100 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
p February Z, 1889. 
“ Q. But supposing this alteration of duty should discourage the 
English planter of orchards, and the present orchards fall into 
decay, what becomes then of your supply ?— A. You have no other 
way of getting a supply but from France ; and in the event of a 
war how are you to get that ? 
“ Q. But if the French supply is so very bad the English con¬ 
sumer will not take it, and the English orchards will not go out of 
growth, will they, because it will be worth the while of the English 
grower to keep them up ?— A. It will reduce the price. 
“ In drawing our observations to a conclusion we will remark that, 
fi’om wliat we have stated, it will be seen that this is a subject 
calling for special attention. Hitherto it has been neglected among 
us ; we do not seem in this country to be alive to the importance of 
it, but it is not so elsewhere. We know that in America there are 
societies formed for the purpose of directing and encouraging it. 
In France and Germany it is regarded as of paramount importance, 
and in Belgium it is honoured by the patronage and support of 
the Government. Can nothing be done here ? Can no society be 
organised to aid on and give direction and counsel in this work ? 
Let us trust it may be so, and that ere long we shall have such an 
one as will take its position with those others which our country 
delights to honour.” 
Quantities of Apples imported from 1838 to 1850 with the 
AVERAGE PRICES IN COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
Year. 
Duty. 
" Quantity 
imported. 
A-f rage 
pr ce at 
Covmt 
Garden. 
1838 
4s. 
2162bu-heP . 
s. d. 
4 G 
£5 p r cent. 
-t'33,395 12s. 31. 
4 6 
18-i9 
ad. ral. 
£43,866 13s. Oil. 
5 6 
1810 
£5 6s. per ctnt. 
£33,717 13s. 5d. 
3 6 
1811 
£40,849 . 
4 G 
1812 
ad. ral. 
£6644 . 
4 6 
01. 
111,586 bushels . 
4 6 
1813 
61. 
314,954 .. 
6 6 
1844 
182,590 „ . 
6 0 
1845 
197,064 .. 
6 6 
1846 
292,427 . 
8 0 
1817 
331.073 „ . 
4 0 
1848 
243.034 „ . 
5 0 
1849 
323,719 .. 
3 6 
1850 
... 
467629 „ . 
5 6 
The above “historical notes” are highly interesting, and the 
concluding table not only suggestive, but encouraging. It appears 
to show that increased importations during the period referred to 
as the result of lowering the duty, did not lead to a fall in the price 
of Apples. On the contrary, consumption appears to have been 
sufficiently stimulated to maintain and even increase the value of 
the produce to cultivators. The marvellous increase in the con¬ 
sumption of Apples is brought into strong relief by a comparison 
of imports. As is stated above, the importation of 467,629 bushels 
in the year 1850 was considered great, yet in the last month of last 
year (December, 1888) the import was upwards of 409,000 bushels 
in excess of that bulk, being for the month 877,309 bushels. At 
the time the “ notes ” were written it will be seen there were no 
fruit shows nor fruit societies ; but these we have now, and some of 
those societies might do worse than consider the suggestion in 
allusion to them of granting premiums for essays on fruit culture. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
Saxifraga longifolia.— How many hardy plants are there 
which can properly be called beautiful during the whole of their 
year’s career unless to the eye of faith or to that of the botanist ? 
Probably no great number, although, for the reasons just indicated, 
there would be difference of reply to that question. Commonly 
we have to be satisfied with beauty in the flower for one or 
more months, coupled with sightliness, perhaps neatness, in the 
foliage of the plant during the chief part of the year. With less 
than this we have often, and wisely, to be satisfied. AVithso much 
ye are “ well off,” and plants which yield it should be prominent 
and predominating in the hardy flowtr garden. Their study and 
cataloguing is of the highest importance. But if plants thus, at 
all seasons in any sense beautiful, are not common, how many are 
there which we can term strikingly beautiful at all seasons ? Very 
few indeed, I imagine. Speaking offhand I should say that the 
Queen of the Saxifrages stood almost alone in that small class. 
