320 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 8, 1885. 
displaval at times when they are in greater perfection as regards dessert 
qualities, we must expect growers to bring forward their Alicantes, Gros 
Colman, Lady D >wne’s, &c., and cannot wonder if they should exclaim 
against being put in the background simply because time alone is wanting 
to make them perfect. 
“ A Kitchen Gardener” defends Alicante vigorously, and ably states 
his reasons for so doing. There can be no doubt that what he says is true. 
Alicante is, and ever will be, I think, more generally grown than Madres- 
field Court; it is a free cropper, a fine free grower, and grand keeper, and 
its qualities of bloom, bunch, and berry have been so often displayed at 
shows that they mu3t be patent to all. It has no fault of cracking to 
perplex and annoy, and though not possessed of the flavour which 
Madresfield Court attains, is still by no means to be despised for that, as 
it has a peculiar crispness, which makes it, when used in January, 
February, and March, very pleasant aud refreshing, 
I can endorse “A Kitchen Gardener’s ” remark on the colouring of 
Grapes this season, at least in regard to some varieties. Gros Colman 
has coloured much more quickly than for some seasons back, and that 
wi'h au extra heavy crop. If “ A Kitchen Gardener ” had seen a bunch 
of Duke of Buccleuch which Mr. Kirk exhibited at Edinburgh lately he 
would have seen one the very reverse of ‘‘ragged and small.” The 
bunch was large and the berries enormous. Indeed all the Duke of 
Buccleuch shown there was characterised by the solid appearance of the 
bunches and the regularity of the swelling of the berries. 
Golden Champion was also far from “ raggedit, too, was compact 
and regular. 
Mr. Jenkins remarks that it is a pity “that prizes are not offered 
solely for Madresfield Court at our summer shows.” Certainly it is a 
pity if this is not done, and all societies really anxious that Grapes should 
be shown “ in season” should do so. Mr. Jenkins also remarks that by 
so doing societies “ would greatly encourage growers to persevere with 
itand also that “ many who have almost lost heart on account of the 
berries splitting, would, by paying m ire attention to atmospheric condi¬ 
tions, eventually succeed.” If such can be effected by means of societies 
offering prizes “ solely for Madresfield Court” at the summer shows it is 
to be hoped that all will speedily do so. 
The question of the division of Grapes into summer, autumn, winter, 
and spring varieties at our shows must be taken up and carefully con¬ 
sidered if opinions such as those expressed by Mr. Iggulden and others 
are to prevail. Hard-and-fast “rules and regulations” as to when each 
particular kind is to be shown must be laid down, and who will be able 
to do this in such a manner as will please all ? I am afraid that some 
latitude must always be allowed, and where there are Grapes shown 
superior in every respect save their condition for the dessert table— 
which time alone is required to remedy—to others more “in season,” 
then the word should be in favour of the former. 
“ A Kdchen Gardener” has made this plain enough in his remarks on 
“A Young Exhibitor’s” ideas. As he says, shows would need to be 
held far more frequently than at present if “ A Young Exhibitor’s” ideas 
of “ in season ” and “ out of season’’are to be acted upon. Many able 
gardeners and first-class Grape-gr >wers have in times past adjudicated at 
hundreds of shows where common sense guided them in their awards, 
where no hard-and-fast line of being “in season” was allowed to warp 
the judgment, but where, every condition being duly weighed, results 
satisfactory to the majority of exhibitors were arrived at. A very great 
change indeed will have taken place if in the future all late Grapes are 
debarred from autumn shows, as some writers seem to desire.—S. 
I think Mr. Iggulden and a few others are writing too strongly 
against the Alicante Grape and giving too much praise to Madresfield 
Court. It is only in a few places that Madresfield Court does well, other¬ 
wise we should see it oftener at our shows. We all know it is a good 
Grape when well done, but seldom do we see it. And why should a bad 
example of that Grape be placed before others ? My advice would be to 
beginners, Plant ten Alicantes to one Madresfield Court if a quantity 
of good Grapes is wanted. In eight localities outjof ten Madresfield Court 
will not do well. I have grown it here for ten years and tried it in dif¬ 
ferent ways. I have not yet been able to cut a bunch fit for our local 
show. I have six other varieties in the same house, and have exhibited 
bunches from each of them ; the Alicante proves the best. I start my 
house the 1st of February. I should like to know if Alicantes are not 
fit for exhibition in August when started at the time named. If we follow 
Mr. Iggulden he will shut out all who have only a house or two at their 
command, and give scope to those gardeners who have many houses, 
almost enough to grow each variety of Grape separately. The gardener 
who has only space to grow a few hundredweight of Grapes has to 
compete with those that grow Grapes by the ton.—H. 
“MODIFIED” EXTENSION VINE TRAINING. 
The claim put forward this week by “ J. W.” on Mr. Taylor’s behalf 
that he is only “ a modified” extensionist, will not “hold water.” He is 
by his own showing “aconfirmed extensionist.” He mentions 12 feet in 
his book as the length of cane that may be left at pruning time, and he 
clinches the case by declaring that “ cutting down the stem of a Yine 
does not add to the vigour of the growth.” Of course, no extensionist 
approves of the practice unless the wood is well ripened. That was laid 
down as an essential condition of the extension system long before Mr. 
