116 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 7, 1884. 
at the time required (June 19th) were beginning to open freely blooms 
of fair quality. The first week in July saw them at their best simply 
one great mass of magnificent blooms both in size, colour, and substance. 
With a heavy covering of spent bark over the beds they remained in 
good condition longer than usual, notwithstanding the extremely dry 
weather, having, of course, occasional liberal supplies of water. I 
enclose sample of foliage for the Editor’s inspection. I think the 
middle or end of March late enough to prune even so far north.—E. 
Bubton, Kirlihy Lonsdale, Westmoreland. 
[The leaves sent were of extraordinary size and substance, and 
indicate a most unusual vigour. One of the finest is 9 inches long from 
the tip of the centre leaflet to the base of the stalk ; it is the same in 
diameter across the two side leaflets, and the blade of the latter measures 
4^ inches long by 3| broad, the former one being of similar size. They 
are thick in texture and of a rich dark green colour. On only one occa¬ 
sion have we before seen Eose leaves as fine as these, and that was a 
sample of Mardchal Niel sent to us some years ago by a correspondent at 
Hereford. One of these, which is shown in the woodcut (fig. 20) of its 
natural size, and may be taken as a fair representation of the leaves sent 
by Mr. Burton.] 
SEED POTATOES. 
In the notes on these at page 87 there is an omission of some importance. 
That is the danger of allowing Potatoes intended for seed to lie out in 
the open for any time. If disease is about these are sure to be affected; 
and no matter where or how they may be wintered, most of them will be 
sure to “ go ” with “ after-sickness.” There is another point worth noting, 
and that is the great benefit derivable from a change of seed. I know 
some gardeners consider the necessity of a change of seed to be very proble¬ 
matical in order to get the best results, rut 1 have experienced and seen the 
benefit of fresh “seed” too often to doubt the wisd- m of keeping chang¬ 
ing. In the case of the earliest crop, it is decidedly best to keep selecting 
seed tubers from the earliest plants, but for the second earlies field-grown 
tubers yield much the best crips. Although “A Working Gardener” 
deprecates bringing on the tubers under glass, I think no harm arises if 
they are properly managed. I generally have a few hundredweights of 
bought-in kidneys to start, and we lay the tubers out on the border of a cool 
Peach house, cover them with straw, and when well started place them in 
boxes and keep for a day or two in a shed before planting. Unless kidney 
Potatoes are strongly started they prove a verj^ unsatisfactory crop. There 
can be no doubt as to the wisdom of selecting medium-sized tubers. 
Ordinary “ seed ” last spring was almost unsaleable, yet I found a ready 
sale for selected tubers at 24s. per cwt.—B. 
LILIES AT SOUTH] KENSINGTON. 
In the handsome collection of hardy plants recently shown at Ken¬ 
sington by Mr. T. S. Ware, the Lilies were very prominent, a large 
number of the choicest and most useful garden forms being included. 
Few plants can be so effectively employed in decoration as these, and 
for large buildings they are particularly valuable, as their powerful 
odours are not then too oppressive. Mr. Ware has a flue collection of 
these at Tottenham, and his Hale Farm nursery appears to suit them 
extremely well, judging by the size of the flowers and spikes produced. 
The following species and varieties were well shown at the recent 
meetings :—Lilium Browni, one of the finest Lilies cultivated ; a native 
of China. L. canadense and canadense rubrum, from the North American 
forest, with curious spotted yellow and red flowers. L. pardalinum, 
several beautiful American varieties ; they grow like pardalinum pumilum 
(a very dwarf flowering form), 4 to 10 feet high, and vary from deep 
orange to pale yellow, spotted and unspotted like the pale yellow new 
variety Lilium pardalinum Warei. L. testaceum, a supposed very fine 
garden form, with sweet-scented nankeen-coloured flowers. L. martagon 
dalmaticum (the black Martagon Lily), the dalmaticum form of the 
Martagon Lily with numerous flowers nearly black. L. colchicum 
(Szovitzianum), a very fine Asiatic species with large flowers, varying 
from pale yellow to golden yellow. L. chalcedonicum (the old Turk’s- 
cap^ily) with scarlet flowers, one of the last in flower ; a native of the 
south-east of Europe. L. elegans (Thunbergianum), several beautiful 
forms of Chinese origin, with erect flowers varying from pale lemon to 
deep crimson. L. Humboldti and ocellatum, two very tine free-flowering 
Californian Lilies, varying from orange, maroon spotted, to deep orange 
with large purple spots, several running into one. L. auratum (the Gold- 
rayed Lily of Japan), one of the grandest of all hardy Lilies; some 
flowers are pure white with a pale yellow band, others crimson spotted, 
the band varying from pale yellow to deep crimson.—V, 
Rose A. K. Williams —-A Last Word. —It really surprises me 
■“ Y. B. A. Z.” should still persist in maintaining, because one or more 
local cases have occurred in his vicinity of apparent “ delicacy of con¬ 
stitution” of this magnificent Rose, that therefore this is its character¬ 
istic, and seems to accept as gospel—proof positive—that it will not 
transplant from “ One Who Knows.” I see all the gardening journals, 
and judging from the reports there has not been a Rose show in England, 
Ireland, or Scotland without it. It is only a few years issued, and if 
delicate this would not be the fact. My opinion counts for little, but 
take that of one of the greatest living authorities, “ D., Deal —“ I was 
surprised at the disparaging remarks on A. K. Williams. . . . Nor 
can I at all agree with them. It may not bi a vigorous Rose, but it is 
not a delicate one. The idea that it will not bear transplanting, but 
must be budded in situ, I believe an erroneous one.” '['ide page 104. 
