August 8, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
109 
Wave of Life blue Lobelia mixed with silver tricolor Geranium 
Mrs. John Clutton. This Lobelia has very large flowers, and 
will be valuable for large beds; a more compact-growing 
variety of great merit is Blue Perfection. 
—— Some of the prettiest FLOWER BEDS that we have seen 
this year are in Mr. Baring’s enjq@yable and well-managed 
garden at Coombe Cottage, and yet they are simple—just the 
variegated Lady Plymouth Geranium mixed in one case with 
‘Crimson King Verbena, and in another with Purple King. 
‘These beds aftord an agreeable change from the rich masses of 
scarlet Geraniums. Some other beds are planted with the Oak- 
Jeaved scented Pelargoniums and Gnaphalium lanatum, and 
the silvery sprays of the Gnaphalium peering through the 
masses of green produce a cool chaste effect, which is much 
admired. Beds of Clematis Jackmannii are gorgeous, and 
this and other Clematises with MHoneysuckles, Virginian 
Creepers, &c., growing in wild luxuriance on walls and in 
festoons, constitute a noteworthy feature of this enjoyable 
garden. Other features are equally worthy of record, but they 
cannot be referred to now. 
— A CORRESPONDENT, “R.,” tried the experiment of 
BOTTLING GREEN PEAS AND BEANS in the same manner as 
fruit by putting them in bottles with cold water and then 
standing them in a pan of cold water, which was put on the 
fire until the water boiled, after which they were corked and 
sealed up when hot. In a few days the corks were blown out. 
When we tried them last year the bottles exploded. Can any 
of our readers give any information on preserving these vege- 
tables for winter use? 
—— A MODE of supporting MELONS hanging from a trellis 
as adopted in the Hon. A. Leslie Melville’s garden at Branston 
Hall is worthy of note. Instead of the fruits being supported 
by a piece of board or suspended by matting each fruit rests 
in a small openly-woven yet strong wickerwork basket. The 
baskets are about 6 inches in diameter, and are of the shape 
of a large saucer but deeper. ‘They are made at the local 
basket makers, cost about 3s. a dozen, and last for years. 
They are suspended to the trellis with string, and have a very 
neat appearance. On the occasion of a recent garden party 
held at Branston nothing was more attractive to the visitors— 
and the garden was extremely gay with flowers—than the fine 
crop of Melons, each fruit resting in its basket, and producing 
a somewhat novel yet pleasing effect. 
—— WHEN recently visiting the small but admirably kept 
garden of J. Swan, Esq., Stonefield, Lincoln, we observed the 
fine greenhouse roof-covering plant, TACSONIA INSIGNIS, 
flowering freely. The exuberant growth of this Tacsonia, its 
fine foliage and pendant crimson flowers, recommend it for 
covering the roof ofa house quickly and ornamentally. T. Van- 
Volxemi planted in the same house had not grown nearly so 
freely and had not’produced any flowers, both the plants being 
of the same age. Mr. Brumpton, the gardener, stated that he 
had tried various plans for inducing T. Van-Volxemi to flower, 
but without success, while T. insignis flowered freely by simply 
being planted in the border and haying its growths thinly 
trained near the glass. 
—— A FINE plant of the VARIEGATED AMERICAN ALOE 
will shortly be in flower at Hampton Court. The plant is on 
the south terrace, and the flower spike reaches an altitude of 
about 18 feet, and appears to be little less than 18 inches in 
circumference at the base. The stem is branching freely, and 
will produce upwards of a hundred flowers. 
—— IN many gardens we find that Vick’s CRITERION To- 
MATO is regarded as a yaluable acquisition. It produces 
smooth, highly coloured, crimson fruit in large clusters, and 
its firmness and flavour renderit a great favourite with the 
kitchen authorities. The plant is a rather strong grower, and 
requires more room than some other varieties, but when well 
grown it is undoubtedly one of the most distinct and valuable 
varieties in cultivation. 
A Visitor to Wimbledon House informs us that the 
large FIG TREES that Mr. Ollerhead removed from the garden 
into two of the houses during last winter have proved amongst 
the greatest successes that must be placed to the credit of that 
energetic gardener. In the garden the trees were of little 
value, but in the house they have produced hundreds of fine 
‘fruits, which were particularly acceptable for camp parties at 
Wimbledon during the recent Volunteer contests. Already 
the trees have produced two fine crops, and other fruits are 
forming freely. It will be remembered that the trees which 
were alluded to at the time of their removal were old and of 
very large size when lifted, each quite filling a large house 
20 to 30 feet long and nearly as wide. They appear to have 
received no check whatever by removal, and their present con- 
dition is altogether satisfactory. 
