588 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c December 28, isss. 
■where fragrant flowers are in demand during winter. It certainly 
has not pure white flowers, and when allowed to develope naturally 
without the aid of heat they are heavily shaded. In a temperature 
of 50° during winter they are slightly shaded, hut when grown in 
a house 10° warmer the flowers are nearly white. However, it is 
a beautiful light-flowered variety, and far superior to any other I am 
acquainted with for producing flowers in winter. It is a strong and 
robust grower, and every shoot, however small, will produce a 
large truss of flowers. This variety possesses one decided advantage 
over any other Heliotrope, and that is, it does not grow weakly 
during winter while in a temperature of 50° to 55°. If it can be kept 
in the temperature named it will continue growing and flowering the 
whole of the winter. Its compact habit admirably fits it for purposes 
of decoration. But I think it is even more beautiful when cuttings 
are inserted moderately early in the season, and grown on into 
small standards. Plants with about 18 inches of clear stem and then 
trained on small umbrella-shaped trellises, and freely pinched during 
the summer, will be found very attractive while in bloom during 
the winter in warm greenhouses or conservatories. Grown as small 
standards this plant forms an excellent companion to the varieties of 
tree Mignonette.— Lancastrian. 
PEAR PITMASTON DUCHESS. 
I think we may prophesy that this Pear will soon become one 
of the most popular of all the varieties. In size and beauty it 
has no rival, and though its quality of flesh is not equal to a 
Marie Louise or a Dovenn6 du Comice, it runs those two fine 
varieties very closely, a little more sugar only being wanted to place 
it on a par with those two first-class kinds. We have it growing 
both on walls and standards, and also worked on the Quince and 
Pear stock. As grown on the Quince and trained to a west wall the 
sight when the crop is hanging is one to be remembered. On 
this stock the fruit is never so abundant, but the increased size 
and clearness of skin are remarkable in comparison with those 
grown on the Pear stock. On this latter stock fruit is produced 
more abundantly ; but even if thinned to the extent of those on 
the Quince the size is much inferior, lAit there is no perceptible 
difference in quality of flesh. I have noted precisely the same 
variations with trees trained as standards and pyramids, of course 
the fruit being smaller on both stocks than from trees on the 
walls, though even in those positions it is rare that a fruit is of a 
less weight than 12 ozs., and from walls that weight is frequently 
doubled. We had dozens of fruits this year weighing from 22 to 
28 ozs. The only fault it has is that when once it begins to ripen 
it is quickly over, a fortnight being the extreme length of time 
that it continues in good condition ; but to some extent its season 
for use may be lengthened by gathering the fruit at intervals of 
a week or a fortnight—say a third of the crop about the middle 
of September, and the other at two different times between then 
and the end of the first week in October. Its hardiness, fruitful¬ 
ness, and beauty are qualities that will eventually tend to its 
classification a3 the market Pear par excellence. —W. Wildsmith, 
Hecl‘field. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
When I read the remarks of that excellent florist, “ D., Deal,” 
at page 518 on the Chrysanthemum I could not help feeling the 
importance of anyone, however w T ell versed he may be in a flower, 
following closely from season to season the improvements or 
otherwise which it attains. Your correspondent has evidently 
missed much by his non-attendance at Chrysanthemum exhibi¬ 
tions, for no flower, not even the Rose, has made such rapid ad¬ 
vance and has become so generally grown as the Chrysanthemum. 
It cannot be called, like the Rose, a “ clerical ” flower, but it may 
truly be called a “ gardener’s ” flower ; and while it requires 
attention over a longer period than the Rose, it can be grown and 
flowered by everyone who has a glass house to protect its expand¬ 
ing blooms. The season of the year when it is in perfection also 
makes it doubly valuable, and I am safe in asserting that in large 
gardens where Chrysanthemums were little cared for a few years 
ago they are now grown in large quantities for home decoration 
and affording a supply of flowers. The Temple Garden was the 
only public place in London at one time; now all our public 
gardens grow them by thousands. 
Dressing .—I must differ from your correspondent on this point, 
for the Chrysanthemum is not dressed so much as was formerly 
the case ; the blooms are grown larger and of greater substance 
and solidity than formerly, and therefore naturally require less 
dressing. A great characteristic of the recent Kingston Exhibition, 
in which there were upwards of 1600 blooms staged, was the 
noticeable fact that very few boxes contained highly dressed 
blooms ; in fact, a well-known prizetaker and expert dresser 
—viz., Mr. Rowe, formerly of Roehampton and now of North¬ 
ampton, remarked that there was scarcely a bloom that could 
be said to be dressed ; and I know it to be a fact that not 
one in ten that grow the Chrysanthemum can dress it. Some 
flowers it is almost impossible to improve ; for instance, the six 
Princess of Wales exhibited by Mr. Molyneaux at Kingston were 
simply perfection, and I should say that no art could have im¬ 
proved them. The trio of Rundle varieties, generally speaking, 
grow so perfect in form that they cannot be improved. Barbara, 
Prince Alfred, and others are generally of good form. The cup 
certainly may contract the florets towards the centre, but |that 
cannot be said to be dressing. 
