JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGK GAEDENEB. 



[ July 28, 1870. 



de Dr. Jamais, audi I think he is right ; but as I mean to have 

 a Bay on " some discarded Eoses " by-and-by, I will add no 

 more on this point. All over his garden the queen asserts her 

 authority ; it is " Eoses, Rose?, Eoses everywhere " — on the 

 front of his house, on the sides thereof, on the pretty bank at 

 its back, in the rosarium proper, along the walks of his kitchen 

 garden in double tiers : so that I do not wonder to hear that so 

 many of all ranks and classes, admitted by his genial kindness 

 to see his garden from far and near, have expressed their delight 

 at the prospect. 



Strawberries are another feature of Mr. Eadclj He's gardening, 

 and probably nothiDg could more thoroughly testify his skill 

 than their appearauce at this season. Loud have been the 

 eomplaiuts of deficiency of supply and smallness of the fruit, 

 but such complaints find no echo here. I have never seen 

 (I say it advisedlj), such plants and such crops ; for although 

 I am here at the end of the season, the size and excellence 

 of the Strawberries are something wonderful. As Mr. Ead- 

 elyfi'e has, however, himself written on this subject, I can do 

 no more than corroborate his views from personal survey. Mr. 

 Radcljffe he regards as the finest-fleshed and finest-flavoured 

 Strawberry. Dr. Hogg comes next in his estimation, and for 

 general prowth he advises it in preference to Mr. Eadcl.) ffe. 

 Eivers's Eliza cotne3 next, then John Powell ; and for size and 

 preserving, Cockscomb and Wonderful. 



This season is in general a good one for wall fruit, but I very 

 much question if anywhere a more regular crop is to be seen 

 than on the smell trees which now cover Mr. BadclyfiVs wall. 

 He has had them now planted three or four years, and he might 

 by this time, had he so liked, have covered the entire space 

 with a few trees ; but he prefers variety, and so has about 108, 

 which he keeps within bounds by a judicious system of pinch- 

 ing. He does not allow them in a season like this to crop 

 heavily, preferring fine fruits to a quantity of indifferent ones. 

 There is no blistering on the leaves, and but little symptom of 

 ihat pest red spider. In fact, going all over his garden, you 

 eould hardly imagine that we were in the midst of one of the 

 most trying seasons on record. 



Mr. BadcJyffe, like myself, is pretty well tired out of Potato 

 trials, and, although be has several new varieties growing iu 

 his garden, is determined for the future to cling to those he 

 has already proved to be good. " Early ripeners and late 

 keepers" is his motto, and such sorts as the Old Ashleaf, 

 Eivers's Eoyal Ashleaf, Cobbler's Lapstone, Taylor's Hybrid, 

 and Yorkshire Hero seem to be all that he requires. Of the 

 American sorts he has no opinion, and a Potato tournament 

 he cannot see the value of. I confess I agree with him in 

 this. Of what use is the best-looking Potato in the world if 

 ?t is not a good one for eating ? and some of the very prettiest 

 Potatoes and largest croppers are in this predicament— for 

 example, Premier and Prince of Wales; and I am afraid, if 

 the judges were to be called upon to taste, so many are the 

 ■varieties, that they would be like the celebrated wine committep, 

 which at last ordered port instead of sherry, and sherry instead 

 of port. A good Potato will, like the Lapstone, win its way, 

 and all the Potato tournaments in the world will not help it on 

 if it be indifferent. 



What, then, is the secret ? "Water." If with the Manches- 

 ter school " Cotton is king;" if with the politician "Begister! 

 Register ! " is the ery ; so with my friend, Water is king. He 

 has had two men constantly watering; and everything — 

 Eoses, Strawberries, Peaches, and Nectarines — has been well 

 saturated ; and this, with his rational common-sense method of 

 doing things, secures him that success which often great theorists 

 and would-be philosophers never attain to. I should add that 

 " Steeve " is as dry as ever, as thoroughly as ever believes in 

 hit master, is as laborious and painstaking as a man can well 

 !>e, and does his best to maintain the credit of the famous 

 garden he has to manage. — D., Deal. 



SOFT SOAP AS AN INSECT DESTROYER 

 About 1855 I was growing a few Dahlias, and soon after they 

 were planted out tbey were nearly destroyed by the fly. In a 

 bucket nearly full of water I mixed some soft soap, and taking 

 some of the water in my hand I drew it up each shoot, com- 

 mencing at the bottom, wetting the under as well as the upper 

 sides of the leaves. There was not a fly to be seen next day. 

 Seeing the effect on the Dahlia, I tried the experiment on Eoses 

 with the same result, but the improved appearance of the 

 foliage surpassed that of the Dahlia. In applying the water 

 %t> the Eose I take the end of the shoot in the left hand, and 



with the right throw the water on, or hold the shoot over the 

 bucket and wet the foliage well without wasting much water. 



