November 8, 1870. ] 



JOOENAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



345 



b, o, c, which will bisect the line a b, in o, and also cnt the 

 circla in d. With d as a centre describe the arc e e, meeting 

 the arcs drawn from a and it. 



Fig. 10. • Fig. 11. 



6. To Describe an Elliptical Figure on any Given Line. — The 

 diameter line a b (jig. 11) is 10 feet in length ; divide it into 

 four equal parts. From c and r>, with the radius r> a, or o b, 

 describe circles touching each other in the centre. From c and 

 », with radius c d, describe aros cutting eaoh other in E F. 

 Draw the lines bo, id, f o, and f d, and produce them until 

 they cut the oircles in 6, h, i, and j. From e and f, with the 

 radius e g, or f j, draw arcs uniting g h, and i j, which will 

 complete the figure. — M. O'Donnell, Gardener to E. Leeming, 

 Esq., Spring Grove, Richmond. 



PEAS IN 1870. 



The writer of the article on " Peas in 1870," which appeared 

 in last week's issue of The Jouknal of Horticulture, is evi- 

 dently incorrect in describing Carter's First Crop and Sutton's 

 Ringleader as being two distinct sorts of Peas. 



At the time of sending out this Pea, in 1864, it was dis- 

 covered by the two firms who afterwards introduced it to the 

 public, that they both were possessed of an early Pea of un- 

 doubted merit, but from the source whence it came, and also 

 from its general appearance and characteristics, there was 

 no doubt that the Pea, whether called Sutton's Ringleader or 

 Carter's First Crop, was one and the same Pea. However, 

 this is an old story now, because the Pea was at the time of 

 sending out, and has been ever since, advertised by both firms 

 as being identical ; therefore Mr. Castle must either have been 

 deceived by his seedsman, or have muddled his trials himself, 

 as it is utterly incorrect that Sutton's Ringleader is 3J feet 

 high, or that it is either earlier or later than Carter's FirBt 

 Crop. It may be as well to remark that all early Peas are 

 liable to degenerate in the quality of earliness, unless they are 

 each year carefully selected ; but even this fact will not assist 

 Mr. Castle's statement, because we will challenge anyone to 

 name an early Pea of 3 J feet high, which is earlier or so early 

 as Carter's First Crop or Sutton's Ringleader. If you will 

 permit us we will give you the results of our last year's trial of 

 early Peas at our trial ground, the correctness of which we will 

 vouch for : — 



Variety. 



Carter's Firat Crop or 1 



Sutton's Ringleader) 



Dickson's First una Best 



Daniel O'Rourke 



Early Emperor 



McLean's Little Gem . . 

 American Tom Thumb- 

 Beck's Gem 



Bishop's Long-podded. . 



The Peabody 



Dwarf Waterloo Marrow 



Laxton's Supreme 



Advancer 



Sown. 



In Bloom. 



Fit to Pick. 



March 5th 



May 12th 



June 6th 





„ 15th 



„ 8th 





„ 19th 



„ 18th 





„ 22nd 



„ 16th 



* 



„ 18th 



„ 8th 





„ 22nd 



„ 13th 



„ 



„ 22nd 



„ 16th 



„ 



June 1st 



„ 19th 





„ 6th 



„ 24th 



s, 



May 19th 



„ 19th 



„ 



„ 29th 



„ 21st 



1, 



June 1st 



„ 19th 



2 ft. 6 in. 



3 ft. 



3 ft. 



4 ft. 

 1 ft. 



1 ft. 6 in. 



1 ft. 6 in. 



2 ft. 



1 ft. 6 in. 

 1 ft. 6 in. 

 4 ft. 



3 ft. 



If it is of sufficient interest to your readers we could publish 

 a complete list of our Pea trials. [Do ; we will find space for 

 them. — Ens.] 



We may also remark that Laxton's Prolifio Longpod Pea is 

 not deserving of being described aB " the worst-flavoured Pea 

 of the season." It is one of the most productive of our Green 

 Marrows, and in flavour is quite equal to any Green Marrow 

 in cultivation. 



While on the subject of Peas, we must confess our surprise 

 that none of your numerous readers have had a word to say in 

 favour of Laxton's Alpha. In our opinion it is a Pea without 

 an equal amongst early wrinkled Marrows, both for its earli- 

 ness and fine flavour. 



