238  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE 
Chrysanthemums  at  Earlswood. 
During  a  visit  to  London  the  last  Saturday  in  August,  I 
could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  journey  and  see  what  Mr. 
Wells  had  in  the  way  of  ’Mums  at  Earlswood.  I  found  him  at 
home,  and  his  greeting  was  characteristic:  “"Well,  what  have 
you  come  to  see?  Big  ,’Mums?  ”  I  said,  “  Ye.s,”  and  he  replied, 
'‘Well,  we  have  nope Jrepe.”  The  key  to  the  myster3"  was  that 
the  plants  are  at  the  new  nurseries  he  has  acquired  at  Merstham, 
w'hich  formerly  belonged  to  Mr.  Ross. 
After  a  cup  of  tea,  a  friendly  dogcart  soon  landed  us  at  the 
new’  place,  w’hich  is  situated  halfway  between  Redhill  and 
Mersthani.  It  is  an  ideal  spot  for  Chrj’santhemum  growing; 
open  and  well  situated,  comprising  in  all'  4f  acres,  with  plenty 
of  glass.  The  chief  houses  are:  one  126ft  by  36ift,  another 
150ft  by  20ft,  a  third  107ft  by  17ft,  and  tw'o  100ft  by  20ft, 
besides  several  smaller  houses.  There  are  about  2,000*  plants 
grown  for  big  blooms  standing  on  concrete  lines,  7in  wide  and 
4ft  apart. 
Anicngst  nian^’  fine  plants  the  following  were  particularly 
striking:  Salter’.s  ra.vourite,  a  new’  one  of  Mr.  Pockett’s  strain, 
with  the  most  distinct  foliage  I  ever  saw’ .  The  leaves  are  almost 
as  round  a.s  the  leaves  of  a  Brussels  Sprout.  The  colour  of  the 
{)lcom  is  said  to  be  rosy  cerise."  J.  H.  Dq^’le.  .named  after  the 
winner  of  the  Melbourne  Gold  Medal,  April,  1903;  Mrs.  H.  A. 
Allen,  pipther  Australian  wnth  ia  big  reputation  ;  ,  Mrs.  J.  Wells, 
a  new  crimson  ;  and  many  more  new  varieties  under  letter  and 
number. 
Of  the  varieties  in  commerce,  of  recent,  introduction  I  found 
Donald , McLeod,  F.  A:  Cobbold,  Leila  Filkins,  Maynell,  Mr.s. 
F.  AV'.'Vallis,  S.  T.  Wright,  W;  Duckham,  F.  S.  Tallis,  Pantia 
Ralli  (incurved),  Silsbiiry’s  Terra  Cotta,  and  Yellow  '  Nellie 
Pockett,  all  mo.st  promising. 
Mr.  Wells  cultivates  earlj’  flowering  varieties  largeljq  and 
has  something  like  24,000  plants  growing  in  the  open  ground, 
many  of -which  were  in  bloom,  among.st  them  being  Horace 
Martin,  a  grand  yellow  ;  Roi  des  Blancs,  a  long-petalled  w’hite  ; 
beautiful  bright  yellow  ;  Kitty,  a  bright  rose ;  and 
Madame  Marie  Masse  and  its  various  sports  w’ere  making  a 
brave  show.  Goacher’s  Crimson  is  also  very  fine  and  free 
flowering.  La  Parisienne,  a  quite  new,  creamy  white;  Champ 
de  Neige,  another  new  w’hite  ;  The  Champion,  a  new  j’ellow  of 
Mr.  Goacher’s  raising,  not  j’et  in  circulation,  but  most  fitly 
named.  M^pchett  Pink  seems  a  good  pink  variety;  and  Charlie 
is  a  fine  creamy  sort. 
I  was  verj’  much  .struck  with  a  new’  method  Mr.  Wells  has 
adopted  for  raising  stock  plants.  He  has  six  plants  of  a 
variety  placed  out  in  boxes  about  3ft  by  2ft  by  6in  deep,  which 
can  be  lifted  under  cover  later  on,  and  should  ensure  good 
healthy  cuttings.  I  came  away  very  pleased  with  niy  visit,  and 
am  sure  all  his  many  friends  will  wish  Air.  Wells  success  in  his 
enterprise. — A.  H. 
Gadding  and  Gathering. 
Henry  Eckford's  Nursery  at  Wem. 
It  was  on  the ‘eve  of  the  recent  Shrew’sbury  Show  that  four  of 
us  hied  out  to  W^em  from  the  Salopian  capital.  Favoured  w’ith 
sunshine  after  showers,  the  visit  w’as  of  the  most  pleasant  nature, 
and  the  ten  acres  of  Sweet  Peas  and  culinary  varieties,’ were  still 
fruitful  of  beauty  and  interest.  Here  w’e  were  in  the  home- 
centre  of  the  English  Sweet  Pea,  the  place  from  which  Henry 
Eckford .  sent  his  earlie.st  cross-breds,  from  Bronze  Knighfi  on¬ 
wards,,  with  which  he  oommanded  the  attention  of  the  florichl- 
tural  world,  and  has  never  yet  been  outstripped  in  his  own  line 
of  flower  breeding. 
