June 25, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
527 
decorative value, but preference has been given to the former. Miss 
Bright : Very similar to the very free and useful variety Lustre, but pos¬ 
sibly with larger blooms and more floriferous in a small state ; corolla rosy 
salmon. Ellen Lye, a very good variety of 1884, with large yet elegant 
flowers, and very free ; corolla rosy scarlet. Erecta, var. Novelty : Well 
known by the numerous flowers being borne on short stout peduncles, pre¬ 
venting their drooping in the orthodox manner, and on that account quite 
distinct, also attractive. Albo-coccinea : Also distinct, and familiar to many 
l>y its white crimson-tipped sepals, and decidedly ornamental when well 
grown and coloured as at Chiswick. 
White Corollas. —Artaban : Double, a free grower and profuse bloomer, 
with large conspicuous blush white flowers ; very effective. Berliner Kind : 
Also double, with large massive flowers ; habit very dwarf ; an improve¬ 
ment on Miss Lucy Finnis. Flocon de Niege (or, in English, Flake of 
Snow) : Single, well-formed corolla, a good grower and free bloomer ; very 
good indeed. 
Salmon. —A familiar type of this section is Lord Beaconsfield, which was, 
however, passed by the Committee, only the following trio being honoured : 
—Madame Aubin : Free, elegant, and effective; salmon scarlet corolla. 
Mrs. Rundell, very graceful and bright; a seedling from Lord Beacons¬ 
field, and probably the best in its section; corolla orange scarlet. It has 
been previously certificated. M. Dufaure : A distinct and effective variety, 
with large flowers ; sepals red and white, corolla rosy lake. 
Single Dark Corollas. —Dr. Sankey: A new perfectly distinct and highly 
effective variety. A description of this Fuchsia worth reading will be 
found on page 100 of Cannell’s Floral Guide.” It is truly said there that 
the striking feature of the flower is the large, long pendulous blooms and 
long peduncles, or flower stalks ; but the colour is left out. It is what is 
called a self, the prevailing colour, sepals and corolla being ruby red. It 
is a free grower, producing an effect at once bold and graceful—certainly 
distinct and effective. Crimson Globe : A strong erect grower, producing 
large globular buds, which develope into handsome purplish crimson blooms. 
Spitfire : A good sturdy grower, and floriferous, with medium flowers of great 
substance, and dark magenta in colour. Charming : lighter in colour, very 
free, and. as its name denotes, charming. President: A strong grower, yet 
a profuse bloomer ; flowers large, of great substance, corolla purplish plum 
colour, very effective. Minerva : free in growth, floriferous, blooms massive 
yet elegant, corolla rosy magenta, very good. 
Double Dark Corollas. —Avalanche: There is scarcely any need to 
describe this old, very free and useful Fuchsia, which in habit of plant, 
freedom of growth and flowering, size and symmetry of blooms, is unequalled. 
Phenomenal: Certainly a wonderful variety, and no very great mistake 
will be made by referring to it as a magnificent monstrosity. It is gigantic, 
quite surpassing the so-called “ Champion of the World,” which was hence 
prematurely invested with its heroic name. Admirers of Fuchsias who 
have grown the latter may well try the former, while if there are any who 
have not grown either may try both. If another of this type should he 
forthcoming excelling these its name will perhaps be “ Prodigious it is 
not, however, very easy to imagine a Fuchsia larger and more massive than 
is Phenomenal. One other certificated variety has to be named—Lord 
Wolseley. This is very distinct, beautiful, by far the best of all the striped 
or marbled varieties, while the habit of the plant and symmetry and sub¬ 
stance of the blooms are excellent. The corolla is single, of great substance, 
purplish crimson marbled with—well, for the sake of being intelligible 
instead of scientific we will say whitewash. Every flower on the plant 
was conspicuous by the bold contrasting colour of the corolla, and if this 
property is fixed, hence constant, Mr. Cannell has not done justice to this 
variety in his “ Guide.” 
There are many other excellent varieties in the collection, not a few of 
which closely approach in merit those to which certificates were granted, 
and it is to be remembered that it is not possible to have every variety in 
its best condition on a given day. 
FRUIT. 
Possibly there never was such a full crop of Pears at Chiswick before* 
and the work of gathering and storing in the autumn will be no light 
taBk. Hundreds of the splendidly grown pyramid trees are laden with 
fruit from base to summit. The trees are throwing off a portion of their 
too heavy burden, but thousands more must be taken, or the fruit will be 
small and the trees unduly exhausted. Mr. Barron is quite alive to the 
importance of thinning hardy fruit where it is superabundant, and he further 
proposes to give the trees a heavy top-dressing of rich manure, being con¬ 
vinced that the investment will be remunerative. 
The Apple crop is also good, a quarter of young trees worked on Para¬ 
dise stocks a few years ago being remarkable by their great productiveness. 
It is noticeable, too, that some of the earliest-blossoming varieties are 
bearing far more heavily than others are that blossom decidedly later, 
though the blossoming of all were later this Bpring than usual. Several 
varieties of Plums are bearing good crops, while others are barren. The 
Victoria is conspicuous by its heavily laden branches, and this is undoubt¬ 
edly one of the most serviceable Plums in cultivation. 
