July  3,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
7 
• — and  many  others.  I  am  afraid  we  must  fall  back  upon  the 
amateur  for  the  raising  of  seedlings,  selection,  hybridising,  &c., 
and  if  we  can  only  induce  more  enterprising  amateurs  to  take 
up  this  matter  no  one  knows  what  may  be  accomplished. 
Secretaries  might  greatly  assist  in  the  work  by  offering  prizes 
for  any  improved  variety  of  hardy  perennial,  and  honouring 
them  according  to  their  merits. 
We  want  more  reverend  gentlemen  like  the  late  Mr.  Nelson, 
Mr.  Ewbank,  and  Mr.  Harpur-Crewe,  who  did  valuable  work  in 
their  time;  the  Rev.  C.  Wolley  Dod,  Sir  Michael  Foster,  who 
has  done  so  much  for  the  Iris ;  Mr.  James  Salter,  the  developer 
of  the  Pyrethrum,  and  many  others.  Some  families  have  received 
a  fair  share  of  attention,  and  to  the  French  florists  we  are 
principally  indebted  for  the  great  improvement  in  the  Phlox, 
which  is  still  capable  of  further  additions.  Many  of  them  are 
too  tall,  and  the  Americans  have  just  started  a  new  race  only 
growing  1ft  in  height,  '  which  for  many  purposes  will  be 
invaluable.  The  alpine  Phloxes  were  taken  in  hand  by  the 
Messrs.  Ivelway  and  Son,  but  although  the  results  cannot  bo 
considered  great,  yet  it  is  possible  that  from  these  may  be 
obtained  other  varieties  of  greater  merit.  The  idea  seems  to 
prevail  that  a  Delphinium  should  be  blue,  and  if  you  admit  a 
white  or  a  yellow  into  your  collection  it  must  be  a  good  one. 
It  is,  however,  a  great  achievement  to  get  a  break  of  this 
description,  and  now  we  have  white  I  see  no  reason  why  yellows, 
1  scarlets,  and  every  other  intermediate  shade  cannot  be  produced. 
’  The  Oriental  Poppies  deserve  mention  as  being  one  of  the 
few  recent  families  that  has  received  special  attention,  and 
among  them  are  many  of  great  merit  and  still  capable  of  great 
improvement.  I  see  no  reason  why  we  cannot  obtain  as  much 
variety,  colour,  and  form  as  in  the  annual  varieties.  In  Fringed 
Beauty  we  have  the  first  break  in  form.  The  flower  has 
a  deep  fringed  edge  to  the  petals,  while  in  Mrs.  Marsh  we  have 
the  first  two  coloured  varieties,  and  with  this  material  to  work 
from  no  one  can  form  any  conception  of  what  may  be  obtained. 
[It  may  be  here  noted  that  at  the  recent  Temple  Show  Mr. 
The  East  Front  of  Holland  House. 
Rev.  John  Nelson,  and  to  him  we  are  indebted  for  one  or  two 
of  the  best  at  present  in  cultivation. 
The  Hollyhock  is  essentially  an  English  flower,  and  Mr. 
Chater’s  name  will  always  be  associated  with  it,  but  I  do  not 
think  there  is  much  room  for  further  improvement  in  that 
direction.  We  want  a  change,  and  I  think  the  material  is  at 
hand  in  Althsea  fecifolia  for  producing  an  entirely  new  race  of 
Hollyhocks,  dwarfer  in  growth,  of  pretty  branching  habit,  and 
of  far  more  value  for  many  purposes  than  the  present  group. 
Carnations  and  Pinks  now  occupy  a  prominent  place  in  our 
gardens,  but  what  a  change  from  the  old  school  of  florists,  of 
which  the  late  Mr.  Turner  was  the  chief.  A  Carnation  with  a 
fringed  edge,  in  those  days,  was  considered  a  monstrosity,  no 
matter  how  free  blooming  or  beautiful  in  colour,  and  now  we 
hear  of  fringed  Carnations  realising  thousands  of  dollars.  In 
connection  with  the  Carnation  we  must  not  forget  Mr.  Martin 
Smith,  who  has  done  more  for  this  flower  than  any  man  living— 
and  an  amateur.  Long  may  he  continue  his  work  with  this 
family,  and  set  an  example  to  others  to  try  and  do  likewise  with 
some  other  race. 
Delphiniums  have  received  a  fair  share  of  attention,  both  by 
English  and  French  raisers,  and  many  splendid  varieties  have 
been  the  result.  A  remarkable  break  has  been  obtained  by 
W.  J.  Godfrey  staged  and  received  awards  for  some  handsome 
novelties. — Ed.] 
The  Tritoma  has  received  a  good  deal  of  attention,  but  the 
work  is  only  half  done.  T.  MacOwani  should  be  taken  seriously 
in  hand  to  endeavour  to  form  a  new  race  of  dwarf  varieties  for 
summer  flowering  and  adapted  for  massing  as  well  as  for  pots. 
Lobelias,  Pentstemons,  Dahlias,  Chrysanthemums,  and  others 
we  know  all  about,  but  they  hardly  belong  to  the  class  of  plant 
under  consideration  this  evening. 
(To  be  concluded.) 
Windsor’s  New  Gardens. 
The  new  riverside  gardens  at  Windsor  were  informally  opened 
on  Thursday.  Bty  permission  of  the  Queen  they  are  called 
Alexandra  Gardens,  and  a  member  of  the  Royal  Family  is  to 
perform  the  official  opening  ceremony  in  the  course  of  the  next 
few  weeks.  £14,000  has  been  spent  on  improving  the  river  side, 
and  the  gardens  have  been  most  prettily  laid  out. 
