JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Ju'y 6,1894. 
H 
a variety that has caused quite a revolution in Strawberry culture, there 
being; hitherto nothing approaching this for earliness, heavy cropping, 
and fine fruit. It has two faults, and these are softness of flesh and 
want of richness in flavour, two defects that are in a fair way to be 
remedied shortly. Mr. Laxton not only left many good seedling Straw¬ 
berries to be distributed, but he also left two sons who are both com¬ 
petent and desirous of carrying on the good work so well begun by their 
father. That this is no light undertaking a visit to their Bedford and 
Qirtford grounds and nurseries would amply demonstrate. 
It is not a few scores or hundreds of seedlings that are under trial, but 
they are numbered by thousands. Some were raised by Mr. Laxton 
senior, and many more are the result of careful crosses made by hii 
sons. Unfortunately, the very severe frosts experienced just when the 
Strawberries were in flower, has thrown the trials back fully a year, and 
has been a great pecuniary loss otherwise. As it was I had quite enough 
of Strawberry testing to satisfy all my wants in that direction for one 
season. Judging from what I saw and tasted there are some really 
valuable varieties in store for us, though the majority will yet be sub¬ 
jected to another severe test and weeding out process. Of this I am 
quite confident, not another variety of even slightly inferior colour or 
quality will ever be sent out by the Messrs. Laxton Brothers, and if 
what are eventually offered do not quickly take the place of some of 
the older favourites then 1 am no judge of what constitutes a good 
Strawberry. 
No good purpose would be served in describing many of the unnamed 
seedlings, especially seeing that they may never be distributed ; and 
instead of this, I will give an honest description of some that are already 
named, and in some cases in the market. Royal Sovereign has met with 
a reception that would have done the late Mr. Laxton good, and there 
is no mistaking the value of this sterling novelty. It succeeds remark¬ 
ably well forced in pots, that good judge Mr. Norman, gardener at 
Hatfield House, having formed a very high opinion of its merits as a 
forcer. In pots it produces fruit equal in size to Auguste Nicaise, and 
is greatly superior to that sensational variety, either in point of colour 
or flavour. It is of the easiest possible culture, and the fruits are firm, 
bright red in colour, with seeds well on the surface, consequently 
travelling well. In the open it proves of robust habit, and small plants 
put out as late as October last season have given some fine fruit this 
June, Royal Sovereign does not ripen so early as Noble, but rather 
forms a good succession. I tasted fruit from several beds, and in 
different localities, and they were firm, richly flavoured, and attractive 
in appearance. 
Those who want a briskly flavoured early variety should plant Scarlet 
Queen. This novelty is of distinct compact growth and a great cropper. 
The fruit are of medium size, very bright red in colour, firm, and with 
unite as much or more acidity in it than is to be found in King of the 
Barlies. Want of size may militate against Scarlet Queen, but is a 
drawback that surely will never be urged against Monarch. The latter 
was the very last to be selected and named by Mr. Laxton, sen., and in 
my opinion is good enough to have been subsequently named after the 
raiser. It is one of the best of several distinct forms obtained by cross¬ 
ing Latest of All with Captain. The parentage is unmistakeable. There 
js the fine, bold, yet compact stout foliage of Captain with the great 
productiveness of Latest of All, while the fruits are extra fine, of a bright 
scarlet colour, with seeds well on the surface. The flesh is firm and 
richly flavoured, and all things considered I should say that Monarch 
will eventually become a favourite main crop variety with gardeners and 
market growers. It also promises to succeed well in pots. Another 
equally distinct and promising variety as yet unnamed was obtained in 
the same bed of seedlings. In this instance the foliage more nearly 
resembles Latest of All, and, like the latter, is also a great cropper. The 
fruit, however, show some of the Noble blood, being even large, full in 
form and of good colour and quality. Growers for exhibition will do 
well to give this variety a trial. 
Several of the Royal Sovereign crosses are most promising, and I 
have no doubt we shall soon have a much improved Noble to grow as a 
first early. Strawberry runners are late, but are fairly strong. At Bed¬ 
ford the young plants to produce these are not allowed to bear any fruit, 
so that their whole energies are expended on the production of good 
runners, and no trampling between the rows injures them after they are 
formed.—W. IGGULDEN. 
[Oar correspondent appears to have gone into ecstacies over 
Monarch, We have had fruits of Leader sent to us by Messrs. Laxton— 
the result of a cross between Noble and Latest of All—a noble-looking 
fruit of better flavour than its prototype. We hope to see which of the 
two last named proves the greater favourite another year.] 
GERMAN IRISES. 
For flowering during the month of May and early in June the 
numerous varieties of Iris that belong to this section make an interesting 
as well as a bold display in the herbaceous border if they are planted in 
large masses. Germanica, commonly called the Blue Flag Iris, is 
perhaps the most common of all the type. It is really a plant for town 
gardens. Around London this type is very extensively grown, and a 
grand effect the deep purple blue flowers make. Directly the flowering 
season is past the plants may be increased by dividing the roots, choosing 
showery weather. The smallest piece with a root attached will grow. 
