January 17, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
45 
ESTABUSHSD 18321 
No Connection with any other Firm of the same Name. 
& Son s 
SPRING 
CATALOGU 
For 1895 , 
OP 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds 
AND 
BULBS AND PLANTS, 
IS . NOW READY. 
Will be sent post free on application to their Offices 
at OVERVEEN, near HAARLEM, HOLLAND, or to their 
General Ajrents— 
Messrs. MERTENS & CO., 
3, CROSS LANE, LONDON, E.C. 
SIX SOPERIOIi VEGETABLES 
I 0I(TH GROWIN G. 
BLAIR’S PROLIFIC CUCUMBER. 
A handsome Show variety, very prolific, colour deep green. 
Mr. Speed, Penrhyn Gardens, sajs, “A grand Cucumber lor 
either winter or summer use. I have grown it this season, and 
like It very much.” Per Packet, Is. 6d. 
DUCHESS OF YORK MELON. 
Fruit medium size, white flesh, co’our golden, finely netted, A 
grand exhibition variety. Per Packet, Is. 6d. 
PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR MELON. 
One ol the b^t grown, bright yellow, partially netted, fiesh 
L:_whi,te and thick. A grand variety. Per Packet, Is. 
EGERTON PEA. 
The best late cropping Pea erown, height 4 feet. Mr. Up JOHN 
Worsley Gardens, says, “I find it one of the most prolific and 
enduring croppers I ever met with. 1 have been gathering from 
July to October 20th.” Per Qaart, Is. 6d. 
NORTHERN BEAUTY TOMATO. 
abundant and continual bearer, free setter, very early 
intense deep crimson colour, and large h ;ndsome smooth fruit* 
Per Packet, is, 
PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR TOMATO. 
Fruits large, fiesh very solid, grand flavour, colour brio’ht 
crimson. A very heavy cropper. Per Packet, Is, 6d.° 
Descriptive Priced CATAI.OOUE Tree on 
Application. 
DICKSON, BROWN, & TAIT, 
Royal Seed Establishment, 
No. 760.—VOL. XXX., Third Series, 
T his renowned Handbook con¬ 
sists of 170 pages of finely 
illustrated matter, including full 
cultural directions for nearly all 
classes of Flowers and Vegetables. 
Free by Parcel Post for 6d. 
The “Dundee Weekly News” 
says of it: — “ This well-known 
work has again made its welcome 
appearance for the season, and no 
one who desires to attain to some 
measure of success in the keeping 
of a garden, or has the ambition to 
distinguish himself as a competitor 
at the flower shows, should neglect 
procuring a copy. The advice 
given is sound, practical, and, 
above all things else, easy to 
understand and follow, and in 
these respects it is of much more 
real use than many expensive 
guides. Messrs. Dobbie & Co., the 
celebrated Rothesay Seedsmen, are 
the publishers. 
One of the most successful 
professional gardeners in England 
says of it : — “ Messrs. Bobbie’s 
Catalogue and Competitors’ Guide 
is vastly ahead of ordinary Cata¬ 
logues. It is a most trustworthy 
Guide to the culture of Flowers and 
Vegetables.” 
An amateur of long standing 
writesYour Catalogue is ofi 
great service. I would not take 5s. 
for it if I could not get another.” 
Messrs. DOBBIE & CC-, Seed 
Growers and Florists to the Queen, 
Rothesay, beg to inform the reader s 
of “The Journal of Horticulture” 
that a copy of the Twenty-eighth 
Annual Edition of “DOBBIE’S 
CATALOGUE and COMPETITORS’ 
GUIDE” will be forwarded ^ ^.o any 
address per parcel post on receipt 
of SIXPENCE in Stamps. 
Please apply early. 
DOBBIE & CO., 
ROTHESAY. 
ROOTS IN WINTER: 
DO THEY WORK? 
T his is a question of much interest, and the 
commonly accepted opinion that Grape 
Vines make no apparent root growth until the 
plants are well covered with foliage would appear 
to be decisive on the point. But provided the 
soil of Vine borders is kept throughout the 
winter in a slightly moist condition, at any time 
very fine young roots may be found for the 
looking. A little consideration, however, brings 
us face to face with facts which throw more than 
a shadow of doubt as to whether the Vine, 
assuming it makes no root growth in winter, 
prove the case. It is plain that what is termed 
“resting” cannot mean a cessation of all the 
functions of a tree ; because during the whole 
period in which decidnons trees are bare of 
foliage there is a progressive growth of buds, 
this being more marked in the case of fruit 
buds than of wood buds. From the beginning 
of December till the latter part of January 
growth is very slight, but still it is discernible. 
Previous to and after the period mentioned 
growth is plainly evident. We hear and read 
of stored up sap, but what it is, or what part 
it plays, no one can tell. This, however, is 
certain. A tree may be pruned at any time 
after the fall of the leaf without evidence of 
the sap being present, but let the operation be 
delayed until a few weeks previous to the time 
when the tree should exhibit outward signs of 
growth, and sap is so abundant that it flows 
from every wound. The only medium by which 
the supply can be obtained is the roots, yet we 
are to believe there is no growth of roots untH 
weeks afterwards. 
The Peach may be enlisted to furnish an 
illustration. Grown out of doors Peaches do 
not cast their buds, but when in glass houses 
they do under certain conditions, the chief of 
which is soil dryness. If a Peach border is 
allowed to become dry at any time during the 
period of rest the result is always the same, 
for when the buds arrive at a certain stage of 
growth they drop off the tree. This shows that 
at least the Peach requires something more 
than stored-up sap. In addition to this negative 
teaching, the Peach furnishes a positive illustra¬ 
tion. A Peach tree cultivated in a pot, when 
repotted in the autumn, after the crop has been 
gathered, continues to make new roots during 
the winter. This fact is generally known, and 
would be decisive on the point, even if no other 
case could be found ; but every well-cultivated 
tree in a garden can show evidence that roots 
are not inactive during winter. Do not, how¬ 
ever, go to old trees whose roots have to be 
No. 2416.—VoL. XCIL, Old Series. 