—— J ADVISE, says “A SPECIALIST,” the LIFTING OF ALL 
POTATOES so soon as the skins are set. Those we have raised 
are very clean and. of excellent floury quality. International 
Kidney is a wonderful crop. Beauty of Hebron also turns out 
grandly, those being every way very superior. Rector of 
Woodstock is difficult to boil; it is so floury. Bountiful is 
clean, and beautiful. Veitch’s Ashleaf, Snowflake, Early Ver- 
mont, Red Emperor, Model, Bryanstone Kidney, Prince Arthur, 
and Schoolmaster are heavy in crop and cleaner than we have 
had Potatoes for some years. Lapstone is not at all up to the 
mark this year in anything except quality, which is first-rate, 
Early White Kidney and Harly Market have turned out well 
and are of capital quality. Late kinds are much impeded in 
growth by the drought, and in some instances are completely 
ata standstill. It will be no use lifting those, though it would 
be better to do so in the case of sorts likely to supertuberate, 
which ruins the crop. The first tubers if lifted before super- 
tuberation takes place will be all right though small and light 
in crop. 
“OuR WOODLAND TREES” is the title of a new work 
(shortly to be published by Messrs. Sampson Low, Marston, 
and Co.), from the pen of Mr. Francis George Heath, author of 
the “ Fern World,” “The Fern Paradise,” &c. The volume, in 
addition to a descriptive account of British forest trees—illus- 
trated by coloured plates of leaves photographed from nature, 
and by wood engravyings—will include chapters on “The Life 
of a Tree,’ “Trees in Towns,” “London Trees,” Sylvan 
Streets,” &e. “Some Woodland Rambles” with accompani- 
ment of photographs will introduce the reader to some of the 
most charming scenery of the New Forest. There will further 
be included in the volume a brief history of the Epping Forest 
question, whilst also relating to Epping Forest are some de- 
scriptive chapters of rambles “ Where the Green Leaves Quiver,” 
“ Through a Green Ride,” and “ At Midnight.” 
—— Iv is stated, on the authority of the Agricultural 
Gazette of Hanover, that a discovery has recently been made 
of a new remedy for the PREVENTION OF RAVAGES TO 
CABBAGES by the common caterpillar. A steward of an estate 
in Hanover having: observed that one bed of Cabbages was 
left untouched by caterpillars whilst others were infested with 
them, found that the healthy bed had a quantity of Dill 
growing on it, the smell of which, apparently, was obnoxious 
to the caterpillars. As Dill will grow in almost any soil, it is 
suggested that the experiment might be tried by agriculturists. 
As indicative of the possibility of there being some truth in 
this, Zhe Colonies and India says :—‘ We have heard of the 
common green (‘Gooseberry’) caterpillar being kept off by 
planting Broad Beans close to the bushes; and the Pyrethrum, 
a strong-smelling weed which is cultivated as a garden border 
flower, is said to protect Vines from the ravages of the 
Phylloxera.”’—(Watwre.) : 
— As showing the great quantities of GARDEN PRODUCE 
RAISED IN FRANCE, she exported in one year, after supplying 
her domestic consumption, 3257 tons of Oranges and Lemons, 
42,700 tons of fresh fruit, 14,000 tons of dried fruit, 2135 tons 
of preserves and conserves, 21,300 tons of Nuts, 24,161 tons of 
dried vegetables, and 173,144 tons (6,414,042 - bushels) of 
Potatoes, 
ARAUCARIA CONES. 
Ir appears to me that “W.J.M., Clonmel’s,” Araucaria 
mentioned on page 91 is the female tree, as I have been 
assured the form of the cone is globular. We have here one 
that bears cones freely every year, and is evidently the male 
or pollen-bearing tree. The form of the cones is something 
like that of the Pinus nobilis, but, instead of standing erect as 
the cones of that noble Pine, they hang pendant. This season 
I have sent some of these cones to-a gardener that I should 
think has the female variety, and if so no doubt we shall see 
the result. I was told by one of our leading nurserymen that 
it did not mature its seed in this country, but I have also heard 
that it has. If I hear more about it I will communicate it to 
you.—T. C. ; 
[The male catkins are ovate-cylindrical, usually growing in 
clusters of from six to seven at the ends of the branches. The 
female cones are solitary and erect, they are oblate or nearly 
clobular, and are from 6 to 8 inches in diameter. The tree is 
