1S8 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Fobrn»i7 22, 1877. 



Then thc-re is another pleasure (or the growers after the 

 ardnous lahours of etaRing the plants : New acqaaiDtauoes are 

 formed, and old friends meet to talk over matters connected 

 with the flowers in which they are intorested ; and apecial 

 shows promote the cnltare of favourite flowers, and to those 

 shows which have been held yearly for three-quarters of a 

 century wo owe the great improvements that have been made 

 in the Auricula. 



An Auricula show in London or Manchester brings growers 

 from different parts of England, from Scotland, Wales, and 

 even Ireland who are growers but not exhibitors. They see 

 the flowers as they may not have seen them before, and to 

 see Booth's Freedom with nine perfect pips, or Smiling Beauty, 

 the fairest of the fair, or some rare old variety like Page's 

 Champion, is worth a journey from Ireland or Aberdeen. Such 

 success has not yet fallen to their own lot, but they will go 

 homo carrying many pleasant reminiscences with them, and 

 they will also try to emulate the growers who exhibit at the 

 great show. It is not worth while to dwell on other flowers, 

 the Tulip, Carnation, or Pink ; but as there will be three great 

 "special" shows of Carnations and Picotees this year — London, 

 Loed?, and Manchester, it may be worth while to consider 

 ■whether they "claim any special notice," or " whether they 

 have accomplished anythiug after all." There are others who 

 have been in the field for many years, and who could eay 

 much about the pleasure they have derived from the culture of 

 these flow, rs, and how they havo been fostered and improved by 

 the aid of special Foeietits ; and eome of the old growers, such 

 a? Mr. E S. Dudwell, who grew for exhibition when most of 

 ua were beordle-s boy?, conlJ if they chose tell us of the good 

 th=y Bud their fellow eihiiiitors derived from studying the 

 habits and eharaoterittics of their plants. 



One reason why this matter has been taken np at the pre- 

 sent time is the alteration in the arrang^ments of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society. Growers fancied that no prizes would 

 be ottered ; and the Royal Botanic Society, who gtive prizes 

 for them, have rUo turned from the Carnation, Piootee, and 

 Pink. Are the florists to blame for espousing the cause of 

 their own favourites? I trow not. They cinnot go in for 

 Potatoes, nor will they throw cold Wiiler in the face of thoEO 

 who wish to promote their culture. Mr. R. Gilbert, ever first 

 to eepouse the cause of the Cabbage or Potato, has already 

 suggested that the growers take the matter in their own hands, 

 and if they go into the work with the mmc zoul as the florists 

 there will be no need to trust to peed firms or royal societies. 

 They will find ready sympathisers in the florists, who know 

 from experience the amount of labour to be cudcired before 

 the work is accomplished. — J. Douglas. 



POINSETTIA PULCHERRIMA PLENISSIMA. 



Me Taylor (page 123), who can grow the old Poinsettia so 

 well, will, I think, be satisfied with the new one another year, 

 if ho does not, as so many do when they obtiin a cilebrated 

 plant, weaken it by an exhaustive system of propagation. I 

 have not been able to "try my hand" at growing the new 

 plant, but my neighbour has, and as he has succeeded and not 

 Eucccoded, and as I know the " reason why," I can write just 

 as usefully as if I had been the actual grower. 



My neighbour purchased t?fo plants of the new Poinsettia, 

 Both of them on arrival were, on account of the grer.t demand 

 and rapid propagation to meet it, found to be ueceesarily email 

 and weakly. The largest of the two plants was encouraged to 

 grow in the best manner possible, and was not permitted to 

 receive any checks either by stepping or deficiency of support. 

 Thio plant ptrftoled a very gcoi head of eleven disticct crowns. 

 The other and the smalltr plant was aho grown m well as 

 possible, but was stopped ard the catting was struck. Giber 

 cuttings were subsequently tiken, and the stock now numbers 

 B dez»n plaots. The heads produced by th^Eo small plants 

 were very poor and unsatisfactory. Success was clearly the 

 result of a luxuriant plant, eob-sucocbs the result of weakly 

 plants. 



Now I do not suppose it possible that small plants purchased 

 last spring could by any course oi cuUuie be (o vigorous in 

 their nature as wuo the plants which produced the gorgeous 

 heads which MesEr^■. Ycitch had grown in 187^'). I bad the 

 opportuuity of seeing those holds, and I can only justly de- 

 ecribe them in one vord — mr.gnificent. 



