130 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Fcbranrjr 8, 1872. 



be dissimilarity so far as tliey went, and there are other kinds 

 as well that might be broupht into use. Perhaps it may be 

 urged that F. corymbillora make.s a bad Bpeeimeu plant, but 

 it ma}', nevertheless, be worked into order. 



Many years ago I remember seeing one of the finest flower 

 beds I ever saw, composed entirely of this species, the plants 

 being 7 or 8 feet, and F. fulgens upwards of 6 feet high, and 

 equally well loaded with bloom. The old F. microphylla is 

 rarely met with now, also many other old Fuchsias ; but I do 

 know of a plant house where a considerable part of the back 

 wall and some of the roof is covered with that fine variety 

 F. corallina, which flowers more profusely than any of the newer 

 kinds. In the same house F. corymbiflora occupies parts of 

 the rafters, and produces handfuls of its long tubular flowers, 

 so that I often wonder it is not more frequently met with in 

 a like position. 



I hope an attempt will be made by some horticultural 

 Society to restore these and other old favourites from the 

 neglect in which they will otherwise soon be buried ; those old 

 enough to remember the flourish of trumpets with which these 

 two large-leaved Fuchsias were ushered in, cannot but grieve 

 at the careless way in which they are now treated, while many 

 plants of much less import have usurped their place. I hope 

 those having the arrangement of oiu' great horticultural shows 

 will see to this, and if they can do nothing more in altering theii' 

 schedules, they might add as a condition to the prize for six, 

 eight, or more Fuchsias, that botanical distinctions ajid great 

 dissimilarity will be indispensable in order to insure greater 

 variety in this family than has lately been the case. Perhaps 

 Mr. Boothby wUl he good enough to teU us how far this can 

 be done with advantage. — J. B. 



BLACK BESS STKAWBEREY. 



TouE correspondent, " J. T., South IValex," makes inquiry 

 about this Strawberrj'. I think I can tell hi in its history. 

 Eight years ago, when gardener to the late S. liiekards, Esq., 

 Shalimar, Acton, who was a StrawbeiTy lover, he bought from 

 Messrs. Butler & MeCulloch, of Covent Garden Market, one 

 dozen small plants, teUiug nie, I think, that the kind was raised 

 bj- Ml'. Webb, Calcot, Reading. I planted them in a weU-prepared 

 border, and the foUomng summer I layered all the runners in 

 small pots. I had about two hundred of them planted out for 

 fruiting, the rest I potted for late forcing. Those planted out 

 were truly magnificent, bearing from forty to fifty noble fruit on 

 each plant. Onmanyoccasionsmy employer had the small letter- 

 scale brought on the dinner-table to weigh the Strawberries, 

 and I have seen them often weigh down an ounce weight and a 

 shilling. I sent twelve plants for trial to the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society's Garden, when the Fruit Committee thought 

 them identical with Empress Eugenie, an opmion which I never 

 shared. Some of the first fi-uit are flattened or ridged, but the 

 general crop is conical, of a particularly attractive colour, sweet, 

 and refreshing. The potted plants were gromi in front of an 

 orchard house and did well. — R. Gilbert, Buryhh'ij. 



EEVIEW. 

 The Gift of Life. A Book for the Young. By S.utA Wood. 

 Author of " Children of Other Lands," &c. London : 

 Groombridge & Sons. 

 The intention of this book — and the intention is realised — 

 is to show children that God is " near them here, and with 

 them now, giving and sustaining Ufe." In a succession of 

 chapters is shown that Life is evei-j-where ; that it is a great 

 good ; how it is sustained ; the use of the senses ; the need of 

 heat, air and light ; the varieties of animal and vegetable life, 

 and many relative topics. It is a wholesome book, and the 

 contents ai-e in simple language that a child may understand. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 DuRixG last year 3,351,106 eggs and 852,125 cwts. of Potatoes 

 were imported into this countiy. 



Mr. William Woollev, gai'dener to Sir W. Jackson, 



Bart., Claughton Manor, Bukenhead, died on the 2Cth ult., 

 aged 54. He was a frequent and successful exhibitor, and was 

 much esteemed in his situation, wliich he had held for seven- 

 teen years. 



Mk. G. J. Symons, of 02, Camden Square, N., writes to 



the Times on the Rainfall of January : — 



" It would be premature to express a decided opinion on the 



distribution of the excess which has fallen last month ; but 

 there seems httle probabUitythat additional returns will modify 

 the following deductions : — ■ 



"1, The faU at all English stations is greater than the 

 average ; 2, The excess is greater at the southern stations, some 

 of which have had more than twice the usual amount ; 3, In 

 Scotland, the southern part has had a slight excess, but in the 

 north about the usual quantity has fallen ; 4, In Ireland, al- 

 though at one station the aggregate amount is belgw tUe 

 average, it has rained almost every day." 



