186 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 10 , issi. 
about the plants. The insects will, after feeding on the flowers 
during the night, take shelter in the hollow stem of the bean¬ 
stalk, and can be placed in a pail of hot water in the morning. 
Well syringing the plants and flowers twice a day is the only 
method of stopping the increase of the troublesome little 
insect—thrips. 
Lifting. —It is most probable that by the middle or end of 
November the flowerstalks will be completely dead. When this 
takes place the stems should be cut off to within 8 or 10 inches 
from the ground, and on the first period of dry mild weather 
carefully lift all the roots, placing to each its respective name, 
and pack them in a dry place free from frost until the time 
arrives around for starting them into growth to obtain a new 
stock. The following are all good varieties :— 
Show Varieties. —Admiration, Acme of Perfection, Artiste, 
Benjamin Crossland, Christopher Ridley, Constancy, Countess 
of Lonsdale, Cremorne, Criterion, Henry Bond, Flag of Truce, 
James Cocker, James Service, John McPherson, John W. 
Lord, John Wyatt, Louise Neate, Leah, Ovid, Prinee Arthur, 
Royalty, Sarah McMullen, Toison d'Or, and Victory. 
Fancy Varieties. —Barnaby Rudge, Gaiety, Chang, Charles 
Wyatt, Ebor, Enchantress, Flora Wyatt, George Barnes, 
Hercules, Henry Glasscock, Letty Coles, Mrs. C. Smith, Mrs. 
Saunders, Mons. Chauviere, Peacock, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, 
Regularity, and Singularity. 
Bedding Varieties. —Rising Sun, Dr. Webb, Sir James Watts, 
Drap d'Or, Marguerite Bruant, and Mont Blanc. 
Liliputian, Pompon, or Bouquet Dahlias. —These are re¬ 
markably distinct and pretty, many of the flowers produced 
are not over 1 inch or 1^ inch in diameter. All the following 
are worth cultivating—Burning Coal, Dr. Schwebes, Crimson 
Beauty, German Favourite, North Light, Fireball, Prince 
of Liliputians, Little Dear, Little Wonder, Louis Rodani, 
Lady Blanche, and White Aster. 
The single varieties are not very numerous. The following 
comprise the best—Paragon, Cervantesii, aurantiaca, lutea, 
coccinea, glabrata, and alba. —Florist. 
ECONOMICAL METHOD OF SOWING PEAS. 
My remarks on “ Early Peas ” (page 85) furnished a text for 
some practical and instructive remarks by Mr. Harding (page 126), 
especially with regard to protecting Peas from birds. In spite, 
however, of Mr. Harding’s affirmation to the contrary, I still 
assert that late autumn sowing is often a waste of labour and seed, 
especially on cold heavy soils or where sparrows are very numerous 
and voracious. Had I substituted “invariably” for “often” I 
should have been easily proved in the wrong, as I well know that 
by close attention good results have followed autumn sowing, on 
light sandy soils especially. Mr. Harding admits early Peas will 
not succeed if sown on heavy land, and how many gardens are 
there where comparatively heavy land prevails 1 Such was the 
case at Orsett, and it is the same here. Mr. Harding by good 
culture preserves his Peas during the winter from frosts and birds, 
but in the course of a few days “ outing ” I noticed several rows 
of autumn-sown Peas completely cut down by frosts, and that 
too in a favoured part of Kent. Mr. Harding would submit they 
were sown too early, or were improperly earthed up. No doubt 
by sowing very late in November but little growth will be made 
during a severe winter; but what if the early winter be mild, 
followed say towards the end of January by severe frosts ? Many 
soils, again, if interfered with towards the end of November would 
be found in very poor condition for seed-sowing. I find the root- 
action of any crop of Peas very defective should the ground be 
excessively cold and wet when they are in a young state, and 
many varieties do not thoroughly recover from the check they 
thus receive. 
With regard to Mr. Harding’s selection of Peas, I must express 
surprise that he has not given some of the “ latest new and ex¬ 
pensive varieties ” a trial, as he would certainly be rewarded by 
the discovery of several varieties much superior to those older 
favourites he has named. For instance, Huntingdonian I am 
convinced is really an improvement on Champion of England: 
and such old varieties as Auvergne and Laxton’s Supreme are far 
surpassed by Dr. McLean, Marvel, Carters’ Challenger, and others— 
not, perhaps, as far as productiveness is concerned, but more with 
regard to superior quality. Of the older varieties Veitch’s Per¬ 
fection and Yorkshire Hero are undoubtedly excellent in every 
respect; but what is the difference, if any, between the two ? I 
have seen both growing by the acre as well as in private gardens, 
but I must confess to an inability to separate them. 
