July 3), 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
87 
dormant so far as growth is concerned, when they may be either kept in 
their pots or shaken out and placed in cocoa-nut fibre, Buckwheat chaff, 
or cork dust, and stored in a cool place where frost cannot reach them 
until the following season, when they should be repotted before they 
shrink or start into growth ; but in the case of old tubers much artificial 
heat is quite unnecessary ; indeed, a buoyant genial temperature of 60° 
suits them admirably, and a free circulation of air encourages a robust 
growth.—J. 
Events of the Week. —The present week will be a rather busy one 
as regards horticultural exhibitions, for the following are announced. 
To-day, Thursday, St. Ives (Hunts) ; Saturday, August 1st, Ripley, near 
Derby (Roses) ; Southampton and Liverpool, August 1st and 3rd, both 
Shows of considerable importance, with substantial prize list s. Monday, 
August 3rd, and Tuesday, August 4th, Northampton, in Delapre Park, 
with a prize list amounting to £250. On Monday also the Beddington, 
Carshalton, and Wal ington Show will be held in Beddington Park, 
Surrey ; and at 4 P.M. the British Fruit Growers’ Conference, announced 
on another page, will take place. The Leicester Horticultural Show 
will be held as usual in the Abbey Park on August 4th. Messrs. 
Protheroe & Morris announce a sale of new and rare Orchids at their 
Cheapside rooms on Friday, July 31st. 
- The Weather.—D uring the past week much rain has fallen, 
accompanied in some districts by serious thunderstorms. A daily paper 
says that at Lady Green, near High Wycombe, Bucks, on Monday last, a 
storm occurred during the Flower Show and cricket match, when, in 
consequence of a sudden storm, the spectators and cricketers took tefuge 
in tents and under trees. The lightning struck a tree under which five 
young men had gone for shelter, killing three instantaneously. The 
Rev. Mr. Wallace of Bromley, Kent, was delivering a lecture on “Bee¬ 
keeping” in a tent near a tree, some men being gathered under the tree 
watching the operation. Suddenly a flash of lightning was seen, and it 
was found that three of the men were dead, and others, including the 
Rev. Mr. Wallace, badly injured. 
- Elm Branches Falling.—A peculiarly dangerous and well 
known character of the Elm is that of large branches suddenly falling 
in the summer without any apparent reason. At Castle GreeD, Hereford, 
an accident of this occurred last week, resulting in the death of two 
children. 
- Wolverhampton Horticultural Show. — Permit me to 
call your attention to an error in your report of the Show held on July 
14th, loth, and 16th. In the Rose class for amateurs and gentlemen’s 
gardeners the Rev. J. H. Pemberton was first for thirty-six and 
twenty-four ; the Rev. A. Foster-Melliar was third for thirty-six Roses. 
—W. A. Green, Jun., Hon. See. 
- The Cardiff Horticultural Show. —We are desired to 
remind our readers that the entries for the above Show close on 
August 5th. About £300 are offered in prizes, and it is expected that 
the Show will be highly satisfactory. Scheiules can be had from the 
Secretaries, 54, Woodville Road, Chester. 
- Trop^OLUM Mrs. Clibran. —Messrs. W. C.ibran & Sons 
send us from Altrincham flowers of this new dwarf bedding Tropaeolum, 
which they propose distributing next spring. They are rich orange 
yellow in colour without stripe or speck, and as the p’ants are said to 
grow only from 4 to 6 inches high, and to flower with great freedom, the 
variety must be regarded as an acquisition. If it were not both distinct 
and good we may be sure it would not be honoured with the name it 
bears. 
- Hop Prospects in Surrey. —Encouraging reports are to 
hand respecting the prospects in the Hop gardens in Surrey and Hamp¬ 
shire. In the opinion of the oldest Hop planters they have never in all 
their experience seen the bine so free from vermin as they are at the 
present time. In most of the gardens there is a show for a good 
average crop. The only thing vrhich planters have to all appearance 
to fear is mould, judging from the free application of the process of 
sulphuring. In places mould is developing rather fast. Old Hops are 
almost cleared, and the outlook this season for growers is a very 
hopeful one. 
- We are informed that Mr. James Cole, recently with Messrs. 
