140 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ August 25, 1870. 



between Alpha and Little Gem, and Bingleader and Little 

 Gem, all showing marks of distinction and promise of merit. 

 From some of these comes a deep green, early, wrinkled 

 Marrow, a wrinkled Pea as early as Sangster's No. 1, and 

 as green as possible. This is a decided novelty and a great 

 gain. 



We have, again, some carions results from crosses of the old 

 pnrple-flowered Maple Pea, the purple blood of which seems to 

 drive the white Peas mad ; they run into all colours, being 

 white, brown, green, freckled, and speckled; something in- 

 teresting Mr. Laxton will no doubt secure. Again, there are 

 numerous crosses from the Sugar Peas, those of which the 

 pods are eaten like Kidney Beans. What may come out of 

 these one can hardly tell — enormous podders, no doubt. Lastly, 

 and I found them growing at the farthest-off side of Mr. Lax- 

 ton's garden, were, perhaps, the finest lot of Peas the world 

 has ever seen ; they were superior in size and appearance to 

 Laxton's Supreme. I measured one pod which was quite 

 6 inches in length, full of large peas, and remarkably handsome. 

 This was the last. I cared for no more. — Archambatjd. 



THE GLADIOLUS AT SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



The general details of the Show having been already given 

 in last week's Journal, I am left the more free to enter upon 

 that part of the subject which is more especially grateful to me 

 ■ — not the comparative merits of the different exhibitions, but 

 the value of the different flowers. One or two words, however, 

 I must say. The Exhibition amply bore out what I have ever 

 stated — that if you give real encouragement to a flower you 

 will soon induce people to grow and exhibit it, and the value of 

 such exhibitions no one can tell. If a few prizes of a pound 

 a-piece had been offered, would they have brought men from 

 Kelso, Dumbarton, Taunton, Edinburgh, &c. ? Should we have 

 heard, as we did, the broad Doric Scotch on all sides of us ? I 

 am only sorry that we did not also hear the rich unctuous 

 brogue of Cork and Dublin. Perhaps another year we may be 

 so favoured. And assuredly our thanks are due to the Bev. 

 Joshua Dix for having originated and carried out this scheme. 

 Its success will, let us hope, induce him to try it again. I may 

 just as well say, to show the value of such shows, that two of 

 my acquaintances were so delighted with the flowers that they 

 at once determined to grow them, and will purchase a selection 

 of sorts — one of them, at any rate, to exhibit. 



It is quite clear that the last two or three years have mate- 

 rially altered and improved the Gladiolus. Varieties that we 

 then thought excellent will bear no comparison with those of 

 later date. The flowers individually are larger, the tendency 

 to be " winged " is less, and a larger number of flowers are 

 opened together. Who, for example, would care to grow Beine 

 Victoria when he can grow Madame Desportes, or Napoleon III. 

 when he can have Horace ? and hence a great change is seen 

 in the character of the stands. Of the flowers, then, of last 

 year — that is, sent out in the autumn of 1868, the following 

 were shown in fine condition : — 



Homere. — A long spike. A sort of light purple flamed with 

 brilliant magenta. 



Madame Desportes. — A magnificent bloom of this graced Mr. 

 Kelway's stand. It was of the purest ivory white, with a violet 

 feather in the lower petals. 



Madame Dombrain — Dwarf plant, but vigorous; well-arraDged 

 spike, somewhat in the style of Homere, but distinct. 



Marie Stuart. — A very beautiful blush flower, tinted with 

 rose and flamed with carmine. A most beautiful flower. 



Michel Ange. — A very remarkable variety ; long spike, dark 

 purplish crimson, light centre, and the flower very curiously 

 displayed — more like a Lily than a Gladiolus. I fear it is deli- 

 cate in habit. 



Monsieur Legouve. — A splendid fiery red, the petals with a 

 white line on them ; a grand flower. Vigorous plant. 



Racine. — A magnificent spike of this was in Messrs. Stuart 

 and Mein's stand from Kelso. A fine cherry colour stained 

 with violet, 



Schiller. — A pale primrose flower, large carmine spots, very 

 handsome. 



Argus is too pointed, FenSlon and Thomas Methven have 

 the flowers too far apart, Bomulus is too loose, Virgile fine in 

 colour, but somewhat starry. 



The eight above mentioned were all fine, and all shown in 

 good condition. 



