AnguBt 28, 18CG.) 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



1«7 



Cracking of the fruit is a very common occurrence, anil 

 arises from the atmosphere not being kept sufficiently moist 

 whilst the fruit is swelling. The fruit in most liable to crack 

 in kinds which have the juices highly concentrated, as in the 

 case of all highly-flavoured Melons — Scarlet Gem for instance. 

 It is hardly possible to grow fruit of that kind to any con- 

 siderable size if the swelling take placo during very bright 

 weather, without a slight shade to break the forco of the sun's 

 rays from 10 a.m to :i p.m. The shading also diminishes the 

 amount of evaporation, and prevents the concentration of the 

 juices of the plant in the fruit being carried to such an extent 

 as to cause the rind to become hard and incapable of ex- 

 pansion. Without a moist atmosphere, and slight shade 

 during intense sun heat, the rind of some Melons becomes 

 quite hard, and the fruit would, indeed, be perfect sweetmeats 

 did not our climate change suddenly from a dry hot state to 

 one of moisture and cloud. As it is, however, after a Melon has 

 been acted on for three weeks or a month by a powerful sun 

 and dry atmosphere its rind becomes quite firm ; then the 

 weather changes from being extremely dry to extremely wet, 

 from a state tending to the maturity of fruit to one of growth ; 

 the plant starts into fresh growth, and more sap is impelled 

 into the fruit, but the rind is incapable of expansion, and 

 the sap so fills the interior of the fruit as to cause the rind to 

 crack. I know of no mode of preventing this result except by 

 swelling the fruit in a moist atmosphere, and after the full 

 size has been attained to maintain the soil and air in a dry 

 state. — G. Abbey. 



GRASSES FOR LAWNS. 



(Continued from page 12C.) 



Cynosurus cristatus (Crested Dog's-tail Grass). — This Grass, 



of which the accompanying is representation, is thus described 



in a former volume. " The roots are tufted, with long im- 



branched fibres. Stems several, varying in height from 12 to 



flat, smooth on both Bides, edge scarcely rough, with long, 

 smooth, streaked sheaths. Abrupt or ragged-ended and rather 

 short stipules. The head, or spike of flowers, about 2 inches 

 long, erect, stiff, straight and narrow, green ; florets all turning 

 to one side, sometimes purple, with a wavy rough stalk (rachi3). 

 Floral leaves divided deeply into awl-shaped segments. Husks 

 or glumes usually containing three florets. Smaller valve of 

 the blossom ending in two points ; larger valve ending in a 

 short awn. Anthers prominent, pendulous, purple. Stigmas 

 white, feathered, Seed longish, oval, pointed, reddish yellow, 

 covered with the valves of the corolla." 



The Crested Dog's-tail Grass is a perennial, and succeeds 

 well on dry gravelly soils and in hilly situations. It is valu- 

 able for parks and lawns on account of its dwarf slender 

 growth ; and is likewise admirably adapted for bowling-greens, 

 for it bears treading well, and is not liable to become brown in 

 summer. It is one of the best of all Grasses for resisting dry 

 weather.— G. Abbey. 



(To be continued.) 



GLEANINGS. 



18 inches, unbranched, very stiff, hard, round, smooth, with 

 three or four joints, most leafy in the lower part, remaining 

 brown, withered, and wiry with their dry, empty spikes through 

 the latter part of summer. Leaves[bright green, short, narrow, 



The Council of the Royal Horticultural Society have arranged 

 that Mr. Eyle3, the Superintendent of the garden at South 

 Kensington, shall give to Fellows of the Society his advice 

 and assistance in the laying out and management of their 

 gardens, at the rate of one guinea per visit, with travelling 

 expenses. Such a boon as this is will, we have no doubt, be 

 greatly valued by the Fellows, who will now have an oppor- 

 tunity, at a trifling cost, of securing the services of one who 

 has for many years had unexampled opportunities of carrying 

 out some of the most extensive horticultural works in this 

 country. We believe Mr. Eyles was a pupil of Sir Joseph 

 Paxton at Chatsworth, and accompanied him to the Crystal 

 Palace at Sydenham, whence, after several years' engagement, 

 he was appointed to carry out the works of the South Kensing- 

 ton Garden, according to the design of Mr. Nesfield. 



It has been determined that the Royal Horticultural 



Society shall hold an annual autumnal Show in the provinces, 

 in co-operation with the Royal Agricultural Society, and that 

 the attempt will be made next year at Bury St. Edmunds, 

 provided the necessary encouragement from the district can be 

 held out to the Society. We have always been of opinion 

 that the Society should be to a certain extent migratory, and 

 exercise the same national influence in horticulture as the 

 Royal Agricultural does in agriculture. There is no reason at 

 all why, with a twelvemonth's previous intimation, the Society 

 should not be able to make as large and as good an exhibition 

 in the provinces as is made in London ; and there are many 

 classes of subjects which could be exhibited in fine condition 

 at these autumnal shows which are never seen at the metro- 

 politan exhibitions. We have had of late years metropolitan 

 exhibitions ad nauseam ; let us see if we cannot vary the order 

 of things, and encourage the cultivation of a large number c-f 

 plants which have hitherto been left to themselves, but which, 

 if taken in hand, and the same care bestowed on them as has 

 been given to the earlier-flowering kinds, will amply repay any 

 attention that has been given them. We might instance the 

 Zonale Pelargoniums, which have now become exhibition 

 plants. The metropolitan shows are all too early to see them 

 in perfection ; and were they grown as we know some of our 

 best gardeners can grow them, what a gorgeous exhibition they 

 would make ! 



It is intended to make a complete collection of all the 



known varieties of Strawberries in the Royal Horticultural 

 Society's garden at Chiswick this autumn. There are already 

 nearly all the old varieties in the existing collection; and the 

 Council would be obliged if the raisers or possessors of new 

 varieties would be so good as to forward a few plants of each, so 

 that a correct comparison of their various merits may be made. 



Out-door Grapes in C.vxTERErr.Y, New Zealaxd. — The hardy 

 varieties of wine Grapes are beginning to thrive and bear fruit 

 with us now that we are beginning to get more shelter for them 

 in our gardens. The two varieties which I have fruited this 

 season in my garden are first, the Black Cluster or Black Bur- 

 gundy. It is a first-rate wine Grape ; succeeds on the open 

 wall in England, and out of doors here. I consider it a very 

 excellent out-door Grape for this climate on account of its 

 hardiness ; it is also with us a very excellent cropper. The 