There has certainly not been many novelties added to the list 
of incurved varieties for several years, except sports of these, 
which are in some cases acquisitions. The sport of Prince Alfred, 
and named Lord Wolseley, now in the hands of Messrs. Cannell 
and Sons for distribution, will be a very welcome addition. Then 
last year there was a very pretty golden amber sport of Eve, 
named Mabel Ward. In this way we obtain a few more improved 
varieties, but of new seedling incurved varieties we have none. 
I should think that the suggestion made in your last issue for a 
tabulated return of the varieties is a good one, and may be of 
even more service amongst the more rapidly increasing varieties, 
the Japanese. 
Pompons .—I cannot too strongly endorse the opinion of “ D., 
Deni,” that these ought to be shown after the manner of the 
Pompon Dahlias at the Crystal Palace last autumn. When exhi¬ 
bited in bunches as grown without disbudding they are far 
more effective than are one, two, or three flowers too often laid 
flat upon the boards. Imagine the difference it makes in the 
effect of an exhibition, or even to the stand itself, if a bunch of 
three trusses is cut from 6 to 9 inches long bristling in flower buds 
from top to bottom, against three flowers resting flat upon the 
board. 
Japanese .—The varieties of these have become so numerous that 
it is difficult to remember them all. A few magnificent varieties 
have been introduced during the last few years. In 1881 Messrs. 
Yeitch & Sons contributed some extraordinary flowers, and I may 
mention Comte de Germany, Bend Or, Thunberg, and Kaempferi. 
Messrs. Jackson & Son are also large introducers, and to them 
may be given the credit of sending out many of the best varieties 
we now possess. Of these latest introductions I shall have more 
to say hereafter. Messrs. Dixon & Son are also large introducers. 
The question has been raised whether King of the Crimsons is 
a Japanese variety. It cannot possibly be placed amongst the 
latter unless we include Cloth of Gold, Chevalier Domage, and 
even Julie Lagravere in the same section. To Mr. Molyneaux must 
be given the credit of again bringing this old variety to public 
notice. The first year he exhibited it at the Southampton Exhibition 
in 1880 I was particularly struck with its beauty, and I consider 
it regretable that the reflexed varieties are not sufficiently encou¬ 
raged. All exhibitions should include a class for them. 
Mr. Molyneaux, I believe, had the majority of his stock of cut¬ 
tings in the first instance from Liverpool, and in that neighbour¬ 
hood King of the Crimsons had been known for many years. 
Triompbe du Nord is a very different flower : its florets are flat, 
and the whole flower has the character of a pure Japanese after 
the manner of Fulgore, only with broad instead of quilled florets. 
—J. W. Moorman. 
NOTES ON PINE-GROWING. 
Since the importing of Pines from St. Michael’s assumed such 
dimensions many growers of Pines for market have given up the 
trade, and even many gardeners have in a great measure aban¬ 
doned their cultivation ; their employers being satisfied with the St. 
Michael’s fruit, which can be had very cheap and looks remarkably 
well. To a real lover of a good Pine, however, the foreign fruits 
can never equal the home-grown fruits for flavour, and this has 
caused some who ceased the cultivation of Pines to begin again. 
These cases are not numerous yet, but still they show that the 
home cultivation may again become general. 
Overpotting and overwatering are two evils that require to be 
guarded against in the cultivation of Pines. These two evils have 
been the means of many failing to produce Pines of first-rate 
flavour, and have in some instances ruined plants that otherwise 
would have been splendid. Good fibry loam, bone dust, charcoal, 
and a little soot make a good compound for fruiting plants in, 
watering—when watering is really required—with weak liquid 
manure. Ten and 11-inch pots are large enough ; fruit 8 lbs. 
weight can be produced in these sizes of pots, which weight is 
heavy enough for anything ; indeed, smaller fruits are more use¬ 
ful. This is one objection to Mr. Hunter’s grand seedling, it 
throws such large fruit. Its extremely upright and very tall 
leaves make it rather awkward in a house. Anyone who has the 
