162 



THE FLORIST AND P0M0L0G1ST. 



fresh roots from the base and send up protective foliage, and look handsome in 

 winter. A layer of 2 inches of new maiden earth from the country placed over 

 the ground is a capital dressing. 



4. Manures.— Cowdung is the best, as it contains more potash than any 

 other manure. Guano and wood ashes, which also contain potash, are good, 

 but they must be used prudently. I use chiefly black decayed dung, half-inch 

 bones, and nitro-phosphate ; the two last I use at planting time, the other is 

 used at all times. I also use liquid manure at the spring, which I put, not 

 into the ranks, but between the ranks (2 feet apart) ; and this, washed down 

 by the rain, affords food for the plants in fruiting time : this is the safest place 

 for guano. If guano is used as a liquid, one handful to a stable-bucket of 

 water is sufficient : this may be put into the ranks. 



5. Treatises. — The best treatises for Strawberry-culture are McE wen's, 

 Underbill's, and Cuthill's. To these I must refer the reader. 



6. Catalogues.— These are usually too " fat." The good, bad, and indifferent 

 are not sufficiently distinguished. Mr. Rivers' is a good selection, fifty-six sorts. 



7. Alpines. — Every garden should have some Alpine or another for Sep- 

 tember and October. The old Red and. White are still good. The Red and 

 White Bush Alpine are the least trouble, having no runners. La Meudon- 

 naise (Parsley-leaved) is here, but it has not been so good as the above ; it 

 tastes like the wood Strawberry. The plant itself is very pretty. Mr. Rivers 

 in his letter speaks thus of Blanche d' Orleans : — »« This is now (September 12), 

 bearing large fruit, melting and delicious." Of Galande he says, " I had a 

 fine dish of this sort to-clay for dessert. It is the largest and best of all." 

 The former is white, and the latter deep red. My plants of Galande died last 

 winter. With regard to the size of the Alpines, I must observe that their size 

 in a great measure depends upon recent raising from seed. Perhaps this is 

 the reason why Blanche d' Orleans gives larger fruit than the old White. The 

 Red and White Bush Alpines require to be occasionally fresh raised. They 

 are all good with sugar and Alderney cream, or with sugar and sherry. 



8. Hautbois. — The handsomest, as a plant, and the most robust and muskiest 

 is the Black Hautbois, but I threw it away as too small. The monstrous Hautbois 

 is good ; but it is not so good, nor is it larger than Belle Bordelaise, 

 which is a very good Hautbois. The best (on short acquaintance) has been, 

 this year, No. 1 seedling raised from Belle Bordelaise by Mr. Rivers. This is 

 large, an abundant bearer, and rich ; and, so far as one strong plant goes, quite 

 a success. It will not be let out this year. I believe it will be called "The 

 Royal Hautbois." 



9. The Queen and her race. — The Queen is still the great A 1 ; she is firm 

 without being hard, juicy, sweet, rich, and yet brisk. No other Strawberry 

 has got these combinations in such high perfection. The Queen and her race 

 are good where they can be grown — viz., Magnum Bonum (much like her), 

 Carolina superba, Filbert Pine, Myatt's Pine Apple (I fancy the Queen was 

 derived from this and the Chili Orange), Hendrie's Seedling, M. Eliza Vilmorin 

 (like the Queen, and raised from the Queen and Chili Orange), Rival Queen, 

 Nimrod, Admiral Dundas, and Scarlet Pine. I have retained only the Queen 

 and this last, which is very healthy, hardy, and of excellent flavour. I have put 

 the Queen in the eye of the north and west wind, and she is very healthy, strong, 

 and of a dense green. I put Eliza by her side and disfruited both this spring. 

 The place is so severe that I could not grow Roses there. The drainage is 

 free, and without that you will never grow the Queen ; she does not care, 

 where she likes the soil, one farthing for exposure. 



10. Early Sorts and Late.— I do not much care for either of these, as they 

 both are usually lacking in flavour, unless protected with ridge-vineries glass. 



