126 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 13, 1891. 
usually forms an effective background, and no fixed rules can be 
laid down as to where the other dishes should be placed, so much 
depends upon taste. When taking the last look round, count care¬ 
fully the number of dishes and see that each dish contains the 
right number of fruits. I have known more than one fine col¬ 
lection of fruit disqualified for not having the right number of 
fruits in one dish when there was every prospect of its securing the 
premier position, and others who have fallen into the same error 
have sometimes narrowly escaped the same calamity.—H. Dunkin. 
TUBEROSES (POLIANTHES TUBEROSA). 
The above sweet-scented flower is a general favourite for nearly 
all purposes. It is suitable for buttonholes, sprays, bouquets, 
wreaths, &c., either as single-wired flowers or in its natural condi¬ 
tion if the spikes of flowers are not too large ; but the custom is to 
wire each flower, and then use them either singly or in greater 
number as required. The flowers nearly always being carried on 
stems 2 or 3 feet above the foliage, the plant as a single specimen 
is not a great success, but it lends itself to arrangement in groups, 
its tall flower stems assisting to relieve any stiffness or formality. 
If three or more bulbs or tubers are placed together either in the first 
instance or turned out of small pots into pots 6 or 8 inches in diame¬ 
ter, the Tuberose then becomes an object not at all despicable as a 
specimen plant, and may be so used in rooms where such sweet 
flowers are desired and their stiff appearance mitigated. When 
nearly all the flowers on a spike are expanded, the spike may be 
cut with a considerable length of stem and so used as cut flowers 
amongst other flowers if so desired, the stalk being cut to any 
length to suit the respective glasses. When several hundreds of 
tubers are grown and successfully flowered, a few spikes may be cut 
in their entirety and used for the above purpose without being 
much missed ; but, of course, if only a dozen or so tubers are 
potted the proprietor, as a rule, does not like to so cut them, but 
prefers to retain the flowers for the greatest possible length of 
time. 
The Polianthes, commonly called Tuberose, is allied to the 
Hemerocallis, Funkia, Aloe, and Haworthia, the two latter being 
frequently, though erroneously, called Cactus. It was originally 
introduced into this country from the East Indies in 1629, both the 
single and the double forms, the latter being the one generally 
cultivated and the subject of this note. Another species, P. gracilis, 
was introduced at the same time. It is now (P. tuberosa) exten¬ 
sively cultivated in fields in various parts of the world where the 
climate and soil is suitable ; and many hundreds of thousands are 
annually imported into this country for cultivation in pots. Its 
cultivation under glass is frequently supposed to be difficult, but I 
have never found it so, and think that any failures, or partial 
failures, that occur are generally the result of slight misunder¬ 
standing as to their requirements. Growing naturally in a warm 
or hot climate it is a common thing for these plants to be potted 
and placed into a high atmospheric temperature—and in some 
instances into a still higher bottom heat—under the impression 
that this proceeding is absolutely necessary for their welfare, 
whereas it is very inimical to them. These tubers when received 
in this country are in a practical dormant condition. They contain 
within themselves the elements for the first and early sustenance of 
the leaves, flower stem, and flowers, which every well-matured and 
perfect tuber also at the same time contains perfectly formed 
within itself, and which are ready to complete their full develop¬ 
ment on exposure to the proper amount of heat, light, and moisture. 
A large number of the tubers imported are not too well matured. 
When placed together in large quantities they heat, and their own 
moisture, in addition to that of the atmosphere surrounding them, 
soon sets in a process of decay. This incipient decay may be either 
accelerated or arrested by the treatment accorded by the cultivator. 
If he places them, when potted, into a hot and moist atmosphere, 
and keeps the soil constantly moist, all that are not absolutely 
perfect tubers will quickly succumb ; and those that are perfect 
will not be so good as they would have been under rational and 
proper treatment. On the other hand, decay may be checked by a 
careful mode of treatment. 
When the tubers are potted they ought to be placed in a house 
where the temperature is as airy and dry as a greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory, but about 10° warmer. Water must only be applied to 
the sod when it has become quite dry, and this system must be 
continued until the too moist condition of the tubers has been 
counteracted, the tubers plumped up, and root growth commenced, 
when water may be applied a little sooner, but still not until the 
soil is dryer than would be advisable with most plants, and this 
rale applies throughout their period of growth and flowering. By 
this procedure the vital functions of the tubers do not receive any 
undue check or excitement during their resting period other than 
is incidental to lifting and transportation, and their development 
proceeds slowly and safely. I think that two of the most frequent 
causes of failure are undue excitement by attempting to force 
them prematurely by means of too much heat in the early stages, 
and keeping the soil constantly too wet. 
