410 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  30,  1902. 
and  though  all  of  them  are  probably  not  in  commerce,  most  of 
them  are  procurable. 
Betula  alba  is  the  Silver,  White,  or  Common  Birch,  and  has  a 
very  large  number  of  well-marked  varieties.  It  is  one  of  our 
native  British  trees,  and  besides  being  renowned  for  its  beauty, 
it  is  also  invaluable  as  a  forest  tree.  B.  a.  pendula  is  largely  used 
in  ornamental  planting,  and  Young’s  variety  of  it  is  even  more 
graceful  still,  having  longer  branchlets  and  thick  masses  of  dark, 
Jaciniated  foliage.  B.  alba  pyramidalis  has  white  barked  trunk 
and  erect  growing  branches  of  a  dark  brown  bark.  The  leaves  are 
larger  than  those  of  the  type  and  produced  thickly  in  clusters. 
It  is  a  distinctive  and  ornamental  tree.  Bt  a.  latifolia,  from  what 
I  have  seen  of  it,  is  not  robust,  and  makes  twiggy  wood. 
B.  nigra,  the  Black  or  River  Birch,  is  rather  stiff  in  habit, 
though  the  shoots  are  dependent.  B.  lutea  has  dark  brown  stems. 
The  leaves  of  this  species  fall  early.  B.  lenta,  or  Cherry  Birch,  is 
probably  so  called  from  the  resemblance  of  the  wood  and  bark  to 
that  of  a  Cherry  tree.  The  leaves  are  5in  long  and  2|in  broad, 
and  ribbed  like  those  of  an  Alder.  It  is  a  vigorous  grower,  and 
furnishes  a  handsome  tree. 
Betula  ulmifolia.  has  greyish-white  bark,  but  is  not  a  very 
effective  tree  unless  when  a  thoroughly  good  specimen  is  seen. 
The  specific  name  denotes  that  the  leaves  are  like  those  of  an 
Elm.  Undoubtedly  one  of  the  finest  trees  of  thei  genus  is:  the 
renowned  Paper  Birch — B.  papyrifera.  The  foliage  is  of 
medium  size,  and  not  unlike  that  of  B.  ulmifolia.  The  habit  is 
free  and  open,  and  the  bark  is  silvery.  Another  of  the  large- 
leaved  Birches  is  B.  Ermani,  a  distinctly  ornamental  tree'  of 
robust  character,  and  grows  densely  for  a  Birch.  It  is  Japanese. 
The  shoots  are  buff,  or  brownish.  B.  occidentalis  possesses  dark 
stems  and  medium-sized  leaves. 
The  Nettle-leaved  variety  of  the  Common  Birch  is  a  beautiful 
tree,  a  native  of  Sweden,  and  quite  hardy.  The  leaves  are  almost 
exactly  like  those  of  the  Stinging  Nettle,  but  are  smaller  than  a 
typical  Nettle  leaf.  The  foliage  is  borne  in  drooping  clusters,  the 
growths  being  twiggy.  The  bark  is  white,  and  altogether  this  is 
a  very  beautiful  tree  for  ornamental  plantations  or  grounds. 
In  Betula  Maximowiczi  we  have  one  of  the  best  three  Birches  in 
cultivation.  It  is  very  handsome  and  distinct,  and  attains  a 
height  of  80ft  to  90ft,  with  a  trunk  2ft  to  3ft  in  diameter,  covered 
with  a  beautiful  grey  and  orange  bark.  The  dark  green  leaves 
are  from  4in  to  6in  long,  and  almost  as  broad.  The  form  of  the 
tree  is  pyramidal,  and  the  habit  open.  It  is  a  Japanese  native. 
B.  populifolia  is  a  pretty  and  graceful  tree,  the  leaves  resem¬ 
bling  those  of  B.  nigra,  but  smaller.  Lastly,  there  is  B.  humilis, 
a  dwarf  little  bush,  native  of  the  colder  parts  of  the  northern 
hemisphere,  and  may  be  compared  to  a  bushy  Cotoneaster  or  to 
Berberis  Darwini.  Others  that  might  be  noted  would  not  be  so 
meritorious  from  the  point  of  view  of  ornamental  character.— 
Wandering  Willie. 
