Ootobcr «, 1887. J 
301 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
■ ' 4 f tc , r , aI1 that has , been said, and the amount of grumbling indulged 
and Blank Y 6 WG ^ a ™ ent ? No doubt Strawberries, Raspberries, Red 
genembv k ..T", 5 ’ £ n f, m ® lesser dc S rce Apples, Pears, and stone fruit 
while Vpj. bad y from tb e lon g drought and excessive heat, 
all hi! W°K U lfl °'r rs ’ and saladin g cut up badly ; but how quickly 
cardan n^nn almo ® t f °rgotten. A few rainy days has started the 
who nnrtv “!? m Y? y fl ° wers lnto unwonted active growth, and those 
established w* "in 1 tbe P lantln ? for winter generally, getting it 
cnvprpf] an 1 fh° rG ^ 6 rams came » * n most cases have the ground well 
thJre wn n-^- the r Pr °! P f Ct ° f a scarci< Y isat Present dispelled. Here and 
surnrisld to oh C frU tre Y f nd bushes nearly killed. ,an,l I have been 
kilted hv dron b „hf V<! ^l Veral forest trees f l uite dead, these being evidently 
more thL d n ght Pfx are triflin g occurrences, and all losses will be 
better nncned 1 t P h enSa k ed u° T the fact that trees of a11 kinds will be 
reasonab?v anK han + haS been tlC case for ver y ma ny years, and we may 
SSirv PSte f \™ nderful g bow of bloom next spring. In 
l«vn rl ■ 1 t , re f s . of choicer sorts of fruits, notably Apples, will have 
Lanv o o lg0 ; atCd m j ™ arkod degTre. The summer of 1886 benefited 
better growththan usuj * ^ Wel1 and formed mueh 
all IS ntn atU ? Hy eX ? 6Ct ’ the advocates of deep culture under 
not auite nc ™ cumstanees have long since concluded those who do 
far a, S h ^5“ Y? bavin & a ver y I oor time of it indeed. As 
fancy readers of t^ r ® °'? ^ might be fought over a g ain - but 1 
to droned t the / ournal p f Horticulture would prefer the matter 
ThiTbeing P so T wdiH 1116 ’!. 80 “ Uch havm S been written on the subject, 
anv idea of roi; touc h upon it as briefly as possible, and without 
amused af il ”^ a Wel thrashed-out subject. I cannot help being 
am surnrisod ® tactics of “ A Thinker,” and candidly 
of vegetables fr°° d a YY sl Y uld Seek to be colr °borated by exhibitors 
exhihftors W t : tn H ! may bnng forward the opinions of another hundred 
rardeners at ao h ° U . Impr0ving bis position-in the eyes of practical 
to R’’ and Vno 7 > e T 0ne . 10ta ‘ He for g et s that I have “ done a little 
must notlY Y how to cstim.ite such evidence at its proper worth. It 
Er fife 1 W1S V° un " e rrate the success attending the 
fr^, it Tt tb h y successful exhibitors mentioned (page 112) ; far 
cessful during 3 V Y 7 ? U . ch to their credit th at they have been so sue- 
trenohi™ Yn ^ l * eason > but wh - y did th ey mention only the 
8unnl7es?f K d Y ulchm g ? W faat about the amouafc of watering, the 
many ho„rs ' f UKl maaure ’ tbe tem Porary shading in some cases, and the 
many hours of unpaid overtime expended over those vegetables ? 
