September 18, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
249 
and’the general cry was how suddenly the Peas had collapsed. It was all 
the same whether the ground was trenched or untrenched, or if the Peas 
were sown in Celery-like trenches, the short spell of tropical heat 
experienced in July was too much for them, and thrips completely got 
the upper hand. In our case several of the rows had been specially 
prepared for withstanding hot weather, but these broke down as quickly 
as any, and it was only the most robust sorts that yielded a few pickings. 
For my part I wish all our summers would be as hot as that, say, of 1885, 
for I find if a few things suffer from heat and drought, many of our 
vegetables do better and are much more quickly established than in cooler 
or wet weather. Fruit trees of all sorts are considerably improved of late, 
and last season appears to have put quite new life in some of the more 
delicate varieties of Apples and Pears. 
Some of fhe finest Strawberries seen this season were grown in the 
gardens at Hill House, Langport, by Mr. J. Lloyd, the practical gardener 
in charge, but he particularly pointed out that he did not trench the 
ground for the plants. The soil he has to contend with is even more 
clayey than ours, and trenching renders it almost unworkable for several 
seas ins. Mr. Lloyd, like myself, believes in good surface culture, and 
this, with timely mulching, prevents oracking and rapid loss of moisture. 
When I saw the garden recently all the crops were growing strongly, and 
Onions and other roots on a steep declivity were equal to any I have seen 
elsewhere this season. There are plenty of Kentish gardens as stiff and 
unworkable as any we have in Somerset, and by good surface culture 
these are made to produce excellent crops of fruits and vegetables, whereas 
if trenching were resorted to much more labour must be expended in 
getting the surface into a workable condition without any marked com¬ 
pensating results. I maintain that the value of trenching has been much 
overrated, and that plenty of instances are annually happening where 
harm instead of good has resulted. 
Having cracked “A Kentish Gardener’s” nut perhaps he will return the 
comoliment. Some time ago I a?ked in these pages for an explanation of 
the fact that some of the finest Lettuces ever seen as well as heavy crops 
of Kidney Beans can be grown on the ridges between the Celery trenches, 
and that too in the hottest weather. They pet no manure ; the principal 
portion of the soil they have to root in is undug, while watering them is 
out of the question. Yet they thrive, not unfrequently better than those 
in presumably more favourable quarters, or even on trenched ground. 
Will “ A Kentish Gardener ” account f rr this ?—W. IGGULDEN. 
Hew Zealand Edible Fungus.—M r. Thomas Yeasey asks if 
any of our readers can name any book in which he could find a 
chemical analysis of this fungus, or where he could procure a specimen 
in this country. 
-Plums at the Crystal Palace Show.—“ W. W. W.” 
writes :—“ It is stated in the report of the above Show that the third prize 
frr four varieties was adjudged to Mr. Ward for Pond’s Seedling, Font- 
hill, Goliath, and Victoria. How is this ? All the catalogues give the 
first two as synonymous.” The catalogues are right in describing Pond’s 
Seedling and Fonthill as synonymous. 
- Many will regret to hear of the death of Mr. John Cox, late 
gardener at Redleaf, which occurred on the 30th of August, age seventy- 
one years. Mr. Cox resigned his situation at Redleaf through failing 
health, and was in consideration of his long service and high character 
allowed an annuity, upon which he retired to the Isle of Wight. The 
disease from which he suffered wa9 softening of the brain, which became 
more intensified shortly before his death, when he had an apoplectic 
seizure, which terminated fatally. He is buried in Brading Churchyard. 
Mr. Cox was wellknown to the readers of this Journal, to which he was a 
contributor, especially on the management of fruit trees, for many years. 
- Mr. Wm. W. Brown of Cotenola House, Evesham, has sent 
us a remarkable cluster of the Damascene Plum. It resembled a bunch 
of Grapes, so closely were the fruits packed together, of which there 
were eighty on a length of stem of a shade over 5 inches. 
- A correspondent writes :—“ As an indoor decorative plant 
Begonia metallica must be described as invaluable, fur an excel¬ 
lent specimen of it cm now be seen in the heart of the Midland Black 
Country standing in the fireplace of a small house in the midst of Darla«- 
ton. Mr. Wilkes has had the plant in his room for several weeks in a 
darkiih place, and it could not be in better health if grown under glass.” 
