180 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 16, 1893. 
changes starch and other cellular substances into sugar, but I believe 
the changing of these substances into wax is not yet discovered. How 
is the wax on fruit produced ?—by oxygen externally, or in combination 
with internal acid? Let those who can enlighten us on the subject do 
BO,— W. T. 
Dr. Harvey, 
Will Mr. Chinnery, if he has any fruits of satisfactory form, kindly 
send half a dozen of this Apple to the next meeting of the Fruit 
Committee of the Eoyal Horticultural Society, Drill Hall, Westminster, 
and also if he has some of Wormsley Pippin? It would be very useful 
if the doubts as to the identity of these and Waltham Abbey Seedling 
could be cleared away. It would then, if found identical, be a question 
as to which appellation was the oldest. If Mr. Chinnery has not 
samples of the kinds named perhaps some other readers may have them. 
It was long since shown that there was no connection between Golden 
Noble and Waltham Abbey Seedling,—A, D. 
Eoyal Pearmain. 
This is an excellent late dessert variety ; fruits about the size of those 
of King of the Pippins, shape of Scarlet Incomparable, but has an open 
eye, like that of Blenheim Pippin. It does remarkably well at Drop- 
more, and Mr. Herrin speaks in warm terms concerning it as his very 
best late dessert variety, I have just tasted a fruit, and find that it has 
very crisp, juicy, and well-flavoured flesh. So far as form is concerned it is 
really a handsome Apple, and seems to be well worthy of extended 
cultivation.—A. D. 
Hollandbury. 
I CAN fully endorse what has been said in Savour of the above 
variety. Not only is it a handsome and good Apple, but the tree is also 
a sure cropper. An old tree in the gardens under my charge bears 
heavy crops of beautiful fruit. The soil in which it is growing is very 
heavy, resting on clay, in a low situation. If I were planting Apple 
trees extensively I should certainly include a good number of this 
variety.— E. Morse. 
Waltham Abbey Seedling. 
With me this variety has been the most obstinate of all in pro¬ 
ducing a crop of fruit until this year. The tree, a freely grown bush, 
has been planted a dozen years, and it has been root-pruned twice during 
that time. Our heavy soil seems to suit its growth admirably ; there is 
not the slightest trace of canker, the wood is a good colour, and the 
foliage perfect in health. Last year it produced a full crop of handsome 
fruit, and the prospect for this year’s blossom is good. My experience 
suggests that, good as this Apple is for cooking, the tree is too slow in 
bearing to be recommended for heavy soil if a quick return in fruit is 
desired.—E. M. 
Einger. 
In a cottage garden a large tree, which cannot be less than forty 
years old, of this variety bears abundantly almost every year. This is 
a grand variety for use during August, September, and October. For 
cooking purposes this Apple is equal to Lord Suffield or any of the 
Codlin type. In addition to the fruit consumed and given away from 
this one tree last year, the remainder were sold to a higgler for 233.—not 
a bad return from a tree which receives nothing in the ■way of cultiva¬ 
tion. Apparently the tree has not been pruned since it was planted. 
—S. P. 
A Cooking Test for Quality. 
The interesting and instructive notes on Apples in the Journal of 
Horticulture reminds me of a trial of Apples in a cooked state. About 
100 varieties were tried, v/ith the following result:—First quality.— 
Eich, crisp, juicy, and briskly acid, some having a distinct perfumed 
aroma. Bismarck, The Queen, Schoolmaster, Stirling Castle, Stone’s 
or Loddington, and New Northern Greening. Second, very good.— 
Tender, juicy, sugary, and pleasantly sub acid, some briskly acid. 
Warner’s King, Peasgood’s Nonesuch, Cox’s Pomona, Hawthorndeu, 
Small’s Admirable, Prince Albert, Omar Pasha, Striped Beefing, Old 
Winter Pearmain, Holland Pippin, Tower of Glamis, Ecklinville Seedling, 
Cellini, Beauty of Kent, Gravenstein, Blenheim Orange, Bramley’s Seed¬ 
ling, Eymer, and Normanton Wonder. Third group.—The Codlin type, 
well known and invaluable for early use, the best being Keswick Codlin, 
Lord Suffield, Pott’s Seedling, Domino, and Golden Spire. Fourth group. 
—More or less unsatisfactory in flavour. The Crab, Cockpit, Betty Geeson, 
Lord Grosvenor, Annie Elizabeth, Lord Derby, and Sturmer Pippin. The 
indifferently flavoured Apples are mostly greenish-fleshed varieties. 
The same remark applies to many yellowish-fleshed sorts, but there are 
exceptions,—W. B., Lincoln, 
SEASONABLE HINTS ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
I HAVE always regarded, whether rightly or wrongly, the month of 
January as the most trying month in the year, for what we older 
florists used to consider florist flowers pure and simple. Of late years 
many have been classed by some writers under that term. It is not on 
account of the great cold, although it is probably the coldest month of 
the year, but because in such flowers as I write of which are wintered 
in pots in frames there is so much fear of damp, as in severe weather 
the flowers have to be kept close, and hence damp is apt to injure the 
plants ; therefore, although we must not halloa yet, for we are not out 
of the wood, yet when the month of January is past the greater portion 
of our winter troubles are over. Let me here remind those who read 
these notes that I do not write from the exhibitor’s or large grower’s 
point of view. My selections are small, and I grow them for home 
pleasure, not for display on the exhibition table. 
