298 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ October 5, 1876. 



it is a good plan to place the pots in a gentle bottom heat, so 

 that the roots are stimulated into action at the same time as 

 the top ; this is the more necessary if the plants have to be 

 placed in a high night temperature to begin with. I have 

 grown the Hyacinth very successfully for many years, and the 

 above few remarks contain all the instructions requisite for 

 their culture. 



The following list of sorts are those that I grow for exhi- 

 bition, but they are also the best for ordinary greenhouse 

 culture. The double varieties are marked with a (t). — Red: 

 tDuke of Wellington, Fabiola, Garibaldi, Gigantea, tLord 

 Wellington, fKoh-i-noor, Lord Macaulay, Linnaeus, Prince 

 Albert Victor, Solfaterre, Von Schiller, and Vurbaak. Blue : 

 Baron Von Tuyll, Blondin, Charles Dickens, Czar Peter, De 

 Candolle, Fernck Khan, Grand Lilas, General Havelock, -King 

 of the Blues, Leonidas, Lord Derby, Laurens Koster, Marie, 

 Mimosa, and fVan Speyk. Mauve and Purple : Haydn and 

 Sir Henry Havelock. White : Alba Maxima, Baroness Von 

 Tnyll, La Grandesse, L'Innocence, Mont Blanc, and Grandeur 

 a Merveille. Yellow : Bird of Paradise and Ida. 



Early-flowering Tulips require very similar treatment to that 

 of Hyacinths, except that decayed stable manure may be used 

 instead of cow manure, and three bulbs should be placed in a 

 pot instead of one. The single varieties are the best, and 

 when well grown they are very showy and last a long time in 

 beauty. Some few of the double sorts may be worth growing 

 where there is a large collection, but I do not cultivate any of 

 them. The most useful sorts both for exhibition and green- 

 house are the following: — Chrysolora, Couleur de Cardinal, Fa- 

 biola, Le Matelas, Pottebakker (white), Proserpine, Keizers- 

 kroon, Bose Luisante, Van der Neer, Vermilion Brilliant, and 

 Wouverman. 



Polyanthus Narcissus may be placed next to the Tulip, and 

 by many persons is preferred ; they require very similar 

 treatment, and may also be potted three bulbs in a 6-inch 

 pot. Some of the varieties are better adapted than the others 

 for eaily forcing, but all of them are beautiful, and the flowers 

 are highly fragrant. The earliest sorts are the double Boman | 

 and the Dutch variety Paper White. They Bhould, like the 

 earliest Hyacinths, be potted early in September, when they 

 may be had in flower from Christmas. Some of the best sorts 

 for greenhouse culture are Bathurst, Bazleman Major, Grand 

 Monarque, Grand Primo, Newton, Queen of the Netherlands, 

 Soleil d'Or, and Staten General. — J. Douglas. 



very large when I was a little boy, yet I cannot think such a 

 very valuable Apple has been lost sight of. It is everything 

 that can be desired as a cooking Apple, being large in size, 

 rather flat, very short-stalked ; colour greenish white, very 

 rarely streaked with red, when fully ripe pale straw-coloured 

 and remarkably greasy to the touch. The tree is of good habit 

 as a standard, seldom requiring pruning ; the blossoms are 

 pure white. I hope someone will recognise it from my de- 

 scription. — J. J., Lancashire. 



GREASY COAT APPLE. 



I am inclined to think that the " book name " of the above 

 Apple, which has been praised by " J. J., Lancashire," is the 

 Transparent Codlin. This Apple may be frequently found 

 growing in Lincolnshire, where it is highly esteemed for its 

 good qualities. About a week after the fruit has been gathered 

 it turns exceedingly greasy, or "clammy" as it is termed in 

 the local vernacular, hence probably the name of " Greasy 

 Coat." Many a cottager has paid his rent from a tree of 

 " Transparent," and in that respect I have frequently had the 

 best of evidence, having assisted in gathering and selling the 

 iiuit for " rent day." 



The Lincolnshire Transparent forms a fine stately standard 

 tree, and it is rare indeed that it does not produce a "paying 

 crop " of fine fruit. The fruit is large and generally conical, 

 although many specimens are somewhat flattened. The skin 

 is a smooth light yellow, slightly flnshed on the side next the 

 sun. The stalk is short and slender, and is inserted in a deep 

 and broad cavity, and this cavity is occasionally mottled with 

 light dots. The flesh is exceedingly white, clear, and juicy, 

 hence probably the name of " Transparent," which is certainly 

 very appropriate. As a culinary Apple none is of better quality 

 than this, and no Apple in its season is in greater demand 

 by purchasers who are acquainted with it. It is ready for use 

 in September, and the crop is generally gathered in October, 

 when the fruit will keep almost until Christmas. 