- Royal Horticultural Society.—A t a meeting of the Fruit 
and Vegetable Committee, held at Chiswick on September 2nd, present ; 
John E. Lane, Esq., in the chair ; Messrs. Woodbridge, Norman, Smith, 
Saltmarsh, Paul, Burnett, Silverlock, and Miles, the collection of Potatoes 
growing in the Garden was examined, and on being cooked first-class 
certificates were awarded to the following varieties :— Ft/vie Flower (R. 
Farquhar, Aberdeen).—White kidney, rough skin, yellow flesh, medium 
size ; heavy cropper. Seedling A 1 (A, Harris, Woburn, Beds).—Large 
white kidney, smooth skin, white flesh ; good cropper. Bouncer (T. 
Laxton, Bedford).—White round, smooth skin, white flesh, very hand¬ 
some ; moderate cropper. Maggie (J. Murdoch, Rothiemay, N.B.)— 
Large white round, smooth skin, white flesh, deep eye ; very heavy 
cropper. 
- A correspondent asks “ What is the experience of growers of 
the Wilson Junior Blackberry? I got some plants when sent out, 
and I fail to see that it grows so freely and is as fruitful as the Lawton, 
and this does not give the same amount of fruit as the Parsley-leaved I 
have against the wall of a building. Wilson Jun. is certainly a fine 
large fruit, but the plants were so small when received that they take a 
long time to get strength enough for affording a profitable crop ; even the 
blackbirds seem tired of waiting. Surely this like many others is not 
taking the place it ought through over-propagation. Miserable bits that 
are scarcely the weight of the price in silver given for them is not the way 
to bring anything out.” 
- Our correspondent further states that “ Blackberries and 
Apples are excellent for mixing in tarts. The Blackberries impart a 
sweetness or relish similar to that of a handful of Raspberries to a quart 
of Red Currants. We consider either or both good, separately or together, 
and everyone can have them, as they will grow anywhere and might 
supplant the Nettles and rubbish only too common about homesteads.” 
- “ Foreman ” wonders “ Why Montbretia crocosmasflora 
is not more generally grown. It is very useful for decorative purposes, 
grown in 7-iuch pots, the foliage being like a small Gladiolus. The 
stems are 2 feet and more high, with long one-sided spikes of orange-red 
Gladiolus-like flowers, much larger than M. Pottsi. After two years’ 
trial it has proved very valuable for late summer display.” This plant is 
comparatively new, and will no doubt become popular when its merits as 
a late summer and autumn decorative plant are more fully known. 
- The same correspondent mentions, “ Gathering New York 
Violets by the gallon from plants planted in April a foot apart every 
way, mulched, and well watered during the hot weather. The fragrance 
is much appreciated now we have the house full of company for shooting, 
especially by the ladies. I consider New York the best for late summer 
and autumn flowering, with Da Parme to follow. Count Brazzia, White 
Neapolitan, is also very fine and much liked.” 
- “A. M.” finding Morello Cherries did not succeed on a 
north aspect, supplanted them with Currant*. He describes “Lee’s Pro¬ 
lific Black Currant as excellent, and hangs well. Carters’ Champion is 
very similar, if anything larger and better, and not liable to shrive 1 , but 
Baldwin’s is far the best. Hought m Castle Red is quite distinct from 
Victoria, but both are good, and they hang until the leaves fall if the 
birds are kept off with nets. I find it a better plan than matting bushe3 
in the open. La Versaillaise is a very large red. Of whites, Transparent 
is large and showy, but White La Versaillaise is very large. Those that 
like Red Currant and Rasp tart should grow October Red Raspberry, 
cutting the canes down to the ground in spring, and netting the row as 
soon as the fruit turns red, or the birds will have the harvest.” 
- A retired tradesman, who has his villa gay with Clematises, 
describes C. Henryi as a charming white, having large flowers of great 
substance ; in blues he finds none equalling Jackmanni. Trumpet Honey¬ 
suckles give a charm to the windows they twine round, the Clematises 
hanging in festoons over the door. 
- The same amateur punts to Apples of his own grafting on 
the Paradise in rows 3 feet apart, and 18 inches asunder, in the three 
summers’ growth from the graft laden with fruit—Lord Suflield, Lord 
Grosvenor, Stirling Castle, Hawthornden, Ecklinville Seedling, Winter 
Hawthornden, also Pears on the Quince of St. Switbin, Beacon, Fertility, 
Williams’ Bon Chietien, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Doyennb du Comice. 
Durondeau, and Josephine de Malines, averaging adiz n fruits each, and 
is quite proud of them, and well he may be, for they are very good. 
