SlO 



Journal of horticdltore and cottage gardener. 



[ April 26, 1877. 



we muBt come to a decision whether we shall soon diBCard our 

 plant or keep it on in full bearing for some time longer. In 

 the latter case new growth mnst be enconraged and a propor- 

 tionate provision of fresh soil be made for the roots by packing 

 the soil around the pot. I very much prefer doing this with 

 sods of turf broken into large pieces and heaped loosely 

 around and over the pot, putting a moderate quantity at first 

 and adding fresh layers as the roots become visible. It is an 

 interesting and instructive sight to watch the manner in which 

 the roots seize upon the sods, lacing them together till the 

 whole mass is permeated with roots — a solid mass, and yet 

 so open that no water can lodge in it. A healthy Cucumber 

 plant when in full vigour requires an abundant supply of food 

 in a liquid form, and if the soil is at all close or heavy in 

 texture, it is by the frequent waterings rendered so sodden and 

 sour as to destroy the roots, and so lead to partial if not total 

 failure. If water was given as to an ordinary pot plant this 

 would not happen, but when the Cucumber is in full bearing 

 there must be no stint. Three times a-day — morning, noon, 

 and night — is not too often in hot bright weather ; and for a 

 guide as to quantity, two gallons each time, or six gallons 

 a-day, will not be too much, sewage water or liquid manure 

 of any sort being then used instead of clean water. There are 

 80 many fertilising agents now sold in canisters, that dwellers 

 in a town have simply to procure a supply of some approved 

 sort, such as guano, which is sold in small canisters, and they 

 can mix it in the water, and so feed the plant without having 

 to endure those unpleasant odours which are unavoidable 

 when sewage water is used. 



A mound of soil such as I advise to be made outside the 

 Cucumber pot is not a desirable sipht in a conservatory. Many 

 plans for its concealment will readily present themselves to the 

 mind, from a piece of zinc sheeting painted on the outside to 

 an enclosure of ornamental tiles. Whatever is used, be 3ure 

 and let it be large enough to admit of ample supplies of soil 

 being given to the roots, for liberal treatment is the alpha and 

 omega of Cucumber culture.— Edwaud Luckhdest. 



NOTES FKOM MT GABDEN IN 1876.— No. 5. 



AUKICULAS. 



I FLATTER myself it argues something of an heroic temper to 

 sit in sight of a ruined collection of Auriculas and on the eve 

 of the great Auricula tournament, in which I am not to have 

 even one tilt, and write about what they were in the past year ; 

 but as I once heard a quick-witted friend say to a horsedealer 

 who was looking at a steed my friend was riding, and with the 

 knowing wick peculiar to his tribe, said, " That's one of the 

 has beens, sir." "Well," said my friend, " that's better than 

 one of the never waees." So say I. Although I cannot but 

 grieve over the terrible loss that I have experienced, it is a 

 melancholy satisfaction to me to thick thiit for the many years 

 I have grown Auriculas I never had so grand a bloom as in 

 187C. Ah! how many years 1 Well, upwards of forty years 

 ago I began to grow them, and from that time to this with but 

 a brief interruption I have continiied true to them. 



I was brought up in the very strictest schnol of florists, for 

 I think at that time there were none eo particular and so 

 exigsant in their tastes as the Dublin florists. They had im- 

 bibed a great many of their views from the Lancashire growers, 

 but had somewhat modified them — in so far, for instance, in 

 the Auricula they did not exhibit trusses cut down to three 

 pips, nor did they carry their Auriculas to the exhibitions 

 wrapped in moss ; but they were exact as to the purity of edge, 

 repudiated all coarseness of texture and foliage, and never 

 exhibited their flowers staked. I have seen a good many col- 

 lections of Auriculas in my days, but I do not think that it is 

 the recollection of youthful days which makes me say that I 

 never saw such plants and blooms as those grown by Dr. Plant 

 at Monkstown. I have often alluded to them in various pub- 

 lications ; and although he and they are passed away, the 

 thought of the Glorjs, Freedoms, Colonels, &c., that 1 then 

 saw still cling to me. From all that I hear the valuable col- 

 lection of the Rev. F. D. Horner must bo the nearest approach 

 to it that we have. When in 1819 I came back to my native 

 country I found that a good deal of the enthusiasm I had often 

 witnessed about London for the flower had died away, and for 

 the past thirty years nearly it has by fitful starts alone been 

 brought before the public ; hut during that time a good many 

 very fine flowers had been added to the lists, principally through 

 the exertions of Mr. Headly of Cambridge and Mr. Lightbody 

 of Falkirk, while in the metropolitan district one or two re- 



markable flowers had made their appearance. Chapman's 

 Maria is probably one of the most lovely flowers we have ; and 

 it was, led away by its charms, that I once proposed (although 

 I retreated from the position very quickly) that Auriculas 

 should be divided into the two classes of edged flowers and 

 selfs. This brought down on me the good-natured banter of 

 my friends Mr. Jeans and Mr. Bramhall ; and I am sure they 

 were right, although they so far conceded to my views that a 

 nondescript class was suggested. 



