318 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
October  3,  1901. 
THe  Gladiolus. 
Gladiolus  bulbs  have  a  very  ugly  habit  of  rotting  away,  and  I 
believe  this  is  more  the  cise  in  some  soils  than  in  others.  I  have 
never  seen  any  good  explanation  of  the  reason  of  this  decay,  and  it  is 
to  this,  I  think,  we  are  to  attribute  the  diminishing  zeal  of  those  who 
venture  on  their  cultivation.  Like  the  Potato  disease,  no  one  seems 
to  be  able  to  account  for  it  or  to  suggest  a  preventive.  “  Why  do  you 
not,”  I  once  said  to  a  well-known  horticulturist  who  was  looking  at 
some  beautiful  Gladiolus  flowers,  “  Why  do  you  not  attempt  their 
cultivation,  and  show  us  what  you  can  do?”  “Well,”  was  his 
mournful  reply,  “  I  have  spent  £50  on  them  first  and  last,  and  I  am 
sure  I  have  not  half  a  dozen  bulbs  left.”  I  would  say  then,  Muster  cour¬ 
age,  do  your  best,  and  success  will  be  your  reward.  The  list  of  varieties 
that  follows  each  cost  from  4d.  to  6d.,  and  can  be ^recom mended  : — 
Addison,  large,  distinct  flower,  dark 
amaranth,  with  a  white  stripe  ;  Afri- 
caine,  chocolate  brown  in  colour, 
with  scarlet  flushes  and  white  blotch  ; 
Amalthee,  an  early  variety,  pure 
white,  with  large  violet  red  blotch  ; 
Amitid,  laige,  distinct,  and  very  good, 
pale  creamy  rose  shaded  with  straw 
and  lightly  flaked  purple;  Atlas,  a 
beautiful  pale  porcelain  flower  with 
very  loDg  spike,  slightly  tinted  with 
violet. 
Bironess  Burdett  Coutts,  a  large 
magnificent  flower  and  spike,  lilac, 
tinted  with  rose  and  purple  ;  Bicolor, 
an  early  distinct  flower,  the  top  petals 
bright  salmon  rose,  the  lower  divisions 
white  edged  with  rose;  Cameleon,  a 
beautiful  compact  spike,  slaty  white 
in  colour,  stiiped  with  white,  with  a 
pale  orange  blotch  ;  Carnation,  pale 
flush  colour,  suffused  and  tinted  with 
carmine,  fine  ;  Cervantes,  bright  rose 
tinted  with  carmine,  while  stripes 
and  orange  tinted  lower  petals; 
Conqudrant,  dark  purplish  carmine 
flower  with  clear  white  blotch  and 
baods,  a  beautiful  spike  ;  Crepuscule, 
pale  porcelain  flower  tinted  with  lilac, 
large  and  fine;  Dr.  Bailey,  bright 
scarlet,  blotched  carmine  on  white 
ground,  a  very  fine  flower ;  Enchan- 
teresse,  an  extra  large  fine  shaped 
flower,  pale  rosy  white,  lightly  striped 
violet  ;  Feu  Follet,  a  pale  yellow, 
richly  suffused  and  striped  carmine  ; 
Flamboyant,  large,  fine,  bright  scarlet 
crimson  flower  ;  Grande  Rouge,  scarlet 
crimson  with  small  violet  blotch,  a 
grand  flower  and  spike,  one  of  the 
very  best. 
Hespdride,  a  beautiful  flower  with 
pale  salmon  colour,  ground  flaked  and 
striped  red  ;  Horace  Vernet,  purple 
red,  blotched  and  striped  white  ;  La 
Perle,  lilac  blotched  with  violet ;  Le 
Vesuve,  fiery  red,  a  fine  late  variety; 
Mascarille,  small  flowers,  but  very 
novel  iu  colour,  which  is  salmon  rose, 
with  large  sulphur  yellow  blotches 
running  through  the  petals;  Meyer¬ 
beer,  bright  vermilion,  with  amaranth 
blotch  ;  Mont  Etna,  velvety  scarlet,  blotched  white,  a  fine  flower 
and  spike;  Nereide,  a  fine  compact  spike,  pale  rose  in  colour,  with 
small  violet  blotches;  Orphee,  cherry  rose,  purple  blotch,  a  fine  spike 
of  medium-sized  flowers  ;  Pactole,  yellow,  blotched  and  striped  rose ; 
Pollux,  carmine  flower,  flushed  brown  on  the  edges,  with  white  blotch, 
a  fine  flower ;  Pyramide,  large  flowers  of  excellent  colour,  of  a  clear 
delicate  orange  rose,  shading  to  amber  in  the  centre  ;  Rayon  d’Or, 
yellow,  with  red  stripes  and  purple  blotch,  a  very  distinct,  good 
flower;  Rossini,  a  fine  spike,  dark  purplish  red,  blotched  and  striped 
with  white ;  Shakespeare,  a  very  early  variety,  white,  with  large  rosy 
blotch;  Therese  de  Yilmorin,  a  medium-sized  distinct  flower,  lemon 
white  ;  Tour  du  Monde,  dark  cherry  shaded  violet  flower,  with 
white  blotches,  long  spike. 
