■February 16, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
185 
- Koyal Hobticultural Society’s Journal.—P arts 2 and 
3 of Tol. XV., ]'uit issued, of the Royal Horticultural Society contains, 
■as usual, much useful information. Apart from a report of the con¬ 
ferences on Begonias, Apricots, and Plums held at Chiswick last summer, 
the papers and lectures given at the Drill Hall during the year are 
•embodied in the volume. The subjects dealt with are enumerated in 
the Council’s report read at the annual general meeting on Tuesday, 
and published elsewhere in this issue, so other than saying that the 
papers are thoroughly practical and interesting, further reference would 
be superfluous. The volume comprises nearly 500 pages, and is illus¬ 
trated. The reports of the committee meetings and descriptions of the 
plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables certificated during the past year, 
together with a good index, add interest and utility to the work. Its 
price to non-Fellows of the Society is 7s. 6d.. and it can be obtained 
from the Society’s offices, 117, Victoria Street, S.W. 
- Gardeners’Associations AND Situations.—A very curious 
■case occurred the other day at Kingston in relation to the connection of 
gardeners’ associations and the finding of situations for gardeners out of 
place. A sub-Committee had been appointed at a meeting of gardeners 
held to consider the formation of an Association for the district, and this 
Committee met for the purpose. They were nearly at the conclusion of 
their evening’s labours, dealing with a suggestion taken from the rules 
•of the Reading Gardeners’ Association, “ that members out of place 
-should have permission to make their wants known at any ordinary 
meeting,” when one of the Committee remarked, “ Why, I know of a 
place open now,” and a second said the same. At the same time two 
•gardeners wanting situations were mentioned, and it was agreed to give 
these men the needful information at once. This fact serves to show 
bow very useful gardeners’ associations might be made in helping 
members or others when wanting situations.—D. 
- Crafty Exhibitors. —In the Journal of Horticulture, page 
32, a correspondent mentions a delicate question with respect to an 
■exhibitor gaining a prize for Roses, the said exhibitor not having any 
Rose trees in his garden. 1 do not think a visit on the show day would 
be wise, for the inspectors or judges might find Rose bushes in the 
■exhibitor’s garden. Why not appoint two or three of the Committeemen 
to inspect would-be exhibitors’ gardens from three to ten days before the 
show ? It is useless to think of sending only one person, particularly in the 
locality of the Crays. I have had a little experience of that kind there. 
The Society that I was connected with had a similar case to that 
mentioned on page 92. An exhibitor gained a first prize for Apples, 
although he had not any Apples in his garden. A year or two ago at the 
same place a would-be exhibitor was short of good Carrots for his 
■collection of vegetables, so he purchased some to make up the deficiency ; 
be was told that everything he had in his garden was made a note of, so 
he did not put in an appearance at the show.— Hesslewood. 
- Cyclamens, Primulas, and Violets. —I herewith send you 
blooms and foliage of the above flowers for your inspection. The 
Cyclamens and Primulas are making a fine show at the present time. 
The form(!r carry about four dozen expanded flowers on each plant in 
6-inch pots, with a large number of buds to open yet. The plants were 
raised from seed sown about eighteen months ago. The Primulas are 
not so fine as they were a week or so ago, but plants in 6-inch pots are 
15 inches through, with four to six large trusses of flowers thrown well 
above the foliage. The Primula blooms represent Sutton’s Giant 
Crimson, Purity, and Reading Blue. The Cyclamens, too, are Messrs. 
Sutton’s strain. The Violets are Marie Louise, grown in cold frames, 
and they have flowered well this winter. I shall be glad of your 
opinion of the flowers sent. — J. Hawkes, Lilling stone House, 
Bucldngham. [The flowers arrived in good condition, and not only 
exhibited evidence of cultural skill, but general excellence of the 
strains, the Cyclamens and Primulas being very fine. The Violets were 
also large and delightfully fragrant.] 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
In a recent number of the Journal of Horticulture (page 6G), I read 
“ Brassica’s’' article on Brussels Sprouts and their culture, a subject I 
am interested in, having for a number of years back given special 
attention to the cultivation of this most useful winter vegetable. In his 
closing paragraph your correspondent mentions two varieties that he has 
been successful with, a'lud one of these he calls Craig’s Favourite, of Scotch 
origin. I take it for granted that this variety is the one raised over 
twenty years ago at Craigo Gardens, near Montrose, Forfarshire, by 
Mr. Alexander Muirden, the then much-respected gardener, now retired, 
and his place filled by one of his sons. I procured seed of this Sprout 
from the raiser twenty years ago, and grew the variety most successfully 
at Keithock, in the same county. I have also grown it here along with 
London Market, Aigburth, and others, all excellent forms ; but to a 
certain extent the plants lacked the uniformity of the Craigo variety as 
to height and general produetiveness, but the characteristics of the 
latter may have resulted from the seed being saved with special care. 
