558 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . t December 22 , issi. 
tuber. The quality was excellent. For six varieties at a large 
show, and where the competition was good, I was easily first, and 
the show was on the 21st of July. The Magnum Bonums grew 
after this date of course, but the other five varieties were quite ripe. 
The varieties I exhibited were the above named, and every tuber 
came from these beds. 
My friends who came to see me in May and early June said, 
“ Ah ! this system of yours is all very good in a wet season, but 
when you have a season like the present, no rain for weeks, it is 
absurd. Your Potatoes will be no bigger than marbles ! ” Now 
my argument is this : If with southerly sloping borders I get a 
good crop of excellent quality, of fair size, and perfect form, and 
this in a marvellously dry season, a fortiori in a wet season, the 
results would be still better. In the same field, and immediately 
following upon No. 6 bed (Magnum Bonum"), I continued Magnum 
Bonums on the level, followed by Schoolmaster, Lapstone Kidney, 
and Porter’s Excelsior, all on the level, and the results were not 
equal to the former mentioned. 
The manure, Hill’s first quality Potato manure, was equally 
distributed, no favour shown. The soil, a light very fibrous loam, 
pasture land double-dug two years before, so that the soil was 
good enough and of the proper texture. Very little ground is 
wasted by throwing up the beds, and but little extra labour re¬ 
quired. I am firmly convinced that very many gardeners have 
yet to learn what very powerful factors in successful Potato-grow¬ 
ing are sun light, sun heat, and good and rapid drainage.— 
J. A. W., Alderminster. 
PEARS 
I send the following notes respecting our Pears this year. We 
commenced gathering fruit of Citron des Carmes in August from 
trees on a south wall. The crop was good and the quality all 
that could be desired ; from espaliers many of them were very 
much cracked. Doyennd d’Etd against a wall with a west aspect 
had a fine crop, and the fruit of good size and quality. Green 
Chisel, only fit for preserving whole, a fine crop from pyramids. 
Jargonelle against a south aspect, moderate crop, fruit fine and 
of fair qualityj; from standards and pyramids the fruit was of 
better quality. Flemish Beauty on a south aspect had a moderate 
crop of fine fruit of first-rate quality. This fine Pear requires 
care to have it in good condition. Of pyramids Hessle had fine 
crops of good quality ; it is a useful October Pear. Urbaniste 
against a wall with a south aspect bore a splendid crop of the 
finest quality. Louise Bonne of Jersey on an east aspect had a 
splendid crop of fine fruit and of the very best quality; many 
fruit on pyramids of this kind were’ deformed, cracked, and of 
lit le use. 
Pyramids of White Doyennd only had a moderate crop, but of 
good size and quality. Duchesse d’Angouleme on a west aspect had 
a small crop, the fruit large but poor in quality, and only fit for 
stewing. Marie Louise produced a magnificent crop, all that could 
be desired in size and quality. From pyramids against a south wall, 
and espaliers from a wall with east aspect, they have not kept so 
well as usual, some of them decaying at the core. Vicar of Wink- 
field on a wall, west aspect, had one of the finest crops I ever saw, 
the fruits of great size, but not one of them has been useable, for 
all have been affected by a kind of dry rot, which is a great dis¬ 
appointment. Beurrd Sterckmans against an east aspect had a 
poor crop, not ripening well. Wall trees and pyramids were alike 
useless. Pyramids of Beurrd d’Aremberg had a bad crop and almost 
useless. The fruits of Knight’s Monarch have reached a good size, 
but instead of ripening have withered. Of Beurrd Diel we had a 
fine crop from trees on an east aspect. We have not had them so 
fine for many years ; from standards and pyramids they were quite 
worthless. Trees of Winter Nelis bore a grand crop against a 
wall with a south aspect. It is all that could be desired in every 
respect, and is worthy of general cultivation. Espaliers of Seckle 
had a scant crop, but of good size and of the very best quality. 
It is much esteemed for its musky flavour. Trees of Glou MorQeau 
on a west aspect bore a fine crop, but the fruits have to ripen yet. 
Espaliers of Althorpe Crassane produced a fine crop of large 
Pears, but they seldom ripen with us. Easter Beurrd had a mode¬ 
rate crop of fair size, but many cracked and useless. Catillac 
had a shy crop but large fruits from pyramids. Uvedale’s St. 
Germains a fine crop, from half-standards, but not so large as we 
have had them. —Pyrtjs, North York. 
Pelargonium candidissima plena. —Referring to the interesting 
account by “ J. W.” of a visit to Longleat, in the Journal for Novem¬ 
ber 3rd. If Mr. Taylor has not tried candidissima plena as a double 
white Zonal Pelargonium I think it will be worth his while to do so. 
