August -3, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
167 
around the top of the fasciated stem, and the whole is decidedly 
attractive. 
We haTe but few good Roses which have originated from sports, and 
most of these are of recent origin. This would seem to show that the 
•subject was now receiving increased attention, but probably the cause 
■may be more rightly attributed to the very large number of Roses now 
-grown and the higher cultivation they receive. The following are the 
most prominent among recent sports :— 
The Bride (T).—A most valuable American sport from Catherine 
IVIermet. The original sometimes comes nearly white, especially if 
exposed to fierce sun, but such blooms are very different from The 
Bride, which has a distinct sulphur tinge never seen in the other. I 
fully expect to see The Bride shown next year if the weather be favour¬ 
able, quite as large as its parent, and a most important acquisition it 
undoubtedly is for any purpose. 
Sunset (T.).—Also from America. A sport from Perle des Jardins, 
is an instance of the sport coming of a darker shade than the original. 
Perle des Jardins is pure yellow, while Sunset is of the colour of RSve 
d’Or. If this sport had improved upon the habit of its type of coming 
divided and confused in its strong blooms, and good on its secondary 
-and weaker shoots, it would'have been more valuable than it is, but it is 
a useful strong-growing sort, good in autumn, and desirable, I should 
f hink, as a pot Rose. 
Pride of Reigate (H.P.).— A curious sport from Comtesse 
d’Oxford, the petals being striped or splashed with white, originated, I 
believe, in the garden of an amateur. Some people do not much admire 
this Rose, but it is a good shape, and certainly very distinct, no one 
-can possibly mistake it. 
Lady Alice (H.T.).—A white or nearly white form of Lady Mary Fitz- 
william, seems hardly sufficient!}' distinct from the original. Mr. George 
Paul, who is the propagator of Lady Alice, has received with the utmost 
■good nature a considerable amount of chaff .aAAo our all having “ Lady 
Alice ” among our " Lady Marys,” but is Ton of opinion, I believe, 
that it is a distinct sport. Let us hope fhat it may prove so. Lady 
Mary Fitzwilliam is so good a Rose that any young ladies she may 
introduce as debutants will, I am sure, be favourably received. 
Souvenir de A. Prince (T.) is a pure white sport from Souvenird’un 
Ami, which Mr. Prince showed this year for the gold medal at the 
■Crystal Palace. This sport seems likely to be a success. The type is 
well known as a large pink Tea Rose of good-‘and, lasting shape, but 
quick to lose its colour. The blooms of the sfgar-t, ..as shown at the 
■Crystal Palace, were certainly of the purest whtfce^but the grand central 
spike of Souvenir d’un Ami was wanting. It was, however, shown in 
decidedly better form subsequently at Manchester and Darlington, and 
fhe shape of the original was recognisable. Rosarians will readily 
-understand the value of a Niphetos With the shape and lasting qualities 
-of Souvenir d’un Ami. 
I hope some other correspondents will give us their experience in 
•sports, as I quite think there is something to be learned in this way.— 
W. R. Raillem. 
THE WEATHER AND GARDEN CROPS. 
The communications upon this subject have been so numerous that 
■some must still be reserved to our next issue, and they are of too in¬ 
teresting a character to be reduced. Our best thanks are due to our 
■readers for their prompt response to our request. 
AYRSHIRE. 
Our rainfall in June was 2 inches, in July 335 inches, and up to the 
13th of this present month we have had 190 inch. During the above 
time we have had very low temperature, with very little sunshine. 
Twice in July we registered at night 38° and 39° ; from the 1st of August 
•up to the 13th we have had only about thirty hours of sunshine. With 
-such unfavourable weather there are very few garden crops doing well. 
Peas have kept healthy, but have filled their pods very irregularly. 
Cauliflowers have done badly, also French Beans. Early Potatoes have 
been a good crop, but deficient in quality. Winter crops and Celery are 
looking well. It would be rather difficult to mention one flowering 
■plant that has not suffered from the ungenial weather, except the Violas ; 
they appear to have had the weather that suits them, as they have 
■flowered well and kept quite free from grubs. Carnations are looking 
well but late in flowering. Dahlias, single and double, are satisfactory. 
The above with some of the approved Beets and Cerastium are passable, 
but all Pelargoniums, except the 'bronze varieties, have made a poor 
■show so far.— David Murray, Cudzean Gardens , Maybole, Ayrshire. 
BEDFORDSHIRE. 
In June the weather was cold, dull and unsettled, when we registered 
■2-52 inches rain. In July rain fell on twenty-one days with very little 
-sunshine, and at times a very low temperature. Total rainfall for the 
month 3 34 inches. Vegetable and fruit crops very much retarded. 
Apples of the Codlin type are a good average, also Blenheim Pippin, 
Ribston Pippin, King of the Pippins, Kerry Pippin, Court Pendfi Plat, 
Devonshire Quarrenden, and Cellini Pippin, but Cox’s Pippin is very 
■scarce. Pears of the finer varieties are cracked, scabby, and poor. The 
following are the best:—Williams’Bon Chretien, Marie Louise, Pitmaston 
Duchess, Beurre Ciairgeau, and Louise Bonne of Jersey, but late and 
small. The same remark applies to Peaches and Nectarines, but there is 
a good average crop. Small fruits are fairly good and plentiful. Straw¬ 
berries suffered from the wet weather, but the following sorts stood 
the wet the best:—Amateur, Dr. Hogg, British Queen, and The Captain 
stood the wet better than the others, besides it was of a very bright and 
glossy colour. Laxton’s Noble is a very showy fruit. I think it will 
make a good forcer, rather weak plants in 54-pots did well with me. 
