23G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 15, 1332. 
are very extensive, for when we visited them last they were said to be 
nearly 2000 acres ; since then field has been added to field and farm to 
farm, and only last week a fresh purchase was made which will add 
another farm to the estate. Messrs. Webb own as well as occupy the 
greater part of this land, and it is the extension of trade and the 
colossal scope of their undertakings that render the acquisition of more 
land desirable. The Words’.ey warehouses have been almost entirely 
built during the past half dozen years, the two largest being each 
182 feet long and 62 feet wide with six floors, all 13 feet high. On the 
site where they stand every bit of ground has been covered with ware¬ 
houses and offices, except a small bright grass plot, which has been the 
outlook from the private luncheon-room. But a fresh erection is about 
to be raised on this, as a considerable increase of clerks had to be made 
this summer for whom there was no room without hiring offices for them 
outside. 
As is well known, all our leading seedsmen get the bulk of their seeds 
grown for them in other parts of the kingdom and on the Continent 
best adapted to the respective varieties, only requiring experimental 
grounds for testing purposes and for the production of new varieties at 
home. Messrs. Webb & Sons do the same, over 18,000 acres altogether 
being required to produce seeds and seed corn for the gigantic Wordsley 
establishment. The reason that the Kinver farms have to be so large is 
chiefly owing to the realm of Ceres having been added to the domain in 
which cross-fertilisation and high selection hold sway. Selecting the 
best from the best continually from the heads in crops of Wheat, Barley, 
Oa's, &c., requires a broad scope of acreage which only large landowners 
and farmers can work with successfully. That they have done so for 
the past quarter of a century, so as to earn the gratitude of the farming 
community for better varieties of all the cereals than were commonly 
grown before, is attested to continually by numerous facts, one of which 
will suffice for our present purpose. The Brewers’ Exhibition has existed 
five years, and at each annual show a challenge cup has been offered, 
open for competition to the entire world, for the best malting sample of 
Barley. This has been won each time by the same variety, Kinver 
Chevalier, one of those which Messrs. Webb have brought to its present 
high degree of perfection by continuous high selection. 
In our visit to the trial grounds we had to pas 3 through the flower 
gardens first, where we were glad to find many plants in full bloom 
of considerable merit. New Challenge Antirrhinum was brilliant 
in colour, and made a grand show. Among several members of 
the Dianthus family Champion also presented some showy perfect 
flowers. Chrysanthemums were well represented by White Pearl and 
Golden Cloud, which stood in beautiful contrast to each other. The 
New Golden King Calliopsis had a bright golden effective appearance, 
New Eclipse Gaillardia appearing truly magnificent in mixed beds, 
and the Kinver expert deems it one of the choicest of the floral beauties 
he has originated. Hollyhocks were, of course, in grand show, placed in 
banks on either side of a gravel walk, and there was a New Prize 
variety brought out in the past season for the first time, which seemed 
very effective. Of Zinnias and Stocks there were several varieties which 
asserted their charms very powerfully, the single Dahlias being also 
noteworthy. In Asters there are marked successes, especially in the 
quilled and miniature specialties, and among the Marigolds the newest 
called Golden Striped fully justified high appreciation. °Some exquisite 
floral gems were noticeable in dwarf Pansies, and the Golden-laced 
Polyanthus is a genuine success, but it was, of course, too late in the 
season to see their charms, or those of the Poppies, which we were told 
had been very brilliant. 
All the most important kitchen garden vegetables which market 
gardeners and farmers also grow largely, such as Potatoes, Peas, Cab¬ 
bages, and white-fleshed Turnips, have been so thoroughly and continually 
subjected to cross-fertilisation and high selection at Kinver, that a great 
many valuable varieties have been evolved. The rigorous searching 
ordeal which has to be passed through gives the public every assurance 
-that there is only a “ survival of the fittest ” among the many hundreds 
of new kinds created by cross-fertilisation, so that in regard to Potatoes 
we may be perfectly sure that the three leading varieties for which 
Messrs. Webb are at the present day most distinguished, Stourbridge 
Glory, Wordsley Pride, and Kenown, are all of intrinsic value, and 
likely to hold their own in future. Having stood the test of several 
seasons they are tolerably well known as grandly shaped varieties of 
dugh quality. We pass on then to mention that there are over 300 new 
seedling Potatoes on trial at the present time, some of which are of 
high promise, and will probably soon be brought in’o commerce. Past 
experience has, however, proved that it is not well to rush a successful 
variety too soon into the market, however certain it may be that it will 
be well appreciated. Several of Messrs. Webb’s were introduced too 
soon, for in their second season the demand exceeded the supply. There 
is, however, one at least of the new seedlings likely to be brought out 
next year, which, according to the testimony of the expert, will be 
almost sure to prove of the highest value, not only on account of the 
tubers being well shaped and very fine, but because they come to 
maturity a fortnight earlier than any Ashleaf. It somewhat resembles 
Beauty of Hebron, which is one of its parents. 
