338 
JOURNAL OF HOR'IICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 9, 18S4. 
NEW VARIETIES. 
Four classes were provided for seedling varieties not in commerce— 
namely, for coloured and white kidneys and for coloured and white round 
varieties. Numerous seedlings were entered, and the following were 
awarded first-class certificates. 
Miss Fowler (Ross).—A white kidney, seedling from Sutton’s Wood- 
stock Kidney, very even and of moderate size. This had been previously 
named Aspirant. 
Bride of Eydon (Hughes).—A white kidney. A seedling from Beauty of 
Hebron and Myatt’s Prolific, a handsome heavy clean variety. 
Ellingtonia (Ellington j.—A coloured kidney. A cross between American 
Purple and Royal Ashleaf. It is a rather long tuber, pale red, with a few 
blotches of purple. Very prolific, and of excellent quality for table. 
M.P. (Ross).—A seedling from Paterson’s Victoria. A really excellent 
white round variety, with rather deep eyes, but very prolific, and of good 
quality. 
London Hero (Dean).—A second early round white, from Advance crossed 
with Woodstock Kidney. A very heavy tuber of moderate size, with a 
rough skin. 
Chancellor (Dean).—A white kidney, smooth, clean, solid, and broad ; 
very handsome. 
Harvester (Dean).—A white kidney, very neat and even, of medium 
size. 
Suketra (Holmes).— A white kidney, described on another page. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits, — From the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gar¬ 
dens, Chiswick, came thirty dishes of seedlings which have been tried during 
the season for the exhibitors in the seedling classes. Very notable was 
M.P. (Ross), a solid lound white variety, very prolific and of good quality. 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, exhibited 150 varieties of Potatoes from 
an important and interesting exhibition. About thirty-five seedlings were 
also represented, many being of promising appearance. Large heaps of 
Reading Hero, Magnum Bonum, Reading Russet, Early Regent, Prizetaker, 
Lady Truscott, and others sent out by the firm were prominent in one por¬ 
tion of the B.^hibition. Five hunches of Tomato Chiswick Red were also 
shown by the same firm. 
Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, exhibited some large heaps of 
standard varieties, including Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf, Cosmopolitan, School¬ 
master, Carter’s First Crop Ashleaf, Myatt’s Ashleaf, White Elephant, 
Beauty of Hebron, a new white round seedling, very prolific, and the 
diminutive Potato before noticed. Mr. Thomas Laxton, Girtford, Sandy, 
exhibited twenty-six dishes of seedling Potatoes, representing crosses 
between many varieties, White-skinned Beauty of Hebron being the 
principal^ parent. Fine samples of Autumn Giant Runner Bean and 
“ Open-air ” Tomatoes were also included, the latter being a small-fruited 
hut prolific and hardy variety. 
Messrs. Harrison & Sons, Leicester, showed sixty dishes of Potatoes, 
mostly of great size, and representing a number of varieties. Very notable 
were Schoolmaster; Imperator, a new white round variety ; Reading Hero, 
M bite Elephant, and International. Messrs. Hooper & Co., Covent Garden, 
had a heap of Dakota Red, Kidney Potato, weighing 372 tbs., the produce of 
one_ tuber grown by Mr. Burrance, Trent Valley. Mr. C. Fidler, Reading, 
exhibited a large number of dishes of Potatoes grown under ordinary field 
culture. Fidler’s Prolific, a large white kidney certificated in 1883 ; White 
Elephant, of great size; and Fidler’s Improved Ashleaf, a heavy cropping 
white kidney, were the most noteworthy. 
POINSETTIA PULCHERRIMA. 
As this plant proves so very effective and useful at the dullest season 
of the year, and never having seen it planted out of doors advocated, the 
following note may prove useful. Some years ago, having some old 
stumps of Poinsettias doomed for the rubbish heap, I tried the experi¬ 
ment of placing them out with the other winter-flowering plants early 
in June. The plan proved very successful, as the old stumps threw out 
from seven to a dozen shoots, and when lifted in September they were 
plants measuring from 2 to 3 feet across, and from 18 to 24 inches in 
height, clothed with dark green foliage to the ground. They were care¬ 
fully lifted, potted, placed in a pit, and kept close and shaded for a few 
days, and never lost a leaf. They were afterwards placed in a warm 
airy house, and in due time on every shoot appeared splendid scarlet 
bracts, the heads varying from 12 to 18 inches across. This year the 
same plan has proved equally successful, but as I employed younger 
plants they have not so many shoots ; in other respects they are very 
promising.— Charles Denning, Holms Lacy Gardens, Her(Jord. 
K5>i 
1 
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[\.THEW 
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KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Autumn has fairly commenced in this department, and we are now busy 
cleaning, storing, and preparing for winter. Whenever two or three dry 
days occur and the soil can be hoed and raked all weedy quarters should 
be thoroughly cleaned. Any quarters recently cropped but empty now 
may be dug up roughly or trenched and left well exposed to the weather. 
This is work we have always in hand in winter, and we find it very con¬ 
venient, as the garden men can always have a tiu-n at the trenching at 
any convenient time. 