I have given these characteristics of the variety in order 

 that "J. J., Lancashire," may judge whether it is the same 

 as "Greasy Coat" which he has mentioned on page 257. If 

 so, I can say with him that " I do not know any other autumn 

 Apple to surpass it." — J., Lincolnshire. 



Pike's Pbabmatn and Domino can be procured at Mr. Pear- 

 son's, Chilwell Nurseries, near Nottingham, but I am doubtful 

 if what I called " Greasy Coat" is known under that name; I 

 could never obtain any young trees of it, and my trees were 



VIOLET ODORATA PENDULA. 



I forward for your inspection a few blooms of Odorata 

 pendula, or New York Violet. I have frequently been surprised 

 in reading the remarks on Violets made from time to time in 

 the Journal, that this charming variety is entirely overlooked. 

 It has with me proved to be the greatest possible acquisition. 

 Evidently a seedling from the Neapolitan, it nevertheless sur- 

 passes that grand variety in every particular. The plants from 

 which the enclosed specimens were gathered are planted side by 

 side with the Neapolitan, under precisely similar circumstances. 



As yet the latter shows no sign of blooming for weeks to 

 come, while O. pendula is laden with the most delicious 

 flowers. The colour, too, is much more intense and pleasing; 

 the Neapolitan being a pale greyish lilac, while 0. pendula is 

 a deep mauve, and when grown under glass usuaUy shows a 

 dark red eye. 



The perfume is the same as that of its parent — the highest 

 possible praise ; for of all the Violet tribe, I could almost say 

 of all flowers, not one is to be compared for sweetness with the 

 Neapolitan Violet. One can only describe its scent as a mixture 

 of the most delicate essences of Wallflower, Heliotrope, and 

 Violet combined. Just so sweet as not to be cloying, juBt so 

 strong as not to be overpowering. 



This best of all Violets, too, appears to be much more hardy 

 than the Neapolitan, blooming freely in the open air without 

 the slightest protection, and standing both sun and wet well. 

 The blooms sent were exposed all day yesterday to very heavy 

 rain, and seem little the worse for it. It is a stronger grower 

 than the Neapolitan, as you will observe by the foliage en- 

 closed. The two large leaves are from 0. pendula, and the 

 smaller one (the largest I could find) from the Neapolitan, 

 otherwise the plants are very similar in shape and colour, 

 0. pendula being a rather lighter green. 



Not one of the least of its recommendations is the extraor- 

 dinary way in which it increases and the ease with which it 

 may be propagated. A single plant last spring divided into 

 between fifty and sixty pieces, all of which grew, and are now 

 plants from 9 to 10 inches across laden with blooms. Besides 

 these the summer runners have produced between one and two 

 hundred smaller plants, some of which are showing bloom 

 already. I can only add that as a frame Violet it is superb. 

 Last winter it gave us a succession of blooms all through the 

 season until the end of March, and was much admired by all 

 who saw it. — B. W. Beachet, Fluder, Kingskersicell, Devon. 



[We agree with Mr. Beachey that it is one of the varieties 

 most worthy of cultivation. The size and doubleness of the 

 flowers and their perfume are unsurpassed among Violets. — 

 Eds] 



ME. PEARSON'S GERANIUMS. 

 I quite agree with your correspondent " C. P. P." as to the 

 merits of the new varieties of Mr. Pearson's Geraniums, moBt 

 of which I have grown in borders this year ; and the richness 

 and grandeur of colour so far surpasses the old bedders that 

 I can hardly imagine the latter being used where the others 

 are known. The enormous trusses he mentions are a fine 

 feature, but I wonder he does not name Mulberry, which I 

 consider the most beautiful and most extraordinary, as to 

 colour especially ; and I would add Brutus, Mrs. Wm. Brown, 

 and Charles Smith to the list of excellent and gorgeous novel-. 

 ties, all Mr. Pearson's. — J. H. 



THE ROSE ELECTION. 



DECLABATION OF THE POLL. 



Opinions doubtless will vary as to the quality of the Boses 

 exhibited during the present season, a season in many respects 

 most remarkable and much to be remembered by all interested 

 in the vegecable kingdom. In one of my replies from Hereford 

 occurs the following passage — " The unusual dry season has 