Standish & Co., Ascot, and previously with Messrs. Ireland & Thomson, 
Edinburgh, has been now engaged as manager to Messrs. John Laing 
and Sons, Forest Hill Nurseries, London, S.E. 
- Gladiolus ramosus is the first of an extensive family to 
flower in the open border, where its magenta blossoms are effective in 
strong clumps about 2 feet or so from the front of the border when 
associated with other plants. The foliage is dark green, which sets off 
the brightly coloured flowers, that expand during the month of June. 
It increases rapidly, and succeeds best when left undisturbed in the 
border. 
- The Chinese Pink — Dianthus chinensis hybridus — is 
variable in colour, and the deep rose-tinted form is the best. This can 
be kept true by propagation from cuttings or by layers, choosing the 
stout growths. Cuttings inserted in sandy soil in a cold frame at the 
end of August make good plants by the following spring. In clumps 
on the rockery this Dianthus makes a good show, and deserves a place 
in every garden.—S. 
- Doronicum austriacum. —The earliest flowering Leopard’s 
Bane has been very showy in the herbaceous borders this season, and 
it is in some respects one of our best hardy plants. It is most useful for 
cutting from, as the old gold colour of the flowers is generally admired. 
When once a plant is established no difficulty need be experienced in 
increasing the stock, as every piece of growth with a root attached will 
grow' if taken off and planted in showery weather.—S. P. 
- Cannell’s English Wonder Pea.—F or some years I have 
depended upon American Wonder for supplying us with the first Green 
Peas because of its good quality, though some other varieties are a few 
days earlier, and earliness is the first consideration with some people. 
This year I have given the English Wonder Pea a trial alongside the 
old favourite, American Wonder. The result is I find the new variety 
superior to the old one in every respect. The growth is similar, but the 
pods are larger and the peas superior in quality. The twm sorts were 
sown February 13th and gathered June 23rd. They suffered much by 
the frost of Whit-Sunday, or would have been ready a week sooner.— 
E. Molyneux. 
- Gerbera Jamesoni.—I t may be of interest if I supp’ement 
your remarks upon this plant, given with the illustration in the Journal 
of Horticulture, July 23rd, by saying that far the finest result is 
obtained by planting it out at the foot of a south wall, where it can be 
kept dry during winter by a cover of glass. Here I have twm fine 
plants of luxuriant and handsome growth growing among the Opuntias, 
the treatment of which it receives. They were not injured in the 
slightest degree daring last winter. The Opuntias, too, w r ere quite 
unharmed, though the thermometer went down nearly to zero, and they 
are now making magnificent growth, and form a striking feature. All 
the protection these plants receive, in addition to that of the south 
wall, is glass overhead during winter to keep off wet.— R. Irwin 
Lynch, Botanic Gardens, Cambridge. 
- Strawberries. —The long-continued cold spring and the 
severe frost of Whit-Sunday rendered the Strawberry crop exception¬ 
ally late here this year. Last year we gathered fine fruits of Noble 
on June 17th, while we did not gather any this year before June 29th. 
Noble was not our earliest varie y either this season. Vicomtesse 
H6ricart de Thury ripened its fruit first. I cannot speak in too high 
terms of this Strawberry either ia point of crop or flavour, both being 
of the best, and for growing in strong soil it has no superior. The 
plants have carried a full crop of fruit, having recovered wonderfully 
since the frost, while the plants never looked better.—E. Molyneux. 
_ Successful Violet Culture. —At Cricket St. Thomas, near 
Chard, Mr. Lyon grows Marie Louise and Comte de Brazza Violets 
remarkably well, a good start having been made this season. A range 
of pits with high backs, so as to give a rather sharp angle, is wholly 
devoted to Violets, being no sooner cleared of old plants than they are 
filled with young ones. A good loamy soil is prepared to replace that 
already exhausted, and in this newly rooted runners or cuttings are 
disposed about 10 inches apart each way. After they are established in 
their fresh quarters the lights are taken off and not replaced over the 
plants till frosts are imminent. During the summer they are kept well 
supplied with water, syringed occasionally, and all runners are pinched 
off. Thus treated extra strong plants are obtained, and w'hich, not 
being checkel by transplanting, flower grandly and continuously.—I. 
