284 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 29, 1881. 
April even in the far north, and earlier south. Planting them 
along with the rest of the bedding plants in May means failure 
even where Violas are at home. In dry warm districts it 
effectually deprives the plants of the last chance of thriving.— 
PRACTITIONER. 
MRS. PINCE’S BLACK MUSCAT GRAPE. 
We have this Grape here in a cool greenhouse growing side by 
side with the Black Hamburgh and other sorts. It keeps good 
time in the ripening process with the Black Hamburgh, and its 
flavour is little short (even at this early period) if not equal to 
that of the Muscat of Alexandria. I would strongly advise in¬ 
tending planters when the season for that operation comes round 
—say the month of April; I have planted successfully as late as 
the 15th of May—not to omit this excellent Grape in their collec¬ 
tion, however small, or for whatever purpose the Grapes may be 
intended. I have an opinion that this variety will some time 
or other supersede the not unfrequently much-overrated Black 
Hamburgh, more especially if required for a late purpose and 
the season happens to be wet and very cloudy. 
I trust your correspondents will not be behind in recording their 
experiences regarding suitable varieties of Apples, Pears, &e., in 
the Journal during the next few weeks, for the planting season 
is fast approaching, and many sorts have been well tested this 
season, it. being a more fruitful one than the past two or three 
years, at least in this part of the country.—W. H. C., Tunbridge. 
LESSONS OF LIFE FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 
Me. Pettigrew in his remarks on this subject makes use of 
the following :—“ There is now, and there has been for forty 
years, greater difficulty in finding first-class gardeners than there 
is in finding first-rate places for such.” If that is the case how 
does he account for the great number of really good gardeners 
who are at all times seeking situations ? I am aware that some 
are successful in obtaining good situations, but I am inclined to 
believe that more places are secured through influence than from 
real merit. We need only to look at our nurseries to see the 
number of men out of employment, and surely they are not all 
second and third-rate men. I am sure Mr. Pettigrew could find 
many first-class men in the various nurseries who would be truly 
grateful to him if he could assist them in their efforts to obtain a 
good situation, and men who would give him no cause to regret 
having recommended them. 
Another point I notice i3 the encouragement held out to young 
gardeners. Mr. Pettigrew asks us to look for a moment at “ the 
comforts of a gardener in a good situation.” I willingly admit 
that a gardener in a good situation has, as our American cousins 
would say, “ a good time; ” but what about the unfortunate 
gardener in an indifferent situation ? what are his comforts ? 
Comforts they are, if comforts consist in an unwearying en¬ 
deavour to keep the place neat and clean with about half the 
strength that is necessary, and endeavouring to make the garden 
pay by what he can dispose of after the house is served. Ladies 
and geutlemenwish their gardens well kept; but I unhesitatingly 
assert that they do not in many cases spend their money in the 
free and ungrudging manner described by Mr. Pettigrew. The 
gardener has greater responsibilities than any other servant, and, 
as a rule, he is the worst paid. Let ladies and gentlemen pay 
their gardeners a fair wage, and they will have no cause to 
complain of their gardeners’ abilities. Again, let the gardener 
without influence to back him up lose his situation ; he will find, 
as many know to their cost, what an uphill battle he has to fight 
before he can again obtain a really good situation—perhaps many 
months, and sometimes years, in a nursery before be can succeed 
in securing what he wishes. I think it only fair that young 
gardeners commencing life should see the dark side of a gar¬ 
dener’s life as well as the rosy prospect held out to them by 
Mr. Pettigrew. I believe it would induce many in their first, 
and what perhaps is a comfortable situation, not to give it up 
because something goes wrong and they fancy their employers 
are unjust to them. Many do this, and live to regret it after¬ 
wards.— Cantab. 
Begonias for Bedding. —No bedding plants survived the 
rough weather we have been having lately better than the tuberous- 
rooted Begonias, and as some gardeners may benefit by my expe¬ 
rience with them I will state it briefly. About the end of Sep¬ 
tember I take up the plants and place them in a cool airy shed 
after the tops have withered. Most of the soil is removed, and 
they are placed close together in boxes and kept in a cool dry 
place free from frost for the winter. About the end of March 
remove the old soil from the tubers and place them in fresh soil 
about 4 inches apart in the boxes ; transfer them to a cool frame, 
and when the shoots appear through the soil ventilate freely, 
removing the lights, but afford protection from frost and cold rain. 
