JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
G6 
[ January 26, 1882. 
much more than is the case if allowed full draught. This is 
obviously economising fuel. — W. Iggulden. 
COLUMBINES FROM SEED. 
Now the seed catalogues are published and we are beginning 
to think what we shall order it is a good time to speak of those 
perennials which succeed best when grown from seed. Everyone 
who grows Columbines at all ought to grow them from seed. The 
plants are difficult to divide, and after they are a year old difficult 
to transplant well; many of the kinds are short-lived, and our 
borders require to be constantly replenished from the seed beds ; 
and lastly, most of them are very easily grown from seed. The 
genus Aquilegia has many species enumerated under it, but some 
of them cross so readily with one another, and vary so much 
amongst themselves, that the species are difficult to determine. 
Probably at least half which are mentioned in seed catalogues are 
varieties or hybrids of A. vulgaris, which is one of the most 
variable flowers in cultivation. The treatment and soil required 
by the different kinds are by no means the same, but a few general 
rules apply to all of them. 
In the first place you cannot sow Columbines too early in the 
season. The seedlings must not be forced into growth in a strong 
heat, which would weaken them ; but if sufficiently protected 
from cold to germinate by the end of February they will be all 
the better. I have found that success in growing nearly all 
Columbines—the choicer kinds—depends upon getting a whole 
year’s healthy growth before the first winter. Transplanting is 
another point to be attended to. Even when the plants come up 
so thinly as to have plenty of room, they are better for being 
transplanted when very young. Many of them are by Nature tap- 
rooted, and we wish to encourage them to divide and spread their 
roots. A great amount of nonsense is talked about Nature being 
the best guide. It is a dangerous and fallacious maxim in most 
things, but especially in gardening, which wishes to improve upon 
Nature. Experienced foresters know that if they wish an Oak to 
grow quickly and well they must not leave it where it comes up 
from the acorn, but dig it up when young and cut off the tap¬ 
root ; and it is the same with most plants, and certainly with 
Columbines. Two or three transplantings into very good and rich 
soil during their first year, and abundance of water whilst grow¬ 
ing to encourage vigorous growth, supply the conditions under 
which they are most likely to flower best the following year. 
However early they are sown, and however fast they are brought 
on, I have never known Columbines flower the first year from 
seed. We have had wonderful accounts during the past autumn 
of plants flowering out of season, but no one, I think, has mentioned 
a Columbine, nor have I ever known one flower a second time the 
same year. The flowering season is May and June, and one 
species (A. Skinneri) flowers in July. All of them ought to flower 
the year after they are sown. The choice kinds, as I said before, 
are for the most part short-lived, some of them dying after their 
first season’s flowering, and many when three or four years old. 
Nearly all of them ripen seed plentifully, and for reasons given 
above it is better to save it till spring than to sow it at once. 
I propose to mention a few of the more distinct kinds in the order 
in which they flower. The earliest is A. viridiflora, a neat little 
plant with flowers having the corolla nearly black and the sepals 
green. It is easily grown, but not often seen in gardens, perhaps 
not being gaudy enough for the general taste, but it has merits 
of its own. The Canadian and Californian species with red sepals 
and yellow centres come next; they are, unfortunately, liable 
to be damaged by May frosts, but they recover themselves and 
continue in flower for a long time. A variety called A. californica 
hybrida, said to have been raised in the gardens at Loxford Hall 
in Essex, is one of the most distinct and handsome Columbines I 
ever saw. Then come the endless varieties of Aquilegia vulgaris, 
single and double ; white, black, purple, blue, rose-coloured and 
chocolate-coloured, with all the intermediate shades. I consider 
the single flowers the handsomest, and of these are some distinct 
forms with clear white corolla, shaded off inside to the colour of 
the sepals, which are either dark chocolate or blue or clear rose. 
Some of these may be hybrids, but it is difficult to determine this. 
A few of the best flowers should every year be selected for seed, 
and all the worthless varieties weeded out as soon as the flowers 
show. 
Simultaneously with A. vulgaris flower two most beautiful 
Columbines—A. glandulosa and A. coerulea, the former a native of 
Southern Asiatic Russia, the latter of the Rocky Mountains. Both 
are capricious and liable to die for no obvious reason, and both 
should therefore be raised in quantity from seed and planted in 
all the best places. Very well drained positions should be selected. 
