October 13, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
329 
- Twickenham Horticultural and Cottage Garden 
■‘Society. —The autumn Show of this Society will be held in the Town 
Hall, Twickenham, on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 15th and 
16th. A liberal schedule has been prepared, prizes being offered for 
fruit, plants, vegetables, and table decorations, in addition to Chrys¬ 
anthemums—the principal feature. Mr. J. J. G. Pugh, 2, Heath Road, 
Twickenham, is the Secretary. 
- A New Viola.—M r. G. McLeod of Chingford, a well-known 
raiser of Violas, sends us blooms of a new variety named J. B. Riding. 
The flowers are large, of good substance and perfect symmetry, while 
'the colour is quite a new break. The top petals are of a rich purplish 
maroon, a puce tinge in the bottom petal, and a bluish centre with a 
-deep yellow eye. It is a splendid variety, and in due course will 
•doubtless become a great favourite. 
- Ailsa Craig Onion. —It would be interesting to know the 
•true character of this Onion. From a packet of seed which I sowed 
last spring I have two distinct varieties. The majority of the bulb 3 
are globe-shaped, the others are flat, a good deal the shape of Giant 
^Zittau. Both are large handsome Onions, but I doubt whether they 
will keep so well as some other varieties grown by the side of them. 
Perhaps Mr. Deverill, or some of your correspondents who have grown 
•this Onion, can explain which of mine is the true variety.—R. M. 
- Montbretia. —This Iridacem Cape bulbous plant is an exceed¬ 
ingly showy and useful occupant of the herbaceous border. The branch¬ 
ing stems attain to a height of about 2 feet, and the drooping tubular 
ffowers vary in colour from clear yellow to orange-scarlet, and show to 
.great advantage above its pretty grass-like foliage. The Montbretia, or 
Tritonia as it is now called, does best in a well-drained sunny border. 
A compost consisting of three parts light loamy soil and one of leaf 
mould will suit its requirements admirably. Owing to its habit of 
growth, and the colour and form of the flowers, it is most useful for 
•cutting purposes during the months of August and September. The 
varieties M. Crocosmasflora, M. Etoile de Feu (“ Star of Fire,”) 
M. Gerbe d’Or (“ Golden Sheaf,”) M. Potsi, orange and scarlet, and 
M. pyramidalis, apricot salmon, are among those most deserving of 
•culture.—H. W. W. 
- The Weather Last Month. —September was very change¬ 
able, but only a small quantity of rain fell up to the 20th. It was, 
however, mostly wet weather after, but we had nine bright days, four 
of which were either wholly or partly clear. Wind was in a westerly 
•direction for twenty-seven days. We had a sharp frost on the night of 
the 17th, which did much damage to tender plants in exposed places, 
•but did not kill them. Barometer has highest, 30-35 on 5th and 6th ; 
lowest, 29 41 on the 30th. Total rainfall, 2'39 inches. Rain fell on 
thirteen days, the greatest daily fall being 0 79 inch on the 20tb, 
Highest shade temperature was 71° on 13th ; lowest, 32° on ISth ; 
lowest on grass, 24° on the 18th. Mean of daily maximum readings, 
<63-60°; mean of daily minimum, 45'60°. Mean temperature of the 
■month, 54-60°. The garden spring ran 20 gallons per minute on the 
30th.—W. H. Divers, Ketton Hall Gardens, Stamford. 
- Outdoor Peaches. — A few weeks ago I saw some notes on 
outdoor Peaches in the Journal , so I thought my experience might be of 
interest to readers. I have but little wall space, or I should grow many 
more Peaches and Nectarines in the open air. As regards varieties 
Alexander always ripens in July on a south wall, but it is a somewhat 
•shy cropper. The fruit, however, is of good flavour and excellent colour. 
Hale’s Early follows on an east wall. This variety ripens about middle 
of August. This is also sometimes a shy cropper, but to make up for it 
the fruit is large and beautifully coloured when the crop is thin. Dr. 
Hogg on a south wall comes in a few days later, and is, 1 think, by far 
the best outdoor Peach. It never fails to carry a heavy crop. It is a 
vigorous grower; the fruit is large and well coloured, and the flavour 
first class. I have it also on an east wall, where it is ten days later, and 
it does equally well there. G'rosse Mignonne on a south wall come 3 in 
about beginning of September with medium-sized fruit of good flavour, 
It does not do well with me, being very weakly. Alexandra Noblesse, 
a pa'e fruit without any colour, on a south wall only ripens with me at 
•end of September, and is a very shy cropper. In an unheated lean-to 
house this variety, however, crops better than outside, the fruit being 
large, pale, well flavoured, and of a beautiful appearance. Under a wall 
cover I have Sea Eagle, which does well, crops immensely, and is 
beautiful in appearance, but I do not think much of it as regards flavour. 
