258 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 21,:1876. 



elsewhere according to my judgement. It hes, howiwer, one 

 grand defect which I've observed the new Eorts lately sent out 

 from France generally hev, and that is want of perfoom. It 

 has no more smell than an artificial un in a glass caise, but 

 in colour and form 'tis often loike a Carnella. 'Tis a good 

 autumn variety also, which mony aren't. 



As for them beautiful Teas which I have seen at shows, I 

 can do nowt wi' em in this climate onless I hev a hoose to 

 graw em in ; and this I cannot hev, for there's leetle to earn 

 and mony to keep. A freend of moiue who has a weet bit of 

 a stroocture nor bigger than a henhoose graws iu it wonderfu 

 Salamandars and Bulgaviles and Enoch's Amazons and sich 

 like — [We presume our correspondent means Allamandas, 

 Bougainvilleas, and Eucharis amazonica. — Eds.] — never looks 

 at a Tea Rose. I says to him, says I, " Friend Manchester, 

 whoy doant ye turn your ands to Tea Roses, sich as we seed 

 those southron chaps shaw at t' Cristal Palass, when me 

 and Betsy and your missus weent by cheap trip to Lunnon, 

 sich as Maria bran boots, Sovereign's Delight, and Catherine 

 Mermaid — [Here we suppose Marie Van Houtte, Souvenir 

 d'Elise, and Catherine Mermet are alluded to. — Eds.] — and 

 Clath of Goold. Them's the stuff to cooltivate ; foine they be, 

 and grander than they stoave plants." But he wulln't agree. 

 And noo I've tauled ye all I mane to, onless, as I've said afore, 

 you mak it warth me whoile. — Yobkshiee Tyke. 



THE WESTMINSTER AQUARIUM AND SUMMER 

 AND WINTER GARDEN. 



I very much regret to inform you that the large fruit show 

 which was arranged for the 4th and 5th of October next will 

 not take place, owing to a change in the directorate. This 

 has only come to my knowledge this afternoon, and I have 

 therefore taken the earliest opportunity of letting the exhibitors 

 know this by advertisement and otherwise. No one can regret 

 this more than I do, for I feel sure it will be a great disappoint- 

 ment to many who will have made considerable preparations 

 for it, and I confidently looked forward to seeing at West- 

 minster in October one of the largest and best fruit shows ever 

 held in London. 



I have no doubt the flower and fruit shows will be again 

 held at Westminster next year. I did my very best to make 

 them a success this year, and I hope to have the pleasure of 

 again meeting all the exhibitors who so well supported me 

 with their grand exhibits of flowers and fruit, and I take this 

 opportunity of thanking them all for the assistance they gave 

 me. — John Wills, Boyal Exotic Nursery, South Kensington. 



FILBERTS. 



We, in common with other editors, observe that topics seem 

 at times to be epidemic ; many letters reach us asking for in- 

 formation on one and the same subject. Just now the Filbert 

 is brought before us by several correspondents, and one from 

 Kent, we think, could tell us more than we can tell her. The 

 following notes include the information required by all our 

 querists, and we are indebted for them to Phillips's " Com- 

 panion for the Orchard" and Dr. Hogg's " Fruit Manual :" — 



" Filberts were originally brought out of Ponlus into Natolia 

 and Greece, and were, therefore, called Pontic Nuts ; from 

 thence they were procured by the Romans, and brought into 

 Italy, where they acquired the name of Abellan, or Avellan 

 Nuts, from Abella or Avella, a town of Campania, where the 

 best were cultivated (Pliny, b. xv. c. 22), and from thence 

 arose the French name Aveline. 



" When first known in this country they were called Nuts 

 with Full Beards, to distinguish them from the common Hazel 

 nut, as it will be observed that the husk or covering of this 

 nut resembles a man's full beard ; this was first corrupted into 

 Filbeard and Filberd, and from thence into Filbert. 



" These nuts still continue to be cultivated in the neighbour- 

 hood of Avelino, and, according to Mr. Swinburn's account, 

 the whole face of the neighbouring valley is covered with 

 them, and which in good years brings in a profit of 60,000 

 ducats (£11,250). 



"' The inhabitants of Avelino refresh the roots of these trees 

 with new earth, and prune off the straggling shoots with great 

 attention. Evelyn tells us in his ' Sylva,' that his family 

 name was derived from Avelin — ' I find (says he) some ancient 

 records and deeds in my custody, where my ancestors' names 

 were written Avelan, alias Evelin, generally.' " 



"Frizzled Filbert (Frizzled Nut; Cape Nut). — Husk hairy, 



twice as long as the nut, deeply frizzled, and Epreadingopen 

 at the mouth. Nut email, oblong, and flattened. Shell thick. 

