324 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Oc o'J3r 15, 1891, 
autumn sort, Satisfaction has done great service for the past year 
or two. 
At the present time one of the best Potatoes for either field or 
garden culture is one which has brought much honour to its raiser, 
Mr. Finlay of Marckinch—namely, The Bruce. It is not generally 
known that this very fine Potato is of capital flavour in autumn ; 
but so it is. We have been using it for some weeks past, and, as 
in past years, so in this, it proves exceptionally good. Mr. Finlay 
was, during the past summer, presented with a testimonial by 
northern agriculturists and others as a recognition of the value 
placed upon his services to the county at large, and to farmers in 
particular, by means of his seedling Potatoes, The Bruce being 
one of the finest. A few years ago I drew attention in the 
Journal to this fine late variety, but it does not as yet seem to 
be much known in the south. 
It is perhaps too early as yet to draw attention to the desirability 
of getting in a stock of seed Potatoes at an early period of the 
new year, but no measure in Potato culture pays better. The 
grower who secures a supply of new seed before sprouting takes 
place, and who takes the little trouble of starting the tubers slowly, 
will find himself amply repaid in the quantity and quality of the 
crop. Some cultivators do not find it necessary to introduce new 
blood ; but where it does not pay to do so the exception to a rule 
is be found there. I have heard the statement occasionally made 
that seed for a light soil ought to be secured from heavy land and 
for heavy land of a light soil, but I do not know that that is a 
statement to be absolutely relied upon. For my own part, having 
a light soil to deal with, I have had splendid crops from seed 
grown on sandy soil.—B. 
GLADIOLI. 
I AM much obliged to your correspondent “ J. A. W.” for his kindly 
words of sympathy. Well, there is no use in saying that it was not a 
bitter disappointment, not being able to even put in an appearance at 
the Crystal Palace, for I was hindered by sickness at home from going 
up even to see my “ pupil’s ” stand ; “ but there are worse troubles than 
that at sea,” and I must only hope that another year I may be more 
fortunate. 
The period at which the different varieties of Gladioli come into 
flower is a very puzzling matter, and I believe it to be entirely indepen¬ 
dent of the period at which they are planted. That were I, for example, 
not to plant Shakespeare until early in May I should still have it in 
bloom by the end of July ; but it is still more puzzling that the same 
varieties should differ in different localities. Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux, 
and Co. gave in their catalogue of Gladioli indications of this by marking 
them with the letters A, B, C, and D, and while these in general agree 
with my own observations there are notable exceptions. Thus Horace 
Yernet, which your correspondent finds, as I do, to be amongst the 
earliest flowers, is marked with D, signifying that it is amongst the 
latest. I cannot suppose that they are incorrect, and can only surmise 
that the difference arises from some climatic cause. Baroness Burdett 
Coutts, which your correspondent is surprised that I should number 
amongst the early flowering ones, is marked in their catalogue B, and 
with me that is its true position, and I have always found it come in for 
early shows. There are a few others which may be generally relied on 
for this purpose. Bicolore, a very distinct and striking flower by reason of 
the deep contrast the large white blotch creates, is always a dependable 
bloom for early work; the same may be said of Dr. Bailly, a grand 
bright flower ; and also Magnificus Formosus, another of the new varie¬ 
ties, is a very lovely light-coloured bloom with a beautifully close set 
spike, and is amongst the earliest bloomers. It must also be noted that 
occasionally some single bulb of these early flowering sorts will, for 
some reason or other, not flower so soon, and I have cut even Shakespeare 
at the end of the season ; but these are amongst the exceptions which 
prove the rule. While writing these lines I have received a note from 
an unknown (correspondent in Brechin, who seems to be a very ardent 
and intelligent cultivator of the flower, and he mentions a fact in his 
letter which explains a matter which has sometimes puzzled me—how in 
those northern latitudes they managed to get their flowers in about the 
same time that we do in the south. He tells me that he pots all his 
corms, and is enabled to have them in bloom from the beginning of July. 
That is not, of course, necessary with us, for as a rule the difficulty is to 
keep them for the later shows. It has not been so this year ; but one 
swallow dees not make a summer, so because we have had one late 
season it is not to be expected that all seasons are to be late, yet in the 
matter of Rose shows some seem to be already acting on this supposi¬ 
tion, and wish to have dates altered to suit what they suppose will be 
the normal character of our seasons. I believe, however, that we might 
take a hint from this with regard to our late-blooming kinds. If they 
were potted up it would probably hurry them on, so as to get them in 
flower earlier. Such varieties as Fantome, Phoebus, and Kelway’s 
Duchess of Edinburgh might be profitably treated in this way. My 
correspondent is another of those who ( 2 >ace Mr. Kelway) halve their 
corms, while Mr. Lindsell tells me that he has made careful experiments 
with half and whole corms, and that unquestionably those treated in the 
former way gave the better results. 
