October 2G, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
£71 
the aerial parts of the tree. Furnished with a rough brush or a 
scraper rub oif the moss, lichen, scales, and old bark which impede 
the regular action of the organs, and serve as a shelter for insects ; 
give also a good cleaning to all cracks, cavities, and canker spots. 
The stem and branchage being thus refreshed, a general bathing 
should complete the hygienic process. The whole should then 
receive a coating of lime mixed with sulphate of iron and a slight 
admixture of ochre and clay. 
Feeding. —In addition to the above we would recommend the 
following measures :—Clear away the earth around the tree to a 
distance of about a yard and a half, and excavate the soil to a 
sufficient depth, so as to expose the chief roots without injuring 
them. Fill in the trench with a compost taken from the kitchen 
garden or field, mixing with it decomposed night soil, river sand, 
sweepings, leaves, scraps, rags, pond or stable slops, and other 
animal and vegetable debris well reduced. Lastly, water copiously 
with liquid manure. This triple operation should be performed at 
one time—before the end of winter. When the sap has begun to 
rise in the spring it will be beneficial to work the soil, so as to 
admit the air, and trim up any little irregularities of growth.— 
Charles Baltet, Troyes. 
HELIOPSIS SCABRA MAJOR. 
This is a beautiful autumn-flowering composite, and one that will 
doubtless become a favourite in many gardens. Several bunches of 
blooms of Heliopsis scabra major were exhibited at a meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society on September 26th by Mr. B. Ladhams, 
High Street, Shirley, near Southampton, and for which the Floral 
Committee adjudged an award of merit. The deep yellow flowers are 
from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and have a slightly conical disc. For the 
embellishment of gardens this is a most desirable plant, which requires 
similar treatment to the perennial Sunflower. Fig. 55 represents the 
flowers. 
SUCCESSFUL LEEK CULTURE. 
Leeks are favourite vegetables in many British gardens, but 
their culture does not generally receive the attention it merits in 
the South of England, for of all the Onion family a well grown 
Leek is one of the most wholesome and delicious we can have upon 
the table. In Scotland Leeks are cultivated with a considerable 
share of success, in fact their importance is recognised in gardens 
of all sizes, and either there or in the northern counties of England 
can this vegetable be seen in perfection. With the counties of 
Durham and Northumberland we are most concerned in the present 
article, because in few districts is so much interest taken in Leek 
culture as there, especially in the Valley of the Tyne and the 
immediate neighbourhood of Newcastle and Gateshead. During 
the concluding weeks of September and throughout October scores 
of shows are held there entirely devoted to displays of this 
vegetable, where hundreds of growers meet in friendly rivalry to 
test the respective merits of their products. For a period of 
several weeks considerable excitement reigns, the successes of well- 
known growers form the chief subject of conversation, and the 
qualities of the winning exhibits are most keenly criticised. 
Much interest is imparted to these shows by the fact that the 
prizes almost invariably consist of articles useful for the homes of 
the competitors, and as on the day of the show all the prizes are 
displayed in the room they alone furnish an exhibition of an 
exceptional character. They comprise elaborately ornamented 
clocks, tea and dinner services, silver teapots, copper kettles (in 
great abundance, as this is a favourite prize), blankets, silver 
spoons and pipes. Sometimes a money prize is offered as the first 
award, or it may appear in the notices very temptingly but 
indefinitely as “ a purse of money.” Every exhibit receives a 
prize, and sometimes as many as 130 are thus awarded. 
It may be imagined that the task of the judges is not exactly a 
sinecure, when it is stated that the exhibits have all to be arranged 
in strict order of merit from 1 to_ 130, the value of the prizes 
being graduated in proportion. The work must be performed 
with the greatest possible care, as every one of the competitors is 
no mean judge of what a good exhibition Leek should be, and 
requires ocular evidence why No. 99 is placed before No. 100. If 
the necessary difference cannot be discerned the discussion amongst 
these hardy north countrymen becomes rather lively, and the judges 
would find it more convenient ^o be out of the way. In the south 
of England judges of great experience frequently complain of the 
difficulty they find in selecting five or six prizewinners from twenty 
exhibitors, but what would they say if they had to award 
100 prizes in order of merit ? The task seems to be almost 
impossible, and no doubt there are sometimes cases open to 
question, but these are rare, and as a rule when competent Leek 
judges are employed, and they have plenty of time for their work 
(they sometimes take three or four hours), there is little cause for 
complaint. 
Three Leeks are invariably required from each exhibitor, and 
the utmost endeavour is made to obtain these exactly alike in 
appearance, length of blanching, and diameter. It is common to 
see specimens as much alike as if they had been cast in one mould, 
pure white, 12 to 15 inches long, and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. 
The principal show is held in Bensham during October, and for the 
three days the place is visited by thousands of men, some of whom 
come a considerable distance, and at night the crowd is so great 
that they have to be let in by batches, the approaches are blocked 
with visitors, and constables are especially appointed to regulate 
the traffic. 
The majority of men engaged in this work are cottagers, 
pitmen, mechanics and other workers in the district. The method 
of culture is especially interesting as showing what can be 
accomplished by close care and attention by men who had no 
training in gardening, and who often know little respecting it 
beyond this matter. They make it a hobby, however, like the 
Gooseberry growers of Lancashire, and with more useful results, for 
one of these prize Leeks, or indeed any of them, is an important 
article of food where good vegetables are never too abundant. 
All the principal growers save seed from their best selections, 
and each therefore has a special strain of his own with which he 
will not readily part, and which he considers to surpass all others 
in some characters that he can readily point out. 
The seed is sown early in the year, usually at the end of January, 
during February, or a little later. It is only from the earliest 
