316 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 11, 183?. 
great foraging powers, grows strongly, has a special capacity for 
assimilating nitrates and attacking insoluble phosphates. Such 
sown thickly in September would do much to prevent soil losses, 
by organising soluble matters, and also be helpful in preparing 
such insoluble salts as iron phosphates for future use. More¬ 
over, such has a sweetening effect on soil long cropped with 
garden crops, which no fallowing can secure. Vetches will give 
a greater amount of herbage to dig in, and so will Mustard and 
Rape. But Yetches have the same effect on soils that Peas and 
Beans have, and in practice we find that often these have to 
follow each other too closely. Mustard and Rape have the effect 
on soils that Turnips and Cabbages have, and we all know that 
when these follow each other too closely in a rotation, clubbing 
and other serious evils often result. Many old garden soils 
would be restox-ed to a great extent if they could be laid down 
in pasture for a few years. It is seldom practicable to do so, but 
sowing down all vacant ground in autumn very thickly with grass 
seeds would partly answer the same purpose. It would sweeten 
the soil, keep it dry, save the nitrates, and be quite equal to an 
application of manure equal in amount to the herbage produced. 
This, when, from mistaken notions of economy,not enough manure 
is allowed, or when it cannot be got, would be a great advantage, 
for artificials cannot altogether supply the place of ordinary 
manure, though with the economising of all vegetable refuse, 
and tbe practice of green manuring, as this has been called, it 
is both possible and practicable. 
Many flower gardens lie for the greater part of the year 
exposed to the impoverishing effects of the weather, besides 
being blanks and eyesores. Were they levelled down as soon as 
the summer contents become unsightly, and thickly sown with, 
in this case, Rape or Mustard, or, if a level surface be desired, 
with grass, not only would the necessary expenses be lessened— 
for seeds could be procured from the hayloft good enough for 
this purpose—but the appearance be much improved. 
Much plant food is lost when too heavy applications of lime 
are given. For want of lime much nitrogenous matter in many 
garden soils is quite useless, and accumulates. When lime is 
given this becomes rapidly prepared, and when large doses are 
given much more nitrates are formed than the crops can utilise. 
For this reason lime should only be sparingly applied to garden 
soils rich in black mould, and when given no other manure 
whatever should be apqilied at the same time. In very old 
neglected gardens lime could thus be made to cause the working- 
up of the accumulated manure, for manure that only accumu¬ 
lates may as much be regarded as lost as when washed away. 
If it is liberated by lime gradually it may be regarded as so 
much unrealised wealth turned into available assets. 
By digging at the wrong season much actual wealth is thereby 
thrown away, because it facilitates the escape of much valuable 
plant food, but this will be more fully discussed under the head 
of tillage.— Single-handed. 
THE NATIONAL APPLE CONGRESS. 
October 4th to 18th. 
Success in an unexpected degree has attended the efforts of the Com¬ 
mittee formed to inaugurate a National Apple Congress at the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s Gardens, Chiswick; for the world has never seen so 
grand an exhibition of these useful fruits as that opened on Thursday last, 
the 4th inst. Without money prizes or inducement of any kind beyond the 
desire to advance the cause of pomology and to assist in reducing the 
nomenclature to a satisfactory standard, exhibitors have come forward in 
large numbers from nearly every county in England and Scotland. Wales 
and the Channel Islands, too, have contributed, while distant Sweden is also 
represented. The unanimity with which the scheme was welcomed is both 
surprising and gratifying; but is no doubt in a great measure due to the 
energy displayed by the leading members of the Committee, who have 
striven hard to render the Congress what it has proved to be—unique in the 
annals of horticultural exhibitions. 
