December G, 1883, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
483 
the shape of a flue through a stove ? ” If I had a boiler with 
sufficient pip ng to heat the house properly, I should not care to 
carry the chimney in the shape of a flue through any structure 
with vegetation in it. In flues there are generally some mishaps 
occurring. If a vinery, and an accident occur during the night, 
we have the pleasure of seeing in the morning the foliage burned. 
In my case once where a flue ran through an old orangery, 
one morning we found, owing to an accident to the flue, that 
the buds had all fallen, and in many cases the foliage of Camellias 
as well.—A. Young. 
OUR PEAS OF THE PAST SEASON. 
To commence the Pea season I make a good sowing in November of 
Prizetaker, not forgetting to sow for the sparrows in the warm days of 
spring as well as for other purposes, and again in February and in March, 
at the same time sowing Yeitch’s Perfection for succession. This is a 
great favourite, and has been so with me since its first appearance. From 
the November sowing we generally gather about the first week in June. 
This season was an unfavourable one ; they were a week later than 
usual, but the crop was larger. Stratagem I like very ranch, but when 
I have grown it as a summer Pea as long as I have Yeitch’s Perfection 
I may like it better. I am inclined to think it is only a selection from 
that fine variety. Its sturdy habit is a grand character. I shall continue 
to cultivate it. Sharp’s Paragon is a fine Pea, but requires careful 
attention to keep it in the stakes in windy weather. The pods are too 
long in filling in our locality, and it is too tall. The seed of John Bull 
was mixed, so that I was at a loss to discover its true character. Some 
were 3 feet high some were 9, so I gave John marching orders. 
G iant Marrow when true deserves all that has been said of it, but we 
shall have to adopt a different mode of treatment if we mean to succeed 
with it. It is a monster in every respect, but I am sorry to say did not 
satisfy my expectation. It was too long in filling ; it is tall-growing, and 
being much exposed to winds its gigantic proportions require more than 
ordinary support. Too much cannot be said for Telegraph and Telephone, 
and I find so little difference between them that in future they will be 
used as one. I find the wrinkled and the smooth in each. Telegraph 
and Veitch’s Perfection are the Peas for me during the summer and 
autumn. I should like Telegraph all the better were it 4 feet instead of 
7 feet high. Could I have Ne plus Ultra 5 feet in height instead of 8 1 
would seek no further, as tall growers suffer much from winds with us. 
When a lad in a market garden fifty years ago we used to have a grand 
late Pea called Vellyfield Roughpod, but I hear nothing of it now. I 
might name others, but from the above we had a full supply from June 
to the end of October, when the wind and frost closed our Pea season.— 
A Yorkshire Gardener. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS OUT OF DOORS. 
That Chrysanthemums may be grown very successfully in the open 
air, as you noto on page 463, is certain; and since reading those lines I 
have seen a very successful instance, in fact the best that has as yet come 
under my notice. This, however, is not by a professional gardener, hut a 
very enthusiastic amateur—Mr. H. Murray, Uxbridge, who, besides the 
open-air collection here mentioned, has had two small houses filled with 
his favourite flower. Mr. Murray’s outside collection is grown near a 
west wall; a double row of plants, which are planted out early in April, 
some well-decayed dung being worked into the border. During tho 
growing summer period they are of very little trouble compared with pot 
plants in the way of watering—staking, tying, and disbudding being the 
principal consideration. Towards the end of October a coping of glass or 
canvas is erected in the way usually used for Peach trees, and in cold 
weather mats or canvas being in front. I herewith forward a few blooms 
cut from this open-air collection to-day (December 1st). The large 
Anemone varieties were in better condition than the incurved varieties, 
George Sands, Louis Bonamy, and Lady Margaret being very good. I 
have seen worse blooms in metropolitan exhibition stands this season. 
—C. H. 
[The Anemone varieties are extremely good, and the incurved blooms 
are also of fair quality, and we can corroborate our correspondent’s remarks 
fiat much worse blooms have been shown this yen', and in winning 
stands.] 
OUR ORCHARDS AND PARAFFIN OIL. 
A CORRESPONDENT writes :—“ In an article in the November number 
of the “Nineteenth Century” by the P,ev. H. P. Dunster, entitled * Our 
Orchards and Paraffin Oil,’ several passages occur which are worth the 
attention of horticulturists, and for this reason I transcribe them. 
Speaking of imports, he says * that the fruit imported under the heading 
of unenumerated raw reached the almost incredible amount of 4,045,091 
bushels, the value of which was £1,71S,907,’ that is, all unless dried 
fruits ; but we believe that a distinction has been made in favour of 
Apples, of which a separate return will be given. After finding fault 
generally with cultivators, he here says, 1 We do not ourselves grow, and 
moreover not attempting to grow, a supply of fruits sufficient for our own 
consumption, but are contented to pay our money to foreigners f. r 
almost all we need ; ’ and strongly advises ‘ cultivators and owners to do 
something more for their own benefit,’ by which he means the more 
extensive planting of orchards. 
