August fi, 137i ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICOLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



117 



its only drawback being, in wet weather, a disposition to drop 

 from the bnnch somewhat. It is one of the least pnlpy of this 

 class of Grapes. Adirondao is first-class here, of fine quality, 

 early, good bunch, beautiful black berries. Isabella is hardy, 

 healthy, early, and an abundant bearer, but so far not so good 

 in quality as Adirondac or Allen. lona and Delaware have 

 both justified the high character for quality which they have 

 received in America, but the Delaware is too small for us as a 

 table Grape, although reputed to be of surpassing excellence 

 for wine. The lona does well here grafted on the Isabella — 

 far better than on its own roots. Some were grafted this 

 season with Wagener's patent Vine-grafting machine, and the 

 grafts took famously. Among the later Grapes should be 

 mentioned the Maxatawney, a fine large white fruit of great 

 excellence, but, so far, only a moderate bearer ; and Anna, a 

 copper-coloured Grape of good quality, slightly musky, plenti- 

 fully borne on a strong-growing Vine covered with large, thick, 

 and beautiful foliage. The Lincoln, a Grape of the .nsstivalis 

 family, a strong-growing Vine, large, long-shouldered bunches 

 of rather small jet-black berries, with tine blue bloom, no pulp, 

 produced very heavily this season. Some others are coming 

 forward, especially some crosses made by Dr. Wylie, which 

 promise very well. 



Apples on our young trees have been both abundant and 

 good. Those from the southern states of North America (not 

 from South America, as some fancy) are carrying oS the 

 honours. Commencing in December with the Carolina Red 

 Jane, we never saw a richer sight in fruit than this small 

 tree with its clusters of fruit presented ; the unripe and the 

 ripened fruit exhibited all changes of colour, from light pink 

 to a deep and glowing crimson ; and when tasted they were 

 found to be " as good as they looked." This was followed by 

 American Summer Pearmain, Julian, Rhodes' Orange, Brnce's 

 Summer, Taunton, Family, Stancill, Transcendent Crab, Late 

 Wine, Abram, Horn, Gladney's Red, Kittageskee — nearly in 

 the order in which they are narrated. We are usually troubled 

 here with a small worm which penetrates the flesh of the 

 Apple, and spoils the fruit ; but Carolina Red June, American 

 Summer Pearmain, Bruce's Summer, Transcendent Crab, 

 Abram, Horn, and Gladney's Red were not at all affected. 

 The others were, to a greater or less degree. These last-men- 

 tioned will well repay anyone who can grow Apples at all. 

 Among European sorts Cox's Pomona, Yellow Ingestrie, Stir- 

 ling Castle, and Kirke's Golden Pippin have done well, and are 

 worth growing. 



Pears. — We have had the usual abundant supply of first- 

 class cooking (stewing and baking) Pears from our old friend 

 the China, a tree of which should be in every garden. Bsurro 

 d'Amanlis, Baronne de Mello, Beurre Siiperfin, and Thomp- 

 son's have furnished a few first-class fruit — enough to make 

 US wish for more. We are told that Pears will not succeed 

 here, but we have been so accustomed to this cuckoo cry re- 

 specting every agricultural and horticultural product now 

 usually grown, that we almost take it to be a good omen, and 

 prophetic rather of success. The Pear requires, as a tree, a 

 greater age than many others to produce a paying crop of 

 fruit. Hence in localities suited to it, and with liberal culture, 

 some varieties are sure to succeed ; and some of us are testing 

 varieties for general information. Some varieties as the 

 Beurre d'AmauUs, Duchesse d'Angoulcme, Louise Bonne de 

 Jersey, and others do best when worked upon Angers Quince 

 stocks ; others must have the Pear, or at least be double-grafted. 

 We would recommend for trial Baurrc Clairgeau, Williams' 

 Bon Chretien, Clapp's Favoiirite, Lawrence, Baronne de Mello, 

 Doyenne Boussoch, and Howell on the Pear stock; Beurr6 

 Diel, Beurru Hardy, Duchesse d'.Angoultme, Buftham, and 

 Edmunds on the Quince. 



Qulnci'. — The China Quince stands at the head of this list 

 for quality, size, health, and freedom from offal or waste — 

 all entitle it to the first rank among Quinces. There is only 

 one doubt about it, and that will take some extended experi- 

 ence to settle — whether it is only a very moderate bearer or no. 

 This Quince is not yet ripe here. The others are all over. 

 The Angers is the first to ripen — a very good useful fruit, and 

 the tree makes the best stock for Pears that suit the Quince. 

 The large Portugal comes next — stews of a beautiful colour ; 

 and lastly the Apple-shaped, also a good useful fruit. Rea's 

 Mammoth Seedling has not yet fruited sufficiently to enable 

 us to decide upon its merits. 



Blackberries. — The Lawton, or New Eochelle, is a very fine 

 fruit, and grows and bears most abundantly ; if in rich land it 

 becomes quite troublesome. 



