June 22 , 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
605 
improvement is apparent in the flavour. For those possessing a market 
garden near a town, where the demand for Strawberries is great, this is 
a variety worthy to be in any collection. Its great cropping qualities, 
large size, and firm condition of the fruit are points which cannot be 
altogether overlooked, more especially if the fruit is to be sent into 
manufacturing centres. 
Amongst the midseason varieties may I add the variety John Powell, 
which on our land has done wonderfully well for the past three seasons ? 
John Powell is described as “ a strong grower and an enormous succes- 
sional bearer ; fruit uneven, but of fine sugary pine flavour, and valu¬ 
able as succeeding where Queens fail. As grown at Maidstone it is far 
better than President.” This is, to my mind, an excellent description, 
but with us it is certainly not better than President as regards cropping. 
However, the growth is very similar to it, the fruit firmer, and one of 
the highest flavoured I have ever tasted. It is well worth a trial, 
other varieties which behave with us much the same as Keens’ 
Seedling are British Queen and Dr. Hogg. If your readers, who are 
successful in cultivating these three varieties, could kindly offer any 
sugSGstions as to ground it would be worth while our giving them 
another trial, for they are certainly the best flavoured of our Strawberries. 
“-B. P. R. 
PECULIARITIES OF APHIS LIFE. 
Probably the fact pointed out by Mr. Hiam, page 479, that the 
Plum aphis (A. Pruni, I presume to be his species) will live and 
propagate itself during an ordinary winter, has been hitherto over¬ 
looked both by gardeners and entomologists. It has, however, for some 
time been known that the older observers were mistaken in supposing 
that the winter was a period of entire quiescence with the aphis race. 
Certainly in the great majority of species congress between the sexes 
occurs in autumn, and batches of eggs are deposited then, the only 
season when they are produced, these, as a rule, remaining unhacched 
till spring. Gardeners are familiar with the fact that in houses aphides 
may be found breeding during the winter months, and at the same 
season colonies of them are to be detected at the roots of fruit trees and 
herbaceous garden plants, having descended from the leaves in the autumn 
to feed where they can be sheltered. Aphides may also be seen upon 
sonae evergreens, a,nd on a variety of low plants, such as grasses, in mild 
winters, but it still remains true that they are chiefly propagated by 
6 ggs from one year to the next. It is, I might note, one of the curious 
circumstances in ant history that these busy workers store up in their 
hills sometimes the eggs of various species of aphides, as Mr. Buckton 
and others state, bringing these forth at the spring season and placing 
them where the young progeny can obtain suitable food. 
Mr. Hiam thinks that people generally attach too much importance 
to the aphis migrations and the influence of “east winds.” I presume 
he does not question that such migrations occur, more particularly in 
spring and autumn— i.e., about May and September. As the late Mr. 
Walker pointed out, these migrations are brought on by a change in the 
atmosphere, a stillness or heaviness in the air occasionally happening 
when the wind is east, but not always. When such a “ blight ” occurs 
the flow of sap in vegetation is checked, aphis food runs short, and the 
insects appear winged, and travel to another locality. If these journeys 
are not always long ones they are in some instances. I have had ocular 
proofs of swarms of aphides travelling from Essex, crossing the Thames 
where it ^ is nearly a mile wide, to settle on Kentish Hop grounds. 
Another interesting fact is that aphides not only migrate from place 
to place, but change their species of plant or tree. That abundant enemy 
of the Hop, Aphis Mahaleb, is known to feed upon Cherry and Plum in 
the spring. Again, the “ dolphin,” A. Fabre, and other species, infest¬ 
ing culinary vegetables during summer, migrate from these to species of 
Rumex, Thistles, and other wild plants in the autumn.— Entomologist. 
BEGONIAS AT FOREST HILL. 
The extraordinary improvement that has been made of late years 
amongst Tuberous Begonias has brought them into the front rank o'f the 
florists’ flowers. Either for bedding purposes or for growing in pots in 
greenhouses they are now considered indispensable. To the well known 
firm of Messrs. J. Laing & Son great credit is due for these developments. 
They have laboured incessantly with Begonias for several years, and their 
efforts have been crowned by unqualified success. A visit to their 
nurseries during the next few weeks will conflrm this statement. The 
houses are literally ablaze with brilliant colours. Everyone should go ; 
those who are interested to become more so, and those who are at present 
uninterested to be converted, as they must be when they see the 
magnificent plants carrying their admirably coloured symmetrical 
blooms. 
The plants unquestionably form a spectacle well worth seeing. 
