September 14,1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
253 
Mammoth Long Red Mangold, and New Champion Yellow Globe 
Mangold, all three remarkable varieties that are much prized by 
cultivators having considerable space devoted to them, common 
Turnips also being grown in enormous quantities. Potatoes, it may 
be readily imagined, are similarly largely represented. In one portion 
of the farm forty selected varieties are grown chiefly for garden 
use, over 80 acres being devoted to these. Among them are four 
seedlings, the result of several years’ careful crossing and selection, 
that will be distributed next year; they have been found to be of 
good quality, prolific, and disease-resisting. The Improved School¬ 
master, sent out by this firm, occupies 25 acres, and it is said to have 
yielded crops of 21 tons per acre under good cultivation. This is 
highly valued by many growers both for exhibition and the table, 
its even form fitting it for the first-named purpose, and its quality 
for the latter. In addition to those at Kinver Potatoes are grown 
in large quantities in other parts of the kingdom, the most favoured 
districts being selected. 
Peas are strongly represented, but the bulk of these is grown else¬ 
where, over 800 acres being engaged for the purpose. The most 
interesting in connection with this crop on the home farm is the 
trial ground, where more than 120 varieties have been grown together 
for comparison, both for the satisfaction of the firm and their cus¬ 
tomers. All the best varieties in cultivation were represented, in¬ 
cluding Messrs. Webb’s latest additions to these useful and much-prized 
vegetables. Such varieties as Kinver Gem, Triumph, Perfection, 
Electric Light, and Kinver Marrow, have given most satisfactory 
evidence of their merit even under so severe an ordeal as this. Other 
crops are similarly largely grown, such as Cabbage, Kale, Kohl Rabi, 
Carrots, Parsnips, Lupins, Comfrey, Giant Cow Grass, Colossal Italian 
Rye Grass, Seakale, Asparagus, Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Artichokes, 
some for seed and other for the roots. But it is unnecessary to refer 
at length to all these, as what have been already mentioned will 
indicate the general scope and extent of the business. 
The trial ground—one of the most interesting and instructive 
portions of the farm to visitors—occupies considerable space, some 
thousands of varieties of vegetables and flowers being grown for 
comparison and selection. In this way not only have the firm 
abundant evidence to direct them in recommending particular sorts, 
but intending customers have also the opportunity of judging the 
relative merits and characters of all the most approved varieties, 
for example, taking the vegetables first, there are over fifty Lettuces, 
thirty Turnips, forty Onions, fifty Cabbages, and 120 Peas, besides 
Carrots, Parsnips, Mangolds, Beet, and innumerable other kinds. 
In each of these trials were new varieties or selections, several being 
very promising. New Summerhill, Immense Hardy Green, and 
American Gathering of the Cabbage Lettuces, and Superb Monstrous 
White amongst the Cos varieties, were very prominent and evi¬ 
dently useful forms. A new Cabbage of similar promise with a 
large firm heart was also noteworthy, but Webb’s Emperor was 
exceedingly fine, and it is reputedly of quick growth, hardy, and 
early. Of Savoys, Webb’s Little Wonder, a very dwarf compact 
form, Drumhead, and Marcelin, were particularly good. Of the 
Onions, Webb’s Improved Banbury at once attracted attention by its 
size and handsome form, Red Globe, Italian Tripoli, Red Wethers¬ 
field, Trebons, and Naseby Mammoth being also noteworthy. 
Amongst several sorts of Parsley by far the best was a row of Webbs’ 
Giant Curled, which well merits its title, and as grown at Kinver 
a better sample of a good Parsley could not be desired. Early Six 
Weeks and New Early Purple Top were two of the leading varieties 
of Turnips, Chirk Castle also deserving mention ; but the second 
named was particularly fine, and is much esteemed by gardeners who 
have grown it. So of all the other vegetables tried, something good 
was noteworthy in each ; and it is only fair to state that in every case 
which came under my notice the varieties specially recommended by 
the firm well deserve the prominence accorded them. 
Notwithstanding the heavy rains, that portion of the trial ground 
devoted to flowers was extremely bright, presenting masses of colour, 
which had a surprisingly fine efEect. Large beds of white and crimson 
Candytuft, dwarf bright blue Lupins, Linum grandiflorum, Clarkia 
pulchella, Godetias, Rhodanthes, Saponaria calabrica, Virginian Stocks, 
Tropseolums,Asters,Zinnias, Phlox Drummondii, Stocks, and numerous 
other well-known annuals and popular garden flowers afford a diversity 
of tints that impart to the trial ground the appearance of a most ex¬ 
tensive and brilliant flower garden. Of special excellence were the 
dwarf Asters, the flower-heads being large, full, and variously coloured, 
of the richest shades of purple and crimson to fine white. Sweet 
Williams, too, have a great space devoted to them, and the strain is 
one of considerable merit, the individual flowers of good size and form, 
richly coloured, and borne in dense heads. Marigolds, both African 
and French, are also a feature of much interest, the lemon and orange- 
coloured varieties of the former producing flowers of enormous size, 
and the beautiful striped blooms of the other type are neat in form 
and deeply coloured. Tropseolums are similarly well represented, the 
scarlet, spotted, Golden King, Crystal Palace Gem, and King Theo¬ 
dore varieties of the Tom Thumb section being the leading forms, the 
first very bright and the last extremely dark ; all are compact growers 
and very floriferous. The Larkspurs, both double and single, and the 
dwarf Rocket type are grandly represented, very large quantities being 
grown to meet the demand existing for these popular and effective 
plants. The Rhodanthes are fine, other so-called Everlastings being 
grown in considerable numbers, the Helichrysums especially. Orna¬ 
mental Grasses, such as the Brizas, Agrostises, Lagurus ovatus, and 
other favourites constitute another important feature. In fact, all the 
most useful garden flowers are grown in quantity, and by careful 
selection the various strains have been rendered highly meritorious. 
