458 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 7, 1894. 
early returns for their labour. The farmer looked on his thickly bloomed 
orchards and promising crops with an air of complete satisfaction, the 
gardener surveyed the different departments of horticulture under his 
charge, and felt for once at peace with Nature, while the market grower 
“ chuckled ” to himself as he thought of the large amount of produce he 
would be able to put so early in the market. 
On the night afore mentioned, however, “Jack Frost” spread his 
devastating arm over the country, and vegetation next day was pitiable 
to behold. In the forest the early growth of the giant Oak hung limp 
and lifeless, while beneath the branches the young fronds of the 
springing Ferns presented a forlorn appearance, withered and bending 
as if bowing to the will of a superior power. On the farm and in the 
garden the appearance was the same, and the feelings of horticulturists 
can be better imagined than described. The farmer looked at the 
blackened tips of his fruit trees and sighed as he thought of the item in 
his rent account, which he had anticipated his fruit would make; the 
gardener again surveyed his charge, which had hitherto looked so 
promising, with an air of vexation and disappointment. Perhaps the 
most to be pitied, however, is the market gardener, whose livelihood 
depends solely on his productions. He looks at his large patches of 
early Potatoes, which he had estimated would bring him in a substantial 
sum. They are all black and withered, and comparatively useless. 
His Beans and many other crops are the same; while in some districts 
huge fields of early Strawberries suffered severely, and the crops will be 
reduced to a minimum. No one knows so well as himself what this 
will mean. All this adds another link to the chain of disappointments 
with which horticulturists have to contend, and gives us to understand 
that while forecasting the results of our efforts we must always make 
allowance for the caprices of an ever-changing climate.—G. H., Alton 
Toicers, 
We had 2° of frost on the mornings of May 21st and 22nd, with a 
north-east wind, and rather more damage was done on the morning of 
22nd, as the wind was stronger; but as most things were dry at the time 
the chief damage done was to blacken the leaves of the Potatoes without 
destroying the stems. I do not think the fruit crops in our locality are 
injured by frost, but I regret to say that we have a bad visitation of 
insect pests on the Apple, Plum, and Cherry trees, in spite of repeated 
dressings of quassia and softsoap, assisted by an occasional hailstorm 
and rain showers. I hope that my experience with r<^gard to insects is not 
general; if so, it will spoil the promise of spring.— R. Maher, Yattemlon 
Court, Newbury. _ 
With our thermometer hanging on the open espalier nearly i feet 
from the ground and about 100 yards from the river Wear, the frost on 
Monday, 21st ult., was 12°; 22Qd, 12°; 23rd, 12 J°; 24th, 7° ; 25th, 10,i°; 
thus making a total of 54° for the consecutive five nights, and as even 
the grass is seriously damaged—in fact, I never saw anything like it— 
one may judge what are our fruit prospects hereabouts. The week 
previous was cold—bitterly cold—and what we may have left I think 
will be largely attributable to this cold, as all vegetation was thoroughly 
hardened, and which perhaps reduced the damage to what might have 
been expected from a third less frost with softer conditions. I may say 
that I notice quite a scourge of green fly, and strange to say the insects 
do not seem to have been much affected.— Joseph Witherspooh. Red 
Rose Vineries, Chester-le-Street, Durham, 
THE VALERIAN (OENTRANTHUS RUBER). 
I AM not surprised that your correspondent, “ B. D. S.” (page 429), 
should have been attracted by the sight of a large mass of this beautiful 
plant in bloom. His note reminds me that some years ago I was really 
startled on coming suddenly to an old quarry in which th'e red Valerian 
and a blue Anchusa (probably italica) had taken possession of the 
place. Being near to the entrance gate to a gentleman’s estate, and in 
full view of the drive, very probably the plants had been introduced 
by someone. Be that as it may, I was led to think what splendid 
effects could be produced in many a similar place, and whenever I see 
an old rugged quarry that seems of no use to anybody, I feel I would 
like to amuse myself with it. 
“ E. D. S.” will be pleased to know there is a pure white variety of 
this Valerian. I first saw it many years ago growing on the top of a 
wall at Wrington, Somerset, but I was not able to collect it. Since then 
I have met with it elsewhere, and introduced it with a very deep red 
variety into the garden here to cover a dry bank, and they do it 
well. The red one is, moreover, becoming rather troublesome, as 
the seeds are furnished with a pappus-like appendage, by means of 
which they are carried by the wind to places where not wanted. 
The white variety with me does not spread so much, nor have I 
yet observed any seedlings of a paler colour than the original dark 
red, which, by the way, is many shades deeper than any I have 
seen growing wild. I have frequently met with large breadths on 
railway embankments, but have never observed any great difference 
in shade of colour. If your correspondent cares to have one or both 
of the varieties above mentioned I will send them with pleasure on 
receipt of post card with address. 
While on this subject of native flowers I would like to mention three 
other plants of great interest and beauty—viz., Erinus alpinus, Dianthus 
csesius (Cheddar Pink), and Reseda alba. The first named is not a native 
though it is included in some British Floras as a naturalised plant. 
