128 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 18, 1886. 
ihc circumstances be forthcoming, which would save maDy a member 
of the craft much anxiety. When it, however, becomes a question of 
ransacking flower and shrubbery borders in order to get plants for 
forcing, despoiling the garden of its brightest and most charming 
early-flowering plants, creating a blank that will then be glaring, it is 
questionable if the “ game is worth the candle.” It is truly astonish¬ 
ing to see the demand for and the uses to which flowers are now put, 
and yet we are asked to look upon the decline of gardening. 
Establishments noble and gentle are being reduced on every hand, 
the demand for the gardener and his wares is being discounted, which 
I think is not true, certainly not of floriculture, as the demand for 
flowers is decidedly an increasing one, pervading all classes. 
So great has been the demand of late years for flowers at the 
dreary season that most everything with showy flowers amenable to 
forcing has been pressed into the service from the Christmas Rose 
to the Forget-me-not, bulbs without number, plants and shrubs with¬ 
out end, it not being a question of posies but of bouquets— “ buckets,'’ 
remarkable only for ungainliness—requiring as many flowers as were 
formerly required to fill all the vases. All is changed—then we 
only had decorations at party times ; but now the table and other 
decorations are permanent we are advancing truly in floral if not in 
practical horticulture, hence I think the depression no evidence 
of its decadence. Chrysanthemums are over by this time, and we 
miss them much—their size, quaint forms, and rich colouring. 
Camellias, queen of the greenhouse, Azaleas of dazzling brightness, 
and the whole category of winter-flowering stove or greenhouse 
plants, with the usual plenitude of forced plants, lack the bold 
characteristic beauty of the Tree Pmonies. The foliage is striking, 
the young growths really picturesque, and assume shades of violet 
and crimson to green, and the flowers are immense ; there is nothing 
like them grown under glass so large and taking as to excite admira¬ 
tion, making indeed a grand display. Size renders the flowers con¬ 
spicuous, and the shining glowing shades of colour give a brilliant 
effect. This of their effect indoors. Outdoors they are not very 
hardy, and the foliage and flowers are liable to be nipped by late 
frosts. Where, however, they succeed they are grand, and I have seen 
them as far north as York ; indeed, there were fine bushes on the 
lawn where I first practised gardening over thirty years ago, which 
only had a good dressing of leaf soil every autumn, and had been 
raised by these annual dressings until the plants appeared on hillocks, 
and as the growths were pegged down they formed half balls nearly 
12 feet across and were brilliant when in flower. Stakes and mats 
were ready to throw over them in case of frosts in spring, and the 
ground having a sharp incline to the south, and being sheltered to the 
north by shrubberies, they had every chance, much of the success 
being due to the copious supplies of liquid manure given when coming 
into bloom and through the summer. The soil were a heavy loam 
over clay. 
There is one thing about these Peeonies which I particularly wish 
to note—viz., their not doing well with the ordinary treatment given 
other plants in herbaceous or shrubbery borders. It lives certainly and 
flowers sometimes, but it is not by any means remarkable. Certainly 
it is one of those plants that has been long subjected to careful and 
high culture, and when this is relaxed it recedes in vigour, floriferous- 
aess, and quality of bloom. Anyway, it is no use having it unless it 
is grown, for it will do nothing but disappoint ; therefore afford 
deeply stirred well enriched soil, mulch so as to encourage free root- 
action, and feed liberally so as to secure stout growth and plump well- 
developed buds. Plants so treated for a few years will make a 
leautiful display in early summer, and if lifted and potted in 
November they make a grand display in the conservatory. They bear 
gentle forcing, doing well in a vinery or Peach house and forcing 
house with a temperature of 50° to 55° by artificial means, and 10° 
to 15° rise from sun heat. 
Propagation is effected in various ways, but chiefly by grafting to 
which I allude, as in planting it is necessary to cover the graft or 
junction of the scion with the stock. A few good sorts are Jewel of 
Chusan, white ; Comte de Rambutean, white, rosy centre ; Dr. 
Bowring, rose ; Van Houttei, rose, edged white ; carnea plena, Car¬ 
nation ; Robert Fortune, scarlet ; purpurea plena ; and Elizabeth, 
scarlet. Rose a odorata, Aret.husa, incarnata plena, and odorata 
Maria have fragrant flowers.— G. Abbey. 
PRIZES FOR GARDEN PRODUCE. 
