872 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 27, 1892. 
discussions, speaking with the increased authority and confidence 
which education carries with it. 
The gardening Press in a general way covers the whole field of 
horticulture, and from this point of view is the greatest educational 
agency we possess. At prices within the reach of all, we are kept 
abreast of all matters in connection with the “ craft,” by the 
best practical men of the day, who know well that their teachings 
must be sound, or woe betide them. The lynx-eyed critic is at all 
times on the alert to discover the weak point in their armour, and 
any controversial question arising gets well threshed out, so the 
general reader reaps the benefit ; the editorial supervision winnows 
the chaff from the grain, and condenses into a reasonable 
compass pabulum suitable for all degrees of gardeners. Thus 
week by week we have to hand an invaluable gardeners’ educational 
agency, which has led the van in horticultural progress. In the 
new educational era upon which we are now entering we have hope 
and faith that it will still continue to do so, but the young 
gardener must understand that as the only source of instruction it 
would not suffice, by reason of what may be termed its non¬ 
continuity. It is in this direction that the extreme value and 
utility of good books is made evident.—T. Garnett. 
(To be continued.) 
MON TBRETI AS. 
On noticing Mr. "Wolley Dod’s note on these flowers in last 
week’s Journal, and the difficulty exDerienced by some growers in 
saving them during severe winters, it may not generally be known 
that the bulbs can be lifted — say, early in November — and 
dried off in the same way as Gladioli, Tigridias, and similar late- 
blooming bulbous plants. They should be kept cool and dry (out 
of the reach of severe frost), and be planted again about the end 
of February or early March, as weather permits. When lifted it 
is important that all stems and foliage be cut clean away at the 
time of taking up, otherwise the bulbs are apt to shrivel ; and 
secondly, not to cut the stems nearer than about an inch from the 
crown of the bulb, as the lower part of the stem sheaths the main 
embryo eyes for the following year’s growth and bloom. 
The yellow varieties, such as Aurea and Gerbe d’Or, appear to 
be much more tender than the reddish-coloured varieties. All the 
former left in the ground during the past two severe winters were 
killed, while patches of the typical red crocosmseflora has had a 
continued existence as a hardy plant here, without any protection, 
and has withstood frost within a few degrees of zero. 
We have found the flowers and spikes from the dried bulbs to 
be much larger and finer than from those left in the ground all the 
winter, and to bloom quite as early, each full-sized bulb sending up 
three or four strong main stems, with large spikes of flowers to each. 
Pottsi is a very hardy variety, but its shyness of blooming com¬ 
pared with the other varieties is much against it, though possibly 
the drying-off process and replanting the detached, full-sized bulbs 
might be the means of greatly improving it in this respect, but we 
have never put this to the test. 
The plan described for the Montbretias we find answers equally 
well for Gladioli of the purpureo-auratus type (Lemoinei hybrids), 
of which so many complaints are made of their doubtful hardiness 
when left in the ground all the winter. Some of these lifted last 
November, dried off, and not replanted until April, have bloomed 
exceedingly well, and the new bulbs in finer condition than when 
left in the ground all winter with protection. 
Gladioli and Montbretias are such fine autumn flowers, their 
bright colours contrast to the pale hued Michaelmas Daisies 
blooming at the same time, and long after the first slight 
frost of autumn has marred the beauty of Dahlias, that I am 
tempted to send these few notes, hoping they may be of service to 
those who have hitherto experienced difficulties in cultivating these 
plants.—J. Burrell, Cambridge. 
DISCUSSION ON APPLES. 
The Influence of Soil. 
In a note on Apples, page 257, allusion is made to Frogmore 
Prolific, and it is questioned as to whether the soil or the stock is 
the cause of variation in the manner in which this Apple crops and 
succeeds in different places. This remark applies not only to 
Frogmore Prolific, but to many others. My opinion is that the 
soil is much more to blame than the stock for such wide variations 
m the manner in which varieties behave in different localities. 
In some soils, generally those that are heavy and retentive, and 
consequently colder in winter and spring, we find certain sorts 
will barely exist, to say nothing of giving a full crop of fruit, 
while in another place where the soil is contrary in its component 
parts we find the same sorts heavily laden with fruit. In my 
experience I cannot call to mind a single instance where the same 
kinds of Apples have been planted in the ordinary way on soil 
similar in character that have exhibited any change in their manner 
of progress. I mean one that has succeeded while the same sort 
in a similar soil has failed. 
