14 
■JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 5, 1893. 
mentioned are very popular; but regarding Elaine 1 have heard expressions 
of disapproval from market men lately who complain that it cannot be 
keptfor any length of time without showing its eye. This looks like 
rank treason, but several growers have freely expressed in my hearing 
their intention of growing it in less bulk, and replacing it to some 
extent by Madame Louis Leroy. I should think them likely to alter 
their views, for no Chrysanthemum secures better prices than Elaine, 
and if I were asked to name the premier market white, I should consider 
this variety’s claims superior to all others. 
After these the midseason varieties are in request to carry on the 
supply. They are somewhat numerous, and it will be sufficient to name 
some of the most popular. Amongst them can be seen Stanstead White, 
Sunflower, Mr. Geo. Rundle, Mons. Astorg, Fair Maid of Guernsey, 
Jardin des Plantes. Chevalier Domage, Cullingfordi, Victor Lemoine, and 
La Belle Jaune. A little later we find Madame C. Audiguier, Putney 
George, Lady Margaret, and Fleur de Marie. The last two, with La 
Marguerite, are in most demand among the Anemone-flowered section. 
Putney George is a good variety for selling, as the colour is very effective, 
and the shape and form somewhat unique. Cullingfordi is the most 
extensively grown crimsoo, and a market grower’s collection can scarcely 
be said to be complete without it. The public taste would appear to be 
a little difficult to please in the matter of crimson Chrysanthemums. 
Probably the majority of buyers prefer shades of pink, yellow, or white, 
and nothing but a very superior form of crimson will tempt them. I 
have seen other varieties of this type tried, notably Edouard Audiguier 
and Mons. Bernard, but they failed to establish their position. The 
foregoing include most of the leading varieties in use by the market 
grower, excepting the late flowering ones. In thus indicating the 
principles which govern the market supply, 1 am aware that I have not 
compiled an entirely complete list. Nor is such a list possible, for 
individual taste and local considerations cause a wide divergence of 
opinion in selection and culture. Many growers show a preference for 
the incurved varieties, but the Japanese are the principal favourites. 
Before I leave this part of my subject I should add Avalanche, Peter the 
Great, Golden Thread, and Mrs. J. Wright. 
Late Chrysanthemums secure good prices, and they are in brisk 
demand previous to Christmas. Ethel and its yellow sport Mrs. Jones 
are capital for furnishing a late supply. Princess Teck is also useful in 
this respect. The apricot-coloured Golden Gem, Mrs. C. Carey (white), 
and Hero of Stoke Newington (pink) are other good late sorts. 'To these 
may be added Meg Merrilies and its yellow sport Ralph Brocklebank. 
The two last named are generally grown, the one failing, as far as I can 
see, and which is common to both, being an extreme partiality to mildew. 
Singles are represented by Admiral Symonds and Pompons by Snowdrop 
and its yellow sport. 
New varieties have generally ceased to be such by the time they 
reach the flower market. A market man near me grows Louis Boehmer 
and Ada Spaulding, but I think such is exceptional. If I were inclined 
to prophesy I should not find it difficult to predict that Beauty of Ex¬ 
mouth and Colonel Smith will eventually be utilised largely for the 
purpose under consideration.— Enfieldian. 
DISCUSSION ON APPLES. 
Too Many Vaeieties. 
“J. A. W.” (page 500, last vol.) is right in saying there are too 
many varieties of Apples in cultivation, but has he not himself given 
too long a list of those “ we really cannot do without ? ” Soil and 
situation are important factors in the question, and with many sorts it 
is difficult to say without trial whether they will suit the locality. It 
seems to be a good plan to try a variety of sorts at first. If good fruiting 
pyramids on Paradise are planted, and carefully attended to, two or 
three years will generally give a good idea of what will be the successful 
sorts to plant in larger quantities. It is a great pity to make a mistake 
and plant sorts which will not answer. Another point is this : With 
the present “ boom ” in Apple-planting, it seems likely that in a few 
years Apples will be very cheap up to January, and I prophesy that many 
persons will heartily wish they could change their October and 
November trees for others with the keeping powers of Bramley’s Seed¬ 
ling, Lane’s Prince Albert, or Wellington. It is the man who has a 
good Apple room still fairly stored wflth sound fruit in March who 
begins to feel paid for his labour and expense. 
De. Haevey. 
The same correspondent is quite right as to Dr. Harvey. Throughout 
the large county of Suffolk it is one of the best known Apples, and for 
a non-keeper a very good one too. It is generally best to go in for the 
local Apple, as well as the local breed of cow or sheep in a district, not 
only because they are more ready of sale as better known, but also 
because it is generally a case of survival of the fittest, and the result of 
accumulated experience. We have just finished two or three sacks of 
Dr. Harvey to the satisfaction of all concerned ; every fruit was good, 
of uniformly good size, and capital for all cooking purposes. The tree is 
easily distinguished at some distance, as it has often a semi-weeping 
habit, and in many cases a single fruit hangs on the end of a slender 
shoot almost like a golden ball of a pendulum. I wonder they are not 
more knocked about by wind than they are.— W. R. Raillem. 
A Plethoea of Vaeieties. 
