242 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t September 18, 1889. 
experience of this in Sussex, but more care was required, more prepara¬ 
tion for planting, and more attention subsequently. A list of Apples 
that would be suitable for good soils would be unfitted for those of a 
poor character ; for linstance, they found Lord Suffield could not be 
grown with profit on poor soils in Sussex, and Lord Grosvenor was found 
to be preferable. He agreed with Mr. Rivers that careless planting was 
answerable for many failures in fruit culture. The ground should be 
well cultivated to a uniform depth, in order that water and air should 
have a free passage, not merely digging holes to stick the trees in. He 
had recently seen some poor land in Sussex owned by an amateur, who 
had planted a number of fruit trees in narrow holes that were little 
Letter than pits or graves for the trees. Trees also should not be planted 
•deeply, but preferably on the surface, raising the soil over the roots, and 
■stiff soils should be carefully stirred. Stocks also required consideration. 
He considered fruit growers ought at least to be able to supply their 
home markets. By the aid of Conferences and Associations like that at 
the Crystal Palace much might be done to show how land can be pro¬ 
fitably cultivated, but it must not be expected that fruit trees would 
succeed without attention ; the results depend entirely upon the thought; 
care, and labour expended. 
Mr. Alderman Chaffin of Bath said plenty of cheap land could now 
be obtained, and there was no reason why it could not be made to pay a 
good per-centage on the outlay. The chief difficulties in the way of profit¬ 
able fruit culture were the cost of transit, the heavy tithes, and the 
expense of distribution by means of “ middlemen.” An extended 
knowledge of what varieties of fruits to grow in particular localities was 
important ; also a knowledge of the soils and their qualities. He 
thought growers should combine among themselves, selecting agents and 
dividing the profits after deducting the expense of selling. A vote of 
thanks to the readers of the papers was proposed by Mr. Bunyard and 
seconded by Mr. Pearson, both of whom made some interesting remarks 
upon the subject, and Mr. Hammond commented upon the importance of 
more careful packing, the selection of fruits in different qualities, and 
greater honesty on the part of vendors who wished to secure good 
returns. 
Mr. T. W. Beach, Brentford, read a short paper upon drying and 
preserving fruits, illustrated by samples of Pears, Plums, Cherries, &c.> 
in various stages. 
Mr. J. Cheal proposed a resolution to the effect that it was desirable 
an asssociation of fruit growers should be formed for the promotion of 
profitable fruit cultivation, and to improve the methods of distribution, 
the Executive Committee of the Conference being requested to prepare 
a report on the subject, to be submitted to the next meeiing at the 
Crystal Palace on October 11th this year. He said he had much pleasure 
in submitting this to the meeting, as he believed such Conferences as 
they had had on that and the previous day would do valuable service. 
Mr. Fowler seconded the proposition, which was carried nem. con. 
A vote of thanks to the Chairman was then proposed by Mr. Taller- 
man, seconded by Mr. Laing, and carried by acclamation. Mr. Itivers, in 
replying, said they had every reason to be satisfied with their first Con¬ 
ference, and the thanks of all concerned were due to the Crystal Palace 
Company and officials for the assistance rendered to the promoters. He 
also wished to say that the credit of having originated this successful 
•Conference rested with Mr. G-. Gordon and Mr. L. Castle. The meeting 
■was then adjourned to the first day of the Hardy Fruit Show at the 
-Crystal Palace on October 11th next. 
CABBAGES AGAIN. 
When I saw the notification of a reply having been received to my 
gentle critique on page 163 I naturally looked forward with anxiety to 
the Journal containing the “short and sweet effusion.” On perusing 
this it is more than ever clear to me that my combative opponent who 
M lets them have it right and left ” has something to learn on Cabbage 
growing, or he would not suspect a “ mystery ” in Ellam’s Early Cabbage 
being superior to Early York in spring, but inferior to it in the autumn. 
I am bound to express my astonishment at being asked to explain such a 
simple matter, still as information is confessedly needed it must be 
given. If “A Kitchen Gardener” had grown both the varieties from 
spring-sown seed, as I have, he would have solved the mystery, for in all 
probability Ellam’s would have merited his strong condemnation for 
splitting while the Early York that he said would “ never be a favourite 
again” would have secured his laudation for remaining intact, sound, 
■and tender. He says he is “ no autumn Cabbage eater.” I have not 
the slightest objection to that. I grow Cabbages to please myself and 
others who like them, and we have not found any better at the time 
when they are wanted, and provided, than Early York ; but to sow it 
in autumn for bolting in spring, and then condemn the variety, is in my 
•view putting the blame in the wrong place. 
