December so, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
591 
form, the densely netted character, and the deep flesh of this 
variety ; while if it had not been of superior quality it would not 
have received the honour that was awarded to it when six fruits 
were exhibited at the summer Show of the Royal Botanic Society 
by its raiser, Mr. J. Hopkins, gardener to R. Thornton, Esq., High 
Cross, Framfield. 
The visitor cannot fail to notice the excellent order that prevails 
in every branch, and the brisk business-like air that pcivades the 
establishment.— A Gardener. 
CULTURE OF LILIUM LANCIFOLIUM (SPECIOSUM). 
I can well remember, over thirty years ago, Lilium lancifolium 
and the variety album being grown in pots If and 1G inches in 
diameter, also ten or twelve bulbs together being planted in a 
peat border in the conservatory, and I can quite understand the 
pleasure it gave “ N. I. D.” to see the fine specimens he mentions 
at page 523 as growing in the garden of Sir Humphrey de Trafford. 
My mode of culture, which I have followed over twenty years 
with success, is as follows :—When the plants have flowered I 
have the pots placed upon a south border, so that the bulbs may 
have the full benefit of the sun to ripen them. When the stems 
are quite yellow they are cut down, and the pots are laid upon 
their sides to prevent the bulbs becoming too wet. In November 
they are taken to the potting shed, where they are shaken out— 
each variety is kept separate—the pots are then washed and em¬ 
ployed again when dry. 
The compost I employ for potting consists of one-half of turfy 
loam about an inch thick broken into pieces the size of an egg, 
and the other half turfy peat in large pieces, decayed stable 
manure, leaf soil, pieces of sandstone and charcoal, with a sprink¬ 
ling of white coarse sand, and a small proportion of soot, all well 
mixed. Where there are a number of pots required those 12 inches 
in diameter are most convenient, and 8-inch pots are very useful. 
Great care must be taken to secure good drainage. If the plants 
become waterlogged all efforts to obtain a good specimen will 
be in vain. After the pots are crocked I place pieces of turf over 
the drainage. I then rather more thau half fill the pots with the 
compost, press it down to prevent it sinking too much, and place 
the bulbs on the soil near each other. I cover the bulbs with 
1^ inch depth of the compost, and a dusting of white sand over 
the top. The pots are then placed in a vinery where there is 
ventilation day and night in mild weather, and no fire after the 
first week in December, where they remain until the first week in 
April. No water is given them in winter ; and as in April the 
vinery is closed and too warm for them, they are arranged on a 
south border outside close together, sheltered from the east wind 
and covered with a mat on frosty nights. When frost is past the 
Lilies are placed upon a north border, where they remain until 
the flowers commence opening and are then removed to the con¬ 
servatory. A top-dressing of loam and decayed dung is applied 
to the soil. They are secured to stakes, and at every alternate 
watering they are supplied with liquid manure. They require 
abundance of water while they are growing, and with good 
drainage and open compost the water passes away quickly. By 
the above method I have been able to grow dwarf robust plants 
with abundance of flowers and dark green healthy leaves.— 
John Nunns, Wimbledon. 
STRAWBERRY FARMING IN SCOTLAND. 
It may not be generally known that in certain districts of Scot¬ 
land the cultivation of the Strawberry has of late years assumed 
considerable proportions. There is a steady demand for jam made 
of this delicious fruit, and consequently wholesale confectioners 
are consuming increasing quantities, some of them to the extent 
of hundreds of tons annually. There is, besides, a steady and 
apparently unlimited demand for the fresh fruit for table use, and 
thus the industry has grown during the last twenty years to an 
enormous extent. The principal centres of Strawberry farming 
are Blairgowrie, Aberdeen, and Perth. I am not aware what 
acreage may be cultivated in the latter two districts, but I have 
taken some statistics that show that within two miles of where I 
now write there are upwards of 200 acres under Strawberry culti¬ 
vation ; and as 2 tons per acre is considered a fair average return, 
it will be seen that the quantity of fruit yearly marketed from 
this district is very considerable. 
The great bulk of the crop is" sent off to the confectioners in 
barrels holding from 1 to 2 cwts. each, and last season fetched 
from £28 to £30 per ton. Those who, like myself, were at the 
extra trouble and expense of packing the fruit for table use 
realised on an average a third more than the abov$ prices. 