Tnis and the Dianthus are growing in fair numbers on old walls near 
here. It would be difficult to imagine a prettier sight than a mass of 
this Erinus on an old wall. The Reseda I found growing in a semi¬ 
wild state, and was so charmed with the beautifully cut haves and tall 
spikes of almost white flowers that I obtained seeds, and now grow it as 
a hardy annua', or rather it grows itself, for it comes up freely at the 
end of the summer, and any seedlings which happen to be in suitable 
places are allowed to remain. It is in full beauty at the present time. 
—T. S , Ilenhury Ilill, 
In reply to “ E. D. S.” (page 429), 1 may state that the white variety 
of this Valerian occurs on some of the chalk cliffs at Northfleet near the 
Thames, also there is a clump of it in the cutting near the Rosherville 
station of the L.C.D.R., and one in the Gravesend Cemetery. Probably 
it ought to be detected, too, along the South-Eastern line, but I have 
not observed it there. I may add that the plant also grows sometimes 
on walls and church towers. Most botanists consider it is not a native, 
the tradition being that the monks brought it from the South of Europe, 
cultivating it, perhaps, for two purposes, and by means of their garden* 
it became dispersed over many districts. Even yet, Spaniards and Italians 
use the leaves with their sea-green bloom for salads and stew’S, and the 
old monks may have admired their peculiar flavour. The root was pre¬ 
sumed to have the same cordial antispasmodic qualities possessed by 
the great Valerian.—J. R. S. C. 
COTTAGE FARM, SULHAMPSTEAD. 
A VISIT to this thoroughly rural locality and Mr, Robert Fenn’s small 
freehold, as above named, always repays. For fully half a century Mr. 
Fenn has been working in the interest of gardening and sanitary science 
in relation to households, and the interest thus evidenced is still to be 
seen actively operating at Sulhampstead, The great charm of this place 
is that, whilst nearly all the land about the district is in the hands of 
one or two mam moth holders, Mr. Fenn’s some 13 acres is his own, and 
therefore he is at liberty to do as he likes with it. There he has planted 
fruit trees, especially Apples and Plums, in great abundance both in 
garden and orchard ; and not content with that he has planted both 
largely on a headland in one of his meadows, where it would have been 
difficult otherwise to cultivate the soil ; hence there is good effort made 
to utilise every corner. A most interesting feature, too, of Sulhampstead 
are the memorial trees, representative of dead and living friends, whe 
thus live in admirable remembrance. 
When at Woodstock no man made for himself a wider reputation in 
connection with Potatoes than did our old friend. Not a few of his 
varieties found their way into commerce, and some now are still of the 
very best. Whilst other persons worked so mueh for abundance, Mr. 
Fenn worked for quality. His idea was that by judicious breeding the- 
Potato would be made something more than a mere vegetable ; it should 
be really a valuable food. Still, even as an article of food the tuber 
should not be judged so much by size or bulk as by its inherent flesh¬ 
forming qualities ; and when he tells us that he has fatted pigs alone on 
seedling Potatoes, although the illustration may not be of the most 
refined, yet is it effective as showing that whilst many sorts having large 
tubers are little else than water, others may have in them starch or 
gluten in considerable abundance. Seedling Potatoes are still raised at 
Sulhampstead, though now fewer, and the latest product is a cross 
between one of the best English raised sorts and Solanum Maglia, which 
may in time give something of exceptional interest. After all we are 
content to remark, and the proof may always be found if anyone will 
visit Sulhampstead, and partake of the Potato food so liberally furnished, 
on the excellence of the product. 
Whilst a large area of what was formerly arable land has for the 
time been laid down to grass, still a long strip in one of the fields has 
been trenched and worked well, then sown and planted with various 
vegetable crops, and here we have at once furnished another valuable 
lesson, as the ground thus cultivated is fully three times more productive 
than is the land close by hitherto ploughed only. Much as many who farm 
land grudge the initial expense incidental to spade or fork labour, yet 
would they but risk capital in their ground in that way they would find the 
benefit, not only in the first but in several successive seasons. Practi¬ 
cally there can be no cultivation worthy of the name that is not the 
product of spade or manual labour. 
The utilisation literally of everything, no matter what, is the order 
of the day at the Cottage Farm. Earth closets utilise everything other¬ 
wise an intolerable evil; so also do underground tubs or tanks for the 
reception of every description of animal drainage. That is freely 
utilised by irrigation on grass, about trees, and is also carted where 
needed for the benefit of all sorts of crops. Then all descriptions of 
garden and field refuse, such as cannot be consumed by cows and pigs, 
is burnt, being mixed with clay, the which, half baked or charred, 
becomes marl, and thus helps to fertilise the soil. 
On the cottage wall, north side, is a fine Golden Drop Pear tree. This 
is not close pruned or nailed, but the shoots project out some 15 to IS 
i notes from the wall. The result is a grand crop of fruit, and very 
little trouble indeed with aphis. On the warmer side of the cottage is 
growing a rather loose Esperione Vine ; the lower branches have 
been brought inside and along the back of a small cool greenhouse. 
Even with such trivial protection the inner growth is far more robust, 
and a long way earlier than is the external growth, and the bunch 
promise is a wonderful one. Here is demonstrated in a small way the 
