194 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  30,  1900. 
London  Gardens  Over  Fifty  Years— No.  21. 
By-and-bt,  I  expect,  every  important  park  and  recreation  ground 
near  London  will  have  its  botanic  garden  on  a  large  or  small  scale. 
Already  such  have  been  formed  in  Battersea,  Kavenscourt,  and  Victoria 
Parks.  Plai  ts  representative  of  thepiincip^l  natural  orders  are  arranged 
on  a  plan  which  makes  them  very  discernible  to  teachers  and  students. 
Trees  and  shrubs  are  also  named  ;  the  advantages  are,  or,  at  least,  are 
to  be,  increased  by  a  printed  list  of  the  species  each  garden  contains. 
This  summer  the  display  of  flowers  and  fine-foliaged  plants  has  been 
fairly  good  about  our  parks.  The  spring  bulbs  suffered  somewhat  from 
the  inclement  seasen.  Climbers  are  rather  few  at  present.  I  should 
like  to  see  more  of  these  grown  fer  display  on  latticework,  or 
occasicnally  on  banks  besides  the  familiar  Ivy. 
Mare  in  Urbe. 
The  Jasmines  succeed  in  London  air,  so  do  several  species  of 
Honeysuckle  and  Clematis  ;  even  the  Passion  Flower,  the  Wistaria  too, 
and  various  others  we  might  add.  We  find  that,  in  consideration  of 
the  amusements  of  these  L(  ndon  children  whose  visits  to  the  sea  are 
few  or  none,  measures  have  been  taken  in  several  of  the  parks  to  supply 
sea  sand  during  the  summer,  so  that  the  youngsters  may  fancy 
themselves  upon  the  shore.  Southwark  Park,  for  instance,  which  is  in 
convenient  preximity  to  ihe  Thames  below  bridge,  has  received 
hundreds  of  tons.  Perhaps,  before  long,  as  an  additional  benefit,  we 
shall  have  shallow  ponds  made,  filled  with  real  or  artificial  sea  water, 
in  which  children  can  paddle  to  their  heart's  content.  We  might  also 
have  supplies  c  f  seaweed,  small  crabs,  shells,  and  other  objects  that 
give  occupation  to  strollers  along  the  coast.  There  might  be  also  placed 
an  apparatus  to  evolve  ezone  in  ti  e  gardens  of  populous  districts,  so 
that  older  folks  may  breathe  a  purer  air  without  the  expense  and 
trouble  ot  going  to  the  sea. 
Hlghgate. 
Highgate,  notable  for  its  rather  mythical  memories  of  Dick 
Whittington,  but  truly  associated  with  many  famous  men  of  later 
date,  is  notable  for  its  fragments  of  old  English  woodland,  its  Arch¬ 
way,  and  its  curious  local  custom  of  swearing  on  the  horns.  No 
doubt  it  had,  at  an  early  date,  its  gardeners,  though  we  do  not  read 
much  about  them.  James  Ceel  is  said  to  have  had  a  botanic  garden 
there  in  the  sixteenth  century,  and  its  chief  nursery  is  known  to  be 
quite  two  hundred  years  old,  but  it  appears,  somehow,  to  have  been 
overlooked  by  Loudon  and  other  writers  on  London  horticulture.  I 
think  the  elevated  position  of  Highgate,  and  its  distance  from  the 
Thames,  is  a  reason  why  it  was  not  one  of  the  suburbs  which  supplied 
fruit  and  vegetables  to  the  metropolis.  Besides  Cutbush’s  establish¬ 
ment,  there  exists  only  the  Whittington  nursery  ot  Mr.  Jentle.  The 
Victoria  nursery  has  vanished.  There  are  also  two  or  three  florists  at 
Highgate.  A  rather  celebrated  eye  snuff  was  stated  to  be  prepared  at 
the  “Herbary.”  It  is  still  sold,  though  now  less  popular.  Probably 
Asarabecca  was  a  chief  ingredient.  Tt.is  used  to  be  grown  in  gardens 
of  herbs. 
The  Catbush  Nurseries. 
Though  it  is  not  mentioned  till  the  last  article  in  this  series,  we 
must  note  that  the  nursery  of  Meisrs.  W.  Cutbush  &  Son  occupies  a 
high  place  on  the  roll  of  London  establishments,  and  very  few  have  so 
long  a  his  ory.  For  almost  the  whole  period  it  has  been  in  the  hands 
of  the  Cutbush  family ;  the  name,  one  thinks,  is  appropriate  to  gardeners, 
but  I  presume  the  modern  spelling  does  not  give  it  in  the  first  form. 
