Febraary U, 18S5. ] 



JOUKNjili OF HOETICULTTJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



127 



■new. I have sown the seeds, and treated them precisely 

 as advised, and I have soaked them in the autumn in warm 

 water, pUicing them afterwai-ds in sand kept moist all the 

 winter. I have also sown these in the open ground in spring, 

 and some upon hotbeds. The only success, however, I can 

 note is, about eight roots produced last summer upon a south 

 border. Over these seeds, however, I placed early in April 

 a two-light frame, the plants came up in May, and the 

 specimens produced were very lai'ge. — William Eablet, 



WIXTEE-FLO"WEEES-G PLANTS. 



The subject of vrinter-flowering plants is one, I think, 

 which ought from time to time to be brought prominently 

 forward, and the diUioulty is as important as any, in a 

 decorative point of view, that a gardener has to contend with. 

 Dmlng the dreai-y months of winter, when our gardens are 

 fast bound in the grasp of the icy king, and everything 

 of a floral character, except, perhaps, the Christmas Eose, 

 has succumbed to his severity— when the trees are leafless, 

 and the earth covered with a carpet of snow ; while 

 the winds are howling through the bare branches of the 

 skeleton-like forms which occupy our plantations and shrub- 

 bei-ies, how pleasant to be able to walk to and fro in a nice 

 genial temperature of some 50^ or 55". What a contrast 

 to tlie outside desolation will such a warm greenhouse afi'ord, 

 sheltered from the nipping wind, and surrounded by aJl the 

 beauty and loveliness of spring. How pleasing at such a 

 season to promenade amid flowers of every hue, hanging 

 lite tassels, or standing lite sceptres, or curving gracefully 

 to meet your gaze, some of them filling the air with sweet 

 perfume, until one could fancy oneself transferred to some 

 fairy land. Siu-elj^ the accomplishment of such a result is 

 worth an effort : worth an occasional column in your paper ; 

 and worth all the accommodation necessai-y to secure it: and 

 last, though not the least, deserving of a good show-house 

 in which to enjoy the display. 



Many plants flower natm-aUy at that season, others by 

 special treatment can be induced to do so, while others, 

 again, by a little forcing can be brought in about the same 

 time. Lists of such plants as flower through the winter 

 months would very much assist in the attainment of this 

 object, and in order to mate a beginning in this dfrection, I 

 send you a list of those that have flowered at this place 

 during the months of December and January. Part of them 

 have flowered in the stove, and part in the oonservatoy; 

 but in a good show-house tept at an intermediate tempera- 

 ture, such as indicated above, I have no doubt that the 

 whole would do well during the time they were in flower. I 

 have purposely excluded Orchids from the list, in conse- 

 quence of the letter published by you a short time ago, from 

 Dr. Ainsworth's gardener. Lower Broughton, giving the 

 names of those belonging to that lovely tribe that have 

 flowered with him through the winter ; but I cannot help 

 mentioning that little gem, the Goodyera discolor, with its 

 dart velvety leaves, and pure white flowers. 



In the stove we had Begonia insignis, a fine variety; 



B. nitida ; B. Ingramii ; to which might be added B. lucida, 

 white and very fr-ee ,- Ardisia crenulata, both varieties, more 

 for their red and white berries than their flowers ; Eranthe- 

 mum strictum and E. pulcheHum, the latter, a beautiful 

 blue, coming into flower just as the former is over; Euphor- 

 bia jacquiniffiflora ; Poinsei-tia pulcherrima; Haamanthus 

 albus, a curious but pretty Cape bulb ; Heterocentrum mexi- ■ 

 canum and H. roseuin ; Justicia speciosa, very beautiful 

 and lasting a long time ; Thyrsacanthus rutUajis ; Pentas I 

 caiuea ; Sericographis Ghiesbreghtii ; to which might be j 

 added Goldfassia anisophylla; Manettia bioolor ; Geissomeria 

 lougiflora; Aphelandra aurantiaoa ; Centi-adenia rosea; and : 



C. floribunda. j 

 In the conservatory, of com-se Chrvsauthemums take a 



promment place in December; then CamelHas foUow through 

 January, or earlier, according to the treatment thev receive. 

