September 6, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
207 
Mr. Barter second with Charlotte Rothschild, and Mr. Goodacre third with 
.Black-Jamaica small but well ripened. 
MELONS. 
The competition was remarkably keen in the two classes for these, the 
.■green-flesh varieties being represented by thirteen fruits, Mr. Goodacre being 
first with Hero of Lockinge, small, but neat, and excellently ripened. Mr. 
T. Bailey was placed second with a finely flavoured fruit of Bailey’s Green- 
fiesh, which is a very old but excellent variety, and still one of the best in 
its class. We understand that Mr. Bailey was awarded a Banksian medal 
By the Royal Horticultural Society for this variety as early as 1827. Mr. 
-Coomber followed with William Tillery. Nine fruits of scarlet-flesh varie¬ 
ties were entered, Mr. Barker leading with Blenheim Orange evenly netted ; 
Mr. Miles was second with Scarlet Hybrid, and Mr. Coomber third with the 
tsame variety as the first. 
PLUMS. 
Only one collection of four red varieties was staged—namely, by Mr. J. 
Bolton of Sevenoaks, who was awarded the premier prize for good fruits of 
-Cox’s Emperor, Victoria, Pond’s Seedling, and Prince of Wales. For four 
yellow and green varieties Messrs. Goodacre; W. Johnstone, gardener to 
the Marchioness of Camden, Bayham Abbey ; and J. Bolton were the prize- 
-takers, the best shown being Magnum Bonum and Washington. Mr. Good- 
'Ucre had the best four purple varieties—Prince Englebert, Kirke’s, Diamond, 
^nd Emperor ; Mr. Bolton followed with similar varieties. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Prominent amongst the exhibits not in competition were the large collec¬ 
tions of Apples from Messrs. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea ; Messrs. Paul & Son, 
Cheshunt ; and Messrs. J. Cbeal & Son, Crawley, which included a great 
-number of varieties, a total of about four hundred dishes being staged by 
the three firms. Extra prizes were awarded for each collection, also for the 
-following :—Group of Chrysanthemums from Mr. Davis, Camberwell ; 
"Tuberous Begonias, tastefully arranged with Ferns, from Messrs. J. Laing 
and Co., Forest Hill ; collection of Asters and Godetias from Messrs. J. 
■Carter & Co., Forest Hill ; a number of spikes of Gladioli from Messrs. 
Kelway & Son, Langport ; Peas, Gooseberries, Currants, and very hand¬ 
some Frilled Asters from Mr. J. Walker, Thame; Balsams from Messrs. 
F. <fe T. Smith, Dulwich ; and a fine collection of fruit from Mr. J. Neigh¬ 
bour, Bickley. 
As this year is universally allowed to have produced the best 
crop of Apples which we have had in this country for many years 
.past, it has occurred to some who are materially interested in fruit 
culture to take advantage of this opportunity for examining and com¬ 
paring the numerous varieties that are grown throughout the country. 
'The importance of such a course is apparent to everyone who has 
watched the progressive development of fruit culture during the last 
few years, and who are, at the same time, painfullyhjonsciouspf how little 
even growers of fruit know of the varieties they possess. Every week, 
sand indeed every day, for months to come, we'shall have evidence of this 
in the numerous packages of fruit that are received at this office to be 
-named and to have some information obtained respecting them. The only 
way to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the subject is to bring together 
^as many varieties of Apples from all parts as can be obtained, and to 
iiave them exhibited in one place, where they can be studied and examined 
•as to their identification and comparative merits. Some progress has 
already been made in this movement. We hear that Mr. Killick of 
Langley, an enthusiastic Kentish orchardist ; Mr. Bunyard of Maidstone ; 
Mr. John E. Lane of Berkhampsted, and others who have long been 
engaged in fruit culture, are silently working to promote the desired 
object, and we sincerely trust that they will find a large accession to 
their numbers and strength in carrying it out. What is contemplated is 
to have this great gathering at the Chiswick Garden of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society, and to apply to the Council for the use of the spacious con¬ 
servatory for the purpose. We feel sure that the Council will afford 
•every facility for carrying out a work of such great importance to the 
■commercial industry of the nation, and no more suitable place 
could be found for the purpose. Let all who take any interest in 
fruit culture—and who does not ?—give their support to carry out this 
good work. It may be years before another opportunity occurs, 
■and if we do not seize it when we can many may live to regret 
the loss of it. All who are willing to unite in carrying out this 
great pomological project are invited to communicate with Mr. L. 
Killick, Langley, near Maidstone. 
