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December  3,  1S03.  JOURNAL  CF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Gadding  and  Gathering. 
A  School  of  Gardening. 
Combining  bu.sincss  with  pleasure,  at  the  time  of  a  Imief  holiday 
in  August  last  J  visited  tlie  newiy-opened  Women’s  School  of 
Cardening  at  Corstorphine  Hill,  near  Edinburgh.  The  Journal  has 
had  prior  notices  of  this  school,  and  has  already  mentioned  the  fact 
that  two  ladies  who  manage  the  institution,  the  Misses  Barker  and 
Morison,  graduated  at  Swanley  Horticultural  College,  Kent,  thence 
they  had  a  somewliat  varied  experience  in  professional  gardening  and 
the'laying  out  of  places  ere  they  eventually  found  anchor,  for  a  time 
at  least,  on  the  coast  at  Mussel'burgh.  (In  using  the  word  anchor  I 
shouldn’t  have  introduced  the  coast,  should  I?)  And  here  Avith 
apiculture  and  horticulture  their  tAvin  experiences  Avere  broadened, 
and  of  course  experience 
has  generally  to  be  paid 
for.  For  more  reasons 
than  one  it  Avas  deter¬ 
mined  to  remove  the 
school  out  Avest,  Mussel¬ 
burgh  being  east,  of  Edin¬ 
burgh.  The  present  loca¬ 
tion  can  be  seen  by 
anyone  journeying  by 
train  from  Edinburgh  to- 
Avard  the  Forth  Bridge, 
or  ClasgOAV,  as  it  lies 
facing  the  sun,  on  a  flank 
of  Corstorphine  Hill.  A 
little  more  shelter  on  the 
Avest,  Avhich  is  the  direc¬ 
tion  of  the  preA'ailing 
Avinds  in  that  neighbour¬ 
hood,  Avould  certainly 
have  been  an  adA'antage ; 
but,  all  things  considered, 
there  are  good  gardening 
prospects  here.  One 
magnificent  adA’antage 
possessed  is  the  level, 
almost  straight  road  right 
into  the  M'averley  Mar¬ 
ket  and  the  large  West 
End  shops  in  the  Scottish 
metropolis.  At  Mussel¬ 
burgh,  that  had  not  been 
EO.  And  Avhile  the  pro¬ 
ducts  of  the  garden  can 
be  more  easily  sent  into 
tOAvn,  natural  manures 
and  other  necessaries  for 
the  crops  can  be  as  easily 
fetched  out.  The  district 
is  noted  for  nurseries  and 
gai’dens  of  all  sorts.  As 
the  tAvo  ladies  have  a 
number,  and  an  increasing 
number,  of 'girl  and  young 
Avomen  students,  some  of 
Avhieh  journey  back  and 
fro  from  the  city.  It  is 
here,  again,  advantageous 
to  be  so  get-at-able. 
Cable  tram-cars  run  out 
nearly  the  full  Avay — a 
distance  of  tAVO  and  a 
half  miles. 
The  garden  is  about 
tAVO  and  a  half  acres  in 
extent,  and  has  already 
been  planted  Avith  suit¬ 
able  selections  of  fruiting 
trees  and  shrubs.  One 
or  tAvo  glass  houses  have  also  been  erected,  and  these  contained 
Tomatoes  and  Cucumbers,  other  plants  occupying  them  in  season. 
Soon  there  Avill  be  additions  to  the  plant  structures.  The  soil  is  of  a 
rather  .stiff  nature,  but  produces  good  vegetable  and  floAver  crops. 
This  is  the  only  school  of  its  kind  in  Scotland,  and  Avas  formally 
opened  by  the  Countess  of  Aberdeen,  supported  by  a  large  company 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  some  short  time  ago.  A  prominent  feature 
of  the  gardens  is  the  apiary  in  Avhieh  the  school  prides  itself,  and  it  is 
understood  that  the  place  gives  promise  of  being  a  bee-keeper’s 
paradise.  The  students  take  part  in  demonstrations  Avhich  are  given 
))y  experts  in  bee-keeping  and  floral  decoration,  such  as  bouquet¬ 
making,  table  decoration,  and  Avreaths.  A  certain  amount  of 
theoretical  instruction  is  necessary,  and  in  order  to  obtain  this  the 
students  attend  science  classes  at  the  Heriot-Watt  College.  This 
does  not  mean  extra  expense  to  the  student,  as  it  is  included  in  the 
curriculum.  Students  are  prepared  for  the  Iloyal  Horticultural 
Society’s  examinations,  and  a  diploma  is  granted  to  stiAdents  Avho  haA-e  : 
Double-flowered  Pelargonium  reverting  to  Single. 
passed  satisfactorily,  examinations  in  theoretical  and  practical  horticul¬ 
ture.  botany,  agricultural  chemistry,  and  book-keeping.  Mr.  .John  W. 
