200 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 5, 1889. 
and a paper by Mr. J. Doughty of Anglev Part on the “ Treatment of 
Plants (Grown for the Production of Exhibition Blooms) a Short Time 
Previous to the Shows.” The chair will be taken at 4 p.m. Mr. Piercy 
is a well known authority on the subject about which he intends to 
discourse, and something of interest and utility may be expected. Mr. 
Doughty is the “ Champion of Kent,” and is sure to contribute some 
remarks of practical value. _ 
The Hon. Secretary, Mr. Holmes, will no doubt be in town for the 
•opening of the National’s session, and I hear he is on his way from the 
Green Isle, where he has been exploring the Killarney region in search 
of beautiful scenery and health, both which it is to be hoped he found. 
He writes concerning Dublin :—“ They have a superb lot of Chrysan¬ 
themums in the Dublin Botanic Gardens—I think the finest lot of 
plants I ever saw ; and what a house of Todcas they have, and enough 
Killarney Fern to stock the world, certainly £1000 worth.”—C. 
IN THE MIDLANDS. 
_ A great deal of what is interesting may be seen during a few days’ 
sojourn in the beautiful and fertile county of Worcester and over its 
boundary into Staffordshire. Obviously only a comparatively small 
number of the readers of this Journal who are identified with horticul¬ 
ture or agriculture can inspect what they would desire, and therefore 
must be content to “ see with other eyes ” something of what is pre¬ 
sented to view in great trade establishments and good private gardens. 
Two of the former and three of the latter having afforded much pleasure 
to the writer during a three-days ramble and a Sunday’s rest, he will 
endeavour to give an idea of what was brought within the field of 
vision in the quick “ rush through ” the places that will be briefly 
referred to. It was convenient to visit the most distant first and work 
homewards. Therefore in that order they will be of necessity very 
imperfectly described. 
STOURBRIDGE, WORDSLEY, AND KINYER. 
The mention of those names will sufficiently indicate that the great 
and successful trade undertakings of Messrs. Webb & Sons are to be 
brought under review. Stourbridge appears to be a thriving town of 
10,000 or 12,000 inhabitants. If a stranger find his way to the Talbot 
Hotel, and asks if anything is known of a “ firm of the name of Webb,” 
he will, though receiving a very civil reply, be probably regarded as 
something of an ignoramus. To the officials and frequenters of this 
good hostelry the Messrs. Webb are decidedly men of rank. One will 
tell you they are magistrates, another that they are leading property 
holders, a third that they are great Hop, wool, and manure merchants, 
a fourth that they are the “ biggest seedsmen in the world,” as well as 
being largely interested in the manufacture of glass. The finest of 
glass is. made and cut in Stourbridge. It has long been the chief seat 
of the industry, and the highest prizes at the Paris Exhibition for the 
manufacture, of articles from “ tumblers ” toepergnes and candelabras, 
with everything else between, were awarded to produce from the town. 
■So much, then, for Stourbridge and the family that is evidently held in 
much esteem there, and we pass on to Wordsley to see what it is like 
and to Ivinver to see what is being done there. 
Y\ ordsley is a small village two or three miles from Stourbridge, and 
the head-quarters of Messrs. Webb’s gigantic business, for by no other 
adjective can it be accurately characterised. Apart from this business 
the village would rest in obscurity ; with it its name is familiar to the 
Enghsh-speaking race, or at least that important section of it which is 
identified with farming and gardening. The nation has reason to be 
proud. of its great firms who have done so much in improving the 
varieties in cereal, roots, and other vegetable crops. In this commend¬ 
able work Messrs. Webb & Sons share extensively, with great credit 
to themselves and satisfaction to thousands of home and colonial clients. 
Having long enjoyed wide local fame amongst the agricultural 
community, Messrs. Webb a few years ago took steps to widen the 
scope of their operations as growers and purveyors of seeds, not for the 
farm alone, but for the garden. The innate business aptitude of the 
firm, their great, resources, and the thoroughness of the action displayed 
is proverbial, with the result that they have achieved a commanding 
position in a very short time. The magnitude of their operations is 
abundantly evident at Wordsley. The great and substantial piles of 
buildings would not have been erected if not demanded They are 
simple necessaries of an expanding trade. It would be tedious to 
enumerate the different buildings and their dimensions. These, in fact 
have been given on previous occasions, with one highly noteworthv 
exception—a recently completed warehouse, which was being photo- 
graphed on the day of inspection. This structure is 120 by .30, and 
i ■) feet high, with six floors. It is an addition to a previously large 
block, and the offices have also been enlarged. The different buildings 
appear to be replete with machinery and every other requisite, and in 
one of them the packing of bulbs of various kinds was going briskly on 
Kinver is four or five miles from Stourbridge, the drive being a 
particularly agreeable one on a bright clear day. The district is boldly 
undulated and richly wooded, the fine trees and full field crops testify- 
lng to the fertility of the soil. After passing through the village of 
Kinver the ascent becomes somewhat steep, the immediate approach to 
the farms being decidedly picturesque, the road passing through a goro-e 
flanked by rugged rocks, and the overhanging trees afforded grateful 
shade on the hottest harvest day of the year. On reaching the comfort¬ 
able farm residence the view over the farms to the bold Kinver ed<m on 
one hand and horizon on the other is very delightful, the altitude 
rendering the air pure and bracing. This, with soil of excellent staple, 
and charged with fertility of the right kind for crops, imparts to flowers 
unusual brightness of colour, and to grain the density that growers and 
sowers like to see and to feel. There can be no question that these 
farms are admirably adapted to the purpose to which they are devoted. 
