384 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
f May a, 188?. 
large trees of Coe’s Golden Drop Plum have been grand in the past week 
—quite covered with flowers. The small fruits also look well, especially 
the Gooseberries, and in the kitchen garden Peas are advancing rapidly. 
—L. Castle. 
EVENING NOTES. 
Berberis aquifolium as a Lawn Plant. —On a lawn here is a 
specimen of this Berberis, which is 8 feet in diameter and about 6 feet 
high, the branches being almost covered with bloom their entire length. 
As the plant is not very thickly clothed with foliage the flowers show 
much better between the leaves. Being a shapely grown bush, neither 
too straggly in habit nor yet clipped or pruned closely either, the effect 
is fine. It is on the grass, is in an open position, not overshadowed with 
high trees, and the wood has a much better opportunity of being 
ripened thoroughly, resulting each year in a good crop of blooms. 
Ribes sanguineum as a Hedge Plant. —One of the prettiest 
hedges I have seen is formed of this Ribes. It is from 5 to 6 feet high 
and about a yard through, is densely grown, and is now thickly covered 
with blossoms which hang in dense profusion. The hedge receives an 
annual clipping in the autumn ; in this manner the blooms show more 
thickly, as the shoots are not unevenly placed. Anyone not having seen 
a hedge formed of the shrub cannot conceive how effective it is when 
in bloom, and being yearly subjected to this treatment the growth 
annually is not strong. Great numbers of flower buds have been formed 
by closely clipping the shoots after flowering.—E. M. 
Forcing Strawberry Plants the Second Year. —I tried this 
plan last year, and as it answered very well we were induced this year 
to try more ; in fact, we are working a third of our stock over again. 
We do not begin to force very early. Our first came in a week before 
Easter with a dozen good fruits on each plant ; that is what I consider a 
fair crop, better than our plants will do the first year. Perhaps some 
of our evening writers could give us a few practical hints on this point. 
—A Foreman. 
Successful Gardeners. —In answer to Mr. Revell in a recent issue 
of the Journal, in which he asserts that a single-handed gardener, 
though he may manage a place well, is not so qualified for an important 
position as one who has passed through the houses and just jotted 
down the outside work, I would like to know how many per cent, of the 
young men in the houses give themselves the trouble of going round 
the outside department every evening to take notes of what has 
been done. I am afraid the per-centage would be very low. I fancy 
there are too many other and more potent attractions for young men 
after the day’s work is over than going round and taking notes. But the 
best answer to Mr. Revell’s assertion is to point out a few who have 
risen from the position of farm labourer to single-handed gardener, and 
from that to very important positions. I know many such, but will 
here satisfy myself in quoting one, though I do not take upon myself to 
publish names. This one, who was once a plough boy, is now the head 
and sole owner of a large establishment, though he once knew as well 
how to plough a straight furrow as he now knows how to pot a Vanda 
or any other exotic, of which his establishment contains many waggon¬ 
loads, and I do not think he would fear meeting even Mr. Revell in 
open competition. This is but one of many instances how some of those 
who have risen to fame must smile at such remarks. I think I read in 
-this Journal some time ago some very sage remarks, to the effect that 
the head gardener was none the less appreciated by his subordinates if 
he let them see he knows how to use the spade as well as to give orders 
and walk about.— A Working Gardener. 
Purple Sprouting Broccoli. —This very hardy free-growing yet 
very tender and pleasant eating vegetable has recently enjoyed the 
honour of literally glutting the London market, so that no sale would 
often be obtainable, and loads had to be returned home. That comes of 
the fact that because so hardy and so reliable Purple Sprouting Broccoli 
is grown extensively in the market gardens and fields, and generally in 
much greater bulk than any other of the Brassica tribe. We need an 
•earlier heading and sprouting variety, which will turn in during March, 
and thus in prolonging the season for this vegetable enable growers to 
work it off gradually, instead of having it all turning in at once. The 
seedsman who can produce this desideratum will do market growers an 
excellent turn. As it is, large quantities of heads are cut even 
before any evidences of flower are seen ; but as the bulk of the crop 
remains late, it then has to compete with the white Broccoli, which come 
into the market so largely from warmer portions of the kingdom. It 
may be said of the London growers, why not plant white Broccolis instead 
of so much of the Purple Sprouting ? Well, the London growers have 
been in past years so heavily hit by having their white Broccoli destroyed 
by frost, that they naturally fight shy of an uncertainty for a moral 
•certainty in the shape of the very hardy sprouting form. Then white 
Broccoli is grown elsewhere in such great quantities and so finelv that it 
is very difficult for London growers to get a price at all for whites, as 
the latter will persist in all turning in at once, and thus a flooded market 
is inevitable. The great value of Brussels Sprouts, the best of all 
the Brassica tribe, to the market grower is that the crop turns in very 
gradually, hence is thrown over a long season.—A. D. 
Forced Strawberries. —With permission I again send you a 
sample of Strawberries we are now 'gathering from var. Vicomtesse 
Hericart de Thury. Some growers complain that this variety is not 
large enough, but I anticipate that your opinion will be that we have 
no ground for complaint in that direction. As a matter of course I 
have sent you some of the best, but as a gentleman remarked when he 
saw me packing, “ we have plenty more equal to them.” Our plants 
are all in C-inch pots, and carry from twelve to twenty fruits. As soon 
as the fruit was set we gave a dressing of Clay’s fertiliser, and that is 
the chief stimulant they have had.— Thos. Crosswell. 
