336 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Octobsr 12, 1882. 
good in tarts. I may be somewhat singular in my experience 
with it, as I hear it secured first honours at the recent grand 
fruit show at Edinburgh. The decision, however, I was in¬ 
formed was a surprise to many practical gardeners. Red 
Magdalen here forms a handsome healthy tree, and is very 
productive. The fruits do not attain a great size, and are not 
remarkably good in quality. Princess of Wales proves exces¬ 
sively vigorous in a second early house, and good crops are not 
easily secured. The fruits attain a great size, but are a rather 
sickly yellow in colour, and not always of the best quality. It 
is of somewhat the same parentage as Lord Palmerston, and 
very red at the stone. In our case it will be gradually cut 
away in favour of Walburton Admirable. The latter, though 
presumably a late variety, succeeds admirably in the second 
early house. It grows vigorously without the growth attain¬ 
ing objectionable grossness, sets fairly well, and swells a heavy 
crop of large handsomely formed round fruit; colour, how¬ 
ever, is generally wanting. All who have tasted fruit from 
this tree express themselves delighted with its superior quality. 
It is rich, juicy, and melting, and deliciously cooling in a 
marked degree. 
Barrington is grown for a late supply both under glass and 
on the open wall, but I am not particularly enamoured of it, 
as many of the fruits are in the habit of falling before being 
quite ripe, and in this state prove quite sour. Synonymous 
with this variety is Buckingham Mignonne, but the tree we 
have under this name behaves no better than the rest. Sea 
Eagle I hear highly commended, and should be glad to learn 
further of this presumably good late variety. 
As will be seen, I have not attempted to minutely describe 
the distinctive flavours of the different varieties of Peaches ; 
and although Nectarines still more widely differ in this respect, I 
must not trust to memory, nor indeed to my taste, in describing 
these. The best well-known variety is Elruge, but I prefer the 
Downton to it, as this I find more robust, the fruit larger, very 
highly coloured, excellent in quality, and it will continue to 
be grown to succeed Lord Napier. The latter I consider to be 
the most valuable of Mr. Rivers’ introductions, as it is found 
the earliest and very good wherever grown. It is not so highly 
coloured as is desirable, green largely predominating, espe¬ 
cially early in the season, and I have seen but few notable 
exceptions. The flesh is melting, juicy, brisk, and sweet; 
Pine Apple, however, is the most delicious of all Nectarines, 
and it also possesses a good constitution. It is rightly said to 
be an improvement on Pitmaston Orange, as with us the latter 
is inclined to crack, and is not so highly coloured or richly 
flavoured as the other. White N ectarine seldom ripens to per¬ 
fection, and is not worth growing. Balgowau is one of the best 
for wall culture, especially as it is hardy and vigorous. The 
fruits are large and attractive in appearance, and generally 
sweet and juicy. I have not tried it under glass. Prince of 
Wales, I am credibly informed, is not a very robust variety, but 
is much liked by a friend who grows it on a light soil and in a 
warm position. The fruit is rather deceptive in appearance 
when ripe, as the skin is nearly green, with a little red next 
the sun ; I was, however, agreeably surprised on tasting it, as 
it is much better than it looks. For a late supply Victoria is 
much liked by some. At Wilton House, near Salisbury, it 
proves very free-growing and serviceable, and is considered 
much superior to the Stanwick. Hunt’s Tawny, unfortunately, 
is of poor quality, otherwise it has much to recommend it, 
especially for open-wall culture. I have known it to succeed 
where all others failed.—W. Iggulden, Frome. 
CONSERVATORIES IN SUMMER—GESNERIAS. 
As a rule, conservatories and other structures in which flowering 
plants are expected to be found are the least satisfactorily- 
furnished during the summer and early autumn months. In 
winter there is no lack of plants for rendering those structures 
attractive, while in the spring the chief difficulty is often how 
the plants at disposal can be arranged effectively, so great are 
the numbers ; but as summer approaches its zenith and merges 
into autumn the plants that are usually flowering in conservatories 
may generally be found in better condition in the open air. 
It will not be denied that conservatories, to be to the fullest 
extent agreeable, should be furnished with plants dissimilar from 
those which abound in the flower garden. Even Roses, beautiful 
and admired as they are in pots in the spring, are not longed for 
under glass in summer, such having at that time a thin, worn, 
and washy appearance in contrast with the health of the examples, 
massive and rich, which luxuriate at the same time in outdoor 
beds and borders. It is the same with Pelargoniums of the zonal 
type ; bright and varied these useful plants are, but to see them 
in fullest beauty under glass we must have them in their best 
garb from November till June, not from June till November. 
