320 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ May 4, 1871 



set, Mrs. Laing, Clotli of G-old, Novelty, The Bride, and Creara of 

 Creams, and amongst fancies. Princess Teclr, Kob Roy, Parity, very 

 beantifolly edged, Jewel, Prince Leon, and Exquisite. — D., I)eal. 



GIANT POLYANTHUS. 



TJndep. the heading " Calcot," we twelve months ago gave an 

 account of a visit we paid to this charming retreat, three miles 

 beyond Beading on the Bath road. Wa were rather too-late 

 then to see the famed gardens of giant Primroses, Polyanthns, 

 and Cowslips in their best condition, though we were amply 

 rewarded for our journey by other objects of interest, which 

 were remarked upon at the time ; but we lived in the hope of 

 being enabled this year to gratify a curiosity which was only 

 deepened by what we had already seen, and by the expectancy 

 in which we indulged. Oar hope was not disappointed when 

 last week we spent a day at the hospitable country box of Mr. 

 Webb. The Primroses, Polyanthus, end Cowslips, and other 

 spring flowers, of which there are really acres, were one mass 

 of bloom, and such Polyanthus and Cowslips ! They are 

 "giants." They must be seen to be appreciated, for no de- 

 scription will suffice to give any idea of the size, and richness, 

 and variety of these flowers. For another week or two these 

 will be in the full splendour of their bloom, and we would re- 

 commend all who have the leisure and the opportunity to visit 

 Calcot, where we will ensure them a welcome reception from 

 the worthy proprietor. 



Among other, and there are many, things to be noted here, 

 ■we observed a large quantity of that rare bulb Narcissus (ijax) 

 cernuus flore-pleno, a beautiful double Narcissus, flowers of 

 which Mr. Webb exhibited at South Kensington a fortnight 

 ago, much to the delectation of lovers of this beautiful genus. 

 Crocuses are grown by the acre, and Snowdrops by the mile, 

 for there are lines and lines of the latter all over the place. 

 The trees of MarSchal Niel Eose have multiplied since our last 

 visit, till this lovely Eose salutes you in all directions. One 

 notable fact we may mention, Mr. Webb uses no stable manure, 

 but every leaf ofi his ten acres of Filberts is utilised. They 

 are all gathered in the autumn and thrown in a heap. They 

 are used extensively for hotbeds for Melons, Cucumbers, and 

 other cultural wants, and when rotted to vegetable mould they 

 serve as the only dressing the land requires. 



STRAWBERRY FORCING. 

 The showers of the 28th and 29th ult. would be of great im- 

 portanee to the Strawberry quarters. We are sorry to say that 

 our anticipations as to a shortness of bloom will be too well 

 realised, though there will still be a fair crop, especially on the 

 younger plants. The sunny days of the week gave a rich colour 

 and flavour to Strawberries under glass. We lately stated 

 we had done very well this season with pots on boards, with- 

 out anything beneath them Some we are obliged to keep in 

 flats or saucers to prevent the drip injuring crops beneath them, 

 for even in a lean-to Peach house we have at present four rows 

 of Strawberries, some of them too shaded for setting, but fair 

 for swelling. Being rather short of room, however, we filled 

 several lights of a pit with pots, after the fruit had setfresly, 

 and we had thinned out at least two-thirds of it. These pots 

 were set a couple of inches or so in a bed of decayed leaves, 

 ■with just a little heat beneath them. Not seldom we have 

 had fine fruit from adopting this plan, and allowing the roots 

 to run into the bed from the bottom of the pot. The plants 

 become more independent of the water-pot. Pots on boards, 

 slates, or any hard substance, require more watering, but 

 that watering gives nourishment though with more labour. 

 We allude to the matter thus prominently because some be- 

 ginners write to tell us, after what was stated lately about 

 setting pots on a solid shelf, that they fear they will be wrong 

 in plunging their pots in a decayed bed of dung and leaves. 

