January 16, 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
39 
’barrels, pack their fruit as they do, pay a commission on the 
•other side of the Atlantic, freight, and another commission on 
'this side, not to speak of two profits, if not three, ere they reach 
the consumer, the home grower could hold his own, seeing the 
’foreigner is so handicapped. 
Pass through any town in Britain, I might almost say village, and 
you wiU see in all the fruiterer’s shops, as well as in those of grocers, 
barrels of Apples, and not one of them British. Surely this is 
not as it ought to be. We send hundreds of thousands of 
1 pounds of British money into nations that meet all the products 
of our industry with the most hostile tariffs. Will patriotism 
'not arouse some grower to take the lead, and set an example that 
would induce others to follow ? —Wm. Thomson, Clovenfords. 
Being much interested in Mr. J. Wright’s comments, perhaps 
’he will not object to my endorsing his trite remarks, at the same 
time adding a few notes. I agree that it is not the foreigner’s 
'fault that fruit of first class quality is not produced at home, and 
there can be no question about the failure of the Britisher in this 
respect. Living in this great Apple growing county of Hereford¬ 
shire, I fully endorse the remark on page 23, “ That weight for 
•weight, the practically worthless and unsaleable home-grown Apples 
in good Apple years exceed the importations of handsome-looking, 
well sorted fruits that come from distant shores.” It will always 
*be the case, unless a radical change takes place, that the growers of 
high-class fruit will at any time be able to secure good prices, 
because those growers are comparatively few in number who grow 
••only the best and carefully grade their goods before consigning to 
market. Packing, again, is done in the most slovenly manner, and 
'in a way that would ruin the choicest fruit. Fruit trees are 
neglected in such a manner that good crops of fine fruit cannot be 
reasonably expected. If orchards were annually manured in the 
■same way as other land from which crops are naturally looked for 
'there would not be so many worn-out orchards in which the trees 
'are comparatively young. 
Many run away with the idea that fruit growing is an easy 
matter and certain to be remunerative. So it is remunerative, 
bat only in the hands of those possessing knowledge, capital, and 
■untiring perseverance, and then failures will occur which no human 
power can avert. I have not the least hesitation in stating that many 
will regret embarking on fruit growing. I know of more than 
• one instance where a great amount of money has been expended 
by gentlemen, in such a manner that it is certain to never return, 
'■through the employment of incompetent men. If a capitalist goes 
'in for fruit growing a competent man is a necessity to get suc- 
•cessful results, which, taking one year with another, is certain 
'■when properly managed. Probably the greatest drawback in fruit 
■culture is the “caterpillar plague.” Last year the damage done 
■was immense, and this year I fully expect an even worse attack 
■unless something unforeseen occurs. Fruit trees, forest trees, and 
.diedgerows are thickly studded with the eggs of the winter moth ; 
•and though we had a splendid autumn for fruit trees, ripening their 
wood, and perfecting the fruit buds, the outlook is decidedly 
gloomy. The person who can invent a certain remedy for this pest 
•deserves a country’s gratitude and a well filled pocket. 
A good deal has been written about the Fruiterers’ Company’s 
efforts to promote improved methods of fruit culture, and I for one 
wish them every success in their plans whatever form they may 
’take. Every method of improving the present low standard of 
home-grown hardy fruit deserves a welcome, because no Apples 
•grown abroad can equal well grown samples produced in this 
(Country.—S. T. Wright, Gleivston Court Gardens. 
SOME NOVELTIES. 
Perhaps a few lines regarding several varieties of Melons 
and vegetables grown in the past year may be of some use to those 
mow thinking of preparing their seed orders. I will commence 
with Melons as the best of fruits raised from seed, and I consider 
a high class Melon when at its best as second to no fruit. Messrs. 
Henderson of New York sent me for trial their Delmonico Musk 
Melon, a large fruit most beautifully netted with pinky flesh, the 
skin being when ripe of a yellowish green tint (in fact the illus¬ 
tration of Triumph Melon in Messrs. Sutton’s catalogue is an exact 
representation of Delmonico Melon, with the important exception 
•that there is no green in the flesh as in Triumph, which is de¬ 
scribed and figured as a green flesh). The appearance of a well 
grown fruit is grand, and when cut the palate confirms the judg- 
Tnent of the eye. It is a very weakly grower at first, and it grew 
•so spindly that I threw all my plants but two away, and those I 
■.planted in a corner of the house where nothing could grow well to 
live or die, not caring much which. However, they grew apace, 
■although the growth is so thin o»e weuld hardly think it would 
support large fruits, which it does. All the fruits were large and 
handsome, and I do not know a Melon I like better. 
