September 20, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
267 
thiDg lias struck me. several times lately. We have four Vines of tliis 
Grape growing in a Muscat house, three t>f which are oval-berried, 
while the other has rounder berries. So far as I am able to judge they 
are all raised from eyes. Dr. Hogg gives the oval-shaped form as the 
true type in the “ Fruit Manual.” .As “ W.” remarks, it is a very hand¬ 
some Grape, producing fine bunches and berries. With us the smaller 
bunches are better finished than the larger ones, but its good qualities 
are decidedly external so far as my experience goes. It is subjected to 
the necessary amount of fire heat to ripen Muscats in September, but its 
flavour is never more than third-rate. It does not keep in good con¬ 
dition after November with us. In fact it is held in such little favour 
here that it will be entirely discarded, for only good flavoured Grapes 
are appreciated.— James B. Riding. 
Shanklin, Isle op Wight, Horticultural Society.— 
Mr. C. Orchard writes :—“ One of the most successful affairs I have 
seen to augment the funds of a Society took place at Shanklin last 
week. It will be remembered that on the day the Show was held it was 
fearfully wet, and consequently the visitors were deterred coming to 
the Show and visiting the very beautiful grounds of Rylstone, the seat 
of Mons. Spartali. On Tuesday, the 11th inst., they were given another 
opportunity. The Treasurer, IT. Gibbs, Esq., and the Committee 
organised a procession through the town, when many of the characters 
from the recent carnival at Ryde took part, headed by two bands of 
music. They paraded the town, and on arriving at Rylston found the 
grounds, also the dwelling house and the beautiful summer chalet, 
splendidly illuminated with coloured Chinese lanterns ; these, with the 
coloured fire that was provided amongst the shrubs and in the dells, gave 
it quite a fairyland appearance. Fifty pounds in sixpences were taken 
at the gates, and although it is estimated there were quite 3000 persons 
there, it is satisfactory to know that there was scarcely a flower or a 
tree damaged.” 
- The English Apple and Fruit-Growing Company. —The 
prospectus of this Company, which has been expected for some time, is 
now published. The capital proposed to be raised is £50,000 in shares 
of £1 each. The Directors of the Company are Messrs-. C. J. Heald, 
Brighton; A. F. Barron, Chiswick ; J. Cheal, Crawley; J. Roberts, 
Gunnersbury ; with power to add to the number. A contract has been 
entered into to purchase nearly 300 acres of land in Kent suitable for 
fruit-growing, the price for which is £73-75. £1000 worth of .shares 
appear to be allotted to the promoters, but will not bear a dividend till 
the ordinary shareholders have received a dividend of 5 per cent, on their 
shares, nor will the Directors receive any fees until a dividend has been 
paid. Power is reserved to the Company to plant, raise, grow, purchase, 
and sell fruit and other trees, plants, flowers, or any market garden and 
agricultural produce, and to act as brokers and commission agents in the 
disposal of fruit and crops of every description ; also to erect buildings, 
provide machinery, &c., in furtherance of the objects in view, and to 
preserve fruit by boiling, bottling, canning, drying, cooling, candying, 
and other methods of storing and preserving fruit, together with all 
other provisions that the wit of man can devise for rendering the under¬ 
taking successful. Messrs. Sampson Morgan, Emptage, Rawson, Glad¬ 
stone and others may be expected to invest largely in shares in the 
Company, since they have endeavoured to show that fabulous profits 
are to be derived from the cultivation of fruit in this country ; but, 
seriously, a well managed system of fruit-growing and distribution 
ought to be fairly if not highly remunerative. Mr. Richard Dean is 
the Secretary of the new Company. 
- The Cold Storage of Fruit. —As the experiments con¬ 
tinue, it may not be without interest to briefly report progress. At 
the last meeting of the Committee, held on the 13th inst, John Lee, 
Esq., presiding, examples previously placed in the chill room were 
examined. The temperature of this room ranges about 35°. Figs, 
quite ripe when placed in store on August 30th, had kept surprisingly 
well; the dark coloured fruits appeared quite unaltered, but two of the 
lighter coloured were spoilt. Plums from Chiswick, stored at the same 
time, were as good as ever. Of a dozen outdoor Peaches, eight were in 
good condition, two fair, and two spoiled. Peaches and Nectarines 
grown under glass at Sawbridgeworth, also Oullins Golden Plums, 
placed in store at the same time (the 30th alt.) were in fine condition. 
