852 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 16, 1884. 
to be watered before it could be dug. Shallow trenches were formed 
4 feet apart and filled with good decayed manure, which was dug in as 
deeply as possible. Most of the soil taken out at first was then returned, 
drills were drawn and well watered, the seed being sown, covered, and 
watered again. Three varieties were sown—Laxton’s Omega, G. F. 
Wilson, and Sturdy. The two first gave us some capital Peas, and were 
ready August 28th, about a week before Siurdy, but they were soon over 
in the very dry weather, distance and pressure of other work only allowing 
usto water them once after they were up. Sturdy has continued bearing 
ever since, and has certainly proved worthy of its name. Yesterday’ 
October 10th, we gathered some good pods from it, and we shall have 
more yet if the frost keeps off a little longer. It has grown nearly 4 feet 
high, no doubt under more favourable circumstances it would grow taller, 
but I am not sure it would be any better if it did. The taller varieties 
generally only have a greater length of bare stems. A memorandum for 
next season is to sow some of the older varieties, but also to sow plenty of 
Sturdy.—W. H. DiVfiRS, Ketton Hall. 
A FEMALE IMPOSTOR. 
A WARNING TO SCOTCH GARDENERS. 
There is at present a professional impostor moving about the southern 
counties of whom I should like to warn your numerous readers. She 
appears in the shape of a respectably dressed burly Scotch woman, deeply 
pick-marked, and is accompanied by a “wee lassie” as she calls her. 
Such a genius as this has no doubt various stories to suit different circum¬ 
stances, but if I relate what her performance was at my own door it will 
sufficiently illustrate her mode of procedure. She inquired in real broad 
Scotch if I know of a gardener of the name of Campbell had lately come 
to live between H-, H-, and B-, two stations on the Brighton 
Company’s main line. On inquiring if she did not know the name of the 
place she said No, and at once explained tliat her name was Mrs. Campbell 
of Leith Road, Edinburgh ; that she was going to meet her husband, a 
“chief engineer” onboard ship at Portsmouth, but that she had gone 
down to Bromley in Kent to visit her sister, and found when she got there 
that they had moved a few weeks ago and she had come here in search of 
them. I told her I thought she was on a fruitless journey, and as there 
was not the slightest trace of the genus tramp about the party they were 
soon seated at the dinner table and doing ample justice to a “ basin o’ 
guid Scotch broth.” I had to hurry off to catch a train. On my return 
at night it was to find that our strange visitor had poured out a woeful 
Tale to my better half about having been put out of her way in not 
finding her sister, and that she had run so many shillings short of what 
would pay her fare to Portsmouth, where she was bound to be that night 
to meet her husband. Her plausible story and a few tears judiciously 
shed had the desired effect of completing a little “ loan,” to be sent back 
as soon as she got to her husband. I have since learned that she received 
money from two persons (one of whom lodged h' r all night) the previous 
diy, and that she was denounced as an impostor at the house of a third 
the same night by a previous victim and turned out. 
She does not confine her operations to gardeners, but seems to be making 
a living out of the well-known sympathy existing amongst Scotsmen 
whenever they meet. I have no doubt but a fair proportion of the readers 
of the Journal in the south hail from north of the Tweed, and I hope the 
Editor may find room for this to warn unsuspecting working men of this 
impostor, a disgrace to her sex and to the “ Land o’ Cakes.”—R. 1. 
DAHLIAS. 
“H. G.” writes in your issue of October 2nd that “Those who are 
bent upon seeing a first prize upon their stands at our next grand 
National Dahlia Show must not mind rising with the sun nor ignore the 
light of the moon.” I confess that nothing would please me bet'er than 
finding that I had attained that honour, and should be only too thankful 
to “ H. G.,” or any other successful grower, if he or they could help me to 
attain that goal. Why should I “ rise with the sun,” and for what reason 
must we stop up till the moon sheds her genial rays upon us ? “ H. G.” 
tells us that “ practical experience ” is the only means of success, but 
beyond saying that plenty of air, loam (room), and water are required, he 
does not help us. I say us, because there are others in this neighbourhood 
who, like myself, have just taken to growing the queen of autumn flowers 
who would only be thankful for a few practical hints. Will “ H. G.” 
kindly explain further ? 
What are the enemies he hints at, and how can they be discovered 
and their destruction accomplished ?— Tyro (so far as Dahlias are 
concerned). 
JUDGING TOMATOES—THE PALATE TEST. 
