118 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 9 , 1883. 
funnel shaped ; the limb flat, some 2 inches or more in diameter ; colour 
rich purple, with ail intense deep purple blotch on each lobe. It flowers 
during early spring.—T. 
THE HEAVIEST STRAWBERRIES. 
If “ Saxoring ” would make a search in the back numbers of 
the Journal from 1862 to 1866 he will see an account of heavy 
Strawberries either by “D., Deal,' “ Upwards and Onwards,” or 
“Wiltshire Rector,” I cannot remember which. They had several 
articles on growing Strawberries which contained much valuable 
information respecting weights. I do not remember the weights 
of Dr. Hogg likened to “ ladies’ bags,” but Cockscombs weighed 
about 4 ozs. each, and these went to regale the bowlers or cricket 
players. I have had individual Dr. Hoggs weighing 24 ozs., and 
Cockscombs 4 ozs. and one grain each. These Strawberries were 
sent to the editors of different papers, and I remember the editors 
had taken the pains to weigh them and recorded their weights. 
Cockscombs were so large that they would not enter the mouth 
of a common sized tumbler ; but with me it was difficult to grow, 
and requires' great care in its cultivation to ensure healthy and 
strong runners. 
I have picked from a bed of Dr. Livingstone basketfuls of equal 
sized Strawberries, eight and ten to the pound ; these were the first 
picked however, but when this Strawberry is well grown there are 
few small ones. Its lightish red colour makes it the favourite of 
market gardeners, and its robust nature and prolificness makes it 
the favourite Strawberry of all who try it. No Strawberry will 
grow under trees so well as it does. It is not so large as Cockscomb 
nor so handsome as Dr. Hogg or Sir Joseph Paxton and a host of 
others, but it will bear a crop where some of these as well as many 
of the finer new varieties fail, and from what I have seen would be 
equal if not superior to President, which it resembles. Dr. Hogg 
reported in the Journal on a sample of this Strawberry I sent to him 
as excellent, and Mr. Barron gave similar testimony on a basketful 
sent, but too late to put before the Fruit Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society some twelve or fifteen years ago. From a 
small plantation of well grown Dr. Livingstone planted upon rich, 
new, or virgin unmanured soil, I pulled 4 lbs. from each yearling 
plant. I always consider that it is waste of time and ground to 
allow Strawberries to grow longer than two years, as they exhaust 
the soil much, and it takes longer to have it in a fit condition for 
Strawberries again than when grown as annuals and then dug down. 
When this system is properly carried out better and more fruits are 
obtained, while a new plantation may be made three years after 
with safety, whereas six or seven years is early enough to plant 
after a four or five-years crop. 
Many do not pay the attention to Strawberries nor the varieties 
necessary to insure success, and it is seldom we can depend on 
getting a Strawberry true to. name. Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury 
is grown under a dozen names, or perhaps more, and is wrongly 
I think also named Garilaldi. The almost continued drenching 
rains we have had for the past two weeks defies us to test by flavour, 
but I have just been comparing a few growing plants of both, and 
while Garibaldi has broader leaves and a different hue than 
Vicomtesse, they are also reflexed, while those of Vicomtesse are 
not. When I have a difficulty about tw T o Strawberries, I generally 
decide by the flavour of their foliage, which is sometimes as distinct 
as the fruit itself.—W. T. 
MYRTLES IN THE OPEN AIR. 
Myrtles are favourite plants. Their neat habit of growth and 
pretty green leaves are very pleasing, and their agreeable odour 
renders them still more acceptable. They are frequently grown 
as greenhouse plants, and I have noticed good specimens in 
windows, but plants in the open air are not often seen. Indeed, 
their culture in the open air is rarely attempted, and this is to be 
regretted, as fine Myrtles in the open air are always admired and 
attractive. In fact, they are generally looked on as curiosities ; but 
they are more than this, and come under the heading of choice ever¬ 
greens. I would not recommend Myrtles being planted in very 
exposed places, but they would succeed in many districts in 
^sheltered nooks and against walls. I know many instances of their 
growing most luxuriantly against south walls. Here our largest 
Myrtle is planted against the south side of Margarn Church. It is 
18 feet high, 12 feet across, and projects a long way out from the 
wall. Some winters it has been injured by frost, but we never pro¬ 
tect it ; not even from 18° of frost, and it soon recovers in the 
summer. In August and September it becomes a mass of white 
blossom, and is a fit associate of Orange flowers. Should fear be 
enteitair.ed of their being injured by frost it is easy to mat them 
during severe weather, and the anticipation of their being injured 
by ccld or bad weather would never deter me from planting them. 
When young, Myrtles in pots are generally green and orna¬ 
mental, but older plants are apt to become scraggy, and it is plants 
of this stamp that would soon be benefited by placing in the open. 
