92 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 31, I88« 
C. Moere, E?q., and to the designs of Mr. Fawkes, managing partner of 
this firm. The scheme comprises a complete arrangement of winter 
gardens, &c., of Messrs. Dennis tfe Co.’s patent wrought-iron construction ; 
and the work, already sanctioned by Government and now approaching 
completion, consists of two ranges of span houses, all 20 feet in width, 
one adapted for stove plants and the other for Orchids. In each case a 
central tiered stage is provided, as well as side stages next the glass, the 
latter so arranged with slate sides and perforated slate bases that plung¬ 
ing and propagating operations may be easily carried on. The houses 
are provided with the most recent improvements in ventilators, which 
are so disposed that fresh air may be admitted at pleasure, either under 
or over the plants, or both. In the former case the air impinging upon 
the pipes is heated before it reaches the plants. The same firm are 
commissioned to supply the whole of the heating apparatus for the above 
series of houses. The apparatus consists of a single large Dennis patent 
horizontal tubular boiler, with mains, valves, and connections, so arranged 
that each part of each house may be heated independently. 
NEW CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES. 
The following new flowers obtained awards from the National 
Carnation and Picotee Society held at South Kensington last week. 
Scarlet bizarre Carnation Joseph Crossland, exhibited by Mr. Douglas, 
raised by Mr. Simonite. It has bright scarlet and maroon flakes on a 
clear good white ground. First prize in its class and first-class certificate. 
Mr. H. A. Rolt obtained the second prize for Mr. Dodwell. It is a 
distinct and good flower, with broad scarlet and maroon flakes. 
In the crimson bizarre class the first prize and a first-class certificate 
w'ere awarded to Mr. Douglas for Mrs. Francis Whitbourn, one of the 
very best flowers in this class. The colour is pinkish crimson and purple, 
in good well-defined flakes. It is one of Mr. Dodwell’s seedlings. 
The second prize and a first-class certificate was awarded to Mr. 
Douglas for Crimson King (Dodwell), one of the darkest flowers yet 
raised, a very distinct and desirable variety. 
Mr. Charles Turner of Slough obtained a first prize and first-class 
certificate for heavy rose-edged Picotee Duchess (Fellowes). It is a 
better flower than Constance Heron, by the same raiser, of the largest 
size, with a broad well-defined scarlet edge and good white ground. 
The same awards were given to Mr. Turner for Maude (Fellowes), 
one of the best light rose-edged flowers yet raised. It has broad smooth 
petals, with a clear white ground. The first prize in the light purple 
seedling class was also awarded to Mr. Turner for Juliet, a very large 
purple flower, with a good white ground and well-defined purple edge. 
Orlando (Fellowes), also exhibited by Mr. Turner, is a very promising 
flower in the rose-edged class. 
Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons of the King’s Road, Chelsea, were awarded 
first-class certificates for the following varieties selected from a large 
assortment of border flowers, nearly all of them being of great merit. 
Celia, delicate rose-pink, one of the most distinct and charming of 
the whole group. 
John Barnet has large deep pink flowers, with a tinge of rose, the 
flowers of good form. 
Mrs. Glen.—A very fine yellow variety, with broad well-formed outer 
petals. This was selected as the best of yellows, but the Judges thought 
highly of Miss Mary Anderson, which is also clear primrose-yellow, and 
scarcely inferior to it. 
Harvester.—A very finely formed buff-coloured variety, which is 
certain to become immensely popular. It is the same colour as Florence, 
which has fringed petals, while this variety has smooth well-rounded 
outer petals. 
The same firm also obtained a first-class certificate for a very distinct 
and freely flowered Pink named Rose Perfection. The flowers are self- 
coloured and of a deep rose. 
THOUGHTS ON CUEEENT TOPICS. 
“ Strawberey time,” alluded to by Mr. Luckburst last week, 
has ended with many for the season—at least, the fruit-gathering 
time has; but the time for planting is wdth us, and those who 
have taken care to obtain strong well-rooted young plants, and 
insert them promptly yet carefully in good soil, will have the 
finest of fruit before they are a year older. 
As in most other things, there are two methods of planting 
Ftrawberrics, a right and a wrong, and I think it will be safe to 
; ay that more are planted wrongly than otherwise, simply because 
the wrong way is the quickest. The difference between right and 
wrong in this matter is very simple. If you want to do the work 
as it should not be done, plant with a dibher; make smooth 
round holes 3 or 4 inches deep, be careful to let the roots hang 
straight down, then plunge the dibber down by the side of them, 
pressing them all of a heap against the smooth firm side of the 
cavity. That is a very ready mode of planting and an excellent 
example of art working against nature. Plants thus wedged in 
will not grow freely, yet every year they are so planted in 
thousands. 
