398 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 18, 1882. 
with them early the next morning. When unpacked I found 
them in excellent condition, while another large box also tilled 
with Roses and sent less than fifty miles was in a much less 
satisfactory condition. They were packed closely and upright, 
their stems being bedded in damp moss and in two layers, a 
tray separating them. The topmost layer was in good condi¬ 
tion, but the most in the lower division had become quite hot 
with the result of expanding, and spoiling the Eoses for the 
purpose we required them. I ought, perhaps, to mention we 
start our hampers by goods train about G p.m., and the next 
day about 11 p.m. they are delivered at the town residence, 
having travelled a distance of about 115 miles in the interval. 
In this manner they are sent at a comparatively cheap rate; 
in fact it is quite unnecessary to send by passenger trains 
unless for special occasions. 
FLOWERS BY POST. 
We are almost daily dispatching choice flowers by post, and 
although the contemplated post-office innovation may effect a 
revolution in mine and others’ systems, I will briefly describe 
my present method. We use light tin boxes, made by a local 
tinman at about 3d. each, and these measure outside 6 inches 
in length, 3 inches wide, and 2 inches deep. We line them 
with Spinach leaves, pack the flowers closely in a single layer, 
cover with more leaves, and on these dispose a few fronds of 
Maidenhair Fern, the lid fitting tightly. The box is then 
neatly wrapped in strong white paper, tied each way with 
string, and an addressed parchment label suspended from one 
side ; on this is placed the stamp or stamps, generally to the 
value of 3d., and this receives most of the punching. We have 
frequently sent six Gardenias or as many Eoses, sprays of 
Stephanotis, and other flowers in these boxes, and they invari¬ 
ably reach their destination “ beautifully fresh." That last 
sent contained two large Catherine Mermet Eoses, two sprays 
of Stephanotis, and two blooms of Souvenir de la Malmaison 
Carnation. The boxes are returned uninjured with the other 
empties.—W. Iggulden. 
THE ALEXANDER PEACH. 
I received from Mr. Rivers of Sawbridgeworth some trained 
early Peaches and Nectarines at the beginning of the year. I 
had them placed in a vinery in which fires had been begun on 
the 2nd of January ; on the 19th and 20th of April some of the 
Peaches were quite ripe, and the ladies who ate them pronounced 
them “ delicious." As this Peach ripens its fruit earlier than the 
Early Beatrice, and is a larger fruit, I think it ought to be more 
known. From the experience I have had in forcing Peaches I 
believe it to be the best hitherto introduced ; it is a yellow Peach, 
it requires no particular attention, and the light it had was from 
a roof covered with Vine leaves. The trees are now making good 
wood. I see no reason why Peaches of this sort should not be 
ripened at the beginning of March in a house where they could 
obtain plenty of light, supposing fires were commenced on the 
14th of November. My trees were stopped at 6 inches ; it has 
been necessary to stop them again. From the time I received 
these trees from Mr. Rivers to the time when the fruit was fully 
ripe was fifteen weeks.—S. N. 
LATE BROCCOLI AND EARLY CAULIFLOWERS. 
We shall have but little need for “ anybody’s ” late June Broc¬ 
coli since such early Cauliflowers as Defiance and Early Forcing 
can be had ready for cutting in such a short time from a warm 
shady border. After the small tender heads of Cauliflowers turn 
in Broccoli is not much appreciated because of their flavour, which 
is much stronger however youDg they may be cut. If a supply can 
be maintained by early Cauliflowers which turn in so rapidly it 
would not pay to grow Broccoli to come into use during the month 
of June. When we consider the ground they occupy and the 
length of time they are upon it compared with early Cauliflowers 
they are anything but profitable. 
Since the introduction of these real early kinds another opera¬ 
tion may safely be dispensed with, and that is the storing of 
Cauliflower Diants in frames during the winter. We have nothing 
against this good old practice, for we have annually carried it out, 
and until recently looked upon a batch of plants so saved as essen¬ 
tial to yield our early supply. Early last season I sowed seed of 
each of the above varieties in heat, and when large enough pricked 
the plants into boxes, and had them thoroughly hardened off by 
the time we could safely plant them out. They were placed by 
the side of autumn-raised plants of Early London and Walcheren 
that were kept in pots during winter, and protected from the severe 
weather in a late Peach house. The latter had the protection of 
handlights when first planted out, while the early kinds only had 
flower pots over them for a few days. Early Forcing and Defiance 
were all cut before Early London commenced forming heads, being 
fully a fortnight earlier, and on our hands fully four months less 
time. Either of these varieties are valuable additions to our list 
of early vegetables. 
