176 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 28 , 1890. 
warm stote temperature if large plants are required quickly they 
may have an additional shift in the early autumn, which, with 
good treatment, will carry them through the winter in a gently 
growing condition. Plenty of light, with some amount of shade 
from direct sunlight in the summer time, is necessary. Liberal 
supplies of water at the roots, freedom from draughts, and careful 
general attention, will alwajs secure fine plants of this attractive 
Fern.—E. D. S. 
TOMATO NOTES. 
I bead with great pleasure the communication on Tomatoes 
from “E. D. S.” on page 129. He appears surprised we do not 
see the Golden Tomatoes in our shop windows, nor the Plum and 
Cherry-shaped fruit. I suppose there is a reason for everything, 
and the reason in this case is not far to seek. The British public 
are very conservative about their food. The red Tomatoes found 
favour in this country prior to the introduction of the yellow varie¬ 
ties, and they only hold their own, as far as flavour is concerned, 
by popular prejudice, for connoisseurs of this fruit are, without 
exception, in favour of the yellow varieties. The flavour of these 
is superb. Could the shopkeepers prevail on their customers to 
try them, I venture to say the market men would soon supply 
fruits of this colour in the same manner that they do the red sorts. 
The Plum-shaped varieties, such as Nesbit’s Victoria, are too small 
for the market, and I fear the Cherry and Currant varieties will 
never find favour with the general public. They are very orna¬ 
mental, but for market work we require something more 
substantial. 
When Tomatoes are planted in beds and borders as we usually 
see them, I have concluded, from close observation, the soil should 
be very firm, especially if it be light. I prefer ordinary garden 
soil as hard as bricks. If small plants are put out in such soil they 
grow sturdily, and soon commence flowering. This I find an 
important condition, for if the soil is at all loose or free the 
plants make gross growth, and are often 2, or even 3 feet high, 
before we get a single flower truss. The blooms produced on such 
plants do not set so freely as those growing in a firm soil. 
The difference will be clearly seen when the bunches of fruit are 
hanging ; those on the gross growing plants will be 2 feet from the 
bed, while those, on the other hand, will require tying up to keep 
them from the soil. I believe it is an admitted fact that these plants 
do not require nearly the amount of water it was customary to 
give them a few years ago. I only have my plants watered suffi¬ 
ciently to keep them from flagging till I have secured the first truss 
of fruit, neither do I use any stimulant till after this period. I 
consider it unwise to administer any stimulants to the plants 
in their early stages, for it produces that which should be scrupu¬ 
lously avoided—viz., gross sappy growth. It is also a mistake 
to give much water to plants growing in borders, for it has a 
tendency to aggravate the disease. Of course plants in pots will 
require a greater supply, in accordance with the quantity of soil at 
the disposal of the roots. It is surprising what good crops can be 
produced in a shallow bed of soil. I have grown an excellent crop 
of Hackwood Park in a depth of 4 inches of soil, and the bed not 
more than 15 inches wide. It is generally admitted that the round 
varieties are more esteemed than the corrugated, and rightly so, 
but good culture has much to do with the shape of the fruit. I 
have seen a striking instance in point this season. The variety was 
Perfection ; the fruits grown in the house were of beautiful shape, 
and all that could be wished, while the same variety planted 
outside has produced ugly conjugated fruit; both sets of plants 
were from the same packet of seed. The round varieties may not 
set quite so freely as the other section, but the fruits are heavier 
in a striking degree. 
I am pleased to read “ E. D. S.” has been successful in resisting 
the attacks of the disease. There is no doubt previous experience 
has taught us much on this subject. In the year 1888 the disease 
caused dire destruction throughout the country, but luckily 
gardeners did not follow the Micawber policy adopted by our 
agricultural friends, but set to work with true British pluck to 
master it. Have we done so ? I fearlessly assert we have 
advanced greatly in that direction. We were aware of the con¬ 
ditions most suitable for its development, and, like sensible people, 
have fought boldly against these conditions. It has not been mere 
chance work either, for the season has not been favourable to easy 
culture. In this district we have the disease, but we mastered it so 
far as to secure good crops of fine fruit. The conditions favour¬ 
able to its development being a cold damp atmosphere the remedy 
is found in the opposite—namely, a light buoyant atmosphere. 
