228 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND OOTrAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ March SO, 1871. 



plant, and not as a seeding plant, and this applies especially to 

 the earlier crops. From the time the Celery is pricked out, 

 transplanted to the trenches, &c., until taken up for use, the 

 roots should never he dry. Every time this dryness ocenrs, and 

 just in proportion to the strength and size of the plants, will an 

 efiort be made on their part in self-defence to throw up their 

 flower stems, instead of mere extension of growth. Hence the 

 whole system of gradually earthing-up early Celery a few inches 

 at a time was radically wrong, as I endeavoured to show years 

 ago. Every such earthing-np prevented waterings, rains, and 

 dews from affecting the roots, whilst the line foliage in bright 

 weather threw oft moisture so freely that ere long the roots 

 became as dry as it the soil about them bad been dried on 

 purpose, and, as stated before, up came the flower stem in self- 

 defence. The same principle applies to every plant, but it was 

 overlooked in the case of the Celery. Arrest by any means 

 vigorous growth, and you encourage the flowering and fruiting 

 or seeding process. Hence for all early Celery, except just a little 

 sprinkling of earth after watering to arrest evaporation, I pre- 

 fer tying the Celery loosely, which encourages the heart to rise 

 a little, watering well a day or two before earthing-np, and 

 making that earthing-up the first and last, doing this earthing- 

 up three weeks, or a little more, before the heads are wanted 

 for use. When I used to have Celery in July and August I 

 thus earthed-up small quantities at a time so as to come in 

 in succession to each other. By adopting this plan I have 

 rarely had a bolted head of early Celery. As the cool nights of 

 autumn come on, when loss of moisture from evaporation from 

 the foliage is reduced to a minimum, the old bit-by-bit system 

 of earthing-up may be followed with advantage. — E. Fish. 



EOSES, OLD AND NEW. 



With regard to old Eoses, what a pity that such fine and 

 excellent Eoses as Baronne Prevost, Gloire de Vitry, Duchesse 

 d'Orleans, and Monsieur de Montigny, should be expunged 

 from some of our catalogues. They are noble Eoses here, and 

 good throughout the year, and in every year. Mr. Cranston, so 

 far as my catalogues go, is the only nurseryman who still retains 

 M. de Montigny. It is one of the finest of the large Eoses, 

 very healthy, and scarcely ever suffers either from white or red 

 fungus. I have sixteen plants of it on the Manetti, and have 

 had them for many years. I hope it will be reinstated. It 

 is a good grower on the Manetti, and a continual, and very late 

 bloomer. 



One word about new Eoses, or Eoses of late date. I recom- 

 mend the following as fine choice Eoses, of excellent growth on 

 the Manetti — Edward Morren, Souvenir de Mens. Poiteau, 

 Mademoiselle Eugenie Verdier, and Marquise de Castellane. 

 This is a lovely Eose. I was much pleased with it last trying 

 season. I recommend, as a good grower and beautiful Eose, 

 Madame Trifie (Tea). The blooms of Marie Sisley and Louis 

 Van Houtte are most beautiful ; the latter has no equal in 

 its hue. I have a plant of each, but neither showed that 

 vigour of growth that I like. Still, last season was a very 

 trying one for juveniles on weak stocks. At present I can 

 only recommend the two Eoses for their blooms. I am a "slow 

 coach ;" but some coaches are too fast, and upset the pas- 

 sengers. The Marquise de Montmartre is beautiful, but the 

 plant has not yet exhibited growth enough. Madame Levet 

 (Tea) I have not yet bloomed, but it is a nice grower, and looks 

 like the sister of Madame Trifie. Monplaisir (Tea) is hardy 

 and an excellent grower, and I think it promising, but must 

 see it another season, before I will undertake to recommend it. 



We have had a hyperborean winter here, and these Eoses 

 (not yet bloomed) have wintered out of doors triumphantly, 

 from one to six plants each — Jules Chretien, Nardy Frfires, 

 Madame Jacquier, Comtesse d'Oxford, Madame Chirard, 

 Madame W. Paul (Moss), Abbe Giraudier, Paul Neron, Dupuy 

 Jamain, and Cl^mence Eaonx, a very fine grower. 



One word about Felix Genero. I recommended this lovely 

 and admirable Eose some time ago, and my recommendation 

 was pulled up by " the fast coaches." Mr. Cranston kindly 

 Bent me his new edition of his Eose book, and I see there 

 " one hundred hardy Eoses suitable for growing in the neigh- 

 bourhood of large manufacturing towns, where much smoke 

 prevails." Among the fifty best is Felix Genero. Among the 

 fifty best out of one hundred for the north of England and 

 Scotland, also for cold localities, is Felix Genero. Among the 

 best one hundred Eoses for show, is Felix Genero. Among 

 the selection of the finest Eoses for pot culture, is Felix Genero. 

