October 7, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
315 
Walburton Admirable, and Salwey. Barrington is ripe now, and Walbnr- 
ton Admirable will be ready in a fortnight or bo if the weather is favour¬ 
able, but if it is not I question very much if many of the fruit will 
mature. Last year many of them were so late that they did not ripen 
well and were poor in flavour, and the Salwey failed altogether to come 
to maturity. This variety is again bearing a good crop, but from the 
appearance of the fruit now I am sure they will never ripen. This will 
he three years in succession it has failed to ripen. The aspect is south¬ 
east, the position a veTy warm sheltered one, and if it ripens anywhere it 
ought to ripen here ; but I am of opinion that it is only in exceptional 
instances that it will ripen, the rule being that it never gains maturity, 
and were I planting Peaches again the Salwey, which is said to be the 
latest of all Peaches, would not be included. I would also advise those 
who are planting Peaches, and wishing to introduce this one for an extra 
late crop, to ascertain if it is likely to ripen with them, as it is very dis¬ 
appointing to have a tree bearing a crop of fruit which will never mature 
or be of any use.—J. Muir, Margam Park, S. Wales. 
THOUGHTS ON CURRENT TOPICS. 
“ Utilitarian ” gave on page 251 a capital reply to my observations 
on growing Apples for market against walls. I did not think it could 
pay to build walls for Apples ; but removing useless Ivy from a wall and 
growing on the vacated space splendid Apples for the decoration of shop 
windows is another matter entirely. There are acres of blank walls, 
or walls encumbered with useless trees and plants, that might be turned 
to profitable account if covered with healthy fruit trees of approved 
varieties, and, in my opinion, the simplest, cheapest, and quickest method 
of furnishing them is by planting strong maiden trees about 2 feet apart, 
or rather less, and training them as cordons—-upright at first to encourage 
free growth, then obliquely to check exuberance and incite fruitfulness. 
Your correspondent is quite right as to Apples of exceptional merit 
finding ready buyers at “ fancy ” prices. I did not think of that before. 
No one can think of everything; but I know, which is better than 
thinking, of a cultivator who sells Apples and Pears every year for 6d. 
each for shop-dressing. They are magnificent specimens, the result of 
thinning, mulching, and watering ; indeed, the same care is bestowed on 
them as is devoted to the production of prize Grapes. With a judicious 
selection of varieties of fruit, and higher culture, the standard of value 
would soon be raised. It is deplorable to see the rubbish that is poured 
into our markets, and humilitating to find American produce preferred to 
our own. Lord Egerton is right. The only way we can exist is by pro¬ 
ducing “ better things than other countries,” so far as our means allow, 
and they are quite sufficient to enable us to cope with all comers in the 
supply of useful hardy fruit, if we will but turn them to the best account. 
1 willingly admit that “ Utilitarian ” has got the best of it in this crossing 
of swords on growing Apples instead of Ivy on walls, and sending fruit to 
retail vendors, for which they are glad to give a fancy price for a special 
purpose. 
I would not, however, have your correspondent think that in making 
the above admission I am afraid of “catching a Tartar twice.” I am 
equally ready to agree or disagree, as occasion requires, and am quite 
willing to take the consequences. I did not agree with bis recommenda¬ 
tion of Oullins Golden as a market Plum. I have grown this PJum, and 
seen it grown by others, and taking the average value of the produce over 
a series of ten years, am not able to regard it as profitable. “ Utilitarian ” 
thinks I may find bis “ next selections” more to my taste. These have 
now appeared. He names many good Plums for market, probably too 
many, for a number of names bewilder. The Americans who are pressing 
us so hardly in supplying our markets, not with Plums but Apples, are 
wiser than we are. It is a characteristic of English growers to grow too 
many varieties, and too few trees of each, whereas our transatlantic com¬ 
petitors grow few varieties and many of each. They can thus send 
choice fruit of uniform quality by tons, and it is this uniformity of 
excellence that tells so heavily. I fail to see much utilitarianism in 
recommending upwards of thirty varieties of Plums for market. If all 
those named on pp. 199—208 were planted on an acre of land, another 
acre on the same field being occupied with the following—Rivers’ Early 
Prolific, Czar, Gishorne’s, Denyer’s Victoria, and the Crittenden Damson 
—I suspect the short selection would be more profitable than the long 
one. The maintenance of a long supply in private gardens is quite 
another matter, and I think our market guide must have forgotten the 
heading of his chapters. 
Our friend also appears to have got a trifle mixed over the Pears ; he 
first, on page 175, eschewed varieties that were not good in size and 
appearance ; he thus omits the good old Windsor Pear, which has “ made 
more money” during the last few weeks than any other except Wdliams’ 
Bon Chrfitien, and then goes on to recommend smaller sorts sti'l, including 
the Swan’s Egg, the rich little Seckle, and the poor and poor-looking 
Beurrd Capiaumont. I am so unfortunate, too, as not to understand his 
selection of Apples. For “extensive cultivation” he recommends among 
dessert sorts the Queen, which is a culinary Apple—at least, the Queen of 
the “ Fruit Manual ” is, and it is of the same type as Cox’s Pomona. In 
his limited selection of “Apples for any purpose” we find Blenheim 
Pippin and Cobham; but why both ? The former is a slow bearer, the 
latter much quicker and equally fine. In its true form it is one of the 
finest of Apples; but it is said that everybody has not the true stock. 