It matters but little which of the two is grown ; they turn in 
about the same time, Early Forcing being a trifle the larger 
grower, but this is so little that Defiance cannot gain preference 
on that point. It is not necessary to grow both, and I am inclined 
to prefer Early Forcing because it has proved a little the hardiest. 
If sown towards the end of August, and kept in a cold Peach house 
or to the front of a late vinery safe from frost, they would continue 
growing slowly, and would produce snow-white small heads in 
6-inch pots in a frame early in the season. They are valuable for 
growing in frames either planted out or in pots, and I fail to see 
why they are not as worthy of frame room as Carrots and other 
early vegetables are. If a hotbed is made in a frame and covered 
with old potting soil, and the seed should be sown thinly in rows 
9 inches apart, the young plants being thinned out when large 
enough. Those drawn out can be pricked into boxes, to be even¬ 
tually planted outside, while those in the frame can remain until 
heads are produced. Between the rows a crop of Radishes or other 
salading can be taken. 
Early Forcing and Defiance are rather tender, and are killed 
when the weather proves very severe, even with the protection of 
a frame and mats over it. During the early part of September, 
1880,1 sowed these varieties in a frame by the side of Early London 
and Walcheren. The frost was severe, and the last-named variety, 
as may be expected, was not much injured, while half of Early 
London was killed, about one-fourth of Early Forcing remained 
alive, and none of Defiance.—L. D. W. 
FERTILISERS—CHLORIDE AND SULPHATE OF 
POTASH. 
On page 362 “ Single-handed ” has some remarks on the 
chloride and sulphate of potash, and I desire to notice some of 
the points he raises and the queries he puts in reference to some 
previous remarks of mine. He asks, (1), “ What about the cost?” 
and (2), “ Is the muriate (chloride) really more available because 
soluble 1” (1) Though I purchased chloride of potash in Decem¬ 
ber last I did not keep a note of its price, but I am certainly under 
the impression that potash is cheaper in this form than as a sul¬ 
phate. For two or three years I have applied potash in the form 
of nitrate of potash, a form in which both nitrogen aDd potash 
are readily assimilable, but this manure cost about 26s. per cwt.; 
and as I have been assured that this salt is subjected to so much 
adulteration in this country as to cause the per-centage of potash 
to fall far below what its normal value ought to be, I have in 
consequence substituted the chloride. (2) I most certainly under¬ 
stand that the chloride is “ more available because soluble.” The 
only likelihood of having cause to be disappointed with its effects 
would be through adulteration. So far as I understand, the fault 
that agriculturists have had to find with sulphate of potash has 
just been this question of its insolubility. Potash, therefore, as 
a chloride or a nitrate would be presented in a form to be pre¬ 
ferred because of its solubility. 
The next query is, “Have plants not the power of dissolving 
what they want ?” and the answer, “ Decidedly they have ; bow 
otherwise could plants take up tribasic phosphate ?” It need 
hardly be pointed out that this admission tells greatly against the 
position “ Single-handed” himself has taken up as regards the 
necessity of employing potash as a carbonate because of its solu¬ 
bility ; for if plants have the power thus readily to dissolve the 
food they require, what matters the particular combination in 
which potash is presented ? While putting his admission in that 
form, I do not, however, press the point, for the reason that plant* 
do not, at least in any great degree, possess the power of taking 
food from the soil unless it is in an assimilable form. How 
otherwise are we to account for the fact that chemical analysis 
proves certain soils to contain more than a sufficient supply of 
phosphoric acid, potash, aud lime to meet the requirements of 
crops, and that such soils may nevertheless remain comparatively 
barren until these constituents are provided by the cultivator just 
the same as if they were entirely absent ? Further, do plants 
really dissolve tribasic phosphate ? Though practically insoluble 
in water, acids dissolve it, and so do many salts. Does “ Single- 
handed ” ignore the part these act, or the help they accord to 
