September r, less.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 229 
of his stock of exhibition plants of certain sorts to take some 
“ new departure ?” or ought a man who grows exclusively for sale 
and for exhibition to be deemed an eligible competitor in a class 
set apart for gentlemen’s gardeners or amateurs ? 
What is meant by “artificial means” in the “setting up” of 
flowers ? I noticed at many of our local shows that the bouquets 
were more like anything rather than natural or artistic combina¬ 
tions of flowers, wire and wool being so obtrusive as to deprive 
them of all the charms that bouquets ought to possess, and “button¬ 
hole ” arrangements bristling with wire are getting as common as 
they are objectionable. Ought such artificial monstrosities to be 
encouraged ? Equally obtrusive are the paper collars used by 
many florists for staging their flowers in, and surely the practice 
is reprehensible of “wiring” blooms to such plants as Lapagerias, 
Allamandas, and Dipladenias. Do not all these practices come 
under the category of “artificial means 1 ” 
Selections of words can be taken from nearly all schedules to 
which exception might be taken. For instances, “ dish,” “ plate,” 
“ basket,” &c. All these leave room for raising a quibble. All 
analogous words or terms should be carefully eschewed and 
eliminated. 
All the flower shows that I have been at this year where Roses 
were shown proved the superiority of Alfred Colomb, if that can 
be judged by the decided advantage that it showed over all others 
both in point of numbers and in the form in which it appeared 
upon almost every stand. 
A feature at one show was cut blooms of Tuberous Begonias. 
At another cut blooms of single Dahlias shown on moss with their 
own foliage and buds as Roses usually are. These were shown 
by Mr. Sibbald of Bishop Auckland and Messrs. Fell of Hexham 
respectively. 
A respected clergyman in our neighbourhood, who used to hold 
a flower show for his parishioners, has just told me that he does 
not intend to hold it this year, because, he says, the whole thing 
was a huge cheat and a sham from beginning to end. Next year 
he intends to distribute amongst such as care to have them seeds 
and plants that can be cultivated by the persons who receive them, 
and then at a reasonable time he will offer prizes for the best grown 
examples of the various things he distributed amongst them. This 
he expects will give a much more healthy tone to window and 
town gardening than the mere getting by any means a good plant 
or a good flower for the “ show day.”— Peter Ferguson. 
ACHILLEA PTARMICA FLORE-PLENO. 
Much is written on hardy border flowers, and many plants are 
recommended from time to time for their effectiveness in the 
garden and their usefulness for cutting from for vase decoration. 
I have several hardy herbaceous plants, but I do not think that 
any one of them has given more satisfaction this summer than 
the plant under notice. For ten months the clumps have been 
dense masses of purity, composed of thousands of miniature, per¬ 
fectly double, and pleasingly symmetrical flowers. Though the 
flowers do not exceed a quarter of an inch in diameter they are 
so numerous as to produce almost an imposing effect, while the 
6 prays, large or small as may be desired, can be used for bouquets 
and room ornaments, from the smallest finger vase to a large 
trumpet vase. Then the plant is so accommodating that it will 
almost grow anywhere, while it spreads and increases with rapi¬ 
dity. When the growth first appears in the spring there is not 
much to look at, and it is almost marvellous to see what a number 
of flowers are eventually produced by such slender shoots. I 
consider it a border plant of the first order of merit, requiring no 
protection and no care except to prevent it spreading too far and 
encroaching on space that it is undesirable it should occupy. I 
find it a good plan to dig up the outside portions in the spring 
when the growths are an inch high and plant them where re¬ 
quired, as if left alone the soil becomes exhausted and the central 
growths weak and unsatisfactory.—A Subuubanist. 
TOMATOES FOR WINTER AND SPRING. 
As Tomatoes have rapidly gained favour with nearly all classes 
of society my subject must be a popular one, and no apology is 
needed for broaching it. The wealthier classes have long been 
familiarised with them, and this may have something to do with 
their comparative indifference to Tomatoes, more especially as a 
salad, this indifference probably arising from the fact of the first 
attempt being made with imperfectly ripened fruit. Now Toma¬ 
toes have only recently been extensively grown under glass, and 
are seldom ripened to perfection in the open air; indeed, it is 
doubtful if for quality they ever equal house-grown fruit. It is 
generally admitted the taste for this esculent must be acquired, 
consequently the start should be made with perfectly ripened 
fruit ; and later on, if this cannot be had, fruit of inferior quality, 
such, for instance, as that imported, will be relished. The recent 
advance in house culture has been principally made in medium¬ 
sized or small gardens, the owners of which, perhaps, have become 
very fond of Tomatoes, and are, besides, justly proud of their 
productions. Many of these have grown profitable crops during 
the summer and autumn, and, provided they can command suffi¬ 
cient heat, there is no reason why they should not grow them 
during the winter also. Ornamental and useful they will un¬ 
doubtedly prove, and this cannot be said of the majority of the 
ordinary occupants of our houses during the winter months. 
