3-18 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Kovember G, 1886. 



birds and thrushes to grow Gooseberries on a trellis ; if a 

 double trellis, with a lew inches interval, all the better, as the 

 same net thus does double duty. For the single trellis, iron 

 sheep-hurdles answer well. My plants are 2 feet apart, and 

 trained upright ; old wood cut out from time to time. This 

 upright training is awkward with spreading and pendulous 

 varieties, as Warrington and Hedgehog. Perhaps an angle of 

 45° would be a fair compromise between these and the up- 

 right varieties, such as the Red Champagne. I think it de- 

 sirable to have the early sorts by themselves, so that the net 

 can be removed directly they are over, and not allowed to remain 

 and rot while the later varieties are coming in. — G. S. 



THE CULTIVATION OF PASSIFLORA 

 LAURLFOLLY OFc WATER LEMON. 



As this fruit is becoming popular, and I have grown it very 

 successfully, perhaps a few remarks concerning its culture 

 will be interesting to your readers. 



Supposing that you have a plant well established in a six- 

 inch pot, say in January, shift it at once into a 12-inch pot, 

 and place it in a stove where there is a bottom heat of 80° and 

 a top heat of 65 s . If all go on favourably the plant will be 

 well established by March, and then comes the final shift, 

 which must be into a box or tub 3 feet in diameter, 2 feet 

 6 inches deep, and provided with good drainage ; or, still 

 better, into a bed suited for Pines. The soil which I find best 

 is good turfy loam, rough peat, and silver sand in equal parts. 

 Train the branches upwards to the roof, along the lightest part 

 of it, and as near the glass as practicable. Let the laterals 

 hang down from the roof, and they will grow and produce flowers 

 very freely by July. These must be impregnated with the 

 pollen of Passiflora ca?rulea, or some other common kind, as 

 their own will not fertilise. The plant will require abundance 

 of water at the root, and if this be supplied the fruit will swell 

 very rapidly and be ripe in about six weeks. 



The fruit has a very pretty appearance, being abont the size 

 of a hen's egg, and in colour of a bright yellow. Of the 

 flavour I cannot say much, as it is rather inferior, like that 

 of most other tropical fruits. The plant will continue fruiting 

 until December, when it should be kept rather dry at the root, 

 and in the temperature of a Pine-stove. About the first week 

 in March give a good watering at the root, which will excite 

 the plant into growth again, and the flowers will soon appear 

 and continue aD the summer. 



I consider Passiflora laurifolia one of the easiest fruits to 

 cultivate. — A. B. 



all, the variegated Polemoninm caruleum ? and I hear of other 

 hardy subjects that must in the nature of things be one dav 

 largely used.— D. Thomson, Areherfield Garden*. 



VIOLA CORNUTA. 



Your correspondent, Mr. Bennett, may rest assured that what 

 Mr. Wills has said about the varieties of this plant is quite 

 correct. There are two varieties here, and so very distinct are 

 they that the one is perfectly useless, while the other is first- 

 rate. 



The inferior variety is a procumbent grower, yielding a very 

 small amount of flower. The other is an upright grower, and 

 flowers very profusely. In shape, colour, and size of individual 

 blooms the two are very much alike. 



As this is a plant that is likely to be much sought after, it is 

 important that this great difference in point of usefulness 

 should be impressed, and, therefore, I thus corroborate what 

 Mr. Wills has said. 



From my experience last year, I question very much if this 

 fine bedding plant will come quite true from seed. On this sub- 

 ject, however, I cannot speak with confidence ; and as it would 

 be an important point for the public to have decided, it would 

 be well that those who have decisive experience to record should 

 do so. I do not remember whether Mr. Wills touched on this 

 point. 



I think every encouragement should be given to hardy plants 

 that are suitable for bedding-purposes ; and we may hope for 

 something more from Violas. What can be more gorgeous 

 than the Cliveden Yellow and Blue Pansies ? and with me they 

 flower nearly the whole year. A row of the splendid Yellow 

 has at present more bloom on it than anything in the garden, 

 excepting Tagetes signata pumila, which is a wonderful plant 

 for profuse and long-sustained blooming. Hardy plants suit- 

 able for grouping are cropping up fast. What can be more 

 effective in its way than the variegated Dactylis, and, most of 



I was much surprised to see Mr. Findlay's remarks ou the 

 above (see page 314). Whatever may be the difference between 

 the Violas I am not in a position to say, but I am certain 

 that if Mr. Findlay could manage the one grown in this part 

 as well as they manage it at Osberton, he would at once retract 

 his remark, that the only one that will give satisfaction is that 

 grown at Huntroyde Park. 