We can recommend " E. G.'s " trial of Peas, which appeared 

 in the Journal of the 19th ult., to Mr. Castle's notice, as a 

 model of systematic correctness. — James Carter & Co., High 

 Holborn. . 



Mr. Castle tells us, to grow Peas well the ground should be 

 trenched 3 feet deep ; permit me to inform him that all gar- 

 deners are aware of the fact, if they could only persuade their 

 employers to give them the necessary labour. Secondly, Mr, 

 CaBtle never sows Peas until March ; he finds they come in as 

 early as those sown in November. That does not agree with 

 my experience. My Peas, sown on the 16th of November,, 

 were gathered last season on the 6th of June, Mr. Castle's on 

 the 18th of the same month. Mr. Castle never sows Peas in 

 November ; he finds the birds and mice make great havoc 

 among them. Let him procure six pennyworth of phosphorus 

 paste, spread it on bread, use it three times during the winter, 

 and the mice will not trouble him ; and for the sparrows, a few 

 strings of red worsted strung along the rows is all that is- 

 required. 



Mr. Castle tells us that the last dishes were gathered on the 

 30th of September, but I sent to table a very nice dish this 

 day (October 27th), but it will not be the last. I hope to go on 

 gathering well into November ; and this is nothing new, I 

 have gathered Peas repeatedly on Lord Mayor's day. — R. 

 Gilbert, Burgkley, Stamford. 



CLIMBING FERNS.— No. 2. 



ODONTOSORIA. 



The plants in this genus are usually associated with Davallia. 

 I, however, entirely conform to the opinions of those authorities 

 who assert their distinctiveness. The species introduced here 

 is a most elegant plant for training along a rafter or pillar, 

 where its light green airy fronds produce an effect equalled by 

 no other Fern. It should be potted in a soil consisting almost 

 wholly of peat and sand, with perhaps a small portion of loam 

 added to it, and should be kept in the temperature of the stove. 



O. aouleata. — This lovely Fern may be found in many gar- 

 dens, sometimes under the name of Davallia aculeata, at others 

 under that of Adiantum aculeatum, and yet how seldom are its 

 beauties displayed to advantage ! It is a scandent plant, and 

 therefore requires more room than is usually accorded it. The 

 fronds are bi-tri-pinnate, bearing cuneate somewhat lobed 

 pinnas, which are bright light green. The sori are situated at 

 the edges, with a somewhat pitcher-shaped indusium. The 

 rachis is furnished with short slightly recurved spines. I con- 

 sider this one of the most beautiful Ferns in cultivation. It is 

 a native of Jamaica, and perhaps other places in the West 

 Indies. 



SALPICHL.ENA. 



I am only acquainted with one species in this genus, and it 

 stands in the opposite extreme to the plant just noticed. It is 

 a bold-growing Fern ; its fronds are bi-pinnate, extending in- 

 definitely, and produce pinnje often 2 feet in length. Salpi- 

 chlfeoa is nearly allied to Lomaria ; it has forked veins, which 

 are all joined by a vein at the margin, and the sori are borne 

 on a transverse vein running parallel with and close to the 

 costa ; the indusium is rolled over the sori like a tube. This 

 plant enjoys a high temperature, and should be potted in peat 

 and loam in equal proportions, with plenty of sand. 



S. volubile. — In a situation where a large bold-growing Fern 

 is desirable this will form a striking object. The fronds attain 

 an immense length, and its long, dark green, arching pinnae 

 are very effective, but it can scarcely be recommended for ferne- 

 ries of limited extent. S. volubile is frequently to be found in 

 Fern collections in a starved state under the name of Blechnum 

 scandens. It is a native of South America. 



GLEICHENIA. 

 This genus I always look upon as the aristocracy of the Fern 

 tribe. The species are extremely elegant, and have a character 

 peculiarly their own. There are two Bets of this genus, one 

 having small orbicular segments to the pinnas, and the other 

 larger and broader fronds with linear pinna, and the habit is 

 less scandent. The latter section is by some authors considered 

 ^sufficiently distinct to be elevated to generic rank under the 



