JANUARY 11, 1859. 19 



flower, the fruit of which, it was stated, was produced very much 

 at the end of the shoots, like that of the celebrated Cornish 

 Gilliflower Apple. The Briars Gilliflower was not, however, 

 found to possess sufficient merit to justify the Committee to 

 recommend it. 



CHINESE YAM.— Messrs. Ivery & Son, Dorking, exhibited 

 some fine tubers of the Dioscorea Batatas, accompanied by the 

 following letter : — 



" We have sent Bine roots of Dioscokba Batatas. The three largest roots 



weighed about lib. each. The other six roots were obtaine'd from cut sets 

 planted at the same time, and side by side. The ground was trenched to the 

 depth of 3 feet, and had a good coat of hot-bed manure ; they were planted 

 1 foot apart in the row, and 2i feet between the rows (there being only two 

 rows). When they began to grow we had them sticked with pea-sticks, but 

 for these the plants soon got too strong, and we then had placed between the 

 two rows some fir-poles, to which the plants soon clung, as the points of the 

 shoots twist round the pole, in the same manner as those of the hop. The 



The largest of the tubers weighed 4 lb., and when taken up 

 4 lb. 6 oz. The above mode of cultivation may therefore be 

 recommended. It is reasonable to suppose, that, as the plant is 

 adapted for twining, its foliage will be in a more natural position, 

 and better exposed to light, when elevated, than if left to trail on 

 the damp soil, and that it will consequently the better elaborate 

 the sap for the production of roots of large size, and superior 



The Committee having offered prizes of 2C 

 best Winter Nells Pears, in dishes of six spec: 

 panied by a schedule of particulars relating to the ( 

 under which they were produced, the following persons sent 

 fruits for competition : — Mr. Tilt^ery, F.H.S., gardener to His 

 Grace the Duke of Portland, Welbeck ; Mr. Harrison, F.H.S., 

 Oatlands Palace Gardens; Mr. A. Ingram, gardener to J. J. 

 Blandy, Esq., F.H.S., High Grove, Reading ; Mr. J. Cox, F.H.S. 

 gardener to W. Wells, Esq., Redleaf, Penshurst, Kent ; Mr. G. 

 Shoesmith, gardener to J. Moorman, Esq., Bexhill ; Mr. W, 

 Ingram, gardener to His Grace the Duke of Rdtland, Belvoir 

 Castle ; and Mr. D. Judd, gardener to the Right Hon. the Earl 



