538 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c December 15 , issi. 
H.P.’s, he is right, and he is, I think, wrcrng. He is right when 
the Roses are grown on high land, and where only dry frosts 
exist; he is wrong (so I think) when the land is heavy and wet, 
aDd the situation low and the atmosphere moist. Where I am 
now living, on the top of a hill several hundred feet above the 
sea level, not a standard Rose has been killed during any of the 
past three winters, neither have they been protected, while a 
mile below in the “ warm ” valley not a standard Rose exists. 
Let me advise those whose gardens are in low situations to 
protect their Teas, but with light, short, and dry litter. Nothing 
is better, I fancy, than the Bracken Fern thoroughly dried. And 
after a thaw, when the Fern is very wet and pressed down by its 
increased weight, then I get a stable fork and shake it up lightly, 
so that the effect of breeze and sun may soon dry it; and in mild 
weather I bring it away from immediate proximity to the plants, 
and so prevent that “sweating,” which, if followed by a hard 
frost, must be injurious.—J. A. W., Alder minuter. 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
I quite endorse the remark of “ E. 8.” in your issue of Novem¬ 
ber 24th respecting the benefit that would be derived if you were 
to devote a little space each week to notes on vegetables. In this 
county (Durham), and in fact the whole of the north of England 
and Scotland, Leeks are very extensively grown, and yet very 
few people seem to know how to grow them to anything approach¬ 
ing perfection. I have been told that in Scotland they have been 
grown this season with 23 or 24 inches blanched, but the largest 
I have seen measured 14 inches. I have tried again and again, 
but I seem to make very little improvement. I can manage to 
get about 8 inches of blanch, but that is the very outside. I have 
no stint of manure, and think I work the ground well. 1 sow my 
seed in a box early in February, and as soon as the plants are 
large enough I prick them into another one amoDg a good mixture 
of soil and manure, and finally plant them into the open ground 
about the first week of May. If any of your numerous coixespon- 
dents could give a few practical hints on the successful cultiva¬ 
tion of Leeks it would enlighten among many of your readers 
besides— One in the Dark. 
fOur correspondent will find some light on this subject on 
page 533.] _ 
Brussels Sprouts. —Taking into consideration all the good 
qualities of this vegetable—hardiness, productiveness, and quality 
—it must be regarded, I think, as the best of all vegetables for 
autumn and winter use. But are not raisers and selectors spoiling 
it by “ improvement ?” I have tried different people’s “ giants,” 
and have been a little proud of the results ; but I have noticed 
the larger 1 grew the sprouts the less were they appreciated in the 
dining-room. Their size, colour, and quality are all complained 
of, and sfnall, round, hard, green knobs are being asked for and 
pressed for. I have not a doubt there is good reason for com¬ 
plaint, for I must admit that neither in appearance nor quality the 
big coarse lumps are so good as the smaller, harder, greener 
knobs that are produced by the older varieties. Since writing the 
above I find “A Kitchen Gardener” (page 511) is of the 
same opinion as myself on this point. What do others say ?— 
A Nobleman’s Gardener. 
Certificating Potatoes. —A few weeks ago I observed some 
second-class certificates were awarded for Potatoes by the Vege¬ 
table Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society, and the 
matter was commented on in one of your notes. Since then the 
honours thus granted have been much discussed privately, and 
no one appears to understand what the certificates mean. If the 
Potatoes were first-class it would seem that second-class honours 
do not do them justice, while if they are only second-class in 
quality they are not worthy of a certificate at all. Potatoes are 
now increasing so rapidly and lists of them are so long that it 
appears undesirable, to say the least, that such a body as the 
Royal Horticultural Society should scatter needless honours that 
can only result in raising the price of seed. It would be instruc¬ 
tive to know on what principles the Committee acted when they 
awarded second-class certificates for Potatoes. At the present 
the matter is not understood.—A Puzzled Potato Raiser. 
Epiphyllums. —These on being introduced into heat may be made 
very attractive for room-decoration by having a few small seedling 
Maidenhair Ferns planted in the pot with them. The dark green 
fronds of Adiantum cuneatum have a good effect in contrast with 
their brilliant flowers, as well as hiding the bare stems of the plants. 
We had a few in this way last year that were very much appreciated. 
When placed in a vase they have the appearance of a fine bouquet. 
