August 16, 1883 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
139 
grown upon these wonderful farms, and for the majority a passing reference 
only can be afforded. Double Rockets of a score ehades are grown by 
acres, both dwarf and tall in habit, while Rhodanthes of most approved 
strains are in similar force. Petunias are very abundant, very strong and 
very sweet, a strain of hybrid blotched varieties being especially note¬ 
worthy, and Messrs. Carter have gained much well-deserved fame for these 
amongst many other plants. Virginian Stocks are another feature. 
Pygmy, very dwarf, as the name implies; Fairy Queen, rosy scarlet, 
exceedingly bright and constant, and a white variety are the best amongst 
a fine collection. Lupins, such as L. nanus, L. coccineus, L. bicolor, and 
L. luteus, are grown in broad bands occupying several acres, their brilliant 
blue tints, especially the first-named, being unrivalled. Clarkias are again 
very striking. Mrs. Langtry, with rose and white petals, dwarf and free, 
is one of the most beautiful. The double white C. elegans, C. integri- 
petala Tom Thumb with fine rosy purple flowers, a C. integripetala lim- 
bata also being most effective. Poppies, Nemophilas, Mignonette, Corn¬ 
cockles, the blue Woodruff (Asperula azurea setosa), Saponarias, Sweet 
Williams, Silenes, and dozens of other established favourites are all in 
superb condition, and reflect the greatest credit upon the care with which 
they are grown and selected. 
GARDEN REAS. 
A brief commendation must be accorded to the Peas so extensively 
grown at St. Osyth, for the Dame of this firm is inseparably connected 
■with some of the varieties that have already obtained a world-wide fame. 
The redoubtable Telephone is especially prominent, and the quarters 
devoted to them had magnificent crops of handsome well-filled pods. 
•Stratagem is another thoroughly useful and most valuable variety, extra¬ 
ordinarily prolific, with even and regularly filled pods, the flavour being all 
to form spurs, instead of their being removed in disbudding. Great 
care, however, was taken to prevent overcrowding, and young growths 
were secured to the trellis at intervals for bearing on the young wood. 
In the formation of spurs it is usual to top the growths when they 
have made four large leaves, not counting the incipient leaves that 
have no buds in the axils, and as further growths issue they are 
stopped at one or two leaves. The process is shown in the engraving. 
In this figure it is easy to distinguish how the four leaves of the 
first summer stopping have fared. In either shoot only the point-bud 
has made a second growth, which has been stopped to two leaves, 
and a third growth, w’hich has been stopped at one more leaf. The 
junction-buds (where the point-bud burst) appear full and healthy. 
One of them, in the right shoot, even shows a disposition to become 
a cluster-spur. This specimen was drawn from nature, and well 
illustrates the subject, of spurring Peach trees. 
FANCY PANSIES.—No. 2. 
Mr. William Dean’s contribution to the, as yet, imperfectly 
written history of the Fancy Pansy was of exceeding interest, 
and with the data in his possession he must be able to make 
still more valuable additions I was glad to find that in many 
particulars he corroborated the story I reported from the lips 
of Mr. John Downie, but I must leave the divergences to be 
Fig. 25.—Spurring peach trees. 
that could be desired. Pride of the Market is also a variety distinguished 
by its great prolificness and good constitution, indispensable to all who are 
largely engaged in the culture of Peas. 
CURRANT BLACK CHAMPION. 
Last, but by no means least, comes the grandest Black Currant in 
■cultivation, which, unlike many novelties, improves on further acquaintance 
with it. "When branches were first shown at Kensington, the great size of 
the berries and their number was thought by some to be due to superior 
•cultivation and not to any inherent qualities possessed by the variety. The 
Fruit Committee, however, thought otherwise, and awarded a first-class 
certificate for it. Now, too, after many years’ trial the plants at the 
Dedham farms amply prove the grand character of the variety, for some 
dozens of bushes there have the branches loaded with large black fruit 
almost like small Plums, in large bunches, and surprisingly regular both 
in berry and bunch. The flavour, too, is peculiarly soft and agreeable, 
and altogether the variety is superb—one that well deserves popularity. 
—Visitor. 
SPURRING PEACH TREES. 
A CORRESPONDENT, Mr. A. Higgs, asks “ if Peaches will really bear 
on spurs the same as Apricots and Pears ; he has been told they will 
do so, but cannot credit the story.” The “story” is true, never¬ 
theless, but the system of forming spurs is not general, neither is 
well adapted to Peaches in the open air in this country. Under 
glass we have seen some of the finest fruit borne on spurs ; indeed, 
we are not sure that the finest crop we have seen this year was 
not produced on a tree on which several growths had been pinched 
made straight by the veterans themselves, and remain perfectly 
satisfied w ith having raised the subject in such a way that an 
authoritative solution appears probable. Perhaps Mr. James 
Grieve, who is recognised as one of the best authorities in 
Scotland, could throw some useful light on the subject. 
In making a selection of the best Fancy Pansies exhibited at 
the Scottish Society’s late Show, it ought to be remembered that 
I saw them at their very best. Never before had there been so 
many stands of undoubted excellence shown at Edinburgh, and 
never before had the judges had so much trouble in awarding 
the prizes. To this must be added the consummate skill of 
the exhibitors in dressing their blooms. I saw many a re¬ 
fractory flower subjected to a few minutes’ manipulation, with 
the result that the crooked was made straight and the rough 
smooth. It is all very well for the uninitiated to condemn 
dressing, but I fail to see why a flower should not be improved 
after it is cut. "While growing, all is done that is possible to 
improve it, and surely it cannot be wrong to give it a few 
finishing touches in the way artists do at the Royal Academy. 
I saw a second-prize stand of eighteen which would assuredly 
have been first if it had been dressed by the same hands. 
I do not for one moment advocate the flat appearance which 
we sometimes see attained in England, but prefer the convex 
form which a Pansy naturally takes when fully blown. Fre¬ 
quently the bottom petal is stubbornly curled, and requires most 
delicate touching to cause it to recurve like its fellows. In 
doing this the petal will frequently split, but I have found it 
advisable to leave such blooms out of water for an hour or so 
before setting them up, as the slight flagging which is caused 
