July 28, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
77 
another lean-to house 14 by 8 feet, with the same due south aspect, 
one of the same range, and in the same border, there was not a single 
berry scalded. It is built from directions in one of Mr. Rivers's 
books with only a G-inch board, opening the whole length in front 
and immediately under the glass at the back. The only difference 
in the two houses is that the former has the dwelling house for a 
back, while the latter stands alone with a 9-inch wall for a back, 
and that the Grapes in the former were a fortnight in advance of 
those in the latter. Both houses are without fire heat, with exactly 
the same aspect and border, yet in that standing alone the Grapes 
are always a fortnight or more behind those in the other. Would 
building a stable or coach house at the back make the Grapes as 
early and as fine as those in the other house 1 For besides being 
later, neither bunches nor berries are nearly so large. I may add 
the smaller house is only 8 feet high at the ridge plate, while the 
larger is 12 feet, the former of course having a sunken path.—• 
Jacob Robinson. 
NOTES ON PELARGONIUMS. 
Pelargoniums have well repaid cultivators for the attention 
bestowed upon them, and a great improvement has been effected. 
They were originally introduced from the Cape, .and were some 
time in the country before much was done in the way of hybrid¬ 
ising and raising seedlings. Many of the original species were 
very peculiar in colour and shape of the leaves, and variously 
scented. The raising of varieties of distinct colour and regularity 
of shape has been a continual success. No plant has yielded 
more freely to the skill of the horticulturist than the Pelar¬ 
gonium, and, what appears strange, those hybrids have retained 
certain characters which keep them in somewhat distinct sections. 
For instance, the large-flowered or Show section, the Fancies, the 
Zonals, the Ivy-leaf, the scented-leaf section, the Oak-leaf and 
Unique sections. These sections do not appear to cross with 
each other very freely, but I am convinced they will do so if the 
proper means are applied. Some fifty years back it was not the 
custom to cut them down every year, and plants might frequently 
be seen from 10 to 12 feet high, and they were very showy among 
tall plants in the conservatory. At that time there was a moderately 
good collection of hybrids, but very different in shape and mark¬ 
ing of the flowers to those of the present day ; the petals were long, 
narrow, and the colours run and very much pencilled. 
Amongst the early raisers of seedlings were Gaines of Battersea 
and Dennis of Chelsea. Each, having a good collection of Cape 
introductions, commenced hvbridising in a somewhat promiscuous 
manner by simply placing the original species among the hybrids 
and sowing all seeds that were produced. They were successful 
in producing many good and showy varieties, one of which, 
Gauntlet, has not been surpassed to the present day for forcing 
and cut flowers, and has been of great value to growers for the 
market. I could name many old varieties that were deserving of 
being retained on account of some desirable characteristic they 
possessed. For instance, the Yarborough for vases in the open 
ground has never been equalled for its floriferous habit. It has 
been the fashion to obtain large flowers of regular outline and 
distinct markings, and the raisers have succeeded in a remarkable 
degree. Great praise is due to the florists for what has been done, 
yet there remains a wide field for enterprise. There are many 
colours in the genus that require to be brought forward, such as 
yellow, green, and that exquisite orange maroon that we see in 
P. ardens major, also that distinctness of P. tricolor; and it would 
be desirable to introduce scarlet into the large-flowered varieties, 
and the Unique section with its unequalled colours deserves atten¬ 
tion. I think a section of seifs would be desirable, and the flowers 
of the scented section could be greatly enlarged and diversified 
in colour. The Ivy-leaf section remained for years with only the 
white and pink. Now we have a marked improvement, including 
doubles. The continental nurserymen have done much in intro¬ 
ducing doubles and fringed edges, which are improvements on 
one of our old favourites, Dr. Andrfi, which is still in cultivation. 
Considering what has been dune there is yet a great prospect 
of reward if hybridisation is carried out in a judicious manner, 
respecting which I will say a few words. The plant you intend 
to produce seed should have the stamens carefully removed a day 
or two before the pollen is ripe, then introduce pollen that is 
perfectly ripe and dusty. The brighter the day the better for the 
operation. Keep the house warm, exclude insects, and there will 
be a chance of success. As a proof that the sections will cross I 
must adduce the fact that it has been done. An old hybrid, 
Moore’s Victory, was a cross between the Oak-leaf and the scarlet, 
and had scarlet flowers ; Lady Mary Fox was a cross between the 
large-flowered and the scarlet, and also had scarlet flowers ; also 
Princess Victoria, another cross with large scarlet flowers, but all 
attempts to propagate it failed. It is a matter of consideration 
how far a plant must be removed from the original before it will 
assume the character of a species by reproducing itself from seed, 
but we have these characters in Christine, which is the leader of 
a section with soft leaves and pink flowers, which I suppose 
must have been derived from the peppermint-scented, as no other 
has leaves of that description. Zonals with various-coloured 
leaves have multiplied to an almost unlimited extent. Some 
Pelargoniums have the quality of not shedding their flowers, which 
renders them very desirable for cut flowers. Plants which have 
a bad habit may be greatly improved by proper cultivation, as 
may be seen by the productions of growers who make a speciality 
of some particular variety.—R. C. 
