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JOURNAL OP HOBTICTJLTUBE AND COTTAGE GAELENEE, 



[ December 7, 1S76. 



committee, to arrange a schedule of prizes for Auriculas and 

 Polyanthuses. Subscriptions amounting to upwards of £40 

 have teen promised, and further offers of support may be sent 

 to Mr. E. S. Dodwell, Larkhall Eise, Clapham. 



We lately noticed flowering in the collection of Messrs. 



Yeitch & Sons at Chelsea a plant of Lipabis pexdula, an in- 

 teresting Indian Orchid. It is not of recent introduction, nor 

 are the individual flowers of great beauty, yet are noticeable 

 as resembling those of Mignonette, and are scented like that 

 choice old favourite. They are borne on recurved spikes 

 9 inches in length. 



We have two letters, one informing us that Gabebaldi 



Stbawbebey was raised by Mr. Armstrong of Botcherby, Car- 

 lisle, and the other by the late Mr. Nicholson of Eagleseliffe, 

 Yorkshire ; while a third writer asserts that Garibaldi and Yi- 

 comtesse Hericart de Thury are synonymous. The fog thickens. 

 Mr. Wm. Thomson says that " Garibaldi has the property of 

 enduring more frost when blossoming than any other variety." 



A coeeespondent " J. L." informs us that he has 



grown Masters' Pbolieic Cucuiubeb for several years, and has 

 found no other to equal it for bearing either in summer or 

 winter. " It is," he says, " well named Prolific, for you may 

 cut a brace or two almost every time you want them. It grows 

 from 10 to 12 inches in length ; it has a short neek, and is 

 very tender and good-flavoured." 



AiiosGST the foreign productions in Covert Gardes 



Market we recently observed some fine heads of Globe Arti- 

 chokes, which we were informed had been sent from Mar- 

 seilles. They appeared to be of excellent quality, and were as 

 fresh-looking as if only brought from Fulham. 



Few plants are more easy of cultivation in pots than 



the Chbisthas Eose, Helleborus niger. Of late years this 

 valuable old plant has become extremely popular, as affording 

 large white flowers in the depth of winter, when such flowers 

 are always valued. The Christmas Eose grows and flowers 

 freely in 5 and 6-inch pots, which need only to be plunged 

 over their rims in the garden in summer and be removed to a 

 cold frame in the autumn, to aid their flowers in expanding 

 and keeping them clean. The plants do not need to be potted 

 oftener than once in two years, as they are somewhat im- 

 patient of having their roots disturbed. Plants thus esta- 

 blished in pots are very valuable for the decoration of the 

 greenhouse and conservatory. 



The weather for several days past has been extremely 



wet in London and its vicinity, and garden ground, except 

 where very light, has been totally unworkable. The daily 

 rains have been accompanied by mild temperature ; and many 

 green crops, such as Spinach, Cabbages, Lettuces, &c, are 

 growing freely — possibly too freely, for should a term of frost 

 suddenly occur these crops would not be likely to resist its 

 severity. The winter's supply of green vegetables which at 

 one time were so prospectively scarce, is so far equal to the 

 demand, and both green crops and root crops are plentiful and 

 good. Slugs and snails are also plentiful, and are making the 

 most of the mild weather. The season has been favourable 

 for the planting of trees and shrubs, and trade in these has 

 latterly been brisk in many nurseries. 



Me. Meebyweatheb, Southwell, Notts, has sent us fruit 



of a kitchen Apple named Braailey's Seedling, a variety 

 which we are informed is rapidly rising in public favour in the 

 midland counties. The fruit is large, in appearance somewhat 

 resembling Eeklinville Seedling, and is very heavy. The flesh 

 is white, juicy, and melting, and ha3 a brisk sparkling flavour. 

 If this Apple sustains its character as being as " hardy and 

 free in growth as Blenheim Pippin, and as productive as 

 Dumelow's Seedling," it cannot fail to become valuable for 

 orchard-planting. We will submit the fruits to a more careful 

 examination, for it appears to be a meritorious variety. We 

 should like to know its history. 



We have received from Mr. Bell of Clive House, near 



Alnwick, a new black seedling Grape of great promise. It 

 resembles the Black Alicante more nearly than any other va- 

 riety, but is decidedly superior to that fine-looking Grape. 

