September  9,  1897.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
SIXTY  YEARS’  PROGRESS  IN  HORTICULTURE. 
{Concluded  from  page  215). 
Flowers. 
I  HAVE  given  precedence  to  fruits  and  vegetables  because  they  form 
two  of  the  staple  foods  of  our  country,  and  are  considered  necessities  of 
life.  But  when  I  come  to  ti'eat  on  plants  and  flowers  that  have  been 
introduced  or  raised  during  her  Majesty’s  reign,  I  confess  I  hardly  know 
where  to  commence,  and  shall  find  it  more  difficult  to  stop.  The  old 
brick  flues  with  which  I  have  had  some  sad  experience  have  been  super¬ 
seded  by  the  clean,  sweet,  easily  controlled  hot-water  systems.  The 
tubular,  the  Trentham,  or  Cornish,  and  saddle  boilers  have  taken  the 
place  of  the  brick  furnaces,  so  that  we  have  been  able  to  nurse  and 
bring  to  perfection  the  many  choice  exotics  that  have  come  to  us  from  all 
parts  of  the  globe. 
One  has  only  to  look  in  at  the  cottage  windows  to  see  the  difference 
in  the  window  plants  from  those  of  olden  days.  One  rarely  sees  the  old 
Candle  Cactus,  the  Onion  plant,  and  the  old  red-veined  Begonia  sanguinea 
that  used  to  be  in  nearly  every  cottage  window  in  the  country  forty 
years  ago.  I  do  not  wish  to  disparage  these  old  plants.  There  was  a 
charm  about  them  that  made  them  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  family.  The 
owners  were  so  much  occupied  in  those  days  in  the  fields  and  otherwise 
that  they  had  not  time  to  attend  to  the  more  tender  plants  even  if  they 
were  procurable.  The  old  plants  would  bear  to  be  left  for  a  time  without 
water  or  other  attention,  hence  Cactuses  and  other  succulents  were  largely 
grown  to  what  they  are  now.  Some  of  the  old  people  would  always  have 
their  Balsams  for  the  summer  months,  sowing  the  seed  on  a  given  date  in 
spring,  growing  the  plant  in  an  old  teapot  or  basin,  and  top-dressing  with 
tea  leaves  just  before  coming  into  flower.  Now  the  cultivation  of  flowers  is 
getting  more  understood,  and  the  very  great  variety  to  hand  is  filtering- 
through  to  the  humblest  cottager.  The  formation  of  cottage  garden  shows 
enables  him  to  exhibit  his  produce,  and  encourages  him  to  renewed 
energy  for  another  year,  giving  him  healthy  occupation  in  his  spare  time, 
and  beautifying  and  brightening  his  home. 
Then,  too,  the  greater  facilities  for  travelling  have  enabled  collectors 
to  search  for  and  quickly  import  many  valuable  additions  to  our  stoves, 
greenhouses,  and  flower  gardens  during  the  past  forty  years.  If  we 
look  at  the  choice  exotics  that  are  grown  for  the  beauty  of  their  foliage 
or  flowers,  or  in  the  wonderful  development  of  the  orchidaceous  family 
by  introductions  from  their  native  clime  or  by  the  scientific  hybridising 
by  our  own  eminent  men,  or  at  the  extraordinary  transformation  our 
flower  gardens  have  undergone,  or  the  types  of  florist  flowers  or  the 
several  occupants  of  the  conservatories  as  they  follow  on  in  their 
successive  seasons,  we  can  get  but  a  slight  conception  of  the  marvellous 
changes  of  the  past  sixty  years. 
True  there  were  enthusiasts  then,  but  their  devotion  was  centred  in  a 
limited  number  of  plants.  Chief  of  the  florists*  flower  was  the  Tulip,  for 
which  we  hear  and  read  of  such  fabulous  prices  being  paid.  It  was  part 
of  my  duty  when  a  lad  serving  under  a  grand  old  florist,  whose  memory 
I  shall  ever  revere,  Mr.  Adam  Spary  of  Ventnor,  to  look  after  a  collec¬ 
tion  of  Tulips.  We  had  the  bizarres,  bybloemens,  and  seifs  planted  on  a 
particular  date  and  taken  up  on  a  certain  day.  I  had  to  unroll  or  roll 
up  the  calico  covering  that  was  over  the  wooden  framework  of  the  bed 
in  which  they  grew  at  every  outburst  of  sunshine  after  they  began  to 
show  colour  ;  and  although  not  old  enough  then  to  enter  into  the  spirit 
of  the  thing,  in  after  years  I  could  understand  better  the  delight 
evinced  by  the  grand  old  florist  when  he  saw  a  certain  variety  breaking 
eut  into  its  natural  colouring,  or  a  seedling  showing  some  great  improve¬ 
ment  on  its  parents.  Auriculas,  Polyanthuses,  Carnations,  and  Pansies 
were  the  chief  florists’  flowers  handled  and  exhibited  by  specialists  at 
their  various  shows,  which  were  held  chiefly  in  the  Midland  and  Northern 
counties.  I  must  confess  to  a  partiality  for  the  florists’  Auricula,  having 
grown  a  collection  and  taken  prizes  at  the  National  Auricula  Society, 
that  now  holds  two  exhibitions  yearly,  one  in  London  and  one  in  the 
Midlands.  Dahlias,  Balsams,  and  Cockscombs  also  I  should  mention. 
