November 4 , 1880 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
417 
the centre and white outer florets. Among the incurved varie¬ 
ties the only one of unexceptionable merit as regards condition at 
present is the handsome Prince Alfred, of which there are some 
remarkably fine blooms. The well-known attractive and useful 
Gloria Mundi and Aurea Multiflora are also flowering very satis¬ 
factorily, and many others are rapidly advancing. We regret to 
learn that it was recently found some person had wilfully broken 
a number of the plants, plucking and destroying about five and 
twenty blooms. It is said that this is the first instance of the 
Chrysanthemums suffering from wilful injury since the exhibi¬ 
tions have been opened to the public. 
- The Chrysanthemums in the Middle Temple 
Gardens will be opened to the public during the ensuing week, 
but as they are rather late it will be some time before there are 
many blooms fully expanded. Eventually they may be expected 
to prove an attractive display. 
- “A Salesman” sends the following observations con¬ 
cerning the lifting of unripe Potatoes in Cornwall :— 
“ Mr. W. Roberts’ note upon this subject on page 395 is liable to 
be misunderstood by those who are unacquainted with the facts. 
From what he says it would seem that growers in Cornwall 
practise early lifting with the object of avoiding loss by disease. 
This is not the case, however, for they simply take advantage 
of their favoured position and endeavour to send ‘ new Potatoes ’ 
into the London markets as early in the season as possible, know¬ 
ing that they then realise the best prices. The majority of Cornish 
Potatoes are consequently lifted directly they attain a saleable 
size.” 
-Messrs. James Carter & Co. of High Holborn have 
sent us a collection of flowers of their “ Crown Jewel,” 
strain of Tuberous Begonias, which appear to be of great ex¬ 
cellence. The flowers are large, of good form and substance, 
the colours being bright and diversified. The tints range from 
white through various shades of yellow, orange, scarlet, crimson, 
and pink. One flower of a bright scarlet hue was particularly 
notable for its symmetry, the petals being finely rounded. A 
yellow flower was similarly good. 
-We learn that Anthurium Andreanum is now in flower 
at Mr. Bull’s establishment at Chelsea, and thus an opportunity is 
afforded for those who have not seen this remarkable plant to 
observe its brilliant and singular spathe. 
-We are informed that valuable silver cups for Orchids 
and Grapes will be offered at the Bath and West of England 
and Southern Counties Association’s Show, which opens on June 
6th at Tunbridge Wells next year, the horticultural department of 
which will, as usual, be under the able direction of the Hon. and 
Rev. J. T. Boscawen. 
- The third part of Messrs. Cassell’s re-issue of “ Paxton’s 
Flower Garden” contains coloured plates of Boronia elatior 
and Sarracenia Drummondii, both fairly well representing the form 
and habit of the plants, but not quite faithful in the colouring. 
There is no cultural instruction accompanying the Sarracenia, 
though in the original edition a good system of culture was 
subjoined to the description of the plants. 
- In addition to the Chrysanthemum Exhibitions which 
were noted last week, we learn that the following Societies will 
hold shows on the accompanying dates :—South London, Novem¬ 
ber 15th to 17th ; Ealing and Acton, November 17th ; Tunbridge 
Wells, November 18th and 19th; Longton, November 22nd; 
Oxfordshire, November 23rd ; and Manchester, November 25th. 