DAPHNE  BLAGAYANA. 
The  fragrant  Daphnes  are  always  prized  in  the  best  gardens 
where  they  have  once  found  a  footing,  and  none  are,  I  am 
certain,  more  thought  of  than  D.  Blagayana,  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  of  all,  with  its  fine  white  flowers,  which  exhale  such  a 
delicious  perfume.  It  lasts  so  long  in  flower  that  it  is  worth  a 
considerable  effort  to  secure  the  best  results  for  such  a  charming 
plant  for  the  rock  garden,  the  flower  border,  or  the  edge  of  the 
select  shrubbery.  While  all  who  have  it  desire  this,  it  is  also 
evident  that  all  are  not  successful  in  securing  such  results  as 
they  strive  for.  This  is  due  to  ignorance  of  this  Daphne’s 
requirements,  which  are  simple  and  are  easily  supplied, 
although  they  must  not  be  neglected,  or  the  usual  result,  disap¬ 
pointment,  will  follow.  One  must  say,  however,  that  some  of 
the  directions  given  for  its  cultivation  are  needlessly  minute. 
Thus,  if  its  other  requirements  are  attended  to,  it  does  not  mind 
about  having  full  sun,  although  a  half-shaded  position  may  be 
preferable.  Nor  does  it  so  much  mind  not  having  its  standard 
compost  of  equal  parts  of  peat,  leaf  mould,  and  sand,  for  I  have 
known  it  do  well  in  common  loam,  or  in  an  even  stiffer  soil. 
Its  main  requirement  is  that  its  shoots,  or  young  growths, 
should  be  bent  down  and  kept  to  the  soil,  either  by  pegging 
or  by  placing  stones  over  all  but  the  ends  of  the  shoots,  top- 
dressing  them  at  the  same  time,  and  only  leaving  a  couple  of 
inches  or  so  exposed.  This  ought  to  lie  done  in  autumn, 
August  or  the  beginning  of  September  being  a  good  time  at 
which  to  perform  this  essential  operation.  It  is  mainly  in  this 
that  success  lies.  No  one  who  has  seen  plants  so  treated  for  a 
number  of  years  and  has  compared  them  with  those  grown  in 
the  ordinary  way  will  be  inclined  to  allow  their  plants  to  be 
cultivated  in  any  other  fashion.  This  eastern  European  species 
of  Daphne  is  one  of  the  choicest  of  our  dwarf  shrubs,  and  a 
bed  or  mass  of  it  from  4ft  to  5ft  across  is  a  most  pleasing  object 
when  grown  on  the-  system  recommended.  In  a  few  years  a 
plant  so  treated  will  cover  this  space. — S.  Arnott. 
THE  EARLSWOOD  COLLECTION. 
If  half  a  dozen  of  the  Chrysanthemum  experts  of  Great 
Britain  were  to  be  named,  Mr.  .William  Wells,  chief  of  Wells 
and  Co.,  Limited,  Earlswood,  Surrey,  would  be  included, 
and  his  name  would  still  be  to  the  fore  if  only  three  were 
chosen.  This  is  his  semi-jubilee  year  as  a  commercial  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  cultivator.  His  introduction  to  the  flower  of  his 
choice  was  singular  in  the  light  of  present  achievements.  Mr. 
Wells  was  a  private  gardener  prior  to  1877  at  Fen  Place, 
Sussex.  His  employer  had  also  a  garden  at  Clapham 
Common,  and  it  was  the  success  of  the  gardener  at  this  town 
residence  as  a  Chrysanthemum  grower  that  first  fired  our 
friend  Mr.  Wells  to  surpass  the  efforts  of  his  prize-winning 
rival.  From  Clapham  he  secured  some  cuttings  and  gave 
them  his  attention.  He  was  scarcely  up-sides  with  Smith, 
the  Clapham  gardener,  the  first  year,  but  by  the  end  of  the 
succeeding  autumn,  some  of  the  blooms  from  the  Sussex 
plants  were  so  large  and  handsome  that  Mr.  Oxley,  the 
employer,  and  who  greatly  loved  Chrysanthemums, 
remarked,  “Why,  William,  your  flowers  beat  Smith’s.” 