The single and double flowered varieties are arranged in separate 
strcutures, and a short selection from those in bloom on the occasion of 
my visit will doubtless prove of interest to those unfortunate readers 
of the Journal who are not in a position to go and judge of their beauty 
for themselves. The impression on entering the house devoted to the 
single varieties can be but one of intense admiration. The plants are 
of various sizes, but all bear the unmistakeable sign of health in the grand 
foliage and the fine bold flowers. Duchess of Westminster is one of the 
most striking varieties in the collection, its crimson blooms having 
a clearly defined white centre, are of good form, stand out erectly from 
the foliage. One cannot help seeing it, and to do so is to admire. One 
of the most floriferous is Lady Roberts, a pure white with large and 
substantial flowers. Amongst the dark crimsons, and they are nume¬ 
rous, it would be difficult to find one which has more good points than 
Mr. William Miller. The blooms are of a medium size, rich in colour, 
of matchless form, and the habit of the plant cannot be termed anything 
but perfect. Fringed White denotes a new departure amongst tuberous 
Begonias. The flowers are pure white and shapely, the petals being 
fringed at the edges. It is a very beautiful variety. An appropriately 
named variety is Guardsman, which is clear vermilion-scarlet in colour, 
the flowers standing boldly erect above the sturdy growths. Lady 
Mary Lloyd is a very charming salmon coloured variety. Sir J. 
Blundell Maple is a magnificent scarlet worthy of a place in choice 
collections. 
It is in the double flowered section, however, that one finds the 
softest and most pleasing tints. The shapely contour of the flowers, 
more perfect than even the Rose, lacking only the perfume to render 
them fit and formidable rivals to the queen of flowers. What could 
one wish to see more beautiful than a plant of Glory of Stanstead? 
The flowers, which are borne with great freedom, are of a soft pleasing 
rose tint, slightly paler at the centre. They are of good size, and despite 
their great weight show very prominently on the plants. It is a variety 
for which one might confidently predict a great future. Lottie Collins 
is one of the most distinct in the whole of the collection. The colour is 
a pure salmon pink, the lower part of the petals which are charmingly 
fringed taking a slightly lighter shade. It is very floriferous, and the 
habit of the plant is excellent. Lady Theodore Guest is another very 
distinct and pleasing form. The colour is difficult to describe in a 
manner which will convey the best idea of its beauty; pale apricot, 
slightly flushed and suffused rosy crimson, faintly edged with carmine, 
is the only description I can give of it. The flowers are large, the 
petals broad and of very great substance, and the growth of the plant ia 
very fine. Countess of Craven comes as an acquisition, as well as an 
addition to the pure white varieties. The erect, perfectly double flowers 
are of great size, and stand out from the leafage in a most striking 
manner. Earl of Craven is a taking colour, being a rich crimson, 
the blooms fine, and the variety is very free flowering. Mrs. 
G. Higgins is a beautiful variety, the colour of which is a soft pleasing 
yellow. The flowers are of good size, well formed, and the plant of fine 
habit. 
At the time of my visit the beds in the nursery were being filled 
with tuberous Begonias, and despite the scorching weather they pre¬ 
sented a robust and healthy appearance. It is computed that over 
300,000 plants will be required to fill these beds, and when they are in 
flower in August they must present a sight which once seen can never be 
forgotten.— Nomad. 
NOTES ON TOMATOES. 
It is natural that disease will at times attack all crops, and this 
season we, no doubt, may expect to hear of the harmful garden insects 
being nearly everywhere. In the instance given by your correspondent 
in the Joiornal of Hortwulttire of last week, page 471, it would assist 
him greatly if he fully looked back over his treatment of his Tomatoes 
from the purchase of the seed, and if in future he follows these rules 
for growing Tomatoes in pots, I anticipate that next season he will 
write to you more cheerfully. Young plants should be placed into 3 and 
6 or 6-inch pots as soon as necessary, using rather poor soil at this stage 
of growth. In the final stage clear soot water now and then is 
invaluable to maintain healthy life in the plants. 
The seed should be purchased from one of the best houses in tho 
trade. Sow it very thinly in pans, previously scoured with lime and 
soft water. Use compost of a good proportion of leaf mould and silver 
sand, and plenty of drainage. Give only clear rain water. Put into 
pots in which they are to fruit just before coming into bloom. The 
pots should be thoroughly scoured with lime before using, and employ 
clean crocks for drainage. Only half fill the pots at first, reserving the 
space for an occasional top-dressing. 
The soil in the first instance must not contain much manure. If 
procurable a large portion should be of good sweet old pasture loam 
with a small amount of leaf mould with a liberal amount of silver 
sand and charcoal; and add a little thoroughly well decayed stable 
manure. Turn this all over with a hand fork before using. When top¬ 
dressing, and the roots will indicate when this is required, use each time 
an increased amount of stable manure with the soil. Grow the plants 
on the single-stem system. Water freely, and give all the ventilation 
possible during the day without lowering the temperature too much. 
During such a summer as we are now having a little night ventilation 
is beneficial, but in ordinary weather I do not give any ventilation to 
Tomatoes at night. The ventilators are, however, opened very early in 
the morning. 
I have grown Tomatoes in this manner for ten or more seasons, and 
as yet I have never had a diseased plant or fruit. I grow chiefly the 
Old Red. This season with other sorts I am giving a trial to Challenger, 
which is a variety spoken very highly of by the market gardeners round 
Evesham, and they generally find out the best of everything to 
grow. 
1 prefer old cases to pots for Tomato growing, but the drainage must 
be even more carefully attended to with plants growing in wood. Ten 
and 11-inch pots are large enough for growing for home consumption. 
