416 



.TOUENAL OP HORTIOUIiTUEE AND OOTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Maj 27, 1875. 



Biehie, and othera interested in the open-space movement took 

 part in the proceedings. 



Lyons Rose Show. — A great and special Exhibition of 



Roses will take place in Lyons on the llth, 12th, and 13th of 

 June next. Several new seedlings will appear there for the 

 first time. The jury will be composed of the principal rosarians 

 of Europe. 



Mk. E. Bennett, recently head-gardener to the Marquis 



of Sahsbury at Hatfield, has left that place, and is now in 

 business on his own account at Kabley Nursery, near Barnet, 

 Herts. 



POROUS GAEDEN POTS. 



A wpiTER in a contemporary journal considers it waste of 

 time to wash pots, ijnless where the potted plant is to be 

 shifted on into larger sizes. I am not going to disoups this 

 question, but to notice that the writer quotes Dr. Lindley as 

 having said that "experience has settled" that plants thrive 

 as well in pots of glass or slate as of porous earthenware. 



Now I atk, Is this true? because if it is the labour of water- 

 ing would be much lessened, and the roots saved from the 

 chill which constant evaporation from the sides of the pot 

 must produce. The Chinese, I believe, sometimes use glazed 

 pots. 



In order to lessen evaporation I once smeared with linseed 

 oil, and then painted, several pots containing Peach trees. I 

 cannot say that the trees looked the better for it, and I have 

 not continued the practice. In Italy, I understand, trees, par- 

 ticularly Oranges, are thought to thrive better in wooden boxes 

 than in porous earthenware. The subject is one which deserves 

 ventilation. — G. S. 



[We shall be obliged by any of our readers writinf; to us 

 7rha.t practice has taught them on this subject. — Eds.] 



FLOWER MISSIONS. 



[We have received letters giving us far more credit than is 

 our dne for advocating these missions, we only aided the good 

 movement that had been commenced. We have been asked 

 for directions how to establish such a mission, and the best 

 acswer is contained in the following letter fent to the Times 

 by Mr. S. Walliker, Post-office Buildings, Hull.— Eds.] 



" The work of collecting and distributing flowers for the 

 sick and infirm poor is so rapidly spreading, and is productive 

 of so much direct and indirect good, that you will perhaps 

 permit me to give a few practical hints as to the commence- 

 ment and the catrying-on of the work which have suggested 

 themselves as the result of upwards of two years' experience, 

 during which time about thirty thousand bunches of flowers 

 have been distributed among the poor of Hull. Tho system 

 adopted here has been framed with the view of saving all pos- 

 sible tronhlo to those who send, as well as to those who dis- 

 tribute the flowers. A depot was selected in a central situa- 

 tion convenient for the reception of flowers brought by rail, 

 boat, or carrier ; it is open all day, and someone is always at 

 hand to receive the flowers and, if possible, to return the 

 baskets and other packages by bearer, and trays about 2 or 

 3 inches deep, covered with galvanised iron netting and filled 

 with water, are kept ready to place the flowers in, so as both 

 to refresh and preserve them. The ready sympathy of the 

 local press was secured, and is still in active operation, and 

 the public were requested to send flowers, made up in small 

 posies if posfible, to the dfpot. To assist the public, stout 

 hampers divided in the centre by an extra lid (the hampers 

 cost 2s. Gil. each), with two printed leather labels, one bearing 

 the iiiward, the other the outward address, are supplied to 

 anyone who will undertake to collect and forward flowers. 

 Small printed card circulars are at the same time sent to those 

 who are likely to contribute to the baskets, adviting them as 

 to where they are kept and the days on which they will be 

 defpatched. A simple record of the date, the names and 

 addresses of senders, and special remarks, is kept, and the 

 receipt of flowers is acknowledged by means of printed post- 

 cards, only requiring the date and address to be written. The 

 distribution here is not confined to the public institutions, but 

 is made also to the sick, infirm, and aged poor throughout the 

 town. To regulate the supplies and prevent waste, printed 

 lists giving the names of all the hospitals, workhouses, &c., 

 and the names and addresses of aU the district visitors and 

 others who undertake to distribute to the outside poor, are 



prepared. These lists have seven columns. In the first, the 

 greatest number of bunches each institution or person can 

 dispose of is stated ; the other six columns are for the days of 

 the week. Some visitors cannot distribute flowers on certain 

 days, and in those eases marks are printed in the respective 

 columns opposite the visitors' names. These lists become 

 valuable for statistical purposes and for comparison of year 

 with year. The number of bunches, regulated by previous 

 supplies, to be sent to each institution or person is entered on 

 the lists, and the flowers are sent out in covered baskets (to 

 preserve their freshness and perfume) by a little lad in uniform 

 (a half-time school-boy), who copies on a slip of paper, for his 

 own guidance, the names and numbers. He is paid 3s. a-week. 

