6 
JOURNAL  ON  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  2,  1903. 
The  “Daffodil  King’’  on  Tour— No,  5. 
(Continued  from  page  533,  last  vol.) 
The  conclusion  of  the  fourth  instalment  of  these  notes,  taken 
at  an  interview  with  Mr.  Peter  Barr,  on  his  return  to 
London,  England,  ended  with  a  summary  of  his  impressions  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  These  four  sections  of  this  serial  have  briefly 
summarised  the  course  of  Mr.  Barr’s  tour  in  the  Eastern  States 
of  the  Union,  and  Canada,  and  now  we  make  the  passage  of  the 
great  American  desert  to  the  fertile,  prosperous  groves  of  sunny 
California;  and  in  this  place  the  interviewer  has  thought-it  fit 
to  introduce  Mr.  Wm.  Robinson’s  description  of  the  central 
desert  of  North  America,  which  stretches  over  parts  of  Texas, 
Mexico,  and  Arizona.  In  his  book,  “  Alpine  Flowers,”  Mr.  Robin¬ 
son  says:  “The  passage  of  the  great  American  desert  which  is 
crossed  on  the  way  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco  is,  perhaps, 
the  best  preparation  one  could  have  fer  the  startling  verdure 
and  giant  tree-life  of  the  Sierras.  Dust,  dreariness,  alkali — the 
earth  looking  as  if  sprinkled  with  salt;  here  and  there  a  few 
tufts  of  brown  grass  in  favoured  places ;  but  generally  nothing 
better  than  starved  Wormwood,  that  seems  afraid  to  put  forth 
more  than  a  few  small  grey  leaves,  represents  the  vegetable 
kingdom  in  the  plains  of  the  desert  region.  Where  the  arid  hills, 
showing  horizontal  lines  worn  by  the  waves  of  long-dried  seas 
are  visible,  a  few  thin  tufts  of  Alders  and  Poplars  mark  their 
hollows;  while  Willows  fringe  the  streams  of  undrinkable  water 
which  courses  through  the  valleys.  A  better  idea  of  the  country 
can  scarcely  be  had  than  by  imagining  an  ash-pit,  several 
hundred  miles  across,  in  which  a  few  light-grey  weeds,  scarcely 
distinguishable  from  the  parched  earth,  have  sprung  up.” 
But  beyond  the  great  barrier  chain  of  mountains  lies  Cali¬ 
fornia,  the  land  of  Oranges,  Grapes,  and  Cereals;  Southern  Cali¬ 
fornia  has,  indeed,  Avhat  geographists  call  “  a  Mediterranean 
climate,”  comparable  with  the  Mediterranean  region  of  Europe, 
central  Chili,  the  south-west  of  Cape  Colony,  and  the  south¬ 
west  of  Western,  and  the  south  of  South  Australia.  “These 
various  regions  are  characterised  by  remarkably  dry  summers, 
but  more  or  less  rainy  winters,  the  total  amount  of  the  rainfall, 
and  especially  of  the  summer  rainfall  diminishing  as  the  latitude 
decreases.”  (G.  G.  Chisholm,  M.A.,  B.Sc.)  And  now  to  Mr. 
Barr’s  tour  and  his  impressions. 
Of  Los  Angelos  the  tourist  had  not  much  to  say,  beyond  stating 
that  it  was  an  interesting  town  with  a  very  nice  public  park  and 
garden,  and  it  is  surrounded  by  Citrus  groves — the  Citrus  culture 
being  a  great  and  growing  industry  in  this  auriferous  State. 
After  Los  Angelos  the  rail  conveyed  our  traveller  to  Santa  Bar¬ 
bara  to  meet  his  old  friend  Mr.  Dreer,  the  famous  seedsman  and 
nurseryman  of  Philadelphia,  and  in  his  company  spent  a  few  days 
looking  around  this  “  American  Mentone,”  situated  on  the  coast 
plain,  at  the  base  of  the  foot-hills,  with  the  Santa  Ynez  Moun¬ 
tains  a  little  further  off.  Here  our  traveller  made  a  diligent 
search  for  Calochortus,  but  owing  to  the  extreme  dryness  of  the 
.season  one  only  was  found  in  flower,  with  a  few  scanty  patches  of 
Eschscholtzia.  He  spent  a  little  time  with  the  enterprising  Dr. 
Franchesi,  Avho  is  well  known  for  his  frequent  contributions  to 
garden  literature,  and  who  at  the  time  was  extending  his  culture 
and  increasing  his  wonderful  collection  of  plants,  but,  like  most 
lovers  of  plants,  was  doing  more  for  the  pleasure  of  mankind  than 
for  his  personal  benefit.  His  daughter  proved  a  tower  of  strength 
to  our  good  friend  in  looking  after  the  shop. 
