F«bruary 20, 1868. 1 



JOUIWAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



149 



and were excoodingly haudsome fruit, Init they did not ripen 



nor noaily altiiiu pcrfpction. Later in tlie season tlje Vines 

 pushed a fresh set of laterals, and tho show of fruit on these 

 was wonderful — two and three bunciies on many of the laterals ; 

 r.nd this swarm of bunches, or a great part of them, was loft 

 until tho Vines were pruned in November, and then these 

 seemed as if thfy would have ripened a fair third crop if they 

 had been fairly treated for this purpose. If I am not Rreatly 

 mistaUen the li lyal Ascot will prove to be the best ipiality of 

 Black Grape wo have seen, and its perpetual-bcarint; cliarjcter 

 will render it the most accommodating and valuable of all 

 Grapes. — Wili.ia?j Ogsios, Gardener to Lord Annaly, Titness 

 Park. 



MILKY WHITE AND PATERSOXS VICTORIA 

 POT-\.TOES— THE DISEASE. 



I SEE you recommend (see page GS), four kinds of Potatoes. 

 I have grown all the same varieties, aiso abovit twenty kinds in 

 nil, but-I find none so good for general use as tho Milky White 

 for early and Patersou's Victoria for late use. I can highly 

 recommend those two kinds as the very best for good croppers, 

 and not so liable to the disease as must other sorts. Last 

 season almost all my Potatoes were diseased, but Milky White 

 and Pafersou's Victoria were very little di-seased. 



One fact is worthy of note — namely, that on a plot of ground 

 near where these kinds were grown was a crop of 0:iions. 

 These Onions were sown on ground that Potatoes occupied in 

 the previous season, and many of the tubers were left iu the 

 ground; consequently they became troublesome, and the tops 

 were kept constantly cut off until about the middle of June, 

 and after this date the3' were allowed to grow. In the autumn, 

 during digging the ground, we found very good sound Potatoes, 

 although tho same varieties that we planted were almost rotten. 

 This seems to indicate that the disease will not attack Potatoes 

 after the middle of June. 



1 remember some years ago planting Potatoes in July, and 

 had a fair crop, and no disease, but those planted early were 

 much afjfected. Has any correspondent found late planting 

 good? or do you suppose that the Onions would have any 

 effect in preventing the disease ? — H.iWKixs. 



FRUIT-GROWING IN THE NORTH. 



Allow me to correct a small mistake in my letter published 

 in your number of January Kith. 



After enumerating the first-rate standard Pears the following 

 sentence occurs, " These have not yet borne abundantly." It 

 ought to have been, " The last two have not yet borne abun- 

 dantly" — namely, Beurre de Ranee and Knight's Monarch. 

 The others bear freely. Althorp Crasanne, a Pear commended 

 in one of your late numbers, although ripening freely on the 

 wall, is quite second-rate here. — Jous McCulloch, DuiJik. 



CATERPILLARS ON PELARGONIUMS. 



TuE large green caterpillar which your correspondent " R. E." 

 finds so destructive to his young stock of Pelargoniums, Ver- 

 benas, and Calceolarias is the larva of the Angle Shades Moth, 

 Phlogophora meticulosa. 



The moth appears in September and October, and lays a vast 

 number of eggs on almost any garden flower that comes to 

 hand. It is very fond of finding its way into the greenhouse, 

 where, in the warm atmosphere, the eggs soon hatch, and the 

 young larv;c keep feeding on the florists' treasures all the 

 winter. 



The best plan to destroy the larvrc is to go round the house 

 with a lanthorn at night, when they will be found feeding on 

 the topmost shoots. They generally conceal themselves during 

 the day. 



The Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx Rhamui), always de- 

 posits its eggs in the spring, and upon the buds of the Bujck- 

 thorn, Rhamnuscathartious.— H. Harpl-r Crewe, Tke Bcctory, 

 Drayton-Bcaucltaiiq). 



is light, consisting of decomposed granite. It succeeds far better 

 than the Wellingtonia, which, unless well sheltered, does not 

 thrive here. Tliis is the experience of— An Imsn GAunuNER, 

 Ciimilij M'lclduic. 



'^'^''"'^ssus 3IACR0CARPA.— Mr. Eobsuu may be glad to hoar 

 that trees of Cupressus macrocarpa, both large and small (one 

 -4 feet high), do remarkably well in this situation, which is 800 

 feet above the level of the sea, much e.^jposed to wind. The soil 



RAMBLINGS— GESNERA CINNAEARINA. 