Being  large  importers  of  bulbs,  the  firm  have  been  ordered  to  supply 
those  required  this  autumn  by  the  First  Commissioners  of  Works,  and 
the  Loudon  County  Council.  Hardy  shrubs  and  trees,  also  fruit  trees, 
and  hardwooded  greenhouse  plants  receive  much  attention  ;  the 
autumn  and  winter-flowering  species  are  extensively  grown.  Ivies, 
Hollies,  Orchids,  and  Roses  are  amongst  the  important  items  of  the 
nursery,  and  tree  or  border  varieties  of  Malmaisons.  The  ground  at 
Highgate,  of  about  14  acres,  is  picturesquely  situated ;  an  acre  is 
covered  with  glass,  and  the  houses  contain  a  fine  collection  of  Palms 
and  other  decorative  plants.  At  Finchley,  within  a  convenient 
distance,  Messrs.  Cutbush  have  a  larger  nursery  specially  devoted  to 
herbaceous  plants  and  Carnations.  But  the  bulk  of  rlants  under 
culture  by  this  firm  are  to  be  seen  at  Barnet,  where  Messrs.  Wm. 
Cutbush  &  Son  hold  above  200  acres  of  land,  and  have  a  large  and 
varied  nur.sery  stock.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Barnet  also  is  the 
Warwick  nursery,  owned  by  Mr.  Swallow,  and  that  of  Mr.  Hunter,  the 
situation  being  favourable  in  several  respects. 
Growth  of  London  Nurseries. 
Finchley,  besides  the  establishment  of  the  Highgate  firm,  has 
several  important  nurseries,  that  have  sprung  up  of  late  years,  from 
whence  quantities  of  produce  are  sent  to  London.  The  growth  of 
the  northern  suburbs  has  developed  nurseries  and  market  gardens 
about  Edmonton  and  Tottenham,  along  the  course  of  the  New  River,, 
in  what  used  to  be  a  rather  moist  district.  Most  of  these  did  'not 
exist  fifty  years  ago,  and  before  another  fifty  the  builder  will  probably 
have  had  dealings  with  some  of  them.  At  Tottenham  a  good  deal  of 
land  is  under  cultivation  about  Northumberland  Park,  and  one  of  the 
principal  firms  was  that  of  T.  S.  Ware,  Limited,  of  Hale  Farm,  having 
ground  also  at  Bexley,  Kent :  the  firm  has  "now  established  its  Hale 
Farm  nursery  at  Feltham  in  Middlesex,  and  the  Tottenham  ground 
will  presumably  pass  to  the  builder.  About  twenty  years  since  Mr. 
Hayes,  of  Tottenham,  had  many  visitors  to  see  an  Heliotrope  house 
he  was  proud  of,  from  which  he  could  cut  blooms  all  the  year  round. 
The  plants  grew  in  a  dense  mass,  and  were  about  twenty  years  old. 
Stoke  Newington. 
Stoke  Newington,  a  memorable  village  in  the  past,  which  we- 
reach  before  we  mount  Stamford  Hill,  on  our  way  to  Tottenham,, 
might  now  be  called  a  part  of  London,  though  comparatively  open. 
Vainly  should  we  seek  its  Cowslip  meadows,  where  cattle  pastured ; 
much  hay  was  also  grown  on  its  fields,  only  a  few  vegetables.  A  Mr. 
Rigby  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  market  gardener  here.  The 
“  Green  Lanes,”  less  attractive  at  present  than  when  it  received  its 
name,  had  several  nurseries  adjacent  ;  some  have  gone.  There 
remains  the  fairly  good-sized  establishment  of  Stroud  Brothers,  near 
Clissold  Park,  partly  enclosed  by  hedges  of  the  old  style.  Of  similar 
dimensions,  having  its  open  ground  well  stocked,  and  with  several 
good  houses,  is  the  nursery  of  Mr.  Oubridge,  in  Church  Road,  close 
by;  and  there  are  several  smaller  scattered  abouq  Besides  its 
common,  this  suburb  has  its  park  of  some  53  acres,  acquired  in  1889- 
by  the  outlay  of  £100,000.  Lately  we  have  added  to  the  public 
grounds  of  North  Middlesex  DoHis  Hill,  Willesden,  a  splendid  piece 
of  scenery  ;  and  The  Chestnuts,  a  Tottenham  estate.’ 