Cuttings may be struck or seed may be sown at the present 
time for the winter and early spring crops. The former should 
be well-ripened top shoots, taken off about 6 inches in length, 
trimmed at the lowest joint, dibbled in thinly round the sides of 
well-drained 6-inch or 8-inch pots, and placed either in a warm 
frame or a handlight in a heated house. They should be watered 
in and be kept moist, but not saturated, and should not be damped 
overhead ; and if much moisture condenses on the glass air should 
be admitted for a short time every morning in order to properly 
dry the glass and foliage. They require to be shaded from bright 
sunshine till struck, after which the plants must be gradually ex¬ 
posed to sun and air. The cuttings to be preferred are the strong 
yet well-matured tops of plants grown under glass ; and those to 
be avoided, as being liable to damp off, are the gross shoots often 
formed on plants grown in the open. Light loamy soil is suitable 
for cuttings or seeds. The latter may be sown thinly either in 
pots or pans, and placed in heat till germinated, after which the 
plants require to be disposed near the glass to make them sturdy. 
Thin out where at all crowded, and when the rough leaves are 
fairly visible pot off singly in 4-inch pots, or in pairs in 6-inch 
pots, sinking the stems up to the seed leaves. This will tend to 
keep them dwarf, and the buried stems rooting freely materially 
strengthen the plants. 
Various methods of fruiting Tomatoes are adopted, these being, 
or ought to be, in accordance with the intended sites. We have 
fruited them singly in 11 and 12-inch pots, or in pairs in larger 
pots, in any rather flat common boxes available, and planted out 
in ridges of soil as we treat Cucumbers. They are grown on the 
front, side, and central stages, and staked, or in the two former 
positions tied to wires disposed across the roof or ends as the case 
may be. We have also utilised the back walls of forcing houses 
for the purpose. In each case the result has been most satisfac¬ 
tory, and what we can achieve is equally possible to others if they 
choose to make the attempt. As compost we prefer roughly 
broken turfy loam with a liberal addition of decayed manure, but 
it is possible to grow excellent crops of fruit or plants rooting in 
ordinary well-enriched garden soil. It should always be remem¬ 
bered the Tomato loves good living, and, no matter how planted, 
is benefited both by frequent supplies of liquid manure and 
occasional top-dressings of rich compost, the latter being quickly 
taken possession of by the roots. Those who are unable to pro¬ 
cure farmyard liquid manure are advised to give the “ Crown 
Manure ” or some other artificial manure or guano a trial, using 
these at the strength recommended by the vendors. 
Although our plan is to grow and fruit the young plants with 
single stems, rubbing out all side shoots as they form, and stopping 
beyond the second or third bunch of bloom, and allowing the 
leading shoot following to extend and fruit, this is not neces¬ 
sarily the only or best method ; but as a rule heavy crops can be 
had in this way without unduly shading the other occupants of 
the house. Unless the house is devoted principally to them they 
should be disposed at least 2 feet apart; but if they are of primary 
importance and plenty of root room is provided they may be 
planted closer. If preferred fewer plants may be thus grown, 
these being disposed 2 feet apart, and second growths from the 
base may be laid in and fruited. It is also easy to fill a house 
with one or two plants, much after the manner of trained Cucum¬ 
bers. For this method plants that have been previously fruited 
in pots or boxes are available. These should have their balls 
slightly reduced, and be shifted either into larger boxes or small 
pits about 2 feet square and as much in depth, which may be 
formed with loose bricks, allowing room in both instances for top- 
dressings. When this reserved space is filled further top-dressings 
may be given if a rim is formed with slates or boards in the first 
instance, or more bricks in the other. Such plants, if kept thinned 
out and stopped occasionally beyond the bunches so as to gradu¬ 
ally occupy the allotted space, prove very remunerative. 
From the commencement in every case the plants should never 
be allowed to become dry at the roots, and should receive light 
airy positions as near the glass as possible. Syringing must be 
avoided, and at times when many flowers are expanding the fruit 
