404 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE CARDERER. 
[ November 5, 1885. 
have never noticed this natural blanching so much as I have this year, 
and I attribute the cause to deep planting and excellent habit of the 
variety, other sorts growing by the side of the White Gem showing no 
tendency to blanch under the same conditions. Notwithstanding the 
unfavourable season, not one plant has “ bolted ” or failed in any way, 
and we commenced digging the best Celery the 1st of October, my 
employer says he has ever tasted, while in other gardens near the crop 
has been a partial failure, and in one instance a total one. Nothing could 
induce it to make any growth whatever. It would be interesting to know 
how the Celery crop has been in other gardens. It may be added no trace 
of Celery fly has been seen this year with us.—B., Hants. 
“THINKER’S'’ NOTES. 
Useful Potatoes.— Tour critical correspondent “Thinker,” I am 
afraid, does not always examine the articles to which he refers so closely 
as he might, otherwise he would see what was meant in some of them 
which he affects not to understand. While I have no objection whatever 
to his reference to my article, I “ think,” if he will allow me to make use 
of that word, it was apparent that my object in writing on page 331 was to 
learn something about the usefulness of the newer varieties of Potatoes 
and not to tell, what most persons know, which of the old ones are good. I 
have, however, not the slightest objection to name a “ short list of varie¬ 
ties ” that afford a supply of satisfactory produce all the year round. 
They are—1, the true old Ashleaf for sheltered positions ; 2, Myatt’s Prolific 
closely following in open quarters ; 3, Sutton’s Early Regent; 4, the Scotch, 
Regent; 5, Magnum Bonum. If your correspondent, or anyone else, 
can improve on this list, or can substitute any better varieties for any of 
those named, I shall be glad to know what they are and will try them, if 
I have not already done so and found them wanting. Sutton’s Early 
Regent is not very old. It was recommended to me by a writer in the 
Journal and has proved a valuable acquisition. It follows closely after 
Myatt’s, and is of first-rate quality in the rather light soil in which it is 
grown.—A Country Gardener. 
Canker in Fruit Trees. —As our friend the “Thinker” is un¬ 
earthed, which we are glad to see, and requires something to think 
about, may I suggest that he give us his opinion on the cause of canker 
in fruit trees ? I have thought about it and written about it until I am 
tired, although I have a reply to “ Entomologist,” which I withhold for 
the present.—J. Hiam. 
Trinity Coliege Botanic Gardens. —In common with all your 
readers and correspondents, whatever my engagements, I read the graphic 
notes of “ Thinker,” and I can reciprocate his kindly reference to me 
(page 375) by saying, “ with pleasure” and profit. I can only regret “ he 
as yet has no idea how extensive Trinity College Gardens are,” but we 
must try and tempt him to remedy that and see Ireland, if not sooner, 
next year. As to “ instalments ” of my note—the one he refers to, which 
tried yainly to imitate him in brevity—it is, I think, the fourth of the kind 
sent to the Journal at different times, when I could run up to Dublin and 
enjoy the great treat of a walk round with Mr. Burbidge.—W. J. 
Murphy, Clonmel. 
Showing Late Grapes. —Notwithstanding my obscurity, as pour- 
trayed by “ Thinker,” I notice that a couple of paragraphs is sufficient 
at any time to make your correspondent pen about a dozen in reply, and 
it is an old saying and a true one, that a long answer to a short question 
is a sure sign of a bad case. “ Thinker ” does not, however, attempt to 
reply in this case, but resorts to his usual practice of throwing up dust 
to confuse spectators while he is effecting his retreat. In fox-hunting 
parlance I must, however, “ keep his nose to the fence,” and make him 
either jump or turn tail. According to his own showing, the whole or 
main object of showing Grapes, or anything else, is to bring gate money 
to the organisers of the show, whoever they may be, and that being so 
he tells us that late varieties of Grapes must be sacrificed to that end. 
Sporting matches of various kinds are usually promoted on similar 
grounds, and one does not see why fruit and flower shows should not go 
with these. I must deprive “ Thinker ” too of the shelter of secretaries 
of horticultural societies, because none of these has ever at least avowed 
such principles of action as those professed, more particularly as the 
question is one of showing fruits out of season. Like “ Thinker,” I claim 
that I am not a disappointed exhibitor. From a pecuniary point of view 
I can employ my time to better purpose than showing, but it would appear 
from what he “ could tell,” to use his own words, that he has had a good 
deal to do with disappointed exhibitors, who protested and threatened 
actions, &c. As to Mr. Knight and his contemporaries not knowing more 
about shows than did old Mother Hubbard, I believe it, if the gate-money 
plea gives a just conception of their view he takes of them ; but though 
men may die principles last, and those principles applied to “ Thinker’s” 
objects and purposes of exhibitions show them in a very unfavourable 
light, that he seems now inclined to share even in these days. 
I observe that he accuses me of “ accusing a body of men of being 
engaged in a low calling,” and I wish to state, in order to put myself 
right with your readers, that I have done nothing of the kind, nor had I 
any intention of doing so. At all events, I did not malign any body of 
men nor mean to do so, but simply accused “ Thinker” of putting horti¬ 
culture on a “ low ground,” and that I adhere to. Neither did I appre¬ 
hend “ Thinker’s” remarks as “ a narration of circumstances ” as he puts 
it, but for what they profess to be—viz , his own “thoughts on current 
topics,” and I am surprised he should seek to repudiate them or put them 
forward as the thoughts of other people when they are criticised adversely. 
