296 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  7,  1904. 
formed  at  inteivals,  and  all  look  clean  and  vifiorons  and  yield 
snccessional  supplies  almo.st  the  « hole  year  throngh.  Straw- 
horries  arc  also  in  al)undaiice  ;  rows  nearly  a  hundred  yaids  lon^ 
are  succeeding  in  a  field,  where  also  are  lines  of  frnit  trees  and 
nnmerons  rows  of  the  Brassicm.  Here  the  plough  can  he  requisi¬ 
tioned  as  a  more  expeditions  implement  than  the  spade.  1  was 
hnmoronsly  informed  that  Celery  was  earthed  iip  by  the  former 
Grapes  in  qnantitv  and  in  variety  are  well  cultivated 
exhibited  In  the  plant  hon.ses  I  noted  many  old  favourites  like 
Diosma  the  older  Acacias,  and  a  fine  hatch  of  Hippeastrnm 
(Amaryllis)  anlica,  the  progenitor  of  existing  race,  and  anent 
which  an  interesting  article  ajipeared  in  a  contemporar\ 
jonrnal  recently.  I  have  flowered  a  specimen  of  this  (still 
worthy  of  a  place)  with  twenty-one  scapes.  It  can  he  retarded  for 
Slimmer  shows  by  placing  the  pots  in  a  late  Peach  house.  Cai- 
Tiatioiis  and  Cyclaiueiis  are  oi;i'own  iii  (jiiantity.  Ihe  Pt^ach 
house  is  a  roomy  stnictni'c,  and  the  trees  have  grown  too  strong, 
hnt  the  shoots  are  thick  with  bloom,  and  if  a  heavy  crop  can  he 
secured  this  would  doubtless  check  this.  The  grounds  are  veiy 
heantilnl,  and  the  place  ahonnds  in  trees,  some  of  great  size, 
and  ornamental  flowering  evergreen  trees  and  shrubs  imparted 
warm  and  life-like  aspect  even  at  this  season. 
After  complimenting  iNIr.  Banks  on  his  charge,  we  returned 
to  Sandown.  where  I  also  had  the  privilege  of  inspecting  Air. 
Fi-ampton’s  nursery.  The  .splendid  lot  of  forced  bulbs  and  shrubs 
claimed  our  admiration.  This  gentlemaiTs  reminiscences  of 
gardens  and  gardeners  forty  years  ago  were  most  entertaining, 
rntrammelied  for  the  nonce  from  official  cares  and  duties,  days 
like  tliese  lend  a  zest  to  gardening,  in  the  interchange  of 
ideas  on  its  many  phases,  and  on  the  relativ'e  merits  of  varieties 
ami  many  general  subjects,  as  correct  nomenclature,  a  keen 
appreciation  of  each  other’s  abilities  and  labours  is  developed, 
ami  we  are  ourselves  greatly  improved. — SorTHKiix  Gaiidener. 
Liverpool  Botanic  Garden. 
The  principal  featui'e  in  this  garden  at  iiresent  is  the 
magnificent  dis])lay  of  Hippeastrums.  Upwards  of  400  are 
aiready  grouped  for  effect  on  the  front  stage  in  the  large  Palm 
house,  and  several  of  the  bulbs  carrying  four  and  five  umbels, 
with  five  and  six  flowers  on  each  umbel.  The  perianths  are 
perfect  in  form,  size,  and  substance,  and  in  varied  colours,  from 
the  richest  crimson  to  those  almost  pure  white,  and  beautifully 
fimbriated  forms  stand  out  conspicuously  at  intervals  in  the 
group.  Several  of  the  perianths  measure  9in  across,  and  are 
acknowledged  by  experts  in  the  neighbourhood  to  be  an  improve¬ 
ment  on  tho.se  of  last  year  for  vigour  and  floriferonsness. 