This year Cherries are a good crop, especially Morellos. Potatoes 
are a good deal diseased where the ground is low and wet. The kidney 
type seems to have suffered the most. Most others are fairly good, 
but the tops show signs of disease by their scoiched and shrivelled 
appearance. Peas have done badly, running so much to straw, and the 
pods not filling satisfactorily. The early type of Peas seem to have filled 
the best this season. Autumn-sown Onions sown on the 30th August, 
1887, have done much better than those sown a fortnight earlier. 
French and Runner Beans have been almost at a standstill, but are now 
plentiful. Cauliflowers have been unusually good, and most vegetables 
are plentiful now. Field Cucumbers very late, not doing satisfactorily ; 
many of the vines dying. Some Strawberries have suffered from mildew, 
these we shall grub up and burn. 
Roses have done badly, also mildewed and spoiled by wet. Pelargo¬ 
niums of the Zonal type have shown to advantage, being bright and 
clear. Vesuvius, Henry Jacoby, and West Brighton Gem have flowered 
better than most varieties. The variegated sorts, Crystal Palace Gem, 
Golden Superb, Flower of Spring, and Mangle -i, and Beauty of Oulton 
have been effective. Calceolarias Golden Gem and Aurea floribunda 
have stood the wet well ; Ageratums badly, Alternantheras ditto, but 
Tuberous Begonias stand the wet well, and l think they will be much 
sought after for bedding purposes. Stocks and Asters stood well.— 
G. R. Allis, Old Warden Park Gardens , Biggleswade. 
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 
We keep no rain gauge here, consequently cannot furnish the amount 
of rain in inches for June and July. The rainy weather, however, 
commenced the second week in the first named month. and continued 
over the end of July, during which time we experienced a very low 
day temperature, and day after day passed without sunshine. The 
night temperature was also considerably below the average for both 
months. 
Garden crops made slow progress with few exceptions, Cauliflowers 
and Cabbages benefiting much, the produce fine and plentiful. Peas 
were late, and although the wet weather caused rampant growth the 
pods filled slowly, and were much affected with magg>t ; had the 
season been excessively dry we should not have expected worse. From 
imperfect fertilisation second crops of Broad Beans are a partial failure, 
in many instances the empty pods only swelling. Runner Beans are 
strong and now good ; the earliest blooms, however, failed to set. Onions 
are rampant in top growth, but bulb very slowly. Celery and other 
vegetables generally are excellent. In fruits, Strawberries suffered 
the most from excessive moisture. Bush fruits are very good, Apples 
thin ; the trees, however, have benefited much by the heavy rains. 
Coniferous and o.her trees, with Rhododendrons, have revelled in the 
abundant moisture and made excellent growths. In the flower garden 
bedding plants generally have been much washed ; Violas, however, 
Archie Grant, dark blue, and Mrs. Gray, white, have flowered freely. 
Some large Fuehsias planted out early have also flowered well through 
the rain. Am mg herbaceous plants Delphiniums, Heliantlius multi- 
floras, Anchu-a, Achillea Ptarmica fl. pi. have done well. Tricolor and 
bronze bedding Pelargoniums have suffered from the dull wet weather; 
the leafage is small, wrinkled, and stunted, and growth seems altogether 
crippled.— C. Herrin, Drug)more Gardens, Maidenhead. 
DENBIGHSHIRE. 
The weather here has been most trying for gardeners, farmers, and 
others, for the last two or three months rain descending nearly the whole 
of the time, and we had frost in July, while on August the 18th Marrows 
were blackened by frost, the thermometer standing at 30^°. All kitchen 
garden crops are good, rain suiting this garden admirably, the soil being 
light on a slope towards the south and on a gravelly bottom. First and 
second early Peas were most prolific, the varieties being Sangster’sNo. 1 
and Telephone. Fillbasket and Hundredfold are our main crops, the 
latter growing to 9 or 10 feet in height, but the pods not filling satisfac¬ 
torily. Veitch’s Perfection is looking grand, full of vigour, and pro¬ 
mises to do really good service. Potatoes are good, though not large, 
and there are no traces of disease as yet. Runner Beans are most 
prolific, and in fact all vegetable crops are grand. Strawberries have 
been a full crop, but the flavour was not good. Black Prince (for pre¬ 
serving) and President (for dessert) are the favourite varieties here. 
Raspberries were a fair crop, but many decayed through wet. Goose¬ 
berries, Black, Red, and White Currants are good both in quantity and 
quality. Cherries good ; Pears not half a crop ; Apples very irregular ; 
Peaches and Apricots good, the former mildewed owing to so much wet 
and cold nights. Plums a failure, with the exception of Victorias, which 
are good. 
With regard to bedding plants Pelargoniums are grown strong and 
leafy, but with little flower. Tropaeolums, Lobelias, and Calceolarias 
are showy. The herbaceous borders have been remarkably gay and are 
now. The most conspicuous are Delphiniums, Phlox, Lychnis chalde- 
donica, Heleniums, Hollyhocks, Bocconia, Lythrum roseum, and Fuchsia 
Riccartoni, all enjoying a wet and cool summer.—J. Oldfield, Chirk 
Castle Gardens, Denbigh, North Waler. A 