Peaches from Messrs. Cheal & Sons, stored on August 31st, were in good 
condition, but a Melon with them was quite spoiled. Bradshaw Plums 
from Chiswick, placed in store at the same time, were unaltered, but 
Tomatoes, except a few yellow fruits, were spoiled. This is the second 
failure with Tomatoes, and they do not appear to be able to endure the 
cold. Many of the Cherries— a bad sample stored wet on August 8th— 
were still sound, and it was thought that those which failed were crushed 
or injured at the outset. It is the opinion of the Committee that for 
keeping purposes the fruit must be free from blemish. Some of the 
Cherries (rod) in the freezing room (temperature 21°) were quite hard? 
others (black) being yielding to the touch but frozen inside. Some 
Cherries taken from the chill room a fortnight ago and steadily thawed 
were good and well flavoured the following day after a cool sojourn of 
twenty three days, and there are doubtless others that have now been in 
the chamber forty days equally good. Can northern friends oblige by 
posting a few Gooseberries and Currants to Mr. D. Tallerman, Cold 
Storage Company, Leadenhall Market, 79^-, Gracechurch Street, London? 
They will be gladly accepted and fairly tried. They should not be 
over-ripe, and packed to arrive without being bruised if possible. 
Peaches are best enclosed in tissue paper before being packed in boxes 
with wadding. All fruit is best stored in closed boxes as if for transit, as 
when exposed Cherries at least lose their bright fresh colour, and it 
would probably be the same with other fruits.—J. Wright. 
SEASONABLE OUTDOOR FLOWERS. 
Such seasons as the present one teach us many lessons as to 
the best plants for unfavourable weather. For the guidance of 
amateurs I have jotted down the names of a few I have found 
suitable in the past season. 
Leucanthemum maximum is a capital border plant growing 
4 feet high ; its deep green foliage forms a splendid base for its 
Marguerite-like flower heads, which are freely produced. They last 
long in water when cut, and readily mix with other flowers and 
grasses, and as a rule they are much priz3d by the ladies. This plant 
will grow almost anywhere where it is exposed to light ; a strong 
soil suits it capitally. It is so thoroughly hardy that a large stock 
can be obtained in a short space of time by dividing the roots 
either in the autumn or spring. 
Rudbeckia laevigata is rather uncommon in gardens. Where 
a graceful plant for either cutting or the decoration of the 
borders is a consideration, this Rudbeckia stands in a foremost 
position, its bright yellow flower heads and deeply cut leaves form, 
a welcome contrast to brighter surroundings of more highly coloured 
flowers. This plant grows from 4 to 5 feet high, and flowers freely 
for at least two months. 
Actaea spicata is well suited for the herbaceous border where 
plants 4 feet high are required. It grows in an upward direction, 
bearing long stout flower stalks, which branch into other shorter 
ones at intervals. Its creamy white blossoms show to advantage 
over the broad green leaves, which are produced freely. When 
once established this plant grows rapidly, but at first when in a 
weak state is a “ miffy ” plant. 
Harpalium rigidum is another easily grown plant, reaching a 
height of 3 feet, sometimes more. Where yellow flowers are in 
request this Harpalium is one of the best, as it grows freely and 
flowers profusely, and is easily increased by dividing the roots. 
Matricaria indora fl.-pl. is at the present time flowering abund¬ 
antly, and has done so for the last eight weeks. A stock of plants 
is easily raised by inserting cuttings in sandy soil in a cold frame 
during the present month, choosing those cuttings which have 
not flowered, cutting them in 3-inch lengths. Allow them to 
remain in the frame until April, when they may be removed to 
their permanent position in the borders*. Plants annually raised 
are preferable to the older plants, as the latter being so large 
require much space.—M. 
LILIUM NEPALENSE. 
At the last meeting of Royal Horticultural Society’s Committees 
one of the most distinct Liliums was exhibited that has been seen for a 
long time. L. nepalense has been heard of before, but flowering plants 
have not been previously seen in England, and Messrs. H. Low & Co. 
are to be congratuated on their valuable acquisition. The bulbs were 
received from a mountainous district in the East where the temperature 
falls below freezing point, and though the plants exhibited were only 
bearing solitary flowers, the same as plants from small bulbs of most 
Liliums do, yet the collector of L. nepalense reports that he has 
seen sixteen flowers on one stem. Therefore with more vigorous plants 
an increase in the number of flowers may be expected in this country. 
In both Paxton’s and Johnson’s Botanical Dictionaries L. nepalense is 
recorded as having been introduced into England from Nepaul in 1825. 
In Dr. Wallace’s work on Lilies it is said to have been “ introduced in 
1855, but not in cultivation in Europe at the present time” (1879). 
From this work we cite the following in reference to the re-introduced 
species, the remarks being taken from Baker’s synopsis of the genus. 
