132 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, [ August 12 , im. 
half of the produce from them is destroyed by the disease 
at the present time. 
I cannot agree with the writer who follows 11 W. B. W.,” 
and asserts that “ about one-half the losses by the disease 
arises from want of knowledge and apathy on the part of the 
growers.” What this w r ant of knowledge in Potato growers 
may be it is hard to understand. I know many gardeners, 
farmers, and cottagers who in this and other seasons have 
given the best part of their knowledge and personal attention 
to the Potato crop, with the result that half the crop or more 
was lost. In my opinion the weather alone rules the state of 
the Potato crop. No disease was visible here until after some 
days of wet weather about the beginning of July, and since 
then it has rained almost daily, and what promised to be an 
extremely fine Potato crop has been utterly ruined. 
Scalded Grapes.— The timely and thoroughly practical 
remarks at page 109 from Mr. W. Taylor can hardly be too 
often repeated or confirmed at this season, when neglectful 
ventilation may more than half destroy what might be fine 
winter crops of Grapes. I find that moisture condenses much 
more freely on Grapes in cool houses than where fire heat is 
employed, and if the ventilators are closed all night it is most 
difficult to prevent moisture collecting in the morning. Allow¬ 
ing the ventilators to remain open all night at the top of the 
house will not keep down moisture. Air must be admitted at 
the front also to keep up the circulation. This brings me 
to confirm what Mr. It. P. Brotherston sa} r s on this matter at 
page 118. To leave the ventilators open top and bottom at 
all times is the right way to secure well-finished Grapes. I 
never read any remarks on the management of Vines in which 
I could so thoroughly concur as those. Last year many doubts 
were expressed about the correctness of my ripening Grapes in 
summer without fire heat, the favourable climate here being the 
only excuse for it; but surely if the same thing can be accom¬ 
plished in East Lothian it might succeed in many other parts. 
It is very satisfactory to see the way in which Grapes, especi¬ 
ally Black Hamburghs, colour during July, August, and Septem¬ 
ber in a house without fire heat. Let me therefore advise 
your readers who are interested in the matter to practically 
test Mr. Brotherston's system, and I am sure they wfill be more 
than satisfied with the result. 
The Celery Fly. —No season passes without many com¬ 
plaints against this insect being made, and from experience 
I know it is troublesome enough ; but with this, as with all 
other insects, the best way is to take it in time, as it is easier 
killing a dozen than destroying thousands. Salt is one of the 
best manures which can be applied to Celery at any time, and 
there is nothing better for killing the fly. When mixed with 
soot and sprinkled on the plants when the leaves are moist, on 
the first appearance of the fly, no further damage will be done. 
Successional Crops. —At the present time, when many long 
rows of our midseason Peas are being cleared off the ground, 
we lose no time in hoeing and cleaning the ground, Turnips 
and Spinach being sown on the place at once. It is now too 
late to plant greens to come in well in either autumn or 
winter, but it is just the time for the above two crops, and 
they will be found most useful during the winter.—A Kitchen 
Gardener. 
THE POLYANTHUS. 
Much discussion has arisen whether the Polyanthus has been 
produced from the Cowslip, and from a careful examination I 
have no doubt it has. This spring I saw a large Cowslip in a 
cottage garden showing evident signs that it was struggling to 
emulate and take its place amongst the Polyanthuses. 
It is now seventy years since I commenced growing Polyan¬ 
thuses, and I remember a few I then cultivated which time has 
banished from our gardens. The earliest was a variety called 
Faulkner’s Black Prince. It was particularly high in colour and 
nearly destitute of symmetry, and no doubt was cherished on 
account of its colours. It was used as a show variety for a few 
years. A passing notice of Faulkner as a florist will not be out 
of place. He commenced growing flowers before the year 1800, 
and I knew him personally from my beginning as a florist. As 
an amateur or professional he was considered superior to any in 
England. His enthusiasm was unequalled, and he travelled into 
Russia, Germany, and Holland in search of novelties ; and the Lan¬ 
cashire florists, who reigned supreme at that period, are indebted 
to him for their character as florists. It was as late as 1830 that 
the south began gradually to creep upon us, and in a quarter of 
a century threw Lancashire in the shade. Another early variety 
was TaDtarara, which soon became extinct. 
