August 29, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



•283 



British Horticulture 



It was my good fortune lately to visil the seed farm 

 ni Henry Eckford. Mr. Eekford has found i1 necessarj 

 to augment his facilities, lias now a farm in Essex, a 

 Eamous seed growing county, where fifty three acres are 

 devoted to sweel peas. The rows placed end to end 

 would reach a distance of L80 miles. The outlook is 

 much more satisfactory than was the ease last year. 

 Countess Spencer, which in the early stages of its career 

 was distinguished for its "sporting" tendencies, was seen 

 in batches of over an acre, and every one true in type 

 and tint. Another striking variety was Triumph, a 

 bold bloom of shapely form of an orange pink hue. 

 Others in the same field were Mrs. Walter Wright, the 

 popular mauve; Unique, an excellent striped variety; 

 Prince Edward of York, a useful scarlet, and John 

 Ingman. Lovely was justifying its name, the pretty 

 6hade of pink showing up in strong contrast to some of 

 the darker tints in the adjacent rows. The Queen of 

 Spain was another variety which arrested attention, not 

 only on account of the admirable color, but also owing 

 to the vigorous growth. A large amount of space 

 was devoted to Queen Alexandra, whose fine array of 

 bold scarlet blooms provided a warm breadth of color- 

 ing over a broad area. Another popular variety was 

 seen at its best in Henry Eckford. 



ELECTRICITY IN THE GARDEN 



Details have been published of some interesting ex- 

 periments which have been conducted in applying elec- 

 tricity to plant growth. Mr. J. E. Newman, of Glouces- 

 ter, acting in conjunction with Mr. E. Bomford, of Sal- 

 ford Priors, has for some time been engaged in investi- 

 gations, having Sir Oliver Lodge and his son, Mr. 

 Lionel Lodge, as advisors. The method adopted is to 

 stretch over the held to be treated a number of wires on 

 poles, something like low telegraph wires. The system 

 of conductors is connei led ai one post with a generator 

 supplying positive electricity at a potential of something 

 like 100,000 volts, and with sufficient power to maintain 

 a constant supply of electricity at this kind of potential. 

 The electrification is maintained for some hours each 

 day. but is shut off a( night : il is probably only neces- 

 sary to supply it during the early morning hours in 

 summer time, and in spring time, or in cold, cloudy 

 weather for the whole day, or during the time of the 

 plant's greatest activity. Pi ut at what stage- of the 

 growth of a plant the stimulus is most effective lias 

 still to he made out. The results lately published state 

 thai as regards strawberries there was a :;-'. per cent. 

 increase. Earlier ripening was also observed. Small 

 plots of raspberry cane- showed a marked improvement 

 in growth, whilst tomatoes produced an increased crop. 

 A curious point about the raspberries was that the foli- 

 age and fruit of the old canes showed no difference, but 

 thai the new growth, particular after the old wood was 

 cut hack, showed an enormous difference in favor of the 

 elect rifled. 



THE FRUIT CROP PROSrECTs 



According to the reports received the apple crop is 

 appreciably better than last car. or even than in 1906. 

 Whilst the apple crop generally is satisfactory, it ap 

 pears to be very deficient in Scotland, the returns of 

 average crop- from Scottish gardens being even 

 than last year. Pears are less plentiful over the king 

 dom than last year, hut the returns are slighth better 



than in L906. \- regards plums, there are i id returns 

 of under avera ■ crops, whilst there arc L26 corre- 

 spondents who report crops equal to, or above, 



Cherries are less plentiful than last year. Out of- 

 door peaches and nectarines are very deficient. The 

 crops of currants, raspberries ami gooseberries are plen- 

 tiful, and this remark applies with even greater force 

 in strawberries lor out of 278 returns there are onlj six 

 which record l he i rop a- lie low the average \ ield. 



>aw ftdi*&. 



Roses Under Glass 



SE \so\ IBLE SUGGESTIONS 



Summer is now on the wane, ami a- the -ea-on fur 

 tiring approaches, all our skill will be required to pre 

 pare the stock to meet i he change of conditions due to 

 the transition from natural to artificial heat. Any 

 carelessness or ignorance displayed in the administra- 

 tion of ventilation and water at this season will bring 

 dire results later on. To properly prepare the stock 

 for this change, due regard must be taken of the fact 

 that evaporation is on the decline, and the plants can- 

 not use, with advantage, the copious supplies of water 

 necessary during the summer months and consequent!] 

 the supply must he carefully gauged to meet the .1 

 minishing wants. Root action will also become more 

 sluggish and, if the -oil ever approaches the- point of 

 saturation, the stock will surely Buffer. 



As the nights begin to get chilly, less ventilation will 

 be required, and particular care should be given to 

 lowering the ventilation during the afternoon so that 



after each rediii there will be no appreciable raise 



of temperature. The same care should be exei 

 in the morning, raising the ventilators gradually as thi 

 heat increases, but never so much ai a i Lme a- to lowei 

 the temperature. Fresh air is a wonderful tonic and 

 is perhaps the true source of thai beautiful dark foli- 

 age, so rich in color and firm of texture and « ithoul 



« iich we i ai i enter on the short days b ith a fair 



, hance of success. But like all other essentials, air 

 must he applied judiciously and at the proper time, 

 otherwise ii is capable of working havoc and bringing 

 our dreams of a golden harvest to a dismal end. 



When the weather permits and other conditions are 

 favorable, the plants should be given a thorough syring- 

 ing I,, order to keep red-spider in check, as we gel few 

 opportunities to tackle them in the winter. Keeping 

 the plants neatly lied up greatly facilitates syringing 

 and l>\ admitting a free circulation of air among the 

 foliage reduce- the danger of contracting any of the 



fungoid diseases. 



MMew i- another of our constant enemies, and ad- 

 vantage should be taken of the first cold night to ran 

 steam ami paint the pipe- with the sulphur mixture to 

 eradicate anv thai may ho in the house. \ little per- 



,1 in iln- work and care to maintain a- nearly as 



possible proper conditions, will-- 1 i the ' rouble to 



disappear. 



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