Raspberries. — The Semper Fidelis and some of the antnmn- 

 bearing sorts have done very well. Give the Raspberry the 

 rich soil and the Blackberry the poor. 



Guavas, white, yellow, and purple, have been abundant and 

 good ; not so much affected by maggot as in the few previous 

 summers. 



Manifoes. — We have nine different kinds, but not all fruiting 

 yet. I'hose that have fruited aro very good, and the liking 

 for them grows very rapidly upon those who frequently partake 

 of them. The fresh seed sown in good garden soil germinates 

 very quickly. 



Date Plums, both of the ICaki and Mabola species, have been 

 good, but not so plentiful as last year. We are happy to hear 

 it is the intention of the Acclimatisation Society to make an 

 effort to introduce from Japan some of their best sorts of 

 Kaki, as the Japanese have them in almost endless variety, 

 as Englishmen have the Apple, some for the kitchen and 

 others for the dessert. We are not so far advanced as to be 

 able to report the fmittng of the Date and the Cocoa Palm. 

 Some of your readers, especially in the north, may do so, and 

 complete a very good assortment of choice fruits. There is 

 ample margin for a very interesting paper on Oranges, Pine 

 Apples, and Bananas alone. We have some six new sorts of 

 the latter from Polynesia, which we hope to report upon when 

 they fruit. — Fkuctcs (in The Queevslander). 



ALPINE FLOWERS. 

 At this period of the year, when so many parties both in 

 England and abroad are out among the mountains, primarily 

 in search of health, but frequently connecting with it the col- 

 lection of Ferns and wild flowers, it may be interesting to give 

 a list of some of the floral beauties to be met with. Where 

 the English names are added it will be seen that they also 

 belong to the British flora. 



Anemone alpina 



Bulphurea 



alba 



vemalis 

 Arnica monfana 



Azalea procnmbens, Creeping Azalea 

 Ascragalas alpinuB, Mountain Milk 



Vetch 

 Antennaria dioica (or Gnaphalium), 



Cat's-foot 

 Androsace ChamnsjaBme 

 B/irtsia alpina, Alpine Painted Cup 

 Campanula barbata 

 Chrysantberaum cnronopifolinm 

 Drjas octopetala, Mountain Avens 

 Eriophorum alpinujn, Alpine Cotton 

 Grass 



angustifolinm. Common Cotton 

 Grass 



vaginatum, Harestail Cotton 

 Grass 

 Gentiana acaulis, Dwarf Gentian 



bavarica 



campestria. Field Gentian 



verna, Spring Gentian 

 Geam montanum 

 Hedysarum Onobrycllia 

 HomoKene alpina 

 HutcbinBia alpina 

 Liuaria alpina 

 Lloydia serotina 

 Luzula lutea 



nivea 

 Maiantbemnm bifulium, Two-Icaved 

 Maiantbemum 



— Edwabd Copland, Interlaken. 



Meum Mulellina 



Myosotis alpestris 



Neottia spiralis, Lady's Treeees 



Orcbis nigra 



Pbaca astragalina 



Pyrola unillura 



Pedicularis tuberosa 



Pioguicula a'piua, Alpine Eatterwort 



Primula Auricula 



farinosa, Bird's-eye Primrose 



elatior, Oslip 

 Ranunculus alpestris, Alpine Crow- 

 foot 



aconitifoliug 



glaciftlis 



narcissiflora 



moutanus 

 Rhododendron ferrugineam 



hirsutum 

 Rosa alpina 

 Saxifraga Aizoon 



aizoides, Yellow Mountain Saxi- 

 frage 



nmbrosa, London Pride 

 Soldanella alpina 

 Silene acaulis, Cushion Pink 

 Salix reticulata, Net-leaved Willow 

 Trollius europjeus. Globe Flower 

 Trifolium alpiDum 



montanum 

 Viola calcarata 



cornuta 



biflora 

 Vacciuium vaginatum 



Vitis-Idffia, Cowberry 



EOSE SHOWS. 



A PKOPOsiTioN has been made in a contemporary relative to 

 an alteration in the method of exhibiting Roses, which 1 con- 

 ceive to be so detrimental to the best interests of the queen of 

 flowers, that I desire to enter my protest against it in limine. 

 The proposition is to substitute for the present plan of show- 

 ing Roses in boxes some such plan as that adopted by Mr. 

 W. Paul at the Botanical Society's Evening FiHe, of showing 

 them in immense masses, somewhat in the style of the Rose 

 shows at Brie. I protest against it for the following reasons ; — 

 1, That it will tend to vulgarise our exhibitions; we have 

 enough of mass-bedding out of doors without introducing it to 

 shows of cut flowers. 2, It will tend to do away with all the 

 care taken to improve the quality of the Rose, either by raising 

 new varieties or by improved methods of culture, for quality 

 can never bo a consideration where cartloads of blooms are 



