irarch 8,1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
179 
Every year I obtain a cartload of gas lime and spread it over the 
ground, which has been deeply dug or trenched as early in the 
autumn or winter as was convenient. About one good handful 
is spread on a square yard, but as I know how much to use I 
generally spread it on with the spade, then about a week before 
sowing the seed I dress the ground with soot and fork it over. 
When the Onions are 4 or 6 inches high I give them a dusting of 
soot about once in three weeks in showery weather, or if the 
weather is very dry, as it was last spring, I give them a light 
watering after each dusting. Since I have adopted this plan I 
have not been troubled with maggots in the Onions, Carrots, or 
Parsley, and therefore I have great faith in gas lime as prevention 
of the pests, provided it is used a sufficient time before sowing.— 
David Hobby, The Gardens^ Bryinpton House. 
In responding to the appeal in your last issue of the Journal of 
Horticidture I heartily give my experience on the cultivation of 
the Onion. When I first took up my position as head gardener I 
used to lose nearly the whole of my Onion crop through the 
maggot, but, thanks to continued perseverance, I am now able to 
successfully combat the enemy. I have had splendid crops for the 
last seven years, and have won numerous first prizes at the shows. 
I will begin with the preparation of the soil, which always 
takes place with me in the autumn. The plot of ground intended 
for Onions should be well exposed to the sun and air, not shaded 
by trees. A rather light soil and of good depth is preferable to 
strong heavy land. Double dig the ground, taking out a trench, 
and wheeling the top spit to where it is intended to finish, put a good 
layer of rich manure on the bottom of the trench, turn this under, 
put in another layer of manure, then turn the top spit of the next 
trench on this again, and proceed with this operation until the 
whole plot of ground is finished. Nothing more is required until 
the beginning of the following first week in March, then, when the 
soil is in good working order, make up a mixture consisting of two 
parts fresh soot, two parts superphosphate of lime, and one part 
kainit; mix well and apply a moderate dressing to the surface of 
the ground. Point it in with a fork, taking care not to bring up 
the manure applied in the autumn. When the soil is dry enough 
tread it firmly, level with a rake, taking away all rough clods and 
stones, draw drills from 10 to 12 inches apart, and just deep enough 
to allow of covering the seed lightly. 
When the plants appear and the rows can be easily seen use the 
Dutch hoe to loosen the soil and destroy weeds. Thin out when 
the seedlings are 3 inches high, and continue the use of the Dutch 
hoe once a week until the bulbs are about as large as a sixpence. I 
do not use the hoe afterwards, as I think it cuts some of the roots, 
but employ a small fork attached to a long handle, and just loosen 
the soil very lightly, each time sprinkling a little soot between the 
rows, and also give a light dressing of superphosphate about twice 
during the growing season. It is almost impossible to make the 
soil too rich ; poor cultivation is the cause of many failures in 
growing Onions. If liquid manure can be had, give the ground a 
good soaking three or four times in the course of the season. 
When the plants are about three parts grown the tops are bent 
down, and this increases the size of the bulbs. As soon as growth 
has ceased take the Onions up, and spread them in thin layers in 
dry open sheds, or, what is better still, on the stage in a green¬ 
house, where they can have the full power of the sun to ripen 
them. The more they are ripened the better they will keep. In 
storing them for the winter they should have a very dry place ; 
they will not keep well where it is damp. Mildew attacks them, 
and also damp starts them growing. 
If extra large Onions are required for exhibition the seed 
should be sown in pots or pans, January or early February, 
placed on a shelf close to the glass. When the seedlings are 
3 inches high prick them into boxes 2 to 3 inches apart, still 
keeping them in the greenhouse until about 6 inches high ; 
afterwards shift them into cold frames. Gradually harden off 
and plant out at the end of April in ground prepared as previously 
recommended. 
Where time and convenience are at command the latter method 
is much the best for the whole of the crop, as double the weight of 
Onions can be had than by sowing in the open ground, the 
bulbs being equal in size to the finest Spanish, and there is no fear 
of the maggot. Some gardeners I know object to this method, 
and say that the large Onions do not keep well. I can assure my 
readers that the bulbs will keep if properly ripened and stored in 
a very dry place. I have kept some of mine for ten months after 
being taken out of the ground.—T. Davies, Radhurst House, 
Barton-under-Needioood. 
[Our correspondent sends Onions as firm and as fine as we could 
desire to see. A crop of such Onions at present prices would be 
worth more than £100 an acre. We have other communications.] 
