THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



80 



in 



under the head ot ".New Jtruits, he will i ones here, as i 

 Kitley's Goliath Strawberry : Fruit very Old Gardener 



other 



has been good. 



ur?e , dui nui 

 . course surf; 



ffcfl 



cannot 



be recommended for 

 that if I 



cultiva- 



Uliaceoua plants, will suit i* iticolarl 

 that the hardv xr . 



Victoria Begia in the Calcutta Botanic Garden.— \\ 

 will also be doubly gratifying to such of your readers 

 as are interested in this Lily (and few I suspect are not), 

 to learn that it is now flowering in these gardens. Our 

 plant was raised from seeds received, last March, froii 

 Chatsworth ; on reaching Calcutta one of the seeds was 

 found to be sprouting, and this produced the plant 

 which is now in bloom. On the 26th of May the seedling 

 had got sufficiently large to be planted out on a hillock 

 of prepared earth in one of the tanks. On the 5th of 

 September the first flower-bud opened ; since then 

 seven other flowers have been produced. Tiny average 

 ten inches across ; at first they are of a purer white, 

 and subsequently of a brighter pink or rose than those 

 flowers I have seen on the parent-plant at Chatsworth ; 

 while the fragrance, which cannot in my opinion be 

 compared with that of any other flower or fruit with 

 whioh I am familiar, is most delicious, and is quite 

 perceptible at a considerable distance from the plant. 

 The leaves are developed with great rapidity, bu 

 they show no rim at the edges, except during the first 

 12 hours of their existence on the surface of th« water. 

 Being naturally much interested in the success of the 

 plant, I have watched its development closely. From 

 daily observations made on the growth of the leaves, 

 the following may be regarded as a statement of facts. 

 July 25th, 4 p.m., entire folia* >us surface 45 square 

 feet, four-fifths of which bad attained full growth. July 

 26th, 4 p.m., entire foliaeeous surface 54 square fe« I ; 

 increase, 9 square feet, produced by the united efforts 

 of three leaves during a period of 24 bourn, in an 

 average temperature— air 89°, water 94°, Fab. The 

 youngest leaf trebled its foliaeeous surface by adding 

 4 square feet, nearly one half of the work. At thai 

 time (July 26th), none of the leaves, when fully grown, 

 exceeded* 3 feet in diameter, and all leaves produced 

 since have been under 4 feet across. The number and 

 size of the flowers, however, offer a proof that the leaves, 

 although not attaining a large size, have at least done 

 good duty. Do you consider the fact of the seed from 

 which our plant was raised being matured on a plant 



growing under an English sky sufficient to account for 

 the deficiency in the size of the foliar ? [ No.] As there 

 is every prospect of the Victoria seeding soon, I I ill 

 observe to what extent the offspring develop their leaves, 

 an d mvA Hip rpsiilt. Robert Scott. Jhtanic Qardt 





variety 

 .. j\ s I cannot see that if I were to accept 



5r K.'s challenge, it would be of any use to the gar- 

 Snin 0, public, I must respectfully "decline his offer, as 

 fMoited to "my book.'" He will therefore, in this 

 matter, walk triumphantly over the course. When I 

 tha't I have been u victimised," I mean that I paid 

 much attention, and took great pains, to cultivate Goliath, 

 thiukin" I had got a prize ; but it proved, in the opinion 

 of mvseif, my employer, and many other gentlemen, a 

 blink. Certainly my stock did not come from Mr. 

 Kitley himself direct. Perhaps the gentleman who has 

 go kindlv elucidated the history of the Black Prince, in 

 former number of your Paper, will favour us with 

 that of the " Aberdeen Beehive ;" a kind, I believe, 

 that originated with some honey-seekers in the H far 

 north." In justice to Mr. Cuthill, I ought to say that 

 I have heard that the Black Prince u forces well," and 

 it may be useful from its earliness in small gardens, 

 where there is not convenience for forcing. To the 

 market gardeners it is so, for a day or two in ripening 

 must make a great difference in price. In the Journal 

 of the Horticultural Society, at page 28*2, under the 

 head of u Cu thill's Black Prince," it is said that " earli- 

 ness is the principal merit of this Strawberry ;*• and, 

 Again, "flesh dark red, tolerably rich, but scarcely 

 equal in this respect to the Roseberry." Now, 

 the Roseberry, as every one knows, has been in 

 existence for these 30 years, and the Horticultural 

 Society admits that it is slightly superior to this very 

 Black Prince. Mr. Kitley scarcely gives me fair play 

 when he says that I make Mr. Myatt and the late Mr. 

