Deoombor 11,1886. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



117 



wards, it was ooverert with a profusion of majestic Oaks. Be- 

 yond, on a bold and well-studded eminence, rises Stafford Castle. 

 To tho south-west may be seen rising in majestic grandeur the 

 Wrokin in Shopshire, also tho borders of the Cheshire lulls; 

 while in the west, as far as the eye can reach, rise to tho clouds 

 the Welsh mountains in all their beauty. 



I would gladly linger over the scene, but time forbids ; so, 

 leaving the mansion behind us. we pursue our course by the east 

 end, and come to where two walks diverge — one to the right and 

 the other to the left. As we pass on to the right, near to the 

 boundary of the pleasure grounds, fresh views of the surround- 

 ing sceuery are occasionally obtained. In a pleasant retreat to 

 the left is the croquet ground, encircled with dwarf coniferous 

 plants, and sheltered in summer by the foliage of tall deciduous 

 trees. A little further on is one of the finest and most venerable 

 specimens of the English Oak I ever met with ; it took Mr. 

 Turner and myself twice each to span round it, but its glory 

 is now departing. We come again to a branch walk, and re- 

 tracing our steps round the back part of the grounds, we again 

 pass the mansion, and I take leave of this venerable seat, feel- 

 ing satisfied, though my visit was made in the middle of the 

 dullest month iu the year i November), with the profit and 

 pleasure derived, and the kindness received from Mr. Turner 

 in pointing out every object of interest. — Quintin Read, Port 

 Hill Oarder, 



TRICOLOR PELARGONIUM SOPHIA 



DUMARESQ. 



At page 382 of your Journal (Nov. 20), we observe a wrong 

 statement, to the effect that the writer, " John Aldred," was 

 the raiser oi that fine variety of tricolor Pelargonium, Sophia 

 Dumaresq. In justification to ourselves we ask to contradict 

 the statement. The variety in question was raised in our 

 nursery three or four years ago, and exhibited previous to, as 

 well as after it received its name, and prior to our having pur- 

 chased the small stock of a tricolor Pelargonium from the same 

 party (J. Aldred), which, when first offered, during the winter 

 months, exhibited indications of merit ; but on showing its 

 permanent character in the following spring, proved to be iden- 

 tical with Sophia Dumaresq. We know nothing more of its 

 origin than what is here stated. — E. G. Henderson & Soar, 

 Wellington Nursery, St. Jqlm's Wood. 



English summer, or at least to raise further seedlings from 

 them, so as to obtain still hardier fruit. In the tine season of 

 ! S65 wo heard much of ripe standard Peaches, but the Apricot, 

 as being less tender, offers greater inducements to the experi- 

 mentalist who wishes to benefit horticulture. — G. S. 



MASTERSS PROLIFIC CUCUMBER. 



I can strongly recommend this kind as one of the most use- 

 ful for winter work. It is, indeed, most prolific, carrying fre- 

 quently two fruits at a joint. 



Some years ago I met with it in Ireland, and from what I 

 then saw of it, I was determined to give it a trial. This sea- 

 son I procured a packet of seed from Messrs. Veitch, who, 1 

 believe, sent it out to the public. It is now in full hearing, 

 fully justifying the opinion I had of it when I first saw it 

 growing. It is not one of the 24-inch kinds, but averages about 

 half that length — amply large enough where a Cucumber is in 

 demand every day throughout the winter. — J. Edlington, 

 Wmtham Pat I 



HARDY APRICOTS. 



It is within the recollection of the present generation that 

 the best varieties of Pears were so tender that a wall was in- 

 dispensable. These varieties were of French origin. Of late 

 years, the attention which the Belgians have paid to raising 

 new and hardy seedlings has enabled us, in the south of 

 England at least, to cultivate Pears as pyramids, and to do 

 without a wall, except for that king of Pears, Winter Nelis, 

 though in fine seasons even this is good on a standard. 



The next fruit which seems now to demand attention is the 

 Apricot. It wants but little of being hardy. On the banks of 

 the Seine it may be seen as a standard, and, I presume, ripens 

 fruit. The Brussels and Breda varieties in favourable locali- 

 ties in England used to bear, and there is no reason why they 

 should not do so still, though, in my own garden, the Breda 

 Apricot never showed fruit till it was placed against a wall. A 

 few years ago it was said that M. De Jonghe had raised some 

 seedlings, several of whioh were perfectly hardy at Brussels. 