The great vinery in the Chiswick Gardens presents a spectacle of remark¬ 
able beauty, the roof being draped with the Vines—the abundant, pendant, 
go’den and black clusters having a charming effect—while beneath are 
broad tables of brilliantly and diversely tinted Apples, a few graceful plants 
in the centre of the stands adding much to the general beauty. This 
magnificent vinery is 180 feet long, and in addition to the two tables 
in the centre, each 6 feet broad and extending the whole length of 
the house, the side shelves are also filled -with exhibits. The contri¬ 
butions are arranged in counties, those contained in this house, which 
is the head-quarters of the Congress, being chiefly Kent, Middlesex, Hert¬ 
fordshire, Essex, Bedfordshire, Sussex, and Surrey. These include the 
hulk of the finest produce shown, as in only a few other counties, notably 
Herefordshire, are such large and handsome Apples staged as those in the 
home counties. In colour, too, the southern exhibits are much superior, and 
the Kentish Apples in particular excel in this character. Six other smaller 
houses are also appropriated to contributions, and the chief difficulty 
experienced has been to find space for them all. In consequence a few 
exhibits which arrived late could not be arranged under their respective 
ounties. The old Fig house contains the Devonshire, Gloucestershire, 
Lincolnshire, Welsh, and Swedish Apples, the two divisions of the span-roof 
range, usually deroted to Begonias and Pelargoniums, being occupied with 
Scotch Apples and those from the northern counties, such as Yorkshire and 
Cheshire. The long range near the boundary wall, which is in three divisions, 
contains exhibits from Leicestershire, Somersetshire, Northamptonshire, 
Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, and a few others of less importance. 
The total number of dishes is about 8000, and it is estimated that nearly 
1000 varieties are represented. Many of these are only of local fame, and 
amongst the others great confusion exists as to the names, but the Com¬ 
mittee are performing an invaluable service both to the exhibitors and the 
public generally in carefully determining the correct titles. In this respect 
alone the Congress will do good work, as an authoritative revision of the 
names and synonyms of Apples grown in various parts of the country could 
not have been accomplished in any other way. 
Some varieties are remarkably well shown throughout all the counties, 
and particularly noteworthy in this respect is Peasgood’s Nonesuch, which is 
very handsomely represented in all the larger collections. Warner’s King, 
too, is another fine Apple that is good throughout from all districts and 
every county, while amongst the newer varieties Lord Derby stands pre¬ 
eminent as a general favourite. Perhaps the most handsome Apple in 
the Show is Washington in the Maidstone collection ; it is perfect in 
form and colour, but as the samples were grown under glass they cannot be 
fairly compared with their less favoured associates. Blenheim Pippin and 
Annie Elizabeth are admirably shown from scores of gardens ; while of tha 
brightly coloured varieties Worcester Pearmain takes the lead in numbers* 
Duchess of Gloucester being equally rich but not so abundant. Colonel 
Vaughan is also good. Of small yellow dessert Apples, Yellow Ingestrie is 
the most generally exhibited, while King of the Pippins is a favourite 
dessert variety with nearly all contributors. 
In the following notes of the exhibits under the several counties only the- 
varieties best represented are named. 
BERKSHIRE. 
Though moderate in extent the Berkshire contribution contained many 
handsome specimens, colour and size being well balanced. Mr. T. Jones* 
gardener to Her Majesty the Queen, Frogmore, has the finest collection, 
and throughout the Apples staged are distinguished by great merit, hand¬ 
some kitchen varieties and brightly tinted dessert varieties rendering the 
exhibit really attractive. As a representative collection from a private 
garden we give the names of all the varieties shown by Mr. Jones, and it 
will be seen that it includes all the best Apples grown in the south of 
England. The total number of varieties is 153, sixty-seven kitchen Apples- 
and the remainder dessert varieties as follows :— 
Kitchen Apples. —Alfriston, Annie Elizabeth, Bess Pool Baron Ward, 
Baldwin, Brown’s Codlin, Betty Geeson, Cox’s Pomona, Cellini, Calville 
Blanche, Dr. Harvey, Dumelow’s Seedling, Edmund Jnpp, Ecklinville, 
Emperor Alexander, Flower of Herts, Frogmore Prolific, Forge, Flower of 
Kent, Grenadier, Galloway Pippin, Golden Noble, Hoary Morning, Holland 
Pippin, Jonathan, Jolly Beggar, Keswick Codlin, Lord Derby, Lord Raglan-, 
Lady Henniker, London Pippin, Lewis’ Incomparable, Mere de Menage, 
Maltster, Minchall Crab, Mank’s Codlin, Nelson Codlin, Norfolk Beefing* 
Norfolk Bearer, Old Woman, Omar Pasha, Ogles Grove, Peasgood’s Nonsuch, 
Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria (Small’s), Rhode Island, Royal Somerset, 
Rymer, Roundawav Magnum Bonum,Red Hollandbury, Reinette du Canada, 
Small’s Imperial, Small’s Admirable, Stirling Castle, Sheep’s Nose, St. Savoir, 
Stamford Pippin, Transparent du Grongell’s, Welford Park Nonesuch* 
Worcester Pearmain, Warner’s King, Wadhurst Pippin, Winter Greening, 
Wormsley Pippin, Wooling’s Favourite, Yorkshire Greening, and Yellow 
Bellefleur. 
