Dee;mt>er 20, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



479 



Matchless Red Celery. He describes it as being not only 

 one of the most hardy Borts grown, but very solid, crisp, and 

 of unsurpassable quality. It resists both wet and frost, he says, 

 better than any sort he has cultivated. 



A " Geoom and Gaedenee," writing to us on Cheist- 



mas flowees, states that he neither regrets the decay of the 

 beautiful white Anemone Honorine Jobert nor envies his 

 neighbour at the Hall the posseseionof the aristocratic Eucharis 

 so long as he has half a dozen large clumps of the Christmas 

 Rose, similar to those recently alluded to by Mr. Robson, and 

 as many large hand-lights to place over them. With a supply 

 of these beautiful hardy winter flowers, a few spikes of the 

 scarlet Schizostylus, protected in the same way, a few sprays 

 of the bright yellow Jasmine from a south wall, a dozen ex- 

 panding buds of the old Monthly China Rose gathered from 

 a buBh in a sheltered corner, a little Holly, sprays of Conifer, 

 and a few fronds of Ferns, he can furnish a vase for Christmas 

 decoration in such a manner that, as he says, " no one need 

 be aBhamed of." The vase, he suggests, should be filled with 

 very moist and clean silver sand, in which the flowers, &a., can 

 be arranged more artistically than in water, and they continue 

 fresh equally long as if placed in water. 



Anothee case of seed-dyeing has been the subject of 



magisterial inquiry, and with results that will commend them- 

 selves not only to purchasers but to all honest vendors of 

 Beeds ; indeed, it is gratifying to observe that it is by the 

 action of seed merchants that the law is being enforced against 

 dishonest practices in connection with the important trade 

 in which they are engaged. Mr. W. G. Harley, Gay's Grana- 

 ries, Mermaid Street, Borough, was on the 15th inst. fined £5 

 and the cost of the summons for selling one cwt. of Akike 

 Clover seed, which Mr. Bernard Dyer, F.C.S , had analysed 

 and found to contain 8 to 10 per cent, of foreign seeds dyed 

 with indigo. He produced specimens of dyed seeds -which he 

 had separated, including Trefoil, Timothy Ribbed Grass, 

 Thistles, &c. Notwithstanding the defence submitted, Mr. 

 Partridge, the Magistrate, took a common-sense view of the 

 matter, and ruled that " a purchaser who asked for Alsike was 

 entitled to that particular species of Clover and no other" — 

 hence the conviction, which deals a death blow to " dyers" 

 and " doctors " of seeds. 



It is not necessary to visit gardens and shrubberies in 



the country to obtain evidence of the great crop of Holly 

 eeeeies that is produced this year. The streets of London 

 have recently borne ample testimony on the Bubject, for piled- 

 up loads of Holly glistening with myriads of scarlet bead-like 

 fruits have daily arrived to deck the shops and homes of the 

 great metropolis during Christmastide. The contrast between 

 this year and last in the " commerce " of Holly is very striking. 

 Last year the sprays were nearly fruitless, this year they are 

 much more thickly clustered with the coveted berries than 

 we ever remember to have seen them during many years' 

 observation. 



We are informed that the spring Show of the Reading 



Hobticcltueal Society will be held on May 23rd, and the 

 summer Show on August 22nd. 



The eainfall for last November at the gardenB, 



Nannau Park, upwards of 700 feet above the sea level, was 

 11.56 inches. Rain fell on twenty-sis days ; 1.77 inch fell on 

 the 11th alone ! 



We recently recorded that Mr. Cannell was awarded a 



first-class certificate by tbe Floral Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society for White VeBuvius Zonal Pelargonium. 

 We have seen flowers of another sport which Mr. Cannell has 

 obtained from Vesuvius, which gives a new colour for bedding - 

 purposes. As near as its colour can be described it is a very 

 high-toned salmon, or, in other words, salmon suffased with 

 scarlet, with a white eye ; it is quite different to other salmon 

 zonale. In habit of growth and freeness of bloom it is iden- 

 tical with the original, and is a very promising variety. 



We are informed that eight prizes were gained at the 



Birmingham Show for Potatoes grown with Amies' manuee. 

 Fine samples of produce were exhibited as having been grown 

 by the manure on soil which those who have seen the land 

 describe as naturally poor and " worn-out." It produced 

 average crops the first year, and ever since the produce has 

 been good. 