Mr.  Gnttridge  has  also  succeeded  in  raising  a  double  variety, 
the  stamens  having  been  converted  into  petals.  This  gorgeous 
display  is  attracting  hundreds  of  Liverpool  citizens  daily,  and 
never  were  these  gardens  so  popular  as  at  piesent  ;  gardeners  in 
the  outlying  suburbs  (who,  until  the  last  few  years,  ])ractically 
ignored  this  floral  paradise)  now  pay  several  visits  during  the 
year  to  see  the  principal  subjects,  according  to  their  season  of 
flowering.  This  display  of  Hippeastrums  will  be  continued  for 
several  weeks,  as  upwards  of  2,000  flowering  bulbs  are  grown 
and  brought  in  in  successive  batches.  Air.  Gnttridge  is  a  per¬ 
severing  hybridist,  and  each  year  nnmerons  cros.ses  are  made, 
not  with  Hippeastrums  alone,  but  orchids  and  other  subjects 
also. 
The  principal  orchids  in  flower  at  piesent  include  Lielio- 
cattleya  x.  Highburven.se,  Odontoglossum  crispum,  liielia  Jong- 
beana  Phalamopsis  Stewartiana,  Odont.  triumphans,  and  Den- 
drobinms  in  variety.  These  gardens  also  supply  botanical  speci¬ 
mens  throngliout  the  se.ssion  to  the  Central  Technical  School. 
Liverpool;  Birkenhead  Technical  School,  and  other  schools  of 
science,  which  are  highly  ajipreciated  by  the  teachers  and 
.students  alike,  giving,  as  they  do,  a  distinct  advantage  to 
students  of  botany  of  .studying  the  .science  by  the  examination 
of  living  specimens,  even  in  the  depth  of  winter. — T.  S. 
Selton  Park  Conservatory. 
In  this  Liverpool  wintiu’-garden,  groups  of  Bhododendrons 
(Azaleas),  Lily  of  the  A'alley.  and  other  suitable  forcing  sub¬ 
jects.  are  arranged  with  effect  opposite  each  entrance,  and  prove 
a  pleasing  and  bright  contrast  to  the  massive  Palms  and  tree 
ferns  which  occupy  the  centre  of  this  magnificent  structure. 
But  the  Knight-star-lilv  (Hippeastrnm  or  Amaryllis)  appears  to 
attract  the  attention  of  the  majority  of  the  crowds,  which  daily 
parade  this  ])alace.  They  are  arranged  in  one  large  group,  con¬ 
sisting  of  about  150.  Spira'as  foiun  a  capital  groundwork,  and 
suitable  setting  for  the  Hippeastrums,  the  foliage  supplying 
.ample  greenery  to  hide  tke  pots,  and  the  white  panicles  provid¬ 
ing  the.  liecessary  material  for  haipnonising  with  the  Lilies.  Air. 
White,  the  foreman  in  charge,  keeps  up  a  continual  display 
nntii  Alay  is  well  advanced.  He  has  a  large  .stock  to  draw  from, 
wliich  he  has  raised  and  cultivated  from  seedlings,  many  of  them 
being  perfect  in  form,  colour,  and  substance. — J.  S. 
Notes  on  Apples. 
It  “  S.  P.,  AVilts,”  will  let  me  know  where  he  finds  “Notes 
on  Apples  ”  misleading  I  will  do  my  best  to  make  the  matter 
quite  plain  to  him.  Aly  “  notes,”  however,  c.annot  properly  be 
considered  misleading,  as  the  faults  of  each  variety,  so  far  as 
I  know  them,  were  held  up  to  view  just  as  plainly  as  their  good 
qualities.  Such  Apples  as  Bramley’s  and  Lane’s  Prince  Albert 
which  “  S.  P.,  AVilts.”  mentioned,  have  had  full  praises  from 
almost  everyone;  and  nearly  everybody  who  knows  anything  at 
all  about  frnit  culture  is  well  aware  of  their  mei’it,  and  I  can 
assure  “  S.  P.”  that  had  the  “notes”  been  continued  tho.se 
varieties  would  not  have  been  mentioned. — Provincial. 
Gardeners  and  Their  Duties. 