ToT.u, Eai>taix Dcni."iO J.isrjnv, 1872. 

 Depth. 



In. Name of Station, County. 



21*U0 MorJale Green, Haweswater Westmoreland. 



19*25 Easdale Tarn, Gmsmere „ 



18-01 High Close „ 



17-50 .... Lougkrittg FeU „ 



15-75 Measandbecka, Haweswfiter „ 



11-74 Crohby Kavensworth „ 



11*32 fehan-ow Bay, Ulls-watcr „ 



10-70 .... Buckden, Skipton Torkshire. 



10-50 .... SwartlilcU, Ullswater -Westmorelamt. 



10*30 .... tiarthbibio Montgomcn-. 



10-18 .... Bodmin Cornwall. 



9-35 .... Okehaiupton, Dartmoor Devon. 



8'8S Skiddaw Cumberland. 



8-70 .... Uangurig, Llanidloes Montgomery. 



7*62 Willerslcy, Matlock Derbyshij-e.' 



7-50 Camo llontgomen-. 



6*90 Llanwddyn 



6*35 .... Dumfries Dumfi-iesshiro. 



6*04 Great Slissenden Bucks. 



6-83 Lymington Hants. 



5-82 .... Holsworthy Devon. 



5-53 Deanston Perthshire. 



5*15 .... Cessuock Park, Glasgow Lanai-k. 



5*12 .... Ballinasloe Galwav. 



4*83 The Castle, Taunton Somerset. 



4*08 Linton Park Kent. 



4*55 .... BickenhiU Vicarage Warwick. 



4*50 Merridale Eofld, Wolverhampton Stafford. 



4-46 .... Tytherton, Chippenham WUts. 



4.25 .... Cambo House, St. Andl-ew's Fife. 



3-80 Westtield, Dundee Forfar. 



3*46 .... Camden .Square, London Middlesex. 



3*45 Monkstown Dublin. 



3-34 .... Killingholme, Grimsby Lincoln. 



3*10 .... Gainford, Dai-lingtou Durham. 



2-89 York Yorkshire. . 



2-78 .... North Shields Noi-thumberUiud. 



2-74 ThD Lodge, Sandy Bedfordshho. 



2-72 .... Diss Norfolk. 



2-63 Portarlington Queen's County. 



2*45 .... Nairn Nairn. 



WORK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN G.^RDEN. 



Sow, on a gentle hotbed for pricking-out, Cuuliflowers, Red 

 Cahbage, some Early Horn Carrots, and hardy Lettuces. Sow 

 a pan of Celery, and place it m heat. Make a small sowing of 

 Early Dwarf York Cabbage on a warm border, and fill up all 

 vacancies in Cabbage and Colewort beds. The surface should 

 be constantly stii-red. The ground intended for Onions would 

 be benefited by a top-di-essing of weU-decomposed rich maum-e, 

 which should be forked-in. Wlien the soil is in a suitable 

 state sow a succession of Peas and Beans, and between the 

 rows of Peas tiy a row of Round Spitiach. Caulijioicers under 

 frames and hand-glasses should have attention in giving air, 

 removing decayed matter, stiniug the surface, and placing di-}' 

 earth or charred refuse amongst the plants. Pot a few of the 

 strongest in healthy sandy soU for phmting-out. Sow a suc- 

 cession of Badishes on a sloping bank or border. Let a dozen 

 roots of Parsley, or more, according to the demand, be potted 

 immediately and placed in a vinery at work ; when the plants 

 are well rooted supply them liberally with clear manure w-ater. 

 Place a few Ashleaf Kidney Potatoes in heat to forward them 

 for planting out when the soil is in a fit state. 

 fruit garden. 



Proceed -with the pruning and nailing of wall fruit trees 

 when the weather is favourable, and when it is not so prepare 

 material for protecting the blossoms. Pmning Vines out of 

 doors should be at once completed. Cut out old wood from 

 Raspberries, and cut back canes not wanted for fruiting ; re- 

 place decayed stakes, and tie the fruiting canes neatly to them. 

 Dress the groimd with light manure. The thinning and prun- 

 ing of trees in the orchai'd may stUl he contmued. 

 flower garden. 



A well-kept lawn is one of the most beautiful featm-es in 

 English pleasure-gi-omids, but on rich soils the coarse Grasses 

 arc tUtlicult to kctp under ; while on soils natm-ally poor, and 