The right way of planting is the exact opposite of the straight- 
down-sticking-in-root-crowding* process. The young plants 
which root naturally tell as plainly as plants can tell how the 
roots should be disposed. They do not go straight down in a 
bundle, but radiate from the collar, more approachiug a horizontal 
than a vertical position, and always separated, never packed to¬ 
gether. Take, then, a lesson from Nature in planting Strawberries, 
spreading out the roots—that is, planting with a small foi’k, 
trowel, or hand, never with the dibber, and although a little 
more time will be occupied in the woi-k the gain in the end will 
be great. Those who cannot perceive there can be so much 
difference between the two modes of planting had better try 
them fairly as I have done, and then I think they will never 
plant with the dibber again. 
As to varieties of Strawberries, there is no doubt that most or 
all are good under certain favourable conditions, while most or all 
are indifferent under differing circumstances. The Strawberry is, 
in fact, a capricious fruit. Even the most generally useful form 
of all. Sir Joseph Paxton, fails in some soils, and the productive 
President is in some places worthless. Loxford Hall Seedling I 
have seen most satisfactory in every respect in some gardens, 
while in others it would scarcely grow at all. Helene Gloede is 
in some places very good, in others quite indifferent; and so it is 
with most others, including British Queen. 
It is greatly to be regretted, says a correspondent, that this 
fine-flavoured Strawberry is so seldom seen now, as none of the 
larger varieties can equal it in richness of flavour. Put sui'ely 
British Queen is not a small Sti-awberry ? Well grown, I think 
not many are larger ; a few are, but only a few. It is one of the 
largest as it is the richest of Strawberries ; but fickle. In some 
soils it fails, in others it succeeds. In a garden in the south of 
England, almost a town garden, w'here the soil is light on gravel, 
it thrives better than any other variety and forms the staple 
crop. It is grown very much as described on page 63, and more 
of this delicious Strawberry might be had if care were taken in 
choosing sheltered positions and relying mainly on young plants. 
Weak runners, cold heavy soils, and dibber-planling cannot be 
expected to pi-oduce the finest examples of this large and splendid 
Strawberry. _ 
Next to it in point of flavour is, I think, Dr. Hogg. The 
fruit of this is also larger and of better colour, while the plant 
is more hardy and vigorous. Still, it thrives best under the con¬ 
ditions referred to—light rather than heavy soil, and sheltered 
rather than exposed positions. A fruiterer tells me that Lon¬ 
doners have found out the merits of this variety, and the fruit, 
neatly packed in baskets, sells for more money than any other 
sort; and he also tells me that hundreds of baskets are labelled 
Dr. Hogg, and charged for accordingly, that are selected examples 
of Sir Joseph Paxton. My thought on that is—if Londoners 
are never duped more seriously than by that “ sharp practice ” 
they will not be much hurt, still Dr. Hogg is decidedly the richer- 
flavoured fruit. The said fruiterer could this year readily sell 
good examples of the variety named for 6(7. a pound when 
ordinary sorts were going a-begging and could not be disposed 
of at any price. I think this is plenty about Strawberries at 
once and psass on. _ 
I THOUGHT Mr. Iggulclen wrote very sensibly on the subject 
of exhibiting on page 64. Certainly, as a rule owners of gardens 
gain more than they lose by permitting their gardeners to win a 
few prizes, if they can, at exhibitions, and if they fail they make 
strenuous attempts to improve their culture. Some gentlemen, 
however, have been compelled to prohibit their gardeners showing 
because the gardeners precedingthem indulged in it immoderately. 
That is where mistakes are sometimes made that might be 
avoided with advantage to all. 
By the way, 1 thought it a little curious when I read!“I con¬ 
sider Foster’s Seedling the best early white Grape, and would 
place Buckland Sweetwater second to it, both succumbing to 
Golden Ohamprion and the Duke of Buccleuch.” How the best 
and the second best should succumb to the third or fourth named 
without the latter being superior to them I do not exactly see; 
but, then, I fail to see everything; but I cannot fail to see the 
massacre of Muscats at June shows, and I think it a mistake to 
offer prizes for this fine Grape so early in the season. 
It is very gratifying to read that the National Carnation and 
Picotee Show was so successful, and that the numbers of exhibitc rs 
are increasing. There is no reason why they should not increase 
still more considerably, since such a vast number of persons in 
town and country can grow these delightful flowers. They rank 
amongst the very best of plants for town and suburban gardens, 
