346 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEAER. [ October 14, isso, 
Interloper, ” on page 333, will serve to convince “ S.’’ that I am 
not quite alone in my views. This attempt to show that it is the 
action of the mycelium which causes the leaf-discoloration is 
quite worthless because he gives no reason for it. Long and close 
observation enables me to say positively that the disease never 
attacks the foliage till its legitimate functions are ended ; and I 
may usefully inquire of our “ fungologist ” why the fungus does 
not attack the foliage till, as I once more assert, it has ceased 
growing and incipient decay has begun? Will “ S.” kindly give 
his authority for the statement that Peronospora infestans was 
unknown in this country before 1845 ? 
From the example of Peach blister in a well-sheltered garden 
to which “ S.” alludes, I am afraid he is not a very close observer, 
or he would be aware how worthless are all ordinary forms of 
shelter to screen the tender foliage from the high north-eastern 
wind which sweeps over trees and walls around hills and corners 
in the most tantalising manner. Let me give an instance of this 
from my own practice, for I have plenty of them, enough perhaps 
to convince even my sceptical opponent. Some eight or nine 
years ago I planted a fine vigorous young tree of Dr. Hogg Peach 
against a south wall near the west end of a vinery, thinking then, 
as “ S.” does now, that such a sheltered nook would suffice for 
its protection. It grew freely enough and in due course filled its 
allotted space, but every spring it was so badly blistered that its 
spring growth was crippled, and not one dish of good fruit could 
I gather from it. At length it was decided to cover this particular 
length of wall with a glass lean-to house. Then what a change 
came o’er the scene ! I could exclude the cold spring winds, and 
blister vanished never to return. Ever since then the Dr. Hogg, 
in common with the other Peach trees in the house, has continued 
in perfect health and yielded an annual crop of its delicious high- 
coloured fruit. At the present time no tree could be in a more 
flourishing condition, and I may confidently point to it as one of 
many reasons for my “ positive assurance ” in this matter. As to 
Mr. Taylor’s trees, it would be rash to attempt an explanation 
without knowing the conditions under which they were exposed 
more fully, but I should be disposed to say that they were what 
I long ago termed hardy varieties ; for there are undoubtedly 
some sorts of Peaches and Nectarines that are much less tender 
than others, and it was the discovery of this important fact which 
induced me to beg raisers of new varieties to select those that had 
been found not to blister for cross-breediDg, in view of obtaining 
a still more hardy strain of these popular fruits. — Edward 
Luckhurst. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas. —These might now be in their winter quarters. 
Mine have been there for a fortnight, but in ordinary seasons the 
second week in October is time enough. Care should be taken 
that slugs do not harbour themselves in or about the pots, and if 
any traces of them are found they should be carefully hunted for 
at night. Green fly should be brushed off and all dead leaves 
removed. It is not well to remove leaves, even the yellow, until 
they are flaccid. I have had but little autumn blooming on my 
plants. This I in a great measure attribute to their having been 
potted very late, later than I ever recollect doing them before. 
They will now require very little water. Coverings should be 
ready in case severe weather comes on. Cleanliness and a dry 
atmosphere are the chief points to be secured at this season. 
Carnations and Picotees. —This has been a very favourable 
season for the layering of these beautiful flowers. Layers when 
well rooted should now be taken off and potted either singly or a 
pair in a pot. Where they are grown in beds the beds should now 
be prepared and planted, but not until the ground is dry and in 
good condition ; these heavy and continuous rains will prevent 
this being done at present. 
Ranunculus. —The Turban varieties hardly come under the 
designation of florists’ flowers, but they make a very fine display 
in the spring months. They ought to be largely grown. The 
white variety Hercules, and an edged flower, Commodore Napier, 
more like a Persian variety, but very hardy, ought to have a place 
with the brilliant scarlet. 
Gladiolus. —It will soon be time to lift the corms ; indeed 
the smaller seedlings may be lifted at once, and the general col¬ 
lection towards the end of the month. I know of no better plan 
of wintering them than placing them singly on shelves, placing 
the base in dry sand. This, I think, prevents them from drying 
up so much as when placed on wooden shelves only. Unquestion¬ 
ably if the corms come much into contact with one another they 
encourage the emission of roots, which cannot be good for the 
future well-doing of the corms. I hope, in giving some account of 
my garden experiences during 1880, to give, as your correspondent 
suggests, a list of the newer varieties which I consider worth cul¬ 
tivating, for some excellent varieties have been added to our lists 
both at home and abroad.—D., Deal. 