 Wilmot victimisers, because I said that Eleanor was too 

 acid to be agreeable to my taste ; but I added that it 

 would prove valuable on account of its lateness and also 

 for preserving. I have known both these growers inti- 

 mately for some years, and never had a Strawberry or 

 any other kind of fruit from them which did not main 

 tain the character they gave it. Many years ago Mr. 

 Wilmot sent out his m Superb," and superb it was, 

 according to the general run of Strawberries at that 

 time ; but it was coarse and hollow, and too much like 

 the Chili Pine in texture, which said Chili Pine is, I 

 believe, the source from which large size in the fruit 

 was originally obtained. I do not accuse Mr. Kitley of 

 crossing from this kind, as it is probably not to be 

 found in England at this time, unless the Horticultural 

 Society may have preserved it. It is an enormously 

 large, hollow, coarse, yellow kind. To that institution 

 I am indebted for what I know on this subject, and for 

 the opportunity of seeing this curious and now obsolete 

 variety. I ventured a remark upon the Bicton Straw- 

 berry, which I grew for two or three years, and then 

 found it useless, except for variety of colour in a large 

 dessert. " Can a Strawberry be valuable for its 

 colour ? " asks Mr. K. Let him ask the French cook 

 or confectioner who is making jellies and ice creams, or 

 even Strawberry j am. Myatt's Mammoth is a very large 

 kind, which, though not fit to eat, is so truly magnificent 

 that I grow it extensively for display. The desserts here 

 (according to the style of dinner), are sometimes made 

 up with htgh stands of confectionery and fruit ; in the 

 latter it is grouped and mixed, the Grapes hanging down, 

 and the Pine or Melon surmounting the whole. In the 

 intervals are placed the Peaches, Nectarines, Figs, or 

 Pears, and a few of the Mammoth Strawberries mixed 

 with them have a most improving effect ; the white 

 Strawberry is pretty for this purpose, but too small. 

 I beg that it may be understood that any remarks I may 

 have made upon the varieties of this fruit apply only to 

 my own requirements, which oblige me to produce a 

 vast supply of fine fruit, both early and late, for the 

 kitchen and the table. I now take my leave of the sub- 

 ject, first assuring Mr. Kitley that I have acted con- 

 scientiously in the opinion I have given, that I am not 

 at all unwilling to concede to him all the eminence as a 

 grower which he claims for himself, humbly hoping he 

 he will permit me to exercise my judgment upon the 

 evidence of my senses ; and promising to do public 

 penance, iu the way of recantation, whenever Goliath has ] 

 driven British Queen and Eliza from Coven t Garden : 

 Market, and the Philistines form an army of occupation 

 at Manor Farm, Deptford. Henry Bailey, Nuneham 

 Parle, Oxford. 



Bad Seeds (see p. 789). — I was glad to see the remarks 



which were appended to "Falcon's" account of bad wak ^ M ™ * —"'7 ~~ * *u c f v*™<rh thpv reouire 



seeds. ^ I for one have suffered as « Falcon" describes, or even out of it, for many months, though ™^V™ 



wvlL It 1* a pity 



I) ties of Bignook. matia, Vii 

 C »per, &c, are not Umined to tree* in our 

 Otfcstrus scandens mak ~ 

 its amber berries. 



excel 



in the manufacturing 



Water is a no 



give cue resuu. nuuab uivu, - 



Calcutta, Oct. 6. 



Hints to Persons Making a Garden. - 

 less important department in horticulture than rock and 

 wood, and capable of being rendered a valuable addition 

 to the garden ; yet it is seldom well managed. Water 

 may be considered in four points of view for horticul- 

 tural purposes— as river, lake, cascade, or marsh. The 

 advantage of running water for aquatic plants is gene- 

 rally acknowledged : some floating kinds are seen to 

 the best advantage in a lake, while the stronger sorts, 

 that -flower above the water, stand well ma flowing 

 stream/especially if backed by wood. On the borders 

 of a lake or bay, of generally still water in a river, 

 Hydrangeas not only grow well, but are seen m their 

 greatest beauty, dipping their blue or rosy heads into 

 the water, on the surface of which they are reflected. 

