276 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r April 3, ’SW, 
same category with Blenheim Pippin—viz., it does not bear when 
young, but after it becomes aged— i.e,, twelve to fifteen years old 
it is one of the most reliable and best. Late : Annie Elizabeth, 
Bramley’s Seedling, Dumelow’s Seedling, Rymer, Galloway Pippin, 
Gooseberry Apple, Hambledon Deux Ans, Hanwell Souring, 
Minchull Crab, Northern Greening. 
Perhaps the greatest difficulty that besets the grower is the ex¬ 
tensive number of varieties, many of which are of first class 
quality for their respective purpose, and the difficulty is further 
increased by the diversity of opinion respecting them. The most 
extensive growers and experienced pomologists find it no easy 
matter to reduce the number of first class Apples. All making a 
study of Apples form prejudices, even against their better 
judgment, which had become fixed by heredity and environment, 
so that they cannot through prepossession part with favourites, 
which, surpassing their compeers in some esteemed excellence, it 
may be of quality without any other characteristic of value are not 
befitting the times. Some for instance recommend Hawthornden 
as a kitchen and Ribston Pippin as a dessert variety of the highest 
excellence, which no one questions, but the fact respecting them is 
one may ride a horse to death before we find a healthy and profit¬ 
able tree of either. Gems they may be of the first water when 
perfect, but the majority of investors in Apples look more at their 
easy term of purchase than at their high quality. It suffices 
for the masses if an Apple is of general usefulness—a combination 
of good appearance, quality, and practical utility. The grower, 
too, must cast aside his prepossessions and prejudices. What served 
our forefathers will not serve the present generation. There is a 
waiit—a market—and that must be supplied by the home grower, 
or it will be supplied by the enterprise and energy of the growers 
of other lands. It is no use blinking the fact—viz., our produce is 
not the best and cheapest put in the market. Decrying imported 
Apples will never make better grow in English orchards. What is 
required is effort guided by common judgment. The cultivator 
must expand his ideas of manufacture, get all the beauty, all the 
quality, and alt the utility of the at one time costly article into the 
cheap. To effect this prepossessions and prejudices must in all 
matters outside be laid aside. Hardness of fruit, freedom and 
constancy of bearing will largely influence growers in making 
selections, to which there is nothing more to add only that the fruit 
be such as to command the markets. This will be best secured, not 
by an infinity of variety, but by growing few varieties in quantity, 
a number of trees of the most profitable kinds. 
In making selection of what I consider the most profitable sorts 
it is not expected that they may have proved such in all localities ; 
but if those taking exception to any will only name others they 
have found surpassing them in certainty, production, and profitable¬ 
ness of crop we may form an estimate of their suitability for 
general culture. Six varieties for dessert and kitchen use—Lady 
Sudeley, King of the Pippins, Harvey Apple (Dr. Harvey, Golden 
Noble, Waltham Abbey Seedling), Rhode Island Greening, King 
of Tomkins County, Dutch Mignonne. To those add Reinette de 
Canada in warm, and Lemon Pippiu in ordinary situations. 
Six other varieties tor dessert and kitchen use.—Harvey’s Wilt¬ 
shire Defiance, Baxter’s Pearmain, Annie Elizabeth, Royal or Here¬ 
fordshire Pearmain, Hormead Pearmain, London Pippin. Extra. 
—Hambledon Deux Ans. 
Blenheim Pippin from its shy bearing in a young state is 
omitted. It may be planted by those that can wait with com¬ 
placency its corning of age (twenty-one years), and then it is not 
a great or certain cropper. Probably a substitute may be found in 
Cobham or Golden Ducat, an early and good bearer, with quality 
equal, if not surpassing, Blenheim Pippin, and a better keeper. 
Six varieties for dessert and kitchen use requiring good soil and 
sheltered or warm situations.—AVashingtoii, American Mother, 
Melon Apple, Northern Spy, Reinette de Canada, and Calville 
Malingre. Extra.—Boston Russet. 
Six varieties for dessert.—Irish Peach, Cobham or Golden 
Ducat, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Cockle Pippin, Court Pendfi Plat, 
Alleii’s Everlasting. Extra.—Stamford Pippin. 
Six other v'arieties for dessert.—Kerry Pippin, Fearn’s Pippin, 
Claygate Pearmain, Adam’s Pearmain, Golden Reinette, Scarlet 
Nonpareil. Extra.—Golden Russet. 
Six varieties for appearance and usefulness.—Yorkshire Beauty, 
Lord Derby, Dr. Hogg, The Queen, Sandringham, Lane’s Prince 
Albert. Extra.—Emperor Alexander. 
Twelve varieties for kitchen.—Keswick Codlin, Lord Suffield, 
Cellini, Alf riston, Beauty of Kent, Nelson Codlin, Galloway Pippin, 
Round Winter Nonesuch, Flanders Pippin, Bramley’s Seedling, 
Dumelow’s Seedling, and Northern Greening. Extra.—Mere de 
Manage, Stone or Loddington. 
