March 13, 1884. ] 
205 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
must tl0n i 1 tiur } k 13 clear h y Rule 22 > the last tut one. I 
tWnnrf tv l f ? r so iong a letter, but as no one knows better than I do 
remfrZ d t 18 S °? iety baS do ?. e and is doin 8 1 cannot allow such misleading 
hmSZ r r ® mam uncontradicted.—H enry Wood, President of the East 
bourne Gardeneis' and Cottagers’ Society. 
and^this 11 the twenty-three rules is there any allusion to exhibitions, 
Sneral mSini f vV?* 7 b ® held in Eas ^ourne if approved of at a 
Rule lfidinl ?!, ! WhlCh P roductlon of the members shall be shown.” 
members anTtn -i a fi, eXCellent °, bject of this Societ F is to resist destitute 
members, and to aid those unemployed to procure employment.] 
VIOLET COMTE BRAZZA. 
When Mr. Allan, gardener to Lord Suffield, Gunton Park, Norwich, 
exhibited before the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
panying engraving) gives the following description of the plant, which 
well expresses its chief characters. “ Since the plant came into my 
hands from the famous Italian garden of Count Brazza de Savorgnin, I 
have had ample opportunity of testing its merits, and have put it through 
a most exhaustive critical and complete trial with splendid results. In 
character it partakes of the style of the favourite winter-flowering variety 
Neapolitan ; this fact alone shows its great superiority over other double 
white forms, which are generally more or less shy and late. The flowers 
are thoroughly double and very large, attaining under good cultivation 
to the extraordinary diameter of 1A inch, and are often composed of as 
many as forty petals. They are borne on long vigorous stems, rendering it 
specially fitted for cutting, and the colour is pure white, while the scent 
is most powerful and delicious.” 
Fig. 44,—'Violet Comte Brazza. 
ovember 13th, 1883, a number of flowers of this handsome Violet in 
comparison with the old Neapolitan and Marie Louise, they were much 
admired, and a first-class certificate was readily granted for the 
variety. Since then flowers have been shown on several occasions, and 
the valuable qualities which distinguished the first have been so well 
maintained that it has obtained a firm hold on popular favour. Violets 
are liked by everyone, and it is therefore not surprising that a variety 
with large well-formed double pure white fragrant flowers should be so 
heartily welcomed. 
Mr. T. S.^Ware, Tottenham (to whom we are indebted for the accom- 
Samples of the Tottenham flowers were submitted to us a short time 
since, and were in 6ize and purity some of the finest we have]seen. 
FRUIT TREE CANKER AND ITS CAUSES. 
I readily endorse what your correspondent “ R. P. B.” says on this 
subject (page 168) as to the soil affecting Apple trees in such a way as to 
produce canker. I feel sure he is correct in stating that to be the chief 
cause, and no doubt he is also right in advocating keeping the soil firm 
for fruit culture. If it does not tend to check canker, it will prove of 
much benefit generally to the trees and also to the crop they produce. 
The less the roots are interfered with after the trees become established 