Persian  Ranunculus  used  to  be  grown  and  shown  with  the  Tulip,  and 
later  Show  Pelargoniums  and  Fuchsias  were  the  chief  plants  in  which 
the  gardens  in  private  establishments  used  to  try  to  excel  in  those  days. 
Camellias  were  in  great  force  and  highly  appreciated  ;  Humea  elegans  is 
another  graceful  flowering  plant  that  was  in  much  favour,  and  is  still 
grown  by  many. 
The  mention  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums  revives  the  whole  history  of  the 
bedding-out  panic,  of  which  I  could  write  pages.  In  my  younger  days 
I  used  to  follow  dear  old  Donald  Beaton  in  all  his  writings  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture,  and  when  he  hybridised  and  sent  us  out  those 
beautiful  Nosegays  Stella,  Amy  Hogg,  Helen  Lindsay,  Christine,  and 
Trentham  Rose,  they  gave  a  fillip  to  the  bedding-out  system  that  was 
just  then  getting  a  hold  on  the  public  taste.  My  early  impressions  of 
bedding-out  plants  are  associated  with  Tom  Thumb  and  Little  David 
“Geraniums  ; the  variegated  varieties  Bijou  and  Brilliant,  mixed  with 
Cuphea  platycentra,  Alonsoa  Warscewiczi,  and  Purple  King  Verbenas. 
Then  came  the  golden  variegated  “  Geraniums  ”  Golden  Chain,  a  rather 
weak  grower  ;  and  later.  Crystal  Palace  Gem,  Flower  of  the  Day,  Flower 
of  Spring,  and  British  Flag,  followed  by  Madame  Vaucher,  a  good  white 
and  Fran9ois  Desbois,  one  of  the  first  of  the  salmon-shaded  varieties. 
Compare  these  with  the  wealth  of  very  fine  varieties  that  we  have 
now,  and  realise,  if  you  can,  what  we  owe  to  earnest  workers  in 
hybridisation.  The  double  Zonals  caused  a  sensation  when  they  made 
their  appearance  about  thirty  years  ago.  We  are  indebted  to  our 
continental  friends  for  these,  and  I  think  Mons.  Lemoine  gave  us  the  first 
one.  About  this  time  Mr.  Peter  Greive  raised  and  sent  out  Mrs.  Pollock, 
the  first  tricolor  “Geranium,”  which  became  all  the  rage.  Soon  after  we 
had  Sunset,  supposed  to  have  been  an  improvement  on  the  older  variety  ; 
and  many  cultivators  turned  their  attention  to  this  class,  and  the  trade 
did  a  brisk  business,  Messrs.  Smith  <fc  Son,  Dulwich,  and  Rollisson  and 
Son,  Tooting,  two  old  firms,  making  a  speciality  of  them.  Messrs. 
Rollisson  guarded  them  as  securely  as  possible,  and  it  was  quite  a  favour 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  their  propagating  house,  or  the  show  house  wherein 
they  were  grown.  I  remember  a  bull  dog  being  tied  up  near  the  houses 
to  protect  them  during  the  night.  Two  fine  varieties.  Star  of  India  and 
Moonstone,  at  a  guinea  each  were  being  distributed  at  the  time  of  one  of 
my  visits  there  about  twenty-eight  years  ago. 
Following  these  came  the  bronze  Zonals,  Mr.  John  Wills,  gardener 
to  Sir  Philip  Egerton,  Oulton  Park,  making  a  hit  in  that’  direction. 
Beauty  of  Oulton  and  Black  Douglas  were  two  of  his  best  in  this  section. 
He  also  raised  a  dwarf  bedding  variety  with  small  golden  foliage,  named 
Robert  Fish.  Mr.  Wills  told  me  the  kory  of  how  it  received  that  name, 
which  was  something  as  follows  When  his  friend  Mr.  Robert  Fish,  a 
-well-known  horticulturist,  came  to  visit  him  and  inspect  his  new  see’d- 
lings,  he  told  him  that  he  would  name  either  of  them  after  himself  if  he 
would  make  his  choice,  thinking  one  of  the  many  seedlings  of  the  bronze 
section  would  be  chosen,  instead  of  which  the  choice  fell  on  a  dwarf 
distinct  variety  with  plain  yellow  foliage.  Years  revealed  the  wisdom  of 
his  choice,  as  Robert  Fish  was  well  adapted  for  ribbon  and  carpet 
bedding,  and  was  grown  by  thousands  when  some  of  the  others  were 
forgotten. 
Plants  with  self-coloured  foliage  were  in  great  demand  about  this 
time  for  ribbon  and  parterre  bedding.  Coleus  Yerschaffelti,  Iresine 
Herbsti,  and  Perilla  nankinensis  with  dark  foliage,  Centaurea  candi- 
dissima  and  elegantissima  of  the  light  foliage  being  much  sought  after 
and  very  widely  grown.  Carpet  bedding  followed,  and  then  all  kinds 
of  dwarf  plants  with  plain  foliage  were  much  used,  the  various 
Echeverias,  Sempervivum,  and  other  succulents  harmonising  well  with 
the  bright-coloured  foliage  of  the  AUernantheras  and  other  plants. 