On  every  side,  Peas — the  odorous  Lathyrus  in  a  hundred 
cplours,  and  many  heights,  but  all  generous  in  their  gift  of 
blossoms,'  and  sweet  in  every  instance.  Air.  Henry  Eckford 
does  not  now  labour  among.st  his  favourites,  for  the  burden  of 
eighty  years  begins  to  tell  upon  him,  yet  how  hale  and  hearty 
does  he  appear!  And  he  can  tell  stories  of  other  and  far  back 
days  with  the  keenest  zest,  and  laugh  ,io3’fully  at  the  tales  cf 
“the  boys.”  Long  may  he  continue  to! 
AND  '  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  September-tO,  19C3. 
From  among  the  acres  of  Sweet  Peas,  one,  a  new  one,  stood 
out  most  tellingly  by  its  splendid  form  and  colour.  This  was 
Scarlet  Gem,  of  which  there  is  a  goodl3’  stock,  and  this  variety 
received  a  first-class  certificate  from  the  N.S.P.S.  in  the  summer. 
Truly  it  is  one  of  the  finest  sent  ont  during  the  last  dozen  years. 
Other  new’er  varieties  alread3’  known,  however,  and  which  com¬ 
prised  Gracie  Greenwood,  Jeanie  Gordon,  Lord  Rosebery,  and 
Mrs.  W.  P.  Wright,  were  in  fine  condition  even  thus  late.  Dry 
weather  was  much  wanted  for  seed  harvesting. 
Along  the  edgCs  of  the  herbaceous  plant  borders  the  beautiful 
cup-like  flowers  of  the  white  Evening  Primrose  (CEnothera 
speciosa)  were  in  great  profusion,  and  furnished  a  neat  as  well 
as  choice  edging. 
Occupying  fully  half  an  acre  of  ground  by  themselves  were 
the  Pansies  and  Violas  in  a  host  of  named  varieties,  the  strain 
being  of  high  merit,  with  plenty  of  good  flowers  and  a  fine  habit 
of  growth. 
The  culinary  Peas  and  the  Beans,  both  of  which  are  largely 
cultivated,  the  Peas  amounting  to  acres,  were  ripening  their 
pods,  so  that  comparisons  of  varieties  could  not  then  be  made. 
J.  V.  li-  Son  3.  L'd. 
Fritillaria  meleagris. 
The  variety  Record  was,  however,  worth3’  of  special  attention. 
carr3’ing  as  it  does  ten  peas  in  the  pods,  large  in  size,  and  rich, 
marrow  flavour.  Prior  is  one  of  the  parents.  Alemorial,  The 
Bruce,  The  Gladstone,  Dwarf  Alonarch  (a  heav3’  cropper,  with 
large,  well-filled  pods),  and  one  named  Royalty,  with  very  even, 
straight  pods,  each  well  filled,  and  plent3’  of  them — these  were 
a  few  noted  in  a  quiet  walk  through  the  main  portion.  The 
Tomato  houses  afforded  views  of  heav3’  crops,  and  in  ever3’ 
department  of  the  nursery  the  stock  lookbd  well. 
Air.  John  S.  Eckford,  the  only  son  of  the  founder  of  the  busi¬ 
ness,  and  who  now  manages  it,  will  ensure  its  continued  lead  in 
the  Sweet  Pea  line  by  reason  of  his  calibre  and  care. — Wandep.ino 
Willie. 
Fritillarias. — A  considerable  difference  exists  betwixt  tho 
Crown  Imperial  of  stately  mien  and  the  “  Checj[uered  Daffodil” 
which  we  figure  on  this  page,  and  which  luxuriates  .so  uncom¬ 
monly  “well  in  the  meadows  near  Oxford.  The  Fritillaria 
Meleagris,  or  Snake’s.  Head  Lily,  flowers  in  April  and  Alay ; 
and  anybody  visiting  Kew’  during  that  time  will  see  how 
effectively  it  appears  beneath  the  early  flowering  shrubs,  or 
niixed  with  Primroses  and  vernal  Irises.  Nor  is  it  hidden,  lost, 
or  useless  in  long  grass  with  Daffodils,  for  there  the  perfect 
beauty  of  the  flowers  are  seen  at  their  best,  as  nearly  all  bulbous 
flowers  are.  The  rose-mauve  of  the  pendant  blossoms  are  half 
buried  in  the  green  enswathing,  and  one  sometimes  has  to 
wonder  what  the  pinky  heads  are,  just  peeping  beneath  the 
Daffodils.  But  they  are  of  divers  shades,  some  pale  tea,  others 
pnrnlish  nr  faded  maeenta  and  prettil3’  chequered,  and  all  are 
worthy  of  culture.  The  illustration  is  kindly  lent  by  Messrs. 
J.  A“eitch  and  Sons,  Limited. 