- — We recently incidentally alluded to Ecchaeis amazonica 

 as grown by Mr. Denning in Lord Londesborongh's garden at 

 Norbiton. We never saw such a display of this charming 



flower in December as is there produced ; and the mode of 

 culture is of the simplest. The plants are planted-out in a 

 well-heated pit; they have grown like Rhubarb, and are now 

 yielding such a crop of flowers as we have never seen equalled 

 in number nor surpassed in quality. Mr. Denning has as- 

 suredly made a great "hit" in thus easily providing a supply 

 of this esteemed flower in such profusion for Christmastide 

 decoration. 



The Ahebican Doddee recently noticed as having 



attached itself to a plant of Forsythia suspensa at Glasnevin 

 is not, according to a closer subsequent examination of it by 

 Dr. Moore, Cuscuta cephalanthi, but C. reflexa. 



■ Few plants are more worthy of culture for conserva- 

 tory decoration during the winter mouths than Daphne indica 

 eubea. The glossy green foliage and rich rosy flowers are 

 alike attractive ; but the chief claim of this plant to notice is 

 its powerful and delightful perfume. The flowers are also- 

 remarkable for their lasting quality, continuing fresh and 

 enjoyable for three months. Small plants in 4 and 5-inch 

 pots are particularly valuable for various purposes of decora- 

 tions in rooms and greenhouses during the months of Decem- 

 ber, January, and February. This variety is not only the 

 best in colour, but is the most free in growth of the somewhat 

 slow-growing section of the genus to which it belongs. 



■ ■ A selection of flowers of seedling Polyanthuses from. 



Mr. Cauldwell, florist, Wantage, suggests how useful these 

 flowers are for winter decoration. Their vigour and freshness 

 also affords evidence of the mildness of the weather in Berk- 

 shire. Many of the flowers are good, some excellent, and all 

 gay. A crimson self Pansy in the same box is a promising 

 variety ; the colour is distinct and rich, and the petals are of 

 great substance. 



We have received from Mr. Henry Hooper, Vine Nur- 

 sery, Widcomb Hill, Bath, a number of Pansies of remarkable 

 beauty. For size, form, substance, and well-defined colours 

 combined we regard them as amongst the most meritorious 

 blooms that have come under our notice. The colours range 

 from pure white with violet-purple blotch to rich crimson 

 maroon. The yellow grounds and selfs are also very rich. 

 The fancy varieties are particularly showy; the blooms are 

 well formed and the lacings well defined. It is clear that 

 Pansies are not exclusively northern flowers, but are hardy 

 flowers for all gardens ; and such varieties as those now before 

 us cannot fail to please when they are well cultivated. We 

 have not received a brighter " Christmas-box " than the one 

 composed of these Bath Pansies. 



Foe bright appearance and excellent quality combined 



"A Villa Gaedenee" writes that no variety of Cabbage equals 

 Sutton's Golden Ball Savoy. It is as bright in colour, he 

 says, as Golden Feather, and is particularly tender when cooked 

 and delicate in flavour. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND WOEK FOB 

 THE PBESENT WEEK. 



kitchen gaeden. 



Theee is not much difference in the details of our work from 

 what has been previously given. The last two seasons have 

 shown the importance of an efficient system of drainage, espe- 

 cially on heavy wet soils, and when other work cannot be pro- 

 ceeded with this may be done, and it ought to be done well* 

 A main drain should be laid at the lowest part of the grounds, 

 and the smaller drains, about 16 or 20 feet apart, should have 

 their outfall into this. The outfall of the main drain should; 

 always be kept clear, and not be choked with any accumulation 

 for some distance from its mouth. In heavy wet soils, which 

 are most retentive of moisture, there will be a continuous flow 

 of clear water all the wiDter in such Eeasons as this. When a- 

 new garden is formed on such soils tbe first step towards laying 

 it out is to begin at the drainage. It may cost a trifle more to- 

 do it thoroughly, but this extra outlay is more than compensated 

 by the satisfaction of knowing that the work will not have to be 

 done again after the walks are formed and the trees just estab- 

 lished in the borders. 



It has been onr lot to work in gardens composed of the 

 heaviest soil, such as when it was dug it clung to the Bpade in 

 wet weather like marl. We have also had to do with soil of the 

 lightest description, and where the gravel cropped up to within 

 a few inches of the surface. We certainly prefer the heavy 

 soil, as it can be much improved by judicious trenching and 

 manuring. If the ground has not been worked to a greater 

 depth than 10 or 12 inches it is not wise to go down more than 

 3 inches more the first time of trenching it, and this can be done 