HYBRID PINKS. 
More than usual attention is just now directed to our old- 
fashioned Pinks as garden flowers, both for border decoration as 
well as for exhibition puiposes, and it is very refreshing to some of 
us “ old boys ” to find the old florists’ laced edged varieties being 
improved by such raisers as Fellowes, Hooper, Paul, Thurstans, 
Brown, and others. My object, however, now is to draw attention 
to what can so easily be done if growers will only take up the 
work, that of hybridising in the Dianthus family, for here in 
Birmingham one of our best Carnation growers has for three years 
now been at work crossing the Marguerite PinTc (not Carnation, as 
it is erroneously called) with the Carnation and Picotee, and it has 
resulted in a grand lot of annual Carnations in this sense only, that 
from seed sown in February and March strong plants can be easily 
had in bloom in the following August, which is a great saving of 
time. In all other respects they can be treated in the same way 
as tree Carnations, as they are of a sub-shrubby or branching 
character, and will bloom out of doors when needed, propagation 
being effected by cuttings or layers. 
We have very attractive varieties of the common garden Pinks, 
some of which emit refreshing fragrance, especially the old Double 
White, which exists in almost every garden. What a field there is 
open for hybridising our garden Pinks with the Dianthus 
Heddewegi section, or the old Dianthus chinensis, or the Mar¬ 
guerite Pinks, and to do this with a fair prospect of success 
plants should be grown in pots for the blooms to be fertilised, so 
as to ensure under glass the ripening of the seeds in the event of 
a wet summer and autumn. 
The Dianthus family is a very numerous and varied one, from 
the charming little gems from the Alps to our grand varieties of 
Carnations and Picotees ; and in the hands of a hybridiser many 
beautiful new garden varieties could soon be procured. I hope 
these few words will induce some of the younger men to try their 
hand at the work. 
Many of our grand herbaceous plants present a great field of 
operations to our hybridisers, and good work is being done in 
places. A gentleman in the city of York has for years past devoted 
great attention to Flag Irises and Hemerocallis, producing some 
very fine hybrids, and his garden is crowded with seedling plants. 
Take Campanulas and Platycodons, for instance, of which there 
are so many species and varieties, all more or less beautiful, ranging 
in height from a very few inches to 4 to 5 feet in height, and what 
hybridising could be done with them. 
Thanks to such men as your correspondent, Mr. Arnott, who 
writes so lovingly of his pets, and must have a rare collection of 
plants, and other writers and cultivators, our herbaceous and 
Alpine plants are kept well to the front, and deservedly so, for 
they are amongst the most interesting of hardy garden plants, 
and so easily cultivated, although unfortunately are at times met 
with in a very uncultivated state. 
Perhaps you will just let me add a word or two as to collections 
of these flowers at exhibitions. There should be some restriction 
as to the size of the bunches, and rarer species and varieties should 
have more consideration. I am rot the only judge at floral 
exhibitions who get somewhat bewildered at shows from the want 
of more definite instructions in schedules, and a conference of 
judges in the work of flower shows for the purpose of framing 
a code of instructions to horticultural societies in general as to 
the wording of their schedules would be a boon indeed.—W. D. 
NEW SNOWDROPS. 
Several new Snowdrops, which have flowered in this country 
in 1894 for the first time, may perhaps be worthy of a brief notice. 
Of these the majority have been introduced through the enthusiasm 
of Mr. E. Whittall of Smjrna, who has with so much liberality 
distributed them. They appear to be all varieties of G. Elwesi, 
but some have very distinct features, making them worthy of 
varietal names. One of the best of these is one sent as Galanthus 
Aidin. This is of erect habit, throwing the blooms well above the 
foliage. The flowers are short, but of good form, and distinguished 
by the claw-like formation of the outer petals, and in consequence 
Mr. J. G. Baker suggests that if a distinctive name is required for 
this plant it should be G. Elwesi var. unguiculata. For garden 
purposes this would be one of the best of the varieties of Elwesi. 
Another form has been sent as G. Cassaba. The greater number 
of the flowers of this have the large green blotch connected with 
the apical ones by a narrow green mark. This is not, however, 
invariable, and the dir tinctive feature is the thick, erect, and long 
leaves which fold over each other at the base. The form of the 
flower is unlike that of Elwesi, but as Mr. Baker cannot distinguish 
any botanical difference between this Cassaba Snowdrop and 