A MOST important subject has been opened up under the above 
heading, and I endorse most of the remarks of Mr. J. Watkins, page 533. 
There appears to be an erroneous opinion as to the number of varieties 
of Apples that are grown for market in the United States and in 
Canada. I have heard it stated many times that only a few are grown, 
but in a list before me of Apples consigned to a large firm in Liverpool 
I find over sixty distinct varieties ; and in another list, received a short 
time ago, over eighty varieties were named. This does not include 
many barrels marked as samples and unnamed. 
Much has been said about our imitating American growers in 
marketing our Apples. The only thing I see worth copying is the care 
in grading. The fact that many barrels are described as “slack” or 
“ slack and wet ” indicate something wrong. No doubt the enormous 
importations of Apples lowers the value of home-grown produce ; but it 
is an absolute fact that good home-grown Apples, honestly packed and 
properly graded, will realise more than the best American fruit from 
the market point of view. 
I thought the collection of Apples staged by Mr. J. Watkins the most 
instructive and interesting in the Hereford Show. The twenty-five 
varieties were all suited for market in the majority of districts, and it 
would be very difficult to state which evoked the greatest interest—the 
market, culinary, dessert, or best flavoured dessert collection—each one 
having a group of specially interested people round it. This being the 
case, I fail to see how the increasing numbers of varieties are to be 
reduced. Personally, I would not plant more than half a dozen for 
market, but there are hundreds who plant Apple trees for their own 
pleasure or table, and they also like to test varieties for their own 
gratification. Again, some kinds of Apples which fail or are very 
inferior at one place, are just the reverse at another. As a case in 
point, the Northern Spy will scarcely grow or fruit here, yet it does 
well in other districts, as proved by some grand dishes of it at Earl’s 
Court Exhibition. Lady Henniker is far from good here, but it is a 
splendid Apple in many places. I could name many others which 
behave in the same manner. I think it would be a great mistake to 
generally condemn any variety for the reason stated.— S. T. Weight, 
Glewston Court, Ross. 
Apple Noetheen Spy. 
The fruits of the above which I exhibited at the Aquarium, and 
referred to by “ A. D.” (page 500, last vol.) were grown as he thought on 
an ordinary bush tree on the Paradise stock. The tree is growing in a 
very exposed situation, and the soil is a stiff cold clay. It has been 
planted twelve years, but like the trees of Blenheims planted at the 
same time had not produced a crop until this season. Providing the 
tree continues to hear it must be valuable for late use, as at the present 
time the fruits are as firm as when gathered. A friend who spent two 
years in Canada told me that it is one of the best sorts grown out there. 
American Mother, which is considered delicate and often advised to be 
grown in a warm situation, also does splendidly here in the above 
soil.—T. Theton, Maiden Erlegli, Reading, 
The Cobham Apple. 
I HAVE been much interested the past few weeks to see that this 
grand Apple has not been forgotten among so many newer names, and 
it may be good sorts, to cultivate. Some years ago, it may be eight or 
ten, the name of Cobham must have become familiar to all readers of 
the Journal from my sending samples to the Editor to be named, the 
local name being “ Improved Blenheim” and “ Orange Blenheim” as 
distinguishing it from Blenheim Pippin, or Blenheim Orange. Since 
that time I find the variety is more commonly met with than was 
supposed by me at the time of writing, but that the crops are not 
distinguished by growers and dealers from “ Blenheims,” although un¬ 
doubtedly a superior Apple. On reading the editorial reply to 
“ J. T., Fifeshire,” on page 495, I compared the description from the 
“ Fruit Manual,” and my crop this season (a poor one) and the Apples 
exactly corresponded. 
I grafted some on a Hanwell Souring at about the time referred to, 
but the crop is not so fine flavoured or so saleable in appearance, par¬ 
taking, I imagine, somewhat of the parent stock of the Souring, thus 
confirming in my opinion the interesting experiments made by Mr. 
Harrison Weir many years ago on the difference of stocks and the results 
obtained in the colour and flavour of the crops, a subject well worthy 
of studying and carrying out in these times of keen foreign competition. 
I met with a quantity of the true Cobham Apples in a fruit shop in this 
village some months ago, and I found they were being retailed at the 
low price of 2d. per lb., better fruit, I consider, than any American 
Apples I have seen there or at home. — J. Hiam, Astwood Ranh, 
Worcester, 
Feogmoee Peolific. 
I THINK that this Apple should not be allowed to fruit the first two 
years after planting. I planted five standards of this variety in 
November, 1881 ; the following autumn the young trees were loaded 
with fruit, and I left them all on “ out of curiosity ; ” consequently the 
next year I had no fruit, and three out of the five died, while the two 
remaining ones had to be pruned back hard branch and root, lifted and 
replanted ; three years were thus lost.—J. A. W. 
Cellini. 
This is an excellent and showy Apple, but, as “ E. M., Newhury ” 
(page 501, last vol.) writes, subject to canker on strong stiff land. All 
my standards on the Crab stock produced cracked fruit, but the pyramids 
on Paradise stock growing on the same soil produced splendid fruit 
without a sign of cracking.—J. A. W, 