Indeed, the great attention paid by Messrs. Webb in recent years to 
this department of their business has resulted in a surprising deve¬ 
lopment, which is annually increasing rapidly. Good evidence of this 
is afforded not only by the great quantities of plants grown for seed 
at Kinver, which only represent a portion of the stock disposed of, 
but also by the seed offices at Wordsley, the department appropriated 
to garden, flower, and vegetable seeds being on an extensive scale. 
It should be added that, in addition to the flower and vegetable 
trials, considerable space is appropriated to testing the different mix¬ 
tures of grasses for lawns and permanent pastures—a matter of great 
importance to both farmers and gardeners. Of other features possess¬ 
ing special interest for agriculturists may be noted the large herd of 
cattle and the flock of Shropshire sheep, which have obtained more 
than local fame. 
The seed offices at Wordsley near Stourbridge are like the farms 
surprisingly extensive, several buildings of great size being devoted 
to the storing, cleaning, packing, and general business. The most 
important is a warehouse with five floors each 180 feet long, 60 feet 
wide, and 13 feet high, through which enormous quantities of seeds 
pass every year, and that £15,000 should be expended annually in 
postage and carriage is a striking indication of the extent of the 
demands which have to be met. The basement of this building is 
devoted to Potatoes in addition to another storehouse of great size. 
The first floor is for Clover seeds, and it is said that sufficient seeds 
for 150,000 acres of land have been sent out in one season. The 
second floor is devoted to grass seeds, the third to Turnip and 
Mangold seeds, and the fourth to cereals. Of the grasses seed for 
75,000 acres, and of the Turnips and Mangolds for 140,000 acres are 
sent out annually, the cereal trade being similarly extensive. A 
portion of one of these floors is specially fitted up for the garden, 
vegetable seed, and bulb department, all the arrangements for the 
speedy execution of orders being most admirable. The export trade 
has assumed considerable dimensions in recent years, and conse¬ 
quently much space is devoted to the preparation and packing of 
seeds for the colonies and distant countries, while the elaborate 
machinery for cleaning seeds is another feature of interest. The 
manager’s and clerks’ offices occupy another spacious building, of 
which blacksmiths and carpenters’ shops, stables, &c., complete one 
of the most perfect establishments of the kind in the country. 
In concluding these brief notes it may be mentioned that Messrs. 
Webbs also have an extensive flour and Hop trade, and with some 
relatives they are engaged in glass manufacture ; but alike in all 
sections of their diversified and enormous business, their energy, 
attention, and earnest desire to provide articles of first-rate quality 
have gained them both wealth and fame.— Yisitok. 
SILKWORMS AND SILKWORM REARING.—15. 
(Continved from page 1S3.) 
Five silkworms, out of the numerous insects of the Bombyx 
tribe that have been made the subjects of special experiment in 
the hope of finding out a rival to B. Mori, stand in a position of 
importance, either from the facilities afforded for rearing the 
worms, or from the texture and quality of the cocoons. Amongst 
others of less note we have described three of these—namely, 
Attacus Mylitta, the Tussore species of India ; the handsome 
Chinese A. Cynthia ; and the portly American A. Polyphemus. 
Although as yet only mentioned in passing, we must devote to 
the Japanese species, A. Yama Mai, a place in our series more 
ample than has been bestowed upon some of its kindred, because 
the insect is one that has received much attention from silkworm 
breeders and naturalists also. In fact, there are those who would 
have us consider it as only second in value to the Mulberry 
species ; its silk, which is of a light green, being rather less fine 
and strong than is that of the insect which has supplied the 
civilised world with silk for many centuries. I fear, however, that 
the result of a variety of experiments in rearing the Yama Mai, 
which have been made in Britain by persons not lacking patience 
and skill, will not put this insect second to the other in the 
important particular of suitableness to a life of confinement. 
B. Mori has always taken kindly to domestication wherever the 
Mulberry will grow. A. Yama Mai proves to be rather peculiar 
in habit through all its stages, and, if accounts are correct, 
variable as to its likes and dislikes while a caterpillar, therefore 
more likely to succeed when leading a life of freedom. The facts 
we shall have to adduce presently will show that the-e worms, 
while having this in their favour that they subsist upon our com¬ 
mon Oaks, can scarcely be left exposed to the changes of our climate, 
though they might then be, to appearance, in a more favourable 
position than when under cover. On the other hand, it might 
certainly be argued that by perseverance within suitable districts 
the insect might be so far acclimatised as to breed from year to 
year where protection was afforded only under special circum- 