Shortly  after  that  period,  Mr.  Wells  commenced  for  himself 
as  a  specialist  at  Earlswood,  where  he  has  since  been,  and 
has  successfully  worked  up  a  large  and  ever-increasing  busi¬ 
ness.  His  motto  is  :  “  One  customer  well  served  is  equal  to 
ten  advertisements.” 
Mr.  Wells’  Semi-Jubilee. 
About  twenty-five  years  ago  Chrysanthemums  could 
scarcely  be  obtained  at  Christmas,  and  Mr.  Wells’  earliest 
assistance  after  starting  in  business  for  himself  was  derived 
from  the  sale,  at  3s.  per  dozen  blooms,  of  the  white  Miss 
Marcheau  and  the  better  known  Elaine,  both  of  which  he 
was  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  fair  supply  of  for  the  Christ¬ 
mas  season.  Cuttings  of  these  he  advertised  through  the 
medium  of  the  Journal  of  Horticultur-e,  and  sold  many.  Cal- 
vat’s  novelties  he  acquired  and  also  distributed,  and  step 
by  step  the  fame  of  the  Chrysanthemum  advanced,  and  this 
trade  grower  with  it. 
Some  years  ago  he  and  Mr.  T.  W.  Pockett,  curator  of  the 
Melbourne  Botanic  Garden,  in  Victoria,  agreed  to  work  in 
harmony  ;  the  latter  as  a  raiser  of  new  varieties  in  the  dry, 
airy  climate  of  the  Island  Continent,  and  Mr.  Wells  to  be 
the  distributor  in  England.  Few  of  the  many  cuttings  sent 
from  Australia  to  Surrey  fail. 
The  Choicest  Flowers. 
And  now,  touching  the  Earlswood  flowers  this  year,  I 
will  name  some  of  the  gems  of  the  collection.  Mrs.  T.  W. 
Pockett  stands  in  the  forefront ;  Mrs.  Alexander  McKinley 
was  irreproachable  ;  Donald  McLeod  was  a  perfect  model  of 
a  beautiful  flower ;  Madame  Herrewege  was  excellent,  spot¬ 
less  in  whiteness,  though  a  trifle  loose  ;  W.  R.  Church,  of 
enormous  size,  substance,  and  grand  finish  ;  Chas.  Longley, 
undoubtedly  one  of  the  finest  blooms  of  the  day  ;  Lord  Lud¬ 
low,  a  fit  match  for  Donald  McLeod ;  Sensation,  beyond 
words  in  the  richness  of  its  golden  blaze  and  russet  shading  ; 
T.  Humphries,  a  bright  and  lovely  flower ;  Lord  Alverstone, 
a  noble  bloom  of  great  size,  strength,  and  richness  of  colour  ; 
and  charming  snowy  masses  in  floral  form  representing  that 
queen  of  whites,  Miss  Alice  Byron.  These  eleven  I  have 
named  from  memory,  because  they  so  well  and  favourably 
impressed  themselves  at  my  visit  on  the  23rd  inst. 
S.  T.  Wright  (new). 
One  I  have  not  included,  and  for  the  reason  that  it  ought 
to  be  named  apart.  It  is  a  novelty,  and  bears  the  patro¬ 
nymic  of  the  superintendent  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society’s  Gardens  at  Chiswick — S  T.  Wright.  This  is  the 
Wellsian  “big-gun”  of  the  year,  and  no  doubt  hundreds  of 
Journal  readers  will  have  an  opportunity  of  viewing  it  this 
year.  It  is  a  massive  Japanese,  having  stout  broad  petals 
coloured  on  the  upper  surface  a  rich  claret-crimson  shade, 
