74 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 27, 1882. 
history repeats itself, so the time will come again. — J. A. W., 
Alderminster. 
CHISWICK TRIAL PEAS. 
In examining the above many were noticed as being far 
behind the best kinds now in commerce ; in fact, a Pea must be 
very good to gain a place in such company as Telephone, Pride of 
the Market, Stratagem, John Bull, or James’ Prolific. There 
seems little opening for improvement either in dwarf or tall 
kinds ; but this was said before the above were sent out, and in a 
few years these grand varieties may be, and we hope will be, 
eclipsed. From observation many of those on trial appeared to 
be more like selections from other kinds obtained by chance than 
the results of a carefully pursued course of crossing with the best 
types in commerce. 
There is yet something to be gained that will combine the size 
of Stratagem with the rich flavour of that old gardeners’ friend in 
need Ne Plus Ultra. Maclean’s Premier is an excellent Pea, but the 
three consecutive bad harvest seasons have caused it to be scarce, 
or this would make a good parent. Again, while Peas have very 
little chance against blue or green-seeded Peas, and such must 
sooner or later go out of culture. Gardeners are rapidly ad¬ 
vancing in knowledge and appreciation ; the Knight’s Marrows 
are already things of the past, and consumers are not, and cannot 
be expected to be, satisfied with Blue Scimetars. 
There has been a great advance in early dwarf wrinkled Marrow 
Peas ; but, except in favourable years and in suitable situations, 
they are not to be depended on for winter sowings. What with 
decaying in the ground, to which round Peas seem least liable, and 
the ravages of birds and slugs above and mice below ground 
—for they seem to prefer the sweeter foliage of the wrinkled 
kinds—the rows are frequently scanty ; and this may account for 
the demand yet in vogue for Ringleader, Sangster’s No. 1, and 
such small-shot Peas, which after all require less attention and do 
fill the basket and fill it early, though they ought to give place to 
Emerald Gem and William the First. The latter is not yet fixed 
in character, but is a very fine first early, and the true stock 
would be a good parent to work on to obtain a first early green 
round hardy Pea. Dean’s Dwarf Marrow and Turner’s Emerald are 
really good earlies ; but American Wonder is so short in the haulm 
as to preclude its coming to the fore, although it looks well when 
cooked. 
Veitch’s Perfection is yet grand when well grown, and is desir¬ 
able in point of flavour ; but may yet be improved upon, for the 
fault is that this and Climax, Eugenie, Day's Sunrise, and other 
3 to 4-feet Peas do not give pods full to the end, and do not give a 
fair return, except under favourable circumstances. Premier 
would make a good cross with this section. 
I venture, therefore, to indicate a few different lines of work 
for hybridisers, and, as in breeding cattle or poultry it would be 
madness to start with an inferior stud, let raisers get the best to 
start with. Say try for 
First, a round-seeded early green Pea with large pods—one that 
will withstand our winters, and be in advance of Dean’s Dwarf 
and Blue Peter. 
Second, a 3 4-feet Pea that shall combine the flavour and 
appearance of Ne Plus Ultra with the general habit and size of 
Stratagem. 
Third, a Pea of the Veitch’s Perfection style and flavour that 
shall fill out its pods thoroughly. 
Fourth, a tall variety that shall give the enormous peas of 
Hays’ Blue Mammoth, which rarely exceed five or six good peas 
in a pod, combined with the colour and full pod of the Ne Plus 
Ultra race, say, with the giant pod of Telephone. 
All these should be blue or green Marrows and bear their pods 
in pairs. At the time the Committee viewed the trial Peas 
Culverwell’s Autumn Giant was not ready, but it was the largest 
pod on the ground. In conclusion, all Pea-raisers are reminded 
that at Chiswick they can depend on a fair trial being made 
under Mr. Barron’s capable management.—G. B. 
Australian Big Trees. —The Minneapolis Lumberman has an 
article on the gigantic trees of Australia, of which the following is an 
extract :—“The trackless forests in the west of Tasmania contain 
huge timber, and bushmen report that they have met with specimens 
of Eucalyptus measuring 200 feet from the ground to the first branch, 
and full y 350 feet in all. Until 1873 there was standing on the eastern 
slope of Mount Wellington, within four miles of Hobart Town, a 
Eucalyptus measured at 86 feet in giith and more than 300 feet in 
height, and its ruined bole still forms a grim chamber in which many 
a merry party have enjoyed a picnic. The famous tree of the Huon 
forest measures_70 feet in girth 6 feet from the ground, and is stated 
to be 240 feet high, but in the deep gorges of this grand forest the 
writer has seen higher trees than this, though not of quite equal cir¬ 
cumference. But Victoria now claims the glory of holding the biggest 
of all the living ‘ big trees ’ in the world, so far as height is concerned. 
