322 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 9, 1884. 
the test of tasting by members of the International Com¬ 
mittee. A considerable proportion of the seedlings on trial 
proved to be comparative!}' worthless, but a few were found 
possessing beauty of appearance, high cropping powers, and 
good table quality. These few are now reported on. It 
would be waste of time to describe the varieties that were 
dismissed as undesirable, and moreover it is no part of the 
policy of the International Committee to condemn anything, 
for as conditions vary so may results. The highest number 
of marks for appearance, cropping, and table quality in each 
case is three. The final award is made at the Exhibition, 
but the decisions on cropping and table quality are taken at 
the garden. All that are now enumerated are worth growing, 
for only to such are marks awarded. 
Hughes’ Earliest of All.—A white kidney in the way of 
Myatt’s ; short growth, neat tubers, a fair crop of even size. 
For crop two marks. For table quality two marks. 
Harvester. —Victoria type, growth robust, very green. 
Tubers neat, even in size, quite clean ; rather late. For 
crop three marks. For table quality three marks. 
Chancellor.— A large, flattish, handsome white round. 
Top growth robust, stems purple, leaves large and very green. 
Late. For crop three marks. For table quality three 
marks. 
Sunrise. —A very neat white kidney of moderate top 
growth, a good cropper, and early. For crop three marks. 
For table quality two marks. 
Aspirant. —A handsome late white, in the way of Eector 
of Woodstock. Top growth strong, the crop fine. For crop 
three marks. For table quality three marks. 
Pride of Eydon. —A white round of variable form, 
apparently needing further selection with a view to secure 
regularity of form. A very heavy cropper, tubers smallish, 
but not objectionally so. For crop three marks. For table 
quality three marks. 
London Hero.— A white round, flattish, neat, smooth. 
Top growth stout and short. For crop three marks. For 
table quality three marks. 
Snowball. —A very handsome variety in the way of Snow¬ 
flake. Top growth very short and stout. Crop even and 
bright, but scarcely enough of it. For crop two marks. For 
table quality three marks. 
The Luketra. —A somewhat rough white tuber of the 
Snowflake type, but less handsome. Top growth dwarf and 
stout; crop heavy and even. For crop three marks. For 
table quality three marks. 
No. 4, Lye.— This may be described as a white Blanchard. 
Top growth stout and bushy; the crop heavy and even. For 
crop three marks. For table quality two marks. 
No. 2, Ironside. —A yellowish white round in the way of 
Porter’s Excelsior. Top growth dwarf and bushy; crop 
even and heavy. For crop three marks. For table quality 
two marks. 
Seedling M.P.—A late handsome white round. Top 
growth dwarf and stout, the crop remarkable for evenness, 
no chats, and no overgrown tubers to be found. For crop 
three marks. For table quality three marks. 
Crump s Seedling. —A smallish white round. Top 
growth very short; the crop fair considering its earliness. 
No award was made, as the variety appears not to be adapted 
for an open-ground competition. It is included in this 
report, however, because it appears to be well adapted for 
frame culture, and is likely for that purpose to prove useful. 
Eufus. —A large handsome rosy purple kidney. Top 
growth robust, spreading, and wiry. A late and moderate 
cropper. For crop two marks. For table quality two marks. 
Eosebud. —A coloured round, delicately mottled, pink on 
white ground ; but giving a rather small proportion of hand¬ 
some tubers. Top growth short and stout; crop heavy but 
uneven. For crop three marks. For table quality two 
marks. 
No. 3, Lye.— A purple variety of the Vicar of Laleham 
type, handsome and useful. Top growth short and stout 
For crop two marks. For table quality two marks. 
Cardinal.— A light red kidney, not handsome. Top 
growth strong. For crop three marks. 
No. G, Fenn.— A handsome purplish red kidney, in form 
an equal ellipse. Top growth moderate. For crop three 
marks. 
Seedling Floyd.— A white variety in the way of Breese’s 
Prolific. Top growth robust, crop heavy and rough. For 
crop three marks. For table quality two marks. 
Bedfont Eose.— A late red round of medium size and 
good appearance; long keeping. Top growth strong. For 
crop two marks. 
THOUGHTS ON CUEEENT TOPICS. 
“We cannot think about everything at once” is a trite old saying, 
the truth of which I have never felt so full}' as since I ventured to 
pass under mental review the various topics discussed in these pages. 
I meant in my last series of “ thoughts ” to have recorded my 
impressions on more than one subject that was passed in silence, 
but hesitated lest I should press unduly on the space that I felt might 
be better occupied ; and I see the Editor has wisely “ screwed up ” 
my notes as much as possible. I hope he will do so again, as it is very 
far from my desire to become a monopolist, and I do not care to see 
my random jottings in “big type," which only appears to magnify 
their imperfections. _ 
I meant to have said what I thought about “ A Northern Gar¬ 
dener’s ” communication on “ Spoiling Vines ” (page 257). I may 
say now that I think no competent gardener will find fault with his 
estimate of the supreme importance of clean well-developed foliage, 
and I trust all who have failed in growing Grapes to their satisfaction 
will attend carefully to the lessons they may derive by an attentive 
perusal ©f the article in question. 
As to persons who “do not read" any garden literature, and yet 
consider themselves gardeners, I can only think of them as men who 
have missed their calling, for there is not in my experience one out 
of a hundred of such “ men in charge ” who are a credit to the craft 
into which they have poked their way to fail, for fail in time they 
must, and leave their blunders behind them. Men who “ do not read 
anything" should be policemen on night duty or work in a mine, for 
gardeners they could never be worthy of the name. All the best 
gardeners of my acquaintance are diligent readers, and it is that habit 
that has in a great measure made them what they are. 
I wish also to say that I think quite as highly as a “Lancastrian’’ 
does about Narcissus Horsefieldii for culture in pots. It is beautiful 
in gardens, but to see it at its best grow it well in pots, and, as your 
correspondent says, it will be sure to “ arrest attention." If I were 
compelled to choose one variety of Narcissus only for conservatory 
decoration in spring that one would be N. bicolor Horsefieldii ; and 
I prefer having clumps established in borders, taking up and potting 
them than potting dry bulbs, though these do very well. I should 
like for all whom my thoughts can reach to grow this very handsome 
single Daffodil. _ 
Mr. Young’s practical article on cordon Pears (page 259) demands 
attention. They are the cheapest, the most tractable, and most fruit¬ 
ful of all forms of trees. Apart from furnishing a wall with them, 
which is very desirable, they are of special value for covering 
profitably vacant spaces between other trees. I have lately seen in 
a celebrated garden this plan adopted, and decidedly the best crops 
and immeasurably the finest fruits were borne by these fill-gap trees. 
Each tree was planted in a barrowful of fresh loam, the soil over the 
roots being thickly mulched with rich manure, and judging by results 
I think this plan worthy of imitation. 
The concave flower pot figured on page 261 seems to be a good 
notion ; but is it new ? I have a vague recollection of having either 
heard or read of a similar pot a few years ago, but w'here or -when 
I cannot call to mind. However, whether old or new, I think the 
pot an excellent one for plants that have to be grown for months in 
the open air. _ 
Eeferring to the note of “W. 0." on lifiing Peach trees, I have 
certainl}' never had experience of growing this fruit in every part 
of the British Isles, my practice having been limited to three counties 
in England and one in Scotland. I have never seen evergreen 