[The fruits are very fine indeed, as large as average Sir Joseph 
Paxtons when forced and not sufficiently thinned.] 
Lady Downe’s Grape Scalding.—W ill any reader who has 
grown this excellent Grape “without scalding” be kind enough to 
give a note on his treatment of it ? - I read all the articles that appeared 
on this subject last season, and due attention was paid to all the means 
then brought forward, but still we had scalded berries. As the season 
is now approaching that critical time again, I think a note on this 
subject would greatly benefit many who have this variety to deal with 
besides—J. II. A. 
Daffodils. —While the varieties of Daffodils are engaging the 
attention of many, perhaps the following may interest some. Two or 
three years ago I sent you some Narcissus poeticus that had assumed 
the double form. I have a yellow single Daffodil of a similar form to 
poeticus, but I do not know its name, which is also doubling, and some 
of them completed. The change from single to double in both cases 
followed lifting the bulbs and transplanting while in a green state 
about the time of flowering, or shortly thereafter.—W. T., Blantyre . 
ROCHDALE AURICULA SOCIETY. 
The annual Exhibition of this Society took place on May 1st, 
the day following that at Manchester, and, as a matter of course, 
the main of the flowers at Rochdale were at the Manchester Show 
the day before, just in the same manner as specimen plants are 
carried from one to the other of the great London exhibitions. Roch¬ 
dale has a comparatively small Show, and it was said to be unusually 
small on this occasion; still it is an interesting one, and as there are 
many lovers of the Auricula round Rochdale, it is only fitting they 
should have, by means of a Show, an opportunity of seeing their 
favourite flowers in their best dress. The Public Hall is light and airy 
and well adapted to show off the flowers to the best advantage, and the 
arrangements made by the Hon. Secretary, Mr. T. H. Spawforth, were 
very satisfactory. 
The leading class was for six Auriculas, but it is required by the 
schedule they should consist of one each of the three edged classes, and 
a dark blue, maroon, scarlet, or yellow self. Of three exhibitors Miss 
Woodhead, Halifax, was placed first with green, Prince of Greens ; 
grey, George Lightbody ; white, Mrs. Dodwell; black self, Black Bess ; 
blue self, Mr. Potts ; and russet, Lord of Lome. Second Mr. Tom 
Lord, with green, The Rev. F. D. Horner ; grey, George Lightbody ; 
white, Acme ; and black self, Ellen Lancaster; blue self, Mr. Potts; 
and red self, Mrs. Sturrock. Third Mr. II. Wilson, Manor Heath Lodge, 
Halifax, who had grey, George Rudd ; white, Rachel, two varieties very 
much alike ; and blue self, Sapphire. In the class for four varieties, 
one of each section, Miss Woodhead was again first with green, Prince of 
G reens ; grey, Rachel ; white, Acme ; and self, Heroine, having a truss 
of fourteen pips. Second, Mr. Tom Lord, with green, Prince of Greens ; 
grey, George Lightbody ; white, Acme ; and self, Heroine. Third, Mr. 
Samuel Barlow, Stakehill House, Castleton, with green, Hibernia, a 
promising variety among the Stakehill seedlings ; grey, Grey Friars, a 
good deal in the way of Lancashire, and like it a faint grey; white, 
Frank Simonite ; and self, Mr. Barlow, a light plum coloured variety 
of fine shape. There were six exhibitors in this class. In that for a 
pair, in which the two must be dissimilar in variety and class, Mr. H. 
Wilson was first with white-edge John Simonite and self Heroine. 
Second, Miss Woodhead, with white-edge Acme and self Lord of Lome. 
Third, Mr. T. Lord, with green-edge Richard Gorton and grey-edge 
George Lightbody. In the class for pairs shown by small growers, Mr. 
J. Beswick, Middleton, was first with green-edge Lovely Ann and white- 
edge Acme. Mr. Samuel Lord, Rochdale, was second with green-edge 
General Niel and self Mrs. Sturrock. 
In the classes for single plants Mr. Samuel Barlow had the best 
green edge in his fine seedling President Royds ; second, Mr. T. Lord, 
with Richard Gorton ; third, Miss Woodhead, with Prince of Greens : 
fourth and fifth, Mr. II. Wilson, with Hotspur and the Rev. F. D. 
Horner. Grey edges : first, Miss Woodhead, with George Rudd and 
second with Rachel, two fine grey edges ; second, Mr. H. Wilson with 
George Lightbody ; Mr. T. Lord being fourth and fifth with Lancashire 
Hero and C. E. Brown. In the white-edge class Mis3 Woodhead was 
first with Conservative, second Acme, and third with Mr. Dodwell ; 
Mr. S. Barlow being fourth and fifth with seedlings. In the self class 
Mr. S. Barlow was first with Mrs. Bentley, a very fine and attractive 
bright plum-coloured self, large, stout, and of the finest quality ; Mr. 
T. Lord being second with Brunette ; Miss Woodhead third with Black 
Bess and fifth with Lord of Lome ; Mr. Samuel Barlow taking the 
fourth prize with Pizarro. 
The premier Auricula was the fine example of Prince of Greens, 
shown by Mr. T. Lord, which was similarly honoured at Manchester the 
day previous. 
