472 
JOURNAL of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
r Jr.ne IS, IS: ft 
We happen to be able to supply information from Middlesex, 
for the same post which brought Mr. Kruse’s letter brought one 
from “ A. D., Bedfont ,” and it will be observed the storms have 
done good in clearing the caterpillars from the trees. We have 
seen trees from which they have been banished, but this is 
obviously accidental, and we want a remedy for the scourge that 
shall be under control. The letter from Middlsex is appended. 
“ It is early yet to get any fair estimates of the expectant fruit 
crops throughout this market-growing district. Blossom generally 
was remarkably abundant; the promise of abundant fruit, how¬ 
ever, has not been fulfilled, for, so far as it is possible to discern 
the product, it must be set down as generally thin. All trees are 
unusually well foliaged this year, the natural result of so much rain 
during the past twelve months, and so comparatively little fruit. 
Even the caterpillars, which have been unusually prevalent, seem to 
have been overcome, and what with terrific electric storms and heavy 
rains the foliage is now pretty well cleansed ; certainly we should 
have a grand bud-setting season, needing only a warm dry autumn 
to ripen and mature them. The lack of ripening warmth last 
autumn is the primary cause of our comparatively poor fruit crop 
this year, as although the buds were plentiful and the bloom pro¬ 
fuse, it was obvious during the early spring they were not of suffi¬ 
ciently stout plump nature to warrant very sanguine anticipations. 
We now see Apples very impartially dispersed over the trees, 
but still thinly. The fruits seem to be swelling rapidly, but the 
change to cold northerly winds and rains are likely to check 
development. Pears generallv are thinner even, but there is a 
good set on the widely grown Hessle, the chief market Pear of the 
district. Morello Cherries have set fairly well, as they usually 
do ; but sweet Cherries are thin, in spite of a wonderful bloom. 
Plums also are very thin, the fruits having dropped largely since 
setting. Even Gooseberries, which showed so good a promise 
early, have thinned considerably also, whilst picking green for 
market has been proceeding for the past fortnight. Red Currants 
are fair and standing very well. Blacks set profusely, but berries 
also on these have greatly thinned, so that only a moderate crop is 
probable. Strawberries should give an enormous crop, the set is 
wonderful ; and Raspberries, as usual, will give a large yield.” 
LOBELIA CARDINALIS. 
In the midst of numerous bedding arrangements the above 
plant is not always employed in the best manner for displaying its 
great beauty ; in fact, in many gardens it hardly finds a place. In 
whatever position it is planted it should be in a mass ; one or two 
isolated plants among others, and these perhaps not always asso¬ 
ciating well, is not the way to see this herbaceous Lobelia in its 
proper form. Liberal cultivation results in the production of 
spikes of bloom 2 feet long, on growths of the same length. The 
foliage then is large, of a dense coppery purple, reminding one of 
the purple Beech. We have just planted a bed 15 feet long and 
between 3 and 4 feet wide with this Lobelia ; the soil is raised 
4 inches above the grass, and the edge planted with Antennaria 
tomentosa. Next to this dwarf silvery foliage carpet bedding 
plant is a row of dark blue Lobelia of the speciosa type ; then come 
three rows of L. cardinalis 1 foot apart, the plants being 10 inches 
from each other in them. They are planted in single crowns, which 
I prefer to larger uneven-sized plants, as by planting the strongest, 
which will eventually be the tallest, plants in the centre a better 
effect is made. The surface of the bed is covered with the Anten¬ 
naria, which is planted in small pieces, thus providing a white 
surface to the bed, and a capital contrast to the dark stems and 
leaves of the Lobelia and its brilliantly coloured flowers. In this 
manner of planting the bed a much better effect is made than by 
leaving the surface soil bare. The blue Lobelia in a row, too, adds 
variety to and also forms a break in height between the tall stems 
of the cardinalis and the edge of the bed. 
d he chief difficulty cultivators find in the growth of this 
splendid flowering plant, and which no doubt has much to do with 
its limited cultivation, is the trouble experienced in wintering the 
roots. Although they will live out of doors all the year round, 
they are so weakly the following spring that the growth which is 
made is considerably less than that which took place the year 
previous, when the roots were first planted. The centre of the 
plant seems to decay, thus the strongest part of the roots are lost. 