When the air outdooi s was charged with moisture, as it has been 
repeatedly this season, a little warmth in the pipes has secured the 
dry conditions so delightful to the Tomato and detrimental to 
almost all other plants. I kept my plants quite clear of this 
dreaded fungus till the middle of July by active watching and 
constant care, then a few spots of it were discovered. The houses 
were kept very dry and airy, and I had the satisfaction of seeing 
the spots die out instead of developing. This state of affairs con¬ 
tinued till the first week in August, when I was away from the 
plants for a week ; on my return I found it had greatly developed, 
but as the crop has been very satisfactory I do not fear much from 
the results. I should like to hear how the readers of the Jourmn 
have fared this season with our common enemy. — Jamies B. 
Riding. 
THE B. S. WILLIAMS MEMORIAL FUND. 
We have been desired to insert the following in reference to the 
above fund which is being established. “ To perpetuate the memory of 
the late Mr. B. S. Williams, by investing a sufficient amount to place a 
certain number of orphans of gardeners on the Gardeners’ Orphan r und 
as ‘ Williams Memorial Orphans,’ ard also to give prizes in money with 
Williams Memorial Certificates for excellence in the cultivation of 
plants.” 
General Committee (with power to add to their number.) 
Chairman .—Shirley Hibberd, Kew, near London. 
lion. Treasurer. —H. J. Yeitch, 544, King’s Hoad, Chelsea, S.W. 
Joint Hon. Secretaries. —A. Outram, 7, Moore Park Road, Fulham., 
S.W. ; John A. Laing, Stanstead Park, Foi’est Hill, S.E. 
B. Armitage, Sorrel Bank, Pendleton. 
W. Bailey, Lypiatt Park Gardens, Stroud. 
Baker, Thames Bank Iron Co., Southwark. 
IT. Ballantine, The Dell Gardens, Staines. 
W. Bardney, Osmaston Manor, Ashbourne. 
S. Barlow, Stakehill, Castleton, Manchester. 
A. F. Barron, Chiswick. 
P. Barr, King Street, Covent Garden. 
E. Benary, Erfurt, Germany. 
P. B air, Trentham. 
J. Bioome, St. Peter’s Square, Manchester. 
W. Bull, King’s Road, Chelsea. 
R. Bul'en, Botanic Gardens. Glasgow. 
H. A, Burberry, King’s Heath, Birmingham, 
Burn, Superintendent, Parks, Leicester. 
L. Castle, 171, Fleet Street. 
A. G. Catt, Parkfield Gardens, Harrow. 
M. S. Chantin, 32, Avenue de Chatillon, Paris. 
J. Cocker, Aberdeen. 
J. Cole, Royal Nurseries, Ascot. 
J. Coombes, Englefield Gardens, Reading. 
W. Craik, the Gardens, Hothfield Park, Ashford. 
J. Crute, Knightrider Street, E.C. 
G. W. Cummins, The Grange Gardens, Wallington. 
H. Cutbush, Highgate. 
E. R. Cutler, 50, Parliament Street. 
J. Dominy, Tadema Road, Chelsea, 
J. Don, Nottingham. 
J. Douglas, Great Gearies, Ilford. 
M. Dunn, Dalkeith Palace. 
H. Eckford, Wem, Salop. 
J. Edmunds, Bestwood Gardens, Nottingham. 
W. Elphinstone, Shipley Hall. 
B. Findlay, Botanic Gardens, Manchester. 
Foster & Pearson, Beeston, Notts. 
R. Gammon, Hamstead Park Gardens, Newbury. 
J. E. Goodman, Bradbourne Hall Gardens, Sevenoaks, 
Haage & Schmidt, Erfurt, Germany. 
H. Gaskell, Wool con Wood, near Liverpool. 
R. Glendinning, Edinburgh. 
G. Head, Crystal Palace. 
• H. Herbst, Kew. 
Dr. Hogg, 171, Fleet Street. 
W. Holah, The Gardens, Redleaf, Penshurst. 
A. M. Jongkindt-Coninck, Dedemsvaart, Holland. 
P. E. Kay, Finchley. 
Dr. Kelloch, Stamford Hill. 
J. IT. Ivrelage, Haarlem. 
J. Laing, Forest Hill. 
W. B. Lathom, Botanic Gardens, Birmingham. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., Burford Lodge, Dorking, 
Lindsay, Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh. 
A. McKenzie, The Warren, Loughton. 
McKinnon, Dalkeith. 
A. McKinnon, Scone Palace, N.B. 
L. J. Makoy, Lidge, Belgium. 
W. Marshall, Bexley. 
Dr. Masters, 41, Wellington Street. 
R. H. Measures, The Woodlands, Streatham. 
J. F. Meston, 50, Parliament Street. 
W. H. Milner, Boothroyd, Brooklands, Manchester. 
D. Mitchell, Comely Bank, Edinburgh. 
J. Moir, Clement’s Park Gardens, Lockee, N.B. 