An excellent cultivator has recommended that the tubers be 
potted singly into small pots and to be again placed into larger 
pots. I have never found it necessary to adopt the twice potting 
system, but at once place them into the pots in which they are to 
flower. Pots 6 inches in diameter is the size used, and three or 
four tubers, according to their size, are placed in a pot. The tubers 
are planted half their depth in soil consisting of three parts loam, 
one part leaf mould, and one part sharp sand ; and they afterwards 
receive the treatment previously described, with the addition that 
when in vigorous growth of foliage, and the flower stems appearing, 
they receive more heat and the foliage is frequently syringed. 
Last spring I obtained five hundred medium-sized tubers which 
were in a damp condition ; they were treated as above, and there 
are now over three hundred spikes of flowers, and we have gathered 
considerably over one hundred dozen single flowers besides spikes 
of flowers since the beginning of June. I think the failure of 
tubers to grow has been under 2 per cent., and the failure to flower 
under 4 per cent., results that are not entirely unsatisfactory, con¬ 
sidering that all the tubers were not expected to either grow or 
flower. 
When placing more than one tuber in a pot it is as well to 
select them as nearly equal in size as possible, there will then be a 
greater likelihood of the tubers in one pot flowering at one time. 
If it is very desirable that they should do so then it would be better 
to place the tubers singly in small pots and then to mass them 
together when the flower stems appear.—J. Udale. 
FRUIT-GROWING AS AN INDUSTRY. 
[A paper read by E. J. Baillie, Esq., F.L.S., at the Cardiff Conference of the British 
Fruit Growers’ Association, Aug. 12th, 1891.] 
Sometimes I think the surface facts connected with the idea of 
British fruit growing must begin to appear wearisome, but on 
reflection it will at once become apparent that persistent repetition 
of fact is needful until practical effect is given to statistical report 
and to theoretical argument. In any department of social morality 
or national economy persistent repetition is needful to gain public 
attention, and to urge the public mind first into sympathy and then 
into active support. Now that is precisely our position in the 
matter of the subject we are called together to consider and discuss 
this afternoon. Is there a fair demand for fruits that can be grown 
at home ? My best answer for this occasion (partly because it is a 
recent utterance, and partly because it is the utterance of a 
responsible member of the Government, whose official duties bring 
him into direct contact with the subject)—my best answer may be 
found in some remarks made by Mr. Chaplin, M.P., President of 
the Board of Agriculture, at a meeting held in the Mansion House, 
London, a few weeks ago, under the auspices of the Fruiterers’ 
Company, when he pointed out that the future of agriculture would 
extend considerably in the direction of fruit culture, and from the 
tone of his remarks he was evidently inclined to regard these 
supplemental conditions hopefully, as likely to prove satisfactory 
and successful. He dealt with some extraordinary facts and 
figures concerning dairy products, and the prices we pay for 
importations of these. In his opinion £1,200,000 of the money 
paid for imported fruits might have been saved by the replacement 
by home-grown produce of the hardy fruits represented by that 
amount. This sum represented but a portion of what had been 
handed over to the foreign grower for what he had sent us to help 
to supply the demand. It was gratifying to Mr. Chaplin to find 
that considerable movement in a right direction had already been 
made, as last year over 2400 acres had been added to our orchards. 
The Manchester City News, a reliable authority, stated in its issue 
of the 18th July last that in June of the present year no fewer 
than 64,034 bushels of Apples were imported into the United 
Kingdom, of the value of £37,854—last year only 8798 bushels, 
valued at £6237, were imported. The increase was largely due to 
Tasmania. It is my intention, if time permits, to come back to 
this matter again, but the facts are so readily admitted and the 
correctness of these so readily obtained that this brief reference 
may suffice in the meantime. As long as we pay, I will not say 
millions, but even thousands of British money for the importation 
of fruits that are essentially, for us, British fruits, the desirability 
for extension need not be questioned. 
Fruit and fruit growing wo find very much in the air just now, 