The great Pyrenean Saxifrage is well kpown, and for nineteen 
out of twenty reader's needs no description. It is a fine, in time 
becomes a huge, rosette of silvery solid encrusted foliage, the 
rosette easily attaining a foot of circumference, and being a 
beautiful adornment of the rockery or border from the first day of 
the year to the last. Culture it cannot be said to want. As regards 
hardiness there is no question. It needs scarcely any soil, unless 
a big specimen is wanted, as, however, it should be ; for a plant 
has flourished with me for years with but a small ball of soil round 
its roots, merely stuck between tWo stones in the rock garden 
vertically, and with its roots to the extent indicated, exposed to 
frost and even almost to air. It appears with us not even to exact 
the summer moisture which many choice alpines require. Perfect 
drainage it has with us, and probably requires ; a chalk soil, with* 
vertical planting, suits it perfectly. But I do not know that the 
plant is the least particular in that respect. It would make a 
unique wall plant if once established by care or by cunning, and I 
contemplate an experiment in that direction which hitherto I have 
not had the time or the materials to try. It should be easy to put 
together with old stones and mortar a rough wail, “ centred” with 
soil, and plentifully and naturally “holed” and pocketed, which 
should be furnished with suitable plants, such as the Saxifrage in 
question, with others of the genus good enough to be admitted to 
its company, with Linarias (the best only), Ramondia pyrenaica 
(upon the north side), with Saponaria ocymoides (splendens- 
variety), and with Erinus alpinus or-the like. The wall might be 
high or low, useful or ornamental ; but as regards utility it must 
be put somewhere where it cannot be rifled of its “ living freight 
and in respect of ornament it should be made a line of boundary or 
should fill some other small office. 
I have raised the plant slowly from seed ; that is scarcely to be 
recommended, for we like large specimens, and “ life is too short ” 
thus to get them. I have imported plants, but they are sent over 
almost or quite unrooted, and need careful nursing under glass ; so 
were I a rich man—indeed, otherwise unless I bad a skilful gardener 
—I should try the plants of the nurseryman. For the reason given 
the plant is still not very cheap, but it would become much cheaper 
did a demand for quantities encourage production on a large scale. 
I have heard of its use for bedding, winter as perennial. I detest 
“ dot ” plants, but if condemned to use them I should use- 
for the purpose the great Pyrenean Saxifraga upon a carpet of 
Antennaria tomentosa (-ilvery) or of Herniaria glabra (green). In 
April I shall plant half my present stock in natural groups or 
“ bosses ” upon hard chalk faces in the rock garden. The plant 
furnishes and loves spots which the majority of choice plants 
would decline. Provision against excess of winter wet is so far as 
I can make out the only care which the plant needs. 
I notice great differences in the “ lie ” of the foliage in diffe¬ 
rent specimens, and would gladly know if some of the distinctions 
are not specific. In some the foliage lies with its “ ears back,” re 
flexed ; in others it is stiff and bristling. Health and strength 
against delicacy may explain some of this difference. The foliage 
is short in some cases, in other cases long ; in some blunt in 
others more pointed. Will one of your readers tell us more about 
it ? I am no structural or scientific botanist. 
Ramondia pyrenaica. —Talking of Pyrenean plants, here is 
another which deserves more than passing mention. It is com¬ 
monly reputed to require a north aspect as well as frequent atten¬ 
tion to summer waterings. It likes both, but I do not find the 
plant as exacting as represented, and given summer moisture and 
a fairly good and deep soil, it will do in other situations. Though 
not like the Saxifrage, “ beautiful for ever,” it is always a neat 
and pleasant object, and charming in flower. If anyone wants a 
trio of charming Pyrenean plants, he has only to add to the two 
last named Aquilegia pyrenaica, the Pyrenean Columbine. 
Heuchera sanguinea. —This is a plant which cannot be over¬ 
praised, and has not been praised enough. Neat and pretty foliage, 
exquisitely delicate flowers in sprays (coral red) of the easiest cul¬ 
ture ; and though, I think, a native of Mexico, certainly as I well 
remember of a warm climate, proving to be completely hardy with 
us. It is a plant of which it is quite impossible to get too much, 
or rather, I may say, enough. With* even fair treatment it in¬ 
creases rapidly and reliably, and once planted it becomes and 
remains a constant and valuable furniture of the garden without 
any appreciable expense of after care or culture. I can easily 
conceive, and should like to see, a garden large or small so 
planted that, except for weeding, it need scarcely be touched for 