The plan adopted every season was to look the plants over, and select 
the best as to height and uniformity of sprouts. These were planted by 
themselves in the spring to produce seed, and this done year after year 
perpetuates a high-class variety. The same course adopted with any 
other vegetable will give truer seed than it is possible to obtain when 
many varieties are seeded together. The Aigburth and London Market 
I have crossed, but the result gave plants taller than others, and looser 
in the sprouts ; but by perseverance this difficulty might in time be 
overcome. 
I cannot understand why it is advised to sow Brussels Sprouts in a 
frame. Plants raised under glass have never the same hardy constitu¬ 
tion that those have raised in the open ground. For many years I have 
raised my plants by sowing the seed in February in a warm border, the 
ground being well prepared, levelled, and raked, the seed sown very 
thinly, broa^fcast, and raked in. A good dressing of burnt ashes or 
potting-shed refuse is given, and then some fine leaf mould spread on 
the surface, which lies open, and the frost does not take the same hold 
of it, should it come, as in the case of closer soil. The seed being sown 
thinly the plants are sturdy and lift with fine masses of small roots ; 
very different from long tap roots, the result of thick sowing. 
To have really good sprouts the ground should be deeply cultivated 
and be in good heart, and the plants put in 2J feet asunder towards the 
end of May or the first week in June and well watched. If kept clean 
the crops will repay the care bestowed.— A. Kemp, Coolhurst, Horsham, 
Sussex. 
NEW VIOLAS. 
The autumn of 1892 and spring of 1893 brings a goodly addition of 
new varieties, many of which I have seen, and am able to send you a 
few notes respecting them. First, I notice with pleasure that the 
florists of Scotland are now devoting more attention to the Viola than 
previously. There is a rapidly increasing demand for the lovely varie¬ 
ties of this popular plant, and new varieties of sterling merit are sought 
after. Messrs. Dobbie & Co, of Rothesay have been foremost in late 
years in growing a collection, and in producing fine varieties. They are 
now sending out twelve new sorts, and of these I have seen Laverock, 
an improved Skylark, a charming variety ; Rob Roy, an improved 
Vernon Lee, very pretty; and Sylvia, a fine white, raised by Dr. 
Stuart of Chirnside. 
Mr. Andrew Irvine, Tighnabruaich, is introducing twenty-six new 
varieties, and he has secured the stock of Golden Flake, a lovely yellow; 
and Morning Dawn. These two fine varieties were raised by Mr. J. D. 
Stuart of Belfast, who is devoting great attention to Violas and Pansies. 
Another Belfast amateur, Mr. Samuel McKee, is also introducing some 
very fine seedling Violas through Mr. Irvine, who is sending out Comet; 
Countess, extra fine ; Duchess, a beautiful variety ; Magnet, a grand 
acquisition, so rich in colour and good in form; and Mars and Pearl. 
All these I have seen, and can recommend them. Mr. Irvine also sends 
out two of Mr. Frater’s raising—Mrs. Hay and Peggy Smith. 
Mr. S. Pye, of Cathwall, is sending out eleven new varieties, but as 
I have not seen any of them I am unable to speak about their merits. 
In addition he is introducing twelve new varieties of the Sylvia type, 
raised by Dr. Stuart of Chirnside, who is also the originator of the 
Violetta section. I have not seen Sylvia and its companion varieties in 
a growing state, only as blooms sent to me by Dr. Stuart, and these 
bore a resemblance to Countess of Hopetoun in form and colour. I 
was, moreover, led to suppose they partook of the excellent compact 
habit of the Countess of Hopetoun. Of these. Blue Gown, Bridal 
Wreath, Picotee, Sweet Lavender, and Sylvia, which I have seen, I can 
mention as acquisitions. Dr. Stuart is also sending out, through other 
florists, some varieties of the Violetta strain, very dwarf in habit, and 
with small well formed deliciously fragrant flowers, many of which I 
have seen, and amongst them Marginata and Summer Cloud are par¬ 
ticularly pretty. Mr. George Steel, of Heatherslaw, is also devoting 
attention to seedling Violas, especially of the Violetta section, and his 
new varieties, Mrs. Joseph Oliver, Maggie Steel, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. 
George Findlay, and Jeannie Turnbull, are all very pretty and fragrant. 
His lovely pure self-yellow Viola Beauty of Heatherslaw is also a 
welcome acquisition. 
Some very fine seedling varieties of Violas raised by Mr. J. D. Stuart 
and Mr. McKee and others, I have seen, but they will not be intro¬ 
duced until next autumn, and these are in the hands of Mr. Irvine, 
who is also the possessor of the entire stock of Duke of Clarence, a 
very fine dark self. This variety was awarded a certificate at the 
Midland Counties Pansy Society. 
Some beautiful acquisitions have very recently been made in Annie 
King, Bridesmaid, Colleen Bawn, Golden Gem, H. W. Stuart, Mary 
Gray, Master of Arts, Mrs. Frater, Gaiety, Princess Beatrice, Dorothy 
Tennant, Duchess of Fife, Beauty, II. M. Stanley, Lady Amory, Quaker 
Maid, Mrs. Charles Turner, Queen of Scots, Star, Sunlight, Sunrise, 
Wonder, and William Neil.— William Dean, 