Plant Blenheims on the Crab, and it is dreary waiting for a crop; the 
Cobham is an earlier and more abundant bearer, and the fruit, if any¬ 
thing, finer, being as a rule larger and better coloured. Emperor 
Alexander is too light, Lord Derby much overweighting it, and Lane’s 
Prince Albert is far more profitable than the Loidingtnn, which is a bad 
grower, and “cankers to death” in some soils. “ Utilitarian ” has, I 
think, let his fancy play too freely in his fruit “ for market” series, and, 
whtther I hook a “ Tartar” or not, I venture on this gentle criticism n 
the interest of intending planters who ought, I think, to hear both side? 
of the question on a matter of such importance a? purchasing fruit trees 
for supplying the markets with the most and the best fruit in the shortest 
time. I know every Apple your correspondent names except one, and 
that is Yorkshire Beauty, which.he places second in his list of four select 
early culinary sorts—namely, Keswick Codlio, York-hire Beauty, Duchess 
of Oldenburgh, and Worcester Pearmain, this latter, by the way, being 
usually grown and sold for dessert purposes. Can anyone give further 
particulars about the Yorkshire Beauty ? 
I SAID go much last year about the cause of the Madresfield Court 
Grape cracking, and brought such a hornet’s nest about my ears, that I 
have been content to let others express their opinions and experience. 
The weight of evidence is overwhelming as to an excess of moisture in 
the air being far more destructive than moisture in the soil, and further 
experience will confirm this fact. The fruit will split in a close and too 
moist atmosphere, no matter how dry the roots of the Vines may be, and 
it will not split when the atmosphere of the house is properly managed 
if the roots are in a moist outside border. When the endosmosic principle 
is called into violent action, the tender skin of this excellent Grape is 
bound to be ruptured, all assertions to the contrary notwithstanding. 
The redoubtable Mr. Iggulden has turned up again on the trenching 
question, and has been amusing himself with “ cracking the nut ” of a 
“ Kentish Gardener.” I find no fault with the article on page 249. It is 
very good and suggestive. The cold adhesive soil of Marston is evidently 
better with shallow culture and the manure pretty near the surface, for 
the reason that the sun cannot warm the soil to any great depth, and 
there can be no free growth in a cold medium, however rich in plant food 
it may be. But soils of a different nature, and they largely prevail, 
cannot be worked profitably on the scratching system, and not a few 
gardens are rendered doubly productive by a well-considered and properly 
conducted method of trenching. Your correspondent appears to be 
enjoying a sly chuckle because his problem is not solved as to why 
Lettuces and Kidney Beans grow better on ridges thrown up between 
Celery rows, and this, too, in the “ hottest weather.” It i? because there 
is a greater depth of good soil than on the level, and the thrifty plants 
prove, not disprove, the value of trenching when rightly done. The soil 
is warmer, too, than when on the level, and the roots of plants are then 
certain to find the food, a “double dose” of which is provided for their 
sustenance. No better evidence of the wisdom of increasing the depth of 
good soil could be adduced than that which appears to be advanced 
to show the practice wrong. That is my method of “ cracking the nut ” 
of Mr. Iggulden, and I trust a “Kentish Gardener” will excuse me for 
“ trenching ” on his ground. 
I SEE our active-minded mentor has been revelling in ancient history) 
and found an opportunity for a cut at the late Donald Beaton. It is wel' 
for his ardent critic that the grand old gardener is not alive. He was> 
I believe, right as regards Melons. I have the misfortune to taste a few 
hundreds yearly, and, as a rule, for there are exceptions, the 2 lbs. fruits 
are the best. It has been notably so this year, and I may mention, as a 
matter of fact, that I have found no variety so uniformly good as Hero of 
Lockinge. The hint that healthy plants are essential for superior fruit is 
an excellent one, and should be remembered ; if the foliage fails before the 
fruit ripens high quality is out of the question. 
As tr tasting Tomatoes, which he advocates, in judging, Mr. Iggulden 
appears to know the best without tasting, and he tells us to which varie¬ 
ties “ preference should be given.” I know those he names. Carter’s Per¬ 
fection and Orangefield, are good, but a first-rate cultivator, and a great 
connoisseur, prefers Nisbet’s Yictoiia to either, and a dish of the small 
Pear-shaped fruits are highly attractive. The plants bear abundantly, 
and I am inclined to recommend this variety for trial among others for 
dessert purposes. By the way, I always thought Mr. Iggulden was a 
married man, but he tells us he was the only “single” individual in a 
railway carriage who refused a raw Tomato ; and he “ civilised,” too 1 
Yes, it is surely well for him old Donald has gone to the better 
land. 
I HAVE always been an admirer, almost a worshipper, of the old 
hardy Fuchsias as referred to by Mr. Lynch. They grew in an old 
baronial garden, huge bushes, some of them, bearing myriads of flowers 
that sparkled in the sunlight. I am not sure that it was not these 
Fuchsias that made me a gardener. I know I could not rest till 1 pos¬ 
sessed some of them many long years ago, and they are now the favourite 
flowers of one who is very dear to me, for, unlike Mr Tggulden, I am 
happily not “ single,” and am fortunate in possessing a few, but not quite 
all of those named on pages 266 7. I should prize the little collection of 
Mr. Lynch more than all the gems of Swanley. Of course Mr. Cannell 
will think there is something the matter with me, but I cannot help that. 
When I read the rhapsodies in his catalogue over his “ peifect” flowers, 
I sometimes think he is a trifle “overcome;” never tend, he communi¬ 
cates his love for flowers to others over all the world, and has done, ard 
is doing, a good work. 