W. J. Murphy. Clonmel. 
CULTURE OF TOMATOES IN POTS. 
As I have now a row of five dozen Tomatoes in pots in very good 
condition, and much admired by visitors, I send a few notes on mj 
treatment. 
The house is a lean-to facing east—really a Cucumber house, but 
converted into a Muscat house, the Vines planted 4 feet apart this 
time last year, so there is plenty of light between the rods. The 
Tomato seed was sown the second week in February, the plants were 
grown steadil}^ and transferred from 48’s into the fruiting pots No. 6 in 
April, the pots then being placed on the hard ash path. I note this 
particularly, as the Tomato grown in pots and stood in or on Vine or 
other borders will root through, and get as much nourishment from 
the roots rambling out of the pots as from the roots in them. 
Not caring to spoil a good wall with nailing, and having a quantity 
of 9-feet rods turned at one end I simply hooked one end on the 
trellis, and put the other through the centre hole of the pot before plant¬ 
ing. This keeps the foliage from touching the wall, and I am con¬ 
vinced was very beneficial to them during the hot sun, for in another 
house a plant or two nailed to the wall in the usual way flagged very 
much. 
The pots were placed about G inches apart, and the plants kept to 
a single rod or stem, stopped about 5 feet high, then another leading 
shoot taken up until now they have got to the top of the wires, and 
I expect will fruit up to Michaelmas. No fire heat has been em¬ 
ployed, and the plants as regards health and fruitfulness are very 
satisfactory. They were potted in a poor soil, for I find rich compost 
in the early stage of no benefit, but the reverse, causing over-luxuriant 
growth. As soon as the first bunch or two of fruit are set the roots 
are top-dressed, the pots only being up to this time half full of soil ; 
they are also occasionally watered with liquid manure. 
NOTES ON VARIETIES. 
Dedham Favourite. —A really good introduction in the way of 
recent novelties. The fruit is pink in colour, very solid, consequently 
heavy ; flavour first-class, either for cooking or dessert purposes. 
Very handsome in shape ; I wish I had a red variety to match it in 
this respect. A good cropper, setting from three to six in a cluster, 
more if it is wished, only I have thinned mine to that number. To¬ 
day in a length of 24 inches I counted as many as three clusters of 
six, five, and four, all good fruits ; some will turn the scale at half 
a pound. 
Holborn Ruby. —This appears to be only a counterpart of the 
above. I have fancied at times there was a slight difference in habit, 
shape, or the colour of the fruit, but cannot satisfy myself. I regret 
this very much, as I am growing this specially for exhibition, and do 
not see how it can stand. I shall be glad to hear other growers’ ex¬ 
perience of the above two splendid new varieties. Dedham Favourite 
and Holborn Ruby are planted out in another house, and if I cut the 
fruit and mix them I cannot discern any difference. The plants are 
not syringed, more particularly when the fruit is about colouring, or 
they will crack. 
Vick’s Criterion. —This comes next; a very useful variety. 
The crop is not quite so heavy as the preceding, though it is a good 
setter in bunches of five or six. In a length of 20 inches I have 
three bunches of six, five, and four, all good fruits, of a rich pink, 
not so crimson as the preceding varieties. In limited space this is 
the best of all for pots. The fruit being Plum-shaped and not large 
it is verj’^ desirable for table use. 
Wheeler’s Prolific. —Though only a variety of the Old Red, this 
is an improvement. I did not sow the seed till April 6th, so have 
not cut any fruits, but they look very promising, hanging in bunches 
of six or eight, all useful fruits. 
Hathaway’s Excelsior. —A good-shaped medium-sized red fruit, 
but it crops rather too lightly for me, not more than four in a cluster. 
It is a peculiar red, and heavy for the size of the fruit. 
Greengage. —This does not fruit at all well with me, yet I have 
a fair crop of a very striking yellow colour. The flavour I consider 
is not equalled by any variety. So far the heaviest fruit would not 
weigh 4 ozs. This variety evidently wants starving to induce fruiting. 
Trophy. —The fruits of this come very large, but it seems to run 
away to wood, though I stopped the leader at 3 feet. In one case 
there are ten fruits in a cluster, but nearly all are deformed. 1 could 
not recommend this for pots. | 
Selection from Vick's Criterion.— Last on my list is a red- 
