November 19, 1885.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
441 
three are named, mostly incurved, but some, as Julie Lagravere and 
Progne, are evidently out of place. This list is indeed a very 
imperfect one, both the raisers’ names and the dates being omitted in 
numerous cases. The principal of the French varieties is Lacroix’s 
Jeanne d’Arc, which was sent out in 1881. Mons. Viviand Morel, one 
of M. Delaux’s 1885 novelties, has been shown on several occasions 
this season, and certificated at the Aquarium Show. It is more 
inclined to a reflexed form than an incurve, but the florets nearly 
erect. 
Twenty-one “ Chrysanthemes Aveoliformes,” or Anemone 
varieties, are named, of which we may mention Madame Berthie 
Pio n y (Dr. Audiguier), Madame Clos (Marrouch), Mademoiselle 
Cabrol (1879, Marrouch), and Sceur Dorothee Souille (1877, 
Marrouch). 
The new varieties which have made their appearance in England 
this season include several of sterling merit, while some that were 
introduced last year, such as Yal d’Andorre and Belle Paule, have 
most deservedly won the admiration of numbers of growers, and 
nurserymen who make a specialty of Chrysanthemums may expect 
a large demand for them. Of the strictly new varieties those that 
have found most favour are all Japanese—namely, Lakme, Jupiter, 
Madame John Laing, L’Aube Matinale, Mons. A. Yilmorin, Mons. 
Freeman, Mons. N. Davis, L’Adorable, Souvenir de Haarlem, Mons. 
Ghys, and Mandarin ; the slightly older Brise du Matin and Margot 
also having received substantial recognition. The only incurved 
variety of any value that has been shown is Messrs. Carter’s sport 
from Queen of England, appropriately termed Bronze Queen, 
which the National Chrysanthemum Society honoured with a 
certificate. A few early-flowering and other varieties have also 
been added, but to these and the preceding I must refer more in 
detail in some other notes. —Lewis Castle. 
ESTIMATES OF VEGETABLES. 
ONIONS. 
As a crop for market Onions are important, if, indeed it is not one 
of the most valuable from a paying point of view. The crop of 
course varies according to the season, the present one not being 
favourable, for though the crop was not a failure the dry weather 
so influenced it as to render the bulbs small—picklers being plenti¬ 
ful and cheap ; added to this the larger-sized ones have not kept 
well, and large importations have kept prices down—the prices 
being at present 60s. to 90s. per ton. I have, however, no cause to 
complain, as I have 12 to 14 tons to the acre, and the salesman gets 
4s. fid. and 5s. per cwt., the Onions being fine, and such always 
command sale and bring the best returns. 
The varieties of Onions are very numerous, but I think they 
may safely be divided into two sections, or those with flat crowns, 
and those raised or pear-shaped. The first as a rule attain the 
largest size, and are usually good keepers, as the flat or hollow crown 
seems to form a receptable for water ; and if the weather prove wet 
at the time of maturing, the bulbs decay at the neck, or become so 
saturated that they do not keep well after storing. The latter or 
pear-shaped, having the neck high, throw off the wet better, and 
they keep very much longer, indeed are the only sorts worth 
terming keepers. Flat Onions are those of the Spanish or Portugal 
type, and all are evidently of one stock ; indeed, Nuneham Park, 
Reading, Banbury Improved, Rousham Park Hero, with others are 
selected forms of the White Spanish. I had those this year except 
Nuneham Park, and that I had grown it in former years and found 
it no improvement, in fact all these improved sorts lose their 
identity in a season or two. 
Of the yellow Onions I have only grown two—viz., Danver’s 
and Giant Zittau; they appear to be an admixture of the early 
white and brown varieties. Danver’s Yellow I find a very bad 
keeper, and not nearly so good a cropper as White Spanish, but 
Giant Zittau I find a capital cropper and excellent keeper, a very 
valuable Onion, especially where there is an objection to brown 
varieties. These are flattish in shape, and evidently are inter¬ 
mediate between the White and Brown Spanish, only the Giant 
Zittau has more of the Globe shape, to which it perhaps owes its 
keeping qualities. 
The oval or pear-shaped Onions are all of the Strasburg type, 
and are very variable. In the old Strasburg the bulbs are some¬ 
times flat. It originated from the Spanish, but in the finest the oval 
form is prominent, and gives rise to the variety Deptford, which is 
marked by a paler skin ; indeed, so nearly alike is this and Brown 
Globe that they may be placed in the same category, only I think 
Brown Globe by far the best form, as the bulbs have an oval shape 
and are better keepers. Perhaps the very finest of this section is 
Bedfordshire Champion, fine in form, capital in cropping, an excellent 
keeper and of the very best. Of the same class is the indispensable 
James’s Keeping, which as a keeper and quality late in spring is 
unequalled. 
My selection therefore of summer Onions are White Spanish or 
any of its forms if expense of seed is no object, Bedfordshire 
Champion and James’s Keeping. I have omitted Blood Red, as its 
flavour is not liked by the consumer. 
Of the autumn-sown Onions there is none better for drawing 
young than White Lisbon, the bulbs come in quickly and sell well 
as bunch Onions. Early White Naples is also good for early bulbing 
and bunching, and of the Tripolis Giant Rocca is far the best.— 
Utilitarian. 
BIXA ORELLANA—ANNOTTA. 
It is from the shrub the foliage and flowers of which is now figured 
that the Annotta of commerce is produced. Plants are seldom seen in 
this country except in botanical collections ; but they are not devoid of 
Fig. 68.—Bixa orellanti. 
ornament by their fine green leaves and chaste pink flowers. When grown 
from seed the plants attain a large size before producing flowers; but 
when raised from cuttings they flower freely when in a comparatively 
dwarf state. Cuttings of half-ripened wood strike readily in heat under 
a bellglass. The plants require a summer temperature of C5° to 85°, 
and a winter temperature of 50° to 60°. This shrub grows spontaneously 
in South America, and is cultivated in the East Indies. The fruit is like 
a Chestnut, a two-valved capsule covered with flexible bristles, and 
contains a certain number of seeds smaller than peas. These seeds are 
covered with a soft, viscous, resinous pulp of a beautiful vermilion colour 
and unpleasant smell like red lead mixed with oil; and it is this matter 
which constitutes Annotta. The mode in which it is obtained is by 
pouring hot wa*er over the pulp and the seeds, and leaving them to 
macerate until they are separated by pounding them with a wooden 
pestle. The seeds are then removed by straining the mass through a 
