7o 
JOUllNAL  OF  HORTIOULTURE  AXD 
COTTAGE  GARDEFER, 
/ 
January  22,  1SC3. 
clear  figures  lest  you  should  make  a  mistake,  and  it  doesn’t 
need  much  of  a  scholar  to  see  as  there  ain’t  a  deal  o’  profit 
attached  to  th’  growin’  on  ’em.  Now  and  then,  when  one 
takes  my  fancy,  I  jot  it  down  and  persuade  th’  head  gar¬ 
dener  to  try  it,  ’cos  th’  Squire  pays  for  that,  you  know,  but 
for  my  own  little  garden  at  home  I  generally  waits  till  th’ 
novelty  is  a  few  years  old,  and  th’  price  has  come  down, 
afore  I  speculates  on  it. 
There,  Mr.  Editor,  I’ve  about  done  for  this  time.  I’ve 
said  nothin’  about  th’  flower  part  o’  th’  catalogues,  though 
some  o’  th’  picters  given  are  mightj-  pretty,  but  bein’  a 
vegetable  man,  yer  know,  I  don’t  take  so  much  interest  in 
th’  flower  part.  Th’  missus  is  terribly  fond  o’  them, 
though,  and  her  little  front  patch  o’  garden  is  a  treat  in  th’ 
summer,  I  can  tell  you.  She’s  an  eye  for  picters,  too,  and 
our  little  back  bedroom  has  coloured  plates  plastered  all 
o’er  the  walls  till  you  can’t  see  an  atom  o’  th’  original  paper. 
I  hope  you’ll  excuse  th’  spellin’  and  th’  writin’,  as  we  coun¬ 
try  folks  alius  says  when  we  write  a  letter,  which  ain’t  very 
often,  but,  as  I  said  afore,  I  ain’t  much  of  a  scholar,  though 
I  fear  nobody  in  a  kitchen  garden. 
Sinilax  argyrea  and  Others. 
In  the  minds  of  the  vast  majority  of  gardeners  and  florists, 
there  is  only  one  Smilax,,  the  beautiful  climber  whose  growth  is  all 
but  indispensable  to  the  floral  decorator.  This  is  not  regarded  as  a 
member  of  the  genus  Sinilax,  however,  by  the  botanists,  but  is 
a  species  of  Asparagus,  and  named  A.  meleoloides,  but  probably 
some  day  the  name  will  be  changed,  for  botanical  nomencTature 
is  fearfully  and  often  foolishly  capricious.  The  genera  Sinilax 
and  Asparagus  are  distinct  botanically,  though  both  belong  to 
the  same  Natural  Order  of  Liliacese.  On  the  Sinilax  of  gardens 
we  may  often  see  the  pretty  white  flowers,  and  it  would  be 
interesting  to  compare  these  minute  blossoms  with  the  far  more 
imposing  blooms  of  a  Lilium  longiflorum,  and  note  the  resem¬ 
bling  characters. 
Sinilax  is  an  old  Greek  name,  and  certain  species  furnish  the 
China-root  of  commerce,  and  the  root-stocks  of  these  are  eaten 
as  a  food  in  China;  and  in  Carolina,  N.  America,  a  liquor, 
resembling  beer,  is  prepared  .from  the  roots  of  the  false  China. 
The  much-advertised  blood-purifier.  Sarsaparilla,  is  manufac- 
aured  from  the  rhizomes  of  several  species,  so  that  the  economic 
properties  of  the  genus  are  important. 
There  are  180  species  distributed  over  the  world,  and  most 
of  them  are  woody  climbers  which  ascend  by  means  of  the  coil¬ 
ing  appendages  of  the  petiole.  Seventeen  species  grow  wild  in 
various  parts  of  the  United  States.  S.  aspera  is  a  half-hardy 
type,  and  is  grown  to  a  pillar  in  the  Temperate  House  at  Kew, 
along  with  its  A'ariety  maculata,  a  pretty  plant.  S.  argyrea  is 
very  bright  and  decorative  Avhen  Avell  seen  to  and  in  health.  It 
is  a  temperate  species  and  robust ;  a  temperature  of  Sddeg  or  a 
little  less  as  minimum  suiting  it.  The  position  should  be  light 
and  sunny,  against  a  Avail  or  on  a  pillar,,  and  the  .soil  of  a  rich 
yet  fibrous  nature.  It  may  be  propagated  by  half-ripened  side 
slioots  used  as  cuttings,  and  inserted  in  a  moderately  warm  bed. 