 Well, the whole of our experience leads in this respect to two 

 conclusions. First, that when Strawberry pots are set on turf, 

 &e., or less or more set in a bed of decomposing material, it is 

 best to manage so that the pot be not moved until tha fruit is 

 gathered ; and, secondly, we prefer, as in the above case, that 

 before Strawberry pots are put on or in a bed, the fruit should 

 be first set and commencing to swell, whilst the pots stand on 

 ahard bottom. By setting the pots on a bed at once, so en- 

 ticing for the roots to enter, we have had good shows, and a 

 remarkable growth of foliage, but the foliage seemed to steal 

 what the flower-stems ought to have had. By delaying plunging 



the pots in such a bed until the fruit were set and swelling, the 

 enticement given to the roots to go beyond the pot told more 

 on the fruit than on the mere foliage. We advise, therefore, 

 that a setting or plunging medium for a pot should be resorted 

 to after the fruit is set. Even then it is doubtful it the hard 

 shelf would not be quite as well, if varied weak manure water- 

 ings could be duly given. The safest artificial manure to 

 use is a pinch of dissolverj bones or superphosphate of lime 

 over the surface of the pot — that is, as much as can be held be- 

 tween the thumb and finder — every week. Those who are more 

 experienced can use anything; we use house sewage frequently, 

 but we like to judge of its strength each time. A great point 

 in watering, and especially in early forcing, is never to water 

 over the bud or centre of the plant before or shortly after the 

 flower truss appears. It is better in every way to sail the sur- 

 face soil, leaving the central bud high and comparatively dry. 



And again, as we are on this subject here are several in- 

 quiries. " Why don't you, and gardeners in similar places to 

 yours, have a Strawberry house such as you described as 

 existing at Enville years ago, and such as Mr. Ingram has at 

 Eelvoir ?" Why ? Just simply because we cannot help our- 

 selves. There is no end to the disadvantages of having Straw- 

 berries as temporary crops in other houses. For one thing the 

 Strawberry is a plant that is very sensitive to a high tempera- 

 ture. We need not enter further on the theory of insects, but 

 it is quite evident that when a plant is placed in unnatural 

 positions insects will soon show themselves in the way of reta- 

 liation. For example, we believe that many a vinery and many 

 a Peach house would never be visited by that little pest the 

 red spider but for Strawberry pots being placed in the highest,, 

 warmest, though the airiest positions, in places where the red 

 spider will be the most encouraged to attack the leaves, sul- 

 phur fumes from walls, &o., notwithstanding. Then in all 

 such houses the more shade, the more deficiency in setting, in 

 colour, and in flavour, whilst freely exposed in a high tempera- 

 ture, the greater the likelihood of the red spider showing itself, 

 and then it will not confine itself to the Strawberries. A Straw- 

 berry house, then, say we, where it can be had. — E. F. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



Proposed New Maeket. — Mr. Henry Meyers, the President 

 of the Market Gardeners', Nurserymen's, and Farmers' Associa- 

 tion, together with several of the other members, attended by 

 appointment at the Guildhall the other day for the purpose of 

 meeting the Market Improvement Committee of the City of 

 London, and fully explaining the requirements of the market 

 gardeners with reference to the great need for improved market 

 accommodation for the disposal of fruits, flowers, and vegetables 

 within the metropolis. Mr. Meyers stated that the growers had 

 for many years been making applications to the agents of the 

 Duke of Bedford to construct a roof over the whole of Covent 

 Garden Market, and make other really necessary improvements r 

 but no steps had yet been taken to meet the urgent wants of the 

 public and the trade. Under these circumstances the growers 

 were glad to hear that the Corporation of London contemplated 

 certain improvements and alterations in the City markets. 

 Some of the members had expressed an opinion that the site 

 in Smithfield near the New Meat Market would be most advan • 

 tsgeous to both buyers and sellers ; yet, after taking into full 

 consideration the central position and great width of Farring- 

 don Street, the Market Improvement Committee appeared to 

 consider that by means of a judicious outlay in altering the pre- 

 sent inconvenient levels and approaches, giving ample means 

 of ingress and egress, and constructing a light roof over the 

 whole area of Farringdon Market, the latter would be a source 

 of more profit to tlie Corporation, and within a few years 

 would rise from its present unsatisfactory state to the position 

 of a really first-class well-attended market. The deputation 

 was courteously received by the Market Improvement Com- 

 mittee, who went into the discussion in a business-like manner, 

 and it was ultimately agreed that a sub-committee from the 

 Market Improvement Committee should meet a sub-committee 

 from the Market Gardeners' Association, to discuss and arrange 

 the necessary details required either for the improvement of 

 Farringdon Market or the erection of a new market opposite 

 the New Meat Market. 



Fahe-well Dinner to Mr. Gough, of Lea Castle. — On 



the 24th ult. this tribute to merit was given by a considerable 

 number of the principal gardeners of the district. Mr. John 

 Gough for nearly eleven years was head gardener to J. P. Binon 