They embrace, with a recent addition, nearly 2000 acres, a great part 
being the freehold of the firm which cultivates them so well.. 
A considerable extent of ground is devoted to experimental crops and 
stock testing purposes. All the varieties of popular flowers and vege¬ 
tables of repute are grown for comparison, and for displaying their 
character and testing their purity. It is the same with farm crops— 
pasture, forage, roots, and grain. It is the simple truth to say there 
appeared to be no blanks or failures ; no mildew, insects, or grub-infested 
roots. A pleasing feature in connection with these comparative trials is 
the ready recognition of the merits of samples, come from whence they 
may. Messrs. Webb appear to be in the fullest sense fair competitors 
in the seed-raising world. They have a high aim. and seek for excel¬ 
lence in varieties perseveringly. 
Very gay was the great garden of flowers, each kind in its separate 
square, massive Stocks and Asters, brilliant Zinnias, rich Marigolds, and 
so on through all the half-hardy section. The chief hardy annuals 
were similarly displayed, but some of these were naturally fading. 
One of these was the Sterling Poppy, though the remnant showed how 
gorgeous the mass must have been. This strain has been obtained by 
intercrossing the Danehrog, umbrosum, and other varieties with the 
large P. somniferum, and combines stateliness of growth with remark¬ 
able diversity in colours. Masses of Tropneolums and glowing glossy 
crimson Linums had a dazzling effect in the bright sunshine, and the 
eye sought relief in the softer yet charming Nemophilas and other 
flowers of cooler tints. The best repose, however, was provided by 
parallel beds of Grasses for lawns and farms, kept “ down ” to show 
their character in field or garden. The various kinds are grown 
separately, and their differences are apparent and can be perceived at a 
glance. These sample plots are both interesting and instructive. 
Adjoining are the sample plots of vegetable crops, a few rows of the 
different varieties of the several kinds being grown for comparison— 
Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Beet, Cabbages, Kales, Savoys, Beans, Peas— 
everything, the whole forming a museum of useful vegetation. Neither 
time nor space permits an enumeration, much less a description of those 
grown, nor is it necessary to make the attempt, for the most noteworthy 
and generally satisfactory are with great accuracy described in the well- 
prepared catalogues of the firm. The crossing of vegetables is pursued 
systematically with the object of obtaining superior varieties. 
Peas alone are a study at Kinver, new forms are almost bewildering, 
and it is no light task selecting and “fixing” the most worthy. Few 
persons are aware of the time that must be spent, and the discrimination 
exercised in establishing a new Pea that shall retain all the desired 
characters. A good cross can be effected between varieties in the hope 
of blending the best properties of both. Double crosses are obtained 
in each case. For instance, if Ne Plus Ultra is crossed with Wordsley 
Wonder, this is crossed with the former at the same time. The result 
of this may be that every pea in the two pods when sown will in 
some points display the union, yet some of the plants be tall, others 
dwarf, some may have more or less curved and pointed pods, others 
being straighter and square ended. One may be enormously productive 
yet defective in quality ; another may be superior in quality, but 
not free enough in producing. The work of selection, then, when 
a number of crosses are effected, may be imagined. Not intone year, 
nor two, nor three, can the work be exhausted. But a few varieties 
can, perhaps, be fixed every year out of dozens that must be excluded, 
and others retained for further trial. It is useless in these days sending 
out varieties simply because they are “ new.” The selection must be 
most rigid, and some courage exercised in the casting out process. A 
combination of good qualities can alone satisfy the public and bring 
credit to and beget confidence in the raisers. Messrs. Webb are fully 
alive to this, and work to an ideal standard. When according to their 
judgment this is attained, and not till then, a stock is raised for distri¬ 
bution. This also involves time, experience having proved that this stock 
must be a large one, or inability to supply applicants ensues, thus leading 
to disappointment all round. Of some varieties the supply is already 
considerable, but when they will be distributed, and what they will be 
called, are questions for the firm to determine. Others still scarce will 
follow, for there are, without doubt, several distinct and meritorious 
varieties amongst the Wordsley creations which the public will have the 
opportunity of testing when the time comes. 
Potatoes are also raised in great numbers by cross fertilisation, and 
the work of selecting and sorting, excluding and retaining, i 3 an impor¬ 
tant part of established routine. Success in the past encourages the 
firm to persevere in this work. They find it necessary to reject sternly, 
s lecc carefully, try well, then to grow largely of those which possess 
the desired qualities. They consider Stourbridge Glory one of their 
great “ hits,” over which they made a great mistake in placing it in 
commerce too soon, with the unpleasant result of not being able to meet 
the demand. Though raised from Woodstock Kidney the plants are 
more vigorous than Magnum Bonum, and withstand weather vicissitudes 
better than most others, the leaves remaining green while those sur¬ 
rounding were more or less blackened by the cold and wet a few weeks 
ago. When tried the crop was exceptionally heavy, and large growers 
of Potatoes for market have found out the usefulness of the variety in 
question. There was no time to examine the different stocks that were 
