54  acres  in  extent,  was  purchased  in  1870  from  the 
Cunliffe-Lister  family,  who  were  seated  at  Manningham  House  in  the 
park  for  several  centuries.  It  was  bought  for  £40,000,  and  cost  £10,000 
to  lay  out.  In  this  park  are  the  monuments  of  two  men  who  have  more 
than  any  others  developed  the  trade  of  Bradford — namely,  Samuel 
Cunliffe-Lister,  now  Lord  Masham,  and  Sir  Titus  Salt,  Bart.,  of  Saltaire; 
the  latter  monument,  of  white  Carrara  marble,  formerly  stood  near  the 
Town  Hall. 
There  are  in  this  park  three  conservatories  in  a  line.  The  central  one 
is  20  feet  high,  100  feet  long,  and  30  feet  in  breadth.  It  was  arranged 
with  Camellias,  a  large  Dicksonia  antarctica,  and  several  Dicksonia 
sqnarrosa,  a  Chamaerops  Fortunei,  and  Chamaerops  excelsa,  with 
Phormium  tenax  and  Japanese  Maples.  The  flowering  plants  were 
Spirsaas,  Fuchsias,  and  Zonal  Pelargoniums.  The  side  stages  had 
hundreds  of  herbaceous  Calceolarias  in  bloom.  Spiraeas,  Zonal  Pelar¬ 
goniums,  and  Fuchsias  edged  with  common  Musk  and  Isolepis  gracilis. 
On  one  side  of  this  central  house  is  a  stove,  on  the  other  a  greenhouse, 
each  about  90  feet  long,  besides  tbe  other  preparatory  houses.  In 
addition  to  the  aforementioned  parks  is  Bradford  Moor  Park,  of  smaller 
extent,  but  equally  well  kept.— F.  Street. 
BIRMINGHAM  GARDENERS’  ASSOCIATION. 
Upwards  of  eighty  members  and  friends  enjoyed  the  annual  outing 
on  the  21  st  inst.,  by  the  kind  permission  of  the  Earl  of  Rosebery  and 
Leopold  de  Rothschild,  Esq.,  to  Mentmore  and  Ascott.  The  weather 
proved  most  auspicious,  though  distant  thunder  was  heard  in  the  after¬ 
noon,  accompanied  by  a  few  drops  of  rain  when  the  party  was  at 
Ascott  in  the  afternoon. 
Upon  the  arrival  at  Leighton,  about  10.30  A.M.,  the  party  was  conveyed 
in  brakes  to  Mentmore,  vi^  Cheddington.  One  of  the  most  marked 
features  during  the  route  were  the  several  large  orchards  of  Damson 
trees,  both  old  and  young,  the  variety  being  apparently  the  Prune. 
Walnuts,  however,  appeared  to  be  a  good  crop.  The  ride  up  the  long 
carriage  drive  leading  to  the  mansion,  or  rather  the  village  of  Mentmore, 
proved  very  interesting  to  those  fond  of  tree  scenery.  There  were 
several  groups  of  fine  Wellingtonias  on  each  side  of  the  drive.  Mr. 
J.  Smith,  the  well  known  head  gardener,  met  the  visitors  at  the  entrance 
to  the  gardens,  and  at  once  conducted  them  through  the  glass  depart¬ 
ment.  The  large  house  of  Muscat  of  Alexandria  revealed  a  crop  of  ex¬ 
traordinarily  fine  bunches  with  large  berries  on  tbe  eve  of  perfect  matura¬ 
tion,  as  they  were  assuming  the  desirable  amber  tint.  The  other  crops  of 
Grapes  were  also  in  capital  form.  The  fruit  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines 
in  a  large  house  had  been  gathered.  The  houses  containing  large 
quantities  of  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  also  elicited  admiration. 
The  piece  de  resistance,  however,  was  the  palatial  looking  mansion 
with  its  splendid  and  extensive  grounds  and  arboreal  surroundings, 
coupled  with  the  magnificent  view  of  the  Vale  of  Aylesbury  and  the 
distant  Chiltern  Hills.  The  mansion  and  pleasure  grounds,  which 
were  designed  in  1851  by  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  are  indeed  lasting 
monuments  of  his  genius  and  capability  both  as  a  landscape  gardener 
and  an  architect.  It  is  needless  to  remark  that  good  order  and  neatness 
abounded,  though  on  the  previous  day  the  heavy  storm  of  rain  had  left 
evidences  of  its  character  on  tbe  sides  of  the  sloping  walks.  Altogether 
the  visitors  were  delighted  with  what  they  saw. 
Heartily  thanking  Mr.  Smith  for  his  courtesy  and  attention,  the 
visitors,  about  two  o’clock,  “  made  tracks  ”  for  Ascott,  a  distance  of 
nearly  three  miles,  where  they  were  met  by  Mr.  John  Jennings,  the 
head  gardener,  who  led  the  way  through  the  extensive  and  charming 
grounds,  which  are  of  varied  beauty  and  picturesqueness.  The  Elizabethan 
mansion  of  brick  and  timber  is  partly  clad  with  Wistarias,  Roses, 
Clematis,  and  other  trailing  and  climbing  plants.  A  leading  featnre  in 
the  extensive  shrubberies  was  a  profnsion  of  golden-hued  trees  and 
shrubs,  planted  in  large  masses  and  singly,  in  great  variety,  and  which, 
well  balanced  with  a  rich  and  varied  assortment  of  other  subjects, 
including  an  extensive  accompaniment  of  hardy  herbaceous  flowers, 
ornamental  foliaged  plants,  besides  the  parterres  of  “  bedding  out  ” 
flowers,  tbe  whole  constituting  a  picture  of  no  ordinary  splendour. 
Sharing  the  admiration  of  the  visitors  was  the  large  and  splendid 
array  of  Carnations  contained  in  the  glass  structures,  principally  of  such 
varieties  as  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  Mrs.  Leopold  de  Rothschild — a 
most  fragrant  and  beautiful  pink-tinted  variety ;  also  the  bright  pink 
variety  Princess  of  Wales,  a  great  favourite  at  Ascott,  both  of  which, 
with  Mr.  Arthur  Sassoon,  the  best  yellow  self,  James  O’Brien,  a 
beautiful  scarlet,  and  others  too  numerous  to  mention,  form  one  of  the 
glories  of  the  place. 
Having  thus  feasted  their  visual  and  olfactory  organs,  the  visitors 
were  in  readiness  for  the  refreshing  and  excellent  “  meat  tea  ”  laid  out 
in  the  cricket  pavilion  through  the  considerate  generosity  of  Mr.  Leopold 
de  Rothschild,  and,  as  may  be  readily  guessed,  tbe  abundant  accom¬ 
paniment  of  “Strawberries  and  cream’’  afforded  an  additional  delectation 
to  the  palates  of  the  gratified  visitors.  A  visit  to  the  extensive  and 