Some persons raise a stock of plants annually, or every two years, 
from seed, and although they are produced in abundance, they vary 
so much in character when grown from seed that they are not to be 
depended upon to give the same results as plants which are of a 
true stock, and have been kept for a number of years. Of course, 
a judicious selection may be made from a batch of seedlings yearly,, 
and a good number of plants obtained in this manner ; but where 
dependance is placed on seedlings for immediate effect disappoint¬ 
ment is almost sure to follow. I have tried several ways of keep¬ 
ing the roots safely through the winter. It is the best plan to 
allow them to remain in the ground where they grew until the end' 
of November, covering them with a mat or other protecting 
material from hard frosts ; then lift the roots, pulling them into 
small pieces or single crowns, and laying them thickly in soil which, 
is just moist and no more, either in boxes or cold frames. Give- 
plenty of air, and simply protect them from being frozen. No¬ 
water will be needed until February, then if the surface is very 
dry a light sprinkling will do good. Early in March place the roots 
about 3 inches apart in boxes, or in a cold frame in prepared soil, in 
which leaf soil figures largely, as into this the roots run freely and 
form a good ball at planting time.—E. Molyneux. 
GARDEN ALLOTMENTS—THEIR ADVANTAGES 
AND UTILISATION. 
fRead at Nottingham by Mr. J. Wright.] 
(Continued from page 456.) 
Root Crops. 
When Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, and Beet are grown a suitable' 
sized plot must be set apart for them in the spring. The Onion- 
bed is cleared in time for planting Cabbages, sown at the end of 
July ; the other crops, except early Carrots, are not, they should 
therefore be kept together, so that all the land can be cleared at the. 
same time. A word about the Onion and Carrot maggots, which, 
ruin those crops in some soils. Misconceptions exist on those 
enemies. They do not go direct from the ground into the roots, 
but from the air. Insects emerge from the soil, hover about the- 
plants, deposit eggs on them, which fall to the ground, hatch, and 
the maggots bore into the stem. I have watched the whole process. 
Covering the ground with spent hops between young Onions often 
saves them, becauso the eggs fall amongst them, and the maggots- 
cannot wriggle out and reach the plants ; and the simple method of 
drawing dry soil to the stems, as if earthing-up Potatoes, is, if 
done in time, often effectual, as the maggots cannot climb up the 
ridges. 
What are known as Winter Onions often, indeed usually, escape 
serious injury from the destructive pest mentioned, when those 
raised in spring are ruined. The reason of this is probably the 
thicker cuticle and harder stems of the older and larger plants, 
which the small maggots cannot penetrate. But apart from that, 
the crop is not sufficiently general. Sown early in August the 
young Onions, when the size of quills, drawn and sold in bunches 
in spring pay, where there is a demand for them, all the cost of 
seed and culture, while those which remain to mature are all profit. 
These come in early before the Spanish Onions reach the market, 
and with high culture English Onions may be grown of the first 
size. It is usual to sow the Tripoli and Rocca Onions for standing 
the winter, but all the sorts usually sown in spring are suitable, and 
produce larger bulbs, and earlier and heavier crops when raised early 
in August. In experiments in the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Gardens with autumn sown Onions, the varieties which it is 
customary to sow in spring gave a decidedly better return than 
what are regarded as the orthodox winter Onions of the Italian 
type, and the fact is worth remembering. Even the small silver¬ 
skinned Onions usually grown for pickling if sown in the autumn- 
produce large bulbs early, and they are particularly acceptable. 
The variety called the Queen is excellent for use in early summer 
after the old bulbs fail. Those who want “ picklers ” have only 
to trench up some poor subsoil and sow the seed thickly in it in 
spring, and they will have bulbs the size of Hazel nuts; after they are- 
gathered turn the poor soil into the bottom again, and the bulk will 
be improved for after crops, the pickling Onions paying for the 
labour in improvement. 
A hint about Carrots. I am acquainted with a district where it 
is almost impossible to raise a supply for early use owing to the 
ravages of the maggot, and quite so to provide roots for storing 
from spring sowings ; but by sowing the quick-growing Early Horn 
varieties in July the roots get large enough for use before winter, 
and scarcity is avoided ; these the maggot does not touch, for the 
sufficient reason that the insect season is over, and eggs are not 
deposited on the late-sown plants, proving conclusively what I said 
before, that the grubs which ruin Onions and Carrots do not attack 
them direct from the soil, but are the products of flies, as surely 
are those that occur in “ fly-blown ” meat. 
Those root crops are very important. Parsnips serviceable, and 
when good roots of Beet can be grown and sold for even a half- 