I  would  advise  anyone  wishing  to  commence  the  growth  of  this 
beautiful  autumn  bloomer  to  begin  with  this  collection,  and  to  add 
some  of  the  best  hybridised  seedlings.  There  is  one  point  which  at 
this  season  of  the  year  requires  attention,  and  that  is  the  preparation  of 
the  beds  for  the  next  year’s  planting.  Well  decayed  manure  should  be 
used;  but  where  the  soil  is  light  and  the  climate  dry,  a  good  stout 
yellow  loam  should  be  chosen.  Where  the  soil  is  heavy  and  the  climate 
moister,  the  soil  should  be  lightened  by  the  addition  of  some 
burnt  earth,  which  should  be  incorporated  with  the  soil  of  the  garden, 
and  frequently  turned  over  during  the  winter  months  anl  left  ia  a 
rough  state,  that  it  may  receive  the  benefit  of  the  frost. — D.,  Deal. 
the 
Tree  Carnation  E.  Crocker, 
Sutton  Coldfield  Gardeners’  Outing. 
The  annual  excursion  of  the  members  of  this  society  took  plaoe  on 
27th  of  August,  when  a  party  of  about  forty  in  number  availed 
themselves  of  visiting  respectively 
“Edelweiss,”  Mr.  Walter  B.  Child’s 
hardy  herbaceous  and  Alpine  plant 
nursery  at  Aoock’s  Green,  near  Bir¬ 
mingham,  and  the  gardens  of  Mrs. 
Richard  Cadbury,  Uffculme,  and  the 
contiguous  gardens  of  the  Right  Hon. 
Joseph  Chamberlain,  Highbury,  Moor 
Green,  near  King’s  Heath.  Arriving 
in  breaks  from  Sutton  Coldfield  about 
eleven  o’clock,  the  party  was  at  once 
conducted  by  Mr.  Child  over  his  in¬ 
teresting  and  well  stocked  nursery, 
and  where  there  was  suoh  a  richness 
of  resource  it  would  be  almost  invidious 
to  specialise  for  particular  mention, 
unless  it  be  the  beautiful  collections 
of  perennial  Lobelias  and  Phloxes 
standing  out  in  conspicuous  array  ; 
noticeable,  too,  was  the  new  Cactus 
Dahlia  named  W.  B.  Child;  it  is  a 
large  flower,  with  substantial  well 
incurved  petals  of  a  richly  shaded 
dull  hue,  similar  to  Night,  but  more 
brilliant,  with  also  a  good  habit,  and 
evidently  it  “  has  come  to  stay.” 
After  the  party  had  been  photographed, 
recourse  was  made  to  the  village 
Liberal  Club,  where  an  excellent  lun¬ 
cheon  was  provided  by  the  curator  and 
his  wife,  and  served  by  a  posse  of 
volunteer  lady  waitresses,  and  whose 
ministrations  were  much  appreciated 
by  the  visitors. 
After  doing  justice  to  the  ample 
refection  the  breaks  were  again  re¬ 
quisitioned  en  route  for  King’s  Heath. 
“  Uffculme  ”  was  first  reaohed,  and  the 
visitors  were  met  by  Mr.  G.  Menzies 
with  a  hearty  welcome  at  his  residence, 
the  lodge  at  the  entrance  to  the 
grounds.  The  visitors  were  muoh  im¬ 
pressed  by  the  appearance  of  the  hand¬ 
some  and  commodious  mansion  over¬ 
looking  the  extensive  and  picturesque 
grounds  below  and  around.  A  notable 
floral  feature,  situate  on  the  lower 
portion  of  the  extensive  lawn  in  front 
of  the  mansion,  were  three  large  beds 
of  Roses,  containing  respectively  luxu¬ 
riant  dwarf  Roses  of  La  Prance, 
Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  and  General 
Jacqueminot.  The  estate  was  purchased 
some  eleven  years  ago  by  the  late  Mr. 
Cadbury,  who  at  once  commenced  to 
build  the  residence  and  form  the  pleasure  grounds,  extensive  fruit 
and  vegetable  gardens,  erection  of  a  conservatory,  fruit  and  plant 
houses,  further  details  of  which,  with  considerable  other  matter, 
may  probably  appear  in  the  pages  of  the  Journal  of  Horticu  ture 
at  some  future  date.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  numerous,  heavi  y 
cropped  with  fine  fruit,  well  trained  Apple  and  Pear  trees,  either  in 
bush,  pyramidal,  or  espalier  fashion,  notably  grand  crops  of  Lord 
Suffield  and  Stirling  Castle  Apples,  and  more  especially  the  former 
variety  trained  espalierwise  on  horizontal  wires,  were  objeots  of  admira¬ 
tion.  Amongst  many  other  objeots  of  interest  the  visitor  s  attention  was 
arrested  by  a  fine  old  and  picturesque  avenue  of  Beech  and  English 
Elms,  and  especially  a  grand  old  veteran  Sycamore,  said  to  be  one  o 
the  finest  specimens  extant,  the  whole  imparting  an  old-time  dignity  to 
the  domain.  .  . 
Complimenting  Mr.  Menzies  on  the  excellent  condition  or  all 
under  his  charge,  which  he  has  governed  for  eleven  years,  the 
party  next  wended  their  way  to  the  head  gardener  s  residence  at 