Thence  came  the  more  general  use  of  foliage  plants,  which  developed  into 
subtropical  gardening,  Mr.  W.  Robinson  being  a  strong  advocate  of  this, 
lersiis  the  bedding  out  or  the  parterre  style.  At  the  present  time  the 
prevailing  fashion  in  the  public  parks  and  other  gardens  is  a  combination 
of  all  three.  Fine-foliage  and  tall-flowering  plants  are  utilised,  to  break 
the  formality  and  add  to  the  effect  of  the  arrangement. 
Begonias  belong  to  the  past  twenty-five  years  of  the  reign.  Who 
could  have  thought  when  Messrs.  Veitch  Sons  of  Chelsea  sent  out 
Chelsoni  and  Veitchi,  hybrids,  I  believe,  from  boliviensis  and  fuchsioides, 
that  they  were  the  forerunners  of  such  excellent  varieties  as  John  Laing 
and  others  have  produced? 
Of  Chrysanthemums  I  have  not  time  to  say  much,  not  because  I  have 
no  wish,  but  they  have  been  talked  about  and  written  of  so  much  lately, 
that  it  would  be  only  repetition  if  I  were  to  enter  into  particulars.  They 
are,  without  doubt,  one  of  the  flowers  of  the  reign,  and  the  introduction 
of  the  Japanese  has  made  them  one  of  the  most  popular  flowers  of  the 
day.  English-raised  varieties  have  superseded  the  continental  ones  to  a 
large  extent,  and  I  am  proud  to  say  we  are  indebted  to  the  Isle  of  Wight 
for  some  of  them. 
Many  very  beautiful  flowering  shrubs,  hardy  foliage  plants,  as  well  as 
tropical  ones,  creepers  to  adorn  our  houses,  such  as  Ampelopsis  Veitchi 
and  the  beautiful  varieties  of  Clematis  ;  flowering  bulbous  plants,  includ¬ 
ing  the  splendid  golden-rayed  Lily  of  Japan,  wfith  many  more,  have  all 
been  introduced  during  the  latter  half  of  the  period  under  notice,  and 
have  added  to  the  attraction  and  adornment  of  our  homes  and  gardens. 
The  Rose  is  our  national  emblem,  and  ought  not  to  have  had  last  place. 
The  old  Cabbage  Rose,  the  Moss,  the  Provence,  the  Boursault,  and  Noisette 
varieties  have  all  been  hybridised  and  superseded  by  the  Hybrid  Per- 
petuals.  The  beautiful  Tea  scented  varieties  from  which  we  have  the 
Hybrid  Teas,  are  grand  improvements  on  the  old  varieties,  and  will  ever 
keep  up  the  regard  and  esteem  for  our  national  flower.—  {Paper  read  by 
Mr.  C.  Orchard,  Bembridye,  at  the  Ventnor  Institute,  on  August  7th.) 
SECURING  FRUIT. 
A  VERY  proper  and  concise  answer  to  Mr.  W.  J.  Murphy  (page  194) 
would  be  to  ask  him  kindly  to  practise  those  directions  given  many  times 
in  this  paper.  To  read  his  letter  of  appeal  for  guidance  in  fruit  tree 
culture,  while  he  himself  gives  the  very  reasons,  I  believe,  for  his  trees’ 
barrenness,  is  most  disheartening  to  those  who  have  written  and  taught 
so  patiently  and  w-ell.  Mr.  Murphy  states  not  whether  his  trees  are  on 
walls  or  free  in  the  open.  By  his  own  admission  neither  soil,  varieties, 
nor  management  -  which  appears  limited  to  pruning  and  insect  destruc¬ 
tion — are  to  blame.  Without  further  aberration,  the  cause  of  the  evil  leads 
us  to  settle  directly  upon  that  “  unfortunate  spell  of  frost  ”  which  was 
not  warded  off.  Two  hundred  years  ago  pomologists  took  little  heed  of 
their  trees’  roots,  but  were  careful  to  protect  the  blossom  often  by 
laborious  means.  They  had  walls  with  projecting  copes  ;  used  bass  nets 
and  draw  curtains,  and  even  troubled  themselves  when  building  fruit 
walls  to  insert  tiles  or  flat  pieces  of  wood  between  the  bricks  or  stones 
at  distances  over  the  face  of  the  wall.  These  protectors  protruded  1*  or 
2  inches,  and  sloped  slightly  downwards. 
Such  simple,  yet  laborious,  contrivances  saved  blossoms  from  many 
degrees  of  frost.  We  do  not  trouble  ourselves  nowadays  with  such  methods  ; 
no,  we  give  our  trees  too  little  care.  Destruction  comes  in  spring  by  the 
condensed  night  vapours  falling  lightly  on  the  exposed  blooms,  dewing 
them  over,  and  under  a  clear  sky  the  continued  radiation,  or  process  of 