 A cascade, or rather the damp rocks over which it 

 must fall, may be made serviceable for mountain I ems 

 and Mosses, as well as for various Alpine plants that 

 usually grow in such situations, Pinguicula, Adiantum, 

 and some mountain Sedums, such as Monregalense, 

 Saxifrages, especially of the mossy-leaved sorts, and 

 other small plants—Saponaria, Siiene, many dwarf Bell- 

 flowers, &c. f are adapted to the rocks within the spray 

 of the waterfall. It may surprise many people to hear 

 of a marsh as a garden feature. But many stately and 

 beautiful plants are natives of marshes or shallow pools, 

 dry half the year, where their strong roots go deep below 

 the reach of frost. Ins garden, most of such plants, 

 Richardia sethiopica, Pontederia, Villarsia &c, may be 

 more ornamentally grown by the side of a lake, yet they 

 compose a different class, horticultural.)' speaking from 

 the true floating herbaceous aquatics, as W ater-Lihes and 



covered with water ; 



placed, «i 

 Aristoloflna Uo and Scsilax 

 are not to be judged of unless rambling ii 

 state of nature over low bushes or climbing the loftiest 

 trees of the forest. W >d may be pn>|»erly connected 

 with the moist or Alpine rocks, but should not bo 

 suffered near the arid or maritime ones, on account 

 of their attracting damp, scattt ng dead leaves, and 

 encouraging weed*, ft 



Plane TVte Timber.— A correspondent at p. 7 i: 

 quires if am of your readers have y tx* euce in 

 the casi of this timber. This is n j lied to at ] , 



win iv another correspondent says t\ien> are aoctu book- 

 cases made of this wood near liridliugton ; but this cor- 

 respondent (at p. 757) is evidently speaking of the 

 Oriental Plane tree ; whereas, I «Uhp< <-t the one * 



25 is speaking of the common catnors (Acer Pseudo- 



Platanus), \\\ li ism ersallv called a Plane tr< « in tl 

 north of Kimlnnd at least, 1 can scarcely 6U) 

 am gentleman uld go and cut a such i 



mens of the Oriental Plans as arr tl Ln >f — 



14 ie<t in circumference. If th nor* is meant, 



your Sorrc> indent may find an < \<< « nt ma rket for it 



UstricU, whri tight vet) ten* 

 sire uss for calendar bowl* for bleachers, calico printers, 

 <Vc . and fetches (f<»r ch« < < igs ) as good n prices*"* 

 at all events it m II readily at from 4*. to 5«. j 



►ot. If your correspondent npeaks of t) '-risnlal 

 Plane I can Rive him no infoi -»n. T. Q , < 



Vim Cuttur*—] should 1 obliged if u Wtuld 



mdlv pive mc some information on the following two 



s: 1st I luive a small house with HUek Hamburgh, 



M. Peter's, Muscadine, Muses and Urizdy I routignan 



Yin flu horder mteide) has heen mod MMfully 



made and drained, and is now covered with thick 

 pnulingfer the winter. The house is not forced e» . , 

 but wr I ■ :in about the middle of March. The \ 4 

 bear most admirably, and havedom for ra) cars; 

 and their growth and p neral appearan i r laimsthat 

 t) » in not very much wr« : in the border or general 

 management. The (irisilj 1 i tlgnan bears as * 1 as, 

 or even better, than its neighb-urs ; gcnssilly sl» wng 



two bunches, and in m.ius cases ev< u tbr • on a spur ; 

 but in s length of rafter of 14 feet, 1 bun « er ex- 

 ceeded 15 or 16 bunches, last J ear It d only 13, in 

 the h« I of patenting what 1 now proceed to describe. 



The bunches swell well, the berries becoming v« ry 

 fine dor the sort); they are always will thinned, and 

 never shrink or shrivel at the points ol t bune 

 hut many berries in each bunch remain green when tlie 

 others colour, and never ac<mire flavour or aw- ». 

 The footstalks only of these brrr.ee show a small 



black mark, and look pinched at that point ; and 



I myself should describe the disease* as a sort of 



shanking. I mean a decay of a small part of ttos 

 footstalk only, instead of the stem or larger part of 

 the bunch, as we generally observe in ordinary ant- 

 ing I have seven cart-loads of tan in a pit in 

 the house, and perhaps I am too fond of moisture, 

 but this is withdrawn as the Grapes begin to change 

 colour (I mean both tan and moisture), abundance of 

 air mven, and fire heat if wanted. The the rmometer 

 is kept a8 near as may be to W without sun heat in 

 the day time, and m « above 05° at nnrht ; a trifle 

 ~r .w/l. Emitted all nieht, so that 1 have never a 



will crow in deep moist soil, 

 but here their flowering is doubtful. Lnder water, many 

 roots are protected from frost, which would perish 

 in the earth above its level. To flower them, however, 

 the water must be of a certain warmth m summer, and 

 had, therefore, better be only deep enough, where such 

 plants are grown, to exclude the chance ot freezing whd. 