Boses  in  London. 
London’s  yearly  bill  for  Roses  is  a  big  one,  even  in  such  a  year 
as  this,  and  only  a  small  part  of  those  required  are  raised  in  its  neigh¬ 
bourhood ;  many  flowers  travel  a  long  distance,  as  a  supply  is  needed^ 
all  the  year  round.  Still,  the  London  nurserymen  are,  many  of  them, 
growers  of  Roses,  chiefly  under  glass,  but  some  are  successful  in 
getiing  a  good  number  of  blooms  out  of  doors  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  Metropolis.  One  of  the  most  profitable  of  open  air  crops  is  yielded 
'ffy  the  Moss  Rose.  I  should  think  next  to  that  Tea  Roses  have  had 
the  attention  of  suburban  gardeners  for  the  longest  time  and  to  the 
great e.'t  extent ;  the  outlay  may  be  considerable,  but  the  return  good  on 
sales  through  the  winter.  In  many  houses  it  has  been  the  custom  to 
let  the  Tea  Roses  run  nearly  wild,  and  yet  they  yield  large  crops  of 
flowers  ;  some  nurserymen  have  had  the  centre  of  a  house  occupied 
by  other  plants,  and  carried  up  the  Roses  in  lines  along  the  roof. 
Gardeners  who  grow  outdoor  Roses  near  London  graft  the  Tea  varieties 
in  winter  and  spring  generally  upon  seedling  Briars  ;  these  are  kept 
in  close  frames  with  bottom  heat,  then  repotted,  and  kept  moderately 
moist,  while  they  are  gradually  accustomed  to  a  cool  temperature. 
Early  in  June  they  are  planted  out,  a  part  usually  reserved  in  pots  ;  the 
rest  are  set  at  variable  distances.  When  planting,  care  is  taken  to 
keep  the  point  of  union  in  each  Rose  well  beneath  the  soil.  The 
mulching  that  is  placed  over  the  root  is  kept  there  till  the  pruning 
season  in  spring. 
Waltham  Cross. 
At  Waltham  Cross  we  are  beyond  the  metropolitan  bounds,  but 
we  cannot  pass  over  tl^e  nursery  of  Messrs.  W.  Paul  &  Son,  established 
as  far  back  as  1806,  because,  though  they  send  goods  all  over  the 
country,  London  receives  quantities  of  stoe'e  from  their  establishment. 
Also,  the  firm  is  famous  for  its  Roseq  and  Mr.  W.  Paul  is  the  author 
of  several  valuable  works  on  the  culture  of  this  flower.  Many  excellent 
varieties  have  been  produced  in  their  nurseries ;  to  refer  to  one  instance, 
you  will  hardly  equal  anywhere  the  Hybrid  Perpetual  Peachblossom, 
grown  from  English  seed  in  1874  at  Waltham  Cross.  This  is  a  Rose 
shown  by  te.sting  to  be  constant  in  character  and  colour,  which  exhibits 
a  large,  exquisitely  shaped  flower,  of  a  delicate  tint.  Altogether, 
Messrs.  W.  Paul  &  Son  have  about  250  acres  of  land  in  three  counties, 
and  their  collection  of  trees  and  shrubs,  over  a  thousand  species  or 
varieties,  has,  I  believe,  no  rival  in  England.  Some  years  ago,  Mr. 
Ladds  of  Bexley  grew  more  Hybrid  Perpetuals  than  any  other  nursery¬ 
man  near  London  (I  cannot  say  who  grows  most  now) ;  he  gave  a 
leading  place  to  General  Jacqueminot  and  Victor  Verdier.  At 
Tottenham,  some  years  ago,  Mr.  Mailer  had  a  notable  house  of  the  first 
of  these,  grown  upon  Manetti  stocks. 
The  Crystal  Palace. 
By  an  oversight,  when  referring  to  the  districts  of  Surrey  to  the 
south  of  London,  I  omitted  to  notice  the  Crystal  Palace.  It  must 
suffice  to  say  here  and  now  that,  fifty  years  ago,-  this  structure  and  its 
splendid  grounds  had  not  come  into  existence,  and  I  trust  it  will  long 
abide  intact,  as  a  memorial  of  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  who  erected  th& 
