May 7, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
871 
and when all possibilities seemed within our reach. Then as to Reading, 
my recollection of it does not date so far bach, but I well remember a 
visit I paid many yea’-s ago to Mr. Hoyle, the raiser of so many fine 
Show Pelargoniums, while my acquaintance with the members of the 
great house of Sutton & Sons has led me many times to spend pleasant 
and profitable days. Yet never has Reading been connected in my mind 
with the Auricula until of late years ; indeed, I do not think that the 
oldest inhabitant could tell of a grower of Auriculas there, though I believe 
that Chapman—the raiser of a flower which for beauty of body colour 
has never been excelled, “ Maria ”—lived somewhere in the neighbour- 
hoo<l. 
Of late years, however, Reading has made its mark in the Auricula 
world, and especially has this year brought it into prominence. Having, 
then, an opportunity of visiting these two homes of the Auricula I gladly 
availed myself of it, and now report a few things which may be interest¬ 
ing to the lover of the flower. 
There is one great advantage in the present style of Auricula grow¬ 
ing which makes such visits much more agreeable. Formerly when I used 
to go through the Slough collection it was a great labour for John Ball to 
be lifting and holding up the lights of the frames while I looked in, 
and then if any plant had to be examined further trouble was occasioned, 
while, should the day prove stormy or wet, there was no getting at them 
in any way. The Auriculas at Slough are now contained in a house 
somewhere about 50 feet in length, wdth stages about 4 feet wide on 
each side, the walk being in the centre of the span-roofed structure. 
One side of this and half the other is filled with Alpine Auriculas, of which 
Mr. Turner is the most successful and celebrated raiser, the best varieties in 
growth having come from this establishment ; but as I have often said, 
I cannot get up an enthusiasm for these flowers, which seem to me so 
vulgar in comparison with the Show varieties with their delicacy and refine¬ 
ment. I have more than once thought I would grow them, but it has 
always ended in their being relegated to the borders. The stock of 
Auriculas is large, as well it might be, as he is the only grower for sale 
in the South of England, but no one must expect to find such plants here 
as are to be seen in a private collection, for the simple reason that 
they are for sale, and if a buyer offers a g od price for them, why go 
they must. As the space is heated the plants were well in flower, con¬ 
sidering the backwardness of the season, for it is needless to say that 
the house in which they are grown is heated. There was a good stock 
of many valuable varieties, notably George Lightbody, which is said in 
many places to be losing, vigour and to be difficult to keep. 
I may say in passing that the nursery seems in all respects to be up 
to its high mark—Pelargoniums, Azaleas, pot Rosas, and especially 
Carnations and Picotees being in fine condition. For these latter a new 
house is being put up, which will be a grand sight in the blooming 
season. It has with many Carnation growers been a disastroirs season, 
but the stock here is as extensive and as healthy as ever. 
Widely different was the garden of Mr. Henwood in Hamilton Road, 
Reading, but just such a spot as the Auricula lover delights to visit. A 
small back garden not containing many square feet, with nothing what¬ 
ever to give it an advantage over any of its neighbours, has here been 
made the home of a flower dearly loved by its owner ; and as love con¬ 
quers all things quite as much as labour does, so the love borne by Mr. 
Henwood for his favourite flower has, combined with intelligence and 
skill, enabled him to overcome any difficulty, and in this back court 
garden to grow plants which have raised him to the foremost place 
amongst exhibitors. 
When Mr. Henwood about eight years ago set himself to grow 
Auriculas he went the right way about it by declining to grow any 
but the best varieties he could procure, and hence his collection, 
although small, is one of the most select I have seen. The house in 
which he grows them is of very diminutive proportions in comparison 
with those one has seen in other places—not more than 10 feet long, a 
span roof wdth a central path and a stage on each side. He has a small 
Loughborough boiler, and although he has not u.sed it very much yet 
it has been sufficient to bring on his flowers in time for the show, 
which he otherwise could not have accomplished. One side of the house is 
devoted to Alpines, but I should not be surprised if the Show varieties 
gradually trsurped their place, and although he has been as successful 
in growing these as he has in the Show section, yet I can see that his love 
for these wdll some day or other absorb all his affection. 
Of the Show varieties he has only about 120 flowering plants, and 
I think very few, on looking down the stages at the Show at the 
Drill Hall on April 22nd and read in class after class “ First prize Mr. 
Henwood,” could believe that it was all done by so limited a number of 
plants; but the wonder abates a little when you find he has half a dozen 
plants of Mrs. Potts and nine of Heroine and F. D. Horner, and that it 
is only the very best varieties which are admitted. We inferior mortals 
who content ourselves with Traill’s Beauty, Lord of Lome, Topsy, 
Imperator, «fcc., can only look on and admire; but all the i good 
varieties in the world would not gain him the position he has acquired 
were their growth not directed by one who thoroughly understands 
them, studies their idiosvncracies and tastes, and acts accordingly. We 
had of course much conversation about the various kinds grown, and our 
opinions very much coincided. Thus in green edges he believes in Rev. 