Albert Victor was sent out as a novelty, but it was no novelty 
to me, for a friend of mine grows a Melon exactly similar to it. 
It is of robust constitution, and the fruits are well netted and 
bright yellow when ripe. It keeps well—in fact is the best keeper 
I know—and has white flesh of good but not of the best quality. I 
can recommend it as a sort easily grown. Blenheim Orange and 
Hero of Lockinge are not novelties now, but are the most reliable 
of all Melons, the latter being far and away the best of the two. 
A seedling of mine, which Mr. Gilbert has dubbed Her Lady.ship’s 
Favourite, is to my mind the best Melon grown for quality and 
appearance, but of course every man likes his own chickens best. 
I have heard of it being delicate, but Mr. Fisher of Bireham 
House, who grows it in the Melon house, and more largely in 
frames, finds it to be of robust growth. 
Of Peas I will only mention Sharpe’s Victory and Triumph, 
the former about feet high, bearing long pods of very deep c-dour 
with peas of good colour and quality ; a useful Pea but not equal to 
some others. Triumph is a good all-round Pea, and I believe one 
of the best of the second earlies with large pods tightly filled with 
large peas, and the quality is good ; I can strongly recommend this 
Pea to all. I must not forget William Hurst, which is so useful 
for early work, and I observed Mr. Iggulden found it equally 
useful for late sowing. It is far in advance of American Wonder. 
Some years ago I tried Dr. Hogg, and found it to be quite the 
best second early Pea for quality, the pods so packed with peas 
that there was a difficulty in opening them. I seldom see this Pea 
mentioned, the Giants being more fashionable, but I mean to 
return to it this year, which indeed I should have done before had 
I not been overburdened with such a number of different varieties 
in hand. 
In Longpod Beans the greatest advance I have seen is Bun- 
yard’s Exhibition Longpod. I have found this to have very long 
pods of deep green colour, filled with beans from end to end 
tightly packed. I have always found these monster Beans very apt 
to have gaps in them and the pods more woolly substance than 
Beans ; but here the proportion of pod is not great, and there are 
no gaps in the beans. It is the best Longpod I have grown for 
number of beans in pod and as a prolific bearer. 
Of Dwarf and Runner Beans Ne Plus Ultra Dwarf is, I con¬ 
sider, the best of all French Beans—early, great cropper, fine Boans 
and high quality. Ne Plus Ultra Runner is the longest Bean 
grown, and is a fair cropper and the quality is good. It is very 
useful for exhibition purposes, but for general usefulness commend 
me to common Scarlet Runner. 
Late Broccoli are very useful, and the latest of all is Gilbert’s 
Victoria, which I found excellent in every way, and I had plenty 
to cut when all others were done with. Snowball Cauliflower is 
dwarf, very early indeed, and snow white. No better can be had 
for early work. 
President Carnot Brussels Sprout is tall, hearing profusely firm 
and large sprouts of good quality, but I cannot say I consider it 
better than Sutton’s Exhibition well grown. 
Guerande Carrot is to be highly recommended. It is very 
similar to Sutton’s Early Gem. I grew many nearly as thick as 
they were long. They are good for exhibition and of splendid 
uality, and a great weight can be grown in a given space. Sutoon’s 
utermediate was an excellent companion to the above, the colour 
and shape being good. 
Daniels’ Masterpiece Cucumber I found a very shy bearer, b'at 
the fruits were magnificent, and I never knew a Cucumber carry 
such a heavy hloom. No better Cucumber could be grown for the 
exhibition table. 
I have already given a description some time back of the varie¬ 
ties of Tomatoes I grew. It is sufficient to say Laxton’s Open Air 
is best for outdoors ; Volunteer, Golden Sunrise, Prelude (small), 
and Perfection for under glass. 
Sutton’s White Heart Cos Lettuce cannot easily be beaten for 
quality, long standing, and appearance, and amongst the Cabbage 
Lettuces I was extremely pleased with the fringed Early Ohio. 
Laxton’s No. 1 to succeed the Ashleaf, ■with Bouncer to follow 
on, together with Sutton’s Satisfaction, wiU make a trio of Potatoes 
which I think can hardly be beaten. 
I have a guilty feeling that the Editor’s patience will be 
exhausted before he gets so far as this, so I will try to save this 
from the waste paper by concluding.—H. S. Easty. 
EUPHORBIA JACQUINIiEFLORA. 
Few persons will be prepared to dispute the claims to bexuty 
and usefulness which well-grown specimens of this fine old plant 
possess when their graceful drooping shoots are wreathed with 
