402 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 12, 1891. 
Scandinavia we naturally turn to the Sunflowers of our days. 
Like the sun itself their rays are now but few ; in truth 
Helianthus multiflorus maximus is the only one still in flower, 
and although its flowers are at present far from lively looking, 
yet it lights up a dull corner somewhat. One wonders which of 
the Sunflowers it was that is the subject of Ovid’s mythical legend 
of Clytie, who wa«, on being deserted by Apollo, turned into a 
Sunflower, and of whom Hood rather unfeelingly says ■— 
“ I will not have the mad Clytie 
Whose head is turned by the sun.” 
If we are to believe that the original Tournesol followed the 
sun in its course from east to west, then none of the perennial 
species I am acquainted with can claim the honour of being 
the transformed Clytie. The truth is it may not have been a 
Helianthus after all. I am afraid some of the practical readers 
of the Journal will be 3aying, long ere this is reached, cui bono? 
It is true none of us are prepared to admit the truth of these 
myths and legends, but all the same they give an added interest 
to the plants to which they refer, and flower culture should not 
be with us a matter only of soils and manures, of pounds, shillings, 
and pence ; but should also brighten us with thoughts of long ago, 
and of the many quaint fancies regarding the plants cherished by 
past ages. Even if we can only smile at their legends and myths, 
is there no good in this ? no good in these thoughts in gloomy days 
when “ the world is too much with us ? ’’ It seems to me that the 
more the gardener—professional or amateur—knows of the legends, 
myths, and poetry of the flowers he grows, the keener will be his 
enjoyment of them, and the more will their beauty entice him. 
But this is a digression, and there are still some flowers to speak 
of which I am unwilling to leave lest before another opportunity 
occurs King Frost should have entered the lists, and with his keen 
sword cut down his beautiful but feeble opponents, I must thus 
pass on. 
A pretty little Campanula for the rock garden which has 
flowered for a long time is one that I have under the name of 
C. hirsuta, but which I have seen elsewhere under the name of 
C. mollis. It has pretty, hairy, heart-shaped foliage, and small 
drooping open blue flowers with white centre. It seems allied to 
C. garganica, but is not the variety known as C. garganica hirsuta, 
nor is it a variety of fragilis, being without the brittleness of the 
latter. C. Hendersoni is still in flower, and is one of the most 
valuable of the genus on account of its free blooming qualities Sedum 
spectabile is very bright just now with its bright purple-like flowers, 
and it is so accommodating a plant that it ought to be met with 
•everywhere. While it will live in a dry, poor soil it is seen to much 
better advantage in rich soil. If well treated it will develop 
enormous heads of good colour. It also makes a good pot plant. 
Brilliant still, and seemingly flourishing in the rain, is the beauti¬ 
ful Potentilla nepalensis, not by any means a new plant, 
hiving been introduced in 1822, but yet too seldom met with. It 
is of trailing habit, sending out long stems, which produce fine red- 
purple flowers at the ends, which are raised above the ground. It 
is seen to best advantage in a clump, and either on the level ground 
or the rockery is extremely beautiful. It is also known as 
P. formosa, and I observed it grown under the latter name in the 
grand collection of hardy flowers at Dickson’s Nurseries, Chester, 
last August. The name formosa seems to have the precedence, but 
nepalense, which was, I understand, given by Hooker, seems in 
more general use. I have already said more than I had intended, 
but I cannot refrain from mentioning Corydalis lutea, which seems 
as if the rain was congenial to its nature. It has been in flower all 
the season, and at the end of October was a picture of beauty with 
fiesh green foliage and golden pendent flowers. Other things 
would call for mention, but I must forbear. Auriculas and Poly¬ 
anthuses are sending up heads of flower, and are pointing out the 
lesson of hope for the future ; hope that when the dark days now 
drawing nigh are over we shall enjoy a feast of beauty once more. 
Thus we begin to realise something of the sublime thought of 
Keats in his sonnet to Homer :— 
“ Aye, on the shores of darkness there is light, 
And precipices show untrodden green ; 
There is a budding morrow in midnight.” 
—S. Arnott. 
SUCCESSIONAL APPLES FOR AMATEURS’ 
GARDENS. 
[A paper by MR. W. GOARIXG, Weald Hall Gardens, Brentwood, read at a recent meeting 
of the British Fruit Growers’ Association, Horticultural Club, Hotel Windsor.] 