- The brilliant period of summer-like weather that has prevailed 
in the south during the past month was succeeded by a STORM OF 
GREAT VIOLENCE on Saturday and Sunday last. Many gardens were 
wrecked. In the district of Sittingbourne and Faversham the damage 
is very serious indeed. Hundreds of poles of Hops are lying upon 
the ground, and in the gardens in which the string system is adopted 
immense numbers of strings have been broken. The Hops, especially 
in. exposed plantations, are terribly “cut up,” bruised, and battered, 
and discolouration is setting in to an alarming extent, the cones 
turning brown and black. It is, of course, impossible in the case 
of many gardens to say exactly what the permanent damage will be 
for two or three days, because the Hops are not yet fully grown out, 
but those which are “ whipped,” as it is technically called, or bruised, 
will become “ flyers,” unfit for picking. The damage must amount to 
hundreds of pounds. The fruit orchards present a desolate appearance, 
the trees having been completely stripped by the wind, and the ground 
strewn with hundreds of bushels of Apples and Pears. Great injury has 
been done by the storm to the fruit crops in the market gardens near 
Twickenham and Isle worth, the ground being strewn with Apples, Pears, 
and Plums; and from Bridport and Canterbury we learn that thousands of 
bushels of Apples have been blown down. In some orchards three-fourths 
of the fruit is spoiled. 
- The total number of bunches of Grapes on the great Vine AT 
Hampton Court this year is about 1,300, or 130 in excess of last year. 
In previous years 2,200 bunches have been borne at one time. 
- Relative to destroying the phylloxera a Belgian corre¬ 
spondent writes :—“ I saw in your last number that at Ashton Court the 
phylloxera having attacked the Vines these were destroyed, no remedy 
being known against these dreadful parasites. As you seem to endorse 
that opinion, allow me to inform your readers that the use of sulpho- 
carbonate of potash effectually destroys the phylloxera without injuring 
the Vines. The cost of the ingredient forbids its use on a large scale, 
but in vineries it can be afforded.” [We have not asserted that phyl¬ 
loxera cannot be destroyed ; but with Vines so seriously attacked as those 
in question there was no other proper course to adopt. Some less 
seriously infested in the same garden were not destroyed, and there is a 
prospect of their recovering. The sulpho-carbonate of potash remedy 
was published in our columns a fortnight ago on page 155. We may add 
that the phylloxera did not reach Ashton Court in any mysterious manner, 
but we have no authority for stating how it was obtained.] 
- Mr. John Forbes, Buccleuch Nurseries, Hawick, N.B., sends 
us a number of flowers of Border Carnations, which include several 
very pretty and useful varieties. They differ considerably in colour, 
the streaked, flaked, and bizarre varieties comprising some with salmon 
ground streaked with crimson and rose, others are pink and white, 
maroon and white, salmon-rose and buff, crimson and yellow, and pink 
and yellow. The seifs are pink, white, purple, and crimson of many 
shades ; one Picotee-like variety has a heavy rich crimson edge, and is 
very attractive. The blooms of all are full, but neat and useful for 
cutting. 
_ Mr. E. Butts describes Erigeron speciosum as “a first-class 
plant for the mixed border. It has been in flower with us for nearly 
three months, and the late flowers are still fresh. It is well worthy the 
attention of all lovers of hardy plants. In a well-prepared border it 
grows about feet high. The flowers are a beautiful mauve colour, 
and resemble the perennial Aster, but are better in form and much 
larger. In addition to its good qualities as a border plant it is invalu¬ 
able for supplying cut flowers, as these will keep fresh for at least a 
fortnight if occasionally supplied with fresh water.” 
_ Mr. W. Gibson, Superintendent of the Ranelagh Gardens, 
Chelsea, sends the following particulars in reference to the pensioners’ 
allotment gardens noted last week in this Journal, page 181 :— 
“ There are 144 plots, each 15 feet square, and any of the pensioners 
who desire to have a plot apply to the Sergeant-Major, and if there is 
one to spare he has it, or if not he has to wait his turn. A corporal 
superintends these gardens, and if any man neglects his plot he reports 
it, and it is taken from him. They are allowed to sell the produce to 
the public.” 
- “ At Carbrook, the seat of J. C. Bolton, Esq., M.P. for Stirling¬ 
shire, Larbert, N.B.,” writes a correspondent, “ may be seen some good 
examples of Leek and Onion cultivation. Mr. Glass, the gardener, 
is well known as one of the first vegetable exhibitors in Scotland, his 