F. D. Horner to hold the first place, and his blooms of this fine variety 
arc in excellent order ; and as Headly associated his friend’s name with 
his own, and Headiv’s George Lightbody will ever be connected, so has 
“ Ben ” associated his friend’s name, and it will be a long time before a 
green edge will be associated with himself, and Simonite’s F. D Horner 
will record their work for many a year to come. All other green edges, 
even those, of the highest character, are defective ; and the newer one has 
this advantage, its better growth and stronger constitution. He, however, 
grows both Colonel Taylor and Prince of Greens. Monarch he looks 
upon as a decided failure. There were two plants of it in bloom, 
but they were both defective, the body colour being too heavy and the 
peta’s having a very queer habit of frilling, if I may so call it, which 
spoils their symmetry. Of grey edges he had, no doubt, no more than 
all Auricula growers, that George Lightbody has the highest place, and 
is likely to hold. He had a good opinion of George Rudd, but as I hope to 
say a word about Mr. Woodhead’s varieties at some future time it is 
needless to say more now; 
In white edges Read’s Acme holds, I think, the first place in his 
estimation, but he thinks very highly of Woodhead’s Mrs. Dodwell, of 
which he had some fine blooms, and plants of which he exhibited so 
well at the National. Conservative is good, but it has its defects ; the 
edge is often too undecided, and it is difficult to get a good truss of it, as 
it breaks up into stock. John Simonite he also thinks very highly of, 
but it is difficult to get, and more difficult still to keep. 
As to seifs Mrs. Potts holds the premier place in his estimation, 
followed very closely by Heroine, and then by Woodhead’s Black Bess. 
It was not a good year for Heroine, and many of the pips were malformecf, 
while in most cases Mrs. Potts was true to character. 
There were many other matters concerning the Auricula we talked 
about, and could have gone on, but Mr. Henwood is a busy man, and 
had to be off to attend to things not quite so captivating as Auriculas. 
He is an enthusiastic grower, and I have no doubt will maintain the 
position he has won.—D., Deal, 
FRUIT GROWING IN INDIA—THE MANGO. 
A SHORT time ago (says the Madras limes') we drew attention in 
these columns to the importance, generally, of encouraging the cultiva¬ 
tion of fruit trees in this country as an industry, and on the present 
occasion we propose to deal with it more specifically by entering in 
greater detail into how it should be done, and the varieties most suitable 
for a commencement. In the forefront of all Indian fruit trees wm will 
place the Mango; not only on account of its being most generally 
growm all over the country, but also because it is the one fruit tree in 
which the natives of India really take an interest. Those who have not 
had opportunities of tasting good Mangoes, have a notion that this fruit 
is like so much tow and turpentine. A more erroneous idea never was 
entertained ; it would be as accurate to conclude that the characteristics 
of the Crab Apple are those that distinguish all the varieties of the 
Apple in England. Even the fibrous uncultivated Mango very often has 
a most exquisite flavour, but the only way to enjoy it is to do as the. 
native does and suck it 1 ' There are Mangoes of all shapes, sizes, colours, 
and varieties, and they flourish all over India. Some years ago a scheme 
was submitted to the Government of the N.W. Provinces for the 
establishment of a Mango Society, with the object of studying and 
tabulating the varieties of this fine fruit; of making coloured drawings 
of them ; of forming an extensive orchard where all the known choice 
descriptions might be collected, propagated, and distributed ; and for 
learning by experiments the best ways of cultivating and improving 
them from seed. The proposal unfortunately did not meet with the 
approval of Government, and fell into abeyance. Attempts were then, 
made amongst native gentlemen to promote the idea, but met with no 
support. The following instance illustrates the light in which some 
minds regard philanthropy. A certain collector of choice varieties 
possessed a rare specimen, for a few grafts of which he was asked for 
planting in a public garden. His reply was that he could not think of 
parting with cuttings of his unique specimen, as it would at once be 
propagated and diffused and so become common. His one idea was to 
jealouslv guard what he had, instead of permitting his fellow men to 
participate in its production. 
In the “ Flora of British India ” about twenty distinct species of 
Mangifera are described, and it is stated that there are about thirty in 
all. There is, therefore, a fine field for horticultural societies in India 
for their further development. Bengal, Bombay, Madras, and the 
N.W. Provinces can produce quite fifty different varieties, all well 
worth sending to Europe, in place of the wretched specimens from the 
West Indies now to be found in the London shops. In Madras we have 
the celebrated Salem and Bangalore Mangoes ; in Bombay the Alphonso, 
the Pairee, and the Fernandina are grown ; whilst in Benares the Singra, 
and in Fattegarh the Takari are of delicious flavour. In India Mangoes 
are always plucked when still unripe, and allowed to mature in straw. 
This habit might easily be taken advantage of for export, and large 
quantities could be transported to Europe in specially prepared cool 
chambers. Since Australia can successfully send fresh fruits to 
England, there is no reason why Bombay, which is but half the distance, 
should not do the same ; and the trade once started would certainly 
prove remunerative enough to cause a large extension of operations to 
America and Australia. There is, moreover, room for an extensive trade 
between Northern India and Bombay. A comparison of prices shows 
that whilst in the latter place good Mangoes at the commencement of 
the season sell at 16 rupees per dozen, and at the height of the season at, 
8 rupees or 9 rupees per 100, the choicest Mangoes of the N.W. Provinces 
may be bought at 4 rupees per 100. The rail journey occupies undec 
forty hours, and these facts only require to be known to create a trade. 
It is always difficult to initiate anything in India without Government 
support, but if Government would but see fit to move in the matter, 
say by inaugurating a show to be held in Bombay, there is little doub) 