“ There are, we learn, at present only 1 184,000 acres of land under 
orchard cultivation, and which gives a far higher average than the 
rent and tenants’ profit of ordinary farm land.’ Then follow a few 
questions. ‘Are our orchards properly managed at present?’ ‘Are 
they not capable of improvement ? ’ And then, ‘ I am in a position to 
prove that the health and pxoductivness of orchard trees may be most 
materially increased by a very simple and inexpensive process, and that 
both owners and proprietors may derive a much larger return from 
orchards than is now made.’ And after a general review of the land 
occupied by orchards in different par's of England, the startling assertion 
appears, ‘I only in a few instances’ (and those were orchards planted 
with young trees) ‘met with trees that were not covered with mosses and 
lichen, and in a state of canker and neglect.’ ‘ Is it possible under such 
circumstances that orchards can be expected to pay, and if still under 
.circumstances they do yield a profit—a profit far beyond what ordinary 
farm crops are yielding, as I have every reason to believe is the case, 
what would be the result of greater care bestowed upon them ? ’’ 
“ He then proceeds to give the experience upon which are founded 
the preceding assertions. ‘About five years ago an old Anple tree as 
usual was infestel with the American blight, as it is commonly called 
(Eriosoma). The tree appeared gradually dying, and from its situation I 
was very reluctant to cut it down. About a pint of paraffin oil was put 
in a wide-necked bottle, and with a house painter’s brush a full dressing 
was given wherever the least blight was observed, all trace was 
obliterated by the process, and in a few days the moss and lichen 
turned black and died,’ when the tree survived and flourished, made 
fresh shoots, and is now in a healthy bearing state. And all he affirms is 
that by the process above indicated ‘ orchard trees generally in good 
health and bearing for a much longer period than is found to be the case 
at present.’ ‘ That trees themselves shall throw off their rusty moss- 
grown state and assume a healthy and vigorous appearance, also that the 
fruit they bear, instead of being m : sshapen, speckled, and stunted, shall 
indicate by quantity and quality their more healthy condition.’ 
“ An instance is also given of two Victoria Plums where the stems 
were covered with the blight and beginning to give indications of 
approaching death. ‘ The quantity of fruit did not in the least diminish, 
but were undersized, spotted, and some fell before they were ripe. One 
of these was cut down, the other was dressed as above with the most 
startling results, vigorous health producing large plump well-bloomed 
fruits.’ ‘Now, with both these the gardeners’ verdict would have been— 
They are useless, their roffs are at fault, they have got down to the dead 
soil.’ ‘ I have proved, and I trust satisfactorily, this is not the reason 
the bark and the bark only was at fault.’ And after urging the growth 
of orchard trees in hedgerows, &c., he says ‘ that large growers (or 
nurserymen) will deliver at nearly any station standard orchard trees, in 
quantity, Apples Is. each, Plums Is. 3 cl. each. The landlord’s cost per 
acre being 45s. to 50s., including three stakes to each tree. The tenant’s 
cost for cultivating the land, pruning, &c., 3 cl. each tree. Dressed, on an 
average, 2 cl. or 3 cl. each tree, including material, &c.’ ” 
[Injury has been done to trees by the incautious use of petroleum.] 
SIX MONTHS IN A VINERY. 
March 17th. —No flowers are open yet, and we are rather 
pleased that such is the case, for they have strengthened 
considerably, and cannot fail to be good when they do expand. 
The leaves still increa e in substance, the later-made ones being 
particularly leathery. 
On the 11th our outside minimum temperature was 18°, and 
12° on the grass. It became cloudy at sunrise. There were 
glimpses of sunshine during the day, but it was not necessary 
ibo give air. The 12th opened brightly with a, registered 
minimum of 22°. A little air was given at 8 o’clock,_ and 
increased at 8.30. The outer atmosphere wa i very dry with a 
brisk wind, which affected the inside of our house to such an 
extent that the foliage was seen to droop a little. We wish we 
could manage without giving air to-day, but the temperature 
would be likely to rise to a dangerous height, so we give as little 
as we think we safely can and close as early as we dare; but this 
is not till 1.30 P.M./the sun having great power under the glass. 
The thermometer at closing stood at 80° and rose a few degrees 
afterwards. Walls, path, and border are sprinkled profusely, 
and very soon we have a delightful atmosphere, in which the 
foliage immed ately recovers in spi'e of the dry east wind. 
On the 13th we had again a sharp frost, our minimum 
thermometer going down to 20°, and that on the grass to 14. 
Ice was 14 inch thick, and we put all available strength to 
carting and storing it. Our vinery is aired at 8 A.M., and closed 
at 11 on the sky becoming cloudy. The wind now changed to 
the west, the air became much softer, and there was every 
appearance of milder weather; we therefore decide! to raise 
our minimum temperature to G0°, which, owing to our dislike to 
heavy firing, has hitherto been 5° lower than this figure. 
The next morning (the 14th) was foggy with no frost. 
The sun broke through at 11 A.M., and we anticipated it 
by giving air a few minutes earlier than this. The litter 