Cabbages .—Plants put into their bearing quarters some weeks ago have 
grown well since, and they will now he benefited by having a little of the 
soil on each side drawn up to the stems with a drag hoe. Owing to the 
mildness of the weather our earliest-planted autumn Cabbage plants are 
unusually early. The first of them look as if they would head about the 
new year, and if they do of course they will be in use for spring ; but we 
have plenty of later ones which will come in then, only everybody may 
not have such, and where there is any prospect of a deficiency at any time 
plant more out at once. These may not grow much this autumn, especi¬ 
ally if fro.'t comes soon, but they will stand the winter well and make 
rapid progress in spring. 
Tomatoes .—We have never experienced a better season for outdoor 
Tomatoes. We have cut many ripe fruits weekly since the beginning of 
August, and there are stUl many to ripen ; but the cold nights are against 
them now, and if care is not taken many of them may decay befoi-e 
ripening. When occasional frost or constant damp rests on them many of 
the fruits become black on the side, and then they decay quickly. When 
the plants are growing against a wall and do not exceed 4 feet in height 
it is a capital plan to place a frame light over them. This prevents frost 
or wet injuring them, and still they have plenty of air from the sides. 
Whenever any fruits begin to change colour cut them and put them in the 
fruit-room to ripe n. 
Lettuces and Endive have been making rapid progress during the last 
few weeks. So much is this the case that many winter plants will be 
ready for use in the autumn, and wherever this occurs plants still in 
the seed-beds and rows should be lifted and planted in sunny borders or 
in frames for late use. Wherever there are empty frames fill them at 
once with such, and a good batch of Cauliflowers may also be sown. 
Runner Beans are still fresh, and promise to be so for a considerable 
time ; but where they are bearing a heavy crop of fully developed seed 
pods these will interfere with the swelling of the younger pods, and if the 
seed is not really valued gather all the old ones, and the young pods will 
soon show their appreciation of the operation. 
French Beans in frames should have all the light and air available, and 
do not keep them close and mo st, or the blooms just forming uods may 
decay prematurely. On fine days it is best to withdraw the lights and 
only put them on at night. Frame-sowing must now cease, but in heated 
pits seed may be sown for Christmas and New Year fruiting. Where good 
accommodation of this kind does not exist sow seeds and grow the plants 
in pots. 
It is many years since we have been able to gather so many Mush¬ 
rooms in the fields as we have done lately ; but these are almost finished 
now, and none need be looked for in November ; but beds formed in cool 
sheds in September and October will be bearing then, and as they are 
very acceptable in the kitchen during the winter continue to make up 
small beds fortnightly. Our first autumn bed was formed in the last week 
of August, and the surface of it is now white with the produce. Since 
then other three have been made up, and as we do this every other week 
we expect our Mushroom crop to be a constant one for some months 
to come. 
FRUIT FORCING. 
Pines. —Fermenting material if not indispensable is an aid to economy 
in the cultivation of these plants. Tan is unquestionably the best as a 
heating medium for the roots of plants and where it can be procured at 
a reasonable price. Beds of this material occasionally require to be 
renewed about this time, and should be attended to at once, before the 
season is too far advanced. A layer of 12 or 18 inches of fresh tan mixed 
with the rest will afford adequate warmth to a bed for a considerable 
time. The present is a seasonable time to make up new tan beds, which 
in the first instance should be made from 3 to 4 feet deep ; but before 
putting in the tan it is well to prepare it by laying it in a dry airy shed, 
where it can be turned over a few times, as by this process it becomes 
drier, and the risk of violent heating is, to a great extent, avoided. It 
must be borne in mind, however, that new beds demand daily attention 
in respect of the heat generated, or much mischief may ha()pen at the 
roots of the plants plunged therein before it is discovered, when it is too 
late to be remedied. 
Any re-arrangement in connection with Pine plants should, as far as 
practicable, be completed by the end of the present month, and also at 
the same time any renewals of the beds should be attended to. In 
arranging the plants together, give those which are fruiting or are 
expected to do so shortly a place where sufficient heat is attainable under 
any circumstances, and where the full force of sunshine and light will be 
efficacious. Successional plants should also have a place to themselves 
which is not likely to become extremely dry, and where a moderate tem¬ 
perature of about 60° and moisture is at all times present. For keeping 
young stock through the winter in the best condition of health we prefer 
light pits or low houses having beds of fermenting materials in them, as 
such places afford conditions more congenial to vegetation. It is, 
however, under these conditions necessary that the watering be done 
judiciously. 
The season has now so far advanced that artificial heat will need to 
be steadily increased; and although we do not advocate a high night 
temperature we deprecate sudden transitions in temperature at any 
season. See, therefore, that the fires are fit for their work when there is a 
probability of an emergency ; 55° to 60° at night is sufficient for rooted 
suckers, which are required to advance slowly in growth, 60° to 65° about 
successional plants, and 70° in the fruiting department, on all of which 
an advance of 5° by artificial means should be allowed, and 10° to 15° 
from sun heat. 
Melons. —To have flavour and colour in Melons ripening in October, 
it is necessary, in addition to the fine weather we have been favoured with 