 My roBery is in most beautiful condition, considering that I am 



a " slow coach." I lost only eight Eoses out of 1,833 last 

 winter. — 'W. F. Eadclytfe. 



GOLDEN CHAMPION AND BLACK MUSCAT OF 

 ALEXANDRA. GRAPES. 



Strange it is that complaints of this fine Grape should ap- 

 pear now and then in the Journal. The Muscat Hamburgh 

 [Black Muscat of Alexandria], has likewise been condemned by 

 many. Some have characterised it as unfruitful ; others as 

 weak in growth and constitution, and subject to nearly all the 

 ills attacking the Grape Vine. Now, it has been mv fortune to 

 plant and grow the Muscat Hamburgh in three different places 

 widely separated in Scotland, one place being in Berwickshire, 

 another near Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire, and the third in 

 Forfarshire. Under these different conditions of soil and 

 climate, I have found this Grape equal to a Black Hamburgh 

 in every way, so far as growth, and setting, showing, and per- 

 fecting its fruit are concerned, and on all occasions the Vines 

 were on their own roots. 



My experience with the Golden Champion has not been so 

 extended, but so far as that experience goes I shall detail the 

 results. We have it planted in two different houses here, one 

 in what we intend to be the early house. This house has its 

 borders heated outside and inside. Another plant has a place 

 in a succession house, which is filled principally with Muscats. 

 Both Vines had been planted a year last June, when each had 

 grown from eyes of the preceding year to be a shoot of 3 feet 

 long, and was in an 8-inch pot. Both plants made good growths 

 and showed fruit freely last spring. Of the bunches, we re- 

 moved all but one in the Muscat house, which bunch I ulti- 

 mately reduced in size, fearing it might injure the growth. 

 What remained succeeded well ; the berries swelled largely ; 

 colour, golden amber, with a faint russet shade next the sun. 

 I attribute this red cast to the syringing. Growth being our 

 object, the few bunches of fruit in the house were not con- 

 sidered. It fault can be found with thin-skinned berries, this 

 is one in the Golden Champion, so much bo, that one or two 

 cracked, but not until the fruit had hung dead ripe for some 

 time. The flavour was rich and luscious, with that pleasant 

 smack peculiar to the variety. Last autumn the growth made 

 by the Vine in the early house extended 24 feet, and that in 

 the intermediate house 18 feet. 



Now for the promise of the present year. Our first house of 

 Vines has reached the condition that makes it convenient to 

 thin the fruit bunches, the Vines having all broken nicely. I 

 find some instances of blind eyes on the Golden Champion in 

 this house, but not to the extent complained of by your corre- 

 spondent, " Henry NichoUs." Many of the eyes show double 

 bunches on the main rod, but the laterals are certainly de- 

 ficient. This, however, is not the case with the Vine in the 

 Muscat house, spurs and main rods are alike bursting fruit. 

 Perhaps the extra heat applied to ripen the Muscats last autumn 

 may account in some measure for this difference, but so far as 

 I can speak I have no reason to condemn, but rather feel most 

 hopeful of the Golden Champion proving the acquisition that 

 most people expected it to be. I may have more to say respect- 

 ing it next autumn, when its good or bad qualities will have 

 been more fully proven to me. — A. Keke. 



BROCCOLI FOR WINTER USE. 



Though much has been said showing the wreck of our winter 

 and spring vegetables, very little can be done as a remedy 

 against such severe weather. 



Having found Snow's Superb Winter White Broccoli very 

 useful, I feel it may interest some of the readers of this Journal 

 to say a word in its favour. Early in December I had heads 

 of this variety just turning-in. These plants I carefully took 

 up with good roots and planted them very closely in a cold 

 frame. On the first night of the severe frost I took up all the 

 stock I had, including those that showed no signs of flowering, 

 and consigned them to the same quarters, and my doing so 

 enabled me to supply the table on an average of three times 

 a-week until the 14th of February, on which day I out my last 

 dish. Though this is a very simple plan, it will amply repay 

 anyone for his trouble in lifting and transplanting. I usually 

 make two sowings — on the 1st of May, and about three weeka 

 later ; by doing this they succeed each other. 



I quite agree with Mr. Gardiner on the importance of pro- 

 tecting frozen plants from the adverse influence of bright sun- 

 shine, as to my surprise, on the 25th of December I found my 



