December 1, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
479 
fruit, the extra carriage which is consequent upon the delivery of 
small parcels, would make the price as high as if he bought of the 
retailer, and he naturally likes to see what he is buying. 
There are many other reasons which might be urged, such as the 
difficulty of attending to small orders, when tons of fruit are being 
dispatched daily, the bulk, or at any rate the residue of which 
would have to be sent to market. It is much more satisfactory to 
send large quantities regularly to as few salesmen as possible. At 
the same time it seems very unjust to the grower when he is 
getting Id. a pound for fruit, to grow which he has been toiling 
for a whole year, and from which all his expenses for the year have 
to be deducted, to see it being retailed at 4d. and 6d. per pound. 
These profits have been supposed to be necessary to the retailer to 
enable him to get a living, but as you pointed out competition 
compels the retailer now to reduce profits, and it will doubtless be 
found that the increased sale, because prices are lower, enables him 
by turning over a larger quantity of fruit to get as good a living 
as before, while the consumers are benefited. 
In consequence of the low prices of fruit, growers are com¬ 
pelled to enlarge their holdings in order to get the same living that 
they used to do from a smaller extent of ground. In this as in 
grocery, clothing, and other trades, the tendency seems to be for the 
business to drift into the hands of large growers who have 
sufficient capital to plant large areas and wait till the trees come 
into bearing. 
It is not likely that prices of fruit will be anything but low 
while the present agricultural depression exists, and as long as 
fruit shows a margin of profit, farmers in fruit-growing counties 
will plant largely every year, and it is natural that if they find a 
good variety they should plant many trees of it. It appears very 
evident to me that if fruit growing is to pay, it must be by 
planting the best sorts, and cultivating and marketing the fruit in 
the best possible manner.— Walter Kruse. 
WINTER FLOWERING PLANTS. 
Where winter-flowering plants are extensively and properly 
cultivated there should be no lack of flowers all through the dull 
period of the year, and so many and varied are the plants adapted 
for this purpose that something may be found to suit even the 
most fastidious persons. I will place those which need a stove 
temperature first, and follow on with others that require cooler 
treatment. I have known instances of complete failures by placing 
some plants in too high and others in too cold a temperature, 
therefore great care should be exercised in this respect. 
The Poinsettia is a good representative of this class of plants ; 
for although it will succeed in a cool temperature during the 
summer, the plants require placing in a higher temperature about 
the beginning of September, or the leaves will quickly commence 
falling, and the proper development of the bracts will be prevented. 
Plumbago rosea is one of the brightest decorative plants that can 
be found, and is admirably adapted for arranging amongst other 
stove plants or treated as a climber for the roof. I use it for both 
purposes, but I think by far the best effect is produced when 
grown as a climber, for its lovely scarlet flowers when allowed to 
hang gracefully down have a very pleasing effect. It is not a suit¬ 
able plant for cutting purposes, as the flowers will not keep longer 
than a day or two. Impatiens are also most useful for winter deco¬ 
ration. I think I. flaccida alba is decidedly, the best, as it produces 
its pure white flowers in great profusion. By giving it a warm 
temperature the footstalks are much longer, thereby adding con¬ 
siderably to its usefulness. I must not close this short list of stove 
plants without briefly referring to Calanthe Yeitchi and C. vestita, 
for two more useful plants for winter flowering would, I think, be 
difficult to find. 
Passing to the intermediate house we find the most beautiful 
of all—viz., Euphorbia jacquiniasflora. The general practice is to 
give this plant stove heat, but I think it succeeds much better 
when grown in an intermediate temperature. I grow my plants in 
the latter structure all through the season, and they are now 
showing for flower splendidly, and are well feathered with foliage 
right down to the pots. Eranthemum pulchellum is dt-cidedly one 
of the best of the winter-flowering Eranthemums. It succeeds 
admirably when placed in coid frames during the summer months, 
being stronger when so treated than when grown in heat ; but it 
should be removed to the intermediate house about the end of 
August. Goldfussia anisophylla will succeed under similar treat¬ 
ment to the Eranthemums, as also will the beautiful yellow 
flowering Reinwardtia tetragyne (more commonly known under the 
name of Linum trigynum). These are free flowering plants, and 
worthy of more extensive cultivation than they at present receive. 