The present is as good a time as any to plant them out, as they 
would not receive any check now, and they would be hardened and 
established before the winter. They will succeed in almost any 
soil, but it is important that it be well drained, as wet and stagnant 
soil at the foots in winter proves far more injurious to them than 
a cold atmosphere.—J. M. 
SOME RELIABLE VEGETABLES, WITH NOTES ON 
CULTURE. 
From this time forward the shows will include vegetables ; and’ 
gardeners and amateurs will be forming their opinions as to those they 
will grow and those they will discard another season. There is some 
wisdom in the old couplet— 
* Re not tlie first by whom the new is tr’.el, 
hior yet the last to lay the old aside.” 
1 should be more inclined to agree with the latter proposition than* 
the former, as I am a firm believer in progress ; but from my own 
experience, and from constantly moving about among gardens and 
gardeners, and occasionally judging at shows, I am satisfied there are 
some very old vegetables— e.ff., the Ash-leaf Kidney Potato—Mvatt’s,. 
Rivers’, or Veitch’s ; Snow’s Broccoli, Walcheren Cauliflower, &c., that 
time writes no wrinkle on then.’ reserved popularity. The difficulty 
seems to be to get the real “ Simon Pure.” Permit me to notice a few 
varieties, briefly of each, to which others can add. 
Potatoes. —Early and general crop. For the first time I have on 
trial this season a real rival for the old Ash-leaf Kidney in Carter’s- 
Earliest of All. Though for thirty years raising seedlings and trying 
different varieties, I have hitherto steadily maintained my preference 
for the old Ash-leaf for first crop. The produce is limited but the 
quality is unsurpassable. Earliest of All has the same good qualities,,, 
and more than twice the produce. Another very promising early Potato 
is Delight. For general crop, either garden or farm, many still grow 
the Champion for midseason, and Scottish Queen or Magnum Bonum 
for to wind up the late with. I prefer The Hero or Laxton’s No. 10 to 
either. As this season is exactly the reverse (very wet") to last, which 
was very dry, different results must necessarily be obtained. I regret 
to say the disease has already become general among early varieties 
here. 
Cauliflower. —Those who lave their early Potatoes removed and 
have strong plants to put in at once, may expect good sized heads before 
frost sets in. The quickest to turn in, and of superior tenderness, is 
Extra Early Defiance. Dwarfer and hardier is Mammoth, while Wal— 
cheren will not mind a few degrees of frost. Veitch’s Autumn Giant is 
indispensable. Ground can hardly be too rich for Cauliflowers, but I 
never manure after Potatoes in transplanting. If I think it necessary I 
give some liquid manure, and this would be necessary for those who 
exhibit, and where size was a consideration. For private use neither- 
extra size, coarsenesss, nor too much manure should be encouraged. The 
latter, besides affecting the quality, diminishes the power of resisting- 
cold, and the keeping properties as well. 
Broccoli. —Those who have sufficient Cauliflowers planted already,, 
as will in many cases be likely”, will do well to grow Broccoli ; then 
Snow’s White Winter (true), to be followed by Mammoth Spring 
White and Cattell’s Eclipse. Again, I say, if the ground has been 
already manured, and is fairly rich, neither manure nor dig-plant with 
a crowbar—they will stand the winter better in the absence of both. 
Cabbages. —I still prefer Early Heartwell, and those gardening 
friends I recommended it to years since take the same' view. A larger 
variety of the York shape of head is Mammoth Beef-heart. In 
this locality there is a variety of Early York called “Wellington”' 
that I am not aware is elsewhere known to fame ; it matures early, is - - 
tender and juicy, and has little waste in outside leaves. They save 
their own seed, and thus maintain the purity of the strain. Flat 
Dutch is now seldom grown in gardens, occupying ground too long^ 
and only fit for cattle—too coarse. 
Celery —Except for the last succession it is now too late to plant 
Celery, and even then the plants must be large and well established. 
In spring I have often seen a preference given to the Celery last 
planted as being “ younger ” and more tender than the great specimens 
thick as your arm, and 3 feet long. These last are only fit for the 
kitchen, and it is doubtful if judges should not give a preference to 
the former, except the schedule otherwise specifies. Hollow Celery is 
of course inadmissible. I may here mention I have found a sprinkling 
of soot an antidote to the ravages of the Celery fly. Do all vour readers 
know that Celery is one of the best anti-rheumatic agents, and for that 
purpose best used uncooked 1 Solid Ivorj^ White is one of the best 
in quality, but not so hardy as Standard Red. Henderson’s White 
Plume is very handsome, but requires litter thrown over the lines in 
winter, and even thus it rapidly decays. 
Parsnips. —The best quality variety I know is Maltese ; but if 
properly cooked, mashed, and served with gravy, Hollow Crown has a 
preference where quantity is a consideration. The constituent analysis 
of this vegetable places it higher than its popularity will ever reach. 
Beans and Peas. —For the former and show purposes the greatest 
s'ze is attained by Leviathan. I saw them 20 inches long at Manchester- 
