136 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ A 'gust 13, 1891. 
- The Weather During July.— The weather here during the 
past month was not just what we on this cold, heavy soil should like it to 
have been. But it has been the driest July since Jubi'ee year, and on 
the whole vegetable crops have done well, also trees and shrubs that 
were planted last spring. There has been a continuance of thunder - 
storms, but none of them of a very severe nature here. Rain fell upon 
eighteen days, the maximum in any twenty-four hours being 043 inch 
on the 7th, minimum OOl inch on the 27ih ; total for the month, 2 48, 
against 4’81 in 1890.—E. Wallis, The Gardens, Hamels Park, 
Bunting ford, Herts. 
- I wonder gardeners do not use Pots Glazed on the 
Outside. I have had them in use some three or four years—in fact, 
am gradually weeding the old sort out by buying all new ones glazed. 
The advantages claimed for the glazed pot are, 1, appearance; 2, the 
plants do not require watering so often; 3, if the soil becomes dry it does 
not crack away from the side of the pots as in the ordinary ones, and con¬ 
sequently the roots are not dried in one pot more than another ; 4, the 
plants look better ; by this I mean they do not lose their leaves at the 
bottom as in the ordinary pots ; 5, the pots never want washing, but 
always look well. Now for the disadvantage, and there is only one, viz., 
that they are slightly more expensive. Gardeners and nurserymen have 
all admired the growth of the plants in my houses and outdoors as well. 
For table decoration, &c., they require no ornamentation; they do as 
they are.— J. 
- Hardiness of Nicotiana affinis. — In a recent issue 
*' W. I.” appeared to be surprised to find that the above plant had 
pas : ed through the last severe and trying winter unhurt, but here 
Nicotiana affinis is one of the hardiest plants w T e have ; every piece of 
its fleshy roots that is left in the ground in the autumn will grow in 
tie following spring. I have a spot in this garden where some seed 
was sown six or seven years ago, and plants have come up and 
flowered annually ever since. Last year I pLnted a border with early 
Chrysanthemums, Mignonette, and the Nicotiana, and this summer 
they have come up thickly and strong, and are just coming into 
bloom. I have taken some two dozen of these plants up and placed 
them in pots behind a north wall, they will come in useful for the 
greenh- use in the autumn. These, with Mignonette and Heliotrope, will 
sweeten the air of the house most agreeably.—T. A , Cirencester. 
- Strawberries.—I am not quite sure that all your readers 
will be entirely in touch with the views your correspondent “ W. I.” 
holds regarding Trollope’s Victory Strawberry, as it has been in years 
past valued much by many market growers as well as private cultivators. 
In the Bath district it was at one time held iu high favour. When I 
lived in that district I have seen it at Longleat, Rood Ashton, and 
other places grown extensively for forcing. My objection to it for that 
purpose was that it did not carry we 1, and had to be put under 
exceptional treatment to get it hardened before being packed. 
Mr. Sheppard, Molverstone Park, a most successful Strawberry grower, 
forced that variety extensively, and I have heard him speak highly of it. 
Princess A’ice Maud wars also grown extensively in the Bath district, 
and for heavy cropping and also forcing I have never yet seen a Straw¬ 
berry which could surpass that old favourite. I had thought it was out 
of cultivation, and I am pleased to learn that your correspondent has 
favour for it. I have some hopes that it may be procured. I have tried 
many here which I know to be excellent in northern latitudes, as well 
as in the South-East and West of England, but I have had to discard 
many of them. The best I have seen (answering all purposes) are 
President and Vicomtesse Hth-icart de Thury. The latter, under the 
name of Garibaldi, is found in most Scotch collections.—M. Temple, 
Carronhouse, Stirlingshire. 
CARNATIONS AT SLOUGH. 
A glance at the headline will be sufficient for most readers of 
garden literature to recognise the location,” as our American friends 
say, of the Slough Carnations—the flowers of the month—which so many 
admiiers of them go out to see and be satisfied. But all are not satisfied 
with what they see in the Royal Nurseries, which have so long been 
associated with a great name in the floricultural world, Charles Turner, 
for they want to see many of the varieties elsewhere. To this the present 
“ Charles Turner ” (and it takes two good men to make him) appears to 
have no objection; at least half of him was caught quietly booking 
orders, while the other half, with the florists’ fire burning brightly 
within him, pointed out with warm appreciation the gems of the" col¬ 
lection. The veteran John Ball was at hand, and in his quiet way hit 
off their characteristics, while Mr. “Joe” Lakin of Oxford was evolving 
from his floral head apt and appropriate names for the seedlings. An 
oldish man from the city was taking all in he could, and a youngish man 
from the country appeared to be helping him. It was a happy day 
arneng the flowers. Let us look at a few of them. 
Large light houses were filled with plants in 8 or 9-inch pots, healthy 
in growth, and bearing the most charming flowers imaginable in all the 
richness, delicacy, and diversity that is to be found in a great collection 
of Carnations and Picotees. Numbers of plants in pots were growing 
in the open, numbers more were planted out, and layers were being 
tongued and pegged down by the thousand. Slough is evidently a great 
emporium of these flowers, and the world appears to know it, or surely 
such a great provision would not be needed to meet its wants. Some, 
indeed many, of the outdoor flowers of the florists’ type were undeniably 
beautiful, and some masses of the border varieties, rich in their pro¬ 
fusion ; but in the search for smoothness, refinement, also purity with 
brilliancy, the florists turned instinctively to the forest of bkoms under 
glass, and there found plenty to see. 
