July 29, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
91 
inquired into the subject, and found that in every case the diarrhoea was 
due to meat or fish, but never to fruit alone. I have experimented on 
myself, and got other friends to test the result of free fruit-eating on 
themselves, but in no case as yet have I got a report of diarrhoea from it. 
I lived one day last summer on Strawberries, managing to eat 7 lbs. 
during the day, but I had no diarrhoea. Other times I have lived on 
Plums and milk, and have eaten freely of Cherries and other fruits in 
their seasons, but never had looseness of the bowels in consequence. The 
true explanation of autumnal diarrhoea lies in the fact that in hot weather 
flesh putrifies very quickly, during putrefaction alkaloids called ptomaines 
are formed; these are emetic and purgative, and give rise to distressing 
symptoms. These alkaloids are found in meat at all times, but more 
especially during hot weather. 
Fruit has the composition of a perfect food, containing all the sub¬ 
stances required by the body. Here is the composition of Strawberries :— 
Water. 87 per cent. 
Sugar. 4 per cent. 
Free Acid. 1J per cent. 
Nitrogen . 5 per cent. 
Insoluble matter (A per cent, of which is ash) 7 per cent. 
100 
From this table we can see that fruit is a perfect food, as it contains 
everything needed, including water. We may also gather that it is a food 
for the indolent, and not for hard work. In a hot clime it would be all 
that is necessary ; but in a temperate clime grain is needed as well. 
There is one thing worthy of notice, and that is the amount of free acid 
in fruit. This is anti-scorbutic, and also very useful for dissolving out 
any surplus of lime or other salts that may be in the system. Were fruits 
used daily by all there would be less gout, rheumatism, gall stones, stone 
in the bladder, and calcareous degeneration than there is now. In con¬ 
nection with the curative power of fruit, we must mention the “ Grape 
cure.” This is practised in France and Germany in the autumn, and is 
a cure for many diseases due to high feeding. The patient is given a 
pound of Grapes to eat the first day. This amount is added to until the 
person can eat 5 or 6 lbs. a day. The other food is gradually lessened, 
and the diet at last consists entirely of Grapes. It cures obesity and 
many other complaints, and starts the person off on a new lease of life. 
In this country we may partly carry out this cure, usiDg Strawberries, 
Gooseberries, Cherries, and Plums in place of Grapes. Fruit is thus seen 
to be a necessity in a rational diet and of immense value in dietetic medicine. 
—T. R. All insox, L.RC.P .,20, Charlotte Street, Portland Place, W. 
(in the Echo'). 
CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES AT CHELSEA. 
The annual Exhibition of these plants in Messrs. J. Veitcli & Sons’ 
nursery at Chelsea is an attraction of considerable importance, and for 
which many amateur cultivators look as eagerly as the florists do for the 
National Society’s Show. The great objects of the display have been to 
prove that Carnations and their relatives are plants that can be grown by 
everyone with ordinary care, that possess invaluable floral qualities, and 
that they may be employed to beautify many town gardens at a time of 
year when few plants look satisfactory in such positions. These charac¬ 
teristics have been abundantly proved, first by the selection of the most 
effective and strongest habited varieties, and secondly by growing them 
well as border plants, and it is only fair to say that Messrs. Yeitch and 
Sons have contributed in great measure to the increased popularity of the 
Carnation for this purpose. 
Tnirty-six beds, each 20 feet long by 4 feet wide, are devoted to the 
plants, and though the flower stems are necessarily secured to sticks these 
are made as light and inconspicuous as possible, consistently with suffi¬ 
cient strength to prevent the stems being broken by wind. At a conve¬ 
nient height above the beds is a skeleton frame supported on posts at the 
sides, and upon this is run a tiffany shading during hot days to assist in 
the preservation of the flowers. The objectionable “collars” are dis¬ 
pensed with, and the only artificial aid the flowers receive is placing a 
small indiarubber ring over the calyx to prevent it bursting and spoiling 
the bloom. Most of the varieties represented are those especially a lapted 
for culture in borders, and though some may be defective in minute points 
compared with a florist’s rigid standard, yet when the varieties are seen 
together the preference is at once given to the former for all substantial 
qualities. The choice varieties, of which the blooms appear so beautiful 
in a stand of twelve or six at a competitive show, are too frequently of 
weakly habit, and but few flowers are produced or allowed to remain on 
the plants. The others, on the contrary, bear scores of blooms that can 
be cut in bunches, and in addition the growth is usually much more 
vigorous, facilitating the increase of the variety. The show varieties are 
lovely, and should be grown in pots, well deserving the extra care re¬ 
quired ; but where profusion of flowers is of more importance than refine¬ 
ment of form or colouring the border varieties must take the most 
prominent place. 
