p 



JOUllNAL OF HORTICULTURE AlsD COTTAGE GAltDENEB. 



[ Angnst 1, 1867. 



without renewing Ibe borJer, as it is while the Vines are in 

 their prime, in a bonier made of ^ood turf without any manure, 

 that their produce may be brought to this perfection. I have 

 always found Grapes inferior in colour when it was requisite 

 to apply manure water or guano ; but where the natsral soil is 

 suitable for the Vine, and the roots arc not confined to the 

 prepared border, I have known them produce Grapes of the 

 finest quality for many years. 



This being a very important subject, I hope some of our best 

 men will take it up with a sincere desire to set up a correct 

 standard. For my part I cannot see how Mr. Thomson's can 

 be improved upon, except by giving more points to bloom.— 

 T. Dixon, Waterdale, Suilon St. HcUn's. 



Mk. Thomson has done good service in again arousing atten- 

 tion to the vexed qnestion of judging Grapes. 



1 never yet could reconcile myself to the idea that it was of 

 more consequence to gratify tho eyo than the palate. I have 

 invariably found that Hamburgh (irapes of a fine flame colour, 

 are higher flavoured and thinner-skinned than those of that 

 dense black colour so insisted on by many judges. 



The assertion that flavour and colour go together is what I 

 cannot subscribe to. Mr. Thomson's ten points of excellence, 

 I think, cannot be improved, and if the Fruit Committee of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society can draw up a set of rules that will 

 be followed, and generally acknowledged, it will save judges 

 much unpleasantness. — Thosias Shoeti, llccVficld Place. 



I, AND, no doubt, many others, agree with Mr. Thomson as 

 to the necessity for a recognised standard for Grape-judging; 

 but I venture to think that his standard is not a correct one. I 

 so think, because, with very rare exceptions, good colour and 

 flavour are united in the Hamburgh. 



2nd, Because in most shows, excepting a few of the very 

 largest, all Black Grapes form one class ; consequently, vrere 

 flavour the main test, how often should we see the small Fron- 

 tignan exclude tho Hamburgh, and, perhaps, a poor-looking 

 dish of the latter beat a well-finished dish of the same variety. 



3rd, Because people's taste differ so much. 



4th, Many employers would not allow their gardeners to 

 exhibit, if the best bunches iu tho house were to be mutilated 

 by the judges. 



_ I think the following a good standard — Colour, two points ; 

 size of berry, two points ; size of bunch, one point ; symmetry 

 of bunch, one point. Total, six points. 



By the above, colour and size of berry would be two-thirds, 

 which I think they deserve. I hope the readers of "our 

 Journal " will give their opinions freely, so as to settle the 

 qaestion soon. — John Aluston. 



LACHENALIA QUADPJCOLOR, AND HOW TO 

 GROW IT. 



I HAVE often been surprised by not seeing this beautiful 

 flower more cultivated than it is. Coming into bloom in 

 February, continuing in beauty for eight or teu weeks with 

 proper care in watering, and bavin'.' such beautiful scarlet and 

 jellow bell-sbaped flowers, it is one of our brightest and most 

 useful of garden decorations. More than that, it has a very 

 pretty effect, either for the dinner-table or conservatory. 



My plan of growing it is to pot the bulbs in July, or the be- 

 ginning of August, in some rather heavy loam, or decayed turf, 

 about three-quarters, and one-qu!irter well decayed leaf mould 

 and sand. 



I plant about a dozen bulbs in a six-inch pot, cover the bulbs 

 over to the depth of about three-quarters of an inch with soil, 

 and place the pots out of doors on some ashes, or in any place 

 where the worms will not find their way into them. There 

 they are left until there are signs of frost, and then I take 

 them to a cold frame, or place them on the shelves in a north 

 house, or in any other where there is not much fire heat. Only 

 just enough water should be given in the winter months to keep 

 the leaves from flagging. 



About the end of January a pot or two may be taken to a 

 warmer house, if the plants are wanted for table decoration ; 

 they will stand gentle forcing. When the pots are full of roots 

 supply water, and as long as the loaves are green after flower- 

 ing, but no longer. Then the pots may he laid on their sides 

 an any cool, dry place. 



Under this treatment I have never failed to have healthy, 



short, stout leaves, standing erect, and spikes of bloom not 

 requiring any support. 