Auriculas. —I generally find that, provided the frames or pits 
are well protected from frost, a hard winter suits these plants ; indeed, 
frost will not kill them even though the soil be thoroughly hard, but it 
is apt to crumple the blooms and cause them to come out of character ; 
but when protected they remain without water for so long that they are 
preserved from damping. I remember old George Lightbody once 
telling me that he never gave his plants any water from November to 
the end of February, but this was in the far north, at Falkirk. In look¬ 
ing over mine I find the winter losses to be fewer than usual; indeed, 
the only plant which I have to mourn the loss of is Booth’s Freedom, an 
old flower and one always difficult to keep. The plants ought to be 
gone over thoroughly and all dead and decaying leaves removed, and if 
there is any sign of aphis the plants should be brushed with a camel’s- 
hair pencil, or the frames or pits may have a slight smoking of tobacco 
paper. Woolly aphis, which used to have such terrors for us, is now 
regarded with much less dread ; indeed, I take no trouble about it. If it 
appears at the neck of the plant I remove it, but in no other way at 
this time of the year does it disturb my peace of mind. The surface of 
the soil in the pots should be gently stirred with a blunt stick ; and as 
always great cleanliness should be observed water will have to be given 
more frequently as the month advances, and air at all times when the 
weather permits it. As I grow my small collection in a pit ventilation 
is much more easy than in frames. 
Carnations and Picotees. —To those -vvEo grow these flowers in 
pots this will be a busy month, for all ought to be finished before the 
month is out. There is no other way in which these plants can be so 
successfully grown for exhibition. The compost has of course been 
thoroughly prepared long ago, and potting is the only thing to be done. 
When the plants are placed in the pots a small stake about a foot high 
should be placed to them to give way by-and-by to the permanent bloom¬ 
ing stakes. It is best, where possible, to place the potted plants in some 
place where they can be sheltered from the parching winds and heavy 
rains. As I do not grow them in pots but only in a bed in the open 
my plants which are to fill my beds are now in small pots in a frame. 
On looking over them I find them strong and healthy, and free from 
that woeful enemy spot. I have long since given up the idea of leaving 
them out in the beds all the winter. Some kinds will stand it, but 
unfortunately you cannot tell which they are, and thus I have seen in 
a severe winter a clean sweep made of the old Clove, while Mrs. 
Eeynolds Hole has stood the two last severe winters in my border 
uninjured. It is therefore wiser, as I think, to keep even the border 
varieties in pots. They must now be kept clean, and all decayed or decay¬ 
ing leaves taken off, and the pots kept clear of weeds. Should green fly 
make its appearance it should either be brushed off with a cameTs-hair 
brush, or the frames should have a smoking of tobacco paper. 
Gladiolus. —I have a sorry tale to tell of these, into which I may 
enter more at length at some other time; but never but once have I had 
such losses, and when I say that nearly two-thirds of my collection is clean 
gone, it will be seen how heavy the blow has been. The roots should 
be carefully looked over, and although I do not plant as yet, there are 
some kinds which make considerable shoots even on the shelves where 
they are placed. Shakespeare, Adolphe Brongniart, and others are 
apt to do this. They should be potted in small pots in strong loam, 
so that when they are turned out the roots will not be displaced. The 
frosts which we have had ought to have mellowed the ground for 
planting. 
Pansies. —These are always difficult plants to manage in this 
southern latitude, and although the Fancies are much more robust than 
the old Show varieties, I find them very likely to go off during the 
winter, especially when, as during the past two months, the frames have 
to be kept tolerably close ; they then damp off, and I have lost a 
considerable proportion of my small collection during the past winter. 
I only grow them in pots, and at this time place them in larger pots 
than they have been wintered in ; they are then replaced in the frame, 
given as much air as possible, and watered when the weather permits it. 
Loses. —I do not think it necessary to enter upon any details about 
these flowers, a space being devoted in this journal especially to them, 
nor have I as yet ascertained for myself what the effects of the winter 
have been. I saw my neighbour, Mr. Foster (the inventor of the patent 
tube, &c.), and be told me that while his old plants were all safe, he was 
afraid that he had lost five-sixths of his buds. I hope this is not the 
general tale. I am not myself a Buddhist, and so know nothing about 
such plants. My own plants seem, even the Teas, to have escaped 
tolerably well. 
Eanunculus. —The time for planting these has now arrived, and I 
am truly surprised at the disfavour, or rather, I should say, neglect into 
which they have fallen. 1 know they are troublesome, but a lover of 
the garden does not, as a rule, mind that. I believe the trouble was 
made greater in former times by the minute directions given for the 
preparation of the beds and their general culture. I am ready to grant 
that when these directions are attended to there may be a greater 
certainty in their culture, but I am quite sure they are not in many 
cases absolutely necessary. Where there is a good garden soil, and the 
situation not too hot, the soil rather moist than dry, but free from 
stagnant water, they can be grown with success, and now is the time 
for planting them. The bed, for they are worthy of a place to them¬ 
selves, should be flat, about 4 feet wide. When planting drills should 