This I consider a great mistake, for the Viola grown in this 

 neighbourhood has been admired very much during the present 

 season ; indeed, few flowera surpass it when well done.— J. M., 

 Worktop. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Weeklv Show, A id. — Prizes were offered for the best 



collection of vegetables, of which Mr. Earley, of Digswell, sent a 

 very nice collection, and he received the tirst prize. Mr. Yonng, of 

 Highgate, was second ; and Mr. Brown, gardener to R. H. Wyatt, 

 Esq., Wandsworth Lodge, Upper Tooting, third. There were also 

 several good exhibitions of fruit in the Miscellaneous class, of which 

 the best were the Apples and Pears sent by Mr. Dixon, gardener to 

 Lady Holland. Holland House. Kensington. Mr. Young, who sent a 

 large collection of Apples and Pears, also received an extra prize, as 

 did Mr. Earley, of Digswell. and Mr. Brown, gardenerto R. H. YVyatt, 

 Esq. Mr. John Stevens. Malvern Hall, Sohihull, received an extra 

 prize for two handsome Pine Apples. A prize was also offered for a 

 collection of six Pompone Chrysanthemums, which was awarded to 

 Mr. Forsyth, of Stoke Newington, for very handsome specimens. Mr. 

 Forsyth also received a prize for six handsome standards. Mr. Yonng 

 received an extra prize for six Heaths. Mr. Earley had a similar 

 award for six hardy Ferns. Mr. B. Porter, gardener to Hon. A. F. 

 Ashley, Copt Hall. Epping, received a second prize for twelve cut 

 blooms of Chrysanthemums : and Mr. F. C. Dickens, Vine Cottage, 

 Flood Street, Chelsea, received an extra prize for six cut blooms. 

 Mr. Earley also received an extra prize for a very nice tray of cut 

 flowers. 



GROWING CUCUMBERS FOR EXHIBITION. 



Will you state which are the best kinds of Cucumbers for 

 exhibition, and also in judging Cucumbers what are the prin- 

 cipal points to look to ? I see that some judges like very large 

 fruit, others award the prizes to small kinds ; but I like a 

 kind about 9 inches long, and when sliced up not to exceed the 

 size of half-a-crown. — R. Hawkins. 



[Butler's Empress Eugenie is a good White-spine Cucumber, 

 and Butler's Perfection is a good Black-spined variety, that 

 will range from 18 to 24 inches in length. Conqueror of the 

 West, Munro's Babley. Telegraph, Volunteer, and many more 

 are very suitable for growing for exhibition, as a good length 

 can be obtained with a small diameter, and with freshness and 

 crispness. Short kinds of from 8 to 12 inches long are Ayres's 

 Prolific Black Spine, Cuthill's Black Spine, Weedon's Black 

 Spine, Sion House Improved, the last white-spined, or smooth. 

 We have no fault to find with your taste in preferring fruit 

 about 9 inches long, and when sliced up not exceeding the 

 diameter of half-a-crown. At such a length we would prefer 

 them not so thick. In fact, the long sorts will eat all the 

 better if not thicker than the diameter of half-a-crown, even 

 though they be 2 feet long. Youth and fresh crispness are 

 the great qualities wanted in a Cucumber which is to go to table, 

 and except in the long kinds you are much more likely to 

 obtain these requisites in fruit from 9 to 12 inches long than 

 in those of more than double that length. You will, however, 

 have no chance of taking a prize with a brace of Cucumbers, 

 each of 9 inches in length, if they compete with those of 18 inches 

 or more in length, unless, as often shown, these long ones are 

 too old or have been too long cut ; and the practised eye can 

 see that at once without taking them up and proving them to 

 be old and limp instead of fresh, brittle, and crisp. With 

 more thought we might modify a little some of the following 

 points in judging ; but if much out of the way, some of our 

 readers will perhaps correct them, or at least give an opinion. 



1. The first essential is that the brace of Cucumbers be 

 young, fresh, and green. 



2. Both the Cucumbers forming the brace should be straight, 

 and the one a counterpart of the other in thickness and length. 



3. Though young and crisp, the fruit should be sufficiently 

 grown to be free of anything like deep sutures along the sides, 