In the Dandenong district at Fernshaw has recently been discovered 
a specimen of Eucalyptus amvgdalina, or Almond-leaf Gum, which 
has been accurately measured as reaching the enormous height of 
380 feet before throwing out a single branch, and 430 feet to the top, 
and having a girth of 60 feet at some distance above the ground. 
Some idea of what a height of 430 feet represents may be gained from 
the fact that this Gum Tree, if growing by the side of the Houses of 
Parliament at Westminster, would overtop the clock tower by exactly 
100 feet.” 
SPIRAEA JAPONICA. 
There are few plants better known, and none more useful, 
than this ; but lately I have been thinking that many might have 
it much longer in bloom than is generally the case with very 
little extra labour and much advantage. With us the first flowers 
were cut last December, and the last at the end of June. During 
those seven months we had spikes more or less weekly. The 
plants which flowered first and on to the month of April were 
forced in pots. Then those in cool frames flowered, and were 
followed by some on south borders, and the last were a number 
of plants growing at the base of a north wall. Here they are 
never exposed to the sun, but they always grow and flower 
freely, and we have frequently cut flowers from them as late 
as the present time. The roots for forcing first are grown fully 
exposed to the sun, and are consequently matured early, and 
from Christmas onward are easily brought into flower. Later 
on they may be brought forward more easily, and others later still 
bloom naturally; but it is the plants near the north wall which 
keep up the supply so long, and it is to this plan of growing a 
few plants particular attention is called. For all kinds of winter 
floral decoration the flowers of this Spircea are highly esteemed, 
but the spikes are never out of season, and are quite as much 
valued in July as January.—J. Muir. 
CHERRY HOUSES. 
Perhaps there is no hardy fruit crop grown in gardens that 
causes so much disappointment as Cherries, on account of the 
great difficulty that is experienced in protecting the fruit from 
birds. When trees are grown by the acre, as in Kent, there is 
sufficient both for birds and cultivators, but it is very different 
where only a few trees are grown. It is not too much to say that 
the supply of Cherries is not only insufficient in the majority of 
gardens, but the period during which fruit might be had is much 
too limited. It is somewhat surprising that the affluent should 
remain satisfied with this state of things, especially since a remedy 
can be so inexpensively provided. This consists in providing 
houses and growing trees in pots. The most economical and satis¬ 
factory example of growing Cherries in pots under glass that has 
come under my notice is in Messrs. Rivers’ nurseries at Sawbridge- 
worth. The Cherry house is a simple span-roofed structure, in¬ 
expensively constructed, and not heated. The sides are formed 
of rough boards secured to stout posts that have been affixed at 
intervals along both sides of the structure, but the sides are not 
boarded up to the glass, as a space of about 18 inches above the 
boards is simply covered with fine-meshed wire netting. There 
may possibly be a lid in addition which may be opened or closed 
as needed, but from the interior of the house only the netting 
was visible. The roof is a fixture, and if there is any provision 
for ventilation there it will simply be at each end just over the 
ridge board. 
The sides of the house do not exceed 5 feet in height, nor the 
height to the ridge in the centre 8 feet. The path runs under 
this ridge with borders about 4 feet wide on each side ; on these 
four rows of trees are arranged, and they bear prodigious crops 
of splendid fruit. In glazing the roofs of his houses Mr. Rivers 
uses no top putty, which is considered worse than useless, but the 
glass is well bedded in putty, and made secure by two sprigs or 
brads driven into the sashbars near the bottom of each square, 
the laps keeping the top of the squares safe. The cost of such a 
house is trifling, while the fruit that is produced in it is of un¬ 
doubted value. 
From this plain yet essentially useful structure Cherries of the 
finest size and quality are gathered during a period of five 
months. So heavily do the trees in pots bear that the fruit can 
be gathered by handfuls, and a dish filled in two minutes. The 
fruit of some of the varieties hangs, like Grapes, for weeks after 
it is ripe, and developes a richness that is not attainable in the 
open air. Sound firm soil and attention in watering, with clean¬ 
liness, are the essentials for success in growing Cherries in pots, 
and just in proportion as these are provided so will the reward 