 When not busy he carries on his studies. Daring the winter 

 months pots and pans containing mosses and lichens, carrot- 

 tops, wheat-ears and grains of wheat, pots of bulbs, bunches of 

 evergreens, &c., are sent out, so that there ia never a week in 

 which something is not done to cheer the poor, especially the 

 sick, and to assure them of the loving sympathy which exists 

 (too often latent, however), in the breasts of their well-to-do 

 brethren. If any lady or gentleman desires any further in- 

 formation which I may be able to give on this subject I shall 

 be happy to render it." 



LATE-KEEPING GRAPES. 



Me. Luckhukst has not only communicated a very enter- 

 taining but a very useful article on this subject on page 365. 

 He has taken in hand three well-known Grapes, and has com- 

 municated, especially on that fine variety Gros Guillaume, 

 valuable information. Mr. Luckhurst will no doubt find several 

 adherents to the estimate he has formed of Lady Downe's 

 Seedling and Black Alicante, but he has had too much experi- 

 ence of the world to suppose that his remarks will carry con- 

 viction to all. This, indeed, is not possible ; for so long as 

 tastes vary, and soils exert an influence on fruits, so long will 

 there be differences of opinion and matters for discussion as 

 to the relative merits of Grapes. 



Mr. Luckhurst commences his letter by acknowledging that 

 Lady Downe's Seedling is generally admitted to be the best 

 late-keeping Grape in cultivation, but doubts notwithstanding 

 whether many of those who find it so valuable could give a 

 satisfactory reason for the preference which they assign it. 

 Satisfactory to whom ? that is the question. I, like Mr. Luck- 

 hurst, have grown Lady Downe's Seedling, Black Alicante, 

 Gros Guillaume, Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat, and Muscat of 

 Alexandria in the same house ; and to dispel any doubt as to 

 the Black Alicante not being the true vaiiety, I may say that 

 it was had from Mr. Pearson. It is the true variety and a 

 fine Grape, but has never given equal satisfaction with Lady 

 Downe's Seedling. 



I can give a satisfactory reason for regarding the Grape just 

 named as superior to the Alicante, but satisfactory to whom ? 

 My employer and myself. Now, we consider ourselves autho- 

 rities on those which best answer our own purpose. I think 

 Mr. Luckhurst will not dispute that that is a practical way of 

 judging the matter, and one, withal, that must be recognised 

 and generally adopted. 



In the first place we use but very little fuel — that is, we do 

 not start the Vines early, but keep up a good heat during the 

 growing season, in fact sufficient to ripen Muscats fairly well 

 and to produce good crops year by year. Still, it is cool treat- 

 ment, as very little firing is done ; and while Lady Downe's 

 Seedling is splendid in colour and quality, Alicante is com- 

 paratively washy and flavourless. It colours well and looks 

 grandly, but it is not half so good as Lady Downe's Seedling 

 and Mrs. Pince's Black Muscat, and hence, despite its fine 

 appearance, Black Alicante is not regarded as the best late 

 Grape. 



Lady Downe's has small bunches, but there are a great many 

 of them, while the berries ate good, flavour excellent, and 

 keeping properties unsurpassed. With more heat Black Ali- 

 cante might be better in quality — indeed we have Mr. Luck- 

 hurst's evidence that it is ; and I hope the rule will hold good 

 generally, for in appearance it is a grand Grape, an abundant 

 bearer, a free setter, and not prone to shank. 



Under ordinary treatment I commend as late Black Grapes, 

 Alicante to look at, and Lady Downe's Seedling to eat ; not 

 implying, however, that the former is not fit to eat, only that 

 it is inferior to the latter. 



As a Grape for sale the true Black Alicante ia probably about 

 the moat profitable that can be grown. I know it has proved 



