November  11,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
455 
CARTON,  MAYNOOTH. 
(In  Autumn  Dress.) 
On  ail  ideal  autumn  day,  such  as  is  rarely  vouchsafed  to  us  in  mid- 
October,  a  run  is  made  for  scenes  familiar,  yet  ever  fresh  and  ever  new. 
Some  few  days,  indeed,  of  glorious  weather  had  left  our  roads  in  prime 
condition  for  those  who  favour  the  pneumatic  tube,  so  mounting  our 
wlieel,  and  away  we  are,  soon  bowling  along  through  North  Kildare. 
Knconntering  no  stones  to  rattle  our  bones,  or  aught,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
to  warrant  any  anxiety,  quite  consistent  with  those  who  depend  upon  that 
frail  air  cushion,  the  trip  from  start  to  finish  is  one  of  unalloyed  enjoy¬ 
ment.  Kre  reaching  the  demesne,  from  the  high-level  road  pretty  peeps 
are  afforded  of  the  picturesque  Rye  valley.  The  river,  to  give  it  its  due, 
but  little  more  than  a  tortuous  stream,  meanders  away  on  the  left  to 
(piaint  old  Leixlip  past  an  ancient  moss-covered  mill  with  its  water-wheel, 
which  has  furnished  to  artists  a  subject  for  their  easels  as  frequently, 
perhaps,  as  the  famous  old  Nant  Mill  in  Cheshire. 
One  wonders  to  see  such  a  profusion  of  Blackberries  adorning  the 
hedgerows  practically  unheeded  by  bird  or  bi]ied,  but  they  have  been  late 
in  ripening  this  year,  and  with  the  advent  of  October  thei’e  is  some  fairy 
lore  amongst  our  peasantry  which  makes  them  forbidden  fruit.  Their 
luscious  a])pearance,  however,  tempts  one  to  dismount  and  sample  them, 
but  either  the  fairies  or  the  frost  have  run  away  with  all  flavour,  so  we 
pedal  on  to  Carton,  entering  by  a  back  lodge,  which  gives  the  longest 
stretch  of  road  to  cover  and  provides  the  most  satisfying  natural  scenery 
en  route ;  such,  indeed,  as  one  would  scarce  expect  to  find  from  a  bird’s- 
eye  view  of  the  comparatively  flat  surrounding  country.  The  aforesaid 
Rye,  however,  which  bisects  the  estate  has  at  some  remote  period  washed 
its  way  by  a  dynamic  force  no  longer  displayed,  and  uncovered  stupendous 
masses  of  rock  to  charm  the  latter-day  landscajje  eye.  This  part  of  the 
demesne  is  a  feature  in  particular,  but  others  there  are  at  every, turn 
inimical  to  all  hurry  in  reaching  the  gardens. 
There  was  a  little  doubt  when  the  encircling  belt  of  timber  came  into 
view  as  to  whether  the  stormy  winds  which  blew  a  week  previous  had 
not  robbed  the  scene  of  its  autumn  glory.  Such,  happily,  was  not  the 
case,  and  after  an  exchange  of  compliments  with  the  guardian  of  the  gate, 
one  has  fairly  entered  fairyland  via  a  glade  gorgeously  canopied  with  the 
gifts  of  our  all  too  brief  Indian  summer.  The  Lady  Fern,  with  the  more 
common  Lastrea,  are  still  fresh  beneath  the  shade,  and  a  rather  striking 
undergrowth  is  afforded  in  jdaces  by  the  common  Privet  with  a  season’s 
growth  springing  from  old  stems  cut  back  to  the  ground  level.  Gaining 
higher  vantage  giound  immediately  over  the  deep  natural  ravine,  where 
the  Rye  rolls  lazily,  “The  Turret”  offers  a  resting  place,  and  possibly 
the  finest  view  in  the  whole  demesne.  Here  a  halt  is  made  to  absorb  the 
beauty  of  the  scene.  Apparently,  Nature  has  exhausted  her  colour  box 
upon  a  picture  so  daring  in  its  grandeur  that  my  poor  pen  may  not 
presume  to  portray  it.  From  below  comes  up  the  sound  of  murmuring 
waters  :  nought  else  to  break  the  hush  which  reigns  save  the  low- 
whispering  foliage.  Who  could  tell  of  such  things,  which  are  as  much 
felt  as  seen  ? 