Here  lives  the  wmrld-known  Mrs.  Shepherd,  in  the  midst 
of  her  flower  garden,  pushing  trade  w’ith  the  energy  and  keen 
eye  to  business— a  developed  trait  in  the  American  character,  and 
it  is  in  this  the  Yankee  leaves  all  creation  behind.  Every  little 
advantage  is  taken.  All  the  leading  hotels  and  the  raihvays  are 
in  league.  You  want  to  know  where  and  how  to  go  to  a  place, 
instead  of  bothering  the  porter  or  managers,  you  simplj'  go  to  a 
cabinet,  and  there  you  find  all  the  literature  necessary  for  a  tour 
round  the  world  or  a  run  to  the  nearest  town.  Most  of  these 
railway  time-tables  are  veritable  albums,  with  views  and  descrip¬ 
tions  galore.  Mrs.  Shepherd  had  in  flower  the  largest 
Eschscholtzia  flower  Barr  had  ever  seen  or  ever  expects  tO'  see 
unless  he  pays  another  visit  to'  Santa  Barbara.  There  are  other 
specialists  in  flower  culture  besides  Mrs.  S.  in  this  place,  but  she 
is  the  smartest  by  a  long  w^ay.  She  soon  makes  you  feel  you  are 
to  do'  your  business  and  go  about  your  business. 
Passing  up  the  valley  of  Santa,  Clara,  he  passed  through  miles 
and  miles  of  Prune  orchards,  and  here  also  is  made  the  famous 
Californian  wines,  “  not  the  rubbish  (to  quote  his  own  words) 
that  comes  to  Britain,  but  the  article  that  is  sold  in  the  United 
States  under  European  names.”  Californian  wine  that  is  usually 
sold  in  the  United  States  is  just  the  same  “  rubbish  ”  that  comes 
to  this  country,  and  w'hich  is  undrinkable  to  those  who  know 
what  a  really  good  glass  of  wine  is.  Santa  Clara  is  also  the  great 
seed-growing  centre,  and  hundreds  of  acres  are  under  culture, 
much  of  the  labour  being  Chinese  and  Japanese,  the  latter  especi¬ 
ally  in  connection  with  nursery  work.  They  are  handy  and  pains¬ 
taking. 
Santa  Rosa  is  known  in  horticultural  annals  all  over  the  wmrld 
from  the  fame  of  Luther  Burbank,  the  “  Wizard  of  Horticulture,” 
as  his  countrymen  have  named  him.  Mr.  Barr  describes  Burbank 
as  a  pushing,  enterprising  man.  When  the  Anglo-Scot  visited 
his  garden  Mr.  Burbank  had  one  Plum  tree  with  not  less  than* 
500  grafts.  With  his  seedling  Plums,  “  he  sows  the  seeds  in 
spring ;  the  wood  is  ready  for  grafting  in  the  autumn,  and  in 
two  seasons  he  has  fruit.”  Satisfied  that  he  has  a  good  variety, 
he  at  once  commences  propagating  from  the  wood,  and  the  stock 
he  w'ill  sell  to  any  nurseryman,  but  failing  to  sell  in  this  way, 
he  sells  the  wood  at  so  much  per  foot.  Mr.  Barr  inquired 
whether  the  famous  hybridiser  kept  one  tree  of  every  variety  he 
introduced,  but  the  answer  was  in  the  negative.  Mr.  Buybank 
leaves  the  risk  to  the  purchaser  as  to  the  varieties  retaining  their 
characters  or  not. 
Besides  Plums,  “The  W'izard”  works  with  Amaryllis  and- 
Lilies,  but  it  did  not  seem  to  Mr.  Barr  that  he  Avorked  on  any 
definite  lines — with  Lilies  at  least.  When  the  question  Avas  put 
as  to  whether  he  used  Japanese,  European,  and  American  Lilies. 
3Ir.  Burbank  replied  that  he  did,  and  crossed  Avith  the  Avhole  of 
them.  “Max  Leichtlin,  hoAvever,”  adds  Mr.  Barr,  “  doubts  very 
much  Burbank’s  success  Avith  Japanese  and  American  Lilie.s.” 
Immediately  prior  to  the  “  Daffodil  King’s  ”  visit,  Mr.  Burbank 
had  signed  the  entire  stock  of  the  seedling  Lilies  to  one  of  the 
eastern  dealers,  and  many  of  these  aftei’Avards  came  to  Great 
Britain,  and  from  the  correspondence  in  the  gardening  papers 
“  on  this  side,”  these  Lilies  do  not  appear  to  have  been  of  a 
specially  valuable  nature.  On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Carl  Purdy 
says  that  he  saAv  many  of  them  in  bloom,  and  there  Avere  numerous 
fine  subjects  amongst  them,  so  that  (and  Ave  are  using  Mr.  Barr’s 
Avords)  AA’e  may  yet  look  for  some  good  Liliums  from  Burbank’s 
hybrids. 
