200 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 3, 188f. 
the inexperienced. Cuttings should have been inserted a fortnight ago for 
those who require a large number of plants for bedding ; but still, if a 
slight hotbed is at hand with a temperature of 60° they will strike readily. 
Choose shoots that spring from the base of the plants. The best plan to 
make sure of some good autumn cuttings is to pot a few of the surplus 
plants after the bedding-out is finished into 48-size pots, keeping them 
pinched to within three weeks of the time that cuttings are required, then 
placing them in a cool frame and keeping it rather close, so that the 
shoots will be tender. Three cuttings may be inserted in a small 60-pot, 
using a compost of equal proportions of loam and leaf mould with a free 
admixture of sand. Care should be taken not to let the cuttings wither 
before they are inserted, or they may fail to strike. They should not he 
exposed to the sun till they are well rooted. Those who have not the con¬ 
venience to strike them in heat may succeed with a cool frame kept quite 
close for a few days, frequently sprinkling the cuttings. 
As soon as the plants are ready for potting they should be placed in 
32-size pots without parting any of them, using a compost of three parts 
good loam and one part decayed hotbed manure and leaf mould. They 
must then be placed in a frame facing the south, as well-ripened sturdy 
wood is the object, this giving a good supply of cuttings in the spring. 
If allowed to become dry the aphis and mildew will so m appear. A 
fumigating with tobacco paper will destroy the aphis, and a sprinkling 
of sulphur will destroy the mildew. On the approach of frost the plants 
should be removed into a cool house, keeping them close to the glass and 
free from decayed leaves, as they are liable to damp off. About the 
middle of January they may be placed on a shelf in an intermediate 
house. When cuttings are ready they can be inserted in pots or shallow 
pans of sandy soil. They will strike readily in a hotbed with top heat 
ranging between 60° and 10°. 
No time should be lost in propagating as the cuttings advance, for if 
they become hard they take six or seven days longer to strike. When the 
plants are shifted they should be placed in the shade for a week, for if 
the sun shines on the pots it will scorch the roots and some of the plants 
will die. 
At the commencement of April the propagating should be finished for 
the production of good plants. When these are properly hardened 
they may be planted 4 inches apart in good soil 1 foot deep, and pressed 
firmly in frames facing south, keeping the frames close for about ten 
days, shading the plants when required until established, never allowing 
the soil to become dry, and pinching the shoots occasionally. 
I can recommend the following varieties as good bedders :—Purple 
King, Defiance, Mrs. Fisher, Boule de Neige, Pre-eminent, Lustrous, Mrs. 
Leach, Surpasse Auricula, Zulu, August Renz, Lovely Blue, Eclipse, Kate 
S'evens, Miss Edwards, Favourite, Geant des Batailles, Madame Anna, 
Hampton Court Crimson, F. Delaux, Mrs. Halford, Ariosto Improved, Lady 
Londesborough, Lady Cowley, Merry Maid, White Perfection, Madame 
H. Senger, Flambeau, and Earl of Beacomfield.—C. H. Stephens. 
CULTIVATION OP THE PEA. 
In giving a few remarks under this heading I do not intend 
to give a long list of the various sorts of Peas, but simply as to 
their cultivation in general as practised by myself. In some 
localities sticks or stakes can be obtained on the estate, at 
another every bundle must be purchased, and as I have bad both 
of these to contend with, I will mention a few varieties to suit 
either. Where sticks are difficult to be obtained I would say, 
Grow American Wonder, Chelsea Gem, and Little Gem for the 
earliest crop. For the second' I would mention Robert Fenn, 
about 24 feet, and for a later crop Omega, feet. Everyone 
wishing to grow Peas would be able to get sticks to support 
these. Then, again, if I had plenty of sticks at command for 
the first crop I should sow Chelsea Gem and American Wonder, 
as 2 feet apart from row to row is sufficient for them, and the 
way 1 manage is to sow thickly in boxes in February, and place 
them in a vinery that is started at about that time, and when 
sufficiently advanced harden them, and eventually plant them on 
a well-prepared south border, and protect them with fern, or 
the lower branches of Beech trees to which the leaves still adhere. 
As these varieties can be grown so close together I think nothing 
s lost. 
Then, again, if sticks were plentiful I should certainly sow 
the taller-growing sorts ; then for the first, after one or both of 
those mentioned before, l would have William I, 3 feet; Lax- 
ton’s Alpha, 4 feet; and Dr. Hogg, 4 feet. For second, Cham¬ 
pion of England, 5 feet; Dr. Maclean,34feet; Gladiator, 3 feet; 
and Telephone, which is 6 feet; and for the last crop I find 
nothing better than Ne Plus Ultra and Sturdy, their heights 
being 6 feet and 3 feet respectively. It is almost useless in this 
unsettled climate to sow the late varieties after the end of June— 
I mean as a rule-but it is possible that different localities might 
produce different results in this respect. 
