388 



JOUBSAIl OF HOHTICULTTJRE AND COTTAGE GABDENBK, 



[ Jun* 10, 1809. 



The foliage is so handsome, I am surprised that the Panlownia 

 ia not more commonly planted. It is in a sheltered valley 

 close to the river Alvn. The flowers are very handsome, and 

 •smell like Violets.— M. E. G. 



FRUIT PROSPECTS IN NORFOLK. 

 Of Grapes the first crop is very good, being now ripe. The 

 last year's wood being formed and ripened before the dronght 

 set in, the Vines do not appear in any way aiJected by the 

 season in respect to the thorough maturity of the wood, which 

 is the best foundation for a crop. They made no ctfort at 

 second growth. The second house being recently planted affords 

 no facts ; but of two later houses, the Vines in one seemed to 

 make a more vigorous growth after the rains in August than at 

 any other peiiod of the season. I he Vines in this made a very 

 strong lateral growth and produced quantities of fruit, one or 

 two bunches of which were allowed to remain, and these ripened 

 in November. The first crop soon shrivelled after ripening ; 

 the excessive heat evaporated the water, and the saccharine 

 matter being more concentrated, the Grapes were very vinous 

 and sweet, and were pronounced to be of more than ordinary 

 quality. The flow of sap which fed the bunches on the lateral 

 growth did not seem to have the least effect on the bunches 

 forming Hie first crop ; thus, I thiuk, proving that it does no 

 harm to allow Grapes to hang for any length of time after they 

 are ripa. In cnnsequence of the late growth, the Vines did not 

 break so strongly this season as usual, but they appear to have 

 recovered now, and look vigorous and well. 



Of Muscats, respecting the setting of which we have heard a 

 good deal lately, I have the Muscat of Alexandria, also the 

 Muscat Ilamburgh on its own roots, likewise grafted on the 

 Muscat of Alexandria. All seem to have set alike, and have 

 undergone the first thinning. The grafted Muscat Hamburgh 

 is about fourteen days in advance of the same kind on its own 

 roots, and seven or eight days before the Muscat of Alexandria, 

 the temperature being equal. 



Neclarinos are a very good crop, now just past stoning. Two 

 houses which received no fire but just sufiicient to repel frost, 

 are later. The crop of Nectarines is better than that of Peaches. 

 The latter set very well, but many did not swell. The earliest 

 houses are the best. Figs are a full crop, and Strawberries are 

 good, the late ones being best, as many of the first batch I 

 refused to show. 



Cucumbers have done very well, and I am very glad to say ' 

 that hilherto wo have escaped the disease which has proved so 

 disastrous to many. The greatest pest we have to contend 

 with here, and in other places at which I have lived in the 

 eastern counties, is thrips. I find the best way is to keep up 

 a good succession of young plants, and to attend to cleanliness, 

 for though fumigation is always recommended, it is not in all 

 cases effectual. I have fumigated six nights in succession ; it 

 certainly affected the thrips, but it likewise affected the plants, 

 and the thrips seemed to stand the smoke the better of the 

 two. All kinds of washes are difficult to apply, and tobacco 

 powder the insects show their utter contempt for by disporting 

 themselves as merrily on a leaf dusted with it as on one with 

 none. Some correspondence took place five or six years ago in 

 this Journal, in which, if I remember aright, Mr. Pearson, of 

 Chilwell, took part. Bruised laurel leaves were recommended, 

 but they are not always efficiicious. I think some of your 

 chemical readers might do something for us ; some of them, I 

 know, are very fond of gardening. What is wanted is a vapour 

 or smoke that no animal can breathe, but which will not affect 

 the vegetation. Suffocation is the only thing that can effectually 

 destroy the insects in all parts of a house at one time. — J. P., 

 ■Gardener to Sir William Ffolkes, HiUington. 



POTATO FAILURES. 

 The reason why early Potatoes have not come up well can- 

 not, in my case, be from planting exhausted tubers. My 

 failures are only with Kidneys ; these are Mona's Pride, Royal 

 New, and Myatt's Prolific. The early Eounds have come up 

 well ; these are Early Handsworth, Early Coldstream, Early 

 £haw, and Early Taintree. I have about half an acre planted 

 with these seven sorts. The seed was kept and treated alike ; 

 the tubers were taken up in June last year, those for seed 

 picked out, and spread thinly on shelves in a dry airy room, 

 and the room was only closed in frosty weather. They received 

 no further attention until planting "(on the 9th and 10th of 

 March), they were then sprouted about an inch ; the sprouts 



were reduaed to one or two, and carefully planted. Eatly 

 Rounds have scarcely missed a plant. Mona's Pride is about 

 half a crop ; Royal New and Myatt's Prolific have only from 

 seven to twelve plants in a row 47 yards in length. 



What conclusion can we come to from this ? The seed wfls 

 all equally ripe when taken up, and all had the same colfl 

 ground and weather in March. Or, are the Rounds hardier 

 than the Kidneys ? Mr. Record says (page 369), Potatoes do 

 not play these pranks in cold frames. About this I cannot 

 say anything. 