For effectiveness the Carnations are much superior to the Picotees, as 
the latter have a delicacy of appearance that, except in the deep-edged 
forms, scarcely fits them for borders. The self and fancy Carnations are 
very showy, especially the former, of which there is an excelhnt collec¬ 
tion, and to these a few notes may be devoted. One ot the first 1 1 attract 
attention is the excellent white W. P. Milner, a grand variety that cannot 
be too widely known. One of the beds mentioned above is devoted to 
this, the plants being remarkable for their even growth and the prolu¬ 
sion of flowers. The height of the flower stems is about 2 feet, and the 
majority of the plants have a dozen fully expanded blooms, with two or 
three dozen buds. For beds and for cutting this is an admirable Carna¬ 
tion, and the blooms individually are very neatly formed. Another pretty 
white variety is Virgo, which is free and especially useful for buttonholes, 
as the blooms are rather smaller than the preceding and very symme¬ 
trical. Hodge’s Bride is dwarf white variety, with larger flowers and 
petals than W. P. Miluer. Miss Marianne North is a full white, flower 
large, and the plant of medium height; and Exquisite is an excellent 
free white variety in the way of W. P. Milner, which, however, we should 
prefer to all those named if only one sort is needed. Amongst the bright 
coloured varieties a new one named Beauty of Whitby is noteworthy, a 
brilliant scarlet very floriferous and charming. Heeter Robinson, a dark 
red clove-scented variety, is also handsome. General Stewart, dark 
maroon, wonderfully free, something like the Tree Carnation Mrs. Keens. 
Brilliant is a remarkably glowing rosy-scarlet self that has been honoured 
with a certificate. Celia is a tall-growing clear rose self of very fine sub¬ 
stance and broad clear petals. Royal Purple, rich warm purple self, very- 
profuse and of good growth. Black Knight, intensely rich scarlet self. 
Magnum Bonum, a capital dwarf scarlet self, exceedingly free. John 
Burnett, large full bright rose, a b Id flower and handsome variety. 
Florence is a good yellow self, as also are King of the Yellows, which is 
of a paler sulphury tint ; and Belle Halliday, bright yellow ; and Pride 
of Penshurst ; the last hamed a useful variety for culture in pots. 
The show varieties of Carnations and Picotees were enumerated fully 
last year, a selection being also given of the best for general culture in 
each class. These need not be repeated, bnt a few additional notes on 
the principal novelties may be contributed on anothsr occasion.— 
VlSITOE. 
VIOLAS. 
At Messrs. Collins Brothers & Gabriel’s nursery at New Hampton, 
Violas may be seen in great beauty just now, and that is saying a great 
deal, as the season has been a trying one, so hot and dry, and Violas are 
not looked upon with great favour as summer decorative plants in the 
south. The manager of the nursery, Mr. R. Jenkins, who is one of your 
frequent correspondents, got in a collection of the leading kinds last 
spring and planted them out in beds in the nursery. The soil at New 
Hampton suits Pansies and Violas very well, but being on gravel and the 
beds fully exposed to the sun, Mr. Jenkins thought it advisable to use a 
good quantity of cow manure in the beds, not actually planting in it, but 
where the roots could reach it, and he surfaced the beds with the decayed 
foliage of the Narcissus, which they cultivate extensively at Hampton. 
I am an old turnd at Viola culture, and grow them by the "thousand in the 
Midland districts, but I have rarely met with Violas in such perfection 
as at New Hampton. I was surprised to see them so in the south, and it 
clearly proves that if the borders and beds are well prepared on the plan 
adopted by Mr. Jenkins, that the Viola is an invaluable spring and early 
summer decorative plant about London, but where planted on the starva¬ 
tion principle it fails. 
The principal varieties growing at Messrs. Collins and Gabriel’s 
nursery are Countess of Hopetoun, a wonderfully fine white, large-sized 
flowers without a speck of black in the flower, and of close robust habP, 
and a good bloomer. Mrs. Gray, another good useful white, very free 
blooming, but has a tendency to flush in colour in hot weather, assuming 
a pleasing lilac tint. Notwithstanding this it is a fine variety, a great 
bloomer, good constitution, and as fragrant as any Violet. True Blue, one 
of my seedlings, is a capital bedder ; and Queen of Lilacs, also one of my 
raising, is a grand bedder and a great improvement on the old favourite. 
Blue Bell. Queen of Spring and Goldrn Queen of Spring are two grand 
yellows ; and Ardwell Gem is a first-cla-s pale yellow or primrose 
coloured variety. Archie Grant is very fine violet-purple, a splendi l 
bedder, and Queen of Purples is an improved Cliveden Purple, with a 
closer and better habit, a very fine purple. Countess of Kintore is a great 
favourite everywhere, pale lilac purple with conspicuous white blotches, a 
grand bedder ; and Unique is a crimson-purple with a large greyish 
white blotch on each top petal. These are some of the best. Having for 
many years written about the Viola and endeavoured to make it popular. 
I was truly and most pleasantly surprised to see plants doing so well ami 
forming brilliant masses of colour in a very exposed dry situation. 
I have also met with another striking instance of the successful cultiva¬ 
tion of the Viola under adverse circumstances. At Harefield Grove, near 
Rickmanswortb, Mr. John Gough, the manager of these extensive gardens, 
has two rows of Dean’s True Blue, each row 150 yards in length, planted 
out in the spring, but a spit of soil was thrown out and cow manure 
worked in the full length of each row. It has been a great success, and even 
now, in the midst of the hot July weather we have had, they are very 
beautiful. 
In the Midland districts and further north Violas and Pansies do 
much better than in the south, although they have been proved to do well 
in the south if proper care is t.ken in planting them. In the public park 
at Wolverhampton very long lines of Holyrood and Lutea grandiflora are 
now masses of colour, and have been so since the spring, and villa gardens 
are to be met with in so many places where the Viola is grown extensively. 
I was also somewhat surprised to see our old friend Thomas Grainger 
Pansy growing like “a weed” in the park and masses of rich brownish 
red flowers. 
With me at Walsall they are in fine character, but cutting down for 
stock is now going on, as the demand increases, and Violas ought to be in 
every garden for spring and early summer work. Unfortunately Violas 