Rockeries are good for them ; they are unaccustomed to wet 
winters, though they do not mind cold. Some botanists questio 11 
whether the A. glandulosa of nurserymen is the true species ; but 
whether it is or not, its flowers taken singly are the most beautiful 
of the genus. Three years ago I was successful in raising a 
splendid bed of seedlings of it. A. coerulea, one of which last year 
produced sixty large flowers—my last sowing in 1881—though it 
came up freely, was so late that the plants were not strong enough 
to bear the wet of winter, and every plant has damped off. Both 
these kinds have been usefully employed in raising hybrids. One 
of the most vigorous and handsome Columbines I ever saw was 
raised, I believe, by Messrs. Ivery of Dorking, and has the flower of 
A. glandulosa and the habit of A. vulgaris. If it comes true from 
seed, as it is said to do, it will be a great acquisition to gardens. 
The Golden-flowered Columbine (A. chrysantha) is one of the 
most easy to raise, and one of the most distinct in appearance. It 
grows very rapidly and makes a large plant at a year old. Some 
of its hybrids, with A. canadensis, are elegant both in form and 
colour, but the clear yellow of the species is more pleasing. The 
last I shall mention, and the latest to flower, A. Skinneri, is rather 
scarce in gardens. The mouth of the flower is bright pea-green, 
and the part next the stalk for about two-thirds of the length is 
clear red. Being a Rocky Mountain plant it is impatient of wet 
in winter, and thrives best on a rockery, but I found a large 
proportion of the seedlings die without flowering ; and the plant, 
though coming readily from seed, is never long-lived. In con¬ 
clusion there are few gardens in which corners might not be 
found to hold a few hundred seedling Columbines, the flowering 
of which would give a fresh interest to the gardener every spring. 
—C. W. Dod, Edge Hall, Maljpas. 
APPLES. 
In the abundance oE all kinds of fruit last year Apples were 
remarkable for the full crop which choice varieties had in com¬ 
mon with all those with which we are most familiar. No matter 
what form had been imparted to the tree—pyramid, bush, espalier, 
cordon, or standard—all, with few exceptions, were laden with 
fruit of great beauty. The flavour, too, was excellent according 
to the degree in which that quality is possessed by the different 
varieties. So that the Apple crop of 1881 must be regarded as a 
full and important one, affording valuable lessons of general 
utility, for the Apple is much less subject to the influence of 
soils and climate than the Pear. Sorts of proved excellence may 
be planted in soil of ordinary depth and fertility in all gardens 
south of the Trent with reasonable expectations of the fruit 
proving equal to the description leading to its selection by the 
planter. 
About one hundred varieties are grown here in the kitchen 
garden and an orchard made some eleven years ago, besides which 
there are some dozens of large old standards upon the home farm 
near the farm house, an Elizabethan manor house, with which 
they are admirably in keeping. Frequently did I admire the 
crowding blossom of the grand old trees last spring, and the 
sight of the wonderful crop of fruit which followed was equally 
enjoyable. I regret, however, to record the loss of some of the 
finest trees. The decaying stems could not sustain the weight of 
the overladen branches, but came crashing to the ground after 
the fruit had become full grown and was ripening. The fruit was 
not wasted, but was mixed with other fruit and converted into 
cider, enough surplus fruit being grown to make four hundred 
gallons, which has been stored in sherry butts, and will be found 
an admirable substitute for beer in harvest time. Mixed sorts of 
Apples make excellent cider, but Sweet Lading, a local variety, is 
most valued for this purpose. There was a heavy crop of it, and 
also of White Rosing, another local sort, so much like Manks 
Codlin that I supposed it to be that. It ripens early and bears 
heavy crops of fruit, but is an inferior variety unworthy of 
general culture. Of other prominent varieties in this old orchard 
that continue to bear fruit abundantly in every favourable season 
there are Dutch Codlin, Devonshire Quarrenden, Fearn’s Pippin, 
a sight to astonish advocates of miniature fruit trees with its 
twenty to thirty bushels of handsome deep crimson fruit ; 
Lucombe’s Seedling ; Joanneting, which I am bound to say still 
proves very useful, and is highly valued despite the hard things 
that have been said about it; Ribston Pippin, as usual much 
cankered ; Northern Greening, and Gooseberry Apple. The two 
last are most excellent. I am using Northern Greening now for 
cooking, and find it a general favourite. Of Gooseberry several 
bushels are in the fruit store for use three or four months hence. 
Although not an advocate of standards I cannot altogether 
decry them, so frequently have they been useful; and of sorts that 
have always had plenty of fruit in favourable seasons I recall the 
following :—Lemon Pippin is most useful; Court Pendfi-Plat, 