Some Begonias are also most useful plants for winter furnish¬ 
ing, and the following will be found suitable where house 
room is limited :—Begonia nitida, very handsome deep rose flowers ; 
B. nitida alba, similar to nitida, only smaller, and of the purest 
white ; B. fuchsioides, rich deep scarlet ; B. Knowsleyana, silvery 
blush ; B. manicata and hydrocotyfolia, the two last named being 
especially valuable, owing to their dwarf habit and freedom of 
flowering. They are also very useful for drawing-room decoration, 
continuing to flower profusely for a long time. I must not 
conclude this selection without mentioning the splendid rich magenta 
variety John Heal, for when well grown this is, I think, second to 
none. I have a few plants flowering here at the present time, 
producing a most bright and effective display. 
Coming now to the greenhouse, one might safely class the 
Salvias as being the most important. These may be had in flower 
all through the winter and spring months. The following will be 
found the most useful for a general collection : S. Pitcheri, 
lovely azure blue colour ; S. splendens, a very beautiful variety, 
producing its bright scarlet flowers in great profusion all through 
the winter ; S. rutilans, with flowers of a rich magenta shade, 
very free. S. Grahami is particularly valuable on account of its 
very dwarf habit and freedom of flowering, and its bright purple 
flowers look very pretty intermixed with other plants. S. leucantha 
and S. Betheli are most valuable for supplying a little variety of 
colour, the former being a mauve, and the latter a bright pink ; nor 
must S. gesnerreflora be forgotten, for it is truly one of the best 
and latest of the whole family. Its flowers are of a bright 
scarlet colour, being very conspicuous and produced in abundance. 
Then we have the Bouvardia, which is one of the most popular of 
all the winter flowers. These, however, should have a place in the 
intermediate house or warm conservatory. Zonal Pelargoniums are 
useful, and the same may be said of Mignonette, of which I think 
Miles’ Spiral and Machet by far the best for winter work. Eupa- 
toriums, Schizanthus, and Marguerites are also serviceable plants. 
Cinerarias, Primulas, and Chrysanthemums are of course the general 
favourites at this season, and when well grown make a grand dis¬ 
play for some time. Before I close I must say a few words respect¬ 
ing Carnations, for no collection of winter flowering plants can be 
complete without them. The varieties grown here are Miss 
Jolliffe, Winter Cheer, Madame Carle, Jean Sisley, Oriflamme, 
Alegatiere, and La Favorite, all of which are excellent. The 
Marguerite Carnations are also useful, and should be given a trial 
in all gardens.—G. Parrant. 
NOTES FROM IRELAND. 
The winter Show of the Royal Horticultural Society, held on 
November 17th and 18th, probably exceeded in the number and 
quality of its exhibits any previous exhibition. A new departure 
was inaugurated by holding the Show in the vast hall of the Royal 
Dublin Society’s premises at Ball’s Bridge. This is where our 
world-famous horse shows are held annually. The size of the 
building somewhat dwarfed the Exhibition, but half a dozen of 
our leading nurserymen materially assisted with fine groups of 
Palms and foliage plants, both hardy and exotic. The premier 
prize for a group of Chrysanthemums grown in pots, staged on a 
space of 50 square feet, was taken by Mrs. Bewley of Willow Park 
for an effective group. Plants generally were of a high quality, as 
also were cut blooms. The premier prize in this section for thirty- 
six blooms, half Japanese and half incurved, went to Mrs. Vaughan 
of Roscrea for a stand in which the incurveds were of marked 
excellence. A feature of the Show was a stand of six blooms of 
Viviand Morel of great size, depth, and substance, shown by the 
same lady, and deservedly taking first in its class. 
Mr. Cummins, steward to Viscount Gough, had a stand, not 
for competition, of agricultural roots, thirteen or fourteen varie¬ 
ties, and thirty-three distinct varieties of Potatoes, fine clean 
samples. This stand, though lacking the bright colours of the 
floral exhibits, commended itself to the public by its utility and 
excellence. The first day was genial and fine, and brought an 
exceedingly good attendance, including His Excellency the Lord 
Lieutenant. The second day was wet, and only enthusiasts braved 
the weather. 
Within a stone’s throw of the Royal Dublin Society’s premises 
are the Botanic Gardens of Trinity College. A peep in at Mr. 
Burbidge is a treat. It is a long stretch from here, under the cool 
9 kies of Erin, to Borneo, “ the Gardens of the Sun,” the scene of 
his former labours in the interest of science. The extensive 
borders are full of treasures and their labels, so full one wonders 
how they can be weeded or cleaned, but the fact is weeds have no 
room, and as for digging, that is a mystery. 
Trinity College has been holding high festival in the celebra¬ 
tion of its tercentenary this year. Some of the glass houses look as 
jf they were verging on a tercentenary too. One ancienb building in 