I was so well pleased with Early Coldstream last year that I 

 forced no other, and think myself fortunate in so doing. I 

 tried my early Potatoes yesterday. Of Early Coldstream there 

 is a good crop, and large enough for table. The strongest plants 

 of Mona's Pride are quite as early, and as heavy a crop. Hands- 

 worth and ShawB are quite a week later. 



I hope other readers will communicate their failures of Pota- 

 toes, as it is through failures we attain success. — H. H. 



CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW. 



The second great Show for the season at the Crystal Palace was 

 held ou the 5th inst., and, as usual, there was a large and excellent 

 display of flowering plants, supplemented by an extensive exhibition 

 of table decorations, which constituted a new and attractive feature. 

 The day being one of the warmest and most delightful we have had 

 this summer — in fact, the first real summer day, the building and 

 grounds were thronged with visitors. 



The collections of Stove and Crreeuhonse plants were nnmerons, 

 some of the highest merit, and, with a few exceptions, on the whole 

 veiy good. Many of the plants had appeared at the Bojal Horticul- 

 tural Society's Show on the previous Wednesday and Thursday, and 

 our notes, therefore, will be shorter than usual. In the nurserymen's 

 class for ten, Mr. Williams, of HoUoway, was first, and had "a fine 

 specimen of Phrenocoma prolifera, not yet in full beauty ; Anthnrinm 

 Scherzerianum, with nineteen epathes, and more advancing; Stepha- 

 notis fljoribnnila ; Clerodendrou Thomson^', not, however, showing so 

 much of its crimson corollas as usual ; Azalea Brilliant, Aphelexis 

 macrantha pnqmrea, an excellent Dracophvllum gracile, Pimelea 

 decnssata, and the pretty Borouia pinnata. Messrs. Jackson ,t Son, 

 Kingston, were second, and had Pimelea Hendersoni in beautiful 

 condition, though the plant was not so large as some others exhibited, 

 an excellent Erica vcntricosa cocciuea minor, Ehynchospermum 

 jasrainoides. Genetyllis tulipifera, and other good specimens. Mr. 

 Tanton. of Epsom, who was third, had a beautiful Aphelexis, Alla- 

 manda grandiflora, and other weU-grown jdants. In the correspond- 

 ing cla.ss for amateurs. Mr. Peed, gardener to Mrs. Tredwell, Lower 

 Norwood, took the first place with a fine collection, the most noticeable 

 plants in which were Allamanda grandiflora, Kriostemon buxifolium, 

 Aphelexis macrantha purpurea finely coloured, Erica Cavendishii, 

 Ixora coecinea, and Eranciscca calycina. The second prize went to 

 Mr. Donald, gardener to -J. G. Barclay, Esq., Lejton, who had the 

 rose-coloured Adenandra fragrans, Stephanotis floribunda, Ithyncho- 

 spermum jasmiuoides, aud the showy Dipladenia amabihs. Mr. 

 Wilhie, gardener. Oak Lodge, Kensington, was third, and sent, among 

 others, his fine Medinilla magnilica, I)racophyllnm gracile, Franciscea 

 calycina, and Erica tricolor impressa. 



In the amateurs' class for six plants, Mr. Ward, gardener to F, G. 

 Wilkins, Esq.. Leyton. was first, with a very fine Aphelexis, Bougain- 

 villea glabra, nearly 1 feet in diameter; a large Erica Cavendishii ; Dra- 

 cophyllnm gracile. very tine ; Stephanotis floribnnda'aud Clerodendron 

 Balfourii. both excellent. The second prize went to Mr. Can-, gar- 

 dener to P. L. Hinds, Esq., Byfleet, who had a fine plant of Phaiuo- 

 coma prolifera Barnesii, the bright-coloured flowers of which were not 

 so numerous as to give it that effect which it would otherwise have 

 had. In the same collection there were also good examples of Pimelea 

 spectublis and Acropbyllum venosum. Mr. Kemp, gardener to the 

 Duke of Noi-thumberland, Albury Park, was third, Mr. Wilkie fourth, 

 and an extra prize was awarded to Mr. Peed. In the open class for 

 collections of the same number of plants, the last-named exhibitor 

 was first, showing a small but finely-bloomed Allamanda grandiflora, 

 Ixora coecinea, and Polygala oppositifolia. The second, third, and 

 fourth prizes went respectively to Mr. Wheeler, gardener to J. Phill- 

 pott, Esq., Stamford Hill; to Mr. K. Wright, gardener to C. H. 

 Roberts, Esq. ; and to Mr. G. Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. Goldsmid, 

 Bart., Piegent's Park. Mr. Kemp, who also exhibited in this class, 

 had .\crophvllnm venosum with spikes tU inches long, and much 

 whiter than' those of any plant of tho same kind shown, and it only 

 wanted to be as lar^e as the others to be at least twice as effective. 

 We also noticed in Mr. Wright's collection a very good Dipladenia 

 amabilis. 



Mixed collections of fine-folisged and flowering Stove and Green- 

 house plants were neither so numerous nor so effective as at Kensing- 

 ton on the previous Wednesday, and as prizes were not offered for 

 Ferns, there were but few of these. Mr. Garr, who was first for a 

 collection of twelve, had good but not large examples of Croton an- 

 giistifolium and variegatum, a well-coloured plant of Draccna ferrea 

 picta, Alocasia metallica, and a prettUy-flowered specimen of Erica 