 Kernel full. ThiB is rather a late variety. The tree is an ex- 

 cellent bearer, and the nuts are produced in clusters. 



" Lambert's Filbert (Kentish Cob ; Filbert Cob).— Husk 

 nearly smooth, longer than the nut, and very slightly cut 

 round the margin. Nut large, oblong, and somewhat com- 

 pressed. Shell pretty thick, of a brown colour. Kernel full, 

 and very richly flavoured. This is perhaps the best of all 

 the nuts. The tree is a most abundant bearer; some of the 

 nuts are upwards of an inch in length, and they have, with 

 care, been kept for four years. It is only after being kept for 

 some time that their full richness of flavour is obtained. 



" I am not aware whether this was raised or only introduced 

 by Mr. Aylmer Bourke Lambert, of Boynton, Wiltshire ; but it 

 is through him that it first was brought to the notice of the 

 Horticultural Society about the year 1812. It is improperly 

 called Kentish Cob, for the true Cobs are roundish thick- 

 shelled nnts, and it is not many years since it was grown in 

 the orchards of that county, the only varieties previously cul- 

 tivated being the Red and White Filberts. As an ovidence 

 that it is of comparatively recent introduction it is not 

 mentioned by Forsyth or Rogers. 



" Purple Filbert (Purple-leaved). — This differs from the Bed 

 Filbert in having the leaves of a dark blood-red colour, like 

 those of the Purple Beech. The fiuit is similar to, and quite 

 as good as, that of the Red Filbert, and is of a deep purple 

 colour. It is, therefore, not only valuable as an ornamental 

 shrub, bat produces excellent fruit. 



" Red Filbert (Red Hazel). — Husk hairy, longer than the 

 nut. Nut of medium size, ovate. Shell thick. Kernel full, 

 covered with a red skin. 



" White Filbert "(Wrotham Park). — Husk hairy, longer than 

 the nut, round the apex of which it is contracted. Nut 

 medium-sized, ovate. Shell thick. Kernel full, and covered 

 with a white skin." 



EARLY ROSE POTATO. 



"Market Gabdener" need not be afraid to advocate the 

 planting of Early Rose Potato in rich or even wet garden 

 ground, for it succeeds admirably. My soil is about as reten- 

 tive of moisture and as. rich as it can possibly be, and having 

 grown Early Rose for years I can testify that the more I know 

 of it the better I like it. The crop this season is simply pro- 

 digious, and the quality unsurpassable. Let me recommend 

 those who now abuse it to try it again. Plant early, dig early, 

 consume early ; and when they hav6 finished and have to 

 take to other Potatoes I think they will have to admit that 

 Early Rose is equal to any, and the best early Potato grown. 

 But it will not keep. Eat as you dig if possible, but if you 

 must lift and store do not let the tubers lie exposed to the air 

 a moment longer than necessary. Put them away fresh as 

 they come from the earth into layers of dry soil or sand, and 

 use them before you commence other sorts. 



Late Rose seems to be the same Potato, with good keeping 

 qualities. It ripens about a month later than the other, and 

 is a most valuable variety. It does with me as to cropping and 

 quality quite as well as its early sister. 



Snowflake is also first-rate here, and very handsome. In fact 

 in this locality the Americans are fast driving all other Pota- 

 toes out of the fields and gardens. While on the exhibition 

 table no others appear to have a chance against them. — 

 R. W. Beachet. 



This Potato has been with me this season, as "A Market 

 Geowee" describes, " of unsurpassable quality, and even pre- 

 ferable as a "floury" or "mealy" Potato to several of our 

 standard varieties. It has been condemned here in previous 

 seasons, and our soil is of a sandy poor nature, but the exces- 

 sive drought and heat, in my opinion, have had more to do 

 with improving its quality than anything else. Although not 

 a reliable variety as a table Potato, it is nevertheless useful for 

 the kitchen, being both early and prolific — J. W. Moorman. 



BOTANICAL NAMES. 

 Most horticulturists, probably, have been asked the name 

 of a plant by some visitor. The answer being given, the reply 

 is, " Who can recollect such long words? Why not give the 

 plant an English name ?" And who can understand the Eng- 

 lish name when it comes ? More Englishmen will understand 