With regard to the flowers of 1870 — that is, those let out 



last autumn, the following were shown well, and are worthy of a 

 place in any collection : — ■ 



Armide. — A grand spike of this was exhibited by Stuart and 

 Mein. It is a white ground tinted with carmine. 



Agathee. — Fine spike of large flowers ; light ground tinted 

 with orange. 



Delicatissima. — A beautiful light, delicate violet flower, well 

 deserving its name. 



Be Humboldt. — Cherry red tinted with purple, somewhat of 

 the colour of Michel Ange. 



Horace. — Bed with white spots, of the same style as Na- 

 poleon III., but greatly improved. 



Orphee. — A magnificent spike of this was in my own stand ; 

 it is a fine flower, rose ground flamed with carmine. ■ 



Robert Fortune. — Carmine-flamed, crimson centre. 



Rosa Bonheur. — White, with a deep violet carmine spot. It 

 has a peculiarity of doubling back the top petal, which a little 

 detracts from its beauty. 



Rosea Perfecta. — Bose-tinged violet, each petal marked with 

 white. 



There are others yet to be decided on, such as Bijou, Living- 

 stone, Elizabeth, La Candeur, Pericles, Spectabilis, Sylphide, 

 and Sultane, about which I may have to say more by-and-by. 

 — D., Deal. 



THE STRAWBERRY SEASON OF 1870. 



I consider a dry season the best for Strawberries ; it causes 

 no diminution in the quantity of the produce, and the quality 

 is. vastly improved. Of course abundant supplies of water must 

 be administered. Take, for instance, that fine but peculiar 

 Strawberry Dr. Hogg; in a wet season it is very indifferent, but 

 in a season like the present it has been unsurpassed. 



The rainfall for the first six months of the year was not 

 much more than half the usual quantity. In January we had 

 1.59 inch, in February 0.22 inch, in March 1.76 inch, in April 

 0.40 inch, in May 0.56 inch, in June 0.45 inch; in all 4.98 

 inches. Excepting by well-watered plants no runners were 

 formed. The superiority of young plants was easily determined 

 this year ; the value of deep cultivation and high manuring 

 equally so. For pot culture Black Prince is still grown as the 

 earliest variety ; it is a sure bearer, and always colours well. 

 For the second crop Premier was grown this year, succeeded 

 by President. Premier is not first-rate as regards flavour, but 

 is a most robust grower, and bears an immense crop of large fruit 

 of a bright dark red colour. President is one of the best both 

 for pot culture and out of doors. For late bearing British 

 Queen, La Constante, Mr. Badclyffe, and Frogmore Late Pine 

 are most esteemed. Dr. Hogg is generally very deficient in 

 colour when grown in pots under glass, although the fruit are 

 of the largest size of any. La Constante is a great favourite ; 

 it is not to be compared with British Queen or President for 

 flavour ; the flesh is very firm, and it is the best variety to 

 - keep after it is ripe. The fruit is of a brilliant crimson. 



The main point in successful cultivation is to have the 

 runners layered early, and let the plants experience no check 

 to their growth afterwards. The pots ought to stand on a hard 

 bottom, and means should be taken to prevent the ingress of 

 worms through the holes. I set each pot singly on a brick; the 

 plants are by this method more fully exposed to the sun and 

 air, and worms are effectually excluded. If bricks cannot be 

 obtained the next best method is to form a bed of coal ashes, 

 beat it hard, and make it perfectly level with a rake. Oat of 

 about 250 grown in the orchard house there were not more 

 than two or three barren plants ; two or three more were turned 

 out because of weak or badly formed trusses. 



Lucas and Souvenir de Kieff I fruited for the first time this 

 year. They are both good. Lucas is the stronger grower and 

 superior to the other. I think it wiD displace La Constante. I 

 cannot concur in M. Gloede's estimate of Sir Joseph Paxton ; 

 it sometimes does well, but is uncertain and very much subject 

 to mildew : for the last-named reason alone I have discarded 

 it. Mr. Weir's estimate in the same page (99), is also very 

 different from mine. The reason must be the difference in soil 

 and climate. Lucas, President, La Constante, and British 

 Queen he discards. I consider them four of the very best sorts 

 in cultivation, and grow them largely both in pots, and out of 

 doors. The soil here is of a light sandy nature, and not far 

 from the gravel. I have planted sixteen varieties this year, 

 and the best six of them as grown here are President, Lucas, 

 La Constante, Mr. Badclyffe, British Queen, and Frogmore Late 

 Pine. British Queen might be omitted, as it is not sufficiently 