Most of the growers are men who make a speciality of the crop, 
though not a few farmers cultivate a few acres along with their 
other crops. The Strawberry farms proper are nearly all on 
land recently reclaimed from the moor. In its natural state this 
land, covered as it is by Broom and Heather, is not worth 5s. 
an acre, and even when reclaimed is not worth over 15s. for 
agricultural purposes ; yet the usual rent, in the form of a per¬ 
petual feu, is £5 per acre yearly. In addition to this heavy 
annual burden the feuar must expend say £20 per acre in trench¬ 
ing and laying down a preparatory crop, erect his own house and 
fences, and make roads. Thus heavily handicapped it may seem 
surprising that he can live and bring up a family on from four 
to six acres ; yet so kindly is the soil that by the exercise of due 
industry there are comparatively few who fail. 
The soil in its natural state is nothing more than a thin layer 
of turf, 6 or 8 inches deep, resting on a deep bed of rusty gravel. 
In trenching a spit of gravel is brought to the surface, thus in¬ 
creasing the cultivated depth to from 12 to 14 inches. Such is 
the apparently unpromising land to work upon, yet there seems 
to be something in it that makes it congenial to the Straw¬ 
berry plant, and in fact insures with less than ordinary trouble 
and expense a yearly return that contrasts favourably with the 
best results from rich and highly cultivated districts. In fact the 
nature of the soil and of the methods here practised are in direct 
contradiction to generally received theories. I could conceive a 
stranger who knew nothing but what he might have learned here 
maintaining that the Strawberry plant required only a poor soil, 
no bottom moisture, little or no manure, and only a moderate 
amount of labour. Be that as it may, I do think that the generally 
received opinions on Strawberry culture require some amount of 
overhauling. As to the soil, our experience has certainly proved 
that land quite unfit for ordinary farm rotation can grow Straw¬ 
berries, in quantity a fair average, and in quality acknowledged 
superior. As to moisture, no water is found in our gravel at a 
less depth than 28 to 30 feet, and the rainfall is one of the lowest 
in Britain, yet even the late exceptionally dry summer gave us a 
fair average crop. Those who maintain water to be the first, 
second, and third requisite to successful Strawberry culture may 
ponder over my facts, explain them as they may. As to manure, 
the rule here is to prepare the ground for the Turnips. The plants 
are put in on the drills, and there they are left without further 
manure till five or six crops have been gathered. I do not say 
this is either the best plan or a general one, but it is quite 
common ; yet experts direct us to trench in at least 20 tons of 
manure per acre before planting, and then mulch heavily each 
succeeding year. And as to labour, while the native weeds and 
grasses are no doubt troublesome to keep under if not thoroughly 
eradicated under the preparatory crop, I fancy that our Straw¬ 
berries require not more than half that usually considered neces¬ 
sary. Such is the nature of our soil that, except during the first 
and to a small extent the second season, the plants throw out 
scarcely any runners, and are thus more easily cleaned. 
Of course I do not mean to argue that in any poor soil and with 
little attention to scientific principles good results maybe obtained ; 
for even here the intelligent and progressive growers have by far 
the best of it. In future notes I shall indicate the principles 
and practice that are found to answer best in the cultivation of 
Strawberries on a large scale, in the hope that they may be 
found suitable for other localities as well. — William Raitt, 
Blairgowrie. (To be continued.) 
CARNATIONS AT CHRISTMAS. 
Few flowers are more welcome than these at this season of the 
year. They compare favourably with Roses and Lilies, and for 
certain purposes are more acceptable than Camellias. Carnations 
are emphatically flowers for cutting, and attempting to grow them 
as specimen plants generally results in disappointment. To have 
large trained plants they must be old, and these never produce 
flowers so freely and so fine as young plants. The plants must be 
grown generously throughout their career ; there must be no rest¬ 
ing to induce free flowering, nor no check at any time. When the 
plants are large enough they will flower, and the more healthy they 
are the finer the flowers will be. 
They succeed best in a mixture of turfy loam three parts, the 
other leaf soil and decayed hotbed manure, with sufficient silver 
sand to render the whole open and porous. A little bone meal is 
a valuable addition to the soil for Carnations. 
The best mode of propagating the Carnation is by cuttings ; the 
small side shoots taken off with a heel will strike freely. These 
should be dibbled rather thickly in G-inch pots about three parts 
filled with soil, over which a good surfacing of silver sand has 
been placed. After inserting the cuttings give a gentle watering 
with a fine rose can to settle the surface, and cover with a small 
