170 



JOUENAL OP HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ September 4, 1873. 



thing but an unfair mode of measurement. If I want 25 yards 

 of^4-yard-wide net it is measured for lengtii by puUiug it tightly 

 ia^thejdirection of its length, and for width by pulling it tightly 

 in^the'dii'ection of its width. Sleasure a piece of 1-ineh-mesh 

 netting, 4 yards by 1 yard ; the 4 yards drawn tight become 

 8 yards, and the one yard stretches to two when also drawn 

 tight. Open tlie net and lay it evenly — i.e., the diameters 

 each way of a single mesh being alike — viz., an inch, and the 

 superficial loss is seen at once. Is the method of selling, or 

 rather of measuring, fair? or is it after all only the " reputed " 

 quart and the " imperial " quart over again ? — A. B. 



NOTES ON LILIES.— No. 1. 



IILTU-M LOXGIFLOEUM. 



Tou asked me for some photographs of our Lilies, and for 

 some gossip about them. I will begin with Lilium longiflorum, 

 the pot with twenty-two blooms and two buds ; height 3 feet 

 9 inches, width 3 feet 8 inches. The bulbs were bought at 

 auction as L. eximium, which they are not. Our knowledge 

 of L. eximium is rather uncertain. I understand that this 

 was found by Siebold among L. longiflorum, and have always 

 understood it to be rather dwarf-growing, with the mouths of 

 the tubes expanding widely, and I have a Lily with these cha- 

 racteristics. I am now toid that L. eximiuui of Siebold has. 



LUium lougiflorum. 



according to M. Duchartre, a very long tube, and my friend, 

 the great authority, Mr. Leichtlin, confirms this, and states 

 that it has the character of what he formerly named L. longi- 

 florum WUsoni. The pot is L. longiflorum, the size and 

 height being due to the favourable conditions of growth in an 

 orchard house, with abundant watering. 



It is a very beautiful LUy, though inferior in height and size 

 of flowers and length of their tubes to L. longiflorum Wilsoni. 

 I often wonder it is not more generally grown as a conserva- 

 tory plant. Here it has been constantly said by visitors of 

 good taste, " Your Lilies are all beautiful," but none are more 

 beautiful than this, with its pure white tubes contrasting with 

 the fine green leaves. With us it grows well in the borders, 

 but owing to its being a very early Lily it, unless sheltered 



and retarded by dwarf shrubs, is often checked and injured 

 by early frosts. With us it grows best in sheltered corners 

 with a northern aspect. — Geokge F. Wilson, llcatherhank, 

 Wojliriihjc Heath. 



STEAWBEERT CULTUEE AND MEEITS. 

 After so many have stated their Strawberry experience of 

 the year, I am afraid my chance of saying anything fresh on 

 the subject is very small; however, I cast in my mite, and 

 I shall try and make my remarks as plain and practical as 

 possible. 



The crop of Strawberries this year has generally been very 

 abundant, but owing to the dull and sunless weather we had 

 the fruit did not acquire its proper flavour, and the wet caused 

 the decay of great quantities ; a small black beetle also made 

 sad havoc amongst some of our fruit, by eating large holes in 

 the berries. Some people fancy the cause to be slugs, but I 

 believe the beetle is the offender, as we have caught large 

 numbers when gathering the fruit, and the beetles were right 

 in the centre of it. Notwithstanding all these losses we have 

 been able to gather from 150 lbs. to 200 lbs. daily when our 

 main crops were at their best. 



Early Prolific (Dr. Eoden's) is my best early variety ; it will 

 take the place of Black Prince with me, as it is only a few days 

 later, and a much suiJerior fruit. Next is Marguerite, a most 

 abundant bearer of very showy fruit of immense size, but that 

 is all it has to recommend it, as the flavour is very deficient, 

 and the fruit when ripe will scarcely bear to be touched, it is 

 so soft. Keens' Seedling succeeds these two, but it does not 

 bear so well here as I should like ; a great many of the plants 

 turn out barren, notwithstanding their being carefully selected 

 before planting. Amongst my main-crop Strawberries I must 

 place President at the head of the list; it is a sure and most 

 abundant cropper of very large fine fruit. Sh Charles Napier 

 has this year done badly with me ; there was a very abundant 

 crop, but owing to the wet great quantities of the fruit decayed ; 

 still it is a good variety, a great cropper of beautiful shining- 

 looking fruit, with a nice sharp flavour, which some prefer. 

 Next in order comes British Queen and Dr. Hogg, the best- 

 flavoured two Strawberries I know, but our soil is too light for 

 British Queen. Dr. Hogg is not a great cropper with me, but 

 the fruit is magnificent, and the flavour everything that could 

 be desired. As succession crops for forcing they both do 

 remarkably well. Dr. Hogg in a cool Peach house with me this 

 year was the connecting link between iu-door and out-door 

 fruit. Duke of Edinburgh has done exceediuglj* well with me 

 this year, I intend cultivating it largely ; it is a superior va- 

 riety as regards size, colour, and flavour. My variety of Prince 

 of Wales I do not like at all ; it is a strong grower, and bears 

 abundantly, but it is very deficient in flavour, and the fruit is 

 small. It is a httle later than the above-named varieties, for 

 which reason I grow a few. Carolina Superba and La Con- 

 stante are two good varieties, the former is not a great cropper 

 but the flavour is superb ; in La Constante we have both 

 qualities up to perfection, and it is likewise a beautiful-looking 

 fruit. Goliath is a variety I have here resembling La Con- 

 stante iu habit, but more robust ; fruit on short footstalks, 

 and entirely hidden by the foliage ; a most abundant cropper, 

 and always sure, but it is rather deficient in flavour, and when 

 fully ripe is rather soft in wet seasons. I also grow Eifleman, 

 Empress Eugenie, and Cockscomb ; with regard to the latter 

 two the}' are good croppers, but both have very ugly-shaped 

 fruit, and they do not colour well. I also grow the Alpine 

 variety, which I am now sending in for dessert ; it is quite 

 equal to Black Prince as regards size, and if the flavour is not 

 first-class, still it makes a nice variety on the dessert-table, and 

 is relished, too, as the dishes are always brought out empty. 



My method of culture I stated in your Journal last year, but 

 on reading some of your correspondents' articles I see there is 

 a great diversity of opinion as to the length of time the beds will 

 continue bearing satisfactorily. Some say two years ; others 

 say ten or more years. For my part I consider it greatly de- 

 pends on the mode of culture adopted. If they are cultivated 

 in beds, and the runners allowed to root and remain on the 

 bed, I consider that they are past their best after the third 

 year; but, on the other hand, if the ground is properly pre- 

 pared, and the plants kept as individual plants by having their 

 runners all trimmed away when they have done bearing , and 

 in the autumn an annual top-dressing of well- decomposed 

 manure is applied, I have no hesitation iu saying that they will 

 continue bearing satisfactorily for a much longer period. 