 The berries of the seedling are of the same shape as those of 

 Alicante, are perfectly black with a leathery skin and stout 

 warted footstalks. It is evidently a free setter, every berry 

 being equal in size, closely packed, and well formed. The 

 flesh is firmer than that of the Alicante, and the flavour and 

 quality are certainly superior, although the bunch was not in 

 perfect condition. We think highly of this Grape, and con- 



gratulate Mr. Bell on raising such a distinct and promising 

 variety. Mr. Bell's vineries were described in our columns on 

 page 420. 



■ The best kinds of variegated Hollies are deserving 



of more attention than they generally receive as winter 

 decorative plants. For balconies, terraces, window sills, halls, 

 and staircases, also for lawns, shrubberies, and flower beds, 

 these bright and cheerful shrubs impart colour and beauty 

 which cannot be equalled by any other hardy plant. No 

 Coleuses in summer are so distinctly bright as these Hollies in 

 winter, yet there are very many gardens which do not contain 

 them. They are villa-garden shrubs par excellence, and should 

 never be forgotten at this the period of planting time. Moderate- 

 size shrubs remove safely from now until April when the 

 weather is favourable. 



At the Shitheield Clue Cattle Show Messrs. Sutton 



and Son, the Queen's Seedsmen, Beading, have an imposing 

 stand. The whole of the specimens are of that clean growth 

 which denotes great care in the selection of the stocks, the im- 

 portance of which cannot be over-estimated. The back of the 

 stand is occupied with a collection of Grasses, consisting of 

 upwards of three hundred different varieties, and including all 

 those which Messrs. Sutton use in the preparation of their 

 Grass-seed mixtures. It is most essential in laying down land 

 to Grass to sow such kinds as are suitable to the peculiar 

 geological formation, and this has been a special study of the 

 firm for well nigh half a century. Among the Potatoes are 

 Sutton's Bedskin Flourball and Sutton's Hundredfold Fluke, 

 as well as their new late white kidney " Magnum Bonum." 

 This, they say, promises to be one of the best white kidney 

 varieties in cultivation, being very robust in habit, possesses a 

 strong constitution, and is remarkably free from disease, while 

 it is mealy and an extraordinarily heavy cropper. Messrs. 

 James Carter & Co. have a similarly large and good display at 

 the same Show, which we will notice further next week. 



NOTES on VILLA. aud SUBTJBBAN GABDENING. 



The conservatory or small greenhouse will be the principal 

 attraction to amateur gardeners now and for some time to come, 

 and to render the enjoyment of these structures complete the 

 plants must be kept perfectly clean and healthy. This cannot be 

 done without constant attention. Means should also be taken 

 that the interior of the house be kept clean in every part. Every 

 plant should be looked at, and all decayed leaves should be re- 

 moved; all damp should be dried up by gentle fires in dull or 

 wet weather, and watering should be done in a more careful 

 manner than at any other time of the year. Persons who are 

 not practically familiar with plant culture may easily make very 

 serious mistakes in watering. However, it must not be considered 

 that a plant will require as much water in winter as in summer 

 unless it is subjected to a very high temperature, and here is 

 when judgment is needed ; and as some plants require more water 

 than others, those which are over-watered are Eoon destroyed. 



The object of watering should be to prevent an amount of dry- 

 ness being reached which is injurious to the plants, and, on the 

 other hand, not to apply water in excess of what the plants really 

 require, for in that case the soil becomes gorged and soddened, 

 and the plant languishes. If cultivators like to work within 

 these limits there need be no fear of their plants suddenly going 

 wrong. 



Scarcely any of the ordinary greenhouse plants will bear grow- 

 ing-on quickly in these dull months, for if so the growth is 

 weakly, and when the time for flowering comes the flowers are 

 not only small but the colour is imperfect. Avoid overcrowding 

 as much as possible, because air ought to circulate freely among 

 the plants if they are to be kept healthy ; and plenty of light too 

 is an indispensable element; — quite as much so as air, and in order 

 to have light the plants- should be kept as near the glass as 

 possible. Let watering be done before mid-day, so that the plants 

 as well as the housa be quite dry before night. A continual 

 dampness of the house must be particularly avoided, for it 

 brings on mildew and many other diseases.— Thojias Becoed. 



DOINGS OP THE LAST AND WOBK FOB 

 THE PEESENT WEEK. 



HABDY FEUIT GARDEN". 



There has not been much done in this department different 

 from what was detailed in a previous number, and the instruc- 

 tions there given (page 451 1, if they have not been followed out, 

 ou°ht no longer to be delayed. The present is the best time for 

 plantinf all kinds of fruit trees ; and if the ground is not yet 

 prepared it may still be done. But although the present is the 

 best time for planting it is not the only time, as the trees may 