 The roots of many aquatics, even of the floating kinds, 

 will bear to remain dry in the soil of a desiccated marsh, 



of air is admitted all night, 



rusted berry nor a scorched leaf. Hamburgh and St 

 Peter's colour admirably, and so do the unafllct* 

 berries of Frontigwm, whose footstalks are sound : 2d. 

 With the above sorts of Grapes 1 have one Muscat of 

 Alexandria ; I can grow the berries to a good lai 3 

 size, and get many almost up to the right proper amber 

 colour by the end of September. I want to know 

 what amount of heat I may give to the house, not to 

 injure Blacs Hamburgh*, St. Peter s. Muscadine, and 

 I rontignan (Grizzly), so as if possible to help the 

 Muscat a trifle more, and yet not injure any other 



are even now very eatable, but 

 not quite right. I want the best method of growing 

 this magnificent Grape with the others. It is on the 

 warmest rafter ; my flue is the old smoke one, but with 

 tan and abundant sprinklings, and we : I on pretty 

 well. Novke. [It appears from your statemer- ♦*•♦ 

 the general management of your A ines is good 

 border is protected from the dulling snow and rain of 

 winter ; but when you begin forcing, then an injurious 

 discrepancy of temperature, as regards root and top 

 commences From this cause, more perhaps than fi om 

 any other, Vines are weakened and thrown out of con- 

 dition - ---* -*— • V8 *» ■**• or less l9 i nduced - wtter 



Vines* 



Your 



kinds of them— these, viz., Walcheren and Winter Im- 

 perial Broccoli, were, however, very fine ; two kinds of 

 Beet were ordered, but the seed was evidently from one 

 tag, for no distinction whatever could be perceived 

 between the two. Commoneo. [Yes ; that's the way.] 



Potato or Underground Onions.— I have grown a 

 quantity of these during the past season, but they are 

 not to be depended upon, as every third or fourth 

 season proves fatal to them. They become rotten very 

 early in the autumn, and so often does this happen that j 

 few now attempt their growth. One thing in their 

 favour is that when the general crop of spring sown 



come under this head. The first rule, then, ^ should be 

 not to grow in a wood any bu what are natura 11, ^vood 



The forest admits of less latitude than the rock 



plants. 



in the range of plants » T - -- -. , 



that are so, are many that are highly ornamenta , and 

 not fitted for any other situation Such are the larger 



suited to it. But among those 



ily ornamental, and 

 Such are the larger 



rS roots will thus be . arlier formed ; and you may 

 afterwards increase the heat, for the sake o your 

 Muscat, to 84°, without injuring the other sortaii] 



Anana'-Is thejWiana &™*?*™*% 

 brought into England as a ripe fruit . 1 " «t s not, it 

 mT g h g t easily be brought from Egypt all the wmter as ,t 

 seeL to bJcut and hung up in the pantr, ■ ,n Judea, ^ to 



^Tt«£ 2S«£ 5=; in^rr » ? The OiW Cucumber from 

 aceous Orchids, Aroideae, Hellebores som i^ jr-» , fee intro<lu oe 



ones is a failure, they are likely to be good, as in 1349, 



Ejrypt may 



trreen 

 Chate' 



whUe in the present year I do not expect to be able to | vaccinmm, M.m**y ^r'"^"" v ~„ &1 ^ Gn and other 1 

 **Te one to plant next season, and the crop of spring I not meet encouragement in the flo« er garden, anu \ 



plants, Lathyrus and Orobus, a variety of under-shrub* 

 ever-reen and deciduous. In » ^Y «> A > tie 

 northern Pyrola, Convallaria, Rubus of many sorts, 



besides climbers, especially H^^^^ | Wterc ^ sbops . We 



• - ! What is Priming f 





people. The Banana is not unfremientl 



Vaccinium, Azalea, Androm 



seen in London 



^ from Madeira.] 



In my remarks under this title 