Rich, luxuriant, well-cultivated examples during what may be 
termed the dull period of the year command admiration; but 
crowded in conservatories in the summer, dried and drawn, with 
withered leaves and dropping petals, they do not invite a second 
glance. Instead of being attractive there and then they are 
repellent. Plants of a totally different character are requisite for 
furnishing houses effectively from July onwards, and thus we 
have recourse to Ferns and sundry fine-foliaged plants, with, in 
their season, Tuberous Begonias, which combine elegance with 
brightness and chasteness; Achimenes, cool yet cheerful; and 
Gloxinias, incomparably the most beautiful of all dwarf-growing 
plants, but seldom fresh after July. In addition to the plants 
named, and to continue the display beyond them, so as to meet 
the Chrysanthemums and winter zonals, we want something, not 
as mere makeshifts for filling a blank and occupying space, but 
plants possessing intrinsic and undeniable elements of beauty— 
pleasing habits, handsome foliage, and elegant yet rich and 
variedly coloured flowers in abundance. These we have in Gesnerias, 
or, as they are known by continental nurserymen who have raised 
so many beautiful varieties, Nmgelias. 
No one who has seen the establishment of Mr. Van Houtte near 
Ghent during August and September, and inspected the thousands 
of Gesneriaceous plants there flowering, can fail to have been 
impressed with their beauty and precise adaptability for summer 
decoration. Stately yet sturdy in habit, with the central stem 
and branching spikes covered with flowers—crimson, scarlet, 
orange, yellow, pink, rose, blush, and white—relieved by magni¬ 
ficent foliage, these plants are candelabras of beauty. Yet how 
seldom we see them grown as they should be in this country. 
Possibly they may be kept in the background, because they are 
rarely staged at public exhibitions, les3 seldom submitted for 
certificates, and thus are not being constantly “mentioned” in 
the press. But Gesnerias, or Nsegelias, are not exhibition plants— 
their nature is too fragile to enable them to travel well. They 
are essentially home plants, and those who have them and grow 
them well possess a great advantage over those who do not 
possess them, and who desire to have attractive houses during the 
period in question. Yet while they will not endure the rough 
treatment that is inseparable from exhibiting, they are by no 
means transient when grown for the home stage and kept there ; 
on the contrary, they continue attractive for weeks, and with a 
sufficient number of tubers, and starting them periodically, flower¬ 
ing plants may be had if needed all the year round. Indeed, 
although prominent attention i3 now given to the plants for 
summer decoration, some of them are not surpassed by any plants 
in existence for rendering cool stoves and warm conservatories 
brilliant in the depth of winter. Those who have not seen a 
houseful of such forms as G. cinnabarina, G. exoniensis, and 
G. refulgens during January and February have a floral treat in 
store if they will obtain these kinds, the former especially, and 
grow them well. They will have fiery pyramids surpassing even 
Poinsettias, dazzling as a mass of those plants is admitted to be. 
This, however, is a digression, but will be pardonable as showing 
the great usefulness of these too much neglected plants. 
Only those who have hothouses can have a display of Gesnerias 
in winter, but all who have a Cucumber frame in which to start 
the tubers and establish the plants, and a greenhouse or close pit 
to grow them in, may have a rich late summer or early autumn 
display just when indoor flowers are scarce, while the plants will 
fade and can be removed by the time the space is required for 
storing for winter plants that have until then been kept outdoors 
or in cold frames. Thus,while Gesnerias are attractive and service¬ 
able they are also accommodating, as after growth has ceased 
and the plants withered the pots can be stored under the stages 
until the time for starting the tubers again comes round. In their 
dormant state, however, they are not safe in a very cold position, 
and should not long remain in a house where the temperature 
falls below 50°. 
As to culture, they require the same general treatment as Glox¬ 
inias—namely, light, free, gritty soil for starting the tubers, and 
care in watering the young plants ; stronger and richer soil after¬ 
wards, subdued light, a moist genial atmosphere, no sharp dry 
currents of air, and never to permit the plants to be rootbound 
before they are placed in the pots in which they are required to 