It is not my intention here in these brief remarks to enter into 
the system of growing and disposing of our most useful of all hardy 
fruit from a commercial point of view, but rather to confine 
myself to those about to plant in their own small private gardens 
individually. I will endeavour to point out to intending planters 
the best method of maintaining a constant supply from their own 
resources, leaving the large trade growers and salesmen to cater for 
the masses who have no means of growing their own fruit. 
In a brief paper of this description it is impossible to enter 
minutely into the whole business of Apple production, but I will 
endeavour to place my ideas before you in a simple, practical 
manner. To make them as plain as possible I will divide my paper 
into four sections as follows :—1st, Selection of Trees ; 2nd, Pre¬ 
paration of Ground, Planting and Pruning ; 3rd, Fruit Room and 
Storing ; 4th, Insect Pests, biiefly touching upon each of them in 
the order named. 
Selection of Trees. —This may at first appear somewhat 
early in my remarks to refer to this most important point. Upon it 
depends the foundation of success or failure of the plants. By 
way of making a commencement it will be well for the intending 
planter to have a limited number of trees of approved sorts, and 
treat them well, rather than overstock himself at the commencement. 
Success with a few will probably result in the careful treatment of 
a much larger number in future years ; but failure through having 
a larger number than can be skilfully managed will probably lessen 
the interest originally attached to them. Glowing ideas at 
first formed will not be realised owing to overwork, the idea 
of Apple culture for the use and pleasure of one’s own family will 
probably be abandoned never to be repeated. With regard to the 
number of trees to be planted, much depends upon the means and 
requirements of the intending planter. Apples may be grown with 
success in several forms, but the four ways in which I find they 
answer best are as follows : bushes, espaliers, cordons and standards. 
For bushes I find the most suitable varieties with me are—for 
dessert—Early Margaret, hardy and good cropper ; Red Astrachan, 
extremely handsome and a good cropper ; Duchess of Oldenburg, 
hardy, exceptional cropper, handsome, moderately good flavour ; 
King of Pippins, hardy, good grower, and a reliable cropper ; Cox’s 
Orange Pippin, undoubtedly the best of the dessert varieties for 
flavour ; Sturmer Pippin, a most excellent late Apple. Worcester 
Pearmain, a large conical Apple very popular at the present time, 
bears on the points of the shoots, which must be remembered in 
pruning. 
For Cooking. —Keswick Codlin, an old and popular Apple ; 
Stirling Castle, extremely prolific, should be bought on the Crab ; 
Ecklinville, large, and a good bearer ; Potts’ Seedling, a very 
heavy Apple, tree exceptionally dwarf and a good bearer ; New 
Hawthornden, an excellent Apple, and good grower ; Wellington, 
an exceptionally useful Apple, good cropper, cooks well, and is in 
use a very long time, and Lane’s Prince Albert. 
For espaliers I find the following with me are suitable :—• 
Dessert .—Red Astrachan ; King of Pippins ; Scarlet Nonpareil, 
tree hardy and good bearer ; Cox’s Orange Pippin ; Sturmer 
Pippin ; Court Pendu Plat, a very late Apple. 
For Cooking .—Lord Suffield, where the soil is warm ; Cellini, 
sure cropper ; The Queen, a handsome new Apple ; New Haw¬ 
thornden ; Warner’s King, a large heavy Apple ; and Wellington. 
For cordons I consider the following a good selection ; they do 
well with me : — 
Dessert.— Red Astrachan ; Kerry Pippin, a useful early Apple ; 
King of Pippins ; Cox’s Orange Pippin ; Lady Sudeley, new and 
excellent; Sturmer Pippin. 
Cooking. —Stirling Castle ; Warner’s King ; The Queen ; Cox’s 
Pomoni, a handsome Apple ; Potts’ Seedling ; Wellington. 
As standards I find the undermentioned do well :— 
For Dessert. —Yellow Ingestne, an attractive Apple ; Worcester 
Pearmain ; Fearn’s Pippin, a good Apple, but the trees do not bear 
quickly ; Duchess of Oldenburg ; Cox’s Orange Pippin ; King of 
Pippins. 
For Cooking .—Keswick Codlin ; Potts’ Seedling ; Warner’s 
K ; ng ; Lord Derby, an excellent Apple ; Ecklinville ; Wellington 
