September so, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 307 
- “ R. S.” writes— “ I have in my garden a number of 
plants of Oxalis Bowiei, and they still continue producing their 
bright rosy crimson flowers in profusion. So charming a plant 
deserves to be more frequently seen in gardens than it is at present, 
for not only is it attractive but useful for cutting purposes, though 
the flowers do not last quite so long as might be desirable.” 
- We cite the following relative to the fruit crops of 
Canada and the United States from a daily contemporary :— 
Peaches grow in such profusion that they are regularly given to 
the pigs. So with Apples. In some of the States in the month 
of September the leaves of the Apple trees can hardly be seen 
for the glorious red-cheeked fruit. The farmers in the fruit¬ 
growing regions of Ontario, Canada, have not time at the present 
moment to look after an abundant Apple crop. As a consequence 
hundreds of tons of Apples become either food for hogs or manure 
for the ground. “Just imagine,” writes a correspondent in the 
land of plenty, “ millions of bushels of magnificent Apples rotting 
on the ground for want of some enterprising buyer, who might 
make a fortune by hand-picking them and shipping them to 
England.” In view of these facts, it is tantalising to remember 
that if we in this country want any decent Apples to eat we must 
pay from 3d. to Gd. per pound for them ; and for Peaches, when 
they are to be had at all, certainly not less than 2d. each. It is 
matter for wonder that the “enterprising buyer” does not come 
forward. He would benefit both himself and the British public 
in no small degree. 
- The second part of Messrs. Cassell’s re-issue of “ Paxton’s 
Flower Garden ” contains coloured plates of Dendrobium super- 
biens, which does not do justice to that beautiful Orchid, and 
Rhododendron cinnamomeum var. Cunninghami, fairly executed. 
The accompanying letterpress containing descriptions and cultural 
directions is clear and exact. 
- The Bristol Chrysanthemum Society will hold their 
annual Exhibition on Wednesday and Thursday, November the 
17th and 18th. Prizes will be offered for specimen plants and 
cut flowers, both of large-flowered and Pompon varieties. 
■- Mr. Crump, The Gardens, Blenheim, Woodstock, informs 
us that he has disposed of the entire stock of the new Melon 
“ Blenheim Orange,” —which was awarded a first-class cer¬ 
tificate, as well as the first prize of the Royal Horticultural 
Society—to Messrs. James Carter & Co., High Holborn, London. 
- Mr. W. Roberts informs us that many people are making 
a considerable amount of money of Mushrooms in Corn¬ 
wall. Many tons have from time to time during these past 
few months been sent from the Penzance station, besides great 
quantities from other stations in Cornwall. Blackberries are also 
sent away in large quantities, both these and Mushrooms realising 
good prices. 
- Referring to the heavy cropping qualities of the 
Magnum Bonum Potato, Mr. A. Fowler, Cams Hall Gardens, 
Fareham, Hants, states that he obtained a supply of seed tubers 
from Messrs. Sutton & Sons, the yield from which equalled 
36 bushels from 1 bushel of seed. Sufficient has been said at 
present to indicate the productiveness of the Magnum Bonum. 
-- We extract the following from the Prairie Farmer relative 
to early Peaches in America : —“ Amsden’s June and Alexander 
began to ripen about the 20th June in Missouri, and the Beatrice 
and Louise were but a few days behind them. Rivers’ Early came 
a little later, while Kelly’s Early was still later. In the Peach 
region of Delaware and Maryland we notice that the Amsden and 
Alexander fully maintained their past record. They were larger 
than either the Beatrice or Louise, and a week earlier in ripening. 
The Early Rivers ripened just before Early Hales. These five are 
the most popular sorts in the East. A number of Peach-growers 
and horticulturists hold that Amsden and Alexander are identical. 
The Wilder ripens after Alexander, and is of the same colour. 
The Gov, Garland—a large firm clingstone Peach—is claimed to 
be earlier than Alexander. If any of our readers have fruited it 
this season we should be glad to have a report of its behaviour.” 
- The Irish Farmers' Gazette published the following 
under the heading of A Potato Monstrosity. —“ Mr. Alfred 
H. Sheridan has sent us a specimen of a Potato presenting the 
appearance of a dried and shrivelled kidney-shaped sac, with the 
upper surface rent and nearly altogether displaced, and revealing 
in the interior quite a colony of young Potatoes, some larger and 
some smaller than marbles, the whole presenting a curious and 
singular aspect. This internally proliferous Potato, we may re¬ 
mark here, is not of the current, but a previous year’s growth. 
The explanation of the phenomenon is this—Immediately beneath 
the skin or rind of a Potato is a system of vascular tissue, from 
which proceed the vessels that feed the external buds or eyes, 
which, under normal circumstances, are directed outwards. In 
the present and similar instances, either by reason of the eye 
growths being persistently removed or from other causes—their 
development externally prevented—Nature would not be frus¬ 
trated, and modified buds, resulting in a progeny of small tubers, 
take the place of the absorbed tissue. We subjoin the note which 
Mr. Sheridan sent along with the phenomenal tuber :—* This 
Potato was found in a bag of old Potatoes which had been lying 
in the outhouse of a small farmer named James Byrne of 
Rossminna, Westport, Co. Mayo. When first discovered the 
present appearance was only developing. The tuber was then 
placed on a dresser for four or five weeks, and continued to grow 
to its present state.’ ” 
-Mr. H. Cannell, Swanley, Kent, has sent us some very 
fine flowers of the handsome Pyrethrum uliginosum, which is 
at this time of year so attractive in borders of hardy plants. The 
ray florets of the capitula are long and pure white, and the whole 
flower head very neatly formed. The plant is variable in height, 
sometimes reaching 5 or 6 feet, and at others not exceeding 4 feet, 
but the freedom with which the flower heads are produced render 
it very useful for cutting from August until October. 
- Our correspondent, “ W. J. M., Clonmel," writes as follows 
respecting the Potato crop in Ireland —“As already stated, 
I have recently been through much of the three southern pro¬ 
vinces, and within the last few days had communications from 
those likely to be well informed in the four, and all agree that 
the Potato crop is good. Even varieties that failed other years, 
such as Scotch Down—very largely grown in Ireland—Dalmahoys 
and Early Oxfords, and perhaps I may add Red Rocks, are all a 
fair crop ; while Flounders, now nearly all consumed, though having 
a large fraction black, were very large, as I noticed at the time in 
your columns, as much as 2 lbs. a single specimen. I am sorry to 
say Early Rose, Snowflake, and Fortyfold were heavily blighted 
two months since with me, and have kept very badly since. 
Ashleaf Kidneys have kept better. Those who have Magnum 
Bonum here speak highly of it. Mr. Luckhurst and your other 
correspondents who have doubted Scotch Champions will, I am 
sure, be glad to hear that in Ireland the general description 
from all sources to me is ‘ they fill the ground and are excellent 
ood.’ ” 
LIFTING AND POTTING WINTER-FLOWERING 
PLANTS. 
It may seem a very small matter to lift a few plants out of the 
open ground, plant them in pots, and arrange them in their winter 
quarters. Still, it is just one of those operations where if success 
may be very easy, failure either comparative or total is at least 