I am strengthened in my conviction that it is the soil which has 
to do with the success or otherwise of certain varieties by experi¬ 
ments made during the present year in the method of planting 
certain sorts. I have trees of the same sort growing under various 
conditions, and can plainly notice a difference in the manner in 
which they behave. Two trees of Schoolmaster exhibit a marked 
difference in their fruit. One tree is planted in the ordinary way, 
the soil not raised above the surrounding level; some of the fruit on 
this tree are cracked, covered with specks, and otherwise disfigured ; 
the foliage is also pale in colour. Tree No. 2 is growing on an 
elevated mound, 15 inches at least above the surrounding ground 
level; much of the extra soil is decayed vegetable refuse and leaf 
mould. The fruit borne by this tree is absolutely without speck 
or crack, and the foliage is of a dark green colour—the picture of 
health. I have many varieties growing on these mounds, and 
promising they look. It will be necessary to add more soil or 
decayed refuse yearly for the roots to run into, so as to encourage 
them to remain in the best position—close to the surface. Why I 
consider these mounds beneficial to some sorts is that the soil in 
which the roots are must be warmer at all times of the year, and 
certainly drier than though it were mainly below the ground level. 
Of course this method of planting entails more labour in the matter 
of mulching and watering during dry weather in summer, but if 
by this extra outlay we are enabled to cultivate sorts otherwise a 
failure the extra trouble will be of small moment. 
One too often reads that certain varieties should be planted 
owing to their good qualities, but such advice is very often 
unaccompanied by the assurance gained from a practical knowledge 
that the same sorts will flourish in any soil. This I consider a very 
fallacious manner of giving advice. If persons would say if the 
the same sorts will succeed in all soils, then the advice would be 
more reliable. 
Lord Grosvenor. 
This is undoubtedly a grand kitchen Apple for early use. 
Where Lord Suffield does not succeed, and there are many 
such instances, this sort should be planted. Here Lord Suffield 
has been a failure for many years until this season, when it has 
given us abundance of fruit. Why this has been so I do not know, 
unless it was the dry weather experienced during May, which 
certainly favoured the setting of the fruit. In our soil the trees 
make such little growth that many of the shoots made during the 
summer die the following winter. In this respect Lord Grosvenor 
differs very much, appearing to be hardier in constitution and more 
fitted to plant in our heavy cold soil. Lord Suffield succeeds 
admirably in the lighter soil overlaying the red sandstone rock 
north and east of Liverpool. There it is a great favourite, and 
deservedly so ; nothing could excel the crops of fruit I have seen 
there of it. Perhaps Lord Grosvenor is the most profitable early 
kitchen Apple we have. The fruit is ready for the market the first 
week in August, and good prices are then realised. Lord Grosvenor 
needs but little attention in pruning. The growth is short-jointed, 
rather erect, which is a point in its favour where a quantity of 
trees are to be planted on a small space. This variety is 
not averse to a liberal supply of stimulative food in the shape of 
liquid manure and mulchings of partly decayed horse droppings 
for heavy land, and that from the cow house in the case 
of light sandy soil. 
Emperor Alexander. 
This is one of the shy bearing sorts in the garden here, although 
the growth is fairly good. Its barrenness cannot be caused through 
want of root-pruning or restriction of its branches, because the 
tree has had plenty of both. I attribute its almost sterile condition 
to some chemical element contained in the soil to which it objects. 
In a garden not more than a mile from here this variety trained 
as an espalier bears annually full crops of highly coloured fruit. 
The soil in that garden is much lighter in texture than is this, con¬ 
sequent upon the presence of so much chalk, both near the 
surface and impregnated with it.— E. Molyneux, Swanmore , Hants . 
Five Crown or London Pippin. 
This variety is growing in a cottage garden near me, and it has 
not failed to give a full crop the last ten years to my know¬ 
ledge. It is a kind of a bush-formed tree, the lower part having 
some large limbs, the smaller branches being cut off to make head 
room. The tree is planted in the middle of a hedge, by which 
a path runs. It is an excellent cooking Apple. Its name is 