As my short notice on Polyanthus was only a sketch I presume 
that further particulars will be acceptable to the readers of the 
Journal. The Polyanthus as a spring flower generally makes its 
appearance when the garden is, comparatively speaking, destitute 
of that brightness which it afterwards assumes. The plants by many 
are considered difficult to grow. This is a mistake, as they need 
but little attention beyond that of providing a suitable moderately 
shady situation for them. The Polyanthus cannot bear severe 
frosts, and the amateur will do well to protect the plants with a 
frame, giving them all the air possible during the winter months. 
In summer a copious watering late in the evening will prevent that 
formidable enemy the red spider from destroying the collection. 
The Polyanthus likes a strong soil, and yet not a clayey one ; and 
if a little peat were mixed in the compost it would add much to 
their healthiness. In spring loosening the earth with a small 
hand fork and applying a top-dressing of old manure would make 
the blooms attain a large size. Emmerton, a noted florist in past 
years, gave many descriptions of compost, but the best of all is to 
study the nature and habits of the plant in its original state, and 
then no amateur will err. 
The properties of a fine Polyanthus are as follows :—The stem 
ought to be strong, elastic, and erect, of such a height that the 
truss may be above the leaves of the plant. The footstalk should 
be stiff and of a proportionate length to the size and quantity of 
the pips, and not less than five, in number, that the truss may be 
close and complete. The pipe, tube, or neck of the petal should 
rise above the impalement, be short and finish fluted in the eye ; 
the anthers should cover the neck of the tube—that is what is 
called by florists a thrum eye ; when the style shows its stigma 
above the anthers this is called a pin eye, and is rejected by all 
modern florists let its properties be ever so good. The tube should 
be round, of a bright colour well filled with anthers bold and dis¬ 
tinct. The eye should be round, of a bright clear yellow, the same 
colour as the ground. The ground colour or body should be dark 
resembling velvet. There are also some which are red in the 
ground and possess all the properties of the dark-coloured ; these 
varieties are not esteemed by florists. The dark forms certainly 
look richer, but yet if all the other properties are correct I cannot 
see why they should be despised, as they form a contrast to the 
others. The pips should be large and cf rich and lively colours, 
and every pip ought to be of one size, lie flat and smooth as free 
as possible from ridges or fluting, and consisting of five or six 
heart-shaped segments. The lacing and the eye should be all the 
same shade of colour, and go perfectly round each petal and down 
the centre of each division of the limb to the eye, and should the 
edging not extend to the centre of each division it is a great 
defect. 
Polyanthuses are generally repotted at the latter end of July 
when the weather is showery, and the plants are then divided and 
the tap root shortened, also they should be well shaded, supplying 
water only wheu they appear to require it. They require protec¬ 
tion from inclement weather until March, when they may have 
the advantage of gentle showers. Those amateurs who grow for 
exhibition must thin the flower buds when they have sufficiently 
risen from the foliage, leaving one or two more than the number 
required, preserving the outermost. 
In order to obtain good seed, and such as is likely to produce 
good varieties, you must plant some of your best varieties in a 
shady border any time in the autumn or early in the spring. In 
warm and dry weather these plants should be watered every other 
evening. When the seed vessels begin to open the watering should 
be discontinued, the seed is then nearly ripe. At this period the 
plants should every day be examined, and such heads as appear 
quite brown with their vessels opening should be gathered, other¬ 
wise the best seed will be lost. The seeds being thus carefully 
collected should be spread upon paper in a warm room, taking 
care that they are perfectly dry before they are sown, which must 
be done early in the spring in a cold frame, and cover them 
slightly with earth, and do not allow the soil to become dry. 
Many cover the soil with damp moss until the seed appears to be 
vegetating. 
In the following remarks it will be seen how little has been 
done for nearly sixty years for the improvement of this beautiful 
flower. In 1821 the only Polyanthuses exhibited that are now 
known were Stead’s Telegraph, Fletcher’s Defiance (scarce), 
Yorkshire Regent, Emperor Bonaparte, Crownshaw’s Invincible, 
Turner’s Princess, Beauty of Over, Pearson’s Alexander, Cox's 