Exhibitors are not responsible for the schedules of prizes of fruit 
shows, and “ Thinker” does not seem to grasp the fact that the tempta¬ 
tions put in the way of exhibitors, who must either conform to the schedule 
or stay at home, is one of the main evils complained of. As to what I 
have myself done in the way of exhibiting late Grapes, I am ready to give 
“ Thinker ” an answer on that point when he can show me what it has to 
do with his “ thought” that “ the whole question turns on the purpose for 
which the objects are staged” and that that “purpose is to bring gate 
money.”—N on-Believer. 
AUTUMN APPLES. 
Dessert Varieties. —The first of these may be said to begin with 
Early Harvest, Early Margaret, and Juneating. The latter is the 
earliest of all Apples, and is closely followed by Early Margaret, which 
is our favourite early Apple, It bears freely in the case of both old and 
young trees, and besides being of good appearance is of very good 
quality. Mr. Gladstone is said in the catalogues to ripen in July, but we 
can only speak of it as an August Apple, and a very good one. It is 
large, handsome, very prolific, and excellent in quality ; it merits plant¬ 
ing largely as an early sort. Market growers, as well as private culti¬ 
vators, would find it profitable. Irish Peach is another fine August 
Apple, too well known to need any special recommendation from me. 
Red Astrachan is a good variety which hardly ever fails to bear a crop. 
Devonshire Quarrenden and Duchess of Oldenburg are early August 
varieties too, but not specially high in quality so far as my experience 
goes. Kerry Pippin is a free bearer, small and crisp, and deserving more 
patronage than it generally receives. It is a useful October Apple, and 
will be found good in November or later. 
King of the Pippins, although classed as an early variety, is not ready 
until November, and will remain good until March. It is a splendid 
Apple in every way. The yellow Ingestre is a distinct and good Sep¬ 
tember and October, although it is not quite so highly flavoured as some 
of the others. Of new dessert Apples Bunyard’s Lady Sudeley is a real 
acquisition. It ripens about the middle of August, is very handsome, 
large in size, excellent in flavour, and a great bearer. 
Culinary Varieties. —Early kitchen Apples are well represented 
by several very good varieties ; the best known of these is the old Keswick 
Codlin. In my opinion it is still the most valuable of all. It is a free 
grower and great bearer in all quarters. The fruits are of good size, and 
when good perfect models of what a culinary Apple ought to be. It 
should be included amongst all orders for kitchen Apple 0 , no matter how 
small the number may be. Lord Suffield is another of the same class, so 
far as quality goes. It is a free bearer of handsome larger fruits, but I 
do not find it succeed so well on gravelly soil as the Keswick. For exhi¬ 
bition in August and September it is unique. 
It bears very freely in a small state, and I have seen trees not more 
than a yard in height requiring propping up in autumn to prevent the 
weight of the immense fruits breaking the branches. Mr. Gladstone may 
be included amongst the kitchen Apples. It is one of those which serve 
two purposes. Worcester Pearmain is a free-bearing variety with firm, 
finely formed, highly coloured fruit. The Hawthornden is one of the 
surest and best of bearers of capital fruit which may be used in August or 
until December. Wormsley Pippin is good for the kitchen or dessert. 
Stirling Castle is one of the earliest, medium in size, and a heavy bearer. 
Golden Noble is another which should find a place in all collections of any 
extent. It is ready in September, and not over until December. York¬ 
shire Beauty is a free bearer, and does remarkably well in the orchard. 
It is an August and September variety, and finishes my list of good early 
Apples. Later ones will be referred to in a future issue.—A KITCHEN 
Gardener. 
ROSE W. F. BENNETT. 
Visitors to the principal Rose shows have seen and admired boxfuls 
of the rich purplish crimson blooms and expanding bu Is of this floriferous 
Rose. But there are numbers of psrsons who delight in Roses who 
cannot attend exhibitions of them, and there are also many who do not 
think it necessary that a Rose mu3t be of sufficient size for including in 
stands of prize blooms to entitle it to be considered as meritorious. W. F. 
Bennett is not now referred to as an exhibition Rose, though it may be 
occasionally staged, but as valuable home decorative variety—a Rose for 
the million for supplying rich and beautifully formed half-expanded buds 
for cutting in profusion. This, when well grown, it will do, not only in 
summer but in winter in light moderately heated houses. It may be 
referred to as a perpetual-flowering Hybrid Tea Rose, and will form an 
admirable companion to the favourite white Niphetos, which in Rrm it 
somewhat resembles. It is not unlikely that W. F. Bennett will become 
widely popular and be extensively cultivated for supplying the markets 
with flowers, and that, after all, is one of the best tests of the merits of a 
Rose. Messrs. William Paul & Son of Waltham Cross obligingly enable 
us to publish a fair representation of the Rose in question, which was 
honoured with a first-class certificate by the Floral Committee of the 
Royal Horticultural Society two years ago. The stock was purchased by 
