September 27, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
289 
applied—equal in bulk to that removed—and finally 4 inches of 
good half-decayed manure cased all over the surface ; and thence¬ 
forth no footsteps snould b9 permitted until the whole has settled. 
In the middle of November we would put the trees under a 
course of pruning, using the knife rather severely, especially in 
thinnmg out. All decaying stumps of course must be removed, 
and the whole of the tree scraped and cleaned thoroughly, extir¬ 
pating both moss and insects. Whilst this is being done boards 
should be laid beneath to tread on, for if the mulching is 
“ puddled ” the previous operation will be nullified. However, if 
frosty, there will be occasion for it. As soon as pruned the whole 
may receive a thorough soaking with dunghill water. Trees thus 
treated will, in the majority of cases, recover much of the freshness 
of youth within a couple of years.—N. 
Mr. Yiner Ellis sends the following note relative to the origin 
of the Victoria Plum :—•* In the ‘ Fruit Manual,’ fourth edition, 
it is said to be a Sussex Plum, but I would suggest another origin for it. 
It has grown here certainly longer than I can remember (seventy years) 
under the name of Dolphin (a corruption I presume of ‘ Dauphin.’) The 
introduction of the Plum as far as I can remember was in this way. At 
first the tree was limited to the fronts of the houses of the owners of 
small vessels (sloops) navigating the Severn to ports in the Bristol 
Channel, and conveying fruit and merchandise to and from those ports. 
From those houses it spread higher up the river and farther inland until 
this parish and ether parishes were stocked and the tree was planted as 
a standard. Now it appears to me as most probable that from the 
intercourse with the foreigner (Frenchmen) at the Channel ports, the 
introduction of the Dolphin (Dauphin) and of the Prune into this 
district on the banks of the Severn was due.” 
- We learn with regret that Mr. W. Court of Messrs. J. Yeitch 
and Sons, Chelsea nursery, died rather suddenly on the 17th inst. Mr. 
Court was well known as a skilful propagator, and has performed good 
service in the hybridisation of the Sarracenias and Nepenthes, one of 
the latcer being named in his honour. He frequently visited the United 
States as a representative of the firm, and his quiet, genial, but business¬ 
like manner gained him general esteem. He was forty-five years of age, 
and had been ailing slightly for some time. 
- A correspondent writes :—“ As already announced, after 
thirty years, Mr. John Wilson has resigned the secretaryship of the 
York Gala, and Mr. Charles Simmonds is appointed his successor. 
Mr. Wilson will carry with him the esteem and regard of every ex¬ 
hibitor, judge, and others officially engaged at the Gala during the above 
period. It has been a wonderful horticultural exhibition, and attracted 
horticulturists from all parts, the usual annual expenses being about 
£1500. Always watchful for the progress of the Gala, he during the 
last twenty-five years obtained upwards of £550 from nurserymen, 
horticulturists, and other friends, besides the medals awarded by the 
Trustees of the Veitch and Turner Memorial Funds, as also contributing 
£35 from his own pocket. A Committee of influential gentlemen in 
the city will still guide the affairs of the Society, and the business 
will be carried on at the old address. Mr. Wilson gives up his position 
whilst the Society is in the zenith of its fame, with an invested fund of 
£1725 to provide against reverses. It is the intention of the York Com¬ 
mittee to present Mr. Wilson with a handsome silver salver, and many 
of the exhibitors and other friends also contemplate a souvenir of their 
esteem and regard.” 
- Mr. G. Silver, Wroxall Abbey Gardens, near Warwick, sends 
the following note :—“ We had a very remarkable occurrence here 
on Monday afternoon, the 24th inst., and I think worth recording. About 
midday the air began to thicken from the north, and at one o’clock we 
were enveloped in a cloud of black flies. Millions of these little crea¬ 
tures were to be seen, and the ground is strewn with them, giving it 
quite a black appearance. Some Callas that I had taken from the 
ground in the morning and potted were stood out in a shower of rain. 
We can now scarcely see what they are, they are black with flies. 
Vegetation of all kinds is also covered with them. I should imagine 
that this is in some way accounted for by the early departure of the 
swallows from this neighbourhood, as there appear to be only a few 
young ones left.” 