occurred M tn ? A T . hinker >” allow me to remind him of what once 
Lincolnshire tYI^ 1 m ch Y g ®. of a g arden somewhere not far from 
tioTed he retlr f C0Urse of hls interesting jottings he once men- 
off a breadth nf B d Y'Yf V18 Y m time to find the g arden men clearing 
rcsnected em / Beet 11 Y as belng wheeled off to the pigs. My friend’s 
tained fhst B P Oye af aVC Y e 0rder ’ and in s P ite of remonstrances main- 
latter omfht L W Y Ma f ngold Y nd not Beet tha t was growing where the 
the warden 1 was a forcible method of impressing a lesson on 
that g cstlw^>, that f COa Y e V Y et , ableS g eneralI y were not approved of in 
more thtn 1 ^ " ’ .°“ r J tbmkmg friend took tb e bint, and has since, 
n nonce, pointed the moral.” Yet we are, now that it suits his 
P ha J e . tbe coarse prize vegetables held up for approbation, t 
“Y „ blamed for calling prize vegetables coarse, but let me ask what 
good cooks care for huge Carrots, Onions, Parsnips, Turnips, Beet. Cauli- 
flowers, Celery, Cabbage, and Potatoes, or those extra fine podded Beans 
r Jt as ? , A * a matter of fact, and as I have repeatedly pointed out, 
nnffl Y- “Y have them if they can possibly help it; and who will dis¬ 
pute their wisdom ? Surely not “ A Thinker.” 
p yhe “° st rioteworthy failures in the way of summer vegetables were 
Peas and Cauliflowers. Even all those thirty exhibitors were not able 
to produce the latter, or I am very much mistaken. Trenching, mulch- 
ing, and watering would not insure a healthy growth of either Peas or 
cauliflowers, or we should have done better with them, for, strange as it 
may appear, we give the practice yet another trial. They cannot grow 
peas and Cauliflowers in America during the summer months, and this 
summer we, too, were blessed with sunshine and heat too powerful for 
ose crops. Did we but know what weather to expect there would be 
ewer failures, but unfortunately it is all a glorious uncertainty. Per¬ 
sonally, while I am in charge of this garden I prefer hot and dry sum- 
iw’iv i C f ta ’ n * y should not resort to trenching under the impression 
mat this laborious practice is the most economic and profitable in the 
long run. Some gardens, as I have from the first stated, are benefited 
y intelligent deep cultivation, and there are plenty very much injured 
y a reckless adoption of the plan. Heavy cold lands want sunshine 
and warmth, and they also require good surface culture. Our garden 
never worked so well before, the dry severe winter thoroughly pulverising 
i j and I am quite delighted with the progress various crops are yet 
making. Few private gardens are more closely cropped, and very few 
indeed get so little manure. With more of the latter and plenty of 
time to devote to the culture of vegetables for exhibition, we might 
e ctilcukitions of some of those “ thirty spade-deep friends” of 
A Thinker.” _ The re-introduction of the phrase “ surface tickling ” 
may raise a smile.on the faces of those who read it, but let me repeat 
there is a great difference in the surface culture Mr. Gilbert sometimes 
considers ample for his land, and the work of a straight spade in the 
hand of an able labourer. 
. f,bav° more than once drawn attention to the extraordinary manner 
in wnich Lettuces, Kidney Beans, and Peas thrive on the ridges between 
the Celery trenches, and it is in these positions we have again secured, 
the former especially, throughout the season. Lettuces last summer 
vere very scarce, and we could only grow them on these ridges. No 
manure and little else but hard soil to root in, yet they grew to a good 
size and did not bolt much more quickly than usual. Our latest Peas- 
were gathered from rows growing on unmanured and firm ground, and 
but for the birds these would continue to yield. Runner Beans sown on. 
ordinarily dug ground in the coolest part of the garden, and watered 
twice only, have not yet ceased to be productive, and a remarkably 
heavy crop of Old Ashleaf Potatoes were lifted from a piece of undug 
unmanured ground. The latter were planted as late as the second week 
m May, being simply laid on the surface and moulded over. They 
formed scarcely any haulm, but when lifted we were surprised at the 
size of the tuhers and the great weight of the crop. We wanted several 
bushels of “ seed ” Potatoes, and we obtained ten barrowloads ot large 
and rather ugly tubers, but which are of excellent quality. What say 
our “ spade-deep friends” to this curious phenomenon?—W. Iggulden. 
