62 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 28, 1886. 
state during the period of rest, when comparative dryness should be 
their condition. Some years ago, in order to test this practice, I sub¬ 
jected a portion of my stock to this treatment for three successive 
years. The first and third winters were excessively wet, and although 
the plants in the autumn were good in every respect equal to those 
stacked in the usual way on their sides in ashes, yet in the spring 
they presented a very different appearance, the majority of them 
being yellow and sickly, while many of them were quite decayed. 
The second winter was dry and severe, and the plants so treated 
were in spring quite equal in health and vigour to those stored in the 
ordinary way, proving most conclusively that continued wet was the 
cause of the evil. When plunged upright, and when frost and rain 
quickly alternated, I have frequently seen the surface of the plants 
covered with ice level with the rims of the pots, the crowns being 
encased therein—not a very comfortable or safe condition I imagine 
for even the hardiest plant to be placed in. 
These experiments convinced me there was no advantage to be 
gained by plunging them in an upright position, but rather the 
reverse. I therefore continue to stack them in ashes, and have never 
failed from so doing. This old-fashioned method commends itself 
in several ways. It is quickly done, they occupy but little space, the 
foliage and crown of the plant is freely exposed while the roots are 
fully protected, and when so placed they need no additional protec¬ 
tion even in the severest weather, plainly proving that the Strawberry 
plant is perfectly hardy when comparatively dry. When stacked in 
this manner the soil and roots during winter appear to absorb just 
sufficient moisture from the damp ashes to sustain the plants in per¬ 
fect health, and in spring when they become dry they should be 
taken from the stack, the ashes levelled, and the plants placed 
thereon and watered when necessary. I can fully endorse the state¬ 
ment of both correspondents respecting the inadvisability of very early 
forcing, nor is there the least advantage gained by placing them 
either in frames or cold houses. When taken indoors they should 
be gently excited into growth, gradually increasing the temperature 
till the fruit is coloured, when a somewhat cooler temperature and 
dryer atmosphere is desirable.— T. Challis. 
ANALYSIS OF SOIL. 
Mn. Taylor rather disappointed me in his answer to my questions. 
I gather from it he cannot analyse the soil himself, consequently he would, 
in case Vines did not thrive, only guess at the treatment required, although 
he would not do much harm with diluted cow urine, as it contains a large 
amount of nitrogenous food in addition to potash. I have an elementary 
knowledge of chemistry, but it seems to me to lose half its value through 
ignorance of analytical chemistry. Some time since the late “ Single- 
handed” gave an instance of how he was deceived by some turfy loam 
used for potting, a little knowledge of analysis would have prevented the 
mistake. Mr. Taylor himself when at Longleat applied lime to his Vine 
borders, and if my memory is correct (for I have not got the article) it 
was little more than a lucky guess that led him to do so. 
Mr. Bardney recommends lime to be used for Vine borders if the soil 
does not contain it in quantity, and illustrates the subject hv referring to 
a Cabbage bed. I commend to his notice the following passages, copied 
from “ Warington’s Chemistry of the Farm.’’ “ Burnt lime is much more 
powerful in its action on vegetable matter than chalk or marl; it should be 
used with discrimination lest the humus of the soil be unduly diminished.” 
And again, “ The general effect of lime is to render available the plant 
food already in the soil, without itself supplying any significant amount ; 
liming cannot therefore be successfully repeated, except at considerable 
intervals.” In the last few lines Mr. Bardney tells us if the Grapes are 
not colouring well to give lime. Now, Vines need not be allowed to suffer 
before the lime is applied. To determine whether lime is present put a 
little of the soil in a glass and pour some vinegar on ; if it effervesce lime 
is present, and the amount of effervescence will give an idea of the 
quantity of lime. If a gardener possessed sufficient skill to make a partial 
analysis and so determine the composition of a given soil it would reduce 
blunders to a minimum. I have grown Rcr-es, Dahlias, and Chrysanthe¬ 
mums up to exhibition form without any scientific knowledge—that is, 
before I commenced to study chemistry, but undoubtedly it is well to have 
an elementary knowledge of the same, and I should think better still to 
know something of analysis. I ask other correspondents to give their 
opinions on this subject with suggestions to intending students and any 
information they may themselves possess. 
I do not agree with “Thinker” concerning the Gros Colman question. 
Such a gardener as Mr. Taylor describes would not so neglect pot ViDes. 
And, again, if want of water had made the leafstalks droop, the leaves 
too would have followed suit, and Mr. Taylor distinctly says the leaves 
remained rigid.—A. L. G. 
Carter’s Ashtop Fluke Early Kidney Potato. —Last year, 
in reply to a private inquiry from a gardening friend in Cheshire as to the 
best second early kidney for a gentleman’s table, I recommended this 
variety. To-day I had a note saying the variety was not so much of a 
success as I anticipated it would be, adding, “ The soil was somewhat cold 
and retentive, and of marly clay formation.” This information was 
not previously given. Had it been I should probably have recommended 
Porter’s Excelsior or Schoolmaster. This variety, being one of the hand¬ 
somest kidneys and of the finest quality grown, will not suit a cold 
retentive clay ” in my opinion. Perhaps you would permit me to ask the 
opinion of others who have grown this variety through your columns.— 
W. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
CYPRIPEDIUM CENANTHUM SUPERBUM. 
Three useful old Cypripediums have been concerned, directly or 
indirectly, in the production of this handsome hybrid, and it might 
therefore be expected to exhibit, as it does, a combination of excellent 
characters. One of the earliest hybrids raised in this genus was C. 
Harrisianum, which Mr. Dominy obtained from C. barbatum and C. 
villosum, the only other hybrid Cypripedium secured by the same raiser 
being C. vexillarium from C. barbatum and C. Fairrieanum. Employing 
C. Harrisianum as one parent, Mr. Seden crossed it with C. insigne 
Maulei, and from the seed thus obtained C. oenanthum was raised. There 
is always much difference in the seedlings from any cross, and so in this 
case, one proved much superior to the others, and received the title C 
oenanthum superbum, as in another example we have 0. Leeanum,and C. 
Leeanum from similar crosses between 0. insigne and C. Spicerianum. 
C. mnanthum superbum, of which a flower is shown in fig. 11, partakes 
somewhat of the characters of C, insigne Maulei, having a margin of 
white to the dorsal sepal, which is of a purplish red colour in the centre, 
and lines of nearly black spots. The petals are of similar colour, also 
with dark spots, and the lower sepals are greenish. It was sent out 
last year by Messrs. Yeitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
THE CULTURE OF PEAB. 
In my remarks recently I offered to furnish a few more notes, 
which I will now do, but it should be observed that in describing 
the sowing of Peas I intended to say that they are better sown 
closely together in the rows, particularly the early varieties which 
were then referred to. Just before the growths show themselves 
through the soil, stretch a piece of strong cotton or thread from 
end to end of each row to keep the birds from destroying the 
young plants. I recommend cotton or thread because it. is 
much cheaper than covering the rows with a net, and it is quite 
as useful for frightening the birds. I have another reason fo 