In glancing over the scarlet bizarres very fine blooms were admired 
of Robert Houlgrave (Barlow), one of the brightest and best, while 
two of Mr. Dodwell’s varieties, James McIntosh and Robert Lord, were 
worthy associates and beautiful in their markings. In crimson bizarres 
the new and recently certificated variety, Dr. Hogg, commanded atten¬ 
tion by the richness and clearness of its colours and the general high 
character of its blooms. E. S. Dodwell (Hewitt) shone brightly in this 
section, and will continue to shine for many a year, and the same may 
be said of Mrs. Maclaren (Fitch), one of the most clearly marked in 
the collec ion, while Rifleman (Wood) maintained its position for 
br ghtness and general good quality. The new variety, Harmony (Turner) 
is destined to take a high position among the pink and purple bizarres, 
being large, smooth, and distinctly attractive by its chasteness and har¬ 
mony of colours. Sarah Payne (Ward) was in superb condition, as was 
William Skirving (Gorton), two of the best of the established varieties. 
Among the flake varieties there were many that compelled a pause, 
but only a few can be noted. Dr. Foster (Foster) was a striking purple 
flake, remarkable for its richness of colour anc” clearness, as was Charles 
Henwood (Turner). James Douglas (Simonite) was also in admirable 
condition, and Earl of Wilton very good. In the scarlet flakes there 
appeared to be an unanimity of opinion that the new variety, Charles 
Turner, was the king of the collection and worthy of its name. It im¬ 
pressed all by its breadth of petal, smoothness, clearness, and brightness, 
a splendid acquisition. Matador (Turner) broad petals and bright ; 
Henry Cannell, John Ball, and Scarlet Keet, all Mr. Dodwell’s, were 
represented by flowers of which the veteran might be proud, and 
Jupiter (Abercrombie) was very good indeed. In rose flakes Miss 
Erskine Wemyss (Dodwell) was extremely beautiful, and the same may 
be said of Thalia (Douglas) and Jessica (Turner), as charmiDg a trio as 
one could wish to see. 
Among the “self” varieties were many so meritorious that it was no 
easy task to choose, and the youngish man from the country seemed as 
if he would like to grow them all. Duches3 of Fife, soft delicate pink, 
smooth and free, won prompt approval. So did Rose Unique, the name 
of which is the first time printed, remarkable for smoothness and sub¬ 
stance—a model bloom. Ruby, rosy crimson, was also of high merit, as 
was a variety of sfft amber yellow, Lady Walker. Mrs. Muir, Annie 
Lakin, Emma Lakin, and Boule de Neige were among the purest 
whites. As a scarlet variety Dazzle is well named, and King of the 
Scarlets (Douglas) has probably a great future before it. Salamander, 
soft rose, large and smooth, was also very charming. Mrs. Clements, a 
pure clear yellow self, also Germania, of the same character, compelled 
admiration. Among the fancy varieties, Victory, buff, edged and marbled 
with crimson, was remarkable for its handsome blooms, and Romulus, 
similar in character, was also distinctly attractive. 
Picotees were in great force. Amongst the red edged varieties John 
Smith (Bower), J. B. Bryant (Ingram), Mrs. Brown (Payne), Thomas 
William (Flowdy), and Dr. Epps were in superb condition. Purple 
edged, Clara Penson (Willmer), Juliette (Fellowes), Mrs. A. Chancellor 
(Turner), and Zerlina (Lord) were particularly fine ; as were in the rose 
edged section, Favourite (Liddington), Lou'sa and Lucy (Addis), Edith 
Dombrain (Turner) very delicate, also Duchess, Mrs. Payne, and Mrs. 
Turner (Fellowes). Last to be mentioned, but not least in attractiveness, 
is the charming new variety Mrs. Henwood, soft yellow, with a clearly 
defined edge of scarlet, destined, probably, to become a great favourite 
in many gardens. And now we take a stroll outoors, pausing to admire 
floriferous masses of such border Carnations as Queen of the Bedders, 
rosy scarlet, vigorous and free; Hotspur, rose, robust, and effective ; 
Catherine, warm rose ; Ne Plus Ultra, pure white, fringed, sweet ; and 
Mrs. Aspley Smith, soft pleasing scarlet. We next look over a huge 
breadth of Pinks, pass through a few acres of Dahlias, peep into the 
frames of Auriculas, glance at housefuls of Tea Roses and show and 
fancy Pelargoniums (specimens cut down), then take a rest in the pretty 
embowered home in which the widow of the late great florist, Mrs. Charles 
Turner, has welcomed floral friends for years, and it is hoped will 
continue her pleasant greetings for many years to come. The Wistaria 
which covers the house is historic. It is one of the three plants first 
brought from China by the late Lord Grenville, the others being planted 
at Dropmore and Kew. The “old house,” against which the Slough 
specimen was planted, was burnt down, but the trunk of the tree escaped 
destruction. It is now about 6 feet in circum r erence, and its growths 
spread far, flowering in profusion in the spring. This is all that can be 
said about the agreeable day spent with pleasant friends among beautiful 
flowers in the proverbially good nursery—“ Turner’s of Slough.”— City 
Man. 