I had it from Mr. Pearson of Chilwell, and out of several double 
whites which I have it was the only one which did not become tinted 
with pink with the summer sun. Amelie Baltet unless shaded was 
never pure white. I have not enough heat for winter flowers, so can¬ 
not say how it would do to depend on all the year round.—S an J UAN. 
A ROCKERY FOR ALPINE PLANTS. 
ALPINES FROM SEED. 
(Continued from page 520.') 
Those who think that the best way of raising rare plants from 
seed is to imitate natural conditions, must remember how very 
small a proportion of the seeds of each plant vegetate and come 
to maturity in their native soil. It is true, that if you could 
counteract all adverse influences all seeds would germinate more 
readily if sown as soon as ripe, but as in most cases they would 
have to remain in the soil from summer until the following spring, 
and would meanwhile have to contend against many enemies, it 
is found better in practice to store the seeds until the natural time 
for their germination arrives. Not but that many seeds will grow 
at once if sown as soon as they are ripe, but keeping young seed¬ 
lings through winter is often so troublesome that it is generally 
avoided except where experience has proved it to be the best plan. 
On the other hand, the seeds of some plants germinate slowly and 
sparingly after being stored, and many often remain in the soil a 
whole year or more before showing signs of life. The question 
will be asked where to get seeds of alpines, and at present I know 
of only two persons who keep for sale good collections—Mr. W. 
Thompson of Ipswich, and Mr. Froebel of Neiimunster near 
Zurich. It requires an expert and a microscope to test the sound¬ 
ness of small seeds ; but when seed fails it is more likely to be 
from the imperfection of some condition required for success than 
of the seed. 
The hints I am about to give refer more especially to such 
alpines as are difficult to rear, but may be taken to apply to other 
choice plants which are delicate in their young state. The seed 
of all such plants should be raised in pans under glass, and the 
time of sowing should be early spring—say the middle of March. 
As a rule I avoid all artificial heat, but especially the heat caused 
by the fermentation of manure or any vegetable matter. I use 
the common seed pans about 12 inches square and 4 deep, per¬ 
forated at the bottom, which should be covered with about an 
inch of large crocks for drainage. 1 then fill up with equal 
quantities of soil and limestone, or other hard stone, broken to 
sizes from that of a walnut to that of a wild nut. The soil is com¬ 
posed of equal quantities of coarse sand, loam, and peat finely 
riddled. I do not like leaf soil, as the flat pieces of leaf often 
obstruct the growth of the seeds. The greatest obstacle 1 have 
found to raising small seeds is the growth of fine lichen or moss 
on the surface of the soil, either before or after the seed has 
sprouted. The germs of this moss are either in the soil or in the 
water used, or both. We must do our best to obviate this difficulty. 
I have tried using burnt earth for a depth of a quarter of an inch 
on the surface with advantage ; but more than this is desirable. 
It is a good plan when the pans are filled to dip them in boiling 
water, which will kill the obnoxious germs and seeds of weeds. 
They must be allowed to dry again before sowing the seed, for 
although I have seen that some recommend watering the soil 
before sowing, a dry seed bed is best. Small seed need not be 
covered with soil ; something like a large paint brush passed 
gently over the surface will bury it sufficiently. We must now 
consider watering, which is a very important item. For the avoid¬ 
ance of the germs of moss use only water which has been boiled. 
A gallon will last a long time. The surface should be sprinkled 
often enough to prevent its ever becoming quite dry ; a waterpot 
with a very fine rose or a fine garden syringe, not aimed at the 
seed pan, but directed upwards so that the water falls on the soil 
in fine spray, will be found the best. Some recommend never 
watering the surface at all, but dipping the pans into water to 
within an inch of the rim, so that they are watered from below. 
For the most delicate seeds I have seen a saucer used filled to 
within an inch of the rim with the finest soil, and a bellglass of 
less diameter fitted over it. In the angle between the rim of the 
saucer and of the bellglass wet sphagnum has been laid, which 
waters the seed sufficiently by the trickling drops from it. Ex¬ 
posure to heavy rain and full sun must be avoided, and slight 
shading given on bright days, especially when the seedlings are 
up. Sow thin : when seedlings touch one another they are too 
close, and if they are not large enough to transplant when they 
touch they will be damaged. Transplanting is an advantage, 
even if they are moved only to another part of the same pan 
merely for the sake of transplanting, as it improves the growth of 
the roots. Of course air must be given every day. 
The after-treatment of alpines must depend upon the kind and 
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