- The Rev. W.W. Wingfield, Gulval Vicarage, Penzance, writes: 
—“ Can any of your correspondents inform me as to the rarity or other¬ 
wise of Araucaria imbricata producing cones in England ? It 
has done so in this parish this year, some ten cones being on one tree 
out of about twenty-five planted together in 1888. The cone-bearing 
tree has its laterals in closer more compact growth than the others.” 
- The “ Kew Bulletin ” for September continues the re¬ 
ports on colonial fruits, a long and interesting account of the fruits of 
Dominica being contributed by Dr. H. A. Alford Nichols. Shorter re¬ 
ports on Montserrat, St. Christopher and Nevis, Virgin Islands, and 
Bermuda are also good. A chapter on Indiarubber in Upper Burma 
contains some useful information. 
- Eucharis grandiflora. —Mr. Record has found out what 
we Orchid collectors know from experience— i.e., that tropical bulbs 
and plants have a resting and growing season corresponding with the 
dry and rainy seasons in their own country. I was once in the island 
of St. Lucia, and saw Amaryllis equestre in flower, but the ground 
was so hard that I broke several negro’s hoes in trying to get up 
some bulbs, and eventually had to rely upon a cutlass, used for cutting 
sugarcane, to get them up, therefore it seems as well that. Eucharis 
grandiflora should be rootbound and given a resting season. In the 
tropics the rams are very abundant for a time, so he will be right 
in giving a liberal treatment at the proper season. Although the Eucharis 
before mentioned is supposed to come from the river Amazon district,. 
I am not aware that modern travellers have ever found its habitat, or 
that any record is to be found that it came from there except the name, 
but it is without doubt of South American origin. These few hints may 
be of value to bulb growers. The thing is not to rely entirely upon what 
other growers do, but to try and find the conditions they grow under 
in their own native homes, and adopt as nearly similar a modus 
operandi as possible.— Winton. 
- Lifting Potatoes. —We feared from the premature decay of 
the haulms of early and second early varieties that if the unfavourable 
weather continued the tubers would be badly diseased. This I am sorry 
to say is their condition, and we shall not be able to save many for seed 
from those that are now being lifted. Large quantities of the tubers 
appear to be sound, but when they are cut in two they are black in the 
centre. The majority are in this condition, and in a very short time 
they will all decay. Potatoes, since kidney varieties were practically 
over, have been very cheap, only realising from Is. 6d. to 2s. a cwt. 
They were cheap the whole of last year, but the reverse this winter will 
probably be the case unless the late crops escape ; and it is scarcely 
possible that they can, for the bad weather which we experienced 
through June and July has continued in the north of England with no 
prospect of a change at present.—W. B. 
_ Once more have Tuberous Begonias substantiated their 
claim to be regarded as excellent bedding plants. A season like the 
present is a severe test to any plants employed in the flower garden. 
Those found to bear the test should be encouraged. The advantage 
Tuberous Begonias posst ss over most bedding plants is that they progress 
in any season be it either very wet or very dry, assuming, of course, they 
are treated in a rational manner at the commencement of the season. 
When grown under the cool system the plants at once commence, 
flowering, and continue until frost cuts them down. Wet weather 
seems to suit them, ours have done quite as well this season as in any 
past year. I am convinced that many people ruin their chances of 
success by pushing on the plants in heat, thus rendering them soft 
and unable to withstand extremes of either heat or cold, wet or 
dry.—M. 
_ Blenheim Orange and Hero of Lockinge Melons.— 
I can fully endorse Mr. Iggulden’s remarks on the above excellent 
Melons in last week’s Journal, page 266, as I grow both varieties 
pretty extensively, both in low, well-heated, span-roof houses, and in 
cold pits. Both Blenheim Orange and Hero of Lockinge are very 
handsome as well as first-rate Melons when well grown. I showed one 
fruit of each in my first prize collection of fruit at Brighton on the 12th 
inst. The Blenheim Orange weighed just upon 7 lbs., and the Lockinge 
5 lbs., both fruits being beautifully netted and highly coloured. I have 
several more fruits of the same dimensions ripe andiiripening. I tried 
very hard, but failed, to have some of these fruit ripe a week earlier. 
We grow our Melons in a good yellow loam, to which a fifth part of 
lime rubble is added, giving occasional surface-dressings of Beeson’s 