For the guidance of those readers with but a limited knowledge of 
these Irises I give the names of a few really good kinds. Pallida, 
pale azure blue, tinged with rose ; Queen of May, rosy lilac, veined with 
yellow ; Florentina, white, faintly shaded with pale lavender, sweet 
scented ; Madame Chereau, white, heavily edged with deep lavender 
blue ; Princess of Wales, pure white, large flower ; Gracchus, primrose 
yellow, purple reticulated white, and edged with primrose; Lady 
Seymour, bronzy lavender, blue netted purple and white ; Galatea, 
bronzy lavender, clear blue, blotched with purple; Duchesse de Nemours, 
pale blue standards, drooping petals, violet veined white ; Flavescens, 
light primrose ; Gazelle, white, heavily frilled with clear blue, drooping 
petals white, edged blue ; Homer, lavender blue, slightly reticulated with 
white ; Jenny Lind, yellow, violet, and blue ; Walner, a combination of 
deep lavender and clear bright blue ; and Rubens, lavender, shaded 
bronze, bright purplish blue.—S. P. H. 
GLOXINIAS AT CHELSEA. 
When it is remembered the extent to which Gloxinias have improved 
of late years, it cannot be other than a surprise to see that every year 
the position is not only maintained, but advances are still being made. 
Yet so it is. There are this season such colours as were not previously 
seen. It might be thought that, with the continued increase of coloura¬ 
tion, the substance of the flowers would be impaired ; but such is not 
the case. For this we should remember what is owing to the care and 
forethought of the hybridisers, who, by their incessant watchfulness, 
have earned the admiration of all lovers of flowers, whether their 
labours have been expended on Gloxinias or any other plants. 
Probably no man has done more in the advancement of Gloxinias 
than Mr. West, of Messrs. Jas. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. Let us therefore 
aecord all honour where it is due, and give our thanks both to Mr. West 
and his employers for affording ua such a rich treat as has been on view 
in the Gloxinia house at the Royal Exotic Nursery during the past 
three or four weeks. For the benefit of those readers of the Journal 
whom fate has placed too far away to permit of inspection a few 
varieties may be named as being the best—at least, they were so in the 
writer’s opinion ; but others may differ, in fact it is to be hoped they 
will do so, as it obviously would not do for all of us to like the same. 
Notwithstanding the assumption that tastes differ as regards the 
beauty and excellence of any particular flower, it is surmised 
that everyone will agree that not one more suitable could be found 
with which to commence than Mars. The name is certainly warlike, 
and so is the flower, for it stands out boldly from the leafage, and is 
a rich, clear, orange scarlet colour. But this is not the only good point 
possessed by this sterling variety. It has at least two others that will 
appeal to numbers of growers—its floriferousness and the length of 
time that the blooms remain in beauty after expansion. While we are 
amongst the planets let us take a look at Uranus. It needs more than 
one glance to thoroughly appreciate its good qualities. Margined with 
white each lobe has a clear band of blue, shading with exquisite 
delicacy to the soft creamy white throat, the beauty of the whole being 
accentuated by the blue with which the latter is sparsely spotted. 
The flowers are of unusual substance, and the lobes overlap in such style 
as to form an ideal Gloxinia. 
Crowning a short flower stem with fine flowers is one called Herald, 
of which the throat is very light, extending upwards to a charming 
rosy-lilac feathered with bright crimson, and having clearly defined 
white margins. An enormous rich scarlet variety is named Columbus, 
a great flower named after a great man. Bellona, too, is very beautiful, 
but in a different way to all the foregoing, for its ground colour is rosy- 
purple flushed with crimson, and having blue margins, which much 
enhance its effect. The individual blooms are large and stout, and 
borne with a most pleasing freedom. If spotted ones find favour, Clio 
must arrest attention. It is a white with crimson spots, the whole of 
the somewhat Petunia-shaped flowers being margined with pure white. 
Cicely is edged with pale blue, and has a body hue of rich crimson- 
purple, very densely spotted with red. The flowers are almost perfect 
in shape, and mostly composed of six or seven lobes. 
Chastely beautiful is Claribel. The flower is white delicately 
suffused and spotted blush pink, and is one which is bound to find 
many supporters. Elvina is deep purple shading to blue and sur¬ 
mounted with a broad band of white. The throat is rather light, and 
is veined with purplish crimson, which aids in producing a very striking 
variety. A free-blooming kind is found in Evatina, which on a rosy 
scarlet foundation is flaked and spotted with white. Good as is the old 
Avalanche, it is eclipsed in Avalanche Improved. The flowers, with the 
exception of a rosy purple spot at the division of each of the lobes, is of 
the purest white, very large in size, and carried boldly above the foliage. 
One of the most attractive is Bclatant, the blooms of which are large in 
size, rosy carmine in colour, and possessing a white throat very faintly 
flushed with purple. Monarch, with its rich velvety crimson, still well 
upholds its name, and must not be omitted from any selection, in which 
the purplish crimson Claudia may well be accorded a place. 
These are only a few out of many, but they must suffice. For 
verification of what has been said a pilgrimage may be made to Chelsea 
at once, for if it is postponed much longer one of the richest floral feasts 
of Gloxinias one could see will be missed for another year, though 
doubtless by then others will have sprung into existence. Let us hope 
that the grower may long be spared to carry on the work he has been so 
successfully engaged in for so many years, when he will assuredly render 
a good account of himself and produce flowers of which both he and 
the firm may well be proud.— Scbtjtatoe. 