It ripens about end of September.—H. S. Easty. 
- A Large Pear,—I was shown a very fine fruit of Pitmaston 
Duchess a short time ago at Barham Court by Mr. Woodward. It was 
weighed in my presence, and proved to be 1 lb. 11 \ ozs. As it had 
been gathered for several days, I have no doubt it originally weighed 
If lb. or more. I omitted to take the measurement of it, but it was 
certainly the finest Pear I ever saw grown out of doors in this 
country.—W. H. Divers, Ketton Hall Gardens, Stamford, 
- Old Readers. —In your report of the Royal Horticultural 
meeting last week my name is wrongly spelt as “ Horley,” gardener 
to W. E. Hall, Esq., instead of Kidley. Although I may be unknown 
to you your paper is very well known to me. I have been a reader since 
1871, and I am going in for the first pension that you give away for old 
readers.— Samuel Kidley, Yeovil. [We suspect if a pension were 
offered to the oldest reader many stronger claims would be “put in” 
than by our correspondent, but the longer he continues reading, which 
we hope will be many years, the stronger his claims will eventually 
become. We have pleasure in making the suggested correction.] 
-Surplus Bedding Plants.—I t has been officially announced by 
the London County Council that the surplus bedding plants at the metro¬ 
politan parks and public gardens under their control will be ready for 
distribution on or about October 21st. Applications for the same should 
be made early to the superintendents of the respective parks. It is also 
stated that the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Works and Public Build¬ 
ings intend to distribute, this autumn, among the working classes and 
poor of London, the surplus bedding plants used in Hyde and Regent’s 
Parks, and in the pleasure gardens at Hampton Court. 
- The Chislehurst Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Association. —The members of the above Association held their 
second annual meeting on Tuesday, October 4th, a good number of 
members being present. The balance sheet for the year shows that 
the Association is in a most flourishing condition, although entirely 
supported by members’ subscriptions. Officers for the ensuing year 
were elected, and various alterations of rules made. Several papers on 
gardening subjects were promised for the ensuing session. Meetings 
are held weekly on Tuesday evenings, from October to March inclusive. 
- Michaelmas Daisies for Bedding.—I was glad to see the 
excellent suggestion thrown out by Mr. Dewar in his lecture on 
Michaelmas Daisies at the Drill Hall that these useful plants should be 
more frequently employed for bedding than is now the case. For several 
years one of Mr. Graham’s most beautiful beds at Hampton Court was 
composed of Madame Desgranges Chrysanthemum surrounded by a broad 
band of Aster Amellus bessarabicus, and it may still be maintained, 
for I have not had an opportunity of judging personally during the 
past three years. But one thing is indispensable, the plants must be of 
such a character as to display a well-clothed base, for if they were of the 
description too often seen—namely, huge, top-heavy bushes with pro¬ 
minent brown stems, they would be unsightly rather than ornamental. 
The best way of getting plants well feathered with leafage is to raise 
them from cuttings, making use of the young shoots when they have 
pushed about 3 inches above the soil. These will give plants of a short- 
jointed, sturdy nature, whereas taller shoots would develop the same 
character as that just deprecated.— Wanderer. 
- A Heavy Crop of Grapes.—T hose interested in the crops 
Vines are capable of carrying would, I am sure, be highly gratified 
if they paid a visit to the Sunny Hill Vineries, three miles from 
Derby, belonging to Messrs. Innes & Co. The Vines are only young, 
but I am assured on good authority that they have borne heavily from 
the first. This is almost proved by a visit, for a house of Vines two 
years old was carrying about eight fine bunches on each Vine. All 
the houses but one are span-roofed, about 85 feet long each and 22 feet 
wide, running north and south. The Vines are planted 2 feet apart, and 
are carrying twenty-one or twenty-two bunches each on an average. 
The houses are high, and the Grapes as thick as they can conveniently 
hang. The bunches are large, the berries very fair, and the Grapes had 
every appearance of colouring sufficiently well to find a ready sale in 
the market. With the exception of one house that is mixed with 
Alicantes, Gros Colman is the variety grown. The lean-to house is filled 
with Muscat of Alexandria, the temporary Vines being Gros Colman; 
and here the crop, which was partly cut, was extremely heavy, yet 
the Muscats were good. Mr. Innes, unfortunately, was from home 
when I called, and not having made any notes, if I am wrong in any 
little particular I hope he will correct me.— Wm. Bardney. 