THE BIRMINGHAM GARDENERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The first meeting of the autumn session was held in the Midland 
Institute on Wednesday evening the 27th inst., when the Mayor of 
Jiirminghfim, Sir Thomas Martineau, presided, and nearly 200 members- 
attended. A very interesting practical paper on the Rose was read by 
tbe Rev. J. A. Williams, Alderminster, Stratford-on-Avon. Mr. Williams 
brought with him a number of very fine Tea Rose blooms, and obtained 
irom Messrs. Perkins of Coventry samples of Roses on various stocks 
w-Y- 1 aS . Bose P lants a p examples of good and bad pruning. Mr, 
llliams divided his subject under the following heads :—Soil and 
Manure, Buying Plants, Planting, Pruning. As to soil and manure, 
remarked that it was a common fallacy that they could be grown well 
'-adyj 11 day soil. Roses on their own roots do not like a clay soil, but 
the Dog Rose does. The late Mr. Rivers introduced the Manetti stock, 
which is generally used for Roses, but it perishes in cold, clayey soils. 
Discard the Manetti, Mr. Williams says, and plant Roses on the Briar. 
On light soils manure with cowdung, with deep trenching when prac¬ 
ticable, and fully 4 inches of it, or fish refuse deep in the trench. This 
with chopped turf and road scrapings and lump charcoal and bones will 
produce fine blooms. Liquid manure to be used often and regularly, 
and in a clear state, and ordinary water in a clear state. Mulch with 
plenty of manure, but not in a raw state. 
_^ n buying, buy close at hand if plants can be had good and true, and 
if from a distance to be sent by parcels post or passenger train, securely 
p acke<I so as to come quickly. In planting, dig a hole so large that 
when the plant is placed in it there is ample room for the roots to> 
extend. Plant by the end of October or the beginning of November, if 
possible, and root-action will speedily commence. For Roses on the Ma 
net-ti, the junction should be quite 3 inches below the soil ; on the seedling 
Briar fully inch, even 3 inches, and in either case “tongueing” the 
scion, and trim old decaying roots only. Mr. Williams illustrated a 
portion of his lecture by examples of dwarf Roses, H.P.’s, and Teas on 
the seedling Briar, and H.P.’s on Briar cuttings, and in the latter case 
the roots were more numerous and fibrous, and a good specimen of a 
root-feeding plant; but early or late pruning depends upon the soil and 
situation, for beds Roses of a colour continuous blooming and an 
even habit of growth were recommended. 
Tea Roses are to a great extent as hardy as H.P.’s, and will resist 
mildew and other pests, and are in bloom from April until December. 
Mr. \Y illiams stated that from one plant of Marie Van Houtte he had 
that morning cut fifty blooms. In the Alderminster Rectory Gardens 
the plants are grown in an exposed situation, but close to water, and 
with an open autumn Mr. Williams cuts fully up to Christmas, and 
recommends Tea Roses on the seedling Briar or Briar roots. 
In pruning H.P.’s he explained how and when to prune, advocating 
severe pruning the first year, and not so severe after, and with examples 
of well and badly pruned Rose trees was able to convey to his hearers 
practical evidence of the result. The properly pruned plant was all a. 
young Rose tree should be. In the other the growth had been left 
12 inches long and produced thin unproductive wood. 
Then, with respect to budding and propagating. Bud from a good 
strain—that is, from shoots producing fine quality flowers, using every 
eye from such shoots, and in November shorten lack the long shoots of 
Roses, giving a final pruning in March. 
We are only able here to give a brief outline of an excellent 
evening’s advice as to growing the Rose. Very cordial votes of thanks 
were voted to Mr. Williams for his lecture and to the Mayor for pre¬ 
siding. The Gardeners’ Association has just published in book form the 
papers read during the last sessions. 
FACTS ABOUT FRUIT. 
Under this heading, on p. 279, are some statements from Mr. Samuel 
Morgan, which are scarcely to be relied upon by those who wish 
to arrive at “facts’’about fruit. They bear on their face the marks- 
of the enthusiast rather than these of the shrewd practical worker. 
Is it true that we can produce in this country “in profusion,” such 
nutritious and medicinal (why “medicinal ? ”) fruits as Apples, Pears,. 
Tomatoes, Plums, and Nuts ? I think not; but no doubt Mr. Sampson. 
Morgan, being a dealer, is in a better position to judge. What does he 
mean by saying (in the same paragraph, too), that in one year we 
mported Apples to the value of £717,031, and yet a few lines furtheron 
ihat from “ the States we import Apples to the value of £500,000, from 