Although I have taken this opportunity of replying to Mr. 
Harding’s very acceptable comments, the above heading was 
chosen more with regard to sowing for later crops, and relates to 
a practice which for aught I know to the contrary is original. I 
am a believer in tall-growing Peas for one important reason—they 
are less injuriously affected by either a dryj or wet season than 
are those of medium growth. Unfortunately many of the best of 
the tall growers, including Huntingdonian, do not produce pods 
on much of the lower part of the haulm, and to obviate this waste 
of stakes and space between the necessarily widely sown rows 
I decided to try the plan of sowing a medium-height variety in 
the same rows. The result was most satisfactory in each instance, 
and I strongly recommend the practice to those with limited space, 
or who are obliged to economise their stakes. It is particularly 
suited to those who are in the habit of disposing their rows of 
Peas at wide distances apart, and filling the intervening spaces 
with three or more rows of Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts. 
The most profitable mixture I have yet tried consisted of Hunt¬ 
ingdonian in the centre, and a line on each side about 6 inches 
clear, sowed with a mixture of Little Wonder and Dr. McLean. 
The seed was sown thinly, the outside lines^earthed up ; stakes 
were put according to the height of the central variety, and 
a row of Peas resulted that was covered with pods almost from 
the ground upwards. Huntingdonian was the first to be picked 
from, this being closely followed by the other two, and which, 
although unlike in appearance of pods, are still well adapted for 
cooking together. Probably no three better quality Peas are 
grown. On the whole I prefer sowing two varieties together—such 
for instance, as Telephone, with outer lines of Stratagem,’Fortyfold, 
and Princess Royal; Ne Plus Ultra and Omega ; Royal Berkshire 
Marrow and Hair’s Dwarf Mammoth, the latter not so often 
grown for late crops as it deserves to be ; Williams’ Emperor of 
the Marrow and Premier, and in fact any tall and medium height 
varieties. 
I do not recommend the practice where the soil is poor and 
manure scarce, as one variety undoubtedly much impoverishes the 
other, neither should the seed be sown thickly or the rows be 
crowded. The rows ought at least to be as far apart as the aver¬ 
age height of the central tall variety. Last season especially the 
tall-growing Peas attained to extraordinary heights, the lower parts 
of the rows yielding but few pods ; but where a medium height 
variety was sown with them the exuberant growth was checked 
considerably, and the results compared most favourably with those 
grown on the old system. No extra labour is necessitated other 
than drawing three narrow drills instead of one wide one.— 
W. IG GULDEN. 
A TRIO OF USEFUL PLANTS. 
Euphorbia jacqniniceflora .—Few gardens where a stove tempe¬ 
rature is available should be without this lovely plant. Either in 
pots or planted out as a climber it seldom fails to give abundance 
of its brilliant flowers. It also endures cutting for decorative 
purposes well, the flowers being much appreciated for ladies’ 
hair. 
Staphylea colchica .—Among plants for forcing this cannot be 
too highly recommended. It is easily forced, and plants in 
small pots produce a dozen spikes of fragrant flowers each. The 
plant may be removed to the conservatory or to the drawing¬ 
room, and will keep in good condition for three weeks at least. 
Begonia metallica .—One of the best of the numerous fine- 
foliage Begonias. It is easily propagated, makes a good plant 
quickly, and is admirably suited for decoration, either to form in a 
group or as a single plant, also for the dinner table. In summer 
I have known it grow quite 6 inches in the drawing-room, and 
keep its colour and vigour for two months.—A. 
GLASS STRUCTURES FOR AMATEURS. 
( Continued from page 550, last vol .) 
Heating.—G reat complexity exists in the forms of boilers for 
heating horticultural structures, but this is often due to the 
number of parts directly or indirectly exposed to the action of 
the fire. Those which present the greatest surface and the 
greatest obstruction to the passage of the fire over its surfaces 
immediately at the point of greatest heat, are best calculated to 
abstract the greatest amount of heat from the fuel. Those parts 
must be at the sides, over, and end of the furnace, for surfaces 
not acted on directly are of very little value. It is also worthy 
of note that the greater the surface exposed in proportion to the 
quantity of water contained in the boiler, the greater will be its 