 If so, it might be worth while to give them a trial in our cooler 



NOTES AND OLEANINGS. 

 We long since noticed the introduction from Japan of a 

 male plant of tho Aucuba japonica, and tho consequent pro- 

 duction of plants bearing fruit in this country. Previously 

 we had only plants bearing female blossoms. Mr. Staudish, 

 promptly taking advantage of the production of fruit, has 

 raised seedlings, and with more than expected success, for one 

 of them exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society produced 

 hermaphrodite flowers — that is, each flower had stamens and 

 pistil. Many naturalists consider that when either set of 

 organs is not developed in a flower, yet the rudiments of that 

 set exist, and only require some particular mode of cultivation 

 for their development. 



At the Exhibition next year at Bury St. Edmunds the 



Royal Horticultural Society will give a cup. We hope it will 

 be the most valuable offered, and for excellence in some depart- 

 ment of high horticultural art, and not for a mere matter of 

 taste. 



" Twenty years ago," observes a correspondent in 



" Science Gossip," " when botany was my hobby, I adopted a 

 plan for drying my specimens, which was both rapid and very 

 effectual in preserving colours. I borrowed a tin dripping-pan 

 from the cook, which was just the size of my sheets of blotting- 

 paper. In this I laid the produce of the day's excursion between 

 sheets of blotting-paper, in the usual way, and, when the pile 

 was complete, I covered it over with a layer of common scour- 

 ing sand half an inch thick, so that the tin dish appeared to be 

 simply full of sand. I then placed it on the kitchen fender, 

 or on the hob, or in the oven, if it were not too hot, and in 

 three or four hours the whole batch of specimens was perfectly 

 dried. It required a little care to take them out at the right 

 moment, when they were baked just enough, and not too much ; 

 but, this care being given, the success of the plan was perfect. 

 Many specimens still in my herbarium bear witness to the 

 superiority of such rapid drying over the old method." 



WORK FOR THE WEEK 



KITCHEN GAP.DEN. 



Should frost prevail, every advantage must be taken of it to 

 wheel manure and composts to the various quarters requiring 

 it, and if they cannot be trenched in at once let them be laid in 

 heaps at convenient distances and covered with soil. Ridged 

 ground may also be occasionally forked over and knocked about 

 to expose fresh surfaces to the action of the atmosphere. Col- 

 lect as many leaves together as possible : they are invaluable 

 for mixing with green manures for fermenting-purposes, as 

 they not only correct their rank and violent fermentation, but 

 preserve a more steady and uniform heat for a greater length 

 of time. Those of the Oak are much to be preferred, as ther 

 resist decomposition the longest ; Beech leaves come next ; aftey 

 these there is little choice. Surface-stirring amongst young 

 growing crops of Cauliflowers, Cabbages, Lettuces, &c, must 

 be as diligently followed up now as in the summer, when ve- 

 getation is more rapid ; indeed there is no season when these 

 important operations can be neglected with impunity. Fre- 

 quent pulverisation of the soil acts a3 a great check to the 

 penetration of frost in winter, and to the evaporation of mois- 

 ture in summer. One indispensable condition is that the 

 ground must never be trodden on after the operation is per- 

 formed. Endive, continue to take up on dry days, also Let 

 and store them in any dry airy shed ; they will keep much 

 better there than protected out of doors. If very severe frost 

 come on, protect Celery, Parsley, and late Endive for spring use. 

 Potatoes, plant a batch of the Ash-leaf, or any good early sort, 

 in small pots for turning out into a pit, or into larger pots, in 

 January. The Mushroom-house will serve to sprout them in. 

 The first crop of forced lilmbarb and Asparagus, if growing 

 under glass, should have a little air every tine day after they 

 are started, the latter especially should be exposed to all the 

 light possible. Keep up a mild steady heat, and prepare beds 

 for second crops. Sea-kale should be kept dark and quite dry, 

 as it is liable to damp off. In cutting the shoots leave the side 