What “ A Thinker” says upon any subject has, 1 have good reasons 
for asserting, much more weight with the readers of the Journal than 
anything I can advance. This being so, it is with me a matter for regret 
that he is not so closely allied with the “party of progress” that I at 
one time thought him to be. At any rate, I did not think he would 
doubt the prssibility of improving on the present system of judging 
Tomatoes. He seems to infer that I propose the “ palate test ” alone 
should decide the matter, whereas I only suggested that it should be the 
“ principal essential.” I would on no account encourage monstrosities 
in Tomatoes any more than in other fruits or vegetables, and if they 
were systematically condemned they would soon disappear from the 
exhibition tables. To be plain, then, I would select the best grown and 
selected dishea, both of smooth or corrugated sorts, and then finally 
decide by tasting. “A Thinker” rightly remarks that “ tastes vary, and 
so does the flavour of Tomatoes but it feems that he at any rate knows 
which are the best when he gives the preference to such sorts as Carter’s 
Greengage and Oraugefield, and unless I am much mistaken many other 
good judges would be of the same opinion. IE these sorts thus gained 
the awards it w'ould naturally result in their more extended culture, and 
also, owing to their superior excellence, to a more wide-spread love for 
Tomatoes. As it happens Phillips’ Perfection is equal in quality to either, 
and here, then, is a variety equally as serviceable and as “ handsome as 
paint can make it.” Dedham Favourite is undoubtedly a very excellent 
variety, and which probably at times wmuld gain the awards and no harm 
be done. 
Every year adds to the number of novelties in Tomatoes, but as in the 
case of Potatoes and other vegeffibles we could well dispense with the 
majority of them. Hardy or disease-resisting I am afraid they never 
will be, nor much better flavoured. It is scarcely the class of fruit to 
develope into dessert fruit, though I have no doubt “ A Thinker ” does 
not object to an occasional fruit “ by way of a change.” 
We judge Melons by flavour and no one finds fault with the decision, 
in fact it is in connection with the classes for these we hear the least 
amount of grumbling ; but the “ new departure,” or judging by appear¬ 
ances, at South Kensington was not approved of by any save perhaps the 
first prizewinner and the judges themselves. Take Peaches again. One 
of the best fruit-growers and exhibitors ever known seldom judges these 
without tasting them, and as a consequence a very fine dish of Princess 
of Wales I once had the misfortune to compete with was simply nowhere, 
although the other competitors had previously unanimously awarded me 
the first prize. I was obliged to admit that the decision was a just one, 
and the same season the tree that produced such poorly flavoured fruit 
went to the rubbish heap. The treatment given may have been faulty, as 
I have tasted fairly good fruit of this variety which had been grown in 
the open air, mine being under glass and given fire heat ; but at the same 
time we had just previously been pulling equally as large fruits of Bar¬ 
rington, and which were of most excellent flavour. No good gardener 
would think of placing large and maybe handsome bunches of White 
Tokay Grapes before smaller yet perfect examples of Muscat of 
Alexandria, simply because the quality of the latter is well known to be 
superior to the former. If he was not acquainted with the quality of 
both varieties he would, or at any rate I should, taste them before making 
an award, and why not taste Tomatoes ? It will not do, Mr. “ Thinker,” 
and your objection is weak. Please to think it over again, and I will 
certainly send you a “ jar ” of Chou Chou pickle to assist, or rather 
encourage, you to think differently in the matter—call it bribery who 
will. 
With regard to the advisability of having separate classes for smooth 
and ribbed sorts, I am certainly of the same opinion as “ A Thinker,” as 
this innovation would not only simplify the judging, but also add another 
very interesting class to the schedules. Members of committees should 
make a note of this, and at the proper time suggest that a second class be 
added for Tomatoes, even if they have to suppress some less worthy 
object in order to find the necessary funds.—W. Iggulden. 
“ Thinker’s ” thoughts are good respecting the flavour of and judging 
Tomatoes. I think that the days of large fruit as such are gone by, more 
especially now Tomatoes are considered fit to place on the table as grown 
instead of being consigned to the tender mercies of the cook. Diversity 
of tastes there always will be, but I incline to Dedham Favourite as the 
best for flavour. Greengage has a flavour of its own—very good indeed. 
Certainly heat improves the flavour of Tomatoes, as it does that of Grapes, 
Apples, and Pears.— Stephen Castle, West Lynn, 
BOUVARDIAS. 
“ What a mistake it is to grow Bouvardias in heat, when much 
better results may be obtained by growing them in cool frames,” remarks 
your correspondent “ Caledonian.” Does “ Caledonian ” mean that they 
are grown in cool frames from the time the cuttings are struck, or that 
they are grown in such frames for three or four months in summer ? If 
the former, his remarks are likely to mislead. If the latter, I do not 
consider it possible to grow as good plants under cool-frame treatment 
as by having them in the stove until the end of May or the beginning of 
June, and then plunge them in cool frames. Our plants grown as stove 
plants thus far are very fine, having growths as thick as a lead pencil. 
They were pinched three times before being placed in cold frames, but 
afterwards were allowed ti make as much growth as possible without 
any check. Last week they were transferred from the frames to a house 
just cleared of Melons and plunged in the beds, where they will have 
fire heat in cold or damp weather. It is one of the greatest mistakes to 
keep pinching these plants, as strong wel!-ripened growths not only give 
a greater quantity of flowers, but keep up a longer supply than plants 
closely pinched. 
Bouvardia Hogarth set in a groundw rk of Selaginella makes a 
chaste and beautiful arrangement for dinner-table decoration, even 
more beautiful, I think, under the shaded lamp and candles than in day¬ 
light.—J. B. H. 
ROSE QUEEN OF QUEENS. 
One of the most beautiful of the numerous fine Roses for which culti¬ 
vators are indebted to Messrs. W. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross, is that 
