486 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t December 6, 1883. 
fruit. Such varieties as Cos’s Orange Pippin, Kerry Pippin, Blenheim 
Pippin, Adams’ Pearmain, and Ribston Pippin apparently are especially 
susceptible, while many other sorts were to a certain extent also much 
affected by the musty taint emanating from straw. Probably those who 
employ straw consider it necessary for the proper preservation of the 
fruit, but as it happens it is both unnecessary and very unwise to use it. 
Clean boards are the best for the choicest fruit especially, and if it is 
necessary to cover these in order to prevent injury to the Apples by 
frosted air—and which I once found to my cost would penetrate through 
the joints of a flooring—then use old newspapers, kitchen or other clean 
paper in preference to any other material. More paper may also be 
placed closely over the fruit, and this will ward off a somewhat severe 
frost; but at the same time, if very severe weather be anticipated, it may 
be advisable to supplement the paper with a covering of mats, bags, 
frigi domo blinds, which are not often utilised during the winter months 
as they thus might well be, or even hay and straw. Clean boards and 
paper do not affect the taste of Apples and also Pears, but other musty 
materials may easily do so, and should not, therefore, come in contact 
with the fruit,— W. Iggulden. 
SIX MONTHS OF GLADIOLI BLOOMS. 
« 
I CUT my last half-dozen spikes of Gladioli blooms to-day (the last 
week of November), and send you three, retaining the others, to note 
how long they will last as cut flowers in water to which a little salt and 
charcoal have been added. This has been a cloudy day and night with 
a warm southern breeze, average temperature 50° Fahr., so mild that I 
see a few single Dahlias are still blooming. I need not say with such 
weather these Gladioli would unfold bloom after bloom outside, and 
what is more, unlike other flowers, the size seems little if at all less than 
usual now. They will do the same inside, otherwise I should have 
chanced their glorious bright colours to light up the sombre hue of the 
flower beds some time longer. The names are not important so far as 
distinguishing Gladioli into early and late-flowering. They possess no 
such characteristic. For instance, I potted a finecorm of James McIntosh 
(new) in January, and put it in a cold frame, transplanting it in April 
outdoors. It bloomed the first week in June admirably. I had a second 
corm planted at the end of March, and am after cutting the last blooms 
off the spike to-day. I treated three corms of that fine bloomer Duchess 
of Edinburgh almost similarly, and enclose you the last to bloom. This 
was 5 feet high, and the other two were 6 feet. The colour is purplish 
rose with a whitish carmine stripe on the lower petals, and of all Kelway’s 
I have seen this is the most robust. I mention those illustrations to 
show there is no division by Nature, as in other flowers, into early and 
late ; the time of planting will regulate the blooming. The other varieties 
are La Fiancee, Brennus, Dr. Hogg, and Electra. You will notice the 
rich colours are in no way washed out, and that they are most brilliant 
and intense. Brennus, for instance, has been open a fortnight and 
exposed to the most violent drenching showers since ; yet you have still 
the bright crimson-maroon body colour shading off to white in the centre, 
while the violet stripe on the lower divisions contrasts finely with the blue 
tinge throughout. Though my collection is limited to a few hundreds 
I can enjoy those rich brilliant blooms for six months ; and while asking 
any of your readers who have not yet essayed their growth to give 
Gladioli a trial next spring, I unhesitatingly consider from the points of 
view stated that the Gladiolus is peerless in the flower garden. — 
W. J. Murphy, Clonviel. 
[The spikes sent are precisely what our correspondent has represented 
them—bright and beautiful.] 
The annual general meeting of the National Rose Society will 
be held, by the kind permission of the Horticultural Club, at iheir 
rooms, 13, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, on Thursday, the 6th of 
December, at four o’clock, for the purpose of receiving the report, electing 
the officers and Committee for the ensuing year, confirming or otherwise 
the arrangements made by the General Committee for the exhibitions of 
1884, and the transaction of other general business. The sixth annual 
dinner of the Society will take place at the same establishment after the 
meeting at half-past six o’clock, when the Hon. and Rev. J. T. Boscawen 
will preside. 
- A plant certificated at the last meeting of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society—namely, Violet Comte Brazzi, is destined to become a 
great favourite with all who prize Violets—and who does not ? It is a 
pure white form of the double Neapolitan, large, full, and fragrant, and 
it is already in great demand. The size and substance of the flower, 
combined with its purity, are abundant recommendations to popular 
favour. 
