January 91, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
41 
of plants to be placed in heat at internals a succession may be maintained 
for a month or more. The flowers are usually unattended by foliage, but 
occasionally, as seen in the woodcut, a few leaves are produced, and these 
improve the appearance of the plants. All the varieties mentioned, 
including the double red, can be employed in a similar manner, and if 
the plants are kept spurred in to form compact little bushes they are 
very ornamental when flowering. A rich loam with a moderate pro¬ 
portion of old manure constitutes a suitable soil, but the plants can be 
assisted as the flower buds are expanding by supplies of liquid manure. 
The usefulness of the Japanese Quince as a hardy flowering shrub 
outdoors is too well known to need any remark, but though it is fre¬ 
quently seen trained to walls it is too seldom treated as a bush. In 
the latter form it is very pretty if judiciously pruned so as to secure 
Fig. 8.—Pyrus japonic* nivalis. 
plenty of young growth each season, and dwarf bushes are admirably 
adapted either for the front rows of shrubberies or as isolated specimens 
on lawns. 
LOOKING THROUGH THE SNOW. 
As I write (noon January 13th) the sun shines out, and the 
green grass shows again. The storm has lasted a week, and 
though we have not in mid-Lincoln experienced the deep drifts 
which surprised our more southern neighbour's, the storm has 
been heavier and the frost more intense than any that has been 
registered since 1881. Yesterday the weather, as a farmer 
remarked, was of “ all soarts,” and might have been thus 
described, “First it blew, and then it snew, then it thew, and 
then it fruz awful.” Later on the thaw returned and continued 
all night. There was a strange darkness this morning of short 
duration only, which came on suddenly a few minutes before 
nine, after which the day again cleared and is now positively fine 
overhead. 
Is the earth ever invisible, ever even waste and empty 
to the lover of Nature, and especially to the lover of 
flowers? It is always to the eye of imagination clo bed 
in past, present, or coming glory. Even if hope that is seen is 
not hope, the hope of the horticulturist is evident always and 
tangible. As the last daughter of the year dies, and this season 
some of our cherished Roses lingered with us exceptionally long, 
the fading wreath is freshened up with fragrant Violets (common 
Neapolitan), and already in sheltered corners pale Primroses 
appear glistening through the frost. The lance or rush-like 
foliage of some of the Daffodil, Narcissi, and Jonquil tribe are 
well above ground, besides pushing clumps of Crocuses and 
Snowdrops, and the two graceful leaves of the Anemone 
fulgens, patens, &c. Even under the snow we, as it were, 
saw them and knew they were there. Happy the man that 
has his own garden, his own flowers, his own ever new delight¬ 
giving hopes. I am occupied about an herbaceous border; it has 
long been shadowed with sepulchral Yews, tortured by Sweet 
Ash, a local weed as obnoxious as twitch. It is to be dug up this 
spring, then the last eyesore will be gone (women cannot always 
have things their own way at their own time), cleared of weeds 
and of a Berberis which overruns everything, unsuitable for a 
border, and already I see it gay and graceful with all ihat I pro¬ 
pose and any that my more knowledgeable friends may suggest. 
Of course the first line is Crocus, Snowdrop, &c., Aquilegia behind 
Lilium candidum. 
I covet double white Chinese Pseonies, perennial Lupins, blue 
and cream colour, great growing Poppies, with iheir grand 
glaucous green foliage. The last trio of spring or early-flowering 
plants I saw to perfection in the borders of the beautiful and 
historic parks of Oxford. What can I have beside Geums, 
Potentillas, Pentstemons ? The last comes in a beautiful com¬ 
bination with Anemone japonica alba. But I do not want to 
enumerate, rather to accumulate, if anyone will care to suggest 
a small succession of easily cultivated herbaceous plants for a 
somewhat dry, somewhat shaded, partly exposed, partly shut in 
from the south.—A. M. B. 
[The weather has been very variable since the above was 
written, inclining generally, however, to frost, which is now again 
severe. Slight sprinkling of snow on ground, and on Tuesday 
afternoon at 4.30 there were 6° frost (outside) registered by 
Negretti and Zambra’s instrument.—A. M. B.] 
READING HERO POTATO. 
I INCLINE to the belief that “ Constant Reader ” (page 23) ha3 not 
had the true variety of Reading Hero Potato. I have grown it ever 
since it was first sent out, and for the last four years as our main crop. 
In quality and colour of flesh it is much superior to Magnum Bonum, and 
quite equal to the excellent late variety in cropping and keeping proper¬ 
ties. Our soil is a light deep loam. As showing that it cannot be 
“ Constant Reader’s ” heavy soil, a neighbouring gardener, whose soil is 
little better than clay, also grows this variety as his main crop, and has 
frequently expressed to me the opinion that, all points considered, Messrs, 
Sutton had never sent out a better variety.—W. W. 
Seeing a correspondent asking in the Journal the qualities of Read¬ 
ing Hero Potato, I may state that five years ago I sent for half a bu-hel 
of seed to Messrs. Sutton & Sons, which gave me every satisfaction on 
heavy clayey loam. The variety is a first-rate cropper, very little disease, 
and excellent on the table. Altogether I consider the “Hero” a first- 
class Potato, so much so that I make it my only main crop variety, and 1 
can keep them till the Ashleaf comes in.— Jahf.S Buege, 
FARMERS AND GARDENERS. 
“ A Thinkek’S ” view of the present and future prospects of garden¬ 
ing and gardeners is not cheering, whilst he takes a gloomy view of 
those relating to agriculture. I thank him for his outspoken remarks, 
but I beg to differ from him in some matters both as to cause and 
effect. 
Agriculture is declining, land is for the most part very indifferently cul¬ 
tivated, rents are still being reduced; some landlords have laud for which 
they cannot find tenants, and have not the desire or capital to work it 
themselves, which all mean reduced incomes; but an appearance 
must be maintained, the stables must not suffer, nor showy men servants 
and domestics be reduced. Yet the hands on the farm are lessened, the 
garden expenses cut down, the woods and estate accounts curtailed. 
There is the same consuming establishment, whilst the producing is 
shortened, reduced labour meaning impoverished land, less produce. I 
need only point to one example as indicating what is meant. On one 
estate with which I am familiar, eight men, all marrie 1 with families, 
weie employed on the home farm, now there are four ; eight men were 
regularly kept in the woods, now there are two, and the garden staff has 
fallen to four men and a boy, who have to keep order in over thirty 
acres of grounds and garden". There are the same house servants, 
stabler! en, and gamekeepers. This state of things, as your correspondent, 
“ A Thinker,” anticipated, is only making bad worse. The farmer can¬ 
not make the. farm pay, the woods have ceased to be profitable, and the 
gardener is changed very often, three in less than three jears—sure in¬ 
dication that bricks are expected to he made without straw. “ A Thinker " 
lightly attributes the depression of agriculture to an extravagance whieh, 