 Primulas (WiUiams's strain), are very fine. The Pern-leaved i 

 variety is a pretty addition. Besides these are Epiphyllum : 

 truncatum, varieties violaceum, purpureum,. salmoneum, 

 magnificum, and cruentum ; E. Eussellionum, vai-ieties 

 rubrum and Snowii. The varieties of EusseUiannm succeed ' 

 those of truncatum, and thus prolong the blooming season. I 



Of Epacris there are many sorts. Lady Panmure and 

 Viscountess Hill deserving special notice ; also Erica 

 mutabilis, E. colorans, E. melanthera, E. scabriuscula, 

 and E. Lambertiana rosea ; Corrsa picta superba (scarlet), 

 C. delieata (blush), and C.magnifica (white); tree Carnations, 

 Linum trigynum, MonochoBtum ensiferum, Luoulia gratissi- 

 ma, Daphne indica rubra (powerfully scented), and Solanum 

 capsicastrum for the sake of the berries. 



To these must be added Hyacinths, Narcissus, Tulips, 

 Crocus, ajid Snowdrops ; forced Azaleas, especially that 

 beautiful variety called amcena ; choice Ehododendi-ons of 

 the eai-liest varieties ; Acacias oleifoHa elegans and rotundi- 

 folia . If any of your correspondents can furnish the names 

 of any others that flower through the winter, I, and no 

 doubt many other of your readers, would be glad of the in- 

 formation. — Thos. Jones, RusJiohne, Manchester. 



EAJRLT XmCr POTATO^GENEEAL CFLTUEE. 



" E. W." asks for information respecting this Potato. In 

 the first place, he is mistaten in the name. It was named 

 the King Potato, or King of the Elutes, being a seedling 

 fr'om that kind. It is a second early, not an early one, a 

 great cropper, and very handsome, having a beautiful straw- 

 colom-ed clear skin, but, as " TTpwakds and Onwauiis " says, 

 of all shape?, still fit for exhibition, being beautifully equal. 

 As you take a root up, part of the tubers will be good-shaped 

 Kidneys and part quite round, but there will be more Kid- 

 neys than round ones. 



I have taken prizes with this kind at several shows for 

 early round, early Kidney, late round, and late Kidney ; and 

 after the show the Judges would hardly believe me the tubers 

 were all one kind. The first year I grew them they took 

 the first prize everywhere I sent them, including Birming- 

 ham, the International Show at Kensington, and at the 

 Crystal Palace, so we may safely say it is the best exhibition 

 Potato grown. 



The heaviest twelve I ever grew weighed 12 lbs. 



It is a good eating Potato if grown upon a light soil. I 

 have seen it waxy, with a cavity in the centre, when grown 

 upon a heavy or damp soU. 



It was raised by Mr. Spencer, who a few years ago lived 

 at Hartshill, near Atherstone. The same gentleman raised 

 the Queen of the Flutes, the best late Kidney grown. 



I obtained a few of each kind from Mr. Spencer, and found 

 them both fiurst-rate. If " E. W." will send me his address 

 I shall have great pleasure in sending him a few Kings for 

 trial. They are as important to the grower of Potatoes for 

 exhibition as Charles Lefebvi-e Eose is to the Eose-faneier. 



I am surprised that "E. W." uses manure and manure 

 water to his Potatoes ; I never use either, and take many 

 prizes. Try this year half your Potatoes with manure, and 

 half without. I will back those without for size and equality. 

 I always select a piece of ground that has been highly 

 manured the year previously for some green crop, such as 

 Cabbage, Kidney Beans, or Greens, and dig two spades deep 

 some time in the winter, or any time before fi-ost, the earlier 

 the better, keeping the top spit at the top, for clay or gravel 

 is of no use. The early kinds I sprout in boxes, but only 

 allow one top or sprout on each set, for to grow large 

 Potatoes there should only be one top. The late tiuds I 

 cut tfll there is but one eye or set. 



Eighteen or twenty inches between the rows I have found 

 wide enough for early kinds, and from 2 to 3 feet for late 

 ones ; indeed, I have one tind that requires more than 3 feet, 

 the top is so large. It is a scarlet Potato. 



After growing this year and last forty-seven kinds, the 

 following proved the best : — Sutton's Eacehorse, first early 

 Kidney ; Leamington Kidney, rather similar to Jackson's 

 Seedling, first early, all shapes like the King's ; King's, 

 second early ; Dalmahoy, round second early ; Eed Eegent 

 or Eed HoUand, round late ; Queen's, or Queen of the Flutes, 

 late Kidney. 



I dare say " E. W." will hardly agree with me about the 

 manure, but let him try a few without it. Of course, if you 

 plant a field with Potatoes, and that field is in a poor state 

 of cultivation, manure must be applied: it should in that 

 ease be put on in November, and the soil well worked. A 

 Potato only requires the soU to be moderately rich, and 



