284 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 11, 1877. 



at a joint, which is no advantage, as one takes the lead and 

 the others are mostly crooked and otherwise ill-shapen from 

 irregularity of swelling, this having the character of swelling 

 quickly, regularly, and certainly. Fruit deep green, 12 to 

 15 inches in length, skin smooth or very few spines, very 

 symmetrical in shape, very short reck, flower borne well at the 

 nose, altogether a handsome fruit and good ; core or seed 

 space small, no seeds found in any fruit cut, the flesh well 

 flavoured, free from bitterness or any unpleasant taste. Very 

 prolific, my two plants in a two-light frame giving sixty fruits 

 in a month, and though the plants have been fruitiDg four 

 months none of the fruit have shown a disposition to " knob " 

 at the end, which is not unusual with most kinds late in the 

 season. Its Sion Houee type is very marked, bearing some 

 resemblance to Munro's Duke of Edinburgh, having a hardy 

 constitution. It will displace those I have hitherto grown for 

 '• everyday " use. 



" New Frame " Cucumber is a rather strong grower, but not 

 so strong as Marquis of Lome ; foliage rather large, good con- 

 stitution, succeeding in a cold frame with a slight warmth from 

 leaves held together in a bed by stale long litter. Fruit 20 to 

 24 inches in length, neck short— scarcely any — remarkably 

 regular in thickness from neck to nose, the flower well carried, 

 skin deep green covered with " blue " bloom, very beautiful in 

 symmetry and bloom ; spines white, sparingly but regularly 

 disposed, render it very attractive. The fruit had little core, 

 no seed found in any, and capital flavour. It swells freely, 

 fruits freely, and certainly is the handsomest fruit I have seen. 

 I only regret that I have not been able to secure any fruit at 

 all like seeding as yet. If only it would "knob" I should 

 feel satisfied, for I have no object in growing these things 

 other than to possess myself of the best kinds. I have tried 

 my hand at crossing Cucumbers, but I get nothing for my 

 pains except disappointment. 



I do not know whether it has been noticed before or not — 

 viz., that new kinds have at first, for two or three seasons, 

 better constitutions than they afterwards exhibit. Can it be 

 due to the influence of foreign pollen — fresh blood giving in- 

 creased vigour? In-and-in breeding is well known as a source 

 of weakness if not barrenness in cattle, why not in plants ? 

 — G. Abbey. 



BEDDING GERANIUMS AT CHILWELL. 



The season of 1877 will long be remembered in the annals 

 of flower gardening as a most unpropitious one. The per- 

 petual downpour of rain accompanied with extreme cold has 

 told considerably against the beauty of the flower garden. 

 Where Alternantheras will succeed carpet bedding has been in 

 the ascendancy this season, but in many places they have not 

 moved since they were bedded-out in -June, and since the 

 middle of August they have "grown small by degrees and 

 miserably less;" and the Geraniums and other half-hardy 

 blooming plantB have been no improvement on the Alter- 

 nantheras, for in many places they have presented a woe- 

 begone appearance. However, in some favoured spots they 

 have behaved themselves differently, and especially at Chilwell. 

 The Geraniums in this nursery are standing monuments to 

 Mr. Pearson's memory. His genial converse is missed now, 

 but three sons who manage the business under the leading 

 spirit (Mrs. Pearson) promise to walk in their father's foot- 

 steps, and to Mr. Charles Pearson I am particularly indebted 

 for much courtesy. The Geraninms on the 19 th of Septem- 

 ber were bright and beautiful, those under glass were more 

 gorgeous than ever, and those in the open flower garden were 

 in very good condition. 



In the top garden nearest Mr. Pearson's house a number of 

 circular beds were filled with Geraniums of one sort for trial. 

 The very best in the garden was Mrs. Gregory, with beautiful 

 rose-coloured flowers, large truss, dark foliage, stout foot- 

 stalks, and an abundant bloomer; it appeared as if there 

 had not been a drop of rain on it for weeks. The next in 

 order of merit was Mary Pearson, a similar shade of colour to 

 Mrs. Gregory ; a free bloomer, fine flowers, the shape of the 

 truss all that could be desired. These were sent out in 1876. 

 Of the crimsons, the Bev. A. Atkinson stood pre-eminent, in 

 colour a glowing crimson, the trusses fine ; an improvement 

 on Bayard, Mrs. Mellows, and Brutus. David Thomson, sent 

 out last year, is much of the same shade of colour as the Rev. 