Time  flies  not  here  ;  just  runs  with  the  current  of  one’s  thoughts  ; 
but  we  are  again  awheel,  and  away  along  the  upper  carriage  road,  silently 
passing  the  only  specimen  of  our  species  yet  in  evidence  since  entering, 
who  is  too  absorbed  in  his  own  way,  apparently  the  way  to  extract  rabbits 
from  a  bank,  to  see  us.  As  he  casts  no  furtive  glances  the  occupation  is 
doubtless  legitimate.  What  a  fine  picture  the  old  tower  makes  to-day 
perched  on  the  highest  ground  in  the  Park  1  The  view  is  a  distant  one, 
but  sufficiently  near  to  see  that  some  bold  plantings  recently  made  in  its 
vicinity  are  well  planned.  Down  a  smooth  decline  of  the  smoothest  of 
roads  the  lake  is  reached,  and  running  past  it  on  a  parallel  course  a  stop 
is  made  on  “The  AVhite  Bridge”  for  a  full  length  view  of  it.  Distance 
lends  enchantment,  for  although  a  closer  inspection  would  reveal  where 
an  early  frost  has  caught  and  curled  the  foliage  of  the  Dogwood,  from 
here  the  banks  are  ablaze  with  crimson-tipjied  bushes,  whilst  a  towering 
mass  of  old  gold  reveals  the  presence  of  the  Horse  Chestnuts  in  the 
cottage  grounds,  a  veritable  Klondike  of  colour. 
As  this  day,  and  practically  this  paper,  is  devoted  to  autumn  tints,  one 
must  make  a  passing  mention  of  the  Stag’s-horn  Sumachs  in  the  same 
picturesque  nook.  They  are  not  seen  to-day  as  there  are  limits  to 
mileage  even  if  measured  by  a  cyclometer,  but  this  particular  foliage 
from  this  i)articular  place  has  been  seen  to  vie  in  brilliancy  with  Poinsettia 
bracts.  The  contiguity  of  the  water  may  possibly  account  for  this. 
Descrying  the  portly  figure  of  an  old  retainer  silhouetted  against  a 
pier  of  the  Maynooth  Lodge  gates  our  wheel  is  spun  in  his  direction,  and 
from  here  it  is  pleasant  to  note  how  the  Idmes  composing  the  long 
avenue  to  Maynooth  have  increased  in  stature.  This  avenue  should,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  years,  be  one  of  the  most  perfect  of  its  kind,  the  broad 
road  and  liberal  grass  margin  upon  which  the  trees  are  set  well  back 
being  the  right  and  proper  thing  planters  are  not  always  prone  to  adopt, 
although  but  few  could  fail  to  see  the  mistake  afterwards.  Returning 
eastward  the  gardens  are  reached  and  IMr.  Black  is  found.  There  is 
plenty  to  see,  to  talk  of,  and  to  talk  over,  but  not  even  the  glories  of  some 
well-iiowered  Cattleya  labiata  must  clash  with  autumn  tints.  Ampelopsis 
Veitchi  on  the  wall,  around  an  old  arched  entrance,  is  in  superb  colour. 
Passing  the  Pergola  fine  Beeches  stand  out  here  and  there  in  grand  attire, 
and  here  it  may  be  again  remarked  in  the  neighbourhood  of  water,  in 
which  Mr.  Black  points  out  one  of  Marliac’s  hybrid  Nymphaeas  bristling 
with  buds,  doomed,  we  fear,  to  remain  as  such  till  they  disappear. 
One  particular  feature,  quite  in  keeping  with  our  theme,  remains  to 
be  noticed — viz.,  a  number  of  Pampas  Grass  in  full  plume  raised  from 
seed  by  our  enthusiastic  guide.  All  these  seedlings  partake  more  of  the 
light  and  graceful  character  of  Arundo  conspicua  than  of  the  stiffness 
of  the  type,  and  some  of  them  are  as  novel  as  most  of  them  are  distinct, 
ranging  in  habit  from  dwarf  to  tall,  and  varying  in  colour  from  silvery 
white  to  pale  purple,  the  most  remarkable  being  one  of  a  yellow  shade, 
shot  with  a  tint  of  pale  green.  Examples  of  Prunus  Pissardi,  planted 
some  years  ago,  are  now  assuming  a  tree-like  form,  fully  bearing  out  the 
good  character  it  came  to  us  with.  But  the  brightness  wanes  as  the 
curtain  of  night  descends,  our  wheel  awaits  to  bear  us  from  “  The  dear 
old-fashioned  place,  with  all  its  constant  nameless  grace.” — K.,  Dublin. 
Chrysanthemum*  Shows. 
As  is  usual  at  this  time  of  the  year  we  have  received  numerous 
intimations  of  Chrysanthemum  shows  which  are  to  be  held  during  the 
coming  season.  Space,  however,  can  only  be  found  for  mentioning  those 
that  have  been  advertised  in  our  columns.  If  any  have  been  omitted 
we  shall  be  glad  to  add  them  to  the  following  list.  We  append  the 
names  and  addresses  of  the  various  Secretaries. 
Nov.  12th  and  13th. — Bradford. — R.  Eichel,  16,  Westcliffe  Road, 
Shipley. 