CULTURE OF THE LOQUAT. 
Some weeks ago an excellent woodcut of the Loquat fruit was 
published in this Journal, and perhaps in further reference to the 
culture of this plant the following extract from an article written 
by Mr. Donald BeatoD, which appeared in the Cottage Gardener 
thirty years ago, may interest some readers :—“ Then there is the 
Eriobotrya, or Loquat, another Applewort closely allied to the 
Photinia, which is all but hardy about London, and quite so in the 
south-west of England. I have had it stand many a bard winter 
in Herefordshire after grafting it on the common Thorn, but I 
think the Quince would make a more natural stock for it. I 
think the fruit of it is called Japanese Medlar, and Loquat by the 
Chinese. At any rate we had a beautiful dish of this fruit exhi¬ 
bited the other day in Regent Street from Mr. Tillery, gardener 
at the Duke of Portland’s; but, although our teeth watered to be 
at them, we could not taste them because we had no orders, and 
we are very particular about such fruits as are sent in this way. 
Any fruit is quite safe in our hands, but in this instance I could see 
very plainly that the lecture about these Loquats set the teeth on 
edge. Mr. Tillery sent an excellent account of how he managed 
to bring this fruit to table. It is thought a good deal of coming 
in in succession early in the spring when other fruits are getting 
scarce. The trees are uncovered in the summer, as they might be 
under Mr. Rivers’ orchard house plan. In September they come 
into blossom, the glass is put on, the temperature got up to stove 
heat after a while and kept so through the winter, and the result 
is a fine crop of fruit early in the spring. These Loquats look 
very much like small Apricots. I fruited them myself once, but 
it was on the cold system, as at Walcot, and we did not think 
much of them—hence my desire to taste them now to know the 
difference, for I can easily conceive how the high winter tempe¬ 
rature must improve the flesh and flavour. On the cold system I 
can vouch they are not worth growing in England, except for 
curiosity.”— An Old Reader. 
SUTTON COLDFIELD ROSE SHOW. 
Situated near the metropolis of the midlands, and having a 
Crystal Palace and Pleasure Grounds. Sutton Coldfield was con¬ 
sidered a suitable place for an exhibition of the Rose. A liberal 
schedule was therefore prepared, principally by the Rev. J. A. Wil¬ 
liams, who has laboured indefatigably in the undertaking, and the 
high esteem in which he is held by rosarians ensured their support. 
The result was a very excellent and successful Show on Friday last. 
A capacious marquee about 150 feet long was devoted to the Show, 
a central table and side tables along the margin of the tent being 
nearly filled with the boxes. The centre of the principal table was 
furnished with Dracaenas, Acers, Ac., and a shelf in front of the boxes 
and below them enabled the Rose boxes to be masked by a fringe of 
Ferns, Ac., hence the tent had a rich and picturesque appearance. 
The plants were supplied by Mr. Gough, the able garden Superin¬ 
tendent of the Crystal Palace Company, and the Show was arranged 
by Mr. William Dean. The day was dull yet dry—just the weather 
for keeping the blooms fresh, and fresh they were and beautiful. 
The dark Roses were unusually brilliant, the colours being most 
intense, while the Teas were of unsurpassed loveliness. The class for 
eight varieties of these in triplets was an experiment, justified by 
the results, and the effect of the boxes of Messrs. Mack, Prince, and 
Mattock entranced the visitors. 
In the nurserymen’s class of forty-eight single trusses the Cranston 
Company were decidedly in advance of their rivals, and added one 
more to their long list of honours. The blooms were not so large as 
we have seen from Hereford, but were firm, compaet, fresh, and 
bright. Jean Cherpin was conspicuous by its broad purplish petals, 
and was much fuller than is usually seen. The largest bloom in the 
stand was Madame Charles Wood ; and very fresh and beautiful wrnre 
Due de Wellington, Duchesse de Caylus, Fisher Holmes, Marie Rady, 
Le Havre, Madame Victor Verdier, Alfred K. Williams, Mrs. Jowitt, 
Xavier Olibo, Emilie Hausburg, Mons. Etienne Levet, and Louis Van 
Houtte. The light-coloured flowers were not equal in merit to the 
darks; the best were Comtesse de Serenye and Madame Gabriel 
Luizet—a beautiful bloom of a distinct and charming Rose. Duchesse 