McHattie,  the  city  parks  and  gai'dens  superintendent,  is  the  examiner 
in  practical  horticulture.  The  principals  of  the  school  have  been 
encouraged  by  the  number  of  students  enrolled  and  by  the  number  of 
applications  for  Avomen  gardeners  Avhieh  have  already  been  received. 
At  present  there  are  five  resident  students,  and  a  number  of  students 
come  from  the  city.  Tavo  of  the  resident  students  are  from  England, 
tAvo  from  ClasgOAV,  and  one  from  Saltcoats.  The  period  of  study  for 
those  Avho  intend  to  folloAv  gardening  as  a  profession  extends  over  two 
years.  The  fees  for  resident  students  are  £70  a  year,  and  for  non- 
I’esident  students  £25  a  year.  Thus  the  average  girl  is  prohibited 
through  lack  of  means  from  taking  to  gardening  as  a  profession. 
“What  is  needed  (says  an  Edinburgh  paper)  is  that  some  patron  of 
education  should  found  a  number  of  scholarships  for  Avomen  gardeners. 
The  support  of  such  a 
scheme  might  Avell  come 
Avithin  the  scope  of  the 
Carnegie  trust  at  Dun¬ 
fermline.  and  it  might 
also  receive  the  attention 
of  such  educational  bodies 
as  the  Heriot  Trust.” 
N  otAvithstanding  Avhat 
“Rosa  Dartle”  said 
against  the  lady  gardener 
(and  in  a  ladies’  paper, 
forsooth !)  a  Aveek  or  tAvo 
ago.  I  Avish  the  school 
success,  for  gardening  is 
as  healthful  for  the  ladies 
as  for  ''gentlemen.” 
The  Greenhouse,  Kcaw. 
The  folloAving  is  a  list 
of  plants  in  floAver  in 
the  Royal  Gardens,  Kcav  : 
Begonias:  Agatha,  Gloire 
de  Lorraine,  Mrs.  Leo¬ 
pold  Rothschild,  and 
Turnford  Hall.'  1  Carna¬ 
tions:  Triumphans,  SnoAV- 
flake,  Mrs.  Leopold  Roth¬ 
schild.  Bouvardias  in 
variety,  including  the  nCAv 
King  of  Scarlets,  Avith 
large  floAvers,  but  lacking 
the  brilliant  'colour  of 
President  CleA’eland. 
Epacrises,  splendidly 
budded,  Avill  be  a  sight  in 
a  Aveck  or  tAvo’s  time. 
Ericas,  hyemalis  and  its 
A'ar.alba.,  despite  the  Avet 
and  unfavourable  summer 
for  ripening  Avood,  are 
covered  Avith  floAvers ; 
also  E.  melanthera.  Peri- 
strophe  speeiosa,  effec¬ 
tively  relieved  Avith  dot 
plants  of  Abutilon  Savit- 
zi.  Salvia  splendens, 
under  several  varietal 
names :  grandiflora.  Tri¬ 
umph,  tflory  of  Stuttgart, 
proecox,  and'  miniata .  The 
tAVO  latter  are  dAvarf 
forms,  much  alike.  Calce¬ 
olaria  Burbidgei.  floAvers 
yelloAV.  Zonal  Pelargo¬ 
niums,  red  colour,  very 
effective  at  this  time  of 
year.  Paul  Campbell 
seems  equallv  as  good  for  Avinter  floAA'ering  as  for  summer  bedding. 
ReinAvardtia  ti'igyna  and  U.  tetragyna.  Primula  obconica,  Avell  groAvn 
plants  covered  Avith  floAver,  but  scarcely  as  bright  in  colour  as  aac 
have  seen  in  this  house.  Chrysanthemum  (or  Marguerite)  Brousonetti, 
Avhite,  and  Etoile  d  Or,  acHoav.  .Jacobinia  ehrysostephana.  •).  coccinea, 
and  J.  Ghie.sbrightiana.'  Wandeiung  Willie. 
Useful  Hints. — Lime  Avater  is  the  best  Avorm  exterminator 
for  pots  or  benches.  A  Gin  pot  of  lime  to  12gals  of  Avater.  ^Let 
the  lime  settle  before  u.sing,  and  there  should  h('  a  fcAv  days  in¬ 
terval  between  applications  of  lime  Avater  and  h((iud  nianure. 
*  *  If  you  experience  difficulty  in  rooting  some  kinds  of 
.stock  in  sand,  try  hard  coal  ashes  Avhicli  have  been  passed 
through  a  half-inch  screen.  *  Katherine  Tracy  is  a  good 
soft  pink  Sweet  Pea  for  winter  cutting. 