S.  rotundifolia  (quadrangularis),  or  Green  Briar,  i.s  almost  or 
quite  hardy,  and  has  stood  out  on  pergola  chains  and  on  lAillans 
north  of  the  rock  garden  at  Kcav  for  some  years.  In  such  places 
it  makes  a  change  instead  of  Ivy. 
- <♦#.> - 
Horticulture  for  Ireland. 
A  correspondent  to  “  The  Cork  Constitution  ”  says:  ‘‘  Among 
the  excellent  projects  of  the  Lord  Mayor  to  promote  the  indus¬ 
tries  suitable  to  Ireland,  I  see  no  mention  of  horticulture,  and 
it  has  noAv  been  abundantly  proved  that  our  soil  and  climate 
are  eminently  favourable  to  the  production  of  all  kinds  of  bulbs, 
even  more  so  than  in  Holland.  The  time  is  fast  approaching  Avhen 
Cork  Avill  be  Avithin  twelve  hours  of  London,  Avhere  the  floAver 
markets  are  noAv  supplied  from  France  and  the  Soilly  Islands, 
and  Avith  skilled  labour,  the  materials  for  Avhich  could  be  sup¬ 
plied  from  the  Avorkhouses,  the  Co.  Cork  could  easily  compete 
and  keep  this  largely-increasing  trade  in  the  country.  The 
greater  exhibition  could  Avell  promote  this  industry  by  holding 
tAvo  or  three  large  floAver  shows  in  the  year  and  offering  large 
pri,7.es.  Much  has  been  done  already  on  a  small  scale  by  the 
gentry  in  Skibbereen,  Macroom,  Douglas,  and  other  places,  but 
their  shoAvs  have  suffered  of  late  from  sameness.  They  liaA'e  done 
their  Avork,  and.  no  doubt,  all  Avould  combine  in  one  general 
flower  show  embracing  all  Ireland,  and  arranged  .someAvhat  in 
the  style  of  the  Temple  Gardens  floAver  sIioavs  by  an  expert  in 
sucli  matters.  There  is  no  doidit  of  its  proving  a  most  attractive 
entertainment,  as  Avell  as  a  most  useful  one,  and  one  that  Avould 
pay  for  itself.” 
Gadding  and  Gathering, 
“Here  aaa'a’,  There  awa’.” 
During  the  autumn  of  each  year  I  msually  endeavour  to  reach 
Orpington.  This  is  the  name  of  a  fast-growing  urban  munici¬ 
pality  in  the  county  of  Kent,  not  far  from  London  City,  and, 
indeed,  a  “.suburban”  terminus  of  one  of  the  railway  lines  from 
the  metropolis,  and  Avith  its  large  new  station  (smelling  strongly 
of  fresh  paint)  the  neighbourhood  must  increase  in  population, 
yclept  the  jerry-builder,  has  arrived!  Charles  DarAvin  dAvelt 
Avithin  Orpington’s  precincts,  and  science  still  maintains  a  name 
there,  in  the  person  of  Lord  AA^ebury. 
Orpington,  Kent. 
Another  name  comes  to  the  mind  of  the  horticulturist  Avhen 
Orpington  is  expressed,  for  it  is  here  that  Dobbie  and  Co.,  the 
King’s  seedsmen  and  florists,  practise  their  trials  of  A’egetable  and 
floAver  varieties.  Their  estate  is  well  adapted  for  Avork  of  this 
nature.  It  is  undulated  in  conformation,  sheltered  to  north  and 
east  by  the  great  endjankment  of  the  Brighton  and  London  Rail- 
Avay  line,  but  the  seed-groAving  area  itself  is  open  to  the  sunshine 
and  the  breezes.  Mr.  Ireland,  from  Rothesay,  is  the  manager 
here,  and  the  Ausitor  experiences  Avhole-hearted  generosity  at  his 
and  Mrs.  Ireland’s  hands. 
The  notes  Avere  made  some  time  in  September  or  earlier,  and 
they  have  been  retained  on  purpose  till  noAV,  the  season  Avhen 
seeds  and  A’arieties  are  receiving  consideration.  Sweet  Peas 
deserve  a  prominent  place  in  any  notice  of  Dobbie’s,  for  they  are 
among  the  specialities  of  that  firm.  Sixty  of  the  leading  sorts 
Avere  seen  side  by  side.  Mark  the  care  bestoAved  on  them.  Two 
Peas  are  soAvn  in  pots ;  Avhen  Gin  high  they  are  planted  at  dis¬ 
tances  of  18in  apart  in  the  row,  and  from  these  the  groAver  expects 
stout  haulms  to  develop.  He  is  not  di.sappointed,  for  the  growths 
are  simply  enormous.  The  ultimate  result  of  such  procedure  is  a 
plentiful  yield  by  the  two  haulms  of  the  highest  grade  seeds,  for  the 
competition  and  the  general  struggle  for  a  bare  existence  to  Avhich 
so  many  similar  plants  are  often  subjected  in  gardens  never 
enters  into  their  life-history  here.  The  roots  of  the  SAveet  Peas 
are  liberally  mulched.  By  a  remark  of  Mr.  Ireland’s  I  learnt 
that  .some  noAv  American  A-arieties  yield  scarcely  any  seeds  in 
this  country  until  groAvn  for  a  year  or  tAvo. 