Your correspondent asks me whether I should advise his cutting 
away the spikes w r hen they are not showing colour. I should say so 
most decidedly, just as for the same reason I should cut them away from 
any spawn. The conn has its attention, so to speak, divided between 
increasing the new corm and furnishing supplies to the flowering stem, 
and therefore I think that if the stem be cut away, leaving the foliage 
as much as possible, that the whole energies of the plant being then 
given to the increase of the corm, must act very materially to its 
advantage, and when spikes are so late they rarely can give any 
satisfaction, even for the purposes of decoration. I cut a number 
yesterday to send on to a nursery sale, and although:to the uninitiated 
they looked handsome enough they did not satisfy me very well. The 
flowers become somewhat limp at this season, and lose their freshness 
very soon. 
The work of harvesting the corms will soon begin. Where seedlings 
or spawn are grown they may be lifted first and laid out in a cool 
greenhouse or other convenient place to dry off, the larger corms being 
left until later on. We want some dry weather to mature them, the 
constant moisture having kept them in a growing state for a long 
time.—D., Deal. 
CALDERSTONES. 
Within easy distance from Liverpool is Calderstones, the residence, 
of Mrs. C. Maclver, one of those establishments, of wdrich there are many 
in the district, where gardening is carried out in the best possible style 
in every department. It is under the charge of Mr. W. Tunnington, 
known to outsiders more especially in connection with the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum, for he it was who undoubtedly gave such an impetus to the 
higher cultivation. There is no formality about the Calderstones. 
Hollies, Pines, Rhododendrons, &c., grow luxuriantly. Pleasant nooks 
abound, and the view from the lawn is excellent, there being some fine 
specimen Yews. Planting has been done liberally and judiciously, and 
the effect is most pleasing. The houses, if not of the modern type them¬ 
selves, contain most of the plants up to date. In the Peach houses the 
fruit had all been of capital quality, the wood was ripening well, and 
full of good stout buds, disposed over the trellis at about 5 or 6 inches 
apart, showed the practice which ought to be oftener followed. The 
vineries were next inspected. One occupied with very old Vines is to 
be cleared and young ones substituted. Two others, with some good 
young canes, carried fine bunches of Lady Downe’s, Muscat of Alexandria, 
and Alicante. In these were some excellent plants of Dendrobiums 
resting, especially fine being D. Dalhousieanum and D. moschatum. 
Passing on we come to the plant house, which contains some fine 
Azaleas, the front stage being occupied by an excellent strain of Celosia 
pyramidalis of a very deep colour, and the roof was covered by two fine . 
well flowered plants of Lapageria rosea. 
We follow to a range of span-roofed plant houses and stoves. The 
first was filled with well-grown plants of Pelargoniums, Primulas, 
Cinerarias, Tuberous Begonias, Cyclamens, and many others. A stove 
in two divisions was well stocked with dwarf Poinsettias, winter flower¬ 
ing Begonias in many types, and other plants, which will make a grand 
display later on. A portion of the roof was occupied by a very prolific 
Cucumber, the space underneath being filled with Maidenhair Ferns in 
small pots. Another stove had trained on the roof immediately over 
the pathway a grand plant of Allamanda Schotti, running the whole 
length of the house, and what a useful variety it is. I couid not help 
comparing it with Hendersoni, which, however beautiful to look at, is not 
nearly so useful for cutting, as it does not possess a stiff habit. On 
the corresponding side is a fine old Bougainvillea trained to a single 
stem and full of bloom. If not the first, it is nearly the first introduced 
into Lancashire. At one end was a fine plant of Aristolochia grandiflora 
with a great number of flowers. The centre bed is filled with a capital 
assortment of plants incidental to such structures, whilst the side stages 
are devoted to healthy Orchids of the most approved varieties. The last 
house in this range is the Pine stove, but a portion of it is set apart for 
Eucharis and Calanthes, the back part of the roof being covered with 
two good plants of Stephanotis. The Eucharis must be seen to be 
appreciated. About 100 large specimens all in rude health are here 
grown, and the Eucharis mite is absent. On this subject Mr. Tunnington 
says they would never be heard of if the plants received kindly treat¬ 
ment. The Calanthes have pseudo-bulbs 15 and 18 inches long and 
stout in proportion, and all pushing massive spikes. I never remember 
seeing such a grand example. Large numbers of Pines are grown, and 
many carrying fine fruit. The conservatory was very gay for the season 
with a miscellaneous collection of flowering plants, and I must mention 
a fine plant of Plumbago capensis and Lapagerias on the roof which 
were flowering well. 
Outside beds are filled with Scabious, Pyrethrums, Carnations, 
white and rose Anemone japonica. Dahlia?, beautiful being Mrs. 
Langtry, Walter Williams, Mrs. Gladstone, Mrs. Kendal, Mr. Milner, 
Eccentric, and many others, besides a host of other outdoor flowers in 
profusion, occupy places in the garden for cutting purposes. The fruit 
trees have a capital crop, more especially Pears, the cordons being 
remarkably fine. I was beginning to fear it was ne irly an impossibility 
to cultivate Peaches here out of doors ; but Mr. Tunnington believes 
otherwise, and he is right, judging from the well-colouied samples of 
Barrington still on the trees ; in fact, all the trees had borne well, and 
this in a most unfavourable situation. Doubtless your readers will 
wonder why I have not touched on the Chrysanthemums. This is 
reserved for the present. But I cannot omit the following :—Two fine 
plants of a seedling Chrysanthemum, carrying enormous buds, seemed 
