Jaly 8, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



29 



fine bloomiuR plants for the followinR season. It is a little 

 singular that these gay, distinct, an J useful iilants are not more 

 generally employed. They are certainly worthy of culture, 

 and when seen in association with the sombre foliage of shrubs 

 in the evening are always admired. 



STBAWBEBRIE3. 



Now the Strawberry season is in full swing I think the sub- 

 ject might with advantage be again ventilated, as it is not only 

 the fruit-bearing period, but also the time for making prepara- 

 tions for another season. The readers of the Journal are 

 awaro that this subject cropped-up some months ago, and was 

 pretty weU discussed at the time, and the only apology I have 

 to make in recurring to the subject again is merely a reminder 

 to refresh the memory, as it often happens that when a subject 

 of this kind is discussed out of the season of preparation it is 

 apt to bo forgotten, and now another season's experience will 

 have been gained as to the merits of different varieties, for 

 what is eulogised one season is deciied another. 



The nature of the soil is one important element in Straw- 

 bei.y culture, water another; a similar soil may exist in 

 widely-separated localities, and yet have veiy different results 

 with the same varieties. The difference between a dry and a 

 wet locality wiU effect this. I am located on a poor hunt-y 

 soil with a gravelly subsoil, but in ordinary seasons most kinds 

 of Strawberries do pretty well, but many sorts in dry seasons 

 differ nuich in quality. Ou this soil I find it necessary to 

 make fresh plantations about every third year. 



British Queen still maintains its high reputation, and in 

 ordinary seasons does well, but it is astonishing what a ("(■ 

 ferenoe a wet and a dry season makes in the quality of the dif- 

 ferent kinds of fiuit, such as Sir Charles Napier, Oscar, and 

 Sir Joseph Taxton. I find that if the fruit-swelling period is 

 dry the quality of the fruit deteriorates considerably, while 

 British Qneen and Dr. Hogg seem to retain their high crisp 

 flavour. President seems to be in its proper element, and 

 stands the drought better than most kinds. I must not forget 

 the old Keens' Seedling. I have heard of other varieties 

 which are considered better for preserving purposes, but I very 

 much question if there is a better general-purpose Strawberry 

 than the veteran Keens' Seedling, and I am of opinion that 

 the name w-'l be a household word for some years to come. 



Strong uiuners taken now and planted in well-prepared 

 ground ought to bear fruit next season ; if deferred much later 

 they will not do much good before the second year.— G. E. 

 Alms. 



DEUTZIA CRENATA FLORE-PLENO. 



I THINK the above-named plant is not so popular as it might 

 be, considering the usefulness and beauty of the flowers at 

 this season and likewise when forced. I propagated a quantity 

 some years ago and planted them out in the shrubberies and 

 borders here, and I have been rewarded each year with a beau- 

 tiful display of white flowers ; for grown underneath the shade 

 of trees or in shady shrubberies — where it grows and blooms as 

 well as in the sun — the flowers are almost pure white, but in 

 the sun the flowers will be shghtly tinted with rose. 



Anyone having to supply a quantity of white flowers at this 

 season for decorating vases, making bouquets, or the more 

 solemn ceremony of making a wreath of flowers to place on 

 the grave of a friend or relative, will find this plant of great 

 assistance. — J. A., Hill Grove. 



FURTHER REMARKS ON LATE PEAS. 

 The remarks of "A Noethekn Gardener" on late Peas, 

 page 48G, vol. xxviii., are well worth studying, but I fear if he 

 travelled southward he would find great diftieulties of having 

 them so late as he speaks of, and it may be some consolation 

 to him to know that while he can put a dish of green Peas on 

 the table gathered from the open ground a few days before ice 

 was strong enough for skating on, and keep them for use till 

 that day, a feat was accomplished which has few if any parallel 

 in the south of England ; yet I fully believe every word he says 

 on the matter, and have a perfect recollection myself of seeing 

 a dish of Peas at a horticultural show in the north about the 

 middle of November that were said to be the produce of seed 

 ripened that year and sown again that same year, in other 

 words two crops in one year. I do not remember if it was 

 from the same plot of ground, but it easily could have been ; 



certain it was they were there, and in fairly good order. The 

 variety I think was an early white one, possibly the Early May 

 or Charlton, the parents of most of our early Peas. The season 

 was, if I remember right, 18'28 ; certainly not 1820, which was 

 the hottest and driest summer I ever remember ; in which two 

 crops of ripened Barley from the same field were not uncom- 

 mon even in cold out-of-the-way places, and the second crop 

 ripened as well as the first. 