Planting can be done about the 1st of June. The most suitable 
edging for the beds is Polemonium cceruleum variegatum.— 
A. It. T. 
SCRAPS ABOUT FRUIT. 
I HAVE often thought if amateurs and gardeners throughout 
the country were to send you scraps of matter relating to fruits, 
that much interesting and useful information would be collected. 
There are a number of cultivators who, because they cannot send 
an exhaustive article on a given subject, do not send at all. But 
do not they pass by matters and incidents that, although they 
appear small in themselves, may, if recorded, be productive of 
good results ? I think this must be the case, and that a great 
mistake is made by many persons in not giving sufficient attention 
to what they deem trifles, or small isolated facts. The other day, 
for instance, I went into a large garden and was pointed out the 
difference between the flavour of a Pine-Apple Nectarine that 
was gathered as soon as it was ripe, and another that was showing 
signs of shrivelling. The gardener, a most competent man, said 
—“ As a rule Nectarines are gathered too early.” “ Why, then,” 
I replied, “ do you not tell the world so through the Journal ?” 
(which I saw in the fruit-room). “ Oh,” was his response, “ they 
all know that.” Now here, I think, is a great mistake. It is 
assumed that “ we all know that ” as regards the points, pecu¬ 
liarities, and adaptabilities of all kinds of fruit, and hence nothing 
is told, when at the same time a thousand people would accept 
with gladness a hint or a little scrap of information that could 
be so easily imparted. 
Then we came to some trees of Small’s Admirable Apple laden 
with fine fruit. “ This Apple,” said my friend casually, “ always 
bears best from the ends of the shoots, and those who shorten 
them much are not likely to have much fruit.” My prompt and 
unrestrained expression was—“ There you are again 1 This is 
another of the ‘ all knows,’ when, I believe, not half of the ama¬ 
teurs in the country have the fact impressed on their minds. Why 
don’t you write about it ?” “ Write about it!” he slowly re¬ 
marked, evidently pitying my simplicity; ‘‘I should not like to 
put my name to a common matter of that kind.” “ Well,” I 
replied, “never mind your name, send the facts with your name 
privately, and leave the rest to the Editor. We want your ex¬ 
perience and will do without your name, good as it is ; and if you 
can now and then send scraps, simple items in your estimation, 
they would be of much service to others.” He promised to “ see 
about it,” and I think this means he will comply with my request. 
But as a rule I confess I do not like “ see abouts,” but I should 
like to see some common scraps of fruit lore in the columns of 
the Journal. I have a collection of trees just coming into bearing, 
and may help a little if only as a slight return for the trouble 
that has been taken on my behalf in the naming of fruits that I 
have occasionally sent to the office, and herewith send six more. 
If you think, Mr. Editor, there is anything in my suggestion 
pray print the letter; if not, burn it without compunction ; you 
know best. I am not thin-skinned, or I should never do for— 
A Country Surgeon. 
[We are not likely to burn such a letter as this, and the best 
assurance we can give that “scraps ” of experience are acceptable 
is by publishing some that we have received this week in this 
column, instead of inserting them as we intended in “ Notes and 
Gleanings.” We think there is something “ in ” our friend’s sug¬ 
gestion, and shall be glad to see what comes out of it.—E d.] 
Forman's Excelsior Strawberry.—“Amateur” wishes to 
have the opinion of one who has tried this Strawberry. I have 
grown it for a few years, and can speak with confidence respect¬ 
ing it. It has bright green foliage, is of dwarf habit, and retains 
its greenness through the most severe weather. The fruit is oval- 
shaped, of large size, pink throughout : flavour excellent, and for 
a dessert berry is unrivalled. It thrives well in poor soil. For 
further opinion see Mr. William Boyce on Strawberry culture in 
“Cassell’s Family Magazine” for September, 1881.— George 
Kendall, Louth. _ 
I noticed in your number of September 15th an inquiry by 
one of your correspondents as to the merits of Forman’s Excelsior 
Strawberry. As the fruit is a “native of Louth ” I may be likely 
to know a little of its worth. The fruit is very large, often 
measuring 9 to 11 inches in circumference ; fine, dark, rich colour, 
good flavour, and, taking it altogether, very captivating. The 