Lv I observe “A Kitchen Gardener” shows his natural boldness even in 
quotation, for if he can find I said “there is no variety in existence 
equal to Early York for sowing in spring,” as he alleges, I venture to 
say no one else can find that sentence in the article from which he takes 
it, nor any other conveying the same meaning. I prefer to be quoted 
accurately, though I always feel that no one can misquote another with¬ 
out weakening his own position. In this case, however, it was no doubt 
accidental—a slip of the pen, but a mistake all the same. 
There are other causes that contribute to the bolting of Cabbage 
plants in spring besides early sowing. If I mistake not the distributors 
of Ellam’s Early, Messrs Yeitch & Sons, advise on the seed packets that 
it be sown on the 10th or 12th of July (I forget which), and they would 
not do that if, as my opponent says, it would “ never answer.” In my 
experience the vendors are perfectly right, and I know, and could have 
shown “A Kitchen Gardener,” a bed of 3000 plants in Yorkshire ready 
for cutting in March from seed sown on the first-named date, and not 
three dozen of them bolted, though it might not be the same every 
season and in every district. 
Spring-sown Cabbages are ready too soon this season. They are the 
most useful in the autumn, and if I only made one sowing it would be 
the last week in May, and for the purpose in view I have not grown one 
variety to excel the Early York, but should be sorry to say there is not 
one variety in existence equal to it. “ A Kitchen Gardener ” can 
scarcely have grown the true Dwarf Early York from spring-sown seed, 
or he would not be so widely at variance with the examiners of the 
Chiswick trials, who, according to the report on page ISO, placed it 
among the best six out of forty spring-sown varieties, and earlier in the 
season it was recorded that Ellam’s was certificated because of its value 
for spring use. Thus the mysterious conjunction over which your 
correspondent stumbled is solved by authority, and both varieties rank 
among the best in their respective seasons for use.— A Yorkshire 
Cabbage Grower. 
SPORTS. 
Some of us are, perhaps, less likely to see these than others. My 
Roses are a great pleasure to myself, but I also try to make them a 
source of happiness to others, hence almost daily my few hundred 
plants are clipped, every Rose worth anything being cut and sent to 
friends who have none. So, if the sport in my case were at all a 
damaged flower, I should cut it without looking to see what it was. 
But in the way of sports I have had a curious experience. Some five 
years ago Mr. Prince, in sending me some Roses, added two plants of 
'Merveille de Lyon. This, I think lam right in supposing to be a sport 
from Baronne de Rothschild, but any way derived from her ladyship. I 
did with these two plants, when they came, what I generally do—I cut 
all the shoots that I should not require for the following year, leaving 
all the others full length. These pieces that I cut out I inserted in the 
ground under a small frame, and ten or more struck. The following 
autumn these were planted out, and being anxious that they should do 
well, they were not put in my ordinary bed, but in a place by themselves, 
so there is no possibility of mixing. The following winter was awful. 
Last winter was ditto repeated, only worse, and several died. They did 
not do very well last year, but one of the plants brought pinkish 
flowers, more like the mother, but as they were poor in condition I 
thought this might be accident. This year they have done fairly, and 
the plant in question has become unmistakeably a Baronne de Rothschild ; 
but one of the other plants has turned to Mabel Morrison, another sport 
from the Baroness. On this plant I had a very pretty Rose, several of 
the white petals having touches of light pink, some of the splashes 
taking half the petal. I have inserted the buds of the stem on which 
this bloom grew. Just as an additional link in this history, at our local 
Rose Show the Rev. W. Gardiner of Box showed a Baronne de Rothschild 
bloom, whicji, retaining its pale blush colour, had two or three of its 
petals splashed with much darker pink. The plant of my own that 
seems to have become a Mabel Morrison has had blooms with the 
thinness of petal of that Rose, and quite unlike the number that we 
see in Merveille de Lyon.—Y. B. A. Z. 
ROSES IN WINTER. 
There is a very general impression that Niphetos and such like 
varieties are exhausted much sooner when planted out than when they 
are confined in pots. This is a matter of importance. The idea may 
be new to some, but it has been brought to my notice on several occa¬ 
sions and by different persons interested in this particular subject. 
If it can be proved that the plants become exhausted in less time when 
planted out than when they are grown in pots, then planting them 
out would appear to be a great mistake. 
Only a few years ago the Manetti was held up as the stock for 
ltoses, and they were manufactured upon it wholesale. I have again 
and again in these pages pointed out that those who praised this stock 
were advocates of Roses upon their own roots, and that the Manetti 
was useless as a stock except to manufacture Roses upon quickly. I 