THE INTERNATIONAL POTATO SHOW. 
In a communication in the Journal of Horticulture of Septem¬ 
ber 30th “A Gardener” comments on the Show generally, and 
criticises the twenty-four dishes of Potatoes staged from here. 
Your correspondent refers to two dishes of Potatoes, the first 
White Emperor. This lot of Potatoes was, in my opinion, without 
doubt White Emperor, but in this exceptional season larger than 
usual, and showing discoloration, because being large the tubers 
were forced nearer to the surface than others. Shape in tubers goes 
for nothing ; scores resemble each other exactly, but differ only 
in colour or markings. White Emperor is just like Blanchard in 
form and outline, as it is like many other rounds. I had no reason, 
let alone desire, to put up a dish of anything that was not true to 
name. In staging the twenty-four dishes the White Emperor was 
the last; and before finally deciding I submitted to my brother, 
who helped me to stage dishes of Rector of Woodstock, Porter’s 
Excelsior, and Woodstock Kidney, and he thought White Emperor 
the best. Does that look as if an impropriety was intended ? 
Further, I had left after staging all the collections ten spare dishes 
of various kinds, so it is not necessary to say more on that point. 
Early Ohio is next referred to. Why does not your corre¬ 
spondent lay the fault of the remarkable similarity of sorts at the 
doors of the raisers rather than at the feet of the growers ? Early 
Ohio is of the Beauty of Hebron family, but has dwarfer haulm, 
and the average type is rounder. My stock came to me through 
Mr. Lye, who had it from Mr. Quincey of Peterborough, and I 
have found that it produces handsome tubers. I was enabled to 
select when lifted a larger proportion of sample tubers than from 
the Beauty of Hebron. I regard the Early Ohio as not only fine 
in appearance, but I have found on cooking it that it was with 
me quite before any others of the Early Rose type in quality. It 
was because of these features I was so anxious to show it in the 
collection. 
In dealing with the seedling Potatoes “ A Gardener ” speaks 
disparagingly of our Lord Mayor as having rather deep eyes. 
That is incorrect. It is not deep-eyed, and it is fine and hand¬ 
some ; furthermore, it is as Mr. McKinlay, who came down here 
to see it lifted can prove, a wonderful cropper, whilst its quality 
is first-rate. It is the product of a cross between the Early Rose 
and Fenn’s Early Market. 
In another respect your correspondent’s notes are not quite 
accurate—namely, in the varieties that were largely shown, and 
in the best condition. In white kinds he includes Jackson’s 
Kidney, though shown in only two or three collections ; Pride of 
America, which is but another Snowflake, and Yorkshire Hero 
and Edgcott Seedling, both being Lapstones. Surely Magnum 
Bonum and King of Potatoes might have been included in the 
list. In red Kidneys Mr. Bresee was shown only in three dishes, 
and Defiance about the same ; both are very fine and handsome 
I admit, but it is not correct to class them as being “largely 
shown.” In coloured rounds he omits one found in almost every 
collection-—Radstock Beauty, whilst Fenn’s Cricket Ball has never 
been sent out and never will be. 
Another critic, Mr. J. Muir, takes exception to the cooking 
qualities of certain Potatoes named by him. It is curious, but 
none the less true, that very many growers have written in high 
terms of the quality of Beauty of Hebron, Snowflake, American 
Purple, Climax, and Early Vermont. Does not this show, that if 
not in Wales at least elsewhere, these Potatoes may be good. I 
can but say that here they are all very excellent. May we never 
have to eat worse. In criticising quality, however, it must be 
borne in mind that many varieties have been sent into commerce 
that have given large crops with little or no disease. When those 
varieties Mr. Muir so much praises give one-half or two-thirds 
diseased tubers, as has been the case in previous years, we cannot 
afford to be too nice as to quality. Yet the less raisers do not 
forget the element of quality, but they have always had to contend 
with this obstruction, the higher the tuber quality the greater the 
proportion of disease. As to Mr. Muir’s stricture upon the donor 
of the prizes for the best-coloured kidney entering for the same, 
the responsibility is mine and not that of my brother, Mr. R. 
Dean. The object of that, as other classes, was to bring out the 
best representative of the section that could be found. I believed 
Mr. Bresee, the new red kidney, to be the best, and staged it; the 
winning of the cash was of the smallest moment.— Alexander 
Dean, Bed font. 
The Jamaica Hurricane and the Botanic Gardens.— 
A letter from Mr. D. Morris, published in nature of the 7th inst., 