- The following results of experiments in Potato Cul¬ 
ture have been sent to us by the Rev. A. Fitch, Thornton Steward 
—“On March 12th, 1880, I planted a row of Potatoes consisting 
of twenty-three varieties, row east and west; each set 15 inches 
apart, with a clear space of 3 feet on each side. I made a great 
mistake in planting indiscriminately instead of placing the varie¬ 
ties producing the smallest tops by themselves, consequently the 
coarser-growing varieties in some instances completely swamped 
those that were more delicate. This fact will in part account 
for great discrepancies in the different weights. The following 
were lifted on August 23rd — The produce of Suttons’ Im¬ 
proved Ashleaf was 13 ozs.; Beauty of Hebron, 4 lbs. 3 ozs. ; 
Porter’s Excelsior, 3 lbs. 12 ozs.; Yorkshire Hero, 12| ozs. ; 
Pease’s Red, 2 lbs. 6 ozs.; Snowflake, 2 lbs. 4 ozs.; Fox’s Seed¬ 
ling, 114 ozs. ; Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf, 2 lbs. 2^ ozs.; Lapstone, 
1 lb. 14 ozs.; Gloucestershire Kidney, 1 lb. ; Compton's Surprise, 
2 ib 3 . 4 ozs. ; Myatt’s Ashleaf, 2 lbs. 4 ozs. ; Rector of Woodstock, 
4 lbs. 2 ozs.; Brownell’s Beauty, 5 lbs. 11 ozs.; McKinlay’s Pride, 
5J ozs.; Reading Abbey, 2 lbs. 12 ozs.; Schoolmaster, 1 lb. 11J ozs,; 
Cambridge Kidney, 1 lb. 10 ozs. All were free from disease 
except one tuber weighing half an ounce of Rector of Woodstock. 
Lifted on September 21st—Early Oxford, 5 lbs. 14 ozs. ; Wood- 
stock Kidney, 3 lbs. 10 ozs. Lifted on October 1st—Suttons’ 
Magnum Bonum, 8 lbs. 4 ozs. Lifted on October 23rd—Flour- 
ball, 8 lbs. 8 ozs. ; Scotch Champion, 7 lbs. 2 ozs. Five dis¬ 
eased tubers of the latter weighed 1 lb. 4 ozs. All the others 
were free from disease. The produce of twenty-three sets 
weighed 5 stones 4 lbs. ^ oz. Two rows of Paterson’s Victoria 
and two rows of Scotch Champions side by side at the Glebe, the 
former produced 18 bushels, more than half bad ; the latter 
25 bushels, and not a pailful of diseased tubers.” 
- The Recent Heavy Rains. —The rainfall of October 
was excessive, amounting at Addiscombe, Croydon, to 7 - 648 inches, 
or nearly one-fourth of the total amount deposited during the 
whole of last year. Throughout the twenty-one years over which 
the Croydon records extend there is no other instance when so 
much rain fell in any single month, not even excepting the 
December of 1876.—E. M., Croydon. 
THE GLADIOLUS* 
The date of the introduction of the Gladiolus I have had no 
means of knowing, but seventy years ago we only possessed the 
following forms :—G. byzantinus, purplish crimson ; G. cardinalis, 
scarlet and white ; G. communis rubra, red ; G. communis alba, 
white ; and G. floribunda, white and rose. These were the only 
forms in cultivation previous to about 1830, when from being a 
large importer of Dutch bulbs I received a corm of a seedling 
Gladiolus called Ramosus, which was catalogued at 10*?. Not 
knowing much of the Gladiolus I sold it to a nurseryman for 7.?. 6 d. 
The year following another came and shared the same fate. Years 
passed on and G. gandavensis, the parent of most we now possess, 
next made its appearance ; its colour was not very bright, and 
it did not meet with much attention. A few years later Mons. 
Souchet of France sent me a printed catalogue, which after some 
time I gave to a friend, and he had the spirit to order a small 
case, and thus they were introduced into Lancashire. The prices 
then ranged from 1*?. to 6s. per corm. They attracted some little 
notice, and the following year there was quite a demand for 
them, which my friend had the greatest difficulty in supplying. 
Only a few were really attractive ; yet I purchased about a score 
of corms, but not of the best, as the prices deterred me, but the 
two following years I improved my collection. The autumn was 
favourable as respects weather, and I had a very large crop of 
seed. Some of the spikes had no less than twenty-two or more 
pods. 
The year following I sowed the seed, one half in boxes in a cold 
frame and the other half in a bed, but I could see no difference 
in the size of the corms when at maturity. The quantity of corms 
was very large—nearly three thousand, and I had to obtain a plot 
of ground to grow them in, which ground I trenched 30 inches 
deep, and applied manure abundantly. I planted my corms in 
this soil not quite 3 inches deep—some growers recommend 
6 inches, but I always found that 3 inches from the crown of the 
corm was quite sufficient. I was able the second year to exhibit 
at the Middleton Agricultural Show, and also at the Stockport 