The Lancashire growers are unquestionably right in laying so 

 much stress on the edge, but there are many flowers in which it 

 is almost impossible to say whether they should be classed as 

 greens or greys, while some white-edges have a decided tendency 

 to grey on the edge. These are very attractive, but they do 

 not show that purity of edge which they insist upon ; and it 

 is this that accounts for the fact that, notwithstanding the 

 rare beauty of Maria and Sophia and the sterling properties of 

 Col. Champneys, they do not find a place in one of the lists 

 sent in to the Rev. F. D. Horner in his election of Auriculas. 

 Amongst other flowers concerning which one's opinion has 

 altered is Litton's Imperator. Faulty it is no doubt in several 

 respects, but the pnnty of its green edge makes up for many 

 defects, and it was very noticeable in my blooming house last 

 season. There is another flower of Mr. Headly's very near 

 being a first-rate one. I received it as Headly's Green Edge. 

 It has a fine eye, in which many of the new sorts are defective, 

 and the edge is very pure; but I doubt if it will ever make a 

 good truss, although on the stage it shone out well owing to 

 the brightness of its green. 



I have still seen nothing in grey edges to surpass George 

 Lightbody, for Alexander Meiklejohn, although a very fine 

 flower, wants, as I saw it, a little more decision in its grey 

 edge. My blooms of Richard Headly were remarkably fine, 

 although somewhat late. Another curious thing has occurred 

 with my Waterhouse's Conqueror of Europe. A large number 

 of them came with split and twisted flowers, and as I have 

 already noticed the same this year I must throw them away, 

 for this has been the third year that they have served me so, 

 and the flower still retains its hold on many growers, notwith- 

 standing the newer varieties that have threatened to put it on 

 one side. 



Amongst white edges (a rare class) Taylor's CUory was re- 

 presented by one solitary plant, which of course this new pest 

 has attacked ; but Smiling Beauty wa? good, although in size, 

 and perhaps in whiteness of edge, inferior to True Briton, 

 which is very large, but does not often open quite flat. Robert 

 Burns was good ; and the flower about which I was puzzled, 

 and which I had received as Pott's Regulator, turned out to he 

 MacDonald's Incomparable, and is by no means to be despised 

 in a class like this, where good varieties are scarce. Smith's 

 Ne Plus Ultra was aleo very good. 



Among selfs Campbell's Pizarro, Spalding's Metropolitan, and 

 Lightbody's Lord Clyde were very fine. I had also some good 

 blooms of Dickson's Apollo, a fine blue variety not often met 

 with now, although once very much grown about London. 

 Kay's Topsy I have not as yet had. 



So good was my bloom that, not wishing to have all the 

 pleasure to myself, I invited throiigU the local newspaper any 

 of my neighbours to come and see them. A goodly number 

 availed themselves of the invitation, and to many (who only 

 knew the Auricula from the border flowers) it was a revelation, 

 the edges and mealy foliage being an especial puzzle to them ; 

 and now, alas ! were I to invite them it would only be to spy 

 out the poverty of the land. I have been worse off, once when 

 the old man I left in charge of my small frame kept it close so 

 that the flowers were scorched, and then told me that a 

 grub must have got at them ; but I was younger then, there 

 was no National Show, and my collection was small. I shall 

 not of course cave in, I have still some left; but the provoking 

 thing is, one cannot guard against this new pest, about whioh 

 I confess I am as yet altogether at sea. Perhaps after the 

 Show I may be more enlightened about it ; all I know now is 

 it has ruined me for this year. — D., Deal. 



TOMTITS THE FRIENDS OF GARDENERS. 



I HAVE just read a letter on page '290 in your Journal signed 

 " A Master GAnnENER," and must beg to dispute what he says 

 as regards the tomtit being a gardener's enemy. I have had 

 a pair of these birds for several years in a cage very tame, and 

 have tried them with small branches from the various fruit 

 trees in the garden. They at once searched them very keenly, 