I  regretted  that  absence  from  Exeter  prevented  me  hearing 
Air.  Slade’s  paper  on  this  subject  at  a  I'ecent  gardeners’  meeting 
there.  The  matter  calls  for  more  attention  from  gardeners, 
and  it  is  refreshing  to  find  a  man  advancing  such  needful  notes 
of  advice  and  warning.  I  wish  that  more  open  dealing  were 
common.  Quite  recently  I  gave  a  demonstration  in  a  well-kept 
fruit  garden  in  the  absence  of  the  gardener  ;  and,  upon  inquiry, 
his  employer  said  that  his  gardener  would  not  come  to  the 
demonstration.  AAdien  I  asked  for  a  spade  the  employer  told  me 
and  the  cla.ss  that  the  gardener  had  locked  up  all  the  tools  and 
gone  away.  Patient  employer!  I  have  given  three  weekly 
demonstrations  in  that  village,  but  I  have  yet  to  be  introduced 
to  that  man.  He,  not  being  a  junior,  does  not  think  with  Air. 
Slade  that  “  every  junior  should  strive  to  make  hinrself  efficient, 
and  always  endeavour  to  learn  something  more.”  Nor  is  any 
desire  present  to  “  anticipate  ”  the  wishes  of  an  employer.  That 
man  did  not  keep  the  gardeners  from  coming  from  other  gar¬ 
dens,  but  in  some  places  prejudice  like  that  might  have  done- 
so.  I  was  deeply  grieved  at  such  poverty  of  thought,  and  I 
still  am.  This  sound  progressive  note  of  Air.  Slade  has  done 
not  only  others,  but  myself  good. — X. 
Potatoes  and  the  Potato  Boom. 
The  candour  of  Air.  T.  A.  AVeston,  page  278,  is  delightful. 
I  admire  it  almost  as  much  as  I  do  his  inability  to  accurately 
gauge  his. own  capacity  for  pugnacity.  Alatters  connected  with 
the  growing  and  classification  of  Potatoes  are  certainly  becoming 
complicated,  but  still  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  if  diligent 
search  were  made,  another  individual  might  be  found  in  this 
country  who  knows  almo.st  as  much  about  the  noble  tuber  as 
“  T.  A.  AA".,”  but  I  am  sure  it  would  be  impossible  to  discover 
any  sane  man  ready  to  propound  his  ideas  in  a  more  arrogant 
and  conceited  manner  than  the  writer  of  the  article  on  pages 
278-9.  Blit  there  is  perhaps  some  excu.se  even  for  “  T.  A.  AV.,” 
for  I  noticed  some  time  ago  that  he  had  been  “  holding  forth  ” 
on  his  favourite  topic  before  an  audience  in  a  southern  seaport 
town.  After  that  mighty  effort  this  colossus  of  the  Potato  world 
perhaps  considers  it  nece.ssary  to  put  on  a  little  “  side.” 
In  order  to  confine  this  rejily  to  a  vindication  of  my  own 
remarks,  it  seems  necessary  to  tell  “  T.  A.  AA’.”  that  I  cannot 
be  responsible  for  the  remarks  of  all  the  lecturers  in  the  Alid- 
lands,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  any  of  them  are  quite  capable  of 
defending  themselves  against  a  multitude  of  “  T.  A.  AAk’s.”  Aly 
critic  evidently  fancies  he  is  far  above  ordinary  mortals  in 
regard  to  his  knowledge  of  wirepulling,  but  I  have  generally 
found  that  those  who  know  the  most  about  these  things  say  the 
least.  It  is  ail  a  matter  of  £  s.  d.,  says  “  T.  A.  AV.”  Of  course 
it  is,  money  is  the  foundation  of  all  bnsine.ss  enterpri.se,  and,  as 
a  rule,  it  is  the  great  incentive  which  acts  as  a  lever  to  progress 
in  a  thousand  and  one  directions.  It  is  not  in  regard  to 
Potatoes  alone  that  raisers  of  improved  varieties  endeavour  to 
make  money  by  their  efforts.  The  same  principle  applies  to 
Chrysanthemums,  Ilo.ses,  orchids,  Ac.  One  has  to  purchase  the 
newcomers  and  test  them  beside  older  ones  to  see  if  the  supposed 
improvement  is  real,  and  it  is  not  always  that  the  high-priced 
ones  prove  the  best.  In  enterprise  of  any  description  there  is 
always  .some  ri.sk,  but  the  risk  has  to  be  taken  if  anything  is 
to  be  won.  _  All  these  things  are  well  known,  and  cultivators 
exercise  their  judgment  in  regard  to  what  they  purchase — and 