There are also several very interesting varieties of new Peas which 
have been a long time under trial, and will probably turn out genuine 
successes. Considerably over a hundred not yet in commerce are under¬ 
going experimental tests on the grounds, some of which will survive and 
others fail. The cross is always from valuable parents, but most 
singular sports are sure to come, the same growth producing half a 
dozei different varieties perhaps, and every Pea in a single pod is 
sometimes different. This shows how necessary rigorous exclusion of all 
but the most perfect must be. This appears to be carried out most 
effectively at Kinver, the slightest failing being sure to be visited with 
discardure, so that in very truth only the “ survival of the fittest” is 
secured. One new seedling Pea which has come safely through every 
test will be brought out next season. This is a cross between Prince of 
Wales and Culver well’s Giant Marrow, and it is possessed of sterling 
features of value calculated to exalt it highly in general estimation. Of 
medium height, it seems so covered with pods that no leaves could be 
seen, and the pods when examined were found to be well filled with fine 
Peas of good quality. There are more than a dozen other new seedling 
Peas that have succeeded so well that it is almost certain they will 
u.timately be brought into commerce, but the one above mentioned 
is just now first favourite at Kinver, and after Talisman, Promotion, 
Royal Standard, Chancellor, and Wordsley Wonder, all of which are of 
high reputation and were raisel at Kinver, we may, no doubt, expect 
great things for the future. We have stated that one of the parents of 
the new Kinver seedling was Prince of Wales, but there are different 
varieties bearing that name. Mr. H. E. Tfiornley of the Royal Prize 
Farm, Leamington, who habitually grows Peas largely to pick for direct 
sale, speaks in high terms of a Prince of Wales crop grown from Kinver 
seed, whereas another crop of the same name, but for which the seed was 
obtained elsewhere, turned out anything but satisfactory. 
Messrs. Webb have a new Carrot called Market Favourite, having a 
very handsome solid appearance recommended for early use, but for 
general use they recommend their Defiance Intermediate. Emperor 
Cabbage enjoys such a high reputation amongst farmers and market 
gardeners alike that it seems almost too much to hope for anything new 
likely to surpass it, however assiduously the arts of high selection may 
be employed. It comes to perfection so very early that even in the 
largest and best kitchen gardens it has place ; but the Emperor deserves 
its name owing to great size and heavy weight, and when cut open the 
hearts are found to be of high quality. The Kinver Globe Savoy is also 
very globular, with solidity and excellent quality likewise. In Broccoli 
we found that the specialities are still May Queen and Perfection, both 
of which have long been favourites. Gardeners also know something of 
the Matchless Brussels Sprouts and Perpetual Dwarf Green-curled Kale 
which have been raised at Kinver. Early Mammoth Cauliflower is often 
a prizewinner at shows. In Turnips, the variety for table use which 
has taken most prizes is, perhaps, the Climax, early in growth yet adapted 
for general cultivation, and good for keeping purposes. 
The varieties of Lettuces are innumerable, and some of the Kinver 
ones almost as big as Cabbages ; but if large, Summerhill is also com¬ 
pact and handsome. The American Gathering appears, however, to be 
of equal appreciation among the Cabbage kinds, while the Cos Lettuces 
are headed by Monstrous, which, although large and handsome, gives 
crisp leaves of fine flavour. That Melons are brought to high perfection 
is proved by two of the best being named Pride of Stourbridge and 
Beauty of Wordsley ; but President and Queen Victoria are also 
exquisitely shaped, fine, handsome, and good. Snowball Onion has often 
won prizes at shows, and we need scarcely mention its silvery white skin 
and good flesh. Among Leeks Colossal has often taken the palm. 
A great many new varieties of Cucumbers have been brought out at 
Kinver, and, indeed, the same may be said of Radishes. Celery has 
been by no means neglected, and Pearl White has come largely into use, 
as well as the Mammoth Red, which is very hardy, and has gained 
several first prizes. There is a very large family of Runner, Dwarf, and 
Butter Beans at Kinver ; and the Giant White Runner, the Victoria 
Dwarf, and Webbs’ Golden King Butter Bean are all prime favourites. 
In Broad Beans Kinver Mammoth Long-pod shows that the art of high 
selection has been well applied even here. 
Ere passing out of the trial grounds we should mention that the 
grass plots which divide flowers from vegetables form in themselves a 
most interesting study, each being kept separate to its respective kind. 
The Fescues are all represented, as well as the Poas, while other sections 
are devoted to Cocksfoot, Timothy, Meadow Fox-tail, and the Rye 
Grasses. For lawns of all kinds, whether for tennis, archery, croquet, 
or cricket, Messrs. Webb supply special mixtures with ample directions. 
They have for some years also published an illustrated essay on “ The 
Formation of Permanent Pastures,” the latest edition of which is full 
of interesting information. 
I or agricultural, if not for general purposes, the whole of the exten¬ 
sive farms occupied by Messrs. Webb may be deemed trial grounds 
in their entirety. Labourers are sent into all the corn crops every 
year to select the finest heads from all the pedigree or highly selected 
crops, some being of Webbs’ Prolific Black and White Tartarian Oats, or 
of Webbs Challenge White Oat and others of the Kinver Chevalier 
Barley above referred to, or of Golden Grain, Beardless, Goldthorpe and 
Golden Melon Barleys, or of Webb’s Challenge Hybrid King, Windsor 
Forest, White Queen, and at least a dozen other varieties of Wheat. Of 
Mangel Wurzel, Swedes, Yellow-fleshed and White-fleshed Turnips the 
varieties are still more numerous, and a considerable proportion of them 
have been prizewinners at shows. These are all tried one year after another 
with the best approved specialities from other seed firms, Messrs. Webb 
being always anxious to discover whether they can be beaten or not. 
Nor do their private trials end here. They have now become one of 
the largest artificial manure vendors in the kingdom, and being desirous 
to excel as much in this department as they believe they have done in 
seeds, they try habitually the manures of other leading firms against 
their own over a wide acreage of Mangel Wurzel, Swedes, Turnips and 
Potatoes.—D. S. N. 