But to the matter of late Peas. I fear we sojourners of the 

 sunny south have no chance of expecting them so late. Arti- 

 ficial watering may possibly do something for them, but even 

 that will not always scare away mildew — a fell enemy to the 

 Pea late in the season ; but the mode recommended by our 

 correspondent is the only way to expect a good result ; and 

 although I do not remember ever to have witnessed the Peas 

 sown in sunk trenches, I have no doubt the plan is a good one 

 where there is depth of really good soil, but a plan adopted by 

 an old gardener many years before the first Reform Bill became 

 law deserves to be mentioned here ; for, like " A Northern 

 Gardener," ho sowed the rows wide apart, but' instead of 

 making one drill for the seed he made two about a foot or 

 15 inches apart, and in dry weather placed a ridge of dung 

 along the space between them before they were up, supplying 

 them with short sticks at first and long sticks afterwards, 

 adding more dung at the sides in the way of mulchings, and 

 watered the whole when required. The advantage of this plan 

 will be apparent to everyone : the roots of the crop being 

 divided occupied more ground, and consequently benefited 

 accordingly, as I do not remember of ever seeing finer crops of 

 Peas, which were of good quality. This plan I have frequently 

 followed ; but when a dry hot summer sets in, and the impos- 

 sibility of supplying them with water follows as a matter of 

 course, all hope for a crop of late Peas is out of the question ; 

 but the effort to obtain them is still worth trying, and like 

 many others I have to thank your correspondent for caUing 

 attention to it. 



Possibly many places in the coo and moist western and 

 northern counties have a belter chance than we have in Kent 

 in maintaining a healthy growing vegetation during the dry hot 

 period of the dog days, and Peas as well as Lettuce and other 

 things benefit accordingly ; but with us when such dry seasons 

 as 1808 and 1870 occur, when rain in suiUcient quantity to 

 support even the Scarlet Runner was not forthcoming, and a 

 short supply the result, it is hopeless to expect Peas to be 

 fruitful, for in practice it is found better to depend on Scarlet 

 Runner and French Beans in the latter part of the summer than 

 on Peas, and cropping is done with that object in view, and 

 although it is hut seldom that Scarlet Runners can be served- 

 up fresh to a party of skaters, it is certain they can be retained 

 to a later date than even the Peas. 



Again thanking your correspondent for his useful paper on 

 the subject, and agreeing with him on the merits of the variety 

 Ne Plus Ultra as a general cropper (for I have not used it very 

 late), I hope his practical remarks will draw out those of others 

 on this useful and interesting subject. — J. Robson. 



BELVOIR CASTLE.— No. 2. 



THE SEAT OF THE DUKE OF RUTLAND. 



Althouoh I regard the spring bedding at Belvoiras its most 

 noticeable feature, I do not at all mean to imply that it is 

 followed out to the exclusion of other work. Anyone who 

 knows Mr. Ingram need not be told that whatever department 

 of gardening you look at under his management is sure to be 

 well done, and go where you will you will find the evidences of 

 a master's hand. The Castle stands, as will be seen from the 

 woodcut, on an eminence, and around it the various terraces 

 are arranged with the same object as the gardeningon the slopes 

 — viz., to give a cheerful appearance in the earlier months of 

 the year ; and the various combinations aflorded by the liberal 

 use of Aubrietias, Oxlips, Myosotis, Sedums, Violas, Epime- 

 dinms (of which latter Mr. Ingram speaks in high terms, and 

 deservedly so) were even, although past their prime, very 

 charming. 



The kitchen and fruit gardens, which are about three acres 

 in extent, were, as might be supposed, in a high state of cul- 

 tivation, and there was, as there is everywhere, something to 

 be learned. Noticing some fine beds of Frogmore Late Pino 

 Strawberry, and seeing that the plants were not separate, as is 

 usually the case in good gardens, I was told that it is the only 

 way in which Mr. Ingram finds that he succeeds. Others who 

 find it difficult to grow Strawberries may, perhaps, succeed in 



