10 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Hardy White, and Bath Cos are among the most useful. In 

 Celery, too, the list of names constantly increases, so that selection 

 sometimes becomes difficult. Of the red varieties, Major Clarke's 

 is one of the best of recent introduction, and, among the white 

 kinds, Turner's Incomparable White (syn. Sandringham) holds 

 its own. The finest addition to the varieties of Endive is the im- 

 proved brown-leaved Batavian, certificated in 1878 ; this is by 

 far the best of the broad-leaved forms. 



Among Kadishes the best improvements come from France ; 

 the extra-early Turnip varieties are useful for growing in frames, 

 whilst the white-tipped olive-shaped, or French Breakfast, is one 

 of the most largely grown. Although the Cucumber is properly 

 a fruit, it is practically looked upon as a salad. Here again, as 

 in the case of many other popular vegetables, the multitude of 

 names is bewildering. Eollisson's Telegraph and Douglas' Ten- 

 der and True are both standard sorts. 



The brief resume I have now given shows abundantly that 

 there has been no lack of activity amongst horticulturists in 

 bringing out new varieties of vegetables, especially of the more 

 popular kinds. I am not sure whether a still greater activity 

 has not been displayed in the production of new names, for if we 

 compare an ordinary seed catalogue of many years ago with one 

 of the present time, the surprising difference in the number of 

 names, if not of sorts, is apparent enough. So great has been 

 the embarrassment caused by the great excess and rapid multi- 

 plication of vegetable names and so-called new sorts for some 

 years past, that the Royal Horticultural Society was thoroughly 

 justified in taking the matter up by commencing a series of com- 

 parative trials in these gardens, which has resulted in the elimina- 

 tion of a large number of these names, not only from all well- 

 regulated gardens, but even from seed lists. It is greatly to be 

 desired that these trials should be continued as one of the most 

 effectual means of putting a check, not only to the excessive 

 increase of useless names, but also for proving the novelties 

 offered in such profusion year by year, that those of real merit 

 may receive the public recognition they deserve, while the inferior 

 ones will be left to drop into oblivion. The Society in doing this 

 is exercising one of its highest functions, a function that would 

 have little or no weight if undertaken by private individuals, and 

 therefore I need scarcely appeal to the gardeners here present, 