Under glass there is abundance of fruit—Grapes. The Vines in the long 
corridor have certainly never looked so well as they do now. They consist 
mainly of Gros Colman, with a few of Alnwick Seedling, and the crop of 
both is good, the bunches of the latter being full, but had received a little 
assistance in fertilisation. Most or all of the Alicantes have been removed, 
and the space they occupied more profitably filled by the varieties named. 
The border inside the house is thickly covered with rich stable manure, and 
the air is impregnated with ammonia, which the Vines enjoy, while it is an 
excellent preventive of insects. It should never be given until Grapes are 
swelling freely after having been thinned, and then early morning venti¬ 
lation is essential or the leaves are liable to be scorched. This hint is given 
for the information of amateurs ; gardeners who have had experience on the 
subject need it not. The Duke of Buccleuch Grape has been planted more 
than once at Chiswick, but a good rod has never been produced until the 
present, and this is from a graft attached to a Vine of Madresfield Court, a 
rod of which is carrying a good crop, with the fine Duke cane reaching the 
top of the house by the side of it. Query, Will the Duke prosper the better 
with the nursing rod of its host retained or removed ? The crop of Grapes 
in the great vinery is full and good, but right in the middle of the house 
several of the growths are attacked with mildew. They are of the same 
varieties as others that are free, are in the same border, have in all respects 
the same treatment, and before the attack appeared equally healthy. There 
was a similar outbreak in the same place last year. The bunches and leaves 
are being dusted with sulphur, which will be eventually washed off with 
rain water. The resting spores of the mildew presumably lurk in that part 
of the great structure, and a determined effort will doubtless be made in the 
winter to destroy them. Mildew on Vines appears to be prevalent this year 
in many places, and those will act wisely who act promptly by dusting the 
affected parts with sulphur as they do at Chiswick. 
CAULIFLOWERS. 
A considerable number of so-called varieties of these are on trial, and 
some of them are distinct enough, while several resemble each other very 
closely. Only the earliest are ready for cutting now, the first and best 
being probably Haage’s Dwarf (Anderson), sent from Copenhagen. The 
stock is very true, heads small, white and compact. Following very closely 
indeed are Benary’s Dwarf and Carter’s Early Erfurt, with nothing to choose 
between them ; then for succession come Benary’s Large White Early and 
Vilmorin’s Alleaume. All those named are far in advance of Early London, 
Stadtholder, Walcheren, and others which are not showing any signs of 
heads. Thus useful work is being done at old Chiswick, and a satisfactory 
season is anticipated. 
CUCUMBER ROOTS DISEASED. 
In your issue for June 4th, in answer to correspondents, the disease 
which strikes the Cucumber plant is as you have fully described, and I 
should like to say that completely covering the affected roots and stems 
with quicklime, and this again with ordinary soil, giving no water for 
several days, will completely kill the disease. The plants will again start 
freely into growth as if no disease had been there.—S. W., Yorks. 
[We are obliged to “ S. W.” for his letter, and shall be glad if any of 
our correspondents whose plants may be affected and who may try the 
lime remedy will favour us with the results. AVe have seen lime used 
ineffectively, but it may not have been applied in sufficient quantity for 
accomplishing its purpose.] 
At a general meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
held last Tuesday, C. Noble, Esq., in the chair, the following candidates 
were elected Fellows—Mrs. J. J. Martin, R. Squire, Esq., Milton 
Syer, Esq. 
- The Rev. L. Garnett writes :—“ ‘ D., Deal, ’ has made a mistake 
in regard to the date of our Rose Show at Christleton. It is to be 
held on July 1Atb, not 16th, AVe are only two miles from Chester 
station, and therefore very accessible. While endorsing “ D., Deal’s,' 1 ’ 
remarks as to the general promise held out by the condition of our Roses, 
I have to lament the presence of much mildew among my Teas both in 
the open ground and against a wall. I wonder if this is the case with 
others, and why it should come so early.” 
-The second Show of the Bedfordshire Horticultural Society 
will be held on July loth. Special prizes are offered for Roses, the com¬ 
petition being open to all. 
- A Scotch correspondent sends a sprig of the Variegated 
Daphne Mezereon, and remarks that “ The bush is 4 feet 6 inches in 
height, and 2 feet G inches in diameter, having a fine appearance just 
now. A local nurseryman says that he had never seen anything like it, 
nor have I seen it described in any catalogue.” AVe have seen similar 
examples before, and some in which the variegation -was even more clearly 
marked than in this ; but it is not very common. 
- A full report and tabulated analyses have been prepared by Dr 
C. Meymott Tidy and Professor Dewar respecting The Native Guano 
• Company’s ABC Sewage Process at Aylesbury, and the result of a 
number of carefully conducted experiments satisfactorily proves the effi¬ 
ciency of the method adopted. The effluent is practically clear and free 
from suspended matter, while the whole is deodorised immediately it 
enters the works. 
- In reference to the proposed Auricula Election, Mr. H. A. 
Bolt desires us to say that if those who have omitted to send their returns 
do not do so before Saturday they will not arrive in time to be in¬ 
cluded. 
-AA t e have received from our correspondent “ S. P. E. S.” blooms of 