- We are requested to state that the Reigate Rose Show is 
fixed for Saturday, June 28th, 1884. 
- In reference to the remarks upon Chrysanthemum Lord 
Alcester (page 444), Mr. Molyneux, The Garden, Swanmore Bark, 
Bishops Waltham, writes confirming the opinion there expressed as ta 
the variety being a sport from Golden Empress, and not from Golden 
Queen as some had stated. He also adds, “ It is a grand flower, and 
one of the best introductions of the incurved class that we have had 
for some years.” 
- M. Girard, Director of the Paris Municipal Laboratory, calls 
attention to the manufacture of “Gooseberry” jelly from seaweed,, 
without a particle of a portion of a Gooseberry in it. The colour is given 
by means of fuchsine or some similar colouring matter, and the flavour is. 
fairly well copied by means of a mixture of acetic ether and tartaric 
acid, with small quantities of benzoic, succinic, and cenanthic acids, and 
aldehyde. 
- Lobelia pyramidalis, Wall (L. Wallichiana, Ilk. fill), a 
native of the Himalayas, and quite common from Gurwhal eastwards,, 
promises to be a valuable acquisition to the greenhouse or conservatory 
at this season. The flowers, which are bright blue and white, are- 
gathered in clusters at the extremity ; they are very showy, and supply a 
much-needed colour to blend with Chrysanthemums, &c. It is better 
grown in pots, because if allowed to stand out, unless in very sheltered 
places, will succumb to the first severe frost. The flowering stems are 
bright purple and are very showy ; leaves finely serrated, broad lanceolate^ 
It is called Atia chas in the Kasi language, and is used as a stimulant by 
the natives of Nepal. 
- “ W. I.” writes as follows respecting Chrysanthemums at 
Clinton : —“ Messrs. J. Garraway & Co. have long made a speciality 
of Chrysanthemums, and this season they have a fine display in their 
Durdham Downs nursery. The plants are covered with a large tent,, 
and are arranged in the form of a bank on each side of a central path. 
All the best new and old varieties are grown, thus affording an excellent 
opportunity to t the many lovers of the Chrysanthemum to judge for- 
themselves which sorts they may wish to add to their collections^ 
Among the large-flowered varieties we were very favourably impressed 
with Le Grand, delicate rosy peach tending to fawn colour ; Souvenir 
de F. Marouch, blood red with orange centre, reverse of petals yellow ; 
Abbe Passaglia, brassy amber, incurved ; Mrs. Naish, white, in the way 
of Mrs. G. Bundle ; and Dupont de l’Eure, shaded brown, incurved. 
Strikingly good also were Cherub, Barbara, Baron Beust, Golden/ 
Empress of India, Isabella Bott, Mr. Bunn, Prince Alfred, and Rotundi- 
flora. Of large Anemone-flowered the best were Lady Margaret, Prince 
of Anemones, Acquisition, Emperor, Louis Bonamy, and Empress. 
Pompon Madame Montels was extra good. A large number of Japanese- 
varieties was represented, and very fine were Criterion, Comte de-. 
Germiny, Parasol, Mons. Delaux, and many others.” 
- It appears that there will soon be a plentiful stock of the new 
Eucharis Sanderi in general cultivation, for numbers of flowering 
plants are being distributed at the auction-rooms. Some growers, how¬ 
ever, regard the plant unfavourably, and state that the flowers will never 
be much valued for market, as they do not last sufficiently well. There 
is somewhat of prejudice in this, for other growers speak most highly oh 
its merits. The flowers possess one quality which those of Eucharis- 
amazonica have not—namely, they are pure white, as the corona or 
ring—usually greenish-coloured in the latter species—is quite absent in* 
the former, or reduced to an almost inconspicuous ring. They are more 
funnel-shaped, the segments not being spread out flat as in the better- 
known species. The leaves are very distinct, being very strongly ribbed, 
like some of the Funkias, and the plant appears to be very flcriferous 
and of easy culture. 
-- The “Gooseberry Growers’ Register” still continues its 
useful existence. That for the present year has been brought under our 
notice, and it fully maintains the merits and usefulness of its prede¬ 
cessors. We do not know exactly how long this annual has been in- 
existence, but if we are not mistaken it is, if not quite, at least nearly 
coeval with this century. It is a very modest production, and is published 
at the low price of Is. 3 d., but it contains a great amount of interesting 
information to all Gooseberry growers. It contains also the melancholy 