 A. Atkineon, has immense trusses, very stiff footstalks, and 

 the flowers well up above the foliage. In the lilac pink sec- 

 tion the well-known Mrs. Turner was most beautiful. We 



had always thought that the trusses of Mrs. Turner were too 

 large for bedding purposes, and especially duriDg a season 

 remarkable for its rainfall ; but however, there she was as 

 bright as ever, clad in all her blushing beauty. Mrs. Turner 

 was the best pink Geranium on Ihe trial beds. Lady Byron, 

 a beautiful soft pink with a light centre, is without a rival as 

 a pot plant, but is not suitable for outdoor bedding. Colonel 

 Wright of the rosy-red section appeared to stand the weather 

 well ; the trusses were large and well-shaped, the flowers very 

 perfect. Ernest is very much of the colour of the Colonel, and 

 quite as good in all respects. Charles Schwind, fine dark 

 glowing crimson, with good habit, is the darkest Geranium yet 

 sent out. S. Plimsoll, purple crimson, was too much run to 

 foliage, but the trusses were very fine. John Gibbons, scarlet, 

 was the best bedder on the lawn laEt year, but this year is not 

 quite so good. Rev. S. Hey, roEy red, was very dwarf, and 

 an effective bedding variety. Mrs. Jacoby was very good as 

 regards the quantity of bloom, but the colour, a salmon rose, 

 was nearly all washed out of it. Mr. Pearson told us how 

 good she had been in favourable seasons. Mrs. Paget, soft 

 rose, was moderately good, but the fine satiny texture of the 

 flowers is too delicate for this stormy weather. Among the 

 Golden Tricolors Mrs. H. Walters and Rose Wood were spe- 

 cially noteworthy ; and in the Silver-edged section Rosamond 

 Wright was distinguishable for the purity of her leaf-markings. 

 Turning into the long Geranium house it was — as is always 

 the case between the 1st of April and Christmas Day — a per- 

 fect blaze of flowers. We need not enter into detail respecting 

 the merits of these plants for decorative purposes, for they 

 have been descriled in these pages over and over again. We 

 will, however, just mention a few of those sent out this season. 

 Mrs. Levers, pink, with white eye, large flowers, and truss 

 compact and good. Colonel Seely, scarlet flower, with white 

 eye ; the flowers are perfect in shape, and would come up in 

 every point to the requirements of the florist. Gertrude, 

 salmon colour, the individual flowers are more than 2 inches 

 across ; this is a noble flower. Mrs. Pearson and Lizzie 

 Brooks, each with salmon scarlet flowers, very large, exquisitely 

 good. Charles Schwind, very dark crimson, a splendid pot 

 plant. Rebecca, rosy crimson, the trusses 7 inches across. 

 There were many others all worthy of note and deserving a 

 place in any collection, but these named are among the best. 

 We observed thousands of seedlings in various stages of growth, 

 and among those to be sent out next spring are some fine 

 doubles of various shades of colour, quite a new feature from 

 this nursery. — Yisitok. 



VINE RENOVATION AT WIMBLEDON HOUSE. 



Vines have of late years been, perhaps, the weak point of 

 Sir Henry Peek's beautiful and well-appointed garden. The 

 soil of the district is light, and is not what is known as of a 

 " wearing" nature: hence the Vines which flourished well for 

 a time eventually lost their vigour. Since Mr. Ollerhead has 

 had the charge of the garden the Vines have been a source of 

 much trouble to him : to a gardener so thorough as he is they 

 could not be otherwise than disappointing. It is only recently, 

 however, that he has been able to direct his attention to their 

 renovation by a renewal of the borders and raising of the roots. 

 As others may be contemplating the renovation of their Vines, 

 and as this is the right period for the work being done, the plan 

 adopted at Wimbledon may be usefully mentioned. 



The Vines are perhaps thirty years old. They are planted 

 inside, the roots having access also to outside borders. They 

 are planted and trained about 4 feet apart, and have been 

 pruned on the spur system. 



Preparatory to the renewal of the borders, and as an im- 

 portant element in the restoration of the Vines, Mr. Ollerhead 

 last year trained up two young canes from each Vine, selecting 

 those which issued from the rods as near to the ground as 

 possible. These were trained between the chief rods. 



Such old Vines have old fibreless rootE — roots which do not 

 always in the readiest manner emit young feeding spongioles 

 even when fresh soil is provided : they would emit fresh roots 

 probably more quickly from the rods if laid in the soil than 

 from the old black roots. By the plan adopted by Mr. Oller- 

 head the Vines have an opportunity of doing this — in fact are 

 doing it, for the Vines in one house were operated on in 

 August, and the roots from the stems laid down then are now 

 permeating the border. A free lateral growth has reeulted, 

 and the Vines are established for supporting their next crop. 

 Other houses will be done at once before the leaves fall. 