The Ferns are quite at home in the same compost as Epiphyllums, 
and may have liberal supplies of liquid manure.— Leaden ham. 
ROYAL VISIT TO LONGLEAT-LUNCHEON IN THE 
VINERY. 
What dining-room, however bright and gorgeously furnished 
with all that wealth and taste can supply, could compare with 
the simple yet grandly proportioned vinery at Longleat for the 
purposes of a luncheon ? The dining, reception, and drawing¬ 
rooms of the mansion were undoubtedly splendid by the richness 
of the ceilings, furniture, and flowers, but luncheon under a 
canopy of Grape Vines laden with large, symmetrical, bright 
amber-coloured bunches of fruit must be a treat even for a Prince, 
for it was under the magnificent Vines that their Royal Highnesses 
the Prince and Princess of Wales were, with other distinguished 
guests, entertained by their noble hosts on Saturday last. The 
Prince of Wales would undoubtedly see such an example of Grape 
culture as he has never seen before, and would not fail to appre¬ 
ciate the masterly way in which the Vines have been cultivated ; 
and Mr. Taylor, 1 feel sure, would receive, as he deserves, the 
congratulations of His Royal Highness, who is always as ready 
to acknowledge merit as he is quick to perceive it. The table 
was fixed in the Muscat house, which, although it had supplied 
dessert in no stinted quantities to over five hundred people at 
the ball the previous evening, looked still to have a full crop ; and 
the late Grapes, which are all black, hanging in the adjoining com¬ 
partment amongst foliage of crimson and gold, made such a picture 
as needed no further ornamentation. 
In passing through the vinery in question I was gratified 
beyond measure by the sight I beheld. Nothing equal to it, I 
dare assert, can be witnessed at this period of the year in any 
part of the kingdom. The house and its contents, the mode of 
cultivation, and many other details have recently been so ac¬ 
curately described by Mr. Wright that I need not here repeat 
them. I fully endorse all that has been said, and corroborate 
the soundness of Mr. Taylor’s system of cultivation. I have the 
more pleasure in doing this, as it entirely in the most essential parts 
agrees with my own views as to the proper mode of Vine culture, 
which I advocated in the Journal of Horticulture many years ago. 
If Mr. Taylor’s success continues another year—and there can 
be no doubt if he is spared it will—all who wish to witness the 
successful cultivation of the Vine, and to learn not only how to 
grow it but to cause it to produce its fruits in due season in great 
abundance and of first-rate quality, should make a pilgrimage to 
Longleat. Even the most sceptical would be convinced by 
ocular demonstration that the system of Vine culture there 
adopted is the correct one ; and even the sage writers on the cul¬ 
tivation of the Vine and other fruit trees—the systematic pruning, 
training, and quarter-of-a-degree-temperature-advocating fra¬ 
ternity—would soon find the castles they have built in the air as 
model structures for the guidance of the comiDg age of gardeners 
ruthlessly shattered, and the film which has obscured their vision 
quickly cleared away by the rarified air of Longleat. They will 
also find a fund of information willingly imparted by Mr. Taylor 
on most topics connected with horticulture. 
The various other subjects in the gardens described by Mr. 
Wright bore witness of the truthfulness of his descriptions'. The 
Roses, Tuberoses, Carnations, Pelargonium (Guillon MaDgilli), 
Begonia Knowsleyana, and Gesneras are wonderfully well grown 
and superbly flowered, large masses of which adorned various 
nooks and corners in the mansion. The plants grown in what 
appeared to be small Orchid baskets, and which were placed on 
tables, Ac., in the drawing-rooms and state apartments, were per¬ 
fectly lovely. The simplicity of the baskets, and the surface of 
the soil they contained being covered with bright green moss, 
much enhanced the beauty of the plants, and made them appear 
as gems amid the magnificent decorations and works of art by 
which they were surrounded.— John Wills. 
PRIMULAS IN SMALL POTS. 
At potting time in the summer some of our Primulas were 
shifted from 3-inch to G-inch pots, and others were allowed to 
remain in the 3-inch pots, as we had too many to find large pots 
and room for. Those in the small pots were grown with the 
others. Lately many of both lots have been blooming, but those 
in the smallest pots have far surpassed those that were shifted 
both in the size of their trusses and blooms; in fact, we never 
saw Primula flowers better than those in the small pots, and for 