Dessert Apples. —Adams’ Pearmain, American Nonesuch, Aromatic Russet', 
Beaumaris Red, Baddow’s Pippin, Boston Russet, Braddick’s Nonpareil, 
Brownlee’s Russet, Beachamwell, Blenheim Pippin Barton’s Incomparable-, 
Beaumauris, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Cook’s Seedling, Cobham, Calville du 
Dantzig, Cockle Pippin, Cornish Aromatic, Carraway’s Russet, Claygate 
Pearmain, Coe’s Golden Drop, Court of Wick, Copmanthorpe Crab, Court- 
Pendu-Plat, Downton Pippin, Downton Nonpareil, Duke of Devonshire, 
Dutch Mignonne, Eldon Pippin, Early Nonesuch, Early Nonpareil, Franklin’.? 
Golden Pippin, Fairy Apple, Fair Maid of Windsor, Forester, Frogmore 
Nonpareil, Fearn’s Pippin, Forfar Pippin, Graham Apple, Gipsy King, 
Gipsy Queen, Golden Pippin (Small’s), Golden Russet, Golden Winter Pear¬ 
main, Golden Harvey, Improved Ashmead’s Kernel, Jefferson, King of the 
Pippin, Keddleston Pippin, Kerry Pippin, Lord Burghley, Lucomb’s Pine 
Apple, Lamb Abbey Pearmain, Lodgemore Nonpareil, Lemon Apple, Melon 
Apple, Margil, Martin’s Nonpareil, Mannington’s Pearmain, Newtown Pippin, 
New Rock Pippin, New Ribston Pippin, Pennington’s Seedling, Powell’s 
Russet, Pomme d’Api, Pine Apple Russet. Pearson’s Plate, Pine Golden 
Pippin, Royal Russet, Rosemary Russet, Ribston Pippin, Reinette Ontz, 
Ross Nonpareil, Reinette du Caux, Ribston Pearmain, Round Winter 
Nonesuch, Scarlet Nonpareil, Seek no Farther, Scarlet Russet, Sturmer 
Pippin, Stark, Scarlet Pearmain, Taylor’s Seedling, Wyken Pippin, White 
Paradise, and Winter Peach. 
Mr. C. Ross, The Gardens, Welford Park, Newbury, contributed seventy- 
two varieties, large handsome examples—Kentish Fillbasket, Golden Noble, 
Loddington, Cox’s Pomona, Warner’s Kine-, and Lord Derby being notable 
amongst the largest, while the brightly coloured scarlet and Worcester 
Pearmains are similarly striking. Mr. Mortimer, The Gardens, Purley Park, 
sent forty-two varieties, and Mr. W. Riddington, Hungerford, thirty varieties. 
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. 
Slough, the home of Roses and Carnations, contributes its share to the 
productions of this county, Mr. C. Turner’s collection of 150 varieties being 
the principal exhibit, and comprises some creditable examples of well-known 
and reliable Apples. The leading varieties were Cat’s Head, Ecklinville, 
Golden Noble, Fearn’s Pippin large and richly coloured, Duchess of Glouces¬ 
ter very pretty, Tom Putt highly coloured, Yellow Ingestrie, Prince of 
Wales, New Hawthornden, Ribston Pippin, Lord Suffieid large and hand¬ 
some, King of Pippins, Worcester Pearmain, Peasgood’s Nonesuch, Lady 
Henniker, Lord Derby, Cellini, Mere de Mdnage, and Cox’3 Pomona. Mr. J. 
Smith, The Gardens, Mentmore, Leighton Buzzard, staged sixty varieties, 
generally in fine condition, but particularly fine is Queen Caroline, which is 
shown in many other counties in good form, Worcester Pearmain and Peas- 