About nine years ago I put up a greenhouse, and grew a few 

 Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, herbaceous Calceolarias, Cinerarias, 

 and some other plants, but those I have named I found most 

 subject to insect attacks. My house was glazed with rather 

 small squares of glass, and was, therefore, not very easy to fumi- 

 gate tffectually. I nearly filled a large pail with water, mixed 

 some soft soap with the water, and when any of the plants were 

 attacked by aphis I took the pot in my right hand, placed my 

 left hand on the soil to keep it from falling out of the pot, 

 turned the plant upside down, and ducked it in the water. At 

 the end of two years, when the solution was accidentally upset, 

 it was as effectual as on the day it was prepared. 



There appears to be some doubt about the proper weight of 

 soft soap to use to a gallon of water. I always mix the soap 

 in warm water first, taking care to leave none undissolved. A 

 little soap will do no harm to any of the plants I have named, 

 will kill the fly, and, especially in the case of Eoses, will im- 

 prove the beauty of the foliage. Of course greenhouse plants are 

 only dipped when out of bloom, but doing so beforehand is a 

 preventive of insects. 



I have never had occasion to use soft soap to my Dahlias 

 since 1865, but the Boses have required a dressing or two every 

 year. As it seems to improve the foliage, I have applied 

 the soft soap even when the fly has not made its appearance. 

 I have scarcely known what mildew meant, and this year, 

 although so hot and dry, I have not seen an aphis on the Bose. 

 As I have been very bu?y, the plants were so clean, and the 

 blooms the best I have ever had, the customary bath was not 

 given, and now I have not a Bose on the Manetti or its own 

 roots which is not white with mildew. Those on the Briar at 

 present are all light. — J. C. H., Moorgate Grove, Rotheiham. 



THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S 

 OXFORD SHOW. 



[Concluded from page 47.) 

 VEGETABLES. 

 Of these, considering that there were only five classes, and these 

 necessarily very limited, in which vegetables eonld be exhibited, 

 the exhibition may be said to have been good, most of the articles 

 being of very fair quality. Peas and Potatoes were well shown. 

 These, however, were the only special subjects asked for. We should 

 like to see vegetables generally better recognised at our provincial 

 shows, and greater encouragement given to their cultivation. It may 

 be that they have not such an ornamental appearance as fruit on the 

 exhibition tables, and are not quite so attractive to the general sight- 

 seer ; still, being by far the most important products of a provincial 

 garden, and their cultivation the most important of a gardener's duties — 

 seeing, also, that the cultivation of vegetables is not what it should be, 

 and that the rising race of gardeners are somewhat inclined to look 

 down upon this department as derogatory, wo think that the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, ffhich professes to hold its meetiugs for the 

 encouragement of cultivation, would do well to make good vegetables 

 a greater feature in their provincial exhibitions. 



The prize given by W. Muuton, Esq., for the best nine dishes or 

 baskets of vegetables, was awarded to Mr. George Craddock, gardener 

 to Lord Willoughby de Broke, Compton Verney. In this there were 

 excellent Cauliflowers, Parsnips, Peas, Globe Artichokes, Beet, Italian 

 Bed Onions, Prince of Wales Potatoes, good Tomatoes, and Cucum- 

 bers. Mr. Miles, gardener to Lord Carrington, was placed second, and 

 Mr. Perkins, gardener to the Earl of Hartismere, Eye, Suffolk, third ; 

 the second prize being given by the Oxford Journal, and the third by 

 W. Munton, Esq. Mr. Broadbiidge and Mr. Henwood, gardener to 

 M. H. Turnbnll, Esq., also competed with good collections. The Cauli- 

 flowers were throughout much finer than we could have expected to 

 find them. 



For the best three baskets of Bound and ditto Kidney Potatoes, the 

 prizes given by Messrs. Hall & Co., the competition in each class was 

 keen, thirteen collections being set up. The first prize in both in- 

 stances was awarded to Mr. Craddock, gardener to Lord Willoughby 

 de Broke, the specimens being clean and well grown. The second 

 prize for Bound Potatoes went to Mr. Henry Miuchin, Hook Norton ; 

 the third to Messrs. Bell & Thorpe ; and the fourth to Mr. Earley, 

 Digswell. In the class for Kidneys Mr. Miles was placed second, Mr. 

 Earley third, and Mr. D. Gammon fourth. For six dishes of Peas, 

 " preference being given to collections containing Fortyfold and 

 Multum-in-parvo," the prizes being given by Messrs. Nutting & Sons, 

 Mr. Simmons, Union, Tbame, was placed first with very fine examples 

 of McLean's Wonderful, Multum-in-parvo, Premier, Fortyfold, Veitch's 

 Perfection, and Berkshire Hero. Mr. J. Walker was placed second. 

 Iu the class for three half pecks of Peas, one variety, the prize being 

 given by Mr. David Day, some confusion seemed to exist as to whether 

 it was intended for three half pecks of one variety, or for three half 