Taylor wrote a word on the subject, and that condition really goes to the 
bottom of the matter, because (except in cases where it is a matter of 
accommodation or convenience) if a Vine is well ripened here is no limit 
to the length of cane that may be left. Why should not 20 or 80 feet be 
left as well as half a dozen or 12 feet? The logic of the argument is 
clear and undisputable, and practice has proved its correctness.—J. S. W 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS OUT OF DOORS. 
It is often regretted that more diversity is not introduced in the 
bedding decoration of parks, public and private gardens, but it seems 
that at least one group of plants has not yet been employed to the best 
advantage for this purpose. Tuberous Begonias have been frequently 
recommended in the past few years for bedding out, but their merits have 
not been fully recognised at present; and though they have obtained a 
prominent position in public favour as greenhouse or conservatory 
plants, they are yet regarded by many as of doubtful value for beds or 
borders out of doors. This is quite a mistake, for the plants are evidently 
well adapted for such a use throughout the greater part of Britain. We 
have seen them in many districts of England and Scotland, Dut as 
examples two widely separated gardens may be noted—namely, Drummond 
Castle in Perthshire, and Heytesbury in Wiltshire, for in both of these 
we have seen admirable beds of brilliantly coloured Tuberous Begonias at 
a time when the beauty of the Pelargoniums was waning. In both wet 
and dry climates these Begonias succeed, for the succulence of the stems 
enables them to resist more drought than many other plants, while rain 
does not seem to inj ure them in the slightest. In heavy storms the flowers 
droop slightly, so that the rain runs off the outer surface of the petals 
without affecting the colour. It is remarkable that such plants should 
endure excessive rain so well, but it has been abundantly proved, and it is 
one of the strong points in their character. 
Few who have not seen the Begonias in beds at Messrs. J. Laing 
and Co.’s Forest Hill nurseries this season could form an adequate idea 
of the wonderful effect produced by 90,000 plants in flower. Scores of 
beds 100 feet long and about 4 feet wide were closely packed with seed¬ 
ling Begonias in separate colours, formed a display which, for brilliancy 
and richness of colouring, could not be equalled by any other plants at 
the end of September. A most important step towards popularising these 
plants has been made in procuring fixed strains of different colours which 
can be depended upon to come true. Messrs. Laing & Co. have now 
twelve shades—namely, rose, pink, scarlet, crimson, dark crimson, white, 
yellow, bronze, orange scarlet, violet red, blush, and crimson red, and 
they have had huge beds of each that showed most satisfactorily how 
true they were to their respective colours. Another interesting poiut wa3 
the time required to produce such vigorous flownr-laden plants as those 
named. The seed was sown in heat on January 20th this year, and after 
the usual gradations of pricking off and potting, the seedlings were ready 
for planting out the first and second week in June. The soil is naturally 
heavy, but it received no special attention beyond a top-dressing of road 
sweepings, old manure, and cocoa-nut fibre, in which the plants were 
placed, and there during July, August, and September they produced 
their mas-five flowers in thousands. It is found, however, that the seed¬ 
lings flower even better the second season, as they then assume their best 
characters of colour and floral size, and if any are left after the enormous 
demand is satisfied, we may expect to see some still more beautiful beds 
next year. 
As to the general quality of the varieties it is almost needless to speak, 
for so much attention has been paid to Tuberous Begonias at Forest Hill 
during recent years that it is difficult to imagine how they can be farther 
improved. Nine-tenths of these seedlings are as good in size, substance, 
and form of flowers as varieties which a few years ago were named and 
certificated, amoDgst them many being observable that even now seem 
worthy of designations. Those, however, that are now honoured in this 
way must be superlatively good, and Mr. Laing has a Royal Family 
group of what he considers his finest varieties, and of which a handsome 
coloured plate is being prepared. These constitute the types of the 
highest development in Tuberous Begonias, the flowers being finely 
rounded, the petals nearly equal in size, and forming a beautiful even out¬ 
line. The varieties are named Queen Victoria, Prince of Wales, Princess 
of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince Albert 
Victor, and the colours are extremely rich shades of rosy salmon, dark 
maroon, bronze yellow, scarlet, orange scarlet, and violet rose. The last- 
named tint, which distinguishes the Princess of Wales, is a decided step 
towards purple or violet, and it seems as if there might be some chance 
of obtaining that desideratum, although experiments have not hitherto 
been very satisfactory. 
The named varieties, both single and double, raised in the last two or 
three years are very numerous, and their merits are testified by the first- 
class certificates awarded for them at the leading horticultural shows in 
Great Britain. 
POTATO MAGNUM BONUM. 
I sent you yesterday a small box containing five Potatoes, Magnum 
Bonum. When I weighed the five the weight was exactly lbs, the 
largest being 1 lb. 3J ozs. I have read so much about the Potato crop being 
almost a failure in some parts, that I thought it might interest you to 
know that on our heavy lands we have a magnificent crop, though, of 
course, owing the early and lasting drought, followed by warm rain, the 
shape of the tubers is not all that could be desired. I hs.ve harvested 
about 2£ tons—2 tons of Magnum Bonums, half a ton of Bresee’s Prolific, a 
variety well suited for our soil and situation. Soil, a stiff whitish clay; 