Santa  Rosa  is  another  Avine  district,  and  the  Avhite  Avine  giveir 
to  our  traveller  at  the  hotel  Avas  Amry  good,  “  but  the  red  Avine 
Avas  vile  I”  Mr.  Barr  paid  a  visit  to  Carl  Purdy  at  Ukiah,  and 
learnt  that  this  gentleman  passed  through  his  hands  all  the 
bulbs  collected  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  and  Barr  Avent  up  into  the 
mountains  Avhere  he  Avas  experimenting  in  Lily  culture,  Avhich 
seems  likely  to  provide  America  Avith  good  sound  bulbs.  All  the 
fine  Calochorti  and  Erythroniums  (Dog’s-tooth  Violets)  are 
specialised  by  him. 
Returning  soutliAvard  and  reaching  San  Francisco,  Mr.  Barr 
was  much  impressed  Avith  this  splendidly  situated  city  Avhich,  he 
says,  should  be  vieAved  from  the  AA-aters  of  the  Golden  Gate.  (Ln 
passant,  the  Tea  Rose  of  that  name,  Avhich  is  creamy  Avhite, 
takes  its  appellation  from  this  Strait.)  Near  the  Golden  Gate' 
there  is  a  rock  covered  Avith  seals,  some  of  them  supposed  to  be  of 
great  age.  They  are  carefully  protected  and  alloAved  to  reproduce 
their  kind,  Avhich  they  do  freely.  This  rock,  its  seals  and  the  Cliff 
Houseform  one  of  the  sights  of  San  Francisco.  The  magnificent 
park  of  this  city  Avas  made  under  the  direction  of  a  Mr.  McLaren, 
and  though  noAv  planted  AA’ith  trees,  shrubs,  bulbs,  &c.,  it  has 
been  formed  out  of  most  unpromising  material.  The  super¬ 
intendent  took  Mr.  Barr  to'  an  elevated  site,  and  pointed  to  the 
shores  of  the  Golden  Gate  Avhere  the  sand  Avas  in  great  straths, 
and  liable  to  be  blown  about  by  the  Avinds.  Mr.  Barr  remarked 
that  all  that  had  been  accomplished  in  the  formation  of  the  park 
Avas  to  cut  out  the  roads  and  paths,  and  to  retain  the  natural  con¬ 
formation  of  the  moving  sand.  This  Avas  so.  Mr.  McLaren  had 
found  a  purpose  for  an  indigenous  grass  that  affects  this  shore, 
by  planting  and  soAving  it  over  the  sand  to  ensure  the  fixity  of 
the  latter.  FolloAving  on  this  he  planted  trees,  and  in  1899  he 
was  to  put  6in  of  loam  over  the  surface.  The  question  of  money 
never  has  to  trouble  Mr.  McLaren,  he  having  as  much  as  he 
requires  for  his  operations.  The  park  is  continually  being  ex¬ 
tended,  so  that  there  is  always  a  portion  of  virgin  “  sand  ”  being 
brought  under  control,  but  the  area  under  operation  is  screened 
off  to  visitors  in  the  park,  who  generally  do  not  knoAV  of  the 
work  that  is  being  undertaken,  because  they  see  nothing  of  it. 
When  a  stretch  of  ground  has  been  completed,  the  screen  is 
carried  back  to  the  verge  of  the  unreclaimed  land. 
Thus  ends  the  American  notes,  for  in  March,  1899,  Mr.  Barr 
sailed  for  Japan,  Avhich  country  will  be  dealt  Avith  next. 
Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. 
The  annual  festival  dinner  was  held  in  London  on  June  24,  the 
Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  WarAvick  presiding.  As  usual  at  this 
great  dinner,  the  chairman  Avas  supported  by  leading  horti¬ 
culturists  from  London  and  its  environs,  as  W’ell  as  from  many 
parts  of  the  country,  to  the  number  of  about  160.  After  an 
admirable  repast,  the  loyal  toasts  were  proposed  in  appropriate 
pregnant  remarks  by  the  Earl,  and  the  toast  of  the  evening,  that 
of  the  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution,  followed.  The 
chairman  observed  that  he  highly  appreciated  the  privilege  he 
had,  in  having  been  asked  to  preside  over  the  gathering,  and, 
continuing,  said  that  no  one  could  fail  to  observe  in  the  daily 
papers  the  unflagging  interest  in  all  charitable  institutions  for 
the  relief  of  distress  amongst  Avorkers  in  every  industry  which 
engages  the  people  of  this  country.  Horticulture  and  agricul¬ 
ture  are  closely  allied,  and  Avhile  the  latter  occupies  the  greater 
share  of  attention,  the  former  is  groAving  eacltday.  Facilities  of 
transport  are  bringing  to  our  shores  the  choicest  and  tenderest 