 Or the innumerable subjects which owe allegiance to Flora, 

 which are ever laying their beauties at her feet, and seek- 

 ing for the occupation of a niche of honour in her temple, 

 some base their claims on the brilliancy of their flowers, 

 others on tho beauty of their f.dinge, and a third group on sym- 

 metrical form and proportions. Some of these subjects, 

 though heralded by a flourish of trumpets, stand but for a 

 moment before the practical g(;ze of the world, and in obedience 

 to the fiat of public opinion fall into the rear and there re- 

 main. Oa the other hand a few, by a combination of good 

 qualities, hold their own in the front ranks, seeming proof 

 against the ordeal of criticism, and only step back as if in 

 courtesy to their younger followers, being confident that their 

 intrinsic merits will not suffer them to remain iu obscurity. 



But few aubjects possess in combination these elements — viz., 

 brilliancy of colour, beauty of foliage, and symmetry, and still 

 fewer which unfold them in the floral night of winter. There 

 are, howe.'er, some. I take for tho moment the Gesnera 

 cinnabarini as a representative, and will pay a passing tribute- 

 of admiration to its qualities in the columns of the Journal, 

 where neither old nor new are refused admittance so long as 

 their merits entitle them to rank as subjects of general useful- 

 ness. It is not that I have selected this especial branch of the- 

 extensive family of Gesnerads that I wish it to be held in 

 higher estimation than others of its fraternity, there are 

 many kinds which I have never seen, and which, for aught I 

 know to the contrary, may possess equal or greater distinctive 

 features of merit. I am not instituting comparisons, but 

 simply testify to that which I see, and from which I derive 

 pleasure— a pleasure which I am desirous should be participated 

 by all who have it within their reach. 



Gesnera cinnabarina is not only a plant of great beauty, but 

 of easy culture and great traotabiiity. It may be had in succes- 

 sion for many months of the year if required ; but it is in the 

 dull months of winter when it seems to shine the brightest 

 and last the longest. It is here regarded as a staple plant for 

 stove decoration at this season of the year, and is grown in 

 quantity proportionate to the size of the'house. In order that 

 my small resources may contribute to a lengthened display of 

 brilUant colour, I make it a point to have the Gesneras coming 

 iu when the Puinsettias are goinir out. Being more dependant 

 on the weather than those who aie provided with properly con- 

 structed houses for preparing this and kindred subjects, I can- 

 not always hit a given time with exactness ; but I am happy 

 in having an employer whose practical mind can comprehend 

 the entire routine of supply, and who exercises a just discrimi- 

 nation in these circumstances. I am led into this ramble from 

 the fact that other employers more inexperienced may be at 

 times a triffe too exacting, drawing comparisons and arriving 

 at conclusions without giving full regard to conveniences or 

 altered circumstances. 



To resume. In the culture of the Gesnera, as in the case of 

 other subjects, I have recourse to improvised expedients deter- 

 mined by requirements. The tubers of the plants now in 

 bloom were potted in July, a little bottom heat being provided 

 for them by digging the soil out of a frame, which had been put 

 up for seeds and cuttings, and in which had subsequently been 

 grown a crop of early Cucumbers, putting in place of the soU 

 mowings .from the lawn mixed with a few leaves, the whole 

 being covered by 2 or 3 inches of sawdust to absorb the gases 

 evolved by the decomposition of the grass and leaves, and tc 

 plunge the pots in. The pots used are the same as those in 

 which tho plants are now blooming ; one tuber being placed in 

 the centre of a 5 or 6-inch pot, three or more tubers being put 

 in pots proportionally larger. The pots were about two tli ds 

 filled with soil, and top-dressing added as the plants progressed. 

 A fefe tubers were put in small pots for shifting-on, but these 

 have not done so well as those which have not had their roots 

 disturbed by repotting. 5The soil used is one-half good turfy 

 loam, the remaining (half peat, leaf mould, and thoroughly 

 decayed cow dung, in equal proportions, liberally mixed with 

 sand, plenty of^broken charcoal being added to keep the mass 

 open. 



The plants remained in the frame until September, the sun 

 supplying the sole atmospheric heat, which was economised by 