„  12th  and  13th. — Eccles.— -11.  Huber,  Hazeldene,  Winton,  Patri- 
croft. 
„  12th  and  13th. — SHEFFIELD. — W.  Houslej,  177,  Cemetery  Road* 
Sheflfleld. 
„  17th  and  18th.— South  Shields.— B.  Cowan,  Harton,  South 
Shields. 
„  17th  and  18th. — Hull. -E.  Harland  and  J.  Dixon,  Manor  Street, 
Hull. 
„  17th  and  18th.— Bristol. — E.  Q.  Cooper,  Mervyn  Road,  Bishopston, 
Bristol. 
„  17th  and  18th. — RuGBY. — W.  Bryant,  8,  Barby  Road,  Rugby. 
„  17th,  18th,  and  19th. — York. — J.  Lazenby,  13,  Feasegate,  York. 
„  l8th  and  19th. — Bury  St.  Edmunds.  -  G.  A.  Manning,  “Bury 
Post,”  Alibeygate  Street,  Bury  St.  Edmunds. 
„  19th  and  20th. — Bolton. — .1.  Hicks,  IMarkland  Hill  Lane,  Heaton, 
Bolton. 
„  25th  and  26th. — Leamington  Sfa. — L.  L.  Lawrence,  76,  Parade, 
Leamington. 
Chrysanthejium  Leap  Rust. 
The  leaf  of  the  variety  of  Chrysanthemum  Niveus  sent  to  the  Editor 
by  IMr.  Briscoe-Ironside  from  Italy,  and  referred  to  in  the  Journal  of 
Hortmilture,  page  436,  is  infested  by  the  Chrysanthemum  leaf-rust  fungus, 
Trichobasis  (Credo)  Chrysanthemi,  the  Puccinia  or  teleutospore  stage 
not  having  been  reached— indeed  the  only  Puccinia  Chrysanthemae  yet 
recorded  to  have  been  seen  is  that  shown  on  page  381  at  E,  fig.  57. 
Mr.  Briscoe-Ironside’s  specimen  accords  almost  exactly  with  that  first 
noticed  in  England  on  August  21st,  and  examined  by  me  on  the  26th  of 
that  month.  The  pustules  of  the  Italian  specimen  are,  however,  somewhat 
larger,  yet  the  uredospores  coincide  in  conformation  and  size.  The  Isle 
of  Man  specimen  also  agrees  with  these,  all  having  uredospores  only,  and 
still  retain  vitality,  eagerly  pushing  germinal  tubes  on  a  fresh  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  leaf.  Bisulphide  of  calcium  solution,  if  it  actually  reached 
the  pustules,  evidently  had  produced  no  injurious  effect  on  the  rust  or 
uredospores,  and  no  trace  of  either  lime  or  sulphur  could  be  discerned; 
therefore  it,  as  suggested  by  i\lr.  Briscoe-Ironside,  may  not  have  been 
distributed  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  to  which  the  pustules  in  his 
case  are  solely  confined. 
The  Kent  and  Somerset  specimens  were  much  the  worst  affected  by 
rust,  as  alluded  to  on  October  21st.  page  380,  the  under  side  of  the  leaves 
being  a  mass  of  pustules  run  together,  and  some  even  present  on  the 
upper  surface.  In  the  Somerset  specimen  was  found  the  teleutospore, 
part  of  the  leaf  being  shown  at  A,  fig.  57,  page  .381  ;  but,  as  Mr.  C.  ( Irchard 
observes,  page  438,  the  disease  is  “  really  much  w  orse  than  it  appears  in 
the  woodcut.  The  prolific  spores  (uredo)  that  fall  from  the  under  side  of 
the  leaf  smother  everything,  being  of  a  browm  snuff  colour.” 
Thus  rust  breaks  out  almost  simultaneously  in  Berks,  Kent,  Somerset, 
Isle  of  Man,  New  .lersey  (L^itcd  States),  Italy,  and  Isle  of  Wight. 
Albeit,  the  Berkshire  specimen  was  first  noticed,  and  as  such  gives  pro¬ 
minence  in  the  illustration  on  page  381. 
I  offer  no  comments  on  the  appearance  of  the  rust,  the  evidence 
being  lacking  of  its  introduction  from  the  I  nited  States.  It  certainly 
is  distinct  from  any  Trichobasis  or  LYedo  found  on  Compositac  in  this 
country,  and  may  ultimately,  as  I  regard  it  now,  be  admitted  an  evolved 
form  of  Puccinia  Artemisim,  or,  as  suggested  by  more  recent  investiga¬ 
tion  of  P.compositariim,  a  somewhatcommon  parasite  on  the  “  Hard  Head  ” 
or  Black  Knapweed  (Centaurea  nigra),  the  difference  between  which  and 
P.  tanaceti  does  not  appear  on  investigation. 