As is well known, there are numbers of gardeners in almost 
every district who grow excellent produce for home requirements 
but make no special efforts in growing articles for public exhibi¬ 
tions. Large specimen plants are of no use for their purpose, 
neither are sensational bunches of Grapes nor big vegetables. They 
grow table and room-ciecorative plants admirably, also fruits and 
vegetables in variety and the most acceptable condition for the 
requirements of the family. Such men labour as well and as 
worthily as those who have opportunities of preparing products to 
stage in competition for prizes that are offered in schedules. There 
are no prizes for hundreds of able plodding men, who are just as 
capable as those who are encouraged to exhibit, but their capacity 
is displayed in a different and not less useful manner. Cannot 
something be devised whereby these industrious home workers 
may have an opportunity afforded them to receive official approval ? 
As regards plants, the difficulty of the non-specimen growers 
competing at public exhibitions was surmounted by the introduc¬ 
tion of “ groups of plants arranged for effect ” in a given space. 
The introduction of these classes in schedules has been a great 
success. I was, as far as I know, the first winner of prizes of this 
nature, and I have reason to know my advocacy of the extension of 
the principle has not been without effect. I would now ask if the 
time has not arrived when a further extension of the principle 
might be tried ? If a space of 50 square feet or 100 square feet 
can be placed at the disposal of a gardener to occupy artistically 
with plants, cannot similar space be afforded, and at least as well 
occupied with miscellaneous garden produce—plants, flowers, fruits, 
vegetables, examples of vase decoration, hand and coat bouquets, 
wreaths—indeed, everything that a gardener can arrange as repre¬ 
senting his work and practice ? It seems to me that some highly 
creditable arrangements might be produced at once suggestive and 
artistic, the disposition of the exhibits to be left entirely to the 
competitors. The prizes should be determined for quality, not 
size of products, and effect. All fruit and vegetables should be 
named. If a trial were made of this plan, would it not impart 
variety and interest to shows ? The first results would not be 
perfect, but improvements would naturally follow, and if these 
should be as marked as in the “ effect groups ” of plants, both 
societies, exhibitors, and the public would be gainers. Is this crude 
idea worthy of the consideration of the authorities of the coming 
provincial Royal Horticultural Show at Liverpool ? and if so, will 
they offer good prizes for its development ? Small amounts, as if 
provided as a sort of apology, would “ settle ” the matter at once, 
and it would be done with—for a time.— Ex-Exhibitor. 
MUSCAT OP ALEXANDRIA AND BOWOOD MUSCAT. 
Your correspondent “ G. G. ” evidently believes that Bowood 
Muscat is a distinct variety from Muscat of Alexandria, and judging 
from his experience of the two he is entitled to consider them 
distinct. A variety of Muscat that sets its fruit under such diffi¬ 
culties as those detailed by “ G. G. ’’ is worth increasing, and all 
growers should endeavour to obtain Bowood Muscat, when all 
doubts and fears attending the “setting” process will be finally 
dispelled. 
“ G. G. ” says that any grower could not fail to notice the 
difference between Bowood and the ordinary Muscat of Alexandria 
as grown at his place, but appears to think that a bunch of each 
variety laid side by side would not be easily, if at all, distinguished by 
even “ better judges ” than himself. The next sentence, however, 
rather contradicts this assertion regarding Bowood and Muscat of 
Alexandria, as “ G. G. ” says “ I have seen Muscat of Alexandria 
and Bowood Muscat shown in a collection of four varieties and 
carry off chief honours.” Evidently this means that Bowood and 
Muscat of Alexandria were shown in the collection of four varieties 
referred to as distinct varieties, and were so accepted by the judges. 
From this it would seem that Bowood Muscat as grown by “ G. G. ” 
is not so distinct in appearance from Muscat of Alexandria as it 
is to be seen elsewhere, and notably as it was shown as mentioned. 
There seems considerable confusion and uncertainty about 
Bowood Muscat, but certainly “ G. G.’s ” statement regarding the 
good “ set ” obtained under adverse circumstances from a Vine 
which he has reason to believe is Bowood Muscat is calculated to 
make people wish that Bowood were more abundant, so that no 
fears regarding dull cold days and low temperature need perplex 
and annoy growers of Muscats who wish to grow a good “set.” 
“ G. G.’s ’’ statement is certainly a very remarkable one, and if there 
are no other reasons which can be advanced for the success of the one 
Vine of Muscat and the failure of the other three, then it is to be 
hoped that he will not only increase the cultivation of the 
Bowood variety, but also kindly let others who may apply to him 
have a few eyes of it another season. 
This is such an important difference that all should note it, and 
further remark would be interesting. I hope “ G. G. ” will state if 
any artificial impregnation was resorted to in the above case ; if so, 
if all were so treated ; if the Bowood may not have been in proper 
condition for fertilising when attended to, and that the Muscat of 
Alexandria, being later, may have not been in condition for fer¬ 
tilisation at all, owing to the breakdown of the boiler after the 
Bowood had been impregnated either with or without artificial aid, 
but before the Muscat of Alexandria had arrived at the flowering 