Many gardeners sow in November, but experience teaches 
me nothing is gained by so doing. As I before wrote, 1 prefer 
the system of sowing in beat and transplanting. For the third 
sowing I prepare trenches as for Celery, but not so deep, and put 
in manure in the same way, fork it well up, sow the seeds, and 
cover them with about 2 inches of the soil taken out of the 
trench. It is a good plan before covering the seeds to give them 
a coating of soot and lime, as this prevents insects attacking 
the seeds. Another very good plan is to damp the seeds and 
dust them with red lead and another to sprinkle petroleum over 
them. The above remedies are to prevent underground attacks, 
but as soon as the seeds are above ground the sparrows attack 
them, and the only thing I have found effectual is to put Pea 
protectors or nets over them and again this is necessary when 
they begin to pod. If this is not attended to the birds will 
surely spoil the crop.— Robert D. Long. 
AMONGST THE NOVELTIES. 
( Continued from page 190.) 
Peas. —Abundance (Bliss) I received from New York too late to 
test its earliness, but I can speak well as to its quality and prolific 
bearing. It is dwarf and very branching. Culverwell’s Triumph I 
found good at all points, and 1 strongly recommend it. It grows 
from 24 feet to 3 feet, beais abundantly handsome pods containing 
peas of very good quality. Victor is a remarkably sweet Pea—the 
sweetest I have tasted this season. The pods are not very large, but 
the peas are fine and packed so tightly that they are rather hard to 
shell. The foliage is very dark. Rural New Yorker is a very fair 
early Pea and bears well. Electric Light is a good Pea. Culver- 
well’s Paragon I have again found invaluable. With many varieties 
I have found gaps in the p;ds, but I never find a single Pea wanting 
with Paragon, and no better Pea cm be desired for any purpose. 
Even when they are old the peas boil sweet. Evolution is a very 
handsome-podded Pea, but unfortunately mine had the blight so bad 
that I could not judge it fairly. I hope to do better with it next 
year. Sturdy was completely destroyed by b'ight. Of Duke of 
Albany I sowed four rows about 4 yards long on the same day. I 
think very highly indeed of this Pea. It has an exceedingly hand¬ 
some pod containing from nine to eleven fine peas of very good 
quality. It bears very abundantly and continues long in use. 
Although my four rows were grown on nothing but gravel enriched 
with plenty of muck, I managed to take a second at a show one week 
with it, a second at another show the next week, and a third the week 
after that. I could not have done it with any other Pea I grow, 
although I have about twenty varieties. Daniels' Early Longpod 
for market I do not care for. It is a great bearer, but grows too tall 
for field work and is not of good quality enough for the garden. 
Potatoes, — Daniels' Norfolk Hero is a grand Potato. Fine 
tubers of splendid quality, being very white, floury, and of good 
flavour. To anyone who has a hot soil like mine I strongly recom¬ 
mend this Potato. It stands erect and grows strong when all other 
varieties but Clarke’s Maincrop are looking weak and dwindly. 
Clarke’s Maincrop is a very similar Potato, is very good, and is a 
capital variety for a hot gravelly soil. Beauty of Eydon is a very 
good Potato, but could not stand the drought well. 1 hope to try it 
more successfully next year with Purple and Gold, which also felt the 
drought. 
General Gordon is a handsome variety. The DeaD, I consider, 
an improvement on Vicar of Laleham, and am rather taken with it. 
It is a handsome and good Potato. These are the only new varieties 
I tried with the exception of one of my own, and it goes without 
saying that I consider my own chick better than any other. Of 
older varieties, I must say a word for Reading Russet, Matchless (or 
Holborn Favourite), and Snowdrop. They are three good Potatoes 
in every way, and whoever tries them will not be disappointed. 
I may add that the White Plume Ce'ery looks well, although I 
am rather behind with it. I should judge that it will be a great 
acquisition. 
I have now given my experiences in testing the novelties, and 
hope a better man will continue the subject for our guidance next 
year.—H. S. Easty. 
SINGLETON ABBEY. 
Singleton, the residence of Mrs. J. H. Vivian, is situated on a finely 
wooded eminence overlooking Swansea B iy towards the south, and is 
some two miles to the west of the town. The house, which is built in the 
Elizabethan style, is of moderate dimensions. It is closely surrounded 
with flower gardens, roseries, archery grounds, and noble trees and shrubs 
of luxuriant growth. To give an idea of the climate, it may be stated 
that Camellias planted outside grow to the size of large Portugal Laurels, 
and produce thousands of flowers in the spring and early summer months. 
The south side of the house is covered with a choi:e collection of climbers, 
amongst which are large plants of the white and yellow Banksian Roses 
attaining a height of 40 feet. These were clothed with hundreds of 
blooms at the time of my visit. Clianthus punicens and other plants 
were also flowering in great profusion. Attached to the house on the west 
side is a span-roofed conservatory with Tree Ferns planted out in the 
centre, and large Camellias and other plants in pots placed round the 
sides. The roof was draped with different varieties of climbers banging 
down in long festoons. 