No  one  seeing  the  beautiful  Mimulus  or  Monkey-floAA’ers,  as 
groAvn  in  long  boggy  beds  by  a  hedge  in  this  nursery,  could  fail 
to  find  an  admiration  arising  for  them.  Their  large  open  bells 
are  little  smaller  than  good  Gloxinias,  and  one  thing  to  commend 
them  very  generally  is  their  Amry  easy  culture.  The  rich'  chest¬ 
nut  and  yellow  colours  and  pretty  blacki.sh  spots,  clear  markings, 
and  pencilling  in  the  throat,  render  them  A^ery  distinct  and  SAveet 
to  look  upon.  The  edge  is  strong  and  good. 
Then  there  are  the  African  Marigolds,  which  those  who  love 
them  are  held  to  like  steel  to  a  magnet,  and  I  am  not  wrong  in 
stating  that  no  growers  equal  Dobbie  and  Co.  in  producing  the 
highest  exhibition  type  of  Marigolds.  The  colours,  the  size,  and 
the  form  of  the  blooms  are  all  as  perfect  as  the  fanciers’  care 
and  attention  can  make  them.  We  counted  forty  floAvers  on  one 
dAvarf  .  plant.  French,  African,  and  Scotch  Marigolds  are  each 
specialised,  but  I  must  name  but  one  of  the  latter  section — Orange 
King — as  a  handsome  fellow,  and  hasten  on  to  a  A'ery  brief  notice 
of  the  Peutstemoiis,  of  Avhich  one  can  hardly  Avrite  too  highly. 
The  bells  are  large,  open-mouthed,  numerous  in  the  raceme,  of 
many  light  and  pretty  shades  of  colour,  others  dark  and  rich,  or 
finely  spotted,  and  all  possessing  a  vigorous  constitution.  I  Avas 
assured  that  many  of  the  best  forms  come  exactly  true  from 
seeds.  Near  by  Avere  beds  of  Dobbie’s  Large-floAvered  Mignonette 
and  the  shoAvy  Nemesia  .strumosa  Suttoni,  Avhich  succeeds  here. 
And  noAv  to  a  gem  for  cut  floAA'er  Avork,  and  this  is  the  Mar¬ 
guerite  Carnation.  Here  Avas  a  great  bed  of  the  finest  flowers 
in  a  magnificent  array  of  colours,  embracing  even  buffs  and 
yelloAvs.  The  seeds  Avere  SbAvn  in  heat  in  February,  the  seedlings 
potted  into  60’s,  and  afterwards  planted  in  the  open-air  beds. 
There  Avas  a  vei'y  high  percentage  of  true,  good,  double  flowers 
similar  to  ordinary  border  Carnations.  Moreover,  tliese_  plants 
can  be  lifted  in  September  to  be  potted,  and  Avill  continue  to 
floAver  during  the  Avinter  if  correctly  treated.  Could  one  Avish 
more  from  any  plant?  I  troAV  not. 
Dahlias?  Well,  Dobbie  and  Dahlias  and  SAveet  Peas  are  all 
one.  The  magnificent  displays  furnished  both  in  the  North  and 
in  London  by  the  firm  might  bo  taken  as  conclusive  evidence  of 
their  care  for  and  groAvth  of  these  floAvers.  True,  they  have  only 
started  to  hybridise,  or,  rather,  to  cro.ss,  the  varieties,  but  under 
Mr.  Kerr’s  supervision,  as  an  expert  in  the  culture  of  the  genus, 
there  may  be  greater  things  to  chronicle  of  them.  It  must  suffice 
for  me  to  say  that  the  stock  of  Dahlias  is  very  large,  and  as  select 
as  it  is  large.  Many  Cactus  Dahlias  groAving  here  Avere  from 
seeds  soavu  in  February,  the  plants  being  put  out  in  May,  and  by 
September  they  are  full  of  floAver. 
The  old-fashioned  Canterbury  Bells  have  undergone  a  slight 
modification,  in  common  Avith  nearly  all  things  floral,  during  the 
