October 8, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
303 
woolly aphis, which, I am glad to say, is not much known in Scot¬ 
land. This year I have had scarcely any green fly ; but when I do 
have a plant infested with insects I hold it below a gentle run from 
a water-tap, turning up the backs of the leaves, and holding the 
pot so that the soil is not disturbed. This plan I consider better 
than dipping the plant in Fir-tree oil or other substances. I have 
never cleaned a plant thickly covered with green fly in any other 
way, and always find it effective. If there are only a few on the 
leaves the finger and thumb are the best cleansers. 
Offsets of all sizes are numerous this season, and, as I mentioned 
before in your pages, I have increased my stock considerably by 
beheading, wherever it suited, some of the finest and newest varie¬ 
ties. From last year’s stumps I potted eight of Heroine, five of 
John Simonite,. four of Black Bess, five of George Rudd, and 
several others similarly. In beheading for increase, care must be 
taken that there is an eye breaking below the cut, and that there 
are fibres above the cut for the growth of the old plant. Dress 
the top of the plant and the stump with charcoal. There has 
been a considerable demand by Scottish growers for some of the 
new English varieties which could not be met. Mabel and Mar- 
mion were two inquired for, but could not be supplied. I have 
iust removed the plants from the frames to the Auricula house, 
and I am well satisfied with their fine appearance.— John Morris, 
Dundee. ’ 
VEGETABLES AT HIGHCLERE. 
Readers of the Journal will be aware that vegetables from the 
Highclere Castle Gardens, near Newbury, the Earl of Carnarvon’s 
Hampshire seat, were placed first among no less than seventeen 
competitors at the recent International Exhibition, held in the 
Waverley Market Hall, Edinburgh, a fact which speaks more than 
anything else in favour of their excellence. The class in this 
instance was for twelve varieties, each unlimited in numbers. After 
this honour achieved by Mr. Pope, a few notes on how the vege¬ 
tables look at home and the manner in which they are grown will 
not only be interesting but useful to many Journal readers. At 
Highclere exhibition only is not by any means the aim in cultivat¬ 
ing vegetables up to so high a standard, the home consumption is 
the first consideration—as it should be with all gardeners—and as 
the right methods are practised the crops obtained admit not only of 
a plentiful supply both for exhibition collections and home require¬ 
ments. Many persons may say where show vegetables are culti¬ 
vated the crop generally is sacrificed for the few required for the 
exhibition table ; but there never was a greater mistake, because a 
high state of cultivation must be adopted to obtain success, con¬ 
sequently a greater produce is the result for all purposes. The 
best varieties must be employed in all cases ; improvements on 
ordinary types are necessary nowadays to keep pace with the times. 
The kitchen garden is about 6 acres in extent, having a gentle 
slope to the west, consequently well sheltered from the east. The 
walls, which are not high, were built in the year 1770, as shown 
by a tablet over one of the entrances, therefore the soil has had 
good opportunities to have been brought into a good state of 
cultivation. The average depth is 18 inches of what may best be 
termed stiff loam ; the subsoil is clay. On the whole it is a garden 
which can be depended upon in a dry season, as it does not, to use 
a Hampshire phrase, “give out” readily. Decomposed leaves and 
light stable manure are the best materials for enriching soil of this 
character, heavy cowdung would be of no use. Trenching of 
the bastard order is much practised, the subsoil being broken up 
but not brought near to the surface. 
Mr. Pope considers that Potatoes constitute the leading dish 
in a collection of vegetables, although many collections are staged 
without them. Satisfaction is regarded as the best variety in 
existence for exhibition, though Sutton’s Seedling for the early 
shows, Windsor Castle, Midseason, Chancellor, and Abundance for 
the autumn meetings are good. These have a taking appearance, 
being white and clear in the skin, have shallow eyes, but they are 
also of capital quality, not being prized for outward appearance 
alone. The best tubers for planting are those which are whole 
and of medium size ; they are but little sprouted at planting time, 
which is early in March, allowing 2 feet G inches between the rows 
and the plants. Where the tubers are not sprouted enough at 
planting to determine which will produce the best growth, they 
are thinned when a few inches out of the ground. Crowding the 
haulm is a practice not encouraged. The soil between the rows is 
frequently stirred and well earthed when the growth is high 
enough. Preparing the tubers for exhibition needs some care, but 
is a simple matter. Directly they are dug they are placed in water. 
It is not a good plan to allow them to become dry before being 
washed ; the skin is liable to be discoloured by exposure. Clear 
water and a sponge is all that is necessary to cleanse the tubers, 
which are at once wrapped in separate pieces of soft paper, thus 
preserving a clean skin, which is most important. 
Onions form a valuable dish in a collection, no matter how 
small. Apart from their usefulness, they have, when of good 
quality, a “taking” appearance. For early use Anglo-Spanish is 
superior. Rousham Park and Lord Keeper for autumn shows are 
preferred. By the end of January the seed is sown in boxes, which 
are placed in gentle heat, the plants pricked off the moment they 
are fit to handle, say an inch high, and again when large enough to 
keep them “going,” and are finally planted out at about 9 inches 
high after being thoroughly hardened off by growing as near to the 
glass as possible, with abundance of air admitted when the weather 
is suitable. The ground on which the Onions are to be grown 
needs some preparation to give the best results. Early in autumn 
it is bastard trenched, giving a good dressing of manure, placing 
FIG. 59. —ABIES VEITCHI. 
this on the broken-up trench at the bottom. Any time in October 
a thin sprinkling of Thomson's Yine manure is forked in, which is 
found to yield good results. 
Peas are indispensable at all seasons except the late autumn 
shows. Good Peas carry much weight with practical adjudicators, 
not only because they are regarded as the most choice vegetable, 
but owing to the difficulty experienced at some seasons of the year 
in obtaining them. The Duchess is regarded by Mr. Pope as the 
best variety in commerce. Duke of Albany is good, but it must 
give way to the Duchess. The soil should be well worked and 
manured in the autumn ; the very much practised plan of digging 
out a trench as for Celery, laying a thick coat of manure at the 
bottom, covering with soil, then sowing the Peas, is not advocated 
nor practised at Highclere. Mr. Pope thinks the roots go quickly 
to the bottom of the trench, and do not spread beyond that line, 
the consequence is dry roots, and, of course, mildew follows. By 
drawing wide drills at sowing time the firm ground below forces 
the roots outwards in search of food. A special point is made in 