As I am a believer in the dictum that what has been dore 

 otcs can bo done again, I am very hopeful that with strong 

 cuttings to bt'giu with, no stopping throughout the season, and 



a course of generous treatment, resulting in really vigorous 

 plants, that infinitely totter results will bo produced in Ihs 

 next than was the case in the past season, and I am satisfied 

 that another year of experience is needed before a just judg- 

 ment can be pronounced on this closely propagated plant. 



Tho bracts produced by the small plants referred to wore 

 not nearly so bright as those on the more vigorous plant and 

 larger crown. When I saw the now variety at its beet the 

 colour was decidedly brighter than that of the old species — rich 

 as our old friend is acknowledged to be. — Ex-ExniBiTon. 



Your correspondent, Mr. S. Taylor, hn?, I think, somowhat 

 prematurely expressed his " disappointment with the new 

 Poinsettia." I received my plant from the Messrs. Vdlch 

 (not a strong one) ; it was placed with my other Poinsettias, 

 and was in due time repotted. The soil used was three parts 

 turfy loam, one part peat (Epps's), some silver sand and char- 

 coal. It received tho same treatment as the other plants. On 

 its first forming its head of brilliant colour I found the outer 

 or lower bracts rather smaller and not quite so intense in 

 colour as those of the old species ; this may have aiisen fiom 

 tho plant not being a strong one. It takes fully a month longer 

 alter first showing the colour in its lower leaves before its 

 centra or tho clutters from its flowers are fully expanded. 

 When so grown it forms a well-filled compact head, which if 

 not grand i-s very great improvement on the other two sorts 

 which I grow. I consider it very fairly sustains the character 

 given of it, and I think it probable that stronger plants will 

 produce still finer heads. — Geo. W. Greenhill, Whist House, 

 Asliford, Kent. 



SELECT FKUITS FOB SMALL GARDENS. 



Under this heading " Pkactitioker," on pige 08, has sub- 

 mitted a short iibt of varieties, and has appended the request 

 that those criticising should substitute other varieties rather 

 than add to tho length of the list. I think in the main th«t 

 your correspondent is right in hmitirg the varieties of fruit 

 for a small garden, but I cannot but think that in many 

 gardens which may be included in the designation " small " a 

 few more Apples than those named might be advantageously 

 included. The subject broached by " Practitionek " is a very 

 important one, and on the whole he has submitted an excellent 

 list — his object having been to select old sorts of establiehpd 

 merit rather than to include new introductions. 



I will commence my criticism by saying that I think the 

 Griipes and Peaches named are suflioient, and excellently 

 adapted for the great mass of small anel medium-sized gardens 

 and for ordinary cultivators — that is, those requiring a succes- 

 sion of good fruit certain of being produced under ordinarily 

 good cultivation ; yet I may add in reference to the Grapes 

 that those who have conveniences for ripening Lady Downe's 

 Seedling and Gros Guillaiimo may also include a Muscat, 

 and I recommend tho Bowood or Tynningham Muscat as 

 setting somewhat batter than the splendid old Muscat of Alex- 

 andria. I mention this because I know there are many who 

 covet Muscat Grapes, but are afraid of planting them on ac- 

 count of imaginary dilliculties of cultivation and the fear of 

 not being able to aii'ord them snliioieut heat. I repeat, there- 

 fore, that those who can grow satisfactorily the two late black 

 Grapes named may grow also the Bowood Muscit, which I 

 think is identical with Tynningham Muscat. 



The list of Peaches beiog excellent, I pa?3 oa to Nectarines. 

 "Practitioner" has named two, and two are quite suflicient 

 for many gardens, but those named — Yioletto Ha live ai/d 

 lllruge — are ripe at the same time ; in fact they are very nearly 

 alike in all their quulitifs. For the sake, therefore, of havirg 

 greater distinctness, and especially as affording a encocssion if 

 ripe fruit, I shouM certainly substitute Lord Napier forElruge. 

 Lord Napier is distinctly early, the tree is a good grower and 

 bearer, and the fnnt is largo end of escellent quality. It ia 

 one of the very best Nectarines in cultivation, and is worthy 

 of a place in the smallest collection. 



Fig^ I will pass over with the remark that those who enjoy 

 this fruit and have not grown Negro Lirgo have a treat in 

 store. I say this without findicg any fault with the two good 

 old sorts recommended — Brown 'Turkey and White Marseilles. 



Apricots, I thiLk, call for no comment, but I must pause at 

 the list of Plums recommended by your correspondent. I 

 cannot conceive any collection of Plums complete without ic- 

 cludiug Bivers'd Early Prolific. It is a variety of the greatest 

 value, and ought never to be overlooked by intending planters. 



