Supplement  to 
March  10,  1904. 
JOURNAL  ON  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
209 
P.  Laricio,  P.  grandis,  P.  lasiocarpa,  P.  Nordmanniana,  P. 
concolor,  P.  violacea,  P.  ceplialonica  (an  extremely  fine 
specimen),  Taxodium  sempervireus,  T.  disticbum,  Retino- 
spora  squarrosa  (quite  glaucous,  planted  in  a  moist  situation), 
J!.  obtusa,  R.  pisifera,  and  the  golden  forms. 
“  Cupressus  Lawsoniana  and  its  varieties  are  planted  in 
clumps,  and  there  are  several  fine  specimens  of  various 
Junipers.  Huge  masses  of  the  golden  and  cardinal  Willows, 
associated  with  large  masses  of  the  Dogwood  (Cornus  alba), 
are  most  effective  during  the  dull  winter  months  with  their 
crimson  and  yellow  barks.  These  are  under  the  care  of  the 
forester,  Mr.  Thomas  Rathay.” 
In  conclusion,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  be  able  to  present  Mr. 
Chapman’s  portrait  and  some  biographical  notes.  FrourRoy- 
hood  his  heart  has  been  in  gardening,  and  as  a  lad  he  used 
to  spend  a  great  deal  of  spare  time  in  the  market  garden 
belonging  to  his  uncle,  Thomas  Beach  Chapman,  at  Brent¬ 
ford,  Middlesex.  His  apprenticeship  of  four  years  Avas 
served  in  the  gardens  of  Lord  Boston,  Hedsor  Park,  Bucking- 
Iramshire,  -which  was  then  noted  for  its  indoor  and  outdoor 
fruits,  tropical  plants,  slirubs,  trees,  and  flower  gardening. 
And  at  the  expiration  of  probationship.  Chapman  was  given 
charge  of  the  vineries  for  eighteen  months.  While  there 
he  also  had  the  oppoi  tunity  of  visiting  the  gardens  of  Drop- 
mjre  and  Clevedon,  the  former  noted  for  its  fine  collection  of 
trees  and  shrubs,  the  latter  for  its  spring  bedding,  which 
still  remains  unsurpassed.  After  this  he  served  four  yeais 
in  the  gardens  of  Greenlands,  and  went  later  to  Messrs. 
Veitch  and  Sons’  nursery  at  Chelsea,  passing  through  several 
of  the  departments.  Finally  he  went  to  Westonbirt  as  fore¬ 
man,  and  succeeded  the  late  Mr.  Lucas  as  head  gardener,  a 
IK^sition  he  has  held  for  upwards  of  twenty-eight  years. — 
J.  H.  D. 
Saxifraga  Barseriana. 
Bulbous  and  tuberous  plants  are  by  far  the  most  numerous 
among  early  flowers,  but  there  are  a  few  of  other  habit,  in¬ 
cluding  the  dwarf  evergreen  plant  known  a.s  Saxifraga  Burseri- 
ana,  one  of  the  neatest  and  most  beautiful  members  of  a 
genus  which  does  so  mucli  to  grace  and  make  attractive  tlu^ 
rock  garden.  It  has  tufted  rosettes  of  foliage  dotted  over  witli 
the  crimson  flower  buds,  or  spangled  with  its  milk-white 
flowers,  and  delights  in  a  dry  and  well  drained  soil.  It  loves 
the  fu'll  sun,  yet  if  dry  at  the  root  it  sooir  shrivels  up  under  the 
rays  of  the  orb  in  which  it  delights  when  under  suitable  con¬ 
ditions.  With  a  little  simple  cultivation,  less  by  far  than  we 
would  give  to  a  Geranium  or  a  Fuchsia,  Burser’s  Saxifrage  will 
give  pleasure  for  a  long  period.  Its  ideal  compost  is  one  com¬ 
posed  of  one-third  of  thoroughly  decayi'd  leaf  mould,  one-third  of 
good  loam,  and  oiu'-tbird  of  rather  gritty  sand.  It  should  be 
planted  eitber  in  early  autumn  or  in  A])ril,  after  tlie  flowering 
is  over.  Planting  should  be  firmly  done,  with  the  soil  well  up  the 
rosettes  of  leaves,  as  shallow  planting  is  one  of  its  banes,  and 
neglect  of  top-dri'ssing.  This  top-dre.ssing  should  b(>  done  at 
least  twice  a  year.  When  the  i)lant  begins  to  grow  bar('  and 
‘‘  rusty  ”  in  the  centre,  this  is  a  sign  of  approaching  dissolu¬ 
tion.  Then  a  compost  of  peat  and  sand  ought  to  be  thoroughly 
worked  in  among  the  rosettes,  and  afterwards  watered.  Should 
the  brown  or  rusty  colouring  still  extend,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  lift  the  plant  and  propagate  from  it  by  planting  thei  healthy 
rosettes  in  fresh  soil.  The  larger  the  jilant  the  more  charming 
it  is.  T1  le  finest  of  Saxifraga  Burseriana  is  S.  B.  major,  which 
is  not  very  (aisy  to  obtain  true.  It  is  two  months  earlier  in 
bloom,  in  mild  seasons  and  in  warm  districts  often  being  in 
bloom  at  the  New  Year,  and  has  much  brighter  crimson  buds, 
and  the  blooms  are  considerably  larger.  A  native  of  a  fairly 
widespread  habitat  on  the  Kuropean  Alps,  this  pretty  Rockfoil 
was  first  introduced  in  ISLfi!. — S.  Auxott. 
The  Sunken  Garden,  Westonbirt. 