Twelve other varieties for kitchen.—Potts’s Seedling, Ecklin- 
ville Seedling, Bedfordshire Foundling, Betty Geeson, Grenadier, 
Tower of Glamis, Melrose, Yorkshire Greening, Murfitt’s Seedling, 
Rymer or Caldwell, Gooseberry Apple, Hanwell’s Souring, Minchull 
Crab. Extra.—Warner’s King, Niton House (a large, later form of 
Stirling Castle). 
The selection comprises seventy varieties, which may be con¬ 
sidered far too many, but if the first six of the dessert and kitchen, 
dessert, appearance and usefulness, and first twelve of the kitchen 
varieties with their respective extras are taken, the number is re¬ 
duced to thirty-five, to which can be added Blenheim Pippin and 
New or Improved Bess Pool in the case of those that can afford to- 
wait. Thirty-six or seven may be considered too many, but taking- 
into account that a supply is required of useable fruit for not less 
than nine months of the year, it is matter of extreme difficulty to- 
limit the kinds so as to make sure of an unbroken succession. The- 
varieties differ in time and duration, and constitution or adaptability 
for location, being influenced to a considerable extent thereby, so 
that it becomes necessary to provide for contingencies, and in select¬ 
ing provide accordingly. 
'Twenty-four varieties.—Keswick Codlin, Lady Sudeley, Lord 
Derby, King of the Pippins, Yorkshire Beauty, Harvey Apple- 
(Golden Noble), Grenadier, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Alfriston, Fearn’s 
Pippin, The Queen, Baxter’s Pearmain, Sandringham, Adam’s- 
Pearmain, Beauty of Kent, Flanders Pippin, Dr. Hogg, Lane’s 
Prince Albert. Dumelow’s Seedling, Round Winter Nonesuch,. 
Bramley’s Seedling, Annie Elizabeth, Dutch Mignonne, and Northern 
Greening. Amongst those will be found fruit suited to all tastes,, 
for which, however, there is no accounting, as difference seems to 
foUow variety, therefore add Rhode Island Greening and King of 
Tomkins County. 
Twelve varieties.—Lady Sudeley, King of the Pippins, York¬ 
shire Beauty, Baxter’s Pearmain, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Grenadier, 
Sandringham, Flanders Pippin, Dumelow’s Seedling, Dr. Hogg,, 
King of Tomkins County, and Northern Greening, with Bramley’s 
Seedling. The last may be substituted for Dumelow’s Seedling 
where it cankers, and have a place in all selections of culinary 
Apples. 
Six varieties.—Lady Sudeley, Harvey Apple, Sandringham,. 
Bramley Seedling, Dr. Hogg, and King of Tomkins County. 
Four varieties : Lady Sudeley, Harvey Apple, Dr. Hogg, King; 
of Tomkins County. 
Three varieties ; Lady Sudeley (August to September), Harvey 
Apple (October to December), Dr. Hogg (November to April). 
To the six, four, and three add Cox’s Orange Pippin, and where- 
the demand is greater for a dessert than culinary variety replace 
Harvey Apple by King of the Pippins. Cox’s Orange Pippin and 
Reinette de Canada are perhaps not excelled, but they require good 
soil and warm situation. 
Exception may be taken to Lady Sudeley, King of Tomkins- 
County, Dr. Hogg, The Queen, Sandringham, and Lane’s Prince 
Albert as not sufiiciently proven, but if healthy growth, early and 
full cropping go for anything it shows their adaptation for dwarf 
and standard culture. Looking askance at varieties of demonstrated- 
merit only causes the “ plums ” of the markets to fall into the lap of 
importers. Clinging to antiquated varieties causes the something 
that was going to be done to be put off indefinitely ; indeed, we 
cannot find heart to cast aside the “ baby ” dessert kinds and the- 
“crabs” of the culinary sorts, yet we complain of those investing 
in the full grown examples of other lands. Surely those bringing^ 
bullion to the mint have the first right to the coinage, therefore let 
us plant Lady Sudeley, Dr. Hogg, Lane’s Prince Albert, The 
Queen, Sandringham, King of Tomkins County, with Alfriston,. 
Yorkshire Beauty, Lord Derby, Golden Noble, Beauty of Kent, 
Wiltshire Defiance, having a line in the centre of Cox’s Orange 
Pippin and Reinette de Canada alternately, and to keep guard 
around King of the Pippins, Bramley’s Seedling, and Northern 
Greening. Then we may leave Blenheim Pippin and Bess- 
Pool as a legacy to the times—the generation yet to come.— 
G. Abbey, 
(To be continued.) 
GARDEN NOTES IN 1889. 
Gladioli. 
Although I have occasionally alluded to the Gladiolus during the 
past year, and especially in my report on those at the Crystal Palace 
Show in September, 1 have not entered into any details as I have usually 
done with regard to my own culture—notes which I find interest a good 
many who, like myself, can grow only a selection, my beds not contain¬ 
ing more than about 500 corms, and I am so narrowed by space that I 
can only change my ground once in two years. I have other parts in my 
garden where they might possibly grow, but the soil is not so suitable as 
that is where I grow them and have grown them for some years ; but 
although I can only give them this change, yet by cropping the ground 
with vegetables I think that a sufficient change is afforded them. Thus 
the beds where I am going to place them this year had Onions and. 