I should like to see prizes offered at some of the Eoyal Hor- 

 ticultural Society's Exhibitions for a collection of bulbs in 

 flower. I think they are too little cultivated, and out of a 

 hundred persons who saw this Lachenalia in bloom here, not 

 one had seen it before. — T. Elcome, liltuc/ Gardem. 



POLEMONIUM C.ERULEUM VARIEGATUM. 



Many of your readers may have seen this charming Pole- 

 mouium in a mixed border of choice herbaceous plants, and I 

 will venture to affirm that ninety-nine out of every hundred 

 would exclaim, " How beautiful ! " It is, however, much more 

 beautiful in a cool, moderately shaded conservatory or fernery, 

 where its gracefully arching Fern-like foliage is extremely in- 

 viting and refreshing : the beautiful silvery variegation offering 

 a most pleasing contrast to the various shades of green which 

 are exhibited by the fronds of the Ferns, or to the coloured 

 leaves of such plants as Coleus, Perilla, Iresine, and Tricolored 

 Pelargoniums. Its culture being so simple, is another recom- 

 mendation. It succeeds well, flourishing in light friable loam 

 and leaf mould, with a very small quantity of silver sand. — 

 B. J. W. 



ESTIMATE OF SOME VARIETIES OF 

 STRAWBERRY. AND THEIR CULTURE. 



The high position which the Strawberry holds, both as a 

 preserving and a dessert fruit, renders it important to elicit in- 

 formation as to the qualities of the various kinds in cultivation, 

 for the guidance of cultivators in determining on those calcu- 

 lated to give the best returns ; and such information is espe- 

 cially valuable at this season, which is that for securing young 

 plants. 



In all cases it is desirable that the quality and nature of the 

 soil be described ; the acknowledged eapriciousness of many 

 varieties renders this necessary. A brief summary of the mode 

 of culture adopted would add to the value of these notes. The 

 communication of Mr. Douglas, in No. 329, is a move in the 

 right direction. 



I have this season fruited sixteen varieties, including most 

 of those mentioned in ilr. Douglas's paper. I have carefully 

 noted their merits, and my notes on these sorts are so nearly the 

 same as his, that I will not occupy space by a detailed account 

 of each variety, but will merely state that for weight of produce 

 President bears the palm, that in flavour it is second only to 

 British Queen and Crimson Queen, while in size, shape, and 

 colour it leaves little to be desired. These qualities warrant 

 me in placing it first on my list as a Strawberry for general use- 

 fulness, and one which I can unhesitatingly recommend as 

 well worth growing. Indeed, I regard it as the best "light 

 soil " Strawberry I have yet seen in cultivation. 



Comte de Paris is my second best. A valuable kind iu all 

 qualities. 



Of the varieties in Mr. Douglas's list which I do not grow, 

 are Empress Eugc'nie, Eclipse, Su' J. Paxton,andLa Constante. 

 The last-named I have grown in previous years, and while I 

 fully admit its brilliant qualities, I am hound to place a for- 

 midable set-off on the vital point of constitution. It wants 

 stamina. 



Of other kinds. Wonderful is certainly a wonderful cropper, 

 but I cannot say another word in its favour. Ciimson Queen 

 is in all points equal to British Queen, with the addition of 

 more colour, which it carries entirely through the flesh. Filbert 

 Pine is a good cropper, and of good flavour, but not pre- 

 possessing in appearance. Oscar has fine fruit, but is a very 

 shy bearer. Excellent is a first-rate strain of Keens' Seedling. 

 Newtowu Seedling is a heavy cropper, good in colour, and 

 hangs after it is ripe longer than any variet.y with which I am 

 acquainted. It is, however, only second-rate in flavour. 

 Eleanor is large, and useful on account of its lateness in ripen- 

 ing, though deficient in flavour. 



The soil here is a light vegetable mould, resting on lime- 

 stone. Trenching 2 feet deep I hold to be a necessity, making 

 the soil good from the top to the bottom. As I take up a portion 

 of old plants every year, I bury them in the ground intended 

 for the new plautatiou. I tread the ground rather firmly, and 

 plant from 20 to 30 inches apart, according to the growth of the 

 sorts used. Sometimes when I have plenty of plants and not 

 much space, instead of setting one plant along every 2 feet o£ 



