JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 16, 1882. ] 
213 
crimson flowers. Its companion, C. H. Hovey, though of less 
beautiful form, possesses a distinct delicate shade of pink fading 
to white and slightly streaked. Marchioness of Exeter has blooms 
of fine substance and shape ; colour bright rosy crimson. Sweeti 
vera, an old form, approaches the last-named in the colour of the 
flowers, though these are coarser in form, but they are produced 
so freely that the plant is very attractive. Madame Cachet has 
broad pink petals tipped with white. L’Avenir is a pretty variety 
with handsome flowers of a pleasing pink shade. Belle Jannette 
is noteworthy for its compact habit and large abundant crimson 
flowers. Countess of Derby, a handsome blush-tinted variety, the 
flowers being of fine shape and substance. The deep red, almost 
scarlet, Eximia and the floriferous Chandleri are useful varieties 
of considerable beauty. The old Double White is still unsurpassed 
in its section, though Ninfa Egeria is exquisite in shape, and the 
fine white flowers contrast strikingly with the dark green foliage. 
Fimbriata is also admirably represented, its neatly fringed blooms 
being very abundant. 
About 150 Hyacinths are staged, the majority having massive 
spikes of fine bells, the colours being bright and clear. Grand 
Bleu is a particularly fine variety with large pale blue bells, and 
Empress of India is another good form with semi-double rich 
rosy pink flowers. Several Roses in pots are included, and a 
handsome specimen of Clematis lobata indivisa is bearing a pro¬ 
fusion of its neat white flowers. 
VINES AND SEASON IN YORKSHIRE; 
I HAVE, owing most probably to the exceptionally warm winter, 
to modify my statements about the time at which Vines start 
into growth under the winter treatment which I described on 
page 151, February 23rd. This year the Vines have started much 
Fig. 42.—Peak marie benoist. (See page 214.) 
earlier than usual; in fact, in the warmer house the Muscat 
Hamburgh has already made growths from 6 to 10 inches long, 
and is showing well-developed bunches, and even in the cooler 
house the Black Hamburgh has growths from 2 to 3 inches in 
length. Everything, however, is fully from five to six weeks 
earlier than usual. For instance, I have Peach blossom open on 
south walls without any protection, and some of the forwardest 
of the pyramid and espalier Pear trees are expanding their 
blooms rapidly—such as Williams’, Bon Chretien, Zephirin Gregoire, 
Van Mons IAon Leclerc, &c. Why is it, I may ask, that several 
of the Pears which are the latest to ripen are the earliest to 
bloom ? For instance, Easter Beurr6, Zephirin Gregoire, lAon 
Leclerc, and Ne Plus Meuris, which all are late varieties, are nearly 
the first to open their blooms. 
Apricots again this year are unusually early, and have a greater 
quantity of bloom on them than I almost have ever noticed, no 
doubt partly owing to the deficiency of crop last year. 
Another thing I may venture to remark with regard to Vines. 
It is the usually received idea that if the rods are not tied down 
horizontally the upper eyes will burst first, and will rob the lower 
eyes of the sap and their growth. Now this year, as it was my 
intention to try the extension system in the warmer house, and to 
leave the young and vigorous growths on the Dr. Hogg, Muscat 
Hamburgh, and Muscat of Alexandria nearly the full length of their 
well-ripened canes, varying from 8 to 12 feet of new wood, I never 
moved the canes at all till I pruned them, and altered their posi¬ 
tion by taking away the Black Hamburgh at the north end of the 
warmer house and placing Dr. Hogg in its place, the other \ ines 
being also moved ; but in every case the buds have started at the 
base of the rods first, and not at the top. Muscat Hamburgh has 
