December 14, 1893 ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
627 
Nothing is at present more gladdening to my vision than the 
picture presented by this marvellous flower, surviving the fiercest 
influence of the recent frosts, and fearlessly confronting with all its 
gentle beauty the cruel northern blasts. 
Hardly less consoling to the worshipper of Nature amid the 
storms of winter are the Aconite and the Snowdrop, the latter of 
which, as if resolved to become the predecessor of the former this 
season, is already above the ground. It will, I anticipate, be in 
flower in my garden at least a month earlier than it was last year. 
Another gem which promises to bloom prematurely is Sutton’s 
Anemone, somewhat resembling A. fulgens (better known as the 
Scarlet Windflower) in appearance, but of larger dimensions and 
more lustrous hue. It is, I can certify, a very distinct develop¬ 
ment, and a precious acquisition. The Glory of the Snow 
(Chionodoxa Luciliae) has not yet announced its ever-welcome 
advent, probably because I planted it so late. But, on the other 
hand, I have already flowers not too large or lustrous on Helle- 
borus niger, the Christmas Rose. I am not without hope that as 
the season advances these will improve. 
Roses have lasted for a long time this year. I cut my last 
bouquet, and a 'splendid one it was, on the 14th of November, 
from Baroness Rothschild, Pride of Waltham (also the pride of 
Kirkmaiden Manse), Ella Gordon, Jeannie Dickson, an Irish 
beauty, derived from the venerable Baroness and Marie Finger, 
and combining the characteristics of both ; Perle des Jardins, well 
worthy of such a name ; Prince Arthur, a darker and more velvety 
G^neralJacqueminot, and a native of Colchester ; and the snow- 
white pendulous Souvenir de S. A. Prince. If this certificate in 
favour of those exquisite varieties of the Rose is not absolutely 
eloquent or impressive in expression, it is at least sincere.— 
David R. Williamson. 
SAXIFRAGA BITERNATA. 
This fine species is seldom met with, though it cannot be con¬ 
sidered a new plant. It belongs to the section Nephrophyllum, of 
which the best known representative is the common S. granulata. 
All the species composing this section are deciduous, and of a more or 
less bulbiferous habit. S. biternata has, as will be seen from the 
accompanying engraving (fig. 76) very distinct biternate leaves, which 
form fine tufts of bright green colour. The flowers are pure white, 
comparatively large, and are borne on short stalks. Like the other 
members of the section, S. biternata prefers a damp shady position in 
sandy peaty soil. It is a native of Spain and Algeria. The illustration 
has been prepared from a plant that flowered in the Royal Gardens, 
Kew, last spring.—A. B. 
THE FRUIT KEEPING QUESTION. 
I CANNOT at all bring my mind to the same conclusion on this 
matter as Mr. Iggulden (page 437), Mr. Cheal, and Mr. Pearson 
(page 488) have brought theirs. Nothing is easier than to set 
up a theory and to sustain it, even though it may be radically 
incorrect, when we are faced by a problem that it is difficult to 
solve. One speciality of all the large fruits soft and thin of 
texture that have been found so abundantly this season, and then 
have so suddenly collapsed, is that so far from being filled to 
overflowing with sap, they have all been exceptionally lacking in 
sap or juice. What proof is there furnished that there has been 
any such rush of sap as is here referred to ? Has any grower 
found this autumn that trees have made unusual wood growth 
because of this “ overflow of sap ?” or, to accommodate this pleasing 
theory, did it all concentrate its rush into the fruits and not into 
the wood ? All plant physiology tells us that the leafage is the 
great sap-attracting force, and that did this rush after the autumn 
rains but have taken place then we must have seen it evidenced in 
an unusual autumn wood growth. That, however, was not so. 
There was nothing at all abnormal in the wood growth of fruit 
trees anywhere this autumn, but there is ample evidence that this 
sudden collapse of fruit began before the autumn rains occurred. 
“N. H. P.” (page 508), also oddly enough jumps to the sap 
theory conclusions with a real rush. “ Pears, the early ones, have 
been the greatest trial ; gathered one day they seemed to be decayed 
the next,” this, too, long before we had any considerable rainfall. 
If the early Pears before rain came thus went, is there anything 
remarkable that the later ones followed suit as speedily ? Then 
what does he say about late Apples? “These are keeping well,” 
and yet if the rush of sap theory is to have effect, these should, 
having to endure so much more of it, have suffered equally with the 
others. 
There were some localities where prior to Apples and Pears being 
gathered there was not enough of rainfall to influence the roots. 
In these districts the fruits have gone as early and as badly, if 
not worse, than where there was early and heavy rainfall. Depend 
upon it we have not in our fruit suffered from the autumn rains. 
Their influence on the fruits were inappreciable. The impression 
seems to be that roots are like a sponge, which sucks up every drop 
of water speedily. No evidence has been afforded that roots did 
anything of the sort in the autumn, and indeed there is no proof 
that the autumn rains, those prior to the end of September, were 
anywhere in sufficient force to reach the roots of trees, or to 
materially influence them. The bulk of the heavier rains came in 
October, and then the greater portion of our finest Apples and 
Pears had been gathered. No doubt the abnormal heat and drought 
of the season has wrought all the trouble. Through lack of root 
FIG. 76.— SAXIFRAGA BITERNATA. 
moisture the fruits were imperfectly formed, they lacked juice and 
substance. They more resembled forced Apples and Pears in 
texture and in method of production. We may grope as in darkness 
after shadows, as a drowning man catch at straws, but we shall 
never be able to escape from the conclusion that not the refreshmg 
autumn rains, but the abnormal heat and drought which preceded 
is the cause of all our hardy fruit troubles.—A. D., Surrey. 
In reference to the remarks of Mr. Iggulden (page 437) I have 
looked over the fruit room, and find our large collection (some 200 
varieties) on the whole keeping well. It must be borne in mind 
that this year we are at least four weeks earlier than usual in the 
ripening of nearly all fruits ; and, as a natural result, the August 
and September kinds of Apples are nearly all past, though in an 
ordinary year we keep them till January. Potts’ Seedling, Ringer, 
Cellini, Professor, and Manks Codlin, are still good and sound, also 
the Old Hawthornden ; but the extra sixe fruit of the large-growing 
